PartIII。
TheanswerofTrajan，towhichtheChristiansofthesucceedingagehavefrequentlyappealed，discoversasmuchregardforjusticeandhumanityascouldbereconciledwithhismistakennotionsofreligiouspolicy。^59Insteadofdisplayingtheimplacablezealofaninquisitor，anxioustodiscoverthemostminuteparticlesofheresy，andexultinginthenumberofhisvictims，theemperorexpressesmuchmoresolicitudetoprotectthesecurityoftheinnocent，thantopreventtheescapeoftheguilty。Heacknowledgedthedifficultyoffixinganygeneralplan；buthelaysdowntwosalutaryrules，whichoftenaffordedreliefandsupporttothedistressedChristians。Thoughhedirectsthemagistratestopunishsuchpersonsasarelegallyconvicted，heprohibitsthem，withaveryhumaneinconsistency，frommakinganyinquiriesconcerningthesupposedcriminals。Norwasthemagistrateallowedtoproceedoneverykindofinformation。Anonymouschargestheemperorrejects，astoorepugnanttotheequityofhisgovernment；andhestrictlyrequires，fortheconvictionofthosetowhomtheguiltofChristianityisimputed，thepositiveevidenceofafairandopenaccuser。Itislikewiseprobable，thatthepersonswhoassumedsoinvidiuousanoffice，wereobligedtodeclarethegroundsoftheirsuspicions，tospecifybothinrespecttotimeandplace
thesecretassemblies，whichtheirChristianadversaryhadfrequented，andtodiscloseagreatnumberofcircumstances，whichwereconcealedwiththemostvigilantjealousyfromtheeyeoftheprofane。Iftheysucceededintheirprosecution，theywereexposedtotheresentmentofaconsiderableandactiveparty，tothecensureofthemoreliberalportionofmankind，andtotheignominywhich，ineveryageandcountry，hasattendedthecharacterofaninformer。If，onthecontrary，theyfailedintheirproofs，theyincurredthesevereandperhapscapitalpenalty，which，accordingtoalawpublishedbytheemperorHadrian，wasinflictedonthosewhofalselyattributedtotheirfellow—citizensthecrimeofChristianity。Theviolenceofpersonalorsuperstitiousanimositymightsometimesprevailoverthemostnaturalapprehensionsofdisgraceanddangerbutitcannotsurelybeimagined，thataccusationsofsounpromisinganappearancewereeitherlightlyorfrequentlyundertakenbythePagansubjectsoftheRomanempire。^60
[Footnote59:Plin。Epist。x。98。TertullianApolog。c。5
considersthisrescriptasarelaxationoftheancientpenallaws，\"quasTrajanusexpartefrustratusest:\"andyetTertullian，inanotherpartofhisApology，exposestheinconsistencyofprohibitinginquiries，andenjoiningpunishments。]