x  "  If  the  Christians  formerly  did  not  depose  Nero  and  Dioclesian  and  Julian
the  Apostate  and  Valens  the  Arian  and  the  like,  it  was  that  they  wanted  secular
strength."  Bellarmine  de  Pontif.  Rom.  1.  v.  c.  7.  He  adds,  "  But  Christians
are  not  bound,  nay,  they  ought  not,  with  evident  peril  of  religion,  [i.  e.  in  man's
sight,]  to  tolerate  an  unbelieving  king."  See  others  also  ap.  Bp.  Taylor,  Ser-
mon on  Nov.  5.  Works,  vol.  vi.  p.  612.  ed.  Heber.
T  Arnob.  1.  i.  p.  27.  cf.  p.  9,  10.  »  Jmctant.  de  M.  P.  c.  3.  fin.  "  Ad  Scnp.  c.  5.
C


18

us  ;  if  not  thyself,  spare  Carthage."  "No  one  of  us,"
says  a  blessed  Martyr a  of  the  same  Church,  "resists,
when  he  is  apprehended,  nor  avenges  himself  against
your  injustice  and  violence,  although  our  people  is  an
exceedingly  numerous  host,"  (nimius  et  copiosus.)
What,  then,  had  the  Christians  turned  against  their
destroyers,  and  employed  against  the  worn-out  and
enervated  luxury  of  the  crumbling  Empire  that  ener-
gy with  which  they  upheld  it,  had  they  acted  instead
of  suffering  ?  Truly  then  they  had  lost  their  strength,
avenged  themselves  on  their  enemies,  and  like  Samson
perished — as  to  their  real  life.  But  they  "  had  not  so
learned  Christ."  "  The  weapons  of  their  warfare  were
not  carnal,  though  mighty  through  God  for  the  pulling
down  of  strong-holds,  casting  down  every  high  thing
that  exalteth  itself,  and  bringing  into  captivity  every
thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ  V  They  had  been
taught  the  lesson,  which  the  heathen  Emperor,  when
revealed  to  him,  but  half  understood,  eV  TOVTW  vUa.
