THE UNIVERSAL FAMILY SUBJECT TO THE
UNIVERSAL EMPIRE (CONSTANTINOPLE),

Whether Constantine was or was not taught by a
vision — as he affirmed in his latter days — that he would
conquer if he took the Cross for his sign, there can be
no doubt that he had. some reason to despair of con*
quest unless he could find some other weapon than any
which was supplied by the Roman armoury. The Em-
pire had lost its Unity. Through a trial of ten years
the Church appeared to have preserved its unity. A
man of less foresight and enterprise than Constantine —
in less difficult circumstances — ^might have asked him-
self whether he could have more cordial friends than
men whom he had suddenly delivered from a great
persecution. No one has pretended that he began his
toleration with any strong faith in Christ. Eclecticism
had diffused itself among philosophers; it had many
attractions for intelligent soldiers whose lives were spent
in action, who had no leisure for balancing opinions ; it
might easily be represented as a recurrence to the old
Roman treatment of different forms of worship. That
the Edict of Milan, like any other, was not a mere off-
spring of a man's will, that the Emperor was not the



LECT. XV.
The Edict
of Milan:
what it
meant.
252



UNIVERSAL MORALITY,



LECT. XV.
Hie mo-
Uvea of
Constan-
tine in
publishing
it.
Why it
could not
issue in
mere tole-
ration.
He fulfils
the pur-
pose of
Diocle-
tian.
The new
capital.
