essor of Constantine, Julian the Apostate,
renounced Christianity, endeavored to restore the Pagan service in
Constantinople, and "declared himself the _implacable enemy of Christ_."
He assumed the character of Supreme Pontiff, and thus placed himself at
the head of the Pagan worship. He labored incessantly to restore and
propagate those dragonic rites, and even thought to disprove the
predictions of Christ by rebuilding the temple of Jerusalem. "He affected
to pity the unhappy Christians, as mistaken in the most important object
of their lives; but his pity was degraded by contempt, his contempt was
embittered by hatred; and the sentiments of Julian were expressed in a
style of sarcastic wit which inflicts a deep and deadly wound whenever it
issues from the mouth of a sovereign." And he intimated that they might
have occasion "to dread, not only confiscation and exile, but fire and the
sword."--_Gibbon._

The successors of Julian, though Christian in name, issued cruel and
tyrannical edicts. Valens embraced Arianism, and bitterly persecuted the
Orthodox party. Justinian established Catholicism by arms. Theodosius
proscribed Paganism by the infliction of severe penalties. Marcian and Leo
"enforced, with arms and edicts, the symbols of their faith," and it was
declared that "the decrees of the synod of Chalcedon might be lawfully
supported, even with blood." And after the accession of the Mohammedan
power, religious intolerance towards dissenting creeds was still more
rigidly enforced.

The Eastern empire exercised all the power of the Western. The original
organization of its government was the same, and it had the same titles
and prerogatives. Gibbon says of Julian: "The spirit of his
administration, and his regard for the place of his nativity, induced him
to confer on the senate of Constantinople the same honors, privileges, and
authority which were still enjoyed by the senate of ancient Rome."

It caused worship to be bestowed on the first beast, by extending to the
Latin rulers that aid which enabled them to perpetuate their system of
tyranny, to legislate over the laws and subjects of Jehovah, and to claim
the obedience which only God can demand. The arms of Justinian, both in
the East and West, caused the Roman name to be respected, and its favor
sought for.

The wonders to be performed by it, may be as yet involved in some
obscurity. But by these it is identified as the power which afterwards
became the seat