citus, _Hist._ v. 5), and to be
constantly dissatisfied ("quibus praesentia semper tempora cum enormi
libertate displicent," Vopiscus, _Vit. Saturn._ 7). This hostility
continued in spite of the protestations of every apologist, and of the
submissiveness and sincere patriotism of the early Christians. They were
so far from recognising what their enemies so vaguely felt, that the
empire could not stand in the presence of the new faith, that it was the
common belief amongst them, founded perhaps on the words of St. Paul, 2
Thess. ii. 7,[306] that the Roman empire would last to the end of the
world.[307]

The persecution of Julian was caused by the feeling of the danger which
menaced the pagan empire from the Christian religion. His hostility was
not founded on his attachment to the old religion of Rome, which he did
not attempt to save. He endeavoured to replace it by a new system which
was to furnish the State with new vigour to withstand the decay of the
old paganism and the invasion of Christianity. He felt that the old
religious ideas in which the Roman State had grown up had lost their
power, and that Rome could only be saved by opposing at all hazards the
new ideas. He was inspired rather with a political hatred of
Christianity than with a religious love of paganism. Consequently
Christianity was the only religion he could not tolerate. This was the
beginning of the persecution of the Church on principles of liberalism
and religious toleration, on the plea of political necessity, by men who
felt that the existing forms of the State were incompatible with her
progress. It is with the same feeling of patriotic aversion for the
Church that Symmachus says (_Epist._ x. 61): "We demand the restoration
of that religion which has so long been beneficial to the State ... of
that worship which has subdued the universe to our laws, of those
sacrifices which repulsed Hannibal from our walls and the Gauls from the
Capitol."

Very soon after the time of Constantine it began to appear that the
outward conversion of the empire was a boon of doubtful value to
religion. "Et postquam ad Christianos principes venerint, potentia
quidem et divitiis major sed virtutibus minor facta est," says St.
Jerome (in _Vita Malchi_). The zeal with which the emperors applied the
secular arm for the promotion of Christianity was felt to be
incompatible with its spirit and with its interest as well. "Religion,"
says Lactantius (_Inst. Div._ v. 19), "