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| Statutes which forbade Sacrifice, and enjoined the Building of Churches.
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Chapter XLV.—Statutes which forbade Sacrifice, and enjoined
the Building of Churches.
Soon after this, two laws were promulgated about the same time; one of
which was intended to restrain the idolatrous abominations which in
time past had been practiced in every city and country; and it provided
that no one should erect images, or practice divination and other false
and foolish arts, or offer sacrifice in any way.3192
| 3192 [That is, private sacrifices: for it appears that the idolatrous
temples were allowed to be open for public
worship.—Bag.] | The other statute commanded the
heightening of the oratories, and the enlargement in length and breadth
of the churches of God; as though it were expected that, now the
madness of polytheism was wholly removed, pretty nearly all mankind
would henceforth attach themselves to the service of God. His own
personal piety induced the emperor to devise and write these
instructions to the governors of the several provinces: and the law
farther admonished them not to spare the expenditure of money, but to
draw supplies from the imperial treasury itself. Similar instructions
were written also to the bishops of the several churches; and the
emperor was pleased to transmit the same to myself, being the first
letter which he personally addressed to me.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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