Section 430
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 399 to follow this practice, or this observance of the same religion, that he was at liberty to pursue this his purpose without hin drance, and without obstruction or molestation from any one ; and also, that they had full liberty to do that without fear or sus picion, what each one preferred. But even now we could not but perceive that some of our judges have mistaken our injunc tions, and caused our subjects to be in doubt as to our ordi nances, and have caused them to proceed with too great reluc tance to the performance of those religious observances which they prefer. Now, therefore, that all suspicion of duplicity and fear may be removed, we have decreed that this ordinance should be published, that all may clearly understand, whosoever wish to adopt this sect and worship are at liberty to do so, by this privilege granted by us, so that as each one wishes, or as may be agreeable to him, thus he may observe that religion to which he has been accustomed. And, moreover, liberty is granted to build their churches. But that this indulgence of ours may be the greater, we have also thought proper to make further provision by law, that if any houses and lands happened to be justly the property of Christians before this, and by order of our parents, have been transferred to the treasury, or have been confiscated by any city, or at least have been seized and sold or bestowed as present to any one, all these possessions we have ordered to be returned again to the former possession and control of the Chris tians, that all persons may also, in this respect, have knowledge of our piety and foresight." These are the declarations of the tyrant, that were issued not quite a year after the ordinances against the Christians had been published by him on brazen tablets, and by the same man, to whom but a little before, we appeared impious and abandoned wretches, destructive of all society, so that we were not allowed to dwell, indeed, in a city, or even the country and the desert ; by this same one, ordinances and laws were enacted in favour of the Christians. And they who a little before were destroyed by the tyrants with fire and sword, the food of wild beasts and birds of prey in the very eyes of the tyrant, and sustained every kind of punishment and' torture, and the most miserable death as in 36*