CONCERNING THE CRUELTY AND BLOOD-THIRSTINESS OF THE EMPEROR AURELIAN AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS, AND HOW HE WAS PREVENTED THEREIN BY GOD.

A. Mellinus writes: “Aurelian was a stern, cruel, and blood-thirsty Emperor by nature, and although at first he had a good opinion of the Christians, he nevertheless afterwards became averse to, and estranged from them; and having, undoubtedly, by some tale-bearers, been instigated against the Christians, he allowed himself to be seduced so far, as to raise the ninth general persecution of the Roman monarchy against them, which persecution he, however, did not carry out. For at the very moment in which the decrees written against the Christians, were laid before him by his secretary, that he might sign them, and when he was about to take the pen in hand, the hand of God suddenly touched him, smiting his hand with lameness, and thus preventing him in his purpose, so that he could not sign them.” First book, fol. 87, col. 3, from Vopisc. Victor. Eus., lib. 7. Post. Literas, Aug. de Civit. Dei., lib. 18, cap. 52. Oros., lib. 7, cap. 16. Theodoret. Hist., lib. 4, cap. 17.