trike again, or to go to law with those who
injured them, and who thought an attendance at the gladiatorial
spectacles criminal on the principle, that he who stood by was a
murderer, though the murder was sanctioned by law; should not have an
objection to the military service, on the principle, that it was
unlawful to fight?

In short, the belief of the unlawfulness of war, was universal among
Christians in those times. Every Christian writer of the second century,
who notices the subject, makes it unlawful for Christians to bear arms.
And if the Christian writers of this age were of this opinion, contrary
to all their sentiments before their conversion, and wholly from their
knowledge of divine truths, why should not others, who had a common
nature with these, be impressed, on receiving the same truths, in a
similar manner? And so undoubtedly they were. And as this belief was
universal among the Christians of those times, so it operated with them
as an impediment to a military life, quite as much as the idolatry, that
was connected with it, of which the following instances, in opposition
to that of Marinus, may suffice.

The first case I propose to mention shall be, where there was an
objection to entering into the military service upon this principle. And
here, I apprehend none can be more in point than that of Maximilian, as
preserved in the acts of Ruinart.

Maximilian, having been brought before the tribunal, in order to be
enrolled as a soldier, Dion, the proconsul, asked him his name.
Maximilian, turning to him, replied, "Why wouldst thou know my name? I
am a Christian, and cannot fight."

Then Dion ordered him to be enrolled, and when he was enrolled, it was
recited out of the register, that he was five feet ten inches high.
Immediately after this, Dion bade the officer mark him. But Maximilian
refused to be marked, still asserting that he was a Christian. Upon
which Dion instantly replied, "Bear arms, or thou shalt die."

To this Maximilian answered, "I cannot fight, if I die. I am not a
soldier of this world, but a soldier of God." Dion then said, "Who has
persuaded thee to behave thus?" Maximilian answered, "My own mind, and
he who called me." Dion then spoke to his father, and bade him persuade
his son. But his father observed, that his son knew his own mind, and
what it was best for him to do.

After this had passed, Dion addressed Maximilian again in these words,
"Take thy arms, and receive the mark