.—His Laws concerning Martyrs, and concerning Ecclesiastical Property.
were the benefits secured by the emperor’s written mandates
to the persons of those who had thus suffered for the faith, and his
laws made ample provision for their property also.
With regard to those holy
martyrs of God who had laid down their lives in the confession of His
name, he directed that their estates should be enjoyed by their nearest
kindred; and, in default of any of these, that the right of inheritance
should be vested in the churches. Farther, whatever property had been
consigned to other parties from the treasury, whether in the way of
sale or gift, together with that retained in the treasury itself, the
generous mandate of the emperor directed should be restored to the
original owners. Such benefits did his bounty, thus widely diffused, confer on the Church of God.