A great number even of bishops and presbyters acquired, by this criminal compliance, the opprobrious epithet of Traditors; and their offence was productive of much present scandal and of much future discord in the African church.

[159] [Footnote 157: Tillemont, Memoires Ecclesiast.tom.v.part i.p.

43.] [Footnote 158: See the Acta Sincera of Ruinart, p.

353; those of Felix of Thibara, or Tibiur, appear much less corrupted than in the other editions, which afford a lively specimen of legendary license.] [Footnote 159: See the first book of Optatus of Milevis against the Donatiste, Paris, 1700, edit.Dupin.He lived under the reign of Valens.] The copies as well as the versions of Scripture, were already so multiplied in the empire, that the most severe inquisition could no longer be attended with any fatal consequences; and even the sacrifice of those volumes, which, in every congregation, were preserved for public use, required the consent of some treacherous and unworthy Christians.

But the ruin of the churches was easily effected by the authority of the government, and by the labor of the Pagans.