Conduct of the Emperors in the Arian Controversy 325. His Zeal 328-337. He persecutes the Arian and the Orthodox Party Arian Councils Character and Adventures of Athanasius 330. Persecution against Athanasius 351. Resentment of Constantius 356. Third Expulsion of Athanasius from Alexandria His Behaviour 312--361. General Character of the Christian Sects. CH. XXII.-JULIAN IS DECLARED EMPEROR BY THE LEGIONS OF GAUL. His March from the Rhine into Illyricum Hostile Preparations 61. Death of Constantius 61. Julian enters Constantinople 61. Is acknowledged by the whole Empire He Prohibits the Christians from Teaching Schools They are Condemned to Restore the Pagan Temples Neglect and Profanation of Daphne 862. Removal of the Dead Bodies, and Conflagration of the Julian shuts the Cathedral of Antioch George of Cappadocia oppresses Alexandria and Egypt 361. He is Massacred by the People He is Persecuted and Expelled by Julian. 861-363. Zeal and Imprudence of the Christians THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. CHAPTER XV. PROGRESS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, AND THE EENTIMENTS, ANNERS, NUMBERS, AND CONDITION OF THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS. A CANDID but rational inquiry into the progress and ablishment of Christianity, may be considered as a very ential part of the history of the Roman empire. While it great body was invaded by open violence, or underned by slow decay, a pure and humble religion gently sinuated itself into the minds of men, grew up in silence d obscurity, derived new vigour from opposition, and ally erected the triumphant banner of the cross on the ins of the Capitol. Nor was the influence of Christianity nfined to the period or to the limits of the Roman empire. fter a revolution of thirteen or fourteen centuries, that ligion is still professed by the nations of Europe, the most stinguished portion of human kind in arts and learning, well as in arins. By the industry and zeal of the Euroans, it has been widely diffused to the most distant shores Asia and Africa; and, by the means of their colonies, has en firmly established from Canada to Chili, in a world aknown to the ancients. But this inquiry, however useful or entertaining, is VOL II. B 2 SECONDARY CAUSES OF THE [CH. attended with two peculiar difficulties. The scanty and s picious materials of ecclesiastical history seldom enable us dispel the dark cloud that hangs over the first age of the chur The great law of impartiality too often obliges us to re the imperfections of the uninspired teachers and belie of the gospel; and, to a careless observer, their faults seem to cast a shade on the faith which they professed. the scandal of the pious Christian, and the fallacious trium of the infidel, should cease as soon as they recollect only by whom, but likewise to whom, the divine revelat was given. The theologian may indulge the pleasing task describing religion as she descended from heaven, arrayed her native purity. A more melancholy duty is imposed the historian. He must discover the inevitable mixture error and corruption, which she contracted in a long dence upon earth, among a weak and degenerate race beings. Our curiosity is naturally prompted to inquire by w means the Christian faith obtained so remarkable a vict over the established religions of the earth. To this inqui an obvious but satisfactory answer may be returned; th was owing to the convincing evidence of the doctrine it and to the ruling providence of its great Author. But truth and reason seldom find so favourable a reception the world, and as the wisdom of Providence frequently descends to use the passions of the human heart, and general circumstances of mankind, as instruments to execu its purpose, we may still be permitted, though with beco ing submission, to ask, not indeed what were the first, b what were the secondary, causes of the rapid growth of Christian church? It will perhaps appear, that it was m effectually favoured and assisted by the five following cause I. The inflexible, and, if we may use the expression, intolerant zeal of the Christians, derived, it is true, from Jewish religion, but purified from the narrow and unsoci spirit which, instead of inviting, had deterred, the Gentil *After he had published this part of his work, Gibbon becam aware of a third difficulty attending such an inquiry. (See his moirs, p. 230.) The prejudice which at first existed against these cha ters is now abated. The milder tone, in which the errors of Gibbon a noticed by such translators as M. Guizot and such editors as Des Milman, attests the improved feeling of the age; while successive |