THE HISTORY

OF THE DECLINE AND FALL

OF

'HE ROMAN EMPIRE.

BY

EDWARD GIBBON.

WITH VARIORUM NOTEs, including those of

UIZOT, WENCK, SCHREITER, AND HUGO.

IN 7 VOLS.-VOL. II.

LONDON

GEORGE BELL & SONS

1901.

CONTENTS.

I. XV. THE PROGRESS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, AND THE SEN.

TMENTS, MANNERS, NUMBERS, AND

CONDITION OF THE PRIMITIVE

CHRISTIANS.

Importance of the Inquiry

Its Difficulties

Five Causes of the Growth of Christianity

1. THE FIRST CAUSE. Zeal of the Jews

Its gradual Increase

Their Religion better suited to Defence than to Conquest

More liberal Zeal of Christianity

Obstinacy and Reasons of the believing Jews

The Nazarine Church of Jerusalem.

The Ebionites

The Gnostics

II. THE SECOND CAUSE. The Doctrine of the Immortality

2

3

5

9

10

12

14

16

18

20

20

21

22

III. THE THIRD CAUSE. Miraculous Powers of the Primitive

IV. THE FOURTH CAUSE. Virtues of the l'irst Christians.

Effects of their Repentance

Care of their Reputation

Morality of the Fathers.

Principles of Human Nature.

The Primitive Christians condemn Pleasure and Luxury
Their Sentiments concerning Marriage and Chastity .
Their Aversion to the Business of War and Government

V. THE FIFTH CAUSE. The Christians active in the Govern

ment of the Church.

Its primitive Freedom and Equality

Institution of Bishops as Presidents of the College of Pres
byters

Provincial Councils

Union of the Church

Progress of Episcopal Authority

Pre-eminence of the Metropolitan Churches

Ambition of the Roman Pontiff

Laity and Clergy.

Oblations and Revenue of the Church

Distribution of the Revenue

Excommunication

Public Penance

The Dignity of Episcopal Government

Recapitulation of the Five Causes

Weakness of Polytheism

The Scepticism of the Pagan World proved favourable to the

New Religion

As well as the Peace and Union of the Roman Empire

Historical View of the Progress of Christianity.

In the East.

The Church of Antioch

In Africa and the Western Provinces

Beyond the Limits of the Roman Empire.

General Proportion of Christians and Pagans

Whether the First Christians were Mean and Ignorant

Some Exceptions with regard to Learning

with regard to Rank and Fortune

Christianity most favourably received by the Poor and Simple

Rejected by some Eminent Men of the First and Second

Centuries

Their Neglect of Prophecy

of Miracles

General Silence concerning the Darkness of the Passion