[Footnote*:Thiswas，infact，anintegralpartoftheJewishnotionoftheMessiah，fromwhichthemindsoftheapostlesthemselveswerebutgraduallydetached。SeeBertholdt，ChristologiaJudaeorum，concludingchapters—M。]
[Footnote60:Thisexpectationwascountenancedbythetwenty—fourthchapterofSt。Matthew，andbythefirstepistleofSt。PaultotheThessalonians。Erasmusremovesthedifficultybythehelpofallegoryandmetaphor；andthelearnedGrotiusventurestoinsinuate，that，forwisepurposes，thepiousdeceptionwaspermittedtotakeplace。
Note:Somemoderntheologiansexplainitwithoutdiscoveringeitherallegoryordeception。Theysay，thatJesusChrist，afterhavingproclaimedtheruinofJerusalemandoftheTemple，speaksofhissecondcomingandthesingswhichweretoprecedeit；butthosewhobelievedthatthemomentwasneardeceivedthemselvesastothesenseoftwowords，anerrorwhichstillsubsistsinourversionsoftheGospelaccordingtoSt。Matthew，xxiv。29，34。Inverse29，weread，\"Immediatelyafterthetribulationofthosedaysshallthesunbedarkened，\"&c。TheGreekwordsignifiesallatonce，suddenly，notimmediately；sothatitsignifiesonlythesuddenappearanceofthesignswhichJesusChristannouncesnottheshortnessoftheintervalwhichwastoseparatethemfromthe\"daysoftribulation，\"ofwhichhewasspeaking。Theverse34isthis\"VerilyIsayuntoyou，Thisgenerationshallnotpasstillallthesethingsshallbefulfilled。\"Jesus，speakingtohisdisciples，usesthesewords，whichthetranslatorshaverenderedbythisgeneration，butwhichmeanstherace，thefiliationofmydisciples；thatis，hespeaksofaclassofmen，notofageneration。Thetruesensethen，accordingtotheselearnedmen，is，IntruthItellyouthatthisraceofmen，ofwhichyouarethecommencement，shallnotpassawaytillthisshalltakeplace；thatistosay，thesuccessionofChristiansshallnotceasetillhiscoming。SeeCommentaryofM。PaulusontheNewTest。，edit。1802，tom。iii。p。445，—446。
—G。
Others，asRosenmullerandKuinoel，inloc。，confinethispassagetoahighlyfigurativedescriptionoftheruinsoftheJewishcityandpolity。—M。]
ChapterXV:ProgressOfTheChristianReligion。
PartIV。
TheancientandpopulardoctrineoftheMillenniumwasintimatelyconnectedwiththesecondcomingofChrist。Astheworksofthecreationhadbeenfinishedinsixdays，theirdurationintheirpresentstate，accordingtoatraditionwhichwasattributedtotheprophetElijah，wasfixedtosixthousandyears。^61Bythesameanalogyitwasinferred，thatthislongperiodoflaborandcontention，whichwasnowalmostelapsed，^62
wouldbesucceededbyajoyfulSabbathofathousandyears；andthatChrist，withthetriumphantbandofthesaintsandtheelectwhohadescapeddeath，orwhohadbeenmiraculouslyrevived，wouldreignuponearthtillthetimeappointedforthelastandgeneralresurrection。Sopleasingwasthishopetothemindofbelievers，thattheNewJerusalem，theseatofthisblissfulkingdom，wasquicklyadornedwithallthegayestcolorsoftheimagination。Afelicityconsistingonlyofpureandspiritualpleasurewouldhaveappearedtoorefinedforitsinhabitants，whowerestillsupposedtopossesstheirhumannatureandsenses。A
gardenofEden，withtheamusementsofthepastorallife，wasnolongersuitedtotheadvancedstateofsocietywhichprevailedundertheRomanempire。Acitywasthereforeerectedofgoldandpreciousstones，andasupernaturalplentyofcornandwinewasbestowedontheadjacentterritory；inthefreeenjoymentofwhosespontaneousproductions，thehappyandbenevolentpeoplewasnevertoberestrainedbyanyjealouslawsofexclusiveproperty。^63TheassuranceofsuchaMillenniumwascarefullyinculcatedbyasuccessionoffathersfromJustinMartyr，^64andIrenaeus，whoconversedwiththeimmediatedisciplesoftheapostles，downtoLactantius，whowaspreceptortothesonofConstantine。^65Thoughitmightnotbeuniversallyreceived，itappearstohavebeenthereigningsentimentoftheorthodoxbelievers；anditseemssowelladaptedtothedesiresandapprehensionsofmankind，thatitmusthavecontributedinaveryconsiderabledegreetotheprogressoftheChristianfaith。Butwhentheedificeofthechurchwasalmostcompleted，thetemporarysupportwaslaidaside。ThedoctrineofChrist\'sreignuponearthwasatfirsttreatedasaprofoundallegory，wasconsideredbydegreesasadoubtfulanduselessopinion，andwasatlengthrejectedastheabsurdinventionofheresyandfanaticism。^66Amysteriousprophecy，whichstillformsapartofthesacredcanon，butwhichwasthoughttofavortheexplodedsentiment，hasverynarrowlyescapedtheproscriptionofthechurch。^67
[Footnote61:SeeBurnet\'sSacredTheory，partiii。c。5。ThistraditionmaybetracedashighasthetheauthorofEpistleofBarnabas，whowroteinthefirstcentury，andwhoseemstohavebeenhalfaJew。
Note:InfactitispurelyJewish。SeeMosheim，DeReb。
Christ。ii。8。Lightfoot\'sWorks，8vo。edit。vol。iii。p。37。
Bertholdt，ChristologiaJudaeorumch。38。—M。]
[Footnote62:TheprimitivechurchofAntiochcomputedalmost6000yearsfromthecreationoftheworldtothebirthofChrist。
Africanus，Lactantius，andtheGreekchurch，havereducedthatnumberto5500，andEusebiushascontentedhimselfwith5200
years。ThesecalculationswereformedontheSeptuagint，whichwasuniversallyreceivedduringthesixfirstcenturies。TheauthorityofthevulgateandoftheHebrewtexthasdeterminedthemoderns，ProtestantsaswellasCatholics，topreferaperiodofabout4000years；though，inthestudyofprofaneantiquity，theyoftenfindthemselvesstraitenedbythosenarrowlimits。
Note:MostofthemorelearnedmodernEnglishProtestants，Dr。Hales，Mr。Faber，Dr。Russel，aswellastheContinentalwriters，adoptthelargerchronology。ThereislittledoubtthatthenarrowersystemwasframedbytheJewsofTiberias；itwasclearlyneitherthatofSt。Paul，norofJosephus，noroftheSamaritanText。ItisgreatlytoberegrettedthatthechronologyoftheearlierScripturesshouldeverhavebeenmadeareligiousquestion—M。]
[Footnote63:MostofthesepictureswereborrowedfromamisrepresentationofIsaiah，Daniel，andtheApocalypse。OneofthegrossestimagesmaybefoundinIrenaeus，l。v。p。455，thediscipleofPapias，whohadseentheapostleSt。John。]
[Footnote64:SeetheseconddialogueofJustinwithTriphon，andtheseventhbookofLactantius。Itisunnecessarytoallegealltheintermediatefathers，asthefactisnotdisputed。YetthecuriousreadermayconsultDailledeUusPatrum，l。ii。c。4。]
[Footnote65:ThetestimonyofJustinofhisownfaithandthatofhisorthodoxbrethren，inthedoctrineofaMillennium，isdeliveredintheclearestandmostsolemnmanner，Dialog。cumTryphonteJud。p。177，178，edit。Benedictin。Ifinthebeginningofthisimportantpassagethereisanythinglikeaninconsistency，wemayimputeit，aswethinkproper，eithertotheauthorortohistranscribers。
Note:TheMilleniumisdescribedinwhatoncestoodastheXLIstArticleoftheEnglishChurchseeCollier，Eccles。Hist。，forArticlesofEdw。VI。as\"afableofJewishdotage。\"ThewholeofthesegrossandearthlyimagesmaybetracedintheworkswhichtreatontheJewishtraditions，inLightfoot，Schoetgen，andEisenmenger；\"DasenthdeckteJudenthum\"t。ii809；
andbrieflyinBertholdt，i。c。38，39。—M。]
[Footnote66:Dupin，BibliothequeEcclesiastique，tom。i。p。223，tom。ii。p。366，andMosheim，p。720；thoughthelatteroftheselearneddivinesisnotaltogethercandidonthisoccasion。]
[Footnote67:InthecouncilofLaodicea，abouttheyear360，
theApocalypsewastacitlyexcludedfromthesacredcanon，bythesamechurchesofAsiatowhichitisaddressed；andwemaylearnfromthecomplaintofSulpiciusSeverus，thattheirsentencehadbeenratifiedbythegreaternumberofChristiansofhistime。
FromwhatcausesthenistheApocalypseatpresentsogenerallyreceivedbytheGreek，theRoman，andtheProtestantchurches?
Thefollowingonesmaybeassigned。1。TheGreeksweresubduedbytheauthorityofanimpostor，who，inthesixthcentury，assumedthecharacterofDionysiustheAreopagite。2。Ajustapprehensionthatthegrammariansmightbecomemoreimportantthanthetheologians，engagedthecouncilofTrenttofixthesealoftheirinfallibilityonallthebooksofScripturecontainedintheLatinVulgate，inthenumberofwhichtheApocalypsewasfortunatelyincluded。Fr。Paolo，IstoriadelConcilioTridentino，l。ii。3。TheadvantageofturningthosemysteriouspropheciesagainsttheSeeofRome，inspiredtheProtestantswithuncommonvenerationforsousefulanally。SeetheingeniousandelegantdiscoursesofthepresentbishopofLitchfieldonthatunpromisingsubject。^!
Note:TheexclusionoftheApocalypseisnotimprobablyassignedtoitsobviousunfitnesstobereadinchurches。ItistobefearedthatahistoryoftheinterpretationoftheApocalypsewouldnotgiveaveryfavorablevieweitherofthewisdomorthecharityofthesuccessiveagesofChristianity。
Wetstein\'sinterpretation，differentlymodified，isadoptedbymostContinentalscholars。—M。]
WhilstthehappinessandgloryofatemporalreignwerepromisedtothedisciplesofChrist，themostdreadfulcalamitiesweredenouncedagainstanunbelievingworld。TheedificationofanewJerusalemwastoadvancebyequalstepswiththedestructionofthemysticBabylon；andaslongastheemperorswhoreignedbeforeConstantinepersistedintheprofessionofidolatry，theepithetofbabylonwasappliedtothecityandtotheempireofRome。Aregularserieswaspreparedofallthemoralandphysicalevilswhichcanafflictaflourishingnation；
intestinediscord，andtheinvasionofthefiercestbarbariansfromtheunknownregionsoftheNorth；pestilenceandfamine，cometsandeclipses，earthquakesandinundations。^68AllthesewereonlysomanypreparatoryandalarmingsignsofthegreatcatastropheofRome，whenthecountryoftheScipiosandCaesarsshouldbeconsumedbyaflamefromHeaven，andthecityofthesevenhills，withherpalaces，hertemples，andhertriumphalarches，shouldbeburiedinavastlakeoffireandbrimstone。Itmight，however，affordsomeconsolationtoRomanvanity，thattheperiodoftheirempirewouldbethatoftheworlditself；which，asithadonceperishedbytheelementofwater，wasdestinedtoexperienceasecondandaspeedydestructionfromtheelementoffire。Intheopinionofageneralconflagration，thefaithoftheChristianveryhappilycoincidedwiththetraditionoftheEast，thephilosophyoftheStoics，andtheanalogyofNature；
andeventhecountry，which，fromreligiousmotives，hadbeenchosenfortheoriginandprincipalsceneoftheconflagration，wasthebestadaptedforthatpurposebynaturalandphysicalcauses；byitsdeepcaverns，bedsofsulphur，andnumeroisvolcanoes，ofwhichthoseofAetna，ofVesuvius，andofLipari，exhibitaveryimperfectrepresentation。Thecalmestandmostintrepidscepticcouldnotrefusetoacknowledgethatthedestructionofthepresentsystemoftheworldbyfire，wasinitselfextremelyprobable。TheChristian，whofoundedhisbeliefmuchlessonthefallaciousargumentsofreasonthanontheauthorityoftraditionandtheinterpretationofScripture，expecteditwithterrorandconfidenceasacertainandapproachingevent；andashismindwasperpetuallyfilledwiththesolemnidea，heconsideredeverydisasterthathappenedtotheempireasaninfalliblesymptomofanexpiringworld。^69
[Footnote68:LactantiusInstitut。Divin。vii。15，&c。relatesthedismaltalkoffuturitywithgreatspiritandeloquence。
Note:LactantiushadanotionofagreatAsiaticempire，whichwaspreviouslytoriseontheruinsoftheRoman:quodRomanumnomenanimusdicere，seddicam。quiafuturumest
tolleturdeterra，etimpere。Asiamrevertetur。—M。]
[Footnote69:OnthissubjecteveryreaderoftastewillbeentertainedwiththethirdpartofBurnet\'sSacredTheory。Heblendsphilosophy，Scripture，andtradition，intoonemagnificentsystem；inthedescriptionofwhichhedisplaysastrengthoffancynotinferiortothatofMiltonhimself。]
ThecondemnationofthewisestandmostvirtuousofthePagans，onaccountoftheirignoranceordisbeliefofthedivinetruth，seemstooffendthereasonandthehumanityofthepresentage。^70Buttheprimitivechurch，whosefaithwasofamuchfirmerconsistence，deliveredover，withouthesitation，toeternaltorture，thefargreaterpartofthehumanspecies。A
charitablehopemightperhapsbeindulgedinfavorofSocrates，orsomeothersagesofantiquity，whohadconsultedthelightofreasonbeforethatofthegospelhadarisen。^71Butitwasunanimouslyaffirmed，thatthosewho，sincethebirthorthedeathofChrist，hadobstinatelypersistedintheworshipofthedaemons，neitherdeservednorcouldexpectapardonfromtheirritatedjusticeoftheDeity。Theserigidsentiments，whichhadbeenunknowntotheancientworld，appeartohaveinfusedaspiritofbitternessintoasystemofloveandharmony。Thetiesofbloodandfriendshipwerefrequentlytornasunderbythedifferenceofreligiousfaith；andtheChristians，who，inthisworld，foundthemselvesoppressedbythepowerofthePagans，weresometimesseducedbyresentmentandspiritualpridetodelightintheprospectoftheirfuturetriumph。\"Youarefondofspectacles，\"exclaimsthesternTertullian；\"expectthegreatestofallspectacles，thelastandeternaljudgmentoftheuniverse。HowshallIadmire，howlaugh，howrejoice，howexult，whenIbeholdsomanyproudmonarchs，somanyfanciedgods，groaninginthelowestabyssofdarkness；somanymagistrates，whopersecutedthenameoftheLord，liquefyinginfiercerfiresthantheyeverkindledagainsttheChristians；somanysagephilosophersblushinginred—hotflameswiththeirdeludedscholars；somanycelebratedpoetstremblingbeforethetribunal，notofMinos，butofChrist；somanytragedians，moretunefulintheexpressionoftheirownsufferings；somanydancers。\"Butthehumanityofthereaderwillpermitmetodrawaveilovertherestofthisinfernaldescription，whichthezealousAfricanpursuesinalongvarietyofaffectedandunfeelingwitticisms。
^72^!
[Footnote70:Andyetwhatevermaybethelanguageofindividuals，itisstillthepublicdoctrineofalltheChristianchurches；norcanevenourownrefusetoadmittheconclusionswhichmustbedrawnfromtheviiithandthexviiithofherArticles。TheJansenists，whohavesodiligentlystudiedtheworksofthefathers，maintainthissentimentwithdistinguishedzeal；andthelearnedM。deTillemontneverdismissesavirtuousemperorwithoutpronouncinghisdamnation。Zuingliusisperhapstheonlyleaderofapartywhohaseveradoptedthemildersentiment，andhegavenolessoffencetotheLutheransthantotheCatholics。SeeBossuet，HistoiredesVariationsdesEglisesProtestantes，l。ii。c。19—22。]
[Footnote71:JustinandClemensofAlexandriaallowthatsomeofthephilosopherswereinstructedbytheLogos；confoundingitsdoublesignificationofthehumanreason，andoftheDivineWord。]
[Footnote*:Thistranslationisnotexact:thefirstsentenceisimperfect。Tertulliansays，Illediesnationibusinsperatus，illederisus，cumtantasacculivetustasettotejusnativitatesunoignehaurientur。Thetextdoesnotauthorizetheexaggeratedexpressions，somanymagistrates，somanysagophilosophers，somanypoets，&c。；butsimplymagistrates，philosophers，poets。—
G。
ItisnotclearthatGibbon\'sversionorparaphraseisincorrect:Tertullianwrites，tottantosqueregesitempraesides，&c。—M。]
[Footnote72:Tertullian，deSpectaculis，c。30。InordertoascertainthedegreeofauthoritywhichthezealousAfricanhadacquireditmaybesufficienttoallegethetestimonyofCyprian，thedoctorandguideofallthewesternchurches。SeePrudent。
Hym。xiii。100。AsoftenasheappliedhimselftohisdailystudyofthewritingsofTertullian，hewasaccustomedtosay，\"Damihimagistrum，Givememymaster。\"Hieronym。deVirisIllustribus，tom。i。p。284。]
[Footnote!:TheobjectofTertullian\'svehemenceinhisTreatise，wastokeeptheChristiansawayfromtheseculargamescelebratedbytheEmperorSeverus:Ithasnotpreventedhimfromshowinghimselfinotherplacesfullofbenevolenceandcharitytowardsunbelievers:thespiritofthegospelhassometimesprevailedovertheviolenceofhumanpassions:QuiergoputaverisnihilnosdesaluteCaesariscurarehesaysinhisApology
inspiceDeivoces，literasnostras。Scitoteexillispraeceptumessenobisadredudantionem，benignitatesetiamproinimicisDeumorare，etpropersecutoribusconaprecari。SedetiamnominatimatquemanifesteorateinquitChristusproregibusetproprincipibusetpotestatibusutomniasinttranquillavobisTert。
Apol。c。31。—G。
ItwouldbewiserforChristianity，retreatinguponitsgenuinerecordsintheNewTestament，todisclaimthisfierceAfrican，thantoidentifyitselfwithhisfuriousinvectivesbyunsatisfactoryapologiesfortheirunchristianfanaticism。—M。]
DoubtlessthereweremanyamongtheprimitiveChristiansofatempermoresuitabletothemeeknessandcharityoftheirprofession。Thereweremanywhofeltasincerecompassionforthedangeroftheirfriendsandcountrymen，andwhoexertedthemostbenevolentzealtosavethemfromtheimpendingdestruction。
ThecarelessPolytheist，assailedbynewandunexpectedterrors，againstwhichneitherhispriestsnorhisphilosopherscouldaffordhimanycertainprotection，wasveryfrequentlyterrifiedandsubduedbythemenaceofeternaltortures。Hisfearsmightassisttheprogressofhisfaithandreason；andifhecouldoncepersuadehimselftosuspectthattheChristianreligionmightpossiblybetrue，itbecameaneasytasktoconvincehimthatitwasthesafestandmostprudentpartythathecouldpossiblyembrace。