Suchimperfectcircumstances，however，ashavereachedourknowledgeconcerningtheincreaseoftheChristiannameinAsiaandGreece，inEgypt，inItaly，andintheWest，weshallnowproceedtorelate，withoutneglectingtherealorimaginaryacquisitionswhichlaybeyondthefrontiersoftheRomanempire。
[Footnote152:Themoderncriticsarenotdisposedtobelievewhatthefathersalmostunanimouslyassert，thatSt。MatthewcomposedaHebrewgospel，ofwhichonlytheGreektranslationisextant。Itseems，however，dangeroustorejecttheirtestimony。
Note:Strongreasonsappeartoconfirmthistestimony。
Papias，contemporaryoftheApostleSt。John，sayspositivelythatMatthewhadwrittenthediscoursesofJesusChristinHebrew，andthateachinterpretedthemashecould。ThisHebrewwastheSyro—Chaldaicdialect，theninuseatJerusalem:Origen，Irenaeus，Eusebius，Jerome，Epiphanius，confirmthisstatement。
JesusChristpreachedhimselfinSyro—Chaldaic，asisprovedbymanywordswhichheused，andwhichtheEvangelistshavetakenthepainstotranslate。St。Paul，addressingtheJews，usedthesamelanguage:Actsxxi。40，xxii。2，xxvi。14。Theopinionsofsomecriticsprovenothingagainstsuchundeniabletestimonies。
Moreover，theirprincipalobjectionis，thatSt。MatthewquotestheOldTestamentaccordingtotheGreekversionoftheLXX。，whichisinaccurate；foroftenquotations，foundinhisGospel，sevenareevidentlytakenfromtheHebrewtext；thethreoothersofferlittlethatdiffer:moreover，thelatterarenotliteralquotations。St。Jeromesayspositively，that，accordingtoacopywhichhehadseeninthelibraryofCaesarea，thequotationsweremadeinHebrewinCatal。Moremoderncritics，amongothersMichaelis，donotentertainadoubtonthesubject。TheGreekversionappearstohavebeenmadeinthetimeoftheapostles，asSt。JeromeandSt。Augustusaffirm，perhapsbyoneofthem。—G。
Amongmoderncritics，Dr。HughasassertedtheGreekoriginalofSt。Matthew，butthegeneralopinionofthemostlearnedbiblicalwriter，supportstheviewofM。Guizot。—M。]
[Footnote153:UnderthereignsofNeroandDomitian，andinthecitiesofAlexandria，Antioch，Rome，andEphesus。SeeMill。
ProlegomenaadNov。Testament，andDr。Lardner\'sfairandextensivecollection，vol。xv。
Note:Thisquestionhas，itiswellknown，beenmostelaboratelydiscussedsincethetimeofGibbon。ThePrefacetotheTranslationofSchleierMacher\'sVersionofSt。Lukecontainsaveryablesummaryofthevarioustheories。—M。]
ChapterXV:ProgressOfTheChristianReligion。
PartVIII。
TherichprovincesthatextendfromtheEuphratestotheIonianSea，weretheprincipaltheatreonwhichtheapostleoftheGentilesdisplayedhiszealandpiety。Theseedsofthegospel，whichhehadscatteredinafertilesoil，werediligentlycultivatedbyhisdisciples；anditshouldseemthat，duringthetwofirstcenturies，themostconsiderablebodyofChristianswascontainedwithinthoselimits。AmongthesocietieswhichwereinstitutedinSyria，noneweremoreancientormoreillustriousthanthoseofDamascus，ofBereaorAleppo，andofAntioch。ThepropheticintroductionoftheApocalypsehasdescribedandimmortalizedthesevenchurchesofAsia；Ephesus，Smyrna，Pergamus，Thyatira，^154Sardes，LaodiceaandPhiladelphia；andtheircoloniesweresoondiffusedoverthatpopulouscountry。Inaveryearlyperiod，theislandsofCyprusandCrete，theprovincesofThraceandMacedonia，gaveafavorablereceptiontothenewreligion；andChristianrepublicsweresoonfoundedinthecitiesofCorinth，ofSparta，andofAthens。^155TheantiquityoftheGreekandAsiaticchurchesallowedasufficientspaceoftimefortheirincreaseandmultiplication；andeventheswarmsofGnosticsandotherhereticsservetodisplaytheflourishingconditionoftheorthodoxchurch，sincetheappellationofheretieshasalwaysbeenappliedtothelessnumerousparty。Tothesedomestictestimonieswemayaddtheconfession，thecomplaints，andtheapprehensionsoftheGentilesthemselves。FromthewritingsofLucian，aphilosopherwhohadstudiedmankind，andwhodescribestheirmannersinthemostlivelycolors，wemaylearnthat，underthereignofCommodus，hisnativecountryofPontuswasfilledwithEpicureansandChristians。^156WithinfourscoreyearsafterthedeathofChrist，^157thehumanePlinylamentsthemagnitudeoftheevilwhichhevainlyattemptedtoeradicate。InhisverycuriousepistletotheemperorTrajan，heaffirms，thatthetempleswerealmostdeserted，thatthesacredvictimsscarcelyfoundanypurchasers，andthatthesuperstitionhadnotonlyinfectedthecities，buthadevenspreaditselfintothevillagesandtheopencountryofPontusandBithynia。^158
[Footnote154:TheAlogiansEpiphaniusdeHaeres。51disputedthegenuinenessoftheApocalypse，becausethechurchofThyatirawasnotyetfounded。Epiphanius，whoallowsthefact，extricateshimselffromthedifficultybyingeniouslysupposingthatSt。
Johnwroteinthespiritofprophecy。SeeAbauzit，Discourssurl\'Apocalypse。]
[Footnote155:TheepistlesofIgnatiusandDionysiusap。Euseb。
iv。23pointoutmanychurchesinAsiaandGreece。ThatofAthensseemstohavebeenoneoftheleastflourishing。]
[Footnote156:LucianinAlexandro，c。25。Christianityhowever，musthavebeenveryunequallydiffusedoverPontus；since，inthemiddleofthethirdcentury，therewasnomorethanseventeenbelieversintheextensivedioceseofNeo—Caesarea。SeeM。deTillemont，MemoiresEcclesiast。tom。iv。p。675，fromBasilandGregoryofNyssa，whowerethemselvesnativesofCappadocia。
Note:Gibbonforgottheconclusionofthisstory，thatGregoryleftonlyseventeenheathensinhisdiocese。Theantithesisissuspicious，andbothnumbersmayhavebeenchosentomagnifythespiritualfameofthewonder—worker。—M。]
[Footnote157:Accordingtotheancients，JesusChristsufferedundertheconsulshipofthetwoGemini，intheyear29ofourpresentaera。PlinywassentintoBithyniaaccordingtoPagi
intheyear110。]
[Footnote158:Plin。Epist。x。97。]
WithoutdescendingintoaminutescrutinyoftheexpressionsorofthemotivesofthosewriterswhoeithercelebrateorlamenttheprogressofChristianityintheEast，itmayingeneralbeobserved，thatnoneofthemhaveleftusanygroundsfromwhenceajustestimatemightbeformedoftherealnumbersofthefaithfulinthoseprovinces。Onecircumstance，however，hasbeenfortunatelypreserved，whichseemstocastamoredistinctlightonthisobscurebutinterestingsubject。UnderthereignofTheodosius，afterChristianityhadenjoyed，duringmorethansixtyyears，thesunshineofImperialfavor，theancientandillustriouschurchofAntiochconsistedofonehundredthousandpersons，threethousandofwhomweresupportedoutofthepublicoblations。^159ThesplendoranddignityofthequeenoftheEast，theacknowledgedpopulousnessofCaesarea，Seleucia，andAlexandria，andthedestructionoftwohundredandfiftythousandsoulsintheearthquakewhichafflictedAntiochundertheelderJustin，^160aresomanyconvincingproofsthatthewholenumberofitsinhabitantswasnotlessthanhalfamillion，andthattheChristians，howevermultipliedbyzealandpower，didnotexceedafifthpartofthatgreatcity。Howdifferentaproportionmustweadoptwhenwecomparethepersecutedwiththetriumphantchurch，theWestwiththeEast，remotevillageswithpopuloustowns，andcountriesrecentlyconvertedtothefaithwiththeplacewherethebelieversfirstreceivedtheappellationofChristians!Itmustnot，however，bedissembled，that，inanotherpassage，Chrysostom，towhomweareindebtedforthisusefulinformation，computesthemultitudeofthefaithfulasevensuperiortothatoftheJewsandPagans。^161Butthesolutionofthisapparentdifficultyiseasyandobvious。TheeloquentpreacherdrawsaparallelbetweenthecivilandtheecclesiasticalconstitutionofAntioch；betweenthelistofChristianswhohadacquiredheavenbybaptism，andthelistofcitizenswhohadarighttosharethepublicliberality。Slaves，strangers，andinfantswerecomprisedintheformer；theywereexcludedfromthelatter。
[Footnote159:Chrysostom。Opera，tom。vii。p。658，810，[edit。
Savil。ii。422，329。]
[Footnote160:JohnMalala，tom。ii。p。144。Hedrawsthesameconclusionwithregardtothepopulousnessofantioch。]
[Footnote161:Chrysostom。tom。i。p。592。Iamindebtedforthesepassages，thoughnotformyinference，tothelearnedDr。
Lardner。CredibilityoftheGospelofHistory，vol。xii。p。370。
Note:ThestatementsofChrysostomwithregardtothepopulationofAntioch，whatevermaybetheiraccuracy，areperfectlyconsistent。Inonepassagehereckonsthepopulationat200，000。InasecondtheChristiansat100，000。InathirdhestatesthattheChristiansformedmorethanhalfthepopulation。Gibbonhasneglectedtonoticethefirstpassage，andhasdrawnbyestimateofthepopulationofAntiochfromothersources。The8000maintainedbyalmswerewidowsandvirginsalone—M。]
TheextensivecommerceofAlexandria，anditsproximitytoPalestine，gaveaneasyentrancetothenewreligion。ItwasatfirstembracedbygreatnumbersoftheTheraputae，orEssenians，oftheLakeMareotis，aJewishsectwhichhadabatedmuchofitsreverencefortheMosaicceremonies。TheausterelifeoftheEssenians，theirfastsandexcommunications，thecommunityofgoods，theloveofcelibacy，theirzealformartyrdom，andthewarmththoughnotthepurityoftheirfaith，alreadyofferedaverylivelyimageoftheprimitivediscipline。^162ItwasintheschoolofAlexandriathattheChristiantheologyappearstohaveassumedaregularandscientificform；andwhenHadrianvisitedEgypt，hefoundachurchcomposedofJewsandofGreeks，sufficientlyimportanttoattractthenoticeofthatinquisitiveprince。^163ButtheprogressofChristianitywasforalongtimeconfinedwithinthelimitsofasinglecity，whichwasitselfaforeigncolony，andtillthecloseofthesecondcenturythepredecessorsofDemetriusweretheonlyprelatesoftheEgyptianchurch。ThreebishopswereconsecratedbythehandsofDemetrius，andthenumberwasincreasedtotwentybyhissuccessorHeraclas。^164Thebodyofthenatives，apeopledistinguishedbyasulleninflexibilityoftemper，^165
entertainedthenewdoctrinewithcoldnessandreluctance；andeveninthetimeofOrigen，itwasraretomeetwithanEgyptianwhohadsurmountedhisearlyprejudicesinfavorofthesacredanimalsofhiscountry。^166Assoon，indeed，asChristianityascendedthethrone，thezealofthosebarbariansobeyedtheprevailingimpulsion；thecitiesofEgyptwerefilledwithbishops，andthedesertsofThebaisswarmedwithhermits。
[Footnote162:Basnage，HistoiredesJuifs，l。2，c。20，21，22，23，hasexaminedwiththemostcriticalaccuracythecurioustreatiseofPhilo，whichdescribestheTherapeutae。ByprovingthatitwascomposedasearlyasthetimeofAugustus，Basnagehasdemonstrated，inspiteofEusebiusl。ii。c。17andacrowdofmodernCatholics，thattheTherapeutaewereneitherChristiansnormonks。Itstillremainsprobablethattheychangedtheirname，preservedtheirmanners，adoptedsomenewarticlesoffaith，andgraduallybecamethefathersoftheEgyptianAscetics。]
[Footnote163:SeealetterofHadrianintheAugustanHistory，p。245。]
[Footnote164:ForthesuccessionofAlexandrianbishops，consultRenaudot\'sHistory，p。24，&c。ThiscuriousfactispreservedbythepatriarchEutychius，Annal。tom。i。p。334，Vers。Pocock，
anditsinternalevidencewouldalonebeasufficientanswertoalltheobjectionswhichBishopPearsonhasurgedintheVindiciaeIgnatianae。]
[Footnote165:Ammian。Marcellin。xxii。16。]
[Footnote166:OrigencontraCelsum，l。i。p。40。]
AperpetualstreamofstrangersandprovincialsflowedintothecapaciousbosomofRome。Whateverwasstrangeorodious，whoeverwasguiltyorsuspected，mighthope，intheobscurityofthatimmensecapital，toeludethevigilanceofthelaw。Insuchavariousconfluxofnations，everyteacher，eitheroftruthorfalsehood，everyfounder，whetherofavirtuousoracriminalassociation，mighteasilymultiplyhisdisciplesoraccomplices。
TheChristiansofRome，atthetimeoftheaccidentalpersecutionofNero，arerepresentedbyTacitusasalreadyamountingtoaverygreatmultitude，^167andthelanguageofthatgreathistorianisalmostsimilartothestyleemployedbyLivy，whenherelatestheintroductionandthesuppressionoftheritesofBacchus。AftertheBacchanalshadawakenedtheseverityofthesenate，itwaslikewiseapprehendedthataverygreatmultitude，asitwereanotherpeople，hadbeeninitiatedintothoseabhorredmysteries。Amorecarefulinquirysoondemonstrated，thattheoffendersdidnotexceedseventhousand；anumberindeedsufficientlyalarming，whenconsideredastheobjectofpublicjustice。^168ItiswiththesamecandidallowancethatweshouldinterpretthevagueexpressionsofTacitus，andinaformerinstanceofPliny，whentheyexaggeratethecrowdsofdeludedfanaticswhohadforsakentheestablishedworshipofthegods。
ThechurchofRomewasundoubtedlythefirstandmostpopulousoftheempire；andwearepossessedofanauthenticrecordwhichatteststhestateofreligioninthatcityaboutthemiddleofthethirdcentury，andafterapeaceofthirty—eightyears。Theclergy，atthattime，consistedofabishop，forty—sixpresbyters，sevendeacons，asmanysub—deacons，forty—twoacolythes，andfiftyreaders，exorcists，andporters。Thenumberofwidows，oftheinfirm，andofthepoor，whoweremaintainedbytheoblationsofthefaithful，amountedtofifteenhundred。^169
Fromreason，aswellasfromtheanalogyofAntioch，wemayventuretoestimatetheChristiansofRomeataboutfiftythousand。Thepopulousnessofthatgreatcapitalcannotperhapsbeexactlyascertained；butthemostmodestcalculationwillnotsurelyreduceitlowerthanamillionofinhabitants，ofwhomtheChristiansmightconstituteatthemostatwentiethpart。^170
[Footnote167:IngensmultitudoistheexpressionofTacitus，xv。
44。]
[Footnote168:T。Liv。xxxix。13，15，16，17。NothingcouldexceedthehorrorandconsternationofthesenateonthediscoveryoftheBacchanalians，whosedepravityisdescribed，andperhapsexaggerated，byLivy。]
[Footnote169:Eusebius，l。vi。c。43。TheLatintranslatorM。
deValoishasthoughtpropertoreducethenumberofpresbyterstoforty—four。]
[Footnote170:Thisproportionofthepresbytersandofthepoor，totherestofthepeople，wasoriginallyfixedbyBurnet，TravelsintoItaly，p。168，andisapprovedbyMoyle，vol。ii。
p。151。TheywerebothunacquaintedwiththepassageofChrysostom，whichconvertstheirconjecturealmostintoafact。]
ThewesternprovincialsappearedtohavederivedtheknowledgeofChristianityfromthesamesourcewhichhaddiffusedamongthemthelanguage，thesentiments，andthemannersofRome。
Inthismoreimportantcircumstance，Africa，aswellasGaul，wasgraduallyfashionedtotheimitationofthecapital。YetnotwithstandingthemanyfavorableoccasionswhichmightinvitetheRomanmissionariestovisittheirLatinprovinces，itwaslatebeforetheypassedeithertheseaortheAlps；^171norcanwediscoverinthosegreatcountriesanyassuredtraceseitheroffaithorofpersecutionthatascendhigherthanthereignoftheAntonines。^172TheslowprogressofthegospelinthecoldclimateofGaul，wasextremelydifferentfromtheeagernesswithwhichitseemstohavebeenreceivedontheburningsandsofAfrica。TheAfricanChristianssoonformedoneoftheprincipalmembersoftheprimitivechurch。Thepracticeintroducedintothatprovinceofappointingbishopstothemostinconsiderabletowns，andveryfrequentlytothemostobscurevillages，contributedtomultiplythesplendorandimportanceoftheirreligioussocieties，whichduringthecourseofthethirdcenturywereanimatedbythezealofTertullian，directedbytheabilitiesofCyprian，andadornedbytheeloquenceofLactantius。
Butif，onthecontrary，weturnoureyestowardsGaul，wemustcontentourselveswithdiscovering，inthetimeofMarcusAntoninus，thefeebleandunitedcongregationsofLyonsandVienna；andevenaslateasthereignofDecius，weareassured，thatinafewcitiesonly，Arles，Narbonne，Thoulouse，Limoges，Clermont，Tours，andParis，somescatteredchurchesweresupportedbythedevotionofasmallnumberofChristians。^173
Silenceisindeedveryconsistentwithdevotion；butasitisseldomcompatiblewithzeal，wemayperceiveandlamentthelanguidstateofChristianityinthoseprovinceswhichhadexchangedtheCelticfortheLatintongue，sincetheydidnot，duringthethreefirstcenturies，givebirthtoasingleecclesiasticalwriter。FromGaul，whichclaimedajustpreeminenceoflearningandauthorityoverallthecountriesonthissideoftheAlps，thelightofthegospelwasmorefaintlyreflectedontheremoteprovincesofSpainandBritain；andifwemaycreditthevehementassertionsofTertullian，theyhadalreadyreceivedthefirstraysofthefaith，whenheaddressedhisapologytothemagistratesoftheemperorSeverus。^174ButtheobscureandimperfectoriginofthewesternchurchesofEuropehasbeensonegligentlyrecorded，thatifwewouldrelatethetimeandmanneroftheirfoundation，wemustsupplythesilenceofantiquitybythoselegendswhichavariceorsuperstitionlongafterwardsdictatedtothemonksinthelazygloomoftheirconvents。^175Oftheseholyromances，thatoftheapostleSt。Jamescanalone，byitssingularextravagance，deservetobementioned。FromapeacefulfishermanoftheLakeofGennesareth，hewastransformedintoavalorousknight，whochargedattheheadoftheSpanishchivalryintheirbattlesagainsttheMoors。Thegravesthistorianshavecelebratedhisexploits；themiraculousshrineofCompostelladisplayedhispower；andtheswordofamilitaryorder，assistedbytheterrorsoftheInquisition，wassufficienttoremoveeveryobjectionofprofanecriticism。^176
[Footnote171:SeriustransAlpes，religioneDeisuscepta。