第123章
加入书架 A- A+
点击下载App,搜索"History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir",免费读到尾

  Hepursuedthegreatobjectofhisambitionthroughthedarkandbloodypathsofwarandpolicy;and,afterthevictory,heabandonedhimself,withoutmoderation,totheabuseofhisfortune。InsteadofassertinghisjustsuperiorityabovetheimperfectheroismandprofanephilosophyofTrajanandtheAntonines,thematureageofConstantineforfeitedthereputationwhichhehadacquiredinhisyouth。Ashegraduallyadvancedintheknowledgeoftruth,heproportionallydeclinedinthepracticeofvirtue;andthesameyearofhisreigninwhichheconvenedthecouncilofNice,waspollutedbytheexecution,orrathermurder,ofhiseldestson。ThisdateisalonesufficienttorefutetheignorantandmalicioussuggestionsofZosimus,^69

  whoaffirms,that,afterthedeathofCrispus,theremorseofhisfatheracceptedfromtheministersofchristianitytheexpiationwhichhehadvainlysolicitedfromthePaganpontiffs。AtthetimeofthedeathofCrispus,theemperorcouldnolongerhesitateinthechoiceofareligion;hecouldnolongerbeignorantthatthechurchwaspossessedofaninfallibleremedy,thoughhechosetodefertheapplicationofittilltheapproachofdeathhadremovedthetemptationanddangerofarelapse。Thebishopswhomhesummoned,inhislastillness,tothepalaceofNicomedia,wereedifiedbythefervorwithwhichherequestedandreceivedthesacramentofbaptism,bythesolemnprotestationthattheremainderofhislifeshouldbeworthyofadiscipleofChrist,andbyhishumblerefusaltoweartheImperialpurpleafterhehadbeenclothedinthewhitegarmentofaNeophyte。

  TheexampleandreputationofConstantineseemedtocountenancethedelayofbaptism。^70Futuretyrantswereencouragedtobelieve,thattheinnocentbloodwhichtheymightshedinalongreignwouldinstantlybewashedawayinthewatersofregeneration;andtheabuseofreligiondangerouslyunderminedthefoundationsofmoralvirtue。

  [Footnote67:Thetheoryandpracticeofantiquity,withregardtothesacramentofbaptism,havebeencopiouslyexplainedbyDomChardon,Hist。desSacremens,tom。i。p。3—405;DomMartennedeRitibusEcclesiaeAntiquis,tom。i。;andbyBingham,inthetenthandeleventhbooksofhisChristianAntiquities。Onecircumstancemaybeobserved,inwhichthemodernchurcheshavemateriallydepartedfromtheancientcustom。Thesacramentofbaptismevenwhenitwasadministeredtoinfantswasimmediatelyfollowedbyconfirmationandtheholycommunion。]

  [Footnote68:TheFathers,whocensuredthiscriminaldelay,couldnotdenythecertainandvictoriousefficacyevenofadeath—bedbaptism。TheingeniousrhetoricofChrysostomcouldfindonlythreeargumentsagainsttheseprudentChristians。1。

  Thatweshouldloveandpursuevirtueforherownsake,andnotmerelyforthereward。2。Thatwemaybesurprisedbydeathwithoutanopportunityofbaptism。3。Thatalthoughweshallbeplacedinheaven,weshallonlytwinklelikelittlestars,whencomparedtothesunsofrighteousnesswhohaveruntheirappointedcoursewithlabor,withsuccess,andwithglory。

  ChrysostominEpist。adHebraeos,Homil。xiii。apudChardon,Hist。desSacremens,tom。i。p。49。Ibelievethatthisdelayofbaptism,thoughattendedwiththemostperniciousconsequences,wasnevercondemnedbyanygeneralorprovincialcouncil,orbyanypublicactordeclarationofthechurch。Thezealofthebishopswaseasilykindledonmuchslighteroccasion。

  Note:ThispassageofChrysostom,thoughnotinhismoreforciblemanner,isnotquitefairlyrepresented。Heisstrongerinotherplaces,inAct。Hom。xxiii。—andHom。i。Compare,likewise,thesermonofGregoryofNyseaonthissubject,andGregoryNazianzen。Afterall,tothosewhobelievedintheefficacyofbaptism,whatargumentcouldbemoreconclusive,thanthedangerofdyingwithoutit?Orat。xl。—M。]

  [Footnote69:Zosimus,l。ii。p。104。Forthisdisingenuousfalsehoodhehasdeservedandexperiencedtheharshesttreatmentfromalltheecclesiasticalwriters,exceptCardinalBaronius,A。D。324,No。15—28,whohadoccasiontoemploytheinfidelonaparticularserviceagainsttheArianEusebius。

  Note:Heyne,inavaluablenoteonthispassageofZosimus,hasshowndecisivelythatthismaliciouswayofaccountingfortheconversionofConstantinewasnotaninventionofZosimus。

  ItappearstohavebeenthecurrentcalumnyeagerlyadoptedandpropagatedbytheexasperatedPaganparty。Reitemeter,alatereditorofZosimus,whosenotesareretainedintherecentedition,inthecollectionoftheByzantinehistorians,hasadisquisitiononthepassage,ascandid,butnotmoreconclusivethansomewhichhaveprecededhim—M。]

  [Footnote70:Eusebius,l。iv。c。61,62,63。ThebishopofCaesareasupposesthesalvationofConstantinewiththemostperfectconfidence。]

  Thegratitudeofthechurchhasexaltedthevirtuesandexcusedthefailingsofagenerouspatron,whoseatedChristianityonthethroneoftheRomanworld;andtheGreeks,whocelebratethefestivaloftheImperialsaint,seldommentionthenameofConstantinewithoutaddingthetitleofequaltotheApostles。^71Suchacomparison,ifitalludetothecharacterofthosedivinemissionaries,mustbeimputedtotheextravaganceofimpiousflattery。ButiftheparallelbeconfinedtotheextentandnumberoftheirevangelicvictoriesthesuccessofConstantinemightperhapsequalthatoftheApostlesthemselves。

  Bytheedictsoftoleration,heremovedthetemporaldisadvantageswhichhadhithertoretardedtheprogressofChristianity;anditsactiveandnumerousministersreceivedafreepermission,aliberalencouragement,torecommendthesalutarytruthsofrevelationbyeveryargumentwhichcouldaffectthereasonorpietyofmankind。Theexactbalanceofthetworeligionscontinuedbutamoment;andthepiercingeyeofambitionandavaricesoondiscovered,thattheprofessionofChristianitymightcontributetotheinterestofthepresent,aswellasofafuturelife。^72Thehopesofwealthandhonors,theexampleofanemperor,hisexhortations,hisirresistiblesmiles,diffusedconvictionamongthevenalandobsequiouscrowdswhichusuallyfilltheapartmentsofapalace。Thecitieswhichsignalizedaforwardzealbythevoluntarydestructionoftheirtemples,weredistinguishedbymunicipalprivileges,andrewardedwithpopulardonatives;andthenewcapitaloftheEastgloriedinthesingularadvantagethatConstantinoplewasneverprofanedbytheworshipofidols。^73Asthelowerranksofsocietyaregovernedbyimitation,theconversionofthosewhopossessedanyeminenceofbirth,ofpower,orofriches,wassoonfollowedbydependentmultitudes。^74Thesalvationofthecommonpeoplewaspurchasedataneasyrate,ifitbetruethat,inoneyear,twelvethousandmenwerebaptizedatRome,besidesaproportionablenumberofwomenandchildren,andthatawhitegarment,withtwentypiecesofgold,hadbeenpromisedbytheemperortoeveryconvert。^75ThepowerfulinfluenceofConstantinewasnotcircumscribedbythenarrowlimitsofhislife,orofhisdominions。Theeducationwhichhebestowedonhissonsandnephewssecuredtotheempirearaceofprinces,whosefaithwasstillmorelivelyandsincere,astheyimbibed,intheirearliestinfancy,thespirit,oratleastthedoctrine,ofChristianity。WarandcommercehadspreadtheknowledgeofthegospelbeyondtheconfinesoftheRomanprovinces;andtheBarbarians,whohaddisdainedashumbleandproscribedsect,soonlearnedtoesteemareligionwhichhadbeensolatelyembracedbythegreatestmonarch,andthemostcivilizednation,oftheglobe。^76TheGothsandGermans,whoenlistedunderthestandardofRome,reveredthecrosswhichglitteredattheheadofthelegions,andtheirfiercecountrymenreceivedatthesametimethelessonsoffaithandofhumanity。ThekingsofIberiaandArmeniaworshippedthegodoftheirprotector;andtheirsubjects,whohaveinvariablypreservedthenameofChristians,soonformedasacredandperpetualconnectionwiththeirRomanbrethren。TheChristiansofPersiaweresuspected,intimeofwar,ofpreferringtheirreligiontotheircountry;butaslongaspeacesubsistedbetweenthetwoempires,thepersecutingspiritoftheMagiwaseffectuallyrestrainedbytheinterpositionofConstantine。^77TheraysofthegospelilluminatedthecoastofIndia。ThecoloniesofJews,whohadpenetratedintoArabiaandEthiopia,^78opposedtheprogressofChristianity;butthelaborofthemissionarieswasinsomemeasurefacilitatedbyapreviousknowledgeoftheMosaicrevelation;andAbyssiniastillreveresthememoryofFrumentius,who,inthetimeofConstantine,devotedhislifetotheconversionofthosesequesteredregions。UnderthereignofhissonConstantius,Theophilus,^79whowashimselfofIndianextraction,wasinvestedwiththedoublecharacterofambassadorandbishop。HeembarkedontheRedSeawithtwohundredhorsesofthepurestbreedofCappadocia,whichweresentbytheemperortotheprinceoftheSabaeans,orHomerites。Theophiluswasintrustedwithmanyotherusefulorcuriouspresents,whichmightraisetheadmiration,andconciliatethefriendship,oftheBarbarians;andhesuccessfullyemployedseveralyearsinapastoralvisittothechurchesofthetorridzone。^80

  [Footnote71:SeeTillemont,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。

  429。TheGreeks,theRussians,and,inthedarkerages,theLatinsthemselves,havebeendesirousofplacingConstantineinthecatalogueofsaints。]

  [Footnote72:Seethethirdandfourthbooksofhislife。Hewasaccustomedtosay,thatwhetherChristwaspreachedinpretence,orintruth,heshouldstillrejoice,l。iii。c。58。]

  [Footnote73:M。deTillemontHist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。

  374,616hasdefended,withstrengthandspirit,thevirginpurityofConstantinopleagainstsomemalevolentinsinuationsofthePaganZosimus。]

  [Footnote74:TheauthoroftheHistoirePolitiqueetPhilosophiquedesdeuxIndestom。i。p。9condemnsalawofConstantine,whichgavefreedomtoalltheslaveswhoshouldembraceChristianity。Theemperordidindeedpublishalaw,whichrestrainedtheJewsfromcircumcising,perhapsfromkeeping,anyChristianslave。SeeEuseb。inVit。Constant。l。

  iv。c。27,andCod。Theod。l。xvi。tit。ix。,withGodefroy\'sCommentary,tom。vi。p。247。ButthisimperfectexceptionrelatedonlytotheJews,andthegreatbodyofslaves,whowerethepropertyofChristianorPaganmasters,couldnotimprovetheirtemporalconditionbychangingtheirreligion。IamignorantbywhatguidestheAbbeRaynalwasdeceived;asthetotalabsenceofquotationsistheunpardonableblemishofhisentertaininghistory。]

  [Footnote75:SeeActaSSilvestri,andHist。Eccles。Nicephor。

  Callist。l。vii。c。34,ap。BaroniumAnnal。Eccles。A。D。324,No。67,74。Suchevidenceiscontemptibleenough;butthesecircumstancesareinthemselvessoprobable,thatthelearnedDr。

  HowellHistoryoftheWorld,vol。iii。p。14hasnotscrupledtoadoptthem。]

  [Footnote76:TheconversionoftheBarbariansunderthereignofConstantineiscelebratedbytheecclesiasticalhistorians。SeeSozomen,l。ii。c。6,andTheodoret,l。i。c。23,24。ButRufinus,theLatintranslatorofEusebius,deservestobeconsideredasanoriginalauthority。HisinformationwascuriouslycollectedfromoneofthecompanionsoftheApostleofAethiopia,andfromBacurius,anIberianprince,whowascountofthedomestics。FatherMamachihasgivenanamplecompilationontheprogressofChristianity,inthefirstandsecondvolumesofhisgreatbutimperfectwork。]

  [Footnote*:AccordingtotheGeorgianchronicles,IberiaGeorgiawasconvertedbythevirginNino,whoeffectedanextraordinarycureonthewifeofthekingMihran。ThetempleofthegodAramazt,orArmaz,notfarfromthecapitalMtskitha,wasdestroyed,andthecrosserectedinitsplace。LeBeau,i。202,withSt。Martin\'sNotes。

  St。MartinhaslikewiseclearlyshownSt。Martin,Add。toLeBeau,i。291ArmeniawasthefirstnationwhichembracedChristianity,AdditiontoLeBeau,i。76。andMemoiresurl\'Armenie,i。305。Gibbonhimselfsuspectedthistruth。—

  \"InsteadofmaintainingthattheconversionofArmeniawasnotattemptedwithanydegreeofsuccess,tillthesceptrewasinthehandsofanorthodoxemperor,\"Ioughttohavesaid,thattheseedsofthefaithweredeeplysownduringtheseasonofthelastandgreatestpersecution,thatmanyRomanexilesmightassistthelaborsofGregory,andthattherenownedTiridates,theherooftheEast,maydisputewithConstantinethehonorofbeingthefirstsovereignwhoembracedtheChristianreligionVindication]

  [Footnote77:See,inEusebius,inVit。l。iv。c。9,thepressingandpatheticepistleofConstantineinfavorofhisChristianbrethrenofPersia。]

  [Footnote78:SeeBasnage,Hist。desJuifs,tom。vii。p。182,tom。viii。p。333,tom。ix。p。810。ThecuriousdiligenceofthiswriterpursuestheJewishexilestotheextremitiesoftheglobe。]

  [Footnote*:AbbaSalama,orFremonatus,ismentionedintheTareekNegushti,chronicleofthekingsofAbyssinia。Salt\'sTravels,vol。ii。p。464。—M。]

  [Footnote79:TheophilushadbeengiveninhisinfancyasahostagebyhiscountrymenoftheIsleofDiva,andwaseducatedbytheRomansinlearningandpiety。TheMaldives,ofwhichMale,orDiva,maybethecapital,areaclusterof1900or2000

  minuteislandsintheIndianOcean。TheancientswereimperfectlyacquaintedwiththeMaldives;buttheyaredescribedinthetwoMahometantravellersoftheninthcentury,publishedbyRenaudot,Geograph。Nubiensis,p。30,31D\'Herbelot,BibliothequeOrientalep。704。Hist。GeneraledesVoyages,tom。

  viii。]

  [Footnote!:SeethedissertationofM。Letronneonthisquestion。HeconceivesthatTheophiluswasbornintheislandofDahlak,intheArabianGulf。HisembassywastoAbyssiniaratherthantoIndia。Letronne,Materiauxpourl\'Hist。duChristianismeenEgypteIndie,etAbyssinie。Paris,18323dDissert。—M。]

  [Footnote80:Philostorgius,l。iii。c。4,5,6,withGodefroy\'slearnedobservations。ThehistoricalnarrativeissoonlostinaninquiryconcerningtheseatofParadise,strangemonsters,&c。]

  TheirresistiblepoweroftheRomanemperorswasdisplayedintheimportantanddangerouschangeofthenationalreligion。

  TheterrorsofamilitaryforcesilencedthefaintandunsupportedmurmursofthePagans,andtherewasreasontoexpect,thatthecheerfulsubmissionoftheChristianclergy,aswellaspeople,wouldbetheresultofconscienceandgratitude。

  Itwaslongsinceestablished,asafundamentalmaximoftheRomanconstitution,thateveryrankofcitizenswasalikesubjecttothelaws,andthatthecareofreligionwastherightaswellasdutyofthecivilmagistrate。Constantineandhissuccessorscouldnoteasilypersuadethemselvesthattheyhadforfeited,bytheirconversion,anybranchoftheImperialprerogatives,orthattheywereincapableofgivinglawstoareligionwhichtheyhadprotectedandembraced。Theemperorsstillcontinuedtoexerciseasupremejurisdictionovertheecclesiasticalorder,andthesixteenthbookoftheTheodosiancoderepresents,underavarietyoftitles,theauthoritywhichtheyassumedinthegovernmentoftheCatholicchurch。

  Butthedistinctionofthespiritualandtemporalpowers,^81whichhadneverbeenimposedonthefreespiritofGreeceandRome,wasintroducedandconfirmedbythelegalestablishmentofChristianity。Theofficeofsupremepontiff,which,fromthetimeofNumatothatofAugustus,hadalwaysbeenexercisedbyoneofthemosteminentofthesenators,wasatlengthunitedtotheImperialdignity。Thefirstmagistrateofthestate,asoftenashewaspromptedbysuperstitionorpolicy,performedwithhisownhandsthesacerdotalfunctions;^82norwasthereanyorderofpriests,eitheratRomeorintheprovinces,whoclaimedamoresacredcharacteramongmen,oramoreintimatecommunicationwiththegods。ButintheChristianchurch,whichinstruststheserviceofthealtartoaperpetualsuccessionofconsecratedministers,themonarch,whosespiritualrankislesshonorablethanthatofthemeanestdeacon,wasseatedbelowtherailsofthesanctuary,andconfoundedwiththerestofthefaithfulmultitude。^83Theemperormightbesalutedasthefatherofhispeople,butheowedafilialdutyandreverencetothefathersofthechurch;andthesamemarksofrespect,whichConstantinehadpaidtothepersonsofsaintsandconfessors,weresoonexactedbytheprideoftheepiscopalorder。^84A

  secretconflictbetweenthecivilandecclesiasticaljurisdictionsembarrassedtheoperationoftheRomangovernment;

  andapiousemperorwasalarmedbytheguiltanddangeroftouchingwithaprofanehandthearkofthecovenant。Theseparationofmenintothetwoordersoftheclergyandofthelaitywas,indeed,familiartomanynationsofantiquity;andthepriestsofIndia,ofPersia,ofAssyria,ofJudea,ofAethiopia,ofEgypt,andofGaul,derivedfromacelestialoriginthetemporalpowerandpossessionswhichtheyhadacquired。Thesevenerableinstitutionshadgraduallyassimilatedthemselvestothemannersandgovernmentoftheirrespectivecountries;^85buttheoppositionorcontemptofthecivilpowerservedtocementthedisciplineoftheprimitivechurch。TheChristianshadbeenobligedtoelecttheirownmagistrates,toraiseanddistributeapeculiarrevenue,andtoregulatetheinternalpolicyoftheirrepublicbyacodeoflaws,whichwereratifiedbytheconsentofthepeopleandthepracticeofthreehundredyears。WhenConstantineembracedthefaithoftheChristians,heseemedtocontractaperpetualalliancewithadistinctandindependentsociety;andtheprivilegesgrantedorconfirmedbythatemperor,orbyhissuccessors,wereaccepted,notastheprecariousfavorsofthecourt,butasthejustandinalienablerightsoftheecclesiasticalorder。

  [Footnote81:SeetheepistleofOsius,ap。Athanasium,vol。i。

  p。840。ThepublicremonstrancewhichOsiuswasforcedtoaddresstotheson,containedthesameprinciplesofecclesiasticalandcivilgovernmentwhichhehadsecretlyinstilledintothemindofthefather。]

  [Footnote82:M。delaBastielhasevidentlyproved,thatAugustusandhissuccessorsexercisedinpersonallthesacredfunctionsofpontifexmaximus,ofhighpriest,oftheRomanempire。]

  [Footnote83:SomethingofacontrarypracticehadinsensiblyprevailedinthechurchofConstantinople;buttherigidAmbrosecommandedTheodosiustoretirebelowtherails,andtaughthimtoknowthedifferencebetweenakingandapriest。SeeTheodoret,l。v。c。18。]

  [Footnote84:AtthetableoftheemperorMaximus,Martin,bishopofTours,receivedthecupfromanattendant,andgaveittothepresbyter,hiscompanion,beforeheallowedtheemperortodrink;

  theempresswaitedonMartinattable。SulpiciusSeverus,inVit。SMartin,c。23,andDialogueii。7。Yetitmaybedoubted,whethertheseextraordinarycomplimentswerepaidtothebishoporthesaint。ThehonorsusuallygrantedtotheformercharactermaybeseeninBingham\'sAntiquities,l。ii。c。9,andValesadTheodoret,l。iv。c。6。SeethehaughtyceremonialwhichLeontius,bishopofTripoli,imposedontheempress。Tillemont,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。754。PatresApostol。tom。ii。

  p。179。]

  [Footnote85:Plutarch,inhistreatiseofIsisandOsiris,informsusthatthekingsofEgypt,whowerenotalreadypriests,wereinitiated,aftertheirelection,intothesacerdotalorder。]

点击下载App,搜索"History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir",免费读到尾