buttheacknowledgedfailuremayservetoindicate，thatthepassionsandprejudicesofthemultitudewerenotenlistedonthesideoftheMonothelites。Inthenextgeneration，whenthesonofConstantinewasdeposedandslainbythediscipleofMacarius，theytastedthefeastofrevengeanddominion:theimageormonumentofthesixthcouncilwasdefaced，andtheoriginalactswerecommittedtotheflames。Butinthesecondyear，theirpatronwascastheadlongfromthethrone，thebishopsoftheEastwerereleasedfromtheiroccasionalconformity，theRomanfaithwasmorefirmlyreplantedbytheorthodoxsuccessorsofBardanes，andthefineproblemsoftheincarnationwereforgotteninthemorepopularandvisiblequarreloftheworshipofimages。^107
[Footnote101:Thisextraordinary，andperhapsinconsistent，doctrineoftheNestorians，hadbeenobservedbyLaCroze，ChristianismedesIndes，tom。i。p。19，20，andismorefullyexposedbyAbulpharagius，Bibliot。Orient。tom。ii。p。292。
Hist。Dynast。p。91，vers。Latin。Pocock。andAssemanhimself，tom。iv。p。218。Theyseemignorantthattheymightallegethepositiveauthorityoftheecthesis。thecommonreproachoftheMonophysitesConcil。tom。vii。p。205。]
[Footnote102:SeetheOrthodoxfaithinPetavius，DogmataTheolog。tom。v。l。ix。c。6—10，p。433—447:allthedepthsofthiscontroversyintheGreekdialoguebetweenMaximusandPyrrhus，acalcemtom。viii。Annal。Baron。p。755—794，whichrelatesarealconference，andproducedasshort—livedaconversion。]
[Footnote103:Impiissimamecthesim……scelerosumtypumConcil。tom。viip。366diabolicaeoperationisgenimina，fors。
germina，orelsetheGreekintheoriginal。Concil。p。363，364，aretheexpressionsofthexviiithanathema。TheepistleofPopeMartintoAmandus，Gallicanbishop，stigmatizestheMonothelitesandtheirheresywithequalvirulence，p。392。]
[Footnote104:ThesufferingsofMartinandMaximusaredescribedwithsimplicityintheiroriginallettersandacts，Concil。tom。
vii。p。63—78。Baron。Annal。Eccles。A。D。656，No。2，etannossubsequent。YetthechastisementoftheirdisobediencehadbeenpreviouslyannouncedintheTypeofConstans，Concil。tom。vii。
p。240。]
[Footnote105:EutychiusAnnal。tom。ii。p。368mosterroneouslysupposesthatthe124bishopsoftheRomansynodtransportedthemselvestoConstantinople；andbyaddingthemtothe168Greeks，thuscomposesthesixthcouncilof292fathers。]
[Footnote106:TheMonotheliteConstanswashatedbyall，saysTheophanes，Chron。p。292。WhentheMonothelitemonkfailedinhismiracle，thepeopleshouted，Concil。tom。vii。p。1032。Butthiswasanaturalandtransientemotion；andImuchfearthatthelatterisananticipationofthegoodpeopleofConstantinople。]
[Footnote107:ThehistoryofMonothelitismmaybefoundintheActsoftheSynodsofRometom。vii。p。77—395，601—608andConstantinople，p。609—1429。BaroniusextractedsomeoriginaldocumentsfromtheVaticanlibrary；andhischronologyisrectifiedbythediligenceofPagi。EvenDupinBibliothequeEccles。tom。vi。p。57—71andBasnageHist。del\'Eglise，tom。
i。p。451—555affordatolerableabridgment。]
Beforetheendoftheseventhcentury，thecreedoftheincarnation，whichhadbeendefinedatRomeandConstantinople，wasuniformlypreachedintheremoteislandsofBritainandIreland；^108thesameideaswereentertained，orratherthesamewordswererepeated，byalltheChristianswhoseliturgywasperformedintheGreekortheLatintongue。Theirnumbers，andvisiblesplendor，bestowedanimperfectclaimtotheappellationofCatholics:butintheEast，theyweremarkedwiththelesshonorablenameofMelchites，orRoyalists；^109ofmen，whosefaith，insteadofrestingonthebasisofScripture，reason，ortradition，hadbeenestablished，andwasstillmaintained，bythearbitrarypowerofatemporalmonarch。TheiradversariesmightallegethewordsofthefathersofConstantinople，whoprofessthemselvestheslavesoftheking；andtheymightrelate，withmaliciousjoy，howthedecreesofChalcedonhadbeeninspiredandreformedbytheemperorMarcianandhisvirginbride。Theprevailingfactionwillnaturallyinculcatethedutyofsubmission，norisitlessnaturalthatdissentersshouldfeelandasserttheprinciplesoffreedom。Undertherodofpersecution，theNestoriansandMonophysitesdegeneratedintorebelsandfugitives；andthemostancientandusefulalliesofRomeweretaughttoconsidertheemperornotasthechief，butastheenemyoftheChristians。Language，theleadingprinciplewhichunitesorseparatesthetribesofmankind，soondiscriminatedthesectariesoftheEast，byapeculiarandperpetualbadge，whichabolishedthemeansofintercourseandthehopeofreconciliation。ThelongdominionoftheGreeks，theircolonies，and，aboveall，theireloquence，hadpropagatedalanguagedoubtlessthemostperfectthathasbeencontrivedbytheartofman。Yetthebodyofthepeople，bothinSyriaandEgypt，stillperseveredintheuseoftheirnationalidioms；withthisdifference，however，thattheCopticwasconfinedtotherudeandilliteratepeasantsoftheNile，whiletheSyriac，^110
fromthemountainsofAssyriatotheRedSea，wasadaptedtothehighertopicsofpoetryandargument。ArmeniaandAbyssiniawereinfectedbythespeechorlearningoftheGreeks；andtheirBarbarictongues，whichhavebeenrevivedinthestudiesofmodernEurope，wereunintelligibletotheinhabitantsoftheRomanempire。TheSyriacandtheCoptic，theArmenianandtheAethiopic，areconsecratedintheserviceoftheirrespectivechurches:andtheirtheologyisenrichedbydomesticversions^111bothoftheScripturesandofthemostpopularfathers。
Afteraperiodofthirteenhundredandsixtyyears，thesparkofcontroversy，firstkindledbyasermonofNestorius，stillburnsinthebosomoftheEast，andthehostilecommunionsstillmaintainthefaithanddisciplineoftheirfounders。Inthemostabjectstateofignorance，poverty，andservitude，theNestoriansandMonophysitesrejectthespiritualsupremacyofRome，andcherishthetolerationoftheirTurkishmasters，whichallowsthemtoanathematize，ontheonehand，St。CyrilandthesynodofEphesus:ontheother，PopeLeoandthecouncilofChalcedon。TheweightwhichtheycastintothedownfalloftheEasternempiredemandsournotice，andthereadermaybeamusedwiththevariousprospectof，I。TheNestorians；II。TheJacobites；^112III。
TheMaronites；IV。TheArmenians；V。TheCopts；and，VI。TheAbyssinians。Tothethreeformer，theSyriaciscommon；butofthelatter，eachisdiscriminatedbytheuseofanationalidiom。
YetthemodernnativesofArmeniaandAbyssiniawouldbeincapableofconversingwiththeirancestors；andtheChristiansofEgyptandSyria，whorejectthereligion，haveadoptedthelanguageoftheArabians。Thelapseoftimehassecondedthesacerdotalarts；andintheEast，aswellasintheWest，theDeityisaddressedinanobsoletetongue，unknowntothemajorityofthecongregation。
[Footnote108:IntheLateransynodof679，Wilfred，anAnglo—Saxonbishop，subscribedproomniAquilonariparteBritanniaeetHiberniae，quaeabAnglorumetBritonum，necnonScotorumetPictorumgentibuscolebantur，Eddius，inVit。St。
Wilfrid。c。31，apudPagi，Critica，tom。iii。p。88。TheodoremagnaeinsulaeBritanniaearchiepiscopusetphilosophuswaslongexpectedatRome，Concil。tom。vii。p。714，buthecontentedhimselfwithholdingA。D。680hisprovincialsynodofHatfield，inwhichhereceivedthedecreesofPopeMartinandthefirstLaterancouncilagainsttheMonothelites，Concil。tom。
vii。p。597，&c。Theodore，amonkofTarsusinCilicia，hadbeennamedtotheprimacyofBritainbyPopeVitalian，A。D。688；seeBaroniusandPagi，whoseesteemforhislearningandpietywastaintedbysomedistrustofhisnationalcharacter—nequidcontrariumveritatifidei，Graecorummore，inecclesiamcuipraeessetintroduceret。TheCilicianwassentfromRometoCanterburyunderthetuitionofanAfricanguide，BedaeHist。
Eccles。Anglorum。l。iv。c。1。HeadheredtotheRomandoctrine；
andthesamecreedoftheincarnationhasbeenuniformlytransmittedfromTheodoretothemodernprimates，whosesoundunderstandingisperhapsseldomengagedwiththatabstrusemystery。]
[Footnote109:Thisname，unknowntillthexthcentury，appearstobeofSyriacorigin。ItwasinventedbytheJacobites，andeagerlyadoptedbytheNestoriansandMahometans；butitwasacceptedwithoutshamebytheCatholics，andisfrequentlyusedintheAnnalsofEutychius，Asseman。Bibliot。Orient。tom。ii。
p。507，&c。，tom。iii。p。355。Renaudot，Hist。Patriarch。
Alexandrin。p。119。，wastheacclamationofthefathersofConstantinople，Concil。tom。vii。p。765。]
[Footnote110:TheSyriac，whichthenativesrevereastheprimitivelanguage，wasdividedintothreedialects。1。TheAramoean，asitwasrefinedatEdessaandthecitiesofMesopotamia。2。ThePalestine，whichwasusedinJerusalem，Damascus，andtherestofSyria。3。TheNabathoean，therusticidiomofthemountainsofAssyriaandthevillagesofIrak，Gregor，Abulpharag。Hist。Dynast。p。11。OntheSyriac，seaEbed—Jesu，Asseman。tom。iii。p。326，&c。，whoseprejudicealonecouldpreferittotheArabic。]
[Footnote111:IshallnotenrichmyignorancewiththespoilsofSimon，Walton，Mill，Wetstein，Assemannus，Ludolphus，LaCroze，whomIhaveconsultedwithsomecare。Itappears，1。That，ofalltheversionswhicharecelebratedbythefathers，itisdoubtfulwhetheranyarenowextantintheirpristineintegrity。
2。ThattheSyriachasthebestclaim，andthattheconsentoftheOrientalsectsisaproofthatitismoreancientthantheirschism。]
[Footnote112:IntheaccountoftheMonophysitesandNestorians，IamdeeplyindebtedtotheBibliothecaOrientalisClementino—VaticanaofJosephSimonAssemannus。ThatlearnedMaronitewasdespatched，intheyear1715，byPopeClementXI。tovisitthemonasteriesofEgyptandSyria，insearchofMss。Hisfourfoliovolumes，publishedatRome1719—1728，containapartonly，thoughperhapsthemostvaluable，ofhisextensiveproject。
Asanativeandasascholar，hepossessedtheSyriacliterature；
andthoughadependentofRome，hewishestobemoderateandcandid。]
ChapterXLVII:EcclesiasticalDiscord。
PartIII。
I。Bothinhisnativeandhisepiscopalprovince，theheresyoftheunfortunateNestoriuswasspeedilyobliterated。
TheOrientalbishops，whoatEphesushadresistedtohisfacethearroganceofCyril，weremollifiedbyhistardyconcessions。Thesameprelates，ortheirsuccessors，subscribed，notwithoutamurmur，thedecreesofChalcedon；thepoweroftheMonophysitesreconciledthemwiththeCatholicsintheconformityofpassion，ofinterest，and，insensibly，ofbelief；andtheirlastreluctantsighwasbreathedinthedefenceofthethreechapters。Theirdissentingbrethren，lessmoderate，ormoresincere，werecrushedbythepenallaws；and，asearlyasthereignofJustinian，itbecamedifficulttofindachurchofNestorianswithinthelimitsoftheRomanempire。Beyondthoselimitstheyhaddiscoveredanewworld，inwhichtheymighthopeforliberty，andaspiretoconquest。InPersia，notwithstandingtheresistanceoftheMagi，Christianityhadstruckadeeproot，andthenationsoftheEastreposedunderitssalutaryshade。Thecatholic，orprimate，residedinthecapital:inhissynods，andintheirdioceses，hismetropolitans，bishops，andclergy，representedthepompandorderofaregularhierarchy:theyrejoicedintheincreaseofproselytes，whowereconvertedfromtheZendavestatothegospel，fromtheseculartothemonasticlife；andtheirzealwasstimulatedbythepresenceofanartfulandformidableenemy。
ThePersianchurchhadbeenfoundedbythemissionariesofSyria；
andtheirlanguage，discipline，anddoctrine，werecloselyinterwovenwithitsoriginalframe。Thecatholicswereelectedandordainedbytheirownsuffragans；buttheirfilialdependenceonthepatriarchsofAntiochisattestedbythecanonsoftheOrientalchurch。^113InthePersianschoolofEdessa，^114therisinggenerationsofthefaithfulimbibedtheirtheologicalidiom:theystudiedintheSyriacversionthetenthousandvolumesofTheodoreofMopsuestia；andtheyreveredtheapostolicfaithandholymartyrdomofhisdiscipleNestorius，whosepersonandlanguagewereequallyunknowntothenationsbeyondtheTigris。ThefirstindeliblelessonofIbas，bishopofEdessa，taughtthemtoexecratetheEgyptians，who，inthesynodofEphesus，hadimpiouslyconfoundedthetwonaturesofChrist。Theflightofthemastersandscholars，whoweretwiceexpelledfromtheAthensofSyria，dispersedacrowdofmissionariesinflamedbythedoublezealofreligionandrevenge。AndtherigidunityoftheMonophysites，who，underthereignsofZenoandAnastasius，hadinvadedthethronesoftheEast，provokedtheirantagonists，inalandoffreedom，toavowamoral，ratherthanaphysical，unionofthetwopersonsofChrist。Sincethefirstpreachingofthegospel，theSassaniankingsbeheldwithaneyeofsuspicionaraceofaliensandapostates，whohadembracedthereligion，andwhomightfavorthecause，ofthehereditaryfoesoftheircountry。TheroyaledictshadoftenprohibitedtheirdangerouscorrespondencewiththeSyrianclergy:theprogressoftheschismwasgratefultothejealousprideofPerozes，andhelistenedtotheeloquenceofanartfulprelate，whopaintedNestoriusasthefriendofPersia，andurgedhimtosecurethefidelityofhisChristiansubjects，bygrantingajustpreferencetothevictimsandenemiesoftheRomantyrant。TheNestorianscomposedalargemajorityoftheclergyandpeople:theywereencouragedbythesmile，andarmedwiththesword，ofdespotism；
yetmanyoftheirweakerbrethrenwerestartledatthethoughtofbreakingloosefromthecommunionoftheChristianworld，andthebloodofseventhousandsevenhundredMonophysites，orCatholics，confirmedtheuniformityoffaithanddisciplineinthechurchesofPersia。^115Theirecclesiasticalinstitutionsaredistinguishedbyaliberalprincipleofreason，oratleastofpolicy:theausterityofthecloisterwasrelaxedandgraduallyforgotten；housesofcharitywereendowedfortheeducationoforphansandfoundlings；thelawofcelibacy，soforciblyrecommendedtotheGreeksandLatins，wasdisregardedbythePersianclergy；andthenumberoftheelectwasmultipliedbythepublicandreiteratednuptialsofthepriests，thebishops，andeventhepatriarchhimself。Tothisstandardofnaturalandreligiousfreedom，myriadsoffugitivesresortedfromalltheprovincesoftheEasternempire；thenarrowbigotryofJustinianwaspunishedbytheemigrationofhismostindustrioussubjects；
theytransportedintoPersiatheartsbothofpeaceandwar:andthosewhodeservedthefavor，werepromotedintheservice，ofadiscerningmonarch。ThearmsofNushirvan，andhisfiercergrandson，wereassistedwithadvice，andmoney，andtroops，bythedesperatesectarieswhostilllurkedintheirnativecitiesoftheEast:theirzealwasrewardedwiththegiftoftheCatholicchurches；butwhenthosecitiesandchurcheswererecoveredbyHeraclius，theiropenprofessionoftreasonandheresycompelledthemtoseekarefugeintherealmoftheirforeignally。ButtheseemingtranquillityoftheNestorianswasoftenendangered，andsometimesoverthrown。TheywereinvolvedinthecommonevilsofOrientaldespotism:theirenmitytoRomecouldnotalwaysatonefortheirattachmenttothegospel:andacolonyofthreehundredthousandJacobites，thecaptivesofApameaandAntioch，waspermittedtoerectahostilealtarinthefaceofthecatholic，andinthesunshineofthecourt。Inhislasttreaty，JustinianintroducedsomeconditionswhichtendedtoenlargeandfortifythetolerationofChristianityinPersia。
Theemperor，ignorantoftherightsofconscience，wasincapableofpityoresteemforthehereticswhodeniedtheauthorityoftheholysynods:butheflatteredhimselfthattheywouldgraduallyperceivethetemporalbenefitsofunionwiththeempireandthechurchofRome；andifhefailedinexcitingtheirgratitude，hemighthopetoprovokethejealousyoftheirsovereign。InalateragetheLutheranshavebeenburntatParis，andprotectedinGermany，bythesuperstitionandpolicyofthemostChristianking。
[Footnote113:SeetheArabiccanonsofNiceinthetranslationofAbrahamEcchelensis，No。37，38，39，40。Concil。tom。ii。p。
335，336，edit。Venet。Thesevulgartitles，NiceneandArabic，arebothapocryphal。ThecouncilofNiceenactednomorethantwentycanons，Theodoret。Hist。Eccles。l。i。c。8；andtheremainder，seventyoreighty，werecollectedfromthesynodsoftheGreekchurch。TheSyriaceditionofMaruthasisnolongerextant，Asseman。Bibliot。Oriental。tom。i。p。195，tom。iii。p。
74，andtheArabicversionismarkedwithmanyrecentinterpolations。YetthisCodecontainsmanycuriousrelicsofecclesiasticaldiscipline；andsinceitisequallyreveredbyalltheEasterncommunions，itwasprobablyfinishedbeforetheschismoftheNestoriansandJacobites，Fabric。Bibliot。Graec。
tom。xi。p。363—367。]
[Footnote114:TheodoretheReaderl。ii。c。5，49，adcalcemHist。Eccles。hasnoticedthisPersianschoolofEdessa。Itsancientsplendor，andthetwoaerasofitsdownfall，A。D。431
and489areclearlydiscussedbyAssemanni，Biblioth。Orient。
tom。ii。p。402，iii。p。376，378，iv。p。70，924。]
[Footnote115:AdissertationonthestateoftheNestorianshasswelledinthebandsofAssemannitoafoliovolumeof950pages，andhislearnedresearchesaredigestedinthemostlucidorder。
BesidesthisivthvolumeoftheBibliothecaOrientalis，theextractsinthethreeprecedingtomestom。i。p。203，ii。p。321
—463，iii。64—70，378—395，&c。，405—408，580—589maybeusefullyconsulted。]
ThedesireofgainingsoulsforGodandsubjectsforthechurch，hasexcitedineveryagethediligenceoftheChristianpriests。FromtheconquestofPersiatheycarriedtheirspiritualarmstothenorth，theeast，andthesouth；andthesimplicityofthegospelwasfashionedandpaintedwiththecolorsoftheSyriactheology。Inthesixthcentury，accordingtothereportofaNestoriantraveller，^116ChristianitywassuccessfullypreachedtotheBactrians，theHuns，thePersians，theIndians，thePersarmenians，theMedes，andtheElamites:theBarbaricchurches，fromtheGulfofPersiatotheCaspianSea，werealmostinfinite；andtheirrecentfaithwasconspicuousinthenumberandsanctityoftheirmonksandmartyrs。ThepeppercoastofMalabar，andtheislesoftheocean，SocotoraandCeylon，werepeopledwithanincreasingmultitudeofChristians；
andthebishopsandclergyofthosesequesteredregionsderivedtheirordinationfromtheCatholicofBabylon。InasubsequentagethezealoftheNestoriansoverleapedthelimitswhichhadconfinedtheambitionandcuriositybothoftheGreeksandPersians。ThemissionariesofBalchandSamarcandpursuedwithoutfearthefootstepsoftherovingTartar，andinsinuatedthemselvesintothecampsofthevalleysofImausandthebanksoftheSelinga。Theyexposedametaphysicalcreedtothoseilliterateshepherds:tothosesanguinarywarriors，theyrecommendedhumanityandrepose。Yetakhan，whosepowertheyvainlymagnified，issaidtohavereceivedattheirhandstheritesofbaptism，andevenofordination；andthefameofPresterorPresbyterJohn^117haslongamusedthecredulityofEurope。
Theroyalconvertwasindulgedintheuseofaportablealtar；
buthedespatchedanembassytothepatriarch，toinquirehow，intheseasonofLent，heshouldabstainfromanimalfood，andhowhemightcelebratetheEucharistinadesertthatproducedneithercornnorwine。Intheirprogressbyseaandland，theNestoriansenteredChinabytheportofCantonandthenorthernresidenceofSigan。UnlikethesenatorsofRome，whoassumedwithasmilethecharactersofpriestsandaugurs，themandarins，whoaffectinpublicthereasonofphilosophers，aredevotedinprivatetoeverymodeofpopularsuperstition。TheycherishedandtheyconfoundedthegodsofPalestineandofIndia；butthepropagationofChristianityawakenedthejealousyofthestate，and，afterashortvicissitudeoffavorandpersecution，theforeignsectexpiredinignoranceandoblivion。^118Underthereignofthecaliphs，theNestorianchurchwasdiffusedfromChinatoJerusalemandCyrus；andtheirnumbers，withthoseoftheJacobites，werecomputedtosurpasstheGreekandLatincommunions。^119Twenty—fivemetropolitansorarchbishopscomposedtheirhierarchy；butseveraloftheseweredispensed，bythedistanceanddangeroftheway，fromthedutyofpersonalattendance，ontheeasyconditionthateverysixyearstheyshouldtestifytheirfaithandobediencetothecatholicorpatriarchofBabylon，avagueappellationwhichhasbeensuccessivelyappliedtotheroyalseatsofSeleucia，Ctesiphon，andBagdad。Theseremotebranchesarelongsincewithered；andtheoldpatriarchaltrunk^120isnowdividedbytheElijahsofMosul，therepresentativesalmostonlinealdescentofthegenuineandprimitivesuccession；theJosephsofAmida，whoarereconciledtothechurchofRome:^121andtheSimeonsofVanorOrmia，whoserevolt，attheheadoffortythousandfamilies，waspromotedinthesixteenthcenturybytheSophisofPersia。ThenumberofthreehundredthousandisallowedforthewholebodyoftheNestorians，who，underthenameofChaldeansorAssyrians，areconfoundedwiththemostlearnedorthemostpowerfulnationofEasternantiquity。