tothecaptives，libertyandrewards；andtothenation，instantpeaceandthereductionoftaxes。Itwasdeterminedbytheconspirators，thatSiroes，withtheensignsofroyalty，shouldappearinthecamp；andiftheenterpriseshouldfail，hisescapewascontrivedtotheImperialcourt。Butthenewmonarchwassalutedwithunanimousacclamations；theflightofChosroesyetwherecouldhehavefled?wasrudelyarrested，eighteensonsweremassacredbeforehisface，andhewasthrownintoadungeon，whereheexpiredonthefifthday。TheGreeksandmodernPersiansminutelydescribehowChosroeswasinsulted，andfamished，andtortured，bythecommandofaninhumanson，whosofarsurpassedtheexampleofhisfather:butatthetimeofhisdeath，whattonguewouldrelatethestoryoftheparricide?whateyecouldpenetrateintothetowerofdarkness?AccordingtothefaithandmercyofhisChristianenemies，hesunkwithouthopeintoastilldeeperabyss；^107anditwillnotbedenied，thattyrantsofeveryageandsectarethebestentitledtosuchinfernalabodes。ThegloryofthehouseofSassanendedwiththelifeofChosroes:hisunnaturalsonenjoyedonlyeightmonthsthefruitofhiscrimes:andinthespaceoffouryears，theregaltitlewasassumedbyninecandidates，whodisputed，withtheswordordagger，thefragmentsofanexhaustedmonarchy。Everyprovince，andeachcityofPersia，wasthesceneofindependence，ofdiscord，andofblood；andthestateofanarchyprevailedabouteightyearslonger，^!!tillthefactionsweresilencedandunitedunderthecommonyokeoftheArabiancaliphs。^108
[Footnote*:TheSchirinofPersianpoetry。TheloveofChosruandSchirinrivalsinPersianromancethatofJosephwithZuleikathewifeofPotiphar，ofSolomonwiththequeenofSheba，andthatofMejnounandLeila。ThenumberofPersianpoemsonthesubjectmaybeseeninM。vonHammer'sprefacetohispoemofSchirin。—M]
[Footnote105:ThewordsofTheophanesareremarkable。Youngprinceswhodiscoverapropensitytowarshouldrepeatedlytranscribeandtranslatesuchsalutarytexts。]
[Footnote*:HisnamewasKabadasappearsfromanofficialletterinthePaschalChronicle，p。402。St。MartinconsidersthenameSiroes，SchirquiehofSchirwey，derivedfromthewordschir，royal。St。Martin，xi。153。—M。]
[Footnote106:TheauthenticnarrativeofthefallofChosroesiscontainedintheletterofHeracliusChron。Paschal。p。398andthehistoryofTheophanes，p。271。]
[Footnote*:AccordingtoLeBeau，thismassacrewasperpetratedatMahuzainBabylonia，notinthepresenceofChosroes。TheSyrianhistorian，ThomasofMaraga，givesChosroestwenty—foursons；Mirkhond，translatedbyDeSacy，fifteen；theineditedModjmel—alte—warikh，agreeingwithGibbon，eighteen，withtheirnames。LeBeauandSt。Martin，xi。146。—M。]
[Footnote107:OnthefirstrumorofthedeathofChosroes，anHeracliadintwocantoswasinstantlypublishedatConstantinoplebyGeorgeofPisidia，p。97—105。Apriestandapoetmightveryproperlyexultinthedamnationofthepublicenemybutsuchmeanrevengeisunworthyofakingandaconqueror；andIamsorrytofindsomuchblacksuperstitionintheletterofHeraclius:healmostapplaudstheparricideofSiroesasanactofpietyandjustice。
Note:TheMahometansshownomorecharitytowardsthememoryofChosroesorKhoosrooPurveez。AllhisreversesareascribedtothejustindignationofGod，uponamonarchwhohaddared，withimpiousandaccursedhands，toteartheletteroftheHolyProphetMahomed。Comparenote，p。231。—M。]
[Footnote!!:YetGibbonhimselfplacestheflightanddeathofYesdegirdIll。，thelastkingofPersia，in651。ThefamouseraofYesdegirddatesfromhisaccession，June16632。—M。]
[Footnote108:ThebestOrientalaccountsofthislastperiodoftheSassaniankingsarefoundinEutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。
251—256，whodissemblestheparricideofSiroes，D'HerbelotBibliothequeOrientale，p。789，andAssemanni，Bibliothec。
Oriental。tom。iii。p。415—420。]
Assoonasthemountainsbecamepassable，theemperorreceivedthewelcomenewsofthesuccessoftheconspiracy，thedeathofChosroes，andtheelevationofhiseldestsontothethroneofPersia。Theauthorsoftherevolution，eagertodisplaytheirmeritsinthecourtorcampofTauris，precededtheambassadorsofSiroes，whodeliveredthelettersoftheirmastertohisbrothertheemperoroftheRomans。^109Inthelanguageoftheusurpersofeveryage，heimputeshisowncrimestotheDeity，and，withoutdegradinghisequalmajesty，heofferstoreconcilethelongdiscordofthetwonations，byatreatyofpeaceandalliancemoredurablethanbrassoriron。Theconditionsofthetreatywereeasilydefinedandfaithfullyexecuted。IntherecoveryofthestandardsandprisonerswhichhadfallenintothehandsofthePersians，theemperorimitatedtheexampleofAugustus:theircareofthenationaldignitywascelebratedbythepoetsofthetimes，butthedecayofgeniusmaybemeasuredbythedistancebetweenHoraceandGeorgeofPisidia:
thesubjectsandbrethrenofHeracliuswereredeemedfrompersecution，slavery，andexile；but，insteadoftheRomaneagles，thetruewoodoftheholycrosswasrestoredtotheimportunatedemandsofthesuccessorofConstantine。Thevictorwasnotambitiousofenlargingtheweaknessoftheempire；thesonofChosroesabandonedwithoutregrettheconquestsofhisfather；thePersianswhoevacuatedthecitiesofSyriaandEgyptwerehonorablyconductedtothefrontier，andawarwhichhadwoundedthevitalsofthetwomonarchies，producednochangeintheirexternalandrelativesituation。ThereturnofHeracliusfromTauristoConstantinoplewasaperpetualtriumph；andaftertheexploitsofsixgloriouscampaigns，hepeaceablyenjoyedtheSabbathofhistoils。Afteralongimpatience，thesenate，theclergy，andthepeople，wentforthtomeettheirhero，withtearsandacclamations，witholivebranchesandinnumerablelamps；heenteredthecapitalinachariotdrawnbyfourelephants；andassoonastheemperorcoulddisengagehimselffromthetumultofpublicjoy，hetastedmoregenuinesatisfactionintheembracesofhismotherandhisson。^110
[Footnote109:TheletterofSiroesinthePaschalChroniclep。
402unfortunatelyendsbeforeheproceedstobusiness。ThetreatyappearsinitsexecutioninthehistoriesofTheophanesandNicephorus。
Note:M。Mai。Script。Vet。NovaCollectio，vol。i。P。2，p。
223，hasaddedsomelines，butnoclearsensecanbemadeoutofthefragment。—M。]
[Footnote110:TheburdenofCorneille'ssong，"MontrezHeracliusaupeuplequil'attend，"
ismuchbettersuitedtothepresentoccasion。SeehistriumphinTheophanesp。272，273andNicephorus，p。15，16。ThelifeofthemotherandtendernessofthesonareattestedbyGeorgeofPisidia，Bell。Abar。255，&c。，p。49。ThemetaphoroftheSabbathisusedsomewhatprofanelybytheseByzantineChristians。]
Thesucceedingyearwasillustratedbyatriumphofaverydifferentkind，therestitutionofthetruecrosstotheholysepulchre。HeracliusperformedinpersonthepilgrimageofJerusalem，theidentityoftherelicwasverifiedbythediscreetpatriarch，^111andthisaugustceremonyhasbeencommemoratedbytheannualfestivaloftheexaltationofthecross。Beforetheemperorpresumedtotreadtheconsecratedground，hewasinstructedtostriphimselfofthediademandpurple，thepompandvanityoftheworld:butinthejudgmentofhisclergy，thepersecutionoftheJewswasmoreeasilyreconciledwiththepreceptsofthegospel。HeagainascendedhisthronetoreceivethecongratulationsoftheambassadorsofFranceandIndia:andthefameofMoses，Alexander，andHercules，^112waseclipsedinthepopularestimation，bythesuperiormeritandgloryofthegreatHeraclius。YetthedelivereroftheEastwasindigentandfeeble。OfthePersianspoils，themostvaluableportionhadbeenexpendedinthewar，distributedtothesoldiers，orburied，byanunluckytempest，inthewavesoftheEuxine。Theconscienceoftheemperorwasoppressedbytheobligationofrestoringthewealthoftheclergy，whichhehadborrowedfortheirowndefence:aperpetualfundwasrequiredtosatisfytheseinexorablecreditors；theprovinces，alreadywastedbythearmsandavariceofthePersians，werecompelledtoasecondpaymentofthesametaxes；andthearrearsofasimplecitizen，thetreasurerofDamascus，werecommutedtoafineofonehundredthousandpiecesofgold。Thelossoftwohundredthousandsoldiers^113whohadfallenbythesword，wasoflessfatalimportancethanthedecayofarts，agriculture，andpopulation，inthislonganddestructivewar:andalthoughavictoriousarmyhadbeenformedunderthestandardofHeraclius，theunnaturaleffortappearstohaveexhaustedratherthanexercisedtheirstrength。WhiletheemperortriumphedatConstantinopleorJerusalem，anobscuretownontheconfinesofSyriawaspillagedbytheSaracens，andtheycutinpiecessometroopswhoadvancedtoitsrelief；anordinaryandtriflingoccurrence，haditnotbeenthepreludeofamightyrevolution。
TheserobbersweretheapostlesofMahomet；theirfanaticvalorhademergedfromthedesert；andinthelasteightyearsofhisreign，HeracliuslosttotheArabsthesameprovinceswhichhehadrescuedfromthePersians。
[Footnote111:SeeBaronius，Annal。Eccles。A。D。628，No。1—
4，Eutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。240—248，Nicephorus，Brev。
p。15。Thesealsofthecasehadneverbeenbroken；andthispreservationofthecrossisascribedunderGodtothedevotionofQueenSira。]
[Footnote*:IftheclergyimposeduponthekneelingandpenitentemperorthepersecutionoftheJews，itmustbeacknowledgethatprovocationwasnotwanting；forhowmanyofthemhadbeeneye—witnessesof，perhapssufferersin，thehorribleatrocitiescommittedonthecaptureofthecity!YetwehavenoauthenticaccountofgreatseveritiesexercisedbyHeraclius。ThelawofHadrianwasreenacted，whichprohibitedtheJewsfromapproachingwithinthreemilesofthecity—alaw，which，inthepresentexasperatedstateoftheChristians，mightbeameasureofsecurityofmercy，ratherthanofoppression。Milman，Hist。oftheJews，iii。242。—M。]
[Footnote112:GeorgeofPisidia，Acroas。iii。deExpedit。contraPersas，415，&c。，andHeracleid。Acroas。i。65—138。IneglectthemeanerparallelsofDaniel，Timotheus，&c。；ChosroesandthechaganwereofcoursecomparedtoBelshazzar，Pharaoh，theoldserpent，&c。]
[Footnote13:SuidasinExcerpt。Hist。Byzant。p。46givesthisnumber；buteitherthePersianmustbereadfortheIsaurianwar，orthispassagedoesnotbelongtotheemperorHeraclius。]
ChapterXLVII:EcclesiasticalDiscord。
PartI。
TheologicalHistoryOfTheDoctrineOfTheIncarnation。—
TheHumanAndDivineNatureOfChrist。—EnmityOfThePatriarchsOfAlexandriaAndConstantinople。—St。CyrilAndNestorius。—
ThirdGeneralCouncilOfEphesus。—HeresyOfEutyches。—FourthGeneralCouncilOfChalcedon。—CivilAndEcclesiasticalDiscord。
—IntoleranceOfJustinian。—TheThreeChapters。—TheMonotheliteControversy。—StateOfTheOrientalSects:—I。TheNestorians。—II。TheJacobites。—III。TheMaronites。—IV。
TheArmenians。—V。TheCoptsAndAbyssinians。
Aftertheextinctionofpaganism，theChristiansinpeaceandpietymighthaveenjoyedtheirsolitarytriumph。Buttheprincipleofdiscordwasaliveintheirbosom，andtheyweremoresolicitoustoexplorethenature，thantopracticethelaws，oftheirfounder。Ihavealreadyobserved，thatthedisputesoftheTrinityweresucceededbythoseoftheIncarnation；alikescandaloustothechurch，alikepernicioustothestate，stillmoreminuteintheirorigin，stillmoredurableintheireffects。
Itismydesigntocompriseinthepresentchapterareligiouswaroftwohundredandfiftyyears，torepresenttheecclesiasticalandpoliticalschismoftheOrientalsects，andtointroducetheirclamorousorsanguinarycontests，byamodestinquiryintothedoctrinesoftheprimitivechurch。^1
[Footnote1:BywhatmeansshallIauthenticatethispreviousinquiry，whichIhavestudiedtocircumscribeandcompress?—IfIpersistinsupportingeachfactorreflectionbyitsproperandspecialevidence，everylinewoulddemandastringoftestimonies，andeverynotewouldswelltoacriticaldissertation。ButthenumberlesspassagesofantiquitywhichI
haveseenwithmyowneyes，arecompiled，digestedandillustratedbyPetaviusandLeClerc，byBeausobreandMosheim。
Ishallbecontenttofortifymynarrativebythenamesandcharactersoftheserespectableguides；andinthecontemplationofaminuteorremoteobject，Iamnotashamedtoborrowtheaidofthestrongestglasses:1。TheDogmataTheologicaofPetaviusareaworkofincrediblelaborandcompass；thevolumeswhichrelatesolelytotheIncarnationtwofolios，vthandvith，of837pagesaredividedintoxvi。books—thefirstofhistory，theremainderofcontroversyanddoctrine。TheJesuit'slearningiscopiousandcorrect；hisLatinityispure，hismethodclear，hisargumentprofoundandwellconnected；butheistheslaveofthefathers，thescourgeofheretics，andtheenemyoftruthandcandor，asoftenastheyareinimicaltotheCatholiccause。2。
TheArminianLeClerc，whohascomposedinaquartovolumeAmsterdam，1716theecclesiasticalhistoryofthetwofirstcenturies，wasfreebothinhistemperandsituation；hissenseisclear，buthisthoughtsarenarrow；hereducesthereasonorfollyofagestothestandardofhisprivatejudgment，andhisimpartialityissometimesquickened，andsometimestaintedbyhisoppositiontothefathers。SeethehereticsCerinthians，lxxx。
Ebionites，ciii。Carpocratians，cxx。Valentiniins，cxxi。
Basilidians，cxxiii。Marcionites，cxli。，&c。undertheirproperdates。3。TheHistoireCritiqueduManicheismeAmsterdam，1734，1739，intwovols。in4to。，withaposthumousdissertationsurlesNazarenes，Lausanne，1745ofM。deBeausobreisatreasureofancientphilosophyandtheology。Thelearnedhistorianspinswithincomparableartthesystematicthreadofopinion，andtransformshimselfbyturnsintothepersonofasaint，asage，oraheretic。Yethisrefinementissometimesexcessive；hebetraysanamiablepartialityinfavoroftheweakerside，and，whileheguardsagainstcalumny，hedoesnotallowsufficientscopeforsuperstitionandfanaticism。Acopioustableofcontentswilldirectthereadertoanypointthathewishestoexamine。4。LessprofoundthanPetavius，lessindependentthanLeClerc，lessingeniousthanBeausobre，thehistorianMosheimisfull，rational，correct，andmoderate。Inhislearnedwork，DeRebusChristianisanteConstantinumHelmstadt1753，in4to。，
seetheNazarenesandEbionites，p。172—179，328—332。TheGnosticsingeneral，p。179，&c。Cerinthus，p。196—202。
Basilides，p。352—361。Carpocrates，p。363—367。Valentinus，p。371—389Marcion，p。404—410。TheManichaeans，p。829—
837，&c。]
I。Alaudableregardforthehonorofthefirstproselytehascountenancedthebelief，thehope，thewish，thattheEbionites，oratleasttheNazarenes，weredistinguishedonlybytheirobstinateperseveranceinthepracticeoftheMosaicrites。
Theirchurcheshavedisappeared，theirbooksareobliterated:
theirobscurefreedommightallowalatitudeoffaith，andthesoftnessoftheirinfantcreedwouldbevariouslymouldedbythezealorprudenceofthreehundredyears。YetthemostcharitablecriticismmustrefusethesesectariesanyknowledgeofthepureandproperdivinityofChrist。EducatedintheschoolofJewishprophecyandprejudice，theyhadneverbeentaughttoelevatetheirhopesaboveahumanandtemporalMessiah。^2Iftheyhadcouragetohailtheirkingwhenheappearedinaplebeiangarb，theirgrosserapprehensionswereincapableofdiscerningtheirGod，whohadstudiouslydisguisedhiscelestialcharacterunderthenameandpersonofamortal。^3ThefamiliarcompanionsofJesusofNazarethconversedwiththeirfriendandcountryman，who，inalltheactionsofrationalandanimallife，appearedofthesamespecieswiththemselves。Hisprogressfrominfancytoyouthandmanhoodwasmarkedbyaregularincreaseinstatureandwisdom；andafterapainfulagonyofmindandbody，heexpiredonthecross。Helivedanddiedfortheserviceofmankind:butthelifeanddeathofSocrateshadlikewisebeendevotedtothecauseofreligionandjustice；andalthoughthestoicortheheromaydisdainthehumblevirtuesofJesus，thetearswhichheshedoverhisfriendandcountrymaybeesteemedthepurestevidenceofhishumanity。ThemiraclesofthegospelcouldnotastonishapeoplewhoheldwithintrepidfaiththemoresplendidprodigiesoftheMosaiclaw。Theprophetsofancientdayshadcureddiseases，raisedthedead，dividedthesea，stoppedthesun，andascendedtoheaveninafierychariot。AndthemetaphoricalstyleoftheHebrewsmightascribetoasaintandmartyrtheadoptivetitleofSonofGod。
[Footnote2:JewTryphon，Justin。Dialog。p。207inthenameofhiscountrymen，andthemodernJews，thefewwhodiverttheirthoughtsfrommoneytoreligion，stillholdthesamelanguage，andallegetheliteralsenseoftheprophets。
Note:SeeonthispassageBp。Kaye，JustinMartyr，p。25。—
M。
Note:Mostofthemodernwriters，whohavecloselyexaminedthissubject，andwhowillnotbesuspectedofanytheologicalbias，RosenmulleronIsaiahix。5，andonPsalmxlv。7，andBertholdt，ChristologiaJudaeorum，c。xx。，rightlyascribemuchhighernotionsoftheMessiahtotheJews。Infact，thedisputeseemstorestonthenotionthattherewasadefiniteandauthorizednotionoftheMessiah，amongtheJews，whereasitwasprobablysovague，astoadmiteveryshadeofdifference，fromthevulgarexpectationofameretemporalking，tothephilosophicnotionofanemanationfromtheDeity。—M。]
[Footnote3:ChrysostomBasnage，Hist。desJuifs，tom。v。c。9，p。183andAthanasiusPetav。Dogmat。Theolog。tom。v。l。i。c。
2，p。3areobligedtoconfessthattheDivinityofChristisrarelymentionedbyhimselforhisapostles。]
YetintheinsufficientcreedoftheNazarenesandtheEbionites，adistinctionisfaintlynoticedbetweentheheretics，whoconfoundedthegenerationofChristinthecommonorderofnature，andthelessguiltyschismatics，whoreveredthevirginityofhismother，andexcludedtheaidofanearthlyfather。Theincredulityoftheformerwascountenancedbythevisiblecircumstancesofhisbirth，thelegalmarriageofthereputedparents，JosephandMary，andhislinealclaimtothekingdomofDavidandtheinheritanceofJudah。ButthesecretandauthentichistoryhasbeenrecordedinseveralcopiesoftheGospelaccordingtoSt。Matthew，^4whichthesesectarieslongpreservedintheoriginalHebrew，^5asthesoleevidenceoftheirfaith。Thenaturalsuspicionsofthehusband，consciousofhisownchastity，weredispelledbytheassuranceinadream
thathiswifewaspregnantoftheHolyGhost:andasthisdistantanddomesticprodigycouldnotfallunderthepersonalobservationofthehistorian，hemusthavelistenedtothesamevoicewhichdictatedtoIsaiahthefutureconceptionofavirgin。
Thesonofavirgin，generatedbytheineffableoperationoftheHolySpirit，wasacreaturewithoutexampleorresemblance，superiorineveryattributeofmindandbodytothechildrenofAdam。SincetheintroductionoftheGreekorChaldeanphilosophy，^6theJews^7werepersuadedofthepreexistence，transmigration，andimmortalityofsouls；andprovidencewasjustifiedbyasupposition，thattheywereconfinedintheirearthlyprisonstoexpiatethestainswhichtheyhadcontractedinaformerstate。^8Butthedegreesofpurityandcorruptionarealmostimmeasurable。Itmightbefairlypresumed，thatthemostsublimeandvirtuousofhumanspiritswasinfusedintotheoffspringofMaryandtheHolyGhost；^9thathisabasementwastheresultofhisvoluntarychoice；andthattheobjectofhismissionwas，topurify，nothisown，butthesinsoftheworld。