OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE BY EDWARD GIBBON EDITED IN SEVEN VOLUMES WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, APPENDICES, AND INDEX BY J. B. BURY, M.A. HON. LITT. D. OF DURHAM ; HON. LL.D. OF EDINBURGH CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ST. PETERSBURG IN THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN VOL. II. MET HU EN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET, W.C. LONDON 1901 Third Edition CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME I Five Causes of the Growth of Christianity 1. The First Cause. Zeal of the Jews Their Religion better suited to Defence than 10 Conquest More Liberal Zeal of Christianity Obstinacy and Reasons of the Believing Jews The Nazarene Church of Jerusalem Their Sects, Progress, and Influence The Dæmons considered as the Gods of Antiquity of the Soul among the Philosophers ... Among the Pagans of Greece and Rome Among the Barbarians and the Jews Among the Christians Approaching End of the World Doctrine of the Millennium ... Conflagration of Rome and of the World The Pagans devoted to Eternal Punishment Were often converted by their Fears III. THE THIRD Cause. Miraculous powers of the Primitive Church Their Truth contested Our perplexity in defining the miraculous Period Use of the Primitive Miracles IV. The Fourth Cause. Virtues of the first Christians Effects of their Repentance ... II 13 15 16 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 32 |