eligious Ideas of the primitive Europeans.--The Form of
their Variations is determined by the Influence of
Rome.--Necessity of Roman History in these Investigations._

_Rise and Development of Roman Power, its successive Phases,
territorial Acquisitions.--Becomes Supreme in the
Mediterranean.--Consequent Demoralization of
Italy.--Irresistible Concentration of Power.--Development of
Imperialism.--Eventual Extinction of the true Roman Race._

_Effect on the intellectual, religious, and social Condition
of the Mediterranean Countries.--Produces homogeneous
Thought.--Imperialism prepares the Way for
Monotheism.--Momentous Transition of the Roman World in its
religious Ideas._

_Opinions of the Roman Philosophers.--Coalescence of the new
and old Ideas.--Seizure of Power by the Illiterate, and
consequent Debasement of Christianity in Rome._ 239

CHAPTER IX.

THE EUROPEAN AGE OF INQUIRY.

THE PROGRESSIVE VARIATION OF OPINIONS CLOSED BY THE INSTITUTION OF
COUNCILS AND THE CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN A PONTIFF. RISE, EARLY
VARIATIONS, CONFLICTS, AND FINAL ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY.

_Rise of Christianity.--Distinguished from ecclesiastical
Organization.--It is demanded by the deplorable Condition of
the Empire.--Its brief Conflict with Paganism.--Character of
its first Organization.--Variations of Thought and Rise of
Sects: their essential Difference in the East and West.--The
three primitive Forms of Christianity: the Judaic Form, its
End--the Gnostic Form, its End--the African Form, continues._

_Spread of Christianity from Syria.--Its Antagonism to
Imperialism; their Conflicts.--Position of Affairs under
Diocletian.--The Policy of Constantine.--He avails himself of
the Christian Party, and through it attains supreme
Power.--His personal Relations to it._

_The Trinitarian Controversy.--Story of Arius.--The Council of
Nicea._

_The Progress of the Bishop of Rome to Supremacy.--The Roman
Church; its primitive subordinate Position.--Causes of its
increasing Wealth, Influence, and Corruptions.--Stages of its
Advancement through the Pelagian, Nestorian, and Eutychian
Disputes.--Rivalry of the Bishops of Constantinople,
Alexandria, and Rome._

_Necessity of a Pontiff in the West and ecclesiastical
Councils in the East.--