Chap, xxxvii] OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 87 republic ; and gradually produced the similar manners, and common jurisprudence, which have distinguished, from the rest of mankind, the independent, and even hostile, nations of modern Europe. But the operation of these causes was checked and retarded They are by the unfortunate accident which infused a deadly poison into the°Ar!an in the cup of Salvation. Whatever might be the early sentiments hereBy of Ulphilas, his connexions with the empire and the church were formed during the reign of Arianism. The apostle of the Goths subscribed the creed of Eimini ; professed with freedom, and perhaps with sincerity, that the Son was not equal or con- substantial to the Father ; u communicated these errors to the clergy and people ; and infected the Barbaric world with an heresy 85 which the great Theodosius proscribed and extinguished among the Komans. The temper and understanding of the new proselytes were not adapted to metaphysical subtleties ; but they strenuously maintained what they had piously received, as the pure and genuine doctrines of Christianity. The ad- vantage of preaching and expounding the Scriptures in the Teutonic language promoted the apostolic labours of Ulphilas and his successors ; and they ordained a competent number of bishops and presbyters, for the instruction of the kindred tribes. The Ostrogoths, the Burgundians, the Suevi, and the Vandals, who had listened to the eloquence of the Latin clergy, 86 pre- ferred the more intelligible lessons of their domestic teachers ; and Arianism was adopted as the national faith of the warlike converts who were seated on the ruins of the Western empire. This irreconcilable difference of religion was a perpetual source of jealousy and hatred ; and the reproach of Barbarian was im- bittered by the more odious epithet of Heretic. The heroes 84 The opinions of Ulphilas and the Goths inclined to Semi- Arianism, since they would not say that the Son was a creature, though they held communion with those who maintained that heresy. Their apostle represented the whole con- troversy as a question of trifling moment, which had been raised by the passions of the clergy. Theodoret, 1. iv. c. 37. 85 The Arianism of the Goths has been imputed to the emperor Valens : " Itaque justo Dei judicio ipsi eum vivum incenderunt, qui propter eum etiam mortui, vitio erroris arsuri sunt". Orosius, 1. vii. c. 33, p. 554. This cruel sentence is confirmed by Tillemont (M£m. EccMs. torn. vi. p. 604-610), who coolly observes, " un seul homme entraina dans l'enfer un nombre infini de Septentrion- aux," &c. Salvian (de Gubern. Dei, 1. v. p. 150, 151 [c. 2]) pities and excuses their involuntary error. 86 Orosius affirms, in the year 416 (1. 7, c. 41, p. 580), that the churches of Christ (of the Catholics) were filled with Huns, Suevi, Vandals, Burgundians,
