III。InthestyleoftheOrientalChristians，theMonothelitesofeveryagearedescribedundertheappellationofMaronites，^133anamewhichhasbeeninsensiblytransferredfromahermittoamonastery，fromamonasterytoanation。Maron，asaintorsavageofthefifthcentury，displayedhisreligiousmadnessinSyria；therivalcitiesofApameaandEmesadisputedhisrelics，astatelychurchwaserectedonhistomb，andsixhundredofhisdisciplesunitedtheirsolitarycellsonthebanksoftheOrontes。InthecontroversiesoftheincarnationtheynicelythreadedtheorthodoxlinebetweenthesectsofNestoriansandEutyches；buttheunfortunatequestionofonewilloroperationinthetwonaturesofChrist，wasgeneratedbytheircuriousleisure。Theirproselyte，theemperorHeraclius，wasrejectedasaMaronitefromthewallsofEmesa，hefoundarefugeinthemonasteryofhisbrethren；andtheirtheologicallessonswererepaidwiththegiftaspaciousandwealthydomain。ThenameanddoctrineofthisvenerableschoolwerepropagatedamongtheGreeksandSyrians，andtheirzealisexpressedbyMacarius，patriarchofAntioch，whodeclaredbeforethesynodofConstantinople，thatsoonerthansubscribethetwowillsofChrist，hewouldsubmittobehewnpiecemealandcastintothesea。^134Asimilaroralesscruelmodeofpersecutionsoonconvertedtheunresistingsubjectsoftheplain，whiletheglorioustitleofMardaites，^135orrebels，wasbravelymaintainedbythehardynativesofMountLibanus。JohnMaron，oneofthemostlearnedandpopularofthemonks，assumedthecharacterofpatriarchofAntioch；hisnephew，Abraham，attheheadoftheMaronites，defendedtheircivilandreligiousfreedomagainstthetyrantsoftheEast。ThesonoftheorthodoxConstantinepursuedwithpioushatredapeopleofsoldiers，whomighthavestoodthebulwarkofhisempireagainstthecommonfoesofChristandofRome。AnarmyofGreeksinvadedSyria；themonasteryofSt。Maronwasdestroyedwithfire；thebravestchieftainswerebetrayedandmurdered，andtwelvethousandoftheirfollowersweretransplantedtothedistantfrontiersofArmeniaandThrace。YetthehumblenationoftheMaroniteshadsurvivedtheempireofConstantinople，andtheystillenjoy，undertheirTurkishmasters，afreereligionandamitigatedservitude。Theirdomesticgovernorsarechosenamongtheancientnobility:thepatriarch，inhismonasteryofCanobin，stillfancieshimselfonthethroneofAntioch:ninebishopscomposehissynod，andonehundredandfiftypriests，whoretainthelibertyofmarriage，areintrustedwiththecareofonehundredthousandsouls。TheircountryextendsfromtheridgeofMountLibanustotheshoresofTripoli；andthegradualdescentaffords，inanarrowspace，eachvarietyofsoilandclimate，fromtheHolyCedars，erectundertheweightofsnow，^136tothevine，themulberry，andtheolive—treesofthefruitfulvalley。
Inthetwelfthcentury，theMaronites，abjuringtheMonotheliteerrorwerereconciledtotheLatinchurchesofAntiochandRome，^137andthesamealliancehasbeenfrequentlyrenewedbytheambitionofthepopesandthedistressoftheSyrians。Butitmayreasonablybequestioned，whethertheirunionhaseverbeenperfectorsincere；andthelearnedMaronitesofthecollegeofRomehavevainlylaboredtoabsolvetheirancestorsfromtheguiltofheresyandschism。^138
[Footnote133:ThesynonymoususeofthetwowordsmaybeprovedfromEutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。191，267，332，andmanysimilarpassageswhichmaybefoundinthemethodicaltableofPocock。HewasnotactuatedbyanyprejudiceagainsttheMaronitesofthexthcentury；andwemaybelieveaMelchite，whosetestimonyisconfirmedbytheJacobitesandLatins。]
[Footnote134:Concil。tom。vii。p。780。TheMonothelitecausewassupportedwithfirmnessandsubtiltybyConstantine，aSyrianpriestofApamea，p。1040，&c。]
[Footnote135:TheophanesChron。p。295，296，300，302，306andCedrenusp。437，440relatestheexploitsoftheMardaites:thenameMard，inSyriac，rebellavitisexplainedbyLaRoque，VoyagedelaSyrie，tom。ii。p。53；anddatesarefixedbyPagi，A。D。676，No。4—14，A。D。685，No。3，4；andeventheobscurestoryofthepatriarchJohnMaronAsseman。Bibliot。