CHAP. CHAPTER IX. The established Order of the Catholic Church. THE HE continuation of a thing in its own place, nature and properties, is very different from a succession of things rising up and filling the place of another; yet it is rather according to the latter idea that the religion of Christ has been supposed to continue in the world to the present day. 2. But to every reasonable mind the distinction must be self-evident: and if so, then it may, doubtless, with propriety be said, that certain men have, in every age through the Christian æra, appeared either as Christ, or in his place, and that either the real church of Christ, or one in its place, has continued to exist upon earth. 3. And if any man and any church did actually rise up in the room of Christ and his church, then it must be evident that neither Christ nor his church remained upon earth for admitting that the church of Christ existed upon earth, it must have been in its own place of course another could not stand in its place, at one and the same time. 4. When Solomon, king of Israel, died, the kingdom was divided between Rehoboam, and Jereboam, but neither of them reigned fully in his stead. Nor was there any kingdom or empire established upon earth in the room of Solomon's, until the last remains of that was rooted out and the seat of gov ernment established at Babylon by Nebuchadnez zar. 5. Then it might be said that there was a kingdom established in the room of Solomon's and a king reigned in his stead, but this was not a continuance either of Solomon or his kingdom, but something in their place, that in some respects resembled them, but was essentially different and distinct. 6. This may serve as a comparison between Constantine the Great, and Jesus Christ. For, as the wild and frantic Nebuchadnezzar was born to the wise men of Babylon, and grew up and established a kingdom IX. or empire, according to their council, in the place of CHAP. Solomon's; so in the same sense was Constantine born to the Catholic Church, and grew up and acted in the place of Jesus Christ. 7. And although the empire or church which Constantine founded, stood as perfectly in the place of the Church of Christ, as the Babylonian empire stood in the place of the kingdom of Solomon ; yet it will appear beyond dispute, upon the slightest comparison, that the church which was founded and established by Constantine the Great, was not a continuation of the church of Christ, but the very reverse. 8. And if it be granted that the heads and fathers of the Catholic church stood in the place of Christ Jesus and his apostles, and did not in reality fill the very character of those whom they pretended to represent, then the conclusion must be evident, that neither Christ nor his apostles, in reality, were manifest on earth, but certain pretenders in their place. 9. Of course, that church of which they were the heads and fathers, must have been as distinct from the Primitive Church of Christ, as they themselves were distinct, in point of character, from those whom they are said to represent. If any evidence is wanting to confirm these plain principles, it will appear from the following account of the establishment of the Catholic church, under Constantine and his successors. tory, vol. 10. "Constantine the Great, in order to prevent Ecel.Fis 'civil commotions, and to fix his authority upon so- i. p. 339. 'lid and stable foundations, made several changes, 'not only in the laws of the empire, but also in the 'form of the Roman government. And as there 'were many important reasons, which induced him to suit the administration of the church to these 'changes in the civil constitution, this necessarily in'troduced, among the bishops, new degrees of emi'nence and rank." So says Dr. Mosheim. 11. And further: "Though Constantine permitted 'the church to remain a body politic, distinct from 'that of the state, as it had formerly been, yet he as'sumed to himself the supreme power over this sacred body, and the right of modelling and govern CHAP. ing it in such a manner, as should be most condu'cive to the public good. This right he enjoyed • without any opposition, as none of the bishops pretory, vol.sumed to call his authority in question." i p. 338. Ecel.His 32. Eze. xvi. 30-38. 12. Here we see that the first step was to incorporate the church and the world into one body, to be governed by one head: so that notwithstanding the church, for certain purposes, was kept a distinct body politic, yet it was as closely united to the civil gov ernment, and as much one with the empire, as the harlot is one flesh with him that is joined to her; and from this union proceeded that high degree of emi. nence and rank to which the bishops arose. 13. How strong a temptation this must have been for the wickedest men to seek the highest rank in so honorable a church! Here we may justly apply that Dan. xi saying of the prophet Daniel: Such as do wickedly against the covenant, shall he corrupt by flatteries. By the prophet Ezekiel such a union is compared to the work of an imperious whorish woman. Or, as a wife that committeth adultery, taketh strangers instead of her husband: But with this difference: They give gifts unto all whores; but thou givest thy gifts to all! thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock, and shed blood, are judged. 14. In thus uniting and incorporating the church with the civil government, the Emperor met with no opposition; it was on all sides a spontaneous confederacy, entered into with the universal consent of the bishops, as representatives of the church, and the Roman senate, as the great fathers of the people; all agree in joint compact, that a man-slayer, a proud ambitious Emperor, who had neither seen Christ nor known him, should be the common head of influence to the whole body. 15. In consequence of this unnatural union, the government of the church, in all her parts, assumed the form and likeness of the civil government. Four bishops, viz. of Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and Constantinople enjoyed a certain degree of pre-eminence over the rest of the episcopal order. These four IX. prelates, (says Mosheim,) answered to the four CHAP 'praetorian prefects created by Constantine; and it is possible that, in this very century, [iv.] they Ecel Hi were distinguished by the Jewish title of patri- tory, vol. ' archs." 16. "After these, followed the exarchs, who had 'the inspection over several provinces, and answered 'to the appointment of certain civil officers who bore the same title. In a lower class, were the Metro'politans, who had only the government of one pro'vince, under whom were the archbishops, whose 'inspection was confined to certain districts." In the next grade below, were the bishops, and so down to the chorepiscopi, or superintendants of the country churches. These dignified orders were doubtless created to fill the place of evangelists, apostles, elders, &c. but that they were men of like spirit their historians dare not say. 17. Thus we see the form of the church, fitly joined together and compacted with a wicked world, and holding for its head a wicked man, whose crimes deterred him from using even the most distant shadow of purity. But we shall proceed to observe something concerning the manner of the government of this pretended church. i. p. 340. 18. Mosheim says, "The administration of the ibid. 'church was divided, by Constantine himself, into P.340,341 'an external and an internal inspection. The latter, 'which was committed to bishops and councils, rela'ted to religious controversies; the forms of divine worship; the offices of the priests; the vices of the ' ecclesiastical orders, &c. The external administra'tion of the church the emperor assumed to him'self." 19. "This comprehended all those things that re'late to the outward state and discipline of the church; 'it likewise extended to all contests and debates that 'should arise between the ministers of the church, superior as well as inferior, concerning their pos"sessions, their reputation, their rights and privileges, 'their offences against the laws, and things of a like 6 nature. 20. "In consequence of this artful division, Con CHAP.stantine and his successors called councils, presided IX. in them, appointed judges of religious controver'sies, terminated the differences which arose between the bishops and the people, fixed the limits of the ecclesiastical provinces, took cognizance of 'the civil causes that subsisted between the ministers ' of the church, and punished the crimes committed against the laws, by the ordinary judges appointed for that purpose." 21. In all this, the Emperor still appears the supreme head, and no other impulse of government is so much as hinted at, in all the account, but the sovereign will and authority of this unbaptized usurper. Let such a government be said to arise in the room of the apostolic power; but let no one imagine that it was one and the same, or had any relation to that divine order in which nothing was passed but what seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and those who had been therewith baptized. 22. Although the bishops were intrusted with the principal management of their church affairs, and were appointed by the emperor, as judges in points of religious controversy; yet, in every punctilio, they were subject to his controul: so that at best, these pretended fathers could only be tools to form and modify such a religious doctrine and worship as would best suit the purposes of civil government, and please the taste of a debauched and corrupt empire. 23. Could this be that sin-condenining gospel which Jesus sent by his apostles to all the world as a testimony against them? Who cannot see the infinite difference? Behold a set of lordly ecclesiastics, bred in the schools of religious contention, living in idleness, luxury and lust, employed, supported, and enriched by civil government, for the purpose of rendering the religion of Constantine universally acceptable to all his subjects! Is not such a religion a libel upon the name of Christianity? 24. Before ever Constantine assumed the reins of church government, the contending fathers had disputes and controversies prepared, which all his imperial wisdom and power could never settle. Besides reputed heretics, a numerous party had separa |