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gan superstition, had no relation to the spirit and work of Christ, and that the Church in which it was established, stood in perfect contrast to the real Church of Christ, and was a perpetual disgrace to the name which they assumed.

CHAPTER X.

THE PERSECUTING SPIRIT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, IN THE
THIRD AND FOURTH CENTURIES.

PERSECUTION is a general character of the Catholic religion.
This was founded upon the supposed orthodoxy, and sacred au-
thority of the Catholic priesthood: and this authority they re-
ceived in a proper line of succession from their Pagan ancestors,
by whose diabolical influence, the blood of those same martyrs
was shed, whom their Catholic successors deceitfully pretended
to worship.

2. It is proper to observe against whom this spirit of persecution was directed, and in what manner it operated in different periods. It was not before the fourth century, that the Catholic bishops personally engaged in the unnatural and beastly work of destroying heretics for their religion, but it is certain, that they had all along contributed much to the flame of persecution by their tongues and pens.

3. According to the kind and the degree of power they possessed, so at different periods, they manifested, by their works, that it was not for the promotion of truth and virtue, but for its destruction, that their orthodoxy was established; and as far as orthodoxy was considered the chief and most honorable virtue, so far heresy was made the principal and only crime.

4. Amidst the dark and senseless superstitions that prevailed in the Catholic Church during the second and third centuries, there were many under different names, who maintained the practice of true virtue, according to the precepts and example of Christ. These are all distinguished, in history, under the one general name of heretics.

5. In the third century, Mosheim says, "The Montanists, [i.e. those who assembled for religious worship, among the mountains, to avoid their persecutors] Valentinians, Marcionites and other heretics continued still to draw out their forces."

6. Adelphius and Aquilinus, were at this time the greatest disturbers of the Catholic peace. Mosheim says, "They were, however, opposed not only by the [pretended] Christians, but also by Plotinus, the greatest Platonic philosopher of the age, who, followed by a numerous train of disciples, opposed them, and others of the same kind, with as much vigor and success as the most enlightened [Catholic] Christians could have done." 7. It seems that the opinions of these heretics, differed widely from the doctrines of Plato, and on this account, The disciples of JESUS, and the followers of PLOTINUS, joined together their efforts against them, and by their united force soon destroyed their credit and authority, and rendered them contemptible in the estimation of the multitude."

66

8. But this circumstance, if there was no other, is altogether sufficient to show that it was not the disciples of Jesus, but of Saccas, who joined forces with Plotinus and his numerous train, and if the name of Jesus had any just application in the case, it must have belonged to those of the contrary side, who were hated and persecuted by both Pagans and Catholics.

9. However, unhappily for the united forces of the Catholic and Platonic doctors, when they seemed just "upon the point of obtaining a complete and decisive victory, a new enemy, (says Mosheim,) more vehement and odious than the rest, started up suddenly, and engaged in the contest."

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10. This was Mani, by birth a Persian. His character fol- Ibid. p. 288. lows in the old orthodox form. 66 Many were deceived by the eloquence of this enthusiast, by the gravity of his countenance, and the innocence and simplicity of his manners: so that, in a short time, he formed a sect not utterly inconsiderable in point of number."

11. To whom then, could gravity, innocence, and simplicity of manners be an odious and vehement enemy? Surely not to Christ, but to antichrist, and his idolatrous superstitions; and therefore, these unreproachable qualities of this reputed heretic, could not defend him against the united hatred of the pretended Christians, Philosophers, Jews and Pagans.

12. According to the Greek writers, he was, for some time, protected in a strong castle, which the Persian monarch had erected between Bagdat and Suza, to serve him as a refuge against those who persecuted him on account of his doctrine; yet he was afterwards delivered up, and fell a victim to the rage of his persecutors.

13. His adversaries complain that, "The rule of life and man- Ibid. p. 294. ners which he prescribed to his disciples, was most extravagantly rigorous and austere." If the rule which he prescribed to perfect Christians, was, as they say, an entire abstinence from wine and wedlock, from all intoxicating drink, and all amorous gra

CHAP. X. tifications, it need not be thought strange, that such a debauched and superstitious age should revile him, not only as a heretic, but as the most dangerous fanatic or madman.

Eccl. Re

185.

14. And in fact, the principal respect that is paid to this class of heretics, by those false judges of true virtue, is, that the weaker sort of this sect, or those who were denominated hearers, were allowed to possess houses, lands, and wealth, and to enter into the conjugal bonds: "But (say they) this liberty was given them with many limitations, and under the strictest conditions of moderation and temperance."

15. Doubtless there was nothing but liberty in the case, and all were allowed to act according to their own choice; and though the adversaries of Mani would seem to insinuate that he used some kind of compulsion; yet it is very evident that it was not he, but his persecutors, that lorded it over the conscience: and that the only means which constrained this people to a life of mortification and abstinence, was the exemplary innocence of their leaders.

16. The celebrated Hierax, from whom came the Hieracites, searches, p. was a native of Egypt, and a Christian (says Robinson,) of the true primitive cast. He was a man of eminent abilities, both natural and acquired-and what is more to his honor, his bitterest enemies applaud his distinguished piety and virtue."

Ibid. p. 186.

Ibid. p. 188.

17. "This poisonous reptile, as Saint Epiphanius is pleased to call him, had the misfortune to hold two or three errors, for which he was anathematized with all his followers, and, if the last judgment be directed on the principles of Greek councils, they will all suffer the vengeance of eternal fire."

18. "In brief he was a Manichean. Mosheim says, he differed considerably from Mani; but Beausobre more accurately observes that Mani and Hierax, from whom came the Spanish heretics, differed only as two drops of water differ from each other. It was a difference of quantity, not of nature."

19. "In the fourth century the Hieracites were very numerous in Egypt. One of them named Mark, of the city of Memphis, went into Spain, where he was entertained by a lady named Agape, and Helpidius, a rhetorician: but the most famous of all his converts was Priscillian."

20. "In the religious assemblies of all the Manicheans, adoration of God was the whole of the worship. This was performed in the natural way of prayer, and singing hymns-the scriptures were read, and some discoursed on the nature and obligations of virtue to inform the rest."

21. "Priscillian did so, and many of noble families, and common people, and crowds, especially of women, attended and imbibed the doctrine. In a short time it spread all over Spain: and some bishops embraced it, who, laying aside the vices of the

world, and the superstitions of the [Catholic] clergy, applied CHAP. X. themselves wholly to the practice of piety, and a course of virtue."

22. Thus far has Robinson stated the occasion of the first Catholic persecution, which began about the year 380, at the instigation of Idacius and Ithacius, two cruel and persecuting ecclesiastics.

23. Their first step was, to call a council, for the purpose of suppressing the heresy of Priscillian. With twelve bishops they passed a decree, that no man should assume the rank of a teacher without leave first had and obtained from them. Priscillian in the mean time continued to teach. Enraged at this contempt of their assumed authority, their next recourse was to the civil magistrate for aid.

p. 414.

24. And after a process of several years, the bloody Ithacius Eccl. Hisobtained an order from the Catholic emperor Maximus, for the tory, vol. i. execution of Priscillian and his associates. In consequence of which, in the year 384, Priscillian and many more were put to death. Some, says Robinson, were put on the rack, others had all their property confiscated, and others were banished.

25. And who were Ithacius and Maximus, that they should agree, for the honor of religion, to destroy the inoffensive Priscillian, and those who adopted his harmless manner of life? Maximus came to the throne by means of procuring the murder of the emperor Gratian; and even the party to which Ithacius belonged gave him the following character:

26. He was a man abandoned to the most corrupt indolence, and without the least tincture of true piety. He was audacious, talkative, impudent, luxurious, and a slave to his belly. He accused as heretics, and as protectors of Priscillian, all those whose lives were consecrated to the pursuit of piety and knowledge, or distinguished by acts of mortification and abstinence."

27. However, in all this he only proved himself to be a true son of the Catholic Church; and his introducing persecution into his mother's house, was nothing more than improving the liberty which she had granted her sons, by the Theodosian creed, formed about the same period in one of her general councils at Constantinople, in the year 381.

Ibid. p. 414.
Note [m.]

415.

28. "An hundred and fifty bishops, (says Mosheim,) who were Ibid. p. 414, present at this council, gave the finishing touch to what the council of Nice had left imperfect, and fixed, in a full and determinate manner, the doctrine of three PERSONS in one GOD, which is as yet received among the generality of Christians:" [i.e. professed Christians and Catholics.]

29. "This venomous council did not stop here;-They branded with infamy, all the errors, and set a mark of execration upon all the heresies, that were hitherto known."

CHAP. XI. 30. Thus, superstition became the established religion, and persecution the principal means of supporting it, which furnished. the most distinguishing and evident marks of a corrupt hierarchy, founded upon the unnatural and pernicious coalition of the civil and ecclesiastical powers, under the name of Christianity and a Christian government.

CHAPTER XI.

PROGRESS AND DOCTRINES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, IN THE
FOURTH CENTURY.

THE Continuation of a thing in its own place, nature, and proper ties, is very different from a succession of things rising up and filling the place of another; yet it is really 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 selfevident and if so, then it may, doubtless, with propriety be said, that certain men have, in every age through the Christian era, 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 Jeroboam, 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 government established at Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.

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.

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