Chronicles and they discovered their wisdom by renouncing all such sophisms, and the consequences deduced from them. 24. "They placed religion in what it really consists, piety and virtue. They had neither sophistry in their doctrine, nor tyranny in their government, They are said to have been bad expositors of Scripture, and to have abounded in allegory: but, assuredly, the vilest of all expositors is he, who finds in the Gospel of peace a divine commission to spill the blood of his fellow creatures." 25. Thus far for the first and particular distinction between Catholics and reputed heretics. It now remains to pursue those progressive steps by which the power of antichrist was finally established. 1 Cor. i. 19, 25. CHAPTER VII. THE CHURCH OF ANTICHRIST ESTABLISHED BY ROMAN EM- THE design of antichrist, from the beginning, was to get the name, the seat, and reputed authority of Christ, and convert that light and revelation which was given through the Son of God, into a source of wealth and honor to the carnally-wise and wicked of the world. 2. The enemy of God and man, had been always ready to pervert and corrupt whatever had been revealed from heaven, by getting it into the hands of proud and wicked priests, who could accommodate it to their own carnal ends, for the purpose of promoting still higher degrees of wickedness, until it was made manifest, that such doctrines and institutions, whatever they were at first, could not, in their corrupted state, be of God. 3. The Jewish and Pagan religions, at the time of Christ's first appearing, were quite sunk, as to any spiritual authority; and the priests were so notoriously wicked, that they had quite lost their credit with the people, as ministers of God; nor could they raise sufficient evidence, upon their corrupted forms and superstitions, to regain their influence over the people. 4. Under the ministry of Jesus and his followers, the wisdom of these impostors was turned into foolishness, and their strength became weakness. And their violent opposition against those harmless characters, which their own prophets and poets had described as the people of God, made it manifest, that in all their religious zeal, they were actuated by no higher motive than a regard to their own honor and interest. 5. And therefore, when such multitudes were likely to desert them, and withdraw from them, not only their ill-gained salaries, but that religious reverence which they had deceitfully gained by their splendid superstitions, there remained no possible way for them to regain their credit and influence, but by hypocritically pretending to embrace that religion, which was confirmed to the people by the power of God. 6. By this means they could change their ground to advantage, and rise in wealth and honor, above their former standing, in proportion as this new revelation was superior to any that was past. This must eventually be the last time for their aggrandizement God had sent his Son into the world, who was exalted above all principality and power; and what could be greater, than for them to become the sons of God? 7. Honest souls set out for this prize by taking up their cross, and following Christ. They entered by the door of self-denial; but these "thieves and robbers," sought means to climb up some other way. SIMON MAGUS was the first; he stood ready feignedly to embrace the Gospel in the very start, and even to purchase with money, that which would raise him in the esteem of 18. power the people, to a level with the Apostles. 8. DIOTREPHES gained the pre-eminence, and many followed his pernicious ways. The Alexandrian school furnished a new race of Apostles, whose labors, through a great part of the second and third centuries, consisted in forming a new church, wholly different, even in its outward appearance, from the primitive Church of Christ. 9. And this was effected by holding councils, creating offices, and assuming titles, condemning heretics, and disputing among themselves about their self-invented doctrines. Thus, from one thing to another, they altered, expunged, and added, until their Christian religion, so called, demanded the most honorable seat in the Roman Empire, and its promoters became exalted to the utmost pitch of pride, luxury, and temporal dominion; by which the nations of the earth have been deceived, even to the present day. CHAP. VII. Acts, viii. 10. The followers of the ORTHODOX FATHERS, have generally agreed, that the establishment of the Christian religion, so called, by the Roman emperors, was an introduction to the reign of Christ upon earth. They have generally agreed, that CONSTANTINE THE GREAT, was the man-child, spoken of in the Revela- Rev. xii. tion, who was to rule the nations; and, that the church which brought him forth, was the true church of Christ, which, at the expiration of twelve hundred and sixty years, would appear in her latter-day-glory; when all heresies, or false doctrines, (which are to be considered as the flood of the dragon,) should be swallowed up, and taken out of the way of Catholic truth. 11. It is well known, that this is the general faith of Protestants, as well as that of their MOTHER CHURCH, and that all parties in the great Catholic division, consider CONSTANTINE the GREAT, as the most eminent father, and founder of their religion and government. The following remarks of President Edwards, are conformable to the general opinion of Protestant writers on this subject. 12. In his History of Redemption, he says, "I come now in the fourth place, to the great revolution that was in the world in the days of Constantine, which was, in many respects, like Christ's appearing in the clouds of heaven, to save his people, and judge the world. 13. "The people of Rome, being weary of the government of those tyrants to whom they had lately been subject, sent to Constantine, who was then in the city of York in England, to come and take the throne. And he being encouraged, as is said, by a vision of a pillar of light in the heavens, in the form of a cross, in the sight of his whole army, with this inscription, By this conquer; and the night following, by Christ's appearing to him in a dream with the same cross in his hand, who directed him to make a cross like that to be his royal standard, that his army might fight under that banner, and assured him that he should over come. 14. "Accordingly he did, and overcame his enemies, took possession of the imperial throne, embraced the Christian religion, and was the first Christian emperor that ever reigned. He came to the throne about 320 years after Christ. There are several things which I would take notice of, which attended or immediately followed Constantine's coming to the throne. 15. "First. The Christian church was thereby wholly delivered from persecution. Christians had no persecutions now to fear. Their persecutors now were all put down, and their rulers were some of them Christians like themselves. Second. God now appeared to execute terrible judgments on their enemies. So that what now came to pass, might very fitly be compared to their hiding themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains. 16. "Third. Heathenism now was in a great measure abolished throughout the Roman empire. Images were now destroyed, and heathen temples pulled down. Images of gold and silver were melted down, and coined into money. The heathen priests were dispersed and banished. 17. Fourth. "Now all heathen magistrates were put down, and only Christians were advanced to places of authority all over the empire. They had now Christian presidents, Christian gov- CHAP. VII. 18. "This was the greatest revolution in the face of things that ever came to pass since the flood. Satan tempted Christ, and promised to give him the glory of the kingdoms of the world; but now he is obliged to give it to him even against his will. This was a glorious fulfilment of that promise which God made Isa. liii. 12. to his Son, that we have an account of in Isaiah. 19. "This was a great fulfilment of the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the glorious time of the Gospel, and particularly of the prophecies of Daniel. Now the kingdom of heaven is come in a glorious degree. It pleased the Lord God of heaven to set up a kingdom on the ruins of that of Satan. And now see to what a height that glorious building is raised, which had been building ever since the fall." * 20. Many things more might be added from this author, and also from others, to show the high reputation, in which Constantine is held; that he is considered as the greatest birth, that had ever been produced since the flood: and this idea is still more ingeniously stated by Whiston, and after him by Bishop Newton, thus: ii. p. 180. 21. For as the time of gestation from the conception to the Dissert on birth in woman with child, is known to be forty weeks, or two Proph. vol. hundred and eighty days; so it is well known, that from the first rise of our Saviour's kingdom, A. D. 33, till the famous proclamation and edict, for the universal liberty and advancement of Christianity by Constantine and Licinius, A. D. 313, was exactly two hundred and eighty years. Reckoning according to the prophetic account, a day for a year." 22. That Constantine laid the foundation of a vast kingdom, a Catholic, or universal empire, is not disputed. But whether it was the kingdom of Christ, or of antichrist, is the question. And should it be found to be the kingdom of antichrist, which he set in order, then his descent must be reckoned from Simon Magus, who was cotemporary with the Apostles, and not from Jesus of Nazareth. • The following comment (on Rev. xii. 5, 6, &c.) by certain learned divines, so called, may also serve as a striking proof, to show the exalted veneration in which Constantine and his successors are held by the defenders of his faith-viz: A manchild caught up to God and his throne: "Meaning (say they) Constantine and his successors to the Roman empire, and made God's deputies, sitting as it were on his throne"-War in Heaven: ["A great battle in the Church of God," i.e. in the Church of the Catholics-Michael and his Angels:] "Constantine and his soldiers, &c." See Assembly's Annotations on the place. Lon. Ed. 1651. CHAP. 23. If Christ Jesus was truly the Son of God, and if the primitive Church was his real body, so long as that Church remained, and Christ Jesus reigned in it, what need could there be of another birth or bringing forth of the same? And if it is established, that another gestation commenced in the very year that Simon the sorcerer professed faith in Christ, and offered to purchase the power of God with money, and that birth took place in the same year that Constantine and Licinius proclaimed universal liberty, then what could it be but the birth of antichrist? 24. And especially, if it is found that both the body and spirit brought forth in this latter period, is essentially different from the body and spirit of the first Christian Church, then it must follow, beyond all contradiction, that the Church established by Constantine, is the body and spirit of antichrist; and of course, that all such as have sprung from that body and spirit, or claim any relation thereto, are properly members of antichrist's kingdom, and stand in no relation to Christ the true Son of God. 25. Is it not surprising, how any sensible man could avoid seeing the plain contrast between the spirit and works of Constantine, and those of the primitive Christians? And how could any have the confidence to appropriate the name of the true God, or of Christ his Son, to a haughty, and blood-thirsty Pagan, who. through scenes of human butchery, established himself at the head of a religion, of which he knew nothing, but the name. 26. Where is the least resemblance of the innocent Jesus, even according to their own account? Was it in accepting the glory of the kingdoms of this world? Surely here the contrast is perfect and so it continues in every branch of his proceedings. 27. This is manifest from his conduct in spreading desolation and destruction through the empire, butchering or banishing his former brethren, taking their property, and coining their gold and silver into money for his own use; in honoring, and promoting the same kind of men, for their feigned profession of Christianity, to posts of honor and profit. In building temples, different in name, but as magnificent, and ornamented with as splendid images, as those which he destroyed. And all this they ascribe to the mighty power of God, above all that had ever appeared since the flood, Jesus and his Apostles not excepted! 28. How is it possible that any man of sense could be so imposed upon, as to believe that the sacred Scriptures, written by the persecuted John, was fulfilled in the frighted nonconformists hiding themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, from LORD CONSTANTINE, who sat upon the throne of AUGUSTUS, and from the wrath of that wild and furious emperor, who was the first that had the assurance to shed human blood, under the ensign of a cross. |