Page images
PDF
EPUB

possession of the claim as supreme head of the churches, and by repressing that of his rival. "The highest authorities among the civilians and annalists of Rome spurn the idea that Phocas was the founder of the supremacy of Rome: they ascend to Justinian, as the only legitimate source, and rightly date the title. from the memorable year 533" (Croly).

2d. I consider the edict of Justinian the correct date, in preference to that of Phocas, because that by this time Popery had acquired such distinctive marks, and displayed its leading characteristics in such lively and unequivocal colours, as proved it had arrived at that stage of maturity when it was probable some great public act would stamp its identity. And that such was the case, the preamble to the Justinian Code, and other documents connected with that important digest of laws, issued in the same year, and embodied as the standing laws of the empire, distinctly prove. They recognise the celibacy of the clergy, the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the religious use and veneration of holy crosses, the setting of the decrees of councils on a level with the holy Scriptures, the founding the supremacy of the Roman see on our Lord's injunction to Peter, "Feed my sheep; " with other standing constitutions of the Papacy. There appears, therefore, no reason to suppose, why, after the recognition of such

principles, supported as they were by the secular arm, the broad seal of empire should be withheld for above seventy years beyond this time, till the short and inglorious reign of the usurper Phocas.

It is true that Popery, though by this great edict of Justinian it acquired life, and was formally constituted, was yet, as a distinct apostate power, in its infancy. It required time to mature its growth, and give full play to those principles of ambition, turbulence, and blasphemy, which have ever distinguished it among the powers of Europe. Hence, until about the half period of its existence, it went on increasing in power and worldly distinction; aggrandizing itself by obtaining temporal sovereignties; assuming prerogatives more extensive than were ever before heard of; trampling upon every thing that was sacred and holy; and claiming and maintaining the attributes of Deity, and titles belonging to God only! It has been well observed, that the noon-day of Popery was the midnight of every thing that was excellent. Justinian might well be represented as Death, with Hell following him; for the mental darkness brought over the world by this system of error, guilt, and apostasy was like the natural darkness that covered the land of Egypt-it was a darkness that might be felt: so much so, that "the darkness of the middle ages is a pro

verbial expression. It affected learning in all its branches, for the ignorance of this period was extreme; and it was proportionably felt in all the arts that contribute to the comforts and conveniences of life. Popery, in short, brought with it such a train of miseries, and reduced society to such a dreadful state, and with so determined and persevering a hand shut out the only light that could shew the world its deformity and guilt, and open the wells of salvation to its perishing millions, that it may well be denominated Satan's master-piece. So truly was it prophesied, that when he was cast out of Pagan Rome, he should give to Papal Rome "his power, and his seat, and great authority."

Popery, destitute of the substance, grasped in all things at shadows. The hold which it held on the affections of men consisted not in its moral excellence-not in the blessings it conveyed, by pointing them to Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life"-but by outward show, external splendour, pretended miracles and austerities, and empty professions. Hence its magnificent ecclesiastical edifices, its churches, its abbeys, its monasteries, its pictures, and its statues; hence its imposing religious rites and ceremonies; and hence, in the very zenith of its existence, those extraordinary

instances of folly and superstition, the Crusades. Having lost the substance, they grasped at shadows; having lost Christ, as he is revealed in the word of truth, in the light of the Scriptures, their furious zeal shewed itself by an attempt to rescue that land in which He suffered, from the hands of Musselmen; whilst at the same time they were persecuting his faithful followers with tortures, fire, and sword.

3d. Another reason why the Edict of Justinian appears to be the correct date is, that it is the period when the church was cleansed from the heresy of Arianism; which prevailed to such a degree at this time that Jerome says "the whole world groaned, and wondered to see itself Arian." The point of time when "the earth," or the Roman empire, helped "the woman," or the church, to escape from being overwhelmed by this " flood," was in this very year, ▲.D. 533 at which time the Emperor Justinian, in his great zeal for orthodoxy, brought the Arian nations to such utter ruin, that this heresy never was able to lift up its head again as a persecuting power, and not for many centuries even as an opinion. And this great event, whereby to determine the commencement of "time, and times, and half a time," during which the church was to abide in the wilderness from "the face of the serpent" (Rev. xii.); as it

happened in the same year that Justinian made the Pope the head of all the churches; and as it is expressly named as being the precise time when Satan, being driven from persecuting the saints under the form of Arianism, as he had before been driven from doing so under the form of Paganism, betook himself to this Papal apostasy so it determines, beyond all dispute, that it is not to any edict of Phocas, issued so many years subsequently, but to that of Justinian, that the preference on this occasion is to be given.

66

4th. Another most important confirmation is, that as this great period of 1260 years is considered but as constituting the latter half of the complete period of 2520 years, or seven times; " so the year 533, being exactly the middle point between the first commencement and first termination of this complete periodthat is, between the years 727 в. C., and A. D. 1793-therefore the Edict of Justinian, which was issued in this year, forming such middle point, must of necessity be the true era from which to date the first or inchoative commencement of the reign of Popery, or the captivity of the Christian church.

5th. This conclusion further receives additional evidence from the events which, in connection with Popery, happened in the year

« PreviousContinue »