1555.] and its progress. 93 Romanists in general contend has always been possessed by the Prelates of that see! Mauritius, the Emperor, countenanced John in retaining this appellation, but, shortly afterwards, was deposed and murdered by Phocas, one of his officers, who became Emperor in his stead. The usurper, having obtained the throne by treachery and murder, shewed himself to be a monster of cruelty and wickedness, yet Gregory praised him in the highest terms, and used his influence to strengthen the power of Phocas! The wily usurper felt the benefit of this assistance; and, though Gregory did not long survive, he resolved to strengthen that power which had tended to confirm him upon the throne. He revoked the title Mauritius had given to the Bishop of Constantinople, and conferred it upon Boniface III., the successor of Gregory; and the title of Universal Bishop has been assumed by all the succeeding Popes, notwithstanding the anathemas which Gregory denounced against all those who claimed such a title ! Boniface speedily availed himself of this privilege. He called together a Council, A. D. 607, in which a decree was passed, declaring that no election of a Bishop should be deemed valid, until confirmed by the Bishop of Rome, as supreme in the Church.* This power has been enjoyed ever since by the Popes, wherever their jurisdiction extends, and is exercised by them, even now, with regard to the Romish Prelates in Great Britain and Ireland ! Thus the Pope acquired spiritual authority; and Pope Agathus, who died in 682, commanded that the decrees of the Pope should be considered as apostolical, and of the same authority as if they had been delivered by St. Peter; meaning that they were to be accounted equal to the word of God! Temporal power was obtained afterwards by means of another usurper Pepin was Prime Minister of Childeric, King of France, a weak prince; this crafty servant enquired of Pope ! The Patriarch of Constantinople and the Bishops of the castern division of the empire, refused to submit to the authority assumed by the Bishop of Rome. Thus the Eastern or Greek Church was separated from the Western, that is, the Romish, to which it never was subject; and so much for the universality of the Church of Rome in the early ages of Christianity! 94 The Pope acquires temporal authority; Zachary, whether he ought not to enjoy the title of King, since he exercised the power! Zachary decided in favour of Pepin, who availed himself of this declaration, as a divine authority for dethroning his master. Let us notice the degree of temporal authority then enjoyed by the Popes. After Rome had been plundered by the Goths, the seat of government was removed from that city to Constantinople, and Italy was ruled by an inferior officer, the Exarch of Ravenna. The Popes having obtained spiritual power, as already related, they made it the means of strengthening their temporal authority, and found this more easily effected under a provincial governor than it would have been in the presence of a monarch; thus they became the chief rulers of the city of Rome, then much decayed. Their authority was further strengthened by the following circumstance. In the early part of the eighth century, the Christian world was agitated by differences of opinion, respecting the worship of images. The Bishop of Rome, and all who submitted to his sway, warmly encouraged the renewal of the ancient idolatry, while, at that time, the eastern Patriarch and his followers opposed it. As remonstrance failed to check this growing evil among his western subjects, and as they appeared ready to dispute his authority in other respects, the Emperor sent some troops to Ravenna. These were opposed and defeated by the Italians, who rose in rebellion, at the instigation of the Pope. Thus the imperial authority was weakened, and the Exarch became little more than a tool in the hands of the Popes. The Roman Empire was already divided among different powers, which had risen up in various parts. In the course of time, the King of Lombardy endeavoured to enlarge his dominions, and wished to subjugate the city of Rome to his authority. This occurred at the period just noticed. Pope Stephen the Second, the successor of Zachary, applied to Pepin for assistance; and that monarch, knowing that he owed his authority principally to the Popes, he, like Phocas, felt the importance of supporting their power. After various events, which need not be detailed here, the King of Lombardy was forced to relinquish his pretensions, and Rome, with 1555.] its evil consequences. 95 the principality, of late years called the Territories of the Church, was assigned to the Pope, who thus became a temporal Prince, exercising authority over the bodies as well as the souls of men. This contest terminated about the year 750.* To confirm the gift, a forged document was produced, which purported to be a donation from Constantine, to the Bishop of Rome. In the writings of Baronius and the other annalists of Rome, we are told how the Popes exercised the power thus obtained. The painful and disgusting details, related even by Romish historians, of the profligacy and impiety of the Popes, during the middle ages, before the light of the Reformation had shewn the possessors of the Papal chair the necessity, at least, of some decency of manners, and regard to public opinion, need not be here brought forward Nor need we relate how this temporal power was increased, till Frederic and Henry, Emperors of Germany, our own King John, with other monarchs, were set up, and pulled down, at the pleasure of the Pope. Even the warmest advocate of Romanism will not dispute these facts, and he will scarcely venture to defend them. It should be mentioned, that at this time, while the King of the Lombards besieged Rome, the Pope not only wrote to Pepin for help, in his own name, but sent a letter which purported to be written by St. Peter himself, from Heaven, to the French monarch! In this the Apostle is represented as conjuring and beseeching him, "if he cared to be cleansed from his sins, and to earn an eternal reward, to hasten to the relief of his city, his church, and his people." Another extract may be given. The apostle is represented as declaring "that Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, joins in earnestly entreating, nay, and commands you to hasten, to run, to fly to the relief of my favourite people, &c. My Vicar might, in this extremity, have recurred, and not in vain, to other nations, but with me the French are, and ever have been the first, the best, the most deserving of all nations; and I would not suffer the reward, the exceeding great reward that is reserved in this and the other world, for those who shall deliver my people, to be earned by any other." (See Bower's History of the Popes.) Surely, a St. Peter, who could be supposed to dictate such an epistle as this, must have been far different from him who wrote, that" The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." But, seriously, does not this sufficiently shew us why the Church of Rome had already begun to prevent the study of the Scriptures? The contests for authority between various pretenders to the Papacy, for there were sometimes two and even three Popes at once, each anathematizing the other, gradually weakened the temporal authority. What we have to notice, is the supremacy as restored by Queen Mary; but also let us inquire to what extent it is now maintained by the Romanists in our own land, for the Pope still possesses much authority here, and still more in the Sister Kingdom. In a catechetical work, sanctioned by authority, it is thus explained. Q. "Wherein consists the power of "the Bishop of Rome, as head of the Church?"* A. "As he is appointed by Jesus Christ to be the supreme head and pastor of the church under him, to be the spiritual father and teacher of all christians, with full power to feed and govern the whole flock; therefore he is the supreme judge and lawgiver in all things relating to religion, whether as to faith, manners, or discipline. The primacy both of honours and jurisdiction over all other Bishops belongs to him, and all the members of the churcht are obliged to pay the greatest respect, veneration, and obedience to his decrees and orders in all things relating to religion." Such, then, is the power or supremacy of the Pope, as declared to be established over the Romanists, even in Great Britain, at the present day. Now, it extends no further than to those individuals who voluntarily submit to its dictates; but in the days of Queen Mary it was not a speculation or matter of belief, which men might adopt, or refuse, as they pleased. It then reigned paramount over all; and every one who gainsayed or disputed this authority, had no alternative but submission, or the flames! In the next Chapter we shall see the consequences resulting from the restoration of this supremacy, in its full extent. * See The sincere Christian instructed from the Word, by Bishop Hay, quoted in the Protestant (No. 105,) to which work the reader is referred for further remarks on this subject. + And the Church of Rome declares there is no salvation for any others. Here is no toleration for others. THE DAYS OF QUEEN MARY. 97 CHAPTER V. Martyrdom of Rogers, Hooper, Taylor, and Saunders. Rogers, the first Martyr in Queen Mary's reign, burned in QUEEN Mary had now been seated upon the throne for eighteen months; and during that period, Romanism had been gradually restored, till England was again fully subjected to the authority of the Pope. As a certain consequence, the sanguinary laws enacted in former times against all who ventured to differ from any doctrines taught by that Church, which assumes to be infallible, were again restored in their fullest severity.* Let us for a moment reflect upon the state in which our forefathers were placed. *The reader will observe, that after Henry the Eighth had thrown off the yoke of Rome, the severity of the laws against heretics was in many respects abated. It is true that the same cruel death was inflicted upon all who differed from the Romish doctrines; but an individual was no longer seized at the mere will of an Second Edition.] F |