PROOFS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. BEFORE I commence an inquiry so very extensive as that which I am about to undertake, I wish to make a few remarks. And, first, I wish to state clearly beforehand the object of these investigations. I have presented a quotation from Mosheim, intimating that, in the eighth and ninth centuries, a series of Decretals, or letters, had been forged, which were intended to show that, from the beginning, a supremacy had been conferred by our Lord Jesus Christ on the Church of Rome over all the Churches in Christendom; and that, in every age, the proofs of it had existed. The object of this work is to prove, that before this, even before the close of the fifth century, similar disgraceful proceedings had been adopted. These earlier forgeries were not to show a divine right (that was not then imagined); but to make it appear that there had been, from the beginning, an acknowledged pre-eminence and a controlling in terference of the Roman Church in every country throughout Christendom; that it had issued its orders to the prelates of the other provinces, and visited disobedience with punishment; that it had received appeals from synodal decisions, and overruled them; and that all the Churches in the empire were in the habit of approaching Rome as their superior. It is my intention, in these "Proofs and Illustrations," to bring the several instances of pre-eminence and superiority under review, and to test their character. If the reader, after having perused my criticisms, shall come to the same conclusion as myself, and think them forgeries, the preceding history will then appear to him a true picture of the position of the Roman in the Universal Church during the first four centuries; that is to say, he will believe that there is no record of any interference of the Roman prelate in the affairs of other Churches during that period. He will believe that the bishop of Rome was entirely confined to his own province, and that there is not even a shadow of proof that he was regarded as invested with any power that was not equally possessed by every other metropolitan; and that the story of Peter is of a more recent date. If I am asked, why were these forgeries introduced at that time, I reply, that partly from natural ambition, and partly, perhaps, from jealousy of the rapid advancement of the prelate of Constantinople, who, under the shadow of the court, was trampling upon the independence of the Churches around him, the Roman bishops determined to avail themselves of their favourable position, and pursue a similar career in the West. In working out their policy, however, precedents would materially assist them. But they had none. If their way was opposed, they had nothing to fall back upon; and even if it were not opposed, precedents would make it smoother. It is my belief, and this book presents the grounds of it, that not only was ecclesiastical history largely tampered with, if not re-written, if not even composed, but that a series of documents, professing to relate to events in the previous centuries, were, perhaps even before the close of the fifth century, invented to supply this defect. They comprehend all the great divisions of the Universal Church. They relate to Africa, Spain, Gaul, Illyria, Asia Minor, Egypt, and the East. The reader, who will take the trouble, may decide, from the evidence which I shall adduce, whether I am right in my judgment or not. It is no objection to my charge that it is too disgraceful to be attributed to the Church of Rome. It has long been acknowledged, that, in the eighth and ninth centuries, similar practices were adopted. The question, therefore, is fairly open. There is no uncharitableness in my supposition. The documents may be examined geographically or chronologically. I shall adopt neither order systematically, but endeavour to introduce the various points of inquiry in such a manner as will cause the least tautology; and, while in some measure one article prepares the way for another, give the reader the most information on every subject as it comes before him. No. I. CYPRIAN. I WILL first examine the documents relating to an intercourse between Rome and the countries of Africa, Gaul, Spain, and Asia Minor. The same writings, by an equally happy and surprising series of accidents, are the authority for Roman interference in all these countries. They are the letters of Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, who, as will be seen, is probably an imaginary personage. But, before I enter upon them, I have yet one thing more to say — and that is, to entreat the reader's patient attention. I assure him that I will try to make his way as clear to him as I am able, that I may interest him in the investigation. I have felt that I am not writing exclusively to men learned in ecclesiastical history. I have therefore endeavoured to address my objections to the several documents and writings that will pass in review as much as possible to the reader's common sense, which, when in possession of the requisite information, is the critic to whose judgment I defer. § 1. AFRICA. I WISH the reader to reflect upon the following facts: I. That, until the middle of the third century, there is not the least trace of any intercourse between the bishops of Rome and Carthage; indeed, we scarcely know anything of either Church. The II. That, during the short interval between A. D. 250-258, the two Churches are seen in the closest possible intimacy. It is, as it were, the lifting up of a curtain. Nothing is done of importance at either see (especially at Carthage) without an instant communication of it to the other; but there is a difference in the manner of the communication. The one speaks like a superior, and the other as an inferior. We behold African synods sending their decrees, and a notice of their excommunications, immediately to Rome. members of both Churches are so intimately acquainted, that commentators are puzzled to distinguish Romans from Africans. The excommunicated of either Church fly to the other, and seem well known. Appeals are made from African decisions, and Cyprian, in distress, deprecates Roman interference. Ships must have been in constant readiness to convey messages; nay, so urgent is the intercourse, that Cyprian makes a clerk on the professed ground of carrying his |