The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

26 PROGRESS OF ECCLESIASTICAL SUPREMACY.century the final conquest of the Roman empire ; but thevictors themselves were insensibly subdued by the arts oftheir vanquished rivals,"* And as it had fared with theworship of the Church, so had it fared with her government.First, the peoplo were excluded from all share in the administrationof affairs ; next, the rights and privileges ofthe presbyters were invaded ; while the bishops, who hadusurped the powers of both people and presbyters, contendedwith one another respecting the limits of their respectivejurisdictions, and imitated, in their manner of living, thestate and magnificence of princes. •!- At last the Churchelected her chief bishop in the midst of tumults and fearfulslaughter.;!: " Hence it came to pass,*" says Mosheim,*'that at the conclusion of this century there remainedno more than a mere shadow of the ancient governmentof the Church." § Notwithstanding that the Church containedevery man of the age who was distinguished forerudition and eloquence, we look in vain for any reallyserious attempt to check this career of spiritual infatuation.There was one moment peculiarly critical, inasmuchas it offered signal opportunities of retrieving theerrors of the past, and preventing the more tremendouserrors of the future.Galled by the yoke of ceremonies, theChristian people began to evince a desire to return to thesimplicity of early times. There needed only a powerfulvoice to call that feeling into action. Many eyes were alreadyturned to one whose commanding eloquence and venerablepiety made him the most conspicuous person of histimes. The destiny of ages hung on the decision of Augustine.Had he declared for reform, the history of the Papacymight have been cut short ; the ambition of a Hildebrandand a Clement, the bigotry and despotism of a Philip and a* Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. v. p. 136.+ Euscbius, Hist. Eccles. lib. vii. cap. i.J Socrates, Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. xxiii. xxiv.§ Mosheim, cent. iv. chap. ii.