Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/141

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 123 siderable. From the imperious declamations of Cy- CHAP. prian, we should naturally conclude, that the doctrines '__ of excommunication and penance formed the most essential part of religion; and that it was much less dangerous for the disciples of Christ to neglect the observance of the moral duties, than to despise the censures and authority of their bishops. Sometimes we might imaoine that we were listening to the voice of Moses, when he commanded the earth to open, and to swallow up, in consuming flames, the rebellious race which refused obedience to the ])ricsthood of Aaron ; and we should sometimes suppose that we heard a Roman consul asserting the majesty of the republic, and declaring his inflexible resolution to enforce the rigour of the laws. " If such irregularities are suffered with impunity," it is thus that the bishop of Carthage chides the lenity of his colleague, " if such irregularities are suffered, there is an end of episcopal vigour'; an end of the sublime and divine power of governing the church ; an end of Christianity itself." Cypri;in had renounced those temporal honours, which it is probable he would never have obtained; but the acquisition of such absolute command over the consciences and un- derstanding of a congregration, however obscure or despised by the world, is more truly grateful to the pride of the human heart, than the possession of the most despotic power, imposed by arms and conquest on a reluctant people. In the course of this important, though perhaps jiecapitula- tedious enqviiry, I have attempted to display the se- 'io" "• ''"'^ condary causes which so efficaciously assisted the truth of the christian religion. If among these causes we have discovered any artificial ornaments, any accidental circumstances, or any mixture of error and passion, it cannot appear surprising that mankind should be the most sensibly affected by such motives as were suited to their imperfect nature. It was by the aid of these causes, exclusive zeal, the immediate expectation of ' Cyprian. Epist. 69.