/ 
ROMAN CATHOLICS. 
the decrees of the Council of Nice; at the 
same time ordering that the books of their 
opponents should be burnt ; and if any kept 
them in their possession, or endeavoured io 
counteract his edict, they should, on con- 
viction thereof, suffer death. 
Thus the authors of the Nicene Creed 
first brought in the punishment of heresy 
with death, and persuaded the emperor to 
destroy those whom he could not easily 
convert. The scriptures were now no 
lomrer the rule of faith and manners ; but 
orthodoxy and heterodoxy were decided by 
vote, and agreed upon, not by the number 
and weight of arguments, but by the num- 
ber and power of emperors, priests, and 
councils. 
The next council that was held, was com- 
posed of bishops possessing opinions some- 
wliat different from those of their prede- 
cessors, because Constantine II. happened 
to be favourable to the Aritins. The side 
of orthodoxy was now changed ; but ful- 
jninations and damnations still adhered to 
the decrees of the council against all those 
who should dare to oppose them. This 
alternate shifting of hands continued through 
the whole of tliis century. It was in this 
century also that painted crosses and the 
making of pilgrimages became fashionable. 
The fifth century gave birth to an esta- 
blislied union of the temporal and spiritual 
jurisdiction of the popes ; though as yet no 
one had the hardihood to declare himself 
either infallible or snpreipe. The prohi- 
biting priests to marry, baptizing with god- 
fathers and godmothers, the sign of the 
cross in baptism, and some other less int- 
portant matters, were introduced in this 
century. 
Tlie bulk of ecclesiastical historians fix 
the year 606 for the title of universal 
bishop, being conferred on tire Pontiff of 
Rome. This dignity had been assumed by 
the Bishop of Constantinople in the pre- 
ceding century, but was now confirmed to 
Boniface III, ; who,, being elected Pope, 
prevailed on the Emperor Phocas to take 
the title of universal bishop from tlie Bishop 
of Constantinople, and grant it to him, and 
his successors, by his absolute decree ; 
which passed for that purpose. 
Now it was tliat popery became esta- 
blished and general ; from this period there- 
fore we may date the appellation of Roman 
Catholic. Without however minutely de- 
tailing the origin of those various doctrines 
and ceremonies by which the Church of 
Rome has long been distinguished, we will 
proceed to give a a\ji<;cinct account of the 
belief and practice of this very large and 
respectable portion of the Christian world. 
ATe cannot perhaps do this better than by 
laying before the reader 
A Summary of the Doctrine, Discipline, ani 
Ceremonies of the Church of Rome, as con- 
tained in Pope Pius IV.’s Creed. 
“ Art. I. I believe in one God, the Father 
Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and 
of all things visible and invisible. The one 
true and living God in three persons. Fa- 
tiler. Son, and Holy Ghost. 
“ II. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, 
the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of 
the Father before all worlds, God of God, 
light of light, very God of very God, be- 
gotten not made', being of one substance 
with the Father, by wliom all things were 
made. 
“ III. Who for us men, and for our salva- 
tion, came down from heaven, and was in- 
carnate of the Holy Ghost of the Virgin 
Mary, and was made man. 
“ IV. And was crucified also for us un- 
der Pontius Pilate ; he suffered and was 
buried. 
“ V. And the third day rose again, ac- 
cording to tlie scriptures. 
“ VI. He ascended into heaven, sits at 
the right hand of tlie Father. 
“ VII. And is to come again with glory 
to judge both the living and the dead, of 
wdiose kingdom there shall be no end. 
“ VIII. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the 
Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from 
the Father and the Son, who with the Fa- 
ther and the Son is adored and glorified - 
who spake by the prophets. 
“ IX. I believe in one, holy, catholic,, 
and apostolic cliurch. 
“ X. I acknowledge one baptism for the 
remission of sins. 
“ XI. I look for the resurrection of the 
dead. 
“ XII. I believe in the life of the world 
.to come. Amen. 
“ XHI.T most firmly admit and embrace 
the apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions, 
and all other observations and constitutions 
of the same church. 
“ XIA^ I do admit the holy scriptures ia 
tlie same sense th^t Holy Mother Church- 
doth, whose business it is to judge of the 
true sense and interpretation of them, and 
I will interpret them according to the una- 
nimous consent of the fathers. 
“ XV. I do profess and believe that there 
are seven sacraments, truly and properly 
so called, instituted by Jesus Christ our 
