Constantine.-III by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 12, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 11.

Constantine.—III.

By Editor

THE superstitious nature of his religion is shown by such testimony as the following. Theodoret's history contains the emperor's letter to Sapor, king of Persia, in which he said:—

"My soldiers believe in this God; they bear his standard, and through him they gain the most famous victories."—Theodoret, p. 76.

Another ancient writer speaks as follows:—

"Moreover, Constantine caused the nails with which Christ's hands were fastened to the cross, to be converted into bridle bits and a helmet, which he used in his military expeditions."—Socrates Eccl. Hist., p. 48.

These, as the labarum or standard of the cross, were superstitiously regarded as charms, by which victory was to be gained in battle. A very interesting article was published in the Christian Union, being an extended notice of a book of "Voyage and Travail, which treated of the way to Hierusalem, and marvayles of Ynde, with other Llands and Contrees." It was written by a Sir John Mandevil, in which he describes the place where the nails were found, and gives us to understand that virtue was ascribed to them in procuring victory. The following is an extract verbatim:—

"Also, within the Mount of Calvarye on the right side, is an Awter, wher the piler lyzth that oure Lord Jhesu was bounden to whan he was scourged, and ther besyde iiij fote, ben iiij pilers of ston that allweys droppen water. And summe seyn that thei wepen for our Lordes deth! And nygh that Awter is a place under erthe, xlij degrees of depnesse, where the only croys was founden by the wytt of Seynte Elyne, under a roche wher ther Jewes hadde hidde it. And that was the verray croys assayed. For thei founden iij crosses, on of oure Lord and ij of the ij thiefes. And Seynte Elyne preved hem on a ded bodye that aros from death to lyve whan that it was leyd on it that our Lord dyed on! And there by in the wall is the place where the iiij nayles of oure Lord were hidd; . . . and one of these the Emperour of Constantinople made a brydill to his hors, to ber him in bataylle, and through vertue thereof he overcam his enemyes and wan all the land of Asye the lesse."

A rendering of the above will be necessary for some readers to enable them to discover the point of the historian's statement:—

"Also within the Mount of Calvary on the right side, is an altar, where the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesus was bound to when he was scourged, and there beside four feet, are four pillars of stone, that always drop water. And some say that they weep for our Lord's death. And nigh that altar is a place under earth, forty-four degrees (steps, probably) deep, where the true cross was found by the wit of Saint Helena, under a rock where the Jews had hid it. And that was the true cross proved (identified). For they found three crosses, one of our Lord, and two of the two thieves. And Saint Helena proved it on a dead body that arose from death to life when it was laid on it that our Lord died on. And near there in the wall is the place where the four nails of our Lord were hid. . . . And of one of these the emperor of Constantinople made a bridle to his horse, to bear him in battle, and through virtue thereof he overcame his enemies and won all the land of Asia the less."

The "Seynte Elyne," here mentioned, was no other than Helena, the mother of Constantine. Some historians say she caused the nail to be made into a bridle bit, and had the others wrought into his helmet for the benefit of her son.

Thus one testifies:—

"She gave orders that some of the nails should be driven into the royal helmet, in order that the head of her child might be preserved from the darts of his enemies; and she ordered some of the other nails to be fixed in the bridle of his horse, not only to insure the safety of the emperor, but also to fulfill an ancient prophecy."—Theodoret, p. 63.

It appears evident that the mother and son were infected with the same spirit of superstition; and that much of Constantine's regard for Christianity sprung from the benefit which he supposed he had received in battle from the sign or standard of the cross, and from the nails of the crucifixion found by his mother at Jerusalem.

Waddington speaks of his character thus:—

"The year which followed the final success of Constantine was disgraced by the execution of his eldest son; and it is not disputed that the progress of his career was marked by the usual excesses of intemperate and worldly ambition. Some of his laws were severe even to cruelty, and the general propriety of his moral conduct cannot with any justice be maintained."—Church History, p. 83.

Dr. Carl Hase speaks emphatically of his character and life after his profession of Christianity:—

"The Emperor still remained Pontifex Maximus, and some of his enactments indicate that he honored, or at least favored, the magical arts of the old paganism. Political interests seemed imperatively to require that Christianity should be established as the religion of the State, that those religious questions which were then producing innumerable divisions might be decided."

The same sign which had originally given him the victory (Labarum 312), had also conducted him to universal dominion, and he therefore regarded himself as the favorite of Heaven, called to secure an equal dominion for the cross of Christ. And yet he was not restrained from desecrating that very cross by hands deeply imbued with blood—the blood of his own son (326).—History, pp. 103, 104, § 93.

That he retained throughout his life the title of Pontifex Maximus, or high priest of the pagan rites, is worthy of note. It certainly leads to the conclusion, which some writers have boldly declared, that he never came to consider the Christian religion as the only true one, or the God of the Christians as the only one worthy of being worshiped. But that, while he worshiped the gods, or at least honored them, he selected Christ as his "tutelary god," and honored him above the rest. Thus Gibbon says:—

"His liberality restored and enriched the temples of the gods; the medals which issued from his imperial mint are impressed with the figures of Jupiter and Apollo, of Mars and Hercules; and his filial piety increased the council of Olympus by the solemn apotheosis [deifying] of his father Constantius."—P. 251.

It is also to be noted that, while he retained the pagan title of Pontifex Maximus, he also took upon himself the office of a minister of the gospel of Christ, and preached in the congregations, as well as presided over a Christian Council. It is needless to say that he was flattered by his Christian courtiers on account of his wonderful discourses! Dr. Schaff says one of his sermons "is still extant, in which he recommends Christianity in a characteristic strain, and in proof of its divine origin, cites especially the fulfillment of prophecy, including the Sibylline books and the Fourth Eclogue of Virgil."—Church History, vol. 2, p. 34.

This gives us at once an idea of his ministry and the character of his religion.

We have always been surprised that Christian people of this day, with all the facts within their reach, persist in styling Constantine a "Christian emperor." But our wonder has been greatest to hear them speak of the happy time when "the empire became Christian." So far from the empire becoming Christian the church in that day became anti-Christian. Dr. Dowling, in examining the rise of the great apostasy, says:—

"Many of the errors, indeed, of several centuries, the fruit of vain philosophy, paved the way for the events which followed; but the hindrance was not effectually removed until Constantine, the emperor, on professing himself a Christian, undertook to convert the kingdom of Christ into a kingdom of this world, by exalting the teachers of Christianity to the same state of affluence, grandeur, and influence in the empire, as had been enjoyed by pagan priests and secular officers in the State. The professed ministers of Jesus having now a wide field opened to them for gratifying their lust of power, wealth, and dignity, the connection between the Christian faith and the cross was at an end."—History of Romanism, p. 29.

Neander informs us distinctly that this state of things was brought around by Constantine's influence, who planned the condition of the church to conform to his own ideas for the peace and strength of his empire. In his remarks on Constantine and the Council of Nice, he says:—

"The heathen, he said, would be most easily led to salvation, if the condition of the Christians was made to appear to them in all respects enviable. They should consider that the advantage to be derived from preaching could not belong to all. Some, he said, might be drawn to the faith by being seasonably supplied with the means of subsistence; others were accustomed to repair to that quarter where they found protection and intercession (alluding to the intercession of the bishops); others would be won by an affable reception; others, by being honored with presents. There were but few who loved the exhibitions of religious doctrine; but few who were the friends of truth (therefore, few sincere conversions). For this reason, they should accommodate themselves to the characters of all, and, like skillful physicians, give to each man that which might contribute to his cure, so that in every way the saving doctrine might be glorified in all. A course of proceeding upon such principles must naturally have thrown open a wide door for all manner of hypocrisy. Even Eusebius, panegyrist of Constantine, blinded as he was by the splendor which the latter had cast over the outward church, although he would gladly say nothing but good of his hero, yet even he is obliged to reckon among the grievous evils of this period, of which he was an eye-witness, the indescribable hypocrisy of those who gave themselves out as Christians merely for temporal advantage, and who, by their outward show of zeal for the faith, contrived to win the confidence of the emperor, which he suffered them to abuse."—History, p. 28.

Nothing can be added to the above words of Neander to make them impressive. Nothing more should be needed to put us on our guard against trusting to that age for any just decisions of truth. Gibbon says Constantine carried out the policy which he advised before the council by offering valuable presents to those who would embrace Christianity. It was an age of great moral and religious darkness. The following words fitly describe it:—

"The simplicity of the gospel was corrupted; pompous rites and ceremonies were introduced; worldly honors and emoluments were conferred on the teachers of Christianity; and the kingdom of Christ in a great measure converted into a kingdom of this world."—McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia, Art. Constantine.