But the author shows that the same method of proof will also prove the anti-Christian character of the papacy. Divine grace provided the Savior, and the assurance was given that "the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head."
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
The first of these is, the dissolution of the western Roman empire. The propriety of restricting these prophecies to the western empire will
Those of Macedonia, Greece and Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt are still third. And those of Europe on this side, Greece, are still the fourth.3 Therefore. Now it was some time after this Latin or Western empire was overthrown, that the man of sin, according to Paul, was to appear.
When he who then left (katecwn) was taken out of the way, “then that wicked one will be revealed.” The Western Empire was overthrown by those Northern barbarians, whose ravages are so strikingly shown in the eighth chapter of the Apocalypse, at the sounding of the first four trumpets. Attila and his Huns destroyed much of the empire and invaded Italy around the year 452.
In 455 Genseric, king of the Vandals, not only conquered Roam, but also plundered it for a fortnight. And about the year 476 Odoacer, king of the Ostrogoths, ended the imperial authority in Rome by the capture of the city and the banishment of Augustulus to the castle of Lucullus, on an annuity of six thousand pieces of gold.4 Now it was, that. According to Paul, the antichrist would not arise until some time after the year 476 or 479, as the event mentioned above is otherwise estimated.
Another mark by which the time of Antichrist is designated, is when Rome should be under its eighth form of government. “And there are seven
The reigns of the emperors lasted about five hundred, and of the exarchs about two hundred. The eyes of the nations are fixed on our humility and they worship as God on earth St.
If you persist, we are innocent of the blood that will be shed in the game, may it fall on your own head.”8. Surely this was the time, this was the opportunity for the rise of the eighth Roman power, or "the beast". The writer quoted above gives the following account of the new organization, which succeeded the Exarchate.
The style of the Roman Senate and the Roman people was revived, but the spirit had fled. His alms, his sermons, his correspondence with the kings and prelates of the West, are recent. The termination of the Exarchate and the establishment of political power in the hands of the Popes took place around the year 730.
A fourth sign of the rise of Antichrist is, the subjugation or rooting up of three of the ten kingdoms, in the midst of which he was to arise —
And they shall be delivered into his hand, even to the saints of the Most High. When the angel explained to Daniel the symbol of the “little horn,” he said, “He shall be different from the rest.” Daniel 7:24. The Pope's government also differs from all other governments in the extent of its domination.
The iron grip of their tyranny is not broken even by the power of the grave. Surely a government like this cannot be found apart from him in the history of the world. Now, where is the king or kingdom, in which the peculiarities of the little horn are to be found.
Thus the abnormal character of the Papacy proves that it is the antithesis of "the little horn". This power is unlike all others; is. It is equally certain that he would rise directly after the fall of the Roman empire. The Pope alone knows how to determine doubts concerning the privileges of the apostolic see.”1.
That certain specified days are to be kept holy
We have already noted his denial of the Bible as the only rule of faith, his perversion of the doctrine of justification by faith, his virtual subversion of the only one. Not only is the second commandment a part of the first, in the more systematic arrangement of doctrines in the Roman Church, and the tenth is divided into two to complete the number; but in their catechisms for young people the other is entirely omitted!1 Even their system of worshiping saints and images, even where the literal law is preserved, completely undermines its authority. The multiplication of other holy days by this church caused the Sabbath as a divine institution to sink proportionately in the estimation of all Catholic communities.
Dens, in his treatise on theology of the fourth commandment, asks this question: “What does this third (4th) precept teach in the new law?” The answer given is: “Mainly these three things.
That they are to be kept holy by external divine worship, by hearing masses
That the same are to be kept holy by abstaining from servile labors.”
If such be the doctrines of sound Roman Catholic theologians concerning the sanctity of the Sabbath, what shall we say of the habits of men in general. The fifth commandment was abrogated by the papacy in all those numerous cases in which the church compelled children to inform of heretical parents, and in which the parents were. So that many had their fathers and mothers as their accusers, not knowing to whom they owed their sufferings under the inquisitors; for the name of the informer is kept the deepest secret, and the accused is tried without even seeing the witnesses against him. the authority of the priesthood.
In any case, anyone can see that the tendency of this rule is to undermine the pure morality of the church. But this whole law is as good as abolished by the Exchequer of the Roman Chancery. Of course, the idea which a transgressor has of the nature of his sin is the amount he must pay for its remission.
All incest, rape, adultery, and fornication, committed by a priest, with the joint pardon of the other parties concerned, $10. Acquittal of all crimes together, $12.”7 According to this scale of the Roman Chancery, not only are human laws made equal, even superior to divine, but the most atrocious crimes are represented as untrue; a few dollars and cents cancel the account and send the offender back to commit fresh violations of God's law and human society. Then we notice the intervention of the Papacy in marriage; an institution directly appointed by God, older than any other and one.
We notice next the interference of the Papacy with marriage; an institution appointed directly by God, older than any other, and one
The proceedings of Gregory seemed to the wise part, even of those who approved of the celibacy of the clergy, unjust and criminal in two respects: first, in that his severity fell indiscriminately and with equal fury on the virtuous man and the licentious rake has. Secondly, that instead of disciplining the married priests with wisdom and moderation, he delivered them over to the civil magistrate, to be punished as disobedient and unworthy subjects, with the loss of their substance, and with the most shocking signs of undeserved reproach and shame. !”8 How powerless the words of Christ must have fallen on the ears of such a Pope. Here then we see that the Papacy, faithful to the prophecy about it, but in direct conflict with the laws of God and of society, among a large class of persons, destroys an institution, of which it is said: "Marriage is in respectable in all respects.” The purpose of such a law is clear enough - it is to create the tools of papal power.
By destroying all conjugal ties in her priesthood, by destroying all domestic loves and affections in the heart, Rome seeks to form an alliance with the see of St. Peter, a multitude of willing accomplices, who will go at her command and who will seek to establish her dominion over the nations of the earth despite all opposition. However, while she tries to increase her authority in this way, she is only showing her true character.
When we speak of the apostasy of Rome, it has already been shown how the gospel, as a system of grace and salvation, has been corrupted by the papacy.
She has changed and corrupted the sacraments of the new dispensation
The sacraments of the New Testament are but outward signs and seals of inward and spiritual grace. Grace is inherent in the sacrament; hence the application of the sacrament to the subject, as naturally sanctifies it, as the application of fire to the burning of wood. From the view thus taken by Rome of the design of a sacrament, it is not surprising that she regards the administration of her sacraments as essential to salvation.
Circumcision is nothing, and foreskin is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God." 1 Corinthians 7:19. The purpose of the minister," says Dens, "consists in an act of his will, whereby he desires the outward performance of it. How can a communicant then have no evidence of pardon, except the word of the priest.
The corruption that Rome introduced into the simple but significant ceremony of the Lord's Supper deserves special attention. This, since the feast of the passover was a memorial of the deliverance of the Israelites from the. Was it designed by Christ, that they should also be used in the spread of the Christian faith.
He has prescribed a different punishment for the rejecters of his gospel
For the most part persecution was the offspring of the union referred to here. The administration of the church was divided," says Mosheim, "by Constantine himself, into an external and an internal inspection. For this they were opposed by the rest of the church, and finally by Constantine.
We continue, however, to consider the development of the opposite system - the system of unity and absolutism. One Friday, - says Gibbon, - "at three in the afternoon, the day and hour of the passion, Godfrey of Bouillon, stood. However, this spirit of persecution in the papal church was not limited to Turks and Muslims, and only to the salvation of the holy tomb.
The Abbot of Citeaux, who was the Pope's Legate, was placed at the head of the crusade. Roger, Viscount of Beziers, decided to defend his territories against the fanatical hordes of invaders. Seven thousand corpses were found in the Magdalene church; in the cathedral a greater number.
