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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film* d partir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'imagas n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 32 X 1 2 3 4 5 6 / V//'/^/ 7' ^// .//■ifu'/-' ^ yK^'^ <■ •// I i.-ms*^. -. k o L ROMANISM AND THE REFORMATION. Romanism AND tjie Reformation I' ROM THE STAND POLYT OF PROPHECY. ny II. GRATTAN GUINNESS, KR.G.S.. AutnoroJ-Li.UtM tUc I.a.t Day.," " T,u- .Wr„.,M., EnU .,J tlu .U" eU TOROXTO: S. R. BRIGGS, TORONTO WIM.ARD TRACT DEPOSITORY AXn niRi.j.;. nEfor, CORNKR OF YONliE AND TEMPERANCE STREETS. riTI.F.H .1 TannRR, TiiR SKi.woni) PuiNTiN(; Works, Fko.mh, ,\nu London. PREFACE. 'piIE following lectures were delivered, by re- quest, under the auspices of the Protestant Educational Institute, at Exeter Hall, in the spring of this year. That Institute exists to do a much needed work— to keep alive, especially in the hearts of the rising generation, some measure of intelligent sympathy with the Protestant 1 .. M-tions of our country. England's Protestantism has long been Eng- land's glory, and the direct cause of her unrivallc'd prosperity and peculiar pre-eminence among the nations of Europe. That Protestantism is now sustaining a double attack, from without and from within. Yet few seem fully alive to the danger. The late Lord Peaconsfield saw it clearly enough liowever. "Your empire and your liberties are more in danger at tins moment," he said, " than wlicn Napoleon's army of observation was en- VIII Pnfiuv. camped at iJoulof^nic." What would he have said had he hvcd to sec the present position o^1ffairs ! The Reformation of the sixteenth century, which gave birth to Protestantism, was based on Scrip- ture. It gave back to the world the Bible. It taught the Scriptures ; it exposed the errors and corruptions of Rome by the use of the sword of the Spirit. It applied the prophkcies. and accepted their practical guidance. Such Reforma- tion work requires to be done afresh. We have suffered prophetic anti-papal truth to be too much forgotten, -his generation is dangerously latitu- dinarian-indifiercnt to truth and error on points on which Scripture is tremendously decided and absolutely clear. These lectures, simple and popular as they are, will, it is hoped, open many minds to perceive that the Bible gives no uncertain sound as to Romanism, and that those who will be guided by its teachings must shun an apostasy against which the sorest judgments are denounced. The lectures are given as delivered, with the exception of the first and last, which have been extended and modified. In recasting and en- Preface. ix larglnnr the opening lecture on the Daniel forc- vic^v. and the closing one on the Reformation. I have availed myself of the valuable help of my beloved wife, who has for so many years been my fellow labourer both in literary and evangelistic work. I shall rejoice if these lectures obtain a wide circulation, for they contain, I am sure, truth for the times,-truth deeply and increasingly needed, not only for the preservation of the civil and religious liberties of our country and empire, but for the practical guidance of the people of God in these last days. H. GRATTAN GUINNESS. IlAkLEY House, Bow, K., June is/, 1SS7. CONTENTS. LIXTUKK I. LECTURE 11. LECTURE III. Paul's Fokkvikw ni- Romanism LECTURE IV. loiiN's FoRKviKw oi- Romanism LECTURE V. iNTEKPRKTA-nON AND USK OK THKS,C I'ROPHLCIES IN I KK-RKrouMATfON TiMES LECTURE VI. iNTKKrKKTA-moN .VNr, UsK O.- THESE PROPHECIES IN KEFOKMATION TlMES 35 73 '3« '79 22.^ Xll Contents. LECTURE VII. lNTEK,>KrrAT,„N ANn USK OK THESE ProPHFCKS m Post-Rkkormation Times . . LECTURE VIII. Double Fokkview of the Rekormauion Concluding Remarks 261 IKCIIvS JMIJK 261 377 IliCTURE I. rflE DANIEL POREVJEW 01- ROMMS.U. pIFTY years ago tl,c eminent slatcsman Sir ="'"■ Tlieday.s not distant, and it n,ay be very near, when we sl,ail all have to fight tha battle of the Reformation over again " That day has come. It has been upon us for suit he battle .s to some e.tent going against from T ""''= ""'""■" °f "mancipation from he yoke of Rome-three hundred years of B.ble l,ght and liberty-had made us over-eon. fident, and led us to under-estimate the power and -nfluence of the deadliest foe, not only of the eospel o God, but also of Protestant England Bntam s honourable distinction of being the leadin. witness among the nations for the truth of the eospel and against the errors of Romanism had come to be lightly esteemed among us. Our fathers won this distinction through years of sore struggle and strife; they purchased it with their t h Romanism and the Reformation. best blood, and prized it as men prize that which costs tlicm dear. It had cost us notliing. we were born to it ; we knew not its value by contrast as they did. In the early part of this century tlie power of Rome was in these lands a thin- of the past, and it seemed to be fast decaying 'even in other lands. The notion grew up among us that there was no need to fear any revival of that deadly upas tree, which is the blight of all that IS great and good, pure and prosperous. The' li-ht of true knowledge had for ever dispelled the dark fogs of superstition, so it was supposed ; mediaeval tyrannies and cruelties cloaked under a pretence of religion could never again obtain a footing in these lands of light and liberty. We might despise and deride the corruptions and follies of Rome but as to dreading her influence-no. She was too far gone and too feeble to inspire fear, or even watchfulness. This was all a delusion, and we have been roughly undeceived. The difficult and dangerous crisis through which England is now passing is the direct result of the course of action taken under this delusion, and God only knows what the ulti- mate consequences may be. A serpent may be scotched, yet not killed ; it may retain life enough to turn and inflict on its foe a fatal wound. The ition. e that which ing, we were ■ contrast as century the :hin'■«- '^'■^y M •. . ^ "° monasteries at- nii • ^-.y now there are two hundred :„;:!; "owthi:::::T *=-■•--. convents,;: and b eVa ,d ""'"" "^ '"^^ ""-'' fifteen Liz ErT"""" P"^°"'' '" "-^-h tnousand iinghshvvomen iro i-o,.*. • at the mercv of . ru ''^^ prisoners '"(-rcy ot a cehbate clprrr,^ ,„k i. ""'ess their behests .^7 k f ' ^'™ P"""' hapless and Wo ; "'^' '° '""'■'' °" «>^^e ->e of pi f ^P,;':™' '"'"- -''er the t>vo colleges in our I 7"" "^^ "''^^ '^^--^ •»" Ca.ho.ie ;rt : ;:' ''' f "-"'"g ''f Ro„a„ ••n England as Z '"'" '"""^ ''^°="'> 'o ^ct one .reat o^ c? ;~.'' ^°™-»" P°-, the dismemberment or ™""^ '° >"•- "'e influene! ™; 'w' °7 ^"""^^ ^"'^ "^^ -" of our such sch;o 3 r's/ "°" ''"^ "= '''="'^-"- -^'J. strangest of all, England, who 4 Rowanisvi and the Reformation. once abolished monasteries and appropriated to national uses the ill-gotten gains of Rome, is now actually endowing Romanism in her empire to the extent of over a million of money per annum. The exact amount is ;{; 1,052,657. Results even more serious have arisen from the dropping on the part of evangelical Christianity of i'.s distinctive testimony against Romish doc- trme and practice. An apostasy has taken place m the Reformed Church of England itself, and multitudes of its members, uninstructed in the true nature and history of the Church of Rome, and ignorant of the prophetic teachings of Scrip-' ture about it, have rejoiced in a return to many of the corruptions of doctrine and practice which their forefathers died to abolish. Our reformed faith is thus endangered both from without and from within, and it can be defended only by a resolute return to the true witness borne by saints and martyrs of other days. We must learn afresh from Divine prophecy God's estimate of the char- acter of the Church of Rome if we would be moved afresh to be witnesses for Christ as against this great apostasy. As Protestants, as Christians, as free ^en, as philanthropists, as those who are acquainted with the teachings of history, we deplore the existin- tioii. )priated to me, is now ipire to the er annum. n from the hristianity mish doc- iken place itself, and 2d in the of Rome, of Scrip- to many ice which reformed hout and nly by a by saints irn afresh the char- /ould be s against men, as ited with existing '^'J>'^'"^1 Forcvle., of Romanism. 5 state of things; we regard all theTe chan^aT a retrograde n.ovement of the most dangerous charaeter and we feel constrained to renew tl,e grand old protest to which the world owes -ts modem acquisitions of liberty, knowledge peace, and prosperity. We recognise it as a paten and unden,able fact, that the future of Z race ■es not with Papists, but with Protestants. Its leadmg nat.ons this day are not Papal Italy, Spain and Portugal, but Protestant Germany, E gland' andAmenca^ What has made the difference .i The nat,ons that embraced the Reformation move- ment of the sixteenth century have never since ceased to advance in political power, social pro- spenty, ph.lanthropic enterprise, and general en- hghtenment; while the nations that refused it and held ast to the corruptions of Rome have as ead,y retrograded in all these respects. "By the.r fruits ye shall Icnow them." The present course of lectures is intended to arouse fresh attention to the great controversy between the Church of Rome and evangelical Churches, In this war the Roman army .and on one s,de, and Protestantism in one unbroken phalanx on the other. The regiments of Rome wear but one scarlet uniform, fly but one Papal flag, and use in their religious ceremonies but one 1 ^"""-^"""^ and^ the Reformation. dead la„g La«„; "the V^.^.^'^:^ „ d ff " • ""'"' "' ™""^ divisions, lad speaking different tongues Bnf Ii|.„ „ "«'' ™d host? of r ■""'. hkc tlie composite they arli?:r"'^ " "' ^'^^^b with France, 'hey are all the stronger for their voluntary union ■ ti.ey can cordially join in the great struggfe The' between Kp.scopalians, Presbyterians, and Non- conflict w,.h Rome; and the sole issue is between hose wo hold to the old gospel of Christ a, d .W who teach another gospel which is not Our subject in these lectures is Romanism and he Reformation from the standpoint of prophecy: hat ,s, we propose to give you, not any merely human view of the subject but th^ n- , . . "ojccc, out the Divine view ; not the opinions of the lecturer about it, but the teaching f p.^^,,,^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ h of the on y wise God as expressed in Hi, Tiered word in this blessed Divine revelation which shed .ts beams on every subject of interest to the oeople o God. It IS a fact, that though the ca;on'o Scrip ure was closed ages before Romanism began to exist, and fifteen centuries before the Reforma! t.on, yet ,t presents the Divine judgment as to ttion. 't army, on ''islons, clad flags, and e composite ith France, tary union ; ggle. The ' existing and Non- r common is between Christ and :h is not nism and Prophecy : y merely ne view ; ■, but the udgment IS sacred ch sheds e people ;anon of ^ began eforma- it as to 7y'cDa,ndFor,,l„, of Romanism. 7 both The Bibb r^llrl^^^l^^^^rr^^—^ nd .he future in .•tsp,.op,.edes, which are simp ; ..story ,„,.te„ beforehand. It expresses .or over moral judgments as to the individuals it dcscnbes and the acts which it records, and ™.ary expresses moral judgments re pectin! the md,v.duals and actions which it predicts. l"! warned the Church against the wiles of Rome Papa , even from the days of Rome pagan. John he v,ct,m of Nero and Domitian, painted pic es' or Postenty of the martyrs of tI,eI„cuisit,on. and the cruelfes of tyrants more merciless than the U-esars. In viewing this question from the stand- pom of prophecy, consequently, our object is not -re^ to trace the fulfilment of saeredUlcto ■n the broad facts of history as a proof of the .nsp,rat,on of Scripture-though our lectures must ^course do that-but it is even more to presen show what infinite reprobation and abhorrence Scnpture pours upon it, and what an awful doom .t denounces against it. If we know what God thmks of any system, we know what we ought to hmk of ,t and how we ought to act towards it forewarned is forearmed. Had the youth of thj carefully „,structed in the Scriptures bearing on r 8 Jionmmmi^ and the Re/ormaliou. th.^ subject, we should not Imve lived to see our country troubled and in peril of dis,nen,ber„K.„t through Jesuit intrigues, nor our nation.! Church d.v,ded agau,st itself, to its o..„ in,„,i„ent danger and one section of it relapsing into the apostLy' from which the Reformation had delivered it. Let me first define distinctly the three terms ... our title-Romanism, the Reformation, and Iropheey Let me answer the questions-What .sRoman,sm? What was the Reformation ? VVha IS Prophecy? I. Romanism is apostatf t ^htm n -ITV-not apostate J:i^'lXZ tl.e Armenran Church, the Coptic Church are I i ~V," 'T' "' "- '^^'-^' ^-^ *e Pro' testant Church rtself has no small measure of apostasy , n it ;b„e,.,,.,„r Romanism, or Latin Chrrsfanrty, alone that we now speak, beeaus^^ ■s the great and terrible po„*r of evil so largely largely „, prophecy, and it is ,/,, „„,„,„,^„ ^^ Chnst,an apostasy. It includes all whose pubhc worship is conducted in Latin ..^ , ^ ill i^atin and who owii nlle glance to the Pope of Rome. I i 'Hon. to sec our lembernicnt nal Church 2nt clanger, e apostasy ed it. "■ee terms ition, and ns— What '11? What ClIRlSTI- cly, but ■ Church, ^ are all the Pro- as u re of >r Latin cause it largely Apostle ^s most "ition of public •n alle- ^.•^ T)^//./ Forcviezo of Romanism. Dean Milman's history of the Church of Rome is called "7/,. //,,,,;,, ,^ ^^^,.^ Christianitr^ Archbishop Trench, speaks of Gregory the Great as " the last of the Latin Fathers, and the first in the modern sense of the Popes," and says he "did more than any other to set the Church forward on the new lines on which it must travel, to constitute o Latin Christianity with distinctive features of its own, such as broadly separate it from Greek - ^ Romanism is this Latin Christianity become apostate. II. The Reformation was a return to I'iUMlTIVE OR NON-APOSTATE ClIRISTIAXITV accomplished between three and four centuries a^o •n this country, in Germany, and some oiL countries of Europe. One feature of this great movement was the abandonment of the use of Latm m public worship, and the translation of the Scriptures into living languages, so that all nations ni.ght read the word of God in their own tongue and understand for themselves its sacred messages' The names of Luther, Zwingle, Erasmus, Tyndall' Knox, Calvin. Latimer, Ridley. Cranmer. Hooper' and others, are associated with this " Reforma-' tion." nr. And, in the third place. Prophecy is ' " Mcdia'\ hurch History," (■ 14. THE r„v™,,v oivEN .„kror I^^t:^.-;^;^ be partially discerned beforehand .n 1 ^ 7 identified when th. f °;''''''"^' ^"^^ ^^^^^rly Thus the fi 7 , °^ ^"^^''^^"^ ^°"^^«- iiius the first advent of Christ was shown, though Jge of Jerusalem were presented to the „.i„d of Moses ajres bcfnr,. fi, •. writings e« both " 'T'"'" "'^''""^ '"' ncmess and clearness which is the evart qu.va en. of thei^ magnitude and in,pt.a„Tet theI„storyor.hechurcha„dof.hewodd Bear .„„,.„d.hese three brief definitions- I, 'l7™7'^^l»=fate Latin Christianity. . n. The Reformation was a return to primitive III- Prophecy is the mirror of the future. or Latin Ch- """'"' ™"' ''^ ""•= '^°">--sn>, ° p " Chnst,an,ty, as distinguished from Greek- - Protestant, or any other form of the fai ^ ition. IK FUTURE, ctcd on its Tlicy may ind clearly snt comes, wn, though cars before 'ties of the the mind ■ven built, lay afar in in foresaw iions and :^r with a lie exact )rtancc in i is; anity. 3rimitive iree cen- e. nanism, Greek, aith of T/ ic Damdjonvieiu of Romanism. 1 1 Christ? As to its do^i^^i^^^~^r^r^;^c^\^'^^ will answer this question later on in our course of lectures, quoting from its own acknowledged standards. For the present we must conHne our- selves to a consideration of its historj. But before I give you a brief outline of this, I may state that there are three distinct sets of prophecies of tlie rise, character, deeds, and doom of Roman- ism. The first is found in the book of Daniel the second in the epistles of Paul, and the third m the letters and Apocalypse of John ; and no one of these three is complete in itself It IS rnly by combining their separate features that we obtain the perfect portrait. Just as we cannot derive from one gospel a complete ^ife of Christ, but in order to obtain this must take into account the records in the other three • so we cannot from one prophecy gather a correct account of antichrist, we must add to the par- ticulars given in one those supplied by the other tvvo. Some features are given in all three pro- phecies, just as the death and resurrection of Christ are given in all four gospels. Others are given only in two, and others are peculiar to on. As^ might be expected from the position and training of the prophet, who was a statesman and r. governor in Babylon, Daniel's foreview 12 Romauhm and ,/„■ R./onnalion. 1 Si presents the rorrTT/-tr i '"e o.„„ „.„,, gives .L L :, ::r:"; -" »c>cr and relations of thi, „„ •-'''•"■• .'■■op-ccies, .0., ,■„ kj:; ,r:;,; ^'^^ present the CMniXArroN o. „o- H ' aspect as ; a ccrIP..-ncf i "^"cr its icligious i « .-i ecclesiastical system The,ast,„e„,y.fi.ecen,u..,..,o,n.nanhisto., illation. and relations 5 foreviciv, on -STICAL char- ; and John's '• and xvi'i., . the mutual Ionian State, rt of wJiich 'nanism as a its rch'gious •I's poh'tical rreat power destined to le describes '6 consider ly to recall none can an history ms of the zzar — has :ual parts, centuries, ur great the rule 1, Medo- Persian. Grecian. and~l^;;;;;r^~:;;;~~~^- lasted from the eighth century before Christ to the fifth century of our era. and ended with the fall of the last emperor of Rome. Romulus Augustulus A.U 4;6. During the second half of this period no .;/. great empire has ever ruled over the whole sphere dominated by these old n, .an governments. Tower has been more divided, 'nd modern kingdoms have replaced ancient empires A commonwealth of nations has for the lasi twelve hundred years existed in the territor once governed by old Rome, and no monarch has ever succeeded in subjecting them all to him- self. This makes a broad distinction between ancient and modern times, and the dividing line IS the fall of the old Roman empire^ the break up of the last form of ancient civilization, the one which preceded our modern Christian civiliza- tion. Rome itself^that great and ancient city-was founded about the beginning of the long period I have named, and has therefore been in existence for nearly two thousand six hundred years, though for many centuries it had but a local reputatio'n Gradually it rose to importance. 1 in the second century before Christ it attained supremacy in the earth ATf.... tu_^ .-. . . ^ ^ '^ ^ftcr that It was for about five hundred H _f^:^^^^^^^^ Reformation. \ !| years the magnificent metropolis of the last and miq-htiest c£ fho r r- wi m^, xast and the sea „f '■'''■' '"P''=^ °f '"'"■' ^''■="3"' a>>d and subjected the world to itself. Remains stil mca and As,a, and above all i„ Ro„,e itself ufficen, attest the wide extent of the sway ome the l„..ury of her princes and people and ^^rene„entsofhercivili.ation. Roma' r; , Koman camps, Roman baths, Roman coins Tr- "' .""^'"^ °f -->' ''■•"'> abound i ■n ou own little isle, some of which have bee 'e."J:f7el'r;""™^ «.= mndamenta, m„^ Z language to the languages of modern Europe a^ord clearer evidences smi !f tlL _ Tli^J^anidJoycview of Romanism. ,5 univcrsa,. ,«,Vhty. and \^i:^^^.rT.^^,~i llw ancient masters of the world our^rJV"' '''^'■""'"^ °f "- f»-'h eenturyof ou Kome was a /.^.. city, and the e„,peror s o d heathen shrines still adorn the eity. The 1 antheon which is now a church dedicated to tl e ^eathen e.nple dedicated to Cybele and all t',e «e ancient mythology. Bnt in the fourt. I at fa,th of Chnst. which for three centuries Rome -cl persecuted and sought to exterminate; the . l.g.cn of Jesus of Nazareth overthrew the re Jon «.^bh ed Ch„st,anity as the creed of the world. Rome ad become the seat of a Christian bishop of the Koman empire which soon followed this -hop, owins to his metropolitan position, be'eame a person of great importance and the head of L X Ci nst,a„,ty As other rulers passed away, an^ 'he power of Rome waned before the h^des o Goth,c and Vandal invaders, the Christian bishop ^Ld v','"? .,"' "" °" '''^'■•'""°- ■•" R°»e, ".Id expanse of roaring billows. It remained when i6 Romanism and the Reformation. .It all else failed around it. At first it had itself been a small, weak, new thing under the shadow of a great, mighty, and ancient power. But time brought changes, and gradually it became the stable, strong, and only ancient thing in the midst of the turbulent young Gothic nationr into wh-Vi the fragments of the old Roman dominions slowly crystallized. To these rude and recently evan- Sehzed people the Church of Rome was naturally the mother Church, and the Bishop of Rome the chief of Christian bishops. The tendency of the Latin episcopate thus enthroned in the old metropolis of the world, in the midst of ignorant superstitious, and child-like Gothic nations, was to' become first a monarehieat, and then an iniperiat power. This tendency was deep and enduring • it worked for centuries, till at last it produced that singular blasphemous usurpation and tyrannical government which we call the Papacy. The rise of this power was, like all great growths, gradual and slow From the middle of the fifth century to the end of the thirteenth-/,, for be- tween eight and nine hundred years-it was steadily waxing greater and greater, rising higher and higher, reaching forth its branches more widely, and making more extravagant claims and pretensions. Time would of course fail mc to ition. : had itself the shadow But time became the in the midst into whiti.. lions slowly iXiWy evaii- IS naturally of Rome endency of n the old f ignorant, ons, was to n imperial iduring; it Juced that tyrannical it growths, ■ the fifth -e. for be- ) — it was ig higher les more aims and il me to , > The Daniel Foreview of Romamsm. i 7 trace the rise of ecclesiastical powe7in~the~i^e ages to the monstrous proportions it assumed in the thirteenth century. After the conversion of Constantine, when Christianity became the estab hshed religion of the Roman world, the Church passed rapidly from a state of persecution, poverty and distress to one of honour, wealth, and ease • and It degenerated as rapidly from its early purity' Covetousness and avarice came \n like a flood and ecclesiastical power became an object of ea-er ambition, even to ungodly men. The bishop was a wealthy, influential, worldly dignitary, instead of a humble Christian pastor. Opulence poured in upon the priesthood, alike from the fears and the affections of their converts, and their intellectual superiority over the barbarian nations had the effect of increasing still more their ascendency The time came when they alone retained any semblance of learning, or could prepare a treaty or write a document, or teach princes to read By a variety of sordid frauds they contrived to srcure to the Church immense wealth and an enormous share of the land. But they recognised their own subjection to the secular power, and respected mutually each others independence. Claims to supremacy over other bishops began however be- fore long lo be advanced by the bishops of Ro me. ill 18 Ro7nanism and the Reformation. sometimes on one ground and sometimes on an- other, but it was long before they were admitted Papal authority indeed made no great pro- gress beyond the bounds of Italy until the end of tlie sixth century. At this period the celebrated Gregory I., a talented, active, and ambitious man was Bishop of Rome. He stands at the meeting' place of ancient and medieval history, and his nfluence had a marked effect on the growth of Latm Christianity. He exalted his own position very h.ghly in his correspondence and intercourse with other bishops and with the sovereigns of western Europe, with whom he was in constant communication. Claims that had previously bee,, only occasionally suggested were now systemati cally pressed and urged. He dwelt much on the power conferred on the bishops of Rome in the possession of the keys of the kingdom of heaven which were committed to Peter and his succes' sors. The Gothic nations were too ignorant to unravel the sophistries of this clever and deter- mined priest, and they permitted him to assume a k-nd of oversight of their ecclesiastical matters His successor, Boniface HI., carried these pre tensions still higher. He was the last of the bishops of Rome and the first of the popes In h.s days the claim to supremacy over all other '^Dmiicl Foreview^ of Romanism. 1 9 bishops was, not only dcfinitcly7iilid^^7ir^s acknowledged by the secular power and confirmed by an imperial edict. The wicked usurper Phocas to serve his own selfish purposes, conceded to Bomface III. in a.D. 607 the headship over all the Churches of Christendom. A pillar is still stand- ing m Rome which was erected in memory of this important concession. This was a tremendous elevation, the first up.vard step on the ladder that led the bishops of Rome fiom the humble pastor- ate of a local Church to the mightiest throne in Europe. But still all that was claimed or granted was simple episcopacy, though of a universal kind • no thought of secular government existed at this penod. The matter however did not stop here This supreme episcopal jurisdiction led to constant interferences of the Roman bishop in the affairs of the various nations of Christendom, and to ever- ^creasing pretensions to authority in matters secular as well as ecclesiastical, until five hundred years later, in a.d. ior3, Pope Gregory VII. took a great stndc in advance, and established A THEOCRACY ON EARTH. He W.S the first ,vho claimed, as the represen- a^,v. of Dei.,. .0 be above all the kings in the "orid. Th,s proud and self-exalting man strove ir I 20 Romanism and I he Reformation. and strove successfully, not only t7c^ancy, and the sove- on your authonty (that of St. Peter and St P-iu) H . ^' named Henrv nnd nil i,;. n ^' ^^^^ '-^bove- bind in tl^ fettCt n h '"'' ^ excommunicate and inu in tne Jctteis of anathema; on the part of Tnrl ^\ .n.S .y.and o„ yours, , i,„c,clic. l,i,„ from \l,e™,et ot all Germany and nf It-,!,. 11 , . ^"^*^™'"ent powe. anddi,4r'ltS;ei^?h:- tK:;::^'' T n;. him obedience as kin,. I absoie :" I w sll:; or shall swear allegiance to his soverei.n.v Tom . oaths."— MiMr\- • " n;.^^ r r • ^'^'fa"'y "om then- ^ ^^.^ IMILMA. . History Of Latm Chnstiani.j-," vol iv., . '^J^'J^^^nieU^iczo of Romanism. 2 1 reigns of Europe were^^ni^^lT^oT^^^T^ ^■nprccedented usurpations. He established also an undisguised and irresistible despotism over the national Churches in other lands, by enacting that no b.shop in the Catholic Church should enter on the exercise of his functions until the pope had confirmed his election, a law of far reaching and vast importance, by which perhaps more than by any other means Rome sustained for centuries 1-r temporal power as well as her ecclesiastical iiulucnce. Many of the constant quarrels between our own ear y English kings and the popes of Rome, as well as rnany similar feuds on the continent, arose out of tins flagrant usurpation of national nVhts and nnasion of national liberties. It virtually took from the Churehes the power to appoint thefr own bishops a,Klpl,,eed them under a foreign despot- ism. The elergy of all nations were by this time enslaved to the Papacy, and by obeying its bulls of excommunication and giving effect to its inter- d.cts they placed in the pope's hand a lever to move the world. During the interdict the churches "■; ^^T" '""" '" '='°==<'' "="= ^^k"'. fte dead unburied; no masses could be performed, no rites .^cep. hose Of baptism and extreme unction cei:! b.atcd, Th,s state of things „as so dreadful to I( — t li « supc,,„it;o„s .go, that mo^h7,'^;;i;;z7;„ J'cW lest thc-r people sl.ouUI revolt. The result "f -.-very such iutetdict was an h,crease t„ the i'ovver of ,he Papacy, and they soon brought all lelractory rulers in ICun.p,; to terms. When the n.a.xhns of Gregory VH. had been a ted cut for a century, and the power to tra.uple on the nceks of kings had co.ne to bo regarded by churchmen as an inherent right of the Papacy, proud spirit of Papal aggression reached it' he pont,ficate of Innocent III., A.O. , ,98. The cudrng objects which the Ro,nan pontiffs had tcad,y pursued for centuries seemed a. last at- tan.cd : n,dependent sovereignty, absolute supre- macy over the Christian Church, and full conLl ovci the princes of Europe. The historian Hallam says of this man. "lie T r™"''"'" '^^■°"'' "" '"^ P-decessors, per- ap. beyond all his successors. On every side L r^/^ '^»- ^-■'■e over the iJds of punces. He e.Kcomnumicated Sweno, king of ■hoi;- real,,,, rt : hardly one taught, or was The. Daniel Forcvlau of Romanism. .3 Norway; threatened t],o kin,. „f ii„„g„y ,„„],„ the succession ; put the kh,gdo,n of Castile under .-.n mtcrdfct ; and when I'lu-hp Augustus of France ■c used at his bidding to tak-e bade his repudiated w. e, r„„ocent ch-d not hesitate to punish the whole "^•t.on by putting France also under the sa.ne dreaded penalty, until her king humbly submitted to the popes behest King John of England and n..l,p I. of Aragon were both constrained to t=^.Su the,r kingdoms and receive them back as »p.ntual fiefs from the Roman pontiff, who elain.ed also the nght to decide the election of the em- perors of Germany by his confirmation or veto. The noonday of I'apal dominion extends fron, tl e pontmcate of Innocent III. inclusively to that the thirteenth century, R,„„ i,,,^,.,,, ,,^^.^^^ "'' "" "" '-- "/ /- -«W« namc^ s,^ « once more the mistress nf f I,, u , no- vassalsr ^ ^ ""'"'' ""'' '''^^^ ^^^'^'^ tl^e Spanish shore of 1 e Athntic 'l '' ™" """^^''"'^ '« what takes the language of pote^l "°''"' '^ "^'^"^^^ but which in most cases .P'°'''''";- f P^'^'^^tal authorit)'. p. 305. ■ "''''''^ ""^ L'-'"" Christianity," vol. v., ' HALL..ur : "History of the Middle Ages," p. 368, 4th ed. ■-yyil Ul li y^ l ..- '_^___Romamsm^ and the Kcformation. d\ ? T "" ""°'"""' """^ '- P'--d, and ,0 docdo cases by the plenitude of his own .nherent power. He dispensed also with the obli- gat,o„ of promises made on oath, undermining thus the force of contracts and t eaties. The m.htary power of the Papacy dates also from this man, as the crusades had left him in possession of an army. Systematic persecution of so called Keret.cs began also in this pontificate. The -or- rupt,ons, cruelties, and assumptions of the Papacy had become so intolerable, that protests were malcng themselves heard in many quarters. It was felt these must be silenced at any cost, and a wholesale slaughter of heretics was commenced ;:"'■ ' "'"' '° "■'^i'- e.Ntermination. The Inquisi- t.on was founded, the Albigcnses and VValdenses were murderously persecuted, and superstition and tyranny were at their height. From this century Papal persecution of the witnesses for the truth never ceased until the final establishment of Pro- testantism at the end of the seventeenth century In A.D. ,294 Boniface VIII. became pope, and by h,s superior audacity he threw into the shade even Innocent III. He deserves ,0 be designated the most usurping of mankind, as witness his celebrated bull Umm SauCam. In this docu- 'rmation. iglit to dispense hen he pleased, udc of his own ) with the obh'- iS undcrmininfi t-eaties. The also from this in possession m of so called ate. The cor- of the Papacy protests were quarters. It any cost, and IS commenced The Inquisi- nd VValdenses perstition and I this century for the truth nent of Fro- th century, ne pope, and the shade e designated witness his 1 this docu- 1 "f^i^^^nicl Forevieio of Romauism. 25 ment the full claims of the Papacy come outTwc have noted several evcr-incrcasin- stages of Papal assumption already, but now we reach the climax -the claim which, if it ^-cre a true one, would abundantly justify all the rest ; we reach the towering pinnacle and topmost peak of human self-exaltation. What was the claim of Boniface VIII..? It was that THE POPE REPRESENTS GOD UPON EARTH. As this claim is the most extraordinary and audacious ever made by mortal man, I will state it. not in my own words, but in the words of the highest Papal authority. In the summary of things concerning the dignity, authority, and infallibility of the pope, set forth by Boniface VIII. are these words: "The pope is of so great dignity and excellence, that he is not merdy man, but as ij God, and the vicar of God {non simplex homo, sed quasi Dens, et Dei vicarius). The oope alone' IS called most holy, . . . Divine monarch, and supreme emperor, and king of kings. ... The pope is of so great dignity and power, that he constitutes one and the same tribunal with Christ {facial unum et idem tribunal cum C/msto), so that whatsoever the pope does seems to proceed from the mouth of God [ao utc Deo). The ir~T 36 ^<""""'«>' mU Ihc Rcfonnalion. That „l,icl, was claimed by Honifaco VI.I. in ^ .h,n.e„.„ cc.,,c..y „a. bcc„ Cai,,,., cvc. .since bya .„ccc..„„ „r popes down .o Tiu. IX. and Leo t'c' ;":;"""•■•""'"" "''""'■^- ^''-^M-n-ks 'o tiay ab the vicar of Christ n^ Pr.,]- • c,.eaUecu.enica,co„„ci,o^ '" ■ ""- "°P^- '="<"» power among men to be venerated like another. ]i„t ,,e is , „ alloSMcr Divine He is „ "^ ' teacher of the Lv or " ''"P"""^" -'' oi tlic law of the Lord in the wliolc U".vcrse; he i., the supreme leader of the natio^ ;.u,de them in the way Of eternal sa.::.,::: J he human spcc.es has been perfected in ,>s -tura qualities by DiWne revelation a b^ t ncar„at,o„ of the Word, and has been lifted p nto a supernatural order, in which alone can it find ,ts temporal and eternal felicity m ircasul of rcvdaUon, the treasures of truth tl„ , ri^hf.„„ , " 'J '""h, the treasures of r.s'u.ousuess, the treasures of superuatural ,raees The Dan id Forcvic-.j of Romanism. 2 7 upon earth, have been deposited by G^inthe hands of one n:an, ,Ao is the sok dispenser and keeper of them. The lifc-ivin- work of the Divine incarna- t"">. work- of wisdom, of love, of mercy, is cease- lessly continued in the ceaseless action of oiie man. thereto ordained by Providence. This man ts the pope. This is evidently implied in his designation itself, the viear of Christ. Vox if he holds the place of Christ upon earth, that means that he continues the work of Christ in the world, and /.• in respect oj us ,vhat Christ xoonld be if He were here be/o:,, Himself visibly governing the Chnrehr ^ Do you hear these words ? Do you take them in? Do you grasp the thought which they ex- press ? Do you perceive the main idea and central prniciple of the Papacy ? The pope is not simply man, but "as if God" and "the vicar of God." as God on earth. No wonder the sentence is addressed to every pope on his coronation. " Know thou art the father of princes and kings, and the governor of the zuorld"; no wonder that he is worshipped by cardinals and archbishops and bishops, by pnests and monks and nuns innumerable, by all the millions of Catholics throughout the world ; no Jp!''^J.'V"^'f .I^'^' the Kings, and the People." vol. I., p. 211. 2S Romanism ami the Refanualion. wonder that ho has dethroned monarchs and ^r. •ndulgences, canon.zed saints, remitted purgatorial Pa^ns promuteated dogmas, and issued 'bu^aTd I V and extravagant, laid empires under inter- d.c.,^besto.ed benedietions. and uttered ana- Who is h-lce unto him on the earth? What are B-t men, philosophers, statesmen, co„„ Pnnces, ..ings, and even emperors of thr rt h compared to iinr ? Ti, • , earthv. ,."/'• ^^'^'' S^ory is of the earth, earthy, h. is from above, it is Divine ! He i the representative of Christ, the Creator and R deemer, the Lord of all. He is as Chn., • u . the nhr^ r.F rx ■ ^^^ ; he takes tne place of Christ. He is t. r^.i r^ , earth Ti • u, . °^' as God on Of 1 1 Ltptrr "°'"" -'^ ''- ''^-'°- entiie lapal arch; it is the stupendous ora::s:';':*"^.''°'=^^p^'-'^>'asVt:d lor ages, and is rotating at this hour But to complete this very brief sketch of the -tory of Romanism. I „ay just remind you t, may be dated from the pontihca.e of Boniface Sly i ": "" "' °' '"^ "-"•'-■"* century, i-arly ,„ ,he next century Clement V. took tlie strange and fatal step of removing the seat o Papal government from Rome to Avignon, where '^^'^ ^^^niel Foreviau of Romanism. 29 it remained for seventy years, gre^y to the detri- ment of ,ts authority and power. There it was to some extent dependent on the court of France and ,t also lost the affections of Italy and the prestige of Rome. Then came the great schism which seriously weakened and discredited the Pa- pacy. Rival popes ruled at Rome and Avignon Corruption and rapacity, demoralization and dis- affection rapidly increased, and there supervened that darkest hour of the night which precedes the dawn. Ere long Wycliffe, the morning star of the Iveformation, arose, and at last came the blessed movement itself, with Martin Luther and the rest of the reformers, which delivered Germany, Eng- land, and other lands from the Papal yoke, dividing Christendom into two camps. Romanist and Protes- tant. Vainly did Rome seek with frantic efforts to arrest or reverse this movement! Hecatombs of martyrs, oceans of blood, centuries of wars could not stop it. At the beginning of the i6th century Rome boasted that not a single heretic could be found ; no^u Christendom contains a hun- dred and fifty minions of those whom the Papacy calls heretics, and whom it would exterminate by fire and sword if it could. It did succeed in •"S out the Reformation movement in France ci i iji 30 Romanism and the Reformation. Spain, and Italy by awful Inquisition tortur^^ bloody massacres, by cruel wars, by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, by the deeds of such men as Philip of Spain with his armada, and the Duke of Alva with his cruelties in the Netherlands. Rome recovered some of the ground she lost in the Reformation, and she still exercises spiritual power over a hundred and eighty millions of mankmd. Though lier temporal power was over- thrown for a time in the French Revolution, and to the joy of Italy brought to an end in 1870 lier claim to it is in no wise abated, nor her pretension that she has a right to rule the world The religion of Rome has so disgusted the con- tmental nations, that, knowing nothing better they have drifted into practical infidelity, and with one consent they have to a large extent despoiled the Church of her revenues, secularized her property and her religious houses, and repudiated her inter- ferencr in their respective governments. For the last five hundred years the authority of the Papacy has been declining. "Slowly and silently receding from their claims to temporal power, the pontiffs hardly protect their dilapi. dated citadel from the revolutionary concussions of modern times, the rapacity of governments, and the growing aversion to ecclesiastical in- WmaHon. ition tortures, by by the revocation eds of such men ia, and the Duke he Netherlands. )und she lost in cerciscs spiritual ity millions of power was over- Revolution, and Lii end in 1870, bated, nor her rule the world, justed the con- ing better, they ', and with one : despoiled the i her property ated her inter- :nts. the authority "Slowly and 5 to temporal their dilapi- y concussions governments, Icsiastical in- ^^'' ^""'"''^ ^orevicw of Romanism. 31 fluence. . . . Those who know what Rome has once been are best able to appreciate what she ,s. Those who have seen the thunderbolt in the hands of the Gregories and the Innocents will hardly be intimidated at the sallies of de- crepitude, the impotent dart of Priam amid the crackling ruins of Troy." So wrote Henry Hallam in the early part of this century ; and ;vhilo the fall of the temporal power has since taken place, and carried to low-water mark that steady ebb tide of Papal influence which he alleges, yet there has been during the last half century a revival of Romish iuflnence in Protestant nations, which Hallam probably did not expect I must not pause to estimate the causes or the importance of this revival here, but shall have occasion to allude to it again later on. Let me now propose to you a puzzle. It is to condense into some brief, simple sentences, which could be read in a ic^. minutes, an accurate comprdiensive, graphic summary of the thirteen hundred years of Papal history. Milman's " His- tory of Latin Christianity " is here on the table It occupies nine octavo volumes, and would take weeks to read. Ranke's " History of the Popes" 's in three volumes, and does not cover the whole ■subject. D-Aubigne's "History of the Reforma- 3^ Romanism and the Reformation. tion " ,s in five volumes, and takes up only one episode of the long story. The Papacy has existed for thirteen centuries, has had to do with forty or fifty generations of mankind in all the countries of Christendom. Its history is conse- quently extremely complicated and various. It embraces both secular and ecclesiastical matters and has more or less to do with all that has happened in Europe since the fall of the old Roman empire. The time is long, the sphere vast, the story exceedingly complex. I want you to tell it all, in outline at least, in a narrative that you could read in less than five minutes or write in ten. You must bring in every point of import- ance: the time and circumstances of the origin of the Papacy, its moral character, its political rela- tions, its geographical seat, its self-exalting utter- ances and acts, its temporal sovereignty, and a comparison of the extent of its dominions with those of the other kingdoms of Europe ; its bias- phemous pretensions, its cruel and long-continued persecutions of God's people, the duration of its dommion, its present decay, and the judgments that have overtaken it ; and you must moreover add what you think its end is likely to be, and explain the relation of the whole history to the revealed plan of Divine providence. You must ^ormaiion. ikes up only one riie Papacy has 5 had to do with inkind in all the bistory is conse- ind various. It siastical matters, ith all that has fall of the old ong-, the sphere "^'. I want you a narrative that nutes or write in 5oint of import- i of the origin of ;s political rela- -exalting utter- 2reignty, and a dominions with •Jrope; its blas- long-continued duration of its the judgments must moreover :ely to be, and history to the e. You must The Daniel Foreviezu of Romanism. 1 1 get all this in-not in the dry style of an annual Itmes summary of the events of the year -but •n an interesting, vivid, picturesque style, that will impress the facts on the memory, so that to forget them shall be impossible. Can you do it > I might safely offer a pri.c of any amount to the person who can solve this puzzle and write this story as I have described But hard, even impossible, as it would be for you to do this, even if you perfectly knew the history of the last thirteen centuries, how infinitely im- possible would it be if that history lay in the unknown and inscrutable future, instead of \n the past and present I If no eye had seen, nor ear heard it ; if it was an untraversed continent an unseen world, a matter for the evolution of a^^es yet to come-vvho then could tell the story at all much less in 'brief? ' ' Now this is precisely what the prophet Daniel by inspiration of the omniscient and eternal God' has done. He told the whole story of the Papacy twenty.five centuries ago. He omitted none of the points I have enumerated, and yet the prophecy only occupies seventeen verses of a chapter which can be read slowly and impres- sively m less than five minutes. This is because 't .s written in the only language i„ which it is D Z\^Ronmnh,,^and the Refonnation. possible thus to co^.:r^,t^:::^f„;^^ anaent la„g„„ge of hieroslypkics. God revealed he f„ ure to Danfe, by a vision i„ which he saw. not the events, but living moving, speaking h.erog yph,cs of the events. These Daniel si^piy descnbes and his .escripHon of tUe.n constitu^s he prophecy written in the seventh chapter of h.s boolc. Our consideration of this remarlcable pred,c.,on we „ust however postpone for He present, as we have already claimed your atten- t.on long enough for one lecture. formation. tm in farvo, the 's. God revealed in which he saw, 'oving, speaking ■se Daniel simply them constitutes enth chapter of this remarkable Jstpone for the ned your atten- LECTURE II. THE DANIEL FOREVIEW OF ROMANISM. Second Part. y^LLOW me to commence .his lecture by read,„g to you Dauiels description of the d vmeiy des„„ed hieroglyph by which the history 01 Kome was prefigured h« u A '• . ^"burea. He has previouslv i-ersian, and Grecian empires, and then he says : -d it had g,.a, iron ,ee,h , 1 ^'7'' ''^■^""'"S'y ! pieces. „„. 3..,.d .he Sueti rrt.":n^^=, '" was diverse fm.n ^ii *u . °' " • -^nd it ca».o „p among .he.n 'r,i, .e r:; ' "t"' '""= were three of ihe first h„,J , . ' ""^ "'""" ">"" '"= ™'^ ^ -<'• ."outh speaking great th gf I bet^^ .T !, "^ ,""»■ -=■ » "s. down, and the Ancienf of „ ' V """ """ "as white as snow and fl,. i. • , ' "'"""' «•''""«« -01 : His thronl':. , .fc . t'l ^'^ '"'" '*= "^ !>"= as burning fee a T' ''°,"">' ""'"'• ""d His wheels before Him ■ *ottnd.h """";""'' """ """= f""" f™" ■l-onsand .housands ministered „„,„ Him, and 35 36 Romanism and the Reformation. ? i ;i 1 i i 1 s ■Jk^ J- ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him- the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn -vake : I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away : yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth Jjut the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass ; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet ; and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell ; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them ; until the Ancient of da)s came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High ; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise : and another shall rise after them ; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the Most High* and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws : and they shall be gi\en into his ^'mation. before Him : tlie opened. I beheld ds which the horn lain, and his body ?. As concerning nion taken away : and time. . . )y, and asked him lade me know the beasts, which are f the eartli. JJut he kingdom, and and ever. Then jcast, which was dfiil, whose teeth : devoured, brake his feet ; and of the other which of that horn that ■at things, whose beheld, and the prevailed against d judgment was the time came lus he said. The •on earth, which hall devour the eak it in pieces. ten kings that ; and he shall ue three kings. lie Most High, ligh, and think given into his The Daniel Forevie'iu of Romanism. 2,7 band untd a time, and times, and the dividing of time. Jut the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dommion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the g.-eatness of the kin-- clo.n under the whole heaven, shall be given to the peopb of the saints of tlic Most High, whose kingdom is an'cver- lastmg kmgdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. ' In these verses you have the entire story of the Papacy, and what is more, you have its future as well as its past, the judgment of God as to its moral character and deserts. And how vivid the colouring, how graphic the picture ! I wish I could paint, or, better still, dis- play in action before your eyes, such a dreadful and terrible and exceedingly strong wild beast, with Its brazen claws and iron teeth, and ravening ferocious nature, with its ten horns and its strange head-like " little horn," able to see and speak and blaspheme the Almighty, so as at last to bring down destruction on the beast itself! I wish I could let you watch it.-rending and tearing its enemies, breaking their bones in pieces, devouring their flesh, and in wanton, fierce ferocity stamping on and trampling with its brazen.clawed feet what it cannot consume ! If you had learned the A B C of the language of hieroglyphics you would at once recognise that such creatures as this are I ^^^^^omamsm^d the Reformat-on. figures of godless m^^^^^Tkin^T^ich arc bruta ,n tliefr ignorance of God, in their absence of se f-control. in their bestial instincts ; vvliich love bloodshed and are reckless of human agony, selfish, terrible, cruel, mignty. They represent and recall proud military heroes, like Julius Caesar, who trample down all that oppose them; cruel despots, who oppress their fellows ; reckless con- querors like Tamerlane and Napoleon, to whom the slaughter ot millions of mankind was a matter of no moment. This is the generic signification ot all such hieroglyphs. But we are not left to guess the meaning and application of this particular monster. The sym- bol has a Divine interpretation. " The fourth beast " vve read, "shad be the fourth kingdon^ upon earth." That, beyond all question, was Rome, as all his- tonans agree-the fourth and last of the great universal empires of antiquity. The monster re- presents Rome, her whole existence as a supreme or rulmg power, after the fall of the Greek or Macedonian beast before her attacks (B.C. 197) It represents therefore //.. history of Rome forever 2,000 jears in the past, and on into a ^ime still future; for, be it well noted, this beast ravages and rules, and his characteristic little horn bias- Phemes and boasts, right .p to the point when 'ma/ 'on. •ms which arc 1 their absence itincts; which human agony, ■ represent and Julius Cicsar, : them; cruel reckless con- 'on, to whom was a matter : signification meaning and r. The sym- f our Ik beast" upon earth." E, as all his- )f the great monster re- s a supreme e Greek or ^•C. 197). It vie for ove^ a ':ime still ast ravages ! horn bias- point when 'A The Daniel Forcviciu of Romanism. 39 empires like to wild beasts come to an m/, and "the Son of man and the saints of the Most High take the kingdom and possess it for ever." It is important that we should clearly grasp one great historical fact ; /.,-. the rule of Rome has never, since it first commenced, ceased to exist, save once, for a very brief period during the Gothic invasions. It has changed in character, as He have seen, but it has continued. Rome ruled the known world at the first advent of Christ, and still rules hundreds of millions of mankind,' and will continue so to do right up till the second advent of Christ. So this prophecy teaches ; for not until the Son of man takes the dominion of the earth, and establishes a kingdom that shall never pass away, is the monster repre- senting Roman rule destroyed. The rule of Rome, we repeat, has never ceased. It was a secular pagan power for five or six centuries ; it has been an ecclesiastical and apostate Christian power ever since, that is to say, for twelve or thirteen cen- tuvics. There lay a brief period between these two main stages, during which professing Christian emperors ruled from Rome, followed by an in- terval when, for a time, it seemed as if the great city had received a fatal blow from her Gothic captors. It seemed so ; but it %vas not so, for the Tf^' 11' word of God cannot be broken. The rule of Kome rc.h.c.l in a new form, and wa. as real under the pope, „f ,he „,ir.centh century as it l>ad been under the Ca-sars of the first. It was "^oppressive, cruel, and bloody under Innocent III- as ,t had been under Nero and Domitian The nv,/,,. ,vas the same, though the forms had changed The Cxsars did not persecute the wit- nesses of Jesus more severely and bitterly than d.d the popes ; Diocletian did not destroy the !"""! .°'' "PP"'-^ ""= gospel more than did the I"qu,s,. on of Papal days. Rome is one and the ame a 1 through, both locally and n.orally. One dreadfu wild beast represents her, tho^h the ^yn>bol,l.ke the history it prefigures, has J^..,, ll.ere was the undivided stage, and there has been the tenfold stage. The one is Ron.e pagan tl.c other the modem pontificate; the one is the empire of the C.sars. the other is the Roman i apacy. I speak broadly, omitting all detail for the present. We shall find more of that when we come by.and-by to John's later foreview Daniel's was a distant view in the days of Belsha^zar, too distant altogether for detail. No artist paints the sheep on the hillside if the hill be fifty miles ofl'- . ^^^ -^«>/ Forcvieio of Romanism. 4 r lie may sketch its bold outline, but he omits m.nor detail. So Daniel's distant forevicw. dating from 2,500 years ago. shovvs the two great sections of Roman history-the undivided military empire followed by the commonwealth of Papal Christen- dom, the latter as truly Latin in character as the former ; and he shows the end of Rome at the second advent of Christ. ]Jut he refrains from encumbering his striking sketch with confusing political details. lie does not fail however to dehneate full^- • . n..ral and religious features of the power ruhng from Rome daring the second half of the story, the power symbolized by the proud, intelligent, blasphemous, head-like "little horn '■ of the Roman beast. To tins he devotes on the contrary, the greater part of the prophecy ;' '•nd I must. ask you now carefully to note the vanous points that prove this horn to be a mar vellous prophetic symbol or hieroglyph of the Koman papacy, fitting it as one of Chubb's keys fits the lock for which it is made, perfectly and \r. every part, while it refuses absolutely to adapt Itself to any other. The main points in the nature, character, and actmgs of this " little horn," which we must note in order to discover the nowei lii these intended, are 4^ Romanism and the Reformation. 1. Its place : within the body of the fourth empire. 2. The period of its origin : soon after the division of the Roman territory into ten kingdoms. 3. Its nature: different from the other king- doms, though in some respects like them. It was a horn, but with eyes and mouth. It would be a kingdom hke the rest, a monarchy; but its kings would be overseers or bishops and prophets. 4. Its moral character: boastful and blasphe- mous; great words spoken against the Most High. ^ 5- Its lazvlessness : it would claim authority over times and laws. 6. Its opposition to tlie saints: it would be a per- secuting power, and that for so long a period that It would wear out the saints of the Most High who would be given into its hand for a time. 7. Its duration: "time, times and a half," or 1,260 years. 8. Its doom: it would suffer the loss of its dominion before it was itself destroyed. " They shall take away its dominion, to consume and destroy it to the end." Here are eight distinct and perfectly tangible features. If they all meet in one great reality If we find ^hem all characterizing one and the ^^JTh^Damel Forevieio of Romanism. 43 same power, can we question that that is the power intended ? They do ail meet in the Roman Papacy, whose history I have just briefly recalled and we are therefore bold to say it is the great and evil reality predicted. A few words on each of these poi % to convince you that this is the case. I. Its place. No one can question that the Papacy is a Roman, as distinguished from a Greek or an oriental, power. Its seat is the seven-hilled city ; its tongue is the Latin language of C^sar and of Pliny and of Tacitus ; its Church is the Church of Rome, and is the only Church that is or ever has been named from a city. Others have been named from countries, or from men ; the Papal Cnurch alone bears the name of a city and that city is Rome. The Papacy fulfils the first condition therefore. 2. Its time. We have shown that the last Bishop of Rome and the first pope was Boniface III., A.D. 607. Now the western empire of Rome came to an end with the fall of Romulus Augustulus, A.D.476; that is. 130 years earlier Durmg that time the ten kingdoms were formin- in the body of the old empire, and during tha't time the simple pastor of the Church was trans- formed into a pope. The little horn grew up M I m 44 Roinanisni and the Reformation. among the ten. The Papacy developed syn^ chronously witii the Gothic kingdoms. 3- Its nature. Tlie power symbolized by the little horn is of course a kingdom, like all the other ten ; but it is not merely this. It is "diverse," or different, from all the otiier ruling dynasties with which it is associated. It is a horn of the wild beast, but it has human eyes and a human voice, denoting its pretensions to be a seer, or prophet, and a teacher. It takes the oversight of all the ten, it is an overseer or bishop, and it has ^' a mouth speaking great things." Its paramount influence depends, not oxi its mere material power, for it is small as a kingdom, a "little horn," but on its religious pretensions. Does not this e.xactly portray the Papacy > Was it not diverse or dif- ferent from all the Gothic kingdoms amid which It existed } Was it a mere kingdom ? Nay, but a spiritual reign over the hearts and minds as well as the bodies of men-a reign established by means, not of material weapons, but of spiritual pretensions. It was founded not on force, but on falsehood and fraud, and the superstitious fears of the half-civilized and ignorant Gothic kingdoms. The popedom has always been eager to pro- claim its own diversity from all other kingdoms. It claims "a princedom more perfect than every The Daniel Forevieiv of Romanism. 45 human princedom," surpassing them " as far as the h'ght of the sun exceeds that of the moon." It arrogates to itself a character as superior to secu- lar kingdoms as man to the irrational beasts. Its laws are made not with the best human wisdom ; but auctoritatc, sdeniia, ac plenitudine, with the fulness of Divine knowledge and the fulness of u; .: tolic power. Is not the Papacy sufficiently ;. v-rse from all the rest of the kingdoms of western Europe to identify it as t.'e little horn.? What other ruling monarch of Christendom ever pretended to apostolic authority, or ruled men in the name of God ? Does the pope dress in royal robes >. Nay, but in priestly garments. Does he wear a crown >. Nay, but a triple tiara, to show that he reigns in heaven, earth, and hell ! Does he wield a sceptre >. Nay, but a crosier or crook, to show that he is the good shepherd of the Church. Do his subjects kiss his hand i Nay, but his toe ! Verily this power is "diverse" from the rest, both in great things and little. It is small in size, gigantic in its pretensions. It is, or was for centuries, one among many temporal kingdoms in Europe. It is the only one which claims a spiritual authority and universal dominion, 4- Its moral character. The salient feature ! i I "(I fi - '< ii f^^^'^'^^^i^'^^ and the Reformation. here is the "mouth speaking very^grea7th7ng^' threat words spoken against the Most Hi-h and "a look more stout than his fellows." Audacious tnde and bold blasphemy must characterize the power that fulfils this point of the symbol ^ We ask then. Has the Papacy exhibited this mark also ? Time would fail me to quote to you verbatim its great words, its boastful self-glorifi- cations, and its outrageous blasphemies against God ! You will find pages of them quoted in my work on "The Approaching End of the A^e" and volumes filled with them exist, for Pascal documents consist of little else. The Papal claims are so grotesque in their pride and self- exaltation, that they almost produce a sense of the com,c, and that feeling of pitying contempt with which ,,, Id watch a frog trying to swell itself to the size of an ox! I must however mention some of the claims contained in these •^great words." which will show you the nature of Papal blasphemies. It is claimed, for instance, that no laws made contrary to the canons and decrees of Roman prelates have any force," that the tnbunals of all kings are subject to the pnests. that "no man may act against the dis. ciphne of the Roman Church." that "the Papai decrees or decretal epistles are to be numbered The Daniel Foreview of Romanism. 47 among the canonical Scriptures:^ and not only so but that the Scriptures themselves are to be re-' ceived only "because a judgment oi holy Pope Innocent was published for receiving them " It is claimed that "emperors ought ^o obey, and not rule over pontiffs " ; that even an awfully wicked pope, who is a "slave of hell." may not be rebuked by mortal man, because "he is himself to judge all men and be judged by none." and "since he was styled God by the pious prince ConstauMne tt ts :nanifest that God cannot be judged by man '" They claim that no laws, not even their own canon laws, can bind the popes; but that just as Chnst, being maker of all laws and ordinances could violate the law of the sabbath, because He was Lord also of the sabbath. .. popes can dis- pense with any law. to show they are above all law < It is claimed that the chair of St. Peter, the se^- of Rome, is "viade the head of the 'world"; that It is not to be subject to any man. -since by the Divine mouth it is exalted above all." In the canon laws the Roman pontiff is described as "our Lord God the pope," and said to be "neither God nor man, but both." But the climax of assumption, the keystone of the arch of Papal pretension, is probably to be found in thn cele- brated "extravagant" of Boniface VIII. the I ' i''ii 48 Romanism and the Reformation. Unam Sanctam,^vh\c\\ runs thus: " All the faith- ful of Christ by necessity of salvation are subject to the Roman pontiff, who judges all men, but is judged by no one." " This authority is not human but rather Divine. . . . Therefore we declare assert, define, and pronounce, that to be subject to tlie Roman pontiff is to every human ereature alto- gether necessary for satvationr All these claims were incessantly and univer- sally urged all down the centuries by the popes of Rome, and are still advanced, as boldly as ever in official decretals, bulls, extravagants, decisions' of canonists, sentences of judges, books, catechisms, -sermons, and treatises of all kinds. There is no mistaking what they amount to. The pope claims Divine inspiration, his words are to be received as the words of God ; no laws can bind him he is supreme over all ; the very Scriptures derive their authority from him ; implicit obedience to him is the only way of salvation He is exalted above all. suprcL.e over all nations, kings, emperors princes, bishops, archbishops, Churches, over all the world ; he is as God on earth, and as such to be worshipped and obeyed. Let me quote you from his own lips some of the great words of the httle horn. The following language affords a mere sample of thousands of such Papal blasphemies TI>^J)aHidFo^evieiv^ Romanism. 49 perfected i„ ch " /"' '" "" '"''*=" »f Aam„, *.°ug:i this p e en^'inl "'";'""' '" '"= P"""'- ^o .ha, ■hings subj c, ,0 r T ■"»■ P"=^'l.oocl, having al, «s spot™ : Ch ■ ' '.Vr'' :"" '"" ™''''='' '" -. .ha. His fee,, sheep a' d 'e„ a T T""" '" "''"''' ""''- Of heaven, and fish of LTe-.r ::"".= "*' '^= "^'"^ Iha, by oxen l„vs .„J . "'h™ ,. ,s ,c be noted P.Sans\. si^nisTc'. ""T 'j ""'= °' '^^ '''"'. meant all Chrisfan mm '. ;, '' ""'' "" ""'"« ^" -r you „ay underst ndtSs a„d IT \'' ""^ "^ "" ■* be all subject to me, rn .hlf I ""' °' "'"""'• angels, and tha. in four thi Js as af 1 T'"' ""■" "'= PO- to bind and 'ooll'tZ:!'!'^'^' ^ "^'^ 'ben, tha. fight i„ my wats ; las.",; ,1^: T" '° ■we signified the souls deDiitol ,„ "'= ^'' •■AH the ea„h is my 2 e 'e':^:" "■"P"^«o,y. all n,en, having the autLity or the k' o"f In r""""'' °' subjects. I am all in all and .Z . '"'^^ "P"" self and I, .he vicar oiLTV^Z'"' " "^ ^^ Him- am able ,o do almost all It God °"l""""""y' and I •ba. . lis., my will is to s d 1. ,::„ °; /",»" *'"»- by .he law to dispense above the aw a,:// '" "'"^ make justice in correc.in. laws and "' "™° "> Wherefore if ,!,„ I changing them. . wncrelore if those thmgs that I do be said no, ,„ i ., ' of man, but of God, what can „„ °"a"> not to be done Again, if prela.e, of .ho Th . l """"""= ^"^ ^od? ConslLtine for L ,L T "" '"'"' ""' ^"""'ed of by this reason tot a'b 1 'l :r XT\ ""'"'■ ^=="' if i. be in my power .o change 'imt ai!d °" "° '""^=' I I abrogate laws, to disp e.ise with all thin times, to alter and gs, yea, with the pre- 50 Romanism and the Refortnahon. cepts of Christ ; for where Christ biddeth Peter put up his sword, and admonishes His disciples not to use any outward force in revenging thciselves, do not I, Pope Nicholas, writing to the bishops of France, exhort them to draw out their material swords? And whereas Christ was present Himself at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, do not I, Pope Martin, in my distinction, inhibit the spiritual clergy to be present at marriage feasts, and also to marry? Moreover where Christ biddeth us lend without hope of gain, do not I, Pope Martin,'give dispensation for the same? 'what should I speak of murder, making it to be no murder or homicide to slay them that be excommunicated? Likewise against the law of nature, item against the apostles, also against the canons of the apostles, I can and do dispense ; for where they in their canon command a priest for fornication to be deposed, I, through the authority of Sylvester, do alter the rigour of that constitution, considering the minds and bodies also of men to be weaker than they were then. "After that I have now sufficiently declared my power in earth, in heaven, in purgatoiy, how great it is, and what is the fulness thereof in binding, loosing, commanding, permit- tmg, electing, confirming, disposing, dispensing, doing, and undoing, etc., I will speak now a little of my riches and of my great possessions, that every man may see by my wealth, and abundance of all things, rents, tithes, tributes, my silks^ my purple mitres, crowns, gold, silver, pearis and gems,' lands and lordships. For to me pertaineth first the imperial city of Rome, the palace of Lateran ; the kingdom of Sicily is proper to me ; Apulia and Capua be mine. Also the kingdom of England and Ireland, be they not, or ought they not to be, tributaries to me ? To these I adjoin also, besides other provinces and countries, both in the Occident and orient, from the north to the south, these dominions by name, [Here follows a long list.] What should I speak here 1 'I __^]^^_^micl^revm^ of Romanism. 5 r money. W ' t" """'' '' "° ^"^^^ ""^^ «f coffers it .;..; p;n V ,r ' ' ''"^'^^ '^^'"^^'^ ^° -y should I speak ''/r ""J^^'"^^^" " • • But what r.";r."';x;f 7--™ ---"o !^:r;":n: vox. Acts and Monuments," vol. iv, p. ,45). U is futile ,0 allege that tl,e Papacy does not ™al e these claims and speak these great words «.'<..«. God but in His name and as His rep^ senta ttve. The answer is patent. This prophecy fore e s „hat the power predicted would i, no^ what . wou d p,-of.. ,0 .U. Does the Papacy gi™ God the glory, or does it glorify itself? F„,„ cannot be set aside by false pretences. Satan d.sgutses htmself as an anRel of light. The head of a Chnsfan Church would not overtly array htmself against Christ ; if he does so, it will be under semblance of serving Him.i ' "Let us suppose a rebel in some ,l,,i„nt pmvm-„ , forge the royal seal and handwriting, and" pre tend tl;., .h= name Of the sovereign. Hethen^^laitus'S .imsetf emi!: ' %'•> 52 Romanism and the Reformation. The Papacy has abundantly branded on her own brow this particular of the prophecy~the boastful, blaspjicmous claim to Divine authority and absolute dominion. It has assumed Divine attributes, and even the very name of God, and on the strength of that name claimed to be above all human judgment. 5. Lawlessness was the next feature we noted in the little horn. We have given above some specimens of the Papal claim to set aside all laws Divine and human. "The pope has also annulled the only surviving law of paradise, con- firmed by the words of Christ. The Lord ordained, 'What God hath joined together, let and unreserved allesiance. He abrogates whatever laws he pleases, and enacts contrary ones in their room He enforces his own statutes by the severest punishments ac^ainst those who still adhere to the old laws, of the kingdom He clothes himself with the robes of state, applies to himself the royal titles, claims immunity from the laws, even of his own enacting ; and pretends that all the statutes derive their sole force from his sanction, and must borrow their meaning from nis interpretations. Last of all, he banishes, strips of their goods, imprisons, and puts to death all those subjects who abide by the laws of the king and reject his usurpa- tion. Surely, in this case, the pretence of governing in the monarch's name does not excuse, but aggravates the rebellion. It lessens greatly, it is true, the guilt of the deceived subjects, but increases, in the same proportion the crime of their deceiver" (Birks: "The First Two Visions of Daniel," p. 221). no man put -und^T^FiT^^^o^^T^e ««,de a so that, according to the .acted canons he n,art,ages contracted by priests and deacons' be d,ssolved, and the parties brought to do Z f ^"""^"^"^"f. given on the mount by the I,p of God-in theory, by the childish and false d.st,nct,o„ between heathen idols and ChrisU an ■ mages; and in practice, by hiding i,f„„' people, and blotting it out from the catechism o general .ns.ruction. The pope has further an- nulled the ma,n laws of the gospel. He forbids he cup to the laity, although the Lord Himse has commanded, 'Drink ye all of it.' He forbid ^he people of Christ, in general, to use the wl God m the,r own tongue; though Christ Himself has charged them, 'Search the Scriptures. 1 orb.ds the laity to reason or converse on tie doctnnes of .he gospel ; though St, Peter h s ommanded.he,n,'„eyereadytogivear:..aso of the hope that ,s in yo,..' The pope finallv sanctions the invocation of .faints and .,1 ough St Paul has warned „.s, 'Let „ M' b gu e you of ^„„^ ^^^^^^^ .^ ^ ^^ n St. rohn has renewed the charge to the discipres -^ -Little children keep yourselves 1 11 fll of m \ 54 Romanism and I he Reformation. idols'; and an angel from heaven renews the caution, in his words to the same holy apostle, 'See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant,' worship God." i d Systematic and long continued persecution of the saints is one of the most markec: features of the little horn of the prophecy. It is predicted that he should " wear out the saints of the Most High." His first gnat characteristic is blasphemous op- position to God ; his next salient feature is oppres- sive cruelty towards men: and just as Christ allowed His people to suffer ten persecutions under the pagan emperors of Rome, so he allowed His faithful witnesses to be worn out by the cruelties of Papal Rome. "They shall be given into his hand." The Church has to tread in the footsteps of Christ Himself, who rcsi,':ted unto blood striving against sin, and was put to (!eath by the power of Rome. She is called to the fellowship of His sufferings; and while they secured the salvation of our race, hers have not been un- fruitful, for the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. But we must compare the facts of history with the prediction of prophecy on this point, to see how deeply this mark is engraved on the Papacy • BiRKS : « First Two Visions of Daniel," pn. 258, 259. ^-^^ /^^///V/ Foreview of Romanism. 55 as upon no other power that has ever existed in the earth. That the Church of Rome and her Papal head have persecuted largely and long, none can pretend to .icny ; '-^ fact, so far from denying it, Rome glorie. i;- it, an ' regards it as one of her great merits. Oihor naf )ns have now abandoned as unsound <'the .loody tenet of persecution." Rome retains it still, approves it theoretically, and would carry it out as vigorously as ever practi- cally, if she could. Other powers have persecuted to a small extent and occasionally, in the past, but never systematically and by law throughout ages. All but Rome now hold religious liberty to be an inherent right of man. Rome has, on the other h^nd, persecuted on principle, and steadily from the seventh century right on to the French Revolu- tion and to some extent almost to the present time. She does so still in the secret recesses of her nunneries and monasteries, under the name of penance. Why else does she require s/wps for the sale of instruments of bodily torture, such as exist this day in London > Rome's contention is, not that she does not persecute, but only that she does not persecute saints. She punishes heretics-a very different thing. The first would be wicked, the last she esteems laudable. In the Rhemish New Testa- ■ 56 Romanism and the Reformation. ment there is a note on the words "di^n~^ the blood of saints." which runs as follows- "Pro testants foolishly expound this of Rome, because heretics are tliere put to deaih. But their blood is not called the blood of saints, any more than the blood of thieves or man-killers, or other male- factors ; and for the shedding of it no common- wealth shall give account." This is clear. Rome approves the murder of "heretics," and fully admits that she practises her principles. The question therefore becomes this. Are those whom Rome calls "heretics" the same as those whom Daniel calls " saints " } If so, the identifica- tion of the Papacy is as complete in this respect as in all the previous points. In order to arrive at an answer to this question, let us take Rome's own definition of a heretic. The following statements • are from authorized documents, laws, and decrees of the Papacy, dating from the time of Pope Pelagius in ^he sixth century, twelve hundred years ago. "Schism fs an evil. Whoever is separated from the apostolic see is doubtless in schism. Do then what we often exhort. Take pams that they who presume to commit this sin be brought into custody. . . . Do not hesitate to compress men of this kind, and if he despise this, let htm be crushed by the public powers " v"^ The Daniel Foreview of Romanism. 57 This, it will be observed, makes a want of perfect submission to the pope, even thor rh „o false doctrine or evil practice be alleged, a ground for persecution. Pope Damasus, whose election to the pontificate was secured by a hundred and thirty-seven murders, authorizes persecution of those who speak against any of the holy canons, and adds, " It is permitted neither to think nor to speak differently from the Roman Church." This is one of the canons which it is blasphemy to violate; and he who ventures to differ, even in thought, on any point whatever from the Roman Church is therefore a heretic. Hundreds of deci- sions on detailed examples of heresy are all summed up in this one. The Roman decrees everywhere supply similar definitions. Whatever is short of absolute, unconditional surrender of all freedom of act or word, or even of thought and conscience, is heresy. Every evangelical Christian in the world is therefore, according to Romanist canons, a heretic, and as such liable to "punish- ment." And moreover Rome frankly admits that it is only where she cannot in the nature of things carry out her ecclesiastical discipline that she Is justified in refraining from persecution. The Papacy teaches all her adherents that it is a sacred duty to exterminate \- %i \ !l -11 Pi resy, 'rom asrc to P' I ! 58 J^omanzsmandj/,e^eformaH^ age it has sought to cruqh ^^^^^■ ^n persecufon are innumerable. The fourl L, Council issued a eanon on the .mT\ , "'" senuenfl,, j.« subject, which sub- sequently became an awful instrument of crueltv For long a,es it was held and taught un ver aliv that whoever fell fiahf;„o. • "'"^er.aily merited heaven. Ur^fi^'T' """''^'^ "^'^ uroan n. issued a decrep nrfn^ "ay happen .0 have s.:rie ofXTr "i"'^' absolutely murdered, heretics Xt "n !' T. ;^ ///..»,. according to an ordinal V,X X., who wntes to the Archbishop of Milan • ^L t those understand themselves t„ h. u , ' • -^or„de,it.ho,na,e,a„7a,;:i:rr.v.;::^ ^^;^-ic persecution^lVtl:!^-; heretics among their qnhN^f. • • , subjects vi^as constant! v ^r^ ;-, accordin-o thr;re::r^- ^^^^^^^^^ ■' "'-overcgn pontiff would declare .he vassals i • TheDmticl^Forcview of Romanism. S9 free and gfvo their realms to rigid Papi^^T;^ would more cfrectual.- persecute. If „o„arcns -ecame heretics themselves, they were to be d» posed and anathematized. Thus Pius V. "issued a bull for the damnation and excommunication o Queen Elizabeth and her adherents," cutting -r off trom.. the unity of the body of Christ," depr.vmg her of her crown and kingdom, and pro- nouncmg a curse on her and on al. who continued The laws of the Papacy on this subject increase n mahg„,ty f^om the beginning down to modern toes. Bellarmine argues for the necessity of '""'•""i *'"="^'' » P-ctice which Luther h.d asserted to be contrary to the Spirit of God He says: "Experience teaches that there is no other .■emedy; for the Church has proceeded by slow steps, and tried all remedies. First, she only ex- communicated. Then she iHrln,! , c , '""-n sn<: added a fine of money, and aft-rwards exile. Lastly, she was compelled to come to the punishment of death. For heretics desp,se excommunication, and .ay that those I.ghtnn,gs are cold. If you threaten a fine of money, ., neither fear God nor regard men, Uowmg that fools will not be wanting to believe m them, and by whom they may be sustained. If prison, or send them into exile .1 li.: \M ttj you 6o Romanism and the Reformation. I! they corrupt those near to them with their words and those at a distance with their books. There' fore the on', remedy is, to send them betimes into t'-ieir own place." "Under ,he=. bloody maxims those pcsocutions were earned on, from the eleventh and twelfth ccntunes almost to the present day, which stand out on the page of history. After a signal of open martyrdom had been given in the canons of Orleans, there followed the extirpation of the Alb,g.nses under the form of a crusade, the estab- .smen of the Inquisition, the cruel attempts to ex ,ngu.sh the Waldenses, the martyrdom of the Lollards, the cruel wars to exterminate the Ko- hem.ans, the burning of Huss and Jerome, and mulftudes of other confessors, before the Refor. niat,on,. and afterwards the ferocious cruelties pract,sed „, the Netherlands, the martyrdom, of Queen Mary's reign, the extinction, by fire and >vord, of the Reformation in Soain and Italy, by fraud and open pe.secution in Poland, the mas -ore of Bartholomew, the persecutions of the Huguenots by the League, the extirpation of the Vaudo,s, and all the cruelties and perjuries con- noted w,.h the revocation of the Edict of Nante, These are the more open and conspicuous facts «'h.ch explam the prophecy, besides the slow and p ion. leir words, s. There- :times into ii'secutions id twelfth lich stand signal of e canons 3n of the he estab- empts to n of the the Ko- •me, and e Refor- cruelties doms of fire and taly, by le mas- of the ; of the es con- Nantes. IS facts 3w and ^^^^i'lJ^onview of Romanism. 6i secret murders of the holy tribunal of the~Liqu"i- A Romamsl avv/.r, who deplored the perseeu- tn-i; poh-cy or his Church-Professor Rossetti- wntes : " It makes the heart of the true Christian bleed to think- of this fatal error of the Latin Church, which by persecuting others laid the foundation of her own irreparable ruin. That the opmions held by these so-called heretics were most injurious to the Church of Rome cannot bo den,ed, but the means taken to destroy them were, of all others, the most likely to strengthen «.en,, and render them more deeply rooted. I>an.el and St. John foretold that Satan's dele- gate would use horrid cruelties, and inundate Babylon with the blood of Christ's ma.-tyrs ; and the pope, to prove that he was not that dele-ate *' "»""■"»" bm inabUi" to procure tbem. Tl,= Papaey, by justifyin. as nghteous all tl,e l,or.ible persecutions of L past attests her readiness ,0 renew then, whenever , opportunity may serve. As I shall have to recur to this subject when add noth.ng further on this point. I have said enough to show that this sixth marl, of the mt horn attaches most distinctly to the Papacy, and nd.cates.t./„. among all the powers Lt have ever held sway on the Roman earth. It has martyred by millions the saints of God, the best and hohest of men. Its persecuting edicts ran-^e over the entire period of its existence; the prese^n pope has endorsed them by his approval of I syllabus of Pius IX., and he threw over them the mantle of infallibility. 7. Its duraUon. A certain definite period is assigned to tl,e rule of the little horn That Penod .s expressed in symbolic language, har arrr*..'!:!^-^°--^-'"---M..ehar. acter of the whole prophecy. It and a half," or " 1,260 days ;' Th IS " time, times "s is a miniature l\ I 64 Romanism and the Reformation. symbol of the true period, just as the beast is a miniature symbol of the empire, and the h'ttle horn of the Papacy of Rome. Scripture elsewhere gives us the scale on which it is to be enlarged. " a year for a day." It means therefore 1,260 years. The political supremacy and the persecuting power of the see of Rome were to last for this period and no longer. We have shown you that the popedom dates from the beginning of the seventh century Twelve and half centuries added brings us to the end of the nineteenth century-in other words to the days we live in, and in which Rome has ceased to be governed by its popes and has become the capital of the kings of Italy. I have no time to expound this chronological point fully to you this evening. If you wish to study it, you "ill find it carefully and exactly treated in my recent work " Light for the Last Days." But it leads me to' the final point in this identification. 8. The doom of the predicted power. What is the end of this symbolic little horn > "They shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end." "The beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame " This last clause of the prophecy is of course not yet fully accomplished, as it is the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven that brings r ^^TheDauM Foyevir.o of Roman,.,,,, ^j »bout the final consummatfon (;■ „) S„."7 ' t.ons about the future wc leave ;„?, ^ therefore it m\^y.t .. ^ futurists, and to sav Zl^ " "»"'" ==™ ■•'» "•"<= ought to say noth,„g on this point of the prophecy fi 't IS not so TMc J 1-"'^^./. J5ut parts- firs the """'^'^ '='^"'^ °f '-o end; and th ' th°""'r" "" ""'■"^'"^ '" '"^ ^-a. .2 oae a^ thr" ^^■""'""^'^ ^^ '"= f^ fi u . ' ^^*^ committal of his bodv o the burning flame. Now the first par of ^h doom is fulfilh-ng. and has been fulfi the Reformation , fulfilling ever since x^eiormation, and especially ever sinr. f. nce™,htypo,verofthePapaeyJte f3 s.bly consumed,-a wealcening process, analogous to eonsumption in the human frame -a wn^t decay tending to extinction > """^ It must be borne in mind that tI„-= ofBaniei takes up the,..w!rpi:fr;::: anfchnst, „a his religious character. U '^ b.3hop of the Christian Church. We come to that aspec of in-s career presently.,,, en „,e:':; Pau,.,.orev,e„.. Here it is one horn among ten 0..= .ungdom among ten Latin kingdoms, though some senses ruling over them all. The iuestion F il m 4Mtk is. Has there not been s,;i:;;i;cVa;7d^n;i;;;;;~; of I apa sovere:„u>, »uc„ a wa^irng and weakening of Papal power, .ueh a loss of revenue, inflnenee, and tcrntory, as may be fairly said to fullll this prediction? "^ Now I mentioned so.nc facts at the beginning o h s lecture wh.eh indicate a very considerable growth of Papal i„fl„a,cc in England during the s fifty years. Many so fi. their ga.e on !hese facts as to get a„ impression that Romanism is gauung ground in the world generally. This is very far from being the case, as a g,i,,ce at the comparafve positions of the Papacy in the thir- teenth century and the two following ones, with its posmon now in the nineteenth, will show-. rZ Rome actually e.x.rcised the "dominion" which she can ».z,. only, um, 7-/./, with the consent of h.s oarons, the king of England agreed to hold s^k.ngdom as the popes feudatory, and to pay Inm .nnualy one hundred thousand ma^ks ,.s an acknowledgment. Can you imagine Queen V.ctona and the lor., and commons of Engla. a amt„,, „• of thing now. > r/«te great and vali c. ,ror of Germany stood f hree wmter days and nights bare.oot in the uryadof..HisHoliness,"waitingfortheho„ou of an aud,enee, „■ „,hich he might beg the pope's pardon for having acted as an^iii'^Z^iidZT monarch , Can you hnaginc the Kafscr W ^ pea!:; tL ■"' "■" ""'•' ^"- -'"--he pleased the pope could suspend all the ob,cr -;. -.h he ;as o^rri:, - — ^ r '- do so no.? Long after his abso ut" d m.n,on was gone, the pope had what called co,u„-.{ats with different nations, i„ whkh " ™^ ^S^^^'' "'^^ i" return for the pope s spirt 'l support, they would uphold him by 11 J and navies. All these have con,e ^ a Tnd™':: a nafon in Europe lifted a fin.^er to iLln . when the last vesn-..e of his J , ^ "" was violently taken t^. ''""""'' '"«»™- Direct political power he now has none, though hs pos,tton as head of the apost, i-v,. Church gives him still immense indi, "ucnce. ihe tea k n^s nc c^k j cj 1 .- i^i'jj^b as such have entireh/ a. """'bcr, and -l?,- • ' "' "''^^^''P"' '° -= him arise -thed,v,s,on of the Roman territory i„,o a con jaweaith of .kingdoms ; it specifies the JZ of the Power-poiitico-ecciesiastical; its .W.,,,, ~ asp,,emously se,f.«a,.in^, iawiess, and perse- ■^utmg, „ measures its du,wio,,^,,,6o years and ^Pecfies it. ^„„„..,„ ,,^^ ,,^ dominL ;;ad a ly consumed and taken a,vay, and then'-.ot suddenly destroyed for ever, because of its bias Phemous assumptions, by the epiphany in g ry ooi :!:.r """■ '"''°^"^'"- '"= ^■•"»"^- of The proof that .he Papacy is the power intended tr, tly cumulative. If it answered to one of 'hose ,nd,cat,ons there would be a slight pre -mp.,o„ again.. , ., , .„ 3,,,„,_ ^ ^^ J^ P- to the majority, an overwhelming one ; while"; ~ becomes .0 candid minds irresiftibll ■I Here is nof a c.-n^i^ .7. . ^' that c IS not a single clause in the prophecy annot be ^.w to fit the Koman Papacy i I J ^° Romanism and the Reformation. exactly, except the last, which is not yet ful- filled. ^ Rome, which in her pagan phase defiled and destroyed the literal temple of God at Jerusalem, in her Papal days defiled and destroyed the anti-' typical spiritual temple of God-the Christian Church. Was it not worthy of God to warn that Church beforehand of the coming of this dreadful antichristian power, and to cheer her in all the sufferings she would have to endure from its tyranny by a knowledge of the issue of the -reat and terrible drama? Was it not right that" the Roman power, pagan and Papal, should occupy as paramount a place on the page of Scripture as it has actually done on the page of history } The eighteen Christian centuries lay open before the eye of the omniscient God, and no figure stood out so prominently in all their long course as that of the great antichrist. The pen of inspiration sketched him in a few bold, masterly strokes • and there is no mistaking the portrait. In sub- sequent lectures I shall have much to say to you of the antichristian doctrines and practices of the Papacy. To-night we have but studied the broad outline drawn in the days of Belshazzar, which forms a broad foundation for what must follow. '^^^^^ij'orevkw of Romanism. 7 1 Notice in conclusion, thc^evidence of ^h^pira- tion affo.-dcd by this wonderful prophecy. Could Darnel foresee the things that were coming on the earth? How should lie happen to light on the notion that there would be four universal empires and four on^, and that after the fourth there' would arlse-what the world had never seen before -a commonwealth of ten kingdoms ? How could he depict so strange and peculiar a power as the apacy ? How could he conceive it ? A little weak kingdom, yet controlling all kingdoms !-a human dynasty like any other, yet exalting itself against God, and slaughtering His saints !-a power so wicked that heaven itself is moved for •ts destruction, and the whole Roman earth ruined on Its account! Supposing for a moment this vvas a sketch from imagination : how comes it that history has so wonderfully realised ic ? The prediction did not produce its own fulfilment, for they who fulfilled it denied its application to them- selves. It was not concocted to fit the events, for the events did not begin for a thousand years after »t was published. The events were not arranged by men to fit the prophecy, for they extend o;er forty successive generations. There is no solution of the problem save the true one : " Holy men o^ old spake as they were moved by the Holy 72 Jiommism and the Reformation. Ghost ■■; ..He revealeth the ^^^^l^:r:^,, me light dwelleth with Him." Let me then solemnly charge you, reverence this '^y ../.», heed its warnings, dread the ^.^^ "t denounces, believe its promises, obey its p ::"^ ■'---'> P.ed.-c.io„s; for be ye v'; and t r '^ "'"'"■"'' ""'' °' '"= ""V living d .„e God, „ho is, as Nebuch.dne.ar deCared "^ Old, a God of rrods a T n,-ri ^r 1 • fc.'-'us, a i^ord of kincs and a rcvealer of secrets." LECTURE III. PAUVS FOJiEVJEW OF ROMANISM. you -ill remember that ,-n „,y to lecture I preset d T """ '""""^'^ °f R°-»'-- prose. ed,„ p,op„ecy by Daniel, Paul, and John ^e P t,.ely, have three disth,ct,Ve charaeters. Dan.d g,v,es mamly its pMical relations and its rda, ons and ,ts religious features ; and John by he two compound hieroglyphs which he e.p, yf exlub ts the ..W,,,^,;,,, „f ^^^ J a po ht,co.ece,esiastieai power. Zle shows so un ted elements during their long joint career and foretells the distinctive doon, of eal • It must never be forgotten th.t the Roman Papacy was for long ages an absolute, unlimired tyrannical monarchv a worl,li„ / "'"""^a. :d^i:rf™!^.-'-"'''-"-™vfnces,c;:;: -- ■ 5t had Its ^oiirt, its nobles, its am- n 74 Romanism and the Reformation. bassadors, its army, its police, its legislature, its jurisprudence, its laws, its advocates, its prisons, ■ts revenues, its taxes, its exchequer, its mint, its arsenals, its forts, its foreign treaties, and its am- bitious. selfish plans and policy, just as much as any mere secular kingdom. But it was also sotne- thnig very different-it was the head of the Latin Church ; It was a great ecclesiastical power • it was a rehgion as well as a government. As 'such it had Its dioceses and parishes, its spiritual hier- archy of archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons Its theological schools and colleges and professors', Its abbots and deans, its councils and synods and chapters, ,ts monasteries and convents, its orders of mendicant and other friars, its services and sacraments, its creeds and confessions, its doc- trines and discipline, and its penances and punish- ments. Romanism is a comprehensive term including M tJtese ^oidely different o^^ani.atlons. Both had their centre in the seven-hilled city, and both regarded the Roman pontiff as head. Just as m the old pagan times the Caesars themselves had been both emperors and high priests of the national religion, so the popes in mediaeval times were fountain-heads of authority both in the kingdom and in the Church. The ecclesiastical position of the emperors u-as hon-ever rather a name than a reality; while thnt nf ti, most real Tl, ° P°P'^" "=' most real. They were practieally and efiectively /'Ma-in both realms. ^ From his remote point o, view, in the liaby- l™ an era, the sta.csman-prophet Daniel saw man,Iy the ;,.««./ statns of the Papaey. vZ el :?rr ^^'-T^^-'"^' ^'^"''P°'"^' ™^" '-^ and Lf,'""^' '"= '^'-"•^'-" Apostle Paul saw and foretold most clearly the ,../„,W^, ,„„,,,„ of thecommg antichrist; and this evening we are to cons.der this latter foreview of Roma^'sm Xvo? 1 ''"'' " " ^ ^'•"^" ^^='-- ' --' yon at your leisure to study very c.refully th,ce or four passages in the writings of the Apos^e Paul, especially the third and fourth chap! iirrf , '° ^™°"'^-' '-"'^ "- --'d Y u 1 1"°"' """'''' '° "- Thessalonians. You w,l see that Paul's foreview consists of two parts .-the first gives a general view of a great apostasy, which would in due time arise in the Church; and the second a carefully drawn per- tra,t o .he power in which that apostasy would be headed up He had even previously predicted o^~:rrrr ^"'-^ '° - -- XX H. ,11 ,! ^ • '^"'"^"'^ '" Acts -not f , """ *^' '"^'-^ ™"W -rise —not from the outside ,,,^..i.] u,., r. " -'j ^"'- "om among 1^' ''*■»»« I^^Jiomanism^ and the Reformation. tke,nset-oes, the P^sto^I^^^^^^f^:^^—^ grievous wolves, not sparing the flock " ■■ Of your o„n selves shall n,=„ anse, speaking perverse th.ngs, to draw aray disciples after them ; there- fore watch, and remember how I ceased not to wan. you." This was but a brief and passing 8 anee mto the dark future ; but the ...omentary S .mpse sumces to show the outline of the evils w .ch t,me .vas to develop, and which Paul so uMy predated later on. Ten pagan persecutions 7 '''°? *= ^'-"'^h '■ ""' P-' does not predict what he d,d figuratively, to fight with wild beasts ■n Roman amphitheatres; but the Apostle's pro- phet,e gaze rests not on any w. spectacle. No ' a worse evil by far was to befall the Church ■ an enemy was to arise in her midst, an apostasy was to or,gmate in her bosom, and eat like a cancer nto her vUals. Her own leaders were to mis- lead her ; her very pastors, instead of feeding the flock, would feed .„ it, and devour it like raven- '".\ '"°'~"=^' I'<^™'-=^= P^="ors, selfish, mercenary bishops, would draw a,o.j, disciples after them- selves instead of drawing them to Christ as Paul had done. He had coveted no man's silver or gold, as he reminds them : but these apostate b.shop., who should arise would be of a wholly teaaoM SO ■PauTs^fomiew of Romamsm. 77 different charade. robbi;^~;;;ro^;;;;;;^'^, d^ = oppos,te,, of .he Good Shepherd who g f:af:^::::^^;:re::;^rt oders or bishops (.V,W„.„„ of Ep„,^„/ '^ '^^ -ew of a., that has happened since, it is 'easy : - that the Ephesian bench of bishops 71 any rate representative, for the words are a ^re nat d ,„ the Papacy. It strilces the key-note as - the nature of the evil from which the ctrcl was desfned to suffer so ion^ and so widl The pagan persecutions, which tin-eatened to Z e™,na.e the early generations of Christians w^e '■armless to the Church compared to the in elL corrupfon and cruel tyranny introduced " fir™ ': T '''" ™- ^'-''^ '■°--. from ^e 'rom Ih t " "*"''^"'-'" ^"'' °- arising „ot bench of bishops, not outside but inside the Utcr on m our course more than you can do now ■ I "'ge you to take special note of it. ' Jn the iiicturc of il,r. r — •■ '-...a.ii apostasy which l^_Jiomanis,n and the Reformation. d.t,o„al and dark detail. After giving ^,„c.ie,l precept, fo. the organisation and gove^en o he mfant Churcl,, and specifying the qualifica- t.ons essenfalin it. bi.„ops and deacons (one of ^Wnch was ti,at tl,ey should be carried „e„), and aft r sum„,„,s up the faith of Cl,rist in a brief op. o,ne of " the .nystery of godliness." he writes- and we may well behVve he did so with a heavy •■Now the Spirit speakcth expressly, that in the latter tnnes some shall depart fro.n the fuM g.«"g heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines rf devds; speaking lies in hyp,,crisy,. having thel conscence seared with a hot iron ..forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from m 'ats wh,ch God hath created to be received w h *anksg,vi„g Of them which believe and know the truti . For every creature of God is good and nothmg to be refused, if it be received with thanksg,vmg for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." Here we have, not only a pred,ct,on that there would & an ..a,»s,asy,'o felmg away from the faith in the Christian Church, but a desenphon of its origin and character Its °r.gm was to be Satanic; its doctrines were to be doctrmes of devils, or demons. It was to assume created to bo receive; t'.''^^^'^' "-="" be forbidden. Thus tie "'" '""'.vng. ,vo„ld marked h, ^ apostasy „oui&^,„^,„,„, °", corresponding prophecv in . Timoth^e : ^L: last '^ys, in which l;/) abett ors and adJu 8o Romanism and the Reformation. rents of the apostasy arc described as men ^^ having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" These men were not then to be open opponents of godiniess, but. on the contrary, they would be great professors. They were to have a form of godh"- ness: but only a form-a form covering „o reality ; a hollow form, a hypocritical form. TJius the two great Pauline prophecies of the apostasy in " the latter times" and "last days" warn the Church not against professed irreligionists. but against professed religionists, against covert enemies of the Gospel : men cloaked in the garment of self- denial and superior sanctity; clever imitators of the apostles, like the magicians of Egypt who withstood Moses, not by denying his miracles, but by counterfeiting them ; cunning men, who should " creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts"; and withal educated men, men of letters, "ever learn- ing. and never able to come to the knowledge oi the truth." Mark this well : the men whom Paul described as the leaders of the apostasy which he foresaw were not loxv, ignorant infidels, but learned hypoerites, lying professors of religion, and self- deceived ascetics. It is in this same strain that he writes also to the Thessalonians. The coming of Christ, he tells ^Paurs Foreview of Romjunsm s i TW. apostasy ,L .0 ;; '^ f ■" "- iaich, "hat he calls .V/. Ci:. .r " "°*'"=" °f ^"epa..,.. (co.p..Ti:r,t;'Tr^^^^'-^ '" questio,, was hidden I, "''"">' People did not .eco-,„i'> ■ ' " '">'^'''-^-" deceived by it Vrtl, '""'""^' '"^^ ""« ''■-ospw„Vi„::-:---7..-n;.u^ ;;™n.wastobe..arte.thewri:;:;'sr" The outcome and issue of this sf, apostasy would be " „„ / ■ , ^"'an-inspired "nder the ii^^en^ "■-/"' T, ''"'^ "^ "'' part of those who lad" :''■""" ""'"^ ness," P''^''^"'-'^ '" unrighteous- All this is consistent. These Paul;n„ 'each the same thin.. T, P-'^Phecics ^■g^st the same d n^Jer tI ™"',."'^ '''■"^'' =°rt of apostasy, an ! f''^' P"-^*" «« same open host'itytTt'he" '°, "^ '""'^''' ™' ^^ «°"of,odiCs:dT;:rf."-=^-"-.-a- °f infidelity or atheism, bt I !'"'" P™^-- -■t." a ..fo™ ofgodli„;ss; eX.„ fr^"' "''^- 'he practi,-,. .,f ,,.-.. . ^'"^' rehsjiousness, - -r as.et,c,sn,, cloaking corruption-- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 141 III 2.8 1^ i^ I.I L^ lis. tut 1.25 1.4 I— IIIM 1= 1.6 1 llUlUgiajJlllL. Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 C?^ U.x 82 Romanis7}i and the Reformation by a beautiful garment of light covering the form of the very prince of darkness. But this apostasy was to have a head, and the coming and character of that head are the great subject of Paul's Thessalonian prophecy. A mis- taken apprehension of his first letter to them had led the Thessalonians to expect an immediate advent of Christ, and in his second epistle Paul sets himself to correct this error by further in- struction as to the future. He tells them of something that was destined to precede the return of Christ, a great apostasy, whijh would reach its climax in the manifestation of a certain mighty power of evil ; to which he attaches three names, and of which he gives many particulars simi- lar to those which Daniel gave of his "little horn," such as the place and time of its origin, its nature, sphere, character, conduct, and doom. The names which the apostle gives to this head of the apostasy in this prophecy are '=that man of sin, . . . the son of perdition," and "that wicked" or "lawless" one. These expressions might convey to the mind of superficial readers the idea that the predicted head of the apostasy would be an individual. Careful study however shows this to be a false impression— an impres- " *!"» Piutrs Forevieio of Romanism. '^^^ sion for which there fs no solid "foundat7o7Tn the passage. The expressions themselves, when analysed grammatically, are seen to bear another signification quite as well, if not better, and the context demands that they be understood in a dynastic sense. "The man of sin." like "the man of God," has a broad, extended meaning. When we read "that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works," we do not suppose it means any one individual man although it has the definite article. It indicates a whole class of men of a certain character, succession of similar individuals. The use of the ^//definite article (analogous to the omission of the article in Greek) does indeed limit an expression of the khid. A man of sin could be only one, just as a king of England could mean only an individual. The king, on the other hand, may include a whole dynasty. A king has but the life of an individual, the king never dies. Wlien, in speaking of the Jewish tabernacle in Hebrews, Paul says that into the holiest of all "went the high priest alone once every year," he includes the entire succession of the high priests of Israel. That a singular expression in a prophecy may find its fulfilment in a plurality of individuals is per- fectly clear from John's words, "As ye have heard 84 Romanism and the Reformation. that antichrist shall come, even so now arc there many antichrists^ ^ Any doubt or ambiguity as to the true force of the expression " the man of sin " is however removed by a consideration of the context of this passage. Grammatically it may mean either an individual or a succession of similar individuals. The context determines that it actually does mean the latter, " The mystery of iniquity," in which this man of sin was latent, was already working in Paul's day. The apostasy out of which he was to grow was already in existence. " The mystery of iniquity doth already work." The man of sin, on the other hand, was to continue till the second ' The following legal distinction s .be borne in mind in weighing this point. It is given in "'Blackstone's Com- mentary," book i., chapter i. " I crsons are divided by the law into cither natural persons or artificial. Natural persons are such as are formed by the God of nature ; artificial, are such as are created and devised by human laws for the purposes of society and government, which are called corpo- rations or bodies politic." Thus there is a sort of perpetual person in whom a community subsists, as well as the person whose life is confined within the limits of one individual existence. Each isequally real, and cither may be spoken of in the singular. " The parson of a parish " may mean either a man or a succession of men. So " the pope of Rome" may intimate one single bishop or the long succes- sion,— a perpetual person. So " the man of sin." See on this subject a careful investigation in " The Apostasy Pre- dicted by St. Paul," l)y Dr. O. Sullivan (Curry, Dublin). ^^«///.i- Forcview of Romanism. 85 advent of Christ, which is still future ; for^hTl^ destroyed, as it is distinctly stated, only by the brightness of the epiphany. The interval between Paul's days and those of the stiU future advent was then to be filled by the great apostas^. in cither Its incipient working as a mystery of iniquity or its open manifestation and great embodiment in the career of "the man of sin and son of perdi- tion." That career must consequently extend over more than a thousand years, for the process of ges- tation is certainly briefer than the duration of Hfe. In this case of the man of sin the two togcthel occupy at least eighteen centimes. What proportion of the period can we assign to the hidden, mys- terious growth of this power, and what to its wonderfully active and influential life? The life must of course occupy the larger half, to sav the least of it, and therefore, as no individual lives on through ages, we may be sure that it is a succes- sion of men, a dynasty of rulers, that is intended by the ambiguous expression. We, students of the nineteenth century, may be sure of this, though the students of early centuries could not. Paul himself probably supposed that the anti- christ he foretold would be an individual, for it is not always given to prophets to understand the messages they are inspired to deliver. " Not unto « tlicmscl 'eter DUgl ninistcr, tells us. At any rate, the early Church ..._.. ^„. so. as their writings prove. They expected Vn individual antichrist, who should be followed by an immediate advent of Christ. But it must be remembered that the apostles and the early Church knew nothing of the eighteen centuries of delay which have actually taken place. They could not have guessed or even conceived that well-nigh two thousand years would pass before the second advent. They expected it in their own day. Paul wrote as if he himself would see it : " We who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord " ; and no revelation was given the effect of which would have been to rob the early Church of that sweet and sanctifying hope. On the contrary, the prediction of the apostasy and the antichrist who should head it up are />;o'/>osc/y so x^ordcd as not to extinguish that hope. Even in Daniel, where chronological limits are assigned to the Roman "little horn," the expression which conveys them is symbolic, ai.d could be interpreted with certainty only by the fulfilment. No duration at all is mentioned in this prophecy by Paul, only the tivo limits. "Already" the apostasy was developing, and it would not be destroyed till the advent. That much was clearly P^^^^'s Forevicw of Romamsm. 87 revealed, but not the length of the interval be- tvveen the startingr-point in apostolic days in the first century, and the advent, which has not yet- in the ninetccnth-takch place. There was a good reason for the form of the prophccy-for the ambiguous use of the singular number. // ueMer asserted nor excluded a dynastic meaning. Time alone could decide, and time has decided. l^earing this in mind, let us now look at Paul's prophetic portrait of the great antichristian power he foresaw and foretold. It is a strange one, with marked and most pecu- h'ar features. He is represented as seated in the temple or house of God ; i.e. the Church, " the habitation of God through the Spirit," God's dwelling.place-a sacred sphere, the most sacred on earth. There in the midst, exalted and en- throned, sits a sinful mortal, an enemy of God, a "man of sin," engaged in receiving from a multi- tude of deluded apostate Christians worshipful submission and adoration. Beneath him, like a dark cloud or vapour, out of which he has arisen is a "mystery of iniquity." There is a chrono- logical date upon the cloud. Close examination shows inscribed on it the words, " doth already work," indicating its existence in Paul's day eighteen centuries ago. On one side lies a broken ^^ Romanism and the Rcfonnaliou. arch, covered with Roman sculpture. Thi^Tt^ liad at one period blocked tlic way from the dark under cloud to the exalted seat occupied by the " man of sin." In Paul's day it stood firm, a massive hindrance ; but he foresaw that it would be « taken out ot the way." By some mighty •stroke it has been rent, and lies in fragments Ihc barrier has been "taken out of the way." Through the ruinous gap the mystery of iniquity has come up into the holy place in the form of "all deccivablencss of unrighteousness." Mingled with a vast mass of deceit there arc certain Icad- mg lies, which arc firmly believed, and many " lymg wonders." The countenance ot the "man of sin" is marked by pretended sanctity. There is in it a look of elevation, marred by pride. The features are full of power and intelligence. His head is circled with a crown of a peculiar form, unlike that worn by ordinary kings, and upon it is the title " King of kings and Lord of lords,"— implying that he is ruler both of the Church and of the world, because as God on earth. His hand is lifted in the attitude of one bestowing Divine favours. His semblance is that of benignity and blessing, while the spirit of the man is that of the great adversary. Behind iiim, half concealed, is a ^' " The early Church— from whom alone we can learn what Paul told them by word of mouth, but refrained from committing to writing— has left it on record that the Apostle had told" them that this hindering power was the dominion oj the Roman Ceusars ; that while they continued to reign at Rome, the development of the predicted power of evil was impossible. Hence it would seem that Rome would be the seat of the man of sin. During the continuance of the Roman empire there was no opportunity for him to rise ; he would only be manifested on its fall. While the Cffisars reigned he could not appear, but when they passed away he would succeed them. Notice particularly that, just as the expression, " he that letteth," comprehends the line or sueces- sion of the Ccusars, so the expression, "he that PaiU's Foreviezo of Romanism. 95 sitteth," may well comprehend an analogous line or succession of rulers. Both expressions refer to dynasties, and not to individuals. The distinctive names given by Paul to the great head of the apostasy arc expressive of his character. The- are the " man of sin," the " son of perdition," a..d "that wicked" {b clyo/^io,, the lawless one). First, it was to be to an extraor- dinary extent sin/n/ itself, and the occasion of sin in others ; secondly, it would be /ih' Judas, and share his doom ; and, thirdly, it would set at defiance all laws, whether human or Divine. It would be inspired by Satan, and, on account of its evil character and actions, it would be doomed to destruction ; it would eventually " go to its own place"— the bottomless pit, from whence it ema- nated. Its doom was to fall /// Hoo stages: the Lord Himself would consume it by the spirit of His mouth, and destroy it by the brightness of His epiphany, or advent in power and glory. There would be first a consumption, then a destruction. It would continue until the second coming of Christ— a statement which, as you will observe, involves the Lord's return before the millennium, since there can be no millennium under the reign of the man of sin, nor prior to his utter destruction. 96 Romanism and the Reformation. Let us now compare this portrait of the man of sin drawn by the Apostle Paul with the por- trait of the self-exalting power foretold by Daniel, which we studied last week. The comparison will demonstrate their identity. 1. Both arc Roman. The self-exalting' horn or head represented by Daniel is Roman; it belongs to the fourth or Roman empire. So also does Paul's man of sin, for the imperial govern- ment seated at Rome needed to be removed in order to make way for its rise and dominion. It was to be the successor of the Caesars at Rome. They have the same geographical seat. 2. They have the same chfonological point oj origin : both arise on the fall of the old undivided empire of Rome. And they have the same chro- nological termination : Daniel's little horn perishes at the coming of the Son of man in glory, and Paul's man of sin is destroyed at the epiphany. 3. Both exalt themselves against God. Daniel mentions the proud ^vords of the blasphemous little horn, and Paul the audacious deeds of the man of sin, showing himself as Divine. 4. Both begin as small, inconspicuous powers, and develop gradually to very great and influential ones. 5. Both claim to be teachers 0/ men. Daniel's r* aid's Foreview of Romanism. 97 little horn was to have eyes, as a bishop, or over- seer (the meaning of the word bishop, eViWoTro?, is overseer) ; and that he was to have a mouth, that is, that he was to be a teacher; while Paul assigns to the man of sin ecclesiastical eminence, a proud position in the temple of God, or Chris- tian Church. 6. Dotli are persecutors. Daniel describes the little horn as a persecutor wearing out the saints, and Paul speaks of the man of sin as "opposing,"' and calls him '-the lawless one." To sum up. The two have the same place- Rome ; the same period— from the sixth century to the second coming of the Lord in glory ; the same wicked character, the same lawlessness, the same self-exalting defiance of God, the same gradual growth from weakness to dominion, the same epi- scopal pretensions, the same persecuting character, the same twofold doom. These resemblances are so important, so nume- rous, so comprehensive, and exact, as to prove beyond all question that the self-exalting, perse- outing power predicted by Daniel and this man of sin foretold by Paul are one and tJie same poiver. Even Romanists admit this to be the case, and call the power thus doubly predicted t/te anti- chnst. 98 R omanism and the Reformation. In the Douay Bible, witli notes, iss^d~^er Romish authority, and bearing the signatures of Cardials Wiseman and Manning, the "man of sin " IS interpreted as follows : <" He sitteth in the temple of God,' etc. By all these words is de- scribed to us //.. ,.n-a^ ^;.//./.;././, . . . according to the unquestionable authority and consent of the ancent Fathers." Rome allows thus that the « little horn " of Daniel and the " man of sin " of Paul foreshow one and the same power, and admits that power to be the antichrist. So far then for our examination of the prophc. ctesoi the Roman antichrist, given, some of them a thousand, and others five hundred years before the actual appearance of the predicted power Strange and incomprehensible must these prophe- cies have appeared, both to those who gave them and to those who received them. Little could they imagine the tremendous scale, both geo graphical and chronological, on which they were to be fulfilled ! They understood clearly thrt an awful apostasy was to intervene between the early Church and the advent; but how far it would extend and how long it would last they knew not, and could not know. A terrible enemy to God and to His Church was to arise, Strang, as it Paur^review of Romanim. 99 might seem, in a^.i^i::^:^;^^i^^iir^^^~;:^r^, o have ,s scat in Rom, which was in their day th throne of tl,c pagan persecutors of Christ,' revealed but much was left still utterly mysteri- ous, and which time only could interpret. Turn now from the prophecy to the iuslory, and let the latter interpret the former. VVe see what Wha are ./. /«,„„w /..,. .. The history f the Ch„st,an Church does not record a steady pro g-ss m tne pathway of truth and hoIinessTn umnterrupted spread of the kingdom of God' Z ea.th. On the contrary, it tells the story of a REMKNDou., APOSTASV. Even in the first ce„! ury as we learn from the Ne. Testament, there et ma departure from the gospel, and a return to certam forms of ritualism, as among the Gala. chnstmn doctnne and antichristian practices sacramentarianism and sacerdotalism, invaded the Church, and gradually climbed to a command n. In the fourth century, with the fall of pa-^anisn, began a wor.dly, imperial Christian itrtoT; unhke pr.mitive apostolic Christianity. I sirt "^ Chr.st,an,zed heathenism; and in the fifth nd loo Romanism and the Reformation. sixth centuries sprang up the Papacy, in whose career the apostasy culminated later on. The mighty Caesars had fallen; Augustus Domitian. Hadrian, Diocletian, were gone ; even the Constantines and Julians had passed away. The seat of sovereignty had been removed from Rome to Constantinople. Goths and Vandals had overthrown the western empire; the once mighty political structure lay shivered into broken fragments. The imperial government was slain by the Gothic sword. The Ceesars were no more, and Rome was an actual desolation. Then slowly on the ruins of old imperial Rome rose another power and another monarchy_a monarchy of loftier aspirations and more resistless might, claiming dominion, not alone over the bodies, but over the consciences and souls of men ; dominion, not only within the limits of the fallen empire, but throughout the entire world. Higher and higher rose the Papacy, till in the dark ages all Christendom was subject to its sivajy. " Under the sacerdotal monarchy of St. Peter " says Gibbon, " the nations began to resume the practice of seeking on the banks of the Tiber their kings, their laws, and the oracles of their fate." And this was a voluntary submission. As a king- dom, the Papacy was not at that time in any P(tnrs Forcviciv of Romanism. loi position to enforce it. Not~~brmm;;ry~~powe^ bu by sp.ntual and relff^ious pretensions, did the , P of Rome attain supremacy in the Church and m the world ; it was by his lofty claim to be tl^e vicegerent of Christ, by his assumption that he was as God on earth,-it was by means of his episcopal position that he attained by degrees supreme power, not in the Church only, but in the world. The growth of this power to these gigantic proportions was a most singular phenomenon. Tyndale, the Reformer, speaking of it. says • "To see how the holy father came up. mark the ensample of the ivv Firq^ .> cr -^ .t ^ "- '^.y- -^'fst It spi.ngeth upout of the earth, and then awhile creepeth along by the ground, till it find a great tree. Then it joineth Itself beneath, unto the body of the tree, and creepeth up a little and a little, fair and softly. At the beginning, while it is yet thin and small, he burden is not perceived ; it seemeth glorious to garnish the tree in winter. But it holdeth fast vyithal. and ceaseth not to climb up till it be at the top. and even above all. And then it sendeth its branches along by the branches of the tree and overgroweth all. and waxeth great, heavy.' and hick ; and it sucketh the moisture so sore out of the tree and his branches, that it choaketh and I 102 Romanism and the Reformation. stifleth them. And then the I^lT stlnkmTT;; waxeth mighty in the stump of the tree, and becometli a seat and a nest for all unclean birds and for blind owls, which hawk in the dark, and dare not come to the light. "Even so the Bishop of Rome, now called pope, at the beginning crope along upon the earth, and every man trod on him. As soon as there came a Christian emperor, he joined himself to his feet and kissed them, and crope up a little, with be^. ging now this privilege, now that. . An^d thus with flattering and feigning and vain super- stition, under the name of St. Peter he crept up and fastened his roots in the heart of the emperor' and with his sword climbed above all his fellow' bishops, and brought them under his feet And as he subdued them by the emperor's sword, even so, after they were sworn faithful, he, by their means climbed up above the emperor, and sub- dued him also, and made him stoop unto his feet and kiss them. . . . And thus the pope, the father of all hypocrites, hath with falsehood and gude perverted the order of the world, and turned things upside down." "AH the kings of the West reverence the pope as a God on earth," said Gregory II., and he spoke truly Sismondi describes how Tepin and the Panrs Forcvicw of Romanism. Franks received him as a divinity. His dogmas were regarded as oracles ; his bulls and sentences as the voice of God. •' The people think of the pope as the one God that has power over all tlnngs in earth and in heaven." Marcellus, ad- dressing the pope at the Lateran Council, said, "Thou art another God on earth"; and "our Lord God the pope" was an oft accepted title. These are facts, substantial facts of history, which can be proved by countless documents, and which indeed no Romanist will deny. The people rendered and the pope received worship-thc worship due to God alone. At the coronation of Pope Innocent X., Cardinal Colonna, in his own name and that of the clergy of St. Peter's, addressed the follow- ing words to the pope, "kneeling on his knees": "Most holy and blessed father! head ot the Church, ruler of the world, to whom the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, whom the angels in heaven revere, and the gates of hell fear, and all the world adores, we specially venerate.' worship, and adore thee ! " What blasphemous exaltation is here I Have not Paul's words been fulfilled .? Has not this man of sin', sitting in the temple of God, shown himself that he is God. or allowed himself to be treated as Divine, nay, even claimed to V. ,o treated > He allowed himself to iH I io^_J^owa,ns,u a,uf thcj^cfonnalion. tlic sm of the wni-Irl " k„ , '"vay liic world, because he jrnvo inr\ c^i i indulgences for sin U. ^''^ " . '^"^ •'""• He was even more merciful than C n-ist • for //. Kr*. , . '"(-'i-iuii - ..c ™,e,3 or heaven, a^JUrl 7:: clest,al cho,r, raising dead men to ,^™ part o heaven's hierarchy as "saints" and r, • ., hencefnrf?, t„ 1, , causing them earth "°'' '''"''' '>' "'^ Church on WKT„. I, was h,s to spealc and govern as God • ;t«.^_t.,e.or,d.toho.do„,„,.ohe,ieve,:d' See lu-m in his robes of more than ki„„v ™ya ty, „,th his c, nvn of more than terres W I crown. The proud t.ara of the Papacy symbolizes power on earth, in heaven, and in h J, ;,„; ree .he pope claims to r„,e. He is far 1 ^'' kn,gs. He is the vicegerent of God the -gen. o .he universe- He never rises fro^ Ws pon.,fica throne to any person whomsoever n uncovers himself before mortal man. He doe! no oven condescend to honour any human beirby .^=eastmc,ina.ionofhisi,ead. His nuncios^an^ e»ates take precedence of .he ambassadors of all :*■ PmI's Iu»-n,ietojfjionta„ism. ,05 c™™cd ,,ea.,,. Cardi,„,s, .ho Cicf p.inces of L? • "'?" "" '■''"■"'^' "P- '-- »e.ulcu AM,sc ,^^ of ..old P r ' '"Py '""'S '''■"' fringe ■lie IS heau of the universal Churrh TT °' '' "•«"'' """ P"-v/>cges. He v! tuni r • , , 2' '"'"iPoral and spiri- "a. "•-■-"".= sole and .supreme judge of L -d can h^self be judged of no man - He : "- h-ba„d Of .he Chureh, and as sueh „e" nn.. .n ,ea.,-„g her perpetual be.ro.hal .0 hi self. Thousands upon .housands kneel before ' ™;. hey s.ruggle.oge. .ear hi. person .Lv «re.eh forjh .heir hands .0 ob.ain hisldu g^n^' ^de„.ehis,uasiDiW„ebe„edie.io„,.hat:::;: "/ snou as Luther ealled i.. The deluded mul..tu e rend .he air „i.h aeclama.ions at t' approach. In his processions all is gorgeou ^ag„,hce„ee Swiss guards and other attendant: " --^ '"•■'cge, ,„ scarlet cloaks, embroidered io6 Romanism and the Reformation, with Rold. with silver rn'^^^^^^^~~^ silk housings, red velvets, purples, satins laced with gold, long flowing robes sweeping the groii.' some crimson, some black, some white, and caps adorned with precious stones, and helmets glitter- 'ng in the sun. His litter is lined with scarlet velvet, fnnged with gold, and he himself is clothed in a white satin cassock, with rochet, stole, and mozette. all of red velvet if it is winter, or of red satin If ,t is summer. At his adoration by the canons a-..: clergy of St. Peter's, he is clothed in a white garment and seated on a throne, and tliiis^ attired /.. "m.v,/.. /. //,, ,,,^^, ,^ ,/^^ Mark these words: he "presides in the temple of the Lord." I took them from Picart s descrip- tion of the Roman ceremonial, a Roman Catholic authority. It is the Romanisfs themselves who use th.s significant phrase ot .ho Papal ponfTf- he " presides in the temple o' vl.c Lor.. Exalted to this position, he is incensed, and the cardinals one at a time, in solemn, deliberate state and Idolatrous submission, kiss his hand, his foot, and even his stomach. He is surrounded by car- dinals, archbishops, bishops, abbots, priests, and pnr, ;es. Enormous fans c*- peacocks' feathers are carried on either side of his chair, as used to be Paul's Fonvicw of Romanism. 107 done to the pagan monarchs of olJon times. ^Ho d'rect, the affairs of the greatest en,pire upon •-■.•.rth, governing by an almost infinite number of ■"<=", whom he keeps eonstantly in subjection to ■"niself, and from whom he cleman Is frequent ponod,eal aceount. Ho distributes sp, ritual gifts, •ind exalts to the highest preferments, not only onearth, but also in heaven: for is it,. ot his to mak-e bishops and archbishops, to canon,, whom ho w,ll. and to decree their perpetual n.emorial and vvorshi]) in the world ? ^ All power is delivered unto him. He forgives sms; he bestows grace; he cancels punishments. even m purgatory ; he restores the lapsec • he excommunicates the rebellious ; he can make 'that which ,s unlawful, lawful ; he cannot err • his sentences are final, his utterances infallible his decrees irreformable. O dread dominion i dizj height! blasphemous assumption i O sublime. Satanic tyranny ! who is like unto thee thou resuscitated Caesar, thou false Christ > Lord oi the conscience, thou sittest there as a verv deity. QUASI Deus. as God. Thou sittest supreme as thme own words are witness, "in the temple of the Lord ! Look auain at thp ccfe-;'^^ •-»/ --.',. - '-^■'jes.,:r,ai,icncrc every priest stts as an image of the pope his master, with the ^^Jiomanism and the Reformatim. feet, as though he were a god ! For mark, he searches the heart, the very secrets of the so.,1 • he demands the discover,, and confession of all Its sms; he makes himself master of all its thoughts and intents; /,. sits in ,lu,t Umple, the temteof the human conseienee, which God claims solely for Himself. Oh, awful position - And there he presumes to reign, to decide, to absolve from s.n; Absolvo te,» I absolve thee, is his word. The smner regards him as holding the place of Jesus Chnst. This Romish work is a witness that ■t -s so. This is the Ursuline Manual. Here, in the chapter for the direction of those who go to confess,on, and every Papist does, are these words. Con fetors should not be viewed in any other light than . . . as kMins the place of Jesus Chnst (p. ,77). And again, on p. ,8., "When you leave the confessional, do not disturb your m.nd by examining whether you have been con. fessed well, or have forgotten any of your sins • but rest assured that, if you have made your' confessron with sincerity, and the other requisite ci.spos,t,ons,^«, are, according to the express deci- S'ous of the Council of Trent, f„„y aisot.ed fro,„ :Z' \ "r° ''" '°''"' ""'■ ""'God "JH inc man of sm" sits in *•* Paul's Forcview of Romanism. w 109 God's temple, and robs ^^\^^^^r^^^^^^^^^^^,^ prerogative ! Look at this other book. It is the volume ot the laws and constitution of the Jesuits. Here, on p. 10. the Jesuit is taught that his superior' whoever he may be, must be recognised, reve-' renced, and submitted to with perfect and com- plete subjection of act and thought, as occupying the place of Jesus Christ. Thus the priest in the confessional, and the superior in the Jesuit order, and the bishop and archbishop and car- dmal, all reflect the sacerdotal supremacy of the pope, who sits there \^ God's very temple, the temple of conscience and of the Christian Church as a usurping god~quasi Deus, as if God Him- self But we must pass on from this point, the posi- tion assumed by the man of sin in the Church of God, and ask whether Romanism has fulfilled the other predictions of St. Paul as to " lying won- ders" and " signs," or false miracles, and the deceits of unrighteousness. Has she employed these as a means of gaining "power," deluding her votaries that she might the more effectually enslave them >. To exalt the priesthood, and especially its head the Papal highpriest, Rome has spared nnthino-' She has trampled alike on the intellect and con- ]^Jiomanwaj^i^djl,c Rcfonmth,,. ben g of souls by ,nduci„g ,l,c™ to believe lies The ,na„ of sin was to come with all power ami .sns and lying „o„de,-s, in all deceivabkne s o^^ "n„gl,teo„sness. Just as tl.e a.os.les w,.:^ m aeles to eonfinn the gospel they pteaehed-c T ' 'I ""^ "-^'^ """S"' >vith them and eon firmed the word with signs folIowi„g_so Sat , would work with antichrist, endors.-ng 1 is p^e cn.ons with false miracles designed to overthrow ">••■ Sospel. Bishop John Jewell, of Salisbury wrote ,n the sixteenth century : ^ ' "Of the first sort of false miracles, we have eena mfi„,o number in the days of our fatll n the kn,gdom of antichrist. Then was there an ppearance of spirits and visions of angels- o„ ■ady camo swimming down from heave, po souls came creeping and crying out of purgatory tier f T '"' highways, and bemoaned ml. ■ ^ ""■" "'" '°'™™'^ were so "They sought for help, and cried for .ood 1-ayers; they cried for dirges, they cried for masses of rc.uiem, for masses of J,, J.' Z fen ais of masses. Hereo. grew portsj^l Z pardons, and hereof grew the province of plr I Paul's Forcview of Romanism. r r r tiic city of Rome. " Hut these miracles ,vc,e „o miracles at all • hey were devised by subtle varlets and la.y' ordanes for a purpose, to get money. Oftentimes he sp,r,t has been taken and laid in the stocks; ea„„e, has been stript; the good lady has been caught, the conveyance of the miracle has appeared; the engines, and sleights, and the ::2:::. '"^ "'""'• °' '"^ '™*'"»" '-- "-- "In those days idols could go on foot; roods onld speak; bells could ring alone; image's could eome down, and light their own candles ; dead stocks could sweat, and bestir themselves ; they ould turn their eyes; tl.ey could move their hands; they could open their mouths; they could set bones and knit sinews ; they could heal the sick, and raise up the dead, "These miracles were conveyances and sub- tlefes, and indeed no miracles; the trunks by wh ch they moved their faces and hands, all the ■ est of the,r treachery, have been disclosed. These are the miracles of which Paul spcaks-miracles -n sight, „, appearance, but indeed no miracles. "■ ■ ■ ''"'" ^'»° afangcd, that the saints 112 Romanism ana the Reformation. I should not have power to work in all places. Some wrought at Canterbury, some at Walsing- ham, some at York, some at Buxton, some Tn one place, some in another, some in the towns some in the fields. Even as Jeremiah said among the Jews, chapter xi., 'According to the number of thy cities were thy gods." Hereof grew pilgrim- ages and worshipping of images, and kissing of rciiques ; hereof grew oblations, and enriching of abbeys ; every man had his peculiar saint on whom he called ; every eountyy was fuli of cliapels every chapet futt of miractes, and every miracle Ml of lies. "These miracles are wrought by antichrist; they are his tools, wherewith he worketh ; they are his weapons, wherewith he prevaileth ; they are full of lying, full of deceitfulness, and full of wickedness : so shall antichrist prevail, and rule over the world. By these miracles he shall possess the ears, the eyes, and the hearts of many, and shall draw them after him." ^ It was alleged that miracles were not only wrought by the saints, but even by the relics of the saints. In Calvin's tractate on the subject of relics, he proves that the great majority of the relics in use among Romanists are spurious, ' Jewell on 2 Thessalonians, p, 245. . Pciurs Foreview of Romanism. 113 liaving been brouglit forward by impostorsT^at every apostle is made to have three or four bodies, and every saint two or three, and that the gar- ments of Christ are almost infinite in number! As His body ascended to heaven, relics of it were not of course available; but spurious relics of everything He ever used or handled have been multiplied ad nauseam. Even the body of Christ has not escaped ; the teeth, the hair, and the blood are exhibited in hundreds of places ; the manger in which He was laid at His birth, the linen in which He was swaddled, His cradle, the first shirt His mother put on Him, the pillar against which He leant in the temple, the water-pots that were at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, and even the wine that was made in them, the shoes that He used when He was a boy, the table on which He observed the Last Supper, and hundreds of similar thi.igs arc shown-many of them in a number or places-to this day. And as to the relics con- nected with our Lord's sufferings and death, they are just innumerable. The fragments of the true cross scattered over the globe would, if catalogued, fill a volume. " There is no town, however small.' which has not some morsel of it; and this not only in th- principal cathedral church of the district, but also in parish churches, There is scarcely an 114 Romanism ami the Reformation. abbey so poor as not to have a specimen. In some places larger fragments exist, as at Paris, Poictiers, and Rome. If all the pieces which could be found were collected into a heap, they would form a good ship load ; though the gospel testifies that a single individual was able to carry the real cross. What effrontery then thus to fill the whole world with fragments which it would take more than three hundred men to carry ! ... In regard to the crown of thorns, it would seem that its twigs had been planted that they might grow again ; otherwise I know not how it could have attained such a size. ... I would never come to an end were I to go one by one over all the absurd articles they have drawn into this service. At Rome is shown the reed which was put into our Saviour's hands as a sceptre ; . . . the sponge which ivas offered to Him containing vinegar mixed with gall. How, I ask, were those things recovered ? They were in the hands of the wicked. Did they give them to the apostles that they might preserve them for relics, or did they themselves lock them up that they might preserve them for some future period? What blasphemy to abuse the name of Christ by employing it as a cloak for such drivelling fables ! " i ' " Admonition Showing the Advantages which Christen- Paul's Fo review of Romanism. 1 1 Among the images tliat Rome worships, a ccr- tain class arc miraculous. TJic figure on the crucifix of ]5.rgos in Spain is said to have a beard winch grows perpetually, and there are similar ones m three or four other places. The stupid people believe the fable to be true. Other cruel- fixes arc said to have spoken-a whole number Others shed tears, as for instance one at Treves and another at Orleans. From others the warm' blood flows periodically. Miraculous images of the virgin are even more numerous. As they hold that the body of the virgin ascended to heaven •ke that of her Son, they cannot pretend to have her bones like those of the saints. Had it been otherwise, they would have given her a body of •such si.e as would fill a thousand coffins. But they have made up ^or this lack by her hair and her milk. There is no town however small, no monastery or nunnery however insignificant, which does not possess some of this-some in small others ua large quantities. As Calvin says : - Had the breasts of the most holy virgin yielded a more copious supply than is given by a cow, and had she continued to nurse during her whole lifetime, she could scarcely have fun.ished the dom might Derive n-om an Inventory of RcHcs.'^-Calv.x • i I acts, vol. 1,, p. 2S9. • Ii6 J\onm>iism ami the Reformation, (luantity which is exhibited. I would fain know," he asks, "how it was collected so as to be pre- served until our time. Luke relates the prophecy which Simeon made to the vir<,rin, but he does not say that Simeon asked her to give him some milk." The .".brication of these relics was a lucra- tive trade throughout the middle ages ; especially were dead bodies invested with sacredness by at- taching to them the names of saints and martyrs. Toulouse, for instance, tliinks it possesses six bodies of the apostles: James, Andrew, James the Less, Philip, Simeon, and Jude; but duplicates of these bodies arc also in St. Peter's and other churches in Rome. Matthias has also another at Treves; and there are heads and arms of him existing at different places sufficient to make up another bod>-. What shall we say of the spirit that encourages the belief in lies and deceives men in this style > The degradation inHicted on the ignorant and unlearned by these Aibles is terrible, as any one who watches their effect in Ireland or on the Continent is aware. Whether the miracles of the man of sin be real or pre- tended, true or false, it matters little. The main point is, they are directed to establish falsehood. " Me relics for his success on the effects to be wrought in human minds by wonders and deceits ^/'^«/'jr Forcviczu of Roman ism. i i 7 accomplished in the energy of Satan." Mc cm- ploys wonders and deceits, a pretence to miracu- lous powers. Romanism has availed herself of such fraudulent practices to an enormous extent, and has profited by them both financially and otherwise. 15ut lying wonders to impose on tlic ignorant and superstitious masses were not the only means by which the P ipacy attained its power in the middle ages; spurious documents, impostures of another kind, were used to infiuence the royal, noble, and educated classes. Principal among these were the celebrated decretal epistles, a forgery which produced the most important consequences for the Papacy, though its spurious nature was ultimately detected. Gibbon writes : " Before the end of the eighth century, some apostolical scribe, perhaps the notorious Isidore, composed the 'decretals' and the 'donation of Constantine'— the two magic pillars of the spiritual and temporal monarchy of the popes. This memorable donation was introduced to the world by an epistle of Pope Adrian I., who exhorts Charlemagne to imitate the liberality and revive the name of the great Constantine.1 Their effect was enormous in advanc iiS Romanism ami the Rcfoymulion. I I ing both tlic tcmiforal power and the ecclesiastical supremacy of the i)opcs. The donation of Con- stantinc founded the one, and the false decretals the other. The latter pretended to bo decrees of the early bishops of Rome limiting the indepen- dence of all archbishops and bishops by establish- ing a supreme furisdietion of the Roman see in all cases, and by forbidding national councils to be held without its consent. " Upon these spurious decretals." says Mr. Mallam in his "History of the Middle Ages," " was built the great fabric of Papal supremacy over the diffeicnt national Ciiurches -a fabric which has stood after its foundation crumbled beneath it, for no one has pretended to deny for the last two centuries that the imposture is too palpable for any but the most ignorant a-es to credit." '^ It is evident then that Romanism has fulfilled this part of the prophecy of the "man of sin," even him whose coming was to be after the work- ing of Satan with all power and signs and lying ivonders and all deceivableness of unrighteous^ ness. The power of the popes was built up on frauds and deceits of this character, and has been maintained over all the nations subject to it ever since by pretended miracles, spurious relics, lying wonders, and unrighteous deceits. And all these ^ Pavls Foreviezu of Roman. ;ni. 119 have been employed to oppose the gospel and establish falsehood. In considering the ecclesiastical aspect of Roniain'sm, we m -st never lose sight that it is the outcome and chmax of the predicted apostasy, whose features Paul describes in Timothy. VVc must close this lecture with a {^s^ remarks on the departure from the faith which occupies so prominent a place in that description. Some should "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, forbidding to marry, and com- manding to abstain from meats." The faith must of course here be taken in a broad sense, as in- cluding all the doctrines and commandments of the Christian religion. The apostasy was to be marked by a departure from this faith, by the teaching of false doctrines, and the inculcation of anti-scriptural practices. That Popery is com- pletely at variance with the Bible on all the important points of the faith of Christ may be safely asserted, and can be abundantly proved. We can select but a I'^.v, of the principal points. I. The Apostle Paul teaches that the Holy Scrip- tures are able to make us " wise unto salvation," that they are capable of rendering the man of Cxo'd " throughly furnished " ; and James speaks of the K>l It ' I 20 Romanism and the Rcfonnathm. ingrafted u-o»d of God as "able to save the soul " The true doctrine therefore fs that Scripture con- tains all that is necessary to salvation. What is the doctrine of Romanism on this point ? One of the articles of the Council of Trent asserts that not only should the Old a>id New Testaments be' received with reverence as the word of God, but also "the unwritten traditions which have come down to us. pertaining both to faith and manners, and preserved in the Catholic Church by continual succession." In considering this decree, and its fatal effects in exalting mere human traditions to the level of Divine revelation, one is reminded of the solemn words which close the Apocalypse: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that arc written in this book." Christ taught, on the contrary, that tradi- tion was to be rejected whenever it ;v'as opposed to Scripture. " Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition ^ " " I„ vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." "Laying aside the commandment of God, yc hold the tradition of men." " Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition." 2. Again. The Bible teaches us the duty of reading and searching the Scriptures. The Lord 4 Paurs Fonvicw of Romanism. 1 2 r Jesus Jlimsclf said. "Search the Scriptures" ; but Romanism forbids the general reading of Scripture, asscrtmg that such a use of the word of God hi the vulgar tongue causes more harm th;ui good, and that It must never be practised except by special permission in writing obtained from a priest. If atiy presume to read it without that, they are not to receive absolution, liookscllers who sell tlic l^'ble to any desiring to obtain it are to have penalties inflicted upon them, and no one is to purchase a ^3ible without special license from their superior. This is extended to receiving a gift of the Bible. 3. The true faith teaches us that every man is bound to judge for himself as to the meaning of Scripture. " Prove all things, hold fast that which »s good." " To the law and to the testimony • if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." But the Council of Trent decrees, that " no one confiding in his own judgment shall dare to wrest the sacred Scriptures to his own sense of them contrary to that which is held by holy mother Church, whose right it is to judge of the meaning." If any one disobeys this decree he is to be punished according to law. 4- Scripture teaches us most abundantly that Christ is the only head of the Church. God gave 122 Romanism aud the Reformation. \ \ H.m to be the head over .-.11 things to the Church, wh.ch ,sH,s body; but Romanism teaches that the pope ,s the head of the Church on earth "The pope is the head of all heads, and the prince moderator, and pastor of the whole Church of Christ, which is under him," says Benedict XIV ■ and the Douay catechism, taught in all Papal schools says, " He who is not in due connex.on and subordination to the pope must needs be dead, and cannot be counted a member of the Church. 5. Scripture teaches us that the wages of sin is death and^ ■• that whoever shall keep the law, and yet offend m one point, is guilty of all." " Cursed .s everyone that continueth not in all things wuich are wntten in the book of the law to do them." But 1 opery teaches that there are some sins which do not deserve the wrath and curse of God. and that ven,al sins do not bring spiritual death to the 6. The Bible teaches us that a man is justified by fa>th without the deeds of the law, and that >ve are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. But Popery denounces this doctrine. The Council of Trent asserted that whosoever should affirm that we are ■ ustified by the grace and favour of God was to Paul's Forevieio of Romanism. *ff 123 be accursed, and so all those who hold thatl^lva^ tion IS not by works but by grace. 7- Scripture teaches us to confess sin to God only "Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight." " Every one of us shall give account of himself to God " " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to for- give us our sins." But Romanism denies this, and says that sacramental confession to a priest is neces- sary to salvation, and that any one who should denounce the practice of secret confessions as con- trary to the institution and command of Christ and a mere human invention, is to be accursed. 8. Scripture teaches us, again, that God only can forgive sins, and that the minister's duty is simply to announce His forgiveness. "Repentance and remission of sins " was to be preached in His name among all nations. "God was in Christ, recon- cihng the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." He commanded us to preach to the people, that " through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins." The Council of Trent asserts, on the contrary, whosoever shall affirm that the priest', absolution is not a judicial act, but only a ministry to declare that the sins of the penitent are forgiven |i !"!_/'''''''''''"''' ^''^ ^^'' Reformation. or that the confession of the penitent is not necessary in order to obtain absolution from the priest, let him be accursed. 9. Scripture teaches us that no man is perfectly nghteous, and certainly that none can do more than his duty to God. " If we say we have no sin. wc deceive ourselves." " I„ Thy sight shall no man l-."g be justified." .. When ye shall have done a those things which are commanded you. say. VVe are unprofitable servants : we have done that which was our duty to do." The Council of Trent on the contrary, asserts that the good works of the' justified man, his fasts, alms, and penances, really deserve increase of grace and eternal life, and L:,at God IS willing, on account of His most pious servants, to forgive others. It teaches that a man may do more than is requisite, and may give the overplus of his good works to another. lo. Scripture teaches us that faith in Christ removes sin and its guilt. " that the Lamb of God taketh away the sin of the world." that by His death Christ put away our sins, that " the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." But Romanism teaches that the venial sins of believers have to be expiated by a purgatory after death, and that the prayers of the faithful can help them The Creed of Pope Pius IV. contains the clause: J •■I Panl's Forcview of Romanism. 125 " I constantly hold that there is a purgatory, and that the souls detained therein arc helped by the suffrages of the faithful." II. Scripture teaches us that "by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sancti- fied," that He was once offered to bear the sins of many. But Romanism asserts, on the contrary, that in each of the endlessly repeated masses in its innumerable churches all over the world there is offered to God "a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead." 12. Scripture, as we have already shown, teaches us that the marriage of the ministers of Christ is a lawful and honourable thing. Peter was a mar- ried man ; Paul asserts his liberty to marry, and says that a bishop must be the husband of one wife, having his children in subjection with all gravity, and that the deacons also must be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. Romanism, on the other hand, teaches "that the clergy may not marry, and that marriage is to them a pollution." 13. Scripture says, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." Barnabas and Paul with horror forbade the crowds to worship them, and the angel similarly forbade John, saying. " Sec thou do it not." Romanism 126 Romanism and the K./onnalum. enjoms he worship both of angels and saints and Unst are to be hononred and invoeatod ; they offer up prayers to God for us, and their relics are to be venerated." 14. The Bible again teaches that images are not o be worsh,pped. - Thou shalt not bow down to thera, nor serve then,." " I am the Lord ■ Mv glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven in.ages." Eut Romanism teaches her votancs to say, ■■ I most firmly assert, that the ■mages of Christ, and of the mother of God ever vng,n, and also of the other saints, are to be had and retained, and that due honour and veneration are to be given to them." 15. And above all, Scripture teaches us that there ,s one God, and one Mediator between God and man. the Man Christ Jesus, neither is there salvation in any other, liut Romanism teaches that there are other mediators in abundance be- sides Jesus Christ, that the Virgin Mary and the samts are such. "The saints reigning to.^ether with Christ offer prayers to God for us " " I must not go further, and contrast Bible and Romish teachings on the subject of tlie Lord's supper, extreme unction, and a multitude of other points, but may say, in one word, that there is not Paid's Forevicw of Romanism. 127 iier a doctrine of the gospel which has not been con- tradicted or distorted by this system, and that it stands branded before the world beyond all ques- tion as fulfilling Paul's prophecy of the apostasy- that it should be characterized by depart nye from the faith. Perhaps I cannot give you a better idea of the distinctive teachings of Romanism as to contro- verted points of doctrine, than by reading to you the Creed of Pope Pius IV. This creed was adopted at the famous Council of Trent, held in the sixteenth century, when the doctrine's of the Reformation were already widely diffused through Europe, and joyfully accepted and held by the young Protestant Churches of many lands. The Council of Trent was indeed Rome's reply to the Reformation. The newly recovered truths of the gospel were in its canons and decrees stigmatised as pestilent heresies, and all who held t'liem ac- cursed ; and in opposition to them this creed was prepared and adopted. It commences with the Nicene Creed, which is common to Romanists and Protestants ; but to this simple and ancient " form of sound words " it adds twelve new articles which are peculiar to Rome, and contain her definite rejection of the doctrines of Scripture recovered at the Reformation. i If ' ^ 28 Romanism and the Reformation. " i. I most firmly admit and embrace apostolical and eccles.ast.cal traditions, and all other consti- tutions and observances of the same Church "2. I also admit the sacred Scriptures according o he sense which the holy n.other Church has held and does hold, to whom it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Hdy Scnptures ; nor will I ever take or interpret them otherwise than according ^o the unanimous con- sent of the Fathers. "3. I profess also, that there are truly and properly seven sacraments of the new law, instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord, and for the salvation of mankmd. though all are not necessary for every one; namely, baptism, confirmation, eucharj penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony ' and that they confer grace ; and of these, baptism confirmation, and orders cannot be reiterated with- out sacrilege. "4. I also receive and admit the ceremonies ot he Catholic Church received and approved in the solemn administration of all the above said sacraments, "5- I receive and embrace all ami every cue at II.C tlunss rMch have been defined and dee/ared ,ntl,e n„,y Ccneil of Trent concerning crigina! sin <^nd justification. Pajil's Foreview of Romanism, 129 " 6. I profess likewise that in the mass is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the hving and the dead ; and that in the most holy sacrifice of the eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and that there is made a conversion of the whole sub- stance of the bread into the body and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood, which con- version the Catholic Church calls transubstantia- tion. "7. r confess also, that under either kind alone whole and entire Christ and a true sacrament are received. " 8. I constantly hold that there is a purgatory and that the souls detained therein are helped by the suffrages of the faithful. "9. Likewise that the saints reigning together with Christ are to be honoured and invocated • that they offer prayers to God for us ; and that their rehcs are to be venerated. "10. I most firmly assert that the images of Christ, and of the mother of God ever virgin, and also of the other saints, are to be had and retained and that due honour and veneration are to be given them. " H- I also affirm that the power of indtdgences K I30 Romamsm and the Rejormation. was left by Christ in the Church, and that the use of them is most wholesome to Christian people. "12. I acknowledge the holy catholic and apostolic Roman Church, the mother and mistress of all Churches ; and / />,vmise and sivcar true obedience to the Roman bishop, the successor of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles and vicar of fesns Christ. "13. I also profess and undoubtedly receive all other things delivered, defined, and declared by the sacred canons and general councils, and particularly by the lioly Council of Trent; and likewise I also condemn, reject, and anathematize all things contrary thereto, and all heresies whatsoever, con- demned. rejected, and anathematized by the Church. " This true catholic faith, out of which none can be saved, which I now freely profess, and truly hold, I, N., promise, vow, and swear most con- stantly to hold and profess the same whole and entire, with God's assistance, to the end of my life : and to procure, as far as lies in my power, that the' same shall be held, taught, and preached by all who are under me, or are entrusted to my care by virtue of my office. So help me God. and these' holy gospels of God." This Creed of Pope Pius IV. is the authoritative Paul's Forcviciu of Romanism. , -> i I'apal epitome of the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent. The importance of this council depends upon the considerations, that its records embody the solemn, formal, and official decision of the Church of Rome-which claims to be the one holy, catholic Church of Christ-upon all the leadmgr doctrines taught by the reformers • that its decrees upon all doctrinal points ... rcccLd by all Romanists as possessed of infallMe autl^ority ■ and that every Popish priest is sworn to receive profess, and maintain everything defined and de- dared by it.'' '^ •As an illustration of its reception and mainte nance m the present day by the infalHlde head of the Romish Church, and by the whole conclave of Roman Catholic bishops. I refer you to their action m the comparatively recent Council of the Vatican. See the almost incredible spectacle of 1S70 1 Sec those seven hundred bishops of the Church throughout the world gatliered in Rome at the hi^h a tar of St. Peter's. See them and hear them r i„ tins Romish boolc, entitled "The CImir of Peter" P- 497, IS a description of the scene. " The pon'o recited in a loud voice the profession a faith . ■^VV.^Cu...,»aH.„,K, D.D.: ..Hi3,orica, Thcolog,,' vol' 132 R.mauism and the Rcformaticu. t I ,'' I namely the creed of Nice and Constantinople, to- gcthcr with the definitions of the Council of Trent, called the Creed of Pope Pius IV. ; after which it was read aloud from the ambo by the Bishop of Fabriano ; ' then for two whole hours/ to use the words of one of the prelates present, 'the car- dinals, patriarchs, primates, archbishops, bishops, and other fathers of the council, made their adhe- sion to the same by kissing the Gospel at the throne of the head of the Church: A truly sublime spectacle, those seven hundred bishops from all parts of the earth, the representatives of more than thirty nations, and of two hundred millions of Christians, thus openly making profession of one common faith, in communion with the one and supreme pastor Ind teacher of all ! " Yes ; the Creed of Trent, the canons and dc- crees of Trent, the Creed of Pius IV, those twelve articles which Rome has added to the ancient Nicene Creed, the sacrifice of the mass, transub- stantiation, communion in one kind, the seven sacraments, traditions, Romish interpretation, Popish ceremonies, justification by works, purga- tory, invocation of saints, indulgences, the worship of images, the absolute supremacy ot the pope as the vicar of Christ, and no salvation out of union and communion with him, and submission to him ; Paul's Forevicw of Romanism. m they confessed and professed them all, and su^ adhesion to them, and kissed the holy Gospels in solemn token thereof before heaven and earth. O Creed of Pius-or Impious as he deserved rather to be called; O doctrines of Trent, "solemn formal, official " decision of the Church of Rome' upon all the great doctrines taught by the Re- formers, Rome's reply to the Refonmtion, her deli- berate fmal rejection and anathema of its blessed teachings and confessions drawn from the holy word of God ; O Creed of Trent and of the impious priest whose word supplants the N/ord of God with fables and blasphemies and lies : thou art the awful decision of apostate Latin Christen- dom on the controversy of ages, a decision to WHICH Rome must now unchangeablv ad- here, sealed, sealed as infallible, confessed to be irreformable ! O momentous fact! O fatal Creed of Trent ! thou art a millstone round the neck of the Roman pontiff, the cardinals, the archbishops, the bishops, the priests, the people of the whole Papal Church-a mighty millstone that must sink them in destruction and perdition ! There is no shaking thee off. Alas ! they have doomed themselves to wear thee; they have wedded and bound themselves to thy deadly lies • they have sealed, have sworn to thee as infallible' I( 5 I .,- 134 Romanism and the Reformat wu. and irrcformable, and condemned themselves to abide by tlicc for ever ! It is done. Rome's last ivord is spoken. Her fate is fixed, fixed by her own action, her own utterance, her own oatli. In- dividuals may escape, may flee the system ; but as a Church it is past recovery, and utterly beyond the reach of reformation. Oh that thousands might escape from it while yet there is time ! Oh that t!icy would hear the earnest, the urgent call, " Come out of her, My people " I Oh that they would wake from their blind and abject submission to the tyranny of hypocrites while there is room for repentance ! And now, in conclusion. We have shown briefly but clearly that Romanism is the offspring of a mystery of iniquity which began to work in apostolic times ; that it is characterized by hypo- crisy, by asceticism, by the prohibition of meats and marriage, by superstition and idolatry, by the worship of relics and images, of saints and angels, by the multiplication of mediators, by false miracles, by lying signs and wonders, and by doctrines and decrees antagonistic to the teachings and com- mands of Christ. We have shown that the Papal pontiffs have exalted themselves above all bishops, and above all kings, tliL: they have fabricated new articles of faith and new rules of discipline • Pau/'s Forcvieio oj Romanism. 135 that they have altered the terms of salvation ; that they have sold the pardon of sins for money, and bartered the priceless -ifts of grace for selfish gain ; that they have bound their deadly doctrines on the souls of countless millions by monstrous tyrannical threats and denunciations; that they have pertinaciously rejected the light of truth ; that they have resolutely and wrathfully resisted those who have rebuked their impiety ; that they have thundered against them their bulls and inter- diets, their excommunications and anathemas; that they have made war with them, and witli the faithful saints of many ages, and 1 revailed against them, and worn them out with long and cruel persecutions, with infamous and inhuman massacres ; that they have waged against them no less than a zvar of cvUnnimtioii, wielding in this the whole strength and machinery of the resistless Roman empire, as well as the spiritual forces of the apostate Christian Church ; that ivith the mighty zvor/cing of Satau, with all power, signs, and miracles of falsehood they have OProSEU Christ, have opposed His doctrines, His pre- cepts, His people, and His cause, and in opposing Christ have OPPOSED God Himself, and made war with Him who is the Lord of heaven and earth, and have uttered against Him their dar- J 4 136 Romanism and the Reformation. ing prohibitions and anathemas ; that ^^y have enthroned themselves in His holy temple, and trampled on His sacred laws, and trodden down His saints and servants, and arrogated to them- selves His place, and power, and prerogatives ; and while perpetrating acts of enormous and indescribable wickedness have blasphemously claimed to be His sole representatives both in the Church and in the world, to be inspired by His Spirit, to be infallible in their teachings and decrees, to be Vice-Christs, to be Vice-Gods-in other words, to be as Christ, and as God Himself visibly revealed upon the earth. We have further shown that prophets and ^•?osW^s foresaiv and foretold the rise, reign, and doom of such a great apostate power, describing it as a -little horn" of the fourth or Roman empire, possessed of intelligence and oversight, having a mouth speaking great things and blas- phemies ; a power both political and ecclesiastical; a Roman ruler, yet an overseer in the Christian' Church ; a power arising on the break up of the old Roman empire, and co-existing with the kin-s of its divided Gothic state ; a power inspired by Satan, and prevailing by means of false miracles and lying wonders ; a power springing from a "mystery of iniquity" and characterized by all i Pmil's Foreviezo of Romanism. J 137 deceiyableness of unrighteousness ; a lawless, self- exalting power, claiming Divine prerogatives, and receiving from deluded millions the submission and homage which should be rendered to God alone ; a power characterized by exceeding per- sonal sinfulness, and by the widespread promotion of sin in others; above all, a />erseaai)i^ power, a P wer making war with the saints, and wearing them out, and prevailing against them throughou^t Its long career of proud usurpation and triumphant tyranny. These inspired words of prophecy and those indisputable facts of history a^.ee. The Roman Papacy is revea/ed by the far-reaching light of the divinely written word. Its portrait is painted ; Its mystery is penetrated ; its character, its deeds are drawn; its thousand veils and subterfuges are torn away. The unsparing hand of inspiration has stripped it, and left it standing upon the stage of history deformed and naked, a dark emanation from the pit, blood-stained and blasphemous, blindly struggling in the concentrated rays of celestial recognition, amid the premonitory thun- ders and lightnings of its fast approaching doom. v LECTURE IV. /OI/N'S FOREVIEW OF ROMANISM. J N the three preceding lectures we considered first the roLiTiCAL character and relations of Romanism, as prefigured in the prophecies of Daniel ; and next its ecclesiastical character and relations, as predicted in the epistles of Paul. We have now to consider the combination of thee tivo aspects, or the politico-ecclesiastical character of Romanism, as presented in the pro- phecies of John. The Apocalypse, or " Revelation of Jesus Christ," is an advance on all other prophecies. It gives the complete story of Christ's kingdom, exhiWting it both from an external and an internal point of view, and unveiling its political as well as its ecc'esiastical history. In its faithful reflection of the future it gives central prominence to the Roman power and apostasy. On this subject it enters into detail, and exhibits the mutual relations of the Latin Church and Roman State, using rc;///- '38 1 <« I r: Johii'^ Forevietu of Romanism. 139 posite figures for this purpose,-.figurcs one part of which represent the political aspert of Romanism as a temporal government, and the other its religious aspect as an ecclesiastical system. Two great foreviews of Romanism are given in the Apocalypse : that concerning its rise and reign in chapter xiii., and that relating to its decline and fall in chapters xvii.-xix. Both of these prophecies are donhlc. The first is the prophecy of " the beast " and the " false pro- phet " ; the second is that of " the beast " and the "harlct." The false prc^^het acts for "the beast," the harlot rides upon " the bcast.'^ In each case there are two powers, perfectly distinct yet closely connected. The " beast " and " false prophet " can neither be confounded nor separated. Similarly, the " beast " and " harlot " arc associated. The beast carries the harlot during all i°r long career of crime and cruelty, and they both come to uieir ruin in the same judgment era of the vials of God's righteous wrath which terminate the present dis- pensation. Before considering the interpretation of these wonderful Apocalyptic visions, it will be necessary to devote a i^x^ moments to the relation which exists between the prophecies cf Daniel and those of John. We are exhibiting the prophecies I*; III n 140 ^omamsm and the Reformation: of Romani.m as a whole, and \n order to U^sTt'Ts' necessary, to trace the simple yet profound con- nexion between the foreview granted to the Jewish prophet in l^abylon in the days of Nebuchadnezzar and 3elsha.zar, and that given to the Christian apostle inPatmos, in the days of Domitian. Tiie prophecies of Daniel and the book- of Ivevelation may be considered as two parts of a s.ngle prophecy; their subject is the same, and the.r symbols are the same. They reveal the course of cruel, idolatrous Gentile empires, fol- lowed by the eternal kingdom of God ; and in domg this they employ the same symbols. Daniel revealed the fou> empires; John the /..;./, ontj, or the first three had in his time passed away, l^abylon. Persia. Greece had fallen; but Rome was still in the zenith of its greatness, destined to endure for many ages, and to rule, even to our own day. a large section of the human race lo John therefore was shown with considerable fulness, the future of the Roman power. The Apocalypse contains a marvellous foreview ot ^>e r^se, reign, deelinc, and fall of the Roman Papacy, of the sufferings and triumphs of the samts of God during its continuance, and their enthronement at its close. The Roman empire is presented to Daniel and R \ Johns ForevieKi of Rommiism. 141 to John under one and the same striki^r^d special symbol, a ten-homed zvild beast. Daniel saw the Medo-Pcrsian empire as a two-horned ram, one horn being; higher than the other (Dan. viii. 3).' He saw tlic Grecian empire ^^ a fonr-horncd roat (Dan. viii. 8-22) ; and he saw the Roman empire as a ten-horned tviid beast. Thus these three great empires as seen by Daniel were two-horned, four- horned, ten-horned This is remarkable and easy to be remembered. Now Daniel's ten-horned beast reaf/^ears in the Apocalypse. Here we have an important link between the Old Testament and the New. and a clue to the meaning of the last book of Scripture. Let us try to be clear on this point. Th.c four wild beasts represent Babylon, Persia, Greece, Pome. The fourth is ten-horned. This ten-horned beast of Daniel reappears in the Apocalypse, the divinely given symbol of the fourth and final earthly empire You see it in chapters xii.. xiii,, and xvii. of the bock of Revelation. Compare now the passages First, Daniel vii. 7 : " I saw in the night visions and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible' and strong exceedingly; and it had ten horns" Next, Revelation xii. 3: "A great red dragon having ten horns." Revelation xiii. i : « I saw a beast rise up out of the sea. having ten horns" i :i 142 Komanism and the Kcjonuation. Lastly, Revelation xvii. 3; <'A scarlet coloi^ beast, Iiavin-r ten /lonisy It is universally admitted that this fourth, or tcn-horncd beast, represents the Roman empire. The angel himself .so interprets it. I want you particularly to notice the fact that we arc not left to sfcnihuc about the meaning of these symbols ; that the all-wise God who selected them, and gave them to us, lias condescended to give us t/!cir intcrprctatiou. All these principal visions arc divmcly interpreted. First, as to the vision of tiic fourfold image there is an inspired interpretation of a most detailed character. You remember the words with which it begins, "This is the dream, and we will tell the i>itcrp,rtation thereof before the king." Then in the vision of the four wild beasts there IS the interpretation beginning thus, "So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the thmgs." So uith the vision of the second and thu-d empires in Daniel viii., there is the interprc- tat.on. Daniel says: "I h^ard a man's voice . . . which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision," and so forth. The same method is followed in the Apocalypse The opening vision of the seven candlesticks is interpreted. You remember the words, "The f^^^f''^'^ -Porcviczu of Romanism. 143 seven candlesticks which thou sawcst arc thTTc'vi^ Churclics." And similarly, the vision of the woman seated on tiie scven-licaded, ten-horned beast, in chapter xvii., is interpreted : every part of it i« interpreted. Oixservc the an-el's words: "I will tcll^thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth iier, which hath the seven heads and ten horns." Mark in your Bibles, if you will, these four sentences in the angelic interpre- tation : " The beast which thou sawcst." " The ten horns which thou sawcst." The waters which thou sawest." " The woman wliich thou sawcst." These four sentences arc the key to the Apo- calypsc. The beast, the horns, the waters, the woman are all interpreted; and their interpretation involves, or carries in it, the interpretation of the Apocalypse. The seven heads of the beast arc also interpreted, and so interpreted as to tie down the symbol to the Roman empire. For the angcl mentions an important note of time ; he says of the seven heads, " five are fallen, and ONE is, and the other is not yet come." The heads of' this beast then, when the vision was revealed, were past, present, and future ; five were past, the sixth then existed, the scvcntii was not yet come. This i 144 Romanism and the Reformation. If ! demonstrates the power in question to be the Roman empire. The then reigning power in John's day was symboh'zed by the sixth head of a seven-headed beast. This is certain. And the then reigning power was that of the Caesars of pagan Rome. This is equally certain. Therefore the Roman Caesars were represented by the sixth head of the symbolic beast. Now, to make assu- ranee doubly sure, mark the closing sentence in . the angelic interpretation: "The woman which' thou sawest is that city which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Note the words, "which reigneth" (^ ^i^ovaa ^aacKeiav), or as it is in Latin, "giice kabet regmimr The words in the Vulgate are, " Et mulier quam vidisti, est civitas magna, quffi habet regmim super reges terras"; " and the woman which thou sawest is the great city which has (or holds) the kingdom (or govern- ment) over the kings of the earth." The great city " which reigneth," not which did reign, nor which j//^// reign, but "which reigneth'^ or was actually reigning then. What great city was reigning then over the kings of the earth .' Rome, and none other. Rome then is the power which is signified. We have now got the key to the Apocalypse ; we are no longer lost in a crowd of uninterpreted symbols. The beasts of Daniel and John arc ___Joh^Foycview of Romanism. ,45 empires. The- tc-hornld^^^coirirTheToraan power Thi,, beast appears three times i„ the Apocalypse ; it is expounded by the angel This -pounded symbol is the hey to the' entir prophecy. unto a leonicl -L i V ' ^ '^^" ^^^^ ^'^e a icopara, .md his feet were .1=; tlio „f r and his i^outh as the mouth of n 1 ? "^ '''^''■' .n. great th.ngs and blasphemies; and power vs^e'" unto han to continue forty and two months And T opened h.s mouth in blasphemy against God to blalL Heaven. And it was given unto him to make w-ir wi.h Jt saints, and to overcome them: and power ^.f/'' over all kindreds, and tongues, and n'tio^s. And al t t dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose n.^' not written in the book of life of th. T . k , '"■' foundation of the world." '"' '^''" '^^"^ ^^« The head is tlie governing power in the body The heads of this beast represent successive Sovcrnments. Mark the ^^ deadly u'ound^^ inflicted h III! 146 Romanism and the Reformation. on t!ic last of its seven heads, and the marvellous healing of that wound, or the revival of the slain head or government, then maric the tyrannical and dreadful doiiii^-s of this revived or eighth head. It becomes a great and terrible enemy of God's people, a I^om an enemy— not m\ early Roman enemy, not a pagan Cix;sar, not a Nero or a Domitian, but one occupying a later place, a final place; for none succeeds him in that empire, sihcc it is foretold that his destruction will be accomplished at the advent of Christ in I lis kingdom. A comparison of this Roman enemy of God's people described by John with the " little horn " foreshown by Daniel, demonstrates the important fact of their ictentitf. They are one and the same. Observe the following points : I. The persecuting horn seen by Daniel is a horn of the Roman empire ; it is a Roman horn. And the persecuting head seen by John is a head of the Roman beast. In this they arc alike. Each is Roman. II. The persecuting horn grows up in the later, or divided state of the Roman empire ; it rises among the ten Gothic horns. The persecuting head seen by John also grows up in the same later state of the Roman empire, for it follows the , i __^^ John's Fonviau of Romanism. 1 4 7 seven heads, and is the 'last. ' Th7^~;,i, by the angel to be in existence in Johns lime and the seventh was to last only a short season.-' be wounded to death, and then revived in a new and final and peculiarly tyrannical and persecuting^ form. The " little horn " in Daniel belongs to the later ten-horned, or Gothic, period of the Roman empire ; and the revived head of the empire seen by John belongs to the same period. You will note this point-their period is the same. This IS a second mark of their identity. III. Kach has a mouth. Now here is a very distinct and remarkable feature. The other horns and heads were dumb ; but this spca/cs. Of the persecuting Roman horn we read in Daniel, it had " a mouth " ; and of the persecuting Roman head wc read in John, " there was given unto him a mouth." IV. In each case this mouth speaks the same things. Of the mouth of the Roman horn Daniel says, m chapter vii., "it spake great things" {v 8) "the great words which the horn spake " (., u) "very great things" (., 30), "great words against' the Most High" (,,.5). While of the Roman head m the Apocalypse John says: "There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. ... And he opened his 14S Romanism and the Rcfonnation. mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (Rev. xiii. 6). The horn speaks ; the head speaks : each speaks great things ; each speaks blasphemies. This striking correspondence is a further indication of their identity. Each has a^o^la XaXovp fieydXa (Dan. vii. 8). (TTOfxa XaXovu fxeydXa {Rev. xiii. 5). The expression is exactly the same in the Sep- tuagint translation of Daniel and in the Apo- calypse. V. The /lont has great dominion. It plucks up three horns ; it has " a look more stout than his fellows" (t;. 20), it makes war and prevails; its great "dominion" is eventually taken away and destroyed : " they shall take away his dominion " (t'. 26). Similarly the head has great dominion; "power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations." The application of these words should not be pressed beyond the sphere to which they belong. In that sphere, for a certain period, the power of the horn or head was to be supreme and universal. In the fact of their dominion they are alike. VI. Each makes ivar with the saints: each is terrible as a pasecuior of God's people. Daniel ton. jlasphcmc that dwell caks ; the gs ; each spondence Each has !). 5). the Scp- :he Apo- )liiclverccrne them " (Rev. xiii. 7) ; " He shall make V , against them, and shall overcome them and kill them " (Rev. xi. 7). John describes the method of this warfare, in what way and for what reason the "saints" or "martyrs of Jesus " "should be killed" (Rev. xiii. 15) ; and it is of these martyrs the voice from heaven says. "Blessed arc the dead which die in the Lord from hence- forth : yea. saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours ; and their works do follow them » (Rev. xiv. 13). In their persecution of the saints Daniel's "horn" and John's revived "head" are alike. ■ VII. The duration of each is the same. This too is a noteworthy feature. The duration of the persecuting horn is mystically stated in Daniel as " time, times, and the dividing of time." or three and a half times (Dan. vii. 25). And the duration of the persecuting head in the Apocalypse is stated to be forty-two months. " Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months" (Rev. I50 Romanism and the Reformation. xiii. 5). And these are the same period. This will appear from a comparison of the seven passa^^es in which this period occurs in Daniel and the Apocalypse ; in these it is called 1,260 days, forty- two months, and three and a half times. Now 1,260 days are forty-two months, and forty-two months are tJ .ee and a half years. What these symbolic periods represent is another question • our point here is their identity. The persecuting hoia and persecuting head are exactly the same m their duration. This is another proof of the sameness of the reality they represent. VIII. They ^;/^ in the same ma,i,icr and at the same time. TJiis completes the evidence of their Identity. The persecuting horn is slain by the Ancient of days revealed in judgment, and the glory of His kingdom (Dan. vii, 9-11, 22) The persecuting /^ead is slain by the "King of kin^^s and Lord of lords " revealed in that judgment in which He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. The judgment is the same (Rev. xix. 11, 20). The "little horn" and iv.ived "head " then arc alike in place, time character, authority, persecuting action, duration' and doom. They arise at the same point; they last the same period ; they do the same deeds • they come to their end at the same moment, and fohns Fonview of Rovtanism. 1 5 1 by the same revelation of Christ in the glory of His kingdom. They cannot prefigure two powers absolutely alike in all the=c respects; but one and the same. Even the Church of Rome admits their identity. It teaches that both arc symbols of the same great persecuting power. The way is now clear to consider the intcrpre- tation of this prophecy. It is indeed determined already by this very identification. The little horn of Daniel prefigures, as we have proved before, the Papacy of Rome. So then docs this revived head. We will examine briefly the evi- denccs which sustain this conclusion ; but as we have already sketched the history, we need not dwell at any length on the different points. We will take the prophetic features in the order in which we have already presented them, considering first the facts relating to the rise, and then those concerning the reign, of the power in question. ■First then as to its rise. The predicted head rises from the Roman empire. It is therefore Roman. So is the Papacy. We have called the system which owns the pope as head Romanism, because its seat is the seven-hilled city. Secondly, the predicted persecuting power grows up in the seeond stage of Roman history. It is the seventh or last head of the old empire revived I i I. U h 'JL iii '^~_^^'''^"'f^^^ file Reformat ion. Now this fs the exac77oTi;~7^;7;;^; Ihc lapacy bcton^s to the second or Christian ^ta,c of the Roman cn,pi.-o. It ^.-e. up a.non, 'ts Gotlnc horns or kingdoms. It uas the rcvhal of a poucr which had boon slain. Wlicn the pagan empire was overthrown tlie Papal rose in 'ts place. Fi,st the C.x-sars ruled in Rome, then tl>e popes. The Goths overthrew the Roman '^|''Pi.c in the nrth century ; Romuh.s Augustuh.s abdicated the imperial dig,n-ty in a.d. 476 This was the "deadly wound" of the seventh head'. I'rom that date the Papacy grew with freedom, ^.-ew up among the Gothic horns or kingdoms, ^ote th.s feature-the Papacy belongs to the second or Christian stage of the Rom;n empire it was a horn among the Gothic Jiorns. It was a revived head. The power of the C.x>sars Jived agani ,n the universal dominion of the popes nio T'apacy was small at its beginning, but S'-ew to great dominion ; it exercised as wide a sway as the Ca:sars it succeeded ; all Europe submitted to its rule; it claimed, and still claims a power without a rival or a limit. Ilallam, as we have already remarked, says of the thirteenth century, the noonday of Papal power: ^' Rome in- spn-cd durhg this age all the tnror of her ancient name. She was once more mistress of the zvorld JoJin<^ Forroiau of Rovianism. 153 and /vV/.-v rc-r;r Iter vassahr ' Remember the proud title taken by tlic popc^, rrcfor or/>is—ru\cv of the world. In this also tlic Papacy fulfds the prophecy. Observe, s,Yom//f, that extraordinary feature both in Daniel and the Apocalypse, the wcwt/i of this power. ]5oth tlic !mrn. in Daniel, p.nd the Jioad, in John, lias a mouth, aro/xa XaXoDv ^eydXa - "a mouth speaking j^rcat things." 'J'Jiis feature is marvellously fulfilled in 'the Papacy. What a mouth has that Latin ruler! What a talker! what a teacher ! what a tiuindcrer ! How has he boasted himself and magnified himself, and excommunicated and anathematized all who have resisted him ? Has the world ever seen his equal in this respect? All the Gothic kings were his lumible servants. He was, by his own account, and is, the representative of Christ, of God, ruler of the world, armed with all the powers of Christ in heaven, earth, and hell. He is infallible; his decrees are irreformable. A mouth indeed is his, a mouth speaking great things ! Notice, in the third place, his warring with the saints. In the Apocalypse we read, " It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to ' IlALi.AM : "History of the Middle Ages," Fourth Edit., p. 300. ' M' ■. I ;i;: ! m 4 iJ,4^Iio„!a„hm ai,^ ll,c KeJo,;,mt,on. "vcrco,„o then." I „,„ not "do7r,or7h";;;,:^,; rcm,nd you of the foct that, tcWbly .., ,I,e saints .su^ccc uncle- ,1,0 C.xsars of pagan Rome, they ..rrcrcci far „,o,e tenibiy and far longer under 1 apal ..ome. Let the massacres „f the Albi- senses, the Wddenses, the Hussites, the I.oliards, .c „,assacres in Jlolland and the Netherlands, he .nassaere of St. Bartl,olon,ew, the massacre in IreIa,Kl ,n ,64,, the tortures of the Inquisition, tlu: fires of the stake kindled over and over i„ every country i„ ICurope-Ict these speak and testify to the fulnhnent of prophecy. Yes ■ the l'..pacy has made war with the saints, and over- come them, and worn then, out, and would have totally crushed and an„ihilat«l them, but for the susta,ning hand and ,-eviving power of God, I„ .ts prolonged, cruel, and universal persecution of the sa,nts, the Papacy has fulfilled this solemn propliccy. Notice, in the/,,,,-//, place, the predicted duy„,!„n of th,s pc-secuting powe,-. JXaniel n,ysteriously announces its duration as tluee and a half times Joh,, as forty-two months. The symbolical nature of the prophecy, as well as the vastness of the subject, forbid us to take these times iUcrMy. -f^s the beast i.s symbolic nnrl ifc „ • , , yiueuc, and Its various parts symbolic, so the ncifdrl r.r Jt . . pciioci ol it.s persecuting licad I /ohus Forevicw of Romanism. \ ^55 is sy.nbolic. You f.nd this period mentioned seven times over in iJaniel and Revelation, and called 1.260 days, forty-two months, and also three and a half "times.- These are. as we have said, the .same period. Calculate for yourself, and you will find it so. Now. both in the hnv and prophets a day ,s used as the .symbol of a year. Moses' I'^/xk.cI. Daniel use it thus. The seventy weeks' of Daniel, or 490 days to Messiah, were fulfilled as 490 years ; that i.s, they were fulfilled on the year-day seale. On this scale the forty-two month.s. or 1,260 day.s. are 1,260 years. We ask tlicn. Has the Papacy endured this period > An examination of the facts of history will show that ^t has. l-rom the era of its rise in the sixth century, at the notable decree of the emperor Jnstuuan, constituting the ]Jishop of Rome nead of all the Churches in Christendom, a.d. 533 i ogo years extended to 1793, the date of the tr'cmcn- dous Papal overthrow \^, the French Revolution. Here wc have a fact of great importance. xVotc It well. To this we add the further fact, that from the analogous decree of the emperor Phocas. con- firming the headship of the pope over Cliristendom m the year 607. 1,260 years extended to 1^66-7 the initial date of the recent remarkable overthrow of Papal governments which culminated in the ^^ m ^ ; Hiife f: 'je^^mtmism and tlic R,/o,-malm>. lo.sr, of tl,o popes i^mr>orA~I^lZ:;^'^ ~ '.at vcar .he P..,cy .ss,a..ed .he hfehcst Lalta. ■on .0 .vh,ch ,t could aspire, .ha of hfal Mi,,, -d los. .„e .e,.,,o,.i «„.ere;.„.y, which it ha ,' . d for n,o,e .ha„ a .„,,,.a„d yea,.. Thus .he P.cd.c,cd per,od has i,ecn fuh,;i.d. What an -,de„c=isthis! The Papacy has fulfilled t '."Phecy, not only i„ ;., geosraphieal and his- "■■cal p„s,„on, its ,no,al eharacte,; its political ::!:':\'^'.^^''.''^-->'--'on^."-y'.nn;:: ".-r, but ,„ „s very ./.,,,,„/.£,,_;„ .he point o .ts r,se, the period of its duration, the era of ■ts declme, the crisis of its overthrow fact that the Papacy is a r«„A.,, ^„„,„. ,„j ^^. qu.res co,„pU. s,,„M, f„ ,,, p,,fi^„„„„.„„ both a. .„,/„. and an ..<■/„/,„„,„, p„,, ^„^ ^ ecc es,ast,cal power has arrogated to itself t e ng ht to create the secular, or endow it with Divine au hor,ty, and has also wielded the energies of the^secular power in pursuance of its own unholy Revela.ion xiii. represents bo.b these organi^a- .ons as "beasts." The one is represented as a ''""""'• "■' °""=^ »^ ^ '--- ■'-/ beast. The ormernses, as does each of ... ..easts of Daniel "-" '"= -"'■ "- '^'-^ >«. fron, ,he .J' Johns Foreview of Romanism. 157 The one springs up in storm, the other in still- ness. Striving and warring winds attend the birth of the one; the other grows up quietly from a low, terrestrial origin, like an ivy plant or a noxious, eartli-born weed. The ten horns of the one are strong iron kingdoms ; the two Iiorns of the other are gentle and lamb-like. The two beasts stand side by side ; they act together in everything. The earth-born beast is the " prophet " of the sea-born beast, and he is a "false prophet." He compels subjection to the secular power, especially to its new head, that head which had been slain and licaled. He establishes an idolatrous worship of that head, or a submission to it as Divine in authority. He " exercises " all the power of the ten-horned beast in his warfare against the saints and servants of God. He works false miracles, and accomplishes lying wonders, and even brings down fire upon earth in imitation of the prophets of the Lord ; that is, he causes nidgmcnts to descend on those who resist. He uses the instrument of excommunication, a weapon of celestial authority, and wields it with terrible effect. He lays kingdoms under interdicts, and nations under anathemas. He makes idolatry compulsory, delivering to the secular arm all who refuse to render it, that they may be //// to death. iS^^anism ami the Reformation. He prohibits all ^^'^x^^x^^^^^^'^^^^^^;^,. all traffic and communion with them. He allows nonc^ to buy from them, and none to sell to them He institutes the system which is now called "%.' cotUn,r^^ a system of persecution which was freely Wielded by the Topish priesthood in the middle ages and is still employed, as we know, in certain ■rapal lands. How could the mutual relations of the political and ecclesiastical powers in the apostate Roman empire be better represented than by these wonder- ful symbols? Here are a ...;W^ and .priest- hood m close, nefarious association ; the priesthood anomts the monarchy, serves it, uses it. Together they rule, and together they persecute. No symbol can represent everything, no par.ble can corre- spond ,n all respects with the reality it depicts. Itis surely enough if the principal features and primary relations are exhibited in the symbol, or jeflected by the parable. This is just what is done m the apocalyptic prophecy. Look at the facts. Tne Papacy has been a political power for more than a thousand years. The popes of Rome have been secular monarchs. They have possessed territories, levied taxes, laid down laws, owned armies, made wars. The Papal monarchy has been for ages an integral fart of the Roman empire. fohns Forevicio of Romamsm. 159 Tlic Papacy has also km a sacerdotal poivcr, and IS so still. While its temporal government has fallen, its spiritual remains. Further, the Papacy IS served by an extensive sacerdotal organization, embracing about a thousand bishops and half a million of priests. This organization controls the convictions and actions of tivo hundred millions of persons, belonging to more than thirty nations. If the best symbol to represent the Roman empire with its rulers be a ten-horned beast, what better symbol to represent the Papal hierarchy tl: in a two-horned beast, whose horns arc like those c a lamb, while it has the voice of a dragon > And what better name for that hierarchy could be found than the "false prophet"? Does it not pretend to utter the messages of heaven > And as Moses and Elijah called down the fire of God's judgments on the enemies of Israel, has not this hierarchy brought down again and again, in the estimation of millions, the judgments of God on thos. whr- have resisted its will, whether individuals or nations? Has not this been one of its most tremendous and irresistible weapons.? Read the history of the middle ages and of the sixteenth century. What nation in Europe has not been laid from time to time under Papal interdicts, and compelled by these means to submit to the deci- iiii m <^:-^m- f 1 60 Romanism and the Reformat ion. sions of the Roman pontiff? And has not the priesthood '..J ^..u the mithor and instigator of a wliolesale system of idolatry and persecution ? Has it not employed the power of the State in en- forcing idolatry, and cruelly persecuted to death millions of the faithful who would not bow the knee to the modern Baal ? In all this history only too faithfully corresponds to prophecy. Deep calls to deep, and the utterances of inspiration are caught u;> and echoed by the experience of generations. The voices of the prophets come back in thunder from the course of ages, and the proof that God has spoken reverberates through- out the world. Having briefly considered John's prophecy con- cerning the rise and reign of the Papal power, we have now j glance at his prediction of its fall anduvertJiroiv. This you will find in Revelation xvii.-xix. We have not time to read these chapters now; you are Joubtlcss familiar with them, and will do well to study them carefully and thoroughly. They contain the second com- plex or d ^catc prophecy concerning Romanism —the ca r ; 1 judgment of "Babylon the Great." In this prophecy John beholds the ten-horned r.K AST representing the Roman empire bearing a Johns Foreview of Ruinauism. i6i mystical woman, dressed fn purple and scarlet, decked with gold, precious stones, and pearls ; a harlot, and the mother of harlots and abomina- tions, the nriiilty paramour of kin-s, the cruel persecutor of saints ; intoxicated, but not with wine-drunken with the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus. What a vision! whal a prophecy ! ^ You remember the an-el's interpretation of this vision : " The woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth." We showed that that city was Rome, indisputably Rome. That Babylon the Great means Rome is admitted by Romanists them- selves. Cardinal Bellarmine says that "Rome is signified in the Apocalypse by the name of Baby/on." Cardinal Baronius admits that '' all persons confess that Rome is denoted by the name of Babylon in the Apocalyps of fohn." Bossuet jserv( ;: that " the features are so marked, that it is ,asy w decipho Rome under the figure of Babylon " {Rome sous la figure de Babylone). But, while admitting that Babylon the Great, seated on the seven hills'] means Rome, Papal interpreters assert that it means heathen Rome, and not Christian Rome- the Rome of the Caesars, and not that of the popes. In reply to thio, we answer, //v/, that the name M If \i nm 1 : 162 Romanism and the Reformation. upon the harlot's brow is " mystery;' and that heathen Rome was no mystery. The true char- acter of heathen Rome was never concealed. On the other hand, Christian Rome is a " mystery " ; it is not what it seems. In profession, it is Divine; in character, satanic. We say, in the second place, that there is a marked and intentional contrast in the Apocalypse between the two cities Babylon and Jerusalem, which is overlooked by the Papal interpretation. Babylon, in the Apocalypse, is a city and a harlot ; Jerusalem, in the same book, is a city and a bride. The former is the corrupt associate of earthly kings ; the latter, the chaste bride of the heavenly Kin^;. But the latter is a Church; the former then is no mere heathen metropolis. The contrast is between Church and Church ; the faithful Church and the apostate Church. In the /■/«■/?/ place, we point to the fact that the judgment described in Revelation xviii. falls on Babylon ivhcn her sins had reached to heaven ; that is, in the darkest part of her career. But when Alaric destroyed Rome in A.D. 410 that city had improved, it had become Christian ; it was purified at that time from its pagan idolatries. Nor had it then sunk into the darkness of the Papacy. It was not in the fifth century that Rome reached f'^/^'l^ Fonvieio of Romanism. 163 the utmost height of her iniquity. The cai^u^'c of the city by the soldiers of Alaric, when it was neither pagan nor Papal, could not have been the judgment here foretold. In i\\c fourth place, we point to the fact that the destruction of Babylon foretold in the Apocalypse IS Mai and final ; as a great "mill-stone" she is plunged into the deep ; there is no recovery. This cannot refer to the mere burni.ig of Rome in A.D. 410. for that event was speedily followed by the complete restoration of the city. When the Baby- Ion of Revelation xviii. falls the smoke of its burn- ing goes up for ever ; it is found no more at all. In the ffli place, we point to the fact that the foretold destruction of Babylon is accomplished by the horns or governments ^ohich zvere previously subject to her rule. Wc freely admit that the Goths destroyed ancient Rome, but the Goths were not previously subject to Rome. The Gothic nations did not first submit to Rome obediently and then cast lier c ff, and rend, and trample, and destroy her. Ml this however these nations did in the case of Papal Rome. For centuries they were subject to her sway ; then they cast her off. Look at the French Revolution ; see the deeds of France. Look at Italy in 1S70. See the Conti- ncnt to-duy. I! n fl ' s I I 164 Romanism and ihe Reformation. i In the sixth place, we point to the fact that the foretold destruction of Babylon is immediately to be followed by " the marriage of the Lamb." This is clearly foretold in Revelation xix. But the cap- ture of Rome by Alaric was not followed by that event. Alaric captured Rome fifteen centuries ago, while the marriage of the Lamb is still future. This utterly excludes the notion that the destruc- tion of Rome by Alaric is the judgment intended, and that Babylon the Great represents pagan Rome. And as Babylon the Great does not represent Rome pagan, it must represent Rome Papal ; there is no other alternative. Nou', in conclusion, read this wonderful pro- phecy concerning " Babylon the Great " in the clear and all-revealing light of history. I ask those of you who have read the history of the last eighteen centuries, did net Rome Christian become a har- lot > Did not Papal Rome ally itself with the kings of the earth ? Did it not glorify itself to be as a queen, and call itself the Mistress of the World ? Did it not ride upon the body of the beast, or fourth empire, and govern its actions for centuries >. Did not Papal Rome array itself in purple and scarlet, and deck itself ,vith gold and precious stones and pearls } Is not this its attire still ? We appeal to facts. Go to the churches t a .M^'''^ ^oreview of Romanism. 165 and see. Look at the priests ; look at thT^a^. daials ; look at the popes ; look at the purple robes they wear ; look at their scarlet robes ; see the encrusted jewels ; look at the luxurious palaces m whicli they live ; look at the eleven thousand Halls and chambers in the Vatican, and the un- bounded wealth and glory gathered there ; look at the gorgeous spectacles in St. Peter's at Rome, casting even the magnificence of royalty into the shade. Go and see these things, or read the testi- mony of those who have seen them. Shamolesslv Rome wears the very raiment, the very hues and colours, portrayed on the pages of inspired oro- phecy. You may know the harlot by her attire, as certainly as by the name upon her brow. But to come to the darkest feature. Has not the Church of Rome drunk most abundantly the precious biood of saints and martyrs > We appeal to facts. What of the Albigenscs in the thirteenth century.? What of the Waldenses from the thirteenth century on to the time of Cromwell and the commonwealth.? You have not forgotten Milton's poem about them, those memorable lines. And what of the persecutions of Protestants in France, those dreadful persecutions mercilessly continued for more than three hundred years? What of the massrcrc of St. Bartholomew, and ' t; T^,- M ?:/ |. n; I! 'i Ij 1 66 Romanism and the Reformation. the revocation of the Edict of Nantes ? What of the fires of Smithficld ? What of the terrible Inquisition ? Stay, I will take you to the Inquisition. You shall enter its gloomy portals ; you shall walk through its dark passages ; you shall stand in its infernal torture-chamber ; you shall hear the cries of some of its victims ; you shall listen to their very words. What agonies Imve been suffered in these sombre vaults, unseen by any human eyes save those of fiendish inquisitors! What cries have been uttered in this dismal place which have never reached the open world in which we live. Locked doors shut them in ; stone walls stifled them. No sound escaped, not even that ot a faint and distant moan. But now and then a victim found release ; one and another have come forth from the torture-chamber pale and trembling, maimed and mutilated, to tell the things they experienced when in the hands of the holy in- quisitors. We shall call in some of these as witnesses. ^ This book is Limborch's "History of the Inquisi- tion." It tells the story of its origin seven hundred years ago, and of its establishment and progress in France, Spain. Italy, Portugal. Poland, Sicily, Sardinia, Germany, Holland, and other parts of A n Johns Forevicw of Romanism. 167 the world ; it describes its ministers and method^ its vicars, assistants, notaries, judges, and other officials ; it describes the power of the inquisitors, and their manner of proceeding. It unveils their dread tribunal ; opens their blood-stained records; describes their dungeons, the secret tortures they inflicted, the extreme, merciless, unmitigated tor- tures, and also the public so called " acts of faith," or burning of heretics. What a record ! What a world of tyranny and intolerable anguish com- pressed into that one word - the ///^.//^///^„ / Tyranny over the conscience ! Men in the name of Jesus Christ stretching and straining, maiming and mangling their fellow men, to compel them to call light darkness, and darkness light ; to call the Gospel of Christ a lie, and the lie of Satan truth ; to confess that wrong is right, and acknowledge' right is wrong ; to bow down to man and worship him as God ; to call the teachings of Christ heresy, and the teachings of antichrist Divine ! Tremen- dous was the power of that dread tribunal. In Spain and Portugal it completely cashed the Reformation. No secrets could be withheld from the inquisitors ; hundreds of persons were often apprehended in one day, and in consequence of information resulting from their examinations under torture, thousands more were apprehended. j^ i^ 1 68 Romanism and the Reformation. Prisons, convents, even private houses, were crowded with victims ; the cells of the inquisition were filled and emptied again and again ; its tor- ture-chamber was a hell. The most excruciating engines were employed to dislocate the Hmbs of even tender women. Thousands were burned at the stake. The gospel was gagged and crushed, and Christ Himself in the persons of His members subjected to the anguish of a second Golgotha. Let us look into the chamber of horrors in the Spanish Inquisition. " The place of torture," says a Spanish historian, quoted by Limborch, p. 217, "the place of torture Kx-v the Spanish Inquisition is generally an underground and very dark room, to which one enters through several doors. There' is a tribunal erected in it in which the in- quisitor, inspector, and secretary sit. When the candles are lighted, and the person to be tortured brought in, the executioner, who is waiting for him, makes an astonishing and dreadful appearance.' He is covered all over with a black linen garment down to his feet, and tied close to his body. His head and face are all concealed with a long black cowl, only two little holes being left in it for him to see through. All this is intended to strike the miserable wretch with greater terror in mind and body, when he sees himself going to be tortured by _____J^^ ^onvicia of Romamsjn, 169 the hands of one who thus looks like the verv devil." ^ The degrees of torture are described by Julius Clarus and other writers quoted by Limborch. They were various, and included the following : I. The being threatened to be tortured. 3. Being carried to the place of torture. 3. The stripping and binding. 4- The being hoisted up on the rack. 5. What they called "squassation." This was the torture of the pulley. Besides this there was the torture of the /n-, or chafing- dish full of burning charcoal applied to the soles of the feet. Then there was the torture of the rack, and of another instrument called by the Spaniards '^ escalcro^' • then that of the pouring water into a bag of linen stuffed down the throat'J and that of iron dice i^rced into the feet by screws i an-d of canes placed crosswise between the fingers' and so compressed as to produce intolerable pain \ then the torture of cords drawn tightly round various parts of the body, cutting through the flesh ; and of the machine 'm which the sufferer was fixed Iicad do\\-nwards ; and, lastly, the tor- ture of red-hot irons applied to the breasts and sides till they burned to the bone. Here, on p. 219, is the account of the stripping I70 Romanism and the Refor7naikm. ill i ,11 \ I t ill If of victims, men a/!(i! xvomen, preparatory to tor- ture ; the stripping from them of every vestige of clothing by these holy inquisitors, and how \hi^Y put on them short linen drawers, leaving all the rest of the body naked for the free action of the tormentors. Here, on i)age 22 r, is the account by Isaac Orobio of what he suficred \vhen in their hands. It was towards evening, he says when he was brought to the place of torture in the Inquisi- tion. It was a large, underground room, arched, and the walls covered with black hangings. The candlesticks were fastened to the wall, and the whole room enlightened with candles placed in them. At one end of it there was an inclosed place like a closet, where the inquisitor and notary sat at a table ; so that the place seemed to him as the very mansion of death, everything appearing ao terrible and awful. Then the inquisitor admot nished him to confess the truth before his torments began. When he answered that he had told the truth, the inquisitor gravely protested that since he was so obstinate as to suffer the torture, the holy office zvfluMbe innocent (what exquisite hypocrisy !) if he should even expire in his torments. When he had said this, they put a linen garment over his body, and drew it so very close on each side as almost squeezed him to death. Whm he was f;'u i John's Forevicw of Romanism. 1 7 1 almost dying, they slackened all at once thT^idc^ of the garment, and. after he began to breathe agan-i, the sudden alteration put him to the most grievous anguish and pain. When he had over- come this torture, the same admonition was re- peated, that he would confess the truth in order to prevent further torment. As he persisted in his denial, they tied his thumbs so very tight with small cords as made tlic extremities of them greatly swell, and caused the blood to spurt out rom under his nails. After this he was placed with his back against a wall and fixed upon a bench • into the wall were fastened iron pulleys, throu-h which there were ropes draun and tied round his arms and legs in several places. The execu- tioner, drawing these ropes with great violence, fastened his body with them to the wall, his arms' and legs, and especially his fingers and toes, being bound so tightly as to put him to the most excjuit site pain, so that it seemed to him just as though he was dissolving in flame>. After this a new kind of torture succeeded. There ^s an instrument hke a small ladder, made of two upright pieces of wood and five cross ones sharpened in front. This the torturer placed over against him, and by a single motion struck it with great violence against buth las shins, so that he received upon \']2^omanism and the Reformation. each of them at once five violent strokes, which put h.m to such intolerable anguish that he fainted away. After this ])e came to himself, and they inflicted on him a further torture. The torturer tied ropes about Orobios wrists, and then put these ropes about his own Dack, which was covena with Icathcy to prevent his hurting himself • then falling backwards he drew the ropes with all his might till they cut through Orobio's flesh, even to tlie very bones. And this torture was repeated twice, the ropes being tied about his arms at the distance of two fingers' breadth from the former wound, and drawn with the same violence. On this the physician and surgeon were sent for out of the neighbouring apartment to ask whether the torture could be continued without dan^^er of death. As there was a prospect of his livh^. through it, the torture was then repeated, after which he was bound up in his own clothes and earned back to his prison. Here, opposite to this '■ec.tal. IS a picture representing these various tortures. After prolonged imprisonment, Orobio was released and banished from the kingdom of Seville. Jiefore we let fall the curtain upon this awful subject, let us listen for a moment to some of the words of William Lithgoz,, a Scotchman, who ____Joh{s^Forev{ezu of Romamsm. ^ -^^^ sufTcred the tortures of thc'T.^q^.i^itbinrr^mc of James I. After telling of the diabolical treat- ment he received, which was very similar to that I have just described, he says. ^' No-.v mine eyes did bcgm to startle, my mouth to foam and froth, and ^ny teeth to chatter like the dobbling of dnnnstieks, Uh, strange, inhuman, monster man-manglers ' ; • . And notwithstanding of my shivering lips |n this fiery passion, my vehement groaning, and blood sprmging from my arms, my broken smews yea and my depending weight on flesh-cuttinc. cords, yet they struck me on the face with cudgels to abate and cease the thundering noise of my wrestling voice. At last, being released from these pinmules of pain, I was handfast set on the floor with this their ceaseless imploration :' Confess, confess, confess in time, or thine inevitable tor- ments , where, finding nothing from me but st.ll innocent.-' Oh ! I am innocent. O Jesus the Lamb of God, have mercy on me, and strengthen me with patience to undergo this barbarous murder ' " Enough ! Here let th curtain drop. I should sicken you were I to pursue the subject further • It is too horrible, too damnable. Here in this paper I have ..;;,. of the ashes oj the martyrs, some of ^heir burned bones. I have ^n^omanism and the Rcfoymation. bits of rusted iron and melted lead which I took myself with these hands from the Oiicmadero in Madrid, the place where they burned the martyrs not far from the Inquisition. It was in the year 1870 that I visited it, just before the great a^cu- menical council was held at Rome, by which the pope was proclaimed infallible. I was in Spain that spring, and visited the newly opened ()uema- dero. I saw the ashes of the martyrs. I "Carried away with me some relics from that spot, which are now lying upon this table. Hear me, though in truth I scarcely know how to speak upon this subject. I am almost dumb with horror when I think of it. I have visited the places in Spain, in France, in Italy most deeply stained and dyed with martyr-blood. I have visited the valleys of Piedmont. I have stood in the shadow of the great cathedral of Seville, on the spot where they burned the martyrs or tore them limb from limb. I have stood breast-deep in the ashes of the martyrs of Madrid. I have read the story of Rome's deeds. I have waded through many volumes of history and of martyro- logy. I have visited, either in travel or m thought scenes too numerous for me to name, where the' samts of God have been slaughtered by Papal Rome, that great butcher of bodies and of souls I ca„„ot tell you what I have seen, uhatT^vo ■•ead, what I have tho,,-' I .annnt .Ml I r„\ r,i •. . cannot tell you what feci. OI,,t„abl„ u.le! I have stood In tha valley of Lueerna where dwelt the faithful VValdenses, thee aneient Protestants who held to '■e pure gospel all ihrongh the dark a-es that lovely valley with its pine-clad slopes whid, Rome converted into a slau^hter-house. Oh, horrible n,assaeras of gentle, unoffending, „oble-™i„de. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // O ^ <,<'% y. /. 1.0 I.I 11.25 ,50 ""^ 1^ lU 2.5 2.2 " i^ ^ ::i Bj 2.0 1.8 lA 11 1.6 o;^ w Phntnoranhir Sciences Corporation ,\ 4v '^ S \ «^ ^ ^ "O^ <^ rv> <^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 C/a i 1 76 Romanism and the Rcfonnaiion. Christian Europe, into a slaughter-house, a cliarncl house, an Akeldama. Oh, horrible ; too horrible to t'link of! The sight diwis, the heart sickens, the soul is stunned in the presence of the awful spectacle. O harlot, gilded harlot, with brazen brow and brazen heart ! red arc thy garments, red thine hands. Thy name is written in this book. God has written it. The world has read it. Thou art a murderess, O Rome. Thou art the murderess Babylon—" Babylon the Great," drunken, foully drunken ; yea, drunken with the sacred blood which thou hast shed in streams and torrents, the blood of saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. Were there nought else by ivhich to re- cognise thee, O persecuting Church of Rome, this dreadful mark tuould identify thee. This is thy brand; by this we know thee. Thou art that foretold Babylon. We know thee by thy place. We know thee by thy proud assumptions, by the throne on which thou sittest, by those seven hills, by the beast thou ridest, by the garments thou wearest, by the cup thou bearest, by the name blazoned on thy forehead, by thy kingly para- mours; by thy shameless looks, by thy polluted deeds ; but oh, chiefly by this, by thy prolonged and dreadful persecution of the saints, by those massacres, by that Inquisition, by the fires of that Johns Foreview of Romanism. _______}]^ burning stake. Mark how \^^^M^^^^;^^^^,^. see how its accusing smoke goes up to lieaven ! In this sacred propliecy behold tiiy picture, read thy name ; read, ay, read tliy written doom The Prcnch Revolution broke upon thee; it was a stage ny thy judgment, and no more. The beast WHO carried thee for centuries in abject submission turned against thee, cast thee off, stripped thy garments from thee, rent thee with its Imrns It was foretold it would be so. It is fulfilled, but that fulfilment is not the end. It is but the be g.nning of the end. Tremble, for thy doom is wntten from of old. The hand upon the wall has written it; the finger of Almighty God has engraved it. Dreadful have been thy sins ; dread, ful shall be thy punishment. Thou hast burned ahve myriads of the members of Christ, thou hast burned them to cinders and to ashes : thy dcm •s to- be burned ; thy doom is the appalling flame whose smoke ascends for e\'er. I have done. Prophecy has spoken ; history has fulfilled its utterance. Rome pagan ran its course; Rome Papal took its place. "Babylon the Great " has risen, has reigned, has fallen ; her end IS nigh. « Come out of her. My people." come out of her before the final judgment act in the \ %\ great drama of the apostasy. '• C ome out of her ^J^^^^"^^'"^^^' (tnd the Rcformatwn, saith your God, " that yc be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." For AS A MILLSTONE CAST ]iV a m,G1ITY ANGEL INTO THE SOUNDING DEEI'. SHE SHALL WITH VIOLENCE I5E THROWN DOWN, AND SHALL BE POUND NO MORE FOR EVER. of her ' For ANGIiL WITH LL BE k :^^ LECTURE V. mTE^PJ^Er^TfOJV AND USE OF THESE PP.O. PHECIES IN PRE.REFORMATION TIMES. J^OMANISM^foretold. Such has been our ^ subject in the four previous lectures-the Scnpture prophecy, and the Papal history. That a deep and widespread apostasy has taken place in the Chnst,an Church; that this apostasy has pro- duced paganised forms of Christianity^ the chief of which IS that of the Romish Church; that the apostasy of the Romish Church has culminated in he Papacy; that the Papacy has hasted through long centuries, and lords it still over half Christen- dom; that it has persecuted the faithful unto blood, striving for the destruction of the gospel of God as ,f it were deadly heresy, and for the ex termination of the saints of God as of accursed heretics; that it would have been completely triumphant still but for the glorious Reformation which burst its bonds, emancipated the enslaved »79 u f, 'I :i I So Romanism ami the Reformation. consciences of millions, and created a new depar- ture in the convictions and actions of the world.^ such arc the facts with which history presents us. They are broad, unquestionable facts, which arc so notorious as to be beyond all controversy, so long lasting as to fill the records of a thousand years. And that this great apostasy was foretold; that it was foretold ages before its accomplJshmcnt by Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles ; that Daniel dwelling in Babylon fore told it, and John, the exile in Patmos, and Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles ; that these men, sur- rounded as they were by ancient heathenism, and knowing nothing by the evidence of their senses or by observation of the complete corruption of Christianity which has since darkened the world, as a long and awful eclipse of the Sun of righteous-' ness— that these men, prophets and apostles, living in antecedent times, should have predicted the extraordinary events which have come to pass, and should have /^///A'^ them in vivid colours on the venerable pages of the writings they have left us ; and that those predictions have for eighteen centuries confronted apostate Christendom with their accusations, and reflected as in a faithful mirror the entire history of its ways : this is the Pre- Reformation Interpretas. i S r profound prophetic truth wc have endeavoured to elucidate. We have now to study the interpretation AND USE of these marvellous prophecies by the Christian Church. How has the Christian Church understood and employed them > Of what prac- tical benefit have these prophecies been to her during the last eighteen centuries } It is evident that they were written for her guidance, protec- tion, and sanctification. The prophecies of Paul and John are addressed to Christian Churches. The voice of inspiration expressly invites the whole Church to study them, and the Church has obeyed this command. She has read, marked, learned, and inwardly digested the "sure word of prophecy." What moral effect has it had upon her > To what extent has it guided her footsteps and sustained her hopes ? // tlicse propliecics have proved to be a migJity poivcr in Jier history ; if they Itave preserved the faith of tlie C/iurch in times of general apostasy ; if they have given birth to great reformation movements ; if they have inspired con- fessors, and supported jnartyrs at the stake; if they have broken the cJiains of priestcraft, superstition, and tyranny, and produced at last a return on the part of many many millions of men to a pure, primitive Christianity,— they have answered their 1 1 i-'-i i %' i I. Mi I 1 : i 'I 1S2 j^omntmu aud tlic Rc/onmifion. ' purpose, and justincd their position \n thc.^ Scriptures of trt.th. Nor may wc hVhtly esteem that u,la-/>rctation whici, l,as produced such re- sults. Had tlie prophecies been misinterpreted applied otherwise than according; to ti>e mi.ul of tl>e Spu-.l, ue cannot beheve tliat they would have been thus productive of blessed consequences The fact that, understood and apph'ed as tlicy were by the reformers, they have produced spiritual and eternal good to myriads of ma.ikind is a proof that tluy wav rightly applied, for <' by their fruits yc shall know them " is true, not only of teachers but of their leachi.igs. Protestantism, with all its' untold blessings, is the fruit of the historic system of interpretation. On the other hand, all that leads us to expect tbat the sufferers under antichristian tyranny •■^•ould correctly interpret the prophetic word written for their guidance and support prompts also the expectation that their persecutors zvonld as surely ,,rougly interpret it. As apostate Jews wrongly interpreted the prophecies of the Old Testament, so we should expect apostate Chris- tians wrongly to interpret those of the New In our study of the last eighteen centuries of inter- pretation we shall not expect to find the true •"terpretation therefore among the apostates, but Pri-Rcfornialion fnlcrhrclcr^^. 18-' amon- Wx^ j\uil>J„l ; n<,t anion- tlic persecutors, but amon- the persecuted ; not amon- those who have wa-ed war a-.iinst the f,ro.spcl of Christ, but amon- those who have confessed its pure tcachin-s, and sealed that confession with their blood. We sliaH not be surprised to find anta_<^r,nistir schools of prophetic interpretation, but. on tiie contrary, wc shall expect such; and we shall expect the apostates and i)ersecutors to bdon- to one school, and the faithful confessors and martyrs to another. If an officer of justice arrest a man because he perceives that he answers exactly to a description of a notorious criminal published by the Government as a help to his identification, is it likely that the man liimself will admit that the description fits him ? He will of course <\cx^y th correspondence, but his denial will carry no weight. On turning tr, the history of prophetic interpretation this is precisely what we find, With many varieties as to detail we find there have existed, and still exist, tx,o great opposite schools of interpretation, the Papal and the Protes- tant, or the futurist and the historical. The latter regards the prophecies of Daniel, Paul, and John as fully and faithfully setting forth the entire course of Christian history ; the former as dcalin- 43 II I V '■ :• il '' 'I "■ I ! I! 1S4 Romauhni mui t/w R,/ormation, cliicily with ti futiiic fmt. iiunt of time at its itOSC. The former, or A.ti.nst. .system of hUcrpretin-r the i.rophecio. is ^,u,, held, strancjc to say, by many Protesta.Us. but it uas f.rst invented by the Jcsu.t Kibera, at the end o^ the sixteenth eentiirv to reheve the I'apacy from the terrible stij^ma cast "pon it by the IVotestant interpretation. This -nterprctation was so evidently the trt.e and in- tended one. that the adherents of the Papacy felt >t-s edge must, at any cost, be turned or blunted If the Papacy were the predicted antichrist as I'rotcstants asserted, there was an end of the ques. fon, and separation from it became an impera- tivc duty. There were only two alternatives. If the anti- Christ were not a present i)ower. he must be either a past or a future onr Some writers asserted tliat the predictions pointed back to Nero, llns did not take into account the obvious fact that the antichristian power predicted was to •succeed the fall of the Cccsars. and develop amon^^ the Gothic nations. The other alternative became therefore the popular one with Papists Antichnst ,vas future, so Ribcra and Bossuct and others taught. An individual man was intended not a dynasty; the duration of his power would i i/s h Prc-Rcfornialioii Intn-prcicrs. 185 not be fur twelve and a half centuries, but only three and a half years ; lie would be an open foe to Christ, not a false friend ; he would be a Jew, and •sit in the Jewish temple. Si)ecuIation about the future took the place of study of the past and present, and careful comparison of the facts of history with the predictions of prophecy. This related, so it was asserted, not to the main course of the In'story of the Church, but only to the few closing' years of her history. The Papal head of the Church of Rome was not the power delineated by Daniel and St. John. Accurately as it answered to the description, it was not the criminal indi- cated. It must be allowed to go free, and the detective must look out for another man, who was sure to turn up by-and-by. The historic inter- pretation was of course rejected with intense and bitter scorn by the Church it denounced as Babylon and the p ,, r it branded as antichrist, and it is still opposed by all who in any way uphold these. It is held by many that the historic school ot interpretation is represented only by a small modem section of the Church. Wc shall show that it has existed from the beginning, and includes the larger part of the greatest and best teachers of the Church for 1,800 years. Wc shall show that ii: 1.S6 Romanism and the Reformation. the Fatlicrs of the Church belonged to~itTth^ the most learned mcdiieval commentators bcIoMgcd to it, that the confessors, reformers, and marljrs belonged to it, and that it has included a vast multitude of erudite expositors of later times. Wc .shall shovv that all these have held to the ce,itrat trut/t that prophecy faithfully mirrors the Clmrelis history as a xchole, and not merely a com- meneing or closing fragment of tliat iistory. It is held by many that the futurist school of interpretation is represented chiefly by certain Protestant commentators and teachers, who deny that the prophecy of the " man of sin " relates to the Pope of Rome. We shall show that the futurist school of iuter- t>retation, on the contrary, is chiefly represented by teachers belonging to the Church of Rome; that the topes, cardinals, bishops, and priests of that apostate Church are all futurists, and that the futurist interpretation is one of the chief pillars of Romanism. Two interpretations of prophecy arc before us, the historic and the futurist. The /listorical school of interpretation regards these prophecies as reflecting the history of the fourth or Roman empire, in all its most important aspects, from first to last, including cspeciallv the i Prc-RcJormatio)i lutu-prdcrs. 187 dark- apostasy wliicli lias Ion- prevailed in Chn's- tcndcm, the testimony and sufferin-s of God's r.i.thfui people am.-d this apostasy, and the ulti- «natc triumph of their cause. On the other hand, the futurist school of in- terpretation rc:^rards these prophecies as dealin- ahnost exclusively with the distant future of the consummation ; regards them as dealing chleHy not with what iKas been for the last eighteen hun- drcd years, but with what will be in some final spasm at the close. The war against the saints waged by the Roman " little horn " of the pre phccies of Daniel, the proud usurpations of the "man of sin," an ' his antagonism to the cause of true religion, foretold by Paul, the blasphemous pretensions and persecuting deeds of the revived head of the Roman empire set forth in the pro- phecies of John-,r// these are regarded by this ^Hturist sehool as relating to a brief future period immediately preceding the second advent. The futurist school denies the applieation of these ini- portant praetieal prophecies to the confiiets of the Church during the last eighteen centuries. It robs the Church of their practical guidance all through that period. This is the position taken by the Church of Rome, this is the position taken by the popes, cardinals, ardibishops. bishops, and other 1 ^ 1 88 Romanism and the Reformation. great teachers of that apostate Church. This is the prophetic interpretation they have embodied in a thousand forms, and insisted upon with dog- matic authority. This has been the interpretatio^li of proud Papal usurpers, of cruel persecutors, of merciless tyrants, of the Romanist enemies of the gospel and of th^^ saints and servants of God. We shall find, on the other hand, as wc study the subject, that the historic interpretation of pro- phecy, the interpretation which condemns Rome, and which Rome consequently condemns, ^"-my ;// gradually with the progress of events and the development of the apostasy of Latin Christianity; that it slowly modified its details under the illu- minating influence of actual facts, but that it retained its principles unaltered from age to age ; that it was defended by a multitude of earnest students and faithful expositors; and that it shaped the history of heroic struggles and of glorious revivals of spiritual life and testimony. This is the interpretation whose Idstory during fifteen centuries we propose to review this evening. We shall divide these fifteen centuries into three periods : I. The period extending from apostolic times to the fall of the Roman empire in the fifth century. II. The period extending from the fall of the Pre- Reformation Interpreters. 189 Roman empire mid rise of the Papacy in the fifth century to its exaltation under the pontificate of Gregory VIL (or Hildcbrand), the founder of the Papal theocracy in the eleventh century. III. TJie period from Gregory VII. to the Refor- mation. First, then, let us glance at the history of pro- phetic interpretation the interval cxtendinir from apostolic times to the fall of the Roman empire in the fifth century. This was the period of the so called Fathers of the Christian Church. A multitude of their writings remaai to us, contain- ing, not only almost countless references to the prophecies in question, but complete commentaries on Daniel and the Apocalypse. It is boldly claimed by many that the Fathers of the first five centuries held the futurist interpretation of these books. We deny the correctness of this position, and assert that the Fathers of the first five centuries belonged to the historical school of in- terpretation. It was impossible for them, owing to the early position which they occupied, rightly to anticipate the manner and scale of the fulfil- ment of these wondrous prophecies ; but as far as their circumstances permitted they correctly grasped their general significance, and adhered to that interpretation which regards prophecy as If! r I IQO Romanism and the Rcfoyniation. W' foretelling the wliolc course of the Church's war- fare from the fu-st century to the second advent. It is impossible at this time to do more than present a brief summary of the views of the Fathers on this subject, and to name and refer you to their works. I. The Fathers interpreted the four wild beasts of propliecy as represeutiuj^^ t/w. four empires, Baby. Ion, Persia, Grecee, and Rome. Here we have the foundation of the historical interpretation of pro- phecy. Take as an instance the words of Hippo, lytus on the great image and four wild beasts of Daniel : " The golden head of the image," he says, "is identical with the lioness, by which the Babylonians were represented ; the shoulders and the arms of silver are the same with the bear, by which the Persians and Medes are meant; 'the belly and thighs of brass are the leopard, by which the Greeks who ruled from Alexander onwards are intended ; the legs of iron are the dreadful and terrible beast, by which the Romans who hold the empire now are meant; the toes of clay and iron are the ten horns which are to be; the one other little liorn springing up in their midst is the antie/irist; the stone that smites the image and breaks it in pieces, and that filled the vvhok earth, is Christ, who comes from heaven and PrC'Rcfo7'mation Interpreters. 191 brings judgment on tlic world." i TJiis statement is remarkable for its elearness, correctness, and con- densation, and expresses the view licld still by the historic school. Hippolytus says, in the treatise on "Christ and Antichrist": "Rejoice, blessed Daniel, thou hast not been in error ; all these things have come to pass " (p. 19). " Already the iron rules ; already it subdues and breaks all in pieces ; already it brings all the unwilling into subjection ; already we see these things ourselves. Now we glorify God, being instructed by thee " (p. 20). 2. The Fathers held that the ten-horned beasts oj Daniel and John are the same. As an instance, Iren^eus, in his book "Against Heresies," chap, xxvi., says: ''John, in the Apocalypse, . . teaches us what the ten horns shall be which were seen by Daniel!' 3. The Fathers held the historic interpretation oJ the Apocalypse. As Elliott says, none of the Fathers " entertained the idea of the apocalyptic prophecy overleaping the chronological interval, were it less or greater, antecedent to the consum- mation, and plunging at once into the times of the consummation."- Here, for example, is the ' Hippolytus : vui. i., j). 447. 2 Elliott : " IIouu ApocalyptJGc," vol. i\-., p. -n the writings r,f /W, nor what the Saviour iu the j,^ospcls lias predicted about lu's coniiu's uc must make a few remarks on tiiis subject, r.iul speaks of him who is called antichrist' dcscnbinff. timu^h with a certain reserve, both the' manner and time and cause of ],is comin- Tlic prophecy also re.^rardincr anticiu-ist^-s staled 'n the book of Daniel, and is Httcd to make an ■ntelhj^ent and candid reader admire the words as truly Divine and prophetic ; for in them are men- t.oncd the things relating to the coming kingdom bcgmningwith the times of DanieUnd continuing.' to the destruction of tiie world." ^ Jerome, in his commentary on the book of Daniel (chap, vii.), says, with reference to the little horn which has a mouth speaking great things, that "it is the man of .sin, the son of perdition, who dares to sit in the temple of God, mak-in^r himself as God." 1 5. The Fathers held that the Roman empire was the " letr or hindrance, referred to by Paul in 2 Thcs- salonlans, ,vhich Icept back the manifestation of the " ^>'nn of sin:' This point is of great importance. Est cnim homo nccnti f,]\,,~ ,,, r • o k i:i II Ill I ■■ 1 1 i 194 Romatiism aud the Reformat ion. Paul distinctly tells us that lie k Thcssalon ians knew, what that 1 that it was then new, and that the lindrancc was, and in existence. The early Church, through the writings of the Fathers, tells us what it knew upon the subject, and with remarkable unanimity affirms that this "let," or hindrance, was the Roman empire as governed by tlie Ccesars; that while the C;csars held imperial power, it was impossible for the predicted antichrist to arise, and that on the fall of the Ca}sars he zc^eutd arise! Here we have a point on which Paul affirms the existence of knowledge in the Christian Church. The early Church knew, he says, what this hin- drance was. The early Church tells us what it did know upon the subject, and no one in these days can be in a position to contradict its testimony as to what Paul had, by word of mouth only, told the Thessalonians. It is a point on which ancient tradition alone ean have any authority. Modern speculation is positively impertinent on such a subject.^ ' As to the " let " or hindrance to the manifestation of the ^''man of sin " referred to in 2 Thess. ii., Mr. Elliott says: " Wc have the consenting testimony of the early Fathers, from Iren.xus, the disciple of the disciple of St. John, down to Chrysostom and Jerome, to the effect that it was under- stood to be tiie vn/>vn-at power ruling and residing at Rome."—" Hora: Apocalyptica.-," vol. iii., p. 92. iREN.'Eus held that the division of the Roman empire Pre-Refonnation Interpreters. 195 What then was tlic view of the e^HTch^rch ' Look at the words of rcrtuUian. Quoting Thes- into ten kingdoms would immediately precede the mnnifcs t.U.on of ant.chnst. In lus work, " Against I leresie ' 00 - -. chap. XXX he says, " Let them awai?, in the fir he S 'Ur.s,on of the l:in,,o,n into ten; then, /. ,/.. ^^u^t ^n U,ese kn.,s arc reigning, and beginning to et"^: 1 artaus m order and advance their kingdoms, (ic-t then le to ackno. edge that /.• .,/., s/,a/t cZ. ct^U^Z)! do>>.M ;u>nscl/, and shall terrify those sons of no, 'c^f whom .ve have been speaking, having a nan.e co ai i, the aforesaid number (066) is tnilv/ ti,^ 1 • ^''"'"" desolation" Ti.„ , ^ ^ '^ abomination of lesolation Thus, according to Iren;t-us the manifestation of antichrist required the previous ovcrtkro.u of tie existing Roman empire. rKKTUiL.AN's '"Apology" thus describes the habit of tlie Christian Church of the second century to pray f tlK security of the Roman empire, in the knowlcX 'that downfall would bring the catastrophe of the re gn on c nst and the ruin of the world. Addressing e /rulrs of the Roman empire," he says : " We offer grayer fo t e ceasmt' for all our emperors wo offer prayer. We nnv for .fe prolonged ; for seeurily ,0 the empire WiH, „ upon us,— the veryatt tude of T rhr.-ctio • . ^' "^asis paration for all punishment Le^th ^T7 " ''' P""^" work, wring from us tit. '^Ltlrc'd "' ""^ '°" Peter's behalf. Upon the truth of Cn^ ^ . °" '''' "'"■ puu me trutn of God and devotion to His tluri I. 1 I iii'l 196 Romanisfff and llic Rcfornmfi on. salonians, he says: " Now yo know what dctnincth that he iniLvht be revealed in his time, f,,,- ti,e mystery of ini.,ui(y ,iotI, ahe.uly work; ,,nly he who now hiiuiers must hinder nnlil he I)e taken cn.t of the way. //'//,,/ oh/,tr/r h tlirrr hit the Konuvi state; the falHn- away of wliieh, by bein- scatter(-d in(o ten kinj;'i""-- ■ • ■ Thrr,. is .-.Iso nnotlHT ii'Hl a ;^iv,u,.r luvcssiiy lor our oUnin- |„,,yn- in l.diair,;C ll,,. cmiHTois, nav. f„r tlio cuinpl.to stability „r H,,. nupi,v a,ul for K.nnan nitcrosls in -onrral. F,,,- wc know liiat a n.i..|,ty .sliorc/crs. r 9 7 '■'!'''"'^' • • • ^''-^l ll>-- I^CHst iiMticI.n.st, with his l.ilHc prophet, may wa.;c war on ihc Clu.rch of God ? " ' J" 1--S .na;.nificcnt " Apoh,^ry,- .,,,,1,,,,^.^, ^,^ ^,,^. '•|'l'--'-s of the Roman onpirc. TcrtuIIian says that t';^- Chnstian Church-not Inmsclf. mark, but the Un-ist.an Church-^v^;..,/ for the emperors, and f<'.- the stabih-ty of the empire of Ro.ne. because I '^y Icncw " that a mi.,d,ty shock impendin^^ over the whole earth-in fact. tl>e very end of all tlnn.^.s, thrcatenin.^r ,,,,,,jf,, ..^es-was onlv '^''''•Ai^ni':i. h' the continued existence of the Roman empire^' Read the words of Quysostom in his " Com- mentary on 2 Thessalonians " : " One may Hrst "aUu-ally m.iuire what is that which withholdeth and after that would know why Paul expresses this •so obscurely, . . . .j,, ,,,^,^ ,^^^^ j^^^^^j^ ^^.^^ let. until he be taken out of the way.' That is ^c'/.v. the Ronmn empire is tahcn ont of the ,oay, then he shall eome: and naturally, for as lonc( as the ear of this empire lasts, no one will readily exalt himself; but when that is dissolved, he will attack the anarchy, and endeavour to seize upon the Sovcrnmcnt both of men and of God. For as the I I i. ! i! i i98^W^;//^;;, ^,f,/ //,,, Reformation. l-vc.to.,,cje.,,, C^l'ap. ,,v). ;v,tov»„. uho wrote Ihc earliest co,„„,e„tar, on the Apoea.ypse e.vtant, s„ . „ Keve.at,o„ . vi;.:..Tl... seven heads are tl™ //'>/..///.■« .says ,• "Tell me, blessed John apostle ana chsc-ple of the Lord, .hat didst tho,, si l.ca.-eoneer„n,, /,,/,,/„,, Arise and speal, for )' -«/ /Av ,,/,„ .V,A, /«„/./,„,,,,... Y„^, J"lm IS the liabylon of the Apocalypse ' "-daughter of the first, to ,vhieh it plea'ed eld ' -v™;"' ol's;'"" "'?'"■" ^'«"= ^^ =■■"?. «.. •>. -i-c JiiUii.slainlAnliclmst,"5 36. } '..'"'•"••'""•)•• "-^'^ '."u. f,„„Klc,i."' I„clr„. "■f" l>..l.yl„„ ,■,,■„, ,-^ Iwvi: sanl clsoivlicrc." Iti.sdca,.r,„,„.l,c.sc,,„„„,io„,i„,ttl,c|.-atI,e,-, ''"' """"tcrp,-.t th. Ilabylon of .1,0 ApocaKw. ■upl. atcs, „,s„,„e great ci.y i„ J.Vancc „,• |.;„.. :""; ■"" ■■" ■"^■•"'"■"s Av™-. And „„■. ,-,, ,,;;, !-■ n.tcrp,c.tati„„ „r tl,c /,i.,.o,ic school, thou-h or the Ia»t 800 yea,-., even.., have proved liahy,: It should be noted that no,..- of ,,0 /-M,,, /,« o K veIat,o„ «„.,„^, „,„,y ^^^^^ ^^.^^ f" :"" <"""■" ""'I dcvoth,,, itself enthely to pre- d.ct,„g the events of the last fe,v years of this d,V ponsafon. As to the subject of antichrist, there was a universal agreement among them eonecrnin.. ^^^ncraUJca of the prophecy, ,vhi,e .here wer: J'fl-crences as to details, these differences arising ' " '^">' "' '^0^" IJ"*-!! xviii., cliap. xxii. i Ji ■J I r J> 1 i 11 li iiiii nil 202 Romanism, and the Reformation. chicny from the notion that the antichrist would be in some way JcivIsIl as well as Roman. It is true they thought that the antichrist would be an individual man. Their early position sufficiently accounts for this. They had no conception and could have no conception of the tru- nature and Icngtii of the tremendous apostasy which was to set in upon the Christian Church. Tluy were not prop/iets, and could not foresee that the Church was to remain nineteen centuries in the wilderness, and to pass through prolonged and bitter perse- cution under a succession of nominally Christian but apostate rulers, filling the place of the ancient CKsars and emulating their antichristian deeds. Had they known these things, we may well believe their views would have completely harmonized with those of historic interpreters of later times. The Fathers went as far as they could go in the direction in which historical interpreters of these last days have travelled. Further, much that was dark to them in prophecy has become clear to their successors in the light of its accomplishment. Divine providence has thrown light, as it could not fail to do, on Divine prediction. II. We come now, in the second place, very briefly to review the history of prophetic inter- *f Pre-Reformation Interpreters. 20' pretation in the intcrvat extending betxveen the fall of the zvestern empire of Rome and the devetopment of the Papal theocmey in the eleventh eentury, under Gregory VII. The interpreters of this period belonged, h^kc the Fathers, to the historie sehool. They interpreted the Apocalypse as a prophecy of the whole course of events from the first advent to the consummation. The following authors living in this interval \vrote eonunentaries on the entire Apoealypse, Prima- sins, the Venerable Bede, Anspert, Haymo, Andreas, Arethras, and Berengaiid. Primasius, who lived in the middle of the sixth century, interpreted the "hundred and forty-four thousand" sealed persons in the Apocalypse as the Christian Church. He held that antichrist would substitute himself for Christ and blasphe- mously assume His dignity, and that the seven- hilled city was Rome. The Venerable Bede, who lived in the north of England at the close of the seventh century, was an historieal interpreter cf the Apocalypse, Here is a copy of his commentary. He takes the first seal to represent the triumphs of the primi- tive Church. He expounds the lamb-like beast of Revelation xiii. as a pseudo- Christian false prophet. it; ' I ;.i f 1 . ;> 204 Romanism and the Reformation. Avibrosc Auspcrt wrote a copious commentary on the Apocalypse in the middle of the eighth century. He expounds the second beast of Rev^ela- tion xiii. as meaning the preachers and ministers of antichrist, and teaches that antichrist will be "pro Christo," or in Christ's place. It is a remark- able fact that he expounds the grievous "sore," or ulcer, poured out under the first vial, as meaning infidelity. This is the general view at the present day among liistorical interpreters. They consider the infidelity of the French Revolution to be the fulfilment of this vial. Haymcls commentary, written in the ninth cen- tury, is for the most part abridged from Anspert. Andreas, who was Bishop of Ca.^sarea, states definitely that the Apocalypse was a prophecy of the things to happen from Christ's first coming to the consummation. He interprets the "hundred and forty-four thousand" as meaning true Chris- tians, and antichrist to be a Roman king and "pseudo-Christ," or false Christ. ^ Arethras, who wrote in the ninth century, mainly follows Andreas, Berengauds commentary on the Apocalypse, written in the same century, is the least satisfactory of all. He was a Benedictine monk, and lived at a very dark period. His notion was that anti- J i Pre- Reformation Interpreters. 20: Christ would be an avowed infidel and an open advocate of licentiousness. lie was, as far as is known, the first interpreter to propound this view. The interval during which these interpreters lived was marked by the steady rise, but no/ bv the finll manifestation of the Papacy. Two notions contributed powerfully to prevent their recognisin- in the imperfectly developed Papacy the predicted " man of sin." They imagined that as the eastern empire of Rome, seated at Constantinople, still continued, the "let" or hindrance to the manifes- tation of antichrist remained, completely over- looking the fact that the antichristian power foretold in prophecy is definitely linked with the seven hills of Rome, and thus with the fall of the western empire, and the apostasy of the Latin or western Church. Then they spiritnalir.ed and explained away a great deal of prophecy, and supposed that they were living in the millennium, and that the anti- christ would not be manifested till the brief out- break of evil at its close. This false notion had fatal consequences. While these interpreters, in common with the generality of Christians at their period, were looking for the advent of the " man of sin " in the distant future, he stole unpcrceived M ifi j» ^'1 1 1 MM i;i' iiJU. 206 Romanism and the Reformation. into their midst, and usurped the place of Christ over His unwatchful flock. I3cfore we leave this mcdi.-Eval period, there are three remarkable testimonies to which we must just refer. Gregory the Great, in the sixth century declared before Christendom that whosoever called himself universal bishop or universal priest was tlie precursor of antiehrist. In this he was doubt- less perfectly correct. When Bonifaee II f shortly after the death of Gregory, took this title in the year 607, he became the precursor of antichrist as fully revealed under Boniface VIII. GJierbert of Rheims, before the yeariooo, said of the pope sitting on his lofty throne in gold and purple, that ./ destitute of charity, he rvas anti- Christ sitting in the temple of God. Lastly, Berenger, in the eleventh century, refer ring to the pope's enforcement at that time of the doctnne of transubstantiation, affirmed the Roman see to be not the apostolic seat, but tlie seat 0^ ciatan. ^ Thus gradually did an understanding of the true cljaractcr of the Papacy da-^,, upon the Christian Church of this period. HI. Wc will now, in the third and last place bnefly consider the history of prophetic interpreta- 1 . Pre- Reformation Interpreters. 207 tion from the time of Gregory VII., in the eleventh century, to the Reformation, in the sixteenth. The pontificate of Gregory VII. was the era of the Papacy unveiled. At this date the pope dropped the mask of the shepherd, and exchanged the crook for the sceptre and the sivord. The accession of Gregory VII. in 1073 is a great hind- mark in the Church's history. Gregory VII., or Hildebrand, as he was called, created, as we have before stated, the Pcrpal theocracy. Do you know what this means? He claimed for himself, in the name of God. absolute and unlimited dominion over all the states of Christendom, as successor of St. Peter, and vicar of Christ upon earth. The popes who came after him pushed theae claims to their utmost extent. At the end of the thirteenth century they assumed the proud title of masters of the world. Three names stand out conspicuously in the three middle centuries of this dark period, Gregory I'll, Innocent III., and Boniface VIII. The historian of the middle ages well says, "As Gregory VII. appears the most usurping of man- kind till we read the history of Innocent III, so Innocent III. is thrown into the shade by the supreme audacity of Boniface VIII." 1 In those days lived the great Italian poet Dante. Ho ' Hallam : " History of the Middle Ages," p. 384. !;i. I II ill 1' 2o8 Ro))iaiiis)]i and the Rcfomiatiou. dcscribccl his a;^c willi cxtradrdinai-)- power. WriUnt;- in the thirteenth ceiitmy, and in Italy, he painted the Papacy as the world beheld it then. And wliat did tlie worUI .see then ? It saw in tlie Tapncy the usurpini,^ "man of .sin"; and in tlie Cliurch of Rome th I'^abyloit of the Apccalytsc. Mark, even the world saw it. Hear a few lines from Dante's immortal poem on Hell, Turgatory, ruul Paradise : " Woe to tlicc, .Simon Mai^us ! woe to voii Jits "i^'ritdicct folloivcix, who the tl)iny;.s of Coj Which sliould !)e wedded unto goodness, tiiem Rapacious as ye are, do prostitute For gold and silver ! " " Your a\arice O'erca^ts the world with mourning, under fool Treading the good, and raising bad men uj). Of shepherds like to yoti, the Kvangclist Was icuire, ivhc}i her, who sits upon the wa7'es, ll'ith A-i/ios in filthy ivhoredoin he beheld, She who with seren heads io^vend at her tilth, And from ten horns her proof of glory drew, Long as her spouse in virtue took deiiglit. Of gold and silver yc have made your god, Differing wherein from the idolater, ]jut that he worsliips one, a hundred ye.' -•///, Constant ine, to hoiu much ill gave birth, Not thy eon^'ersion, but that plenteous dower. Which thcjirst 7vealthy Father gained from thee.'"^ ' " Di voi pastor s' accorsc il Vangelista, Ouando colei, che siedc sovra I'acque Pre- Reformat ion Intcrpyctct's. 209 111 Ill's poem on Paradise he says : " iMy place he who usurps on earth li.-ith made A common sewer of puddle and of l>lood No purpose was of ours that the krys Wiiich were vouchsafed ,ne ^\^o^.^V\ for ensign, serve Unto the banners that do leiy xuar On the da/jthed: nor I for si-il mark Set upon sold and lyin^^ privileges, Which makes me oft to bicker and turn red. /// shepherd's clothin^^ ^^reedy wolves below J^ano-e ^vide der all the pastures. Ann of Cod, Why lonqey steepest thou T' In tlic end of his poem on Paradise, he refers to the Apostle John as— "The seer That e'er he died, saw all the grievous times Of the fair bride, who witli ti,c lance and nails Was won," You will observe that these beautiful and toucli- ing words recognise the historical interpretation of Puttanegoiar co' Reg! a lui fu vista : Quella che con le scttc teste nacque, E dalle diecc corna cbbe argomcnto, Fin che virtute al suo marito piacqu'e latto v'avcte Dio d'oro e d'argento : E che altro e da voi all' idolatre,' Sc non ch'egli uno, c voi n'oratc cento > Ahi Costantin, di quanto mal fu matre, Non la tua conversion, ma quclla dote Che da te prese i! primo ricco patre ! " DaxNTe : « Inferno," canto xix. P iili! m 210 Rouianisin and the Reformation. tlic Apocalypse. The Apostle John, accordiiijr i„ Dante, saio " all the grievous times " through which the Churcli was destined to pass. And what Dante- saw, the Albigenscs saw, and tiic Waldenses. What wonder was there in this ? Would not the wonder have been liad the saints remained blind to a fulfilment of prophecy so plain and palpable that even the world recognised it ? In the sunny south of France, in Provence and Catalonia, lived the Albigenses. They were a civilized and highly educated people. Among • these people there sprang up an extensive revival of true religion, and one of its natural effects was a bold testimony against the abominations of apo- state Rome. Here is Sismondi's "History of the Albigenses." On p. 7 he says of them and of the Vaudois : "All agreed in regarding the Church of Rome as having absolutely perverted Chris- tianity, and in maintaining that it was she zeho was designated in the Apocalypse by the name of the ivhore of Babylon" Rome could not endure this testimony ; she drew her deadly sword and waged war against those who bore it. In the year 1208 the Albigenses were murderously persecuted. Innocent III. (what a mockery his name!) em- ployed the crusaders in this dreadful work. The war of extermination was denominated sacred. Prc-Kcfonnation Interpreters, 21 I The pope's .soldic>r.s prosecuted it with pious ar- dour ; men, women, and children were all precii)i. tated into the llanics ; whole cities were burned. In Bczicrs every soul 7cas massacred; seven thou- sand dead bodies were counted in a sin-lc cliurch. where the people had taken refuoe ; 'the whole country was laid waste; an entire people was slaughtered, and the eloquent witness of these early reformers was reduced to the silence of the sepulchre. Thus began the tremendous war aq-ai,ist the saints foretold in Daniel and the Apocalypse, and thenceforward it was murderously prosecuted from century to century. Early in the thirteenth cen- tury was founded the Inquisition, and full perse- cuting powers entrusted by the popes to the Dominicans. A remnant of the Vaudois escaping from the south of France took refuge in the Alps, where the light of the Gospel had been preserved from the earliest times. I have visited tne Waldensian valleys, and will try in a {^xv words to bring them before you. You doubtless remember the position of tiie city of Milan on the plain of Lombardy. From the top of the famous cathedral of Milan there is a magnificent view of the southern Alps. The plains 1f I ! m jr. i| nf f 1 1 1 ^12 J^omanism and the Reformation. ;'l" Lonibardy and I'icdmont extend to tlicir base. 'I'lic Alps arc seen stretclu'ng to the cast and west, as far as the eye can rcacli. I'he sun at noon falls full upon their crowded i)caks. There they stand '■> ni-rcd, wild sublimity, their lower slopes "lantled with dark forests, their summits crowned with glaciers and eternal snows. To the west among these, beyond the city of Turin, rises the vast white cone of Monte Viso. Among the mountains at its base lie the VValden- sian vallc>s. I'hcy arc five in number, and run up into narrow, elevated gorges, winding among fir- dad steeps, and climbing into the region of the clouds, which hover round the icy. alpine peaks. ihcse valleys were the refuge of the "Israel of the Alixs." Protestants long before the Refonna- tiou, these noble mountaineers resolutely refused to bow the knee to IJaal ; they were a faithful remnant of the early Church preserved all through the central ages of apostasy. This folio volume is a faithful history of the Waldenses, written 217 years ago, by the Wal- densian pastor Lcgcr It contains his portrait. 1 have often looked at it with interest. The coun- tenance is scarred with suffering, but full of spiritual light. Leger tells with simple clearness the story of the Waldenses from the earliest times i Pre- Reformat ion Inlcrprdct-!^. 2 1 -, quotiiit,' from ancient and authentic documents, He fjivcs in full their confession of faith, and narrates tlic history of their martyrdoms, inchuh-n- the dreadfid massacre in the vale of Lucerna, in' ' f>5 5. ^/ 1^'Iiich he himself ivas ai: rye-wit iiess. Th is book was written only four/eeN years after that massacre. It contains numerous depositions con- cerning it, rendered on oath, and Ion- h'sts of the names of those who were its victims. It ^^\vc:; also plates depictin- tiic dreadful ways in which they were slaughtered. These plates represent men, women, and children being dismembered, ,lis- cmlmveled, ripped up, run throu^i^h with swords, impaled on stakes, torn limb from limb, flung from preeipiees, roasted in flames. They arc almost too horrible to look at. And this was only one of a long scries of massacres of the Waldcnses extending through Coo painful years, jiniton wrote of these Protestant sufferers liis immortal sonnet : ".■Ivcn-r, O Lord, Thy slaughtered saints, li'hose boiics Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains add; Even them ^,if^9,/>-7Ucte.). . . • "Antichrist. . . . Ma "L'antichrist . . . Mais niesemia la falscta, pausa c'est la fansscte nicme op- contra la vcrila qtulli sc que- posJe ;\ la vcrite, (n,i se brc,_e sc orna de bellcza, c couvre et s'ornc dc I.caut(: de pieta, dc fora de la (;icisa ct de piete, hors dc n^dise dc Christ, enaima dc Christ, dc Christ, commc dcs Nmns enaimadc Nom, dc Oftlcics, dcs OfViccs, dcs Ecritures' dc hcnpturas, c de Sacra- ct dcs Sacrcmcns, et dc "icns, c de niotas autras plusicurs autrcs choses • P}'c-Rcformation Interpreters. 215 Turn now for a few moments to Bohemia. Vou rcnicmbcr that it is an extensive province in the north-wcst of Austria. There a reformation spran.^r up more than a century before the time of Luther, cosas. La iniquithd'aciucsta nianicra com 11 sco Ministrc majors, c mcnois, com li sej^iicnt Icy dc mahias cor c cec, aital congregation cn- scmp jircsa I's appall Anti- cMKisr, n 15ai:yi,oni.\, o (^UAKIA liKSTIA, o Ml'.UK- IklX, O HO.MIC 1)K I'KCXA, Filli dc perdition. " Li scos Ministres son- appclla I'AI.S I'UOPHF.TAS, iMaistrcs mcsongcrs, Min- istres dc tcncbras, Sjjerit d'crror, mekictrix Apoca- l.vl'ricA, mairc dc fornica- tion, niolas scnza aigiia, arbres auctomnals, morts i^ aranc;\s per doas vez, undas del crudel mar, Stel- las errans, I5aiaamiticns, c (jissipticns. " Jil cs dit AuticJirist aii- ftcrqii ca ciibcrt c onia sot specie dc Christ, e de la G/eisa, c dc li sco (klcl membrc, coiitraria a la sail) faita per C/irist, c aministrii vcramcnt en la Glciba dc Christ." i'iiiiquitc la(|iicl!c est do cettc manicrc, avec tons cos Ministres grans ct petis, avec tons cciix qui Ics en- suivent dc mauvais ctcur, ct avcuglc, telle congregation prise ensemble est appcicc ANTicHuisr, oil l)Ai;vi,()N'i:, oil (jUATRibtE Wkir., on I'AIF.I.AKDK, oil IIo.MMi; |,i: J'KCMlf, Fn.S Die I'KRDinoX. "Scs Ministres sont ap- pelcz FAUX rROPHKTKS, Maitres mensongers, Minis- tres de tencbres, J'Isprit d'crreur, paim.ardk Apo- CAiA'i'TiQUK, Merc dc forni- cation, niices sans can, arbres automnals morts ct arrachez ])ar deu\ fois, ondcs dc la crucllc mcr, etoilcs crrantes, IJalaamitcs, ct Egypticns. ''Jlesf dit Antichrist., pour cc que convert ct orne de la Livrc dc Christ, ct dc son Ei^lisc, ct dc scs fldeles mcmbrcs, // contraric an saint fait par Christ, ct ndniinistre vrayemcnt en I'Eglisc dc Christ.^' i !!': I "An cpi.,le of John H„ss „„,„ „,e people of P™„.e ■ ™_™„.;s.Trrr,;;rr:ir:f',:'-./r-'^' judgment is near at hand • deith slinH i ''"'^ -«Ac.sa„«L;„,e„.s;.°:o;:--;r . ;';r'-^"^'''™='" .. '' '"'" »' J"'-" ,""- 'o the L„cl Jd;fde Chun • .10 c„„,mi, fornication, fomica.in ' sp i utl fl a, "' a.u. as ,s ,l,ere said, sliding back°f™ he ,r„ h " „?™ ' seating to the lies of antichrist f 1„„ , t ' "" l-v,ceeptableatlii„g„„„„it„e,ini,„e„:o„,d;„°e; i h''f-\; ^^^^^formation Tntc-prcte^s. 217 Witness their tes^Ji;;,;;;;;;;;;^;^;;:^-;;;^^ ty.-oIog,st. I have stood on the spot in Constance where tliese men were eondemned to death. Rome burned them. Here is a history of "the Rcfor- ...ahon and anti-reformation in Bohemia." The .ohemian brethren avowed the doetrines of John luss, „,eludins his views on the anti-Papal pro. I'hee,es. Rome e.Uerminated the reformed liohe- m.ans. The story is a dreadful one.' But from mc to disclose their wicked ortQ ,vi„vi that the faithful servm . nf r , ' *"■' "°^" ''^PP''^'"'^"' 5 more manifest Z '"V . "^ ^^"' '^"^ ^'"'^ '^''^^^ ^"^^ke "ct/,c innnijtst t/ie malice ^/ ANTirHfTQ'i- ^,7 i ,, "This epistle was written nnr..-. c;f t„i r. prison and in cold iron tT '' ^'^^ ^'''^''''' ^'^y^ '» 502, 503 '^ Monuments," vol. iii., pp. oi 10. 1. A monument, it is said, still 'Iii h //,. Widiffc, Men called him "the tiiorning star of the Reformation." He translated the Scriptures into the English tongue, and waged war against the errors and abominations of the Church of Rome. How did Wicliffe interpret these prophecies.? Just as the Waldenses did. Here is one of his books filled with references to the pope as antichrist. He wrote a special treatise, entitled Speculum dc Antichristo ("The Mirror of Antichrist "). From Wicliffe spran- the English Lollards. They numbered hundreds of thousands. What was their testimony .? Let me give it to you in the words of one of them. Lord Cobham, that famous man of God, who lived just a century before Luther. When brought before King Henry V. and ad- monished to submit himself to the pope as an obedient child, this was his answer: "As touching tZ'T ;'," It''' •^^^'"^'"'' '°''''-^^° ^'•■■'^^■•"•".' vol. i., p. (^, r ; f f ""^^'^^ War,' p. ,50. ,6.4; Ric.,cr's 'History of tI,o ].ohcm,an IJrcthrcn,' vol. ii., p. s<;, ; RcKcnvolscius, Systcna H.st. ].cclcs. Sclavonic.')."-" The Rcfonnatiou and Anti-Kcformalion in Lohemin," \^ n an Pre- Reformat ion Interpreters. 219 the pope and his spirituah-ty, I owe thcnTidihcT- sint nor service, foyasmuch as I knox, lam by the Scnpturcs to l>c the great antichrist^ tlw. son of Perdmon, t/w open adversary of God, and an alio- minatwn standing in the holy placer Remaining lirm in his rcjeetion of Romish error and refusal to bow down to the Papacy, Lord Cobham was condemned to death as a heretic John Fox tells us that on the day appointed for ns death, in the year 1417, Lord Cobham was brought out of the Tower of London, "with his arms bound behind him, having a very cheerful countenance. Then he was laid upon a hurdle and so drawn forth into St. Giles' Fields, where they had set up a new pair of gallows. As he was coming to the place of execution, and was taken from the hurdle, he fell down devoutly upon h.s knees, desiring Almighty God to forgive his enemies. Then stood he up and beheld tlie mul- titude, exhorting them in most godly manner to follow the laws of God written in the Scriptures and m any wise to beware of such teachers as' Ihey see contrary to Christ in their conversation and hvmg; with many other special counsels nwn he ,vas J^anocd up there by the middle, in chains of nv,i, and so consumed alive in the fire praising the name of God as long as his life lasted" ' 1 2^0 Romanism and the Reformation. In other words, he was roasted to death. They were burned, burned, tliese blessed men of God ! Muss was burned; Jerome was burned; Lord Cobham was burned. Even VVicliffe's bones were dug up, forty-one years after his death, and burned. Savonarola, who preached with trumpet tongue that Rome was Babylon, was b-rncd. All thlsc were burned before the Reformation, and thou- sands more. They were burned, but their words \vcrc not burned ! Their testimony zvns not burned! Jt lived on ! Fire could net scorch it ; chains could not bind it; gags could not silence it; gaols could not stifle it; swords could not slay it; nought could destroy it. Truth is immortal, truth" is unconquerable. Imprison it, and it comes forth free; bury it, and it rises again; crush it to the earth, and it springs up victorious, purer for the conflict, nobler for the victory. The truth to which these confessors witnessed .sprang up again a century later, and rolled over Kurope the tremendous tide of the Reformation. And zvhenee came this testimony which no power could repress? Whence came this testimony, trum- pct-tongucd, that Rome, in all its myriad-hnnded might, was impotent to silence or arrest ? Whence came it, but from that saered volume, writ in Sloomy prisons, in lands of captivity, in scenes of Pre- Reformation Interpreters. 2 2 1 exile, for the guidance, the preservation, the sup- port of God's suffering saints and faithful witnesses in every age! Daniel the captive, Paul the prisoner, Jolm the exile,-such were its inspired authors ; men whose piercing vision looked down tlie long vista of the Church's conflicts, marked her martyrdoms, and saw her triumphs from afar. Oh, word of divinely given prophecy! oh. wondrous volume, whose seven seals the Lamb has loosed and opened to meet the moral and spn-itual needs of the suffering Church He loves so well! how have thy solemn utterances, thy mysterious .symbols, been scanned and studied by earnest, saintly eyes ! how hast thou been pondered m prisons, remembered on raeks, repeated in the flames! Thy texts are ivindozus through which the lighc shines from the third heaven down into the darkest depths of earth's conflicts, mysteries and woes. Oh, sacred and sanctifying truth ! how have thy words been watered with the tears of suffering saints, steeped in their griefs and sorrows, and dyed in the copious streaming of their blood ! Precious are the lives which have sealed thee • precious the truth those lives have sealed ! Thy words have been zuings by which the persecuted Church has soared from the wilderness and the battlefield into the pure serene of evcrlastinn- love 1 •{ i i I ■ 1 #, IcsccKk,:, ..„„I IcIcsL ,0 the »I„H,„mm.U„„ il,c ■-"Hn lis ii„..,„. ,!,,,„,, ev.,.|,.,,sti„,s,,.„..s. y;w ."■^ v>w «/,- ,;,„ ,,„,,,, ,y ,,/„„,_;,-„, ,,^,,,^ ^^, . "' "■•' ''■'=''" ■-'■''■'' '■■■' "'■■'" "'crc ra„.u.n MM, Uconnot touch M,c,„; they ,,avc vanished f,.o,„ 1.0 ,s,.,l,t of „„„ ,ik,, ,„o „,„„„,, „,,„,^. ,,,,,_,..^^ ^^ I'cavc, u;,,s thc„i„K„l /huuo! VVc cannot i.car the mus.c of thch- har,,i„K.s, „,• „„, ,|,„„j^,,. „f j,,^,,_. ';;."'• "'•'"' ■"' "'■■■" ■^'■■v,., .„„/ „// ,/„,, ,„,,,, Y^. "--'/./.■«•., f,.„„, ,|,e ,„„,,,,. u.o,Uuun,a Ah,, . >■= na„,do,ss v,ctin,s of the dreadful /„.,„Mio„'; ye noble l.,ote.stant,, bofo,e the Keforn.ation, nu-hff.; Jhss, J,n„„,, CM,„„, .V„.,v„„,-/,;,_„.e pojcss the I,oly pases which ye pondered, the OKs of „.uth and life ye sealed with .na^ty blood /;,. ,/,,,,,. „„,,,, „ ^„ ^^,,^,^ ^^^^,_^ ^^^_,^^ >;^ J"*/ let then, be cur i„s/,irnthm and our to//. «'«/. .«,/ //„■ towV...,, ..f „„, ,,,,,,„^ ^^-^.^. t.il the ho,n- when //•„//,, emancipated from all t.an,nicls, shall shine through the world i„ i,s unclouded splendour, and error and superstition and falsehood fron, its presence shall for ever flee away I liccturp: vj. /AV7-;A././,Av>//y,w AND USE OF TlfrSF PRO PHl:C/i:.S IN RICrOR.^fyVnoN TIMES, "pni-: sixlcenlh century presents the spectacle of a .stormy sunrise after a dismal ni<^l,t Jjurope awoke fron, the Jon,, sleep of superstition" Nat.ons shook off her chains. The dead arose" ihc witnesses to truth who had been silenced and' sl.'un stood up once more and renewed their testi- '^ony. The nu-u-tyred confessors reappeared in tlic Reformers. There was a cleansing; in the •si'intual sanctuary. Civil and reIi,rious liberty wore mauc,an-ated. The discovery of printing, and revival of learnin- accelerated the movement There was progress everywhere. Columbus struck across the ocean and opened a new hemisplKrc to v.cw iLomc was shaken on her seven hills, and lost one-half of her dominions. Protestant nations were created. The modern world was called into existence. The sixteenth century was the age of the Re- formation. The Church had become frightfully 923 il 224 Romanism and the Reformation. deformed; it needed to be thoroughly re-fonned It had departed from the faith ; it needed to be brought back to it. It needed a restoration of non-apostate Christianity. A reassertion was re- quired of rights Divine and human. The Papacy had subverted both the government of God and the liberties of man. Its central principle involves the expulsion from the wortd of its rightful Ruler and Saviour, and substitutes for Him a dynasty of blasphemous usurpers. And it involves equally the destmetion of all man's noblest rights. It denies to him his lawful access to his Maker. A fellow mortal, a pretended priest, stands in the way, and blocks the path of eternal life. He stands across the sunshine of God's love, and casts upon the trembling human spirit a deadly shade. He claims to have the keys of heaven and hell. He thunders lying anathemas, and forbids mankind to approach the throne of infinite mercy save through him, and then only just so far as he permits. Thus Christ is eclipsed, salva- tion is stolen ; the Papal priest is substituted for the Saviour of sinners, the mystery of iniquity for the mystery of godliness, the proud pope of Rome for the holy Prince of Peace, poison for food ; and Satan himself is palmed upon the Church of Jesus Christ as her head and husband. ^J»ie:-fi,r/alhno/J^c Reformers. . 25 vVIiat a cursed svstcm I Tu« 1^ fatl1,^m ,1 L Thought can scarcely fath™ the abyss of evil which it creates ■ I -csts the flowing o, heaven's waters nt J' derness, and turns .l,e strcan.s ot h'fe to sta^n Pund Wood. ,t arrests the shinin, of I e's "o'y l.ght, the illuminating influence of 3 truth, and plunges the worhl i„ „i , nes, s„ t S'""" and dark-- ness so gross that they may be felt. It arrests '»= healing hand of Divine grace and forgiv; e and substitutes forit the pollutingtouch of prHy fingers, stan,ed and contaminated with lust hypo acred myst.ry, sp.ritual. holy, not of the earth, free, oh, how free, and hew Divine! for it is the Sp.r,ts ,nfluence,-it changes this /„,. . „,,,,' t^rM", ... ^ "'J"'S'" "/ h'f'criles, "minis- tered, as they say, through sacraments, and sacra- ments of their own invention and management Seven sacraments, forsooth 1 A something trans' muted too through a generation of pretended «ca^o Jesus Christ, and their agents,Ld.!::^ "" '^ """ '" " "y'S '^^■orld for pecuniary ecMer- damnable deceptions ? Have the eternal interests of men no value in theireyes > Is !;,g„ce o/Go4 >o ie transmuted to a -Me eurreur,; that it u,ay l,e Q I' III 226 Romanism and tJic Refoymadon, dchflsitcd in the pockets of priests, and circulcxted by tliem as base coin is by rogues ami vagabonds ? Is conscience utterly dead within tlicm ? Dead ? It is as good as dead; "seared with a hot iron." till it has lost the sense of right and wrong, and can no longer feci the infamy of doctrines and deeds which would have made the men of Sodom blush with shame. A system which tnvesties the truth, hardens the conscience, enslaves the mind, corrupts the heart, which buries the liible, pro- stitutes the ministry, ^.rofanes the sacraments, per- secutes the saints, betrays and butchers the flock of Christ, and outrages all that is sacred and all that is Divine,— deserves and demands to be ex- posed, detested, judged, destroyed, and swept out of an injured world. And God raised up the Reformation to do this work of protest, exposure, condemnation, and de- liverance. To restore to men His word, to restore to them their rights, to open the eyes of nation.^, to raise them and make them stand upon their feet as responsible and free, to roll off their spirits the dark incubus, the eternal nightmare of priestly imposture and tyranny, to re-establish the or- dinances and privileges of pure and primitive religion ; such was the work of the Reformation which God wrought in Europe three centuries ago. f Won .,„,c. He who raised up conrcssi and . cscs .„ .„e „„u,le ages, n.,-scd up rcfc-.e,-, hm,«.,c„tcrpri,,c and acco,.p,,,, ,,,,,„,„„, work, J l.c-rc was //,„/&„ /.„,/ >,|,„%,, .. Home and Kuropc wm, ,u-s roar; „d that, I yndalo, who wrenched the Jiible from the prist -d gave it to us here in England in our w, ".other tongue, though it eost hi„ his life to ■t nd that Swi,ss hon Zwingle, who fel, on the battleh.Id; and .l,atho„ of Picardy, John Call >vl.o rose ,„ his strength and majesty when Av,ng,efe,; and that hon John Knox of SCO and, ,w,o feared not the face of , nan, and turned not a„de for any :ti,ese. and such as these, we the men through whom God overthrew in Ge many, .„ Switzerland, in Franc, in Engia, ' SCO land, and Holland, the diabolical powe! and dommion of the Papacy /Jthlf'th'" '""'' '°" ^P"''^' "«=■"-" 'o «^ /«^' that the convictions of the Reformers with reference to the character of the Papal C „ rf and te duty of separation from it, lelaS Jcnved from their study and interpretation of ^e prophet. Scriptures. We invite you to consi ".0 -anner ,„ which the Reformers interprete ! li i ! 2 28 Romanism and the Reformation. the prophecies bearing upon the Papal apostasy, the practical use which they made of them, and the power which these prophecies exerted in directing and sustaining the great work of the Reformation. To the Reformers Rome was the " Babylon " of the Apocalypse, and the Papal pontiff the predicted " man of sin." Separation from the Church of Rome and from its pontifical head was regarded by them as a sacred duty. They urged on all CI ristian persons within the Church of Rome the apocalyptic command, " Come out of her, My people, that ye be not par- takers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." To them separation from Rome was not separation from Christ, but from antichrist. This was the principle upon which they began and prosecuted the work of the Reformation, the principle which directed and supported them, and rendered them invincible. Take first the case of the reformer Luther. Early in the year 1520, he wrote to Spalatinus thus : " I am extremely distressed in my mind. I have not much doubt but the pope is the leal antichrist. The lives and conversation of the popes, their actions, their decrees, all agree most wonderfully to the descriptions of him in Holy Writ." Interpretation of the Reformers. 229 In the autumn of the same year he printed a treatise on the -Babylonish Captivity of t!ie Clinrclir i>uch was the title. In this lie exposed the impos- ture of nidulgenccs; he showed that their object '■| to rob men of money by the perversion of tlic gospel. In this animated production Luther called the Papacy ' " At the conclusion of his letter to the emperor. l,e says: "I deny that see to be apostolical wherein nought is seen but a shockin^^ apostasy ; / .feny him to be the vicar of Christ who ^n fnrtonsly persecuting the j^ospel demonstrates by hu con^^ct that he is antichrist; I deny him to be ..e successor of Peter who is doing his utmost to demolish every edifice that Peter built; and I deny him to be the head of the Church who by Im tyranny lacerates and dismembers the Church aftc^r dissevering her from Christ, her true and only' In his "Institutes of the Christian Religion"! Calvm again defends the view that the Roman pontiff is antichrist. "To some." he says, "we seem sLnderous and petulant when we call the Roman pontiff antichnV ; but those who think so perceive not that they are bringing a charge of intemperance against Paul, after ^vhom ^ve speak, ' Book iv= 2C. _^__Jn^rpu:iation of the Reformers. 237 nay, in whose very words wc sfcak. . ~~ Paul says that antichrist would sit in tlic temple^ of ^od. . . . Ilcnccwc infer that his tyranny is '"ore over souls than bodies, a tyranny set up in opposition to the spiritual kin-dom of God Wiien he adds that in his own time the mystery of in.quity, whieh was afterwards to be openly mani- rested, had begun to work in secret, we thereby understand that thts calamity zaas neither to he in- trodnccd by one man, nor to terminate in one man Moreover, when the mark by which he distin- guishes antichrist is that lie would rob God of Hks honour and take it to himself, he gives the leading feature which we ought to follow in search- ing out antichrist, especially when pride of this description proceeds to the open devastation of the Church. Seeing then it is certain that the Roman pontiff has impndently transferred to himself the most peculiar properties of God and Christ, there cannot be a doubt that he is the leader and standard bearer of an impious and abominable kmgdom." Take now the testimony of William Tyndale Here are several volumes containing the doctrines and treatises of that famous minister, reformer, and martyr, who first translated the New Testament from Greek into English. See how plainly this u { j > i I i i I III m 23S Romanism and the Reformation. learned and honest man spokeTur^T^hT^r christian character of the Papacy. "Antichrist" iie says, "in another manner hath sent forth his cl.sciples. those false anointed of which Christ warneth us before, that they should come and show mh-acles and wonders, even to bring the very elect out of the way if it were possible A bishop must be faultless, the husband of one wife. Nay, saith the pope, the husband of no wife but the holder of as many women as he listeth' Wiiat saith the pope ? I command to read the gospel in Latin. . . . Jt ,-3 eerily as good to preach to swine as to men. if thou preach it in a tongue they understand not. . . . Well, saith the pope. If they will not be ruled, cite them to appear, and pose them sharply what they hold of the pope's power, of his pardons, his bulls, of purgatory, of ceremonies, of confessions. If they miss in any point, make heretics of them and burn them. . . . Tke emperors and kin.s a^e no other no^..a.days but even hangmen unto k popes and b.kops, to kitl ^ahomsoever they eondemn ^^o^thout any more ado; as Pilate was unto the scribes and Pharisees and high bishops, to han. Christ. . . . What signifieth that the prelates are so bloody, and clothed in red > That they be ready every hour to suffer martyrdom for the Interpretat ion of the Reformers. 239 testimony of God's word ? Is that also notTfalsc sign, when no man dare for them once open his mouth to ask a question of God's word, because they are ready to burn him ? ... Is not that shepherd's hook, the bishop's crosier, a false sign' ? Is not that white rochet that the bishops and canons wear, so like a nun and so effeminately, a false sign > What other things are their sandals, gloves, mitres, and all the whole pomp of their disguising, than false signs, in which Paul pro- phesies that they should come ? And as Christ warned us to beware of wolves in lambs' skins, and bade us to took rather unto their fruits and deeds than to zvonder at their disguisings, run throughout all our holy religions, and thou shalt find them likewise all clothed in falsehood." In his exposition of the famous passage about antichrist in the First Epistle of John. Tyndale says : "Though the Bishop of Rome and his sects give Christ these names (His rightful names), yet in that they rob Him of the eiifect, and take the signification of His names unto themselves, and make of Him but a hypocrite, as they themselves be, they be the right antie/irists, and deny both tlic FatJier and the Son; for they deny the witness that the Father bore unto His Son, and deprive the Son of all the power and glory that His Father :i|l): 240 Romanism and t/ic Reformation. gave IIi,n. For 'whosoever den fcth the Son the ■same hath not the Ivathcr.' for 'no man knovveth the Father but the Son. and to whom the Son shou'cth Ilim.' Moreover, If thou know not the mercy tl)at God hath showed thee \n Christ, thou canst not know Him as a I-ather. TIiou mayest vyell. apart from Christ, know Him as a tyrant, and thou mayest know Ilim by His works as the old philosophers did. that there is a God ; but thou canst neither believe in His mercy nor love His laws-which is the only worship in the spirit,- save by Christ." All the other English reformers, including Lattma; Ruilcy, Cranwcr, Bradford, and Jc^vell held the pope of Rome to be the man of sin So did John Knoxm Scotland ; and he sounded out h.s testimony on this subject as with a trumpet Here is an old copy of Knox's " History of the Reformation." Its contents are thus described on the title-page : " The manner, and by what persons the h-ght of Christ's gospel has been manifested into this realm after that horrible and universal defection from the truth which has come by the means of t/iat Roman antichrist." Knox begins his history by giving a h'st of the articles of faith attributed to the Lollards of Kyle, taken from the register of Glasgow. Of these the' ^nlcrp,;i„ii„„ of the Rcfonmrs. ,4, o C,,„, „„,.d. wee, .. ,,..u Jesus, .-cccivc ,„, :,;r;™-' ,"'■''"'- -^f=r this .,„„„y men? -he tells how he hhnseif „,„ ,,j .„ ~.e the pu,hc preach,-,,, „f Gods wo.. : "-• yc.-.^ .547 Knox, wearied of ...novi,,., uZ ' ,, '"' '-"■'■"">'■ "'••= 1.C took the pa,t of •, cilcct that Anna,, was beaten fro,n all l,is tr:; ''!' -» "-l-"ccl to take shelte,. 'V" ""'^ °' '''^ C'-"-'-. "l-h autho,.i.y h -'f t:i:l'::^ ,1,,, V '^"'■""''' '■imputation. • To tins Knox.answei'.'., ■ •• ],,.r or ,h,f ""^"eicd . Befce we Iiold ou,selves or that yo ean prove us, suffieien.ly eonvineed we n,u.de«„ethe Church b. the nV|,^„„tes«te;; "s ,„ Gods Senptu,e of the true Church ; we must d.3cer„ the .mmaculate spouse of Jesus Christ from LV™'"" °: ""<■"-". ■^Pi.itua. Babylo,: rrrit "= '""-- ^ ''-'- in3te;d or !l spouse ; yea, to speak in pi am wordsy i; I s ml ifflfl ji H f ! i ' i i 1 ' J 1 ^ jJM ft 1 i 242 Romanism ami the Reformation. lest that we submit ourselves to Satan, thinking that wc submit o.irsclvcs to Jesus Christ. For, as for your Roman Clutych, as it is mnv corrupted, . . . I no more doubt but tltat it is tlic synagogue of Satan, and tlie liead tlieveof called the pope, h) be the man of sin of ivhom the apostle speakcth, than that I doubt that fesus Christ suffered by A pro- enrement of the visible Church of ferusalem. Yea, I offer myself by word or writing to prove the Roman Church this clay further degenerate from the purity which was in the days of the apostles, than was the Church of the Jews from the ordi^ nances given by Moses when they consented to the innocent death of Jesus Christ." Knox tells us that these words were "spoken in the open audience of the parish church of St. Andrews," after Dean Annan's delivery. The people, hearing the offer, urged Knox to lay liis proofs before them in a public speech, saying that if Knox was right, they had been miserably deceived. Knox consented, and was appointed to preach the follow- ing Sunday. On that day, he tells us, he preached his first sermon, taking his text from the seventh Chapter of Daniel. He gives us an outline of its contents. It opened with a " short discourse " on the four empires-the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman— as set forth by the four wild beasts Interpretation of the Reformers, of U.C seventh clu^ptc^^i^^^^i":^^ i'^at^ tlic persecuting "little horn" of the fo,n-th cmpn-c was identical with the man of sin and •'^"t.chri.st, and signified the Voman I>apacy For th.s sermon Knox was called t<, ..ccount before a convention of ..grey fri... and bUcIc fiends," as he calls them. Nine article. ™. .id against him'. Of these the first was that h. had taught that " no mortal man can be head of the Church " ; and the fecond that "the pope is an antichrist, and so >s no member of Christ's mystical body." Knox gives an account of his argument with the friars on th.s occasion, in which he evidently had the best of ,t. Thus was launched the Reformation in Scot and and Knox's sermon in St. Andrews on the httlehorn-ofprophecystruck its key-note and started its testimony. The English reformers were no less clea^ ?n ^-■r views and emphatic in their teachings. lydlcy thus expresses himself: " The see of Rome - the seat of Satan, and //.. Oiskop of tkc sau., that matntatneth the abo,ninations thereof, is anti- chnst Itimself indeed; and for the same causes thi. see at this day is the same that St. John calls, in Im Revelation, Babylon, or the whore of Babylon, -nd spiritual Sodom and Ecrvot the moH^e. of rnications and abominations upon earth " and fo III! 4 v^- ; I 244 Romanism and the Reformation. Latimer, when examined by the commissioners on his trial, said : " I confess there is a Catholic Church, to the determination of which I stand, but not the Church which you call Catholic, which sooner might be called diabolic." In his second conference with Ridley he says: "Yea, what fellowship hath Christ with a tichrist ? therefore 't is not lawful to bear the yoke with Papists. ' Come forth from among them, and separate your- selves from them, sa.ih the Lord.'" 13ishop/?ar// wrote a most masterly and power- ful commentary on Thessalonians, proving the pope of Rome to be the man of sin. Here is a copy of it. Take as a specimen the followin- sentences about antichrist : " Some say that he should be a ]^v^ of the tribe of Dan ; some that he should be born in Babylon ; . . . some that Mahomed is antichrist ; . . . some that Nero was antichrist ; some that he should be born of a friar and a nun ; some that he should continue but three years and a half; some that he should tuni trees upside down with the tops to the ground, and should force the roots .0 grow upwards, and then should flee up into heaven and fall down and break his neck. These tales have been craftily devised to beguile our eyes, that whilst we think upon these guesses, and so occupy ourselves in beholding Tnterfrctation of the Reformers. ,45 askadou, or probably conjecture of antichrist, he M ,s an„ckrist Meed n.ay nna-.arcs eleceive „s. He mil come in the name of Christ, yet will he do all things against Christ and under p'rete; and colour of serving Christ; he shall dcLrh sheep and people of Christ; he shall deface wha- r^",^'':!f'-*'™8ht; he shall quench that Chnst hath planted he shall root up • he shall undermine that house which Christ hath'built; he shall be contrary to Christ, his faith contrary to If chri't !'■"' """' '■' "' '°"''"y '» "- «fc "Christ was humble and lowly. The prophet m h,s own person, speaks of Him, Psalm xxii ■ • I •7 " "°™' """^ "°' " «'■■" ; a shame of men,' and the contempt of the people.' And the apostle saith, Philippians li. : • He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross Behold His parents. His birth, His cradle; bcho d ,s he. His disciples, His doctrine, and .s death ; all were witnesses unto His hunnlity He sa,th of Himself, .The Son of man hath „«; where to rest His head'; and to His disciple, Ic sa,th, 'The hings of the Gentiles reign over m. and ^ they that bear rule over them called gracious lords; but yc shall not be arc so.' ' 'II a I '1 246 Romanism and the Reformation. And again, ' Learn of Me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.' " Now, on the other part, take viezv of antichrist. Behold his birth, his place, his chair, his estate, his doctrine, his disciples ; and al) his life you shall see nothing but pomp and glory. Gregory calls him the king of pride. He is proud in life, proud in doctrine, proud in word, and proud in deeds ; he is like Lucifer, and sets himself before his brethren, and over nations and kingdoms. " He makes every knee to bow down to him and worship him ; he makes kings to bring him water, to carry his train, to hold his cup, to bear his dish,' to lead his bridle, and to hold his stirrup; he claims power over heaven and earth ; he saitli he is lord over all the world, the lord of lords and the king of kings ; that his authority reaches up into heaven and down into hell ; that he can command the angels of God; that he condemns whom he will condemn ; that he makes saints at his pleasure; that whatsoever he blesses is blessed, and that whatsoever he curses is cursed. "He sells merits, the forgiveness of sins, the sacrifice for the quick and the dead ; he makes merchandise of the souls of men; he lays filthy hands upon the Lord's anointed; he removes ^^^terprctaiion of the Reformers. 247 Icings and deposes the states and prin^orthe world. This is antichrist ; this is his poiver. Thuii shall he work and make himself. So shall he sit in the temple of God. The people shall wonder at him. and shall have him in reverence ; they shall say. Who is like unto the beast > who is so wise, so mighty, so godly, so virtuous, so holy so like unto God ?-so intolerable and monstrous shall be his pride." Listen now to the dying testimony upon this subject of the well-known reformer Archbishop Cranmcr. Let me read you the words he spoke just before his martyrdom : "Forasmuch as I am come to the last end of my life, whereupon all hangeth of my life past and of my life to come either to live with my master Christ for ever in' J03^ or else to be in pain for ever with wicked devils in hells, and I see before mine eyes pre sently either heaven ready to receive me, or else hell ready to swallow me up, / shall therefore de- clare unto you my very faith, how I believe, without any colour or dissimulation ; for now it is no time to dissemble, whatsoever I have said or written in time past." Having briefly expressed tli. chief articles of his faith, he refers to his previous reennfation in the following terms: "And now I come to the great th li that 30 much tioubleth my 3,;1 u ^f n 1 ^^^__Ronmtism and the Reformation. conscience more than ^^^^^^^^^^J^^"^^ 'n my whole hTe. and that fs the setting abroad of a wntmg contrary to the truth, which now here I renounce and refuse, as things written with my hand contrar. to the truth which I thought in my heart, and wiiich was written for fear of death and ^ save my hTe if it might be ; and that is all 'such bills and papers which I have written or si^^ned with my hand since my degradation, wherein I have written many things untrue. And forasmuch as my hand offended, writing contrary to my heart v^y ha,ui shall first he punished therefore ; for, ,.av I CO.. to the fire, it shall first be burned; and as for the pope, I refuse hin^ as Chris fs enemy, and anttehrtst, zvith all his false doctrines " On uttering this. Cranmer was pulled down from the stage and led to the fire. Having put off his outer garments, he stood there in a shirt which hung down to his feet. His beard was long and thick, and covered his bosom. Then was an iron Cham tied about him, and the fire set to the faggots. When these were kindled, and the fire began to burn near him, stretching out his arm he put his right hand into the flame, /.././.^ ,v ,/,,,, than the stake to which he was bound. His eves were lifted to heaven, and often he repeated ___^7tlei-frctcUion of the Reformers. ,49 •' This hand ^^i\^^^^^^^r^^:;^~;:^^-^ "an !; At last, in the greatness of the flaLrhc cnec , Lord Jesus, receive my spirit ! " and gave "P the ghost. '' " Antiehrist, whieh now by the will of God doth rase ,or the trial of our faith, doth nothing else but procure „s a ready horse to bring „s unto heaven. So said that holy man /„/„, nra.Vor, , brother Bradford," as Ridley called him. And 1.0 too was burned. W,,en M to ,l,c stake, l,e took „ f^Sotv, hi. ha„d au4 kissed i,, rejoicing to suffer death .n the cause of Christ. Standing then by the stake, with both hands uplifted, he cried, "O England, England ! repent thee of thy sins • re pent thee of thy sins ; beware of idolatry ; i^.^',, of t/^ false antiekrists , take heed they do not deeei-ee tiiec. Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, and Bradford were tarned for their testimony against the Papal anti- chnst, just as //„„ and feron.c and C„M.„ had been before. Thousands of martyrdoms have sealed th.s testimony, and on this testimony rests the Reformation. To r^ect this testin.ony is to nfet the fo„ndat,on of that ,oork ; it is to reject the foundation of the noblest and divinest work which has been wrought in this world since the day of Pentecost. ^ ! i ^1 'i II li ^^Romanis^tjmd the Reformation. Do not misu,;dcrstancri;irTd7,;;;7^^^r^, he teachings of Scripture propI,ecy form the ..;. f™„dat,on of the Reformation. The A,c,rinal and /^..W truths of Scripture guided the action „f the reformers as well as the frcfhtk. Th.v opposed the Church of Rome, as condemne.l ahhe ,t "■ T''"r "" '"''"^"' """ <'- t'-'P''caes oi the word „, c,i ,, ^,,^ ^ ^.^^^_^ ^^ wlKch of th. three „,eighed with them mo.f ,V" "-'-'^ "'='' '■•■='•<= d=" and emphatic. The^e hrcc elanents cannot be separated in estimating he spr,„ss of the Reformation, From the firs' and throughout, that movement was energised and gu.dec by the prophetic word. Lu,l„ never felt 1 11 he recognised the pope as antichrist It was >hen he burned the Papal bull. Knor's first sermon, the sermon which launched him on his .™ss,on as a reformer, was on the prophecies con- cernmg the Papacy. The reforn.ers embodied he,r n,terpretations of prophecy in their confes- 3 ons of fa„h, and Calvin in his "Institutes." AH the reformers were unanimous in the matter; even the m,Id and cautious Melanchthon was as assured of the ant,papal meaning of these prophecies as wa.s Luther himself And their interpretation of these prophecies determined their refonning acMon _JnterpyctaHon of the Reformers. 2 , r It led them ,o protest against Rome with extra- ordmary strcn^.h and undaunted courage t Church to the uttermost. It made them martyrs ■ t .us, them at the stake. And the v,C ° , ■•-■formers were shared by tliousand, y i.und..eds of thousands. They Le adopte' by Pnnces and peoples. Under their influenee ..a.ons abjured their aUegianee to the false ^^s of Rome ,„ the reaction which followed, all the powers of hell seemed .0 be let loose upon ad.,ere„ts of the Reformation. War followed w ^ ures. burnings, and massacres were multiplied.' Yet the Reformation stood undefeated and un conquerable, God's word upheld it and Z enemies of His almighty spirit\t was the'„: of Chnst as truly as the founding of the Church eghteen centuries ago; and the revelation of te future wh,ch He gave from heaven-that prophet c oolcwth which the Scripture doses-was olrf t^.m,ght.st instruments employed in its accom" was put by the reformers is no light or unimpor! ," "f """•""" "^^ resist m use. It con- demns the interpretation of the reformers. It co„. •If ' 252 Romanism and the Reformation. demns the views of all these men, and of all the martyrs, and of all the confessors and faithful wit- nesses of Christ for lonjr centuries. It condemns the Albigenses, the Waldenses, the Wicliffites, the Plussites, the Lollards, the Lutherans, the Calvinists ; it condemns them all, and v.pon a point upon w/iic/i tlicy arc alt agreed, an interpretation of Scripture which they embodied in their solemn confessions and sealed with their blood. It con- demns the spring of their action, the foundation of the structure they erected. How daring is this act, and how destitute of justification ! What an opposition to tJicpittars of a work most manifestly Divine! for it is no less than this, for Futurism asserts that Luther and all the reformers were wrong in this fundamental point. And wJiosc in- terpretation of propJiecy does it just fy and approve? That of ttte Romanists. Let this be clearly seen. Rome felt the force of these prophecies, and sought to evade it. It had no way but to deny their applicability. It could not deny their existence in Scripture. They were there plainly enough. But it denied that these prophecies referred to the Romish Church and its head. It pushed them aside. It shifted them from the entire field of medieval and modern history. As to Rabylon the Great, it asserted that it meant Rome pagan, Interpretation of the Reformers. not Rome Papal. Rome pagan shed all the blood referred to in Revelation xvii., xviii. Rome Christian had shed none of it. Prophecy was eloquent about the deeds of the Crcsars, but silent as to those of the popes ; and this though the persecutions perpetrated by the popes had exceeded those of the Cssars. Prophecy ex- pended its strength in warning the Church of the perils from heathenism which it perfectly under- stood, and was speechless as to the far greater perils arising from the Christian apostasy on which it needed the fullest warning and instruc- tion. It was eagle-eyed as to dangers from without, but blind to dangers from within. It guided and guarded the Church of the three first centuries, but tcft tlic. C/inrch of the next tliousand years and more xvithout a lamp to light its footsteps. As to the prophecies of the man of sin, or anti- christ, these had nothing to do with the middle ages, or with the Roman popes, or the long central centuries of the Church's sorest conflicts ; the}- only referred to a diminutive interval in the far off future, at the end of the world. The man of sin was only an ephemeral persecutor. His whole power was to continue but three and a half years. He was to be a :• nning Jew of the tribe of Dan ; a clever infide: who was to call himself God, and :i; \\ ! I.' (1/ I 1 ; if W 't 254 Rouiams>ii and the Reformation. set himself up in a Jewish temple at Jerusalem. Christians had nothing to do with h'rys . g^j^ii, A ]cw was to do all the mischief. 1 he whole evil was but a Jewish infidel spasm in the very last hour of lilstory before the second advent. There- fore the ••cformers were all wrong in their de- nunciations of the Papacy. They were foolish, misguided, unreasonable, fanatical, and the popes were uncondemned by the voices of the prophets. Daniel and John said nothing about them. T/ny were not the predicted apostat-s. vVhat though they did shed the blood of heretics like water, and drink it like wi^.e, and make themselves drunken with it, and exalt themselves above kings, and above the world, and clothe themselves with wealth and splendour, with purple and scarlet, gold and pearls! what though I'ley did sit supreme upon the s .en hf",, and de and rule the Roman empire in its divided Gothic state, and use its powers for the per-cution of heretics, and the suppression of what seme presumed to call the gospel of Jesus Christ ! The propher' . which those contemptible reformers an-' miserable so- called martyrs said applied to f , \ nothing of the son ; it was folly to SL.,.pose diey did"! Th;:7 applied to other people and to other cir- cumstances. Tl^ey only applied to />a^amsm and tl J^iUcrpntaiion of the Reformers. 2 5 5 infidelity: a past and b>;^ro„7 pagan ism. and a future sliortllvcd infidelity, and notl.in.. .norc ^hrcc centuries in the past, and three years in the f>'tnre, that ,c'as all they had anything to do ,eith As to the fifteen eenturies whieh lay betzveen, they had no bearing upon then, hatevcr. Popes m.ght make themselves easy, and cardinals and counc.Is and papal princes and priests, inquisitors and persecutors, Dominicans and Jesuits > The thunders of propheey ^,ere not directed against them, hut against those dead Qesars, and that unborn fezv Aid so they puffed at the reformers, and scoffed at the martyrs, and scorned and derided and desr...:.d them, , and went on \n their proud tyranny, an abated nothing of their blasphemous pretension, .d bloody persecutions. IVhieh think you zuere right in their interpre- tations of Scripture? Those proud popes, those cruel mquisitors, those inhuman monsters who mangled the bodic of holy men and women in their torture chambers, those sanctimonious mur- derers who stirred up all the might of Chris- tendom, from century to century, against the gospel and against the faithful witnesses of Jesus • or those pure and persecuted saints, those faithful Waldenses and Wicliffites. those earnest Hussites ■^•nd Lollards, those self-sacriiicing Lutherans and 'i.. liiNi Huguenots, those noble con{^.^o^^^^^^^^,^^^^^,c. •"artyrs ? With one mind and mouth all these I rotcstants agreed in tiie substance of thcfr pro- test. To them Rome was Babylon, and its proud l>cad the antichrist. Were they all mistaken, deluded, and their cruel, tyrannical oppressors and persecutors co. .ect ? What think you ? Perhaps you say, ]kit was Rome ri-dit \n nothing? Must a doctrine be wrong because Rome holds it ? Does not Rome hold the truth as to the divinity of Christ, and as to some other pomts of importance ? I ^r^ant Rome holds some truths. It would liave no moral power unless it did. Even the Mohammedans hold some ^rrcat truths, and the heathen also. But mark, this is a- question of Rome's judgment concerning herself , and the bearing of prophecy on her ozon history and character. It is here in this judgment that the luitnnst claims that Rome was right, and the reformers in the wrong. And the consequences are most serious, for we are living in an age of revived Papal activity. Not only is the Papacy exertmg an enormous influence in the outside world, not only has it formulated and decreed its own infallibility, not only is it attacking Pro- testantism in its strongholds with every weapon in Its reach, political, civil, religious, but the prin- _ ^•"'•■Pnlatiou of the Reformers. ,57 ^'Plcs and practices of the systc'n^^rguidc, ukI He I otctant C,u,rc„, and //.,„W..W,- ..Wun '-'"'' ■•'"^ ••"■'^ -™A">g .vost disastrously for ■^ corn,,,.,. „„, „,,^.,..,„.^^^. ^^^^^ ^^_^^ X r^r "ceded ,I,e /.„,„,,, „,„y, p ,_ fo .cr protection. And now wl.cn they are o oreiy needed, they are not .0 be fonnd. IZZ "^" " ' ^'' ^'"•'•'■"' "■"''''^•- Romanists, Ri„,alis,s "o"-apphcabih-ty of Scripture prophecies to t t ^ts a,e t,vo hundred „,iIlio„s, the Kitualists are '■""drcds of thousands, and Protestant Futuri r """"' '"""^"""^ ■•" --b--- They all d y 'hose prophecies their place and ofhce yZ n^.c ,„esc l,„„Urs. ^Vhat then is to keep J^^ e n , p,p^, „^^^ , The„ordofpro.i:; nj. solemn warnings of the dangers the clutrch has to encounter, the foes it has to resist i, - be feared? The reforme.s „ ere n.istaken ■ e popes were right. Charles V. and Charles IX ' '"^:!n7\::^rr:..frr''^""''^' ^ A IV., and ail liic tribe of J ; - ^-H, of ^^^omaiiism and the Reformation, Innocents and Leos, Grc^^rand"^ Crement.^ 1ms IV. and Tins IX.,-all these were ri^ht in rejecting^ tlie fundamental position that I'apal Rome IS Babylon, and its head antichrist; and all the reformers, without an exception, were wrong ni mamtaining it; they were foolish interpreters of the "sure word of prophecy." and utterly in error as to tlie real testimony of Scripture con- cerning the Cliurch of Rome. Is this the position you adopt.? Is this the conclusion you defend > Are these the views you advocate } You, a Protestant, and this after all that has been written upon the subject, and all the blaze of light which history and experience have poured upon it } If it is, look to it tl^at yon he not found fighting against the truth, warring against the word of God, resisting the testimony of the prophetic Spirit, hindering the work of the Refor- mation, promoting the progress of the apostasy opposmg Christ, and : >Iping antichrist. Even the Romanists themselves shame you m their clear-sighted comprehension of the issues of this question. Cardinal Manning says ^' The Catholic Church is cither the masterpiece of Satan or the kingdom of the Son of Godr Cardinal Newman says, "y^ sacerdotal order is historically the essence of the Church of Rome; if not divinely right ^^^^^^-'^ of tlicjic/ormers. .59 in both ti.esc statements the issue Is elear and it is that r , ""'■' '"'-'"■'™ "J' CArist, slu "! ""''"■ She herself propounds and ur<.es this solemn alternative. You shrink f ■ ? f "■ ^""science eonstrains me Historv Iain oTn " ™"^' ^''"^^■•^^^' ' -= "-'-- : ,;^! !"Sn of monsters; I see those vice' f'^;"'^ Gregory VI,., that Innocent III ^ Boniface VIII th^^ ai j ,. ' ^t "••"'=" Alexander VI., that Gre.rorv ^ai.,t at P,us IX.;, see their long succesriof n.ear t e,r insuperable blasphemies, , see t a o™„,„e iivcs; I .ee then, worshipped Um.ed generations, bestowing hollow benedic' t.ons bartering ,„„„ ,,„„,^^,^^ ="'- P.^2an,zed Christianity; I see their liveried slave thcr shaven priests, their celibate confessors ,f 'he .nfamous confessional, the ruined women t:r:*r.''""°-""^ '--he lying absoL: V ct,ms , I Var the anathen.as, the curses the 'hunders of .be interdicts ; I see the r..-"' the 'lungeon, the stakes; I see that inhumanL^uLt ,1 U\\\ l> -^^ Romanism and the Reformation. tion. those fires of SmithficlJ, those butcheries of St. IJartliolomcv/, that Spanish armada, those unspeakable clra-onnades, that endless train of wars, that dreadful multitude of massacres. / .a- It all. and in the name of tJie ruin it has wrought in the Cliunh and in the world, in the name of the truth it has denied, the temple it has defiled, the God it has blasphemed, the souls it has destroyed ; in the name of the millions it has deluded, the' millions it has slaughtered, the millions it has damned ; with holy confessors, with noble refor- niers, with innumerable martyrs, with the saints of ages, / denounee it as the masterpieee of Satan, as the body and soul and essenee of antichrist. P f I-UCTURK vn, MTJ-I^PKETATION AND i^SE OF THF^F rjjn FHECfFS W rOST.UFFO,U,ATHmn^E": T-HREE centuries l.avo rolled by since tlio accomplishment of the glorious Reformation These centuries have a double „speet-a I'ro. -ta„t. and a Papal. On the one hand, they P-sent the spectacle of an era of /A.,^ and ,„„l and, on the other hand, of read., and nv./„,L. ' In the h,story of Protestantism these centuries mve been an era of IWcrty, civil and religious In A.a ,500 there was not a free nation ■: Europe ; all were subject to the tyrannical govern- are free from that intolerable yoke. In the vear .500 there was hardly a Protestant to be found in *e world; Rome had exterminated them all by P^Ionged and cruel persecution. At the present day Protestants are 150,000,000 in number 4"'lMvl*"'=""'"^'-'»™^---eraof - --t t.K.r wmracncement tne human rahul • I 11 Ifrf^* 262 Romanism and the Reformation. experienced an emancipation, and was furnished witli new instruments. Learning was revived, and tlic art of printing discovered. Since then the word of God has been multiph'cd, translated, and expounded as never before. And the understand- ing of prophecy has shared the general advance. During this time hbraries have been written on the prophetic Scriptures. Mighty interpreters have been raised up, men such as Mede, Sir Isaac Newton, Elliott, whose investigations have drawn back the veil of long continued ignorance, and let in new light upon some of the darkest obscurities of the theme. Interpreters have risen in groups like constellations of stars, and knowledge has increased. On the other hand, post-Reformation times have been times of Papal reaction and revolution. In the first place, the Protestant Reformation was encountered by a tremendous Papal reaction, the rising wave of life and liberty was met by a coun- terwave of resistance. Hardly was the ship of a Protestant Church set free and launched upon the deep than there arose a mighty tempest. The re- surrection of the slain " witnesses " of Christ in the person of the reformers was answered by a i-csur- rection of all the powers of the pit. The awakening of men's souls brought tmr, ecclesiastical and civil, Post-Reformation Interpreters. 26 a war of anathemas and a war of extermination. Swords flashed forth, flames were kindled ; Rome rose in its anger and its might, and did wondrously. She thundered excommunications, she slaughtered miUions ; not without an awful struggle would the prince of darkness give up his kingdom. No ! Look to it, ye brave reformers ; ye will need the armoury of heaven and its help, for the hosts of hell are roused against you. Ye may conquer, but it shall be through strife and anguish, and seas of blood. Draw up your confessions of faith, yc blessed restorers of a pure gospel ; dare to give them to the world if ye will, but ye shall be stoutly an. swered. Against your Confession of Angslmrq' Rome shall erect her Council of rrcitt : she shall formulate her canons and decrees ; she shall im- pose her Creed of Pius IV., and utter her chorus of anathemas. Rise up, O Luther! cry out concerning "the Babylonian captivity of the Church," burn the Papal bull, rouse Germany ; but you shall have your match. Satan shall bring forth his Loyola, and Loyola his Jesuits— subtle, learned, saintly in garb and name, protean in form, infinite in dis- guises, innumerable, scholars, teachers, theologians, confessors of princes, politicians, rhetoricians^ Mr u . 1 ,;! 1 ! * •a iii'l Ki casuists ; instruments keen, unscrupulous, double- edged ; men fitted to every sphere and every cn- terpnse-thoy shall su^arm against the Church of ^hc Reformation, each one wise in the wisdom and strong in the strength wliich arc not from above but from beneith. Rise up, Zwingle, thou lion of Zurich! lead forth thy brave Swiss against the enemies of liberty and truth ! But ye must perish on the field of battle ere your cause succeed. Ride forth, fair flower o{ France ! strive, ye brave Hugncnofs, for your country's freedom and the faith of the gospel ! But Paris shall run with your blood ; ye shall fall like leaves from a tree shaken by tempest; ye shall lie in heaps, like rubbish in the streets ; your bodies shall choke the streams they shall rot in rivers, they shall hang in chains' they shall be shovelled into cemeteries, or burled in dung-heaps. Rome shall ring her joy-bells and smg her Te Deums, and fill her cathedrals and palaces with acclamations because the massacre of St. Bartholomew has overthrown, for a time, the work of the Reformation in France. Stand up, ye Hollanders! stand up, William the Silent ! stand up, ye men of Haarlem and Rot- terdam, of Amsterdam and Leydcn, y brave burghe s and earnest theologians. Ye dare to con- n _^^^JPost-Reformation Interprden. 265 tend for civil liberty andTa;;e7t7uTi;7;;;7;;;;;^ •shall groan beneath the tread of Alva's troops • your fortresses shall fall, your citizens shall l,c thrust through with Spanish swords, your posses- s.ons shall be plundered, your wives and your daughters shall be dishonoured and foully Lr- dered. your children trampled beneath horse-hoofs and trodden down like mire in the streets Break thy chains, O England! Rome shall find means to rivet them again ; thou shalt have thy bloody Mary, and thy fires of Smithfield. Protes- tant bishops shall burn for it ; against thy sea-girt - e Spain shall send her proud armada ; a ffeet of one hundred and thirty great ships of war shall come across the seas, twelve of them named after the twelve apostles; they shall be laden with seamen and troops, with swords and guns, with pnests and Jesuits ; the pope shall bless the ban- ners. Woe to thee, O England, if Heaven help thee not, if Its winds forsake thy cause ' Combine yourselves together, ye Protestant states of Germany ; claim your rights of con- sc.ence; stand for the truth; establish your Pro- testant liberties : but you shall have your desolat- ing war of thirty years! From Bohemia to the br ' ' 3road waters of the Scheldt fi Po to the shores of the Baltic, om the banks of the uholc countries m\ 2G6 Romanism and the Reformation. shall be devastated, harvests destroyed, citieTTnd villages reduced to ruins; half Europe shall be set on fire, and civilization shall be buried for a season in bloodshed and barbarism. The apostate Church commands the swords of Latin Christendom-the harlot rides the beast, and the beast has claws and great iron teeth, and sharp, strong horns, and inhuman ferocity: she sits proudly upon it, and it obeys her, grasping, rend- ing, and crushing whom she will. But what if the beast should grow weary of carrying her .? What if the beast should take a dislike to her usurping ways } What if it should resist her, and east her off, and tnrn its />ozver against her, and serve her as she had served others? Ah! that would be a different story, but not an experience unforetold. John foresaw it would be thus eighteen centuries ago, and history has fulfilled his predictions : for Romish reaction was followed by democratic m-^- iution; 1572 was followed by 1793, the Massacre of St. Bartholomew by the Reign of Terror. France Papal crushed France Protestant, and was crushed in its turn by France infidel. Have you not heard of Voltaire, of Rousseau, of Robespierre, of Danton, of the execution of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoi- nette, of the massacres in Paris in 1793, of the guillotine, of the nojades or wholesale drownings Post-R^ormatioii Inlerpreten. 267 ofho. the river ^o^^^^c^.^^.^^^::^-, the war ,„ La Vendee, of the vvorsl.ip of ,he god- "Z^ Tr "' '"= '"™"'S -•'"-d«'^ 'n.0 2^-. of the forty thousand ehurehes, chape,, ad oratones torn down by the revolutionists, o tl e massaere and banishment of priests and Jesuit, "the b„rn,n. of palaees, the be..ari„s of princes,' tl.e overthrow of monarchy and government and ~acy and corrupt religion, as by the heav' ■ngs o a socal earthqual And have you not heard I,ow a httle later on the Papal States were conquered by Napoleon, and converted into a Roman re- Puhc; "ow the P,p,,y „,3 I rid ;: "'' "^"""■^"' """"'^ -""- ad and the pope dragged from the altar, and ml, /r" '" '"'^ '■" '"'^ • ^-"°""ose m.....rs of ,//„«7, and of ncmi history? H.^re is ■111; ,; ' 2(i'& Romanism ami the Reformation. Thiers' "History of the French^R^^^ot^V^ 's Ah-son's history of that revolution, in twelve volumes; and here i« Carlylc's history of the same written as with a pen of fire. It is but a century since these things were accomph'shed, and the after-waves of that mighty revolution are roliin^r still. "^ These two great movements which have followed the Reformation, the Papal reaction of the i6th and 17th centuries, and the Revolution of the i8th century, have mightily helped to open men's eyes to the true charac: ,< of Romanism, and to the fulfilment of the nrnn].etic Scriptures. The last three centuries .,,.. consequently witnessed a great advance in the comprehension of prophecy and we are this evening to study the expositions which have resulted. First, note the fact that Rome's reply to the Reformation in the i6th century included an answer to the prophetic teachings of the Reformers, Through the Jesuits Ribcra and Bellarniine Rome put forth her futurist interpretation of prophec)- Ribera was a Jesuit priest of Salamanca. In 1585 he published a commentary on the Apocalypse denying the application of the prophecies con- cerning antichrist to the existing Church of Rome He was followed by Cardinal Bellarmine, a nephew Post- Re/or iMl ion Inlc,-J,yclcn. .69 of Pope Marcdrurn.;;;,;^;;;^,,,-^;;;,, > 54., and died in Rome in ,fl., „„,„„,,,: was not only a man of great learning, but most powerful con„.ove,.i„li3t in defence of Popcy "-at t„e ], Church ever produced." Clen,ent V II. used these remarl^ lV il liiis o the Apocalypse, published .bout the year ,foo, ;' " ' '^ "■"= '" ■•" ™"cs.,;o„ of learned works I... cannot stop. o enumerate: Tor Ides dwell upon another, and, as I re^^ard it a n^ the last three centuries, a phase not of a egat,ve but of a positive character. ProU n erpreters have done more than answer the fl "e futur™ of the Church of Rome. They h ^^ have bu.lt up a solid and symmetrical system a ^y^tem which has developed slowly, J^^ progressed constantly, which has bee bor^l . g^t mvestigation only, but Of profoun^^^^^^^^ a'nd Je^oire"; ^VT "'' ''"' '-''' "* Dy Its cver-grow no- corm jonclence with the actual course of event: Zl ^-logy, like true science, is slow in development The growth of astronomy, for example, has e" nded t,„ou,b si. thousand years. The :;stm Pto emy was corrected by that of Copern'cus Kepler a^:;T"" "" "'"""^ ^^ '"' '-- o Kepler and the wonderful discoveries of Newton • and then further perfected by the HerscherlTd' many others in recent times. ^'^^■R'^M'nation Tntc-prctcrs. 27, Keeping strictly to ihe^te^^:;;;-:- ivomanism and tlir- Vr.i .■ " endeavour to show you some of the analo^^ous J^'osnss wlH-ch has been made in their com;" tension durinrTthclas^ or.. c.omp,e- nam.« ^° ^''^'■'- The following a-es represent a complete piUa. of prophet : interpretation : >j-rV. j/,. .-. , I 'opnetic ,/cf t ^'f'* '"^ ^ '■'="°" "< CLrisfs College ' yr ^''''"%-^''-''-t>.c first half of ,; Mat 01 the Kcformation. He iv.is a ,„,„ r 'eamh,g and di,;„ence S,V ^^ °' ^"" Divine wo,d ? "P '""S'" ''"'° "1= study D T "T """'"^^ '"■' •'"«-' tudy. Dr. Twisse, who was prolocutor in the VVes^™„ster Assembly of DiW„es,wro.ea;f ays t a". '™^°" ''-^ ^■'""'^P-' ■•" "«c.. h ovcrDs of ijolomon, 'many daufrhters nave done virtuou-Iu hnf fT "''"L'^ers nil' c •. "°"'^^>^' "^"t tJiou surmountcst them aJi, so It mav b*- -airl -r ^t ^ • -■ ' "^'"^ ^^ ^^^cdes exposition of li:. J !5f.|| ; ! i 272 Romanism and the Reformation. I Revelation : many interpreters liave done excel- lently, but he surmounteth them all." Mede's k-cy to the Apocalypse, written in Latin, was translated into luiglish by Richard More, one of the burgesses in the English Parliament ; and the House of Commons published that translation in 1641, the year of the great massacre of Protestants in Ireland. Here is a copy of that work pub- lished by the House of Commons. The Puritan Parliament set its seal thus upon the historical antipapal interpretation of prophecy, and upon this valuable work of Joseph Medc. Mede did what no interpreter had previously done ; he laid down the important principle, that, for the correct undei standing of the Apocalypse, it is nee y, in the f^rst place, to fix the order of its prcustpat visions apart altogether from the question of their interpretation. Accordingly Mede sought to cx- liibit the syneJironism and the suceession of these visions, or the order of the prophecies contained in the Apocalypse. Setting aside and ignoring for the time all question of the meaniug of these prophecies, he endeavoured to demonstrate from the visions themselves the position they occupy with reference to one another. Their mutual rela- tions once proved serve as a most valuable clue to their significance. Medc prefaces his work with .he prayer: "Thou who sittest n^^;:^^^^;:^, ZnlT'.T'"''' ^"°' °' °™-^' -ho wast on ;■ vorthy .0 take and open .his book, open the eyes of Thy servant, and direct his hand and Jr., that ,n these Thy mys.enes he n.ay discern nd produce so^ethinswaieK^aytend'totheVoJ of Thy name and profit of the Church" is Itat of' T^'r'"" '"'^■■^" "'^'^ -'''^■'•^hes P>op/,eciesr remarkable by reason of n,„ , of their times. First of the '' * in tl,. -ij ""^ :»""«« remaining n e w^derness for three and a half times, o^ ^ It .s declared in the prophecy, i ,^0 davs • s«o„ , of ,„ ,,,,, „„„^^ P^^/; - day '7, ! '"P'" *''°''''=" ""der foot by the Ge ..ies for the same number of months ; fourth days. Mede po.nts out that not only are thes- '■mes equal, but they te.in at tke salZo^Z out ,kar course. The events of the last .50 yeal have confirmed Mode's interpretation as tot eeneral synchronism of these times, but they ha e also shown that these periods should be reck ned from an „. rather than from a ^«„. of time ;:nd Ih.y tcrmmate in a corresponding era The Ih 1! i M' n in "If 2 74 Romanism and the Reformat ion. three aiul a lialf times of prophecy tlatc from the era of the rise of the Papal and Mohammedan powers, and extend to tlie era of the overthrow of those powers ; in which era we are livint; at tlic present day. Let mc refer you to a work on this subject wln'ch I pubh'shed a year aRo, entitled " Light for tlie Last Days," tracing these proplietic times, and the eras of their commencement and close. Medc established several other synchrv)n- isms ; as, for example, one between the revived Roman head of Revelation xiii., and the two- horned, lamb-like beast, which John calls elsewhere " the false prophet," which acts for the revived head. He shows that the two arc inscpayablc companions; that they are together alike in their rising and in their ruin, that the one exercises the power of the other, and thus, whatever be their meaning, that they are necessarily synchronous. He then traces the position of the remaining visions of the Apo- calypse as they stand related to these, showing which precede these central visions, which synchro- nise with them, and which succeed them ; thus making out and establishing the connexion and order of the entire series of visions ; and this, as I have already stated, apart from all question of interpretation. Having gone through the book of Revelation thus, Mede next proceeds to expound Post-Refonnalion Tntn-pydcK,, 2 " C nn.UIc,no„,s„.tc its f„,„,„,„„ ,„ ,„^ ^^^ \^^ I '■■••vc .sai,l ,l,,.,t „„,, „,„., ,,,_ "•- npp,.„vc.l ..,„, ,,,■„„, , „,^, ™ "'■ •' C'.nfosH,.,,, subsequently .ur,M.:l I., //. ' copy containing a list of tl.c InuKlicd I-nri.,-,,, —;- «„o ,nct in the VVcs,„,ins,c,. Asscnby '■-led by t,,e „,„„e ^f o, vv,„,.,,„„ ,.^,,,,^, ^^^^^ to winch I h,.,v= already rcfcncd. Tl,o Wo t .".-tor Confession of K,it,, endorse,, tho J!:; f^-t^lf o he ,l.c frcHcM '■ n.an of si,,:' Wci-h 7" '"= '^""""•"S -o-Is of the VVc,tn,h,st;' 1.v,nes upon this subject, cnbodied in TZ 'i.oy eld and taught on the authority of Sciptu; J« a,.i, „or can tUc Pofc of Ro.„c i„ „„y ,„„, One of the divines who statement was the famous I put his hand ic^ tJ \\9. I cli J 'uritan writer, Dr. 2^6 liomanism and i/ie Reformation. Thomas Goodwin, of London, and he has left us an exposition of tlic book of Revelation of whicli tliis h a cop)-. It bclon-s, I need hardly say, to the historical school, and describes the Apocalypse as " ///<• stoiy of C/irisfs /a'/io-doi)/." Sir Isaac A^i'u'fon followed Mcde and the Puritan writers, and further advanced the comprehension of i)rophccy. He was a Christian as well as a philosopher, and took deli-ht in studyin- and comparing the wo.ks and word of God. The vastncss of his -enius led him to the mo-^i rx in isivc views o{ things natural and Divine. He studied nature as a whole, history as a whole, chronology as a whole, and. in connexion with these, prophecy as a whole. While I\Icde directed his attention 'specially to the Apocalypse, Newton investigated l>oth it and the book of Daniel, tracing out their connexions with the course of history and chrono- logy, utilizing in the latter his unrivalled astro- nomical skill. Here is a copy of his " Observations on the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of John," printed in the year 1733, six years after his death. In the first chapter Newton says : ^' Among the old prophets Daniel is most distinct in order of time, and easiest to be understood, and therefore in those things which relate to the' last times he must be made the key to the rest." ^^"''-K'lf-o-malhn /i,/cr/,n/crs. 277 °namcl„,.c.,,oft|,c„,,,,,ucd.„o„ea,,ot:,c,- ••>" ■ they u-cc b„t several part., of one general ;'"l'l>---cy Siven at several ,h„e,s. The first is "•= cas,est ,0 be understood, and every following r^l' coy adds southing „e. to the for.ncr" ' ,""-; "'"'"" '"■ "«-■ ■■"«Kc composed of four :Tt,, ";';'"""^ ^ ■^""^ "f l"™' g'-t nations l.,ch should re,g„ over the earth suecessively vi, '0 people of Habylonra, the Persians, the Greeks,' .d Romans; and by a stone cut out „itl,„ut '••"J» winch fell upon the feet of the image and break- all the four metals to pieces, and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth, it further represents that a new kingdom should arise ^'ftcr the four, and conquer all those nations, and grow very great, and last till the end of all a-es " I" chapter iv. he says:'. In the next vi^on, vh,eh ,s of the four beasts, the prophecy of the four empires is repeated with several new addi- t|ons, sueh as are the two wings of the lion, the three r,bs in the mouth of the bear, the four wings and four heads of the leopard, the eleven horns of he fourth beast, and the Son of man coming me elouds of heaven to the Ancient of days Sitting in judgment." ill il n\ 278 Romanism and the Reformation. }.\ i In chapter vii. lie expounds the "little horn" of the fourth beast, with eyes as a seer and a mouth speaking great things, and changing times and laws; and shows it to represent a power both prophetic and kingly, and that such a seer, a proi)Iiet, and a king ii tlie Roman Papacy. Me traces its rise, and the cotemporaneous rise of the ten horns at the fall of the western Roman empire. He traces also its dominion, and antici- pates its doom at the close of the foretold period. He interprets the days of prophecy as years, reckoning, to use his own words, a prophetic day for a solar year. He shows the futurity in his time, and proximity of the world-wide overthrow of the Papal power. He s..v. that the time had not then come perfectly to understand these mysterious prophecies, " because the main revolu- tion predicted in them had not yet come to pass. In the days of the voice of the seventh an<^el when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets; and then the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign for ever." Till then, he says, "we must content ourselves with interpreting ivhat hath been already fnlfilled." He adds: "Amongst the interpreters of the last Post-Reformation Interpreters. 279 age there is scarce one of note who hatli not made some discovery wortli knou-in- and thence I seem to gatlier that God is about opening these mysteries." He points out that an angfd must fly through tlic midst of heaven witli the everhistin- -ospcl to preacli to all nations before Babylon falls and the Son of man reaps I lis harvest, and says: "// the general preaching of the gospel be approaehing, It is to us and our posterity that those words mainly belong, ' I„ the time of the end the wise shall understand, but none of the wicked shall understand.' ' ]51essed is he that rcadeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein. ' " ^ How marvellously has Sir Isaac Newton's anti- cipation of a general preaching of the gospel been accomplished in theglo:; -js evangelization of the world during the last century ! This judicious writer expressed it as In's opinion to Whiston, his learned successor, that the Church of Rome was destined to be overthrown by a tremendous infidel revolution ; in other words, that superstition would be trodden down by infidelity Remembering that Sir Isaac Newton died half a century before the French Revolution, this was a very remarkable anticipation ! ^lll c: !■ 28o R omanism and tlic Reformation. One of the most important features of Sir Isaac Newton's work is its exposition of the use of symlwlic language in prophecy. I Ic lays it down as a principle, that "for understanding the prophecies we arc in titc first place to aajuaint ourselves with the figurative language of the prophets. This language is taken from the analogy between the world natural, and . n empire or kingdom considered as a world politic." The prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse being symbolic in their language are not to be interpreted literally I„ these books the sun, moon, stars, earth, fire, meteors, winds, storms, lightning, hail, rain, waters, sea, rivers, floods, dry land, overflowing of waters, drying up of waters, fountains, i.slands, trees, mountains, wilderness, beasts, as the lion, bear, leopard, goat, with their horns, heads, feet,' wings, teeth, etc., are all symbol ie ; they arc symbols of things of a different nature, though things analogous to these, or in some sense resembling them. On this principle, for example, the tZ ivitnesses of Rr.'elation xi. are symbol ie, and do not represent two actual men from whose mouth h'teral fire proceeds, and who literally shut heaven, and literally turn waters to blood, and smite the' earth with literal plagues, and who are slain and lie dead for three and a half literal days, and then •^ Post- Rcformal ion Interpreters. 28 1 literally rise from thT^l^^^T^^iteral^^ancl Visibly ascend to heaven in a cloud ; nor is their ascension followed by a literal earthquake, and a 'teral fall of the tenth part of a literal city, and by hteral lightnings, voices, thunderings, and hail. All these are symbols of other things, and the.r 1' era interpretation is an absurdity. Futurists utterly degrade these solemn and majestic pre- dictions by their pernicious attempts to expound them on the principle of a literal fulfilment The first step in the direction of the comprehension of these prophecies is the consistent recognition of their symbolic character. A. sufficient number of these symbols are divinely interpreted for us, to «ervc as a clue to all the rest, as when a beast is explained to represent a kingdom, and a candle- stick a local Church. The second step to a com- prehension of symbolic prophecy is the settlement of the meaning of the various symbols which they employ. ^ Contemporaneous with Sir Isaac Newton there vvere several great 7//,^.,,.;/,/ expositors of prophecy Among these I may name Juricu and Daubn,. IJoth these were exiled Huguenots, and belonged to the five hundred thousand Protestants who were compelled to leave France by the persecuting action of Louis XIV. in rcvoktu^ the Edut of I ; . 1 1 m 282 Romanism and the Reformation. Nantes. Their sufifcrlngs under the Papal power turned tlieir attention to the prophetic word, and in It they found support and consolation. Jurieu, for example, begins his prophetic work with the' sentence : '< The afflicted Church seeks for con- solation. Where can she find it but in the promises of God } " Here is a copy of this work by Jurieu, published in 1687, entitled, " The Ac- complishment of the Scripture Prophecies; or The Approaching Deliverance of the Church" "proving that the Papacy is the antichristian kmgdom, and that that kingdom is not far from its rum; that the present persecution may end in three years and a half, after which the destruction of antichrist shall begin, which shall be finished in the beginning of the next age, and then the kmgdom of Christ shall come upon earth." Here is another work published at the same period by one of the exiled Hngnenot ministers Its title runs thus : - A New System of the Apoealypse • ivrttten by a French Minister in the year 16S5, and finished bnt two days before the dragoons plundered him of all exeept this Treatise:^ The author antici- pated that the reformed religion overthrown by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes would be again re-established in three and a lialf years ; which it was in the most remarkable manner, though not ^(^^^-Reformation Interpreters. 28" ju.it as ho expected. IV ^^Euglhk^&^. ■on, wh,ch brought .-.bout the re-establishraent of I rotestantism. followed three and a half years after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and these men lived to see if -m^ f^ • • • . ^ «.^j bLc It, and to rejoice in it The author of this little work points out the/«...^^ at thattimeof the ././.on P>oaI Rome, in which he was evidently correct. t...e is another Hague uot u>ork of tl. same period, written by an exiled nimister, describing the way in which all Protes- tants throughout France had been forbidden to assemble for the worship of God under the severest penalties ; and also forbidden to leave the country under pain of the galleys, or even condemnation to death. This work traces in a very remarkable way the similarity of the experience of the re- formed Church in this last great Papal persecution to that of the Jews under Antiochus Epiphanes "1 the time of the Maccabees. It contains in an appendix the famous bull of Pope Clement XT condemning a hundred Jansenist propositions as false, pernicious, injurious, outrageous, seditious, impious, blasphemous," etc. The hundred pro- positions taken from the works of the Jansenists are given here, and they are all most excellent and in perfect harmony with the teachings of Scripture. Among them are the following • '^Ifi ft ifl r i If jife...i.j : ■! " rroposition 79. It ;, xx^^^M^'^^^^^^^^^^^ all t.mcs. in all places, and for all sorts of persons ro^ stu^y tnc Saipturc, and to understand its spirit' piety, and mysteries." "rroposition «., It is ,, ,/,,, ,, cknstian people the mouth of frs.s C/n-isi to take from their hands the holy word of God, or to keep it shut In aknig from them the means of understanding if In other words, to take the Bible out of the hand of Christian people, or to take away from them the means of understanding the Seripture, is to shut the mouth of Christ Himself as far as they are concerned. •• IVopcition S5. To forbid tl.c ,cacli„R of hcr,pt„rc, and particularly of the gospel, to Cl.riv fans ,s,, f.,r,,,l ,/,, „,, „^ ^,,,, ^_, ,^^^. 0/ /«*. Whicl, proposition also the pope eo„. dcmns as a„ insufferable and abominable doctrine and adds :..VVc forbid to all the faithful of both sexes to think, teach, or speak on these proposi- Jons n, any other way than as ,ve lay down in th.s constitution or bull ; and whoever shall teach understand, or expound these propositions, or any of the™, in public or private in any other way han .s la,d down by the pope, subjects himself to tec severest censures and condemnations of the Church, and incurs the indignation of Ahni-hty vm of 1 Cod a„u of ,„, i,oiy:.po;ei,;i;-;~^;,„:: A to ,.,„po.i„-o„s cited by Cicnct XI. in this ""...u,co,,do„,„cd by,, i,„ .»..,„,,,,,,,„,,,,,,,. >.ou.sblasp„c,„ot.,»a,-ca.s.sc,iptu,„la.tl,os „e Iiavo {]uotcd, I l.avc mentioned /W,« „,„o„s thc.,0 exiled e':™- "^- "»'■-•-'- -r a .a,,.e and r^^^°'"r"'"^^ "''""'■■'-■ Apocalypse „f con. -uable value, with which I nu.st associate as l->o".'.„,t„thesa,nepenod,the..Co„„.e„tay on Revelation" pnbli.hed by the learned Dh :::;:™;.f;'''',o,. .„a. year broke out t Iar,s on l.ebrua,y .3rd, and before Ma,-ch 5,h every country iyi„„ b,j,,,,„ ,^,, m.n,,, ,„j , ,^ Vistula had ,n a greater or less degree been cvo u ,on,sed. On March ,5th, a fortnight afte .efal of Louis Philippe, a constitution vaspo cla,™ed at Eo™e, and the pope fled to G.ae a and was subsequently fonnally deposed frcn hi,' temporal authority, and an Italian republic pro' da,„,ed. The year m, was equally or e'en more ™po,tant, as introducing the se,ies of Papal defeatswhiehcutainated four years later, in. 70 in the ovcrllimiv of the I'nn-,! 1^„ ^' ^ ••"xl tl.c full of the I. ,1 ; 7 " '" '■'■■■"'"■• seized .l,e 1 ", ™ ''"'" """' ■"■'' ''-I „e,,,! "■ "'" ■'= ■*°"l'l '''ive fixed "caily a century bcfoi-f^Inn,! .1 . ' ei-i of IV • <:°"i„,c„cemcnt of ,hc cia of D,v,„c vengeance on tlic I'.ml ,^ , '-C pointed ont, within . ,siWe ' T^,'' ' ccnt,al pen-od of that .,i,„,| ;■,„!::;„'''• ""' - he »hon,d have ..llaH, Jdic,;:' ,; ,: ^48 an „sc„ „, ,,,,, „, ,,^^^^, ovettlno/:; 'ng, with reference tn fUr. c , •'^ f^ • . ^"^ former, " VVe aro nof = find ,t st.ll u, ben,s and alive when the next yul,s poured out "P The vial which suceeed ho intcrnrcts tc fJi« • > •^'^'*-i-tcu.s Jie -Vial Which follow, that:;;;.;; z::-,.:: he understands the final destruction nf P chuled with . vole ou tor , ! ""' "^-^ ^°"- ondfronithetl ;'''"'™P'<="f'-von, 1 « throne of God and Qi ^M^pioachingEndoftheAg '■ist tlicrc. ■ni ^'c, p. 476. JM |i.'. J 88 Romanism and the Reformation. saying, '// is done: And therefore with this cloth the blessed millennium of Christ's spiritual reign on earth begin." ^ About fifty years later than the time of Flcminn- or in the middle of last century, was published a work by a Swiss astronomer named Dc Chcseaux entitled, "Historical, Chronological, and Astro- nomical Remarks on Certain Parts of the Book of Daniel." A copy of this book exists in the British Museum. It demonstrates the astronomic char- acter of the prophetic times. It proves, in the clearest and most conclusive way, that the 1,260 years of prophecy, and the 2,300 years of prophecy, and also the period of 1,040 years which is their difference — are astronomic cycles of one and the same character, luni-soiar cycles, or cycles har- monizing the revolutions of sun and moon, and affecting the order of time dealt with in the calendar. These discoveries are of the deepest interest. As M. de Cheseaux says : " For many ages the book of Daniel, and especially these passages of it, have been quoted and commented on by numerous and varied authors, so that it is impossible for a moment to call in question their antiquity. Who can have taught their author the marvellous relation of the periods he selected ' Fleming : " Decline and Fall of Rome Papal," p. 83. I Post-Reformation Infcrprcteys. 2 89 wuh soli-lunar revolutions? Is it possible, con- s'denn.5 all these points, to fail to recognise in I'c author of the book of Daniel the Creator of he heavens and of their hosts, of the earth and the thmgs that arc therein ? " I cannot enlarge at the present time on Dc Ci^cseaux's discoveries. If you desire to know •"ore about them, you will find a chapter on the subject in my work on the "Approaching End of tlie Age. I must notice one more writer of the last century, the excellent Bishop Nnvton, whose deservedly popular work on prophecy has gone through so many editions. Newton acted on Lord Bacon's suggestion, expressed in his "Ad vancement of Learning," that a Itistory of propl^ccy was wanted, in which every prophecy of the Scnpture should be compared with the event f^'lfillmg it. The twenty-sixth dissertation of Newton's work recapitulates his exposition of the prophecies relating to Romanism. In it he says • " Tl>^c prophecies relating to Popery arc the greatest and nwst essential, and the most striking part of the revelation. Whatever difficulty and perplexity tliere may be in other passages, yet here the appli- cation IS obvious and easy. Popery being the great corruption of Christianity^ there arc indeed nu>re U Iji i m U i i i I ff ^^o^^Rojnanism and the Reformation. prophecies rehUiug to iluU than to almost any otl^r distant event. It is a -rcat object of Daniel's, and the principal object of St. Paul's, as well as of St. John's prophecies ; and these considered and compared together will mutually receive and re- fleet light from, and upon, each other." Bishop Newton considered that the sounding of the seventh trumpet, or pouring out of the third woe, the woe of the vials, upon the Papacy was still future in his day; and he was evidently correct as he lived before the time of the French Revo-' lution. He held also that at the fall of the Otto- man empire and the Christian antichrist the f-vs would turn to the Lord and be restored to their own land, and says that the prophecies relating to the conversion and restoration of the Jewish people are simply innumerable.^ We must now. in the last place, briefly consider the progress made in prophetic interpretation during tJte present eentury. I have already said that the French Revolution cast a flood of li^ht upon the whole question of prophetic interp'^re- tation. It strongly confirmed the historic ^\<,v, including its leading feature, the year-day chrono- logy of the prophetic times. nn Tr?\ ^'''^°'' •■ " ^^'^^^"'-^tion on the Prophecies." pp. 6S2, 696, 699. ' ' i f Post-Rcfonnation^ Tnicrprctcs. 291 from the rise of ho f ^ " "^' "' ""'""""« aca tnese I may mention ICeM, who deals entitled "nVr ? ' ""P""""' ™"« is 11 Church?'^'; "==""^°f 'he World and ' '-''"'* accordmg to Scripture- or Tl,„ of Ihe' "7."°"" •■"' "■" '° =P-k of the works of the vvell-k„o,v„ Bia.rsUM. or to refer in detai V t/erllT r ™''"^ ■■" ""^■-^- S»S n tne last fifty years have expounded S.np ure prophecy on the historic principle can do no more than say a few sontJcee m closing about three of the jrreate.f nf ., "11- [greatest of those writers II ' i! ) •i'J i •■ lil 11 BWjff^^ 292 Romanisvi and the Reforwathm. Bishop Wordsworth, Kev. E. Jl Elliott, and Pro. fessor Birks, of Cavdridge. The works of tlic late Bishop Wordsworth, that learned and eloquent commentator, demonstrate with perfect conclusiveness that Rome Papal is the Babylon of the Apocalypse. Wordsworth under- stood tile Cliurch of Rome better tlian any com- mcntator. Elliott excepted, in recent times; anc' he was familiar also with the entire history and literature of the Christian Church. His testimony on the fulfilment of propiiccy in Papal Rome is such as to settle the. question finally for all intelli- gent and unbiassed minds. The learned commentator, Dean Alford, who was a semi-futurist, says : "Ido not hesitate to maintain that interpretation which regards Papal and not pagan Rome as pointed out by the harlot of this vision (Rev. xvii.). Th.- subject has been amply discussed by many expositors. I would especially mention Vitringa and Dr, Wordstvorth." While quoting Dean Alford, I would warn you against the snare into which many have fallen, of trusting themselves implicitly to the guidance' of Greek scholars such as Alford, Tregellos, and Elli- cott, in the study of prophecy. These students of the letter of sacred writ have their place and value, and should stand high in our estimation but .i,ci,. .s„.,i,u ,„,,, „,, ^~ .,,,„;r;7,,„ com prehension of tlic fir r„, 1 • I'I'ctic .,.,,11, r„ '"■"'"'""•■i »J''^'C". of pm. •'''-"pts, words, ctlcrs nnlnfo -n ♦ I "-'•'■^'■% points, i Iicy .so c oin n-r-mM : '™^"""« "f "■■'t-y "■■ p.oph4 as ;,: and the l,ght which Mm„„„j, h„ „3. „„ ,,f' ; -0.0.x both .rh,-s.,™^ 01 the I.,,thers as to an individual, sho,t-livcd t,c,,.st„otio,,sw,,ichs,e>vupi„'.h,J; -:i':ra::'-^':;":v"'' '"- "- '"^■ W-cdtothetls^LtrdtXT ^7"'""",°' ''™""=''^ ■•"'c.prcta.ion, ^^Z .on but evcr.e,.otru.^ Mstory .- that prophecy and the fnt„re ,„ the light of the past. Pro. Phccy .s vast, rnountainous, and f.,-rcaM„s sis>U 1,1 lei,, 294 Romanism om f the Rcfoymation. is needed for its elucidation. A Cliristian pl^o- sophcr like Sir Isaac Newton, accustomed to the study of the facts and laws of nature, and the entire course of history and ciironology, is a far safer guide in this extensive subject than a Greek- scholar whose whole business is the study of words. The man with the microscope sees small points uncommonly well, but he fails to perceive great general relations. As he docs not steadily con- template these relations, they produce no vivid impression upon him. and he is often led to con- clusions totally at variance with the whole course of experience, and even with the teachings of common sense. Not that all scholars however arc shortsighted. Occasionally scholars arc met with like Rev. E. B. Elliott and Professor liirks, both fellows of Trinity Cohegc, Cambridge, equally able to use the microscope and the telescope. Unquestion- ably the most learned and able work ever written upon the book of Rev -lation is Mr. E/iiott's "Bom Apocalypticcer The late Dr. Candu.h, of Edinburgh, no mean judge, describes Elliott' as ''among the most learned, profound, and able exposi- tors any of tU books of Scripture Iiave ever /lad.'' i iiC JEK- 3. Candlish, D.D. : Lecture on "The Pope, fii,c /.a./. Uiist of Scrijiture." £osl-.Rrfon»,Uiou r„lc,-pnlc,-s. .95 '■jllfott's co„„„cnta,y o„ „„, Ap„cal>.p.„;Tto . U ,c ,,,tc,.e.a,.-o,, w„„t .„.,c,-,s 'a„,.„.J° •••'Hi conclusive It .,« l'-""ccl,can„„l, Bround rt T, ".,'"""""" ™'I""S without tl,at '■ „ "'"' ""•l"-'-"^'Uc fact.,, and '"at too Willi tjreat fulno™ tt withnro, 1 '■.'"■"""'"• It compares history with prophecy n, a more elaborate way at a» Pomts, than any work which preceded it. ' V 'tl t .s .omewhat involved and overloaded and ' 1. 1 ott as » scholar, and nearly c„ual to hin, i„ parn takn,,. research, was his .superior in phiio- -Ph,c grasp and logieal ability. „e J, , conrprehensive ..synthesis, a keen analys ^n vmcng reasoner, an eloquent writer „: ccuratc, eiear-headed, patient in inves it. o^ fa.r .n statement, ripe in judgment, HisCk' are an nucllectual feast, as well as full of p 2a ■nstruction. One of his book, that fo T " on "Thn p. r Tr. . ' ^°' example t" I r „ ""^f "" ""'^^ p™p"-y put «o»«htr. 11,3 >vorK on the ••/•>,« ^/,, ,,, ,_^ ' i' l«, I I il 111 ! " ' if 296^^^^^Wrw and the Reformation. futunsm. Dealing with the most learned and masterly works in exposition and defence of that system which, have ever appeared, those by Mait- land. Tyso, Eurgh, and Dr. Todd, without an effort It shivers them to fragments, an ' scatter, hem to the winds. It is a pity that this work has long been out of print, and that futurism is eft to flo.,rish in certain quarters in ignorance of this able demonstration of its error and absurdity. I shall ever esteem it as a great privilege to have known Professor Birks. To him I com- municated the earliest discoveries I made on the astronomic nature of the prophetic times-dis- covenes afterwards embodied in my work entitled The Approaching End of the Age," now in its tenth edition. Of my subsequent investiga- tions in the same line I will say nothing hore save that I have partially published, and hope yet more fully to publish, the evidence that the ../../. of revealed chronology-Histoyic, Levitieal, and Pro- phette^\s so related to natural chronology, or the time order of nature, as to form with it a sMe system, united and harmonious in all its parts This IS an important department of the connexion of the natural and revealed ; a connexion involving the unity of their authorship. Nature and Scrip- ^ost^eformation Iuter/>rden. .97 ^ooL,a„dass>,cha,ethowo,-,coftI,esameDfv,-„e ^dras lapal Rome as the 13abyIon of thf» aT.rzTfr'""""""''"^ o 'earned and unanswerable works. /„ ^,,v, ^„ ^ -«.. ./ «,....„^ -^^ <^^..>... ./.> .4 ?^a. It has stood for a^p^ ot.^ • j • lur ages, and is destinpH fo ne historic interpretation is no dream of Ignorant enthusiast.? u ■ fancif..! •.. u , '^'^'- ^t ^s no speculation of lancilul, ill-balanced minds T^ 1,. the o-rowfh ^r ^'''' ^''^'^n ^^ith the lah ''^^^"^^^^'°"^' 't has been built un by ti- labours of men of many nations and ages! It ' 3lM I 'I ' ' 'i I '■I ^^^Jiomamwijmd the Refonmlion. l«s been embodied '^T^^^^conk^ol^r^^ I rotcstant Churcl,. It fo™, , fc,j,.„„ ^,^^^„^ . ^ the tcsfn,ony of m.rtyrs and reformers. Like tlie prophets of old, these holy „cn bore „ ,/„,/,/. to/,w/y,-a testimony for the truth of God, and a testimony agains, the apostasy of His professing people. The providential position whieh theP occupied, the woric they aeeomplished, gave sin- guar and special importance to their testimony; and tins ..as „,cir IcsH.nony, „„d „o,/ung less, that lapa Kome is the Uabylon of prophecy, drunken w,th tl>e blood of saints and martyrs ; and that its head, the Roman pontiff, is the predicted "man of s»n, or antichrist. To reject this testimony of God's providential Witnesses on a matter of such fundamental im- port, and to prefer to it the counter-doctrine advocated by the apostate, persecuting Church of Kome, IS the error and guilt of modern futurism _ And that futurism is self-condemned. Futurism IS htcralisn>, and literalism In the interpretation of symbols is a denial of their symbolie eharaeter. It ^s an abuse and degradation of the prophetic word, and a destruction of its influence. It sub- stitutes the imaginary for the real, the grotesque and monstrous for the sober and reasonable It quenches the precious light which has guided the saints for nn^cs, and kindles al^k]7c]u.lZ , fi'-c in its nlnrn T. u clcliisivc marsh- 1 I ''^cy , ,t denies tl)c true character of tho days m which we live • n.v? . •, • nearness of fi , ' '''"'^" '^ ^^^^''t'^ the i«i-arness of the advent of ClirJ^f ;„ fi, trlorv of ir;= i • . " *'^^ P^^^^r and :-:;--...ent Of tr :^ -^ tein spite of the injurious effects of these lalse niterprctations " thn r , ■ standeth sure"- no ' ?'^''"" "' ^°^ which lie ' ' ''"''' '^^^ prophecies J "c has written in His holy word and and this IS its o/n.-v .v / • 6"t« us, ■•' >«s given back .^ .„ 3, ^ "! 7":^^' ;-;".-.avc ,.„„,.„.,, J; -;:-.;-= And t,,c saccd ligl.t ,f ,„,, ^ ^,^^ ..' Thiscou,dird,;;ro:er°2:rr traces the entire storv of 7? ^^ Prophecy Pa.a„ and Papa, forrlfrrSn'r"*''^ even now f„t ire ft wn u ^° ''' P°'"t could not om,t from its anticipative recoil episode so rii'cf;„^fi i^auve record an -stant .:du ' 2; z:'T '' '^" '- ■•nto two halves an s . Z^'l ^''"•='-''- of Kome Norway, Swede ZJ^l^T'""'"" Holland, and Great Britain. ' '""'"^^ 301 1 Mil !. I'ii' It ra.-ght well be ornm^Tfr^nTD^relWy distant forevicw, but scarcely from the latter pro- phecy of John, when the incipient workings of the apostasy had already commenced Neither the story of the apostate Church nor that of the true would be complete without it; for it was an epi- sode of stupendous importance to the welfare of hundreds of millions of mankind through nine or ten generations, both to those whom it liberated from the superstitions and tyrannies of Rome, and to those on whom-by a counter movement-it nvctted her fetters more strongly than ever What ! should the ruin wrought by Romanism be plamly portrayed in advance on the prophetic page, and the revival produced by the Spirit of God and the word of His mouth be left altogether out of view ? Should the work of Satan, his cor- ruption and defilement of the professing Church be reflected in the Divine mirror, and not the work of the glorious Head of the true Church through His faithful witnesses in the restoration to the world of the primitive Christianity it had lost? Never ! A true mirror reflects everything alike and Scripture prophecy anticipates the entire out- line of Church history. Just as there were no events in the history of Israel which were not fore- told before they came to pass, so in the history of °'lj"_^'""cnt Analogies. ,„, 'lie C/iurcli Tl,,. i> 7 '' -«u.y, and iJg,ad?;;":''°" °^ "- -■•■"«„,.. «"> of the dark a J °" '"^ "'= '^°">^"- ^" 'he Leviiica! sacrifices fc! " '"■"''■'="'°"- -'•<^p.ophecies„r.He::i:;„r^"--''- - have ..,to predictions 7 ; V;"'" ""■ '"^'"y of the natural Israel is , • ' '"'°''' "'= sph-itua! Israel or rt ''''"''" °^ "■« of -= *,ivered from E:;p?r r ^"""''- ^'°"' 'he blood of the lamh k , """^ ""^"'""^'^ ^y ''-«.botharesi;ar„:,';'''-^'^''*™'S'.a "oth iourne, towards It'th? '""" ''"^^"' people of God. This br™T ? "■"""""' ''°'- ""= 7<'erfu,.a3,tod:t:;r;:'xr""'''"^ ' Cor. ... shows this, and states that'^"^' ''""' "' I-ael's history typical, but It ""' °"" """ 'ntentionaliy ^„^/,,,,., „ ' '" °'\" '^ords, it was '■'..^PPcned unto^tht for " '""''" '« ^'^^ --'). and are writte^ ft """""" ^"^ '^P«. o-y are they record t::;™""^"™-" ^<" ~cl in the providen roT""' '"' '"^^ ° of God ,n order that m ■3 w !l !'ii 304 Foreview of the Reformation. they might foreshadow the experiences of the Christian Churcii, and that she might learn from them solemn and needed lessons. The incidents of Jewish history actually hap- pened, that they might be types of Christian history; and Divine foreknowledge is as much exemplified in this correspondence between type and antitype as in that between prediction and fulfilment. I am to show you this evening then two sets of predictions of the Reformation, one acted in Jctvish history, the other symbolized in apocalyptic pro- phccy; the one embodied in the story of the Old Testament, the other in the symbolic predictions of the New. Beiore I can do this you must allow me to remind you with some degree of accuracy what the Reformation was, as to its broad historical characteristics. It was not thQ formation of the Church, but its re-formation after its ruin by Romanism. It was not a first beginning, but a second. Pentecost formed the Church ; Popery deformed it ; Protes- tantism reformed it. Pentecost occurred in the first century, and is associated with the work of the apostles themselves. The Reformation did not occur till the sixteenth century, and was not com- ^"d. name, a. u,thor j , • "^''"■"«' >*" ,„ . ' ^"" Latimer, -lim «,.., , , '" •••"cent I,;,,to,y, the la.f , '"•''""e^ Sroat eln-onologj ",„ " ' '° T^'"" «"«-. A -■S-of 1.st ,ove, apcto t ,ea ""T '"""'^ ■"■•"•lyr sufferh,., noble, r ''"' '''^"'^'o,,. -'"->'.otb:::i:t:7.-^^^^^^^^^^^ nvalnes; and these a-.-,,',, k »">l"t.ou., ■"^^.-beforc the clad 1 ,f T ^"^' '"°"' ''•"'>-• ''™>'''= .he .ni.w.iestrr^ea^e':;:'":?"'""' progressive; but thov """'■ ^"^ "'e most °f '^oman Chr .eX'"";';"""' °"'^ ^ ^-tion -ains involved s;;i:j^;~''- Of it Moreover I>rotest,n,- ^"P^' "PO'tasy. '"= benents ts 1 Tl"'"'"^ ^^ '^^ ^«" ■--d its ranks" Itr ""r '""^ '^"'^ '-^' y« very far f„„ ^^.^_^ ^ il 306 Foreview of the Reformation. perfect recovery of primitive Ciiristianity. It has risen out of the gross ignorance and superstition of mediaeval Romanism ; it has altogether abandoned the idolatry of image worship, virgin worship, saint worship, and the adoration of the priest-made wafer deity of the Latin mass ; it lias recovered a purer faith and a simpler ritual, and secured for the Church a measure of liberty and independence; above all, it has circulated the Scriptures in the vulgar tongues of the nations of Christendom, and has adopted as its motto, " The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible": i,Mt it has never completely purified itself from Romish doc- trine and practice, it has never regained complete mdependencc of secular domination, it has never got clear of union with the world. It has rejected the claim of the Church to rule the State, it has not as clearly refused the pretension of the State to rule the Church ; it has suffered worldly am- bition, priestcraft, simony, and abuses of many kinds ; and it has developed two strong tenden- cics. one to a return to the Romish apostasy, and the other to rationalism and infidelity. The true spiritual Church of Christ is still, even in Pro- testant lands, but a small part of the professing Church. I want you clearly to bear in mind from the Old Tcslamciu Auahgics. °"tsrt tlicn, hvsxlZ^- : ■'"^ advent of ciuist = -n . '^'•' "'"' ""= ^«™J •"^ver h. j„fe„^j 'f '■.'■fc™'=1 ChurcLcs will '°st to tl,c world Tl,„ r "■'■'■ "K"'" be ^'■d hence wc may re.t assld ., " '■" ''"""^■ "on is, not only [ll"" "'^' ">••• Keforma. ^•■•'hatitis,Il';:t'''"^'"'"-='>'-'o^y. ""' "« 'he final c„ ifrfLrr"', ■ ^"^- "^•'" "•--Phant condition of T n "" "™' '° ">= fo"rtl- empire .hall n "'''=''• "'"^" "■= ''^''''o.ir.do,:-: r-;-"^be.eeeeded saints. vVc h., "^"^'^ ^"^ of the ^^ch-c entered on that phase of Church il 3oS Fonvlciv of the Reformation. history which will exist at the second advent; nothing remains unfulfilled of the predictions con- cerning Romanism, except her sudden destruction at the end of this age. As regards the histo>y of the Reformation, I want you to remember that it took place in stages during a period extending over about half a ccn- tury. Its commencement is reckoned from the year when Luther published his theses against in- dulgences, A.D. 1517 ; and its close, in Germany at least, may be placed in A.D. 1555, when the cele- brated Peace of Augsburg confirmed the Protes- tants of Germany in all their rights and possessions, and recognised their complete national and eccle- siastical independence of the popes. The close of the anti-Reformation Council of Trent and the full establishment of the Protestant Church of Eng- land were in a.d. 1563, forty-six years from the initial date of the Reformation. The struggle to maintain the position gained, in face of the mur- derous Papal reaction, which dates from the Council of Trent, occupied a much longer period, and was not over even at the Peace of Westphalia, at the end of the thirty years' religious war, in a.d. 1648, when a basis was laid for the settlement of the long struggle in Central Europe. It extended however in France and England advent ; ions con- istruction lation, I in statics If a ccii- from tlic ainst in- •many at the ccle- ; Protes- iscssions, id ccclc- close of the full of Eng- rom the jgglc to he mur- ■om the ' period, stphalia, •, in A.D. ment of Ingland Oldjrcsiamcni Analogies, f^'vour of Pop;;:. T "'"^ '^"'"' '■" p-ed r c ; ™"" °" "= ">™"^' ---I tne act of succession evcludinrr p • , monarciis for the future Not ' ,, "^'"^ ^°P'^^' and Ion- contfn i "^''°"^ "^^ '^^^^re '"nj,-continued a struo-^le rliV? fi,« r religion establM, itself, :t ' f "^ °™°'' 'vlicc it did f,l,-„ / ""= countries bct„crr ' ""' '"^"■""""■•^" "'«-"y ^^■'..•on .-n the ,,ea.ts „v::rT:t rr: promulgation of the r.o.nol • i. ^'"'^ people ..tu„ed .otidZ^^Tri''-^""^^" '™e God. and to wait for His Son ^ T' '"' -°- from the uto, of Papa, s ead T "" Rome whicli thev h-,) h„, '"^"^atl of paga„ turned to Gn, "^tI ' "r" ""'"■"- ^"^ "^^ They turned from the doctrines Foreview of the Reformation. of demons to the gospel of Clirist ; they began once more to rejoice in the belief that Jesus had delivered them from the wrath to eome; they received the doctrines proclaimed by the reformers not as the word of men, but as it was in truth the word of God. It worked in them effectuali;, so that they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods and al the other sufferings which came upon them from their enemies, and from them sounded out everywhere the word of the Lord. They received tl^e word in much affliction, but in joy of the Holy t^iiost. and in power and assurance. The re foi-mers were like the apostles, holy, self-denying Bible-loving. hard-working preachers of the gospel In Its first and primary aspect the Reformation was a spirit^at work. Its germ was the work of he Holy Ghost in the soul of Luther, convincing. ^^'m of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment^* leading him to repentance and to belief ^f the' gospel of God's grace, and convincing him that salvation was "no: of works." It was what we should in these days call a spiritual revival, trace- able to the sovereign grace of God in the first place, and to the republication of His word in the second. 2. But the Reformation did more than produce a spiritual revival. As a matter of history, it gave Old Testament Analogies, 311 also to the world . nnv eccte^iZ^aT:;;;^^ U establ.slied reformed Churche, fn the Churrh c T, '^""'''''^^ 'n separation from secular monarchs in some cases at their hel T |s was the case in England, where Hen; V ' vvnetner this was for evil or for o-n.^^ Reformatfon movement bmit ud a „/ ! orsanfeation of an ecclerivf, \ °'"™''' ne>v articles and rubl' t '"""'"• "■'" practices a„,f , 7 ceremonies and P act,ces, and a nov fountain head of authority rius new organization was not only distinct from but antagonistic to Romanism, and becau oH ,' being so was called Protestant r^ i ;v- enormous rapidity d:::iLtefr - 1:: of'^^'tf^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ —■- "ot a-..,, against :L;H";::rr-T"" tenVed hv tho • , • ^ ^^^^^- ^^ is charac- *-n/ea by the circulation of the JWUU . , reference to it as to . . . ! ' ^""^ ^^'^ versies • bv Z ""^"'^ °^ ^" ^°"tro- P-hers. preachers r:^~^ great salvation • and b. , ''^ °^ '^" the ric.ht or ' ' ''" ''^^^^'"ovvledgment of tne riorht of private judjiment in fh« • . of Scripture. ' interpretation fti I 3 1 2 Foreviciu of the Reformation. 3. And, lastly, the Reformation produced Pro- testant Icingdoms—ti^Wow?, which severed all the links that bound them to Rome, and asserted their own absolute independence of the popes. In a word, the movement was one of renovation and liberation, which spread in successive and ever-widening circles, from the individual to the Church, and from the Church to the nation. It was one founded on a recovered Bible, extended by a renewal of the long-disused practice of preaching, and issuing in the largely improved but still imperfect state of things which we see around us this day. It emancipated the minds of men from long and bitter bondage ; it gave an impetus to arts and sciences, to enterprise and culture, to freedom and liberty. It was naturally hailed as a glad deliverance by all who came under its in- fluence ; but it brought upon them long struggles and cruel sufferings under the terrible and mighty Roman wild beast. The world reeled under the fierceness of his wra'h on the escape of so many of his victims, his thunderous roar rent the air, his mad passion caused the blood of saints to flow in torrents, his cruel claws dragged thousands into his dens of torture in dark Inquisition dungeons; and so horrible was the sacrifice of human life resulting from his rage, that the world turned on If • h > on Old Testament Atiaiogies. 313 liim at last and bade him be still, boundT^bTat liim into silence, drew his claws and his teeth, deprived him of dominion and the power to do further damage, and left him feeble and defence- less, albeit as fierce as ever. Wc stated jusc now that this great Reformation movement was doubly foretold in the Bible. It is foreshadowed in the typical history of Israel in the Old Testament, and its story forms one act of the prophetia drama of the Apocalypse in the New. r. It was foreshadowed in the history of Israel. Just as the c:;odus of Israel from Egypt after the passover and their crossing of the Red^'sca foreshadowed the redemption of the Church by the death and resurrection of " Christ our passover," just as the murmurings and rebellions of Israel in the wilderness prefigured the similar incidents in Church history-^so the idolatries of Israel fore- shadowed the idolatry which early crept into the Church, and which soon corrupted it altogether. Even in the desert Israel fell into idolatry, and worshipped the golden calf; and perhaps the most salient feature of their history is ^he con- stant tendency to relapse into this degrading iniquity. No sooner were Moses and Joshua and their cotcmporaries dead and gone than declen- il'' ll ^i 314 Foreview of the Reformation. jtti sions into idolatry became frequent. Various tyrants were allowed to conquer and oppress the people as a chastisement for this sin ; and when they cried to God in their trouble, and He sent judges and deliverers, they perhaps served Jehovah as long as the judge lived, but quickly afterwards relapsed again. Six times over they were given up to their enemies, and the united servitudes they endured extended to a hundred and eleven years. Still they did evil "in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtarcth, and the gods of Syria and Zidon, the gods of Moab and Arnmon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not Him " (Jud. x. 6). Hardly had the Jews reached the zenith of their national prosperity under David and Solomon than again there set in a process of declension. Solomon himself built idol temples for his heathen wives, and after the schism between Israel and Judah idolatry became the State religion amon^ the ten tribes, who worshipped the golden calves set up by Jeroboam the son of Nebat at Dan and at Bethel, and adopted besides all the idolatries of the heathen around them. Israel built, as we read in Kings, " high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images ^^^' Testament Analogies. 315 and groves in every high hill, and T^crTv"^ green tree : and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lorrl carried away before them ; and wrought wicked thmgs to provoke the Lord to anger : for they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them Ye shall not do this thing. . . . And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves,' and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Eaal " (2 Kings xvii. 9-1C). So general did this worship of Baal become in Israel, that in the days of Elijah it was all but universal, and there were but seven thousand left who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Jeremiah exclaims in the Lord's name, " Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods ? but My people have changed their glory for that which doth -not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For My people have committed two evils ; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water " (Jer. ii. 11-13). Isaiah cries, " How is the fViithful city become a harlot!" "They have forsaken the Lord, they i id i , I Fr ^ Wi .^i6 m I 11 ! If- ; Hi. i ti* Forevieu) of the Reformation. have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward." E::ekicl describes the idolatry of Jerusalem and Samaria under the figure of the grossest and most abominable harlotry. Hosca said, "Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples" (Hos. viii. 14). " Ephraim is joined to idols : let him alone " (Hos iv. 17). Amos accused Israel, saying, " Ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves " (Amos v. 26). Speaking by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord exhorts His people : " Trust ye not in lying words, saying. The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, arc these. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not ; and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations } Is this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes ? " (Jer. vii. 4-1 1.) The ancient prophets are full of this subject, as you will remember; expostulations, appeals, threats, irony, indignant remonstrance arc all em- Old Testament Analogies. 317 ployed in turn ; but the people were obdm-ate. "We will not hearken unto thee," said they to Jeremiah; "wc will certainly . . . burn in- cense unto the queen of heaven, and pour out drink offerings unto her" (Jer. xliv. 16, i;). The enormity of this sin was enhanced by the fact that the very object of Israel's existence as a nation was that they might be a holy nation, a peculiar people to Jehovah. They were the sole witnesses to the true God in the world, and yet they seemed obstinately resolved to sink back to the level of their heathen neighbours. The relapse of Israel and Judah into heathen Idol worship was punished in the providence of God by their captivity in the lands of the heathen : Israel was carried captive into Assyria, and Judah into Babylon. The heathenism of Jerusalem and of Babylon were substantially the same ; each was marked by gross idolatry, and accompanied by the cruel persecution of all who resisted it. Manasseh filled Jerusalem with the blood of the faithful whom he slew. In Babylon however both idola- try and persecution found their most complete development. Nebuchadnezzar set up his golden image, issued his persecuting edict, and kindled his fiery furnace ; and Belshazzar made his impious feast, and brought the vessels of God's house to !l H M r 31 • i ' ■■' li! : iiHI ,i8 Forcvieu) of the Reformation. ij. 1 iii his table, that he and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink wine in them ; and praise "the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know"; and Daniel said, addressing the doomed man, "The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified " (Dan. V. 23). Jeremiah cries concerning Babylon : " Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will do judgment upon her graven images" (Jer. li. 52). "A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon tlicir idols " (Jer. 1. 38). The climax of apostasy and rebellion was reached at last ; and when Judah had practically sunk to the level of idolatrous Babylon, God suffered her to be conquered and carried captive by one Babylonian tyrant after another, and His own temple at Jerusalem, which had been so dese- crated and profaned. He permitted to be captured and burned. The visible existence of the Jewish nation ceased for a time. The daughters of Jerusalem hung their harps upon the willows by the rivers of Babylon, and Judaea lay desolate. Then, about five hundred years before the first advent of Christ, there came suddenly and un- Old Testament Analogies. un- _ 319 expcctedly deliverance and restorationT~Ez"ra and Nehcm.ah were raised up to lead back and re- organize in tlie land a remnant of the people The temple of God rose from its ashes once more on Mount Moriah. Jerusalem was rebuilt, and Its civil and religious polity restored ; it was sur- rounded with walls and towers; the long for^^otten word of God was recovered, and read in the audi- cnce of the people ; and as the language had become somewhat obsolete during the seventy years of the Babylonish captivity, the Jewish reformers, we are told, not only "read in the book in the law of God distinctly." but they also "gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading " (Neh. viii. 8). The restoration from Babylon inaugurated a blessed era of civil and religious liberty. The restored remnant were not without severe trials • It was by no means easy for them to accomplish their task in face of the persistent and successful opposition of Sanballat the Horonite and his confederates and companions. Again and again the work had to cease, and the people would have given up in despair but for the encouraginc. and stimulating words of Haggai, Zechariah,;nd other prophets. The joint ministry of Ezra and iNehemiah seems to have lasted about half a cen- i.i 'i 'Hi / ■5 5 20 Forevieiv of the Reformaiion. tury, and they were permitted to see the work accomplished, the Jewish people liberated from their long exile, and, better still, from all tendency to heathenism and idolatry. They never fell back into that sin after the return from Babylon. The long suspended worship of God was restored ; magistrates, judges, and teachers of the law were appointed over the land. The people entered into a solemn covenant to separate themselves from all idolaters, and even, painful as it was, from the heathen wives some of them had taken ; and before Ezra and Nehemiah passed to their rest the people, the worship, the temple, and the city were all restored, and the canon of Old Testa- ment Scripture was arranged and closed. Many political and military troubles arose after- wards, but no such overthrow and restoration. // ims to that second temple that Christ came, thus making the glory of the latter house greater than that of the former. Need I interpret all this true and yet typical history.? Does it not apply itself to the later antitypical history.? Have you not seen the Reformation of the sixteenth century as I have described the return from Babylon } Is not Jerusalem the true Church, and Babylon the false > and is not Babylon, Rome ? Scripture distinctly OU Teslametit Analogies. 321 earth. The angel said this to John. In J„ln,'s oays no other great city than Rome ruled over the hngs „ the earth. Babylon represents Rome. in X'Z'"" ''■"■'"="' '^""■^ people oppressed n and by Rome. Their dehVeranee and restora- ^on, un,)er E^ra and Nehemiah, represent the Reformation under Luther and Calvin and other reformers. Their repentance and abandonment of •dolatry. their reading of the word of God and n=-establishment of the worship of God, all this had >^^ parallel ,„ ,he movement we have described. The,r rebudding of Jerusalem and reorganization or Jewish polity and national life foreshadowed he constitution of reformed Protestant eommuni. f.es and nations; the duration of the two move- ments was the same, about half a century ■ the -ults of the two movements were similar, in spite of much b.tter but futile opposition; the pro- portion of the restored remnant was the same :r:!r'T°'r'"'™'"''^^°"'°f 'he twelve .eturned to Jerusalem. Protestantism is growin. now with amazing rapidity; but at the end of I: .^x teenth century it was small, compared with he hosts o, Romanism. Both movements consisted Y I I I .' I i In^ • ! , i if 'li' .^22 Forcview of the Reformation, of a spiritual work, an ecclesiastical work, and a political work. IJuth are connected with a re- covered Bible, and both "gave the sense" of the original documents to the common people, or made them understand the word of God. Luther, Tyndale, and others translaced the Bible into the vulgar tongues of Europe. The close and wonder- ful parallel extends to many particulars, which I have no time to indicate. Both movements occur late in the stories to which they respectively belong ; and if the first advent belongs to the days of the restored temple, zee have every reason to believe that the second xvill take place in this Protestant era, for, as I will show >'ou presently, a chrono- logical prediction occurs in the prophecy of it in Revelation. But I must revert to the point of Israel's idola- try for a moment, and ask you t j glance at the remarkable development of this same sin in the apostasy in the Romish Church. All through its history idolatry has been the most marked characteristic of the Papal system. Romanism is simply the old Roman paganism revived under Christian names. Romanism and paganism bear to each other the most exact and extraordinary resemblance. Had paganism its temples and altars, its pictures ^^^Testamcnt Analogies, 323 utonT'" -""^^^ '■""">■• "-' pas":;:,™, its use o l,oly water and its burnin. of fnccnsc ? So "as lopcry. ],„d p,j„„.,„ ,,, ,^„ prodded over by a A„,y;,. „„,,,„„„, „, , J^,. ^^^^ Pom,ff.> So has l-opcy; and it stamps this vc:y name, which is pu^ly heathen in oWgin, upon the corns, medals, and documents of the arrogant pr.es. by whom it is governed. Had paganism its „ 7 °f '^''«'-''°"" infallibility ? So has Popery Had paganism its adoration „f a visible repre- sentat,ve of Deity carried i„ ..^te on men's HouldersP So has P , p., Had paganism t ceremony of Kiss,.,„ the feet of ,l . ..^ ^ ^^^ °' the sovereirrn PonfffP So has Popery. „,, p,g,„,,;"» col ege of pontiffs.. So has Popery, In^he c:;ie of eardtnals. Had paganism its religious order:. So has Popery. Had paganism its stately robes ■ts crowns, and crosiers of office .. So has Popery' Had paganism its adoration of idols, it, wor.h.p of the queen of heaven, its votive offerings .= So h- Popery. Had paganism its rural shrPnes and processions } So has Popery Had n» 1,, „„. , . . "P<-ry. Had paganism rts pretended m.racles, its speaking images, and weepmg .mages, and bleeding images . So h» Popery. Had paganism its begging orders and fictmous saints.- So has Popery. Had paganism us canonization of saints, as in the deifica^on of ! * 'PUII 'i 1 II m Wl 1 1. ! ii 324 Forevieiu of the Reformation, the dead Caesars ? So has Popery. Had paganism its idolatrous calendar and numerous festivals? So has Popery. Had paganism its enforced celi- bacy, its mystic signs, its worship of relics ? So has Popery. Had paganism its cruel persecution . those who opposed idolatry > So has Popery. Was paganism satanically inspired > So is Popery. God overthrew paganism ; Satan revived it under Christian names : but God shall yet destroy it, and sweep its hateful presence from the earth. And further, just as there never failed in Israel A LINE OF FAITHFUL WITxNESSES to testify against the idolatry of the people of God, so also in the case of Romanism. All the prophets testified against Jewish idolatry. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Hosea and Amos were burning witnesses against it ; but perhaps the most typical witness of all was Elijah the Tishbite. This holy and earnest man was one who feared God, and consequently feared not the face of his fellow man. Though Jezebel had slain the pro- phets of the Lord, he hesitates not to startle Ahab with the bold accusation that his idolatries were the cause of the famine that was desolating the land. " I have not troubled Israel ; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the Old Testaiuetit Analogies. commandments of the Lord, anT^i;;^^;;^^ lowed Baalim." Forced to flee to the wilderness wlien Je«bcl seeks h,s life, hear him plead with God that he had been jealous for His name, "because the ch,Idren of Isra. have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets w.th the sword ; and I, even I only, am left ; and they seek my life, to take it away," Like these Jnvish .vil„es,esA\^<^ Christian wit. "esses OS later days were very jealous for the Lord, gneved and indignant at the desecration of His name and cause. Like the prophets they were opposed, despised, denounced, persecuted, exiled, and slam. Who were these Christian witnesses.' They w i„ „^^ j,,^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ exded Huguenot, " t/.ose -Mo since the birth ofanti- atnsua,ufy have, rie4 against its urors an,l i,o,a. tnes. If you „i,,, ,„ ^.„„,^ ,,^_^._. _^^^^^ Huguenot >vill tell you. He says i„ his •• Com- mentary „n the Apocalypse," "they were called Berensanans, Stercorists. WaUenses, AUi.enses Leontsts, Petrob.,sia,.s, Henricians. W^iiffts, ^«^^'Aetc^; as they are now styled Z„,W W T- '""• ^— "'--«. Hnsncnots, nenttcs. seh,snt.,ties. etc.; and to these reproaCfu n^es thcr enemies added fines, confiscations u . \ 1 I I i i 126 Forevieiv of the Reformation. imprisonments, banishments, and condemnations to death." 1 Read Fox's "Acts and Monuments of the Martyrs " if you desire a fuller account of the lives and testimony of these faithful witnesses against antichrist and his abominable idolatries, and of the sufiferings they endured in the cause of truth through weary centuries. God never left Himself without a witness. All through the dark ages there were bold and holy men who stood aloof from Rome's corruptions, as we have seen, who denounced her idolatries, who endured her malice, who da.ed the fury of the wild beast, who resisted unto blood striving against sin. We shall have to speak again of these witnesses in con- nexion with the New Testament prophecy of the Reformation. Meantime let me remind you that from the existence of this analogy it follows that the moral judgments which are applicable to the Jewish apostasy and t^formation are equally so to the Christian. To justify the Cliristian apostasy is in principle to justify that fezuish apostasy so signally condemned in the ivord of God; and to condemn the Christian reformation is in principle to con- demn that fczvish reformation so evidently sealed » " A New System of the Apocalypse," p. 214 Old Testament Aiialogies. !27 zvii/t ivtne approval. To approve the apostasy whether Jewish or Christian, is to approve the work of sin and Satan; and to ...^. ., the Reformation, whether Jewish or Christian, is to condemn the work of Divine providence and graee. The enemies of the Reformation are the enemies of God Those who would pull down the sanctuary which ' .^ lieformation reared would have pulled dov ... second temple built by the exiles re- 3 ored from Babylonish bondage. But v-hat said the promise of God as to that second temple? Be strong, saith the Lord, anci work : for I am ;-^hyou. . . . I will shake all nations, and the des.re of all nations shall come : and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts • • • The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts : and in this place will I give peace." i And agam. "The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple." " \ }\ II %\ If It - i ■it ■I Hag. ii. 4^g. iMal. iii. I. !3j 'i 4 ;i 128 Forevicw of the Reformation. New Testament Prophecy of the Reformation. We turn now, in the second place, to the pro- phecifs of the Reformation in the last book of the Eible. Here again the prediction is an acted ov,^; but instead of being acted in real Ids- forj', ,t is acted as on a stage. The whole drama of the Apocalypse is thus acted. Symbolic beings perform s3'mbolic actions. The dmvmtis per- smce seen in vision by St. John include heavenly, earthly, and satanic beings, all of whom are repre- sentative, symbolical. Christ is represented by " a lamb as it had been slain," or by a mighty, cloud- clothed angel; Satan, as inspiring the Roman em- pire, by "a great red dragon » ; and so on. In no other way could so vivid a tbreview of the events of ages have been presented in so small a compass. The book of Revelation consists of Joluis descrip. tions of t/ie livings moving, acting Ineroglyphs he saw. He uses constantly the words " and I saw," "and I heard." In reading it we should try first to realize accurately what the hieroglyph which John saw and describes zcas, and then consider what ft sig;ufed Other Scripture use of similar meaning-. John also takes part ■„ the drama hi,..elf He speaks and is spoken to, and when he does so presents the true Witnesses Of Christ at thoTint ero^iyph^ ,^, ,t were, and stands as the ven^s of r •;"' '" "" '"'"'^"^ P-'°'>^ "- events of wh.ch are predicted and ,„.„nal h.story of ,l,e Church from John's own day to the second advent. As its o„ w d hBtory depends largely on the state of the world n wh,ch the Church exists, mud, mere political h.s.ory, „any purely secular events, such at , ov hrow of the Roman empire, have their plac t,s prophet, drama. For just as if a traveller takes a voyage ,n a ship, the history of the shin becomes or the time /„, history, just'as the s to y' of an md.v,dual cannot be told without takin' -to account his environment, so the story of tl,: Churc cannot be told without a consideration the otemporaneous state of the world i„ which t e..s.s. Moreover Providence employs outw d eve t „ the government of the Church itself; «ars and mvas.ons are judgments, so are revolu- f :' it {\t i.'r 330 Forcview of the Reformation. tions and insurrections, famines and pestilences. They have therefore properly their place in Church history. But the Church has also an inward spiritual his- tory, wnich depends, not on earthly events, but on heavenly and satanic action. \ f she is sustained, re- vived, increased, and rendered spiritually victorious, it is because her glorious Head is acting in her and on her behalf. If she \s betrayed, corrupted, m-'sled, or persecuted and oppressed, it is because Satan IS -^.cting against her in and by her enemies. In the Apocalypse these spiritual agencies are sym- bolized, as well as material historical events. They are seen acting, but always indirectly through out- ward agents. Thus earthly material events are continually linked in this wonderful prophecy with their hidden spiritual causes. The Father the Son, and the Holy Ghost, angels and arch- angels, and the spirits of the just, are all seen in action under various symbols ; and so also are the devil and his agents. Under the symbols of the dragon and the wild beasts, they are seen opposing and counterworking Christ, and persecuting and slaughtering His faithful witnesses. The visions of this holy and sanctifying book, to the study of which a special blessing is at- tached, constitute a prophetic history of the Church '^'•y'«"dontoth.e„doftnisaP.rc of Rome, before the Turks in ...d. ,453 . : I < Iff o2>2 Foreview of the Reformation. and the remainder of the fifteenth centurv seems covered in the prophecy by the statement that the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and ^ciols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood. This description of continued obdurate and nweterate apostasy and idolatry applies both to eastern and western Christendom at that time Thus we are brought down chronologically to the end of the fifteenth century ; and //... there is a break and a great change in the series of visions • And what is the next scene that attracts the eye of the holy seer? It is a ././.. symbolic of the Keformatton movement of the sixteenth century coupled with a retrospective narrative oU he history of Chnsts true ^vitnesses against idolatry^ from the begmnn^g of the apostasy to the close of the Irotestant Reformation. You will find this most interesting prophecy in the tenth and first thirteen verses of the ./....,, chapters of Revelation. btudy .t carefully at your leisure, and you will see that^ the Vision consists of the manifestation of a g onous^mighty angel, who evidently symbolises Chnst Hunself, and of the bestowal by Him on John (,n his representative character) of three tlungs : ^ Of a, ;,„e open book which he was .0 eat; cu;e;a„d'"'""""''"''™""'^"'-"-'-- 4ie o;G:r'"' "'■'■"' ''='™-''° "■-"-'- Therefollowsthe..oryof ChnVs "twowit nesses, s,„,hoH.ed as two ohVe t.ee. ad Z w: :; th ^ "'"''"' °' "-■■• ^°'-"- -^ ulicnngs, ot their persecIl^l•nn -,.11 i.u • h'^'s>i-Lucion and s au"-hter hv e.r enemies, of the.V brief, faace-hke de and l"r. ''''"' ^"""•^^'■■°" -d -.altatio,,. Us ; «ofa^T'""''^"'^•^°"-°'""™.->'■ =■ S:ive you them ! His r:::it^*=™-"''°'-"*'''-"»"Hish": "i^ s>un-iike brip-htnfQc ,-vf tj- .] "fanuness of His countenance n.vl e resemblance of His feet to pi„a. of ;;': , these features identify Hi™ with the Son of „ een by joH„ ,•„ „, ,,,, „.,,„„ ^^ ^,_.^ - posmon and his words identify him also with e one whom Danie, in his last chapter cans '„; ^ord. No mere aneel is rlnn^.dothed )o;v crowned, resplendent as the ram- sun, or speaks iii I M I r ' 334 Foreview of the Reformation. '■ h m with a voice full of majesty, or assumes an attitude which implies the lordship of earth and sea, set- ting "his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the earth." No angel would talk of "my two witnesses," or claim to give to men power and authority. There is a loftiness of tone and a sublimity of appearance and action about this Angel that distinguishes Him from all the other lowly servant angels of the book as widely as heaven is distinguished from earth. It is the Lord of angels and of men alike who is manifested in action at this point in the apocalyptic drama ; and the very manifestation prepares us for events of the first magnitude, events like those which succeeded Christ's actual manifestation on earth, events like the first promulgation of the gospel in the apostolic age. The manifestation is of course only symbolic. The prediction is not that Christ would visibly appear at the juncture in question. He would act, but indirectly. His action would be the cause of human action. His glorious in- fluence and interference would become visible in the course of mundane events. He would reveal His power in His providence. This glorious Being holds in His hand, not seven stars, as in the first vision, but a little book— open. At a command from heaven, John asks the Angel New Teslament Predictiom. 335 L„ 'V' °'' ""' "^"'■^^ ■' '^'•"' 'he injunc thy belly b,t,cr, but it shall be i,. ,„y „„„,h sweet as honey. It is immediately adJed, ■■ Thou must prophesy (or preach) again before many peoples, and nations, and tongue., and kings." Now this same remark.-.ble figure of eating ,. book, and then gomg forth to proclaim to others its contents, does he Old Testament, where E.ekiel is commanded eat a roll, and go and speak to the house of Israel ; and the action is thus e.- ^^ t'^at he studied these Un^Z. T ' " '' "°' '^■■°'^'^'^'^' years of his reside c"f' ' "" '''' '''" ^'^ '"-« ^aci so ove,o,ed :;::::; ::rtn:r'"^*'^ treasure in il,,. lib,,.,. ,,„ , '^°°" '""'"mg to l,is -to„i,h„,e„, an :; ; „ t: """ --<''. -'■ i" i.i» ju;' icuirns to road a"a n ti, , r ^ of a new truth were th^n a. ■ ' '"'^t ''^ys 00^ p.t ,.„, i„ pjit ^trrr'',';:';- ";.""■'"'"• the book wliicli l,c is „„„ ,1, ,'"''"'■ "e has discovered fdmirabie ,ra„s i „" ^ ° ^' '^ "™0».en in ,„a, centuries perused ,he a , f Jlr'T,"" "°" '" ""- «'»t time ,ha, any hand 1,4 „u '"' »"'''» ""•■ volume from ,l,e pLe I'h V T" ""' '""''""- E"m. This book, lyi ' o, ,'■"!' '" "" '"""'■ <"■ Obscure chamber, is'Jbecoeeo'T':? if "'' "' °" people, y/. ...^.„,„,,„ ,„„ ,„.,;'2'; ;^^;^, - ^ »h-e Late, on, when soul agony had driven the young student fro. Ms Wed university into : Bene , e ^^ ^^^^ ^^_^ ^^^^^X^mo whtch he longed, ,t was the same blessed book ■ D'AUBrcvi: "His,„r,.„f ,h, Refo,maUo„,» vol. i., p. , „. ' i^ ill 38 Forevieio of the Refovination. If (1 with its glorious doctrines of the forgiveness of sins and justification by faith alone, that calmed his storm-tossed spirit, and quickened his soul to new spiritual life. Staupitz, the vicar-general of his order, who proved himself a true pastor to the poor young monk, gave \iin a Bible of his ozun. His joy was great. He soon knew where to find any passage he needed. With intense earnestness he studied its pages, and especially the epistles of St. Paul. Right valiantly did the young reformer use the sword of the Spirit thus placed in his hand. " The Reformation, which commenced with the struggles of a humble soul in the cell of a con- vent at Erfurt, has never ceased to advance. An obscure individual, with the word of life in his hand, had stood erect in presence of worldly gran- deur, and made it tremble. This word he had opposed, first, to Tetzel and his numerous host ; and these avaricious merchants, after a momentary resistance, had tpken flight. Next, he had opposed it to the legate of Rome at Augsburg ; and the legate, paralysed, had allowed his prey to escape. At t later period he had opposed it to the cham- pions of learning in the halls of Leipsic, and the astc .ished theologians had seen their syllogistic weapons broken to pieces in their hands. At last 339 'o maintain. It b.l,„ V "" '"'''SS'^ °^ *^ -'., an. then, v^ LtTor a-T powers of the worlrl f.i •. " ^"^ „ ° " ''' ">= pure word of God " > Pau. a„d"n':"Te M,'""^'' '^' "^ ^^"■^ ^t. pope;'Lnt:rrj:r;r/:r°^"- :nr:t:r--»-™"--/^-:" v^'iicer to iiim one dav " Vpc " ^ t- i ^ "J am the man T ./ ' ^^phed Luther; fi- -y body and ...y ,i e^eL a,l "" ""''■ ^"d legs to be cut off" 1 /, " ""^ "™^ -°'*atoperd^rt::e:a::r'v'°^' ofw:tbu:ii:'^'H'r°=-'*'=>^"--"'-"«>--,e save th p •; LrLr" t '"'"'•'■"^■•^' ^""- pncel.ss treasure, tile word of God, to 1 T-v» a _ 129. rtistoi-j- ui tnc Keforniation, W I'M '■if ■' ' vol, "1 i ki i 540 Forevieiv of the Reformation. his country in a translation which is still in use in Germany. He felt that the Bible which had liberated him could alone liberate his people. " It was necessary that a mighty hand should throw back the ponderous gates of that arsenal of the word of God in which Luther himself had found his armour, and that those vaults and ancient halls which no foot had traversed for ages should be again opened wide to the Christian people for the day of battle." "Let this single book," he ex- claims, "be in all tongues, in all lands, before all eyes, in all ears, in all hearts '^ ; and again, " The Scripture, without any commentary, is the sun from which all teachers must receive light." And not Luther only, but all the ''reformers- like the apostles-held up the word of God alone for light, just as they held up the sacrifice of Christ alone for salvation. They gave to the world the book which Christ had given to them, which they had found sweet to their souls, though it subsequently brought on them bitter trouble. It was an established principle of the Reformation to reject nothing but what was opposed to " some dear and formal declaration of the Holy Scriptures:' " Here only is found the true food of the soul," said Luther, familiar as he was with the writings of the philosophers and schoolmen— "here only." till in use vhich had )ple. " It lid throw lal of the lad found :ient halls hould be le for the " he ex- Defore all in, " The the sun i; jrmers — oi^ alone :rifice of to the :o them, , though trouble, rmation D "some iptures'' 2 soul," writings I only." ^"^ 'T^^tamcni Predictions. 341 '' Vou say. Oh if I cou;7^7J,;;7:g;77~i737,;, I'en, O man, my brother. God, the Creator of lieaven and eartJi, is speakin to you." The New Testament once printed and published did more to spread the revival of primitive Chris- t;an:ty than all the other efforts of the reformer.. The translation was a splendid one; as a literary woric .t charmed all classes. It was sold for so moderate a sum that all could procure it, and 'it soon established the Reformation on an immovable basis^ Scores of editions were printed in an incredibly sho-t time. The Old Testament from the .ame hand soon followed, and both were diffused through a population, familiar till then only with the unprofitable writings of the school- n^en. The Bible was received with the utmost avid.ty." You have preached Christ to us," said he people to the reformer ; "you en.ble us now to hear H,s own voice." In vain Rome kindled her fires and burnt the book. It only increased the demand, and ere long the Papal theologian, finding >t impossible to suppress Luther's translation, ^vere ^'^^'f^^^ned to print a rival edition of thetr ozvn. Once the Bible was thus read in the households of Chnstendom. the great change could not be avertca. A new life, new thoughts, new stan- \^\ i a I , 1 I 11 342 Forevieii) of the Reformation, dards, a new courage sprang up. God's own words were heard at the firesides of the people, and the power of the priest was gone. " The effect produ. i was imm-nse. The Christianity of the primitive Church, brought forth by the pubh^ation of the Holy Scriptures from the oblivion into which it had fallen for ages, was thus presented to the eyes of the nation ; and this was sufficient to justify the attacks which had been made upon Home. The humblest individuals, provided they knew the German alphabet, women, and mechanics (this is the acccunt given by a contemporary), read the New Testament with avidity. Carrying it about with them, they soon knew it by heart, while its pages gave full demonstration of the perfect accordance between the Reformation of Luther and che Revelation of God. It was the same in France. In 1522 a trans- lation of the four gospels was published in France by one Lefcvre, and soon after the whole New Testament. Then followed a version of the Psalms. In France, as in Germany, the effect was immense. Both the learned and noble and the common people were moved. " In many," says a chronicler of the sixteenth century, " was engen- dered so ardent a desire to know the wr.y of salvation, that artisans, carders, spinners, and ^^ Testament Predtcitons. 343 combers employed themselves, while eng^^d" in manual labour, in conversing on the word of God and deriving comfort from it. In particular. Sun- ' ays and festivals were employed in reading the bcnptures and inquiring after the goodwill of the Lord. The pious Briconnet, Bishop of Meaux, sent a copy to the sister of Francis I., urging her to present it to her brother. "This from your hands, added he, " cannot but be agreeable It ;s a royal dish," continued the good bishop, nourishing without corrupting, and curing all diseases. The more we taste it, the more we hunger for it, with uncloying and insatiable appe- tite. " The gospel,- wrote Lefevrc in his old a-e "IS already gaining th2 hearts of all the grandees and people, and soon diffusing itself over all France, it will everywhere bring down the inven- tions of n.en." The old doctor had become ani- mated; his eyes, which had grown dim. sparkled • h.s tremblinrr voice was again full toned. It was' hke old Sin,eon thanking the Lord for having seen H.S Salvation. Farel, the French reformer, ma,.- tanked the sole sufficiency of the word of God as a ru c of faith, and the duty of returning to its use In the great Protestant Confession of Augsbur. it '^' by a simple reference to Scrtpture that the n'ew 1 M.i!l :t ZA\^^Forcvic,o of the Reforwation, doctrines of the Refom^ad^^^TjuT^^^el Trom first to last, n-om Us fncipient ,,crm in the soul of Luthc.-tothecro.vningdayofthcRefom,at.on, the B.ble was the very heart and core of the move- "^ent ; and Protestantism has since deluded the ^^-•"/ -'^^^ bibles. Do you wonder th;. that Fopnecy .nakes tLc giving of a "little book open " to tho representative of the Cliurch at that time ■i ieaa;/,- feature of its prefiguration ? But you must note next that this was not the only thing given to John by the mighty angel, ihere fodows a great commission, ^.h:,,\, he was to execute. . ^" ^^'^^° °^ °^d had said to His disciples," Go yc "ito all the world, and proclaim the glad tidings to every creature." renews this commission to John m ns representative character, and says to him, Tliou must prophesy (or preach) again, before niany peoples, and nations, and tongues, and I^'ngs. It IS a second sending to the world of the gospel message, a second appointment of witnesses to proclaim the glad tidings. And this was needed, for the fundamental ordi- nance of gospel preaching had long fall entire disuse among Romanists ; the nrea. been lost ir- r;^ sacrificing priest ; tiir ;^c •ito had had -tl. From le soul of formation, the move- 'uged the then that ok open " hat time not the y angel. he was , " Go ye I tidings to John to him, , before les, and 1 of the itnesses 3l ordi- -;: nto ter had !..' had _____jV^w Testament Predictions. 345 Jor ages had none to b;7arto"th';;;",7^,,;, I'^e. Luther shrank at Hrst from the office of a preaeher. but it was forced on him by circum- stances After he had finished his translation of the book, and returned fro.n his seclusion in the VVartburg, he began to publish the truth from the pulp.t as well as through the press. <' It is not from men," he wrote to the elector, "that I received the gospel, but from heaven, from the Lord Jesus; and henceforth I wish to reckon my- self s.mply His servant, and /. talce tJ^e titte of Tir tt" "' '^^^"^ ^^ P'-^'-^^'^ - -^ °^^' -oden hall m W.ttemberg, and soon the largest churches were thronged to hear him. Within two or three years the gospel was being preached as well as read all over Germany, and in Sweden, Denmark, Pomeran,a, Livonia, France, Belgium, Spain, and Italy, and also in our own isle. Bilney had pro- cured a copy of Erasmus- New Testament and found ^comfort and saving light in its study. Then, he says, " the Scripture becam. to me sweeter than honey or the honeycomb " ; addin^. "as soon as, by the grace of God, I began to tast" the sweets of that heavenly lesson which no man can teaeh but God alone, I begged the Lord to increase my faith, and at last desired nothing more than that I being so comforted of Him mi^ht be 346 Foreview of the Reformation. i I ! Strengthened by His Spirit to teac/i sinners His zvays" Renouncing the Romish title of "priest" and doctor, Luther, in a treatise against Papal orders, styles himself simply " the preacher^' and the re- formed Ciiurches provided for a continuance, not of sacrificing priests, but of gospel preachers. " In the Popedom," says Luther in his " Table Talk," " they invest priests not for the office of preach- ing and teaching God's word; for when a bishop ordaineth one he saith, 'Take to thee power to celebrate mass, and to offer for the living and the dead.' But %ue ordain ministers, according to the command of Christ, ... to preach the pure gospel and the word of God." So in the reformed Swedish Church it was enacted that none .should be ordained who did not approve themselves both able and willing to preach the gospel. Instead of putting into the hands of the newly ordained the chalice and the patten, the reformers presented them with "a little book"— the New Testament,— saying, " Take thou authority to read and preach t/ie gospel." If a recovered Bible be the first and greatest feature of the Reformation, most assuredly a renewal of gospel preaching stands next. But a third thing was also given to John (in dinners His NcwJ^vnent Pndiaions. 347 his representative ^^^^^^^^^^Tl^^i^r^r—T ™s«areed,ikeunt„arod,"wit„„w,„„e;: th m that „or.h,p .herein." o,uM„^, or casting out t .e outer court, which ,vas given up to H,: Gent„e enenncs who were treading down the holy ^'ty- It was a measuring reed in the first place a:t;ol°°'t"''^^-''°^--'--ccieJslS au ho„ty-"a reed ,,e a rod." Tin's measuring of the temple of God "-the symbol of the outt ward v.s,ble Church in the world,-and this com. mand .0 define and measure out its boundaries and dMnens,ons, including one portion, and ex- c udn,g another, looIer. ..Come, ,et us build the wall.^hat e Jews And so Luther and Melanclnhon and other reformers urged the introduction into the orsh.p, the appropriation i the ecclesiastical evenues to the reformed parochial clergy and -ho„ s, and the ordination of a fresh sup'„y of ™.n.sters „,dep»ndently of Rome. A g „era v,s.tat,on of the churches was n,ade by t pnnce^s desire, to see to the execution of th'e new y tern, and ccplete what might be wanting to the establishment throughout :.axony of a SKPAKATE EVANCELIt fllURCII, 'I I m 350 yorcviciu of the Reformation. In this feature the Reformation differed from all the earlier movements of a kindred nature, such as that of the Lollards in England or of Muss in Bohemia. As Schlegel remarks in his "Philo- sophy of History," "It was by the influence Luther acquired by asserting the king's authority, as well as by the sanction of the civil power, that the Reformation was promoted and consolidated. Without this. Protestantism would have sunk into the lawless anarchy that marked the proceed- ings of the Hussites." This change took place in all the reformed States, the measuring reed like a rod being given by the civil authorities to the founders of the new communions, that they might solidly construct them on a permanent basis. The outer court, representing the apostate Church, they on the other hand formally cast out It was insisted on at the Diet of Augsburg that "the Roman pope, cardinals, and clergy did not constitute the Church of Christ, though there existed among them some that were real mem- bers of that Church, and opposed the reigning errors. That the true Church consists of none but the faithful, who had the word of God, and were by it sanctified and cleansed ; while, on the other hand, what Paul had predicted of antichrist's coming and sitting in the temple of God had on. ffered from laturc, such of Muss fn lis "Philo- :nce Luther •ity, as well r, that the msolidatcd. c sunk into i proceed- )k place in \ reed like ties to the :hey might •asis. apostate !^ cast out. iburg that ■y did not igh there ■eal mem- 1 reigning of none God, and le, on the ntichrist's God had separating themselves, and casting out Romish :c'".:p:" ■"^■•—.othtpope.ir: "t . ■ '' "" "'°"" "o*. I and all that -or»h,p Chtist do account your seat to p -sod and oppressed by Satan himself, to be «^ damned seat of antichrist, which we vil, not jec to nor incorporate with, but do detest a, d abhor the same. This formal separation of the reformers from the apostate Church nndtl,;. r , of new n , , , • ''"'' "'"* formal organisation of ,>ew Churches, holding evangelic faith, and using a pure ntual, is the fulfilment of this part of t ' «c prophecy of the Reformation%ut mus not pause to justify this interpretation as a esu tof ' °7'"™ '■' ''"''■^'='' - fi-' 'he res t of the act.on and interference ou her behalf of the glonous Head of the Church, that it was produced instrumentally by a recover d bL nd l7."^":f.^-P="-'™onyina,.,a„d d as 1 l:"^^■^'''= ''=-'°P-"' of a new ;cde. ^lastical organization, A retrospective narrative of the history of ( il ili 352 Foreviev) of the Reformation. Christ's two witnesses is then given, which time forbids my fully expounding now. These witnesses unquestionably represent the faithful evangelic Churches, which held fast the gospel all through the dark ages of Roman apostasy. They are called candlesticks ; and we are told in the first chapter of the book that CANDLESTICKS SYMBO- LIZE Churches. They are also called olive trees, and this figure is used in Zechariah (where two such trees are seen supplying the candlestick with oil) to represent faithful ministers. The double symbol seems to predict, that all through the darkest period of antichristian apostasy, faithful Churches, ministered to by faithful pastors, should exist. They might be few and feeble, persecuted and hidden, small in numbers, and inconspicuous in status ; yet acting as Christ's faithful witnesses, and holding forth the word of life, they would keep alight amid the darkness the lamp of truth. The number tivo is used apparently in compliance with the law of testimony. " In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be estab- lished." These witnesses are not individuals, but Chqrches, and their prophesying or preaching lasts all through the dark ages, through tbt entire period of Papal domination, with the exception of n. which time e witnesses evangelic all through They are n the first KS SYMBO- olive trees, where two ^estic/: zuith he double irough the >y, faithful ors, should persecuted onspicuous witnesses, hey would of truth. :ompHance uth of two be estab- iduals, but preaching tht entire cception of ■^eia £f^^^ Predictions. terval appearance Kuied-cxt/nct 'nadd/tion to ,vit„essi„ij for Cl.W t , gospel, these evangelical V "'"° "'^ ""ness agah«t the K "' ""'"'^ "'» -u-nptio,;. In ' thf :::;: "' m'" -"' "- '"'ense opposition on hi;;; T " "^'"-">' ^^ -y-ched this point, h^o.:':;:"*'-;;- them, until at last he won'H ' ""'' *-;thatis,he.ouldI:Ltlr'"'^"^'^-'" P'ete... He.ou,d.e..ter:- t^B^rArr" ^vherever they „.ere found in rh """' persecution unto death that .^''"'"="''°". by --•--•nins a publ e i;:"!''':""^ «"-^-. -uld cease to e.ist. r XTa, "„ "= '"""' "^y -'-'■•■^-et'-e seven thousandth, a::::;":''' not bo,ved the knee to Baal I, n / ^""^ -tegrity; but such would lo tie "' '"* opp-ssor, that they would ha t ; T;,". 1 '"^ -d hold their peace, in fac :/"':'■="''= '"""phant and universal idolatrv T^ '' "'" tWngs would however be ' \ ''" ''"' °' forat the end of fh,-. ^^' '"-^ "'"'•'"««,■ ■'- -nce":::,r rbXi,:;-'^ •'--.- '--ny would once ,„ore:i;.rL°V'r -..essing Churches would cKperi n ! ::,':"^ """ ""'"'"^ ~«on, Which w;u',r;t;; A A Jil If i :^)(ffT' 354 Foreview of the Reformation. % . s alarm the enemies who witnessed it ; and instead of being oppressed and extinguished, the faithful Churches would thenceforth be exalted and esta- blished. Such is the prediction of Revelation xi. translated from symbolic into plain language. Now to those who are familiar with the Church history of the middle ages all this reads like history. It is a sketch from nature, in which all the leading features of a well known landscape are clearly discernible, though laid down only in a small miniature. All came to pass precisely as here foretold. As superstitions and apostasy darkened down over Christendom, and an ever- increasing multitude faithlessly bowed the knee to Baal; as the man of sin gradually developed his power and his false pretensions at Rome, — protests arose here and there, and witnesses for Christ sprang up whose records remain with us to this day. In the East there were the Paulicians, who arose about the middle of the seventh century, and whom we know principally through the writings of their foes, who brand them as heretics. Already, even at that date, the priests withheld the Testament from the laity as too mysterious for the compre- hension of common people, and a sort of paganized Christianity had begun to prevail, when a man named Constantine^ who liad come into possession nd instead he faithful 1 and csta- k'clation xi. uage. he Church reads Hke which all landscape vn only in precisely as i apostasy d an ever- the knee to i^-eloped his ;, — protests for Christ us to this licians, who entury, and writings of . Already, ; Testament he compre- f paganized len a man I possession °f the gospels and of the ep;stlesT7^rr7~~ -e.VeC .„ei. .eac„i„g. in J, • L,. et 1 ' '1r —like the o-rnf- ., ' ^^' himse f '"e truth b; L: :: ^ .''™"'^-'° P^P^^ate p'edgc.h/ro,C7o::rr'"^:- "- '■°^nooth„d„ctn-„esthltor:;s"'';"'' and his thirty years of \,h i«:npture, enemies cJJZ '^'""Y™^""'' *t his been in reahV . r. « ; '' '^^-"^ '° h"e -'■•"-^.■c.'wastL?:::.';::'-^-- h'mself was stoned to death h '^°'"''"tine al-e. with other lead 'of t '"""" """''' sequent president o the °t'r- ^ ^'"'- "From East to West Ind f Z ^"'''"'' ™'^=' ''*'^st and from Norf-h f,^ c have run, preaching the gospel o n "*■ ' t°;l".S with these my itn es ■ u 'f ^"'' "■.nistry lasted for thirtv fn •"''""■"' '° '"e iarge extensi T r^^^; "" '»^^'' b't'erly persecuted by the e ' "■''"'' ™= R°™e. He too ,. T/ ™ '^"'P'^'™^ of "-.urginltsltvertr:'""--"-"-^ The Empress Theodora sLgereHlT"''-" «- /««slamcnt Prcdiaions. 357 porao^ of sc^u^s-^^,;;^;;^;;;;-— -^''^,, -n the „,-„t,, century. He was a t,.„e fcartes enlightened witness fo,- ri • . , i^arless, '>™ a -heretic' ;i„?'r^"r»"'"™»""^'' and protested a^ai" , '""'"" "^ '>'= ^uide, He delf.,ht.^ ^°, , °"'"'' '■"■■ovations, and n ■ ''"»"^""^' '° -' f-". Christ ^nd D r,,e „ro„gH Hi„ as the an in an i Zrve T'°"- "'^""■"-"'-o^tfutoess.un. ^"~or.he,a.;:^:r;r:;:^ estabhshed ,ts supremacy in Savoy; but he was , f- , 'f "'= Lord had not helped me thev They w,,o see us do not o„,y scoff but point a .r , nor d,d ,t soon pass away. Traces of its tTcT" ' '■°™' '°"»" ■•"■'-• ''■•- departure -ruwt o^ . °P"-.ts ,n ,„e tenth century seem to have i t' fl I. i 1 35S Forevieiu of the Reformation. been spiritually descended from this good Bishop of Turin, and his sphere continued in Papal esti- mation to be a hotbed of heretics. Later on, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, we have numerous accounts of "heretics," who were brought before the Councils of Orleans, Arras, Toulouse, Oxford, and Lombers. The accounts still extant of the examination of these so called heretics show that, so far from being such, they were men who witnessed a good confession, and held fast the doctrines of the apostles. They denied all the distinctive teachings and practices of Popery, and were blameless and godly in their lives, even by the admission of their foes. Berenger, in the middle of the eleventh century, was the founder of a fresh witnessing Church, or, as his enemies put it, a fresh sect of heretics. He was principal of a public school, and afterwards Archdeacon of Angers, and began by contending against the dogma of transubstantiation. He was a brilliantly clever, learned, and good man, and much venerated by the people. His doctrines were condemned by Papal councils ; he was deprived of his benefice : but he had not the fortitude of a martyr, and was at last driven to retract througli fear. bull he employed poor scholars to disseminate his doctrine, and died a ^czo Testament Predietions. y^g and h,s d,sc,ple Hc„,y-,he AVl,iteficId of his a'= and cou„...y_„,,o, after having almost overthrow the Papal system in Langucdoe and Provence was se,zed, convicted, imprisoned, and so„,e say' _bun,cd.^ of the heretics of Cologne in „4,„ho ba.e the torment of the fire, not only with poor ^„«,„„, ,3 t,,,y „^^^ ^,^^|j^^_ ^^,^^^ y 0.x ord n, , ,60, who, convicted of holding, the 'ruth of Chris, and denying the errors of Rome were "branded on their foreheads, beaten with rods before the eyes of the populace P"bl.cly scourged, and with the sou'ndh.g'of whips cast out of the city." A prohibition having been previously made that none should succour or shelter them,'hese p , erseeuted witnesses for Jesus, whose garm'en.s' l.ad been cut down to the girdle-though the weather was cold and inelen.ent-perished in Leipless wretchedness, yet singing, ■■ Bk.sed a;e ye, when ,ncn hate you and persecute you ' " Nor can I pau.se to spck of the Henricians who «.re condemned in ,.65 f„ .,„., „„^ ^^ te^fmony ,0 ,„e truth, and against the error, of III H mMdk I I S _ 1 ( :!! 1:1 f* 360 Foreviciv of the Refonnation. the wolves in sheep's clothing who were called priests; nor of others who formed links in the long chain of witnesses which extended from the seventh to the twelfth centuries. One and all they endured privations and sufferings, which bear out the emblem of being clothed in sackcloth ; and one and all they exhibited a self-denial, an unwearied zeal, and a degree of consistency and fortitude which show they were sustained by the power of Christ, according to this prediction : " I will give poivcr unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy, clothed in sackcloth." But I must pass on to the great witnessing Church of the Waldcnses. Would that I could tell its thrilling story I Read it for yourselves ; it deserves to be rcstudied in these dangerous days of latitudinarian indifference to truth or false- hood in doctrine. This far-famed " sect," or true Church of Christ, arose in a.d. 1179; some of its members were present at the third Lateran Coun- cil, with their books. Pope Alexander III. showed them some favour, but they and their writings were condemned and anathematized by his suc- cessors, and persecution forthwith arose against them. They had a powerful missionary spirit however, and their views soon spread in every direction; Provence, Languedoc, Arragon, Dau- ^'"^ ^^-^A./;/.^./ Pmiictions. 361 P^>'"c, and Lombarcly v,r^xrZ^., 7 with the n-osnol n ^ ^ ^ permeated ^ospel, as preached hy them Ti, • and „,. ' ™' '"'P'""' ^"J spirituai • as t: Tf ::r;i--'=:=''"^' '■■= '^-■■^'' 'y-.'^ fasio, al ' ■°^'"" "■"■■■ •••S'""^' "- co„- the did °T"f ''"'■=''"°'>-' ••■3--' masse, f„,. and " """"P'™' °f '«""'» forgive r;:::,r:.::,r;7--"--''-^''ma;e; VValdcnses „ it J, T '"''"'■ ^"^- hn„ I r " wmmunilies into the and prudence. Tl.oir motto was, "The iiZ shineth n darlcnPQc " 1 , . ^^ 1 darkness ; and their symbol or crest fcl.L witnlsel ''''"'"'" " "'^'" '"' "-> f "' "" '""'' "°»- ■ecall that the prophecy not :: 3^;r"'^ "■-^■>°'= "- of raithf/. j„^ 'f™',':"'"'''""P'«'-ts that at a certain st-^eTn e:;r7;'':''"™""""---,din:re conquer them, and kill them. Tli . , -.__ [j.^,,:, to receive its fulfil IS part of the meat .it the end 362 Forcvicw of the Reformation. of the twelfth century, when, at the third Lateran Council (A.D. 1 179), the Popedom roused itself collec- tively to a li'ar of extermination against hercties. Previously to this, separate members of the system, acting alone and independently, had opposed the truth by force and cruelty. But in the thirteenth," fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, Romanism, then in the plenitude of its power, gathered itself to- gether for a great, determined, united, and persis- tent effort to crush out all that opposed its supvcifiacy, and to clear Christendom of heresy. Thh. deadly onslaught against the saints was predsclcd, as you will remember, both by Daniel and by John in their foreviews of the Roman antichrist. He was to wear out the saints of the Most High, and prevail against them. Here the same fierce and fatal antagonism comes in as an incident in the career of the two representative " witnesses," who symbolize the succession of evangelical Churches, which kept up the testi- mony of Jesus during the dark ages. During the three centuries we have just mentioned the furnace was heated seven times hotter than it was wont to be heated. Persecution raged systemati- cally. The fourth Lateran Council, in 1215, sanc- tioned all former plans for the extirpation of heresy, urged their adoption with renewed vigour, ^<^reslamcnt Prediction. ^^. fl, • , . i'^'MJOSC. Jl kings WO! ,-,* clear their dominions of heresv fh.;. u- k^ u , "ticsy, tlieir subjects were tn be abso ved from -,11 nii • "-^ ui.re to asainst here'r ::''~ "'''""■ "-^•'''''^^ against the Tu,ks The „", 7 "' """'" be interdicted t .,,e , L J '"V^'r ™" '° be forced ,„ i ^ ' "" ''"'''''=" ™''^ '° forced to denounce tlicir own relatives, dettlT'lf"?'""'' "^"= '° ""^ "-d f-- '»= ves loi the work of ferrettin- out and ~„ati„g .,.e™ , and a„ ti.e Fran is .2 ca r:;:r'\";r"'"^^^= •» -PP-y.-nstrun,e„ts ; ThTwald """" °' ■■"""'■^■•"^ --' Wood. 2"^ smgled out for extermination. A cru the hoi, :r ;t ; ::'v''°''''' p"'^'' '" =p.>'--r.urdero..i.ii;;i,;:;L":*: -saders against the „ee>. and >L;ZaZ^ iZ'tfj"'"'^- ^'>= '■«"-).'';: ventron of Jjommic, or rather Gre^orv IX established its horrid tribunal for .J^,^~ after unseen, secret ..heresy"; and wherever "; 'f l| Mi I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 110 f r IIM 36 |40 |M M i.8 14. IIIIII.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^; % '^6 tf C^- Ua A '^ ^ \ n mi 364 Forcviezu of the Reformation. revival of true religion took place, or any con- fessors of Christ could be found, there they were hunted, if possible, to death. Genuine disciples of Christ, under whatever name they might pass, whether called Petrobrussians, Catharists, Wal- denscs, Albigenses, VVicliffites, Lollards, Hussites, Bohemians, or any other name, it mattered not — to the torture and the stake with them if they held fast the gospel of Christ ! Savonarola, one of the wisest and worthiest of his age, was burnt at the stake in 149S. Seven years of cruel war raged against the Hussites, and a civil persecution more bitter still. Eighteen thousand soldiers were sent into the valleys of Piedmont, towards the end of the fourteenth century, to exterminate the Wal- denses of Piedmont, and appropriate to themselves all their property. The Christians of Val Louise, in Dauphiny, were actually exterminated, burned alive, and suffocated in the caves in which they had sought refuge. Four hundred infants were found dead in their mothers' arms, and 3,000 perished in the struggle. Lorente calculates, from official reports, that in the forty years prior to the Reformation, the Inquisition alone burned 13,000 persons and con- demned 169,000. The latter half of the fifteenth century was a time of Satan's raging against the ^^J^eslmncnl Prcrlutions. 365 saints, ijut in spite '^^^^^:r^~;r:^^ vord and flame, the voices of ti.e 'itnes.os of Je us were still raised i„ behalf of the truth, and aga, St the power and pretensions of antichrist. At last however, as the fifteenth century drew to a close, the furious crusade seemed about to accomphsh its object. The beast had all but con- quered and killed the witnesses, according to I pred,ct,o„ The strong figure employed of Z witnesses lying dead for three and a half day ' -ans,ofcourse, that their testimony was siLncS; hey no longer prophesied; they were silent, help. lr'T,'"'-f;: '*'""'■"''■ They were worn out.^ The w,ld beast from the abyss had prevailed agamstthem. For the moment the struggle wa: The fulfilment of this part o,^ tne vision was at he openmg of the sixteenth century, j„st before he Reformation movement commenced. Hear Moshcm's description of the crisis. "As the sixteenth century opened no danger seemed to threaten the Roman pontiffs. The agitations excted in former centuries by the VValden «n. h ; :'"''™' "^^ '^^" ^"PP--'' and ex! t.ngu,shed by counsel and by the sword. The survivmg remnant of Waldenses hardly lived. !i i 1 I ,1 366 Foreview of the Reformation. pent up in the narrow limits of Picdmontese val- leys, and those of the Bohemians, through their weakness and ignorance, could attempt nothing, and thus were an object of contempt rather than fear." Milner, the Church historian, says that at this date, though the name of Christ was professed everywhere in Europe, nothing existed that could properly be called evangelical. All the confessors of Christ, " worn out by a long series of conten- tions, ivere reduced to silence!' " Everything was quiet," says another writer; ''every heretic exter- minated." This was not of course literally true. The Lord knoweth them that arc His, and had even in that darkes sr of the night that pre- cedes the dawn. His owii who served Him secretly. But so far as collective testimony before Europe was concerned, the witnesses were dead ! Their enemies gloried in the fact. The Lateran Council congratulated itself that Christendom was no longer afflicted by heresies, and, as one of its ora- tors said, addressing Leo X., "Jam nemo reclamat, nullus obsistit." "There is an end of resistance to the Papal rule, and religious opposers exist no more." And again, " The whole body of Christen- dom is now seen to be subjected to its head, i.e. to thee." Leo commanded a great jubilation, and granted a plenary indulgence in honour of the _J^ Testament Predictions. 367 h.s councl. says : « Tl.e pillars of Rome's strength were v,s,ea,K, palpable, and she surveyed them vv.th exultatur from her golden palaces." "The assembled prelates separated with complaeency and onfidenee, and with mutual congratulations l.t'^"TheT™r'^°'''''-^^°^'°''-' J lie power of Rome was ,le facto para- mount m the Church." So Neander says : .'The ed,fice of an unlimited Papal monarchy had at that time come victoriously out of all the preceding fights, and established itsel. on a firm basis I„ the last Lateran Council at Rome, the principle of an unhm.ted Papal power was established, in oppo- sition to the principle of general councils, and the Waldenses and Hussites had no more any import- ance ,0 fight against the Papacy." So another wnterisays: "At the commencement of the six teenth century Europe reposed in the deep sleep of .spmtua! death. There was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped." The witnesses were dead ! Never before and certamly never since, was Rome able to contra tulate herself that heresy was e.^tinguished and heretics exterminated from the face of Christendom. ' Cuiininghame. I ' 368 Foreview of the Reformation. It is a fine, striking hieroglyph of the crisis that the prophecy presents. There stands the fierce wild beast monster from the abyss ! He has pre- vailed against his defenceless human victims. The struggle has been long and hard ; it has made him all the more savage and impatient : but it is over at last ! His jowls still drop with gore, his claws are red with blood as he stands glaring with his fierce eyes on the pale, cold, silent corpses of Christ's two witnesses, so long empowered from above to resist and defy all his might. As John watched the sad scene, did there not recur to his mind scenes in the amphitheatres of pagan Rome, scenes such as Dore has imagined and painted for us, scenes with which the exile of Patmos was all too familiar ? The arena strewn in the pale moonlight with the cold, stiff corpses of the faithful witnesses of Christ ; and the victorious wild beast, glutted and sufficed with their flesh and blood, standing guard over the remains! That waj tlie symbol. The reality was — ivitnessing Churches silenced by long and bloody persecution. The time — A.D. 15 14, the close of the last Lateran Council, which proclaimed to the world in a for- mal, official manner the fact that all opposition to Rome had ceased. note the sequel : In ici? the Reform.ation Now sequf ^^wjrcsiamcni Predictions. 369 began-the movement which WV. T~' growin- ever fr..„ . ' ^ "" snov/ball year 1887 T " '' ''^"^ ^^°"^' ^^^ '" the heren s V"% ""'"' ^"' ^^^^ -^■^^-- of ad SI 'on to the apostasy of Rome! YVitnessL ^^^rch^s-pmestant Churches snr.n. ''''"^ where, and have been multinl ^ "^ ''''■^■ Wh.t =1, ,1 "^"Jtiplying ever since. What shall we say? Is no- fhfc of the witnesses > L , ^ '"csurrection she? So ^^"^^ ^^^^^ c'-^shcd them, had sne? So slie thought! But sho i u before fifty yea. had rolled by! sL "'^ K " when Germany ,!„.,„ „rr ,1 ' , ^''" '""="' '''="" withdre>v from l,e ''*'' '"'' ^"S'^'-'d sisted hlr '=°™"i'""on, and Holland re- -Ta!:r:er;:r::r-'---a„. I^erormaUon revol.Jr: tr^rT; w en «. outburst of l,eaven,y li,,, 30 iirml d the mmds of men that they laughed at h.,- drpaHprl « . ""jjiica at Jier once dreaded excommun.cations, sat unn,oved under he thunders of her interdict, and boldly tea rn" the mask of mother Church from her face, e^o ' .er^themother Of harlots and abomi'atiorf chHl;T^:;r;:r'''=^''''=^"''--"°^ any coura^eTo tru", "°"'' J"^ ™''" '° '""f^' SoKometL;'™^':'^:^"^'^-"'"''— ■-■' -till the spirit of hTc fr om God B B 111- ;7o Foreview of the Reformation. is l' \ entered into them, and they rose up a mighty host to proclaim the glad tidings throughout Europe, to do and dare and die in their myriads, denounc- ing Rome's "doctrines of devils" with such bold- ness and power as to arrest the attention of the world, and to produce a revolution of unexampled greatness in Christendom. Rome reeled on its seven hills as if shaken by an earthquake, and a "tenth part" of the Babylonian "city" fell. England, one of the ten kingdoms into which the western Roman empire had been divided, fell away — separated from Latin Christendom. Thousands perished in the terrible struggle which ensued in many lands, and Rome was worsted in her warfare. The rise of Protestantism was, as the very name attests, the resurrection of the ivitnesses ; the re- formers themselves recognised it as such, and their enemies also. Pope Adrian, Leo's successor, wrote in a brief to the Diet of Nuremberg, " The heretics Huss and Jerome seem now to be alive again in the person of Luther." The Reformation of the sixteenth century com- menced in the year 15 17. The translation and publication of the word of God, the definition of Protestant doctrine, and the founding of Protestant Churches occupied the next half century, while the liberation of Protestant States from Papal dominion Wl Mi '*T^ „ ., ," "' "'"I's period the "tvnr" „r ,1 wild hMcf " „ . . ^'^"^ of I he . ""^^^ "gainst tlie "witncs9^=" .„ .• , 'nd with it the suffering,,, "sacrcoh'' , ' »nd slaughter of the h.ter '"'™°">'' ever, as we Uno.CulTr'"'^ "" ""' ''°"- -«o„dthivs.;:::jro:tt;?t::tr^r --"-"'-t:rd:i::^^^^^^^^^^^^ was one great difference In nr. P I'M there "- "east had the best of it h'; " 7:"°"'™" Ihe saints • I,e wor. ,l ' ''"'' "2"'"='" far victorio'u hi . "'"' =""" "^^ "' '-' =° P'etely silenced , ' '*' ^="^ "^ eom- w-t"esses after the „ ^"'"°'" '''''"'='^t'o„ of the -d hacked „p rxr irtr/-^"' ^-■•^ "ever again able to silence^hj Jit ,,^7 T >" " w;^k, never again able If " 'hen, Simultaneously? a", t Ltlrs'^e ''^-"^ had been transformed into her oT r, ""'"" and whilfi R„„ powerful enemies; somet ds tr' ^ "^ '''""' "■= -^°™ers in '"''■ "■^>' P^^^^"ed against her in others. lit J : ,. i 372 Forcvicw of the Reformation. Henceforth Roman Christendom was divided into two camps ; and, as of old, the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker, and the house of David stronger and stronger, so there was a gradual loss of power on the part of the Papacy and the Papal nations ; and as time passed on, a gradual growth in political influence, material prosperity, intellec- tual enlightenment, and social condition, on the part of Protestant nations. But at first the struggle was a sore one. Just as Pharaoh pursued the people after he had been compelled reluctantly to let them go, and pursued them to the annihilation of his own power, so Rome pursued the young Protestant Churches of Europe to her own undoing in the end, She stirred up opposition and inter- national conflicts, instigated bloody massacres and cruel exiles and banishments, and plunged the reformed communities into a sea of sorrow and trouble : witness the terrible massacre of St. Bar- tholomew with its 60,000 victims in France, the Marian persecutions in England, the cruel slaugh- ter in six brief years of 18,000 Protestants in the Netherlands, the desolating Thirty Years' War in central Europe, and tJie revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which in 1685 exiled 400,000 Huguenots from France and caused the death of nearly as many more. This may be regarded as tlie last . ^'''" '^'^'^^^'"cnt Predictions. oii S*'^(it act of the Pnf^,yr .,^ fiJ t It was „o. till the close of the scvctccnth ^"^lana in 1534, but in the reJo-n nf \r. ;.an.u„aeM,,ePop.-sHSt...s::"4-Irt;:: civil .nH • ^ ^' '^^"^PJ^t^Jy cstablislicd tlie cml and rcl.g,ous liberty of Protestantism All this proves that while the first .tno. r .u —t io„of.„e..„,t„esses..tfMr : com™enc=„,e„t of the Reformation .novel t of the s,...ecnth een.u.,. th.v ex-alta.ion to no t la power and supremacy, the establ/shment o P o esta„t,sm occupied a much longer interval IZ an other s.milar great movements, the Reforma Space for ,ds the exposition of the chronology of th,s most remarkable period, including its rela^ Hi *■ 374 Fo review of the Reformation, tion to the i,2Co years of propliccy. Suflice it to say, that the uitcrval from A.D. 1534, the date of the abrogation of Papal supremacy in England, and of the publication of Luther's Bible in Ger- many, to A.D. 1697-8, the date of the complete establishmen! of Protestantism at the Peace of Ryswick, is separated by exactly 1,260 lunar years from A,D. 312-4/6, or the period which extended from the fall of paganism at the conversion of Constantino to the fall of the western Roman empire. I have not attempted, nor could I in the com- pass of this lecture attempt, to expound fully the wonderful Reformation vision of the book of Reve- lation. I have only glanced at its leading features. There is in it very much more of the deepest in- terest which I dare not touch at this time because it would take me too far. But have I not said enough to convince you that the great and blessed revival of true doctrine and of spiritual life which took place between three and four centuries ago, and which we call the Reformation, was both fore- shadowed in Jewish history and foretold in Chris- tian prophecy, and that in connexion with each of these wonderful predictions i/ie seal of God's appro- val is conspicuously set on the movement? What is the vision of Revelation x. ? One of a Divine ^''' '^'^'iciment PndiUions, 375 Err- - ^: t~ -J poverty and sl,a,„e, de!2 j ri ""°" Poratc bodies by .„e fc.ocW a L "ks Tf T bncf interval, and exalted to political n„, V-te of all enemies. Sueh is the „ ^ '" have been the facts n P--'^'''Ct.on ; such diction , T ""'""'= "'at strange pre- aiction to be incorporated r Sn^ ">=- sacred writings > Reahl r^ '"" "" stupendous „,arvelofthe fact hi w ""' "" ^-^. and that ..yriads o 1 o 'al' T ^ " "" for ages engaged, al, unco„„u ,;:'!" T >" fulfilling it. Realize ;r ""^selves, tenderness and sal d s ''°" ""' "^^ ="■="-= Which the savr:;:r;::r^~"'-'^ «'M„ f . "«.i.i.rt.a those simp e words My two witnesses." Yes Lorrl fi witnesses, those poor n ^^ '''''" "^^^^ ' '"°^^ POOJ^. persecuted Lollards nn.i • -liiey were witnesses to TAy ^jrace to r/ glory, to T/w^e all-sufficient .f '^"^ sumcient atonement, to Thine ■«■ mmmm h ■ 3 76 Forevieiu of the Reformation. fi ¥ only high priesthood and sole mediatorship ; and for this they suffered, for this they died ! They suffered with Thee; they shall reign with Thee, according to Thine own word, " Where I am, there shall also My servant be." " My two witnesses " I Ah, Lord, how Thou didst love Thy faithful mar- tyrs! How Thou dost hate the cruel and evii system which for ages made bitter war upon them, and would fain do so still ! In persecuting them did it not persecute Thee ? Oh, how often didst Thou ask of pope and prelate, as of Saul of Tarsus in earlier days, " Why persecutest thou Me?'' As we think of these things, must we not share the feelings of the psalmist, and say, " Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee ? Am I not grieved with them that rise up against Thee?" Far, far be it from us to sympathise with the persecutors and lightly esteem the true witnesses, as is the fashion with too many in our days ! Let us rather maintain against the great enemy of the gospel the same testimony they held fast amid his fiercest onslaughts, and thus share with them the honour of being numbered by Christ among His faithful witnesses. C-^CLUDING REMARKS profound convictfon that '■°" "'"'' "'^ -cter or Ro,„a„„ ,!!' ;::7« -'^ ^- Papacy-was foretold i the B' 7 "' "^ "efore that evil po.er arose '„ H "^ ^^"=^ the conviction Vi,, bear r . r'"''' '' '°' influences conduct q/ " ' '"°wledge an important natlsho^d ,7"'"'^=^"'"°^ should not have cared ./"■"'""'"^^ ''= great subject. ''^P"""'' '° >""> ""s And first, let your kno,vled'--■■'- PO^ance of ,/„> ^^^ZL I e Tt"'" r ''"'• I solemnly eharge you to .,- ""'"^'=- -vi" iudffc you in' he ast day T " '"'■ " -y pass away, but not a M or ^rrT""" of God shall ever fail. T^n ""= "°'''' are as true as \>. \- P™'""''^^ ■' They true as ,ts predictions. Trembl. h.r ■ warnmgs and its threats! Thev ,wn "' "= fu^iied as its prophecies lZ:l^^~.'^ sacred pages, never think vn„ 1. ^^ "' fathomless in its wisdom . " " '" ' " '^ as ■•' emanates LvIk "' '' ""^ ■"'■"" '^"^ "hid, •h.-r'y ye s ail ^""^'"^ '•' ^- "-= ".an yy s, and I am convnced that it has oceans ," f }8o Romanism and the Reformation. of truth whicli I liavc not yet explored. How {™ g^ws less each As regards the United R-;,,™ i ■"ost remarkable ,nd ^ ™' ""= f^"' ^'-'= Of ".e popni.,;"" ^; -;«■' "-bered o„e..„ird' T'.= proportion of Ro ' ' "^' °"'" ""■^«-''''- froni one-third to o„ """ ""' ''^"^■•■sed ^=ven.hs. In ot,r / " '"°-""'* <° si- "-■•--. rheXlCCXT-^^^^"''' '""eased from sixteen to th' , r '"'""■''' '-ntis„hastrehled,rntt:i„r"°"' '- o"" thirty millions, whiirRo' " ''''"=' stationary at about five mm,- T"" '"""'"' ""= Protestantism. ^ ?", "'" " "•"-" millions. '™'"'' ''^^^ had fifteen Now these statistics tell their ^"'Oly as Romanism roseT ,f ?" '^'=- ^^ c-lminated in the .hirtee„ h "'"" """J' ^"^ .'"gandfallinginthe: t r";;'-';''^^^^- '~-.i.tya:LlSe::t,t■; ing lost Ir 384 Romanism and the Reformation. power, but it has ceased to hold its own in the world, and especially in the foremost nations of it, even as regards its adherents. It is consuming and wasting, diminishing while others are increasing, and losing even the semblance of a right to the proudly arrogated title of catholic. But this is only one aspect of the subject. There is another, and a very important one. Romanism is, and has been all through this century, and especially during the last fifty years, MAKING A DESPERATE EFFORT TO SECURE A RENEWED ASCENDENCY IN OUR OWN EMPIRE, AND ESPECIALLY IN ENGLAND. It has enor- mously increased its working staff and its working centres. During the last quarter of a century, that is from 1850 to 1885, its priests in Great Britain have increased by 1,641, its churches, chapels, and stations by 866, its monasteries and convents by 558, and its colleges by 20. This immense and rapid growth is not owing to any propor- tionate increase of adherents, though it is of course designed to secure such an increase. But it indicates " the determination of the Papacy to try issues on the grandest scale with Protestantism in its stronghold." We have to face a deliberate and desperate effort on the part of this wealthy, highly organized, and centralized system, to weaken CoHcl,tding Remarks. -nd. if possible, subju™,rH,r7 "'^'-niism in „,„ ea th t ''"°" "•■ ''™- of England are the rcsuit "■■""" P^P''^-"'"" "-'"c.thic" ;;,':";;;: ';j "«. »= »- a,ai„ i„ „„ „„ "■= Pnes,s of ,(„,„, „„j '''^ ^ 'Wc for p„„er ,„,„ee„ "■'"""A TI,o people ,he\„ '■'°""'"'' """'••''. and „„ -"d deceived ' ' "' ""■J"™'-. I"" divided, di.„ae,"d H-tr;;::\:Lt;ir"----'-^.^c,,,iJ Irelnn^ • ■''"'^ ^"force them w Govern- ^•■eJand ,s only a step in her i.nn , ' '"'^^"^ ""vv in "-^•^ rest till she has gained he ":; ^"^^^^^- ^he wii «-ed to be Protestant! and our V; ' ''" °"^ ''>-- ^^a ^° ^^^'^ -'"• Nor is he scheme "''"' '^ ^"^^^^vient yet, incomplete. -She has .7 . ""'"'^^'^""•■'ble, though as c^r.y, Who adopt her ^^^ T'" "^ "^^ ^"'"-n her dogmas, she returns a '. ''""'''>' ^"^ teach "members of the House oJoLno""''^ ^^'^'-" ^^ the -'^ as she desires. She u^es " °? '''' ''^"^' ^Peak. and to bear on Government anr "°" ^° '^'"ing pressure ^^-^3 the language 7i;^:^:-^J^ '^e .ib^eLslT '« a voluntary, a large bodv of l. ' ^"'""taries she -"d two-thirds of the Free Chn . / "^"^''^^ ^'^enters .'"'° her trap, and are Z^ tf f '"'''"^' ^ave faS -strong. She moves members hr. .^" ^'-"ament sh gamed a prt. / u ' ' '' o*" threats qi, .. Prt^-cr, who is possibly her dis !' ^ ^^' y ^'^r diicple-certainly C C {' 3^6 Romanism and the Reformation. her accomplice ; through him she commands a cabinet. She works incessantly through the press. No publication too small for her hand ; none too strong for her agency. She is served by a host of devoted troops, who work with all their soul for her, under all sorts of names, in all places and disguises : reporters, writers for the press, literary and scientific men, ministers of State, preachers in the pulpits of the Church and of dissent, masters of schools, inspectors and e.xaminers. She enters families by governesses, tutors, nurses, and domestics. She has secured a large section of our upper classes, and every day she gains more. She draws them by shows, by music, by taste, by frivolity and reflection, by dissipation and remorse. She works on the hearts of women by their fancies, their love of pleasure, and their fear of pain. Slie makes the wealth of men her exchequer, and the influence of the rich becomes hers. From the marquis down to the carpenter, she considers none below hei otice or too strong for her power. "Against ti.is disciplined and able confederacy, you— the English people— have to stand. And for such a fight you are ill prepared. Your impulse is right, your disposition is good ; but impulse and feeling are insufficient against unscrupulous and unwearied conspirators. You are divided by parties, distracted by business, weakened by indifference. Yet the issue is great. It is, whether we are to keep the rights and liberties which our forefathers gained.? Your freedom stands on your faith ; and, if your faith fails, your freedom will fall. That is the lesson of your own history ; for ail that we ever won of liberty was had through the strength of Protestant convictions. I ask you to weigh the issue. It is no light matter. It is your life. Don't despise or underrate your adversary, but don't flinch or quail before him, Rome has in her service the highest intellect and the most untiring zeal. She is served with the talents of the Concluding Remarks, — — - 387 She adapis l.crswf ,0 „„ f""' ""'' ^h' I""' no r»,rai„„. ' ="cic,y. She p,i« every 4 tvlr"'"™' """ "" """ '" ''••'l>..s, and she can prevail tl .":»"""™" ^-i'ed to »"<> jaded n,an offashioa ^ U , !, r'" "" '""""'P'-l' J «n=l=s she has made in eZ " '""'• ""= y"" "hat - '■- >o.. to decid vhtf'sl '"";?'-"»")' years. „ ~n>pel her to „b,y j,„„ , ; " ™ '"--"''en j.„„r po„„ „„j have given yo„ ,|,e facis . a' " "'° ''■•'' Latin Christendom 'b ^^Z^^r '""''"' *° st.pren,acyhere. «lfEngll,d ""°" ""' ''"P^' to Christendom ■' sals r„T r" '° "= ^""""^J submission .0 th T '''""'■"^' "'■' --s l^y ■•ebyobedier.cetoL'^rrreUr"™"'-' ' ^^ '^ebelhon against to ' ^ds A^cendTcy ■„■ En'Sr: .f, "^'"^^ °^ ^^^^ "'entary History of Forty Years » TV '''""^^^ '''' ^-''^i^- Paternoster Row, E.C. "'^^^ • Macintosh, 24, &' m^ SSS^^mamsm and the Reformation. Ms authority was the first step of its departure' > He proceeds to show that religious toleration is a complete delusion, that the true Ch, J, can tolerate nothing, but absolute and unconditional submission. " Neither true peace nor true charity recognise tolerance ; the Church has a right to require every one to accept he:- doctrine " ; that " the duty of the civil power is to enforce the laws of the Church, restrain evil doers, and punish heresy " "It ts astonishing." he writes, "how small is the spa<-c rightfully left to the exclusive domination of the civil power. . . . Even in passing laws. Parltament must defer to the Church, The State may enact a law. but it must see that it in no way contravenes the higher lazvs of the Churchr^ Dr. Manning plainly asserts that Rome has entered on a struggle between the supremacy ot the pope and that of 'he Crown, that it is a strugrle for life and deati;, a .; that it .rr,braces the whole question c^" -h. Rciormation in these countries. As Colquhoun remarks. " It is the old battle fought under the Plantagenets, whether the law of England is to be sovereign and supreme, or whether we are to have a confederacy of Roman pnests. aided by treacherous English priests, brav- ' " Essayi, on Religion," p. 19. * JbiJ., p. 458. Concluding Remarks. ___ 389 '"8: English law, dcfvinrr fh„ n •.• , and tramplinc. on thT "^ i'arliament. On. r ^ sovereign's crown." One of the avowed object, of the "Cath.r Defence Socictv " •« f i ^.atholic book of the co"o„ j T""""^' '■'■°"' °" ^•^'"^ -ne,w,,';~:c"o" ■''''°^^'°^^="'=- »«ers that Rome ,,as tl^T,? ! """'"^ """ Protestant sovereign "*■" '° ''''■P^^^ ^ '^^^:^^.:;.:::::--^-^^^-'-^'"^- • •. P *■ '" the cate" ^h ,rch, by 01 tlie supreme authority with vd .Vh u '^ vested by Christ over all Th I ' */<>« s«cA a prince ;„ ■ ! ' """ '"="■ •" Crime, and CZZT^^T' "" ^'''""■^' "anger of being tdbvl-, "'^^"^ '"" ' «■= '-heresy or s^r^l^^ebirT^'"''--^'' perfect ngh. to depose Queen Victoria; nay, ssays on Reli = ?!!"■• on ' PP- 458, 459. ^^^^^^'^''^^^'^ <^nd the Reformation. more, it would be ^b^iii^den^d^jtTfbi^^^ do, if he had the power. He has not, and he is never likely to have that power; but meantime we have foolishly given him the power to cause serious political treble in her realm, and he is availing himself to the full of the opportunity. This is, be it observed, no antiquated claim quoted from mediaeval times ; it is published in England in this nineteenth century by one who is styled the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. And It ,s no mere theory, no mere fancy sketch • >t IS a working drawing, as architects would say' a practical scheme which Rome is steadily en-' deavouring to carry out. The chances of his ever bringing England back under his sway are very remote ; but if " home rule " could be obtained for Ireland, it becomes at once a Papal kingdom and a perpetual menace to England. This therefore is an object to be attained by any and every means. The chief result of home rule is to be the extirpation of Pro- testantism in Ireland. " The woes of Ireland are due to one single cause-the existence of Pro- testantism in Ireland. The remedy can only be found in the removal of that which causes the evil. . . . Would that every Protestant meet- ing-housc were swept from the land! Then J I a ol G f ^ould Ireland recove7i^^I^~T — unknown."! ^^ ^"^ °"trages be That this attempt would be m.r?. • questioned. Cardfn.l J '' "°^ *^ ^^ ^ 'cardinal Manning insistat ^J'.to«, We are of'""" ""'"''■ ''"' " ^"*"«' Roman Catho,::trer;:;r •-"-- we claim for ourselves • h.T "^""^"ence which any law, human orD^i^e'",?"""''"™''''^ - -spirin, for thr::: r ::/;-';i''^ Government, and empire. A.,„ cl °" '""^= 1 t< empire. Adam S Catholic Progress. 'mith well says ; 392^ Ronianism and the Reformation. "The constitution of the Church of Rome may be considered the most formidable combination that 7ms ever formed against the authority and security of civit government, as well as against the liberty, reason, and happiness of mankind." ^ Peace and prosperity are impossible under Papal and priestly rule, as all history attests, "The Papacy," says Prince Bismarck, "has ever been a political pozver which, with the greatest audacity and with the most momentous consequences, has interfered in the affairs of this world." The ques- tion before our country now is, whether we are willing to make a further and most decisive advance on the road in which we have already travelled too far, and to grant to an alien and antagonistic political power a most real practical supremacy over five millions of the queen's subjects in Ireland, including a million of loyal Protestants in that land. I cannot close these lectures without urging you to study this subject more thoroughly, and to get well grounded in your Protestant principles. A dangerous laxity on doctrinal matters marks the present day. Multitudes hardly know what they believe, or why they believe what they do. In ' " Wealth of Nations," p. 337. ■^ ? I ■^ If Cottduding Remarks. 393 •hat we 4 w' nl^^ 7 "-^ f-S°"e„ -Ives wrth a^s for the l„ 't i;?' °"^- do however fn k« " ^^^^^ "ot '"ese pel„r,^r7er' "' '^^^^'^^ "•" something of the V.0ZI R^f°™at,on and a.so the i-stoj of ": r"'r""- ^^^^^ "p 'he Stuarts, when a dark ^^^^ '" "' "^^^ "^ -thra> En„and on e tre TnTTr ''''''' " P;otestant land back undet' rrir:"''^^ °f Rome. A similar conspiracv V T ^"""^ Ca" at John KensitHpT ' ''^"■" "°"- purchase some of hrd ^T"°"'« R°-. and pa^PMets. xe7,t:;i?:::r^^^^ r:;:n;srh— ■-^-'- h-berties thaT ha , "' '° ''" '^""''= f""- 'he 'his da" llora: "'•''" ^"^'^■"' '^''^' »he is power/ wl~\'^ ""'"^^^^ ''--'^''Se is -essand^:.^:— --^--of how you wil, pri.e the privilege of h'™'' name, and resolve that none 2, rob '"^^' ""c snail rob you of it I 94 Romanism and the Reformaiio7t. Above all, ground yourselves firmly in a compre- hension of the three Bible foreviezvs of Romanism to which I have directed your attention, for the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Lastly, I would urge you to avoid all tamper- ing with the bastard Romanism which is called Ritualism, or High Churchism, and which abounds, alas \ all over England. It is simply Romanism slightly diluted. Popery disguised with a thin veil. Wherever you have a " priest " instead of a preacher, an "altar" instead of a communion table, wax candles instead of the sunshine of Divine truth, ceremonial instead of sound doc- trine, sacraments instead of saving grace, intoned liturgies instead of earnest, heartfelt prayers, splendid music instead of spiritual worship, gor^ geous vestments instead of gospel truth, tradition and "the Church" instead of "as it is written," and crossings instead of Q\vx\%i— there you have Romanism, no matter zuhat it may be called. Beware of it. however attractive the architecture and the incense, the music and the solemn cere- monial. Think of the apostles and their upper chamber; remember that Judaism gave us "a shadow of good things to come." not a model to be imitated, and that all this outward show is not worship "in spirit and in truth," such as God our t V. b G G Concluding Remarl', 3^ •«ys „f those ,vl,o i„ 1 bondage, and by cere,no„.-es : I l^'lfZ ''"" '^•^'" '"^S"''^'^ '•" Christ. What . :-n "^^ '"" ""^ ■''■"'P"-''y P'tfalLs of I.onl ^ '"•■'■""' "'"^'•<^-^"'- The '■'"° "«^m. The Dible h ^ .'^°"'' '■'"" "■ ^-^ fall r;----'?"t:ar;rr'-''->' 'W„he/h: , l"^t"-'■'• ''"-c„Goda„d„::;,::'';;••''-^^«''-''• --^«fo,.sins/■o^re^cd■..!^.r^'''■•'''''■ -r." Through the -one M at :.;::""'"'• sacrifice," "draw „,Vh tn r , ^ "" "°"= "■■8l> - ,ou... v:!'„ ed :,o "', "= ""' "-" ■-o.L:::td7ij:e:xt-:- He God. Suffer noth inp- Js one with us, and to come between one vvitJi your soul 396 Romanism and the Reformation. and Him. Suffer no saint, no angel, no virgin, no priest, to come between you and Jesus Christ. Go to Him for the pardon of all your sins. Make to Him your confessions. He can absolve you, and will, yea, does, if you truly believe in Him. Priestly absolution is a lie. It is a blasphemous pretence. The sentence, '' I absolve thee" whether from the mouth of Romish priest or Protestant minister, is profane. Be not deluded by it. Your fellow sinner cannot absolve you from the sins you have committed against God. Turn from these idols and vanities. Jesus is all you need. His blood is sufficient to atone, and cleanses those who simply trust in Him "from all sin." " Search the Scriptures," they testify of Him. Come to Him that you may have life. His heart is touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; none can sympathise as He can ; none can help as He. To you, to each one, He says, " Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." " Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Thou alone art ALL v/e need, for Thou alone art "ALL IN ALL." Butler & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London.