all kindreds and tongues and nations." 'Let the Romanists boast therefore, that their's is the Catholic Church and Universal Empire: this is so far from being any evidence of the truth, that it is the very brand infixed by the Spirit of prophecy.'-(Bishop Newton.)

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE AWFUL CONDITION OF ROMAN CATHOLICS.

AND ALL THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH SHALL WORSHIP HIM, WHOSE NAMES ARE NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. IF ANY MAN

HAVE AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR."--Verses 8, 9.

It is well known that the Romish Church claims to be the only true Church, out of which there is no salvation. Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture ? We will refer to the testimony of St. Paul, St. Peter and St. John.

The testimony of St. Paul is given in the second chapter of his second epistle to the Thessalonians. In this chapter he describes the Church of Rome, the Pope, the Papacy, and the awful state of Roman Catholics. The Church of Rome he calls THE APOSTASY, 'HANOETAZIA (verse 3.) The Pope he describes

as THE MAN OF SIN, THE SON OF PERDITION, WHO OPPOSETH AND EXALTETH HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THAT

IS CALLED GOD, OR THAT IS WORSHIPPED; SO THAT

HE AS GOD SITTETH IN THE Temple of God, shewING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD. He again describes him as THAT WICKED (LAWLESS) ONE, WHOM THE LORD SHALL CONSUME WITH THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH, AND SHALL DESTROY WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING (WITH THE EPIPHANY OF HIS PRESENCE) EVEN HIM WHOSE COMING IS AFTER THE WORKING OF SATAN, WITH ALL POWER AND SIGNS AND LYING WONDERS, AND WITH ALL DECEIVABLE

NESS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. (verses 3, 4, 8, 9, 10.) The Papacy he describes as THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. (ver. 7.) The awful condition of Roman Catholics is exhibited in solemn language, when the Apostle speaks of them as THEM THAT PERISH, BE

CAUSE THEY RECEIVE NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH,

THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. (ver. 10.) The damnable nature of the delusions of Popery is fearfully depicted: AND FOR THIS CAUSE GOD SHALL SEND

THEM STRONG DELUSION, THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE A (THE) LIE: THAT THEY ALL MIGHT BE DAMNED, WHO BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, BUT HAD PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." (verses 11, 12.)

The testimony of St. Paul against the Popish Apostasy is also given in the fourth chapter of his first Epistle to Timothy. He describes Roman Catholics as those wнO APOSTATIZE FROM THE FAITH, GIVING HEED TO SEDUCING SPIRITS, AND DOCTRINES CONCERNING DEMONS (DEPARTED SPIRITS) (ver. 1.) The words SPEAKING LIES IN HYPOCRISY, we translate with Mr. Mede, THROUGH THE HYPOCRISY OF LIARS; so that the description of the Apostle runs thus :—

THROUGH THE HYPOCRISY OF LIARS, HAVING THEIR CONSCIENCE SEARED WITH A HOT IRON, FORBIDDING TO MARRY, AND COMMANDING TO ABSTAIN FROM MEATS, WHICH GOD HATH CREATED TO BE RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING OF THEM WHICH BELIEVE AND

KNÓW THE TRUTH. (verses 2, 3.) The Apostasy of the Romish Church consists in the members of that Church giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines concerning demons or the souls of dead men. This Apostasy is occasioned by the hypocrisy of liars, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from

meats.

The Apostle Peter foretels the damnable heresies of the Romish Church in the second chapter of his second Epistle: THERE SHALL BE FALSE TEACHERS

AMONG YOU, WHO PRIVILY SHALL BRING IN DAMNABLE HERESIES, EVEN DENYING THE LORD THAT BOUGHT THEM, AND BRING UPON THEMSELVES SWIFT

DESTRUCTION. AND MANY SHALL FOLLOW THEIR PERNICIOUS WAYS, BY REASON OF WHICH THE WAY

OF TRUTH SHALL BE EVIL SPOKEN OF. (verses 1, 2.) These Popish teachers bring in their damnable heresies PRIVILY: one error paves the way for another, till in the end they deny the Lord who bought them. They deny the sufficiency of the one sacrifice upon the Cross by offering up Christ afresh in every Mass ; so that Christ has been offered up millions of times to make atonement for sin. They deny the sufficiency of the alone mediation of Christ by praying to saints and angels as mediators and intercessors with

him. They deny the Lord who bought them, by denying that his blood cleanses from all sin, trusting to penances, pilgrimages, purgatory, masses and the intercession of saints for salvation. By their means the way of truth is evil spoken of, and called HERESY! The real HERETICS are themselves, who privily bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruc

tion.

The testimony of St. John against the Papacy is most express. As St. Paul calls the Pope, THE SON OF PERDITION, so St. John declares that HE GOETH INTO PERDITION. (Rev. xvii. 8.) This is repeated in the eleventh verse. The only person, besides the Pope, who is called THE SON OF PERDITION is Judas, the traitor. (John xvii. 12.) As Judas was an APOSTATE, SO is the Pope. In the same verse in which the Pope is called THE SON OF PERDITION, the Papacy is called THE APOSTASY. (2 Thess. ii. 3.) As Judas betrayed the Son of Man with a kiss, so does the Pope.

So

Judas was "one of the twelve," but the Pope is the Vicar of Christ. And this is the very mark of ANTICHRIST to pretend to be the friend of Christ and his Gospel, and in the same breath to labour to subvert both.

With what emphasis do the words of Christ to Judas apply to the Bishop of Rome, BETRAYEST THOU THE SON OF MAN WITH A KISS !

As the Pope is an APOSTATE, so the worshippers of the Pope are called APOSTATES by St. Paul. " Many