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shall APOSTATIZE (ANOTHEONTAI) from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils," (doctrines concerning demons or departed spirits.) (1 Tim. iv. 1.)

The Pope makes war with the Lamb.

The worshippers of the Pope make war with the Lamb also. "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He, (and not the Pope,) is Lord of Lords and King of Kings; and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful." (Rev. xvii. 14.)

It is in vain that the Church of Rome calls herself 'the only true Church, out of which there is no salvation,' and denounces anathemas on Protestants as Heretics. The question is, What saith the Scripture? Now St. Paul calls Popery THE APOSTASY and THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. He calls Roman Catholics APOSTATES. He calls the Pope THE MAN

OF SIN, THE WICKED OR LAWLESS ONE, THE SON OF PERDITION. St. Peter, whose successor the Pope pretends to be, says that Papists bring in privily DAMNABLE HERESIES, denying the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. St. John calls the Pope THE BEAST, the Great ANTICHRIST of the Revelation. He declares also that "all who 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." What an awful declaration is this! But there is a declaration more awful still, if that were possible.And the third Angel followed them, saying, with a

loud voice, If any man worship the BEAST and his IMAGE, and receive his MARK in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the BEAST and his IMAGE, and whosoever receiveth the MARK of his NAME." (Rev. xiv. 9—11.)

Surely these words are sufficiently thrilling to make the ears of every one that heareth them to tingle. Oh, that Roman Catholics would attend to them! If the Pope be the Beast, and the Council of Trent the Image, how awful is their situation! We call upon them to attend to these words as they value their salvation. This is not a subject to be lightly passed over. It is not a matter of speculation. If this had been the case, the Spirit of God would not have added, IF ANY MAN HAVE AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR!

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed is important to all, and therefore at the close of it our Saviour says, WHO HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR! The Epistles to the "Seven Churches" are important to all, and therefore at the close of them it is added, HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES! The description of the BEAST is important to all, and therefore at the close of it, it is added, IF ANY MAN HAVE AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR.

CHAPTER XXXII.

A DAY OF RETRIBUTION PROMISED.

HE THAT LEADETH INTO CAPTIVITY SHALL GO INTO CAPTIVITY: HE THAT KILLETH WITH THE

SWORD MUST BE KILLED WITH THE SWORD. HERE IS THE PATIENCE AND FAITH OF THE SAINTS." -Verse 10.

It would have been well for the pretended successors of St. Peter, if they had attended to the admonition of our Saviour to that Apostle ::- "Put up thy sword into its sheath for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword: " or to the warning addressed to themselves, in the words before us, "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword." In this chapter we shall notice a few particulars in the history of the Papacy, in which the prediction has received its accomplishment.

Gregory VII. took the sword. 'He concluded a turbulent pontificate of twelve years in misfortune, in exile, with little honour, with few lamentations.' (Mr. Waddington's Hist. of the Church, p. 289.)

A period of about 220 years brings us to the death

The

of Boniface VIII. This was indeed the era of Papal extravagance and ambition.' Papacy took the sword, made war with the saints, and overcame them. Its motto seems to have been the passage in Ezekiel, which Innocent III. once took for his text; "Even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished.” (chap. xxi. 28.) length a downfall came.

But at Neither the Bull Unam Sanctam, which sanctioned the use of the double sword-nor the Bull of Excommunication, which thundered its anathemas against all, even kings or emperors, who should interfere in any way to prevent or impede those who might desire to present themselves before the Roman See-nor the Bull of 1303, in which Boniface maintained, that, as Vicar of Jesus Christ, he had the power to govern kings with a rod of iron, and to dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: '-none of these Bulls could save the Pope from going into captivity and dying of a broken heart!

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captivity, a captivity of The mystical Babylon,

The Popes now went into seventy years, at Avignon. which had so often led into captivity, went into captivity. Captivity was led captive. And though, a second time, "the Dragon gave the" Pope power and his seat (namely Rome) and great authority;" yet this "great authority" was much weakened by so long an absence from the Dragon's " Seat."

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The return to Rome was followed by the grand schism of the Roman Catholic Church. The Popes

who had so long excommunicated and deposed kings and emperors, now excommunicated and deposed each other. And in Peter of Luna, Pope Benedict XIII. we have the singular spectacle of a Pope 'twice deposed by two general councils,-twice anathematized by the great and almost unanimous consent of the Catholic Church-deserted by the secular powers, who had so long countenanced his perfidy and protected his adversity-abandoned by the most venerable, even among his spiritual followers-and confined to a narrow and solitary residence,'-yet still preserving 'the mockery of a court, and' presiding in his empty council-hall,' from whence in the magnanimity of disappointment and despair, he launched his daily anathema against Ferdinand of Arragon, and retorted, with ludicrous earnestness, the excommunications of the Christian world.' (Hist. of Church, p. 541.)

We now come down to the period of the Reformation, and with mingled feelings of gratitude and adoration behold the finger of Providence marking out the channel, in which events should flow. The Supreme Disposer of all things ordained that at that critical conjuncture the kingdoms of France and Spain should be at variance with each other-that either of them singly should be more than a match for the Pope-and that the Pope in interposing should be crushed between them. Clement VII. took the sword, intending to hold France and Spain asunder, and maintain them as a check upon each other; but he was unequal to the task, and was crushed in the

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