SO

rubric of the rites of celebrating mass, St. Peter's is built. He was SEATED UPON IT the officiating priest is directed reverently

IN PLACE OF THE HOST, which is commonly, to exhibit the host or consecrated wafer among those of the Romish Church, suPPOSED

TO REPRESENT THE PRESENCE OF THE DEITY; to the congregation, to be adored. We thus fully exemplifying these words of the will now adduce three instances, out of apostle, when speaking of the Man of Sin: many which might be given, of similar “HE, as GOD, SITTETU IN THE TEMPLE OF religious honours being paid to a sinful GOD, SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE is God.' mortal, after his elevation to the pontifi- (2 Thess. ii. 4.)"* cate. (1.) The Adoration of Pope Martin The following passages from the P. is proved by a medal, which is en- second part of the twenty-eighth Homily, graved in the “ Numismata Pontificum in which the true Church of Christ and Romanorum,” published by the Jesuit the Romish Church are compared, may Bonanni, (tom. i., plate 1.) It was struck appropriately terminate these pages :by order of Martin, on his elevation to

The true Church is an universal conthe pontificate; and it represents him gregation or fellowship of God's faithful sitting on a throne, while two persons

and elect people, built upon the foundaare placing the tiara, or papal crown, on

tion of the apostles and prophets, Jesus his head. In the foreground four per

Christ himself being the head cornersons are represented as kneeling, three stone. And it hath always three notes on the righi hand, and one on the left or marks, whereby it is known : pure hand: the last has his hands clasped in and sound doctrine; the sacraments the attitude of devotion. The motto of ministered according to Christ's holy inthis medal plainly indicates the event stitution; and the right use of ecclesiaswhich it was designed to commemorate :

tical discipline. This description of the "QUEM CREANT: ADORANT.” — Whom Church is agreeable both to the Scripture they CREATE: they ADORE.

of God, and also to the doctrine of the (2.) Adoration of Pope Pius II.- ancient fathers ; so that none may justly "The Pope was conducted to the Church find fault therewith. of St. Peter: and, after being elevated on

Now, if you will compare this with the high altar, at the foot of the tombs the Church of Rome—not as it was in of the holy apostles, he sat upon the the beginning, but as it is at present, and throne which was prepared for him, and hath been for the space of nine (twelve] was there adored by the cardinals, after- hundred years and odd—you shall well wards by the bishops, and lastly by all perceive the state thereof to be so far the people, who crowded to kiss his wide from the nature of the true church, feet."*

that nothing can be more. For neither (3.) Adoration of Pope Pius VIII.,

are they built upon the foundation of the who was elected March 31st, 1829. The apostles and prophets, retaining the following description of the religious sound and pure doctrine of Christ Jesus; honours" paid to this man on his elec- neither yet do they order the sacraments, tion to the Papacy, is from the pen of an or else the ecclesiastical keys, in such eye-witness :

sort as he did first institute and ordain

them ; but have so intermingled their “ We were resident at Rome during the pre- own traditions and inventions, by chopsent Pope's election. We were present at the Adoration of the Pope, which took place in the ping and changing, by adding and pluckfollowing manner :

66

6

Christ did minister to his apostles, and they be of God or no,' (1 John iv. 1.) the apostles to other men indifferently, • Many shall come in my name (saith under both kinds: they have robbed the Christ), and shall transform themselves lay people of the cup, saying, that for into angels of light, deceiving, if it be them one kind is sufficient. Christ or possible, the very elect' (Matt. xxiv. 24). dained no other element to be used in 'They shall come unto you in sheep's baptism, but only water; whereunto when clothing, being inwardly cruel and raventhe word is joined, it is made, as St. ing wolves. They shall have an outward Augustine saith, a full and perfect sacra- show of great holiness and innocency of ment: they, being wiser in their own life, so that ye shall hardly or not ai all conceit than Christ, think it is not well discern them. But the rule that ye must nor orderly done, unless they use conju- follow is this, to judge them by their ration, unless they hallow the water, fruits, (Mat. vii. 15-20; Luke vi. 43– unless there be oil, salt, spittle, tapers, 45.) Which if they be wicked and and such other dumb ceremonies, serving naught, then it is impossible that the tree to no use ; contrary to the plain rule of of whom they proceed should be good. St. Paul, who willeth all things to be Such were the popes and prelates of done in the church to edification. (1 Cor. Rome for the most part, as doth well xiv. 26.) Christ ordained the authorily appear in the story of their lives; and, of the keys to excommunicate notorious therefore, they are worthily accounted sinners, and to absolve them which are among the number of false prophets and truly penitent; they abuse this power false Christs, which deceived ihe world at their own pleasure, as well in cursing a long while. The Lord of Heaven and the godly with bell, book, and candle, as earth defend us from their tyranny and also in absolving the reprobate, which pride: that they never enter into his are known to be unworthy of any Chris. vineyard again, to the disturbance of his tian society; whereof they that lust to silly poor flock; but that they may be see examples, let them search their lives. utterly confounded and put to flight in all To be short, look what our Saviour parts of the world. And he, of his great Christ pronounced of the Scribes and mercy, so work in all men's hearts, by Pharisees in the Gospel : the same may the mighty power of the Holy Ghost, be boldly, and with safe conscience, that the comfortable Gospel of his Son pronounced of the Bishops of Rome; Christ may be truly preached, truly renamely, that they HAVE FORSAKEN, AND ceived, and truly followed in all places ; DAILY DO FORSAKE, THE COMMANDMENTS to the beating down of sin, death, the OF GOD, TO ERECT AND SET UP THEIR pope, the devil, and all the kingdom of OWN CONSTITUTIONs. Which thing being Antichrist; that the scattered and distrue, as all they which have any light of persed sheep being at length gathered God's word must needs confess, we may into one fold, we may in the end rest all well conclude that the BISHOPS OF ROME together in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, AND THEIR ADHERENTS ARE NOT THE and Jacob; there to be partakers of TRUE CHURCH OF Christ; much less, eternal and everlasting life, through the then, to be taken as chief heads and merits and death of Jesus Christ our rulers of the same.”

Saviour. Amen." - Therefore, dearly beloved, according in the Church of England Quarterly Review,

Note. This article was originally published to the good counsel of St. John, · Believe

for January and April, 1841, under the title not every spirit, but first iry them whether of “ Mariolatry.”

TESTIMONIES OF ENGLISH REFORMERS AND OTHERS AGAINST POPERY

AS ANTICHRIST.

PUBLIC TESTIMONY.—THE CHURCH OF Rome, understanding the brute blindness, ENGLAND.

ignorance of God's word, and superstiTHE ARTICLES of the Church are al

tion of Englishmen, and how much they most one series of testimonies against

were inclined to worship the Babylopapal doctrines. In the Homilies, sanc

NIAN BEAST of Rome, and to fear all his tioned by these Articles, the following

threatenings and causeless cursings, he testimonies appear respecting the Pope abused them thus, and by their rebellion as antichrist, Babylon, and the Man of brought this noble realm of England unSin.

der his most cruel tyranny.” In the Homily of Obedience, Part iii., “ The Bishop of Rome teaches, that they

The Church or SCOTLAND. that are under him are free from all Confession of Faith:- There is no burdens and charges of the common- other Head of the Church than the Lord wealth, and obedience towards their Jesus Christ, nor can the Pope of Rome prince; most clearly against Christ's doc- be in any sense the head thereof; but is trine and St. Peter's. HeoUGHT THERE- that antichrist, that man of sin and son of FORE RATHER TO BE CALLED ANTICHRIST, perdition, that exalteth himself in the and the successor of the scribes and phari- church against Christ, and all that is sees, than Christ's vicar, or St. Peter's called God." Ch. xxv. s. 6. successor; SEEING THAT, not only on this point, but also in other weighty matters The Church or IRELAND. of Christian religion, in matters of remis

Articles of the Irish Church:-_"80. sion and forgiveness of sins, and of salvation, HE TEACHETH SO DIRECTLY AGAINST

The Bishop of Rome is so far from being BOTH Sr. PETER, AND AGAINST OUR Sa

the supreme Head of the Universal VIOUR Christ.”

Church of Christ, that his works and In the Homily against Peril of Idolatry,

doctrine do plainly discover him to be Part ii., speaking of the worship of

that Man of Sin foretold in the Holy images, and the miracles of the papists,

Scriptures, whom the Lord shall consume the Homily says

with the spirit of his mouth, and abolish “ The scriptures have for a warning with the brightness of his coming.” hereof showed, that the KINGDOM OF

The GOVERNMENT OF BRITAIN. ANTICHRIST shall be mighty in miracles and wonders to the strong illusion of all Declaration against Popery: made by the reprobates." And again, “Such the King, in the presence of the Houses sumptuous decking of images with gold, of Parliament: I do solemnly and sin

" silver, and precious stones, be a token of cerely, in the presence of God, testify ANTICHRIST's kingdom, who, as the pro- and declare, that I do believe, that in the phet foreshows, shall worship God with sacrament of the Lord's Supper, there is such gorgeous things."

not any transubstantiation of the elements Sermon against Wilful Rebellion, Part of bread and wine into the body and blood V.—“After this ambition, [to be head of of Christ, or after the consecration thereof all the church, and lord of all kingdoms,] by any person whatsoever. And that the the Bishop of Rome became at once the invocation and adoration of the Virgin SPOILER AND DESTROYER both of the Mary, or any other saint, and the sacrifice CHURCII, which is the kingdom of our of the Mass, as they are now used in the Saviour Christ, and of the Christian em- Church of Rome, are superstitious and pire, and all Christian kingdoms, as an IDOLATROUS. And I do solemnly, in the universal tyrant over all.'

presence of God, profess, testify, and de" In king John's time, the Bishop of clare, that I do make this declaration, and

VOL. I.-8

every part thereof, in the plain and ordi- pope, I refuse him as Christ's enemy and nary sense of the words read unto me as the Antichrist, with all his false doctrine." they are commonly understood by Eng- Latimer, in prison, before his martyrlish Protestants, without any evasion, dom-"What fellowship hath Christ with equivocation, or mental reservation what- Antichrist? Therefore it is not lawsul to soever, and without any dispensation al- bear the yoke with the papists. Come ready granted me for this purpose by the forth from among them, and separate Pope, or any other person or authority yourselves from them, saith the Lord.” whatsoever; or without any hope of any Ridley, in his farewell letter, before he such dispensation from any person or sufferedThe see of Rome is the seat authority whatsoever; or without think- of Satan, and the bishop of the same, ing that I am or can be acquitted before that maintaineth the abominations thereof, God or man, or absolved of this declara- is Antichrist himself indeed. And for tion, or any part thereof, although the the same causes, this see at this day is Pope, or any other person or persons, or the same which St. John calls, in his power whatsoever, shall dispense with or Revelation, Babylon, or the whore of annul the same, or declare that it was null Babylon, and spiritually, Sodom and and void from the beginning."

Egypt, the mother of fornications and The various clauses of this declaration abominations upon earth.” are very instructive, as manifesting the Again, in his Lamentation for the shifts and sophistries by which papists, Change of Religion, he says__"What with all deceivableness (arain deceitful- city is there in the whole world that, ness) of unrighteousness have sought to when John wrote, ruled over the kings evade the simple, plain truth, and corrupt of the earth? or what city can be read of, the honesty of an upright mind.

in any time, that, of the city itself, chal

lenged the empire over the kings of the PRIVATE or INDIVIDUAL TESTIMONY.

earth, but only the city of Rome, and

that since the usurpation of that see, has Cranmer, in his book on the Sacra- grown to her full strength?" ment, after showing that Christ " made a Bradford, in a letter to Lady Vanesacrifice and oblation of his own body “ The usurped authority of the supreupon the cross, which was a full redemp- macy of the Bishop of Rome is undoubttion and satisfaction for the sins of the edly that great Antichrist, of whom the whole world,” he adds, “ But the Romish apostles do so much admonish us." Antichrist, to deface this great benefit of In his sermon on the Lord's Supper Christ, has taught that his sacrifice upon " It is a plain sign of Antichrist to deny the cross is not sufficient hereunto, with the substance of bread and wine to be in out another sacrifice devised by him, and the Lord's Supper after consecration; for made by the priest; or else without in- in so doing, and in granting transubstandulgences, beads, pardons, pilgrimages, tiation, the property of the human nature ,

, and such other pelfray, to supply Christ's of Christ is denied; for it is not of the imperfection.

human nature, but of the divine nature, “O heinous blasphemy and most de- to be in many places at once. Now testable injury against Christ! O wicked grant transubstantiation, and then Christ's abominations in the temple of God! ( natural body must needs be in many pride intolerable of Antichrist, and most places, which is nothing else but to conmanifest token of the son of perdition, found the two natures in Christ, or to extolling himself above God, and with deny Christ's human nature, which is Lucifer exalting his seat and power above the self same thing, St. John says, to the throne of God! For he that taketh deny Christ to be come in the flesh." upon him to supply that thing which he Jewell, on 2 Thess. ij. 4.-" Thus pretend to be imperfect in Christ must the apostle speaks of Antichrist, he is needs make himself above Christ, and so the man of sin and the son of perdition." very Antichrist.”

He then, in a long series of particulars, Cranmer at the stake-"As for the applies the description given in this pre

*

a

diction to the pope, dwelling especially tles, where, because the beast sees himon his pretences of belonging to Christ, self now to be sought for, he roars." and serving Christ."

Folke Paul, (2 Thess. ii.) speaking Hooper, in his Declaration of Christ purposely of Antichrist, says expressly, -"The very properties of Antichrist, I that he shall sit in the temple of God, mean of Christ's great and principal which is the church of Christ. Now the enemy, are so openly known to all men pope sits in the midst of the temple of that are not blinded with the smoke of God, and boasts himself to be God, chalRome, that they know him to be the lenging unto himself such authority as is beast that John describes in the Apoca- proper only unto God, and usurping such lypse, as well as the logicians know that honour as is peculiar unto God. 'T'hereman is distinguished from other animals fore not in heathen emperors, nor in by the faculty of laughter.'

Mahomedans, is the prophecy accomBishop Hooper has many cautions and plished.” solemn warnings against a peculiar temp- TESTIMONIES BEFORE THE REFORMATION. tation in Mary's reign, for those, in prinriple Protestants, to conform to popery of Reinerius Saccho, in 1254,) asserted

The Waldenses (from the testimony in practice, and attend the mass.

He compares it to a wife's adultery. He " that the Romish church is not the says, " Beware of foolish and deceitful church of Jesus Christ, but a church of collusion to think a man may serve God malignants, and that it apostatized under in spirit secretly to his conscience, al- Sylvester—and that the church of Rome though outwardly, with his body and

is the harlot in the Apocalypse.” bodily presence, he cleave, for civil The Albigenses (from the testimony of order, to such rites and ceremonies as

the Book of Seniences, or Register of now be used contrary to God and his

the Proceedings of the Inquisition from word. Be assured that whatsoever he

1307 to 1323, from the sentence of Peter be that giveth this counsel, shall be before Auterius, an eminent Albigensian.)— God able to do you no more profit than

The Roman church you impudently the fig-leaves did unto Adam.”

call the mother of sornication, the church

of the devil, the synagogue of Satan, Bishop Hooper also frequently gives which is in fact the mother and mistress the name of Antichrist to popery, speak; of all the faithful; all whose decrees and ing of the synagogue of Antichrist,'

orders, and its laws and siatutes, you * Antichrist's tyranny,” and “ Antichrist malign by your impertinent falsehoods. and his damnable religion," " the pope

, the pope And on the other hand, you call all these the capital enemy of Christ and his re

who hold its faith heretics and misled ligion.”

persons, and wickedly and impiously Frith, annexed to a work called " The teach, that none can be saved in the faith Revelation of Antichrisi," an antithesis of the Roman church.” contrasting the acts of Christ and the

I am indebted to Mr. Maitland's Facts pope, in seventy-seven particulars. and Documents for these exiracts.

Tyndale" The Jews look for Christ, The Reformers referred to the Fathers, and he is come fifteen hundred years ago, as strengthening their testimony: thusand they not aware: we also have looked Musculus, referring to Bernard's callfor Antichrist, and he has reigned as long, ing a pope the “ Man of Sin,” says, "No and we not aware: and that because either man can charge is that we be the first of us looked carnally for him, and not in that have referred the same unto the head the place where we ought to have sought of the most corrupt clergy, I mean Simon The Jews had found Christ verily, if they of Rome.” had sought him in the law and the pro- Martyr also states—“Pope Gregory phets, whither Christ sendeth them to says whosoever will arrogate this title of seek. John v. We also had spied out Universal Bishop, or Head of the Church, Antichrist long ago, if we had looked to himself, is Antichrist. But the pope into the doctrine of Christ and his apos- challenges unto himself this title, where