notable than even this was their one, or jugglering, in successfully palming upon Christendom, as the voice of the Divine Spirit, what was but the voice of a thing of Rome's own inspiration. Indeed a Trentine Bishop has himself so stated the matter: and this in terms so precisely agreeing with the Apocalyptic figure, that one might almost have deemed it a comment thereon.1

3. And hence the third point here noted: "It was given him to give breath to the Image of the Beast; so that the Image of the Beast should speak, and cause that whosoever would not worship the Image should be killed."

Of course it needed not, either in case of an image in its literal sense, or of an image in its figurative sense, that it should be set up as an object of worship. As, however, such was the use of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, and again of the images and pictures of the Roman Pagan Emperors in the early times of Christianity, so in later ages was it the case, just as here predicted, with the figurative image, or representative Councils of Western Christendom. For it was not on political matters, for the most part, or mere ecclesiastical questions of discipline, that the Council General was called to pronounce; but chiefly, and above all, on questions of religion and faith. On these it professed itself qualified to pronounce with an authority inherent, inde

Council's Decrees, they wished the word to be understood in its original and larger sense, as comprehending the laity as well as clergy of Christendom. But then where the proper representation of the laity? This, they knew, might have been urged on them, had the discussion continued, and consequently reclamation been made for the laity having a voice in the Council. So they adroitly cushioned the question.

1 "In summâ in eum statum res est adducta, istorum qui illuc facti institutique venerant improbitate, ut non jam episcoporum sed larvarum, non hominum sed simulacrorum, quæ nervis moventur alienis, ut Dædali statuæ fuisse perhibentur, Concilium illud videretur. Erant Episcopi illi conductitii plerique ut utres, rusticorum musicum instrumentum, quos ut vocem mittent, inflare necesse est. Nil habuit cùm illo Conventu Sanctus Spiritus commercii. Cursitabant Romam nocte dieque veredarii. Illinc responsa, tanquam Delphis aut Dodona, expectabantur: illinc nimirum Spiritus ille Sanctus, quem suis Conciliis præesse jactant, tabellarii manticis inclusus mittebatur."-This singularly illustrative passage occurs in a sketch of the Council of Trent given A. D. 1567, to the German Emperor by an Hungarian Bishop there present; and is cited by Mr. Mendham in his Edition of the Acta Concilii Tridentini a Gabriele Paleotto: Pref. p. xxi. 2 See Pliny's famous Letter to Trajan, &c.

pendent of the written Scriptures, and infallible,' even as under the full guidance of God's Spirit, and on these it required obedience. Now with such an assumption, -an assumption essentially impious, as implying that God might contradict Himself, and that the rule which He had pronounced sufficient, and neither to be added to nor diminished from,3 was insufficient,-I say, with such an assumption, and while on questions of religion and faith discarding more or less the written Scripture, and pronouncing by another rule, that of tradition, said to be in the priesthood's keeping, it could scarcely be but that its oracles would be those of falsehood rather than truth, and the deference required to them such as to involve a rejection of God's worship and obedience, for a contrary obedience and hostile worship. And this was indeed the case. For what were its dogmas? Image and saint-worship, transubstantiation and adoration of the Mass, auricular confession and the compulsory celibate of the Clergy, indulgences for remission of sins, the existence of purgatorial fire, and benefit to suffering souls in

4

8

1 On the question where the infallibility of the Church resides, Romanists differ whether in Popes alone, Councils alone, or Popes in Council. In the latter case all, I believe, agree in viewing the Council as infallible on matters of faith.

2 Gibbon, ii. 335, with his usual sneer, and his usual accuracy of statement, thus expresses himself about the early Christian Councils of the third century: "And it was natural to believe that a liberal effusion of the Holy Spirit would be poured on the united assembly of the delegates of the Christian people."-In the Ephesian Council, held A.D. 468, we find Pope Celestine thus directly asserting the fact of the Holy Spirit directing it: "Spiritus Sancti testatur præsentiam congregatio sacerdotum." Hard. i. 1467.—Similarly respecting the 1st Lateran the language of the reporter is, "Inter cætera quæ, Spiritu Sancto mediante, statuta sunt," &c. Hard. vi. ii. 1215.-The usual style and title of the instruments issued by General Councils, was according to Dumont (Corps Diplomat. 179) as follows; "Sacrosancta Generalis Synodus, in Spiritu Sancto legitime congregata, Universalem Ecclesiam repræsentans, ad perpetuam rei memoriam."-Accordingly in the Council of Trent it was proposed that the Seal of the Council should be a large leaden one, with the Holy Spirit as a dove engraven on it, and the name of the Council. Dupin, p. 9.

3 Is there not a special regard to Rome in that concluding curse in the Apocalypse, ch. xxii. 18, 19, on him who shall add to, or take from, the words of that prophecy?

Adopted by the Romish Church from the 2nd Nicene Council.

5 Transubstantiation was affirmed in the 4th Lateran : the worship of the mass (with the latria, according to the Council of Trent, § xiii. c. 5, due to God himself) in a Canon of Pope Honorius III immediately after. Foxe, i. 510. Lateran i; Can. 21.

7 Lateran iv. It was to be once a year at least.

8 1st Lateran, Canon 11; "Eis qui Hierosolymam proficiscuntur, &c, suorum peccatorum remissionem concedimus."

Hard. VI. ii. 1112.

2

3

it from the suffrages of the faithful and private masses,' the Pope's universal supremacy, and necessity of submission to him in order to salvation, the coequal authority with inspired scripture of the Apocrypha and of tradition, the appropriation to the Church (or, as was now meant by the term, the ecclesiastical order) of the office of interpreting Scripture, and consequent denial of the right of private judgment,-these, and other such like, were the unscriptural dogmas promulgated by the Western Councils. They promulgated them, so as I before said, as with the authority of the Holy Spirit; and in this character from first to last required implicit and universal submission to them. I say from first to last. For however their members might sometimes differ on other points,5 in this they never varied;-viz. in requiring the human mind to bow and fall prostrate before the oracles they pronounced, even as before God's own word." And whosoever would not so bow down, him they anathema

1 Council of Trent, Sess. xxv. Hard. x. 167.

2 The 5th Lateran Council solemnly adopted the famous Bull, tam," of Boniface to this effect. See my Vol. ii. p. 85.

"Unam Sanc

3 The importance of this principle was early felt by the Church when apostatizing. We have already seen Pope Leo's recognition of it. To the 5th General Council held at Constantinople (A.D. 680) the then Pope wrote, "fidei quam percepimus per apostolicam Apostolorum Pontificum traditionem, et sanctorum quinque Generalium Synodorum." And in the 7th (or 2nd Nicene) which inculcated image-worship; "His qui spernunt traditiones ecclesiæ, perhibentes quòd nisi de Veteri ac Novo Testamento evidenter fuerimus edocti, non sequimur doctrinas sanctorum patrum, &c, Anathema!" (Hard. iv. 42). In the Council of Trent the same point was insisted on as essential. Sess. iv; Hard. x. 22. is noted by Ranke, i. 303. 4 Council of Trent.

It

5 The Council of Constance, for example, as much as the most entirely Papal of Councils. This point is well stated by Dean Waddington, p. 561.

6 A requirement still in force. The following is the oath to be taken by all Romish priests on presentation to a benefice. "All things delivered, defined, and declared by the sacred Canons of the General Councils, and particularly by the Council of Trent, I unhesitatingly believe and profess." This occurs in the Creed of Pope Pius IV; said by Bishops Doyle and Murray, before the Parliamentary Committees on Ireland, to be one of the most approved summaries of

In the same Council the following Article of Confession was adopted, well of a piece with the former: "His qui assumunt eloquia quæ a divinâ Scripturâ adversus idola proferuntur in venerandas imagines, Anathema!" Hard. ib. "Idola seponens," said Irenæus of Antichrist. How curious the coincidence of fact with this patristic expectation, and the cause and manner of its accomplishment! The saints' " imagines were of the Papal Antichrist's own authorization, (see p. 151, Note 8,) and under his own control and management; the Pagan "idola" of that of a party opposing.

tized and excommuuicated, as a heretic.-But this leads me to the last point mentioned of the Image.

4. "The Image caused that as many as would not worship it should be put to death."-I have observed that whosoever received not nor submitted to the Decrees of the Council, were anathematized by it and excommunicated as heretics. And let it not be forgotten that by the Canon Law, generally received in Christendom, an excommunicated heretic was out of the protection of the law, and as such liable to be put by any one to death.1 But besides this, the extirpation of heretics was a professed object in most of the convocatory Bulls of the Councils General of the West; and by the Canons or voice of the Councils, their death was decreed and provision made for accomplishing it. Thus in the 3rd Lateran Council there was the decree respecting Cathari, Publicani, and other like heretics; pronouncing anathema against them, and forbidding that any should harbor them while alive, or when dead give them Christian burial. Again, in the 4th Lateran Council, Canon 3, the secular powers were expressly subordinated to the spiritual, for the purpose of exterminating such heretics; and crusades with the usual promise of remission of sins to the crusader, stirred up against them.* subsequent General Councils the same "debitæ pænæ were adjudged to the disobedient:-not in those only of unquestioned Papal supremacy, as the two of Lyons and the 5th Lateran; but to the full as much (witness the sentences against Huss and Jerome and their Bohe

3

And in

5 יי

Romish faith the others specified by Bishop Doyle being the Decrees of the Council of Trent, and Catechism of the Council of Trent. So too Dr. Milner.

Contrast Art. XXI of the Church of England: "Things ordained by General Councils as necessary to salvation have no authority, unless they be taken out of Holy Scripture.”

"Homicidas non esse qui excommunicatos trucidant." Quoted before, p. 159, Note 4.

2 From the 2nd Lateran to that of Trent, excepting only those of Lyons.—So much was the extirpation of heretics an object of the Popes convoking Councils, that Bingham, vii. Pref. 26, quotes Prateolus, saying, "That in the 9th and 10th centuries there was a perfect interregnum of heretics, because there were no Councils."-On the 5th Lateran see my Vol. ii. p. 394: also Hard. VI. ii. 1115, vii. 7. 3 See Vol. ii. pp. 377, 378. 4 Wadd. 348.

55th Lateran. See Vol. ii. p. 398.

mian followers1) in the Councils of Constance and Basle, and finally that of Trent.2

So that, we see, the same spirit of persecution, even unto blood, against those faithful ones who would worship God only, inspired the antitype of the IMAGE OF THE BEAST from first to last. In all its fresh oracular voices, as it was set up afresh from time to time, it showed that on this, as on other points, it preserved its individuality of character unchanged. And as in the visions of Daniel the great Heathen Empires were fitly represented under the associated symbols of an Image and Wild Beasts, as being both setters up of themselves to be worshipped, and persecutors of the faithful saints, so was the same double character with equal fitness figured to St. John of the POPEDOM of later ages. For its IMAGE too was set up by it to be worshipped: and the two WILD BEASTS its constituents were the ready instruments to execute the sentence of the IMAGE, that "whosoever would not worship it should be put to death."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE BEAST'S MARK, NAME, AND NUMBer.

"And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead: and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name.-Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of

1 See Waddington, 593, on the condemnation and murder of Huss and Jerome by the supposed popular and liberal Council of Constance.-So in the Council of Basle too we find that the Bohemians met condemnation. And the Pope, although so angry with the Council as both to transfer it, and declare all its other acts null and void after his Legate's leaving it, yet made on this one point special exception. Wadd. 573. 2 Trent Sess. 24, 25.

3 Such I conceive to have been the meaning of the symbols.-As to the selfworship set up, Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Image of gold was but the representative of his own greatness: the Persian Darius expressly superseded all other worship by that of himself: and so too the Macedonian Alexander, Syro-Macedonian Antiochus Epiphanes, and Pagan Roman Emperors required for themselves a worship such as was due to God only.