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Popery condemned by scripture and the fathers - End Time Deception

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SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 109<br />

days of this monarch were spent in <strong>the</strong> most<br />

abject misery.<br />

Even death could not screen his<br />

ashes from <strong>the</strong> rage of a Pope, who bore a<br />

much r^reater resemblance to a fiend of hell,<br />

than to <strong>the</strong> supreme teacher of <strong>the</strong> doctrine of<br />

Christ.<br />

Such were <strong>the</strong> use <strong>and</strong> effects of an excommunication,<br />

in <strong>the</strong>se days of darkness when <strong>Popery</strong><br />

was in its glory, rejoicing in <strong>the</strong> bloodshed ot<br />

nations, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> destruction of kings : <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

examples produced are far from singular in <strong>the</strong><br />

annals of <strong>the</strong> Church.<br />

If <strong>the</strong> R. have <strong>the</strong> least<br />

curiosity to see a far<strong>the</strong>r illustration of this point,<br />

I can present him with <strong>the</strong> list of a hundred<br />

princes, who have been excommunicated j<strong>and</strong><br />

deposed <strong>by</strong> Popes ;<br />

be collected with very little<br />

<strong>and</strong> double that number can<br />

labour.<br />

Ano<strong>the</strong>r mean, <strong>by</strong> which <strong>the</strong> Popes maintained<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir authority over princes, was <strong>the</strong> Interdict.<br />

By this, v/hole kingdoms or provinces<br />

were at once deprived of <strong>the</strong> benefit of <strong>the</strong> ordinances<br />

of reKgion.<br />

The clergy were prohibited<br />

from discharging <strong>the</strong>ir functions, <strong>and</strong> every office<br />

of religion ceased, if particular exceptions were<br />

not made <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope.<br />

In <strong>the</strong>se ages of superstition,<br />

<strong>the</strong> interdict seldom failed to be <strong>the</strong><br />

scourge of nations <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> terror of kings. It<br />

may be easily conceived, that <strong>the</strong> termination of<br />

all public prayers, preachings, masses, marriages,<br />

<strong>and</strong> festivals, to have <strong>the</strong> church <strong>and</strong> church-<br />

E<br />

yard

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