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SUBJECT
OF
THE
TREATISE.
XXVII
Every
thing
betokens
this
fuller development
of
the papal
theory.
The gradual manifestation
of "
the
Man
of
Sin"
has been
marked
by
a corresponding obscuration of
the
glory of
Him
who is
the
" brightness of his
Father's
glory,
and
the
express image of
his per-
son."
At
first,
this
appeared in
the
church claiming
the
honours
of
her
King. Reversing
her true
position,
as
the
maid looking to
the hand
of
her master,
she
assumed
the
lofty tones of
the
mistress.
Instead
of reverentially bowing to
Him
of
whom
it
was said, "
This
is
my
beloved
Son;
hear
ye
HIM
;"
the
church points to herself as
the
object of
faith and
reverence, saying,
"Hear
ye
ME."
As
the spirit
of
antichristianism
grows
stronger,
we
behold
the
Saviour degraded
to a
level
with
his own
servants,
and though nominally retained
in
the
Roman
Pantheon,
receiving only his share of homage
in
common
with
a multitude
of inferior
deities.
Instead
of " seeing no
man
save
Jesus
only,"
the
church of Rome
says,
"
Let
us build
here
three
tabernacles,
one for
thee, and
one for
Moses,
and
one for
Elias."
But
now,
even this divided homage
is
denied
the
Saviour
;
his
name,
his character,
and
his functions,
are all
but
ignored;
his worship is
superseded by
that
of Mary
;
his distinct personality
is
merged in
the Deity
;
and, if
they
speak of him
at
all,
it
is
under the
phrase-
ology
of " invoking
the
aid of
God,
through
the
intercession of
his
mother
I"
It
requires
no
great ingenuity to
perceive,
in
this gradual
sinking
of
the name
of Christ, the ripening of
the
plot
for
the
full
-
blown
manifestation
of
Antichrist,
"the
Man of Sin,
who opposeth
and exalteth himself
above
all
that
is
called
God,
or
that
is wor-
shipped."
The papal theory, thus unfolded to all its extent, threatens,
in
our
day,
to become
a
practical reality.
Under the
auspices of
the
Jesuits,
or
ultramontane
divines, who
have gained
an undoubted
ascendency
in
the
councils
of Rome,
the
supremacy of
the pope
bids
fair
to
be set
on
a higher
eminence
than
ever.
No
longer
a mere
prince
of bishops,
propped up by
the
authority
of
fathers and
coun-
cils,
he
stands revealed
as
the
"King
of kings,
and Lord of
lords."
No
longer
a
petty
sovereign
in Italy,
he
comes
boldly out
as
the
earthly
image
of
Godhead, clothed
with
the attributes
of
the
Al-
mighty, and challenging
the
sovereignty of
the
world.
To a claim
so
portentous
no
limits can be set
;
to
the
encroachments and
demands
founded
on
it
no end can be
foreseen.
Deity
is
the
mea-
sure of
the
demands,
Deity
the pretext
for
the
encroachments.
Before such
a
gigantic
phantom
of power,
conjured
up by
supersti-
tion,
the
governments of
this
world,
with all
their
interests,
powers,
and
glories,
shrink into insignifi*nce.