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CHAPTER IV.

Translation of a book, entitled "The Tax of the Sacred Roman Chancery," in which there is a particular Account how much Money there was to be paid into the Apostolic or Pope's Chamber for almost all sorts of Vices, with Reflections.

THE Man of Sin is the Pope, not meaning this or that Pope in particular, but the Pope in general, as the chief head and supporter of the "PAPAL APOSTACY."

The Apostacy produces him, and he again promotes the Apostacy. He is properly the Man of Sin, not only on account of the scandalous lives of many Popes, but by reason of their inore scandalous doctrines and principles, dispensing with te most necessary duties, and granting and selling Pardons and Indulgences for the most abominable crimes. A little before the Reformation, the Form of Indulgences was so ample that rich men were unconcerned what sins they committed, as knowing that they could, living or dead, purchase a pardon; for if they neglected it during their lives, it was but leaving so much money by their wills after death, for Masses and Indulgences, and they were assured all would be forgiven them.

There is a book, called The Tax of the Sacred Roman Chancery, in which there is a particular account how much money is to be paid into the Apostolic or Pope's Chamber, for the most atrocious vices. For instance :-" He who had been guilty of incest with his mother, sister, or other relation, either in consanguinity or affinity, is taxed at five gross; the absolution and pardon of him who has * a Virgin six gross.*

The absolution of him who has murdered his father, mother, sister, or wife, five or seven gross. The absolution and pardon of all acts of fornication committed by any of the clergy, in what manner soever; and whether it be with a nun, within or without

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the limits of the nunnery, or with his relations in consanguinity or affinity, or with his god-daughter, or with any woman whatsoever; and whether also the said absolution be given in the name of the clergyman himself only, or of him jointly with his whores; with a dispensation to enable him to take and hold his orders and ecclesiastical benefices, and with a clause also of inhibition, costs thirty tournoise and nine or thirteen ducats.

And if, besides the above, he receives absolution from sodomy or beastiality, with the dispensation or clause of inhibition, as before, he must pay nineteen tournois and nine ducats. A nun, having committed fornication several times, within or without the bounds of the nunnery, shall be absolved and enabled to hold all the dignities of her Order, even that of Abbess, by paying thirtysix tournois and nire ducats. The absolution of him who keeps a concubine, with a dispensation to take and hold his orders and ecclesiastical benefices, costs twenty-one tournois five ducats and six carlins.

*

This is the translation of the very words of the book itself, only the articles as far as the are wanting in our edition; however, these articles are in the most correct and perfect editions. This book has several times been printed both in Protestant and Popish countries, and the Protestant Princes inserted it among the causes of their rejection of the Council of Trent. When the Papists saw what use the Protestants made of it, they put it into the List of Prohibited Books. But then they condemned it only upon the supposition of its having been corrupted by the Protestants or heretics. But let them suppose as much as they please that it has been corrupted by heretics, the editions of it which have been published in Popish countries, and which the Papists cannot disown, as that of Rome, in 1514; that of Cologne, 1515; those of Paris, 1520, 1545, and 1625; and those of Venice, one in the 6th vol. of Oceanus juris, published in 1533; the other in the 16th vol. of the same collection, reprinted in 1584, are more than sufficient to justify the reproaches of the Protestants and to cover the Church of Rome with confusion.

The Popish controvertists, who have not a word to say against the authority of the edition of Rome, or that of Paris, &c., are under great perplexity. However, as the Protestants have made

so great a handle of this book, the Papists pretend that though some of the Popes have been guilty of such infamous practices, and suffered such books to appear, yet the Church of Rome, in general, abhors them: a fine proof of the infallibility of their Popes! But the Church of Rome has never shewn, by the suppression of these Taxes, that she has had them in abhorrence.

The seeds of Popery were sown in the Apostles' time, for even then idolatry was stealing into the Church (1 Cor. x. 14), and a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels (Col. ii. 18), strife and divisions (1 Cor. iii.), and adulterating and handling the Word of God deceitfully (2 Cor. ii. 17, iv. 2), a gain of godliness and teaching of things for filthy lucre sake (1 Tim. vi. 5; Tit. i. 11) a vain observation of festivals (Gal. iv. 10), a vain distinction of meats (1 Cor. viii. 8), a neglecting of (or a superstitious mortification of) the body (Col. ii. 23), traditions and commandments, and doctrines of men (Col. ii. 3-22), with other corruptions and innovations. Thns the foundations of Popery were laid in the Apostles' days, but the superstructure was laid by degrees, and several ages passed before the building was completed, and the Man of Sin was revealed in full perfection.

St. Paul communicated to the Thessalonians what it was that hindered his appearance, namely the Roman Empire; but on the destruction of the Empire, the Man of Sin was raised on its ruins.

We shall conclude this chapter on the application of 2 Thess. ii, 1, 12, to Popery, as its permanent characteristics are so distinctly stated as to leave no doubt that the system is here predicted.

"A falling away," or apostacy, may mean one of two things: a falling away from the profession of the faith, or the falling away from the faith itself, while the profession is maintained. The latter is obviously its meaning here. The same word is frequently used in the Greek version of the Old Testament to denote the idolatrous propensities and practices of the Jewish Church, and is fitly used here to denote the nominal Christian Church.

The system is personified by St. Paul, when he speaks of it as the "Man of Sin," "The Son of Perdition," as the character of a succession of men who occupied the place of supreme authority.

Antiochus was called the "Man of Sin" by the Jews (1 Macc. ii. 48, 62) because he sought to alter their religion and introduce the practice of idolatry by force and cruelty. The system of Popery may, with propriety, be personified and described as the "Man of Sin," because it is given up pre-eminently to all sin, for nowhere else can a man sin at so cheap a rate. Or the succession of Roman Pontiffs may be predicted under this epithet; for every Pope has resembled Antiochus in being a usurper and invader of the empire of the Son of God.

The appellation, "the Son of Perdition," is found in one other passage of Scripture (John xvii. 12), where it is applied to Judas. Between the apostate Apostle and the Roman Pontiffs there are several obvious and striking resemblances. Both parties are in profession disciples of Christ; in office governors of the Church; in practice traitors, and hence in doom Sons of Perdition. Judas sold his master for a trifling sum: in like manner everything sacred is sold at Rome; the Popes make a market of religion. Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss; so does the Church of Rome. The crucifix is found everywhere in Popery; it is painted, carved, and guilded; it is placed in every temple, worn in every bosom, adored in every street, it is adorned with gold and precious stones, and takes precedence in every procession and assembly. Are not Romans then the sons of the Cross? Nay, verily. They "mind earthly things," and are, therefore, "enemies of the Cross of Christ"-Phil. iii. 18. The Pope is not the successor of Peter, but of Judas.

There is another epithet in Scripture, descriptive of the great Apostacy; it is found in John ii. 18. "Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists,; whereby we know that it is the last time." The expression "Antichrist," does not mean a false Christ - pseudo-Christ-one who would entirely set Christ aside; it rather means a vice-Christ-a counter-Christ-one in show for Christ, but in effect against Christ-appearing as a substitute, but acting as an enemy. Such we have found to be the exact character of Popery.

We have the general character of Popery set forth in the expression "who opposeth," or is contrary to. Christ's kingdom.

is one of light, love, and life; Popery is a system of error, spiritual death, and all uncharitableness. Christ was the pattern of humility; the Pope is the impersonation of pride. Christ said, "Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you:" (Luke xii. 14); the Court of the Vatican would depose monarchs and divide kingdoms.

The more special features of the system are next enumerated. The first is stated in these words, "and exalleth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped."

"That which is called God," means the office of magistrate or king (see Psa. lxxxii. 1, 6, and John x. 34, 35). "That which is worshipped," should rather be rendered that which is august or illustrious. This was the distinguishing designation of the Roman Emperors; example in Acts xxv. 21, where the same word in the original is rendered by our translators, Augustus. All history proves that the Popes have always been exalting themselves against magistrates and emperors.

The next characteristic stated is, "so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God." "The temple of God" does not appear to refer to Jerusalem, for Jerusalem is never so described in any other passage of Scripture, and it was destroyed soon after the date of this Epistle. The external visible church is sometimes called "the temple of God," as in 1 Cor, iii. 6, 17; 2 Cor. vi 16; 1 Tim. iii. 15. St. John also writeth thus to the Angel or Chief of the Church at Philadelphia (Rev. iii. 12). These few examples out of many are sufficient to prove, under the Gospel Dispensation, that the temple of God is the Church of CHRIST. Whereas other princes are spoken of as reigning, Rome is his Cathreda or chair--his seat. The prophetic language anticipates this usage. The Roman Pontiff may be said to sit as God, for he has usurped the place of Christ. He has assumed the titles that belong to Christ. Pope Innocent III. called himself the head of the Church (compare Eph. i. 22-23), its chief pastor (compare 1 Pet. iv. 5), and its high priest (compare Heb. iii. 1 and iv. 14). He also called the Church his spouse (compare Eph. v. 25, and Rev. xxi. 9).

The unlimited authority conferred on Christ has been claimed by many Popes. It was maintained by Eugenius IV., in a Council.

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