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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 11

Section2-2 Subsection 2

"The God of the Earth"


 
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Now, it is expressly said, that these "two witnesses," "two olive trees," "two lightstands," and "two prophets" "have stood before the god of the earth." This was to be their position. This god is not to be mistaken for the Eternal Creator. Though he made the earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; and claims them all as his, He is not styled in this prophecy "the God of the earth." His title in this chapter is "the God of heaven," to whom glory is ascribed at the concluding act of the second woe (xi. 13). It is true, these witnesses in a certain sense stand before the Creator; but in the sense of giving testimony against, they do not; and that enopion, before, is to be understood in the sense of against, is evident from the effect of their testimony which "torments," and stirs up the powers to destroy them (verses 7, 10). These two witnessing classes of antipapists confront the representatives of the papal deity in all the nations of the abyss; and in so doing, they stand in a hostile attitude before the God of the earth.

I have already shown, that this was a deity newly come up from the abyss, which was entirely unknown to the nations of the fourth beast dominion, commonly styled the pagan Roman empire; and that he was two hundred and eighty years, after the similitude of a foetus in embryo being two hundred and eighty days in developing into "THE MAN OF SIN, the Son of Perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself over every one called god, or an object of fear" -- sebasma -- into the Lawless One, ho Anomos, who, Daniel was informed, would "think to change times and laws;" and "whom the Lord will consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy in the manifestation of his presence" -- te epiphaneia tes parousias autou (2 Thess. ii. 3,4,8). This lawless deity of the court, who sets himself above all law even in his decrepitude, while he has to be supported upon his tottering throne against "the Earth" by French bayonets, claims to be the successor of the apostle Peter, and Vicegerent of Jesus Christ -- in other words, THE ANTICHRIST -- anti, instead of, christos, Christ.

That the term deity, or god, is rightly applied to this imperially apotheosized Roman bishop, is apparent from the following testimonies:

"The venerable name of Pope (or Father)" says Gibbon, speaking of A.D. 500, "was now appropriated to the Roman Pontiff." Addressed by nations, it was an imperial, and originally a divine title. So Ovid says to Augustus, "Thou hast that name through earth, which in high heaven is Jupiter’s; thou, the Father of men, He of the gods." And Horace, "Here thou mayest love to be called Father and Prince." The title as given to the Roman Bishop, was sometimes in the form Pater Patrum, Father of fathers; as in a letter from the bishop of Larissa to Boniface II, A.D. 531, in which occurs the sentence, "to my holy lord, and over all most blessed, and truly venerable Father of Fathers, the universal Patriarch (Chief Father) Boniface." The imperial and royal sense attached to the title pope, is illustrated in the legend of the medal of Julius III; "Dominus Julius Rep. Christianae Rex. ac Pater" -- "Lord Julius, King and Father of the Christian Commonwealth."

In the time of Charlemagne, A.D. 799, a Roman Council declared, that the Pope who was the judge of all men was above being judged by any other than himself. So in the year 1090, "that the right of judging concerning every church is to the Pope alone; but he himself, indeed, is subject to the judgment of none." Afterwards in the Canon Law, collected and published by Gratian in the 12th century, it was said, "It is certain that the Pontiff was called a God by the pious prince Constantine; and it is manifest that God cannot be judged by men." This claim continued unchanged in the 15th century. So A.D. 1463, on Paul II dismissing Platina after his election, and Platina’s threatening to bring the case before the judges of the Rota, Paul fiercely replied, "Thou bring us before the judges? Would’st thou not know, that all laws are placed in the repository of our breast? ... I am Pontiff: and upon the pleasure of my mind it depends both to rescind, and approve the acts of others." Assuredly, no future antichrist can be more entitled to the name, "Lawless," than the popes.

They exalted themselves above all called god, or an object of homage, worship, or fear. This papal exaltation and superiority above all royal majesty, Innocent III declared to be that of the sun above the moon; and Gregory VII affirmed that it was fit that all Princes should kiss his feet. He claimed to make and unmake kings; to assign kingdoms and to take them away. Pius II proposed even to the sultan of Turkey to give him a legal title to the Greek empire, if he would assist him. And to come nearer to our own times, we find Pius VII, while suffering under the deep humiliation inflicted upon him by Napoleon, asserting the same authority. "Let them learn," said he, in his excommunication of Napoleon, June 10, 1809, "that they are subjected by the laws of Jesus Christ to our throne, and to our commandment." Concerning Celestin III, on occasion of the coronation of Henry VI of Germany, A.D. 1191, Roger of Hoveden, gives the following illustration of the pope’s exaltation of himself "above all called god." "The Lord Pope," says he: "sat in the pontifical chair, holding the golden imperial crown between his feet; and the Emperor bending his head received the crown, and the Empress in the same manner, from the feet of the Lord Pope. But the Lord Pope instantly struck with his foot the Emperor’s crown, and cast it upon the ground; signifying that he had the power of deposing him from the Empire, if he were undeserving of it. The Cardinals however lifted up the crown, and placed it on the Emperor’s head."

The pope was frequently addressed as Christ, and received the title as distinctively and only his due. Illustrative of this S. Bernard in the 12th century writes to Pope Eugenius, "Consider that thou art the Vicar of Christ, the Christ of the Lord." Another and later illustration occurs in an official report about Pope Martin’s embassy to the Greek Emperor containing the following description of the Pope by his own accredited orator: "The most Holy and most Blessed One, who hath divine judgment, who is Lord on earth; successor of Peter, the Lord’s Christ, Lord of the universe, Father of kings, Light of the world, the Chief Pontiff Pope Martin." It was the command of Gregory VII, that "the name of the pope alone should be recited in the churches;" and Southey observes, that men were required to bow at the Pope’s name (so recited) as at Christ’s.

In setting up for Vicar, he claimed to be the substitute, not of a pure man, but of the true God -- "Summus Pontifex non hominis puri sed VERI DEI, vere Vicarius appellatur:" -- ruling in place of the true God on earth -- "VERI DEI, VICEM gerit in terris," as said Innocent III. "Sir Culling Eardly," says Mr. Elliott, from whose Latin notes I have translated these gleanings, "in a late pamphlet, notices the following title of a book, published with the sanction of the Neapolitan censorship in 1724, and which illustrates the common application of this title Vice-God to the popes, even in the 18th century: "Istoria dell’ antica Republica di Amalfi; Consecrata al VICE DEO Benedetto decimo-terzo, Pontefice Ottimo Massimo. Con licenza dei Superiori" -- History of the ancient Republic of Amalphi; Consecrated to the Vice-God Benedict XIII, a perfectly good supreme pontiff. With license of the Superiors.

The Papal Casuists say, "that honor which is due to Christ, according to what God is, is due to the Pope; because honor is due to power. But the power of Christ, according to what God is, and of the Pope, is one." The same had been set forth by Innocent in his Decretals, "the Pope is God because the Vicar of God:" also in the Canon Laws’ statement, before referred to, that Constantine called the pope a God; with the gloss, "Our Lord God the Pope."

The following is a striking statement to the same effect from the "Speculum Vitae Humanae" of Rodericus Sancius, Romish Bishop and Refendary of Paul II; a book published at Rome by Papal authority, in 1468, and many times afterwards. "The majesty of his most sacred state impairs every human intellect. If nothing in this world is more excellent than the state of simple priests, what must be thought of the Chief Pontiff who rules on earth instead of the true God? who is exalted, not only to a human sovereignty, but to a divine one; not to ruling mortals alone, but angels; not to judging the living, but also the dead; not on earth alone, but in heaven, by the great God, and in his place."

The saying of a certain French writer concerning a particular pope would be well and truly applied to the whole fraternity of papal gods. "The bulls of John XXIII," says he, "commenced with a lie -- Servant of the servants of God. He ought rather to have entitled himself Lord of lords. Seeing that he boasts himself of having as much power as Jesus Christ possesses, as God and man."

Some lines were addressed to an elephant presented to Leo X, two of which were as follows:

Si servire Deo vere est regnare, Leoni

Dum servis regnas: nam Leo in orbe DEUS.

If to serve God truly is to reign, while thou servest Leo thou reignest; for Leo is God on earth -- App. to Roscoe’s Leo, X.

This exaltation of the Roman Bishop from a Patriarch, or Chief Father, into the God of the earth, was not altogether approved by his brethren. Arnulph of Orleans in the Synod at Rheims, A.D. 991, exclaimed in reference to John XV: "What is this, Reverend Fathers, sitting upon a lofty throne, radiant with a golden and purple vesture; what, I say, think ye that this is? Doubtless, if he is destitute of love, and puffed up and exalted with knowledge only, he is Antichrist sitting in the temple of Deity and exhibiting himself as if he were God." Arnulph’s suspicion was well founded, only he erred in supposing that Antichrist was to be found sitting in the temple of the true God. This is an universal error. The temple of the Deity who created all things, is a living temple; a house not made with hands. In such a temple as the Roman, he does not dwell. His habitation is that Spiritual House, built up by his formative word, of lively precious stones, called saints, because they are "sanctified in Christ Jesus." In this temple of the Deity, Antichrist has never yet sat enthroned, nor ever will. He sits in his own temple -- in the temple of the God of the earth; and there, as represented in an engraving published at Rome with license of the authorities, and republished in Elliott’s Hor. Apoc. he sits upon the high altar of the Cathedral dedicated to Peter; and receives the adoration of his scarlet-robed cardinals, who worship him by bowing down before him, and kissing his toe! Thus, he sits in the temple of the deity as a deity, publicly exhibiting himself that he is a deity." This is what Paul said, and most strikingly and literally it has come to pass.

In the year 727, Gregory II boasted to the Dragon-Emperor, that "all the kings of the west held the pope to be a God upon earth." In this he told the truth; for when Stephen visited France to obtain aid from the Franks against the Lombards, Pepin received him, according to Sismondi, as a Divinity.

In Elliott’s repository of papal curiosities, I have before me copies of medals, which illustrate very forcibly the "great things and blasphemies" of the Man Eyes and Mouth of the Little Horn, which were developed into the deity of the earth; before whom the witnesses stood, and by whose command they were at length killed.

The first is a medal struck by order of Martin V, A.D. 1417. The Roman Bishop is sitting upon a throne, with the Holy Spirit symbolized by a dove, hovering amidst rays over its canopy. Two cardinals, one on each side of him, are crowning him with the tiara, or conical cap with three diadems one above another, and surmounted at the peak by a ball and a cross. On the right of the throne is an altar with a cross upon it, and a light burning on each side of it. Before the altar and throne is a figure upon his knees, his hands lifted up in prayer, and his head thrown back in devout contemplation of the pope. Opposite to this representative of the multitude, are three cardinal princes and electors, who represent the spiritual and sovereign influences by which they were inspired in the election. On the margin, is the inscription "Quem creant adorant Romae." Whom they create they worship at Rome.

Another medal was struck by Calixtus III, A.D. 1456. Upon a knoll stands a cross with a tiara above it, and rays of spirit shed upon it. Behind the mound, intended to represent Calvary, is the open sea, studded with sailing craft, and a mountain peering up above the horizon, symbolical of the governments of the world. In this symbolism, the Pope appears as Christ’s substitute, or vicar. Jesus had all the sufferings; the Pope claims all the glory. The legend of this medal shows this "Omnes Reges servient ei" -- All Kings shall serve him; that is, the Pope!

A third is a medal struck by Clement VII, A.D. 1525, commemorative of his opening of heaven at the jubilee. On the right is a doorway that had been walled up for the occasion. Standing before the wall is the Roman God with a pickaxe hard at work demolishing the walls, which is represented as about a third open, and the rubbish piled up at his feet. Above him in the air, and sitting upon a cloud with a key in his hand about the size of the pick, is Peter before the gate of heaven, which is unobscured by cloud in proportion to the opening in the gate below. The relation between the two gates is shown by a parallelogram of rays from Peter’s opening to the Pope’s. Behind the divine pickman are five waiting figures upon their knees, representative of the multitude, who have friends in purgatory. They are watching for the entire demolition of the wall, as the sign that Peter will have then finished his job above; and his door in heaven being wide open (and if the God below had not picked out his door, Peter’s would have never been opened at all) their suffering friends will pass through it, out of the scorching flames into the refreshing coolness of paradise! The legend of this medal is "Et Portae Coeli apertae sunt" -- And the gates of heaven are opened.

A fourth medal struck by Alexander VII, A.D. 1655, represents the Roman God creating God out of bread for the people to worship, and then to eat. Upon a sedia gestatoria, or chair of state borne on clerical shoulders, the Pope is represented as kneeling before his breaden god, which he holds up to public gaze in a pyx, or small box, mounted on a stand. Above him is a canopy decorated with crosses, keys, and tiaras; and on either side of the sedia are priests bearing wide-expanded flabelli, or fans of peacocks’ feathers, mounted on staves, so as to flank the pope from his shoulders upwards, and considerably above his head. The eyes of the fans signify the innumerable eyes of the Cherubim; so that the Roman God, while kneeling upon his sedia, is "dwelling between the Cherubim!" Surely blasphemy like this cannot be surpassed. The rest of the medal shows a crowd of worshippers, whose superstition is expressed in the legend, "Procidamus et adoremus in Spiritu et veritate" -- We fall prostrate and adore in spirit and in truth!

A fifth medal also by Alexander VII, A.D. 1655, illustrates the asserted power of the Vice-Christ over the so-called "spirit-world." He is represented sitting upon a judgment seat with his cardinals on his right and left sitting in double rows, with an open space before them; across which is a bar in the foreground. Over the canopy of his throne is the symbol of the Spirit, the dove with expanded wings, and surrounded with rays and angel-heads. The legend informs us, that the matter before this divine consistory is an inquiry for reckoning Bishop Francis among the saints -- "Blato Francisco Episcopo inter sanctos relato."

A sixth medal by Gregory XV, A.D. 1622, commemorates his award of heaven to five of the dead, and their apotheosis. The tiaraed god is sitting upon his throne, with a book of judgment supported upon the head of a figure kneeling before him, in which he is about to sign the decree of canonization. On the left, and above the group of attendants, are opened clouds between which is the dove, from which rays of light descend towards the book, indicating divine approval. Around the whole is the legend, "Quinque Beatis Caelestes Honores decernit" -- He decrees celestial honors to five Blessed Ones.

In a seventh medal, struck by order of Clement X, A.D. 1670, is a group of five figures, four men and one woman, kneeling, standing, and sitting upon a cloud, with the dove shedding his rays upon them from above. Each has a halo of glory round the head. The figures are symbolical of the daemonials, or deified ghosts, of a king, a cardinal, a pope, a priest, and a matron, as indicated by a crown, a hat, a tiara, a crucifix, and a babe. The central figure, the cardinal, has a book in one hand, and a pen in the other, symbolical of their admission among the gods of the catholic aerial, being consequent upon the decree of the God upon the earth below! This is expressed in the legend, "Decor ejus Gloria Sanctorum" -- His grace the glory of the saints!

 

 


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