SECTION VI. Fifth Stage of the Session or Republication of the Mystery. The fifth period of the republication of Christianity by the Reformed Churches, brought the subversion of the Imperial throne of Buonaparte by the battle of Waterloo, 1815, and the termination of the 1260 years' tyranny of Antichrist over the church, 1813, when in 1814, equal toleration was accorded to all religions in the kingdom of the successors of the Eastern Cæsars of the Romans, by the grand charter of Louis the Desired. With the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty the glory of France was turned into darkness. "Beside new restrictions of boundary, it was stipulated, that Condè, Valenciennes, and sixteen other frontier-posts, should be occupied for five years by the troops of the allies, amounting to 150,000 men; and that 700 millions of francs should be paid by the French government, in addition to the supplies necessary for the support of those troops. The Allies also obliged the French to restore the pictures, statues, and manuscripts which they had seized from Italy, and other countries, some of which were carried off from the French capital amidst irrepressible bursts of indignation, and resentment. In consequence of these proceedings, France was troubled with commotions for some time. The presence of a foreign army gave great offence not only to the admirers of Napoleon, but even to the king's friends, as the realm seemed thus to be rendered a dependent province. However, the allied princes, having attentively watched the conduct of the French, were disposed to believe that the peace would be permanent, or, at least, would not for some years be disturbed. They therefore consented (by a convention signed on the 9th of October, 1818,) to subtract two years from the terms specified in the last treaty, and to withdraw their troops without further delay. This concession allayed the animosity of the French, but did not sufficiently conciliate their good-will to our countrymen, whom they still seem to view with unfriendly eyes." Thus the remnant of the men were not yet affrighted, nor repented of their deeds. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast: and his kingdom became darkened and they gnawed their tongues for 11 pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. SECTION VII. Sixth Stage of the Session, or Republication of the Mystery. The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire now presents a wide field to the exertions of the enlightened and zealous Missionary, who may here learn, that the way to the kingdoms of the East is prepared solely for him. But we would advise him to take care, that he does not substitute the traditions of men for Gospel truth; or mar his work by attempting to make the metaphysical Mahometans believe in the Babylonish jargon of the false church, an "eternally begotten Son." Let him also ask himself, why the way to the Eastern kingdoms was not prepared before? and if he be a sensible man he will answer, Because they who would have wished to teach, had much to learn themselves. Men want a great deal of drilling by the vials of God's wrath, before they can be brought to see the truth; and God will not suffer any Pagan or Infidel nation to be incorporated with the temple of his church, before all the plagues are sent upon the men who already compose it, to make them fit by being flogged into the truth themselves, to make others go into it. Rev. xv. 8. 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way to the Eastern kings might be prepared. But before the Missionary starts forth from this mount of mustering for the armies of heaven, who go forth to evangelize the world, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, let him first see whether the Augean stable is cleared out at home. For while the second woe of the Turks is passing away in the East by the armies of the "Prince of Rosh," or the Greeks, the last battle of the Beast occurs according to Rev. xi. 7. Now how is it that the kings of the earth are against the Word of God? Why, plainly because the Word of God is against them. For wherever in the Word of God is to be found any thing written about "Church and King," or "Church and State," except as a "great whore, sitting upon," or "carried by a ten horned beast?" Or wherever is there to be found in the Word of God any dispensation for a Protestant King to "commit fornication" with the church, and none for a Catholic one? Now the fact is, the Protestant Reformation was nothing more, according to Scripture, (Rev. xvi. 2), than "a noisome and grievous sore," upon the men who had the mark of the Beast. It was nothing more than a sort of ill humour, arising out of the corruption of Mother Church. It was the mere transferring of the same set of slaves from one Catholic Pope to many Protestant ones. The great whore was as whole and compact in all its ten divisions afterwards, as before it changed hands, for not a tenth part of her, whatever any Protestant daughter of Rome may say, fell by the Reformation, nor will fall, according to Scripture, till the "rest of the men repent," Rev. xi. 13, who were not afflicted by the Popish woe, Rev. ix. 20, 21, which, Scripture says, they have not as yet done. Rev. xvi. 11. There was nothing of the King of kings, and Lord of lords in the Reformation, it was all kings and lords who had the management and the profit of it. Rev. xix. 16. Then what is the proper "battle of the great day of God Almighty," if God will not recognize the Reformation as His? Why what says the Word of God? MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. John xviii. 36. And what say the Beast and the Kings of the earth? That it is a kingdom of this world, the property, the creature of kings and lords, and "vested interests," and to be bought and sold like any thing else. And what says the Word of God again? That he is "King of kings, and Lord of lords." Rev. xix. 16. Now this is the battle. For so long as the alliance of Church and State lasts, or the great whore is carried by the beast, (and let every whining monk hear it, who, pretending to save souls, does not like to meddle with "religious politics," as he calls it, and thus overlooks the great impediment to his business), so long as the alliance of Church and State lasts, and kings, and courtiers, and colleges, and bishops, and lay patrons, have the insolence to thrust upon the flock whomsoever they please without the flock's consent, or power of refusal, contrary to the primitive practice, and institutions essential to the kingdom of our blessed Master, the KING OF KINGS AND Lord of lords, so long are the kings of the earth opposed to the Word of God, and the salvation of souls impeded, for so long as the flocks do not possess their Primitive rights, the interests of the pastors and those of their flocks need in no one case be mutual. Now let the impudent church, who has the brazen face to talk of the pureness of her discipline before the respectable, and talented, and conscientious Pastors of the Protestant Dissenters, hear this, and redden for shame; or let her try to hide her nakedness by her "purple and scarlet" garments. The filthy bare-faced harlot! How will she be able to stand "the sharp sword which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Word of God?" Rev. xix. 15. But better things are to be hoped of Englishmen. Not all have the same froglike impudence. For not all have "purple and scarlet" enough to cover their nakedness; and this is one good thing. Already is the cry of "Church Reform" heard from some within her precincts. Already is there a voice from her temple; and possibly she may be a nation born in a day. The same individual, who gave a blow to the Beast on the Continent, may destroy the Beast at home; the emancipation of Dissenters and Catholics in 1828, and 1829, is no bad omen; and if that individual cannot untie the Gordian knot of Church and State, there is still another way left, he can cut it. But if the Church goes, what becomes of the State? Now we are not careful to answer in that matter. But we will say, Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all the rest shall be added unto you: and so long as the unrighteous intercourse of Church and State exists, put down the misery and distress of the country to that account, and you will not do wrong, if there be any connexion between God's general providence and his Book. We will say also, that the people are tied down to no particular form of civil government by God, but only to that which best suits their present circumstances; and we are a free-born Englishman to confess, in character of our membership in our other kingdom which is of this world, the State, that if the Harlot cannot go without amputating the members of her paramour, then be it so; and let us have that form of government, which works best with a dissolved alliance. But we have no occasion to fear for the State. Neither kings nor lords are so fond of the harlot, as to risk their fate with her's. The Bible assures us that they will "stand afar off for fear of her torment," Rev. xviii. 10, 15, and that the kings themselves will pillage her. Rev. xvii. 16. The State has only to fear from the confederacy from the Continent; and if England should become a province of France for two or three years, (for there is no concealing that England is the mount of mustering for the armies of heaven, whence they go forth to evangelize the world,) why then, what she will suffer from the insults of her enemies, will be amply repaid by her regeneration afterwards. And if the carcase of the Empire should not be suffered to be decently interred during the period of her demise, but Englishmen should be mocked with the corpse of their beloved constitution under the vassalage of the King of France and the Pope, why then, we can only say, "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth," and that "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceful fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." When England rises again, then the tenth part of the false church will fall as a prelude to the fall of the rest. In the meanwhile, "Let us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage. Let us hold fast the kingdom which we have received;" for says the Apostle, "We wrestle not only against our own flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph. vi. 12.* Passive obedience is not the doctrine of the Bible, as some ignorant churchmen of the English Harlot, who seem not to know the principles of the Reformation whence they derive their church, |