the great controversy-第11节

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head　of　the　universal　church　of　Christ；　invested　with　supreme　authority　over
bishops　and　pastors　in　all　parts　of　the　world。　More　than　this；　the　pope　has
been　given　the　very　titles　of　Deity。　He　has　been　styled　〃Lord　God　the　Pope〃
（see　Appendix）；　and　has　been　declared　infallible。　He　demands　the　homage　of
all　men。　The　same　claim　urged　by　Satan　in　the　wilderness　of　temptation　is
still　urged　by　him　through　the　Church　of　Rome；　and　vast　numbers　are　ready　to
yield　him　homage。

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But　those　who　fear　and　reverence　God　meet　this　heaven…daring　assumption　as
Christ　met　the　solicitations　of　the　wily　foe：　〃Thou　shalt　worship　the　Lord
thy　God；　and　Him　only　shalt　thou　serve。〃　Luke　4：8。　God　has　never　given　a
hint　in　His　word　that　He　has　appointed　any　man　to　be　the　head　of　the　church。
The　doctrine　of　papal　supremacy　is　directly　opposed　to　the　teachings　of　the
Scriptures。　The　pope　can　have　no　power　over　Christ's　church　except　by
usurpation。

Romanists　have　persisted　in　bringing　against　Protestants　the　charge　of
heresy　and　willful　separation　from　the　true　church。　But　these　accusations
apply　rather　to　themselves。　They　are　the　ones　who　laid　down　the　banner　of
Christ　and　departed　from　〃the　faith　which　was　once　delivered　unto　the
saints。〃　Jude　3。

Satan　well　knew　that　the　Holy　Scriptures　would　enable　men　to　discern　his
deceptions　and　withstand　his　power。　It　was　by　the　word　that　even　the　Saviour
of　the　world　had　resisted　his　attacks。　At　every　assault；　Christ　presented
the　shield　of　eternal　truth；　saying；　〃It　is　written。〃　To　every　suggestion　of
the　adversary；　He　opposed　the　wisdom　and　power　of　the　word。　In　order　for
Satan　to　maintain　his　sway　over　men；　and　establish　the　authority　of　the
papal　usurper；　he　must　keep　them　in　ignorance　of　the　Scriptures。　The　Bible
would　exalt　God　and　place　finite　men　in　their　true　position；　therefore　its
sacred　truths　must　be　concealed　and　suppressed。　This　logic　was　adopted　by
the　Roman　Church。　For　hundreds　of　years　the　circulation　of　the　Bible　was
prohibited。　The　people　were　forbidden　to　read　it　or　to　have　it　in　their
houses；　and　unprincipled　priests　and　prelates　interpreted　its　teachings　to
sustain　their　pretensions。　Thus　the　pope　came　to　be　almost　universally
acknowledged　as　the　vicegerent　of　God　on　earth；　endowed　with　authority　over
church　and　state。

The　detector　of　error　having　been　removed；　Satan　worked　according　to　his
will。　Prophecy　had　declared　that　the　papacy　was　to　〃think　to　change　times
and　laws。〃　Daniel　7：25。　This

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work　it　was　not　slow　to　attempt。　To　afford　converts　from　heathenism　a
substitute　for　the　worship　of　idols；　and　thus　to　promote　their　nominal
acceptance　of　Christianity；　the　adoration　of　images　and　relics　was　gradually
introduced　into　the　Christian　worship。　The　decree　of　a　general　council　（see
Appendix）　finally　established　this　system　of　idolatry。　To　complete　the
sacrilegious　work；　Rome　presumed　to　expunge　from　the　law　of　God　the　second
commandment；　forbidding　image　worship；　and　to　divide　the　tenth　commandment；
in　order　to　preserve　the　number。

The　spirit　of　concession　to　paganism　opened　the　way　for　a　still　further
disregard　of　Heaven's　authority。　Satan；　working　through　unconsecrated
leaders　of　the　church；　tampered　with　the　fourth　commandment　also；　and
essayed　to　set　aside　the　ancient　Sabbath；　the　day　which　God　had　blessed　and
sanctified　（Genesis　2：2；　3）；　and　in　its　stead　to　exalt　the　festival　observed
by　the　heathen　as　〃the　venerable　day　of　the　sun。〃　This　change　was　not　at
first　attempted　openly。　In　the　first　centuries　the　true　Sabbath　had　been
kept　by　all　Christians。　They　were　jealous　for　the　honor　of　God；　and；
believing　that　His　law　is　immutable；　they　zealously　guarded　the　sacredness
of　its　precepts。　But　with　great　subtlety　Satan　worked　through　his　agents　to
bring　about　his　object。　That　the　attention　of　the　people　might　be　called　to
the　Sunday；　it　was　made　a　festival　in　honor　of　the　resurrection　of　Christ。
Religious　services　were　held　upon　it；　yet　it　was　regarded　as　a　day　of
recreation；　the　Sabbath　being　still　sacredly　observed。

To　prepare　the　way　for　the　work　which　he　designed　to　accomplish；　Satan　had
led　the　Jews；　before　the　advent　of　Christ；　to　load　down　the　Sabbath　with　the
most　rigorous　exactions；　making　its　observance　a　burden。　Now；　taking
advantage　of　the　false　light　in　which　he　had　thus　caused　it　to　be　regarded；
he　cast　contempt　upon　it　as　a　Jewish　institution。　While　Christians　generally
continued　to　observe　the　Sunday　as　a　joyous　festival；　he　led　them；　in　order
to　show

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their　hatred　of　Judaism；　to　make　the　Sabbath　a　fast；　a　day　of　sadness　and
gloom。

In　the　early　part　of　the　fourth　century　the　emperor　Constantine　issued　a
decree　making　Sunday　a　public　festival　throughout　the　Roman　Empire。　（See
Appendix。）　The　day　of　the　sun　was　reverenced　by　his　pagan　subjects　and　was
honored　by　Christians；　it　was　the　emperor's　policy　to　unite　the　conflicting
interests　of　heathenism　and　Christianity。　He　was　urged　to　do　this　by　the
bishops　of　the　church；　who；　inspired　by　ambition　and　thirst　for　power；
perceived　that　if　the　same　day　was　observed　by　both　Christians　and　heathen；
it　would　promote　the　nominal　acceptance　of　Christianity　by　pagans　and　thus
advance　the　power　and　glory　of　the　church。　But　while　many　God…fearing
Christians　were　gradually　led　to　regard　Sunday　as　possessing　a　degree　of
sacredness；　they　still　held　the　true　Sabbath　as　the　holy　of　the　Lord　and
observed　it　in　obedience　to　the　fourth　commandment。

The　archdeceiver　had　not　completed　his　work。　He　was　resolved　to　gather　the
Christian　world　under　his　banner　and　to　exercise　his　power　through　his
vicegerent；　the　proud　pontiff　who　claimed　to　be　the　representative　of
Christ。　Through　half…converted　pagans；　ambitious　prelates；　and　world…loving
churchmen　he　accomplished　his　purpose。　Vast　councils　were　held　from　time　to
time；　in　which　the　dignitaries　of　the　church　were　convened　from　all　the
world。　In　nearly　every　council　the　Sabbath　which　God　had　instituted　was
pressed　down　a　little　lower；　while　the　Sunday　was　correspondingly　exalted。
Thus　the　pagan　festival　came　finally　to　be　honored　as　a　divine　institution；
while　the　Bible　Sabbath　was　pronounced　a　relic　of　Judaism；　and　its　observers
were　declared　to　be　accursed。

The　great　apostate　had　succeeded　in　exalting　himself　〃above　all　that　is
called　God；　or　that　is　worshiped。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：4。　He　had　dared　to
change　the　only　precept　of　the　divine　law　that　unmistakably　points　all
mankind　to　the　true　and　living　God。　In　the　fourth　commandment；　God　is

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revealed　as　the　Creator　of　the　heavens　and　the　earth；　and　is　thereby
distinguished　from　all　false　gods。　It　was　as　a　memorial　of　the　work　of
creation　that　the　seventh　day　was　sanctified　as　a　rest　day　for　man。　It　was
designed　to　keep　the　living　God　ever　before　the　minds　of　men　as　the　source
of　being　and　the　object　of　reverence　and　worship。　Satan　strives　to　turn　men
from　their　allegiance　to　God；　and　from　rendering　obedience　to　His　law；
therefore　he　directs　his　efforts　especially　against　that　commandment　which
points　to　God　as　the　Creator。

Protestants　now　urge　that　the　resurrection　of　Christ　on　Sunday　made　it　the
Christian　Sabbath。　But　Scripture　evidence　is　lacking。　No　such　honor　was
given　to　the　day　by　Christ　or　His　apostles。　The　observance　of　Sunday　as　a
Christian　institution　had　its　origin　in　that　〃mystery　of　lawlessness〃　（2
Thessalonians　2：7；　R。V。）　which；　even　in　Paul's　day；　had　begun　its　work。
Where　and　when　did　the　Lord　adopt　this　child　of　the　papacy？　What　valid
reason　can　be　given　for　a　change　which　the　Scriptures　do　not　sanction？

In　the　sixth　century　the　papacy　had　become　firmly　established。　Its　seat　of
power　was　fixed　in　the　imperial　city；　and　the　bishop　of　Rome　was　declared　to
be　the　head　over　the　entire　church。　Paganism　had　given　place　to　the　papacy。
The　dragon　had　given　to　the　beast　〃his　power；　and　his　seat；　and　great
authority。〃　Revelation　13：2。　And　now　began　the　1260　years　of　papal
oppression　foretold　in　the　prophecies　of　Daniel　and　the　Revelation。　Daniel
7：25；　Revelation　13：5…7。　（See　Appendix。）　Christians　were　forced　to　choose
either　to　yield　their　integrity　and　accept　the　papal　ceremonies　and　worship；
or　to　wear　away　their　lives　in　dungeons　or　suffer　death　by　the　rack；　the
fagot；　or　the　headsman's　ax。　Now　were　fulfilled　the　words　of　Jesus：　〃Ye
shall　be　betrayed　both　by　parents；　and　brethren；　and　kinsfolks；　and　friends；
and　some　of　you　shall　they　cause　to　be　put　to　death。　And　ye　shall　be　hated
of　all　men　for　My　name's　sake。〃　Luke　21：16；　17。　Persecution　opened　upon　the
faithful　with　greater　fury　than　ever　before；

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and　the　world　became　a　vast　battlefield。　For　hundreds　of　years　the　church　of
Christ　found　refuge　in　seclusion　and　obscurity。　Thus　says　the　prophet：　〃The
woman　fled　into　the　wilderness；　where　she　hath　a　place　prepared　of　God；　that
they　should　feed　her　there　a　thousand　two　hundred　and　three…score　days。〃
Revelation　12：6。

The　accession　of　the　Roman　Church　to　power　marked　the　be