The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 180

The European Union in Prophecy
created, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the champions of popery.
Cut off from earthly ties and human interests, dead to the claims of natural affection,
reason and conscience wholly silenced, they knew no rule, no tie, but that of their
order, and no duty but to extend its power. (See Appendix.)
The gospel of Christ had enabled its adherents to meet danger and endure
suffering, undismayed by cold, hunger, toil, and poverty, to uphold the banner of truth
in face of the rack, the dungeon, and the stake. To combat these forces, Jesuitism
inspired its followers with a fanaticism that enabled them to endure like dangers, and
to oppose to the power of truth all the weapons of deception. There was no crime too
great for them to commit, no deception too base for them to practice, no disguise too
difficult for them to assume. Vowed to perpetual poverty and humility, it was their
studied aim to secure wealth and power, to be devoted to the overthrow of
Protestantism, and the re-establishment of the papal supremacy.
When appearing as members of their order, they wore a garb of sanctity, visiting
prisons and hospitals, ministering to the sick and the poor, professing to have
renounced the world, and bearing the sacred name of Jesus, who went about doing
good. But under this blameless exterior the most criminal and deadly purposes were
often concealed. It was a fundamental principle of the order that the end justifies the
means. By this code, lying, theft, perjury, assassination, were not only pardonable but
commendable, when they served the interests of the church. Under various disguises
the Jesuits worked their way into offices of state, climbing up to be the counselors of
kings, and shaping the policy of nations. They became servants to act as spies upon
their masters. They established colleges for the sons of princes and nobles, and schools
for the common people; and the children of Protestant parents were drawn into an
observance of popish rites. All the outward pomp and display of the Romish worship
was brought to bear to confuse the mind and dazzle and captivate the imagination,
and thus the liberty for which the fathers had toiled and bled was betrayed by the
sons. The Jesuits rapidly spread themselves over Europe, and wherever they went,
there followed a revival of popery.
To give them greater power, a bull was issued re-establishing the inquisition.
(See Appendix.) Notwithstanding the general abhorrence with which it was regarded,
even in Catholic countries, this terrible tribunal was again set up by popish rulers,
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