I must give you a description of the pomp and ceremony of the so-called trial of the accused. Again I use the better qualified spokesperson of history, John Foxe..."The officers of the Inquisitors, preceded by trumpets, kettle drums, and their banner marched in cavalcade to the place of the square, where they declared their proclamation: On the 13th day of June, 1682, the sentence of these prisoners would be put to execution. Of these prisoners, twenty men and women, with one Mohammedan, were ordered burned. The whole court of Spain was present for the occasion. The Grand Inquisitor's chair was placed in a sort of tribunal far above that of the King. Now the mass began, in the midst of which the priest came from the altar, placed himself near the scaffold and seated himself on a chair.
The chief inquisitor then descended from the amphitheater, dressed in his lavish cape with a miter on his head. After bowing down to the altar, he then advanced towards the King's balcony. Other officers attending carried a golden cross and the large book of the Gospels. Another book was also carried, which contained the oath by which the Kings themselves obliged themselves to protect the Catholic faith. This was an oath to extirpate heretics and to support with all their power and force, the prosecutions and decrees of the Inquisitors. The mass began about twelve noon and did not end until nine o'clock in the evening. Other criminals were separately rehearsed one after another. After this followed the burning of the twenty men and women whose intrepidity in suffering this horrid death was truly astonishing. The King's near situation to the criminals rendered their dying groans very audible to him; he could not, however, be absent from this dreadful scene as it is esteemed a religious one; and his coronation oath obliged him to give sanction by his presence to all acts of the tribunal."
We have learned that this power that was given to him was because of the partnership with the Emperors. The civil powers and the Popes held all kindreds and nations in bondage for a period of over one thousand years! Historians call it "The Dark Ages." The Popes and Emperors lived in lavish life styles as they confiscated houses and lands. All who would not bow down to the edicts of the Popes were branded as heretics and brought before the Inquisitioners. I would share a brief introductory paragraph from the well recognized book of "Foxes Book of Martyrs."
"Thus far our history of persecutions has been confined principally to the Pagan world. We now come to a period when persecution, under the guise of Christianity, committed more enormities than ever disgraced the annals of Paganism. Disregarding the maxims and the Spirit of the true gospel, the papal church, arming herself with the power of the sword, vexed the church of God and wasted it for several centuries. This period is most appropriately termed the Dark Ages. The Kings of the earth gave their power to the "beast" and submitted to be trodden on by the miserable vermin that often filled the papal chair, as in the case of Henry, Emperor of Germany. The storm of persecution first burst upon the Waldenses of France."
We may trace the diminished and suppressed testimony of the true gospel of Jesus Christ during the Dark Age period to these various bodies of people...The Waldenses; the Cathari; the Lollards; the Vandois; the Leonists; the Albigenses and the Lombards. These groups of people. according to history, were persecuted, hunted down, tortured and killed in heinous manners because they would not accept the corrupted dogmas of the apostate church of Rome! These TRUE believers were branded as heretics by the Popes who, according to the prophetic Word held sway "over all kindreds, and tongues, an nations."
I would share other incidents from Foxe's Book of the Martyrs...Respected clergymen who denied the Catholic faith were roasted over a slow fire! Hundreds of the reformed persuasion were beaten, racked and scourged! Many had their tongues cut out who opposed the Papacy! Men women and children had their throats cut by the monks themselves! After this atrocity was done, the bodies were quartered and placed on stakes and then fixed in different parts of the country for miles around! Women were racked so violently that the cords cut through their bones. What a slow death they died with wounds mortified with infection and pain! Many more women were ravaged before their husbands; the knife was taken into pregnant women's stomachs; swords were literally thrust down the throats of hundreds who would not recant their true faith in Christ! Men, women and children by the thousands were loaded onto boats riddled with holes and set out to sea to drown in a watery grave!
God has given a confirmation of these happenings as the Revelation prophecy unfolds. He speaks expressly about "The Mother of Harlots" as to her activities during this same time period. Let us hear this more sure word of prophecy..."And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither. I will show unto thee the judgement of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
God gave John, the Revelator a verification of all these happenings that Daniel foretold of. "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war against him? And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months (1,260 years, which was the duration of the apostate church) And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. (in the church on earth) And it was given unto him to make war on the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given to him over all kindreds, and tongues and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:4-8)
As a child of God, I feel grieved that such a price was paid by true Christians in time past. As a child of God, I sense this obligation to those who were persecuted by an apostate church, to let the world know of these atrocities. It is written that God hates every false way. The Catholic religion will not be found in the Holy Bible! From its inception, it has been a false way, and remains a false way that God hates, because it deceives people! May this truth being related bring an awakening to the hearts of many sincere people and cause them to search the scriptures to see if these things be so.
