Union with Rome – Christopher Wordsworth
POSTSCRIPT
Contents
On Sunday, April 28, 1850, the following words were spoken in a Sermon preached in Westminster Abbey. The reason for which attention is now drawn to them may be inferred from the paragraph with which they close.
“We have been contemplating the TWO MYSTERIES of the Apocalypse. The word Mystery signifies something spiritual; it here describes a Church. The first Mystery is explained to us by Christ Himself… The Seven Stars are the Angels of the Seven Churches, and the Seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches (Rev. 1:20).
“The second Mystery is explained also. I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman. The Beast that carrieth her, which hath Seven Heads, is described, and The Seven Heads are expounded to be Seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth (Rev. 17:7,9).
“The first Mystery is the Mystery of the Seven stars.
“The second Mystery is the Mystery of the Seven Hills.
“The first Mystery represents the UNIVERSAL CHURCH in its sevenfold fulness, containing within it all particular Churches.
“The second Mystery represents a particular Church, the Church on Seven Hills, the CHURCH of ROME, claiming to be the Church Universal.
“The first Mystery is the Mystery of the Seven stars. “The second Mystery is the Mystery of the Seven Hills. “The first Mystery represents the UNIVERSAL CHURCH in its sevenfold fulness, containing within it all particular Churches. “The second Mystery represents a particular Church, the Church on Seven Hills, the CHURCH of ROME, claiming to be the Church Universal.
“The second Mystery represents the particular Church of Rome, holding the cup of her false doctrines in her hand, and making all nations to dring thereof. And the voice from heaven cries, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
“The first Mystery is a ‘Mystery of Godliness’.
“The second is a ‘Mystery of Iniquity’.
“Such is the interpretation of the two Mysteries of the Apocalypse.
“If any Minister or Member of the Church of Rome disprove this conclusion, he is hereby invited to do so. If he can, doubtless he will; and if none attempt it, it may be presumed that they cannot; then, as they love their salvation, they ought to embrace the truth, which is preached to them by the mouth of St. John, and by the voice of Christ.”
This appeal was reiterated, in Westminster Abbey, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 1851. As far as the writer is aware, no reply has as yet been made to it by any member of the Church of Rome. It is therefore repeated here.
