Religion of Monsters

From the year 500 to 1500 roughly, is the period known as the Dark Ages during that period guess who ruled the western world? The Church, the Holy Roman Catholic Church ruled the world yet it is called the Dark Ages. It is estimated that millions of Christians died for their faith during the Dark Ages at the hands of the Papacy. Here are just a few quotes from historical Christians on the subject of the Pope and the Papacy.

"We here are of the conviction that the Papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist. I owe the Pope no other obedience than that I owe to Antichrist." —Martin Luther (1483-1546)

"The Papacy is the very Antichrist, the Pope being the son of perdition of whom Paul speaks." —John Knox (1505-1572)

"The oracles of God foretold the rising of an Antichrist in the Christian church. And in the Pope of Rome, all the characteristics of that Antichrist are so marvelously answered that if any who read the scriptures do not see it, there is a marvelous blindness on them." —Cotton Mather (1663–1728)

"It is the bound and duty of every Christian to pray against this Antichrist and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the popery in the church of Rome, there’s nothing in the world that can be called by that name." —Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

"As a nation, what have we done? We have cherished in our bosoms the serpent Popery; and it is at the present moment endeavouring to sting us to death." —William Howels (1778-1832)

"Wherefore, my beloved, flee from Idolatry, flee from Popery; take heed of that Religion that brings forth so many Monsters." —Thomas Watson (1515-1584)

"The church of England is the creature of the bishops, the bishops derive their authority from the pope, and the authority of the pope has come from the devil." —John Lilburne (1614-1657)

"Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Pontiff Antichrist, but those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself after whom we speak and whose language we adopt. I shall briefly show that Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2 are not capable of any other interpretation than that which implies them to the Papacy." —John Calvin (1509-1564)

"There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ, nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalted himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God." —The Westminster Confession, 1647

"Dost thou hear me, pope of Rome? Thou art the greatest sinner of all: thy throne is not suspended from heaven, but fixed to the gate of hell. Who gave thee power to set thyself above thy God, and trample under feet His precepts and commandments?" —Martin Luther (1483-1546)