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The custom of kissing the pope's feet

The custom of kissing the pope's feet must cease. It is an unchristian, or rather an antichristian, example that a poor sinful man should suffer his feet to be kissed by one who is a hundred times better than he. If it is done in honor or his power, why does he not do it to others in honor of their holiness? Compare them together: Christ and the pope. Christ washed His disciples' feet and dried them, and the disciples never washed His. The pope, pretending to be higher than Christ, inverts this, and considers it to be a great favor to let us kiss his feet; whereas, if any onewished to do so, he ought to do his utmost to prevent him, as St. Paul and Barnabas would not suffer themselves to be worshipped as gods by the men at Lystra, saying, " We also are men of like passions with you" (Acts xiv. 14 seq.). But our flatterers have brought things to such a pitch that they have set up an idol for us, until no one regards God with such fear or honours Him with such marks of reverence as he does the pope. This they can suffer, but not thast the pope's glory should be diminished a single hair's breadth. Now if they were Christians and preferred God's honour to their own, the pope would never be pleased to have God's honour despised and his own exalted, nor would he allow any to honour him until he found that God's honour was again exalted above his own. It is a piece with this revolting pride that the pope is not satisfied with riding on horseback or in a carriage, but thought he be hale and strong, is carried by men, like an idol in unheard-of pomp. My friend, how does this Lucifer-like pride agree with the example of Christ, who went on foot, as did also all His apostles? Where has there been a king who has ridden in such wordly pomp as he does, who professes to be the head of all whose duty it is to despise and flee from all worldly pomp - I mean, of all Christians? Not that this need concern us for his own sake, but that we have good reason to fear God's wrath, if we flatter such pride and do not show our discontent. It is enought that the pope should be so mad and foolish; but it is too much 1

that we should sanction and approve it. - Martin Luther

IMPORTANT VERSES FOR CATHOLICS, CHRISTIANS, AND PEOPLE SEEKING INSIGHT INTO CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, Deuteronomy 5:8-9 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. - 1 Peter 5:2-3 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. - Revelation 19:10 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worshp before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God - Revelation 22:8-9 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. - Jude 1:4 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that 2

abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. - 2 John 9-10 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:20-21 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. - 1 John 2:27 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. - 1 Peter 1:18 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began - 2 Timothy 1:9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:8-10 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. - Galatians 3:22 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. - Galatians 2:16 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. - Galatians 1:10-12 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. - 1 Corinthians 9:18 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. - 1 Corinthians 7:23 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believeing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: - Acts 24:14 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: - Acts 10:34 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29 3

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. - Luke 21:33 For whosover exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Luke 14:11. Also see Luke 18:14 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. - Matthew 15:9 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition. - Matthew 15:3 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God? - 2 Samuel 22:32, Psalms 18:31, Psalms 62:6-8, Psalms 92:15, Psalms 94:22 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. - 1 Chronicles 16:26 O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. - 1 Chronicles 17:20 Shall a mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly; how much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? Job 4:17-19 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? - Job 15:15-16 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away. - Job 32:21-22 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. - Psalms 12:6-7 .... (excerpt) He that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. - Proverbs 12:11 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are teh ways of death. Proverbs 14:12 Correction is grievious unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. Proverbs 15:10 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. - Proverbs 22:16 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the Lord will 4

plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. - Proverbs 22:16 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change Proverbs 24:21 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. - Proverbs 28:6 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that pur their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. - Proverbs 30:5-6 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood - Isaiah 1:15 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made - Isaiah 2:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of oru God shall stand for ever. - Isaiah 40:8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. - Isaiah 42:8 For thus saith the Lord, ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. - Isaiah 52:3 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark: sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. - Isaiah 56:10-11 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand - Ezekiel 33:6 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven: for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. Jeremiah 10:2-4 Thus saith the Lord; cursed by the man that trust in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. - Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken ot unto the words of the prophets that prophecy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not our of the mouth of the Lord. They say still unto them that despise me, the Lord hath said, ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, no evil shall come upon you. - Jeremiah 23:16-17 5

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thu saith the Lord God: Repent, and turn yourselves from idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. - Ezekiel 14:6 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. - Matthew 7:21-23 But if ye had know what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless - Matthew 12:7

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