For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.
Dr. Newton. How this revolution was effected, may be seen by the statement of Machiavel. “The emperor of Rome, quitting Rome to dwell at Constantinople” (in the fourth century, under Constantine), “the Roman empire began to decline, but the church of Rome augmented as fast. Nevertheless, until the coming in of the Lombards, all Italy being under the dominion of either emperors or kings, the bishops assumed no more power than what was due to their doctrine and manners; in civil affairs they were subject to the civil power. But Theodoric, king of the Goths, fixing his seat at Ravenna, was that which advanced their interest, and made them more considerable in Italy, for there being no other prince left in Rome, the Romans were forced for protection to pay greater allegiance to the Pope. The Lombards having invaded and reduced Italy into several cantons, the Pope took the opportunity, and began to hold up his head. For being, as it were, governor and principal of Rome, the emperor of Constantinople and the Lombards bare him a respect, so that the Romans (by mediation of their Pope) began to treat and confederate with Longinus (the emperor’s lieutenant), and the Lombards, not as subjects, but as equals and companions; which said custom continuing, and the Pope’s entering into alliance sometimes with the Lombards, and sometimes with the Greeks, contracted great reputation to their dignity.” (History of Florence, B. i., p. 6, of the English translation.) A more extended quotation on the same subject, may be seen in Newton on the Prophecies, pp. 407, 408. To anyone acquainted with the decline and fall of the Roman empire, nothing can be more manifest than the correspondence of the facts in history respecting the rise of the papacy, and the statement of the apostle Paul here. The simple facts are these: