The Change of the Sabbath

The Roman Decretalia

The pope is the head of the Catholic Church; the head directs the body. The Roman Decretalia is an authoritative work in the Roman ecclesiastical law. Each pope, when invested with the “succession,” declares the papal decretals to be true. The Decretalia ascribes power to the pope to change God’s law or any other law. Thus: ChSa 151.2

“He can pronounce sentences and judgments in contradiction to the right of nations, and to the law of God and man .... He can free himself from the commands of the apostles, he being their superior, and from the rules of the Old Testament,” etc. ChSa 151.3

“The pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ.”-Decretal de Translat. Episcop. Cap. ChSa 152.1

“The pope’s will stands for reason. He can dispense above the law, and of wrong make right by correcting and changing laws.”-Pope Nicholas, Dis. 96. ChSa 152.2

“The pope is free from all laws so that he cannot incur any sentence of irregularity, suspension, excommunication, or penalty for any crime.”-Dis. 40. ChSa 152.3

Surely the pope is a wonderful personage. He can be no other than the embodiment of that power which was to “think to change times and the law.” Daniel 7:25. Here we see claims of plentitude of power sufficient to make any changes whatever which he might desire to make. What do papists say about changing the Sabbath? ChSa 152.4