I
am aware that, if I undertake, to prove that Romanism is not Christianity,I
must expect to be called "bigoted, harsh, uncharitable." Nevertheless
I amnot
daunted; for I believe that on a right understanding of this subjectdepends
the salvation of millions.
One
reason why Popery has of late gained so much power in Great Britainand Ireland, and is gaining, power
still, is that many Protestants look on itnow as a form of true Christianity; and
think that, on that account,notwithstanding great errors, it ought to be
treated very tenderly. Manysuppose that at the time of the Reformation, it
was reformed, and that it isnow much nearer the truth than it was before
that time. It is still, however,the same; and, if examined, will be found
to be so different from, and sohostile to, real Christianity, that it is not,
in fact, Christianity at all.Christianity, as revealed in the Sacred
Writings, is salvation by Christ. Itsets Him before us as at once a perfect
man, the everlasting God, the GodmanMediator; who, by appointment of the
Father, became a Substitute forall who were given Him. It teaches that by Him
God’s justice wasmagnified,
and His mercy made manifest; that, for all who trust in Him, Hefulfilled
the law, and brought in a complete righteousness; and that by thisalone
they can be justified before God. It teaches that His death was aperfect
sacrifice, and made full satisfaction and atonement for their sins, sothat
God lays no sin to their charge, but gives them a free and full pardon;that
He has ascended to the right hand of God, and has sent down the HolySpirit
to be His only Vicar and Representative on earth; that He is the onlyMediator
between the righteous God and sinful man; that it is by the HolySpirit
alone that we are convinced of sin, and led to trust in Jesus that allwho
trust in Him, and obey Him with the obedience of faith and love, aresaved,
and, being saved, are made "kings and priests unto God," and have"eternal
life" in Him.
This
is Christianity, the Christianity which the Apostles preached. But sideby
side with the Apostles, Satan went forth also, and preached what Paulcalls
"another gospel." Paul did not mean that it was called "anothergospel;"
but that as Satan "beguiled Eve through his subtlety" (2Corinthians
11:3), so some, while professing to teach the Gospel, wereturning
men away "from the simplicity that is in Christ;" and by doing so,did,
in fact, teach "another gospel." Paul, speaking of those who were
thusdeceived,
said, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that calledyou
into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another; butthere
be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ."
He
means, that there can be but one Gospel, though something else may becalled
the gospel; and he says of those who had thus perverted "the Gospelof
Christ":"If
any one preach any other gospel unto you... let him beaccursed"
(Galatians 1:6-9).He calls those who did so "false apostles, deceitful
workers, transformingthemselves into the apostles of Christ;"
and he adds,"no
marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.Therefore,
it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed asthe
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according totheir
works" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Let
us consider well the meaning of these passages of Scripture. Paul saysthat
there cannot be another Gospel; the conclusion, therefore, is evident,that
these teachers were not teachers of Christianity, but of a Satanicdelusion.
I
submit that the teaching of Rome
is at least as different from that of theSacred Writings as that which Paul calls
"another gospel;" and that,therefore, his words authorize us to say
that Romanism is not Christianity.
First,
Christianity consists of what Christ has taught, and commanded inScripture.
But Romanism does not even profess to be founded on Scriptureonly:
it claims a right to depart from what is contained in it —
a right toadd
to Scripture what is handed down by tradition; and both to depart fromand
add to Scripture by making new decrees. It forbids the cup to thepeople,
for instance, in what it calls "the mass," and yet admits that it wasnot
forbidden to them at "the beginning of the Christian religion"
(Councilof
Trent, Session 21, chap. 2). It says that councils and the pope have beenempowered
by the Holy Spirit to make decrees by which, in reality, thedoctrines
delivered by Christ are entirely annulled. To show howextensively
this has been done, let the reader endeavor to trace the fulleffect
of what Rome teaches as to baptismal regeneration,transubstantiation,
justification by means of sacraments and deeds done byus,
the invocation of saints — things which are
entirely opposed to theteaching of Christ.
The
canons of the Council of Trent, which sat at intervals from 1545 to1563,
may be called the Bible of Romanism. They were translated intoEnglish,
as late as 1848, by a Roman Catholic priest, under the sanction ofDr.
Wiseman. The Council tells us that one end for which it was called was"the
extirpation of heresies." What, then, according to it, is the standard oftruth?
It tells us that Rome receives The Sacred Scriptures and"The
Unwritten Traditions... preserved in continuous succession inthe
Catholic Church, with equal affection of piety and reverence"(Session
4);also
that "no one may dare to interpret the Sacred Scriptures" in a mannercontrary
to that "Church; whose it is to judge respecting the true sense andinterpretation
of the Sacred Scriptures;" nor may any one interpret them"in
a manner contrary to the unanimous consent of the fathers"(Session
4).
Christ
commands us to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21); to"search
the Scriptures" (John 5:39); to ascertain for ourselves, as theBereans
did, whether what we hear agrees with what we read in Scripture(Acts
17:11). He commands us to "hold fast the form of sound words,"uttered
by Himself and His Apostles (2 Timothy 1:13); to "contendearnestly
for the faith delivered once for all to the saints" (Jude 3). ButRome says,
"Let no one dare to do so" —
let all "Christian princes... cause[men] to observe" our decrees
(Session 16), nor "permit" them to be"violated by
heretics" (Session 25). The Romanist must not dare to have anopinion
of his own; his mind must exist in the state of utter prostration andbondage;
he must not attempt to understand the Scripture himself. And ifothers
attempt it — if they dare to
receive the teaching and do the will ofChrist, instead of receiving fictions and
obeying commands of men, whichwholly subvert and destroy the truth and will of
Jesus, Rome commandsthe civil ruler to restrain them; and, by the
use of fines, imprisonment, anddeath, to compel them, if possible, to renounce
what God requires them tomaintain and follow, even unto death.
The
Bible, the whole Bible, nothing but the Bible, is the standard and therule
of Christianity. To know its meaning for ourselves, to receive itsteaching,
to rely on its promises, to trust in its Redeemer, to obey Himfrom
delight of love, and to refuse to follow other teaching, is Christianityitself.
But Romanism denies all this; and therefore, Romanism is notChristianity.
Secondly:
Christ commanded us to show. "meekness" towards those whooppose
us (2 Timothy 2:25). He says,"Love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to thosewho hate you, and pray for those who use you
despitefully andpersecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
But
Romanism teaches men to hate, and, if they are able, to persecute tothe
death all those who will not receive it. Its deeds have been diabolicaland
murderous. It is "drunken with the blood of the saints." It has
inscribedon
the page of history warnings which appeal to the reason and the feelingsof
all generations. Such a warning is what is told of the 24th of August,1572.
On that day the Protestants of Paris were devoted to slaughter bymembers
of the PapalChurch. For the one offence of being
Protestants,thousands
were slain. The streets of Paris
ran with blood; everywhere criesand groans, were mingled with the clangor
of bells, the clash of arms, andthe oaths of murderers. The king, Charles
IX; stood, it is said, at awindow, and, every now and then, fired on the
fugitives. Every form ofguilt, cruelty, and suffering, made that fearful
night hideous and appalling.
Never,
in any city, which has professedly been brought under the influenceof
Christianity, was there such a reveling in blood and crime. You maysay,
"Why do you recall the atrocities of a time so remote?" I answer,Because
this deed received the sanction of the Church of Rome as ameritorious
demonstration of fidelity to Romish precepts and doctrines.
When
the tidings of this wholesale murder were received in Rome, thecannon of St. Angelo were fired, the city
was illuminated and PopeGregory XIII and his cardinals went in
procession to all the churches, andoffered thanksgivings at the shrine of
every saint. The Cardinal of Lorraine,in a letter to Charles IX, full of
admiration and applause of the bloodydeed, said, "That which you have
achieved was so infinitely above myhopes, that I should have never dared to
contemplate it; nevertheless, Ihave always believed that the deeds of your
Majesty would augment theglory of God, and tend to immortalize your
name."
Some
say that Rome
has ceased to persecute. But this is not the fact; eitheras
to her acts, or rules of action. She asserts that she is unchanged,unchangeable;
that she is infallible, and cannot alter, except so far asnecessity,
or plans for the future, may require; and facts are often occurringwhich
prove that persecution is still approved by her. Rome has littlepower now; her
persecuting spirit is kept in abeyance for a time; but it isstill
there. When it is free from restraint, it knows no way of dealing withdifference
of opinion but by the rack, the stake, the thumbscrew, the ironboot,
the assassin’s dagger, or a
wholesale massacre. Let all who valuetheir liberty, all who love the truth as
it is in Jesus have no fellowship withsuch deeds of darkness, nor with those
who work them. Let us show thatwe have no sympathy with such a cruel spirit;
and that we love the namesand memory of the noble army of martyrs of the
Reformation; of thosewho sealed their faith with their blood; of
those who died to release theircountry and their posterity from the bondage of Rome.
I
agree with Dr. Samuel Waldegrave, when he says that,"The
Convocation of the English clergy did wisely, when, in thedays
of Elizabeth, they enacted that every parish church in the landshould
be furnished with a copy of Foxe’s
Book of Martyrs;"and that it would be well if a copy of it were
"in every house, yea, in everyhand;" for "Rome is laboring,
with redoubled effort, for the subjugation ofBritain," and
"the people have forgotten that she is a siren who enchantsbut
to destroy."