faithful unto death, have received a crown of life? Do you choose the latter? Then "fear not, neither be dismayed." However weak in yourselves, you shall be strong in the Lord; and he "will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able to bear." XIII. AS TO ITS FATE, IT IS A DOOMED CHURCH. We have now examined the principal details of Romish error; there remain but two or three, which we must be content merely to name. As to the number of their sacraments, the Romanists have seven; namely, Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Matrimony, Penance, Holy Orders, and Extreme Unction,thus adding five to the two which Jesus instituted. In the celebration of the Lord's supper, they allow the officiating priest alone, and not the people, to drink of the wine; which is contrary to Paul's teaching, who addresses the Corinthians in these words ; "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come," etc., 1 Cor. xi. 26-28. And, finally, they forbid their priests to marry; whereas Scripture makes no such prohibition, Heb. xiii. 4; 1 Tim. iii. 2; and states moreover that Peter himself had a wife, Matt. viii. 14; 1 Cor. ix. 5. Surely we have seen enough of the evils with which this form of religion abounds. It seems indeed to combine the various errors that exist in other false religions. It resembles Paganism, in its image-worship, its ceremonies, its false miracles, its self-tortures, and its priestcraft. It resembles Mohammedanism, in exterminating heretics with a view of doing God service. It resembles Socinianism, in its self-righteousness and the low views it gives of the Saviour's work. It resembles Antinomianism, in the licence it affords for the commission of iniquity. But its most full resemblance is to the Pharisaic religion. Look at the following passages, and you will see that the Pharisees are charged with most of the very evils that form our reasons for keeping aloof from the church of Rome. There are, indeed, only two exceptions of outward idolatry the Pharisees were not guilty, the Babylonish captivity having effectually cured the Jewish nation of bowing down to graven images; nor could the Pharisees be chargeable with priest-exaltation, since the sacerdotal office was really among them one of signal and Divinely instituted importance. Resemblances between the Pharisees and the Romanists. Matt. xv. 3, 9. 1. Rejecting Christ as the foundation, Matt. xxi. 42-45. 2. Superseding Scripture by tradition, 3. Pretending to infallibility John ix. 40, 41. Luke xvi. 15; and xviii. 11, 12. Matt. xxiii. 25-27. Matt.xxiii. 14, 28; Matt. xxiii. 4. Matt. xxiii.29-36; and John xii. 42. The close similarity thus traced need not surprise us: "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." The same spirit worketh in the children of disobedience; and consequently even of error itself we are unable to say, "See, this is new." The recurrence of the evils already specified, is distinctly traced by the prophetic pen of inspiration. We therefore subjoin another list of passages for the examination of our youthful readers. Passages in which the doctrines of Popery, or errors similar to them, are foretold as corruptions which would arise in the church, but which were to be strenuously resisted. 1. Do the Romanists reject Christ as the church's all-in-all? 2. Do they corrupt Scripture, and put tradition in its place? 2 Pet. ii. 1. 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4; and Col. ii. 8. ?Rev. xviii. 7. 1 Tim. iv. 3; and 2 Pet. ii. 18. . 2 Thess. ii. 12; and Rev. xviii. It is no matter of wonder that such a church should be a DOOMED one. Its destruction is certain, and will be fearful. It may for a season prosper; but it cannot finally prevail. If it triumph once more, its triumph will not be permanent. However different may be the interpretations given of unfulfilled prophecy, however varied the opinions held concerning the signs of the times, all (save the Romanists themselves) are agreed, that the doom of the Papacy is sealed. This "mystery of iniquity" is to be destroyed "with the brightness of his (Christ's) coming," 2 Thess. ii. 3-12. The destruction is to be complete; for "with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all," Rev. xviii. 21. And the overthrow is to be comparatively sudden; for it shall be said, "In one hour so great riches is come to nought," Rev. xviii. 17. Listen then to the warning accents, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues," Rev. xviii. 4. Let such as belong to the Romish church, come out of her. Let such as are already out of her communion, |