Popery condemned by scripture and the fathers - End Time Deception

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POPERY CODEMNED P.Y
The R, must be surprised, that the apostle
Paul cculd describe the future state of the Romish
Church with such minute precision. To
what cause can he refer his predictions, but to
inspiration by the Spirit of God Prophecy he
must then acknowledge to be of vast use in religion
y since it enables us to conclude, both that
the Pope is Antichrist, and that the scriptures
are the word of God,
By such evidence, the scriptures discover
themselves to the rational mind, as the work of
inspiration. The faith of the Christian, how- *
ever, does not receive them upon this ground.
A rational assent to the truth of scripture may
be thus produced, but not a divine faith ; for
an assent must ahvays be of the same kind with
the principles upon which it is founded. Protestants,
therefore, distinguish between faith and
^ reason, and maintain, that there may be a rational
persuasion of the inspiration of scripture
where divine faith is wanting. To illustrate this,
it may be observed, that faith is not merely a
belief of the inspiration of the scriptures,
but an
acceptance of the doctrines which they exhibit.
Upon rational principles, a person may believe the
former, vvhile he has never viewed the latter as
adapted to his condition, or necessary to his happiness.
The apostle Paul has, accordingly, assigned
this as the cause why the doctrines of religion
are rejected by rational men. " The na-
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