The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

;DOGJIAS OF THE PAPACY. 165BOOK 11.DOGMAS OFTHE PAPACY.CHAPTER I.THE POPISH THEOLOGY.The Popish theology is based on the great fundamentaltruths of revelation. So far it agrees with the evangelicaland Protestant scheme. Any attempt on the part of theChurch of Rome to obscure or extinguish those doctrineswhich form the ultimate foundations of religion wovdd havebeen singularly imprudent, and as futile as imprudent. Byretaining these truths, and founding her system upon them,the Romish Church has secured to that system an authorityand power which it never otherwise could have possessed.Building so far upon a divine foundation, she has beenable to palm her whole system upon the world as divine.Had she come denying the very first principles of revealedtruth, she would scarce have been able to obtain a hearing—she would have been at once repudiatedas an impostor.Popery saw and avoided the danger ; and it has shown inthis its usual dexterity and cunning. The system is not theless opposed to Scripture on that account, nor the less es-