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

202 CATHOLICITY OF THE CHURCH OF ROME.throw of that great system of error which was not only toarrest the progress of the Church, but actually to makeher retrograde, she should surmount the opposition of herfoes, and become triumphant and ascendant. Then wouldthe prophet"'s words be fulfilled, " The Gentiles shall see thylight, and all kings thy glory." Rome has had her " lifetime,"in which she has received her " good things," —glory,and dominion, and the worship of " all that dwell uponthe earth, whose names are not written in the Book ofLife." And whilst she clothed herself " in purple and finelinen, and fared sumptuously every day," the poor membersof Christ's body lay at her gate, glad of such crumbs oftoleration as she was pleased to let fall, and thankful whenthe dogs of her household licked their sores. It is meet,therefore, that when the one is tormented the other shouldbe comforted.But we deny that these promises refer to the Church ofRome. These promises were given to the Church of Christ;and the question, which is the Church of Christ, is to be determined,not by numbers, but by the fact of possessing thespirit of Christ and the doctrine of Christ.This brings usto the second point, that of doctrine^ in which we deny catholicityto the Church of Rome. Though the Roman pontiffcould show that every knee on earth is bent to him, thatwould prove nothing. He must show that he preaches thedoctrines which Christ preached, and governs the Churchby the laws which Christ instituted. Now Rome will not,and dare not, appeal this question to the Bible. Her invariablepolicy here is to raise a cloud of dust, by presentinga formidable list of the names and sects of the Protestantworld, and in this way to cover her retreat. But, thoughshe could prove that we are wrong, it does not follow thatshe is right. It is with the Bible alone that she has to do.And when tried by this test,—and we are entitled to do so,seeing Roman Catholics admit that the Bible is the Wordof God,—when tried, we say, by this test, the Church ofRome is scriptural neither in her constitution, nor in her