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

KO SALTATION OUT OF THE CHURCH OF ROME. 200CHAPTER VIII.NO SALVATION OUT OF THE CHURCH OP ROME.On all other Christian societies the Church of Rome pronouncesa sentence of spiritual outlawry. She alone is theChurch, and beyond her pale there is no salvation. Sherecognises but one pastor and but one fold ; and those whoare not the sheep of the Pope of Rome, cannot be the sheepof Christ, and are held as being certainly cut off from all theblessings of grace now, and from all the hopes of eternal lifehereafter.In the hands of Peter's successor are lodged theand no one can enter but those whom he iskeys of heaven ;pleased to admit ; and he admits none but good Catholics,who believe that a consecrated wafer is God, and that hehimself is God's vicegerent, and infallible. All others areheathens and heretics, accursed of God, and most certainlyaccursed of Rome. This compendious anathema, it is true,gives Protestants no concern. They know that it is as impotentas it is malignant; and it can excite within them nothinffbut o-ratitude to that Providence which has made thepower of this Church as circumscribed as her cruelty is vastand her vengeance unappeasable. God has not put in subjectionto Rome either this world or the world to come ; andthe Pope and his Cardinals have just us much power to consignall outside their Church toeternal flames, as to forbidthe sun to shine or the rain to fall on all who dare rejectthe infallibility.