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

INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE, 269said it (for certainly the Bible has nowhere said it), andtherefore it must be so. This may be an excellent reasonto the believer in infallibility, but it is no reason to anyone else. It may be possible that this half-foundered craftnamed Peter, with its riven sails, its tangled cordage, itsyawning seams, and its drunken crew, may be the one shipon the ocean which is destined to ride out the storm andreach the port in safety ; but before beginning the voyage,one would like to have some better assurance of this thanthe mere word of a superannuated captain, never very soundin the head, and now, partly through age and partly throughthe excesses of his youth, to the full as crazy as his vessel.It is fair to mention, that Romanists are accustomed tomake an exception in the matter of non-salvability beyondthe pale of their Church, in favour of those who labour under" invincible ignorance!''' The Professor in the Collegio Romano,when pressed by Mr Seymour on the subjectof hisown personal salvation, gave him the benefit of this exception; and we doubt not that all Protestants will be madeabundantly welcome to it. How far it can be of any use tothem is another question. The hopes it holds out are of theslenderest ; for, so far as Romish writers have defined thisinvincible ignorance, none can plead the benefit of it savesuch as have had no means of knowing the faith of Rome,but who, if they had, would willingly embrace it. This exceptionof " invincible ignorance" may include a few heathens,so benighted as never to have heard of the Church ofRome and her peculiar dogmas ; and it may comprehendalso those Protestants who are absolutely idiots ; but it canbe of no use to any one else. Such is the whole extent ofRome's charity.** The notes on the Popish Bible, published in Dublin in 1816, under thesanction of Dr Troy, and declared to be equally binding as the text itself,show the light in which Protestants are regarded by the Church of Rome.They are called heretics of the worst kind (note on Acts, xxviii. 22).They are described as in rebellion and damnable revolt against the truth(on John, x. 1). And they may and ought, by public authority, to be chastisedand executed (on ^Matt. xiii. 19).