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

IDOLATRY OF THE PRACTICE.S'.Oof E,onie to suppress the cholera, the Pope (Gregory XVI.)joining barefooted in the procession.* And what, we mayask, is the change which the Papist believes passes upon theimage in the act of consecration ?Is it not this, that whereasbefore it was simply a piece of dead and inefficacious matter,it has now become filled or inspired with the virtuedivinity of the object it represents, who is now mysteriouslypresent in it or with it ?But, in the third place, though this distinction were onethat could be easily drawn, and though it could be shownthat it always is clearly drawn by the worshipper, andthough it could be shown also, that all the good effectswhich have been alleged do in point of fact flow from thispractice, all this would make nothing as a defence. TheWord of God denounces the practice as idolatrous, andplainly forbids it. The condemnation and prohibition ofthis practice form the subject of one entire precept of theDecalogue." Thou shalt not make unto thee any gravenimage, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,or that is in the earth beneath, &c. ; thou shalt not bowdown thyself to them, nor serve them ; for I the Lord thyGod am a jealous God."-f- Till these words are revoked asplainly and solemnly as they were promulgated,—till thesame mighty voice shall proclaim in the hearing of the nationsthat the second precept of the Decalogue has beenabrogated,—the practice of Rome must stand condemned asidolatrous. The case, then, is a plain one, and resolves itselfinto this. Whether shall we obey Rome or Jehovah?The former, speaking from the Seven Hills, says, " Thoumayest make unto thee graven images, and bow down thyselfto them, and serve them :" the latter, speaking in thunderfrom Sinai, says, " Thou shalt not make unto thee anyor* Morninj^s among the Jesuits, pp. 35-38.+ Exod. XX. 4, 5. Perrone contends that what the command forbids isthe making of images to the pagan deities, and not the making of them toChrist and the saints. Of course, he is unable to produce any ground forthis distinction, (Praelectiones Theologicte, torn. i. p. 1209,)