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

POPERY AS OF MAN. 405Thus the counterfeit Christianity of Rome is as extensiveas the real Christianity of the New Testament : it substitutesother objects of worship, other doctrines,other sacraments; all of which, however, in the letter, have an exactcorrespondence with the true. The forms of Christianityhave been faithfully copied ; its realities have been completelyset aside. Thus Satan has carried his object, notby erecting a system avowedly antagonistic, but by amusingand deluding men with the counterfeit. The policy adoptedin Egypt of old to frustrate the mission of INIoses, was thatof bringing forward a class of magicians to counterfeit themiracles of the Jewish lawgiver. The same expedient hasbeen adopted a second time. Satan has brought forwardthe magicians and necromancers of Rome, who have imitatedthe miracles of the gospel. And as Moses was withstoodby Jannes and Jambres, so have the lying prophets ofRome withstood Christianity in its glorious mission of regeneratingthe world. Christianity has respect to time aswell as to eternity; and inboth departments of its missionhas it been withstood by the Romish soothsayers, and that,too, exactly in the style of their Egyptian predecessors, who" did so with their enchantments." The temporal end ofChristianity they have defeated, by persuading rulers thatthey were able to secure the good and order of society.Princes have listened to them, and refused to let the gospelhave liberty ; and thus society has been corrupted and destroyed.The eternal end of Christianity they have defeated,by persuading men that, without parting with a single sin,or acquiring a single gracious disposition, they might attainto heaven. They have thus retained men under the powerof corruption, and sealed them over to eternal damnation.But the Papacy may be viewed as of man. Primarily itis the emanation of satanic policy ; secondarily, it is thefabrication of human ambition and wickedness. In orderto discover its genius, viewed as the creation of man, it isnecessary to keep in view the grand aim of the Papacy.Without this we cannot appreciate its marvellous adaptation