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BX 1765 ,P7 1854 S. 180Z Plumer, William
Rome against the Bible
Digitized by the Internet Archive in
2010 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
http://www.archive.org/details/romeagainstbibleOOplum
:
ROME AGAINST THE
BIBLE,
BIBLE AGAINST ROME; OR,
PHARISAISM, JEWISH
BY WM.
"The law "
of the Lord
i3
S.
AND
PLUMER,
PAPAL.
D.D.
perfect, converting the soul."
Ye have taken away the key
of knowledge."—Luke
—Ps. xix.
7.
xi. 52.
jpljilaitrlpjjia
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, IIS
ARCH STREET.
Entered according
to
Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by the
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 7
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
STEREOTYPIC!) BY
GEORGE CHARLES. PRINTED BY KING & BAIRD.
States, in
CONTENTS CHAPTER
I.
the Jews — how
Pharisaism among
People in ignorance of God's
CHAPTER Papists
PAGE it
kept the
Word
5
II.
the Arts of their Jewish
practise
forerunners, and with like effects,
CHAPTER
'
25
III.
Papists go beyond the Pharisees, and are hostile to the free use and general circulation of God's Word,
46
CHAPTER Same subject continued
— Additional
CHAPTER This opposition
is
IV.
Proofs,
unreasonable and unscrip-
TURAL,
78
CHAPTER It
is
62
V.
VI.
condemned by the voice of Antiquity,.
CHAPTER
98
VII.
Address to Romish Priests, to Private Members of the Romish Church, and to Protestants, 112
Conclusion.
13)
CHAPTER PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS
I.
HOW
IT
KEPT THE PEO-
PLE IN IGNORANCE OF GOD'S WORD.
In the days of his flesh, Jesus Christ charged upon the expounders of the Mosaic institute, that They they had taken away the key of knowledge. deprived the people of the means of attaining to the knowledge of the kingdom of God.
Sound knowledge ries of
is
an entrance into
"
life.
the people perish."
a key to unlock the myste-
Without
redemption.
it
Where
no man can there
no
it
is
often put
The great duty of make known the truths
whole of religion.
religious teachers
is
effect
vision,
So important is divine know-
ledge that by a figure of speech for the
is
to
all
of
open and explain the Scriptures. Thus men are led to understand, love and prac-
revelation, to
tise the will of
Yet
in every
of their office ness.
;
God revealed for their age many slight or omit
all
the duties
while others turn light into dark-
They even obstruct the way
practise
salvation.
the arts of deception.
of
life.
With a
They pre-
tended reverence for God's word, they neither 1* (5)
;
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
6
love nor obey
it,
nor wish nor encourage others
to do so.
Thus it was with many in our Saviour's day. The Pharisees were the leaders in this system of perversion. With their scribes and lawyers they were prepared for any deed of hypocrisy and
Let us look at their errors. them respected the rule of faith and They held that it consisted not only of
wickedness.
One
of
practice.
the written, but also of the unwritten word.
Not
Scripture alone, but Scripture and tradition united
formed their canon.
and
all
so also
The
five
books of Moses
the canonical Scriptures were received
was a mass of corruptions called the oral
Whenever a conflict arose between the written word and tradition, the latter always bore away the palm of victory. The lawyers held that their traditions were as truly God's word as the law.
sacred writings, and that the officers of the Jewish
nation were appointed to transmit the oral law
from generation to generation. tended to show a
list
And
of those through
they pre-
whom,
in
unbroken succession, they had received these traThis list began with Moses then came ditions. ;
Joshua, the seventy elders, the prophets, the rabbies,
&c.
They held that these traditions had no than Moses and the prophets, and
less authority
that the written law could not be well understood
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS.
without the
oral.
7
So they were " exceedingly
zealous of the traditions of the fathers," and reas forsaking Moses Thus by adopting maxims and sentiments never sanctioned by Heaven, they "made the commandment of God of none effect
garded
all,
and God
by
who forsook them,
himself.
their tradition."
These doctors had also their Apocrypha, which This they put side by side with God's word. consisted of the writings of ancient uninspired
Thus they held that the Targum of Rabbies. Jonathan had "been received from the mouths of Haggai and Malachi, which two prophets were keepers of the oral law in the consistory of Ezra." Thus they had a part of the oral law in writing, as well as
much
still
handed down by unwritten
tradition.
They also
greatly erred respecting the interpre-
tation of Scripture.
They held
that not the text,
but the living teacher was the sure guide.
The
great question between them and Christ, respected the interpretation of God's word. for the plain declarations of
He
contended
Moses and the pro-
phets, for the obvious, grammatical sense of the
They insisted that God's word was to be understood according to the Talmuds and Targums, (the Mishnas and Gemaras,) the agreement of the Rabbies and the decisions of
inspired writers.
:
8
ROME AGAINST THE
•
BIBLE.
the Great Council, as expounded by the living teacher.
In the Talmud
it
we "must
said
is
attend more to the words of the Scribes than to
The lawyers claimed preceThe former held that the
those of the law."
dence of the prophets. latter
must work miracles, or give
of their heavenly mission
infallible signs
but that a Rabbi was
;
In proof
to be believed without any miracle.
they quoted Deut.
" The
xvii. 12.
do presumptuously, and
will
man
that will
not hearken unto the
priest that standeth to minister there before the
Lord thy God, or unto the judge, One of their rules was that die."
that "
man
shall
a thousand
if
such prophets as Elias and Elisha bring one inter-
and a thousand and one, a contrary, must incline to the interpretation which has a we pretation,
majority of one, and take the Rabbles, rather than the
Josephus,
prophets."
says,
himself a
that "the Pharisees held
Pharisee,
necessary to
it
observe and contend for everything, which their
Here we have the
guide commands."
clue to the
right understanding of those sayings of Christ
" Be ye not called Rabbi even Christ
;
and
all
no man your
father
Father which
is in
masters: for one
Matt,
xxiii.
8
—
:
for
one
upon earth
heaven. is
10.
is
your Master,
ye are brethren. :
for
And one
is
call
your
Neither be ye called
your Master, even Christ."
The meaning
plainly
is,
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS. 1
9
never seek to have dominion over men's
men
permit
We
nor
must receive our doctrine from the Father
No man
and the Son. All mere
men
has original knowledge in
The
the things of God. us.
faith,
to have dominion over your faith.'
Scriptures must teach
are fallible,
God
implicitly trusted.
alone
and so cannot be is
great.
In coincidence with the foregoing, these ancient errorists denied the right of private judg-
When
ment.
who had been
the officers,
sent to
apprehend Christ, returned without him, they assigned as a reason the great power of his speech and teaching " Never man spake as this :
To
man."
this
the Jewish authorities replied
with an air of triumph, believed
rulers
on
him
?"
the masses of the people, to hear Christ, were
"
Have any of the They added, that who seemed inclined
no judges
mat-
in religious
" This people that knoweth not the law
ters.
are cursed."
John
vii.
48, 49.
The
rulers, the
guides, the Rabbies, were to be followed
;
but
the people were ignorant, and to be despised of
men
as they were cursed of
All
these
men
God.
stood quite aloof from the
The word Pharisee means Separatist. one who withdrew from familiar The intercourse with the body of the people. people.
It designated
whole sect was exclusive and ready to curse the
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
10
of mankind.
rest
maxim
Their favorite
was,
that out of their communion, and aside from their teachings, there was no salvation, but that
all
made up of pubdogs and cursed. They were
others belonged to a vile herd, licans
and
sinners,
highly offended even at the offer of life to others. Paul says " They were contrary to all men for:
:
bidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they
might be saved, to the wrath 1 Thess.
fill up their sins alway for come upon them to the uttermost."
is
ii.
;
15, 16.
Moses and the prophets taught no doctrine contrary to the
belief,
that a penitent sinner of
Yet
any nation might be saved.
so deeply im-
pressed on the Jewish mind was the idea, that salvation was exclusively for the children of Abra-
ham, that nothing but a revelation could bring Peter to say
:
"
Of a
truth I perceive that
no respecter of persons
God
that feareth him, and worketh righteousness,
accepted with him." Acts
more remarkable,
as the
x. 34, 35.
name.
among
And
the
all
Gentiles,
again he
with his people.
xv. 9-11.
is
is
the
" I will confess to
and sing unto thy ye Gentiles,
again, Praise the Lord,
ye Gentiles, and laud
Rom.
:
saith, Rejoice,
And
This
Old Testament frequently
uses such language as this
thee
is
but in every nation, he
:
him,
"Behold my
all
ye people."
servant,
whom
I
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS.
have chosen well pleased
;
:
my
beloved, in
I will put
my
he shall show judgment to
name
in his
11
whom my
soul
is
upon him, and the Gentiles .... And spirit
shall the Gentiles trust."
Matt.
xii.
was only as Jews, like Simeon, w ere taught by the Holy Ghost, that they clearly saw that Messiah was a light to lighten the Gentiles, 18, 21.
T
It
and, at the same time, the glory of the people Israel.
It
Luke
also
ii.
32.
evinced the capricious
of the
state
minds of the Scribes and Lawyers, when they declared against Christ, on the ground that no
prophet arose out of Galilee.
had
all
The same people
admitted Jonah, who was of Galilee, to
be a true prophet of Jehovah.
Nazareth was an
obscure place, and bore a bad name, and because Jesus had resided there a part of his rejected this greatest of teachers.
life,
they
Jesus Christ
belonged not to their company, followed not their teachings, and joined not himself to their assem-
bly
;
him a
therefore, they rejected him, called
glutton and a wine-bibber, 'this fellow,' Beelzebub
and a blasphemer. It faith
is
not surprising, that with such a rule of
and practice, and with such modes of
pretation, these people
and trusted saints.
inter-
embraced the doctrine,
in the efficacy of the intercession of
In the book of Tobit, chap.
xii.
12, 15,
ROME AGAINST THE BIELE.
12
an angel
is
brought
in,
"When
saying:
thou
and Sarah, thy daughter-in-law, I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before didst pray,
the
Holy One.
am
I
Raphael, one of the seven
holy angels, which present the prayers of the
and out before the glory
saints,
and which go
in
of the
Holy One."
How
long before
this
time
the belief of the efficacy of the prayers of saints
began
to prevail
that
tain,
it
is
not
clear.
It
is,
however, cer-
received no countenance from the
holy Scriptures.
It continued to
be held, more
or less by the Pharisees, for a long time after the
days of Tobit.
In
like
manner they prayed
you may see
for the dead, as
where "Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them (their brethren) that were slain, and to bury them with their kins-
we
in 2 Maccabees, xii. 39-45,
are told that
men
in their
graves.
fathers'
coats of every one that was
~Now, under the slain,
they found
things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites,
which every
is
forbidden the Jews by the law.
man saw
they were
slain.
Then
that this was the cause wherefore
All
men
therefore praising the
Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,
betook themselves unto
prayer, and besought him that the sin committed
might wholly be put out of remembrance.
Be-
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS. sides,
13
that noble Judas exhorted the people to
keep themselves from
sin,
forasmuch as they saw
before their eyes the things that came to pass for
And when
the sins of those that were slain.
he
had made a gathering throughout the company, to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent
it
to Jerusalem to offer a sin-offering,
doing
therein very well and honestly, in that he "was for if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray
mindful of the resurrection
for the dead.
And
:
also in that he perceived that
there was great favor laid up for those that died
godly.
(It
was a holy and
Whereupon he made a
good thought.)
reconciliation
for the
dead, that they might be delivered from sin."
This
is
the
first
instance of the use of prayers for
the dead, of which practice reason,
is
and
mon among they
fell
we have any
record.
But the
very agreeable to the natural darkened sinful affections of
men.
It
was com-
the Pharisees just in proportion as
into general corruption.
The same teachers were very corrupt casuists. They strained at a gnat, but swallowed a camel. They would not admit Judas 's thirty pieces of silver into the treasury,
of blood
sum
;
because
it
was the price
yet they did not hesitate to pay that
to the traitor in order to secure the shedding
:
ROME AGAINST THE
14
They scrupled
of innocent blood.
judgment
BIBLE.
to enter the
should be denied; yet
hall lest they
they denied the Holy One, and the Just, and de-
and They were very zealous
sired a murderer to be granted unto them, killed the Prince of Life.
about a mote in the eye of another, but perceived not the beam in their own eye.
They held
it
very obligatory to pay tithes of rue, mint, anise,
cummin, and
all
herbs and fruits
;
yet
was quite
it
consistent with their principles to rob widows' houses. said lent
Their law forbade them to
kill
;
but they
was not wicked to indulge the most vioThey said it was wicked in common anger. it
God
conversation to swear by
;
but not
swear by heaven.
They held that
wrong and it, was no
do
desire to
it,
to
sinful to
meditate
without accomplishing
Thus Josephus in a given case says that Antiochus Epiphanes " deserved no punishment for what he only would have done, but And Kimchi, commenting on Ps. lxvi did not." 18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord sin.
will not hear
to
me
evil
for sin
me," says ;
thought as
for
:
God
"
He
sin, unless it
God, or religion."
impute
will not
it
does not look upon an
How
be conceived against
different
God's sentence, where he pronounces
this '<
is
from
every ima-
gination of the thoughts of the heart only evil continually."
Gen.
vi
:
5.
Their law clearly re-
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS.
15
quired them to love their neighbor.
This they
expounded by adding these words, " and hate They were required to honor thine enemy." their father
and mother
but they decided that
;
if
a child devoted to religious use any thing, by
which a parent might be
profited, the fifth
com-
mandment was not of force against him. Their rule was, that "vows take place, even in things commanded by the law, as well as in things indifand then any one is bound by them, that ferent :
he cannot, without great
sin,
do that which
is
commanded." Thus the more these people were given to their false religion, the more corrupt they were in morals. Their law forbade them to use, or make any likeness of any thing This was undeniable. ficulty was, that to
that
it
in religious worship.
Their solution of the
worship an idol was
sin,
dif-
but
was permitted to worship God by means
of an image.
They were
also
strict
very precise respecting worship.
tilios in
hands
is
"Whosoever
One
of their sayings
despiseth the washing of
worthy to be excommunicated
to poverty, and will be
world."
gestures and punc-
There was hardly any end to
their washings of hands.
was, that
They were
ritualists.
attire,
Another of
;
he comes
extirpated out of the
their sayings
made eating
;
ROME AGAINST THE
16
BIBLE.
bread with unwashen hands as bad as the grossest violation of the seventh
commandment.
Maimo-
nides says, that "the religious of old did eat their
common all
food in cleanness, and took care to avoid
uncleanness
Pharisees
;
all
and
and they were called
their days,
this
is
a matter of the highest
and the way of the highest religion man separate himself, and go aside from the vulgar, and that he neither touch them, nor eat, or drink with them for such separation conduces to the purity of the body from evil works, sanctity,
namely, that a
;
the purity of the
body conduces
to the cleansing
of the soul from evil affections, and the sanctity of the soul conduces to the likeness of God." it came to be said among them that "Whosoever has his seat in the land of Israel,
Accordingly
and
eats
his
common
food in
cleanness,
and
speaks the holy language, and recites his phylacteries
morning and evening,
that he shall obtain the
To
life
let
him be confident
of the world to come."
such a people Christ could have said no-
thing more offensive than that "to eat with un-
washen hands
They tell
defileth
not a man." Matt. xv. 20.
us that one of their number, R.
Aquiba
being in prison, and not having water enough to drink and to wash his hands also, chose to do the latter, saying,
"It
is
better to die of thirst than
transgress the tradition of the elders."
Among
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS.
17
them such a man was held
in great veneration for In their eyes his virtue was of a very
sanctity.
exalted character.
From such persons you would naturally expect much ostentation. They wore long garments to give them a solemn phylacteries,
air. They made broad their which were pieces of parchment
with portions of Scripture written upon them. One of the Targums introduces the Jews, saying, " I am chosen above all people, because I bind
my frontals
to
parchment
is
my head and my
my my door, comes up to my bed, left
hand, and
fixed to the right side of
so that a third part of
that the evil spirits
may
it
not hurt me."
They
dis-
figured their faces, that they might appear unto men to fast. They well understood the whole art
and mystery of sanctimonious grimaces. In there has been no improvement
that business
since their time. When they were about to give alms they blew a trumpet that it might be known what they were doing. They also went to the
corners of the streets, to the synagogues, and to other public places to offer up their personal devotions.
All this and
much more they did to be For a pretence they made long Some of them prayed three long hours They used vain repetitions, and thought
seen of men. prayers.
together.
they should be heard for their
2*
much
speaking.
HOME AGAINST THE
18
Their religion was
BIBLE.
for show.
all
God where none but God was them a
dull,
To worship
witness was to
uninteresting employment.
Such persons were swollen with spiritual pride. Even their prayers were full of vain-glory. 11
God, I thank
am
thee, that I
not as other
men
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
are,
I fast twice in the week.
this publican.
tithes of all that I possess."
prayer for a Pharisee.
made him
It
I give
This was a model feel
good.
was more self-conceited and every way more wicked than before he fell under
One
of their converts
and that just in proportion as he was zealous in their cause. They "compassed sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he was made, they made him two-fold more the child of hell than themselves." Justin Martyr says, that
their influence
;
these " proselytes did not only disbelieve Christ's doctrine,
but were
against him than
twice
more
blasphemous
the Jews themselves,
endea-
voring to torment the Christians, and cut them off
wherever they could.
In
this
they were the
instruments of the Scribes and Pharisees."
seem to have brought
all
They
the brutality and mali-
ciousness of heathenism into their profession of
They were monsters of depravity. The system of the Pharisees was also full
Judaism.
ridiculous legends
and degrading
of
superstitions.
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS.
Old wives'
fables, endless genealogies
19
and
foolish
questions took the place of solemn inquiries after
A
truth.
discussion kill
a
question
deemed worthy of earnest
among them was
this
on the Sabbath day
flea
tiously regarded
it
;
endless
supersti-
and
fruits of the
on that day.
They inThey
foolish distinctions.
threw away the kernel, but held
They
lawful to
it
or for him and
pluck and eat the
earth, even if hungry,
vented
Is
They
?
wicked for Christ to work his
miracles of healing on that day his disciples to
—
fast the
shell.
away the wheat and garnered up the The gravest questions in religion were
cast
chaff. little
but those, which were con-
cared for;
temptibly frivolous, were
much dwelt upon.
Respecting justification before
tem was
utterly false
God
and dangerous.
their sys-
They put
the types in the place of the great anti-type
;
the
blood of bulls and goats in the place of the blood of God's dear Son of
men
deemer.
:
the
in place of the finished
They went about
imperfect works work of the Re-
to establish their
own
righteousness, and did not submit themselves to
They justified themThey thought that they were whole and needed not any physician. They thought that
the righteousness of God. selves.
they were rich, and increased in goods, and had
need of nothing
;
and knew not that they were
ROME AGAINST THE
20
BIBLE.
poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked, and
had need of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption through the Lord of life and
They
glory.
trusted in themselves that they were
To every other righteous and despised others. man they said, " Stand by thyself, come not near me;
to
am
for I
holier than thou." Is. lxv. 5.
Such were a smoke burnt
all
purpose
me
?
I
and the
is
i.
is
:
:
"
fire
that
To what
beasts.
incense
iniquity,
is
.
.
.
Bring no more
an abomination unto
even the solemn meeting.
11, 13.
As might be who embraced prophet Micah,
The more
expected, the
corrupt
this
and persecuting.
were
said
of the burnt-offerings of rams,
full
fat of fed
vain oblations
Is.
God's nose, a
the multitude of your sacrifices unto
am
me. ... It
in
To them he
the day.
strict
They iii.
5.
those
are well described in the
See also Acts xxiv.
5.
any one was, the more bitter
his animosities.
They
they murdered God's Son people.
spirit of
system was cruel
;
killed the prophets
;
they persecuted his
The more Saul of Tarsus prized his more did he breathe threatenings
religion, the
and slaughter against the church of God. He haled men and women to prison and to judgHe was exment, to mockings and to death. ceeding
mad
against
all
who dared
to profess
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS. faith in the only
Saviour of sinners.
mercies of such a system are cruel.
21
The tender Those who
down in perfect coolness to mediThey gloat over the miseries of They wag the head and their helpless victims. taunt even those who are at their hands suffering They kill the body, the agonies of crucifixion. they would kill the power, and, if they had the They have no mercy. They are the enesoul. embrace
it
sit
tate torture.
mies of the cross of Christ, haters of true godliness,
and opposers of
all
God
goodness.
They
enl^er
them Thus the Pharitook away the key of knowledge, and left the
not the kingdom of
themselves, and
that are entering they hinder. sees
blind,
who followed them,
to perish in ignorance
of the truth of God.
Yet, with many, these people had a great repu-
They managed
tation for piety.
dence of thousands
;
so that
it
to win the confi-
was often
but two men are saved, one of them Pharisee and the other a scribe."
said, " if will
be a
Indeed, with
many, their religion was highly popular. The it required no love, no meekness,
reason was that
no humility, no self-denial of the strong inclinaOne could come away tions of the wicked heart. from his street-corner devotions as righteousness as
it
Even burdensome
was possible rituals are
for
full
man
of
self-
to be.
but slightly repug-
— ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
22
mind, compared with
nant to the carnal
It
so.
so
is
gion
this
at
day.
It
be so to
will
The very hardest thing
the end of time.
its
It always has been
hatred of spiritual religion.
in reli-
to confess that even our righteousnesses
is,
are filthy rags, that
all
outward services without
supreme love to God are worthless, and that if we shall ever be saved, it must be solely by the rich, free, sovereign,
unmerited grace of
God
in Christ
Jesus, our Lord. t
It
was of these people that our Saviour said
"Except your righteousness
shall
:
exceed the
righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye
no case enter the kingdom of heaven
shall in
:"
by the word righteousness
is
here meant personal virtue, as some think, this
is
Matt.
v.
20.
If
a good sense, and these
left sin
The
is
The
very true.
men was outward,
official,
holiness of
ceremonial, and
undisturbed on the throne of the heart.
holiness
spiritual
—
God
requires
of the heart,
precepts of God's law.
is
inward, personal,
and universal It
as to the
was the most
difficult
thing imaginable, to convince a Pharisee that he
was a sinner at all. Paul, who had been one of number, says, " I had not known sin, but
their
by the law for I had not known lust, except the Thou shalt not covet." If one law had said, :
repeated the ten commandments to one of these
PHARISAISM AMONG THE JEWS.
23
deluded men, his prompt reply was, "All these my youth tip." Outwardly he
have I kept from
had done
it,
perhaps, even where the heart was a full of dead men's bones and all
whited sepulchre,
But if the word righteousness means justifying righteousness,
uncleanness.
Matt.
v.
20,
in
as
some think it does, then the sense is also good, and the doctrine most true for the Scribes and ;
Pharisees never sought nor desired any other ground of acceptance with God than their own
and God abhors all such pretensions. The grand difference between the worship of Cain and Abel was, that Cain's offerings were fit only merits,
for an unfallen creature, while Abel's well suited
a sinner, who
guilty and helpless contwo men that were ever born, well represent the two classes of men that have ever since been in the world; one trusting in dition.
felt his lost,
These
first
themselves that they are righteous, and despising others, the other crying, "God be merciful to
me, a sinner." Is it surprising, that the great infallible Teacher denounced many woes on these people ? They and their followers were fearfully hardened by all their perversion of Scripture, and by all their
opposition
God's word.
A
dead in unbelief
to
the
plain
teachings
soul steeped in falsehood is
in
a sad way.
of
and
Very few
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
24
of the leaders in these
errors were
converted
by our Saviour's miracles and preaching.
The
publicans and harlots entered into the kingdom of
God
before them.
great sinners seem at
Nor all
pression on their minds. pride.
did the conversion of
make any good imThey were hardened in
to
CHAPTER
II.
PAPISTS PRACTISE THE ARTS OF THEIR JEWISH FORE-
RUNNERS, AND WITH LIKE EFFECTS.
Pharisaism
mind
of man.
quite congenial with the carnal
is
The
false teachers in the
days of
our Saviour have been closely followed by the All the essential prin-
ministers of Anti-Christ.
ciples of the old school of Pharisees are revived
in the church of
Rome.
The Pope,
his
and Priests practise very much the same
Bishops arts as
the Scribes and Lawyers of old, and with very
much
the same design and
effect.
Like the Pharisees, Papists hold that the Scriptures are not the only practice.
that
all
and whole rule of
The Council
" saving truth
faith
and
of Trent expressly says,
and
discipline are contained
both in written books and in unwritten traditions,
which have come down to us, either received by the apostles from the lips of Christ himself, or transmitted by the
hands of the same apostles
under the dictation of the Holy Spirit clares that
it
" doth receive
equal piety and veneration,
3
;" and deand reverence, with
all
the books, as well
(25)
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
26
New
of the Old as of the
God
Testament, the same
being the author of both
—and
also
the
aforesaid traditions, pertaining both to faith
and
manners, whether received from Christ himself,
Holy
or dictated by the
and preserved
Spirit,
in
the Catholic Church It also says,
by continual succession." "that whoever shall knowingly and
deliberately despise the aforesaid traditions, let
him be accursed."
This
and unmis-
explicit
is
Canon Law,
takable.
With
" That
do with such reverence regard the apos-
tolic
all
this
agrees
the
know
that they rather desire to
seal,
the
ancient institution of the Christian religion from
the mouth of the Pope, than from the sacred pages." Cardinal Hosius says " Much the great:
est part of the
very
little
How
of
Gospel
it is
contrary
teachings
is
themselves.
is
come
to us
by
tradition,
committed to writing." all this
doctrine
is
to the divine
Holy Scriptures This can be shown from the Do way evident from the
Bible, which in all matters of dispute between
Romanists and Protestants
will
be quoted in this
treatise unless notice to the contrary shall is
best,
but for the purpose of cutting
putes
The in
be given.
done, not because that translation
This
is
the
off all dis-
about the rendering of the sacred text. proof adduced from Scripture is found
first
Deut
xii.
32.
"What
I
command
thee, that
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
only do thou to the Lord
To
nor diminish."
this
:
27
neither add any thing
a note
is
affixed
:
"
They
are forbid here to follow the ceremonies of the
heathens
;
make any alteration in the divine That is a good note. Yet how
or to
ordinances."
much Rome adds and
diminishes,
According to Hosius " very adopted at
Rome
found in Gal.
i.
is
written.
8, 9.
it is
hard to
say.
the rule
little" of
The next
text
"But though we
is
or an
angel from heaven preach a gospel to you beside that which
anathema.
we have preached to you, As we said before, so
let
him be
I say
now
any one preach to you a gospel besides that which you have received, let him be anathema." Could the apostle in more solemn words again
if
:
have warned
word? "
all
men not
In 2 Tim.
iii.
to add anything to God's 16, IT,
Paul
Scripture divinely inspired
is
asserts that
profitable to
teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice
unto every is
God may be good work." By "
man
that the
of
:
perfect, furnished
the
man
of
God"
certainly to be understood a minister of Christ.
says that even he, having the Scriptures, " perfect," "furnished." He needs no Bishops,
Yet Paul is
Popes, or Councils to furnish him for his work.
Such ject.
is
a sample of divine teachings on this sub-
See also Ps.
xviii.
[King James'
Bible,
Ps. xix.] 7-12, and Apocalypse xxii. 18, 19.
ROME AGAINST THE
28
BIBLE.
The Church of Rome has also incorporated the Apocrypha of the Old Testament into her canon, and " receives and reverences with equal piety and veneration" the five books of Moses and the two books of Esdras, the books of Joshua and Tobit, Esther and Judith, the Song of Solomon and the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiastes and first
and
second epistles to the Corinthians, and the
first
Hosea and Baruch, the
Ecclesiasticus,
and second books of Maccabees. Thus Rome honors the story of Tobit and his dog as no less than the narrative of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. She takes up the old rags, which even the ancient Pharisees refused to wear, and calls them beautiful garments for
inspired
;
the
Jews never
received, as canonical
Scripture,
any of the books held by Protestants to be apocryphal and the Doway Bible, in a note prefixed to the first book of Maccabees, acknowledges that ;
neither of those books was received by the Jews.
A
note prefixed to Ecclesiasticus also says that
book "is not
in the
Jewish canon."
That these
books should not be received as the word of God but we shall not now enter is evident many ways ;
The author
at length into the argument.
second book of Maccabees ration.
Indeed he apologizes
tion of his work.
He
of the
fairly disclaims inspi-
says:
for the imperfec-
"I
will here
make
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
my
an end of well,
and
desired
as
it
but
;
narration
if
doned me."
;
which
becometh the
2
I have done
history, it is
what I
must be parThe same book
not so perfectly,
Mac. xv.
if
29
it
38, 39.
contains the clearest internal evidence that
not from God, because to
commit
of Rasias
suicide, it
it
it is
commends an attempt
which God abhors.
says, (chap. xiv.
41,
Speaking
42,) " as the
multitude sought to rush into his house, and to
break open the door and to set
fire
to
it,
when he
was ready to be taken, he struck himself with his sword choosing to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of the wicked, and to suffer abuses unbecoming his noble birth." Clearly that doc:
trine
is
not from heaven.
Suicide
is
not noble in
But the object here sought is not argue this point, as to show to the
God's esteem. so
much
to
intelligent reader sees,
nical
how Rome
by honoring, books,
imitates the Phari-
as of divine authority, uncano-
adopting
those
which
even
the
Pharisees rejected.
Having erroneously
settled the
canon of Scrip-
ture and the rule of faith, the church of
Rome
in-
upon her interpretations as absolutely necessary. She contends that the written word is to be interpreted by tradition, by the fathers, by Thus the councils, by Popes, and by bishops. sists
Council of Trent, decreed, "that in matters of 3*
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
80
and morals, and whatever relates to the maintenance of Christian doctrine, no one confid-
faith
own judgment, shall dare to wrest the sacred Scriptures to his own sense of them, con-
ing in his
trary to that which hath been held
and
holy Mother Church, whose right
it
;
by-
judge
to
meaning and interpretation of Sacred
of the true
Writ
held
is
is
or contrary to the unanimous consent of
the fathers
even though such interpretations
;
Romanists endea-
should never be published."
vor to maintain this ground by the very argument
employed by the Jewish lawyers, and attempt, says Whitby, "to prove that private men, laics and inferior priests are not to be governed by
own
their
sentiments of Christ's doctrine
;
but
must submit to their general councils, and to the
And ....
major part of their church-guides. it
is
as
strong in the mouth of the Pharisees
against Christ being the Messiah, as in the
mouth
of Papists against Protestants."
Papists deny that God's word its
obvious sense.
Scripture literal
is
The
true
to
be taken in
of interpreting
by Luther
well expressed
meaning of Scripture
is
mode is
and temptation."
"
The
the whole founda-
tion of faith, the only thing that stands in distress
:
its
ground
Melancthon ex-
presses the same rule, thus, "It
is
necessary in
the Church, diligently to investigate and adhere
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
31
to the simple, natural, grammatical sense of Scrip-
We
ture.
to corrupt
by
are to listen to the Divine word, not
We
it.
must not play
The
have done.
tricks with
many,
fanciful interpretations, as
it,
in all ages,
plain, natural sense of Scripture
always carries with
it the richest and most valuaRichard Hooker also says "I
ble instruction."
hold
it
for a
:
most
infallible rule in
exposition of
sacred Scripture, that where a literal construction will stand,
the furthest from the letter
commonly the worst." authority above
all rules
is
But Rome puts Church and reason, in interpret-
ing the lively oracles.
With such
a canon of Scriptures, such a rule
of faith and practice, such a denial of the right of
what God says, and with such arrogant pretensions to an exclusive right to
individuals to judge of
interpret God's word, the results reached
Church
Rome
by the
much the same as those reached by the Pharisees of old. The Council of Trent, everywhere, pronounces those who differ from
of
her, accursed,
are
even to the extent of declar-
ing that "whoever shall affirm, that the conjugal state is to
be preferred to a
bacy, and that
it is
life
of virginity or celi-
not better and more conducive
to happiness, [beatius,~] to remain in virginity or celibacy, than to be married, let
Indeed,
all
him be accursed."
the canons of that Council, (there are,
;
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
32
all, about one hundred and thirty of them,) end with the awful anathema sit, u Let him be
in
And we all know how, everywhere, Rome declares, that out of her
accursed."
the Church of
communion Christ said
there "
:
everlasting
life
no
is
He
but he that believeth not the
;
Son, shall not see abideth
him
on
salvation, although Jesus
that believeth in the Son, hath
God
but the wrath of
life,
John
."
iii.
36.
Like
the
Jews of old, Papists are fond of cursing other people, and of delivering them over to uncovenanted mercies, that of any people
it
is
is,
to perdition.
true, that their
of cursing and bitterness,
is
if
full
true of the priest-
Rome. Yet they profess to be followers Him who said, "Bless them that curse you.
hood of
it is
Surely,
mouth
of
Bless and curse not."
The doctrine and usage
of the church of
Rome
respecting the invocation of saints are just the
same with those of the old Pharisees, in their most corrupt days. On this subject the fathers of Trent teach that "the saints, who reign together with Christ,
offer their
prayers to
God
for
men
good and useful thing suppliantly to invoke them, and to flee to their prayers, help, and assistance, because of the benefits bestowed by God through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is our only Redeemer and Saviour and that that
it is
a
;
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
those are
men
who deny
of impious sentiments,
that the saints,
who
33
enjoy eternal happiness in
heaven, are to be invoked
they do not pray for
men
—or ;
who
affirm that
or that to beseech
them to pray
for us is idolatry, or that
trary to the
word of God, and opposed
it is
con-
to the
honor of Jesus Christ, the one Mediator between God and man or that it is foolish to supplicate, ;
verbally or mentally, those
This
is
clear
church in
Open any
and decided.
who reign in heaven." The practice of that
this behalf agrees
with her decrees.
of her books of devotion, and you will
Mary, Michael, Paul and Peter, and many much more frequently than God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And what is well worthy of notice is, that Romanists everyfind
others, addressed
where rely on the passage already quoted from Tobit, in vindication of their belief and practice
on
this subject.
very
text in the
man
But Colossians
difficult text for
Doway
ii.
18, presents a
Papists to dispose
Bible reads thus
:
of.
That
" Let no
seduce you, willing in humility, and religion
of angels, walking in the things which he hath
not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh." The note to this passage says " That is, :
by a
self-willed,
ship, falsely
self-invented,
superstitious wor-
pretending humility, but really pro-
ceeding from pride.
Such was the worship that
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
34
many
of the philosophers paid to angels or de-
mons, by sacrificing to them, as carriers of
God and men if God was by men and setting Jesus Christ who is
ligence betwixt lity in
;
too great to be
so doing, as
addressed torship of
aside the media-
;
the head both of
;
angels and men."
intel-
pretending humi-
This note thus far seems well
to accord with the text, and with other portions
But then the note adds, what Paul
of Scripture.
"writes here, no way touches the Catholic doc-
and
trine
pray to text
is
practice, of desiring our
God
one thing
the denial
:
good angels to
The
through Jesus Christ."
for us,
quite another.
is
Papists also, like the Pharisees, pray for the dead.
Their whole doctrine of purgatory
upon the efficacy gone to eternity. that "there
is
of prayers for those
The Council
is
based
who have
of Trent taught
a purgatory, and that the souls de-
tained there are assisted by the suffrages of the faithful,
but especially by the acceptable
commanded
of the mass;" and
sacrifice
"all bishops
dili-
gently to endeavor that the wholesome doctrine
by venerable fathers and held by everywhere taught and
of purgatory, delivered to us
and holy Christ's
councils, faithful,
preached."
be
and
.... "Let
believed
the bishops take
care
that the suffrages of the living faithful, masses, prayers, alms,
and other works of
piety,
which the
:
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES. faithful
35
have been accustomed to perform for de-
parted believers, be piously and religiously rendered, according to the institutes of the church
and whatsoever services are due to the dead, through the endowments of deceased persons, or in
any other way,
slightly,
let
them not be performed
but diligently and carefully," &c.
In
justification of prayers for the dead, Papists in-
variably quote 2
Maccabees
xii.
43-46
;
thus
building up the system on the example of their forerunners, the Jewish errorists of old.
In
like
manner Papists follow the example of
the most corrupt Jews of the olden times, and employ images in worship. The Council of Trent, addressing "all bishops and others, who have the care and charge of teaching," says, " let
them teach that the images of Christ, of the Virgin, Mother of God, and of other saints, are to be had and retained, especially in churches, and due honor and veneration rendered to them. Not that it is believed that any divinity or power resides in them,
on account of which they are to be
worshiped, . or that any benefit
is
to be sought
from them, or any confidence placed
in images,
who
fixed their
as
was formerly by the
Gentiles,
But the honor with which they are regarded is referred to those who are represented by them so that we adore Christ and ve-
hope
in idols.
;
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
36
nerate the saints, whose likenesses these images bear,
when we
and uncover our heads and prostrate ourselves. All
kiss them,
in their presence,
which has been sanctioned by the decrees of Councils against the impugners of images, espe-
add
Yet they
second Council of Nice."
cially the
that, " it is
not to be supposed that the Deity
can be seen by our bodily eyes, or that a likeness of
God
A
Hin-
say, just the
same
can be given in color or figure."
doo might
say,
and often does
The corrupt Jews of
in worshiping his images.
old used the very same plea respecting their use of images.
In
corrupt practice of
this
Rome
is
found the
probable cause of the omission of the second com-
mandment from many Komish catechisms. For would be terrible for one, who in the sanctuary
it
was kissing or prostrating himself before
an
image, to remember the awful words of Jehovah
from Mount Sinai, which in our Bible are correctly translated thus:
"Thou
shalt
not
make
unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of
any
that
tiling
is
in
heaven above, or that
the earth beneath, or that
the earth
:
thou shalt not
them, nor serve them
:
is
in the
bow down
for I the
is
in
water under thyself to
Lord thy God am
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the
children, unto the third
and fourth gene-
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
ration of
them that hate me
37
and showing mercy
;
unto thousands of them that love me, and keep
my commandments."
The precept is as clear as Let men beware
the threatening
is
how
with God's worship.
they
trifle
dreadful.
Nor
are
other portions of Scripture less explicit in prohibiting the use of images in worship, than this se-
cond commandment.
See especially, Deut.
iv.
15-18, and parallel passages.
From
such principles as have been shown to
belong to Rome, naturally proceeds a corrupt system of casuistry,
and absurd
of endless
full
decisions.
At one
signed to insert specimens of the
Papal doctors and casuists
;
distinctions
time,
but this might lead
now in view. commandment is
too far from the main object, sufficient to say, that
every
was de-
it
decisions of
It
is
sub-
verted by their glosses, their refinements, their distinctions.
In particular, their casuists adopt,
to a fearful extent, the principle, that a
do the
good may come.
man may
"
They lengthen creed and shorten the decalogue." They hold
evil that
to as corrupt principles as can, by any possibility,
be formed.
Lying,
theft,
murder, idolatry, Sab-
bath-breaking, Jasciviousness, every vice, every crime, can be justified
by
their code or their au-
far,
have yet no objection
thority.
Those who go thus
4
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
38
to a strict ritual.
They will fast even more than They will even pretend to It does not make required.
twice in the week. fast forty
days,
war on any of
if
their corruptions to believe that
they will please the Almighty better by dining
on cod or salmon, rock or shad, than on beef or mutton, pig or venison or that it would be much ;
more pleasing to God,
for
them to dress
their food
They
with hog's lard than with butter of kine. often believe that they are serving
God by
dis-
honoring their own bodies, by whipping themselves,
and by many
acts entirely contrary to the
natural duty of loving and cherishing their
The
flesh.
rules of the different orders,
all
own duly
sanctioned, impose almost endless observances.
Among
the most zealous of their ritualists
may be
found, not only the priest, the monk, the nun, and the respectable citizen, but also the robber in the
Alps and Pyrennees, and the pirate on the high These often carry their images of the Virseas. gin, say their beads with carefulness, and fast on Friday, just as
if
they were the most innocent in
society.
Such people may, very
naturally,
to exhibit a fondness for public
They
will
be expected
religious shows. will
wear
and may be found offering
their
have their processions, they
their long robes,
personal devotions in churches, just as the Phari-
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
synagogues
sees did in the
and they
;
39
will thor-
oughly study the science and art of grimaces.
Who
has not noticed the demure looks of Popish
priests
Many know
?
timoniousness
not that
all
this sanc-
Yet such
practised by rule.
is
is
some of the rules by which the Jesuits direct their members: "They must not lightly turn their heads this way and that way, but with gravity, when need shall require and if there be no need, they must hold it
Here
the fact.
are
;
straight, it
bending
it
on either side."
a
little
— "For
forward, not leaning the most part, they
must look downward, neither immoderately lifting up their eyes, nor casting them now one way,
now
another."
with
men
— " When they converse,
in authority, they
must not
especially fix
their
upon their eyes, but rather a little below them." "Wrinkles in their forehead, and much sight
more
—
in their nose, are to
be avoided, that there
may appear outwardly, a kind of serenity which may be a token of the inward." "Their lips must neither be too much shut nor too much open."
—
" Their hands,
up
if
they be not employed in holding
their garments,
And
must be held decently quiet."
these rules are in force in America.
Could
the old Jewish Pharisees exceed these moderns in rules for looks
and gestures
?
I trow not.
Their religious ceremonies will very naturally be
ROME AGAINST THE
40 as
pompous and gorgeous
BIBLE.
as possible.
Romanists
do, in fact, conduct their public worship in a dead
unknown
language,
This practice
own
is
to the people. directly in the teeth of their
translation of the 14th chapter of 1st Corin-
There we
thians.
" Greater
phesying
is
find such passages as these
:
he that prophesieth, [in a note pro-
is
correctly explained to
mean declaring
or expounding the mysteries of faith] than he that speaketh with tongues
unless, perhaps, he
;
may
interpret, that the church
receive edification.
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either
in revelation or in
phecy or in doctrine
?
.
.
knowledge, or in pro" Unless you utter,
.
by the tongue, plain speech, how shall it be known what is spoken ? For you shall be speaking into " Let him that speaketh a tongue the air." For if I pray in a pray that he may interpret. .
.
.
without
my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is fruit. What is it then ? I will pray in the
spirit
I will pray also in the
tongue,
:
will sing with the spirit
understanding."
.
.
.
:
understanding
:
I
I will sing also with the
''In
the
church I had
rather speak five words with the understanding, that 1
may
instruct others also
sand in a tongue."
;
than ten thou-
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
41
These and other similar teachings in the same felt to be hard sayings against a lit-
chapter are
urgy in an unknown tongue. affixed
"
The use
Therefore a note
the 16th verse, in which
to
is
it
or abuse of strange tongues, of
says
:
which
the apostle here speaks, does not regard the publiturgy of the church, (in which strange tongues
lic
were never used)."
.
.
.
Afterwards
it
" Xote, that the Latin, used in our liturgy, far
so
is
from being a strange or unknown tongue, that
it is
perhaps the best known tongue
Was of
adds,
in the
world."
more shallow, or perversion the plain sense of a writer more manifest ? ever sophistry
Strange tongues never used in the liturgy or in the church
!
!
None
!
in the sense in
other than a strange tongue
which Paul speaks of tongues,
atrocious the statement that the Latin
known tongue
the best truth is
is,
that in the
is
And how
used in the Romish liturgy any where.
is
perhaps
when the the word it
in the world,
modern sense
of
no longer a tongue (or spoken language) at
all,
but a dead language, the correct pronunciation of
which speaks
is lost, it
nor
is
there a mother on earth that
to her little ones,
learned persons.
Yet
besides,
it is is
studied
by
spoken by
and understood by many and the French by probably
sixty millions of people,
millions
though
the English
more.
4*
"
ROME AGAIXST THE
42
Nor need we be
BIBLE.
surprised at finding Romanists
following the footsteps of Pharisees in cruelty and persecution.
Every Romish Bishop
is
a sworn
persecutor, to the extent of his power, of reject the
all
ghostly authority of the Pope.
who The
very language of his oath is: "Heretics, schis-
and rebels to our said lord [the Pope] or
matics,
my power
his foresaid successors, I will to
secute and oppose."
per-
In 1845, Francis Patrick
Kenrick, then Bishop of Philadelphia,
now Arch-
bishop of Baltimore, published a work, entitled 11
The Primacy
He
dedicated
of the Apostolic See Vindicated.
it
Hon. Roger B. Taney, The 20th
to the
Chief Justice of the United States. chapter 21
is
large
More than
devoted to the Inquisition. 8vo.
pages are
devoted not to the
condemnation of that most wicked tribunal, but to an apology, for it. In his apology he uses
"The
such language as this:
Inquisition
is
not
directed to the punishment of heretics, but rather to their conversion."
ment
of Inquisitors
have been designed to prevent score
of
"did not
"
329.
p.
by Innocent
religion."
p.
thirst for
human
332.
The appointIII.,
seems to
wars, on the
civil
The
Inquisitors
blood, nor act indis-
criminately and hastily, but sought by persuasion,
and every mild
influence, to gain
the culprits,
During a long period they were members of
reli-
:
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
43
gious orders, chiefly Dominicans and Franciscans,
men advanced
in age and of unblemished reputawhose mild and peaceful habits rendered them unlikely to delight in blood. The most beautiful examples of a Christian spirit have been
tion,
by several of them."
left
he
tells
On page
p. 333.
339
us that " St. Theresa, and St. Ignatius of
Loyola, and other holy persons
commended
its
the Spanish Inquisition.
He is here speaking of On page 343 he says
"
and the accuser,
influence
and
Although
witnesses,
results."
all its officers
and advocate were bound
culprit,
to secrecy, yet
number of persons engaged in the process, and the character of the judges, precluded all rea-
the
sonable danger of injustice."
No
free
man can
read this chapter without indignation.
His Holiness perhaps never had two dearer sons than the Duke of Alva, and Charles IX. the
How
king of France.
bloody their career was, In her arrogance
history abundantly declares.
Rome
claims to be the mother and mistress of
churches.
She always aims to lord
heritage.
She has her dungeons
it
all
over God's
for the refrac-
Wherever the law and public opinion allow Romish Bishops have their jails, and imprison
tory. it,
whom to
they
Rome.
will.
Religious liberty
Even
toleration
her principle. she'
is
is
an offence
not her habit, nor
It is only to be extended where
can do no otherwise.
ROME AGAINST THE
44
As
to the superstitions of
Her
merable.
In purely
this day.
Rome, they
are innu-
dead men's bones has
trade in
brought her millions.
BIBLE.
It is quite active even at
Roman
Catholic countries,
few people are found without their amulets of some kind. Even the poor savage in the wilds
America
of
on
taught by Jesuit priests to rely
is
crucifix, or his
cross, his
his
picture of the
Yirgin, just as the African does on his Greegree.
But
this field is too
veyed at
As
wide to be traversed or sur-
this time.
man
to the justification of
Rome
error of sees.
is
before God, the
as great as that of the Phari-
Trent declares that " whoever shall
affirm,
man
are in
that the
good works of a
justified
such sense the gifts of God, that they are not also his
worthy [bona] merits
;
or that he being justi-
good works, which are wrought by him through the grace of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ, of whom he is a living member, does not fied
by
his
really deserve increase of grace, eternal
enjoyment of that
life if
and even an increase of glory
How
cursed."
life,
the
he dies in a state of grace, :
let
fully this doctrine is
him be
ac-
taught by
many have declared, own works show. The authors of the on the Romish Testament are full and clear
the doctors of that church,
and
their
notes
beyond
all
dispute,
and almost beyond
belief in
PAPISTS IMITATE THE PHARISEES.
45
maintaining these views, and pushing them to the
utmost extremes.
Such a friends
who
religious
among
are indolent
own
their
some one for them.
system will naturally have
various classes of persons.
and have no heart
to
All,
work out
salvation, will be very glad to
employ
to be their agent, to negotiate salvation All,
who
dislike spiritual
vital godliness, will find relief in
has been portrayed.
worship and
such a system as
In short, the mass of igno-
rance, vice, superstition
and
folly ever existing in
large communities will, at least for a season, be
Many
pleased with some things in Popery.
will
and many for another. Like the Pharisees, they will by many be regarded
praise
them
for one thing,
on the high road to heaven.
as
would have been easy to trace these resem-
It
blances between Popery and the old Jewish errors
much
further.
But enough has been
their substantial agreement,
contrariety to
utter
Word
of
God
the
said to
show
and especially
their
Holy
Scriptures,
the
that liveth and abideth forever.
The resemblance between Pharisaism in the JewChurch and in the Papal communion having
ish
been
briefly traced, other
our atteution.
things will
now
claim
CHAPTER
BEYOND THE PHARISEES, AND ARE HOS-
PAPISTS GO
TILE TO THE FREE USE
OF
AND GENERAL CIRCULATION
GOD'S WORD.
The church
of
Rome
Pharisees, in taking
So
III.
far as
we
quite outstrips the old
away the key
of knowledge.
learn they never discouraged any
one from owning or reading the Scriptures.
But
and general
circu-
she
is
hostile to their free use
This
lation.
to believe
now be
a grave charge, but
is
rashly made.
If
it is
and publish
true, it.
it is
That
it
is
not
not uncharitable it
is
true shall
proven.
There
is
no
fair
ground of dispute between
Protestants and Romanists, respecting the lawfulness of translating the Scriptures out of the original languages. Christ,
and
all
Most men concede
that Jesus
agree that his Apostles freely
quoted the translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint.
If Protestants have
Lu-
and King James's Bibles, Papists have the Do way Bible in English, and Martini's in Italian.
ther's
There cannot therefore be any
fair
ground of
dis-
PAPISTS GO
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
4*7
pute between Protestants and Romanists, respect-
ing the lawfulness of making translations out of the
Hebrew and Greek
guages of the nations.
into the vernacular lan-
The Yulgate
itself,
when
made, was a translation into the vernacular of the great mass of the then existing generation.
Both Romanists and Protestants have made though the latter have made many more than the former. But in allowing and doing
translations,
it
at
all,
Papists have conceded the principle. says, " Fatemur sacros libros
Alphonsus a Castro olim
in
''We
linguam vulgarem
translatos."
fuisse
confess that formerly the holy books were
In a discus-
translated into the vulgar tongue."
Romish much but
sion with Protestants, perhaps but few
doctors would refuse to concede as
where Popery has undisputed sway, Azorius maintains that
it is
;
it is different.
a heresy to say that
the Scriptures ought to be translated into vulgar
languages, yet even he admits that "all were
al-
lowed to read the Scriptures for several centuries."
Many
things
may be found
in the writings of
high authorities in the Romish church, which at first
sight look like a desire to bring the Bible
common
use. Thus in the Ursuline Manual, "approved by the Right Rev. Bishop Hughes," of New York, it is said, " The New Testament,
into
ROME AGAINST THE
48 the
BIBLE.
Lives of the Saints, the Introduction
to
a De-
vout Life, the Imitation of Christ, the Spiritual
Combat, the Think Well OnH, and
the
Characters
of Real Devotion, are works from which young persons may undoubtedly draw the two great be-
be derived from spiritual reading,
nefits to
viz.,
maxims of virtue, and encouragereducing those maxims to practice."
instruction in the
ment
At
for
the
ance.
first
glance this has a plausible appear-
But you
Testament
is
will observe that while the
mentioned, not a word
is
New
said of any
"Why must Moses, Isaiah, and all the Did not all of old prophets be thus ignored ? them say things savory and wholesome ? Did part of the Old Testament.
and David, and Solomon, and
not Solomon address large portions of his writings
young
to the
And
?
is
it
not intolerable that
such miserable fables, as abound in those books, called "
The Lives
of the Saints," should be al-
lowed to supplant and supersede the sublime teachings of Moses, the admirable and holy songs of David, the proverbial
the hallowed
Isaiah
?
fire
What
But the key
is
wisdom of Solomon, and
and evangelical prophecies of the chaff to the wheat
?
of rightly interpreting this seeming
recommendation of a portion of Holy Scripture, is to be found on the same page, where among the "means necessary for promoting immediate
PAPISTS GO
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
sanctification," the
which
first,
advice of a director, which
is
stated,
49
"the
is
necessary to
is
all
Christians, but indispensably requisite for youth."
So, after all, even the New Testament is good for young people only when the priest recommends it, and how often he does that may be inferred
from the great scarcity of Bibles in the families of Romanists, even in this country. In purely Papal lands are millions of adults,
nor read one book of the
who never owned
New
Testament
;
yet
they were encouraged to read the Lives of the Saints.
We
come now
Church of
Rome
to consider the charge that the is,
and
hostile to the free use
the
Holy
At
for a
long time has been,
and general circulation of
Scriptures.
the very threshold of the discussion some
remarkable facts present themselves.
One
is,
that
although for more than three centuries the church cf Rome has been engaged in missions, and boasts of converts
among more than
ent tribes of heathen, yet in sionaries have not,
Word
of
people.
God
it
is
all
sixty differ-
that time her mis-
believed, translated the
into the language of
If there be an exception,
eluded a pretty diligent search.
Is
any of these it
it
has as yet
not strange
men should avowedly go forth to spread the knowledge of Christianity, and yet never let peo-
that
5
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
50
pie see the documents on which that system of
truth depends
Word
These missionaries do translate
?
Why
other books.
Does not
?
do they thus pass by God's this look like
Another striking there
not
is
Society on the face of
all
Moravians,
in
promot-
Here is Methodists, Bap-
institutions.
something more than curious Friends,
that
the earth, nor a single
communion engaged
Independents,
is,
to be one Popish Bible
objects of such
ing the
?
meets us
fact that
now known
dignitary of that
tists,
an intentional
uniform hostility to the Bible
slight, a
:
Episcopalians, Presbyterians,
Lutherans,
and
even
who belong to no communion, but merely friends of man and of liberty, are very
thousands,
are de-
sirous that all the people should have God's pure
word.
Rome
But the
authorities of the
Church of
never send out, nor encourage others in
sending out the Bible in the vulgar tongue with-
They never send out when they have many notes, and never speak a word of encouragement to those who do these things. The out note
or
comment.
agents to distribute the Scriptures, even
consequence this
is
that while you can get
land a copy of our
for twenty-five cents, or even less, a
Doway
Bible costs
times that sum.
all
common English
much more,
over
Bible
copy of the
often four or five
Romanists have
societies for
PAPISTS GO
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
51
other objects, such as buying cups, boxes for the
holy wafer, rosaries, or strings of beads, and crucifixes
"for their converts."
The
priests of this
country have sent forth some very earnest appeals to their brethren in
Austria and elsewhere, to
send them such like gew-gaws, or money with
which to buy them. brethren, to send
money
to
Rome
to his distant
him a good supply of
buy them, to be given
or the learned
How
But who has ever seen a
from a priest of
petition
Bibles, or
to the ignorant
?
can this be accounted
ground that Romish
priests
for,
except on the
do not like the Bible
?
makes their people ask hard questions, encourages them to think for themselves, and finally converts them to Protestantism. There never was, there is not now, and there never will be a It
The teachings word and Papal dogmas, are at perWhen the editor petual and irreconcilable war. nation of Bible-reading Papists.
of God's
of the Freeman's Journal recently said:
an
with the pretence of reading
he
"With
Italian, the possession of a Protestant Bible
is
clubs,
a
member
it, is
a sure sign that
of one of the secret revolutionary
and a conspirator against the State," what
a confession did he
mous corruptions
make concerning
the enor-
of those governments, the eyes
:
!
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
52
of whose people are opened
of
by the simple word
God Another
fact
Romanists oppose the
that
is,
reading of the Scripture in Schools. sition is not only to
This oppo-
our translation, but
it is
to
In the " Pastoral Let-
any translation whatever.
ter" of 1840, sent out from Baltimore by the highest authorities
of that
communion
land, in general council assembled, these
occur
"
:
We
are
in this
words
disposed to doubt, seriously,
whether the introduction of
this sacred
an ordinary class-book into schools,
is
volume as beneficial
Soon they wax more bold, and say
to religion."
" If the authorized version be used in a school,
it
should be under circumstances very different from those which are usually found in the public institutions of our States."
There
is
a great variety
of " public institutions in our States," yet, accord-
ing to this pastoral found," are
fit
to
letter,
none of them "usually
have the
Word
of
the children shall not have even the
with
its
God;
nay,
Doway Bible,
notes and comments, and bad translation.
In Job, xlii. 6, of a bad translation. our translation, Job says, " I abhor myself and
Yes,
it
repent
is
in
reads thus in dust
says
:
:
In the Doway it dust and ashes." " I reprehend myself and do penance
and ashes."
"Repent
In Matt.
ye, for the
iii.
kingdom
2,
our Bible
of heaven
is
PAPISTS GO
BEYOXD THE PHARISEES.
The Doway reads " Do penance, for kingdom of heaven is at hand." Then a note
at hand."
the
53
says
:
"Do
:
penance.
Penitentiam
Which word, according
tosctf.
Scriptures and the
agite.
fxsra-
to the use of the
holy fathers, does not only
and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting and such like penisignify repentance
tential exercises."
roneous are both
Every scholar knows how erand this note.
this translation
In Luke xv. 1, our Bible reads " joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." In the :
Doway
Bible
it is,
" There shall be joy in heaven
upon one sinner that doeth penance." ously
So obvi-
our translation correct in this case that in 2 Tim. ii. 25, even the Doway Bible renders the is
noun of the same derivation, "Repentance." In Heb. xi. 21, our translation reads: "By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning upon the top ;
of his staff."
In the
Doway
it
reads
:
"By faith,
Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped the top of his ;
rod," meaning Joseph's rod.
Jacob paid "a
A
note says, that
honor to the top of the
relative
rod or sceptre of Joseph, as to a figure of Christ's sceptre and kingdom. " Yet with these and many other
perversions of God's
Popery, found in the
Doway 5*
word
in
favor
Bible, these
of
Ameri-
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
54 can
"doubt
bishops
pretty confident that
must be
we
some
in
not jestingly,
seriously,"
whether children ought to have if
it
used at
;
all
nay, they are in school, it
institution different
from those
usually have in the United States.
Is this
to Peter, "
Feed my
command
fulfilling Christ's
lambs ?"
The Metropolitan Magazine, published in Balti"We must be permitted
more, May, 1853, says
:
to observe here also, that there
and a special disregard
is
a special
for the respect
folly,
due to
the sacred book, in insisting, as the Biblicals do, that
it
[the Bible] shall be used as a schoolIt then quotes, with approbation,
book."
Ben-
jamin Martin, who censures the "putting of the sacred book into the hands of every bawling school-mistress,
and of thoughtless children, to
he torn, trampled upon, and made the early object of their aversion, by being their most tedious
task
woman
is
and not
their fit
punishment."
A
bawling
to be a school-mistress with or
without the Bible.
Nor
is
the holy
book put
into the hands of children to be torn and trampled
upon, much
less as
a punishment to them.
such quotations show the virulence of those
But
who
make them towards the volume of inspiration. One would think this was going far enough. But they stop not here. The Bible must not
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
PAPISTS GO
55
be read by any class of persons found in any country. In the Doway Bible, printed in 1840,
and approved by Archbishop Eccleston of Baltimore, and by Bishops Connell and Kenrick of
I first
and by Bishop Hughes of New same hostility to its free use. saw it, I said Surely now, if these
men approve
the translation as correct, the people,
at least the
grown people, may indiscriminately
Philadelphia,
York, we
When
find the
buy and read
:
No
it.
!
In the third page of the
book, just following the recommendations, and before a verse of the Bible is reached, there is printed what in
called the
is
which are these words
:
"ADMONITION,"
"It was judged neces-
sary to forbid the reading of the
Scriptures in
the vulgar languages, without the advice and per-
mission of the pastors and spiritual guides G-od has appointed to govern his church.
whom Nor
is
due submission to the Catholic Church to be understood of the ignorant and unlearned
this
only, but also of
men accomplished
in all
kind of
learning."
Here then
is
a Bible, approved as correct in
the translation, in the notes and comments, and in the first
typography, and yet before we reach the
verse of Genesis
must not read
Rome,
it
we
are admonished that
we
at all without permission from
or from her emissaries.
Nor
is this
pro-
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
56
hibitiou confined to the ignorant people.
tends also to "
men accomplished
It ex-
in all kind of
learning." Is not here a marvellous thing
This
?
all
is
published in the nineteenth century, and in the
United States of America. If one had read in the title-page of an old manuscript volume the
same admonition, and the date at Naples, Lisbon, or Rome, 1340, it would not have sounded so strange.
But
published in Philadelphia in
is
it
Romish Bishops,
1840, in plain English, by
men
the most learned
in the nation
by themselves without
the very Bible approved
In reading
permission.
it,
I have been doing so
Is it a mortal
without permission.
that
must not read
sin
?
Can
any man bring his mind to embrace the opinion, that Milton, Locke, Bacon, Hale, Washington,
and Marshall could not lawfully read the Scriptures without getting permission from some poor, erring tic,
worm
of the dust
?
Who
is
that he should step in between
any
ecclesias-
man and
his
Maker's laws, between man and the promises of the Gospel
?
If this
of knowledge, what
Nor
is
Societies
this all.
is
not taking away the key
is ?
Papists not only have no Bible
of their
own, but they make war on
those which are formed by other people.
Leo XIL,
in
his
Pope
Encyclical Letter, dated at
:
PAPISTS GO
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
Rome, May 3d, 1824, addressing the own communion, says: "You
of his
5T
dignitaries
are aware,
venerable Brethren, that a certain Society, com-
monly called the Bible Society, strolls with audathroughout the world which Society, contemning the traditions of the Holy Fathers, and city
;
contrary to the well-known decree of the Council of Trent, labors with
or rather pervert the
all
languages of every nation ing,
it is
its
might to
Holy Bible :
translate,
into the vulgar
from which proceed-
greatly to be feared, that
what
is
ascer-
tained to have happened as to some passages,
may
also
occcur with regard to others, to wit
by a perverse interpretation the Gospel of Christ be turned into a human Gospel, or what
that
worse, into the Gospel of the Devi] [dia-
is still
To
boli.]
avert this plague [pestem] our pre-
many ordinances and in his YIL, of blessed memory, sent
decessors published latter
two
days, Pius
briefs,
;
one to Ignatius, Bishop of Gnesen, the
other to Stanislaus, Archbishop to
Mohilow
which are mauy proofs, accurately and wisely
;
in
col-
lected from the Sacred Scriptures, dition, to
novelty
is
and from Trashow how noxious this most wicked both to faith and morals. We also,
venerable Brethren, in conformity to our apostolic
by
all
you to turn away your flock means [omnimodo] from these poisonous
duty, exhort
:
53
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE. Reprove, beseech, be inand out of season, in all patience
[lethiferis] pastures.
stant in season
and doctrine, that the adhering of
faithful, intrusted to
strictly to the rules of
you,
our congregation
Index, be persuaded, that
"the
if the Sacred be everywhere published, more evil than advantage will arise thence, on account of
Scriptures
the rashness of men."
Thus spoke Leo XII.
The
brief of
Pius VII. to Ignatius referred to above
calls the
in 1824.
Society " a most crafty device, by which
Bible
the very foundations of religion are undermined," a " pestilence " and " defilement of the faith most
dangerous to souls."
Gregory XYI. sang the same song. he seems to have been peculiarly
Indeed
afflicted
by the
existence and labors of Bible Societies and kin-
dred institutions, for he closes one of his bulls on the subject with the words
:
"We
are in sorrow
both by night and by day."
And thus
to
come
"Among
—
Pio Nono same subject the various insidious measures of which
delivers
to the present time
himself
on
the
the malicious enemies of the church, and of society,
endeavor to avail themselves for seducing
the people, cially
one may be specified as more spe-
prominent,
which
they
find
eminently
adapted to their wicked designs, namely,
the re-
PAPISTS GO cent
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
59
improvement in
ingly they
tlte art of printing. Accordbusy themselves in publishing pro-
fane, lying journals
falsehoods,
and pamphlets teeming with
which they assiduously circulate in
multiplied editions.
Hence
too, at the instiga-
gation and with the aid of Bible Societies which ,
have been denounced again and again by
the
Holy
have the hardihood to carry on the
See, they
dis-
tribution of the Sacred Scriptures, translated con-
trary to the rules of the church, in
the vulgar
and most wretchedly perverted; and, with a wicked and almost incredible effrontery, they scruple not, under the name of religion, to tongue,
recommend them
From
to the careful
you
perusal of the
will understand,
most
venerable brethren, with what vigilance and
soli-
faithful.
citude
it
all this
behooves you to
act, so that the faithful
under your charge may be put upon their guard against the poison, which cannot
fail
to be im-
bibed by the reading of such books ; and
may be
earnestly reminded, with especial reference to the
Holy Scriptures, that no person, whatever,
is
war-
own judgment, as to their opposed to the Holy Mother
ranted to confide in his true meaning,
if
Church, who alone, and no other, has received the
commission from Christ to watch over the faith committed to her trust, and to decide upon the true sense
and interpretation of the Sacred Writ-
ROME AGAINST THE
GO
All this
nigs."
BIBLE.
seems intelligible and unmis-
takable.
We
have here the reigning Pope making open
war on the
free use
As
God's Word. tions, it
may be
and general circulation of
to the charge of mis-transla-
replied that this
is
not the real
ground of objection among Papists to Bible Societies, else they would zealously circulate what they esteem correct translations.
Besides, none
of our translations are as bad as the Yulgate or the
Doway.
None
of
them
so far vary from the obvi-
Let any scholar com-
ous sense of the original.
pare them and judge. tials of salvation,
we
Moreover, as to the essenfind
them
in all the versions
yet given, not excepting the Yulgate and
On
this snbject
we may safely
Doway.
say with Walton,
Bochartus, Buxtorf, Gerard, Michaelis and others, that there are variations in the translations, as there are also in the ancient manuscripts of the Scriptures, but these differences
do not destroy a single
doctrine of Scripture, do not set aside a single duty of practical religion, do not present any doctrine
by the same compared many translations
to our belief that cannot be disproven translation.
I have
of the third chapter of John's Gospel, beginning
with the Vulgate, and I
am
not able to say which
impressed the saving truths
most affecting manner.
it
contains in the
PAPISTS GO
Some
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
61
years since there was published in
Eng-
land a document entitled, "Declaration of the Catholic Bishops, the Vicars Apostolic, and their coadjutors
Britain," in which
in
it
is
declared
that the unauthorized reading and circulation of the Scriptures, and the interpretation of private judgment, are calculated to lead
and fanaticism
error
in religion,
them by
men
to
and to seditions
and the greatest disorders in States and Kingdoms." If the reading and circulation of the Scriptures, " are calculated" to produce such evils, it
must be because the Word of God breathes a and contumacy to utter which blasphemy against the Almighty.
—
spirit of rebellion is
As this
there are
charge,
Rome,
it
many more
preferred
may be
them presented
proofs of the truth of
against the
Church of
a relief to the reader to have
in the next chapter.
CHAPTER SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED
As
IT. ADDITIONAL PROOFS.
the charge of hostility to the free use and
general circulation of God's
Word
is
one of the
heaviest that can be brought against any
professed Christians, unless
doubt.
it
it
body of
ought not to be preferred
can be proven beyond Additional evidence
is
all
reasonable
therefore given in
this chapter.
We
have seen a Pope referring to the Council
of Trent, which
the
is
Romanists acknowledge. lations of the
highest authority that Hear Trent " Trans:
Old Testament may
also be allowed,
but only to learned and pious men, at the discretion
of the
Bishop
;
provided they use them
merely as elucidations of the Vulgate version, in order to understand the Holy Scriptures, and not as the sacred text
itself.
But
translations of the
New
Testament made by authors of the first of this Index are allowed to no one, since
advantage, but leading them.
much danger If notes
class little
generally arises from
accompany the
versions,
which are allowed to be read, or are joined to the
(62)
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
PAPISTS GO
63
Vulgate edition, they maybe permitted to be read
by the same persons as the versions,
after the sus-
pected places have been expunged by the theological faculty of
some Catholic University, or by Inasmuch as it is mani-
the general Inquisitor.
from experience, that
fest
the
if
Holy
Bible,
translated into the vulgar tongue, be indiscrimi-
nately allowed to every one, the temerity of
cause more evil than good to arise from
will is,
on this point,
referred
who may by
Inquisitors,
into
reading of the Bible,
the vulgar tongue, by Catholic
authors, to those persons,
whose
it
will
sumption to read or possess ten permission, he shall
he have
ordinary.
and
piety,
be augmented,
;
in writing.
until
faith
and not and this permission they must have But if any one shall have the pre-
they apprehend, injured by
Bishops, or
the advice of the Priest
or confessor, permit the translated
to the
men it, it
first
without such writ-
it
not receive absolution
delivered
up such Bible
Booksellers, however,
who
to the
shall sell,
or otherwise dispose of Bibles in the vulgar tongue to any person, not having such permission, shall forfeit the value of the
books, to be applied by
the Bishop to some pious use
by the Bishop Bishop ity of
shall
the
to
;
and be subjected
such other penalties as the
judge proper, according to the qual-
offence.
But regulars
shall neither
:
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
64
read nor purchase such Bibles without a special license
from their superiors."
This
import
Who
plain enough.
is
Trent
?
is
can mistake
out strongly and
its
clearly
Word, and Trent
against the free use of God's
was the
last
Rome.
Its edicts stand unrepealed, unmodified.
general council of the church of
Evidence of the same thing
is
found almost
everywhere in the books of Romanists. " Larger Catechism of the
James
Butler, to which
is
In the
Most Reverend Dr. added the Scriptural
Catechism of the Rt. Rev. Dr. Milner, the whole
approved by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Kenrick," now
Archbishop of Baltimore, and printed
in
1841,
on pp. 81 and 82, we read as follows Q. Is there any obligation of reading the Scriptures
?
A. The Catholic Clergy are required to read
and pray out of written
it
A
every day.
Word
more
strict
ob-
written and un-
studying both the
ligation of
of God, lies on the Pastors, whose
But
duty
it
is
there
is
no such general obligation incumbent on
the Laity
to inculcate
;
it
being
it
to
the faithful.
sufficient that
they listen to
it
from their Pastors. Q. Is
lawful for the Laity to read the
it
Scriptures
Holy
?
A. They may read them
in
the language in
"
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
PAPISTS GO
65
which they were written, as likewise in the ancient Yulgate translation, which the Church
They may
vouches to be authentic.
them
in
approved modern versions
also read
but with due
;
submission to the interpretation and authority of the Church.
Have any
Q.
great evils ensued from an unre-
stricted reading of the Bible, in vulgar languages,
by the unlearned and unstable ? A. Yes numberless heresies and
impieties, as
;
also
many
and
rebellions
This Catechism
is
civil
wars.
published in Pittsburgh, Pa.,
by George Quigiey,
in 1841.
press of Vienna or Madrid.
It It
is
not from the
was not printed
in the dark ages.
Victor Hugo, in a speech made about the year 1848, used the following language
book
—a book which
is
:
"There
is
a
from one end to the other
—a book which the Islamism, what the Yedas are India— a book which conhuman wisdom — a book which the veneration of the people has book— The of superior emanation
is
whole world what the Koran
is
for
for
for
tains all
called the
Bible.
Ah
!
well
;
your censure " (he
of the Jesuits,) " has
An
unheard-of thing
the Bible
!
What
!
is
speaking
mounted up even to that. the Popes have proscribed
astonishment for wise minds,
what terror to simple
hearts, to see the finger of
6*
ROME AGAINST THE
66
BIBLE.
put upon the Book of God !" In manner we might record the outbursts of a
Rome
like
just
indignation on this point from the lips or pens of
many
others,
Popery
at
who have
work
When we
all
felt
the debasing power of
around them.
examine the writings of the most
distinguished theologians of the
on the point before full
we
us,
Romish Church,
find their teachings in
accordance with the bulls of Popes and the Indeed,
decrees of Councils.
they
are
but a
same monstrous opinions with here and there an attempt to justify them by rearepetition of the
soning.
Thus Ligori, who was canonized by Pope Pius VII., on the 13th of December, 1816, and
who
stands at the head of
says
:
all
their Theologians,
In the Council of Toledo, which was held
A. D. 1239, the laity, of whatsoever rank or class they might be, were prohibited from having in their possession, during the heresy, any book of the
sacred
Scriptures
whatsoever,
Psalter and the Breviary."
He
except
also
the
says, that
the Council of Bitterensis, A. D. 1245, "prohi-
bited the translation of any of the books of Scripture adds,
The same," he the vulgar tongue. " was also prohibited by the councils of
into
Jerusalem,
Mechlin,
other Councils, as
Camarace,
may be
and by many
seen in a work pub-
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
TAPISTS GO
•
lished at Paris,
A. D. 1661, by command of the
clergy of France, under the
of the authors
who have
translation of the sacred
gar tongue."
6t
He
title
of
expressly
A collection
condemned the
Scriptures into the vul-
also refers to the fourth rule
of the Index, and says that Pope Clement XL, condemned the 79th proposition of Quesnelle which maintained that "It is always useful and necessary at all times and in every place, and for all sorts of persons, to study and to make them;
selves acquainted with the spirit, the piety,
and
the mysteries of the sacred Scriptures."
Peter Dens, whose Theology
is
said to be a
text-book at Maynooth, argues at length to the
same purport. Having quoted the fourth rule of the Index, he says, " This law has been received and hitherto kept (with some variation on account of the prevailing spirit of some regions,) in, by far,
More
the greatest part of the Catholic world.
indulgence has been granted, only when necessary to live
among
heretics."
And
special attention to the fact that "the
it
he
was calls
power of
granting permission to read the sacred Scriptures in the vernacular
tongue belongs to the bishop,
or inquisitor, not to the priest or confessor, unless
the power has been conceded to them."
And
he
maintains that even "the reading of sacred Scriptures in the
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, must be
ROME AGAINST THE
G8
abstained from,
if
through defect of capacity or
disposition of the mind,
dency."
BIBLE.
would be of
it
One belonging
evil ten-
the hierarchy,
to
is
always, of course, to be the judge of such ten-
dency.
The
fact, stated
by Dens, that
ously enforced, than where there of Protestantism,
Papal
in purely
countries, the law of prohibition
is is
more rigorsome mixture
certainly true.
is
in his "
The Rev. M. Hobart Seymour, ings with the Jesuits," says
:
I
Morn-
had heard that
it
was impossible to procure a copy of the Holy Scriptures in the Italian tongue. to ascertain the matter for I
*
my own
*
I wished
information
had gone to every bookselling establishment
the city of
Rome.
*
*
I found that the
Scriptures were not for sale.
a single copy in the
Roman
Holy
I could not procure
language and of a
portable size in the whole city of
when
;
in
Rome
;
and
I asked each bookseller the reason of his
not having so important a volume, I was an-
swered in every instance, that the volume was prohibited, or not permitted to be sold. ni's edition it
was offered to me
in
two
Marti-
places, but
was in twenty-four volumes, and at a cost of
105 francs, that
is,
four pounds sterling."
Many
others have borne a like testimony.
Cardinal Bellarmine says:
"That
the people
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
PAPISTS GO
69
would not only get no good, but much hurt from for they would easily take occasion of erring both in doctrines of faith, and in
the Scriptures
;
precepts concerning "
We
life
and manners."
council of Toulouse holds this language
The
strictly forbid the
New
Old and
of the
:
Laity to have the books
Testaments in the vulgar
tongue." Peresius
says
:
" Shall
popular, rude, and carnal
no bounds be
men?
before they have put off the
filth
young men, that yet speak (and
my
opinion
fails
of their mind,
like
mitted to read the Scriptures rily,
me
set to
Shall old men,
?
and
children, be adI suppose, ve-
not) this ordinance,
under the pretence of piety, was invented by the devil."
Dr. Milner, in his " says, that Christ
himself,
write
it.
bound
End
of Controversy," twice
wrote no part of the Scriptures
and gave no orders to his apostles to He is trying to show that we are not
to read the
word of God.
And
yet in a
subsequent portion of his work he says
:
"
The
Catholic Clergy must and do employ no small
portion of their time every day in reading
dif-
ferent portions of
[Xo doubt he
calls
" But no such
Holy Writ." the Breviary Holy Writ.]
obligation
Yet he
is
says
generally incumbent on the flock." :
"
The Catholic Church never did
ROME AGAINST THE
TO prohibit
reading of the
the
BIBLE.
to the
Scriptures
But he durst not say she did not forbid The the reading of the Scriptures hy the Laity. priest may read some of it to them if he chooses, Laity.''
perhaps
;
A
is
not going to read the whole
to the people.
few years ago, Cardinal Pacca, who held
office for
self
but he
Word
of God's
upwards of forty
thus in
France
Rome
years, delivered him-
respecting Bible Societies in
" Biblical Societies are engaged in sow-
:
ing with a profuse hand copies of the Scriptures,
and Protestants arm themselves with new hardihood."
The Protestant world has long looked with upon the character and actions of
great charity
Fenelon of the
;
yet so deeply seated are the prejudices
Romish priesthood
against the Bible, that
Fenelon himself was led into the same
error,
and
in his letter to the
Bishop of Arras, as published
by Romish papers
in this country, he says
:
" Ger-
son cannot be reproached with having favored the
maxims
of ultramontanists."
theless has thus written lent fountain
that
:
" It
This author neveris
from
this pesti-
have issued, and that daily
increase the errors of the Begards, of the poor
men of Lyons, and others like them, among whom many laymen produce the Bible translated into the vulgar tongue, to the great prejudice of Ca-
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
PAPISTS GO It
tholic truth.
is
this
which
71
has been pro-
it
posed to correct by the project of a reformation."
In another place "the translation into the vernacular of the holy books should be prevented,
our Bible, except the moral and
especially of
historical books."
He
further says
:
" It
the
books
who have no
Holy Scripture
of
French," &c.
a thing too dangerous
is
to give to simple persons
learning,
translated
approbation by Fenelon, and much more
by him
And
in confirmation of
as
into
All these things are quoted with
if all
is
said
them.
the foregoing proofs were insuffi-
cient, "
The Metropolitan," a monthly magazine, edited by a Romish Priest, and published in Baltimore, has come out on the same side. In the 'number
for
April,
1853,
an extract
is
from
Dixon's Introduction, which had previously ap-
peared in another magazine across the water.
The following sentiments are here found without " The practice of the Christian Church, at all times upon this head, has been
any qualification quite
:
irreconcilable with
the supposition, that
the Founder of that Church, or his apostles, im-
posed any obligation upon rally, to
Christians, gene-
all
read the Scriptures."
.
.
.
.
"
The
private
study and perusal of the sacred volume has never
ROME AGAINST THE
72
BIBLE.
been made obligatory upon them" [the simple
The prohibitions
faithful.]
whom and when
are then stated, and
And
made.
" vindicated " at length in the
May, 1853,
tropolitan for this
:
" In the
certain, that
upon the
first
which
tians
is
Me-
we
lay
it
exists,
down
as
imposing
an obligation to read the Scrip-
no passage of Scripture
is
expressed or implied, that
all
Chris-
under an obligation of reading the
are
Bible."
of the
by
such language as
in
no divine precept
laity
it is
number
place, then,
ture." " In fine, there in
" this discipline "
"
The
right which
have to read the Scripture,
is
the simple faithful
not a right inde-
pendent of the sanction and approval of the pastors of the church."
Such are some of the proofs of the the Church of
Rome
circulation of God's
hostility of
and general They might easily
to the free use
Word.
Everywhere you
have been multiplied.
find in
that apostate church the proofs of her hatred of
the free use of Scripture.
Home
Indeed the Church of
does not stop when she has spoken and de-
creed against the free use of the Bible.
She goes yet
further,
and well merits the
title
of the Bible-burning Church.
This has been her
Her
gravest doctors de" I cannot
character for centuries.
fend this Bible-burning.
comprehend with what
Ligori says
:
face certain persons assert
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
PAPISTS GO
13
condemning bad books, but not the right of prohibiting or of
that the church has the right only of
Here
burning them."
the practice under the Inquisition, several
Hebrew
is
What
the doctrine.
is
In Llorente's History of
it ?
we read thus on
p.
42
:
"In
Bibles and books written by
On
were burnt at Seville."
p.
1490,
Jews
43 we read of a
period about sixty years later, where, speaking of
Pope
Julius III.,
says the
and
his zeal against books, he
Pope showed
his
against Spanish Bibles." tells
us that Carranza,
" particularly
zeal,
On
the same page he
who composed
the cata-
logue of prohibited books for the Council of Trent,
coming into England, he "caused many Bibles which had been translated, to be burned." He immediately adds, "some Bibles, which had been introduced into Spain, and were not upon the list,
the
were also prohibited."
On
Supreme Council of Spain,
p.
44, he
says
in 1558, " decreed
that those theologians in the university,
who had
studied the Oriental languages, should be obliged,
up their Hebrew and Greek Bibles to the commissaries of the Holy Office, on pain of excommunication." Besides as well as other persons, to give
many similar things, he tells us on p. 46, that PePrado thus lamented the misfortunes of his age: "That some individuals had carried
rez del
their audacity to the execrable extremity of dei
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
74
manding permission
to read the
Holy Scriptures
in the vulgar tongue, without fearing to encoun-
ter mortal poison therein."
But
this
Bible-burning has not been confined
to Spain, Italy, since
gone by.
and Ireland It
is
nor to centuries long
;
the order of the day in this
century, and in this country.
I have seen in the
hands of Rev.
Maryland, a pam-
J. P. Carter, of
phlet respecting the burning of Bibles in St. ry's
Ma-
Co., in that State, in the year 1819, and
have been permitted to copy the following extract
from a
letter there published, written
Rev. Leonard Edelen, a in
answer to a
Roman
letter of the
the Protestant Episcopal says, "
Never was
by the
Catholic priest,
Rev. John Brady, of Church.
my surprise
The
priest
carried to a higher
pitch than on finding, in these enlightened days,
a Protestant minister so
little
acquainted with the
ancient and uniform practice of the
Roman
Ca-
tholic Church, as to call in question the propriety
of her pastors' conduct, for prohibiting those entrusted to their charge from the perusal of Protestant Bibles,
you,
sir,
and other heterodox books.
Had
taken a deliberate and impartial view of
the past ages of the Christian world, you would
have been spared the trouble of writing a lengthy epistle tholics,
;
you must soon have discovered that Caalthough
exceedingly
numerous,
and
PAPISTS GO
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
spread throughout the whole
known
75
world, and
differing in almost every thing else, in their country,
language, customs, laws, government, humors,
interests,
they were
and often all
at
war with each
perfectly united in faith
other, yet :
they had
the same books and sense of Scripture, in
all
con-
troverted points, the same rule for expounding
them
in fine,
;
one and the same supreme judge of
which
all were obliged to subyou might have inferred why I called upon Catholics to deliver up Protestant Bibles, and all other heretical books in their posand why I was determined to commit session
controversies, to
Hence,
mit.
sir,
;
them in
to the flames, or
doom them
any way that I thought proper It
is
to destruction
pp. 6 and
:"
true this priest does not say he
7.
had burned
the Bibles, but he admits that he had "called
upon Catholics to deliver up Protestant Bibles," and that he " was determined to commit them to the flames or doom them to destruction in any way that " he " thought proper." It is not probable that a determination finally
so
boldly avowed,
gave way, or that he ever restored the
Bibles to their legal owners.
In Nov., 1842, there was a great burning of Bibles by
Romish Priests
at a protracted meeting,
township and
which they held at the Carbo,
in the
county of Champlain N. T.
Hundreds of copies
HOME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
76
men
of God's "Word were by these
And
and burned.
N. Y.,
a.
Romish
piled together
more recently
still
Priest gathered
all
in
Mexico,
the Bibles he
could collect from Romanists and burned them.
Americans
understand these people after a
will
The only persons in this land, who burn Even Atheists, Infidels, and Bibles are Papists. while.
Mormons
refrain
from burning God's word, but
This work of Romanists put it in the fire. burning Bibles, so far as we know, was begun by the heathen persecutor, Antiochus.
It
was
after-
wards taken up by that monster of depravity, Dioclesian.
Since his time the trade has been
chiefly carried
on by the Pope,
and
his Inquisitors
myrmidons. I set out to prove that the
and
for a long time
Church of Rome
is
has been, hostile to the free
use and general circulation of God's word.
Doc-
uments old and new, European and American, have been submitted to you. You must judge of their relevancy
and weight.
To my mind
they
are conclusive and overwhelming, and establish
the charge beyond
Church of Rome,
all
as
reasonable doubt.
far
as
The
she can, excludes
every Bible from the schools, she denounces
all
Bible Societies, she puts the flaming sword of her
own
prohibitory authority before the
of Genesis, warning
all
first
verse
her people not to read
PAPISTS GO
her is
own
BEYOND THE PHARISEES.
77
translations without permission.
She
Bible-burning Church.
iShe
a Bible-hating,
has long been and
still
is
so.
She has taken
away the key of knowledge. When her children ask bread she gives them a stone; when they ask an egg, she gives them a scorpion.
When them
they long for God's holy word, she gives cart-loads of traditions,
silly
fables, bulls,
extravagants, encyclical letters, rosaries, fixes,
and such
like ware.
7*
Cruel, cruel
cruci-
Rome
!
:
CHAPTER
V.
THIS OPPOSITION IS UNREASONABLE
It
now be shown
shall
the Church of
Rome
AND UNSCRIPTURAL.
that this hostility of
to the free use
circulation of the Scriptures
is
and general
unreasonable and
One of our countrymen has "I wonder, and have always wondered
unscriptural.
well
said
that
:
the Catholics, in prohibiting the free use and circulation of the Scriptures, did not
Was ever any
Peter's epistles.
if
!
they
Letters of 1
General Epistles' of the
Why of
St.
Pope I believe not. may and should read the Encyclical the Popes, why not let them read the
to read the letters of a
But
except
Catholic forbidden
is it
first
of Popes, Peter
any more criminal to read the
Pope Peter than those
of
?
letters
Pope Gregory
?
I
cannot explain this."
Such conduct
we look
at the
is
the more inexplicable
epistles of Peter.
In the
when
Doway
Bible a note prefixed to the first epistle says " This Epistle, though brief, contains much doctrine concerning Faith,
Hope and
divers instructions to
persons, of what state or
all
Charity, with
(78)
79
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
The
condition soever.
to the practice of a virtuous
This epistle
Christ.
had been invested by
Lord and Master Jesus Rome, which figuratively
his
He
he
Babylon, about
calls
it
supreme authority
the Prince of the Apostles,
Christ.
wrote
all
in imitation of
written with such apostol-
is
its writer,
sub-
and exhorts
;
life,
ical dignity as to manifest the
with which
commands
apostle
mission to rulers and superiors
at
years after our
fifteen
Lord's ascension."
Now
if
the
epistle
hope, and charity," especially as.it
it,
is
is
very
why not
let
fine
on "faith,
the people have
confessedly addressed to "all
persons of what state or condition soever ?" it
if
And
proves, as here stated, the supremacy of
why not send
Peter,
it
broad-cast over the world
by the aid of bulls and bishops ? As to any " supreme authority " claimed epistle
by Peter, there
is
in this
nothing farther from
him. In chap- v. 1, he says, in our translation, " The elders which are among you I exhort, who
am
also
gancy. all
right
an elder."
He and
The words
This
is
far
from
all
arro-
could not more effectually renounce desire to lord
it
over God's heritage.
translated elders and elder in the text
above cited are
literally
"presbyters" and "co-
presbyter."
As
to the second epistle, Peter expressly says,
ROME AGAINST THE
80
in the 15th verse of the
wrote
it
first
BIBLE.
chapter, that he
that after his decease, his views on reli-
gion might be in possession of the Church. the
Do way
Bible, that verse reads thus
endeavor that you frequently have,
In
" I will
:
after
my
de-
whereby you may keep a memory of these things." Why do not Papists aid so praiseworthy an endeavor ? Indeed the note prefixed cease,
admits
was written just before
it
Pope about
Surely a
in this way, might,
his
martyrdom.
to die, and giving his views
one would think, be allowed
to speak.
But no circulate,
!
The Romish Church does not even Peter's Epistles.
I
freely
wish they
Perhaps the reason why they do not
would.
is,
recommends that his brethren should attend to God's word with much care. His language is very explicit. Even the Do way translation is very strong " We have the word of prophecy more firm to which you do that he very earnestly
:
:
well to attend, as to a light shining in a dark place until the
day dawn, and the morning star
your hearts."
rise in
This prophecy here spoken
of,
means specifically those portions of Scripture, which contain predictions of future events, and which
means
either all Scripture in general, or
it
are confessedly the most difficult parts of revelation to be understood.
Yet Peter
says, "
You do
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
of prophecy
to attend to the worel
well
81
more
which you do well to attend, as to a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn, firm
:
to
and the morning
star rise in
and
your hearts."
This
upon God's people without distinction to attend unto the word of prophecy. Would that Pio Nono would say as much, and not oppose Bible Societies. epistle is general,
calls
It will save time to say, that the is
Do way
Bible
here and elsewhere, in this discourse, freely
quoted, that no advantage may seem to be taken by the translation used, and thus an outcry be made by Romanists of erroneous renderings of the sacred text.
Another thing
is
very wonderful, that in her
hostility to the free use
the Church of epistle to the
version, at
it is
Rome
Romans. According
to the
expressly addressed "to
Rome, the beloved
saints."
of the Bible generally,
does not except Paul's
And
of
all
Doway
that are
God, called to be
yet at this very day, no book
more inaccessible
is
to the masses of the people in
Rome, than Romans. How
the city of
this very epistle of
to the
is
this
Paul
to be accounted
for?
In a note prefixed in the Doway Bible it is " It was written in Greek but, at the
said
:
same time, translated into Latin,
;
for the benefit
ROUE AGAIXST THE BIBLE.
82 of those
And
who
though
did not understand that language. it
not the
is
the order of time
yet
;
it
first
of his epistles, in
first
is
placed, on ac-
count of the sublimity of the matter contained in it,
of the pre-emineuce of the place to which
was
sent,
and
all this is true,
where It
many
in veneration of the church."
why not
it
If
circulate the epistle every-
?
is
true, that
Paul does
things which look as
state in this epistle
if
his doctrinal views
were quite different from those of modern Popes
and of Trent. Yet surely Paul ought at
Rome,
church.
at
to be read
so far as he wrote to that
least
In this epistle too, he several times makes
very honorable mention of
all
God's word.
In
the 2d verse of the 1st chapter, he says that God had promised the Gospel " by his prophets in the
And in the 4th verse of the "What things soever were
Holy Scriptures."
15th chapter he says,
written, were written for our instruction
;
that,
through patience and comfort of the Scriptures,
we might have hope." the 16th chapter
it
is
mystery of the Gospel
And
in the 26th verse of
expressly stated, that the is
now "made
manifest by
the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment
of the eternal God, for the obe-
dience of faith."
Koine opposes the
Can
it
be that the Church of
free use of the Epistle to the
-
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
Romans because
it
83
puts such abundant honor on
the whole of the Old Testament, declares that
much
contains
New,
it
of the promised blessings of the
asserts that the Scriptures are vastly conso-
latory,
and that God would have the Gospel made
known by
the Scriptures of the prophets
conduct
the
is
prehensible,
This
?
more remarkable and the more reas the first Pope, Peter, makes very
honorable mention of
all
the epistles " of our
most dear brother Paul." 2 Pet.
iii.
15, 16.
This leads to the observation that every where the word of
God
claims to be read by
all,
who
can read, and to be made known in every possible way,
and
ciency with
adduced thus:
"
in
asserts its
own
proof
Lay up
is
Deut.
these
my
xi.
18
—
words
and minds, and hang them
and
divinity
The
great clearness.
first
21,
in
suffi-
passage
and reads
your hearts
for a sign
on your
hands, and place them between your eyes.
Teach
your children that they meditate on them, when sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest on the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Thou shalt write them upon the
thou
posts of the doors of thy house, that thy days
may
be multiplied and the days of thy children" &c. Greater variety and clearness of expression could not be used in the same space to teach, that the
word of God
is
in every
way
to be
1,
made
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
84
easy of access, and familiar to
a family
;
and
that children,
2,
all
the inmates of
who
are here twice
named, are as proper subjects of instruction God's word, and are as large sharers fits
Indeed the
of such truths as their parents.
whole passage
is
in
in the bene-
but an enlarged form of asserting
what Moses more briefly expresses in Deut. xxix. " Things which are revealed belong unto us 29. and to our children forever, that we may do all Although the Doway the words of this law." translation of this verse at the
same
as that given
by our
note
elliptical, yet the
is
bottom acknowledges that the sense
is
the
translation.
The Doway Bible also admits, (Josh. viii. 34, M read all the words of the bless35,) that Joshua, ing and the cursing, and written
in
all
things that were
He
the book of the law.
left
out
nothing of those things, which Moses had com-
manded but he repeated ;
Israel,
that
all
before the people of
women and children and strangers among them " To this no note is
with the
dwelt
Here Joshua brought every thing in the women and children
affixed.
law right before the minds of
and strangers. whatever
it
is
I will not stop
proper for one
another the world over,
it is
to
man
argue that to
read to
proper for each
man
to read for himself.
The
three texts just quoted
make
special
men-
;
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE. tion
of children as
familiar with the
persons to
fit
We
Scriptures.
85
know and be may as well
here examine some other passages which relate
young persons reading the Scriptures. In Ps. Do way Bihle it is numbered cxviii.] we read: " By what doth a young man correct to
cxix. 9, [in the
The answer given is, ''by observiug The Psalmist and Trent do by no means agree. He says that even a young man will "correct his way by observing God's word." his
way
?"
thy words."
Trent says that " it
if
any one
shall possess or
have
without written permission, he shall not receive
absolution until he shall
first
deliver
In
up."
it
we read, " Through thy commandment thou has made me
the same
Psalm,
wiser than I have
my
verses
enemies
:
100,
99,
98,
for it is ever with me.
understood more than
because thy testimonies are
my
all
my
have understanding above ancients
have sought thy commandments." lightening influence of the
here said to
teachers
meditation.
I
because I
;
In
this en-
word of God, which
make men wiser than
is
their enemies,
than their teachers, than the ancients,
is
found the
grand objection of Romanists to men's possessing
and reading Holy Scripture.
There never was a
Bible-reading, Priest-ridden community, and
people
But
know
this better
no
than the Papal hierarchy.
to return to children
8
and youth.
In his
"
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
86
Timothy,
second epistle to "
From
15,
iii.
Paul
says,
the
Holy
known
thy infancy thou hast
Scriptures, which can instruct thee unto salvation,
through the
faith,
which
to reprove,
to
Christ Jesus.
is in
Scripture, divinely inspired,
All
profitable to teach,
is
correct, to instruct in justice.
This would seem to be plain enough on the matter in debate.
knew from
The
Scriptures, which
Timothy
childhood, were those of the Old Tes-
tament, and are confessed to have belonged to a dispensation far less luminous than the present. If they alone could
make men wise unto
how much more can both
salvation,
the Testaments, reflect-
ing light on each other, accomplish that happy result.
But
as this
passage puts a powerful weapon
into the hands of those,
of the Bible, even
by
who maintain children,
it
the free use
must not pass
Hence the Doway Bible "Every part of Scripture is cerBut if we tainly profitable for all these ends. would have the ivkole rule of Christian faith, we without an antidote.
has this note.
must not be content with those Scriptures, which Timothy knew from his infancy, that is, with the Old Testament alone." So far you will agree this is a
good
Protestants.
note.
This
is
Let us have
But the note proceeds
the very doctrine of all
to say that
the
Scriptures.
we must not be
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
New
content "yet with the
taking along with
it
81
Testament, without
the traditions of the Apostles,
and the interpretations of the Church,
to
which
the Apostles delivered both' the book, and the true is
meaning of
This last part of the note
it."
right in the teeth of the text.
here
Still,
is
the
Doway
Bible teaching that
Timothy knew the Scriptures from his infancy, and yet in the Pastoral letter from the Archbishop and Bishops, met in Baltimore, in 1840, about a page is taken up in discussing whether children and youth should use the Bible in schools, and the decision reached least in
is
that they should not, at
any such school as
is
United States of America.
usually found in the
Their
own
transla-
tion says the Scriptures can instruct unto salvation,
and yet Romanists, led on by Popes and
Councils, will not aid existing Bible Societies,
nor form one for themselves, nor desist from de-
nouncing those who industriously circulate God's
Word,
calling their Society a "pestilence,"
"a
defilement of the faith," and " most dangerous to souls."
Paul says God's
He
Word
is
not dangerous
However, Paul was no Papist, nor has the world ever seen a book (no larger than Paul's epistles,) which was more utterly hostile to all the claims of the
to souls.
Roman
says
Anti-Christ.
it
is
profitable.
Indeed, in several of his
ROME AGAINST THE
83 Epistles,
EIBLE.
plainly utters the most weighty pro-
lie
phecies and arguments against Popery, the spirit of which had already begun to appear and to
work.
Tim.
See especially 2 Thess. iv.
And tians,
3-10, and
ii.
1
1-3.
Peter was as much in favor of
all
Chris-
even the youngest, having the Bible, as
Paul was.
In his
glish Bible,
first
epistle,
2, in
ii.
our En-
we read thus: "As new-born babes
desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye
This from Pope Peter was
grow thereby."
So
to be a rather strong statement.
way Bible
there
false translation.
is
in the
an attempt to darken "
As new-born
it
may felt
Doby a
infants, desire
the rational milk without guile, that thereby you
may grow unto
salvation."
Papists
Still,
will,
perhaps, hardly deny that, the " rational milk"
is
the milk of God's word.
Having shown from the Scriptures
that people,
even from infancy, should know God's Word, and that
it will
make them wiser than
the ancients,
and even wise unto salvation, let us now further examine and see whether a perusal of Scripture, wherever people can read God's truth, quired by his authority. Christ's
In John
own words, addressed
v.
is
39,
not re-
we have
to a promiscuous
audience in Jerusalem, at one of the great feasts of the Jews.
Though most who heard him were
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
89
unbelievers in his Messiahship, yet he said to
all,
11
Search the Scriptures, for you think in them to have eternal life, and the same are they that give testimony of me."
There
is
affixed to this passage in the
ing,
"It
not a
is
Why
Scriptures." translate
it
as a
compelled
command
to
then
command let
a remarkable note
Doway
Bible, say-
to all to read the
own Bible For shame they were word come forth,
does their ?
Christ's
"Search the Scriptures;" and yet here is a flat denial of the only sense which can be drawn from that command. Origen, Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Augustine, all agree that the word rendered " search," is in this place in the imperative.
So good
also,
to
me
Luke also,
" It seemed tells us, i. 3, 4. having diligently attained to all
things from the beginning, to write to thee in order,
most excellent Theophilus, that thou mayest
know
the truth of those words in which thou hast
been instructed."
Could that evangelist have de-
clared in stronger terms, the use and confirmatory
nature of Scripture records 25, 26,
when a lawyer stood
?
and saying, " What must I do life
?"
law?
And
readest thou ?"
8*
Luke
x.
to possess eternal
Jesus said to him, " what
How
in
up, tempting Christ,
is
written in the
Could Christ have
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
90
more clearly declared that the Scriptures were all and to be read by all, than when he thus
for re-
ferred even an opposer, a bitter, subtle, carping
enemy to that one infallible standard ? The next passage of Scripture, showing that people, indiscriminately, as they can, ought often
and Acts Silas
God's word,
diligently, to read xvii. 10, 11,
coming
where
it is
found in
and
to Berea, " entered into the syna-
gogue of the Jews.
Now
than those of Thessalonica, with
is
said that Paul
these were
who
more noble word
received the
eagerness, daily searching the Scriptures,
all
whether these things were so." "
this note
:
mended
for
The Jews
In the margin
is
of Berea are justly com-
their eagerly
embracing the truth
and searching the Scriptures to find out the texts which was a far more alleged by the Apostles ;
generous proceeding than that of their country-
men
at Thessalonica,
who
persecuted the preachers
of the Gospel without examining the grounds they
alleged for
that this
is
what they taught." All must agree But if it were " noble"
a good note.
and " a generous proceeding,"
in
a congregation
of Bereans, to search the Scriptures
and bring the
doctrines of Paul and Silas, though inspired, to
the test of God's word, to see whether they were true, why is it not " noble " and " generous " for
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
91
a congregation in Rome, Paris, Lisbon, Genoa,
Mexico, or New York to do the same thing, when modern and uninspired men preach ?* Afterwards, when Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, (1 Thess. v. 21,) he said, "prove all
How
things."
could they do this
if
they were
whatever men should say to Pope Hormisdas, who lived in the sixth
implicitly to believe
them
?
century, gave to this passage, the correct interpretation.
He
says
"We
:
ought not to blame
that diligence which runs through and examines
many
things, but only the inclination
ns from the truth.
By
of instruction, that
is
this,
we
necessary for the convincing
of our very rivals themselves.
be looked upon as a shun.
Therefore,
which leads
often lay in a store
fault to
it is
Neither ought
it
to
know what we are
to
not those
who read
unsuit-
* The "Metropolitan" for May, 1853, p. 146 and 147, tries, by bold assertions, to set aside the clear point and teachings of this passage, and says that if the Bereans had "been Christians, their conduct upon the occasion in question, would have been altogether unjustifiable." The Doway Bible, both in the text and in the note, admits that the Bereans acted nobly. Now, if it is noble in a Jew to compare the preaching of an Apostle with the Old Testament,
why
is
it
not noble for a
Christian to compare the preaching of a all
God's word, and see
gether unjustifiable/' dence.
If a
Christian.
if it is true
is
Jew may
to
make a
?
modern minister with To say that it is " alto-
bold assertion without evi-
search the Scriptures,
much more
a
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
92
able tilings that do
who
wrong by reading, but those
follow that which
is
wrong.
If
were not
it
would never have
so, the teacher of the Gentiles
told the faithful, 'Prove afl things; hold fast to that which is good. " '
And
did not John, in his
first epistle
...
write unto you, fathers,
But what was
you, infants ?"
ing to them wrote,
read
either
by reading
12, 14,
I
I write unto
the use of his writ-
they might not
if
ii.
...
say, " I write to you, little children.
it,
know or
all
that he
by hearing
it
?
It will hardly be denied that one of the darkest
and most
difficult
books of Scripture, Oftentimes
the Apocalypse.
learned as well as the ignorant. verse of the 1st chapter, the
is
that of
perplexes the
it
Yet
Do way
in the
3d
version reads
Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy and keepeth these things which are written in it." To this passage no note
thus
:
'•
;
is
affixed.
Blessed
is
or heareth
And as
By
thing
fore, the
confession of Romanists, thereis
plain,
and needs no comment.
he that readeth even the Apocalypse, it
and keepeth
does not Paul
its
sayings.
often speak of his epistles
though they were to be made known to the Did he not write them for that very ?
people
purpose
?
Thus
in the
Doway
Bible
we read
in
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
Col.
iv.
16,
among
chnreh of
which 11
"When
is
the Laodieeans
read to
all
And
epistle,
;
and read you
So in
by the Lord, that
And
the holy brethren. " if
be read
shall
be read also in the
it
of the Laodieeans."
1 charge you,
14, "
this epistle
yon, cause that
93
1
Thess.
that, v.
21,
this epistle
be
in 2 Thess.
iii.
any man obey not our word by
note that man, and do not keep
this
company
with him, that he may be ashamed." Surely Paul did not advise the church to censure any man for not obeying an epistle, of which he had been kept in utter ignorance.
All these views derive great force from the fact, that
according to the clearest teachings of
God's word, a knowledge of the Scriptures
is
the
very means appointed by Heaven for our regeneration, conversion,
and
sanctification.
many passages must James i. 18, " Of his own
of
suffice.
will
A
We
few out read in
hath he begotten
" Being i. 23, born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God ;" Ps. cxix. 59, " I us by the
word of truth
have thought on
;" 1
my ways and
unto thy testimonies;" John
them
in truth
;
Pet.
thy word
is
turned
xvii. 17,
it,
feet
truth ;" Eph. v. 25,
26, " Christ also loved the church,
himself up for
my
"Sanctify
and delivered
that he might sanctify
it,
cleans-
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
94 ing
by the laver of water
it
in
the word of
life."
Indeed the possession of God's written word was, according to inspired teachings, the greatest distinction
and the
between
his ancient people, the Jews,
So we
of mankind.
rest
find
in the
Doway
Bible, Deut.
tion
is
there so renowned, that hath ceremonies,
and
just judgments,
set forth before fore,
iv. 8,
and
"For what
all
the law, which I will
your eyes.
and thy soul
Keep
shalt teach
also in
"Who
:
sons,
and
them not
let
the days of thy
them to thy
So
sons."
taught
all
thyself there-
Forget not the
carefully.
words that thy eyes have seen, and
go out of thy heart
other na-
life.
Thou
to thy grand-
Ps. cxlvii. 19, the same
declareth his
word
to
Jacob;
is
his
and judgments to Israel. He hath not like manner to every nation and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them.
justices
done
in
Alleluiah
;
!"
With this view well agrees the New Testament. In Romans iii. 1, 2, Paul says: "What advantage then hath the Jew, or what circumcision
?
Much
every way.
because the words of
is
the profit of First, indeed,
God were committed
to
them."
And
in the great
commission given by Christ
to his disciples he said:
"Go
ye, therefore,
and
95
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE.
teach
all
nations
;
Ghost
;
name
baptizing them in the
the Father, and of the
of
Son, and of the Holy-
teaching them to observe
all
things what-
commanded you." Now, we know One is bythere are many ways of teaching. Another is by example. Aninstruction.
soever I have that oral
other
by putting books into men's hands, and
is
inducing them to read and study them. early in their ministry the apostles called
reading their epistles and
Men may
Very-
men
to
the sacred books.
all
be saved without learning to read, but
knowledge
in civilized communities that
very imperfect which
and studied
is
will
Indeed so convincing
in private.
be
not reduced to writing,
the pure Scripture, that our
is
Lord Jesus himself
taught us that nothing could be better suited to bring
men
to repentance,
and gave us a parable,
the very last sentence of which
is
:
"If they hear
not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be-
one
lieve if
And " Had ye
29.
me;
for
in
rise
again from the dead." Lukexvi.
John
v.
46,
Christ says expressly,
believed Moses, ye would have believed
he wrote of me."
labors to weaken this passage
dering
it
thus
:
" For
if
The Doway Bible by erroneously
ren-
you did believe Moses,
you would, perhaps, believe me also for he wrote of me." But even this translation cannot destroy the force of the argument Reading and :
"
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
96
believing Moses will prepare the heart for receiv-
ing Christ and his truth.
And
the Scriptures teach, that whenever
all
doctrine of* any
the
word,
it is
man
opposed to God's
is
to be promptly rejected. Isa.
viii.
20.
"To
the law rather and to the testimony." So also in Deut. xiii 1-5, " If there rise in the midst
a prophet, or one that saith he hath
of thee
dreamed a dream, and he foretell a sign and a wonder, and that come to pass which he spake, and he say to thee Let us go and follow strange gods, which thou knowest not, and let us serve :
them
:
thou shalt not hear the words of that profor the Lord your God trieth may appear whether you love him
phet or dreamer you, that
with
all
it
:
your heart, and with
all
your
soul, or no.
Follow the Lord your God, and fear him and keep his
commandments, and hear his voice him you and to him you shall cleave. ;
shall serve,
Here the
by which a false teacher, however tried, was whether his teachings tended to withdraw men from the commandments and voice or teachings of God. So also in 2 John verse 10, we read: "If any man come to you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into the house, nor say to him, test,
high his pretensions, should be
God
save you."
And by
as
we
are to
their doctrine, so
know teachers true or false we must judge of the church
THIS OPPOSITION UNJUSTIFIABLE. itself
by the same
rule, for Christ lays it
down
"My
a universal rule without exception:
my
97 as
sheep
voice and I know them, and they follow John x. 27. Again; "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John viii. 32. So that the Church herself is to be known by the truths which she teaches, and not by pomps, and vanities and lying wonders. It seems strange that we should be compelled to argue such a point as this at large, when John
hear
;
me."
tells
us that he wrote his Gospel for the very pur-
pose of settling the faith of the people in a man" These are secure salvation you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing, you may have life in his name." John xx. 31.
ner that would
:
written, that
;
And now
has
it
not been proven by Moses, by
Joshua, by David, by Jesus Christ, by Luke, by Paul, by Peter, and by John, that
and duty of
it is
the privilege
men, as they can, to have and to read God's blessed word ? Could an argument be all
more scriptural, more conclusive than that fairly drawn from the texts cited? Yerily Tillotson spoke well when he
said, " It is a
hard case the
Church of Rome reduces men to, who will neither allow them any salvation out of their Church, nor the best and most effectual means of salvation
when
in it."
9
CHAPTER OPPOSITION
THIS
VI.
CONDEMNED BY THE VOICE OF
IS
ANTIQUITY.
The free
hostility of the
use and
Scriptures,
general
Church of
Rome
circulation
of the
to the
Holy
also contrary to the practice of the
is
primitive Church, and the teachings of the early fathers.
Roman
Catholic Priests profess to re-
gard themselves as bound to pay a very sacred regard to the usages and views of the early Christians,
and
receive with
to
opinions of the fathers.
great deference the
Even
the
Council of
Trent professes to "follow the orthodox Fathers."
Now
it is
not venturing anything to say that no
Christian writer of the
be quoted against the
Irenams says
:
"
We
first five
centuries can fairly
free use of
God's word.
have learned the plan of
vation from none others than those, by
Gospel came
to
us,
which
Gospel they
preached, and afterwards by the will of it
whom
sal-
the first
God gave
to us in the Scriptures, as the pillar and lasting
foundation
of our faith."
Again he says that (98)
; :
CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY.
99
" prophetical and evangelical Scripture
and without ambiguity." Chrysostom says: "Is
money matters, men
it
plain
not absurd, that, in
not trust to others, but
will
the counters are produced, and the
men
yet, in their souls' affairs,
away by the opinions of
sum
others,
and
the declaration of the divine laws
and beseech you
all,
?
up drawn
cast
are led and
they have an exact scale and an exact
entreat
is
this
when
rule, viz.
Therefore I
that not minding
what this or that man may say about these things, you would consult the Holy Scriptures concerning them." Again " There comes a Gentile and I wish to become a Christian, but I know says, :
'
not to
whom
many
disagreements,
strifes
and
not which doctrine to prefer or
one I
says,
know
'
among you know embrace. Each
to adhere, for there are
I speak the truth,' but
not, for I
am
broils: I
whom to
believe,
ignorant of the Scriptures,
and each one defends his own views ? Verily, makes much for us for if we say that we believe upon the strength of our own reasonings,
this
;
thou art necessarily confused.
But when we receive
the Scriptures, which are simple and true,
easy for thee to judge.
If
it will be any man consents to
these, he
is
he
from the true precepts of a Christian."
is
far
Again
:
"
a Christian
When
;
if
he fights against these,
heresy, which
is
the working of
ROME AGAIXST THE
100
BIBLE.
Anti- Christ, gains ground, there
is
no proving a
Church, but only by the Scriptures."
At
Emperor Constan-
the Council of Nice, the
tine thus appealed to the
"
common
The books
consent of the
Evangeand Apostles, and the prophetic oracles, plainly inform us what opinions and sentiments to Fathers assembled
:
of the
lists
entertain concerning all
God
;
therefore, laying aside
unfriendly contention, let us proceed to debate
and prove the things
in question,
from the sacred
writings."
Jerome
dom
said
:
" Love the Scriptures, and wisand " That which has not
will love thee :"
authority from the Scriptures, as
much
ease, as its nature is
;
contemned with
" I adore the fullness of ScripI do not admit what thou bringest in of
Tertullian says
ture
is
proved."
:
thine own, without Scripture."
"Without doubt
He
also says:
that which the Church received
from the Apostles, and the Apostles from Christ, and Christ from God, is to be held fast." Again, " That docerrorists, he says compared with the doctrine of the Apostles, will, by its diversity from it, and by its contrariety to it, be clearly shown not to be
speaking of certain
:
trine of theirs, if
the doctrine taught by any Apostle or apostolic
man." Again: "Whence arise heretics, alien and hostile to the Apostles, except by a diversity
CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY,
101
of doctrine, which each one has advanced or re-
own
will, and in opposiAgain he says: "Let Herinogenes show where it is written, and if it is not written, let him fear that woe denounced against those who add to God's Word."
ceived according to his
tion to the Apostles."
Basil says
" Let the divinely inspired Scrip-
:
ture determine the whole controversy
Again he
says
:
" It
among
us."
a proof of infidelity, or a
is
sign of pride, to invalidate any thing of
all
that
has been written, or to introduce any thing not
found written."
Theodoret says
"
:
Do not
offer reasons
and
ar-
guments that are human, and drawn from the authority of men.
I believe
and obey only the Ho-
ly Scripture."
Justin Martyr says
means, that
it is
:
"
We
must know, by
all
not lawful or possible to learn
any thing of God, or of right piety, save out of the prophets, who teach us by Divine inspiration." Augustine says tures, for
vine
;
" Take and read the Scrip-
:
whatsoever
there
is
is
in
verily truth,
them
is
high and
and a doctrine most
difit
and renewing of men's minds, and truly so tempered that every one may draw with a devout and pious mind, as true religion re-
for the refreshment
quires."
Again: "Let us not
and you say
that,'
but
hear,
let us hear,
9*
'
l
I say this
Thus
saith
;
102
ROME AGAINST THE
the Lord.'
Truly these are the Lord's books, to
BIBLE.
whose authority we all consent, which we all believe and obey there let us seek the church ;
Again
there let us discuss our cause."
the very clearest voice of
my
:
" I have
Shepherd without
any doubtfulness, setting forth and portraying to
me
the church.
to blame,
if
away from
I should therefore have myself
I should
his flock,
be willingly seduced and led
which
is
pecially as I should hear
with these words,
my
voice,
plain,
and
As many
'
and follow me.' distinct.
the church
itself, es-
him admonishing me as are
my
sheep, hear
This voice
He who
is
clear,
does not follow
it,
how
dare he say that he is one of Christ's sheep ?" Again " To this salvation and eternal life no one :
attains unless he holds the head, Christ.
Yet no
one can hold the head, Christ, unless he be a
member
of Christ's body, which
is
the church,
which church we are bound by holy canonical Scripture to acknowledge even as itself;
we do the head
but we are not in like manner obliged to
search into the various stories and opinions of
men, as to what they have done and said and seen.
Let them,
if
they can, clearly prove the
claims of their church,
been said and reported
composed of
their
own
not by what in Africa,
may have
not by councils
bishops, not by the letters
of disputants, whoever they
may
be, not
by
falla-
CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY.
103
and prodigies, but by the rules laid law of God, in the predictions of the down prophets, in the Psalms, in the words of the One cious signs
in the
Shepherd, in the preachings of the evangelists, that
is,
in all the canonical authorities of the sa-
cred books."
Again: "In the Scriptures we
have learned Christ, in the Scriptures we have learned the church,
Why,
common. fast Christ
Indeed,
we have
therefore,
and the church,
these Scriptures in
should
we not hold
as presented in
them
V
Bishop Jewel, preaching at Paul's
Cross, before a great assembly, on an exciting occasion, gave this challenge, which has not been
taken up to this day
:
"If any one can prove by
Scripture, Fathers, Doctors, Councils, for the
hundred years, that the lay people were forbidden to read the word of god in their own tongue, i will yield and submit." So full and uniform is the testimony of the
first six
on Christianity, on the duty of
early writers
dying God's written word, and
its fitness
stu-
to de-
cide controversies, and nourish the soul, that Fenelon, in his celebrated letter to the bishop of
Arras, "
On
the
Reading
of the
Holy Scriptures
in the Vernacular," speaks as follows:
"I
think
that in our days persons have taken useless trouble to prove
what
is
incontestable, to wit, that
during the primitive ages of the church, lay-per-
104
ROME AGAINST THE
BIBLE.
Holy Scriptures. we have only to open
sons were accustomed to read the
To be convinced
of this,
He
the works of St, Chrysostoin.
says, for ex-
ample, in his preface to the Epistle to the Ro-
mans, that he feels a
lively sorrow,
many
because
of the faithful do not understand St. Paul, as they should,
and because
this
ignorance in some
is
so
great that they do not even know the number of his Epistles.
from the
He
adds, that the disorder proceeds
fact, that
they are unwilling
writings in their hands assiduously
to
have his
he further de-
;
ignorance of the holy Scriptures
clares, that
is the
and of the negThose,' he says, 'who do not
source of the contagion of heresies, lect
in morals.
'
turn their eyes toward the light of the Scriptures, fall
necessarily into
errors,
and into frequent
The whole of this discourse regarded the lay-persons who were accustomed to hear the sermons of this Father." "St. Jerome speaking to Laeta concerning the education of her grand-daughter, says, that when faults.'
this child shall
commence
to be a
little
older,
her
parents must find her only in the sanctuary of the Scriptures, consulting the
prophets and apostles
concerning the spiritual nuptials.
He
adds
:
Let
her every day bring to you her work in order,
which
shall
ture
let
;
be a bouquet of the flowers of Scrip-
her learn the
number of
the Greek
CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY. verses,
and afterwards
105
her be instructed in the
let
Latin editions.' "
He
desires that this
the holy books instead
.... Let her
young maiden should
of jewelry and silken
learn the Psalms
struct herself in the Proverbs of rules of
life
;
Let her inSolomon on the accustom
in Ecclesiastes,
let her,
love
stuffs.
herself to trample worldly things under foot
;
in
the book of Job let her follow the example of Courage and patience let her pass to the Goslet pels, never to put them out of her hands her, with an ardent thirst, be filled with the Acts Let of the Apostles, and with their epistles ;
;
her learn by heart the prophets, the
first
seven
books of Scripture, those of Kings," &c. This language of the Archbishop of Cambray is
the more remarkable, as
letter, the object of
of
Rome
which
it is is
in putting restrictions
of God's word.
the
first
part of a
Church upon the reading
to justify the
In a subsequent part of the same
speaking of the early ages of the Christian Church, he says " Besides, in those times all
letter,
:
the Scriptures, and even
the vernacular language.
all
the liturgy, were in
All the
West under-
stood the Latin, in which was the ancient version of the Bible, Italian version. in the
by St. Augustine, The West also had the
called
the old liturgy
same language, which was the language of
;
ROME AGAINST THE
106
At
the people.
the East,
the people there
stood the
all
it
BIBLE.
was the same thing
spoke Greek; they under-
Septuagint version,
liturgy, just as
and the Greek
our people understand the French
Thus without entering upon any
translation.
question of criticism,
clearer than day that
it is
the people had in their natural language the Bible
and
liturgy,
which they caused their children to might be properly educated that
read, that they
;
the holy pastors in their sermons afterwards ex-
plained to them the whole Scriptures text was very familiar to the people
were exhorted to read
it
continually
were reproached for neglecting to read
that Uae
;
that they
;
that they
;
it
;
finally,
that such neglect was regarded as the source of
and of the relaxation of morals.
heresies
This
is
something which no one need undertake to prove, because
it
is
evident in the
monuments of
anti-
quity."*
To
every well-ordered mind these concessions
of Fenelon must be conclusive as to the usage of the primitive Church.
more than
Indeed no Council,
for
six centuries after the death of the
oldest apostle,
is
quoted by Romish authors against
the free use of God's word. * The foregoing authorities are
So that
if
Roman
cited at length in Bennet's
Christian Oratory, in Turrettin, and in Fenelon's Letter published in
Roman
Catholic newspapers in this country.
— CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY. Catholics regard
trie
107
unanimous agreement of the
Fathers as a rule in such a matter, their conduct wholly unjustifiable.
is
Indeed people
is
God's word from the modern invention, that "It must be said that
this exclusion of
so manifestly a
Peter Dens confesses:
in this point the discipline of the church has
been
changed, just as communion under both kinds,
and daily communion have been changed." "The Metropolitan" for May, 1853, p. 151, admits the same: "The Church did not, at its commencement, impose the same restrictions on the reading of the Scripture, as she found sary to impose in these latter times.
it
neces-
And
the
if
Church has never, not even in these latter times, imposed any restriction on the reading of the original texts and of the ancient versions, the reason is, because the knowledge of the original texts and of these ancient versions soon
became limited to
the learned and well instructed Christians."
Yet
the same Xo. p. 147, has the boldness to say that 11
no one of the Fathers
to
whom, above
—not even
all others,
St.
Chrysostom,
the Biblicals appeal
has ever asserted the existence of a precept binding all Christians to read the Bible. St. Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and St. Jerome, to
whom
our opponents here
refer, at the
all
of
most, but
exhort to the reading of the Scripture."
ROME AGAINST THE
108
The Rome,
BIBLE.
policy and insidiousness of the Church of
been well exposed
in this particular, has
by Chillingworth
:
" He, that would
usurp an
absolute lordship and tyranny over any people,
need not put himself to the trouble and of abrogating and disannulling the laws
maintain the
common
trate their intent, well, if
liberty
;
and compass
made
he may
for his
difficulty
to
frus-
own design
as
he can get the power and authority to
interpret
them
terpretations
as he pleases,
and
and additions stand
to
have his
for laws
;
if
in-
he
can rule his people by his laws, and his laws by his lawyers. lish
So the Church of Rome,
to estab-
her tyranny over men's consciences, needed
not either to abolish or corrupt the holy Scrippillars and supporters of Christian But the more expedite way, and therefore the more likely to be successful, was to gain the opinion and esteem of being the pnblic and
tures,
the
liberty.
authorized interpreter of them, and the authority
them what doctrine she pleased, unThus of traditions or definitions. of knowledge, key and the away taken Rome has substituted great loads of traditions, glosses, and corruptions for the word of God. Some may ask, how do Romanists set aside the numerous teachings of God's word, and the uniof adding to
der the
1
title
''
form practice of the primitive church on this sub-
109
CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY.
This question has already been, in part, More particularly, Romanists claim answered.
ject ?
for their church,
thing
authority
power enough
however contrary
else,
the great pillar of
is
to do this or
to Scripture. all their
any
Church
system.
But do they not attempt to show that they have some Scriptural authority for their course in They do. They rely much on two this matter ? In Matt, xviii. 15-17, we are told that texts. " If thy brother offend thee, go and Christ said If he reprove him between thee and him alone. But shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two :
more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word
them,
tell
church,
let
publican."
may
And
stand.
the church, and
him be This
if
if
he will not hear
he will not hear the
to thee as the heathen is
and the
the favorite passage of Scrip-
most frequently adduced by Papists, to show that the people must not read the Scriptures
ture
without permission.
It
nition " prefixed to the
is
quoted
in the "
Doway Bible,
do not quote the whole, but merely the of
it.
Admo-
only Papists
If they should cite the whole,
it
last part
would be
seen that the text has no more to do with the
withholding of God's word from the people than the
first
verse of Genesis has.
In other words,
they garble the text so as to make
10
it
seem to
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
110
favor their notions.
This
the great foundation
is
of their fearful prohibition to read the Scriptures.
God
says, that if a
tious, that if
man
conciled to him, and
have
and conten-
so wicked
is
you have sought every way all
then you must esteem him no longer
failed,
as a brother in the Lord.
This
is
Rome, drawn from
it, is
not read the Scriptures
the
fair,
the
The doctrine
entire logical sense of the passage.
of
to be re-
the prescribed measures
that the people must
!
The other passage most commonly quoted by Papists on this subject, and referred to in the
Admonition,
is
that found in 2 Pet.
Peter speaking of Paul's
iii.
epistles,
16,
where
says, that in
them " are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other Scriptures, to their
There
is
a very dangerous practice.
Nor and
is it
it
is
denied that there are in Paul's writings
But
subject difficult, that
study
perdition."
It leads to perdition.
in other Scriptures also,
be understood.
to
own
no doubt that perverting Scripture
is
if
some things hard to
a lesson
is
hard and a
one reason why we should
the more profoundly and humbly, looking
God through Jesus
Christ, for the illumination
of the Holy Ghost. But Peter does not say that every thing Paul He expressly says is "hard to be understood."
CONDEMNED BY ANTIQUITY.
Why
limits his remark.
not
at least all except these "
understood ?"
Nor
be misled
;
people have
some things hard
to
be
does he say that the people
of honest minds, anxious to likely to
let the
Ill
know God's
will, are
but he expressly confines his
remark to the unlearned and the unstable.
Yet
even to them, Paul's epistles are harmless, until they " wrest " or pervert them.
But
if
Peter had wished to discourage the read-
ing of Scripture, what a chance he here had to say
Instead of that, he says in the very next
so.
verse but one, " Increase in grace and in the
knowledge of our Christ."
Lord
and
Saviour,
Jesus
Peter, no doubt, well agreed with Paul
that "all Scripture divinely inspired,
is
profitable
to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice."
the
These apostles never disagreed as to
excellence
Rome
of God's
blessed
word.
does not pretend that there was any
ence between them on this vital matter.
Even differ-
!
CHAPTER
VII.
ADDRESS TO ROMISH PRIESTS, TO PRI-
CONCLUSION.
VATE MEMBERS OF THE ROMISH CHURCH, AND TO PROTESTANTS.
I close this discussion by an address to several distinct classes of persons
wishing to each
;
all
the
blessings and mercies of the covenant of peace,
and an
interest in the adorable
To
1.
Redeemer.
Priests of the church of
Friends
:
You and
Rome.
your people, you and your
opposers, are passing rapidly to the bar of the
unerring Judge, to
whom we must
office will
then be laid aside.
will shield
no one
there.
and sentences, none
those of religious teachers ful to Christ
and
Robes of
Exclusive privileges
Of
all
the examinations
be more
will
give ac-
all
count for the deeds done in the body.
fearful
who have been
his truth.
than
unfaith-
Should you, in that
great day, meet one soul that had failed of salvation because of your corrupt teachings, or your sinful
will
withholding of the Scriptures,
be your reflections
(1U\
how dreadful
CONCLUDING ADDRESS.
In your own Bible
113
written that, " whoso-
it is
ever shall break one of these least commandments,
and
shall teach
least in the
men
kingdom
so,
he shall be called the
of heaven." Matt.
your own Bible I read, " If any these things,
God
shall
written in this book.
man
In add to
v. 19.
shall
add upon him the plagues
And
if
any man
shall take
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from these things which are written in this book." Apocalypse, xxii. 18-19.
Men can assume no higher responsibility than by perverting, denying or withholding from the people the Holy Scriptures. By his prophets, by his Son, and by his apostles, God has spoken to all classes of men, rulers and ruled, ministers and people, husbands and wives, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, masters and servants, rich and poor, old and young. Can it be safe for you to step forward, shall
and say to the people that they
not hear Jehovah speak, though they
hear you
?
If the
Pope sends out any
any man may buy and read
it
;
Eternal, immortal and invisible,
and knows spires
men
his sins,
may
writing,
if the King who made man,
but
and sorrows, and wants,
to write his will
and laws,
in-
his promises
and threatenings, who are you, that you should 10*
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
114
withstand God by saying that your fellow-men must not read the writing, unless one of your number, as fallible and as sinful as themselves, shall deign to give permission, and that too "in writing
V
By your own Bible it appears that Timothy might know the Scriptures " from infancy." But who was Timothy ? He was no prodigy he was ;
no exception
to the general rule.
He
was the
son of the pious Eunice, and the grandson of the pious
If these
Lois.
might instruct tures,
handmaids of the Lord
their little
why may not
boy
in the
Holy Scrip-
every man's child have his
mind stored with the very words of the Holy Ghost ? In his word God often addresses children, and says many things not a whit above their capacities.
If
any doubt
this statement, let child-
ren be tried, let them read the Bible, and you
how their minds will go eagerly to work, and what questions they will ask. It is in the knowledge of many great and good men, that the impressions which they received early in life, from
will see
reading the history of Joseph, of David, and of Christ, were as just
and as
salutary,
though not
as adequate, as those of riper years.
But if you will not feed the lambs, why will you not feed the sheep ? Take up the language of Christ, and say to all your hearers, " Search
CONCLUDING ADDRESS.
Are
the Scriptures." ers
many hungry
there not to
souls,
115
among your
whom
God's
hear-
Word
would be the bread of life and who, on reading the Scriptures, would say, as one of old, " How ;
my
sweet are thy words to
palate
!
more than
honey to my mouth. By thy commandments I have had understanding therefore have I hated :
way
every
of iniquity."
Doway
God's
Word
Bible, Ps.
118,
If
some parts of
are mysteries, others,
and those of
(English Bible, 119,) 103, 104. the highest importance,
are plain.
"
He
that
may run over it." " Fools shall not err therein." One of your popes, a thousand "In the Scriptures are shallows years ago, said where a lamb may wade, and depths where an elephant may swim." And Pope Pius the Sixth readeth
it
:
said to Martini, respecting his translation into Italian faithful
:
"You
judge exceedingly
well, that the
should be excited to the reading of the
Holy Scriptures
;
most abundant open to every one,
for these are the
sources which ought to be
left
draw from them purity of morals and of docwhich are so widely disseminated in these corrupt times." This was
to
trine, to eradicate the errors
Pope in "the calends of Clement XIV., better known
the doctrine of that April,
m8." And
to the literary world as Ganganelli, goes so far as to say, that " the Gospels contain the religion of
ROME AGAINST THE
116
BIBLE.
and are so plain that the meanest capacity
Christ,
can comprehend them." If the Gospels are so plain,
why
grant unrestricted access to them
not circulate them
you not
The promises and
?
word
tions of God's
will
Why will
?
you
invita-
Those
are almost all plain.
relatiug to the salvation of the soul, are peculiarly so.
The moral law
is
Every honest
very clear.
man may know the correct rule of living, if he has The threatenings of God- are the Scriptures. very plain and pungent. Many of them are rather weakened than strengthened by explanations. From God's word nothing is clearer than that we must believe
Lord Jesus
in the
Christ with the
we must truly we must love God commandments, or lie down in
heart, or
be rejected at
repent of
all sin
and keep
his
last,
that
or perish, that
sorrow.
Your
Bible,
peace with
no man
all
our own,
like
says
:
" Follow
men, and holiness, without which
shall see the
Lord." Heb.
Bible as well as ours, says
:
"
xii. 14.
God
Your
forbid that I
should glory but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
:
by whom the world is crucified to me, For in Christ Jesus, neither
and I to the world. circumcision cision,
*
availeth
anything,
but a new creature."
Gal.
these and other kindred truths
nor uncircumvi.
come
15, 16.
Let
to all your
CONCLUDING ApDRESS.
Labor and pray that
people in the written word.
under your charge " may be
all
knowledge of pleasing
may walk
that they
;
being
;
fruitful in
and
glory, in all patience
God
Stand
strengthened
long-suffering, with joy."
aside, ye mortals
littleness,
tures
;
9, 11.
i.
own
in all things
might, according to the power of his
all
Col.
with the
every good work, and
increasing in the knowledge of
with
filled
wisdom, and spiritual
his will, in all
understanding
117
let
;
and
let
him warn,
!
yea, retreat into your
Jehovah speak to
instruct, reprove,
his crea-
command,
comfort, invite and encourage in the very words
which he has chosen, "not in the learned words
human wisdom, but
of
Spirit."
I
am
1
Cor.
ii.
in
the doctrine of the
13.
the more impelled to urge this matter be-
cause I read in your
own
blessed
Bible, these
words " The Spirit and the bride say Come, and he that heareth, let him say Come, and he :
:
:
that thirsteth, let him let
him take the water
come of
:
and he that gratis."
life,
will,
Apoca-
lypse, xxii. 17.
One of
of your
New
York,
Jesuits, the lic
own number, Archbishop Hughes, lately scouted the idea that
"the
Pope, and the members of the Catho-
Church throughout the world, have a mortal He says "This would be
dread of the Bible."
:
ROME AGAINST THE BIBLE.
118
strange, indeed;" and adds, that "the
Church
availed herself with eagerness, of the art of print-
ing for the purpose of multiplying copies of the
Holy
Now
Scriptures."
are of the same mind,
if
you
this is
will,
and
so,,
if
you
of course, do all
you can to get God's word among the people.
Ask
the world for
money
to print Bibles, and you you are believed to be you do this, your leader of
will as surely get it as
But, until
sincere.
New York
will in vain, say
:
" It
is
not surpris-
ing that our Protestant neighbors will persist in
supposing that we are afraid of our original and hereditary documents that have never been out of
The proper reply
our possession ?" is
nothing surprising about
will stand aloof
it,
is,
that there
except that
men
from spreading so good a book,
and then express surprise that others should think them afraid of that book. Those of you, who are Jesuits, know very well that this
is
one of your rules
admitted to do the particular
:
" Those that are
offices of
the house
must not learn either to read or write or, if they know anything, they must not learn any more. And no man must teach them without leave of ;
the general serve
but
;
Christ
humility."
How
rance in your
it
shall
be
sufficient for
them to
our Lord, in holy simplicity and dare you thus perpetuate igno-
own houses
?
How
can you thus
119
CONCLUDING ADDRESS.
and then set up for teachers of the rest of Are ignorance and simplicity the mankind? same thing in your esteem ? 2. To private members of the Roman Catholic
act,
Church.
You
will not, I trust, forget these
in your
own
Bible
own burden."
:
Gal.
words found
" Every one shall bear his vi. 5.
Again
"Every one
:
of us shall render account for himself to God."
Rom.
I
xiv. 12.
know indeed
that your Priests
are in the habit of saying to you that
obey them, they day will
;
know
you
if
last
that they and every other
man
but I have to answer for himself.
send a substitute to that war.
You
"We
You
cannot
shall all
stand before the judgment seat of Christ." xiv. 10.
will
answer for you in the
will
Rom.
cannot divest yourselves, no crea-
ture can divest you of your individual accountability to
God.
Your own become
Bible also says
children
in
sense
;
:
" Brethren do not
children; and in sense be perfect." 20.
The
plain
meaning of
malice be
but in
Cor. xiv.
1
this is clear
ren, be not children in understanding
:
:
" Breth-
howbeit,
in malice be ye children, but in understanding be
men."
The
verse just quoted
is
clearly parallel to
that in 1 Cor. x. 15, where Paul says to wise
men
:
:
" I speak as
judge ye yourselvse what I say."
ROME AGAINST THE
120
BIBLE.
In God's blessed word you have the key to the
God
saving knowledge of
in
Take
Christ.
and unlock the store-house of Heaven's
make them yours. They are Use your faculties
choicest mercies, and
you by the Lord.
offered to
with zeal and diligence in learning God's
up your voice
Lift
it,
richest,
Be
knowledge.
for understanding.
good
in
earnest.
Cry
Your
will.
after
great
Doctor, Peter Dens, quotes from the 9th Homily of Chrysostom on the epistle to the Colossians
advice
excellent
this
ye laymen,
all
:
" Hear,
medicine for the soul."
low
I
beseech you,
of you get Bibles for yourselves, as
Oh
that you would
fol-
this advice.
Well does Dr. Manning in his Moral Enter" The answer of Christ to the young man who wished to know from him the way of salvation, saying, How readest thou V
tainments say
:
'
teaches us that
if
we
will
be rightly instructed,
we must go to the divinely inspired writings. The Gospel is that, which we must follow by it we must be judged, and by it stand or fall in that day and happy is he that shall be found able to ;
;
meet that awful question of the great Judge, How readest thou V " 1
Your spiritual
position in a land of religious liberty and privileges
deepest solemnity.
cannot be divested of the
You may
avoid reflection and
121
CONCLUDING ADDRESS.
action respecting your soul's affairs, and leave the
matter to the care of the Priest; but this will
not avail in the
He, who
last day.
shall at last
decide your destiny, has already told you that he
not hold any one innocent that slights the
will
Scriptures
not
my
word that him in the
God
He
"
that despiseth me, and receiveth
I have spoken, the last
day."
John
enactment.
word of God It
is free, it is
is
same
The judge
shall
48.
xii.
has put you in a land
" the
Here
:
words hath one that judgeth him.
full
of open Bibles.
not bound" by legal
accessible to
and read, search and meditate upon
Take Nothing
all.
it.
can be of so great value to you and your children as the life-giving truths of the Gospel. If
you should not understand any passage of you may ask others for their views.
Scripture,
Only you must judge whether they prove opinion to be scriptural.
their
Philip did not take the
Bible from the Ethiopian, nor chide him for pry-
ing into the meaning of the prophet Isaiah, but like a
good minister " beginning
at that scripture
preached to him Jesus."
And for
the
if
you should be
illumination
still
God Your own
in doubt, cry to
of his Spirit.
Bible gives you the example of pious David in
such a case:
"Open thou my
eyes: and I will
consider the wondrous things of thy law. "
11
" Give
;
ROUE AGAINST THE BIBLE.
122
me
understanding, and I will search thy law
I will keep
it
my
with
[King James' Bible
whole heart."
says
:
own
translation
" If any of you want wisdom, let him ask
of God,
who
giveth to
all
abundantly, and up-
be given him." James The same apostle says " The continual
braideth not i-
and
That blessed
cxix.] 18, 34.
apostle, James, according to your
;
Ps. cxviii.
5.
:
and
it
shall
:
prayer of a just
man
James
much."
availeth
v. IT.
By leaving some things God may for a long time and
Even
docility.
is
six
18.
the
who
is
At least all Doway Bible
be
tried.
many
things
them pretends whose " number
of
beast,
See Apoc.
sixty-six."
xiii.
the light found in the notes of " The numeral is simply this
name
letters of his
To those who
Not one
meant by the
hundred and
your submission
test
to your doctors
in the Bible are dark.
to tell
dark and mysterious,
:
shall
make up
are well disposed
it is
this
number."
often useful to
Our Heavenly Father proves us by con-
cealing some things from us for a time. in all science.
At
first
many
It
is
so
things are dark.
But even at last some things are mysterious. The stars do not all shine with equal splendor neither do the truths of God. But let none be offended at this. Enough is plain to keep us fully occupied, and to lead us to God.
'
CONCLUDING ADDRESS.
123
I beseech you therefore to treasure hearts the very words of God.
gracious calls of Christ Jesus
you that
up
your
in
Give ear to the :
"
Come
unto
me
and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet, and my burden all
labor,
:
Matt.
light."
to
me
Son
xi.
"Him that cometh John vi. 31. " The seek and to save that
28-30.
I will not cast out."
of
Man
come to Luke xix. the door and knock
which was stand at
hear
my
come
in
is
"Behold, I
10.
lost."
:
if
any man
shall
and open to me the gate, I will to him, and will sup with him, and he voice,
with me."
Apoc.
Do you
wish to
iii.
20.
know
the
"
like the Jailor at Philippi,
way
of
life,
and ask
What must I do
that
may be saved ?" You have the answer of in" Believe in the Lord Jesus spired men and
I
:
:
thou shalt be saved, and thy house." 29, 30.
God
If
invites
you would see how fully to be saved, listen to
men
Acts xvi. and kindly his
words
:
"All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money, make haste, buy and come ye, buy wine and milk without money, eat and without any price. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he :
.
:
.
.
:
ROME AGAINST THE
124 is
Let the wicked forsake
near.
man
unjust
way, and the him return to have mercy on him, and
his thoughts,
the Lord, and he will
God
to our lv.
BIBLE.
for he
:
and
his
let
bountiful to forgive.
is
Is.
1, 6, 1.
And
be not
with having the word of
satisfied
God yourself. It is a duty incumbent on every man to make known the will of God to others. Your own Bible makes it your duty not only to "work your salvation with fear and trembling," but also to do good to others by " holding forth the
word
3.
To
You state,
of life."
Phil.
ii.
12, 16.
Protestants
enjoy, without restriction, from church or
from priest or magistrate,
God's Holy Word.
free
access to
you slight or despise that " To sacred treasure, you do it at your peril. whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required."
Luke
If
xii.
48.
By many
solemn and
tender obligations you are bound to
know
the
and to bring others to do the same. Let your light Glorify God with all your powers, and shine.
truth, to love
it,
to live according to
it,
submit yourselves to his statutes and ordinances forever.
Remember
that an
open Bible, not
loved, not believed, not practised, will at last but flash
damnation
God's word
is
in
your consciences.
not an amulet.
It possesses
no
CONCLUDING ADDRESS.
power
to save those
who
will
not obey
"
dreadful.
will
How
so great salvation
.
shall ;
be both
we
it.
Lord Jesus
shall refuse to believe in the
your destruction
125
inevitable
escape,
which at the
If
if
first
we
you
Christ,
and
neglect
began to be
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us
by them that heard him."
Heb.
ii.
3.
"He
that despised Moses' law, died without mercy,
under two or three witnesses punishment, suppose
:
ye, shall
of
how much
sorer
he be thought wor-
who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace." Heb. If you despise the teachings of that x. 28, 29. thy,
Saviour, whose sermons you are freely permitted to read,
it
had been good
been born.
"
He
that
for
is
you
if
you had never
wise shall be wise for
himself."
And
be not
persuade
satisfied to
others
to
go alone to heaven, but your pious march.
join
Wherever they are destitute supply them with the word of God. Persuade them to read it for themselves. Do all in your power to disseminate the Scriptures. You know what your Bible says in Isaiah lv. 10, 11. The Doway translation of " As the rain and the snow that passage is this come down from heaven, and return not thither, 11* :
ROME AGAINST THE
126
BIBLE.
but soak the earth, and water
it,
and make
it
to
spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to
the eater
so shall my word be, which shall go my mouth it shall not return to me
:
forth from
:
but
void,
it
do whatsoever I please, and
shall
shall prosper in the things for
which I sent
Let nothing discourage you. the truth, another will receive
quick and powerful.
It
is
it.
If One
it."
rejects
God's word
is
sharper than a two-
edged sword. " Are not my words as a fire, saith Lord and as a hammer that breaketh the
the
:
rock in pieces ?"
Jer. xxiii. 29.
" In the morn-
ing sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand
:
for thou
knowest not whether
shall
prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall
be alike good."
God
In particular
Ecc.
xi. 6.
has in his wonderful provi-
dence, opened a wide door of usefulness to you in the Bible Society, the history of which institution
has been marked by vine favor.
Word
many
at least five-fold
before.
It has
tokens of di-
beyond what they were
been a bond of union among thou-
sands of good men.
demand
infallible
It has multiplied the copies of God's
It has greatly increased the
for the Scriptures,
and so has enlisted work
private capital and private enterprise in the of spreading the
And
it is
Word
of God.
the very best
book you could
circu-
CONCLUDING ADDRESS. late to destroy the
power of the Man of Sin. A " The New Testament
great statesman well said is
t
:
book ever written against Popery." pours floods of light on the benighted and suthe best
It teaches all persons to call
perstitious.
master.
If
you would pour balm and tortured
consciences
God's Word. comfort to
all
Sir Isaac
It reveals
It
Newton
ample
re-
It converts the soul.
virtue.
no cunningly devised
man
send abroad
spirits,
the penitent.
It purines the heart.
no
wounded
into
words of unspeakable
It speaks
wards to suffering
is
127
is
its
own
witness.
It
fable.
said
:
"I
find
more marks of
authenticity in the Bible than in any profane his-
tory whatever."
And
even Infidelity has often
been compelled to pay the tribute of profound respect to the system of truths taught in God's word. Bolinbroke said: " No religion ever ap-
peared in the world, whose natural tendency was so
much
directed to promote the peace and happi-
ness of mankind, as Christianity." is,
in all cases,
"
The Gospel
one continued lesson of the
morality, of justice versal charity."
strictest
and benevolence, and of uni-
"The
system of religion which
Christ published, and his evangelists recorded,
a complete system to natural and revealed. of the former,
it
all
is
the purposes of religion,
It contains all the duties
enforces
them by asserting the
ROME AGAINST THE
128
BIBLE.
who proved
divine mission of the publisher, assertion
at
the
his
time by his miracles."
same
Scores of infidels have confessed as much. Even Paine says of Jesus Christ, that " he was a virtu-
ous and amiable man.
The morality he preached
and practised was of the most benevolent kind." But the Bible still evinces its heavenly origin by supernatural
its it
It proves every
effects.
came from God.
day that
If all mankind, except a thou-
sand, were raving infidels, scowling at
all
that
is sa-
cred and benevolent, and that thousand were meek, there would
gentle, humble, penitent believers,
be ample proof ber, that the
each of their num-
in the case of
Gospel was
still
and the power of God unto never made the Gospel more
wisdom of God
the
God
salvation.
has
efficacious in reclaim-
ing the wandering, in purifying the
vile, in
con-
verting the sinner from the error of his ways, than
within the last century.
In disseminating this
book, you do not beat the
air,
you run not
as un-
certainly.
Above work
for
all
things, let each one of
eternity
for
his
own
you make sure soul.
Be not
merely speculative believers, but reduce practice.
Live according to
Holy Scripture of
God
;
;
live
by the
live to the glory of
with his blood.
faith of the
Him
all
to
the precepts of
Son
that bought you
Then when your
life
shall all
be
CONCLUDING ADDRESS. spent,
and you
129
shall enter the invisible state, no-
thing that occurred on earth will give you more
unfeigned delight, than any part you
had
in building
may have
up that kingdom, which
is
right-
eousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
THE END.
DATE DUE
