Idolatry! - Bishop J. C. Ryle Sermon

This

sermon

is titled Idolatry by J.C Ryle flee from

idolatry

First Corinthians chapter 10 verse 14. At first, our text today may seem barely necessary in our country, an age of education and intelligence that we could almost imagine as a waste of time . tell anyone to flee from

idolatry

. I dare say that this is a big mistake. I believe we have reached a time when the issue of idolatry demands thorough and thorough investigation. I believe that idolatry is near us, around us and among us to a very terrible degree the second commandment in a word is in danger the plague has begun without further preface I propose to consider the following four points first the definition of idolatry which Secondly, the cause of idolatry, where it comes from, thirdly, the form that idolatry assumes in the visible Church of Christ, where is it?

Fourthly, the definitive termination of idolatry, what will put an end to it. I feel that the topic is surrounded by many difficulties. Our fate is cast in an age when truth is constantly in danger of being sacrificed. to the tolerance of love and peace, falsely called, however, I cannot forget that, as a minister, the church has given little or no warning on the subject of idolatry, unless I am very mistaken, the truth about idolatry It is, in the highest sense, the truth for the times. Let me then, first of all, provide you with a definition of idolatry.

Let me show you what it is. It is of utmost importance that we understand this unless you make it clear. I can't do anything with the issue. Vagueness and indistinction. They will prevail on this point as on almost. everything else in religion, the Christian who wishes not to be continually stranded in his spiritual journey must have his channel well buoyed and his mind well stored with clear definitions, I say then idolatry is a cult in which the honor due to the Triune God and to God is only given to some of his creatures or to some invention of his creatures.

It can vary. It can take different forms depending on the ignorance or knowledge of civilization or the barbarity of those who offer it. It can be tremendously absurd and ridiculous or it can border on the truth and be defended in the most superficial way, but whether in the Adoration of the Giant's Idol or in the Adoration of the Pope in St. Peter's in Rome, the principle of idolatry is in reality the same, in both cases the honor due to God. It is separated from him and given to that which is not God and whenever this is done, whether in pagan temples or in professedly Christian churches, there is an act of idolatry, it is not necessary for a man to formally deny God in Christ in order to being an idolater far from professing reverence for the god of the Bible and real idolatry are perfectly compatible;

They have often been done together and still do. The children of Israel never thought of renouncing God when they persuaded Aaron to make the golden calf. Here are your gods, said those who brought you out of Egypt, and the festival in honor of the calf was kept as a festival to the Lord. Jeroboam never again intended to ask the ten tribes to abandon their loyalty to the god of David and Solomon. when he lifted up the golden calves and Dan and Bethel, he just said it's too much for you to go up to Jerusalem, here are your gods, or Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.

In both cases we must observe that the idol was not placed. He presented himself as a rival of God but under the pretext of being a help a springboard towards his service but in both cases a great sin was committed the honor due to God was given to a visible representation of him the Majesty of Jehovah was offended the second commandment was broken there was in the eyes of God a flagrant act of idolatry, let us point it out well it is time to discard from our minds those vague ideas about idolatry that are common these days we should not think as many think there are There are only two types of idolatry: the spiritual idolatry of the man who loves his wife, his child, or his money more than God and the overt and gross idolatry of the man who bows down before an image of wood, metal, or stone because he knows no better than we can .

Be assured that idolatry is a sin that occupies a much wider field than this; It is not simply something in pagan lands that we can hear about and feel sorry for in missionary meetings, nor is it something confined to our own hearts that we can confess before ourselves. The mercy seat on Our Knees is a pestilence that walks in the Church of the Living Christ to a much greater extent than many suppose. It is an evil that as the man of sin settles in the Temple of God proclaiming God is a sin against which all we must continually watch and pray, it infiltrates our religious worship without us realizing it and is upon us before we realize it.

Those are tremendous words that Isaiah spoke to the faithful Jew, not to the worshiper of Baal, remember the man who really came to the temple and these words he who sacrifices a bull is like he who kills a man and he who offers a lamb like the who breaks the dog's neck, he who makes an offering of grain is like he who presents pig's blood, and he who burns commemorative incense is like he who worships an idol. This is the sin that God has especially denounced in his word, one of each ten commandments is dedicated to the prohibition of the same none of the ten contains so solemn a Declaration of the character of God and of his judgments against the disobedient God said I the Lord your God am a jealous God who punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me not even one perhaps of all the Ten Commandments is so emphatically repeated and amplified and especially in the fourth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy this is the sin of all the others to which the Jews They seem to have been more inclined to commit before the destruction of Solomon's Temple.

What is the history of Israel under judges and kings but a sad record of repeated falls into idolatry? time and time again we read about high places and false gods time and time again we read about captivity and punishment for idolatry time and time again we read about a return to ancient sin it seems as if the love of idols among the Jews was naturally bone of their bones and flesh of their flesh, the sin that beset the Old Testament Church, in a word, was idolatry over the most elaborate ceremonial ordinances that God ever gave to his people.

Israel incessantly wandered after idols and worshiped the works of men. hands this is the sin of all the others that has brought the most severe judgments on the visible Church brought upon Israel the armies of Egypt Assyria and Babylon scattered the ten tribes burned Jerusalem and took Judah captive and Benjamin brought churches to the East in days subsequent the overwhelming flood of the Muslim invasion and turned many spiritual gardens into a desert the desolation that reigns where Cyprian and Augustine once preached death in life in which the churches of Asia Minor and Syria are buried are all attributable to this sin all They testified of the same great truth that the Lord proclaims in Isaiah.

I will not give my glory to another nor my praise to idols. Let us collect these things in our minds and reflect well on them. Idolatry is an issue that in every Christian Church that wants to remain pure must be thoroughly examined understood and known it is not in vain that Paul establishes this mandate converted flee from idolatry let me show you secondly the calls to which idolatry can be attributed the cause to which idolatry can be attributed where does it come from man who adopts an extravagant and exalted view of human intellect and reason idolatry may seem absurd he admires it is too irrational for any weak Mind to be in danger from it to a mere superficial thinker about Christianity the danger of idolatry may seem very small any commandment that is transgressed such a man will tell us that professing Christians are not very likely to transgress the second commandment now both people betray a regrettable ignorance of human nature they do not see that there are secret roots of idolatry within everything For us, the prevalence of idolatry in all ages among the pagans must necessarily baffle one.

The warnings of Protestant ministers against idolatry in The Church must necessarily seem unnecessary to the other. Both are equally blind to their cause. All idolatry is the natural corruption of man. heart that great family disease with which all the children of Adam are infected from their very birth manifests itself in this and a thousand other ways, from the same Source from which come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit. lasciviousness Envy slander arrogance and foolishness from that same Source arise false concepts of God and false concepts of the worship that is done to Him and therefore when the apostle Paul tells the Galatians what the works of the flesh are, he places prominently among them the idolatry that man will have. some kind of religion God has not left himself without a testimony in all of us Fallen as we are like old inscriptions hidden under piles of rubbish there is something dark etched deep in the heart of man, however weak and happy he may be, elevated as something that makes you feel that you must have a religion and a cult of some kind, the proof of this is found in the history of travel and travel in all parts of the world, the exceptions to the rule are so few, if any.

There are, which only confirm is true, the worship of man in some dark corner of the earth may rise no higher than a vague fear of an evil spirit and a desire to appease it, but a worship of some kind that man will have, but then It comes in the effect of the fall, the ignorance of God. carnal and base conceptions of his nature and earthly and sensual attributes notions of the service that is acceptable to him characterize the religion of the natural man there is a longing in his mind for something that he can see, feel and touch and that he is eager to bring God to his own crawling level, would make his religion a thing of sense and sight;

He has no idea of ​​the religion of the heart and faith in the spirit, in short, just as he is willing to live on God's Earth until he is renewed by the grace of a fallen and degraded life so he has no objection to the worship of idols until it is renewed by the Holy Spirit in a word idolatry is a natural product of the heart of man it is a weed that like the uncultivated earth the heart is always ready to produce and now it does Surprise us when we read about idolatries constantly recurring themes of the Old Testament Church, a bale and moloch, an asterot of high places and mountain altars of groves and images, and this in the full light of the ceremonial mosaic, let us cease to be surprised at what it can be.

If it is explained that there is a Cause, are we surprised when we read in history how idolatry gradually infiltrated and into the Christian church how it gradually drove out the truth of the gospel until in Canterbury men offered more in the Sanctuary of Thomas to Beckett that they did it in The Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary and more The Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary that in The Sanctuary of Christ we stop being surprised it is all intelligible there is a Cause we are not surprised when we hear of men who go from Protestant churches to the Church Roman Catholic today do we think it is impossible and feel that we ourselves could never abandon a pure form of worship for one like that of the Roman Catholic Church?

Let's stop being surprised that there is a solution to the problem there is a Cause that causes nothing more than the corruption of the heart of man there is a natural propensity and tendency in all of us to give God a sensual carnal worship and not what is ordained in his word we are always ready by reason of our laziness and unbelief to devise visible aids and stepping stones in our approach to him and, ultimately, to give these inventions of ours the honor due them; In fact, idolatry is completely natural, downhill, easy like Broadway spiritual worship is all about Grace, all uphill, all against.

In essence, any worship, whatever it may be, is more pleasing to the natural heart than worshiping God in the way our Lord Christ described in spirit and truth. For my part, I am not surprised by the amount of idolatry that exists both in the world and in the visible Church. I think it is entirely possible that we may yet live to see much more than I have ever dreamed of. He would never surprise me if some powerful personal Antichrist arose before the end. Powerful and intellect. Powerful and talented for the government. Yes and powerful. maybe and miraculous gifts too I would never be surprised to see someone like him opposing Christ and forming an agnostic conspiracy against the gospel.

I think many would rejoice in honoring the one who now boasts and saying that we will not do it. to have this Christ to Reign over us I think many would make a god of him and revere him as an embodiment of Truth and focus their idea of ​​hero worship on this person. I propose it as a possibility and no more but of this at least me. I am sure that no man is less safe from the danger ofidolatry that the man who now mocks every form of religion and that from belief to disbelief, from atheism to the grossest idolatry, is but one step.

Let us not think that idolatry is an old created sin into which we are never likely to fall, so if you think you stand firm, be careful not to fall, we would do well to look into our own hearts, the seeds of idolatry are there, we must remember the words of Paul, flee from idolatry, let me show you thirdly the forms that idolatry has assumed and assumes in the visible Church. The forms that idolatry has assumed and assumes in the visible Church. Where is? I believe that there never was a more unfounded fabric than the theory that obtains the favor of many by the promises of perpetuity and preservation of the apostasy belonging to the visible Church of Jesus Christ is the theory that is supported neither by Scripture nor by fact the The church against which the gates of Hades will not prevail is not the visible Church, but the entire body of the elect, the company of True Believers from every nation and people, the greater part of the visible church having frequently maintained gross heresies, its branches particulars are never safe against mortal errors both in faith and practice, a departure from the faith of apostasy and leaving a first love in any branch of the visible Church should never surprise a careful reader of the New Testament that Idolatry would arise seems to have been the expectation of the Apostles even before the New Testament Canon was closed.

It is notable to note that Paul dwells on this issue in his epistle to the Corinthians. If any Corinthian called a brother an idolater with such a man, the members of the church were not even to eat with them, lest they be idolaters as some of them were, It says again in our text today, my dear friend, flee from idolatry when Paul writes to the Colossians, warning them against the worship of angels and John closes his first epistle with Solomon's warning. Dear children, beware of idols. It is impossible not to feel that all these passages imply an expectation that idolatry would soon arise among professing Christians.

The last passage to which I will draw attention is the conclusion of the ninth chapter. From the Apocalypse we read there in verse 20 it quotes the rest of humanity who were not killed by these plagues they still did not repent of the work of their hands they did not stop worshiping demons and Idols of gold silver bronze Stone and wood Idols that cannot see or listen or walk end of quote now I am not going to offer any comment on the chapter in which this verse occurs I know well that there is a difference of opinion as to the true interpretation of the plagues predicted in it I only dare to affirm that it is the greater likelihood of these plagues falling upon the visible Church of Jesus Christ and the greater improbability that John was here prophesying about the pagans who never heard the gospel and this once admitted the fact that idolatry is a foretold sin of the Visible Church seems established more conclusively and forever and now, if we turn from the Bible to the facts, what do we see?

I respond without a second thought that there is unequivocal evidence that the warnings and predictions of Scripture were not spoken without calling and that idolatry has indeed arisen in the visible Church. of Christ and there is still the emergence and progress of the evil and past days we will find it well summarized in the

sermon

Danger of Idolatry to which I beg to refer all Christians reminding them once and for all how even in the 4th century Jerome complains quotes that the false doctrine of images has come and passed to Christians since the Gentiles end of quote and eusebius says that we see images being made of Peter and Paul and of our savior himself, which I believe were derived and preserved from differently by a pagan custom there we can also read how Pontius Paulinus Bishop of Nola In the 5th century asks that the walls of the temples be painted with stories taken from the Old Testament so that people who look at and consider these paintings had better refrain also of them. much excess in their lives but by learning through painted stories it gradually became idolatry.

We also learned how Gregory the first

bishop

of Rome in the early 7th century allowed images in churches. We also see how Constantine's mother Irene. In the 6th century, in the 8th century, he gathered a council in Nicaea and obtained a decree that images be placed in all the churches of Greece and that honor and adoration be given to them and there we can read the conclusion with which the sermon ends. its historical summary hear and I quote that the congregation and clergy, learned and unlearned of all ages, classes and degrees, men, women and children of all Christendom have been immediately drowned in the abominable idolatry of all the other most attested vices by God and more condemnable for man and that in the space of 800 years end of quote this is a sad story but it is very true there is no doubt that evil began even before the time that the author of the sermon has just mentioned, no one believes That he should be surprised at the rise of idolatry in the early church which calmly considers the excessive reverence which it paid from the beginning to the visible parts of religion.

I believe that no impartial man can read the language used by almost all fathers about the church, about

bishop

s, about ministry, about baptism. the Lord's Supper on the martyrs and dead saints generally no one can read it without being surprised by the great difference between its language and the language of the Scriptures on such subjects it seems that it wants to be in a new atmosphere you feel that you are By not setting foot on the Holy Land, we find that things which in the Bible are evidently of second importance here become of first importance; We find the things of the senses and sight exalted to a position in which Paul, Peter, James and John speaking by the Holy Spirit never placed them for a moment.

It is not simply the weakness of the uninspired writings that you have to complaining is something worse it is a new system and what is the explanation of all this is in a word that You have reached a region where the malaria of idolatry has begun to arise. You perceive the first works of the mystery of iniquity. You detect the buds of that enormous system of idolatry which the sermon described was then formally recognized and finally flourished everywhere. of Christianity, but let us return from the past to the present, let us examine the question that concerns us most, let us consider in what form idolatry is presented to us as a sin of the visible Church of Christ in our time.

I find no difficulty in Answering this question I do not hesitate to affirm that idolatry has never assumed a more flagrant form than it has in the Roman Catholic Church at the present time and here I come to a subject on which it is difficult to speak because of the times in which we live. but the whole truth must be told by the Ministers of Christ without respect to times and prejudices and I could not rest in peace after preaching on idolatry if I did not declare my solemn conviction that idolatry is one of whose flagrant sins the Roman Catholic Church He is guilty I say it with all sadness I say it fully recognizing that we have our faults in the Protestant church and practically perhaps in some sectors a little idolatry but from a formally recognized systematic idolatry I believe that we are almost completely free while as for the Catholic Church Roman if there is not in their cult an enormous amount of systematically organized idolatry, I frankly confess, I do not know what idolatry is in my opinion, it is idolatry to have images and portraits of saints and churches and give them a reverence for which there is no justification or precedent in the Scriptures and if this is so, I say that there is idolatry in the Roman Catholic Church, in my opinion, it is idolatry to invoke the Virgin Mary and the saints in glory and to address them in language never addressed in the Scriptures except to the Holy Trinity and if this is so, I say that there is idolatry in the Roman Catholic Church, in my opinion, it is idolatry to bow down to mere material things and a tribute to them, a power and a holiness to exceed what is attributed to them . the ark or altar of the Old Testament dispensation and a power and holiness also for which there is not a shred of foundation in the word of God and if so it is with the Holy mantle of trees and the wonderfully multiplied wood of the True Cross and thousand other supposed relics in my mind I say that there is idolatry in the Roman Catholic Church in my mind it is idolatry to worship what the hands of man have made to call him God and to worship him when he lifts him up before our eyes If this is so with the notorious doctrine of the transubstantiation and elevation of the host, as far as I remember, I say that there is idolatry in the Roman Catholic Church, in my opinion, it is idolatry to make ordained men mediators between us and God, robbing, so to speak, our Lord .

Jesus Christ of the office of him and giving them an honor that even the Apostles and the angels in the Scriptures flatly repudiate and if this is so with the honor paid to the Popes and Priests before my own eyes I say that there is idolatry in the Roman Catholic Church. I know well that Language like this shakes the minds of many men. They love to close their eyes to evils that are unpleasant. They will not see things that imply unpleasant consequences. The Roman Catholic Church is an airy Church. They will recognize that it is idolatrous.

They will deny it. They tell us that. The reverence that the Roman Catholic Church gives to saints and images does not amount to idolatry. They inform us that there are distinctions between the types of worship that God deserves strong worship and saints and images receive less worship that there is a distinction between a mediator of redemption and a mediator of intercession who absolves the Church of the charge of idolatry. My answer is that the Bible knows nothing of such distinctions and that in the actual practice of the vast majority of Roman Catholics there is no distinction at all.

They tell us that it is a mistake to suppose that Roman Catholics really worship the images and pictures before which they perform acts of worship, that they only use them as aids to devotion, and in reality look far beyond them. My answer is that many pagans could say the same thing about their idolatry, which is well known that in the past they said it and that in the Hindu religion many idol worshipers say the same thing even today, but the apology does not help the terms. of the second commandment being too strict prohibits bowing as well as worship, and the same anxiety that the Roman Catholic Church often shows to exclude the second commandment from its catechisms is in itself a great fact that speaks volumes to a sincere observer: we are told not to We have Proof of the statements we make on this subject is that we base our accusations on the abuses prevailing among the ignorant members of the Roman Catholic Church and that it is absurd to say that a church containing so many wise and learned men is guilty of idolatry.

The answer is that the devotional books in common use among Roman Catholics provide unequivocal evidence. Let anyone examine that well-known Catholic book called The Garden of the Soul. If you doubt my statement and read the language in which they are addressed to the Virgin Mary, remember. that this language is addressed to a woman who, although highly favored and mother of Our Lord, was still one of our fellow sinners to a woman who actually confesses her need for a savior for herself when she said: my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, let him examine the language in the light of the New Testament, and then tell us impartially whether the accusation of idolatry is not rightly made, but I further answer that we need no better evidence than that which is furnished in the city of Rome.

What do men and women do? In light of the Pope's own face, what is the religion that prevails around Saint Peter's and under the walls of the Vatican? What is Romanism in Rome unfettered, free and free to develop in full perfection, let a man honestly answer these questions and I ask no more. Let him read a book like Seymour's Pilgrimage to Rome or the Letters of Alfred and ask any visitor to Rome if the painting has too much color. Let him do this. I tell you and I think you cannot avoid the conclusion that Romanism in perfection is a gigantic system of church worship.

Adoration of the sacraments. Adoration of Mary. Adoration of the saints. Worship of images. To dwell on the shortcomings of anyone who professes and calls himself a Christian, I can truly say that I have said what I have said with pain and sadness. I draw a broad distinction between the accredited dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church and the private opinions of many of them. its members I believe with the hope that many Roman Catholics are at heart inconsistent with their profession and are better than the church to which they belong. I believe that many poor Italians in this day are worshiping with an idolatrous cult simply because they do not know better they do not have a Bible to instruct them they do not have a faithful minister to teach them they have the fear of the priest before their eyes if they dare to think for themselves He has no money that would allow him to escape from the slavery he lives under even if he feels a desire, I remember everythingThis and I say that the Italian eminently deserves our sympathy and compassion, but all this should not prevent me from saying that the Roman Catholic Church is an idolatrous Church.

I would not be faithful if I said less about the Church. of which I am a minister has spoken most forcefully on the subject, the sermon on The Dangers of Idolatry and the solemn protest in the writings of our own Church of England denouncing the Worship of Sacramental Bread and Wine make idolatry abhorred. for all the faithful. Christians are clear evidence that I have spoken no more than the mind of my own church and in a day like this when some are ready to separate from the Roman Catholic Church and many close their eyes to its true character and want us to be reunited with her on a day like this, my own conscience would rebuke me if I did not clearly warn men that the Roman Catholic Church is an idolatrous church and that if they join it, they are joining themselves to idols, but I will remain no longer.

In this part of my subject the main point which I wish to impress upon the minds of men is that idolatry has manifested itself decidedly in the visible Church of Christ and nowhere so decidedly as in the Roman Catholic Church and now let me show you in last place. the definitive termination of all idolatry what will end it what will end idolatry I consider that the soul of man must be in an unhealthy state that does not long for the time when idolatry no longer exists that heart can hardly be right with God who can think in millions who are sunk in paganism or who honor the false prophet Muhammad or who daily offer prayers to the Virgin Mary and do not cry, O my God, when will the end of all these things come, how long, O Lord, how long here as in other topics? the sure word of prophecy comes to our aid the end of all idolatry will come one day its destiny is fixed its overthrow is certain whether in the pagan temples or in the so-called Christian churches idolatry will be destroyed in the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ then the prophecies will be fulfilled Isaiah chapter 2 18. idols will completely disappear Micah chapter 5 verse 13 I will destroy your graven images and your Holy Stones from your midst you will no longer bow down to the works of your hands Zephaniah chapter 2 verse 11. the Lord will be fearful of them when he destroys all the gods of the earth the nations on each shore will worship him each in his own land Zechariah Chapter 13 Verse 2. on that day I will banish the names of the idols from the earth and they will be remembered no more declares the Lord Almighty I will remove from the earth both the prophets and the spirit of impurity in a word Psalm 97 then it will receive its fulfillment listen to the Lord Queen let the Earth rejoice let the distant shores rejoice clouds and thick darkness justice and righteousness surround him are the foundation of his throne the fire goes out before him and consumes his enemies on all sides his lightning illuminates the world the earth sees and trembles the mountains melt like wax before the Lord before the Lord of all the earth the heavens proclaim his justice and all people see his glory all those who worship images are ashamed those who boast in idols all gods worship him the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is that blessed hope that should always comfort the children of God under the present dispensation, is the guiding Star by which we must travel, it is the only point on which all our expectations must be concentrated, because very soon the one who comes will come and will not delay our David will no longer dwell in Abdullah , followed by a few despised and rejected by many, will take for himself his great power and Kingship and cause every need to bow before him until then, our Redemption will not be perfectly enjoyed as Paul tells the Ephesians. sealed for the day of redemption until then our Salvation is not complete as Peter says of Christians who by faith are shielded by the power of God until the coming of Salvation which is ready to be revealed in the last time until then our knowledge is still defective as Paul tells the Corinthians now we see only a poor reflection as in a mirror then we will see face to face now I know in part then I will know completely even as I am completely known in short, our best things are yet to come , but on the day of our Lord's return every wish will receive its fulfillment.

We will no longer be pressured or worn down by a sense of constant failure, weakness and disappointment in His presence, we will find that there is fullness of joy and when we awaken we will be satisfied. Seeing their likeness there are many Abominations now in the visible church about which we can only sigh and cry like the faithful and on the day of Ezekiel we cannot remove them the wheat and the tares will grow together until the Harvest but there comes a day when the Lord Jesus will once again purify his Temple and expel everything that contaminates.

He will do that work of which the works of Hezekiah and Josiah were a feeble type long ago. He will expel the images and Purge idolatry in every form that is there now that he craves. because you will not see the conversion of the pagan world in its fullness until the appearance of the Lord then and not until then will that tax often misapplied be fulfilled. On that day men will throw their silver idols and idols to the rodents and bats. of gold that they made to worship who is there now who longs for the Redemption of Israel, you will never see him in the Perfection of him until the Redeemer comes to Zion.

Idolatry in the professing Church of Jesus Christ has been one of the most powerful obstacles in history. path of the Jews when it begins to fall The veil over the heart of Israel will begin to be removed. Who is there now who longs for the fall of the antichrist and the purification of the Roman Catholic Church? I believe that it will never be until the liquidation of this dispensation that vast system of idolatry may be consumed and wasted by the spirit of the mouth of the Lord but it will never be destroyed except by the brightness of his coming who is there now who longs for a perfect Church you must wait for the Lord's return then and until then we will not see a perfect Church, a church that has no spot or wrinkle or anything like that, a church of which all the members will be regenerated and all children of God.

If these things be so, men need not be surprised that we urge them to press forward. them the study of Prophecy and that we charge them above all to firmly grasp the glorious doctrine of the second appearance of Christ in the Kingdom. This is the light that shines in a dark place to which we would do well to pay attention. Let others let themselves be carried away by their imagination if they wish. With the vision of an imaginary Church of the future that the children of this world dream of some coming man who understands everything and says everything well, they are only sowing bitter disappointment for themselves, they will wake up and find that their visions are baseless and empty as a dreams that it is to people like these that the words of the prophet can be well applied, but now you all light fires and provide yourselves with burning torches, walk in the light of your fires and the torches that you have lit, this is what you will receive. by my hand you will lie in torment end quote Isaiah chapter 50 verse 11. but let your eyes look towards the day of the second Advent of Christ, which is the only day in which all abuse will be rectified and all corruption and source of pain completely purged. waiting for that day, let us each work and serve our generation, not idle as if nothing could be done to control evil, but not discouraged because we still do not see all things subject to our Lord, after all, the night is already advanced and the day. is near, let us wait, I say, let us wait upon the Lord, if these things be so, men need not be surprised that we warn them to beware of every inclination towards the Roman Catholic Church, surely when the mind of God concerning idolatry is reveals it to us so clearly in His word it seems the height of infatuation for anyone to join a church so impregnated with idolatries as the Roman Catholic Church to enter into communion with it when God is saying get out of it my people so that you do not participate in its sins to that you will not receive any of her plagues to seek her when the Lord is warning us to leave her to become her subjects when the voice of the Lord cries Escape for your life flee from the coming Wrath all this is mental blindness and the works a blindness like the of him who, although warned, embarks on a sinking ship, a blindness that would be almost incredible if our own eyes did not continually see examples of it, we must all be on our guard, we must not take anything for granted, we must not hastily assume that we are too wise to be caught those who preach must shout aloud and spare not and allow no false tenderness to silence them about the heresies of the day those who here must have the belt of Truth buckled around their waist and their minds stored clearly. prophetic visions of the end to which all idol worshipers must come, let us all try to realize that the last days of the world are upon us and that the ending of all idolatry is hastening.

Is this a time for man to come closer to the end? Roman Catholic Church, isn't it rather a time to step back further and stay clear so as not to be involved in his downfall? Is this a time to whitewash the many corruptions of Rome and refuse to see the reality of his sins? Surely we should be doubly jealous of all that has a Roman tendency in religion, doubly careful not to hint at any treason against our Lord Christ, and doubly ready to protest against unbiblical worship of every kind once more than I say, let us remember that the destruction of all idolatry is certain and remembering that Beware the Roman Catholic Church, the subject I now touch upon is of profound and pressing importance and demands the serious attention of all Protestants; it is vain to deny that a large group of clergy and laymen are at present moving Heaven and Earth to reunite the Protestant church with the idolatrous Roman Catholic Church, the publication of that monstrous book Heron Khan by Dr.

Pusey and the formation of a society to promote the union of Christianity are clear evidence of what I mean, the existence of such a movement will not be surprising. Anyone who has carefully observed Church history over the past 40 years, the trend of ritualism has been steadily moving toward Rome. Hundreds of men and women have fairly and honestly left our ranks and become Catholics, but many hundreds more have been left behind and even nominal Christians among us the pompous semi-Catholic ceremonies that have been introduced into many churches have prepared the minds of men for changes and the lavishly theatrical and idolatrous way of celebrating the Lord's Supper has paved the way for transubstantiation, a regular process of deproditization has been long and in its successful work, the poor old church finds itself in an inclined plane, its very existence as a Protestant church is in danger.

I maintain that this Roman Catholic movement must be constantly and firmly resisted despite the rank, knowledge and devotion of some of its members. Its defenders consider it a very mischievous, soul-destroying and unbiblical movement to say that the reunion with Rome would be an insult to our martyred reformers. It is something very slight, it is much more than this, it would be a sin and an offense against God. Rather than rejoin the idolatrous Roman Catholic Church, I would gladly watch my beloved Church perish and crumble rather than become Roman Catholic once again. She would be better off dead.

Unity in the abstract is undoubtedly an excellent thing, but Unity without truth is. Useless peace and uniformity are beautiful and valuable, but peace without the gospel, peace based on a common government of the Church and not on a common faith, is a useless peace that does not deserve the name when Rome has repealed the decrees of Trent and his additions to the Creed. when Rome has recanted false and unbiblical doctrines when Rome has formally renounced the worship of images the worship of Mary and transubstantiation then and not until then will it be time to speak of reunion with her until then there is a chasm between us that cannot be saved honestly until then I call on all Christians to resist to the death this idea of ​​reunion with Rome until then let our watchwords be no peace with the Roman Catholic Church no communion with idolaters said Jewels in his apology and I quote: let us not reject concord and peace with men, but we will not continue in a state of war with God in order to have peace with men, if the Pope really wants us to reconcile with him, he must first reconcile with God, end of the quote, this testimony is true, well, would it be? for the church if all its leaders had been like Joya I write these things with sadness but the circumstances of the times make it absolutely necessary to speak to any corner of the Horizon to which I turn I see serious cause for alarm for the True Church of Jesus Christ, I have no fear at all, butFor the established Protestant churches I have very serious peers, in fact, the tide of events seems to run strongly against Protestantism and in favor of Rome, it seems as if God had a controversy with us as a nation and was about to punish us for our sins.

I am not a prophet. I don't know where we are heading, but at the rate we are going, I think it is quite possible that in a few years the Protestant Church will reunite with the Roman Catholic Church. Protestantism can be formally repudiated. A Roman archbishop can once again preside over the old Protestant churches. Mass may once again be celebrated at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's, and one result will be that all Bible-guided Christians will have to leave the established Protestant church or face sanctions. idolize and become idolaters God grant that we never reach this state of things but at the rate we are going it seems very possible to me and now I only have to conclude what I have been saying by mentioning some safeguards for the Souls Of all those who listen to this message, we live in a time when the Roman Catholic Church walks among us with renewed strength and loudly boasting that it will soon regain the ground it had lost.

False doctrines of all kinds are continually presented to us in the In their subtler forms, it cannot be considered unreasonable if I offer some practical safeguards against idolatry. What is it? Where does it come from? Where is? What will end all this we have seen? Let me now point out how we can be safe from it and I will say no more first let us arm ourselves with a deep knowledge of the word of God let us arm ourselves with a deep knowledge of the word of God let us read our Bibles more diligently than ever and let us become familiar with every part of them let us that the word dwells in us richly, let us be careful with anything that makes us dedicate less time and less heart to reading the sacred pages.

The Bible is the sword of the spirit. Let us never leave it aside. The Bible is the true flashlight for a darkness. and cloudy weather let us be aware of traveling without its light. I strongly suspect that if we knew the secret history of the numerous secessions of our Church from that of Rome that we deplore. I strongly suspect that in almost every case one of the most important steps on the Descending Path would be discovered to have been a neglected Bible. More attention to forms, sacraments, daily services, early Christianity, etc., and less attention to the written word of God.

The Bible is the High Road if we once leave it on any side road. beautiful and old and frequented as it may seem, we should never be surprised if we end up worshiping images and Relics and regularly going to a confessional, let us arm ourselves secondly with a zeal for God for the smallest portion of the Gospel with a zeal for God about the smallest portion of the Gospel, let us be careful to sanction the slightest attempt to retain any jot or title or to cast any part into the shadow by exalting subordinate matters in religion when Peter retired from eating with the Gentiles seemed a small thing, however, Paul tells the Galatians I opposed him face to face because he was clearly wrong let us not take anything lightly that concerns our souls let us be very particular to whom we listen to where we go and what we do in all matters of our particular worship we live in days in that great principles are wrapped up in small acts and things of religion that 50 years ago were completely indifferent, now due to circumstances they have become indifferent, let us no longer allow ourselves to be conscious of altering anything of a Romanizing tendency, it is foolish to play with fire, I believe that many The perverts and secessionists began by thinking that there could be no great harm in attaching a little more importance to certain external things than before, but once they set out on the downward path, they passed from one thing to another, provoked God and he left them alone.

They were given over to a strong deception and were allowed to believe a lie They tempted the devil and he came to them They began with Trifles as many foolishly called them They have ended with absolute idolatry Let us finally arm ourselves with clear and solid views of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Salvation that is in him he is the image of the invisible God the exact representation of his being and the true preserver against all idolatry when we truly know him, building ourselves deeply on the strong foundation of his finished work on the cross, let us establish firmly in our Mind that Christ Jesus has done everything necessary to present us blameless before the Throne of God and that simple childlike faith on our part is all that is required to give us a complete interest in the work of Christ, let us not doubt that having this faith we are completely justified in the eyes of God and we will never be more Justified if we live in the age of Methuselah and do the works of the apostle Paul and can add nothing to that. complete justification for any act, any deed or word, performance, fasting, prayer, attendance at ordinances or anything else of our own, above all, let us maintain continuous communion with the person of the Lord Jesus, let us abide in him daily, let us feed on him daily.

He daily lean on him daily live in him daily draw from his fullness daily let us understand this and the idea of ​​other mediators other comforters other intercessors will seem completely absurd to us what need is there we will answer I have Christ and in him I have everything I have had to do with idols? I have Jesus in my heart, Jesus in the Bible, and Jesus in heaven, and I don't want anything else. Once we let the Lord Christ have his rightful place in our hearts and all other things in our religion will soon fall into it. right places ministers of the Church ordinances all will come down and take second place except Christ sits as priest and King on the throne of our hearts that little kingdom within will be in perpetual confusion but only may he be all in all and we will all be right before him every Idol every Dagon will fall Christ well known Christ truly believed and Christ loved with all his heart is the true preserver against ritualism Romanism and all forms of idolatry amen