Is Romanism Christianity? 105 Some say that Rome has ceased to persecute. But this is not the fact; either as to her acts, or rules of action. She asserts that she is unchanged, unchangeable; that she is in fallible, and cannot alter, except so far as necessity, or plans for the future, may require; and facts are often occurring which prove that persecution is still approved by her. Rome has little power now; her persecuting spirit is kept in abeyance for a time; but it is still there. When it is free from restraint, it knows no way of dealing with difference of opinion but by the rack, the stake, the thumbscrew, the iron boot, the assassin’s dagger, or a wholesale massacre. Let all who value their liberty, all who love the truth as it is in Jesus have no fellowship with such deeds of darkness, nor with those who work them. Let us show that we have no sympathy with such a cruel spirit; and that we love the names and memory of the noble army of martyrs of the Reformation; of those who sealed their faith with their blood; of those who died to release their country and their posterity from the bondage of Rome. I agree with Dr. Samuel Waldegrave, when he says that, “The Convocation of the English clergy did wisely, when, in the days of Elizabeth, they enacted that every parish church in the land should be furnished with a copy of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs;” and that it would be well if a copy of it were “in every house, yea, in every hand;” for “Rome is laboring, with redoubled effort, for the subjugation of Britain,” and “the people have forgotten that she is a siren who enchants but to destroy.” TH IRDLY : As to the sacrifice of Christ, Christianity teaches that He was “ offered once for all, to bear the sins of many” (Heb. 9 :2 8 ) ; that those who are sanctified by His sacrifice are so “by the offering of the body of JesUs Christ once for all” (10:10) ; that “by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified,” or made holy
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