Surely, when the mind of God about idolatry is so plainly revealed to us in His Word, it seems the height of infatuation in anyone to join a church so steeped in idolatries as the Church of Rome. To enter into communion with her when God is saying, “Come out of her … that ye be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4); to seek her when the Lord is warning us to leave her; to become her subjects when the Lord’s voice is crying, “Escape for thy life, flee from the wrath to come” (Matt. 3:7)—all this is mental blindness indeed—a blindness like that of him who, though forewarned, embarks in a sinking ship—a blindness which would be almost incredible, if our own eyes did not see examples of it continually.We must be all on our guard. We must take nothing for granted. We must not hastily suppose that we are too wise to be ensnared and say, like Hazael, “is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?” (2 Kings 8:13). Those who preach must cry aloud and spare not, and allow no false tenderness to make them hold their peace about the heresies of the day. Those who hear must have their loins girt about with truth, and their minds stored with clear prophetical views of the end to which all idol-worshippers must come. Let us all try to realize that the latter ends of the world are upon us, and that the abolition of all idolatry is hastening on. Is this a time for a man to draw nearer to Rome? Is it not rather a time to draw further back and stand clear, lest we be involved in her downfall? Is this a time to extenuate and palliate Rome’s manifold corruptions, and refuse to see the reality of her sins? Surely we ought rather to be doubly jealous of everything of a Romish tendency in religion—doubly careful that we do not connive at any treason against our Lord Christ—and doubly ready to protest against unscriptural worship of every description. Once more, then, I say, let us remember that the destruction of all idolatry is certain, and remembering that, beware of the Church of Rome.
