An Inquiry into the History and Theology of the Ancient Vallenses and Albigenses

unproved and unprovable assumption), the Protestant—observing the gross corruption of both religious doctrine and practice (corrupt doctrine, as in the case of Transubstantiation The Roman Catholic doctrine that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ., introducing corrupt practice) which characterizes the Romish Church—infers that Christ’s second promise (the promise, namely, that even to the end of the world, the Lord would never cease to be spiritually present with the Church and her pastors to whom that promise refers) can never have been accomplished in the Church of Rome.

With the Romanist, no doubt, the doctrines and dependently linked practices of his Church will be no impediment to his believing that that Church is the ALONE Church to which the promise of Christ’s Perpetual Spiritual Presence relates.

But, with the Protestant, viewing the doctrine and consequent practice of the Romish Church as he views them, the impediment is so great that he cannot believe the Saviour has always been spiritually present with a Church in such a state; and, therefore, he cannot believe that the two promises of Christ (the one of Visible Perpetuity; the other of Spiritual Purity) could both have been accomplished in the Church of Rome.