they and they alone are the Church of Christ All others who are called Christians in the World are Hereticks and Schismaticks who belong not unto it nor have any Interest in it Howbeit if the description given us of the Church of Christ in the Scripture be right and good it is almost impossible there should be any Society or combination of men on a religious account more unlike it than that which is called the Church of Rome This therefore must be taken upon their own credit and vehement Affirmation by them who have a mind so to do 2. That this Church which they alone are is entrusted with Authority over the souls and consciences of all Christians and all that would be so to be their only Guide in all that they are to know believe and do in Religion so that whoever gives not themselves up unto their conduct must perish eternally It were no hard task to manifest that a supposition hereof is destructive unto the Nature of Evangelical Faith and Obedience as also of all the Directions and Precepts given by Christ and his Apostles for the discharge of our Duty with respect unto them But this they must obtain or the whole present Popal Interest falls unto the ground Yet neither will a supposition that there is such a Church secure them their own pretences to be this Church being openly contradictory to the Scripture Nor is the Power claimed herein derived from the Apostles who professed themselves not to be Lords of the Faith of Believers 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 3. 3. They plead that hereon no more is required of any man who takes care of his Salvation but that he give up himself absolutely and entirely unto the conduct of their Church believing what it proposeth and that on this ground alone that it is proposed by it and obeying all its commands whereby they seem to set this pretended Guide in the Temple of God shewing him that he is God This is the claim of the Church of Rome these are the Principles whereinto it is resolved which whether they have any thing in them of Truth or Modesty will immediately be made to appear Secondly The Holy Scripture with the Divine Aids and assistances for the understanding thereof which God hath promised unto all that diligently seek him is pleaded to be the only Rule and Guide that men ought to betake themselves unto in case of those important differences in Religon which are under consideration And the plea on the behalf thereof is reducible unto these five Heads 1. That this Scripture is a Divine supernatural Revelation of God his Mind and his Will This Foundation is unquestionable and will never fail them that build upon it Those of the Roman Religion will propose ensnaring Questions about it unto them on whom they design They will be asking how they know the Scripture to be the Word of God labouring to disprove the evidences they produce to prove it so to be But this bold artifice is of no use in this case for themselves confess it so to be only they prefer the Authority of their Church testifying it so to be as more safely to be rested in and trusted unto than that of God himself which cannot be unto the advantage of their cause with any considerate Persons 2. That it is a Divine Revelation of the whole Mind and Will of God as unto all things that are necessary unto his Glory and our Salvation This it frequently testifieth of it self and on the former supposition of its being such a Divine Revelation its Testimony must be granted to be infallibly true Both these Assertions the Apostle expresly conjoyneth 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Somewhat they except here in respect of their unwritten Traditions but dare not positively deny that the Scripture is a sufficient Revelation of all things absolutely necessary unto Salvation Indeed to do so will leave no assurance unto any man that he can ever know what is necessary unto salvation But they have a reserve whereunto they betake themselves on a concession hereof namely that whatever be contained in it it cannot be understood but as the sense of it is declared by their Church But this is a bold unproved presumption contrary unto the design of God in giving us his Word and the experience of all who have been exercised in it 3. The Way Manner and Method of this Revelation are such as are suited unto Divine Wisdom and Goodness whether they please men or no. It is with reference unto these things that they expatiate and enlarge themselves in charging the Scripture with obscurity and unfitness thereon to be our only Rule and Guide For the Bible they say is a Book composed of Histories Prophecies Songs Prayers and Epistles and is therefore unmeet for any such use or end But these things are of no consideration in our present case It is thus given out immediately by God himself and therefore every way answers Divine Wisdom and Goodness whether men are pleased with it or no we are not at all concerned He who designed it for the instruction of the Church alone knows what was to be the Method of its composure unto that end And it hath been proved on another occasion that considering the state of the Church in its several Ages the nature of that Faith which is to be wrought and confirmed by this Divine Revelation with the manner of teaching becoming the Authority of God and the holy Scripture could not have been given out unto us in any other Order or Method than that wherein it is disposed 4. On these suppositions there neither is nor can be more required of us in order unto our eternal salvation but that we understand aright firmly believe and yield obedience unto the Revelation of the Mind and Will of God that is made therein The Assurance hereof is so evidently included in the foregoing Assertions that it needs no confirmation Every thought unto the contrary is so injurious unto the Wisdom Goodness Grace and Truth of God so opposite unto all the Notions of the Minds of men on a supposition of Gods speaking unto them that it ought to be rejected with detestation 5. There are efficacious Aids promised and assured means appointed by God himself to help all that diligently seek him unto a certain infallible understanding of his Mind in the Scripture so far as the Knowledge of it is necessary unto our Salvation This also I have lately confirmed in a peculiar discourse These are the Heads whereunto the Plea for the Guidance of the Scripture in all differences and divisions about Religion may be reduced The case being thus plainly stated the enquiry hereon is whether of these Guides a man that takes care of his own eternal Salvation should betake himself and firmly adhere unto to the end In answer unto this Enquiry I shall prove that no wise man who feareth God and is careful of the eternal condition of his own soul
even unto such as having lived in sinand ignorance are ready to receive condign punishment for their villanies deceiving them of those few minutes which might be improved in seeking after Evangelical Faith and Repentance But this is the least use they make of it There are in the world among those that are called Protestants Mighty men Nobles men of Dignity and Revenue who live in their sins and are resolved so to do Yet are they not able by any means to secure their consciences from troublesome fears of eternal miseries that will ensue on the course wherein they are By all crafty waies of access and compliance the Factors of this Church do insinuate themselves or by others are introduced into the acquaintance of this sort of Persons And the first thing they offer unto them is absolute security of eternal salvation if they will but relinquish Heresie wherein it is impossible they should ever be saved and betake themselves unto the conduct of the Church of Rome of the change of their lives the Relinquishment of their sins of Repentance from dead works of the Life of God and universal Obedience therein there are no words between them Many of these persons who are resolved beforehand rather to part with all the Religion in the world than with one of their lusts and sins do readily embrace the composition offered For really that which is tendred unto them is a consistency between living in sin and assured going unto Heaven which before they knew not that they could be reconciled For however they shall live for the future suppose in the sins of adultery fornication prophane swearing luxury drunkenness or the like the Church will take care that by Confessions Masses and Purgatory they shall be undoubtedly saved At this door have entred great numbers of unclean beasts unto the encrease of the Herd who often prove the most forward Zealots for the Catholick Cause 3. Secular Interests and advantages accommodated unto all sorts of Persons are another means of their prevalency There are no sorts of Persons from the highest to the lowest that come within their walk and compass or unto whom they can have access with the least probability of success unto whom they have not in a readiness to propose some secular advantages suited unto their State Condition Inclinations and Abilities Great men shall have favour and correspondencies with Potentates abroad besides a principal interest in that alteration in national affairs which they doubt not but they shall introduce Schollers shall be used and preferred at least when they have any eminency in abilities they shall not want steem and advancement Mechanicks shall be employed and the poorest one way or other provided for And for all sorts of discontented Persons who may be of any use unto their Interest they have the refuge of their Monasteries for their entertainment And is it any wonder if in this degenerate age wherein the most of men do openly and visibly declare a predominancy in their minds and affections of things carnal and temporal above those that are spiritual and eternal many be ensnared by these promises which either shall be made good unto them or at least are sufficient to keep them in expectation untill they are ingaged beyond recovery 4. Mâ—ny it is to be feared fall under the dreadful account given of Gods Righteous dealings with those who obstinately 〈…〉 under the Profession of the Truth 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might bedamned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness This is that which we have more cause to fear with respect unto this Nation than all the Artifices of of the Roman Church Lastly How powerful and prevalent the last voice of this Church may prove I know not The Motto of some potentates on their great Guns is Vox Vltima Regum the last voice of Kings that of this Church is fire and fagot wherewith I pray and hope that they shall never more be heard to speak in England Allowing them these advantages I shall now prove that no wise or sober man who takes care of his own Salvation can give up himself to the conduct of the Church of Rome in his choice of Religion then when there are the most abounding contests about the Truth and the right way of its Profession which is supposed our present case In my first reason I shall proceed no farther but to render this pretended Guide suspected with all wise and sober men For it will be granted I suppose that we ought throughly to consider who or what that Guide is whereunto we do absolutely resign the disposal of all our spiritual concernments without power of Revocation If any men were to make such an absolute Trust of their Lives Estates aud Liberties into the hand of another man or of other men putting them all absolutely out of their own Power certainly they would think it their Wisdom and Interest to consider aright how and what they are unto whom they do so fully and absolutely resign themselves and all that they have And if they have any just suspicion of their honesty or Faithfulness or that they seek themselves or their own advantage in taking this Trust upon them they will not easily be induced to resign up their all unto them Yea the more earnest they are to perswade them the more will they suspect that there is Knavery in the cause How much more carefull ought we to be in the chusing a Guide into whose power and disposal we must resign all the eternal concernments of our souls which all men do who absolutely give give up the conduct of themselves unto the Church of Rome in all matters of Religion For notwithstanding all their pleas of a sure and safe bank for the consciences of men there are great presumptions that they will break at last and leave them who have entrusted them unto eternal beggary I shall give but one Reason which renders this pretended Guide so justly suspected as that no wise man can commit himself thereunto in things of this importance And this is the prodigious worldly secular advantages which the Church of Rome hath made unto it self by this pretence of being the only Guide of all Christians in matters of Religion For this pretence is the sole foundation of the whole Papacy which when the sand of it is removed must fall to the ground And we may consider both what they have obtained by it and how they use their Acquisition For 1. By vertue of this pretence alone they have erected their Popedom obtained Principalities and Soveraignties possessed themselves of the principal Revenues of most Nations of Europe have heaped up huge Treasures of wealth wherewith they maintain innumerable Persons who have nothing to do but by all Arts to promote their Interest especially that
this pretence For 1. All Believers are commanded themselves to examine and try all false Teachers Prophets and Spirits that are not of God Doctrines subverting the Faith and endangering the souls of men which is utterly inconsistent with that absolute universal Resignation of themselves unto the Guidance of the Church of Rome which is claimed by it See 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3. 2. They are directed unto the Way Means and Rule whereby they must make this Trial and come unto the final determination in their own minds Isa. 8. 20. 2 Pet. 1. v. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. And this also is diametrically opposite unto that Resignation of themselves unto the Church of Rome which it requireth of them 3. They have a Guide promised unto them to give them an understanding of the Rule in the discharge of this Duty and to enable them to make a right and safe Determination thereon Joh 16. 13. 1 Joh. 2 26 27. These things are consistent with a Ministerial Guide such as is found in all true Churches wherein none pretend to be Lords of our Faith but only helpers of our Joy But with a Supreme Authoritative Guide requiring an absolute Resignation of our understandings and consciences unto it self they are altogether inconsistent This is the substance of our case and this is the Determination of it given us by the Holy Ghost Diversities and Divisions in Principles Opinions and Practices in Religion are supposed unto as great an height as they can beat at this day in the World Teachers speaking perverse things departures from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils Teachers not enduring sound Doctrine turning away mens Ears from the Truth and turning them unto Fables false Teachers bringing in damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them many following their pernicious waies Spirits of false Prophets going out in the World the Spirit of Antichrist These things I say are all supposed and foretold in the Scripture In this case and state of things that we be not seduced that our souls be not ruined we are commanded our selves to try and examine all those who teach such things whether they be of God or no and by the Scripture we are to try them if we intend not to be deceived and undone for ever Unto the right understanding hereof a sure and faithful Guide is promised unto us to lead us unto all Truth so that no concernment of Religion is more plainly stated and as unto our Duty more expresly determined in the Scripture than this is It is so in a peculiar manner in the first Epistle of John the Apostle Before the end of his daies Divisions Errors Heresies began to abound in Christian Religion This he fully testifieth Chap. 4. 1 2 3 4. And Epist. the 2. 7. According unto his Duty he writes unto Believers to warn them of their danger with reference unto them that seduced them or attempted so to do chap. 2. 26. And he writes unto this purpose unto Fathers young Men and Children or professed Believers of all sorts degrees and endowments ver 12 13. and this not because they did not know the Truth but because they did know it and had experience of its Power ver 21. But in all the Directions he gives them for the discharge of their Duty so as that they might escape the dangers they were exposed unto there is not any one word any intimation that they should betake themselves unto the Guidance of this or that or any Church much less that which is called the Church of Rome But the summe of his Direction is that they should rely on the Vnction they had received from the Holy One or the Aids and Supplies of the Spirit of God to understand the Scripture in the Examination and Trial they were to make of all these things chap. 2. ver 20 27. But to preserve their Interest they tell us that these Precepts and Promises are given unto the Church and not unto individual Believers as though the Church were any thing materially but individual Believers and formally but a disposition of them into a sacred Order for their edification Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was made for man Believers were not made for the Church but the Church is made for Believers and is of no use but with respect unto their edification And to deny all individual persons to be the first object of all Gospel Precepts and Promises Churches in what sense soever you take them being so only as they are directive of their Faith and Obedience is to exempt their consciences from the Authority of Christ to turn them into beasts and to overthrow the Gospel Let men now who take care of their own eternal Salvation place themselves in their Thoughts in that condition which the present case and their own circumstances do place them in The World the Place where they live the People whereunto they do belong are filled with different Apprehensions Principles Opinions and Practices in and about Religion Some of these as those between the Papists and the Protestants have immediate influence into their eternal condition of Blessedness or Misery as both parties contend Dreadful disorders and confusions have followed and are like to follow these differences even in this World They will in this case find that it highly concerns them to take care that they be not deceived and thereby ruined eternally as multitudes are that they be not high-minded but fear A Guide is that which they are to look after that may carry them safely through all these difficulties and dangers Two immediately offer themselves unto them tendring the utmost assurance in these things which the nature of man is capable of in this world The one is the Pope or Church of Rome which requires no more of them but a blind submission unto its Guidance a way I confess to extricate themselves and to deliver them from all care about their own souls easie and facile if safe The other is the Holy Scripture with the promised Aids of the Spirit of God to lead us unto the understanding of it and the Truth contained in it But in this way it is required of men that they make use of their own Reason Understanding Judgment Diligence with fervent Prayer for Divine Assistance The present Question is Whether of these two Guides such Persons ought to betake themselves unto I am on the consideration of one directive Reason only others shall be afterwards spoken unto And this is that the Scripture which all acknowledge to be the Word of God to speak in his Name expresly supposing this case and all the circumstances of it before laid down doth thereon frequently direct and command us to make use of this latter Guide if we desire to be saved and doth no where no not once on a supposition of this case send us unto the Guidance of the Church or Pope of Rome or any other Church whatever
wherein it issues had need give us better security of their Divine Infallibility than the Angels in Heaven can do For if an Angel from Heaven should preach this Doctrine unto us we may safely esteem him accursed Gal. 1. 8. 4. The last thing I shall instance in of this kind is the Adoration or Worship of Images God saies concerning it expresly Thou shalt not make unto thy self any graven Images thou shalt not bow dow to them nor worship them They say contrary Thou shalt make unto thy self graven Images thou shalt bow down to them and adore them And in their use they make them the stage plaies in Religion wherewith the minds of ignorant unstable Persons are allured and seduced into all manner of superstitious practices and turned off from the simplicity of the Gospel For being once perswaded on the credit of their Guide that the making use and Adoration of them are lawfull there is enough in the carnal minds of men to make them dote and even be mad upon them Wherefore no less service is done unto the interest of sin and the Kindom of Satan hereby than if they should have taken off all sense of the Authority of God from the consciences of men in the Prohibition of those things which their sensual lusts are most prone unto Could they have dissolved the obligation of the commands of God against Adultery or Stealing and left men unto the guidance of their own lusts and inclinations it is evident what abominable excesses the generality of men would run into Neither do the lusts of the mind engage persons with less fierceness into the pursuit of their objects than do those of the flesh And thence the disannulling of this command of God hath been an inlet unto all abominable Idolatry But herein they will not allow those who give up themselves unto their conduct once to consider the direct contradiction that is between Gods commands and theirs but believe they must what their Church believes and practise accordingly which is the most intollerable Tyranny over the souls of men that ever was attempted Only they will tell us of Latria and Dulia and Hyperdulia of Religious Worship that is direct or reductive transient or terminated on this or that object and after a maze of the like insignificant Terms the conclusion is positive You shall worship graven Images There are also sundry other things wherein they do or would impose on the credulity of men in open contradiction unto their Sense Reason and Experience as well as unto all evidence of Truth from the Light and Guidance of the Scripture which are somewhat of another Nature than those foregoing I shall only mention some of them As 1. They would have us believe that we cannot believe the Scripture to be the Word of God but upon the Testimony and Authority of their Church All the evidence that a man is capable of in his own mind that he doth so believe it all that can be given in ordering our lives according unto it as the Word of God the assurance and Peace which multitudes of all sorts have in resolving all their interest in things eternal into the Faith of it the sufferings and martyrdomes which many have undergone in the confirmation of it the uncontroulable pleas that are made of the sufficiency of the Motives whereon we believe it so to be are nothing with them but we must say we cannot believe the Scripture to be the Word of God but only on the Testimony and Authority of their Church and therein both give our selves the lye as unto what we know and are assured of and judge millions to Hell who have lived and died in the Faith of it without any respect unto that Testimony or Authority 2. They will have us to believe what they do not indeed believe themselves As for instance Justification by our own works For practically many of them do for this end trust unto Absolutions Masses the Sacraments and Sacramentals of the Church with a reserve for the complement of it in Purgatory which are not our own works and some of the wisest of them do betake themselves at last to the only Mercy and Grace of God So would they have us to venâ—ure our souls on that whereon they will not adventure their own 3. Papal Personal Infallibility was once a principal Article of their Creed and the generality of their Proselytes do receive it from them with no less firm assent than they do unto that of Christ himself But among themselves they have so multiplied their wrangling Disputes about it as makes it evident that they believe it only so far as holds proportion with their Interest and is subservient thereunto indeed not at all Their Disputes of a Difference between the Court of Rome and the Church of Rome of the Pope in his Chair and out of it in the use of help and advice of others and without this in a General Council and without it in a particular Council and without it in matter of Right and of Fact and the like make it evident that they know not in what sense to believe it and so indeed believe it not at all And whereas they do themselves confess that some of their Popes have been of the worst of men yea monsters for luxury uncleanness and violence that which they require of us is not only hard and unreasonable but impossible for any sober man to grant namely that we believe such Persons to have been infallible in the Declaration of all Divine Heavenly Mysteries so as that we ought to acquiesce in their Declaration of them 4. They would have us believe that the same Body of Christ which was once in the fulness of time made of a woman by the Power of God is every day made of a wafer by the Power of a Priest And what indignities are hereby cast on his Person hath been sufficiently demonstrated These are some of the Proposals which this pretended Guide makes unto all them who give up themselves unto its conduct to be believed with a suitable practice on the pain of eternal damnation But yet evident it is that they are all of them contrary unto the common Sense Reason and Experience of all Christians all that believe the Gospel as well as directly contradictory unto the Scripture and Example of the Primitive Church It is therefore left unto the Judgment of all sober Persons such as are not yet made drunk with the Cup of their Abominations to determine whether any thing but either profound Ignorance and spiritual Darkness or love of Sin with a desire to live securely therein or secular Interests or an hardening Judgment for the abuse of the Truth or a concurrence of all them can prevail with men to make an entire absolute Resignation of their souls and all their eternal concernments unto the conduct of this pretended Guide Fourthly The Way for the attaining the Knowledge of the Truth proposed by this Guide is
opposite unto the Way and Means prescribed by God himself unto that end It is so whether we respect the internal Qualifications of our minds or the Duties that he prescribeth or the Aid that he promiseth thereunto For as unto the first he requireth that those who would learn the Truth ought to be meek and lowly and humble for such alone he will teach Psal. 25. 8 9 14. Joh. 6. 45. and if we are not taught of God we learn nothing as we ought or not unto any purpose that they cast out all wickedness and superfluity of naughtiness that so they may receive the ingrafted Word with meekness Jam. 1. 21. Without these things they may be alwaies learning but shall never come unto the Knowledge of the Truth And as unto Means and Duties two things he enjoyns and indispensibly requires of us in order unto this end 1. That we study the Word continually that we meditate upon it and place our delight in it Joh. 1. 8. Deut. 6. 7. Psal. 1. 2. Isa. 8. 20. Joh. 5. 30. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Psal. 119. 18. Joh. 16. 13. 1 Joh. 2. 20. 2. Fervent and diligent Prayer that we may be lead into and preserved in the Truth that we may be enabled to receive it and hold it fast against Temptations and Oppositions For our Aid and Assistance herein he commands us to wait for it and expect the Spirit of Wisdâ—m and Revelation to open our eyes to bring us unto the full Assurance of Understanding or to lead us into all Truth Of these things of the necessity of them unto the due Knowledge of the Truth we hear nothing from this pretended Guide She knows well enough that to put the Minds of men into these Waies and the use of these Means whereby they may be taught of God and learn the Truth as it is in Jesus is to loose them from her self for ever Howbeit they are the only Waies and Means prescribed and blessed of God unto this end with those other especial Duties which belong unto them They will say it may be that they do instruct their Converts in these things and press them withal unto higher Acts of Devotion and Mortification than others do But there are two things which deprive them of any advantage by this pretence For 1. We see and know of what sort for the most part their Converts are I shall not give that character of them in words which generally they give of themselves in their works for I have nothing to do with the Persons of men And I should rejoyce to see them give a better evidence of being instructed in these things than as yet they have done But 2. Whatever of this nature they propose and prescribe unto them it is not unto this end that they may learn and know the Truth They require no more of any hereunto but that on their sophistical and frivolous pretences he give up himself unto their Guidance or submit himself unto the Authority of the Pope For hereby he formally becomes a member of the Catholick Church whose Faith whether he know it or no immediately becomes his and for particulars he must wait for the Priests information as occasion shall require This is I confess their great advantage in this World The way they propose to attain the Knowledge of the Truth is easy consistent with the lusts of men exposed equally to the wise and foolish to the sober and intemperate puts men out of all doubts giving them all the quiet assurance which deceit and falsehood can communicate The way of God unto the same end is difficult unto flesh and blood destructive unto the lusts of the flesh of the mind requiring Diligence Humility and Watchfulness in the Exercise of Grace all our Daies which things few are pleased withal Yet is this Way of God so suited unto the Nature of Religion so becoming the importance of this Duty so effectual not only unto the attainment of the Knowledge of Truth but unto all the ends of it in the Life of God is so necessary on the account of the Infinite Greatness and Holiness of God with the Nature of Divine Revelations as that no man who is not blinded with prejudices and corrupt Affections can decline it to embrace the other There are other things yet if it be possible of an higher Abomination to deter all sober Persons from touching with this Guide than those already insisted on And such they are as the present contrivances and practices of our adversaries do unavoidably compel us to plead in this cause and are in themselves sufficient for ever to divest that Church of this great and gainful pretence of being the only Guide of all men in Religion For Fifthly Consider what it is wherein they instruct many of them who betake themselves unto their Conduct and Guidance I mean of the Agents for and in the name of the Church of Rome The first thing which they labour to fix on their mindes and consciences is absolute Obedience unto their immediate Guides with a blind belief of what they propose unto them And this they prevail on them unto by assuming a twofold Authority unto themselves And the first is that of forgiving them all their sins though against the light of Nature and of their own consciences which they confess unto them and this confession they are obliged unto under pain of Damnation Some things indeed they do require of them in order unto a participation of Priestly absolution But they are all in the Power of the Priest to prescribe decline or accept which latter they will not be uneasy unto when it conduceth unto their advantage The issue is that in this pardon of their sins the souls of men may as safely acquiesce as if they were immediately pardoned by Christ himself And if they have occasion for the advantage of the Catholick Cause to put them on things that are openly sinful as Murder and Sedition either by vertue of the Direction Guidance and Commands of the Priests they loose their Nature and become no sins at all or they are so assured of pardon as puts them in their consciences into as good a state and condition as if they had not sinned And 2. They assume unto themselves an Authority to grant especial Priviledges and Rewards in Heaven and Earth to the doing of what tâ—ey command or require whatever it be As unto the Earth so many Prayers so many Masses shall be assigned unto their advantage and in some cases Canoninozation with all the glorious Priviledges of it And as unto Heaven what they so do shall have such a proportion of merit as shall exalt them unto the second third or fourth place of precedency and honour therein among all the Holy Martyrs It is uncredible what Power and Dominion over the consciences of their Proselytes they obtain by these means with other artifices of the like Nanture Hence many of them know of no other dependance
from many instances that by Vertue of their Conduct they can change appearing Sheep at least as unto their natural Tempers into that which is Violent Bloody and Poysonous 6. Under pretence of being this Guide and to impose their Pretensions thereunto on the Minds and Consciences of men this Church hath filled most Nations of Europe with Blood and Slaughter making horrible Devastations of innumerable Persons both fearing God and living Peaceably in the World Ten times more Blood of Christians hath been shed by them unto this End than was shed in all the Primitive Pagan Persecutions All that Dissent from them may say Quae Regio in terris nostri non plena cruoris Is there any Nation in Europe that is not filled with our Bloud The Last Day alone can discover the Blood that hath been shed secretly or with little noise by the Inquisition in the Spanish and some of the Italian Territories England France Germany Flanders Holland Ireland can speak for themselves in the Cruelties which unto this End have been executed in them The sole Reason of all this Inhumane Violence hath been that men would not submit their Souls and Consciences unto that Absolute Power over them and Conduct of them which their Church claimeth unto it self And it is most Probable that their Absolute Conduct is of the same Nature with the Ways and Means whereby they do Attempt it or have Obtained it When men by Force and Fraud Blood and Slaughters do endeavour to impose their Rule upon us we are not to expect but that the Rule will be answerable unto the Means that are used for the Attaining it As in the first Planting and Propagation of Christian Religion the Way and Means of them were Spiritual Light and the evident Exercise of all Graces especially Meekness Humility Patience in Sufferings and Contempt of the World Hereon men had just Grounds to Believe and Expect that the Conduct which they were Invited and Called unto under the rule of Christ would be of the same Nature Meek Holy Just and Good whereof by Experience they found full Assurance So where the Rule of our Souls and Consciences is attempted and carried on by Violence Blood Cruelty and Desolation of Nations we have just Ground to believe that if those who use them do prevail therein their Leading and Rule will be of the same Nature It is but Reasonable therefore for any man before he make choice of this Guide to ask of himself or others these few Questions Is there any thing in the Gospel which gives countenance unto this way of imposing a Guide in Religion on the Minds and Consciences of men Was there any thing like it in the Practices of our Lord Jesus Christ his Apostles or the Primitive Churches Doth this way make a just Representation of the Spirit the Meekness the Holiness the Love the Patience of our Lord Jesus Christ Is it consistent with the Genius of the Doctrine of the Gospel the Religion taught therein as unto its Nature and Ends concerning our Deportment in this World and our Tendency unto another Can any man think without Horror that our Lord Jesus Christ should be the Authour of this way that he hath appointed that all men should be Starved or Hanged or Burned or otherwise Slaughtered who would not Submit unto this Doctrine or Rule of this or any Church as some of the worst of men shall please to state them Is not this that which among other things gives us Assurance that the Doctrine and Superstition of Mahomet were from Hell from the Old Murderer in that it is a prime Dictate of them that those who will not Submit unto them are to be destroyed with Fire and Sword By that time a man hath a little weighed these Enquiries with such other of the same Nature that may be added unto them if he be not forsaken of all sense of the Glory of Christ of the Honour of the Gospel of the Reputation of Christian Religion and all care of the Salvation of his own Soul he will make a long stand before he give up himself Absolutely unto the Conduct of this Church 7. I cannot but mention in the next place that which because it is commonly pleaded I shall but mention And this is that many important Principles and Practices of the Religion which this pretended Guide would impose upon us are evidently suited unto the Carnal Interests and Lusts of them who have the Conduct of it Such are Purgatory Papal Pardons Sacrifices for the Dead Auricular Confession with Priestly Absolution thereon Many have already declared how the Notion and Superstition of these things did both raise and do maintain their Revenues and are otherwise made use of to make Provision for the Flesh to fulfill it in the Lusts thereof And there lyeth no Encouragement herein to ingage Wise men to give up themselves unto its Conduct But 8. Considerate men will be afraid of that conduct under which Christian Religion hath lost all its native Beauty Simplicity spiritual Glory and Power How are these things represented unto us in the Gospel How were they exemplified unto us in the lives of the Apostles and of all the sincere primitive converts The Church was through them a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelt Righteousness The whole of Religion as it was at first professed was nothing but a Representation of the Wisdom Truth Holiness Love and Compassion of Christ an evident and glorious means to recover mankind from its Apostacy from God and to re-introduce his Image on the Soules of men a blessed way continually to exercise the Power of Love Goodness Charity Bounty Zeal and Delight in God a Testimony given unto the Truth Reality and substance of things spiritual invisible and eternal with their preference above all earthly things Under their conduct is this Beauty this Glory of Christian Religion lost and defaced Wee may say with the Prophet of old how is the faithfull City become an Harlot Righteousness lodged in it but now Murderers Isa. 1. 21. The Church is the Temple of God could we have looked into it of old wee might by faith have seen Christ sitting on his Throne the train of his Light Holiness Love and grace filling the whole Temple Look into it under their conduct and there is the dreadful Appearance of the Lawless Person the man of sin sitting in the Temple of God shewing himself to be God to our Horror and Amazement Look into the Primitive Assemblyes of Christians 2. Cor. 3. 8 9 10. you shall see Meekness Humility and the glorious Ministration of the Spirit in outward Simplicity Look into those of this Guide and you shall see them like the House of Micah Judg. 17. 5. an House of Gods with Molten Images graven Images Ephods and Teraphims multiplyed Instruments of Superstition and Idolatry Look on their Conversation of old in the World and it was humble peaceable useful profitable unto Mankind with a contempt of