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A53667 A brief and impartial account of the nature of the Protestant religion its present state in the world, its strength and weakness, with the wayes and indications of the ruine or continuance of its publick national profession / by a Protestant. Owen, John, 1616-1683. 1682 (1682) Wing O716; ESTC R11764 23,846 42

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made use of unto this End and all in vain And it was for a while the Judgment of most Wise men that the Council of Trent had rendred all Reconciliations so much as by a pretence of any Condescention on the part of Rome utterly impossible For it hath bound it self and all the World that will own its Authority under Solemn Curses not to make any change or Alteration in the present State of the Papal Church though the Salvation of all Men living should depend thereon Yet notwithstanding the fixing of this unpassable Gulph between the two Churches or Religions some persons professing the Protestant Religion either angry at their Station and disappointments in the World or Ambitious above their Station in the Protestant Church though of the Highest Dignity attainable in it or out of an Itch or Curiosity of venting their Conciliatory Notions as they suppose them and so to entitle themselves unto the name of Peace-makers have in the foregoing and present Age revived the same fruitless Design but hitherto without success But it must be confessed that at present things are more prepared for the plying of this Engine and making it Effectual unto the Ruine of the Protestant Religion than they were in former Ages whereof I shall give some Instances Sundry Learned men who have made themselves of great Name and Reputation thereby have in their publick Writings granted a Patriarchal Primacy in the West unto the Bishop of Rome which is meet to be restored And therewithall they have relinquished the true Grounds of the Reformation For whereas the real Causes and Reasons of it were the Idolatry Heresies and Tyranny of the Church of Rome which every private Christian might understand and was bound to Separate from in his own Person were there no other of his Mind in the World but himself alone and had Right so to do they have resolved it into the Power of a National Church in that Patriarchate with their Supream Civil Ruler to reform it self from such things as they esteem abuses Now as this is a matter wherein the Consciences of the People or private Christians are not concerned so it is built on sundry Arbitrary presumptions that have not the least Countenance given unto them from the Word of God And as this Endeavour tends directly to divert the Minds of Men from the true Causes and Reasons of the Reformation whereon all the Martyrs died so it leads directly upon a Relief against the pretended abuses to return unto the Pope as an Head of Unity and Peace unto all Churches at least in these Western parts of the World which is all that at present is pleaded for by many of the Papists themselves For the Dispute they say about the Pope his Power and Infallibility you need not trouble your selves let the Bishop of Rome in his Succession from St. Peter be acknowledged as an Head of Unity and Peace unto all Christians with a Patriarchal Power and no more shall be required of you that is at present for the Pope will be Pope whilest he is so that is until he is utterly cast out of the Church But by such Concessions as these the way is preparing for a composition as unto the outward Order and Rule of the Church As unto the Internal part of Religion in Doctrines of Faith there is no small advance towards a Reconciliation in the Introduction of Novel Opinions into the Protestant Profession For although on their first entrance among us they were publickly protested against by the Commons of England in Parliament as introductory of Popery yet their prevalency since hath been so great as that their Abettors are ready to avow them as the Doctrine of the present Church Yet are they all of them opposite unto the fundamental Principles of the Reformation which were to exalt the Grace of God and debase the Pride of Men from the contempt of which Principles all the Abominations of the Papacy did arise And this progress towards a Reconciliation is daily improved by the endeavours of some to lessen all the Doctrinal differences between the Papists and Protestants and to make them appear as things not worth the striving or contending about The same work is carried on by the labours and endeavours of many in their publick Writings to divert the making Application of Scripture Prophesies and Predictions of an Apostatical Antichristian Church-State unto the Church of Rome The perswasion hereof as it is a most undoubted Truth wherein the Souls of Men are concerned is the Principal means of preserving the Body of the People in an aversation unto Popery If you can once perswade them that the Pope is not Antichrist that the Church of Rome is not that Idolatrous Tyrannical State foretold in the Scripture many would be very indifferent how you treat with them or what composition you shall make for your selves But it is hoped that the broad Light which ariseth from the Evidence the Pope and his Church for many Ages have given of themselves so to be by their Idolatries Persecutions Murders Luciferian Pride trampling on the Power and Persons of Kings and all sorts of Persons in conjunction with the Characteristical Notes of Times Places Rise Progress Nature and Actings of that Church State in the Scripture will not easily be extinguished There is no small prevalency in the World of an Atheistical Principle lately advanced namely of Resolving all respect unto the publick Profession of Religion into the Wills and Laws of Men in Supream Power It is supposed herein that Men may be in their own Minds of what Religion they please and be as Religious as they will But for the preservation of Society it is meet that the Wills of Law-givers in all Nations should be the Sole Rule of the outward Profession of Religion Now although this Atheistical Opinion be destructive of Christian Religion condemning all the Professors of it from its first entrance into the World of the highest Folly imaginable yet being suited to accommodate all the Lusts and Interests of Men profane and ungodly it is incredible what a progress in a short time it hath made in the World And those who have imbibed it are ready for all such compositions in Religion as may be supposed any way Commodious unto their Inclinations and Interests I shall only mention that which of all other things is of the worst abode namely the Loss of the Power of Religion in all sorts of Persons The Protestant Religion will not any where long maintain its Station any otherwise than by an Experience of its Power and Efficacy on the Souls of Men. Where this is lost through the power of prevalent vitious Habits of the minds of Men the whole of that Religion will be parted withall at an easie Rate For there is another continually proposed unto them with those entertainments for Mens Fancies and carnal Affections with those accommodations for their Lusts Living and Dying with outward Secular advantages that this