Wherefore for men to suffer themselves to be inveagled their souls to be perverted and their Faith overthrown by a few captious Sophystical Reasonings of men of perverse minds pursuing their own secular Interest to turn aside from the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles in so plain evident and indisputable a case and Duty is such a folly in it self such an impiety against God such a contempt of the Lord Christ his Wisdom Authority and Care as must be eternally accounted for Thirdly The things for the most part which this pretended Guide proposeth unto and imposeth on the Consciences Faith and Practice of them who give up themselves unto its conduct are so unreasonable so contrary unto the common sense of Christians and the very first notions of the minds of men any way enlightened with the Doctrine of the Gospel so directly opposite unto the design of God in the Revelation of himself unto us and his commands concerning our Faith and Obedience that it is a thing astonishable how they should attain an access unto them who have any sense of these things But when once men have their eyâ—s bored out as they do it for themselves in the Resignation they make of their understandings and consciences unto the conduct of this Church they must grind whatever is brought unto them I shall briefly instance in some few things of this sort 1. The keeping of the Scripture from their daily and continual use I speak not directly unto them who being brought up from their infancy in that Church know nothing of the Scripture but that the Bible is an obscure dangerous Book unto all Lay-men which Hereticks make use of unto their advantage Such Persons can be contented to want it or be without it all their lives especially seeing it is full of Light and Principles inconsistent with their carnal Lusts and Interest But I speak of such who many of them like Timothy have known the Scriptures from Children and having been conversant in them have had some experience of their Power Unto such as these come Persons in the name and on the behalf of this pretended Guide And a compass of plausible words they will use fit to distract and amuse weak and unstable minds But the plain sense of what they say in this case is cast away this Bible this Book it doth but perplex you and disturb your minds with things that are above you which you cannot understand and is therefore an occasion of almost all the pernicious errors that are in the World Will not any such Person be ready to say hath God given this Book this alone as the only Revelation of his Mind and Will unto us as the Guide and Rule whereby we may come unto the eternal Enjoyment of him which you dare not directly deny hath he commanded me to Read Study Meditate and be conversant in it continually have I found the benefit of the Light counsel and consolation administred by it in my own soul and shall I now forsake it cast it away to betake my self unto your Guidance and direction shall I forsake God and Christ and the Holy Spirit all the Prophets and Apostles who daily speak unto me in and by this word to comply with you The very horror of the Proposal is enough to secure the minds of any who have the least spark of spiritual Light or Grace from a compliance with it Wherefore whether it be reasonable to leave the Word of God which is full of Light shining like the Sun in the Firmament to follow the glimmerings of this wandring Meteor which arose out of an horrible pit and there will end is left unto their consideration who take care of the eternal salvation of their own souls 2. The Solâ—mn Worship of God by the Guides of the Church in a Tongue and Language which the people do not understand is another of their Proposals This they are bound to attend unto on pain of damnation But how any thing can be more contrary unto the common sense of them who know what it is to pray in a due manner no man can conceive As unto them who do not yet is it not hard to convince them where they are not obstinate on other prejudices how irrational this Proposal is how inconsistent with that reasonable service that God requireth of us Others will say that they find hinderances and difficulties enough from and in this Duty from the weakness of their Faith and instability of their Minds the suggestions of Satan with diversions from outward objects if you add thereunto that they shall not understand a word of what is spoken in Prayer and they know well enough they shall never pray at all And the Truth is did we not know whence they took occasion for this strange contrivance so contrary to the nature of all Religion and what advantage they make of it unto themselves it could never be sufficiently admired how such a sensless Imagination should befall their Minds I do not design to shew how contrary it is to Scripture Precepts and Examples to the practice of all the Saints under the Old Testament and the New with that of the Primitive Churches and on all accounts what an abominable Sacriledge it is so to rob the Church of its chiefest Treasure it hath been done by others sufficiently I only give it as an instance how unmeet this pretended Church is to be such a Guide as whereunto we are to make an absolute Resignation of our understandings and consciences in all concerns of Religion And there is nothing that can make them who have any regard unto their own souls to reject its Guidance with more detestation Shall they accept them for their Guide in Religion who under pain of damnation confine them in all the publick Worship of the Church unto the use of a Language that they do not understand That instead of praying with their understandings they must be content with a dumb shew with postures and gestures with Altars and Pictures the antick actings of a Priest and a noise of words whose sense they know not at al If a man would seek for an Infallible Guide to Hell it is hard to find one more likely and better qualified unto that purpose than is this Church of Rome 3. There is at the same instant proposed unto us by this Guide the Doctrine of Transuâ—stantiation with the Sacrifice of the Mass thereon depending This they say we must believe at least avow that we do believe on pain of eternal and temporal destruction also But herein they require of us that on the meer credit of their conduct we must renounce the use of our senses the exercise of our Reason and actings of Faith on Divine Revelations all things whereby we are either Men or Christians that we may become blind Idolaters But they who pretending to be our Guides in Religion do thereon impose this monstrous Imagination on our credulity with the Idolatrous Practice
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
what profit and advantage they make unto themselves by the conduct which they have assumed others according to their proportion shall be sharers therein The Holy Apostles succeeded unto the Personal Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ as unto this conduct of the souls of men Such Power was committed unto them by him who sent them even as the Father sent him such Assurance was there in their conduct through Infallible Inspiration and the presence of the Holy Ghost with them in an extraordinary manner as that all men were bound to give up themselves unto their Conduct and Guidance Howbeit they judged that there was no Duty more incumbent on them than to make it evident unto all the world that they neither sought nor would accept of any temporal Advantages unto themselves by the Trust reposed in them but were contended that their portion in this world should lye in all the extremities and calamities of it And this they willingly submitted unto that all men might he encouraged to trust them in their everlasting affairs when they saw what loosers they were by it in this World without desire hope or expectation of any better condition The Church of Rome laies claim to the very same Authority over and conduct of the consciences of men in Religion as were committed unto Jesus Christ and his Apostles It is as safe as they pretend for a man to cast off the Authority and Institutions of Christ himself as to dissent from those of the Pope But what in the mean time meaneth this bleating of the Sheep and lowing of the Oxen whence is it that they have mannaged the pretence hereof to the gaining of Power Dominion Wealth and Revenues unto themselves beyond that of the greatest Kings and Princes in this World Let others do as they shall think fit I shall never commit the conduct of my soul unto them who for ought I know would never look after me nor any other were it not for the advantage they make by it unto the service of their earthly desires It may be said that other Churches and Persons do make advantages unto themselves by that conduct of the souls of men which they lay claim unto And if this be sufficient to render such Guides suspected we shall scatter the Churches and leave none to guide them I answer it doth no way follow For the Rules Measures and outward Allowances for and in the name of their Labour and Guidance unto the Ministers of the Gospel are in general so stated in the Scripture as that men cannot mistake therein unto their prejudice But we are not at all concerned in what Advantages men make unto themselves hereby provided that the conduct they pretend unto be such as is accompanied with no dominion over our Faith but is proposed only as an help thereunto Whilst men require not an absolute Resignment of our souls and consciences unto them but leave us unto the perfect libert of our own minds to judge upon and receive what they propose unto us to examine and try all that they instruct us in which we may reject or refuse according as it evidenceth it self to be good or evil unto us there is no great danger in our conduct This I say is sufficient to render this pretended Guide which with so much vehement importunity would impose it self upon us to be so justly suspected unto all men not forsaken as well of common Reason as of all due Reverence unto the Word of God as that they will not readily embrace it 2. As what hath been spoken is sufficient to render this pretended Guide suspected with all sober and considerate Persons so there are cogent reasons why it ought to be absolutely rejected by all who take care of their own eternal Salvation The cause peculiarly under consideration is stated on a double supposition 1. That there are such differences in and about Religion among us as wherein the eternal Salvation of the Souls of men are immediately concerned For some of them consist in Opinions Principles and Practises pernicious and destructive unto Salvation as each side doth acknowledge and contend And it is meet the cause at present should be expresly stated on this supposition because those of the Roman Church design their great advantage from it 2. That in this case we ought diligently to apply our selves unto some safe Guide which may lead and conduct us in the right way wherein we may glorify God and obtain eternal Blessedness unto our own souls This also is not only allowed by them but fiercely contended for as a Foundation of their whole cause Wherefore to determin our Thoughts aright in our enquiry on these suppositions we may consider the things that follow 1. The first Supposition is plainly stated in the Scripture It is plainly affirmed therein that such things were then beginning in the Church that they would fall out in after ages and encrease towards the End Consummation of all things See to this purpose Acts 20. 29 30. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. 2 Pet. 2. 1 3. 1 John 4. 1 2 3. all in compliance with the holy warnings and predictions of our blessed Saviour himself unto the same purpose Matth. 24 4 5 11 23 24 25 26. In all these places and many other the Cause as stated in our supposition is expresly foretold with the pernicious effects of Opinions and Heresies overthrowing the Foundation of Faith and destroying the souls of men In this cause is a certain Guide necessary in a peculiar manner 2. In no one place either in express words or by direct consequence are Believers or the Disciples of Christ directed in this case to betake themselves unto such a Guidance of the Church of Rome They are not so in any one place where these Divisions are foretold where properly such directions should be expected or no where nor yet in any other place whatever Any one Divine Testimony unto this purpose giving this Direction on that supposition shall for ever determine this Controversie Shall we think that the Lord Jesus Christ foreknowing foretelling and warning all his Disciples of such a dangerous state and condition as from which they cannot escape or be delivered without a Guide that will safely lead and conduct them if there were but one such Guide prepared and appointed by him should no where in any Divine Revelation direct them thereunto Doth a supposition hereof truly represent unto us his love care and compassion towards the Church Can any thing more injurious unto his Wisdom Faithfulness and Honour be once imagined It is impossible therefore that any man in the case supposed should betake himself unto the sole conduct of the Pope or Church of Rome without casting contempt on him and his Authority But 3. Yet there is farther Evidence of his Mind herein in that we are expresly in this case directed unto another Guide without any mention of the Church of Rome which is utterly exclusive of
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