2. Because of the strange ways they have lately taken to put this pretence into use and practice, and to take us all under their con- duct. Pretending unto the guidance of our souls in the things of God, they have attempted to take us into their power as unto our lives, liberties, laws, and all other our concernments in this world ; which whosoever doth unlawfully forfeits all his own. And a suffi- cient indication it is of what guidance we were like to meet withal, when way was to be made unto it by fire, confusion, blood, massacres, and sedition.
Should there be a school erected, pretending unto an easy certain way of teaching all sciences, divine and human ; should it pretend a
CAUSES OF APOSTASY TO KOMANISISL 493
grant that nothing of this nature should be taught or learned but in and by it ; yet, if I saw the posts of the house hung like shambles with the limbs of slaughtered persons, — if the gTound about it be strewed with the bones and ashes of men burned to death, — here lying one strangled, there another stabbed, a third poisoned, all for no other cause but either because they would not submit to the teaching thereof, or Avould not learn things foolish and wicked,— I should avoid such a school and its power so far as I were able. But yet, because there hath of late among us a great accession been made really unto this guidance by persons formerly professing the Protestant religion, I shall a little inquire into the causes of it, or the means whereby it hath been brought about; and I shall not fear to say, that, as unto the most of them who have relinquished the Protestant religion, they are these that follow: —
1. A jjrofound ignorance of the internal powers of religion, with an utter want of all experience of them in themselves, makes them an easy prey to seducers. Persons who have never had any concern- ment in religion beyond the outside solemnity of it, with some no- tions and o^oinions about the doctrines of it, are easily " tossed to and fro" from one religion unto another, or unto none at all, through the " cunning sleights of men who lie in wait to deceive."
When men have only a " form of godliness" in the profession of the truth, but know nothing of the " power of it," it is an uncertain accident whether they persevere in that profession or no. There are internal powers of true religion which are efficacious on the minds of men to enlighten them, to purify them, and give them liberty from the adverse powers of darkness, vanity, and bondage unto sin. Where men have experience of them in their own hearts, there and there alone, if a vigorous impression unto the contrary do befall them, will they be constant in the profession of the truth. The success of our Roman emissaries is confined almost unto that sort of persons who, under the outward profession of the Protestant religion, have been totally ignorant of the virtue and power of the truth contained therein.
2. Wickedness of life, taking shelter in the promises of eternal security which that church, with presumptuous confidence, tenders unto all that will give up themselves unto her conduct, though in the last moments of their lives, gains them a multitude of proselytes. This engine they apply unto many when they are leaving the world, even unto such as, having lived in sin and ignorance, are ready to receive condign punishment for their villanies, deceiving them of those few minutes which might be improved in seeking after evan- gelical 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
494 THE CHURCH OF ROME NO SAFE GUIDE.
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 Avill ensue on the course wherein they are. By all crafty ways 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 ab- solute security of eternal salvation, if they will but relinquish heresy, wherein it is impossible they should ever be saved, and betake them- selves unto the conduct of the church of Rome. Of the chancre 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 tendered 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, profane swear- ing, 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 entered great numbers of " unclean beasts," unto the increase of the herd, who often prove the most forward zea- lots for the Catholic cause.