2. We may consider what use they onake of these secular advan- tages and revenues, which they have obtained merely by virtue of this pretence. And it may be said with modesty that these things were never forced to be wickedly serviceable unto the lusts of men among the heathens themselves more than they are and have been among all sorts of men in the church of Rome. Ambition, avarice, pride, luxury, sensuality, cruelty, are the deities that they sacrifice the spoils of the souls and consciences of men unto. There is no sort of wickedness, not the highest and mo^t provoking, not the most vile and sordid, that human nature is capable of, but multiplied instances may be given of the perpetration of them, by the advantage which they make of this pretence.
This consideration, I say, is sufficient unto all wise men to render this pretended guide justly suspected, and to bring the vagabond unto the strictest and severest examination that the law and word of God doth direct unto in such cases.
(1.) It is so, on the account of reason and common usage, amongst men in cases of an alike nature. If it be notoriously knoAvn and evident that any sort of persons, whatever else they seem to be or act, do make great and unaccountable advantages unto themselves by any trusts that are committed unto them, pretending nothing in the meantime but the good of them who so intrust them, a wise
ITS WEALTH A GKOUI^D OF SUSPICION. 497
man will not absolutely give up the disposal of himself and all his concerns imto such persons. Yea, when men are more than ordinarily urgent to have such trusts committed unto them, we do ordinarily in([uire what is their interest in this matter of care and trouble that makes them so earnest. And if we find that they have made their own advantaofes on all such occasions, we shall not be too forward to give up unto them all that we have ; especially if the resignation of ourselves and our concerns, desired by them, be such as we shall never more have the disposal of any thing in our own power, nor shall they be accountable for any thing they do thereon. It may be you will say, those Avho desire this great trust to be reposed in them are in all other things of virtue and piety most eminent above others. But what if, by various ways and means, they discover themselves to be for the most part of the very worst of men ? It will assuredly be said that such a kind of trust as that mentioned would be ridi- culous, and was never made by any wise man, fools and madmen being only meet to be confined unto it.
Yet such is the trust that the church of Rome requireth that we should commit unto her, and that in affairs of infinitely greater importance than all other earthly concerns ; for she would have us ahsolutehj resign up our souls and consciences, with all our eternal interests, unto her conduct and guidance, without any reservation for the use of our own light, reason, knowledge, or faith, and without power of revocation, on pain of damnation. In the meantime, it is evident and notorious that by virtue of this pretence she hath erected the popedom, obtained principalities and dominion, endowed herself with the principal revenues of the nations, and erected a supremacy over kings and kingdoms, to be disposed of at their pleasure. Is it not the duty of a wise man, when any of these persons are impor- tunate with him to forsake the Scrip tvire and his own understanding, with all the experience which ever he had of the power of religion, and to give up himself absolutely unto their conduct, to inquire what is the interest of these men in these things which makes them thus importunate ?
And if this appear openly to be an increase or confirmation of their secular advantages, he will say that this is a trust fit only for them to make whom darkness, ignorance, the love of sin, and a vicious conversation, have rendered spiritual fools and bedlams, that can in nothing guide themselves. Especially he will do so, when he shall find that these high pretenders to be the only guides of the souls and consciences of other men, do for the most part walk in paths themselves that go down to the chambers of death ; that they are so far from giving examples of Christian meekness, humility, self-denial, faith, love, or real holiness, — from giving a just represen-
VOL. XIV. 32
498 THE CHURCH OF ROME NO SAFE GUIDE.
tation of Christ in the image of God on themselves, — as that in many- great, notable, j^rodigious instances they represent the devil, with all his malice, cruelty, and blood, unto the world.
(2.) There is that which doth hereon yet farther increase a just suspicion of this pretended guide; and this is the way of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his apostles under him and after him, — unto whom that conduct of our souls which the pope and church of Rome do now lay claim unto was really committed by God, even the Father. It is known that our Lord Jesus Christ himself, though in his divine person he was the sovereign possessor of heaven and earth, yet in that ministry wherein he took the guidance of men's souls, he ob- tained nothing, possessed nothing beyond food and raiment, nor made the least outward advantage by any good that he did or by any mi- racles that he wrought. This state in general belonged unto his humiliation, and was a part of his sufferings : but withal it was chosen by himself for this end, — to convince and satisfy the souls of men that he designed nothing in all his instruction and guidance of them but the glory of God in their eternal welfare; gaining nothing unto himself but reproaches, persecution, and the cross. This he did as knowing that there was that gloiy, beauty, power, and useful- ness in the truth wherein he instructed men, that nothing was out- wardly needful to give it an effectual entrance into their minds but only to deliver them from prejudices, which all self-advantages made by him would have given unto them. The Pope and Mohammed, who have since pretended unto the same conduct of men's minds in religion which was intrusted originally with Him whom the Father sealed, knowing that what they had to teach of their own, and to lead men into, had no glory, beauty, evidence, nor use in itselfj have wisely betaken themselves unto the ways of fraud and force, to im- pose their doctrine on the consciences of men, with this bait and allurement, that what profit and advantage they make unto them- selves by the conduct which they have assumed, others, according to their proportion, shall be sharers therein.