what do you say less when you yield them a judgement of discretion as to the Pope or Church, and deny it in Respect to the Word of God? If you say that they will misunderstand the Scripture▪ I ans. 1. So will the Pope and the best and wisest man on earth in some part: because while we are here, we know but in part. 2. Their error is their sin: But doth it follow that they may not see at all, for fear of missing their way? Must they put out their eyes, and be led by the Pope, for fear of erring? Must they not know or labour to know, for fear of mistaking? Will any Master take this well of his servant, to put out his eyes, or do nothing, for fear of doing his work amiss? Or refuse to go his journey, lest he miss the way? Then we must not judge of the Popes Laws neither, and consequently, not judge them to be true, for fear of erring in our judgement. When you prove that the Church of Rome is the true Church, would you not have the people judge of your proof for fear of erring? This is even to make beasts of Christians. 3. What are Teachers for, but to guide them, and ⟨p. 208⟩help them to understand. If you are afraid lest they should err, be the more diligent in instructing them. But this is the difference between the work of a Popish Teacher and ours. They make it their work to put out mens eyes that they may have the loading of them, because they are troubled with an imperfection in their sight, and therefore will err if those imperfect eyes be left in their heads: we make it our work, by all means we can use, to cure their eye sight that they may be able to see themselves, in the mean time advising them, while their eyes are under cure, not wholly to trust to them, but to use the help of others, to show them the way, and to tell them of dangers. The Protestant will set his Child to School that he may learn to know, that which through childishness he knows not: But according to the Popish way, we should forbid them all books or learning, lest they misunderstand them; and let them never know any thing lest they know amiss. The next step, is to send them to Bedlam. The Apostle would have men have their senses exercised to discern Good and Evil, Heb. 5.14. The Papists would not have the people to have a judgement of Discerning: If they must not Discern, they must be ignorant: When God so much requireth and extolleth knowledge.
what do you say less when you yield them a judgement of discretion as to the Pope or Church, and deny it in Respect to the Word of God? If you say that they will misunderstand the Scripture▪ I ans. 1. So will the Pope and the best and wisest man on earth in some part: because while we are here, we know but in part. 2. Their error is their sin: But doth it follow that they may not see at all, for fear of missing their way? Must they put out their eyes, and be led by the Pope, for fear of erring? Must they not know or labor to know, for fear of mistaking? Will any Master take this well of his servant, to put out his eyes, or do nothing, for fear of doing his work amiss? Or refuse to go his journey, lest he miss the way? Then we must not judge of the Popes Laws neither, and consequently, not judge them to be true, for fear of erring in our judgement. When you prove that the Church of Rome is the true Church, would you not have the people judge of your proof for fear of erring? This is even to make beasts of Christians. 3. What are Teachers for, but to guide them, and ⟨p. 208⟩help them to understand. If you are afraid lest they should erre, be the more diligent in instructing them. But this is the difference between the work of a Popish Teacher and ours. They make it their work to put out mens eyes that they may have the loading of them, because they are troubled with an imperfection in their sight, and therefore will erre if those imperfect eyes be left in their heads: we make it our work, by all means we can use, to cure their eye sight that they may be able to see themselves, in the mean time advising them, while their eyes are under cure, not wholly to trust to them, but to use the helpe of others, to shew them the way, and to tell them of dangers. The Protestant will set his Childe to School that he may learn to know, that which through childishness he knows not: But according to the Popish way, we should forbid them all books or learning, lest they misunderstand them; and let them never know any thing lest they know amiss. The next step, is to send them to Bedlam. The Apostle would have men have their senses exercised to discern Good and Evill, Heb. 5.14. The Papists would not have the people to have a judgement of Discerning: If they must not Discern, they must be ignorant: When God so much requireth and extolleth knowledge.
