A53677:13
The church of Rome, no safe guide, or, Reasons to prove that no rational…
The church of Rome, no safe guide, or, Reasons to prove that no rational man, who takes due care of his own eternal salvation, can give himself up unto the conduct of that church in matters of religion by John Owen ...
London: printed for Nathaniel Ponder, 1679
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Were a man in a Wilderness where are a multitude of cross paths, all pretending to lead unto an inhabited City, whither he must go or perish; if he see men not only contending some for one way, some for another, but killing and destroying one another, about the preference of the several ways they esteem best and safest; he deserves to wander and perish, if he refuse a Guide that is tendered unto him with sufficient evidence of his Truth and Faithfulness. That there is such a one ready in our present case shall be immediately evinced.
Were a man in a Wilderness where are a multitude of cross paths, all pretending to lead unto an inhabited City, whither he must go or perish; if he see men not only contending some for one way, some for another, but killing and destroying one another, about the preference of the several waies they esteem best and safest; he deserves to wander and perish, if he refuse a Guide that is tendred unto him with sufficient evidence of his Truth and Faithfulness. That there is such a one ready in our present case shall be immedately evinced.
The differences in Religion that are at present among us, are of two sorts. First, Such as comparatively are of small moment, as unto the principal ends of the Life of God. The measure of these differences is, that which way soever they are determined in the minds of men, they neither overthrow the Foundation, nor obstruct the due exercise of Faith and Love. For this is our great Duty, with respect unto Doctrines in Religion, that we hold fast the form of sound words, in Faith and Love, which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 1. 13. And if any of them are so small as that it cannot be ⟨p. 3⟩pretended that they overthrow the Foundations of Faith and Love, yet if they hinder them in their operations and due exercise according unto the Rule of the Gospel, they are pernicious unto the souls of them in whom they have that effect. But such differences which comply with this measure, tend unto nothing in themselves that is obstructive unto the Glory or Power of Religion, whatever they may be pressed and wrested unto, by the Lusts, Prejudices, and carnal Interests of men. For there is no ground to be taken from them, for severe thoughts concerning the state and condition of them who so differ, as unto their Interest in present Grace and future Glory. To live in a neglect of Love, in all the effects and fruits of it towards such on any pretences, to design their hurt and evil, is to live in open contradiction unto all the Rules of the Gospel.