The church of Rome, no safe guide, or, Reasons to prove that no rational…

Allowing them these advantages, I shall now prove that no wise or sober man, who takes care of his own Salvation, can give up himself to the conduct of the Church of Rome, in his choice of Religion, then when there are the most abounding contests about the Truth, and the right way of its Profession, which is supposed our present case.

In my first reason I shall proceed no farther but to render this pretended Guide suspected with all wise and sober men. For it will be granted I suppose, that we ought throughly to consider who or what that Guide is, whereunto we do absolutely resign the disposal of all our spiritual concernments without power of Revocation.

If any men were to make such an absolute Trust of their Lives, Estates and Liberties into the hand of another man or of other men, putting them all absolutely out of their own Power, certainly they would think it their Wisdom and Interest to consider aright how and what they are, unto whom they do so fully and absolutely resign themselves, and all that they have. And if they have any just suspicion of their honesty or Faithfulness, or that they seek themselves or their own advantage in taking this Trust upon them, they will not easily be induced to resign up their all unto them. Yea the ⟨p. 17⟩more earnest they are to persuade them, the more will they suspect that there is Knavery in the cause. How much more careful ought we to be in the choosing a Guide into whose power and disposal we must resign all the eternal concernments of our souls; which all men do, who absolutely give give up the conduct of themselves unto the Church of Rome in all matters of Religion. For notwithstanding all their pleas of a sure and safe bank for the consciences of men, there are great presumptions that they will break at last, and leave them who have entrusted them unto eternal beggary.