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

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 known 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 mean time but the good of them who so entrust them; a wise man will not absolutely give up the disposal of himself and all his concerns unto such persons. Yea when men are more than ordinarily urgent to have such Trusts committed unto them, we do ordinarily enquire 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 Advantages on all such occasions, we shall not be too forward to give up unto ⟨p. 19⟩them all that we have; especially if the resignation of our selves 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 who 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 ridiculous, and was never made by any wise man; fools and mad men being only meet to be confined unto it.

1. It is so on the account of Reason and common usage amongst men in cases of an alike nature. If it be notoriously known 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 mean time but the good of them who so entrust them; a wise man will not absolutely give up the disposal of himself and all his concerns unto such persons. Yea when men are more than ordinarily urgent to have such Trusts committed unto them, we do ordinarily enquire 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 Advantages on all such occasions, we shall not be too forward to give up unto