54 Of Confiancy in the Profe/fiion of the True Religion. Vol . j. and a paflionate defire of the Salvation of their Souls, makes them take all thefe Pains with them. But this is fo grofs a way of proceeding, that any Man of common Underilanding -muff needs difcern by this kind Treatment, that thefe Men can have no honeft Defign upon them. To come then to, a more particular Confideration of the Arts and Methods which they, ufe (I mean particularly thole of the Church of Rome) in making Profelytes to their Religion : As, I. In allowing them to be very competent and fufficient Judges for themfelves, in the Choice of their Church and Religion, ( that is, which is the True Church and Religion, in which alone Salvation is to he had) and yet telling them at the fame Time, that they are utterly incapable ofjudgingof particular Doftrines, and Points of Faith and Praftice, but for thefe, they mutt rely upon the Judgment of an Infallible Church, when they are in it ; otherwife they will certainly run into damnable Errors and Miftakes about thefe things. And they muff of.neceflìty'allow them to be fufficient Judges for themfelves in the Choice of their Religion ; as will be evident, by cotífidering in what Method they proceed with their. intended Profelyte. They propofe to him to change his Church and his Religion, becaufe he is in the wrong; and they will thew him a better, and fuch a one as is the only true one, and in which alone Salvation is to be had. To perfwade him hereto, they offer him fome Reafons'and Arguments, or give himBooks to read, containing Arguments to move him to make this Change to fatisfie him of the Reafonablenefs, and to convincehim of the Neceffity of it. Now by this way of proceeding (and they can take no other) they do, whe- ther they will or no, make the Perfon, whom they are endeavouring to convert, a Judge for himfelf, which Church and Religion is belt ; that which they would have him embrace and come over to, or that which theywould perfwade him to forfaite. For to what end elfe do theyoffer him Reafons and Arguments to per- fwade him to leave our Church, and to come over to theirs ; but that he may con- fider- the Force and Weight of them ; and having confidered them, may judge whether they be of force fufficient to over-rule him to make this Change ? So that as unwilling as they are to make particular Perfons judge for themfelves about Points of Faith, and about the Senfe ofScripture confirming thofe Points (becaufe this isto leave every Man to his own private Spirit and Fancy and giddy Brain) yet they are compelled by neceffity, and againft their own Principles, to allow a Man in this Cafe of chufing his Religion, to be a Judge ofthe Reafons and Arguments which they offer to induce him thereto. So that, whether they will or no, they muff permit him to be a Judge for himfelf for this once, but not to make a Praftice of it, or to pretend this Priviledge ever after : For in acknowledgment of this great Favour, of being permitted to judge for himfelf this once, (which they do unwillingly grant him, and upon meet Neceffity) he is for ever after to refign up his Judgment to the Church. And tho' this Liberty be allowed pro hat vice, and properly to ferve a turn, i. e. in order to the changing ofhis Religion; yet he is to underftand, that he is no fit and competent Judge of particular Points of Faith ; theft he mull all learn from the True Church when he is in it, and take them upon her Authority, and in fo doing he thall do veryprudently, becaufe She is infallible, and cannot be deceived; but He may. But is there anySenfe in all this, that a Man fhould be very fit and able to judge of that which they efteem the main and, fundamental Point of all, namely, which is the True Church and Religion; and of the Reafons and Arguments whereby they pretend to demonftrate it ; and of the true Meaning of thofe Texts of Scripture, whereby they pretend to prove theirs to be the onlyTrue Church : And' yet fhould be wholly unable to judge of Particular Points of Faith ; or of the True Senfe of any Texts of Scripture that can be produced for the Proof of thofe Points ? Is it fo very prudent, in all the particular. Points of Faith, for a Man to rely up- on the Judgment of the Church, becaufe She is infallible; and not to trufa isis own Judgment about them, becaufe He is fallible, and maybe deceived? And is it
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