Section IX: The False Image of Repentance and Conversion
contrivances,—any way but by the foolishness of preaching, which, unto that end, is the power and wisdom of God,—is to declare his own ignorance of it, and unconcernment in it. And had not men conceived and embraced another religion than what is taught therein, or abused a pretence thereof unto ends and advantages of their own, this imagination of the propagation of it had never taken place in their minds, it is so diametrically opposite unto the whole nature and all the ends of it.
Section IX: The False Image of Repentance and Conversion Sect. IX. There is yet amongst them another image of a general principle, no less horrid than that before mentioned, and that with respect unto religious obedience. It is the great foundation of all religion, and in especial of Christian religion, that God in all things is to be obeyed, absolutely and universally.
Of all our obedience, there is no other reason, but that it is his will, and is known unto us so to be. This follows necessarily from the infinite perfections of the divine nature. As the first Essential Verity, he is to be believed in what he reveals, above and against all contradiction from pretended reasons, or any imaginations whatever; and as he is the only Absolute Independent Being,
Essential Goodness, and the Sovereign Lord of all things, he is, without farther reason, motive, or inducement, to be absolutely obeyed in all his commands. An instance whereof we have in Abraham offering his only son without dispute or hesitation, in compliance with a divine revelation and command.
It will seem very difficult to frame an image hereof amongst men, with whom there is not the least shadow of these divine perfections,
—namely, Essential Verity and Absolute Sovereignty in conjunction
with Infinite Wisdom and Goodness; which alone render such an obedience lawful, useful, or suitable unto the principles of our rational natures. But those of whom we speak have not been wanting unto themselves herein, especially the principal craftsmen of this image-trade. The order of the Jesuits have made a bold attempt for the framing of it. Their vow of blind obedience (as they call it) unto their superiors, whereby they resign the whole conduct of their souls, in all the concernments of religion, in all duties toward God and man, unto their guidance and disposal, is a cursed image of this absolute obedience unto the commands of God which he requireth of us. Hence the founder of their order was not ashamed, in his Epistle ad Fratres Lusitanos, to urge and press this blind obedience from the example of Abraham yielding obedience unto God, without debate or consideration; as if the superiors of the order were good, and not evil and sinful men. Whilst this honour was reserved unto God, whilst this was judged to be his prerogative alone,—namely, that his commands are to be obeyed in all things, without reasonings and examinations as unto the matter, justice, and equity of them, merely because they are his, which absolutely and infallibly concludes them good, holy, and just,—the righteous government of the world, and the security of men in all their rights, were safely provided for; for he neither will nor can command any thing but what is holy, just, and good: but, since the ascription of such a god-like authority unto men, as to secure blind obedience unto all their commands, innumerable evils, in murders, seditions, and perjuries, have openly ensued thereon. But, besides those particular evils, in matter of fact, which have proceeded from this corrupt fountain, this persuasion at once takes away all grounds of peace and security from mankind; for who knows what a crew or sort of men called the Jesuits' superiors, known only by their restless ambition and evil practices in the world, may command their vassals, who are sworn to execute whatever they
command, without any consideration whether it be right or wrong, good or evil?
Let princes, and other great men, flatter themselves whilst they please, that, on one consideration or other, they shall be the objects only of their kindness; if these men, according to their profession, be obliged in conscience to execute whatever their superiors shall command them,—no less than Abraham was, to sacrifice his son on the command of God,—they hold their lives at the mercy and on the good nature of these superiors, who are always safe out of the reach of revenge. It is marvellous, that mankind doth not agree to demolish this cursed image, or the ascription of a god-like power unto men to require blind obedience unto their commands, especially considering what effects it hath produced in the world. All men know by whose device it was first set up and erected;—by whom, by what means, and unto what end, it was confirmed and consecrated: and, at this day, it is maintained by a society of men of an uncertain extract and original, like that of the Janizaries in the Turkish empire,—their rise being generally out of obscurity, among the meanest and lowest of the people. Such they are, who, by the rules of their education, are taught to renounce all respect unto their native countries, and alliances therein, but so as to make them only the way and matter for the advancement of the interest of this new society. And this sort of men being nourished, from their very first entrance into the conduct of the society, unto hopes and expectations of wealth, honour, power, interest in the disposal of all public affairs of mankind, and the regulation of the consciences of men, it is no wonder if, with the utmost of their arts and industry, they endeavour to set up and preserve this image which they have erected, from whence they expect all the advantage which they do design. But hereof I may treat more fully when I come to speak of the image of Jealousy itself.