consequently be of a quite different nature and make up a particular Sovereignty Wherefore if both these should happen to be joined in one Person he becomes thereby at once master over our Lives and Consciences But if this Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction be lodged in another Person he must either at the same time be acknowledged to have a Power of executing his Decrees by his own Prerogative or else to have only an Authority of giving Sentence leaving the Execution of it to the civil Magistrates If the first of these two be supposed it is evident that a double headed Sovereignty must carry along with it great Inconveniencies and Distractions and if the latter those that exercise the Sovereignty in the State must be look'd upon as Executioners only to this holy Judge All these Things duely considered as they must needs occasion great Convulsions in the State so no man that is not beyond his Wits will be apt to imagine unless it be made appear by most evident Proofs that Christ intended to introduce by his Doctrine such pernicious Diseases into civil Societies For tho' it is impossible that no Controversies should be raised in the Church like Christ himself has foretold it in the Parable by Matthew c. 13. 24. And St. Paul in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians c. 11. 19. Nevertheless if any Controversie does arise he that is the first Author of it must of necessity maintain his Opinion under a colour at least of its being agreeable to the Scriptures For if any one should pretend to introduce a new Article of Faith without endeavouring to prove it out of the holy Scripture he would be look'd upon as a mad Man tho' he should call to his aid all the Sophistications of the Philosophers And if he should insist upon the Authority of Traditions without the Scriptures this would only serve to disclose the weakness of that Foundation whereupon he builds his Doctrine But if any one should make an attempt against any Article of Faith received already as such in the Church he is scarce worth taking notice of unless he should be able to alledge at least some specious Reasons out of the holy Scripture for his Opinion And in such a case especially if his Endeavours seem to proceed from a real Love to Truth he ought not to be absolutely slighted without being heard and his Reasons examined So that then the whole decision of the Matter must depend from a right Interpretation of the several passages in the holy Scripture relating to this Controversie And to find out this Interpretation I see not any necessity which obliges us to have recourse to a Sovereign Power or any infallible Authority but only to such Mâ—ans as â—â— most proper for the searching into and findâ—ng out the genuine Sense of other Authors viz. by a true Knowledge of the Tongue and a diligent search into the nature and whole sâ—ame of the Christian Religion and by duely comparing the Articles of Faith and observing their Annology and Connexion Whosoever besides this has a natural good Judgment and is not propossessed with Prejudice private Interest or Passion it will oâ— no such difficult Task for him to find out the genuine Sense of the Scriptures and to demonstrate it so plainly that such as oppose him will by the consent of all Understanding People be judged to be in the wrong So did our Saviour at several times convince the Pharisâ—es and Saduceans out of the whole Scripture and by the force of his Arguments taken from thence that they were not able to make any further reply And why should it not be reasonably supposed that in each Christian Church there may be found a sufficient number of Teachers capable of disproving such as pretend to introduce among them Innovations and false Doctrines But supposing that these alone should prove insufficient they may call to their aid those of the Neighbouring most famous Churches From whence it appears that there is no absolute Necessity of acknowledging a Judge General of Controversies in the Church And put the Case that those that dissent from the Church are so numerous as to have spread their Doctrine all over the State this Judge will prove useless in his Office For if he pretends to have recourse to violent means to make them renounce their false Opinion they will in all probability oppose force to force But if he takes the other way and endeavours to convince them of their Earor by Arguments taken out of the holy Scripture this may be done as well by other Teachers sitly qualified for their Office than by such a Judge General in the Church Neither ought we to be so over timerous as to believe that Errors should in so much prevail over Truth as to domineer always and every where over it it being not to be question'd but that by help of the most clear-sighted Teachers in the Church these Clouds may be soon dispersed and Truth again appear in its splendor I appeal to Experience whether not a great many Heresies by the only help of prevailing Truth without the assistance of such a Judge or any human Force have by degrees dwindled away and at last quite disappeared It must be confest there are some erroneous Opinions which being nourished and maintained by a Temporal Interest and certain Reasons of State of some particular Churches are not so easie to be suppressed Of this kind are those Controversies wherein the Protestants differ with the Papishes All which if duely considered are so deeply entangled with the Interest of the Popish Monarchy that it is impossible for the Roman Catholicks to recede an Inch from the point of the controverted Articles without diminution of their Authority and endangering their great Revenues so that all hopes of an Union betwixt them and the Protestants are in vain unless the latter can resolve to submit themselves under the same Popish Yoak which they have shaken off so long ago I cannot sufficiently admire that gross way of Arguing made use of by the Papishes when they talk of nothing else but the Authority of their Church telling us that if we would but once acknowledge the same all the Differences and Questions concerning the chief Articles of Faith would fall a-course making themselves both Party and Judge and pretending to give Sentence in their own Case according to their own Testimony They always make use of this Sophism that they attribute only to themselves the glorious Name of the True Church excluding all orher Christians from it but such as are of the same Communion with them And to back this pretence nothing is more common among them than to lay aside all manner of demonstrative Arguments founded in the Scriptures and in lien thereof to find out new Methods unknown to the Apostles of Converting People and to endeavour to establish their Authority by all manner of violence against those that dare to maintain Truth in opposition to their Doctrine For which
and perverted Zeal of some who make these Differences their Tools wherewith they often raise Disturbances in the State Such turbulent Spirits ought to be curbed and care to be taken so to tye up their Hands as that they want Power to influence the Minds of such Subjects as otherwise would be well satisfied to enjoy peaceably a Liberty of Conscience And what should move a Prince to disturb his good Subjects meerly upon the score of Differences in Opinion as long as they live quietly under his Goverment For supposing their Opinion to be erroneous it is not at his but their own Peril and they alone must be answerable for it For in my Opinion Sovereigns are entrusted with the Sword wherewith to dissect Controversies as Alexander did with the Gordian Knot But that it may not be objected as if I intended to encourage all sorts of Heresies and Licentiousness I do declare that this is far different from my purpose but that on the contrary it is to be wished and ought to be endeavoured to procure but one Faith and Religion in a State and especially such a one as is absolutely agreeable to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles contained in the Holy Scripture such a one as cannot but contrbute towards the maintaining of the Publick Tranquility For I do not think that all Uniformity in Religion is equally capable of procuring that Union neither can the Pagan Religion Mahometans Arians Anabaptists and that of Antichrist himself claim that Prerogative but only the true and antient Religion contained in the Holy Scripture For this is only to be deemed the truly Antient Religion which is derived from the pure and genuine Spring of the Primitive Christian Religion As among the Jews such only could boast to follow the true foot-steps of Antiquity as proved their Doctrine out of the Books of Moses All what degenerates from the Nature of its genuine Spring tho' back'd by the Traditions of some Ages being only to be look'd upon as an inveterate Error Princes being then Protectors of the Publick Tranquility have an Authority to inspect what Canons are received into the Church and to cause them to be examined according to the true Tenure of the Holy Scripture and this care is not to be committed to the management of a few who may perhaps be swayed by Faction or Interest but to all such as have a solid knowledge of the Holy Scripture If every thing be found consonant to its Rules then may a Sovereign by his Authority Command this Doctrine to be Taught both in publick and private But where there is not any Publick Form of Religion established in a Commonwealth it is the Sovereign's care that one may be composed by the assistance of such as are well versed in the Holy Scripture which being approved of by the general consent of his Subjects ought to be professed by all and all those especially who pretend to the Ministry are to be tyed up to its Rules This form of Worship being once received a Prince may justly deny his Peotection to all such as will not comply with it unless he find it to be against the Common Interest of the Common-weal If any one should undertake to contradict this Publick Form especially in such Points as are the Heads of the Christian Religion he ought to be admonished to desist his Reasons if he has any to be examined and when convicted of his Error to be silenced if all this prove fruitless he may lawfully be banished For since according to the Doctrine of the Apostles we are to avoid the Conversation of Hereticks it would be unreasonable that a whole Society of Men should fly from one or a few capricious Persons So that he or they ought to seek out for a new Habitation after they have been legally convicted of their Error for fear they should spread their erroneous Doctrines further than may be consistent with the Publick Safety But we allow no other Punishment in such a case except their Doctrine should amount to Blasphemy § 50. Notwithstanding what has been alledg'd Concerning Tolerating of several Religions in a State there may be such a juncture of Time Circumstances that Sovereigns may nay ought with a safe Conscience to tolerate such of their Subjects as are of a different Opinion from the Established Religion For it may so happen that the number of the Dissenters is so great as not to be expelled without great Prejudice to the State and not without danger to the Commonwealth if they should settle under another Government For that common Saying of a certain Sort of Men that 't is better to have a Country lie waste than to have it inhabited by Hereticks savours of Barbarity if not Inhumanity And a certain Prince who said that he would rather walk out of his Territories with nothing but a Staff in his hands than to suffer it to be inhabited by Hereticks may well pass for one of the most bigotted Zealots in Christendom For the Doctrine of the Gospel is not destructive to civil Society neither is thereby the least Obligation laid upon Princes to propagate Religion by violent and destructive means or to undertake more in that behalf than belongs to them as Protectors of the publick Tranquility they may therefore with a safe Conscience supercede such violent ways by which the State either is endangered or weakned especially since neither our Saviour did make use of them himself nor commanded any thing like it to his Apostles On the other hand those that expect to be tolerated in a State ought by all means to endeavour to live peaceably and quietly and as becomes good Subjects they ought not to Teach any Doctrine which savours of Sedition and Disobedience or to suffer such Principles to be fomented in their Congregations as may prove destructive to the Prerogatives of their Sovereigns For there is not the least question to be made but Princes have a right to rout out such as propagate these Doctrines they having not the least relation to Religion but are like spots wherewith some turbulen Heads bespatter the Christian Religion Besides this there is another duty incumbent to Sovereigns over a State where more than one Religion is tolerated viz. to keep a watchful eye over them that the Dissenting Parties do not break out into extravagant Expressions about the Differences in Religion these being the Fuel that enflames them into Animosities which oftentimes prove the spring of Factions Troubles and intestine Commotions A much greater Obligation lies upon Sovereigns to tolerate Dissenters if they when they first submitted to the Government had their Liberty of Conscience granted them by Contract or have obtain'd it afterwards by certain Capitulations any following Statutes or by the fundmental Laws of the Land all which ought to be sacred to Princes and to be observed by them with the same Circumspection as they expect a due Obedience from their Subjects No Opinion concerning matter of
Supream Governour do thereby submit themselves to the Disposal of those their Sovereigns in such a manner as to oblige themselves that whatsoever they think conducing for the publick Welfare shall be taken as such by the whole Body and that they will always be ready to execute their Commands Wherefore Sovereigns are always invested with a full Power to force their Subjects to a compliance with their Commands by inflicting Punishments â—pon them But how is it possible to imagine that any Church or Congregation of the Believers should ever or ought to submit themselves so entirely to the Pleasure and Disposal of their Teachers as to oblige themselves to acquiesce barely in and to follow blindly whatever shall be proposed by them as conducing and leading to the way of Salvation it being certain without contradiction that none of the Believers do entirely submit themselves and their Faith to any Body but to God Almighty whose Will and Commands ought to be interpreted by the Teachers of the Church and their Auditors to be exhorted to a due Compliance with them For whoever it be that proposes any Doctrine surpassing human Reason if he pretends to gain credit by his Auditors must either claim it by Virtue of his own Authority or by Compulsion or by Virtue of a more Superiour Power But any Man that offers Matters not agreeable to Reason does thereby expose himself and so looses his Authority except he can by other more powerful means maintain his Doctrine and gain credit with his Auditors It was for this Reason that to the Greeks who were Men that sought after Wisdom and Reason the Preaching of the Apostles was Foolishness And S. Paul was for the same Reason nick-named 1 Cor. 1. 23. a Babler by the Athenian Philosophers Neither is any human Power capable of enforcing Acts 17. 18. the Mysteries of Faith and the Christian Doctrine upon People for which reason Christ told his Apostles Go and Teach and Believe and that with all your hearts to obtain which all human means which imply any Temporal Advantages or are forcible in their own nature are to be taken for Trifles and insufficient There is then no other Way left but that such Doctrines must be verified by a Superiour Being or Principle Mark 16. 20. viz. the Grace of God which always accompanies the Gospel and those Miracles wherewith the Apostles antiently authorized their Acts 14. â— Heb. 2 4. Doctrine Tho' it is at the same time undeniable that since the Gospel is sufficiently spread abroad in the World we do not now any more stand in need of such Miracles In the same manner as the Thunder and Lightning which were heard at the Publishing of the Ten Commandments were never repeated afterwards among the Jews The Christians therefore have submitted their Faith and Reason only to Christ whose Authority is unquestionable as being God himself and was testified by his Father's Voice from Heaven when he said This is my beloved Son in whom Mat. â— 17. Luk. 3. 22. I am well pleased And as the People of Israel willingly submitted their Faith to Moses as soon as he had given them plain Demonstrations of his Divine Commission so were Exod 20. 19. they obliged to subimt their Faith to the Apostles after they had once verified their Divine Commission by their Miracles Tho' it cannot be denied but that their Doctrine did sometimes produce good Effects without Miracles It is therefore very observable that when they preached and taught their Doctrine to such as were â—well versed in the Old Testament they did not take it amiss if their Auditors examined their Words whether they were consonant with the Prophesies contained therein From whence it is sufficently Acts 1â—â—â— apparent that no body ought to engage himself unto a blind Obedience of such Teachers as cannot verifie their immediate Divine Commission by Miracles so as to make his Faith absolutely dependant from their Doctrine without Exception but only so far as their Doctrine is sound agreeable to the Doctrine of those who had given manifest demonstrations of their divine Authority And for this Reason it is 〈◊〉 it â—â— not sufficient for a Teacher in the Church to say so it is and so it shall and must â—â— But he lies under an indispensible Obligation of maâ—â—ing it plain and apparent that what 〈…〉 to his Auditor is absolutely 〈◊〉 to the Doctrine published by Christ and his Apostles Neither ought the Auditors pâ—â— their Faith upon the Authority of their Teachers but to refer themselves to the Authority of God and his Word which is the Touchstone by which the Teachers Doctrine into be examined and approved The Schools of Philosophers used to take their Names from their Chief Teachers or Founders as we may observe in the Schools of Plato Aristoteles and Zeno But the Church ought to have no other Name but that she is the Church of God or Christ It was upon that score when S. Paul rebuked the Corinthians because some of them said they were of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas and 1 Cor. 1 12 some of Christ So that since the holy Scripture is now established among us Christians ought not to be like the Disciples of Pythagoras who used for their Motto that old Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He himself has spoken it But they have sufficient Authority to look themselves into the Holy Scripture and to examine whether the Doctrine of their Teachers be agreeable to the Doctrine of our Saviour For Christ when he said search â—â—e Scriptures did not only speak to his Disciples but to his Auditors in general And Joh. 5. 39. 1 Thes â— 21. 1 Joh 4â— S. Paul bid us to prove all things and to hold fast that which is good S. John says that we shall try the Spirits whether they are of God Neither can I conceive how the Examination of our selves which S. Paul so highly recommends to all that intend to be 1 Cor 11. 28 Partakers of the Lords Supper can be duely performed without meditating the Scriptures For in this case I take the condition of a Teacher and of a Physician to be quite different it being only required in the latter to understand the Art of Physick and to apply the same to his Patients which may be done with good Success tho' they be never so ignorant But it is not sufficient for a Teacher of a Church to be alone versed in the Articles of the Christian Religion that Church being to be deemed most excellent where the Auditors are not inferiour to their Teachers in the Cognition of the Mysteries of the Faith For the Apostles did not shun to declare unto Mankind all the Counsel Act. â—0 â—7 of God having not committed the Christian Doctrine to the care and custody of one particular Person who was to be the only Interpreter of it as the Sibyllin Oracles were antiently at Rome in the Custody of the
Religion ought to be declared Erroneous before it be duely examined and the Parties convicted especially if they are ready to prove the same out of the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith And great care is to be taken that such a Decision be not left to the Management of their Adversaries who being perhaps guided by self Interest oftentimes are both Accusers and Judges There are not a few Politicians who are of opinion that Sovereigns may with a safe Conscience give Protection to their Subjects tho' of an erroneous Opinion provided it be for the benefit of the Commonwealth especially if care be taken that they do not draw away others into the same Error For supposing the established Religion both in point of Doctrine and Morality to excel all others it is to be hoped that the Dissenting Parties may be in time brought over to it rather than to be feared that they should seduce others Besides that it may contribute to the encrease of the Zeal and Learning of the established Clergy it being sufficiently proved by Experience that in those places and times where and when no Religious Differences were in agitation the Clergy soon degenerated into Idleness and Barbarity § 51. Furthermore as Sovereigns in all other Sovereigns in matters of Religion ought not to be misguided by Flatterers Matters of Moment ought to act with great Circumspection so especially in matters of Religion they cannot proceed with too much caution an injustice of this nature being the most sensible of all that can be done to a Subject For what can be more abominable than to let Subjects suffer unjustly for their Faith in Christ and that perhaps for no other reason but because some others out of self Interest cannot agree with them in Opinion And if a Prince who prompted by his own cruel Inclinations tyrannises over his Subjects is odious to all the World how much more abominable appears a Prince who acts the part of an Executioner and is made an Instrument by others to fulfil their cruel Designs against their Fellow Subjects All Christian Princes therefore as they tender their Consciences ought to avoid all manner of Extreamities in Matters of this Nature which ought never to be undertaken unless they be well instructed beforehand in every particular Point A Prince ought not only to be satisfyed with or rely entirely on what is represented to him by his Clergy tho' never so pious in outward appearance there being too many Instances to be given that the best of Princes by their own Inclinations abhorring all manner of Cruelty have by the Instigation of over-zealous Clergy-Men turn'd the most cruel Tyrants We scarce ever read of any Prince who undertook to decide Controversies in Physick or other Sciences except he had attained to a particular Knowledge in these Matters and why should Sovereigns be too forward in deciding Religious Differences which are of much greater Moment the eternal and temporal welfare of Millions of People do depend thereon unless they be very well instructed in every thing that has any relation to it And since Princes very rarely bestow sufficient Time and Pains in being fully instructed in Divinity it is to be wished that they would be byassed by their own natural Understanding rather than be influenc'd by the Opinions of others As for an Instance in those Controversies which are betwixt the Protestants and Papists there are such evident Signs from whence it is a difficult matter for a Christian Prince to discern which of these two ought to be preferred before the other For if it be considered that the Protestants are so far from forbidding the reading of the holy Scripture to the Laity that on the contrary they exhort them to it and make the Scriptures the Touchstone of their Doctrine and the true Judge of their Controversies That the Protestants trusting upon the goodness of their own Cause do not forbid the reading of Popish Authors but allow them to be publickly sold as being confident that the weakness of their Arguments cannot have any influence even over an indifferent Understanding it cannot but seem very strange why in the Church of Rome the Laity is not allowed the reading of the holy Scripture nay that they leave no stone unturn'd to suppress the Validity of the holy Scripture so that in those places where the Inquisition is in vogue a Man may with less danger be guilty of Blasphemy Perjury and other the most enormous Crimes than to read and examine the Mysteries of the holy Scripture On the other hand what a clamour do they make about Traditions and the Prerogatives of the Church which Title they claim as belonging in a most peculiar manner to themselves and notwithstanding the same is not allowed them by others they assume to themselves the Authority of giving Judgment in their own Cause It is very well worth the Consideration of a Prince that they will not allow our Books to be read among them and especially how careful they are in keeping them from the Knowledge of Great Men tho' belonging to the Communion of their Church Who is so ignorant as not to know what great Difficulties and Obstacles were to be surmounted before it could be obtained that the Augsburgh Confession was read to the Emperour Charles V. All which taken together are most evident Proofs to any unbyassed Person that the Protestants act like Men as relying upon the goodness of their Cause but the Roman Catholicks as mistrusting themselves and fearing that if their Doctrine should be examined according to the Tenure of the holy Scripture and out of the Protestant Wrttings the same would scarce bear the Touchstone It may also be taken into consideration how far different the Interest of the Roman Catholicks Party is from that of the Protestants For tho' both Parties with equal Zeal in Publick pretend to the Honour of God and the Truth of the Gospel and it is not to be denied but that a great many among the Roman Catholicks are very Zealous for the same nevertheless if we duely consider the Nature of Mankind in general it may easily be supposed that they aim at something more And what this something is is easily discernable if we make a due comparison betwixt the Clergy of both Parties Among the Protestants the greatest part of the Clergy are so stinted in their Revenues as to give them no opportunity of living in State what Respect is paid them is on the account of their Function as being Teachers their power very seldom reaches beyond their Revenues which are very moderate and oftentimes very mean Both their Persons and Estates depend from the Authority of their Sovereigns neither have they any where else to seek for Protection On the contrary in what Pomp and affluence of Fortune does the Popish Clergy live Unto what hight have they not exalted their Power in Europe Have they not so ordered their Matters as to be almost independant from the Civil
contains every particular Point of Doctrine in the true sense as they are proposed in the Holy Scripture And those are called Hereticks who only profess some particular Points out of the Holy Writ for such as absolutely reject it are counted Infidels and Reprobates but either deny or explain the rest in a wrong and perverted sense How can the Popish Clergy therefore assume the Title of the Catholick Church before they have and that without contradiction proved every Point of their Faith out of the Holy Scripture Or exclude us Protestants from that Title till they have proved that our Doctrine is contrary to it Lastly It is called the Apostolical Church as being founded upon the Doctrine of the Apostles And the true Church loses nothing of its intrinsick Value whether it has been planted by the Apostles or whether the Apostolical Doctrine has been transmitted to them by others § 54. But it is not a very difficult Task to Whether Subjects without the Consent of their Sovereigns may separate themselves from an Erroneous Religion introduce a Reformation in Religion with the mutual Consent of Sovereign and Subjects so it may be questioned whether Subjects may attempt a Reformation when their Sovereigns and the whole Clergy or at least the greatest part of them do not acknowledge their Error but rather pretend to maintain it In this case it is our Opinion that provided these Errors â—o touch the Fundamental Points of our 〈…〉 Subjects as by the Grace of God and the â—ight of his holy Spirit have attainâ—â—he true Knowledge may separate themselves from the Communion of that Church without the consent of their Sovereigns of the Clergy For every body being accountable to God for his Religion and answerable for his own Soul â—hose Salvation cannot absolutely be committed to any Body else and a Christian in Matters of Faith being not altogether to rely upon his Sovereign or the Clergy at least no farther than their Doctrine is congruous with the holy Scripture It is undeniable that Subjects may separate themselves from the Communion of that Church which is prosessed by their Sovereign and Clergy provided they can make it evidently appear that such a Church is infected with gross Abuses and dangerous Errors For the Church is a Colledge whose Members are not kept in Union by any Temporal Power but by the Union of the Faith and whosoever relinquishes that he dissolves the sacred Tye of the Believers Besides that it is not absolutely necessary for our Salvation that the Church be composed of a great Number but the same may be obtained either by a greater or lesser Number of the Believers Neither can this Separation prove in the least prejudicial to the Sovereign Authority it being supposed that those who have separated themselves adhere to the true pure Doctrine of the Gospel free from all Poison and Principles dangerous or prejudicial to the Government For civil Society was not instituted for Religion's sake neither does the Church of Christ participate of the nature of a Temporal State and therefore a Prince that embraces the Christian Faith does not thereby acquire an absolute Sovereignty over the Church or Mens Consciences So that if notwithstanding this Separation the Subjects pay due Allegiance to their Prince in Temporal Affairs there is no reason sufficient which can oblige him to trouble them meerly upon the score of their Consciences For what loss is it to the Prince whether his Subjects are of the same Religion with himself or of unother Or which was supposed before whether they did maintain the same Errors as he does The case indeed would be quite different if they should endeavour to withdaw themselves from their Allegiance to set up a separate Society without his Consent tho' it is undeniable that there are some Cases of Necessity when this civil Tye or Allegiance may be dissolved as for Instance when Subjects for want of sufficient Protection from their natural Prince are so hardly pressed upon by a more Potent Enemy that they are forc'd to submit to his Power And granted the Power of Sovereigns in the Church to be much greater than in effect it is Subjects are nevertheless bound to take care of their Souls whose Salvation is to be preferr'd before all other things in regard of which they may separate themselves from an Established Religion provided they are convinced of its Errors For that Subject who sacrifices his Life for his Prince does doubtless a glorious Action but what Prince can be so unreasonable as to expect that his Subjects should Sacrifice their Souls to the Devil for his sake That Prince therefore who does trouble his faithful Subjects for no other reason but because they cannot conform to his Opinion especially if they can maintain theirs out of the Holy Scripture commits an Act of Injustice Nay I cannot see how he can with Justice force them out of his Territories It is true he may refuse to receive Hereticks into his Dominions unless it be for Reasons of State Neither can a true Believer take it amiss if he is not permitted to settle in a Commonwealth govern'd by Hereticks For the Right of Naturalization belongs to Sovereigns which they may refuse and give to whom they think it convenient But as it is certainly the greatest Injustice in the World to force an in-born Natural Subject who has settled all his Fortunes in a Commonwealth meerly for his Religion's sake without being convicted of his Error out of his Native Country to the great detriment and danger of himself and his Family So if a Subject inclines voluntarily to leave his Native Country either to avoid the Frowns of his Prince or the hatred of the Clergy and Common People and to serve God with more freedom according to his own Conscience it ought not to be refused by his Sovereign I remember there is a certain Proverb used among the Germans viz. He that Commands the Country Commands Religion But this cannot be applied to the Princes of the Roman Catholick Religion who cannot lay any Claim to it it being evident that the Popish Clergy do not allow any such thing to these Princes And as to what concerns the Protestant Estates of Germany it cannot be denied but that they made use of this Pretension against the Emperor at the time of the Reformation which however ought to be thus interpreted That they denied the Emperor to have any Power of intermedling in the Affairs relating to their own Dominions not that only they claim'd it as belonging to the Rights of Sovereignty to impose any Religion tho' never so false upon their Subjects notwithstanding all which there are not wanting Examples that Princes have acted conformable to this Proverb with their Subjects A Prince who troubles his faithful Subjects meerly upon the score of Religion commits a gross Error no Christian Prince being obliged to propagate his Religion by forcible means provided his Subjects stand firm to their Allegiance to him
to any particular Government but in general all such as make profession of a certain Doctrine or Religion § 15. One of the main points which those Christ had no Teritories belonging to him that intend to Establish a new Commonwealth ought to take care of is how to acquire considerable Territories where their new Subjects may settle themselves and their Fortunes So Moses when he saw it not fecible to set up the Jewish Commonwealth within the bounds of Aegypt led them into the Desert and through such places as were not subject to any particular Government till such time that they Conquered the Land of Canaan and rooted out its Antient Inhabitants Neither were the Jews before they were put into Possession of this Country the less free for they were then a Nation independent from any Foreign Power and though they sometimes marched upon the Borders of other Princes nevertheless were they not during that time subject to their Jurisdiction partly because no body ever laid any particular claim to those Territories or if some of them did they marched through them like Soldiers of Fortune ready to make good their Pretences and Titles to these Lands by the edge of their Swords But Christ did say of himself That he was so poor as he had not where to lay his head He was always so far Mat. 8. 20. from attempting to acquire any Possessions or Territories or to encourage his Followers to do it that he rather chose to live during the whole course of his life in other Territories and under Civil Jurisdiction § 16. There are a great many other remarkable Christ did not exircise the Office of a Prince Circumstances from whence it may plainly be inferred that Christ never did nor intended to appear as a Prince here upon Earth When the Mother of the Sons of Zebedeus begged of our Saviour that her Sons might be prefer'd to the Chiefest Dignities in the Kingdom of Christ he rebuked her for her ignorance and Prophesied to his Followers a very slender share of outward Splendor and temporal Preferments but abundance of Persecution nay he plainly told and enjoyned his Disciples that they should not strive for Pre-eminency over one another as Temporal Princes do It shall says he not be so amongst you Vid. Mat. 20. 20. ordering them to live in an equal and Brotherlike degree with one another And to remove by his own Example all remnants of Luke 20. 26. Pride he in their presence did abase himself to that degree of Servitude as to wash the feet of St. Peter Lastly it is of great Consequence John 13. 9 10. at the first Establishment of a new Commonwealth that its Founder be long-lived that thereby he may be enabled to lay a more solid Foundation of the new Government For this reason it was that David's Soldiers would not any longer suffer him to expose his Person in Battel lest the light of Israel should 2 Sam. 21. 17. be extinguished the loss of his own Person being esteemed more than of a great many thousands But our Saviour did surrender himself voluntarily to death after he had scarce four years appeared in Publick and that without appointing a Successor who was to exercise any Power or Authority over those that followed his Doctrine § 17. As now Christ during his abode 〈…〉 of a Doctor or Teacher here upon Earth did not make the least appearance or outward shew resembling the greatness of Temporal Princes and as out of all his Actions there cannot be gathered the least thing which may prove his intention to have been to erect a new State or Common-wealth so it is sufficiently apparent that during the whole course of his publick Conversation on Earth he employed all his Time and Labour in publishing the Word of God So that in the Quality of a Doctor or Teacher he appeared to the Eyes of all the World John 1. 2â— whereas his Office of being the Saviour of Mankind was at that time understood only by such as were capable of applying the Antient Oracles of the Prophets to his Person Furthermore our Saviour to establish and shew his Authority made use of such Miracles as might be evident proofs of his Divine Power partly because the Antient Ceremonies which were to be abolished were first ordained by God's special Command partly because the principal Heads of his Doctrine were surpassing all Human Understanding But as for his way of Teaching it was plain and free from Vanity without all affectation wherein appeared nothing which justly might cause the least suspicion of fictitious Worship Notwithstanding his Doctrine appeared thus in her Native and Pure Simplicity yet so powerful were its Charmâ— that all what Human Art Dexterity Eloquence has been able to invent of that kind if compared to the solid Expessions of our Saviour is only superficial and insipid Neither do we find that he made use of any outward means to promote his Doctrine He did not call to his aid the Power and Authority of Civil Magistates to force People to receive his Words The Word was Mat. 11. 15. 13. 9. 43. Luke 8. 8 14. 35 there He that can take let him take it And how often do we read that he exclaimed to them He that hath Ears to hear let him hear It was not God Almighty's pleasure to pull People head-long into Heaven or to make use of the new French way of Converting them by Dragoons But he has laid open to us the way of our Salvation in such a manner as not to have quite debarr'd us from our own choise so that if we will be refractory we may prove the cause of our own Destruction Neither did it please Almighty God to inveigle Mankind by the Allurements of Profit and Temporal Pleasures but rather to foretel those that should follow his Doctrine nothing but Adversities Calamities Persecutions and all sorts of Afflictions reserving the chiefest Reward till after this Life where also such as had neglected his Doctrine were to receive condign Punishment This is the most evident Proof that can be given of the intrinsick Value and extraordinary Worth of the Christian Doctrine the natural Constitution of Mankind in general being such as to be chiefly moved with those Objects that are present and affect our Senses whereas those things that are represented to our Minds at a distance are but faintly received and often meet with dubious Interpretations It is worth our Observation what Method Christ made use of in his Doctrine viz. That he taught as one having Authority as it is expressed by Matth. 7. â—9 not as the Scribes that is he had no recourse to the Authority and Traditions of their Antient Rabbi's so as to sâ—t up for an Interpreter of their antient Laws but he spoke Lord-like and as a Legislator who had a lawful Authority belonging to himself to propose his Doctrine It is my Will and Command who is it that dare gain-say
me And in this one point only Christ exercised his Regal Power as well as his Office of Teaching when he promised great and ample Rewards to all such as should receive his Doctrine threatening with Eternal Damnation all those that should refuse to hearken to it He that believed not is condemned John 3 18. already are his Words quite contrary as it is with other speculative Sciences the Ignorance of which makes no body â—able to Punishments And in this Sense is to be taken what is related of our Saviour by St. John The reason why the Jews were so bent to the Destruction of 18. 37 Christ was because they abominated his Doctrine nor would they acknowledge him for the same Messias which was promised so long before But baâ—ing at that time no Criminal Jurisdiction belonging to themselves they were 〈◊〉 to forge Treason and Rebellion against him as it his design was to make himself King of the Jews Jesus therefore being examined by Pilate concerning this Accusation did not deny it but witnessed a good Confession viz. That his Kingdom was not of this 1 Tim. 6. 13. World which is as much as to say His Kingdom was not like those of Temporal Princes who exercise Acts of Sovereignty over their Subjects For if he had pretended to the same Prerogatives he might have commanded his Servants not his timerous Disciples but those strong Legions of Angels who always stand ready to his Command to protect their Lord from falling into the Hands of Pilate And when Pilate replied That he then professed himself to be a King he answered That he was Joh. 18. 37. King but a King of Truth and that for this cause he came into the World that he should bear witness unto Truth Pilate by what Christ had professed soon understood that this matter did not fall under his Cognizance and therefore answered What is Truth As if he would have said if nothing else can be objâ—cted against you but that you make profession of Truth I have no further business with you for Truth is not subject to any Temporal Jurisdiction Neither did the Laws of the Roman Empire wherein so many Nations were comprehended take any Cognizance at that time of the various Opinions of their Subjects in matters of Religion 16. 14 15 24 29. 26 31 â—2 as it plainly appears out of the Acts and out of the Apology of Athenagoras It was for this reason that Pilate would have discharged him if he had not at last thought it more convenient to appease the rage of the Jews by Sacrificing him though Innocent to their Fury But after Christ had once made this open Confession he refused to make any further answer to Pilate being sensible that Pilate was not dâ—sirous to be instructed in this Truth The Kingdom of Chriâ—t therefore is a Kingdom of Truth where he oâ— the force of Truth brings over our Soâ—ls to his Obedience and this Truth has such powerful Charms that the Kingdom of Christ needs not to be maintained by the same forcible means and Rules by which Subjects must be kept in Obedience to the Civil Powers And for the same reason it is that thâ—re need not be established a particular State in order to propagate and preserve Truth no more than it is necessary to set up a separate Common-wealth where Philosophy and other Sciences are to be taught For it is the true Genius of Truth and such her intrinsick vertue as to be convincing in it self provided she be but â—e presented in her genuine Shape and the fruits which she produces for the benefit of Mankind be dexterously proposed to the view of the World But the divine Truth has beyond all others this particular prerogative that by vertue and with the assistance of God's Grace our Minds are insensibly drawn into a Belief of those things that otherwise seem to surpass human Understanding § 18. Christ after having withdrawn himâ—â—â—â— Tâ—â— Apostles 〈…〉 of Christ from Human Conversation did Substitute in this Kingdom of Truth his Apostles but not in the same Rank with himself not as Kings but as Ministers and Heralds to publish his Doctrine As my Father said he had sent me over so send I you But how Joh. 20. 21. â—aâ— 61. 1. S. Luk. 4. 18. had the Father sent him viz. To preach the Gospel to the Poor to heal the broken Hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives as it is expressed by Isaiah and St. Luke So that the Title of King of Truth was a peculiar Title appeartaining to Christ alone He tells them Mat 23. 10 Mat. 28. 20. Be you not called Masters for one is your Master Christ And their Calling was to Teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever Christ had Commanded St. Paul called his Function a Ministry which he had received of the Lord Jâ—suâ— to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God The Apostles had the first Rank among Christ's Followers but the word Apostle 〈◊〉 â—0 2◠〈…〉 implies as much as a Missionary or one that is sent by another So that they had no other Power or Authority from themselves to Teach their Doctrine but to Instruct others in what they had received from Christ And when after the Death of our Saviour they were quite dejected and put into a panick Fear He by sending the Holy Ghost did so comfort and strengthen them that they appeared in Publick and inspite of the Jews and all the Danger that threatned them preached the Doctrine of the Gospel But the diversity of Languages being a main obstacle 1 Cor. 1â— â— towarâ—â— the spreading abroad of any Doctrine the Apostles were by the Foly Ghost upon Whitsunday Endowed with the Gift of speaking various Languaâ—es to enable them to bring the Nations into onâ— Union of Faith It being otherwise a Maxim of State received by those that intend to â—ay the Foundation of a new Commonwealth to take care that no more than one Language bâ— used among their Subjects It is also worth our taking Notice of that among those Languages which the Apostles spoke there were Languages of some Nations that were then Subjects to the Parthian Empire which was at that time in the same degree of Enmity and Hatred with the Romans as may now a-days be observed betwixt the Germans and Tuâ—ks Notwithstanding this mortal Hatred betwixt these several Nations and the difficulties which were to be surmounted in keeping a Correspondence betwixt them which could not but be a main Obstacle to their being ever united under one Head or Government the Union of Faith was introduced among them under the Kingdom of Truth The Apostlâ—s 〈…〉 their Power of â—eâ—ching from God alâ—ne withâ—â—t any dependence from any Tâ—mporâ—l Power § 19. The Apostles had nevertheless much more Authority for the exercising of their Function than others who profess human Sciences or Doctrines For these cannot pretend to any lawful Authority of Teaching in
publick unless with Consent or at least Connivance of the Higher Powers who may put a stop to them at Pleasure But the Case is quite different with the Apostles who having received their Commission of Teaching from Christ the same cannot be annulled by any Civil Power so as to oblige them either to be silent or to alter their Doctrine when commanded neither can they be esteemed disobedient or rebellious if they refuse in this Point to follow the Commands of Civil Magistrates It is very remarkable what Christ spoke to his Apostles by way of Preface when he was just going to put them into Possession of their Office Thâ—se were his Words All Power is given unto me in Heaven Mat. 28. 18. and in Earth And that this Power might not be mistaken for a Temporal Authority as exercised by Sovereigns over their Subjects but to be understood of the Power of leading Mankind and shewing them the true Way to Salvation plainly appears out of our Saviour's Words when he speaks thus concerning himself to his heavenly Father As thou hast given S. Joh. 17. 2 3. him power over all Flesh that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him And this is eternal Life that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And in St. Luke He that heared you heared me and he that despised you despised me 10 16. and he that despised me despised him that sent me The holy Apostles therefore could not by any Civil Power on Earth be absolved from this Command of Preaching the Doctrine of Christ throughout the World and Baptizing such as received this Doctrine They were instructed with the Gift of doing Miracles as a Proof of their Authority and Verity of their Doctrine which being now sufficiently propogated and received by so many these Miriacles are become useless Like it is the Custom in some Countries that new Laws are published under the Sound of Trumpets which is never repeated after the first Promulgation They having then received their Authority from Christ it was a vain Expropration which was made to St. Paul by the Athenians when they said What will this Babler say Neither Act. 17. 18. could they be justly punished because they went about to abolish the antiently received Rites and Ceremonies And when they were commanded to desist from spreading their Doctrine they might legally refuse to be obedient in this Case For they ought to obey God Acts 4. 19. 5. 29. rather than Men Nay they were rather to undergo corporal Punishment than to renounce the Doctrine of Christ And those Princes Mat. 10. 28 32 3â— that violently opposed the Christian Doctrine are so far from having exercised a legal Civil Authority that they have rather made themselves guilty of a most enormous Crime against the Divine Majesty by violating his Legats or Ministers it being sufficiently known that publick Ministers sent by Temporal Princes are esteemed inviolable The Apostles never assumed a Power to Command § 20. Besides this Power of Preaching the Gospel even in opposition to any Civil Command there is nothing to be met withal in the whole Apostolical Doctrine that has the least resemblance of Command or force 'T is not to be denied but that sometimes Teaching cannot so well be performed without something of Force or Command especially among young People But this has its off-spring from the Paternal Authority and is from â—hâ—nce derived unto others But the Apostles were to Teach whole Nations such as were independent from others and past all School Discipline And what could one single Body or perhaps two and that without Weapons pretend to do by Force against whole Nations and Commonwealths It was therefore That the Apostle said The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but mighty 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. through God to the pulling down of Strong-holds casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalted it self against the Knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every Thought to the obedience of Christ And these Weapons are more plainly described in the foregoing 6 Chap. to be Patience Tribulations Necessities Destresses â— Cor. 6. 4. seq Stripes Imprisonments Labours Fastings Watchings Pureness Knowledge Kindness the Holy Ghost unseigned Love the Word of Truth the Power of God the Armour of Righteousness and such like as may more at large appear out of several places especially out of the Epistle to the Ephes 6. 11 out of the 2 d. to the Corinth 8. 8 9 7. to the Coloss 1. 23 25 and out of the 2 d. to the Thessal 3. 12 14 15. Luk. 14. â— 3. 'T is true in the Parallel of the great Supper the Master of the Feast orders his Servants to go out and compel them to come into his House which is as much to say as to oblige them to come in but not by forcible Means or Threatnings or to pull them in by Head and Shoulders but in such a manner as was suitable to an invitation to so great a Feast by Prayers and Exhortations and making them sensible of the Majesty and Greatness both of the Master and the Feast In the same manner as St. Paul expresses it We are Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. 20. for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God And what can be more evident than that Ambassadours never pretend to any Authority over those unto whom they are sent but that their Negotiations ought to be accomplished by force of Reason and Perswasions The word also of feeding which is used by St. John implies nothing of Command Chap. 21. but only the due Administration of Food especially since our Saviour told expresly to Peter Feed my sheep not thine lest he should be apt to imagine by the said words he had liberty given him to use his Flock according to his own Discretion But to make him sensible he was bound up to the same Rules Gen. 31. 38 39 40. Mat. 10. 14 23. which the Patriarch Jacob had formerly prescribed to himself Lastly our Saviour is very plain in this Point when he says And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your Words when you depart out of that House or City shake off the Dust of your Feet leaving them to receive condign Punishment for this Contempt of the Gospel at the Day of Judgment This was actually performed by St. Paul at Antiocha and Acts 13. 50 51. 18 6. Corinth But those Rules which are prescribed in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 11. from v. 2 to 22 23 24 and 1 Corinth Chap. 14 as also in Tim. 2. 8 Ver. Chap. 5. 9 Ver. and some other passages of the same nature do not imply any Command or Legislative Power but are only Moral Precepts and Points of Doctrine § 21. But it may perhaps be objected That Whether the power of
Teaching does indirectly imply any Command the Apostles and their Successors might at least by indirect ways and means exercise an Authority over Christians viz. by denying them the Doctrine of the Gospel which shews Men the way to Salvation unless they would in other Matters also submit themselves to their Authority For who would not rather submit to any thing than to be deprived of that Doctrine which leads us to Heaven and frees us from eternal Punishment But it cannot in the least be supposed that such Extortions could ever enter into the Apostles Thoughts who joyfully gave for nothing what they had received for nothing and judged it a heinous Offence in Simon who pretended to make a Trade of the Gospel St. Paul says Though 1 Cor. 9. 1â— I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for Necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Neither do I see which way they could have made their market by the Gospel For what is not understood is not valued if therefore they would raise in the People a desire to the Gospel it must of necessity be first taught them Neither is there any Reason to suppose that the same Men who rather would loose their Lives than neglect their Divine Commission should be guilty of so hainous a Crime And the Doctrine of the Gospel being now a-days sufficiently spread abroad it would be in vain for the Clergy of one Province or Commonwealth to deny the Doctrine of the Gospel to its Inhabitants in case they would not comply with their Demands since if they should persist in their Folly there would not be wanting such as would supply their Places without reluctancy Neither did Christ absolutely commit his Doctrine to the sole Management of the Priests in such a manner as by Tradition to be transplanted from one to another but he ordered it to be put in Writing not to be kept close up by any one certain Colledge or Society who were invested with a particular Prerogative to loâ—k into it like it was at Rome with the Sybilline Oracles and granted a general Priviledge for every Body to peruse it and to instruct themselves in the Christian Doctrine and in such other Points as belonged to the Ministry of the Gospel But if a foreign Priest should attempt to forbid the exercise of Religious Worship in another Common-wealth scarce any body unless quite prepossed with Superstition would make the least account of it The Venetian Commonwealth has given us a notable instance of this Nature in our Age For tho' the Venetians are Roman Catholicks nevertheless did they oblige their Priests to exercise the Ministerial Function in Whether the power of Absolution imply any right to a Sovereignty spite of the Pope's Commands to the contrary § 22. It seems to be a Matter of the greatest Consequence and therefore the more to be taken notice of when it is said That our Saviour did give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to St. Peter and the rest of his Apostles so that whatsoever they should bind on Mat. 16. 19. S. Joh. 20. 13. Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever they should loosen on Earth shall be loosened in Heaven The whole Matter duely examined appears to be of the highest moment viz. to have the Power of excluding Sinners from the Kingdom of Heaven and of admiting such as are freed by their Absolution For what is it that may not be obtained from a Sinner in this case especially if the Priest refuse him Absolution unless he promises a blind Obedience to his Demands It ought therefore to be taken into serious consideration what is the true meaning of this Metaphorical Locution viz. The Keys of the Kingdom of Hâ—aven since What is to be understood by the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven the same admits of divers Explicaâ—ions in the holy Scripâ—ture In the Rev. 1. 18. the Son of God says of himself That he has the Keys of Hell and of Death which is explained by some that he has the Power of inflicting Punishment as if he would say I have power to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell as it is expressed in St. Matthew 10. 28. Tho' by this also might be understood the power of delivering from Death and Hell and to destroy the force of Death and Hell It is also spoke of the Scribes That they have the Key of Knowledge which is Luk. 11. 52 by some applied to their Function of Teaching Wisdom to others Tho' this may also be understood from the holy Scripture it self the true Spring of Knowledge and Wisdom the Interpretation of which did in a most peculiar manner belong to their Function In the Book of Revelation the Son of God is said to have the Key of David that he opened and no 3. 7 9. 1. 20 1. Man shutteth and shutted and no man opened And in the 22th Chapter of Isaiah it is said of â— 22. Eliakim the Son of Hilkiah That the Key of the House of David shall be laid upon his Shoulder so that he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open Where the word Key cannot be taken for an absolute or despotick Power but for a Ministerial Function like to that of a Steward such a one as St. Paul had prosessed himself and his Fâ—llow Apostles Out of these several places 1 Cor. 4. 1. if duely compared this general Assertion may be made that to have the Keys of a certain thing is as much as to say to have the means to attain or to come to it But how far these Means are at our disposal and what use ought to be made of them must be gathered out of other Circumstances § 23. Fuâ—thermore it is to be considered What is to understood by absolving from Sins That the use of these Keys is appropriated to the binding and forgiving of Sins For as soon as our Sins are taken away or which is the same in effect if our Sins are forgiven other Means of Salvation being not neglected the Kingdom of Heaven is open to us But as long as the Sins remain upon us and produce their pernicious Effects the Kingdom of Heaven is shut up against us nothing of unclean being to enter there If therefore a true Judgment is to be given of what share of Power the Apoâ—â—les had in forgiving and retaining of Sins a due enquiry must be made of what is to be understood by forgiving and retaining of Sins He that does an unjust Act commits an Offence both against the Legislator whose Authority is thereby voilated and against him who is damnified by it Besides this there are some Offences of such a Nature as to touch whole Societies as far as their Reputation is thereby impair'd the Crime committed by one of their Members being oftentimes attributed to the whole Body It is therefore from the Damage which the
well weighed and the Reasons thereof duly examined on both sides is very plain and easy to be determined But if any moral Decrees are made by a Council the same are to be taken to have no obliging Power but what proceeds either from a preceding Commission and Authority or from the Approbation of these Churches so that Chuncils have no coercive Power over the Church I cannot but touch by the by upon this Head viz. that this Assertion The Council is above the Pope is of such a Nature as will easily gain credit with all that are guided by right Reason or the Scriptures For who can be so stupid as not to be sensible that a great many learned Men who with joint labour apply themselves to the search after Truth are to be preferred before the Judgment of one single Person and that oftentimes of such a one who has but a very indifferent insight into the Holy Scriptures and Divinity This seems to imply somewhat of a Contradiction that this Point is asserted by the self-same People who make the Papal Chair the Center of the Church and the Pope the Oâ—cumenick Bishop For the Romish Church pretends to be a Monarchical State but this Assertion of the Superiority of the Councils favours most of an Aristocracy But this Riddle may be unfolded in a few Words The French Clergy allows the Pope to be the Supream Head of the Church as far as they find it suitable with their Interest But whenever he attempts any thing against them or the States Policy of that Kingdom the old Song of the Liberty of the Gallican Church and the antient Doctrine of the Sorbone is revived which serves the French Clergy now and then for a Pretext to persuade the vulgar sort of People that the Gallican Church has not been polluted with those gross and abominable Errours as are introduced in the Church of Rome The next thing to be considered is that it is most evident that if a Controversie arises which may be decided within the Body of one Church there is no Occasion for the Communicating in such a Point with other Churches And that in case one Church alone is not stock'd sufficiently with able Teachers for the composing of the Difference and therefore must call to its Aid those of other Churches it is superfluous to call together a greater number than may be sufficient for the accomplishment of the Work So did the Church of Antioch refer the whole Controversie to those of Jerusalem without giving the least Trouble to those of Phenice and Samaria though their Deputies passed in their Way thither through both these Places Besides this the Deputies that are sent ought to receive their Authority and Instruction from their several Churches whom they represent because no Church has without reserve submitted herself to the Determination of her Teachers but only as far as their Doctrine is agreeable to the Word of God Neither are the Words in the Epistle to the Hebr. c. 13. 17. to be understood any otherwise than with this Limitation Besides this it is absolutely requisite that such Persons as have raised a Controversie should be heard in the Council that their Reasons should be duely examined weighed and proceeded upon according to the Rules prescribed in the Holy Writ And if the Controversie does not barely concern a Point of Doctrine but implies a Temporal Interest those that have any Share in it cannot pretend to a Power of deciding the Point in Prejudice of the adverse Party From whence it is evident that the Points in question betwixt the Protestant Church and the Papal Chair cannot be composed by any Council their Difference arising not barely from Point of Doctrine but about Domination Temporal Dignities and vast Revenues Nor is there the least Probability of any Composition betwixt these two Parties by way of Arbitration For who is it that can pretend to decide so great a Point Who is likely to be accepted of as an Arbitrator by both Parties The Protestants in all likelihood will not be so foolish as to submit themselves and their Case to the Determination of any Assembly consisting all of Roman Catholicks their sworn Enemies nor can they have the Imprudence as to ask it And as for the Pope he likes his Station too well to put it to the Hazard of an Arbitration But if an Assembly should be proposed to consist of an equal Number chosen by each Party this Expedient would scarce take it being to be feared that they would scarce keep within the bounds of Moderation and that the Assembly would appear sometimes not unlike the Feast of the Centaures § 39. It having been hitherto demonstrated In what condition the Churches were under the Pagan Emperours at large that the Church is no State we must consider in the next place unto what kind of moral Bodies the Churches have the nearest relation as they were in primitive Times under the Pagan Princes It is evident enough That they were of the nature of Colledges or such Societies where a great many are joined for the carrying on a certain Business under this limitation nevertheless as not to be independent from the Civil Jurisdiction Concerning the nature of the Colledges and Corporations Jacobus Cujachus may be consulted before all others 7 Observ 30 and 16 and Observ 3 and 5. And it is here very well worth our most particular Observation that such Societies as were erected for the exercise of Religion were by Publick Authority allowed of in the antient Roman Empire This is attested among a great many others by Athanagoras in the beginning of his Apology for the Christians when he says It is by your Command you greatest of Princes that several Nations live according to their own Customs and Laws and every one without being controuled by any Penal Statutes freely exercise the same Religion in which he was educated And thus he proceeds immediately after All Mankind offer their Sacrifices and use other Religious Ceremonies according to the Custom of their Native Country This Liberty of Conscience was among others the true cause why the Christian Religion in so short a time did spread it self all over so vast an Empire and why in the beginning very few opposed its Progress the Magistrates not thinking it belonging to their Province to intermeddle with it And this is one Reason why we never read of the Apostles having desired leave from the Civil Magistrates to preach the Gospel or to plant a Church Tho' another Reason may be given why the Apostles were not obliged to ask leave from the Civil Magistrates for the Constituting of Christian Churches because the Apostles had received their immediate Authority of Preaching the Gospel from him who is the King of kings and by whose Command all Mankind were then called to repentance From what has been said this rational Conclusion may be drawn That the Apostles had not only a Power to plant Churches in all places where they