Subjects that are not of their religion or may compell all to those ways of worshipping God which they shall judge best be they right or wrong 6. That Gods Laws are not obligatory to Kings and Kingdomes 7. That Princes or people may preferr their worldly interest before the interest of Religion Souls and God or may set them in opposition against it 8. That Princes must imprison or otherwise punish such as are excommunicated and not absolved by the Clergy without knowing whether the cause be just or unjust by their own exploration 9. That Princes may break Oaths and Covenants when their interest requireth it 10. That subjects have no liberty or propriety in any thing either life wives children or estates but what is at the meer will of Princes to dispose of as they please 11. That it is lawful for subjects to disobey the authority and commands of the higher powers because Christ hath freed us from subjection to men 12. That all Governing authority is originally in the people and by them given to Rulers on what terms they please 13. That therefore the people may depose any Princes where they see cause or may call them to their bar and judge and punish them having themselves the highest governing power 14. That if Princes injure the people the people may therefore rebel take arms against them and depose them 15. Contrarily that no people may defend their lives houses or posterity nor the chastity of their wives by resisting any Tyrants or against the will of Rulers that have no true authority to destroy them 16. That subjects may break their oaths of allegiance whenever their own worldly ends require it or if the Pope disoblige them 17. That if one King wrong another the wronged King may destroy all the others innocent subjects 18. That no war is lawful 19. That it is lawful to defame and dishonour Princes if they are sinners though the contempt tend to disable them from necessary government 20. That none but sanctified persons have true Governing power or dominion 21. That children are bound to obey their parents subjects their Princes and servants their Masters in nothing but what they think is wisely or justly commanded them though it be good or lawful in it self 22. That Parents may not teach children forms of Catechism or prayer nor command them any duty which the child will but say is against his Conscience nor restrain him from any sin which he pleadeth Conscience for 23. That Christian Parents in want may â—ell their Children for slaves to Idolaters or Infidels for supply 24. That Children may disobey their parents in any matters of Religion if the Pope Bishop or Priest so command them XIX Of Duties to our equals or neighbours as such 1. That no man is bound to love another but for his own sake and so far as he is beneficial to him 2. That we are not bound to do another a greater good to the least hurt to our selves 3. That men are not bound to love and preferr the common good of multitudes of their Countrey or the world before their own commodities or lives 4. That no killing of malefactors is lawful by laws and judgement 5. That it is lawful to kill our enemies for meer private revenge or to prevent some evil to our selves though they are innocent 6. That it is lawful to have many wives at once 7. That it is lawful to put away wives or for wives to depart whenever their fleshly or worldly interest seemeth to require it 8. That it is lawful to commit adultery at least by the husband or wives consent 9. That fornication is no sin or no great sin 10. That it is lawful when our need doth urge us to rob steal defraud or oppress others 11. That restitution or reparation is no duty 12. That it is no sin to deceive another by borrowing when we are unable and unlikely to repay and do conceal this 13. That it is not a duty for them that are able to labour in some lawful useful calling for their own maintenance and the common good 14. That it is lawful to lie for our commodity when it hurts not others 15. That it is lawful by backbiting slandering and false witness to disgrace our enemies or be revenged on them 16. That it is lawful for Judges knowingly or rashly to pass unjust judgement against the innocent or just and for advocates or others to promote it 17. That it is lawful for the poor to covet other mens goods and for men to desire and endeavour to draw from others whatever seemeth desirable or needful to our selves 18. That it is no sin to love the world flesh and life better than God Christ grace and glory 19. That it is no sin to be discontent and impatient in our sufferings nor a duty to deny our fleshly pleasure profit or reputation and life for God and for spiritual and everlasting benefits 20. That it is no duty to love our enemies forgive wrongs and forbear each other in their infirmities and provocations XX. Of Death Judgement Heaven and Hell 1. That the souls of believers go not to Christ and happiness nor the souls of the wicked to misery before the Resurrection of the body at the last judgement 2. That there is no Resurrection of the body at least of the wicked or of Infants 3. That Christ will not come in glory to judge the world 4. That we shall not be judged according to what we have done in the body 5. That the faithful shall not be justified and judged to life everlasting 6. That the wicked shall not be condemned to hell or everlasting punishment with the Devils but without holiness men may see God and be saved 7. That no man can know that he hath certain right to Salvation 8. That there is a fire of Purgatory where those that after shall be saved must make penal satisfaction for some of their sins and from which the Popes pardons and masses and other mens merits may deliver souls 9. That the justified shall not live in Glory with God and Jesus Christ and the Angels and the triumphant Church 10. That there is an aereal life of trial before the final judgement where the justified and wicked souls shall again live under conditions of yet winning or losing their heavenly glory 11. That the Devils and damned shall all be delivered at last and either be saved or have another life of tryal And the Glory of the blessed also will have an end and they must by revolution be tryed in flesh here again 12. That it is not a duty to seek first the Kingdome of God and its righteousness and lay up a treasure in heaven and there have our hearts and conversations and thence to fetch our motives and our chiefest hopes and comforts under all the sufferings of this transitory life and the expectation of our certain change THis or such a Catalogue of dangerous doctrines is not to be
making too much necessary to Church Vnion and Communion § 1. ADdition to Christs terms are very perillous as well as diminution When men will deny either Church entrance or Communion to any that Christ would have received because they come not up to certain terms which they or such as they devise And though they think that Christ giveth them Power to do thus or that reason or necessity justifieth them their errour will not make them guiltless Imputing their errour to Christ untruly is no small aggravation of the sin § 2. Nor is it a small fault to usurp a power proper to Christ to make themselves Law givers to his Church without any authority given them by him Their Ministry is another work § 3. And it is dangerous Pride to think themselves Great enough Wise enough and Good enough to come after Christ and to amend his work and do it better than he hath done § 4. Much less when they hereby imply an accusation against him and his institutions as if he had not done it well but they must amend it or all will be intolerable § 5. And indeed Mans work will be like man weak and faulty and full of flaws when Gods work will be like God the effect of Alsufficience power wisdom and Love § 6. And the merciful Lord and Saviour of the Church that came to take off heavy burdens and intolerable yokes will not take it well to have men come after him and as by his authority to make his easie yoke more strait and his light burden heavy and to cast or keep out those that he hath Redeemed and doth receive and to deal cruelly with those that he hath so dearly bought and tenderly loveth § 7. And indeed it is ofter for mens own interest and dominion to keep up their power and honour of superiority that men thus use the servants of Christ than truly to keep clear the Church and to keep out the polluters § 8. But when it is done by too much strictness and as for Church-purity yet this also hath its aggravations For men so far to forget themselves that they are servants and not Lords sinners that have need themselves of mercy unfit to be too forward to cast the first stone to seem more wise and holy than Christ is but specious offending him § 9. And as spiritual priviledges excel temporal so is it an aggravated Tyranny to deprive Christs servants of benefits so precious and so dearly bought As it was not with Silver and Gold that we were Redeemed so neither for the enjoying of Silver and Gold Communion with Christ his body and blood and his Saints in his Ordinances is a blessing so great that he that robs such of it that have right to it may answer it dearlier than if he had rob'd them of their purses O what then hath the Roman Usurper done that hath oft interdicted whole Kingdoms of Christians the use of holy priviledges and duties § 10. Little do many men that cry up faith and Orthodoxness and Catholicism and obedience and cry down Heresie Schism Errour and Disobedience believe how much guilt lyeth on their souls and without Repentance how terrible it will prove to be charged with the cruelties which they have used to good Christians in reproaching them and casting them out of the Church and destroying them as Hereticks and Schismaticks that should have been loved and honoured as Saints But some men cannot see by the light of the fire till they come so near it as to be burned § 11. These self-made or over-doing terms of Church-Union and Concord will prove the certainest Engines of Schism And none are so heinous Schismaticks as they that make unnecessary terms of Union and then call all Schismaticks that consent not to them For 1. these are the Leaders of the disorder when other sort of Schismaticks usually are but followers 2. These do it by Law which is of most extensive mischief even to all that are subject to them when others do it but by local practice extending but to those that are about them or the particular assemblies which they gather 3. These make the Schism unavoidable when private Seducers may be resisted For it is not in the power of good men to bring their judgements to the sentiments of every or any dictator or yet to go contrary to their judgements Ilicitum stat pro impossibili 4. These aggravate the crime by pretending power from God and fathering Schism on so good a thing as Government and causing it as for Unity it self 5. They condemn themselves by crying down Schism while they unavoidably cause it § 12. And this over-doing and making unnecessary termes unavoidably involveth them in the guilt of persecution and when they have begun it they know not where to stop Suppose they decree that none shall preach the Gospel or assemble for holy Communion in publick Worship but those that subscribe or swear or promise or profess or do somewhat accounted sinful by the persons commanded and not necessary indeed however esteemed by the imposer who yet perhaps calls it but Indifferent It is certain that no honest Christian will do that which he judgeth to be sin It is certain that other mens confident talk will not make all men of their minds to take all for lawful which they take for such what then will the Imposers do They will make strict Laws to punish severely all that disobey For say they Our commands must not be contemned nor disobedience tolerated so do the Papists as to the Trent Oath c. so did Charles the fifth a while about the Interim and so many others These Laws then must be executed The Pastors must be cast out the preachers silenced They still believe as Daniel did about praying and the Apostles about preaching that God commandeth what men forbid and it is a damnable sin to forsake their calling and duty no less than sacriledge and cruelty to souls and deserting the Church and worship and cause of Christ and the people will still believe that no mans prohibition can excuse them if they forsake Gods publick worship and comply with sin The Prelates will say that all this is but errour wilfulness and rebellion and they can prove the contrary Their words will not change the judgement of dissenters The Pastors and preachers then must be fined imprisoned or banished for preaching and the people for publick worshipping God when they are fined they will go on when they are out of prison they will return to their work nothing is left then to remedy it but either perpetual imprisonment banishment or death When this is done more will still rise of the same mind and continue the work that others were disabled to perform And the Prelates that cause this will be taken by the suffering people for thorns and thistles and grievous Wolves that devour the flocks and the military Ministers of the Devil The indifferent common people knowing their Neighbours to
no not as it is a Conditional Covenant 3. That all except the elect or most or many at least are still under that first Covenant of Innocency made with Adam as prescribing to them and requiring of them sinless innocency or perfection as the only condition of their salvation As if God still said to sinners I will save you if you are not sinners 4. That the Covenant of Grace was made only to and with Christ and no other 5. That there was and is an eternal Covenant of Redemption made between God the Father and the Son which is neither Gods Essence a Divine Person or Decree but a proper Covenant 6. That God gave no grace pardon or salvation by Covenant till Christs incarnation 7. That the same faith objectively considered was necessary to salvation under the first edition of the Covenant of grace as under the last viz. to believe that Jesus the son of Mary is or must be the Messiah and that he must die for sin and rise again and intercede in heaven and return to raise us and judge the world 8. That Christs Disciples were not in a state of justification till they believed all this 9. That all men shall not be judged as they believed and kept or brake the condition of the Covenant in that edition which they were under but all according to the tenor of the last edition 10. That no faith in God as gracious and merciful to sinners and as pardoning sin was necessary before Christs incarnation 11. That God before did pardon sin without any respect to the future sacrifice and merit of Christ as mans Redeemer 12. That no souls were glorified or received to heaven and happiness till Christ's resurrection but reserved in some Limbus till then X. Of the Covenant made with Abraham and Moses Law and the Israelites 1. That Abraham was the first true Believer or the first to whom a promise or Covenant of Grace was made 2. That the Covenant of Grace was made to no other people in the world but the Israelites were Gods whole visible Church on earth and did not only add to them a Covenant of peculiarity 3. That this promise to Abraham and his seed in whom all Nations of the Earth should be blessed extended no way to the believing Gentiles 4. That all Heathens children that were circumcised were certainly saved if they died before actual sin 5. That Moses Law bound men to no spiritual duty nor promised any future reward or happiness after this life 6. That Moses Law was given by an evil God or evil Angel 7. That Moses Law was the same as the Law or Covenant of perfect innocency first made for Adam 8. That all the world was bound to keep Moses Law as such even the judicial and ritual parts of it 9. That under that Law God gave no grace to obey him 10. That the converted Jews are still bound to keep Moses Law 11. Yea and all converted Gentiles now 12. That we are bound to form our Church government according to the Mosaical or Jewish XI Of Redemption by Christ incarnate and the Gospel or last edition of the Covenant of Grace 1. That Christ brought no more Grace than was as ordinarily given before his incarnation 2. That he was habitually or actually a sinner guilty of original or actual sin 3. That Christ was properly reputed a sinner by God or a proper sinner by imputation in that he took our sin to be his own or God took him to be guilty of the fault of all our sin and not only one that undertook to bear the punishment deserved 4. That Christ was as guilty of our sin as we were of Adams 5. That Christ was habitually or actually holy and fulfilled all righteousness in the Legal person of every elect person or of every true believer so that the Law therefore judgeth them to have been what Christ was or done what Christ did therein they doing it in him 6. That Christ was not a satisfying sacrifice for sin 7. That Christs satisfaction and merit were not sufficient for their proper use and effect without our satisfaction and merit to make up their defect 8. That Christ was not the Saviour of the world or that God did not so love the world as to give his only son that who ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Or that God hath made no such promise or grant to all to whom the Gospel cometh that if they repent and believe in Christ they shall be pardoned and saved or that this conditional universal pardon was no fruit of Christs death 9. That none but the elect have any mercy purchased by the death of Christ nor are bound to be thankful to him for any such 10. That Christ suffered the same pains of hell hatred of God and torment of Conscience which all the elect should else have suffered 11. That Christs Righteousness and sacrifice are not the true meritorious cause of our righteousness pardon justification and salvation 12. That Christ must be oft really sacrificed 13. That Christ at his last supper did make the bread and wine become his real body then living and that it was broken and his blood shed by himself really before he was crucified by the Jews 14. That Christ felt no real pain as St. Hilary Picâ—av ill said 15. That Christ died not but another in his shape 16. That Christ took not his body into Heaven 17. That all power is not given to Christ nor are Kings and Magistrates his Ministers nor hold their power by him 18. That Christ is no Law-giver and made no Law 19. That he is not our sufficient intercessor with God by whom we may have access and acceptance 20. That Christ sendeth not forth his spirit to be his agent and witness to the end of the world in sanctifying his elect XII Of Faith Repentance and sanctification 1. That Faith repentance holiness and obedience are not necessary in us to our salvation because Christ was righteous for us and repented and believed in our stead 2. That believers are under no Law of God 3. That he may be pardoned and saved who forbeareth only the outward Acts of sin through meer fear and is absolved by a Priest though he love sin better than holiness and had rather keep it than leave it 4. That loving others and doing them good and no harm is all the Love of God and Holiness that is necessary to salvation 5. That Faith and Repentance are of nature or by meer natural power and free-will and not the gift of grace through Christ 6. That God giveth grace equally to all till good improvers make a difference 7. That men may be holy in the restored Image of God without the grace of the Holy Ghost 8. That men need not the Spirit of God to help them to pray or preach 9. That the sins of sanctified persons are not judged by God to be theirs and that he seeth them
as to Government And that none are of the visible Church that are not the Popes Subjects and that they that refuse such Subjection are Schismaticks or Hereticks or Infidels And that all that own Christ should be compelled by Sword or torment to own the Pope as his Vicar General Sect. III. Campanella de Regno Dei openeth the Mystery of the Fifth Monarchy and alledgeth the texts that are brought for it as intending Christs Reign on Earth by the Pope as his Viceroy And indeed it is an Universal Kingdom or Monarchy which they plead and strive for under the name of the Universal Church But in this they greatly differ whether the Pope have the universal Power of both Swords or but of one that is both Civil and Ecclesiastical and be really the King of all the World And herein they are of three Opinions as to the Subject of this Power and of three Opinions as to the degree Sect. IV. As to the Possessor of this Authority 1. One party say that the summa Potestas is in thâ—â— Pope 2. Another saith it is in the Pope presiding in a General Council or in the Pope and Council agreeing 3. And another party hold that it is in a General Council alone yet so as that the Pope is the Head of the Universal Church as the chief Prelate and Ordidinary Governour though subject to the Legislative and Judicial Power of the Council Sect. V. And as to the Degree of Power 1. Some hold that the Pope is the Monarch of all the Earth having the chief Power of both Swords and that the World is his Kingdom as Gods Vicegerent 2. Others hold that he hath directly only the Ecclesiastical Power but indirectly and in order to Spirituals he hath also the Temporal power of the Sword Or as the most hold that in his own Territories he hath both Powers as to Personal exercise but in other Kingdoms he can himself only execute the Church-power but he may command Kings to execute the power of the Sword for Religion according to his and his Bishops decrees and may force them to it by Anathema's and releasing their Subjects from the Bonds of Fidelity and giving their Kingdoms to others As some say that the King may not be personally Judge in the Courts of Justice but he may make Judges and force them to their duty and depose them if unworthy This differeth little from the former The Monarchy is nevertheless absolute though Kings be the Popes Officers or Lictors 3. But some few hold that the Pope and Bishops have no Power of the Sword at all nor of forcing Kings to use it The Controversie was hotly handled when Popes and Emperors were in Warrs The Volumes written on both sides are published by Goldastus to which William Barkley and some others in France have added more Sect. VI. Rightly therefore doth the Geograph Nubiensis call the Pope A King The Name of a Church maketh not a difference in the thing There be some that think that all Kings should be also Priests and the Popes will grant it so far as to hold that all Bishops should be Magistrates and the Chief Priest be Univerâ—al Kingâ— Cardinal Bertram in Biblioth Patr. saith God had not been wise if he had not set up such a Monarch under him over the World And in 〈◊〉 seu Bulla Sixti quarti Philippo Palatino Rhâ—ni in â—rehero Vol. 2. pag. 162. you may see their Claim in these words Universos Christianos Principes acâ—omnes Christi fideles requirere eisque mandare vice Dei cuius locum quamvis immeriti tenemus in terris To require all Christian Princes and all faithful Christians and to command them in Gods stead whose place on earth we hold though unworthy The Twelfth General Council viz. at the Laterane sub Innoc. 3. and some at Rome under Greg. 7. and many others put this Claim of theirs past doubt Sect. VII Now that the Universal Church will never unite in the Roman Papacy I prove undeniably as followeth 1. Because Christians will never unite in an Agreement to forsake the Scriptures as Gods Word and Law where they will still find that he never instituted such a Roman Monarch The Papists contrary Assertion will never convince the World when the Book it self is open before them They will there find no one man that ruled all the rest no one to whom Appeals were made no one that ever claimed such a power much less that settled any such at Rome or that ever a word was left by Christ to direct the Church to center in the Bishop of Rome Nor that ever the Apostles preached this to the Churches which they must needs have done had it been essential to the Church Catholick or half as necessary as the Papists make it Sect. VIII 2. Because in Scripture Christians will not only find nothing for it but much against it which many Volumes having largely proved Chamier Whitakers White and abundance more it would be vain here to repeat I commend to the English Reader now but Dr. Challoners small Book of the Catholick Church Sect. IX 3. Because were it but as dark and doubtful and uncertain as common Reason and Disputers experience proveth it the universal Church can never unite in a thing which so few can see any certainty in or evident proof of Sect. X. 4. Because the greatlyest reverenced General Councils are against it limiting the Popes power to his Diocese as Nice first doth and declaring him to be National and of humane Institution as being Bishop of the Imperial City and advancing Constantinople from the same Reason as doth the Council of Chalcedon Of which I have largely written against Terret Sect. XI 5. Because the Greek Church hath ever held the Papacy to be of humane Institution Proved briefly 1. Because they ever held the Popes power to stand on the same Foundation with the other Patriarchs But they ever held the other Patriarchs to be of Humane Institution which needs no proofs to men of Reading 2. Because they set up Constantinople first next him and then equal to him and then above him which they had never done had they taken the Papacy to be of Divine Institution For they never pretended any such foundation for the Bishop of Constantinoples power and they were never so desperate as to set up Mans Ordination above Gods 3. Because they took his Power to be limited by the Laws of the Empire and him to be subject to the Emperours All which is known to men that know Church-History Sect. XII 6. Because the common Reason of Mankind will still discern that a humane Monarchy of all the Earth is a dream and Impossibility and that no man is naturally capable of exercising such a power Sect. XIII 7. Because while Baronius Binius Crab Surius and other Histories of the Councils are extant and Platina Anastasius and other Histories of the Popes and while all the old Church-History is extant and all the German