If any called Christians shall be seditious, or rebellious, or as the Papists believe, that the Clergy are from under the Jurisdiction of Kings, and that the Pope hath power to excommunicate Princes, and absolve their subjects from their allegiance, and give their dominions to others, (as it is decreed in the General Council at the Lateran under Innocent the third, Can. 3.) Is all this long of Christ, who hath paid tribute to Caesar, and hath commanded that every soul be subject to the higher Powers, and not resist, and this for conscience sake, Rom. 13 1, 2, 3. and hath bid his ⟨p. 176⟩Disciples rather to turn the other cheek, than to seek revenge, Luk. 6.29. and hath told them that they that use the sword (of rebellion, or revenge, or cruelty) shall perish by the sword, Joh. 18.11. If any Christians will under pretence of Religion, set up a cruel Inquisition, or kill men to convert them, or become self-lovers, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to Parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false-accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, &c. Is this long of him that hath forbid all this? 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5. If for their own domination, lust or covetousness, men called Christians, will be worse than Heathens and Wolves to one another, is this long of him that hath made it his sheep-mark by which we must be known to all men to be his Disciples, that we love one another? Joh. 13.35. and hath told them, that if they bite and devour one another, they shall be devoured one of another? Gal. 5.15. and hath blessed the merciful, as those that shall find mercy, Mat. 5.7. and hath told men that what they do to his little ones, shall be taken as if it were done to himself, Mat. 25. and hath commanded the strong to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves, Rom. 15.1, 2, 3. and to receive one another as Christ received us, Rom. 15.7. and hath told those that offend but one of his little ones, that it were good for that man that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea, Matth. 18.6. and hath told him that suiteth his fellow servants, that his Lord will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Mat. 24.48, 49, 50, 51.
If any called Christians shall be seditious, or rebellious, or as the Papists believe, that the Clergy are from under the Jurisdiction of Kings, and that the Pope hath power to excommunicate Princes, and absolve their subjects from their allegiance, and give their dominions to others, (as it is decreed in the General Council at the Lateran under Innocent the third, Can. 3.) Is all this long of Christ, who hath paid tribute to Caesar, and hath commanded that every soul be subject to the higher Powers, and not resist, and this for conscience sake, Rom. 13 1, 2, 3. and hath bid his ⟨p. 176⟩Disciples rather to turn the other cheek, than to seek revenge, Luk. 6.29. and hath told them that they that use the sword (of rebellion, or revenge, or cruelty) shall perish by the sword, Joh. 18.11. If any Christians will under pretence of Religion, set up a cruel Inquisition, or kill men to convert them, or become self-lovers, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to Parents, unthankfull, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false-accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, &c. Is this long of him that hath forbid all this? 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5. If for their own domination, lust or covetousness, men called Christians, will be worse than Heathens and Wolves to one another, is this long of him that hath made it his sheep-mark by which we must be known to all men to be his Disciples, that we love one another? Joh. 13.35. and hath told them, that if they bite and devour one another, they shall be devoured one of another? Gal. 5.15. and hath blessed the merciful, as those that shall find mercy, Mat. 5.7. and hath told men that what they do to his little ones, shall be taken as if it were done to himself, Mat. 25. and hath commanded the strong to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves, Rom. 15.1, 2, 3. and to receive one another as Christ received us,
