and no Agreements, or Covenants, or Canons of our own or others, without a true and certain prohibition from the Law of God, must be pretended against our obedience to lawful powers. For Gods Law having already bound us to obey our Rulers, we cannot by any Power, or Covenants, or Agreements of our own, disoblige our selves: Otherwise men might evade a great part of their duty; and while they pretend to dispense with the Laws of God, they should, in a sort, set up themselves as above him. But if man command us to disobey our Maker, we must disobey that command, though with patient submission to sufferings, without resistance, or reproaching of our Governors.
And because some men of narrow principles, are calling for Assent to many more particulars (especially about Church-Offices, and Worship, and Discipline) and will not ⟨image 6⟩bear with those that in smaller things dissent from them, especially if Ministers; I have added 80. Theses about the Offices of the Ministers of Christ, containing such things as one would think, for Number and Quality, might be taken as sufficient for our Concord and Communion with those whose Opinions hinder not the prosperity of their Charity and of the Church.
And now call me by what Name or Title thou seest cause; here thou hast my Profession and my Judgement about the matters of the Church: If thou desire to see the practical part that will bear it, exemplified in any Forms, I should not refuse to give thee such satisfaction upon any just occasion. I know of no Title that well agreeth to the nature of that Religion which indeed I hold, and which I have here proposed, and which I think would be fit for the Churches to agree in, but CHRISTIAN & CATHOLIC, and these I own: If thou give me any other, let him that maketh or useth it, be responsible for it.
Understand also that this General Part, containing the Positives of the Catholic Religion, and fit materials of Catholic Concord, is but the first Part of the Book, the second intended ⟨image 6⟩being somewhat large, as containing the particular terms on which the Abassines, Armenians, Greeks, Romanists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Contra-remonstrants, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Independents, and moderate Anabaptists should be agreed:
and no Agreements, or Covenants, or Canons of our own or others, without a true and certain prohibition from the Law of God, must be pretended against our obedience to lawful powers. For Gods Law having already bound us to obey our Rulers, we cannot by any Power, or Covenants, or Agreements of our own, disoblige our selves: Otherwise men might evade a great part of their duty; and while they pretend to dispence with the Laws of God, they should, in a sort, set up themselves as above him. But if man command us to disobey our Maker, we must disobey that command, though with patient submission to sufferings, without resistance, or reproaching of our Governours.
And because some men of narrow principles, are calling for Assent to many more particulars (especially about Church-Offices, and Worship, and Discipline) and will not ⟨image 6⟩bear with those that in smaller things dissent from them, especially if Ministers; I have added 80. Theses about the Offices of the Ministers of Christ, containing such things as one would think, for Number and Quality, might be taken as sufficient for our Concord and Communion with those whose Opinions hinder not the prosperity of their Charity and of the Church.
And now call me by what Name or Title thou seest cause; here thou hast my Profession and my Judgement about the matters of the Church: If thou desire to see the practical part that will bear it, exemplified in any Forms, I should not refuse to give thee such satisfaction upon any just occasion. I know of no Title that well agreeth to the nature of that Religion which indeed I hold, and which I have here proposed, and which I think would be fit for the Churches to agree in, but CHRISTIAN & CATHOLIKE, and these I own: If thou give me any other, let him that maketh or useth it, be responsible for it.
Understand also that this General Part, containing the Positives of the Catholike Religion, and fit materials of Catholike Concord, is but the first Part of the Book, the second intended ⟨image 6⟩being somewhat large, as containing the particular terms on which the Abassines, Armenians, Greeks, Romanists, Lutheranes, Calvinists, Arminians, Contra-remonstrants, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Independents, and moderate Anabaptists should be agreed:
