andthatthenonlyishemadekingbythefavourofGodwhenheiscrownedbytheauthorityofGod’suniversalvicegerentonearth；andthateverybishop，whosoeverbehissovereign，takethathisconsecrationanoathofabsoluteobediencetothePope。ConsequenttothesameisthedoctrineofthefourthCouncilofLateran，heldunderPopeInnocenttheThirdChapter3，DeHaereticis，“Thatifaking，atthepope’sadmonition，donotpurgehiskingdomofheresies，andbeingexcommunicateforthesame，donotgivesatisfactionwithinayear，hissubjectsareabsolvedofthebondoftheirobedience。“WherebyheresiesareunderstoodallopinionswhichtheChurchofRomehathforbiddentobemaintained。Andbythismeans，asoftenasthereisanyrepugnancybetweenthepoliticaldesignsofthePopeandotherChristianprinces，asthereisveryoften，therearisethsuchamistamongsttheirsubjects，thattheyknownotastrangerthatthrustethhimselfintothethroneoftheirlawfulprince，fromhimwhomtheyhadthemselvesplacedthere；and，inthisdarknessofmind，aremadetofightoneagainstanother，withoutdiscerningtheirenemiesfromtheirfriends，undertheconductofanotherman’sambition。
Fromthesameopinion，thatthepresentChurchisthekingdomofGod，itproceedsthatpastors，deacons，andallotherministersoftheChurchtakethenametothemselvesoftheclergy；givingtootherChristiansthenameoflaity，thatis，simplypeople。ForclergysignifiesthosewhosemaintenanceisthatrevenuewhichGod，havingreservedtoHimselfduringHisreignovertheIsraelites，assignedtothetribeofLeviwhoweretobeHispublicministers，andhadnoportionoflandsetthemouttoliveon，astheirbrethrentobetheirinheritance。ThePopethereforepretendingthepresentChurchtobe，astherealmsofIsrael，thekingdomofGod，challengingtohimselfandhissubordinateministersthelikerevenueastheinheritanceofGod，thenameofclergywassuitabletothatclaim。AndthenceitisthattithesandothertributespaidtotheLevitesasGod’sright，amongsttheIsraelites，havealongtimebeendemandedandtakenofChristiansbyecclesiastics，juredivino，thatis，inGod’sright。Bywhichmeans，thepeopleeverywherewereobligedtoadoubletribute；onetothestate，anothertotheclergy；whereofthattotheclergy，beingthetenthoftheirrevenue，isdoubletothatwhichakingofAthensandesteemedatyrantexactedofhissubjectsforthedefrayingofallpubliccharges：forhedemandednomorebutthetwentiethpart，andyetabundantlymaintainedtherewiththeCommonwealth。AndinthekingdomoftheJews，duringthesacerdotalreignofGod，thetithesandofferingswerethewholepublicrevenue。
FromthesamemistakingofthepresentChurchforthekingdomofGodcameinthedistinctionbetweenthecivilandthecanonlaws：thecivillawbeingtheactsofsovereignsintheirowndominions，andthecanonlawbeingtheactsofthePopeinthesamedominions。Whichcanons，thoughtheywerebutcanons，thatis，rulespropounded，andbutvoluntarilyreceivedbyChristianprinces，tillthetranslationoftheEmpiretoCharlemagne；yetafterwards，asthepowerofthePopeincreased，becamerulescommanded，andtheemperorsthemselves，toavoidgreatermischiefs，whichthepeopleblindedmightbeledinto，wereforcedtoletthempassforlaws。
FromhenceitisthatinalldominionswherethePope’secclesiasticalpowerisentirelyreceived，Jews，Turks，andGentilesareintheRomanChurchtoleratedintheirreligionasfarforthasintheexerciseandprofessionthereoftheyoffendnotagainstthecivilpower：whereasinaChristian，thoughastranger，nottobeoftheRomanreligioniscapital，becausethePopepretendeththatallChristiansarehissubjects。ForotherwiseitwereasmuchagainstthelawofnationstopersecuteaChristianstrangerforprofessingthereligionofhisowncountry，asaninfidel；orrathermore，inasmuchastheythatarenotagainstChristarewithhim。
FromthesameitisthatineveryChristianstatetherearecertainmenthatareexempt，byecclesiasticalliberty，fromthetributesandfromthetribunalsofthecivilstate；forsoarethesecularclergy，besidesmonksandfriars，whichinmanyplacesbearsogreataproportiontothecommonpeopleas，ifneedwere，theremightberaisedoutofthemaloneanarmysufficientforanywartheChurchmilitantshouldemploytheminagainsttheirownorotherprinces。
AsecondgeneralabuseofScriptureistheturningofconsecrationintoconjuration，orenchantment。Toconsecrateis，inScripture，tooffer，give，ordedicate，inpiousanddecentlanguageandgesture，amanoranyotherthingtoGod，byseparatingofitfromcommonuse；thatistosay，tosanctify，ormakeitGod’s，andtobeusedonlybythosewhomGodhathappointedtobeHispublicministersasI
havealreadyprovedatlargeinthethirty-fifthChapter，andtherebytochange，notthethingconsecrated，butonlytheuseofit，frombeingprofaneandcommon，tobeholy，andpeculiartoGod’sservice。
Butwhenbysuchwordsthenatureorqualityofthethingitselfispretendedtobechanged，itisnotconsecration，buteitheranextraordinaryworkofGod，oravainandimpiousconjuration。Butseeing，forthefrequencyofpretendingthechangeofnatureintheirconsecrations，itcannotbeesteemedaworkextraordinary，itisnootherthanaconjurationorincantation，wherebytheywouldhavementobelieveanalterationofnaturethatisnot，contrarytothetestimonyofman’ssightandofalltherestofhissenses。Asforexample，whenthepriest，insteadofconsecratingbreadandwinetoGod’speculiarserviceinthesacramentoftheLord’sSupperwhichisbutaseparationofitfromthecommonusetosignify，thatis，toputmeninmindof，theirredemptionbythePassionofChrist，whosebodywasbrokenandbloodsheduponthecrossforourtransgressions，pretendsthatbysayingofthewordsofourSaviour，“Thisismybody，“and“Thisismyblood，“thenatureofbreadisnomorethere，buthisverybody；notwithstandingthereappearethnottothesightorothersenseofthereceiveranythingthatappearednotbeforetheconsecration。TheEgyptianconjurers，thataresaidtohaveturnedtheirrodstoserpents，andthewaterintoblood，arethoughtbuttohavedeludedthesensesofthespectatorsbyafalseshowofthings，yetareesteemedenchanters。Butwhatshouldwehavethoughtofthemiftherehadappearedintheirrodsnothinglikeaserpent，andinthewaterenchantednothinglikeblood，norlikeanythingelsebutwater，butthattheyhadfaceddowntheking，thattheywereserpentsthatlookedlikerods，andthatitwasbloodthatseemedwater？Thathadbeenbothenchantmentandlying。Andyetinthisdailyactofthepriest，theydotheverysame，byturningtheholywordsintothemannerofacharm，whichproducethnothingnewtothesense；buttheyfaceusdown，thatithathturnedthebreadintoaman；nay，more，intoaGod；andrequirementoworshipitasifitwereourSaviourhimselfpresent，GodandMan，andtherebytocommitmostgrossidolatry。Forifitbeenoughtoexcuseitofidolatrytosayitisnomorebread，butGod；whyshouldnotthesameexcuseservetheEgyptians，incasetheyhadthefacestosaytheleeksandonionstheyworshippedwerenotveryleeksandonions，butadivinityundertheirspeciesorlikeness？Thewords，“Thisismybody，“areequivalenttothese，“Thissignifies，orrepresents，mybody“；anditisanordinaryfigureofspeech：buttotakeitliterallyisanabuse；nor，thoughsotaken，canitextendanyfurtherthantothebreadwhichChristhimselfwithhisownhandsconsecrated。
Forheneversaidthatofwhatbreadsoeveranypriestwhatsoevershouldsay，“Thisismybody，“or“ThisisChrist’sbody，“thesameshouldpresentlybetransubstantiated。NordidtheChurchofRomeeverestablishthistransubstantiation，tillthetimeofInnocenttheThird；whichwasnotabovefivehundredyearsago，whenthepowerofPopeswasatthehighest，andthedarknessofthetimegrownsogreat，asmendiscernednotthebreadthatwasgiventhemtoeat，especiallywhenitwasstampedwiththefigureofChristuponthecross，asiftheywouldhavemenbelieveitweretransubstantiated，notonlyintothebodyofChrist，butalsointothewoodofhiscross，andthattheydideatbothtogetherinthesacrament。
Thelikeincantation，insteadofconsecration，isusedalsointhesacramentofbaptism：wheretheabuseofGod’snameineachseveralperson，andinthewholeTrinity，withthesignofthecrossateachname，makethupthecharm。Asfirst，whentheymaketheholywater，thepriestsaith，“Iconjurethee，thoucreatureofwater，inthenameofGodtheFatherAlmighty，andinthenameofJesusChristHisonlySonourLord，andinvirtueoftheHolyGhost，thatthoubecomeconjuredwater，todriveawayallthepowersoftheenemy，andtoeradicate，andsupplanttheenemy，“etc。Andthesameinthebenedictionofthesalttobemingledwithit，“Thatthoubecomeconjuredsalt，thatallphantasmsandknaveryoftheDevil’sfraudmayflyanddepartfromtheplacewhereinthouartsprinkled；andeveryuncleanspiritbeconjuredbyhimthatshallcometojudgethequickandthedead。“Thesameinthebenedictionoftheoil，“Thatallthepoweroftheenemy，allthehostoftheDevil，allassaultsandphantasmsofSatan，maybedrivenawaybythiscreatureofoil。“Andfortheinfantthatistobebaptized，heissubjecttomanycharms：
first，atthechurchdoorthepriestblowsthriceinthechild’sface，andsays，“Gooutofhim，uncleanspirit，andgiveplacetotheHolyGhosttheComforter。“Asifallchildren，tillblownonbythepriest，weredemoniacs。Again，beforehisentranceintothechurch，hesaithasbefore，“Iconjurethee，etc。，togoout，anddepartfromthisservantofGod“；andagainthesameexorcismisrepeatedoncemorebeforehebebaptized。TheseandsomeotherincantationsarethosethatareusedinsteadofbenedictionsandconsecrationsinadministrationofthesacramentsofbaptismandtheLord’sSupper；
whereineverythingthatservethtothoseholyuses，excepttheunhallowedspittleofthepriest，hathsomesetformofexorcism。
Noraretheotherrites，asofmarriage，ofextremeunction，ofvisitationofthesick，ofconsecratingchurches，andchurchyards，andthelike，exemptfromcharms；inasmuchasthereisinthemtheuseofenchantedoilandwater，withtheabuseofthecross，andoftheholywordofDavid，aspergesmeDominehyssopo，asthingsofefficacytodriveawayphantasmsandimaginaryspirits。
Anothergeneralerrorisfromthemisinterpretationofthewordseternallife，everlastingdeath，andtheseconddeath。ForthoughwereadplainlyinHolyScripturethatGodcreatedAdaminanestateoflivingforever，whichwasconditional，thatistosay，ifhedisobeyednotHiscommandment；whichwasnotessentialtohumannature，butconsequenttothevirtueofthetreeoflife，whereofhehadlibertytoeat，aslongashehadnotsinned；andthathewasthrustoutofParadiseafterhehadsinned，lestheshouldeatthereof，andliveforever；andthatChrist’sPassionisadischargeofsintoallthatbelieveonHim，andbyconsequence，arestitutionofeternallifetoallthefaithful，andtothemonly：yetthedoctrineisnowandhathbeenalongtimefarotherwise；namely，thateverymanhatheternityoflifebynature，inasmuchashissoulisimmortal。SothattheflamingswordattheentranceofParadise，thoughithinderamanfromcomingtothetreeoflife，hindershimnotfromtheimmortalitywhichGodtookfromhimforhissin，normakeshimtoneedthesacrificingofChristfortherecoveringofthesame；andconsequently，notonlythefaithfulandrighteous，butalsothewickedandtheheathen，shallenjoyeternallife，withoutanydeathatall，muchlessasecondandeverlastingdeath。Tosalvethis，itissaidthatbysecondandeverlastingdeathismeantasecondandeverlastinglife，butintorments；afigureneverusedbutinthisverycase。
AllwhichdoctrineisfoundedonlyonsomeoftheobscurerplacesoftheNewTestament；whichnevertheless，thewholescopeoftheScriptureconsidered，areclearenoughinadifferentsense，andunnecessarytotheChristianfaith。Forsupposingthatwhenamandies，thereremainethnothingofhimbuthiscarcass；cannotGod，thatraisedinanimateddustandclayintoalivingcreaturebyHisword，aseasilyraiseadeadcarcasstolifeagain，andcontinuehimaliveforever，ormakehimdieagainbyanotherword？Thesoul，inScripture，signifiethalwayseitherthelifeorthelivingcreature；