butnotdrawnfromAristotle，norfromanyotheroftheheathenphilosophers。Fornoneofthemdenybutthatinthepowerofmakinglawsiscomprehendedalsothepowerofexplainingthemwhenthereisneed。AndarenottheScriptures，inallplaceswheretheyarelaw，madelawbytheauthorityoftheCommonwealthand，consequently，apartofthecivillaw？
OfthesamekinditisalsowhenanybutthesovereignrestrainethinanymanthatpowerwhichtheCommonwealthhathnotrestrained；astheydothatimpropriatethepreachingofthegospeltoonecertainorderofmen，wherethelawshaveleftitfree。Ifthestategivemeleavetopreachorteach；thatis，ifitforbidmenot，nomancanforbidme。IfIfindmyselfamongsttheidolatersofAmerica，shallIthatamaChristian，thoughnotinorders，thinkitasintopreachJesusChrist，tillIhavereceivedordersfromRome？OrwhenIhavepreached，shallnotIanswertheirdoubtsandexpoundtheScripturestothem；thatis，shallInotteach？Butforthismaysomesay，asalsoforadministeringtothemthesacraments，thenecessityshallbeesteemedforasufficientmission；whichistrue。
Butthisistruealso，thatforwhatsoeveradispensationisdueforthenecessity，forthesamethereneedsnodispensationwhenthereisnolawthatforbidsit。Thereforetodenythesefunctionstothosetowhomthecivilsovereignhathnotdeniedthemisatakingawayofalawfulliberty，whichiscontrarytothedoctrineofcivilgovernment。
Moreexamplesofvainphilosophy，broughtintoreligionbythedoctorsofSchooldivinity，mightbeproduced；butothermenmayiftheypleaseobservethemofthemselves。Ishallonlyaddthis，thatthewritingsofSchooldivinesarenothingelse，forthemostpart，butinsignificanttrainsofstrangeandbarbarouswords，orwordsotherwiseusedthaninthecommonuseoftheLatintongue；suchaswouldposeCicero，andVarro，andallthegrammariansofancientRome。
Which，ifanymanwouldseeproved，lethimasIhavesaidoncebeforeseewhetherhecantranslateanySchooldivineintoanyofthemoderntongues，asFrench，English，oranyothercopiouslanguage：forthatwhichcannotinmostofthesebemadeintelligibleisnotintelligibleintheLatin。Whichinsignificancyoflanguage，thoughIcannotnoteitforfalsephilosophy，yetithathaquality，notonlytohidethetruth，butalsotomakementhinktheyhaveit，anddesistfromfurthersearch。
Lastly，fortheerrorsbroughtinfromfalseoruncertainhistory，whatisallthelegendoffictitiousmiraclesinthelivesofthesaints；andallthehistoriesofapparitionsandghostsallegedbythedoctorsoftheRomanChurch，tomakegoodtheirdoctrinesofhellandpurgatory，thepowerofexorcism，andotherdoctrineswhichhavenowarrant，neitherinreasonnorScripture；asalsoallthosetraditionswhichtheycalltheunwrittenwordofGod；butoldwives’
fables？Whereof，thoughtheyfinddispersedsomewhatinthewritingsoftheancientFathers，yetthoseFatherswerementhatmighttooeasilybelievefalsereports。Andtheproducingoftheiropinionsfortestimonyofthetruthofwhattheybelievedhathnootherforcewiththemthat，accordingtothecounselofSt。John，*examinespiritsthaninallthingsthatconcernthepoweroftheRomanChurchtheabusewhereofeithertheysuspectednot，orhadbenefitbyit，todiscredittheirtestimonyinrespectoftoorashbeliefofreports；
whichthemostsinceremenwithoutgreatknowledgeofnaturalcauses，suchastheFatherswere，arecommonlythemostsubjectto：
fornaturally，thebestmenaretheleastsuspiciousoffraudulentpurposes。GregorythePopeandSt。Bernardhavesomewhatofapparitionsofghoststhatsaidtheywereinpurgatory；andsohasourBede：butnowhere，Ibelieve，butbyreportfromothers。Butifthey，oranyother，relateanysuchstoriesoftheirownknowledge，theyshallnottherebyconfirmthemoresuchvainreports，butdiscovertheirowninfirmityorfraud。
Withtheintroductionoffalse，wemayjoinalsothesuppressionoftruephilosophybysuchmenasneitherbylawfulauthoritynorsufficientstudyarecompetentjudgesofthetruth。Ourownnavigationsmakemanifest，andallmenlearnedinhumansciencesnowacknowledge，thereareantipodes：andeverydayitappearethmoreandmorethatyearsanddaysaredeterminedbymotionsoftheearth。
Nevertheless，menthathaveintheirwritingsbutsupposedsuchdoctrine，asanoccasiontolayopenthereasonsforandagainstit，havebeenpunishedforitbyauthorityecclesiastical。Butwhatreasonisthereforit？Isitbecausesuchopinionsarecontrarytotruereligion？Thatcannotbe，iftheybetrue。Letthereforethetruthbefirstexaminedbycompetentjudges，orconfutedbythemthatpretendtoknowthecontrary。Isitbecausetheybecontrarytothereligionestablished？Letthembesilencedbythelawsofthosetowhomtheteachersofthemaresubject；thatis，bythelawscivil：fordisobediencemaylawfullybepunishedinthemthatagainstthelawsteacheventruephilosophy。Isitbecausetheytendtodisorderingovernment，ascountenancingrebellionorsedition？Thenletthembesilenced，andtheteacherspunished，byvirtueofhispowertowhomthecareofthepublicquietiscommitted；whichistheauthoritycivil。Forwhatsoeverpowerecclesiasticstakeuponthemselvesinanyplacewheretheyaresubjecttothestateintheirownright，thoughtheycallitGod’sright，isbutusurpation。
CICEROmakethhonourablementionofoneoftheCassii，aseverejudgeamongsttheRomans，foracustomhehadincriminalcauses，whenthetestimonyofthewitnesseswasnotsufficient，toasktheaccusers，cuibono；thatistosay，whatprofit，honour，orothercontentmenttheaccusedobtainedorexpectedbythefact。Foramongstpresumptions，thereisnonethatsoevidentlydeclareththeauthorasdoththebenefitoftheaction。BythesameruleIintendinthisplacetoexaminewhotheymaybethathavepossessedthepeoplesolonginthispartofChristendomwiththesedoctrinescontrarytothepeaceablesocietiesofmankind。
Andfirst，tothiserrorthatthepresentChurch，nowmilitantonearth，isthekingdomofGodthatis，thekingdomofglory，orthelandofpromise；notthekingdomofgrace，whichisbutapromiseoftheland，areannexedtheseworldlybenefits：first，thatthepastorsandteachersoftheChurchareentitledthereby，asGod’spublicministers，toarightofgoverningtheChurch；andconsequently，becausetheChurchandCommonwealtharethesamepersons，toberectorsandgovernorsoftheCommonwealth。BythistitleitisthatthePopeprevailedwiththesubjectsofallChristianprincestobelievethattodisobeyhimwastodisobeyChristhimself；andinalldifferencesbetweenhimandotherprincescharmedwiththewordpowerspiritualtoabandontheirlawfulsovereigns；whichisineffectauniversalmonarchyoverallChristendom。ForthoughtheywerefirstinvestedintherightofbeingsupremeteachersofChristiandoctrine，byandunderChristianemperorswithinthelimitsoftheRomanEmpireasisacknowledgedbythemselves，bythetitleofPontifexMaximus，whowasanofficersubjecttothecivilstate；yetaftertheEmpirewasdividedanddissolved，itwasnothardtoobtrudeuponthepeoplealreadysubjecttothem，anothertitle，namely，therightofSt。Peter；notonlytosaveentiretheirpretendedpower，butalsotoextendthesameoverthesameChristianprovinces，thoughnomoreunitedintheEmpireofRome。Thisbenefitofauniversalmonarchy，consideringthedesireofmentobearrule，isasufficientpresumptionthatthePopesthatpretendedtoit，andforalongtimeenjoyedit，weretheauthorsofthedoctrinebywhichitwasobtained；namely，thattheChurchnowonearthisthekingdomofChrist。Forthatgranted，itmustbeunderstoodthatChristhathsomelieutenantamongstusbywhomwearetobetoldwhatarehiscommandments。
AfterthatcertainChurcheshadrenouncedthisuniversalpowerofthePope，onewouldexpect，inreason，thatthecivilsovereignsinallthoseChurchesshouldhaverecoveredsomuchofitasbeforetheyhadunadvisedlyletitgowastheirownrightandintheirownhands。
AndinEnglanditwassoineffect；savingthattheybywhomthekingsadministeredthegovernmentofreligion，bymaintainingtheiremploymenttobeinGod’sright，seemedtousurp，ifnotasupremacy，yetanindependencyonthecivilpower：andtheybutseemedtousurpit，inasmuchastheyacknowledgedarightinthekingtodeprivethemoftheexerciseoftheirfunctionsathispleasure。
Butinthoseplaceswherethepresbyterytookthatoffice，thoughmanyotherdoctrinesoftheChurchofRomewereforbiddentobetaught；yetthisdoctrine，thatthekingdomofChristisalreadycome，andthatitbeganattheresurrectionofourSaviour，wasstillretained。Butcuibono？Whatprofitdidtheyexpectfromit？Thesamewhichthepopesexpected：tohaveasovereignpoweroverthepeople。Forwhatisitformentoexcommunicatetheirlawfulking，buttokeephimfromallplacesofGod’spublicserviceinhisownkingdom；andwithforcetoresisthimwhenhewithforceendeavourethtocorrectthem？Orwhatisit，withoutauthorityfromthecivilsovereign，toexcommunicateanyperson，buttotakefromhimhislawfulliberty，thatis，tousurpanunlawfulpowerovertheirbrethren？TheauthorsthereforeofthisdarknessinreligionaretheRomanandthePresbyterianclergy。
Tothishead，Ireferalsoallthosedoctrinesthatservethemtokeepthepossessionofthisspiritualsovereigntyafteritisgotten。Asfirst，thatthePope，inhispubliccapacity，cannoterr。
Forwhoistherethat，believingthistobetrue，willnotreadilyobeyhiminwhatsoeverhecommands？
Secondly，thatallotherbishops，inwhatCommonwealthsoever，havenottheirright，neitherimmediatelyfromGod，normediatelyfromtheircivilsovereigns，butfromthePope，isadoctrinebywhichtherecomestobeineveryChristianCommonwealthmanypotentmenforsoareBishopsthathavetheirdependenceonthePope，oweobediencetohim，thoughhebeaforeignprince；bywhichmeansheisable，ashehathdonemanytimes，toraiseacivilwaragainstthestatethatsubmitsnotitselftobegovernedaccordingtohispleasureandinterest。
Thirdly，theexemptionoftheseandofallotherpriests，andofallmonksandfriars，fromthepowerofthecivillaws。Forbythismeans，thereisagreatpartofeveryCommonwealththatenjoythebenefitofthelawsandareprotectedbythepowerofthecivilstate，whichneverthelesspaynopartofthepublicexpense；norareliabletothepenalties，asothersubjects，duetotheircrimes；and，consequently，standnotinfearofanyman，butthePope；andadheretohimonly，toupholdhisuniversalmonarchy。
Fourthly，thegivingtotheirpriestswhichisnomoreintheNewTestamentbutpresbyters，thatis，eldersthenameofsacerdotes，thatis，sacrificers，whichwasthetitleofthecivilsovereign，andhispublicministers，amongsttheJews，whilstGodwastheirking。
Also，themakingtheLord’sSupperasacrificeservethtomakethepeoplebelievethePopehaththesamepoweroverallChristiansthatMosesandAaronhadovertheJews；thatistosay，allpower，bothcivilandecclesiastical，asthehighpriestthenhad。
Fifthly，theteachingthatmatrimonyisasacramentgivethtotheclergythejudgingofthelawfulnessofmarriages；andthereby，ofwhatchildrenarelegitimate；andconsequently，oftherightofsuccessiontohereditarykingdoms。
Sixthly，thedenialofmarriagetopriestsservethtoassurethispowerofthePopeoverkings。Forifakingbeapriest，hecannotmarryandtransmithiskingdomtohisposterity；ifhebenotapriest，thenthePopepretendeththisauthorityecclesiasticaloverhim，andoverhispeople。
Seventhly，fromauricularconfessiontheyobtain，fortheassuranceoftheirpower，betterintelligenceofthedesignsofprincesandgreatpersonsinthecivilstatethanthesecanhaveofthedesignsofthestateecclesiastical。
Eighthly，bythecanonizationofsaints，anddeclaringwhoaremartyrs，theyassuretheirpowerinthattheyinducesimplemenintoanobstinacyagainstthelawsandcommandsoftheircivilsovereigns，eventodeath，ifbythePope’sexcommunicationtheybedeclaredhereticsorenemiestotheChurch；thatis，astheyinterpretit，tothePope。
Ninthly，theyassurethesame，bythepowertheyascribetoeverypriestofmakingChrist；andbythepowerofordainingpenance，andofremittingandretainingofsins。
Tenthly，bythedoctrineofpurgatory，ofjustificationbyexternalworks，andofindulgences，theclergyisenriched。
Eleventhly，bytheirdemonology，andtheuseofexorcism，andotherthingsappertainingthereto，theykeep，orthinktheykeep，thepeoplemoreinaweoftheirpower。
Lastly，themetaphysics，ethics，andpoliticsofAristotle，thefrivolousdistinctions，barbarousterms，andobscurelanguageoftheSchoolmen，taughtintheuniversitieswhichhavebeenallerectedandregulatedbythePope’sauthority，servethemtokeeptheseerrorsfrombeingdetected，andtomakemenmistaketheignisfatuusofvainphilosophyforthelightoftheGospel。