Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion in Reference to Civil Society

The Contents

THE CONTENTS Page Sect. 1. Concerning Religion beflre Civil Societies were Instituted 12 Sect. 2. Every Man is accountable to Godfor his own Religion 13 Sect. 3. How the same might be exercised in the free State ofNature 14 Sect. 4. Parents had originally the Care ofReligious Worship lodged in them 15 Sect. 5. Civil Societies were not constitutedfOr Religions sake 17 Sect. 6. Subjects did never submit their Opinions, as to Religious Worship, to the Disposal oftheir Sovereigns 18 Sect. 7. What Power properly, and according to the Laws ofNature, belongs to Sovereigns in Ecclesiastical A~i~ 20 Sect. 8. Ofthe Nature ofRevealed Religion 22 Sect. 9. Among the Jews there was a very strict Union betwixt the Church and State 23 Sect. 10. Who was the Supream Head ofthe Jewish Chu~h 25 7 8 OD TIlE NATURE AND QUALIDICATION OD RELIGION Sect. II. The Christian Religion is quite different from the Jewish 26 Sect. 12. Some Reflections on the Behaviour ofMoses, when he laid the Foundation ofthe Commonwealth of ~Je~ ~ Sect. 13. What on the other Hand our Saviour did, when he Established his Church here on Earth 29 Sect. 14. Christ was not the Founder ofa New Commonwealth or People 30 Sect. 15. Neither had he any Territories belonging to him 31 Sect. 16. Christ did not exercise any Sovereign Power 32 Sect. 17. But the Office ofa Doctor or Teacher 32 Sect. 18. The Apostles did propagate the Doctrine ofour Saviour 36 Sect. 19. The Apostles had received their Authority of Teaching from God alone, independantfrom any Human Power 37 Sect. 20. The Apostles never assumed any Authority of Commanding others 39 Sect. 21. Whether their Authority ofTeaching does indirectly imply any right ofCommanding others 41 Sect. 22. Whether the Power ofAbsolution does imply any Right ofSovereignty 42 Sect. 23. What is to be understood by absolvingfrom Sins 44 Sect. 24. Under whose Authority the Apostles did exercise the Power ofAbsolution 46 Sect. 25. Ofwhat nature it was 47 OF THE NATURE AND QUALIFICATION OF RELIGION 9 Sect. 26. Whether St. Peter had any Prerogative granted above others 50 Sect. 27. Whether the Power ofExcommunicating imply Sovereignty 51 Sect. 28. The Commission granted by Christ to his Apostles contains nothing ofCommand 54 Sect. 29. The Kingdom ofChrist is no Temporal Kingdom 56 Sect. 30. Whether the Christian Church ought to be considered as a State or Sovereignty 59 Sect. 31. In the Primitive Church there was nothing ~# ~ Sect. 32. There is a great difference betwixt the Church and State 67 Sect. 33. And the Doctors or Teachers in the Church are quite differentfrom those that exercise the Sovereignty in a State 69 Sect. 34. Whether the whole Christian Church ought to be considered as a State 73 Sect. 35. It is not requisite to reduce the whole Christian Church under one Independant Sovereignty or Head 75 [Sect. 36. Whether there ought not to be one Supream Judge in the Church, to determine such Differences as may arise from time to time] 75 Sect. 37. An Example ofa Controversie composed in the Apostles Times 81 Sect. 38. Some Observations concerning the Nature and Usefulness ofGeneral Councils 83 Sect. 39. Concerning the Condition ofthe Christian Church under the Pagan Princes 86 10 OD TIlE NATURE AND QUALIDICATION OD RELIGION Sect. 40. Concerning its Condition under the Christian Emperours 91 Sect. 41. The Church has not changed her Nature of being a Colledge or Society 92 Sect. 42. Neither are Sovereigns thereby become Bishops 93 Sect. 43. Christian Sovereigns are obliged to maintain and defend the Church 94 Sect. 44. Ofthe Prerogatives ofPrinces in Ecclesiastical A~in 96 Sect. 45. Ofthe Power ofSovereigns over the Church Afinuun 97 Sect. 46. Ofthe Power ofcalling a Synod or Convention 99 Sect. 47. Oftheir Power, as to Church-Discipline 100 Sect. 48. Oftheir Power ofmaking Laws and Ecclesiastical Constitutions 102 Sect. 49. How fitr Sovereigns are obliged to intermeddle in Religious A~irs, when the Publick Safety lies at stake 104 Sect. 50. Concerning TOleration ofseveral Religions 107 Sect. 51. Princes ought to be very careful not to be led away by fitlse Suggestions 109 Sect. 52. Sometimes the Prerogatives ofSovereigns are impaired under a religious Pretext 1I2 Sect. 53. Concerning the Power ofsetting up a Reftrmation 1I4 Sect. 54. Whether Subjects without the concurrence of their Sovereigns can pretend to set up a Reftrmation lIS ...