Obser 1. pag. 155. even of goodnesse are in no case to be so highly esteemed as those which are commanded of God Vnderstand this of those works which yet are not will-worship and devises of mans brain For such are wholly to be rejected as is also said of such a little after that are not of faith but contrary to faith Vpon the same By taking heed that they fall not into mortall sinne Looke the 2. Obser 2 pag. 157. observation upon the Saxonie Confession in the 4. Section Vpon the same First for this cause that is for divers causes whereof this is one Obser 3. pag. 157. Lest that the grace of faith which we have already c. Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THe Gospell bewrayeth our sinne These words seeme thus to be Obser 1. pag. 163. understood that the Gospell should bewray all kinde of sinne yet not properly and by it selfe For the proper difference betweene the law and the Gospell is to be held fast to wit that the Gospell doth properly reprove the sinne of infidelitie and by an accident all other sins also but the law doth properly reprove all sins whatsoever are committed against it Vpon the same And deserveth reward Touching the word of meriting or deserving Obser 2 pag. 169. which this Confession useth oft in this Section Looke before in the 8. Sect. the 7. observation upon this same Confession and looke the 1. observation upon the Confession of Wirtemberge in this Section And againe after in the 16. Section the 1. observation on this Confession Vpon the same Living in mortall sinne Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 2. observation Obser 3. pag. 167. upon the Confession of Saxonie Nor the righteousnesse of works Looke before in the 4. Section Obser 4. pag. 167. the 1. observation upon the Confession of Saxonie Vpon the same And like as the preaching of repentance in generall so the promise Obser 5. pag. 169. of grace Generall that is offered to all sorts of men indefinitely as well to one as to another without difference of countrey sexe place time or age But we cannot conceive how repentance and the promise of grace can be said to be preached universally to every nation much lesse to all men particularly for as much as experience doth plainly prove that to be untrue Vpon the same Here needeth no disputation of predestination Even as we doe Obser 6. pag. 169. abhorre curious disputations that is such as passe the bounds of Gods word touching predestination of which sort we take these words to be meant as most dangerous matters for grievous fals so we affirme that whatsoever the holy Ghost doth teach touching this point in the holy Scriptures is warily and wisely to be propounded and beleeved in the Church as well as other parts of Christian Religion which thing the Doctors of the Church both old and new did and among the rest Master Luther himselfe in his booke de servo arbitrio and else-where Vpon the same That they be necessary We take them to be necessary because Observ 7. page 173. they doe necessarily follow the true faith whereby we are justified not that they concurre unto the working of our justification in Christ as either principall or secundarie causes for that faith it selfe as it is an inherent qualitie doth not justifie but onely in as much as it doth apprehend and lay hold on Christ our righteousnesse Vpon the same Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe outward Observ 8. page 175. honest deeds c. Looke in the 4. Sect. the 3. observation upon this Confession Vpon the same Moreover nature by it selfe is weake Without Christ and without Observ 9. page 175. regeneration the nature of man can doe nothing but sin For God by his grace doth create the habilitie of thinking willing and doing well not helping the old man in that he wanteth but by little and little abolishing it According to that saying When we were dead in sins c. Ephes 2. But touching the weaknesse of our nature looke that which was said in the 1. observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Section 4. Vpon the Confession of Saxonie BEcause that God left this libertie in man after this fall Here also Obser 1. pag. 181. looke in the 4. Sect. the 1. observ upon the Confession of Bohemia and the 3. upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Therefore although men by the naturall strength Looke here Obser 2. pag. 190. againe the 1. observation upon the Confession of Bohemia in the 4. Section and also the 9. observation upon the Confession of Auspurge in this same Section Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge VVE teach that good works are necessarily to be done and doe Obser 1. pag. 198. deserve c. That is obtaine and that as it is well added by and by after by the free mercy and goodnesse of God Touching which point looke the 7. observ upon the Confession of Auspurge in the 8. Sect. the 2. observ upon the same Confession in this Sect. Also touching the necessitie of good works looke the 7. observ upon the same Confession in this selfe same Section IN THE TENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia ANd no marvell if it erre How and in what respect the visible Obser 1. pag. 206. Church considered universally is said to erre it is afterward declared more fully in this same Confession Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe Heathenish life This saying the brethren in Bohemia did Obser 1. pag. 213. themselves expound thus unto us in their letters to wit that they speake here of the notes of the visible Church which are all joyntly to be considered that looke where both the errours of Idolaters and heretikes and impietie of life doe openly overflow there it cannot safely be affirmed that the visible Church of Christ is to be seene or is at all And yet notwithstanding there is no doubt to be made but some secret true members of Christ and such as it may be are onely knowne to God be there hid and therefore that there is a Church even in Poperie as it were overwhelmed and drowned whence God will fetch out his elect and gather them to the visible Churches that are restored and reformed whereas Popery never was nor is the true Church Vpon the same But he that looseth In what sense we thinke that a true faith Observ 2. page 214. may be lost we have declared before in the fourth Section in the first observation of the Confession of Saxonie and elsewhere Vpon the same By Ecclesiasticall punishment which is commonly called c. We Observ 3. page 215. take this to be so meant as that notwithstanding every Church hath her libertie left unto her what way to exercise such discipline as is before said in the first observation upon this same confession in the 8. Section As for this
which be without the reach of our capacity Nay rather we apply to our owne use that which the Scripture teacheth for our quietnesse and contentation sake to wit that God to whom all things are subject with a fatherly care watcheth for us so that not so much as a haire of our head falleth to the ground without his will and that he hath Satan and all our adversaries so fast bound that unlesse leave be given them they cannot doe us any little harme Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE know God by two manner of wayes first by the making Artic. 2. preserving and governing of this whole world For that to our eyes is as a most excellent book in which all creatures from the least to the greatest are graven as it were characters and certaine letters by which the invisible things of God may be seen and known of us namely his everlasting power and Godhead as Paul the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. Chap. 10. which knowledge sufficeth to convince and make all men without excuse c. Looke for the rest in the first Section of the Scripture and in the second Section of God Artic. 12. VVE beleeve that the Father by his word that is by the Son made heaven earth and all other creatures of nothing when he saw it fit and convenient and gave to every one his being forme and divers offices that they might serve their Creator and that he doth now cherish uphold and governe them all according to his everlasting providence and infinite power and that to this end that they might serve man and man might serve his God He also made the Angels all good by nature that they might be his Ministers and might also attend upon the Elect of which notwithstanding some fell from that excellent nature in which God had created them into everlasting destruction but some by the singular grace of God abode in the first State of theirs but the Devils and those wicked spirits are so corrupted and defiled that they be sworn enemies to good and all goodnesse which as theeves out of a watch tower lye in waite for the Church and all the members thereof that by their juglings and deceits they may destroy and lay waste all things Therefore being through their own malice addicted to everlasting condemnation they look every day for the dreadfull punishments of their mischiefs We therefore in this place reject the errour of the Saduces who denied that there were any spirits or Angels as also the errour of the Manichees who hold that the Devils have their beginning of themselves and of their own nature evill and not corrupted by wilfull disobedience We beleeve that this most gracious and mightie God after he had made all things left them not to be ruled after the will of chance or fortune but himselfe doth so continually rule and governe them according to the prescript rule of his holy will that nothing can happen in this world without his Decree and Ordinance and yet God cannot be said to be either the author or guiltie of the evils that happen in this world For both his infinite and incomprehensible power and goodnesse stretcheth so farre that even then he decreeth and executeth his works and deeds justly and holily when as both the devill and the wicked doe unjustly And whatsoever things he doth passing the reach of mans capacitie we will not curiously and above our capacitie inquire into them Nay rather we humbly and reverently adore the secret yet just judgements of God For it sufficeth us as being Christs Disciples to learne onely those things which he himself teacheth in his word neither doe we thinke it lawfull to passe these bounds And this doctrin affordeth us exceeding great comfort For by it we know that nothing befalleth us by chance but all by the will of our heavenly Father who watcheth over us with a Fatherly care indeed having all things in subjection to himself so that not a haire of our head which are every one numbred can be plucked away nor the least sparrow light on the ground without the will of our Father In these things therefore do we wholly rest acknowledging that God holdeth the Devils and all our enemies so bridled as it were with snaffles that without his will and good leave they are not able to hurt any of us and in this place we reject the detestable opinion of the Epicures who fained God to be idle to doe nothing and to commit all things to chance THE FOVRTH SECTION OF MANS FALL SIN AND FREE-WILL The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of mans fall fin and the cause of sin CHAP. 8. MAN was from the beginning created of God after the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse good and upright but by the instinct of the Serpent and his own fault falling from goodnesse and uprightnesse became subject to sin death and divers calamities and such an one as he became by his fall such are all his off-spring even subject to sin death and sundry calamities And we take sin to be that naturall corruption of man derived or spread from those our first parents unto us all through which we being drowned in evill concupiscences and cleane turned away from God but prone to all evill full of all wickednesse distrust contempt and hatred of God can doe no good of our selves no not so much as thinke of any And that more is even as Matth. 12. we doe grow in yeers so by wicked thoughts words and deeds committed against the law of God we bring forth corrupt fruits worthy of an evill tree in which respect we through our own desert being subject to the wrath of God are in danger of just punishments so that we had all been cast away from God had not Christ the Deliverer brought us back again By death therefore we understand not only bodily death which is once to be suffered of all us for sins but also everlasting punishments due to our corruption and to our sins For the Apostle Eph. 2. saith We were dead in trespasses and sins and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But God which is rich in mercie even when we were dead by sins quickened us together in Christ Againe As by one man sin entred into the world and by sin death and Rom. 5. so death went over all men for as much as all men have sinned c. We therefore acknowledge that originall sin is in all men we acknowledge that all other sins which spring here out are both called and are in deed sins by what name soever they be tearmed whether mortall or veniall or also that which is called sin against the holy Ghost which is never forgiven we also confesse that sins are not equall although they spring from the same fountaine Mar. 3. 1 Joh. 5. Matth. 10. 11. of corruption and unbeliefe but that some are more grievous then other even as the Lord hath
doctrine of faith while they leave the conscience in doubt and would have men to merit remission of sinnes by their workes and teach not that we doe by faith alone undoubtedly receive remission of sinnes for Christs sake When as therefore the doctrine of faith which should be especially above others taught in the Church hath been so long unknowne as all men must needs grant that there was not a word of the righteousnesse of faith in all their Sermons and that the doctrine of workes onely was usuall in the Churches for this cause our Divines did thus admonish the Churches First that our workes cannot reconcile God unto us or deserve remission of sinnes grace and justification at his hands But this we must obtaine by faith whiles we beleeve that we are received into favour for Christs sake who alone is appointed the Mediatour and Intercessour by whom the Father is reconciled to us He therefore that trusteth by his workes to merit grace doth despise the merit and grace of Christ and seeketh by his owne power without Christ to come unto the Father whereas Christ hath said expresly of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life This Doctrine of Faith is handled by Paul almost in every Epistle Ephes 2. Ye are saved freely by faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of workes c. And lest any here should cavill that we bring in a new found interpretation this whole cause is underpropped with testimonies of the Fathers Augustine doth in many volumes defend grace and the righteousnesse of faith against the merit of workes The like doth Ambrose teach in his book De vocat Gent. and else where for thus he saith in the forenamed place The redemption made by the blood of Christ would be of small account and the prerogative of mans workes would not give place to the mercy of God if the iustification which is by grace were due to merits going before so as it should not be the liberalitie of the giver but the wages or hire of the labourer This doctrine though it be contemned of the unskilfull sort yet the godly and fearefull conscience doth finde by experience that it bringeth very great comfort because that the consciences cannot be quieted by any workes but by faith alone when as they beleeve assuredly that God is appeased towards them for Christs sake as Paul teacheth Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we have peace with God This doctrine doth wholly belong to the conflict of a troubled conscience and cannot be well understood but where the conscience hath felt a conflict Wherefore all such as have had no experience thereof and all that are prophane men which dreame that Christian righteousnesse is naught else but a civill and phylosophicall justice are evill judges of this matter In former ages mens consciences were vexed with the doctrine of works they never heard any comfort out of the Gospel Whereupon conscience drave some into Monasteries hoping there to merit favour by a monasticall life Others found out other workes whereby to merit favour and to satisfie for sinne There was very great need therefore to teach this doctrine of faith in Christ and after so long time to renue it to the end that fearefull consciences might not want comfort but might know that grace and forgivenesse of sinnes and justification were apprehended and received by faith in Christ Another thing which we teach men is that in this place the name of Faith doth not onely signifie a bare knowledge of the history which may be in the wicked and as in the Devill but it signifieth a faith which beleeveth not onely the history but also the effect of the historie to wit the article of remission of sinnes namely that by Christ we have grace righteousnesse and remission of sinnes Now he that knoweth that the father is mercifull to him through Christ this man knoweth God truely he knoweth that God hath a care of him he loveth God and calleth upon him In a word he is not without God in the world as the Gentiles are As for the Devils and the wicked they can never beleeve this article of the remission of sinnes And therefore they hate God as their enemie they call not upon him they looke for no good thing at his hands After this manner doth Augustine admonish his Reader touching the name of faith and teacheth that this word faith is taken in Scriptures not for such a knowledge as is in the wicked but for a trust and confidence which doth comfort and cheere up disquieted mindes Moreover our Divines doe teach that it is requisite to doe good workes not for to hope to deserve grace by them but because it is the will of God that we should doe them And because that the holy spirit is received by faith our hearts are presently renued and doe put on new affections so as they are able to bring forth good workes For so saith Ambrose Faith is the breeder of a good will and of good actions For mans powers without the holy spirit are full of wicked affections and are weaker then that they can doe any good deed before God Besides they are in the devils power who driveth men forward into divers sinnes into profane opinions and into very hainous crimes As was to be seene in the Philosophers who assaying to live an honest life could not attaine unto it but defiled themselves with open and grosse faults Such is the weakenesse of man when he is without faith and the holy Spirit and hath no other guide but the naturall powers of man Hereby every man may see that this doctrine is not to be accused as forbidding good works but rather is much tobe cōmended because it sheweth after what sort we must doe good workes For without faith the nature of man can by no meanes performe the workes of the first and second table Without faith it cannot call upon God hope in God beare the crosse but seeketh helpe from man and trusteth in mans helpe So it commeth to passe that all lusts and desires and all humane devises and counsels doe beare sway so long as faith and trust in God is absent Wherefore Christ saith Without me ye can doe nothing Iohn 15. and the Church singeth Without thy power there is naught in man and there is nothing but that which is hurtfull Out of the Confession of SAXONY Of the remission of sinnes and of Iustification VVE said before that these controversies doe pertaine to the interpreting of two Articles of the Creed I beleeve the remission of sinnes and I beleeve the holy Catholike Church Neither doe we speake of not necessary or light things It is most necessary that in the Church the doctrine touching sinne should be propounded and that men should know what sinne is and that there should be an evident difference betweene politicall judgements and the judgement of God But seeing our adversaries doe not teach aright what
that his minde may be stirred up and made more apt for heavenly affections It is not to bee thought that these exercises are a worship of God that deserve remission of sinnes or that they be satisfactions c. And this discipline must be continuall neither can certain dayes be set and appointed equally for all Of this discipline Christ speaketh Beware that your bodies be not oppressed with surfetâ—ing Againe This kinde of Devils doth not goe out but by fasting and prayer And Paul saith I chastise my body and bring it in bondage Wherefore we do not mislike fastings but superstitious opinions which be snares for mens consciences that are put in traditions Moreover these exercises when as they are referred unto that end that we may have our bodies fit for spirituall things and to doe our duties according to a mans calling c. they are good in the godly and * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession meritorious workes as the example of Daniel doth testifie For they be works which God requireth to this end that they may subdue the flesh This former Article we found placed elsewhere in the fifth place among those wherein the abuses that are changed are reckoned up Of the difference of meats Artic. 5. This Treatise of ceremonies repeated generally doth properly pertaine unto the Section next following and unto this Section the next must be added because here is speciall mention of fastings and holy daies as we mentioned in the former Article IT hath beene a common opinion not of the common sort alone but also of such as are teachers in the Churches that the differences of meates and such like humane traditions are works available to merit remission both of the fault and of the punishment And that the world thus thought it is apparant by this that daily new ceremonies new orders new holy dayes new fasts were appointed and the teachers in the Churches did exact these workse at the peoples hands as a service necessary to deserve justification by and they did greatly terrifie their consciences if ought were omitted * Of this perswasion of traditions many discommodities have followed in the Church For first the doctrine of grace is obscured by it also the righteousnesse of faith which is the most especiall point of the Gospel and which it behoveth most of all to be extant and to have the preheminence in the Church that the merit of Christ may be well known and faith which beleeveth that sinnes are remitted through Christ and not for any works of ours may be exalted farre above works For which cause also Saint Paul laboureth much in this point he removeth the law and humane traditions that he may shew that the righteousnesse of Christ is a farre other thing then such workes as these be namely a faith which beleeveth that sins are freely remitted through Christ But this doctrine of S. Paul is almost wholly smothered by traditions which have bred an opinion that by making difference in meats and such like services a man must merit remission of sinnes and justification In their doctrine of repentance there was no mention of faith onely these satisfactory works were spoken of Repentance seemed to stand wholly in these Secondly these traditions obscured the Commandements of God that they could not be knowne because that traditions were preferred farre above the Commandements of God All Christianitie was thought to be an observation of certaine holy dayes rites fasts and attire These observations carried a goodly title and name that they were the spirituall life and the perfect life In the meane season Gods Commandements touching every mans calling were of small estimation That the father brought up his children that the mother bare them that the Prince governed the common wealth these were reputed worldly affaires and unperfect and farre inferiour to those glistering observations and orders And these errors did greatly torment good mindes which were grieved that they were handfasted to an unperfect kinde of life in marriage in Magistracie and in other civill functions They had the Monks and such like men in admiration and falsely imagined that their orders did more deserve remission of sinnes and justification Thirdly traditions brought great danger to mens consciences because it was impossible to keep them all and yet men thought the observation of them to be necessarie duties Gerson writeth that many fell into despaire and some murdered themselves because they perceived that they could not keepe the traditions and all this while they never heard the comfort of the righteousnesse of faith or of grace We see the Summists and Divines gather together the traditions and seeke qualifications of them to unburden mens consciences and yet all will not serve but sometimes they bring more snares upon the conscience The Schooles and Pulpits have beene so busied in gathering together the traditions that they had not leasure once to touch the Scripture and to seeke out a more profitable doctrine of faith of the Crosse of hope of the dignitie of civill affaires of the comfort of consciences in perilous assaults Wherefore Gerson and some other Divines have made grievous complaints that they were hindered by braules about traditions that they could not be occupied in some better kinde of doctrine And Saint Augustine forbiddeth that mens consciences should be burdened with such kinde of observations and doth very wisely warne Januarius to know that they are to be observed indifferently for he so speaketh Wherefore our Ministers must not be thought to have touched this matter unadvisedly for hatred of the Bishops as some doe falsely surmise There was great need to admonish the Churches of those errors which did arise from mistaking of traditions for the Gospel driveth men to urge the doctrine of grace and the of righteousnes of faith in the Church which yet can never be understood if men suppose that they can merit remission of sinnes and iustification by observation of their owne choice Thus therefore they have taught us that we can never merit remission of sinnes and justification by the observation of mans traditions and therefore that we must not thinke that such observations are necessarie duties Hereunto they adde testimonies out of the Scriptures Christ excuseth his disciples Matth. 15. which kept not the received tradition which yet seemed to be about a matter not unlawfull but indifferent and to have some affinitie with the washings of the law and saith They worship me in vaine with the precepts of men Christ therefore requireth no unprofitable worship and a little after he addeth All that entereth in at the mouth defileth not the man Againe Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke Col. 2. Let no man iudge you in meat or drinke in a Sabbath or in an holy day Againe If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdened with traditions Touch not taste not handle not
that he will vouchsafe to rule preserve purge and increase his Church which he hath purchased and redeemed by the blood of his Sonne Amen The faithfull and subiects to the Emperours Maiestie Iohn Duke of Saxonie Elector George Marques of Brandembrough Ernest Duke of Luneborough Philip the Lantgrave of the Hesses Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxonie Francis Duke of Luneborough Wolfgang Prince of Anhalt The Senate and Magistrates of Nurnborough The Senate of Reutling Out of the Confession of SAXONY Artic. 23. Of the civill Magistrate BY the benefit of God this part also of doctrine of the authoritie of the Magistrate that beareth the sword and of the authoritie of Laws and Iudgements and of the whole civill state is godlily set forth and by great travell and many writings the manifold and great furies of the Anabaptists and other fantasticall men are refuted We teach therefore that in the whole doctrine of God delivered by the Apostles and Prophets and degrees of the civill state are avouched and that Magistrates Laws order in judgements and the lawfull societie of mankinde are not by chance sprung up among men And although there be many horrible confusions which grow from the Devill and the madnesse of men yet the lawfull government and societie of men is ordained of God and whatsoever order is yet left by the exceeding goodnesse of God it is preserved for the Church sake as it is said Rom. 13. and Psal 126. Except the Lord keepe the Citie in vaine he watcheth that keepeth it c. Therefore in themselves they are things good to beare the authoritie of a Magistrate to be a Iudge to be a Minister to execute judgements to make lawfull warres and to be a souldier in lawfull warres c. And a Christian man may use these things as he useth meat drinke medicines buying and selling Neither doth he sinne that is a Magistrate and dischargeth his vocation that exerciseth judgement that goeth to warre that punisheth lawfully those that are condemned c. And subiects owe unto the civill Magistrate obedience as Paul saith Romanes 13. Not onely because of wrath that is for feare of corporall punishment wherewith the rebellious are rewarded by the Magistrate but also for conscience sake that is rebellion is a sinne that offendeth God and withdraweth the conscience from God This heavenly doctrin we propound unto the Churches which establisheth lawfull authoritie and the whole civill state and we shew the difference of the Gospell and the civill government God would have all men to be ruled and kept in order by civill government even those that are not regenerate in this government the wisdome justice and goodnesse of God toward mankinde is most clearely to be seene His wisdome is declared by order which is in the discerning of vertues and vices and in the societie of mankinde under lawfull government and in contracts guided and disposed by marvellous wisdome Then the justice of God appeareth in civill government in that he will have open sinnes to be punished by the Magistrates and when they that are in authoritie doe not take punishment on offenders God himselfe miraculously draweth them unto punishment and proportionably doth lay upon grievous sins grievous punishment in this life as it is said Matth. 26. Whosoever taketh the sword shall perish with the sword and Heb. 3. Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge In these punishments God will have to be seene the differences of vertues and vices and will have us learne that God is wise just true and chaste The goodnesse of God also toward mankinde is seene in that he preserveth the societie of men after this order And for that cause doth he maintaine it that from thence his Church may be gathered and he will have Common-wealthes to be places for the entertainment of his Church And the civill government is one thing which keepeth in order all men even those that are not regenerate and forgivenesse of sins and righteousnesse in the heart which is the beginning of life and of eternall salvation which by the voice of the Gospell is effected in the hearts of them that beleeve is another thing Both these benefits God hath bestowed upon mankinde and will have us to understand the difference of civill justice and light in our hearts Neither doth the Gospell condemne or overthrow Common-wealths or families And although it belong not to those that teach in the Church to give particular laws of politique government yet the word of God doth generally teach this of the power of the Magistrate First God would that the Magistrate without all doubt should sound forth the voice of the morall law among men touching discipline according to the ten commandements or the law naturall that is he would have by the voice of the Magistrate first soveraigne and immutable laws to be propounded forbidding the worship of Idols blasphemies perjuries unjust murders wandring lusts breach of of wedlock theft and fraud in bargains contracts and judgements The second dutie Let the Magistrate be an observer of these divine and immutable lawes which are witnesses of God and chiefe rules of manners by punishing all those that transgresse the same For the voyce of the law without punishment and execution is little availeable to bridle and restraine men Therefore it is said by Saint Paul Rom. 13. The Magistrate is a terrour to him that doth evill and giveth honour to them that doe well And well hath it beene said of old The Magistrate is a keeper of the Law that is of the first and second Table as concerning discipline and good order The third dutie of the civill Magistrate is to adde unto the law naturall some other lawes defining the circumstances of the naturall law and to keep and maintaine the same by punishing the transgressours but at no hand to suffer or defend lawes contrary to the law of God or nature as it is written Isa 10. Woe be to them that make wicked lawes For kingdomes are the ordinance of God wherein the wisedome and justice of God that is just lawes ought to rule even as the wise King and one that feared God Jehosaphat said 2 Chron. 19. Ye exercise not the iudgement of men but of God who is with you in iudgement Let the feare of God be with you and doe all things diligently For although many in kingdomes doe despise the glory of God yet notwithstanding this ought to be their especiall care to heare and imbrace the true doctrine of the Sonne of God and to cherish the Churches as the second Psalme speaketh And now ye Kings understand and be learned ye that iudge the earth And Psal 23. Ye Princes open your gates that is open your kingdomes to the Gospel and give entertainement to the Sonne of God And Isa 49. and Kings and Queenes shall be thy nurces that is let common wealths be nurces of the Church let them give entertainement to the Church and to godly studies Let Kings and Princes