heretike Heretikes haue giuen their liues for the gospel Difference to be put betwixt the simple professours of errours and the obstinate maintainers of them What is the foundation of reliligion before and since the comming of Christ. The deuil hath knowledge but neither faith nor the profession of faith Mahometisme a mystical Ariaanisme No saluation The caâ—holicke Church cannot erre in the foundatioÌ„ of religion The catholicke Church hath often beene in most grieuous errours The catholicke Church doth continually encrease in number and in knowledge The catholicke Church hath no head oâ— outward gouernment The catholicke Church inâ—isible Dispersed Christians with the Churches professing the gospel make the Catholicke Church Eremeticall separation from the Church vnawfull How the sacraments may be priuately receiued God accepteth the imperfect seruice of those who cannot be in the visible Church Dispersed christians ought to labour by all meanes to ioyne themselues to some Church By what meanes God calleth those who are with out the visible Church Three things required to the constitution of a Church A diuerse gouernment maketh a distinct Church The whole nation of the Iewes made but one particular Church A particular Church often contained in one familie Why it was needful that the whole nation of the Iewes should be one particular church Better for a Church to consist of many christians then of a fewe No kinde of men excluded from being the Church of God The most barbarous may become Christians The planting of Churches belongeth to theÌ„ who haue either extraordinarie callings or the most excellent gifes Great care to be had in planting a Church The ministerie of the word was more effectuall in the primitiue Church then it hath bene at any time since The Iewes are to be conuerted by the generall consent of the Gentiles in receauing the gospell How infidels ought to be prepared for the doctrine of the gospell How the doctrine of the gospell is to be propounded to infidels Baptisme is the badge or liueray of christians Baptisme circumcision sacraments of the lawe of death Great seueritie in punishing open offences to be vsed in the planting of Churches The establishing of ecclesiasticall lawes among beleeuers maketh a Church Ecclesiasticall lawes or ecclesiasticall gouernment is partly diuine and partly humaâ—â— None but God can appoint the substance of Church-gouernment The gouernment of the Church alwaies changed to a better estate What was the state of the Church before the lawe What was the state of the Church vnder the lawe The state of the Church in the time of the gospel Thâ— Church in the time of the Gospel hath more of inward grace lesse in outward shewes and ceremonies The gouernment of the Church neuer altered but by men sent immediately from God The difference betwixt diuine and humane ecclesiastical lawes Humane ecclesiastical lawes are made of the circumstances of Gods worship How humane ecclesiastical lawes are set downe in the word of God In conuenieÌ„t lawes may lawfully be obeyed In making ecclesiastical lawes regard must be had of the knowledge or ignornance of the time Sharper laws to be made for one people then for another For what causes the multitude of ecclesiasticall lawes ought to be auoyded The difficulty of planting a Church maketh an vnâ—stablished state The number of Christians is to encrease daily The primitiue Church did most florish in spirituall giftes God maketh the building of the Church troublesomâ— and dangerous for the trial of those who build it The Church vttâ—râ—y â—uer throwen to mans iudgement Two kiâ—des of ciuil authoritie and 〈◊〉 What magistrates may be resisted in the cause of the Church The original of absolute authoâ—itie Vniust conquest and vsurpation may become a lawfull dominion Fliâ—ht iâ— time of persecution alwaies lawful and often good for the Church The Censures of the Church belong as well to christian rulers as to â—he people What cautions are to be obserued in excommunicating the câ—uill ruler Excommunication is no curse neither toucheth the authoritie of the magistrate Publicâ—e wants are to be priuately sâ—â—plied How we may lawfully remaine in an imperfect Church No corruption maketh them who holde the foundation of religion to be no Church The tenne tribes in their defection were the Church of God The ten tribes in thâ—ir defectâ— on were the Church of Gâ—d Idolatâ—ie the worship of the true God ioyned gâ—thâ—r The errours of the Iâ—wes before the comming of Christ. No publicke Church sauâ— the people of the Iewes til the daies of ConstaÌ„tine The causes of a priuate Câ—urch Priuate men may plante priuate Churches Euery one ought to builde the Church so farre as his authoritie stretcheth Christians in priuate Churches ought not to abhorre the company of infidels Priuate Chuâ—ches consist of the most sweeâ—e Chrisâ—ians What a publick Church is Why there were no publick Ch. in the daies of the Apostles Why publick churches can not be so perfect as priuaâ—e How publick Churches are called to the faith Publicke Churches stand no longer then they are vpheld by the ciuill magistrate The ministerie is a member of the ciuill bodie Magistrates haue charge of the soules their subiects No man ought to passe the limits of his calling in building the Church Christ is the head of the Church after another manner then men are The setting vp of a publicke Church doth not alter the forme of ciuill gouernment Ciuill states wel ordered are more fit harbours for the Ch. then disordered states In the first planting of a publicke Church the false worship is to bâ— abrogated by little little Obstinate infidels may be compelled to heare the word but not to be of the Church In case of necessity men of meane gifts may be admitted to the ministerie of the word The state of a priuate Church is popular but the state of a publicke Church is according to the forme of the ciuil gouernment Why the authoritie of the ciuill ruler ouer the Church is not mentioned by the Apostles in their writinges The vse of councels Why there is no meâ—tion made of couÌ„cels in the writings of the Apostles For what causes others besides the ministers of the word are to be admitted to ecclesiastical coÌ„sultations No ecclesiastical law can be made made in a publicke Ch. without the consent of the ciuill ruler The general consent of the Church confirmeth faith How the visible Church hath changed the dwelling place
paire of smale pigeons as a couple of great oxen and that the most maiesticall and stately monarches as namely our gratious soueraign inferiour to none in maiesty state haue as willingly stouped to a homely dish of fruit to a smale posie of three or foure flowers to a sheet of paper contayning in it no great mysteries as to great and fruitfull orchardes to the most faire and pleasant gardens or to great and huge volumes mirrours of wit and storehouses of all profound learning Yea we knowe that as God himselfe so also wise princes by his example doe often more willingly admit meane and simple then great and rich oblations as not carying with them any shewe of merite nor making the receauer beholden and indebted to the giuer In the which respect as we doe beare in our mindes vnfained loyaltie and loue of the greatnes whereof as there are many degrees of it we haue nothing to say but onely that it is farre lesse than it ought to be to her Maiesties state and person so we haue thought it meete to testifie the same vnto thee good reader by this meanes which now we vse Let not we pray thee the great wantes which thou mayest easely espy or rather can'st not but see in these treatises being for quantitie smale and contemptible for stile base yea rude for matter barren yea altogether void of that deepe learning which aboundeth in euerie booke and place breede in thy minde any suspition of want of affection or make thee thinke them altogether vnfit for this purpose We doe not goe about to make eyther comparison or contention betweene the excellency of the gift and of the receauer and thou art not ignorant that pence and halfe pence doe as decently cary about with them the name armes and image of the prince as the greatest peeces of gold or siluer and are as euident testimonies of the loyall subiection of the people amongest whom they are currant Howe then will some man say are all to be accounted vnduetifull subiectes who doe not by some such meanes testifie their good affection toward their prince or is it meete that euery three halfe penny pamphlet come foorth in her Maiesties name No surely the one is neyther needfull nor conuenient for it would be troublesome and tumultuous the other is not to be allowed Onely we meane that no man should be wanting as in bearing in his heart so in testifying vnto others his loue and loyalty towardes his prince when occasion is offered and doth so require And that the smalnesse or meannesse of the present especially in this kinde wherein it is after a sort commendable for we cannot thinke that great princes haue leysure to peruse many great volumes ought to make vs thinke it vnmeete for this purpose if that in other respectes it doe agree And whether this be a sufficient defence for our doing or no yet we trust that thou gentle reader to whom onely this booke although dedicated to her M. is to be offered and presented will not reiect it for the meannesse of it but take it in good part insteed of a better Thus we hauing penned and being about to publish these two treatises the one of the state of the kingdome of Israel the other of the right constitution of a Church seemed both to our selues and also to others to haue good oâ—casion offered of perfourming the aforesaid duety and that the arguments of these treatises did euen lead vs by the hand to this dedication It were rashnesse folly for any man to think that euery flower in his garden were a fit present for a prince although if there were any necessitie that he should of a suddaine testifie his submission the meanest would serue his turne to a gracious prince as Iacob bid his sonnes take with them a present to the ruler of Aegypt of such thinges as were readiest in the house yet if happelie his garden brought forth a flower of that kinde whereof the poet speaketh inscripti nomina regum wherein the name picture or armes of his prince were liuelely engrauen by nature her selfe who would not pardon his boldnesse in presenting it to him yea although it were not in any respect so faire pleasant and fragrant as many other Yea and if he should be drawen by affection or hope of gaine which hâ— perhaps would hope for rather at a meaner mans handes as hauing leasure to mind and remember the perfourmance of that duetie bestow it vpon any other iudge him an vnduetifull and vnthankefull subiect Thus our poore garden hath yeelded this treatise of the kingdome of Israell wherein nothing is worthy to be eyther commended or mentioneâ— but onely that it is if we be not deceaued a most true and liuely picture of her Maiesties state and crowne There are many fourmes of gouernment beside Monarchies and diuers kindes of kingdomes but as a base prâ—uerbe saith one egge is not more like to another then was this state to that gouernment vnder which we liue Neyther is there at this day any christian kingdome in the world that commeth so neare vnto it or rathen doth so match it in great power and surpassing maiesty yea in all other respectes of any moment Yea we neede not heere except thaâ— notable prerogatiue wherewith this kingdome was endued and adorned in that it was Gods kingdome founded established maintained and repaired by God himselfe for who knoweth not that God hath from time to time and doth at this day so watch ouer this kingdome and maintaine it against all aduersarie power whaâ—soeuer that it may truly be called Gods kingdom It is recorded of one Brightwold a Monke of Glastenburie that studying of the succession which at that time troubled him and many others he had reuealed vnto him in a dreame that Edward should be king and that he being not so content but asking further who should succeede him in the kingdome he receaued this answere or rather this reproofe Take thou no thought for such matters for the kingdome of England is Gods kingdome What credit is to be giuen to the author or what account is to be made of this dreaming prophet let others iudge yet as we finde it recorded in our Chronicles so we haue thought it not vnfit to be remembred in this place Besides we knowe that these powerfull and maiesticall kingdomes haue beene aâ—d are at this day oppugned by many yea vtterly reiected as vnlawfull and therefore this treatise presuming to giue his sentence on their side as being most lawfull gouernementes could not more fitly shrowde it selfe vnder any patronage then vnder that for the which it is like to be reiected by some Againe we haue annexed to this treatise of the kingdome of Israell a treatise of the right manner of framing or building the Church as it were ioyning the Church and the commonwealth into one bodie vnder one head as we are perswaded that they are not two but one onely bodie the which also
this people shoulde earnestly desire and seeke after wishing rather that euerie one be content with that gouernment which is already established in the place where he liueth not thinking of any alteration which is verie dangerous and bringeth with it as alwaies great troubles so often a finall ouerthrow to the people But we leaue it to them who professe knowledge and experience in these matters to determine what kinde of gouernment is eyther most excellent in the owne nature and in contemplation or most conuenient to be put in practise Onely we purpose to make a bare and historical narration of the state of this kingdome the which we trust is not vnprofitable but will serue for the good of the reader in diuers respectes especially in those which haue bene already mentioned The former treatise hath these Sections SEction 1. Of the occasion meaning and diuision of the wordes of the text Pag. 1 Sect. 2. Of magistracie in generall Pag. 4 Sect. 3. Of the state of this kingdome in generall Pag. 9 Sect. 4. That the authoritie of the land was wholly in the handes of the king all other being priuate persons in respecte of him Pag. 12 Sect. 5. That it was nâ—t lawfull to vse any violence against the persons or the proceedinges no not of the wicked kinges Pag. 17 Sect. 6. Of the obiections which are made against the former position Pag. 22 Sect. 7. What was the behauioâ—r of the subiectes in regarde of iniuries offered by their kiâ—ges Pag. 28 Sect. 8. Whether the setting vp of this monarchicall estate were commodious or hurtful to the people Pag. 30 Sect. 9. That no person whatsoeuer was exempted from this power Pag. 34 Sect. 10. What was the power of this kingdome in ecclesiasticall causes Pag. 39 Sect. 11. That the power of this kingdome was free from positiue lawes and a peremptorie power Pag. 46 Sect. 12. Of the causes of the great maiestie of this kingdome Pag. 50 Sect. 13. Of the particulars in the said Maiesty Pag. 54 Sect. 14. That this kingdome was a lawfull kinde of gouernement and how it was subiect to God Pag. 61 Sect. 15. Of the actions of Samuel Pag. 67 The Argument of the latter treatise is the Church militant considered in general in the first chapter of the catholiick Church sections 8. particular in the members of the catholicke Church dispersed abroad in the second chap. sections 3. ioyned together in a particular Church whereof we are to entreate seuerally declaring in generall the definitioÌ„ of a particular Ch. in the attributes chapter 3. Sections 3. the building of it to wit the laying the foundation Ch. 4. Sect. 4. the setting vp the frame by establishing lawes ecclesiasticall diuine Ch. 5. Sect. 2. humane C. 6. of ecclesiasticall constitutions sect 5. of the diuers states of it Ch. 7. Sect. 11 In particular the diuerse kindes of a Church which is eyther priuate Ch. 8. Sect. 3. or publicke Chap. 9. Sections 9. Ioyntly in the coniunction of some particular Churches Chap. 10. Sect. 4. all the which make the visible Church Chap. 11. The Argument Chapter 1. Of the catholicke Church SEction 1. Of the name and definition of the catholicke Church pag. 1 Sect. 2. Of the place of the catholicke Church pag. 3 Sect. 3. That hypocrites are members of the catholicke Church pag. 4 Sect. 4. That heretickes are members of the catholicke Church pag. 8 Sect. 5. Of those who dissemble their profession pag. 16 Sect. 6. Who are without the catholicke Church pag. 17 Sect. 7. Of the attributes of the catholicke Church pag. 18 Sect. 8. Of the distribution of the catholicke Church pag. 21 Chapter 2. Of the dispersed members of the Church Sect. 1. For what cause men are separated from the Church pag. 22 Sect. 2. How they serue God pag. 25 Sect. 3. What to thinke of their saluation pag. 26 Chapter 3. Of a particular church Sect. 1. Of the originall of it pag. 29 Sect. 2. Of the definition of it pag. 30 Seâ—â— 3. Of the number of iâ— pag. 32 Chapter 4. Of the planting of a particular church Sect. 1. Of what people a Church may consist pag. 35 Sect. 2. By whom a church ought to be planted pag. 37 Sect. 3. How the word should be preached to infidels pag. 39 Sect. 4. How men conuerted ought to be ordered pag. 44 Chapter 5. Of ecclesiasticall gouernment Sect. 1. Of church gouernment in generall pag. 48 Sect. 2. Of the diuers kindes of church gouernment pag. 53 Chapter 6. Of ecclesiasticall humane lavves Sect. 1. How these lawes diffâ—r from the lawes of God pag. 57 Sect. 2. 3. Of the matter of these lawes pag. 58 Sect. 4. After what rules they are to be made pag. 62 Sect. 5. Of the number of them psg 66 Chapter 7. Of the diuers states of a particular church Sect. 1. Of a state vnestablished pag. 67 Sect. 2. Of a pure and perfect state of a church pag. 70 Sect. 3. Of a flourishing state pag. 71 Sect. 4. Of that state wherein the building of the ch is hindred pag. 74 Sect. 5. Of professed hinderers pag. 78 Sect. 6. Of the ch hindred by the ciuil ruler being a professed enemie pa. 79 Sect. 7. Of the church hindred by the ciuill ruler being a member of it p. 83 Sect. 8. Of the church hindered by the ministers of the word pag. 87 Sect. 9. Of an imperfect state of a churâ—h pag. 88 Sect. 10. Of a currupt state of a church namely of idolatrie pag. 90 Sect. 11. Of a church corrupt in doctrine pag. 93 Chapter 8 Of a priuate Church Sect. 1. What a priuate Church is Pag. 95 Sect. 2. Of the specials in planting a priuate Church pag. 120 Sect. 3. Of the state of it being planted pag. 99 Chapter 9. Of a publicke or nationall Church Sect. 1. Of the obiections which are made against publick Ch. pag. 102 Sect. 2. Of the coniunction of the church and the commonwealth p. 106 Sect. 3. That a publicke Church with the commonwealth make but one bodie vnder one head pag. 107 Sect. 4. That ciuill and ecclesiastical functions may be together in the same persons pag. 114 Sect. 5. Of the chaunges which happen eyther â—o the Church or common wealth by this coniunction pag. 116 Sect. 6. Of the first mouer in the planting of a publicke Church pag. 118 Sect. 7. Of the special manner of planting a publicke Church pa. 120 Sect 8. Of the establishing of it pag. 123 Sect. 9. To whom the authorizing and aduising of ecclesiastical lawes belongeth in a publicke Church pag. 125 Chapter 10. Of the coniunction of particular Churches Sect. 1. Of the voluntarie coniunction of particular Churches vnder the gouernment of councels pag. 131 Sect. 2. Of whom counsels may and ought to consist pag. 133 Sect. 3. Of the necessarie coniunction of particular Churches vnder the gouernment of the same ciuill power pag. 134 Sect. 4. How the seuerall prouinces of a national church are to be
But we follow the thirde opinion thinking that the ecclesiasticall authoritie of this land was chiefely yea in a manner wholly in the handes of the king and that by his authority the state of religion in generall was wholly set vp maintained repaired and ordered yea ecclesiastical lawes for this purpose established howsoeuer in making them the aduise and consent of others were for diuers necessarie causes to be required The trueth heereof will easely appeare if we marke that God did deferre the building of his Temple the inlarging and beautifying of his worshippe vntill the time of the kinges of whome Dauid and Salomon which are in this respect to be counted the first Saule being reiected did make the state of religion most glorious established new orders and lawes and that by their owne authoritie although they had the worde of God both in themselues and from other prophets for their direction Yea the generall practise of all the kinges of Israel of whome euery one by his sole authority did either set vp or pul downe religion doth declare how much they had to doe in the gouerning of the Church and to passe ouer with silence the rest of the kinges let vs onely see how far Ezechia did meddle with Church affaires of whome we read 2. Chro. 29.3 That he opened the doores of the temple brought the priestes into it made a solemne oration vnto them teaching them their dueties and stirring them vp to the carefull perfourmance thereof then when the priestes had according to his direction clensed the temple before they doe any seruice in it they returne to the king to know what he would haue further done Verse 18. Then the king with the nobles came and brought a sinne-offering which the priest offered at the commaundement of the king verse 24. then verse 27. the king commaundeth that the whole burnt-offering should be offered Againe verse 31. he commaundeth that the peoples offeringes shoulde be brought in Further in the 30. chapter he held a councel sent his postes for the keeping of a passeouer yea which is worthy to be noted when as the people being vncleane did receiue the passouer Ezechias himselfe did publikely pray for them and so made them cleane verse 20. likewise chap 31. verse 2. Ezechia appointed sundry companies of the priestes and leuites after the diuersity of the ministrations to serue in the temple and commaunded the people to make prouision of all thinges needfull for them and verse 8. and 9. he came and viewed their prouision and questioned with the priestes about it And vers 11 He bad prepare the chambers in the Temple for store yea it is added verse 20. that according to this manner he did throughout all Iuda and that all the workes about the seruice of God were begunne and prosperously ended by him The same manner of ordering the state of the Church appeareth in the storie of Iosias and other Kinges wherein this may plainely be seene that whatsoeuer was done in Church matters was done by the commaundement and authoritie of the kinge The occasions of the contrary opinions whereby the authoritie of this kingdome in this behalfe is abridged and cut short eyther in whole or in part are these First for that it is thought that as ciuill and diuine temporall and eternall matters do not onely greately differ but also are opposite to each oother so that the common-wealth and the Church are two distinct yea contrary bodies gouerned and ordered by their seuerall heades as in this state they make the king to be the chiefe gouernour of the common-wealth and the high priest of the Church But it is farre otherwise for the Church is not heere a perfect bodie by it selfe but maketh the ciuil body more excellent happie For euen as when any people being rude and barbarous are brought to learning and all kinde of humanitie there is not a new state or body added vnto them but the former estate becommeth better so it is whenas any nation of infidels becommeth religious they haue not one head in respect of their religion and another in ciuill matters but one and the same for both But heereof more at large in the treatise of the publike Church Neyther ought we to thinke that eyther the office authoritie or person of this King was any way prophane or vnholy or in any respect vnfitte to intermeddle with diuine matters for he was and that by the institution of God more holy then oâ—hers As for the hurt which came to the Church by beeing permitted to wicked kinges to be ordered at their pleasure we confesse that it was very greate for many of them did cleane ouerthrow the true worshippe of God Yet there was no remedie for it in the handes of any saue onely of God who is and was able to turne the hearts of kings as the riuers of waters yea to shorten their daies if they continued obstinate in their wickednesse and to raise vppe in their places good and godlie kinges zealous of his glorie who abolishing all idolatrie and establishing the true religion by their soueraigne and absolute authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes did recompence the losse and comfort the griefe which the Church had by the wicked Kinges for if the peoele had resisted the wicked and idolatrous kinges in their proceedinges they shoulde haue diminished the authoritie of godlie kinges and by vsing violence against the wickednesse of the one shoulde haue bounde the hands and hindred the godly indeuours of the other And this is the cause why men vnto whome the good estate of the Church hath beene deare and pretious haue beene loth to permitte the ordering of Churche-causes to ciuill rulers because many of them haue beene open enemies to all religion and godlines and authors of all disorders Yea Emperours Kinges and Princes haue so horribly stained themselues and beene drunke with the blood of the seruantes of God which they ought to haue cherished and preserued and haue so often ouerthowen the Church which they shoulde haue built and maintained that many are afraide to commit the Church to their hands who haue oftner shewed themselues cruel wolues then careful sheepherds And therefore it hath beene said by many that princes should looke to their palaces and leaue the whole care of the Church to the ministers of the worde but we see the contrary in this example And therfore we ought not to speake vntruethes no not in the cause of God or to maintaine the state of religion in Israel by spoyling the king of that power which god hath giuen vnto him Lastly as touching ecclesiastical lawes which were to be made by men for the putting in practise of the worship of God it may seem that although the setting vp and pulling downe the reforming and deforming of religion were in the hands of the king yet to be very vnmeete that he should meddle in the making of them whereunto we answere that if the whole ordering of the
be despersed ouer the whole worlde yet not all nor many in comparison of the infidels but a verie fewe belong vnto it And therefore we are in the next place to see who are the members of it and of whom it doth consist The answere to this point we haue in the definition which saith that all who serue God in any part of the worlde are of the catholicke Church For as a king may deuide the whole worlde into his owne subiectes who liue within his dominions knowe obey and honour him and into forrenners who are without the compasse of his iurisdiction doe him no seruice make no account of him and in briefe haue no kinde of dealing with him so all men liuing in the worlde are eyther Gods subiectes and seruantes liuing within the compasse of the catholicke Church and as it is written Ephes. 2.12.19 Citizens with the faintes and of the houshold of God or else they are aliantes from the common wealth of Israell without the promise couenant or hope of saluation yea without God in the worlde But forsomuch as God is serued many waies in deede or in shewe onely sincerely or hypocritically purely or corruptly fully or after an imperfect manner in knowledge or in ignorance and after many other differences therefore we are to search out what manner of seruing God doth make a man to be a member of the catholicke Church wherunto we answere that the outward profession of the true seruice of God although ioyâ—ed with impotencie of performing any actual seruice yea with hypocrisie corruption imperfection errour and heresie will serue for this purpose and doth make a man a true member of the catholicke Church For the first difference some serue God actually by praying to God or praising him by hearing his word and obeying it or which is all in all by trusting fearing and louing God in heart namelie so many of the Church as haue comne to yeares of discretion but there are some who cannot serue God by any of these meanes or any other of the same kinde to witte infantes who by reason of the infirmitie of their age cannot heare or vnderstande and therefore can neither knowe nor beleeue God or serue him in any actuall manner Yet they may and doe by the helpe of others take vpon them and beare the true profession of the seruice of God by receiuing the sacrament of initiation or first entrance into the Church by the which meanes they become true members of the catholicke Church as well as men of ripe age The trueth heereof appeareth 1. Corin. 7.14 where the Apostle saith that the children of the Christians are holy meaning euen the yongest infantes as they are borne of faithfull parentes not that the faith of the parentes or the sacrament of the Church doth adde any inward and reall holinesse vnto them but onely giueth vnto them a holy profession or an outward profession of holinesse and of faith and also imputed righteousnesse and supposed holinesse if they belong to Gods election In like manner vnder the lawe all the young children of the Iewes especially after they had receiued the sacrament of circumcision were counted members of the Church and in the number of the holy people of God And therefore God complaineth of the Iewes offering their young ones in sacrifice to idols that they gaue his children to Moloch Ezec. 16.21 Thus much of those who become members of the Church by meere profession nowe we come to the actuall seruing of God the which where it is in sinceritie of hart and life perfourmed it maketh one a member of Christâ—s mysticall bodie much more theâ— of his Church here on earth But all the controuersie is of them in whome this actuall seruice is imperfect as it is first in hypocrites who want the inward seruice of the heart as also heretikes doe some part of the sinceritie of doctrine and dissolute men the seruice of outwarde life and ignorant idiotes the seruice of the minde and lastly as the dispersed members of the Church wante the publike worshippe of God The answere in generall is this that howsoeuer the imperfect seruice of hypocrites wicked men heretikes and idiotes be not acceptable in the sight of God yet it is sufficient to make them true members of the militant Church but we will come to the seuerall consideration of them And first of hypocrites by the which name we call those men in whome the outwarde seruice is perfect in that they both hold and professe the whole trueth of christian religion and also expresse the same in their liues both in worde and deede and yet doe not serue GOD in spiritte and trueth but are destitute of true faith and of all the rest of the effectuall graces of the sanctifying spiritte springing thereof This manner of seruing GOD is not pleasing but rather odious and abhominable to him Esay 1.14 and therefore it is not auailable for the saluation of any but rather maketh mens damnation the more iust yet it giueth vnto them the name of the members of the Church For it is confessed of all that hypocrites may be true ministers in a particular Church as Iudas was a true Apostle whereof it doth necessarelie followe that they are true members of the Church for the teachers and rulers of a Church are the chiefe members of it So that as in a common-wealth or kingdome they who haue freedome and interest in such bodies eyther by nature or fauour are counted true subiectes as long as they liue in outwarde obedience to lawes yea though they be knowen to beare in their heartes an vnnaturall and disloyall affection to their country or prince so it is in the Church with hypocrites destitute of the true faith and loue of God But howe can hypocrites be made true members of the Church which is the bodie of Christ seeing that they haue no coniunction with Christ who is the heade of the Church For the resoluing of this doubt we must consider both Christ the heade and the Church his bodie two diuerse waies for Christ as he is a sauiour is a heade to the mysticall bodie of the elect onely vnto whome he giueth by his spirite effectuall grace spirituall motion and eternall life In this respect hypocrites haue no more to doe with Christ or his Church then darknesse hath with light but heere we doe not meddle with the mysticall body of the Church Secondlie Christ is the kinge Lorde and ruler of his Church militant heere on earth in the which respect hee is a heade not onely to the faithfull but also to hypocrites to whom hee giueth spirituall graces ministeriall giftes and ecclesiasticall functions euen as he maketh the sunne to shine vppon the iust and the vniust first he communicateth to them the giftes of knowledge wisedome doctrine and exhortation of tongues of miracles and prophesie Ephesians 4.8 Where he like a victorious king triumphing ouer his enemies ascended into heauen and gaue
father but in the sonne in whome onely he is well pleased And therefore the nation of the Iewes hauing reiected Christ is by that meanes reiected of God from being his people neyther are they to be accounted members of the Church although they serue God with neuer so great zeale Rom. 11. The same account we are to make of the Turkes Saracens Moores and all those nations which professe the religion of Mahomet the which we confesse doth retaine diuerse pointes of christianitie yea and that if it be well marked it wil be sound a close or mysticall Arianisme couering and glosing ouer many waightie pointes of faith with iudaicall types and poeticall fictions that it being by this meanes made darke and aenigmaticall might be more highly esteemed by blinde and ignorant men Whereas if it had beene set downe in a plaine and simple manner it woulde haue beene easely vndestood disputed of and in the ende altogether contemned Yet forsomuch as this religion doth not worship and honour Iesus Christ as the onely sonne of God and sauiour of the world as the first Arians therefore 〈◊〉 the professours of it cannot be accounted members of the Church but meere infidels separated from Christ and voyde of the hope of eternall saluation Sect. 7. Of the attributes of the catholicke Church THus we hauing the definition of the catholicke Church are further to consider the nature and state of it in certaine properties which are attributed vnto it Of the which this may be the first that out of the catholicke Church there is no saluation and therefore all the heathen all vnbeleeuing Iewes Turkes and generally all Infidels whatsoeuer doe liue and die to the iudgement and sight of man in the state of eternall damnation This the scripture witnesseth in many places as namely 2. Thes. 2.8 God in the last iudgement shall render vengeance to al that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet this sentence of damnation which the scripture pronounceth on infidels is so to be vnderstoode as that we doe alwaies except the infinite power and mercy of God who both can as hath beene before touched doth in all partes of the world saue some and that by extraordinarie meanes vnknowen to vs where the ordinarie way is wanting The second attribute of the catholicke Church is this that it can neuer erre in the foundation of religion which is all one as if we did say the catholicke Church neuer ceaseth to be or with this there is continually in the worlde a number of men which serue the true God in Iesus Christ. The trueth of this appeareth by the storie of the Church in the holie scripture and in other bookes which shewe by whome and in what places God hath beene truelie worshipped in euery seuerall age And no maruaile for if the Church shoulde cease to be in the worlde then the world it selfe shoulde haue an ende which was created and doth continue chiefely for this ende to wit to be an habitation for the Church As we reade 1. Cor. 2.16 All thinges are yours euen the verie worlde that is all thinges doe serue as meanes for your good and for the working of your saluation In this sense the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 3.13 That the Church is the piller and firmament that is a most firme and sure piller of trueth to wit of the true religion and worshippe of God And yet the catholicke Church may erre in matters of religion yea euen in those pointes which are waightie and are neare about the foundation it selfe although it alwaies remaine sure and stedfast So it is manifest that the ignorances and errours of the Church which were from the beginning vntill the comming of Christ were both many and greate as hath beene noted before And howe greate errours haue preuailed throughout the whole Church in most of the ages since that time we who liue in this light of the gospell doe easelie and plainely see Yea we knowe that which the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 13. that while the faithfull are in this worlde they see knowe and prophecie but in part and cannot be wholly freed from errour till they see the Lorde perfectly and in him all thinges So we reade Leuit. 4.13 that there was a sacrifice appointed for the expiation of the generall errour of the whole people of the Iewes who then were the whole visible Church of God Thirdlie the catholicke Church doth continually encrease in number and doth consist of moe in the latter ages of the worlde then in the former For before the time of the lawe the Lord was knowen and worshipped onely of a fewe families or kindreds but afterwardes of a great populous nation but since the comming of Christ the Church â—oth enlarge her tentes and receiueth all the nations of the earth Likewise in the first ages of the gospell there was no nation country or citie no not any one towne or village which did generally receiue it but onely a fewe heere and there the rest remaining in infidelitie but in the ages following great nations generally yea infinite multitudes of people became christians Yea this number shall continually encrease vntill the fulnesse of the gentiles be come into the Church whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11. and then shall the nation of the Iewes make a notable addition to this number The cause of this increase is for that God doth not reueale himselfe and his word all at once to the world but by degrees by little and little Where this may also profitably be noted that as the number of beleeuers so also their knowledge doth increase the word of God being much more plentifully reuealed in the latter times they being generally considered then it was in the former As touching the number we know that the visible Church by the which we may certainely gather the state of the catholicke Church was vntill the time of Moses contained within the compasse of one kindred till the comming of Christ in one nation but afterwarde it spred it selfe ouer the whole world Yea the latter times of the gospell shall daily more and more exceede the first in number of beleeuers because now both the ful number of the gentiles and also of the Iewish nation is to come into the Church And in like manner the latter times doe exceede the former in knowledge Fourthly the catholicke Church hath no heade or ruler heere on earth neyther any externall gouernment but is ordered by the spirituall gouernment of Christ who is the onely heade of it For the gouernment and rules prescribed by God to his Church haue place and are put in practise onely in particular Churches which are the members of the catholicke Church Fiftly the catholicke Church is inuisible for that it consisteth not onely of particular Churches which are visible but also of particular men which serue God yet so as that they are not knowen by
more florish the Lorde was more feruently and hartely serued and called vpon all faultes and corruptions in life or doctrine were seuerely censured yea rather sharply punished but whenas it pleased God to giue peace and prosperitie to his Church by the meanes of Christian Emperours and kings then did the number of beleeuers mightely increase and the Church did in that respect florish but together with the nuÌ„ber loosenes in life in the seruice of God scismes heresies and all manner of corruptions did come in increase more and more So that these multitudes of professours are not in regard of these inconueniences to be reiected but rather we are to reioyce at this as the apostle did Philip 1.18 For that Christ was preached although for vaine glorie to praise God for that according as he promised by his prophets Esa 54.2 The Church hath enlarged her tentes so that all the nations of the earth doe come into her bosome Yea euen this that the name of Câ—rist is not blasphemed as amonge infidels but honored worshipped and called vpon although it be in great confusion yet it maketh for the glorie of God and therefore all good Christians ought to reioyce herein although they doe wholly mistâ—ke all corruptions and the confusion which is vsually in these publick Churches Lastly concerning their calling we are not to thinke that it is so strange a thing that they are called to the profession of the faith who were borne Christans and doe euen as it were sucke the profession of christianitie from their mothers breastes of whom the Apostle saith that they are holy 1. Cor. 7. or yet they who being professours of the gospell and holding the foundation of christian religion as it seemeth that papistes and such other heretickes doe as we haue declared more at large heretofore are brought by the authoritie of the magistrate from a corrupt manner of seruing God or from grieuous heresies to a more syncere worship and profession as it was in the primatiue Church whenas men were conuerted from heathenisme to christianity And therefore all those who haue beene by baptisme ingraffed into the profession of Christ in their young yeares and haue afterwarde beene continually brought vp in the same profession of the faith declaring vnto all men in the whole course of their liues that they doe like loue and imbrace that profession which they tooke vpon them and doe serue and worship God in the name of Iesus Christ are to be counted members of the Church although they haue no effectuall calling to the vnfained and true obedience of the gospell To conclude this point the example of the Church of the Iewes wil euidently declare the true nature and whole estate of this kinde of Churches and also resolue all doubtes which can be moued For in it all that receiued circumcision were counted members of the Church Yea the Apostle witnesseth that at the time which the Lord hath appointed that whole nations shal againe become the Church of God So that in what place soeuer whether towne citie commonwealth prouince or kingdome the people doe generally professe the faith or thus wheresoeuer the lawes ecclesiasticall doe stretch themselues as wide and doe belong to as many as the ciuill or common lawes made for the administration of the commonwealth there is a true publicke Church set vp Sect. 2. Of the coniunction of the Church and commonwealth BY setting vp a publick Church in any place it coÌ„meth to passe that the Church commonwealth are ioined together the which in a priuat state of a Church haue nothing to deale the one with the other For there the Ch. either lurketh in secret if she haue not he fauour of the ciuil ruler or at the least dwelleth as in a priuate house if she haue a toleration But now whenas any people genâ—rally together with their magistrats do professe the faith the church may be coÌ„pared to Esther who was taken from her priuat state wherin she liued being brought forth into open and publick place was maried to the king so is the coniunction of the Church the common-wealth Wherin we haue these points consider first what is the bond of this coniunction secondly the manner of it thirdly whether state is the superiour fourthly how they meddle with each other lastly the coÌ„modities discommodities which either the Church or the coÌ„monwealth reapeth by this meanes or the changes alterations which happen to either of them For the first the bond of this coniunction is the ciuil power which is the veâ—y fountain head from the which both these estates do flow and by the which it is brought to passe that there is a publicke Church in any place for howsoeuer great multitude of people may be conuerted only by the ministerie of the word yet we do not see that al generally do professe the faith but only wher the power of the magistrate ioined to the word doth make the gospel to be publickly receaued in that it maketh al that are meÌ„bers of the ciuil body to be members of the Church also Hence it is that as soone as the ciuill power ceaseth to maintaine religion these publicke Churches fall to the ground the bond being broken wherby they were tied to the coÌ„monwealth So we read Iud. 2.7.19 That the people of Israel serued God as long as Iosua the elders or their iudges liued but as soone as they died they fel away to idolatry Likewise in the first time of the gospel there were no publicke Churches for diuers hundred yeares and al for want of this bond of christian rulers but as soone as the Roman Emperours did embrace the gospel then were publicke Churches set vp in many places Sect. 3. That a publicke Church with the ciuill estate maketh one bodie vnder one head IN the second place we are to see what manner of coniunction this is to wit whether that the Church commonwealth thus ioined together make one body or state ruled by one the same head or else are still two diuerse bodies absolute and perfect each in it selfe without the other and ordered by the owne proper head in all matters belonging vnto it For answere hereof it hath bene thought that in this coniunction there are two bodies not onely diuerse but euen cleane opposite and contrary the one to the other euery respect that they are ordered by two diuerse supreame heades and that all the functions of these bodies are of so contrary natures that they cannot lawfully meete together in the same subiect This opinion which seemeth not to be agreeable to the trueth hath risen of a reuerend religious yea as it proued at length a superstitious opinion of the ecclesiasticall estate with too base and vile an opinion of the ciuill state the which hath seemed so prophane and vnholy as that it coulde not in any respect be ioyned with the other without defiling and prophaning it But the word of
God teacheth vs that the ciuil power is a holy ordinance of God instituted by God chiefly for this end to intermeddle with ecclesiasticall matters and not onely to suffer and tolerate religion as it doth in a priuate Church but also to set vp and maintaine it yea wholly to effect it although by the meanes ministerie of others in al places whither the said power doth stretch it self As for the distinction of the ciuil ecclesiastical state although it may be vsed to put a difference betwixt ciuil ecclesiasticall matters yet if therby we meane that in a publicke Church there is added to the ciuill state another full and perfect bodie endued with full authoritie to begin and effect all matters belonging to it self not relying vpon the other but only vsing the help of it against outward violence as wheÌ„ two distinct nations do ioine themselues in league together for their greater safetie then we thinke farre otherwise of these thinges then the worde of God doth permit according to the which the politicall bodie together with a publicke Church are but one body moued and ordered by one and the same head For as when any people being barbarous rude vnexpert in feates of warre and altogether destitute of humane knowledge and all good litterature become ciuill courteous warlicke wise and learned there are not so many newe estates or bodies added to the common-wealth but onely the first state of it is made so many waies better so it is whenas a people of pagans and infidels become the worshippers of the true God For there is not a newe bodie or state but onely the qualitie of religion is added to the ciuill bodie or rather idolatrie is chaunged into the true worshippe of God The which doth no more make a distinct body then idolatrie doth in a heathenish common-wealth As for the people they can no more be said to be another bodie because they are religious then for that they are a learned and warlicke people but for the ministers and rulers of the Church it may seeme necessarie to be graunted that they doe eyther make a distinct and perfect bodie or that the ministerie is a member of the ciuill bodie Whereunto we answere that the ministerie is not a bodie in it selfe neither is it the head of the body of the Church but onely is a member of the bodie of the commonwealth distinguished from the reste in nature vse and obiecte and excelling the other by a diuine holinesse which it hath more then any other part or function of this body The trueth hereof is to be laide open by declaring first that this whole state consisting of a politicall bodie and of a publicke Church hath but one heade wherby the whole bodie is ordered and euerie member of it moued in their seuerall functions And secondly the offices of these two states may agree together in the same subiect The heade is the ciuill power whereof we speake rather then of the ciuill magistrate for that in many places the power is not wholly in the handes of the magistrate but diuided among the senate the nobilitie and the people But here we speake of the whole power the which wee call the hande of this body by â— vsuall metaphore taken from the naturall bodies wherein we see that the whole motion commeth from the head without the which none of the members can moue it selfe or doe any function Thus all men doe graunt that the ciuill power is the head of this body in regard of ciuill and worldly affaires but that it may be so called in respect of the Church and of ecclesiasticall matters many do doubt or rather flatly deny without any doubting thinking that neither the ciuill power doth stretch it selfe to Church affaires neither if it do in some respect that it ought therefore or may lawfully be called the head of the Church As touching this point we are to consider howe both the function and also the name of a head agreeth to the ciuill power for the first in the building of the Church it pleaseth God to vse the helpe and the ministerie of men and that two diuerse waies according to the two diuerse kindes of building his Church whereof the one is inward secrete and spirituall whenas by the ministerie of the word and the sacremenes the Church is edified in knowledge faith loue obedience and in all manner of spirituall graces in this parte of the building Christ is the first and cheife mouer yea the head of his Church vnto the which he giueth spirituall motion by his ministers as by instruments vnto whom he giueth spirituall graces fit for this purpose Ephe. 4.11 He gaue some to be Apostles some Euangelistes some Pastors and doctours for the gathering of his saintes and for the building of the body of Christ. Thus Christ onlie is the head of the whole visible church for no creature can either appoint ecclesiasticall functions or giue spirituall graces either to the ministers or to the people But whenas the Church commeth to be built in any particular place there must be added an other parte of this building more outward apparant and sensible then the other to wit whenas this spirituall building together with the ministerie of the word which is the meanes of it is not onely receaued wheÌ„ as it is offered but also diligently sought after when it is wanâ—â—ng and carefully preserued after that it is gotten This kinde of building also is to be performed by the ministerie of man but yet it doth not come from the same head or fountaine For that spirituall building commeth from Christ as he is Lord and king of his Church but this commeth from God the father the maker and preseruer of mankinde who in great mercie and wisdome hath not left men in vtter confusion but hath giuen vnto them the meanes of hauing a Church and his true worshippe This meanes is his owne power and authority communicated to certaine men for the good of the rest to whome he hath giuen this charge that they do as by all other meanes so cheifly by building his church in those places which are within the compas of their authority procure the good of men so that all whosoeuer haue the rule of any place whether it be kingdome or countrie prouince or citie towne or family are bound by the word of God and namely by the generall lawes of magistracie to build the Church in the said places the which thing if they doe neglect as most of all the magistats in the world in all ages haue done then they do sinne against God no lesse then the minister being lawfully called to the function who doth neglect the inward and spirituall edifying of the Church This the prophet foretolde saing that kinges and Queenes should be nourse fathers and nurse mothers to the Ch. Not that they should be the ministers of the word and of the spirituall nourishment vnto them but onely that they should
build after this inward manner This second kinde of building is in order and nature the first yea that which moueth the externall action of the spirituall building and prepareth the way for the ministerie of the word by the meanes whereof a Church cannot be set vp in any place whâ—ther countrie ciâ—ie or family till that the power wheâ—eâ—y the said place is ruled do either procure or at the least suffer it For the kingdome of Christ is not of this worlde neither doth it take a way the generall ordinance of magistracie and order whereby God ruleth the world but is in respect of outward action subiect vnto it and to be established and miantained by it for as God himselfe was the head and first mouer in the building of the Church when as at the first he sent his Apostles immediately by his owne authoritie to do it so also it is his will that they who do supply his place and are after a sort Gods on earth should afterwardes be the first agents in this worke For we are not to thinke that rulers by the which name we call all that haue authoritie whetheâ— in countries townes or priuate houses haue the charge onlie of the bodies of their subiects commited vnto them but rather that their chiefe care ought to be to prouide for their soules the true worshippe of GOD wherein the last ende and chiefe happinesse of man consisteth and wherevnto all temporall benefits are to be referred as the Apostle writeth .1 Timo. 2.2 the end of a quiet and peaceable life procured by magistrates is the right worshippe of GOD. For this cause ciuill rulers are called by GOD in the scripture the pastors or feeders of the people not as if they were to feed their bodies only as sheep heardes doe flockes of sheepe but chiefely in regard of their soules as we may see euidently 1. Chro 17.6 which way soeuer I walked with Israel haue I spoken of building a Church or temple to any of the iudges of Israel whome I commaunded to feede my people In the which place we may see at whose hands GOD looketh for the building of his Church But it may be here asked what if this ciuill power doe not moue in this worke whether that there should be no Church or ministerie of the word in that place or rather if that the king prince magistrate or the maister of the family he negligent in his dutie if not then the subiect sonne or seruant in a priuate house may lawfully take this worke in hand or yet the ministers of the worde may begin and goe on in their worke yea although they be neither set on worke nor yet tollerated but euen flatly forbidden and peremptorelie hindered by the saide poweâ— for otherwise it might come to passe by the obstinacy of rulers being enimies to the Gospell that there should be no Church either publick or priuate in any parte of the world whereas it is the will of God that his church and true worshippe should be established in all places And therefore it may seeme that in this case the councell and practtise of the apostles is to be followed who being forbidden by the rulers to preach the Gospell answered that it is better to obey God then man The answere is as before Chapter 7. Sect. 6. that as touching ordinarie callings a church cannot lawfully be built in any place by resisting the authoritie of the said place For no man may against the will of any man rushe into his house to instruct his family or into a city to abolishe idolatrie and to set vp publickly the true worshippe of God because howsoeuer euery one ought to endeuour to build the Church yet we ought to keepe our selues within the compasse of our owne calling and not to take vpon vs by violence the performance of other mens duties For none are crowned either with due praise or with happie successe of their labours but they who striue lawfully howsoeuer it pleaseth God some times to accept and prosper the endeauors of those who labour in aduancing his worshippe and glory more in feruent zeale then imperfect knowledge so go further in this behalfe then the secret rule of the word of God doth requier or permit As the apostles they haue an extraordinary calling and dispensation immediately from God himselfe needfull for the first publishing of the gospell the which they were to obey yea though it were contrary to his reuealed will But ordinarie ministers haue no callinges but from men and must square their actions according to the written worde And yet we are not to thinke that it is in the power of man or of any creature to forbid the seruice of God for although all the rulers in the worlde shoulde make that edict of Dariuâ— that none shoulde pray vnto God yet we ought nor to obey it as we see in the example of Daniel Daâ— 6.10 but we speake of building a Church in any place the which worke is neuer so generally hindered but that God inclineth the heartes of some to set it forward And whenas no publicke magistrate doth builde the Church yet priuate men giue it entertainement in their houses As touching other particulars wherein this ciuill power medleth with the Church we are to consider them hereafter onely we â—re here to note howe this power may be called the head of the Church to wit for that it is the first mouer in the building of it In the which respect not onely kinges and princes but euen priuate men who set vp and maintaine the Church within their houses may in regarde of their owne families be so called and yet we doe not by this meanes giue that to man which is proper to Christ for first Christ is the head of the catholicke Church but man of some particular Church onely Secondly Christ is the head not onely to the whole Church but also to the seuerall members of it to whom he giueth motion by bestowing on them the graces of his spirit eyther permanent or temporarie but man is the head onely in respect of the builders namely of the teachers and rulers of the Church and in respect of the whole bodie of the people as they giue themselues to be made a Church And lastly Christ is the head of the internall and spirituall working but man of the externall building Christ giueth giftes fit for the ministerie which make an inward calling but man giueth the outward calling Christ hath appointed the offices of the ministerie generally in the whole visible Church but man procureth the execution of the said offices in this or that particular place by this or that person So that whatsoeuer ciuill power it be whether of princes in kingdomes or of the people or senate in commonwealthes or of priuate men in their families that buildeth the Church it may very fitly be called the head in that worke As we may see Num. 1.15 7.2 that in regard of
ciuil affaires the princes of the families tribes and of the people of Israel are called the heades of them because they did first moue in all publicke actions and yet the person of the ciuill ruler whether of the king of senatours or of any other in particular is to be counted a member of the Church as other men are Thus we see that the Church together with the ciuill state make not tâ—o but one bodie vnder one and the same head Sect. 4. Ciuill and ecclesiasticall callinges may be in the same subiect NOW we are to see how these two states may also agree in subiect that is be ordered by the same persons For this false distinction of the body of the Church from the body of the common wealth as it hath sprung from a false opinion of two distinct supreame heades the one ouer the Church the other ouer the ciuill state so it hath beene confirmed by a false difference which hath beene put betwixt ciuill and eclesiasticall persons as if the hauing of any function in the one state did quite cut a man off from medling with the other and that by reason of the contrary natures of these two states and of the functions belonging vnto them But according to the worde of God these ciuil and ecclesiasticall callinges doe not so fight but that they may meete together in one man without iarring For it is not vnlawfull for one who beareth some publicke function or is in any degree or place of honour in the commonwealth to meddle with the ordering of the Church if he haue giftes from God and a lawfull calling from men or yet for him who is alreadie an ecclesiasticall person to haue retaine or take vpon him any ciuill calling The trueth of this doctrine may be plainely seene in the scripture which sheweth that both ciuil ecclesiastical callings may lawfully concurre in the same person when the state of the Church doth so require For if we doe consider the Church before the law we shal find that the first borne of the family was to the rest both a magistrate and a minister so that although the examples of the Church being in her infancie and imperfect estate ought not wholly to be applied to the Church in the time of the gospell yet we may hereby know that there is no such contrariety in the natures of these callings but that they may be in the same person Likewise we read that in the time of the law many who were appointed by God to his seruice did beare ciuill callings Thus did Samuel Eli and the rest of the priestes and elders who were vnto the people as iudges lawiers did gouerne them euen in the ciuill affaires Lastly if it be obiected that these functions ought to be laid vpon diuerse men forasmuch as one man cannot be able to attend vpon many callinges we answere confessing this to be true that for the better discharging of these callings they ought ordinarelie to be committed to diuers men yet that it is no more vnlawful for one man to haue a ciuil and an ecclesiasticall calling then to haue two ciuill callinges and that some men are endued with so greate a measure of knowledge wisedome diligence and other giftes that they may be imployed in both these kindes of callinges By that which hath beene said of this second point we may easely gather the resolution of the third question to wit that in this coniunction the Church hath not the vpper hand neyther can commaund and ouerrule but is subiect to the ciuill power as to her superiour by whose leaue she came into the commonwealth and by the which she is maintained vpholden yea in great part ordered as hereafter will appeare Yea further we may know in part by the same conclusion what to thinke of the fourth point to wit how these states do meddle the one with the other and namely that the ciuil power doth many waies intermeddle with the Church euen as the heade doth with the body for it doth not onely suffer or procure the building of it but also effect it not onely plant it but also establish and maintaine yea repaire it being fallen purge it being corrupt and order it by ecclesiasticall lawes as the processe of this treatise will declare in particular As for the Church it doth not meddle with the ciuil state or gouernment of the commonwealth but ought to leaue it wholly to the ciuill magistrate Sect. 5. Of the chaunges happening eyther to the Church or the commonwealth by their coniunction LAstly we are to consider what chaunges commodities or discommodities do arise either to the Church or to the commonwealth by this coniunction of them in one body And first that form or kind of ciuil gouerment whether it were the rule of one of a few or of many whether the authoritie were absolute and great or conditionall moderate and limitted which was in vse amongest any people before they did beleeue is not by this meanes alterâ—d but remaineth in full force as before For a publicke Church may stand with any forme of gouernment and be subiect vnto it without making any alteration Yet it cutteth off whatsoeuer is in the ciuill state in the lawes customes or offices of it vnlawfull and repugnant to the worde of God for the Church cannot possibly agree and be ioyned with that which doth not agree with the worde Other chaunge it maketh none saue onely that the ciuill state becommeth by this meanes more happie sure and firme yea more glorious and flourishing for besides the secrete blessing which God doth many waies poure vpon those countries the which doe honour him by professing the name of his sonne Christ and so doe giue not onely a poore harbour but euen publicke and solâ—mne entertainement to his Church as he did blesse the house of Obed Edome 2. Sam. 6.11 for that the Arke remained there for a season there are euident and necessarie reasons why it shoulde so be For there is no humane lawâ—s no feare of punishment or hope of rewarde whatsoeuâ—r that can binde men so sure to the perfourmance both of faithfull and loyall obedience to their rulers as also of all dueties to their neighbours as doth religion and the feare of God in the heartes of men And although it â—e not to be hoped especially in these publicke Churches that the heartes of all men generallie shoulde be truelie possessed with the feare GOD yet the worde of God being preached leaueth euen in the consciences of hypocrites a feare of committing hainous crimes the which for the most part ciuil lawes do forbid yea in the Church the ministery of the word reproueth and also correcteth the least faultes which are incident into the life of man whereby it commeth to passe that theft murâ—her and al other such grosse crimes are not once named Lastly there is nothing so honorable and glorious for any people as to haue the true religion established amongst
man as they who contemne and labour to ouerthrow all authoritie speaking euil of those things which they know not haue imagined but an ordinance of God Rom. 13.12 There is no power but of GOD he therefore that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God But it may be thought that it is not gods ordinance seeing it cannot be shewed that euer it was established by God throughout the worlde but rather inuented and continued by men excelling others in strength and in ambition whereby they were both moued to desire superioritie and also enabled to accomplish their desire and so haue by violence bloudshed outrage tyrannie and al manner of impietie against God and iniustice in regarde of men both gotten and vsurped the places of rulers So that seeing this hath beene the originall of the authoritie almost of all rulers we cannot make it the institution of God especially seeing that it doth not appeare that God did euer commaund that there should be magistrates sette vppe ouer the people throughout the whole worlde only amongst the Iewes magistracie was sette vp by his commaundement but not in any place beside Whereunto wee answere that the abuses of magistracie although many and grieuous cannot take away the lawfull vse of it And further that the cause why there is no expresse commaundement in the word of God enioyning that magistracie should be set vp in all places is for that the worde of God doth not belong to the whole world but only to the Church which is in all times and especially was in the first ages of the worlde the least part yea sometimes as nothing in comparison of the huge number of infidels But in the Church God hath from time to time both commaunded and established the vse of magistracie and seuerely punished the contempt of it as might be shewed by examples in all ages For although there coulde be no publicke magistracie in the Church till the dayes of Moses because vntill that time the Church was contained within the compasse of one or a fewe families yet there was priuate gouernement which had no lesse force and authoritie then when the number of the Church encreasing to a whole nation publike magistracie was erected For the first borne of the familie was the ruler and as it were a Lorde to the rest as Iacob doth call Esau Genesis 33.13.14 But although magistracie hath beene by the expresse commaundement of GOD established onely in the Churche yet it belongeth as much to infidels For it is instituted by God not â—s he is the Sauiour of his Church but as hee is the creatour and preseruer of all men Therefore howsoeuer God doth not vouchsafe his loue and eternall life comming thereof to anie of those who are not of his Church yet as the Apostle witnesseth Romanes 3.29 Hee is the GOD not onely of the Iewes who onely were then his Church but also of the Gentiles In this respect as also in regarde of his faithfull people with whome they liue and for other causes he doth bestowe vppon them manie temporall blessinges letting the raine to fall downe and the sunne to shine vppon them and also in making them partakers of this ordinaunce of magistracie by the which they may liue in order and peace safely and quietly enioying all the temporall commodities of this presente life The meanes by the which God doth sette vppe this his ordinaunce amongest infidels who are destitute of his worde is the light of nature remayning in the mindes of men by the which they doe easelie both see the manifolde commodities which come by magistracie and also desire to be made partakers thereof For although by reason of the corruption of our nature fewe can liue in due subiection vnto authoritie with a contented minde yet almost all men when they are without magistrates doe of themselues desire to haue some to gouerne and no maruaile seeing that the deformitie and inconueniences which the wante of magistrates bringeth are euidente to all men for that a people in such a state is like a to bodie without a head to mooue it The experience heereof wee haue euen in this people of the Iewes who did voluntarilie without anie compulsion desire a king and that in a most earnest manner Thus we see that magistracie is the ordinance of God whereof this doth necessarily insue that it is not as an vnholie prophane and impure state or to be vilely esteemed of as many doe affirme and account it to be who doe falsely thinke that the beautie of the Church cannot appeare neither her authoritie be sufficiently extolled and established but by deforming and treading vnder foote this diuine ordinance of ciuill magistracie the which as it is most acceptable to God so it ought to be had in greate honour by all men Lastly the endes why magistracie was â—ppointed by God are two The first is the representing of his glory here on earth The second is the procuring of the good of man For the first The magistrate is Gods deputie and vice gerent here on earth to gouerne men and to keepe the world in order without confusion euen as we see that greate monarches haue many legates and deputies by whome they rule their seuerall prouinces and therfore God doth communicate to them as his office so also his name and calleth them Gods in the which respect the magistrate is a liuely yea a liuing Image of God first of his excellencie in that he is taken from the common sort and condition of men and set aloft therefore he is to be honoured Secondly of the wisdome of God in that he is able to foresee imminent dangers to make fit lawes and orders to iudge of right and wrong and to keepe his people in peace and mutuall concorde and therefore he is to be reuerenced and to be obeyed in his lawes and edictes Thirdly of the iustice of God in that he doth seuerely punish the greate misdemeanour of malefactors and therefore he is to be feared Fourthly of the mercie of God in that he doth gratiously with fauour passe by and winke at small offences and therefore he is to be praised And lastly he carieth the image of the goodnes of God in that by his meanes foreseeing preuenting and repelling all dangers and troubles we do inioy all manner of blessings both temporal and eternall euen life and liberty plentie of all thinges and prosperity houses and landes wiues and children friendes and acquaintance and that which is much more to be esteemed the true seruice and worship of God his holy worde and in one worde all thinges needfull in regard eyther of bodie or soule and therefore the magistrate is vnfainedly to be loued and praised The second end why magistracie was appointed is the good of man that by this meanes they might liue in peace safety and order But of the seuerall commodities which magistracie bringeth we doe not purpose to entreat because they are commonly knowen