heard are gathered as it were into one body all and every of whose members have a certain mutual communion amongst one another and a spiritual communion with their one only and true Head our Lord Jesus Christ as they really are so also are they rightly called the Church of Jesus Christ. Of both which to wit the Church and the Communion thereof we say in the Apostles Creed I believe the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints 2. For this Church is nothing else but an Assembly of men called by the Gospel and believing on Jesus Christ or at least with their mouth professing his Name and Doctrine as saving although some more some less either sincerely and purely or firmly and constantly believe on Christ or at least outwardly in words and rites profess Christ. 3. For the Church whilst it is militant here on earth is wont according to the Sacred Scripture to be considered under a twofold respect 1. As an Assembly of Men and Women truly pious and believing and that do cordially and sincerely embrace and love and with their whole heart keep and order their lives and conversations according to that saving Doctrine of Jesus Christ which they profess with their Mouth Which Assembly is visible and certainly known to God only but is invisible unto us Seeing true Faith and Piety which lie hid within the heart none but God the alone indeed searcher of the Hearts and Reins can behold them 4. But to hold the saving Doctrine of Jesus Christ is not forthwith so perfectly to know all that is every way contained in the doctrine of Christ so as to err or hesitate in no one Article at all or no Sacred History or sense of the Holy Scripture but at least well and rightly to hold or understand all that without which we cannot rightly observe and perform the Commandments of Faith and Obedince nor consequently according to the Mind and Will of God obtain eternal Salvation Therefore all those Churches which agree in the belief and profession of necessary Truth we believe that they ought to be counted for true Churches of Jesus Christ although in the mean time they differ in many other things and in some respects not inconsiderably swerve from the Truth 5. The Church is considered as it is a visible Multitude of those that publickly profess the Faith and Doctrine of Jesus Christ although haply they do not truly believe in him which as to the outward Confession of the Mouth and other manifest signs of Faith of that kind is of it self even sufficiently known and visible unto us although it appear sometimes less evidently or clearly 6. Again both may be considered either as Catholick or universal which being spread throughout the whole World comprehends or contains all Congregations together either of those who truly believe or at least profess so to do or as local or particular which is gathered in certain places by parts severally for instance at Corinth in Galatia at Ephesus c. Of which this or the other whatever it be may not only err in doctrine but also revolt from the true Faith the profession thereof yea and oftentimes also doth actually revolt from the same the Catholick Church in the mean time still remaining safe entire notwithstanding Nor indeed is there any divine promise extant whereby the sincere profession of true doctrine and a continual succession therein or an uninterrupted and uniform continuance of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost and of the Orthodox Faith and that to be always clearly seen is promised to any certain particular Church or Congregation yea indeed rather both examples and presages of the defection of many are every where obvious or easy to meet with in the Holy Scriptures Of the Marks or Notes of a visible Church 7. Furthermore the Notes and Marks such indeed as are certain and infallible which clearly demonstrate unto us and make a Church or Christian Assembly which is already gathered by the preaching of the Word visible may be reduced unto one only general that is unto the profession of that sacred and saving doctrine which was delivered by Jesus Christ in conjunction with at least an outward keeping of the Commandments of Jesus Christ. For whereas true Faith which is given unto the saving doctrine of Jesus Christ doth as the more inward form and as it were the Soul constitute and make a true and invisible Church of Jesus Christ it is necessary doubtless that the alone profession of that true and saving Faith which we have spoken of make the same visible unto us 8. But with labour and toil either to seek or demand or to desire to shew unto others other Notes or Marks whereby those who as yet are wholly ignorant what a true Chruch of Christ is or which or what is the saving Doctrine thereof may come certainly undoubtedly to the knowledg of the true Church and consequently to the knowledg of the Truth it self is altogether vain and foolish for that so to pretend is neither necessary nor profitable nay not possible rightly or orderly to be performed So far is it from such Marks consisting in those things which the World and Fleshly reason are wont so highly to esteem to wit in Antiquity Multitude Consent Succession of persons outward Splendour of Congregations or worldly Happiness c. of which many of late do vainly boast 9. Furthermore the duty of those who belong to this visible Church doth not only consist in every particular Man's professing with his mouth and in life this saving doctrine of Christ for himself but also in Believers being united and joyned together among themselves whether they be more or fewer in their doing or performing those things which ordinarily cannot nor use to be performed but in a Society or Congregation and which render the Society or Congregation it self more Illustrious and Conspicuous 10. Which sort or kind of duties besides hearing of the Word preached and the profession of Faith already spoken of are chiefly two to wit the use of the Sacraments as they are called and the exercise of Christian discipline of which more immediately CHAP. XXIII Of the Sacraments and other Sacred Rites 1. VVHen we speak of Sacraments we understand the outward Ceremonies of the Church or those sacred and solemn Rites whereby as by foederal signs and visible seals God doth not only represent and shadow out unto us his gracious benefits especially those promised in the Covenant of the Gospel but doth also in a certain manner clearly hold forth and seal the same unto us and we again likewise do openly and publickly declare and testifie that we do embrace all the promises of God with a true firm and obedient Faith and that we will always with continual and thankful remembrance celebrate with
therefore efâ—-soon upon all occasions to inculate upon Churches and in the very Forms of our Confessions and Declarations accurately to express That they indeed ought not to be received for certain Jndices or Discoverers much less for Judges of the true Sences or Meanings viz. of Scripture but only for the Indices of those Sences or Meanings which the Authors thereof have held for true and that they were published to that end If that be done these three abuses will sufficiently and easily be avoided 1. None will flee to the said Forms to draw and take from them as from Fountains with a Faith void of doubting those things that are to be believed and further he will not run unto them in doubtful Sences of Scripture as the Indices of what is streight and â—rooked nor try and examine dark and controverted sences by them as by a touch-stone 2. None will be tyed or suffer himself to be tyed to their Meanings upon any other terms than so far and so long as he himself doth certainly find and is convinced in his Conscience that they accord with the Meanings of the Scriptures 3. In Disputations Conferences Examinations or Tryals men will never appeal to them neither will controversies of Faith be brought to the Anvil thereof but they will all wholly without fear or danger be brought to and examined by the Word of God alone as the only Rule beyond all exception and the true form of sound words which our alone Master Jesus Christ and his Apostles have left unto us And thus indeed there will be nothing that can justly be desired to detract Divine Authority from them and to give it wholly to the Sacred Scriptures Neither shall we then need to fear lest idols be made of them to be set up in the Church of Jesus Christ and placed in equal degree with the Scriptures or honoured with any like honour with them or lest bands should be knit of them whereby the Consciences of men should be bound or lastly lest poysons should be prepared of them whereby the sincerity of Faith might be infected or the Truth of Doctrine adulterated This Foundation therefore once rightly laid and this Principle firmly supposed there will alwaies remain in the Church of Jesus Christ whole and entire a liberty whereby any one may preserving safe the Laws of Christian Modesty Charity and Prudence without danger inquire into those Forms and without scruple contradict them that by this means there may be always a manifest difference between them and the Word of God to which alone that priviledg ought to remain sacred and inviolate that it alone is above and beyond all Controversie and Contradiction and that the Consciences of Believers are to be tyed to it only And yet is not this liberty to be extended so far as to turn into a dissolute and irregular licentiousness whereby every Man may unadvisedly speak what he please For he as much abuseth liberty who too much at pleasure loosenth the button thereof as he who fastneth it too strait All extreams are to be avoided and we to sacrifice to moderation which consisteth in the midst between Tyranny and a Wild and Unbridled Licentiousness Therefore Prudence and Charity are always to be taken into Council which will easily dictate when and how this liberty may profitably and without the Scandal of the Godly be made use of It is the part of Prudence to weigh things and to consider fit times and places wherein this or that Opinion either by word or writing may commodiously be proposed It is the part of Charity to have a regard of persons that they be not offended or troubled who ought to be edified It is not the duty of a Prudent and Pious Man and one truly Charitable to use promiscously upon every occasion with all Persons or in all Places when he so thinks fit the liberty of contradicting nay nor alwaies everywhere patiently to bear with all the Contradictions of others There is often a regard to be had both of the Things or Opinions which are contradicted and of the Persons with whom such Contradictions are propounded For there are some things of so great Weight and Moment that they cannot be gain-said without the extream hazard of our Salvation Freely to contradict these or quietly to suffer them to be contradicted by others would be the farthest from Prudence and Charity possible There are some things of that nature that they may without the danâ—er of any Mans Salvation suffer indeed contradiction but which yet to contradict is not necessary for the sake of the publick good and to be contradicted every where and at all times is not expedient For not every thing that is lawful is presently also expedient and edifying Very often the weakness of others ought to give law to our liberty and not seldom also the importuneness of others who have an itch after or unto variances â—rablings and contradictions and are pleased with the opportunity of strife contention upon every occasion To the one we must not give occasion of offence lest they fall From the other we must withhold all encouragements lest they hurt themselves and others For in this manner we ought alwaies to shun all endangerings of the Faithful especially of the weak lest we abuse our liberty to the destruction of any one but use it aright and to the edification of all But in things not altogether necessary and amongst those whom the Scripture calleth perfect and who have their sences exercised in the Scriptures to discern between what is true and false or who are more then ordinarily desirous of Truth that is more abstruse this liberty may alwaies have or take place without offence or danger For their industry indeed iâ— sharpned by moderate contradictions which are as it were the Whetstones of Truth and from which as from the striking or beating offlints against each other this Fruit is drawn or produced that either they see clearly that errour that formerly lay hid or are more solidly confirmed in the truth they hold Which fruit cannot but afterward redound unto the whole Church and that to the eminent promoting of truth and the glory of Gods name But to digladiate or strive with gain-sayings before the people out of the Pulpit and to desire or endeavour by the vellications or twitchings of publick Forms and Obâ—rectations or Back-bitings out of the Desk or Pue to make a Tumult among the rude common people or by publick Writings to traduce and contumeliously to provoke and inveigh against others would be next unto madness and most scandalous and dangerous Nor indeed can the knowledge of an unnecessary truth ever do so much good as the importune and immmodest inculcating or â—rging thereof may do harm and prejudice both publickly and privately And thus far concerning the first caution diligently to be observed in Confessions The second thing that is to be observed as to the right use of
Forms flows from the first if to wit there be not contrived of such Forms of Confessions and Declarations certain Spiritual Bonds Stocks and Fetters whereunto the Consciences Tongues and Pens of the Declarers be not so tied and fastned that none may recede from the phrases thereof manner of speaking order method c. but that he is also forthwith suspected and accused of Heterodoxie who is found to expound the Divine Scripture and sentiments of his own mind in other expressions or other order or method then what are expressed in them i. e. in those Forms of Confessions For by this means that liberty which so long as the truth of the Sences or Meanings themselves remain safe ought to continue whole and entire to all Believers in their expounding the Scriptures as they shall judg meet for the greatest furtherance of the Truth and edifying of Churches iâ— not only cast out of doors and banished out of the Church but also the authority of the Word of God is secretly and aâ— it were by mines supplanted and overthrown by the same For it can hardly otherwise be but that where the expressions of such Forms begin to be of morâ— account than those of the Word of God it self there the Authority of the Word of God should by degrees grow vile and sinâ— in estimation beneath those Forms And indeed if we will but mind it the chief and haply first step whereby humanâ— Forms ascended to the height of an usurped Authority and Majesty almost Divine was this that at the first they at tributed to the phrases words order and method thereof more than was meet a if in them all sences to be believed hoped and practised were more clearly briefly and substantially exprest thaâ— in those which we meet with in the Scriptures For from hence hath the esteem of them by little and little been encreased and that of the Scriptures lessened insomuch that according to the words phrases yea almost syllables and letters of the said Forms and according to the method and peculiar order of the same they began to determine and declare touching the truth and falseness of almost all Opinions and Meanings as if that could not be true which did not exactly and in every thing agree with them and as if he could not be free from Herisie or at least from errour and falshood who should though never so modestly contradict them or go but a straws breadth from them yea that should not almost swear unto the words thereof The which pernicious abuse and so manifest a corruption and inconvenience to withstand and prevent we ought at all times earnestly and almost only to inculate or repeat that such Forms of Declarations are not made for that end for to teach that the Sences or Meanings of Christian Religion may or ought most commodiously to be expressed in this order in this method in these phrases or manners of speaking and not in others but that in or by them they may be expressed rightly and commodiously enough or that in the judgment of those very Men that make such Confessions they are very exactly and truly contained in them For so to use them will not be a matter of absolute necessity but of meer liberty and he that useth them will indeed do well and yet he will not be judged to do ill that useth them not especially if he receive the sum of saving doctrine delivered in them and do not condemn those who in this point dissent The third thing which flows from those things that have been already spoken of necessary unto the right use of Forms is this That these Forms be not at any time held for limits and bounds within which Religion and the saving knowledg of God is believed in such manner to consist as if they who cannot in conscience assent to them or give their voice for them were therefore excluded from Salvation and shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven Far be that from us who firmly believe that Christians may unwittingly err in many things without the loss of Salvation and who judg that there are very few things that are precisely necessary to be known and believed for the obtaining Eternal Life Wherefore that we may demonstrate that this proud cruelty is exceeding far from us we do openly shew and declare that Forms of Confessions and Declarations are to be had in no other respect or account than for certain Ensigns and Standards set up whereby they declare who set them foâ—th that they judg that those Sences which are contained in those Forms do come very near the Truth and therefore unless they were taught better do heartily desire and wish that all others that are desirous of Truth and Peace would embrace them not indeed properly for this end that so at length they might be saved but that they might withdraw themselves from the danger of erring to the greatest distance may be For neither ought it to seem enough to a Christian to make towards Eternal Salvation by every means and in every way whatsoever the safest and surest is to be chosen except haply a just fear of some greater danger or scandal in the Church hinder the same For the good of Eternal Hapiness and of an immortal life ought to be of so great price with him that he ought to hate and carefully to shun all dangers which may turn away or withdraw his mind from imbracing the same Nor hath he any reason to fear that he doth therefore abet and patronize Schisme which the Apostle calleth a work of the flesh For if he haply depart from some Congregations to others he doth not forthwith contemn those which he leaveth or judg them as excluded from the hope of Salvation but only goes from those that are more impure to those that are more pure that he may shew that he hath a care and tender regard of every truth any ways serving to his own Salvation and approve his Conscience unto God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless in the mean while he does his endeavour sedulously to maintain Peace and Concord with all that are truly pious as faâ— as is possible and to testifie his moderation or aequanimity to all that are good And indeed if Forms of Confessions and Declarations be drawn up with these bounds and as it were sacred limits oâ— their right use they will be judged noâ— only not unlawful or hurtful but on thâ— contrary most peofitable and wholsome to the Christian Common-Wealth yea and also sometimes necessary From whence they who would have them not only not necessary but unprofitable and consequently unlawful and hurtful are worthy to be thought to cast an uncivil reproach upon them For so far are they â—f themselves from derogating any thing from the Majesty of the Scriptures that is from their perfection and clearness that on the contrary the true authority thereof is no less confirmed and established by them than by Prophesyings or Expositions
But where we have not the Spirit of God going before us there we upon good right demuâ—â— and with-hold our assent and do both beg and grant pardon by course remembring that which our Saviour adviseth us Judg not that ye be not judged and which the Apostle Judg not any thing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Councils of Mens Hearts and then shall every Man have praise of God Hence we do not easily denounce an Anathema to him who we believe is held with a pure meer errour if he be otherwise pious fearing God and studious of a good Conscience and Divine Truth that is if he seem to us to love the Lord Jesus and highly to prize his Gospel by which alone he is willing to maintain his errour through which he ignorantly errs For we know how ready a matter it is in so great a multitude of Opinions so great a company of those that err so great a variety of wits or dispositions so great a plenty of hinderances and scruples so great weakness of judgments in such to slip and err and how easy it is by arguments true in appearance to be deceived and mistaken how harmless also it is in it self to err and to mistake in many things how great also clemency and kindness God is like to use towards such as simply err who pardoneth and remitteth even willful sins themselves to those that repent and how aliene or far from the gentle and meek disposition of our Lord Jesus it is not to pittie those that stray Lastly how sad and tragical disturbances that both rash and proud confidence of condemning hath at all times occasioned and made For Anathema's are wont to provoke Anathema's and where this chance is once cast all 's past and there is an end of all hope of remedy For the direful hatreds of parties suceed and the reins of hatreds being let loose they commonly at length with deadly and spiteful minds rush upon the slaughtering and Butchering of one another and the last fruit of these Condemnings and Anathematizings is an everlasting despair of cure That we might therefore avoid these mischiefs we have carefully and purposely forborn Anathema's deeming it sufficient ingenuously to have spoken the Truth and to have shewed the errour leaving in the mean time unto others a free judgment touching every errour and the greatness of the errour but chiefly to him who alone judgeth righteously and searcheth the Hearts and Reins of Men. We have already sufficiently sacrificed to unseasonable Anathema's and to those direful forms of sentencing to punishment each other we condemn we execrate and curse c. It is now time that we sacrifice to Christian Concord Meekness and Charity After so many sad and dismal cursings whereby on every side the fiercenâ—is of hatreds and mortal fallings out hath been irritated and exasperated let us lay aside such Enemy-like and exulcerated Minds and by gentleness by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Spirit of Christ by love unfeigned by the word of Truth by the power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Apostles let us fight against Errours that to our utmost power we may save those that err and deliver them out of the danger of Eternal Perdition Let us not be many masters for one is our Master Let us assent to or approve of the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and that doctrine which is according to Godliness Let us shun vain questions and strifes of words from which arise envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness Let not us condemn or shut out of the Communion of the Church those that Christ doth not condemn nor shut out of his Kingdom Again let us not become the Servants of Men but withal neither let us be Lords over the Faith of others Let our moderation appear unto all and in modesty and mutual charity bear with one another being certainly perswaded that none is lightly to be condemned or blotted out of the register of Christians that holds fast his Faith in Christ and in hope of the good things promised by him doth seek from the heart to obey his Commands though in the mean time he err in many things that in some sort or other concern Religion the which holy and worthily to be praised moderation or equanimity when the best and greatest God shall have inspired the hearts either of all or at least of the most of those who bear rule in Churches and Commonwealths with then at length the Truth of the Gospel will every where flourish and an holy peace in the Lord and Concord will set up a settled place of abode among all that are truly Godly The which that it may shortly come to pass in the whole World especially in the Christian but most of all in the Reformed we humbly beseech of God through Jesus Christ in Spirit and Truth These things thus premised we shall now come directly to the heads of our Declaration as those which we would have alwayes joyned by an indissoluble tye with this very Preface The Confession or Declaration of the Ministers or Pastours which in the United Provinces are called Remonstrants concerning the chief points of Christian Religion CHAP. I. Of the Sacred Scripture and its Authority Perfection and Perspicuity I. WHosoever desireth to worship God aright and certainly and undoubtedly to be everlastingly saved he must of necessity first of all believe that God is and that he is a bounteous rewarder of those that seek him and therefore must conform himself according to that Rule and Square which it is undoubtedly manifest was delivered and prescribed by the true God himself the supream Law-giver and established upon the promise of Eternal Life 2. That God is and that he hath at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets and that he hath at length in the last times most fully declared and manifested his last Will by his only-begotten Son hath been a thing confirmed by so many and great Proofs Signs Wonders mighty Deeds or Works Gifts or Distributions of the Holy Ghost and other wonderful Effects and certain Events of several Prophesies and Testimonies of Men worthy of belief that any more certain more substantial and more compleat cannot be given or justly desired 3. The whole Declaration of the Divine Will which pertaineth unto Religion is contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments and indeed authentically only in those which are called Canonical or which it can upon no just ground be doubted but that they were written or approved of by those Men who were inspired with and
shame may be wrought in him and himself be brought to saving repentance adding withal if extreme necessity require it an express and serious Declaration of the Church that as long as he remains impenitent he is a stranger from or wholly unmeet for the Kingdom of Heaven as one that wittingly and advisedly persists in a manifest crime or work of the Flesh. Yet notwithstanding the peace of the Church or the said communion thereof is always readily to be restored to those that are avoided or excluded from the brotherly communion thereof after probable testimony given of their repentance especially if they shall seriously desire it 7. Howbeit from this avoiding which we have spoken of as to domestick Society or Converse of Life they are to be exempted who are either mutually bound and tyed to each other or at least the one part to the other either by some divine and indissoluble contract as Husbands and Wives or law of nature as Children or necessity of duty as Menservants and Maidservants 8. Furthermore this Discipline is not such a kind of action as is exercised by the Church with any carnal power or worldly Authority or coactive force but it is only the Churches own voluntary departing or separating from him with whom they may no longer live or converse as with a Disciple of Jesus Christ. So that the Rulers or Governors of the Church do not so properly nor so much sever and separate the said person from themselves as they sever and separate themselves together with their people from him and that by the command of Jesus Christ himself their Lord and cannot nor will not otherwise converse with him than with an Heathen and Publican or with any publick and profane sinner so long indeed as he shall continue impenitent 9. Wherefore they who exercise this same discipline not only with a fleshly power and coactive force but who do also extend it unto bodily and capital punishments especially under pretence and colour of Heresie commonly so called they do arrogate and assume to themselves too great a power yea altogether unmeet and unlawful yea further they do in deed and truth oppress the liberty of Mens Consciences and of Prophesie and do change this saving and wholesome remedy in Wisdom appointed by our Saviour for the amendment of Sinners into a most deadly poyson and that which was designed for their health and safety these Men turn to their subversion and ruine wherefore also those who any ways patronize or defend the killing of Horeticks or any the like Tyranny or persecution for Conscience sake we hold and judg that they are altogether estranged from and contrary to that most meek or mild Spirit of Christ and do also fight with unmeet and preposterous weapons against heresies and consequently do bring themselves under the guilt of a most heinous sin in the sight of God CHAP. XXV Of Synods or Councels and of their manner and use 1. ANd thus indeed all particular Curches being taken severally or apart are to be govern'd by their own Ministers that is by their own Bishops and Elders But if in the mean while any thing more hard then ordinary in Doctrine or Manners or Rites proper and peculiar to the Church which may either concern all or at least many Churches shall happen or fall out to be disputed and debated then may Synods or Ecclesiastical Assemblies profitably be appointed and held and sometimes ought and that after the example of the Apostles themselves and they either greater or lesser as the necessity of the case shall seem to require They may we say profitably be appointed and held if indeed a right and lawful order and manner be observed in them and chiefly if these following Articles or Heads be diligently attended to and kept Act. 15. 1. c. 2. I. If in them both the truth and profitableness and necessity of all Opinions or Doctrines be nor examined and tryed by any humane square or factitious i. e. made or devised rule whatsoever it be but only by the Word of God II. If a full and plenary liberty be granted to every one to speak his own Opinion or Judgment without scruple or fear of danger and to enquire into the Opinions of others and duly to examine the whole matter that is in Controversie III. If there be none admitted in them but â—it and meet Men that is Men skilful in divine things and who are mighty in the Scriptures and have their Senses exercised to discern between what is true what is false especially Men pious prudent grave moderate studious or lovers of Truth as well as of Peace as also truly free and during the time of the examination of the Controversie simply tyed to none either Person or Church or Confession c. but only to God and Christ and his sacred Word Lastly men free from all corrupt or perverse affections as wrath hatred partiality or abetting of parties IV. If in them it be not precisely or chiefly urged that Controversies of Faith be by any means at least whatsoever it matters not what right or wrong taken away or removed or decided against one party or the other and that only for this end either to procure or preserve the outward quiet and tranquillity of the Common-wealth but that it may be chiefly endeavoured that Heresies Schisms and other such like publick miscarriages and scandals be first and foremost kept out of the Churches or that being already brought in and so by that means Piety and Truth as also liberty and Christian Charity may be always consulted and provided for in them and therefore V. If plain saving and necessary Truth be straitly and closely held and retained in them and yet so as that for those that dissent and who are yet ignorant of the Truth there be no danger created for them upon that account nor any force or violence done or offered to their Consciences but that saving Truth be only prest upon them by perswasions and reaonss and that with the greatest gentleness and meekness of mind and spirit imaginable and in other things that a moderate Liberty of dissenting upon certain terms and conditions may remain safe inviolate and the Remedies of mutual peace and concord commodiously sought out VI. Finally if what is determined in them be always left liable to a free examination and a further review afterwards yea if it be seriously will'd and commanded that all their Decrees be diligently examined and weighed by the Word of God and that no Man be envied and maligned or at any time endangered for so doing 3. And in those Synods next to or after the Supreme Authority of God and of Christ there ought also to intervene the Authority of the Christian Magistrate as of a nursing Father of the Church if so be there be any such in the Church as of