Chap. XVII.

Of the Kingdome of God by the new Covenant.

    I. There are many cleare prophesies extant in the old
Testament concerning our Saviour Jesus Christ, who was to restore
the Kingdome of God by a new Covenant, partly foretelling his
regall Dignity, partly his Humility and Passion. Among others
concerning his Dignity, these; God blessing Abraham, makes him a
promise of his sonne Isaac, and addes, And Kings of People shall
be of him, Gen. 17. vers. 16. Jacob blessing his sonne Judah, The
Scepter (quoth he) shall not depart from Judah, Gen. 49. vers.
10. God to Moyses, A Prophet (saith he) will I raise them up from
among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his
mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him,
and it shall come to Passe, that whosoever will not hearken unto
my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of
him, Deut. 18. vers. 18. Isaias, The Lord himselfe shall give
thee a signe, Behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Sonne,
and shall call his name Emanuel, Isai 7. v. 14. The same Prophet,
Unto us a child is born, unto us a Sonne is given, and the
government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name shall be
called Wonderfull, Counsellour, the mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace, Isai 9. vers. 6. And again, There
shall come forth a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse, and a branch
shall grow out of his roots; the spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him, &c. he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,
neither reProve after the hearing of his eares, but with
righteousnesse shall he judge the Poor, &c. and he shall smite
the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his
lips shall he slay the wicked, Isay 11. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Furthermore in the 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 60, 61, 62. Ch. of the
same Isay, there is almost nothing else contained but a
description of the coming, and the works of Christ. Jeremias,
Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new
Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah,
Jerem. 31. 31. And Baruch, This is our God. &c. Afterward did he
shew himselfe upon earth, and conversed with men; Baruch 3. vers.
35, 37. Ezekiel, I will set up one Shepheard over them, and he
shall feed them, even my Servant David, And I will make with them
a Covenant of Peace, &c. Ezek. 34. vers. 23, 25. Daniel, I saw in
the night visions, and behold one like the Sonne of man came with
the clouds of heaven, and came to the antient of dayes, and they
brought him near before him, and there was given him Dominion,
and Glory, and a Kingdome, that all People, Nations, and
Languages should serve him, his Dominion is an everlasting
Dominion, &c. Dan. 7. vers. 13, 14. Hagga, Yet once it is a
little while, and I will shake the Heaven, and the Earth, and the
Sea, and the drye Land, and I will shake all Nations, and the
desire of all Nations shall come, Hagga 2. v. 8. Zachariah, Under
the type of Joshuah the High Priest: I will bring forth my
servant the Branch, &c. Zach. 3. v. 8. And again, Behold the man
whose name is the Branch, Zach. 6. v. 12. And again, Rejoyce
greatly O Daughter of Sion, Shout O Daughter of Jerusalem, behold
thy King cometh to thee, he is just, having salvation, Zach. 9.
v. 9. The Jewes moved by these, and other Prophesies, expected
Christ their King to be sent from God, who should redeem them,
and furthermore bear rule over all Nations. Yea this Prophesie
had spread over the whole Roman Empire (which Vespasian too,
though falsly, interpreted in favour of his own enterprises) That
out of Judea should come he that should have dominion.

    II. Now the Prophesies of Christs Humility and Passion,
amongst others are these. Isa 53. v. 4 He hath born our griefes,
and carried our sorrowes; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten
of God, & afflicted, and by and by, He was oPpressed, he was
afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; He is brought as a Lamb
to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her Shearer is dumb, so
opened he not his mouth, &c. vers. 7. And again, He was cut out
of the Land of the living,for the transgression of my People was
he stricken, &c. vers. 8. Therefore will I divide him a portion
with the great, and he shall divide the spoyle with the strong,
because he hath poured out his soule unto death, and he was
numbred with the transgressours, and he bare the sinne of many,
and made intercession for the transgressours, vers. 12. And that
of Zachary, He is lowly, riding upon an Asse, and upon a Colt the
foale of an Asse. Zach. 9. vers. 9.

    III. In the reign of Tiberius Cesar, JESUS our Saviour a
Galilaean began to preach, the sonne (as was supposed) of Joseph,
declaring to the people of the Jewes, that the Kingdome of God
expected by them, was now come; and that himselfe was a King,
that is to say, THE CHRIST: Explaining the Law; choosing twelve
Apostles, and seventy Disciples, after the number of the Princes
of the Tribes, and seventy Elders (according to the pattern of
Moyses) to the Ministry; teaching the way of salvation by
himselfe and them; purging the Temple; doing great signes, and
fulfilling all those things which the Prophets had foretold of
Christ to come. That this man, hated of the Pharisees, (whose
false doctrine and hypocriticall sanctity he had reproved) and by
their means, of the People accused of unlawfull seeking for the
Kingdome, and crucified, was the true CHRIST, and King promised
by God, and sent from his father to renew the new Covenant
between them and God, both the Evangelists doe shew (describing
his Genealogie, nativity, life, doctrine, death, and
resurrection) and by comparing the things which he did, with
those which were foretold of him, all Christians doe consent to.

    IV. Now from this, That CHRIST was sent from God his Father
to make a Covenant between him and the people, it is manifest,
that though Christ were equall to his Father according to his
nature, yet was he inferior according to the Right of the
Kingdom; for this office to speak properly, was not that of a
King, but of a Vice-roy, such as Moyses his Government was. For
the Kingdom was not his, but his Fathers; which CHRIST himselfe
signified when he was baptized as a subject, and openly profest,
when he taught his Disciples to pray, Our Father, Thy Kingdome
come, &c. And when he said, I will not drink of the blood of the
grape, untill that day when I shall drink it new with you in the
Kingdome of my Father, Mat. 26. vers. 29. And Saint Paul. As in
Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive; but every man
in his own order; Christ the first fruits, afterward they that
are Christs, who beleeved in his coming; Then cometh the end when
he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even his Father,
&c. 1. Cor. 15. vers. 22, 23, 24. The same notwithstanding is
also called the Kingdome of Christ: for both the Mother of the
sonnes of Zebedie petitioned Christ, saying, Grant that these my
two sonnes may sit, the one on thy right hand, the other on thy
left, in thy Kingdome, Mat. 20. vers. 21. And the Theef on the
Cross, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, Luke
23. vers. 42. And Saint Paul, For this know yee, that no
whormonger, &c. shall enter into the Kingdome of God, and of
Christ, Ephes. 5. ver. 5. And elsewhere, I charge thee before
God, and the Lord Iesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and
dead at his appearing, and his Kingdome, & c. 2 Tim. 4. ver. 1.
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke, and will
Preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdome, ver. 18. Nor is it to be
marvelled at, that the same Kingdome is attributed to them both,
since both the Father, and the Son, are the same God; and the new
Covenant concerning Gods Kingdome, is not propounded in the Name
of the FATHER, but in the name of the FATHER, of the SON, and of
the HOLY-GHOST, as of one God.

    V. But the Kingdome of God, for restitution whereof CHRIST
was sent from God his Father, takes not its beginning before his
second comming, to wit, from the day of Judgement, when he shall
come in Majesty accompanied with his Angels: For it is promis'd
the Apostles, that in the Kingdome of God, they shall judge the
twelve tribes of Israel. Ye which have followed me in the
regeneration, when the Sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of
his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel, Mat. 19. ver. 28. which is not to be
done till the day of judgement; CHRIST therefore is not yet in
the throne of his Majesty, nor is that time when CHRIST was
conversant here in the world call'd a Kingdome, but a
regeneration, that is to say a renovation, or restitution of the
Kingdome of God, and a calling of them who were hereafter to be
receiv'd into his Kingdome; And where it is said, When the Son of
man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him,
then shall he sit uPon the throne of his glory, and before him
shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall seParate them one
from another, as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goates,
Mat. 25. ver. 31. we may manifestly gather, that there will be no
Locall separation of Gods Subjects from his Enemies, but that
they shall live mixt together untill CHRISTS second comming.
Which is also confirm'd by the comparison of the Kingdome of
heaven, with wheat mingled with Darnell; and with a net
containing all sorts of fish. But a multitude of men, Enemies and
Subjects, living promiscuously together, cannot properly be
term'd a Kingdome. Besides, the Apostles, when they askt our
Saviour, Whether he would at that time when he ascended into
heaven, restore the Kingdome unto Israel? did openly testifie,
that they then, when CHRIST ascended, thought the Kingdome of God
not to be yet come. Farthermore, the words of CHRIST, My Kingdome
is not of this world; And, I will not drinke, &c. till the
Kingdome of God come: And, God hath not sent his Son into the
World, to judge the World, but that the World through him might
be sav'd. And, If any man heare not my words, and keepe them, I
judge him not; for I came not to judge the World, but to save the
World. And, Man, who made me a judge or divider betweene you? And
the very Appellation of the Kingdome of Heaven testifies as much.
The same thing is gathered out of the words of the Prophet
Jeremiah, speaking of the Kingdome of God by the new Covenant,
They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour, saying, Know
the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them, to
the greatest of them, saith the Lord, Jer. 31. v. 34. which
cannot be understood of a Kingdome in this World. The Kingdome of
God therefore, for the restoring whereof CHRIST came into the
world, of which the Prophets did Prophesie, and of which praying
wee say, Thy Kingdome come, (if it must have Subjects locally
separated from Enemies, if judicature, if Majesty, according as
hath beene foretold,) shall begin from that time, wherein God
shall separate the Sheep from the Goats; wherein the Apostles
shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel; wherein CHRIST shall
come in Majesty, and glory; wherein Lastly, all men shall so know
God, that they shall not need to be taught, that is to say, at
CHRIST his second comming, or the day of Judgement. But if the
Kingdome of God were now already restor'd, no reason could be
rendered why CHRIST having compleated the work for which he was
sent, should come againe, or why we should pray, Thy Kingdome
come.

    VI. Now, although the Kingdome of God by CHRIST to be
establisht with a new Covenant, were Heavenly, we must not
therefore thinke, that they, who beleeving in CHRIST would make
that Covenant, were not so to be govern'd here on the Earth too,
as that they should persevere in their faith, and obedience
promis'd by that Covenant. For in vaine had the Kingdome of
heaven beene promis'd, if we were not to have been led into it.
But none can be led, but those who are directed in the way.
Moyses, when he had instituted the Priestly Kingdome, himselfe
though he were no Priest, yet rul'd, and conducted the People all
the time of their Peregrination untill their entrance into the
promis'd Land. In the same manner is it our Saviours office (whom
God in this thing would have like unto Moyses) as he was sent
from his Father, so to governe the future Subjects of his
heavenly Kingdome in this life, that they might attaine to, and
enter into that, although the Kingdome were not properly his, but
his Fathers. But the government whereby CHRIST rules the
faithfull ones in this life, is not properly a Kingdome, or
Dominion, but a Pastorall charge, or the Right of teaching, that
is to say, God the father gave him not a power to judge of Meum
and Tuum as he doth to the Kings of the Earth; nor a Coercive
power; nor legislative; but of shewing to the world, and teaching
them the way, and knowledge of Salvation, that is to say, of
Preaching, and declaring what they were to doe, who would enter
into the Kingdome of Heaven. That CHRIST had receiv'd no power
from his father to judge in questions of Meum and Tuum, that is
to say, in all questions of Right among those who beleev'd not;
those words above cited doe sufficiently declare: Man, who made
me a judge, or divider betweene you? And it is confirm'd by
reason; for seeing CHRIST was sent to make a Covenant between God
and men, and no man is oblig'd to performe obedience before the
Contract be made, if he should have judg'd of questions of Right,
no man had been tyed to obey his sentence. But that the
discerning of Right was not committed to CHRIST in this world,
neither among the faithfull, nor among infidels, is apparent in
this, that that Right without all controversie belongs to Princes
as long as it is not by, But it is not derogated God himselfe
derogated from their authority; before the day of Judgement, as
appeares by the words of Saint Paul, speaking of the day of
Judgement, Then commeth the end when He shall have delivered up
the Kingdome to God even the Father, when He shall have put downe
all rule, and all authority, and Power, 1 Cor. 15. ver. 24.
Secondly, the words of our Saviour reproving James, and Iohn,
when they had said, Wilt thou that we call for Fyer from Heaven,
that it may consume them (namely the Samaritans, who had denyed
to receive him going up to Jerusalem) and replying, The Son of
Man is not come to destroy soules, but to save them; And those
words, Behold I send you as Sheep among Wolves; Shake off the
dust of your Feet, and the like; And those words, God sent not
his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world
through him might be sav'd; and those, If any man heare my words,
and keep them not, I judge him not, for I came not to judge the
world, & c. doe all shew, that he had no power given him, to
condemne or punish any man. We reade indeed that the Father
judgeth no Man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son, but
since that both may, and must be understood of the day of future
judgement, it doth not at all repugne what hath beene sayed
before. Lastly, that he was not sent to make new Lawes, and that
therefore by his Office, and mission, he was no Legislatour
properly so called, nor Moyses neither, but a bringer and
Publisher of his Fathers Lawes, (for God only, and neither
Moyses, nor CHRIST, was a King by Covenant) is collected hence,
that he sayed, I came not to destroy (to wit the Lawes before
given from God by Moyses, which he presently interprets) but to
fulfill; And, He that shall break one of the least of these
Commandements, and shall teach men so, He shall be called least
in the Kingdome of Heaven. CHRIST therefore had not a Royall, or
Soveraigne power committed to him from his Father in this world,
but consiliary, and doctrinall onely; which himselfe signifies,
as well then when he call his Apostles, not Hunters, but Fishers
of men; as when he compares the Kingdome of God to a graine of
mustard seed, and to a little Leaven hid in meale.

    VII. God promis'd unto Abraham first, a numerous seed, the
possession of the Land of Canaan, and a blessing upon all Nations
in his seed, on this Condition, that he, and his seed should
serve him; next unto the seed of Abraham according to the flesh,
a Priestly Kingdome, a Government most free, in which they were
to be Subject to no humane power, on this Condition, that they
should serve the God of Abraham on that fashion which Moyses
should teach. Lastly, both to them, and to all Nations, a
heavenly, and eternall Kingdome, on Condition that they should
serve the God of Abraham, on that manner which Christ should
teach. For by the new, that is to say, the Christian Covenant,
it's covenanted on mens part, to serve the God of Abraham, on
that manner which JESUS should teach: On Gods part, to pardon
their sinnes, and bring them into his caelestiall Kingdome. We
have already spoken of the quality of the heavenly Kingdome above
in the 5. Article; but it is usually call'd, sometimes the
Kingdome of Heaven, sometimes the Kingdome of Glory, sometimes
the life Eternall. What's required on mens part, namely to serve
God as CHRIST should teach, containes two things, Obedience to be
performed to God, (for this is to serve God) and Faith in JESUS,
to wit, That we beleeve JESUS TO BE THAT CHRIST who was promis'd
by God: for that only is the cause why his Doctrine is to be
followed, rather then any others. Now in holy Scriptures,
Repentance is often put in stead of Obedience, because Christ
teacheth every where, that with God the Will is taken for the
deed; but Repentance is an infallible sign of an obedient mind.
These things being understood, it will most evidently appear out
of many places of sacred Scripture, that those are the Conditions
of the Christian Covenant which we have nam'd, to wit, giving
remission of sins, and eternall life on Gods part; and Repenting,
and Beleeving in JESUS CHRIST, on Mens part. First, the words,
The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent yee and beleeve the
Gospell, Mark 1. 15. contain the whole Covenant: In like manner
those, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer,
and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance, and
remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all
Nations, begining at Jerusalem, Luke 24. vers. 46, 47. And those,
Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when
the times of refreshing shall come, &c. Acts 3. vers. 19. And
sometimes one part is expresly propounded, and the other
understood, as here, He that beleeveth in the Sonne, hath
everlasting life; He that beleeveth not the Sonne, shall not see
life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, Iohn 3. vers. 36,
Where Faith is exprest, Repentance not mentioned. And in CHRISTS
preaching, Repent, for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand, Mat. 4.
17. Where Repentance is exprest, Faith is understood. But the
parts of this new Contract are most manifestly, and formally set
down there, where a certain Ruler bargaining as it were for the
Kingdom of God, asketh our Saviour, Good Waster, what shall I doe
to inherit eternall life, Luke 18. v. 18. But CHRIST first
propounds one part of the price, namely observation of the
Commandements, or obedience, which when he answered that he had
kept, he adjoynes the other, saying, Yet lackest thou one thing;
Sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the Poor, and thou
shalt have Treasure in Heaven, and come, follow me, v. 22. This
was matter of Faith. He therefore not giving sufficient credit to
CHRIST, and his heavenly Treasures, went away sorrowfull. The
same Covenant is contained in these words: Hee that beleeveth,
and is baptized, shall be saved, he that beleeveth not, shall be
damned, Mark 16. vers. 15, 16. Where Faith is exprest, Repentance
is supposed in those that are baptized; and in these words,
Except a man be born again of water, and the Holy Ghost, he
cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, Iohn 3. vers. 5. Where
to be born of water, is the same with regeneration, that is to
say, Conversion to CHRIST. Now that Baptisme is required in the
two places cited just before, and in divers others, we must
understand, that what Circumcision was to the old Covenant, that
Baptisme is to the new: Seeing therefore, that was not of the
Essence, but served for a memoriall of the old Covenant, as a
Ceremony or signe (and was omitted in the wildernesse) in like
manner this also is used, not as pertaining to the Essence, but
in memory, and for a signe of the New Covenant which wee make
with God; and provided the will be not wanting, the Act through
necessity may be omitted; but Repentance and Faith, which are of
the Essence of the Covenant, are alwayes required.

    VIII. In the Kingdome of God after this life there will be
no, Lawes. partly because there is no roome for Lawes, where
there is none for sinne; partly because Laws were given us from
God, not to direct us in Heaven, but unto Heaven. Let us now
therefore enquire what Laws CHRIST (establisht not himselfe, for
he would not take upon him any Legislative authority, as hath
been declared above in the sixth Article, but) propounded to us
for his Fathers. Wee have a place in Scripture, where he
contracts all the Lawes of God publisht till that time, into two
Preceps, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,
with all thy soul, and with all thy minde: this is the greatest,
and first Commandement. And the second is like unto it: Thou
shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe. On these two Commandements
hangs all the Law, and the Prophets, Mat. 22. vers. 37, 38, 39,
40. The first of these was given before by Moyses in the same
words, Deut. 6. vers. 5. And the second even before Moyses; for
it is the naturall Law, having its begining with rationall nature
it selfe. And both together is the summe of all Lawes: for all
the Lawes of divine naturall worship, are contained in these
words, Thou shalt love God; and all the Lawes of divine worship
due by the old Covenant, in these words, Thou shalt love thy God,
that is to say, God as being the peculiar King of Abraham, and
his seed; and all the Lawes naturall, and civill, in these words,
Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe. For he that loves God
and his neighbour, hath a minde to obey all Lawes, both divine,
and humane. But God requires no more then a minde to obey. Wee
have another place, where CHRIST interprets the Lawes, namely,
the fifth, sixth, and seventh entire Chapters of Saint Matthewes
Gospell. But all those Lawes are set down, either in the
Decalogue, or in the morall Law, or are contained in the faith of
Abraham; as that Law of not putting away a wife is contained in
the faith of Abraham: for that same, Two shall be one flesh, was
not delivered either by CHRIST first, or by Moyses, but by
Abraham, who first publisht the Creation of the world. The Lawes
therefore which CHRIST contracts in one place, and explaines in
another, are no other then those to which all mortall men are
obliged, who acknowledge the God of Abraham. Beside these, we
read not of any Law given by CHRIST, beside the institution of
the Sacraments of Baptisme, and the Eucharist.

    IX. What may be said then of these kinde of Precepts: Repent,
Be Baptized, Keep the Commandements, Beleeve the Gospell, Come
unto me, Sell all that thou hast, give to the Poor, follow me,
and the like? We must say that they are not Lawes, but a calling
of us to the faith, such as is that of Isa. Come, buy wine, and
milk without monie, and without Price, Isai 55. vers. 1. Neither
if they come not, doe they therefore sinne against any Law, but
against prudence onely; neither shall their infidelity be
punisht, but their former sinnes. Wherefore Saint John saith of
the unbeleever, The wrath of God abideth on him; he saith not,
The wrath of God shall come upon him; And, He that beleeveth not,
is already judged; he saith not, shall be judged, but is already
judged. Nay it cannot be well conceived, that remission of sinnes
should be a benefit arising from faith, unlesse we understand
also on the other side, that the punishment of sinnes is an hurt
proceeding from infidelity.

    X. From hence, that our Saviour hath prescribed no
distributive Lawes, to the Subjects of Princes, and Citizens of
Cities, that is to say, hath given no rules whereby a Subject may
know, and discerne what is his owne, what another mans, not by
what forms, words, or circumstances, a thing must be given,
delivered, invaded, possest, that it may be known by Right to
belong to the Receiver, Invader, or Possessour, we must
necessarily understand that each single subject (not only with
unbeleevers, among whom CHRIST himselfe denyed himselfe to be a
judge and distributer, but even with Christians) must take those
rules from his City, that is to say, from that Man, or Councell,
which hath the supreme power It. followes therefore, that by
those Lawes, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steale, Honour thy Father and Mother, nothing else
was commanded, but that Subjects, and Citizens, should absolutely
obey their Princes in all questions concerning Meum & Tuum, their
own and others Right. For by that Precept, Thou shalt not kill,
all slaughter is not prohibited; for he that said, Thou shalt not
kill, said also, Whosoever doth work uPon the Sabbath, shall be
put to death, Exod 35. vers. 2. No, nor yet all slaughter the
cause not being heard; for he said, Slay every man his Brother,
and every man his Companion, and every man his Neighbour, Exo.
32. v. 27. And there fell of the People about three thousand men,
v. 28. Nor yet all slaughter of an innocent Person; for Iephte
vowed, Whosoever cometh forth, &c. I will offer him up for a
burnt offering unto the Lord, Jud. 11. vers. 31. and his vow was
accepted of God. What then is forbidden? Onely this: that no man
kill another, who hath not a Right to kill him, that is to say,
that no man kill, unlesse it belong to him to doe so. The Law of
CHRIST therefore concerning killing, and consequently all manner
of hurt done to any man, and what penalties are to be set,
commands us to obey the City only. In like manner, by that
Precept, Thou shalt not commit adultery, all manner of Copulation
is not forbidden, but only that of lying with another mans wife;
but the judgment which is another mans wife, belongs to the City,
and is to be determined by the rules which the City prescribes:
This precept therefore commands both male and female to keep that
faith intire which they have mutually given, according to the
statutes of the City. So also by the precept, Thou shalt not
steal, all manner of invasion, or secret surreption is not
forbidden, but of another mans. only. The subject therefore is
commanded this only, that he invade not, nor take away ought
which the City prohibits to be invaded or taken away; and
universally not to call any thing murder, adultery, or t heft,
but what is done contrary to the civill Lawes. Lastly, seeing
CHRIST hath commanded us to honour our Parents, and hath not
prescribed, with what Rites, what appellations, and what manner
of obedience they are to be honoured, it is to be supposed that
they are to be honoured with the will indeed, and inwardly, as
Kings and Lords over their Children, but outwardly, not beyond
the Cities permission, which shall assign to every man (as all
things else, so also) his honour. But since the nature of justice
consists in this, that every Man have his own given him, its
manifest, that it also belongs to a Christian City to determin
what is justice, what injustice, or a sinne against justice; Now
what belongs to a City, that must be judg'd to belong to him or
them who have the Soveraigne power of the City.

    XI. Moreover, because our Saviour hath not shewed Subjects
any other Lawes for the government of a City beside those of
nature, that is to say, beside the Command of obedience, no
Subject can privately determine who is a publique friend, who an
enemy, when Warre, when Peace, when Truce is to be made; nor yet
what Subjects, what authority, and of what men, are commodious,
or prejudiciall to the safety of the Common-weale. These, and all
like matters therefore are to be learned, if need be, from the
City, that is to say, from the Soveraign powers.

    XII. Furthermore, all these things, to build Castles, Houses,
Temples; to move, carry, take away mighty weights; to send
securely over Seas; to contrive engines, serving for all manner
of uses; to be well acquainted with the face of the whole world,
the Courses of the Starres, the seasons of the yeare, the
accounts of the times, and the nature of all things; to
understand perfectly all naturall and civill Rights; and all
manner of Sciences, which (comprehended under the Title of
Philosophy) are necessary partly to live, partly to live well; I
say, the understanding of these (because CHRIST hath not
delivered it) is to be learnt from reasoning, that is to say by
making necessary consequences, having first taken the beginning
from experience. But mens reasonings are sometimes right,
sometimes wrong, and consequently that which is concluded, and
held for a truth, is sometimes truth, sometimes errour. Now,
errours even about these Philosophicall points doe sometimes
publique hurt, and give occasions of great seditions, and
injuries: It is needfull therefore, as oft as any controversie
ariseth in these matters contrary to publique good, and common
Peace, that there be some body to judge of the reasoning, that is
to say, whether that which is inferred, be rightly inferred or
not, that so the controversie may be ended. But there are no
rules given by CHRIST to this purpose; neither came he into the
world to teach Logick. It remaines therefore that the Iudges of
such controversies be the same with those whom God by nature had
instituted before, namely those who in each City are constituted
by the Soveraign. Moreover, if a controversie be raised of the
accurate and proper signification (i.e.) the definition of those
names or appellations which are commonly us'd, in so much as it
is needfull for the peace of the City, or the distribution of
right, to be determin'd, the determination will belong to the
City; for men by reasoning doe search out such kind of
definitions in their observation of diverse conceptions, for the
signification whereof, those appellations were us'd at divers
times, and for divers causes. But the decision of the question
whether a man doe reason rightly, belongs to the City. For
Example. If a woman bring forth a Child of an unwonted shape, and
the Law forbid to kill a man, the question is, whether the Childe
be a man. It is demanded therefore what a man is. No man doubts,
but the City shall judge it, and that without taking an account
of Aristotles definition, that man is a rationall Creature. And
these things (namely Right, Politie, and naturall Sciences) are
Subjects concerning which CHRIST denies that it belongs to his
Office to give any Praecepts, or teach any thing, beside this
onely, that in all Controversies about them, every single Subject
should obey the Lawes, and determinations of his City. Yet must
we remember this, that the same Christ as God could not onely
have taught, but also commanded what he would.

    XIII. The summe of our Saviours Office was to teach the way,
and all the meanes of Salvation, and aeternall life; but Iustice
and civill obedience, and observation of all the naturall Lawes
is one of the meanes to Salvation. Now these may be taught two
wayes; one, as Theorems by the way of naturall reason, by drawing
Right and the natural Lawes from humane Principles, and
contracts; and this Doctrine thus deliver'd is subject to the
censure of civill powers: The other, as Lawes, by divine
authority, in shewing the will of God to be such; and thus to
teach, belongs onely to him to whom the Will of God is
supernaturally knowne, that is to say, to Christ. Secondly, it
belong'd to the Office of Christ to forgive sinnes to the
Penitent, for that was necessary for the Salvation of men who had
already sinn'd; neither could it be done by any other; for
remission of sinnes followes not Repentance naturally, (as a
Debt) but it depends (as a free gift) on the will of God
supernaturally to be reveal'd. Thirdly, it belongs to the Office
of Christ to teach all those Commandements of God, whether
concerning his worship, or those points of faith which cannot be
understood by naturall reason, but onely by revelation; of which
nature are those that he was the Christ; that his Kingdome was
not terrestriall, but celestiall; that there are rewards, and
punishments after this life; that the soule is immortall; that
there should be such, and so many Sacraments, and the like.

    XIV. From what hath beene sayed in the foregoing Chapter, it
is not hard to distinguish betweene things Spirituall, and
Temporall. For since by Spirituall, those things are understood
which have their foundation on the authority, and Office of
CHRIST, and unlesse CHRIST had taught them, could not have beene
known; and all other things are temporall; it followes, that the
definition, and determination of whats just, and unjust, the
cognizance of all controversies about the meanes of Peace, and
publique defence, and the Examination of doctrines, and books in
all manner of rationall science, depends upon the temporall
Right. But those which are mysteries of faith, depending on
CHRIST his word, and authority onely, their judgements belong to
spirituall Right. But it is reasons inquisition, and pertaines to
temporall Right to define what is spirituall, and what temporall,
because our Saviour hath not made that distinction; For although
Saint Paul in many places distinguish betweene spirituall things,
and carnall things, and calls those things spirituall, which are
of the spirit, to wit, the word of wisdome, the word of
knowledge, faith, the gift of healing, the working of miracles,
Prophesie, divers kindes of tongues, interpretation of tongues,
Rom. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 8, 9. All supernaturally inspired by the
Holy Ghost, and such as the carnall man understands not, but he
only who hath known the mind of CHRIST, 2. Cor. 2. 14, 15, 16.
And those things carnall which belong to worldly wealth, Rom. 15.
27. And the men carnall men, 1 Cor. 3. vers. 1, 2, 3. yet hath he
not defined, nor given us any rules whereby we may know what
proceeds from naturall reason, what from supernaturall
inspiration.

    XV. Seeing therefore it is plain that our Saviour hath
committed to, or rather not taken away from Princes, and those
who in each City have obtained the Soveraignty, the supreme
authority of judging & determineing al manner of controversies
about temporall matters, we must see henceforth to whom he hath
left the same authority in matters spirituall. Which because it
cannot bee known, except it be out of the word of God, and the
Tradition of the Church, we must enquire in the next place what
the word of God is, what to interpret it, what a Church is, and
what the will and command of the Church. To omit that the word of
God is in Scripture taken sometimes for the Sonne of God, it is
used, three manner of wayes; First, most properly for that which
God hath spoken; Thus whatsoever God spake unto Abraham, the
Patriarchs, Moses, and the Prophets, our Saviour to his
Disciples, or any others, is the word of God. Secondly,
whatsoever hath been uttered by men on the motion, or by Command
of the Holy Ghost; in which sense we acknowledge the Scriptures
to be the word of God. Thirdly, in the New Testament indeed the
word of God most frequently signifies the Doctrine of the
Gospell, or the word concerning God, or the word of the Kingdome
of God by CHRIST: as where it is said that CHRIST preach't the
Gospell of the Kingdome, Mat. 4. vers. 23. Where the Apostles are
said to preach the word of God, Acts 13. vers. 46. Where the word
of God is called the word of life, Acts 5. vers. 20. The word of
the Gospell, Acts 15. vers. 7. The word of faith, Rom. 10. vers.
8. The word of truth, that is to say, (adding an interpretation)
The Gospel of salvation, Eph. 1. 13. And where it is called the
word of the Apostles; For Saint Paul sayes, If any man obey not
our word, &c. 2. Thess. 3. vers. 14. which places cannot be
otherwise meant then of the doctrine Evangelicall. In like manner
where the word of God is said to be sowen, to encrease, and to be
multiplied, Acts 12. vers. 24. and Chap. 13. vers. 49. it is very
hard to conceive this to be spoken of the voyce of God, or of his
Apostles; but of their doctrine, easie. And in this third
acception is all that doctrine of the Christian faith which at
this day is preacht in Pulpits, and contained in the books of
divines, the word of God.

    XVI. Now the sacred Scripture is intirely the word of God in
this second acception, as being that which we acknowledge to be
inspired from God. And innumerable places of it, in the first.
And seeing the greatest part of it is conversant either in the
prediction of the Kingdome of Heaven, or in prefigurations before
the incarnation of CHRIST, or in Evangelization, and explication
after, The sacred Scripture is also the word of God, and
therefore the Canon and Rule of all Evangelicall Doctrine, in
this third signification, where the word of God is taken for the
word concerning God, that is to say, for the Gospel. But because
in the same Scriptures we read many things Politicall,
Historicall, Morall, Physicall, and others which nothing at all
concern the Mysteries of our faith, those places although they
contain true doctrine, and are the Canon of such kind of
doctrines, yet can they not be the Canon of the Mysteries of
Christian Religion.

    XVII. And truly it is not the dead voyce, or letter of the
word of God, which is the Canon of Christian doctrine, but a true
and genuine determination; For the minde is not governed by
Scriptures, unlesse they be understood. There is need therefore
of an Interpreter to make the Scriptures Canon. And hence
followes one of these two things, that either the word of the
Interpreter is the word of God, or that the Canon of Christian
doctrin is not the word of God. The last of these must
necessarily be false; for the rule of that doctrine which cannot
be knowne by any humane reason, but by divine revelation only,
cannot be lesse then divine; for whom we acknowledge not to be
able to discern whether some doctrin be true or not, its
impossible to account his opinion for a rule in the same
doctrine. The first therefore is true, That the word of an
Interpreter of Scriptures, is the word of God.

    XVIII. Now that Interpreter whose determination hath the
honour to be held for the word of God, is not every one that
translates the Scriptures out of the Hebrew, and Greek tongue, to
his Latine Auditors in Latine, to his French, in French, and to
other Nations in their mother tongue; for this is not to
interpret. For such is the nature of speech in generall, that
although it deserve the chiefe place among those signes whereby
we declare our conceptions to others, yet cannot it perform that
office alone without the help of many circumstances; For the
living voice hath its interpreters present, to wit, time, place,
countenance, gesture, the Counsell of the Speaker, and himselfe
unfolding his own meaning in other words as oft as need is. To
recall these aids of interpretation, so much desired in the
writings of old time, is neither the part of an ordinary wit, nor
yet of the quaintest, without great learning, and very much skill
in antiquity. It sufficeth not therefore for interpretation of
Scriptures, that a man understand the language wherein they
speak. Neither is every one an authentique Interpreter of
Scriptures, who writes Comments upon them: For men may erre, they
may also either bend them to serve their own ambition, or even
resisting, draw them into bondage by their forestallings; whence
it will follow that an erroneous sentence must be held for the
word of God. But although this could not happen, yet as soon as
these Commentators are departed, their Commentaries will need
explications, and in processe of time, those explications,
expositions; those expositions new Commentaries without any end:
so as there cannot in any written Interpretation whatsoever be a
Canon, or Rule of Christian doctrine, whereby the Controversies
of Religion may be determined. It remains, that there must bee
some Canonicall Interpreter whose legitimate Office it is to end
Controversies begun, by explaining the word of God in the
judgements themselves; and whose authority therefore must be no
lesse obeyed, then theirs who first recommended the Scripture it
selfe to us for a Canon of faith; and that one, and the same
Person be an Interpreter of Scripture, and a supreme Judge of all
manner of doctrines.

    XIX. What concerns the word Ecclesia, or Church: originally
it signifies the same thing that Concio, or a congregation does
in Latin; even as Ecclesiastes, or Church man, the same that
concionator, or Preacher, that is to say, He who speaks to the
Congregation. In which sense wee read in the Acts of the
Apostles, of a Church confused, and of a Lawfull Church, Acts 19.
vers. 32, 39. that, taken for a Concourse of people meeting in
way of tumult; this, for a convocated Assembly. But in holy writ
by a Church of Christians, is sometimes understood the Assembly,
and sometimes the Christians themselves, although not actually
assembled, if they be permitted to enter into the Congregation,
and to communicate with them. For example. Tell it to the Church,
Mat. 18. vers. 17. is meant of a Church assembled; for otherwise
it is impossible to tell any thing to the Church: But, Hee laid
waste the Church, Acts 8. vers. 3. is understood of a Church not
assembled. Sometimes a Church is taken for those who are
baptized, or for the professors of the Christian faith, whether
they be Christians inwardly, or feignedly, as when we reade of
somewhat said or written to the Church, or said or decreed, or
done by the Church; sometimes for the Elect onely, as when it is
called holy, and without blemish, Ephes. 5. vers. 27. But the
Elect, as they are militant, are not properly called a Church;
for they know not how to assemble, but they are a future Church,
namely in that day when sever'd from the reprobate, they shall
bee triumphant. Againe a Church may bee sometimes taken (for all
Christians collectively,) as when Christ is called the head of
his Church, and the head of his body the Church, Eph. 5. vers.
23. Colos. 1. vers. 18. sometimes for its parts, as the Church of
Ephesus, The Church which is in his house, the seven Churches, &
c. Lastly, a Church as it is taken for a Company actually
assembled, according to the divers ends of their meeting,
signifies sometimes those who are met together to deliberate, and
judge, in which sense it is also called a Councell, & a Synod;
sometimes those who meet together in the house of prayer to
worship God, in which signification it is taken in the 1 Cor. 14.
vers. 4, 5. 23. 28. &c.

    XX. Now a Church which hath personall Rights, and proper
actions attributed to it, and of which that same must necessarily
be understood, Tell it to the church, and, he that obeys not the
church, and all such like formes of speech, is to be defin'd so,
as by that word may be understood, A Multitude of men who have
made a new Covenant with God in Christ, (that is to say, a
multitude of them who have taken upon them the Sacrament of
Baptisme) which multitude, may both lawfully be call'd together
by some one into one place, and he so calling them, are bound to
be present either in Person, or by others. For a multitude of
men, if they cannot meet in assembly, when need requires, is not
to be call'd a Person; For a Church can neither speak, nor
discerne, nor heare, but as it is a congregation. Whatsoever is
spoken by particular men, (to wit, as many opinions almost as
heads) that's the speech of one man, not of the Church;
farthermore, if an assembly be made, and it be unlawfull, it
shall be considered as null. Not any one of these therefore who
are present in a tumult shall be tyed to the decree of the rest,
but specially if he dissent; and therefore neither can such a
Church make any decree; for then a multitude is sayd to decree
somewhat, when every man is oblig'd by the decree of the major
part. We must therefore grant to the definition of a Church (to
which we attribute things belonging to a Person) not onely a
possibility of assembling, but also of doing it lawfully.
Besides, although there be some one who may lawfully call the
rest together, yet if they who are called may lawfully not
appeare (which may happen among men who are not subject one to
another) that same Church is not one Person. For by what Right
they, who being call'd to a certaine time, and place, doe meet
together, are one Church; by the same, others flocking to another
place appointed by them, are another Church. And every number of
men of one opinion is a Church, and by Consequence there will be
as many Churches as there are divers opinions, that is to say,
the same multitude of men will at once prove to be one, and many
Churches. Wherefore a Church is not one, except there be a
certaine, and known, that is to say, a lawfull power, by meanes
whereof every man may be oblig'd to be present in the
Congregation, either himselfe in person, or by Proxie. And that
becomes One, and is capable of personall functions, by the union
of a lawfull power of convocating Synods, and assemblies of
Christians; not by uniformity of Doctrine: and otherwise, it is a
multitude, and Persons in the plurall, howsoever agreeing in
opinions.

    XXI. It followes what hath beene already said by necessary
connexion, that a City of Christian men, and a Church, is
altogether the same thing, of the same men, term'd by two names,
for two causes: For the matter of a City & a Church is one, to
wit the same Christian men. And the forme which consists in a
Lawfull power of assembling them is the same too; for 'tis
manifest that every Subject is oblig'd to come thither, whither
he is summon'd by his City. Now that which is call'd a City, as
it is made up of men, the same, as it consists of Christians, is
styled a Church.

    XXII. This too is very cohaerent with the same points, If
there be many Christian Cities, they are not altogether
personally one church. They may indeed by mutuall consent become
one Church, but no otherwise, then as they must also become one
City; For they cannot assemble but at some certaine time, and to
some place appointed. But Persons, places, and times, belong to
civill Right; neither can any Subject or stranger lawfully set
his foot on any place, but by the permission of the City, which
is Lord of the place. But the things which cannot lawfully be
done but by the permission of the City, those, if they be
lawfully done, are done by the Cities authority. The Universall
church is indeed one mysticall body, whereof CHRIST is the head,
but in the same manner, that all men together acknowledging God
for the Ruler of the world, are one Kingdome, and one City, which
notwithstanding is neither one Person, nor hath it one common
action, or determination. Farthermore where it is said that
CHRIST is the head of his body the Church, it manifestly
appeares, that that was spoken by the Apostle of the Elect, who
as long as they are in this world, are a Church onely in
potentia, but shall not actually be so before they be separated
from the reprobate, and gather'd together among themselves, in
the day of Judgement. The Church of Rome of old was very great,
but she went not beyond the bounds of her Empire; and therefore
neither was she Universall, unlesse it were in that sense,
wherein it was also said of the City of Rome, Orbem jam totum
victor Romanus habebat, when as yet he had not the twentieth part
of it. But after that the civill Empire was divided into parts,
the single Cities thence arising were so many Churches; and that
power which the Church of Rome had over them, might perhaps wholy
depend on the authority of those Churches, who having cast off
the Emperours were yet content to admit the Doctours of Rome.

    XXIII. They may be called Church-men who exercise a publique
office in the Church. But of offices there was one a Ministery,
another a Maistery; The office of the Ministers was to serve
Tables, to take care of the temporall goods of the Church, and to
distribute (at that time when all propriety of riches being
abolisht, they were fed in common) to each man his portion; The
Maisters according to their order, were called some Apostles,
some Bishops, some Presbyters, that is to say Elders; yet not so,
as that by the name of Presbyter, the age, but the office might
be distinguisht; For Timothy was a Presbyter although a young
man; but because for the most part the Elders were receiv'd into
the Maistership, the word, denoting age, was us'd to signifie the
office. The same Maisters, according to the diversity of their
employments were called some of them Apostles, some Prophets,
some Evangelists, some Pastors or Teachers. And the Apostolicall
worke indeed was universall; the Propheticall to declare their
owne revelations in the Church; the Evangelicall to preach, or to
be publishers of the Gospell among the infidels; that of the
Pastors to teach, confirme, and rule the minds of those who
already beleev'd.

    XXIV. In the Election of Church-men two things are to be
considered, the Election of the Persons, and their consecration,
or institution, which also is called ordination. The first twelve
Apostles CHRIST himselfe both elected, and ordain'd. After
CHRISTS ascension Matthias was elected in the roome of Judas the
Traitour, the Church (which at that time consisted of a
Congregation of about one hundred and twenty men) choosing two
men: And they appointed two, Joseph and Matthias; but God
himselfe by lot approving of Mathias. And Saint Paul calls these
twelve the first, and great Apostles, also the Apostles of the
Circumcision. Afterward were added two other Apostles, Paul, and
Barnabas; ordain'd indeed by the Doctours, and Prophets of the
Church of Antioch, (which was a particular Church) by the
imposition of hands, but elected by the command of the Holy
Ghost. That they were both Apostles is manifest in the 13. of the
Acts v. 2, 3. That they receiv'd their Apostleship from hence,
namely because they were separated by command of the spirit for
the work of God, from the rest of the Prophets, and Doctours of
the Church of Antioch, Saint Paul himselfe shewes, who calls
himselfe for distinctions sake an Apostle separated unto the
Gospell of God, Rom. 1. ver. 1. But if it be demanded further; by
what authority it came to passe that that was receiv'd for the
command of the Holy Ghost, which those Prophets and Doctours did
say proceeded from him, it must necessarily be answer'd; by the
Authority of the church of Antioch. For the Prophets & Doctours
must be examined by the Church before they be admitted; For Saint
John saith, Beleeve not every Spirit, but try the Spirits,
whether they are of God, because many false Prophets are gone out
into the world; but by what Church, but that to which that
Epistle was written? In like manner Saint Paul reprooves the
Churches of Galatia, because they Judaized, Gal. 2. v. 14.
although they seemed to doe so by the Authority of Peter; for
when he had told them that he had, reprehended Peter himselfe
with these words, If thou being a Iew, livest after the manner of
Gentiles, and not as doe the Iewes, why compellest thou the
Gentiles to live as doe the Iewes? Not long after he questions
them, saying, This onely would I learne of you: Received ye the
Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? Gal.
3. ver. 2. Where it is evident, that it was Judaisme which he
reprehended the Galathians for, notwithstanding that the Apostle
Peter compelled them to Judaize. Seeing therefore it belonged to
the Church, and not to Peter, and therefore also not to any man,
to determine what Doctors they should follow, it also pertained
to the authority of the Church of Antioch to elect their Prophets
and Doctors. Now because the Holy Ghost separated to himself the
Apostles Paul & Barnabas, by the imposition of hands from Doctors
thus elected; its manifest, that imposition of hands, &
consecration, of the prime Doctors in each Church, belongs to the
Doctors of the same Church. But Bishops, who were also called
Presbyters, although all Presbyters were not Bishops, were
ordain'd somtimes by Apostles (for Paul & Barnabas when they had
taught in Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, ordained Elders in every
Church, Acts 14. v. 23.) sometimes by other Bishops, for Titus
was by Paul left in Crete, that he should ordain Elders in every
City, Tit. 1. v. 5. And Timothy was advised not to neglect the
gift that was in him, which was given him by Prophesy with the
laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, 1. Tim. 4. v. 14. And
he had rules given him concerning the Election of Presbyters. But
that cannot be understood otherwise, then of the ordination of
those who were elected by the Church; for no man could constitute
a Doctor in the Church, but by the Churches permission. For the
duty of the Apostles themselves was not to command, but to teach;
and although they who were recommended by the Apostles, or
Presbyters, were not rejected, for the esteem that was had of the
recommenders, yet seeing they could not be elected without the
will of the Church, they were also suppos'd elected by the
authority of the Church. In like manner Ministers, who are called
Deacons, were ordained by the Apostles; yet elected by the
Church. For when the seven Deacons were to bee elected, and
ordained, the Apostles elected them not, but look yee out, (say
they) among you Brethren seven men of honest report, &c. And they
chose Stephen, &c. And they set them before the Apostles, Acts 6.
vers. 3. 6. It is apparent therefore by the custome of the
Primitive Church under the Apostles, that the ordination, or
consecration of all Church-men, which is done by Prayer, and
imposition of hands, belonged to the Apostles, and Doctors; but
the Election of those who were to be consecrated, to the Church.

    XXV. Concerning the power of binding, and loosing, that is to
say of remitting, and retaining of sinnes, there is no doubt, but
it was given by Christ to the Pastors then yet for to come, in
the same manner as it was to the present Apostles. Now the
Apostles had all the power of remitting of sins given them, which
Christ himselfe had; As the Father hath sent me (sayes Christ) so
send I you, John 20. vers. 21. and he addes, Whose soever sins
yee remit, they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain,
they are retained. vers. 23. But what binding and loosing, or
remitting and retaining of sinnes, is, admits of some scruple.
For first, to retain his sinnes who being baptized into remission
of sins, is truly penitent, seems to be against the very Covenant
it selfe of the new Testament, and therefore could not be done by
Christ himselfe, much lesse by his Pastors. And to remit the
impenitent, seems to be against the will of God the Father, from
whom Christ was sent to convert the world, and to reduce men unto
obedience. Furthermore, if each Pastor had an authority granted
him to remit and retain sinnes in this manner, all awe of
Princes, and civill Magistrates, together with all kind of civill
Government would be utterly destroyed. For Christ hath said it,
nay even nature it selfe dictates, that we should not feare them
who slay the body, but cannot kill the soule; but rather feare
him who can cast both soule and body into hell, Mat. 10. vers.
28. Neither is any man so mad as not to choose to yeeld obedience
rather to them who can remit, and retain their sinnes, then to
the powerfullest Kings. Nor yet on the other side, it is to be
imagined, that remission of sinnes is nothing else but an
exemption from Ecclesiasticall punishments; for what evill hath
excommunication in it, beside the eternall pains which are
consequent to it? or what benefit is it to be received into the
Church if there were salvation out of it? We must therefore hold,
That Pastors have Power, truly, and absolutely to forgive sinnes,
but, to the penitent; and to retain them, but, of the impenitent.
But while men think that to Repent, is nothing else but that
every one condemn his Actions, and change those Counsels which to
himselfe seem sinfull, and blameable, there is an opinion risen,
that there may be repentance before any Confession of sinnes to
men, and that repentance is not an effect, but a cause of
Confession; and thence, the difficulty of those who say that the
sins of the penitent are already forgiven in Baptisme, and theirs
who repent not, cannot be forgiven at al, is against Scripture,
and contrary to the words of Christ, Whose soever sins ye remit,
&c. We must therefore to resolve this difficulty know in the
first place, that a true acknowledgement of sin is Repentance;
for he that knows he hath sinned, knows he hath erred, but to
will an errour is impossible; therefore he that knowes he hath
sinned, wishes he had not done it, which is to repent. Farther,
where it may be doubtfull, whether that which is done be a sin or
not, we must consider, that repentance doth not precede
confession of sins, but is subsequent to it: for there is no
repentance but of sinnes acknowledged. The penitent therefore
must both acknowledge the fact, and know it to be a sinne, that
is to say, against the Law. If a man therefore think, that what
he hath done, is not against the Law; its impossible he should
repent of it. Before repentance therefore, its necessary there be
an application of the facts unto the Law. But its in vain to
apply the facts unto the Law without an Interpreter. for not the
words of the Law, but the sentence of the Law-giver is the rule
of mens actions; but surely either one man, or some men are the
Interpreters of the Law, for every man is not judge of his own
fact whether it be a sin or not; wherefore the fact of which we
doubt whether it be a sinne or not, must be unfolded before some
man or men, and the doing of this is confession. Now when the
Interpreter of the Law hath judged the fact to bee a sinne, if
the sinner submit to his judgement, and resolve with himselfe not
to do so any more, tis repentance; and thus, either it is not
true repentance, or else it is not antecedent, but subsequent to
confession. These things being thus explained, it is not hard to
understand what kinde of power that of binding and loosing is.
For seeing in remission of sinnes there are two things
considerable, one the Judgement or Condemnation whereby the fact
is judged to be a sinne; the other, (when the Party condemned
does acquiesce, and obey the sentence, that is to say, Repents)
the remission of the sinne, or, (if he repent not) the Retention:
The first of these, that is to say, the Judging whether it be a
sinne or not, belongs to the Interpreter of the Law, that is, the
Soveraign Judge; the second, namely Remission, or retention of
the sinne, to the Pastor, and it is that concerning which the
power of binding and loosing is conversant. And that this was the
true meaning of our Saviour Christ in the institution of the same
power, is apparent in the 18 of Mat. vers. 15, 16, 17, 18. thus,
He there speaking to his Disciples, sayes, If thy Brother sinne
against thee, goe, and tell him his fault betweene thee and him
alone, (where we must observe by the way, that if thy Brother
sinne against thee, is the same with, if he doe thee injury; and
therefore Christ spake of those matters which belonged to the
civill Tribunall) he addes, if he heare thee not (that is to say,
if he deny that he hath done it, or if having confest the fact,
he denies it to be unjustly done) take with thee yet one or two,
and if he refuse to heare them, tell it the Church. But why to
the Church, except that she might judge whether it were a sinne
or not? But if he refuses to hear the Church, that is, if he doe
not submit to the Churches sentence, but shall maintain that to
be no sin, which She Judges to be a sinne, that is to say, if he
repent not (for certain it is that no man repents himselfe of
that action which She conceives not to be a sinne) he saith not,
Tell it to the Apostles, that we might know that the definitive
sentence in the question, whether it were a sin or not, was not
left unto them, but to the Church; but let him be unto thee
(sayes he) as an Heathen, or Publican, that is, as one out of the
Church, as one that is not baptized, that is to say, as one whose
sinnes are retained. For all Christians were baptized into
remission of sinnes. But because it might have been demanded who
it was that had so great a power, as that of withholding the
benefit of Baptisme from the impenitent, Christ shewes that the
same Persons to whom he had given authority to baptize the
penitent into the remission of sinns, and to make them of heathen
men, Christians, had also authority to retain their sins who by
the Church should be adjudged to be impenitent, and to make them
of Christian men Heathens; and therefore presently subjoynes,
Verily I say unto you, Whose soever sinnes yee shall binde upon
Earth, they shall bee bound also in Heaven, and whose soever sins
yee shall loose upon Earth, they shall be loosed also in Heaven.
Whence we may understand, that the power of binding, and loosing,
or of remitting, and retaining of sinnes, which is called in
another place, the power of the keyes, is not different from the
power given in another place in these words, Goe, and teach all
Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the
Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 28. ver. 19. And even as the
Pastours cannot refuse to Baptize him whom the Church judges
worthy, so neither can they retaine his sinnes whom the Church
holds fitting to be absolv'd, nor yet remit his sinnes whom the
Church pronounceth disobedient. And it is the Churches part to
judge of the sinne, the Pastours, to cast out, or to receive into
the Church those that are judg'd. Thus Saint Paul to the Church
of Corinth, Do not ye judge, saith he, of those that are within?
Yet he himself pronounc't the sentence of Excommunication against
the incestuous Person, I indeed (saith he) as absent in body, but
present in Spirit, &c.

    XXVI. The act of retaining sinnes is that which is called by
the Church Excommunication, and by Saint Paul, delivering over to
Satan. The word Excommunication, sounding the same with
aposunagogon poiein, casting out of the Synagogue, seems to be
borrowed from the Mosaicall Law, wherein they who were by the
Priest adjudged leprous, were commanded to be kept apart out of
the Camp, untill by the judgement of the Priest they were againe
pronounc't cleane, and by certaine rights (among which the
washing of the body was one) were purified, Levit. 13. ver. 46.
From hence in processe of time it became a custome of the Jewes,
not to receive those who passed from Gentilisme to Judaisme,
(supposing them to be uncleane) unlesse they were first washed;
and those who dissented from the Doctrine of the Synagogue, they
cast out of the Synagogue. By resemblance of this custome, those
that came to Christianity, (whether they were Jewes, or Gentiles)
were not receiv'd into the Church without Baptisme; and those
that dissented from the Church were depriv'd of the Churches
Communion. Now, they were therefore said to be deliver'd over to
Satan, because all that was out of the Church, was comprehended
within his Kingdome. The end of this kind of Discipline was, that
being destitute for a time of the grace and spirituall
priviledges of the Church, they might be humbled to salvation.
But the effect in regard to secular matters, that being
excommunicated, they should not onely be prohibited all
Congregations, or Churches, and the participation of the
mysteries, but as being contagious they should be avoided by all
other Christians, even more then Heathen: for the Apostle allowed
to accompany with Heathen, but with these not so much as to eate,
1 Cor. 5. ver. 10, 
II. Seeing then the effect of Excommunication is such, it is
manifest in the first place, that a Christian city cannot be
excommunicated. For a Christian City is a Christian Church, as
hath been declar'd above in the 21. Art. and of the same
extension. But a Church cannot be excommunicated; For either she
must excommunicate her selfe, which is impossible; or she must be
excommunicated by some other Church, and this, either universall,
or particular. But seeing an Universall Church is no Person, (as
hath been prov'd in the 22. Artic.) and therefore neither acts,
nor does any thing, it cannot excommunicate any man. And a
particular church by excommunicating another Church doth nothing;
for where there is not one common Congregation, there cannot be
any Excommunication. Neither if some one Church (suppose that of
Jerusalem) should have excommunicated an other (suppose that of
Rome) would it any more have excommunicated this, then her selfe:
for he that deprives another of his Communion, deprives himselfe
also of the Communion of that other. Secondly, No man can
excommunicate the subjects of any absolute government all at
once, or forbid them the use of their Temples, or their publique
worship of God. For they cannot be excommunicated by a Church
which themselves doe constitute; for if they could, there would
not onely not remain a Church, but not so much as a common-weale,
and they would be dissolved of themselves; and this were not to
be excommunicated, or prohibited. But if they be excommunicated
by some other Church, that church is to esteem them as Heathen.
But no christian Church by the doctrine of Christ, can forbid the
Heathen to gather together, and Communicate among themselves, as
it shall seem good to their Cities, especially if they meet to
worship Christ, although it be done in a singular custome, and
manner: therefore also not the excommunicated, who are to be
dealt with as Heathen. Thirdly, a Prince who hath the Soveraign
Power, cannot be excommunicated. For by the doctrine of Christ,
neither one, nor many subjects together can interdict their
Prince any publique, or private places, or deny him entrance into
any Assembly whatsoever, or prohibit him the doing of what hee
will within his own jurisdiction. For it is Treason among all
Cities, for any one, or many subjects joyntly to arrogate to
themselves any authority over the whole City; but they who
arrogate to themselves an authority over him who hath the supreme
power of the City, doe arrogate the same authority over the City
it selfe. Besides, a Soveraign Prince, if he be a Christian, hath
this farther advantage, that the City whose Will is contained in
His, is that very thing which we call a Church; the Church
therefore excommunicates no man, but whom it excommunicates by
the authority of the Prince: but the Prince excommunicates not
himselfe, his subjects therefore cannot doe it. It may be indeed
that an Assembly of rebellious Citizens or Traytors, may
pronounce the sentence of excommunication against their Prince,
but not by Right. Much lesse can one Prince be excommunicated by
another, for this would prove not an excommunication, but a
provocation to Warre by the way of affront. For since that is not
one church which is made up of Citizens belonging to two absolute
Cities, for want of power of lawfully assembling them, (as hath
been declar'd before in the 22. Art.) they who are of one Church
are not bound to obey an other, and therefore cannot be
excommunicated for their disobedience. Now, what some may say,
that Princes, being they are members of the Universall church,
may also by the authority of the Universall church be
excommunicated, signifies nothing: because the Universall church
(as hath beene shewed in the 22. Art.) is not one Person, of whom
it may be said that shee acted, decreed, determin'd,
excommunicated, absolv'd, and the like personall attributes;
neither hath she any Governour upon Earth at whose command she
may assemble, and deliberate: For to be guide of the Universall
church, and to have the power of assembling her, is the same
thing as to be Governour, and Lord over all the Christians in the
world, which is granted to none, but God onely.

    XXVII. It hath beene shewed above in the 18. Art. that the
authority of interpreting the Holy Scriptures consisted not in
this, that the interpreter might without punishment, expound, and
explicate his sentence & opinion taken thence, unto others,
either by writing, or by his owne voice; but, that others have
not a Right to doe, or teach ought contrary to his sentence;
insomuch as the interpretation we speak of is the same with the
power of defining in all manner of controversies to be determined
by sacred Scriptures. Now we must shew that that power belongs to
each Church, and depends on his, or their authority who have the
Supreme command, provided that they be Christians. For if it
depend not on the civill authority, it must either depend on the
opinion of each private Subject, or some forraigne authority. But
among other reasons, the inconveniencies that must follow private
opinions cannot suffer its dependance on them; of which this is
the chiefe, that not onely all civill obedience would be taken
away (contrary to Christ his praecept) but all humane society and
peace would be dissolved (contrary to the Lawes of nature;) for
seeing every man is his owne interpreter of Scripture, that is to
say, since every man makes himselfe judge of what is pleasing and
displeasing unto God, they cannot obey their Princes before that
they have judg'd whether their commands be conformable to the
Word of God, or not. And thus either they obey not, or they obey
for their owne opinions sake, that is to say, they obey
themselves, not their Soveraigne; civill obedience therefore is
lost. Againe, when every man followes his owne opinion, it's
necessary that the controversies which rise among them will
become innumerable, and indeterminable; whence there will breed
among men (who by their own naturall inclinations doe account all
dissention an affront) first hatred, then brawles and warres, and
thus all manner of peace and society would vanish. We have
farthermore for an example, that which God under the old Law
required to be observed concerning the book of the Law, namely,
that it should be transcrib'd, and publiquely us'd, and he would
have it to be the Canon of Divine doctrine: but the controversies
about it not to be determined by private Persons, but onely by
the Priests. Lastly, it is our Saviours Precept, that if there be
any matter of offence between private Persons, they should hear
the Church. Wherefore it is the Churches duty to define
controversies; it therefore belongs not to private men, but to
the Church, to interpret Scriptures. But that we may know that
the authority of interpreting Gods Word, that is to say, of
determining all questions concerning God, and Religion, belongs
not to any forraign Person whatsoever, we must consider first
what esteem such a power carries in the mindes of the subjects,
and their civill actions. For no man can be ignorant that the
voluntary actions of men by a naturall necessity, doe follow
those opinions which they have concerning good, and evill,
Reward, and Punishment; whence it happens that necessarily they
would chuse rather to obey those by whose judgement they beleeve
that they shall be eternally happy, or miserable. Now, by whose
judgement it is appointed what Doctrines are necessary to
salvation, by their judgement doe men expect their eternall
blisse, or perdition; they will therefore yeeld them obedience in
all things. Which being thus, most manifest it is, that those
subjects who believe themselves bound to acquiesce to a forraign
authority in those Doctrines which are necessary to salvation,
doe not per se constitute a City, but are the subjects of that
forraign power. Nor therefore although some Soveraign Prince
should by writing grant such an authority to any other, yet so,
as he would be understood to have retained the civill power in
his own hands, shall such a Writing be valid, or transferre ought
necessary for the retaining, or good administration of his
command. For by the 2. Chap. 4. artic. no man is said to
transferre his Right, unlesse he give some proper sign, declaring
his Will to transferre it; but he who hath openly declared his
will to keep his Soveraignty, cannot have given a sufficient sign
of transferring the means necessary for the keeping it. This
kinde of Writing therefore will not be a sign of Will, but of
Ignorance in the contractors. We must consider next how absurd it
is for a City, or Soveraign, to commit the ruling of his Subjects
consciences to an enemy. For they are, as hath been shewed above
in the 5. Chap. 6. artic. in an hostile state, whosoever have not
joyn'd themselves into the unity of one Person. Nor contradicts
it this truth that they doe not alwayes fight: (for truces are
made between enemies) it is sufficient for an hostile minde, that
there is suspition, that the Frontiers of Cities, Kingdomes,
Empires, strengthned with Garisons, doe with a fighting posture
and countenance, though they strike not, yet as enemies mutually
behold each other. Lastly, how unequall is it to demand that,
which by the very reason of your demand, you confesse belongs to
anothers Right? I am the Interpreter of Scriptures to you who are
the Subject of anothers Realme: Why? By what Covenants past
between you and me? By Divine authority. Whence knowne? Out of
holy Scripture. Behold the Book, read it. In vain, unlesse I may
also interpret the same for my self; That interpretation
therefore doth by Right belong to me, and the rest of my private
fellow-subjects; which we both deny. It remains therefore that in
all christian Churches, that is to say, in all christian Cities,
the interpretation of sacred Scripture depend on, and derive from
the authority of that man, or Councell, which hath the Soveraign
power of the City.

    XXVIII. Now because there are two kindes of controversies,
the one about spirituall matters, that is to say, questions of
faith, the truth whereof cannot be searcht into by naturall
reason; such are the questions concerning the nature, and office
of Christ, of rewards and punishments to come, of the Sacraments,
of outward worship, and the like: the other, about questions of
humane science, whose truth is sought out by naturall reason, and
Syllogismes, drawne from the Covenants of men, and definitions
(that is to say, significations received by use, and common
consent of words) such as are all questions of Right, and
Philosophy. For example, when in matter of Right its questioned
whether there be a Promise, and Covenant, or not? that is nothing
else, but to demand, whether such words spoken in such a manner
be by common use, and consent of the Subjects, a Promise or
Covenant; which if they be so called, then it is true that a
Contract is made, if not, then it is false: that truth therefore
depends on the compacts, and consents of men. In like manner when
it is demanded in Philosophy whether the same thing may entirely
be in divers places at once; the determination of the question
depends on the knowledge of the common consent of men about the
signification of the word entire: for if men when they say a
thing is entirely somewhere doe signifie by common consent that
they understand nothing of the same to be elsewhere, it is false
that the same thing is in divers places at once: that truth
therefore depends on the consents of men, and by the same reason
in all other questions concerning Right, and Philosophy. And they
who doe judge that any thing can be determin'd, (contrary to this
common consent of men concerning the appellations of things) out
of obscure places of Scripture, doe also judge that the use of
speech, and at once all humane society, is to be taken away; for
he who hath sold an whole field, will say, he meant one whole
ridge, and will retaine the rest as unsold; nay, they take away
reason it selfe, which is nothing else but a searching out of the
truth made by such consent. These kinde of questions therefore
need not be determin'd by the City by way of interpretation of
Scriptures; for they belong not to Gods Word, in that sense
wherein the Word of God is taken for the Word concerning God,
that is to say, for the Doctrine of the Gospell; neither is he
who hath the Soveraigne Power in the Church, oblig'd to employ
any Ecclesiastical Doctours for the judging of any such kind of
matters as these. But for the deciding of questions of Faith,
that is to say, concerning God, which transcend humane capacity,
we stand in need of a divine blessing (that we may not be
deceiv'd at least in necessary points) to be deriv'd from CHRIST
himselfe by the imposition of hands. For, seeing to the end we
may attaine to aeternal Salvation, we are oblig'd to a
supernatural Doctrine, & which therefore it is impossible for us
to understand; to be left so destitute, as that we can be
deceiv'd in necessary points, is repugnant to aequity. This
infallibility our Saviour Christ promis'd (in those things which
are necessary to Salvation) to his Apostles untill the day of
judgement; that is to say, to the Apostles, and Pastors
succeeding the Apostles who were to be consecrated by the
imposition of hands. He therefore who hath the Soveraigne power
in the City, is oblig'd as a Christian, where there is any
question concerning the Mysteries of Faith, to interpret the Holy
Scriptures by Clergy-men lawfully ordain'd. And thus in Christian
Cities the judgement both of spirituall and temporall matters
belongs unto the civill authority. And that man, or councell who
hath the Supreme power, is head both of the City, and of the
Church; for a Church, and a Christian City is but one thing.  

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