SALOMON OR A treatise declaring the state of the kingdom of Jsrael, as it was in the days of SALOMON. Whereunto is annexed another treatise, of the Church: or more particularly, Of the right constitution of a Church. Psal. 45.14. Adducetur Regi. jere. 29.7. Seek the peace of the City whither I shall send you as captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace of it, shall your peace be. LONDON, Printed by Robert Robinson for Robert Dexter. 1596. Regni Angloisraelitici typus. Bellum de Pace. Flos de jesse Leo de juda Reg. Pacis Rex. Pacis. jacobs' prophecy of the kingdom of Israel. Gen. 49.8. JVdah thy brethren shall praise the: Thy hand in the neck of thy enemies: The sons of thy father shall bow themselves unto th●e: judah my son a Lion's whelp, thou hast come up from 〈◊〉 spoil: Thou hast couched like a Lion, yea as a great Lion: and who shall raise him up? The sceptre shall not departed from judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet till the Messiah come: And to him shall be the obedience of the people. TO THE MOST Mighty and Majestical, peaceable and happy Monarch ELIZABETH by the gracious favour of God Queen of England France and Ireland, the most constant protector of the Gospel and Church of Christ, supreme head of all estates, ruler of all persons, and judge of all causes within her majesties Dominions, Thomas Morton her majesties unworthy subject desireth from God a long continuance and a daily increase of temporal Majesty: And after the satiety thereof, the fruition of eternal Majesty and glory with jesus Christ: And in testimony of all unfeigned love, loyalty and thankfulness dedicateth in most humble wise, these treatises of the Kingdom of Israel, and of the Church. ISraëlitici cernis regina, Leonis Effigiem: si de nobilitate cupis Audire, hunc quondam peperit in Gilgale magn● jehovae Cerebrum: sanctius ergo nihil. Obstetricans fidos digitos admovit in ortis Samuel: effigies integritatis erat. Nutrivit catulum Saulus: qui rugit, & omnis Palaestina tremit: non placet iste Deo: Sufficitur Sauli David, Rex foedere certo Dictus, cum totâ posteritate suâ. Excipit hunc sapiens Salomon qui gloria mundi, Qui decus est hominum, delitiaeque Dei: Octodecêm variâ succedunt sort nepotes. At memor officij regia progenies Aeterno cedit regi vacuumque relinquit Thronum: tum fessus corruit ipse Leo: Quingentos somno pressus procumbit in annos, Dum micat in coelo lucifer ille suo Messiah dictus: magnâ qui v●ce iacentem Excitat, & solium ponit in arce suum. jam pleno ciclo tua, judah, gloria mundum Irrediat, florent lilia Iesse tibi: Aurea magnificis leo vell●ra gestat in armis: Tollitur imperij nuntia cauda gyrans: Horrendo rictu recludit eburnea claustra, Inque focis remicant ignis uterque suis. Israelitici moderatur fraena leonis, Qui caelum, terras & maris ima tenet: ATque tuam cernit tua plebs (Regina) coronam Israëlitico docta tacere modo. Multa tuo ductu vidit Salomonia r●gna: O nimium foelix natio si sapiat. Palladium ramum Salomoni praeripis: & par Gloria, constanti relligione prior: Nemo tibi Christum (Salomoni ut foemina quondam) Eripuit, papae despicis arma, minas. Vive diu foelix, multos numerato Nouembres, V● maneat foelix Anglia tota diu. To the Reader. Behold (good Reader) that glorious Monarch king Solomon, the fairest flower that ever stood on the face of the earth, stripped out of his majestical robes, wherein he was as glorious as the Lily of the field, yea as the sun in his brightness at noon day, and clad in a most simple and homely weed, having as we say in as homely a proverb, neither welt nor guard, no bright shining colours, or curious carving, no commendation of sharpness of wit or admirable eloquence, of great reading or profound learning, of sound wisdom or long experience, or of any other thing, that is in account or request among men. And withal pardon we pray thee this bold attempt, in choosing so royal a patronage for so base a piece of work. We are not so blinded with any fond co●ceite of the excellency & worthiness o● these treatises, as to think them a great dainty, fit for princes only to feed on, the which we judge too course for the diet of the meanest reader: but we do it upon those grounds & reasons which we hope will be if not a full and sufficient defence yet a tolerable excuse and a probable pretence in this behalf. What is more needful or acceptable in the eyes of God, than that subjects bear an exceeding great love to their natural princes, as to their parents by whose means they enjoy all good things both temporal and spiritual whats●euer: and be ready to testify the said love whensoever any just occasion doth offer itself or can be found: especially by offering unto them as to earthly Gods (for so it hath pleased God to call them) some part of those blessings which God hath vouchsafed unto us, as acknowledging that we have received all that we have by their means. The want of this duty showed the rebellious disposition of some of the people against Saul the first of these kings: of whom it is said, 1. Sam. 10.27. that they despised Saul their new king, and did not bring any gift or present unto him. And surely herein the self love of man doth notably bewray itself, who doth perhaps, although not thankfully remember for any long time, yet somewhat regard for the present, those who show themselves good and bountiful unto him: But as for public benefits whereof many others are partakers, he maketh no reckoning of them, neither accounteth himself beholden to them, who are the authors and givers of them: as if he had enmity and war with the whole world, and so were hurt, whensoever others are helped. Hence it cometh that so few are heartily and dutifully affected to magistrates, who are good to many, and far fewer to God, who is good to all, or perform any duty of love and thankfulness to either, save only in hypocrisy and for fear. Whereas far greater love is due to them, then to any private person, because we receive from them far more benefits than any other can bestow upon us. Yea this hearty affection and dutiful testification of it is required at the hands not only of great & mighty men who can bring rich presents correspondent to the majesty of the greatest princes, but also of the poorest and basest member of the Church & commonwealth: yea as it is often found in men of mean condition whenas it is wanting in high degrees and lofty looks, so it is and aught to be always as well accepted at the one hand, as at the other. We know that God the king of kings taketh in as good part, if the mind be no worse, a pair of small pigeons as a couple of great oxen, and that the most majestical and stately monarchs (as namely our gracious sovereign inferior to none in majesty & state) have as willingly stooped to a homely dish of fruit, to a small posy of three or four flowers, to a sheet of paper containing in it no great mysteries, as to great and fruitful orchards, to the most fair and pleasant gardens or to great and huge volumes, mirrors of wit, and storehouses of all profound learning. Yea we know that as God himself, so also wise princes by his example do often more willingly admit mean and simple then great and rich oblations, as not carrying with them any show of merit, nor making the receiver beholden and indebted to the giver. In the which respect, as we do bear in our minds unfeigned loyalty and love (of the greatness whereof, (as there are many degrees of it) we have nothing to say but only that it is far less than it ought to be) to her majesties state and person, so we have thought it meet to testify the same unto thee, good reader, by this means which now we use. Let not we pray thee, the great wants which thou mayest easily espy, or rather canst not but see in these treatises (being for quantity small and contemptible, for style base yea rude, for matter barren yea altogether void of that deep learning which aboundeth in every book and place) breed in thy mind any suspicion of want of affection or make thee think them altogether unfit for this purpose. We do not go about to make either comparison or contention between the excellency of the gift and of the receiver: and thou art not ignorant that pence and half pence do as decently carry about with them the name, arms and image of the prince as the greatest pieces of gold or silver, and are as evident testimonies of the loyal subjection of the people, amongst whom they are currant. How then will some man say, are all to be accounted undutiful subjects, who do not by some such means testify their good affection toward their prince? or is it meet that every three half penny pamphlet come forth in her majesties name? No surely: the one is neither needful nor convenient, for it would be troublesome and tumultuous, the other is not to be allowed. Only we mean that no man should be wanting as in bearing in his heart, so in testifying unto others his love and loyalty towards his prince, when occasion is offered and doth so require: And that the smallness or meanness of the present (especially in this kind wherein it is after a sort commendable, for we cannot think that great princes have leisure to peruse many great volumes) ought to make us think it unmeet for this purpose, if that in other respects it do agree. And whether this be a sufficient defence for our doing or no, yet we trust that thou gentle reader, to whom only this book (although dedicated to her M.) is to be offered and presented, will not reject it for the meanness of it, but take it in good part instead of a better. Thus we having penned and being about to publish these two treatises, the one of the state of the kingdom of Israel, the other of the right constitution of a Church, seemed both to ourselves and also to others to have good occasion offered of performing the aforesaid duty, and that the arguments of these treatises did even lead us by the hand to this dedication: It were rashness & folly for any man to think that every flower in his garden were a fit present for a prince (although if there were any necessity that he should of a sudden testify his submission, the meanest would serve his turn to a gracious prince, as jacob bid his sons take with them a present to the ruler of Egypt of such things as were readiest in the house) yet if happily his garden brought forth a flower of that kind whereof the poet speaketh, inscripti nomina regum, wherein the name, picture or arms of his prince were livelely engraven by nature herself, who would not pardon his boldness in presenting it to him, yea although it were not in any respect so fair, pleasant, and fragrant as many other. Yea and if he should be drawn by affection or hope of gain, (which h● perhaps would hope for rather at a meaner man's hands, as having leisure to mind and remember the performance of that duty) bestow it upon any other, judge him an undutiful and unthankful subject. Thus our poor garden hath yielded this treatise of the kingdom of Israel, wherein nothing is worthy to be either commended or mentione●, but only that it is, if we be not deceived, a most true and lively picture of her majesties state and crown. There are many forms of government beside Monarchies, and divers kinds of kingdoms, but as a base proverb saith, one egg is not more like to another than was this state to that government under which we live. Neither is there at this day any christian kingdom in the world that cometh so near unto it, or rathen doth so match it in great power and surpassing majesty, yea in all other respects of any moment. Yea we need not here except tha● notable prerogative, wherewith this kingdom was endued and adorned in that it was God's kingdom: founded, established, maintained and repaired by God himself: for who knoweth not, that God hath from time to time, and doth at this day so watch over this kingdom, and maintain it against all adversary power whatsoever, that it may truly be called God's kingdom. It is recorded of one Brightwold a Monk of Glastenburie, that studying of the succession, which at that time troubled him and many others, he had revealed unto him in a dream, that Edward should be king: and that he being not so content but ask further who should succeed him in the kingdom, he received this answer or rather this reproof, Take thou no thought for such matters, for the kingdom of England is God's kingdom. What credit is to be given to the author or what account is to be made of this dreaming prophet let others judge, yet as we find it recorded in our Chronicles, so we have thought it not unfit to be remembered in this place. Besides we know that these powerful and majestical kingdoms, have been a●d are at this day oppugned by many, yea utterly rejected as unlawful: and therefore this treatise presuming to give his sentence on their side, as being most lawful governements, could not more fitly shroud itself under any patronage, then under that for the which it is like to be rejected by some. Again we have annexed to this treatise of the kingdom of Israel, a treatise of the right manner of framing or building the Church, as it were joining the Church and the commonwealth into one body under one head, as we are persuaded that they are not two but one only body: the which also although in respect of the simple handling of the matter, it be unworthy to be accepted and red by the meanest, yet no man can doubt or will deny, but that the fitness of the argument is a probable excuse for this presumptuous dedication. Lastly we desire thee good reader to use christian moderation in suspending thy judgement of us, till happily time make that manifest which now is doubtful, in regard of two opinions contained in these treatises, the which will seem somewhat strange to some, and perhaps to thyself among the rest. The one is that we enfraunchize the papist, Arian & all other heretics professing the gospel of Christ, into the catholic Church (by the which we mean nothing else but the whole Church militant here on earth) from the which many do utterly reject them as mere infidels and strangers from the covenant, and commonwealth of Israel. The other opinion is, in that we give to the christian magistrate especially in great and absolute Monarchies greater authority both in civil and ecclesiastical causes than seemeth to stand with the good of the Church or the truth of God's word. For the former, we need not trouble ourselves with the defence of it any further, than it is declared in the treatise, it being held and professed by many sound divines, who are in every respect far more able to maintain it. Likewise for the other, we have nothing to say in this place, save only that we are to desire thee, not to attribute it to flattery, rather than to a constant and settled persuasion, the suspicion whereof it is hard for him to avoid, who doth any thing whereby the power and authority of mighty men is maintained and enlarged, and so their favour, as usually it cometh to pass procured. We do indeed intend in publishing this treatise, the good and peaceable estate of this kingdom, and the maintaining of that powerful and majestical authority whereunto it hath pleased God to make us subject. Yea we do earnestly desire of him, that these treatises may have that effect in all their hearts into whose hands they shall come: that they (if there be any such) who do nourish in their breasts any sinister affections or opinions in this behalf, may be by means of them won to hearty love to so gracious a prince & loyal subjection to so lawful and excellent a kind of government. Yea that they who have already received these graces from God, may increase in them, and perform all duties which are needful in regard either of the safety or the majesty of their prince, more willingly and cheerfully then before, as being perhaps resolved of some points, ●hereof before they doubted. And lastly that as touching the religion and worship of God professed in this land, they who account us no Church (by whom we affirming their opinion to be such, as might easily be showed out of the word of God to be erroneous have been vehemently charged in the name of God to publish somewhat of the true nature and constitution of a Church for the manifesting of the truth in that behalf) may be moved to think and acknowledge that God i● truly served, his word preached, his sacraments administered and his name called upon in all the public assemblies throughout this land, especially by considering the doctrine, nature and state of a public Church, the which kind of Churches not being in use in the days of the Apostles, and therefore not mentioned in their writings, seemeth strange to many. This we confess that we intent in this action, and are persuaded that we may lawfully, yea in some respects ought necessarily to do: but we trust that God will never so give us up to a senseless mind, as to do any thing for the procuring of the favour of men contrary to the truth of God's word and the good of his Church. He maketh an evil bargain, that throweth himself into the bottomless sea or rather into the burning furnace of God's wrath in adventure of man's favour, which is uncertain and momentani● sooner lost then got, & in respect of true happiness altogether unprofitable. But we trust good reader, that this apology might have been spared and that thou wilt take these simple treatises in good part, as thou hast done the like heretofore. Thus I commend thee as I earnestly desire to be commended by thee to the word and spirit of God to be led into all truth, and preserved without blame till the day of Christ. T. M. The Arguments of these treatises. THE former treatise declareth the state of the kingdom of Israel, the which we have endeavoured to learn and set down in plain manner out of the scripture, wherein there is nothing but truth, especially out of the books of Samuel, the Kings & Chronicles, wherein the first original, continuance and end, yea the whole nature and condition of this government is at large declared. Where by the kingdom of Israel we do not mean that apostatical, rebellious and idolatrous kingdom of the ten tribes usually called the kingdom of Israel, or the kingdom of Samaria, but the kingdom of juda: the which we call by the first, ancient, and right name of Israel because our purpose is to entreat of the state of it, as it was at the first instituted by Samuel, and as it continued under Saul, David and Solomon, in whose time it was called the kingdom of Israel. But in the beginning of the reign of R●boam it lost ten of the tribes, and together the right name which usually followeth the greater part. For the which cause in the time following it was called the kingdom of juda, for that the tribe of juda, did not only make the greatest part of it, but also had the prerogative of the kingdom annexed unto it. The causes by the which we are moved to think the state of this kingdom most worthy to be carefully sought out and truly known, are these: because of all the kingdoms in the world, this only was instituted by God himself, or at the least approved by him, and also registered and fully described in the books of the scripture, yea and first practised in the Church of God. In the which respects we cannot doubt, but that the true and perfect knowledge of it doth greatly belong to the Church and to all the members of it. And yet we do not speak of it, as of the only lawful form of government and that which ought to be used of the Church in all places. For there is no kind of government which may not lawfully be established among Christians, and as lawfully used amongst them as this. Neither as if all kingdoms should be squared according to this rule: from the which they may far differ without any blame: for the judicial laws of the commonwealth or of the kingdom of Israel do not belong to the Church. Neither yet do we affirm this kingdom to be the most excellent and convenient state, and that which christians according to the example of this people should earnestly desire and seek after: wishing rather that every one be content with that government which is already established in the place where he liveth, not thinking of any alteration which is very dangerous and bringeth with it, as always great troubles, so often a final overthrow to the people. But we leave it to them who profess knowledge and experience in these matters to determine what kind of government is either most excellent in the own nature and in contemplation, or most convenient to be put in practice. Only we purpose to make a bare and historical narration of the state of this kingdom, the which we trust is not unprofitable but will serve for the good of the reader in divers respects especially in those which have been already mentioned. The former treatise hath these Sections. SEction. 1. Of the occasion, meaning, and division of the words of the text. Pag. 1 Sect. 2. Of magistracy in general. Pag. 4 Sect. 3. Of the state of this kingdom in general. Pag. 9 Sect. 4. That the authority of the land was wholly in the hands of the king, all other being private persons in respect of him. Pag. 12 Sect. 5. That it was n●t lawful to use any violence against the persons or the proceedings, no not of the wicked kings. Pag. 17 Sect. 6. Of the objections which are made against the former position. Pag. 22 Sect. 7. What was the behaviour of the subjects in regard of injuries offered by their kings. Pag. 28 Sect. 8. Whether the setting up of this monarchical estate were commodious or hurtful to the people. Pag. 30 Sect. 9 That no person whatsoever, was exempted from this power. Pag. 34 Sect. 10. What was the power of this kingdom in ecclesiastical causes. Pag. 39 Sect. 11. That the power of this kingdom was free from positive laws and a peremptory power. Pag. 46 Sect. 12. Of the causes of the great majesty of this kingdom. Pag. 50 Sect. 13. Of the particulars in the said Majesty. Pag. 54 Sect. 14. That this kingdom was a lawful kind of government, and how it was subject to God. Pag. 61 Sect. 15. Of the actions of Samuel. Pag. 67 The Argument of the latter treatise is the Church militant: considered in general: in the first chapter of the catholiick Church sections. 8. particular: in the members of the catholic Church dispersed abroad: in the second chap. sections. 3. joined together in a particular Church: whereof we are to entreat severally: declaring in general the definition of a particular Ch. in. the attributes chapter. 3. Sections. 3. the building of it, to wit the laying the foundation. Ch. 4. Sect. 4. the setting up the frame by establishing laws ecclesiastical divine. Ch. 5. Sect. 2. human. C. 6. of ecclesiastical constitutions. sect. 5. of the divers states of it. Ch. 7. Sect. 11 In particular: the diverse kinds of a Church which is either private. Ch. 8. Sect. 3. or public. Chap. 9 Sections. 9 jointly in the conjunction of some particular Churches. Chap. 10. Sect. 4. all: the which make the visible Church. Chap. 11. The Argument. Chapter. 1. Of the catholic Church. SEction. 1. Of the name and definition of the catholic Church. pag. 1 Sect. 2. Of the place of the catholic Church. pag. 3 Sect. 3. That hypocrites are members of the catholic Church. pag. 4 Sect. 4. That heretics are members of the catholic Church. pag. 8 Sect. 5. Of those who dissemble their profession. pag. 16 Sect. 6. Who are without the catholic Church. pag. 17 Sect. 7. Of the attributes of the catholic Church. pag. 18 Sect. 8. Of the distribution of the catholic Church. pag. 21 Chapter. 2. Of the dispersed members of the Church. Sect. 1. For what cause men are separated from the Church. pag. 22 Sect. 2. How they serve God. pag. 25 Sect. 3. What to think of their salvation. pag. 26 Chapter. 3. Of a particular church. Sect. 1. Of the original of it. pag. 29 Sect. 2. Of the definition of it. pag. 30 Se●●. 3. Of the number of i●. pag. 32 Chapter. 4. Of the planting of a particular church. Sect. 1. Of what people a Church may consist. pag. 35 Sect. 2. By whom a church ought to be planted. pag. 37 Sect. 3. How the word should be preached to infidels. pag. 39 Sect. 4. How men converted aught to be ordered. pag. 44 Chapter. 5. Of ecclesiastical government. Sect. 1. Of church government in general. pag. 48 Sect. 2. Of the divers kinds of church government: pag. 53 Chapter. 6. Of ecclesiastical human laws. Sect. 1. How these laws differ from the laws of God. pag. 57 Sect. 2. 3. Of the matter of these laws. pag. 58 Sect. 4. After what rules they are to be made. pag. 62 Sect. 5. Of the number of them. psg. 66 Chapter. 7. Of the divers states of a particular church. Sect. 1. Of a state unestablished. pag. 67 Sect. 2. Of a pure and perfect state of a church. pag. 70 Sect. 3. Of a flourishing state. pag. 71 Sect. 4. Of that state wherein the building of the ch. is hindered. pag. 74 Sect. 5. Of professed hinderers. pag. 78 Sect. 6. Of the ch. hindered▪ by the civil ruler being a professed enemy. pa. 79 Sect. 7. Of the church hindered by the civil ruler being a member of it. p. 83 Sect. 8. Of the church hindered by the ministers of the word. pag. 87 Sect. 9 Of an imperfect state of a church. pag. 88 Sect. 10. Of a corrupt state of a church namely of idolatry. pag. 90 Sect. 11. Of a church corrupt in doctrine. pag. 93 Chapter. 8 Of a private Church. Sect. 1. What a private Church is. Pag. 95 Sect. 2. Of the specials in planting a private Church. pag. 120 Sect. 3. Of the state of it being planted. pag. 99 Chapter. 9 Of a public or national Church. Sect. 1. Of the objections which are made against public Ch. pag. 102 Sect. 2. Of the conjunction of the church and the commonwealth. p. 106 Sect. 3. That a public Church with the commonwealth make but one body under one head. pag. 107 Sect. 4. That civil and ecclesiastical functions may be together in the same persons. pag. 114 Sect. 5. Of the changes which happen either ●o the Church or common wealth by this conjunction. pag. 116 Sect. 6. Of the first mover in the planting of a public Church. pag. 118 Sect. 7. Of the special manner of planting a public Church. pa. 120 Sect 8. Of the establishing of it. pag. 123 Sect. 9 To whom the authorizing and advising of ecclesiastical laws belongeth in a public Church. pag. 125 Chapter. 10. Of the conjunction of particular Churches. Sect. 1. Of the voluntary conjunction of particular Churches under the government of counsels. pag. 131 Sect. 2. Of whom counsels may and aught to consist. pag. 133 Sect. 3. Of the necessary conjunction of particular Churches under the government of the same civil power. pag. 134 Sect. 4. How the several provinces of a national church are to be governed. pag. 141 Chapter. 11 Of the visible church. pag. 143 We pray thee good reader to turn hither when thou meetest with any stay: and to read those places as they are here set down. Our desire was that thou shouldest be eased of this trouble as thou mayst perceive: but now we must desire thee to take it in good part. Farewell. In the former treatise. Pag. 14. li. 4. who answereth pag. 18.9. necessity, the glory pag. 19.1. in his Church pag. 39.2. against whom and when he pag. 59.2. dutifully obeyed pag. 65.13. that he spoke pag. 70.26. contempt and In the latter treatise. Pa. 2.17. Of a particular. Changed p. 18.6. Arians did: therefore p. 28.4. Baalam, all of them p. 33.15▪ of multitude p. 38.32. him, call p. 24.23. into those infinite p. 40.34 in that the p. 54.23. the sun●e of p. 39.25. an extraordinary p. 45.23. of the receivers & 27. the other gave p. 49.32. at the same time p. 50.34. perfectly set down p. 59.35. the Ch. was bound p. 62.23. the direction p. 79.28. as their gift p. 82.2. Church, then in p. 89.15. so perfect a state p. 90 30. affectation p. 94.22. Churches of Arians p. 95.22. which in all p. 103.25. which is p. 104.10. in number p. 129.25. all means p. 56.5. yea far above p. 86.19. professing the faith p. 130.26. of the spirit p. 131.29. national & gene. p. 134.13. bind that one p. 138.1. for in public p. 142.7, and ordering p. 10.13. to be aliens p. 24.23. into those infinite p. 40.34. first, which will p. ●2 13. in his Apology p. 66.36. of judaical p. 65.16, of less moment p. 82.2. Church, then in p. 97.1. a private Church p. 98.24. more than one. p. 106.6. the favour p. 112.23. they had an The ground of this treatise, we take out of the first book of Samuel the 10. Chapter the 25. verse, where it is thus written: And Samuel spoke unto the people the judgement of the kingdom: and wrote in a book: and laid it before the face of the Lord: etc. IT pleased God in mercy, to choose out of all the nations of the world, the people of Israel to be a peculiar people unto himself, on whom he would set his whole affection and pour forth the full treasures of his blessings, both spiritual, to wit, his covenant and his promises, his word and his Church, his worship and his visible presence, yea which is all in all, his own only son the saviour of the world and with him eternal salvation: and also temporal, as namely continual deliverance from all dangers, in Egypt, in the wilderness and in the land of Chanaan: a fruitful land to dwell in, wise and puissant judges to govern them and to save them out of the hands of all enemies, from Moses to Samuel. But this people was an unfaithful, that is to say, an ungracious people, and did neither worthily esteem nor carefully keep the blessings bestowed upon them: but as they were in nature and conditions, Why the people desired an alteration of the state. so they did affect to be in all other respects like unto the profane nations of the earth: and therefore they changed both the civil and also the ecclesiastical state appointed by God, insomuch that for the true worship of God they did often take unto themselves the idolatry of the heathen, and in steed of the judges by whom they had been governed now 400. years, they would needs have a king set over them as other nations had. The which desire although it were greatly displeasing in the eyes of God and of Samuel, yet by the importunity of the people, it was obtained: insomuch that in steed of the sons of Samuel, who governed the land in their father's age, Saul in son of Cis was anointed king of Israel. This change of the civil magistrate being made, it did of necessity follow, that there should be a change of the laws also, by the which the people were governed, according to that which is commonly said, new Lords must have new laws. For although they took the occasion of this alteration, The occasion of this alteration. at the personal faults of the sons of Samuel, yet they changed not only the governor but also the government itself, and brought in an other kind of government far different from that which was before in force, and therefore requiring new laws, whereupon to stand. Yea the process of this treatise will in part declare, that the difference betwixt these two governments, the one of the judges and the other of the Kings was so great that the laws of the one estate could no more agree to the other, than the furniture of a mighty giant will serve a child or the base apparel of a mean man, beseem a stately prince. In consideration whereof Samuel or rather GOD by the ministery of Samuel, as he had given to the people a king, so in the next place he giveth unto them the state of a kingdom, and that by establishing those orders and laws according to the which both the king should rule and the people obey. Not that he did prescribe unto them any new judicial laws, but only he made the fundamental laws of the kingdom, the which are here called the judgement of the kingdom, that is, the very nature, condition and manner of this new government, the proper laws of it, and as it were, the very marks by the which it may be judged, that is, known in itself, and distinguished from all other kinds of government. For so the word here used doth signify in many places of the scripture, as namely, 2. Kings. 1.7. where Achasia asketh his messengers, what is the judgement of the man, whom they said to be Elias, that is, what was his behaviour, his apparel, his countenance, and as we do usually say, what manner of man is he: so here the judgement of the kingdom is to be understood. Likewise by the face of GOD here is meant the place of the presence of God, to wit the tabernacle wherein God was worshipped, or more specially the Ark with the propitiatory, which was a visible sign of the presence of God. Thus much of the occasion, and meaning of these words, which we may handle in this order; That first we speak of that which is here called the judgement of the kingdom which is the doctrine of it, and in the second place consider the actions of Samuel mentioned in the text: the which are three in number. The first is, that he spoke this doctrine of the kingdom to the people, the second, that he wrote it in a book, the third is, that he laid the book before the Lord: of these in order. Sect. II. But before we come to the special doctrine of this kingdom, it will not be either unprofitable or impertinent if we do briefly consider the general doctrine of magistracy. The which as it is worthy diligently to be handled and commended to the Church of GOD; so it will give great light to this whole treatise following. Magistracy therefore is not a mere devise of man, as they who contemn and labour to overthrow all authority, speaking evil of those things which they know not, have imagined: but an ordinance of God Rom. 13.12. There is no power but of GOD, he therefore that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. But it may be thought that it is not gods ordinance seeing it cannot be showed that ever it was established by God throughout the world, Magistracy God's ordinance. but rather invented and continued by men excelling others in strength and in ambition, whereby they were both moved to desire superiority and also enabled to accomplish their desire, and so have by violence, bloodshed outrage tyranny and all manner of impiety against God, and injustice in regard of men both gotten and usurped the places of rulers. So that seeing this hath been the original of the authority almost of all rulers, we cannot make it the institution of God, especially seeing that it doth not appear that God did ever command that there should be magistrates set up over the people throughout the whole world, only amongst the jews magistracy was set up by his commandment but not in any place beside. Whereunto we answer, that the abuses of magistracy, although many and grievous, cannot take away the lawful use of it. And further that the cause why there is no express commandment in the word of God enjoining that magistracy should be set up in all places, is, for that the word of God doth not belong to the whole world but only to the Church which is in all times, and especially was in the first ages of the world, the least part, yea sometimes as nothing in comparison of the huge number of infidels. But in the Church, God hath from time to time both commanded and established the use of magistracy and severely punished the contempt of it: The church hath never been without magistracy. as might be showed by examples in all ages. For although there could be no public magistracy in the Church till the days of Moses, because until that time the Church was contained within the compass of one or a few families, yet there was private government which had no less force and authority then when the number of the Church increasing to a whole nation, public magistracy was erected. For the first borne of the family was the ruler, and as it were a Lord to the rest, as jacob doth call Esau, Genesis. 33.13.14. But although magistracy hath been by the express commandment of GOD established only in the Church, yet it belongeth as much to infidels. For it is instituted by God, not ●s he is the Saviour of his Church, but as he is the creator and preserver of all men. Therefore howsoever God doth not vouchsafe his love and eternal life coming thereof to any of those who are not▪ of his Church, yet as the Apostle witnesseth, Romans. 3.29. He is the GOD not only of the jews, who only were then his Church, but also of the Gentiles. In this respect as also in regard of his faithful people with whom they live, and for other causes, he doth bestow upon them many temporal blessings, letting the rain to fall down and the sun to shine upon them, and also in making them partakers of this ordinance of magistracy by the which they may live in order and peace, safely and quietly enjoying all the temporal commodities of this present life. The means by the which God doth set up this his ordinance amongst infidels, who are destitute of his word, is the light of nature remaining in the minds of men, How God erecteth magistracy among infidels. by the which they do easily both see the manifold commodities which come by magistracy and also desire to be made partakers thereof. For although by reason of the corruption of our nature, few can live in due subjection unto authority, with a contented mind, yet almost all men when they are without magistrates, do of themselves desire to have some to govern, and no marvel: seeing that the deformity and inconveniences which the want of magistrates bringeth, are evident to all men, for that a people in such a state is like a to body without a head to move it. The experience hereof we have even in this people of the jews who did voluntarily without any compulsion desire a king, and that in a most earnest manner. Thus we see that magistracy is the ordinance of God, whereof this doth necessarily ensue, that it is not as an unholy, profane and impure state, or to be vilely esteemed of, as many do affirm and account it to be, who do falsely think that the beauty of the Church cannot appear, neither her authority be sufficiently extolled and established, but by deforming and treading under foot this divine ordinance of civil magistracy, the which as it is most acceptable to God so it ought to be had in great honour by all men. Why God appointed magistracy. Lastly the ends why magistracy was appointed by God are two; The first is the representing of his glory here on earth. The second is the procuring of the good of man. For the first; The magistrate is God's deputy and vice gerent here on earth to govern men and to keep the world in order without confusion: even as we see that great monarchs have many legates and deputies, by whom they rule their several provinces: and therefore God doth communicate to them as his office so also his name, and calleth them Gods, in the which respect the magistrate is a lively, In what respect the magistrate beareth the image of God. yea a living Image of God; first of his excellency, in that he is taken from the common sort and condition of men, and set aloft: therefore he is to be honoured. Secondly of the wisdom of God in that he is able to foresee imminent dangers, to make fit laws and orders, to judge of right and wrong, and to keep his people in peace and mutual concord, and therefore he is to be reverenced, and to be obeyed in his laws and edicts. Thirdly of the justice of God, in that he doth severely punish the great misdemeanour of malefactors, and therefore he is to be feared. Fourthly of the mercy of God, in that he doth graciously with favour pass by and wink at small offences, and therefore he is to be praised. And lastly he carrieth the image of the goodness of God in that by his means foreseeing, preventing and repelling all dangers and troubles, we do enjoy all manner of blessings both temporal and eternal even life and liberty, plenty of all things and prosperity, houses and lands, wives and children, friends and acquaintance, and that which is much more to be esteemed, the true service and worship of God, his holy word, and in one word, all things needful in regard either of body or soul, and therefore the magistrate is unfeignedly to be loved and praised. The second end why magistracy was appointed is the good of man, that by this means, they might live in peace, safety, and order. But of the several commodities, which magistracy bringeth, we do not purpose to entreat, because they are commonly known although more enjoyed then considered: as also for that they may in part be gathered of that which hath been spoken. Sect. III. THus we have by the general doctrine of magistracy an entrance made to the special doctrine of the kingdom of Israel; wherein we have many several points to consider, which for order and memory sake may be reduced to two heads: whereof the first containeth the state of this kingdom in respect of n●en or of the people of Israel, the second, the state of it in respect of God. The first head hath the greatest part of the difference of this kingdom from the former government of judges, consisting especially in two things, the special power which it had over the people, and the special majesty of it, both which were exceeding great in this state, yea so great, that in these respects the government of the judges may seem not only a mean but almost a private estate. Hence it is that this kingdom of Israel is by jacob prophesying of it, Gen. 49.9. compared to a Lion the which doth in strength and especially in a majestical stateliness so far exceed all other beasts, that it is usually called the king of them. If we desire to know how it came to pass that there was so great power and majesty given to this kingdom, we must have recourse to the original of it. The causes of the setting up of this estate were two: The first is that which may be said to be the cause of all things in the world, to wit, the eternal counsel and decree of God by the which it was before all ages appointed, that the king of Israel should be a type of Christ, The kingdom of Israel a type of Christ's kingdom. and his temporary government a type of the spiritual and eternal kingdom of Christ as is afterward to be declared. Now that this kingdom might be a fit and lively type, it was needful that it should be endued with a great measure of power and majesty, that so it might the more lively represent the infinite power and authority which the Messiah was to have over all creatures in heaven and in earth, and likewise his unspeakable and incomprehensible majesty and glory filling the heaven of heavens: The second cause of the great power and majesty of this kingdom was the desire or rather the will of the people who did so earnestly, yea so eagerly and importunately call for this stately government that they would take no denial, nor hear any thing which could be alleged to be contrary. For that the people did always desire this state, we may see, Deutro. 17.14. where God foretelleth this; that when they were once possessed of the land they would have a King, and judg. 8.22. where they offer to make Gedeon king: and more plainly, judges. 9 where they like abimelech's opinion saying, that it was better for them to have one then many to reign over them. Neither did they desire to have one set over them with the bare name and title of a king or with any mean authority, but that he should have power and majesty in the highest degree. For howsoever it might seem that this their desire was in some respect incommodious to themselves, for that the greater power they gave to the king, the less liberty they left to themselves, and the greater that his pomp and majesty was, the more heavy tributes must be imposed on them for the maintaining of it, yet they did so vehemently desire to be like to other nations in a stately monarchy, that they thought no price too great for it, thinking belike, as it is commonly said, that it was greater honour for them to make a mighty and a glorious King, then to be kings themselves as every one was in the time of the judges wherein every man did that which was good in his own eyes, because they had no king to order them, judg. 18.1.19.1. And yet we do not deny, but that in ordaining so mighty & majestical an authority they thought it would be for their own good howsoever it might seem to derogate from their liberty and profit, and that the commodities would be more and more weighty than the inconveniences of it: wherein whether they did judge right or no let others determine. Sect. FOUR NOW we are to come to the particular declaration of these things: First of the power of this kingdom, and secondly of the majesty of it: The doctrine of the power hath in it these four questions: The first is, whether the power of the king were whole or divided: The second, whether it were general over all persons and causes or restrained: The third, whether it were absolute, or tied to laws: The last whether it were a mild or a peremptory power. The power whereof we do entreat, is the full, supreme and universal authority (for of any inferior power we do not speak) of governing the people and of ordering all their public affairs: the which before that this kingdom was set up, was not wholly in any one hand, but divided amongst many. For it was partly in the hands of God, partly in the hands of the judge which was for the time, partly in the hands of the elders or senate, and partly in the hands of the body of the people. For the first where we say that God had a part of this authority, we do not consider him simply as God, for in that respect, not a part only but the whole supreme power not of that country only, but of all the nations in the world, yea of heaven and earth was and is in his hands: but we consider him as he was after a special manner the king and ruler of this people, How God was the king of Israel. so as he never was or will be to any other nation. The actions of God, which did proceed from this his regal authority were these. First that he gave to this people judicial laws and constitutions which is part of the office not of God, for then these judicial laws should belong to the whole world, seeing GOD is the God, not of the jews only but also of the gentiles. But other nations are not tied to these laws but only to the moral law, and to these judicials so far as they are moral, to wit, to the grounds and equity of them, but not to the laws themselves. The second thing which God did by virtue of this authority was the supreme administration of their battles in cases of great extremity. For as great princes send captains to fight in their stead, yet according to their direction and appointment, so God did immediately either by his word or spirit stir up some man to fight the battles of the people and did direct them in such actions. And this Gedeon acknowledgeth, judges. 7.20. Where he saith, the sword of the Lord and of Gedeon. In these respects GOD was the king of this nation as Gedeon doth confess, judges. 8.23. who so answereth the people going about to make him king, that neither he nor any of his posterity should reign over them, but God should still be their king. But after that they had made a king, neither did the judicial laws retain their full force, neither did GOD himself appoint Captains over the Armies, The judicial law in part abrogated by the erecting of this kingdom. but all was done according to the will and commandment of the kings: who although they did keep the judicial law in part, and for the great extremities in war asked counsel of God, yet they were free in both these respects, as we are afterward to declare more at large. So that by the coming in of these kings, God himself (if we may so basely speak of his glorious majesty) was put out of his office, God put from his kingdom. as he himself doth confess. 1. Sam. 8.7. where he speaketh to Samuel not to be grieved, for that the people had cast off his and his sons government, for indeed, saith God, they have not despised or cast away thee, but me, and have refused that I should reign over them, In the second place, the judges had part of this supreme authority, who although in the greatest matters they were overruled by the word of God, yet in the ordinary administration especially of warelike affairs, they were the chief. And therefore the state of the common wealth from Moses to Saul the first king is called the government of the judges: the which did wholly cease after that Saul was created king: for the Captains of the war were either the kings themselves or whom it pleased them to appoint. So we ●eade that David placed and displaced joab, at his pleasure. thirdly the body of the people joining together in a general assembly had a part, yea the greatest part of this authority, and likewise the elders (who were a compendious body of the people) had their part especially in civil administration in the time of peace, judg. 20. The children of Israel came together as one man to the Lord in Maspha, to whom the levity maketh his complaint as unto them who had authority to revenge the villainy done unto him, desiring them to determine of that cause: as they did with great severity. The causes why the people and the elders had part of this supreme authority, were these; First for that they did never give the whole power over themselves into the hands of any of the judges, but only did as it were use them to be their Captains and leaders in the time of war: the which being ended, What authority the people had before the time of the Kings. usually the judge returned to his own house and private estate till the like necessity called him abroad again: but during the time of peace they did not meddle much with civil jurisdiction but only heard those causes which were brought unto them as to fit arbiters, because they were men renowned either for their valour, or because they were prophets, as were Deborah and Samuel, or had the office of the high priest as had Ely. Hence it is that in this book of judges there is no mention made of their civil judgements or that they did call together the Senate or the people, unless it were to war, or of any edicts which they made or of faults which they did redress or punish. Only of Samuel it is written that he went about the land to judge the people, and of Deborah that the people brought their controversies to her. The second cause of the authority of the elders and people, was the want a judge: for whenas the judge died, they did not straightway put another in his place until they had occasion given by war: during which time of vacation, the elders and people in every city did judge their own causes, and meeting together in a common assembly did order public matters although seldom and negligently as the people use to govern. So that they wanted a judge as often as they had one. But when once they had a king created, there did no more any supreme authority remain either in elders or people, all being given unto the hands of the king, who had no man which did participate with him in his authority: For we are not to think that in this state the king was the chief governor and the elders, No authority in Israel but in the hands of the king. senators and inferior officers, fellow governors and as it were his mates. For all within the land of Israel were to the king mere private men, so that if any had authority in respect of the people, they had it all from him, as from the fountain: all the officers of the kingdom, all the judges of civil causes and the captains of the armies were appointed by him. Yea they were so far from having any authority in respect of the king, that all the people with their magistrates and officers of what kind soever, are usually called the kings servants: so 2. Chro. 10.6. The counsellors of Solomon are said to have stood before his face, to wit, waiting and attending his pleasure, so Esa. 37.5. Officers of the king and elder● of the priests are called the king's servants. For the state of this kingdom was not such a government as both hath been and is at this day in use in many places, where the people to avoid confusion, and for the administration of justice, and of other public affairs, do for one over them, yea and give unto him although improperly the name of a king, reserving to themselves authority either to displace him at their pleasure or at the least to control his doings, which they think to be wrong, to call him to account of his administration, yea if need be, to rise up in arms against him and to lay violent hands upon him: This was no such government, but a kingdom both in name and in truth: wherein none had any jot of supreme authority save the king only. Sect. V. BUT if it be granted that there was no authority in the land which could associate itself with the authority of the king or any way intermeddle with his lawful administration as long as he did rule with religion and justice for the glory of God & the good of the people, yet it may seem that there was some authority to restrain him if at any time he should be imperious or unjust in his government: whereby he should be, either brought to a lawful manner of ruling, or else if he were incorrigible, deposed from his kingdom. For otherwise the people might be miserably oppressed, religion defaced, yea all things turned upside down and in the end the commonwealth utterly overthrown: and therefore that both wisdom, reason and necessity, i● the glory of God and the good of men do require that there should be in Israel some other authority either in the people, or in the priests, in the senate, or in the inferior magistrates, the which should never be either used or once mentioned, but against those kings which did degenerate into violent and bloody tyrants, even as men use a false & under rain to pull in strong headed horses which otherwise would run into some pit & so destroy both themselves & the riders. This reason taken from the safety of the people of states and commonwealths, the ground, square, and end of all good policy carrieth with it such a fair show of equity and necessity that like unto a violent stream it hath carried many headlong in heat to condemn and reject utterly these absolute Monarchies as tyrannical and barbarous kinds of government pernicious to men, yea altogether unlawful and unmeet for the Church of God. But we ought not to suffer ourselves to be deceived by any appearance or pretence whatsoever or in respect of any inconveniences, although never so great to judge that to be unlawful and profane, which God by establishing it in his Church hath showed to be holy and lawful. But for the further resolving of this question, it is requisite that we again put you in mind, that we do not here speak, either what ought to be the state of all kingdoms in this behalf, or that this is the best kind of government, but only do show what was the state of this kingdom of Israel. In the which it seemeth that the whole power of ruling the land was given by God and by the people into the hands of the king, without any exception whatsoever: insomuch that the people did not reserve to themselves any power whereby they might lawfully resist his authority or oppose themselves to his proceed although unlawful and unjust much less take from him the kingdom, or to offer any manner of violence unto his person. For the authority of this king over his people was no less than is the authority of a father in his family in respect of his children, The king to his subjects as a father to his children. who if he do injuriously entreat any of them or not carefully keep his own goods or live any way disorderly, it is the duty of his children, if not with silence to suffer it, yet with great modesty to admonish him of it. But if they should join themselves together, and offer any violence unto him especially if they should throw him out of his house, all men would count them rebellious and ungracious children. But if they should take his life from him, they were to be esteemed notoriously wicked, ye rather as monsters, worthy to be abhorred of all men. So, it seemeth that the state of this kingdom was such as that no subject of what place soever, no not the whole people jointly could lawfully use any violence against the king's person or proceedings: and that the king might although not lawfully in respect of the law of God, of men, or of nature, yet safely and freely in respect of his subjects do whatsoever pleased him: according as jacob foretelleth, Gen. 49.9. that juda the king of his brethren should be as the great Lion who when he layeth himself down, who shall raise him up or disquiet him? The truth hereof appeareth in the whole course of the story of the kings who praesuming upon this whole and undivided authority, did never fear or doubt to do whatsoever they listed without ask leave either at nobles, elders, or people. Hence came that foolish, and tyrannical answer which Rehoboan made to the people threatening them, 1. King. 12.12. in this manner, My least part shall be heavier than my father's loins, whereby he meant that he would increase those heavy burdens of tributes, which his father had laid upon them. For but that he knew very well the state of his kingdom to be such, as that he might both say and do what he listed without controlment, he had been more than mad to make such an answer. And hence it came that the idolatrous kings did never stick by their sole authority to set up open idolatry not once minding who would be offended therewith: and likewise the continual practice of the people doth declare that they did not violently oppose themselves to the doings either of the good or of the wicked kings, but suffered religion to stand and fall according to their pleasure. Yea the dealing of God himself doth prove the same, who when he purposed to preserve David against the fury of Saul, would never suffer him to oppose Ceila or any other of Saules cit●es against him but made him fly first into the mountains and deserts, and afterwards out of the land to the Philistines. Yea David although he were appointed by the express word of God to succeed Saul in the kingdom, yet he was so far from laying violent hands upon him, that as we read. 1. Sam. 24.6. his heart smote him, that is, his conscience did accuse him that he had behaved himself disloyally against the king, in that he had offered violence to the king's garment, because that was as a threatening of death unto him and a great disgrace. Yea further we do not read, that God did ever by any of his prophets stir up the people to maintain his true worship by violence against the kings, The prophets never reprove the people for not resisting the idolatrous kings. or ever reprove them because they had suffered them to set up idolatry, which is an evident proof of this point. For if it had been lawful to resist in any case, then surely in the maintenance of the true worship of God and of his glory. But hereof there is a great question made: for although this king had power in civil matters to do not only right & justice without the help of any other power, but also wrong without resistance, shall we therefore give unto him this power in the cause of religion that he may deface the worship of God at his pleasure? It may seem much better that not only kings should be thrown down from their thrones, but also that heaven and earth should go together, then that God should be dishonoured and detestable idolatry erected. We confess that it is a most fearful thing that the king of Israel who hath his authority from God, should use the same to dishonour God and thrust not only men out of their houses & lands, but also the great God of heaven & earth out of his temple and Church, yea in truth (in some sort) out of the world: for God had tied his visible Church to this land. And therefore we answer that as it is usually said, Si ius violandum, regni causâ violandum, so Si ius regni sit violandum, religionis causa est violandum, that if it be lawful for the people of Israel for any cause to resist their lawful king, Unlawful to use violemee against the king in the maintenance of religion. it is lawful in the defence of the true religion and God's glory. But as hath been said, it seemeth that the state of this kingdom would not bear any resistance no not in this case, much less in any other. No man, yea no company of men could for any offence committed by the king, either against God or man, the first or second table, call him to account, summon him to appear in judgement, or use any manner of violence either in word or deed against him. Now we are to answer those things which may be objected against this assertion. Sect. VI. FIrst it may seem agreeable to reason that the people should have power to depose their king as well as they had to set him up. Whereunto we answer that although it were at the first free unto the people whether they would have permitted themselves wholly to the power of the king or no, The people could not resume their liberty given into the hands of the kings yet when as they had once refigned up their liberty and authority, it was not in their power to call that their voluntary grant back again: Secondly we answer that the people never had this power in their hands to make whom they would king they did indeed voluntarily choose this kind of government, but God gave them a king whom they could neither refuse at the first nor afterwards depose, to wit, Saul with his posterity, and they being by God rejected, David with his seed: for God kept in his hand the power of nominating the king as the express words of the scripture do witness, It belonged not to the people but to God to nominate the king. Deutro. 17.15. Only thou shalt make him king over them whom the Lord thy God shall give unto thee. Again it may be objected, forsomuch as not only kings but also all other magistrates are set up for the glory of God, and the good of the people that if they do not, not only not further but also hinder these respects, they do break the condition of the bargain betwixt them & the people, and so do forfeit their kingdoms into their hands as Saul did forfeit his, and Solomon by his idolatry the government of the ten tribes: we answer confessing this to be true that the kings of Israel had the kingdom upon the foresaid condition, but yet neither the kingdom was given nor the condition imposed to them by man but by God: & therefore they could not forfeit their kingdom to man but only to God: neither coul● any man exact this forfeiture at their hands without an extraordinary and special commission from God. So that until such time as God did either immediately by his own hand or by the means of some man made the executioner of his will by extraordinary revelation, deprive them of their kingdom, even the wicked and idolatrous kings did remain to the people in the full estate and right of the kingdom. So after that both Saul had by his disobedience forfeited his kingdom of God, and also David was now both appointed by God and anointed by Samuel, Saul remained the lawful king of Israel after that David was anointed and appointed to the kingdom. king in his stead, yet Saul remained to the people the only lawful king of Israel: yea no less lawful than he was before or any other afterwards, until such time as God did take from him both his life and kingdom together. This doth David ingenuously confess, 1. Sam. 26.10.11, saying, that it was not lawful for himself or any other to touch Saul being Gods anointed, for that he could be dispossessed by none but by God only: wherein he rested, not doubting but that God would take him away, either by natural death, or by the force of the enemy or immediately by his own hand. 1. Sam. 26.10. The rebellion of jeroboam & of the ten tribes unlawful. Likewise Solomon did forfeit his kingdom to God, but yet th● ten tribes with all their kings made of themselves, did unlawfully and impiously rebel against Rehoboam; for so speaketh Abiam, 2. Chro. 13·6. 7. You ought to have acknowledged that God gave the kingdom of Israel to David and his sons for ever, but jeroboam the son of Nebat risen up and rebelled against his Lord and naughty men gathered themselves to him and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam. So that although the defection came from the Lord as appeareth, 2. Chro. 11.4. and was good in that respect being a just punishment of idolatry, yet the action of the people rebelling against their lawful and natural king, was altogether unlawful. If it be objected that jeroboam was called to be king of the ten tribes by the word of God sent by the ministry of the prophet Achijah, King. 11.31. where God saith to jeroboam by the prophet, that he had given to him ten tribes of Israel: to this we make two answers; First that although this defection, as it came from God, was good, yet as it was practised by jeroboam and the people, it was unlawful rebellion. For there is in God a secret will the which (when it is contrary to his reue●led will and word) cannot be executed by man without sin (unless it be by an extraordinary dispensation) and therefore although God did make this his secret will known to jeroboam, to make his unthankfulness in erecting idolatry the more inexcusable, yet he did not bid him rebel against Solomon, neither did he anoint him king, as he did jehu. 2. King. 9.6.7. who had the express commandment of God to root out king Achabs' house. Thus God foretold Hazael that he should be king of Syria. 2. King. 8.13. yet he did not approve his detestable murdering of the king his master. So did Zimri, Hazaels rebellion foretold by God but not permitted. 1. King. 16.12. although he also did execute the sentence which God had pronounced against the house of Bahasa king of the ten tribes, yet because he was not appointed by God so to do, his action was unlawful. Secondly we answer that if that foretelling of jeroboam were an extraordinary dispensation, yet his example doth not justify the rebellion of the people or of any other who have not this warrant for their actions. But David did lawfully rebel against the posterity of Saul, and so did jehu against joram, 2. King. 9 because they had the express word of God so to do. But here this is to be noted that although this kingdom were at the first so instituted that all the kings should by their disobedience forfeit their kingdom to God, ●nd so be deposed when he thought good, God would not take the kingdom from David's posterity. The kingdom so annexed to the house of David, that it could not be taken from it. yet David and his posterity were in a manner freed from this condition and from forfeiting their kingdom to God. For David a man according to the heart of God, found such favour in his sight that he made this solemn law, oath, and promise, that although his children did forsake him, yet he would not take the kingdom from them as he did from Saul but only chastise them for their sins. And therefore the seed of David kept the crown (yea though many of them were open idolaters) till the whole nation of the jews was destroyed and carried away captive into Babel for their idolatry and other sins. Therefore God is said, 2. Chro. 13.5. to have given this kingdom to David by a covenant of salt, that is, by a perpetual and inviolable covenant, for so it was needful that the promises of the Messiah should be annexed to some stock or lineage, that out of it he might cotinually be expected. But to return to the matter in hand, if it be here asked how God did punish the notorious sins & misdemeanours of these kings; we answer that he did it either immediately by his own hand as he did smite Ozias with leprosy for his intolerable presumption, 2. Chr. 26, 19 or else by some foreign nation or king as by the Philistines, Egyptians, Chaldaeaens, Assyriaens, or some other nation and prince whom he used as scourges for the misdemeanour of these kings: whereof more hereafter. Now we are to answer to the examples which may seem to be contrary to this rule, the which if they be indeed contrary to it, yet they do not take away this truth: for a few wrong actions cannot prejudice a law, yea a long practice and custom of right. But let us see what they are: First the people do seem to have resisted Saul in that they saved jonathan from death, whereunto he was even devoted by the king's solemn oath & promise: we answer that they did persuade the king by reason, not resist him by force as doth appear by their words, 1. San. 14.45. but the example of Libna is more plain, the which rebelled against jehoram because he did forsake the Lord. 2. Chr. 21.10. but this one example is not sufficient, for it is not approved but only barely mentioned by the writer of the story: yea many actions in the scripture are commended as proceeding from a godly mind which in strait examination would be found unlawful. Thirdly the deposing of Athalia, 2. Chro. 23. maketh not against us. For we do here speak of a lawful king but she was a mere usurper: because she was not of David's seed. Lastly as touching the conspiracies made against joas for killing Zacharias the son of jehoida, God never approved any conspiracy made against any of the kings 2. Chr. 24.25. & against Amasia for forsaking the lord, 2. Chr. 25.27. the writer of the story doth not mean that the conspirators were moved by those reasons or had any purpose of revenging those offences moved by other sinister respects not mentioned but that God brought those fearful judgements upon these kings for the foresaid sins. Sect. VII. IT may here be asked what should then be the issue of the violence and tyranny which any of these kings might perhaps use, what ord●● was taken, and what was the behaviour of loyal subjects in such cases: we answer that the weapons which God gave unto his people wherewith to defend themselves against the tyranny of their lawf●ll kings were these. The first is wisdom carefully to avoid all occasions of the kings anger and injury: With what weapons this people might fight against their kings. and because that they who are disposed to be injurious to their subjects, never want occasions which they take where none is offered, therefore the next remedy is to avoid and decline from the violence or injury itself. Thus did David by flying into dens, caves and mountains, keep himself from the rage of Saul. The third remedy where the second is wanting, is patience to suffer with a quiet mind, the violence or injustice of the king which could not be by wisdom either prevented or avoided. The last remedy is to appeal from the unjust sentence of the king not to any man or to any court here on earth but to the king of kings even to God himself whose ears are always open to hear those who are oppressed: this remedy is the last, and therefore not to be used but in cases of greatest extremity when as the violence is too too grievous, shameful and to man's infirmity altogether intolerable. This means did Samuel commend unto the people, whereby they should ease themselves of those intolerable burdens of tributes which their king would lay upon them, 1. Sam. 8.18. saying, than you being thus oppressed by your king, shall not rebel against him, but shall cry unto the Lord. Where it is added that God will not hear them when they c●y, this is m●nt that they could not afterwards put down their kings, neither be freed from their tyranny which by their own wilfulness they had brought upon themselves: otherwise God doth hear those who being intolerably injured by their kings do appeal unto him. So we read, 2. Chro. 4.22. that when as Zacharias was stoned by the commandment of king joas he appealed to God and commended his cause to him. Where the spirit of God hath carefully noted that God received his appeal, so that within one year he sent the Armies of the Syrians who destroyed his princes and spoiled jerusalem. Yea the servants of the king by the just judgement of God, although unlawfully, conspired against him & killed him for the death of Zacharias. Yea this was the usual means whereby God did punish the sin and repress the rage of idolatrous kings, even the power of foreign princes into whose hands he did often give these kings of juda with their people and kingdom but did never by his word arm any of their subjects against them: therein as in all other his actions observing decorum which is the rule of seemliness or civil order & honesty, unto the which it is agreeable that kings should be chastened & controlled not by their subjects and inferiors, but by other kings which are their equals. Sect. VIII. LAstly it may be objected that it is a very unlike matter that this people with their wise elders and senators, were or could be so far ouerseen●s that living under a moderate government in the which either they never had any injury offered unto them by their rulers, or if they had, might easily have it redressed by some other lawful authority, would permit themselves, their wives and children, lands and liberty to any such authority under the which they were subject to injury, yea in such sort as that they had no refuge to fly unto in any extremity, no superior authority to appeal unto, no stronger power to oppose, and finally which both might easily be come tyrannical, and being so, could not by any means which they could use, be either ended or amended. Whereunto we answer, first as before, that here we do only make a bare narration, what was done, leaving it to those who profess skill in these matters, to judge whether it were wisely done or no. Secondly that we may give some reason hereof, that this was done according to the simplicity of the first ages of the world, Why absolute monarchies were more in use in the first ages of the world. wherein men were much more innocent than they are in these days, and did not so easily infer injury to others, and therefore not fear to receive hurt from others. Whereby it came to pass that men did both safely and securely permi●●hemselues into th● hands of others, either kings, Lords or masters, or any other rulers, without making covenants with them and taking caution of them for their security. But the state of the world is much altered, for now men are grown to that height and ripeness of craft, deceit, dissimulation, violence and all other kinds of wickedness, that almost every man feareth and suspecteth each other, neither will have any dealings with any other without great pledges of security. Hereof it hath come to pass that these great monarchies endued with absolute power, were far more used in the first ages of the world then in the times following: wherein we see that although a monarchical state be thought more excellent and commodious than any other kind of government, yet men dare not give unto it this ample and absolute power, thinking that as that wine is most wholesome which is taken not in the full vigour and natural strength but tempered and delayed with some cold liquor; so that manarchie is most safe and acceptable, the power whereof is moderated and yoked with some other power of positive laws or of parliaments, of the nobility or of the people whereby it may be restrained from injury, injustice and tyranny when it is needful. thirdly we answer that if we may as unskilful and ignorant men use to do, judge of the causes by the effects, and of counsels by the event, it should seem that this people did not lose much by this bargain: for that the state of their commonwealth, was much better under the government of the kings then before, when as the administration of civil affairs was very dissolute and remiss, yea often times wholly wanting: for that the public authority, being as hath been declared, divided amongst many, to wit, the judge, the high priest, the elders, the princes of the tribes, and the people, was either wholly or in p●rt neglected of all, so that as it is written, judg. 21.25. every man did what him listed both in committing and also in redressing injuries, because there was no king in Israel: but after that there was once a king made, they never wanted government, yea they had it more strict and severe then perhaps they desired. Likewise for the other part of the government which is in warlike affairs, it is without question that their state was much bettered by this change. Before, they were a common prey to the nations near unto them, and so often subdued and captivated eight years to Chusan King of Syria judg. 3.7. to the King of Moab. 18. to jabin. 20, years, judg. 4.3. to the Madianites 7. years, judg. 6.1. to the Ammonites. 18. years, judg. 10.8.9. to the Philistines 40. years, judg. 13.2. that it might seem true which many ages afterward was spoken of them, that they were a nation borne to slavery: but by their kings they were not only freed from being so often subdued, but also made conquerors and rulers of other nations. The judges delivered them from their enemies, but their kings delivered their enemies to them making them tributaries to the people: before they were not pinched with heavy tributes so as afterwards by their kings, but they were much more often spoiled and their land clean wasted by foreign invasion: before in the time of peace the common people did more abound with wealth, because they were free from public burdens, but the public estate was very mean, when as it was at the best, & for the most part very beggarly and miserable: under the kings the commonalty was somewhat impoverished and yet they had as we say, some thing for their money, as namely a stately and glorious Monarchy which they did vehemently desire, and whereof they were not a little proud: sumptuous palaces for their kings to dwell in, and many fair buildings for their princes and nobles, especially in jerusalem with all manner of provision correspondent thereunto: secondly they had a costly and famous temple wherein to worship God renowned throughout the whole world for beauty and magnificency. Thirdly they had horses and chariots, troops of horsemen, armies of common soldiers kept at the kings or rather at the common expenses: yea they had fenced and walled Cities and all such like force whereby to resist and subdue their enemies. So we read, 2. Chro. 1. that Solomon had a thousand, and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, yea he made silver as plentiful as stones in jerusalem, and great sums of money were given to him for tribute of the kings of Egypt, Syria and others there about: and in one word they had a public estate far passing in glory any country of kingdom near unto them. The government of the kings compared with the former. So that if it be, as wise men do think, better to have a hard government then an anarchy and confusion, to have public liberty from foreign power then popular licence from obedience of laws, to be pinched in their purses, then to be slain & captivated in their bodies, wives and children, to suffer injury at home, than slavery abroad, to maintain their own natural kings, then to enrich foreign nations, to be privately poor, then publicly base, to have their Cities fenced then their houses trimmed and furnished. Then this people was not so notoriously foolish in choosing this government, as divers wise men have thought: Neither had they a very evil pennyworth though they bought it with the price of their own liberty. But we do not take upon us to define any thing but leave it to those who are seen and exercised in these matters. Only we say that the chief commodity which they looked for by their king, was safety from their enemies abroad and execution of justice at home, as appeareth, 1. Sam. 8.20. wherein they were not frustrate of their expectation. Sect. IX. THus we see that the power of the kingdom of Israel, was wholly in the kings own hands: no other having part thereof. In the next place we are to see how far this power did stretch itself abroad. The answer to this question is this, that the power of this king did stretch itself as far as the limits of his kingdom, or land did: so that there was not any person or cause within the compass of his dominions exempt from it. For the persons of men, there was no pre-eminence of office, no nobility or royalty of blood, no holiness of calling or function, neither any other prerogative whatsoever, that could give unto any man this privilege, that he should not be subject to the jurisdiction and power of the king. So joab was the grand-captayne in Israel, placed in the highest office in the land; yea in such an office as doth usually laugh at and contemn the power of the greatest princes (such unruly spirits doth military licence breed in many men) and so great a man as that David durst not in the beginning of his reign call him to account for murdering Abner, but acknowledgeth, that the sons of Seruiah were too hard for him, as we may read, 2. Sam. 3.29. yet we know that Solomon a peaceable king made him stoop to his authority, and lay down his life at his feet. Likewise Adonia was a man more noble in blood then King Solomon, for he was his elder brother, yet this royal prerogative could not save his life: and therefore he was put to death by the sentence of Solomon, for aspiring, nay for looking at, or almost for thinking on the kingdom: for the king perceived by his ask of Abisage King David's concubine, that he still kept his first mind. But although both great and noble men, and all generally, which have any place, office, or calling in the commonwealth, be subject to this authority, yet it may seem unmeet that they who are endued with holy functions, especially they who are placed in the highest authority in the Church, should be at the call and commandment of the secular power, whereby they might be either wholly dispossessed of their places, or continually troubled & interrupted in ordering the affairs of the Church and the matters of God, and finally injuriously and contumeliously handled: which thing the holiness of their places and persons will in no wise suffer. For the answer of this doubt it is plain in the word of God that all ecclesiastical persons whatsoever, yea the chief priests & in them the high priest himself, the prince and head of the priests who was the type of Christ, Ecclesiastical persons subject to the authority and jurisdiction of the king. the Oracle of God, and on whom the whole glory and majesty of the priesthood was bestowed, was no less subject to the jurisdiction of the king than he which had the basest place and calling in the commonwealth. The truth hereof appeareth by the lamentable tragedy of Abimelech, 1. Sam. 2. who being summoned by Saul to appear, came with all the priests that were with him, and being come, acknowledged Saul● to be his Lord, Verse. 12. and did not appeal from his unjust sentence of death to any other power. The same end befell his son Abiathar who for that he took part with Adonia was by Solomon put out of his office and condemned to die. 1. King. 2.26. And likewise Zachariah the son of Ieh●ida, 2. Chro. 24.21. Now although two of these kings did impiously and tyrannically abuse their authority, yet it doth appear that they had authority over them: yea not only these examples but the course of the whole scripture and equity itself doth show that it ought to be so. We know that even Christ himself, more holy in person and office than all the priests, men or angels in the world, did throughout the whole course of his life, submit himself to the civil power and at the end of it, did suffer himself to be violently apprehended, contumeliously entreated, yea unjustly condemned by the deputy of a heathen Emperor. Likewise the Apostle Paul did appeal and subject himself to the authority of Caesar. Neither is there any cause or reason why it should be otherwise. For howsoever the Romish prelate's have not only drawn out their necks from the subjection of princes, but also have invaded their thrones and subdued them under their feet, and the whole clergy say to the civil power, come not near nor yet once touch me, because I am holier than thou, and think themselves too good to be judged by any, but by their own ordinary, yet the truth is that all persons as well civil as ecclesiastical, are and aught to be by the word of God, equally subject to the civil power. For shall Christ himself and in him God himself, stand before the judgement seat of princes, and shall sinful men, nay shall wretched worms think them too profane to be competent judges in their causes? no no: the servant is not above the master, nor the creature above the creator, and therefore we say with the Apostle that all souls, that is, every man that hath a soul (that none should think himself exempted) ought to be subject to the higher powers, Rom. 13.1. The ground of the contrary error, is an arrogant opinion, which presumptuous men bearing function in the Church have of their own holiness in respect of others, whereas in the Church of God, men who have civil callings are no less holy than they who have ecclesiastical, yea sometimes much more holy: they who have ecclesiastical & holy callings, being otherwise wicked & profane: for it is truly said, although impiously applied by the rebellious company of Corah, Numb. 16.3. That not only Moses & Aaron but even the whole multitude of the common people, much more the Lords anointed is holy. In the next place, we are to search whether that as all persons, so likewise all causes belonged to the authority of the King of Israel. First of civil then of ecclesiastical causes: in the first kind it is not needful that we should insist, forsomuch as all men even they who are most sparing and wary in giving power to these kings, do acknowledge that all civil causes did properly belong to their jurisdiction: And so it was indeed. For the king had authority to appoint all the public officers of his kingdom, who should be his counsellors at home, or his Captains abroad, who should be the judges of the people, and who of the chief senate in jerusalem: and good reason it was that he should have this power in these causes. For seeing that his office was especially to judge the causes of the people, and to fight their battles, for the which purpose the people desired a king, it could not be denied unto him to appoint those to be his deputies whom he thought most able to discharge these duties. Yea further it belonged to him to call all public assemblies and to order them, to make peace with whom he would, and to go to battle against whom ●e when 〈◊〉 thought good. The truth of this point doth 〈◊〉 plainly appear throughout the whole story, that we need not insist in it. Sect. X. Now we are to inquire what was the authority of the king in the matters of the Church, to wit, in ordering the state of religion and of the service of God. Whereof there is great question made whilst some do wholly exclude him out of the Church, not permitting him to intermeddle with any affairs belonging unto it: others suffer him to deal in these causes, yet not to bear any great sway or to overrule in them: and the third sort giveth unto him the greatest part of that ecclesiastical authority which belongeth to man. The which distinction is necessarily to be considered: for God hath not given to any man such full and absolute authority in the Church as in the commonwealth, for he hath made Christ the sovereign Lord and King of the Church, to rule it by his own laws and word. Yet one part of ecclesiastical jurisdiction belongeth to men who are to establish the divine laws of the worship of God, and to make ecclesiastical constitutions for that purpose. But who hath authority to do this, there is all the controversy: In the first opinion or rather gross and palpable error are the Bishops of Rome with their adherentes who that they might through the Church, enter into the commonwealth, invade the riches, preferments and pleasures of kings, and usurp their states and crowns; have thrust out of the Church this king of Israel lest that by his example other magistrates should challenge to themselves authority in causes ecclesiastical. In the second opinion are men otherwise sincere in judgement, who in a good meaning & affection to the Church think it not safe or convenient to permit her wholly to the civil power, and in a reverent opinion of her judge it unmeet that civil rulers should order divine matters, and so make the Church say unto the magistrate, touch me not for I am more holy than thou. But we follow the third opinion thinking that the ecclesiastical authority of this land was chiefly, yea in a manner wholly in the hands of the king, and that by his authority the state of religion in general was wholly set up, maintained, repaired and ordered, yea ecclesiastical laws for this purpose established howsoever in making them the advise and consent of others were for divers necessary causes to be required. The truth hereof will easily appear if we mark that God did defer the building of his Temple, the enlarging and beautifying of his worship until the time of the kings, God deferred the building of the Temple till that the kingdom were erected of whom David and Solomon (which are in this respect to be counted the first, Saul being rejected) did make the state of religion most glorious, established new orders and laws and that by their own authority, although they had the word of God both in themselves and from other prophets for their direction. Yea the general practice of all the kings of Israel of whom every one by his sole authority, did either set up or pull down religion, doth declare how much they had to do in the governing of the Church and to pass over with silence the rest of the kings, let us only see how far Ezechia did meddle with Church affairs, of whom we read, 2. Chro. 29.3. That he opened the doors of the temple, brought the priests into it, made a solemn oration unto them, teaching them their duties and stirring them up to the careful performance thereof: then when the priests had according to his direction, cleansed the temple before they do any service in it, they return to the king to know what he would have further done, Verse. 18. Then the king with the nobles came and brought a sin-offering which the priest offered at the commandment of the king verse. 24. then verse. 27. the king commandeth that the whole burnt-offering should be offered: Again verse. 31. he commandeth that the people's offerings should be brought in. Further in the 30. chapter, he held a council & sent his posts for the keeping of a passover: yea, which is worthy to be noted, when as the people being unclean did receive the passouer, Ezechias himself did publicly pray for them and so made them clean, verse. 20. likewise chap,. 31. verse. 2. Ezechia appointed sundry companies of the priests and levites after the diversity of the ministrations to serve in the temple, and commanded the people to make provision of all things needful for them. and verse 8. and 9 he came and viewed their provision, and questioned with the priests about it, And vers. 11 He bade prepare the chambers in the Temple for store, yea it is added verse. 20. that according to this manner, he did throughout all juda, and that all the works about the service of God, were begun and prosperously ended by him. The same manner of ordering the state of the Church appeareth in the story of josias and other Kings, wherein this may plainly be seen that whatsoever was done in Church matters, was done by the commandment and authority of the king. The occasions of the contrary opinions, whereby the authority of this kingdom in this behalf is abridged and cut short, either in whole or in part, are these: First for that it is thought, that as civil and divine, temporal and eternal matters, do not only greatly differ, but also are opposite to each other, so that the commonwealth and the Church are two distinct, yea contrary bodies governed and ordered by their several heads, as in this state they make the king to be the chief governor of the commonwealth, and the high priest of the Church. But it is far otherwise, for the Church is not here a perfect body by itself but maketh the civil body more excellent & happy. The Church with the common wealth make but one body. For even as when any people, being rude and barbarous, are brought to learning and all kind of humanity, there is not a new state or body added unto them but the former estate becometh better, so it is, whenas any nation of infidels becometh religious, they have not one head in respect of their religion, and another in civil matters, but one and the same for both. But hereof more at large in the treatise of the public Church. Neither ought we to think that either the office, authority, or person of this King was any way profane or unholy, or in any respect unfit to intermeddle with divine matters: for he was and that by the institution of God more holy than o●hers. As for the hurt which came to the Church by being permitted to wicked kings to be ordered at their pleasure, we confess that it was very great: for many of them did clean overthrow the true worship of God. Yet there was no remedy for it in the hands of any save only of God, who is and was able to turn the hearts of kings, as the rivers of waters, yea to shorten their days if they continued obstinate in their wickedness, and to raise up in their places good and godly kings zealous of his glory, who abolishing all idolatry and establishing the true religion by their sovereign and absolute authority in ecclesiastical causes, did recompense the loss, and comfort the grief which the Church had by the wicked Kings: for if the peoele had resisted the wicked and idolatrous kings in their proceedings, they should have diminished the authority of godly kings, Resisting of wicked kings weakeneth the authority of good kings and by using violence against the wickedness of the one, should have bound the hands and hindered the godly endeavours of the other. And this is the cause why men unto whom the good estate of the Church hath been dear and precious have been loath to permit the ordering of Churche-causes to civil rulers, because many of them have been open enemies to all religion and godliness, and authors of all disorders. Yea Emperors. Kings, and Princes have so horribly stained themselves, and been drunk with the blood of the servants of God which they ought to have cherished and preserved, and have so often overthowen the Church, which they should have built and maintained, that many are afraid to commit the Church to their hands who have oftener showed themselves cruel wolves then careful shepherds. And therefore it hath been said by many, that princes should look to their palaces, and leave the whole care of the Church to the ministers of the word, but we see the contrary in this example. And therefore we ought not to speak untruths no not in the cause of God, or to maintain the state of religion in Israel by spoiling the king of that power which god hath given unto him. Lastly as touching ecclesiastical laws, which were to be made by men for the putting in practice of the worship of God, it may seem that although the setting up and pulling down, the reforming and deforming of religion were in the hands of the king, yet to be very unmeet, that he should meddle in the making of them: whereunto we answer that if the whole ordering of the general state of religion be permitted unto him, we cannot exclude him from the making of laws, whereby the laws of God are to be executed. The human laws of this Church were very few, because almost all the circumstances of the service of God were prescribed by the ceremonial law: yet there was always necessary occasion of making some, Ecclesiastical constitutions made by the authority of the kings. in the which work the king had the chief stroke. Thus did David and Solomon make many ecclesiastical laws which continued long after in the Church, and are mentioned by josias saying 2. Chro. 35.4. Prepare yourselves ye Levites by your companies according to the writing of David, and the writing of Solomon, yet these laws were made by the advise of others, to wit, either of the prophets as we may see, 2. Chro. 33.15. or of the Church and people. Thus did Ezechias hold a council, 2. Chro, 30.2. wherein by the advise of the whole Church, the passover was held in the second month: likewise verse. 13, the whole assembly took counsel to keep the feast other seven days: so that although these ecclesiastical constitutions were established by the sole authority of the king, yet they were advised by others, that nothing should be done in the Church peremptorely by the absolute authority of the king or any other, but rather by the counsel of others, & so with the good liking of all men. Yea an error committed in the ordering of the church is more grievous & dangerous, & therefore was to be avoided as by all other means, so especially by taking the advise of others in making laws for this purpose. Yet it did not belong to the king to take upon him the office of the high priest as we may see in the example of Ozias, 2. Chro. 26. or to meddle with the proper duties of any other ecclesiastical person, or yet to change the ceremonial law, but only to order the public state of religion, to make by the advise of others, and to establish by his own authority those laws which served for that purpose, Sect. XI. THere remain two other properties of this regal power, to wit, that it was absolute and peremptory, the which we will propound very briefly. For the first, we do not mean that this power was so loosed from laws that the king might do what him listed, for he was tied to some laws as namely, first to the keeping of the moral law, yea upon pain of forfeiting and losing his kingdom if he did wickedly transgress the same: and if at any time he did command contrary to this law, he was not to be obeyed, 1. King. 18.13. 1. Sam. 22.17. and secondly the fundamental laws of the kingdom, the state whereof it was not in his power to alter. Yea also he was tied to the ceremonial law containing the outward manner of the worship of God. But he was loosed first from the judicial law of God, and secondly from all positive laws made by men. By the judicial laws are usually meant all those laws of Moses which belong unto the practice of the second table, and of such duties as we own to our neighbour. And it is, as it were, an addition to the second Table, as the ceremonial law is to the first. But here we mean more specially only so many of them as did belong to the public administration of the commonwealth which may properly be called political, judicial, or forensical, concerning the manner of administering justice and judgement, as namely in what order judgement ought to begin and proceed, what punishment ought to be inflicted for every several offence, and also how they should behave themselves in battle: in all which the judges, Elders and people had a prescript form which they did follow, and were bound by the commandment of God so to do. But the kings were freed from these laws, The kings exempted from the judicial laws. so that if they did execute justice and judgement, it was free for them to do it in what form & manner they thought best: as for example, the judicial law required that when any had committed any heinous trespass there should be two or three witnesses solemnly produced and that they should begin the execution, and first throw stones at the offender. But the kings namely Saul, David and Solomon did put diverse to death without observation of any of these circumstances. Neither herein did they sin against God and his law, because they were freed from it. Yea it belonged to the king to make these positive laws of the circumstances of executing judgement, and therefore to be a judge, a lawgiver, a king and a defender from foreign enemies are all joined together. Isa. 23.22. the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, our king and he shall save us. Yea the power of this kingdom was such in this behalf that the king might of himself, without calling any to consultation, make, publish, establish and execute laws and edicts, whereof there are many examples: yet it was more usual, yea and convenient in regard both of king and people, that the advise of the priests, prophets, rulers and elders of the people should be taken. Lastly this power of this kingdom, herein differeth from the power of the judges, Elders and of the people in that it was not so gentle and mild but after a sort, a fierce and peremptory power as may easily be gathered by that which hath been spoken of it: for where there is a great, general and absolute power wholly in any one hand, it must needs be of this nature. Hence it was that the people stood in far greater awe of this authority, then of any other, insomuch that the laws, edicts and commandments of the kings were like unto the roaring of a Lion, whereat all the beasts in the forest do tremble and quake for fear. Yea their whole behaviour was much more reverent to the kings then to their other rulers. So we read, judg. 8.1. and 12. that whenas Gedeon and jephta had gotten notable victories of the enemy, the Ephramites came upon them very presumptuously to quarrel with them because for sooth they had not taken them with them to the battle: but they did not use to ask their kings any such questions, or to require any reason of their doings, but did readily come when they called, go when they sent, and do whatsoever thing was enjoined by them. Yea we may well think that the cause why Rehoboam gave the people such a strange answer, was not for that he meant to increase their tributes, for there was no cause why he should so do, the temple and the kings palaces being built, and the king being furnished with all things requisite either for majesty at home, or strength abroad, for the which purpose those great tributes were imposed, but rather because he and his young counsel were highly offended and inflamed with anger against the people, for that they did offer to make him a conditional king, who should not reign, but upon those conditions which they propounded. To take one example of many and so to conclude this point, and specially the first edict which the first king made, and that by the immediate motion of the spirit of God, because this is most for the purpose of the matter in hand. We read. 1. Sam. 11.17. that whenas Saul was to call the people together to battle, he gave forth such a peremptory commandment as never any of the judges or Elders did. For taking a couple of oxen, and dividing them into pieces, he sent them to all parts of the land with this message that whosoever did not follow him to battle, so should it be done to his oxen. Whereupon the people came roundly as one man, for that, as the text noteth, the fear of the Lord, that is of this great power which the Lord had given to the king, fell upon them. Saul might have said with David I am yet a tender and new king and have many enemies: wherefore it is not meet that I should exasperate the people by threatening them: but it was the will of God, that the people should see in the beginning to what a kind of power they had ●●●mitted themselves. Sect. XII. THus much of the power or authority of this kingdom, the second part of the doctrine of it is the majesty of it; & the fundamental laws of the kingdom belonging thereunto. The majesty of the kingdom is the great glory and excellency, wherein it far passeth other kinds of government, and for the which it is much more highly esteemed. It was procured by these means; First by that exceeding great power whereof we have spoken: for whereas the whole administration of all things is in the hands of one, there the good estate of all men publicly and of every one particularly doth depend on him, Great power bringeth with it great majesty. whereby it cometh to pass that all men's eyes are set on him, yea all men do honour, praise and admire him in whom they see great authority and riches, and whose wisdom is more conspicuous than any others besides. Secondly this kingdom was majestical by the first original of it, which it had not from man but from God. This law is written, Deut. 17.14. When thou hast possessed the land and sayest, I will have a king to reign over me, thou shalt make him king whom the Lord thy God shall choose: and so the event proved, for the state of this kingdom in general came from the people, to whom also it belonged solemnly to acknowledge him whom God did appoint: but the nomination of the particular man on whom this honour should be bestowed came from God who appointed first Saul with his posterity and afterwards (Saul being rejected) David and his seed. By the which means God did choose all the kings in Israel, although he did immediately by his own voice only appoint the first three, to wit, Saul, The divine original of this kingdom made it majestical. David and Solomon. For even as the fire wherewith the sacrifices were burnt, although it were nourished every day by the priest putting fresh wood unto it, and so preserved by the same means; whereby other fire is kept, yet be cause at the first it came down from heaven miraculously, was therefore counted holy and wonderful; even so was this kingdom because at the first it came from God although afterwards it were continued by natural and ordinary propagation. Hence it is that this kingdom is called the kingdom of jehova 2. Chro. 13.8. The badge and seal of this divine original of this kingdom was that holy unction, whereby these kings were by the prophets of God solemnly in the name of God inaugurated: and therefore the sign, being put for the thing signified, this anointing betokeneth the holiness of it: The anointing of these kings signified the holiness of their persons and functions. insomuch that when the king of Israel is as it were to be painted forth in the native colours of his majesty, he is called the anointed of the Lord. Thus 1. Sam. 24.7. God forbidden saith David, that I should lay my hands on Saul seeing he is the anointed one of God. And 2. Samuel. 1.14. he saith to him who had helped king Saul to kill himself, How was it that thou didst not fear to put out thy hand to kill the Lords anointed. The third law tending to the majesty of this kingdom was that it was not any uncertain and movable state but constant and fixed in one place: it was tied first to one tribe, namely to the tribe of juda & that by God speaking by the mouth of jacob the first founder of this nation: for in his sons it began to be divided into many tribes and families and so came into the form of a people: the prophesy i● written, Gen. 49. The rod shall not departed from juda nor a law giver, etc. Secondly it was tied to one and the same family, to wit, to the house of David for ever and went by hereditary right and succession in lineal descent, so that continually the son succeeded the father. The which law although it was established in the like governements in other places, yet it could seldom take place for any long time by reason of the want of right successors. But it was here kept in continual force and that by the marvelous providence of God, who as he promised did always give to David his servant a son of his own loins to sit upon his throne. The which providence of GOD may especially be noted in the strange preservation of joas from the cruel hands of that monster Athalia, 2. King. 11.3. By this means it came to pass that this kingdom was both natural, and in process of time ancient, yea after a sort immortal. For the first, we need not doubt but that there was an exceeding great love and reverence of this king wrought in the minds of the people, whenas they saw that he had not obtained that place by ambition, faction, force of arms, or any other sinister or violent means, but was even borne unto them and by nature, or rather by God the ruler and desposer of all natural causes, appointed and distinated to that calling. Yea also in time by this hereditary succession, the kingdom became of great antiquity, which addeth much to the majesty of mean things, much more to those which in many other respects are excellent. Even as men do ascribe a kind no● only of reverence, but even of religion to oaks and other trees, which have a long time kept their standing, for so in continuance of time they take so deep root and gather such strength as that they cannot be moved, whereas at the first they may easily be shaken down: so kingdoms continuing long in the same stock become firm and majestical, whereas being often transplanted, Long continuance of hereditary succession made this kingdom strong and majestical. they are weak and contemptible and do often fall even in the beginning. Thus fell Abimelech his kingdom and even this kingdom was sore shaken in the defection of the ten tribes, because the memory of jerobaal grandfather to Abimelech a private and base man: and of Isai the father of David was not clean worn away, and therefore they said of the one, judg. 28. Who is Abimelech that we should serve him, is not he the son of jerobaal: and of the other in like manner, what part have we with David the son of Isai, 2. Chro. 10.16. 2. Sam. 20.1. yea thus the kingdom is made after a sort immortal, when as the father doth rise again in the son and so continueth for ever. What made the government of the judges to be contemned, For hence it was that the government of the judges was so contemned of the people, because it was a new upstart government, the judge being lately taken from a base estate. As Gedeon & Saul confess of themselves, that their kindred, family and birth was of the meanest of the people, and that therefore they were the unfittest to bear rule, judg. 6.15. 1. Sam. 9.21. The last and the greatest cause of the majesty of these kings was this, that they were the progenitors yea and the predecessors of that great Messiah which was to come of the lineage of David, & to govern not that land only but the whole world, Luke. 1.32.33. the very expectation of whom made this kingdom glorious above measure, for that they according to the ignorance of the times and the infancy of the Church dreaming of a temporal king thought that in him all the power, riches, renown and glory of the world should be brought to their kingdom. Sect. XIII. THus we see the causes of the majesty of this kingdom: now we are to consider the means whereby this majesty did show forth itself. It appeared in the glorious & stately pomp and magnificence of the whole life and behaviour, yea of all the actions of the king, and generally of all things appertaining to the kingdom. For the apparel of the king it was such as might not only distinguish him from his subjects but also serve to express the majesty of his state: Likewise for his whole house, the stateliness of his palaces, the daintiness of his fare, the number of his servants and retinue that all were correspondent, even in the time of David we may gather, 2. Sam. 19.35. where old Barzelli refuseth the kings offer, who would have kept him in his house, because he could not taste the dainty meats, nor be delighted with the voyce● of singing men and women which were used in the king's palace. Hitherto also is to be referred the whole story of Solomon (in whose time this glory of the kingdom was even in the full) the infinite provision of his house, the glorious houses which he built for GOD and for himself with incredible magnificence: all which it shall not be irksome to rehearse as they are described in the story, for so we read, 1. King. 4. verse. 20.22.23.26. and Chapter. 10. ver. 11.12. etc. And salomon's bread for one day was thirty quarters of manchette flower, and threescore quarters of meal, ten stalled oxen, and twenty out of the pastures and a hundred sheep beside hearts, bucks, wild goats and capons, and he had forty stalls of horses for chariotes and twelve thousand horsemen. The weight of gold that came to him in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, The stateliness of this kingdom in the days of Solomon. beside that he had of merchants and of the merchandise of the spices and of all the kings of Arabia and of the Lords of the country. Also he made two hundred targets of beaten gold, six hundred sickles of gold went to a target. And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold: the pound weight of gold went to one shield, and the king put them in the house of the wood of Libanon, and the king made a great seat of ivory and covered it with the best gold and the seat had six steps, and the top of the seat was round behind and there were pummels on either side of the seat: and two Lions stood beside the pummels: and there stood twelve Lions on the steps six on one side. There was no like work seen in any kingdom, and all king salomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and likewise all the vessels of the house of the wood of Libanon were of pure gold. As for silver it was nothing worth in the days of Solomon: for the kings navy of ships went on the sea unto Tharsis with the navy of hiram's ships, even once in three years went the navy to Tharsis and brought gold and silver, Elephants teeth, Apes and Peacocks. And so king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth both in riches & wisdom thus far the text. After the time of Solomon together with the sincerity of religion this majesty of the kingdom did decrease, for in the reign of Rehoboam both the ten tribes fell away from this kingdom, and jerusalem was spoiled by the king of Egypt, so that the targets of gold were turned into brass: but under jehosophat both religion and the kingdom recovered part of the ancient glory, The majesty of this kingdom increase and decrease as did the sincerity of religion. for it is said, 2. Par. 18.1. that jehophat had great riches and glory. And likewise in the reign of Ezechi● we read. 2. Chro. 32.27. that he had exceeding much riches and honour, and he got himself treasures of silver and gold, precious stones and spices, shields and all manner of pleasant jewels. Likewise this majesty required that the kings whole behaviour should have in it that stately gravity which beseemeth so high a place: that he should take no mean or base action in hand but such as the performance whereof might be for his glory and renown. By this argument David dissuadeth Saul from persecuting him any further, saying, 1. Sam. 26.20. To whom is the king of Israel come forth and what is this that he doth? Doth he not behave himself as one who chaseth a Partridge up and down in the mountains? And for the behaviour of the kings person Michol Saules daughter requiteth David with the like, noting in him such lightness which was as she thought, unbeseeming the majesty of the king: for when she had seen David dance for joy before the Ark; she said, O how glorious was the king of Israel this day, whenas he uncovered himself before the maidens of his servants, as foolish or mad men use to do! 2. Sam. 6.20. An finally this part of the judgement of the kingdom and of the book which Samuel wrote of this matter is extant. 1. Sam. 8. vers. 11. etc. where it is said, that the king will have horsemen and chariots, yea eunuchs and women bakers, and cooks, and of his magnificence in giving vineyards and lands to his servants, the which place is not to be understood of a tyranny but of the natural state of this kingdom as may appear, 1. Sam. 9.20. where when Saul was careful for his father's asses, which were lost, Samuel telleth him that he need not mind them seeing whatsoever was good, precious, and to be desired in all Israel, it did belong in some sort to him and to all his father's house. The which words are not so to be understood as if the property of men's goods did belong to the king, or to any but to the right owners and possessors, but that it was now the part of all the people to contribute even of their best things to the kings uses, and the setting forth of his majesty. Yea and that the king might lawfully exact of them things needful for these purposes. This account the people did make that this government would be very chargeable unto them, The king might lawfully exact of the people not only for necessary uses, but for pomp & pleasure. but yet they did not stick at the cost so they might have their minds fulfilled. Neither could it be otherwise: for even as a man may dwell in a base and simple house or cottage without any great cost, but if he will needs have a great and stately palace over his head, he cannot but think that both the building and also the maintaining of it willbe chargeable unto him: so it is in this case: the judges were destitute of this majesty, without chariots, horses, armies, An absolute Monarchy is a chargeable and costly government. palaces, great retinue, costly diet and never put the people to any charges: but seeing they will have a majestical and stately kingdom, they cannot but consider that it must be both set up, and also preserved at their charges. Yea this opinion of the stateliness of this kind of government was generally and as it were naturally held of all men: and therefore Adoniah when he did affect the kingome, said thus with himself, now I will reign and get chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before my face, 1. King. 1.5. Thus we see the majesty of this kingdom: the which was so great as that it made the king to be not only highly accounted of and had in great honour and estimation of the people, The people had this government in great reverence and estimation. but also very dutiful and after a sort religiously obeyed, yea in truth too much obeyed, as their often falling to idolatry, by the commandment and example of their kings doth declare. There was before this time a kingdom in Israel set up by the men of Sechem in the hands of Abimelech. judge, 9.6. but it was soon overthrown and trodden under foot because it wanted these laws to uphold it. For it was not of God, but of man, not natural, but founded upon bloodshed and violence, not ancient, but a new upstart and destitute of all the rest of the privileges and props wherewith this kingdom was endued and upholden. But this kingdom did continue till the utter desolation of the land when as the whole nation was carried captive to Babel. Yea we may well think that if the subject of this kingdom which is the people itself, had not been so taken away, that it would have continued in the first institution, and according to the right order of it, even till the coming of Christ, the which was appointed by God to be the last period of it, or rather of the outward and worldly show of it: This kingdom standeth yet in Christ. for in truth it standeth yet in Christ and shall stand, till that Christ give up all his power of government into the hands of the father. For if we set aside the defection of the ten tribes which was near to the beginning of this kingdom and was done by the special work of God, we shall find that this kingdom was so firmly established, that the people never offered to make any alteration of the estate: for in that they went about to make Absalon king, they were persuaded that they did right in setting up the son in stead of his father being now stricken in years: yea the people did not only continually obey this authority, but also had the person of the king in such estimation, that they did make more account of him, then of many thousands of themselves. So they spoke to David that he should not go any more to the battle in his own person, lest he should put out the light, that is, all the glory and majesty of Israel: adding further that it were much better that ten thousand of themselves should perish, The people account the kings better than ten thousand of themselves. then that any evil should befall him, 2. Sam. 21.17. And now to conclude this whole matter, we see the greatness both of the power and also of the majesty of this kind of government: of both which jacob did prophecy in the 49. of Genesis. 8. verse saying, juda thy brethren shall praise thee, that is, they shall magnify and honour thee for the glory and majesty of thy kingdom. Thy hand in the neck of thy enemies, that is, thou shalt subdue all thy enemies unto thee: the sons of thy father shall bow themselves unto thee, that is, they shall reverence, honour, and obey thy authority: juda is the Lion's whelp, he hath bowed himself and laid him down, that is, all his actions and behaviour shallbe full of majesty, the which is to be seen in the Lion more than in any other beast: and who shall raise him, that is, who shall control his doings and call him to account. He shall wash his clothes in wine, that is, he shall have abundance yea superfluity of the best and most precious things which are to be had. This government doth more resemble the authority of God than any other kind doth. Thus we see both the power and also the majesty of this kingdom: in respect of both which, we may say as it is, Act. 14.11. that Gods are come down unto us in the likeness of men, that is, such a pourefull and glorious magistracy as doth after a sort resemble the infinite po●er and majesty of God. Sect. XIIII. HItherto we have spoken of the judgement or doctrine of this kingdom, as it was in respect of the people: it followeth that we declare the state of it in respect of God, and that by considering first how this state as it hath been described did please God: secondly whether it were a lawful government or not, and lastly how far the power of this kingdom was subject to God. For the first, it may seem that God did not like this kind of government but suffered it to be established not as making for the good of the people, but rather as a punishment for their sin: for that he was so highly offended with the people for ask a king as he himself doth witness by his prophet, Ose. 13.11. I gave them a king in my wrath: but the truth is that this was always most pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God, yet the action of the people in making this alteration did justly offend him and that for diverse causes, to wit, for that by desiring a king they showed themselves unthankful, diffident, proud and disoobedient. For the first, it was their duty not only to be content with what government soever GOD did appoint for them, Why God was offended with the people ask a king. but also to think themselves the happiest people in the world, for that they had the glorious God of heaven and earth to be their king and ruler in a special manner. Secondly, th●y trusted more in a king then in God, thinking that the cause of all their disorders and miseries was in their government: and that their king would certainly deliver them from all wrong at home and bondage abroad. Whereas the cause of all their evils was in their own wickedness and idolatry, in that they did forsake the true worship of God, and therefore God did forsake them, and took from them their judges, in whose days they lived in religious order and peaceable estate. And so the people according to that which is written, judg. 9.13.14.15. forsook the vine, the figtree, and the olive tree, even God the fountain of all blessings, and said to the brier come and reign over us and we will trust in thy shadow. For to have a king and to trust in his power do usually go together, Rom. 15.12. He shall reign over them and they shall trust in him. Thirdly the people in the pride of their hearts did despise the government of the judges as base and contemptible: for that howsoever it was mighty in the power of the spirit of GOD, yet it had not that outward show of glory and majesty which the stately Monarchies of other nations did carry with them. The last sin which they committed in this action we call by the general name of disobedience: for that contrary to the express commandment of God they had a crooked and perverse desire to be transformed into all the fashions of the profane nations amongst whom they dwelled, as in all other respects, so also in their government, and therefore they ●id affect a kingdom which was the most usual kind of government. Thus we see why God was offended with this alteration of the state; as for the government itself he did never mislike it, for although he suffered it to be brought in by this cooked means, yet he did always purpose, that it should be established, as may plainly appear by these reasons. First for that he promised Abraham. Gen. 17.6. That of his seed should come kings and nations: the which is to be understood chief of this faithful nation of the jews, although beside them others came of Abraham. Secondly Moses did foretell this, Deut. 17. God did always like this government, and purpose to establish it. That assoon as the people were quietly possessed of the land of Chanaan, they would have a king to reign over them. But this doth most evidently appear by the prophesy of jacob who saith, Genesis. 49. That the rod shall not depart from juda nor a Lawegiver cease to be of his offspring till Silo come: and unto him shall be the obedience of the people. Now this cannot be understood of the judges, for of them all only othoniel was of the tribe of juda. Yea GOD did always purpose that Christ should succeed the kings of Israel in the kingdom: for the words are plain, and the event hath showed it to be true, that of the tribe of juda should come the Lion and the Lion's whelp, that is the stately kingdom of Israel and the continual descent thereof: yea the great lion, & the little lion that is, the Messiah the great & eterna●l king of glory, and the temporal and earthly kings of Israel. For this cause the most plain and evident promises which God made of the messias were deferred until the time of the kings & were made to David who in this respect is to be counted the first king, and therefore is called, Math. 16. David the King, that is, the first king of the forefathers of Christ, as hath been already touched. And lastly this government may seem in some sort to be the more acceptable to God, because it doth most livelely represent the power and majesty of God: for although all magistrates do bear the image of God, yet they chiefly do it, whose authority being absolute and their glory great, come nearest to the infinite power and glory of God. As touching the lawfulness of this kind of government, although it be inferred of the former point (for whatsoever is acceptable to God, aught to be accounted lawful for us) yet it may briefly be considered by these reasons, for that this government was set up by the appointment of God, and that by Samuel a faithful prophet, and so accounted of all Israel, yea for that it was practised by David a man according to Gods own heart, by Solomon the glory of the world, by Asa, jehosophat and other religious kings, by good Ezechias and by zealous josias who would never have born this office if the kind of government had been in any respect unlawful: the exception which is usually taken against this kind of Monarchy, is as touching the greatness of the power & majesty of it in this manner: that howsoever the profane nations of the world do suffer tyrants to spoil them of their liberty and whatsoever they have, yea and do foolishly in the pride of their hearts desire such a lofty government, yet that in the Church of God, it is a thing both intolerable & altogether unlawful that one should so have all the power in his own hands, that he may at his pleasure overthrow all, or that a great part of the substance of the land should be employed (to maintain him in his jollity) upon sumptuous buildings, costly attire, dainty fare, great rewards and other things of the same kind, which would serve for many necessary uses both of the Church and of the commonwealth. For answer hereof, we are far from going about to persuade any people which live under a moderate government by this wicked example of this people to affect or desire this estate, yea we leave it to others to determine whether it be the most convenient kind of government in respect of the Church of God, and the safe, constance and good estate of it: yet we do not doubt to affirm that it was a lawful kind of government among the jews, and may lawfully be practised amongst Christians at this day. For howsoever some kinds of government and magistracy are convenient or inconvenient, safe or dangerous, yet this and all other kinds are to be accounted lawful. For there is no power but from God and all the powers which are, have been instituted by God. Rom. 13.2. and especially of this government now in question we may see, Daniel. 5.18.19. that God doth profess himself to be the author and giver of it, God the author of kingdoms, and the setter up of kings. for there it is said, O King God gave Nabuchadnezzer thy father a kingdom: then followeth a description of the nature of a kingdom: even majesty, honour and glory: he slew w●ome he would and smote whom he would: he advanced and debased whom he pleased. Now that we see that this kind of government was acceptable unto God, we are in the second place to consider how far it was subject unto him. For the which point it shallbe sufficient that we know that as all other powers, authorities, principalities and dominions whatsoever they be, whether in heaven or in earth, so also this kingdom was wholly & absolutely subject to God and to his power, and bound to obey his will and commandments, and to set forth his glory in all things as it is written in the 17. of deuteronomy, that the king whensoever he were made, should take an excript of the law of God from the priest, and meditate thereon day and night that he may keep it without declining to the right hand or to the left. Yea the state of this kingdom did depend wholly upon God, and was held by condition of obeying him: so that as a tenant or vassal doth hold his lands and living of his liege Lord or King upon this condition, The king held his kingdom as from God, and was subject to his will and word. that he shall do him service and homage and to be at his command the which if he do not, he doth forthwith forfeit his title and dispossess himself of all: in like manner this kingdom did hold of God by condition of obeying him. This law of the kingdom Samuel doth diligently teach- 1. Sam. 12.23. if ye do wickedly then shall you perish both you and your king. The which punishment was executed upon Saul, Solomon and the whole race of Idolatrous kings in the destruction of the kingdom and nation. Sect. XV. HItherto we have declared the doctrine of the kingdom of Israel, the which was the first thing we took to speak of. Now we come to the actions of Samuel mentioned in the words of the text. Whereof the first is, that he speak this doctrine of the people, and that, no doubt, for this end that they might know the state of that government, This example of Samuel teaching the people the state of the kingdom, is to be followed by the ministers of God's word. what duties they were to perform to their kings & in what manner they were to be subject, & to obey him. In whose example all the ministers of the word may mark their duty that they ought with all care and diligence to teach the people to obey the civil power, to honour, love & fear it, to be ready to impart that which God hath bestowed upon them, on the maintenance of it, and finally to perform all those duties which the law of God, or of man doth require at their hands. Thus Paul writeth to Titus, Nothing better beseeming Christians then due subjection to magistrates. Chap. 3.2. warn and put all Christians in mind that they be subject to rule, to obey the magistrates & to be ready to every good work: for there is nothing that doth better beseem a Christian man or people then hearty love & ready obedience to the magistrate, coming not of constraint, and fear of punishment, but of conscience: neither is there any thing that doth more disgrace the profession of Christ and lay it open to the reproaches of infidels and wicked men then disloyal behaviour to magistrates, especially to kings and great princes to whom all laws both divine and human require that a g●●at measure of honour, obedience and maintenance be performed. T●e second action of Samuel is, that he wrote this doctrine of the kingdom in a book, and that for perpetuity that it might be preserved safe in time to come, and so serve for the instruction of the ages following. As touching this book it perished with many others written by the prophets and holy men of God, and that by the negligence of the priests and people, yet there is a sum or compendious abstract of it, saved from the injury of the times and the public calamities which befalling this nation did bury many notable monuments. The which we have recorded, 1. Sam. 8. verse. 10. and so forth to the 19 out of the which place, this doctrine which hath been delivered in this short treatise of the power and majesty of the kingdom may be gathered: the words are these. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet testify unto them and show them, A compendious abstract of the state of the kingdom of Israel. the manner of the king that shall reign over them. He will take your sons, and put them to his chariots, and make them Captains over thousands, and over fifties, and will set them to care his ground and to gather in his harvest, and to make instruments of war and things that serve for his chariots. And he will take your daughters, and make them apothecaries, cooks, and bakers, and he shall take your fields and your vineyards, and your best olive trees, and give them to his servants, and he shall tak● the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his eunuchs, and to his servants, and he shall take your men-seruantes, and maidservants, and the chief of your young men, and your asses, and put them to his work, he will take the tenth of you● sheep and ye shallbe his servants. The second action giveth us this instruction, that according to the example of Samuel, a●l Christians ought to desire, and they to whom God hath given gifts fit for this purpose, Care to be had of posterity. by all means to endeavour, that they may profit the Church not only whilst they l●●e, but also after their death: by leaving behind them those things which may further the edification of it. Thus have the prophet's, Apostles and holy men of God done from time to time, whose writings do testify their care, diligence, and pains taken in this behalf. The which as we do now enjoy to our unspeakable profit and comfort, so ought we to be stirred up by their example to perform the like duty to others: even as we commend the careful foresight of those men, who as they eat the fruit of the trees which their forefathers did plant, so they plant other trees which may serve for the use of their posterity. For although no man can hope, that his labours should be in any measure so profitable to the Church as the books of the Prophets and Apostles are, who had the extraordinary gifts of prophecy and revelation, and were directed by the continual assistance of God's spirit, yet the ordinary gifts of knowledge and wisdom which God hath given to be perpetual in his Church, will help forward the building of it, chief in the ministery of the word, and also by the means of writing, whereof there will be a necessary use, as long as the Church endureth not only for the interpretation of the word of God but also for the scanning of controversies, the confuting of heresies▪ the reproving of vices the which will continually be new and fresh in the Church. The last action of Samuel is that he laid this book before the face of the Lord, that is, in the place of God's worship, where he was so present that he might as it were be known and discerned there, even as one man is known from an other by his face. This Samuel did for this end, that God might be both a witness of▪ his faithfulness in teaching the people their due●ie in this behalf, and also a maintainer of that ●state, the which was established by the will of God: yea a revenger of all disorders and of all disloyalty which should be any way committed against the state. And so we need not doubt but that God doth watch with the eye of his providence over kings and princes after a special manner, vouchsafing to them who are faithful and Godly a great measure of wisdom and of all graces of the spirit meet for so high a calling, yea and doth severely punish the resistance, contempt & disgrace offered to those princes which are so careful to serve him, to set forth his glory and to build his Church as they ought to be. Lastly to conclude this whole treatise, we learn by these two last actions that as Samuel howsoever he did greatly mislike the alteration of the former state and the setting up of this new government, yet whenas it was once by the permission of God and the importunity of the people established, he did labour that it should continue for ever, for the which purpose he did both write the doctrine of it in a book and also laid the said book before the Lord: so we do labour to continue that government which is in force in that place or country where we live, although we do perhaps imagine yea & persuade ourselves that we could find out a better form of government, Alteration of government in any common wealth troublesome and dangerous. & which should be void of those in conveniences which we see in the present state. For as the wise men of this world teach us, there is nothing more troublesome, dangerous, yea pernicious to any people than the alteration of the form of government which is in force, and as the wisdom of God speaketh in the scripture, no●●ing is more heinous & odious in the sight of God and man then to seek the subversion of magistrates, states and kingdoms. FINIS. Printed at London for Robert Dexter. 1596. CHAP. I. Of the Catholic Church. Sect. 1. Of the name and definition of the Catholic Church. THE Church whereof we are now to entreat, in greek and latin is called Ecclesia, the which word is diversely taken in the scripture: for in the natural acception it doth generally signify any assembly of men met about any matter as we may see, Act. 19.39. But for somuch as the scripture doth only by occasion make mention of civil meetings, therefore it doth for the most part signify a holy assembly of men met about holy and divine matters, whereof the book of God doth wholly and of set purpose entreat. Yea in this second sense it is diversely used: first for the triumphant Church: of the state whereof we do not speak any thing in this treatise, because it is neither needful nor yet possible for us to know it, and therefore not lawful to labour in the curious searching of it, it being not revealed in the word of God. Secondly the word Ecclesia, is used to signify the Church militant, wherein we are now conversant: and therefore it doth greatly belong unto us to know the state of it, because God hath appointed it to be the way whereby we must pass to the triumphant Church. In this sense we do here entreat of the Church. And lastly even in this third sense, the name of the Church is diversly used, to wit, first for the whole Church here on earth, as it is in all those places where it is put for all the faithful people in the world, as namely, 1. Cor. 10.32. Give no offence neither to the jew or Gentile nor to the Church of God, that is, to none that believeth. Secondly for the whole visible Church, as we read, 1. Cor. 12.28. God hath put in his Church, Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Doctors. For although neither the catholic, nor yet the visible Church doth come together in one place, yet because all the members of them both are joined together in the bond of the spirit and in the unity of faith, the word Ecclesia is properly given unto them. Lastly it signifieth a particular Church which is a member of the whole, as the Church at Corinth, or any other mentioned in the writings of the Apostles. But in the first place we are to speak not of the particular Church, but of the whole Church here on earth, which is usually called the Church militant, because it fighteth against the enemies of our salvation, to wit, this present world, sin, sathan, and his manifold temptations. It is also called, although not in the scripture, the catholic Church: The word Catholic not used in the scripture the word Catholic is most commonly opposed to heretical, and attributed to that man or Church which doth hold the sincere doctrine of religion, without any great error, especially by them who do falsely imagine and teach, that the greater part is always the sounder, and more sincere in doctrine. But here we use it in the proper and natural sense, to signify the whole universal Church, which is thus defined. The catholic Church is the whole number of those men, who in any part of the world, serve the true God in jesus Christ. In this definition we are to consider and explain diverse points. Sect. 2. Of the place of the Catholic Church. AND first of the place of the catholic Church, it is not any one town, city, province, nation or kingdom whatsoever, but the whole world. 1. Cor. 1▪ 1. in every part whereof, God hath some that serve him, because he will have no part, wholly either shut out from the participation of his mercy, or left without excuse or yet destitute of his presence, as if he were thrust clean out from the possession of it. The truth whereof appeareth in the scripture, which showeth that howsoever the visible Church, and the open profession of religion, was till the time of the gospel shut up within one family, kindred, or country, yet that God was both known and served by some in other places, even in all the parts of the world. So we read, Acts. 2. That there were men of all the nations under heaven, which feared God: and there a particular enumeration is made of them. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, Egypt, Lybia, Cyrene, Rome, Creta and Arabia. So Christ giveth commission to his Apostles, Mark. 16.15. to preach to all nations in the world: and accordingly Paul witnesseth, that the gospel was spread into the whole world, and did daily fructify and increase. Coll. 1.6. Likewise Peter doth observe this point of the universality of the Church. Act. 10.34.35. in Cornelius, saying, I perceive of a truth that God doth not regard persons, that is, that he doth not tie himself to the nation of the jews or to any other, but that in every nation, he that feareth God, is accepted of him. So Act. 13.17. yet this is to be noted that whenas all the people of the world are brought within the compass of one place, than the catholic Church also is contained in the same place, & so it becometh a particular Church: So in the beginning whenas there was no man living out of Adam's family, the catholic Church was contained within the limits thereof. The catholic Church was twice contained in one family. Likewise in the general destruction of the world, both all the people of the world and the whole Church were shut up in Noah's Ark. This exception being made, this doctrine standeth true; That no particular place, house, city, country, or nation whatsoever, but even the whole world is the subject and place of the Catholic Church. Sect. 3.. That hypocrites are members of the Catholic Church. ALthough the catholic Church be dispersed over the whole world, yet not all nor many in comparison of the infidels, but a very few belong unto it. And therefore we are in the next place to see who are the members of it, and of whom it doth consist. The answer to this point we have in the definition, which saith, that all who serve God in any part of the world, are of the catholic Church. For as a king may divide the whole world into his own subjects, who live within his dominions, know, obey and honour him, and into foreigners who are without the compass of his jurisdiction, do him no service, make no account of him; and in brief have no kind of dealing with him: so all men living in the world are either God's subjects and servants, living within the compass of the catholic Church, and as it is written, Ephes. 2.12.19. Citizens with the faints and of the household of God, or else they are aliens from the common wealth of Israel, without the promise, covenant or hope of salvation, yea without God in the world. But forsomuch as God is served many ways, in deed or in show only, sincerely or hypocritically, purely or corruptly, fully or after an imperfect manner, in knowledge or in ignorance, and after many other differences, therefore we are to search out, what manner of serving God, doth make a man to be a member of the catholic Church: whereunto we answer, The profession of the true religion maketh one a member of the catholic Church that the outward profession of the true service of God although joined with impotency of performing any actual service, yea with hypocrisy, corruption, imperfection, error and heresy will serve for this purpose, and doth make a man a true member of the catholic Church. For the first difference, some serve God actually, by praying to God or praising him, by hearing his word and obeying it, or which is all in all, by trusting, fearing and loving God in heart, namely so many of the Church as have comen to years of discretion: but there are some who cannot serve God by any of these means or any other of the same kind, to wit, infants, who by reason of the infirmity of their age cannot hear or understand, and therefore can neither know nor believe God or serve him in any actual manner. Yet they may and do by the help of others take upon them, and bear the true profession of the service of God, by receiving the sacrament of initiation or first entrance into the Church: Infants are members of the catholic Church. by the which means they become true members of the catholic Church, as well as men of ripe age. The truth hereof appeareth, 1. Corin. 7.14. where the Apostle saith that the children of the Christians are holy, meaning even the youngest infants as they are borne of faithful parents, not that the faith of the parents, or the sacrament of the Church doth add any inward and real holiness unto them: but only giveth unto them a holy profession, or an outward profession of holiness and of faith, and also imputed righteousness and supposed holiness, if they belong to God's election. In like manner under the law all the young children of the jews, especially after they had received the sacrament of circumcision, were counted members of the Church, and in the number of the holy people of God. And therefore God complaineth of the jews offering their young ones in sacrifice to idols, that they gave his children to Moloch. Ezec. 16.21. Thus much of those who become members of the Church by mere profession: now we come to the actual serving of God, the which where it is in sincerity of heart and life performed, it maketh one a member of Christ●s mystical body, much more the● of his Church here on earth. But all the controversy is of them in whom this actual service is imperfect, as it is, first in hypocrites who want the inward service of the heart, as also heretics do some part of the sincerity of doctrine, and dissolute men the service of outward life, and ignorant idiots the service of the mind, and lastly as the dispersed members of the Church want the public worship of God. The answer in general is this, that howsoever the imperfect service of hypocrites, wicked men, heretics and idiots be not acceptable in the sight of God, yet it is sufficient to make them true members of the militant Church: but we will come to the several consideration of them. And first of hypocrites, by the which name we call those men, in whom the outward service is perfect, in that they both hold and profess the whole truth of christian religion, and also express the same in their lives, both in word and deed, and yet do not serve GOD in spirit and truth, but are destitute of true faith, and of all the rest of the effectual graces of the sanctifying spirit springing thereof. This manner of serving GOD is not pleasing, but rather odious, and abominable to him, Esay. 1.14. and therefore it is not available for the salvation of any, Hypocritical professors are members of the catholic Church. but rather maketh men's damnation the more just: yet it giveth unto them the name of the members of the Church. For it is confessed of all, that hypocrites may be true ministers in a particular Church as judas was a true Apostle: whereof it doth necessarily follow that they are true members of the Church: for the teachers and rulers of a Church are the chief members of it. So that as in a commonwealth or kingdom, they who have freedom and interest in such bodies either by nature or favour, are counted true subjects as long as they live in outward obedience to laws, yea though they be known to bear in their hearts an unnatural and disloyal affection to their country or prince: so it is in the Church with hypocrites destitute of the true faith and love of God. But how can hypocrites be made true members of the Church, which is the body of Christ, seeing that they have no conjunction with Christ, who is the head of the Church? For the resolving of this doubt, we must consider both Christ the head, and the Church his body, two diverse ways: for Christ as he is a saviour, is a head to the mystical body of the elect only, unto whom he giveth by his spirit effectual grace, spiritual motion, and eternal life. In this respect hypocrites have no more to do with Christ or his Church, than darkness hath with light: but here we do not meddle with the mystical body of the Church. secondly, Christ is the king, Lord, and ruler of his Church militant here on earth: in the which respect he is a head not only to the faithful but also to hypocrites, to whom he giveth spiritual graces, ministerial gifts and ecclesiastical functions, even as he maketh the sun to shine upon the just and the unjust: first he communicateth to them the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, doctrine and exhortation: of tongues, of miracles, and prophesy. Ephesians. 4.8. Where he like a victorious king, triumphing over his enemies; ascended into heaven and gave gifts to men, some to be Apostles, some Evangelists etc. secondly he imparteth to them graces tending to their own salvation as a kind of faith, of repentance, of spiritual joy, love: and in general whatsoever grace is in the true believers the like may be found in an hypocrite, and that not only in show, and appearance, but also in truth, Mark. 4.16. hypocrites receive the word with joy. Yet there is this difference: in the faithful these graces are sincere; evident, effectual, constant and perpetual, but in hypocrites they are obscure, in small measure, unprofitable, and temporary, yea mixed with much hypocrisy. So that both faithful and hypocritical men, are joined to Christ, and to the Church, by the bond of the spirit, (for where there is one spirit there is also one body) but the one to Christ as to their saviour, the other to him as to their Lord: the one to the Church in heaven, the other to the Church on earth; the one by a mighty work of the spirit, the other after a light manner: the one for a time, the other for ever. Sect. 4. That heretics are members of the catholic Church. BUT although it were granted, that hypocrites are members of the Church, so many of them as both holding the whole truth of Christian religion, and also leading a life in outward appearance correspondent thereunto, do fully profess the service of God, yet it might be doubted, what we should think of them in whom this profession is in a great part wanting, as it is in all those who either lead a life, or maintain some heresy contrary to their own profession and to the word of God: The answer for both kinds seemeth to be this: That they who profess jesus Christ to be the saviour of the world, and themselves to be his servants, ready to obey his will and word, although they do indirectly by wickedness of life, or heresy in doctrine deny their own profession, yet are to be accounted Christians, and true members of the Church here on earth. It is true indeed that no man can be saved, who is not justified by faith, nor yet have faith, who is not sanctified from a wicked life, yet men of dissolute lives, yea though they be by excommunication cut off from the body of the visible Church, that is, from all particular Churches, Excommunication doth not separate from the catholic, but only from the visible Church. yet they remain members of the catholic Church, from the which no censure can separate save only death. Likewise as touching ignorant men who live in the Church, and yet know scarce any one point of the doctrine of Christ, although they be in an evil estate in regard of their salvation, yet they are to be accounted Christians, because of their profession. But there is greater question made of heretics, who do maintain some grievous heresy, and that about the foundation of religion, as they who think erroneously of the trinity, of the person or natures of Christ, of the manner of our justification, of the nature of the sacramente●, or of ●ny other such weighty point of doctrine, whether these are to be accounted christians, and members of the Church. We answer that such are (as it seemeth) to be accounted christians, although their heresies be both many and grievous, yea such as if they were thoroughly urged, would by necessary consequence of argument overthrow faith and all religion. And to make instance in the grossest, and most blasphemous heresy, that ever was invented, to wit, the heresy of Arius who denied by divinity of Christ, this doth almost directly overthrow christianity: for if Christ be not God he is not a sufficient mediator, & then our faith is in vain. This would follow plainly of that heresy, and yet such was their blindness that maintained it, that they did together maintain and profess zealously the whole doctrine of the gospel beside, and did believe, obey and honour Christ, as the only saviour of the world. Heretics, as Arians and papists are to be counted members of the catholic Church The which dot● appear by that confession of faith, which Ariu● the chief maintaine● of that heresy did exhibit to Constantine. Wherein although he doth dissemble his heresy, yet it showeth, what he and his followers held in the test of the doctrine of the gospel, 〈◊〉 4. pag. 13.42. yea this heresy was common in the Church of the I●wes▪ before the coming of Christ▪ for it is evident tha● very ●ewe of them did think that the Messiah should be God. For what was thought of Christ, even of many of his disciples, we may gather by the words of Cleophas, L●ke. 24. Hast thou not heard of jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, etc. Yea it might be plainly showed, that many of the Church both before the coming of Christ, and also after, did not think that the Messiah should be God. And not to overpass in ●●lence popery, the most common heresy of our times, wherewith the Church both is now most annoyed and hath in times past been lamentably oppressed, and almost clean ourthrowen, it doth consist of so many grievous errors, that most men do think it not to be an heresy, but a false religion, and the maintainers & professors of it, to be alienates from ●he commonwealth of Israel, which is the Church of God: as namely of those great heresies of idolatry, transubstantiation, the sacrifice of the Mass, meant, justification by works, free-will and invocation of saints, yea of many other great errors, insomuch that we may say of them the words of the prophet, from the top of the 〈◊〉 to the sole of the foot, there is no whole part, but all full of loath some and dangerous ●ore●. And therefore it is no marvel that they seem● to many to have in them no life of christian faith, but to be dead & rotten stocks, yea to have no outward profession of christianity. But yet if due consideration be had how far ●he nature and name of a Church, and of christians doth stretch itself, it will appear, that we may truly account the● christians, and so consequently members of the Church: and that because they do still profess, hold and maintain the chief fundamental points of religion, The papist holdeth the foundation of Christian religion. of God, of Christ, of hi● d●ath and passion, of the resurrection and all the rest contained in that sum of religion called the Apostles Creed, so that although by 〈…〉 they do wound, and in a manner kill themselves, yet in regard of the truth which they keep, there remains 〈◊〉 them some life of Christianity and so are fitly compared to a man who although he both lack many parts of his body, and also have the rest corrupted with pestilent diseases, y●t draweth breath, and therefore is not a dead 〈◊〉, but a living man. The reason by the which we are persuaded to think that papists and other heretics do still retain the name of christians, is this: for that faith and especially a general and historical faith (the profession whereof is sufficient to make a man be accounted a christian) may be lodged in a man's mind together with such errors, as being urged by a cunning disputer, would wholly overthrow faith. For the denial of faith is brought in about indirectly, and by many consequents inferred one of another: but the man corrupted with error doth not consider any such thing, but believeth directly & resolutely in jesus Christ as in the saviour of the world. Yea although he were convinced by arguments grounded upon his own assertions and errors to deny the faith, yet he would still hold it, and rather deny the conclusion then renounce his faith. Even as a man being in temptation may have true faith although he be not able to answer those objections, which Satan and his own conscience do make against his faith. But it is seldom seen, that an heretic is brought to see that his opinion and the foundation of religion cannot both stand together: for he will have some shift or other to keep himself from granting, that the error which he maintaineth, bringeth with it any such absurdity. It is written, Act. 13.3. that there did some believe, which were of the heresy of the Pharisees and did still hold the ceremonies of the law. It were long to rehearse the errors which have been maintained by many, not only particular men, Whole Churches have held grievous errors but also whole Churches about weighty points: of whom we may well think that a true faith hath been in many living in as great and as many errors as these heretics before mentioned. For if we do consider the state of the Church before the time of the gospel, we shall find, that howsoever God did extaordinarily reveal the doctrine of the Messiah to some, yet that not only the common & ignorant people living in the Church, but even many of the learned were ignorant of many fundamental points of christianity which Christ himself doth plainly testify. The state of the Church before the coming of Christ. Mat. 13.16. saying, Blessed are the eyes which see the things which you see: for I say unto you, that ●any prophets and righteous men have desired to see them, and yet have not: the which words are necessarily to be understood of the fundamental and most weighty points of faith, for those did Christ teach in his ministery. They had in deed a constant faith in the Messiah to come, but no particular distinct and clear knowledge of his person, natures, offices, and manner of salvation which he should bring. In the 11. chapter to the Heb. ver. 13. it is said that Rahab the harlot had faith, but that she knew distinctly the fundamental doctrine of Christ, we cannot think: and the like is to be said of many others of those who are there mentioned, Faith and fundamental errors together. and in other places of the old Testament. Yet even the disciples of Christ were ignorant of many of these things and were in most grievous errors after that they did believe, Philip knew not the doctrine of ●he first person i● the Trinity. john. 14.9. As they at Ephesus knew no● whether▪ there were a holy ghost or no. Act. 19.2. yea they did think that Christ should be a worldly king. Math. 20.21. Acts. 1.6. and Peter did not hold the doctrine of Christ's passion, for he dissuaded him from it, Math 16.22. and yet they did believe before that time, as Christ the searcher of the hearts of men doth testify. Neither did the jews for the most part before the coming of Christ once imagine, that their Messiah should be put to a shameful death, as may be gathered. john. 12.34. We confess that the difference of the time maketh these errors to be more grievous under the gospel than they were before, as he is more blind that cannot see at noon day, than he who cannot distinguish things rarely in the morning, before the sin do rise: yet if these errors may be joined with faith in one time, we may suppose the same at another time also. But still we must note the great difference of times: For we are not to think, that men may in the time of the gospel, be commonly saved living in these errors as they were before. For than men were blind in darkness, now they shut their eyes against the light: in them these errors were simple, The same error more pernicious at one time than at another. and mere ignorances, but i● our heretics they are wilful and obstinate heresies: before, God did oversee those errors, but now he biddeth every one in pain of eternal damnation, to seek, understand and embrace the truth. Act. 17.30. before, they could not, but now men will not see the truth: before, they were the errors of the time, but now they are the errors of men. Yet we are not to think the less reverently of those holy men of that time for these errors: neither to make any question of their salvation but now we are to learn of the Apostle, Tit. 3.10. to avoid and abhor an heretic after one or two admonitions, knowing that such an one is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned by himself. As we may well think, that the first authors of popery did not of ignorance, but of set purpose forge these opinions for their own advantage: and that many of those which since that time are endued with any measure of learning and judgement, do in their consciences condemn themselves and those errors which they hold. Yet we are not peremptorily to judge them to be in the state of damnation: for the common and unlearned people living in popery, Greater hope of the salvation of an ignorant then of a learned heretic. did so wholly rely themselves upon the faith of the Church that they were for the most part ignorant even of the very errors of popery: wherein the more simple and unlearned that a man is, the greater hope we may have of his salvation. Yea many learned men amongst them have been carried headlong with the blindness of the time, and in a kind of modesty, or rather gross and sottish negligence, have not inquired into those points which the whole Church did maintain. And yet some of th●se men living in these heresies have been so sound and constant in the foundation of religion, Heretics have given their lives for the gospel that we read that diverse of them have given their lives in defence of it: so that we cannot without injury deny unto them the name of Christians, which they have bought with the price of their own blood. But as for those who do still hold these heresies since the time wherein it hath pleased God to let the sun of truth to shine clearly in the world, their case is very fearful: and especially those, who have had the truth taught and offered unto them: for as Christ saith, john. 10.3. all his sheep know his voice, and can distinguish it from the voice of false shepherds, when it soundeth in their ears, howsoever before they did not know it. And the Apostle writeth, 1. Cor. 14.37. if any be spiritual, let him acknowledge these things to be the word of God: but if any be ignorant, let him be ignorant still. In this sense Paul writeth to the Gal. 5.2. That if they were circumcised, Christ should profit them nothing. And yet, Act. 21.20. there were many thousand jews, who did believe, all of them zealous of the law: yea Paul by the counsel of the Church at jerusalem did go about to make the jews believe that he also did live according to the law of Moses, Act. 21.26. and therefore we must think that he warneth the Galathians that if now in so great light of the gospel which teacheth the abrogation of the ceremonial law and after so much teaching, and so many admonitions, they did still remain blind and obstinate, yea and did turn back again to the order of the law, that then it was an evident sign that they were as yet destitute of the true knowledge and obedience of the gospel. For if this had been the first time, wherein they had been taught Christ, he would easily have winked at this great error of joining the law and the gospel together. Likewise as concerning that detestable heresy of Arianism● we may well think the authors, spreaders, beginners, furtherers and maintainers of it, to have been men destitute of the spirit of God: and that this heresy is (especially in these ages) a fearful sign of eternalll reprobation. Yet we are not to think so hardly of those, Difference to be put betwixt the simple professors of errors and the obstinate maintainers of them. who were corrupted with it ●fter that it had overspread the greatest part of the world, and so were carried away with the multitude to evil although it were in that time also a fearful token of a reprobate mind, for as in a common infection of the air, we cannot judge of the state of men's bodies by popular diseases and deaths, whenas both strong and weak men are in the same case, so neither in the common reigning of any heresy, can we perfectly discern the state of men's minds and souls by that token, forsomuch as God doth savesome, even by pulling them out of the fire. And therefore we are charitably to hope the best of them, who live in grievous errors, not of wilful blindness, but of simple ignorance: and not to doubt, but that ignorant heretics being religious and zealous servers of God are in far bett●r state as touching their salvation, than they who professing the sincere doctrine of the gospel do in their profane lives deny the power thereof. But that heretics are to be accounted members of the Church, we shall have occasion to declare, when we come to the corrupt state of a Church. So that to conclude this point, we do (and that as we trust and are persuaded by the word of GOD,) give the name of members of the Church, and of christians to all that do in outward profession hold the foundation of religion. The which although in effect it be the same both before and since the time of the Gospel, yet it hath some difference in respect of the diversity of the times. For before Christ was exhibited in the flesh, this was the foundation of religion, I put my whole trust and confidence for my happiness, in the Messiah whom God hath promised to send for the redemption and salvation of the people, of the seed of David. This foundation did the Church of the jews profess when Christ came, and therefore every one of that people was a member of the Church, howsoever they did together hold grosser heresies, What is the foundation of reliligion before and since the coming of Christ. than the papists do at this day. But since the coming of Christ this is to hold the foundation of religion, I believe jesus the son of Mary to be the son of God, the promised Messiah, the Lord and Saviour of the world, and that in him only, salvation is to be had: as it is more briefly set down by the Apostle, 1. Cor. 3.11. Another foundation can no man lay, but that which is laid, to wit, that jesus is Christ. To the which doctrine all opinions and assertions which are contrary are pernicious heresies, and such as bring certain damnation, 2. Peter. 2.1. There were many false prophet's among the people, as there are fals● teachers among● you, which bring in damnable heresies, to wit, these, denying the Lord Iesu● who bought them: these bring upon themselves swift damnation, that is, may certainly be accounted for damned. As for the heresies of those who do confess the lord jesus, as they are more weighty, and do nearer approach to the grand heresy of those who do not confess the Lord jesus, so they are more dangerous: yet of themselves not being joined with obstinate and wilful blindness, not so desperate. Sect. 5. Of those who dissemble their profession. BUT before we leave this point, this question may me moved, whether as the outward profession of faith without the truth thereof in heart, so the inward faith of the heart, without out ward profession be sufficient to make a man a true member of the catholic Church. We answer, that where true faith is, there necessarily is also some outward service of God, and some confession of the mouth by prayer, or some other means: which be it never so little, is sufficient to make a man a member of the catholic Church: But as for open and public profession of our faith before men, true faith being weak may be destitute thereof: so we read, john. 12.40. that many of the chief rulers believed in Christ, but neither did nor durst profess him before men: these are members of the catholic Church which is in visible, but not of any particular Church, unless they do profess their faith before others beside themselves. So that outward profession of the faith although it be secret and private, maketh a man a member of the catholic Church, and open profession maketh us members of the visible Church. But it may be objected against this whole doctrine:, that if the outward profession of the gospel be sufficient to make a true member of the Church, than the devils which confessed jesus to be the son of God●, are truly christians. We answer that this confession was extorted from them by the power of God, and sometimes came from the malice of their nature, that so they might procure danger to Christ: The devil hath knowledge, but neither faith nor the profession of faith. but they do not by faith rely themselves on God in Christ for happiness, neither do they profess themselves to be his servants and that they are to love him, and labour to glorify him, as all christians do. So then as many are members of the mystical body of Christ and of his Church, which are not as yet members of his visible body, which is the visible Church militant here on earth, they not being as yet called to the knowledge of the gospel; so many are called to be members of the Church, who are not chosen. Sect. 6. Who are without the catholic Church. AND thus we see what manner of serving God is meant in the definition: the other words which follow have their use: for in that we require the service of the true God, we exclude all heathenish and pagan people from being members of the Church: because as it is, Rom. 1.23. they passing by the creator worship creatures as Gods. And lastly we add these words (in jesus Christ) because there is no true serving of God the father but in the son, in whom only he is well pleased. And therefore the nation of the jews having rejected Christ, is by that means rejected of God from being his people: neither are they to be accounted members of the Church, although they serve God with never so great zeal Rom. 11. The same account we are to make of the Turks, Saracens, Moors, and all those nations which profess the religion of Mahomet the which we confess, doth retain diverse points of christianity, yea and that if it be well marked, it will be sound a close or mystical Arianisme, Mahometisme a mystical Ariaanisme. covering and glozing over many weighty points of faith with judaical types, and poetical fictions, that it being by this means made dark and enigmatical, might be more highly esteemed by blind and ignorant men. Whereas if it had been set down in a plain and simple manner, it would have been easily understood, disputed of, and in the end altogether contemned. Yet forsomuch as this religion doth not worship and honour jesus Christ as the only son of God, and saviour of the world as the first Arians therefore 〈◊〉, the professors of it cannot be accounted members of the Church, but mere infidels separated from Christ, and void of the hope of eternal salvation. Sect. 7. Of the attributes of the catholic Church. THus we having the definition of the catholic Church, are further to consider the nature and state of it in certain properties, which are attributed unto it. Of the which this may be the first that out of the catholic Church there is no salvation: No salvation and therefore all the heathen, all unbelieving jews, Turks, and generally all Infidels whatsoever, do live and die to the judgement and sight of man in the state of eternal damnation. This the scripture witnesseth in many places as namely, 2. Thes. 2.8. God in the last judgement shall render vengeance to all that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord jesus Christ: and yet this sentence of damnation which the scripture pronounceth on infidels is so to be understood as that we do always except the infinite power and mercy of God, who both can & as hath been before touched, doth in all parts of the world save some, and that by extraordinary means unknown to us, where the ordinary way is wanting. The second attribute of the catholic Church is this, The catholic Church cannot err in the foundation of religion. that it can never err in the foundation of religion, which is all one, as if we did say, the catholic Church never ceaseth to be: or with this; there is continually in the world a number of men which serve the true God in jesus Christ. The truth of this appeareth by the story of the Church in the holy scripture and in other books, which show by whom and in what places God hath been truly worshipped in every several age. And no marvel: for if the Church should cease to be in the world, than the world itself should have an end, which was created and doth continue chiefly for this end, to wit, to be an habitation for the Church. As we read, 1. Cor. 2.16. All things are yours even the very world, that is, all things do serve as means for your good, and for the working of your salvation. In this sense the Apostle saith, 1. Tim. 3.13. That the Church is the pillar and firmament, that is, a most firm and sure pillar of truth, to wit, of the true religion and worship of God. And yet the catholic Church may err in matters of religion, yea even in those points which are weighty, and are near about the foundation itself, although it always remain sure and steadfast. The catholic Church hath often been in most grievous errors So it is manifest that the ignorances and errors of the Church which were from the beginning until the coming of Christ, were both many and great as hath been noted before. And how great errors have prevailed throughout the whole Church in most of the ages since that time, we who live in this light of the gospel do easily and plainly see. Yea we know that which the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 13. that while the faithful are in this world, they see, know, and prophecy but in part, and cannot be wholly freed from error till they see the Lord perfectly, and in him all things. So we read, Leuit. 4.13. that there was a sacrifice appointed for the expiation of the general error of the whole people of the jews, who then were the whole visible Church of God. The catholic Church doth continually increase in number and in knowledge. thirdly the catholic Church doth continually increase in number and doth consist of more in the latter ages of the world, then in the former. For before the time of the law, the Lord was known and worshipped only of a few families or kindreds, but afterwards of a great populous nation: but since the coming of Christ, the Church ●oth enlarge her tents, and receiveth all the nations of the earth. Likewise in the first ages of the gospel, there was no nation, country, or city, no not any one town or village, which did generally receive it, but only a few here and there, the rest remaining in infidelity, but in the ages following great nations generally, yea infinite multitudes of people became christians. Yea this number shall continually increase until the fullness of the gentiles be come into the Church, whereof the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 11. and then shall the nation of the jews make a notable addition to this number. The cause of this increase is, for that God doth not reveal himself and his word, all at once to the world, but by degrees, by little and little. Where this may also profitably be noted that as the number of believers, so also their knowledge doth increase, the word of God being much more plentifully revealed in the latter times (they being generally considered) than it was in the former. As touching the number, we know that the visible Church (by the which we may certainly gather the state of the catholic Church) was until the time of Moses, contained within the compass of one kindred, & till the coming of Christ, in one nation, but afterward it spread itself, over the whole world. Yea the latter times of the gospel shall daily more and more exceed the first in number of believers, because now both the full number of the gentiles, and also of the jewish nation, is to come into the Church: And in like manner the latter times do exceed the former in knowledge. Fourthly the catholic Church hath no head or ruler here on earth, The catholic Church hath no head o● outward government. neither any external government, but is ordered by the spiritual government of Christ, who is the only head of it. For the government and rules prescribed by God to his Church, have place and are put in practice only in particular Churches which are the members of the catholic Church. Fiftly the catholic Church is invisible, The catholic Church invisible. for that it consisteth not only of particular Churches which are visible, but also of particular men which serve God, yet so, as that they are not known by others so to do. Sixtly the catholic Church, is never pure here on earth, no more than the goldlying in the bowels of the earth, but hath hypocrites mixed with true believers. Yea the number of hypocrites is far greater, then of the other, for many are called but few are chosen. Sect. 8. Of the distribution of the Catholic Church. THus we see in general the nature and condition of the catholic Church: Now we are to descend into a more particular consideration of it, in the members: the which are either scattered abroad (of the which we are to entreat in the first place, because they are in nature most simple) or else being joined together make a particular Church. The conjunction of all particular Churches doth make the visible Church, the which with the dispersed members, maketh the catholic Church. The which we divide in the first place into dispersed members, Dispersed Christians with the Churches professing the gospel, make the Catholic Church and particular Churches, even as the people of any kingdom or country may be brought to these two heads, the one of those who do wander hither and thither, not belonging to any society, company, or corporation, the other of those who dwell together in some town or city under laws, government and in due order. CHAP. II. Of the dispersed members of the catholic Church. Sect. 1. For what cause men are separated from the Church. ALthough the members of the Church do ordinarily, and for the most part live together by the institution and commandment of God for their mutual edification, yet it cometh often to pass that some are severed from the company of the Church, and that upon diverse occasions. Of all which in general this is to be held that they are either necessary, constraining men against their wills or else unlawful and condemned by the word of God: for as touching that voluntary or rather wilful separation of the Eremites in times past, who forsaking the company of men, did choose to live in desert places, eremitical separation from the Church unawfull. it is in no case to be imitated, for that it is contrary to the word of God, who in great wisdom hath appointed as civil societies for the greater commodity of our temporal lives, so also the spiritual, and holy assemblies of his servants, that by this means they might be helped each by other in matters pertaining to their eternal salvation. For in the Church we have the ministry of the word, of the sacraments, of the censures of the Church: we have private exhortation and admonition of one to another, yea the examples of a godly life in our brethren: and finally all the means of edification, whereof these Eremites made themselves destitute. And therefore in so doing as they did sin against their own bodies, in that, leaving those places, where all the creatures of God, needful for the maintenance of this pesent life might conveniently be had, did by suffering hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness, make themselves altogether unfit for the performing of any christian duty, so they did much more sin against their own souls, which they suffered to pine away through want of the word of God, and which they did lay open to the manifold temptations and delusions of sathan. Yea they did inflict upon themselves (and that not unworthily in regard of their pride, and wilful contempt of the ordinance of God) that most fearful punishment which the scripture. 1. Cor. 3. calleth giving up to sathan, in that they did deprive themselves of the inestimable benefit and comfort of the Church of God. If they object for their own defence the example of the prophet jeremy. 9.2. who wisheth that he had a cottage in the wilderness that so he might not see the wickedness of the people, we answer first that the prophet did speak diverse things in the zeal of the spirit, in a hyperbolical manner of speech, yea sometime also in human impatience, which he did never put in practice, as it doth not appear that he did this desire. Secondly that they did it in no such mind, but in a vain presumption, pretending the contempt of the world, and their own sufficiency to work their salvation without the help of others, and of those means which God hath appointed. We confess indeed that so many of them as lived in those times wherein popery did corrupt the worship of God, had just cause of separation, and that they might more commodiously and lawfully serve God in the vastest desert then in the most populous Church being in that case. But most of these Eremites were more foolishly superstitious, than they were whom they left, and few or none of them had that knowledge and grace vouchsafed to them of God, to see and abhor those palpable corruptions. As for those, who although they lived in desert places, yet they had the company of others who joined with them in that kind of life, their doing was more probable, because they seemed by this means to live in the form of a Church: yet not justifiable by the word of God, if this their separation were made from a Church serving God aright in any measure. But it cometh often to pass that some are constrained by urgent and necessary causes to live out of the assembly of the Church as in the time of persecution, whenas the servants of God cannot without evident danger meet together. So we read, Act. 8.1. that the whole Church which was at jerusalem, was dispersed abroad save the Apostles. Likewise, whenas any of them are taken captives, and by violence carried into those countries where there is no Church and there detained, as if a christian were constrained to abide among the Turks, jews, or any other infidels. Yea many have in all times served God, who never were of any particular Church, but being called to the knowledge of God by extraordinary means, have continually lived amongst infidels. These although they ought to make repair to those places, where they understand the Church to be, and to make their abode there, yet often they abide in their native countries upon diverse occasions, as namely, for that they being endued with a small measure of knowledge and of faith cannot easily overcome the frailty of the flesh, which counseleth them, that in no case they forsake their country, kindred, friends, houses, and lands, and cast themselves into infinite dangers, troubles and miseries, which for the most part do accompany them who live in strange places. Yea it may be that they know not either what or where the Church is, and so cannot endeavour to come to it. And lastly even men living in the Church, may have necessary causes constraining them to live from the society of the same, as contagious diseases, as the leprosy was amongst the Israelites, for the which we read that king Ozias was separated a long time from the Church. Yea men which are excommunicated and do so continue, are still to be accounted members of the catholic Church, so long as they continue in the profession of the faith, howsoever they be not members of any particular Church. And therefore they are to serve God in the time of their excommunication. Sect. 2. How the dispersed members of the catholic Church serve God. THus much of the causes, why some of the members of the Church are dispersed abroad from the company of the Church. Now we are to consider what manner of service they perform to God, in regard whereof they are accounted members of the Church. The which title belongeth only to those who do serve God as hath been declared. The only means whereby they serve God, is prayer, or invocation of the name of God, because this service may be performed by one alone, but the ministry the word, of the sacraments, and other parts of the service of God, require accompany joining together for that purpose. So that prayer is that part of the actual service of God, which only belongeth generally to all the members of the Church, which are come to years of discretion, as well to those who are dispersed, as to those who live together in the Church. Hence it is that the Apostle Paul when he speaketh of all christians without exception of any, calleth them, those who call upon the name of the Lord, as namely, 1. Cor. 1.1. Thus did Daniel serve God in Babel. Dan. 6.10. thrice a day he made his petition to God, and praised him. Hear order requireth that we should entreat of prayer the most general and perpetual part of the service of God, yea that which is the very badge of all christians, and declare the whole nature, manner, kinds, fruit and all the points of doctrine belonging to this head. But we will rather pass it over with silence, for that the matter is both large, and requiring a several treatise, and also is sufficiently handled by diverse godly and learned men. Here also this question is to be answered, whether that the dispersed members of the Church may not use some other part of the service of God, as the sacrmentes for the confirmation of their faith. As touching this point, it seemeth that whilst any one member of the Church is wholly severed from the society of others, that he cannot use them, neither any other part, but only prayer as hath been said. Yet if there be any number of them, although but two, that then they may lawfully use both the sacraments of baptism, and of the lords supper. For the further declaration whereof, we may put this case. A christian man and his wife being taken captives live amongst infidels, where to their knowledge there is not any christian beside themselves. There they beget children, whom they would have by baptism consecrated and initiated into the profession of Christianity. In this case it is lawful, yea needful for the parents both of them, How the sacraments may be privately received. or either of them, to administer baptism to their children. This appeareth, Exod. 4.25. where Moses and Zippora his wife circumcise their son, by the commandment or rather by the threatening of God. And so did all the jews being scattered abroad into all the parts of the world, circumcise their male children in their own houses. Likewise for the other sacrament of the lords supper, it is lawful for christians in the aforesaid case to receive it at their own hands, as this one example doth sufficiently prove. If it be objected that the sacraments being a part of the ministery of the Church, ought not to be administered but by a public person, and in a public place: we answer that where there is no Church, there a private man's house is in steed of it, and he himself in place of a minister. Sect. 3. By what means the dispersed members of the Church are called. THus much of that service wherewith the dispersed members of the Church serve God: the which although it be imperfect, yet it is acceptable to God, where the rest cannot be had, and is a sufficient means to work their salvation. So we read. Ezech. 11.16. the Lord saith that He will be to his people dispersed abroad in the captivity a little sanctuary, that is, howsoever they were absent from the holy temple at jerusalem, in which place only it was lawful to offer sacrifice, and to serve God in full and ample manner, God accepteth the imperfect service of those who cannot be in the visible Church yet that God would accept that imperfect and maimed service which they should perform unto him in their captivity by prayer and circumcision. For as touching the passouer it was a sacrifice, and therefore could not be used in any place but only at jerusalem. But although this imperfect service be accepted of God, yet they themselves do not so rest in it, but that they do and aught above all things in the world to desire to be in the society of the Church, Dispersed christians ought to labour by all means to join themselves to some Church. that so they may enjoy the full means of working their own salvation and of glorifying God. So that although they be absent in body, yet in mind and affection they are joined with it. In witness whereof as also to increase this desire, they did, being in a strange land amongst the infidels, pray toward the place of the Church and worship of God, 1. King. 8.48. Dan. 6.11. Psal. 84. Lastly it may be asked how those dispersed members of the Church which never were in the society of other christians, were called and became members of it: whereunto we answer that in the ordinary working of God, there is no faith and true knowledge of God to be gotten but in the visible Church and in the company of believers: yet that God doth by extraordinary means save some, who never were joined to the society of the Church. The means which God useth are known to him only, yet some of them may be gathered out of the scripture. As first, the relics of the true worship of God, the which taketh such deep root in those places where it is planted, that although the visible Church be clean overthrown, yet there will some root of knowledge remain hidden in the ground: By what means God calleth those who are with out the visible Church. even as we see that where a garden replenished with great store of herbs hath been, there willbe long after that it is defaced, some sprouting up. So that the word of God, as it is in the gospel compared to a grain of mustard seed, Ma. 13.31. in respect of the speedy & great growth of it upwards, so it may be compared to it, in that they both take so deep root that where they are once sown there they remain for many ages. Thus there was a glimmering of the true worship of God, dispersed abroad by the sons of Noah: by the which means it came to pass that diverse did in some sort know God among the infidels. As Melihezadec, job, with his friends, Lot, Baal●m, of all them knowing the true God. Yea in the idolatry of Mahomet there remaineth something of christian religion: hereof they hold many points although covered over with profane fable. Moreover some living out of the Church are brought to the knowledge of God by the means and private teaching of some who have been of the Church. Yea even by the fame of the true religion some have been converted: so was Rahab living in jericho, of whom it is said, Heb. 11. that she believed, or by reading books containing the doctrine of religion. Lastly it may please God to use for this purpose that knowledge which remaineth in the minds of men since the fall of Adam, and which is stirred up by the contemplation of the creatures, and all those means which natural men have for the attaining of knowledge. These or any other means God may use extraordinarily, yea he may do it without any means, but in his ordinary working none of these aforesaid means are available: for faith is gotten ordinarily only by hearing the word preached, and therefore we are to esteem and judge of them who have not the ministery of the word, that they want the ordinary means of attaining a true and saving faith: always excepting the power and extraordinary work of God, the which is not tied to any means. CHAP. III. Of a particular Church. Sect. 1. Of the original of particular Churches. THus much of the dispersed members of the catholic Church: the which state God doth accept where it cannot be amended: but so that he will have all his servants to endeavour by all means possible to come & live together for their mutual edification, and therefore as for the more commodious maintaining of our temporal lives, he hath appointed civil societies, so for the beginning and maintaining of spiritual strength and life in us he hath appointed holy assemblies, which are particular Churches: out of the which a christian may live this spiritual life, but yet in great weakness and danger, even as a man may preserve his natural life in a desert place, but he cannot have perfect strength and health, unless he live in some place frequented by men and replenished with things needful for that purpose. And therefore we are now to declare what a particular Church is. Sect. 2. Of the definition of a parlicular Church. A Particular Church is a company of men separated from the infidels of the world to serve God under all the same divine and human laws, or under the same ecclesiastical government both divine and human. This definition doth in some sort comprehend in it the whole nature and essence of a particular Church, and therefore a great part of this treatise is to be spent in the explication of it, wherein (that we may proceed in some distinct and plain order) we have these three heads to observe. First the separating of those of whom the Church is to consist from the infidels of the world. Secondly the divine laws by the which they thus brought together, are to be ordered. And lastly the human laws which are added to the laws of God. For even as it is in the establishing of a common wealth or kingdom, first men must be brought together, who are to be the inhabitants of that city or country. Secondly there must certain general and fundamental laws be made containing the very state and form of government and of subjection which must stand in force continually without any alteration: Three things required to the constitution of a Church. and lastly there must be added some special positive laws which are often to be changed as present occasion shall require: so is it in the establishing of a Church: First men are called from infidelity to faith, as from barbarism to civility: then they have given unto them the laws, which God in 〈◊〉 word hath made for the government of his Church till the end of the world, and lastly the changeable ecclesiastical laws of men. Again as we see men do in the building of a house, first they prepare stones, than they join them together in some form of a house, till by little and little they set up the whole frame of it, and lastly they add doors, windows, fences, and whatsoever may serve for the use of the dweller: in like manner the calling of men to the knowledge of Christ, is the preparing of the matter of a Church: secondly the establishing of the government of the Church & the manner of serving God is a setting up of the frame of it, an lastly the making of ecclesiastical constitutions is the applying of this government to the special use of those men whom we would bring unto the form of a Church that it may be a fit dwelling place for them. This latter similitude we desire the reader to mark, the rather for that we are to use it throughout this whole treatise. And that because it hath pleased the spirit of GOD to teach us so to do, who in the scripture doth for the most part compare the Church to a house and to the building of it as we may see, 1. Cor. 3.11.12. 1. Tim. 3.15. 1. Pet. 4.17. In this definition the last words only (the rest being of themselves plain enough) need this explication: that by human laws, we do not mean civil laws, but ecclesiastical constitutions added to the laws of GOD appointed in the word: by the which human laws, being always in some point or other differing from the laws of other Churches, particular Churches have their difference and distinct limits appointed to them. A diverse government maketh a distinct Church. For therefore we have inserted this partickle (all) in the definition, because many, yea all the Churches in the world may agree in some ecclesiastical constitutions but not in all. So that the same government maketh one and the same Church, yea although they be distinguished into diverse congregations, and have many distinct places of serving God. As if the laws of any town do stretch to the suburbs and villages about, there is but one corporation or civil body. And to use our accustomed similitude as that is one family which hath the same governor over it, the same orders in it, although they be in diverse rooms; so it is in this behalf, a distinct government maketh a distinct Church. The government is then distinct when either the human Church laws are diverse or at the least, the rulers and governors of the company have in their hands authority to make divers laws in that manner which we are afterwards to declare. So that where we see many distinct and diverse assemblies or congregations of christians all to depend upon one company having in their hands the said authority and from thence to fetch all their constitutions and determinations of causes, they are to be accounted not many but one only particular Church: which notwithstanding if they did no way depend upon any other, were to be accounted so many distinct Churches. So the Church of Israel although it did consist of many distinct towns and cities, the which had their proper levites and governors, yet because for government they did all depend upon the high priest, and the other priests which did offer sacrifice in the temple at jerusalem, The whole nation of the jews made but one particular Church. they all made but one Church. So that those christians are to be accounted a particular Church, which are joined together, not only in the same faith as the whole catholic Church is, or in the same divine government as the whole visible Church is, but also in the same human government, to wit, in the same human ecclesiastical laws, and the same governors. Sect. 3. Of how many a particular Church may consist. AS touching the number whereof a particular Church doth consist, the least may be given but not the greatest: the least is the least number of one private family within the compass whereof a particular Church hath often been contained. A particular Church often contained in one family. So in the beginning there was a particular Church in the family of Adam, for they did jointly together and in common offer sacrìfice and serve God. This Church consisted of four persons at what time there was a public service of God, namely, Adam, Eva, Cain, and Abel. Likewise in the time of the general deluge the Church consisted of those few persons only which were within the Ark. If it be objected that in so small a number as are three or four persons, there cannot be all the officers, much less the body of a Church, we confess that they cannot make a perfect Church, yet a true Church. But more hereof when we come to show what an imperfect state of a Church is. The greatest number cannot be defined, for a whole nation, whereof there is no certain number, may be one particular Church as was the nation of the jews, as hath been showed in the former section. Yet the greatest number of a Church rightly established, may thus generally be determined, to wit, that the Church consist of no more than can without confusion or any manifest inconvenience meet together at one time, and in one place to serve God, so that none be, by reason of the multitude excluded, hindered or troubled in the service of God: for God is not the author neither any approver of any kind of confusion: which as in all other actions, so especially in these holy assemblies ought carefully to be avoided. If it be here answered that this confusion which doth arise of too great a number, may be avoided by dividing one and the same particular Church into diverse assemblies, and by appointing to each part of the Church several and distinct places of meeting, we confess that this may be done upon necessity and for the avoiding of a greater inconveniency, but otherwise it ought not, neither can conveniently be done, for besides that it is undecent to see one body of a Church so distracted and pulled asunder into many parts, it is also in many respects inconvenient. For first so great a multitude as must of necessity be divided into diverse assemblies, can hardly be so well ordered, and so diligently looked unto, as the Church ought to be. Secondly by this means both the labour of the teachers willbe increased, and also the profit of the people much diminished, who neither can go on in knowledge altogether, nor yet be always made partakers of the best and most excellent ministry as they ought to be. As for the Church of the jews which did consist of a far greater number than could conveniently serve God together; we answer first that it was necessary that this nation should be made one Church, because it was needful in divers respects, that there should be but one place of the presence of God, one high priest, one temple and place of offering sacrifice. secondly that the whole nation of the jews might more conveniently meet together in the public service of God, Why it was needful that the whole nation of the jews should be one particular church than the hundred part of them could do in the time of the gospel: for then the public service wherein all were bound to meet, was but seldom to be performed, to wit, thrice in the year, at the three solemn feasts. And then they did not give themselves so much to the hearing of the word, and to public prayer, as to the offering of the sacrifices commanded in the law. So that, that service did require only presence at jerusalem or about the temple, but our service requireth particular and diligent attention. On the other side in the gathering of a particular Church this is carefully to be avoided, that it do not consist of too few. For we are not to think that any small number of believers do make a competent congregation, but rather to desire that it may consist, even of so many as may conveniently come together into one place, and there without confusion be made partakers of all those means whereby they are to be edified in the obedience of faith. For the more there be in the congregation, there willbe a greater abundance of spiritual graces, whereby the public functions of the Church, yea all other wants whatsoever, Better for a Church to consist of many christians then of a few. may be more easily and abundantly supplied: there will also be found more pregnant examples of special virtues and graces in the lives of men, and the ministery of the word will have many diverse, strange, and singular effects in men which cannot be had in a Church consisting of a small number. CHAP. FOUR Of the planting of a particular church. Sect. 1. Of what people the Church may be planted. THE planting of a Church consisteth in two things, first and principally in bringing a competent number of men to believe & embrace the gospel: even as in the building of an house the first part of the work is to dig stones out of the ground for that purpose: secondly in giving unto them being thus called, the sacrament of baptism as the badge of their profession: this is to hue and make them fit for our purpose. In the first part we have these points to consider first what kind of men are fit to be the matter whereof the Church should consist. Secondly by whom they ought to be converted from infidelity to christianity, and lastly after what manner. Of the first point, the word of God doth plainly teach us, that there is no people or nation in the world, no state or condition of men whatsoever excluded, but that the Church may consist of them. Math. 28.19. Go ye and preach the gospel to all nations, No kind of men excluded from being the Church of God. baptizing them in the name of the father & the son and of the holy ghost. So that there is no people in the world either so dull and blockish but that they may be taught, or so savage, fierce and barbarous, but that they may be subdued to the obedience of the gospel. As the prophet Esay foretold. Esay. 11. that the power of the kingdom of Christ should be so great that men who of themselves were even as Tigers, Lions, Leopards, and as most savage beasts should be made tame and gentle. Yea this prophecy is ratified by the event of things, The most barbarous may become Christians. whereby we see that even the most barbarous nations, and generally all kinds of people have submitted themselves to the gospel of Christ. And yet some kind of people are more fit for this purpose than others, and do more easily, yea more usually submit themselves to the gospel. Even as we see that there is difference in stones, whereof some are hard and dry that they can hardly be hewn, squared or made fit for building as flint, adamant and many other kinds, which as it were, repel the tool of the mason not suffering it to enter or take any hold of them, but other kinds do more easily take any fashion whatsoever it pleaseth the workman to give unto them, so it is in this case. Some men are much more unfit and untoward for the making of a Church than others; as namely those who live in extreme barbarism, without that natural knowledge of God, civil honesty and good literature, the which it pleaseth God to use as means in the conversion of men from infidelity to faith. As for that natural knowledge, we know that the Apostles and others who have laboured in converting infidels which had no written word, did always go about to convince them of their erroneous worship of God and to establish the true worship by arguments taken from the grounds of reason, which the infidels themselves did confess to be true. Likewise, 1. Pet. 3.1. the Apostle exhorteth that the Christian women should be in subjection to their husbands, that the infidels seeing their chaste, honest and orderly life, might be converted by this means. Not that this is an ordinary means of converting men, but only as it were a preparative, whereby men may be made more tractable and affected with a general love of the gospel, although they do not as yet know it. Likewise the Apostle noteth, 1. Cor. 1. that the contrary to this extreme barbarism, to wit, abundance of knowledge, wisdom, yea nobility, riches and all other such outward prerogatives were hindrances in the first time of the gospel. And therefore he saith, brethren you see your calling, that not many wise, many mighty or noble do become christians. And since that time we read that in the conversion of diverse countries to the gospel, after that the common people were won, the nobility did generally for the space of many years remain obstinate in idolatry, the which also may be observed at this day in diverse places. The reason whereof is plain, to wit, for that outward excellency in any kind ●oth puff up the heart of man with pride, whereby he is hindered from submitting himself to the service of Christ. Sect. 2. To whom it belongeth to plant Churches. IN the second place we are to inquire to whom it belongeth to plant Churches. The agentes in this work are of two sorts, the one is of the beginner or first mover in it, the other is of those who are properly called the workmen, & are as it were the instruments in this action. For as in the building of a material house there is one who is the chief cause of the work and others who are by him set a work & employed in this business, even so it is in the building of the Church: one beginneth, an other doth perform and accomplish it. The first kind is diverse according as the Church which is to be planted, is either public or private, and therefore we are not to entreat of them till we come to the diverse kinds of a Church. But the workmen are the same in both kinds, and therefore here to be considered. These are the ministers of the word of God, unto whom God hath committed the dispensation of his word, by the which as by a most sharp and fit instrument they convert men from infidelity to believe the gospel. Rom. 10.14. How shall they believe of whom they have not heard? how shall they hear without a preacher? But yet not every true minister of the word can perform or aught to take in hand the first part of this work, forsomuch as it is of greater difficulty, than the rest. For even as in the building of a house every one of the builders cannot lay the foundation, but only he who doth far excel the common workmen in skill, so it is in the planting of a church as the Apostle doth plainly testify. 1. Cor. 3.10. where he saith that he himself as a most wise and cunning master builder, had laid the foundation of the Church of Corinth, and left the rest of the work for others to do. This is agreeable to reason & common experience which teacheth us that it is much easier to continue any work then to begin it. Yea even in natural bodies it is an easy matter to preserve and maintain life where it is present, but to begin life, or to put life into a body destitute of it, is a thing to man's strength altogether impossible: so it is in the life of our souls. For to continue and increase faith where it is already begun, is not so hard a matter, but that by the blessing of God it may be done by ordinary gifts and means: but to begin it in an infidel there is required an extraordinary work of God, and most rare & singular gifts in the minister by whom God worketh. And therefore it pleased God for the planting of the first Churches, to institute an extraordinary ministery of apostles, Prophets & Evangelists, whom he endued with gifts correspondent to their extraordinary callings, that they might be as his most strong champions armed to stand in the fore front of the great battle, for the overthrowing of infidelity, idolatry, ignorance, sin, atheism, & whatsoever power did resist the kingdom of Christ. Thus did God plant his Church in the first age of the gospel: but these extraordinary callings and gifts did cease in the time following. The planting of Churches belongeth to them who have either extraordinary callings, or the most excellent gifes To whom then doth it belong, now to plant churches? We answer that God doth never leave his Church destitute in this behalf: but doth continually endue some with a rare and special measure of gifts, whereby they may be able in some measure to perform this great work. Yea since the time of the Apostles God hath called & may when it pleaseth him to call & also furnish men extaordinarily to this work. But when this is wanting (as we are not now to look for immediate callings) the planting of churches is to be committed to those, who among the ordinary ministers of the church are endued with best gifts & do excel the rest in godliness, zeal, wisdom, knowledge & all other spiritual graces needful for this purpose. Sect. 3. How the word is to be preached to infidels. Now that we have the workmen to whom it belongeth to lay the foundation of the Church, we are in the next place to consider how they ought to begin this weighty work, and also after what manner they are to proceed in the same. In both which there is great care and circumspection to be used, both because the first planting of a Church is a matter of great difficulty, Great care to be had in planting a Church. as also for that the whole state of it willbe according to the beginning, in so much as if this place be by negligence or any other means out of order, there is no hope that the rest of the building should go on right. As we see, that whenas there is a fault committed in the laying of the foundation of a house, the whole building will for ever be the worse for it. The first thing therefore to be done in planting a Church, is to convert infidels to the faith: which is done ordinarily by the ministery of the word of God delivered plainly, sincerely, & effectually as God hath appointed. Notwithstanding which powerful means, the subduing of men to the Gospel is a hard matter, yea it is much harder in these times than it was in the days of the Apostles, wherein the gospel was first preached. For then the ministery of the Apostles, Evangelists and other preachers of the gospel was much more powerful and effectual than any ministery of the word is in these days. For they had not only extraordinary measure of those gifts which do yet remain in the Church for the building thereof, as are the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, zeal and all other of that kind, but they had also other most wonderful gifts bestowed upon them as the gifts of speaking in strange languages, the gifts of discerning spirits, healing the sick, working of miracles, and such other which served only for this end, to bring infidels to the profession of the faith. 1. Cor. 14.22. not that true faith was (ordinarily) wrought by these means in men but only a general, historical and temporary faith whereby they did believe the doctrine of the gospel to be the word of God: which belief being professed was then and is at all times sufficient to make one a member of the visible Church here upon earth. The which the Apostles did labour by their ministery to bring to pass, and did rejoice in it being effected, although there did appear in those believers few or no signs of saving faith, which is a firm confidence in the ●ercy and love of God in Christ, effectually wrought in the hear● by the spirit of God, arising of a certain persuasion of the truth of God's word, whereof this general faith is only a resemblance, shadow and appearance. And further for this purpose the gifts of miracles, and such other did greatly avail: for they did so astonish and amaze men that they did even wring out of them an approbation of the doctrine preached, that it came from God, and therefore was to be received. john. 1.15. Act. 13.11. Thus did the Apostles plant Churches: but they who since that time labour in this work, are destitute of this help, yea also of another far more effectual, to wit, of the wonderful and extraordinary blessing of God upon his Church, who did then pour forth his spirit so strangely, and so plentifully upon men in converting their hearts to the obedience of the gospel as the like was not before, hath not been since, neither shall be at any time in the Church. So that these helps being wanting in these days, we cannot look for the like success in this work, to wit, that the Church should have such a sudden and strange increase as it had in the beginning whenas many thousands were at once added unto it. The ministery of the word was more effectual in the primitive Church than it hath been at any time since. Act. 2.41. yet we are not to despair of good success, forsomuch as the Lord hath not left his ministry destitute of sufficient power to convert many men to the faith, even those who never heard of Christ before. For although the extraordinary callings and gifts of the Apostles and Evangelists be not now in the Church neither to be looked for, yet the force of them doth remain still, in that the very declaration of those wonderful miracles whereby the truth of the gospel was confirmed at the first, will to the end of the world add authority and give success to the preaching of the Gospel, although they were much more effectual in those who did behold them with their eyes. Yea we have some helps which were not in the primitive Church and for the supply whereof those other were given, to wit, the consent of all ages since the first publishing of the Gospel, wherein many have not only professed the faith, but also sealed that their profession with th●ir blood: and that not any small number but even whole nations have professed and do confess the gospel. The which no doubt is a forcible argument and even as a cloud of witnesses, whereby he who is obstinate in infidelity may be either converted or confounded and put to silence. Yea this general embracing of the gospel by so many countries and nations is that fullness of the Gentiles, the which the Lord hath appointed as a means, whereby that obstinate and harde-hearted nation of the jews shall at the appointed time be converted. And therefore it cannot but be effectual with the rest of the Gentiles who are not so obstinate in infidelity as the jews are. The jews are to be converted by the general consent of the Gentiles in receiving the gospel. But we are especially to rely upon that force which the word of God being plainly and sincerely delivered hath in turning men's hearts unto God: which will never return empty, but in some measure perform the thing for which it was sent. Thus much in general of the means of converting infidels, now of the same in particular. The ministery of the word which is here to be used hath two parts, the first is a preparative whereby infidels being of themselves altogether unfit to hear, and unlike to believe the word, are in some measure prepared for this purpose, the second is to teach them the doctrine of the gospel: The preparing ministery consisteth in two things; The first is to purge their minds from that false worship whereunto they are given. How infidels ought to be prepared for the doctrine of the gospel. The second is to convince their consciences of sin. For the first: we cannot hope that men being fully persuaded of the truth of their own religion and of the deity, power and goodness of those false Gods which they worship, will embrace any new and strange religion. Thus did Elias, 1. King. 18.24. bring the people from idolatry to the true worship of God. And likewise Paul dealeth with the idolatrous men of Athens, Act. 17.29. and with them of Lystra, Act. 14.13. and yet there is great moderation and wisdom to be used in this point, so that we do not at the first speak so vilely and basely of their religion as it doth deserve, but rather tolerate them in their corruptions and withal instruct them in the truth that ●o the other false worship may slip out of their minds as it were without violence, they leaving it of their own accord. For otherwise if they see their Gods and religion wherein they have been brought up, and which they have received from their ancestors, to be blasphemed, and evil spoken off, there is great danger lest at the first we so alienate their minds, that they will not hear the word preached, but become utter enemies unto it. So the town clerk in the Apology for Paul, Acts. 19.37. witnesseth that he in preaching the gospel, had not blasphemed their goddess Diana. secondly they must be prepared by the ministery of the law, of sin, and of the judgements of God, that by this means they may be driven to Christ, and even compelled to embrace the doctrine of the gospel. For as the iron must first be made hot in the fire, before it will receive any new fo●me, so must the hard heart be mollified in the furnace of the wrath of God before it will receive the doctrine of faith, and therefore it is needful that there should by this means a way be made for the doctrine of the gospel: for men must first be made to see their sins and the punishment of eternal death due unto them, before they can learn the use and necessity of Christ and of his righteousness. For the physician cometh not to whole men, neither doth the surgeon lay his plasters but upon wounded and bruised members. Thus did john go before Christ in the spirit of Elias to prepare the people for the Lord, Luk. 1.17. and thus Christ prepared the young man, Math. 19.21. and Peter the jews. Acts. 2.37. who when they were pricked in their hearts by hearing their sins, they came to the Apostles saying, men and brethren what shall we do? And Paul the men of Athens Act. 17.31. and lastly thus did God himself by a fearful earthquake prepare the jailor, Acts. 16.30. and according to these exmples all other unbelievers are to be converted, by bringing them to a sight of their sins and a sense of the anger of GOD: and that especially by mentioning and urging those sins which are most heinous in their own eyes, and by the confession of all men, which they can least excuse and whereof they are most ashamed. Yea the doctrine of the law ought to go before, because it will more easily be received and believed, forsomuch as it is natural to men, being engrafted in every man's mind since the first creation of man. For although it were by the fall of Adam greatly diminished, obscured and perverted, yet there remaineth a confused and dark knowledge of good and evil, of right and wrong: and also of the reward belonging to obedience, and the punishment of death due to sin, Rom. 1.32. the Gentiles know the law of God that they who commit sin are worthy of death. Yea of this knowledge cometh a conscience in infidels, sometimes excusing them although falsely, but for the most part accusing them for their sin before God. So that this their knowledge of the law and conscience of sin may easily be enlightened and stirred up by the preaching of the law, whereas the doctrine of faith is contrary to natural reason, and therefore hard to be persuaded. Thus we see the first part of the ministery of the word, to wit, that whereby infidels are to be prepared for the gospel. This being done, than the doctrine of christian religion is briefly and summarily to be propunded, even as the Apostles did use to preach Christ. How the doctrine of the gospel is to be propounded to infidels. The sum of whose sermons was this, that salvation is to be had by faith in jesus Christ the son of God, and the redeemer of the world. The truth of this doctrine is to be proved by such testimonies as are of most force: as the law and prophets are with the jews: out of the which we see that Christ and his Apostles do continually prove that which they speak. Likewise as touching the gentiles although the main points of the gospel be contrary to human reason, and therefore not to be grounded thereon, yet we are not destitute of many helps and evident arguments drawn out of their own poets, philosophers, prophetesses and oracles, whereby the probability, truth and necessity of the gospel, may be declared even to the heathen. The which who so desireth to know, may see them in those books which are written for the demonstration of the truth of christian religion, both in the first ages of the Church as also in these latter times. Especially the vanity of that false and idolatrous worship is to be laid open unto them, that so they being as it were driven from that, may be constrained to seek the true religion as hath been declared. Sect. 4. How men converted to the faith ought to be ordered. SO many of them as can be won by this means to believe the truth of the doctrine delivered, are upon confession of their faith to have baptism administered unto them to be a seal of their faith to themselves and a badge of their profession to others, and so to be separated from the rest as those of whom the Church is to consist. Yea although they do not at the first express the power of religion in true repentance and a christian life, yet if they do believe that to be the true religion of GOD and be content to profess the same, then are they to be accounted members of the Church. So we read, Acts, 8.16. that many of the Samaritans were baptized and so received into the Church whenas none of them had received the holy ghost, but only believed in the name of jesus as they were taught. So the Eunuch was baptized, Acts. 8. upon this confession, I believe that jesus Christ is the son of God. For even as they who labour in digging metals out of the earth do at the first ●ake for gold whatsoever doth glister and afterward purge the pure gold from the corrupt dross and from all base metal: and as fishers take for fish whatsoever cometh to the net, but afterward separate the good from the bad. Math. 13.47.48. so at the first, the ministery receiveth all that seem to believe, but in process of time, it separateth the hypocrite from the believer and the wicked from the godly although not perfectly. But before the administration of baptism the summary doctrine of it must be taught, that so it may be received with greater fruit, to wit, that this sacrament was appointed by God himself as john the first minister of it doth testify. john. 2.33. to be in his church a badge and common liveray of all his servants, whereby they are to profess his name, Baptism is the badge or liveray of christians. and to be known from unbelievers, and also for their own edification that by baptism they may be confirmed in believing the doctrine both of the law and of the gospel: and further that it belongeth chiefly to the doctrine of the law in that by drowning us in water it putteth us in remembrance of that eternal death whereunto we were subject before, as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.4. and that it is of the same nature and use with circumcision, the which did under the law both distinguish the jews as gods people from all other nations as profane, Baptism & circumcision sacraments of the law & of death, and also set before the eyes of the receivers eternal death as the other ordinary sacrament of the passouer did eternal life: for the one sacrament was of a bloody signification wounding the body and so threatening death, but the other grave the comfortable nourishment of life, and so do baptism & the Lords supper differ. Lastly that both baptism and circumcision although they do chiefly teach the doctrine of the law, yet that they do also represent to our eyes and seal up to our consciences forgiveness of sins in that both of them do take from us the filthiness of the flesh. Thus much of the doctrine of Baptism: the which is to be given so as that the body being dipped into the water the signification of it may be more evident and the force the greater in the eyes of those who see or receive it. Thus did john baptist, and therefore he chose our such places where there was much water. john. 3.23. and this use did remain in some places in the ages following. Those who are after this manner converted and baptized, are with all diligence to be strengthened in the profession of the faith and to be edified therein as being most forcible witnesses of the truth, by whom they who remain incredulous may be convinced. They are also in most earnest manner to be exhorted to constancy in their profession: because their falling away would greatly hinder the building of the Church, yea as soon as they have attained unto any measure of knowledge, they are in like manner to be exhorted to lead a life which may be without scandal unto those who do not as yet believe, and so without reproach unto the gospel which they profess. For the procuring whereof there is in the first planting of the Church great severity used, both by God himself and also by his ministers against all such offences where by this work may be hindered. For whilst the Church is as it were in motion, because at the first the truth of that profession is called into question, the falling back of one or any notorious offence doth wonderfully hinder the whole work. Therefore although many infirmities in knowledge and also in private conversation were yea and aught to be gently dealt withal till riper years, Great severity in punishing open offences to be used in the planting of Churches. yet those open offences whereby the building of the Church is hindered in respect either of those who are without, or of those who are in the Church, are severely to be punished. Hither we are to refer those strange judgements which the Lord executed upon the wicked in establishing the legal government by Moses, as upon Corath, Dathan, and Abiram, Numbers. 16.32. yea that severity in putting to death him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath: Numbers. 15.36. yea also those fatherly corrections which the Lord most severely laid upon his own servants, even on Moses himself for doubting of his word, yea upon the whole Church for murmuring and even for the least offence. So was Vzzath smitten. 2. Sam. 6.7. that David and the whole Church who then went about the repairing, the enlarging and adorning of the worship of GOD, might fear the Lord. So in building the temple at jerusalem the least negligence of any of the people in furthering this work had a fearful curse annexed unto it. Nehem. 10.29. So were Ananias and Sapphira smitten with sudden death. Acts. 5. in so much that all both within and without the Church did fear the Lord. So Paul rejected Mark, Acts. 15 38. for leaving them in that long ●ourney which they made for the spreading of the gospel. In this beginning it pleaseth GOD to give great increase unto his Church, so that the preaching of the gospel is more effectual in this infancy of the Church in converting many to the obedience of the faith than it is afterwards. Yea it is a great sign, that they who do not yield obedience at the first, willbe afterwards more and more hardened as the Apostle writeth, 2. Cor. 4.3. If our gospel be yet hid, it is hid to them that perish. Yet the calling of the Lord is not tied to any time, and therefore we are still to use all good means, that those who do not at the first believe, may be won at some other time. 2. Timothy. 2.25. for the effecting whereof, there may more forcible means be used now when as ●he truth hath gotten some footing among them and is received of many: the vanity of their corrupt worship, whatsoever it be, is plainly to be declared and also their miserable and fearful condition living in the same, which at the first could not conveniently have been done. Yea further they are carefully by all means possible to be alured to love the truth by the good behaviour and honest conversation of those who are called, seeing them to be so wonderfully changed from ignorance to wisdom and understanding: from a corrupt and vicious course to a virtuous and godly life: by their courteous and loving behaviour towards them: and generally by avoiding the offending them in all things as far as may be. The which means being diligently used we are not to doubt but that God will give some good success and blessing in the conversion of many. CHAP. V Of ecclesiastical government so far forth as it is determined in the word of God. Sect. 1. Of the laws appointed by God for the governing of the church in general. seeing that we have declared in some sort what it is to prepare the matter for the building of a particular church, we are now to go on with the building of it, and by joining these stones together in the foundation, walls and other principal parts, to give unto it the denomination and form of a house: for whenas a company of men are converted to the faith, & baptised, there is the beginning or first foundation of a church, but not a church, until they join together in some public profession of the faith and the service of God. For even as when a great multitude of men are together in any place, if they live privately every one in his own house not having any thing common, or to do one with another, there is no common wealth: because there want magistrates, laws, and orders to join them together: Again as where there are many stones digged out of the ground (whereunto we resemble the conversion of men to the faith) and also hewed and wrought, so that they have lost their natural rudeness, and now have the form of stones fit to be laid in a building, (which we may not unfitly call the baptizing of those which do believe) if they lie asunder here and there, there is no house till such time, as they be laid, & fastened together ●n the just compass and form of a house; so it is in this case. Men converted and baptised are indeed christians, and members of the catholic Church, The establishing of ecclesiastical laws among believers maketh a Church. yet not of the visible Church, neither do they make a particular Church, until they join together in some public service of God according to those laws and orders which he hath appointed, the which make these stones cleave together. Ephes. 2.11. in Christ all the building being coupled together, groweth to be a holy temple in the Lord. Yea for the most part there was some space of time given to those who were converted, to learn the orders and condition of a Church before they were brought into the form of it: so we read, Act. 14.23. after that they had believed now a good space of time, they had elders appointed, and so became a Church: for most commonly men converted are a few at the first, and therefore must stay till they be a competent number, yea when a sufficient number doth believe, there must be a time to consider the state of the people, to provide fit teachers and rulers, and to make human constitutions for the ordering of them, and for the practising of the laws of God. The laws & orders, the establishing and practising whereof maketh a company of Christians to become a Church, are of two sorts. Ecclesiastical laws, or ecclesiastical government is partly divine and partly huma●●. The first are the laws of God appointed for the governing of the Church: these do contain the substance of the government of the Church and are the same at that same time to all the Churches in the world: the other sort is of human constitutions made for the establishing of the former in some particular place, and do define the circumstances of the former laws, and therefore are diverse in every Church, and to be changed as the circumstance of place, time, persons, and the condition of the Church, doth require. First of the laws of God, then of the laws of men. The laws commonly called Church-government, or from the latter part Church-discipline are that part of the word of God, which prescribeth how particular Churches severally and jointly aught to be ordered in using the public means of the service of God. The first word of this definition giveth us this to understand that God himself is the only lawgiver in his Church as touching the substance of the government, which is not any devise of man but a holy institution of God. Yea we must of necessity grant this royal prerogative to God, None but God can appoint the substance of Church-government. that he be the author of the laws by the which his Church is ordered: and that because he only, and no creature can show after what manner he will be worshipped. So that if there be any other form of government devised by man, it is wilworshippe, and not only not acceptable, but even abominable in his sight. Yea the Church is the house of God wherein he dwelleth and whereof he is the author and owner. And therefore it is good reason that he only should bear rule in it: he ruleth civil societies by the laws of Kings and Princes, but his Church by the laws of Christ his son, whom he hath anointed the only king of his Church. Hence it followeth that these laws are not changeable but perpetual and made to continue as long as the Church remaineth in this world. So. 1. Tim. 6.14. after that the Apostle had set down the sum of this doctrine, he chargeth Timothy to keep those things which he had enjoined until the coming of Christ, that is, that he endeavour by teaching them to others that they might continue for ever. For that these words are to be understood of these laws, it appeareth. Vers. 21. o● the 5. chapter where the same obtestation is used in the same matter. The doctrine of this government is fully, plainly, and perfectly set set down in the word of God, yea every part of it: and therefore whatsoever part of the substance of the government of the Church, cannot be authorized by the word, it is to be rejected: for all the offices, gifts, functions, parts and manner of the service of God, are taught us both by precept and by example. But it is otherwise with the circumstances of this government: for they are not, neither could possibly be defined in the word, and therefore are to be changed as the Church shall think good. But the substance of this government is perpetual, even as is the word of God, which shall never be augmented, and as is the worship of God, which shall not be altered, yea as permanent as is the doctrine of faith, and as general. For as there is but one faith and one GOD, so there is but one means of faith and of serving God: not many as if there were ten thousand Gods to be worshipped: and as if the Church of GOD were a bird of divers colours, one being not like or conformable to another. And therefore as princes which bear rule over many cities, do make them all live under the same form of laws, and as children of the same parents, are like in countenance and suitable in their apparel, so all the particular Churches in the world have one and the same government appointed for them. The chief cause whereby many are induced to think that no certain form of government of the Church is commanded by God, is, for that it is not handled at large and of set purpose in the scripture, but only briefly touched and mentioned by occasion. Whereunto we answer that so are many weighty points of religion not once in plain terms to be found in any part of scripture, and many brought in only upon some occasion the which to call in question, were great impiety: but there is no part of the substance of this government which is not plainly set down in the word. Yea in these laws the wisdom of God doth so clearly shine, that the Angel● do rejoice in beholding that heavenly order by the which the Church is governed. So did the Apostle, Collossians. 2.5. with joy thinks upon the orders of that Church. Although the government of the Church be one and the same at the same time, and even as the word of God belongeth a like to all, there being one uniform order appointed for all, yet the same is changed by God himself as it doth most fitly agree to the present state of the Church: wherein doth appear that manifold wisdom of God, Ephes. 3.10. But the foundation and groundwork of this government doth always remain the same, as we see the laws of kingdoms and commonwealths to be often changed, but yet the fundamental laws whereon the state standeth, do always remain firm and unchanged. This government is always changed unto a better, and more perfect state, even as the Church doth continually grow to perfection. The government of the Church always changed to a better estate. For if we compare the latter ages of the Church generally with the former, we shall find that as there is in particular men a growth in their bodies and souls, so also in the Church. For the latter times do excel the former, not only in number of professors but also in knowledge, and in abundance of all spiritual graces. The cause whereof is, for that it pleaseth God to reveal himself to the world not all at once, but by little and little; Heb. 1.1. even as his word hath been in these last ages more fully declared to the Church then before. Thus shall the Church grow till we all meet in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And herein we cannot resemble the dealing of God more fitly then to that usual manner which parents use in bringing up their children: who do not at the first lay upon them that strait and perfect kind of discipline which afterwards they use, whenas by reason of their riperyares, they are more capable of it. Yea this continual growth of the Church was showed by Ezech. 4.1. vers. 3.4.5. by the rising of the waters to his ankles, knees, loins and head. Sect. 2. Of the divers state● of ecclesiastical government. WE find in the word of God three kinds of Church-government, the first of these was in force before the giving of the law, the second in the time of the law, the third in the time of the gospel. The first we may fitly resemble unto the first infancy of a child being newly borne: in the which although there be all the faculties of the soul, and body, yet they cannot as yet do their functions, and therefore can hardly be discerned, or distinguished. So in this first state there are all the parts of Chuch-government, although they do not so plainly appear as in the other following; What was the state of the Church before the law. there was a ministery of the word although joined or rather confounded with the civil government, for both the offices lay upon the first borne in the family. The word of God was in small measure and seldom revealed, the same was confirmed by divers sacraments and also strengthened by censures against the disobedient. But all these things were little practised, as also the number of professors was very small. For this time was the first infancy of the Church, from which it was continually to grow on to perfection. Next unto this, succeed the manner of government under the law instituted by God by the ministery of Moses, What was the state of the Church under the law. being much more perfit than the former, even as is the childhood to the infancy: so that now all the faculties do their several functions, and may easily be perceived in themselves, and distinguished from the other. The worship of God greatly enlarged, and the number of those that serve God, increased to many millions: the will of God so plentifully and largely revealed that it was of necessity committed to writing, lest that it should be forgotten, many sacraments to confirm the truth of it against unbelief: sharp and severe censures appointed for offenders: and yet this is but the childhood of the Church. ●al. 4.1. & is so far yea much more exceeded in perfection of the third, as it doth exceed the former. The third is in the time of the gospel, wherein the Lord doth as it were put the last hand to the government of his Church: bringing it to that perfecton which should continue to the end of the world. Now is the number of those who serve God increased above measure, in so much that the Church must enlarge her tents and receive all the nations of the earth coming to dwell with her, Esa. 54.1.2.3. and accordingly there is ● most perfect government appointed by Christ, the true nature whereof will the more easily appear if we compare it with the former from the which it doth differ as doth the ripe age of a man from his childhood, so that now the church may truly say; When I was a child, I understood, spoke and did as a child but now I have put away childish things. The ground of this difference is the coming of Christ, in whom all the treasures of the will and wisdom of God were both hid ●nd revealed to the Church. The shadows and ceremonies used before, were made of no use and instead of them the truth itself came in place. Now are all the mysteries of our salvation uncovered, the shadows being driven away by the appearing of the son of righteousness. The graces of the spirit are now as it were with a full hand poured on those which believe, which God kept in store till this time, that by the plentiful pouring of them out, he might celebrate the glorious marriage of Christ with his Church. The state of the Church in the time of the gospel. Hereof doth the whole difference arise: we know that the worship of God is either outward consisting in bodily actions, or inward in the obedience of the heart: this doth the Lord require, the other is not acceptable unto him, but as it proceedeth from this fountain. The outward worship will easily be performed, although it have most straight conditions annexed unto it, as we read Mica. 6.6. where withal shall I come before the Lord? will he accept th●usands of rams. etc. but inward and spiritual worship is not only hard, but also impossible to be performed without the grace of God, as being clean contrary to our nature. And therefore it pleased God in a tender regard which he had to his Church under the law in respect of the weakness of it, to appoint unto them more of that outward worship, and to accept their spiritual service although it were in small measure: but contrarily now under the gospel he requires a great measure of spiritual worship and enjoineth little of the other. This distinction is made by Christ, john. 4.21.23. the time cometh when neither at jerusalem nor on this mount you shall worship my father, but in spirit and truth. This is also that new covenant whereof joel speaketh, whenas God shall pour his spirit upon all fl●sh, not but that the faithful under the law, both had the spirit of God and also performed unto him spiritual worship, without the which the other is but abominable unto him, but yet not in so great measure as now in the time of the gospel. Hence it is that the whole worship of God under the law was very glorious in outward appearance for this end, to purchase obedience and reverence at the hands of the people. Which is contrary to the simplicity of the gospel: for now the whole worship of God is base and contemptible in outward appearance but mighty in the power of the spirit as we read. 1. Cor. 14. if all prophecy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is rebuked of all men, and is judged of all, and so are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, Th● Church in the time of the Gospel hath more of inward grace & less in outward shows and ceremonies. and say plainly that God is in you indeed: the which appeareth by the great abundance of spiritual grace in the time of the gospel: but under the law the priests were not so endued which that measure of spiritual graces, but in steed of them they had outward helps to purchase reverence to the word of GOD and to themselves amongst the people: the temple for outward magnificence most glorious, the holy places had in high account of all men, the priests separated from the rest of the people in many respects: and for the same end the high priest was adorned with glorious robes, that so he might the more excel. But now none of these means are in use: only the powerful simplicity of the gospel is instead far above all. The Church then had but a small measure of knowledge in comparison of these times and accordingly were they taught: but now the Lord looketh for another measure of knowledge and therefore other means of attaining it are necessarily to be used. Lastly this is to be noted that this Church-government was never altered, but by the express commandment of God, as it was ordained by him only: The government of the Church never altered but by men sent immediately from God. the changing of it being confirmed by miracles to be from God, as we may see in the instituting of the legal government by Moses, and this under the gospel by the Apostles, and that change. 2. Chron. 8.26. and 35.15. was by special direction from God. Yea the government of the Church both typical before the gospel, and real in the time of it, was instituted by extraordinary prophets, to wit, Adam, Moses, and Christ's apostles, and so left to ordinary ministers, name, lie to the first borne, then to the levites, and lastly to the ministers of the word in the time of the gospel. Thus much in general of Church-government and of the three divers states of it, whereof order requireth that we should here entreat in particular. But we cannot in this short treatise enter into this wide and large field: and therefore supposing for order's sake this argument to be here handled, we go on to that which followeth. CHAP. VI Of ecclesiastical human laws. Sect. 1. How they differ from the laws of God. THus much of the laws which God hath appointed for the ordering of his church. Now we are to come to the human laws of the Church, the which we will consider, first by comparing them with the aforesaid laws of God, and secondly as they are in themselves. For the first, both kinds agree in name being both called ecclesiastical and in the end which is the good order of the Church, and also in the general subject, which is the public service of God, together with those actions which belong unto it. Yet they differ in many respects; First and especially in the author or efficient, the former kind being made by God himself, the other by men: whereof it cometh that the first kind is far more excellent than the other, the one consisting wholly, and merely of the wisdom of God, the other having in them much weakness and ignorance: the one absolute and perfect, the other continually having wants and imperfections. And therefore the one kind is temporary and mutable, The difference betwixt divine and human ecclesiastical laws. the other perpetual and constant, although when the appointed time of them is expired they are changed by God, but they admit no alteration from man. Further, the laws of God belong to the whole visible Church and to every particular Church, but the other only to some one or a few of them. For as a king who hath dominion o●er many cities doth use himself to make the chief laws by ●he which all and each one of those cities are to be governed, yet he leaveth to them this power to take up and retain customs, fashions, and orders proper to themselves, yea to make particular laws of matters of less moment as may best agree to their several states and conditions: so hath Christ the king of his Church himself made the chief orders but left the rest for the Church to make. Lastly the first kind is about the substance & very form of the service of God, the other about the circumstances of it. And therefore the adding of this latter kind to the former, doth not add any thing to the substance of Church-government but only doth establish it, and maketh that it may conveniently be used. Even as we do often see that the whole and perfect frame of a house in the full proportion of it, is set up not wanting either foundation, walls, or roof, but afterward there are added to it nails and pings to keep the frame fast together, yea dore●, windows, and whatsoever is requisite to make the said frame a commodious dwelling place for the builder of it: even so the government of the Church as it is appointed by God, and hath in some part been described, is the perfect frame of the house of God, the laws of men are the other implements which are added thereunto. Sect. 2. Of the matter of ecclesiastical human lawe●, and how they ought to be taken out of the word of God. THus much briefly of these laws by way of comparison with the other, human ecclesiastical laws are made of the circumstances of God's worship. now we are to consider the nature of them more plainly and distinctly. First for the matter of these laws we see that they are of the circumstances of the government of the Church, to wit, at what time, in what place, yea and how often it ought to be used: all which are usually called rites or ceremonies, and are as it were, the fashions of the Church. As for example, the law● of God is, that there should be ministers in the Church to teach the people: but how often they should teach, at what special times, where and with what gesture, these things are not determined in the word of God, but left to the ecclesiastical laws of men. If it be asked why it hath pleased God to deck and beautify his Church under the law, not only with the substance of government, but also with so many ceremonial laws that scarce any circumstance of any action was left unappointed by himself, and to suffer his Church now in the time of the gospel to be naked and destitute almost of all ceremonial laws, but such as are made by men, we answer rendering three causes thereof. The first is, for that the Church under the law was without that ripeness of knowledge whereunto she hath come in the time of the gospel, and therefore had need to have all the particulars of every action prescribed. But now the Church being endued with more knowledge hath these things left to her discretion, even as we see men use to deal, who if they commit any business to one whom they think to be endued with wisdom and experience, they do not tell him the particular manner of doing, but only thus much in general that they would have such a thing done: otherwise if he want this knowledge, than they leave nothing arbitrary to him but set down every point and the special circumstances thereof. The second cause is this, in the making of these Church-lawes there must be great regard had, (as we afterward, are to show) of the nature, manners, behaviour, and state of that people for whom they are to be made. Now under the law the visible Church did consist of one nation only, to wit, of the jews, but under the gospel all the nations of the world are at one time or other of the Church. So that laws agreeable to each people would have been so infinite, that they could not have been written: neither doth the word of God now belong in any part to any one nation, but generally and equally to all. thirdly the Church being bound in regard of her infancy to the observation of the legal ceremonies, now the Church is set in full liberty by the coming of Christ and no further tied to such outward rites than she listeth herself: so that these ecclesiastical laws made by the authority of the Church, do not stretch themselves unto the substance of the government of the Church, as to the institution of any office beside those which are expressly mentioned in the word. If it be objected that David did add unto the ceremonial law the office of singers. 1. Chro. 6.31. The answer is, that he did this by himself and others, as by prophets, not by any ordinary authority. In the second place we are to see, after what manner and by what rule these laws are to be made. We answer: according to the word of God, the square of all christian and spiritual actions, not only in the ordering of the Church, but also throughout the whole course of a christian man's life. But seeing that they are not expressly mentioned in the word, how doth it appear that they ought to be framed according to this rule? The answer is, that the word doth show, what ought to be done in these things. First by giving general rules to guide us, as these; That there ought to be nothing in these laws unlawful or contrary to the moral law of God, nothing inconvenient, offensive or hurtful to the Church, How human ecclesiastical laws are set down in the word of God. nothing needless and superfluous: yea that they ought to be so made as they may most tend to the glory of God and the edification of the Church. But these rules do belong as well to the particular actions of private men as to the public consultations of the Church, so that they cannot be any certain direction in this behalf. And therefore we must come to the second help which the scripture doth afford us for the making of these laws, to wit, particular examples of the like cases which give a great light in these actions, and are a sufficient warrant for us to imitate, the difference betwixt those cases and those which we have in hand, being wisely observed. But neither this second means is sufficient, forsomuch as particular cases are so infinite, and diverse that there cannot always be found like examples: yea the differences of the examples being found do easily breed great controversy, doubt and error. And therefore we must have recourse to the third and last means which is, that those human laws be made agreeable to the laws of God, and the ceremonies to the substance of Church-government, so as they may most fitly express and resemble the nature of the action. But neither this third way doth always serve for the finding out of the truth, because it is hard to see the true nature o● the action, where unto the ceremony is to be made conformable, especially since the time wherein the government of the Church hath been perverted, altered and almost wholly corrupted: as also because that it is not always easy to judge a right of the general rules and of the examples of the scripture, and of those other points which we are now ●o consider. Yet these are the means which God hath appointed for this purpose, and which being diligently used will by the blessing of God lead us to the truth. Thus we see that the devising of these laws ought to be according to the word of God, and yet so, that they are left arbitrary to the Church: not ●s if it were lawful for them to do what they lift in the least action of their private lives much less in the public ordering of the Church. For the word of God must be our rule according to the which all actions and laws are to be squared and tried. For even those things which are in their own nature indifferent, & left to our own choice to do, or not to do being generally considered, yet whenas they come to be practised & weighed with special circumstances so that the truth doth appear unto us, than they are no more indifferent as before but either good or evil, to be done or not to be done. As in the foresaid instance, at what time the word of God should be publicly preached, is a thing indifferent, whereof there is no commandment in the word, and therefore it is left to the Church to determine. Yet if they appoint those times at which the people cannot conveniently come together, than they do even in this indifferent thing offend against the word of God, which commandeth that in all our actions both private and much more public we do that which may make most for the glory of God and the edification of our brethren: and yet these laws which are so made that they are only inconvenient to the Church not simply unlawful, although they cannot lawfully be made, yet they may lawfully be obeyed. For although it be not lawful for any man to bring grief or inconvenience to his brother, In convenient laws may lawfully be obeyed. yet it is lawful to take and bear that inconvenience, whenas it cannot conveniently be avoided. Sect. 4. According to what rules ecclesiastical human lawe● ought to be made. THus we see that the scripture is the chief rule of these laws: in advising whereof there must consideration be had of all circumstances whatsoever, that as far as may be, they may agree withal, and fight with none, and especially of these. First of the age or condition of the time wherein the Church is: Secondly of the nature, disposition and fashions of the people. Thirdly of the state of that Church for which the laws are to be made. Fourthly of the condition of the civil estate of the kingdom or commonwealth, wherein the Church is built. And lastly of the laws of other Churches. We say that in making Church laws besides the direction of the word, divers other rules are necessarily to be observed. First the state of the time wherein we live, whether it be a time of knowledge wherein men do commonly know the will of GOD, or a time of ignorance and blindness, wherein the word of GOD is rare as it was in the days of Eli. 1. Samuel. 3.1. Hereof due regard is to be had, that neither less nor more be exacted of the people by the laws than the time present can afford: for private ignorances may be suddenly taken away, but public blindness cannot be fully amended but in progress of time. For some times the truth of GOD shineth clearly, even as the sun at noon day, which at other times is overcast with clouds, and mists of blindness, In making ecclesiastical laws regard must be had of the knowledge or ignornance of the time. and shineth more darkly even as the sun in the beginning of the day. This hath been the state of the Church now these many ages, wherein blindness and palpable darkness brought in by antichrist hath overshadowed the face of the whole earth: but now by the mercy of GOD the truth hath these many years, and doth daily more and more appear unto us, insomuch that if we do compare this present time with those days wherein it pleased God not many years past to reveal his will unto us, we shall find a great difference of knowledge in the Church, yea so great ●s that the knowledge which men had at the beginning may seem to have been great ignorance and darkness in respect of the light which now doth appear. So that according to the differences of times, we must also make a diversity of ecclesiastical laws, and that in respect not only of the people but even of them also who do in the name of the whole Church advise and appoint th●se laws▪ who although they do excel all others in knowledge, yet they are partakers of the ignorances, and errors of the time, wherein they live, from the which no man can be wholly freed: as might be declared at large if it were needful to be stood upon, by the which means it cometh to pass that they do: see much more in process of time, than they did at the first, insomuch that they will acknowledge many imperfections in those laws, wherein before there seemed nothing to be wanting. Thus we see, that the liberty, or rather the necessity of preaching the Gospel to the gentiles was in time revealed unto the Church whereof at the first they never dreamt. Acts. 11.18. Secondly if this be granted that they to whom the advising of laws for the Church is commmited, do see the whole truth of those matters whereof they do consult, yet there must be regard had of the state of the Church, and of the people, for whom these laws are to be made, as the Apostle witnesseth, that he could not speak to the Corinthians, 1, Cor. 3.1. as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal men, and that in consideration of this their estate he gave them milk and not strong meat. And in like manner he writeth to the Romans that their salvation was now much nearer than when they did first believe. Rom. 13. where he showeth that the night of ignorance and atheism wherein they had lived, had gone on and passed away by little & little: and in like manner, the day had approached. For the Apostle did see that the gentiles which had embraced the gospel, could not at the first let go their whole course of life, whereunto they had been continually accustomed: and did in that respect, no doubt, tolerate many things amongst them by reason of the time, which afterward were not to be suffered. In regard of the diverse natures of the people, we may consider that some need more sharp and strait laws to keep them in order than others do: The which consideration the Apostle did commend to Titus. Sharper laws to be made for one people then for another. Tit. 1.13. That forasmuch as the Gratians were always liars, evil beasts and slow bellies, therefore he should reprove them sharply. And specially we are here to note the sins whereunto the people are generally and after a sort, naturally given, that they may be repressed by many laws and sharp censures and punishments appointed for them who do offend, and by cutting off the usual occasions of those sins. Yea the manners and behaviours of men commonly received are often times to be marked in appointing the outward orders and ceremonies of the Church. For many things are decent and orderly in one country which would be strange and unseemly in another. Thirdly for the present state of that Church, which we do go about to put in good order by these laws, we are to have a special regard unto it: the which as it is diverse and subject to many alterations; so ought the laws to be changed, so as they may best fit the present state. For as the Church is either in planting, or else in growing to a ripe age, either in great motion or else fully established and settled, pure or corrupt, perfect or imperfect, so all the laws of the Church are to be altered and framed accordingly: of all which estates we are hereafter to entreat. Fourthly the laws of the Church are so to be made as that they do not cross the laws of the commonwealth wherein the Church is, by hindering the Church from performing any civil duty, which is lawful to be done; and to omit many other respects which herein are to be had, this is diligently to be regarded, that we do labour to conform our laws to the laws of those Churches, which are most pure and sincere in the government of the Church: that as we have the same faith and substance of government, so also we may have the same ceremonies and ecclesiastical orders although not all (for that cannot be) yet in the greater part: for besides that this full agreement of Churches in all matters both of lesser and greater importance without any jarring, is as a sweet harmony in the ears of God, and most decent in the eyes of all men even of those who are strangers from the faith: it doth also bring great estimation, authority and obedience to the laws of several Churches. For that hardly any Christian will be found so perverse and wilful, as to contemn, or reject those orders which are approved and practised by many Churches. This argument the Apostle doth often use to establish and keep in force the good orders of the Churches as we may see, 1. Cor. 11.16. and 14.36. and 1. Th●ss. 2.14. Sect. 5 Of the number of ecclesiastical laws. THE number of these laws ought to be defined by the necessity of the Church, that they be so many as are needful for the preservation of the good estate and order thereof, so that if any were taken away, there would a manifest inconvenience follow. Neither ought the number to exceed the necessity of the Church, and that for these causes. First because the multitude of laws is contrary to christian liberty in that it doth both restrain men from doing things which otherwise were very commodious for them to do, and also impose duties, the performance whereof being otherwise needless is a burden and trouble to the Church. For what causes the multitude of ecclesiastical laws ought to be avoided. This reason ought to be of great force for this purpose, especially in this time of the gospel, wherein it hath pleased God, in great mercy and wisdom to take from his Church that heavy yoke of ceremonial laws wherewith she was grievously clogged before, and to endue her being now more nearly joined to Christ her husband, with this notable privilege and benefit of Christian liberty: the which being given by God, man cannot without great injury both to God and man take away. And here by the way we may see what an impious and intolerable tyranny the Church of Rome hath exercised in and over the Church of God, imposing such an infinite number of vain and ridiculous ceremonies as doth far exceed the number both of judicial & also of heathenish ceremonies. And therefore herein we are to follow the example of the Apostles, Act. 15.28. It seemeth good to the spirit of God and to us, not to lay any burden of observations upon the Church more than is needful. Secondly the multitude of ecclesiastical laws doth bring with it a multitude of ceremonies, which in no case is to be admitted: for that it doth derogate from the simplicity of the worship of God: and for an hearty and spiritual serving of God doth institute a dead worship not piercing into the heart. Thirdly where there are many laws there are also necessarily many transgressions of laws: and so the necessary breaking of some maketh the rest to be less obeyed and esteemed. It remaineth that we should show to whom the making of ecclesiastical laws doth belong: but as before we did defer to speak of the first mover in the planting of a Church till we come to the distinct kinds of a Church: so this question must be referred to the same place. CHAP. VII. Of the divers states of a particular Church. Sect. 1. Of an unstablished state of a Church. THus we have declared (as it hath pleased God to give unto us the knowledge hereof) the whole frame of a particular Church: the matter whereof it consisteth being a company of christians called together by the ministry of the word the form likewise being first and chief the laws of God, and secondly the positive laws or constitutions of the Church. The which two kinds of laws divine and human, whenas they are joined together and put in practice among a believing people, then is the whole frame of the house of God set up. The which although it be in itself one and the same, and according to the word of God ought to be fully and purely established in all places, yet (by reason of man's infirmity not being able to perform the will of God in perfect manner and of the malice of Satan, labouring by all means to hinder this work) when it is put in practice, it receiveth many alterations, whereof come the diverse states of a Church. In all which this is generally to be noted, that they have many aber●ations from the form of government prescribed in the word of God, the which may lawfully be tolerated, where by reason of the present state of the Church, they cannot be amended, yet so as that we do always aim at that which ought to be. The lets whereby this work is hindered that it cannot come to perfection at the first are of two kinds, natural & violent; The first kind we call natural, because they arise of no outward cause but even of the very hardness of the work itself, as these for example. It cometh often to pass, that men although converted from infidelity to faith yet cannot at the first be brought to submit themselves wholly to the government of the Church: The difficulty of planting a Church maketh an unestablished state. yea there can hardly be gotten at the first a sufficient number of teachers endued with sufficient gifts for this great work. Besides it is not to be hoped that the laws whereby the Church is governed should be soon brought to perfection. For neither the laws of God will be thoroughly known, till they have been some time practised, neither the human constitutions of the Church made fit to the people and agreeable to all circumstances, till use do show them to be convenient in all or else inconuenint in some respects what is wanting in them & what is superfluous. By these means and many other of the same kind it cometh to pass that th● Church is for some space of time, although both founded an● built, yet not strongly fastened together, nor in any firm, constant & settled estate. Yet this is not an imperfect state of a Church wherein some part of the government is wanting, but a state unestablished. Even as we see that although the parts of the body of a child are not as ye● so firm and compact, neither his whole body hath attained to that strength and firm constitution whereunto it groweth, yet he is not therefore maimed or imperfect: so it is in the Church the which groweth from one age, state and strength to another even as a man's body doth. In this estate all Churches are at the first, and so do continue, either a longer or a shorter time as the hindrances of the building of them are many or few, great or little. Thus were the Churches in the days of the Apostles: yea many of them did continue so a long time, because it was a matter of great difficulty to build them and to bring them to any good estate: for then all the orders of the Church were strange unto them for that they were lately ordained and had not been practised before. Hence it was that after they were planted and fully built by the Apostles, they did still require their continual care, as P●ule saith of himself, 2. Corin. 11.28. that the care of all the Churches lay upon himself. For although he being present with them or by the means of others, did set all things in due order, yet they did not continue long in that estate, but fell into many abuses and disorders in life, doctrine and government, the which may be seen as in other so especially in the Church at Corinth the which whilst it was in this unestablished state was even over grown with disorders. And so it is with other Church's being not fully settled: for as a ●ouse may be easily shaken a sunder before the parts of it be firmly joined together, and as children in their young age are subject to many dangers and are easily hurt: so the government of Churches is most commonly confounded and ●roden under foot, before it be confimed by use and practise. In the which respect they to whom the care of such Churches is committed, aught to be so much more diligent and watchful as the danger is greater than at other times yea in regard of the infancy or weak estate of the Church they may and aught to remit somewhat of the strict form of government and especially of discipline, whenas the good of the people shall so require. Thus, as was before noted, dealt Paul with the Corinthians, unto whom he gave milk as to infants not strong meat, 1. Cor. 3.2. And likewise with the Thessalonians 1. Thess. 2.7.8. though we might have been burdensome to you as the Apostles of Christ yet we were tender among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her own children. Sect. 2. Of a pure and perfect state of a Church. WHen the government of the Church with those other laws appertaining unto it, is fully established and practised, than the Church hath a pure and perfect estate: both which in regard of outward government, may be attained unto, howsoever no christian man's life severally considered can possibly be without diverse corruptions, and imperfections in this world. A pure estate is that wherein God is served according to his own will and ordinance only the whole order and government of the Church being free from all spots of idolatry, superstition and all traditions or devices of men swerving from the truth of the word of God. The examples of this exact purity are very few, beside the first Churches built by Moses among the Israelites, and by the apostles among the christians in jerusalem. For immediately after their days crept in corruption, the stain whereof is hardly removed. Yet the Church had this purity in some measure in the days of the religious kings of Israel who did cast out of the Church all relics monuments and shadows of corruption. And likewise in divers places since the time of the Gospel, especially in these last days wherein it hath pleased God to bring his Church out of that sink of Antichristianisme; and to reveal the right way and manner of his service. Yea churches as they have a small beginning from the which they rise, and a state unestablished wherein they continue for some space of time so also they may at length attain to a perfect state whereunto they do daily grow and whereat they ought continually to aim. It is then attained unto whenas all those ordinances which Christ hath appointed for the governing of his Church, are fully established▪ all the ecclesiastical functions and all those means whereby the Church is to be edified in the obedience of the faith, being used so far forth as human infirmity doth permit. For although we both prophecy, govern, teach, exhortobey and practise only in part in this life. 1. Cor. 13. yet the wants that are in the particular actions of men, do not make an imperfection in the church. So that when there is no office of the Church wanting, none negligently executed, but that he that exhorteth laboureth in exhortation, the teacher in doctrine, he that distributeth in simplicity, and he that ruleth, in diligence, he that showeth mercy in cheerfulness, and whenas the people do by these means lead a godly and a christian life agreeable to their profession, then is there a perfit state of a Church. The which although as hath been heretofore noted, it can hardly be attained especially of Churches consisting of great multitudes of professors, yet we are to do our endeavour, committing the success of our labours to the blessing of God, to whom nothing is hard or impossible: yea who doth so bless and prosper them that labour in the building of his church far above their own expectation that they shall see such fruit of their labours, which would seem impossible to be brought to pass by the means of any man. Sect. 3. Of the flourishing estate of a Church. THe Lord in mercy is yet more gracious to his Church, and granteth that in many places it should have not only a perfect but also a flourishing estate, the which is to be considered in these things. First when as the Church doth consist not of a small company of believers, The number of Christians is to increase daily. but of great multitudes professing the name of Christ, praising him, calling upon him and serving him: the which no doubt is a happy thing and most earnestly to be wished. In this respect the Churches in these days do flourish as it is to be hoped that they will do more and more. For this is the time wherein the Lord hath appointed that the fullness of the gentiles shall come in and not only a few here and there, but even whole countries, kingdoms and nations submit themselves to the obedience of the gospel. Of the great number of believers it cometh that there are in the Church many notable examples of godliness and of all spiritual graces, yea greater variety of them then is to be found in small congregations, although usually it cometh to pass by the malice of Satan and the corruption of men, that multitude maketh confusion in the Church, and can hardly be brought to the due order of a Church as we are to consider hereafter. Secondly the flourishing estate of a Church consisteth in the ab●nd●●ce of the graces of God's spirit, whenas knowledge, wisdom, the gifts of teaching and all other which make for the building of the Church, are plentifully poured upon it, when as that cometh to pass, which the prophets foretold of the times of the Gospel, that the spirit of God should be poured upon all flesh: the which as it was accomplished in the primitive Church on the which the Lord did immediately and extaordinarily pourefoorth all the graces of his spirit in such plentiful manner, as was never in the Church before, not shall be till the Church be perfected at the appearing of Christ: So now the hand of the Lord is not shortened, but he doth still continue this mercy to his Church, although after a diverse manner for now we are not to look for the extraordinary gifts of prophecy, The primitive Church did most flourish in spiritual gifts. speaking in strange tongues, working miracles, and such like, by the which the primitive Church was most glorious and did flourish in most wonderful manner (for these served only for the first planting of the Church) neither are we to look either for the like measure of gifts, ●r for 〈◊〉 graces of knowledge, wisdom, the gifts of interpretation, teaching, exhorting, or any other immediately from God as they had. For this also was proper to those times, in the which because it was not meet that the building of the Church should not go forward till men had attained these gifts by ordinary means, therefore it pleased God immediately to supply their wants. But now these are not attained but by ordinary means, and yet the Lord doth oftentimes grant them to his Church in such abundance and in so great measure as that they do make a flourishing estate of a Church. A special note whereof in this behalf is when there are many endued with those excellent gifts of knowledge and wisdom whereby the whole Church may be furnished with wise and learned teachers. This is to be looked for in those places and countries which God hath blessed with a long and continual peace. So it is, Act. 9.31. The Churches had peace throughout Galatia, jury, and Samaria, and were edified and did go on in the consolation of the holy spirit. For even as for the building of that glorious temple, the Lord did give a long time of peace in the days of Solomon, so doth he also when it pleaseth him to have a flourishing Church in any place. Yea for a flourishing estate in the gifts of his spirit, there is in these days required abundance of learning and of men endued with singular gifts, both of nature and industry. For God doth sanctify these for the edifying and beautifying of his Church. Hereof it was that the Churches of Corinth & Alexandria changed their subtle and learned Philosopher's into most excellent divines. But especially they of Corinth did flourish notably in a wonderful abundance of all graces above all other Churches: whereof we read that they had the gifts of prophecy, tongues, interpretations, yea and all other as the Apostle witnesseth, 1. Cor. 1.6. and that in great measure. In regard whereof the Apostle sait●, 1. Cor. 4.8. That they were enriched and did reign as kings without him. Neither are these graces bestowed only upon the teachers and rulers in the Church but in this flourishing estate they are even as that precious ointment which being poured upon Aaron's head did run down to the skirts of his garments. So that in the flourishing time of the Church, many of the people do attain to a great measure of knowledge and all other graces. And therefore those kingdoms and nations which it hath pleased GOD to bless with peace, learning, abundance of excellent men and such other blessings, are to think that all this is done for this end, that God may have not only a perfect but even a flourishing Church among them. Therefore whenas the commonwealth of the jews was most flourishing in the days of the kings of juda, then was the temple, the worship of God and the whole Church in a most glorious estate. Yea although we have a Church, yet we are to desire this estate of it and to be sorry for the lack of it. So Esr. 3.12. we read that many of the priests, levites and heads of the fathers & elders who had seen that most glorious temple of Solomon, did lament the mean estate of the second temple. And no doubt but it is a thing which would wring tears out of any christian heart to behold the mean, corrupt & imperfect estate of Churches in those kingdoms and countries which abounding with learning, men of wisdom, knowledge, zeal, and of all spiritual graces which are needful for this purpose, might have their Churches in most flourishing estate, if the Lord would once put into their hearts to employ those blessings which they have, to beautify and adorn his Church. Sect. 4. Of that estate of the Church wherein the building of it is hindered. HItherto we have declared how the frame of this spiritual house of God is to be set up: the beginning, progress and perfection of it, and how it is to be continued and ordered in the several states. The which happy and joyful success of this work, although they who labour in it both aught earnestly do desire as making greatly for the glory of God, and also may lawfully hope for, for that it pleaseth God to grant it often to the Church, yet they are not so confidently to look for it, but that withal, they do consider that the building of the Church is also often, yea usually and for the most part hindered and stopped by one means or other. So that it cannot be begun, or at the least not perfected and continued in any good estate. The building of the Church being hindered by some violent means, (for of the natural hindrances we have already spoken) becometh hard, troublesome and dangerous. Whereby it cometh to pass that many who did before labour diligently and painfully in this work, do now faint and give it over: so we read, 2. Tim. 4.15. that although the Apostle had many fellow-labourers at other times, yet when persecution came, all did forsake him, as also the disciples did forsake Christ at his apprehension. God maketh the building of the Church troublesome and dangerous for the trial of those who build it. Whereas they ought to be encouraged to go on so much the more cheerfully in this work, considering that the Lord doth suffer it to be hindered, that he might by this means try their faithfulness and sincerity of love towards his glory, if for the procuring and advancing of it, they will not refuse any trouble, danger, or loss of temporal things. And further also that he might work and increase in them patience, whereby they may quietly expect the time wherein he will give a prosperous success to their labours. Yea by this means they learn to rely themselves wholly upon him, whenas they see that by reason of the strength of the adversaries they cannot possibly bring to pass that which they do desire. The hindering of this work is to be ascribed to the malice of sathan, who seeing that there is nothing which maketh so much for the glory of GOD and the salvation of men, (unto both which he is a professed enemy) as doth the building of the Church of GOD, doth labour by all means that this work should either not be taken in hand, or at the least not go forward and continued as it ought. And as he is strong and mighty both to ha●e t●e C●●rch with a perfect and deadly m●lice, and also to 〈◊〉 the ●ame effectually (th● L●rde ●o permitting) 〈…〉 so great as that no m●n ●a● di●cou●● tho●e infinite sleights and ways by the 〈◊〉 he doth hinder the edifying both of the Church and also of every particular member of it. The which although they may in some measure be perceived of those who are exercised in thi● spiritual warfare as the Apostle witnesseth, 2. Corin. 2.11. saying, We are not ignorant of the devices of Satan, yet they a●e fully and perfectly known unto the Lord only: who also doth so frustrate and disannul them, as that they shall never finally prevail against any of his elect. But of those hindrances which Satan caste●h before particular men in the way of th●ir salvation, we are not here to speak, but only of those whereby he hindereth the setting up or continuing of the frame of the Church in any place, wherein how wonderfully he hath prevailed from time to time, it may ●aselie appear to him that doth consider in how few places of the world the Church hath at any time had any dwelling place, or at the least any good, pure, perfect, and permanent ●state. And to l●t pass the first ages of the world which were before the coming of Christ, wherein the Church was either shut up in one family, or contained within the compass of one small country, the whole world besides remaining in ignorance, idolatry, and atheism: if we come to the time of the gospel, wherein the Church should be in the best and most flourishing estate, we shall s●e how strangely sathan hindered the building of those Churches which the Apostles did plant in many places of the world: insomuch that many of them w●re soon dispersed and most of those which did continue for some space of time, did not grow on to any pure and perfect estate, The Church vtt●r●y ●uer thrown to man's judgement. but did daily decline from that purity wherein they were at the fi●st established, till such time as they were either clean overthrown and rooted out, as we● see the Churches throughout Asia, Africa, and a great part of Europe to have been, or 〈◊〉 least so defaced and corrupted in respect of the 〈…〉 God, the purity of doctrine and the order and government of them, as that till of late we could scarce have acknowledged the visible Church in any place. Yet the Lord doth never suffer sathan to prevail so far against the Church as that he should be able to take the name of it from off the earth and wholly to overthrow it, but doth always reserve some place for his Church to remain in: where he will have his name called upon and his elect enjoy the means of their salvation. The building of the Church is hindered by the malice of sathan yet by the ministery of men whom he useth as instruments for the ●ffecting of his purpose. Yet not all after the same manner: for some do indeed hinder this work, which notwithstanding in desire, affection and endeavour do help it forward, as they who do build out of order, or not in due time a●d season. But there is another k●●d of hinderers who a●e truly and properly so called, and these do of set purpose ●●nder the building of it. The which no doubt is not only a strange thing (although it be most usual in the world) that any man should be given up to such a reprobate and senseless mind, as to labour by all means to overthrow and deface that, wherein his chief felicity doth consist: but also a most fearful case, for as the Apostle witnesseth. 1. Cor. 3.17. Who so destroyeth the temple of God which is holy, him shall GOD destroy. And Philip▪ 1.28. to be an adversary to the Church, is a sign of perdition, howsoever the Lord may change the heart of the most fierce enemy which his Church hath, and make him become a favourer of it, as we see in the example of Paul. Sect. 5. How the Church is to be built against professed hinderers. THey who do of set purpose hinder the building of the Church are of two sorts, to wit professed or hypocritical. Of both these kinds the Apostle forewarneth the elders of the Church which was at Ephesus, Act. 20.29. saying, I know that after my departure fierce wolves shall come in upon you not sparing the flock. The other kind followeth: And of yourselves there shall arise men speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them. And so doth Christ his disciples Math. 24.9.10. open persecutors shall kill you and ye shallbe hated of all men, yea many that believe shall be offended, and one shall betray an other, and many false prophets shall arise and deceive many. These hinderers as they are divers, so they are diversly to be dealt withal: yet this belongeth unto them all, that whenas they are obstinately and desperately malicious in hindering the building of the Church they are subject to the imprecations of the said Church. Neh. 6.14, and 2. Timo. 4.14. professed hinderers are such as are not members of the Church: for no man can profess himself to be both a servant to Christ and a hinderer and defacer of his glory, which shineth only in the Church and is obscured by hindering the building of it, more than by any other means: but they who hating Christian religion do by all means labour to hinder the propagation of it, and that most commonly by open violence. These may lawfully be resisted by violence as they do oppugn the truth, as we read, that the people of the jews did, who did build with the one hand, and hold their weapons with the other. Neh. 4.17. therefore these are called the lords battles. And hereof we need not doubt, but that the force of open enemies labouring to overthrow the Church may and aught to be resisted by force. There is no cause of war so just, as is the defence of the Church: neither any wherein we may be more bold to look even for the extraordinary help and blessing of God in fight for us: for the good and safety whereof, all the creatures in heaven and in earth do serve. Thus joah encourageth his brother. 2. Sam. 10.12. quite thee like a man and let us be valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God. Sect. 6. How the Church is to be built, whenas the civil magistrate is a professed enemy to the Gospel. IT cometh often to pass, that the building of the Church is hindered by the civil rulers who ought to be the chief furtherers of it, being placed by God in authority for this end, that by their means the people might live a quiet life in all godliness and honesty. 1. Timo. 2.2. But the people by their sins do often pull upon themselves as diverse other judgements, so also profane and Godless rulers, so much abhorring from the true worship of God that they do not only not embrace it themselves, but also hinder their subjects from using it. The which is a lamentable case & even a horrible confusion of all things, whenas the sword of the magistrate is stretched out against the Church, the members and builders of it, which was appointed chiefly for the maintaining of it, yet we have many examples hereof in all ages, of kings, princes, Emperors & all kinds of rulers who have opposed their whole power and authority to the building of the church. This was the state of the church, for the space of diverse hundred years in the first time of the Gospel, the which did miserably labour under the cross of persecuting Emperors, & the like may be seen in every age. And therefore it belongeth to all Christians to know, how far they may go in building the Church in this state of things and whether that it be lawful, as before to build the Church and to maintain the same being built by force against the violence of the civil power. The answer to this question is diverse, according to the diversity of rule and of subjection, for some magistrates do so rule, Two ki●des of civil authority and 〈◊〉. a● that they themselves are in some sort to be overruled by others, yea they are subject to laws as other men are, so as if they do transgress either in their private life or in public administration, they are to be called to account, and to be brought into order by the people or by the chief and noblest of them, in the name of the rest. These may lawfully by the aforesaid power of ●he people, (but not by any private man or company of men) be compelled to suffer the building of the Church to go forward. But this is no answer to the question: for here subjects do not resist a higher power but the civil power being divided betwixt the people and the rulers, one part of it resisteth the other, in the which combat the lower power ought to give place to the higher, and therefore the magistrates to the whole body of the people, by the which they were put in office to rule them severally and jointly in the name and by the authority of all. For this kind of magistrates is to be accounpted as deputies or substitutes to the people and may lawfully be deposed by them, when the common good doth so require. Yea if any people have submitted themselves to any authority with condition of having the true worship of God and the free use of it they are not bound to obey if the said condition be broken. What magistrates may be resisted in the cause of the Church. But there is another kind of government wherein the ruler (for usually he is but one) hath greater authority and a more sure standing in his place, in that he is not chosen or appointed by the people to rule, neither doth take his authority at their hands as their gifts, but hath it from God, from his predecessors, and from himself. These rulers are for the most part great kings and monarchs who do obtain kingdoms by hereditary succession from their ancestors, The original of absolute authority having either by force conquered the dominion of those places or by the favour and consent of the people obtained that great authority for themselves and their posterity: Yea often a temperate and mean power being granted, doth increase to this immoderate and absolute authority whereof we speak▪ The which although it were at the first conquered by violence and unjust dealing, Unjust conquest and usurpation may become a lawful dominion. yet if afterwards it be by the general and continual consent of the people admitted, acknowledged and obeyed, it is to be accounted a lawful authority. Now in many of those kingdoms the rulers are not tied to any covenants or conditions by the which they should rule, but only so far forth as they do voluntarily submit themselves, for the more quiet obtaining & enjoying of their kingdoms. Yea they have the full and absolute authority of the land in their own hands, and inherent in their own persons, insomuch that all others within their dominions jointly and severally considered, are in respect of them private men. Of this kind was the kingdom of Israel, as hath been showed in the former treatise, and many other in the which (that we may apply this to our purpose) it was not lawful for any of the people to resist the civil authority by open force, no not in the cause of setting up or maintaining the Church, as appeareth by the history and examples of the said kings. Yea this is agreeable to the word of God, which teacheth that we ought not to do that which is good, but by good, lawful and ordinary means: but to resist the civil power, is evil, and greatly displeasing in the eyes of God. Yet we ought to use all lawful means, for the setting forward of this work, when it is hindered by these magistrates: as first, to solicit the cause of the Church, at their hands, yea even with our own danger as did Hester, Est. 4.14.16. & Nehemias. Neh. ●. 4. and to labour to bring them to the knowledge of the truth. Yea further if it be so needful to redeem the freedom of religion with our goods by paying to our rulers great tributes that the Church may be established. Also by showing our faithful obedience, loyal submission and dutiful service even to the unbelieving rulers as did Daniel, Nehemias, and many other godly men. By the which means and such like the Lord working together, in whose hands the hearts of kings are to turn at his pleasure, it may happily come to pass, that they will become lovers and furtherers, yea members of the Church, or at the least not haters and hinderers of it, but if they do continue obstinate, and as it usually cometh to pass, become persecutors of the Church. Then in the first kind of government the people may use either that secret authority which as yet remaineth in their own hands, or else the liberty and benefit of conditional obedience, and so notwithstanding the civil ruler build the Church as they ought to do. But in the other kind of government we may not build with the one hand & hold our weapons with the other against that great, absolute and majestical authority: for here God giveth no other weapons where withal to fight save only patience to suffer their ungodly dealing, and if they become malicious and bloody persecutors of the Church, wings to fly. For that in time of persecution moved either by our own magistrates, or by any other power, we may fly for our safety, we are taught even by the light of nature, which moveth every one to preserve his life by all good means. But nature is an evil counsellor in cases of religion, and therefore we have a more sure ground whereon to rest in this behalf, even the word of God, whereunto we are to hearken, giving us this liberty, yea this counsel, that when we are persecuted in one place we should fly to another as the primitive Church was dispersed except the Apostles. Act. 8.1. yea this is good not only for ourselves but also for the Church: for by this means we preserve the Church, which otherwise would be destroyed in us. Besides, those who are weak, and doubt of their constancy ought not to tempt God by undergoing extreme danger. Fli●ht i● time of persecution, always lawful and often good for the Church. Yea the Lord useth thi● means for the enlarging of his Church. Act. 8.4. yet sometimes God doth not grant unto us this liberty of flying, but giveth the persecutor power over us that by this means he may try our soundness and constancy in the profession of his truth. Yea sometimes it is also expedient for the Church that we do not use this liberty though we may: as if our suffering be like to bring many to the profession of the truth or to confirm the weak, or to avoid the slander of the enemy, objecting to us fearfulness, hypocrisy, want of faith, and of the hope of eternal life, Sect. 7. Of the building of the Church hindered by the civil ruler being a christian. THus much of professed hinderers being open enemies to the Church. Now we come to those who although they profess themselves members of the Church, and such as do by all means labour to build it, yet in truth they do hinder the same, yea often more than the open enemy doth. And to let others pass, the greatest hurt is done by those who are public in the Church, unto whom the building and furthering of this work doth belong, as namely the civil ruler being a member of the Church, and the ecclesiastical governor, or the minister of the word. For as when the light of the body is darkness, how great is that darkness? so when the builders of the Church are the hinderers of it, how great is that hurt? For the first, the civil ruler (for so we speak as of one because that kind of government is most usual, may greatly hinder the building of the Church, although he do in part further the same: as namely if together with the profession of the true worship of God, he do retain some part of some false worship or the relics and memorial of it, whereby many are offended and hindered. Secondly if he hinder the establishing of any part of the government of the Church, commanded in the word, or else the function of any office: and finally if he do by any means hinder the course of the gospel and the building of God's Church in that place. Hear we have other means to use, the civil ruler being a member of the Church. For first we may be more bold in moving him to regard the building of the Church, the which doth as much concern his own good and salvation as the good of any other. We may also have great hope that he will be moved by the advise of them, who are godly, wise and learned in his realm. Yea those that are the ministers of the word of GOD, by whose means the Church is built, may deal more plainly with him and exhort, yea charge him in the name of God, who will one day take an account of him how he hath discharged his duty to the Church of God, that he do by all means labour to advance the Gospel of Christ and to beautify his Church. If nothing prevail, than we ar● to commend the cause to the Lord, who can easily moveth hearts of rulers, the which he doth sometimes by some judgement or plague laid upon them, or their land: as we read that Elias made Achab put away idolatry by bringing an extreme famine upon his whole land. But what is to be done in this case, if that none of these means, having been discreetly, faithfully and importunately used can prevail; that there ought not any outward force to be used against the will of the ruler, unless it be in such a government, wherein the rulers may after a sort be ruled, it hath been declared. There remaineth nothing to be done, unless the Church use her censure of excommunication against her disobedient son, thus obstinately hindering this work. But herein there are many things to be considered; And first, whether this censure may lawfully be used against the rulers, or rather exercised upon them. For the answer whereof we are to consider, that as there is but one salvation, and one glory both for rulers and subjects, so also there is but one means appointed by God in his Church to attain thereunto, belonging equally to all that be within the Church of what state or condition soever they be. And therefore as the preaching of the word, the administration of the sacraments; so likewise ecclesiastical censures tending to the same end, The Censures of the Church belong as well to christian rulers as to ●he people. do belong to all that be of the Church. Yea it is a thing most commendable in a prince, that (whenas no man can compel him to it) of his own accord he submitteth himself unto all the ordinances of God, and by this means giveth example unto the people of obedience. But although it may lawfully be done, yet there are so many incommodities which would follow the use of it, that it will be found seldom or never convenient to be done. For first by this means the civil ruler who doth profess himself to be a favourer of the Church, although he be not a sound friend may be alienated quite from it, and so cast away all care of furthering the building of it. By the which means the Church may come utterly to ruin being destitute of his help who is the builder of it, it being a public church as most commonly it is where the civil ruler is a member of it. Secondly, it is greatly to be feared, lest that by this means, the civil authority receive some disgrace, the authority, dignity & majesty whereof if it be of that kind ought by all means to be maintained. In regard of the first inconvenience we are to consider the disposition of the prince and the present state of the Church, and not to do it, till that by mature deliberation it be found to be for the good, both of the one and of the other. For otherwise if the whole state of the Church shallbe hazarded by this means, we ought not to do it. It is better to have an imperfect or corrupt state of a Church with the favour of the ruler than none at all by his displeasure. Yea also in this respect it is needful that he do first acknowledge himself subject to the censures of his Church, before they can be used on him: that so by his own confession, at least in his conscience, he may approve their doing to be both agreeable to the word of God and also not repugnant to that loyalty which they own unto him. Which if he do not, than this censure cannot be used, because all laws and constitutions take hold of th●m who are under the same, not of those who are not. In regard of the second inconvenience these cautions are to be used. First that it be not done but upon a great urgent, & evident cause as whenas his hindering of the building of the church is not so much of ignorance as of malice, pride, and some such corruption in him. Secondly that it be not suddenly done but that first, What cautions are to be observed in excommunicating the c●uill ruler. all patience be used by forebeareing and expecting the changing of his mind to acknowledge the truth. Thirdly, that (unless it be needful to be otherwise) it be done by the secret opinion and estimation of men, accounting him not worthy the name of a Godly and Christian prince or of a faithful brother, rather than by the open and public promulgation of the sentence of excommunication. So we read. 1. Sam. 15.30.31. that when as Samuel, did after a sort excommunicate Saul the first king of the jews by declaring him to be forsaken of God and cast out of his favour, yet he had care to keep the dignity or rather the majesty of his person and calling before the people: and therefore he did at his request go with him, and honour him with his company in the sight of the w●ole people. And lastly that if it be needful that the sentence of excommunication should be openly pronounced yet that there be added a declaration of the nature of this censure, to wit, that it doth not touch his civil government, or derogate any jot from the majesty of his person, the authority of his place and calling, the obedience which his subjects own unto him (save only that a Christian, godly, virtuous and religious prince who is zealous in advancing the glory of God and procuring the good of his Church, ought more highly to be esteemed, more cheerfully obeyed and more entirely loved, than an infiddel or then a wicked and obstinate ruler, professing faith. For whenas we make it lawful to excommunicate the the civil ruler, we do not mean any popish kind of excommunication whereby the pope doth curse, and depose all those princes which shake off the yoke of his corrupt and profane worship: for the nature of excommunication is far from the nature of a curse, it being only a mere separation from the outward society of the church, Excommunication is no curse, neither toucheth the authority of the magistrate. which doth not in any respect touch or diminish his authority, as hath been said, otherwise it were not lawful to excommunicate the civil ruler: for so much as we are flatly forbidden by the word of God to curse the ruler of the people. Therefore did Paul call back that speech uttered against the high priest maliciously hindering the building of the Church. Act. 23.5. Sect. 8. Of the Church hindered by the ministers of the word. AS the ministers of the word of God, are the proper builders of the Church; so they are often used by sathan as a means to hinder the same. And no doubt but that they are most fit instruments for this purpose, and whenas they are so set, most dangerous and pernicious hinderers of this work. As if the wolf can have the shepherd to put the sheep into his mouth, what need he any more for the utter destroying of the whole flock? and yet this kind of hinderers is very ordinary as we may see throughout the whole scripture. For so the building of the material temple was hindered by false prophets. Nehe. 6. Yea none did so importunately hinder or so spitefully entreat the true prophets of God, as did the false prophets, and the whole company of worldly & carnal minded priests. Thus we se. 2. Chro. 18.23. that Zedekia did to Micha and jere. 20.1. Pashur to jeremy, the priests, Scribes & Pharisees to our saviour Christ: the false Apostles to Paul. Such were those foolish & vainglorious preachers at Corinth, who swelling in a fond opinion, and a foolish use of human wisdom did build upon the good foundation of the sincere, plain and simple doctrine of the truth, hay, stubble, wood and such things, as would be afterwards consumed with the fire, that is, would be found in examination to have no substance of true religion. These did seem to build as well, yea much more than the apostle, but they were deceitful workers, and by this working did greatly hinder the true building of the church. For if there were no builders, all men that do profess the faith, would seek for some, but these deceitful builders persuade men that they are the true ministers of Christ (and no marvel, when as Satan himself that foul and loathsome spirit, doth transform himself into an Angel of light) and so they hinder them of faithful and painful teachers. Lastly these hinderers may be known by their fruits as Christ teacheth us Math. 7.15.16. even by their dissolute lives the which they spend in seeking not the salvation of men and Gods glory but their own pleasure, ease, commodity, yea riches and preferment. Yea this their hypocrisy is to be detected (lest otherwise their purpose of hindering the Church do prevail) and that both by word, when occasion serveth, and also by the contrary sincerity of the true builders. Thus Christ dealeth with the Scribes and pharisees. Math. 23. and in many other places. Sect. 9 Of an imperfect state of a Church. WHenas the building of the Church is hindered by any means, it cometh to pass that the state of it is imperfect, corrupt, or both. For although in Christ the Church be perfect and pure, yet she being in this world, is often otherwise. An imperfect state of a church is when as some part of the government of the church is wanting, as if the ministery of the word be wanting or if the ministers do seldom and negligently preach the word of GOD unto the people. Yet not the wants that are in any few men, but those which are general and tolerated by the public laws, or the common consent of the church, make an imperfect state. The imperfection is so much the more grievous as the offices or functions of the offices which are wanting, are more needful in the church. And therefore whenas there is no preaching ministery in the Church, the want is great and the case most lamentable: because God hath ordained that his church should be built, and his servants saved by preaching, the which being wanting, the ordinary means of faith and of salvation is also wanting. The want of any office is to be supplied by that which is nearest unto it: Public wants are to be privately supplied. so did the levites supply the want of the priests, being by reason of their legal uncleanness not meet to sacrifice. 2. Ch●o. 29.34. Yea that which is publicly wanting is privately to be supplied, what part of God's worship or any thing belonging to it, soever it be. Yet we must not rest herein, but carefully labour for a full and perfect form of government, whereof how much is wanting, so much of the means of our salvation is wanting. And therefore we are here to consider how we may live in an imperfect Church and how we ought to forsake it. For the first, we need not doubt, but that we may lawfully remain in a Church, the which wanteth some office or function appointed by God: yea that our service willbe in some measure accepted of God, How we may lawfully remain in an imperfect Church. who winketh at the infirmities and imperfections of his faithful servants, whether private or public. Even as he did at the passouer offered by Ezechias and the people wherein many things required by the law were wanting, yea the Church seldom attaineth and keepeth so absolute & perfect as that nothing is wanting in it. Thus many of the Churches in the days of the Apostles wanted some offices which were afterwards supplied. And in the ages following the troubles and persecutions of the Church made many wants in it, the which may be borne with these conditions. First when as they are not so great, but that notwithstanding them, we have the means of salvation & edificarion. Secondly if that the want be not wilful but constrained and necessary, as when the jews intermitted the use of circumcision in the wilderness. Lastly if that we do still aim at a perfect state, considering that the other is neither so available for the glory of God (unto whom we should not offer any lame, blind or maimed sacrifice or any imperfect service) or yet so effectual for our salvation. For although a man may preserve his natural life with bread and water, yet he ought to desire the use of other creatures serving for his purpose, that he may live in strength and vigour of body and mind. Sect. 10. Of a corrupt state of a Church specially of idolatrous worship. A Corrupt state is, whenas in steed of the true and sincere government appointed by God, a false government contrary to the word of God & hindering the edification of the Church is publicly established or used, or whenas some part of the government is corrupted. The causes of this estate are these, first an imperfect state: for the want of any part of the government breedeth corruption. For where there is no teaching, there must needs be general ignorance and many errors in judgement: where powerful exhortation is not used, there the graces of the spirit belonging to the practice of christianity are wanting: and where the censures of the Church are not in force, there dissoluteness in the lives of men must needs prevail. The second cause is, the relics of the former false worship being not wholly abolished, the which are like unto a root left in the earth, and to a wound or sore the which being not well cleansed, will fester and send forth much corruption. Hence came that corruption of popery, to wit, from the relics of judaisme and heathenism: and so that leaven having once infected the whole lump of the Church, we know that although the substance of it be taken out, yet the taste and sourness of it doth remain in many places. The kinds of a corrupt state are many as are the parts of the sincere government. For the first the ministry of the Church may be many ways out of order, as if it be sufficient, and destitute of guilts needful, or if the manner of execution of it be corrupt, as when it is turned into vain ostentation and to an unprofitable affection of learning, reading, wit, memory and other common gifts. Then followeth a corrupt worship consisting in outward rites and ceremonies, in vain babbling, in suffering hunger or in other bodily exercises. Further, if in steed of true doctrine errors be publicly taught and generally received, or if in steed of a christian life, sin do abound: by these means and many other, which it is not needful to rehearse, cometh a corrupt state of a Church. But here we are briefly to touch a question which hath been in part handled alone. Chap. 1. Sect. 4. to wit, how far a Church may be corrupt before it cease to be a true Church, that is, a Church truly and indeed. For answer whereof, it seemeth that wheresoever a company of men do jointly and publicly by worshipping the true God in Christ profess the substance of Christian religion, which is faith in jesus Christ the son of God and Saviour of the world, that there is a true Church, notwithstanding any corruption whatsoever: yea although it be of that nature that it might be made by consequent of argument to fight with the very foundation of christian religion, and so heinous as that in respect thereof, No corruption maketh them who hold the foundation of religion to be no Church. the people stained with this corruption are worthy to be abhorred of all men, and unworthy to be called the Church of God. We will take an instance of a people which together with the profession of the faith do maintain and use idolatry, not worshipping a false God, for than they were without all question to be counted infidels, but the true God after a false and devised manner. These seem to be a Church, although they do profane the worship of God after a most horrible & grievous m●nner: thus as it may seem some christians did in the first time of the gospel who did both believe in some sort, & yet could not of a sudden shake off that idolatry, wherein they had lived so many years. For so Paul writeth, 1. Cor. 5.11. If any that is called a brother, that is a christian, be a fornicator, or covetous or a worshipper of Images. This kind of w●rship is in use in the Church of Rome the which seemeth to be a Church, although in the lowest degree that can be imagined, The ten tribes in their defection were the Church of God. unless (as it seemeth that we may do) we will admit into the church, the people of the ten tribs who were idolaters, & yet by circumcision & some otherways did profess the name of jehova, as we may note out of many testimonies of scripture. And first out of those places where they are called the people of god as we read, Ro. 10.25.26. where the people of God, the beloved of God, and the children of the living God, The ten tribes in th●ir defects on were the Church of G●d. do all signify a true Church. In the 1. King. 16.2. they are twice so called where God saith, that he made Bahasa, the captain of his people Israel. Secondly God is called the God of the ten tribes, and said to be among them. 1. King. 20.28. because the Syrians (speaking of the God of the ten tribes of whom they were overcome) said that jehova was God of the hills only and 1. King. 18.35. thou art the God of Israel. Thirdly for that they always had the true prophets of God, and by them did ask and receive counsel of God in their weighty affairs. Thus 1. King. 22.5.6.7.11. Achab asked counsel of God, 2. King. 2.16. Ahazia is reproved by God, for that He sent to ask counsel at Baalsebub, as though there were not a GOD in Is●ael, whose word he might have sought after. Likewise 1. King. 5.8. Eliseus saith this is a most certain thing that Israel is not at any time without a prophet. The truth hereof may be gathered also 1. King. 18.21. where Elias saith that the people did halt betwixt God and Baal, that is, did serve them both together. And lastly by that which is often said that the kings of Israel did evil in the eyes of God, that is in that place whereupon God did as yet look with the eyes of his mercy, as upon his Church. So that although they did want almost the whole public worship, and therefore are said, 2. Chro. 15.3. to be without God, without priests and the law, yet because the name of God was generally by circumcision professed of them, they seem to retain the name of a Church and o● the people of God. Even as the Church of Rome serveth God and Christ by baptism and by professing his name otherways, although they have no part of the worship of God uncorrupted. And so the ten tribes, Idolatry & the worship of the true God joined g●th●r. some christians in the primitive church, the papists, and as we may think king Solomon, with many others, joined idolatry & the worship of the true God together, as it is said of the Samaritans that they feared the Lord and worshipped idols, 2. Kings. 17.41. yet these Samaritans were not a Church, for they did only in their minds slavishly fear God, but all their outward worship was done unto idols. Sect. 11. Of a Church corrupt in doctrine. Now we are to inquire how far a people may be corrupt in doctrine and yet remain a Church. Whereunto we answer as before, that all they who hold the foundation of religion▪ are to be counted a Church although together they be infected with many grievous errors. By the foundation of religion we do not mean any one particular point, no not the weightiest points, or those which come nearest to the foundation itself, but the general and main doctrine of Christianity the which was before the coming of Ch●ist, this; I believe in the Messiah who is to come of the seed of David: and since his coming, it is this; I believe that jesus is Christ, as the foundation of religion is defined by the Apostle. 1. Cor. 3.11. The truth hereof may evidently appear by considering the state of the visible Church before the coming of Christ, especially as it was at the time of his coming: in the which although God did reveal his will more clearly to some of his prophets & people, The errors of the I●wes before the coming of Christ. yet the church generally was altogether ignorant of the weightiest points of the Gospel as of Christ, the trinity, two distinct natures, the union of them, of his offices, death, and resurrection. Now although simple ignorance be not so grievous a sin as wilful heresy, neither an heresy before the coming of Christ as one since his coming, yet in this respect they are all one: for a man doth err in that point which he doth not know, holding the error contrary to the said truth. Even as the jews not knowing the heads of doctrine before named did always in all ages, and do to this day (so many as continue in unbelief) deny the doctrine of the trinity, for they make but one person, to wit, God the father and the doctrine of the deity of Christ thinking that the Messiah should be a mere man, they deny his offices, thinking that he should be a temporal king only, and therefore they knew not the doctrine of regeneration, as we see in Necodemus a master in Israel. Iho. 3.10. Neither did they look so much for forgiveness of sins and eternal life, by the Messiah (thinking to be justified by keeping the law) as for temporal commodities. And lastly they denied the doctrine of the death of Christ, for they held that the Messiah should not die john. 12.34. That these and other such errors were popular and common in the Church of the jews, we may both gather out of their saying recorded by the evangelists as also by their continual silence in these matters, the which we do not read that any of them do mention upon any occasion. And lastly by the open confession of the jews in all ages since the coming of Christ. For it is plain that they hold even to this day those opinions which they received from their ancestors and were commonly held of that nation. Notwithstanding all which errors, we think as it is generally thought that the people of the jews professing generally faith in the Messiah to come, were then the true Church and the people of God but this confession will not serve now in the time of the Gospel to make them a Church: because they do reject Christ himself in his very person. As for the heretical Churches, since the time of the gospel as the Church of Arians, papists or any other maintaining grievous errors contrary to the word of God, it seemeth that they are to be accounted the Churches of God because they do all hold the foundation of the Gospel which is faith in jesus Christ the son of God and the saviour of the world. CHAP. VIII. Of a Private Church. Sect. 1. What a private Church is. HItherto we have entreated in general of a particular church, now we are to speak of the kinds of it, which are two in number, to wit, private & public. A private Church is a company of Christians serving God together in the midst of infidels, or there where the whole multitude or the whole body of the people generally & publicly considered abideth in infidelity. Of this kind of churches we have many examples. First from the beginning, until the days of Moses, in all which time the Churches were private. Secondly after the nation of the jews did cease from b●ing a Church (for from their coming out of Egypt until the time wherein they rejected christ and the gospel, No public Church sau● the people of the jews till the days of Constantine. they were a public church) till the days of Constantine the great, all the church's of the christians were private. For we do not read of any one city or country within all that time being about .300. years did publicly embrace the gospel, but a few in respect of the infidels in this and that city, as in jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Rome, and the rest. So that all the churches planted by the Apostles, Evangelists or any other in the first ages of the gospel were private. Thirdly of this kind are those churches at this day (if there be any such) which are amongst the Turks or any other kind of infidels. The causes of a private Church. Out of the which examples we may gather that the cause of this private estate of the church, was in the first ages of the world the small number of the true worshippers of God, & is in these latter ages the infidelity of magistrates, who being themselves infidels do not go about to bring their subjects to the faith, but are perhaps content to tolerate the same within their dominions, and that for some civil respect, as namely to make their cities and countries more resorted unto, for increase of the tribute due unto them, for the preservation of peace or for some other such consideration. Lastly the chief cause of these private Churches is to be taken from the very nature of the Gospel, the which being contrary to man's reason is hardly believed, and therefore it is usually received only of a few. As it is written, Rom. 10.16. who hath believed our report, that is, very few in respect of the infidels do believe the doctrine of the Gospel. For howsoever the force of civil authority, and other outward respects make the gospel to be generally received in many places, yet this general profession is contrary to the nature of the gospel, the which hardly and seldom is truly received as hath been said. But here it may easily be objected that no Church can be called private, seeing that we have here before defined a church in general, by the public service of God. We answer confessing, that every church is public in respect of the several members of it, yea although it be in a private house or family or in the most secret corner that can be. And yet a church contained within a private place, and consisting of a small company may truly and fitly be called private in respect of that Church, which consisting of the whole body of the people doth not lurk in a corner, but is openly established, amongst all and in every place. Yet the ministery of the word and all other actions of such a church are to be counted public and not private. So that this kind of Churches is called private from the subject because they are in private places, but the subject of the other kinds is a public city or country. Sect. 2. Of the the specials in planting a public Church. NOW that we see what a private Church is, we are in the next place to come to the specials in the planting of it. And first we are to declare by whom this kind of Church ought to be founded▪ as for the secondary workers, to wit, the ministers of the word, we have spoken of them in the general treatise of planting a Church. So that here we are to search out ●he first workers in this action, who are the chief, in that they begin the work and procure the ministry of the word. The answer is that every man may be the chief and first builder of a Church so far forth as his calling, power and authority doth stretch. So that in this case private men may be lawfully and are usually the first and chief builders. Yea it is not only lawful but that whereunto the duty which we own both to God to seek his glory and to men to seek their salvation, doth necessarily bind us, that if God give us occasion, the Church standing in need of our help, we be not wanting in this behalf. For so we are to understand that this is to be done, whenas the Church is destitute of christian magistrates, and likewise of other governors and teachers. As it is in those places where either there is no C●●rch a● all, or else so decayed, that there remains nothing but the profession of religion amongst some few. In the which case it is lawful for any christian whom God hath endued with the zeal of his glory and the salvation of his brethren, and also wit● some measure of knowledge how this thing ought to be done, to labour both in bringing t●ose who are infidels to the profession of the faith, Private men may plant private Churches. and also to b● a means to continue them together in the same: so it is recorded. Act. 8.4. That the Church which was at jerusalem being dispe●sed, they did preach the word, every man labouring as he had occasion offered. So we read that Prisci●la and Aquila had a Church in their own house, which we may well think to have been gathered and constituted by them, for that they are said to have preached the gospel diligently and to have converted many. Rom. 16.4. 1. Cor. 16.19. So Colossians. 4.15. the Apostle saluteth Nympha and the Church which was in his house, and although it be not mentioned, that these men were the founders of these Churches within their own houses, yet this doctrine may be proved by that general rule of the word the which layeth this charge upon every man, that he build the Church and establish the true worship of God so far as his authority doth stretch. By this rule, as every man is to make himself the temple of the holy ghost, so masters of families, Every one ought to build the Church so far as his authority stretcheth. and rulers of cities and countries are bound to be the first founders of the Church in those places where they have to do, yea they may lawfully preach the word to any other when occasion is offered. Yet whenas they have won any to the profession of Christ, who are not of their own families or gathered them together being dispersed abroad, to serve God together, than they are to commit the further building of it to those who shall be appointed and chosen to teach and order the said congregation. And if they themselves be thought meetest for that purpose, then are they no more private men but ecclesiastical rulers. Also this is to be considered that whenas it pleaseth God to put into any man's heart this desire and purpose to go about the building of any such private Church, he or they if they be more than one) are to communicate their purpose to those who do already believe and profess the faith near to that place, that their consent and approbation of their doings may be unto them a kind of calling and also confirm and encourage them in the said work. And in this manner it is not unlawful for private men to be the first builders & founders of a private Church, consisting not only of their own families, but also of any other whose hearts it shall please God to move to believe the gospel and to join with them in the profession of it. But in converting others, there is great wisdom to be used, forasmuch as civil rulers who are not themselves of the Church, although they do give a toleration for a private Church within their dominions, yet they will hardly suffer their subjects to be turned to any new religion: so that they who do take in hand this work are to consider, that they have not such liberty as were to be wished, and therefore they ought with peace and quietness to use that liberty which God hath granted unto them, rather than by passing the limits of their calling, to venture the loss of that which they have. So that they are to build chiefly by gathering together those who do already profess the faith, and that by private teaching as occasion is offered: and as for others, to use all lawful means to allure them to the liking of their profession, as is an honest and unblamable life, whereby they may get the favour of all men as the Church had, Act. 2.47. Then to be ready to receive all that come unto them and lovingly and mildly to confer with them of those points whereof they doubt. Thus did the apostle Paul at Rome for the space of two years remaining in an hired house privately receive all that came unto him & did preach the Gospel's with all boldness without any hindrance: the which he could never have done in that place if he had gone about openly & publicly to change the state of religion & to bring the people of Rom● to the profession of the Gospel. Sect. 3. Of the state of it being planted. AS great care is to be used in the gathering of a private Church, so likewise continuing it, this always is to be observed, that they live in obedience to all civil laws and constitutions so that they be no cause of disturbance to the public state of the place where they live. For to this end are all those exhortations which are made concerning obeying magistrates & rulers whether high or lo●. R●m. 13.1. Peter. 2.17. & in many other places, for the Churches were then in those places where heathen magistrates ruled. Yea christians living in this estate although they ought to desire the company of their brethren professing the faith rather than of infidels which are strangers from God, and also as much as they can, to have their continual conversation with them, yet they ought not to abhor or fly the company of those who are not of the Church, whenas by just occasion it is offered. For so we see the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians. 1.7.12. that the believing husband should not put away the unbelieving wife being content to remain with him. So also we may observe that the christians were often invited by infidels to their banquets, Christians in private Churches ought not to abhor the company of infidels. 1. Cor. 10.27. And as for the sins and corruptions which we shall see in them, we may and aught to use greater patience towards them then towards those that do profess the gospel. So Paul writeth. 1. Cor. 5.12. what have I to do to judge them that are without, do not ye judge those who are within? and therefore we may lawfully leave their faults and sins unreproved. Yet in all our dealings with them we must aim at their conversion, and then it will be for the glory of God, and our own comfort, which if it be only for our temporal commodity, cannot be without the offence of our brethren, whereunto a special regard is to be had, and also to our own hindrance in regard of comfort and edification in the knowledge and obedience of Christ. Further in these private Churches this is to be observed, that they most usually consist of the most sincere and faithful christians. For in them none are compelled to profess the faith, but all are such as do willingly of their own accord embrace the gospel. Act. 2.41. So many as willingly received the word, Private Church's consist of the most swee●e Christians. were baptised. Yea this also may be an argument of their sounden●sse in the profession of the truth, for that living amongst infidels, they cannot but incur the hatred of many, yea oftentimes even of the civil rulers themselves, by taking upon them the profession of the gospel: and so sustain many iniu●ies and hurts in regard of things belonging to this temporal life, and manifold molestations, scoffs, yea reproaches in regard of the service of God. Again this is to be noted that these private Churches are for the most part more pure, perfect, orderly and free, then public Churches are. For with the multitude there cometh in confusion and corruption. And the civil power being in the person of the magistrate joined to the church, doth often too much abridge the use of christian liberty, taking to itself, as it may lawfully do, full power in making those ecclesiastical laws which belong generally to all the churches within the compass of it. But in these churches the whole authority of establishing laws, orders and the appointing of rites and ceremonies is in the Church itself. Lastly it is usually objected against these private Churches that they are the causes of tumults and civil dissension and so consequently do bre●d the ruin of those commonwealths and kingdoms wherein they a●e tolerated: & therefore that it is the part of wise rulers who tender the good and peaceable estate of the people not to suffer them within their dominions: to this we answer confessing that through the perverseness of our corrupt natures the which are 〈◊〉 inflamed with bitter enmity against God and all goodness, it cometh often to pass that ●●uersitie of religion doth stir up great debate in kingdoms, cities and families: for this cause the Church desired to be separated in place from the idolaters, least th●y should exasperate their minds against them Gen. 46.34. Exod. 8.26. yea Christ doth profess that this would follow the Gospel that the father should be at deadly variance with the son, and the mother with the daughter, and that a man's nearest friend should for this cause become his cruel enemy. Yea the bloody and tragical tumults, which have of late times risen and continued upon this occasion in diverse places, do testify the truth here of. But yet we ought not therefore to banish the Church out of our dominions. For it is better to have the true worship of god with war, trouble and dissension, than idolatry with quietness. So that we ought to say with Christ, that seeing the Gospel is even as a firebrand in the world, what should be our desire, but that it be preached: for although for a time it breed trouble, yet in the end it will be found the only means of true quietness. CHAP. VIIII. Of a public Church. Sect. 1. Of the objections which are made against public churches. THus much of a private Church. Besides the which there is another kind of a church, namely, when any whole city, country or nation doth generally profess the faith, and so becometh a Church consisting not of any small or mean number but of great multitudes of people even of whole nations. As we see at this day that divers great kingdoms and commonwealths have received the gospel of Christ: so that in them the church doth not lurk in any family or private corner or is in some few places but is openly, publicly and generally set up in all places by the authority of the civil rulers, and the common consent of all men. This we call a public Church such as we see at this day most of all the cities, commonwealths, What a public Church is. countries and kingdoms in Eu●ope to be. Of the which one is distinguished from another, by having a proper government of the own, being ruled by the same human laws both civil and also ecclesiastical. But it may be here thought, that these countries are no true churches, but that there are churches in them, and that not all the people generally but only some few of them separated from the rest, are to be accounted the true churches of God, and that for these reasons: first because there was no such churches established by the apostles or recorded to have been in the first ages of the gospel. Secondly for that although it be not impossible to God to convert the hearts of all men to embrace the gospel, yet it is not agreeable to his usual dealing so to bless any nation, as that all of them without exception should believe and become faithful men. Thirdly because of the great confusion and many fold corruptions, which are usually found in such Churches, the which seldom or never can be brought to the right order of the Church of Christ. Lastly because they are not called to the profession of the faith by the ministery of the word of God, but are in a manner forced thereunto by the laws & edicts of princes and other rulers. Whereunto we answer, that these things do not hinder these whole cities or nations from being the true churches of God. As touching the first, we do confess that there we●e no such public and general churches in the days of the apostles, neither in the ages following: the cause whereof we may plainly see to be this. That then was the ●ime of the infancy of the gospel in respect of the number of believers, it having been but lately published to the world: but this is the time wherein the lord hath appointed that the fullness of the gentiles should come in, Why there were no public Ch. in the days of the Apostles. which is the conversion of whole nations and many countries. Yea the apostle witnesseth that the fullness of the jews shallbe then whenas that whole nation shall generally embrace christ as the saviour of the world. Rom. 11.26. To the second doubt we answer, that all the people of any country may have a general faith whereby they do know and profess that jesus Christ is the saviour of the world: & that their profession hereof although it be not effectual to their salvation, yea although it be merely hypocritical, they thinking no such thing, yet it is sufficient to make them members of the visible church. As touching the corruptions which are in such churches we do confess that it is greater than either it is to be wished it were, or then is in private churches, where the number of believers is less, and that they cannot so easily be brought to and kept in that holy order, which christ hath appointed for his church: Why public churches can not be so perfect as private and further that these public churches so seldom attain to any pure or perfect estate, because in them the church and the commonwealth are so joined & linked together the whole affairs and state of the Church depending on the civil estate, that the manifold alterations, whereunto all kingdoms & commonwealths are subject, do make many changes in the church. Yet this doth not take from them either the being or the name of the church. For it is no strange thing that there should be greater confusion and more corruptions in great multitudes of people, then in small congregations. For so we see even in the first congregation of Christians which the Apostles themselves did govern that when the number of disciples did increase, than there was murmuring among them: and so even this private Church did tend to some confusion. Act. 6.1. yea this thing hath long ago been observed to have been continually the state of the Church, the which as long as it was in persecution, did flourish not in the number so much as in the time of peace but yet it was far better ordered: godliness, love and virtue did more flourish, the Lord was more fervently and heartily served and called upon, all faults and corruptions in life or doctrine were severely censured, yea rather sharply punished: but whenas it pleased God to give peace and prosperity to his Church by the means of Christian Emperors and kings, than did the number of believers mightily increase, and the Church did in that respect flourish, but together with the number, looseness in life & in the service of God, schisms, heresies and all manner of corruptions did come in & increase more and more. So that these multitudes of professors are not in regard of these inconveniences to be rejected, but rather we are to rejoice at this as the apostle did, Philip. 1.18. For that Christ was preached although for vain glory: & to praise God for that according as he promised by his prophets, Esa 54.2. The Church hath enlarged her tents, so that all the nations of the earth do come into her bosom. Yea even this that the name of C●rist is not blasphemed as among infidels, but honoured, worshipped and called upon, although it be in great confusion, yet it maketh for the glory of God, How public Churches are called to the faith. and therefore all good Christians ought to rejoice herein, although they do wholly mistake all corruptions and the confusion which is usually in these public Churches. Lastly concerning their calling we are not to think that it is so strange a thing that they are called to the profession of the faith, who were borne Christians and do even as it were suck the profession of christianity from their mother's breasts, of whom the Apostle saith that they are holy. 1. Cor. 7. or yet they who being professors of the gospel; and holding the foundation of christian religion, as it seemeth that papists and such other heretics do, as we have declared more at large heretofore, are brought by the authority of the magistrate from a corrupt manner of serving God, or from grievous heresies to a more sincere worship and profession, as it was in the primitive Church, whenas men were converted from heathenism to christianity. And therefore all those who have been by baptism engraffed into the profession of Christ in their young years and have afterward been continually brought up in the same profession of the faith, declaring unto all men in the whole course of their lives that they do like, love, and embrace that profession which they took upon them, and do serve and worship God in the name of jesus Christ, are to be counted members of the Church, although they have no effectual calling to the unfeigned and true obedience of the gospel. To conclude this point, the example of the Church of the jews will evidently declare the true nature and whole estate of this kind of Churches, and also resolve all doubts which can be moved. For in it all that received circumcision were counted members of the Church. Yea the Apostle witnesseth that at the time which the Lord hath appointed, that whole nations shall again become the Church of God. So that in what place soever whether town, city, commonwealth, province or kingdom the people do generally profess the faith, or thus; wheresoever the laws ecclesiastical do stretch themselves as wide and do belong to as many as the civil or common laws made for the administration of the commonwealth there is a true public Church set up. Sect. 2. Of the conjunction of the Church and commonwealth. BY setting up a public Church in any place, it cometh to pass that the Church & commonwealth are joined together: the which in a private state of a Church have nothing to deal the one with the other. For there the Ch. either lurketh in secret, if she have not he favour of the civil ruler, or at the least, dwelleth as in a private house if she have a toleration. But now whenas any people generally together with their magistrates do profess the faith, the church may be compared to Esther who was taken from her private state, wherein she lived & being brought forth into open and public place, was married to the king, so is the conjunction of the Church & the commonwealth. Wherein we have these points consider, first what is the bond of this conjunction, secondly the manner of it, thirdly whether state is the superior, four how they meddle with each other, & lastly the commodities, & discommodities which either the Church or the commonwealth reapeth by this means or the changes & alterations, which happen to either of them. For the first, the bond of this conjunction is the civil power, which is the ve●y fountain & head from the which both these estates do flow and by the which it is brought to pass, that there is a public Church in any place: for howsoever great multitude of people may be converted only by the ministery of the word, yet we do not see, that all generally do profess the faith, but only where the power of the magistrate joined to the word, doth make the gospel to be publicly received, in that it maketh all that are members of the civil body to be members of the Church also. Hence it is that as soon as the civil power ceaseth to maintain religion, Public Churches stand no longer than they are upheld by the civil magistrate. these public Churches fall to the ground, the bond being broken whereby they were tied to the commonwealth. So we read jud. 2.7.19. That the people of Israel served God as long as josua, the elders or their judges lived, but as soon as they died, they fell away to idolatry. Likewise in the first time of the gospel, there were no public Churches for divers hundred years: and all for want of this bond of christian rulers: but as soon as the Roman Emperors did embrace the gospel, than were public Churches set up in many places. Sect. 3. That a public Church with the civil estate maketh one body under one head. IN the second place we are to see what manner of conjunction this is, to wit, whether that the Church & commonwealth thus joined together, make one body or state ruled by one & the same head or else are still two diverse bodies, absolute and perfect each in itself without the other, and ordered by the own proper head in all matters belonging unto it. For answer hereof, it hath been thought that in this conjunction there are two bodies not only diverse, but even clean opposite, and contrary the one to the other every respect, that they are ordered by two diverse supreme heads, and that all the functions of these bodies are of so contrary natures, that they cannot lawfully meet together in the same subject. This opinion which seemeth not to be agreeable to the truth, hath risen of a reverend, religious, yea as it proved at length, a superstitious opinion of the ecclesiastical estate, with too base and vile an opinion of the civil state, the which hath seemed so profane and unholy, as that it could not in any respect be joined with the other, without defiling and profaning it. But the word of God teacheth us that the civil power is a holy ordinance of God instituted by God chief for this end, to intermeddle with ecclesiastical matters and not only to suffer and tolerate religion as it doth in a private Church, but also to set up and maintain it, yea wholly to effect it (although by the means & ministery of others) in all places whither the said power doth stretch itself. As for the distinction of the civil & ecclesiastical state, although it may be used to put a difference betwixt civil & ecclesiastical matters, yet if thereby we mean that in a public Church there is added to the civil state another full and perfect body endued with full authority to begin and effect all matters belonging to itself, & not relying upon the other, but only using the help of it against outward violence, as when two distinct nations do join themselves in league together for their greater safety, than we think far otherwise of these things, than the word of God doth permit: according to the which the political body together with a public Church are but one body moved and ordered by one and the same head. For as when any people being barbarous, rude, unexpert in feats of war, and altogether destitute of human knowledge and all good literature, become civil, courteous, warlike, wise, and learned, there are not so many new estates or bodies added to the commonwealth, but only the first state of it is made so many ways better, so it is whenas a people of pagans and infidels become the worshippers of the true God. For there is not a new body or state, but only the quality of religion is added to the civil body or rather idolatry is changed into the true worship of God. The which doth no more make a distinct body than idolatry doth in a heathenish commonwealth. As for the people they can no more be said to be another body, because they are religious then for that they are a learned and warlike people, but for the ministers and rulers of the Church, it may seem necessary to be granted that they do either make a distinct and perfect body, or that the ministery is a member of the civil body. Whereunto we answer that the ministery is not a body in itself, The ministery is a member of the civil body. neither is it the head of the body of the Church, but only is a member of the body of the commonwealth, distinguished from the rest in nature, use and object, and excelling the other by a divine holiness which it hath more than any other part or function of this body. The truth hereof is to be laid open by declaring first that this whole state consisting of a political body, and of a public Church hath but one head whereby the whole body is ordered and every member of it moved in their several functions. And secondly the offices of these two states may agree together in the same subject. The head is the civil power: whereof we speak rather than of the civil magistrate, for that in many places, the power is not wholly in the hands of the magistrate but divided among the senate, the nobility, and the people. But here we speak of the whole power the which we call the hand of this body by ● usual metaphor taken from the natural bodies, wherein we see that the whole motion cometh from the head without the which none of the members can move itself, or do any function. Thus all men do grant that the civil power is the head of this body, in regard of civil and worldly affairs, but that it may be so called in respect of the Church and of ecclesiastical matters, many do doubt or rather flatly deny without any doubting, thinking that neither the civil power doth stretch itself to Church affairs, neither if it do in some respect, that it ought therefore, or may lawfully be called the head of the Church. As touching this point we are to consider, how both the function, and also the name of a head agreeth to the civil power: for the first in the building of the Church it pleaseth God to use the help and the ministery of men, and that two diverse ways according to the two diverse kinds of building his Church, whereof the one is inward, secret and spiritual, whenas by the ministery of the word and the sacremenes the Church is edified in knowledge, faith, love, obedience and in all manner of spiritual graces: in this part of the building, Christ is the first and chief mover, yea the head of his Church, unto the which he giveth spiritual motion by his ministers as by instruments unto whom he giveth spiritual graces fit for this purpose. Ephe. 4.11. He gave some to be Apostles, some Evangelists, some Pastors, and doctors, for the gathering of his saints, and for the building of the body of Christ. Thus Christ only is the head of the whole visible church, for no creature can either appoint ecclesiastical functions or give spiritual graces, either to the ministers or to the people. But whenas the Church cometh to be built in any particular place, there must be added an other part of this building more outward, apparent and sensible than the other, to wit, whenas this spiritual building, together with the ministery of the word, which is the means of it is not only received when as it is offered, but also diligently sought after, when it is wan●●ng, and carefully preserved after that it is gotten. This kind of building also is to be performed by the ministery of man but yet it doth not come from the same head or fountain. For that spiritual building cometh from Christ as he is Lord and king of his Church, but this cometh from God the father, the maker and preserver of mankind, who in great mercy and wisdom hath not left men in utter confusion but hath given unto them the means of having a Church and his true worship. This means is his own power and authority communicated to certain men for the good of the rest to whom he hath given this charge that they do as by all other means, so chiefly by building his church in those places which are within the compass of their authority, procure the good of men: so that all whosoever have the rule of any place whether it be kingdom or country, province or city, town or family, are bound by the word of God and namely by the general laws of magistracy to build the Church in the said places: the which thing if they do neglect (as most of all the magistats in the world in all ages have done) than they do sin against God no less than the minister being lawfully called to the function, who doth neglect the inward and spiritual edifying of the Church. This the prophet foretold saying that kings and Queens should be nurse fathers and nurse mothers to the Ch. Not that they should be the ministers of the word and of the spiritual nourishment unto them, but only that they should build after this inward manner. This second kind of building is in order and nature the first, yea that which moveth the external action of the spiritual building and prepareth the way for the ministery of the word, by the means whereof a Church cannot be set up in any place wh●ther country, city, or family till that the power, whereby the said place is ruled, do either procure or at the least suffer it. For the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, neither doth it take a way the general ordinance of magistracy and order, whereby God ruleth the world, but is in respect of outward action subject unto it, and to be established and miantained by it, for as God himself was the head and first mover in the building of the Church when as at the first he sent his Apostles immediately by his own authority to do it; so also it is his will that they who do supply his place, and are after a sort, Gods on earth, should afterwards be the first agents in this work. For we are not to think that rulers (by the which name we call all that have authority, whethe● in countries, towns or private houses) have the charge only of the bodies of their subjects committed unto them, but rather that their chief care ought to be to provide for their souls, Magistrates have charge of the souls their subjects. the true worship of GOD wherein the last end and chief happiness of man consisteth and whereunto all temporal benefits are to be referred: as the Apostle writeth .1. Timo. 2.2. the end of a quiet and peaceable life procured by magistrates is the right worship of God. For this cause civil rulers are called by GOD in the scripture the pastors or feeders of the people not as if they were to feed their bodies only as sheep herds do flocks of sheep, but chiefly in regard of their souls, as we may see evidently, 1. Chro 17.6. which way soever I walked with Israel, have I spoken of building a Church or temple to any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people? In the which place we may see at whose hands GOD looketh for the building of his Church. But it may be here asked, what if this civil power do not move in this work, whether that there should be no Church or ministery of the word in that place, or rather if that the king, prince, magistrate or the master of the family he negligent in his duty, if not then the subject, son or servant in a private house may lawfully take this work in hand or yet the ministers of the word may begin and go on in their work, yea although they be neither set on work nor yet tolerated but even flatly forbidden and peremptorily hindered by the said powe●: for otherwise it might come to pass by the obstinacy of rulers being enemies to the Gospel that there should be no Church either public or private in any part of the world, whereas it is the will of God that his church and true worship should be established in all places. And therefore it may seem that in this case the council and practtise of the apostles is to be followed who being forbidden by the rulers to preach the Gospel, answered that it is better to obey God then man. The answer is as before Chapter. 7. Sect. 6. that as touching ordinary callings, a church cannot lawfully be built in any place by resisting the authority of the said place. For no man may against the will of any man rush into his house, to instruct his family or into a city to abolish idolatry and to set up publicly the true worship of God, because howsoever every one ought to endeavour to build the Church yet we ought to keep ourselves within the compass of our own calling and not to take upon us by violence, the performance of other men's duties. For none are crowned either with due praise, or with happy success of their labours, but they who strive lawfully, No man ought to pass the limits of his calling in building the Church. howsoever it pleaseth God some times to accept and prosper the endeavours of those who labour in advancing his worship and glory more in fervent zeal then imperfect knowledge, & so go further in this behalf than the secret rule of the word of God doth require or permit. As the apostles, they have an extraordinary calling and dispensation immediately from God himself needful for the first publishing of the gospel: the which they were to obey, yea though it were contrary to his revealed will. But ordinary ministers have no callings but from men, and must square their actions according to the written word. And yet we are not to think that it is in the power of man, or of any creature to forbid the service of God: for although all the rulers in the world should make that edict of Dariu● that none should pray unto God, yet we ought nor to obey it, as we see in the example of Daniel, Da●. 6.10. but we speak of building a Church in any place: the which work is never so generally hindered, but that God inclineth the hearts of some to set it forward. And whenas no public magistrate doth build the Church, yet private men give it entertainment in their houses. As touching other particulars wherein this civil power meddleth with the Church, we are to consider them hereafter; only we ●re here to note how this power may be called the head of the Church, to wit, for that it is the first mover in the building of it. In the which respect not only kings and princes but even private men who set up and maintain the Church within their houses, may in regard of their own families be so called, Christ is the head of the Church after another manner than men are and yet we do not by this means give that to man which is proper to Christ: for first Christ is the head of the catholic Church but man of some particular Church only. Secondly Christ is the head not only to the whole Church, but also to the several members of it, to whom he giveth motion by bestowing on them the graces of his spirit either permanent or temporary: but man is the head only in respect of the builders, namely of the teachers and rulers of the Church, and in respect of the whole body of the people, as they give themselves to be made a Church. And lastly Christ is the head of the internal and spiritual working but man of the external building: Christ giveth gifts fit for the ministery which make an inward calling, but man giveth the outward calling: Christ hath appointed the offices of the ministery generally in the whole visible Church, but man procureth the execution of the said offices in this or that particular place, by this or that person. So that whatsoever civil power it be whether of princes in kingdoms or of the people or senate in commonwealths or of private men in their families, that buildeth the Church, it may very fitly be called the head in that work. As we may see, Num. 1.15. & 7.2. that in regard of civil affairs, the princes of the families, tribes, and of the people of Israel, are called the heads of them, because they did first move in all public actions, and yet the person of the civil ruler whether of the king, of senators, or of any other in particular, is to be counted a member of the Church as other men are. Thus we see that the Church together with the civil state make not t●o but one body under one and the same head. Sect. 4. Civil and ecclesiastical callings may be in the same subject. NOW we are to see how these two states may also agree in subject, that is, be ordered by the same persons. For this false distinction of the body of the Church, from the body of the common wealth, as it hath sprung from a false opinion of two distinct supreme heads, the one over the Church, the other over the civil state, so it hath been confirmed by a false difference which hath been put betwixt civil and ecclesiastical persons: as if the having of any function in the one state did quite cut a man off from meddling with the other, and that by reason of the contrary natures of these two states, and of the functions belonging unto them. But according to the word of God these civil and ecclesiastical callings do not so fight, but that they may meet together in one man without jarring. For it is not unlawful for one who beareth some public function or is in any degree or place of honour in the commonwealth to meddle with the ordering of the Church if he have gifts from God, and a lawful calling from men, or yet for him who is already an ecclesiastical person, to have, retain or take upon him any civil calling. The truth of this doctrine may be plainly seen in the scripture which showeth that both civil & ecclesiastical callings may lawfully concur in the same person, when the state of the Church doth so require. For if we do consider the Church before the law, we shall find that the first borne of the family, was to the rest both a magistrate and a minister: so that although the examples of the Church being in her infancy and imperfect estate, ought not wholly to be applied to the Church in the time of the gospel, yet we may hereby know that there is no such contrariety in the natures of these callings but that they may be in the same person. Likewise we read that in the time of the law many who were appointed by God to his service did bear civil callings. Thus did Samuel, Eli, and the rest of the priests and elders who were unto the people as judges & lawyers, & did govern them even in the civil affairs. Lastly if it be objected that these functions ought to be laid upon diverse men, forasmuch as one man cannot be able to attend upon many callings, we answer confessing this to be true that for the better discharging of these callings they ought ordinarily to be committed to divers men, yet that it is no more unlawful for one man to have a civil and an ecclesiastical calling, then to have two civil callings: and that some men are endued with so great a measure of knowledge, wisdom, diligence, and other gifts that they may be employed in both these kinds of callings. By that which hath been said of this second point, we may easily gather the resolution of the third question, to wit, that in this conjunction the Church hath not the upper hand, neither can command and overrule, but is subject to the civil power as to her superior, by whose leave she came into the commonwealth, and by the which she is maintained, upholden, yea in great part ordered, as hereafter will appear. Yea further we may know in part by the same conclusion what to think of the fourth point, to wit, how these states do meddle the one with the other, and namely that the civil power doth many ways intermeddle with the Church even as the head doth with the body: for it doth not only suffer or procure the building of it but also effect it, not only plant it but also establish and maintain, yea repair it being fallen, purge it being corrupt and order it by ecclesiastical laws, as the process of this treatise will declare in particular. As for the Church it doth not meddle with the civil state or government of the commonwealth, but aught to leave it wholly to the civil magistrate: Sect. 5. Of the changes happening either to the Church or the commonwealth by their conjunction. LAstly we are to consider what changes, commodities, or discommodities do arise either to the Church or to the commonwealth by this conjunction of them in one body. And first that form or kind of civil government whether it were the rule of one, of a few, or of many, whether the authority were absolute and great, or conditional, moderate and limited, which was in use amongst any people before they did believe, is not by this means altered but remaineth in full force as before. For a public Church may stand with any form of government and be subject unto it without making any alteration. The setting up of a public Church doth not alter the form of civil government. Yet it cutteth off whatsoever is in the civil state in the laws, customs or offices of it, unlawful and repugnant to the word of God: for the Church cannot possibly agree and be joined with that which doth not agree with the word. Other change it maketh none, save only that the civil state becometh by this means more happy, sure and firm, yea more glorious and flourishing: for besides the secret blessing, which God doth many ways pour upon those countries the which do honour him by professing the name of his son Christ, and so do give not only a poor harbour but even public and sol●mne entertainment to his Church, as he did bless the house of Obed Edome, 2. Sam. 6.11. for that the Ark remained there for a season, there are evident and necessary reasons why it should so be. For there is no human law●s, no fear of punishment, or hope of reward whatsoeu●r that can bind men so sure to the performance both of faithful and loyal obedience to their rulers as also of all duties to their neighbours as doth religion and the fear of God in the hearts of men. And although it ●e not to be hoped especially in these public Churches, that the hearts of all men generally should be truly possessed with the fear GOD, yet the word of God being preached leaveth even in the consciences of hypocrites, a fear of committing heinous crimes, the which for the most part civil laws do forbid: yea in the Church the ministry of the word reproveth and also correcteth the least faults, which are incident into the life of man, whereby it cometh to pass, that theft, murder and all other such gross crimes are not once named. Lastly there is nothing so honourable and glorious for any people as to have the true religion established amongst them: and nothing more shameful and ignominious by the general consent of all men, then for any people to be blockish in divine matters, and not able to discern which is the right worship of the true God. Now let us see what the Church gaineth by this bargain and covenant made with the civil state. First by this means she becometh safe from outward dangers and from the violence of malicious persecutors, by whom private Churches are continually troubled and often quite overthrown, being neither willing to resist by force of arms their own magistrates, labouring to deface the true worship of God, neither for the most part, able to withstand foreign invasion. And therefore they may fitly be compared to a vineyard which wanteth a hedge or fence, so that all the wild beasts of the forest do enter in and root it up; but a public Church is guarded by the civil power against all dangers not only outward, but also inward arising of the stubborn wilfulness of those who will not submit themselves to the orders of the Church. Hence it is that those civil states, which are well ordered, are far more fit harbours for the Church, Civil states well ordered are more fit harbours for the Ch. then disordered states. than confused commonwealths are. For whenas men are not taught to yield obedience to civil government, which forbidding only heinous offences is more gentle and remiss, how shall they bear the yoke of ecclesiastical government which looketh more narrowly into the lives of men, and is far more straight and severe. So that a people subdued to civil obedience are as horses broken, and wild beasts tamed: and may more easily be brought into the form● of a Church. We do confess that the power of the word of God preached is of sufficient force and power to make the most lawless and barbarous men, good Christians and as tame as lambs, and that without the help of this civil power, as we see in private Churches: yet for the preservation of the outward order of these public Churches, this means is of great force. Lastly the increase of number which cometh by this means is to be counted no small commodity, being simply considered, howsoever usually it bringeth with it, confusion and imperfect state and sundry such discommodities. Sect. 6. Of the first mover in the planting of a public Church. Now we are to come to the specials which are in planting of a public Church: and first to the beginner or first mover in this work. For the declaring of the truth hereof, we are to consider the very original and first planting of churches the which were founded by the Apostles and Evangelists in many places: yea they also committed the care of continuing those Churches unto faithful men, that they might provide for the time to come. But neither the Apostles could bring to pass that all the world should be brought to the profession of the faith, neither the care of those ordinary ministers to whom the preservation of the said Churches was committed, could so prevail but that even in those places where the Apostles planted Churches, religion afterwards was by the malice of Satan not only defaced but even so rooted out as in most of those places there remaineth not any shadow of a church. The Apostles and other extraordinary ministers being dead, their offices and calling which were to plant Churches in all places, did cease: after whom there remained in the Church ordinary ministers to accomplish that work which they had begun, namely to build out those Churches which they had planted. Yet they had no calling to build churches in all countries, but in some one place where unto they were appointed: for if ordinary ministers, which are now in those places where the Church is, had this calling to preach in diverse countries and to divers nations, than they should have gifts needful for this work, as the gifts of discerning spirits, the gifts of tongues without the which none can preach to a strange people. But these gifts are ceased as also these callings, neither hath any ordinary minister by his calling any charge of any other people and countries to bring them to be a Church. And as for extraordinary men, although God may raise up such when he will yet we are not to look for any such in these days. As for the bishope of Rome who challengeth unto himself the care of the whole world, as being christs vicar general we know that his authority in the Ch. is but usurped, and his allegations frivolous: he hath destroyed the Church, & therefore we are not to look that he should be the chief doer in the building and planting of Churches: whom then shall we make to be the first mover in the planting or repairing of a public Church in a city, commonwealth or kingdom? even the chief rulers and magistrates of those places as hath been declared in the second section of this chapter. So then the first thing in the planting of a public Church in any country is this, that we suppose the civil ruler willing and desirous to take this work in hand, and that by the means of some of his subjects making humble supplication to him in this behalf, or by some neighbour Churches stirring him up by their example to erect the church within his dominions, and commending this work unto him as the most excellent and happy thing as it is indeed. Sect. 7. Of the special manner of planting a public Church. THe next thing to be considered is, how the civil ruler being willing to plant the Ch· should know the manner of this work, and the right frame of it, whereof at the first we must suppose both him and his people to be ignorant. The means which God hath appointed for this end, is this. Although at the first he did not send his apostles to all countries to plant Churches neither doth since that time send any other as Apostles, yet in that he did by them at the first preach the gospel and plant Churches in most parts of the world and doth continually preserve the fame in one place or other, he giveth sufficient means of having the knowleege of his true worship to those that will embrace it, and leaveth the rest inexcusable. The first building of Churches in so many places was so conspicuous, even as a city set on the top of an hill, that it might easily be seen of all men. So that even as the gentiles which dwelled far off from hierusalem, hearing of the fame of it, were moved many of them to repair thither to learn the knowledge of the true God, so all they now even the jews also when God shall turn their hearts and open their eyes to see some glimmering of the Gospel, aught to resort to those places where the Church is, there to get the word of God, the manner of his true worship and all other means which may further their purpose. And this is to be done by procuring men of knowledge and wisdom to come and instruct both rulers and people how these things ought to be performed. These are to be had from those places where the Church is already built, as one of the priests which were translated out of Samaria, was sent back again to teach the new inhabitants of the country how to fear and worshipped the God of Israel. And first they are to call the people to the profession of the faith by preaching unto them the doctrine of the law and of the gospel in that manner which hath already been declared, for civil rulers do not themselves ordinarily build the Church, but they, as it were, hire workmen to do it, and take order that the people whom they would bring into the form of a Church, be taught and instructed in the ways of God. Thus to the ministery of the word, whereby alone private Churches are builded, the power and authority of the magistrate is added, or rather the ministery of the word is added to the civil authority (which hath the first place in order, although not in efficacy) that as the one doth labour to bring the bodies and outward actions of the people into the due order of a Church, and to conform themselves to the right worship of God, so the preaching of the word may move their minds to know, and their hearts to obey the will of God. The which work of the magistrate and minister consisteth in two things, the first is to take away the false religion, the other to establish that which is agreeable to the will of God. In both which there are diverse things to be considered and specially in the first, forsomuch as it is a hard and dangerous matter to abolish that corrupt worship which they have always used, and which they have received from their ancestors. For men are very zealous of the traditions of their forefathers, wherein they themselves also have been brought up. To abrogate all at once, and instead thereof to plant the true religion being altogether strange and unknown unto them, In the first planting of a public Church, the false worship is to b● abrogated by little & little were both dangerous to the civil estate as that which were very like to breed sedition and uproars among the people, and also contrary to the right manner of laying a sure foundation of a Church. For they being forced by authority to renounce their own religion would rather hate that in their hearts, whereunto there were forced, then truly love and embrace it. Yea upon every occasion they would be ready to fall a way from the profession of it, and so be further off then they were at the first: and therefore the corrupt worship is to be tolerated for a while, till such time as by the preaching of the word some good number be converted. Which being done, then both the minister in reproving and the magistrate in abrogating their false kind of worship may be more bold. Yet not all at once, but at the first that which is most gross and corrupt, the vanity and falsehood whereof is most palpable and may most easily be showed. Then as touching the true religion, they who as yet do not embrace it, may be compelled by the authority of the magistrate, first not to speak evil of it, nor to injury or molest either by word or deed the professors of it. This we may learn of Nabuchadnezzer, Daniel. 3.18. who made a decree that whosoever should blaspheme or speak amiss of the God of Sidrach, Misach and Abednego, he should be put to death. Secondly they are also to be urged to hear reverently the word of God preached unto them: by the which means we n●ed not doubt but that the truth will daily more and more prevail, so that great multitudes of people will either in truth and from their hearts, love and embrace it or at the least make outward profession: the which as it is not to be rejected for that it cannot certainly be discerned to be hypocritical (we being bound to think the best of all men which do profess Christ, and not to judge them of hypocrisy) so it is good in this respect, for that they submitting themselves to the outward profession, will diligently and willingly hear the word, use religious exercises and all such means: the which we may hope will be effectual at one time or other to their unfeigned conversion. They who do not yield to be professors of the gospel, are still to be compelled to hear the word which must be preached to them in a distinct assembly, and of set purpose: for that the ordinary ministery which edifieth those who are already converted, cannot be so effectual and serve so fitly for this end. If it be here asked whether that the civil magistrate may not compel them by inflicting some punishment on them, to submit and conform themselves wholly to the orders of the Church, and to become members of it; the answer is, that this may be done to those who did once profess the true religion and afterwards did fall away: but men who never did conceive in their minds the doctrine of the gospel, cannot by force be made members of a Church, Obstinate infidels may be compelled to hear the word, but not to be of the Church. but being debarred from the use of their false worship, and also compelled to hear the word preached, are to be left for their conversion to the Lord. Yet if they continue professors of that worship which the civil ruler doth abhor, they are if not subject to banishment, loss of goods, imprisonment, or some less danger, trouble or punishment, yet clean shut out of his favour and so debarred from all preferment, honour or dignity, yea from any good condition of life. For the avoiding whereof, many will become professors of the truth, who in their hearts do not embrace it. Sect. 8. How a public Church being planted, is to be established. THus when the number of believers is so increased that (as for the most part it is in public Churches) either for number or for distance of place they cannot conveniently ordinarily come together, than they are to be divided in divers assemblies, & so to be brought into the form of a Church by appointing fit men to teach and lead them in the way of everlasting life, that so they may serve God and live in that holy order of a Church, which he hath appointed; And forsomuch as it may be asked where there can in this first planting of a Church be had such a number of ministers as may be sufficient, In case of necessity men of mean gifts may be admitted to the ministery of the word. therefore we are herein to follow the example of the Apostles, who whenas a competent number were won to the profession of the faith, they did after some space of time choose out of that number, those who were endued with best gifts. Yea although they were not learned in any other knowledge, yet if they had attained the sound knowledge of the principles of christian religion, so that they were able to teach the s●me to others, if they were m●n of an unblamable life, so that they might boldly and effectually exhort others to the same, than were they judged meet to be set over the rest, to teach and govern them. Yea this course did Esra take in a like case by the counsel and commandment of king Artaxarxes as we read in the seventh of that book, Vers. 25. And thou Ezra according to the wisdom of thy God which is in thee, appoint judges even all that know the laws of thy God. And if it were objected, but there a●e not a sufficient number of men which know how to judge, instruct, and order the people, therefore he addeth, and those that know not, make them to know, how they ought to do these things. So that by the good direction and counsel of those who are the chief workmen in this planting of a Church; men otherwise ignorant and unexpert may become able to teach & govern others. Neither ought this to seem strange unto us, considering the weak and simple state of the people at the first is such, as that, although in some respect they had need of most expert master-builders, yet they may be helped and taught by those, who do themselves need to be instructed. And according to the mean estate both of the teachers and also of the people we must be content (as no doubt the Lord in mercy doth accept it) with a small measure both of knowledge and also of obedience in the ways of God: and if it here be objected that which the Apostle forbiddeth Timothy, to wit, that none newly converted from paganism should be a Bishop or elder, we answer that if that be his meaning, yet this commandment must give place to the necessity of the Church: yea many such may be known to be very sound in the faith, so that we need not fear any apostasy in them. And forasmuch as it may be well thought that these men cannot so soon be endued with such a measure of knowledge in the government of the Church, and in the teaching and ordering of the people, but that they will be wanting in many things, and oftentimes err in administration, it being of itself so hard and difficult, as that even they who have all their life time laboured in this work and been teachers and governors in the Church, shall find themselves in many respects insufficient, yea ignorant and unexpert in many cases, which do often fall out among the people, therefore they by whose means and ministery the Church was first founded even as by most wise maister-builders must still have an eye to the several congregations and set those things in order which are amiss, resolve the doubts which are risen among them, strengthen, confirm and encourage both the people in their profession and obedience which they perform both to God and to his ministers, which are set over them, and especially they are to strengthen the teachers themselves, lest they faint under the weight of this most painful and troublesome calling wherein they find so many offences in the people, so many infirmities and wants in themselves, yea so many l●ts and hindrances of their ministry laid by the malice of sathan and the means of wicked men. Thus did the Apostle Paul exhort, confirm and encourage the elders of the Church at Ephesus Act. 20. whose example is to be followed of all in this case, who are endued with more excellent gifts of knowledge and wisdom in governing the Church of God than these are, to whom in the want of men fully sufficient, the congregations of the people are committed. Sect. 9 To whom the enacting of ecclesiastical laws in a public Church doth belong. IT remaineth that we consider to whom it belongeth to make ecclesiastical laws in a public Church. In private Churches this aught to be done, as hath been said, by the whole body of the Church consisting of the rulers and the people: for these churches are, as it w●re, free cities exempted in regard of divine matters from the jurisdiction of all superior power save only of Christ, howsoever they be subject to magistrates as touching civil obedience. But it is far otherwise in public Church's the which coming into the commonwealth, come within the dominion and jurisdiction of the civil magistrate, not to spoil him of his power either in whole as when the civil state is ruled by any in the name of the Church or in part, as when the Church taketh to herself full and supreme authority in the ordering of her own matters, and so exempting herself from the civil power doth restrain it from meddling with all matters within that dominion. But the Church becoming public doth subject herself to the said power, as to a superior or he●d, and suffereth herself to be ordered by it in great part. For even as a man, as long as he liveth in a desert place or keepeth himself within his own house, may live according to his own will: but as soon as he joineth himself to a commonwealth and cometh into a public place, he must square his actions according to the commandment of the magistrate, so standeth the case with the Church. The which is free, as long as she is private, but being public, is overruled by the civil power: yea even in making ecclesiastical laws this civil power hath place. where by ecclesiastical laws we do not mean those which prescribe the manner of the worship of God and the substance of Church-government▪ for these are appointed by God in the word and cannot be changed by any creature: but we mean laws made only of the circumstances of God's worship being things indifferent neither commanded, forbidden nor expressed in the scripture. There is an other kind of laws which also may be called ecclesiastical, for that they concern the Church, made to allow, command and authorize the public building of it: such were the edicts of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes for the re-edifying of the temple at jerusalem, & likewise the laws of the good kings of juda for the overthrowing of idolatry and the public establishing of the true worship of God. These laws are to be made by the sole authority of the civil ruler, or at the least by that authority whereby civil laws are made: neither can there any question be made hereof. For it is plain that no man can make the building of a public Church either peaceable or lawful but they. who have the ruling of that place wherein it is to be built. But as touching the giver or maker of the other laws, there is great question, for it seemeth to many very unmeet that the civil power should enter so far into the Church, as to have to do with the making of the laws whereby it is to be ordered. Yea that it is without the compass of the magistrates calling to meddle with these matters. But it seemeth that we ought to be so far from excluding the civil ruler from the making of these laws (which were in some sort to take the sceptre out of his hand, forasmuch as where there is a Church publicly set up in any realm, there the state of the Church and the commonwealth do very much depend of each other and their general affairs are so linked together, as that neither can be well ordered without respect had to the other) as that we rather take it agreeable to the word of GOD that the chief stroke in this action be given unto him. For the further declaration hereof, the making of laws hath two parts, the first is the counseling or advising of them; the second is the establishing or enacting of them, both which as it seemeth belong to the civil ruler, the first in part, the second wholly. The enacting of the laws is the making of them, and therefore in the first place we will endeavour to show that those things which are advised for the ordering of a public Church, have both the name and the force of laws from the civil power: for first this must of necessititie be granted to it in the first founding of the Church, wherein we are to suppose that there are neither ministers nor any believing people: only the magistrate having the knowledge of the true God goeth about to bring the people thereunto. The which thing he cannot do without making and establishing laws for that purpose. So that, as we see it to be in other matters, in that the civil ruler is the first and sole founder of these public Churches, he hath the power of enacting those laws whereby the whole work is both begun, continued and preserved: thus the Apostles being the first founders of the Churches did make laws and constitutions for the ordering of them as we may see 1. Cor. 4.17. Where Paul witnesseth of himself that he did make the same constitutions in all Churches. In like manner the chief rulers although they have not Apostolical callings, offices and gifts, yet for that in planting public Churches they do supply their places, we are to grant unto them authority in this behalf. And as this po●er cannot be denied to the magistrate in the first founding of a Church, so whenas the Church is built, his authority is not diminished or abated or given to any other, but remaineth still in his own hands. The truth whereof may be declared in this manner: to make a lawgiver there must these things concur. First a public calling whereby he hath care and charge of the people to procure their good as by all other means, so especially by giving them good and righteous laws by the which they may be ordered: Secondly authority to command and also power to compel those who are rebellious to yield obedience unto the said laws. The which things for so much as they are wanting in all others save in the chief ruler, hereof it cometh to pass that the giving of laws cannot belong to any save to him only. For the greater evidence of this point, we are to consider to whom this making of ecclesiastical laws is given being denied to the civil ruler, namely to the whole ministery of the Church established, who as they have the ordering and ruling of the Church and the greatest measure of knowledge in these affairs, so it may seem most meet that the making of laws be permitted unto them. For the answering whereof this is to be marked that we do not here inquire who a●e most meet to advise ecclesiastical laws and to be admitted into consultation of them: for we cannot doubt, but that the ministers of the word are usually most fit for this purpose, but who hath this calling, office and authority to make these laws. All which seem to be wanting in the minister● whose calling and office is to be in particular Churches the ministers of the word, of prayer, of the sacraments & of discipline, but not to be lawgivers in the Church. For so they should rule over it as Lords which is forbidden. 1. Pet. 5.3. yea they have no power to make and authorize laws, no not in a private Church, which is free from the civil power. For although they bear the chiefest sway in this and in all other actions yet the laws take their authority, not from the ministers but from the whole body of the Church consisting of ministers and people. But in a public Church this authority goeth from the people to the civil ruler, The state of a private Church is popular, but the state of a public Church is according to the form of the civil government. by whose authority it is planted, built and preferred: the word lawfully preached in great assemblies of the people, the which otherwise were tumults: yea the positive laws of the Church authorized & put in force. So that in a private Church the state i● popular, but in a public Church, it is according to the civil state, as namely monarchical in the rule of one. If any do here object, that definition of the office and duty of a ruler which the people of Israel make, 1. Sam. 8.20. saying, We will have a king, who shall judge us and fight our battles for us, and thereof gather that he being otherwise busied, cannot use the means of attaining a sufficient measure of knowledge in ordering of the Church: we answer that this people had no care but of worldly matters. And further that there is no ruler in his own person so continually employed in civil or warlike affairs, but that he may and aught to give himself to the study of the word of GOD and to the use of all men whereby he may be made able for the discharging of this duty to the Church. The truth of this point appeareth in the example of josua who had a more weighty and troublesome charge laid upon him, namely to bring the people of Israel into the land of Chanaan, and to give them quiet possession of it, than any ruler hath in the ordinary government of his realm: and yet the Lord gave him this commandment in the first place, jos. 1.8. That the book of the law should never departed from him, but that he should meditate on it day and night. If it be further asked why the Apostles never make mention of any such authority that princes should ha●e in the church the answer is plain, to wit, that there were no public Churches in their days: And therefore the civil ruler had no further to deal with them, then to tolerate them within their dominions, and to see that they lived in civil peace and order. As touching the advising of laws: although the civil ruler have the authority of enacting them, Why the authority of the civil ruler over the Church is not mentioned by the Apostles in their writings. yet he ought to be very sparing and moderate in using it. The which thing as it is necessarily to be observed in the civil government of all rulers, who desire to have a quiet and peaceable estate, so it is much more requisite in ordering the Churrch, which ought to be ruled after a most gentle and mild manner even as the prophet Esay doth teach us, saying that in the time of the gospel, Kings & Queens shallbe nourse-fathers' and nourse-mothers' to the Church, that is, they shall rule and order it not tyrannically by force and violence, but in a loving and tender sort, even as we see nurses deal with young children. The which affection a christian ruler ought to have, use, and show in all his dealings with the Church, and especially in giving laws for the ordering of it. For although in other matters his will may in some sort stand for a law, yet in this case he ought not to be so peremptory or wilful, but that he do willingly suffer himself to be ruled by the word of God, to do that which is most agreeable unto it. And forasmuch as in indifferent things whereof these laws are to be made, it is not always easy to see what is most right and meet to be done, and for that civil rulers have not the extraordinary assistance and the spirit of God to direct them in these actions, therefore it is needful that they consult with others, & take their advise in making laws for the Church: and so much the rather as an oversight in governing the Church, is more hurtful than it is in civil mats. If it be here asked who ought to be admitted to this weighty consultation, and what is the whole order of this action, we referr●●he answer hereof to the next chapter. CHAP. X. Of the conjunction of particular Churches. Sect. 1. Of the voluntary conjunction of particular Churches under the government of counsels. THUS much of a particuiar Church severally considered, and being distinguished from all others by the propriety of human ecclesiastical laws or more plainly by a distinct government, even as we see one city, country or kingdom to be separated from another by the own limits whether hills, rivers, seas, or any other: thus the Church which was planted at Corinth by the Apostle was free from all other Churches, being not bound to their laws and orders. Yet often it cometh to pass, that they are joined together and that even in this bond of human government by the which they are usually severed one from another. Of this conjunction we are briefly to entreat: the which we find to be of two sorts, the one voluntary, the other necessary; voluntary conjunction is that whereby particular Churches, which otherwise are free from all human authority and jurisdiction, do submit themselves to a common-guernment for their common good, as we see that free cities enter into a league and a common-government, that so they may be the better ordered. The subject of this authority are counsels provincial, natural and general: which are assemblies of certain men sent from particular Churches, with authority to judge and determine of the weighty causes of those Churches. In these counsels we are to consider, first their original, and authority, and secondly of whom they do consist. For the first, although the government which God hath appointed for the ordering of Churches in particular, be in itself sufficient for that purpose, yet there is many ways great use of this common-government of counsels. For there is not so great force and authority for the repressing of the stubborn and disobedient, for the resolving of doubts, the deciding of weighty controversies, the confirming of the truth of doctrine, the refuting of pernicious heresies, The use of counsels. the making of ecclesiastical constitutions of rites and ceremonies, and finally for the ordering of great & weighty matters, in the ministery of any one Church, as there is in a great number, whose godliness, wisdom, and learning are famously known to all men. Yea there is among many excellent men, great variety of knowledge, wisdom and all spiritual graces, the which being joined together, are more available for the edifying of the Church, then if they were only severally used in particular Churches; For these causes was this common government of counsels instituted in the Church at the first, and hath continued in all the ages of it. The first example of a council in the time of the gospel is, Act. 15.6. where all the Apostles and the whole Church which was at jerusalem come together for the deciding of a great controversy, moved about the keeping of the ceremonial law. But this counsel although in force and authority it was ecumenical or general in that the constitutions made then by the Apostles did belong to all the Churches in the world, yet in act, and in deed it was a particular assembly of that one Church which was at jerusalem consisting of the Apostles, Elders and of the whole people, as appeareth, Vers. 22. so that this example serveth not for our purpose, neither proveth the divine institution of provincial counsels. Yea as it seemeth we have not any example or precept of this conjunction of particular Churches mentioned in the acts, & writings of the Apostles or elsewhere in the holy scripture. Whereof some have gathered that these counsels are unlawful and their authority usurped, being not of God but from man,, and that there is no other government appointed for the Church but that which may be had within the compass of every particular Church. For answer whereof, we know that of lawful things some are necessary, being commanded by God, so that the omitting of them is sin in his sight: but other things are so lawful as that they may lawfully be left undone: being not commanded but permitted to us to do when we shall think them convenient. Of this latter kind are these common counsels and this voluntary conjunction of diverse Churches under one government. For we have no flat commandment in the word as touching it: neither can any Church, be compelled to join in this manner, yet one Church may lawfully use the help of an other for their mutual good. If it be here objected that it is not in the power of man to appoint any other form of Church-government, than God himself hath prescribed in his word, we answer that these common counsels do not take away the government of particular churches but rather do establish it, yea make it more effectual and forcible and supplieth the wants the which by reason of the infirmity, and wants of men are often found in it. The reason why these counsels are not mentioned in the scripture is, for that in the days of the Apostles the Churches could not join themselves together in this manner, not only because they were not fully settled within themselves but chiefly because they were few in number and so far distant one from another, that they could not with any convenience communicate ordinarily together. Why there is no mention made of counsels in the writings of the Apostles. Yea the Apostles were to them in steed of the most general counsels, for they referred all their doubts, controversies and matters of importance to their determination, wherein the rested as in the word of God. Whereby it appeareth, that although these counsels have not their original and authority immediately and directly from God, as the ministery of a particular Church hath, yet that they have been instituted and used by the Church for just and necessary cause's according to the word and will of God. Likewise the authority of these councils is the full authority of those Churches from the which the several commissioners or delegates were sent. And therefore it ought to be reverenced and obeyed: yet this is to be noted, that this authority doth not stretch itself to any Churches save only to those which join themselves together in this kind of government or rather in this subjection. And therefore a council which is gathered out of all the Churches of some country, or part of the world, cannot impose laws upon the Churches of other countries: yea if in an ecumenical council any one Church should refuse to join itself with the rest, the laws of that council should not build that one Church: for counsels have no authority but over those Churches from the which they have authority. Sect. 2. Of whom counsels may and aught to consist. SEcondly we are to see of whom these counsels ought to consist: the answer is, of men whom the common consent of the Churches joined together under this common government doth in respect of the excellency of their gifts to wit, of zeal, godliness, wisdom, learning, experience, faithfulness, boldness, diligence, and such other graces requisite in this behalf, judge fit for this purpose. Here we have two questions to answer. The first is whether that any besides the ministers of the word ought to be of these counsels, the second is, whether that a council may conveniently consist wholly of those who are not ministers of the word. For answer of both these questions, we confess that the ministers ought to be accounted most fit to be admitted into consultation of these weighty matters: for that they ought not only to know the state and condition of the particular churches better the any other, it being their calling and office to look unto them, but also to be endued with more excellent gifts than are to be expected usually in others, yet these counsels may lawfully according to the word of god, consist of others. Yea the constitutions or decrees of such counsels are no less to have the force, reverence and obedience of ecclesiastical laws then if they had been made by a council consisting wholly of ministers. For it is in the power of the Churches which do consociate themselves in this manner, to delegate their authority to whom they will, of what calling or condition soever he be. For although the knowledge and care of the state of the Church and all other graces have in corrupt times been appropriated to the ministers, the people being accounted ignorant and profane idols neither able nor worthy to deal with ecclesiastical matters much less to judge, deter●ine and advise of matt●rs of great importance, yet we learn out of the word, and see it ratified by experience that the spirit of GOD and all spiritual graces, do as well belong and are as often, as plentifully, yea some times in greater measure granted to other Christians then to the ministers of the word. So that the ministers of the word cannot challenge to themselves authority and ability to be the only doers in this action, but must admit into their company and consultation those of the people that are judged fit for this purpose, yea although there be a sufficient number of ministers able to perform whatsoever is required in this behalf, yet it is divers ways inconvenient that counsels should consist wholly of them. For first we know that a great part of these laws do concern the ministers themselves and the performance of their duties and functions, wherein if there be any general negligence, want or oversight and error, which is no strange thing, (as they know who are acquainted with the histories and state of the Church, who shall lay open the fault & make laws for the redressing of it. For although it may be supposed that they will do it of their own accord, yet it standeth not with their wisdom who have the choosing of fit men for these counsels, to commit the matter wholly to them, especially whenas the amending of the error is against the credit, For what causes others besides the ministers of the word are to be admitted to ecclesiastical consultations. commodity or ease of the ministers: yea it is not agreeable to any reason that they should appoint to themselves the duties and work which they ought to do and correct whatsoever is amiss therein: for we know that most of all those corruptions, wherewith the Church hath been polluted and defaced these many ages, have been both brought in and continued by the means of these counsels consisting of ministers only. Besides, this rejecting of the whole Church as unfit to advise any thing for their own good, is both injurious to God who especially in this time of the Gospel, poureth forth his spirit with a full and indifferent hand on all his servants that call upon him, so that his graces bestowed on the Church are as the ointment which being poured upon Aaron's head ran down even to the skirts of his garments, and also, reproachful to the Church as being destitute of all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Lastly the excluding of all the people from counsels, maketh the laws enacted by them to be unwillingly received: for that the ministers taking all the authority into their own hands do easily incur the suspicion of tyrannizing over the Church, whereas the laws would be readily obeyed without murmuring or repining if that some of the people had a hand in the making of them. As touching the second question, although a council gathered about ecclesiastical matters might lawfully consist wholly of those who are not ministers of the word, yet it is seldom convenient, that this should be put in practice: for first the ordinary authority wherewith the ministers are endued in that they are the teachers and governors of the people, although it be not sufficient to make laws, yet it requireth that they should usually bear the greatest sway in making those human laws whereby the Church should be governed: yea by this means it cometh to pass that the laws have greater force and authority among the people then when they come from men otherwise merely private. Yea the state of many Churches is so that few men of other callings besides the ministers of the word give themselves to the study of the word of God, or have sufficient knowledge for this purpose: thinking that it doth belong to ministers only to know the manner of the worship of God and of the government of his Church. And if we do suppose a flourishing state of a Church wherein knowledge doth abound not only in the ministers but also among the people, so as they are able to give a sound judgement and good advise in these weighty matters, yet the ministers ought not to be excluded: for if the people do abound with knowledge, it is like, yea necessary that the ministers be much more filled with all spiritual understanding and wisdom, yea it is seldom seen that others know the state of the Church and of the people, which in making these laws is chief to be regarded, so well as the ministers do, who are continually exercised in looking unto them. Sect. 3. Of the necessary conjunction of particular Churches under the government of the same civil power. THus much of the voluntary conjunction of particular Churches under the government of counsels: now followeth the necessary conjunction of them, so called, because it is not in their power to shake off that common authority whereunto they are subject. This necessary conjunction hath place then, whenas diverse particular Churches are tied together in obedience to the same civil authority, by the which they are ruled as hath been declared in the former chapter. Yea it may be seen almost in all public Churches the which usually consist of so great a number of professors as cannot possibly be contained within the compass of one Church: for if any one populous city do generally profess the gospel, it must of necessity be divided into divers particular Churches: much more a christian country, nation, or kingdom cannot but contain in it many particular Churches. All which although they have their proper rulers or teachers and orders as free Churches have, yet they have also a common government, and laws proceeding from the civil power, to the obedience whereof they are all bound. For in public Churches the civil power hath the greatest sway in governing: by the which being one, the whole Church and every particular assembly, is brought to a conformity, both in doctrine as also in government, yea it is requisite, & needful that it should be so: for otherwise if every particular Church did differ from the rest in government, the whole Church could not be ordered without great trouble and confusion. But yet this common government of the magistrate doth not take away the grovernment of particular Churches no more than the counsels whereof we have spoken, do from free Churches: This is to be done by the authority of the civil ruler, yet by the advise of others. In the choice of whom as it is lawful, for the prince to call or pass over whom he thinketh meet or unmeet, so it will be convenient for the good of the Church (the which it is not lawful for him either wholly to neglect or lightly to regard) to call of all sorts of men those who are endued with best gifts: yet so that some be had out of every particular Church as if they were free Churches. And especially the ministers of the word are to be called, for the reasons declared in the former section: when they by his authority are gathered together, he is to take unto himself the ruling of the whole action (unless it be needful that he delegate his authority to some other) and by praying for the blessing of God upon their consultations, & declaring the cause of their meeting to begin it. Then he is to propound in the first place those wants, faults and corruptions of the Ch. which he himself hath observed, & would have supplied and taken away: to show the manner how he thinketh it most meet to be done: which being done he is to give liberty to every one present to speak their minds freely of those things which he hath propounded, as also of any other thing which they think good for the Church: that which is agreed upon & doth appear to all, or to the most of them right & meet to be decreed, he is to establish giving unto it the virtue of an ecclesiastical law, the which the whole Ch. ought to obey. That which cannot be agreed upon, is to be deferred to another time of meeting (which ought to be somuch the sooner as the matters controversed are of greater importance) for more mature deliberation with themselves and others will make that clear and evident which before was doubtful. If there be any thing which neither can be agreed upon by the consent of the greater part, neither yet deferred without great hurt to the Church the chief ruler may with the consent of some of the council decree, and enact that which they think needful to be done. Yet he is not to use this authority in this manner, but upon urgent necessity, for many inconveniences do follow the enacting of ecclesiastical lawe● without the full consent of the council, yea the suspicion of tyrannising over the Ch. of God is by all means to be avoided. In regard whereof many christian Emperors & rulers did resign their authority, which they had in governing the ch. to these counsels, No ecclesiastical law can be made made in a public Ch. without the consent of the civil ruler. insomuch that they had the full power not only of advising laws, but also of enacting or the giving unto them the force of laws: But as hath been showed, this m●y easily turn to the hurt of the Ch. and therefore it ought not wholly to b● followed yet it showeth how great regard civil rulers ought to have of the judgement & advise of those who are godly, wise and learned in the ordering of the Church's subject unto them. And therefore that which the council thinketh good to be done or the greater part of them ought to be greatly regarded. Yet if the chief ruler cannot be brought to give his assent unto it, it cannot have the force of an ecclesiastical law: or be imposed upon the whole Ch. in that name. As touching the number whereof any national council doth consist, there cannot any be defined but it must be left to the appointment of the chief ruler to whom the deposing & authorizing of this whole action doth belong. Yet it ought to be proportionable to the quantity of the Ch. & to the number of the particular Churches, so that if some be had out of every one of them, it will make the laws enacted to be much more willingly received & obeyed, whenas it shall be known, that some of themselves did in the name of the rest consent unto them. And especially this is requisite, in respect of the chief end and use of these counsels both in free and public churches, whereof we will briefly speak. The which is to bring the whole Church to a conformity of doctrine: this is needful and good to be done, and that for these causes, first for the repressing of heresies which do continually arise in the Church. For the which purpose the general consent of the Church is very forcible: for either the consent and judgement of the whole Church will be of great weight to take the said heresies out of the minds of those who do maintain them, or else the authority by which the truth oppugned is publicly established, will be able to remove the maintainers of them out of the Church. Secondly this form of doctrine agreed upon by many will be effectual to strengthen and confirm those who are weak in the faith and not fully grounded in some points of christian religion. Yea it may be a means to help forward those who have not as yet taken upon them the profession of the gospel. Not that we ought to build our faith upon the authority of men, The general consent of the Church confirmeth faith. but for that we ought to take from the Church a confirmation of our faith, seeing we may be greatly helped and strengthened by this means. And lastly this form of doctrine ought to be esteemed the public confession of the whole Church, whereby they do make known not only to other Churches but also to the whole world, that they do profess & maintain the truth of christian religion, and of every part thereof, & do detest & abhor all the false worship of the jews, Turks, and all other infidels whatsoever: and also that they are free from all false & erroneous opinions, all gross & blasphemous heresies of men professing the faith, wherewith the Church hath been at all times, and is troubled at this day. This public profession of the faith being with great care & diligence made and approved by the general consent of the whole council, is by the authority of the chief ruler to be enjoined to the whole Ch. so as it be not lawful for any man to deny or refute any point of it. Yet it ought not to contain in it the determination of all controversies, but only a declaration of the chief points of religion, in the profession whereof the life, & as it were the very essence or being of the Church doth consist. For as touching matters of less moment in the which men may err without any danger to their own salvation or hurt to the Church, it is impossible that all men should be brought to think and profess the same thing: but there will be continually diversity of opinions in these points in every Church. Yet it doth belong to this public council to consider & to determine even of other doubts & controversies, which do trouble the Church that by this means contention may be taken away, and as the Apostle writeth. 1. Cor. 1.10. all may say the same things and be knit together in one mind and in one judgement. Yet the determination of the council of these lighter points ought not to be imposed upon any man to think or to profess, but every man left to think as it shall please God to give him to understand the word of God in that behalf either keeping his opinion dissenting fr●m the Church to himself, or else imparting it to others in that moderate, wise and christian manner, as that no man be justly offended by him or the public peace of the Church disquieted, but rather all in some measure edified. Sect. 4. of the governing of the several provinces of a national Church. THus much of a public or national council gathered, ordered and established by the authority of the chief ruler for this end, to bring the whole Church to a conformity, both in outward rites and orders and also in the truth of doctrine. Wherein this is especially to be considered and therefore not unfit to be repeated, that there be regard had unto the liberty of inferior Synods. For as it is impossible to make all men think the same thing in all points, so also it is unmeet yea impossible that the general council should so define of all things which are incident into the governing of churches, as that nothing be left to the discretion, and disposition of inferior assemblies. And therefore the decrees and laws made by the general council ought to be as rules to direct them in their actions, although all particular cases and circumstances yea matters of less importance be neither determined nor yet mentioned in them. Now we are to come to provincial counsels; for so much as there do daily many doubts and controversies arise, yea great and weighty affairs do offer themselves amongst the Churches, which neither for the greatness can sufficiently be determined and ordered by a few ministers, neither yet conveniently be deferred to a general meeting which cannot be had without great trouble to the Church. Therefore provincial synods have a necessary use. They are of the same nature with general counsels, save only that they belong not to the whole Ch. but only to some part of it, as it is distinguished. They are to be called, ordered and established by the authority of the civil ruler, and do deal in the same matters and in the manner aforesaid: for the care and ordering not only of a whole national Ch. general, but also of the several provinces of it doth belong to the civil ruler: so that although it doth not belong to his office to enter into particular congregations and there to perform the duty of an ordinary governor or teacher, yet he ought to see and procure that they be in good order, that the ministers of the word do their duties diligently and sincerely, that the people live in obedience to the gospel of Christ. But in great nations and kingdoms, it is not often seen that the chief ruler can keep in his own hands, and discharge in his own person this duty of overseeing the several provinces of the Ch. and therefore it is as always lawful so often needful that he delegate and commit this part of his duty to some other, even to whomsoever he thinketh meetest for this purpose. Neither are we to exclude those who are ministers of the word from this calling, as if they only were unmeet, whenas they are in some respects fit than others, having been many years exercised in the affairs of some particular Church. And therefore if it please the civil ruler to call any who doth perform some ordinary ministery in some particular Church to this office of overseeing many Churches, he doth nothing but that which is agreeable to reason and warrantable by the word of God. For men having taken upon them any ministery are not so tied unto it, but that they may leave it when as they shallbe called by the chief ruler to perform any other more weighty, and public duty, yea although it be in some civil office, and much more to have the care of many churches. Yet it is not meet that any man having this office should withal have any function in a particular Church as doth necessarily require his presence. For besides other inconveniences, it will be to him an occasion of negligence in the performance of his duty, and an evil example to others. Which as it is a grievous thing in any man to do the work of God negligently, so it is much more offensive in him whose office and calling it is to see that the Church be well ordered. Thus much of the common government of divers Churches whether they be free or subject to the same civil power. From this common government whole nations and kingdoms consisting of many Churches are often called one particular church, because they all have the same human laws, although if we speak properly, they are divers Churches because they have not all the same laws, but only some public, common and general laws pertaining to all. CHAP. XI. THus much of a partìcular Church both severally and also jointly considered. In the next and last place we are to come to the visible Church: which is nothing else but a collection of all the particular Churches in the world into one body or sum which is called the visible Church by relation had to the catholic Church the which by reason of the dispersed members of it, is invisible, as hath been declared, whenas every particular Church, yea even private Churches and so consequently the visible Church consisting thereof, doth make a public profession of the faith. This visible Church doth continually exist in the world, forsomuch as GOD hath appointed that his name should continually as long as the world endureth, be called upon and worshipped in one place or other, as the story of the Ch. doth witness. We confess that it hath often lurked in secret places, and often been so overshadowed with errors, superstition and idolatry that it could hardly be discerned, and so hath been even as the sun is in the eclipse, yet never wholly taken away: for whenas there was but one particular Ch. in the world, yea this particular church was not public, but private within one man's family, and secret lurking in a corner, so that they who lived at that time or in the ages following, could not define where the Church was at such a time, yet that Church made the visible Church. For their profession was visible and open among themselves, and also to others, although it were not seen at that instant: for a thing which is not actually seen may be visible. Secondly this is to be noted, that in the first ages of the world before the time of the Gospel, the visible Ch. did often consist of one only particular church, there being no more in the world: but since the publishing of the gospel it hath hitherto, & shall always consist of many. Lastly as touching the place of this visible Ch. although it be not tied to any certain place, yet it hath always been chiefly in some one part of the world. So we know that first it was wholly in the east parts in the countries of Mesopotania, Syria, jury and others adjoining unto these. Afterwards in the first time of the gospel it was chiefly in Asia. And in these last ages, How the visible Church hath changed the dwelling place. we see that it hath been almost wholly in Europe: and whether God will change the dwelling place of it again or no, & even transport it to the fourth part of the world, lately found out or to any other place, it is known to himself only. divers ●ther points should be added for the full declaration of ●he nature and state of the visible Church. But many of them a●● common with the catholic Church, and therefore are handled in the first Chapter, where they may be considered. The rest we cut off for brevities sake, because this treatise is already grown beyond our purpose, and expectation. So then to conclude, if to this visible Church we do add the dispersed members of the catholic Church, we have the catholic Church. And so the end of this treatise is brought to the beginning. FINIS.