and from which, by wise and learned interpretation, and careful ratiocination, all rules and precepts necessary to the knowledge of our duty both to God and man, without enthusiasm, or supernatural inspiration, may easily be deduced, And this Scripture is it, out of which I am to take the principles of my discourse, concerning the rights of those that are the supreme governors on earth, of christian commonwealths; and of the duty of christian subjects towards their sovereigns.

*

It is a question much disputed between the divers sects of christian religion, "from whence the Scriptures derive. their authority?" * The question truly stated is, "by what authority they are made law?" As far as they differ not from the laws of nature, there is no doubt but they are the law of God, and carry their authority with them, legible to all men that have the use of natural reason; but this is no other authority than that of all other moral doctrine consonant to reason; the dictates whereof are laws, not made, but eternal.

If they be made law by God himself, they are of the nature of written law, which are laws to them only to whom God hath so sufficiently published them, as no man can excuse himself by saying, he knew not they were his.

He, therefore, to whom God hath not supernaturally revealed that they are his, nor that those that

*

published them, were sent by him, is not obliged to obey them by any authority but his, whose commands have already the force of laws; that is to say, by any other authority than that of the commonwealth, residing in the sovereign, who only has the legislative power. Again, if it be not the legislative authority of the commonwealth, that giveth them the force of laws, it must be some other authority derived from God, either private or public; if private, it obliges only him to whom in particular God hath been pleased to reveal it. * If public, it is the authority of the commonwealth, or of the church. But the church, if it be one person, is the same thing with a commonwealth of christians; called a commonwealth, because it consisteth of men united in one person, their sovereign; and a church, because it consisteth in christian men, united in one christian sovereign. But if the church be not one person, then it hath no authority at all; it can neither command or do any action at all; nor is capable of having any power or right to any thing; nor has any will, reason, nor voice; for all these qualities are personal. Now if the whole number of christians be not contained in one commonwealth, they are not one person; nor is there an universal church that hath any authority over them; and therefore the Scriptures are not made laws by the universal church: or if it be one commonwealth,

then all christian monarchs and states are private persons, and subject to be judged, deposed, and punished by an universal sovereign of all christendom. So that the question of the authority of the Scriptures is reduced to this: "Whether christian kings, and the sovereign assemblies in christian commonwealths, be absolute in their own territories, immediately under God; or subject to one vicar of Christ, constituted of the universal church; to be judged, condemned, deposed, and put to death, as he shall think expedient, or necessary for the common good?"

It is impossible for me to follow the author any farther in his detail on this question. 1 shall therefore content myself with a passage or two, selected from his review and conclusion of the whole.

As to the whole doctrine, I see not yet but the principles of it are true and proper, and the ratiocination solid: for I ground the civil right of sovereigns, and both the duty and liberty of subjects, upon the known natural inclinations of mankind, and upon the articles of the law of nature; of which no man, that pretends but reason enough to govern

his private family, ought to be ignorant. And for the power ecclesiastical of the same sovereign, I ground it on such texts as are both evident in themselves, and consonant to the scope of the whole Scripture. And therefore am persuaded, that he that shall read it with a purpose only to be informed, shall be informed by it.

*

In that part which treateth of a christian commonwealth, there are some new doctrines, which it may be, in a state where the contrary were already fully determined, were a fault for a subject without leave to divulge, as being an usurpation of the place of a teacher. But in this time, that men call not only for peace, but also for truth, to offer such doctrines as I think true, and that manifestly tend to peace and loyalty, to the consideration of those who are yet in deliberation, is no more but to offer new wine to be put into new casks, that both may be preserved together. And I suppose that then when novelty can breed no trouble nor disorder in a state, men are not generally so much inclined to the reverence of antiquity, as to prefer ancient errors, before new and well-proved truths.

*

To conclude, there is nothing in this whole discourse, nor in that I writ before of the same subject in Latin, as far as I can perceive, contrary either to the word of God, or to good manners; or to the disturb ance of the public tranquillity. Therefore I think it

may be profitably printed, and more profitably taught in the universities, in case they also think so, to whom the judgment of the same belongeth. For seeing the universities are the fountains of civil and moral doctrine, from whence the preachers, and the gentry, drawing such water as they find, are to sprinkle the same (both from the pulpit, and in their conversation) upon the people, there ought certainly to be great care taken to have it pure, both from the venom of heathen politicians, and from the incantation of deceiving spirits. And by that means the most men, knowing their duties, will be the less subject to serve the ambition of a few discontented persons, in their purposes against the state, and be the less grieved with the contributions necessary for their peace and defence; and the governors themselves have the less cause to maintain at the common charge any greater army than is necessary to make good the public liberty against the invasions and encroachments of sovereign enemies.

And thus I have brought to an end my discourse of civil and ecclesiastical government, occasioned by the disorders of the present time, without partiality, without application, and without other design than to set before men's eyes the mutual relation between protection and obedience; of which the condition of human nature, and the laws divine, (both natural and positive) require an inviolable observation. And