religion-第15部分

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But　no　christian　Church　by　the　doctrine　of　Christ；　can　forbid　the
Heathen　to　gather　together；　and　Communicate　among　themselves；　as
it　shall　seem　good　to　their　Cities；　especially　if　they　meet　to
worship　Christ；　although　it　be　done　in　a　singular　custome；　and
manner：　therefore　also　not　the　excommunicated；　who　are　to　be
dealt　with　as　Heathen。　Thirdly；　a　Prince　who　hath　the　Soveraign
Power；　cannot　be　excommunicated。　For　by　the　doctrine　of　Christ；
neither　one；　nor　many　subjects　together　can　interdict　their
Prince　any　publique；　or　private　places；　or　deny　him　entrance　into
any　Assembly　whatsoever；　or　prohibit　him　the　doing　of　what　hee
will　within　his　own　jurisdiction。　For　it　is　Treason　among　all
Cities；　for　any　one；　or　many　subjects　joyntly　to　arrogate　to
themselves　any　authority　over　the　whole　City；　but　they　who
arrogate　to　themselves　an　authority　over　him　who　hath　the　supreme
power　of　the　City；　doe　arrogate　the　same　authority　over　the　City
it　selfe。　Besides；　a　Soveraign　Prince；　if　he　be　a　Christian；　hath
this　farther　advantage；　that　the　City　whose　Will　is　contained　in
His；　is　that　very　thing　which　we　call　a　Church；　the　Church
therefore　excommunicates　no　man；　but　whom　it　excommunicates　by
the　authority　of　the　Prince：　but　the　Prince　excommunicates　not
himselfe；　his　subjects　therefore　cannot　doe　it。　It　may　be　indeed
that　an　Assembly　of　rebellious　Citizens　or　Traytors；　may
pronounce　the　sentence　of　excommunication　against　their　Prince；
but　not　by　Right。　Much　lesse　can　one　Prince　be　excommunicated　by
another；　for　this　would　prove　not　an　excommunication；　but　a
provocation　to　Warre　by　the　way　of　affront。　For　since　that　is　not
one　church　which　is　made　up　of　Citizens　belonging　to　two　absolute
Cities；　for　want　of　power　of　lawfully　assembling　them；　（as　hath
been　declar'd　before　in　the　22。　Art。）　they　who　are　of　one　Church
are　not　bound　to　obey　an　other；　and　therefore　cannot　be
excommunicated　for　their　disobedience。　Now；　what　some　may　say；
that　Princes；　being　they　are　members　of　the　Universall　church；
may　also　by　the　authority　of　the　Universall　church　be
excommunicated；　signifies　nothing：　because　the　Universall　church
（as　hath　beene　shewed　in　the　22。　Art。）　is　not　one　Person；　of　whom
it　may　be　said　that　shee　acted；　decreed；　determin'd；
excommunicated；　absolv'd；　and　the　like　personall　attributes；
neither　hath　she　any　Governour　upon　Earth　at　whose　command　she
may　assemble；　and　deliberate：　For　to　be　guide　of　the　Universall
church；　and　to　have　the　power　of　assembling　her；　is　the　same
thing　as　to　be　Governour；　and　Lord　over　all　the　Christians　in　the
world；　which　is　granted　to　none；　but　God　onely。
　　　　XXVII。　It　hath　beene　shewed　above　in　the　18。　Art。　that　the
authority　of　interpreting　the　Holy　Scriptures　consisted　not　in
this；　that　the　interpreter　might　without　punishment；　expound；　and
explicate　his　sentence　&　opinion　taken　thence；　unto　others；
either　by　writing；　or　by　his　owne　voice；　but；　that　others　have
not　a　Right　to　doe；　or　teach　ought　contrary　to　his　sentence；
insomuch　as　the　interpretation　we　speak　of　is　the　same　with　the
power　of　defining　in　all　manner　of　controversies　to　be　determined
by　sacred　Scriptures。　Now　we　must　shew　that　that　power　belongs　to
each　Church；　and　depends　on　his；　or　their　authority　who　have　the
Supreme　command；　provided　that　they　be　Christians。　For　if　it
depend　not　on　the　civill　authority；　it　must　either　depend　on　the
opinion　of　each　private　Subject；　or　some　forraigne　authority。　But
among　other　reasons；　the　inconveniencies　that　must　follow　private
opinions　cannot　suffer　its　dependance　on　them；　of　which　this　is
the　chiefe；　that　not　onely　all　civill　obedience　would　be　taken
away　（contrary　to　Christ　his　praecept）　but　all　humane　society　and
peace　would　be　dissolved　（contrary　to　the　Lawes　of　nature；）　for
seeing　every　man　is　his　owne　interpreter　of　Scripture；　that　is　to
say；　since　every　man　makes　himselfe　judge　of　what　is　pleasing　and
displeasing　unto　God；　they　cannot　obey　their　Princes　before　that
they　have　judg'd　whether　their　commands　be　conformable　to　the
Word　of　God；　or　not。　And　thus　either　they　obey　not；　or　they　obey
for　their　owne　opinions　sake；　that　is　to　say；　they　obey
themselves；　not　their　Soveraigne；　civill　obedience　therefore　is
lost。　Againe；　when　every　man　followes　his　owne　opinion；　it's
necessary　that　the　controversies　which　rise　among　them　will
become　innumerable；　and　indeterminable；　whence　there　will　breed
among　men　（who　by　their　own　naturall　inclinations　doe　account　all
dissention　an　affront）　first　hatred；　then　brawles　and　warres；　and
thus　all　manner　of　peace　and　society　would　vanish。　We　have
farthermore　for　an　example；　that　which　God　under　the　old　Law
required　to　be　observed　concerning　the　book　of　the　Law；　namely；
that　it　should　be　transcrib'd；　and　publiquely　us'd；　and　he　would
have　it　to　be　the　Canon　of　Divine　doctrine：　but　the　controversies
about　it　not　to　be　determined　by　private　Persons；　but　onely　by
the　Priests。　Lastly；　it　is　our　Saviours　Precept；　that　if　there　be
any　matter　of　offence　between　private　Persons；　they　should　hear
the　Church。　Wherefore　it　is　the　Churches　duty　to　define
controversies；　it　therefore　belongs　not　to　private　men；　but　to
the　Church；　to　interpret　Scriptures。　But　that　we　may　know　that
the　authority　of　interpreting　Gods　Word；　that　is　to　say；　of
determining　all　questions　concerning　God；　and　Religion；　belongs
not　to　any　forraign　Person　whatsoever；　we　must　consider　first
what　esteem　such　a　power　carries　in　the　mindes　of　the　subjects；
and　their　civill　actions。　For　no　man　can　be　ignorant　that　the
voluntary　actions　of　men　by　a　naturall　necessity；　doe　follow
those　opinions　which　they　have　concerning　good；　and　evill；
Reward；　and　Punishment；　whence　it　happens　that　necessarily　they
would　chuse　rather　to　obey　those　by　whose　judgement　they　beleeve
that　they　shall　be　eternally　happy；　or　miserable。　Now；　by　whose
judgement　it　is　appointed　what　Doctrines　are　necessary　to
salvation；　by　their　judgement　doe　men　expect　their　eternall
blisse；　or　perdition；　they　will　therefore　yeeld　them　obedience　in
all　things。　Which　being　thus；　most　manifest　it　is；　that　those
subjects　who　believe　themselves　bound　to　acquiesce　to　a　forraign
authority　in　those　Doctrines　which　are　necessary　to　salvation；
doe　not　per　se　constitute　a　City；　but　are　the　subjects　of　that
forraign　power。　Nor　therefore　although　some　Soveraign　Prince
should　by　writing　grant　such　an　authority　to　any　other；　yet　so；
as　he　would　be　understood　to　have　retained　the　civill　power　in
his　own　hands；　shall　such　a　Writing　be　valid；　or　transferre　ought
necessary　for　the　retaining；　or　good　administration　of　his
command。　For　by　the　2。　Chap。　4。　artic。　no　man　is　said　to
transferre　his　Right；　unlesse　he　give　some　proper　sign；　declaring
his　Will　to　transferre　it；　but　he　who　hath　openly　declared　his
will　to　keep　his　Soveraignty；　cannot　have　given　a　sufficient　sign
of　transferring　the　means　necessary　for　the　keeping　it。　This
kinde　of　Writing　therefore　will　not　be　a　sign　of　Will；　but　of
Ignorance　in　the　contractors。　We　must　consider　next　how　absurd　it
is　for　a　City；　or　Soveraign；　to　commit　the　ruling　of　his　Subjects
consciences　to　an　enemy。　For　they　are；　as　hath　been　shewed　above
in　the　5。　Chap。　6。　artic。　in　an　hostile　state；　whosoever　have　not
joyn'd　themselves　into　the　unity　of　one　Person。　Nor　contradicts
it　this　truth　that　they　doe　not　alwayes　fight：　（for　truces　are
made　between　enemies）　it　is　sufficient　for　an　hostile　minde；　that
there　is　suspition；　that　the　Frontiers　of　Cities；　Kingdomes；
Empires；　strengthned　with　Garisons；　doe　with　a　fighting　posture
and　countenance；　though　they　strike　not；　yet　as　enemies　mutually
behold　each　other。　Lastly；　how　unequall　is　it　to　demand　that；
which　by　the　very　reason　of　your　demand；　you　confesse　belongs　to
anothers　Right？　I　am　the　Interpreter　of　Scriptures　to　you　who　are
the　Subject　of　anothers　Realme：　Why？　By　what　Covenants　past
between　you　and　me？　By　Divine　authority。　Whence　knowne？　Out　of
holy　Scripture。　Behold　the　Book；　read　it。　In　vain；　unlesse　I　may
also　interpret　the　same　for　my　self；　That　interpretation
therefore　doth　by　Right　belong　to　me；　and　the　rest　of　my　private
fellow…subjects；　which　we　both　deny。　It　remains　therefore　that　in
all　christian　Churches；　that　is　to　say；　in　all　christian　Cities；
the　interpretation　of　sacred　Scripture　depend　on；　and　derive　from
the　authority　of　that　man；　or　Councell；　which　hath　the　Soveraign
power　of　the　City。
　　　　XXVIII。　Now　because　there　are　two　kindes　of　controversies；
the　one　about　spirituall　matters；　that　is　to　say；　questions　of
faith；　the　truth　whereof　cannot　be　searcht　into　by　naturall
reason；　such　are　the　questions　concerning　the　nature；　and　office
of　Christ；　of　rewards　and　punishments　to　come；　of　the　Sacraments；
of　outward　worship；　and　the　like：　the　other；　about　questions　of
humane　science；　whose　truth　is　sought　out　by　naturall　reason；　and
Syllogismes；　drawne　from　the　Covenants　of　men；　and　definitions
（that　is　to　say；　significations　received　by　use；　and　common
consent　of　words）　such　as　are　all　questions　of　Right；　and
Philosophy。　For　example；　when　in　matter　of　Right　its　questioned
whether　there　be　a　Promise；　and　Covenant；　or　not？　that　is　nothing
else；　but　to　demand；　whether　such　words　spoken　in　such　a　manner
be　by　common　use；　and　consent　of　the　Subjects；　a　Promise　or
Covenant；　which　if　they　be　so　called；　then　it　is　true　that　a
Contract　is　made；　if　not；　then　it　is　false：　that　truth　therefore
depends　on　the　compacts；　and　consents　of　men。　In　like　manner　when
it　is　demanded　in　Philosophy　whether　the　same　thing　may　entirely
be　in　divers　places　at　once；　the　determination　of　the　question
depends　on　the　knowledge　of　the　common　consent　of　men　about　the
signification　of　the　word　entire：　for　if　men　when　they　say　a
thing　is　entirely　somewhere　doe　signifie　by　common　consent　that
they　understand　nothing　of　the　same　to　be　elsewhere；　it　is　false
that　the　same　thing　is　in　divers　places　at　once：　that　truth
therefore　depends　on　the　consents　of　men；　and　by　the　same　reason
in　all　other　questions　concerning　Right；　and　Philosophy。　And　they
who　doe　judge　that　any　thing　can　be　determin'd；　（contrary　to　this
common　consent　of　men　concerning　the　appellations　of　things）　out