religion-第16部分

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common　consent　of　men　concerning　the　appellations　of　things）　out
of　obscure　places　of　Scripture；　doe　also　judge　that　the　use　of
speech；　and　at　once　all　humane　society；　is　to　be　taken　away；　for
he　who　hath　sold　an　whole　field；　will　say；　he　meant　one　whole
ridge；　and　will　retaine　the　rest　as　unsold；　nay；　they　take　away
reason　it　selfe；　which　is　nothing　else　but　a　searching　out　of　the
truth　made　by　such　consent。　These　kinde　of　questions　therefore
need　not　be　determin'd　by　the　City　by　way　of　interpretation　of
Scriptures；　for　they　belong　not　to　Gods　Word；　in　that　sense
wherein　the　Word　of　God　is　taken　for　the　Word　concerning　God；
that　is　to　say；　for　the　Doctrine　of　the　Gospell；　neither　is　he
who　hath　the　Soveraigne　Power　in　the　Church；　oblig'd　to　employ
any　Ecclesiastical　Doctours　for　the　judging　of　any　such　kind　of
matters　as　these。　But　for　the　deciding　of　questions　of　Faith；
that　is　to　say；　concerning　God；　which　transcend　humane　capacity；
we　stand　in　need　of　a　divine　blessing　（that　we　may　not　be
deceiv'd　at　least　in　necessary　points）　to　be　deriv'd　from　CHRIST
himselfe　by　the　imposition　of　hands。　For；　seeing　to　the　end　we
may　attaine　to　aeternal　Salvation；　we　are　oblig'd　to　a
supernatural　Doctrine；　&　which　therefore　it　is　impossible　for　us
to　understand；　to　be　left　so　destitute；　as　that　we　can　be
deceiv'd　in　necessary　points；　is　repugnant　to　aequity。　This
infallibility　our　Saviour　Christ　promis'd　（in　those　things　which
are　necessary　to　Salvation）　to　his　Apostles　untill　the　day　of
judgement；　that　is　to　say；　to　the　Apostles；　and　Pastors
succeeding　the　Apostles　who　were　to　be　consecrated　by　the
imposition　of　hands。　He　therefore　who　hath　the　Soveraigne　power
in　the　City；　is　oblig'd　as　a　Christian；　where　there　is　any
question　concerning　the　Mysteries　of　Faith；　to　interpret　the　Holy
Scriptures　by　Clergy…men　lawfully　ordain'd。　And　thus　in　Christian
Cities　the　judgement　both　of　spirituall　and　temporall　matters
belongs　unto　the　civill　authority。　And　that　man；　or　councell　who
hath　the　Supreme　power；　is　head　both　of　the　City；　and　of　the
Church；　for　a　Church；　and　a　Christian　City　is　but　one　thing。

Chap。　XVIII

Concerning　those　things　which　are　necessary　for　our　entrance　into
the　Kingdome　of　Heaven。

　　　　I。　It　was　ever　granted　that　all　authority　in　secular　matters
deriv'd　from　him　who　had　the　Soveraigne　power；　whether　he　were
one　Man；　or　an　Assembly　of　Men。　That　the　same　in　spirituall
matters　depended　on　the　authority　of　the　Church；　is　manifest　by
the　next　foregoing　proofs；　and　besides　this；　that　all　Christian
Cities　are　Churches　endued　with　this　kind　of　authority　From
whence　a　man　though　but　dull　of　apprehension　may　collect；　that　in
a　Christian　City；　（that　is　to　say；　in　a　City　whose　Soveraignty
belongs　to　a　Christian　Prince；　or　Councell）　all　Power；　as　well
spiritual；　as　secular；　is　united　under　Christ；　and　therefore　it
is　to　be　obey'd　in　all　things。　But　on　the　other　side；　because　we
must　rather　obey　God　then　Wen；　there　is　a　difficulty　risen；　how
obedience　may　safely　be　yeelded　to　them；　if　at　any　time　somewhat
should　be　commanded　by　them　to　be　done　which　CHRIST　hath
prohibited。　The　reason　of　this　difficulty　is；　that　seeing　God　no
longer　speakes　to　us　by　CHRIST；　and　his　Prophets　in　open　voice；
but　by　the　holy　Scriptures；　which　by　divers　men　are　diversly
understood；　they　know　indeed　what　Princes；　and　a　congregated
Church　doe　command；　but　whether　that　which　they　doe　command　be
contrary　to　the　word　of　God；　or　not；　this　they　know　not；　but　with
a　wavering　obedience　between　the　punishments　of　temporall；　and
spirituall　death；　as　it　were　sailing　betweene　Scilla　and
Carybdis；　they　often　run　themselves　upon　both。　But　they　who
rightly　distinguish　betweene　the　things　necessary　to　Salvation；
and　those　which　are　not　necessary；　can　have　none　of　this　kind　of
doubt。　For　if　the　command　of　the　Prince；　or　City　be　such；　that　he
can　obey　it　without　hazard　of　his　aeternall　Salvation；　it　is
unjust　not　to　obey　them；　and　the　Apostles　praecepts　take　place：
Servants　in　all　things　obey　your　Wasters　according　to　the　flesh。
Children　obey　your　Parents　in　all　things。　Col。　3。　v。　20；　22。　And
the　command　of　CHRIST；　The　Scribes　and　Pharisees　sit　in　Moyses
chair；　all　things　therefore　whatsoever　they　command　you；　that
observe；　and　doe。　Mat。　23。　v。　2。　On　the　contrary；　if　they　command
us　to　doe　those　things　which　are　punisht　with　aeternall　death；　it
were　madnesse　not　rather　to　chuse　to　dye　a　naturall　death；　then
by　obeying；　to　dye　eternally；　and　then　comes　in　that　which　CHRIST
sayes；　Feare　not　them　who　kill　the　body；　but　cannot　kill　the
Soule。　Mat。　10。　v。　28。　We　must　see　therefore　what　all　those
things　are；　which　are　necessary　to　Salvation。
　　　　II。　Now　all　things　necessary　to　Salvation　are　comprehended　in
two　vertues；　Faith；　and　Obedience。　The　latter　of　these　if　it
could　be　perfect　would　alone　suffice　to　preserve　us　from
damnation；　but　because　we　have　all　of　us　beene　long　since　guilty
of　disobedience　against　God　in　Adam；　and　besides　we　our　selves
have　since　actually　sinned；　Obedience　is　not　sufficient　without
remission　of　sinnes。　But　this；　together　with　our　entrance　into
the　Kingdome　of　Heaven　is　the　reward　of　Faith。　Nothing　else　is
requisite　to　Salvation；　for　the　Kingdome　of　Heaven　is　shut　to
none　but　sinners；　that　is　to　say；　those　who　have　not　perform'd
due　Obedience　to　the　Lawes；　and　not　to　those　neither；　if　they
beleeve　the　necessary　articles　of　the　Christian　Faith。　Now；　if　we
shall　know　in　what　points　Obedience　doth　consist；　and　which　are
the　necessary　articles　of　the　Christian　Faith；　it　will　at　once　be
manifest　what　we　must　doe；　and　what　abstaine　from；　at　the
commands　of　Cities；　and　of　Princes。
　　　　III。　But　by　Obedience　in　this　place　is　signified　not　the
fact；　but　the　Will　and　desire　wherewith　we　purpose；　and　endeavour
as　much　as　we　can　to　obey　for　the　future：　in　which　sense　the　word
Obedience　is　aequivalent　to　Repentance。　For　the　vertue　of
repentance　consists　not　in　the　sorrow　which　accompanies　the
remembrance　of　sinne；　but　in　our　conversion　to　the　way；　and　full
purpose　to　sinne　no　more；　without　which　that　sorrow　is　said　to　be
the　sorrow　not　of　a　Penitent　but　a　desperate　person。　But　because
they　who　love　God　cannot　but　desire　to　obey　the　divine　Law；　and
they　who　love　their　Neighbours　cannot　but　desire　to　obey　the
morall　Law；　which　consists　as　hath　beene　shewed　above　in　the　3。
Chapter；　in　the　prohibition　of　Pride；　ingratitude；　contumely；
inhumanity；　cruelty；　injury；　and　the　like　offences；　whereby　our
Neighbours　are　prejudic't；　therefore　also　Love　or　charity　are
aequivalent　to　Obedience。　Justice　also　（which　is　a　constant　will
of　giving　to　every　man　his　due）　is　aequivalent　with　it。　But　that
Faith　and　Repentance　are　sufficient　for　Salvation；　is　manifest　by
the　Covenant　it　selfe　of　Baptisme；　for　they　who　were　by　Peter
converted　on　the　day　of　Pentecost；　demanding　him　what　they　should
do？　He　answered；　Repent；　and　be　Baptiz'd　every　one　of　you　in　the
name　of　Jesus　for　the　remission　of　your　Sins。　Act。　2。　v。　38。
There　was　nothing　therefore　to　be　done　for　the　obtaining　of
Baptisme；　that　is　to　say；　for　to　enter　into　the　Kingdome　of　God；
but　to　Repent；　and　beleeve　in　the　Name　of　JESUS。　For　the　Kingdome
of　Heaven　is　promis'd　by　the　Covenant　which　is　made　in　Baptisme；
farthermore；　by　the　words　of　CHRIST　answering　the　Lawyer　who　askt
him　what　he　should　doe　to　inherit　eternall　life；　Thou　knowest　the
Commandements；　Thou　shalt　not　Kill；　Thou　shalt　not　commit
Adultery；　&c。　which　refer　to　Obedience；　and；　Sell　all　that　thou
hast；　and　come；　and　follow　me；　which　relates　to　faith；　Luke　18。
ver。　20。　Mar。　10。　ver。　18。　And　by　that　which　is　said；　The　just
shall　live　by　Faith；　（not　every　man；　but　the　just）　for　justice　is
the　same　disposition　of　Will　which　Repentance　and　Obedience　are；
And　by　the　words　of　Saint　Mark；　The　time　is　fulfilled；　and　the
Kingdome　of　God　is　at　hand；　Repent　yee；　and　beleeve　the　Gospell；
by　which　words　is　not　obscurely　signified　that　there　is　no　need
of　other　Vertues；　for　our　entrance　into　the　Kingdome　of　God；
excepting　those　of　Repentance　and　Faith。　The　Obedience　therefore
which　is　necessarily　requir'd　to　Salvation　is　nothing　else　but
the　Will；　or　endeavour　to　obey；　that　is　to　say；　of　doing
according　to　the　Lawes　of　God；　that　is　the　morall　Lawes；　which
are　the　same　to　all　men；　and　the　civill　Lawes；　that　is　to　say；
the　commands　of　Soveraignes　in　temporall　matters；　and　the
Ecclesiasticall　Lawes　in　spirituall；　which　two　kinds　of　Lawes　are
divers　in　divers　Cities；　and　Churches；　and　are　knowne　by　their
promulgation；　and　publique　sentences。
　　　　　IV。　That　we　may　understand　what　the　Christian　Faith　is；　we
must　define　Faith　in　generall；　and　distinguish　it　from　those
other　acts　of　the　minde　wherewith　commonly　it　is　confounded。　The
object　of　Faith　universally　taken；　namely　for　that　which　is
beleev'd；　is　evermore　a　proposition；　（that　is　to　say　a　speech
affirmative；　or　negative）　which　we　grant　to　be　true。　But　because
Propositions　are　granted　for　divers　causes；　it　falls　out；　that
these　kind　of　concessions　are　diversly　called：　But　we　grant
Propositions　sometimes　which　notwithstanding　we　receive　not　into
our　mindes；　and　this　either　for　a　time；　to　wit；　so　long；　till　by
consideration　of　the　consequencies；　we　have　well　examin'd　the
truth　of　them；　which　we　call　supposing；　or　also　simply；　as
through　feare　of　the　Lawes；　which　is　to　professe；　or　confesse　by
outward　tokens；　or　for　a　voluntary　compliance　sake；　which　men　use
out　of　civility　to　those　whom　they　respect；　and　for　love　of　Peace
to　others；　which　is　absolute　yeelding。　Now　the　Propositions　which
we　receive　for　truth；　we　alwaies　grant　for　some　reasons　of　our
owne；　and　these　are　deriv'd　either　from　the　Proposition　it　selfe；
or　from　the　Person　propounding。　They　are　deriv'd　from　the
Proposition　it　selfe；　by　calling　to　minde　what　things　those　words
which　make　up　the　Proposition　doe　by　common　consent　usually
signifie：　if　so；　then　the　assent　which　we　give　is　called
knowledge；　or　Science。　But　if　we　cannot　remember　what　is
certainly　understood　by　those　words；　but　sometimes　one　thing；
sometimes　another　seeme　to　be　apprehended　by　us；　then　we　are　said
to　thinke。　For　example；　if　it　be　propounded　that　two　and　three