religion-第4部分

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must　doe　it；　for　else　all　manner　of　absurd　opinions；　concerning
the　nature　of　God；　and　all　ridiculous　ceremonies　which　have　been
used　by　any　Nations；　will　bee　seen　at　once　in　the　same；　City。
whence　it　will　fall　out；　that　every　man　will　beleeve　that　all　the
rest　doe　offer　God　an　affront；　so　that　it　cannot　be　truly　said　of
any　that　he　worships　God；　for　no　man　worships　God；　that　is　to
say；　honours　him　outwardly；　but　he　who　doth　those　things；　whereby
hee　appeares　to　others　for　to　honour　him。　It　may　therefore　bee
concluded；　that　the　Interpretation　of　all　Lawes；　as　well　Sacred；
as　Secular；　（God　ruling　by　the　way　of　nature　only）　depends　on　the
authority　of　the　City；　that　is　to　say；　that　man；　or　councell；　to
whom　the　Soveraign　power　is　committed；　and　that　whatsoever　God
commands；　he　commands　by　his　voyce。　And　on　the　other　side；　that
whatsoever　is　commanded　by　them；　both　concerning　the　manner　of
honouring　God；　and　concerning　secular　affaires；　is　commanded　by
God　himselfe。
　　　　XVIII。　Against　this；　some　Man　may　demand；　first；　Whether　it
doth　not　follow；　that　the　City　must　be　obeyed　if　it　command　us
directly　to　affront　God；　or　forbid　us　to　worship　him？　I　say；　it
does　not　follow；　neither　must　we　obey。　For　to　affront；　or　not　to
worship　at　all；　cannot　by　any　Man　be　understood　for　a　manner　of
worshipping；　neither　also　had　any　one；　before　the　constitution　of
a　City；　of　those　who　acknowledge　God　to　rule；　a　Right　to　deny　him
the　honour　which　was　then　due　unto　him；　nor　could　he　therefore
transfer　a　Right　on　the　City　of　commanding　any　such　things。　Next；
if　it　be　demanded　whether　the　City　must　be　obeyed　if　it　command
somewhat　to　be　said；　or　done；　which　is　not　a　disgrace　to　God
directly；　but　from　whence　by　reasoning　disgracefull　consequences
may　be　derived：　as　for　example；　if　it　were　commanded　to　worship
God　in　an　image；　before　those　who　account　that　honourable？　Truly
it　is　to　be　done。　For　Worship　is　instituted　in　signe　of　Honour；
but　to　Worship　him　thus；　is　a　signe　of　honour；　and　increaseth
Gods　Honour　among　those　who　do　so　account　of　it。　Or　if　it　be
commanded　to　call　God　by　a　name　which　we　know　not　what　it
signifies；　or　how　it　can　agree　with　this　word；　God？　That　also
must　be　done；　for　what　we　do　for　Honours　sake；　（and　we　know　no
better）；　if　it　be　taken　for　a　signe　of　Honour；　it　is　a　signe　of
Honour；　and　therefore　if　we　refuse　to　doe　it；　we　refuse　the
enlarging　of　Gods　Honour。　The　same　judgement　must　be　had　of　all
the　Attributes　and　Actions　about　the　meerly　rationall　Worship　of
God　which　may　be　controverted；　and　disputed；　for　though　these
kind　of　commands　may　be　sometimes　contrary　to　right　reason；　and
therefore　sins　in　them　who　command　them；　yet　are　they　not　against
right　reason；　nor　sins　in　Subjects；　whose　right　reason　in　points
of　Controversie　is　that；　which　submits　its　selfe　to　the　reason　of
the　City。　Lastly；　if　that　Man；　or　Councell；　who　hath　the　Supreme
Power；　command　himselfe　to　be　Worshipt　with　the　same　Attributes；
and　Actions；　wherewith　God　is　to　be　Worshipt；　the　question　is；
whether　we　must　obey？　There　are　many　things　which　may　be　commonly
attributed　both　to　God；　and　Men；　for　even　Men　may　be　Praised；　and
Magnified；　and　there　are　many　actions　whereby　God；　and　Men；　may
be　Worshipt。　But　the　significations　of　the　Attributes；　and
Actions；　are　onely　to　be　regarded：　Those　Attributes　therefore；
whereby　we　signify　our　selves　to　be　of　an　opinion；　that　there　is
any　man　endued　with　a　Soveraignty　independent　from　God；　or　that
he　is　immortall；　or　of　infinite　power；　and　the　like；　though
commanded　by　Princes；　yet　must　they　be　abstained　from。　As　also
from　those　Actions　signifying　the　same；　as　Prayer　to　the　absent；
to　aske　those　things　which　God　alone　can　give；　as　Rain；　and　Fair
weather；　to　offer　him　what　God　can　onely　accept；　as　Oblations；
Holocausts；　or　to　give　a　Worship；　then　which　a　greater　cannot　be
given；　as　Sacrifice。　For　these　things　seeme　to　tend　to　this　end；
that　God　may　not　be　thought　to　rule；　contrary　to　what　was
supposed　from　the　beginning。　But　genuflection；　prostration；　or
any　other　act　of　the　body　whatsoever；　may　be　lawfully　used　even
in　civill　Worship。　for　they　may　signifie　an　acknowledgment　of　the
civill　power　onely。　For　Divine　Worship　is　distinguisht　from
civill；　not　by　the　motion；　placing；　habit；　or　gesture　of　the
Body；　but　by　the　declaration　of　our　opinion　of　him　whom　we　doe
Worship；　as　if　we　cast　down　our　selves　before　any　man；　with
intention　of　declaring　by　that　Signe　that　we　esteeme　him　as　God；
it　is　Divine　Worship；　if　we　doe　the　same　thing　as　a　Signe　of　our
acknowledgment　of　the　civill　Power；　it　is　civill　Worship。　Neither
is　the　Divine　Worship　distinguished　from　Civill　by　any　action
usually　understood　by　the　words　latreia　and　douleia；　whereof　the
former　marking　out　the　Duty　of　Servants；　the　latter　their
Destiny；　they　are　words　of　the　same　action　in　degree。
　　　　Truly　it　is　to　be　done　We　said　in　the　14。　Article　of　this
Chapter；　That　they　who　attributed　limits　to　God；　transgrest　the
naturall　Law　concerning　Gods　Worship。　Now　they　who　worship　him　in
an　Image；　assigne　him　limits；　wherefore　they　doe　that　which　they
ought　not　to　doe；　and　this　place　seemes　to　contradict　the　former。
We　must　therefore　know　first；　that　they　who　are　constrained　by
Authority；　doe　not　set　God　any　bounds；　but　they　who　command　them；
for　they　who　worship　unwillingly；　doe　worship　in　very　deed；　but
they　either　stand　or　fall　there；　where　they　are　commanded　to
stand　or　fall　by　a　lawfull　Soveraign。　Secondly；　I　say　it　must　be
done；　not　at　all　times；　and　every　where；　but　on　supposition　that
there　is　no　other　rule　of　worshipping　God　beside　the　dictates　of
humane　reason；　for　then　the　will　of　the　City　stands　for　Reason。
But　in　the　Kingdome　of　God　by　way　of　Covenant；　whether　old；　or
new；　where　idolatry　is　expressely　forbid；　though　the　City
commands　us　to　worship　thus；　yet　must　we　not　do　it。　Which；　if　he
shall　consider；　who　conceived　some　repugnancy　between　this；　and
the　14。　Article；　will　surely　cease　to　think　so　any　longer。
　　　　XIX。　From　what　hath　been　said　may　be　gathered；　that　God
reigning　by　the　way　of　naturall　reason　onely；　Subjects　doe　sinne；
First；　if　they　break　the　morall　Laws；　which　are　unfolded　in　the
second　and　third　Chapters。　Secondly；　if　they　break　the　Lawes；　or
commands　of　the　City　in　those　things　which　pertain　to　Justice。
Thirdly；　if　they　worship　not　God；　kata　ta　nomika。　Fourthly；　if
they　confesse　not　before　men；　both　in　words；　and　deeds；　that
there　is　one　God　most　good；　most　great；　most　blessed；　the　Supreme
King　of　the　World；　and　of　all　worldly　Kings；　that　is　to　say；　if
they　doe　not　worship　God。　This　fourth　sinne　in　the　naturall
Kingdome　of　God；　by　what　hath　been　said　in　the　foregoing　Chapter；
in　the　second　Article；　is　the　sinne　of　Treason　against　the　Divine
Majesty；　for　it　is　a　denying　of　the　Divine　Power；　or　Atheisme。
For　sinnes　proceed　here；　just　as　if　we　should　suppose　some　man　to
be　the　Soveraign　King；　who　being　himselfe　absent；　should　rule　by
his　Vice…Roy；　against　whom　sure　they　would　transgresse　who　should
not　obey　his　Vice…Roy　in　all　things；　except　he　usurpt　the
Kingdome　to　himself；　or　would　give　it　to　some　other；　but　they　who
should　so　absolutely　obey　him；　as　not　to　admit　of　this　exception；
might　be　said　to　be　guilty　of　Treason。

Chap。　XVI

Of　the　Kingdome　of　God　under　the　Old　Covenant

　　　　I。　Mankind；　from　conscience　of　its　own　weaknesse；　and
admiration　of　naturall　events；　hath　this；　that　most　men　beleeve
God　to　be　the　invisible　Maker　of　all　visible　things；　whom　they
also　fear；　conceiving　that　they　have　not　a　sufficient　protection
in　themselves；　but　the　imperfect　use　they　had　of　their　Reason；
the　violence　of　their　Passions　did　so　clowd　them；　that　they　could
not　rightly　worship　him。　Now　the　fear　of　invisible　things；　when
it　is　sever'd　from　right　reason　is　superstition。　It　was　therefore
almost　impossible　for　men　without　the　speciall　assistance　of　God
to　avoyd　both　Rocks　of　Atheisme　and　Superstition：　for　this
proceeds　from　fear　without　right　reason；　that；　from　an　opinion　of
right　reason；　without　feare。
　　　　Idolatry　therefore　did　easily　fasten　upon　the　greatest　part
of　men；　and　almost　all　nations　did　worship　God　in　Images；　and
resemblances　of　finite　things；　and　they　worshipt　spirits；　or　vain
visions；　perhaps　out　of　fear　calling　them　Devills。　But　it　pleased
the　Divine　Majesty　（as　we　read　it　written　in　the　sacred　history）
out　of　all　mankind　to　call　forth　Abraham；　by　whose　means　he　might
bring　men　to　the　true　worship　of　him；　and　to　reveal　himselfe
supernaturally　to　him；　and　to　make　that　most　famous　Covenant　with
him　and　his　seed；　which　is　called　the　old　Covenant；　or　Testament。
He　therefore　is　the　head　of　true　Religion；　he　was　the　first　that
after　the　Deluge　taught；　that　there　was　one　God；　the　Creatour　of
the　Universe；　And　from　him　the　Kingdome　of　God　by　way　of
Covenants；　takes　its　beginning。　Joseph。　Antiq。　Jewes。　lib。　I。
cap。　7。
　　　　II。　In　the　beginning　of　the　world　God　reigned　indeed；　not
onely　naturally；　but　also　by　way　of　Covenant；　over　Adam；　and　Eve；
so　as　it　seems　he　would　have　no　obedience　yeelded　to　him；　beside
that　which　naturall　Reason　should　dictate；　but　by　the　way　of
Covenant；　that　is　to　say；　by　the　consent　of　men　themselves。　Now
because　this　Covenant　was　presently　made　void；　nor　ever　after
renewed；　the　originall　of　Gods　Kingdom　（which　we　treat　of　in　this
place）　is　not　to　be　taken　thence。　Yet　this　is　to　be　noted　by　the
way；　that　by　that　precept　of　not　eating　of　the　tree　of　the
knowledge　of　good　and　evill　（whether　the　judicature　of　good　and
evill；　or　the　eating　of　the　fruit　of　some　tree　were　forbidden）
God　did　require　a　most　simple　obedience　to　his　commands；　without
dispute　whether　that　were　good；　or　evill；　which　was　commanded；
for　the　fruit　of　the　tree；　if　the　Command　be　wanting；　hath
nothing　in　its　own　nature；　whereby　the　eating　of　it　could　be
morally　evill；　that　is　to　say；　a　sinne。
　　　　III。　Now　the　Covenant　between　God　and　Abraham；　was　made　in
this　manner。　Gen。　17。　v。　7；　8。　I　will　establish　my　Covenant
between　me　and　thee；　and　thy　seed　after　thee　in　their
generations；for　an　everlasting　Covenant；　to　be　a　God　unto　thee；
and　to　thy　seed　after　thee。　And　I　will　give　unto　thee；　and　to　thy
seed　after　thee；