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the Law forbid to kill a man； the question is； whether the Childe
be a man。 It is demanded therefore what a man is。 No man doubts；
but the City shall judge it； and that without taking an account
of Aristotles definition； that man is a rationall Creature。 And
these things （namely Right； Politie； and naturall Sciences） are
Subjects concerning which CHRIST denies that it belongs to his
Office to give any Praecepts； or teach any thing； beside this
onely； that in all Controversies about them； every single Subject
should obey the Lawes； and determinations of his City。 Yet must
we remember this； that the same Christ as God could not onely
have taught； but also commanded what he would。
XIII。 The summe of our Saviours Office was to teach the way；
and all the meanes of Salvation； and aeternall life； but Iustice
and civill obedience； and observation of all the naturall Lawes
is one of the meanes to Salvation。 Now these may be taught two
wayes； one； as Theorems by the way of naturall reason； by drawing
Right and the natural Lawes from humane Principles； and
contracts； and this Doctrine thus deliver'd is subject to the
censure of civill powers： The other； as Lawes； by divine
authority； in shewing the will of God to be such； and thus to
teach； belongs onely to him to whom the Will of God is
supernaturally knowne； that is to say； to Christ。 Secondly； it
belong'd to the Office of Christ to forgive sinnes to the
Penitent； for that was necessary for the Salvation of men who had
already sinn'd； neither could it be done by any other； for
remission of sinnes followes not Repentance naturally； （as a
Debt） but it depends （as a free gift） on the will of God
supernaturally to be reveal'd。 Thirdly； it belongs to the Office
of Christ to teach all those Commandements of God； whether
concerning his worship； or those points of faith which cannot be
understood by naturall reason； but onely by revelation； of which
nature are those that he was the Christ； that his Kingdome was
not terrestriall； but celestiall； that there are rewards； and
punishments after this life； that the soule is immortall； that
there should be such； and so many Sacraments； and the like。
XIV。 From what hath beene sayed in the foregoing Chapter； it
is not hard to distinguish betweene things Spirituall； and
Temporall。 For since by Spirituall； those things are understood
which have their foundation on the authority； and Office of
CHRIST； and unlesse CHRIST had taught them； could not have beene
known； and all other things are temporall； it followes； that the
definition； and determination of whats just； and unjust； the
cognizance of all controversies about the meanes of Peace； and
publique defence； and the Examination of doctrines； and books in
all manner of rationall science； depends upon the temporall
Right。 But those which are mysteries of faith； depending on
CHRIST his word； and authority onely； their judgements belong to
spirituall Right。 But it is reasons inquisition； and pertaines to
temporall Right to define what is spirituall； and what temporall；
because our Saviour hath not made that distinction； For although
Saint Paul in many places distinguish betweene spirituall things；
and carnall things； and calls those things spirituall； which are
of the spirit； to wit； the word of wisdome； the word of
knowledge； faith； the gift of healing； the working of miracles；
Prophesie； divers kindes of tongues； interpretation of tongues；
Rom。 8。 5。 1 Cor。 12。 8； 9。 All supernaturally inspired by the
Holy Ghost； and such as the carnall man understands not； but he
only who hath known the mind of CHRIST； 2。 Cor。 2。 14； 15； 16。
And those things carnall which belong to worldly wealth； Rom。 15。
27。 And the men carnall men； 1 Cor。 3。 vers。 1； 2； 3。 yet hath he
not defined； nor given us any rules whereby we may know what
proceeds from naturall reason； what from supernaturall
inspiration。
XV。 Seeing therefore it is plain that our Saviour hath
committed to； or rather not taken away from Princes； and those
who in each City have obtained the Soveraignty； the supreme
authority of judging & determineing al manner of controversies
about temporall matters； we must see henceforth to whom he hath
left the same authority in matters spirituall。 Which because it
cannot bee known； except it be out of the word of God； and the
Tradition of the Church； we must enquire in the next place what
the word of God is； what to interpret it； what a Church is； and
what the will and command of the Church。 To omit that the word of
God is in Scripture taken sometimes for the Sonne of God； it is
used； three manner of wayes； First； most properly for that which
God hath spoken； Thus whatsoever God spake unto Abraham； the
Patriarchs； Moses； and the Prophets； our Saviour to his
Disciples； or any others； is the word of God。 Secondly；
whatsoever hath been uttered by men on the motion； or by Command
of the Holy Ghost； in which sense we acknowledge the Scriptures
to be the word of God。 Thirdly； in the New Testament indeed the
word of God most frequently signifies the Doctrine of the
Gospell； or the word concerning God； or the word of the Kingdome
of God by CHRIST： as where it is said that CHRIST preach't the
Gospell of the Kingdome； Mat。 4。 vers。 23。 Where the Apostles are
said to preach the word of God； Acts 13。 vers。 46。 Where the word
of God is called the word of life； Acts 5。 vers。 20。 The word of
the Gospell； Acts 15。 vers。 7。 The word of faith； Rom。 10。 vers。
8。 The word of truth； that is to say； （adding an interpretation）
The Gospel of salvation； Eph。 1。 13。 And where it is called the
word of the Apostles； For Saint Paul sayes； If any man obey not
our word； &c。 2。 Thess。 3。 vers。 14。 which places cannot be
otherwise meant then of the doctrine Evangelicall。 In like manner
where the word of God is said to be sowen； to encrease； and to be
multiplied； Acts 12。 vers。 24。 and Chap。 13。 vers。 49。 it is very
hard to conceive this to be spoken of the voyce of God； or of his
Apostles； but of their doctrine； easie。 And in this third
acception is all that doctrine of the Christian faith which at
this day is preacht in Pulpits； and contained in the books of
divines； the word of God。
XVI。 Now the sacred Scripture is intirely the word of God in
this second acception； as being that which we acknowledge to be
inspired from God。 And innumerable places of it； in the first。
And seeing the greatest part of it is conversant either in the
prediction of the Kingdome of Heaven； or in prefigurations before
the incarnation of CHRIST； or in Evangelization； and explication
after； The sacred Scripture is also the word of God； and
therefore the Canon and Rule of all Evangelicall Doctrine； in
this third signification； where the word of God is taken for the
word concerning God； that is to say； for the Gospel。 But because
in the same Scriptures we read many things Politicall；
Historicall； Morall； Physicall； and others which nothing at all
concern the Mysteries of our faith； those places although they
contain true doctrine； and are the Canon of such kind of
doctrines； yet can they not be the Canon of the Mysteries of
Christian Religion。
XVII。 And t