第59章 Chapter 24 The Incommodities of Several Sorts of G

13. And as it hath been proved， that a man must submit his opinions， in matters of controversy， to the authority of the commonwealth； so also is the same confessed by the practice of every one of them that otherwise deny it. For who is there differing in opinion from another， and thinking himself to be in the right， and the other in the wrong， that would not think it reasonable， if he be of the same opinion that the whole state alloweth， that the other should submit his opinion also thereunto？ or that would not be content， if not that one or a few men， yet that all the divines of a whole nation， or at least an assembly of all those he liketh， should have the power to determine of all the controversies of religion？ or， who is there that would not be content， to submit his opinions， either to the pope， or to a general council， or to a provincial council， or to a presbytery of his own nation？ And yet in all these cases he submitteth himself to no greater than human authority. Nor can a man be said to submit himself to Holy Scripture， that doth not submit himself to some or other for the interpretation thereof； or why should there be any church government at all instituted， if the Scripture itself could do the office of a judge in controversies of faith？ But the truth is apparent， by continual experience， that men seek not only liberty of conscience， but of their actions； nor that only， but a farther liberty of persuading others to their opinions； nor that only for every man desireth， that the sovereign authority should admit no other opinions to be maintained but such as he himself holdeth.

14. The difficulty therefore of obeying both God and man， in a Christian commonwealth is none： all the difficulty resteth in this point， whether he that hath received the faith of Christ， having before subjected himself to the authority of an infidel， be discharged of his obedience thereby， or not， in matters of religion. In which case it seemeth reasonable to think， that since all covenants of obedience are entered into for the preservation of a man's life， if a man be content， without resistance to lay down his life， rather than to obey the commands of an infidel； in so hard a case he hath sufficiently discharged himself thereof. For no covenant bindeth farther than to endeavour； and if a man cannot assure himself to perform a just duty， when thereby he is assured of present death， much less can it be expected that a man should perform that， for which he believeth in his heart he shall be damned eternally. And thus much concerning the scruple of conscience that may arise concerning obedience to human laws， in them that interpret the law of God to themselves. It remaineth， to remove the same scruple from them that submit their controversies to others， not ordained thereunto by the sovereign authority. And this I refer to the chapter following.

第一章Chapter 26 That Subjects are not bound to follow the Judgment of any Authorities in Controversies of Religion which is not Dependent on the Sovereign Power

1. In the former chapter have been removed those difficulties opposing our obedience to human authority， which arise from misunderstanding of our Saviour's title and laws； in the former whereof， namely his title， consisteth our faith； and in the latter， our justice. Now they who differ not amongst themselves concerning his title and laws， may nevertheless have different opinions concerning his magistrates， and the authority he hath given them. And this is the cause why many Christians have denied obedience to their princes； pretending that our Saviour Christ hath not given this magistracy to them， but to others. As for example： some say， to the pope universally； some， to a synod aristocratical； some， to a synod democratical in every several commonwealth； and the magistrates of Christ being they by whom he speaketh： the question is， whether he speak unto us by the pope， or by convocations of bishops and ministers， or by them that have the sovereign power in every commonwealth.

2. This controversy was the cause of those two mutinies that happened against Moses in the wilderness. The first by Aaron and his sister Miriam， who took upon them to censure Moses， for marrying an Ethiopian woman. And the state of the question between them and Moses they set forth Numbers 12， 2， in these words： What hath the Lord spoken but only by Moses？ hath he not spoken also by us？ And the Lord heard this， &c.， and punished the same in Miriam， forgiving Aaron upon his repentance. And this is the case of all them that set up the priesthood against the sovereignty. The other was of Corah， Dathan， and Abiram， who with two hundred and fifty captains gathered themselves together against Moses， and against Aaron. The state of their controversy was this： Whether God were not with the multitude， as well as with Moses， and every man as holy as he. For， Numb. 16， 3， thus they say， You take too much upon you， seeing all the congregation is holy，. every one of them， and the Lord is amongst them： wherefore then lift ye yourselves above the congregation of the Lord？ And this is the case of them that set up their private consciences， and unite themselves to take the government of religion out of the hands of him or them， that have the sovereign power of the commonwealth； which how well it pleaseth God， may appear by the hideous punishment of Corah and his accomplices.

3. In the government therefore of Moses， there was no power neither civil nor spiritual， that was not derived from him； nor in the state of Israel under kings， was there any earthly power， by which those kings were compellable to any thing， or any subject allowed to resist them， in any case whatsoever. For though the prophets by extraordinary calling， did often admonish and threaten them， yet had they no authority over them. And therefore amongst the Jews， the power spiritual and temporal， was always in the same hand.