H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.

CHAP. XXVI. Of a magistrate.

SEing wee haue nowe spoken, of the first kinde of men whose labour God vseth in the gouernance of the church, namely ecclesiasticall ministers, and their dueties, and other matters belōging vnto them: it remai∣neth, that wee also brieflie declare what our faith is, concerning the other kinde, that is, the ciuill magistrate. For the Lord doeth al∣so vse his ministerie, especially if he bee a chri∣stian, to the defence and preseruation of the church.

I. Euerie magistrate, whether godly, or vngodlie, is of God, and therefore no magistrate simply to be resisted.

Wee beleeue therefore, that euerie magi∣strate,

aswell impious as godlie, is from the Lord God, and is the minister of God, for re∣uenge of euill doers, and for the praise of well doers: and therefore that he is to be feared, & to be honoured, and his commaundements, which may be done with a good conscience, & without breach of Gods law, to be obserued: and that not onely for feare: but also for con∣science sake: namely because the Lord so cō∣maundeth. Therefore in respect that he is gods minister, he is not to be resisted; for who so re∣sisteth it, resisteth Gods ordinance, and God himselfe.

II. A magistrate that commaundeth any thing a∣gainst God, must not be obeyed.

But yet if a magistrate commaund vs any thing against the will of him who sent, and whose minister he professeth himselfe to bee: we doubt not, with the Apostles, to denie o∣bedience vnto him, and to say, wee ought to obey God more then man: whenas indeed, such a ma∣gistrate is not in that behalfe the minister of God. Wherefore if we must be subiect and o∣bey the magistrate, for conscience sake & not for feare onely: then we conclude, that where we cannot for conscience obeye him, neither ought wee there for feare to obeye him. In o∣ther matters, whoso resisteth the power, we knovve, that he resisteth God, and shall receiue to himselfe damnation.

III. We must praye for all magistrats, that, vvhat there dueties are, they may indeede per∣forme: and what the duetie of eue∣rie magistrate is.

But seing the duty of euery free magistrate is to haue a diligēt care, both in making lawes, in giuing iudgement, and also in punishing offences, that their subiectes maye liue vertu∣ouslie, and after Gods lawes, the summe wher∣of, is that we should liue in this world, soberly (ther∣fore chastly and honestly) and rightly, (there∣fore peaceably with our neighbours) and godli∣lie (towardes God,) and that no princes can performe this of themselues, vnlesse God in∣due them with a knowledge of their duetie, & stirre them vp both to will and to performe: therefore that which we do according to the Apostles precept, the same wee teach others that they should also do: namely, that they must pray for all magistrats, of what sorte soeuer: that they maye both bee willing and able to performe that which is their duetie: & so may bring to passe, that we may lead a quiet & pea∣ceable life in all honestie and godlinesse: that is, that wee may liue all friendly and in peace on with another: that a publike honestie may be obserued, and true pietie and religion pre∣serued and encreased.

IV. It belongeth principally to a christian prince, to take vppon him the care of chri∣stian religion.

And if he bee a christian and godlie magi∣strate wee beleeue that it chieflie belonges vn∣to him, that besides the regard of the publike and politick good and profite, of the publike and politick peace and honestie, he should also take the peculiar care of christian religion: sith the Lord hath made him the keeper of both the tables, and commaundeth him, that as a prince he alwaies keep the law of God in his hands: that he may punish aswell idolaters and blasphemors, false Prophets and seducers, as murtherers and adulterers: and the same is aboundantly confirmed by examples of god∣lie kings in Israell, and christian princes, Con∣stantine, Valentinian, Theodosius, Iustinian & others: who, not onely as priuate men, but al∣so as kings serued the Lord, according to his commaundement: euen as concerning their duetie and office, Saint Augustine most lear∣nedly noted out of the second Psalme, and de∣clared it to Boniface.

V. The office of a godly prince concerning religi∣on is two fold, and wherein it chieflie consisteth.

Now sith the duetie of a godly prince, that is, a magistrate which hath a free power ouer any people, and authoritie within his iurisdi∣ction

to institute and reforme religion, is two∣fold, which hee oweth to Christ and to the church, in the cause of religion, one, about such things as belong vnto religion: the other respecteth men which are in his iurisdiction and subiect vnto him: for the first, our beleefe is, that he should diligently take heede, that by the pure word of God rightly vnderstood, and expounded by the verie word it selfe, and according to the principles of faith (that which they call the analogie or rule of faith:) religion may be instituted in his dominion or kingdome, or where it is instituted, may bee kept found and pure: or where it is corrupted, may be restored and reformed: to the glory of God, and saluation of his subiects. For this we read hath beene commaunded of God, and of Moyses, and euer obserued of all godlie princes.

VI. A declaration of the former opinion by the parts.

We beleeue therefore, the duetie of a god∣lie magistrate is, first to knowe out of Gods word generally, and according to the summe of the pointes of faith, which is the true and christian religion, and which is the apostolicall doctrine, whereunto the church is to bee re∣formed: that he may do or dare to do nothing onely by the iudgement of others, but also v∣pon his owne sure knowledge. Then, this be∣ing thus knowne, to haue a care that ministers

which are meet men for the office, not by his owne choise, but according to the rule of Gods word, may be chosen, called, and ordai∣ned. Thirdlie, to bring to passe, that by them, both the doctrine of saluation deliuered in the holie scriptures, may be set forth, expoū∣ded and often beat vppon and also the sacra∣ments according to Christs institution admi∣nistred: yea and the discipline ordained of Christ, exercised. Fourthly, to haue a regard to this, that schooles may be erected, wherein aswell good artes and tongues may bee dili∣gently taught, as also the holie scriptures faith∣fully expounded, and the studious may learne the summe of christiā wisedome. Fiftly, wher∣by ministers and teachers may be held in their duety, and so true religion by them preserued in the church, to do their best, that priuate cō∣sultations, yea and also prouinciall Synodes as is saide before, may at least twise in the yeare be called Sixtly, to carrie a speciall care to the goods of the church, that they maye bee be∣stowed on the right, that is on the true godly vses: and that all necessarie things bee suppli∣ed to the church, and to the ministers there∣of.

VII. A godly prince ought not to deale with all men of a diuerse religion, after one manner.

But seing (to say something brieflie of the other duetie of a prince concerning religion) there be diuerse kinds of men, which a prince

may haue vnder his gouernement, namely ei∣ther meere infidells: or such as indeede pro∣fesse Christ, but yet are also open idolaters, or in manie things apostataes from the apostoli∣call church, or in some article of the faith ma∣nifest heritikes, or else erre vppon simplicitie: or such as are rightly persuaded in all matters: we doe certainly hold, that a prince ought not to vse one kinde of measure towards all these sortes: for some of them are to be loued, che∣rished, and honored: some to bee winked at: some not to be suffred: other some to be quite cut off: and none must bee permitted to blas∣pheme Christ, or to worshipp idolls, or retaine vngodlie ceremonies.

VIII. All men must be subiect to the higher powers: and all the higher powers must be subiect to Christ himselfe and to his word.

Lastlie we beleeue, that euery soule, that is, euerie man, none except, and therefore also e∣uerie inferior power, must bee subiect to the higher and greater power: yea and that supe∣rior power also, no lesse then the inferior, and all other men must bee subiect to Christ the king of kings, and Lord of all Lords. For it is Gods will that they should al kisse the Sonne: and bowe their neckes vnder the yoake of his discipline. And therefore wee beleeue that it belongeth to the true gouernment and edifi∣cation of the church; that princes should chiefly subiect themselues to be taught, admonished,

and reformed by the word of God: whereby others, by their example, may doe so also the more chearfully: and that if they refuse to do it, the princes or rulers, maye more freelie pu∣nish them for it, and compell them to their dueties.

IX. Errors.

We therefore condemne all contemners of magistrats, rebells, seditious persons, enimies of their common wealth, and whosoeuer doe either openly refuse to performe their due∣ties which they owe to their rulers, or doe craftely shift the same. We condemn by name the error of the Anabaptists, saying it is not lawful for a christiā man to beare office, much lesse to vse his authoritie ouer his subiectes in the course of religion: affirming, that it is free for all men to follow what religion he will, & none ought to be compelled to faith: We dis∣allow them also, which giue authoritie in reli∣gion vnto magistrats, onely (as they saye) for names sake: denying that they haue authoritie to call Synodes, to consult about religion, to reforme churches, and, to determine out of the scriptures, such thinges as pertaine to the peoples saluation: and will haue them to bee nothing else, but the executors of those things which the bishop appoint. As also neither do we allow those magistrats, who without a suf∣ficient knowledge in the causes, do alter reli∣gion vpon their owne pleasures; do condemn

men neuer heard, and spoile, and confiscate their goods: set downe rules of religion, not out of the scriptures, but rather against the word of God: and beare themselues, not as seruants of God, in the church of God, but as Lords ouer the churches: nor will bowe their neck vnder the yoake of the sonne of God. For whome, that they may haue a greater know∣ledge of God, and better mindes, wee praye and beseech God the Father, and the Lord Ie∣sus Christ.

Notes

• Rom. 13.1 1. Pet. 2.13 Rom. 13 7
• Rom. 13.5
• Rom. 13.2
• Act. 5.29
• Rom. 13.5
• Rom. 13.2
• Tit. 2.12
• Phil. 2.13 1. Tim. 2.2
• Ios. 1.8 Deu. 13.2 &c.
• Tō. 2. ep. 50.
• Rom. 13.1
• Apo 17.14 1. Tim. 6.15.