An examination of the political part of Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan.: By George Lawson, rector of More in the county of Salop.

CAP XI. Of the third Part, the 42. of the Book Of Ecclesi∣astical Power. (Book 11)

AFter he had enthroned Civil Soveraigns, cap. 40. Dethroned Christ in the former Chapter: In this he takes away all power from the Church, and invests the Christian civil powers with it. And here∣in it may be a question whether his ignorance or pre∣sumption is the greater: for he is highly guilty of both. He that will determine the controversie con∣cerning the power of the Church, must distinguist the universal power of God, the spiritual power of Christ incarnate and exalted to the Throne of glory, and the power deligated from Christ unto the Church universal here on earth, as subject unto Christ as Lord and Monarch; and also that which every particular Independent, association of Chri∣stians is trusted withal, for to preserve the Society and the Ordinances of God from profanation. This he hath not done, and therefore little or rather no∣thing can be expected from him. This last power of particular Churches, is called the power of the keys in foro exteriori, in the particular government of their several combinations; for there is no supreme universal Independent judicatory on earth to which all Churches in the world are bound to appeal in this outward visible administration. General Coun∣sels can be no such thing: Neither was there ever any Oecumenical Synod in proper sense since the

Gospel was preached to all Nations. This power of outward Discipline is challenged by the Pope, by the Clergy, by the people Christian, and by the States civil and Soveraigns of the world. And in this last party is the Author deeply engaged; but upon what reason I know not, except he intends to side with the strongest, for such are they which bear the sword.

The power of ordaining Ministers, preaching the Word, administring the Sacraments was in the uni∣versal Church since the time of the Apostles. And in every particular Church reduced to a form of out∣ward discipline, there is a power of making Canons, of jurisdiction, of making Officers so far as shall conduce unto the better ordination of Ministers, the preservation of the purity of Doctrine, and the right administration of the Sacraments, least they be profaned, and Christ offended by the admission of ignorant, scandalous and unworthy persons. There is a power also of disposing and dispensing of those goods which are given to the Church for the main∣tenance of Christian Religion. Civil Christian States may and ought to make civil Laws to confirm the just Canons and jurisdictions of the Church. And those Laws may be a fence unto it against these who shall oppose or persecute. Yet when all this is done, those Laws are but Civil, though the object of them be Ecclesiastical matters.

This might suffice for to confute and make void the main body, and break in pieces the main design of this long and tedious Chapter, wherein he is not content to vent his errours, but he must broach his blasphemies. For after he had granted the Ecclesi∣astical

power to be in the Apostles and their succes∣sors for about 300 years, he tels us,

T. H.

That the Trinity is a threefold representation of God.

• 1. By Moses.
• 2. By Christ on earth.
• 3. By the holy Ghost in the Apostles: and this agrees with that of the Divine Apostle.

There are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one, 1 Joh. 5.7.

G. L.

This deserves no answer but detestation, because its not onely blasphemous, but also devoid not onely of divine but humane learning: and no ways to be suffered amongst Christians.

Having thus determined the proper and just sub∣ject of this power for so long a time, he proceeds to let us know what this power is.

T. H.

The power of the Church is but to teach, to baptize, to absolve, to excommunicate.

G. L.

The foundation and Rule of all Christian doctrine, worship and discipline, is briefly and by a wonder∣ful wisdom comprised in those words of our Savi∣our, ready to ascend into Heaven: Go and teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c. Mat. 28.19, 20. For in those words we are taught,

• 1. What Doctrine we must believe and profess.
• 2. What worship we must perform unto the Deity, and how, and upon what grounds.
• 3. Who may, and who may not be admitted into Christian society; and who may, and who may not be continued in the same, and enjoy all the priviledges thereof.

Those who being taught, profess their faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and promise to obey the commands of Christ, may be baptized and solemnly admitted into the Church. They who continued to profess their faith, & to perform their promise of obedience unto Christ, might be continued in this society, and enjoy the priviledges; otherwise not. From which words its evident, there must be a power to teach, baptize, absolve, excommunicate: and also to ordain and design fit persons to do these things, and give rules out of the Gospel how they may be done aright.

This Author first makes void as he conceives, all Bellarmines discourse concerning the form of Ec∣clesiastical government: whether it be Monarchi∣cal, Aristocratical, or Democratical. 2. They have power but to teach. The reason why Bellarmines discourse is void, is given by him to be this, because

the Church hath no coercive power. If he mean co∣ercive civil by the sword, its certain there is no such power Ecclesiastical: Neither doth Bellarmine af∣firm or challenge it but indirecte & per accidens. Yet he was told before that the execution of the Chur∣ches censure is from heaven, as it is passed in the name of Christ and by his power, 1 Cor. 5.4. And he hath promised, whatsoever is bound on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven, Mat. 18.18. This is not in the name of the civil Soveraign, nor by the power of the sword. And it must be done by some power: and this power must be exercised either by one, or more, or all, according to some certain order. And Government is nothing but ordo imperii & subjecti∣onis.

2. That the Church hath but power to teach, perswade, counsel, &c. he proves first by his false supposition that Christ doth not reign until the uni∣versal Resurrection: secondly, by that time of Rege∣neration, which he bounds within the terms of Christs ascension and his second coming to Judge∣ment. The former argument was grounded upon a false interpretation of our Saviours words, and so the later is; for by Regeneration in Mat. 19.28. is meant the Resurrection, and so its printed and distinguish∣ed in divers coples, and so the King of Spains Bi∣bles read it, as others also: and the sense is, they which have followed me, shall in the Regeneration, that is, Resurrection, sit upon twelve Thrones, &c.

But suppose that regeneration be not the resur∣rection. Yet it cannot be a time of that continu∣ance as to reach Christs coming to Judgement, but

only the time of their following Christ, which can∣not extend beyond his ascention. Yet let it be grant∣ed, that by it is signified the whole tract of time, from his ascention till his coming to Judgement, it will not follow from that text that Christ doth not raign till that time be expired; for he may, as he doth, raign and exercise many acts of his regal power before he pass the final sentence upon all men and Angels. His other reasons are frivolous, and not ad idem. Yet his last argument save one is, That be∣cause Christ hath left to civil Governors their power, therefore he hath left none to the Church. And its true that he hath left no civil power of the sword to the Church; yet it doth not hence follow, that he hath denyed it the spiritual power of the keyes. And here he makes a most abominable digression, affirm∣ing that we may deny or profess against our con∣science, and comply with civil powers commanding and forbidding, contrary to that which Christ hath commanded and forbidden, and so hath taken away the ground of all Martyrdom, and razed the very foundation of our Christian confession. Besides he seems to put a difference between their power to Preach, and their power to Teach, but he will not let us know what this difference is. And his argu∣ments tend to prove, that Ministers have no power to command, no authority: yet the people are com∣manded to obey them that rule over them, and sub∣mit themselves, because they watch over their souls, Heb. 13.17. And he that heareth them, heareth Christ and God that sent him; and he that despiseth them despiseth Christ, and God that sent him. To that purpose, we read in Luk. 10.17. And how can

this possibly be true, if this have no authority? no law, no sin. To teach and preach in such a manner, as they who will not hear and obey, shall be guilty as contemners of the divine Majesty, and so, as that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgement then for them, is to teach with authority and power, and the same no doubt greater then any Prince civil in the world is invested withal. For they cannot command, so as to make the disobedient li∣able to eternal penalties.

He granteth further, that they have power to Baptize, and by Baptism admit into Christs King∣dom, which is a spiritual naturalization: and also to absolve and excommunicate: yet the former is an act of Legislation, the latter of Jurisdiction: and how can that be performed without power? Thus the man is pleased to confute himself. Yet in the acts of Jurisdiction, we do not affirm the judge∣ment of the Church to be infallible, because they can have no infallible knowledge of the inward dis∣position of the souls of persons penitent or impeni∣tent. Yet sometimes the evidence of the cause is such, that an absolute sentence on earth is made valid from heaven. And this Jurisdiction exercised accord∣ing to the Laws of Christ, hath alwaies a real effect upon the party judged, and that without any co-er∣cive power civil at all. And the effect was comfort∣able or terrible, both unto Believers and Apostates too, according as they should be truly impenitent or penitent. This power is alwaies in the Church, and to be exercised by such as are trusted with that power, and fit for such a work. And this is the plain truth, though the world be on a flame, and so many

Christians in a cumbustion, because of their different opinions concerning the subject of this power. But concerning this point I have spoken more at large in another Treatise.

He goes on to teach us the causes of Excomuni∣cation, and denies heresie to be any cause, though scandal by his own confession be; yet heresie is the greatest scandal. And here he abuseth that place of Titus, 3.10. where its written, A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject; where he plainly contradicts the Apostles words. As though he had said, Reject the heresie, not the person; whereas the Apostle commands the rejecti∣on of the person, the Heretick, and not only the heresie. That some make Articles of Faith, which God never made, such cannot be excused. After this he determines the persons who are liable to excom∣munication, yet so as that he might have been instru∣cted better, then he hath instructed us, by those who deserve to be his Masters. He exempts one Church from the jurisdiction of another, so that the one cannot excommunicate the other. Yet he doth not inform us what the extent of a Church-Indepen∣dent is, and so leaves the question undecided. He al∣so exempts all Soveraign Princes and Assemblies from excommunication, yet so as that he most grosly mis∣takes the nature and effect of excommunication. Yet here he staies not: but a subject obeying his Sove∣raigns command is not liable to this sentence, neither can it be in this cause and case of any effect, if we may believe him. This in [terminis] is false, ex∣cept he mean obedience in licitis. The rest of his dis∣course concerning this particular is frivolous. The

of the Chapter is taken up and spent in the de∣termination of two points. The 1. is making of Scri∣pture Canon and Law: The 2. the power of the Pope. The power of making Scripture-Canon is given by him unto the Soveraign civil, being Christi∣an. Yet whether he be Christian or no, he hath power to bind his subjects to acknowledge it sub∣poena temporali; But the Scripture is Canonical in it self, without any such Law at all. As for the con∣troversie concerning the Popes power he undertakes Bellarmine, who had often been answered in a far better manner, and more effectually by many before him. And the truth is, both he and the Cardinal run in extreams, the one on one side, and the other on the other side of the way of truth. For that power which the one arrogates to the Pope, the other gives to Christian civil powers, but both unjustly. For Ecclesiastical power is due in some measure un∣to the Pope, but not unto the civil Soveraign. The Pope is a Presbyter, and a Bishop, and some power was due unto him by divine Law. But by that which humane Constitutions gave him, and by his own usur∣pation he had ingrossed, he was advanced very high. To be a Patriarch would not serve his turn, but he must be Christs universal Vicar, and in the end by that means at length he hooked in the temporal power of the sword.

But to leave them both in their errours, wherein they have entangled themselves, before I conclude this Chapter, I will say something of Church-offi∣cers, and the Church-revenue. The Church-officers may be con••dered either according to their Consti∣tution or Imployment. According to the first they

were extraordinary or ordinary. Extraordinary were such as had their power and gifts more immedi∣ately from Christ, as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists. And here by the way, we may take notice of two er∣rours and mistakes of the Author.

• 1. In that he affirms Matthias to be made an Apostle by the As∣sembly of an hundred and twenty Brethren assem∣bled together. Whereas from the text its apparent, that they did only single out by suffrage two per∣sons, whom they conceived so qualified, that one of them might, if God pleased, be made an Apostle for to succeed Judas; and refer the case to God by prayer and lot, that he might determine, whether of the two should be an Apostle, to make up the num∣ber of twelve. Upon the reference, God did chuse Matthias, and so, that he made him an Apostle, and refused the other. To make an extraordinary Offi∣cer was above the power of the Apostles and the Church, therefore they did not take it upon them.
• 2. The second errour is, That Paul and Barnabas were made Apostles by the Church of Antioch, Acts 13.2, 3. yet Barnabas in strict sense was no Apostle; and Paul was an Apostle before he came to Antioch. He was a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, separated to the Gospel of God, Rom. 1.1. His calling to be an Apostle was not of men, nor by man, Gal. 1.1. His separation was twofold,
  • 1. From God, who separated him from his Mothers womb, Gal. 1.15.
  • 2. From man, as by the prayers and fasting of the Church of Antioch: Yet Mr. Hobbs is not afraid to contradict the Scriptures.

Ordinary officers of the Church, who succeeded the extraordinary, were Pastors and Teachers, Eph.

4.11. Both the ordinary and extraordinary in re∣spect of their employment, were either such as were designed for feeding of the soul, by Prayer, Word, Sacraments, and were to perform the acts of do∣ctrine, worship, discipline: or for feeding of the body, and outward relief: and such were Deacons. After that the number of Christians were increased, and devided into Congregations, the Pastors and Teachers were set over their several Congregations and Flocks assigned unto them, and these were cal∣led Elders.

Now the Question is, who in a Christian Com∣mon-wealth have power to make, constitute, ordain these ordinary Officers? The Common-wealth saith he; the Church, say others. He confesseth that the Church did exercise this power till civil So∣veraigns became Christian: and then both the power and exercise thereof ceased to be in the Church, if we may believe him; but his credit is not much, and with me his Authority is none. To determine this question, we must observe that its one thing to be a Pastor, Minister, or Presbyter: another thing to be the Pastor of a certain congregation, and another to have a right to some temporal revenue or dignity annexed. A Minister was constituted in all well-ordered Churches, to this day by the Church. The Church and such as the Church doth trust, doth chuse him, try him, approve him, and ordains him. And by the nomination, approbation, ordination of the Church, according to the will of Christ all Pres∣byters are made publick officers of the Church, and separated to their function of publick preaching, praying, administration of the Sacraments. Neither

is there any place in all the New Testament, where it can be proved that either Christ or his Apostles, who had this power, did ever derive it to the State or Civil Soveraign, whether Christian or no Christian. That every civil Soveraign hath power to preach, baptize, ordain, and perform all Ministerial acts, and that as a publick Officer, is an impudent assertion, and contrary to the Book of God; & is evident from that reason given by him, why they use not to do these things: which is, because the business of the Com∣mon-wealth takes up their whole time. Yet he that will be a Minister, must watch over his flock, be as souldiers, who going to war, must not entangle them∣selves with the affairs of this life, 2 Timothy 2.4. As he must have sufficient knowledge in those things which belong unto his calling, and integrity of life, so he must engage himself to Christ and his Church, to lay aside all other employments to feed Christs flock, and this must take up his whole time. To en∣tangle himself with other business, and so neglect his charge, is to be unfaithful, and in effect renounce his calling. From this false principle it is, that so many, who have a little more knowledge in Scripture then ordinary Christians of the lowest form, a bold face, and voluble tongue, take upon them to preach, and presume to perform other Ministerial duties, al∣though they be souldiers, or civil Magistrates, or Tradesmen, or all together: These will be Elders and Ministers, although they entangle themselves with the affairs of this life, as though the Holy-Ghost had made them Over-seers to feed his Church, purchased by his blood But wo unto them when they shall appear before the tribunal of Christ to give their

last account. But consider, a Minister as he hath a temporal right unto some temporal revenue, dignity, jurisdiction, the Church hath nothing to do with him. The Church looks after his spiritual qualifica∣tion and capacity. After that Emperours and civil powers endowed the Church with a certain revenue, and annexed unto Bishopricks, civil jurisdictions, and temporal dignities, there was some reason why the presentation and investiture should belong unto them, but there was no such thing from the begin∣ning.

The maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel is determined by this Author to be benevolence: yet at length convinced by the arguments of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 9. He confesseth that it was such a benevolence as was due, and that the Flock was bound to maintain their Pastor. By which confessi∣on he hath answered his own allegation, Freely give, because you have freely received, Mat 10.8. which place is abused by him, as it is by the enemies of the Church at this day. For as by him, so by them, its understood and applyed, as though our Saviours meaning had been, That because they gave nothing for their gifts and authority, so they must neither demand, nor receive any thing for the use of them. And by this means they make our Saviour to contra∣dict himself, for afterwards he saith, That the workman (and such is every Minister) is worthy of his meat, ver. 10. of his hire, Luk. 10.7. From whence Paul informs us, That Christ ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.14. And therefore according un∣to this Ordinance of Christ he commands, That he

who is taught in the Word, communicate to him who teacheth in all good things, Gal. 6.6. From all which its very evident, that maintenance is due to Mini∣sters, and that by a Law, and the same divine, and far more obliging then any civilact in the world. And if Christian people had a propriety in their goods, (as of this there can be no doubt) this might easily make this maintenance competent, comfortable, and cer∣tain; and that without any Law of the civil power, and they were bound so to do. When Christian Prin∣ces endowed the Church with titles, they did but their duty, and they conceived, that no better way of provision could be devised by the wit of man. Neither can any Antidecimarian to this day inform us of a better. Yet if we be once Ministers, we are bound to preach the Gospel, though we beg our bread. But woe unto them who shall deny it, or take it out of our mouths.