commands, and to be subject to their authority for conscience' sake.' Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate's just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted;" much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be hereticks, or upon any other pretence whatsoever."

tom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

1 Rom. xiii. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. Tit. iii. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.

m 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Ver. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. Ver. 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Ver. 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government: presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities: Ver. 11. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. Jude, ver. 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Ver. 9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. Ver. 10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Ver. 11. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Rom. xiii. 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 1 Kings ii. 35. And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host; and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar. Acts xxv. 9. But Festus, 2 Thess. ii. 4. Who opposeth and willing to do the Jews a pleasure, an- exalteth himself above all that is swered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go called God, or that is worshipped; so up to Jerusalem, and there be judged that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of these things before me? Ver. 10. of God, shewing himself that he is Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar's God. Rev. xiii. 15. And he had power judgment-seat, where I ought to be to give life unto the image of the judged to the Jews have I done no beast, that the image of the beast wrong, as thou very well knowest. should both speak, and cause that as Ver. 11. For if I be an offender, or many as would not worship the image have committed any thing worthy of of the beast should be killed. Ver. death, I refuse not to die: but if there 16. And he caused all, both small and be none of these things whereof these great, rich and poor, free and bond. accuse me, no man may deliver me to receive a mark in their right hand, unto them. I appeal unto Cesar. 2 Pet. or in their foreheads: Ver. 17. And ii. 1. But there were false prophets that no man might buy or sell, save also among the people, even as there he that had the mark, or the name shall be false teachers among you, of the beast, or the number of his who privily shall bring in damnable name.

CHAP. XXIV.-Of Marriage and Divorce.

I. MARRIAGE is to be between one man and one woman; neither

is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time.

II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife; b for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the church with an holy seed; and for preventing of uncleanness.d

III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgment to give their consent: yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, Papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.

I. & Gen, ii, 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh. Matt. xix. 5. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh. Ver. 6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Prov. ii. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

II. Gen. ii. 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

o Mal. ii. 15. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

d1 Cor. vii. 2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Ver. 9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

e

III. Heb. xiii. 4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 1 Tim. iv. 3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1 Cor. vii. 36. But if any man think that he behaveth himself un

comely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not; let them marry. Ver. 37. Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. Ver. 38. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage, doeth better. Gen. xxiv. 57. And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. Ver. 58. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

f1 Cor. vii. 39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

8 Gen. xxxiv. 14. And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us. Exod. xxxiv. 16. And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Deut. vii. 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. Ver. 4. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 1

IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the word; nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man, or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife. The man may not marry any of his wife's kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor the woman of her husband's kindred nearer in blood than of her own.k

V. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract.1 In the case of adultery after marriage, it is

lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce, and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead."

VI. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage: wherein a publick and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed, and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case.P

CHAP. XXV. Of the Church.

I. The HE catholick or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

II. The visible church, which is also catholick or universal under the gospel, (not confined to one nation, as before under the law,) consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children; and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God,• out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation."

III. Unto this catholick visible church Christ hath given the minis

the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the saviour of the body. Ver. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. Ver. 32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.

II. 1 Cor. i. 2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Cor. xii. 12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. Ver. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Ps. ii. 8. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Rev. vii. 9. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Rom. xv. 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. Ver. 10. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. Ver. 11. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. Ver. 12. And again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

1 Cor. vii. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Acts ii. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Ezek. xvi. 20. Moreover, thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast born unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, Ver. 21. That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? Rom. xi. 16. For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches. Gen. iii. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. xvii. 7. And 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.

d Matt. xiii. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind. Isa. ix. 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Eph. ii. 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. Eph. iii. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

Acts ii. 47. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.