T of the keys of the kingdom of heaven e: Yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, thatall Blafphemies and herefies be fuppreffed, all corruptions and abufes in worship and difcipline prevented or reformed; and all the ordinances of God duly fettled, adminiftred, and observed t, for the better effecting faweft upon the beaft, thefe fhall III. e2Chron. 26. 18 And they where God. v. 2. Moreover it is required in ftewards, that a man be found faithful. Rom. 10. 15. And how fhall they preach, except they be fent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gofpel of peace, & bring glad tidings of good things! feb. 5.4. And no man taketh this honour unto himfelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. fIfa.49. 23. And kings shall be thy nurfingfathers andthetrqueens thy nurfing mothers: they fhall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the duft of thy feet,& thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they fhall not be ashamed that wait for me. Pfal.122.9.Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will feek thy good. Ezra 7.23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done, for the houfe of the God of heaven: for why fhould there be wrath against the realm of theking and hisfons? v. 25. And thou, Ezra, after the wifdom of thy God,that is in thine hand, fet magiftrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, as fuch as know the laws of thy God; and teach yethem that know them not, v. 26 And whofoever fhall not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king,let judgment be executed fpeedily upon him, whether it be unto death,or to banishment,or to confifcation of goods, or to imprifonment.v.27. Bleffed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put fuch a thing as this in the kings heart, whereof, he hath power to call fynods, to be prefent at them, and to provide that whatsoever is tranfacted in them be according to the mind of God g. heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerufalem; ".28. And hath extendedmercyuntome, before the kings, and his counfellers, and beforeall thekings mighty princes: and I was ftrengthned as thehandof the Lord myGod was upon me,and I gathered together out of Ifrael chief men to go up with me.Lev. 24. 16. And he that blafphemeththe name of the Lord, he fhall furely be put to death,and allthe congregation fhall certainly ftone him as well the ftranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blafphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death Deut. 13.5. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams,fhall be put to death (because he hath fpoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, whichbrought you out of the land of Egypt,and redeemed you Out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in) fo fhalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. v. 6. If thy brother the fon of thy mother, or thy fon,or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bofom, or thy friend, which is as thine own foul entice thee fecretly, faying, Let us go and ferve other gods, which thou haft not known, thou nor thy fathers. v. 12. If thou fhalt hear fay in one of thy cities, which theLord thyGod hath given theeto dwell there,faying. Kings 18.4.He removed the high places, & brake the images,and cut down the groves,andbrake in pieces the brazen ferpent that Mofes had made:for unto thofe days the childrenof Ifrael didburnincenfe to it, andhecalledit Nehufhtan.(1Chron. 13.1.to the 9 verle.2 Kings 23. 1. to the 26.verfe) 2 Chron .34. 33. and Jofiah took away all the abo 2 IV. It minations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Ifrael,and made all that were prefent in Ifrael toferve,even to ferve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord,the God of their fathers. 2 Chron.15.12. And they entred into a covenant, to feek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their foul; v. 13. That whofoever would not feek the Lord God of Ifrael,fhould be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. g2Chron,19.8.Moreover,in Jerufalem did ehoshaphat fet of the Levites,and of the priests, and of thechief of the fathers of Ifrael for the judgment of the Lord,and for controverfies, when they returned to Jerufalem. v.9. And he charged them, faying, Thus fhall ye do in the fear of the Lord,faithfully and with a perfect heart. v. 10. And whatcaufe foever fhallcome to you of your brethren that dwellin their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, ftatutes and judgments, ye fhall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord,and fo wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye fhall not trefpafs. v. 11. And. behold, Amariah the chief prieft is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the fonof Ifhmael, the ruler of thehoufe of Judah,for all the kings matters; allo the Levites fhall be officers before you. Deal couragioully and the Lord fhall be with the good,(2Chro. 29. & 30. chapters.)at. 2. 4.And when he had gathered all the chief priests and fcribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Chrift fhould be born.v.5. And they faid unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea: for IV. It is the duty of people to pray for magiftrates h, to honour their perfons i, to pay them tribute and other dues k, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for confcience fake 1. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magiftrate's just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to himm: From which ecclefiaftical perfons are not exempted n; much lefs hath the pope any power or jurifdiction over them in their forthus itiswrittenby the prophet. IV.h1Tim.2.1. I exhort therefore, that first of all,fupplications, prayers, interceffions,& giving of thanks be made for all men: v. 2. Forkings,and for all thatare in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinefs and honesty. i1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men. Love the brother hood. Fear God. Honour the king. k Rom. 13.6. For, for thiscaufe pay you tribute alfo: for they are Gods minifters, attending continually upon this very thing. 7. 7. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, cutom to whomcultom,fearto whom fear, honour to whom honour. 1 Rom. 13.5. Wherefore yemuft needsbe fubject,not only forwrath, but alfo for confcience fake. Tit.3. 1. Put them In mind to be fubject to principalities and powers, to obey magiftrates, to be ready to every good work, mi Pet. 2. 13.Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords fake, whether it be to the king,as fupreme, v. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him,for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. v. 16. As free, and not ufing your liberty for a cloke of malicioufnefs, but as the fervants of God. n Rom. 13. 1. Let every foul be fubject unto thehigherpowers. For, there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of do. God. 1 Kings 2.35. And the king put Benaiah the fon of Jehoiadah in his room over the hoft; and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar. Acts. 25.9. But Feftus willing to do the Jews a pleafure, answered Paul, and faid, Wilt thou go up to Jerufalem,and there be judged of these things before me? v. 10. Then faid Paul, I itandatCefarsjudgment-feat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knoweft, v. 11. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die:but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me,no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cefar. 2 Pet. 2. 1. But there were falfe prophets also among the people,evenas therefhall be falfe teachers among you, who privily fhall bring in damnable herelies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themfelves fwift deftruction. v. 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lult of uncleannels,and defpifegovernment,prefumptuous are they,felf-willed:theyare not afraidtofpeak evil of dignities; v.II. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring no railing accufation against them before the Lord. Jude 8. Likewife allo thefe filthy dreamersdefile the flesh, delpife dominion, and fpeak evil of dignities. v. 9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he difputed about the body of Mofes, durft not bring againft dominions, or over any of their people; and leaft of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives if he fhall judge them to be heretics,or upon any other pretence whatsoevero. CHAP. XXIV. Of marriage and divorce. MARE ARRIAGE is to be between one man and one wo man; 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 fame time a. II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife b; for the increase of mankind with a legitimate iflue, and of the church with an holy feed c; and for prevent. ing of uncleanness d. III. It is lawful for all forts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their confent e, yet it is the duty againfthim a railingaccufation,but faid the Lord rebuke thee, . 10. Butthese peak evil of thofethings which they know not but what they knownaturally,asbrutebeafts, in tho fethings they corrupt themfelves. v, 11. Wo unto them, for they have gone in the wayof Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,and perished in the gain-faying of Core. 02 Theff. 2.4. Who oppofeth & exalteth himself above all that is called God,or that is worshipped; fo that he as God fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God. Rev. 13. 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beaft, that the image of the beast should both fpeak,and caufethatas many as wouldnotworfhipthe image ofthe bealtfhould be killed. v. 16. And he caufeth all, both fmall and great,rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their fore heads: v. 17. And that no man might buy or fell,fave he that had the mark, or the name of the beaft, or the number of his name. 1. a Gen. 2.24 Therefore fhall a man leave his father and his mo of ther, & fhall cleave unto his wife: and they fhallbe one flesh. Mat.19. 5. And faid, for this caufe fhall a man leave father and mother, and fhall cleave to his wife; and they twainfhallbe one th: v.6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one fleh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man putafunder. Prov.2.17. Whichforfaketh the guide of her youth,and forgetteththecovenant of her God. II. b Gen. 2. 18. And the Lord God faid, It is not good that the man fhould be alone: I will make him an help meet for him. c Mal 2,15. And did not he make one? yet had he the refidue of the fpirit and wherefore one? that he night feek a goodly feed:therefore take heed to your fpirit, and let none deal treacheroully against the wife of his youth. d1 Cor. 7. 2. Nevertheless,to avoidfornication,let everymanhave his own wife, and let everywoman have her own hufband. v. 9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. III. e Heb. 13.4. Marriageis hoI 2 nourable of chriftians to marry only in the Lord f, and therefore fuch as profcls the true reformed religion, fhould not marry with infidels, papifts or other idolaters, neither fhould fuch as are godly be unequally yoked,by marrying with fuch as are no toriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable here* fies g. IV Mar I nourable in all, and the bed undefiled:but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 1 Tim. 4.3. forbidding to marry,& commanding to abftain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. Cor, 7.36. But if any man think that he behaveth him felf uncomely towards his virgin, if the pafs the flower of her age, and need to require, let him do what he will, he finneth not let them marry.v. 37. Nevertheless, he that ftandeth fted⚫ faft in his heart, having no neceffity, but hath power over his own will, and hath fo decreed in his heart, that he will keep his virgin, doth well. v. 38. So, then he that giveth her inmarriage, doth well; but he that giveth hernot in marriage, doth better. Gen. 24. 57. And they faid, We will call the damfel, and enquire at her mouth. v. 56. And they called Rebekah, and faid unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? and the faid, I will go. thy daughter thou shall not give unto his fon,nor hisdaughter fhalt thou take unto thy lon. . 4. For they will turn away thy fon from following me, that they may ferve other gods: fo will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you. anddeftroy thee fuddenly, Kings 11.4. For it cameto pafs when Solomon wasold,that his wives turned away his heartafter other Gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father, Neh. 13. 25. And I contended with them, and curfed them, and fmote certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and madethem fwear by God, faying, Ye fhall not give your daughters unto their fons, nor taketheir daughters unto your fons, or for your felves, v. 26. Did not Solomon king of Ifrael fin by these things? Yet among manynations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God. and God made him king over all Ifrael. neivertheless,evenhim did outlandeifh women caufe to fin. v. 27. Shall we then hearken unto you to doall this greatevil, totranfgrefs against ourGod,inmarryingftrangewives? Mal. 2. 11. Judah hathdealttreacherou fly, and an abomination is committed in Ifrael,and in Jerusalem: for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved,and hath married the daughter of a strange god. v. 12. The Lord will cut off the man that doth this: the mafter and the fcholar out f1 Cor. 7.39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her busband be dead, fhe is at liberty to be married to whom he will; only in the Lord g Gen. 34. 14.And they faidunto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our fifter to one that is uncircumcifed for that were a reproach unto us. Exod. 34. 16.And thou take of their daughters unto thy lons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods,and make thy fons go a whoring after their gods. Deut. 7. 3. Neither fhalt tou make marriages with them; of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lordof hofts.2 Cor. 6.14. Be ye not unequally yoked toge ther |