91. For the national synod ought to declare, and that with greatest reverence, to the magistrate, the grounds of their sentence, and the reasons of their proceedings, when he demandeth or inquireth into the same, and desireth to be satisfied; but if the magistrate nevertheless do dissent, or cannot, by contrary reasons (which may be brought, if he please), move the synod to alter their judgment, yet may he require and procure that the matter be again debated and canvassed in another national synod, and so the reasons of both sides being thoroughly weighed, may be lawfully determined in an ecclesiastical way.
92. But as there is much indeed to be given to the demand of the magistrate, so is there here a twofold caution to be used, for, first, notwithstanding of a future revision, it is necessary that the former sentence of the synod, whether concerning the administration of ecclesiastical discipline, or against any heresy, be forthwith put in execution, lest by lingering, and making of delays, the evil of the church take deeper root, and the gangrene spread and creep further; and lest violence be done to the consciences of ministers, if they be constrained to impart the signs and seals of the covenant of grace to dogs and swine, that is, to unclean persons, wallowing in the mire of ungodliness; and lest subtile men abuse such interims or intervals, so as that ecclesiastical discipline altogether decay, and the very decrees of synods be accounted as cobwebs, which none feareth to break down.
93. Next it may be granted that the matter may be put under a further examination, yet upon condition, that when it is come to the revision of the former sentence, regard may be had of the weaker which are [pg 5-035] found willing to be taught, though they doubt; but that unto the wicked and contentious tempters, which do mainly strive to oppress our liberty which we have in Christ, and to bring us into bondage, we do not for a moment give place by subjecting ourselves; for what else seek they or wait for, than that, under the pretence of a revising and of new debate, they cast in lets and impediments ever and anon, and that by cunning lyings in wait they may betray the liberty of the church, and in process of time may, by open violence, more forcibly break in upon it, or at least constrain the ministers of the church to weave Penelope's web, which they can never bring to an end.
94. Moreover, the Christian magistrate hath then only discharged his office in reference to ecclesiastical discipline, when not only he withdraweth nothing from it, and maketh no impediment to it, but also affordeth special furtherance and help to it, according to the prophecy, Isa. xlix. 23, “And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers.”
95. For Christian magistrates and princes, embracing Christ, and sincerely giving their names to him, do not only serve him as men, but also use their office to his glory and the good of the church; they defend, stand for, and take care to propagate the true faith and godliness,—they afford places of habitation to the church, and furnish necessary helps and supports,—turn away injuries done to it,—restrain false religion,—and cherish, underprop, and defend the rights and liberties of the church: so far they are from diminishing, changing or restraining those rights; for so the condition of the church were in that respect worse, and the liberty thereof more cut short, under the Christian magistrate, than under the infidel or heathen.
96. Wherefore seeing these nursing-fathers, favourers, and defenders, can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth, nor have any right against the gospel, but for the gospel; and their power, in respect of the church whereof they bear the care, being not privative or destructive, but cumulative and auxiliary, thereby it is sufficiently clear that they ought to cherish, and by their authority ought to establish the ecclesiastical discipline; but yet not with implicit [pg 5-036] faith, or blind obedience; for the reformed churches do not deny to any of the faithful, much less to the magistrate, the judgment of Christian prudence and discretion concerning those things which are decreed or determined by the church.
97. Therefore, as to each member of the church respectively, so unto the magistrate belongeth the judgment of such things, both to apprehend and to judge of them; for although the magistrate is not ordained and preferred of God, that he should be a judge of matters and causes spiritual, of which there is controversy in the church, yet is he questionless judge of his own civil act about spiritual things; namely, of defending them in his own dominions, and of approving or tolerating the same; and if, in this business, he judge and determine according to the wisdom of the flesh, and not according to the wisdom which is from above, he is to render an account thereof before the supreme tribunal.
98. However, the ecclesiastical discipline, according as it is ordained by Christ, whether it be established and ratified by civil authority or not, ought to be retained and exercised in the society of the faithful (as long as it is free and safe for them to come together in holy assemblies), for the want of civil authority is unto the church like a ceasing gain, but not like damage or loss ensuing; as it superaddeth nothing more, so it takes nothing away.
99. If it further happen (which God forbid) that the magistrate do so far abuse his authority, that he doth straitly forbid what Christ hath ordained, yet the constant and faithful servants of Christ will resolve and determine with themselves, that any extremities are rather to be undergone than that they should obey such things, and that we ought to obey God rather than men; yea, they will not leave off to perform all the parts of their office, being ready in the meantime to render a reason of their practice to every one that demandeth it, but specially unto the magistrate (as was said before).
100. These things are not to that end and purpose proposed, that these functions should be opposed one against another, in a [pg 5-037] hostile posture, or in terms of enmity, than which nothing is more hurtful to the church and commonwealth, nothing more execrable to them who are truly and sincerely zealous for the house of God (for they have not so learned Christ); but the aim is, first, and above all, that unto the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, the only monarch of the church, his own prerogative royal (of which also himself in the world was accused, and for his witnessing a good confession thereof before Pontius Pilate, was unjustly condemned to death) may be fully maintained and defended.