The same were united in the priests, after the captivity.
17. After their return from Babylonian bondage, the covenant being renewed and signed, the priestly kingdom was restored to the same manner it was in from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the kings; excepting that it is not expressly set down, that the returned Jews did give up the right of sovereignty either to Esdras, by whose direction they ordered their state, or to any other beside God himself. That reformation seems rather to be nothing else, than the bare promises and vows of every man, to observe those things which were written in the book of the law. Notwithstanding, (perhaps not by the people’s intention), by virtue of the covenant which they then renewed, (for the covenant was the same with that which was made at Mount Sinai), that same state was a priestly kingdom; that is to say, the supreme civil authority and the sacred were united in the priests. Now, howsoever through the ambition of those who strove for the priesthood, and by the interposition of foreign princes, it was so troubled till our Saviour Jesus Christ’s time, that it cannot be understood out of the histories of those times, where that authority resided; yet it is plain, that in those times the power of interpreting God’s word was not severed from the supreme civil power.
Among the Jews, the denial of the Divine providence and idolatry, were the only treasons against the Divine Majesty: in all other things they ought to obey their princes.
18. Out of all this, we may easily know how the Jews, in all times from Abraham unto Christ, were to behave themselves in the commands of their princes. For as in kingdoms merely human, men must obey a subordinate magistrate in all things, excepting when his commands contain in them some treason; so in the kingdom of God, the Jews were bound to obey their princes, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the priest, the king, every one during their time in all things, except when their commands did contain some treason against the Divine Majesty. Now treason against the Divine Majesty was, first, the denial of divine providence; for this was to deny God to be a king by nature: next, idolatry, or the worship not of other, (for there is but one God), but of strange Gods; that is to say, a worship though of one God, yet under other titles, attributes, and rites, than what were established by Abraham and Moses; for this was to deny the God of Abraham to be their king by covenant made with Abraham and themselves. In all other things they were to obey. And if a king or priest, having the sovereign authority, had commanded somewhat else to be done which was against the laws, that had been his sin, and not his subject’s; whose duty it is, not to dispute, but to obey the commands of his superiors.
[20]. In images made with hands. In chap. XV. [art. 14], there we have showed such a kind of worship to be irrational. But if it be done by the command of a city, to whom the written word of God is not known nor received, we have then showed this worship (in [article 18]) to be rational. But where God reigns by way of covenant, in which it is expressly warned not to worship thus, as in the covenant made with Abraham; there, whether it be with or without the command of the city, it is ill done.
CHAPTER XVII.
OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY THE NEW COVENANT.
[1.] The prophecies concerning Christ’s dignity. [2.] The prophecies concerning his humility and passion. [3.] That Jesus was that Christ. [4.] That the kingdom of God by the new covenant, was not the kingdom of Christ, as Christ, but as God. [5.] That the kingdom by the new covenant is heavenly, and shall begin from the day of judgment. [6.] That the government of Christ in this world was not a sovereignty, but counsel, or a government by the way of doctrine and persuasion. [7.] What the promises of the new covenant are, on both parts. [8.] That no laws are added by Christ, beside the institution of the sacraments. [9.] Repent ye, be baptized, keep the commandments, and the like forms of speech, are not laws. [10.] It pertains to the civil authority, to define what the sin of injustice is. [11.] It pertains to the civil authority, to define what conduces to the peace and defence of the city. [12.] It pertains to the civil authority, to judge (when need requires) what definitions and what inferences are true. [13.] It belongs to the office of Christ, to teach morally, not by the way of speculation, but as a law; to forgive sins, and to teach all things whereof there is no science, properly so called. [14.] A distinction of things temporal from spiritual. [15.] In how many several sorts the word of God may be taken. [16.] That all which is contained in Holy Scripture, belongs not to the canon of Christian faith. [17.] That the word of a lawful interpreter of Holy Scriptures, is the word of God. [18.] That the authority of interpreting Scriptures, is the same with that of determining controversies of faith. [19.] Divers significations of a Church. [20.] What a Church is, to which we attribute rights, actions, and the like personal capacities. [21.] A Christian city is the same with a Christian Church. [22.] Many cities do not constitute one Church. [23.] Who are ecclesiastical persons. [24.] That the election of ecclesiastical persons belongs to the Church, their consecration to pastors. [25.] That the power of remitting the sins of the penitent, and retaining those of the impenitent, belongs to the pastors; but that of judging concerning repentance belongs to the Church. [26.] What excommunication is, and on whom it cannot pass. [27.] That the interpretation of Scripture depends on the authority of the city. [28.] That a Christian city ought to interpret Scriptures by ecclesiastical pastors.
The prophecies concerning Christ’s dignity.