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of the civil magistrate; yet in such differences about the doctrines of the gospel, or ways of the worship of God as may befal men exercising a good conscience, manifesting it in their conversation, and holding the foundation, and duty observing the rules of peace and order, there is no warrant for the magistrate to abridge them of their liberty.

IV.

It is the duty of people to pray for magis trates, to honour their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for conscience sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates 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 and 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.

I Tim. ii, 12. 1 Pet. ii, 17. Rom. xii, 6, 7, and xiii, 5. Tit, iii, 1. I Pet. ii, 13, 14, 16. Rom. xiii, 1. I Kings, ii, 35. Acts, xxv, 9, 10, 11. I Pet. ii, 1, 10, 11. Jude, v, 8, to 11. Rev. xiii, 15, 16, 17.

11 Thes. ii, 4.

M

CHAP. XXV.

Of Marriage.

ARRIAGE 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. a

a Gen. ii, 24. Mat. xix, 5, 6. Prov. ii, 17.

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 unclean

n ss. d

b Gen. ii, 18.

2,9.

c Mal. ii, 15. d I Cor. vii,

III.

It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent, e yet it is the duty of christians to marry in the Lord, f 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 such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresy. g

e Heb. xiii, 4. I Tim. iv, 3. I Cor. vii, 36, S7, 38. Gen. xxiv, 57, 58. ƒI Cor. vii, 39.

Gen. xxxiv, 14. Exod. xxxiv, 16. Deut. vii, 3, 4. I Kings. xi, 4. Neh. xiii, 35, 26, 27. Mal ii, 11, 12. II Cor. vi, 14.

IV.

Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the word, h nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live togeth er as man and wit, i

h Lev. xvin. I Cor. v, 1. Amos,ii, 7. i Mark, vi, 18. Lev. xviii, 24 to 29.

T

CHAP, XXVI,

Of the Church,

HE Catholick or Universal Church which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gas thered into one under Christ the head thereof, and the Spouse, the Body, the fulness of him that fiileth all and in all, a

a Eph, i, 19, 22, 23, and v, 23, 27, 32. Col.

18.

II.

The whole body of men throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, b not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, c or unholiness of conversation, they d and their children e with them are, and may be called the visible Catholick Church of Christ, ƒ although as such it is not intrusted with any officers to rule or govern over the whole body. g

b I Cor. i, 2.

d II Tim. ii, Acts, ii, 39. Gen. xvii, 7.

Col. ii, 19. I Tim. i, 19, 20. 19. Tit. i, 16. e I Cor. vii, 14.

Ezek. xvi, 20, 21.

Rom. xi, 16.

fI Cor. xii, 12, 13. Rom. xv, 9, 10, 12. g Eph. iv, 8, 11, 12. Rom. xii, 6, 7, 8, I Cor. xii, 28, 29, 30,

III.

The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error, h and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan: i Nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a visible kingdom in this world, to the end thereof of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name. k

h I Cor. xiii, 12. Rev. 2d and 3d chapters. Mat. xiii, 24, to 30, 42. i Rev. xxviii, 2. Rom. xi, 18, to 23. k Mat. xvi, 18. Psal. lxxii, 17; and cii, 28. Mat, xxviii, 19, 20.

IV.

There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ, / nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. m

7 Col. i, 18. Eph. i, 22. 10. II Thes. ii, 3, 4, 8, 9.

ས.

m Mat. xxiii, 8, 9, Rev. xiii, 6.

As the Lord in his care and love towards his Church hath in his infinite wise providence ex. ercised it with great variety in all ages for the good of them that love him, and his own glory :

so according to his promise, we expect that in the latter days, Antichrist being destroyed, o the Jews called, and the adversaries of the kingdom of his dear son broken, g the churches of Christ being enlarged and edified through a free and plentiful communication of light and grace, shall enjoy in this world a more quiet, peaceable and glorious condition than they have enjoyed. r n Acts, vii, 1 to 51, and xiv, 22, and viii, 1, with ix, 31. o Il Thes. ii, 8, 9, 10. Rev. xviii, 2, 4, 21, and xvii, 16. Rom. x, 1, and xi, 23, to 32. 9 Psalms, cx, 1, and ii, 9. r Isa. xi, 9. Joel, ii, 28, 29. Isa. ii, 2, 3, 4. Mic. iv, 3. Psal. Ixxxvii, 2, to end. Daniel, vii, 27.

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