A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…

Now a Prince his making of Laws about things pertaining to Religion, is such an action of Jurisdiction, as hath both a spiritual end, which is the edification of the Church and spiritual good of Christians, and likewise a spiritual object, for that all things pertaining to divine worship, even the very external circumstances of the same, are rightly called things spiritual and divine, not civill or human, our Opposites can not deny, except they say, not only that such things touch the lives, bodies, estates, or names of men, and are not ordained for the spiritual benefit of their souls, but also that the Synod of the Church, whose power reacheth only to things spiritual, not civill or human, can never make Laws about those circumstances ⟨image 136⟩which are applied unto and used in the worship of God. And as the Prince his making of Laws about things of this nature, is in respect of the object and end, an action of spiritual jurisdiction, so there is no circumstance at all, which varieth the kind, or maketh it an action of civill jurisdiction only. If it be said that the circumstance of the person changeth the kind of the action, so that the making of Laws about things pertaining to Religion, if they be made by Ecclesiastical persons, is an action of spiritual jurisdiction, but if by the civill Magistrate, an action of civill jurisdiction: this were a most extremely unadvised distinction: for so might ^zUzziah the King have answered for himself, that in burning incense he did not take upon him to execute the Priests office, because he was only a civill person: so may the Pope say, that he taketh not upon him the power of Emperors and Monarchs, because he is an Eccle•sticall person. Many things men may doe de facto, which they can not de jure. Civill persons may exercise a spiritual jurisdiction and office, and again Ecclesiastical persons may exercise a civill jurisdiction, de facto, thought not de jure. Wherefore the Prince his making of Laws about things spiritual, remaineth still an action of spiritual jurisdiction, except some other thing can be alleged to the contrary, beside the circumstance of the Person.

Now a Prince his making of Lawes about things pertaining to Religion, is such an action of Iurisdiction, as hath both a spirituall end, which is the edification of the Church and spirituall good of Christians, and likewise a spirituall object, for that all things pertaining to divine worship, even the very externall circumstances of the same, are rightly called things spirituall and divine, not civill or human, our Opposites can not denie, except they say, not only that such things touch the lives, bodies, estates, or names of men, and are not ordained for the spirituall benefit of their soules, but also that the Synod of the Church, whose power reacheth only to things spirituall, not civill or human, can never make Lawes about those circumstances