Church concord

10. There needeth not the device of Popes or Patriarchs, to call Councils, or to keep Peace among the Pastors of the Church: For the Magistrate must do it, as a great part of the work of his Office. Every Sovereign may call such Pastors unto Councils as are his Subjects: And several Princes by agreement may call their respective Subjects together when there is Cause; And proper Universal Councils (as is showed) are things which never were known, nor are not to be expected: And it must be a very extraordinary necessity, which must warrant the Pastors of several Kingdoms, to hold Councils together, when they are forbidden by their Kings: Princes also may correct Church-Tyrants and Usurpers, and Destroyers of Faith, or Piety or Peace: They ought to restrain such Pastors as would raise Seditions or Rebellions, or Persecutions of the Innocent, or that pretend Religion for the open and obstinate revilings of their Brethren, and are proved to be unquiet Firebrands to kindle Dissentions, and destroy Mens Love to one another, or arbitrarily to oppress the Flocks.

10. There needeth not the device of Popes or Patriarchs, to call Councils, or to keep Peace among the Pastors of the Church: For the Magistrate must do it, as a great part of the work of his Office. Every Soveraign may call such Pastors unto Councils as are his Subjects: And several Princes by agreement may call their respective Subjects together when there is Cause; And proper Universal Councils (as is shewed) are things which never were known, nor are not to be expected: And it must be a very extraordinary necessity, which must warrant the Pastors of several Kingdoms, to hold Councils together, when they are forbidden by their Kings: Princes also may correct Church-Tyrants and Usurpers, and Destroyers of Faith, or Piety or Peace: They ought to restrain such Pastors as would raise Seditions or Rebellions, or Persecutions of the Innocent, or that pretend Religion for the open and obstinate revilings of their Brethren, and are proved to be unquiet Firebrands to kindle Dissentions, and destroy Mens Love to one another, or arbitrarily to oppress the Flocks.

11. When any question, Who must be Judge, in cases of Heresy, Infidelity or Idolatry as divulged or practised, the true answer is obvious and easy. 1. In regard of public Ecclesiastical judgment, and the Sentence of Excommunication or Absolution, the Pastors of the Church are the proper Judges, by virtue of the power of the Keys. 2. In regard of public civil judgment in order to corporal forcible punishment or impunity (as there is just cause) the Magistrate is the only public Judge. 3. In regard of that private judgment of discerning, by which every rational person must know his own Duty, both to God and Man, and discern when and how far to obey Man, without disobeying God, every such rational person is a Judge; that is, a Discerner of what he ought to do. And Christ always the final Judge.