The difference between the power of magistrates and church-pastors and the Roman kingdom &…

But of these two last I must tell you, what we Puritans (as they call us) hold 1. That the King may and must decide doubts of faith, in order to execution by the Sword (as, who shall be banished or imprisoned as a Teacher of Heresy) 2. And that Canons circa sacra not taking the Pastors proper work out of his hand may be made by the Magistrate even if he please without the Prelates▪ ⟨p. 54⟩And if Pastors make Canons, the• are but in order to their proper way of execution.

But of these two last I must tell you, what we Puritans (as they call us) hold 1. That the King may and must decide doubts of faith, in order to execution by the Sword (as, who shall be banished or imprisoned as a Teacher of Heresie) 2. And that Canons circa sacra not takeing the Pastors proper work out of his hand may be made by the Magistrate even if he please without the Prelates▪ ⟨p. 54⟩And if Pastors make Canons, the• are but in order to their proper way of execution.

Pag. 252. And if Princes shall not bear the Sword, in things and Causes Ecclesiastical, you must tell us who shall— Since by Gods Law the Priest may not meddle with the Sword, the consequent is inevitable, that Princes alone are Gods Ministers, bearing the Sword, to reward and revenge good and evil in all things and causes, be they Temporal, Spiritual or Ecclesiastical: unless you think that disorders and abuses Ecclesiastical should be freely permitted—Page 256. This then is the Supreme power of Princes, which we teach—That they be Gods Ministers in their own Dominions, bearing the Sword, freely to permit and publicly defend that which God commandeth—So may they with just force remove whatsoever is erroneous, vicious, and superstitious within their Lands, and with external losses and corporal pains repress the broachers and abetters of Heresies and all impieties—From which subjection to Princes, no man within their Realms, Monk, Priest, Preacher or Prelate is exempted: And without their Realms no mortal man hath any power from Christ judicially to depose them; much less to invade them in open field, least of all to warrant their Subjects to rebel against them. These be the things which we contend for; and not whether Princes be Christs Masters, or the functions to preach, baptize, impose hands, and forgive sins, must be derived from the Princes power and Laws; or the Apostles might enter to convert Countries, without Caesars delegations; These be jests and shifts of yours.