And first,we are to remember that the right of judging what doctrines are fit for peace,and to be taught the subjects,is in all Commonwealths inseparably annexed (as hath been already proved,Chapter eighteen)to the sovereign power civil,whether it be in one man or in one assembly of men.For it is evident to the meanest capacity that men's actions are derived from the opinions they have of the good or evil which from those actions redound unto themselves;and consequently,men that are once possessed of an opinion that their obedience to the sovereign power will be more hurtful to them than their disobedience will disobey the laws,and thereby overthrow the Commonwealth,and introduce confusion and civil war;for the avoiding whereof,all civil government was ordained.And therefore in all Commonwealths of the heathen,the sovereigns have had the name of pastors of the people,because there was no subject that could lawfully teach the people,but by their permission and authority.
This right of the heathen kings cannot be thought taken from them by their conversion to the faith of Christ,who never ordained that kings,for believing in him,should be deposed,that is,subjected to any but himself,or,which is all one,be deprived of the power necessary for the conservation of peace amongst their subjects and for their defence against foreign enemies.And therefore Christian kings are still the supreme pastors of their people,and have power to ordain what pastors they please,to teach the Church,that is,to teach the people committed to their charge.
Again,let the right of choosing them be,as before the conversion of kings,in the Church,for so it was in the time of the Apostles themselves (as hath been shown already in this chapter);even so also the right will be in the civil sovereign,Christian.For in that he is a Christian,he allows the teaching;and in that he is the sovereign (which is as much as to say,the Church by representation),the teachers he elects are elected by the Church.And when an assembly of Christians choose their pastor in a Christian Commonwealth,it is the sovereign that electeth him,because it is done by his authority;in the same manner as when a town choose their mayor,it is the act of him that hath the sovereign power:for every act done is the act of him without whose consent it is invalid.And therefore whatsoever examples may be drawn out of history concerning the election of pastors by the people or by the clergy,they are no arguments against the right of any civil sovereign,because they that elected them did it by his authority.
Seeing then in every Christian Commonwealth the civil sovereign is the supreme pastor,to whose charge the whole flock of his subjects is committed,and consequently that it is by his authority that all other pastors are made,and have power to teach and perform all other pastoral offices,it followeth also that it is from the civil sovereign that all other pastors derive their right of teaching,preaching,and other functions pertaining to that office,and that they are but his ministers;in the same manner as magistrates of towns,judges in courts of justice,and commanders of armies are all but ministers of him that is the magistrate of the whole Commonwealth,judge of all causes,and commander of the whole militia,which is always the civil sovereign.And the reason hereof is not because they that teach,but because they that are to learn,are his subjects.
For let it be supposed that a Christian king commit the authority of ordaining pastors in his dominions to another king (as diverse Christian kings allow that power to the Pope),he doth not thereby constitute a pastor over himself,nor a sovereign pastor over his people;for that were to deprive himself of the civil power;which,depending on the opinion men have of their duty to him,and the fear they have of punishment in another world,would depend also on the skill and loyalty of doctors who are no less subject,not only to ambition,but also to ignorance,than any other sort of men.So that where a stranger hath authority to appoint teachers,it is given him by the sovereign in whose dominions he teacheth.Christian doctors are our schoolmasters to Christianity;but kings are fathers of families,and may receive schoolmasters for their subjects from the recommendation of a stranger,but not from the command;especially when the ill teaching them shall redound to the great and manifest profit of him that recommends them:nor can they be obliged to retain them longer than it is for the public good,the care of which they stand so long charged withal as they retain any other essential right of the sovereignty.
If a man therefore should ask a pastor,in the execution of his office,as the chief priests and elders of the people asked our Saviour,"By what authority doest thou these things,and who gave thee this authority?":he can make no other just answer but that he doth it by the authority of the Commonwealth,given him by the king or assembly that representeth it.All pastors,except the supreme,execute their charges in the right,that is,by the authority of the civil sovereign,that is,jure civili.But the king,and every other sovereign,executeth his office of supreme pastor by immediate authority from God,that is to say,in God's right,or jure divino.
And therefore none but kings can put into their titles,a mark of their submission to God only,Dei gratia Rex,etc.Bishops ought to say in the beginning of their mandates,"By the favour of the King's Majesty,Bishop of such a diocese";or as civil ministers,"In His Majesty's name."For in saying,Divina providentia,which is the same with Dei gratia,though disguised,they deny to have received their authority from the civil state,and slyly slip off the collar of their civil subjection,contrary to the unity and defence of the Commonwealth.
