452 The HI STORY of the PURITANS. Chap. I. jingJamesl. e` it to any fpiritual potentates or rulers; and that it is not tied to his r " faith or chriftianity, but to his very crown ; fo that if he was an " del the fupremacy is his due. 2. " We hold, that no church officers have power to deprive the " king of any branch of his royal prerogative, much lefs ofhis fupremacy, which is infeparable from. him. 3. " That no ecclefiaftical officers have power over the bodies, lives, goods, or libertiesof any perfons within the king's dominions. 4. " That the king may make laws for thegood ordering ofthechurches " within his dominions ; and that the churches ought not to be difobedient, " unlefs they apprehend them contrary to the wordof God; and even in fuch cafe they are not to refift, but peaceably to forbear obedience, and " fubmit to the punifhment, if mercy cannot be obtained. g. " That the king only hath power within his dominions, to convene " fynods or general affemblies of mini ters, and by his authority royal to " ratify and give life to their canonsandconftitutions, 'without whofe ra- " tification no man can force any fubjeêt toyield obedience to the fame. 6 " That the king ought not to be fubjeét to the cenfures of any churches, church- officers, or fynods whatfoever;. but only to that " church, and thofeofficers of his own court and houfhold, with whom he (hall voluntarily join in communion, where there can be no fear " of unjuft ufage. " 7. Ifa king, after he has held communion with a chriftian church " (houid turn apoftate, or live in a courfe of open defiance to the " laws of God and religion, the church governors are to give over " their fpiritual charge and tuition of him, which by calling from God " and the king, they did undertake ; and more than this they may not. " do, for the king Rill retains his fupreme authority over the churches " as intirely and in as ample a manner as if he were the moft chriftiaa " prince in the world. 8. " We refufe no obedience to the king, nor to any of the canons " required by the prelates, but fuch as we are willing to take upon our " confciences, and to. (wear (if required) that we believe contrary to the " word ofGod. We deny no ecclefiaftical jurifdiEtion to the king but " that which thrift has appropriated to himfelf., who is the foie dot' and. legiflator of his church.. q. " We are fo far fromclaiming any fupremacy to our felves,. that " we exclude from ourfelves all fecular pomp and power, holding ita " fin to puni(h men- in their bodies, goods, liberties or, lives, for any merely fpiritual offence.
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