Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843 edition. Excerpt: ...the prince.) A thing which being allowable in priests amongst the Jews, must needs have received some strange alteration in nature since, if it be now so pernicious and venomous to be coupled with a spiritual vocation in any man 312 Cases for uniting Civil and Church Functions. Book vn. which beareth office in the Church of Christ. Shemaiah writing to the college of priests which were in Jerusalem, and to Ze-phaniah the principal of them, told them they were appointed Jcr. ixix. of God, " that they might be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man which raved, and did make himself a prophet," to the end that they might, by the force of this their authority, " put such in prison, and in the stocks." His malice is reproved, for that he provoketh them to shew their power against the innocent. But surely, when any man justly punishable had been brought before them, it could be no unjust thing for them even in such sort then to have punished. As for offices, by virtue whereof bishops have to deal in civil affairs, we must consider that civil affairs are of divers kinds; and as they be not all fit for ecclesiastical persons to meddle with, so neither is it necessary, nor at this day haply convenient, that from meddling with any such thing at all they all should without exception be secluded. I will therefore set down some few causes, wherein it cannot but clearly appear unto reasonable men that civil and ecclesiastical functions may be lawfully united in one and the same person. First, therefore, in case a Christian society be planted amongst their professed enemies, or by toleration to live under some certain state whereinto they are not incorporated, whom shall we judge the meetest man to have the hearing and determining of such mere...
