第50章

and3。intheApostlesandthesuccessorstoapostolicalpower。ForthesethreeatseveraltimesdidrepresentthepersonofGod：Moses，andhissuccessorsthehighpriests，andkingsofJudah，intheOldTestament：ChristHimself，inthetimehelivedonearth：andtheApostles，andtheirsuccessors，fromthedayofPentecost(whentheHolyGhostdescendedonthem)tothisday。

ItisaquestionmuchdisputedbetweenthediversesectsofChristianreligion，fromwhencetheScripturesderivetheirauthority；

whichquestionisalsopropoundedsometimesinotherterms，as，howweknowthemtobethewordofGod，or，whywebelievethemtobeso；andthedifficultyofresolvingitarisethchieflyfromtheimpropernessofthewordswhereinthequestionitselfiscouched。ForitisbelievedonallhandsthatthefirstandoriginalauthorofthemisGod；andconsequentlythequestiondisputedisnotthat。Again，itismanifestthatnonecanknowtheyareGod’sword(thoughalltrueChristiansbelieveit)butthosetowhomGodHimselfhathrevealeditsupernaturally；andthereforethequestionisnotrightlymoved，ofourknowledgeofit。Lastly，whenthequestionispropoundedofourbelief；becausesomearemovedtobelieveforone，andothersforotherreasons，therecanberenderednoonegeneralanswerforthemall。Thequestiontrulystatedis：bywhatauthoritytheyaremadelaw。

Asfarastheydiffernotfromthelawsofnature，thereisnodoubtbuttheyarethelawofGod，andcarrytheirauthoritywiththem，legibletoallmenthathavetheuseofnaturalreason：butthisisnootherauthoritythanthatofallothermoraldoctrineconsonanttoreason；thedictateswhereofarelaws，notmade，buteternal。

IftheybemadelawbyGodHimself，theyareofthenatureofwrittenlaw，whicharelawstothemonlytowhomGodhathsosufficientlypublishedthemasnomancanexcusehimselfbysayingheknewnottheywereHis。

HethereforetowhomGodhathnotsupernaturallyrevealedthattheyareHis，northatthosethatpublishedthemweresentbyHim，isnotobligedtoobeythembyanyauthoritybuthiswhosecommandshavealreadytheforceoflaws；thatistosay，byanyotherauthoritythanthatoftheCommonwealth，residinginthesovereign，whoonlyhasthelegislativepower。Again，ifitbenotthelegislativeauthorityoftheCommonwealththatgiveththemtheforceoflaws，itmustbesomeotherauthorityderivedfromGod，eitherprivateorpublic：ifprivate，itobligesonlyhimtowhominparticularGodhathbeenpleasedtorevealit。ForifeverymanshouldbeobligedtotakeforGod’slawwhatparticularmen，onpretenceofprivateinspirationorrevelation，shouldobtrudeuponhim(insuchanumberofmenthatoutofprideandignorancetaketheirowndreams，andextravagantfancies，andmadnessfortestimoniesofGod’sspirit；or，outofambition，pretendtosuchdivinetestimonies，falselyandcontrarytotheirownconsciences)，itwereimpossiblethatanydivinelawshouldbeacknowledged。Ifpublic，itistheauthorityoftheCommonwealthoroftheChurch。ButtheChurch，ifitbeoneperson，isthesamethingwithaCommonwealthofChristians；calledaCommonwealthbecauseitconsistethofmenunitedinoneperson，theirsovereign；andaChurch，becauseitconsistethinChristianmen，unitedinoneChristiansovereign。ButiftheChurchbenotoneperson，thenithathnoauthorityatall；itcanneithercommandnordoanyactionatall；noriscapableofhavinganypowerorrighttoanything；norhasanywill，reason，norvoice；forallthesequalitiesarepersonal。NowifthewholenumberofChristiansbenotcontainedinoneCommonwealth，theyarenotoneperson；noristhereauniversalChurchthathathanyauthorityoverthem；andthereforetheScripturesarenotmadelawsbytheuniversalChurch：orifitbeoneCommonwealth，thenallChristianmonarchesandstatesareprivatepersons，andsubjecttobejudged，deposed，andpunishedbyauniversalsovereignofallChristendom。SothatthequestionoftheauthorityoftheScripturesisreducedtothis：whetherChristiankings，andthesovereignassembliesinChristianCommonwealths，beabsoluteintheirownterritories，immediatelyunderGod；orsubjecttooneVicarofChrist，constitutedovertheuniversalChurch；tobejudgedcondemned，deposed，andputtodeath，asheshallthinkexpedientornecessaryforthec