, as Mediator, he had it not to give; for he was not made a
judge in civil affairs, Luke xii. 14, and his kingdom is not of this
world, John xviii. 36. How can that power which Christ as Mediator hath
not received of the Father be derived from Christ to the Christian
magistrate? I know that Christ, as he is the eternal Son of God, and
"thought it no robbery to be equal with God," doth, with the Father and
the Holy Ghost, reign and rule over all the kingdoms of the sons of men.
He that is Mediator, being God, hath, as God, all power in heaven and
earth (and this power was given to him, Matt. xxviii. 18, both by the
eternal generation, and by the declaration of him to be the Son of God
with power, when he was raised from the dead, Rom. i. 4, even as he is
said to be begotten, when he was raised again, Acts xiii. 33: he had
relinquished and laid aside his divine dominion and power when he had made
himself in the form of a servant, but after his resurrection it is
gloriously manifested), and so he that is Mediator, being God, hath power
to subdue his and his church's enemies, and to make his foes his
footstool. But as Mediator he is only the church's King, Head, and
Governor, and hath no other kingdom. The Photinians have defined the
kingly office of Christ thus: "It is an office committed to him by God, to
govern, with the highest authority and power, all creatures endued with
understanding, and especially men, and the church gathered of them."(1339)
But those that have written against them have corrected their definition
in this particular, because Christ is properly King of his church only.

As for those two scriptures which the brother citeth, they are extremely
misapplied. He citeth 1 Cor. xii. 28 to prove that Christ hath placed
civil governments in his church. If by the governments or governors there
mentioned he understood the civil magistrates, yet that place saith not
that Christ hath placed them, but that God hath done it.

Next, The Apostle speaks of such governors as the church had at that time;
but at that time the church had no godly nor Christian magistrates. This
is Calvin's argument, whereby he proves that ecclesiastical, not civil
governors, are there meant.

Thirdly, I ask, How can we conceive that civil government can come into
the catalogue of ecclesiastical and spiritual administrations? for such
are all the rest there reckoned forth.

Lastly, The brother, after second thoughts, may think he hath do