the judgment of their own discretion following the rules of the word, to
try and examine whether the same be lawful or unlawful.

_Sect._. 18. These _praecognita_ being now made good, come we to speak
more particularly of the power of princes to make laws and ordinances
about things which concern the worship of God. The purpose we will unfold
in three distinctions: 1. Of things; 2. Of times; 3. Of ties. First, Let
us distinguish two sorts of things in the worship of God, viz., things
substantial, and things circumstantial. To things substantial we refer as
well sacred and significant ceremonies as the more necessary and essential
parts of worship, and, in a word, all things which are not mere external
circumstances, such as were not particularly determinable within those
bounds which it pleased God to set to his written word, and the right
ordering whereof, as it is common to all human societies, whether civil or
sacred, so it is investigable by the very light and guidance of natural
reason. That among this kind of mere circumstances sacred significant
ceremonies cannot be reckoned, we have otherwhere made it evident. Now,
therefore, of things pertaining to the substance of God's worship, whether
they be sacred ceremonies, or greater and more necessary duties, we say
that princes have not power to enjoin anything of this kind which hath not
the plain and particular institution of God himself in Scripture. They may
indeed, and ought to publish God's own ordinances and commandments, and,
by their coactive temporal power, urge and enforce the observation of the
same. Notwithstanding, it is a prince's duty, "that in the worship of God,
whether internal or external, he move nothing, he prescribe nothing,
except that which is expressly delivered in God's own written word."(947)
We must beware we confound not things which have the plain warrant of
God's word with things devised by the will of man. David, Jehoshaphat,
Hezekiah, Josiah, and other kings among the people of God, did, as well
laudably as lawfully, enjoin and command that worship and form of religion
which God, in his law and by his prophets, commanded; and forbid, avoid,
and abolish such corruptions as God had forbidden before them, and
appointed to be abolished; whence it followeth not that kings may enjoin
things which want the warrant of the word, but only this much, which all
of us commend, viz., "That a Christian prince's office in religion,(948)
is diligently t