iritual good of the whole church, which he
calleth the "edifying of the body of Christ," Eph. iv. 12. Since,
therefore, the making of laws about such things, without which the worship
of God cannot be orderly nor decently (and so not rightly) performed,
concerneth the spiritual good and benefit of the whole church, and of all
the members thereof, it followeth that Christ hath committed the power of
judging, defining, and making laws about those matters, not to
magistrates, but to the ministers of the church.

5. The Apostle, speaking of the church ministers, saith, "Obey them that
have the rule over you, and submit yourselves for they watch for your
souls as they that must give account," Heb. xiii. 17. Whence we gather,
that in things pertaining to God, and which touch the spiritual benefit of
the soul, the ministers of the church ought to give direction, and to be
obeyed, as those who, in things of this nature, have the rule over all
others of the church (and by consequence over princes also), so that it be
in the Lord. And lest this place and power which is given to ministers,
should either be abused by themselves to the commanding of what they will,
or envied by others, as too great honour and pre-eminence, the Apostle
showeth what a painful charge lieth on them, and what a great reckoning
they have to make. They watch for your souls, saith he, not only by
preaching and warning every one, and by offering up their earnest prayers
to God for you, but likewise by taking such care of ecclesiastical
discipline, order, and policy, that they must provide and procure
whatsoever shall be expedient for your spiritual good, and direct you in
what convenient and beseeming manner you are to perform the works of God's
worship, as also to avoid and shun every scandal and inconveniency which
may hinder your spiritual good. And of these things, whether they have
done them or not, they must make account before the judgment seat of the
great Bishop of your souls. Surely, if it belong to princes to do fine and
ordain what order and policy should be observed in the church, what forms
and fashions should be used, for the orderly and right managing of the
exercises of God's worship, how scandals and misorders are to be shunned,
how the church may be most edified, and the spiritual good of the saints
best helped and advanced, by wholesome and profitable laws, concerning
things which pertain to religion, then must princes take also upon them a