great part of that charge of pastors, to watch for the souls of men, and
must liberate them from being liable to a reckoning for the same.

_Sect._ 27. 6. Constantine the Great, Theodosius, both the one and the
other, Martianus, Charles the Great, and other Christian princes, when
there was any change to be made of ecclesiastical rites, did not, by their
own authority, imperiously enjoin the change, but convocate synods for
deliberating upon the matter, as Balduine noteth.(972) The great Council
of Nice was assembled by Constantine, not only because of the Arian
heresy, but, also (as Socrates witnesseth(973)), because of the difference
about the keeping of Easter; and though the bishops, when they were
assembled, did put up to him libels of accusation, one against another, so
that there could be no great hope of their agreement upon fit and
convenient laws; yet, notwithstanding, he did not interpone his own
definition and decree, for taking up that difference about Easter, only he
exhorted the bishops convened in the council to peace, and so commended
the whole matter to be judged by them.

7. We have for us the judgment of worthy divines. A notable testimony of
Junius we have already cited. Danaeus will not allow princes by themselves
to make laws about ecclesiastical rites,(974) but this he will have done
by a synod. _Porro quod ad ritus,_ &c. "Furthermore (saith he), for rites
and ceremonies, and that external order which is necessary in the
administration of the church, let a synod of the church convene, the
supreme and godly magistrate both giving commandment for the convening of
it, and being present in it; and let that synod of the church lawfully
assembled define what should be the order and external regiment of the
church. This decree of the ecclesiastical synod shall the godly and
supreme magistrate afterward confirm, stablish, and ratify by his edict."
Joh. Wolphius observeth of king Joash,(975) that he did not by himself
take order for the reparation of the temple, nor define what was to be
done unto every breach therein, but committed this matter to be directed
and cared for by the priests, whom it chiefly concerned, commanding them
to take course for the reparation of the breaches of the house,
wheresoever any breach should be found, and allowing them money for the
work. Whereupon he further noteth, that as the superior part of man's soul
doth not itself hear, see, touch, walk, speak, but commandeth the e