comprobare, et toti populo
observandas imponere, ad reges spectat_? Camero saith,(981) that it is the
part of a prince to take care for the health of men's souls, even as he
doth for the health of their bodies, and that as he provideth not for the
curing or preventing of bodily diseases directly and by himself, but
indirectly and by the physicians, so he should not by himself prescribe
cures and remedies for men's spiritual maladies. _Perinde principis est
curare salutem animarum, ac ejusdem est saluti corporum prospicere: non
est autem principis providere ne morbi grassentur directe, esset enim
medicus, at indirecte tamen princeps id studere debet._ Whence it
followeth, that even as when some bodily sickness spreadeth, a prince's
part is not to prescribe a cure, but to command the physicians to do it;
just so, when any abuse, misorder, confusion, or scandal in the church,
requireth or maketh it necessary that a mutation be made of some rite or
order in the same, and that wholesome laws be enacted, which may serve for
the order, decency, and edification of the church, a prince may not do
this by himself, but may only command the pastors and guides of the
church, who watch for the souls of men as they who must give account, to
see to the exigency of the present state of matters ecclesiastical, and to
provide such laws as they, being met together in the name of the Lord,
shall, after due and free deliberation, find to be convenient, and which,
being once prescribed by them, he shall by his royal authority confirm,
establish, and press.

_Sect._ 29. Needs now it must be manifest, that the lawfulness of our
conforming unto the ceremonies in question can be no way warranted by any
ordinance of the supreme magistrate, or any power which he hath in things
spiritual or ecclesiastical; and if our opposites would ponder the reasons
we have given, they should be quickly quieted, understanding that, before
the prince's ordinance about the ceremonies can be said to bind us, it
must first be showed that they have been lawfully prescribed by a synod of
the church, so that they must retire and hold them as the church's
ordinance. And what needeth any more? Let us once see any lawful ordinance
of the synod or church representative for them, we shall, without any more
ado, acknowledge it to be out of all doubt that his Majesty may well urge
conformity unto the same.

Now, of the church's power we have spoken in the former chapter; and i