ivate man, and not as the Champion of the
Papacy, against all other Christian Princes, and States.

CHAPTER XLIII. OF WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR A MANS RECEPTION INTO THE
KINGDOME OF HEAVEN.

The Difficulty Of Obeying God And Man Both At Once

The most frequent praetext of Sedition, and Civill Warre, in Christian
Common-wealths hath a long time proceeded from a difficulty, not yet
sufficiently resolved, of obeying at once, both God, and Man, then
when their Commandements are one contrary to the other. It is manifest
enough, that when a man receiveth two contrary Commands, and knows that
one of them is Gods, he ought to obey that, and not the other, though
it be the command even of his lawfull Soveraign (whether a Monarch, or
a Soveraign Assembly,) or the command of his Father. The difficulty
therefore consisteth in this, that men when they are commanded in the
name of God, know not in divers Cases, whether the command be from God,
or whether he that commandeth, doe but abuse Gods name for some private
ends of his own. For as there ware in the Church of the Jews, many false
Prophets, that sought reputation with the people, by feigned Dreams, and
Visions; so there have been in all times in the Church of Christ, false
Teachers, that seek reputation with the people, by phantasticall and
false Doctrines; and by such reputation (as is the nature of Ambition,)
to govern them for their private benefit.

Is None To Them That Distinguish Between What Is, And What Is Not

Necessary To Salvation

But this difficulty of obeying both God, and the Civill Soveraign on
earth, to those that can distinguish between what is Necessary, and what
is not Necessary for their Reception into the Kingdome of God, is of no
moment. For if the command of the Civill Soveraign bee such, as that it
may be obeyed, without the forfeiture of life Eternall; not to obey it
is unjust; and the precept of the Apostle takes place; "Servants obey
your Masters in all things;" and, "Children obey your Parents in all
things;" and the precept of our Saviour, "The Scribes and Pharisees sit
in Moses Chaire, All therefore they shall say, that observe, and doe."
But if the command be such, as cannot be obeyed, without being damned
to Eternall Death, then it were madnesse to obey it, and the Counsell
of our Saviour takes place, (Mat. 10. 28.) "Fear not those that kill the
body, but cannot kill the soule." All men therefore that would avoid,
both the punis