ath any
authority over them; and therefore the Scriptures are not made Laws,
by the Universall Church: or if it bee one Common-wealth, then all
Christian Monarchs, and States are private persons, and subject to
bee judged, deposed, and punished by an Universall Soveraigne of all
Christendome. So that the question of the Authority of the Scriptures is
reduced to this, "Whether Christian Kings, and the Soveraigne Assemblies
in Christian Common-wealths, be absolute in their own Territories,
immediately under God; or subject to one Vicar of Christ, constituted
over the Universall Church; to bee judged, condemned, deposed, and put
to death, as hee shall think expedient, or necessary for the common
good."

Which question cannot bee resolved, without a more particular
consideration of the Kingdome of God; from whence also, wee are to judge
of the Authority of Interpreting the Scripture. For, whosoever hath a
lawfull power over any Writing, to make it Law, hath the power also to
approve, or disapprove the interpretation of the same.

CHAPTER XXXIV. OF THE SIGNIFICATION OF SPIRIT, ANGEL, AND INSPIRATION IN
THE BOOKS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE

Body And Spirit How Taken In The Scripture

Seeing the foundation of all true Ratiocination, is the constant
Signification of words; which in the Doctrine following, dependeth not
(as in naturall science) on the Will of the Writer, nor (as in common
conversation) on vulgar use, but on the sense they carry in the
Scripture; It is necessary, before I proceed any further, to determine,
out of the Bible, the meaning of such words, as by their ambiguity, may
render what I am to inferre upon them, obscure, or disputable. I will
begin with the words BODY, and SPIRIT, which in the language of the
Schools are termed, Substances, Corporeall, and Incorporeall.

The Word Body, in the most generall acceptation, signifieth that
which filleth, or occupyeth some certain room, or imagined place; and
dependeth not on the imagination, but is a reall part of that we call
the Universe. For the Universe, being the Aggregate of all Bodies, there
is no reall part thereof that is not also Body; nor any thing properly
a Body, that is not also part of (that Aggregate of all Bodies) the
Universe. The same also, because Bodies are subject to change, that is
to say, to variety of apparence to the sense of living creatures, is
called Substance, that is to say, Subject, to various accidents, as
sometimes to be Mov