in which no Christian may iptangle himfelfr.

G

CHAP. XXIH. Of the civil Magistratë.
TOD, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, harh

I ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory, and the public good; and, to this end, hach armed them with the power of the fword, for the dehence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil

doers a. II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto b: in the managing whetcof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice and

peace,

:

!

, Mat. xix. 11. But he said unto the powers that be, are ordained of them, All men cannot receive this God, v. 2. Whosoever therefore re. Saying, save they to whom it is gir. Siltech the power, resifteth the ordiCo. Y, 12. For there are some eu- nance of God: and they that relilt, Duchs, who were so born from their Thall receive to themselves damna mother's womb; and there are some ţion. v. 3. For rulers are not a tereunuchs, who were made cunuchs ror to good works, but to the evil. of meo: and there be exauchs, who Wilt thou then not be afraid of the have made themselves eunuchs for power? du that which is good, and the kingdom of heaven's fake: he thou shalt have praise of the same. that is able to receive it, let him re- V. 4. For he is the minister of God to ceive it. 1 Cor. vii. 2. Neverthe. thee for good. But if thou do that less, to avoid fornication, let every which is evil, be afraid; for he man have his own wife, and let beareth not the sword in vaio : for svery woman have her owo husband, he is the nioister of God, a reven1.9. But if they cannot contain, lec ger,to execute wrath upon him that them marry: for it is better to mar- doth evil. 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit your

y than to burn. Eph. iv, 28. Let felves to every ordinance of man for
him that stole, steal no more: but the Lord's sake : whether it be to
rather let him labour, working with the king as supreme, v. 14. Or un-
his hands the thing which is good, to governors, as unto them that are
that he may have to give to him fent by him, for the punishment of
bat Deedeth. 1 Pet. iv. 2. That he evil doers, and for the praise of them
no longer should live the rest of his that do well.
time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, 11, 6 Prov, viii, 15. By me kings
but to the will of God. 1 Cor. vii. reigo, and princes decree justice. V.
23. Ye are bought with a price, be 16. By me princes rule, and nobles,
not ye the servants of men. even all the judges of the earthi

I. a Rom, xü. s. Lut every foul Rom. xii. 1, 2, 4. (See in leto
be subject onto the higher powers. ter a.)
For there is no power but of God:

1.2

Pral

.

.

peace, according to the wholsome laws of each commonwealth (; fo," for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon juft and nceffary occasions d.

III. The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the word and facraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven e: yet he hath authority, and it

is

Ć Psal. ii. 10. Be wife now there. lius, a Centurion of the band called fore, Oye kings : be instructed, ye the Italian band, v. 2. A devont-man, judges of the earth. v. 11. Serve the and one that feared God with all his Lord with fear, and rejoice with house, who gave much alms to the trembling. v. 12. Kiss the Son, left pcople, and prayed to God alway. he be angry, and ye.perish from the Rev. xvii, 14. These shall make way, when his wrath is kindled but war with the Lamb, and the Lamb a little; blessed are all they that put shall overcome them: for he is their trust in him. 1 Tim. ii. 2. For Lord of lords, and King of kings, kings, and for all that are in autho- and they that are with birn, are calricy, that we may lead a quiet and led, and chosen, and faithful. v. 16. peaceable life in all godliness and ho-". And the teni horns which thou saw.. Besty. Pfal. Ixxxii

, 3. Defead the elt upon the beast, these shall bate · poor and fatherless : do justice to the whore, and fhall make her defothe amicted and needy: v. 4. Deli-late, and naked, and shall eat her ver the poor and needy; rid them Aefh, and buru her with fire. out of the hand of the wicked. 2 Sam. . III. é Chron. xxvi. 18. And they xxii. 3. The God of Israel said, the withstood Uzziah the king, and said Rock of Israel spake to me, He that unto him, it appertainerh not unto ruleth over men must be just, ruling thee," Uzziah, to burn incense unto in the fear of God. 1 Pet. ii.' 13 the Lord, but to the priests the fung“. (See in letter a.)

of Aaron, that are confecrated to d Luke iii. 14. And the soldiers burn incense : go out of the fanétulikewise demanded of him, saying, ary, for thou haft trespaffed: neiAnd what shall we do? And he said ther shall it be for thine honour from unto them, Do violence to no man, the Lord God. With Mat. xvi. 17. neither accuse any fallly, and be con- And if he shall neglect to hear them, tent with your wages. Rom. xii. 4. tell ic unto the church ; but if he (See letter a.) Mat. viii. 9. For I am neglect to hear the church, let him a man vader authority, having fola be unto thee as an heathen man, diers under me : and I say to this and a publican. And Mat; xvi, 19. man, co, and he goeth: and to a. And I will give unto thee the keys nother, Come, and he cometh : and of the kingdom of heaven, and to my fervant, Do this, and he deeth whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, it niyo, When Jesus heard it, he shall he bound in heaven: and whar. Marvelled, and said to them that foever thou shalt loose on earth, shall followed, Verily, I say unto you, I be loofed in heaven. 1 Cor. xii. háre

not found so great faith, no not 28. And God hath see some in the in Ifrael. Acts x, t. There was é church, first apostles, secondarily certain man in Celarea called Corne- prophets, thirdly teachers,' after

wat

is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of God he kept pure and entire, that all blafphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worlip and discipline prevented or reformed; and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administred, and observed f,

for

that miracles, then gifts of healings, thou, Ezra; after the wisdom of thy. helps, governments, diversities of God, that is in thine hand, fer ma. tongues. v. 29. Are all apostles? gistrates and judges, who may judge are all prophels? are all teachers all the people that are beyond the are all workers of miracles ? Eph. river, all such as know the laws of iv. 11. And he gave some, apostles: thy God; and teach ye them that and fome, prophets : and fome, e. know them not. v. 26. And wholo: vangelists: and some pastors and ever shall not do the law of thy

teachers; v. 12. For the perfecting God, and the law of the king, det of the saints, for the work of the judgment be executed speedily upon ministry, for the edifying of the him, whether it be unto death, or body of Christ. 1 Cor. iv, 1. Let a to banishment, or to confiscation of man so account of us, as of the mi- ' goods, or to imprisonment. v. 27, nifters of Christ, and stewards of the Blessed be the Lord God of our fa. myfteries of God. v. 2, Moreover it thers, who hath put such a thing as is required in Stewards, that a man this in the king's heart, to beautify be found faithful. Rom. x. 15. And the house of the Lord which is in how shall they preach, except they Jerusalem : v. 28. And hath exbe feet? as it is written, How beau- tended mercy unto me, before the tiful are the feet of them that preach king, and his counsellers, and before the gospel of peace, and bring glad all the king's mighty princes: and tidings of good things ! Heb, v. 4. I was strengthened as the hand of And no man taketh this honour un. the Lord my God was upon me, and to himself, but he that is called of I gathered together out of Israel God, as was Aaron.

chief men to go up with me. Lev, fifa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be xxiv. 16. And he that blafphemeth thy nursing fathers, and their queens the name of the Lord, he thall süre ihy nursing mothers : they fhall bow ly be put to death, and all the condown to thee with their face towards gregation shall certainly stone fim; the earth, and lick up the dust of thy as well the stranger, as he that is feet, and thou shale know that I am born in the land, when he blafthe Lord : for they shall not be a- phemeth the name of the Lord, shall framed that wait for me. Psal. cxxii, be put to death. Deutxifi. 5. And 9. Because of the house of the Lord thac prophet, or that dreamer of our God, I will seek thy good. Ezra dreams, ihall be pue to death (be. rii 23. Whatsoever is commanded' cause he hath spoken to turn, you by the God of heaven; let it be dili- away from the Lord your God, who gently done, for the house of the brought you out of the land of EGod of heaven: for why should gypt, and redeemed you out of the there be wrath against the realm of house of bondage, to thruit ihee, out the king and his sods.": v. 25. And of tho-way which the Lord thy God

I 3

for the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call fynods, to be present at thein, and to provide that whatsoever is tranfa&ted in them be according to the mind of God g. : 1V. It is the duty of people to pray for magiftrates b, to ho

nour

commanded thee to walk in) so shalt Levites, and of the priests, and of thou put the evil away from the the chief of the fathers of Israel, midst of thec. 5. 6. If thy brother for the judgment of the Lord, and the son of thy mother, or thy son, for controverfies, when they return; or thy daughter, or the wife of thyed to Jerusalem. v. 9. And he bosom, or thy friend, which is as charged them, saying, Thus shall ihine own soul, entice thee secretly ye do in the fear of the Lord, faith. Jaying, Let us go and serve other fully and with a perfect heart. v, gods, which thou halt not knowo, 19. And what cause foeter shall Chou por thy fathers, v. 12. If thou come to you

of
your

brethren ebat fhalt hear fay in one of thy cities, dwell in their cities, between blood which the Lord thy God hath gives and blood, between law and com sbee to dwell there, saying, 2 Kings inandment, statutes and judgments, xviü. 4. He removed the high pla. ye shall even warn them that they ces, and brake the images, and cut trefpats not against the Lord, and down the groyes, and brake in pic so wrato come upon you, and upon ces the brazen serpent that Moses your bretlıren : this do, and ye shall had made: for upto those days the got trespals. v. 11. And behold, Achildren of Israel did burn incenfe mariah the chief priest is over you in to it, and he called it Nehushtan, all matters of the Lord : and Zeba(1 Chron. xiii, 1. to the 9. verse, diah the son of Ihmael, the ruler of 7 Kings xxiii, 1, to the 26. verse.) the house of judah, for all the king's 2 Chron, xxxiv. 33. Aud Josiah touk matters : also the Levites shall be of. away all the abominatious out of ficers before yon. Deal couragiously, all the countries that pertained to and the Lord shall be with the good, the children of Israel, and made all (2 Chron. xxix. and xxx. chapters.) that were present in Israel to serve, Mat, ü, 4. And when he had gaeven to serve the Lord their God. thered all the chief priests and seribes and all his days they departed not of the people together, he deniäod. from following the Lord, the God ed of them where Christ thould be of their fathers. 2 Chron. xv, 13. born. v. 5. And they said unto him, And they entred into a covenant, ln Bethlehem of Judah : for thus it to seek the Lord God of their fa is written by the prophet. thers, with all their heart and with IV.bi Tim.ii. s. lexhort thereall their foul; v. 13. That whoso-fore, that brit of all fupplications, ever would oot seek the Lord Gud prayers, intercefüons, and giving of of Israel, should be put to death, thanks be made for all meo: v. 3. whether small or great, whether For kings, and for all that are in man or woman,

authority ; that we may lead a quiet & Chron, xix. 8. Moreover, in and peaceable life in all godliness Verulelem did Jeholhaphar set of thię and honesty,

nour their persons i, to pay them tribute and other

dues k; to o bey their lawful cómniands, and to be subject to their authority for contcience fake I. Infidelity, or indifference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate's just and legal authority, šor free the people from their

due obedience to him m: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted n; much less hath the pope any power or jurisdi&tion over them in their dominious, or over any of their people; and least of all to deprive them of their

domis

V.

! . 1 Pet. ii. 17. Honour all men. of Abia thar. Afts xxv. 9.But Feftus, Love the Brotherhood. Fear God. willing to do the Jews a pleasure, Hodour the king

answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou * Rom. xii. 6. For, for this cause go up to Jerusalem, and there be pay you tribute also; for they are judged of these things before me 3 God's ministers, attending continu- v. 10. Then said Paul, I stand at ally upon this very thing: v. 9. Cesar's judgment-seat, where ! Render therefore to all their dues, ought to be judged; to the Jews tribute to whom tribute is due, cu. have I done no wrong, as thou very Atom to whom custom, fear to whom well kpowest. 11. For if I be fear, honour to whom honour. an offender, or have committed any

I Rom xiii. 5. Wherefore ye must thing worthy of death, I refuse not needs be subject, not only for wrath, to die; but if there be none of these huc also for conscience sake. Tit. v. things whereof these accuse me, no 1. Put them in mind to be subject to man may deliver me unto them, principalities and powers, to obey. I appeal upto Cesar. 2 Pet. ü, 1, magilirates, to be ready to every. But there were false prophets also good work,

among the people, even as there mi Pet. ii, 13. Submit yourselves shall be false teachers among you, to every ordinance of man for the who privily shall bring in damnable Lord's lake, whether it be to the heresies, even denying the Lord that ķing, as supreme, v. 14. Or unto bought them, and bring upon them. governors, as unto them that are selves swift destruction. V. 10. But sent by him, for the punishment of chiefly them that walk after the dela evil doers, and for the praise of in the lust of uncleanness, and dethem that do well. v. 16. As free, fpife government, presumptuous are and not using your liberty for a they, felf-willed: they are not afraid cloke of miliciousness, but as the to speak evil of dignities;. v. 1.

11 servants of God.

Whereas angels, who are greater in n Rom. xiii. 1. Let every loul be power and might, bring no railing fubject unto the higher powers. For accufation against them before the there is no power but of God; the Lord. Jude 8, Likewise also there powers that be, are ordained of God. filthy dreamers defile the flesh, dei Kings ii. 35. And the king put spise dominion, and speak evidrof Benaiah the lon of Jehoiadah in his dignities. v. 9., Yet Michael the room over the host; and Zadok the archangel, when contending with Prielt did the king pue ia the room the devil, he disputed about the

body

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