CHAPTER 23
Of the Civil Magistrate.
I. God, the supreme Lord and
King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him over
the people, for his own glory, and the publick good; and, to this
end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence
and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of
evil-doers.a
a Rom. 13:1-4; 1
Pet. 2:13,14.
II. It is lawful for Christians
to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto:b
in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain
piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each
commonwealth;c so,
for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament,
wage war upon just and necessary occasions.d
b Prov. 8:15,16;
Rom. 13:1,2,4.
c Ps. 2:10-12; 1
Tim. 2:2; Ps. 82:3,4; 2 Sam. 23:3; 1 Pet. 2:13.
d Luke 3:14; Rom.
13:4; Matt. 8:9,10; Acts 10:1,2; Rev. 17:14,16.
III. The civil magistrate may
not assume to himself the administration of the word and sacraments, or the
power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven:e yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order,
that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of
God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be
suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or
reformed, and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered,
and observed.f For
the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call synods, to be
present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be
according to the mind of God.g
e 2 Chron. 26:18
with Matt. 18:17 and Matt. 16:19; 1 Cor. 12:28,29; Eph. 4:11,12; 1 Cor. 4:1,2;
Rom. 10:15; Heb. 5:4.
f Isa. 49:23; Ps.
122:9; Ezra 7:23,25-28; Lev. 24:16; Deut. 13:5,6,12; 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Chron.
13:1-9; 2 Kings 23:1-26; 2 Chron. 34:33; 2 Chron. 15:12,13.
g 2 Chron. 19:8-11;
2 Chron. chap. 29, 30; Matt. 2:4,5.
IV. It is the duty of people to
pray for magistrates,h
to honour their persons,i
to pay them tribute and other dues,k
to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for
conscience’ sake.l
Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the
magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor 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
jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and
least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he
shall judge them to be hereticks, or upon any other pretence whatsoever.o
h 1 Tim. 2:1,2.
i 1 Pet. 2:17.
k Rom. 13:6,7.
l Rom. 13:5; Tit.
3:1.
m 1 Pet. 2:13,14,16.
n Rom. 13:1; 1 Kings
2:35; Acts 25:9-11; 2 Pet. 2:1,10,11; Jude ver. 8-11.
o
2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:15-17.
Next
Chapter
Westminster
Confession of Faith (index)
