Confession of Faith Ratification Act 1690

Chap. xxiii. Of the Civil Magistrate S

1

GOD the supreme Lord and King of all the world hath ordained Civil Magistrats 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

2

IT is lawfull for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto in the managing whereof as they ought especially to maintain piety justice and peace according to the wholesome laws of each Commonwealth so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage war upon just and necessary occasion

3

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 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 administred and observed 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

4

IT is the duty of people to pray for Magistrates to honour their persons to pay them tribute and other dues to obey their lawfull commands and to be subject to their authority for conscience sake Infidelity or difference in religion doth not make void the magistrates just and legall authority nor free the people from their due obedience to him from which ecclesiasticall persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions or over any other 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