Chapter XXIII: Of the Civil Magistrate. De Magistratu Civili.
Of the Civil Magistrate. De Magistratu Civili.
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 public good, and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil-doers. [1787] I. Supremus totius Mundi Rex ac Dominus Deus, Magistratus Civiles ordinavit qui vices ejus gerant supra populum ad suam ipsius gloriam, ac bonum publicum; in quem finem eosdem armavit potestate gladii, propter bonorum quidem animationem ac tutamen, animadversionem autem in maleficos. [1788] II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto; [1789] in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth, [1790] so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasion. [1791] ^& [1792] II. Christianis, quoties ad id vocantur, Magistratus munus et suscipere licet et exequi; [1793] in quo quidem gerendo, ut pietatem præcipue, justitiam, ac pacem secundum salubres cujusque Reipublicæ leges tueri debent, [1794] ita quo illum finem consequantur, licitum est iis vel hodie sub Novo Testamento in causis justis ac necessariis bellum gerere. [1795]
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: [1796] 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. [1797] 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.
[1798] III. Magistratui Civili verbi et sacramentorum administrationem, aut clavium regni coelorum potestatem assumere sibi non est licitum:
[1799] nihilo tamen minus et jure potest ille, eique incumbit providere ut Ecclesiæ unitas ac tranquillitas conservetur, ut veritas Dei pura et integra custodiatur, ut supprimantur blasphemiæ omnes, hæresesque, ut in cultu ac disciplina omnes corruptelæ ac abusus aut præcaveantur aut reformentur, omnia denique instituta divina, ut rite statuminentur, administrentur, observentur. [1800] Quæ omnia quo melius præstare possit, potestatem habet tum Synodos convocandi, tum ut ipsis intersit, prospiciatque, ut quicquid in iis transigatur sit menti divinæ consentaneum. [1801]
The above section is changed in the American revision, and adapted to the separation of Church and State, as follows:
[III. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and Sacraments (2 Chron. xxvi. 18); or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. xvi. 19; 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2); or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith (John xviii. 36; Mal. ii. 7; Acts v. 29). Yet as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the Church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger (Isa. xlix. 23). And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline in his Church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief (Psa. cv. 15; Acts xviii. 14-16). It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretence of religion or infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance (2 Sam. xxiii. 3; 1 Tim. ii. 1; Rom. xiii. 4).]
IV. It is the duty of people [1802] to pray for magistrates, [1803] to honor their persons, [1804] to pay them tribute and other dues, [1805] to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience' sake. [1806] 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: [1807] from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted; [1808] 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 IV. Debet populus pro Magistratibus preces fundere, [1809] personas eorum honore prosequi, [1810] tributa aliaque eis debita persolvere, [1811] obtemperare licitis eorum mandatis, ac propter conscientiam subjici illorum authoritati; [1812] quæ si justa sit ac legitima, non eam illorum infidelitas, non religio diversa cassam reddit, neque populum liberat a debitæ, illis obedientiæ præstatione, [1813] qua viri quidem Ecclesiastici non eximuntur, [1814] multo minus in ipsos magistratus, intra ditionem suam, ant ex eorum populo quemvis potestatem ullam habet aut jurisdictionem Papa Romanus, minime vero omnium vita illos aut principatu exuendi, si ipse
heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever. [1815] scilicet eos hæreticos esse judicaverit, vel etiam alio prætextu quoviscunque.
[1816]