Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Ciuill Magiſtrate.
I. APHORISME.
BBcauſe ſome think the ciuill Magiſtrat is to be baniſhed out of the Church of God: & others giuegive him too much power: it is verie needefull alſo, that we know by gods word, whether this order be allowed of God, and how far the ciuill Magiſtrats power reacheth.
II.
Both which points the better to know, we muſt ſpeake of three things in order: firſt of the Magiſtrat, next of the lawes, & laſtly of the people.
III.
Of the Magiſtrat we muſt conſider alſo three things, whether his place & calling be approued of God, what his office is, & what authoritie he hath.
IIII.
It is manifeſt by the Scriptures that God approueth Magiſtracie or ciuill gouernement: as Pſal. 82. v. 1. God ſtandeth in the aſſemblie of Gods, he iudgeth amōg Gods. v. 6. I ſayd ye are Gods, and ye are all the children of the moſt high. Deut. 1. v. 17. Moſes ſaith, the iudgement is Gods. So 2. Chron. 19. v. 6. Iehoſaphat ſaith to the Iudges, ye execute not the iudgements of mā, but of the Lord. Prou. 8. v. 15. Wiſedome that is the ſonne of God ſpeaketh. By me kings raigne and princes decree iuſtice. Dan. 2. v. 21. God taketh away kingdomes, & ſetteth vp kings. Rom. 13. v. 1. Paule ſaith. He that reſiſteth power, reſiſteth the ordinance of God.
V.
The office of the Magiſtrat is to be the aDeut. 17.18.19.keeper of both the Tables of Gods law: & therefore his principall care muſt be to ſet vp and to defend the bDeut. 15.5. 2. King. 23. 2. Chron. 29.pure worſhip and ſeruice of God. Next, to do iudgement cIerem. 22.3 Pſal. 82.3 4. Rom. 13 3.4. Gene. 9.6.and iuſtice, that is, to puniſh the euill, to defend and reward the good.
VI.
Againe, if neede ſo require, the Magiſtrat is bounde to defend the ſubiect with aDeut. 20. Luke. 3.14. Mat. 8.10. Act. 10.4.armes, and thoſe dominions which are committed to his charge.
VII.
Notwithſtanding, when Magiſtrates puniſh either their ſubiects or their enemies: they ought to hauehave a ſpeciall care, that they giuegive no place to their owne affections, but reſpect onelyonly the diſcharge of their dutie.
VIII.
The Magiſtrate may by good right require and demaund of his ſubiectes aRo. 13.6.7.tributes and cuſtomes: and he may vſe the ſame, not onelyonly for the diſcharge of his publike ſeruices, but alſo for the b1. Sam. 8.11. &c. Gen. 44.22.23. Dan. 2.41.honour of his houſe, and for the preſeruation of his owne ſtate and dignitie.
IX.
And thus farre of the Magiſtrate: now for the lawes, we muſt firſt obſerue, that God hath three kindes of lawes: the law morall, ceremoniall and iudiciall.
X.
The ſumme of the Morall law is comprized in the aExod. 20. Deut. 5.Decalogue, conſiſting in the louelove of God and the neighbour: and for that it is an euerlaſting rule of iuſtice, it muſt continue euer in force.
XI.
The Ceremoniall law was the aGal. 3.14.pedagogie of the Iewes vntill the coming of Chriſt: and therefore Chriſt being come, it is bCol. 2.16. Epheſ. 2.15.abrogated.
XII.
The Iudiciall law in as much as it was properly applyed to the Iewes, bindeth not the Chriſtian Magiſtrate: yet in appointing the aLeu. 24.16. Deut. 13.5.puniſhments of grieuous ſinnes, it bindeth no leſſe the Chriſtian Magiſtrate at this day, then it bound the Magiſtrates of the Iewes.
XIII.
And thus farre of the lawes. The third part is of the ſubiectes. The dutie of ſubiectes towards their Magiſtrates, firſt is, to eſteeme of them and aRom. 13.7reuerence them as the miniſters and meſſengers or bRom. 13.4.vicegerents of God: next, with readineſſe of minde, and in all obſeruance to cIbid. v. 1. and 5. 1. Pet. 2.13.14.obey them. Laſtly, not to intermeddle with publique affaires, nor to d1. Pet. 4.15enterpriſe anie thing without their commiſſion.
XIIII.
They are bound alſo to obey them that vniuſtlya1. Pet. 1.18 Ier. 27.12. and tyrannically rule ouer them: ſo long as they commaund nothing that God hath forbidden, and forbid nothing that God hath commaunded: for in this caſe we muſt keepe that rule of S. Peter: VVe muſt obey bAct. 4.19. and 5.29.God more then men, and that rule of Chriſt, cMat. 22.21.GiueGive vntounto Caeſar thoſe things which are Caeſars, and vntounto God thoſe things which are Gods.