OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE

1.  God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil magistrates to be under Him, over the people, for His own glory and the public good; and for this purpose He has armed them with the power of the sword, for defense and encouragement of them that do good, and for the punishment of evil doers.[1]

2.  It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called upon to do so; in the management of such an office they are particularly responsible for maintaining justice and peace by application of the right and beneficial laws of the nation, so that they may lawfully, under the New Testament, engage in wage war upon just and necessary occasions.[2]

3.  Because civil magistrates are established by God for the purposes previously mentioned, subjection to all their lawful commanded as part of obedience to God, not only to avoid punishment, but for conscience sake; and we ought to make supplications and prayers for rulers and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.[3]