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CHAP. II. Of the Magistrate's Commission to use Force in Matters of Religion.
THough in the foregoing Chapter our examining your Do∣ctrine concerning the Magistrates who may or may not use Force in Matters of Religion, we have in several pla∣ces happened to take notice of the Commission whereby you au∣thorize Magistrates to act; yet we shall in this Chapter more particularly consider that Commission. You tell us, To use Force in Matters of Religion, is a Duty of the Magistrate as old as the Law of Nature, in which the Magistrate's Commission lies: for the Scripture does not properly give it him, but supposes it. And more at large you give us an account of the Magistrate's Commission in these Words: •…•…is true indeed, the Author and Finisher of our Faith has given the Magistrate no new Power or Commission: nor was there any need that he should, (if himself had any Temporal Power to give:) For he found him already, even by the Law of Nature, the Minister of God to the People for Good, and bearing the Sword not in vain, i. e. invested with coactive Power, and obliged to use it for all the good Purposes which it might serve, and for which it should be found needful; even for the restraining of false and corrupt Religion: as Job long before (perhaps before any part of the Scriptures were writ∣ten) acknowledged, when he said, that the worshipping the Sun or the Moon, was an Iniquity to be punished by the Judg. But though our Saviour has given the Magistrates no new Power, yet be∣ing King of Kings, he expects and requires that they should submit themselves to his Sc•…•…pter, and use the Power which always belonged to them, for his Service, and for the advancing his spiritual Kingdom in the World. And even that Charity which our great Master so earnestly recommends, and so strictly requires of all his Disciples, as it obliges all Men to seck and promote the Good of others, as well as their own, especially their spiritual and eternal Good, by such Means as their several Places and Relations enable them to use; so does it especially oblige the Magistrate to do it as a Magistrate, i. e. by that Power which enables him to do it above the rate of other Men.