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Object. But doth it not well become the Christian Magistrate to take care of the Ministers of the Gospel, after the example of Constantine? &c.
Answ. There is none can deny, but that the Christian Magistrate doth well to encourage Christ's Ministers; and it is without doubt that Constan∣tine did very piously in many things on that account: But then it must be considered, That no man hath power to do any thing which na∣turally tends to make void the Ordinance of God. Now a forced
maintenance and a free gift which may turn to the account of the gi∣ver, are inconsistent. All therefore that the Christian Magistrate can do herein according to the tenour of Christian Doctrine, is to excite or stir up his Christian Subjects by his counsel and pious Ex∣ample, to be rich in good Works, and particularly, in those which conduce to the furtherance of the Gospel: what power he hath fur∣ther herein upon a civil account I dispute not. It is only the Divine Right of things which, as Christians, we intermeddle with on this ac∣count.