quest. 108. In this point, we might reasonably suppose all the Presbyterians in North America to be agreed, as the above question from the Larger Catechism has been adopted, verbatim, into the creed and church constitutions of every deno mination of them, without exception. See said Catechism, as ratified and adopted in their constitutions.

5. He ought to use every lawful endeavour to promote purity, unity, and reformation, in the church. Doing so, he will suffer none to administer ordinances, but those duly warranted by ecclesiastical authority. Independently of this, they are only impostors, who, like the locusts, devour every green thing, susceptive of their poisonous influence, and subvert the purity and unity of the Gospel church.

He will also call on ecclesiastics, as his subjects, to be active and diligent in the performance of duty. 2 Chron. xxix. 5. Hezekiah commanded the ministers of the altar to attend to their respective functions. "Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." In this he acted not the part of a legislator, but only enforced the laws of his God, agreeably to the constitution of the kingdom, and required his subjects faithfully to perform their duty.

In the thirtieth chapter, he exhorts, entreats, and commands the people, to come to the house of God, and keep the passover. And when the magistrate commands what is expressly required by the law of God, his subjects are bound to obey. Rom. xiii. 1. "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers."

It may perhaps be inquired, what are those. things which he may lawfully command? To this I answer, he may lawfully command whatever is contained in the constitution, prescribed by him whom he represents. Deut. xvii. 18, we are told what this is, namely, the Divine Law. Whatever penalties are specified in that law, and nowhere either repealed or mitigated, should be duly inflicted, in case of disobedience. Where the law is silent or indefinite, with respect to particular crimes, against any precept of the decalogue, and the punishment due thereto, great prudence and discretion will be necessary to ascertain, whether said crimes are punishable by civil pains, as there are many violations of the moral law to which no particular civil penalty can attach.

Nothing should be held censurable by the church, or punishable by the state, but what is plainly contrary to the law of God; and become duly public, independently of requiring self-accu

sation.

But even when the crime is ascertained to be, in its nature and circumstances, punishable, great discretion is necessary in fixing both the quantity and quality of the penalty. Perhaps, in certain particular states of society, forbearance, without punishment, even of many real crimes against both church and state, would be most prudent and eligible. But here, wisdom is peculiarly necessary to direct. But when it would be improper thus to remit the punishment of these crimes, we observed that the quality and quantity should be particularly attended to. In many of them, the quality should be negative, consisting in deprivation of privileges, which might otherwise be enjoyed. For the breach of the tenth commandment,

the divine law has provided no other civil punishment. This is clearly implied in Exod. xviii. 21, where we are told, the magistrate must be a man "fearing God and hating covetousness." If such

only are eligible, the covetous man is, of course, disqualified. The same might, perhaps, hold with those, who are habitual in the neglect of religious duties, as also with other descriptions too tedious to enumerate.

With respect to the quantity of a penalty, in crimes of a particular nature, not specially provided for in the divine law, there may be much discretionary power exercised, according to particular emergencies; taking care, however, that the divine law may never be violated. In such cases, the light of nature will be greatly subservient to the general rules of Scripture. Ezra vii. 26. Artaxerxes orders, "Whosoever will not do the law of thy God, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment." And in the next verse, Ezra blesses the Lord his God, for putting it into the king's heart.

But to return to Hezekiah. We find him, by civil authority, endeavouring to effect purity, unity and reformation in the church, and his exertions accompanied with the smiles of Jehovah's approbation; for, in the twelfth verse of the thirteenth chapter of second Chronicles, we read, that in "Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king, and of the princes, by the word of the Lord." In order to effect these desirable ends, he has a right to convoke synods, and councils, consisting of ecclesiastical persons, to consult and advise how the church is to be purged from corruptions, and the truths of

God most successfully propagated. For this, we have the approved example of pious magistrates under the Old Testament, as Asa, Josiah, Heze. kiah, &c.

Moreover, these four Ecumenical Councils were called by Christian magistrates. Constantine called the first Nicene Council: Theodosius the elder, the first Council at Constantinople: Theodosius the younger, the first Ephesian Council: Marcian the Chalcedon Council.

6. They ought to support the laws of God, by their secular authority, as keepers of both tables of the law, enjoining and commanding all to observe the same under such civil pains as may be calculated to effect their performance. Thus, 2d Chron.34th chapter, good Josiah, after he had removed all the idolatrous images, altars and groves, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem, commanded the priests to inquire of the Lord for him, and for all that were left in Judah and Jerusalem, concerning all the words of the book which had been found by Hilkiah the priest in the house of the Lord, and enjoined all that were present in Jerusalem, and Benjamin, to attend to, and observe its

contents.

Thus, the civil authority is concerned, in sanctioning and ratifying the laws of the Most High God, acting as a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well.

The fourth commandment, whose obligation is perpetual, is directed to every relation. Every private individual must observe the law of God; but heads of families, and other superiors, must not only observe it themselves, but make those under their authority do so likewise, as far as their influence can extend, and also punish obstinate

violators thereof. "I know," says God, "that Abraham will command his children and household after him." So the magistrate must provide, that the Sabbath be sanctified in all his gates; that is, as far as his civil authority extends. Yea, we find even heathen kings ratifying the laws of the Most High God, Ezra vii. 23. The decree of Artaxerxes, is, "Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be done for the house of the God of Heaven."

As it is his duty to ratify the law of God, in like manner he ought to sanction, by his civil authority, the decrees of ecclesiastical courts, when agreeable to the law of God, and calculated to promote his glory. Those he civilly adopts, as good and wholesome laws, tending to promote the happiness of the realm, and the glory of God, the King of nations. Hence it is, that good neighbourhood is promoted between church and state, and harmony and mutual co-operation between the testimony of Israel, and the thrones of the house of David, Ps. cxxii. 4.

7. He ought, also, to exercise a compulsory and punitive power about things religious. This extends to all persons within his jurisdiction. Rom. xiii. 1. Every soul is strictly enjoined to be subject to his authority.

Should it be inquired, what is the standard regulating this subjection? we reply, the law of God. This is the unerring rule, whereby the exercise of his authority, and their subjection thereunto, will be tried. Isai. viii. 20. "To the law and the testimony," &c. This law he is obliged to execute, under pain of Jehovah's displeasure, Deut. xvii. 18. Those who refuse to obey, and so obstruct the wheels of government, and dis