Westminster Confession of Faith · Chapter 23
Of the Civil Magistrate
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3. The Civil Magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and Sacraments, or the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven:a yet, he hath Authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that Unity and Peace be preserved in the Church, that the Truth of God be kept pure, and intire; that all Blasphemies and Heresies be suppressed; all corruptions and abuses in Worship and Discipline prevented, or reformed; and all the Ordinances of God duly setled, administred, and observed.b For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call Synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them, be according to the minde of God.c
Proofs
Each links to the Scripture index: what else cites the passage.
- a2 Chronicles 26:18; Matthew 18:17; Mark 16:19; 1 Corinthians 12:28–29; Ephesians 4:11–12; 1 Corinthians 4:1–2; Romans 10:15; Hebrews 5:4
- bIsaiah 49:23; Psalm 122:9; Ezra 7:23; Ezra 7:25–28; Leviticus 24:16; Deuteronomy 13:5–6; Deuteronomy 13:12; 2 Kings 18:4; 1 Chronicles 13:1–9; 2 Kings 23:1–26; 2 Chronicles 34:33; 2 Chronicles 15:12–13
- c2 Chronicles 19:8–11; 2 Chronicles 29–30; Matthew 2:4–5
Commentary
- David Dickson, Truths Victory over Error (1684), on 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4
Related texts
Side by side, with what differs marked: Westminster, Savoy and the 1689 · Westminster and the 1689
Cite this
Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) 23.3, symbolics.dev/wcf1646/23.3
Permalink: https://symbolics.dev/wcf1646/23.3
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