The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…

§. 1. The contentions of the world here call us to resolve these several doubts, 1. Who it is that should have the power of the sword or Magistracy? 2. How it is to be used towards all men as men in society? 3. How it is to be used for the service of Christ and good of the Church? in encouraging some and tolerating others, and keeping peace among them all?

§. 1. THe contentions of the world here call us to resolve these several doubts, 1. Who it is that should have the power of the sword or Magistracy? 2. How it is to be used towards all men as men in society? 3. How it is to be used for the service of Christ and good of the Church? in encouraging some and tolerating others, and keeping peace among them all?

§. 2. It is here supposed that the subject is understood, and that we are agreed what the Magistrates power is, at least de re, though not de definitione vel de nomine: that is, it is the power of Governing by the sword, that is, of making Laws, and judging according to them, and executing them by outward force on mens bodies or estates. And so it is contradistinguished from the power called Ministerial, Pastoral, Priestly or Ecclesiastical; which is the gathering and guiding of Christian Churches by Gods word preached, expounded and applied. The nature of each and their differences I have formerly opened in a small treatise written purposely on that subject to end the Erastian controversy. (And Bishop Bilson fully openeth them in his excellent book of Christian Obedience &c.) The Magistrate ⟨p. 249⟩hath power forcibly to seize on offenders estates and bodies, to imprison, mutilate, scourge, strike and kill them that deserve it, and to make Laws and judge men unto such punishments. The Ministers of Christ or Pastors of the Churches have no such power but only to declare Gods Laws to the people, and convert and baptize the wicked unbelievers, and teach them the word and will of Christ, and guide them in public worship, and Communion, and judge who is capable thereof, and to require the people in the name of Christ to love and receive the worthy, and to avoid the unworthy, and to resolve the peoples particular doubts, and by personal application to pronounce and declare Gods acceptance of penitent believers, and his promise to save them, and his decree to condemn the ungodly, unbelievers, impenitent and Hypocrites.