The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…

Assert. 1. Although God hath not made Magistrates, as such, Church-officers, nor entrusted them with the Ecclesiastic Government of His Church; ⟨p. 241⟩yet doth he allow them, and call them to improve¹ their civil power for the good of His Church in Ecclesiastic things in some respect, as well as in civil things. And therefore if a Magistrate see not to the providing of Ministers for a people, and of maintenance to them, and such like, that are necessary for the being of a Church, as well as he provideth Officers, and furnisheth them that are needful in the State, he is faulty and unfaithful to his trust. For, the Lords design in settling of Societies, and appointing of Magistrates, is to be expounded as subservient to that great end of mens glorifying of God, and enjoying him. And certainly, Magistrates are to have that as their own end, even in the actions of their station, and to endeavour to promove that amongst these over whom for their good they rule. This is clear in all the Governments and Commonwealths that the Lord did immediately model Himself, Magistrates had this for a special part of their task, to keep His Ordinances pure, and to restrain the corrupters of them: This is expressed in the Moral Law, where Masters are no less to oversee their servants, that they work not on the Sabbath, from respect to the Lord, than to direct their work all the week from respect to themselves; and by the rules of interpreting of these commands, what belongeth to a Master to be done by him as a Master, in reference to these over whom he hath power according to his station, that doth belong to all Magistrates in reference to these under their charge, according to their stations. Also, where one instance is named, all of that kind are comprehended. And therefore as this Ordinance of sanctifying the Sabbath, is to be overseen by Superiors, so also are all others: yea, it is acknowledged also, that what is expressed in one command, in respect of the extent thereof, is to be understood in all. And therefore this obligation lieth on Superiors, to make inferiors observant of Gods Ordinances in reference ⟨p. 242⟩to all the commands; this is not doubted of the duties in the second Table: yet there is no expression in it inferring the same▪ so express as is in the first; and this is a common assertion, Magistrates have both Tables of the Law committed to their keeping.