I. The Purpose and Responsibility of the Civil Magistrate

        A. The Purpose of the Civil Magistrate

                1. To be Under God

                2. To be over the people

                3. To be for the Glory of God and the Good of the People

        B. The Responsibility of the Civil Magistrate: To exercise the power of the Sword

                1. To the defence and encouragement of them that are good

                2. To the punishment of evil doers

II. The Christian Magistrate

        A. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of magistrate when called thereunto

        B. The responsibilities of the Christian magistrate

                1. To maintain piety according to the laws of their respective commonwealths

                2. To maintain justice and peace to the same

                3. For these ends the Christian magistrate may wage war to accomplish those ends

III. (The Section III adopted by the American churches in 1789)
       The Relationship of the Civil Magistrate to the Church

        A. Things the Civil Magistrate may not do in His relationship with the church

                1. The Civil Magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and the Sacraments

                2. The Civil Magistrate may not assume to himself the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven

                3. The Civil Magistrate may not in the least interfere in matters of faith

                4. No law of any commonwealth (Civil Magistrate) should interfere with or hinder the voluntary members
                    of any denomination of Christians, according to their own belief

        B. The Responsibilities of the Civil Magistrate in His relationship to the church

                1. It is the duty of the Civil Magistrate to protect the Church in such a manner that all ecclesiastical
                    persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging ever part of their
                    sacred function without violence or danger without giving preference to any denominations of
                    Christians.

                2. It is the duty of the Civil Magistrate to protect the person and good name of all their people in such a
                    manner that no person be suffered upon pretence of religion etc.: and to take order that all
                    religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.

IV. The Relationship of Christians and the Pope to the Civil
      Magistrate

        A. The Responsibilities of Christians to the Civil Magistrate

                1. To pray for the magistrates

                2. To honour their persons

                3. To pay them Tribute or other dues

                4. To Obey their lawful commands

                5. To be Subject to their authority for conscience' sake

                6. Even infidelity or difference in religion doth not make void the magistrates' just and legal authority,
                    nor free the people from their due obedience.

                7. Even Ecclesiastical officers not exempted

        B. The Pope has no civil authority to deprive the people of their dominions or lives, even if he shall judge
             them  to be heretics or upon any other pretence whatsoever.