Of Civil Authorites
God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has appointed civil authorities to be under Him, over the people, for His own glory and the public good. To achieve this goal, He has armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of those doing good, and for the punishment of evil-doers.
It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of civil authority, when called thereunto. In the administration of this office, as they ought especially to maintain devotion, justice, and peace, according to the righteous laws of each society; so for the achieving of that goal, they may lawfully now, under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.
The civil authority may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven: yet he has authority, and it is his duty, to uphold order, so that unity and peace may be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God may be kept pure and entire; that all blasphemies and heresies may be suppressed; that all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline may be prevented or reformed; and that all the ordinances of God may be duly settled, administered, and observed.
It is the duty of people to pray for civil authorities, to honor them as individuals, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake. Unbelief, or difference in religion, do not make void the civil authorities' just and legal authority, nor free the people from the obedience they owe to them: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted.
Based on the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 23