Civil fellowship exists under civil magistracy (or secular authority), which can touch only the external forum or body. By nature, the magistracy has no jurisdiction over the conscience, the inward part of man. Magistrates direct the public by means of civil command (promulgated as law), obligating people to particular outward actions. They cannot make laws concerning inward action, and hence they cannot command people to act according to the proper inward principles, such as exercising faith.
