as he is a God of Decency and Order, and not of Anarchy and Confufion; hath taken all due care for the placing Men in higher and lower Stations, in fuch Diftances from, and fuch Influences over each other, as may best conduce to their mutual Safety and Quiet. 'Tis true, these Præ-eminences are what fome are now born to, but still their Title is from above. For the Laws of Nature, and of Nations, the Civil Constitutions of each Country, and the voluntary Compacts of particular Perfons, are but fo many Sanctions of Almighty God. They are inspired, or confirmed, or allowed, by Him. Government is indeed called the Ordinance of Man, in regard it is exercised by, and contrived for the Benefit, and limited or directed by the Laws, of Men. But still the Right, which Government conveys, is God's; and the different Forms of Government are but fo many different Methods of adjusting the Measures, and tranfferring the Adminiftration of it, to particular Ufes, and Perfons.

1 Pet. ii. 13.

This then fhews us the true ftate of all Temporal Jurifdiction, that it is not, cannot be Univerfal and Abfolute; but must be limited, and depending, and fubordinate only. For which reafon it is, that the Scripture, when directing the Duties of the feveral Sorts of Superiors to Inferiors, conftantly remembers to mention their proper Characters, fo as to add withal an Advertisement, to whom they stand accountable, for the Administration and regular Discharge of them. The Civil Parent, is for this reafon ftiled The Minister of God to Men for their Good. The Natural advised, that it is a Duty incumbent upon Him, to bring up his Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and that his Authority over his own Flefh, is entrusted with him, for this very purpose. The Mafters are commanded to treat their Servants with Juftice, and

Ver.4.

Eph. vi. 4.

Equity,

Col. iv. I.

Matth. viii. 9.

Equity, and great Moderation; as confidering, that They have also a Master in Heaven. So that the Poft affigned to every one of thefe is, upon the Matter, much the fame with that of the Centurion in the Gofpel; who defcribes himself to be a Man under Authority, having at the fame time Soldiers under Him; and fo owing and paying a like Obedience to his Superior Officer; which he, by virtue of his Commiffion, required from others of a lower Rank. An Obedience, to which They could not be engaged, nor He make demand of, but only fo far forth, as he had been empowered by the Giver of his Commiffion: An Obedience due to him, in quality of a Centurion, as an Officer fet over private Soldiers; fet fo by One, who had Power of Him and Them; whofe higher Elevation gave Him the fame Right to command the Centurions, that They had to command any Common Centinel: Or rather, to speak more strictly and properly, One, who alone could, alone did, command Both: Only with this difference, that the Officer was commanded more immediately by the Prince or General himself, as Kings are by Almighty God; the Soldiers by a Deputy, as the People by the Means and Mediation of their Princes: But ftill, principally and ultimately by God, whofe Vicegerents Princes are, as the Magiftrates, commiffioned by Them, are Theirs.

3. From hence we fhall be able to fatisfy our felves, in the Third Place, how the Performance of our Duty to the Civil Magiftrate becomes an Act of Religion. The true Cafe is, that God hath enjoyned it, who alone hath Power over the Confciences of Men; and therefore our Obedience in this respect can be due, primarily and properly, to none but Him, and to Others, purely upon His account. It is the Father and Ruler of Spirits alone, that can lay Obligations upon the Souls of Men. So fays St.

James

James iv. 12.

James exprefly, There is one Law-giver, that is, One exclufive of all others, who is able to fave and to deftroy. For, fince that Authority is manifeftly defective, which only prescribes Rules for Obedience, but cannot enforce thofe Rules, by executing and inflicting Punishments on the Difobedient, and bestowing Rewards and Encouragements for Fidelity and Submiffion; the Apoftle wifely added his Reason, in those last Words, Who is able to save and to deftroy. So that the Argument in effect stands thus; No Power but God's can punish or reward the Souls of Men, therefore no Authority but God's can bind the Souls of Men. And This indeed we find to have been our Saviour's own Argument too, when preparing his Difciples for Sufferings and Perfecutions: I will forwarn you whom ye fball fear: Fear not them which kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do; but fear Him, which after he hath killed, hath power to caft

into Hell.

Luke xii. 4, 5.

Ver. 5.

Men may be fubject for wrath, (as St. Paul expreffeth it) that is, upon prudent and politick Confiderations, to Preserve their Liberties, Eftates, and Lives; and for avoiding those temporal Inconveniences, which They, who have long Hands and long Swords, might otherwife bring upon them. But no other Reafon can render it neceffary to be fubject for Confcience fake, and upon a Principle of Duty; except this fingle one, premifed by the Apostle here, as the ground of that Neceffity; that our Governors are the Ministers of God. That is to fay, He intrusted and invested them, The Authority they exercife is His, His Honour is concerned to take Vengeance on them, who fhall prefume to infult it, The Defpi- Ver. 2. fers of Them do defpife Him that fent them;

T'er. 4.

and therefore they that refift, because in refifting the

2

Power,

Power, they refift the Ordinances of God, do receive to themselves damnation.

Eph. vi. 6.

In like manner the fame Apoftle commands Servants to do the will of God from the heart, not with Eye-fervice as Men-pleafers, but as thofe that ferve the Lord Chrift. He preffes the Honour and Obfervance due from Children, because this is right and pleafing to the Lord. And

Ver. I.

are not these again plain Intimations, that the foundation of all Power is one and the fame, that every Obligation to Superiors is a knot of God's tying, and that the Bonds of Nature, as well as those of Civil Society, voluntary Contract, or perfonal Confent, are the Works of his Hands, and receive the whole of their ftrength, and binding virtue from being fo?

4. Fourthly, This lets us in to a juft and true Notion of that Duty required on Our parts, ftiled by St. Peter, fubmitting our felves to every Ordinance of Man; and by St. Paul here, being fubject unto the higher Powers. Expreffions, both of them, cautious and prudent; and fuch, as both suppose a poffiblity of fome Injunctions, which we may not actually obey; and direct our Behaviour, in fuch cafes of difficulty.

For, if all Power be God's, and whatever portion of it any Mortal enjoys, be derived from, and held under Him; If no Capacity in the World, though never fo high, never fo facred, can be any thing more, than a Deputation from Heaven; If the Confciences of Men be the peculiar Dominion of the Father of Spirits, a Jurifdiction incommunicable, which no Man may, no Man can invade; It neceffarily follows, that Governors of every kind are bound to impofe fuch Commands only, as are agreeable to the Will of Their and Our Common Father, and Mafter, and Lord. They may not abufe their Power to the Prejudice of Him whofe it is; and who committed it to them in

the

the quality of a Truft, for which they are highly accountable. But if they do; then thofe, who are under their Direction, must look to their first and highest Engagement; and no pretence of complying with the Orders of their immediate Superiors, will bear them out, in Actions manifeftly displeasing to their Great General Governor. 'Tis certain, that not only no pofitive Evil must be committed, but no neceffary Duty must be left undone, for any Human refpects whatsoever: That Daniel was no lefs concern'd, not to neglect God, by omitting his conftant Addreffes to Him, than the Three Children not to deny God, by committing Idolatry against him. And that all things elfe muft give way in fuch Cafes; because of what Importance foever other Obfervances may feem, ftill Religion is the first and main Point. This must be guarded, at the hazard of all other Interests and Expectances; Which, though never so just, while confiftent with our Duty towards God; yet they lose all their weight and value, and the pursuits of them, instead of Duties, or Engagements, do forthwith commence Crimes, and fnares to our Confciences, without it.

1 Pet. ii. 19.

But, even where actual Obedience is unlawful, Subjection will continue neceffary. For this the Scripture gives us many exprefs Precepts. And for this, not only the History contained there, but that of all Chriftian Antiquity, furnish great numbers of Examples. Men, who have immortaliz'd the Honour of their own Memory, and the Christian Cause, by enduring grief for Confcience towards God, fuffering wrongfully. The very remembrance what thofe Powers were, at the time when this and St. Peter's Epiftle were written, is a forcible Argument in the Cafe. For if to a Nero fuch Deference were required, how can, Tyrannical Abufe of Power, cruel and unjuft Perfecution, or Difference in Religion, how can any or all these alone be fufficient, to abfolve Subjects from