The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 4
CHAP. 4.
Directions for the ordering our ſelves in our feare of Authority.
WHerefore for the ordering our ſelves in our fear of authority, and thoſe that are above us theſe things muſt be laid down as a Ground.
1. Firſt. That wee muſt feare no authority but as under a higher.
2. Secondly, We muſt diſtinguiſh between authority and men in authority.
3. Thirdly, It is neceſſary for us to know the ſeveral callings that men have to their places of authority.
4. Fourthly, It is neceſſary to know the limits of authority.
5. Fiftly, It is necceſſary to know what we ſhould do in caſe authority is abated.
6. Laſtly, We ſhal give ſome rules of direction to order our ſelves in our paſſive obedience to authority when it is abuſed.
Theſe ſix things containe this part of handling the point, and I wil be breife in them.
Firſt, This muſt be laid as a Ground. No authority is to be feared and obeyed but in order to a higher. I remember their uſual expreſſion that was wont to be in England in their way of Jubilies and commiſſions was this. In all things be ſure there be no prejudice to the right of the King. And ſo among the Turks when any were in the place of Judgment or authority, one goes and proclaimes before him; Let nothing be done againſt the truth. It is reported of Frederick the Third being asked who were thoſe that were moſt deare to him he gave them this anſwer. Thoſe that feare God more than me. And likewiſe it is an expreſſion of Auguſtine He doth not contemne power That doth chooſe to ſerve a higher power. O Emperor, (ſaith he) give us leave not to ſerve thee in ſuch and ſuch things, for you threaten priſon, and God he threatens judgment and hell.
It is true, Man in Authority is Gods vicegerent, but not only God is to be feared above his Vicegerent but in every man there is a vicegerent that is to be obeyed rather than any other vicegerent, as the Conſcience of man; ſo that man comes to be obeyed in the third ranke Firſt, God is the higheſt. Then there is a Second, that is Gods immediate Vicegerent, that is Conſcience. And then there is a third, that is, the authority of man: He is a Vicegerent that is under theſe two. Nothing therefore is to be done againſt the higheſt authority, no nor againſt the authority of conſcience.
Secondly. For our direction in our ſubjection unto thoſe that are above us, and our right feare of them: wee muſt diſtinguiſh between authority and men in authority. That is authority that is enjoyned by vertue of a law-ful power that is given to any man in authority: but if ſo be any man in authority ſhal enjoine any thing that is not by vertue of that authority that is given him, though it be good, then it is not authority, but his own mind, and his own will. As Sampſon ſaid, If I do thus and thus I am as another man. So a man in authority may be as another, becauſe he doth only enjoine his own wil and therefore to diſobey the mind and wil of men in authority, is not alwaies to diſobey authority, if the thing be not enjoined by vertue of authority.
In the Third place. It is needfull for us in ordering our ſelves in our feare, to know the ſeveral calls that men have to the place of authority. This muſt be taken for granted. All lawful authority is from God yea the power of Heathens is from God.
But there is a two fold call to the place of Government and authority.
Firſt, An immediate call; as God called Saul and David to the place of Government.
Secondly. A mediate call: and that is when God by men doth put, either a particular perſon, or ſuch a family into a place of government or authority.
Now when any ſhal be brought into government by thoſe that have lawful power, though it be of man, yet they are in their place as by God, and are to be obeyed not only for feare, but for Conſcience ſake.
It is very needful for to know what it is that firſt ties a mans conſcience to be in ſubjection unto an other man: there was a time when ſuch men or ſuch families had not the power of authority; now there muſt be ſomthing that muſt give them power, it is not his ſtrength that can do it, nor conqueſt, becauſe my conſcience is not tied to ſubmit to one that hath more ſtrength than I, as my governor, but only to regard my own ſafety; and then if another come and get the victory, am I to leave my former Sovereign and ſubmit to him? That will not be granted, that wee may upon any terms relinquiſh our Sovereign to goe to another, becauſe he hath more ſtrength; but what then muſt tie my conſcience? it muſt be ſome ſignification of Gods mind that this is my Governor, and this muſt be either immediately from Heaven, by the Prophets, or it muſt be by inclining the hearts of thoſe that have power to put one in authority, to put this man, or this family into authority, and ſo far as Gods mind is declared to me, ſo far I am bound in conſcience to ſubmit.
4. And from hence follows a fourth thing, and therein you muſt conſider, how farr this authority is limited. If no particular man hath no authority, any further than God reveals his mind; and God now reveales his mind, either immediately from Heaven, or by inclining the hearts of thoſe that have power to give authority, to give it to ſuch an one; then the limitations muſt be according to that power that conferts authority. If God doth immediatly confer authority, then it is to be limited by that, but if God doth confer power by man, then it is to be limited by that.
In ſeveral Kingdoms and Countries there are ſeveral Governments: one Country is governed by States: another Country a government of Monarchy; and other Countries other kinds of Governments: what is it that makes this difference of governments? of neceſſity the difference muſt be made by that power that doth firſt confer this authority, and ſo it is to be limited by that authority.
5. But ſuppoſe Thoſe that are limitted: ſhall abuſe their authority and go beyond it?
To that I anſwer. The perſons that are in authority are to be reverenced, but their abuſe may be two fold. When they command a thing that is unlawful: or when they do command a thing that is beyond their authority. As ſuppoſe a Lord ſhould command a thing that is beyond his Lordly power and belongs to a Prince; if he doth command any thing that is beyond thoſe limits where with he hath been limited from God by man, then it is not diſobedience to authority to diſobey, becauſe authority doth not enjoine it: If it be beleeved, there muſt be power to confer authority, and this power muſt be from God, or man, and if God or man do not confer it, then they have no authority.
But ſuppoſe. That any that are in authority do command a thing that is unlawful to be done and yet they do not go beyond the limits of authority?
How can that be? It is true, God gives commiſſion only to command things lawful, yet man may confer ſo much power upon others, as they ſhal by vertue of that power is given to them by man, command that which is unlawful: I do not ſay rightly, but their power wil work to it: Now if any by the power which is given to them by man, ſhal command that which is unlawful, though we ſhould not actively obey, yet we muſt obey paſſively, or ſlie: we muſt not right our ſelves by way of mutiny, or rebellion. And my ground is this, becauſe it is between governor and Subject, as it is between man and man.
Suppoſe, another man hath in his poſſeſſion that which is my right, yet I cannot violently go and take my right from him; I may juſtly be dealt withal as one that doth wrong, and be proceeded againſt as a malefactor; I muſt be content to ſuffer til ſuch time as I can legally recover my right out of his hands: And ſo if one in authority hath that in poſſeſſion given him which he ſhould not have, as to command things that are unlawful, by our forefathers or our own ſubjecting our ſelves to him, I muſt ſuffer til I can recover my right out of his hand in a legal way by the power that firſt gave it him.
And this wil anſwer a great objection.
The Chriſtians in the Primitive times, that lived under perſecuting Emperors, they commanded them to worſhip Idolls, that was a thing that was unlawful, yet they would not riſe againſt them, though they had ſtrength enough, but rather ſuffered. And upon this ſome think, whatſoever men in authority do command, there is no way to right it but by paſſive obedience. It is true the Chriſtians did not riſe, but did ſuffer paſſively, becauſe the Emperors had power given into their hands, and they could not recover their right out of their hands, in a legal way, by the ſame power that gave them power.
So that all wil ariſe to theſe three concluſions.
The Firſts is this That al true authority is from God.
Secondly, So farr as authority is adminiſtred lawfully. We are to ſubmit, not only for fear but for Conſcience ſake.
Thirdly, If authority be adminiſtred unlawfully, yet ſo long as it is authority, there muſt be paſſive obedience or flying.
This ſhal ſuffice to give ſome light unto the bond of obedience to thoſe that are obvoe us.