The Divine Right and Original of the Civil Magistrate, Chapter 4 – Chapter 5
CHAP. IV. CHAP. IV.The Queſtion [how the Text ſaith, The Power is of God] Stated and Reſolved.
HAving taken ſo large a ſcope in diſcuſſing the Queſtion about the voice and uſe of Providence, it is now high time to return to, and to come to ſome reſolution in the enquiry above propoſed, concerning the clauſe of the text under preſent conſideration, (viz. Of God) The ſeveral wayes wherein things may be ſaid to be of God, have been above diſtinguiſhed of, and explicated, and the matter of civill dominion hath been found among the things which eventuall Providence by it ſelf doth not declare: the Queſtion then is, concerning the being of a thing of Gods hand by way of efficiency, and the being of his mouth by way of warrant, or approvall, whethere both of theſe, or but one, and if but one, which of them is meant by that clauſe in this place.
That the Apoſtle, when he ſaith, there is no power but of God, may intend to include within his meaning a providential being, or a being of the diſpoſing hand of God, I will not gainſay, but withall I think it muſt be affirmed, and granted, that ſuch a being of God is not the whole, or ſpeciall meaning of his words; but that he hath ſome eye (if it be not his primary aime, which I rather think; and let the Reader judge when he hath peruſed what ſhall be ſaid for it) unto a being of the mouth of God, approving, warranting and authorizing the power.
Moreover, that being of his hand or Providence which may be here intended, I would underſtand, not after the common notion, viz. of meer eventual Providence, or a perſons bare poſſeſſing, or getting into the place of rule, and command by any means whatſoever; but I underſtand it of that courſe of Providence which is before ſpecified to be ordinative; or ſuch a diſpoſing hand of God as gives the perſon a call, or an allowing admiſſion to the place; or ſuch a Providence as doth apply and determine the general rule or Warrant of Gods word concerning civill Magiſtracy to the particular caſe.
This ordinative courſe of Providence, in diſtinction from that which is meerly eventual, was in the general opened even now, and in reference to our preſent ſubject in particular, to wit, the Civil power, will be illuſtrated in the next Chapter; unto which alſo, and ſome other following Chapters I ſhall reſerve the proof of this ſenſe that I here give of this clauſe, to wit, that it imports the being of the power of Gods mouth or word (not excluding the diſpoſur… of providence, but taking it in, being underſtood of ſuch a procedure of Providence as is conjoyned, and concurrent with the authorizing word of God, and is the execution, or effectuating thereof, and that a bare poſſeſſory act; or a perſons occupancy of the ſeat of power by a meer eventual Providence, is not the true and proper importance of the words.
Only here, to give ſome light to the diſcerning of the difference betwixt thoſe two, and to ſhew a little the neceſſity of underſtanding the words as I have expreſſed, take a view of both in a Scripture example. It is the caſe as is ſtood betwixt thoſe two Brothers Solomon and Adonijah in relation to the Kingdom of Iſrael. The caſe may well be ſtated in the words of Adonijah himſelf unto Solomons Mother, as they are ſet down [1 King. 2.15.] thou knoweſt that the kingdom was mine, and that all Iſrael ſet their faces on me, that I ſhould reign: Howbeit the Kingdom is turned about, and become my Brothers, for it was his from the Lord. Here are two perſons repreſented as having been claimers and competitors of the ſame kingdom, at one and the ſame time. Now let me ask, in as much as both could not be, which of theſe two muſt we ſay was the power which was of God, in the ſenſe of our Text? The one Adonijah, he hath to alledge for himſelf a being in it by eventual Providence: All Iſrael ſet their faces on me that I ſhould reign. This was as much as if he had ſaid, he was gotten into the throne, and had full admiſſion and poſſeſſion by the people. And ſo by the ſtory it appears he had [ſee 1 King. 1.5, 7, 9, 11, 18, 25.] and upon this ground he built to himſelf a Title; The Kingdom was mine, ſaith he. On the other hand there was for Solomon the Lords deſignation of him by word of mouth to David beforehand [1 Chron. 28.5, 6, 7. & 22.9, 10.] and an ordinative Providence of God diſpoſing David firſt to promiſe and to ſwear to Bathſheba his Mother, and after to decree and give out command to Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to anoint him King; though even then Adonijah ſtood ſeiſed of the Kingdom, [1 King. 1.17, 32, &c.] and therefore Adonijah himſelf having ſurceaſed and become a private perſon again, upon this ground acknowledgeth that Solomon had the better of him in point of title, for it was his from the Lord. Of theſe two different pleas, if we lake the eventuall Providence by which Adonijah was poſſeſſed of the Kingdom to bear the ſenſe of this Text, of a being of God, by virtue whereof every ſoul is to be ſubject to the perſon ſo being; then muſt we lay aſide Solomon from being the power of God; and the enterpriſe of David, Bathſheba, Nathan, and the reſt of ſeating him in the throne, muſt be diſallowed as contrary to the rule of this Text, and ſettle Adonijah when he was in: but this were to null and diſallow the expreſſe direction and donation of God, appointing the Kingdom to Solomon, and the lawfull proceeding upon it before cited out of the ſtory. On the other hand if we take that warrant of Gods word unto David, ſeconded by that his ordinative Providence which moved the perſons above mentioned, who in that caſe were intereſted, to advance Solomon to the Crown, to anſwer this phraſe in our text of the powers being of God, then muſt we ſay that a meer eventual Providence is not the right, and proper importance of the words.
But this ſhall be more at large diſcuſſed in the next Chapter, wherein I ſhall proceed to the opening of the next phraſe in the Text, viz. Ordained of God.
CHAP. V.CHAP. V. Of the term, Ordained of God.
HAving in the laſt Chapter treated of and explicated the former attribute or predicate which in this Text is ſpoken of the Powers, expreſſing their author and original, viz. of God: I am now to proceed to the other, which ſaith, The Powers that be are ordained of God; anſwerably unto which in the ſecond verſe the power is denominated, the ordinance of God.
This word, Ordained, I take to be a term ſomewhat more ſpecifical, and definite, and to bring the matter intended by the Text unto a clearer view. Yet becauſe they that ſeem to have a minde to widen the ſenſe of it, and to make it comprehenſive of the power that I ſuppoſe to be alien to it, chooſe rather to bring this clauſe to the formers indefiniteneſs (if ſimply, and by it ſelf taken) then to contract that by any limit which may appear in this, or in the reſt of the text and context; I muſt therefore proceed by ſteps.
1. Delivering the force of this word ordained, and diſtinguiſhing of the ſeveral acceptions which it is capable any were to bear.
2. Laying down then poſitively and particularly the ſenſe I underſtand the phraſe here to intend, and the reaſons to confirm and conclude that to be the ſenſe.
3. And then explicating (to prevent further doubts) that ſpeciall ſenſe which I aſcribe to this clauſe in this place.