Page:Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission.djvu/49

 prudence and dicretion. Now the conequence of this is, that unlimited and paive obedience, is no more enjoined in this paage, under monarchical government; or to the upreme power in any tate, than under all other pecies of government, which anwer the end of government; or, to all the ubordinate degrees of civil authority, from the highet to the lowet. Thoe, therefore, who would from this paage infer the guilt of reiting kings, in all caes whatever, though acting ever o contrary to the deign of their office, mut, if they will be conitent, go much farther, and infer from it the guilt of reitance under all other forms of government; and of reiting any petty officer in the tate, tho' acting beyond his commiion, in the mot arbitrary, illegal manner poible. The argument holds equally trong in both caes. All civil rulers, as uch, are the ordinance and miniters of God; and they are all, by the nature of their office, and in their repective pheres and tations, bound to conult the public welfare. With the ame reaon therefore, that any deny unlimited and paive obedience