Page:Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission.djvu/53

 reit them. Thee principles are acknowledged upon all hands, whatever difficulty there may be in fixing the exact limits of ubmiion. Now there is at leat as much difficulty in tating the meaure of duty in thee two caes, as in the cae of rulers and ubjects. So that this is really no objection, at leat no reaonable one, againt reitance to the higher powers: Or, if it is one, it will hold equally againt reitance in the other caes mentioned.—It is indeed true, that turbulent, viciou-minded men, may take occaion from this principle, that their rulers may, in ome caes, be lawfully reited, to raie factions and diturbances in the tate; and to make reitance where reitance is needles, and therefore, inful. But is it not equally true, that children and ervants of turbulent, vicious minds, may take occaion from this principle, that parents and maters may, in ome caes be lawfully reited, to reit when reitance is unneceary, and therefore, criminal? Is the principle in either cae fale in itelf, merely becaue it may be abued; and applied to legitimate diobedience and reitance in thoe intances, to which it ought not to be applied? According to this way of arguing, there will be no true principles in the world; for there are none but what may be wreted and perverted to erve bad purpoes, either through the weaknes or wickednes of men.