Page:Satires and profanities -microform- (1884).djvu/187



old theory of "The right divine of kings to govern wrong," and the much-quoted text, "Fear God and honor the king," seem to have impressed many good people with the notion that the Bible is in favor of monarchy. But "king" in the text plainly has the general meaning of "ruler," and would be equally applicable to the President of a Republic. In Romans xiii. 1–3, we read: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil." Without stopping to discuss the bold assertion in the last sentence, we may remark that the real teaching of this passage is that Christians ought to be indifferent to politics, quietly accepting whatever government they find in power; for if the powers that be are ordained of God, or in other words, if might is right, all forms of government are equally entitled to obedience so long as they actually exist. Of course Christians are not now, and for the most part have not been for centuries, really indifferent to politics, because for the most part they now are and long have been Christians only in name; but it is easy to understand from the New Testament itself why the first Christians naturally were thus indifferent, and why Christianity has never afforded any political