Page:St. Paul's behaviour towards the civil magistrate.pdf/13

 learn from him that he understood not his Master's doctrine concerning the governors of this world, to extend beyond the privileges and happiness of the governed society; and that he himself, in his own doctrine, delivered in other places, meant nothing contrary to these. Let them learn from this practice, which is certainly the best interpreter of his own doctrine, and that of his Master and fellow-apostles, that when he saith, there is no power but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God; and that when his great Master acknowledges the power of Pilate to be from above, no more could be meant, than that it was agreeable to God's will that some persons should be invested with power for the good of human society; not that God had made them uncontroulable in acting against his commission, and to the ruin of their fellow-creatures. Let them learn that when St. Paul commanded respect, and forbid opposition to the higher powers; and that when St. Peter commanded the same subjection both to the supreme and deputed magistrates, they were considered as acting the best part in the world: and nothing intended by this to oblige subjects to a quiet submission to such illegal, and unjust conduct, as affects and shakes the universal happiness. And,