to civil rulers ; we are commanded to " Submit ourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake : whether it be to the king as supreme ; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God." (1 Peter ii. 13-15.) The whole theory of civil government and the duty of citizens to their rulers, are comprehensively stated by the Apos- tle in Romans xiii. 1-5. It is there taught, (1.) That all authority is of God. (2.) That civil magistrates are ordained of God. (3.) That resistance to them, is resistance to Him ; they are ministers exercising his authority among men. (4.) That obedience to them must be rendered as a matter of conscience, as a part of our obedience to God.
From this it appears, — First, that civil government is a divine ordinance. It is not merely an optional human institution ; something which men are free to have or not to have, as they see fit. It is not founded on any social compact ; it is something which God commands. The Bible, however, does not teach that there is any one form of civil government which is always and everywhere obligatory. The form of government is determined by the providence of God and the will of the people. It changes as the state of society changes. Much less is it implied in the proposition that government is a divine institution, that God designates the persons who are to exercise the various functions of the government ; or the mode of their appointment ; or the extent of their powers.
Secondly, it is included in the Apostle's doctrine, that magis- trates derive their authority from God ; they are his ministers ; they represent Him. In a certain sense they represent the peo- ple, as they may be chosen by them to be the depositaries of this divinely delegated authority ; but the powers that be are ordained by God ; it is his will that they should be, and that they should be clothed with authority.
Thirdly, from this it follows that obedience to magistrates and to the laws of the land, is a religious duty. We are to submit to " every ordinance of man," for the Lord's sake, out of our regard to Him, as St. Peter expresses it ; or for " conscience sake," as the same idea is expressed by St. Paul. We are bound to obey magistrates not merely because we have promised to do so ; or because we have appointed them ; or because they are wise or good ; but because such is the will of God. In like manner the laws of the land are to be observed, not because we
358 PART m. Ch. XIX. — THE LAW.
approve of them, but because God has enjoined such obedience. This is a matter of great importance ; it is the only stable foun- dation of civil government and of social order. There is a great difference between obedience to men and obedience to God ; be- tween lying to men and lying to God , and between resistance to men and resistance to God. This principle runs through the Bible, which teaches that all authority is of God, and therefore all obedience to those in authority is part of our obedience to God. This applies not only to the case of citizens and rulers, but also to parents and children, husbands and wives, and even masters and slaves. In all these relations we are to act not as the servants of men, but as the servants of God. This gives to authority by whomsoever exercised a divine sanction ; it gives it power over the conscience ; and it elevates even menial service into an element of the glorious liberty of the sons of God. No man can have a servile spirit who serves God in rendering obe- dience to men. None but a law-abiding people can be free or prosperous; and no people can be permanently law-abiding who do not truly believe that " the powers that be are ordained of God. " Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power (those in au- thority), resisteth the ordinance of God : and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation (KpT/xa)." That is, God will punish them.
Fourthly, another principle included in the Apostle's doctrine is, that obedience is due to every de facto government, whatever its origin or character. His directions were written under the reign of Nero, and enjoined obedience to him. The early Chris- tians were not called to examine the credentials of their actual rulers, every time the prastorian guard chose to depose one em- peror and install another. The people of England were not free from their obligation to William and Mary when once established on the throne, because they might think that James II. was enti- tled to the crown. We are to obey " the powers that be." They are in authority by the will of God, which is revealed by facts, as clearly as by words. It is by Him that " kings reign and princes decree justice." " He raiseth up one, and putteth down another."
Fifthly, the Scriptures clearly teach that no human authority is intended to be unlimited. Such limitation may not be expressed, but it is always implied. The command " Thou shalt not kill,'' is unlimited in form, yet the Scriptures recognize that homicide may in some cases be not only justifiable but obligatory. The principles which limit the authority of civil government and of