Indulgentiaflagi

2. Of punishments. These are of sundry kinds. Some concern the name, as degradations; some the estate, as pecuniary mulcts; some the body, and these are either capital, or not captital, as mutilation of some part, &c. Evident it is from Scripture commands, that it is the magistrate's duty to punish: "The judges shall make diligent inquisition. And thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life," Deut. xix. 18, 21. (2.) From his function: "He beareth not the sword in vain," Rom. xiii. 4. Governors are for the punishment of evil-doers. (3.) From the benefit of these punishments. To the punished, who may grieve for what they have done; to the spectators, who may be warned from doing the same, Prov. xix. 25. Sinful indulgence silently, tiorum illecebra. yet strongly, invites to a second wickedness. Even capital punishments are enjoined by Scripture: "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed," Gen. ix. 6; Exod. xxi. 12; Lev. xxiv. 17, &c. ; a law which, being before the erection of the Mosaic polity, shows that the laws which afterward commanded capital punishments, did not simply and absolutely, but only, in respect of some circumstances, concern the Israelites. The capital punishment of malefactors by the magistrate was dictated by the law of nature. And as the force of the foresaid command was before, so it continued after Moses; Christ himself, even from it, drawing an argument to dissuade Peter from shedding of blood, Matt. xxvi. 52. Nor do I understand but that, if all punishments of malefactors by the sword be now unlawful, as Anabaptists dream, it must necessarily follow, that all defending of the subjects by the sword against an invading enemy is unlawful also; the public peace being opposed by the one as much as the other; nay, may we not argue, that if the power of the sword belong not to the magistrate to defend the commonwealth, that it belongs not to any private man to defend himself against the violent assaults of a murderer?

In sum, capital punishments may be inflicted, but sparingly, slowly. It is observed by some, that God was longer in destroying Jericho than in making the whole world. As many funerals disgrace a physician, so many executions dishonour a magistrate. The execution of justice should, like thunder, fear many, and hurt few: let all means be tried before the last be used. A magistrate must not be bloody when he sheds blood: the master bee alone is (they say) without a sting. If a butcher may not be of the jury, much less may he be a judge. In a doubtful case, it is better to spare many nocent than to punish one innocent; nor must vehement suspicion, but clear evidence, satisfy a judge. Punishment delayed may afterward be executed; but being once executed, cannot be recalled; and even when the malefactor is condemned, the man should be commiserated; though as an offender his blood be debased, yet as a man it is precious.

Thus we have explained the first thing considerable in this part, "dominion."

2. What is to be understood by despising dominion.

Proprie significat

nt insignum amovere. Bez. in o Mar. 26.

The word aferovo, saith Beza, proaliquid suo loco perly signifies to remove something out of the place, as unworthy any longer to remain therein; and it is in Scripture either spoken of persons or things: when of persons, it is declared most fitly by disdain or contemn, as Mark vi. 26; Luke x. 16; 1 Thess. iv. 8; and it is spoken of things properly, which being removed from their place, are accounted of no value, effect, or force; and thus it is declared by rejecting, Luke vii. 30, disannulling, Gal. iii. 15, casting off, 1 Tim. v. 12;

and here, because we reject that which we despise, it is rendered "despise."

Now these seducers did not reject, disannul, cast off governing, so as to make it cease, that was not in their power; but in their judgment, desires, insinuations, and as much as in them was, they laboured to make it accounted void, abrogated, and of no value or force. And their pretence for this practice was the liberty which was by Jesus Christ purchased for them, with which they taught that obedience to magistrates was inconsistent. This seems to be plain by that more general sin which the apostle lays to their charge, of turning the grace of our God into wantonness, ver. 4, i. e. the goodness of God in bestowing liberty by Christ into libertinism. And hence it was that these seducers allured their poor seduced followers, under the pretence of liberty obtained by Christ, 2 Pet. ii. 18, 19, to all manner of wickedness and licentiousness of life; bearing them in hand, that as they were not now bound to any holiness of life, so particularly that Christ having redeemed them, they were free from all subjection and obedience to others. A doctrine which, as it is very taking with flesh and blood, so is it frequently by the apostles Paul and Peter opposed, who grant indeed a liberty wherewith Christ hath made a Christian free, but yet add, that this liberty is spiritual, a liberty from the law, sin, death, and hell, Gal. v. 13; not an immunity from civil obedience, and therefore not to be used for an occasion to the flesh, or for a cloak of maliciousness, 1 Pet. ii. 16. Nor indeed is any thing further from truth, than that because of spiritual liberty Christians should be free from civil subjection. For as this liberty exempts us not from obedience to the commands of God, (for, as the apostle saith, Rom. vi. 18, "Being made free from sin, we became the servants of righteousness;" and ver. 22, "servants to God,") so neither doth it exempt from obedience to the magistrate ordained by God. Yea, so far are the godly commands of a magistrate from opposing spiritual liberty, that they rather advance it; for true liberty stands in the choosing of good, and the rejecting of evil, and this is furthered by the righteous commands of superiors. Licentiousness is not liberty, but slavery, and makes sinners love their own insensible bondage.

3. Lastly, we shall inquire upon what ground the apostle condemns them for despising dominion. Of this briefly. Quamvis in ac

potestatis potest

quisitione et usu esse deordinatio; dine superioritatis tamen in ipso orin quo consistit potest esse deordinatio, sicut ordo deordinatus. de Origine Juris

Doininium, non

non potest esse Vid. Durandum

(1.) This was a sin against an ordinance of God: "By me kings reign," Prov. viii. 15. "There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." And though magistracy is an ordinance of man in regard of the subject, it being borne by man; the object, it being employed about men; the end also, the good of men; the kind or de C. D. l. 5. c. sort thereof, left unto the choice of 21. Et. qu. ex several nations: yet not in regard of Ang. Tr. 116. in the invention or institution thereof, Joh. Gerh. in which is only from God.

dictionum. Aug.

vet. Test. c. 35.

2 Pet. ii. Parcum in Rom.

In it are considerable also, the power itself, the acquisition thereof, and the execution of it. The acquisition may be from the devil, by bribery, fraud, cruelty, intrusion, invasion. The execution, or manner of using this power, may be from him likewise, as when superstition is set up instead of religion, and cruelty for equity, by those who govern. But authority itself, dominion, principality, are from God, though not tyranny. Riches gotten by usury, extortion, &c., cease not to be good in themselves; yea, and the gifts of God: and as the owner of these unjustly procured riches may be said to be a rich man;

(2.) This sin of the seducers was a sin against the welfare and happiness of the public. They being weary of magistracy, were weary of all the comforts and blessings of peace; and in being desirous to throw down the pillars, they endeavoured to pull down the building upon their own and others' heads. What would nations be without government, but the dens of wild beasts! "Judah and Israel dwelt safely every one under his vine and fig-tree all the days of Solomon," 1 Kings iv. 25. Even Nebuchadnezzar was a tree under which beasts of the field had shadow, in whose boughs the fowls of the heaven dwelt, and of which all flesh was fed, Dan. iv. 12. The funerals of a political parent millions of children will celebrate with tears. Over Saul, who was wicked and tyrannical, doth David bid the daughters of Israel to weep, who clothed them in scarlet, 2 Sam. i. 24. Nor was it, according to some, any of the best of kings who is called "the breath of our nostrils," Lam. iv. 20. And it is observable, when God threatens the taking away of the staff of bread, and the stay of water, he adds, as no less a judgment, the taking away "the judge and the prophet, the prudent and the ancient," &c., Isa. iii. 2.

(3.) By this despising of government, they were in an especial manner their own enemies, and sinned against their own happiness. The overturners of lawful magistracy shall find their calamities to arise suddenly, Prov. xxiv. 22. "He who breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him," Eccl. x. 8. "An evil man seeketh only rebellion, therefore a cruel | messenger shall be sent against him." It has been observed by some, that most, if not all, those whom the Scripture mentions as opposers of magistracy, have been punished by violent death, God not vouchsafing them so much as a reprieval to a death-bed. Korah and his company, Athaliah, Absalom, Zimri, Joab, Sheba, Adonijah, with many others, will prove this; and besides the vast supply which foreign histories afford, how hath vengeance pursued all the rebellious mentioned in our English Chronicle! Who has not heard of Becket, Montfort, Mortimer, the Percies, Tyler, Warbeck, the saltpetre saints, with sundry others, whom God made marks of vengeance for removing the ancient land-marks set for order and propriety in the nation? Nor do I remember that ever God suffered any one godly man, mentioned in Scripture, to put any lawful magistrate out of, or indirectly to put himself into, government. I say, I remember no instance of either.

Obs. 1. How provident is God for man's peace and welfare! Without dominion we should be worse than beasts: it is the breath which so many thousand creatures draw; take it away, and none can say, This is mine. If the magistrate were not a god to man, man would soon prove a wolf, nay, a devil to man. There is no creature which so much wants a ruler as man. We may say of all other creatures, Nascuntur artifices, they are born craft-masters, they were apparelled and armed by nature, they are their own cooks, physicians, builders, even at their first entrance; only man came in without strength, weapon, clothes, or skill. How good is God to provide protectors for him! Violent and bloody men fear not hell so much as the halter; like beasts, they are more afraid of the flash of powder, than the bullet; and though their fear of the magistrate saves not their souls, yet many a time has it saved our lives. With

out magistracy robbery would be a law, and men (like dogs) try all right by their teeth: where there is no ruler, every one will be a ruler; he who has no ruler over him, will be a tyrant over another. When there was no king in Israel, every Micah had a house of gods, and the Levites went begging, Judg. xvii. 6; xviii. 1, 14. It is just with God that they should feel the curse of anarchy who never were thankful for regular dominion.

Secundum merita

positorum,

Obs. 2. God is highly provoked by sin, when he suffers magistrates to be burdensome to a people, and dominion to be abused; when their deliverers and saviours become their destroyers, and they, like Ephraim, oppressed and broken even in judgment. It was threatened as a sore judgment, "I will give children to be their princes, subditorum dis and babes to rule over them." For the ponit corda præ. sins of a people, many and bad are the princes thereof, Prov. xxviii. 2. And God often sets up wicked governors over people, not because they are worthy to rule, but these worthy to be so ruled. God may give a king in his anger. He speaks often of princes who were wolves ravening to the prey to shed blood, Ezek. xxii. 27; Micah iii. 1-3; Zeph. iii. 3. How righteous was God in making Abimelech a scourge to the Shechemites, who had made themselves the stirrup to his ambition! And undoubtedly if God may suffer the prophets of a people to be fools, and the spiritual men to be mad, to delude and misguide the people "for the multitude of iniquity, and the great hatred," Hos. ix. 7; he is not hindered from suffering the princes of people who refuse to be reformed, to be Jeroboams to their souls, and Rehoboams to their bodies, pernicious to both. Oh that people would spend more time in blaming their sins, and less in complaining of men, and but sadly and impartially examine their hearts, whether the parting with the gospel and ministry would ever fetch a quarter so many complaints from them, as an inconsiderable sessment; or whether sin startle them so much as a tax! and if they find their consciences to give in verdict for God, let them adore his righteous severity.

Obs. 3. God is much seen in causing men's subjec tion to magistrates. All naturally love to excel in worldly greatness, and like not superiority in others. Every one, saith Calvin on 1 Pet. v. 5, hath in him the mind of a king: that one therefore should keep millions of men in order, restrain, constrain, correct, command; how could it be but that God himself has imprinted the characters of Divinity upon him? and but that there is a Divine constitution in a human person? It is thou, O Lord, that subduest my people under me, saith David, Psal. cxliv. 2. And Psal. lxv. 7, the stilling the noise of the seas, the noise of the waves, and the tumult of the people, are put deservedly together, the latter manifesting the power of God as much as the former. How did David allay the fury of those furious spirits, who so eagerly desired to take away the life of Saul, but by this, "He is the Lord's anointed?" And hence princes should gather, when people cast off subjection and despise their dominion, that they themselves have despised God, provoked him to pour contempt upon them; and to make them, for cutting off their lock of loyalty to God, to become even as other men; and hence also people should learn to whom to return the praises of their peace and safety, not only to the power and policy of their governors, but principally to the ordination of that God by whom kings reign.

Obs. 4. The power given by God to magistrates should be improved for the Giver. Their dominion should advance that of the chief Lord: the greatest kings are his vassals. The highest earthly powers

shall give an account to a higner hereafter, and must therefore be regulated by, and serve for, promoting a higher for the present. The king is commanded to write him a copy of the law, and keep all the words thereof, Deut. xvii. 18. When the crown was put upon the head, the testimony was also put into the hand of Joash, 2 Kings xi. 12. The first table should be first in the magistrate's care. Even kings and rulers must kiss the Son, Psal. ii. 12, and advance his kingdom; and provide that their subjects may not only live under them in peace and honesty, but also in godliness. If this must be the end of the subjects' prayers, it must be the end of the magistrates' government. These "shields of the earth" should protect God's glory, Psal. xlvii. 9. The "fat upon the earth" must worship Christ, Psal. xxii. 29, and “all kings fall down before him," Psal. lxxii. 11. The church, infant-like for weakness, must be nourished and nursed, yea, and that by kings and queens, Isa. xlix. 23. How unsuitable is it for them who are called gods, to cast off all care of the honour of God! and for them who are called shepherds, to take no care that their subjects should have the pastures of wholesome doctrines! to suffer them to wander in the ways of sin and hell, without any care to reduce them; and to give leave to grievous wolves, seducers, to devour them! They who make all the care of the magistrate to concern the worldly welfare, without any regard of the souls of people, make him like an ox-herd, who thinks he does enough in providing fat pasture for his cattle, suffering them willingly to be carried by droves to the shambles. And why political as well as natural parents should not take care that their children are "brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," Eph. vi. 4, I understand not. Ample testimony is given to David, Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah, of their zeal for religion. Nor ever is the contrary mentioned in any of the other kings, but as their great sin and infamy. Nor ever will the names of Constantine, Theodosius, Justinian, cease to be precious for their care of the church of Christ. Even the heathens, Aristotle and Plato, acknowledge that the chief care in a commonwealth should be about religion; the most beautiful structure of a civil government is erected upon the sand, unless religion be the foundation.

In sum, though the power of the magistrate, as such, in the holy things of God, is not formal, intrinsical, and spiritual, so that he should administer therein, as if Christ had committed the keys to him, yet it is objective, to be employed about ecclesiastical causes, though politically, and to provide for the benefit of the church; and that by removing the impediments of religion, by preserving its maintenance, by convening assemblies for reformation, &c., and by taking care that matters ecclesiastical be duly managed by those who administer therein. Though the magistrate himself exercise not the art of physic, yet he takes care that none shall abuse that art, or exercise it hurtfully, 2 Kings xv. 14; 1 Cor. ix. 14; 2 Chron. xxxi. 3; xxix. 4; 2 Kings xxiii. 1, 2.

Obs. 5. The enemies of godliness soon become opposers of civil dominion. The apostle had told us that these seducers denied the only Lord God; and here he saith, they despised dominion. They who fear not God, will not be afraid to "speak evil of dignities." The despisers of Saul were the sons of Belial. Good men will not be bad subjects, nor will bad men conscientiously be good subjects. The fear of God is the best foundation of obedience to the magistrate. Remarkable is the order of obedience prescribed by the apostle, "Fear God, honour the

N

king," I Pet. ii. 17; and by Solomon, "My son, fear thou the Lord and the king," Prov. xxiv. 21. Men may from a principle of policy forbear opposing magistracy as a danger, but only from a principle of conscience can they abhor it as a sin. The fear of man is but a weak bond, and as easily broken as were the cords by Samson. What a noise leave these words, "Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake," in a religious ear! Whatever interest or reputation dictates, the declaration of God's will to a gracious heart is the end of all strife. The discovery that such or such a course has a sin against God in it is enough for a saint; no more disputes then the threats of a thousand hells are not so dissuasive. Human laws may make men hide, only God's laws can make men hate, disobedience. A mere man is firm and steady in no relations. The greatest interest of magistracy is to advance religion. If they provide for the keeping of God's laws, the observation of their own will follow of course. David discovered himself to be a good man, both in sparing Saul in the cave, (oh how well was it for Saul that he fell into the hands of a David!) and a wise man in setting his "eyes upon the faithful of the land," and in taking the perfect in their way to serve him, Psal. ci. 6. The way for the magistrate to bring men under his subjection is to plant the gospel, and to make them subject to Christ. The power of the word in the consciences of people binds more Christianus inistrongly to obedience than the power of micus nemini, the sword over the bodies of the people. multo minus imAnd if God always restrain people from rebelling against governors, who shall tolerate in people all sorts of rebellion against God? What means that of 1 Sam. ii. 30, "Them that honour me," &c., "and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed ?"

peratori. Tert.

Obs. 6. Christianity does not destroy, but strengthen magistracy. The seducers and libertines are here by Jude condemned for despising dominion. One ordinance of God does not abolish another. The laws of Christ in his church bring not in lawlessness into the commonwealth; nor is God a God of order in the first, and the author of confusion in the latter; yea, contrarily, he maintains government in the commonwealth for the good of his church, that it may find a harbour therein; and keeps up the pole of civil dominion, that the weak hopbine, the church, may be sustained. The spiritual authority of Christ divides not civil inheritances; his sceptre swallows not up, as did Aaron's rod the other, the sceptres of worldly monarchs; nor does He who came to give heavenly, take away earthly crowns. The weapons of Christ's kingdom are not carnal. He who, when he had a right, would not be made a king, gives no liberty to those who have none to put out those who have. It is the labour of Satan to persuade civil governors that Christ's kingdom is the greatest enemy to theirs. Thus Haman represented the Jews to Ahasuerus as a people that would not obey the king's laws, Esth. iii. 8. Thus the courtiers of Chaldea accused the three companions of Daniel of rebellion against the king's edict, Dan. iii. 12. By this fetch likewise the enemies of the Jews hindered the building of the temple, Ezra iv. 13. How often was Paul accused for sedition among the Jews! Acts xvii. 18. Nay, Christ himself was accused and executed for an enemy to Cæsar, Luke xxiii. 2. Thus papists seek to wash themselves by throwing dirt upon the servants of Christ. Were ever accusations more senseless than for Harding to say that Luther animated Munzer in his rebellion, which was by that man of God so zealously opposed? But the whore of Babylon loves to lay her own brats at her neighbours' doors. In short the weak ground of this imputation of re

bellion to the godly, has been their refusing to obey such commands of magistrates as they apprehended sinful. And truly, in this case, when Christ calls another way, I neither owe burial to my dead, nor obedience to my living, though political, father. And, as Tertullian holily descants upon those words of Christ, "Render to Cæsar the things which are Caesars, and to God," &c., "It is well added, and to God the things that are God's;' that is, give the image of Cæsar to Cæsar, which is on his coin; and give the image of God to God, which is in man; so Tert. lib. de Idol. as Cæsar may have thy money, but God thyself." And, according to the civilians, jus dicenti im- we must not give obedience to him that pune non paretur. gives law out of his own territory, so neither obey man when he goes beyond his bounds in commanding against the word; and in this the apostles, Acts v. 29, and the three servants of God in Babylon, have been our examples.

c. 15.

Extra territorium

Obs. 7. Lust opposes restraint, is an enemy to dominion, loves not to be bridled. Libertines "despise dominion," and reject magistracy, because thereby their licentious humour is restrained, Acts xix. 27. The mad upon lust, like the mad dog, are the more enraged by the chain which curbs. They who run to excess of riot in this their pouring forth, if they meet with opposition, like the stopped stream, swell the higher, and overflow the banks. This opposing of restraint goes along with every lust, but especially with that of carnal uncleanness; they who defile the flesh reject dominion. The sons of Eli were lustful, and withal disobedient to the command of the magistrate, 1 Sam. ii. 22, 25. The Gibeonites were as refractory to the message of Israel as they were addicted to filthiness, Judg. xx. 13. The Sodomites were at the same time both set upon their uncleanness and enraged against Lot's counsel. The Anabaptists of Munster were grown to that height of uncleanness, that they openly taught men might marry as many wives as they pleased; and John of Leyden, their king, upon a pretended revelation from heaven, presently married three; and they who were most bold in this kind, and took most wives, were accounted the best men, and most commendable. But the fruit of this doctrine was, their teaching that before the day of judgment, Christ had a worldly kingdom, and in that the saints only had dominion; that this kingdom was that of the Anabaptists newly begun, wherein magistracy was to be rooted out; and although Christ and his apostles had no civil government, yet that they had committed the same, with the power of the sword, to those who after them should teach in the church. Nor is it possible but that lust should vehemently oppose restraint, considering its propensities and motions are natural, and therefore strong, as also furthered by all the helps which a powerful and impure spirit can invent and apply. False then is the pretence of libertines, who would be thought only to oppose the irregularities of magistracy or ministry, when it is clear that their lusts are most offended at the existence of their offices, and the conscientious discharge of them. And much should this comfort those who are thus conscientious, in the midst of all the rage and reproach with which they are followed for their faithfulness. It is a sign they have disquieted men's lusts; and, as Luther once said, when Satan roars, they have given him a full blow. Nor yet should the unquietness and troubles of the world be laid at the door of restraint and dominion. If religious opposition draws out men's rage, it does it by labouring to keep it in, or rather to take it away. From men's lusts are wars, in that they will not stoop to God, who will not lay aside his dominion to gratify licentiousness. In a word, we may hence gather the

|

insufficiency of human laws, nay, any external means, to change the heart from a love of sin; they may possibly restrain and curb, and frequently irritate and enrage sinners, it is only the power of grace at once to take away the disobedience of the life, and the despising of the heart. To conclude, we may hence learn the direct way to avoid the sin of these seducers: oppose lusts, these put people upon opposing magistracy; such are, (1.) Covetousness, when men desire to set the nations on fire, that they may steal away the goods; and to have states wrecked, that the goods may be cast upon their coasts. (2.) Discontentedness with our condition. The trees in Jotham's parable pleased themselves in their own station, of privacy and usefulness; and she was a wise woman who contented herself with her abode among her own people. (3.) Ambition and affectation of superiority. It is better to be fit to rule, than to rule and not to be fit. He is only worthy of honour of whom honour itself is unworthy, and to whom it even sues for acceptance. Absalom aspired to be high in his life, and he was in his death as high as the boughs of the tree; a fit reward for his ambitious climbing. (4.) Envy at the height of others, whereby men look into the failings of magistrates to blemish them, and will not see the gifts and graces of their superiors, but only with repining; grieving, not because things go ill, but because they go no worse: a cursed temper! (5.) Self-conceitedness, whereby, with Absalom, men think themselves fitter to sit at the stern than any placed there already. (6.) Implacableness, whereby private injuries are retained with a watching of all occasions of revenge, though to the involving of multitudes in the copartnership of their own sedition and destruction. In a word, so long as we love lust, we cannot conscientiously obey magistrates; and yet so long as we have lust, we cannot be without magistrates. The Lord fit us for that condition wherein we shall not be troubled with the former, nor stand in need of the latter.

The second argument brought by our apostle to incite these Christians earnestly to contend for the faith opposed by the seducers, is taken from the certainty of the destruction of those ungodly men. This argument he handles from the fourth to the seventeenth verse. In managing which, having first mentioned sundry examples of God's judgments which befell the great sinners of former times, ver. 5-7; he now secondly adds, that these seducers lived in the very same sins which God had punished in those sinners of old; and this he prosecutes in the eighth, ninth, and tenth verses. And then thirdly, from ver. 10-17, he infers and amplifies this conclusion, Woe to them, ver. 11; q. d. Therefore these seducers shall likewise perish.

This eighth verse, then, is part of that second branch, wherein the apostle shows that these seducers lived in the same sins which God had punished in others.

Having treated of opposing authority in its first branch, viz. the despising dominion, I now proceed to speak of it in the second branch, contained in these words, they "speak evil of dignities."

By way of explication, I shall inquire into these two particulars :

1. Why the apostle calls magistrates, or persons in authority, "dignities?"

2. What was the sin of speaking evil of those dignities?

1. For the first. The apostle calls them "dignities," in Greck, doğaç, glories, because of that glory and excellency wherewith God is pleased eminently and peculiarly to adorn them, whereby they raise in

the minds of people a singular admiration and veneration to themselves, joined with fear. To this purpose speaks quandam admira- the prophet concerning Nebuchadnez"The most high God gave Nebuutraque conjunc- chadnezzar majesty and glory; and for Gerh. de Mag. the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him," Dan. v. 18, 19. And more particularly, this dignity or glory appears,

tum metum.

Pol.

66

(1.) In those glorious titles wherewith magistrates are dignified and adorned above others. Hence they are called "kings," Luke xxii. 25, "princes," Matt. xx. 25, great men," rulers," Rom. xiii. 3; Gen. xli. 43," powers," Luke xii. 11, "governors," 2 Chron. xxiii. 20, "nobles," Jer. xiv. 3, mighty ones," Ezek. xxxi. 11, "captains," I Sam. ix. 16, "children of the Most High," Psal. lxxxii. 6, "the sons of the mighty," Psal. lxxxix. 6, fathers, anointed, saviours, and, as the upshot of all, gods, because they are from God, and ought to be for God: they are appointed by him, and to be employed for him; they stand in the place of God, and are his vicegerents on earth, and have a particular charge and power of executing the judgments of God among men. "Ye judge not," saith Jehoshaphat to his judges, "for men, but for the Lord," 2 Chron. xix. 6.

Mutavit ei cor,

in cor regale.

audacius cor ha

habebat, quia qui

(2.) In those endowments and qualifications wherewith God has adorned them for executing their offices; God never bestowing employments without endowments. Saul being chosen king, quod ante erat is said to have another heart given him, parvum et servile, 1 Sam. x. 9. He had those heroic gifts Abul Altius et and kingly abilities of wisdom, valour, buit. Hug. Car, &c., infused into him, which enabled Cor immutatum him to discharge his place of governasinas quæsierat, ment. He who formerly sought asses, positione cogita- now spent his thoughts about preservbat. Greg. ing his kingdom. When David was anointed king by Samuel, it is said that the Spirit of God came upon him, 1 Sam. xvi. 13, which furnished him with gifts, as of sanctification, wherewith though formerly endowed, yet possibly not in so great a measure as now, so of regimen and government; and, it may be, of prophecy and poetry, Numb. xi. 17; 2 Kings ii. 15; Exod. xviii. 21;

jam de regni dis

Deut. i. 13.

(3.) In that due respect or honour which is yielded to them. This is, first, Internal; consisting, 1. In an honourable opinion and high estimation of them. Despising and thinking evil with the heart, will make way for despising and speaking evil with the tongue : the people thought David worth ten thousand of them. It was Korah's sin to think, for else he had not said as he did, that Moses and Aaron were no more excellent than the rest of the people, Numb. xvi. 3. 2. This internal honour stands in a reverent and awful fear of them; a duty which we owe to our parents, either by nature or analogy, Lev. xix. 3.

Secondly, External; as, 1. To rise up when the person of the magistrate is in presence, Job xxix. 8. 2. As in most countries, to uncover the head. 3. To bow the body, 2 Sam. xxiv. 20; the knee, Gen xli. 43. 4. To stand, Exod. xviii. 13; 2 Kings v. 25. 5. To be silent when he speaks, and to attend, Job xxix. 9, 10. 6. To use words of submissiveness, as Gen. xlii. 10, they call Joseph, My lord, and themselves his servants, ver. 13. 7. To obey, Josh. i. 16, though in the Lord, Eph. vi. 1. 8. To pray for the magistrate, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2.

Vid. Bodin, de

(4.) Lawyers and politicians mention Repub. 1. 1. c. 10. sundry jura majestatis, or rights belongAssuming to majesty; as, 1. The giving of c. I. n. 8. laws. 2. The excrcise of supreme juris

de jur. Majest.

diction, beyond which there is no appeal. 3. The power of the militia. 4. Receiving tribute of lands, custom from the sea, subsidy of goods. 5. The liberty of hunting. 6. A propriety in such things as have no rightful owners to claim them. 7. The deriving of honours. 8. The coining of money. To which may be added that state or port suitable to their places, in respect of attendance, diet, apparel, buildings, &c., Gen. xli. 41, 42.

2. We inquire what was the sin of speaking evil of dignities?

unu, alterius

These words, "speak evil," are in the original one word, Blaopnuovo, they blaspheme. It Idem valet quod signifies properly to hurt one's name BATE Thy onby defamation or slander. And though famam lædere it be now appropriated to a dishonour maledictis. offered to God's name, yet frequently in Scripture it is used for defaming or evil speaking against man; as 1 Cor. iv. 13, Being defamed, evil spoken of, (Bλaopnuovμevo,) blasphemed, we entreat; and 1 Pet. iv. 4,"Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot," Blaopnμovvтes, blaspheming, or "speaking evil of you." So Rom. iii. 8, raws Blaconμovμela, as we be slanderously reported." And here in this place the word is spoken concerning defaming, or speaking evil of persons in authority; a sin with which the seducers are in this place charged; they being such, who, because they could not by the power of their hand remove and displace magistrates, would do their utmost to blast and abuse them by the poison of their tongue.

66

Hominibus injuria affectis, aut

me evectis,

debacchari, et

bitatem expuere.

col. 2.

This sin of speaking evil of dignities may be several ways committed. Sometimes more secretly, by whispering only, or libelling, for fear of censure: scandals of governors have seldom any fathers; they kill, and make no report; they steal away reputation. Sometimes more openly, and before any, promiscuously and both these ways of evil speaking may be in a way either of murmuring, or of mutinying. Of murmuring. When the people are in any distress, oft the first stone of complaint is thrown against the magistrate. pro merito miniThe Israelites want water, and they promptum est in pray not to God, but murmur against viros principes Moses, as if he had made the waters animi sui acerbitter, and the wilderness dry. It is a Riv. in Exod. kingly condition to deserve well and par. 2. pag. 71. hear ill. If men prosper never so much, they only applaud themselves; if they suffer never so little, they murmur against their rulers. Of mutinying. Sometimes men so speak evil of magistracy, as to raise up evil against them. Murmurers offend out of impatience, mutineers out of envy: by the former, governors are taxed for not taking enough; by the latter, for taking too much upon them, Numb. xvi. 3. Though Moses's command was a burden to him, yet was it an eyesore to others, Korah and his company. This sin offends both by uttering against rulers things false and evil: thus Absalom unworthily traduces his father's government, by telling the Israelites that there was no man deputed of the king to hear them, 2 Sam. xv. 3; and Shimei cursed and reviled David, by calling him a bloody man, and a man of Belial, 2 Sam. xvi. 7. And by uttering things true and good, falsely and evilly, as sometimes, though reporting, yet lessening, extenuating, and detracting from their good actions, or depraving them as done of bad intents, for bad ends, or in hypocrisy; by uncovering their secret infirmities, by amplifying and aggravating their faults; affirming that miscarriage to be deliberately done, which was done rashly; or presumptuously, which was done weakly, &c.

The sinfulness of this evil speaking appears several