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soul_n ordinance_n power_n resist_v 4,907 5 10.4011 5 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A67559 Against resistance of lawful powers a sermon preached at White-Hall, Novemb. Vth, 1661 / by Seth Ward ... Ward, Seth, 1617-1689. 1661 (1661) Wing W812; ESTC R10700 22,608 47

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conceivable The Foundation of Government and Obedience is deeply and firmly rooted in the Foundation of our Religion And if the Scripture cannot be broken if it be true that Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one jot of it shall pass away it is as true that the Ordinances of the Sun and Moon shall fail before this Ordinance shall be dissolved For if by the Principles of our Religion we are obliged to believe concerning the Books of the Old Testament that they have been delivered by holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. i. 21. then the Holy Ghost hath said By me Kings reign c. Prov. viii 15. If Christ be the Son of God the Son of God hath said Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's Mat. xxii 21. If the Holy Spirit did overshadow Peter and the rest of the Apostles then Peter overshadowed and filled with the Spirit commands us in the Name of God to submit our selves to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. ii 13. If Saint Paul were called to be an Apostle by the miraculous appearance of our Lord Christ after his Ascension and was by him immediately instructed in the pure and genuine spirit of Christianity then Saint Paul's Theory concerning Government is an authentick Christian Theory whereby the Doctrines and practises of Christians are to be judged● and that Theory is delivered in the seven first Verses of this Chapter Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. And they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation I call it a Christian Theory of Government because it is a brief and comprehensive Scheme whereby all Questions concerning Obedience and Government may according to Christian Principles be resolved The whole Discourse of the Apostle consisteth of two general parts First A strict Injunction Secondly Effectual Motives First The Injunction in the first words Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. Secondly The Motives in the words following which are taken from I. The Original and Institution of Government it is ordained of God hence follows II. The Sinfulness of Resistance They resist the Ordinance of God And III. The Danger of it They shall receive Damnation Which is again enforced by IV. The End of Government in respect of Evil men The End of Government in respect of Good men Out of all which follows V. The Necessity of Subjection Wherefore ye must needs be subject And VI. The Nature of that Necessity it is not of Prudence but of Conscience After all which the Apostle like a legitimate Demonstratour resumes his Proposition and concludes it with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 7. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour The words which I have chosen contain in them the Danger of Resistance to the Civil Powers They relate both to the Antecedent and Subsequent parts of the Apostle's Discourse and are as efficacious towards the pressing of the Injunction of Obedience as it is possible for words to express or men to conceive The strongest and most operative Arguments upon men at least wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Arguments of Terrour The most terrible thing within the compass of humane apprehension is Damnation which imports besides the judgements of this life the eternal privation of the enjoyment of God utter Darkness and everlasting Burnings Those that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation Those that resist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resistance is a Relative Act and it implies some Person or Thing to be resisted What then is the Correlate of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is delivered in the first Verse Those that resist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Authorities set over them Civil Authorities having jus Gladii the Authorities Supreme or Subordinate justly obtaining over them It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here used which signifie corporal strength and power but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Scripture distinguisheth from both the other From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke iv 36. and ix 1. 1. Cor. xv 24. Ephes. i. 21. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 25. It answers the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint translates by all the names of Legal Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is taken for the Persons of Governours as well as for their Power so Ephes. iii. 10. That to Principalities and Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be known c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Powers and the Rulers of this world ●phes vii 2. So that we may not separate their Personal and their Politick capacity It remains that we enquire the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is to resist in the Language of the Gospel Now 1. That to oppo●e by force is to resist it is so plain that I need not speak to it We meet both the words in that sence Iames iv 6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God resisteth the proud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Res●st the Devil 2. But the word signifies Opposition by subtility as well as by force The Opposition of Elymas the Sorcerer to S●int Paul is expressed by this word Act. xii 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the opposition of Iannes and Iambres to Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. iv 15. 3. And lastly it signifies Opposition by Words as well as by Deeds So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gainsay and to resist are the same Luke xxi 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to contradict Acts vi 10. The words then do clearly and plainly comprehend all manner of resistance or opposition This hitherto concerns the Proposition taken materially if we reflect upon the form of it there will be two things to be considered First That the Proposition is indefinite and equipollent to an Vniversal They that resist that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Soul as in the first Verse that resists without any exception of persons Secondly That the act of Resistance is set down likewise absolutely without any restraint in respect of any Pretenses or Causes whatsoever So that the sence of the words resolved and expounded by the Scriptures is this Every Soul which upon any Pretense whatsoever in any maner whatsoever shall resist the lawfull Authority that is over him shall receive to himself damnation that is he puts himself thereby into a state of Damnation This I conceive to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the words of my Text. I must acknowledge that two things have been questioned in this Proposition by the men of this unhappy viperous and adulterous generation I. The first is Whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be interpreted so severely as to signifie eternal damnation II. Whether that which is said concerning all Persons and Pretenses can be