Wilson - BS2663 W54 653

`Teri. z,2. the piffle to the Romans. the Parents over their children, which Adam and Eve exercifed over Cain and Abel, and of the which the fifth Com- mandement (peaks exprefly. Alto Paul, Ephef. 6. 1, 2. Now as families did en- create, there arofe the power of mailers over fervants, whereof Paul Ephef 6. 5, 6, 7. Colo f. ç.i . After this did fpring up the power of the Magifirate over fub- je&s, when the world was multiply- ed: this was eflablifhed in Gen. 9. 5. which power being to be exercifed not rafhly by every man, (which would breed a confufion (whereof God is not author) doth argue that it is appro- propriate to certain men whom God hath ordained to be Rulers over others; fee Exod. 18.21. & 20. 12. Dent. I. 15, x6, 17. & 16. 18, Now this publick power of the Magiflrate was either of one over a Kingdome, called a Monar- chy ; or elfe of fome chief and choice men for wifdome and goodneffe put over the ref}, called an Ariftocracy ; or exercifed by a multitude,called a Demo- cracy. In thefe feverall kindes of power and authority, howfoever the acquifi- tion or affuming of it, be not alwayes of God, as tyrants and ufurpers,which by violence and forcedo intrude them - felves into government without a due calling, after the example of Ntmrod,and the firft Roman Emperors, and Richard the third in England ; and though the abufe of the power being carryed not after the will of God, but after the tuft ofnian, and being ufednot for the weal, but to the hurt of the fubjel , be not of God, but from Satan and wicked men : yet the very power it felf confi- dered alone, is certainly a divine ordi- nance ere &ed and appointed of God fpr the common good of mankinde; as riches and marriage be good, though áf- ten they he ill gotten and ill ufed : therefore our Apoft}e not (peaking .of the perfon, nor of the abufe, nor ofthe manner of getting the authority, but of the very thing it Pelf, faith it is of God. This being generally true of all powers, yet is here efpecially meant of the political! publick power,as appea- reth by that which is afterward faid of 539 the fword,and of triiu to paying. T r M, Rut why doth God fayin Hof. 8.4. They bane fet up a King butnot by me? s 1 L. This is fpoken of Jeroboam, who had the regiment over the ten Tribes which were rent from Rehoboam: his role is faid not to be of God by tome, becaufe God only permitted it, and was not the effe &uall caufe of it; which is falfe, as appeareth by the words of God ,hinifelf, both before the divifion, i King. i 1.3 t, 35, 36. and in the very time of the ,peoplês rebellion againft Rehoboam, I King. 12. 15. All which prove, that the tranflation of the kingdomefrom Solomon; race unto Jeroboam, was not only (offered but at-fed ofGod,as it was a judgement upon Solomon and his children: now every judgement being an a& of juftice, hath the nature of a good thing, and there- fore hath being from God, not by per - miffion only, but as his own a &ion; yet Jeroboam i s faid to be fet up not by God in refile& of Come circumflances, and the manner of the fa& ; becaufe the rebellion of the people againft Rehoboam their rightful! King, and their defefion to Jeroboam a vile intruder, without asking counfe! of God,thefe things were not from God, but from their wicked and rebellious alindes. Neither was it from God that Jeroboam being King fet up Idolatry, and fwarved from the re- vealed will ofGod in his government, to follow his beaftly affe &ions ; yet the power it felf which he exercifed was Gods ordinance; fo was Cyrus his power over the Affyrians, and Alexanders over the Perfans,and the Romans over the Grecians ; the power was of God,though the getting of it by unjuft warprocee- dedfrom the devil!, and from their own nibitious, greedy, and unfatiablelufts. T i M. Why then dab Peter fay that powers be humane creatures, or the ordinances of men ? I Pet. 2. 13. S 1 L. This muf} not be taken can fally, as if that men were the firft inven- ters and finders out of civili govern- ment, but powers are named humane ordinances, either fubje&ively,becaufe that man is the fubje4} by whom it is ex- ercifed;

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