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Show [18] t I9 :1 little further, whilft I confider as briefly as poffible tally to fubvert authority, and unhinge the conflitna the extent both ofthe precept and of the exception. tion If then by refilling, we loofc, as much as an us The extent of the precept to obey governors can lies, the bands of fociety, and introduce anarchy only be afcertained by attending to the and of govern- with all its baneful confequences, on account of-ny ment. Now the end of government is, as was ob- mealures, the ill effeéts whereof are not 50 mum to ferved, the good of fociety, efpecially of the gover- be dreaded Las thofe wherein the nation would be involved by the dis olution of government, we run into a greater evil avoid a lefs. Let it be further obferved, that in bar! meafures ned, who make the major part. Paul {peaking of the magil'trate, lays, He is 1/36 mini/Zei- of God to thee fer good". It will he alked on the other tide, ‘ Can ‘this confideration entitle him to obedience, when themfeives there is a great difference. 'he adopts a meafure that inflead of promoting the ‘ public welfare, is really hurtful ?' rl‘hat we may be nominated had beeaufe i/zexpcdiezzt, that is, not wel l furnilhed withga proper anfwer to this quellion, we mull: remark firfl, that the apof'tle mentions the end of magi/lracy, which is the good of fociety, as the great foundation of allegiance, not the end of every meafure which the magil'trate may think proper to adopt. He is but a man, and therefore fallible as well as others. He is liable both to error and to vice. Many meafures he may adopt that are improper; notwithf'tanding which, the end of the office, the com- mon goat], may be promoted by him. And true public fpirit incites us equally, in what regards the community, to prefer the greatell: of different good things and the leaft of different ills. Now there may be many bad meafures adopted by the ruling powers,which neverthelefs could not do half the mifchief that would neeefl‘arily enfue from the fubverfron of authority. For it ought always on this fubjeét, to be taken into confderation, that reliftance firikes immediately, not only againl'r ,the"parti§ular [meal‘ure refilled, but againll the. dffice‘i‘of (theimagiflrate; and therefore tends to: Some are de : adapted to the end intended by them. Thus a tax may be laid on one commodity which dif'trefies the jpeople more, and yields lcfs to the revenue, than if it had been laid on another. Others are termed bad becaufe immoral, as when any thing is commande d. contrary to the of God. In regard to the ill'll? there cannot be a {hadow of doubt. For if every man were at liberty tojudge for himfelf lIOV far the means adopted by his ihperiors, were fitted to the end, and conlequentiy how far he were obliged togive obedience to the laws, there could ibe no go- vernment at all. The people would be either in a Hate of perpetual warfare, or at. pert'eét liberty to do as they plcafe. It the latter were the cafe, it would he - bfurd to tail; of [laws or order: ; the only proper terms would he cairn/in"; or advices. Among fuch, and only among loch, it might bejuilly faid, " Every " man is his own legillator." But this flare ofthin-gs (fora coziliitution it cannot be called) may fuit the perfcétitm of angels, who are all good and wile, but will never hair the priority of human nature. In regard to the other fort oflrad‘neafures, where fern-cf ,‘ Roms iii}: ‘4' . Ba |
