Part 4 › Chapter 3: Directions for Subjects concerning their duty to their Rulers., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

Skip to content

Ans. And woe to that man that grudgeth that God must be obeyed¹ before him! and would be himself a God to be obeyed in things which God is against! The subjects are made no public Judges, but private discerners of their duties: And so you make them your selves: or else they must not judge whether the King or a Usurper were to be obeyed; or whether the word of the King or of a Constable, if they be contradictory, is to be preferred. To judge what we² must choose or refuse is proper to a Rational Creature: even brutes themselves will do something like it by instinct of nature, and will not do all things according to your will: You would have us obey a Justice of Peace no further than our Loyalty to the King will give leave: and therefore there ⟨p. 33⟩is greater reason that we should obey the higher powers no farther than our Loyalty to God will give leave. But if men pretend Gods commands for any thing which he commandeth not, Magistrates bear not the sword in vain, and subjects are commanded by God not to resist: If they punish them rightfully, God will bear the Rulers out in it: If they punish them wrongfully or persecute them for well-doing, God will severely punish them, who so wronged his subjects and abused the authority which he committed to their trust.

Ans. And woe to that man that grudgeth that God must be obeyed¹ before him! and would be himself a God to be obeyed in things which God is against! The subjects are made no publick Judges, but private discerners of their duties: And so you make them your selves: or else they must not judge whether the King or a Usurper were to be obeyed; or whether the word of the King or of a Constable, if they be contradictory, is to be preferred. To judge what we² must choose or refuse is proper to a Rational Creature: even bruits themselves will do something like it by instinct of nature, and will not do all things according to your will: You would have us obey a Justice of Peace no further than our Loyalty to the King will give leave: and therefore there ⟨p. 33⟩is greater reason that we should obey the higher powers no farther than our Loyalty to God will give leave. But if men pretend Gods commands for any thing which he commandeth not, Magistrates bear not the sword in vain, and subjects are commanded by God not to resist: If they punish them rightfully, God will bear the Rulers out in it: If they punish them wrongfully or persecute them for well-doing, God will severely punish them, who so wronged his subjects and abused the authority which he committed to their trust.

1Answ.
2B. •ilso• ubi sup. p. 259. [As Bishops ought to discern which is truth before they teach; so must the people discern who teacheth right before they believe] Pag. 261, 262. [Princes as well as others must yield obedience, to Bishops speaking the word of God: But if bishops pass their commission, and speak besides the Word of God, what they list, both Prince and people may despise them.] See him further, pag. 259, 260, 261, 262. proving that all have a judiciun discretionis.

:8127p. 34

§. 97. 14. Christianity setteth before us the perfectest pattern of all this humility, meekness, contempt of worldly wealth and greatness, self-denial and obedience, that ever was given in the world. The Eternal Son of God incarnate, would condescend to earth and flesh, and would obey his Superiors after the flesh, in the repute of the world; and would pay tribute, and never be drawn to any contempt of the Governors of the world, though he suffered death under the false accusation of it. He that is a Christian, endeavoureth to imitate his Lord: And can the imitation of Christ, or of¹ his peaceable Apostles, be injurious to Governors? Could the world but lay by their Serpentine enmity against the holy doctrine and practice of Christianity, and not take themselves engaged to persecute it, nor dash themselves in pieces on the stone which they should build upon, nor by striving against it, provoke it to fall on them and grind them to powder, they never need to complain of disturbances by Christianity or Godliness.

§. 97. 14. Christianity setteth before us the perfectest pattern of all this humility, meekness, contempt of worldly wealth and greatness, self-denyal and obedience, that ever was given in the world. The Eternal Son of God incarnate, would condescend to earth and flesh, and would obey his Superiours after the flesh, in the repute of the world; and would pay tribute, and never be drawn to any contempt of the Governours of the world, though he suffered death under the false accusation of it. He that is a Christian, endeavoureth to imitate his Lord: And can the imitation of Christ, or of¹ his peaceable Apostles, be injurious to Governours? Could the world but lay by their Serpentine enmity against the holy doctrine and practice of Christianity, and not take themselves engaged to persecute it, nor dash themselves in pieces on the stone which they should build upon, nor by striving against it, provoke it to fall on them and grind them to powder, they never need to complain of disturbances by Christianity or Godliness.

1Luke 20 18. Matth. 21. 42, 44. Acts 4 11. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 8. Z•ch. 1•. 3.