A27004:354
The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…
The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural evidence the being of God ... : the second part, of Christianity, proving by evidence supernatural and natural, the certain truth of the Christian belief ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; also an appendix defending the soul's immortality against the Somatists or Epicureans and other pseudo-philosophers.
London: printed by R. White for Fran. Titon, 1667
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 12. IX. If there be no Government by God, there can be no true Propriety but Strength: and he that is strongest hath right to all that he can lay hold on. But the Consequent is false: therefore so is the Antecedent.
The consequence is undeniable: for if there be no Divine Government, there is no Law but Humane: and no man can have any Right besides Strength to make Laws for any other whomsoever. For if God have no Government and Law, he constituteth no Debitum vel Jus, no Dueness or Right. And man can have no Right to govern others, if he have no Governor to give any. If God do give Right to Govern, he thereby maketh obedience to that Governor a duty: and he that constituteth or instituteth Right and Duty, governeth. And if God give men No Right to Govern, they can have none. And then, if Strength be all their Title, any man that can get as much Strength, doth get as good a Title; and may seize upon the Lives, the Lands and Estates of Prince or People, and give Laws to the weaker, as others before gave Laws to him. And so there will utter confusion and misery be let in upon the world. As in the Poet's description of the degenerate Age, Vivitur ex raptu, non hospes ab hospite tutus, &c. Reason would have nothing to say against strength: the great Dog would have the best title to the bone. Melior mihi dextera lingua est.
The consequence is undeniable: for if there be no Divine Government, there is no Law but Humane: and no man can have any Right besides Strength to make Laws for any other whomsoever. For if God have no Government and Law, he constituteth no Debitum vel Jus, no Dueness or Right. And man can have no Right to govern others, if he have no Governour to give any. If God do give Right to Govern, he thereby maketh obedience to that Governour a duty: and he that constituteth or instituteth Right and Duty, governeth. And if God give men No Right to Govern, they can have none. And then, if Strength be all their Title, any man that can get as much Strength, doth get as good a Title; and may seize upon the Lives, the Lands and Estates of Prince or People, and give Laws to the weaker, as others before gave Laws to him. And so there will utter confusion and misery be let in upon the world. As in the Poet's description of the degenerate Age, Vivitur ex raptu, non hospes ab hospite tutus, &c. Reason would have nothing to say against strength: the great Dog would have the best title to the bone. Melior mihi dextera lingua est.