A27004:387
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.
§. 20. Therefore as all Rulers receive their Power from him, and hold it in dependence on him, so must they finally use it for him, even for his will and interest, which they must principally intend.
§. 20. Therefore as all Rulers receive their Power from him, and hold it in dependance on him, so must they finally use it for him, even for his will and interest, which they must principally intend.
He that is the Original of Power must needs be the End: He that giveth it to man, doth give it for the accomplishment of his own Will. It is held in pure subordination to him, and so it must be used, or it is abused.
§. 21. Therefore no man can have any Power against God, or his Laws or Interest: For he giveth not Power against Himself.
That is, he giveth no man Right, authority or commission to displease him, by the breaking of his Laws; for that is a contradiction, or chargeth his Laws with contradiction. Yet must not any Subjects make this a pretence to deny any just obedience to their Rulers, or to rebel against them, on supposition that their Government is against God. For as private men are not made Public Judges of the interest of God, but only private discerners, in order to their own obedience to him; so may that Government be for God in the main, which is against him in some few particulars.