The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

It is true, Man in Authority is Gods vicegerent, but not only God is to be feared above his Vicegerent but in every man there is a vicegerent that is to be obeyed rather than any other vicegerent, as the Conscience of man; so that man comes to be obeyed in the third rank First, God is the highest. Then there is a Second, that is Gods immediate Vicegerent, that is Conscience. And then there is a third, that is, the authority of man: He is a Vicegerent that is under these two. Nothing therefore is to be done against the highest authority, no nor against the authority of conscience.

It is true, Man in Authority is Gods vicegerent, but not only God is to be feared above his Vicegerent but in every man there is a vicegerent that is to be obeyed rather than any other vicegerent, as the Conscience of man; so that man comes to be obeyed in the third ranke First, God is the highest. Then there is a Second, that is Gods immediate Vicegerent, that is Conscience. And then there is a third, that is, the authority of man: He is a Vicegerent that is under these two. Nothing therefore is to be done against the highest authority, no nor against the authority of conscience.

Secondly. For our direction in our subjection unto those that are above us, and our right fear of them: we must distinguish between authority and men in authority. That is authority that is enjoined by virtue of a law-full power that is given to any man in authority: but if so be any man in authority shall enjoin any thing that is not by virtue of that authority that is given him, though it be good, then it is not authority, but his own mind, and his own will. As Sampson said, If I do thus and thus I am as another man. So a man in authority may be as another, because he doth only enjoin his own will and therefore to disobey the mind and will of men in authority, is not always to disobey authority, if the thing be not enjoined by virtue of authority.

Secondly. For our direction in our subjection unto those that are above us, and our right feare of them: wee must distinguish between authority and men in authority. That is authority that is enjoyned by vertue of a law-ful power that is given to any man in authority: but if so be any man in authority shal enjoine any thing that is not by vertue of that authority that is given him, though it be good, then it is not authority, but his own mind, and his own will. As Sampson said, If I do thus and thus I am as another man. So a man in authority may be as another, because he doth only enjoine his own wil and therefore to disobey the mind and wil of men in authority, is not alwaies to disobey authority, if the thing be not enjoined by vertue of authority.