The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

Suppose, another man hath in his possession that which is my right, yet I cannot violently go and take my right from him; I may justly be dealt withal as one that doth wrong, and be proceeded against as a malefactor; I must be content to suffer till such time as I can legally recover my right out of his hands: And so if one in authority hath that in possession given him which he should not have, as to command things that are unlawful, by our forefathers or our own subjecting our selves to him, I must suffer till I can recover my right out of his hand in a legal way by the power that first gave it him.

Suppose, another man hath in his possession that which is my right, yet I cannot violently go and take my right from him; I may justly be dealt withal as one that doth wrong, and be proceeded against as a malefactor; I must be content to suffer til such time as I can legally recover my right out of his hands: And so if one in authority hath that in possession given him which he should not have, as to command things that are unlawful, by our forefathers or our own subjecting our selves to him, I must suffer til I can recover my right out of his hand in a legal way by the power that first gave it him.

And this will answer a great objection.

And this wil answer a great objection.

The Christians in the Primitive times, that lived under persecuting Emperors, they commanded them to worship Idols, that was a thing that was unlawful, yet they would not rise against them, though they had strength enough, but rather suffered. And upon this some think, whatsoever men in authority do command, there is no way to right it but by passive obedience. It is true the Christians did not rise, but did suffer passively, because the Emperors had power given into their hands, and they could not recover their right out of their hands, in a legal way, by the same power that gave them power.