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Obedience and Non-Refiftance, may fairly lay Claim to the Authority of the Apostle St. Paul in the Paffage to vouch for them; where, he thinks, he is plain, exprefs, and full to their Purpose.

For 3dly he obferves, that the Argument ufed by Saint Paul, to enforce Obedience to thofe in Power, and to restrain Resistance to that Power, is, that all Power is of and from God: Thus it is the Ordinance of God; and therefore ought to be obeyed, and not refifted. Now, fays he, if by Power being of and from God, and its being the Ordinance of God, if this be in itself a proper Ground or Reason for paying Obedience to that Power, and a Reafon against refifting it; then the Mifapplication of that Power cannot poffibly cancel an Obligation, that wholly arises from the Origin and Foundation of it.

4. As to that Part of the Paffage, viz. Rulers are not a Terror to good Works, but to the Evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? do that which is good, and thou fhalt have Praife of the fame. For he is the Minifter of God to thee for Good, &c. This he calls, backing the Argument for Obedience to thofe in Power, and for Non-resistance to that Power, by the Apoftle's obferving to the Chriftian Converts at Rome, what Benefits he prefumed they received from it. That is, if I understand Mr. Chubb rightly, this good Ufe of their Power was not the

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Foundation of the Power of the Governours; For their Power was ordained of God prior to, and independent of any Confiderations of this Nature. This was only a collateral Argument or Motive for the Romau Converts to submit to it the more chearfully, because of its Utility.

5. He concludes with his usual Decency, that Saint Paul was grofly mistaken in his Affertion, that all Power was of and from God, and the Ordinance of God; feeing that Man, and not God was the Author of all the Forms of Government both then, and now exifting in the World.

These are the feveral Pofitions of his Argument; to which I have endeavoured to do impartial Juftice; and I do not know, that I have concealed the leaft Circumftance, which could make for his Caufe. I fhall not spend Time in criticizing upon particular Parts of his Objections, though I think there is fome. Room for it; but I fball endeavour to give the Subject fuch a Turn, by a previous State of the Cafe, as, according to my Judgment, will make the whole Fabrick of his Argument fall to Pieces of itself.

Mr. Chubb did not think proper to give us previous State of the Question. Was this confiftent with his repeated Profeffions, that he was fincerely feeking after Truth? He, or any Man must have known, that without this, we unavoidably take the Words, in all Cafes of Difpute, according to our modern

Ideas, Systems, and Controverfies, however different thefe may be from those in antient Times, to which the Words had their peculiar Reference. Surely this is putting Things in a wrong Light, or at least shamelessly neglecting the neceffary Means of Information. I shall therefore endeavour

1. To lay before the Reader, the Opinion of the Jews concerning the Right and Title of the Meffiab to the Crown and Kingdom of Ifrael. It has been afore set forth in the first Differtation, what were the general Notions, and earnest Expectations of this People, concerning the great Perfonage who was shortly to appear among them. I fhall now therefore proceed to obferve, that they deemed him to be BORN King of the Jews. He therefore, they fuppofed, had a prior and an indefeafible Right, which no Conqueft, Ceffion, or Settlement could fet afide. To convince any Man of this, let us but obferve, that when the Tidings firft came of his Birth, Herod the King, and all Jerufalem were greatly alarmed. The original Term is lagaxon, troubled; but which fignifies both a Commotion of Spirit, as well as a Confternation. Herod was doubtlefs in a Confternation at the Report of the Birth of a Perfon, whom He, and all the Jews looked upon as his RIVAL, coming to dethrone him, and to reftore the Kingdom to Ifrael. But the Jews at Jerufalem, who bore a mortal Antipathy

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to Herod, and who expected to be the greateft Sharers in the Glories and Honours of the Meffiab's Kingdom, felt in their Breasts very different Senfations on that Occafion. They were moved, or troubled, it is true, as that may imply fuch a Flutter or Agitation of Spirits, as Perfons are feized with upon the firft Report of fome extraordinary happy Event; but they were not SORRY, nor did they feem at all disposed to maintain Herod in Poffeffion; as plainly appears by the Anfwer of the Chief Priefts and Scribes, when confulted by him concerning the Place of the Nativity of the Meffiab.

But though their Expectations of a temporal Meffiah were not answered for this Time ; yet their Hopes were no Ways damped: and they were ready to take the Signal, whenever any Tokens fhould appear of his approaching. Thus we find, that when the Fame of our Saviour's Miracles began to fpread abroad, efpecially that of feeding fo many Thousands with a few Barley Loaves, and two fmall Fishes, those who had feen the Miracle, projected among themselves to come, and take him by Force, and make him a KING.

But as he always disclaimed any Pretenfions to temporal Dominion, and infifted, that the Meffiab's Kingdom was not of thisWorld; the fame Ardency of Paffion, which pushed them on to make him a King, now imbittered them the more against him. Disappoint

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ments of this Nature generally turn to Rage. Some there were among them, as well as the Apoftles, who, at Times, had trufted in him, that this was he who would have redeemed Ifrael. But when they came to understand, that he did not intend to undertake any Redemption for them, in their Senfe of the Word; and that he would not intermeddle as to their temporal Concerns, though he laid Claim to the Title of being the King of Ifrael; they were all in a Flame, and their Refentment was raised to a Degree of Madnefs. Such a Claim as this they deemed to be Blafphemy. And therefore in Order to deftroy him, they pretended a great Fit of Loyalty for Cæfar; because they could compass their Ends no other Way. The whole Multitude of them arofe, and led him unto Pilate, and began to accufe him faying, We found this Fellow perverting the Nation, and forbidding to give Tribute unto Cæfar, faying, that he bimfelf is Chrift a King. It is eafy to fee, that this was all Grimace. His true Crime with them was, that he made himself a King, and yet difclaimed a temporal Kingdom, and bad them to continue paying Tribute unto Cæfar. Had he appeared in the Manner they expected a King of Ifrael fhould appear, they would have fhewn no fuch Loyalty for Cæfar. After this we find the Saviour of the World dreffed by the Soldiers in Robes of Mock-Majefty; which undoubted

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