tration while in Poffeffion. The Affair of Title, which fo perplexed the Jews, was, according to the Apoftle's Argument, to be no Part of their Concern. They were to obey the Powers in being, when these Powers ruled them well. And if the Governors came unjustly to the Acquifition of fuch Power, that was their own proper Concern: And they alone were to answer for it. So that the Apostle's Argument, if put into a Syllogiflick Method, and drawn out in Form, would run thus:

I.

Thofe Powers which are ordained of God, ought to be obeyed, and not refifted. The prefent Powers are ordained of God: Therefore the prefent Powers ought to be obeyed, and not refifted.

II.

Those Powers which anfwer the general
Ends of Government, are ordained of
God;

The prefent Powers answer the general
Ends of Government;

was against his Title, not against his Adminiftration: Therefore in Anfwer to this, St. Paul obferves, that the Advantages of Government in general were a fufficient Juftification of the Obedience of the Subject to Juch Governors, be their Title what it would: And in fo doing he precluded all their Pretences of Religion and Confcience for revolting.

Therefore

Therefore the prefent Powers are ordain-
ed of God.

This, I fay, is plainly the Apostle's Argument, when drawn out in Form. But Mr. Chubb has ftill his Objections against it, viz. That it was a known Matter of Fact, that the Powers then in Poffeffion were the Ordinance of Men; whereas the Apostle afferted, that they were ordained of God. And I fuppofe, had Mr. C. foreseen, that the whole Fabrick of his other Objections would be demolished by fhewing that he proceeded upon a wrong State of the Cafe, he would have added fomething as to the Affair of disputed Titles. Very probably he would have urged, that Cæfar's Title was a very bad one, though the Apostle here calls it the Ordinance of God; thereby justifying a manifeft Ufurpation. For the Confent both of the Jews to the Romans and of the Romans to the Cafars was either extorted by Force, or fraudulently obtained and would not have been deemed valid by the Sentence of any Court of Justice, if there had been an higher Court to appeal to. This Matter therefore may be looked upon as another Objection, which undoubtedly he would have made, had he forefeen that his former could have been fo effectually confuted. I will not decline the answering both the one, and the other. And,

I. As to that Pofition of Saint Paul, that Government in general, and the Roman in parti

;

J

particular, was the Ordinance of God: It is certain, that God himself is the great King and moral Governor of the Univerfe. But he doth not prefide over this lower World in an immediate and direct Manner, as he did formerly over the Nation of the Jews. He doth not adminifter Rewards and Punishments during this Life, in a judicial Way: But hath delegated this Power to the Magiftrates to act in his Name. But how hath he delegated it? Not by a perfonal Nomination, I grant: But by giving Men the Inftinet or Inclination to form themselves into Societies for their mutual Benefit, and by beftowing upon them the Ufe of Reason to direct this Instinct to its proper End. Thus is Government the Ordinance of Ged. He gave Men Inclinations, he gave them the Ufe of Reason: And when fuch an Application is made of both, as anfwers the general End of Government, he gives a Sanction and Authority to it; and conftitutes the Magiftrate his Minifter and Reprefentative to the People for Good. The Authority therefore of Government is derived folely from God: But as to the Form of it, this is another Question: Forms of Government are the Workmanship of Men, and may be as various as we pleafe, provided they answer the great End for which all Government was ordained of God, viz. The Good of the People. I hope Mr. C. himself would not have objected to this Solution of his Difficulty.

But

But 2dly it may yet be objected, that the Roman Government was a manifeft Ufurpation; and therefore could have no Authority derived from God, who cannot give a Sanction to Injustice.

I will not deny, but that the Roman Government was founded on Ufurpation; and yet I think I can clearly maintain, that it was the Duty of the Subjects to obey it, as long as it answered the general Ends of Government to them. The Juftification of Cafar's Title against other Claimants, and the Juftification of the People in rendring Obedience to Cafar, are two very different Things. And I am only concerned to defend the latter. Cafar's Government might have an Authority derived from God, as far as would justify the Obedience of the Subject, but not juftify the Manner by which he acquired the Poffeffion of it.

To confider this Matter a little more diftinctly: Let it be obferved, that when God has implanted in Men both Reafon and Inclination, for the attaining certain good Ends and Ufes, he approves of the right Adminiftration of fuch Things after the Attainment of them: But very probably he disapproved

of many of the Steps and Means previously put in Practice to attain them. To give an Inftance of this in the Cafe of Matrimony. Reafon and Inclination, which are the Gifts of God, we will fuppofe have brought both

Parties

Parties to make the Marriage Vow. This End is good; and therefore the Attainment of it in a right Way, is commendable; but fuppofe it is attained by Flattery and false Arts; fuppofe that many indirect Ways are made Ufe of to compafs it; then it cannot be faid, that the Attainment of fuch an End, in that Way, was justifiable. And yet after the attaining of it, the Marriage is equally valid with any other. Now Marriage and Government are both the Ordinances of God, when their respective Ends are answered in the Administration of them. But as to any of the dishonest Arts and wrong Measures previously made ufe of, let it not be faid, that God doth justify, or even connive at them. And their own Authors will certainly answer for them. But nevertheless, this doth not difannul the Establishment, now it is made, or cancel the Obligations which the respective Parties have entered into. So far therefore the Cafe is parallel; and explains, how a Government obtained at first by unjuft Measures, may nevertheless be deemed the Ordinance of God to the People for Good, after it is peaceably fettled and established. And this agrees with that well known Maxim, Factum valet, quod fieri non debuit. Note; I do not bring the Cafe of Marriage as a Parallel in all Refpects, but only in one And in that I apprehend the Argument to be very just and conclufive.

But