Part 1 (1/2)
The Religious Duty of Obedience to Law.
by Ichabod S. Spencer.
SERMON.
t.i.tus, III. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to princ.i.p.alities and powers to obey magistrates, to be ready for every good work.
Ro. xiii. 1-7. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of G.o.d, the powers that be, are ordained of G.o.d. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of G.o.d, and they that resist shall receive to themselves d.a.m.nation: (harm, loss, or ruin).
For 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 shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of G.o.d to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of G.o.d, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For, for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are G.o.d's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
There are two great cla.s.ses of human duty. One of them embraces duties which we owe to G.o.d, the other embraces duties which we owe to men.
This cla.s.sification of duties received the sanction of Jesus Christ, when he spake of _loving the Lord our G.o.d with all our heart_, as the spirit and sum of the one cla.s.s of duties, and of _loving our neighbor as ourselves_, as the spirit and sum of the other cla.s.s of duties. It had also been previously taught at Mount Sinai, when G.o.d gave to Moses the two tables of the law--the one enjoining our duty to G.o.d, the other enjoining our duty to man.
This cla.s.sification of duties is not arbitrary. It is founded on truth and nature. Men have relations to G.o.d, as their Creator, Upholder, Governor, Redeemer, and rightful Judge; and they are bound to recognize these relations, and feel and act accordingly. Men hold relations to one another, as parents, children, citizens, rulers, and subjects; and they are bound to recognize these relations, and feel and act accordingly. Such is the will of G.o.d. Such is the law of G.o.d. There can be no holiness in man aside from conformity to the will of G.o.d in this thing.
This principle is carried out in all the teachings of the New Testament, with an emphasis and a plainness which no candid and unprejudiced mind can fail to understand. Jesus Christ has incorporated it into his sermon on the mount in many particulars, wherein he insists upon our social duties, while he teaches religion. He preached this principle when he said, ”render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's.” He practised on this principle when he made the fish bring in his mouth the tribute-money which, as a citizen, he owed to the government of the country,--a government a thousandfold more oppressive than ours.
It would be a fundamental error, if we were to maintain, that _religion_ has nothing to do with the regulation of our conduct towards one another,--as parents, as children, as magistrates, subjects and citizens; but that it has left all that field of duty to be regulated by the individual preferences of men. It has not done so. Social duties come as really within the field of _religious_ obligation, as any other duties. ”The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor and performing the duties belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, and equals.” As men, in any relations.h.i.+p we hold, neighbors, citizens of the state, children, parents, or any other earthly connection, religion extends its authority over us; and our conduct in each one of these relations.h.i.+ps const.i.tutes a part of our holiness or our sin.
G.o.d has not seen fit to enact special or particular laws for us, to regulate our conduct in all respects, as here a.s.sociated with one another, and owing duties to one another, as neighbors, citizens of the commonwealth, husbands, wives, and children. He has himself enacted only _general_ laws for us,--laid down great general principles, under the authority and light of which, he has left men to regulate the particulars as they please, by the governments which they establish.--only not contravening his great general principles and laws.
He has himself made _all_ the laws which are needful, and all which can be justly obligatory upon us in respect to _divine wors.h.i.+p_,--such duties as praise, prayer, preaching the gospel, and observing the sacramental ordinances;--and no human authority may either repeal these laws or add to them. But in respect to the duties which we owe to our neighbor, that is, to our fellow-man, in any relation he holds to us or can ever hold; G.o.d has left the most of these duties to the authoritative decision of human governments.
He has thus made a difference betwixt these two cla.s.ses of duties.
The reason for this difference seems to be this; namely, man's wisdom can reach farther in ascertaining what is fit or right betwixt him and his fellow-man, than in ascertaining what is fit or right betwixt him and his G.o.d: and consequently, man can legislate in respect to property, and other matters of human right, but not in respect to prayer, and other matters of the first cla.s.s of duties.
Moreover, in respect to wors.h.i.+p, G.o.d is himself one of the parties.
The parties are not man and man, as they are in all social duties; but they are man and G.o.d:--and therefore, it would seem but fit and natural, that G.o.d should legislate _exclusively_ in respect to the duties which we owe to _Him_, and more specifically, than in respect to the duties which we owe to one another. Hence, we find it so.
Explicit divine law regulates all the _particulars_ of the one cla.s.s of duties; the _particulars_ of the other cla.s.s of duties are left to human law, or the regulations of human society.
But this latter cla.s.s of duties, that is, our social duties, are _not left_ to the _individual_ judgment or independent choice of men, in such a sense, that they may obey or disobey human government just as they please. Not in the least. Human government is by the divine will. Obedience to it is obligatory upon men, by the will and law of G.o.d. St. Paul directing t.i.tus how to preach, (and therefore directing all ministers of the gospel who come after him,) says to him, ”Put them in mind to be subject to princ.i.p.alities and powers, to obey magistrates:” and I am doing it in this sermon. Human government is of divine authority, not the _kind_, but the fact. And consequently, our action about human government, our obedience to it, and our disobedience, are as much matters of religion, and coming under its authority and obligation, as are any other matters.
If religion had nothing to do with them, I would have nothing to do with them here. But it _has_ something to do with them. Human government is a divine ordinance. It is of divine authority. It is _not_ a thing of mere human authority. Our _religion_, therefore, our holiness and final salvation are concerned in our sentiments, principles, and conduct in reference to human government. If G.o.d _has_ left to men the choice of the _kind_ of government they will have, he has _not_ left it to their choice whether they will _obey_ human government or not. He has commanded that obedience. Human government and law are by the will of G.o.d. This is a religious principle. And almost the entire sum of our second cla.s.s of duties, by the will of G.o.d, lies under the regulation of human government.
G.o.d has himself legislated in respect to the other cla.s.s of duties.
Human government is founded on the revealed will of G.o.d.
The different expressions contained in the texts which we have just read in your hearing, place this principle beyond all controversy.
Glance at them again. ”Put them in mind to be subject to princ.i.p.alities and powers, to obey magistrates.” (I am doing so--I am preaching gospel this morning.) ”Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but _of G.o.d_. The powers that be, are ordained _of G.o.d_. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance _of G.o.d_. Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same, for he is a minister _of G.o.d_ to thee for good.” We are commanded to be ”subject for conscience' sake.”
Magistrates ”are G.o.d's ministers.”--What could be plainer?--This is _religion_: not politics, but religion. Human government is ”ordained of G.o.d.” Magistrates are ”ministers of G.o.d,” to whom men are commanded to be ”subject for conscience' sake.”
This, therefore, settles the principle, on which obedience to human government is the religious duty of men. There may be a point where that obedience may justly stop, (a matter which we shall consider soon;) but the great principle before us now is an important one, namely, that human government and Law are things which exist by the will of G.o.d, and men are bound to submit to them on that high ground. This is the general rule. This is a _religious_ duty; whatever exceptions we may be able to find sometimes, among the diversities of human Law and human condition under it,--or when human Law would interfere with the first cla.s.s of our duties, which G.o.d does not allow it to do. ”The powers that be, are ordained of G.o.d.”
Let it, therefore, be carefully noticed, that no man or body of men has any right to say, that they will be without government, without Law, or that religion has nothing to do with the question of their civil obedience to Law. Such obedience must _be a part_ of their religion, or they cannot be Christians. It is a part of the _will and ordinance_ of G.o.d.
Among politicians and statesmen, the idea of what they call ”the social compact” is a very familiar idea, and sometimes figures largely. They mean by this, that there exists between the different members of every civilized and orderly community, a tacit ”compact”
or agreement, by which each individual tacitly or impliedly consents to surrender some of his natural rights into the hands of the community in general, or the hands of its government, in order to have the power of the community in general, or power of its government protect him in the enjoyment of others of his rights.