Obligation to Human Governments.
By Stephen Pierce
“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates.” Titns iii, 1. One essential thing for us to know is, whether the principalities, powers, and magistrates, mentioned in the text are earthly or not. And if so, it is of consequence for us to know from whence they originate. But a point no less important is, to know precisely what it is to be subject to these principalities and powers, and also what it is to obey magistrates. 1. In order to give in the briefest manner the reader a chance to ascertain in regard to the former of these, I will refer them to every passage in the Bible in which these terms occur. Jer. xiii, 18; Rom. viii, 38, 39; Eph. i, 20–22; iii, 10; vi, 12; Col. i, 16; ii, 10, 15. The word, principality, in Jer. xiii, 18, relates to an earthly power only. In Rom. viii, 38, as the word principalities follows disjunctively the word angels, it doubtless refers to earthly powers also. In Eph. i, 21, and iii, 10, the same word refers also to earthly powers. But in Eph. vi, 12, the same words refer evidently to fallen angels. The first two passages referred to in Colossians, from the language itself evidently mean the principalities and powers both of heaven and earth, as both of these places are mentioned in their most intimate connection. Now that we should be subject to the principalities and powers of heaven, all but atheists and infidels believe. That we should be subject to the fallen angels, must be shocking to all possessed of any moral sensibilities. That we should be subject to earthly governments, there may have been a difference of opinion even in the church. But when the truth on this point is fully developed, then the saints will come into a state of harmony in the matter. As six out of the eight scriptures above have reference to earthly powers, and as all of the nine instances in which magistrate is mentioned in the Bible have reference exclusively to civil officers of human governments, the unavoidable conclusion is that the principalities, powers, and magistrates, found in the heading in this article are all earthly. It may be worthy of our notice that Macknight in his translation, in every instance but one, has the word governments, instead of principality. 2. It may be proper here to introduce some scriptures to show from whence human governments originate. We obtain some evidence that they are from God in Dan. ii, 37, 38. “Thou, O king, art a king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.” Had Nebuchadnezzar been a king of Israel, over whose national interests God exercised a peculiar care, we might with a better propriety conclude that human rule and authorities generally were not of God; but Daniel's declaration to this king utterly forbids the idea, since he was a heathen, for whose interests God doubtless cared as little as for that of others. Again, Jer. xxvii, 8, gives further testimony on this point. “And it shall come to pass that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.” Why this declaration if God has nothing to do in instituting civil governments? or in other words, if the political powers of this world are not ordained of God? We understand also from 2 Chron. xxxvi, 22, 23, and Ezra i, 1, 2, that the second universal monarchy also received its power immediately from God. Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth. If God ordained those two universal monarchies we have no reason to doubt that he ordained civil rule generally. But as the climax of evidence on this point, we introduce Prov. viii, 15, 16. “By me kings reign and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” I admit that the word me represents wisdom; but by reading the chapter we find that it is the wisdom of God. Having instituted human governments, he imparted those faculties of mind to some which would qualify them to bear rule. All the testimony brought from the Bible into the second division of this subject, goes to show that Rom. xiii, 1–7, applies to human governments. 3. What is it to be subject to principalities and powers, or to human laws and governments? The word, subject, as an adjective, by one of Mr. Webster's definitions is, “Placed or situate under.” Now in the unalterable arrangement of things, we are, and must be, situated under some human government, unless by insurrection we rise against civil or political authority, and by mutual consent reduce ourselves to a wretched state of anarchy, or political confusion, which would be wholly inconsonant with the Bible and with common sense. Mr. Webster again defines subject, by the word obedient, and refers us to Titus iii, as his authority for doing so. But we understand that this definition originates from his private understanding of this scripture, hence not to be relied upon as infallible. Therefore the inquiry arises, Shall we invariably obey these authorities and laws? Always, with the greatest alacrity, when they do not in the clearest manner contravene the law of God. He who instituted these authorities has a claim upon us, above the claims of the thing instituted, when it does not answer its original design. When it does, their claims are equal, being backed up by the one who instituted. Otherwise, when they conflict we should obey the institutor and suffer the consequences. Here subjects may justly bring in a plea of right in choice, as to obedience or penalty. And inspiration itself, by some examples given there, gives us this prerogative. But to elucidate the subject still further we would say on the other hand, even when government exacts of its subjects what would for individuals be wholly unjust, claiming their lives and their fortunes to sustain it, even then we should obey, because it is one of the higher powers, and ordained of God, and it should be sustained. Here the meaning of the word subject is more fully brought out: to faithfully do on our part what is our duty, to sustain the government to which we belong. “For he is a minister of God for good to thee,” i. e., we have enjoyed the benefit of its protection, and we ought in turn to defend our protector. Thus we see, on the whole, to be subject to earthly powers or laws, is cheerfully to obey them when they do not evidently conflict with the laws of God; but when they do, patiently as Christians submit to the penalties. And here Peter's testimony applies. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake.” Submit when we cannot conscientiously obey. It is evident that this expression of Peter's limits or qualifies that of Paul's in Rom. xiii, 1. Here the question might be raised, Would this be doing the best we could for the government? If the righteous are the salt of the earth, insomuch that if ten righteous men could have been found in the cities of the plain, God's vengeance would have been turned away, and they preserved from destruction, we think the best that subjects can do is to adhere undeviatingly to righteous principle, and so remain an element of preservation. This course would not be reflecting dishonor on government as an institution, but upon its sins—a course the most effectual we could take to effect its reform. This would be carrying out practically the saying, “My country, right or wrong; when right, defend her; when wrong, correct her.” For subjects to stand ready to make any necessary sacrifice of their lives or fortunes to sustain their country in a course of right, and suffer patiently anything that may wrongfully be inflicted for righteousness' sake, appears to be the perfection of allegiance not only to earthly powers, but to the powers of heaven also. 4. What is it to obey magistrates? The term is sometimes applied to the chief ruler of a nation, but is more especially applied to subordinate officers; as intendants, mayors, judges, and justices of the peace. The work of these subordinate magistrates is not to instruct subjects what their respective duties in their usual course shall be, but to make judicial decisions between man and man, and execute the laws upon offenders. Therefore our obedience due to this class of magistrates consists in this: that when they make a decision we should not hesitate to comply with it; or when it is executed we should not try to repel or evade its execution. But when the chief magistrate speaks he usually has some requisition upon his subjects, or something to do in marking out a course of duty for them to pursue. And when he calls for men by draft or lot to defend the country against the most wicked rebellion or invasion, and the lot falls upon us, shall we refuse to obey? Let our only rule of faith and practice answer. It says, obey magistrates. This may be one of these painful duties which some Christians have, from time to time, had to perform. Many good reasons might be assigned for human governments being instituted. 1. To save the weaker part of the human family from the most distressing effects of every species of injustice which must necessarily be the consequence of anarchy, manifested by the crimes of theft, robbery, murder, and oppression, from which there would be no protection without these means. And 2. that the saints might also have such protection as to prevent their utter extirpation, which would doubtless be the case were not their infuriated opponents by these means held in check. Can we reasonably argue that we are under little or no obligation to the institution or powers which protect us from such evils? As these powers are ordained of God for the protection or benefit of all their subjects, should it be thought unjust if they in turn, when endangered by invasion or revolt, should call upon these subjects to make use of the only means adapted to defend their protectors? True, war or carnage, in itself, is not a good work; but174since rebellion occurred, it has been necessarily resorted to, both in heaven and in earth. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.” Rev. xii, 7. Think of this, beloved brethren. Michael, the Prince of Peace, at the head of an army of the holy angels to protect the government of God against rebels! And was this on their part a violation of the sixth commandment of the decalogue? Said the great Captain in that warfare, I have kept my Father's commandments. John xv, 10. Said the Psalmist, in speaking of the subordinates of that army, The angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Ps. ciii, 20. Think not by this that a spirit of war should be cherished; it should all be subdued from our hearts. And if called upon we should engage in it, as the most painful or revolting duty. Otherwise we shall meet the doom of the transgressor. “Since thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.” Eze. xxv, 6. David was a great warrior, but in the consciousness of his integrity, after having said, I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not sit with the wicked, he in confidence exclaims, Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men. Ps. xxvi, 9. Here it may be proper to inquire, What was David's predilection in this matter? We will let David in Spirit answer. “I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” Ps. cxx, 7. Again, let us inquire if David was frequently in the habit of violating God's commandments. 1 Kings xv, 5, in part will answer this. “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord,” and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him, all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. We have also further testimony in Ps. cxix, 166–168. “Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for all my ways are before thee.” It appears that the evidence in this case is conclusive. And shall we conclude that other ancient worthies were murderers because they engaged in human warfare? Abraham was once thus engaged. But still it was said of him that he obeyed God's voice, kept his charge, his commandments, his statutes, and his laws. Gen. xxvi, 5. Joshua was a very great warrior; but it was said of him that he wholly followed the Lord. Num. xxxii, 12. Caleb desired for his inheritance the mountain on which the city of Hebron stood, inhabited by gigantic Anakims, because his strength for war at eighty-five years was the same as when forty. And inspiration says of him in three different places, that he wholly followed the Lord. Read Josh. xiv; Num. xxxii, 12; Deut. i, 36. Gideon was once engaged in what might seem to be an unequal, yet successful, warfare; but it was under God's especial direction, and one of the holy angels came down to lead him forth to the enterprise. Barak once went forth to battle, but he was directed by the Spirit of the Lord. Samson was accustomed to engage with Israel's foes with weapons sometimes seemingly unadapted; and even at his death it is said that he slew more than in all his lifetime. But his history is recorded for our learning, notwithstanding. Samuel was a good prophet from a little child; but he hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. It seems that Samuel must have wofully fallen, to become so hardened as to commit murder right before the Lord there in Gilgal! But some will say these cases all occurred in the time of the Old Testament. We prefer the instruction of the New. We will now come to the New; and in Heb. xi, we find a recapitulation of what these same worthies accomplished by faith. Verse 33. Who through faith subdued kingdoms. And what else? Verse 34. Waxed valiant in fight; turned to flight the armies of the aliens. This must have been the genuine kind of faith, because it wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, raised the dead, &c. And here we have come to a very important point in this subject, that of acting by faith in all things pertaining to this life, even in that of destructive warfare. And can we in view of the shortness of time, and the certainty of the soon coming destruction of all earthly governments, as soldiers in this war exercise faith in the matter? What is there to be accomplished by it, which could reasonably be assigned as a substantial basis of such a faith? Should we subdue kingdoms by such a course, how long a time would there be for us to enjoy or possess them? What can we get from the nature of things, or from the Bible, to establish such as a warrantable faith? Say some, Then what shall we do? There was one thing more that faith did, which it may be very important for us here to fully understand. It “escaped the edge of the sword.” Now, brethren, can we do this by faith? We acknowledge our amenableness to our government, and its claims upon us. Some of us have studied when we might have slept, labored politically and prayed for its best welfare, until we have grown gray with years, while our young men stood ready to make any sacrifice necessary to perpetuate its happy state. But alas! while our patriotism still labors, in this particular our faith hesitates. We see the difficulty of our position, and begin to believe we have come down to one of the greatest impediments in the narrow way. But are there no precedents in the Bible to help us out of the difficulty? I believe there are two cases given that may be considered as precedents: “As it was in the days of Noah and Lot, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Besides the characteristics mentioned by our Lord, there are others given by inspiration. One was that the earth was filled with violence—a sad type of the present state of things. And did the righteous take up arms in those fearful times? It was enough for them to prepare for a way of escape from the impending storm. We doubtless shall find it so in the distressing difficulties of our own case. But is there no truth adapted to lead us out of this dilemma, and help us by faith to escape the edge of the sword? There is one upon which we may step to get out of this perplexity, found in 1 Tim. ii, 1, 2. “Now I exhort first of all, that deprecations, supplications, intercessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all men; for kings, and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” Macknight's translation. Dearly beloved, have we given heed to this exhortation to obey it first of all? It may be that the force of this scripture has not been brought to mind for our especial consideration; for such prayers, to the extent of my knowledge, have been somewhat unfrequent. There is a consistency in the claims of this scripture. Deprecations for the averting of evils, and the suppression of wrongs; “supplications for the obtaining of good, intercessions for others, and thanksgivings for mercies already received.” How easy for God, in answer to prayer, to turn the hearts of rulers in such a channel as will serve to conciliate and cultivate peace. How easy to give such a speedy succession of victories as in a short time to repress rebellion. How willing to hold the four winds till the servants of God are sealed. How far from being difficult when put in for draft, to be so placed there as not to be drawn. “That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.” Think you not that God is willing to answer this prayer? Yes, more than willing. How gloriously this scripture looms forth to help our faith, and extricate us from the perils of the present time. To me it appears more valuable than tons of gold. It is a stepping-stone upon which we may by faith pass from our state of agitation and alarm, to that of quietude and peace. Brethren, do not say, What shall we do in case of a draft? but, What shall we do in view of one? Wait not till the snare is upon us; but flee away to God by faith in prayer beforehand, that we may escape it; and “the desire of the righteous shall be granted.”