5 Such are the politics of St. Paul. Civil Government is a Divine institution, and is administered by Divine authority. The mode of appointment is indifferent. It may be byelection; it may be by descent: it may be by the sword. At the time when the New Testament was written, every sort of municipal government prevailed within the circuit of the despotic rule of the Roman Empire. Yet “ the powers that be are ordained of God,’- was a truth alike of all, exacting the same loyalty for “ conscience sake.” The mode of appointment is indifferent; but the administration of the government is “ of God. ” St. Paul does not say the persons that be, but the “powers that be are ordained of God.” St. Chrysostom marks this distinction in his homily on the Epistle to the Romans. “ The apostle refers,” says he, “ not to persons, but powers.” “He does not say, for there is no ruler but of God ; but it is the thing he speaks of, and says there is no power but of God. And the powers that be are ordained of God.” (Homily xxiii.) And this distinction is important as evincing the fallacy in that theory of Civil Government which is known as “ the Divine right of Kings,” and that opponent theory denominated “the Sovereignty of the People." It is a real distinction, of which the Bible gives us the illustration, in the most august transaction on record, viz. : the establishment of the Theocracy. When Jehovah took upon himself the immediate political administration of the Jewish nation, the people were summoned, and actually gave their consent. “ And Moses went up to God ; and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thusshalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto myself. Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice, indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me, above all people; for all the earth is mine, and ye shall be a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=