THE LAW OF PASSIVE OBEDIENCE, OR
Christian Submission to Personal Injuries:
Wherein is shewn, that the several texts of scripture, which command the entire submission of
servants
or
slaves
to their
masters,
cannot authorize the latter
to exact an involuntary servitude,
nor, in the least degree, justify the claims of modern
Slaveholders.
By
GRANVILLE SHARP.
SERVANTS,
obey in all things
(your)
masters, according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
&c. Coloss. iii. 22.
THE LAW OF PASSIVE OBEDIENCE, OR CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION to PERSONAL INJURIES.
THE illegality of slavery among Christians is a point which I have long laboured to demonstrate, as being destructive of morality, and consequently dangerous both to body and soul. There are nevertheless some particular Texts in the New Testament, which, in the opinion even of several well meaning and disinterested persons, seem to afford some proof of the toleration of slavery among the primitive Christians; and, from thence, they are induced to conceive,
that Christianity doth not oblige its professors to renounce the practice of slaveholding.
A learned and reverend correspondent of mine seems to have adopted this notion, and has signified his opinion nearly to the same effect, in a private letter to me on this subject, to which I have not yet ventured to send him a reply, though it is a considerable time since I received his letter; but, to say the truth, the question in which I had never before apprehended any difficulty, was rendered very serious and important, upon my hands, by my friend's declaration; and I thought myself bound to give it the strictest examination, because I conceived (as I do still) that the honour of the Holy Scriptures, which of all other things, I have most at heart, was concerned in the determination of the point in question; and yet I know, that my friend is full as zealous for the honour of the Scriptures as myself, and much more learned in them, being very eminent in that most essential branch of knowledge.
I believe also that he is perfectly disinterested, and of undoubted
Christian benevolence.
The objection has therefore acquired an accumulated weight from the authority and worth of the person who made it; and consequently, it demanded more circumspection and reading, to answer it in any reasonable time, than my short broken intervals of leisure (the only time that I was then master of) would permit me to bestow upon it; and as so much time has already elapsed, the answer which I originally intended for my friend's private perusal, shall now be addressed to all well meaning persons in general, who may have had the same motives for admitting in any degree the legality of slavery; and that there are many such (even among those that are concerned in the practice of slaveholding) the example of my disinterested friend's opinion, and common charity, oblige me to suppose. I shall therefore consider my friend's opinion as the common excuse of our American and West Indian brethren for tolerating slavery aamong them.
I do not think
(says he)
that Christianity released slaves from the obligation they were under according to the custom and law of the Countries, where it was propagated.
This objection to my general doctrine
is
expressed in the most
guarded
terms; —so
guarded,
that it obliges me to acknowledge, that the observation is, in some respects, strictly
true.
My present attempt is not to confute, but rather to demonstrate wherein this
truth
consists, which will afterwards enable me to point out such a due limitation of the doctrine, as will render it entirely consistent with the hypothesis, which I have so long laboured to maintain, viz.
the absolute illegality of slavery among Christians,
In conformity to my worthy friend's declaration I must first observe, that the disciples of Christ (whose
Kingdom,
he himself declared,—
is not of
THIS WORLD.
John xviii. 36.) had no
express
commission to alter
the
TEMPORAL CONDITION OF MEN, but only to prepare them for a BETTER WORLD by the general doctrines of
faith, hope, charity, peace and goodwill,
(or universal love and benevolence to all mankind)
submission to injuries, dependence upon God,
&c. &c. &c. which (though
general
doctrines) are amply and sufficiently efficacious indeed, for the
particular
reformation of ALL CONDITIONS OF MEN, when
sincerity
is not wanting in the application of them; but the principal intention of the whole system is evidently to draw men from the the cares and anxieties of
this present life,
to a better hope in the
life to come,
which is Christ's proper kingdom: Christian servants therefore were of course instructed to be
patient,
to be
humble
and
submissive
to their masters,
not only to the good and gentle, but also
to the
froward.
So that even
ill usage
does not justify
perverseness
of behaviour in christian slaves.
THE apostle
Paul
also frequently insists upon the absolute necessity of an unfeigned obedience in the behaviour of christian servants to their masters.
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it;
&c. 1 Cor. vii. 21. and again,
Servants be obedient to them that are
(your)
masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart as unto Christ; not with eye service, as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the Will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free,
" Ephes. vi 5-8. Again,
Servants obey in all things
(your)
masters according to the flesh; not which eye service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart fearing God: and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.
Colos. iii. 22, 23. The same apostle instructs
Timothy
to recommend obedience to servants,
'Let as many servants
(says the apostle)
as are under the yoke, count their own masters worthy of all honour, that
THE NAME OF GOD AND HIS DOCTRINE BE NOT BLASPHEMED.
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise
(them) BECAUSE THEY ARE BRETHREN; BUT RATHER DO (them) SERVICE, BECAUSE THEY ARE FAITHFUL AND BELOVED PARTAKERS OF THE BENEFIT.
These things teach and exhort: If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words,
(even)
the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil-furmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. From such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. for we brought nothing into
(this)
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.'
1 Tim. vi. 1 to 8.—And again he insists on the same doctrine, '(Exhort)
servants,
(says he)
to be obedient unto their own masters,
(and)
to please
(them)
well in all
things,
not answering again, not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may
ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR IN ALL THINGS.
Titus ii. 9, 10.
THESE Texts are amply sufficient to prove the truth of my learned friend's assertion, so far as it relates to THE DUTY OF THE SLAVES THEMSELVES, but this
absolute submission
required of Christian servants, by no means implies the
legality
of slaveholding ON THE PART OF THEIR MASTERS, which
he
seems to apprehend.
THE slave violates no precepts of the gospel by his abject condition, provided that the same is
involuntary
(for if he can be made free, he is expressly commanded by the apostle to
use it rather
Art thou called
(being)
a servant? care not for it;
BUT IF THOU MAYEST BE MADE FREE, USE IT RATHER.
For he that is called in the lord
(being)
a servant, is the lord's freeman, &c.
ye are bought with a price,
BE NOT YE THE SERVANTS OF MEN.
1 Cor. vii. 21-23.
) but how the master who enforces
that involuntary servitude,
can be said to act consistently with the Christian profession, is a question of a very different nature, which I propose to examine with all possible care and impartiality, being no otherwise interested in it, than as a Christian who esteems both masters and slaves as brethren, and consequently, while he pities the unhappy
temporal condition
of the latter, is extremely
nxious for the
eternal welfare
of the former.
I HAVE already admitted, that CHRISTIANITY DOTH NOT RELEASE SLAVES,
from the obligation they were under according to the custom and law of the countries where it was propagated,
agreeable to my learned friend's assertion, in favour of which I have produced a variety of texts: but as
the reason of the law,
(according to a maxim of the
English
law)
is the life of the law,
we cannot with justice draw any conclusion from thence, in favour of the master's claim, till we have examined the principles, on which the doctrine
of submission,
in these several texts, is founded; and we shall find, upon a general view of the whole, that the principal reason of enforcing the doctrine was not so much because the persons to whom it was addressed,
were slaves,
as because they
were Christians,
and were to overcome EVIL with GOOD, to the GLORY OF GOD
and
RELIGION.
THESE principles are clearly
expressed
in several of these very texts, and
implied
in all of them, viz. '
That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
' (1 Tim. vi. 1.) and again,
that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour
IN ALL THINGS.
(Titus ii. 10.) So that a zeal for the GLORY OF GOD, and of HIS RELIGION (the principles of the first great commandment) is the apparent ground and sole purpose of the Christian
slave's
SUBMISSION, which was therefore to be
WITH SINGLENESS OF HEART AS UNTO CHRIST.
not with eye service,
AS MEN PLEASERS,
but as
THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST,
doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service,
AS TO THE LORD,
and
NOT TO MEN:
knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall
HE RECEIVE OF THE LORD,
whether he
BE BOND OR FREE.
Ephes. vi. 5-8. And again, the same apostle charges the servants among the Colossians, to obey
not
AS MEN PLEASERS,
but in singleness of heart,
FEARING GOD:
and whatsoever they do, to do it heartil, as
TO THE LORD,
and
NOT UNTO MEN.
Coloss. iii. 2.
THUS it is plain that the service was to be performed 'as TO THE LORD,' and 'NOT TO MEN,' and therefore it cannot be construed as an acknowledgement of any
right,
or
property
really vested
in the master.
This will clearly appear upon a closer examination of some of these texts. In the first, for instance, though the apostle
Peter
enforces the necessity of the servants
submission
to their masters, in the strongest manner, commanding them to be subject
not only to the good and gentle, but
ALSO TO THE FROWARD,
&c. (1. Pet. ii. 18.) yet he adds in the very next verse,—
for this is thank worthy, if a man,
FOR CONSCIENCE TOWARDS GOD,
endure grief,
SUFFERING
wrongfully,
—
, so that, it is manifest, the apostle did not mean to
justify
the claim of the masters, because he enjoined the same submission to the servants that suffered
wrongfully,
as to those who had good and gentle masters: and it would be highly injurious to the
gospel of peace,
to suppose it capable of authorizing
wrongful sufferings,
or of establishing a
right
or power in any rank of men whatever, to oppress others
unjustly,
or
! And though the apostle
Paul,
also, so strongly exhorts servants to submit to their masters, and
to abide in the same calling wherein they were called,
and '
not to care for it.
' (1 Corinthians, vii. 20, 21.) Yet at the same time he clearly instructs them, that it is their duty to prefer a state of
freedom
whenever they can fairly and honestly obtain it;
but if thou mayest be made free
(says he) USE IT RATHER.
(v.21.) And the reason, which he assigns for this command, is as plainly delivered, viz.
the equality of servants with their masters in the fight of the Almighty,
For he that is called in the Lord,
(being)
a SERVANT
(says he)
is the Lord's FREEMAN:
LIKEWISE,
also he that is called
(being) FREE,
is Christ's
SERVANT.
(verse 22.)
Christ
having purchased all men to be his
peculiar servants,
or rather
freemen.
Ye are bought with a price
says the apostle, in the 23d verse.) BE NOT YE THE SERVANTS OF MEN,
which plainly implies, that it is inconsistent with the dignity of a Christian, who is the
servant
or
freeman of
GOD, to be held in an
unlimited
subjection, as the bond
servant
or
slave of a
MAN; and, consequently, that a toleration of slavery, in places where Christianity is established by law, is intirely illegal; for tho' THE SLAVE commits no crime by submitting to the
involuntary service,
(which has been already demonstrated,) yet the CHRISTIAN MASTER is guilty of a sort of sacriledge, by appropriating to himself, as an
absolute property,
that body, which
peculiarly belongs to God by an inestimable purchase!
For if God said of the Jews, even under the old law, (Levit. xxv. 52.)
THEY ARE MY SERVANTS,
which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt;
THEY SHALL NOT BE SOLD AS BONDMEN.
My learned friend, (mentioned in the beginning of this Tract) has remarked that
tho' God expressed himself concerning the Jews under the law in this manner.
THEY ARE MY SERVANTS, WHICH I BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, THEY SHALL NOT BE SOLD AS BONDMEN.
&c. yet
This did not signify
(says he)
that they were not to be slaves at all. They might be slaves for seven years, as is well known, notwithstanding they were God's redeemed servants. Nay, they might remain slaves 'till the jubilee,
WITH THEIR OWN CONSENT,
at the expiration of that short term of involuntary servitude. These words indeed contained a declaration that none of the Israelites were to be slaves for ever like the Heathen. But what a slippery proof,
(says he)
of this exemption with regard to Christians? How dangerous
(continued he,)
is it to build doctrines upon such parallels and comparisons!
But my worthy friend seems to forget that the kind of slavery which I oppose, is not that
limited temporary servitude,
which he describes
as consistent with the law,
for that differs very little from the condition of
hired servants,
in which light, the Hebrew masters were
bound by the law,
to look upon their brethren, even though bought with their money as bond servants or slaves,
If thy brother
(that dwelleth)
by thee be waxen poor,
and BE SOLD
unto thee;
THOU SHATL NOT COMPEL HIM TO SERVE AS A BOND SERVANT: (but) AS AN HIRED SERVANT AND AS A SOJOURNER,
he shall be with thee,
and
shall serve thee unto the year of
Jubile.
And then shall he depart from thee,
(both)
he and his children with him,
&c.
For they are my servants,
(said the Almighty) THEY SHALL NOT BE SOLD AS BOND-MEN. THOU SHALT NOT RULE OVER HIM WITH RIGOUR,
but shalt fear thy God.
Levit. xxv. 39, 43. Here is the very
text,
(with it's
context
) which I had quoted, to shew the
illegality
of holding a
brother
Israelite in absolute slavery, and as I have elsewere fully demonstrated that men of all nations are to be considered as
brethren
under the gospel dispensation, so my learned friend surely does great injustice to the argument, when he calls it
a slippery proof
of
this exemption with regard to Christians,
and asserts that the text in question
does not signify that they
(the Israelites)
were not to be slaves at all!
It clearly
signifies
however, that whatsoever
right
a master might have acquired (even by an absolute
purchase
) over his Hebrew brother, yet that he was still required to treat him as an
hired servant,
and to discharge
him
and
his
at a
limited time:
and when we compare it with the parallel text in Deuterenomy, (xv, 12, 14.) we find the master is there strictly enjoined to reward the Bond-man LIBERALLY for his past services, viz.
And when thou sendest him out free from thee,
THOU SHALT FURNISH HIM LIBERALLY
out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine press,
&c. Surely when the true nature of such
limited servitude
is duly considered, it affords but '
a slippery
proof,' (if I may use my friend's expression)
that
they were to be slaves at all,
at least, '
at all,
' in the sense contended for by our American and West India slaveholders (which is the only matter in dispute at present) especially as the condition of a
hired servant
is expressly mentioned, as the rank in which such Bondmen were to be esteemed. And therefore I trust I may fairly retort the observation of my learned friend,— '
How dangerous is it to build doctrines,
' (that is in favour of absolute slavery)
upon such parallels and comparisons!
How much more ought Christians to esteem their
brethren,
as
the peculiar servants of
GOD on account of their being
freed
from the more
severe bondage
of our spiritual enemy, (of which the
Egyptian bondage
was only a type) by the inestimable price of Christ's blood! and, surely, we may therefore say,
they
are GOD'S SERVANTS,
whom Christ hath redeemed with his own blood, as much as the Jews of old who were on that account expresly
enfranchised
from worldly bondage,
THEY ARE MY SERVANTS, THEY SHALL NOT BE SOLD AS BONDMEN;
for this application of the text is entirely to the same effect as the apostle's expression to the Corinthians,—
Ye are bought with a price,
BE NOT YE THE SERVANTS OF MEN.
(1. Cor. vii. 23.) Dr.
Whithy,
indeed supposes that the words '
ye are bought with a price,
' refer only to a pecuniary price given by the primitive Christians,
to buy their brethren out of slavery.
' But the authority of
Justin Martyr
and
Tertullian,
which he cites, by no means proves his interpretation of the text, tho' it may sufficiently prove the primitive practice of
redeeming slaves;
which also furnishes a new argument against the legality of
slavery among Christians,
so far as the example of the
primitive Christians
is concerned. But scripture is best interpreted by scripture, and therefore the most certain means of ascertaining the true meaning of the words
,
ye are bought with a price,
is to have recourse to the very same expression (
, the words being only transposed) in the preceding chapter, 20th verse, where we shall find that it can refer to nothing less than the inestimable price of Christ's redemption,
What know ye not
(says the apostle)
that your
BODY
is the
TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST, (which is)
in you, which you have of God, and
YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN? FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE:
therefore glorify God
IN YOUR BODY,
and in your spirit,
WHICH ARE GOD's,
(1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.) and, consequently, it is the duty of a
Christian legislature
to vindicate THE LORD'S FREEMEN
from
SLAVERY, as all mankind are included in the same
inestimable purchase,
for it is not only their
souls
but even their
bodies, which are God's;
' and therefore it is an abominable
sacriledge,
that those
bodies
which are capable of being the
temple of the Holy Ghost,
should be esteemed the mere
chattels
and private property of mercenary planters and merchants, merely for the sake of a little worldly gain!
BUT slaveholders may perhaps alledge that
believing masters
are mentioned as '
faithful and beloved,
' in one of the texts, which I have cited, and are also expressly accounted as '
partakers of the benefit,
' (see 1 Timothy, vi. 2.) so that, from thence, they may perhaps infer, that
slavekeeping
is not inconsistent with their Christian profession.
BUT these expressions are included in that part of the apostles charge to
Timothy,
which relates merely to the instruction of servants, so that there is no room to suppose, that any reference was intended to the practice of the masters by way of
justification.
The meaning therefore can amount to no more than this, viz. that, as it is the duty of servants to '
count their own masters,
' (even those that are
unbelievers
) '
wor|'thy of
ALL HONOUR
Apparently meaning, '
all honour,
' which is not inconsistent with their duty to God.
, THAT THE NAME OF GOD AND HIS DOCTRINE 'BE NOT BLASPHEMED,' so the same reason obliges them, more especially, to count their
believing
masters
worthy
of
all
(lawful)
honour,
because of their
Christian profession,
which renders them
accepted of God.
For common charity obliges us, as Christians, to suppose that all men, who believe and hold the same profession as ourselves, are '
faithful and beloved,
' as well as
partakers of the benefit
of Christ's redemption,
Christ's redemption does not seem to be '
the benefit
' spoken of in the text, though I have admitted this implication to avoid controversy. Dr.
Whitby,
supposes that
the benefit of the service
is meant, and he construes the sentence accordingly,
because they who partakes ;of the
BENEFIT OF THE SERVICE,
are faithful and beloved.
And Dr.
George Benson,
also, renders it in the same sense, viz.
because they who partake of
THE BENEFIT OF THEIR SERVICE,
are Christians, and beloved of God.
And then he adds in a note,
This
(says he)
I take to have been spoken of
THE MASTERS, who
received the
BENEFIT OF THE SERVICE
of their slaves. So the author of the Syriae version seems to have understood the words.
The MS.
called Pet.
2. read (
labor) and Pet.
3.
and Borner, read
piety,
for which he refers us to
Kuster's
edition of Dr.
Mill,
—
And finally
(says he)
I would observe that
] is never used, throughout the New Testament, for the privilege of having the gospel, or the unspeakable
BENEFIT
of eternal life.
because
Belief
is the true means of leading and disposing men to acquire such happiness; and though many other necessary Christian qualities may seem wanting in our
believing brethren,
yet we must not presume to condemn them; God alone being their
Judge:
and, for this reason also,
Christian servants
must not condemn and despise their
believing masters,
(though they know themselves
equalin dignity as brethren,
and that it is, consequently, their masters
duty
to treat them
as brethren,)
but must render them service the more willingly on this
account,
having
brotherly love
as an additional motive to
faithful service.
It is manifest, therefore, that this text was intended to regulate the conduct of
Christian servants,
and not that of
Christian masters;
for, with regard to the former, the doctrine is perfectly consistent with the other texts, that I have quoted; which is not the case when it is applied to justify the mere temporal claims of
masters
or
slaveholders,
because there are many clear and incontrovertible precepts throughout the New Testament for regulating the conduct of
Christian masters,
which exclude the
justification
of any
such claims
among Christians, and consequently forbid any application or interpretation of these particular texts in favour of them: and besides we must always remember, that it is not lawful to maintain an hypothesis upon the testimony
of any one single text of doubtful interpretation,
especially when the same does not clearly correspond with the rest of the scriptures, and cannot bear the test
'of the royal law,'
of which more shall be said in my tract 'on
the Law of Liberty.
'
I mention this text of St.
Paul,
as one of
'doubtful interpretation,'
because commentators are divided concerning the application of the very words on which the imaginary justification of the slaveholder is supposed to be founded! Many learned men (and Dr.
Hammond
among the rest) have construed the words — '
, (1 Tim. vi. 2,)
These words are translated by Dr.
Hammond,
as follows, —
because they who help to do good, are faithful and beloved,
and he uses several arguments to shew that these epithets refer
to the servants,
rather than
to the masters.
in a very different manner from the common version, and applied them
to the servants,
which entirely destroys the presumption in favour of the slaveholder.
Nevertheless I have contented myself with the common rendering, being convinced that no conclusions can fairly be drawn from this text in favour of Slavery, even when the epithets
faithful and beloved,
&c. are applied
to the Masters;
because the signification of them must necessarily be restrained within the bounds of
gospel doctrine;
and, therefore, we cannot conceive that the apostle intended, by the application of these epithets, to justify any practices which are inconsistent with
the benevolence
enjoined in other parts of the New Testament; for this would be liable to produce a contrary effect from that which the apostle expressly intended by his injunction, viz. that
"the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed."
Thus it appears, I hope, that the principles, on which the doctrine of the
servants submission
is founded, are clearly expressed; so that
Slaveholders
can have no right to avail themselves of any of these texts to
enforce an
ABSOLUTE SUBMISSION; for, though these several texts clearly justify
the Slave,
yet they cannot justify the Master, unless he can shew that the same
principles, (or reason of the Law,)
on which they are founded, hold good also on
his
side of the question.
(1) This is apparently the case in the other
different relations of life, mentioned in these contexts;
as in
the relation
between
husbands
and
their wives, parents
and
their children,
but is far otherwise in the
relation
between
masters and their servants,
(unless free
hired servants
are to be understood,) and therefore the objection of my learned friend, drawn from thence, cannot be just. He says,
If the connexion of persons in the two former respects be lawful, so that husbands had a right to the subjection of their wives, and wives a right to the love of their husbands; parents had a right to the honour and obedience of their children, and children a right to maintenance and instruction by their parents: unnatural
(says he)
is it to imagine the connection between Masters and Slaves was looked upon by him as absolutely unlawful, so that the former had no right to rule the latter! Indeed, he very clearly signifies
(says he)
that the right of dominion remained, when be opposes
DOING WRONG TO OBEYING IN ALL THINGS THEIR MASTERS ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, &c.
as he does. Coloss.
iii. 25.
.
But my learned friend has entirely misunderstood the purport and intention of my arguments on these several texts relating to
obedience
and
submission.
I have not attempted to prove,
by these particular expressions of the apostle,
that
the connexion between Masters and Slaves was looked upon by him as absolutely unlawful,
so that the former had
no right to rule the latter;
for this I have demonstrated, I trust, by OTHER AUTHORITIES
of Scripture
equally authentic, and much less liable to be misunderstood. My attempt to explain the texts in question extends no farther than to shew that they do not really
justify the uncharitable claims of the modern Slaveholders,
though they are frequently cited for that purpose.
An attempt to shew
that any particular doctrine is
NOT NECESSARILY IMPLIED
in a certain text or texts of Scripture,
is a very different thing from an attempt to PROVE or AUTHENTICATE AN OPPOSITE DOCTRINE
by the same text of Scripture!
For instance, when my learned friend asserts, as above, that the apostle to the Colossians, iii. 25.
very clearly signifies that the right of dominion remained, when he opposes
DOING WRONG to OBEYING
in all things their Masters,
&c. I do not pretend to build an
opposite doctrine upon the very same words,
but shall only endeavour to shew that this supposed
"right of dominion"
is not necessarily
implied
in the text which my friend has cited in support of it.
The servants are indeed expressly and plainly exhorted to
obedience
and
submission,
as well in this as in all the other texts before recited, so that a contrary behaviour in them might certainly be esteemed a
doing wrong
on their part yet this by no means implies
"a right of dominion"
vested in the Master; for that would prove too much; because the like submission is elsewhere equally enjoined to those who are expressly said to
endure grief,
SUFFERING WRONGFULLY,
(
,) and we cannot suppose (as I have before observed) that the
submission enjoined
implies a
right
in the Master to exercise such a
dominion
as that of
oppressing others
UNJUSTLY, or
; for that could not possibly tend to promote the declared purposes of the apostle's exhortations, viz.
"that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed,"
(1 Tim. vi.) and again,
that they may adorn the doctrine of God in all
THINGS,
(Titus ii. 9.) These purposes, however, are fully answered in the advice given by the same apostle to all the other
different relations of life
mentioned by my worthy friend. WIVES may
adorn the doctrine of God
by SUBMISSION to their
own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
(See Coloss. iii. 18.) And HUSBANDS, by
love
to their
wives:
for they are expressly charged in the following verse
not to be bitter against them,
that is, they must, by
love
and
sincere affection,
moderate and soften that supreme authority with which
husbands
are entrusted, (by the laws of God and man,) that they may
rule
rather by the gentle influence of an inviolable
love
and
fidelity,
as so good an example will seldom fail to produce
due respect,
and will certainly
"adorn the doctrine"
or profession of the Christian. CHILDREN
may adorn the doctrine of God
by OBEDIENCE
to their
parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing
(says the text)
unto the Lord.
(v. 20.) And again, the reciprocal duty of FATHERS is plainly pointed out to be a prudent moderation of that
paternal
authority with which they are entrusted, for they are carefully warned against an arbitrary severity,
Provoke not
(says the apostle)
your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
SERVANTS are in the very next verse (v. 22.) commanded to
obey in all things their Masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as
MEN-PLEASERS,
but in singleness of heart,
FEARING GOD:
so that the SUBMISSION of the servants was also to
adorn the "doctrine of God,"
it being manifestly enjoined only for
God's sake,
and not on account of any supposed "RIGHT OF DOMINION" invested in the
Masters,
which the following verses (v. 23, and 24.) when
applied to
THE SERVANTS, sufficiently demonstrate,—
And
whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and
NOT UNTO MEN:
knowing, that of
THE LORD
ye shall receive
THE REWARD OF THE INHERITANCE:
for
YE SERVE THE LORD CHRIST.
And to the same eternal and unerring Dispenser of
Rewards
(and not to
temporal Masters
) is attributed the power of punishing the
"doing wrong,"
mentioned in the very next verse; which, according to my learned friend's notion, is
opposed
to
obeying in all things the Masters;
—
he that
DOETH WRONG (says the text)
shall receive for
THE WRONG
which he hath done: and
THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS.
(v. 25.)
Such strict
impartiality
in the administration of justice cannot always be attributed, with certainty, even to the best-regulated
human
tribunal, and much less is it applicable to the decisions of uncontrouled
will
and
pleasure,
in punishing
"wrong doing,"
under the absolute
dominion
of Slaveholders! No earthly
dominion
whatever is conducted with such an equal distribution of
rewards
and
punishments,
as that it may always with truth be said,
"there is no respect of persons,"
for this is the proper characteristic of the
judgements and dominion
of GOD and CHRIST alone.
For
THE LORD
is
JUDGE,
and with him is
NO RESPECT OF PERSONS.
Ecclesiasticus xxxv. 12. "
For there is
NO RESPECT OF PERSONS
with
GOD." Rom. ii. 11. And, therefore, we may fairly conclude that the punishment, not only of SLAVES, but that also of MASTERS, that
"do wrong,"
is to be understood in the text which my friend has cited to support his notion of a
right of dominion
vested in the
Masters;
so that the said supposed
right
has, indeed, but a very
"slippery"
foundation! Agreeable to my last remark on this text, (Coloss. iii. 24.) the learned Dr. Whitby has commented upon it, as if he thought it exactly parallel to another declaration of the same apostle, (viz. Ephes. vi. 8 and 9.) wherein not only both
Masters
and
Servants
are unquestionably included, but also the
dominion,
or
judgement,
in
which
THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS,
is expressly attributed to our
MASTER IN HEAVEN.
—
Christ, in judging men at the last day,
(says the Doctor,)
will have
NO RESPECT
to the quality or external condition of any man's person; but,
WHETHER HE BE BOND OR FREE,
he shall receive recompence
FOR THE GOOD THAT HE HATH DONE,
in obedience to him; whether he be
MASTER
or
SERVANT,
he shall be punished for
THE WRONG THAT HE DOTH
in those relations.
If all these circumstances be duly considered, it will manifestly appear, I trust, that the Masters supposed
"right of dominion"
(which, certainly, is
not
EXPRESSED in the text) cannot even be
implied
in these contexts, nor in any of the parallel passages already recited! Can the Master
adorn the
doctrine of God our Saviour,
(as in the other indissoluble relations of life,) by continuing the unnatural
connection
of
Master
and
Slave,
and by
exacting
involuntary labour from his
brethren, without wages
or
reward,
agreeable to my friend's notions of the supposed implied
right of dominion?
The reciprocal duty of the Master is mentioned, indeed, in the next chapter, (Col. iv. 1.) but it is of such a nature as must necessarily lead Christian Masters to abhor any such supposed
right of dominion
as that which is tolerated in the British colonies, and which my friend seems desirous to defend! The
Masters
are not directed by the apostle to claim as their own, by
"right of dominion,"
the
labour
of their servants WITHOUT WAGES, but, on the contrary, are expressly commanded to
GIVE
unto
(their)
servants that which is
JUST
and
EQUAL;
which comprehends (as I have fully shewn in the preceding tract) such a measure of
generosity, recompence,
and
benevolence,
on the part of
the Master,
as is totally inconsistent with the claims and views of modern
Slaveholders!
and, if put in practice, would necessarily effect the entire abolition of slavery!
The Masters are likewise carefully reminded, in the last mentioned text, that they
also have a Master in Heaven.
(Col. iv. 1.) — A
Master,
by whose example they are bound to regulate their conduct, so that this consideration alone is a sufficient antidote against
slavery;
for the principal doctrine of
that heavenly Master
was LOVE, which cannot subsist with the contrary
exaction of involuntary servitude!
This is my commandment,
(said that glorious and gracious MASTER,) "
That ye
LOVE
one another.
AS
I have
LOVED
you.
" The nature of
his love
(which we are to imitate, that is, to LOVE
as he hath
LOVED
us)
is then immediately described as exceeding all bounds of comparison, "
Greater
LOVE" (said he)
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
FRIENDS.
Ye are my
FRIENDS,
if ye do whatsoever I command you.
HENCEFORTH I CALL YOU NOT SERVANTS.
Here is an express
enfranchisement
of
his Servants
for our example! The universal
Lord
and
Master
of all men delights in promoting
the dignity of human nature;
which cannot be said of the temporal
Slaveholder,
who enforces an imaginary
"right of dominion,"
by exacting an
involuntary service,
and that for no other purpose than for the sake of a little pecuniary gain, by depriving the
labourer of his hire;
which savours of no other
love
but
self-love;
whereas, our disinterested Lord and Master hath even
laid down his life
through
love
and
compassion
to his SERVANTS, and hath
declared us free,
as before recited. —
Henceforth I call you not
SERVANTS;
for the Servant
(said he)
knoweth not what his Lord doeth; but I have called you
FRIENDS;
for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
(John xv. 12-15.) And, in the 17th verse, he again enforces his doctrine of LOVE: "
These things I command you,
(said he,)
that ye
LOVE
one another.
" The measure of this indispensible LOVE is expressly declared in the Scriptures,
Thou shalt
LOVE
thy neighbour
AS THYSELF. LOVE
worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore
LOVE (is)
the fulfilling of the law.
(Rom. xiii. 9 and 10.)
Such LOVE, therefore, is clearly incompatible with the arbitrary claims of the Slaveholder, who can neither be
said
to LOVE
his neighbour as himself,
nor to cherish that LOVE
which worketh no ill to his neighbour,
whilst he strenuously contends for such
a right of dominion
as may enable him to exact, not only the
involuntary
service of his
neighbours
and
brethren,
contrary to the law of nature, but also to rob them of the
fruits of their own labours,
GIVING THEM NOT FOR THEIR WORK;
against which practices a severe denunciation of WOE is expressly declared in the Scriptures; as I have fully demonstrated in my tract on
"the Law of Retribution,"
as well as in the preceding tract: and, therefore, as it is necessary to construe difficult or dubious passages of
Scripture
consisttently with the general tenour of
Scripture
evidence, it would be highly improper to admit this
opposite, doctrine
of a supposed "RIGHT OF DOMINION," especially as the same
is not expressed
in the text which my learned friend has cited for it, but is merely drawn forth by an imaginary
implication!
Can the Slaveholders and African traders alledge, for instance, that they shall
adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour,
(Titus ii. 10.) by persisting in their unnatural pretensions to an absolute
property
in their poor
brethren?
or that they
do the will of God from the heart,
(Ephesians vi. 5, &c.) when they retain their
neighbour
in an involuntary unrewarded servitude for life? If they can do this, I shall have reason to be silent. But if, on the contrary, it should evidently appear that a
very different behaviour
is required of
Christian Masters,
that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed,
(1 Tim. vi. 1.) they must be obliged to allow that the
"reason, or life of the law"
is against them; and, consequently, that none of these texts, relating to Christian servants, are capable of affording them the least excuse for their selfish pretensions. They will find also, upon a more careful examination of the Scriptures, that they themselves are as much bound by the gospel to bear personal injuries with patience and humility, as their Slaves. Because the benevolent principles of the
gospel of peace
require all men,
freemen as well as slaves,
to return
"good for evil."
"
Bless them that
CURSE
you,
" (said our Lord,)
and
PRAY
for them which
DESPITEFULLY USE YOU.
And unto
him that
SMITETH
thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that
TAKETH AWAY
thy cloke, forbid not
(to take thy)
coat also,
&c. Luke vi. 28, 29. But, though
submission
and
placability
are thus unquestionably enjoined to the
sufferers
in all the cases above recited in the text, yet surely no reasonable man will pretend to alledge, from thence, that
tyrants
and
oppressors
have thereby obtained a legal
right,
under the gospel, to
curse others,
and use them
despitefully;
or that the unjust oppression of
strikers and robbers
is thereby authorized or justified! In the
same light exactly
must we view the
Slaveholders
claim of
private property in the persons of men,
whenever an attempt is made to support it on the foundation of any such texts as I have quoted, wherein servants or slaves are exhorted to submit
with passive obedience,
&c. to their Masters; because the
right
(as it is improperly called) or pretension of the Master may with the greatest propriety be compared to the pretended
right
or authority of oppressing or robbing others, which is too often exercised by imperial tyrants and despotic princes, as well as by
their brethren in iniquity
of a lower class, viz. pirates, highwaymen, and extortioners of every degree! The gospel of peace cannot authorize the oppression of these lawless men, though it clearly enjoins patience, submission, and acquiescence, to the individuals that are enjured, whether freemen or slaves! The
placability
and
absolute submission,
commanded by the last-cited text, to Christians
in general,
are manifestly founded on the very same principles with that
particular
submission which the gospel requires of
Christian slaves;
and is farther parallel to the latter, by being
equally passive;
so that the
oppression
of the
Slaveholder
can no more be justified by any text of the New Testament, that I am able to find, than the
oppression
of the
striker
and
robber.
Unhappily for the Christian world, the duties of
patience, submission,
and
placability,
enjoined by the gospel to
persons injured,
are too commonly either misunderstood or rejected; though the
temporal,
as well as the
eternal,
happiness of mankind greatly depends upon a conscientious and proper observation of these duties: for even the most rigid obedience to the letter of the command would be far from being productive, either of the
real evils
to which the pernicious doctrine of
a national passive obedience
apparently tends, or of the
imaginary inconveniences
apprehended by the advocates for
duelling,
because the same benevolent principles, (viz. universal love and charity, founded on the great commandment,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,
) which oblige the true Christian, most
disinterestedly,
to forgive all injuries, and pass over every affront offered to his
own person,
will necessarily engage him, on the other hand, as
disinterestedly,
to oppose every degree of oppression and injustice, which affects his
brethren and neighbours,
when he has a fair opportunity of assisting them; and from hence arises the zeal of good men for
just
and
equitable laws,
as being the most effectual means of preserving the
peace
and
happiness
of the community, by curbing the insolence and violence of wicked men. We have an eminent example of this
loyal zeal
in the behaviour of the apostle Paul, who could not brook an infringement of
the Roman liberty
from any persons whatever in the administration of government, though he could endure
personal injuries
from men unconnected therewith, and the persecutions of the multitude, with all the
Christian patience
and
meekness
which the gospel requires. The Scripture-history of this great apostle affords many proofs of his extraordinary humility and patience
under sufferings,
so that his spirited opposition to the illegal proceedings of magistrates cannot be attributed to
private resentment
on his own account, but merely to his zeal for
the public good,
founded upon the great Christian principle of
loving his neighbour as himself,
since the maintaining of
good laws
is, certainly, the most effectual means of promoting the welfare and happiness of society. His resolute and free censure of the magistrates at Philippi, in the message which he sent by their own serjeants,
(2)
And, when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go And the keeper of the prison told this, saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them,
They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast
(us)
into prison: and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans. And they came and besought them, and brought
(them)
out, and desired
(them)
to depart out of the city.
Acts xvi. 35 to 39.
his spirited remonstrance to the chief captain at Jerusalem,
(3)
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. And, as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by,
Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
When the centurion heard
(that),
he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? he said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom, and Paul said, But I was free born. Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him:
and the chief captain was also afraid after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from
(his)
bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
Acts xxii. 24 to 30.
and his severe rebuke to the high priest himself, even on the seat of judgement,
(4)
And Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him,
God shall smite thee,
(thou) WHITE
WALL;
for, sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
Acts xxiii. 1 to 5.
are remarkable instances of this observation.
In the last-mentioned instance, indeed, the apostle was charged, by those
"that stood by,"
with
reviling God's high priest,
which would have been a notorious breach of the law, had there not been circumstances of justification sufficient to vindicate the severity of the Apostle's censure: these, however, were not urged by the apostle himself, who best knew how to behave towards those with whom he had to do. He readily allowed the principle (however) on which the censure of his accusers was founded, but he by no means retracted what he had so justly applied to the person of the unworthy magistrate
who sat to judge him;
neither did he even
acknowledge
him to be the
high priest,
though he was expressly questioned for a supposed misbehaviour to that dignitary! His answer was cautiously worded.— He did not say, —
I knew not that this person, whom I have censured, was the high priest,
but, —
,
&c.
I knew not, brethren, that there is a high priest.
(5) The learned Hugh Broughton has construed the text as follows, —
I knewe not, brethren, that there was a high priest;
but the words,
, are more literally rendered above. CASTALIO reads it, —
Nesciebam, fratres, esse pontificem.
—And HEINSIUS,—
Summum esse sacerdotem ignorabam.
Which answer, though on the first hearsay it seems to bear some affinity to an excuse or apology for what had past, yet, in reality, includes a still farther rebuke; for it plainly implies that the
high priest,
in whose presence the apostle then stood, was (in some respect or other) deficient or blameable in his deportment as chief magistrate, either that he did not duly support the dignity of that sacred and distinguishing public character, so that he did not seem to be
high priest,
and of course could not be known and honoured as such; or else that his behaviour had been so unjust and illegal that he did not deserve to be considered as a
lawful magistrate,
who had publicly demeaned himself as
a tyrant,
by commanding a prisoner to be beaten,
contrary to law,
without hearing his defence! And, that this latter sense is most probable we may learn by the following circumstance, viz. that the apostle chose to decline the dispute, and to wave the accusation about
reviling the high priest,
by
acknowledging
the principle of law on which it was manifestly founded, viz.
Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
But, be pleased to observe, he neither
acknowledged
that he himself had broken the said precept by so severely censuring the unjust
ruler,
nor did he
acknowledge
the presence of
a high priest
in the person of Ananias; neither did he allow the by-standers time enough to criticise upon the true literal meaning of his reply, (whereby they would probably have been led to demand some express recantation of the
personal
censure which he had so amply bestowed upon the high priest,) but he prudently changed the subject in debate from
the
PERSON
of the high priest
(who was a zealous overbearing SADDUCEE)
(6)
, &c. But the younger ANANUS, who, as we have said, obtained the pontificate, was of a bold and daring disposition, and followed the sect of the SADDUCEES, who, with respect to judgements, are more cruel than all the rest of the Jews, as we have already demonstrated. Therefore, Ananias being of this stamp, &c.
to an avowed
censure of his whole sect,
charging the SADDUCEES in particular with the unjust persecution, then before the assembly, and openly appealing to the opposite party,
the Pharisees,
in order to divide his united enemies:
I am a
PHARISEE, (said he,)
the son of a
PHARISEE;
of the hope and resurrection of the dead I
AM CALLED IN QUESTION.
Such a manifest reflection against the whole body of
Sadducees
cannot by any means favour the supposition of an intended apology, or recantation, in the preceding sentence, to soothe the enraged leader of that very party, whom he had publicly branded as a hypocrite, with the significant appellation of
whited wall!
Let it be also remembered that the supposed breach of the precept
(thou shalt not speak evil of the
RULER
of thy people)
could not rest entirely on the circumstance of KNOWING ANANIAS TO BE THE HIGH PRIEST; for, whether the apostle
did know,
or
did not know,
that Ananias was
high priest,
yet he certainly
knew,
before he censured him, that he was
a ruler of the people,
and that he then sat in
the quality of a judge;
(for this is declared in the very censure itself, —
sittest thou to
JUDGE ME
after the law, and commandest me to be smitten
CONTRARY TO LAW?
) so that whether
Ananias
was really
high priest,
or not, yet he was manifestly censured in his official capacity as a
ruler,
or
magistrate,
and not as a private individual, through any inadvertency or mistake of the apostle, as some commentators have conceived. And, even when the apostle was informed, by those
that stood by,
that the magistrate whom he had censured was the
high priest, ("revilest thou God's high priest?")
Yet his reply,
(I knew not, brethren, that there is a high priest,)
when fairly compared with the preceding censure of Ananias, as an
unjust
dispenser of God's law,
(sittest thou to judge me according to law?
&c.) proves, as I before remarked, that the apostle neither acknowledged the dignity of
a high priest,
nor that of a
legal ruler, in the person of Ananias,
though he knew him at the same time TO BE A RULER, and had censured him as such, for having notoriously prostituted the power and authority of a
ruler,
and violated the law, by commanding him to be
stricken contrary to law,
notwithstanding, that
he sat to judge
(as the apostle remarked)
ACCORDING
to the law;
in which case no epithet whatever could be so apt and expressive to mark the true character of the dignified hypocrite in power, as
whited wall!
This proves, that the apostle knew well enough with whom he had to do. The censure was too just, and his prophecy in the accomplishment too true, (
"God shall smite thee,"
thou
whited wall,
)
(7) This denunciation of God's vengeance against Ananias was fully justified by the event; for, Josephus (as the learned monsieur Martin remarks) reports that he was killed in Jerusalem with his brother Ezechias. "Josephe rapporte," liv. 2. de la guerre des Juifs,
qu'il fut massacré dans Jérusalem avec son frère Ezéchias.
to be esteemed a mere unguarded sally of resentment! The latter supposition is, indeed, inconsistent with the remarkable
sagacity, prudence,
and
readiness
of
mind,
which always distinguished this apostle in bearing his testimony to the truth, on the most dangerous emergences! The apostle's known character as
a chosen vessel
for Christ's service, and as an exemplary preacher of RIGHTEOUSNESS, will by no means permit us to conceive that he was either guilty of any
mistake
or
inadvertency
with respect to
the person
of the high priest on this occasion; or of any
illegal
or misbecoming behaviour to him as a
ruler
or
judge
of the people! When these several circumstances are compared with the general bad character of Ananias,
(8) This malicious Sadducee very soon afterwards gave so flagrant a proof of his injustice and cruelty towards the Christians, that even the
Jewish historian,
Josephus, has recorded it as an event which gave offence to all good and loyal men at that time in Jerusalem; I mean the murder of the apostle James, bishop of Jerusalem, whom Josephus stiles
the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ.
The Jewish historian, therein, bears a remarkable testimony in favour of Christianity, —
, (for he is described, in the preceding quotation from Josephus, as a bold daring man of the most cruel sect,)
. Which is translated by Mr. Whiston as follows, —
When, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity
(to exercise his authority). FESTUS
was dead; and
ALBINUS
was but upon the road. So he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them
THE BROTHER OF JESUS, WHO WAS CALLED CHRIST,
whose name was
JAMES,
and some others,
(or some of his companions,)
and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be sioned. The
MOST EQUITABLE OF THE CITIZENS, AND SUCH AS WERE THE MOST UNEASY AT THE BREACH OF THE LAWS, DISLIKED WHAT WAS DONE.
They also sent to the king,
(Agrippa,)
desiring him to send to
ANANUS,
that he should act so no more; for that what he had already done was not to be justified.
as a persecuting zealot of the most virulent and intolerant sect among the Jews, it must appear that the apostle accounted that person unworthy of any esteem as a magistrate, whom he had so publicly convicted of abusing and perverting the legal authority with which he had been entrusted; and, indeed, a notorious breach of the law, by any man in the capacity of
a ruler,
may reasonably be esteemed a temporary disqualification for such an honourable trust; for, a
judge
without
justice
and
righteousness,
who openly perverts judgement, does thereby unquestionably degrade himself from the dignity of his station, and render himself unworthy, for the time being, of that respect which is otherwise due to his rank in office. The same apostle, indeed, upon another occasion, commands us to give
"honour to whom honour" is due;
but what
honour
can be due to a convicted hypocrite, — a
whited wall,
— a
wolf in sheep's cloathing,
— to an
Ananias on the seat of judgement?
SUCH characters must expect SUCH treatment, as
Ananias
met with, from all sensible and discerning men; if the latter are also equally
loyal
with the apostle, I mean in the strict and proper sense of the word
loyal,
(which is so frequently misapplied and perverted by sycophants,) that is, if they are equally zealous with that apostle for
law, justice,
and
righteousness,
for the general good of mankind! So that if we approve of the apostle's advice, in the beginning of the same sentence, viz.
RENDER, THEREFORE, UNTO ALL THEIR DUES,
—
tribute, unto whom tribute,
—
custom, to whom custom,
—
FEAR,
to whom FEAR,
—
HONOUR
to whom
HONOUR;
we must needs also allow, that the apostle's
practice
(even in his behaviour to
Ananias
) was strictly consistent with his own declared
precepts,
and that he most justly
rendered
to
Ananias
HIS DUE, when he so severely reprimanded his conduct
as a judge!
When all these circumstances are duly considered, the meaning of the apostle's reply, may, fairly enough, be paraphrased in the words of LORINUS,
(9)
Nesciebam eum esse
PONTIFICEM,
quia, ex modo loquendi furioso, non videtur esse
PONTIFEX, sed TYRANNUS.
Many of the most learned and celebrated commentators have considered the apostle's censure nearly in the same light. In the learned commentary, commonly called Assembly's Annotations, the same sense is applied to the apostle's reply to the charge of having
reviled God's high priest,
viz.
I knew him not to be a lawful high priest,
WHO THUS VIOLATETH THE LAW; and, indeed,
(says the Commentary,) "
he was but an usurper.
— For proof of which they refer us to
Josephus, Ant. l. 20. c. 3.5. Chr. Helvic. Theat. Hist. Anno Christi, 46.
The learned MATHIAS FLACIUS FRANCOWITZ remarks, that the famous
Augustine,
bishop of Hippo, thought this reply of the apostle IRONICAL,
IRONIAM esse putat Augustinus. Est sane quiddam vicinum ironiae. Cum enim videret cum sedere inter sacerdotes loco praecipuo, et secundum legem judicare; necessariò scivit eum esse pontificem: tametsi et aloqui etiam minimi pueri necessariò id illic vel ex sola ejus pompa et asseclis vulgoque jactatis vocibus sciverunt, nedum Paulus homo tam vigilans et diligens. Sensus ergo est: Ego
non agnosco in hoc homine pontificem Dei
sed hypocritam, seduilorem, et veritatis persecutorem.
Alioqui bene scio principi maledicendum non esse.
and truly,
(says he,)
it borders upon
IRONY;
for, when he saw him
(Ananias)
sit in the chief place among the priests, to judge according to the law, he necessarily knew him to be the high priest: for even the little children knew that by his mere pomp and attendants; and much less could a man, so watchful and diligent as Paul, be ignorant of it; the sense therefore, is,
(says the learned Francowitz,)
I do not acknowledge, in this man, the high priest of God,
but a hypocrite, a deceiver, and a persecutor of the truth. Otherwise, I well know that
a ruler
is not to be spoken against or reviled.
To the same effect, also, the learned monsieur Martin, —
"as St. Paul"
(says he
Comme St. Paul n'ignoreit pas, et ne pouvoit pas même ignorer, que ce ne fût le souverain sacrificateur, puis qu'il le voyoit à la tête du sanhédrin, il vaut miéux traduire le term de l'original par
je ne pensois pas,
comme Marc ix. 6. et prendre ainsi cette répartie de St. Paul comme une grave et forte ironie, par laquelle il vouloit fair sentir à ceux qui l'avoient repris de manquer de respect pour le souverain sacrificateur, que c'étoit un homme indigne de ce caractère; et qu'il ne croyoit pas qu'un vicieux et un impie; comme étoit Anani
, qui avoit usurpé le pontifient en l'achetant des Romains, méritat d'être regardé comme
le souverain sacrificateur de Dieu.
)
was not ignorant, nor could be ignorant, that this was the high priest, especially as he saw him at the head of the sanhedrim, it is better to translate the term of the original, by I
DID NOT THINK,
&c. as in Mark
ix. 6.
and so to understand this reply of St. Paul as a grave and strong irony, by which he would make those understand, by whom he was accused of the want of respect for the high priest, that this person was a man unworthy of that character, and that he did not believe, that a vicious and wicked man, such as Ananias, who had usurped the pontificate by purchasing it of the Romans, could deserve to be esteemed as the high priest of God!
It would be tedious to quote all the authorities that may be found to this purpose; the evidence, however, of the learned Dr. Whitby, as it includes more authorities than his own, is worthy the readers notice.—
Dr. LIGHTFOOT
and
GROTIUS (says he)
think as I do, that St. Paul does
NOT
go about
TO EXCUSE HIS MISTAKE,
but rather saith, I
KNOW WELL ENOUGH THAT GOD'S HIGH PRIEST IS NOT TO BE REVILED,
but that this
ANANIAS
is a
HIGH PRIEST,
I know not, i. e. I
DO NOT OWN HIM AS SUCH
who hath procured this title by bribery: our celebrated
RABBINS
having declared that such an one
IS NEITHER A JUDGE,
nor
TO BE HONOURED AS SUCH,
&c.
as I find him quoted by CORNELIUS A LAPIDE, viz.
I knew not that he was the high priest,
because, from his furious manner of speaking, he did not seem to be a HIGH PRIEST, but a TYRANT.
This sense is strictly consonant to
reason
and
natural right!
Justice
and
righteousness
are so inseparably connected with the proper character of a CHIEF MAGISTRATE or RULER, that any notorious perversion of those necessary principles, in the actual exercise of that official power with which a magistrate is entrusted for
legal
(and not for illegal) purposes, must unavoidably distinguish the
contemptible hypocrite,
THE WHITED WALL, from the honourable MAGISTRATE, and deprive the former of the respect which is due only to the latter!
Sittest thou to judge me
ACCORDING TO THE LAW,
and commandest me to be smitten
CONTRARY TO LAW?
Thus the apostle clearly explained the fitness and propriety of the reproachful figure of speech,
(whited wall,)
by which he had expressed the true character of the unworthy judge!
An appellation similar to this was given, even by our Lord himself, to
the Scribes and Pharisees,
who were the teachers and magistrates of the people:
Wo unto you,
SCRIBES
and
PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES;
for ye are like unto
WHITED SEPULCHRES,
which, indeed, appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleanness.
(Matth. xxiii. 27.)—And, in the context, he calls them
"blind guides,"
(v. 24.)—
hypocrites,
(v. 25.)—
full of hypocrisy and iniquity,
(v. 28.)—
partakers in the blood of the prophets,
(v. 30.)—
serpents,
—
"generation of vipers,"
—
"how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
&c. (v. 33.) Nay, Herod himself, the tetrarch of Galilee, was not exempted from the severity of our Lord's censure, when there was a proper occasion to declare it; for, though our Lord lived, for the most part, under Herod's temporal jurisdiction, that is, in GALILEE, yet he openly characterised the
crafty, base,
and
self-interested,
disposition of the TETRARCH, by expressly calling him
a
FOX,—
(10)
"The message, our Lord here sends to Herod,"
(says a sensible and learned commentator, the Rev. Mr.
Francis Fox,
in his edition of the New Testament, with references set under the text in words at length,)
is no breach of that command which forbids the
SPEAKING EVIL OF THE RULER OF THE PEOPLE,
and consequently is no blemish
(says he)
in our Lord's example. For our Lord here acts
AS A PROPHET,
as one who had received an extraordinary commission from God: and those, who were truly
PROPHETS,
were, in the
EXECUTION
of their
COMMISSION,
above the greatest
MEN
and most powerful princes, whom they were not to spare when God sent them to reprove for sin.
All this is certainly true with respect to the real authority of Christ to censure Herod, and that his applying so harsh and severe an expression to the tetrarch
is no blemish in our Lord's example:
but yet this is not, I apprehend, the proper method of reconciling the seeming difficulty, which arises from this example, of our Lord's applying a severe and reproachful epithet to a chief
ruler,
(in calling Herod a FOX,) when it is compared with that precept of the law, which forbids the
speaking evil of the ruler of the people;
for, though our Lord had ample superiority and authority to reprove whomsoever he pleased, even the greatest
ruler
upon earth, yet, with respect to
his own personal behaviour,
as
a man
among
men,
he claimed no authority to dispense with the positive precepts of the Mosaic law, on account of his own real dignity, or superiority over the rest of mankind, but strictly obeyed the law in all things, and publicly declared his strict conformity thereto.
"Think not,"
(said he,)
that I come to destroy the
LAW
or the
PROPHETS:
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Matth. v. 17.
"
By
THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS" (says the same ingenious commentator above cited)
are meant the great rules of life, delivered in the writings of
MOSES
and the
PROPHETS,
or in the Old Testament, more especially the duties of the
MORAL
or
NATURAL LAW;
(from whence those, respecting our behaviour to RULERS, cannot with propriety be excluded;)
These, our Lord assures us,
HE DID NOT COME
to
DESTROY
or
DISSOLVE:
It was not his design to
FREE
men from the obligation they were under to practise the
MORAL LAWS
of
GOD,
but to fulfil and perfect them. This our Lord did,
BY LIVING UP TO THOSE LAWS HIMSELF,
(which totally excludes the idea of his dispensing, on account of his own real superiority, with that
moral
law respecting behaviour to rulers,)
and becoming thereby
AN EXAMPLE TO US,
by freeing them from the corrupt glosses, which the teachers among the Jews put upon them, and by expounding them in their fullest sense, and according to their just latitude, shewing that they command not only an
OUTWARD OBEDIENCE,
but
THE OBEDIENCE
even of the
MIND
and
THOUGHTS,
as appears in what our Lord delivers in the following verses: — These laws have their foundation in the reason and nature of things, and therefore their obligation will never cease.
Go ye, and tell that
FOX,
&c. (Luke xiii. 32.) and, though our Lord endured the most provoking indignities from the licentious soldiery and reviling multitude,
in silence,
answering not
a word,
agreeable to that striking character of a suffering Messiah, so minutely described, many ages before, by the prophet Isaiah;
(11)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
YET HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and, as a sheep before her shearers
IS DUMB, SO HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH.
He was taken from prison, and from judgement: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken!
Isaiah liii. 7, 8.
yet he made an apparent distinction between the VIOLENCE
and
INJUSTICE of these, as
individuals,
and the INJUSTICE of a man in a
public character,
as a
chief magistrate;
for even, in our Lord's state of extreme humiliation, when his hour of sufferings was come, he did not fail to rebuke
the
INJUSTICE of the
high priest
in his judicial capacity, because, instead of proceeding against him by the legal method of
examination by witnesses,
he had attempted to draw out matter of accusation from his own mouth, against himself, by INTERROGATORIES, according to the baneful method of arbitrary courts!
But our Lord soon put a stop to his impertinent QUESTIONS, by referring him to the legal method of finding evidence by witnesses: —
Why
ASKEST
thou me?
ASK
them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
John xviii. 21. Upon which, a time-serving officer, who probably had not accustomed himself to distinguish the different degrees of respect that are due to
good
and
bad
magistrates,
gave Jesus a blow, or rap with a rod,
(
,) saying,
Answerest thou the high priest so?
(v. 22.) which open injustice, to a person uncondemned, (even while he stood in the presence of the magistrate, who ought to have protected him,) drew a farther
remonstrance,
even from the meekest and humblest man that ever was on earth, though the same divine person afterwards suffered much greater indignities
in silence!
For,
Jesus answered him,
—
If I have spoken evil,
(said he,)
bear witness of the evil: but, if well, why smitest thou me?
(V. 23.)
This shews that the reprehension of magistrates and their officers, for
injustice
and
abuse of power,
is not inconsistent with the strictest rules of
Christian
PASSIVE OBEDIENCE: and, though the apostle Paul, in a similar case, used much harsher language, yet his censure was undoubtedly
just
and
true,
and the severity of his expressions was plainly justified (as I have already shewn) by the event! i. e.
by the fatal catastrophe of
ANANIAS. The law, therefore, which forbids
the speaking evil of the ruler of the people,
is certainly to be understood with proper exceptions, so as not to exclude any just censure of
rulers,
when their
abuse of office,
and the cause of
truth
and
justice,
may render such censure expedient and seasonable. That the apostle Paul thus understood the text in question, is manifest from his manner of quoting it, when he was charged with
reviling God's high priest,
if the severity of his censure be compared with the indifference which he shewed, immediately afterwards, towards the offended
Sadducee,
by openly professing himself to be of an opposite party, and by throwing an oblique charge against the whole body of Sadducees, as the principal authors of the unjust persecution against himself,—
I am a
PHARISEE,
(said he,)
the son of a
PHARISEE;
of the hope and resurrection of the dead am I called in question.
(Acts xxiii. 6.) Thus he manifestly threw the whole blame upon
the Sadducees,
and thereby shewed no inclination to apologize for the severity of his speech to their dignified chief!
I must farther remark, that the apostle's behaviour, in openly opposing the
high priest,
(who, as such, was also a
chief magistrate
and
judge,
) is by no means inconsistent with that excellent advice which the same apostle has laid down in the thirteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, though it is frequently cited by the advocates for arbitrary power, in order to justify their false notions concerning the necessity of
absolute submission and entire passive obedience!
To an inattentive reader, indeed, the apostle's expression may seem too much to favour such doctrines, if the sense and connexion of the whole context are not carefully weighed together; but though he said,—
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they, that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation.
Yet he immediately afterwards signifies what kind of
rulers
he spoke of "that were not to be resisted." "
For
RULERS" (says he in the very next verse)
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
GOD
to thee for
GOOD.
(But ANANIAS, as
a ruler,
was certainly the very reverse of this description, so that the practice of the apostle, with respect to him, was by no means opposite to this doctrine.)
"But"
(says he)
if thou do that which is
EVIL,
be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is
THE MINISTER OF GOD,
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 this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are
GOD'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; honour
(12) See pages 55, 56, and 71, concerning the kind of magistrates to whom honour is or is not
due!
to whom honour.
(Romans xiii. 1 to 7.) Now, be pleased to remark, that the apostle has expressly and repeatedly assigned the reason why so much respect and obedience is due to the
higher powers,
or to the
ruler,
or
magistrate;
for he is
(says the apostle)
the
MINISTER "OF GOD TO THEE FOR GOOD,"
&c.
and again,—
for he is the
MINISTER OF GOD,
a revenger to wrath upon him that doeth evil:
and again,—
FOR THEY ARE GOD'S MINISTERS;
— that is, they are
God's ministers
while they maintain
justice
and
righteousness
in the execution of their
public
charge, howsoever deficient their characters may be in other respects, as
private
individuals; but, on the other hand, such an unjust
ruler
as
Ananias,
for instance, who
sat to judge
ACCORDING TO LAW,
and yet commanded a person to be beaten
CONTRARY TO LAW, such
a ruler,
I say, cannot be esteemed
a minister of God to us
FOR GOOD, or
a minister of God
in any respect whatsoever. A man, who is notoriously guilty of perverting the laws, and of abusing the delegated power, with which he is entrusted, by acts of
violence
and
injustice,
is so far from being
"the minister of God,"
that he is manifestly
"the minister of the devil;"
which is the express doctrine of
the common law of this kingdom,
according to the most approved and most antient authorities; wherein we find it applied not merely to inferior
rulers,
but to the supreme preme magistrate, even to the
king
himself,
(13) The celebrated and learned
Henry de Bracton
says,—
that a king can do nothing else upon earth, as he is
THE MINISTER
and
VICAR OF GOD,
but that only which
BY LAW
he may do,
&c. And, a little farther, he adds,—
"His power, therefore,"
(says he,)
is of right,
(or law,)
and not of wrong,
(or injury,) &c.
—
That a king ought, therefore, to exercise the power of right,
(or LAW,)
as
THE VICAR AND MINISTER OF GOD
on earth, because that power is of
GOD ALONE;
but the power of
WRONG (or INJURY)
is of the
DEVIL,
and
NOT OF GOD,
and the work of which so ever of these the king shall do, of him
HE IS THE MINISTER
This is perfectly agreeable to the doctrine of holy Scripture; —
"Whosoever committeth sin"
(said OUR LORD HIMSELF)
is the servant
(or minister)
"of sin."
John viii. 34. Here is no exception or exclusive privilege allowed on account of
temporal dignity,
or
offices
of worldly power! All men that wilfully
do evil,
(be they
high
or
low,
) are not only
servants of
SIN, but also SONS (as well as servants) OF THE DEVIL, as our Lord himself declared, "
Ye do the deeds of
YOUR FATHER," &c. Ibid. ver. 41. And, when those men, to whom he addressed himself, still contended (notwithstanding their wicked deeds) that they were
the sons and servants of God:
Christ replied,
"Why do ye not understand my speech?" &c.
—
Ye are of
(your)
father,
THE DEVIL,
and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lye, be speaketh of his own: for he is a lyar, and the father of it.
Ibid. ver. 43 and 44. And, In like manner, THE DEVIL is cortainly
the
FATHER, or PROMOTER, of every other immorality among men, as much as he is of
murder, lying,
and
deceit,
howsoever dignified the visible agents therein may be by the investiture of temporal honours, titles, and power, or royal commissions! —
"Know ye not"
(said the apostle Paul)
that to whom ye yield yourselves
SERVANTS
to obey,
HIS SERVANTS
(or MINISTERS)
ye are to whom you obey▪ whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness
Rom. vi. 6.
whose work he shall do. While, therefore, he does
JUSTICE,
he is the
VICAR (or MINISTER)
of the
ETERNAL KING;
but he is the
MINISTER
of the
DEVIL
while he turns aside to
INJUSTICE,
for he is called king
(REX)
from
WEDL RULING,
and not from
REIGNING;
because he is
KING
while he
RULES WELL,
but a
TYRANT
while he oppresses the people committed to his charge with violent
(or oppressive)
government.
Nihil enim aliud potest rex in terris, CUM SIT DEI MINISTER ET VICARIUS, nisi id solum quod
de jure
potest, &c. Potestas itaque sua
juris
est, et non
injuriae,
&c. Exercere igitur debet rex potestatem
juris,
sicut DEI VICARIUS ET MINISTER
in terra, quia illa potestas solius Dei est,
potestas autem
injuriae
DIABOLI,
non
DEI; et cujus horum opera fecerit rex, ejus MINISTER erit, cujus opera fecerit. Igitur
dum facit justitiam,
VICARIUS EST REGIS AETERNI; MINISTER AUTEM DIABOLI,
dum declinet ad injuriam.
Dicitur enim rex a bene regendo et non a regnando, quia rex est dum bene regit, tyrannus dum populum sibi creditum violenta opprimit dominatione.
Henrici de Bracton de Legibus et Consuetudinibus Angliae lib. iii. c. ix. And nearly the same doctrine in substance is laid down in Fleta, lib. i. c. 17.
if he
rules
contrary to law, by violating, corrupting, or perverting, in any respect, the powers of government! And that excellent constitutional lawyer,
Lord Sommers,
informs us, that ST. EDWARD'S LAW even goes farther,
(14) The judgement of whole kingdoms and nations, concerning the rights, power, and prerogative, of KINGS, and the rights, privileges, and properties, of the PEOPLE, &c. See the 61st paragraph.
viz.
That, unless the king performs his duty, and answers the end for which he was constituted, not so much
AS THE NAME OF A KING
shall remain in him.
Now, when these constitutional principles of
the English law
are collated and duly compared with the precepts before cited from the apostle Paul, they are so far from being contradictory, that the full and clear meaning of them all may be maintained together without the least inconsistency or discrepance of doctrine; for we may surely say, with the apostle,
"Render to all their dues,"
&c. without seeming to favour the pernicious and dangerous doctrine of an
unlimited passive obedience!
Render, therefore, to all their dues; tribute, to whom tribute
(is due);
custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honour, to whom honour.
—For, though
custom, tribute, fear,
and
honour,
are certainly due to him who is the MINISTER OF GOD
to us for good,
yet, surely, no honour is
due,
or ought to be
rendered,
to THE MINISTER OF THE DEVIL, to the perjured violater of a public trust, who, in the eye of the English law, is not even worthy of
so much as the name of a king!
Fear,
indeed, may too often be said to
be due
to such men when in power; but it is a very different sort of
fear
from that reverential
fear
which
is due
to him who
is the minister of God to us for good!
It is such
a fear
only as that, which men have of a
wild beast
that devours the flock! He is
fierce
and
strong,
say they, and, therefore, each individual, through fear of
personal inconvenience to himself,
is induced to wink at the ruinous depredations made upon
his neighbours
and
brethren,
so that, for want of a prudent and timely opposition, the voracious animal (which in a state is a manyheaded monster) becomes stronger and more dangerous to the community at large, till the unwary time-servers themselves perceive (when it is too late) that, by their own selfish connivance, respectively, as individuals, they have been accessaries to the general ruin; and, as such, must one day be answerable to God for their shameful breach of that LAW OF LIBERTY,
(15) See my Tract on the
Law of Liberty.
(
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,)
in which we are assured
all the law is fulfilled,
(16)
For all the law is fulfilled
in one word, even in this;
thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians v. 14.
and by which, we are also assured,
we
shall be
judged!
(17)
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be JUDGED
by the law of liberty.
James ii. 12.
This heavenly
principle
is the true and proper ground for
patriotism,
and undoubtedly has always been the predominant motive of great and good men, (such as the disinterested and loyal apostle Paul, following his Lord's example,) in their opposition to the injustice of
rulers
and
magistrates,
though they
passively
submit to personal injuries from other hands! for, in this, as I have already remarked, consists the due distinction between the necessary
Christian submission to personal injuries,
and the doctrine of an
unlimited passive obedience.
The SUBJECTION and OBEDIENCE to MAGISTRATES, enjoined by the same apostle in his Epistle to Titus, (c. iii. 1.) must certainly be understood with the same necessary limitations,—
Put them in mind
(says the apostle) TO BE SUBJECT TO PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, TOOBEY MAGISTRATES,
(
, says he, but then he immediately subjoins,)
to be ready to every good work.
— And no man can be esteemed
ready to every good work,
if he is
obedient
to magistrates when their commands exceed the due limits of the law; or if (contrary to the example of the apostle himself) he neglects a fair opportunity of publicly discountenancing and censuring any notorious perversion of
justice and right
by a magistrate!
The same necessary limitation of the doctrine of
obedience
must also be understood when we read the exhortation of another apostle on this head, viz.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the
KING,
as supreme; or unto
GOVERNORS,
as unto them that are sent by him
FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF EVIL DOERS,
and for the
PRAISE OF THEM THAT DO WELL.
For so is the will of God, that with
WELL-DOING
ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using
(your)
liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God!
(1 Peter ii. 13-16.) GOVERNORS are here declared to be sent
for the punishment of evil doers,
and for the
praise of them that do well;
to such, therefore, as answer this description, the
submission
and
honour
enjoined in the context are undoubtedly due; but, whenever the governors themselves become
the evil doers,
and, like
Ananias,
instead of praising and encouraging
"them that do well,"
do notoriously abuse, oppress, and murder, them,
as he did,
(18) The apostle Paul was so far from retracting any part of his severe censure and remonstrance against Ananias, that he afterwards (before Felix) defied Ananias and the rest of his accusers to shew that he had been guilty of any the least misdemeanour ever since his last arrival at Jerusalem, and more particularly while
"he stood before the council,"
(meaning the time when he foretold that God should smite that
whited wall,
Ananias,) "or else" (said he to Felix)
let these same here say,
(meaning the high priest
Ananias,
the elders, and their orator, Tertullus, mentioned in the first verse of the chapter,)
if they have found any
EVIL DOING
The word in the original is
, signifying rather
injustice,
or
unrighteousness,
than EVIL-DOING; and as the former may be essected by
words
as well as by
deeds,
this public challenge from the mouth of the apostle includes a complete justification of all that he either
said
or
did
on that day
before the council.
IN ME WHILE I STOOD BEFORE THE COUNCIL,
except it be for this one voice,
(now he once more provokes the malicious Sadducee,)
that I cried, standing among them, Touching
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
I am called in question by you this day.
(Acts xxiv. 20.) This is a manifest declaration that there was nothing reprehensible either in his
behaviour
or
words
on that day
before the council,
because his declaration concerning the
resurrection of the dead
was the only
one voice
(or expression) which he supposed these Sadducees could call in question and lay to his charge!
it would be a manifest perversion of the text to suppose that we are required thereby to
submit ourselves to every ordinance of man,
(19) The apostles and disciples of Christ were so far "from
submitting themselves to every ordinance of man,
" that they boldly rejected the
unjust
commands even of the high priest and the whole national council of the Jewish state! The great council, called SANHEDRIM, i. e.
, (the commands of which they rejected,) included at that time all persons of their nation that bore any public authority or dignity among them, for the text expressly informs us that
their
RULERS,
and
ELDERS,
and
SCRIBES,
and
ANNAS, THE HIGH PRIEST,
(and the
high priests
since the time of the Maccabees were generally considered as a sort of princes,)
and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
No power, therefore, amongst the Jews, could be more respectable (in regard to temporal authority) than this great national council: and the apostle Peter accordingly acknowledged their legal authority at first, by respectfully addressing them, saying,—
Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel,
&c.
Yet, notwithstanding the temporal authority of this awful assembly of
rulers
and
elders,
(or senators,) they were publicly disregarded and contradicted by the apostles even in their presence, upon the very first proposal of an
unreasonable
and
unlawful
ORDINANCE; for
"they called them,"
(the apostles,)
and
COMMANDED THEM
not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.
—But
Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard.
(Acts iv. 19 and 20.) And afterwards, when they were brought a second time before the said great council to answer for their breach of this
ORDINANCE OF MAN,
the high priest asked them, saying,
DID NOT WE STRAIGHTLY COMMAND YOU
that you should not teach in this name, and behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostle answered and said,
—WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN,
&c. This sentence, in effect, holds good with respect also to the rejection of
every public ordinance
that is contrary to
reason, justice,
or
natural equity,
as well as those that are contrary to
the written word of God!
This I have shewn more at large in my Declaration of the People's Right.
without admitting such just and necessary exceptions to the doctrine as I have already cited from the example of the apostle Paul, and even from that of our Lord himself.
And, therefore, though the apostle Peter adds,—
Honour all
(men):
love the brotherhood: fear God: honour the king:
yet he must necessarily be understood to mean, with the apostle Paul, that we must render
honour to whom honour
is DUE, and not to
honour
such
men
and such
kings
as are unworthy of
honour!
(20) To the example of the patriotic apostle, Paul, upon this point, I must now add that of another chosen vessel of Christ, the protomartyr
Stephen:
this excellent man,
"full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,"
(Acts vi. 3.)
"full of faith and power,"
(v. 8.)
and whose wisdom and spirit none were able to resist:
(v. 10.)—This excellent man, I say, has left us by his own example an unquestionable precedent on record to demonstrate that HONOUR IS NOT DUE to the highest temporal authority on earth, not even to a
great national council of rulers and elders,
while they exercise their authority in
unjust
prosecutions, and abuse their power by enacting
unreasonable and tyrannical ordinances.
The great council of the Jewish state had
"straightly commanded"
the aposties and disciples of Christ (as I have already remarked in a preceding note)
not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus;
which command, it seems, was given lest their preaching should
"bring this man's blood"
(said the high priest, meaning the blood of our LORD JESUS)
"upon us:"
but
Stephen
paid so little regard either to the
unlawful
command itself, or to the reason of it, that he afterwards publicly upbraided the whole council, with the high priest at the head of it, (in the most stimulating and unreserved terms,) as the betrayers and murderers of that just One!—
Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears,
(said he to their faces in the public assembly,)
ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers
(did),
so
(do)
ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the
JUST ONE,
of whom ye have been now the
BETRAYERS
and
MURDERERS,
&c. (Acts vii. 51 and 52.) Words could not well be
sharper
than these, which is manifest from their
effect;
for the text testifies that
when they heard these things they were
CUT TO THE HEART,
and they gnashed on him with
(their)
teeth.
(V. 54.) Thus it clearly appears that the holy, innocent, and meek Stephen did not think himself bound (like our undistinguishing
passive-obedience
men) to
submit to every ordinance of man,
&c. nor to
honour all men,
without making reasonable and due exceptions! Nay, so far from
honouring
men merely on account of their
temporal dignity,
it is manifest that he treated the whole
body of rulers
with the utmost severity and contempt, while he thought them
unworthy of honour,
and yet there is no doubt but that he most conscientiously, on every occasion, rendered
honour to whom honour
WAS DUE!
But what men (it will be said) are to be esteemed the proper
judges of desert
in such cases, so as to determine with propriety when
honour
is or is not to be rendered? To which I answer, —
Every man
is a judge of it if he be not an idiot or mad man!
Every man
of common sense can distinguish
justice
from
injustice, right
from
wrong, honourable
from
dishonourable,
(21) See my Tract on
the Law of Nature and the Principles of Action in Man,
wherein, I hope, this point is fully demonstrated.
whenever he happens to be an eye or ear witness of the proper circumstances of evidence for such a judgement!
Every man,
(except as above,) be he ever so poor and mean with respect to his rank in this life, inherits
the knowledge of good and evil,
or REASON, from the common parents of mankind, and is thereby rendered answerable to GOD for
all
his actions, and answerable to MAN for
many
of them!
In this
hereditary knowledge,
and in the proper use of it, (according to the different stations of life in which men subsist in this world,) consists the
equality
of ALL MANKIND in the sight of GOD, and also in the eye of
the law,
I mean the
common law
and rules of
natural justice,
which are formed upon the selfevident conclusions of
human reason,
and are the necessary result of the abovementioned
hereditary knowledge in
MAN. Every man
knows,
by what we call
conscience,
(which is only an effect of
human reason
upon the mind,) whether his own actions deserve the
censure
of the
magistrate, who
bears not the sword in vain!
And the same principle of
hereditary knowledge
enables him to judge also concerning the outward actions of
other men,
whether they be
just
or
unjust;
whether they be
praiseworthy
or
censurable!
But, if a man abuses his own
natural reason,
and suffers himself to be blinded by private interest, by passion, or unreasonable resentment, or by pride, envy, or personal partiality, and is thereby led to misconstrue the actions of his superiors, to behave unseemly towards them, and to censure them publicly without a just cause, the
conscience
of such an offender against
reason
will speedily inform him that he has cause to
fear the magistrate,
and that he is liable to suffer for his misbehaviour
"as an evil doer:"
but, when the like faults are discoverable on the other side, that is, on the side of the superior or magistrate, (as it happened in the case of Ananias,) a
just
censure of the
unjust
magistrate, even though it comes from the poorest and meanest man that happens to be present, will have its due weight in the opinion of all unprejudiced and disinterested persons, and may occasion a considerable check to the progress of
injustice;
and, therefore, if any man neglects such an opportunity (when he has it in his power) of making a personal
protest
(as Paul did) against the public injustice of a wicked magistrate, he strengthens the hand of iniquity by his timidity and remissness, and becomes accessary to the public disgrace by refusing his endeavours, according to his abilities, (howsoever small,) to vindicate the
laws of God,
and maintain the
common rights of his neighbours and brethren.
Such an one unhappily demonstrates that he has more
fear
of MAN than of GOD, and much more
love
for
himself
than he has for his
neighbour
and
country,
and, consequently, in that awful day, when he
shall be judged by the law of liberty,
(22) James ii. 12. See also my Tract on
the Law of Liberty.
must be liable, (unless a timely repentance should have previously restored him to a better use of that
hereditary knowledge
for which all men are accountable,) must be liable, I say,
to be cast with
the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Matth. xxv. 30.
ALL MEN, therefore, be they ever so
rich,
or ever so
poor
and
mean,
are REQUIRED to vindicate the cause of
truth, justice,
and
righteousness,
whenever they have a favourable opportunity of doing so; they ARE REQUIRED, I say, because they ARE ENABLED by their NATURAL KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL to discern and judge concerning the
fitness
or
unfitness
of human actions, and of the
justice
or
injustice
of all measures and proceedings that happen to fall within the reach of their inspection and consequent observation. He, who denies this, is ignorant of the
true dignity of human nature,
and wants a teacher to point out to him not only
the equality of mankind before God,
but also
the universal conditions of man's subsistence in the world!
—THE HEREDITARY KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL may, at least, be esteemed as the ONE TALENT for which
all mankind
are accountable to the universal Lord! And, therefore, if they wilfully
abuse
or
bury
THIS TALENT, they have surely nothing to expect but the condemnation abovementioned of the
unprofitable servant!
Shall we blame the patriotic apostle, then, for his zeal in vindicating
the natural rights of mankind
against an UNJUST JUDGE, when he had so fair an opportunity of protesting against his iniquity? God forbid! Let us, on the contrary, revere his example, which, in reality, affords no opposition to the doctrine laid down in the beginning of this Tract concerning the necessity of
Christian submission to personal injuries.
If he, sometimes, freely and courageously expressed his
resentment for personal ill usage,
(23) In pursuing the examination of this subject concerning
resentment for personal ill usage,
I was gradually led to consider the present unnatural though prevailing practice of DUELLING; and this occasioned my
Remarks on the Opinions of some of the most eminent Writers on
CROWN LAW,
respecting the due distinction between
MANSLAUGHTER
and
MURDER,
(printed in 1773,) which Remarks were, at first, intended as a continuation of this tract; but finding, soon afterwards, that some publication, to correct the common mistaken doctrines concerning
manslaughter
and
duelling,
was become more immediately necessary, I thought it adviseable to detach what I had written on that subject from this tract, and to print it as soon as possible, (with some sew alterations and additions,) rather than to wait for the publication of these other tracts.
it was always ways in vindication of
the law,
on which (next to the providence of God) the safety, liberty, and happiness, of the community depend; whereas, the
hasty revenger of his own cause
is so far from being a friend to the community, or a
lover of liberty,
that he himself is actually
a tyrant;
because he neglects the necessary doctrine of
Christian submission to personal injuries,
and on every occasion is ready to revenge his
own cause
with his
own hand,
and to usurp all the distinct offices of judge, jury, and executioner! He is so far from vindicating
the law,
like the generous and patriotic apostle, for the sake of
national liberty,
that he manifestly sets himself up
above the law,
(which is
the first characteristic of a tyrant,
) and thereby renders himself in fact an open enemy to
liberty,
and consequently
a disgrace to society!
GRANVILLE SHARP.
"GLORY to GOD in the Highest!
"And on Earth — PEACE,
"GOOD WILL towards Men!"
INDEX OF Texts referred to in the foregoing Work.
Levitious.
Chap.
Verses.
Pages.
xxv.
52.
18.
Deuteronomy.
xv.
12, 14.
21.
Ecclesiastious.
xxxiii.
12.
34n.
Isaiah.
liii.
7, 8.
64 n.
Matthew.
v.
17.
63 n.
xxiii.
24, 25.
61.
 
27, 28.
61.
 
30. 33.
61.
xxv.
30.
88.
Mark.
ix.
6.
58 n.
Luke.
chap.
verses.
pages.
vi.
28, 29.
39.
xiii.
32.
62.
John.
viii.
34.
72 n.
 
41.
72 n.
 
43, 44.
72 n.
xv.
12 to 15.
37 n.
xviii.
21, 22.
65.
 
23.
66.
 
36.
7.
Acts.
iv.
8.
83 n.
 
10.
83 n.
 
19, 20.
83 n.
vii.
51, 52.
84 n.
 
54.
84 n.
xvi.
30 to 39.
44 n.
xxii.
24 to 30.
45 n.
xxiii.
1 to 5.
45 n.
xxiii.
6.
67.
xxiv.
20.
80 n.
Romans.
ii.
11.
34 n.
vi.
6.
73 n.
xiii.
 
68.
 
1 to 7
70.
 
9, 10.
37 n.
1 Corinthians.
vi.
19, 20.
23.
vii.
21.
7.
 
20, 21.
16.
 
21 to 23.
12 n.
 
21.
17.
 
21.
17.
 
22.
17.
 
23.
17. 20.
Galatians.
v.
14.
76 n.
Ephesians.
vi.
5 to 8.
7. 15.
 
5, &c.
34.
 
8, 9.
34 n.
Colossians.
iii.
2.
15.
iii.
18.
32 n.
 
20.
33 n.
 
22.
33 n.
 
22, 23.
7.
 
23, 24.
33 n.
 
24.
34 n.
 
25.
31n. 34n.
iv.
1.
35n. 36n.
1 Timothy.
vi.
 
32 n.
 
1 to 8.
11.
 
1.
14. 38.
 
2.
24. 28.
Titus.
ii.
9.
32 n.
 
9, 10.
11.
 
10.
14. 32.
iii.
1.
77.
James.
ii.
12.
77n. 84n.
1 Peter.
ii.
13 to 16.
79.
 
18.
15.
INDEX OF THE Different Authors referred to.
A.
ASSEMBLY's ANNOTATIONS, 57 n.
Ananias, 49 n.
Ananus, 49 n.
Augustine, bishop of Hippo, 57 n.
B.
Benson, (Dr. Geo.) 25 n.
Borner, 26 n.
Bracton, (Hen. de,) 72 n. 73 n.
Broughton, (Hugh,) 47 n.
C.
Castalio, 47 n.
Cornelius a Lapide, 58.
F.
Fleta, 73 n.
Fox, (reverend Francis,) 59 n.
Francowitz, (Mat. Flac.) 57 n. 58 n.
G.
Grotius, 59 n.
H.
Hammond, 28.
Heinsius, 47 n.
J.
Josephus, 52 n. 53 n. 57 n.
Judgement of whole kingdoms and nations, &c. 74 n.
Justin Martyr, 21.
K.
Kuster, 26 n.
L.
Law of Liberty, 76 n. 86 n.
Law of Nature, 85 n.
Lightfoot, 59 n.
Lorinus, 57.
M.
Martin, (mons.) 58 n.
Mill, (Dr.) 26 n.
P.
Pet. 2 and 3. MSS. so called, 26 n.
S.
Sommers, (lord,) 73.
Syriac version, 25 n.
T.
Tertullian, 21.
W.
Whiston, 54 n.
Whitby, (Dr.) 59 n. 21. 25 n. 34 n.
INDEX OF THE Various Topics discussed in this Work.
A.
ANANIAS.
See FRANCOWITZ, MARTIN, also
high priest, judge,
and
magistrate.
St. Paul's denunciation against him justified by the event, 52 n. his injustice and cruelty towards the Christians, 53 n.
Apostles.
Did not submit themselves to every ordinance of man without exception, 78 & seq.
Author.
A learned and reverend correspondent differs from him in his notions of slavery, 4; his character of that correspondent, 5; concessions of his, 6, 13; reasons for not answering a letter from him at the time of receiving it, ib. his design in this treatise is to demonstrate the absolute illegality of slavery among Christians, 7; esteems both master and slaves as brethren, 12; his reasons for printing his Remarks on the Crown Law prior to this tract, 91 n.
B.
Believers.
God alone their judge, 26.
C.
Christ.
His disciples had no commission to alter the temporary conditions of men, 7; claimed no authority to dispense with the Mosaic law, 62 n.
Conscience.
Only an effect of human reason, 86.
Correspondent
of the Author's. See
Author.
Does not think Christianity released slaves, &c. 6; an opinion of his examined, 18 n. & seq. another, 30 n. & seq.
D.
Duties
of placability, submission, and patience, too commonly misunderstood or rejected by the Christian world, 41.
E.
Edward,
(St.). The strictness of his law concerning kings, 74 & seq.
Egyptian bondage.
A type of our spiritual servitude to the enemy of mankind, 20.
F.
Fear.
That we have of a tyrant very different from that we have of a good magistrate, 75.
Francowitz,
(Mat. Flac.). His opinion of St. Paul's answer to Ananias, 57 n.
Freedom.
The attainment of it legally enjoined servants by St. Paul, 12 n. 16.
G.
GOD. Submission in servants enjoined for conscience sake towards him, 15 & seq. masters and servants equal in his sight, 17. See
Believers, Judge.
Good and evil.
See
Reason.
Good men.
From whence their zeal arises for just and equitable laws, 42.
Grotius.
Quoted by Dr. Whitby concerning St. Paul's reply to Ananias, 59 n.
H.
High priest.
St. Paul's spirited but cautious behaviour before him, 46 & seq. did not attempt to excuse or apologize for it, 47 & seq. 67; the justness of that behaviour, 56. 60. 90; Lorinus' paraphrase of the apostle's reply to him, 57; which is strictly consonant to reason and natural right, 59; our Lord's behaviour, in the same predicament, exactly similar, 60 & seq. the apostle's behaviour not inconsistent with his doctrine, Rom. xiii. 68 & seq. which behaviour he afterwards defended before Felix, 79 n.
J.
Jews.
Not to be sold as bondmen, 18, 19, 20. Sec
Slavery.
Injustice.
Censuring bad magistrates may tend to check its progress, 87; which is the duty of every man, 89.
Interrogatories.
Their illegality, 64.
Judge.
One who perverts judgement degrades himself from his office, 55; our Saviour's character of such, 61 & seq. who cannot be deemed ministers of God in any respect, 71.
K.
Kings.
Are not
ministers of God
when they act contrary to law, 72; and see the notes on that and the succeeding page. See
Edward
(St.); not worthy the name of a king, 75; but are
ministers of the devil,
and unworthy of
honour
while they do evil, ib.
L.
Law.
A notorious breach of it by a ruler is a temporary disqualification, 55. See
Kings, Edward
(St.).
Loyal.
What it is to be really so, 56.
M.
Magistrates.
Their reprehension not inconsistent with Christian passive obedience, 66 & seq. good one. See
Fear, Injustice.
Martin,
(mons.). Agrees with M. Flac. Francowitz, Grotius, Whitby, &c. concerning St. Paul's reply to Ananias, 58 n.
Masters.
See GOD,
Slavery.
Ministers of God.
See
Kings.
Ministers of the devil.
See
Kings.
O.
Obedience.
See
Servants.
Opp ession.
That practised by the slave-holders no more justified by the New Testament than that of strikers or robbers, 41.
P.
Passive obedience.
See
Magistrates.
Not due to evil magistrates, 77 & seq.
Patience.
See
Duties.
Patriotism.
The proper ground for it, 77.
Paul,
(St.). His zeal for the Roman liberty, 42; his Christian patience and meekness under personal injuries, 43. 44 n. See
high priest.
His injunction, Tit. iii. 1. explained, 77.
Peter,
(St.). His injunction, 1 Pet. ii. 13 to 16. explained, 79.
Price.
The meaning of that word in 1 Cor. vii. 23. examined, 21 & seq.
Q.
Questions.
Serious ones to the slave-holders, 30 & seq.
R.
Reason.
Inherited by all men, except idiots or mad men, 84. 89; which renders all men equal in the sight of God and the law, 85. See
Conscience.
The talent for which all men are accountable, 90.
Royal law.
No single text to be depended on, which will not bear the test of it, 27.
Ruler.
See
Law.
S.
Sanhedrim.
Its power and dignity, 81 n.
Scriptures.
Their honour what the author has most at heart, 4.
Servants,
(Christian,). Their obedience frequently insisted on by St. Paul, 8 & seq. the submission required of them does not imply the legality of slaveholding, 11; on what principles that submission is founded, 13 & seq. 24 n. which do not admit of any right or property in the master, 15; submission enjoined by St. Peter both to the good and bad master, for conscience' sake towards God, 15 & seq. See GOD,
Slavery, Slave-holders, Tyranny.
Slave-holders.
Cannot avail themselves of any of the texts relating to Christian servants, 29. 38. See
Questions, Oppression.
Slavery.
some particular texts seem to prove the toleration of it amongst the primitive Christians, 3. See
Author.
No more than a state of hired servitude among the Jews, 19 n. 21 n. the text 1 Tim. vi. 2. no argument in favour of it, 24 & seq. that text intended for servants, not masters, 26; so understood by Dr. Hammond, 26; the texts which justify the slave's submission do not authorize the master's tyranny, 30. (See the whole note in that page.) 40.
Subjection
(unlimited). Inconsistent with the dignity of a Christian, 17; and intirely illegal, ib. See
Duties.
T.
Texts.
See
Price, Slavery, Whitby, Paul, Peter.
Tyrants.
See
Fear.
The folly and wickedness of abetting them, 76; characteristics of one, 91.
Tyranny.
The submission enjoined in the gospel no plea for it, 39.
W.
Whitby,
(Dr.). Mistakes the meaning of the text 1 Cor. vii. 23, 21; is of the same opinion with Grotius concerning St. Paul's reply to Ananias, 59 n.
Whited wall.
The propriety of that expression of St. Paul, 52.
THE END.
ERRATUM.
Page 47, line 2, for hearsay, read hearing.
Tracts by the same
AUTHOR. Printed for B. WHITE, at HORACE's-HEAD, FLEET-STREET.
I. A Short Treatise on the English Tongue. Being an Attempt to render the Reading and Pronunciation of the same more easy to Foreigners. 1767.
II. Remarks on several very important Prophecies, first Edition, in 1768, (second Edition, 1775.)
This Book contains, 1st, Remarks on the Prophecy of Isaiah vii. 13—16.—That
a Virgin should conceive and bear a Son.
2dly, Remarks on the Nature and Style of prophetical Writings. 3dly, Remarks on the Accomplishment of Isaiah's Prophecy, (vii. 8.)
Within threescore and five Years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a People.
4thly, On the Departure of the
Sceptre
and
Lawgiver
from Judah. 5thly, A Confirmation of the above Remarks by farther Examples drawn from the Prophets, &c.
III. A Representation of the Injustice and dangerous Tendency of
Tolerating Slavery;
or of admitting the least Claim of
Private Property in the Persons of Men
IN ENGLAND. Being an Answer to an Opinion, given in the Year 1729, by the (then) Attorney General and Solicitor General, concerning the Case of
Slaves
in GREAT-BRITAIN. 1769.
This Tract contains many Examples of the monstrous
Iniquity
and
Injustice
of the Plantation Laws respecting Slaves; as also some Account of the gradual Abolition of the ancient English
Slavery
called VILLENAGE, which was at length happily effected by the Wisdom and Perseverance of the English Courts of Common Law.
IV. Remarks concerning the Encroachments on the River Thames near
Durham-Yard.
1771.
V. An Appendix to the Representation of the Injustice and dangerous Tendency of tolerating Slavery. (See Number III.) 1772.
VI. Remarks on the Opinions of some of the most celebrated Writers on CROWN LAW, respecting the due Distinction between
Manslaughter
and
Murder;
shewing that the Indulgence allowed by the Courts to
voluntary Manslaughter
in Rencounters, DUELS, &c. is
indiscriminate
and without Foundation in Law; and is also one of the principal Causes of the Continuance and present Increase of the
base
and
disgraceful
Practice of DUELLING. 1773.
The peculiar Case of
Gentlemen in the Army,
respecting the Practice of DUELLING, is carefully examined in this Tract; as also the Depravity and Folly of
modern Men of Honour
falsely so called.
VII. In two Parts. 1. A Declaration of the People's
Natural Right
to a Share in the Legislature; which is the fundamental Principle of
the British Constitution of State.
2. A Declaration, or Defence, of the
the same Doctrine,
when applied
particularly to
THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND. 1774. (2d Edition, 1775.)
In these two Pieces many Examples and Proofs are produced concerning
the parliamentary Rights of the People;
viz. That the Assent of the People is absolutely necessary to render Laws
valid:
That a
free
and
equal
Representation of the Inhabitants of this Kingdom is necessary for the
Salvation
of the State, and the Security of
Peace
and of
Property:
That the Representatives of the People have no
legal
Right to give assent in any
new Device without Conference with their Countries:
That it is an ancient and just Right of the People to elect a
new
Parliament
every Year once, and more often if Need be;
and that no Regulations whatsoever, wherein the
Representatives
are made
Judges of their two Elections,
can be effectual against national Corruption! Examples are likewise here given of several
surreptitious
STATUTES that are void through the Want of
due legal Assent;
and of Others that are
void
by being unjust and repugnant to
constitutional Principles!
The Danger of keeping
standing Armies
is also demonstrated, and the Wickedness and
Impolicy
of Acting by
national Corruption!
&c. &c.
The following Tracts by the same
AUTHOR ARE Printed for B. WHITE, in FLEET-STREET, and E. and C. DILLY, in the POULTRY.
VIII. The just Limitation of
Slavery
in the
Laws of God,
compared with the unbounded Claims of
the African Traders
and
British American Slave-holders.
To this Piece is added a copious Appendix, containing, An Answer to the Rev. Mr.
Thompson's
Tract in Favour of the
African Slave-Trade.
Letters concerning
the lineal Descent of the Negroes
from the Sons of HAM. The
Spanish
Regulations for the gradual Enfranchisement of Slaves. A Proposal, on the same Principles, for the gradual Enfranchisement of Slaves in
America.
REPORTS of Determinations in the several COURTS OF LAW against Slavery, &c. 1776.
IX. THE LAW
of
PASSIVE OBEDIENCE; or Christian Submission to personal Injuries:
Wherein is shewn that the several Texts of Scripture, which command the entire Submission of
Servants
or
Slaves
to their
Masters,
cannot authorize the
latter to exact an involuntary Servitude,
nor in the least Degree justify the Claims of modern
Slave-holders;
and also that the several Texts, which enjoin
Submission
to
Rulers, Magistrates,
&c. do not in any Respect authorize the dangerous Doctrine of
an unlimited passive Obedience.
X. "THE LAW OF LIBERTY;" or (as it is called in Scripture
by way of Eminence
) "the
Royal Law,
" by which
all Mankind
will certainly
be judged!
XI. THE LAW OF RETRIBUTION; or a serious Warning to
Great-Britain
and her
Colonies,
founded on unquestionable Examples of GOD's temporal Vengeance against Tyrants, Slave-holders, and Oppressors. 1776.
The Examples are selected from Predictions, in the Old-Testament, of
national
Judgements, which (being compared with the actual Accomplishment) demonstrate "the sure Word of Prophecy," as well as the immediate Interposition of divine Providence, to recompence impenitent
Nations
according to their Works.
Tracts, by the same
AUTHOR,
now in the Press for Publication.
XII. A Tract
on the Law of Nature
and Principles of Action in Man.
XIII. THE CASE OF SAUL; being an Appendage to the former Tract, wherein the
compound Nature
and various
Principles of Action in
MAN (with the Reality of
supernatural spiritual Influence,
both
good
and
bad
) are proved by unquestionable Examples from the History of that unfortunate Monarch, and also from many other Parts of Scripture.