Vol. LX.-No. 4 August, 1955 THE Free Presbyterian Magazine AND MONTHLY RECORD (Issued by a Committee of the Free Presbyterian Synod.) " Thou hast given a bamwr to them that fear Thee, that it lIwy be displayed beca'U-se of the tnbth "-Ps. Ix. 4. CONTENTS page Duties We Owe to Civil Magistrates ... ... 97 The General Assemblies ... ... .. ... 101 Two Famous Christian Brothers ... ... ... 113 The late Mrs. Connell, King's Parl<, Glasgow ... 117 Searmonan .. ... .. .... ... .. 118 Literary Notice ... ... ... ... ... 120 Notes and Comments 121 Church Notes ... .. ... .. .. ... 124 Acknowledgment of Donations .. ... ... 125 Financial Statement ... ......... ... 126 Printed by N. Adshead & Son, Ltd., 13 Dundas Place, Glasgow. Price 5d. Post Free 6d. Annual Subscription 6/· prepaid, post free. THE Srtt ~rt5bpttrian .fflaga~int AND MONTHLY RECORD. VOL. LX. August, 1955. No. 4 Duties We Owe to Civil Magistrates. IN chapter eight of the Book of Proverbs there are many great truths recorded concerning wisdom. And as Matthew Henry asserts, "Wisdom here is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." But the internal evidence of this fact is to be found in the words of wisdom recorded in this chapter, viz., "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was" (verse 23); and there is more doctrine to the same purpose throughout the ehapter. For instance, relevant to our present notes, Christ, or 'Wisdom, declares, "By me kings reign and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth" (verses 15, 16). And the late Rev. A. A. Hodge, D.D., in his commentary on The Confessiotn of Faith, in dealing with the chapter on "The Civil Magistrate," makes the following statement :-" God as Creator, as revealed in the light of nature, has established Civil government among men from the beginning, and among all peoples and nations, of all ages and generations. But in the development of the plan of Redemption, the God Man, as Mediatorial King, has assumed the government of the universe. As the universe constitutes one physical and moral system, it was necessary that His headship as Mediator should extend to the whole and to every department thereof, in order that all things should work together for good to His people and for His glory " We will now quote from The Confession of Faith, chapter xxiii., which deals with "The Civil Magistrate." Firstly, Section 1:­ "God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him over the people, for his own glory and the public good; and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil doers." Now, secondly, Section 4 :-"It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honour their persons, to pay them tribute, and other dues; to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for conscience sake " D 98 Fl'ee Pl'esbyterian Magazine. ----------------" -- --- The appropriate Scripture passag'es are given in reference to these Confessional statements and doctrines in any full copy of The Con­ fession of Faith. For instance, in the case of Section 1, quoted above, the Epistle to the Romans, chapter xiii., verses 1 to 4, are given. And in regard to this part of the Epistle to the Romans, we would here­ with give some extracts from a commentary on the Romans by the late Charles Hodge, D,D., Professor of Theology, Princeton, D.S.A. Re begins by saying that from verse 1 to verse 7 inclusive the Apostle enforces the duties which we owe to civil magistrates. "The duty of obedience to those in authority is enforced (1) By the consideration that civil government is a divine institution and, therefore, resistance to magistrates in the exercise of their lawful authority is disobedience to God: verses 1, 2. (2) From the end or design of their appointment, which is to promote the good of society, to be a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well: verses 3, 4. (3) Because such subjection is a moral as well as civil duty: verse 5. On these grounds the payment of tribute or taxes and general deference are to be cheerfully rendered: verses 6, 7." We now give eA'iracts from the commentary itself as follows:­ Verse 1 : Let every soul be s"UJbject to the higher powers. "The expres­ sion every soul is often used as equivalent to everyone. By hvgher powers are most commonly and naturally understood those in authority without reference to their grade of office or their character. "\Ve are not only to be subject to the supreme magistrates, but to all who have authority over us. The abstract word powers or OtUthorities is used for those who are invested with power. The word rendered hig'her is applied to anyone who, in dignity and authority, excels us. In Peter ii. 13, it is applied to the king as supreme, i.e. superior to all other magistrates. Magistrates are spoken of as being ovel' other men who are not in office. Obedience is enjoined on the ground of their official station." "There was peculiar necessity, during the apostolic age, for incul­ cating the duty of obedience to civil magistrates. This necessity arose in part from the fact that a large portion of the converts to Chris­ tianity had been Jews, and were peculiarly indisposed to submit to the heathen authorities. This indisposition arose from the pTevailing impression among them that this subjection was unlawful or at least highly derogatory to their character as the people of God. It was a question, therefore, constantly agitated among them, 'Is it lawful to pay tribute unto Caesar or not?' A question which the great majority were at least secretly inclined to answer in the negative. They were continually breaking out into tumults, which led to their expulsion from Rome, and finally to the utter destruction of J eru­ salem. It is therefore not a matter of surprise that converts from among such a people should need the injunction, 'Be subject to the higher powers.''' Duties We OW'e to Civil Magistrates. 99 ----- For there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. "This is a very comprehensive proposition. All authority is of God. No man has any rightful power over other men which is not derived from God. All human power is delegated and ministerial. This is true of parents, of magistrates, and of Church officers. Every magistrate is of God. That is, his authority is of God. 'The higher powers' and 'the powers that be' are terms meaning those invested with power. Compare verses 3' and 4, where , rulers' and 'ministers' are substituted for the abstract 'powers.' The doctrine here taught is the ground of the injunction contained in the first clause of the verse. We are to obey magistrates because they derive their authority from God. Not only is human govern­ ment a divine institution, but the form in which that government exists, and the persons by whom its functions are exercised, are determined by His providence. All magistrates of whatever grade are to be regarded as acting by divine appointment; not that God designates the individuals, but it being His will that there should be magistrates, every person who is in point of fact clothed with autho­ rity is to be regarded as having a claim to obedience, founded on the will of God. In like manner, the authority of parents over their children, of masters over their servants, is of God's ordination. There is no limitation to the injunction in the verse, so far as the objects of obedience are concerned, although there is as to the extent of the obedience itself. The aetual reigning emperor was to be obeyed by the Roman Christians, whatever they might think as to his title to the sceptre. But if he transcended his authority, and required them to worship idols, they were to obey God rather than men. This is the limitation to all human authority. Whenever obedience to man is inconsistent with obedience to God, then disobedience becomes a duty." Verse 2: Whoso, thm'efore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. "This is an obvious inference from the doctrine of the preceding verse. If it is the will of God that there should be civil government, and persons appointed to exercise authority over others, it is plain that to resist sueh persons in the exercise of their lawful authority is an act of disobedience to God." .And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. "Tlhis also is an obvious conclusion from the preceding. If disobedience is a sin it will be punished. The word rendered dJamnation means simply sentence, judicial decision; whether favourable or adverse, depends on the context. Here it is plain it means a sentence of con­ demnation. He shall be condemned, and by implication, punished. 'Paul does not refer to the punishment which the civil magistrate may inflict; for he is speaking of disobedience to those in authority as a sin against God, which He will punish." 100 F1·ee Presbyterian Magazine. How clear these Scriptures and the expositions of Dr. Charle~ Hodge, D.D., make our duty with regard to the civil magistrate! And it is the fact, that in these present times, when it srems that there is in many sections of society a disregard for authority, that God will in His own manner and season, punish all such as are wilfully guilty of such sinful disregard.