Benjamin Hoadly

“ And here again, how would some, who pretend to found their notions of these matters upon this very apostle, have reprehended any other man in the same circumstances? Answerest thou the vicegerents of God so? Where is the profound respect due to that order instituted by God himself? Where is the sense of the duty of subjects? Nay, where is government itself, if subjects may be allowed to judge of the invasion of their own privileges, and if law's must be placed above the determinations of the executive power? ”

“ Let our government by laws be the chief object of our worldly concern: and as we value that, let our value and estimation rise for the supreme head, and every branch of the executive power, under which we live so happy and easy at home, whilst they all join in making the laws the measure of their whole administration. ”

“ Let this move us more than the fallacious disputations of those who are continually declaiming against this happiness, and endeavouring to persuade us to change it for another sort of government; arguing the benefit of this to ourselves, and the right to it in others. And, lest we should not be moved to a change, the argument is sometimes turned, and we are to be informed, that our whole notion of liberty is a mistaken chimera and nonsense; that whereas we think we have laws to govern us, it is only the will of the executive which rules ”

“ But above all, let our thankfulness at this time rise to the great Disposer of all events, who hath given us a farther prospect of the continuance of the same happiness to future generations, by a great and important victory abroad, in which Justice, Laws, and Liberty, have triumphed ever Injustice and Arbitrary Power; and which we may reasonably look upon as a growing security of our good estate against the designs and attempts of all who fight against it both at home and abroad: which God grant it may be, for the sake of Jesus Christ, &c. ”

“ Paul could have borne this usage with as great Christian patience, and Roman fortitude, as any man living: and no man knew the true glory of suffering wrongfully better than he. But instead of this, he seems to think it a much more becoming part to insist upon those civil privileges which the laws of the state entitled him to, as he was free of the city of Rome. Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? ”

“ But is it not very unaccountable, that blessings should be undervalued by weak men or that security which should recommend them; nay, that curses should be invited down from Heaven in the room of them? That when the inconveniences of absolute monarchy made men first fly to laws for refuge, they should ever fly back again from what they must acknowledge their happiness, and call for that absolute power to dispense with these laws, which these laws were purposely designed and instituted to controul and confine? ”

“ His Christianity did not make him forget that he was Roman: and as a Roman he judged that he had the privileges of a Roman: and these his christianity did not oblige him to give up to any mortal, as long as he could with honour keep them. The possibility of his mistaking in this, in which he acted not as an apostle, was no argument to him, against this right: nor did the weakness of other men's judgements prevail with him not to set them an example of judging in the like circumstances. ”

“ But it is very plain, that as no man was more zealous for the honour and veneration of such magistrates as answer the ends of their office, which is the support of human society; so no man could express a more hearty dislike of those who acted a contrary part; or a greater concern for the temporal good estate of subjects, even amidst his continual labours and cares for the eternal happiness of all men. ”

“ Paul who will not bear it from others, that rights and privileges, liberty and property, and the like, are not words fitted only to raise the spirits of the people, and to foment disturbances in society ”

“ As laws therefore have turned the desart of this world into a paradise, and the wildness of mankind into human society: so let us of this kingdom acknowledge our part in this happiness to be much above that of others ”

“ Nor is it a small satisfaction to speak upon this subject before those who understand the value and importance of wholesome laws; and know how to scorn all the homage or respect of men but what results from an unbiased and uninterrupted administration of justice. ”