Wesley Corpus

Nor need they enjoin what God hath commanded. Upon the whole, we agree that Christ is the only “supreme Judge and Lawgiver in the Church;” I may add, and in the world; for “there is no power,” no secular power, “but of God;” of God who “was manifested in the flesh, who is over all, blessed for ever.” But we do not at all agree in the inference which you would draw therefrom, namely, that there is no subordinate judge or lawgiver in the Church. You may just as well infer, that there is no subordinate judge or lawgiver in the world. Yea, there is, both in the one and the other. And in obeying these subordinate powers, we do not, as you aver, renounce the Supreme; no, but we obey them for his sake. We believe, it is not only innocent, but our bounden duty, so to do; in all things of an indifferent nature to submit our selves “to every ordinance of man;” and that “for the Lord's sake;” because we think he has not forbidden but expressly commanded it. Therefore, “as a genuine fruit of our allegi ance to Christ,” we submit both to the King and governors sent by him, so far as possibly we can, without breaking some plain command of God. And you have not yet brought any plain command to justify that assertion, that “we may not submit either to the King, or to governors sent by him, in any circumstance relating to the worship of God.” Here is a plain declaration, “There is no power but of God; the powers that exist are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power,” (without an absolute necessity, which in things indifferent there is not,) “resisteth the ordinance of God.” And here is a plain command grounded thereon: “Let every soul be subject to the higher powers.” Now, by what scripture does it appear, that we are not to be subject in any thing pertaining to the worship of God? This is an exception which we cannot possibly allow, without clear warrant from holy writ. And we apprehend, those of the Church of Rome alone can decently plead for such an exception.