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It Is Impious For Human Authorities To Trespass On God’s Order
William Warburton (1698-1779)
What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder (Matthew 19:6)
GOD, as Creator of the World, is Author of the constitution of Nature ; and as moral Governor of the World, he is Author of the constitution of Grace. It is impiety, therefore, in man to attempt any alterations in either System: whether it be by putting asunder what God hath joined together, the crime here forbidden; or by joining together what God hath put asunder; which is generally the next step in this progress of human folly.
For when men have dissolved the established combinations made by God, their preceding interests invite them, or their subsequent necessities draw them on, to make others of their own.
I shall first explain the Precept of my text in its general import: and then consider it as applied to the particular occasion on which it was delivered.
Amongst the more important combinations in the constitution of Nature, God hath joined together, as Cause And Effect, Virtue and Happiness, Vice and Misery.
Now should the Civil Magistrate so far forget his office of God's Delegate, as to annex rewards to Vice, and punishment to Virtue, he would incur the double guilt of putting asunder what God hath joined together, and of joining together what he had put asunder.
Again, God hath joined together, as Relative And Correlative, Children's obedience to their Parents, and Parents' care and support of their Children. Here too should the Civil Magistrate, like the Jewish Priests with their Corban, infringe upon the first, on pretence that the Public had need of all the Children's service; and on the latter, on pretence that it hath need of the purses of the Parent; he would be equally guilty of this impiety.
All attempts to separate what God hath joined together in the constitution of Grace hath the same wickedness and folly. God hath joined together, as the foundation and superstructure of one Church in Christ, the Jewish and the Gospel dispensations.
But should Particulars, when embarrassed and perplexed with difficulties arising from certain circumstances in the Jewish History and Religion, presume to violate this connexion, by denying any necessary dependence of Christianity upon it: what would this be but the profane separation here condemned?
Again, God hath joined together, As The Gift And The Condition Of It, Belief in Jesus the Messiah, and everlasting life. A connexion, which, in the language of Divines, is called justifying Faith. But should Particulars, from their ignorance, their imperfect conception of the true naturt of the Christian dispensation, or from the injury which the abuse of this doctrine hath occasioned to virtue and morality, venture to deny that it is faith alone which justifies, such men would assuredly incur all the guilt of this impious separation.
This is but a small specimen of the numerous cases which might be given of the folly and perversity of men, in rebelling against God, and violating the constitution of Nature, and the economy of Grace.
But it is enough to shew what mischiefs attend, and what impieties accompany, the separating by human will, or by human Authority, what God by his will, or his nature, hath joined and united.
For what can be conceived more destructive than to violate the settled order of things; or more impious than to counterwork the designs of Him who established that order?
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