Authority being farther removed from its object's superintendence than the last mentioned, may be considered as still more foreign property; that being only felt or conceived in this case which in that was published and expressed. And herein also a distinction may be made answering to the two spirits, soft and aspirate, used in pronunciation; as first, authority, favour, credit, influence, 2, authority, power, dominion: the spirit of the first named in either association being denoted by its associates, whether mild and persuasive, or harsh and compulsive; that the authority of the father or sage, and this of the civil government; both emanating from one source; and the property of both either too good to be in other men's keeping, or of too serious an import to be at their disposal, though its object or owner may not know well how to help it.

1, Considering first the first of these two sorts of authority, or that of a soft spirit, as it seems; persuasive authority, the authority of Favour, Credit, and Influence, it will appear that as this authority tends not only to assist our operations, but also to enhance their effect when complete, it may be desirable sometimes, so far as these conse quences may be desirable; and so far only. For sometimes our operations were better let alone perhaps; and their success, as well as the authority by which it was furthered, so far to be deprecated: since many a man has helped himself into mischief and disgrace by virtue of his own authority, and through the great credit and influence that he happened to have with some who were proud to assist him. For nothing disarms the judgment more than authority; but it saves a world of pains to the indolent; and thus many lose THE BENEFIT OF CONTRADICTION Who stand greatly in need of it; being blind leaders of the blind. "And if the blind lead the blind (says our Saviour) both shall fall into the ditch" (Mat. xv. 14). Which shews, that undue authority is more to be dreaded than desired on either side.

Authority is a very becoming weapon for the wiser and more enterprising members of society: only let them take care how they use it. Authority is also a dangerous weapon for any but the wisest to use: let us also take care therefore how we concede it too far in any shape. For if it be true, that trusting in some cases is both useful and necessary; it is equally true, that the more enterprising are not always the wiser men, nor the most trusted the most deserving of trust: but frequently men of very plain intellects will venture to usurp an authority and influence that nature never designed for them; and sometimes very unfeeling and otherwise contemptible upstarts will be allowed to domineer too, only through their wickedness and insolence by foolish persons not having the fear of God, nor a due regard for their own preservation and dignity. We should neither trust nor distrust without good reason; but keep a judgment evenly suspended, until we know well where to bestow, or where to reserve, our authority and confidence.

For there are several casts of this mild species of authority, besides favour, credit, consideration and influence above mentioned, but all partaking more or less of one feature, a willingness in the subject to concede them; though the authority that some men appear to exercise over the minds of others, may look almost like fascination or witchcraft; as they appear to rule without power, and to persuade without argument, no one knows how; while the effect is still visible, especially in public meetings, and popular commotions. But it ought not to require any effort of witchcraft, nor any great sacrifice of property either, to gain that sort of mild dominion over others. called Favour, and sometimes Esteem, when rather intellectual: since a man by shewing clearly the effect of this principle on himself might do enough, one should think, to win over other subjects to the same, v. g., by shewing favour to himself, which does not put him out of his way. "For while he lived (says the Psalmist, speaking

of some great favourite, but not with him,)—while he lived, he counted himself an happy man: and so LONG AS THOU DOEST WELL UNTO THYSELF MEN WILL SPEAK GOOD OF THEE" (Ps. xlix. 18), that is in their way, and so will the Highest Authority when thou doest well unto thyself in his.

Else, it should also be remembered, the same danger and woe which often attend universal applause, may also attend this silent property of favour, and in a greater degree. For the danger of human applause is, that of withdrawing our regard from the notice and approbation of that Highest Authority: and whenever this happens, it will be clearly the beginning of woe. If moreover so empty a present as fair words can entice us from our duty and interest, the more sensible demonstrations of favour, credit, consideration, influence and other species of mild authority must have a more sensible effect in that, as in any other way. Would to God, that they who are studious of favour, credit, and the like, could pursue such things in a quarter where the acquisition is greater, and the danger less! that they would study to approve themselves always to Him who is always near them, and therefore most able to do justice to their deserts! Indeed, without such a witness, a man of more than common worth could never reap his due share of credit. For such worth surpasses the conception of the multitude, in the first place; and, in the next place, if every one could be a judge of worth like that man's when known, they could not have the means of knowing it, without following him through all his private walks, and observing all his actions, the most private, as well as the most conspicuous. And, at the same time, it may be said of the favour or credit which has been described in comparison with that which is now commended, as our Saviour said of fear (Luke xii. 4), and his apostles, Peter and John, of obedience,—Which is best worth minding? I wonder which is to be minded most, the favour of the whole world, or the favour of Him who made it!

Pursuing our comparison, there are also other rates of human favour only, besides the forementioned; for instance: First, the favour of the righteous will have one rate, and that of the wicked another: that, to be valued in a degree next to the favour of the Most High, to which indeed it is also allied; this to be valued in as low a degree as possible, or rather, to be suspected and feared, without any regard to the quality of the subject: and next; the favour of many at once is more useful, more honourable, and less irksome than the favour of a few, or perhaps of only one, except the One aforesaid, and consequently rate higher. Give us therefore the favour of the people, and the blessings of the poor, before the favour of the great; and the favour of our sincere friends, before that of princes: and still the favour of that One, before all. For people need not at last be very solicitous about any sort of human favour; since comparing these two points together, v. g. the importance of such acquisitions as favour, and the rest above mentioned, with the expence of maintaining, and the uncertainty of retaining them, we shall not find the same intrinsically deserving of all that solicitude with which they are wont to be regarded, and those enormous sacrifices with which they are so often conciliated.

It is only for their relative or occasional importance that these good incidentals, as we must consider them, or any of the kind can be desirable. Honour and distinction, credit and authority, reputation, fame, &c.; favour, homage, and every thing of the sort, is what no man should desire from men, except for the honour of God, and for the good of his fellow servants, as well as for his To desire these incidentals, without such ulterior objects, were not only foolish and absurd, but treasonable and impious, considering whom they properly belong to.

own.

2, The other description of authority, which is coercive in its effect, in its manner more harsh than that just described, and in its enunciation more aspirate, being the authority of Power, Jurisdiction and Dominion, armed with

terrors, and secured by enactments, which make the same to be Power in fact, and its object a Prince; as we say a prince is one in authority, may therefore be considered as power. But by Power, we are here to understand, not an ingredient of the owner or object, but his image or apprehension impressed on the subjects of such power, or those who yield it, and with whom it is situated; as a man's corn and hay are yielded to him by the land in which they grow. It is moral rather than physical power that makes coercive authority. For what they call physical power, being only single-handed, is nothing except in romance, until it derives an accession of weight from the sword, the poniard, the gibbet, and other foreign sources, to make it terribly moral, and give it the effect of this unpleasant authority. Yet this, as well as the persuasive sort, and every other kind of moral influence must centre at last in the imagination of their subjects, which is also the immediate seat of the divine authority: and where the imagination will not yield to one in authority, he can have no power, or none however of a moral kind over its owner or subject, but what is very imperfect.

In the moral and most material respect therefore, Jesus was clearly superior to Pilate, while he was subject in a physical for the salvation of mankind; as he told him, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above" (John xix. 11). Which was as much as to say, Directly, Pilate, thou hast no power against me, for my spirit is superior to thy influence; but indirectly thou hast a power that seems unfavourable to me, inasmuch as others are sufficiently thy slaves to take away my life, for fear of thee: so the fear of thee hath undone me" (Ps. lxxxviii. 16). That the tyrant had no perfect or direct authority over his innocent victim, was clearly proved by his "enduring the cross, and despising the shame" (Heb. xii. 2), as numbers of his early followers did, and continued to do, till at length the cross began to triumph; suffering to triumph against violence! And

66