228 THE VEEY REV. H. WAGE, D.D._, ON AUTHORITY. 



now no real existence, and which has had none for at least 

 1,400 years, is simply to shelter the spirit of disohedience under 

 an imaginary and fictitious ideal. 



But if no such visible authority in matters of doctrine and 

 practice can be found in tlie Church, it is certain that it can be 

 found nowhere else, and in fact no other institution claims to 

 possess it. No one but the Pope claims to be infallible. We 

 acknowledge that even General Councils may err, and every 

 secular authority would admit a similar impeachment. Yet 

 for the practical guidance of mankind, and for the due control 

 of human society, it is essential that there should be recognized 

 standards of right and wrong, which exact a practical authority 

 among us. How are such standards to be established, and in 

 what custody are they to be maintained ? To hnd an answer 

 to this question we must recur to the fact that the Divine hand 

 and voice, which are the only ultimate authority, are to be found 

 in all great human organizations. That authority is to be found 

 in its most immediate moral action in the Church. It is to be 

 found also, in only less immediate, but not less direct action, 

 in the State ; and the natural authority, which, by the universal 

 practice of mankind, is inherent in the governing powers of such 

 States, must be regarded as Divine because it is, in the best 

 sense, natural. It is a very remarkable fact that no State and 

 no government has ever yet been established with the avowed 

 intention of upholding wrong or immorality. The most iniquit- 

 ous governments in practice that have evtr existed have been 

 obliged, by the very law of their nature, to claim to be established 

 on righteous principles and for righteous ends. There is thus 

 a universal testimony on tlie part of human nature that States, 

 no less than Churches, exist for the enforcement of Divine laws 

 of right and wrong, and consequently that there is an inherent 

 authority in their rulers. This is the principle asserted by the 

 inspired authority of St. Paul when he says that " there is no 

 power but of God ; the powers that be are ordained of God 

 . . . For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the 

 evil." 



That is the ideal of all secular government, and any ruling 

 power which fails to make this its chief object is false to its 

 great trust. It follows that every individual who is subject to a 

 government, whether in Church or State, is subject to a Divinely 

 established authority, and is bound to live and act in a spirit of 

 deference to it. But, at the same time, since none of these 

 authorities are inlallible, occasions cannot but arise when each 

 may fall into error, and attempt to enforce rules of conduct which 



