02.04. Chapter 4 - Verse 12

James 4:12. There is one lawgiver, that is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

He persisteth in the same argument. God the lawgiver is the only judge; and who art thou that thou invadest or usurpest his office?

There is one lawgiver.—But you will say, We can name many others, Lycurgus, Zaleucus, Solon, &c., many who had also potestatem vitœ et necis, power of life and death, and many now that make and dispense laws. How is this sentence true? I answer Grotius supposeth the apostle intendeth Christ by this expression, in opposition to Moses, as arguing against those that would continue the use of the ceremonies, and observe difference between days and meats, &c. Now saith he, we in the Christian church have but one lawgiver, Christ, and not Moses. These must not be yoked and coupled together. But this is too argute, and offereth too much force to the context. More probably, then, he meaneth—(1.) That there is but one absolute and supreme lawgiver, whose will is the rule of justice. Others are directed by an external rule, and prudent considerations of equity and safety, and therein they are but as God’s deputies and substitutes, either in church or commonwealth: 2 Chronicles 19:6, ‘Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; the Lord is with you in the matter of judgment.’ (2.) In spiritual things none else can give laws to the conscience. In external policy the laws and edicts of men are to be observed. But he speaketh of the internal government of the conscience, where God alone jndgeth by the word; for he speaketh against those that in indifferent things would set up their own will as a rule of sin or duty. Observe:—

Obs. That God alone can give laws to the conscience. So Isaiah 33:22, ‘The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.’ Take them in a spiritual sense, and the words are exclusive: God, and no other, our only judge, our only lawgiver, &c. God only knoweth the conscience, and therefore God only must judge it, and give laws to it. God only can punish the conscience for sin, and therefore he only can make a sin. It is the privilege of his word to ‘convert the soul,’ Psalms 19:1-14.

Object. There may be an objection framed against this doctrine out of Romans 13:5, where it is said, ‘Wherefore ye must be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience’ sake.’ So that men’s commands seem to oblige the conscience.

Sol. I answer—They do in a sort, but not in that order and manner that God’s do. (1.) Not directly and immediately, but by the intervention of God’s command. As a Christian is bound to perform all civil duties upon reasons of religion, we are bound in conscience, though human laws under that quatenus do not bind conscience. So 1 Peter 2:13, ‘Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.’ It is God’s command that bindeth my conscience to observe man’s. So Ecclesiastes 8:2. ‘I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God;’ that is, not only for fear of men, but chiefly for wronging thy conscience towards God. (2.) Not so universally and unlimitedly. I must obey God intuitu voluntatis, upon the bare sight of his will; but I must examine the laws of men, whether they be just, equal, suiting with charity and public safety; and in many cases active obedience must be withheld. Peter and the apostles said, Acts 5:29, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’ Many such cases there are; but now towards God conscience is bound, though it can see no reason for it, no good from it. (3.) Not so absolutely. Whatever God commandeth, I am bound to do it even in secret, though it be to my absolute prejudice; but now submission to man may be performed by suffering the penalty, though the obedience required be forborne; and in some cases a man may do contrary in private, where the thing is indifferent, and there is no danger of scandal and contempt of authority. Well, then, hear no voice but God’s in your consciences, no doctrines in the church but Christ’s. When they brought in foreign doctrines, it is said, they ‘did not hold the head,’ Colossians 2:19. No offices, institutions, and worship must be allowed but such as he hath appointed. Antiquity without scripture is no sure rule to walk by. We must not look what others did before us, but what Christ did before them all.¹ So not the authority of the church; she is ‘the pillar and ground of truth,’ 1 Timothy 3:15, sensu forensi’ non architectonico; that is, to hold forth Christ’s mind, as a post doth a king’s proclamation. Some power the church hath in rites of decency, and expediency, and order, by virtue of that general canon, 1 Corinthians 14:40 (though that text carrieth the face of a restraint rather than an allowance, and doth not so much enlarge as moderate church power, as I have elsewhere cleared), but in the main matters the church can only declare laws, not make them; and though in matters indifferent she can direct to what is suitable to order and decency, yet those directions should be so managed that they do not take away the nature of the thing; and though Christian liberty be restrained, it must not be infringed. It is the injury of antichrist to usurp an authority over the church of God; and this is the very spirit of antiChristianism, to give laws to the conscience. Calvin² saith, Men would have us more modest than to call the Pope Antichrist; but as long as he doth exercise a tyranny over the conscience, we shall never give over that term; nay, we shall go further, saith he, and call those members of antichrist that take such snares upon their consciences. The setting up another lawgiver is properly antiChristianism; for then there is one head set against another, and human authority against divine. It is Paul’s character of Antichrist: 2 Thessalonians 2:4, that ‘he as God sitteth in the temple of God;’ that is, making himself absolute lord of consciences, bringing them to his obedience, working them to his advantage.

¹ ‘Non attendendum quid alii ante nos fecerint, sed quid Dominus, qui ante omnes.’—Cyprian Epist. de Eucharist.

² Calvinus in locum. Who is able to save and to destroy.—It noteth God’s absolute power to do with man either temporally or spiritually as he pleaseth. This power is everywhere given to God: Deuteronomy 32:39, ‘See now, that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and heal; and there is none able to take out of my hand,’ So 1 Samuel 2:6, and Isaiah 43:13. Note hence:—

Obs. 1. That absolute supremacy becometh none but him that hath absolute power. The power of magistrates is limited by the will of God, because they depend upon him, and can do nothing but as they are enabled and authorised by him, John 19:11.

Obs. 2. God hath an absolute and supreme power on men, and can dispose of them according to his will and pleasure. And therefore we must—(1.) Keep close to his laws with more fear and trembling; there is no escaping this judge, 1 Corinthians 10:22. Eternal life and eternal death are in his disposal, Matthew 10:28. (2.) Observe them with more encouragement; live according to Christ’s laws, and he is able to protect you: Psalms 68:20, ‘Our God is the God of salvation, and to him be long the issues of death.’ He can save his people, and he hath many ways to bring his enemies to ruin. Your friend is the most dreadful enemy; he ‘hath the keys of death and hell,’ Revelation 1:18. (3.) Be the more humbled in case of breach of his laws. Oh! what will you do with this lawgiver, who, with the rebuke of his countenance, can turn you into hell? see Ezekiel 22:14. Have you courage and strength enough to withstand God? What will you do with him that is ‘able to save and destroy?’ Wool overcometh the strokes of iron by yielding to them. There is no way left but submission and humble addresses. He may be overcome by faith, but not by power: Isaiah 27:5, ‘Take hold of his strength, and you may make peace with him.’ By humble supplications you may ‘prevail with God as princes.’ Who art thou that judgest another? that is, what a distance is there between thee and God! what a sorry judge to him! You have the same question, Romans 14:4.

Obs. It is good to shame pride with the consideration of God’s glory, and our own baseness. He is ‘able to save and to destroy;’ but ‘who art thou?’ &c.