suppose　that　God　created　the　universe；　endowed　it　with　certain　　laws　of　development　or　activity；　wound　it　up；　gave　it　a　jog；　set　　it　agoing；　and　then　left　it　to　go　of　itself。　　It　cannot　go　of　　itself；　because　it　does　not　exist　125　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　itself。　　It　did　not　merely　　not　begin　to　exist；　but　it　cannot　continue　to　exist；　without　the　　creative　act。　　Old　Epicurus　was　a　sorry　philosopher；　or　rather；　　no　philosopher　at　all。　　Providence　is　as　necessary　as　creation；　　or　rather；　Providence　is　only　continuous　creation；　the　creative　　act　not　suspended　or　discontinued；　or　not　passing　over　from　the　　creature　and　returning　to　God。
  Through　the　creative　act　man　participates　of　God；　and　he　can　　continue　to　exist；　act；　or　live　only　by　participating　through　it　　of　his　divine　being。　　There　is；　therefore　；　something　of　divinity；　　so　to　speak；　in　every　creature；　and　therefore　it　is　that　God　is　　worshipped　in　his　works　without　idolatry。　　But　he　creates　　substantial　existences　capable　of　acting　as　second　causes。　　Hence；　　in　all　living　things　there　is　in　their　life　a　divine　element　and　　a　natural　element；　in　what　is　called　human　life；　there　are　the　　divine　and　the　human；　the　divine　as　first　and　the　human　as　second　　cause；　precisely　what　the　doctrine　of　the　great　Christian　　theologians　assert　to　be　the　fact　with　all　legitimate　or　real　　government。　　Government　cannot　exist　without　the　efficacious　　presence　of　God　any　more　than　man　himself；　and　men　might　as　well　　attempt　to　build　up　a　world　as　to　attempt　to　found　a　state　　without　126　　　　　　　　　God。　　A　government　founded　on　atheistical　principles　were　　less　than　a　castle　in　the　air。　　It　would　have　nothing　to　rest　on；　　would　not　be　even　so　much　as　〃the　baseless　fabric　of　a　vision；〃　　and　they　who　imagine　that　they　really　do　exclude　God　from　their　　politics　deceive　themselves；　for　they　accept　and　use　principles　　which；　though　they　know　it　not；　are　God。　　What　they　call　abstract　　principles；　or　abstract　forms　of　reason；　without　which　there　were　　no　logic；　are　not　abstract；　but　the　real；　living　God　himself。　　　Hence　government；　like　man　himself；　participates　of　the　divine　　being；　and；　derived　from　God　through　the　people；　it　at　the　same　　time　participates　of　human　reason　and　will；　thus　reconciling　　authority　with　freedom；　and　stability　with　progress。
  The　people；　holding　their　authority　from　God；　hold　it　not　as　an　　inherent　right；　but　as　a　trust　from　Him；　and　are　accountable　to　　Him　for　it。　　It　is　not　their　own。　　If　it　were　their　own　they　　might　do　with　it　as　they　pleased；　and　no　one　would　have　any　right　　to　call　them　to　an　account；　but　holding　it　as　a　trust　from　God；　　they　are　under　his　law；　and　bound　to　exercise　it　as　that　law　　prescribes。　　Civil　rulers；　holding　their　authority　from　God　　through　the　people；　are　accountable　for　it　both　to　Him　and　to　　them。　　If　127　　　　　　　　　　　they　abuse　it　they　are　justiciable　by　the　people　and　　punishable　by　God　himself。
  Here　is　the　guaranty　against　tyranny；　oppression；　or　bad　　government；　or　what　in　modern　times　is　called　the　responsibility　　of　power。　　At　the　same　time　the　state　is　guarantied　against　　sedition；　insurrection；　rebellion；　revolution；　by　the　elevation　　of　the　civic　virtues　to　the　rank　of　religious；　virtues；　and　　making　loyalty　a　matter　of　conscience。　　Religion　is　brought　to　　the　aid　of　the　state；　not　indeed　as　a　foreign　auxiliary；　but　as　　integral　in　the　political　order　itself。　　Religion　sustains　the　　state；　not　because　it　externally　commands　us　to　obey　the　higher　　powers；　or　to　be　submissive　to　the　powers　that　be；　not　because　it　　trains　the　people　to　habits　of　obedience；　and　teaches　them　to　be　　resigned　and　patient　under　the　grossest　abuses　of　power；　but　　because　it　and　the　state　are　in　the　same　order；　and　inseparable；　　though　distinct；　parts　of　one　and　the　same　whole。　　The　church　and　　the　state；　as　corporations　or　external　governing　bodies；　are　　indeed　separate　in　their　spheres；　and　the　church　does　not　absorb　　the　state；　nor　does　the　state　the　church；　but　both　are　from　God；　　and　both　work　to　the　same　end；　and　when　each　is　rightly　　understood　there　is　no　antithesis　or　antagonism　between　them。　　　Men　serve　God　in　serving　the　state　as　128　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　directly　as　in　serving　the　　church。　　He　who　dies　on　the　battle…field　fighting　for　his　country　　ranks　with　him　who　dies　at　the　stake　for　his　faith。　　Civic　　virtues　are　themselves　religious　virtues；　or　at　least　virtues　　without　which　there　are　no　religious　virtues；　since　no　man　who　　loves　not　his　brother　does　or　can　love　God。
  The　guaranties　offered　the　state　or　authority　are　ample；　because　　it　has　not　only　conscience；　moral　sentiment；　interest；　habit；　and　　the　via　inertia　of　the　mass；　but　the　whole　physical　force　of　the　　nation；　at　its　command。　　The　individual　has；　indeed；　only　moral　　guaranties　against　the　abuse　of　power　by　the　sovereign　people；　　which　may　no　doubt　sometimes　prove　insufficient。　　But　moral　　guaranties　are　always　better　than　none；　and　there　are　none　where　　the　people　are　held　to　be　sovereign　in　their　own　native　right　and　　might；　organized　or　unorganized；　inside　or　outside　of　the　　constitution；　as　most　modern　democratic　theorists　maintain；　　since；　if　so；　the　will　of　the　people；　however　expressed；　is　the　　criterion　of　right　and　wrong；　just　and　unjust；　true　and　false；　is　　infallible　and　impeccable；　and　no　moral　right　can　ever　be　pleaded　　against　it；　they　are　accountable　to　nobody；　and；　let　them　do　what　　they　please；　they　can　do　no　wrong。　　This　would　place　the　　individual　at　the　mercy　129　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　the　state；　and　deprive　him　of　all　　right　to　complain；　however　oppressed　or　cruelly　treated。　　This　　would　establish　the　absolute　despotism　of　the　state；　and　deny　　every　thing　like　the　natural　rights　of　man；　or　individual　and　　personal　freedom；　as　has　already　been　shown。　　Now　as　men　do　take　　part　in　government；　and　as　men；　either　individually　or　　collectively；　are　neither　infallible　nor　impeccable；　it　is　never　　to　be　expected；　under　any　possible　constitution　or　form　of　　government；　that　authority　will　always　be　wisely　and　justly　　exercised；　that　wrong　will　ever　be　done；　and　the　rights　of　　individuals　never　in　any　instance　be　infringed；　but　with　the　　clear　understanding　that　all　power　is　of　God；　that　the　political　　sovereignty　is　vested　in　the　people　or　the　collective　body；　that　　the　civil　rulers　hold　from　God　through　them　and　are　responsible　　to　Him　through　them；　and　justiciable　by　them；　there　is　all　the　　guaranty　against　the　abuse　of　power　by　the；　nation；　the　political　　or　organic　people；　that　the　nature　of　the　case　admits。　　The　　nation　may；　indeed；　err　or　do　wrong；　but　in　the　way　supposed　you　　get　in　the　government　all　the　available　wisdom　and　virtue　the　　nation　has；　and　more　is　never；　under　any　form　or　constitution　of　　government；　practicable　or　to　be　expected；
  130　It　is　a　maxim　with　constitutional　statesmen；　that　〃the　king　　reigns；　not　governs。〃　　The　people；　though　sovereign　under　God；　　are　not　the　government。　　The　government　is　in　their　name　and　by　　virtue　of　authority　delegated　from　God　through　them；　but　they　are　　not　it；　are　not　their　own　ministers。　　It　is　only　when　the　people　　forget　this　and　undertake　to　be　their　own　ministers　and　to　manage　　their　own　affairs　immediately　by　themselves　instead　of　selecting　　agents　to　do　it　for　them；　and　holding　their　agents　to　a　strict　　account　for　their　management；　that　they　are　likely　to　abuse　their　　power　or　to　sanction　injustice。　　The　nation　may　be　misled　or　　deceived　for　a　moment　by　demagogues；　those　popular　courtiers；　but　　as　a　rule　it　is　disposed　to　be　just　and　to　respect　all　natural　　rights。　　The　wrong　is　done　by　individuals　who　assume　to　speak　in　　their　name；　to　wield　their　power；　and　to　be　themselves　the　state。　　　L'etat；　c'est　moi。　I　am　the　state；　said　Louis　XIV。　of　France；　and　while　that　was　conceded　the　French　nation　could　have　in　its　　government　no　more　wisdom　or　virtue　than　he　possessed；　or　at　　least　no　more　than　he　could　appreciate。　　And　under　his　government　　France　was　made　responsible　for　many　deeds　that　the　nation　would　　never　have　sanctioned；　if　it　bad　been　recognized　as　the　　deposi…　131　　　　　　　tary　of　the　national　sovereignty；　or　as　the　French　state；　　and　answerable　to　God　for　the　use　it　made　of　political　power；　or　　the　conduct　of　its　government。
  But　be　this　as　it　may；　there　evidently　can　be　no　physical　force　　in　the　nation　to　coerce　the　nation　itself　in　case　it　goes　wrong；　　for　if　the　sovereignty　vests　in　the　nation；　only　the　nation　can　　rightly　command　or　authorize　the　employment　of　force；　and　all　　commissions　must　run　in　its　name。　　Written　constitutions　alone　　will　avail　little；　for　they　emanate　from　the　people；　who　can　　disregard　them；　if　they　choose；　and　alter　or　revoke　them　at　will。　　　The　reliance　for　the　wisdom　and　justice　of　the　state　must　after　　all　be　on　moral　guaranties。　　In　the　very　nature　of　the　case　there　　are　and　can　be　no　other。　　But　these；　placed　in　a　clear　light；　　with　an　intelligent　and　religious　people；　will　seldom　be　found　　insufficient。　　Hence　the　necessity　for　the　protection；　not　of　　authority　simply　or　chiefly；　but　of　individual　rights　and　the　　liberty　of　religion　and　intelligence　in　the　nation；　of　the　　general　understanding　that　the　nation　holds　its　power　to　gove