need of the correctionary measures by the chiefs: law is not made for the righteous man (1 Tim. i. 9). But if vicious people were not restrained by fear of the chiefs, they would fill the cities with endless calamities. Knowing this, Paul said: There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained by God (Rom. xiii. 1). What the crossbeams are in the houses, the chiefs are in the cities. Destroy them, the walls will fall to pieces and crumble: thus, if the chiefs and the fear which they cause were to be taken away from the world, the houses, and cities, and nations would with great boldness fall upon each other, for there would not be any one to restrain and stop them and by the threat of punishment to compel them to keep the peace.” (pp. 585 and 586.)
118. God provides for individuals. Proved by Holy Scripture.
119. God provides mainly for the righteous: solution of a perplexity. The perplexity is, why are the righteous unhappy? The answer is, that they receive their rewards beyond the grave.
120. Manner in which God provides for man, and connection with the next part. There are two methods of divine providence: natural and supernatural.
121. The moral application of the dogma:
“Himself ruling the kingdoms of earth, the Highest himself puts kings over them, by means of a mysterious anointment imparts power and dominion to his chosen ones, and crowns them in honour and glory for the good of the nations. Hence it is the duty of each son of his country: (a) to stand in awe before his monarch, as before the anointed one of God; (b) to love him as the common father, given by the Highest for the great family of the nation, and weighted down with cares about the happiness of one and all; (c) to obey him as one who is clothed in power from above, and ruling and guided by God in his affairs of state; (d) to pray for the king that the Lord
