day no. 17,482: luciferian presumption

"That a man's servant may be wiser than his master, that he may be more just than his master, that he may see what is more profitable and necessary to be done than his master, as commonly happens: and therefor he may have some apparent cause to alter or break his masters commandment. But to say that any creature is, or that any creature would seem in word or deed, to be more wise than God, more just than God, more prudent and circumspect than God, or knows what is better for the creature than the Creator Himself (as it must be said, that He does, that takes upon himself to break or dispense with God's will and commandment) what a horrible blasphemy is it? What Luciferian presumption is it?" — John Ponet, A Short Treatise on Political Power

No earthly authority is absolute. It is easy to imagine a command you cannot in good conscience obey or a prohibition you must in good conscience break. Anyone can see the caveats when saying things like, "Children, obey your father and mother," (unless they command something God forbids or forbid something God commands), "Wives, obey your husbands," (unless they command something God forbids or forbid something God commands), and "Servants, obey your masters," (unless they command something God forbids or forbid something God commands).

So, why is it hard for some to see the same logic when it comes to the magistrate? He can see the caveats when he surveys the landscape, but misses them when it comes to himself. He should not be obeyed without exception. He should only be obeyed inasmuch as he is commanding what God commands and forbidding what God forbids, but if he gets out of his lane, he should not be obeyed. He is not God and He is not a priest or a prophet. Kings are not owed unquestioned allegiance, and to Ponet's point, neither should they expect, or even worse, demand it. That is the kind of presupposing that rivals only Satan.