,transcriber's ,note3        ,every     
effort has been made to replicate this  
text as faithfully as      possible4    
,italic text has been marked with       
underscores4                            
,,the ,,duty ,,of ,,submission ,,to     
,,civil                                 
,,authority4                            
,a ,,sermon1               ,,preached   
,,in ,,the ,,parish ,,church ,,of       
,,bradfield1 ,,berks1                   
,,on                           ,,sunday1
 ,,november #bh1 #ahcj1                 
,,on                       ,,occasion   
,,of ,,the ,,late ,,disturbances        
,,in ,,that ,,neighbourhood4            
,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,j4 ,f4 ,,moor1 ,m4,a4
                                        
,,london3                               
,,published ,,by ,,james ,,nisbet1      
#ba1 ,,berners ,,street2                
,,and ,,sold ,,by ,j4 ,,rusher1         
,,reading4                              
,,mdcccxxx4       ,should any ,profits  
arise from the ,sale of this ,sermon1   

they will                    be devoted 
to ,charitable ,purposes4          ,the 
following ,discourse lays no claim to   
originality4 ,the ,author  acknowledges 
his obligation to the excellent ,bishop 
,beveridge for many  valuable and       
leading thoughts contained in it4 ,but  
having thrown them  into a new form1 and
 having had it suggested to him by some 
members of  his congregation1 that the  
publication of them1 at the present     
eventful  crisis1 might1 under the      
divine blessing1 be useful1 he has      
consented  to let them appear in print4 
,the ,author deeply feels the awful     
responsibility which1 in these turbulent
 times1 more especially devolves  upon  
every minister of the sanctuary--to     
withhold nothing from the  public which 
may have a tendency1 through the        
powerful influence of the  ,holy ,spirit
 accompanying it1 to strengthen the     
walls of our spiritual  ,zion1 and to   
preserve among us that righteousness    
which alone  exalteth a nation4 ,it is  

with the earnest prayer1 that the       
following  pages may in the perusal of  
them be blest to these ends2 and that1  
if  they are1 all the glory may redound 
to ,him1 to whom alone it is due1  that 
the ,author sends them to the press4    
,a ,,sermon1 c4     #a ,,peter ii4 #ac1 
#ad4--,submit yourselves to every       
ordinance of man for     the ,lord's    
sake2 whether it be to the king1 as     
supreme2 or unto     governors1 as unto 
them that are sent by him for the       
punishment of     evil doers1 and for   
the praise of them that do well4        
,one of the charges brought against the 
early ,christians by their  enemies1    
was1 that they were rebellious1 and     
despisers of civil  authority2 and      
accordingly we find the ,apostles1 in   
all their ,epistles  to the different   
churches they had been instrumental in  
planting1  strongly enforcing the duty  
of submission to the powers that be3    
for1  brethren1 a more false imputation 
cannot be thrown upon true              

,christianity1 than that which charges  
it with giving the slightest            
countenance1 either to rebellion or a   
contempt of authority4 ,true  religion  
will ever make men the best and most    
loyal subjects1 as well  as most        
faithful1 and upright1 and              
conscientious1 in the discharge of  all 
the other relative and social duties of 
life4 ,a man cannot be a  ,christian    
indeed1 who despises dominion1 and      
speaketh evil of  dignities4#a ,the     
,apostle ,jude1 speaking of such1       
classes them among  those that are      
sensual1 not having the ,spirit4 ,but if
 this be the  case1 we seem to have     
fallen upon times wherein1 whatever be  
the  profession of religion that        
prevails1 there is little of the reality
 of  it left4 ,how few are obedient to  
the powers that be1 as ordained of      
,god6 ,how general is the indifference  
shewn to the office and authority  of   
the magistrate6 ,how many seem to       
consider religion altogether a  separate

 thing from the submission due to their 
rulers2 whereas the one  as necessarily 
grows out of the other1 as the branches 
do out of the  stock of the tree4 ,and  
who1 then1 that has witnessed the       
riotous and  tumultuous proceedings of  
our misguided people for the last few   
weeks1  which has led to the issue of   
the ,king's ,proclamation1 now affixed  
to  the door of our church1 will not be 
ready to take up the complaint of  the  
,psalmist1 in saying1 ,the godly man    
ceaseth2 the faithful fail from  among  
the children of men4#b    ,i purpose1   
therefore1 for the conviction of those  
who may have partaken  of the disorderly
 spirit which has been abroad among us1 
as well as for  the establishment and   
comfort of the truly pious and          
submissive  ,christian1 to endeavour1 in
 the present discourse1 to explain and  
enforce1 from the ,apostle's words in   
the text1 the duty of ,,submission ,,to 
,,civil ,,authority2 and ,i shall1      
,i4 ,shew the ,,nature and ,,extent of  

the ,,duty4        ,,ii4 ,the ,,motive  
by which the ,christian is to be        
actuated in the      discharge of it4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,i4 ,i am to endeavour to shew the      
nature of the duty enjoined in the      
text1 ,submit yourselves to every       
ordinance of man4 ,we must understand1  
then1 first1 ,what is meant by every    
ordinance of man2 and this the  ,apostle
 himself explains to us in the following
 words3 ,whether to the  king as        
supreme1 or unto governors1 as unto them
 that are sent by him4  ,from which it  
is plain1 that every ordinance of man1  
means all that are  entrusted with the  
government of the place or country in   
which we live4  ,to all these the duty  
enjoined in the text refers4 ,and we    
should  observe1 that it refers to them 
without any allusion to their respective
  characters4 ,the command does not say1
 submit to the king1 as good1  and wise1
 and mild in his government2 neither    
does it say1 submit to  the magistrate  

as being equal in their administration  
of justice2 but  it says1 submit to the 
king as supreme1 that is1 as deriving   
his  authority not from man1 but from   
,god2 and1 therefore1 as responsible to 
,god alone1 for the manner in which he  
exercises it4 ,and again1 submit to  the
 magistrates or to governors1 as those  
that are sent by the king1 and          
therefore1 as answerable to the king    
alone1 or to those whom he may  appoint 
to judge them1 either for the right or  
wrong administration of  justice4 ,what1
 then1 it may perhaps be asked1 is a    
wicked king1 or are  unjust governors to
 be submitted to1 in the same way that  
those that are  good and just are8 ,is  
their character and conduct to make no  
difference  in the submission due to    
them8 ,the ,apostle1 in the text1 makes 
no  difference whatever4 ,it belongs to 
,god to punish a wicked king1 because   
it is from ,god the authority he abuses1
 by his wickedness1 is derived3  ,by me1
 he says1 kings reign2#c and it belongs 

to the king1 in a  similar way1 to      
punish unjust magistrates1 because by   
him they are sent  for the punishment of
 evil-doers1 and for the praise of them 
that do  well4 ,hence1 then1 whatever be
 the character of the king1 and of the  
governors sent by him1 the submission   
due to them from the people is the      
same4 ,this1 too1 is remarkably         
confirmed by the conduct of the ,apostle
  ,peter himself1 and of the early      
,christians in general4 ,at the time    
when  the ,apostle wrote the ,epistle   
from which the text is taken1 one of the
  most wicked and cruel tyrants that the
 world perhaps has ever seen1 was  upon 
the throne of the ,roman empire4 ,not   
only was he avowedly1 in common  with   
the rest of the then known world1       
7except ,judea17 a heathen1 but he  was 
one of the worst1 and most degraded of  
them1 abandoned to the lowest  vices1   
and taking delight in the sufferings of 
his people4 ,you may judge  a little of 
his character1 when ,i tell you that he 

is related to have  set on fire the     
capital city of his dominions1 and      
afterwards charged  the ,christians     
resident in it with his own crime1 and  
caused as many of  them as could be     
seized1 to be put to death4 ,and still  
later in his  reign1 both ,st4 ,peter   
and ,st4 ,paul suffered martyrdom by his
 orders4 ,and  yet1 brethren1 this is   
the king to whom1 as supreme1 the       
,apostle  exhorts ,christians1 in the   
text1 to submit themselves4 ,this is the
 king  to whom1 we know1 he not only    
exhorted others to submit1 but to whom  
he  submitted himself1 even unto bonds1 
and imprisonment1 and death4 ,but if    
the duty of submission to civil         
authority extended even to such a       
monster as this1 and to the governors   
that were sent by him2 if the  ,gospel  
gave no sanction to rebellion1 even     
under such a reign as this1  but1 on the
 contrary1 required of its professors a 
patient endurance of  all the cruelties 
they were exposed to in it2 how much    

more must the  ,gospel require          
submission of him who lives under a just
 and a righteous  government4 ,we have  
not a heathen ,nero for a king1 but one 
whose throne  is established in         
righteousness1 and who is ever ready1   
when applied to  through the lawful     
channel1 both to defend the oppressed   
and to relieve  the distressed4 ,well1  
therefore1 may it be said to us1 ,submit
  yourselves1 c4    ,but it may perhaps 
be asked1 what is it to submit rightly  
to every  ordinance of man8 #ast4 ,it is
 to offer no resistance to the powers   
that  be4 ,this ,st4 ,paul shews in     
,rom4 xiii4 #a4 c4 where1 describing the
  submission required of ,christians1 he
 opposes it to the act of resisting     
them3 ,let every soul1 he says1 be      
subject to the higher powers2  7and1 be 
it remembered1 he is here writing to    
those1 who were living  under the       
government of the cruel ,nero27 for     
there is no power but of  ,god2 the     
powers that be are ordained of ,god2    

whosoever1 therefore1  resisteth the    
power1 resisteth the ordinance of ,god4 
,it is plain1  therefore1 that any open 
act of resistance to the king1 or the   
governors sent by him1 is a breach of   
the duty enjoined in the text4 ,any     
conversation1 too1 that excites others  
to such resistance1 is a breach  of it4 
,there may be resistance in words1 as   
well as in deeds2 and those  who excite 
others to rebellion1 though they do not 
themselves engage in  the open act1 are 
nevertheless with them partakers in the 
guilt4  ,cherishing any principles of   
resistance in our hearts too1 is a      
breach  of the duty4 ,such resistance1  
indeed1 is not to be punished1 as in    
other  cases1 by the arm of civil       
authority4 ,it is not for man to punish 
for  principles1 or for the thoughts and
 intents of the heart1 unless the       
person holding them1 render them        
mischievous1 by communicating them to   
others2 but though they be never made   
known to others1 yet1 if they are       

cherished in the heart1 they are known  
to ,god1 and in his judgment1 the       
person holding them is as guilty1 though
 not to the same degree1 of  resistance1
 as though he had given utterance to    
them in words1 or  proceeded to any open
 acts of violence4 ,clearly then1 would 
we submit to  every ordinance of man2 we
 must offer no resistance1 either open  
or  secret1 either to the king as       
supreme1 or to the governors sent by    
him4 ,but it may perhaps occur to some  
one to inquire1 how are we to  act1 if  
either the king1 or the governors sent  
by him1 command us to do  something     
which is contrary to the laws of ,god8  
,are we then to offer  no resistance to 
them8 ,here the saints of old are an    
example for us4 ,how  did the three     
,jewish youths act1 when they were      
commanded to worship the  golden image1 
which the wicked ,nebuchadnezzar had    
caused to be set up in  the plains of   
,dura8 ,did they offer any resistance to
 the king as  supreme8 ,did they        

endeavour to raise 7as it is more than  
probable they  could easily have done1  
from their rank and influence in the    
province of  ,babylon7 a rebellion      
against him8 ,no3 they would not obey1  
indeed1 the  impious command of the     
king1 because it was contrary to the    
commands of  ,god2 but they willingly   
submitted to the punishment which the   
king  ordered to be inflicted on them4  
,here they offered no resistance4       
,remember the noble answer they made to 
the king1 when they knew that the  fiery
 furnace was awaiting them2 ,o          
,nebuchadnezzar1 we are not careful  to 
answer thee in this matter4 ,if it be   
so1 our ,god whom we serve is  able to  
deliver us from the burning fiery       
furnace1 and he will deliver  us out of 
thine hand1 ,o king4 ,but if not1 be it 
known unto thee1 ,o king1  that we will 
not serve thy gods1 neither will we     
worship the image which  thou hast set  
up4#d ,similar to this1 also1 was the   
conduct of ,daniel  under the wicked    

edict of ,darius1 which forbad him to   
make prayer and  supplication to his    
,god4 ,daniel did not rebel against the 
king's  authority1 though he would not  
obey him in opposition to ,god4 ,he     
preferred the lion's den1 either to     
rebellion against his sovereign1 or  to 
disobedience to his ,god4#e ,and so too 
the early ,christians acted  under the  
persecuting edicts of the ,roman        
,emperors4 ,they never resisted  the    
authority of their governors1 though    
they refused to obey them in  every     
thing contrary to the commands of ,god4 
,while they were firm in  their         
adherence to the truth1 they were       
submissive to the power of the          
magistrate4 ,they obeyed ,god1 rather   
than man2#f but they willingly          
submitted to the punishment to which    
such obedience exposed them4 ,they      
preferred oppression to resistance1     
persecution and martyrdom to  sedition  
and rebellion4 ,and such1 brethren1     
should be the conduct of the  ,christian

 in every age and country4 ,even suppose
 it possible1 7which1  thank ,god1 under
 our just and mild government1 we have  
no reason to  apprehend1 but even       
suppose it possible17 that we should    
have a wicked  king1 and unjust         
governors1 who were to impose upon us1  
commands  contrary to the laws of our   
,god1 still we must1 with the ,jewish   
youths1  and with ,daniel1 and with the 
noble army of martyrs1 rather suffer1   
than resist4 ,there appears to be no    
limitation to the command2 ,submit      
yourselves to every ordinance of man4   
,but further1 submitting to every       
ordinance includes1 not only offering   
no resistance to the civil authority1   
but also giving it our assistance  and  
support4 ,those cannot be said to submit
 to every ordinance of man1  who1 when a
 spirit of rebellion is abroad in a     
land1 use no exertions  to suppress it4 
,many are apt to think that1 if they sit
 quietly at home1  and take no part in  
what is going on amiss1 they are free   

from blame1  and are fulfilling their   
duty2 and certainly1 as far as shewing  
no  disposition to join in any acts of  
rebellion goes1 they are right4  ,meddle
 not1 says the wise man1 with them that 
are given to  change4#g ,but more is    
required of the ,christian1 especially  
in  troublous times1 than this4 ,he that
 is not with me1 saith the ,saviour1  is
 against me1 and he that gathereth not  
with me1 scattereth  abroad4#h ,those1  
i4 e4 who stand neuter in the cause of  
,christ1  professing to take neither one
 side nor the other1 are reckoned as his
  enemies2 for by their indifference    
they add strength to his enemy's  cause4
 ,it is the same1 then1 with regard to  
the king1 and the governors  sent by    
him4 ,those that are not with them are  
against them2 those that  refuse to     
support their authority1 that do not    
willingly come forward1  at whatever    
risk to themselves1 to assist them in   
enforcing the laws1  are in reality     
giving countenance and strength to the  

rebellious4 ,it was  on this very ground
 that that bitter curse was pronounced  
against the  inhabitants of ,meroz1     
which we find recorded in the song of   
,deborah1  ,judges v4 #bc4 ,they were   
quiet1 peaceable inhabitants of a little
  town1#i on the borders of ,canaan1 and
 the only fault that we hear of  them1  
was1 that1 when the ,israelites1 the    
chosen people of ,god1 were  engaged    
under his guidance1 in destroying the   
,canaanites1 they remained  at home1    
without declaring themselves either for 
or against them3 but1  saith the angel  
of the ,lord to ,deborah1 ,curse ye     
,meroz1 curse ye  bitterly the          
inhabitants thereof2 because they came  
not to the help of  the ,lord1 to the   
help of the ,lord against the mighty4   
,whence it is  evident1 that the ,lord  
requires of his people a decision of    
character  and conduct suited to the    
circumstances in which he places them4  
,it is  not enough for them to cease    
from doing evil1 they must learn to do  

well4#aj ,there must be activity toward 
that which is right1 as well as  an     
abhorrence for that which is wrong4     
,there must not be a sitting  still1    
like the inhabitants of ,meroz1 but an  
avowing ourselves on the  ,lord's side4 
,and this applies with as much force to 
the precept of the  text1 as to any     
which the ,scriptures contain4 ,would we
 submit ourselves  to every ordinance of
 man1 we must not only stand aloof from 
those that  oppose themselves1 but we   
must cast in our lot with those that    
support  them3 we must be as zealous in 
the defence of our governors1 and as    
ready to aid them in the execution of   
the laws1 as others are to weaken  and  
destroy their authority2 and this leads 
me to observe1 further1    ,that the    
submission required in the text implies 
also obedience to the  laws the         
governors give us4 ,he cannot be said   
rightly to submit either  to the king or
 to the governors sent by him1 who      
refuses to obey the  laws they enjoin4  

,should those laws indeed be contrary to
 the laws of  ,god2 should1 for         
instance1 any earthly prince command us 
to worship any  god except our own ,god1
 or enact that murder1 or theft1 or     
adultery1 or  any other crime forbidden 
by the word of ,god was lawful1 then we 
must  obey ,god rather than man2 then   
indeed we must act as we have seen the  
saints of old did--not break out into   
acts of rebellion1 but submit to  the   
punishment of the laws1 suffer for      
righteousness sake1--take  joyfully the 
spoiling of our goods1 and be willing to
 be led either to  prison or to death1  
rather than rebel against the ordinance 
of man1 or  disobey the commands of     
,god4 ,but while we have a king whose   
throne is  established in righteousness2
 while we have a government which1 in   
all  the laws it enacts1 is1 as to all  
essential points1 of necessity guided   
by the word of ,god1 our submission to  
our governors must include  submission  
to their laws4 ,while they are          

restrained from enacting any  laws that 
are contrary to the laws of ,god--those1
 it is plain1 who  refuse to obey their 
laws1 do in fact refuse to obey the laws
 of ,god4  ,while the laws of the land  
and the laws of ,god are one1 in        
breaking the  one we break the other1 so
 that if it could be said of the early  
,christians living under a heathen      
government1 ,whosoever resisteth the    
power1 resisteth the ordinance of ,god2 
and they that resist shall  receive to  
themselves damnation1#aa with how much  
more truth may it be  said of us1 if1   
living under a ,christian government1 we
 refuse to  render unto all their dues1 
tribute to whom tribute is due2 custom  
to  whom custom1 fear to whom fear1     
honour to whom honour4#ab ,no1          
brethren1 without obedience to the laws 
there can be no right  submission4 ,such
 then is the general outline of the duty
 enjoined in the  test1 ,submit         
yourselves1 c4           99       99    
99       99       99    ,i now pass on  

to show1    ,,ii4 ,the ,,motive by which
 the ,christian is to be actuated in the
  discharge of this duty4 ,did the      
,christian look no higher than to his   
worldly interests1 he would surely in   
these find a very powerful  motive to   
comply with the exhortation in the text4
 ,who can estimate the  present blessing
 of a quiet and well ordered government8
 ,who can tell  what a privilege it is  
to be able1 to sit1 as many of us have  
done1 in  this hitherto happy land      
through a long series of years1 every   
one  under his vine and under his       
fig-tree1 no one making him afraid6 ,and
  who1 on the other hand1 can describe  
the horrors of a turbulent and          
disordered state of society8 ,i would   
ask any well-disposed person1  whether  
in the scenes of disorder and confusion 
which have prevailed  around us for the 
last few weeks1 he has not heard and    
seen enough to  shew him the value of   
the precept1 ,submit yourselves1 c4 ,but
 these  are not the grounds on which the

 submission of the ,christian is        
founded--it is not from any             
consideration of mere worldly advantage 
that  his motive to submission is       
drawn--the ,christian has a higher and  
nobler motive to submission1 and it is  
this which the apostle urges  upon him  
in the text--,,for ,,the ,,lord',s      
,,sake4 ,it is the command of him  whom 
the ,christian loves--that he should    
submit4 ,the ,lord1 to whom he  owes his
 life with all its blessings1 enjoins   
it2 the ,lord who came down  from       
heaven1 and took upon him the form of a 
servant1 and became  obedient unto      
death1 even the death of the cross1 to  
deliver him from  the wrath to come1 and
 to restore him to everlasting life and 
happiness1 has commanded it2 ,he who    
ever liveth interceding for him at  the 
right hand of ,god1 and who is          
continually procuring for him gracious  
supplies of his ,spirit to help his     
infirmities1 and to enable him to  fight
 the good fight of faith1 that he may   

lay hold on eternal life2  ,he it is    
that says to him1 ,submit to every      
ordinance of man4 ,and can  the         
,christian refuse the command of ,him   
who has done1 and continues to  do1 such
 great things for him8 ,must not the    
love he bears his ,saviour  constrain   
him to comply with his precepts8 ,can he
 think for a moment1  that ,one who gave
 his life a ransom for him1 would ever  
lay upon him a  single command that was 
not conducive to his everlasting        
interests8 ,no1  brethren3 if he has    
tasted that the ,lord is gracious1 if he
 has felt  any thing of his redeeming   
mercy1 in blotting out his              
transgressions1  and restoring him to   
that spiritual life1 and that hope of   
everlasting  life1 which he had         
forfeited by the fall1 he will no longer
 deem his  commandments grievous1 but   
will count them the joy and the         
rejoicing  of his heart2 and finding    
this therefore among the number of them1
 he  will be ready1 with ,david1 to say1

 ,i delayed not1 but made haste to  keep
 thy commandments4#ac    ,but further1  
not only because it is the command of   
,god1 does the  ,christian submit1 but  
because his submission tends to the     
glory and  honour of ,god4 ,if he were  
to refuse submission1 he would bring    
disgrace upon that holy name whereby he 
is called4 ,whenever a  professor of the
 ,gospel becomes instrumental in        
stirring up sedition1 or  in exciting   
disorder and confusion in his country1  
all the evils he  occasions are         
immediately charged by the enemies of   
,god upon his  principles2 they lay it  
all to the score of his religion1 as if 
that  had a tendency to make him        
rebellious and disobedient1 and thus the
  blame of all the mischief he foments  
is charged indirectly upon ,god         
himself1 and thereby his name is        
dishonoured and profaned4 ,but to the   
true ,christian1 brethren1 this is      
matter of deep and unfeigned regret2    
the name of ,god is precious to him1    

,his honour is dear to his soul2 he     
cannot bear that ,he should be lightly  
esteemed1 or that any reflection        
injurious to his character should be    
cast either on his word or on his       
works4 ,and therefore1 that he may never
 be instrumental to this1 he  submits   
himself to every ordinance of man4      
,nor is this all3 if the name of ,god is
 dishonoured by the ,christian's        
refusing submission1 it is honoured by  
his yielding it4 ,when he leads  a      
virtuous and godly life in all quietness
 and honesty1 the power of  the         
principles he holds is seen4 ,men are   
constrained to admit1 that the  religion
 he professes is something more than an 
empty name4 ,they cannot  deny its      
efficacy in subduing the unruly will1   
and regulating the sinful  affections of
 the heart4 ,religion then appears what 
it really is1 the  power of ,god unto   
salvation3#ad and thus honour is brought
 to ,god's  name4 ,seeing their good    
works1 men glorify ,god in his people4  

,but this  is the point at which all the
 wishes1 and prayers1 and endeavours of 
the  real ,christian are constantly     
aiming4 ,this is the object of his most 
ardent desires2 this is the end that he 
is continually proposing to  himself in 
all his thoughts1 and words1 and        
actions1 that ,god1 both in  him and by 
him may be glorified2 that ,his name may
 be great among the  heathen1 and hence1
 therefore1 as the apostle well         
expresses it1 he  must needs be subject 
not only for wrath but also for         
conscience  sake4#ae ,these then are the
 grounds on which the submission of the 
,christian is founded2 this is the high 
motive from which it springs2 he        
submits for the ,lord's sake4    ,and   
now1 brethren1 have ,i made the duty    
enjoined in the text plain to  you8 have
 ,i shown you in a scriptural manner its
 nature and extent1 and  the motive     
which is to actuate the ,christian in   
the discharge of it8    ,suffer me then1
 in conclusion1 to draw from what has   

been said1 a few  words of serious      
admonition and exhortation1 suited to   
the present  circumstances of our       
country4 ,let me admonish you to beware 
of those  who1 in these disturbed times1
 would induce you to think lightly of   
the  duty we have been considering4     
,many such are abroad in our land4 ,many
  wicked and evil designing men would   
induce you to believe1 that there is  no
 connexion between religion and the     
submission due to the king and to  the  
governors sent by him4 ,but to the law  
and to the testimony6 ,you  will learn  
from them1 that wherever there is true  
religion1 there will  of necessity be   
submission to civil authority4 ,a man   
cannot be a  faithful subject to his    
heavenly ,king1 and at the same time a  
traitor to  his earthly king4 ,if a man 
fears ,god1 he will honour the king2#af 
and if he fail to honour the king1 it   
may be safely concluded1 that he  has   
not at heart the fear of the ,lord4     
,are there then any here1 who are       

dissatisfied with the government they   
live under8 who are disposed to listen  
to those that are given to  change1 and 
that would stir them up to acts of      
violence and outrage1  not only in      
opposition to the authority of their    
governors2 but to the  disturbance of   
the public peace and tranquillity8 ,the 
religion of  such men1 whatever be their
 pretensions to it1 is false1 and       
unscriptural1 and vain4 ,you have never 
yet been taught 7if ,i speak  to any    
such7 the truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,you
 have never been brought  with the      
simplicity of children--to listen to the
 instructions of the  word of ,god--you 
have never been enlightened by the      
influence of his  ,spirit1 to behold    
wondrous things out of his law--you have
 never  learnt1 under the teaching of   
his ,spirit1 the excellency of the      
knowledge of ,christ4 ,if this had been 
the case with you1 if you had  been     
humbled1 enlightened1 and sanctified by 
his ,spirit1 his  commandments would be 

no longer grievous to you2 you would    
esteem all  his commandments concerning 
all things to be right4#ag ,and the     
precept  of the text1 therefore1 would  
be as dear to you1 and as respected by  
you1 as any of the rest4    ,but1       
brethren1 unhumbled1 unenlightened1     
unsanctified by the ,spirit of  ,christ1
 reflect upon your condition and        
prospects6 ,you may resist the          
authority of man1 and may escape for a  
season the penalties incurred by  it2   
but can you resist with similar impunity
 the ,,authority ,,of ,,god8 ,can  your 
hands be strong1 or your hearts endure  
in the day when he shall  deal with you8
 ,no6 ,be not deceived1 ,god is not     
mocked4#ah ,if you are  not now humbled 
under the sceptre of his grace1 you     
will1 ere long1 be  crushed by the rod  
of his power4 ,if you are not now       
brought in the  humility of faith to the
 cross of ,jesus1 and there taught by   
the  renewing of your minds1 that the   
yoke of his commandments is easy1 and   

the burden of them light1 when he comes1
 as he will quickly1 to  be glorified in
 his saints1 and to be admired in all   
them that  believe2#ai but taking       
vengeance on them that know not ,god1   
and obey  not his ,gospel2#ai you will  
be punished with everlasting destruction
  from his presence1 and from the glory 
of his power4#ai--,turn ye1 turn  ye1   
then at his reproof1 for why will ye    
die8 ,rest not in an empty  profession  
of the ,gospel1 that does not bring you 
into submission to its  precepts4 ,get1 
while the means are afforded you1 a     
practical knowledge  of its truth4      
,receive ,christ1 as ,he is continually 
offered to you in  the ,gospel1--a      
,prophet to teach1 a ,priest to atone   
for you1--a ,king to  reign over1 and to
 govern you4 ,and1 oh6 if you are once  
brought to such  a reception of ,christ 
as this2 vain will be the efforts of    
evil  designing men to seduce you from  
the submission due1 either to the       
,king1 whom ,god's providence has set   

over you as supreme1 or to the          
governors that are sent by him for the  
punishment of evil doers1 and  the      
praise of them that do well4 ,if ,christ
 rules in your heart by  faith1 you will
 certainly be ready1 for ,his sake1 to  
tread the same  path that ,prophets1    
,apostles1 and ,martyrs have trodden    
before you4 ,you  will feel with ,st4   
,paul1 that rulers are not a terror to  
good works1  but to the evil--that they 
bear not the sword in vain--that they   
are  the ministers of ,god to you for   
good--avengers to execute wrath upon    
every soul that doeth evil4#bj ,you will
 be ready1 in a word1 as well  in civil1
 as in spiritual matters1 to obey them  
that have the rule  over you1 and to    
submit yourselves4#ba    ,and should    
tribulation arise1 because of the word2 
should those days  be at hand1 which1 we
 are told1 will arrive1 before the end  
cometh1--when there shall be on earth   
distress of nations with  perplexity1   
and men's hearts failing them for fear1 

and for looking  after those things that
 are coming upon the earth4#bb ,should  
these  days be at hand1 look back for   
your direction and encouragement upon   
that cloud of witnesses1 who through    
faith have obtained the promises4       
,recollect1 how the ,jewish youths      
walked unhurt1 through the presence of  
the ,saviour with them1 amid the flames 
of ,nebuchadnezzar's furnace--how  their
 faith quenched the violence of fire4#bc
 ,recollect how the faith  of ,daniel   
stopped the mouths of lions4#bd         
,recollect how the faith of  the        
,apostle ,paul enabled him to say1 in   
the face of bonds1 and  imprisonment1   
and death1 none of these things move me2
 neither count  ,i my life dear unto    
myself1 so that ,i might finish my      
course with joy1  and the ministry which
 ,i have received of the ,lord ,jesus to
 testify the  ,gospel of the grace of   
,god4#be ,recollect how thousands of    
others1 of  whom the world was not      
worthy1 were enabled to go to the cross1

 to the  rack1 and to the               
stake--rejoicing that they were counted 
worthy to  suffer shame for ,his        
name4#bf ,and bear in mind1 that the    
same faith in  a crucified ,saviour1    
which made them more than conquerors1   
and secured  to them1 through the blood 
of the ,lamb1 a crown of immortality and
  life1--if it produce in you similar   
effects1 working in you both to  will   
and to do of ,god's good pleasure1      
whatsoever is well pleasing in  his     
sight1 and making you willing to suffer 
the loss of all things1  rather than    
rebel against any ordinance of man1 or  
disobey any precepts  of ,god1 is still 
able to secure for you a similar        
victory4 ,never be  induced1 therefore1 
by any artifices1 or any threatenings of
 the enemies  of ,god's truth1 to let go
 your dependance on the ,saviour1 or to 
renounce  your allegiance to his laws2  
but1 building up yourselves in your most
  holy faith1 praying in the ,holy      
,ghost1 keep yourselves in the love of  

,god1 looking for the mercy of our ,lord
 ,jesus ,christ unto eternal  life2#bg  
and then will the promise at last be    
yours--if we suffer  with him1 we shall 
also reign with him4#bh                 
,,the ,,end4                     ,j4    
,dennett1 ,printer1 ,leather ,lane1     
,london4          ,,footnotes3    #a    
,jude1 ver4 #h and #ai4    #b ,psal4    
xii4 #a4    #c ,prov4 viii4 #ae4    #d  
,see ,dan4 iii4 #af1 c4    #e ,see ,dan4
 vi4    #f ,acts v4 #bi4    #g ,prov4   
xxiv4 #ba4    #h ,matt4 xii4 #cj4    #i 
,its exact situation is unknown1 as     
modern travellers inform us that  no    
traces of it now remain4    #aj ,isaiah 
i4 #af1 #ag4    #aa ,rom4 xiii4 #b4     
#ab ,rom4 xiii4 #g4    #ac ,psal4 cxix4 
#fj4    #ad ,rom4 i4 #af4    #ae ,rom4  
xiii4 #e4    #af ,see #agth verse of    
chapter whence the text is taken1 and   
,prov4 xxiv4  #ba4    #ag ,ps4 cxix4    
#abh4    #ah ,gal4 vi4 #g4    #ai #b    
,thess4 i4 #h1 #i1 #aj4    #bj ,see     
,rom4 xiii4 #c1 #d4    #ba ,heb4 xiii4  

#ag4    #bb ,see ,luke xxi4 #be1 #bf4   
#bc ,heb4 xi4 #cd4    #bd ,heb4 xi4 #cc4
    #be ,acts xx4 #bd4    #bf ,acts v4  
#da4    #bg ,jude #bj1 #ba4    #bh #b   
,tim4 ii4 #ab4