those which are given to regulate the inmost work- ings of our souls towards God. And we should be essentially wanting in our duty as Christian pastors, if we did not take occasion, especially from the inter- esting events of this daya, to open to you a subject of such great and universal importance. The words which I have read will lead me to shew you,
I. Our duty in relation to civil government —
Civil government is an ordinance of God —
[It is called, in my text, " an ordinance of man :" and so it is, as far as relates to the particular form of government established in any particular kingdom. In some countries absolute monarchy is established : in our own, a limited monarchy. In some, there are republics ; in others, the power is vested in an aristocracy. In fixing the precise mode in which the affairs of any nation shall be administered, the agency of man has been altogether employed : God having never interposed by an authoritative mandate from heaven, except in the case of the Jewish people. The history of our own nation sufficiently informs us, that the changes which take place in human governments are the result of human deliberation, or of human force. Yet, in its original appoint- ment, civil government proceeds from God himself. He has ordained, that man shall not be left in the state of the brute creation, every one independent of his fellow, and every one at liberty to follow the bent of his own inclinations, without any regard to the welfai'e of others : but that power shall be vested in some for the good of the community ; and that every one shall be responsible to that power for his own conduct, as far as the welfare of the community is concerned. St. Paul expressly tells us, that " there is no power, but of God ; and that the powers that be, are ordained of GodV]
To it we are to submit, "for the Lord's sake" —
[Power must, of course, be delegated to a great variety of persons, and in different degrees : and to it, in whomsoever it is vested, or in whatsoever degree, we are to yield that measure of submission which the laws require. We owe allegiance, primarily, " to the king, as supreme ;" and, sub- ordinate^, to all other classes of magistrates or governors, who are appointed by him for the exercise of his authority in their respective jurisdictions. The obedience which we are to pay
a The Coronation of George the Fourth, July 19, 1821. But it might be applied to the King's Accession, or 30th of January. b Rom. xiii. 1.