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I Am persuaded, that every one who feels the least regard for the
wellfare and happiness of his country; and the peace and comfort of his
fellow-subjects and countrymen, will look upon the subject as highly
proper, and seasonable at this time.
For who can reflect upon so many wretched and unthinking men,
thus madly attempting to subvert the laws of the kingdom; thus
inconsiderately involving friends, relations and neighbours, in the most
direful calamity, and foolishly bringing upon themselves destruction
here, and damnation hereafter; —who can look upon so deplorable a
scene, without feeling the most earnest desires, that every such rash
and misguided person could be made duly sensible of the dreadful
impiety of so daring and wicked an action, as well as of the certain
misery that must inevitably be the consequence?
It is possible this alarming consideration may prevail with some
persons, when every other more laudable motive fails of its proper
influence; and, it is to be hoped, that a sight of their danger may bring
them to a sense of their duty.
With this view, I have singled out the words of the text for the
subject of our present meditation: And though I have the pleasure to
think I am speaking before those who stand not in need of the
admonition they contain, yet I thought it not improper for us to consider
the several arguments which enforce this great duty here enjoined;
that we may not only be preserv'd stedfast in our obedience to it
ourselves, but may be able to convince others of the danger, as well as
error of their ways; and keep them, for the future, in the paths of duty
and allegiance, from which they have lately so unhappily wandered.
You cannot but observe then, in the first place, that this important
duty of subjection to lawful authority, is one plain and principal doctrine
of Christianity. It is here delivered to the world by an inspired Apostle
of CHRIST; by Him, whom our LORD, in a vision to Ananias, honours
with the distinguishing title of "a chosen vessel to Himself. "He it is, who,
thus commissioned from above, gives us, in the name of the most high
God, this solemn command in the words of the text; to which we are, all
of us, both high and low, rich and poor, wise and ignorant, indispensably
obliged to pay the highest reverence and regard; and no rank nor station
in life, can possibly exempt any one from the strictest obedience to it:
For it is directed to all men in general, without any exception— L^/ every
soul be subject to the higher powers — and it comes to us by the Authority
of the same GOD and SAVIOUR, who has given us every other precept
that we meet with in holy scripture: —It comes to us from that sovereign
Lord Of All Lords, whose name we have the honour to bear; whose
subjects we profess ourselves at present; and whose eternal kingdom
we hope to become inheritors of hereafter: Till men, therefore, have
renounced CHRIST, and apostatized from his religion —'till they have
disowned his sovereignty and dominion over them, and given up all
189
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| Title | Page 229 |
| Full Text | I Am persuaded, that every one who feels the least regard for the wellfare and happiness of his country; and the peace and comfort of his fellow-subjects and countrymen, will look upon the subject as highly proper, and seasonable at this time. For who can reflect upon so many wretched and unthinking men, thus madly attempting to subvert the laws of the kingdom; thus inconsiderately involving friends, relations and neighbours, in the most direful calamity, and foolishly bringing upon themselves destruction here, and damnation hereafter; —who can look upon so deplorable a scene, without feeling the most earnest desires, that every such rash and misguided person could be made duly sensible of the dreadful impiety of so daring and wicked an action, as well as of the certain misery that must inevitably be the consequence? It is possible this alarming consideration may prevail with some persons, when every other more laudable motive fails of its proper influence; and, it is to be hoped, that a sight of their danger may bring them to a sense of their duty. With this view, I have singled out the words of the text for the subject of our present meditation: And though I have the pleasure to think I am speaking before those who stand not in need of the admonition they contain, yet I thought it not improper for us to consider the several arguments which enforce this great duty here enjoined; that we may not only be preserv'd stedfast in our obedience to it ourselves, but may be able to convince others of the danger, as well as error of their ways; and keep them, for the future, in the paths of duty and allegiance, from which they have lately so unhappily wandered. You cannot but observe then, in the first place, that this important duty of subjection to lawful authority, is one plain and principal doctrine of Christianity. It is here delivered to the world by an inspired Apostle of CHRIST; by Him, whom our LORD, in a vision to Ananias, honours with the distinguishing title of "a chosen vessel to Himself. "He it is, who, thus commissioned from above, gives us, in the name of the most high God, this solemn command in the words of the text; to which we are, all of us, both high and low, rich and poor, wise and ignorant, indispensably obliged to pay the highest reverence and regard; and no rank nor station in life, can possibly exempt any one from the strictest obedience to it: For it is directed to all men in general, without any exception— L^/ every soul be subject to the higher powers — and it comes to us by the Authority of the same GOD and SAVIOUR, who has given us every other precept that we meet with in holy scripture: —It comes to us from that sovereign Lord Of All Lords, whose name we have the honour to bear; whose subjects we profess ourselves at present; and whose eternal kingdom we hope to become inheritors of hereafter: Till men, therefore, have renounced CHRIST, and apostatized from his religion —'till they have disowned his sovereignty and dominion over them, and given up all 189 |
