the minister of GOD to thee for good." True christians have good cause to love and reverence the power, just as they have good cause to love and reverence GOD's law. For as God's law (which, because it is of GOD, is good, holy, just, and true) as His Law is not an enemy, not a terror, not a curse, not a punisher, to the Believing christian, but a friend, a delight, a blessing, a rewarder; so the magistrate's power (which is of God, and therefore good) is not an enemy, a terror, a curse, a punisher to a righteous man, but is a minister of God to him for good. There are daily and hourly blessings, which you daily and hourly forget, but which nevertheless providentially come unto you by means of the power of "such as are in authority." Are there not some persons in every parish, whatever they may say to the contrary, who are only kept in order by that power which is in the magistrate? What is the reason that your house is not broken into every day by

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such persons as have "not the fear of GOD before their eyes?"-because they have the fear of the officer's power before their eyes. Why are not a thousand bad and brutal things done to you every year by such as are wicked and are no christians?-because they are afraid. Afraid of what? afraid of whom ?-not of GOD; nor of His power: for they cannot see Him, and do not believe in His power. But they can see the magistrate and officer; and they know that he has power. They think it is Man's power: but the christian knows better. For "there is no power but of GOD." I say then, that as a believer in the Gospel, you are bound heartily to reverence, and to be most truly thankful to the Almighty for, the power which He entrusts to the ruler, governor, magistrate, and the like. "For he is the minister of God to thee for good."

4. "But if thou do that which is evil be afraid." Evil doings and fear are close companions. They have been so

from earliest days. When Adam became an evil-doer, he was "afraid and hid himself." So if you break the laws of your country, and despise the power, fear becomes your portion.-Such is GOD's will: as it is written, "If thou do that which is evil, be afraid." The man who has made the magistrate's power his enemy, cannot help fearing. Although the ruler or magistrate may be a most kind and tender-hearted man, and even your own friend, still the power of the magistrate is your enemy if you do evil and as you have risen up against that power, which is of GoD, that power rises up against you and you may well be afraid of it. It is as a sword which the Lord hath put into the ruler's hand and with that sword the ruler or magistrate or judge must, as GOD's servant, strike or destroy the evil-doer, according to the evil deed which he has done. "He beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of GOD, a revenger to execute wrath

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upon him that doeth evil." But whose "wrath" does the magistrate execute? not his own, but his Master's wrath --the wrath of GOD. I have seen tears run down from the eyes of a judge, while he was passing sentence of death upon an evil-doer. Does the judge weep for anger? no--but for pity and for sorrow. And many a christian magistrate's heart aches when he sentences his guilty fellow-sinners to that punishment, which their crimes have brought upon them.

5. There are, therefore, two strong reasons, why we, as christians, must submit ourselves to the "

powers that be." One is, because of the "wrath," or punishment, which those powers have authority from GOD to execute upon us, if we resist the power. As it is written:

They that resist shall receive unto themselves damnation," whoever they be: for there must be no respect of persons in judgment. The other reason why we must submit ourselves to the power, is because of "conscience." For

although it is possible to be an evil-doer all one's life long, and yet not get into the hand of the magistrate, to feel the stroke of his sword, yet it is not possible to be a breaker of our country's laws, and yet to have a good conscience towards GOD. In the great Day of Judgment, when all secrets shall be laid open, those crafty and hidden things, in which men often do evil against the king's authority without being punished by his sword, will rise up and testify against them. "Wherefore (as Paul says) ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake," not only, because of the wrath of GOD, which evil-doers may and do often receive from the magistrate's power on earth but also because of that wrath which GOD the righteous Judge shall visit you with in the last Day, whose conscience accuses you of going on secretly prospering in doings which are against the laws of your earthly king and the lawful ordinances of your country.