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"and meditated in both day and night." (Psal. i. 2.) Princes must have this book continually in their hands. (Deut. xvii. 18-20; Josh. i. 8. 9.) Rich and poor must learn it, that they may obey it. (Deut. vi. 6, 7.)

5. And our subjection to God obligeth us to a subjection to the officers which he sets over us. If any man say to judges, justices, and constables, I will obey the king, but you are no kings, therefore I will not obey you,' he shall suffer as disobeying the king in his officers. Contempt of magistrates and ministers, reflects on God.

6. Yea, hence we must practically understand, in what respect to obey our governors: Not merely as the officers of men: not only as chosen by the people; but as the officers of God, that from him have their authority. The atheistical politicians that derive authority no higher than the sword, or the people's choice, or natural strength, do teach men to obey their governors, but as a little dog submits unto a mastiff, or so far as their commodity persuadeth them, but not for conscience in obedience to God. And they teach men to look to no higher end than common preservation and liberties, and not to expect protection or reward from the Absolute Sovereign. In a word, they entice all princes and people into damning rebellion against the Lord; as much as if they should entice all constables and justices to hold their places without dependence on the prince. But God teacheth us that "there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God: Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, shall receive to themselves damnation: For he is the minister of God to us for good; even the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Wherefore we must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake--For they are God's ministers continually attending upon this very thing: and for this cause we must pay them tribute." (Rom. xiii. 1, ́ 2. 4-6.) "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake,--For so is the will of God." (1 Pet. ii. 13. 15.) "Judge righteously between every man and his brother--ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but shall hear the small as well as the great, you shall not be afraid of the face of man: For the judgment is God's." (Deut, i. 16, 17.) "And he said to the judges, Take heed what ye do; for you judge not for man, but for

the Lord, who is with you in the judgment; wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you." (2 Chron. xix. 5—7.) But our atheistical politicians would teach rulers that they are none of the ministers of God, and that they judge for man only, and not for him. The nature of all true obedience is such as Paul describeth in children and servants, Ephes. vi. 1. 6-8, that fetcheth its rise and motives from the Lord; "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right--Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ: not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with goodwill, doing service as to the Lord, and not to men." So Colos. iii. 22, 23.

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7. Hence also you must learn, that God's authority is the highest authority, and there is indeed no such thing in the world as true authority that is against him, or not subordinate unto him: And therefore if men command us to disobey God, by neglecting that which is hic et nunc' a duty, or by sinning against him, their commands are from a disobedient will of their own, but from no authority: and it is better in such cases to obey God than man; (Acts v. 29 ;) so many prophets, apostles, and other martyrs, would not have been sacrificed by the fury of persecutors, if they had thought it just to obey them before God. God never gave any man authority against him. Nor to nullify his laws. The acts of a justice or constable against the king, or beyond their power, are private or rebellious acts, and not authoritative. And so are the laws of men that are against God. Yet note well, that though we must rather disobey men, than God, yet we may not forcibly resist, when we may not obey them. And in some cases (as if a king would ravish a woman, or the like) when it is lawful to resist his `fact, it is not lawful to resist his state, and disturb the government of the commonwealth: Obey men cheerfully when God forbids it not: but see that God be your absolute Sovereign, whose laws can be dispensed with by none.

If parents or masters command you to break the laws of God, obey them not. Despise them not, but humbly deprecate their displeasure, and obey them in all other things; but in the unlawful thing obey them not: no not if they were the greatest princes upon earth. But say as the three

witnesses of God, "We are not careful to answer thee in this matter: If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hands, O king: But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Dan. iii. 16, 17.)

What I have said of magistrates, in the two last cases, I mean also of pastors of the church. They must be obeyed in and for the Lord; but not against the Lord. Saith Paul of the churches of Macedonia, "They gave their ownselves to the Lord, and unto us, by the will of God." (2 Cor. viii. 5.) See Acts xx. 28; 1 Thess. v. 12. "He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me." (Luke x. 16.) And yet the leaven of the Pharisees must be avoided: And "an angel from heaven be held as accursed, if he should preach another Gospel." (Gal. i. 8.) And I would not have flatterers to set either princes or pastors above the angels of heaven. Though yet in other respects, we may be still obliged, as I said before, to hear and obey them.

8. And the knowledge of God's Sovereignty must teach us to fear his righteous threatenings, and reverence his justice, and prepare ourselves to be judged by him. He ruleth by his laws, and so by threatenings and promises, which he will make good. It is not a painted fire that he threateneth. Judgment is a part of government. Laws are but shadows if there be no execution. "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; fear before him all the earth. Say among the heathen, that the Lord reigneth." (Psal. xcvi. 9, 10.) As his promises, so his peremptory threatenings shall be fulfilled. He will not revoke his established laws for fear of hurting wilful sinners, that will not fear his judgments till they feel them. "Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him: for he spake, and it wasd one; he commanded, and it stood fast." (Psal. xxxiii. 8.) Mark also the present judgments of the Lord, and rush not on his indignation. For" the Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth the wicked is (oft) snared in the work of his own hands." (Psal. ix. 16.) Though "the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart, Thou wilt not require it ;" (Psal. x. 13 ;) yet they shall find that "he beholdeth mischief to requite

it with his hand, and that he is the helper of the fatherless and poor that commit themselves unto him." (ver. 14.) "The Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men: the Lord trieth the righteous; but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth." (Psal. xi. 4, 5.)

9. The Sovereignty of God is a comfort to his loyal subjects. They may be sure that he will protect them, and make good his word. "Behold he cometh, and his reward is with him." (Rev. xxii. 12.) "The righteous Judge at his appearing will give the crown of righteousness to all them that love his appearing." (2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. 18.) "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth." (Psal. Ixvii. 4.) "Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad――before the Lord; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth." (Psal. Ixix. 11. 13.)

10. Lastly, The Knowledge of God as our Sovereign King, must cause us to desire and pray for and promote the glory of his kingdom, and the obedience of his subjects in the world; that his name may be hallowed, by the coming of his kingdom, and the doing of his will on earth as it is in heaven, must be the matter of our daily requests to God. It must be the grief of every subject of the Lord, to think of the heathen and infidel parts of the world; and to see the rebellion of the profane among us; and that the laws of God are unknown or despised by the most of men. Alas! what abundance are ruled by their lusts, and self-conceitedness, and corrupted wills, and the customs of the world, or the wills of men! but how few are ruled by the laws of God! O how should it grieve an honest heart, to see God's kingdom hindered by infidelity, and weakened, divided, and disturbed by popery, and heresy, and dishonoured by scandal and impiety, as it is! And to see the multitude, and the violence and industry of corrupters, dividers, and destroyers: and the fewness, the coldness, and the remissness of the builders, the healers and restorers! All you that are loyal subjects to your Lord, lament these ways of rebellion and disobedience, and the diminutions and distempers of the subjects of his kingdom, and the unfaithfulness and negligence of his ministers and bend your cares, desires,

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and prayers, to the promoting of God's kingdom in you, and in the world, and befriend not any thing that hindereth its prosperity.

CHAP. XV.

14. The third of these Relations, and the next point in the Knowledge of God, to be spoken of, is, That he is our Most Loving Father, or Bountiful Benefactor. As he is Good, so he doth Good. (Psal. cxix. 68.) And as he is the chiefest Good, so he bestoweth the greatest benefits: and therefore is thence by a necessary resultancy, our Most Bountiful Benefactor. The term Father comprehendeth in it all his three great relations to us. 1. A father gives being to his children, and therefore hath some propriety in them; and God is the first cause of our whole being, and therefore we are his own. 2. A father is the governor of his children: and God is our chief governor. 3. A father

tenderly loveth his children that are childlike, loving, and obedient to him; and seeketh their felicity: and so doth God love, and will make happy, his loving and obedient children, who have not only their being from him as their maker, but their new being, or holy nature, from him as their sanctifier. And this last being the end and perfection of the rest, doth communicate its nature to the rest, as the means. And so, 1. The new nature that God thus giveth us in our regeneration, is not from his common love, but is an act of special grace, proceeding from his special Fatherly love. 2. The government that he exerciseth over them, as his regenerate children, is not a common government, such as is that of the mere law of nature, or of works; but it is a special government by a law of grace, a justifying, remedying, saving law, or covenant; together with an internal illuminating, quickening, guiding Spirit, with church-state, and officers and ordinances, all suited to this way of grace: Even as his dominion or propriety by redemption, and our sanctification and resignation, is not a common propriety, but a gracious relation to us as our own Father, who hath the endeared relation to him of being his own children. All is from love, and in a way of love, and for the exercise and demonstration of love; So that when I call God our Benefactor, I precisely dis

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