OUR COUNTRY AND ITS CAUSE. "WHOSOEVER THEREFORE RESISTETH THE POWER, RESISTETH THE ORDINANCE OP GOD; AND THEY THAT RESIST, SHALLVREOEIVEITOJ JTHEMSELVES DAMNATION."—Rom. 13 : 2. GOD'S LAW AGAINST KEBELLION. The theme of tlie sermon which I am about to preach in yoiir hearing, I shall entitle Our Country and its Cause. The text, a fitting passage for this purpose, contains the law of God on the subject of rebellion. Taken in itself, and in its corollaries, it underlies and determines all my views in respect to the present war. The verse immediately precedent, commands every soul to be " subject unto the higher powers," clearly referring to the civil authorities. The reason for this subjection is given in the fact, that " the powers that be, are ordained of God." Hence the religious obligation of obedience to the civil authority. Hence, too, he that " resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of Godf and hence again, those who resist, are justly obnoxious to the penalty with which civil law is armed. Such is the law of God in respect to the sin of rebellion. THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, GOD'S ORDINANCE. No one, certainly no religious man, will doubt whether the Government of these United States is " the ordinance of God." If this were true of the Roman power referred to by Paul, not- "withstanding its heathenish and oppressive character, then it certainly must be true of the national authority established in this land. While this Government as to its form and method of continuance, was originally created by the people, yet being thus created, it becomes " the ordinance of God," entitled to the obedience of the subject, and divinely armed with penal power to suppress and punish all unlawful resistance to its claims.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=