The apostle Peter gives this commandment to all the christian church: "submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme: or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of GOD. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear GOD. Honour the king.”

6. A true christian will find his conscience get tender, quick, and feeling: and he will get more and more careful not to wound it. He will find himself conscientiously striving to set the Lord before him in matters of daily life. He will be exercising himself to have always a conscience void of offence, both towards GoD and towards Men." When engaged, or about to engage, in some

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doubtful thing, his conscience says: "stop: is it right? Is it according to my Lord's word and will? How would JESUS act in a like case? Am I doing as I would be done by? Can I fairly and honestly look for God's blessing upon it?" When once any one has really felt the love of CHRIST in his heart and the power of His Gospel, it is surprising how quickened and enlightened that person's conscience becomes: how much better able by the Holy Ghost, to perceive and know what things he ought to do; how able to feel and see many things now which in the blindness and deadness of his cold heart he passed over without a thought. In a true christian it becomes quite a matter of conscience towards GOD, to be honest and regular in his payment of taxes, rates, dues, customs, tributes, to all who have lawful right to receive them. He desires to consider all such persons as "the powers that be," as the powers, "ordained of GOD," GOD's servants, His ministers.

Whether they feel themselves to be so or not, the true christian desires to consider them as such: for the word of the Lord declares it: and for conscience towards GOD, as well as for peace and safety sake, the believer renders unto them their dues. "For this cause (says Paul) pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing." It is quite a part of the real Believer's character to be strict and exact in these particulars. The christian's Master, the Lord JESUS Himself, used to pay tribute when He was on earth. "They that received tribute-money came to Peter, and saith, Doth not your Master pay tribute? he saith, Yes." If you hope to be with CHRIST in heaven, take heed that you follow CHRIST on earth. And if this question should ever be asked, "Do you render unto all men their dues?" let him, who names the name of CHRIST, be able truly and humbly to answer, "yes." The command and exhortation

of the Gospel thus speaks :-"Render, therefore, to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due: custom to whom custom fear to whom fear: honour to whom honour." It is nothing but hypocrisy, covetousness, and resistance against the ordinance of GOD, when unjust men under pretence of religion and conscience, keep back any taxes, customs, tributes, and such like payments, from persons to whom such things are due. Although Cæsar was a heathen ruler among the Jews, still our Lord said to His people, "Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's: and unto GOD the things which are GOD's." It has always been too much the practice for ungodly men to break through these plain, just, and beautiful rules of the Lord; to speak evil of powers and dignities; to brawl and rail against them : and to fancy, or pretend, that they are doing GoD service.-Peter's words are very strong: The Lord (says he)

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knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the Unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas Angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord."

7. It is my duty as a christian minister to put you all in mind of your duties on these points though you know them. Thus speaks Paul to the minister Titus, as regards the church: "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." Great, solemn, and difficult is the situation of kings, rulers, judges, powers, magistrates. They