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he is a well-principled adversary to all wicked and blasphemous errors and opinions, and to all profligacies of heart and life, which flow from them, and which have overrun the country with guilt and shame.

The Christian carries religion into his patriotism, but not his patriotism into religion. The things of God are too holy and sacred with him either to be mixed with, or truckled to, the little low politics of men. He is the citizen of a better country, and a pilgrim in all others; though a peculiar and publicspirited friend to that in which he was born.

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As he can say with Samuel, "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for his" nation; so he would act upon all occasions, as Samuel did, and endeavour to promote the welfare of his country by being a good countryman. will contribute fairly and cheerfully to her burdens, live in all godly quietness and honesty among his people, and pray faithfully and earnestly for the whole public weal as a Christian. Were all the subjects such patriots, the country would have but small reason to be afraid of the most mighty and numerous enemies; for who could penetrate the wall of fire, with which God, in such a case, would surround it?

CHAPTER II.

The real Christian is conscientiously a dutiful subject to the King and his Government.

HE that said, "fear God," immediately added, as one evident proof of the reality of his godly fear, "honour the king." Being chief magistrate, the king is God's first temporal minister, who is to bear the sword of justice and judgment, "for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well." The Christian then, living like a Christian, has no just cause to fear a wound. We are commanded by God to reverence those who act under the king, for these ends; how much more then are we bound to regard himself? And if the Christian be concerned for his country, he cannot be unconcerned for his sovereign, who is more deeply interested in its welfare than any other man.

He prays publicly and privately for his king, for his family, and for all that are put in authority under him. It is his wisdom, interest, principle, and duty, thus to pray; because their prosperity is not only connected with his own, but their downfal would occasion the worst of hazards to millions of people. He who countenances strife and sedition, can no more be a true and benevolent Christian than a real patriot and subject; for, by these, confusion, rebellion, rapine, and murder, may overspread a land, to the general destruction, and to the reproachful hin

derance of godliness and piety. I can find examples of pardon for the most atrocious private sins, in the Bible; but I do not recollect one instance of God's mercy extended to the public crime of rebellion. Indeed, the same word is used in the original both for rebellion and for apostacy from God; and probably because they are almost one and the same thing. Rebellion is an aggregate evil, inducing and involving every other wickedness, and is precisely that offence of the first magnitude, which ruined the fallen angels, and through them brought misery and mischief into this world, as well as occasioned the irreparable sorrows of eternity.

A true Christian values private, public, and religious peace at too high a rate, ever to sacrifice it to the caprices and suspicions of selfish parties and worldly politicians. Corrupt as the world now is, he is thankful for the civil and religious liberty he enjoys, esteeming it a wonderful providence to him as a Briton, above all other men; and therefore he is not captious and querulous because governors are frail mortals like himself, and consequently cannot possibly please every one, nor be absolutely perfect in all things.

In cases of real oppression, the Christian hath a better God to go to than his own passions, or the violences of sinful men, or the evil god of this present evil world, who kindles those violences and passions by his own. He doth not rave, but pray; not

swear and curse, but bless; not strive to cut throats for his own self-will, but to subdue his own heart first to the will of God, and to soften the hearts of

others by temperance of conduct, kindness of reason, and innocence of life. "And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts."

The word of God is the Christian's rule of politics; not the false, fanciful, ignorant, and impracticable speculations of men, who know not their own hearts, and who, deriving all from their own stock, could not have true wisdom or grace, and consequently could not truly and really govern themselves. Whatever principles, temper, and conduct, cannot be "sanctified by the word of God and prayer," are absolutely unholy to a Christian, and strictly to be avoided by him.

CHAPTER III.

The real Christian will punctually obey the Lars of his country, in every thing not opposite to the will and word of God.

INIQUITY, not righteousness, is the object and occasion of law. Without law, so sinful is man, there could be no society, property, liberty, or peace. And though real Christians would, as such, do nothing but right, were there no law at all; yet as the number of these is few, and as the nature of man is frail, and requires order and direction, they cannot

better show that they could live without laws, than by the most exact attention never to break them.

There is only one case in which a Christian can withdraw his obedience; namely, when the laws of men are directly opposite to the will, and word, and laws of God. But he ought to be very sure that they are so, and should rarely trust to his own single judgment; lest, instead of suffering for God, by resisting man, he only set up his natural self-will against that of others, and so disgrace rather than glorify the cause of goodness and truth.

The laws of his country ought to be very dear, at this time, to a British Christian; because he is most unreservedly protected by them, in his liberty, property, and religion. He can now sit, and kneel too, under his own vine, none making him afraid.

A professor in religion acts unworthily, when he strives to evade the spirit and intention of the laws, or to profit by secretly breaking them. It is no act of faith, either to smuggle, or to eat, drink, and wear, such things as the prudence of the state hath forbidden. Persons, who can allow themselves in this licentiousness, ought to examine the uprightness and sincerity of their own consciences, and whether they would not yet further contribute to the ruin and confusion of their country, if the punishment and force, meant for ungodly men, did not restrain even them, The Christianity of a smuggler, or shuffler of just duties and taxes, is as much to be doubted, as the honour and justice of a professed highwayman. It may be added, that the man deserves the highest blame, who, professing religion, can venture to do

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