Civil Government a Divine Institution

Resotvep, by the Senate and House of Representatives, That the thanks of the General Assembly be tendered to the Rev. Siras. McKeen, for his Election Sermon, and that the Secretary of State be directed to request a copy of said Sermon for the press, and to cause one thousand copies of said Sermon, when procured, to be printed for the use of the General Assembly. Ix House or Representatives, Oct. 10, 1857. Read and adopted. L. G. HINCKLEY, Ass’¢ Clerk. In Senate, Oct. 10, 1857. Read and adopted in concurrence. R. C. BENTON, Jr., Asst Sec’y. “ERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETS SONTPTHER VEOMONT SERMON. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore,{resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister_of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.—Rom. x11, 1—5. Tur noty Scriptures are entirely adapted to our wants, and eminently worthy to be received as the guide of our lives. They not only teach us our duty to their divine Author, but also how we ought to feel and conduct towards our fellow men, in every condition and relation of life. Here legislators and all other governmental officers, and all their constituents or subjects, may learn by what principles they must be actuated, what course they must pursue, in order to secure the approbation of the supreme Law-giver. The passage before us contains more important instruction respecting the origin and binding authority of all just civil government, and the duty of its subjects, than, probably, can any where else be found within the same compass. And this instruction is so radical in its nature, and universal in its application, that it is as appropriate to one form of righteous goyernment as another. All such government is divinely authorized, and should, as a divine institution, be honored.

On such an occasion as this, when the Legislature of a sovereign State, about to enter on the performance of the high duties to which they have been appointed, and such a representation of the entire people, are assembled in this house of religious worship, to bow down with reverence before the Most High and implore His guidance and blessing in the administration of government and the use of all good means of promoting the public welfare, it seems to be eminently proper that we should reverently consider what His word teaches respecting the origin, intention, due limits, and just authority of Civil Government; together with the duty of general obedience thereunto. And this will be our theme during this fleeting hour. There can be no doubt but the gospel was first received at Rome by converts from among the Jews resident there. Probably it was introduced by some of those from that city who were converted at Jeru- salem under the preaching of Peter, and might have yeceived a new impulse from some of the disciples who were scattered abroad by the martyrdom of Stephen. The first converts being Jews, the type of their Christianity would be Jewish. Converts directly from Paganism uniting with these Hebrew Christians, and looking to them for instruction and example, would naturally embrace their opinions and act in harmony with them. But, the only government which the Jews had been accustomed to acknowledge as worthy to be obeyed was a Theocracy. They received Jehovah as their King, and yielded obedience to the judges and kings of Israel on the ground that they were divinely authorized to govern, as servants of the King in Sion. They had long been looking forward to the advent of the promised Messiah, and expected that He would reign over them as a mighty earthly Potentate, and raise their nation to the highest degree of power and renown. These converts believed that the promised Saviour had already come, they recognized him as _ their King, and were unwilling to own allegiance to any other—especially to the idolatrous emperors of Rome, who set themselves against the Lord and His Anointed. They firmly believed that the heathen rulers, who had no respect for the authority and honor of the King in Zion, had no right to exercise lordship over His subjects. The great question with them was not, as some have supposed, whether it was their duty to Te submit to unjust and oppressive laws, but whether it was right for them to recognize as just the authority of such heathen rulers, at all. The opinion that they did not owe allegiance to them seems to have prevailed, and was suited to exasperate the civil authorities against them, and to bring down upon their defenceless heads an insupportable weight of vengeance. It was to avert this gathering storm, and to induce them to pursue a course which would be for their own peace and prosperity in a heathen land and under the reign of a cruel tyrant, for Nero was then on the throne, that Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, gave them the instruction, which we are now to consider ;—instruction as entirely appropriate to us as it was to them. * Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.” — By every soul, every person capable of understanding and obeying this injunction is intended. The expression is general, including both Jews and Gentiles, whatever their standing in society or religious belief — might be. …