touched upon the subject of private rights. He left these matters for the adjustment of civil rulers. He taught all men to love one another, to respect each others rights, to submit to each other; to show all fidelity, to be obedient, humble and meek; and to know that his kingdom was not of this world.

The Apostles, however, in some respects, pursued a different course. Several important questions appear to have been settled by them, with which Jesus Christ but seldom, if ever, meddled.

1st. They fully recognized civil government as an ordinance of God; in other words, that it is the will of God that men should not live as the beasts of the field, without control; but that they should be formed into societies regulated by laws, and that the laws should be executed by magistrates appointed for that purpose. The particular forms of government they left to the wisdom of men to frame, and to nations to regulate; but what the spirit of the government should be, they have plainly indicated. What kind of government and rulers are intended, the Apostles thus particularly specify: Romans, xiii. 1, 3, 4; 1 Peter, ii. 14. "They are not a terror to good works, but to evil. 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, an avenger to execute wrath, sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." They are God's ministers attending to this very thing; that is, their talents and their time are wholly employed in this great and good work. Such are the principles of government laid down in the New Testament, and such the duties which it prescribes to the rulers and magistrates of nations.

But Christianity does not confine its injunctions to one part of the community, and leave the rest to act as they please: it addresses itself likewise with equal energy to the people, and binds on their consciences the obligations of subjection and obedience. Subjects are taught to be

submissive and obedient to the higher powers; to pray for them; to fear God and honour the king; to give unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's; to render tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour; and to do all this, not merely because the civil laws require it, and for fear of punishment from men, but for conscience-sake, and in obedience to the laws of God. (Matt. xxii. 21; Rom. xiii. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2 ; Tit. iii. 1; 1 Peter ii. 13, 15.) These injunctions are highly reasonable, and exactly correspond with the nature and state of things. If the members of a community refuse to honour and obey the divine ordinance, to be subject to government, to give high respect to rulers, or to pay them tribute,—and all this, not from fear of punishment, but for conscience-sake, it must be allowed by every rational man, that they resist an ordinance of God,-an ordinance that is both reasonable and beneficial, and deservedly receive to themselves condemnation.

2. The Apostles expressly taught that, by becoming a Christian, a man did not abolish nor change his civil rights. The civil state which a man was in before his conversion, is not altered by that conversion, nor does the grace of God absolve him from any claims which either the state or his neighbour may have on him. This was a rule of conduct which the Apostle says was ordained in all the churches. "But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every man, so let him walk: and so I ordain in all the churches. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a slave? care not for it, but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's free man: likewise, also, he that is called, being free, is Christ's slave." (1. Cor. vii. 17, 22.)

The rule which the Apostle here lays down, and which was established in all the churches, and is still in