Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-08-01
GOVERNMENTAL SERMON,
DELIVERED BY
Reverend William j. Gibson,
OF JACKSONVTLIE cENTRE n


" Let every soul be subject unto the highe
powers. For there is no power but of God: - &c
Rom, 13: II:
The apostle concludes this epistle to The
Romans, as is his custom in all his epistle.
to the churches, with particular instruction!
with respect to practical duties. The prac-
teal part of this epistle commences with the
beginning of the preceding chapter. The
precepts of the 18th chapter, however, have
principal regard to private and personal du.
ties of one man unto another. The instruc-
tions as to duty in this chapter, Of which oul
subject is a part, have respect to man as a
subject of civil society. His duty with re-
spect to the Government under which be
lives is plainly defined and limited. These
injunctions IN regard to obedience and SUBJ
lection to the civil government may have
been peculiarly necessary with reference to
the circumstances of those to whom they
were first addressed. The christians then
lay under the slandsro charge of insubor-
dination to civil magistrates, being the enc
mics Of Caesar, and by their doctrines over
turning the foundations of civil society. The
| Apostles were designated as the men " who
turned the world upside down" and their
followers as faetious, seditious and turbu-
lent. And further, as most of the early con-
verts to the Gospel, were of the Jews, who
originally entertained the belief that it was
not becoming that one of another nation
should rule over them as indeed, this was
a law to them under the former dispensation,
Deut. II Is it was indeed highly impor-
| tant that their inspired teachers should give
them Instructions in reference to the duty Of
subsection to civil rules in the various places
and countries in which they might dwell.-
| But while these reasons might exist for the
special instructions in regard to civil duties
contained in the text, and in other epistles,
and given by other apostles; yet no one can
fail to see how exceedingly appropriate and
necessary such injunctlons are to christians,
and men of every country and of every age Of
the world. And, if ever there was a time
when they should be correctly understood,
and consoientiously practiced, it is at the
present time, and in our country.
lst. In the passage under consideration we
are taught, i'll the first place, the origin Of
ci01 gooernment.
So far-as We can see, there are only three
social relations which God has Instituted for
men in this world. The first is the domestic,
or family relation; the second is the ci0il goU.
ernment OF man in community; and the
third is The church, or man in bis religious
relations to God and his fellowmen. The
| first, or family relation, is the foundation of
both the other relations Artificial distinc-
tions and relations, other than these may be
formed, but, TO say the least of them, they
cannot bind the conscience, not being foun-
ded on the will or authority of GOO.
lss. Here, then, is the first great and fun
damentAt truth taught by the apostle in the
text: cioil government is The ordinance of
God, ". L. For there is no power but of
God: the powers that be are ordained of
God"
God is th. Supreme Ruler, and all subor-
dinate eower and auti iGy ara derived from
him. But whatever second cause he May
have been pleased to confer power, as to its
origin, it is Of God. Hence, rulers and mag.
istrates are his ministers," and they are
denominated Gods" rs. 80 6, because
in their official characters they are represen-
tatives Of the power of God. Il is his resol-
we'd viii that there should Dc rulers armed
with power to enforce obedience; and his
| providence has concurred with his word in
establishing and maintaining government
under some acknowledged form throughout
the world. This is the foundation of the OBJ
legation to obey civil rulers. At least, it is
the chief foundation of obedience and sub
mission to regularly constituted civil gov
eminent. And it is the foundation on which
the apostle rests it in the text. Whosoever
therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the
ordinance of God: and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation !" This is
not the time or place to limit or define the
term +" damnation." therefore pass to a
second observation, only remarking, that the
term is sufficiently startling, limited by the
mildest definition. In illustration Of its prob
able compass, we refer you to LIST Cor. IL: 20,
a passage which has disturbed many ten
der conscience.
%. God has prescribed in his word no par
ticuIar form of civil government.
The attempt to establish the opposite prop
osition of this has always proved manifest
failure. And the reason why there is found
to be no particular form enjoined as of di-
vine right, is that the form of administration
is not essential, so that the ends of human
government are attained. Of these, we shall
hav, occasion to speak OF hereafter. We
have, perhaps, instances of all forms of civil
government in the Scriptures. At first civil
government. appeared in the world in its
simplest form. Such was that of the patri.
archs, and the heads Of tribes. Kingly gov
ernment or monarchy has been the most
common form Of Government up to the pres
ent time in the history of the world. The
seeming reluctance with which God granted