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common prosperity of the whole to the glory of the Lord, and may all our
governors for this purpose really belong to the God of Judah, and be not only
professors but also doers of the Word of righteousness and thy fellow citizens
with the Saints, then they would care for Jerusalem as their metropolis, and seek
its peace and prosperity; nay, they would be of one heart and mind with the
inhabitants of Judah, who trust in the Lord and we might rest assured that God
would be their leader, and prosper their undertakings, seeing thus the prayer of
His people is continually for them.
b) But then (YHWH) you may easily conclude what be the indescribable
duty of the inhabitants of our Judah.
c) We must acknowledge and reverence [revere?] them, and be subject
unto them in the Lord, for God has given them to be governors, Romans 13:1, 764
and all who resist them without just reason shall bear their punishment, because
they oppose the order of God; that therefore everyone of us be careful not to
despise the ruling powers, that are for us much as anarchy is contrary to the
ordinance of God, so infinitely dangerous is it for the true interest of a
community! No (YHWH),
2. Let us much more endeavor to afford unto our rulers and
governors matter of glorying and rejoicing in us; that we are their strength,
whether in the Senate or in the field. Truly, governors and generals need more
than ordinary strength and should we not be helpful to such as under God advise
and promote our common interest. What are we doing when we obey our teachers
but to work out our own salvation and what don’t we also seek and enjoy our own
prosperity by submitting to the salutary laws of our own country? Let no man
think mean of these human ordinances for it pleases the Lord to rule His people by
them. But why I should insist longer to prove the equity and justice of what is
known and universally acknowledged among Reformed Christians.
β) Let us rather search our conscience and ask ourselves, whether we
really be of them, who are a strength to governors and of Church affairs. I decline
to speak this morning whilst I am obliged to limit my discourse to political
matters, but in subordination to what every Christian ought to do,
a) do we (YHWH) show sufficient evidences, that the Lord is our God so
that the governors may look upon us, as the people of God. I do not hint now at
such who speak against our cause and government, nor them who decline fighting
etc., but do we not speak idle and hard words that do not become a professing
Christian, and does our speech betray us to pious governors.
b) what then must they think of our faith in God’s promise of our
continual prayer for our rulers and land, are not many among us hitherto void of
all exercises of faith in God in XI 765 with respect to our present situation, contest,
like as many are ignorant, how to commit their own spiritual or temporal concerns
to Jesus, thus they also do not know, how to act faith upon the Word of God for
our country and oh, how few, that actually appear before God to seek a blessing
764
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God,
and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.”
765
Mark 11? [Mark 11:22: “Jesus answered them: ‘Have faith in God.’]
359