2. In Spirituals, 1 Cor. xiii. 9. and viii. 2.
1. We know but little,

1. Of GOD, Hof. iv. 1. Jer. ix. 3.
2. Of Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 2.

3. Of our Souls;

4. Of our Estate as to GOD, 2 Cor.
xiii. 5.

5. As to the World to come.

2. All our Knowledge we owe to GOD,
S. Matth. xi. 25.

2. Gifts of the Ministry.

1. None can perform their Duty aright,
Ecclef. vii. 20. 2 Cor. iii. 5.

2. What Gift we have, we are bound to
GOD for, 1 Co.. iv. 7.

3. We can do no Good with it, without
GOD, S. Joh. xv. 5. 1 Cor. iii. 6.

3. Graces.

1. Few have all.

2. They we have, are imperfect, Phil. iii.

11, 13.

1. Love to GOD, S. Matth. xii. 37.
2. Faith in Chrift, S. Luk. xvii. 5.
3. Repentance of Sin, 2 Cor. vii. 10.
4. Juftice to our Neighbour, S. Matth.
vii. 12.

5. Charity to the Poor, 1 Cor. xvi. 2.
2 Cor. ix. 6.

3. If we think too highly of ourselves
for them, they are no true Graces,
S. Matth. xi. 29. 1 Tim. i. 15. Ephef.
iii. 8.

USES.

1. Information. What Caufe have we then

not to be proud?

1. Of

1. Of Strength, Jer. ix. 23.

1. Wherein the Beasts excel us.

2. Whereof we may each Moment be deprived, Ifa. ii. 22.

2. Of Riches;

1. Which cannot make us happy.

2. But keep us from Happiness, S. Matth. xix. 23, 26.

3. Which we must part with before we can be happy.

3. Honours;

1. Which depend upon the Thoughts of

others.

2. May deprive us of true Honours, S. Joh. xii. 43.

2. Exhortation. Study Humility, 1 S. Pet. v. 5. 1. Towards GOD, Mic. vi. 8. Ifa. lvii. 17. and lxvi. 2.

Confidering,

1. How many Sins you are guilty of, Pfal. xix. 12.

2. How many you are defiled with, Isa. i. 5, 6.

2. Towards Men.

Confider,

1. You know not but they are better and more dear to GOD than yourselves, Rom. xiv. 3, 4. Phil. ii. 3.

2. If you excel them in fome Things, they may excel you in others, Rom.

xii. 4.

3. The more proud you are, the less Cause you have to be fo proud; Pride caufing,

1. Division among Men, Prov. xiii. 10. 2. Separation from GOD, 1 S. Pet. v. 5.

ROM.

I.

ROM. xiii. 1.

Let every Soul be subject to the higher

Powers.

1. Every Soul, or Man, Exod. xii. 4. Gen. xlvi.

27.

1. Secular Perfon.

2. Ecclefiaftical or Religious. Пão TauṬa dicτάτζε, καὶ ἱερεῦσι, καὶ μοναχοῖς, ἐχὶ τοῖς βιαζικοῖς μόνον, S. Chryfoft. Και ΣπόςολΘ- *, κἂν εὐαγγελισης, κἂν προ phons, xåv ôsıooïv, Idem. S. Matt. xvii. 27.

II. The Object, To the higher Powers, or chief Magiftrates established in each Nation.

1. To fee that GOD be rightly worshipped, 2 Chron. xiv. 2, 4. and xvii. 6, 9.

2. To preserve Peace, 1 Tim. ii. 2. Psal. Ixxii. 7. 3. To execute Juftice, Pfal. lxxii. 2. Rom. xiii. 4.

III. The Act, Be fubject: We owe them,
1. Prayers, 1 Tim. ii. 1.

2. Fear, Prov. xxiv. 21. 1 S. Pet. ii. 17.

3. Not to speak Evil of him, Ecclef. x. 20. 2 S. Pet. ii. 10. S. Jude 8.

4. Render their Dues to them, Rom. xiii. 7.
Subjection and Obedience, Tit. iii. 1.

1. Otherwife, the Magiftrates Power is in

vain.

2. The Publick Good depends upon our Obedience.

3. We are bound to obey for Fear, Rom. xiii.

2,375.

4. For the Lord's fake, Rom. xiii. 5.

5. He that refifteth, refifteth the Ordinance of

GOD.

IV. The Reafon of the Command: All Power is of GOD.

This appears,

1. From Scripture."

1. Every Power is ordained of GOD, Rom. xiii. 1, 2.

2. The Magiftrate is the Minister of GOD, delov, Rom. xiii. 4.

3. By GOD Kings reign, Prov. viii. 15,

16.

4. They judge under Him, 2 Chron. xix. 5,

6,7.

5. He fets up Kings, Dan. ii. 21, 37. and v.

21.

6. GOD firft ordained the Power of the Sword in the Hand of Men, Gen. ix. 6.

7. GOD gave particular Direction for chufing most of the Kings of Ifrael; as Saul, David, Jehu; and so now.

2. From Reafon.

1. He is the first Cause of all Things, S. Joh. xix. 11.

2. All Power depends on Him, Act. xvii. 28.

3. As the Stream from the Fountain.

3. All Power in Men is GOD's Power in their Hands, 2 Chron. xix. 6.

4. Power is good and necessary, therefore from GOD, S. Jam. i. 17.

5. It is Part of the Law of Nature, Rom. ii. 14, 15.

USES.

USE S.

1. Be fubject,

1. To all, I S. Pet. ii. 18.

2. In all Things, 1 S. Pet. ii. 13.
3. For Confcience-fake, Rom. xiii. 5.
Confider,

1. Obeying them is obeying GOD.
2. Refifting them, is refifting GOD,
1 Sam. XV. 22. Ifa. i. 2.

3. The Saints in all Ages have been fub-
ject to their higher Powers.

4. They who refift, fhall receive to themfelves Damnation, Rom. xiii. 2.

2. Be fenfible of, and humble for the Publick Breach of this Command, upon this Day. Μαζίftratus eft εύλαξ το δικαίω καὶ ἴσκο Confider the Greatnefs of the Sin.

1. It was not against any Inferior, but the Supreme Magiftrate.

2. Not against a finful Ufurper, but a most pious and religious Prince.

3. He was not only refifted and reviled, but murdered by his own Subjects.

4. It was not a Sin of Ignorance or Rashness,
but committed with the greatest De-
liberation.

5. And under Pretence of Religion too.
6. It was not the Act of particular Perfons
only, but the Body of the whole Na-
tion were guilty of it. Not only in
that their Reprefentatives in Parlia-
ment were the Promoters and Actors
of it, but likewife, in that the great-
eft Part of the Nation encouraged and
affifted them in it.

ROM.