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them, which magistrates are for the praise of them that do well. So this watching is for preventing thieves and murderers, and stopping the burning of houses. So we do submit to every such ordinance of men for the Lord's sake; for the Apostle exhorted to submission, "whether it be to the King, as supreme, or governors, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishing of the evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; for so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; as free, not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as servants of God;" so that justice, and truth, and righteousness, may be set upon the unrighteous and unjust; not using this liberty for a cloak of unrighteousness to any one, but as servants in the righteousness of the righteous God; as you may see in 1 Pet. ii. 13, and in Titus iii. 1: "Put them in mind to obey magistrates, and to be ready to every good work." Mark, every good work; that is, against the evil, as drunkenness, murder, whoredom, and all manner of uncleanness.

So far we can obey them, in the Lord's power and truth, as they act against the evil,

and that which dishonours God; and if they act against the good, or if they would compel us to those things, which are matter of conscience in us towards God, we resist not, but suffer under them.

For if any should come to burn your house, or rob you, or come to ravish your wives or daughters, or a company should come to fire a city or town, or come to kill people; wo'n't you watch against such evil things in the power of God in your own way? You cannot but discover such things to the magistrates, who are to punish such things; and therefore the watch is kept and set to discover such to the magistrate, that they may be punished; and if he does it not, he bears his sword in vain. So if thou watch thy own plantation against thieves, in thy own way, which thou art desired, for the good of thyself and neighbours, against such as would burn thy plantation, and thy neighbour's, and destroy and rob you, wilt not thou discover this to the magistrates, who are set for the punishing of the evil doers, and executing wrath upon them, and for the praise of them that do well? Surely yes.

And for this cause we pay tribute to them, and give Cæsar his due, that we may live a godly and peaceable life under them, as they are God's ministers attending upon this very thing, to wit, the punishing of the evil doers, and the praise of them that do well; for the law was not made for the righteous, but for the sinner and disobedient, and is good in its place. Now if they do not do their duty, we are clear, having given them their tribute or customs; I say, if they do not do their duty to keep down evil doers, and be for the praise of them that do well, God Almighty will turn against them. But if the magistrate would have all, both God's due, and Cæsar's too, that we cannot give; for God must have his worship, his praise, his honour, and his due ; and Cæsar must have his due, his earthly custom and tribute; and so herein we render unto God the things which are God's, and unto Cæsar the things which are his.

And whereas some may say, that the Apostle would not eat flesh, lest he should offend his brother, that was a condescension upon a religious account; and did not give offence to the magistrate, who is set for the

punishing of the evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.

And whereas the Apostle saith, Col. ii: "Wherefore, if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world; why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (touch not, taste, not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using,) after the commandments and doctrines of men?"—now these ordinances, these doctrines, these commandments, were concerning religion and worship; and are quite distinct from those whereof the Apostle saith: "Be subject to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake; for the punishment of evil doers." 1 Pet. ii. 13. For this was for the Lord's sake, which was for the praise of them that do well, and for the punishment of the evil doer. So he makes a distinction here.

And you know that masters of ships, and friends, have their watches all night long, and they watch to preserve the ship, and to prevent any enemy or hurts, that might come to the ship, by passengers or otherwise.

And Christ came in the fourth watch of the night, walking on the sea, &c. And Peter was in the ship, and his disciples, as you may see in Matt. xiv. and in Mark vi. 48.

And Simon Peter had part of the ship, as you may see in Luke v. And so it was that James and John, sons of Zebedee, were partners with Simon.

And Christ saith, Luke xii. 38, 39, speaking of his coming, and exhorting to watch: "If he (to wit, the master) should come in the second or third watch, and find them watching, blessed are those servants." So this watching was for Christ, and against sin and evil in their own hearts. And then he brings a comparison: "And this know," said he, "that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not suffered his house to be broken up," &c.

And so here is the good man's watching against sin and evil without, and the spoiler and the thief without, whom the magistrate is to revenge, and to lay his sword upon. And

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