Transcriber's Note:
Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully aspossible.
THE DUTY OF SUBMISSION TO CIVIL
AUTHORITY.
A SERMON,
PREACHED IN THE PARISH CHURCH OF BRADFIELD, BERKS,
ON
Sunday, November 28, 1830,
ON
OCCASION OF THE LATE DISTURBANCES
IN THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD.
BY THE REV. J. F. MOOR, M.A.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY JAMES NISBET,
21, BERNERS STREET;
AND SOLD BY J. RUSHER, READING.
MDCCCXXX.
Should any Profits arise from the Sale of this Sermon, they will
be devoted to Charitable Purposes.
The following Discourse lays no claim to originality. The Authoracknowledges his obligation to the excellent Bishop Beveridge for manyvaluable and leading thoughts contained in it. But having thrown theminto a new form, and having had it suggested to him by some members ofhis congregation, that the publication of them, at the present eventfulcrisis, might, under the divine blessing, be useful, he has consented tolet them appear in print. The Author deeply feels the awfulresponsibility which, in these turbulent times, more especially devolvesupon every minister of the sanctuary—to withhold nothing from thepublic which may have a tendency, through the powerful influence of theHoly Spirit accompanying it, to strengthen the walls of our[Pg 4] spiritualZion, and to preserve among us "that righteousness which" alone"exalteth a nation." It is with the earnest prayer, that the followingpages may in the perusal of them be blest to these ends; and that, ifthey are, all the glory may redound to Him, to whom alone it is due,that the Author sends them to the press.
A SERMON, &c.
1 Peter ii. 13, 14.—Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man forthe Lord's sake; whether it be to the king, as supreme; or untogovernors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
One of the charges brought against the early Christians by theirenemies, was, that they were rebellious, and despisers of civilauthority; and accordingly we find the Apostles, in all their Epistlesto the different churches they had been instrumental in planting,strongly enforcing the duty of submission to "the powers that be:" for,brethren, a more false imputation cannot be thrown upon trueChristianity, than that which charges it with giving the slightestcountenance, either to rebellion or a contempt of authority. Truereligion will ever make men the[Pg 6] best and most loyal subjects, as wellas most faithful, and upright, and conscientious, in the discharge ofall the other relative and social duties of life. A man cannot be aChristian indeed, who "despises dominion, and speaketh evil ofdignities."[1] The Apostle Jude, speaking of such, classes them amongthose that are "sensual, not having the Spirit." But if this be thecase, we seem