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Show [34] feienee {like : if the fole reafon, why they have a right to tribute is becauie they devote themi'elves wholly to the hufinels of {earring to men their jull rights, and to the punifhing of evil doers ; it tollows by undeniable confequenee, that when they become the pelts othu~ man toaiet,' ; when they promote and encourage evil doers, and become a terror to good works, they then ceafe being the ordinance of Goo ; they are no longer rulers, nor minitters of Goo ; they are fo far from being the powers that are ordain'd of Goo, that they become the miniliers or the powers of darknel‘s : And [‘35] does nothing but what is agreeable to the law ,ofGon ; for this power will not re train us from ‘exercrlmg any libertv, which the DcitV has granted Us ; for the miniltcr of Goo is to re- ilrain us from nothing, but the doing of that which is evil, and to this we have no right : To practice evil is not liberty, but lieencioufnets. Can we conceive of a more perfect, equi. table and generous plan of government, than. this which the apoftle has laid down, viz. to have rulers appointed over us. to encourage us every to good and virtuous action, to defend it is to tar from being a crime to refill them, that in many cath it may be highly criminal in the fight of heaven to retiuie refilling and op‘noliug them to the utuioft of our power; or itrain every liceneious action, and to punifli in other words, that the fame regions, that re- every one that would injure or harm us; to be- and proteenl.~ us in our jull rights and privileges ;, and to grant us every thing that can tend to promote out true interelt and happinels ; to re- quire us to obey the ordinance of COD, do come a terror to evildoers, to make and exe- equally oblige us, when we have poxver and cute Iuchjuft and righteous laws, as ihall ef- ( pportunity, to oypofe and refift the ordinance fectually deter and hinder men from the corn- of lirtan. miliion of evil ; and to attend continually upon this very thing ; to make it their conitant care. Hr NCL‘ we fee, that the apor'lle Paul inflcad of being" a friend to tyranny and arbitray gogernmen‘, turns out to be :1 {tr rig advo cate for the juft rights of mankind ; land is for enjoying all that liberty, with which GOD irwee'led us : For no power (according to apol‘tle) is ordained of" (ion, "at "hat is eucourager of every good and virtu us ' Eon, dz; l/irm' (adult/3 ir ((350.1 and hirer/flu, l/t [rate ‘ " 11'»: firms : No man need to be afraid ', which is Ui'daiii'd of Goo, Who doe and ttudy clziyzind nightto promote the good and welfare of the community, and to oppole all evil practices. De‘ervedly may luch rulers i: called the iiriiliei‘s of God for good. They carry on the fame benevolent delign towards the community which they great governor of the univerle does towards his whole creation, Tis the indilpenlibie duty of a people to pay tribute, and to afford an city and comfortable fr blilleriee to inch rulers, heeiule they are the miniilers of Goo, who are ontinually r5 and CIDPlOleL‘S their time for the |