That the submission required in the text implies also _obedience to the laws the governors give us_. He cannot be said rightly to submit either to the king or to the governors sent by him, who refuses to _obey_ the laws they enjoin. Should those laws indeed be contrary to the laws of God; should, for instance, any earthly prince command us to worship any god except our own God, or enact that murder, or theft, or adultery, or any other crime forbidden by the word of God was lawful, then we must obey God rather than man; then indeed we must act as we have seen the saints of old did--not break out into acts of rebellion, but submit to the punishment of the laws, "suffer for righteousness sake,"--"take joyfully the spoiling of our goods," and be willing to be led either to prison or to death, rather than rebel against the ordinance of man, or disobey the commands of God. But while we have a king whose throne is established in righteousness; while we have a government which, in all the laws it enacts, is, as to all essential points, of necessity guided by the word of God, our submission to our governors must include submission to their laws. While _they_ are restrained from enacting any laws that are contrary to the laws of God--_those_, it is plain, who refuse to obey _their_ laws, do in fact refuse to obey the laws of God. While the laws of the land and the laws of God are one, in breaking the one we break the other, so that if it could be said of the early Christians living under a _heathen_ government, "Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation,"[11] with how much more truth may it be said of us, if, living under a _Christian_ government, we refuse to "render unto all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour."[12] No, brethren, without obedience to the laws there can be no right submission. Such then is the general outline of the duty enjoined in the test, "Submit yourselves," &c. * * * * * I now pass on to show,