posed of God. St. Peter recognizes this distinction when he
said to Annanias, Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God. All lying is
sinful, but lying to God is a higher crime than lying to men. There is
greater irreverence and contempt of the divine presence and authority,
and a violation of an obligation of a higher order. Every man feels that
the marriage vows have a sacred character which could not belong to
them, if marriage was merely a civil contract. In like manner the divine
institution of government elevates it into the sphere of religion, and
adds a new and higher sanction to the obligations which it imposes.
There is a specific difference, more easily felt than described, between
what is religious and what is merely moral; between disobedience to man
and resistance to an ordinance of God.

A third point included in the scriptural doctrine on this subject is,
that the actual existence of any government creates the obligation of
obedience. That is, the obligation does not rest either on the origin or
the nature of the government, or on the mode in which it is
administered. It may be legitimate or revolutionary, despotic or
constitutional, just or unjust, so long as it exists it is to be
recognized and obeyed within its proper sphere. The powers that be are
ordained of God in such sense that the possession of power is to be
referred to his providence. It is not by chance, nor through the
uncontrolled agency of men, but by divine ordination that any government
exists. The declaration of the apostle just quoted was uttered under the
reign of Nero. It is as true of his authority as of that of the Queen of
England, or that of our own President, that it was of God. He made Nero
Emperor. He required all within the limits of the Roman empire to
recognize and obey him so long as he was allowed to occupy the throne.
It was not necessary for the early Christians to sit in judgment on the
title of every new emperor, whenever the pretorian guards chose to put
down one and put up another; neither are God's people now in various
parts of the world called upon to discuss the titles and adjudicate the
claims of their rulers. The possession of civil power is a providential
fact, and is to be regarded as such. This does not imply that God
approves of every government which he allows to exist. He permits
oppressive rulers to bear sway, just as he permits famine or pestilence
to execute his vengeance. A good government is a blessin