cia.

No error accepted by the Christian world strikes more boldly against the
authority of Heaven, none is more directly opposed to the dictates of
reason, none is more pernicious in its results, than the modern doctrine,
so rapidly gaining ground, that God's law is no longer binding upon men.
Every nation has its laws, which command respect and obedience; no
government could exist without them; and can it be conceived that the
Creator of the heavens and the earth has no law to govern the beings He
has made? Suppose that prominent ministers were publicly to teach that the
statutes which govern their land and protect the rights of its citizens
were not obligatory,--that they restricted the liberties of the people, and
therefore ought not to be obeyed; how long would such men be tolerated in
the pulpit? But is it a graver offense to disregard the laws of states and
nations than to trample upon those divine precepts which are the
foundation of all government?

It would be far more consistent for nations to abolish their statutes, and
permit the people to do as they please, than for the Ruler of the universe
to annul His law, and leave the world without a standard to condemn the
guilty or justify the obedient. Would we know the result of making void
the law of God? The experiment has been tried. Terrible were the scenes
enacted in France when atheism became the controlling power. It was then
demonstrated to the world that to throw off the restraints which God has
imposed is to accept the rule of the cruelest of tyrants. When the
standard of righteousness is set aside, the way is open for the prince of
evil to establish his power in the earth.

Wherever the divine precepts are rejected, sin ceases to appear sinful, or
righteousness desirable. Those who refuse to submit to the government of
God are wholly unfitted to govern themselves. Through their pernicious
teachings, the spirit of insubordination is implanted in the hearts of
children and youth, who are naturally impatient of control; and a lawless,
licentious state of society results. While scoffing at the credulity of
those who obey the requirements of God, the multitudes eagerly accept the
delusions of Satan. They give the rein to lust, and practise the sins
which have called down judgments upon the heathen.

Those who teach the people to regard lightly the commandments of God, sow
disobedience, to reap disobedience. Let the restraint imposed by the
divine law be w