he crime of which they were guilty, and for which they
deserved the severest punishment, was the refusal to submit to
authority.

Now, our situation is very similar to that of this rebellious crew.
The Bible tells us that we have said in our hearts that "we will not
have God to reign over us." Instead of living in entire obedience to
him, we have chosen to serve ourselves. The accusation which God has
against us, is not that we occasionally transgress his laws, but that
we refuse to regard him, at all times and under all circumstances, as
our ruler. Sometimes children think that if they do not tell lies,
and if they obey their parents, it is all that God requires of them.
This, however, is by no means the case. God requires of us not only
to do our duty to our parents, and to those around us, but also to
love him with our most ardent affection, and to endeavor at all times
to do that which will be pleasing to him. While the mutinous seamen
had command of the ship, they might have been kind to one another;
they might, with unwearied care and attention, have watched over the
sick. They might, with the utmost fidelity, have conformed to the
rules of naval discipline, seeing that every rope was properly
adjusted, and that cleanliness and order should pervade every
department. But notwithstanding all this, their guilt was
undiminished. They had refused obedience to their commander, and for
this they were exposed to the penalty of that law which doomed them
to death.

It is the same with us. We may be kind to one another; we may be
free from guile; we may be faithful in the discharge of the ordinary
duties of life; yet, if we are not in subjection to God, we are
justly exposed to the penalty of his law. What would have been
thought of one of those mutinous seamen, if, when brought before the
bar of his country, he had pleaded in his defence, that, after the
revolt, he had been faithful to his new commander? Would any person
have regarded that as an extenuation of his sin? No! He would at once
have been led to the scaffold. And the voice of an indignant public
would have said that he suffered justly for his crime.

Let us imagine one of the mutineers in a court of justice, and urging
the following excuses to the judge.

Judge.--You have been accused of mutiny, and are found guilty; and now
what have you to say why sentence of death should not be pronounced
against you?

Criminal.--To be sure I did help place the captain