The best and wisest Laws ever enacted by man, or that ever will be enacted by man, may sometimes operate hardly, even destructively, upon some particular persons.  An innocent man may be accused of murder, tried, convicted, and sentenced to ignominious execution.  But, what then?  May this man, who knows his innocence, justly arm himself with deadly weapons, and kill the officer who would execute the sentence of the Law upon him,—­and thus get out of his hands?  May this innocent man’s neighbors, who know his innocence as well as he, “lawfully interpose their own persons” betwixt him and the officer of Law, and thus rescue him?—­and may they do this, because they have decided for themselves, that this is not a case “where the administration of justice is concerned?” If so, then all Law and Government must soon come to an end, and anarchy, mobs and confusion reign!  If so, then each man becomes really his own Lawmaker, and when he thinks the Law unjust towards him, may resist it unto blood!  If one man is at liberty to “be fully prepared for his own defense,” and calling the legal officer an “assailant,” or an “assassin,” may resist the execution of one law which he deems hard upon him, then another man may do the same thing in reference to another law; and the consequence inevitably must be, that all Government, Law and security are at end!  If my neighbor may arm himself, and kill a legal officer who attempts the discharge of his sworn duty; then I may arm myself also, when I deem the Law unjust to me, and kill another legal officer, who attempts to execute the Law!  And if all this may be, LAW is nothing but a bugbear or a bubble—­is a dead letter—­and the texts of God’s word which we have just read to you may be disobeyed, and ought to be blotted from the Bible!

My brethren, this is a very solemn subject!  No theme of earth could be more so.  All our earthly benefits, and no small part of our spiritual privileges and hopes are wrapped up in it.  Religion cannot prosper, if Law is not potential—­if the minds of the people are to be perpetually agitated, distracted and tormented, by confusion, fear and uncertainty!

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I have stated these great principles, and made these general remarks upon the subject presented in our texts, on account of some recent teachings which have been put forth as religious—­put forth in religious publications, by ministers of the gospel.  I have no reference to mere politics—­to political papers or political parties, whig or democrat.  I have never entered into such matters:  other things occupy me.  I have never given but one vote in any legal election, during the eighteen years I have resided in the State since I returned to it; and I never expect to give another.  And if principles opposite to those I have laid down in this sermon were promulgated among us, only by politicians and political