The importance of civil Law is vastly great.  Its importance can scarcely be exaggerated by any representation.  The most of our earthly happiness lies under the protection of human Law, and lies there by the will of God.  We have not an item of property, in land, or houses, or goods, or chattels, or money, which the Law does not guard for us; and we have very little indeed, which we could effectually guard for ourselves.  If this protecting, guarding Law is not enforced,—­if the Law is obstructed, or crippled, or baffled, or violently set at naught; then, the security of civilized society is gone, and our property, our liberty, our rights, privileges and life, just lie at the mercy of every unjust man, and any violent and excited band of the wicked!—­So important to us is the potential dominion and regular administration of Law.

Moreover our very rights in religion, our privilege to have the word of God and read it, to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience, to preach the gospel and hear it, are rights and privileges, which, in this unjust world, we could not enjoy for a single year, aside from the protection and potential administration of human government.

If this human government, the government of Law, cannot be maintained, therefore, there is nothing on earth valuable to us, which is secure for a single hour!  If the Law cannot be enforced, then government is at an end and anarchy reigns, and all is confusion, uncertainty, and violence!  Order, civilization, Christianity is not safe!

There is indeed a limit to the obedience due to human government.  Such government may become, and sometimes does become, so unjust, oppressive, tyrannical, and cruel, as not to answer the designed, and righteous, and beneficial purposes of government for a whole people; and in such a case, it deserves no respect as an ordinance of God, for it is then acting contrary to the will of God and the necessity of society; and the injured and oppressed people may justly rise in rebellion against such a government, and overthrow it, if they can.  But, let it be carefully remembered, that any violent resistance is positive rebellion against the government; and either that resistance must be crushed, or the government must be overturned.  There is no middle way—­there can be none.  In such a case the whole authority and power of the government come into direct hostility and conflict with the violence which resists the execution of Law; and government must crush that violence, or that violence must crush the government.  A government is at an end, a nullity, when it cannot execute its laws.  Let it be carefully remembered also, that violent resistance to Law cannot be justified, when there is no righteous design to overthrow the government itself; for no man owes a half-allegiance to government, or can commit a half-high-treason; and besides, Law is too important and delicate a thing to have its majesty trifled with, by the wicked nonsense