they would not obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake;
because they would not honour all men: but looked on all men as the
enemies of God.

Good for them it would have been, had they taken St. Peter's advice,
which was the only plan, he said, to save their souls and lives in
those terrible times. Good for them if they had believed St. Peter's
gospel, when he told them that God had chosen them to obedience, and
purification by the blood of Christ, to an inheritance undefiled and
that faded not away.

He said that, remember, to all the Jews, whether Christians or not.
St. Peter took for granted that Christ was Lord and King of all the
Jews, whether they believed it or not. He did not say, 'If you
believe in Christ, then he is your King; if not, then he is not;'
but--Because you are Jews, you are all Christ's subjects; to him you
owe faith, loyalty, and obedience. It was of him the old Jewish
prophets foretold, and saw that their prophecies of Christ's coming
would be fulfilled, not in their own time, but in your time--in the
time of the Jews to whom he spoke. Therefore they were to give up
the foolish practices which had been handed down to them from their
forefathers. Therefore they were to give up fleshly lusts, which
warred against the soul, and would only bring them to destruction;
therefore they were to be holy, even as God was holy; therefore they
were to purify their souls in sincere brotherly love; therefore they
were to keep their conduct honourable among the Gentiles, that,
though they were now spoken against as evil-doers, they might see
their good works, and glorify God in the coming day of visitation.
Therefore they were to submit to every ordinance of man for the
Lord's sake; and trust to Christ, their true King in heaven, to