A Sermon Preached Before the President, Council, and House of Representatives of New Hampshire

THOMAS BARTLET, Speaker P. T.

A SERMON, PREACHED BEFORE HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT, &c.

Men, Brethren, and Fathers,

NO Princes of any people, or representatives of freemen, were ever chosen to higher or more important business than what will, probably, come before those who are honoured with these titles in the United States the present year.

p. 6THE General-Assembly of this State was, perhaps, never convened at a season that called louder for the wisdom of the wise, the understanding of the aged, the speech of the trusty, or the guidance of him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working.—No, not in those trying hours, when, in the face of the hostile power of Britain, the arm of America was lifted to Heaven, and she declared sovereign and independent. If to recover the bewildered traveller is as interesting as to point him his way at first—if to extricate from embarrassments require as much wisdom as to prevent them—and if to save a kingdom is as important as to found one, the truth of those declarations will be readily conceded.

THE fair morning that dawned over this infant empire, promising a serene and glorious day, is soon changed: the curtains of the heavens are spread, murmurs are heard in every region, "darkness covers the land, and gross darkness, the people."

UNDER these circumstances, it is matter of peculiar regret, that you are denied the learning, wisdom, and piety, of that aged master of assemblies [The Rev. Doctor Langdon, who for two years in succession has been appointed to preach the election sermon, but has been prevented by the infirmities of a broken bone.] p. 7who was to have led you, this morning, to the altar of God, and brought you the message from his sacred word; and by this disappointment you are called to attend upon one, who is but a Son in the Gospel, who would not have been so early chosen to this service, could such a disappointment have been supposed probable. But taught to obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, "being called I came without gain-saying, and would now ask for what intent you have sent for me?" Educated in the school of the Prophets, with which politics are not necessarily connected, you must expect no direction in your civil police. It would be almost presumption in any of this description, and would be arrogance in me, in our present deranged and distracted state, when the wisest Palinurus scarce knows which way to steer, to dictate to those who have made politics their study.

p. 7I APPEAR, brethren, as a messenger from the Lord of Hosts, and as a servant of Jesus Christ, p. 8and would lead your meditations to instructions that he has given, peculiarly suited to circumstances like ours. You will find them in

IF any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.

THERE is a GOD—and MAN is his creature.—The sovereign, independent, and all-perfect character of GOD, and the weak, dependant, and imperfect character of MAN, are clearly seen from the light of nature, reason, and experience. He must be a fool and without excuse, who saith in his heart, there is no God; or boasts of his own powers and faculties, as though he had not received them.

WHEREVER we go, though among the most barbarous of the earth, we see the Temple and the Altar, the sacrifice and the oblation, tokens of acknowledged dependance upon an unseen Power.

p. 9WHAT the light of nature dictates, revelation confirms, and teaches us, that though God made man after his own image, and gave him distinguished powers and capacities to be his subordinate guides and directors, in the duties of his elevated station; yet he communicated but his image, not his nature. He retained man dependant upon himself, and in his best state man needed habitual instruction and direction from his all-wise Creator.

THIS golden age is past, the powers of man have suffered an humiliating shock in the sad apostacy of our race from God. "The understanding is darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in us, by reason of the blindness of our hearts," and though man would be wise, he is born with very little pretension to the exalted character.

MANY are the instances, in private life, in mere personal concerns, where the wisdom of the prudent fails him, and he knows not what to do; well may we suppose it will not be more adequate to the complicated affairs of civil government, which involve the duty and interest of many individuals, or that those who are honored with the p. 10important charge of guiding and directing these will feel themselves in less need of a superior influence.

p. 10THERE is an instinctive propensity in our natures, in scenes of perplexity and distress, especially if they are become sufficiently pressing, to look out for foreign aid; and the light of reason leads us ultimately to him who teacheth man knowledge and giveth him understanding.

PRAYER to God for wisdom is a duty of natural religion; and perhaps no nation can be named that has not sought, in some expressive way, to the Deity it acknowledged, for help in trouble, and guidance in important affairs of government. The Heathen mariners, with whom Jonah fled to Tarshish, applied to this duty in the hour of their distress, and thought him a miracle of stupidity that he could sleep and neglect it. The Romans, no less renowned for their wisdom than their valor, paid a very assiduous attention to this duty; they consulted their auspices at the appointment of their civil and military officers, and at the determination of every design of consequence. What they did from the unassisted light of nature, we are directed p. 11to do by the light of divine revelation, and that glorious Being from whom alone help comes, says, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God." And he not only points us our duty, but enjoins it under the highest encouragement; for he assures us, he gives liberally. He is the all-wise and infinitely good God, and never said to any, seek ye me in vain.