The Sermon on the Anniversary of the Boston Massacre

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In SENATE, May 30, 1781.

Attest.

JOHN AVERY, Sec'ry.

p. 1AN ELECTION SERMON.

—GOD sitteth upon the throne of his holiness: The Princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the GOD of Abraham; for the Shields of the earth belong unto GOD: He is greatly exalted,

AT what time, or upon what occasion, the Psalm before us was composed, is neither certain, nor easy, at this distance of time, to determine.—"Many have supposed it to have been penned, on occasion of bringing up the Ark to Mount Zion."—Others, "that it looks further, and is prophetick of the ascension of the glorious Mediator, after he had finished his work on earth, and the setting up his kingdom in the world."

p. 2FROM the sentiments it contains, it might also be considered as a Psalm composed, and well adapted, for the congregation of Israel, when all the tribes came to Hebron to receive David, and by their elders to make a league with him, as their chief magistrate; and to establish him in the government. [Vid. 2 Sam. 5. 1, 2, 3.]

BUT, which, or whether either of these suppositions hath any solid foundation, must be left to the learned and judicious to determine.—Be the primary occasion, of this devout composition, what it may; it is beyond dispute, that the subjects of it are interesting and important:—Subjects well suited to inspire the church and people of GOD, at all times, with a sense of his government and their dependence, and of their indispensible obligations to celebrate the glories of his perfections, herein displayed, as the ground of their confidence and theme of their praise.

IN a word, it is an exhortation to the people of GOD, to praise the LORD, as "The Great King over all the earth," who should subdue the people, their enemies and oppressors under them, and the nations under their feet: And as that GOD, who should choose their inheritance for them, and establish them in the quiet possession and enjoyment of it.

p. 3AGREEABLY, in confirmation of this their confidence, it is said, in the text—That GOD sitteth upon the throne of his holiness: The Princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the GOD of Abraham; for the Shields of the earth belong unto GOD: He is greatly exalted.

p. 3IN these words, we have a striking representation,—a lively portrait of the happy state of a people, or nation, in covenant with GOD, and favoured with his protection and smiles; of a people established in the enjoyment of the blessings of a civil government, whose constitution is founded in principles of liberty and equity, whose laws are administred with justice and righteousness, and whose end is the glory of GOD, in the good of mankind. The Great GOD, as the sovereign, the supreme ruler, sitting on the throne of his holiness, with all the powers of government, originally and ultimately, vested in himself, and exercised by him, agreeable to the eternal laws of righteousness and equity.—The Princes of the people, their leaders, or deligates, are gathered together, from all parts of the land, in the name of their constituents, and under the direction and influence of their supreme ruler and sovereign, to consult the public weal, to enact laws and to transact the great affairs of the nation and of government. The people, the body of the nation, are there introduced, as The people of the GOD of p. 4Abraham, in covenant with him, and devoutly acknowledging their fealty to him, as their sovereign, and their dependence upon him and his blessing, both for counsel and defence. And in fine, that nothing might be wanting to compleat the view, we have The Shields of the earth, representing both the powers of government and the persons vested with them, exhibited, as belonging to GOD, religiously devoted to his service and glory, or under his direction and controul, to carry to effect the purposes of his benevolence and wisdom for the good of his people, or the designs of his justice and righteousness in the government of the world.—The whole is intended to show—'That magistracy, or civil government, is of divine institution—'That the end of it is the good of the governed—and 'That, as all power and all authority are derived from him, the glory of all should redound to his name; to the end, that GOD, who sitteth on the throne might be greatly exalted.

p. 4THAT GOD, who created and preserves, of right, doth govern the world, is a truth, which the light of nature teaches, which revelation confirms, and a truth, which the common sense of mankind in all ages, concurs to establish.

THAT the power, authority and sovereignty of GOD are absolute and uncontroulable is a truth justly deducible from the preceeding, and equally indisputable.

p. 5THE sacred scriptures are far from being silent, or doubtful, upon a subject so fundamental, so important. We frequently find all the powers of moral government, in the highest sense, solemnly assumed by GOD, or devoutly ascribed unto him, in the divine oracles. Hence GOD is introduced by the holy prophet, as saying, "I am the LORD, and there is none else; there is no GOD besides me. I form the light and create darkness: I make peace and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." [Isai. 45 5. 7.] "I will work, and who shall let it?" [Ibid. 43, 13] —And to show the vanity of oppugnation to his government or authority, it is added,—"Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth: But wo to him that striveth with his maker." [Ibid. 45 9.]

AND what GOD hath thus justly assumed, is devoutly ascribed to him by his saints and people; and frequently mentioned as the ground of their confidence, as well as the reason of their submission.—At all times, yea, even in times of perplexity and darkness, it was the language of GOD's people—"The LORD reigneth, let the earth rejoice" [Psal. 97. 1.] —"The LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." [Isai.] Holy David observes, that "the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is governor among the nations." [Psal. 22. 28.] and to add no more, it is p. 6said—That "The LORD sitteth King forever:" [Psal. 29, 10.] And, that "His Kingdom ruleth over all." [103, 19.]