The Honors of Christ Demanded of the Magistrate

At a Council held at the Council Chamber in Boston, on Thursday the 29th of May, 1740.

Attest. Simon Frost, Dep. Secr.

AN Election SERMON.

PSALM II. x, xi, xii.

Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings: be instructed ye Judges of the Earth.

Serve the LORD with Fear, and rejoice with Trembling.

Kiss the SON left He be angry, and ye perish from the Way, when his Wrath is kindled but a little: Blessed are all they that put their Trust in Him.

THIS anniversary Day which is now return'd upon us, may very well be call'd A Day which the [Psal. 118. 24.] Lord hath made; inasmuch as He has given us the happy Occasion of it, by putting our Fathers, and continuing us in the Possession of those invaluable Privileges, the Exercise whereof is the proper Business of the Day: p. 2And if we, and our People, do not rejoyce and shew ourselves glad in it, with a religious as well as civil Joy, our Stupidity and Ingratitude will be an Evidence, how unworthy we are of the Favours of Heaven wherewith we are distinguish'd.

WE again see the Princes, the Legislators of the People, even the People of the God of Abraham, gathered together; not only in the State-House to dispatch the publick Business, but in the Lord's-House to pay Him their publick Homage, and to learn their Duty to Him by inquiring in his Temple: [Psal. 47, 9.] And since the Shields of the Earth do belong unto God, it is fit He should in this Way be exalted by them.

OUR present Rulers desire this publick Day may continue to wear the Garb of Religion, not only out of Custom, and in Conformity to the Practice of their Ancestors; but, we trust, from a Sense of Duty, and because they inherit a good Measure of the same Spirit of Piety and Devotion, which was the distinguishing Glory of the Fathers of our Country.

I know your Excellency, and the honourable Counsellers, who have order'd me into the sacred Desk on this great Occasion, don't expect from me, either an Address of Compliment, or a Lecture in Politicks; both of which are as distant from my Genius, as they would be disagreable to my Character. That which you have called me to is, as a Gospel Minister, to direct you from the Word of God, and remember you of your Duty as Christian Magistrates; which I shall accordingly endeavour, by divine Help, with all Fidelity, and a proper p. 3Deference: And I don't know how I can better do this, than from the solemn Passage I have just read.

p. 3IF then you are come together to hear what God the Lord has to say unto you, the Message bro't you in his Name, by the unworthiest of his Ministers, is this, Serve the LORD with Fear, and rejoyce with Trembling. Kiss the SON left He be angry, &c.

THE Psalm of which our Text is the Close, is a prophetick Discourse of the Kingdom of the Messiah. It foretells the Opposition which would be given to that Kingdom, when it should be set up in the World. Tho' the Laws of this Kingdom, and the Administration of it, are every way suited to make the Subjects thereof easy and happy; and the Nature of it is such, that if it did universally obtain, it would make the Kingdoms of this World resemble the Kingdom of Heaven; for it consists in Righteousness, [Rom. 14. 7] and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost; yet such are the Prejudices of Men, that they not only refuse to become the Subjects of this Kingdom themselves, but do their utmost to prevent its Establishment and Spread in the World. And this Opposition is general, made by all sorts of Persons; not only the common Rout, from whom little better is to be expected, but the Kings and Rulers are engag'd in it; as if they tho't the Reign of Christ would eclipse their Glory, and diminish their Authority. These back their Strength and Power with Policy and Counsel. The Kings of the Earth set themselves, [ver. 2, 3.] and the Rulers take Counsel p. 4together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their Bands asunder, and cast away their Cords from us.

BUT for the Comfort of all those who have heartily espous'd the Interests of Christ, and are the faithful Subjects of his Kingdom, the Vanity and Unsuccessfulness of this Opposition follow. Their Attempts will certainly be defeated, and their Counsels baffled, however confident they may be of carrying their Point. The most High controls their Rage, and derides their Folly. Why do the Heathen rage, [1. & 4. v.] and the People imagine a vain Thing? He that sitteth in the Heaven▪ shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in Derision. For the Thing they attempt is not only unlikely, but impossible. The Kingdom of Christ is better establish'd than any of the Monarchies of the World. It is founded upon an irrevocable Decree of God the Father, from which he cannot recede in Point of Honour. This eternal Purpose and Resolve, which lay hid in the divine Counsels from the Days of Eternity, is publish'd with Solemnity: [6, 7, 8. v.] Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion. I will declare the Decree; the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this Day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the utmost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession. Nay; The Opposition will issue not only in a vexatious and shameful Disappointment, but in the dreadful, utter and irrecoverable Ruin of all that are in the cursed Confederacy. The Honours of this divine King will be sufficiently vindicated; and they who would not submit to his gracious Sceptre, shall be broken with his iron Rod. [v. 9.] Thou shalt break them p. 5with a Rod of Iron, thou shalt dash them in Pieces like a Potters Vessel; so suddenly, easily, and irreparably.