The Civil Ruler

An Election Sermon.

DEUTERONOMY XXXIV. 5.

So Moses the Servant of the LORD, died there in the Land of Moab,—

IN a state of Existence like the present, where there are Beings made for Immortality, and put upon Trial a few Years, or rather a few Days, in Order to be train'd up, and fitted for a nobler, happier state of Things: and where thro' native Sluggishness, and Inattention or a contracted Stupor, those Beings too seldom think upon their Errand, the great Business, which immediately, and especially refers to this better State, 'tis convenient, 'tis frequently needful, that they have a solemn Memento, pointing of them forward to the Period of their Trial. The Reason of it is plain, viz the immediate, & powerful Tendency which it has, to awaken in the Minds of Men, a sense of the Worth of Time, and to beget in them the most vigorous Efforts, to do seasonably the Business assign'd them in the World. And this Reason always holds exactly proportionate both to the Embarrassments p. 2attending the Duty & Business of Life, and also to the Importance of the Business itself. And hence when by Reason of an exalted Station, a high Trust, and the Burthens common to Government, any of our fellow Men have besides the Duties, & Intanglements common to Men, and Christians, the superadded Weight of a high Trust, the Government of the Commonwealth; they especially need to have their Eyes turn'd forward, their Minds directed to the solemn Period, when their working Time shall be over, & all present Distinctions laid aside, when Christ shall have put down all Rule, and deliver'd up the Kingdom to the Father. Agreeably the Sacred Writings frequently inculcate a Truth, which all Nature loudly speaks, viz. the Mortality of Man. The frequent Instances of Mortality before our Eyes, and the constant Decays of our own mortal Frame, give us frequent Praemonitions, of our approaching Dissolution. But as though these were little Things, the sacred Scriptures tell us, over & over again, that we must die▪ yea, that 'tis appointed for all men once to die; not only men of low Degree, Men of little Note, or Influence, in the World; but even great Men & Princes. For he seeth that wise Men die, likewise the Fool & brutish Person perish. [Psal. 49. 10.] And lest a high Character, p. 3a swelling Title, or the Distinction which Providence makes among Men in the World, should make such men forget the Importance of their Business, and forget themselves; there are many faithful Lessons recorded in Scripture, to keep alive in their Minds, a sense that they are mortal, and accountable, and of the Obligations thence arising, to act in some good Proportion to their Character, and Trust; particularly that closing stroak in the Character of so many of the Kings, & Princes, and Worthies of Israel, which are recorded in the old Testament, even that finishing stroak in their Characters; and he died. And among all the Instances of this Kind, perhaps not one that speaks with greater Emphasis, than that which we are now to Consider, p. 3And Moses, the Servant of the Lord died there in the Land of Moab. In speaking to these Words I purpose,

I. To consider Moses as the Servant of the Lord.

II. To consider him as the dying Man▪ and in both to give some Epitome, of the civil Ruler. That we may proceed,

III. To consider those Things which the foregoing Heads will naturally suggest to us, agreeable to the Occasions of the Day.

I. To consider Moses as the Servant of the Lord. Moses the Man rais'd up for mighty p. 4Deeds, like Him whom he was the most eminent Type of; was born in very bad Times, when inhuman Cruelty prevail'd to that Degree, that his Life was sought for. But that God who had noble Service for him to do in the World, remarkably interpos'd by his Providence, & preserv'd his Life, and so provided for his Education, that he should be well fitted for the public Part, which he was to act in the World. And immediately upon the dawning of the Day of Israel's Deliverance, God himself called him to Action. Moses had by this Time banish'd himself from Pharaoh's Court, and disown'd his adoptive Sonship to Pharaoh's Daughter, and was become Son in Law to the Priest of Midian, by taking his Daughter to Wife; by which means he becomes the Keeper of Jethro's, his Fathers Flock.

And whil'st Moses was leading his Flock to the backside of the Desart, he came to Mount Horeb, the Mountain of God, where the Angel of the Lord, or rather the Lord Himself appear'd to him in a Flame of Fire, and commun'd with him, first reminding him of the affliction of his People Israel; and then expressing his Design of delivering them from their Egyptian Thraldom: And Commissions Moses to go upon the public, and important▪ Business, and gives him such Credentials, that whosoever disputed his Commission might p. 5easily be put to Silence. And since in the History of Moses he generally appears acting some public Part, so whilst I am considering of him, as the Servant of the Lord, I shall principally confine myself to the public Parts of his Service, wherein he render'd himself illustrious among his Kindred, and approv'd himself eminently the Servant of the Lord. But even among these I must confine myself to the following particulars.

p. 5(1) His leading forth the Armies of Israel.

(2) His giving Laws to the People.

(3) His taking Care that the Laws were well executed.

(4) His Friendship to Aaron, and his Support of public Worship.

(1) I shall consider Moses approving himself the Servant of the Lord, in leading forth the Host of Israel. God might without improving Moses have led forth the Armies of Israel, which in a way of Eminence were the Host of the Lord. …