The Duty of Civil Rulers to Be Nursing Fathers to the Church of Christ

A true Copy of Record, Examined,

By GEORGE WYLLYS, Secr.

AN ELECTION SERMON.

AND KINGS SHALL BE THY NURSING FATHERS; AND THEIR QUEENS THY NURSING MOTHERS:—

TIS a melancholy truth, confirmed by the history of all nations, that the rulers of this world have generally set themselves in opposition to the interest of true religion, and the cause of CHRIST. Although mankind have always been sensible that a proper veneration of, and regard to the DEITY, and a just sense of our obligation unto him, is the best, and indeed the only security of civil government; and hence have very naturally concluded that civil rulers ought to provide for, and support the publick exercises of religion: yet, such have been the unhappy mistakes and prejudices they have laboured under, that wherever the gospel hath been sent among a people, the powers in being, instead of nourishing, have too often set themselves to oppress and persecute the church of CHRIST. This was the case for the first three hundred years after the publication of the christian scheme, it met with violent opposition from all orders and degrees of men, from the powers of this p. 6world, and the powers of darkness also; and even till this day, the religion of the gospel labours under much oppression from the greater part of civil rulers. 'Tis strange indeed, that it should be so! One acquainted with human nature, who only considered the genius and temper of christianity, how friendly it is to civil government, and how careful of its just rights, would never imagine this could be the case; for tis certain, that the gospel above all other religions, instructs mankind in the duties they owe unto their lawful rulers; and on the severest penalties, urges the observance and the practise of them. But yet, experience shews, that it has met with little proper encouragement from the greater part of civil rulers. However, we have reason to hope that it will not always be so: sacred writ gives us ground to expect happier times in the latter days; when christianity shall spread itself far and wide, and cover the earth, as the waters do the seas; when every knee shall bow to CHRIST, and every tongue proclaim his praises; when kings and princes, instead of opposing, shall employ their power and influence to protect and favour the church of CHRIST. To use the language of the text, Kings shall be nursing fathers, and queens nursing mothers to it;—they shall bow down with their face to the earth, and lick up the dust of its feet: i. e. they shall nourish and protect the church, and pay all due honor and regard to it. I am sufficiently aware, that this prophesy had a primary reference to the Jew's return from the Babylonish captivity; and that it had a partial accomplishment, when Cyrus, Artaxerxes, Darius, and other Persian monarchs issued royal mandates in their favour, and brought them back unto their own land. It had also a further and more glorious accomplishment when Constantine, Theodosius, and other Roman emperors publickly patronized christianity and established it in the world.

p. 7And whenever the sceptre is put into the hands of a pious and religious prince, this prophesy has still a further fulfilment. However, I take it to be plain, that nothing which hath ever yet happened, in any measure comes up to those glorious things, which in this chapter, and elsewhere are spoken of the city of GOD; and that it hath a particular reference to the last happy days, when the mountain of the LORD's house shall lift itself up above the top of the mountains, and the top of the hills, and shall cover the face of the whole earth. When all nations shall look to Zion and be saved. But I mean not to enter largely into this matter; thus much may fairly be infered from the text, that civil rulers ought to be nursing fathers to the church; and that we may look for a time when they will really be so. I shall therefore on this occasion only endeavor to shew,

I. How civil rulers are to be nursing fathers to the church. And then,

II. Point out the reasons of it, or shew why they are to be so—

Here then let us enquire,

I. How, and in what ways civil rulers are to be nursing fathers to the church of CHRIST?

To this, I answer,

1. They are to protect and defend it from the malice and insults of all its enemies. The church of CHRIST hath always had its enemies in the world, who either in a more open and publick, or in a more secret and concealed manner have sought its ruin. And many times for wise and holy purposes, Divine Providence hath permitted them greatly to prevail; so that the hearts of GOD's faithful ones have almost fainted, and the church to all appearance been on the p. 8brink of ruin. This particularly was the case soon after the first planting of christianity in the world, many enemies causelesly rose up against it; and though some lucid intervals came between, some times of quiet and of rest; yet the church laboured under a dark cloud, a series of oppression for near three hundred years together; during which time, no less than ten persecutions, severe and cruel persecutions followed one upon the back of another. And often since, GOD hath permitted the enemy greatly to prevail, and to raise many cruel storms of persecution against the church of CHRIST. The history of the faithful in almost every age and country will produce many instances of this: nor may we hope that the church will ever be free from enemies; to besure, before the last happy times, prophesied of in my text, and elsewhere, when CHRIST shall have the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; when kings shall be nursing fathers, and queens nursing mothers to it. The church is now in a militant state; and we may always expect that the Dragon will persecute the woman. Satan and wicked men will always set themselves against the people of GOD, and say of Jerusalem, let us rase it, let us rase it even to the foundation.