A Discourse Delivered Before the Legislature of Vermont

\^ \ DISCOURSE, DiELIVERED BEFORE I ' XAOlSLATimBOFiriSItMONT, ON THJE PAY OF ^^smmAii m3^M<evsi^sr« « I / 9fONTP£I.It:R« OCTOBER 12, ]fi26. xojrrPELiER : 1>]ELiNTX0 W GEO. W. HILI., & CO. ^imipRker, Oct. H 1826. Rer. VTiLLBUB Fistk. Sir, — In pXirauance of a resblation of the House of RepreBentatiTes, we hare the honor of tendering to you the thanks of the House for your Election Sermon delivered before the Legislature, on the 12th inst. and request a copy for the press. LUTHER B* HUNT, ) • * ^ ^WILLIAM CAHOON, > CmmUtu* DANIEL POMEROy, ) DXSOOU&SSJohn, xviii. xxxvi. Jesus answered^ My kingdom is not of this world. IT has been to the discredit of the christian religion, aqd to the detriment of those nations who have embraced it, that the true relation existing between this religion and civil government, has not been generally understood. The Jews supposed, when the Messias came, he would exert his power and exercise his authority for their worldly- advancement, and national aggrandizement. They supposed, in short, that he would come in the manner and with the authority of an earthly prince. But because Je^ sus of Nazareth came not thus, they would not acknowledge him. In vain did he endeavor to convince them by his spiritual teachingj his miraculous and divine power, and his benevolent works, that he was just such a teacher as they needed ; and that, in his own way, he could bestow the greatest possible blessings upon their nation. They would *not receive him. Their language was ^ we will not have this man to rule over us." In vain did he endeavor to correct their views, and bring them to a true sense of his . government and authority, not only by his manner of asserting and exercising his authority, r « but also, by expressly declaring to thein^ " ike kingdom of God is within you." Or as in the language of the text, ♦^ My kingdom is not of this world." With a wicked consistency, they rejected both him and his saying. Thus their pride £md worldly ambition deprived them of their only Savior and rightful Governor, and. proved, in the end, their overthrow and dispersion;

With less consistency, but we fear, . in many instances, with no less criminality, various nartions, since that tinie, have professedly received Christ, but rejected his saying. They acknowU edge Jesus as the Messiah, but they deny^ that bis>^ kingdom is not of this world." In their 2ea), .and in their professed attachment ioa: Christ, they have coirf^, like the multitudea in the days of his stesh, to ^ take him by force, ao^ make him an earthy king." They h^ve intror dnced his authority into civil government, and made use-of Ins name to serve their worldly tiews, and carry pn their political operatious. In this way, they have done great injury both tp the csi^use of Christ and of civil government The foroier.had degenerated into am^re i^ystem of outward forms, supemtitious rights and disgusting bigotry ; the ]btter has becon^e oppressive and tyrannical; lording it, not only overmea's civil r%hts, bqt ^Isp, over their consciences* Against all such unholy prostitutions a^d sacrilegious coniiections, this saying of om Lord A still stands opposed. ^ Mj kingdom is not oi this world." Of this, the more judicious, among modern poFiticians, have become convinced : and have made some successful efforts to break this unauthorized and unholy connection, between church and state, and place each on more independent ground. In doing this however, there is great danger of varying from the true point, by passing over to the other extreme. For the mind, in its changes, is like the vibrations of a pendulum, constantly, when it has left one extremie, tending to the opposite, with a momentum proportioned to its former distance from its proper point of rest. In breaking the improper union which has existed, in most christian governments, between church and state, men are iil danger of losing sight of the true relation, which exists betss een them. They are apt to allow religion no share, in the establishment and preservation of good civil government. On this side, our danger as a nation, lies. We have not, it is true, in rejecting from our government a national hierarchy, and all ecclesiastical establishments, rejected, like some others, Christ and his religion altogether. ' But it is to be feared, our politicians are not sufficiently aware how mudi they are indebted to Christ's kingdom, for those excellent principles which form the basis of our political fabrick ; nor do they seem to be fully aware of the vast influence of this kingdom in preserving this fabrick from ruin. The sentiment seems to be imbibed, by many, that,, however true religion may be, and however good, in its place, it is of little or no use to the politician or his cause. Against this idea, as well as the opposite, the words of our text may be directed. For it is because Christ's kingdom is not of this world, in its origin, operations, influences and retributions, that it is of such eminent service, in all good governiAents. If it were of this world, it could only accomplish what the governments of this world can, and in the same imperfect way ; but because it is not of this world, but of higher origin and nature, therefore it possesses superior advantages and superior influence to settle, regulate and enforce the mutual rights of those who govern, and of those who are governed. And on this, the wefi being of political society entirely depends. To guard us against a criminal and dangerous indifference to the kingdom of Christ, in our political operations, by pointing out the proper relation between Chrises kingdom and the king* doms of this world, so that the rights of each may be distinctly marked, their due share of independence recognized, and their alliance defined, will be the design of the pre&ent discourse. It must be obvious to all who pay attention to the subject, that the terms, kingdom of Christ, kingdom of Heaven^ kingdom of God, as used in the new testament, especially by the evangeUifets, refer primarily, to the spiritual government of Christ over the hearts of men, through the influence of that gospel of which he was the author. And when Christ says of his kingdom, " it is not of this worid,'' he should be understood to distinguish it from the governments of this world. The object of Pilot's question seems to have been, to ascertain whether Christy was a king. And the design of the answer was, not only to affirm that he was a king, but to assert, at the same time, that his authority and government were not like those of this world. Understanding this to be the import of the text, we proceed to show, in several propositions, how Christ's kingdom is distinguished from the governments of this world ; and under each proposition, notice, that this difference renders the principles of Christ's kingdom of eminent service, to the well being of political society.