Rulers Should Be Benefactors

Mr. Hancock's Election SERMON.

THAT Addington Davenport and Jonathan Belcher, Esqrs; give the Thanks of this Board to the Reverend Mr. John Hancock, for his SERMON Preached to the General Assembly, on the Day of Election of Councellors, and Desire a Copy thereof in Order to its being Printed.

J. Willard, Secr.

p. 1RULERS Should be Benefactors.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them, are called Benefactors.

THE high and solemn Occasion of the Day will not allow me to take up the time in looking back into the preceeding Context; I shall therefore only just hint at the Occasion of the words I have now read unto you, and then consider the words themselves.

As to the occasion of them, it was an unhappy Contention among the Disciples of CHRIST about Primary and Superiority, in the Verse which immediately p. 2preceeds the Text, there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. Contention is the fruit of pride and ambition. Men that have a mind to be uppermost in the World can't be quiet, unless they are gratified in it. But all the Disciples of CHRIST were not guilty of this unseasonable affectation; the two Sons of Zebedee it seems were the chief in this business. Its well the other of CHRIST's Disciples had more wisdom, and more grace, than to make so much trouble about secular honor and promotion.

IT becomes the Disciples of CHRIST to be humble, and to watch against ambition. The meek and the admirable JESUS to quiet the Spirits of these aspiring Disciples tells them, that Temporal Lordship and Dominion did not belong to them, that he had superior honors to bestow upon them, after they had served him a while here in the world, and that if they would have a little patience, he would promote them unto great honor, and make them Sit upon thrones judging the tribes of Israel.

THEIR business at present was not to be ministred unto, but to minister; and it was a vanity in them to dream of Temporal Promotion, for his kingdom was not of this world▪ The high and dignified Titles of Archontes and B◊◊◊le◊s did not belong to them, but only those of Doul◊i, and Diacona◊. Temporal Power and Jurisdiction belongs to the Princes of the Gentiles, and not unto the Ministers of CHRIST. The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them, and they that exercise p. 3authority upon them are called Benefactors. And so we are come to the Words themselves; and in them we may observe.

p. 31. THE Power that Sovereign Princes are Invested with, it is a Power of Lordship and Dominion. The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship. They do it defacto, and they do it de jure. The supream Dominion is the LORD's; but there is a delegated Dominion and Power vested in the Sons of Men. GOD is the Sovereign LORD; but the Princes and Kings of the Earth are his Lieutenants, his Deputies and Vicegerents, and have a lawfull right to exercise Dominion.

2. THE Ends to which they ought to exercise their Authority; to the good, the benefit, the advantage of those who are under their Authority. This is the great End of all Rule and Government; and the best Ends of Government are prevented, when they that have the Dominion tyrannize over the People, and exercise their Authority in a Lordly and Domineering manner; this Power is given for Edification and not for Destruction.

3. THE honorable Appellation that belongs to them when they exercise their Authority regularly, and suitably to the original design and institution of Government: They are called Benefactors ▪ And very properly called so, according to the notation of the Word; because they do good in their places, make a proper Improvement of their Powers, and are Publick Blessings to the World.

THE Greek Word Kalountai, is often used for E◊◊i, they are Benefactors, and shall be called, accounted, esteemed, and highly honored as such to p. 4the Kingdoms and Countries under their auspicious Government.

THE Kings of the Gentiles▪ were fond of assuming magnificent Titles unto themselves, and sometimes the good they did to the Publick, justly merited some memorable Appellation. So one of the AEgyptian Ptolomies had the name of Euerget◊es, and if Tertull◊s the Orator might be believed, Felix the Roman Governour for the Province of Judea was a happy Ruler, and might well be called a Benefactor; for this is the Encomium given of him. Acts 24. 2. Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, &c. This was an Excellent commendation of Felix, his Government, if it had been true and spoken without flattery. But Tacitus says of Felix that he was Inexplebilis Gurges an Insatiable Gulph of Covetousness. The Jewish Historian speaks of his Incontinency, and the Sacred Story gives us reason end to think that he was Intemperate and Unjust; or else he would not have trembled as he did, when the Apostle reasoned before him of righteousness, and of temperance, and of the Judgment to come, And a Man of so much Corruption, could never make a good Governour. The Pretended Successors of Peter have also assumed the venerable names of Pius, & Clement, & Innocent, & Boniface; as if they excell'd other Men in Piety, Clemency, Innocency and good works; but the World knows how poorly they have answered these honorary Titles.

p. 4BUT this is the honorable Appellation which belongs unto the Princes of the Earth when the◊ p. 5Exercise their Authority unto the best good of the People: They are Benefactors: 'Tis their D◊ty to be such, and when they are such it is their Glory and their Excellency. Accordingly the Doctrine may be,

DOCTRINE.

THAT it is the Duty and Excellency of those that are in Authority to be Benefactors. So to Improve the Power & Authority given them from Above, that they may deserve to be so called.