Religion the Highest Interest of a Civil Community

Mr. Lockwood's Election-SERMON,

George Wyllys Secr.

An Election Sermon.

If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his Voice, and not rebel against the Commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye, and also the King that reigneth over you, continue following the Lord your God.

THE People of Israel were remarkably distinguish'd by the Favours of God, and the Smiles of his Providence, above all other Nations then on the Earth; and they unhappily and remarkably distinguish'd Themselves, by their Ingratitude and Perverseness; and their uneasie, mutinous, and disobedient Temper and Conduct. This reproachful Stigma, is justly lest on their Character, in the Oracles of God;—A stiff-necked People;—A rebellious House. After they had long groan'd▪ under their Burdens and miserable Slavery, in the Land of Egypt; God made bare his own Arm, in a signal and remarkable Manner, for their Deliverance: by p. 2Signs, and Wonders, and awful Judgments; 〈…〉 the Egyptian Tyrant, and 〈…〉 He brought 〈…〉 Egypt, and House 〈…〉 them under his own 〈…〉 Himself, 〈…〉 Head; and he 〈…〉 good & excellent Laws, 〈…〉 and during at 〈…〉 thro' the Wilderness, He was their 〈…〉 & Defence▪ a wall of Fire round about them▪ 〈…〉 Security. He commanded the Clouds from above, and opened the Doors of Heaven, and 〈…〉 ◊◊wn M◊◊n◊ upon them to eat▪ he g◊ve them of the Corn of Heaven▪ —He 〈…〉 the ◊◊ck also and the waters gush◊d out, and the Streams overflowed. [Psal. lxxviii.] He cast out the He◊◊◊◊◊ 〈…〉 ◊◊◊◊re them, and planted them in a good 〈…〉 ▪ the Land promised to their Fathers 〈…〉 up Judges for them, to execute Jus◊◊◊◊ an◊ Judgment▪ & to lead forth their Armies 〈…〉: These generally were occasional & extraordinary Officers; who, like the Rom◊n 〈…〉 of old, were call'd to the Administration, on some extraordinary Exigence of State, 〈…〉 that was over, their Authority expired 〈…〉 at an End. And now great was the I◊gr◊◊◊◊◊de of this People! how perverse their Carri◊◊◊ under a long Series p. 3of Mercies and Salvations! how often did they murmur against Moses & the other Servants of the Lord! how often rebel against God Himself! and to all their other Sins & Provocations, they added this also, that they asked a King to be set over them, like the other Nations round about them; for this they applyed to Samuel, who had long judged them, in the Integrity of his Heart;

p. 3and guided them by the Skilfulness of his Hands. This their Request, was highly displeasing to that good Man; who, accordingly, warmly remonstrated and protested against it, and labour'd to disswade them from it, but in vain, they were obstinate & inflexible in their Demand;—nay, but we will have a King to reign over us. [1 Sam. viii. 19.] Provoking as this must have been to God, who himself was their King, & whom they rejected, that he should not reign over them; after having expressed a suitable Resentment, and shown them their Wickedness and Guilt, He gave way to their Request and Saul the Son of K◊sh was Anointed King over them. Here the Form of their Civil Government, was considerably altered, yet not so, but that God still continued to be their King and civil Head, so as He was not of any other Nation in the World: and their Kings, who henceforth reigned over them, were but his Viceroys; for, their political Laws were enacted by God, p. 4and These, their Kings were obliged to transcribe, when they enter'd upon their Government, and invariably to conform all their Administrations to them; and from Time to Time, on special and extraordinary Occasions, to consult the Oracle of God, and take their Measures thence. Ungrateful & rebellious as this People were, to their King, and their GOD; yet, He did not utterly forsake and abandon them; but his great Goodness and Mercy triumphed over their Perverseness and Disobedience: agreably, He tells them, by his Servant Samuel, in the Words now read; If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the Commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye, and also the King that reigneth over you, continue following the Lord your God. Here is a divi◊◊ Promise to Israel, of a mighty, comprehensive Blessing▪ on a Condition. The Condition is express'd in the former Part of the Verse; the Promise in the Close of it; in the preceeding Part of the Verse, we have not a vain and useless Accumulation of Words, but these various Expressions, importing much the same Thing, are heaped together, as is usual in the Sacred Writings, to intimate the great Importance of the Matter, express it the more strongly and emphatically, and the more effectually to engage our Attention and Conformity to it. Religion in general, is frequently p. 5set forth by each of these Expressions singly, & when they are all ◊aid together, they express it with special Force and Emphasis; or, if we are to seek a more particular Meaning of these several Expressions; the first may mean, that sacred Reverence & holy Fear of the blessed God, which ought to be found reigning, in the Hearts of all his reasonable Creatures, in Connexion with every other Branch, of a pious & religious Temper of Mind; and the other Expressions may signify, the proper and genuine Effects of such a Temper, in a Life of Sobriety, Godliness and Righteousness; and so it comes to the same Thing. Now, on Condition of their being religious and obedient, of their fearing God and serving him, He graciously promises them his Blessing and Prosperity▪ This we have in the Close of the Verse; Then shall both ye▪ and also the King that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God. To follow God, frequently Signifies, the same Thing with serving and obeying him, and conforming to his Will and Laws; but here it plainly has a different Meaning; Then shall ye▪ and also the King that reigneth over you, continue following the Lord your God. i.e. Ye shall be a secure & happy People. Tho' you have grievously offended in asking a King, yet, if ye will now fear and obey God; He will graciously forgive what is past, He will still be your God and your King, He will p. 6go before you, to lead and conduct you, to defend and bless you; and under his Conduct, Protection, and Blessing; you shall be a happy and prosperous People.