Election Sermon

A true Copy of Record,

Examined, by GEORGE WYLLYS, Sec ry.

AN ELECTION SERMON.

II CHRONICLES IX.8:

Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set the on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God; because thy God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made be that king over them, to do judgment and justice.

THESE words were spoken by the Queen of Sheba, of whom honourable mention is made by our Saviour, in that she came from a far country to hear the wisdom of Solomon; who, when she had come and proved him with hard questions, declares, that although the report she had heard of his wisdom and grandeur did far exceed her belief; yet having heard his wisdom, and seen the grandeur and magnificence of his kingdom and attendance, she finds reason to acknowledge that the half was not told her. And upon a view and reflection on these things, she, with wonder and admiration, breaks forth in the language recorded in my text:

Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God; because thy God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice

THESE expressions discover an excellent spirit of discernment, wisdom and understanding in this royal female. Although a heathen, yet she acknowledgeth the true God, and expresseth her belief of his governing providence in the affairs of this world, and in disposing of men to places of public trust, power and authority; and with devout acknowledgments ascribes glory to him, saying "Blessed be the Lord thy God," &c.—

THE dignified character of the civil ruler is here also exhibited in its proper light. They sit upon God's throne, and are vested with their authority for the Lord their God. All power is of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Their authority is derived from him, and is to be used for him: they are his vicegerents, acting by delegated authority from him; for which cause they are some times stiled Gods. Thus she observes to Solomon, that he was seated upon God's throne, [Although there was a special propriety in representing the kings of Israel as seated upon God's throne in that Israel was a Theocracy, yet I can see to impropriety in applying this to civil rulers in general; which I conceive is warranted by the apostle who has said, "the powers that be, are obtained of God."] and was made king for the Lord his God.

WE may here also observe the accurate penetration and judgment of this dignified female, in that she not only traceth civil government from its true source, as it is derived from God; but also wisely observes the great ends and purposes to be served by the exercise of that power which particular persons, by the allotments of divine providence, are vested with; which is to do good by the exercise of their authority to those over whom they govern. Men are vested with civil power, not for their own sake; but for the benefit of those among whom they are to exercise their authority. For thus she observes to Solomon, "that it was because God loved Israel, to establish them forever, that he had made him king over Israel, to do judgment and justice." Those two expressions, "judgment and justice," are expressive of the whole exercise of civil government. Civil rulers are to do judgment, that they may discountenance and restrain all manner of sin and wickedness, by inflicting a proper punishment upon offenders; and they are to do justice by an equitable decision of all controversies which arise between a man and his neighbour.

THUS we have the remarks of a female upon the nature, ends and purposes of civil government: and what pity is it that any who value themselves upon being called men, should come behind her in the knowledge of these things; or if vested with any branch of authority, should so fail in the exercise of it, as to fall under the reproof of an old woman!

IT is not necessary to suppose this Gentile queen was directed p. 7by inspiration when she uttered these words: it is sufficient to give a divine sanction to my text, that it here stands recorded by an inspired pen-man for our instruction and admonition; wherein we not only find the dignity and duty of civil rulers pointed out; but also many motives briefly touched, to excite them to the practice of it. Their duty is to do judgment and justice. They must do judgment by punishing the vicious, therein rendering themselves a terror to evil-doers. As a man can have no right to hurt his neighbour; so neither to hurt himself: whence it appears to belong to the civil magistrate to punish personal as well as relative offences. And they must also do justice, by making equitable decisions between contending parties.

p. 7IT must be confessed that the power of legislation is not here so directly spoken of; but yet, as doing judgment and justice is the great and important service which civil rulers are to perform for the community, therefore when they are acting in a legislative capacity, it must be their special care to enact such laws, that the executive authority may be rendered blessings to a people by the due exercises of judgment and justice upon all occasions. Indeed, the kings of Israel seem to have been vested with little or nothing of that power which is of the legislative kind. God himself had framed their laws by the ministry of Moses, not only for their edification as a religious society, or visible church; but also for their good government as a civil state. We have there given us an excellent and truly divine model of civil government, worthy to be imitated by all nations. …