A Sermon Preached Before the General Assembly of Vermont

AN ELECTION SERMON.

He that ruleth over men, must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

CIVIL government is an institution appointed by God, for the good and well-being of mankind. The necessity and importance of this institution may be inferred from the wisdom ◊nd goodness of him who hath appointed the same. The divine being has seen fit to establish his law, as a perfect, unerring rule for men to walk by▪ a due regard to which is the foundation of all true happiness. And were every one disposed to walk agreeably to this rule, it would supersede the necessity of any civil establishment; for then every one would do to others as he would have them do unto him. But such is the unhappy state of mankind, since the apostacy, that they are disposed, every man to seek his own, and not the thing of another. And if there is nothing to prevent their covetous desires, and wicked pursuits, but their own consciences, and the divine law, the penalty of which none can inflict but God only, they will lie, and steal, and destroy both themselves and others. Hence arises the necessity of civil government, which p. 6God, in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to establish, and which, duly administered, is the foundation of the peace, order and happiness of civil society; and is one excellent mean to advance the peace, order and happiness of christian society; so that the inspired writer (speaking of civil government) says, If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do, Psal. x. 3. King David had peculiar advantage to 〈…〉 what influence the one had upon the other, as he was called in the early part of life, not only to fill an important ◊eat in the civil department, but also to fill a more important one in the religious department▪ to be a type and forerunner of Christ, the great head of the church. And as the faithful administrations of government in these two different branches, is of vast importance to mankind, so he earnestly prays for each; Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, Psal. cxxxii. 9. Give to the king thy judgments, and thy righteousness unto the king's son; that he may judge the poor, and save the needy, and break in pieces the oppressor, Psal. lxxii. 1. 4. David was now old and stricken in age; his long improved judgment, which was ripened with the experience of many years, qualified him to give the best advice in matters of the greatest importance: For days shall speak, and the multitude of years shall teach wisdom, Job xxxii. 7. The words of the text come with peculiar weight and solemnity, as they are the last words of a dying prince, giving advice to his surviving kingdom; and are therefore worthy to become the object of our serious attention and diligent enquiry at this time, which will be in the following manner.

p. 6I. It is the will of Heaven, that there should be civil rulers.

p. 7II. It is required of those who rule, that they be just men.

III. Show the reasons why they ought to rule in the fear of God.

IV. Close the whole with a brief application.

I. It is the will of Heaven, that there should be civil rulers.

Moses was called immediately by God to take the rule and government of his people Israel. Saul, David, and many others, received their royal crowns by special direction from heaven. Not only kings but those who fill stations of less importance in civil government, are equally appointed by God, as may be seen, Prov. viii. 13. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice; by me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. Our Saviour was subject to their authority, and paid tribute, when 〈…〉 was demanded of him. And the apostle Paul is very particular in the point. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power ◊◊t of God; the powers that be, are ordained of God: Rom. xiii. 1. The apostle Peter enjoins the same; Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king as supreme, or 〈…〉 governors as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; 1 Peter, ii. 14. God has testified his will, in the establishment of civil rulers, in requiring that supplications, prayers and intercessions be made for all men, for kings, and for all in authority, that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life, in all godliness and honesty; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. And in that we are forbid to speak evil of rulers: for it is written, thou shal◊ not speak evil of the ruler of thy people; Acts xxiii. 5. Also from a consideration of the great use which p. 8God has made of them in days past, and the use which he says he will make of them in time to come▪ when he will pour out his spirit, and cause his church to increase, and become universal; even then kings shall be their nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers; Isa. xlix. 23. Thou shalt also suck the breasts of kings, and thou shalt know that I the Lord, am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer; Isa. lx. 16. These passages, from the many that might be adduced, are sufficient to show, that it is the will of Heaven, that there should be civil rulers. I now pass on to show in the p. 8II. Place, that it is required of those who rule, tha◊ they be just men. And this will appear, if we consider the nature and importance of the business assigned them to do:—as they are appointed to use their power to suppress iniquity, and all acts of injustice. It is exceedingly natural for the human heart to break forth into those acts of wickedness and impiety, which are dishonorable to God, and destructive to the happiness of human society. The hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, their hearts are fully set within them to do evil; Eccle. viii. 11: and madness is in their hearts while they live. Notwithstanding Heaven is continually using the most powerful means to curb those wicked passions, and prevent the outbreaking of injustice—such as the various calamities and sorrows of life, which fill the world with pain and distress; the terrors of death, the alluring prospects of a heavenly paradise, and the fearful glooms of eternal darkness; yet mankind will break over these restraints, as if they were but shadows, or mere cyphers of no avail: and if there was nothing more, the earth p. 9would be filled with violence. But God has 〈…〉 pleased to appoint other means:—even civil rulers, who by the blessing of Heaven, have oftentimes curbed those wicked passions, and prevented their breaking out into open acts of injustice.