The Election Sermon

p. 3A SERMON Preach'd before the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the COLONY OF Connecticut.

And fire is gone out of a Rod of her Branches which hath devoured her fruit, so that sh◊ hath no strong Rod to be a Scepter to Rule This is a Lamentation, and shall be for Lamentation.

WHatever Differences of Opin◊◊on there have been in th◊ World, concerning either th◊ Original or Pre-eminenc◊ of those various Forms of ◊◊◊vil Government, that have been Extant in i◊ yet the Thing it self hath ever been esteeme◊ p. 4◊f great necessity, and universally acknowledged, 〈…〉 a Blessin◊ 〈…〉 Importance to the Weal of 〈…〉 People: Insomuch that the General Nature of 〈…〉 Common-Weal, with the Specifications there◊nto belonging, do necessarily relate to Civil Go◊ernment, and the several kinds of it, as to their ◊ormal Cause; whence it seemeth, That in ◊hings of a Civil Nature, there could not with◊ut Government, be any such thing as a Com◊on Good in the World. Most certain it is, ◊hat by this Medium, Divine Wisdom hath provi◊ed to give check to those wretched Principles, of Pride and Contradiction, Disorder and Con◊usion, which the first Rebellion hath unhappily brought into the hearts of men; As also to pre◊ent those Exorbitant Practices, and Intollerable Doings, [the genuine Product of such Principles] which are destructive to the Peace, and ◊uinous to the Comforts of Mankind: So that, ◊n truth, of all those Favours, which God in his most Gracious Providence, hath distributed for the common benefit of the Children of men, this of Civil Government, deserves to be reputed among the Principal; for that, both the Advantages of it, are of such vast Extent; reaching to the utmost limits of the Rational World: and the Benefits of it are so exceeding great; since it is this, which under God is our Safeguard from Evils, Domestick and Forreign, and secureth to us whatsoever is valuable in the World. And from the Experience that men have had of these p. 5Benefits, as well as from Gods Over-ruling Influence upon their Hearts, it comes to pass, that there is such a willingness and Disposition in the most, to submit to those Powers that God in his Providence placeth over them.

p. 5Indeed we read of those that Despise the Government, 2 Pet. 2 10. who, in defiance of this Subjection, Speak Evil of Dignities; [And what Ordinance of God is there, that hath not met with such as dare despise and condemn it?] Yet that many, even of These, [whatever their presumption and willfulness, (which infamous Notes the Apostle doth there brand them with,) may prompt them to say, or do against Government specifically considered, or rather against the Person vested with it,] are not so void of common Understanding, as to condemn such Authority in General; appeareth, (if from no other Reason, yet at least) from the over weaning conceit they ordinarily have, of their own Abilities, to rectifie the Male-Administrations of those that are in Authority, and so mend the Faults, they accuse the Government of, had they but their Advantages. It must be confessed, that some, such (I may call them) Monsters of Men and Sinners there have been, as have openly professed themselves Mortal Enemies, to the Nature and Being of Civil Government (loading it with the odious ◊l◊nders, of an Antichristian Stratagem, Limb of the Beast, and such as these) But that man, who shall oppose the Furious Notions, p. 6of such Frantick men, against the concurring voice of all Nations, consenting to the Necessity and Usefulness of this Ordinance, will truly merit the Character, which the Apostle in the 12th. verse of that fore cited Chapter, gives those Defamers, viz. Of Natural Bruit Beasts; and justly ◊ncur the Judgment he declareth concerning them in that same verse; in those words, Made to be taken and destroyed,—and shall utterly perish. And surely whatever Detractions from the Honour and Excellency of Civil Authority, This or any other Set of Opposers, (blinded by their own willfulness) are guilty of; such as have wisdom to discern the Circumstances of Men in General, with the present State of these Mundane Affairs, can't but as highly magnifie it; As the great Buckler (when rightly managed) both of Religion and Property, and the best Expedient to Save a People from becoming a Prey to those who hate them. The want of which Authority, (whether we understand it of a total Failure, or of an undue, lame, and ineffectual Management) hath ever been of fatal consequence, and opened a Gap for Ruin upon Ruin to break in upon a people. Whence, whosoever shall well weigh, the no less natural than usual Concomitants and Consequents of this State deficiency, and shall consider, what Irreligion and Profaneness, Unrighteousness, and Oppression, Disorder, and Confusion, do use to invade a People, when the Rod of Dominion is broken, p. 7the Bands of Authority dissolved, and every man is his own King, will soon see reason to reckon Government in the prime Rank of God's Mercies. In the close of the Book of Judges, Chap. ult. ult. We have, as the very Reason, both of the great Abominations that had defiled the Land of Israel, and of the great Devastations that had raged in it, This given us; In these Dayes there was no King (or Chief Magistrate) in Israel.

p. 7Now, by how much greater the Blessing of Civil Government is (which is designed for the Prevention and Removal of those Grievances that are incident to men) by so much the more intollerable is it, when it is either not improved at all, or not to any good purpose or effect, or mis-improved; when, either Wit or Will to prosecute the Ends of Rule are wanting; and such as have the managing of it, are either Unskilful, & know not; or Weak, and cannot; or perverse and will not consult the Peace and Weal of those they bear rule over. Though the Calamities, and Confusions of Anarchy, are very dreadful, yet the Instances of such as have been ruin◊ed by the abuse, rather than the want of Civi◊ Authority, are more frequent, and as formida◊ble. It is a sad case that a People is in, whe◊ there are no Rods at all, for a Scepter to Rule and it is not much (if it be any thing) bette◊ when those Rods that are, are not strong Rods and those Scepters, Scepters of Righteousnes◊ This hath a very ominous Aspect upon a Peopl◊ p. 8This affords a pleasing Prospect to their Enemies, and will not be long in bringing the whole State of their Affairs into a lamentable Confusion.