Election Sermon

SERMON, PREACHED OW THB DAY OF GENERAL ELECTION, At Montpelier, O&. 11, 1810, BEFORE | THE HONORABLE LEGISLATURE } ar VERMONT. ( BY CHESTER WRIGHT, A. M. PASTOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, IN MONTPELIER, PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE LEGISLATURE; RANDOLPH, (VERMONT) PRINTED BY SERENO WRIGHT. Anon Betis Le ieee Sete) at SESS a pee}, as a = SERMON. Psaum wxxxix. 15. blessed is the people that know the joyful found. HAT is the chief good, or in what confists the happiness of man, was a fubjeé& of anxious inquiry among the philofophers of ancient times, Some placed it in the gratification of fenfual desires : others in an uinfeelin indifference to pleafure and pain : others in abstraétion from fensible objects, and a mind devoted to contemplation. But, amidst this diversity of opinions, none of their lessons were found efficacious to reform a world, involved in the ruins of fin, or, to direct man to the purfuit of objeéts worthy of his rational and immortal nature. Tt was referved for the joyful found, {poken of in the text, to undeceive and emancipate the world. If this remark be just, it will be proper to confider, ; What is intended by this joyful found, What is implied in knowing it, and In what confists the blefledness of the people who know it. : isis ints of inquiry, to which the attention of this assembly is y requelted. > I. What is intended by the joyful found ? Scripture is the best © interpreter of {cripture. We may, therefore, derive aflistance in cathe inquiry before us, by attending to the context. The pfalm is introduced in the following manner. a; “Iwill fing of the mercies of the Lord forever : with my mouth ~Will I make known thy faithfulness unto all generations. For I have Ofaid, mercy shall be built up forever : thy faithfulness shalt thou ef qitablith in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my chofen, I have sworn unto David my servant, thy feed will I establith forever, and build up thy throne to all tions.” In these passages, we recognize the covenant of ption : the eternal purpole of Jeh to difplay his grace, in the salvation of sinful men, through Jesus Christ. In a view of this eternal purpose, and of the stupendous mediatorial work which it involved, the pfalmist is filled with adoration, and exclaims, “ The heavens hall praise thy wonders, O Lord : thy faithfulness, also, in the con tion of the faints.” “ O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee ? or to thy faithfulness round about thee ”” “ Thou halt a mighty arm ; strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne : mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” In a view of the fame objeéts, the pfalmist is led to contemplate the happiness which this covenant was defigned to communicate. Contemplating that happiness, he quest 1957 Vermont Historical Society exclaims, “ blessed is the people tWht know the joyful found.” - | Hence it appears, that by this joyful found is intended the promultion of the gospel of the grace of God: the manifeltation of t scheme of redemption which the pfalmist then had in view : the benevolent purpose of God to refeue men from the bondage of fin, to build up mercy forever, and to colle, from the ruins of an apostate world, a glorious church, which should finally be presented faultless before the prefence of his glory, with exceeding joy. Wherever, then, the gospel is revealed, wherever is afforded the rich offer of pardon, and life eternal, through the mediation of Christ, there, this joyful foundis heard. It has been uttered, more or lefS distinély, in every age, and perhaps in every nation of the world, fince the graciots declaration was made to apostate man, that the feed of the woman should bruise the ferpent’s head. To the nation of the Jews, elpecially, was this found very audibly proclaimed, and all their religious ceremonies pointed forward to the great expiatory dacrifice, once to be made for human guilt. And, fince the advent of the Savior, heralds have been fent into all parts of the world, to utter this joyful found in the-ears of men, On the monntains have been seen the feet of them who have brought good tidings, who have publifhed peace, who have said unto Zion, thy God reigneth. This found has been proclaimed in Afia, in Europe, in Africa, and has reached, at length, the shores of America. Here, where a few years fince, beasts of prey, or men more favage, wildly roamed the uncultivated forests, the trumpet | of the gospel is blown, and salvation proclaimed through the blood = of the crofs.

But what is implied in knowing this joyful found ? This is the Il. Point of inquiry which claims our attention. A it has been made to appear, that this joyful found isthe promulgation of the covenant of redemption by Jesus Chri. Then, ail to whom this covenant is revealed, by the communication of the = truths of the gospel, do, in a certain jenfe, know the joyful found. They have heard the found proclaimed. But, as many who hear the proclamation, totally difregard, and receive no bencfit from the gospel, this cannot be the knowledge intended in the text. For the pfalmist asserts, respecting them that know the joyful found, “«‘ They thall walk, O Lord, mm the light of thy countenance.” To know the joyful found, then, in the fenfe of the text, must imply — such a knowledge of the gospel as enfures the posseflion of its spiitual and piesa bleflings. It must therefore mclude the following 1. A knowledge of the divine character and law. . …