The legislatures right, charge and duty in respect of religion; represented in a sermon preach'd before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of election, May 8th, 1746. / By Samuel Hall, A.M. Pastor of the church in New-Cheshire. ; [Two lines from Psalms] Hall, Samuel, 1695-1776. Approx. 48 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 35 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2008-09. N04647 N04647 Evans 5785 APW7249 5785 99013403

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 5785. (Evans-TCP ; no. N04647) Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 5785) Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 5785) The legislatures right, charge and duty in respect of religion; represented in a sermon preach'd before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of election, May 8th, 1746. / By Samuel Hall, A.M. Pastor of the church in New-Cheshire. ; [Two lines from Psalms] Hall, Samuel, 1695-1776. Connecticut. General Assembly. [4], 32 p. ; 15 cm. (8vo) Printed and sold by Timothy Green, printer to the gov. and Company., N. London [i.e., New London, Conn.], : 1746. Half-title: Mr. Hall's sermon on 2 Chron. xix. 6. Take heed what you do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.

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eng Election sermons -- Connecticut -- 1746. 2007-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2007-08 Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE Legiſlatures Right, Charge and Duty in reſpect of Religion; Repreſented in a SERMON Preach'd before the General Aſſembly of the Colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the Day of ELECTION, May 8th, 1746.

By Samuel-Hall, A. M. Paſtor of the Church in New-Cheſhire.

Pſal. lxxvii. 20. Thou leddest thy People like a Flock, by the Hand of Moſes and Aaron.

N. LONDON, Printed and Sold by TIMOTHY GREEN, Printer to the GOV. and COMPANY.

1746.

At a GENERAL ASSEMBLY Holden at Hartford in the Colony of Connecticut, on the 8th Day of May, Anno Domini, 1746. Reſolved by this Aſſembly,

THAT ROGER NEWTON Eſq; and Mr. JOHN HALL, be appointed to return the Thanks of this Aſſembly to the Reverend Mr. SAMUEL HALL, for his Sermon preached before this Aſſembly on the Eighth Day of Inſtant May, and deſire a Copy thereof that it may be printed.

George Wyllys Secr.
An Election SERMON. 2 CHRONICLES XIX. 6. —Take heed what you do: For ye judge not for Man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the Judgment.

ALTHO' civil Government be of divine Right, yet the various and different Forms of it, are of humane Right: And among the various Forms, one is calculated for a People under ſuch and ſuch Circumſtances; another for a People under different Circumſtances. Iſrael of old was a while under the government of Judges, and then under a kingly Government: And their Happineſs or Miſery was not ſo much owing to the different form of Government they were under, as to their Governours or Rulers: When they had wiſe, prudent, ſkilful and religious Rulers, they were very Happy; but when they had Rulers of another Character, they were Miſerable. Upon which account the wiſe Man king Solomon, thus declares, in Eccl. 10. 16, 17. Wo to thee, O Land, when thy king is a Child, and thy princes eat in the Morning. Bleſſed art thou, O Land, when thy king is a ſon of Nobles, and thy princes eat in due ſeaſon, for ſtrength and not for drunkenneſs. Among the good Kings of Judah, ſtands on ſacred Record Jehoſaphat, concerning whom it is ſaid, That he walked in the way of Aſa his Father, and departed not f •• m it, doing that which was right in the ſight of the LORD. And altho' he miſſed it in ſome things; as in joining with Ahab againſt Ramoth-Gilead; for which the prophet Jehu ſharply reproved him in theſe words, ver. 2. Shouldest thou help the Ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? Yet there were good Things found in him: He had taken away the Groves out of the Land, and had prepared his Heart to ſeek the LORD: He was a religious King, and took care of the religious, as well as civil Intereſt of the Government; as appears from his going out from time to time among his People from one end of the Kingdom to the other, to bring them back unto the LORD God of their Fathers. Three things are taken noticé of,

1. His bringing back the People from their Idolatry, falſe Worſhip and wickedneſs of Life unto the LORD God of their Fathers.

2. His appointing Judges and placing them in all the Cities of Judah, to whom the People might go for Juſtice and have all their valuable Enjoyments ſecured to them.

3. His charging his Judges to be Faithful in the great & important Truſt repoſed in them; ſaying to them, Thus ſhall ye do, in the fear of the LORD, faithfully & with a perfect heart.

And here in the Text, that good King Jehoſaphat is brought in as giving Inſtruction & Caution to thoſe Judges he had plac'd in Judah, Take heed what ye do, for ye Judge not for Man, but for the LORD, &c. In which words are three Things obſervable.

(1) The Inſtruction and Caution given, Take heed what ye do. The form of Speech was moſt ſuitable to wake up their Fear, the moſt wakeful Paſſion GOD has planted in the children of Men: As if he had ſaid, Ye Judges whom I have plac'd in Judah, Conſider and be afraid; for ye have ſomthing to do which calls for your greateſt Care and Circumſpection in doing of it: Enter upon your work & buſineſs with the greateſt Caution that you may'nt do amiſs.

(2) The Grounds and Reaſons of the Caution, For ye Judge not for Man, but for the LORD. As if he had ſaid, You are not to aim at the pleaſing of Men, as the mark and ſcope of your Judgment; but of GOD, whoſe Cauſe you have undertaken, in the indiſpenſible meaſures of Right and Truth.

(3) The Argument or Motive to enforce this Care and Caution in the Judges, GOD is with you in the Judgment. As if he had ſaid, Ye Judges, if ye take heed what you do, Judge for GOD, He will be with you, aſſiſting and enabling of you to judge Aright; for GOD ſtandeth in the congregation of the Mighty.

DOCT. That the Judgment is for the LORD, is a Conſideration of great Importance, to make civil Rulers act as they ought in that great and important Truſt repoſed in them. Or in other words, All men that are inveſted with civil Power and Authority, ſhould take heed what they do; becauſe they Judge not for Man, but for the LORD.

Such ſhould enter upon the Buſineſs with ſerious Thought and Conſideration, judge and determine with Caution and Care, for the Judgment is for the LORD.

I am ſenſible that theſe words were ſpoken to the executive Authority, the Judges in Judah, and not to the Legiſlature; but the grounds and reaſons of the Inſtruction and Caution given to them, hold good, are equal, if no greater with reſpect to the Legiſlature of a Government, and ſo to all others in proportion to the ſhare they have in the Adminiſtration of public Juſtice; and accordingly I ſhall Conſider them. And here,

I. I ſhall Inquire what we are to underſtand by this, That the Judgment is for the LORD. Or, What it is to Judge for GOD?

II. Shew what a weighty Conſideration this is to excite and ſtir up civil Rulers to act up to their Character and Obligation in that great and important affair of Judgment.

I. What are we to underſtand by this, That the Judgment is for the LORD? Or, That Rulers Judge for GOD?

And by Judgment which our Text ſaith is for the LORD, we are to underſtand the great, weighty and important Buſineſs which this honourable Legiſlature, is by and by to proceed upon, viz. the Adminiſtration of Juſtice in all its Acts and Offices; this is the great civil Affair, yea, the moſt weighty & important Affair & Buſineſs of the Government: And our Text let's us know, that it is a religious Affair, and the very Buſineſs of GOD; Ye Judge for the LORD. And theſe things are intended in it,

1. That the Legiſlature of a Government derive their Power and Authority from GOD; and this power of Judgment is GOD's Right. Every Legiſlature is veſted with a Judicial Power; otherwiſe how could they Delegate it to others? But this Right they derive not from any humane Title, but originally from GOD. Our bleſſed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, has ſet this matter in a very clear Light, from his own Caſe; when Pilate the Roman Judge ſaid unto him, Knowest thou not, that I have power to Crucifie thee; and alſo power to Releaſe thee? Chriſt makes this Reply, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above, (Joh. 19. 10, 11.) From above another: Not from Rome, but from Heaven. It's true, the Power was from Caeſar immediately, but ſontably & originally from GOD. And altho' this Legiſlature receives its Authority from the People immediately; being Elected & Choſen by them, yet from GOD originally: Upon which account the civil Magiſtrate is ſaid to bear the Sword, Rom. 13. 4. For he is the miniſter of GOD to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he is the miniſter of GOD, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Now the Sword is an Enſign of Power and imports a Juriſdiction extending over Life: And he bears it not in vain; that is, He has a right to uſe it. But how comes the civil Magiſtrate by this Juriſdiction over Life? For no Man has this right in himſelf: No man hath power over his own Life; how then can he give Power to any other over it? He cannot do it. I own a man may forfeit his Life by his Crimes and Wickedneſs: But when he has done ſo, who has a right to take the Forfeiture? The man himſelf hath not; neither can he render it lawful for any other to take it away: But he that bears the Sword for that purpoſe has the only Right, becauſe he is the Miniſter of GOD, inveſted with GOD's Authority, and acting in his Right, who is the only LORD of Life: Upon which account they are in Scripture ſaid to Rule and Reign by Him; that is, by his Authority & as his Vicegerents. Prov. 8. 15, 16. By me kings reign, and princes decree juſtice. By me princes rule, & nobles, even all the judges of the earth. And for this Reaſon the civil Magiſtrate is honoured in Scripture with the ſtile of GOD's acting in GOD's Right: Pſal. 82. 1, 6. GOD ſtandeth in the congregation of the mighty, He judgeth among the gods. I have ſaid, Ye are gods: and all of you are children of the most High. In this reſpect the civil Magiſtrate is ſaid to Judge for the LORD, as he derives all his Right and Authority from GOD originally.

2. All thoſe Matters and Caſes which fall under the Cognizance of the Legiſlature, are properly GOD's Cauſe. All things that are intrinſically Moral, involving good or evil in their own Nature; ſuch as concerns Truth, Right, Equity, Mercy; and all the contrary Violations that proceed from Malice, Falſhood, Unfaithfulneſs, as they were matters of GOD's Laws, before they were of Man's: And humane Laws in reſpect of theſe are only the Tranſcript of that which is Divine & Eternal; they are properly GOD's Cauſe. I think there can be no doubt about this; but that in all Caſes where the matter under Determination appertains to natural Right, the Cauſe is GOD's Cauſe: And when Laws are enacted about things that are in their own Nature good or evil, they do directly belong to GOD's Cauſe, by antecedent Relation: And when indifferent Things are made matter of humane Laws, they become GOD's Cauſe by Eſpouſal; and GOD will have our Obedience approved in indifferent Things, as well as neceſſary; and both are charged upon the Conſciences of men by the Apoſtle; and both are to be obſerved for the ſake of GOD: And in caſe of failure, the Animadverſion upon thoſe that do not obſerve them, is no leſs than a Judgment executed in GOD's behalf, for they are all GOD's Cauſe.

3. To Judge for the LORD, intends and comprehends this in it, That the very End or Iſſue of the Judgment, is GOD's End. It is for the maintenance of the Laws, the ſecuring mens Rights, the encouraging of Vertue, and the eſtabliſhing of Peace and good Order among Mankind. As GOD has a Providence whereby he governs the World; ſo the end of that Providence is a Series of ſeveral Methods to make men good; to which end this of humane Judgment is conducing in a very eminent manner: For there is no doubt, but Judgment is the greateſt external Bond of humane Vertue, and the moſt effectual Check of diſorderly Paſſions. Were it not for humane Laws & Government, this World would ſoon be an Aceldama, a field of Blood; all manner of Crimes and Wickedneſs would Reign: But humane Laws guard men from doing Ill by a wholſom Fear; and the civil Magiſtrate is a Terror to evil Doers And by being ſo, they do prepare men to receive the Goſpel. The reſtraints which humane Laws lay upon the children of Men, is a great preparatory to the Salvation of GOD; it prepares the way of the LORD, Iſa. 56.1. Thus ſaith the LORD, Keep ye Judgment, and do Juſtice: for my Salvation is near to come, and my Righteouſneſs to be revealed. As if he had ſaid, According to the ordinary courſe of things, GOD could not Reign where the Government did not aſſert him. He may in compaſſion (as one ſaith) hover over a People; but he can never pitch his Tent and dwell among them, unleſs the civil Magiſtrate fix him a Throne, by looking to that point which St. Paul calls the very end of Magiſtracy, viz. To be a Terror to evil doers, and a Praiſe to them that do well.

But here it will be Objected, Had not GOD a Church in the World, and the most glorious Church that ever was in the World, without the Care and Aſſiſtance of the civil Magiſtrate? And what muſt the civil Government aſſert him, and as it were fix him a Throne?

I Anſwer, Tho' it be ſo, that GOD had a Church & the moſt glorious Church that ever was in the World, without the aſſiſtance, care or help of the civil Magiſtrate; yet this don't render the Magiſtrates help, aſſiſtance & care needleſs now; becauſe that was in an Age of viſible Miracles, and at a time when the World & the Church ſtood notoriouſly Diſtinguiſhed, and while thoſe that were of the Church were kept ſo humble by Perſecution, and mortified by Poverty, and ſober by the daily expectation of Death, that they needed no other Laws to reſtrain their corrupt Appetites and diſorderly Affections and Paſſions; but now the World is become Chriſtian, Religion in high Credit, and men can maintain their temporal Hopes and their chriſtian Profeſſion together: And therefore the Tares will choak the good Seed, unleſs the civil Magiſtrate ſtep in to weed and pluck up and aſſiſt in the Cultivation of the Field. It therefore follows that the very end of Judgment is GOD's end; it is to Reform degenerate Men and to make them live quiet, peaceable, honeſt & godly Lives in this World.

4. To Judge for GOD, intends that the very Sentence paſſed by the Legiſlature, is GOD's Sentence. The Sentence of Judgment by all delegated Powers, is the Sentence of him or them from whom the Power is delegated or derived. Thus the Sentence paſſed in our executive Courts, is the Sentence of him or them, from whom the Power is derived; ſo the Sentence of Judgment by the Legiſlature is GOD's Sentence, when the Legiſlature, who are GOD's Vicegerents, judge & determine in matters and caſes, according to Right, as they ought to do: And in this reſpect it may be ſaid, as Pſal. 50. 6 GOD is Judge himſelf; becauſe delegated Powers act for Him here in this world; and he recognizes and imputes that Sentence, and takes it into his own Account. When GOD ſhall Judge the World in Righteouſneſs, it will be by the LORD JESUS CHRIST, to whom all Power and Authority in Heaven and Earth is delegated by GOD the FATHER: And the rule of Proceeding in that Day (as the Scripture avouches) ſhall be this, Men ſhall reap as they ſow; and he that hath done wrong, ſhall receive for the wrong that he hath done. Now the very ſame being the Rule of humane Tribunals, we muſt look upon the Sentence given by them as GOD's Sentence.

5. To Judge for GOD, intends that the Legiſlature of a Government take care of the publick Interest of it, both Civil and Religious: In doing of which they muſt do theſe three Things.

(1) Take care that men live Peaceably one among another. (2) That they live Honeſtly. And, (3) That they live Godly.

(1) The civil Magiſtrate must take care of the publick Peace of the Government, That men live Peaceably one among another. I ſuppoſe none will deny this to be part of their Work & Buſineſs: They are the Guardians of Peace. The Apoſtle, in 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. Exhorts that ſupplication and prayer, &c. be made for Kings, and all in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all godlineſs and honeſty; for this is good & acceptable in the ſight of GOD our Saviour. This is a Prayer for the civil Magiſtrate, That GOD would diſpoſe them to, furniſh them with, and proſper them in, a due diſcharge of their Office; that they would take care that thoſe under their Government live Quietly and Peaceably. Indeed the preſent ſtate of humane Pravity; Mens proud Appetites and injurious Paſſions, has made Government neceſſary, with all its Arts & Inſtruments of Coercion; ſo neceſſary that humane Society cannot poſſibly Subſiſt without it: Yea, ſo neceſſary, that the moſt tyrannical Government that ever was in the World, is more Eligible than Anarchy, or no Government; becauſe while the Government is never ſo Tyrannical, that Tyranny can only expreſs it ſelf in the Enormities of a Few; the Multitude muſt in the mean time be kept within the bounds of Right and Reaſon: whereas in caſe of no Government, every one is a Tyrant and let looſe to act the ſame Inſolences and Wrongs. If the publick Peace be not maintained, the Government it ſelf will moulder & go to ruin: For as Society cannot ſubſiſt without Government, ſo neither can Government ſubſiſt without Peace. It is an Aphoriſm of unqueſtionable truth, that a Kingdom divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand: And a Kingdom is divided againſt it ſelf, by publick Tumults and Rebellions in it.

One thing that raiſed the Roman Government to ſuch a pitch of glory in the World, was, their maintaining the public civil Peace among them; it was preſerved with the utmoſt Care: For altho' they were a people Martial & Brave, yet they eſteemed it Infamous to fight a fellow Citizen, inſomuch that Duelling was a way of vindication perfectly Scandalous among the Romans: And when any point of Honour engaged any of them to reſent a particular Indignity, their only Challenge was to ſhew, who was the beſt Man at the head of an Army againſt their Enemy. Thus careful was the Roman Government to maintain the publick Peace, which if it be not maintained & ſecured, the Intereſt of a Government will unavoidably ſink and come to ruin.

(2) It is the duty of the civil Magiſtrate, to take care that men live Honeſtly; yea, make them live Honeſtly. Honeſty is not only oppos'd to Fraud, Violence, breach of Contracts, &c. all which are immediate diſturbers of the publick Peace, but to all manner of Vice: And therefore Peace cannot ſubſiſt without Honeſty in this Latitude. There is no kind of Vice, but what is in effect an Enemy to public Peace. Some Vices are deſtructive to Peace directly and at hand; ſome only at a diſtance and by remoter influence: But yet they are all a Poiſon in a Government, that tends to its Diſſolution and Ruin. Some Vices embroil a Government by invading mens Rights; ſome by grounding Animoſities, and ſome by getting Factions: Some Vices expoſe to Enemies from abroad, by enervating mens Spirits, emaſculating and effeminating their Minds, whereby they become weak and defenceleſs. Thus every Vice is in its own Nature deſtructive to the Peace & Happineſs of civil Government: Therefore the Magiſtrate muſt make men live Honeſtly as well as Peaceably. This was what the Roman Government took the utmoſt care of: We find in the Hiſtory of it, that their Reputation obtained all over the World, as a People of the moſt exemplary Honeſty, ſo that to ſpeak or act, More Romano, was taken in the common ſtile as ſignifying to ſpeak or act fairly, ſincerely and honestly. So remarkable was their Juſtice and Honeſty, that all the world Appealed to their Arbitration; being ſecure that Right ſhould not be bor'n down, either by Fear or Corruption: So ſtrict were they in the obſervance of their Promiſes (upon this principle of Honeſty) that having promiſed to ſend Succour to their Allies upon occaſion, they would not fail to ſend it, tho' at a time when they lay under the ſtraiteſt Siege: They abhorred Diſhoneſty & all unfaithfulneſs to their Promiſes, to that degree, That a Divorce was not known or heard of in Rome for five hundred Years, when there was nothing to reſtrain it, but only that it was Diſhoneſt and of an ill Fame. And the bonds of theſe Vertues in them, were their ſteady regard to Religion, which their Rulers had with all Induſtry planted and fixt amongſt them. Thus its the Duty of the civil Magiſtrate to make men Honeſt.

(3) The civil Magiſtrate ſhould make men live Godly. They ſhould make Laws to promote Godlineſs, as well as Peace & Honeſty. Society cannot ſubſiſt without Government, Government cannot ſubſiſt without Peace, Peace cannot ſubſiſt without Honeſty, and Honeſty cannot ſubſiſt without Godlineſs. Whoever therefore will but ſeriouſly conſider, the neceſſary Dependance which theſe have one upon another, will ſee the Reaſon why every Government that will be Juſt to its ſelf, muſt neceſſarily provide for the Maintenance of them all. Hence it is, that even atheiſtical Politicians adviſe their Princes, to take eſpecial care of Religion, and to ſee it Rooted as firmly as poſſible in the hearts of their People, how ſlender hold ſo ever it has of their own. It is well known, that the flouriſhing State & Condition of the Roman Common-wealth was owing to their ſtudious Regard to Religion; this was the Source and Bond of all thoſe Vertues which they practiſed, and by the practiſe of which they became ſo very Famous & Renowned in the World. They had ſuch a regard to Religion, that if any man among them was obſerved to live Looſely and Viciouſly, He fell under a civil Excommunication: For the Law of their twelve Tables, prohibited all ſuch from Joining in the publick Worſhip, 'till ſuch time as they could bring Teſtimony of their better Behaviour: And ſuch an intire Veneration did they pay to their reputed Gods, that they ſhew'd more Concern for their Temples, than for their own Houſes, Families or Fortunes. And this glorious Advance both of Vertue and Piety, proceeded from the direct influence of their Government, which had provided Laws extending to all Inſtances of good Manners, and for a Fence to thoſe Laws, Guarding and Enforcing them. The firſt Law in their twelve Tables was, Divos Caſté adeunto, Let men worſhip the Gods with temperance of Body and purity of Mind. And yet the happineſs of their State did not owe it ſelf ſo much to their Laws, as to their Magiſtrates; therefore good Care was taken that the Execution of their Laws ſhould be committed to grave, honeſt, active Men; and that they might be Faithful, they were obliged to juſtifie their Adminiſtration, by bringing into the publick Cenſor, from time to time, an account of what particular Acts they had done in order to the Maintaining & Aſſerting their Laws. (It would be well if this Practiſe was held up in all Governments.) And concerning this order of Men, their Law provided this Caution, Is ordo vitio Caveto, Caeteris ſpecimen eſto; Let that Order be men of unſtained Probity, and Examples of that Behaviour which they require from others. And thus while the Reins of the Government were held in ſteady Hands, the great Bleſſings of Peace, Honeſty & Godlineſs were enjoyed, and that Common-wealth for ſeveral Centuries ſtood in that high pitch of Glory to which it was raiſed by the pure Wiſdom of the Government.

That the Legiſlature of a Government ought to take care of the religious Intereſt of their Government, appears further from this; GOD Himſelf joined Moſes with Aaron to conduct and lead his People of old along in the world, Pſal. 77. 2 . Thou leddest thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moſes and Aaron. If Laws would do the Work, to make men Religious; that is, Pious, Juſt & Sober, none were needful, but thoſe of CHRIST, which oblige men to a faithful diſcharge of the Duties of their reſpective Relations & Stations in the world, Enforced with awful Sanctions. What could be more moving than the two interminable States of Heaven & Hell, wherewith the Precepts of the Goſpel recommend themſelves to our Obſervance? But, alas! we find men make no difficulty to trample upon the Laws of CHRIST, notwithſtanding the Venerableneſs of their Author, and the Moment of their Sanctions: For altho' their Sanctions are ſo Important, yet the Execution of them is Remote. Therefore Solomon's Determination may ſtill hold, That Sin is reſtrainable by no poſſible Means, but that of a ſpeedy Execution, Eccl. 8. 11.

Indeed, there are ſome that would have the Magiſtrate's Authority lie aſleep and be paſſive in reſpect of Religion; they would have him guard their Properties and not their Vertues; that they may be at liberty to looſe their Vertues when they think fit. And therefore, as he in the Poet ſays of Jupiter, Det vitam, det Opes, ſanam mihi animam ipſe parabo, Let GOD give me Life and Fortune, I will give my ſelf a good Mind. So many are ready to ſay of the Magiſtrate, Let him take care of my Safety & my Rights, I will take care of my Manners & my Religion. But, alas! alas! humane Nature won't many times be reſtrained from the utmoſt Extravagance of Ill, without the awful Vigilance and Animadverſion of the civil Magiſtrate; for after men have once waſted their Conſcience by their Vices, all the methods of Exhorting, Reproving and Cenſuring, become the moſt deſpicable Things in the world. What can be plainer than this, from what follows? How weak was that Voice of good old Eli, and how incompetent to Reſtrain a Hophni and Phinehas, when he cried, Why do you ſuch things? Nay, my Sons; for it is no good Report that I hear of you, my Sons. Thus ſpake he as a Prieſt, the power of whom is no more than Perſwaſive: But he was a Magiſtrate as well as a Prieſt, and therefore could have ſpoke with a more effectual Voice, and ſuch as would have reach'd more ſenſibly home and have Reſtrained them from their Wickedneſs, which he ought to have done; and for his Neglect as a Magiſtrate, GOD tells him, That he would Judge his Houſe for ever, for the Iniquities of his Sons, in that they made themſelves Vile, and he Reſtrained them not.

But ſome will ſay, That Religion and Vertue is nothing worth when Forced. Be it ſo, yet what is begun in Force, may end in Choice: What is begun in Fear, may end in Love. Manaſſeh's Chains & Fetters brought him to know that the LORD was GOD; brought him to humble himſelf before the GOD of his Fathers. But ſuppoſing Vertue thus forc'd, ſhould never arrive to the ſtate of Choice and Love, yet ſtill this good would follow, That the Magiſtrate had done his Part; and beſides it's no ſmall Advantage to the common Cauſe of Vertue, that men can be brought to be viſibly or externally Good and Vertuous.

II. The ſecond general Head is to ſhew, What a weighty Conſideration this is, to Excite civil Rulers to act as they ought to do in that great and weighty Affair of Judgment committed to them; Take heed, for you Judge for GOD.

1. As the Legiſlature in Judgment ſuſtains the Perſon of GOD, and acts for Him, ſo this (being duely Conſidered by them) will keep them Juſt and Upright in all their Determinations. Let civil Rulers ſuppoſe themſelves to ſuſtain any other Perſon, or to act by or for any other whatſoever but only GOD, they will find themſelves immediately fallen under the power of ſuch Temptations, as will often prevent them from being Juſt; becauſe there is none in the world, whoſe Ends may not ſometimes be better ſerved by Injuſtice, but only GOD; and his Ends are always ſerved by Juſtice: Hence ſprings the great difficulty of being Juſt, and the neceſſity of that Caution which we find ſo frequently inculcated to Magiſtrates in the holy Scriptures, viz. That they ſhould take heed, be ſtrong & couragious, yea, very couragious, 1 King. 2,2. David gives his dying Charge to Solomon, in theſe words, I go the way of all the Earth, be thou ſtrong and ſhew thy ſelf a man. GOD ſpeaks to Joſhua, after Moſes was dead, Chap. 1. 6, 7. Be ſtrong and of good courage; yea, very couragious, that thou mayst obſerve to do according to all the Laws which Moſes my ſervant commanded thee; turn not from it, to the right hand or to the left. Rulers muſt render themſelves diſengaged from all the World, and from Themſelves above all, becauſe Self is undeniably the greateſt Bias to humane Prevarication. Wherefore if Rulers ſeriouſly Conſider this, that they ſuſtain the Perſon of GOD, act for Him who is the Judge of all the Earth and will do Right; act for Him concerning whom it is ſaid, Pſal. 89. 14. Juſtice and Judgment are the habitation of his Throne; Mercy and Truth go before his Face. I ſay, if Rulers Conſider this, it will be a powerful Means to keep them Juſt and Upright in all their Determinations.

2. As they Judge for GOD, ſo they muſt give an Account to Him, of all their Judgments and Determinations. Lower Courts are Accountable to Higher: All Judicatories are Accountable to the Legiſlature; but the Legiſlature is Accountable to none: There is no Authority above them; none can call them to an Account, but only that GOD by whom Kings Reign and Princes decree Juſtice. And tho' they are Gods by Office, yet they ſhall die like Men & be brought to Judgment by that GOD that hath inveſted them with ſo much of his Power, how they have Improved it, whether they have Judged the People with Righteouſneſs and the Poor with Judgment. Thus a ſerious Conſideration of their being Accountable to GOD, will be very powerful to Excite them to a faithful Diſcharge of the great, weighty and important Truſt repoſed in them.

3. Another weighty Conſideration is this, GOD will be with them in the Judgment, aſſiſting and enabling them to Judge aright. This is the Conſideration in the Text; For ye Judge for GOD, who is with you in the Judgment. When the Legiſlature of a Government faithfully improve their great Authority, by giving a right Judgment in Caſes lying before them, GOD is with them, approving what they have done, as well as aſſiſting in doing of it. It is very deſirable to have GOD with us in all the common Affairs and Buſineſs of Life, which is of little Importance and ſmall Conſequence, compared with this, of having GOD with our Legiſlature, who are to make Laws for the Securing of our valuable Intereſts Civil & Religious. And when GOD is with them, aſſiſting them to Rule in his Fear, they will be as the Light of the Morning when the Sun riſeth, even a Morning without Clouds; as the tender Graſs ſpringing out of the Earth, by clear ſhining after Rain; and will ſerve their Generation by the Will of GOD, and when they fall aſleep by Death, they will Sleep in JESUS.

APPLICATION.

I. I beg leave to Addreſs my ſelf to your Honours, the Legiſlature of this Government, now Convened in this Place; Honoured and highly Eſteemed, I am this Day to bring to your Remembrance, the ſolemn Counſel and Charge given to the Judges of Judah, by that good King Jehoſaphat, in theſe Words, Take heed what ye do; for ye Judge not for Man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the Judgment. The Sovereign LORD of Heaven and Earth, who Rules among the Kingdoms of Men, that GOD who is the Judge, that putteth down one and ſetteth up another, hath inveſted You with ſo much of his Authority and Power, as in his Word you are ſtiled Gods; and by Virtue of that great Authority which you have derived from the Fountain of all Authority, it is now become your Province to make Laws, and to give Life to them: You are the Guardians of Peace and Juſtice: You are to redreſs the Injured, to check the Inſolent, and to bound the Unruly: Power and Honour attend your Perſons, and Submiſſion waits on your Decrees: But take heed, conſider and be afraid; Your Honour is balanc'd with Duty, and your Power is clogg'd with Temptation: You will find your Integrity aſſaulted thro' every Paſſion: Among thoſe Perſons over whoſe Cauſe you will Preſide, ſome it may be will be Great, and you will be in danger of being bias'd by them; ſome are inſinuating, and you are in danger of being warp'd by Affection: But remember, you are to Judge for GOD; GOD has fixt the mark and ſcope of your Judgment, in the indiſpenſable meaſures of Right and Truth: It is GOD's Buſineſs your Character engages you in; 'tis His Cauſe you have undertaken; His Honour is concerned in it, as well as the Good of your People. From you, Your Subjects look for help and relief in thoſe Cauſes which lower Courts that are tied up to the ſtrict Rules of Law, can't help: You can ſweeten the bitter Waters of Summum Jus: You can make Laws and give Rules for lower Courts to act by You are our Moſes, that when Matters are too hard for Others, the Cauſe is brought to You, and here as at Abel, the Matter is ended.

You muſt deliver the Poor when they cry unto you, and the Fatherleſs, and them that have none to help them; You muſt cauſe the widows Hearts to ſing for Joy: You muſt put on Righteouſneſs, and it muſt clothe you, your Judgment muſt be a Robe & a Diadem: You muſt be Eyes to the Blind, and Feet to the Lame; a Father to the Poor, and the Cauſe which you know not, you muſt ſearch out: You muſt break the Jaw of the Wicked and pluck the Spoil out of his Teeth. This is to Judge for GOD. But yet your Office muſt be diſcharged without reſpect of Perſons: You muſt not countenance a poor Man in a bad Cauſe, nor overlook him in a good Cauſe.

The Areopagites, thoſe celebrated Judges among the Athenians, Sat always in the Night, to remind them that they ſhould attend to the Cauſe and not the Parties; therefore they only heard their Voices, but did not ſee their Faces, nor know their Quality: Much is to be learn'd from this.

Honoured and highly Reſpected, I am ſenſible you are call'd to take the Conduct of this People in a difficult and ſtormy Day: We are a divided People, (I pray your Bow may abide in its ſtrength) and I doubt not but you are deeply affected with the Diviſion in your Government, and will improve your Wiſdom and Power to heal it: We cannot but turn our eyes upon You, as being inveſted above all others, with the moſt competent Means and Power of procuring Peace, Godlineſs & Honeſty among us; no other Hand can cure our Sore; no other Hand can heal us, but only yours: And GOD has given you Power & Authority to Reform us, which if you improve it, we ſhall ſee Godlineſs and Honeſty advanced in common Practiſe, and the fruit of Peace ſpringing out happily from the ſtable Root. Religion likewiſe implores your Care, eſpecially in this, that there be no Mockers of holy Things; no Contempt of religious Worſhip; no bold & daring Prophanation of the LORD's Name and Day, which are Crimes that neceſſarily waſte and harden mens Conſciences, and take off all Awe & reſpect of Duty from their Minds. I would aſk your honours Care of our Eccleſiaſtical Conſtitution, that it may be preſerved inviolate. I doubt not, but your Honours are hearty Friends to it; it ſtands upon the Countenance and Authority of this Legiſlature, and therefore I hope you will put an effectual ſtop to thoſe that are pulling it down, by letting ſuch know, that they are only tolerated Subjects in the Government. It is expected that the Legiſlature of a Government ſhew more Regard to that which is Eſtabliſhed, than to that which is only Tolerated. Proteſtant States, Kingdoms and Common-wealths, have found by ſad Experience, that without an eccleſiaſtical Eſtabliſhment, with a Toleration in it, they have been in perpetual Jarrs & Confuſions; and have been quieted and brought to Peace and good Order by regular Eſtabliſhments. I muſt likewiſe earneſtly Recommend to your Care & Protection, the Churches in this Government, and the Miniſters, and our College, that School of the Prophets, that there may be a learned Miniſtry, to teach Jacob GOD's Laws and Iſrael his Statutes; theſe things I leave to the Wiſdom of this Legiſlature: And as all thoſe may with propriety be called GOD's Cauſe, you will improve your Wiſdom and great Authority in doing every thing that ſhall promote & advance them. And let me preſs your Duty upon you further with this Conſideration, That you in your Seſſion are a lively Reſemblance of our bleſſed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST coming in the Clouds with his holy Angels: Be pleas'd therefore to think of this your ſelves, and to act in Contemplation of this Reſemblance, and then we doubt not, but all you do, will tend to the publick Welfare and Glory of Him for whom you are to Judge.

II. I Addreſs my ſelf to my Brethren in the Miniſtry; Brethren, We (tho' Unworthy) have the honour of being CHRIST's Ambaſſadors: in his Name we are to perſwade men to be Reconciled to GOD. We are ſet as Watchmen, to know what of the Night, what the ſtate of Religion is among us; and when we ſee Danger, we are to blow the Trumpet in Zion, and to ſound an Alarm in GOD's holy Mountain: We are to watch for Souls as they that are to give an Account; and if any Soul periſh thro' our Neglect, what ſaith the LORD? The blood of that Soul, will Irequire at the Watchmans hand. And you know, Brethren, the like Caution is given to us as is given to civil Rulers, Act. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your ſelves, and to all the Flock, over the which the HOLY GHOST hath made you Over ſeers, to feed the Church of GOD, which he hath purchaſed with his own Blood. To feed the Church comprehends every thing that belongs to our Office, Rule and Government, as well as Inſtruction: And as we are to act for CHRIST, ſo let us all endeavour to promote his Intereſt, in the beſt manner we poſſibly can; and how can we do it better, than by walking worthy of our Vocation, in meekneſs, lowlineſs of Mind, long-ſuffering, forbearing one another, & forgiving one another, and endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of Peace? Let us, Brethren, be very tender of our eccleſiaſtical Conſtitution, which our pious Fathers & theſe Churches with Labour & great Pains obtained, and by their careful Obſervance of it, enjoyed this Bleſſing for a conſiderable time Their Peace was as a River, and their Righteouſneſs as the waves of the Sea: And if we, Brethren, riſe up againſt it, we ſhall offend the Generation of GOD's Children. Therefore, let us all unite our Prayers, and with them join our Endeavours, that our Jeruſalem may once more be a City compact together.

III. I Addreſs my ſelf to all that have any Influence in the Adminiſtration of Juſtice, or do in effect Judge; that they would take Heed what they do, for you Judge for GOD as well as others.

Particularly,

(1) To you, Gentlemen of the long Robe, who have a very conſiderable Influence upon the Judgment, that you would take Heed what you do: you are to act for GOD, as well as others. I have a due Reſpect for you, believing that as your Profeſſion is Ancient, ſo it is Honourable; and you ſhould be careful that you don't bring an Odium upon your Profeſſion, by making falſe Repreſentations to maintain a bad Cauſe, or ſpeaking faintly in a good Cauſe; both are Criminal: All prevarication in Pleading, is a ſolemn Evil; wherein Parts & Learning are employ'd to elude Right & colour Fraud, which is no other than a prophane proſtituting the Talents of GOD, to the ſervice of Mammon. Gentlemen, in the famous Court at Athens, the Court of Areopagus, the Lawyers were forbid to make any rhetorical Courtſhip to move the Judges, for fear thereby they would be influenced to give a corrupt Judgment. One told that famous Lawyer Demoſthenes, who ſpake faintly in a good Cauſe, That he was troubled with the ſilver Quinſey, which Malady hindred his Speaking. Pericles, the noted Lawyer of Athens, being requeſted by one to Plead in an ill Cauſe for him, makes this Reply & Anſwer (Oh! Gentlemen, it is worthy to be written in Letters of Gold, it ſhould be your Motto, your Vade Mecum, it is this) I am your Friend, but not beyond the Altar. He would not do any thing in his Profeſſion againſt Religion. Therefore ſo far as you are concern'd in matters of Judgment, improve your Talents in promoting Juſtice and Righteouſneſs.

(2) To you that Inform and Teſtifie in Caſes that are brought before any Judicatories or Tribunals, you ſhould take Heed what you do, for you act for GOD, and have a conſiderable Influence upon the Judgment. Remember this, You Judge for GOD. All Corruption or Falſhood in Evidence is a ſolemn Evil: It is a great and amazing Affront to the GOD of Truth, eſpecially conſidering that GOD himſelf is called to be Witneſs to the Affront: And beſides, by Corruption & Falſhood in Evidence, a wrong Judgment is given, whereby the guilty go Unpuniſhed, and the innocent is made to Suffer wrongfully.

IV. I Addreſs my ſelf now to the People of this Government, eſpecially thoſe Preſent in this Aſſembly. We have heard, Brethren, that civil Rulers are inveſted with Authority from the great GOD; they Judge for him, and he is with them in the Judgment: Therefore we ſhould be careful not to ſpeak Evil of them, or inclined to find Fault with them in their Adminiſtrations; They are but Men & not Infallible: but, yet in as much as GOD has honoured them with being his Miniſters of Juſtice for our good, ſo we ſhould honour them by Submitting to their Decrees and Laws in every thing wherein the Laws of our Creator don't forbid our compliance; but where it doth, we muſt Obey GOD rather than Man. But the rule of Law with reſpect to the Legiſlature, is, Turpe est impoſſible. GOD has guarded them by his own Law, Exod, 22. 28. Thou ſhalt not revile the Gods, nor curſe the Ruler of thy People. There is an ill Character given of thoſe that are Enemies to Government; thoſe that are always Murmuring, Complaining and finding Fault with Rulers, Jude 8, 16. Alſo thoſe filthy dreamers, defile the Fleſh, deſpiſe Dominion, & ſpeak evil of Dignities. Theſe are Murmurers, Complainers, walking after their own Luſts. Such are numbred with the worſt of Sinners, and their Crimes ſtand in the Catalogue of the blackeſt Sins. And we ſhould carefully & conſcientiouſly ſhun this Evil: And inſtead of finding Fault with them, we ſhould Pray for them, that they may not bear the Sword in vain; but be Terrors to evil-doers, and a Praiſe to them that live peaceably, honeſtly & godly. If that Breath was ſpent in Praying for them, which is ſpent in finding Fault with them in their Adminiſtrations, it would be better for us; we ſhould diſcover more of the Chriſtian, and not leſs of the Polititian. And as we ought to Pray for them, ſo we ought to be Obedient to them: And when we are call'd to give in our Suffrages for our Rulers, we ſhould chuſe able Men, Men that underſtand the Times, and the beſt Maxims of Government; Men firm in their Principles, and ſteady in their Practiſe, not given to Change, or toſs'd about with a giddy Multitude, upon every fit of Enthuſiaſm. A Pilot ſhould hold the Helm ſteady in a ſtormy Day, or the Ship will ſoon be loſt. And thoſe that have done well among us, done good in our Iſrael, known among our Tribes, to be men of Integrity & Skill, who like David of old, have fed us according to the integrity of their Hearts, and guided us by the ſkilfulneſs of their Hands, ſhould be the Men that our eyes are upon to be our Rulers. And if we are careful & conſcientious in our Duty, we may hope ſtill to enjoy our valuable Privileges, Civil & Sacred inviolate: And the great Bleſſing which GOD promiſed to his People of old upon their Obedience, ſhall ſtill be enjoy'd by us, That our Nobles ſhall be of our ſelves, and our Governours ſhall proceed from the midst of us: and they ſhall Judge the People with Righteouſneſs, and the Poor with Judgment; and in their days ſhall the Righteous flouriſh, & abundance of Peace ſo long as the Moon endureth.

FINIS.