The civil ruler, a dignify'd servant of the Lord, but a dying man. A sermon preached before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 10th, 1753. / By Ebenezer Devotion, A.M. Pastor of a church in Windham. ; [Seven lines of quotations] Devotion, Ebenezer, 1714-1771. Approx. 85 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 63 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2008-09. N05514 N05514 Evans 6989 APY9801 6989 99037411

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 6989. (Evans-TCP ; no. N05514) Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 6989) Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 6989) The civil ruler, a dignify'd servant of the Lord, but a dying man. A sermon preached before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 10th, 1753. / By Ebenezer Devotion, A.M. Pastor of a church in Windham. ; [Seven lines of quotations] Devotion, Ebenezer, 1714-1771. Connecticut. General Assembly. [4], 59, [1] p. ; 16 cm. (8vo) Printed & sold by Timothy Green, printer to the gov. & Company,, N. London [i.e., New London, Conn.], : 1753[.] Half-title: Mr. Devotion's election sermon, May 10th, 1753.

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.

eng Election sermons -- Connecticut -- 1753. 2006-12 Assigned for keying and markup 2007-04 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2007-07 Sampled and proofread 2007-07 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Mr. Devotion's Election SERMON, May 10th, 1753.

The civil Ruler, a dignify'd Ser •••• 〈◊〉 the LORD, but a dying Man.

A SERMON Preached before the GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE Colony of CONNECTICUT, at HARTFORD, on the Day of the Anniverſary ELECTION, May 10th, 1753.

By Ebenezer Devotion, A. M. Paſtor of a Church in WINDHAM.

Pſalm lxxxii. 6, 7. I have ſaid, ye are Gods: and all of you are Children of the moſt High. But ye ſhall dye like Men, and fall like one of the Princes. Few years but yield us Proof of Dea •••• Ambition To cull his victims from the faireſt Fold, And ſheath his Shafts in all the Pride of Life. Night Thoughts.

N. LONDON, Printed & Sold by Timothy Green, Printer to the GOV. & COMPANY, 1753

At a GENERAL ASSEMBLY at HARTFORD, in the Colony of CONNECTICUT, on the Second Thurſday of May, Anno Domini, 1753. Ordered,

THAT Mr. JONATHAN HUNTINGTON, and Capt. ELIPHALET DYAR, Return the Thanks of this Aſſembly, to the Reverend Mr. EBENEZER DEVOTION, for his SERMON Delivered (on the tenth Day of May Inſtant,) before the Aſſembly, and Deſire a Copy thereof that it may be Printed.

George Wyllys Secr.
An Election Sermon. DEUTERONOMY XXXIV. 5. So Moſes the Servant of the LORD, died there in the Land of Moab,—

IN a ſtate of Exiſtence like the preſent, where there are Beings made for Immortality, and put upon Trial a few Years, or rather a few Days, in Order to be train'd up, and fitted for a nobler, happier ſtate of Things: and where thro' native Sluggiſhneſs, and Inattention or a contracted Stupor, thoſe Beings too ſeldom think upon their Errand, the great Buſineſs, which immediately, and eſpecially refers to this better State, 'tis convenient, 'tis frequently needful, that they have a ſolemn Memento, pointing of them forward to the Period of their Trial. The Reaſon of it is plain, viz the immediate, & powerful Tendency which it has, to awaken in the Minds of Men, a ſenſe of the Worth of Time, and to beget in them the moſt vigorous Efforts, to do ſeaſonably the Buſineſs aſſign'd them in the World. And this Reaſon always holds exactly proportionate both to the Embarraſsments attending the Duty & Buſineſs of Life, and alſo to the Importance of the Buſineſs itſelf. And hence when by Reaſon of an exalted Station, a high Truſt, and the Burthens common to Government, any of our fellow Men have beſides the Duties, & Intanglements common to Men, and Chriſtians, the ſuperadded Weight of a high Truſt, the Government of the Commonwealth; they eſpecially need to have their Eyes turn'd forward, their Minds directed to the ſolemn Period, when their working Time ſhall be over, & all preſent Diſtinctions laid aſide, when Christ ſhall have put down all Rule, and deliver'd up the Kingdom to the Father. Agreeably the Sacred Writings frequently inculcate a Truth, which all Nature loudly ſpeaks, viz. the Mortality of Man. The frequent Inſtances of Mortality before our Eyes, and the conſtant Decays of our own mortal Frame, give us frequent Praemonitions, of our approaching Diſſolution. But as though theſe were little Things, the ſacred Scriptures tell us, over & over again, that we muſt die yea, that 'tis appointed for all men once to die; not only men of low Degree, Men of little Note, or Influence, in the World; but even great Men & Princes. For he ſeeth that wiſe Men die, likewiſe the Fool & brutiſh Perſon periſh. Pſal. 49. 10. And leſt a high Character, a ſwelling Title, or the Diſtinction which Providence makes among Men in the World, ſhould make ſuch men forget the Importance of their Buſineſs, and forget themſelves; there are many faithful Leſſons recorded in Scripture, to keep alive in their Minds, a ſenſe that they are mortal, and accountable, and of the Obligations thence ariſing, to act in ſome good Proportion to their Character, and Truſt; particularly that cloſing ſtroak in the Character of ſo many of the Kings, & Princes, and Worthies of Iſrael, which are recorded in the old Teſtament, even that finiſhing ſtroak in their Characters; and he died. And among all the Inſtances of this Kind, perhaps not one that ſpeaks with greater Emphaſis, than that which we are now to Conſider,

And Moſes, the Servant of the Lord died there in the Land of Moab. In ſpeaking to theſe Words I purpoſe, I. To conſider Moſes as the Servant of the Lord. II. To conſider him as the dying Man and in both to give ſome Epitome, of the civil Ruler. That we may proceed, III. To conſider thoſe Things which the foregoing Heads will naturally ſuggeſt to us, agreeable to the Occaſions of the Day.

I. To conſider Moſes as the Servant of the Lord. Moſes the Man rais'd up for mighty Deeds, like Him whom he was the moſt eminent Type of; was born in very bad Times, when inhuman Cruelty prevail'd to that Degree, that his Life was ſought for. But that God who had noble Service for him to do in the World, remarkably interpos'd by his Providence, & preſerv'd his Life, and ſo provided for his Education, that he ſhould be well fitted for the public Part, which he was to act in the World. And immediately upon the dawning of the Day of Iſrael's Deliverance, God himſelf called him to Action. Moſes had by this Time baniſh'd himſelf from Pharaoh's Court, and diſown'd his adoptive Sonſhip to Pharaoh's Daughter, and was become Son in Law to the Prieſt of Midian, by taking his Daughter to Wife; by which means he becomes the Keeper of Jethro's, his Fathers Flock.

And whil'ſt Moſes was leading his Flock to the backſide of the Deſart, he came to Mount Horeb, the Mountain of God, where the Angel of the Lord, or rather the Lord Himſelf appear'd to him in a Flame of Fire, and commun'd with him, firſt reminding him of the affliction of his People Iſrael; and then expreſſing his Deſign of delivering them from their Egyptian Thraldom: And Commiſſions Moſes to go upon the public, and important Buſineſs, and gives him ſuch Credentials, that whoſoever diſputed his Commiſſion might eaſily be put to Silence. And ſince in the Hiſtory of Moſes he generally appears acting ſome public Part, ſo whilſt I am conſidering of him, as the Servant of the Lord, I ſhall principally confine myſelf to the public Parts of his Service, wherein he render'd himſelf illuſtrious among his Kindred, and approv'd himſelf eminently the Servant of the Lord. But even among theſe I muſt confine myſelf to the following particulars.

(1) His leading forth the Armies of Iſrael. (2) His giving Laws to the People. (3) His taking Care that the Laws were well executed. (4) His Friendſhip to Aaron, and his Support of public Worſhip.

(1) I ſhall conſider Moſes approving himſelf the Servant of the Lord, in leading forth the Host of Iſrael. God might without improving Moſes have led forth the Armies of Iſrael, which in a way of Eminence were the Hoſt of the Lord. Indeed their Deliverance out of Egypt was ſo much the Lord's immediate Work, that He is ſaid to have brought them out of Egypt, with an high Hand, and an outſtretched Arm, and with great Terribleneſs, and with Signs, and with Wonders. Deut. 26. 8. But He might, without uſing his Servant Moſes, thoroughly have ſubdued that haughty Monarch, Pharaoh King of Egypt. He might eaſily have broken his hard Heart, or Rais'd ſo much Compaſſion in it, as to have eas'd the galling Yoke, and releas'd Iſrael from his Bondage. He might by his immediate Agency, or under the Conduct of Angels, have led his Choſen ſafe through the Deep, and through the Deſert. And even when their March was interrupted by Nations mightier than themſelves, he might by the Breath of his Noſtrils have devour'd them immediately, or marſhal'd his Stars to have fought from Heaven in their Courſes againſt them, & ſo have left Moſes in the mean Time, in his former Obſcurity to have fed his Fathers Flock. But GOD makes uſe of Men, for the Accompliſhment of his Deſigns among Men. And as Moſes was the Servant of the 〈◊〉 ſo this was one Way, in which he was to ſerve Him. Iſrael muſt be led by the Hand of Moſes. Accordingly Moſes by divine Command, and with a high Commiſſion from the King of Heaven; goes to Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and with an intrepid Courage, ſupported by the Authority of his King; not only expoſes himſelf to the Rage of Pharaoh, who ſought his Life; but demands, & reſolutely perſiſts in his Demands, that Iſrael ſhould be releas'd. Moſes do's not threaten him that he would raiſe an Army, and force a Paſſage for Iſrael; but he urges the Honour, and Authority of his King, and gives Pharaoh to underſtand, that it was at his Peril to refuſe. And ſuch were the ſpeaking awful Arguments which he uſed, as pretty thoroughly convinc'd Pharaoh, that it was in vain for him to meaſure Arms with the Almighty. So the Lord led them forth by the right Hand of Moſes, with his glorious Arm, dividing the Water before them; to make himſelf an everlaſting Name. Iſaiah 63, 12.

And truly the Lord of Hoſts was a great King, and his Name was dreadful among the Heathen. It is mention'd as an Inſtance of Roman Greatneſs, while Rome was in the very Zenith of her Glory, That ſhe ſaved Egypt when under her Protection, and cauſed Antiochus who with a vaſt Army had laid Siege to Egypt to diſband, only at the bidding of two or three Senators, who had no other Armour or Retinue, than a Staff, and a waiting Man. Tis a memorable Inſtance of the Power, and Greatneſs of the Roman common Wealth. But what is this compar'd with the Power of the Lord of Hoſts, and what was this Terrour compar'd with that which Seis'd the Egyptian King; when he whoſe Excellency is over Iſrael, & whoſe Strength is in the Clouds, dealt with him, by the Hand only of his Servants Moſes, and Aaron. Never was a proud hardned Man more Mortify'd: for after ſeveral fruitleſs Shifts, he releaſed near two Millions; not meerly of his Subjects, but even of his Vaſſals, and all at the inſtance and bidding of Moſes, and Aaron only, who Demanded in the Name of their God and King. The Lord made to himſelf an everlaſting Name, by the marvellous Things he did in the Land of Egypt, in the Field of Zoan—When he brought up Iſrael out of the Sea, with the Shepherd of his Flock. Moſes was the Shepherd, the Leader of his Flock, the Captain of his Hoſt. He had the Hoſt of Iſrael at his Command: but was himſelf the Servant of the Lord in commanding of them. He was the leader of Iſrael, but was led himſelf by Iſrael's God. He kept ſcrupulouſly cl ſe to the Inſtructions, which he daily received from Heaven. And tho' he led Iſrael ſeveral times to Battle, yet he led them no where, except where the Cloud which was a Symbol of the divine Preſence led him. He had in Battle the Aſſurance of the Divine Preſence, and with it, the Aſſurance of Succeſs. Thus faith the Lord to his Servant Moſes, with reſpect to Og the King of Baſhan, who went out with all his People againſt Iſrael, to the Battle at Edrei. Fear him not, for I have deliver'd him into thy Hand, and all his People, and this Land, &c. Numb. 21, 34. Moſes the Servant of the Lord ſerv'd him faithfully, in leading forth his Armies, both from Egypt, and through the Wilderneſs: ſometimes as the Miniſter of God's Vengeance; but oftner as a nurſing Father, and good Captain, leading and feeding Iſrael. So that there was never a man whom Iſrael had more Reaſon to love; or their Enemies more Reaſon to fear.

(2) Moſes approv'd himſelf the Servant of the Lord by giving Law to Iſrael. The Jewiſh Polity, Civil as well as Eccleſiaſtical, was purely Theocratical. God was King in Jeſhurun, & gave Law to Iſrael. So that Moſes was no other way a Lawgiver, than only a Promulger of the Law. He did not make the Law, but declar'd what was Law; and in this Character he ſerv'd God eminently. God might in this Caſe, as well as in the foregoing, have made uſe of the Miniſtry of Angels, or have ſpoken immediately from the Excellent Glory, with an audible voice to the People; but the People were afraid of ſeeing or hearing immediately from God, leſt the Glory of his Viſion, or the Terrour of his Voice, ſhould be too mighty for them. Hence ſaid they unto Moſes, ſpeak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not God ſpeak with us, leſt we die. Exod. 20, 19. But this Service God reſerv'd for Moſes to do. And accordingly deſcends himſelf upon the Top of Sinai, & call'd for Moſes to appear in the Place of Thunder, even upon the Top of the ſmoaking Mountain, to receive the Law at his Mouth. There he gave him that excellent Compendium of Morality, contain'd in the Decalogue, or a Summary of the moral Duties, which men owe to their Maker, and to one another; caſt into ten diſtinct Precepts. God at ſundry Times ſpake to his Servant Moſes, & by him gave Laws, which were beſt adapted to the Circumſtances of the People. Some of them merely of a ritual temporay Nature, which if we ben't able to ſee the immediate Reaſon of, yet may reſt ſatisfied, & content in this, that they were ſuch as he, who knew infinitely well their Circumſtances, the Temper of their Minds, their Luſts, their proneneſs to Idolatry, and their need of a conſtant heavy Yoke; in his Wiſdom ſaw meet to enjoin upon them. Some of them were merely typical, referring to the Coming, and Kingdom of the Meſſiah; which of Courſe were to ceaſe, when the great Antitype Appear'd: theſe like the Twilight of the Morning, were done away by the opening of the perfect Day. Others of them again, were laſting in their Nature, and of perpetual Obligation; ſuch were the Laws refering to commutative Juſtice, and ſuch were many of the Laws referring to capital Crimes. Many of theſe have been tranſcrib'd into, and now adorn the Engliſh Laws, and won't ceaſe to be excellent, and uſeful in their Nature ſo long as Time laſts. Theſe were the Laws, which Moſes the Servant of the Lord received from God himſelf, and publiſh'd to Iſrael: and which he adapted, and made in a ſenſe his own Laws. And in ſo doing he did eminent Service, for his King. For in ſuch a world as this we live in, where Pride and Paſſion, Corruption, and Luſt, have univerſally diffuſed themſelves among Mankind, there would be no tolerable Living, unleſs Men were laid under the direction & reſtraint of Law. And that Legiſlator, that enacts or (being made) adapts, good, wiſe, and wholeſome Laws; contributes in a good Proportion to the Health, & Proſperity of the Commonwealth, and deſerves well of it. This did Moſes: he ſerv'd his Generation faithfully this Way according to the Will of God. By this Service to his Generation, he ſerv'd his Maker, who is abundantly honour'd and pleas'd with a good moral Government of the World. None of the Princes of Iſrael, ever diſtinguiſh'd themſelves like Moſes in giving Laws to the People.—Tho' he was the Servant of the Lord, he was a dignify'd one; he was admitted to ſpeak Face to Face, with his Maker, to receive the Law from his Mouth, and he deliver'd it, with ſome Beams of divine Glory on his Countenance. And truly, there aroſe not a Prophet ſince in Iſrael like unto Moſes, whom the Lord knew Face to Face, Deut. 34. 10.

(3) Moſes approv'd himſelf eminently the Servant of the Lord, by taking Care that the Laws were well executed. Laws however good in themſelves, can do no Good, without a ſtrict Obſervance of them, and the Execution of condign Puniſhment upon the Breakers of them. Moſes ſenſible of this, diſcover'd a tender Regard for the Law, and a ſuitable Concern for the due Execution of it. Indeed ſuch was the Burthen of public Buſineſs, lying upon this great Man, that he was not able to give his Attendance in executive Courts, except it was in ſome high, & important Caſes. But he was nevertheleſs concern'd that Juſtice ſhould be done, and the Honour of the Law maintain'd. Agreeably we find this noble Law-giver and Judge, upon the Reviſal of his Law declaring to Iſrael, in a general Aſſembly of their Tribes, as in Deut. 1. 13, & on, Take ye wiſe Men, and underſtanding, & known among your Tribes, and I will make them Rulers over you.—So I took the Chief of your Tribes, Wiſe Men and known, and made them Heads over you, Captains over Thouſands,—and Officers among your Tribes. And I charg'd your Judges at that Time, ſaying, hear the Cauſe between your Brethren, and judge righteouſly between every Man and his Brother and the Stranger that is with him. Ye ſhall not reſpect Perſons in Judgment, but you ſhall hear the ſmall as well as the great: you ſhall not be afraid of th Face of Man; for the Judgment is God's; and the Cauſe that is too hard for you bring it unto me, and I will hear it. And this he afterwards enforces upon them, by one of the nobleſt Arguments, drawn from the higheſt Topick. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, mighty and terrible, which regardeth not Perſons, nor taketh a Reward. He doth execute the Judgment of the Fatherleſs, and Widow, and loveth the Stranger. Here's a Conduct, and here are Counſels and Commands, worthy of an inſpired Lawgiver and Judge: how equal, how diſintereſted; how free from party Spirit, and ſervile Compliance, and how every Way becoming God's Deputy, and Viceroy here on Earth.

(4) Moſes approv'd himſelf the Servant of the Lord by his Friendſhip to Aaron, and his Support of the Worſhip of God Every faithful Servant loves his Maſter, and his Maſter's Friends, and ſeeks his Maſter's Honour. Every ſincere Servant of the Lord, is the Friend of God, of all good Men, & eſpecially a Friend to the Worſhip of God. This was Moſes: he was the Friend of God, and of Conſequence a Friend to good Men, and very eſpecially to Aaron, who ſtood not meerly in the Relation of a Child to God, but in the Relation of a Prieſt of the moſt High, and was to tranſact between God, and the People, in Things of the moſt ſolemn Nature, and of infinite Importance. Moſes ſenſible how much the good of Iſrael, their ſpiritual, and everlaſting good depended upon Aaron's Influence, endeavour'd in all proper Ways to aſſiſt, & ſtrengthen him. Senſible alſo how much the Increaſe of Vertue & Piety would contribute to the Eaſe of Government, and the Health, and Peace of the Community; he walk'd Hand in Hand with Aaron, indulg'd the greateſt Intimacy, and gave him peculiar Marks of his Friendſhip & Love. Yea, God himſelf taught Moſes thus to do, by putting peculiar Marks of Honour & Reſpect upon Aaron; not as a Man, or as a good Man, but as one who ſuſtain'd a high Office, as one from whom, God expected much Serv •• e, and as one who needed a good Degree of Influence, in order to maintain the Honour of his Lord, ſupport his ſacerdotal Character, and be extenſively Uſeful to Iſrael. He admitted him to frequent Intercourſes with Heaven, and often ſent him with Moſes, to do the Meſſages of the Lord to Iſrael. Hence we find upon Record, ſo many good Laws & Counſels, introduced with thoſe Words, And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes and Aaron, ſaying. Yea, the holy anointing Oil, wherewith Moſes was commanded to anoint Aaron and his Sons, & conſecrate them, that they might miniſter unto the Lord in the Prieſts Office, was emblematical of Love, and Friendſhip, the grand Cement, & Band of Unity; and Foundation of laſting Peace, & Felicity to a Commonwealth, Pſal 133. 1, 2. Behold how good, and how pleaſant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity. It is like the precious Ointment upon the Head, that ran down upon the Beard, even Aaron's Beard, that went down to the ſkirts of his Garment. Moſes conducts towards him, as one ſenſible of the honourable Notices, which God had taken of him, as one ſenſible of the vaſt Importance of the Buſineſs aſſign'd him, of the Good he would hopefully do by his Miniſtry, and of his Need of his Brother's Help. And verily if Aaron was to Moſes inſtead of a Mouth, Moſes was to him inſtead of God. And as Moſes was a Friend to Aaron, ſo was he to Aaron's Work, even the Buſineſs of the Prieſthood, which was aſſign'd him. He was Zealous for the Worſhip of his God, and manifeſted it by the Laws which he publiſh'd in the Name of the Lord, and by the Puniſhments he inflicted upon thoſe that profan'd God's Worſhip and Ordinances, and by the ample Support, he made for thoſe that attended upon the Altar. Thus he declares in the Name of the Lord. Levit. 19 30. Ye ſhall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary. And when one was found breaking the Sabbath, Moſes by Divine Command, orders him to be ſtoned to Death. And as to the Support of thoſe that attended at God's Altar, his Books are full of it, and very large Proviſion is made for it. Indeed Moſes acted in all theſe Things, by immediate Divine Command; theſe Laws, and Appointments, iſſued from the Throne of Heaven. But Moſes ſhews that his Heart was in them, & that they were as truly his Laws, as thô they had been the Reſult of his own cool judicious Reaſoning & Reflection, and eſtabliſh'd upon his own wiſeſt Obſervation, and Experience. He gave fully into them, and adapted them, as the Rule of his Government, and adher'd to them with an invariable Conſtancy. As to the minute Circumſtances of the Life of this great Ruler, the Hiſtory is almoſt ſilent. Thô the ſacred Pages, ſong after has Deceaſe, ſpeak of him with Epithets of Honour; ſuch as the Man of God, a powerful Interceſſor with God, and an intimate Acquaintance with Heaven. But if we take a Review of him, only from his five Books, we may read in him the accompliſh'd General, facing Danger with an intrepid Courage, meeting Hardſhips with an unſhaken Firmneſs & Conſtancy, ſubmitting to Diſappointments, and bearing up under heavy Burthens, with Evenneſs, and Meekneſs of Temper, and leading Iſrael with Skilfulneſs of Hand. We may read in him the divine Lawgiver, & the diſintereſted Judge; a hearty Friend to the eſtabliſh'd Worſhip of God, a nurſing Father to the Church, and an Encouragement, & Support to a faithful Miniſtry. As theſe are things which meet in a great Ruler, ſo in theſe ſeveral Capacities of Life, Moſes conducted with that Integrity & Uprightneſs, as to ſhew himſelf heartily attach'd, to his God, and to his People; and that his Mind was very much attemper'd to the Divine Mind. And in the whole he has left an Example, very well worthy the Imitation of all thoſe, who act in the ſame public Capacities that he did.

But as Moſes was the Servant of the Lord, and a very obedient one too, thrô the Courſe of his Life, ſo he was obedient even in Death. For according to the Word of the Lord; or at God's bidding, he went up from the Plains of Moab, unto Mount Nebo, and died there in the Land of Moab.—And is he dead? Yea, verily Moſes the Servant of the Lord died there, in the Land of Moab.

This brings me

II. To conſider Moſes as the dying Man. We have conſider'd him hitherto as the Hero of his Age, the Leader of the Hebrew Bands, the Scourge, and Terrour of their Enemies, the Friend of GOD, and a powerful Interceſſor with Heaven. But the Scene now ſhifts, the Curtains draw, Gloomineſs, and the Shadow of Death cover him. One would as ſoon have pitch'd upon Moſes as any Man, to have outbrav'd the Jaws of Death, and gone triumphing Body & Soul up to Heaven. But he drags the Load of Fleſh no higher, than to the Top of Nebo, where his Soul drops its Burthen, and wings her Way to the upper Regions. If Piety, and the Love of GOD, could have exempted him from Death, if true Fortitude, & Greatneſs could have driven back the King of Terrours, if the greateſt Uſefulneſs to his People, join'd with their Prayers, and Tears, could have repriev'd him from the Grave, he had not died. But, like the meaneſt of Men, he muſt pay this laſt Debt to Nature, & return Duſt to Duſt. Death, commiſſion'd Death cuts off the ſpirit of Princes, and is terrible to the Kings of the Earth. The Angel of Death it ſeems had no Reſpect to Perſons. There were thouſands in Iſrael, that could have been better ſpar'd than Moſes: Thouſands whoſe Death would not have made ſuch a Breach, as the Death of this one Man; at a Time when they were juſt about to paſs thrô Jordan, and encounter many powerful Nations. At this Juncture eſpecially, they needed the Aſſiſtance of this aged experienc'd, and brave General, and the Influence of his Name: They wanted his prudent Counſel, and his Prayers. But he muſt encounter his laſt Enemy, and there could be no Diſcharge in that War: Iſrael muſt fight their own Enemies, and leave their Leader, and their Prince, to be vanquiſh'd by his, without being able to reſcue or aſſiſt him. Moſes ſprung from the ſame common Stock with the reſt of Mankind, and muſt ſhare the common Fate with them. Providence indeed had notably diſtinguiſh'd him from his Brethren, but his Nature was but human, and the Seeds of Mortality lurk'd within it, beneath the pompous Appearance of Honour, and Majeſty, unſubdu'd Power, and Victory. Moſes like other Men was but Duſt in his Original, and muſt return to it by Putrefaction. As there was a Time for him to be born, ſo he muſt find Time to die; yea, thô he was a God he muſt die like a Man, and fall like one of the Princes: Thò he was a God, i. e. bore ſome Reſemblance of Him, in Honour, Power, Influence, &c. yet he was not like GOD Immortal; but like other Men a dying Creature: Thô at the age of one hundred and twenty his Eye was not dim, nor his natural Force abated, yet he had the Principles of Mortality within him, and, like other Men, was liable to Wearineſs, Pain, & Diſeaſe, thoſe Harbingers of Death, and, like other Men, at laſt gave up the Ghoſt. Moſes, and the Patriarchs liv'd to a greater Age than is common now: But Death reign'd from Adam to Moſes incluſively, as effectually as it does now: The Robe of Royalty, the Coat of Mail, could no more then than now, ſcrene the Prince from the King of Terrors, nor guard againſt his deadly Shafts; no, the Prince chang'd theſe for a funeral Habit, and the Diſhonours of the Grave: But if his Greatneſs could not diſtinguiſh him from other Men in his laſt Moments, his Goodneſs could: For when he had ſome Praemonitions given him, of his approaching Diſſolution, he is undaunted, and ſhews no Concern for himſelf, but is very ſolicitous for Iſrael, and pleads immediately with God for a Succeſſor in the Government, to be ſet over them: Numb. 27 12, & on. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, get thee up into this Mount Abarim, and ſee the Land which I have given unto the Children of Iſrael, and when thou haſt ſeen it, thou alſo ſhalt be gathered unto thy People, as Aaron thy Brother was gathered.—And Moſes ſpake unto the Lord, ſaying, Let the Lord, the God of the Spirits of all Fleſh, ſet a Man over the Congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, &c. As he had been illuſtrious thro' a troubleſome fatiguing, but very uſeful Life; ſo he appear'd as a dying Man nobly great, and good. The certain Proſpect of a ſpeedy Departure, could not divide Iſrael from his Heart, nor abate his affectionate paternal Care, and Concern for them. He could not be willing to leave Iſrael, at that critical Juncture, 'till he had obtain'd of GOD, a Ruler for Iſrael, one who ſhould have Part of Moſes's Honour put upon him, and to whom the Children of Iſrael ſhould be obedient. This obtain'd, the dying Prophet ſings the Majeſty of GOD, in that rapturous Song, recorded in Deut. 33d. The Lord came from Sinai, and roſe up from Seir unto them; he ſhin'd forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thouſands of Saints: from his right Hand went a fiery Law, &c. He alſo ſings the Bleſſings of the twelve Tribes and the Excellency of Iſrael; then climbs up the Mount to the Top of Piſgah, and dies there. Ceaſe ye then from Man whoſe Breath is in his Noſtrils!—

I Paſs to the third thing propos'd.

III. To conſider thoſe Things which the foregoing Heads naturally ſuggeſt to us, agreeable to the Occaſions of the Day.

Here then,

1. It becomes the civil Ruler, the good Magiſtrate, to whom is committed the Government of the Commonwealth, to protect it againſt their Enemies. Ever ſince Mankind have apoſtatiz'd from GOD, and corrupted their Way upon Earth this Earth which would otherwiſe have been, the Habitation of Righteouſneſs, and ſo the dwelling Place of Peace, has been ſo fill'd with Broils & Diſcord, with Faction, and War, and Blood; as to render it not unlike a Den of Dragons. In this corrupt State of Things, althô Mankind have been favour'd with ſuch natural Notices of Truth, & Juſtice, and Equity, as to be able to diſcern between Right, and Wrong. And the ſeveral Diviſions of Mankind, into diſtinct Kingdoms, & Commonwealths, have for themſelves enacted Laws, for the ſettling, and ſecuring Property, and maintaining their natural Rights: Yet theſe have been too weak, to prevent civil Diſcord, in the ſame Community, and much too weak, to prevent different Kingdoms from unjuſt Invaſions of one anothers Properties, & Rights. And when either of theſe happens, either civil Diſcord in the ſame Community, or an Invaſion from a forein Power; it highly becomes the Magiſtrate, I mean thoſe that are at the Head of Government, vigorouſly to exert themſelves, for the Suppreſſion of one, and the Repulſion of the other. Their Lives, their Liberties, their Properties, their Families, their Country demands it of them, that they appear, when Neceſſity calls for it; either Perſonally, or by brave, and well choſen Generals, in the high Places of the Field, to ſubdue the Rebel, and drive back the invading Foe. Yea, the Caſe may be ſuch, as to make it their Duty to carry War, into neighbouring Kingdoms, for the Defence of their Countries Property, & Right: As where Neighbouring Kingdoms, or States commit Robbery, and incroach upon them, and refuſe Recompence. Such inteſtine mutunous Jars, ſuch Invaſions, & Incroachments, threaten the very Being of the Government where they are, and unleſs prevented, muſt Iſſue in the Diſſolution of it. The Being of the Commonwealth requires; that ſuch Power be lodg'd in the Civil Magiſtrates Hand, and the well-being of it requires, that on ſuch ſpecial Occaſions this Power be exerciſed. It behoves thoſe then who ſet at Helm, to face the Danger, and call forth thoſe, that are at their Command, to make a Stand againſt it, and ſave their Country.

And in doing this, they fulfil one good Part of their Character, even that of Shields of the Earth: Which is a Title given to Rulers by the Royal Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 47. 9. The Princes of the People are gathered together, even the People of the God of Abraham; for the Shields of the Earth belong unto God.—The Shield was a Piece of Armour, formerly uſed for a Defence in Battle, and as here uſed, 'tis a happy Figure repreſenting the Protection, Defence, and Safeguard, which good Rulers are to their Land, againſt the Power, & Craft of their Enemies. When civil Diſcord, and Rebellion, broke out in Iſrael, in the Inſtance of Korah, & his Company, Moſes immediately interpoſes for the Subduing of it.

And ſo when his People were call'd to encounter mighty Nations, he very readily fac'd the Danger, & eminently fulfil'd the Character, of the Shield of Iſrael: ſo did the other good Rulers of Iſrael that ſucceeded him. What an Ornament, and Glory, as well as Safeguard to a Land, is the good Ruler, who in the midſt of thoſe Storms, foreign and domeſtick which beat upon a State, ſtands like a Rock in the Sea, it breaks the Waves, but remains firm and unſhaken itſelf.

But alas the want of ſuch Shields! After the Death of Moſes, and Joſhua, when there was no King in Iſrael, and every man did what was right in his own Eyes, tho' it was wrong in the Eyes of every Body elſe: Behold what Confuſion! Civil War preſently aroſe between the Tribes, and more than twenty thouſand of them fell in one Day. And this, or ſomething like this, is too eaſily and too often the Caſe when a Community have not men at Helm, that have both Skill, and Ability, to check ſuch Diſcord at the firſt Beginning of it.

2. It becomes the civil Ruler to make, or adapt good Laws, & ſee them well executed. In a ſtate of Innocence and Perfection, where Light and Love direct the Way, and govern every Action; there would doubtleſs be no need of any other Laws, than thoſe which are eternal, & neceſſary in their own Nature, which are written upon the Mind of every intelligent Creature, in Characters ſo deep, as never to be effac'd. But in a ſtate of Things like this, in a world where every Thing is out of Order, & nothing more ſo, than the minds of men, eſpecially their wills & affections, the leading Faculties of the Soul there is the utmoſt need of good Laws guarded by well choſen Sanctions. The Safety, Peace, & Proſperity of thoſe Nations, that have been under the happy Direction, and Reſtraint of ſuch Laws, ſpeaks this Truth aloud; but the Rapine, Wars, & Blood, of ſome barbarous, Ignorant, and lawleſs Nations, ſpeak it louder. The highland Clans, and the Crooms of Guinea, are ſad Inſtances of this. The latter eſpecially proves that the want of good Laws well executed or in other words, the want of a well concerted Government, makes one of the richeſt Parts of the Globe, a Field of Robbery & Blood; where, neither Property, Liberty, nor Life, is in any tolerable Meaſure ſecure. But civil Rulers, which are Miniſters of GOD, for good to the People, are to attend upon this very Thing, among others, and take Care that they have a good Syſtem of Laws, grounded upon the Fitneſs of Things, the everlaſting Rules of Truth and Juſtice; and well adapted to the Circumſtances, and State of their People. Upon this depends the very Foundations of all civil Government, and of all mutual Society among men; for by them the Magiſtrate is directed how to govern, & the People how far to obey; the Magiſtrate by them is ſetled in the Poſſeſſion of his Authority over the People, and the People too by them are ſecured from the arbitrary Power, and unreaſonable Demands of the Magiſtrate, as well as from the Fraud, Violence, & Oppreſſion of each other. Potters's Antiquity, Vol. 1. P. 130. And hence 'tis doubtleſs the Duty of the Magiſtrate to conſult the Laws of Nature, and of Nations, to ſtudy Men, & Things, & get well acquainted with the Genius, and Intereſt of that People, to whom they are to give Law. The Divine Law will furniſh the Magiſtrate with a good Model, and the general Direction of Scripture will abundantly help him, in drawing the Plan for a noble Body of Laws. But as the State of the Jews differ'd from that of every other Nation, ſo their Laws taken collectively won't ſuit the Conſtitution of any Nation under Heaven. And indeed ſuch are the different Circumſtances, and Conſtitutions of different Kingdoms, and Governments, that no one Body of Laws would ſuit any two diſtinct Governments. And yet perhaps there is no enlightned well inform'd common wealth, but what has ſome Laws peculiar to it ſelf, that might well be adapted by another Government. 'Tis therefore doubtleſs a Duty, which the civil Magiſtrate owes to his People, to look over the Archives of the beſt model'd, & moſt flouriſhing Kingdoms. And having collected a good Body of Laws, it remains a Duty for the Magiſtrate to ſee that they are well executed. It will be to very little Purpoſe to have good Laws, without a good Execution of them. Thoſe that need Laws moſt, will be leaſt influenc'd by them, if there is nothing more in them than the Reaſon of Things, and the Magiſtrates word. The Law is made for the lawleſs and diſobedient; but 'tis the Sanction, or Penalty of the Law, rather than the Fitneſs, and Reaſon of it, that reſtrains, and governs them. Hence it becomes the chief Rulers of the Common wealth, to take ſpecial Care, that the executive Courts are provided with men of ſtrict Juſtice, good Improvement, and Penetration. The civil Government of Athens was juſtly eſteem'd one of the beſt in the World. Among Heathen Governments there was none in the Age, wherein Athens flouriſh'd, that could claim Preeſidence, if Equality with it. And never did their Glory riſe higher than under the adminiſtration of Solon, that great, and wiſe Lawgiver, and two or three more, who after ſome Interruption in the Government, ſucceeded him, reſtor'd his Laws, and improv'd upon them. But Solon was as careful to have his Laws well executed, as he was to give good Laws, and endeavour'd that his People ſhould be govern'd by them after his Death at leaſt an hundred Years; and bound every one of the Senate by a ſolemn Oath, and the Forfeiture of a Golden Statue, as big as himſelf, not to Violate one Statute.

There can certainly be no Safety in a Community where there are not both good Laws, and a faithful Execution of them. Nor without theſe can the civil Magiſtrate by any means fulfil the Character of a faithful Servant of the Lord, or Father of his Country.—Indeed while he acts the Part of a true Patriot, in calculating, and executing Laws for the Suppreſſion of Vice, and the Promotion of his Country; 'tis next to certain, that Men of perverſe Minds, that hate to be reclaim'd, Men of party Spirits that are ever impatient under Checks, and Men govern'd merely by ſiniſter Views, whoſe private Intereſt is the Rule, and Meaſure of their whole Lives, 'tis almoſt certain that Men of this Stamp will make a Noiſe, and eſpecially if they be any Thing numerous (as is too often the Caſe) they will endeavour to raiſe a Storm in the Community.

But the good Ruler regardleſs of this, like the good Pilot, will keep a ſteady Courſe thrô the Storm, with a ſteady Pace bearing down upon Injuſtice, and Vice, and eſpecially upon the popular Evil that threatens the Government. And if thrô the Weakneſs of honeſt Men, or the Wickedneſs of others, he falls from his Seat in the Defence of his Country; he falls a noble Sacrifice, 'tis a Death worth dying, a Death more honourable than a Life preſerv'd by a ſervile Temper, and mean Compliance.

3. It becomes the civil Magiſtrate to be a nurſing Father to the Church, an Encourager, and Support of the public Worſhip.—The Church of GOD is his choice Treaſure; GOD has ſpoken the kindeſt, tendereſt, and moſt glorious Things of Zion; of any Place upon Earth. Pſal. 132. 14 This is my Reſt, ſays He, for ever, here will I dwell, for I have deſired it. And the Lord loves the Gates of Zion, more than all the Dwellings of Jacob. Pſal. 87. 2. And the Church of CHRIST in Goſpel Time is no leſs the Care, and Treaſure of Heaven, than it was in its Judaiſm, and Minority.

The Prophet Iſaiah, who propheſied ſo much of Goſpel Times, that he is by ſome call'd the evangelical Prophet, points very particularly to the Church of Chriſt in the latter Day, even in its Goſpel State, when the Lord ſhould lift up his Hand to the Gentiles, and call them into Church State; he propheſies of it, and ſays, Kings ſhall be thy nurſing Fathers, and their Queens thy nurſing Mothers, Iſai. 49. 23. in very ſtrong Terms, importing the Care, and Kindneſs which the civil Magiſtrate ſhould hew to the Church of God. Indeed the civil, and eccleſiaſtical Polity are diſtinct, but they are co-aſſiſtent to each other: thô the Nexcis between them is not abſolutely neceſſary to their Being, yet it is to their well-being; for they have a mutual Dependence upon each Other. 'Thô a civil Community may flouriſh, has flouriſh'd even in a heatheniſh Land where God had no Church, or peculiar People, yet I may venture to ſay, a civil Community never flouriſh'd without ſupporting, and being ſupported, by thoſe two great Ornaments of a Church, viz. Learning, and Moral Vertue in ſome of the cardinal Branches of it at leaſt. The Church of God alſo has flouriſh'd in her Turn, not only without, but even in Oppoſition to the civil Magiſtrate. The Church of Chriſt in the early Ages of it, flouriſh'd intire upon her own Baſis; And made wonderful Progreſs againſt all Oppoſition from the Bigotry of the Vulgar, the Power of the Great, and the Wiſdom of Philoſophy.

But this was at a Time when the civil Magiſtrate was Heathen, and when the Jewiſh Oeconomy, and Church State were to be ſet aſide, and diſſolv'd; and a new, and diſtinct Oeconomy and Diſpenſation to take Place in the World. A Change this, ſo great, and ſo over-bearing, to Jewiſh-Bigotry, and Gentile Idolatry, that nothing leſs than Miracles could prove ſuch Change to be the Will of God. And doubtleſs the rapid Progreſs of the Goſpel, and it's ſurprizing Spread, when Earth, & Hell were combin'd for its Suppreſſion, was deſign'd as a miraculous Proof, that Judaiſm was now ended, and Chriſtanity to take the Place of it. And this being the Deſign of its great Author, no Wonder it flouriſh'd in Defiance of all the Powers that were ingag'd againſt it. 'Tis perhaps from this that ſome very weak People ſeem to think that the Goſpel would flouriſh moſt, when it was moſt oppos'd, and accordingly have invited Perſecution, and had rather break over the Rules of Decency, & Chriſtianity than not be oppoſed. But notwithſtanding Chriſtianity has flouriſh'd without the Aſſiſtance of the civil Power, and even in oppoſition to it, whilſt the Magiſtrate was Heathen, and Chriſtianity needed Miracles for its Support, and Proof; can we thence conclude, that Chriſtianity would be likely to flouriſh more eminently in Oppoſition to the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, in a Country where it is generally profeſs'd; or that the Magiſtrates Countenance, Example, and Influence, would not ſerve the Cauſe of Chriſtianity. Certainly we are to admit no ſuch Thing.

That God that hath inſtituted the Chriſtian Religion, hath alſo appointed civil Government: So that 'tis to make the Inſtitutions of Heaven claſh with one another, to ſuppoſe that the Chriſtian Religion would flouriſh moſt, when the civil Magiſtrate moſt oppos'd it. In a common ſtate of Things, where Chriſtianity generally obtains, and the Proofs of it's Divinity are admitted; the foregoing Suppoſition carries in it nothing leſs abſurd, than this, viz that the Appointments of Heaven are ſo jarring & inconſiſtent, that the Being and Life of one depends upon the Deſtruction of another. And althô (as before obſerv'd) in an extraordinary ſtate of Things, the Church of Chriſt has flouriſh'd in Oppoſition to the civil Magiſtrate Yet at other Times under Perſecution has been cover'd with Aſhes, has mourn'd, & fled into the Wilderneſs, & ſeem'd as tho' ſhe wound be intirely extinct.

Tis evident that Moſes and Aaron thought they never walk'd ſtronger than when they walk'd Hand in Hand, and that the civil and religious Intereſts of the People, on one Hand, and civil and religious Diſcord on the other, would riſe & fall together. Hence they endeavour'd not to oppoſe, but to Strengthen each other; Aaron for a Mouth to Moſes & Moſes inſtead of GOD, i. e. for a Head & Ruler unto Aaron. Undoubtedly the civil Magiſtrate may like a nurſing Father, protect, encourage, and ſtrengthen the Church of God, and the Worſhip of God; by Influence, by a good Example, and even by well concerted Laws reſpecting the Temporalities of the Church. And this Way he is to approve himſelf the Friend of GOD, a nurſing Father to the Church, and an Encourager of Divine Worſhip. In Things of a temporal civil Nature, the civil Magiſtrate has undoubted Right to interpoſe his Authority for the Church: but not to exerciſe Dominion over the Conſciences of Men, by impoſing Articles of Faith, and enforcing Subſcriptions with Penalties; for though the Purſe is Caeſars, the Conſcience is God's: And Authority of this Kind exercis'd by Men, is a bold Uſurpation of CHRIST's Kingly Government; and thô it might be moderate, and modeſt at firſt, it would probably enough end, in all the Fooleries, and Butcheries of Rome, and Spain.

Such Authority may make Fools, it may make Knaves, but it will never make Chriſtians.

Indeed the Plea of Conſcience I am ſensible is a Subterfuge, where ſometimes honeſt weak Men, and oftner wicked deſigning ones take Sanctuary to defend themſelves from Law & Juſtice, and to do infinite Miſchief in the World: But 'tis Conſcience, & not mere Pretenſions to it, that is ſo ſacred & inviolable.

But whilſt the civil Magiſtrate leaves this to a higher Tribunal; there are many things tending to the Health, Peace, and flouriſhing ſtate of Zion which God requires, and his Church expects from the Magiſtrate, viz. that he appears bold and very Couragious for the Suppreſſion of Vice of every Denomination, and the Encouragement of Vertue. Agreeably St. Paul in his Deſcription of the civil Ruler ſays, Rulers are not a Terrour to good Works, but to the evil. Rom. 13. 3. Yea God and his People expect of civil Magiſtrates that they contribute their Aſſiſtance to the ſupport and well being of the Church, by the encouragement of Learning, ſupporting Schools the leſs with the greater, but eſpecially the Schools of the Prophets, & endowing them with thoſe Privileges which are very needful to form men for Temple Service, that Zion may have of her Sons for Prophets, and of her young men for Nazarites. Amos 2. 11.

Moreover the civil Magiſtrate fulfilling the Character of a nurſing Father to the Church, is to add to theſe, the Force, and Influence of his own Example, going before the People in the Paths of Vertue, and Shining in all the Graces of the Chriſtian Life.

And indeed theſe are things neceſſary to the well-being of the Government. Without Vice ſuppreſt, Vertue encouraged, and Learning promoted, a civil Government can't ſubſiſt long, the Foundations will ſap, and the whole Frame of Government muſt fall.

4. It becomes civil Rulers to remember, that they are Servants of the Lord; but Servants dignify'd above the reſt of their fellow-Servants. Moſes that Divine Man, althô he was the Head of Iſrael, their Ruler and their Judge; yet was himſelf rul'd of GOD, and was but his Servant. Indeed all are but Servants unto GOD; he makes even his Angels miniſtring Spirits: and from the Seraph down to the loweſt Inſect 'tis true of all, that they are Servants unto him.

The civil Magiſtrate is ſo. Thô they may be high honour'd, and rever'd as God's, yet they are Servants of the Lord, and as dependent upon their Maker and Maſter, as the moſt abject Slave.

Thô they may have thouſands at their Command and ſay unto one go, and he goes, and to another come and he comes, yet they are themſelves Servants of the Lord, & muſt come & go at his bidding, they muſt ſerve the Lord, with Fear, & be intirely ſubmiſſive to his Will. Thô they may have the Power of Life and Death, ſo that whom they will they kill, and whom they will they ſave alive, yet after all they are but Servants unto God, and there's not a Soul of them that can ranſom his own Life from the Grave.

As this is the caſe with civil Magiſtrates even the moſt independant of them; ſo it becomes them to remember it, & improve it as an Argument to Fidelity; for 'tis required of Stewards, of Servants, that they be faithful. They have a high Truſt repoſed in them, and many Talents committed to them, to occupy in their Maſters Abſence; their Work is great, their Privileges great, and their Reward, if faithful will alſo be great when their LORD ſhall return having received a Kingdom.—Be wiſe now therefore, O ye Kings: be inſtructed ye Judges of the Earth. Serve the Lord with Fear, & rejoice with Trembling. Kiſs the Son, leſt he be angry, and ye periſh from the way. Pſal. 2. 10, 11, 12.

But whilſt the civil Magiſtrate remembers that he is a Servant, he muſt conſider of what Claſs he is, that he is dignify'd above the reſt of his Fellow-Servants, he muſt ſteadily bear it in mind, leſt he ſhould act beneath his Character, and forfeit the Honour which his Maſter has put upon him.

Thô Mankind are all of one Blood, yet all don't ſtand upon a level; there are Superiors and Inferiors, as well as Equals among them. Civil Rulers are of the higheſt Order amongſt Men; they are cloathed with the Robes of royalty and majeſty, and in their Office bear ſome reſemblance of the great Governour of the World; like him they are to conſult the good of Men, like him to protect their People from Injuries, to puniſh Vice and reward Vertue, and ſhed their Kindly influence upon Mankind. The Lord Almighty has given them the Title of Gods, has put on them ſome of his Honour, and made them ſhine with ſome faint Beams of his Glory, giving us in them a ſmall Specimen of his Greatneſs, Authority and diſtributive Juſtice. A powerful Argument muſt this be with the good Ruler to act up to the dignity of his Office, and never to ſully thoſe divine Features which he bears: This ſhould be a powerful inducement to him, to reſemble Him, whoſe Title and Honour he ſuſtains, to be univerſally benevolent to mankind, and benificent to thoſe with whom he is concern'd, to guard their Privileges, vindicate their Rights, diſtribute Juſtice with an equal Hand, ſhew Mercy to all Men, and thus keep up the honourable Diſtinction which God has put upon him in the World.

The Conſideration that we are Men and reaſonable Creatures, and capable of an honourable and happy Alliance with the upper World, might well keep Men from Symbolizing with the Beaſt from groveling in the Duſt, & mixing with Senſuality & Luſt. Eſpecially then the Conſideration of a ſtate of Eminence, and Superiority in Life, ought powerfully to guard the Magiſtrate againſt whatſoever is low and mean, ſervile and ſenſual, againſt whatſoever miſbecomes a Man, that is the off-ſpring of GOD.—The Remembrance, and Conſideration of a ſtate of Dignity, and Eminence in the World, may, and it ought to ſerve theſe noble Purpoſes. But 'tis ſadly otherwiſe, when Men take Occaſion from their advanc'd Station, to nurſe falſe Conceptions of themſelves, to feed their Vanity, and think themſelves more than mortal Gods; when they grow giddy, and look down from their Elevation with Contempt upon the reſt of Mankind, as Creatures made only for their Service, and to bear Burthens. This Temper generally iſſues in a Neglect of public Intereſt, in Oppreſſion, and Tyranny. But there is enough in the Conſtitution of Mankind to qualify in the good Ruler His exalted, dignify'd State, enough in it, thoroughly weigh'd, to allay in the haughty Ruler, the Teemor which puffs him up. For,

5. Civil Rulers are dying Men. Moſes thô a dignify'd Servant of the Lord dyed, and ſo muſt civil Rulers of every Order: Thoſe that are ſupream as well as thoſe that are in ſubordinate Places of Power, and Truſt muſt bow down to the King of Terrours; for Gods muſt die. The Lord accepteth not the Perſon of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor, for they are all the Work of his Hands, in a Moment ſhall they die. Job 34. 18.

The lofty Pine as well as the lowly Shrub muſt bow its Head. Purple and Ermine give way to the Shroud: for Death ſteps upon the Thrones, without an Impeachment for Treaſon too, and removes the Crown from the Princes Head, ſtrips him of his royal Attire, and covers him with Dirt. The wiſe contemplative Ruler believes it, and acts under the Influence of ſuch Belief, and prays with the royal Prophet, Lord make me to know mine End and the meaſure of my Days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am. Pſal. 39. 4. But the Man fluſh't with Honour, and grown giddy with Height, eaſily flatters himſelf that he is more than a Mortal Creature, and becomes vain in his Imagination: but the Lord poureth Contempt upon ſuch Princes, and weakens the ſtrength of the Mighty, Job 12. 21. That terrible Meſſage to Tyras is applicable to ſuch, contain'd in the XXVIII Chapter of Ezekiel, Becauſe thy Heart is lifted up, and thou haſt ſaid, I am a God, I ſet in the Seat of God,—Yet thou art a Man, and not GOD, though thou ſet thine Heart as the Heart of GOD,—therefore thus faith the LORD,—I will bring Strangers upon thee,—and they ſhall bring thee down to the Pit.

The Propet Iſaiah alſo, bears a faithful Meſſage to the ſcornful Ruler in XXVIIIth Chapter of his Prophecy. Ye ſcornful Men that Rule this People; becauſe ye have ſaid, we have made a Covenant with Death, &c.—Thus faith the LORD,Your Covenant with Death ſhall be diſannulled,When the Overflowing Scourge ſhall paſs through, then ye ſhall be trodden down by it. The haughtieſt ſcornfuleſt Monarch, can't make ſuch a League with Death, but that He who holds the Keys of Death can diſannul it: for he can't meaſure Arms with the immortal JEHOVAH, who ſetteth upon the Circle of the Earth,and bringeth the Princes of the Earth to nothing, and maketh the Judges of the Earth as Vanity, Iſa. 40. 22, 23.

True Greatneſs, and Dignity can't ſave from Death, much leſs can any Thing that is imaginary. Death 'tho' a conquer'd Enemy; will nevertheleſs conquer all the Living: for 'tis appointed for all Men once to Die, Heb. 9. 27. It leads Princes in Fetters to it's wide Dominions, and binds them in Iron Sleep. The civil Ruler may appear to Day in all the Grandeur of an earthly God, with a ſplendid Retinue, a bright Train of Attendants: But, ah awful Death! which ſports it's ſelf with Crowns, and tramples Kingdoms under Foot: The earthly God tomorrow proves the dying Man. He quits the Chair, flings off his Robes, forſakes the Living, changes his Retinue for the ſilent Train of Mourners, retires behind the Scene, and goes to his long Home. None of his Glory deſcends after him, he mixes with the Congregation of the Dead, and his Body crumbles into Duſt: All Diſtinctions are laid aſide, the Bubble burſts, and his honourable Titles vaniſh to Air.

Where are the wiſe the great and honourable that are gone before? Where are our Anceſtors, the Train of Godly Rulers, who like Moſes led this little Iſrael thro' the Wilderneſs?JONATHAN LAW Eſq; And where? alas! where is he? who of late was the Head and Ornament of this Aſſembly, the Friend of GOD, and of his Country, whoſe Name is ſtill dear, and whoſe Memory claims the annual Tribute of our Tears. Our Fathers too where are they, and the Prophets, do they live forever? Where are all thoſe that are gone before? They live ſome of them in Hiſtory, ſome of them in our Memory: but the Seats they once fill'd tell us they are Dead, and the Places which once knew them, will know them no more. Death great Proprietor of all! 'tis thine To tread out Empire, & to quench the Stars. Night Thoughts. There is enough in the Thought, that the Ruler is the dying Man to prevent falſe Greatneſs, and allay the Pride of Granduer & high Title, and this is the wiſe Improvement, which the Ruler ſhould make of the Admonitions given by the Death of others, and the Contemplation upon his own Mortality, even this to abate high Thoughts of himſelf: not to keep him from acting in his proper Sphere of Elevation, but to keep him from over acting of it. For as on the one Hand, he is the dignify'd Servant of the Lord, and therefore is not to Settle into low Life, but to keep up the Diſtinction which Providence has made between him and other Men, and to act with a Greatneſs becoming his Character. So on the other Hand, he is the dying Man, and therefore in the great Buſineſs of Life, he is to look upon himſelf like other Men, Mortal and Accountable: and that the Diſtinction which Providence has put upon him in the World, is but a paſſing ſhort liv'd Thing, not given him to make him abſolute, but to improve for the Honour of his Maſter, & the good of his Fellow-Servants. The good Ruler implies the Man & the Chriſtian, and ſince, like them, he is to die; ſo he ſhould always act with a proper Reference to Death and the following State, remembring that he carries about with him continually the Seeds of Mortality, and that his Life, like the Honour of it, is even a Vapour, which appeareth for a little Time and then vaniſheth away. James 4 14. He ſhould bear in mind, that thô he Tranſacts for God with Men; yet he is to Tranſact for himſelf with God, that he is a Probationer for Eternity, & acting a Part upon which his everlaſting State depends, that Death will ſhut up the ſcene, and finiſh the Tryal.

As the Authority and Influence of the Magiſtrate will give him no Diſcharge, in his Struggle with his laſt Enemy; ſo neither will it avail him any Thing, to have been a Lawgiver and a Judge, when Chriſt ſhall come with ten thouſands of his Saints to Judgment. The Inquiry wo'nt then be, who has worn a ſwelling Title, and a royal Robe; but who has the new Name, and who is cloathed in white Raiment, for 'tis only he whoſe Name will be confeſs'd before the Father and before his Angels. Rev. 3. 5.

'Tis Time that I paſs to a more particular Application of the foregoing Diſcourſe; and I ſhall do it,

I In an humble Addreſs to the Honourable the GOVERNOUR, the DEPUTY-GOVERNOUR, and ASSISTANTS of this Colony, with the REPRE ENTATIVES of the Freemen of it, here preſent.

Since his Honour's Command is all that can excuſe my appearing in this Deſk to Day; let it alſo apologize for a plain Addreſs.

Renown'd Fathers.

I have attempted, tho' I am ſenſible with a great deal of Imperfection, to give ſome Scetch of the good Ruler, and the dying Man; by ſome Touches upon ſeveral Things in the public Parts of Moſes's Conduct, wherein he approv'd himſelf eminently the Servant of GOD, and a dignify'd one too, and wherein he appear'd after all but a mortal Man.

Had the Character been drawn to the Life it would have been a perfect Mirrour of good Government. In it we ſhould have ſeen, the able General, the wiſe Lawgiver, the accompliſh'd Judge, the Friend of GOD, and after all, Greatneſs, and Goodneſs ſubmitting to the irreſiſtable Power of Death. But changing the Things that are to be chang'd there is nothing in the Character of this great Man thus conſider'd, but what ſpeaks ſomething Uſeful to You; my renown'd Fathers.

Was Moſes Protector, and Guardian to Iſrael againſt their Enemies, ſo ſhould you be to Us Civil, and Military Power, are naturally join'd together ſo far, that military Power muſt neceſſarily reſt in the civil Magiſtrate. Our Eyes therefore are unto You as our Shields under GOD, to defend us againſt all forein Invaſions, by keeping up a Number of well diſciplin'd Troops, & ſending of them forth as Occaſion calls, and thoroughly guarding our Frontiers. And ſince we are cover'd from a perfidious blood-thirſty Enemy upon the North, by a neighbouring Province, which in Time of War is at an immenſe Expence, to guard their Frontier, which indeed is ours alſo permit me to aſk, whether the Principles of Self-preſervation thoroughly purſued, whether common Equity, or at moſt, whether that excellent Rule in Chriſtianity, of doing unto others, as we would they ſhould do unto us, don't demand larger Supplies in Times of War, than ever this Colony has afforded them? I know 'tis natural for them to complain 'tis equally natural for us to treat that affair with too much Parſimony. At preſent we enjoy Peace; bleſſed be GOD for it: long may it laſt; may a good Agreement, and Friendſhip among the Nations cement, and flouriſh whilſt the Scars endure. But if GOD in righteous Judgment ſhould ſuffer War to ariſe, between us, and the Northern Tribes; what but the Lives, & Fortunes of a great many in that Province, could ſave us from their unhappy Lot? Moſt certainly the Safety we enjoy thro' their Danger, and Diſtreſs, demands our generous Succours, and bids our Shields, be Shields to them.

YOU, our venerable Rulers, are under GOD the Guardians of our Lives, and of what ever elſe is dear to us in the World. We look to You, (not expecting the civil Ruler Personally to appear in the Field, if ever a forein Enemy ſhould again assault us, but) that by well con •••• d Meaſures, a wiſe choice of Officers, a good Levy of Troops in a Word, that by a wiſe Superintendency, You ſecure, and defend us againſt them.—

Since my Subject leads me to it, it is not too late here: no, it can never be too late for an Engliſhman to commemorate with Gratitude, the Inſtance whereinROGER WOLCOTT, Eſq; his Honour, who was then ſecond, but now firſt in the Adminiſtration here once diſtinguiſh'd himſelf in his Love, & Zeal for his Country. When in the laſt War, he left his Family, his Friends, and Country behind, where he had liv'd in Honour, and enjoy'd plentiful eaſie Circumſtances, to try the Dangers of the Sea, and undergo the Hardſhips of a Siege, in a cold Country, and an inclement Air: and all to curb the Pride, of an encroaching dangerous Enemy, and ſave his Country from the Calamities wherewith 'twas threatned. Such Inſtances of Patriotiſm, deſerve the Laurels of a Country, and their Thanks. We thank your Honour, with the other worthy Gentlemen that led forth our Troops: we thank our Countrymen all, who Engag'd in the Noble Enterprize; but above all, we thank the LORD of Hoſts, who fought the Battle for us, and gave us the Victory.

May you our honour'd Rulers, approve yourſelves the Shields of the Earth, the Defence of your People; that under your wiſe Adminiſtration, the People may lead quiet, and peaceable Lives, and every Man may ſet under his Vine, and under his Figtree; and have none to make him afraid.

Was Moſes alſo under GOD a wiſe Lawgiver, and a Judge to Iſrael ſo ſhould you be to us. You can never deſerve the Character which ſo well belong'd to Moſes, that of a dignify'd Servant of the LORD, without providing good Laws, and a good Execution of them. Theſe are ſuch Foundations, that if they are deſtroy'd, or wanting, the Community unſupported, muſt ſink into one common Ruine. We look to You, as our Helpers under GOD, to make, and adapt Laws to our Circumſtances, to defend us in our natural and juſt Rights, againſt every injurious and unrighteous Claim, to encourage the moſt profitable Manufacture, give ſpring to the beſt Branches of Trade, and ſuppreſs thoſe that are injurious to the Commonwealth, to promote good Huſbandry, and Frugality, and diſcountenance Idleneſs, to provide a juſt Weight, and Balance, and to 〈◊〉 if poſſible 〈◊〉 the paſſing Medium is kept invariable; for if this vary, diſtributive Juſtice and right, can hardly be kept from varying with it; and eſpecially to curb the Growth of Vice of every Denomination, and bear down hard upon it, as that which is the Bane of Society, and which, if unſubdu'd, will prove fatal to it.

But ſo different are the private Intereſt of Men, ſo various and headſtrong their Paſſions and Luſts, that good Laws and a ſtrict Execution of them, will probably bring upon you the Odium of many. But remember Sirs! that ye are the Servants of GOD, and not of Sin, that ye are to pleaſe GOD by obeying his Will in conſulting your Country's Good, and not to pleaſe unreaſonable Men by obeying their Humours. 'Tis the Evidence of a Mind truly great, and a neceſſary Ingredient in the Character of a wiſe Ruler, to be able to diſcern at a Diſtance his Country's Intereſt and Safety, and beholding it, to follow his own Light, with a ſteady Pace, thro' all the Conſequences which it points out to him, amidſt undeſerv'd Reproaches, and hard Treatment. Remember Sirs, the vaſt Difference between the good Ruler and the bad one. One is as the Light of the Morning, when the Sun riſeth, even a Morning without Clouds,2 Sam, 23. 4. a Comfort and a Bleſſing to the People. But the other is as a roaring Lion & arranging Bear, Prov. 28. 15. a common Enemy and Plague to Mankind. In the remembrance of theſe Things, may you ever approve yourſelves, wiſe Lawgivers and equal Judges.—

Moreover, Was Moſes the Friend of Aaron, and a ſupport to public Worſhip: ſo ſhould you our honour'd Rulers, be nurſing Fathers to the Church of God. The Subject I have been upon, would ſuffer me without Digreſſion to beſpeak your ſpecial Favour, to the Goſpel Miniſtry, but I wave it; and in Behalf of my Fathers, and Brethren as well as for my ſelf, return you our hearty Thanks, for the many Favours confer'd upon us, & the ſeveral Exemptions indulg'd us, by the legiſlative Body of this People. We aſk but the Continuance of your Favours, and in common with other Men, your Benevolence, and Protection, and reſt aſſur'd we have it.

But for Zions ſake I will not hold my Peace. Such is the Tie between the civil & religious Intereſt of a People, that 'tis ſcarcely to be expected that they will flouriſh ſeparately. So that were it only upon political Views, you muſt be greatly wanting to the People under your Government, if you ſhould not to the utmoſt, endeavour the Promotion of real Religion.

Whoever reads, & believes the indefinite Promiſes of God to his Covenant People, & his more expreſs Promiſes to the Godly, touching temporal good Things, ſuch as Wealth and Peace, can never doubt the Truth of this. Yea whoever conſiders well the natural Connection, which there is between the ſeveral Branches of moral Vertue, ſuch as Temperance, Chaſtity, Moderation, Meekneſs, &c. upon one Hand; and Health, Peace, Frugality & good Behaviour, upon the other; or in a Word, whoever conſiders the natural Connection which there is between Holineſs and temporal Felicity, muſt allow that the civil Ruler is ſtrictly bound to encourage and promote true Religion, as be conſults the good of the Body politick. But this is not all, 'tis but the leaſt Part, our all is embark'd, not only the comfort of this tranſitory World, but our everlaſting well-being depends upon inward Holineſs, the Religion of our Minds, which can never flouriſh without a good moral Behaviour; and the externals of Chriſtianity. Here then with that deference due to my honour'd Fathers, and Superiours, but with an earneſtneſs becoming the importance of the Subject, I aſk your Influence and Aſſiſtance, to encourage Religion, ſupport the Goſpel, and maintain Peace, Purity, and good Order in the Church. Zion always had her Enemies, the Children of Edom were not the firſt, nor the laſt that ſaid, raſe it, raſe it to the Foundation. Indeed the Attacks that are made upon the Church, are generally made under the ſpecious: pretence of Conſcience. Conſcience is a ſacred Thing, and to be treated with the utmoſt Tenderneſs, but the Pretenſions to it, are often made uſe or to cover the baſeſt Deſigns.

If under ſuch Pretenſions any Number of People ſhould apply to this Venerable Aſſembly, to have all Laws repeal'd, that refer to eccleſiaſtical, and religious Affairs, or only to have thoſe repeal'd, which refer to the Temporalities of the Church,—ſuch as reſpect the ſupporting it's Officers, and the building, and repairing a Houſe for GOD, if any ſuch Requeſt ſhould be prefer'd, I humble aſk of the Honourable Aſſembly, in favour to the Government as a civil Community, to reject it with that Abhorrence which it deſerves.

Our pious Anceſtors, who made Proviſion by Law, for the Support of a Religion, and Worſhip, according to their own Conſciences, in Hope of tranſmitting the ame uncorrupt to Poſterity, earned their Privileges too dear, to be given up at the requeſt of deſigning Men.

Among a great many others, it is poſſible there may be ſome few honeſt, undiſcerning, and undeſigning Men, that may deſire ſuch a Thing, who would be ſhock'd if they ſee the natural Tendency, and probable Iſſue of it. In pity to them, in favour to their dear Off-ſpring, with ours, in favour to the civil & religious Intereſt of this People; for your Country's ſake, and for God's ſake let them be deny'd; as the Abettors of a Scheme very inimical to Church and State, and which, if God in righteous Judgment ſhould ſuffer to take Place, would probably in a courſe of Years iſſue, in leſs than the appearance of Chriſtianity. And if for your pious Attachment to the civil or religious Immunity's of this People, you ſhould ever be traduc'd, and malign'd by any under your Government: If the ill Treatment only affects you Perſonally; He who came down from Heaven, the Governour and Judge of the World, has left you a bleſſed Rule illuſtrated by his own Example, of forgiving the Injury. Father forgive them, was his dying Prayer for the wretched Rabble, that Mock'd him, that Spit upon him, and Crucify'd him; when, if he had Pleas'd, he might have Call'd his Father's Legions to have reveng'd the Injury. But if ſuch ill Treatment ſhould more than affect your Perſons, and thro' you ſhould ſtrike at Government, and threaten the public Safety and Peace, may that Wiſdom which is from above, point out the Methods of Redreſs.

For Zions ſake, let me alſo aſk of you, my renowned Fathers, your kind Influence to encourage Schools of Learning, eſpecially the College within the Colony, that it may be endow'd with the beſt Advantages, to form Men to Vertue, and Holineſs, furniſh them with the moſt Uſeful Learning, and fit them for the Service of the Temple, and the Service of their Country.

And thus fulfilling the Character of dignify'd Servants of the Lord, may your Days be filled with Honour, and Uſefulneſs, and Peace, until GOD ſhall call you off from Service.

For verily, Sirs, ye are Mortal and muſt Die. 'Tis a memorable Inſtance of Wiſdom in a Macedonian Prince, that he ordered theſe Words to be pronounc'd in his hearing every Day, "Remember Sir, that you are a Man." Tho' we reverence, and honour you as our Fathers and Rulers, and call you Gods, yet you are to remember that you are haſt'ning over into the World of Spirits, where all preſent Diſtinction will be loſt. The Habit of your Minds, but not the Honour of your Names will go with you. Preſent Grandure and Title, wont be the Meaſure of your future Glory. Remember that but few Days divide you from the eternal World. It certainly becomes you, my honoured Fathers, that are in the higheſt ſtate of Elevation, to look down into the dark Valley, and conſider, that you, with other Men, are ſhortly to take a lodging with the Worms.

May you firſt like Moſes aſcend to the Top of Piſgah, and take a view of the promis'd Reſt, and then at GOD's bidding, drop your Clay, and aſcend to Moſes, and to Moſes's GOD, and reign with Chriſt forever and ever.

II. I ſhall briefly Addreſs my ſelf to my Fathers, and Brethren in the MINISTRY.

As the good Ruler is the Friend of GOD and the Friend of his Country, a Friend of Aaron and a Support of the public Worſhip; ſo it behoves us eſpecially, to wiſh them well, to Pray for them continually, to contribute to the utmoſt of our Power towards ſtrengthning their Hands, and increaſing their Influence. Aaron was a Mouth to Moſes, ſo ſhould we in ſome ſenſe be to the civil Magiſtrate: in ſpeaking to God for them, in ſpreading their Caſe before his Throne, in pleading with him that all needed Light and Support, may be afforded them, and that they may be both faithful and ſucceſsful in their high Truſt. We are alſo to be their Mouth as well as the Mouth of GOD to the People, in warning the People of our reſpective Charges, againſt thoſe Vices which threaten a State; as well as their own Souls, warning them againſt Sedition, Rebellion, a mobbiſh Spirit, and all groundleſs Murmurs; teaching every Soul to be ſubject to the higher Powers, and that ſo is the Will of GOD, that they ſubmit themſelves to every Ordinance of Man for the LORD's ſake, whether it be to the King as ſupream, or unto Governours, &c. 1. Pet. 2. 13, 14.

We have Duties to diſcharge both towards Rulers and Ruled, for both are mortal and accountable, both have Souls to ſave or looſe. And as our own Comfort and our Crown, depends upon our Faithfulneſs to the Souls of Men; ſo we had need be Prayerful, & Studious, to get a good Underſtanding of the Will of Chriſt, that we may know the Inſtructions that we are to give, and be able to deal out a Portion to every one in due Seaſon: Yea, and that we may be able to confront all Hereſies that ſpring up in the Church of GOD, and put to Silence Gainſayers. The Difficulty's, my Fathers and Brethren, with a faithful Diſcharge of our Truſt, in the diſpenſing the Goſpel, and the Seals of it, and which eſpecially private faithful Reproof, and the public adminiſtration of Diſcipline, will bring upon us, will call for all our Fortitude, and Strength. We need the conſtant Supplies of divine Grace; we ſhall need the Exerciſe of continual Faith in the Promiſes of GOD, and verily we may find abundant Support, from the Encouragements and Promiſes of the Goſpel, peculiar to a faithful Miniſtry.

May we go forth in the Strength of CHRIST, and be faithful in all his Houſe.

Let us remember, that as our Work is great, ſo our Time is ſhort. We have but our Day, and with many of us it is a Day far ſpent; the Evening is approaching: Our Fellow-labourers, very many of them, within a ſhort Time, have quitted their Labour, and are called Home. The Shadows of the Evening grow long, and we muſt haſten, my Fathers, out of the Vineyard; we muſt haſten Home; neither our Office, nor Uſefulneſs, nor the Prayers of our People, can exempt us from the common Fate. Princes, and Prieſts, and People, lie undiſtinguiſh'd beneath the Clods, as Moſes went to Mount Nebo, ſo Aaron went to Mount Hor, and died there. Let us live well that we may die well; 'tis dying well, that perfects the Man's Character; let us ſo live, that we may look, and long for the bleſſed Hope, and glorious Appearing, of the great GOD, and our SAVIOUR.

III. One word to the ASSEMBLY, and I have done.

Are our Rulers dignify'd Servants, and dying Men? You are to honour, and ſubmit to them, but not adore them. Our Rulers are under GOD our Guardians, they have a high Truſt repos'd in them, a heavy Work lying upon them. Contribute your Proportion, to leſſen the Weight, and make Government eaſie, by being yourſelves obedient, to every ſalutary righteous Ordinance of theirs, by ſetting a good Example, and uſing all your Influence to promote Peace, and Truth. Look upon them as Men ſet over us by the wiſe Governour of the World, and yet that we are all alike, and equal in this one Thing, viz. this, that we are mortal, and accountable. And accordingly be this your great Concern, to make ready for Death. See to it in Time that the Sting of it is taken out, and that you are intereſted in Him, who is the Reſurrection, and the Life, who holds the Keys of Death, and Hell in his Hand, and who alone can save your Souls from Deſtruction. Make ready for the great Day of Deciſion, for the general Aſſemblage of all Nations, and Kindreds of the Earth. And may we all once more have a happy Meeting at the Reſurrection of the Just, and having the Harps of God, may we join the happy Conſort, and ſing the Song of Moſes, the Servant of GOD, and the Song of the LAMB, ſaying, Great, and marvellous are thy Works, LORD, GOD Almighty, juſt, and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints, who ſhall not fear thee, O LORD, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art Holy: for all Nations ſhall come, and worſhip before thee; for thy Judgments are made manifest. Rev. 15. 3, 4.

FINIS.