A sermon delivered before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 13th, 1762. By Joseph Bellamy, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Bethlem. ; [Three lines of Scripture text]

A sermon delivered before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 13th, 1762. By Joseph Bellamy, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Bethlem. ; [Three lines of Scripture text]

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Title page

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An ELECTION SERMON.

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An ELECTION SERMON.

PROVERBS XIV.34.‘RIGHTEOUSNESS exalteth a Nation: but Sin is a reproach to any People.’

SOON after Solomon came to the Throne of Israel, the Lord appeared unto him, and said, "Ask what I shall give thee?" Solomon, desirous above all earthly Things to be qualified for his high Station, requests neither Riches, nor Honour, nor length of Days, nor the Life of his Enemies, but rather prays for "an understanding Heart" And this Prayer "pleased the Lord." God loves to see Rulers more concerned about their Duty than about their private Interest. A benevolent, generous frame of Heart prompting them to do all the Good, in their places, that they can, is pleasing to the Lord. Wherefore God heard his prayer, and gave him a wise and understanding heart, as he desired; and long life, riches and honor besides. ‘God gave Solomon wisdom, [Page] and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the Sand that is on the Sea-Shore: and Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the Children of the east Country, and all the wisdom of Egypt; for he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the Sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all Nations round about. And there came of all People to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all Kings of the Earth which had heard of his wisdom: and he spake three thousand Proverbs.’ — one of which was this, Righteousness exalteth a Nation: but Sin is a reproach to any People.—These words then come recommended to our most serious Consideration, as containing one of the wise Maxims of the wisest of men, a chief political principle of the greatest Politician; and they furnish us with a Subject proper for this Occasion. — Here then, Let us Enquire

I. WHAT is meant by Righteousness.

II. HOW Righteousness exalteth a Nation.

III. HOW Sin is a Reproach to any People,

And then,

IV. I will endeavour to shew that the only way for us in this Colony to be a happy Community is to be a righteous People.

I. IN the first Place, we are to Enquire, what is meant by Righteouness. And there [Page] is no doubt the word is designed to comprise all moral Vertue in general; as it was only in this large and comprehensive Sense of the word that National Prosperity and Happiness were promised to Righteousness under the Jewish dispensation.— But then still it may be enquired, what is the Sum of moral Vertue? and how does Righteousness naturally comprise the whole?

TO view Beings and Things as they are, and to be affected and act accordingly is the Sum of moral Vertue. All moral Vertue is frequently, in the sacred writings summed up in one thing, under one comprehensive Name. For, as every moral Vertue grows up from one Root, and is therefore radically but one thing; so with the greatest propriety all may be called by one Name. Thus LOVE, in fact, is the whole of moral Vertue. And thus LOVE is the Name given to the whole, in that brief Summary of the divine Law given by our blessed Saviour. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart:" and "thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy Self." Love is radically the whole of that Duty which God requires of man. "For on these two Commands hang all the Law and the Prophets," Yea, Love is the Sum of all God's moral Perfections. And of all holiness in all holy Beings in the Universe. For the moral Law is the transcript of God's moral Perfections. The divine Nature is the original, the divine Law is an exact transcript, and in a perfect conformity [Page] to this Law consists the perfect holiness of Angels and Saints in heaven, and in an imperfect conformity to it consists the imperfect holiness of Saints on Earth, and the perfect mediatorial Righteousness of Jesus Christ is but a perfect conformity to the same Rule thro' a course of the severelt Trials. For the holiness of God and Christ, of Angels and Saints in heaven, and of Saints on Earth, is of the same Nature, how different soever in Degree and in Circumstances. For there is but one kind of true holiness in the Universe: and all consists in Love God is Love, and Love is the Sum of all that Duty which God requires of Man. — "Thou shall Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy Self." — But

LOVE to God and to our Neighbour supposes that we view them as they are, and it consists in our being affected accordingly, and this affection naturally excites to an answerable Conduct. — And

TO love God with all our hearts is only to give him his due: for he deserves it at our hands. And to love our Neighbour as our selves, is only to feel them as we would have them feel to us; that is, to do as we would be done by. And therefore to love God with all our hearts, and our Neighbour as our selves is in its own Nature right.—He then who is thus affected toward God and his Neighbour is, in Scripture, [Page] called, a righteous Man. He is rightly affected. He feels as he ought to do. His heart is right. And so he is called a righteous Man. And therefore Righteousness is another Name used in Scripture as comprehending the sum of all Vertue, even as the word Sin is used to comprehend all Vice. Thus in our text, Righteousness exalteth a Nation: but Sin is a reproach to any People.

II. RIGHTEOUSNESS exalteth a Nation — as it is in itself an honourable thing — as it has a natural tendency to make a Nation prosperous and happy — and as it will be attended with the special Smiles of him, who loves Righteousness and hates Iniquity, and sitting at the head of the universe, can build up or pull down Nations at his Pleasure.

RIGHTEOUSNESS is in its own Nature an honourable Thing. Yea, among all the variety of Excellencies in the universe, there is none of equal Dignity with this. It renders God glorious, Angels lovely, and heaven a place of consummate Bliss. Infinite knowlege, almighty Power, and universal Dominion render the Deity great; but it is Righteousness, or the moral rectitude of his Nature, that renders him Glorious. Could we conceive an almighty Being at the head of the universe, able with the utmost ease, to accomplish all his purposes, but entirely devoid of moral Rectitude, whatever reason there might be to fear and tremble before him, there would be no ground for any one [Page] in the intellectual system to esteem, love, and honour him. Perfect moral Rectitude is the highest Glory of the divine Nature it self. Yea, it is radically the sum total of all that Beauty there is in the Deity. It is this, that renders every other attribute of God Amiable, and causes the divine Being to appear Glorious in the Eyes of Angels, in whatever point of light they view him.

Is he Almighty, so that none can resist him? is he All-knowing, so that none can circumvent him? is he Supreme, so that none can call him to an account? and is he an absolute Sovereign, so as to be entirely at liberty to conduct according to the Council of his own Will? and does his Providence extend to all things in the universe? and is this a settled Maxim with him, My Council shall stand, and I will do all my Pleasure? Yet, as he is a Being of perfect moral Rectitude, he is not the less, but rather infinitely the more Glorious, in the Eyes of the Angelic world. They rejoice in his Almightiness and infinite Wisdom, they exult in his Supremacy and absolute Sovereignty, and are favished in a view of his universal Government, because it is absolutely perfect They cry one to another, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his Glory.

IT is not with the great Monarch of the universe, as it is many times with earthly Princes. They often abuse their Power, and their [Page] Supremacy to mischievous Purposes. The thought, that there is none above them to call them to an Account, emboldens them to cruel and barbarous Deeds. And this, amidst all their external Granduer and Glory, sinks their Character and renders them odious and contemptable. All their royal Dignity looses its Lusture, while they are without that moral Rectitude, which exalts the great Monarch of the Universe above all blessing and praise.— For, concerning God, it may be said, that great as his Power is, he never used it to oppress the meanest subject in his Dominions: and absolute as his Sovereignty is, he never made one unwise decree. His Law is holy, just and good, like its Author; perfect in Beauty, without a Blemish; sweeter than honey, yea, than the honey comb: and all his Conduct towards his Creatures is so exactly right, and good and wise, that it is absolutely above emendation. In all instances he knows what is best to Decree, and what is best to Command, and what is best to do; and in all instances he Decrees, he Commands and he Conducts as well as he knows how. An absolutely perfect, an infinitely glorious and amiable Being! — It is true, he is accountable to none; and it is equally true, there is no need of it: for he is absolutely perfect.— It is true, "he worketh all things according to the Council of his own Will;" and it is equally true, that the Council of his own Will is absolutely [Page] perfect.— "He doth according to his Pleasure in the armies of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the Earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what dost thou?" But then, "He is the Rock, his work is Perfect, for all his ways are Judgment: a God of Truth and without Iniquity, just and right is he."—It is true, "He is the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth Eternity, whose Name is holy, and who dwelleth in that high and holy Place," infinitely exalted above the noblest of his Creatures; yet at the same time, "he dwells with the humble and contrite, to revive the spirit of the humble, and the spirit of the contrite ones."—It is true, He has the care of Kingdoms and Countries, Armies and Fleets; yea, all the grand Affairs of the universe lie upon his Hands; for "his Kingdom ruleth over all:" however, he is as mindful of the Widow and the fatherless Children, who trust in him, and takes as good Care of all their Concerns, as tho' he had nothing else to do; for "the very hairs of their head are all numbered." — But if we begin to speak in his Praise, we know not where to stop; for there is no end to the Excellencies of his Character. — And, 'tis Righteousness, it is the perfect moral rectitude of his Nature, that thus exalts him, and renders him worthy of so much honour and praise.

AND it is this, which renders the Angels, the inhabitants of Heaven such glorious Beings. [Page] They are like their sovereign King; holy, as he is holy. Their hearts are right, they feel as they ought to feel. They view all Beings and Things, so far as their finite Capacities will admit, as they are, and are affected and act accordingly. They view the Deity as the sum of Being, of perfection, and of all Good; as their Creator, and rightful Lord and Sovereign; and consider one another as fellow-creatures and fellow-subjects: and they feel and act accordingly. And to Rejoice in God's' exaltation to exult in his absolute supremacy and universal Dominion, to be charmed with the beauties of his Character and the perfection of his Conduct, to be entirely dependent on him and absolutely devoted to him, perfectly united together in Sentiments and in the most cordial Love, render them glorious Angels and happy Associates. Righteousness, or moral Rectitude is their Beauty and Glory, and what renders them such a noble and blessed Community, under the Government of him, who is absolutely perfect in the highest possible Degree.

AND THIS IS HEAVEN.—And thus Righteousness exalts that holy Community above.— God possesses the Throne, not merely as being Creator and Lord of all things, but on the foot of proper Merit and Worthiness. He is worthy on account of his superior Character: he is infinitely worthy on account of his infinitely superior Character to take the Throne, and reign [Page] over all for ever and ever: "for his Name alone is excellent, and his Glory is exalted above the heavens." And the Angelic Hosts, while they stand before him, full humility and reverence, of love to him, of harmony among themselves, all ready to do his will, are worthy to be approved, and loved, and honoured by their glorious Sovereign.

FROM Heaven, the world of Righteousness, look down to Hell, the world of Sin and Wickedness, of discord and confusion, of pride, malice, envy, and all the furious Passions, and view them in contrast; and well consider their different States, — and behold — thus, Righteousness exalteth the one, — and thus sin sinks down the other.

AND if Righteousness is of so honourable a Nature, as thus to exalt even God himself, no wonder the wise Man should say, Righteousness exalteth a Nation: If it is the very Glory of the Divinity, if it is the Beauty of Angels, if it is this chiefly which renders Heaven so much better than Hell, no wonder Solomon should think it would render Kingdoms, Countries and Nations on Earth Honourable and Glorious should it once prevail among them.

LET us stop here, a few Minutes, and think, what the Consequences would be, should Righteousness which is the Glory of the Deity, and the very Beauty of Heaven, should that holy and divine Temper, which reigns there in Perfection, [Page] descend on crowned Heads, and fill the Courts of Princes, and spread down thro' every Rank, even down to the meanest Cottage, and to the poorest Beggar. What would the Consequences be? Heaven would soon begin on Earth.

PRINCES, even the most haughty Monarchs of the Earth, who, to gratify their Pride and Ambition, do often now, in the present state of things, summon mighty Armies, spread war, devastation and ruin thro' whole Countries, would be at once turned into other men, "be Converted and become as little Children," as harmless as Doves, as meek as Lambs. Such would be their humility, their self-abhorrence, their penitence, their reverence toward the Deity and love to the human kind, that they would, speedily and with the utmost sincerity, begin to concert measures for a universal, perpetual Peace. Ambassadors for that End would be sent from, and to, every Monarch, Prince and Court — and Orders be soon dispatched to Fleets and Armies to stop the effusion of human Blood. — The thundering Cannons would cease to roar—Peace, universal Peace be soon proclaimed; for every Monarch, from the heart, would soon begin to say, to each other, "Take your right my Brother, and let me have mine, and let us live in love and peace, and seek the true happiness of our subjects, and no longer go on sacrificing thousands of precious lives, in quarrels, which honest men might settle with the utmost ease." [Page] And so now the "Nations would beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into prooning-hooks, neither would they learn war anymore."

AND should Righteousness, should all right Affections, should supreme love to God and Jesus Christ, love to our holy religion, brotherly love, meekness, gentleness, fidelity, temperance, chastity, and all the christian Graces, not only take possestion of the hearts of Kings, but spread thro' all their Royal Families, among their privy Counsellors, thro' their Parliaments, and to all their Courts of Justice, and should the sacred flame fly from City to City, from Town to Town, thro' all their Dominions, and into all their distant Colonies, into what a glorious and happy State would things be immediately brought? — Look round upon all ranks and orders of men, and behold the glorious Change!

GO to the Clergy, and view them in their Studies, or in their Pulpits, behold, they are cloathed with Righteousness, they are inflamed with every holy, pious, benevolent, heavenly affection! they love their Master, they love their People, they love their Work: they "delight in the law of the Lord, and in his Law do they meditate Day and Night" They are "like Trees planted by the Rivers of Water, whose leaf never falls, and which brings forth fruit in their season." And out of their "I reasure," from time to time, they "bring forth [Page] things new and old." While their public Prayers and their Sermons are animated with the humblest, purest, warmest Devotion.—And, O behold, how they love one another! — Look thro' a Province, they are united in the same Faith, and love and live as brethren. Yea, look thro' a Kingdom, yea, look from Kingdom to Kingdom, there are no Sects, no Parties, no Divisions. They all, Ministers and People, make up one great Family, united in faith and love; united in one and the same Belief, and in the most cordial Affection to one another.—And Ministers of choice give themselves wholly to their work; and their People from their own inclination unite as one to give them an honourable support, not as their burden, but as their delight, they even take pleasure in it.

GO to the Merchant's Shop, and you will find not only just Weights and just Measures, but also piety towards God and love to the human kind, diligence and industry, prudence in their calling, frugality in their expences, generosity to the poor, charmingly mingled in their Characters. And, while wealth flows in upon them from every quarter, they are cloathed with humility; and they, their Children, and all they have bear this inscription, in great Capitals, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

GO to the House, the happy House of the industrious Farmer—in early Morning he, and all his arise, and assemble to worship the GREAT [Page] ETERNAL. Devoutly they read God's holy word, and offer up prayer and praises, in the Name of Jesus Christ, with penitent, humble and grateful hearts. With alacrity and joy they go forth to their Labours, and enjoy the delights of Heaven in their Fields, love and harmony reign within doors: the Parents happy in God, in one another, and in their Offspring: while their Children grow up in piety toward God, reverence toward their Parents, and in the most cordial Affection to one another. And hearken, and hear the wise Maxims of the houshould, where Righteousness reigns.—"Let us be industrious and frugal, that we may be able to render to all Men their dues. Tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom. Yea, let us be industrious and frugal, that we may have wherewith to give to the Poor, and to make the Widow's heart sing for Joy. And let all we have be consecrated to God. And while we live upon his Bounty, let us live to his Glory, and prepare for his heavenly Kingdom"

GO into Neighbourhoods—Malice and Envy are gone—Tattling and Backbiting are no more heard.—Love, undissembled Love and Goodwill reign.

GO to Courts of Justice, and behold, they are unfrequented! for the People are become righteous, and live in Love. And while they do as they would be done by, there seldom happens any Affair, that needs to be disputed at the Bar.

[Page]GO to the house of the Governor, who, as he was advanced to his high Station merely on account of his Merit; so he is the wisest Man in the Province, and a Father to all his Subjects. Every morning and evening he makes King Solomon's Prayer, for a wise and understanding heart: for it is his great concern to fill his Station well. He is loved, revered, and obeyed by all his People, who live under him as one united happy Family, concientiously concerned, by their good behaviour, to render his Government as easy and happy to him as possible. All the influence his high Station, superior Wisdom and Goodness give him over their hearts, is wholly consecrated to make them a still holier and happier People. For he feels toward them all the Good-will and Tenderness, which are wont to reside in the heart of a nursing Father or nursing Mother toward an infant Child.

GO to the Taverns, and even they are houses of Piety and good Order. No Rioting or Drunkenness, no Chambering or Wantonness to be found there. No Town-dwellers assembled for Drinking and Debauchery.—No—for there are no such People to be found in Towns where Righteousness universally prevails. At these Houses the Stranger and the Traveller may call, refresh themselves in quiet, or take lodging in peace, and in the morning go their ways, rejoycing to see good Order and Religion reign every where.

[Page]GO to the cottages of the Poor, if you can find them, for their number will be but small in such a state of things. None rendered Poor by a course of excessive Drinking, or by gay Dressing, or by high Living, or by Idleness, or by any dishonest Practices. A few, perhaps, you may find, rendered Poor thro' some natural infirmity of Body or Mind, or by some Adversity which it was not in their Power to foresee and prevent. And these are as Humble as they are Poor. They quietly submit to Providence, they are thankful for the little they have, they are industrious and prudent according to their abilities; and instead of envying their Neighbours, they rejoice in their prosperity. They are beloved by every one; and their Neighbours feel a peculiar Pleasure in granting them relief from time to time. So that, in the midst of their Poverty, they are really Happy, and want none of the necessaries of Life, and enjoy many of its conveniences.

GO to the Schools of the Prophets, to the Seminaries of Learning, and see a little picture of Heaven. The whole Society in perfect Love and Harmony, making swift advances in all Knowledge divine and human, growing up in Love to God and to the human kind, and ripening for public Service, under the indefatigable Labours of their wife and learned Instructors, whom they love and honour, as dutiful Children do their Parents.

[Page]MEAN while Peace and Plenty, universal Love and Harmony reign from Town to Town, thro' all the Province, thro' all the Kingdom, yea, thro' all the Kingdoms of the Earth, where Righteousness thus prevails. And Heaven looks down propitious, and declares, "Blessed shalt thou be in thy Basket and in thy Store, blessed shalt thou be in the House and in the Field."

NOR let any think this a discription of a fictitious state of Things. Rather let every one know, that all this, and more than all this, shall be accomplished, when once that petition, so often put up by the true followers of Jesus, by his special direction, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven," is answered, and his holy Religion comes to take place among mankind, when once "the Stone cut out without hands becomes a great Mountain, and fills the whole Earth." Nor will what is written fail of an accomplishment in its season. For there has already "come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch has grown out of his roots," and he has taken "the throne of his father David," that he may reign over "every Nation, Language and Tongue," and the Kingdom, and the "greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven" is to be given to him. At present, for wise and holy ends, Satan is suffered "to deceive the Nations;" but the day draws high, when he is to be "bound a thousand Years." And then "the Wolf shall dwell with [Page] the Lamb, and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid, and the Calf, & the young Lion, & the Fa [...]ling together, and a little Child shall lead them. And the Cow and the Bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together: and the Lion shall eat Straw like the Ox: and the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp, and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice-den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy Mountain: For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea." —And thus Righteousness tends to exalt a Nation, and to render all the Inhabitants of the Earth happy.— O, how glorious is the Religion of Jesus Christ! When shall the Day come, that it shall effectually take Place in the hearts of Mankind!

But, on the other Hand,

III. SIN is a reproach to any People. It is a reproach it self, and in its effects and consequences naturally sinks a People into Contempt, and brings down the Judgments of Heaven upon them.

WHEN Civil Rulers have no fear of God before their Eyes, or regard to the public Weal, and act an arbitrary and tyrannical Part—When Subjects despise the Deity and contemn all Authority, are full of Discontentment and Murmuring, divided into angry Parties, ready to take Fire on every occasion—When Ministers of the Gospel are unstudious and ignorant, or [Page] preach Error and practice Wickedness, neither caring for the honor of Christ, nor the Salvation of immortal Souls, but devoted wholly to their ease, or to their worldly interest, or to support Error and encourage Wickedness—When people live without God in the World, secure in Sin, stupid to their eternal Interest, hate the Gospel, grudge Ministers all they have, envy the Rich, despise the Poor, and perpetual discord reigns in Town, and Churches—When neighbours live in Malice and Envy, hateful and hating one another, their Conversation tainted with Ill-nature, and their traffick full of deceit and fraud; or if they are fair to the face, revile behind the back, and no Man's word or promise to be trusted.—When People spend their time in Idleness, their substance at Taverns, in gay dressing, in high living, in Law-suits, until Poverty comes like an armed Man— When Peace and Harmony are clean gone, and jarring, angry Passions reign, no Godliness, no Humanity, Sabbaths profaned, family Prayer neglected, Hearts and Hands unclean, Whoredom rampant, no Government civil, ecclesiastical, or domestic, all Riot and Confusion: How contemptable is such a Community! how miserable is such a People! The higher these and such like Distempers rise, the greater is their Wretchedness. And if they do but begin to creep in among a People, they bring reproach and misery along with them. For, as Vertue and Happiness, [Page] so Vice and Misery are naturally connected together. As "Wisdoms ways are Pleasantness and all her paths Peace"; so "to the Wicked there is no Peace: but they are like the troubled Sea, whose waves cast up Mire and Dirt."

BESIDES, it may be expected, altho' the full Vials of divine Wrath are reserved for the world to come, that yet God in righteous Judgment will sometimes in Anger look down on such a Nation, and spread a Curse over all their Blessings, so as to render them "Cursed in their Basket, and in their Store, in the House, and in the Field, and in all they put their hand unto."

AND thus we see what is meant by Righteousness, and how Righteousness exalts a Nation, and how Sin is a reproach to any People: and so we are prepared,

IV. TO consider, that the only way for us in this Colony to be a happy Community, is to be a righteous People.—And here let the following particulars be attended to.—That we in this Colony are under great external Advantages to be a happy People.—That notwithstanding our external Advantages our own Vices may render us very Miserable.— But, if our external Advantages were improved as a virtuous People might improve them, we might be very happy.—And it is the Duty of all, especially of those in Places of public Trust, to do all in their Power to promote a universal Reformation.

[Page]I. WE in this Colony are under great external Advantages to be a happy People. We sit under the shadow of our Mother Country, and are protected by the Fleets and Armies of one of the best of Kings.. Canada, which has been a scourge to us for many Years, is at present in the hands of his-British Majesty, our gracious Sovereign, our indulgent Father. Louisbourg; is demolished, Crown-Point is our own, Oswego; Niagara, and Pittsburgh are in our hands. Our Sea-Coasts are in no fear of an invading Fleet; our Frontiers are secure from the ravages of Popish and Pagan cruelty, our Alarms are at an end, and we dwell quietly, each one secure under his own Vine, and under his own Figtree. — And we dwell in a good Land, in a fertile Country, where we may eat bread to the full, And no greater degree of Industry is necessary in general than is really for the happiness of a Community. Might we live in Idleness, and yet enjoy ot fullness of all Things; we should not be happier, but rather a more miserable People: as Idleness, in the present state of Mankind, is naturally productive of many Vices, which bring greater misery along with them into a Community., than attends a life of honest labour.—In a word, we live in so good a Land, and enjoy such advantages for Navigation, that, were we vertuous and wise; were we prudent and industrious, we might have enough of all the good things of this world; [Page] and be in debt to no other Province or People upon the face of the Earth.

AND, as to civil Priviledges, no Community under heaven enjoys greater, than we do. Nor is it easy to conceive what greater civil Priviledges can be enjoyed than we enjoy. Once every Year, we may unite as Brethren, and choose out our wisest and ablest Men, to make our Laws, to guide our public Affairs, and provide for the decision of all our civil Controversies. And all our Towns are so many Corporations, inverted with Power to take care of their own public concerns, and suppress Idleness and Debauchery, and every kind of Immorality. And even every little Parish has, so far as it needs, for its own well-being, as part of the whole, full Power and Authority to manage and order its own Affairs. Mean while each Family is a distinct Kingdom of its own, and for the defence of its rights and properties stand intitled to the wisdom and strength of the whole Community.

And as to our religious Priviledges, every Man has the Bible in his own hands, and is at liberty to read and think and Judge for himself. Every Man, as he is at the Day of Judgment to stand or fall for himself; so is now at liberty to worship God in that way, which he verily thinks will be at last approved of by his Judge, every Parish is an ecclesiastial Society, invested with full Power to choose their own Minister and provide for his support. And every particular Church is at liberty to come [Page] into what Connections they judge most for their own Edification. Were any particular Parish and Church disposed to be independents, they might be so, Or if they choose to form themselves on the Presbyterian Plan, they have their liberty. Or if they desire to declare for the Church of England, there is none to hinder them. Or if they choose to be in connection with neighbouring Churches, agreeable to ecclesiastical Constitution of this Government, the door is open, and they are welcome to all the priviledges of such a connection, only submitting to the Orders, and performing the Duties, which are necessarily implied in the very nature of the connection it self. And every Parish, whether connected or unconnected, is still an ecclesiastical Society, and possessed of all the Priviledges, which our Laws give to all ecclesiastical Laws in common And had we now but a wise and understanding Heart to discern the good and right way, and could we all to a man agree in our religious Sentiments, we might, as one family, live together in perfect Love and Harmony, as brethren in Christ Jesus, and grow up into a meetness to live together for ever, in the world of Love and Harmony above. Or if we differ in some lesser Matters, which all sides agree not to be essential, we still may be happy, if we can only do as we would be done by, let others peaceably and quietly enjoy that Liberty, which we should be glad to enjoy in like Circumstances. And if we differ in important [Page] Points, with the Bible in our hands, he who is found to be in an Error, will, at the last Day stand inexcusable before his Judge; speechless, and self-condemned.

SUCH are our civil and religious Priviledges. —Mean while, we have a seminary of Learning in the heart of our Colony, designed for the training up a sufficient number of youth, for public Business; that when our Rulers & Teachers, now on the stage, are dead and gone, others may be prepared to take their Places, and do worthily in their day and generation. — And such are our external Advantages to be a happy People. — But,

2. NOTWlTHSTANDING all our external Advantages to be a happy People, our own Vices may render us very Miserable: and, instead of appearing honourable in the eyes of our Neighbours we may sink down into contempt and rain. For, notwithstanding the goodness of our Land, and all our advantages for Navigation, yet luxury, idleness, debauchery, dishonesty and multiplied law suits may bring us to Poverty. And if idleness and extravagant high living should so increase among us, that all we have to export out of the Government should yearly fall many Thousands in value below the Goods imported, our Farmers may soon be obliged to resign their Lands to pay their Debts. And if so many Estates should be found to be Insolvent, that our wealthiest Merchants could scarce escape Breaking; and if our Lands must [Page] be made over to Gentlemen in other Provinces, and we become their Tenants, and have nothing to leave to our Children but Poverty and Slavery, what a contemptible appearance shall we make in the eyes of our Neighbours. A wise Man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself; but the Fool goeth on and is punished.

AND all our civil and religious Liberties and Privileges, if we divide into Sects and Parties, and grow Angry, and if we abuse our Liberties to the purposes of Strife and Contention, to bite, and devour, and oppress, they may cease to administer to our comfort in this World, and only serve to render us so much the more inexecusable and miserable in the World to come. And our College, if not well instructed and governed, instead of being a nursery of Learning and Piety, may become a seminary of Error and Wickedness, and serve but to infect all our Land. And while our idleness, our extravagances, our parties, our errors and our wickedness in general, all join to render us a miserable People, they will at the same time naturally prepare us for and bring down the Judgments of God upon us. And it may come to pass, when our iniquities are full and we ripe for destruction that the cup of trembling, which has been put into the hands of our Sister Canada, may be given us to drink. — Our Sister Canada, I say; for Canada, with all her wickedness, is as much our Sister, as Sodom of old was the Sister of Judah, who were by profession God's peculiar [Page] People, And God greatly resented it, that the Jews, in their prosperity, took no notice of the remarkable Vengeance, which he had executed on Sodom their Sister. And this is brought in, among the rest of their crimes, in the time of their visitation, when they were Captives in Babylon, to justify the divine severity towards them. Ezek. xvi.56. For thy Sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy Mouth in the Day of thy pride. And yet, proud as they were of their own goodness, God looked on the Jews more wicked than the Sodomites. ver. 48. As I live, faith the Lord God, Sodom thy Sister hath not done, she nor her Daughters; as thou hast done, thou and thy Daughters. For when a People who are lifted up to Heaven with Priviledges, yet go on impenitent in their Sins, they are in the eyes of God more guilty than the worst of the heathen. Therefore it was, that our Saviour denounced such heavy woes against Coraizin, Bethsaida and Capernaum because they repented not. It shall be more tollerable, says he, for Tyre and Sidon, for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for you. Mat. xi.20,—24. — And thus, with all our glorious Priviledges, if we go on impenitent in our Sins, we shall be miserable while we live, and it will be more tollerable in the day of Judgment for Canada than for us. —

But on the other hand,

3. SHOULD God now of his infinite Mercy thro' Jesus Christ, after all our aggravated [Page] Provocations, give us Eyes to see and Ears to hear and Hearts to understand; and should we all, high and low, rich and poor, old and young, be brought each one to know the Plague of his own Heart; and not cover, but confess our Sins; repent and return to God thro' Jesus Christ, and become Christians indeed, how soon should be healed! God would become our friend, and we should become friends to one another. We should have one Lord, one Faith one Baptism, one God and Father, and we all should become Brethren, united together in the most cordial Love, and then there would be an end to all our Divisions.—Mean while, pride and a luxurious Disposition being mortified, those expensive and extravagant ways of living, to which our pride and luxuriousness now prompt us, would be looked upon with abhorrence, and laid aside with shame and regret, as infinitely unbecoming a people professing godliness. And Idleness would begin to appear to us, as it did to St. Paul, a scandalous Crime. We sould look upon an idle Christian, as a disorderly Walker, and in obedience to the Apostle's command, withdraw ourselves from such. 2 Thes iii.6,—I4. And not to provide for our own Housholds would be esteemed a practical apostacy of Christianity, a denying of the Faith, and being worse than Infidels; 1 Tim. v.8.—The noise of Riot would therefore be no more heard in our land. Taverns would be empty; industry would take place; [Page] prudence, frugality, honesty, and all the social Vertues. In consequence of which our Debts would soon be paid; the Farmer, the Tradesman, the Merchant get out of their embarrassed Circumstances, and all things begin to put on another face. And now we should begin to be in a disposition to make a right Improvement of all our external Advantages to be a happy People.— And

IF all our external Advantages were improved, as a vertuous People might improve them, we might be very happy. If Solomon's Character of a vertuous Woman (Prov xxxi.) should become the common Character of our Women; and St. Paul's sentiments of Industry should be practically espoused by our Men; we should soon have a fullness of all things. And if humility and love, love to God and to Mankind, if this, which is indeed the true christian Temper, should take full possession of all orders and ranks of Men, there would soon be an end to all our Parties, and to all our Contentions. For, from whence come wars and fightings among you, says the Apostle, Come they not hence even of your Lusts, that war in your Members. If our Lusts therefore were mortified there would be an end to all Wars and Contentions. And if love to God and to Mankind took full possession of our Souls, we should of course feel and live as brethren, in the most cordial Friendship.— And now,

[Page]WE should naturally unite in Choosing those to rule over us, who are our wisest and ablest men; and they would naturally be affected toward the Community as a Father is towards his Children; and we should love and reverence them as our Fathers; our Ministers would all be united in the same Faith; our Churches would walk together in love; and peace and love would reign thro' all our Towns; and no People under heaven would be happier than we. — And let me add,

4. IT is the Duty of all, especially of those in places of public trust, to do all in their Power to promote a universal reformation.

IT is the Duty of each and every one of us to be religious ourselves, to repent and be Converted, to Give up our selves to God thro' Jesus Christ, and live in the daily exercise of every divine virtue and Christian Grace, and in the practice of all social Duties, as the servants of God.— This is our Duty previous to a Consideration of our temporal Interest. For God is worthy of supreme love and universal Obedience, as he is by Nature God. And he has an original entire right to us, as he is our Creator. And if we bring the work of our redemption into the account, and the eternal rewards of heaven, we are bound, we are under infinite obligations, not only in Duty, but in Gratitude and interest to love God and live to him, and do all we can to promote [Page] his honour, and the interests of his Son's kingdom in the world. And all this previous to any earthly Consideration. Yea, all this altho' we were so circumstanced, as that we might loose our lives for the profession and practice of Christianity.— But when to all this we add, that we in this Colony are in fact in such Circumstances, that it would be every way for our present interest to become strictly religious, that it is the readiest and directest way to become a happy People, yea the only sure and Certain way, this still further obliges us. And to go on in our sins, under these Circumstances, is not only to despise God and the redeemer, and the eternal Joys of heaven, but to be even stupid to our own present interest and happiness in this world.— Besides,

THOSE who are in public trust, are not only under all these obligations to be religious themselves; but they are all under peculiar obligations to do all they can to promote a universal reformation in others. — And suffer me here to state and urge these obligations in an address to our Rulers and Teachers.— And

First — TO our Rulers.— May it please your HONORS, and you Gentlemen REPRESENTATIVES, to you belongs it to lend the way, and it is your indispensable Duty to do all that lies in your Power, in your several Places and Capacities, to bring about a universal reformation among us, and so make us a happy people.— [Page] You owe this Duty to God, who has in the Course of his Providence done you this honour, to Constitute you our Rulers. He is the Father of your spirits, he formed your Minds, he qualified you for Government, and has distinguished you from your Brethren and Neighbours, and raised you up to rule over us. He has committed this People to your Care, and made them your Children, and he has given you wisdom, and put the sword in your hands, and you are sworn to be faithful: and God is your Witness, & will be your Judge at that Day, when divested of your present offices, you appear before the bar of Christ to receive your final sentence, in the presence of the assembled universe. And if you are unfaithful you never can answer it to the Almighty; but will stands at his Bar as self-condemned, as you have some times seen guilty Criminals stand at yours.

HIS HONOR, the Governour, by and with your advice and desire, has lately sent his MAJESTY'S Proclamation thro' the Colony, and ordered it to be read twice every year in all our Congregations. It may therefore be Considered as your Joint act. And therein you ‘Earnestly and Strictly require all Persons within this Government, of every Character rank and degree, to exert themselves in the practice and encouragement of piety and virtue, and in preventing and punishing vice, profaneness and immorality. And you [Page] Command and enjoin Judges, Justices and other Magistrates, and all informing officers, that they be vigilant and strict in Causing the Laws for promoting Religion, Virtue and good Manners to be duly observed, and in the discovery, prosecution and punishment of all persons who shall be guilty of the breach of the Laws made for preventing and punishing profane, vicious, desolute and immoral practices. And you exhort all his Majesty's Good Subjects in this Colony, to contribute all in their power, both by example and influence, toward a general reformation of manners, seriously Considering their indispensable Duty therein, and the awful Consequences of a neglect thereof.’— And now, Gentlemen, you may remember the words of the Lord to his people of old, they have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such an heart in them! (Deut v.28, 29) —It is easier, you are sensible, to issue out such a Proclamation, than it is to act up to the true purport and spirit of it.— ‘Dismal is the remark,’ says a late writer in England, ‘that no Country has more or better Laws to curb these vices than we have, but yet no Country is so Corrupted with drunkenness and idleness as England is at present, Consuming all orders of People.’ And he adds, ‘one can fearce number all the excellent Laws made from Queen Elizabeth's time to this [Page] hour, against drunkenness, swearing, idle and desolute Persons, and all vice in General; but such is the gross neglect of them, as if they had not been enacted.’ Thus far this writer.* — O never let it be said of us, according to the ancient proverb mentioned by the Prophet Ezekiel, as is the Mother, so is the Daughter. Remember, Gentlemen, the words of the Lord to good old Eli, who, when he heard of the wickedness of his Sons, did something equivalent to the issuing out of a proclamation to put Laws in execution, without an actual reducing the proclamation into practice. He Called them to an account, and said unto them. Why do ye these things? For I hear of your evil doing: by all this people. Nay my sons, for it is no good report that I hear. — But was this enough in the Eyes of God? No. Hear what God says. I will Judge the house of Eli for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth: because his Sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. (1 Sam. ii.23, 24. & iii.13.) and Gentlemen, is not all the power in the Colony virtually in your hands? Have you not as much power to restrain immoralities in any of us, as Eli had to restrain his Sons? Have not we chosen you to be our Fathers, and called our selves your Children, and put ourselves voluntarily under your Authority? And if you should take your sword in hand, and go thoro'ly to [Page] work to suppress drunkenness, idleness, and all kinds of debauchery, Heaven and Earth will be on your side. None but the vilest of the people will raise a clamour. And shall their clamour intimidate you? God forbid! Wherefore as the people said to Joshua when about to extirpate the wicked Cana [...]ni [...]es, only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses. Whosever he be that doth rebel against thy Commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou Commande [...] him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good Courage. So I say unto you, in the behalf of all sober, well-minded people in Connecticut, ‘Gentlemen, the Lord be with you in your attempts to suppress vice & immorality. And let that man be severely punished, that shall dare to resist you. Only be strong and of a good Courage.’—And pray, Gentlemen, as you have leisure at this interview, take opportunity to strengthen one another in this good work: Agree and combine together to carry his Majesty's proclamation into execution. The Sword is put into your hands for this very purpose. God Commands you to be faithful. Your King calls upon you. Your Oath obliges you. God will be with you, and all good men will stand by you. And if you are indeed faithful in the sight of God in this, and in all your other Duties, you will have the approbation of your own Minds Living and Dying, [Page] and the eternal rewards of heaven in the world to Come. — Which may God of his infinite Mercy grant thro' Christ!

Secondly. — TO the Ministers of the Gospel here present.—Reverend Fathers and Brethren, when our Rulers are making efforts to bring about a general reformation, how ought we to be affected? And what ought to be our Conduct? Should not we be ready to look up to heaven and devoutly say, ‘Blessed be the Almighty who hath raised us up such a King, and hath put this thing into the hearts of our Rulers. And now may the Lord confirm the heart of our King and of our Rulers in this good work.’—and in the mean time our whole Conduct should declare to our rulers and to the world, that we are with them in this thing.— Honor, our Governour, in his Proclamation, has ‘recommended it to us, to inculcate upon our hearers, the importance of this Great and Good Work, and to assist by our public Ministry and private Council and Advice in promoting the same.’—And Now what shall we say to our Great Master at the Day of Judgment, if we should be cold and indifferent upon such an occasion as this, and when thus Called upon? Our Saviour was Zealous against all manner of Wickedness at the risque of his Life. His Apostles and first Ministers were of the same Spirit; and in the [Page] midst of mighty opposition, went every where, preaching, that Men should repent and turn to God. And shall we be lukewarm with these examples before us? And that when we have so many things to animate us from Heaven and Earth? God Forbid.— Wherefore let us upon this occasion afresh devote our selves wholly to the work of the Ministry, and be agreed and united to do our utmost to bring about a universal reformation.

AND behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! And if we should all Cordially unite in preaching up the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and in bearing testimony against error and wickedness of every kind; and if we should all be thoro'ly engaged to maintain the discipline of Christ in his house, and to prevent the unqualified from entering into the work of the Ministry, and to strengthen the hands of our Civil Authority in suppressing vice: If Rulers and Teachers throout the Colony, should be united as one man to bring about a universal reformation, might we not hope for the Divine Blessing and expect to see true religion yet prevail in our land; a land originally settled for religious purposes; a land under many singular obligations to be holy to the Lord?—May God Almighty give us such an heart of his infinite Mercy through Jessus Christ.

[Page]TO Conclude, with one word to the Congregation in general.— From all that has been said, the true Source of all our woes in this Colony may easily be discerned, and the only way for a Cure. Righteousness exalteth a nation; but Sin is a reproach to any people.

AND if we look back to the beginning of the World, the experience of all past ages serves to Confirm us in these Sentiments. — How happy was Man at first, when Sin was a thing unknown; And had mankind remained in their primitive state of innocence and rectitude, in love to God and one another, Misery had been for ever unknown, and this had been a happy World, near akin to Heaven. Sin is the source of all that misery and ruin which has spread thro' this apostate race. It turned our first parents out of paradise, and subjected them and all their race to Death. It bro't down a flood on the old world, and fire and brimstone on Sodom, and all the plagues on Egypt. It caused the Carcases of six hundred Thousand Israelites to fall in the Wilderness, and was the source of all the Judgments which came on God's peculiar People in the days of their Judges and of their Kings. It laid a foundation for their babylonish Captivity, and afterwads for their destruction by the Romans, [Page] Mean while, it has spread Misery and Ruin among all other Nations upon the face of the whole Earth from age to age. — And this dreadful Monster, this first born of Satan, this universal destroyer, which we Call Sin, has entred into this Colony! nay, has entered into our hearts, and is the source of all our Calamities, Civil, Ecclesiastical and Domestic. — And shall we hug the viper in our Bosoms, and Caress the source of all our woes! God forbid.—Rather having found out the hateful Monster, let us with a holy indignation bring it out before the Lord, and treat it as Samuel did Agag.—This is the Achan, this is the troubler of our Israel, wherefore by a universal Agreement let it be doomed to Death. And while our Rulers and our Teachers arm themselves against it, let every Man in the Colony join to stone it with stones, till it is dead. So let Sin be slain. Pride, Luxuriousness, Contentiousness, Malice, Envy, Idleness, Dishonesty, or by whatever other name it is Called, it is Sin, and let it die. And let Righteosness Come and reign in its stead. And then small we become a glorious and happy people, and our shame shall be wiped away.— O who shall deliver us from this odious, dreadful Monster! — Behold the great Messiah is appointed to bruise the Serpent's Head, and is now exalted at his Father's right hand to give [Page] repentance and remission of Sins. Therefore in his Name let us look up to God, and Cry mightily for deliverance. — And may heaven hear our Cry, and send us help, thro' Jesus Christ, to whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

*

See London Magazine, for 1760. p. 423.

↵

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[Page]

Mr. Bellamy's ELECTION-SERMON, May 13th, 1762.

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[Page]

A SERMON Delivered before the GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT, AT HARTFORD, ON THE DAY OF THE ANNIVERSARY ELECTION, May 13th, 1762.

By JOSEPH BELLAMY, A. M. Minister of the Gospel at Bethlem.

Godliness is profitable unto all Things, having the promise of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come. ST. PAUL.

NEW-LONDON: Printed and Sold by TIMOTHY GREEN, Printer to the Colony of CONNECTICUT.

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[Page]

AT a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of Colony of Connecticut, holden at Hartford, on the Second Thursday of May, Anno Dom. 1762.

ORDERED, That ELISHA SHELDON, Esq and Mr. DANIEL SHERMAN, return the Thanks of this Assembly to the Rev'd Mr. JOSEPH BELLAMY, for his Sermon delivered before the Assembly on the Thirteenth Instant, and desire a Copy thereof that it may be Printed.

George Wyllys, Secr.

Information about this book

Title statement

A sermon delivered before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 13th, 1762. By Joseph Bellamy, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Bethlem. ; [Three lines of Scripture text]

Bellamy, Joseph, 1719-1790.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2008-09.

ID [DLPS]

N07118

ID [TCP]

N07118

ID [STC]

Evans 9065

ID [NOTIS]

APY2088

ID [IMAGE-SET]

9065

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99029163

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 9065.

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(Evans-TCP ; no. N07118)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 9065)

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Source

— A sermon delivered before the General Assembly of the colony of Connecticut, at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 13th, 1762. By Joseph Bellamy, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Bethlem. ; [Three lines of Scripture text], Bellamy, Joseph, 1719-1790., Connecticut. General Assembly..

Extent

43, [1] p. ; 16 cm. (8vo)

Printed and sold by Timothy Green, printer to the colony of Connecticut.,. New-London [Conn.]: :: [1762]. (Half-title: Mr. Bellamy's election sermon, May 13th, 1762.)

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