MOSES gave an early and noble specimen of genuine patrio [...]ism, when he chose rather to abide the fate of his nation, and take a part with them, than to be reputed the son of Thermu [...]his the daughter of Pharaoh, though with the prospect of ascending the throne of one of the most ancient, splendid and powerful nations of the earth. And ever after he was divinely appointed to conduct the Hebrews out of Egypt, to the day of this death; he manifested a warm and constant affection to that people, and an animated desire to promote their tranquility and happiness.

BUT in nothing did Moses demonstrate his love to his nation more, than in that wise system of laws which he ap­pointed them, so admirably calculated to subserve their great­est political interest and prosperity—this he admonishes them of in our text, the plain meaning of which is, "That religion, or a practical attention to that system of moral and religious institutions revealed from Heaven, will always promote the best interests of human society, and prove the greatest social bless­ing to mankind." And it is an happy consideration, that the religion GOD has been pleased to reveal to us, is not only rational, entertaining and sublime in itself, and calculated to promote the tranquility of individuals, and their utmost ment­al pleasure—but also to encourage and perfect the order, har­mony and happiness of human society.

THE benign aspect of religion upon human society, and national prosperity and happiness, being principally intended by Moses in the text, I shall specially insist on this idea in the subsequent discourse.

AND that religion is a great and inestimable social blessing [Page 6] to mankind, and admirably adapted to render a nation peace­ful and prosperous, may be confirmed and illustrated, whether we consider the nature and tendency of religion, or the holy, wise and just providence of GOD, which superintends all the affairs of mankind.

I. THE nature and tendency of religion are such, as have the most benign and friendly aspect upon civil society.

ALL those virtues and graces which are recommended in our holy religion, are happily subservient to the most substan­tial interests of civil communities.

AN inviolable regard to truth and fidelity, justice and equity, so much insisted upon, both in the Hebrew and Christian religion, is very necessary to the well being of society—as we should presently be convinced, by too sad experience, were insincerity and falsehood, injustice and fraud, to be substituted instead of those virtues, and introduced into general practice.—Temper­ate and chaste affections towards our neighbours—industry and diligence in our respective occupations—these are excellent virtues in communities, and tend to render social life peaceful and happy.

THE Hebrew Lawgiver recommended a profound venera­tion for JEHOVAH, as the creator, preserver and governor of the world; who is represented, in the religious institution of the Hebrews, as superintending, by his wise, holy and just pro­vidence, all the affairs of mankind; he commanded chil­dren and youth to exercise a filial and honorable regard to their earthly parents and superiors, affability towards equals, and courteousness to all; he required the Hebrews to maintain a sacred regard to the lives and health of their neighbours—to be temperate and chaste in their affections and whole de­portment—not to intrude upon each other's property—to pre­serve an inviolable regard to truth in all their social intercourse, especially in matters of witness—to permit their neighbour the unmolested and uncoveted possession and enjoyment of his wise, his house, his field, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his ass, and every part of his property.—How excel­lently well qualified were these Mosaic institutions to render the Hebrew civil state happy! to promote peace and good order, [Page 7] union and tranquility—inspire friendship and mutual confid­ence—and to diffuse a spirit of piety towards GOD, and of justice and equity, truth and fidelity, benevolence and charity, through all the politic body! With great propriety there­fore did Moses declare that Israel's attention to those laws he had given them "was not a vain thing for them; because it was their life:" and that "through this thing they should prolong their life, or days, in the land whither they went over Jordan to possess it."

RELIGION is admirably adapted to soothe the passions, calm the resentments and animosities, and meliorate the tem­pers of mankind, and prepare the human nature to relish the sweets of society and friendship. But I wish to be a little more diffusive.

First—RELIGION enjoins upon Kings, Princes, and all Ma­gistrates, to rule in the fear of JEHOVAH, the Supreme Mon­arch of the universe; it teaches them that they are accounta­ble to the GOD of Heaven in their political characters, though they may be called gods on earth; religion also renders a Magistrate august and venerable in the eyes of the people, and therefore gives strength and stability to his authority and laws; Many vicious Princes and Magistrates have indeed obtained such a degree of authority over their people, as to compel them, through fear and dread, to yield a temporary and hypocritical compliance with their laws and government; but how prefer­able is that obedience and obsequiousness of a people, who are allured and enticed to obey, by the shining examples of vir­tue, religion and patriotism, which they daily have presented them by their Princes and Rulers!

Secondly—As religion teaches Princes and Magistrates to rule in the fear of GOD, so also doth it inform them that the emolument and happiness of the people form the great law of reigning, and the grand design of the Magistrate's authority. Religion, both Hebrew and Christian, teaches civil Rulers to promote and cherish the social worship of GOD—to found and endow schools and seminaries of learning—and to adopt and improve every wise and benevolent measure for the encourage­ment of virtue and literature among their people.—Literature [Page 8] and religion have generally been esteemed most worthy and important objects of the attention of civil Rulers, even among Pagans.

How did the Kings and Magistrates of Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome endeavour to cultivate letters and theology in their respective kingdoms and states! Belus the second King of Babylon, Thyoth the second King of Memphis, in Egypt, Jupiter King of Crete, Solon King of Athens, Numa Pompilius the second King of Rome, were not only famous for their own learning and philosophy, they were also eminent for the en­couragement of literature among their subjects. And they were equally zealous to establish and cultivate religion, and the public worship of the DEITY among their people.

Thyoth, and Solon, and Numa, were so sensible of the advanta­ges the civil state derived from religion, that they formed laws for the regulation of religious public services—appointed an order of men, who should devote themselves entirely to the study of theology, and the performance of the public rights and services of it; and, to give the greater authority to their religious institutions among their people, they pretended to have received them from the Gods. Numa in particular, pre­tended that the goddess Egeria nightly communicated to him the several parts of that religious economy which he established among the Romans. And all history assures us, that religion, mutilated and corrupted as it was, greatly promoted the peace and prosperity of those nations where it was thus established. It struck the minds of the people with reverence and awe; gave them a veneration for their Kings and Priests—and persuaded them to cultivate the arts of peace and order among them­selves.

IT is well known that the veneration which Kings and Ma­gistrates have generally sh [...]wn religion and the [...], hath been improved as an objection against revealed religion, as be­ing a state engine or mere priestcraft.

IF by religion's being a piece of priestcraft, be meant, that religion was invented by priests, the pretence is false, and con­trary to the history of religion in all nations; since that histo­ry informs us, that there were no priests in any nation, till a [Page 9] national religion became established, and generally received. If our modern freethinkers mean, that religion was the inven­tion of statesmen and politicians, when they call it a state engine, this pretence is as far from truth and fact, as the other, and as contrary to history. The most rational and probable conject­ure, and that which is best countenanced by the authentic history of religion in all nations, is, that GOD himself instruct­ed Adam, and the Antediluvians, in the principles of that reli­gion which he required of them, and showed them the manner of performing all its rites and ceremonies. Noah came forth of the ark with the religion of the old world, which his chil­dren learned of him. And the Chinese retain to this day the principles of that religion which their great prophet Fobi, or Noah, taught them. And that part of Noah's family which travelled westward, and, by their descendants, settled Nineveh, Babylon, Greece, Rome, &c. retained for many ages the religion of their progenitor. At length, however, this ancient religion was corrupted, but never entirely lost among the nations. And therefore religion never was invented, though it was greatly corrupted both by priests and politicians.

IF the meaning be, that Kings and Princes, Statesmen and Politicians, have universally, in all ages and nations, consider­ed religion as signally beneficial to the civil state; this indeed is very true; and they have ever thought very justly of reli­gion when they have thus considered it. But by what man­agement does it become an objection against religion, that it greatly promotes the interests of communities! We have too much reason to believe that such objections against religion originate in the same manner, that objections against reason do in some men, according to the saying of Lord Bolingbroke, "That when reason is against a man, then a man will be against reason." Reason is against a man who is resolved to think and act unreasonably. So is religion against men who are in­disposed to comply with its precepts: and hence the objection against it.

II. RELIGION, if it be kindly entertained, is of special ser­vice to the people, in their political capacity, as well as to Magistrates.

[Page 10]1. RELIGION injoins upon the people obedience to legal government, and conformity to wise and good laws: and this it does in a very humane and generous way, by teaching men the design of civil polity and government, its great utility, and even necessity, in the world; and that a wise and good government is the ordinance of GOD, and on that account ought to be very respectable among men. Religion informs of the great guilt they contract, who resist a well regulated government; and the imminent danger they expose them­selves to; that, "Whosoever resisteth authority, resisteth the ordinance of GOD;" and that "they who resist, shall receive to themselves damnation."—Thus is religion very friendly to the civil state, as it teaches due subjection and obedience to wise and good laws and government.

2. RELIGION tends to make men quiet and peaceable to­wards each other; as it is designed and adapted to eradicate those corrupt passions and dispositions of mankind, which are unfriendly to the peace and tranquility of the State.—Anger, envy, revenge, a seditious and divisive spirit, a peevish, fretful, discontented temper, all which vices, as they are most unfavor­able to the welfare and prosperity of the public, are discount­enanced and forbidden in our holy religion. All deceit in contract, fraud, injustice, extortion and rapine, are very ex­pressly prohibited both in the laws of Moses, and of Jesus Christ. Bribery, corruption and venality, a sour, unfriendly, uncharitable, malignant temper and disposition—evilspeaking and slander, than which no vices are more prejudicial to the order and harmony of human society, and, together with these, the whole black catalogue of unsocial passions and vices, are corrected and condemned in the laws of the Mosaic constitu­tion, and in the religion of our divine Redeemer.

"THOU shalt not raise a false report; put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause, to decline after many, to wrest judgment. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. If thou meet thine enemy's ox, or his ass going astray, thou shalt sure­ly bring it back to him again, If thou see the ass of him [Page 11] that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him; thou shalt surely help with him. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked." Exod. XXIII.1—7.

3. IT is one great design, both of the Hebrew and Christian religion, to implant in human nature all those sentiments, pas­sions and affections, which are most friendly to society; and to engage all the members of the politic body in such prac­tices as naturally tend to social felicity. Strict justice and righteousness, both in sentiment and practice, in all contracts and dealings one with another, is a great command of religion.—"Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am JEHOVAH your GOD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

AND how much do justice and righteousness tend to advance the honor and welfare of a nation!—Truth and fidelity, uni­versal benevolence, love and charity, a peaceable, quiet, placa­ble temper, and a sincere desire to promote the pleasure and happiness of our neighbour; are all of them great maxims of revealed religion; and are every where inculcated by Moses, by our Saviour, and by his Apostles.

"AND if thou sellest ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one an­other. And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stran­ger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee."

BUT as it happened to the religion of Noah, that, in a pro­cess of ages, it was corrupted and ravished of most of its ori­ginal purity and simplicity among the nations; so likewise that of Moses shared the same fate, in the latter ages of the Jewish state, by the mistaken glosses and interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisees. And, as Moses was raised up to retrieve the character of, and add perfection to, the ancient religion of Noah; so JESUS of Nazareth, the great prophet like unto Mo­ses, made it a principal part of his business on earth, to restore the honor of those divine laws given to the Hebrews, and to [Page 12] present them to mankind dressed in their native purity and simplicity, with the most spiritual and sublime annotations upon them.

HENCE we find him repeating this expression, "Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time:" referring to the false comments of the Jewish doctors upon the consti­tution of Moses.

FOR a specimen of our SAVIOUR's method of teaching di­vinity out of the laws of Moses, permit me to recite a part of one of his lectures.

"YE have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be in dan­ger of the judgment." It seems, by what follows, that the Hebrew doctors extended the prohibition no farther than the outward act of murder, not comprehending therein the inward temper and disposition of the heart: and therefore our SAV­IOUR adds his own comment. "But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca," i.e. you beggarly fellow; "shall be in dan­ger of the council; but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire."

And instead of hating an enemy, which the Scribes admitted, our SAVIOUR commands, "to love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and to pray for them who despitefully use, and persecute us."

No wonder the Jewish state declined, when they had cor­rupted the laws of Moses, however happy it might have been, if that nation had regarded them in their true intention.

IF men should deal justly and uprightly one with another, if truth and fidelity should influence all their mutual inter­course, if all should wish well to all, and, according to their re­spective capacities and places, should endeavour to promote the universal good—if mankind should generally be compas­sionate and merciful, both to the souls and bodies of their fel­low men, if they should refrain from all malevolent and evil speaking—be very delicate and tender in their treatment of persons and characters—if they should heartily love their [Page 13] country, and be willing, not only to sacrifice their private resentments, but their personal interests also, to promote the public weal and prosperity; how happy would human socie­ty be, and how near a resemblance would it form to that bright world of harmony and friendship that is above!

III. IF we reflect on the wise, holy and just providence of GOD, we shall see reason to consider religion as most friendly to the happiness of social life.

FROM the partial and unequal distributions of divine pro­vidence towards individuals, whether virtuous or vicious, in this world, it hath been very justly inferred, that the righ­teous governor of the universe designs some future time and place, when and where he will rectify all the partial administra­tions of his providence, and adequately reward the virtues, and punish the vices of individuals, and cause the rectoral honor and dignity of his moral government of mankind to appear, and be acknowledged by the assembled universe.

ON this supposition, it is no objection against the rectitude of the moral government of the world, that virtue, in individ­uals, should sigh and mourn, be afflicted, and obliged to en­counter the numberless ills of human life; whilst vice is gay and sportive, free from pain, and regaling itself in all the plea­sures of sense.—The prospect of that other world, where virtue will triumph, and where vice, in its turn, will be doom­ed to weeping and woe, and to endure the evils it hath incur­red here, clears up the scene, and vindicates the honor and justice of divine administration. But with civil society, with kingdoms and states, it is far otherwise; and a different method of reasoning must be adopted. The future state, which religion reveals, knows no man in a political, or national capacity; and therefore will not either reward, or punish mankind in the social, but in the individual and personal charac­ter only. Hence it is just and reasonable to inter a priori, that it hath been, and ever will be, the invariable maxim of the supreme moral government, to treat all nations, and political societies, according to their public character, being virtuous or vicious. And, if we revolve the history of mankind, we shall surely find, that virtuous nations have ever been prosperous [Page 14] and happy, so long as they retained their virtue; and that vicious [...], at one time or another, have been signally punished, in the providence of almighty GOD.

WHEN the prophets foretold the fall and ruin of the Assyri­an, Persian, Egyptian, Greecian and Roman empires, they inva­riably alledged their national corruptions and vices, as the cause of their national destruction.

WHEN Babylon was to be subverted, the prophet says, "A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O E­la [...], besiege, O Medid." Deceit, treachery, fraud and rapine, were the national vices of the Babylonians; and therefore the Persians and Meeds are divinely commissioned to go up, besiege and destroy Babylon; as they afterwards did under the con­duct of Cyrus.

Tyre was destroyed for her pride, presumption and luxury, "Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning ci­ty, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the hon­orable of the earth? The Lord of Hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth."

Egypt, and the Greek empire fell by their vices, as we are abundantly informed, both by sacred and profane history.—Rome flourished long, a renowned [...]eat both of arts and arms, a glorious empire, mistress and arbitress of three fourths of the globe. And St. Austin observes, that the mighty success, and long prosperity of the Romans, were owing to their emin­ent virtue, and given them of God, as a reward for their dis­tinguished justice, temperance, and other national virtues.—But when Rome became corrupt, her ancient virtue gone, and luxury, intemperance, and all kinds of vices became prevalent throughout the empire, she, in her turn, fell a prey to the Huns, Goths, Vandals, and other northern nations; which gave occasion to the satyre of Juvenal—Seevior armis luxuria incubuit, victumque ulc [...]scitur orbem. Luxury came upon us more cruel than our arms, and did revenge the vanquished world with its charms^*.

[Page 15] Moses told the Hebrews that, if they would adhere to those moral laws and statures, which he had been divinely authoriz­ed to enact for them, it should be their life; and should pro­long their national prosperity and happiness in the land of Canaan. And herein that great and good man acted, not as a wise and able statesman only, but as a most affectionate patriot, and lover of his nation: presenting Israel with a glorious scene of national dignity and importance, tranquility and hap­piness, and a golden age perpetuated, upon the presumption of their future virtue and obedience; and a dreadful reverse of fortune, in case of vice and disobedience. "And it shall come to pass," saith he, "if thou shalt hearken diligently un­to the voice of the LORD thy GOD, to ob­serve and to do all his commandments, which O command thee this day, that the LORD thy GOD will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and over­take thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy GOD. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee, to be smitten before thy face: they shalt come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy store­houses, and in all that thou settest thy hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto him­self, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the com­mandments of the LORD thy GOD, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of JEHOVAH, and they shall be afraid of thee. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware to thy fathers to give thee."

BUT if the Hebrews rebelled against JEHOVAH, and became corrupt and vicious in their national character and manners, how awfully should their fortune be reversed! "If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law, that are writ­ten in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious name, JEHOVAH thy GOD. Then the LORD will make thy plagues [Page 16] wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long con­tinuance. And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of Heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy GOD. And it shall come to pass, that, as JEHOVAH rejoiced over thee to do thee good, and to multiply thee; so JEHOVAH will rejoice over thee to destroy thee, and to bring thee to nought: and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to pos­sess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth, even unto the other; and there shalt thou serve other gods, which neither thou, nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone." Deut. XXVIII.

AND the history of the Hebrews informs, that these promis­es and threatenings of Moses were perpetually verified in the state and circumstances of that nation.

WHILST Israel were virtuous, and attended to the laws of JEHOVAH, they were prosperous and happy, and a very re­spectable nation; when they degenerated, and became corrupt and vicious, and disregarded the commandments of JEHOVAH, they were disastrous and wretched, a scorn and derision among the nations which dwelt around them, and a sorry prey to their enemies.

INDEED the divine administrations towards the Hebrews ev­er derived their complexion from the moral character and conduct of that nation: and, although their situation was somewhat different from that of other nations, being made a theocracy, and placed under the more immediate inspection of JEHOVAH, as their civil, as well as moral King and Governor; yet all other nations, as well as the Hebrews, were under the moral government of JEHOVAH; were his creatures, endued with reason, and indulged with many natural, civil and reli­gious privileges, sufficient for all the purposes of virtue, and of moral institution and discipline; though much inferior to those which the Hebrews enjoyed. Hence the reason why all the nations of the earth have ever been, and ever will be, ac­countable to GOD, as a moral governor, in their national capa­city.—And as GOD hath ever treated all the nations of the [Page 17] earth, in every age, according to their national character and conduct, and either blessed, or frowned upon them, as they have been generally virtuous or vicious; so have we the high­est reason to believe he will invariably treat mankind in all succeeding ages and nations, in the same manner, and by the same rule. It is a catholic and perpetual maxim of revelation, verified by the experience of all ages and nations, that "righ­teousness exalteth a nation;" and that, "sin is the reproach of any people."

RELIGION, in its own nature and tendency, is admirably calculated to render a nation respectable and illustrious abroad, as well as prosperous and happy at home: whilst sin, vice, immorality and dissoluteness of manners, as naturally tend to fix a public indelible stigma and reproach upon a nation, and to fill it with factions and divisions, render its internal circum­stances wretched and miserable, and bring it to an untimely death: for nations, politic bodies, sicken, languish, and die, as well as natural bodies; and virtue is the health, and causes the longevity of nations; whilst vice is their disease, and a sad, though certain, presage of a premature political death.

WE have also seen that the providence of GOD, the supreme monarch of the universe, favors virtuous, whilst it invariably frowns upon vicious, nations.

FROM the nature and tendency of religion therefore, and the just and holy providence of GOD, we may with great truth and safety conclude, that all political communities will be hap­py or miserable, as they shall be virtuous or vicious.

I SHALL comprehend the improvement of the preceding discourse in a few addresses, which are customary, and there­fore decent and respectful, on such occasions as the present.

1. THE Chief Magistrate in this commonwealth claims my first attention.

MAY it please your Excellency to indulge me a few min­utes, whilst I make an inference or two, which may special­ly refer to the office and duty of gentlemen who fill the chief places of power and trust in the civil State.

1. THAT it is the peculiar and indespensable duty of civil Magistrates, to be personally virtuous, is an inference, which, [Page 18] I doubt that your Excellency hath already anticipated.—A wise magistrate would be virtuous, not only to establish and adorn his own character, and to obtain the approbation of HIM, who is infinitely greater and more illustruous than all the Kings and Potentates of the earth; but from a rational and well regulated affection to his country. A patriotic spirit will excite and animate him to a virtuous and religious life.—A vicious and dissolute Magistrate is a misshapen monstrous character! He neither loves himself, his country, nor his GOD! He certainly can be no true patriot, let his professions be what they may: Religion the glory and safety of the State—an irreligious profane Magistrate consulting and de­signing the welfare of the State! how contradictious and absurd an idea!—Virtue in high life hath a commanding and sovereign influence. The examples of the great may do much to cherish and promote religion; or, they may have a most pernicious tendency, if vicious, to patronize and spread the contagion of vice and evil manners: a Magistrate, therefore, should make it his great ambition that his own character be fair and good, and that he present a noble and enticing pattern of virtue and religion before all the people.

2. A WISE and good Magistrate will improve all the influ­ence his station and authority give him, to promote virtue and religion among the people.

IF religion be the life and glory of a nation, and the most important art of prolonging the dignity and happiness of civil society; a wise and virtuous Magistrate will most ardently wish to be an instrument of the promotion of religion among his people; and will use his utmost prudent endeavors to ad­vance its reputation, render it fashionable, and cause it to be cherished and cultivated.

SUCH a Magistrate will be concerned to procure for the DEITY, for his holy words, his sabbaths, ordinances and wor­ship, the solemn attention, the profound respect and venera­tion, which are indisputably their due. He will wisely im­prove his influence that a spirit of justice, fidelity, peace and charity inspire all ranks and orders of men: and, in his exalt­ed place, he will maintain a constant regard to these worthy [Page 19] designs, in all the business of legislation, and execution of the laws in the State: indeed the honor, tranquility and happi­ness of the community, in the constant practice of virtue and religion, and entire security in the enjoyment of their persons and properties, will costitute the noble design of the political life of a wise and good Magistrate.

YOUR Excellency's known character, and the general suffrag­es of your brethren, by which you have been many years con­tinued in the chair of state, warrant my belief, that your duty to GOD and this people hath long warmed and animated your heart; and, that what is suggested concerning the obligations of a Magistrate, will be kindly accepted by you, Sir, though these things may be far better conceived in your own mind, than I am able to express them.

BE pleased, Sir, to have patience with me a little farther, whilst I include your Excellency in an address to the honor­able General Assembly convened in this house, at whose request I perform this part this day.

MAY it please his honor the Lieutenant governor, the honor­able Counsellors, and the venerable Representatives of the State, in General Assembly convened, to indulge me a little; whilst I, within the limits of my own province, suggest a few things, which may claim your attention, as the Legislature of a great and growing people, whom you most certainly wish to make respectable and happy.

I. THE honor and worship of the DEITY are surely objects of such magnitude and importance, as may well demand your first attention.

No nation under heaven ever was politically happy, or prospered long, without some practical reverence of GOD, and attention to his worship. The great JEHOVAH hath declar­ed, "By me Kings reign, and Princes decree justice. By me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all Judges of the earth." How then can a Legislature of Theists, much less a Christian Legislature, discharge, either their duty to GOD, or the trust reposed in them by the community, whilst they neglect to adore and worship GOD themselves, or to improve their influ­ence that he be adored and worshipped by the people!—An [Page 20] oath for confirmation, and the termination of controversy, is a solemn appeal to GOD: if all reverence of GOD, and sacred regard to religion, were extinguished, the solemnity of an oath is absolutely gone, and, with its solemnity, its binding force and obligation are at once taken away; and nothing then remains to issue, even civil causes, but the sword! and we may depend, that the sword will not be sufficient for this pur­pose long, after all religion is gone. Indeed reason, the na­ture of things, and the experience of all ages, and of all na­tions, whether Pagan, Hebrew, or Christian, conspire to dem­onstrate that religion is necessary to the very being, as well as to the wellbeing of the civil State. To encourage and promote religion and the worship of GOD, by wise and good laws, must therefore be the indispensable duty of a Christian Legis­lature.

MAY I not, venerable Senators, address you as St. Paul did King Agrippa, with the necessary variation? Believe ye this report of religion, and of your duty concerning it? I know that ye believe.

2. As means for the encouragement of a reverential regard to GOD, and the promotion of virtue and religion, a proper respect to the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath the local wor­ship of GOD, and a learned and judicious ministry, are objects which may well claim your attention. It has been the most generally received opinion of all ages, and of all nations, that it is the duty and interest of Magistrates to establish and pro­mote the public worship of the DEITY amongst their people.

IT would be treating you, honored Gentlemen, with unpar­donable disrespect, even to suppose that you hesitated, whe­ther a serious regard to the Sabbath, and the maintenance of social worship, were specially serviceable to the civil interests of the State. You explode, worthy Senators, the too com­mon cant expression, that the Magistrate, as Magistrate, has nothing to do with religion, or the public worship of the DEITY; nor do you suppose that your obligations as men, are tendered void, by your being elected into places of power and trust in the State—as men, every one concedes, you are bound to glorify GOD. You do not imagine that, being a Magistrate, [Page 21] liberates a man from his obligations to glorify God; but ra­ther that, as his exalted station gives him greater advantages to glorify God, his obligations of this nature are proportionably increased.

No man has lived forty years and not observed the salutary effects of keeping the Sabbath, and attending public worship, in the families, societies, towns, states, and kingdoms, where he hath been acquainted.

ALL the wise nations, even of Pagan antiquity, not only framed laws and institutions for the support of the social wor­ship of the Gods, but also appointed an order of men, who should devote their time and talents to investigate and teach the doctrines and precepts of theology and ethics, and perform all the public rites and ceremonies of religion.

Christian theology and ethics are undoubtedly as beneficial to the civil interests of communities, as were the Pagan—I need not repeat what has already been said abundantly, of the happy tendency of the laws of Moses, and of Jesus Christ, in the civil state—Filling the public professions, both in church and state, with men of learning and ability, is of infinite service to the interests of both.—Meer pretenders to divinity, law, or physic, ought to be discountenanced by all, who wish to promote the public interest. We have, and it is to be much lamented, some weak brethren, who would be as highly grati­fied with the indigested, incoherent harangues of an illiterate pretender in the pulpit, as with the best composed sermons of the most learned and able divine!—I cannot say that such weak infantile stomachs ought to be entirely deprived of milk—I wish they may not attempt to infringe the rights and privileges of their adult brethren, who are both capable and desirous of eating stronger meat.

3. THE cause of literature will, I doubt not, be thought worthy an eminent place in your political deliberations.

Thyoth, and Solon, and Numa, those wise legislators of Gentile antiquity, and a great number of others, who might be named, if needful, were zealous patrons of literature and of learned men—It was a maxim with the wise Romans—That it very much concerned the common good, that youth be well educated.

[Page 22]WHAT a figure, my political fathers, would America have made, in her great national character, in the late war with Britain, without men of learning and information at the head of public affairs!—American pens were almost as serviceable to our country's important cause, as American arms, in that glorious struggle for liberty.

WE, who are now actors on the theatre of life, shall soon be called off;—a new set of comedians will rise and take our places:—And how will our illiterate and uninformed children fill those places in church and state, which the great arbiter, death, will quickly leave destitute! From our schools and seminaries we expect our children to receive the rudiments of that literature and information, which, when perfected by reading, study, conversation, and travelling, may prepare them to appear with dignity and usefulness in the pulpit, at the bar, on the bench, or in the physical department.

YOUR Honors are sensible there is a special call to the in­habitants of this State, to encourage the education of our youth: the population of the State most rapidly increasing—towns planting, and churches forming in the wilderness—but few gentlemen of literature, and thorough education, compar­atively, yet settled among us—a daily increase of employment in all the learned professions, and in every branch of public business.

I MOST heartily wish, and humbly trust, respectable Sena­tors, that the glory of GOD, the honor of religion, and the welfare and prosperity of this rising republic, may influence and animate all your deliberations, and give complexion to all your laws and statutes.

GENTLEMEN of the Sacred Character claim my next ad­dress.

MY Reverend Fathers and Brethren, you have the happi­ness to reflect, that the religion you preach is not only divine, as having all the credentials necessary to authenticate its celes­tial original, but that it is also a religion which wears a most favorable and benign aspect upon human society, and social life:—a religion in its own nature and tendency adapted to rectify the disorders of the human heart—to eradicate every [Page 23] unfriendly and unsociable sentiment, passion, and affection; and to implant and cherish every generous and noble sentiment, and every kindly social grace and virtue:—a religion evident­ly composing a principal part of Jehovah's vast and stupend­ous system of moral government, which he originally designed, and hath ever conducted, for the perfection and happiness of man, as a rational and social being.

You also enjoy the sublime plesure of the reflection that, whilst you endeavor studiously to investigate, and faithfully to teach, the doctrines and precepts of Christian Religion, you co­operate with the sacred Trinity, in conducting the divine design of infinite love and grace to man!

FROM such reflections you may derive divine encourage­ment to fidelity, and sufficient support under all the evils and temptations incident to man, or peculiar to the clergyman.

IF the patience of this great and very respectable auditory be not quite gone, I would address myself in the last place to this whole assembly present.—My brethren and friends, the subject which we have had under consideration presents indi­viduals in the civil State with many important motives and arguments to persuade to the practice of virtue and religion.

I. THAT love of his country, which every one ought to cherish, may be improved as a powerful motive to religion. Individuals are the constituent parts of communities and na­tions: the real character of individuals, therefore, will give complexion to the character of the nation, of which they are parts. A virtuous nation, composed of vicious individuals, is an inadmissible solecism in ethics. If we wish our dear native country happy, we must wisely resolve to become personally virtuous. Virtue is necessary to the prosperity of our coun­try and nation—national virtue is composed of that which the individuals of any nation practice: love to our country there­fore involves in it a due respect to virtue: hence one who indulges himself in the practice of vice, cannot, with truth and propriety, be called a lover of his country; because he manifests a disregard to that which all history, both sacred and profane, demonstrates to be necessary to its happiness.

[Page 24]2. AFFECTION to our dearest earthly connections and re­latives, furnishes us with another very engaging and tender motive to religion.

OUR wives, our children, and other dear connections and friends, whose happiness is involved in that of their country, call loudly upon us, though with the most alluring softness and delicacy, to put in practice religion, which may insure the prosperity and happiness of our common country.

How can we have the [...] to assume the character of hu­mane and generous, and yet be deaf to the voice of such wise and sensible charmers!

WE may also consider, that, probably, many of our dearest connections, if not in themselves, yet in their descendants, must abide the fate of their country for ages yet to come: we hope to be perpetuated in our posterity to the latest age—do we not wish to leave our country to those dear parts of our­selves, who may survive us, under the protection of Heaven, encircled by the kindest paternal providence, and consequent­ly in peace and prosperity!

Moses evidently did not confine his views to that generation which Joshua introduced into Canaan, when he recommended religion to the Hebrews—"And through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."—If Moses hath any respect to the longevity of the men of that generation, yet, no doubt, he hath a principal re­gard to the prosperity and happiness of successive generations in that promised land—and he plainly informs them, that their obedience to GOD would prolong their political life: i.e. they should continue a nation, and a happy nation too, so long as they should maintain their integrity, and continue obedient to the commandments of JEHOVAH.

How can we endure the thought of rendering the situation of our families, and of those beings who have derived a mo­mentary existence from us, wretched and miserable, by con­duct, which, at once, proclaims us berest of natural affection, and of gratitude to GOD!—And how will the reflection set upon our minds when we come to die, that we have entailed the curse of Heaven upon our country, and consequently up­on [Page 25] those who may perpetuate our name for long ages yet to come! that, by our vices, we have provoked the GOD of our fathers, and sold our country and our posterity to foreign ty­rants, who may burn and lay waste this goodly land, carry our children captives, or chain them here to vassalage and slavery, far more cruel than death!—My friends, I fear we do not consider what we are about, and what infinite and unutterable miseries we are involving our country and our children in, whilst we are indulging ourselves in vice!

3, ONCE more—A proper regard to our own happiness, which is most intimately connected with that of our country, ought to influence us to the love and practice of religion.

WHO would choose to live in a country, in which tyranny and despotism on the one hand, or anarchy and confusion on the other, had either enslaved the people, or involved them in civil discords and dissentions, too intollerable either to be borne, or easily removed!—Yet irreligion and profaneness tend directly to the introduction of these, or greater evils; for, as that man is unfit to govern others, who cannot govern himself—so that nation which is enslaved to vice, is just pre­pared to be made a slave to foreign power.

MAY the objects which are dearest to us on earth—may natural and parental affection—may the tender and delicate ties of friendship—may love to that country in which we first drew our vital breath, and in which we yet live—may a prop­er respect to our own peace and pleasure whilst we live, and especially a regard to that tranquility of mind and manly as­surance, which may encourage and support us in a dying hour—may any, may all these motives conspiring, excite us to a timely and serious attention to the things of our political peace, and persuade us to live in the practice of those graces and virtues which are the honor and protection of a nation; and also to improve all the power and influence of our respect­ive stations and capacities, to recommend religion to our families, our neighbours, and our country; that it may uni­versally prevail, and become as a munition of rocks, and an impregnable bulwark to our nation.

[Page 26] Now unto the Supreme Monarch of the universe, "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise GOD," be all honor, dominion and power, henceforth and forevermore.

AMEN,