and will also endeavor to be a comfort to us. Since such heads or rulers are such a happiness, let us in this way approve ourselves studious of our own happiness. 1. Let us carry it so towards those who are our heads or rulers, that they may be encouraged to this. Let us see to it that we pay them a dutiful deference. There is honor due to them, see we to it that we render it to them, (Rom. xiii. 7.) Let us see to it that we are subject and obedient to them, how urgent are the two great apostles, Paul and Peter with respect to this, (Rom. xiii. 1.) "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers." (1 Pet. ii. 13, 14.) "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." Let us see to it that we are ready to pay a suitable tribute to them. "We are to render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's." Matt. xxii. 21. And what can be more express than that, (Rom. xiii. 6, 7.) "For this cause pay you tribute also, for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom ;" and let us see to it, that we are not wanting in paying them spiritual tribute, according to the apostle's exhortation, (1 Tim. ii. 1.) "That we make supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty;" but these things have been largely insisted upon by such as have put us in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, (Tit. iii. 1.) 2. And to draw to a conclusion: Let us endeavor to be such a people as that God may please to favor us with such heads or rulers as shall be able to choose out our way, and shall also endeavor to be a comfort to us; and if we would, we must see to it, that we are a reformed people; as long as we retain our iniquities, we cannot expect this happiness; it is said, Hos. ix. 7, "The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred." And as God can suffer the prophets of a people to be fools, and their spiritual men to be mad, and to delude and misguide a people by reason of the multitude of iniquity, and the great hatred, so he can suffer the heads or civil rulers of a people to be so, when a people hate to be reformed; "for the transgression of a land," the wise man tells us, "many are the princes thereof." Prov. xxviii. 2. Yea, and many times bad also are the princes thereof. It is threatened as an heavy curse upon that people, (Lev. xxvi. 17.) "That if they would not hearken to God, and do his commandments, they that hated them should reign over them." Pernicious should their heads or rulers be, such as were abominable to God, and most unprofitable to the people: The hypocrite is sometimes set to reign for the people's sins: O then let us follow the pathetical advice that was given to the people of Jerusalem, (Jer. iv. 14.) "To wash our hearts from wickedness; " O that there were such an heart in us that we could fear God, and keep his commandments always. If those things that are amiss among us were rectified and reformed, and we did but set ourselves to fear the Lord, and to serve him in truth with all our hearts, (which was the advice of Samuel to the people of Israel, in order to their obtaining the smiles and favor of Heaven, both upon their heads or rulers, and themselves also, 1 Sam. xii. 24.) then might we hope to enjoy such heads or rulers as are able to lead us in a right way, and will also be ready to comfort us in all our sorrows: yea, then might we hope that God would think towards us thoughts of and not of evil, and that he would say concerning us, as Isa. lvii. 18. "I have seen his ways, and will heal him, I will lead him also, and restore comfort unto him, and to his mourners." peace TWO SERMONS PREACHED IN DEDHAM, NEW ENGLAND. THE FIRST ON A DAY SET APART FOR PRAYER WITH FASTING, TO IMPLORE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ON THE RISING GENERATION. THE OTHER (SOME TIME AFTER) IN PRIVATE, TO A CONSIDERable number of YOUNG PERSONS IN THE AFORESAID TOWN, AND AT THE EARNEST DESIRE OF SEVERAL OF THE HEARERS, PUBLISHED. BY JOSEPH BELCHER, M. A. 1723. PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN DEDHAM. "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring.”—Isa. xliv. 3. BOSTON : PRINTED BY B. GREEN, FOR SAMUEL Phillips, at the brick SHOP IN CORNHILL. 1710. 3. |