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General Affembly

OFT K E

STATE OF YERMONT,

ON THE DAY OF TIIEIlt

ANNIVERSARY ELECTION,

OCTOBER II, 1787, AT NEWBURY.

B y L Y MAN POT T E R, A. M. PASTOR OF THI\ CHtlRCH I. NOR WleH

WIN D S 0 R:

P It J N l' Z D B THO UGH & S P 0 0 N E R.� M.uCC,LXXXV Ill.�

AN

ELECTION SERMON.

2 S A II tT ~ L, xxiii. J. HeINl rulelb Df)er ",en, muft be juft, ru/i/Ig in Ihe

fIlii oj Gpd.

CIVIL go.ernmen: is an inftitution 81'poicte by qod, for tbe good and well. being of man·

kind. Tbe needJity and importance 01 thll inlli. lution may be jnfe led from the wifdom and goodners of bim who hath appointed the Came. 'Tb,e divine being bas Ce:D fit to rfiablilh his law, a"

. ~ perfea. unerrillg rule for men to walk by ; a du~

regard to whlcb is tbe fOlJndation 01 all rrue hap. <!> pioefs. And were every onc difpofed to wai!~

::c agreeably to thi. rule, it wculd fuperrede the ne-. cellity of any civil eftablilhment; for then ev rll one would do to others as he would bave them do unto bim. But luch is the unhappy !tate ot map-. kind, fince tbe aponaH, Ihat they are .;fpoled~ every man to reek, his own, and nor t e thing 01 ao.other. And if there is norhing to prevent their cO'etous ddires, and wicked purC"its, but their 0 .. 0 confcie,!ces, aod the di.ine I."" the penally.of wbich none can in8iCt but God only, they will Ii" and fleal, aod denroy both themlelv.s tnd Othe's. I:Jenc;c atilt' tbe necellily of civil govemment••. h cn

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Vermont Historical Society

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GO<!, in his infinite wifdom, has fee!, 6t fO elf~~lilh. and whicb, dul, allJDiniltered, is l~e foundat.io'n.o~ ~he peace, urdu and happinds of civil fodety I and IS one excellent mean 10 jldvance the peace, order and bappiocfs ot chriftian fociety; fa that Ihe in­{pired "'riter (fpeaking of civil '!overnment) favs, II lilt [fJllllulillll bt dtJ''Jtti, fIlblll can Ibt rigbleo., .o~ Pial. x. 3. Kiog David had peculiar adv~'-"ge: to fee wbat iI.flueace Ihe one had upon the other, .a he was called in the ear Iy part of lite, not only to fill ;0 important feat In the clpil depaluneor; but .lfo to fill a more i",ponaot one in thereligiolll departmenc f 10 be a type and forerulIflcr of Chrilt, thc grcat !lead of tbe church. And as the faithful arlmini­ftra ions of government in thefe tWO d,d"riellC­branches, is ot vaft importance to O1ankinil, fo be

} earn~f\ly prays for eacb; Let tb, Iritfts lit c14tW 'Wilh ,igbltMljnt/s, pral. cxuii. 9. GhJt to 161 iiIf Iby juagflltllls, 4IId IbJ rigbltoll['l.tft 10110 IIIe kint, ft.,' thai bt fIlflJ jltt!gt tbe poo,,""Jrut tbe lINd}, 11114 Ired iff pimstbt tJPPrt/Tor, Pial. Ixxii. s..... Dayid was now old and ttricken in age; his long illlprov-­cd jUdgmenr, which was ripened ..i,h thc'cxpcri,elice of many years, qllali!icd him to give the beft advice in matters of ,be g..attft importance: For 'fIJI

,jhallJPtal:, ant! Iht <nullilltit o!ytars./hall Itath wi/"ar-, Jail xxx,i. 7. The words of the text come willi pecul,ar weight and folemai,y, as they arc the I.ft' words of a dying prince, gi~ing advice to his fur­vi.ing kingdom; and are ,hereforc w'orlby to' be_, comc lhe o~j"lt of our torious allcorion and diligent enquiry at tbis time, wbich will be in the follow'ing' manner. J'

J. It is the will of Heaven, that there Ibould be cirri rulers. ' • "

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II. It is required of Lhofe who rule, [!tnt Lher

be jull men. • III. SIio", the rea(~ns why tliey ought to rule

in� the fear of God. .IV. Clofe the whole with 3 brief .ppl'c.tion. I. It is Lhe will 01 Heaven, thatlhere fhould be

civil rulers. \ Mofes was called immtdiaccly by God to rake

l~e rule .nd goverroo'tnt of his pwple 1(".<1. Sad• DavId, and many olhcrs, ~eceived their ruyal cruwns by lprcial dlrdlion from h.aern. NOLonly king'. buc ,hole: who 611 itadons of 1<£, impore.nce 10 civil

• government, are r ,ually appoimed by God. os o"r he fern, Provo VIII. 13,' By"" kings nig1/, url pri'lflJ Jecrtt jujfice ; by m: pri1t.us Tttll, QJfd rdJU!.J~ rom allibe j4tigrs of the e.;rlh. Our SW'CG' Wa3

lubjrct LO thrlr aUlhori,y, and paid rribult', when it .... dem.ndrd of him. And the apoO Ie Paul is v"'y particular in II,. ~inr. Lit t"oJery ftui be [lib, jeO /lnlo /be higbtr power.'. for there is no power bul of uod; the POWlyj that be. r.re ordail1edofGud: ROlTI. ",II •

I The apuAle Peter t·r-j'.l1ns (he f:'llllt' f SIl/;mit Y9Ur{t;''lJeI 10 t"!,;ery ordi11tJJiCe of 111an, for tbe !Ant's [a.k~; ",blloer j/ be (0 /be ki~g as (Ilpwne, or "nl" g'-V"I/0rs aJ UlIlo /Orin Ih.1t 47' f,'n/ by him, for /he PUnij'hfJJl1it of lvil dutYs, and for the praife of Ihem tbal do well; 1 Peter, ii. 14. God ha; 1:I\;6.d his w;lI, in rhcdhbldr.mrnt "I civilluk... in rtqu:nng that (upp/ica/ioTiS, prnJers and illleruj}?/H be mffde fo" all men, for lri1/gs, alld for all :11 o/l/horily, Ib,,/ we 71101 lead II peaceable and quitl (j!e, ill till godlillefs 'and h01/ejly; 1 T,Ol. ,i. 1,2. And in thac we arc for hid to lp<ak evil of rulers: for il is wriJlcn, /boll jhiZll Ttll fptllk c",il ,r Ihe rIder of /h1 people; ACts xx, II. 5· AI1Q [rom a cor,Jid~ratjon a~ (he great ult: whieo • '.� • G:-d

( I J� ,� God hn m,de of them in day. pill, aDd t.e uii

",hieh he fays be ...ill make of Ibem in time co COIDC. WMh he wih p.,Ut OUI ~is fpiril, and cauie his church 10 increa~, and become Uoiwerfal ; eYell

then Ici"fs jHlJ/ b, tm,'-k fatHrI, .n.1­lby ",../1111: _tws; Ila. Ilill. all. cr. Jhalt 111[. [.,1: lIN w,afts ,/ lcints, l1li4 llmt jbalt huv111Nst IlhI urd, aM Iby S~iwr IIIId Iby JUdi,.,.; Ifa. Ix. lli. Tiki; polf.ges, Irom Ibe iliaD, that mighl be ad­duced. are fullic:i<:nllo lbow. Ibac it is Ibe will of HeaveD. t"o,t there lbould be ci.il rulers. 1 now pais 00 10 /how in the

II. Place, lh" II i, '''lliired of Ibok who ruie',� sh~' lhey bt juft 1I'Cll. ADd IbIS will appeIr, if we� conllJer Ibe natu'e aDd ie'porI.tler of dle buaner.� .Iligned them to do :-'IS lht:y art appoinled 10 ufe� ,hm power 10 IUPPJeli in;qoily, sod all .as of i....� jullie.. II is t1ler::dingI7 natural ff'r lhe hurnan� heart 10 bl<ak fortb inlo Ibofe aBs of wlCkedoeli� ond impiety, which ale di/honorable 10 God. arod� dtllrudive 0 Ihe happincfs 01 human fOClel,. The� b,arts of tne 19M or alen are fuil of evil, and b,.� rat4t [e.una alai1/;1 till t'tJil....".~ is "" Jptrdiiy e:re­�tMud, tbeir btarlS art full, Itl wilbia Ibm I. Jq roiJ I� Ercle. vi,i. I. : lno modnds is in Iheir heanl white� (hey live. NOlw;,hllanding Heaven is continually� uli"~ the molt powerful meafts to curb thofewieked� palIions, and prevent the oulbroaking of injullice­�Iu..·h .s ,he various c«lamitiu ahd forrows of Iifr-,� which 611 Ihe world .. lib pain and dill:refs, the� 'trron ot death, the alluring profpe4s of a heavenly� par.Qife. and the fearful lliooms of etfrnal dark­�wfs; 7et mankind will break aver chere rdlraincr.� a' if lhe, were bUI fbado"s, or mere cyl)hcrs of DO� anil : aDd.it there ". 1IOlhio&-1DOIt'. the ean~

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would b~ lined wilh violence. But Gnd has breo pkaied to appoint other means :--even cIvil rulers" who by the bldli 'g of He.ven, H.av. oltentime~ cu' bed thofe wicked p,ffiJns, and prtvented their brraking out IOtO open atls of inju(bc~.•

Rulers arc appolOted to fiand "I 'h.e gap, and draw 'he (word of civil iullice againa all op~n of­fenders, and (0 10 beeo'lle a lerror to evil doer.s: and (he n31ure at lheir bufint:fs, and ddig~ of thiir office is fueh, Ihat no one can att In the char~aer 01 a fallhful I ultr, bLH he who is jun :-there is n~ way to prevenc the growth of injunice; buc only i" a way of juniee. The prevalcncy of lome things may be preventrd man' 'ways, but the prcval~ncy

at injufflcc: can b~ prt:vc:n(~d 01;;';0 on( way, viz. in a way of jullicr : "lheldore lt IS Ilquired of th~le "ho are appuinted to (upple(s aa. 01 mjuaic., that they be jult men~' .

2. It will fur,!her "ppear, if we conlider that the roler is appointed to defend ihe hberry and proper­ty of his fu~j<49s. Liberry and Ilroperly have vcr !>ten thc'objeCl. 6f lawlefs ambl<lon and aVariCe. A ... unbounded ddire W have dOffilofon over thefe, has been thal grear. fpring whict> has rnnwd tho(e migh_ ty wheds, which have brought on thofe reyolutlons ...·hich have, taken place in lhe riling and tailing of kingdoms and .mpire.. 'Wbat iot'pued t\lexantler. Ihe Celor., and OIht< mighty corqueror., but Ihe profpeCi of obtaioihg dominion' ~Yer thm tdloY/. creatures, and h.vi'ng their I'beny and prOl?eny ~~ their dilpofe? What_"\"oved' amienr Ph.;a h tll purfue, with h:, numerOus hulls, the children of Hrael. wit~ fu~~ intrepid z~.I, but tbe profpeti& o}·

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lllakinttlhelq hi.. fcrv~Q(I for ..tr ~ ~~d ..hal h aau~~d fa- m&ol' 91 tllir brethrrn, in a C~rift:'aD IIAd, to CouDtr"a IArir own proftaion lit liber". IQ brne; lh_~ ~ger. Qf lhf ffa, and huard thri.. lin. among Ibe African uibloa, bUI a mir.ft all. rklln, 9II1~i8td ar lI.e e"penfe of thf libnll' and prOpell' of ih~ir ft.lIow.c;reature~~ And how rf.ad" were we co la~,! lhe alarm, "'hM our Briufn ruler. a,.1It'd for fome of au' interell? They toucbed lbra the apple'of our {'ye-and the unIY<Pf,,1 cry wu, co L:bcn, aad pr9Pftly are invaded;. the king and parlialDfnt are uojull in guyerDmrnl; lhey m",n ~

ftli(\~ urn unto blood:" And by Ihe b1dIing of Hc'all1rn, _ maintained our liberli~, and fome parr of our properties, though at the e"penfe at mucl> tuafurr, at luq hanrd of a lung and fore ..or, ana the 10& Qf many thouland lioe., Yel our IibUliq and property ..ere a [reafUrf 10 rich, lbal we thought th' ooll<Jllelt grrar, and Ihe YiaOl y glorious. T bi, trtafl,lF<r we commi' to the car. of our civil rulers, we hold our pro!!""y under the ciyil po..'er; we trjoy our liberly trom rnw rriendly aid aDd affill.

•� abet. L .. Ihis fllablilhmeat be remoYerl, aoci 'we Itave: DOlhing Ihar We can call our owo. Our liber­t; and properry wonld lie or 'he mfrey of lhoff, who b..,e no bouods to their lulls and a..,ice.­'lherefore, rwlers who are appoiOlt'd re dde"d 'hefe, oUghr ru l1e jull i for lherr is IImhing lh~t ..ndan­~r. lhfm, but injulli" _ but when roler. are· un­Jllll, tbe intefell aod Iib... y of 'he people breome an eafy prey ru them, aod ,he yoke ut bopdage i. laid on by thof. hands which are sppoimed to keep ~'oJf. A• • bi. an Mndi trllvcllc" baYing ftjtr, ".' .� pounds