027 Fiat me by Capt. praque From Dr. Seein SERMON, DELIVERED BEFORE HIS EXCELLENCY CALEB STRONG, Efq. Governor, THE HONORABLE THE COUNCIL, SENATE, AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE Commonwealth of Massachusetts; MAY 26, 1802. BEING THE DAY OF General Election. BY THOMAS BALDWIN, A. M. MINISTER OF THE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH IN BOSTON. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the House of Representatives, May 27th, 1802: ORDERED, That the Hon. SPEAKER, Mr. Orts, Mr. RUSSELL, Mr. PARKMAN, Mr. LOWELL, Mr. BROWN, and Mr. HUNNEWELL, be a Committee to wait on the Rev. THOMAS BALDWIN, and to thank him in the name of the House, for his difcourfe delivered before His Excellency THE GOVERNOR, the Hon. COUNCIL, and the two BRANCHES of the LEGISLATURE, on the 26th inftant, the day of General Election, and to request a copy thereof for the prefs. Atteft, Extra from the Journals. HENRY WARREN, Clerk of the "AS FREE, AND NOT USING YOUR LIBERTY FOR A GLOKE OF MALICIOUSNESS BUT AS THE SER- INNUMERABLE are the favors which in dulgent heaven beftows on the children of men. Among the choiceft of an earthly nature, we may reckon the enjoyment of perfonal fafety, the acquifition of property, and in general the liberty of doing whatever will not be injurious to the rights of others, In order to secure these bleffings men have been induced to affociate together. Their mutual wants and weakneffes urge them to unite for their common fafety; and a reciprocation of kind offices, in affifting and protecting each other, forms the bond of their focial union. To give force, however, to fuch combinations, they must be reduced to fyftem, their principles defined, fined, and order and fubordination established. By thus uniting, the strength of the whole body, upon any emergency, can easily be collected to a single point. In this union only individual and perfonal fafety can be enjoyed. It will hence follow, that where the rights and privileges of all are secured, and equal protection extended, all must be under obligations to contribute to the fupport, and to yield obedience to them who are appointed to carry the public will into effect. These duties are inferred from the nature of civil government in general, from the exprefs principles of our focial compact, and from the plain declarations in the word of GOD. The facred fcriptures inform us of the origin and progrefs of fociety, feveral centuries beyond what can be found in any other writings. The particular hiftory of the Jewish nation for many ages together, and God's providential deal. ings towards that highly favoured people, afford us much interefting inftruction. Their civil policy, which was principally dictated by God himself, and the influence which religion had in forming their national character, have been faithfully recorded and handed down to us. The glory of this nation had been gradually declining for five centuries before the Chriftian era; and at this time they were groaning under the Roman yoke. They were indeed looking for a MESSIAH, but had no idea that JEsus of Nazareth was the perfon. They were expecting a temporal deliverer, and not a fpiritual Savior. Therefore when CHRIST attempted to introduce the gospel difpenfa tion tion among them, they charged him with a feditious defign against the Roman government. And al though he declared that his kingdom was not of this world, yet his enemies infifted that he was endeavouring to establish a separate interest, which in its tendency was fubverfive of focial order, and hoftile to the existing powers. No inference could be more unjust, nor a charge more falfe and cruel ; yet on this pretence Pilate give fentence against him. was prevailed upon to "If, faid they, thou leteft this man go, thou art not Cafar's friend; for whofoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cafar," The fame invidious charge was brought against the Disciples of CHRIST, and often made the pretext for their perfecution. They charged Paul with being "a peftilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world.” In order to wipe off a ftigma fo foul, and to convince his adverfaries that the benevolent religion of the gofpel was not unfriendly to focial order, we find him frequently inculcating upon his christian brethren, the duties of fubmiflion and obedience to established authority. In his epiftle to the Romans, he charged them to be fubject to the higher pow ers;" by which he evidently meant civil magiftrates. To give force to the exhortation he adds, for there is no power but of GOD; the powers that be are ordained of GOD." The fame Apostle directed Timothy to offer up "fupplications, prayers, and interceffions for all that were in authority." He also charged Titus to put the flock to which he ministered in mind, "to be fubject to principalities and |