SERMON XIII. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. ISAIAH, XLIX. 23. "And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” SUCH is the character of the best interests of man, and such is the origin of the kingly power. Man is born for eternity. All his ways and works should be chiefly directed to the acquisition of that happiness which will last for ever. Man, moreover, is a restless being. Order and discipline are as requisite for his present wel fare, as grace and mercy are for his future salvation. God is not the author of confusion. To the divine will all must submit; the divine word all ought to obey. This we have already seen in our previous remarks; this we may still discover in our future observations. Passing on from the origin of the ruling authority, we shall endeavour to strengthen the point before us by further elucidations. Observe, then, Again, in order to form a just estimate of this subject, we must not omit to notice the manner in which the Lord speaks of princes and rulers in his word. If we examine with care and attention the divine records, we shall find that they are always spoken of in reference to their accountability to Him, and as bound to the execution of his will, and the promotion of his glory. They are expressly said to be God's servants; that is, he calls them; ordains them; appoints them to their work; and holds them responsible for the manner in which they execute it, whether with an eye to his glory, or merely for the purposes of their own pleasure and aggrandizement. A prince or ruler is never to be considered as being independent of a power superior to his own; but as always subject to the King of kings, as his own people are, under God, to him. Nor does this apply only to such as acknowledge the divine authority, and rule in submission to the divine will; as in the case of David, who is expressly said to have been the Lord's servant, and, as such, diligently and faithfully ruled in his fear, and aimed to promote his glory.* But even they who are not favoured with such privileges, or not possessed of such a clear revelation, are held under the same obligation, and are answerable to him who is "Most High over all the earth," for the use or abuse of the power with which they are invested, and for the manner in which they have, or have not, acted from higher motives than any which concern their own interests or welfare. How striking is that appeal in Isaiah, xli. 1—4! How clearly does it exhibit the supreme dominion of God even over the highest authority of man! " Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? &c. &c. I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he!" Even Nebuchadnezzar, the proud prince of Babylon, again and again is said to have been the Lord's servant,† although he cast off his authority, and haughtily magnified himself against him; and although the general tenour of his commission was to scourge the guilty nations of the earth at large, and more espe VOL. I. * Psalm lxxxix. 20, and lxxviii. 70—-72. cially God's offending church and people! How gloriously did the Most High determine to pull down the arrogancy of that proud worm when his work was done! "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?" as of the oppressor, so also is it declared of the RESTORER of God's captive people. Cyrus is expressly said to have been the Lord's shepherd, even though he did not know him, for the overthrow of Babylon, and the release of his people;+ and it is affirmed that God appointed him to this work for the making known of his glory. And who does not see that hardened Pharaoh was bound to obey the voice of the Lord, when commanded to let the people go; and that his final doom was as signalized by the retributive * Isaiah, xiv. 13-20. Isaiah, xliv. 24-28, and xlv. 1-6. And justice of Heaven, as his pride and obstinacy had been manifested against the Most High? Oh! let the haughty and imperious princes and rulers of the earth remember that there is One above them--One that can humble their pride, and lay them low-One that can say, and carry the word into full effect, by the execution of the most tremendous vengeance,-“For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thee, &c.; and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and smite thee, &c. &c. And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth!"* Now, then, since the divine word thus tells us that princes and rulers are the servants of God, are they not bound to execute his will, and promote his glory? And if this be the case, even where they have but few opportunities of learning his will, how much more must the obligation be increased when there is every advantage for the acquisition of that knowledge, and where that privilege itself is possessed in all its fulness, blessing, and grace? * Exod. ix. 13-16. |