A

SERMON,

DELIVERED BEFORE

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

OF

THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT, AT HARTFORD,

ON THE DAY OF THE

ANNIVERSARY ELECTION,

MAY 13, 1762.

66

PROVERBS xiv. 34.

Righteousness exalteth a nation : but sin is a reproach to

any people.

SOON after Solomon came to the throne of Israel, the Lord appeared unto him, and said, "ask what I shall give thee?" Solomon, desirous above all earthly things to be qualified for his high station, requests neither riches nor honour, nor length of days, nor the life of his enemies, but rather prays for "an understanding heart." And this prayer pleased the Lord." God loves to see rulers more concerned about their duty than about their private interest. A benevolent, generous frame of heart prompting them to do all the good in their places that they can, is pleasing to the Lord. Wherefore God heard his prayer, and gave him a wise and understanding heart, as he desired; and long life, riches, and honour, besides. "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore: and Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East country, and all the wisdom of Egypt; for he was wiser than all men ; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda,

the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round
about. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of
Solomon, from all kings of the earth which had heard of his
wisdom and he spake three thousand proverbs," one of
which was this, righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a
reproach to any people. These words, then, come recommend-
ed to our most serious consideration, as containing one of the
wise maxims of the wisest of men, a chief political principle
of the greatest politician; and they furnish us with a subject
proper for this occasion. Here, then, let us inquire,
I. What is meant by righteousness.

II. How righteousness exalteth a nation.
III. How sin is a reproach to any people,
And then,

IV. I will endeavour to show, that the only way for us in this colony to be a happy community, is to be a righteous people. 1. In the first place, we are to inquire, what is meant by righteousness? And no doubt the word is designed to comprise all moral virtue in general; as it was only in this large' and comprehensive sense of the word, that national prosperity and happiness were promised to righteousness under the Jewish dispensation. But then still it may be inquired, what is the sum of moral virtue? and how does righteousness naturally comprise the whole?

To view beings and things as they are, and to be affected and act accordingly, is the sum of moral virtue. All moral virtue, is frequently in the sacred writings summed up in one thing, under one comprehensive name. For, as every moral virtue grows up from one root, and is therefore radically but one thing; so with the greatest propriety all may be called by one name. Thus LOVE, in fact, is the whole of moral virtue. And thus LOVE is the name given to the whole, in that brief summary of the divine law given by our blessed Saviour, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart :" and "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Love is radically the whole of that duty which God requires of man. "For on these two commands bang all the law and the prophets." Yea, love is the sum of all God's moral perfections. And of all holiness in all holy beings in the universe. For the mo

ral law is the transcript of God's moral perfections. The divine nature is the original, the divine law, is an exact transcript, and in a perfect conformity to this law consists the perfect holiness of angels and saints in heaven; and in an imperfect conformity to it, consists the imperfect holiness of saints on earth; and the perfect mediatorial righteousness of Jesus Christ, is but a perfect conformity to the same rule through a course of the severest trials. For the holiness of God and Christ, of angels and saints in heaven, and of saints on earth, is of the same nature, how different soever in degree and in circumstances. For there is but one kind of true holiness in the universe: and all consists in love. God is love; and love is the sum of all that duty which God requires of man. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." But,

Love to God and to our neighbour supposes that we view them as they are, and it consists in our being affected accordingly, and this affection naturally excites to an answerable conduct. And,

To love God with all our hearts, is only to give him his due : for he deserves it at our hands. And to love our neighbour as ourselves, is only to feel toward them as we would have them feel toward us; that is, to do as we would be done by. And therefore to love God with all our hearts, and our neighbour as ourselves, is in its own nature right. He, then, who is thus affected toward God and his neighbour is, in scripture, called a righteous man. He is rightly affected. He feels as he ought to do. His heart is right. And so he is called a righteous man. And therefore righteousness is another name used in scripture as comprehending the sum of all virtue, even as the word sin is used to comprehend all vice. Thus in our text, righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

II. Righteousness exalteth a nation: as it is in itself an honourable thing; as it has a natural tendency to make a nation prosperous and happy; and as it will be attended with the special smiles of him, who loves righteousness and hates iniquity, and sitting at the head of the universe, can build up or pull down nations at his pleasure.

Righteousness is in its own nature an honourable thing. Yea, among all the variety of excellencies in the universe, there is none of equal dignity with this. It renders God glorious, angels lovely, and heaven a place of consummate bliss. Infinite knowledge, almighty power, and universal dominion, render the Deity great; but it is righteousness, or the moral rectitude of his nature, that renders him glorious. Could we conceive an almighty being at the head of the universe, able with the utmost ease to accomplish all his purposes, but entirely devoid of moral rectitude, whatever reason there might be to fear and tremble before him, there would be no ground for any one in the intellectual system to esteem, love, and honour him. Perfect moral rectitude is the highest glory of the divine nature itself. Yea, it is radically, the sum total of all that beauty there is in the Deity. It is this that renders every other attribute of God amiable, and causes the divine Being to appear glorious in the eyes of angels, in whatever point of light they view him.

Is he almighty, so that none can resist him? is he all-knowing, so that none can circumvent him? is he supreme, so that none can call him to an account? and is he an absolute sovereign, so as to be entirely at liberty to conduct according to the counsel of his own will? and does his providence extend to all things in the universe? and is this a settled maxim with him, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure? Yet, as he is a being of perfect moral rectitude, he is not the less, but rather infinitely the more glorious, in the eyes of the angelic world. They rejoice in his almightiness and infinite wisdom, they exult in his supremacy and absolute sovereignty, and are ravished in a view of his universal government, because it is absolutely perfect. They cry one to another, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.

It is not with the great monarch of the universe, as it is many times with earthly princes. They often abuse their power and their supremacy to mischievous purposes. The thought, that there is none above them to call them to an account, emboldens them to cruel and barbarous deeds. And this, amidst all their external grandeur and glory, sinks their character and

renders them odious and contemptible. All their royal dignity loses its lustre while they are without that moral rectitude, which exalts the great Monarch of the universe above all blessing and praise. For, concerning God, it may be said, that great as his power is, he never used it to oppress the meanest subject in his dominions: and absolute as his sovereignty is, he never made one unwise decree. His law is holy, just, and good, like its author; perfect in beauty, without a blemish; sweeter than honey, yea, than the honey-comb: and all his conduct towards his creatures is so exactly right, and good, and wise, that it is absolutely above emendation. In all instances he knows what is best to decree, and what is best to command, and what is best to do; and in all instances he decrees, he commands, and he conducts, as well as he knows how. An absolutely perfect, an infinitely glorious and amiable Being! It is true, he is accountable to none; and it is equally true, there is no need of it: for he is absolutely perfect. It is true, "he worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will;" and it is equally true, that the counsel of his own will is absolutely perfect. "He doth according to his pleasure in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?" But then," He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." It is true, "He is the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, and who dwelleth in that high and holy place," infinitely exalted above the noblest of his creatures; yet at the same time," he dwells with the humble and contrite, to revive the Spirit of the humble, and the spirit of the contrite ones." It is true, he has the care of kingdoms, and countries, armies and fleets; yea, all the grand affairs of the universe lie upon. his hands; for "his kingdom ruleth over all :" however, he is as mindful of the widow and the fatherless children, who trust in him, and takes as good care of all their concerns, as though he had nothing else to do; for "the very hairs of their head are all numbered." But if we begin to speak in his praise, we know not where to stop; for there is no end to the excellencies of his character. And, it is righteousness, it

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