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Indeed the best form of government will not render a people safe and happy, without a good administration. More depends on places of public trust being properly filled, than barely on the constitution. A people may perhaps, for a season, be tolerably happy, under the most exceptionable form of government; but can scarcely be so, under the best, when administration is grossly corrupt. Their rights and privileges are very nearly affected, by the character and conduct of their rulers. The advancement of persons to places in government, is therefore a most interesting affair. It requires the serious attention of all, who have a hand in it and it will lead every man of religion, to implore the favor and influence of the supreme Ruler, who putteth down one, and setteth up another.

This leads me,

Secondly, To consider the agency of God, in putting men into, and removing them from places in government.

Promotion, saith the penman of my text, cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. We cannot (as one remarks on the words) "gain it, either by the wisdom of the men of the east, or by the numerous forces of the western isles; or from those of Egypt or Arabia, which lie southward of Judea. The reason why the north is not mentioned, may be because the same word which is rendered north signifies God's secret-place or counsel, from whence promotion doth come." Perhaps no more is intended by this poetical expression, than that the most favorable concurrence of second causes, will not prevail to advance persons in government, without the influence of the first. A truth which none can disbelieve, who admit God's superintendency over all human affairs. A truth, in the faith of which, our own observation may have been sufficient to confirm us. Have we not known some, ready to compass sea and land, and to go from east to west, and from north to south, in pursuit of honor? And yet have they not found it like a shadow, in this respect, as well as in some other, that it hath fled before them with a motion as swift as that with which they have followed it? While they have tried every promising method to climb the slippery hill of honor, all their attempts have been blasted, and blasted in such secret and unexpected ways, as could not be accounted for, but by the agency of Him"who disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise." Job v. 12.

Promotion being denied to the power of second causes, is attributed to that of the first. God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.

God is the judge-When several parties contend for the prize of preferment, he determineth it to which he pleaseth, so as best to serve his own purposes. It is not only safe but happy for the

world, that absolute and uncontrolable power should be possessed by a Being of infinite wisdom, invariable justice and boundless mercy. Such power is often ascribed to God, in the inspired writings. "Wisdom and might are his : He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will." Dan. ii. 21; Luke i. 52; Dan. iv.

God is the judge of men's qualifications for government, and his "judgment is always according to truth." He knows whom to promote and whom to depose, in order to answer the wise plan of his universal providence. This power God doth not usually exercise in an immediate way, but by the intervention of several second causes; and these are united and combined together in such a manner, as could be done by no understanding but one that is infinite. Sacred and other histories furnish us with instances hereof. The advancement of Joseph to great dignity and power in the Egyptian court, is a remarkable one. A variety of unconnected causes operated to bring this about, unconnected in themselves, but united by Him "whose kingdom ruleth over all." It was by the agency of God, that king Saul was disgraced, and David advanced; an event, to which it is probable, our text has special reference. By this it came to pass, that proud Haman was hanged on the gallows he had made, of fifty cubits high; while Mordecai the Jew, for whom he had prepared the same, was promoted: By this, that haughty Nebuchadnezzar was turned a grazing among the beasts, to teach him that "the heavens do rule : " By this, that boasting Herod was eaten of worms,

because he did not consider that he was one himself.

The influence of the supreme Governor of the world, in bringing about such events, in later ages, is not less real, though perhaps less evident and immediate. It must be acknowledged in putting down some, and setting up others, in our own nation and land. The fall of that unhappy and misguided king, Charles the First, was an instance of it. So was that ever-memorable event, so happy in its consequences to Great Britain, and to these Colonies, called the Revolution, when king James the Second abdicated the throne, and King William and Queen Mary, of glorious memory, were advanced to it; which made way for the present happy establishment in the house of Hanover. The people of this province, not only shared in common with their fellow-subjects, on the other side of the Atlantic, in the advantages arising from this great change in government, but were particularly happy, in being delivered from the oppressive and tyrannical administration of Sir Edmund Andros. The agency of Heaven in these events, doth not determine the innocence or

guilt of those, who were the voluntary instruments of bringing them about. "Thou couldest have no power at all against me," said our Saviour to Pilate, "except it were given thee from above" John xix. 11. Yet this did not prove him innocent, in "condemning that just one."

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The promotion of men to places of power and trust, who either have no talents for government, or are disposed to use those that they have, to wicked purposes, is an event, which may seem hard to be accounted for. "God's judgments are a great deep." This however must be a settled principle with us, "that the Judge of all the earth doth right." His providence is by no means to be impeached. The moral evils which take place, in consequence of such promotions, are not to be charged on him. He may permit such things, to punish a bad temper, either in the persons promoted, or in the people over whom they are set, or in both. should consider it as the primary design of such punishment to reform them; but if they remain incorrigible under it, a fuller display of God's rectoral justice and hatred of sin, will be made in their ruin. "The Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." Rom. ix. 17. In judgment to Israel, Saul, and several wicked kings, were set over them. "There is (says Doctor Tillotson) a kind of moral connection and communication of evil and guilt, between princes and people; so that they are many times mutually rewarded for the virtues and good actions, and punished for the sins and faults, of one another."

Good men, who have excellent talents for government, and a disposition to use them for the public advantage, are sometimes kept out of place, or suddenly stripped of that civil power with which they had been clothed. This is a chapter in the book of providence hard to be explained. In this way, we have reason to think, God sometimes designs to punish a people's ingratitude to him for a good administration, which they have enjoyed; their unsubmissiveness to it, and abuse of its blessings. He may also intend the advantage of the persons thus displaced, by a dispensation generally grievous enough to them. He may behold their virtue endangered by their elevation: He may foresee that they would not be proof against the temptations of it; and that they would neglect, what to them, as well as to others, is "the one thing needful," the care of their souls. Many have lost ground in religion by advancement, and recovered it by a return to private life.

Having remarked on the agency of God in advancing and deposing men, I go on,

Thirdly, To consider what views they should have in seeking

and accepting places in government. I here mention seeking places, for I do not imagine that all kinds and degrees of this, are to be condemned; though the character of seekers, in general, is a very odious and invidious one. Importunity in a candidate for promotion, is a presumptive evidence that he is unfit for it. Men of the best qualifications have generally disdained those low arts and intrigues, by which some have made their way into places of power. It is hard to say what can be more base and wicked, than the conduct of those, who attempt to rise by the help of adulation and bribes, unless it be that of those who hearken to them, and become the tools of their pride and ambition. That temper, however, deserves to be denominated a false modesty, which makes men always decline preferment, when it comes in their way; or avoid those offices which require great abilities, when they know themselves to be possessed of them. Hereby they may be chargeable with hiding talents which they ought to improve for the public good.

But all men's endeavors to rise in government, should be such as they have reason to think God approves; such as they can with sincerity recommend to his blessing, and wait on him to succeed. If this is not the case, they are in effect fighting against God. They ought not to seek, nor even to accept, such offices as they know they cannot discharge, in a good measure answerable to the nature and importance of them.

God is the judge-You should be able to look up to him in confidence, that he approves every step you take in the way to posts of honor; and with a willingness to be disappointed, if in his unerring wisdom he sees you to be unfit for them; and that your success would operate either to the damage of the public, or of yourselves. Such a serious regard to God, as the fountain of all power, would shame men of virtue and modesty, out of those base methods, by which, it is to be feared, some are seeking after promotion.

Men indeed are generally partial to themselves: They think their accomplishments greater than they are. Under the influence of this partiality, some may with honest simplicity solicit, and enter into, such departments in government, as they can by no means fill with dignity, and to the satisfaction of the public. This evil is to be guarded against by those, whose part it is to introduce men into office.

The rules to be observed by such, is the

Fourth thing to be considered. They should act with great fidelity and caution. This fidelity and caution is necessary, both in superior magistrates, in their appointments, and in the people, who choose persons into office. The business is of a very interesting nature; in doing it they should consider themselves as

instruments in the hand of God, and therefore bound to consult his will, and to govern themselves by it. This teaches them to promote men according to their apparent merit; and not to be influenced by private connections, and prospects of personal advantage. The public prosperity greatly depends on your faithful discharge of your duty in this respect. You are accountable to God for the manner in which you discharge it. You are bound, as you will answer it to Him, to consider the qualifications of candidates for places in government, and to promote such, and such only, as you think in some good measure possessed of them.

What these qualifications are, I have not time particularly to consider. Two of the most essential, and in which most others may be included, I shall briefly mention-Wisdom and Religion.

No small degree of wisdom and knowledge is necessary to constitute a good ruler, whether he fills a place in the legislative, or executive part of government. Solomon, when advanced to be king over Israel, prayed for a wise and understanding heart: God approved his petition as seasonable, and gave a gracious answer to it. Wisdom is not only necessary for kings, and for persons in the highest seats of government, but proportionable degrees of it, for those who hold subordinate places. Rulers are compared to light, which, by a familiar metaphor, signifies knowledge. "The heads of the tribes of Issachar," chosen to represent their brethren on a certain important occasion, are expressly said to be "men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." 1 Chron. xii. 32.

Government is by no means safe in the hands of weak and ignorant men, how good soever their intentions may be. When such men have the management of our public affairs, what can we expect but that they run into confusion and disorder?

Nor is it every kind of knowledge that will qualify a man to govern. He must be acquainted with men, as well as things; otherwise he will be in continual danger of being imposed on, by the subtlety and address of designing men around him. He will confide in those who are not to be trusted, and make those his counsellors, who will take pains to lead him astray. It is the character of the supreme Ruler, that "he is a God of knowledge, by whom actions are weighed." 1 Sam. ii. 3. Rulers among men, should have skill to form a due estimate of the actions of persons, under all that coloring which they lay on them. If they have not, how can they approve and reward those that have a salutary influence on the public? How can they disapprove and counteract those of a contrary nature?

Rulers should not only be acquainted with the natural rights of the people, which are the same under every form of government, but also with those which originate from the constitution of the

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