When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn. (Proverb 29:2)
THE passage . . . which stands at the head of our discourse, supposes the people to be judges of the good or ill effects of administration;—and as the wise king of Israel is the author, it may, perhaps, have the more weight.— "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice."—They are sensible of their own happiness in having men of uprightness, honor and humanity to rule over them—Men, who make a proper use of their authority—who seek the peace and welfare of the whole community, and govern according to law and equity, or the original rules of their constitution.— "But when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn"—they are dissatisfied and grieved, when contrary to reasonable expectation, and the design they had in forming into civil society, it turns out, as the history of states and kingdoms authorizes us to say it often does, that their rulers possess opposite qualities—are inhuman, tyrannical and wicked; and instead of guarding, violate their rights and liberties.
IF it be true that no rulers can be safe, where the doctrine of resistance is taught; it must be true that no nation can be safe where the contrary is taught: If it be true that this disposes men of turbulent spirits to oppose the best rulers; it is as true that the other disposes princes of evil minds, to enslave and ruin the best and most submissive subjects: If it be true that this encourages all public disturbance, and all revolutions whatsoever; it is as true that the other encourages all tyranny, and all the most intolerable persecutions and oppressions imaginable.
. . .So far is it from being true, that the universal reception of the doctrine of resistance would be the ground of public confusion and misery, that it would prevent the beginning of evil, and take away the first occasion of discontent.
Gad Hitchcock, A Sermon Preached before His Excellency Thomas Gage, Esq, Early American Imprints, 1639-1800; No. 13330 (Boston: New-England: Edes & Gill, printers to the Honorable the House of Representatives, 1774).
America needs such sermons like this. Join the Bradford Christian College Book Club as we discuss the book “The New England Pulpit and the American Revolution,” by Alice Baldwin. It will take us back to a time “When American Pastors Preached Politics, Resisted Tyranny, and Founded a Nation on the Bible.”
We will meet each week via Zoom beginning Thursday, Sep 29, 2022 and continuing through Thursday, Nov 17, 2022. Meetings will begin at 6:30p MT (8:30p ET / 7:30p CT / 5:30p PT).
You may purchase the book from American Vision by clicking this link: The New England Pulpit and the American Revolution. Enter the discount code AVBW20 to receive a 20% discount.
Please reply to request the Zoom meeting information so that you can join us for this important class.
Bradford Christian College provides an online accredited college education for those seeking a BA degree in Theological Studies or Christian Education. Please contact me if you want more information.
Covenant Academy Online provides live online classes for junior and senior high school students. It can also provided independent directed studies if no live times are available. Please contact me if you want more information about Covenant Academy online.
Hope that you will join us,
Timothy Barrett
Bradford Christian College
