HK4U
New member
As I think about what has and is happening in our country lately a reflection of the following is in order. A Young lady sent this to me today.
Government corrupted by vice and recovered by righteousness.
Let us consider that for the sins of a people God may suffer the best government to be corrupted or entirely dissolved, and that nothing but a general reformation can give good ground to hope that the public happiness will be restored by the recovery of the strength and perfection of the state, and that Divine Providence will interpose to fill every department with wise and good men.
When a government is in its prime, the public good engages the attention of the whole; the strictest regard is paid to the qualifications of those who hold the offices of states; virtue prevails; every thing is managed with justice, prudence, and frugality; the laws are founded on principles of equity rather that mere policy, and all the people are happy. But vice will increase with the riches and glory of an empire; and this generally tends to corrupt the Constitution and in time bring its dissolution. This may be considered not only as the natural effect of vice, but a righteous judgment from Heaven, especially upon a nation which has been favored with the blessings of religion and liberty and is guilty of undervaluing them and eagerly going into the gratification of every lust.
We have rebelled against God. We have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. We have neglected and set light by the glorious gospel of out Lord Jesus Christ and His holy commands and institutions. The worship of many is but mere compliment to the Deity, while their hearts are far from Him. By many the gospel in corrupted into a superficial system of moral philosophy, little better that ancient Platonism; and, after all the pretended refinements of moderns in the theory of Christianity, very little of the pure practice of it is to be found among those who once stood foremost in the profession of the gospel.
But, alas! have not the sins of America, and of New England in particular, had a hand in bringing down upon us the righteous judgments of Heaven? Wherefore is all this evil come upon us? Is it not because we have forsaken the Lord? Can we say we are innicent of crimes against God? No, surely. It becomes us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, that He may exalt us in due time. However unjustly and cruelly we have been treated by man, we certainly deserve at the hand of God all the calamities in which we are now involved. Have we not lost much of that spirit of genuine Christianity which so remarkably appeared in our ancestors, for which God distinguished tham by the signal favors of His providence when they fled from tyranny and persecution into Western deserts? Have we not made light of the gospel of salvation, and too much affected the cold, formal, fashionable religion of countries grown old in vice and overspread with infidelity? Do not our follies and iniquities testify against us? Have we not, especially in our seaports, gone much too far into the pride and luxuries of life? Is it not a fact, open to common observation, that profaneness, intemperance, unchastity, the love of pleasure, fraud, avarice, and other vices, are increasing among us from year to year? And have not even these young governments been in some measure infected with the corruption of European courts? Has there been no flattery, no bribery, no artifices practiced to get into places of honor and profit or to carry a vote to secure a particular interest without regard to right or wrong? Have our statesmen always acted with integrity, and every judge with impartiality, in the fear of God? In short, have all ranks of men showed regard to the Divine commands, and joined to promote the Redeemer's kingdom and the public welfare? I wish we could more fully justify ourselves in all these respects. We must remember that the sins of a people who have been remarkable for the profession of godliness are more aggravated by all the advantages and favors that have enjoyed, and will receive more speedy and signal judgments, as God says of Israel - "You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities."
Let me address you in the words of the prophet - "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity." Let us repent, and inplore the Divine mercy; let us amend our ways and our doing, REFORM EVERY THING which has been provoking to the Most High, and thus endeavor to obtain the gracious interposition of Providence for our deliverance.
If true religion is revived by means of these public calamities, and again prevails among us - if it appears in our religious assemblies, in the conduct of our civil affairs, in our armies, in our families, in all our business and conversation - we may hope for the direction and blessing of the Most High, while we are using our best endeavors to preserve the civil government of this colony and defend America from slavery.
And may we not be confident that the Most High will vindicate His own honor, and plead our righteous cause against such enemies to His government as well as our liberties? Oh, may our camp be free from every accursed thing! May our land be purged fro all its sins! May we be truly a holy people, and all our towns cities of righteousness! Then the Lord will be our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, and we shall have no reason to be afraid, though thousands of enemies set themselves against us round about, though all nature should be thrown into tumults and convulsions. He can command the stars in their courses to fight His and our battles, and all the elements to wage war with His and our enemies. He can destroy then with innumerable plagues, or send faintness into their hearts, so that the men of might shall not find their hands. In a variety of methods He can work salvation for us, as He did for His people in ancient days, and according to the many remarkable deliverances granted in former time to New England.
May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble, and the name of the God of Jacob defend us, send us help from His sanctuary, and strengthen us out of Zion! We will rejoice in His salvation, and in the name of our God will we set up our banners. Let us look to Him to fulfill our petitions.
~ Very appropriate to our times, don't you think? Yet this speech was given in May of 1775, by a Dr. Samuel Langdon, before the Honorable Congress of Massachusetts Bay. As God blessed America in granting her freedom from the tyranny and oppression of Great Britain, may the Christians rise us again in this day and may God bless us with delivering us from the tyranny and oppression that many would put us under, those within our government and borders and those without who would wish us harm. God Bless America!
Government corrupted by vice and recovered by righteousness.
Let us consider that for the sins of a people God may suffer the best government to be corrupted or entirely dissolved, and that nothing but a general reformation can give good ground to hope that the public happiness will be restored by the recovery of the strength and perfection of the state, and that Divine Providence will interpose to fill every department with wise and good men.
When a government is in its prime, the public good engages the attention of the whole; the strictest regard is paid to the qualifications of those who hold the offices of states; virtue prevails; every thing is managed with justice, prudence, and frugality; the laws are founded on principles of equity rather that mere policy, and all the people are happy. But vice will increase with the riches and glory of an empire; and this generally tends to corrupt the Constitution and in time bring its dissolution. This may be considered not only as the natural effect of vice, but a righteous judgment from Heaven, especially upon a nation which has been favored with the blessings of religion and liberty and is guilty of undervaluing them and eagerly going into the gratification of every lust.
We have rebelled against God. We have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. We have neglected and set light by the glorious gospel of out Lord Jesus Christ and His holy commands and institutions. The worship of many is but mere compliment to the Deity, while their hearts are far from Him. By many the gospel in corrupted into a superficial system of moral philosophy, little better that ancient Platonism; and, after all the pretended refinements of moderns in the theory of Christianity, very little of the pure practice of it is to be found among those who once stood foremost in the profession of the gospel.
But, alas! have not the sins of America, and of New England in particular, had a hand in bringing down upon us the righteous judgments of Heaven? Wherefore is all this evil come upon us? Is it not because we have forsaken the Lord? Can we say we are innicent of crimes against God? No, surely. It becomes us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, that He may exalt us in due time. However unjustly and cruelly we have been treated by man, we certainly deserve at the hand of God all the calamities in which we are now involved. Have we not lost much of that spirit of genuine Christianity which so remarkably appeared in our ancestors, for which God distinguished tham by the signal favors of His providence when they fled from tyranny and persecution into Western deserts? Have we not made light of the gospel of salvation, and too much affected the cold, formal, fashionable religion of countries grown old in vice and overspread with infidelity? Do not our follies and iniquities testify against us? Have we not, especially in our seaports, gone much too far into the pride and luxuries of life? Is it not a fact, open to common observation, that profaneness, intemperance, unchastity, the love of pleasure, fraud, avarice, and other vices, are increasing among us from year to year? And have not even these young governments been in some measure infected with the corruption of European courts? Has there been no flattery, no bribery, no artifices practiced to get into places of honor and profit or to carry a vote to secure a particular interest without regard to right or wrong? Have our statesmen always acted with integrity, and every judge with impartiality, in the fear of God? In short, have all ranks of men showed regard to the Divine commands, and joined to promote the Redeemer's kingdom and the public welfare? I wish we could more fully justify ourselves in all these respects. We must remember that the sins of a people who have been remarkable for the profession of godliness are more aggravated by all the advantages and favors that have enjoyed, and will receive more speedy and signal judgments, as God says of Israel - "You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities."
Let me address you in the words of the prophet - "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity." Let us repent, and inplore the Divine mercy; let us amend our ways and our doing, REFORM EVERY THING which has been provoking to the Most High, and thus endeavor to obtain the gracious interposition of Providence for our deliverance.
If true religion is revived by means of these public calamities, and again prevails among us - if it appears in our religious assemblies, in the conduct of our civil affairs, in our armies, in our families, in all our business and conversation - we may hope for the direction and blessing of the Most High, while we are using our best endeavors to preserve the civil government of this colony and defend America from slavery.
And may we not be confident that the Most High will vindicate His own honor, and plead our righteous cause against such enemies to His government as well as our liberties? Oh, may our camp be free from every accursed thing! May our land be purged fro all its sins! May we be truly a holy people, and all our towns cities of righteousness! Then the Lord will be our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, and we shall have no reason to be afraid, though thousands of enemies set themselves against us round about, though all nature should be thrown into tumults and convulsions. He can command the stars in their courses to fight His and our battles, and all the elements to wage war with His and our enemies. He can destroy then with innumerable plagues, or send faintness into their hearts, so that the men of might shall not find their hands. In a variety of methods He can work salvation for us, as He did for His people in ancient days, and according to the many remarkable deliverances granted in former time to New England.
May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble, and the name of the God of Jacob defend us, send us help from His sanctuary, and strengthen us out of Zion! We will rejoice in His salvation, and in the name of our God will we set up our banners. Let us look to Him to fulfill our petitions.
~ Very appropriate to our times, don't you think? Yet this speech was given in May of 1775, by a Dr. Samuel Langdon, before the Honorable Congress of Massachusetts Bay. As God blessed America in granting her freedom from the tyranny and oppression of Great Britain, may the Christians rise us again in this day and may God bless us with delivering us from the tyranny and oppression that many would put us under, those within our government and borders and those without who would wish us harm. God Bless America!
