Government the Pillar of the Earth, Appendix
APPENDIX.
Boſton, Auguſt 12. Being the Day before this Sermon was preach'd, the Reverend Aſſociated PASTORS of the Town waited on His Excellency the GOVERNOUR, with the following Addreſs.
SIR,
WIth Hearts full of Joy, and ſincere Thankfulneſs to GOD, we Congratulate Your Excellency's Return to Your Country, and Your Advancement to the Government of it. The KING could not have choſen any One of it's Sons, more worthy to repreſent His Royal Perſon, nor more accepted of the Multitude of Your Brethren.
When we firſt heard of His Majeſty's Grace and Favour to Us, in Naming Your Excellency our Governour, we were like Men that dream: The Cloud that hung over us ſcattered in a moment, and as the Sun breaks out in a dark Day, ſo was the Face of GOD, and the Light of the KING's Countenance upon Us. We render back to the THRONE our dutiful and fervent Prayers, for His MAJESTY's long Life, and happy Reign over Us.
According to the good Hand of our GOD upon Your Excellency, ſo has the KING granted to You both now and heretofore: GOD help'd You then to do us ſingular Benefits, and now He has rewarded You in an extraordinary manner. We adore the WISE PROVIDENCE that has led in every ſtep to ſo great an Event, and to GOD be all the Glory.
We believe, SIR, That You are come full of Benevolence to Your Country, to our Churches and to the College; and will always have the moſt tender Sollicitude for their Welfare and Proſperity. And we bow our Knees with You to the GOD of all Wiſdom and Grace, for all thoſe Supplies of both, which You will continually need in the Adminiſtration of the Government.
His Excellency was pleaſed to take kindly this dutiful and affectionate Addreſs, and to make the following Anſwer.
GENTLEMEN,
I Am Extreamly pleaſed with the Reſpect & Duty you Expreſs to His Majeſty, and am Oblig'd for the Honour you do Me.—I do aſſure you it has not been from any Self intereſted Views, That I have ſought His Majeſty's Favour in the Station He has been pleas'd to place Me; but from a Hope of Advancing His Majeſty's Service, and the Intereſt & Proſperity of this Country.—The College & Churches always were and are very dear to Me, and you may aſſure Your Selves Nothing will be wanting in Me to promote their Weal & Proſperity.—And I deſire You to joyn Your Prayers to Mine, That GOD wou'd give me an Underſtanding Heart to diſcern between good & bad: That I may at all times go out and come in before this People to the Honour of GOD, to the Good of this Country, and to the Applauſe of my own Conſcience.
THE END.
End of the text · Benjamin Colman, Government the Pillar of the Earth (1730)