The Worthy General, The Generous Patriot, The Captain of Our Salvation — Samuel Davies

God and the Gavel, Volume I, No. 10, Davies

Excerpt from Samuel Davies 1756 Sermon, “The Mediatorial Kingdom and the Glories of Christ.”

Samuel Davies, Princeton President

Other kingdoms are often founded in blood, and many lives are lost on both sides in acquiring them. The kingdom of Christ, too, was founded in blood; but it was the blood of his own heart: life was lost in the conflict; but it was his own; his own life lost, to purchase life for his people. Others have waded to empire through the blood of mankind, and even of their own subjects, but Christ shed only his own blood to spare that of his soldiers. The general devotes his life as a sacrifice to save his army. The Fabii and Decii of Rome, who devoted themselves for their country, were but faint shadows of this divine bravery.

O! the generous patriotism, the ardent love of the Captain of our salvation! How amiable does his character appear, in contrast with that of the kings of the earth! They often sacrifice the lives of their subjects, while they keep themselves out of danger, or perhaps are rioting at ease in the pleasures and luxuries of a court; but Jesus engaged in the conflict with death and hell alone. He stood a single champion in a field of blood. He conquered for his people by falling himself: he subdued his and their enemies by resigning himself to their power. Worthy is such a general to be commander in chief of the hosts of God, and to lead the armies of heaven and earth!

God and the Gavel is a project of The Moral Liberal and The Center for Moral Liberalism: compiled, edited, and with occasional commentary by Editor in Chief, Steve Farrell.