The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men

Introduction

THE - DOMINION or PROVIDENCE OVER THE |

‘PASSIONS or MEN,

‘ ~_ . .

>

¥ A >

SERMON,

PREACHED AT

ie “a fPRINCETON, May 17, 1775,

es ae . " _ BEING THE

- oe “GENERAL FAST 3 : Sy ne moe Appointed by the CONG RESS through the

UNITED COLONIES.

By JOHN WITHERSPOON, D.D. bs | - Prefident of the College of New Jersey.

—

PHILADELPHIA printed 5 LONDON reprinted, For FIELDING and WALKER, No. zo, Pater-nofter-Row:

M,DCC,LXXVIII.

a . Nt

oe a “ dist ° itt aple

ADVERTISEMENT,

\HE following fermon, firft printed at Philadelphia, was, fome time fince, reprinted in Scotland, with notes, intended to guard the author's country- men againtt his political principles. It is now printed again in England without them; not with a view to inflame the_

minds of any againft the prefent meafures of government, but to inculcate the great moral and religious inftruétions which

it contains on perfons egf all parties ; who, if they will read without prejidice, muft acknowledge, that whatever be the truth with regard to the prefent unhappy conteft between Great Britain and Ameri- ca, the difcourfe contains many admirable hints of advice,which, if properlyregarded, will tend to the profperity of both coun- tries. Should the author be confidered in the moft unfavourable light, the old and

PSALM txxvi. 10.

’ Surely the Wrath of Man fhall praife thee, and the remainder of Wrath fhalt thou refirain, 2 ‘

y\HERE is not a greater evidence either 4 of the reality or the power of religion, than a firm belief of God’s univerfal prefence, and a conftant attention to the influence and operation of his Providence. It is by this means that the Chriftian may be faid, in the emphati- cal {cripture-language, to walk with God, and to endure as feeing him that.is invifible. - — The doétrine of ‘Divine Providence is very full and compleat in the facred oracles. It ex- tends not only to things which we thin« of great moment, and therefore worthy of notice, but to things the moft indifferent and inconfiaerable. Are not two fparrows fold for a farthing? fays our Lord, and one of them fhall not fali on the ground without your father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered *, It extends not only to things beneficial and falutary, or to the direction and affiftance of thofe who are the fer- vants of the living God, but to things feemingly mot}

* Matt. x. 29, 30

Py ee

2 The Dominion of Providence

moft hurtful and deftru€tive, and to perfons the, moft refra€tory and difobedient. He over-rules all his creatures and all their aétions. Thus we are told, that fire, bail, Snow, vapour. and flormy wind, fulfil bis word in the courfe of nature, and even fo the moft i impetuous and diforderly paf- ‘fions of men, that are under no reftraint from themfelves, are yet perfectly fubjeét to the domi- nion of Jeh6vah. They carry his commiflion and obey his orders, they are limited and reftrain- ‘ed by his authority, and they confpire with every thing elfe in promoting his glory. There is the greater need to take notice of this, as men are not in general fufficiently aware of the diftinétion between the law of God and his pur- pote. They are apt to fuppofe, that, as the temper of the finner ‘is contrary to the one, fo _ the outrages of the finner: are ‘able to’ defeat the other ; chan which nothing can be more falfe. The truth is plainly afferted’ and nobly exprefied by the Pfalmift in the text. | Surely the wrath of man shall praife thee, and the remainder of wrath fhalt thou refirain.

This pfalm was evidently compofed as a fong of praife for fome fignal victory obtained, which was at the fame time a remarkable deliverance from threatening danger. The author was one or other of the later prophets, and the occafion probably the unfuccefsful affaule of Jerufalem by the army of Senacherid, king of Affyria, in the days of Hezekiah. Great was the infolence

. a and

Ne

over the Pafions of Meni ie

‘And boating’ of his generals and fervants againft

the city of the living God, as may be feen in the

_ thirty fixth chapter of Haiah. Yet it pleafed

God to deftroy their etiemies, ahd by his own immediate interpofition, to gtant them deliver-_ ance. ‘Therefore the Pfalmitt fays in the sth

and’ 6th verfes of this ~pfalm, The ffout-bearted are Jpoiled, they have flept their fltep : anil none of thé men of might bave found their bands. At thy rebuke, O God of Facob, both the chariot and borfe are taft into'a déad fleep. After a few more remarks to the fame purpofe he draws the inference, or makes thé ‘refle@ion in the text :

Surely the wrath of man Jhall praife thee, and the

remainder of wrath shalt thou refrain. Which may ‘be paraphraféd thus: The fury and ins ~ jufticg of oppreffors Mall bring ih’ a tribute of _ praife to thee: ‘the influence of thy righteous

‘Providerice thall be clearly difcerned: the coun-

tenance and fupport thou wilt give to thine own people fliall be glorioufly illuftrated ? thou Malt fet the bounds which the boldeft cannoj pafs. “fam fenfiblé, my brethren, that the time and occafion of this Pfalm may feem to be, in ofie refpect, ill fuited’ to. the interef and circum ftances of this Country at prefent. It was com=

pofed after the victory was obtained, whereas

we are but putting on the harneft, and entering: Mpon animportant conteft, the length of which it is impoffible to forefee; ‘aiid the iflueof which it will perhaps be thought prefumption to fore-

; B 2 tell;

+ The Dominion of Providence

tell. Butas the truth, with refpec&t to God’s moral government, is the fame and unchangea- ble, and the iffue in the cafe of Senacherib’s in- vafion did but lead the prophet to acknowledge it, our duty and intereft confpire in calling upon ‘us to improve it. And I have chofen to infift upon it, on this day of folemn humiliation, as it will probably help us to a clear and explicit view of what fhould be the chief fubje& of our prayers and endeavours, as well as the great object of our hope and ot in our prefent fituation,

The truth, then, afferted in this text, which I propofe to illuftrate and improve, is—That all the diforderly paffions of men, whether expofing the innocent to private injury, or whether they are the arrows of divine judgment i in public calamities, fhall in the end be to the praife of God. Or, to apply it more particularly to the prefent ftate of the American Colonies, and the plague of war, the ambition of miftaken princes, the cunning and cruelty of oppreffive and cor- rupt minifters, and even the inhumanity of bru- tal foldiers, however dreadful, hall finally pro- mote the glory of God. And i in the mean time, while the ftorm continues, his mercy and kind- nefs fhall appear in prefcribing bounds to their rage and fury.

In difcourfing of the fubje&t, itis my inten- - tion, through shia affiftance of Divine grace,

“1, To

ever the Paffions: of Men. 8 oT. To-point out to you, in fome particulars, He ‘how the wrath of man: priitts Gee

» It. Tevapply thefe- principles. ‘tO our seasick

. fituation, by inferences: of ‘truth’ for your

» anftrudtion and comfort, aad by fuitable ex- ‘hortations: to.duty i in: the 4 be etc aria

i x { Ot GE” ¥ to iy 4.99

wih Tn Mie firft pce am! Hes phat! out to: you

ia -fome “particulars, how the wae of man

praifes God.

~ I fay in fa ne ences. becaufe it is far een being my purpofe to mention or explain the whole. There is an unfearchable depth in. the divine way which it is impoffible for us to

netrate. : the duty of « f every ood_mar 0 = the Meuse bionel Boo are in ee wifdom, “and to believe that thofe meafures -of Providence that are moft unintelligible to him, are yet planned with the fame fkill, and direéted ‘to the fame great purpofes, as others, the reafon and ae of which he can plait in the

ee

more delight or profitable £0 : a fehious mind, ‘and therefore I beg your attention to the follow-

ing remarks, ; Sus : 1. In the firft rice the ee bof man stale ‘God, as‘it is’ an example and illuftration of di- vine

‘€ i 4 ;

6 The Dominion of Providence

vine truth, and clearly points out the corruptiod

of our nature, which is the foundation,,ftone of the doétrine of redemption.

» Nothing can be more abfolutely -neceffary to truereligion, than a clear and full conviction of the finfulnefs of our nature and ftate: . Without this, there can be neither repentance ‘in'the fin- ner; nor humility in the believer. Without this, all that-is faid in Scripture of the wifdom and mercy of God in providing a Saviour, is without force and without meaning, Juftly does our Saviour fay, The whole bave no need of a phyfician, but they that are fick. I tame not to call the righteous but finners to repentance. Thofe who are not fenfible that they are -finners, will treat every exhortation to repentance, and every offer ‘of mercy, with “difdain ¢ or defiance. Se iol

But where can we have a more “affecting view of the corruption of our nature than.in the wrath of man, when exerting itfelf i in fe) »preftion,

cruelty, and blood ? It mutt be « owned , indeed,

that this truth is abundantly manifeft i in 1 times of the greateft tranquillity. Others: may, . if they

> reer Pee

pleafe, treat the corruption of | our nature asa chimera, For my part, I fee it every where, and I feel it every day. All the diforders in human fociety, and the greate(t part even of the unhap-

_ pinefs we are expofed to, arifes from the envy;

malice, covetoufnefs, and other lufts of men. If we and all around us were juft. what we ought to be in all refpects, we fhould nor need to go

any

over the Paffions of Men. Bd any further for heaven, for it would be upon earth. But war and violence prefent a fpectacle ftill more awful. How affecting is it to think, that the luft of domination fhould be fo violent and univerfal ; that men fhould be fo rarely fa- tisfied with their own poffeffions and acquifiti- ons, or even with the benefit that would arife from mutual fervice, but fhould look upon the -happinefs and tranquillity of others as an obftruc- tion to their own: that, as if the great law of nature were not enough “¢ Duft thou art, and to “* duft thou fhalt return,” they fhould be fo fu- rioufly fet for the deftruétion of each other! ’Tis fhocking to think, fince the firft murder of Abel, by his brother Cain, what havock has been made of man by man in every age. What is it that fills the pages of hiftory, but the wars and con-

tentions of princes and empires! What vaftnum- °

bers has Jawlefs ambition brought into the field, and delivered asa prey to the deftruétive {word ! If we dwell a little upon the circumftances, they become deeply affecting. The mother bears a child with pain, rears him by the laborious at- tendance of many years, yet in the prime of life, in the vigour of health, and bloom of beauty, _in a moment he is cut down by the dreadful in- ftruments of death. Every battle of the warrior is with confufed noife, and garments rolled in blood. But the horror of the fcene is not confined to the field of laughter; few go there unrelated, gr fall unlamented, In every hottile encounter, : — what

8 The Dominion of Providence

what muft be the impreffion upon the relations of the deceafed ? The bodies of the dead can only be feen, and the cries of the dying heard, for a fingle day ; but many days fhall not put an end to the mourning of a parent for a beloved fon, the joy and fupport of his age, or of the widow and helplefs orphan for a father taken away in the fulnefs of health and vigour. .

But, if this may be juftly faid of all wars be- tween man and man, what fhall we be able to fay that is fuitable to the abhorred fcene of civil war between citizen and citizen ? How deeply affeéting is it that thofe who are the fame in complexion, the fame in blood, in language and in religion, fhould, notwithftanding, butcher one another with unrelenting rage, and glory in the deed! That men fhould lay wafte the fields of their fellow fubje&ts with whofe provifion they themfelves had been often fed, and con- fume with devouring fire thofe houfes in which they had often found a hofpitable fhelter! Thefe things are apt to overcome a weak mind with fear, or overwhelm it with forrow, and in the greateft number are apt to excite the higheft in- -dignation, and kindle. up a fpirit of revenge. If this laft has no other tendency than to direct and invigorate the meafures of felf-defence, Ido not take upon me to blame it, on the contrary I call it neceflary and laudable.

But what I mean at this time to’prove by the preceding reflections, and wifh to imprefs on your

- minds,

over the Pafficns of Men. a) iminds, is; the depravity of human hature: From whence come wars and fizhtings among you, fays. the apoftle James *, come they not hence, even of your lufts that war in your members ? Men of lax and corrupt principles take great. delight im fpeaking to the praife of human nature, and extolling its dignity, without diftinguifhing what it was at its firft creation, from what it is in its prefent fallen eftate. Thefe fine fpecu- lations are very grateful to a worldly mind. They are alfo much more pernicious to uncau- tious and unthinking youth, than even the temptations to a diffolute and fenfual life, againft which they are fortified by the dictates of na- tural confcience, and a fenfe of publick fhame. But I appeal from thefe vifionary reafonings to the hiftory, of all ages, and the inflexible tefti- mony of daily experience. Thtfe will tell us what men have been in their practice, and from thence you may judge what they are by nature while unrenewed. Jf I am not much miftaken, a cool and candid attention either to the paft hiftory or prefent ftate of the world, but above all tothe ravages of lawlefs power, ought to humble us in the duft. It fhould at once lead us to acknowledge the juft view given us in fcripture of our loft ftate: to defire the happy © influence of renewing grace, each for ourfelves, and to long for che: dominion of righteoufnefs and peace, when men fhall beat their /words into

C plough-

* James iv. t

4

LaTL ae hee

Io. Lhe Dominion of Providence

plough-fhares, and their {pears into pruning-hooks ? when nation fhall not lift up fword againft nation, neither [hall they learn war any more *,

2. The wrath of man praifes God, as it is the inftrument in his hands for bringing finners to repentance, and for the correétion and im- provement of his own children.

Whatever be the nature of the affliétions with which he viiits either perfons, families, or. na- tions, whatever be the difpofitions or intentions of thofe whofe malice he employs as a fcourge, the defien on his part is to rebuke men for iniquity, to bring them to repentance, and to promote their holinefs and peace. The falutary nature and fanctifying influence of affliGtion in general is often taken notice of in fcripture, both as making a part of the purpofe of God, and the experience of his faints. Now uo affiiiion, {ays the apoftle, is for the prefent joyous but grievous. Neverthele/s, it yieldeth afterwards the peaceable fruits of righteoufne/s to them who are exercifed thereby +. But what we are particularly led to obferve, by the fubject of this difcourfe, is, that the wrath of man, or the violence of the oppreffor, praifes God in this refpeét, for it has a peculiar tendency to alarm the fecure con- {cience, to convince and humble the obftinate finner: this is plain from the nature of the thing, and from the teftimony of experience.

Publick

* Mic. iv. 3: + Heb. xii. 11.

+

over the Paffions of Men. it ‘Publick calamity, particularly the deftroying fword, is fo awful that it cannot but havea powerful influence in leading men to confider the prefence and the power of God. It threatens them not only in themfelves, but touches’ them in all that is dear to them, whether relations or poffeffions. The prophet Ifaiah fays, Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee, for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteou/- nefs*, He confiders it as the moft powerful means of alarming the fecure and fubduing the ' ebftinate. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up they will not fee; but they fhall fee, and be afhamed _ for their envy at the people: yea, the fire of thine enemies fhall devour them+. It is alfo fome- “times reprefented as a fymptom of a hopelefs and irrecoverable ftate when publick calamities have no effect. Thus faith the prophet, O Lord, thou haft firicken them, but they have not grieved, thou haft confumed them, but they have refufed to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refufed to return}, © : We can eafily fee, in the hiftory of the Ifraelites, how fevere ftrokes brought them to fubmiffion and penitence. When be flew them then they fought him, and they returned and enquired early after God, and they remember- C 2 ed

* Va. xxvi. 8.9. tv.11. t Jer. v. 33

12 The Domintom of Pravidence

ed that God was their rack and the dish God their Redeemer * eas

Both nations in ‘general, and. private perfons,

“are apt to grow remifs and lax ina time of,

profperity and feeming fecurity, but when their

earthly. comforts are endangered or withdrawn,

_ it lays: them under a kind ee neceffity. to feek for fomething betser in, their place, ; ‘Men.mutt

s

have comfort frqm one quarter or another, When earthly. things are.in.a pleafing and: pro- mifing condition, too many. are apt torfind their » ref, fai be fatisfied with them as their own

* partign, But when the vanity and palling na-

ture of all created comfort is difcovered, they are compelled to look for fomething more dura- ble as well as valuable. What therefore. can. be

more to the. praife of God. than. that, when a whole people have forgotten their refting place, when they have abufed their privileges, and de- fpifed their mercies, they fhould by diftrefs and fufferings be made to bearken to the rod, and re- turn to their. duty,

‘There i is an inexprefible er aa selicty in ‘the judgtnents of God, as in all his “other works, but we may lay down: this as a certain principle, that if there were no fin there could be no fufferings, therefore they are certainly for

the correction of fin, or for the trial, illuftra-

tion, and perfecting of the graces and virtues of

-his own people, We are not to fuppofe that thofe

* Pfal.-lxxviil.. 34°35.

ever the Paffions of Men. 413 thofe who, fuffer. moft, or-who. fuffer fooneft, are therefore more criminal than-others. Our Saviour himfelf thought. it neceflary to give @ caution againft this rath conclufion, as we are

informed by the evangelift *. Suppofe. ye that

thefe Gelileans (whofe blocd Pilate. had mingled with their facrifices) were finners above all the Galileans, becaufe they: fuffered. fuch: things? I teliyou nay, “but except ye repent rye fhall all like- wife perifh.

“I fuppofe we amay fay, with fofficient war- YTant, thavit often happens that thofe-for whom God has ‘defigns of the greateft:mercy are ‘firft brought to.the trial, that‘they may ‘enjoy in due ‘time the falutary effects of ‘the unpalatable ime- ddieinegss ysisjers 7 — ~. Sarva alfo'take-leaveito. ‘obferve, andI hope no'pious ‘humble fufferer will be: unwilling to ‘make the application, that there is often a-dif-

‘cernable mixture of fovereignty and righteouf-«

nefs in-providential difpenfations. It is the pre- *rogative of God'to do what he will with his own, ‘but he oftefi difplays his juftice itfelf, by throwing “into.the furnace of affliction thofe, who, though, -they: may not be vifibly worfe than others, may yet -have:more to anfwer for as having been favour- ‘ed with more diftinguithed privileges both civil ‘and facred. It is impoffible for usto make a “‘jutt and full-comparifon of the charaéters either *. Luke xiii. I—4-

14 | The Dominion of Providence

of perfons or nations, and it would be extreme- ly foolifh for any to attempt it, either for in- creafing their own fecurity, or impeaching the juftice of the fupreme Ruler, Let us therefore ‘neither forget the truth, nor go beyond it. His mercy fills the earth: he is alfo known by the judg- ment which be executeth.. The wrath of man, in its moft tempeftuous rage, \ fulfils his will and finally promotes the good of his-church.

3. The wrath of man praifes God, as he fets bounds to it, or reftrains it by his providence, and fometimes makes it evidently a means of promoting and illuftrating his glory. .

There is no part of divine Providence in which a greater beauty and majefty appears, than when the almighty Ruler turns the coun- fels of wicked men into confufion, and makes them militate againft themfelves. If the pfalmift may be thought to have a view in this text to the truths illuftrated in the two former obferva- tions, there is no doubt at all that he had-a particular view to this, as he fays in the latter part.of the verfe, the remainder of wrath thou Shalt reftrain. The {cripture abounds with in- ftances in which the defigns of oppreffors were

either wholly difappointed, or in execution fell

_ far fhort of; the malice of their intentions, and in fome they turned out to the honour and hap- pinefs of the perfons or the people whom they intended to deftroy. We have an inftance of

the

-

which haft made heaven and earth and the fea,

IRE eT a en ce ee RT See * *

» over the Paffions of Men. 8

relates *. We have alfo an inftance in Efther, in which the moft mifchievous defigns of Ha- man, the fon of Hamedatha the Agagite, againit Mordecai the Jew, and the nation from which he fprung, turned out to his own deftruétion, the honour of Mordecai, and the falvation and

peace of his people. From the new teftament -

I will make choice of a memorable event, on which the falvation of believers in every age refts as its foundation, the death and fufferings of the Son of God. This the great adverfary and all his agents and inftruments profecuted with unrelenting rage. When they had blacken-

_ ed him with flander, when they {courged him with fhame, when they had condemned him in judgment, and nailed him to the crofs, how

could they help efteeming their victory com- pleat? But, O the unfearchable wifdom of God! they were but perfecting the great de- fign laid for the falvation of finners. Our bleffed Redeemer by his death finifhed his work, overcame principalities and powers, and made a thew of them openly, triumphing over them in his crofs. With how much juftice do his apoftles and their companions offer this doxology to God. They lft up their voice to God with one accord, and faid, Lord, thou art God

and

* The matter is fully ftated and reafoned upon by the’ prophet Ifaiah, chap. x. 5—19.

the firft of thefe in the hiftory to which my texe '

PT wee ee se ee

Teer att oe :

ASC RS Rope ee

26 The Dominion: of Providence

and all tbat iW them 4s + ‘who by tbe mouth of “by fervant David haft faid, Why did ‘the beathen rage, and thé people imagine vain things 2 The kings of the earth ficod ups and the rulers were gathered together againft the Lord and againft bis Chrifft: For of a truth againft thy boly ebild Fefus, ‘whom thou baft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Ifrael, were gathered together, for to do whatfoever thy hand and thy counfel determined before to be done *

In ‘all after-ages, im conformity to this, the deepeft laid contrivances of the prince-of darke- fiefs have turned to the confufion of their au- thor. And I know not but, confidering his malice and pride, this perpetual difappoint tments, and the fuperiority of divine wifdom, ‘may be one gtéat fource of his fuffering ‘and torment. The crofs has ftill Beén the banner of truth, ‘under which it hath been carried through the world. Perfecuition has been as the furnace to the gold to purge it of its drofs, to manifeft its ‘purity and encreafe its luftre. Tt was taken no- tiéé of very early; that the blood of the mar-

“tyrs was the feed of chriftianity. ” “The more

abundantly it was fhed the more api = the hatveft prow. - “So certain has this peeery that te moft — violent infidels, both of early and of later ages, have endeavoured to account for it and have -~obferved, * A&s iv. 24--28.

‘over the Paffions of Men: 1

Obferved, that there is a fpirit of obftinacy in

man which inclines him to refift violence, and

that feverity doth but encreale oppofition, be

the caufe what it will. They fuppofe that per- fecution is equally proper to propagate truth and error. This, though in part true, will by no means generally hold. Such an apprehenfion, however, gave occafion to a glorious triumph of divine Providence, of an oppofite kind, which I mutt briefly relate to you. One of the Roman emperors, Julian, furnamed the Apoftate, perceiving how impoffible it was to fupprefs the ‘Gofpel by violence, endeavoured to extinguifh it by negleé&t and fcorn. He left the chriftians unmolefted for fome time, but gave all man- ner of encouragement to thofe of oppofite prin- ciples, and particularly the Jews, out of ha- tred to the chriftians, and that he might bring

publick difgrace upon the Galileans, as he af- fected to ftile them. He encouraged the Jews to rebuild the temple of Jerufalem, and vifibly refute the prophecy of Chrift that it fhould lie

under perpetual defolation. But this profane

attempt was fo fingularly fruftrated, that it

ferved as much as any one circumftance ta

fpread the glory of our Redeemer, and eftablifh the faith of his faints. It is affirmed by fome

ancient authors, particularly by Ammianus Mar-

cellinus, a heathen hiftorian; that fire came out

of the earth and confumed the workmen when

laying the foundation. But in whatever way it

: D was

438 vie be Dominian of Providence

was prevented, _ it .is. beyond all_controverfy, from: the concurring teftimony of heathens and chriftians, that little or no progrefs was ever made in it, and that in a fhort time it was en- tirely_ defeated.

It is proper here to obferve that at the time ‘of the reformation, when religion began to re- vive, . nothing contributed more to facilitate its reception and encreafe its progrefs than the vio- Tence of its perfecutors. Their cruelty, and the patience of the fufferers, naturally difpofed men to examine and weigh the caufe to which they adhered with fo much conftancy and refolution. ‘At the fame time alfo when they were perfecuted in one city they fled to another, and carried the difcoveries of popifh fraud to every part of the world. It was by fome of thefe, who were perfecuted’ in Germany, that the light of the re- formation was fo early brought into Briton.

The power of divine Providence appears

with the more diftinguifhed luftre, when {mall and inconfiderable circumitances, and fome.. times the weather and feafons, have defeated the moft formidable armaments, and fruftrated the beft concerted expeditions. Near two hun- dred years ago the monarchy of Spain was in the height of its power and glory, and deter- mined to crufh the intereft of the reformation. They fent out a powerful armament. againft Briton, giving it oftentatioufly, and in my opinion, profanely, the name of the uvincible P Armada.

eae

“over the Paffions of Men. as Armada, But it pleafed God fo entirely to. difcomfit it by tempefts, that a fmall part of it returned home, though 1 no Britifh force had been oppofed to it at dll. i

We have a remarkable inftance oF the infiu- rice of {mall circumftances in Providence in the Englith hiftory. ~The two moft remarkable perfons in the civil wars had earneftly defired to withdraw themfelves from the contentions. of the times, Mr. Hampden and Oliver Cromwell, They had actually taken their paflage in a fhip for New England, when, by an arbitrary order of council, they were compelled to remain at home, The confequence of this was, that one of them was the foul of the republican oppofi- tion to a monarchical ufurpation during the civil wars; and the other, in the courfe of the _con- teft, was the great inftrument in ‘bringing the tyrant to the block.

The only other hiftorical remark I am. to make is, that the violent perfecutions which Many eminent chriftians met with in England, from their brethren who called themfelves TO- teftants, drove them in- great numbers, to a diftant part of the world, where the light of the Gofpel and true religion were unknown.*° Some of the American fettlements, particularly thofé in New England, were chiefly made by them; and as they carried the knowledge of Chrift to the dark places of the earth, fo they continue themfelves in as great a degree of purity of

D2 faith

20 . The Dominion of Providence

faith and ftrictnefs of practice, or. rather greater than is to ‘be found j in any part of the proteftant world. ‘Does not the wrath of man, in. this inftance, praife God 2” Was not the accufer. of the brethren, who ftirs up their enemies, thus ‘taken in his own craftinefs; and his: kingdom

fhaken by the very means_he ie pplaree ta eftablith i it? ;

sae: ae | Sioceed to the fecond general head, which was to apply the principles illuftrated above to our prefent fituation, by inferences. of truth for your inftruction and comfort, and by

fuitable exhortations to duty in this important crifis. ind, ;

tunity « on ‘this set hs ‘and from ehis fubjeét, to prefs every hearer to a fincere concern for his own foul’s falvation.

- There are: tintes when the mind may bevex- petted to be more awake to divine truth, and the confcience more open to the arrows of con- viction, than at another. A -feafon of publick AR SS : judgment

* Left this fhould be thought’a temporizing compliment to the people of New England, who have been tthe firft fafferers in the prefent conteft, and have fet fo noble an example of invincible fortitude in withftanding the vio- jence of oppreffion, I think it proper to obferve, that the whole paragraph is copied from a fermon on P/. Ixxiv. 22> ‘prepared and preached in Scotland in the month of Au- get, 1758+

- ever the Paffions of Men. at §jidgment is of this kind, as appears from what has been already faid. That curiofity and -at- tention, at leaft, are: raifed in fome degree is plain from ‘the unufual thfong of this affembly! Gan you have a‘clearer view of the finfulnefs of your nature than when the'rod of the oppreffor is lifted up; and you fee men putting on ‘the habit of the warrior, and*collefting on every hand the weapons of hoftility and inftruments of death ? I do not blame your‘ardotir in prepar- ing for the refolute defence of your temporal rights. But confider, I befeech you, the truly infinite importance’ of the falvation of your fouls. . Is it of much moment’ whether you and your children fhall be rich or poor, at liberty or in-bonds ? | Is it of much moment whether this beautiful:country fhall encreafe in fruitful- nefs from year to year, being cultivated by ac- tive induftry, and poffeffed by independent free- men, or the fcanty produce of the neglected fields fhall’ be eaten up by hungry publicans;

while the timid: owner trembles at the tax-ga- .

therer’s approach ? And is it of lefs moment, my brethren, whether youfhall be the heirs of glory, or the~heirs of ‘hell ?. Is your ftate on earth, fora few fleeting years, of fo much mo- ment? and is it of lefs:moment-what fhall be your ftate through endlefs. ages? : Have you affembled together willingly to. hear what fhall be faid on publick affairs, ‘and to join in im- eats the blefling of God on the counfels. and

arms

Eile dis Ma DEE

* Va

2% The Dominion of Providence

arms of the United Colonies ?:ahd can you be unconcerned what fhall become of you for ever, when all the monuments of human greatnefs fhall bé laid in afhes 2? For the earth itfelf, and all the works that are therein fhall bé burnt up. Wherefore, my béloved brethren, as the miniftry of reconciliation is committed to me, I befeech you, in the moft earneft mannef, to attend to the things that belong to your peace before they are hid from your eyes. How foon, and in what manner a feal fhall be fet upon the cha- racter and ftate of every perfon here prefent, it is impoffible to know, for he who alone can know does not think proper to reveal it. But you may reft affured that there is no time more fuitable, and there is none fo fafe, as that which ig -prefent ¢ fince it is wholly uncertain whether any other fhall be yours. ‘Thofe who fhall firft fall in battle have not many warnings to receive, There are fome few daring and hardéned finners who defpife eternity itfelf, and fet their Maker at defiance; but the far greatér number, by ftaving off their convictions to a more conve- wient feafon, have been taken unprepared and thus etérnally loft. I would therefore earneftly prefs the apoftle’s exhortation (2 Cor. vi. 1, 2.) We then as workers together with God, befeech you that yé receive not the grace of God in vain. Bebold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of falvation. Suffer me now to befeech you, or rather to give you warning, not to reft ot ia fie

over the Paffions of Men. 23 fied with a form of godlinefs denying the power thereof, ‘There can be no true religion ell there be a difcovery of your loft ftate by na- ture and practice, and. an unfeigned acceptance of Chrift Jefus as he is offered in the gofpel. Unhappy they who either defpife his mercy on are afhamed of his crofs. Believe it, there is

no falvation in ny others neither is there any other

_ wame given under heaven among men whereby we muft be faved. Unlefs you are united to him by a living faith, not the refentment of a haugh- ty monarch, but the fword of divine juftice hangs over you, and the fulnefs of divine ven- geance fhall fpeedily overtake you. Ido noo fpeak this only to the heaven-daring profligate, or grovelling fenfualift, but to every infenGble finner : to all thofe, however decent and order-

ly in their civil deportment, who live to them-. felyes and have their part and portion in this life. In fine, to all who are yet in a ftate of nature; for except aman be born again he can-

not fee the kingdom of God. The fear of man may,

make you hide your profanity : _prudence and experience may make you abhor intemperance and riot. As you advance in life one vice may fupplant another, and hold its place, but no-. thing lefs than the fovereign grace of God can:

produce a faving change of heart and temper,.

or fit you for his immediate prefence.

2. From,

«gi i Rk es a

Ee ey SS

24 The Dominion of Providence

2. From what has been {aid” upon this fub- ject you may fee what ground there is to give praife to God for his favours already beftowed upon us refpecting the publick caufe.

It would be a criminal inattention not to obferve the fingular interpofition of Providence hitherto in behalf of. the Ametican colonies. It is, however, impoffible for me in a fingle difcourfe, as well. asimproper at this time, to go through every ftep of our paft tranfactions, I muft therefore content myfelf with a few re- marks. - How many difcoveries have been made of the defigns of enemies in Briton and among ourfelves, in a manner.as unexpected to us as to them, and in fuch feafon as to prevent their effect. . What furprifing fuccefs has attended our encounters: in almoft every inftance. Has not the. boafted difcipline of regular and veteran foldiers been turned into confufion and difmay by the new and maiden courage of freemen, in defence of their property and right? In what great mercy has blood. been fpared on the fide of this injured country. Some important vic- tories in the South have been gained with fo lit- tle lofs, that enemies will probably think it has been diffembled, as many even of ourfelves thought, till time rendered it undeniable. But thefe were comparatively of fmall moment. The fignal advantage we have gained by the evacuation of Bofton, and the fhameful flight of the army and navy of Britain, was brought

about

: “over the Paffions of Men. a5 abotit without the Jofs of a fingle man. To all this we! may add,‘ that the counfels of our enemies hayé been;wifibly confounded, fo that Lobelieve 1 may fay, with ‘truth, that. there is hardly.any ftep which ithey have taken but it has’ operated ftrongly : againtt themfélves, and been more in. our :favour: than if they nad. ase lowed.a,contrary courfe;, 5 5 en While, we praife God the fapreme Dilpoter of all events, for his interpofition in. our. behalf, det us. guard again{t the dangerous..error’ of trufting in or. boafting of an arm of flefh. could earneftly wifh, that while-our arms are crowned with fuccefs we might content.ourfelves with a modeft af{cription of it to the power of the Higheft. It has. given me great uneafinefs to. ‘read fome “oftentatious, _yaunting expreffions in our newf-papers, though happily, 1- think, | much ‘reftrained of late. Let us not return to them again. If I am -not ,miftaken, not only the holy {criptures 1 in general, and the truths of the: gofpel in particular but the whole courfe of « Providence feems intended to \abafe the pride of 1 man, and lay the . vain-glorious in the duft. + How many. inftances does hiftory, furnith us with of, thofe.who,. after exulting over and defpifing ’ their: enenies, were, fingularly and thamefully defeated. T he, truth, is, I. believe the. remark may be applied. univerfally, and we may fay, that: through the whole frame of na- ture, and the whole fyftem of human life, that E ~ which

26 _ Lhe Dominion of Providence which promifes moft, performs the leaft. The flowers of fineft colour feldom have the fweeteft fragrance.. The trees of quickeft growth, or | faireft form, are feldom of the greateft value or duration. Deep waters move with the leaft “noife, Men who think moft are feldom talka- tive. And, I think it holds as much in war-as © in any thing, that every boafter is a coward. Pardon me, my brethren, for infifting fo much on this, which may feem but an immate- rial circumftance. -It is, in my opinion, of very great moment. I look upon oftentation and confidence, to be a fort of outrage upon providence. And when it becomes general, and infufes itfelf into the fpirit of a' people, it is -a fure forerunner of deftruction. - How - does Goliah the champion, armed in a moft formi- dable manner, exprefs his difdain of David the ftripling, with his fling and ftone. 4nd when the Pbiliftine looked about and faw David, be dif- dained him, for be was but a youth, and. ruddy, and of a@ fair countenance. And the Pbiliftine faid unto Devid, am I a dog, that thou comeft ta me with faves 2 And the Phili iftine curfed David by bis gods. And the Philiftine faid to David, Come to me, and I will give thy fiefh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beafts of the fred. But, how juft and: modeft the reply. Then faid David to the Philiftine, Thou com- eft to me with a fword, and with a fpear, and ‘with a fhield: but I come unto thee in the name

a

over the Paffions of Men. 29

of the Lord of Hofts, the God of the armies of Lfrael whom thou haft defied *. 3

‘I was well pleafed with a remark of this kind thirty years ago, in a pamphlet +, in which it was obferved, that there was a great deal of profane oftentation in the names given to the fhips of war, as the Victory, the Valiant, the Thunderer, the Dread-nought, the Terrible, the Fire-brand, the Furnace, the Lightening, the Infernal, and many more of the fame kind f. This the author confidered as a fymptom of ‘their national charaéter and manners, very un- favourable, and not likely to obtain the bleffing of the God of Heaven.

3. From what thas been faid, ‘you ‘may learn “what encouragement you have to put your truft 33 ESET SOR ervey a baie sap,

* 1 Sam. xvii.42—45. + Britain’s Remembrancer.

{ I am fenfible that two or three of thefe were fhips taken from the French, which brought their names with them ; but the greateft number had their names impofed in England. And I cannot help obferving, that The Vic- zory, often celebrated as the fineft fhip ever built in Bris tain, was loft in the night, without a fiorm, by fome. un-

_known accident, and about 1200 perfons, many of them

of the firft families in the nation, were buried in the deep. Ido not mean to infer any thing from this, bat that we ought to live under the pra@iical perfuafion of what no aman will dofrinally deny, that there is no warring with the elements, or him:who direés. their force ; that-he is able to write difappeintment on. the wife human fchemes, ‘and, by the word of his power, to fruftrate the efforts of the greateft monarch upgn earth,

28 Tee Dominion of Providence

“in God, . ahd hope for his Reet me': in the pre: fent important conflict. 5 & 1... Heriss the, Lord of Hotts, oe cin: smight, “and ‘flrong;in jbattle., . Whofoever hath his “countenance, “and. approbation, fhall- have the _beft at Jaft.. I do not mean. to {peak propheti- cally, but, agreeably to the analogy of faith, _and the. principles, of God’s moral government. Some have oblerved, that true -religion, and in her train, - dominion, riches, .. literature, and arts, have, taken their courfe in a.flow. and. gra- ‘dual | manner, from Eait..to Weft, fince;-the “earth. _ was, fettled , after. the , flood :. and. from ‘thence iaréncte the future, glory of, Americg. I leave this as a matter rather of conjecture than geettainty.; but obferve—that*if your’ ‘caufe is jut— if your principles»are-pure—and if: your -condué is prudent, you need not fear the mul- titude of oppofing hofts. “If your caufe is jult, ‘you may look “aeieh _confidence’ to. the Lord, and entreat him. ‘to lead it as his own. yee are all my witneflés, phe this is the firft time of my introducing any “political fabject into the pulpit. At this féa- fon, however, ‘it is not only’ lawful, “but necee- “fary; “and T will embrace the. opportunity of “declaring: my opinion, without any hefitation, | that the caufe in which America is‘now in arms, is the caufe of:jattice, of liberty, and of human -pature. So far‘as we’ have hitherto proceedéd, fam fatisfied that the confederacy of the cola-

_nigg

- profligate, although probably many of them ate

“over ‘the Paffions of Men. 2

mies’has not’ been’ the’ ‘effet? of pride, refent- ‘ment,’ or fedition, but’ of us deep and general “€onvietion; that our civil ‘aid religious ‘liberties, eand cénfequently, i in a great meditate: the tem- “poral é and éternal happinefs of us and our pofte. tity; depended on ‘the iffue:” "The ‘knowledge « ‘of ‘God and’ his truths have, from ‘the beginining ‘of the’ wor Td; been Chiefly, if nor’ entirely, con- “firied to thofe parts of the €arth where fone dé. “Etec of liberty” and: ‘political juttice wete té! ‘be “feen, and’ breat were the difficulties with which ‘they had’ to ftrue cole, from” thé” imperfe€tion’ ‘Of human ‘fociety; ° “and the ubjutt ‘decifions «of Bid ah a ROK: a Here “As HOE a ingle 1 in- “and © religious liberty presi’ entire, ‘Ie 2Hercfote,” we yield’ u up our temporal prope ~ we}. at thie faine' ti, “deliver the conitience iat Bondage. °°" _

’ You fhall not; my brethren, hear from me in ~ the pulpit, what’ you never have'heard from mie tile cohverfation; I ‘ean, railing’ * at the: king eperfonally,. or’ ‘eve at his minifters, and the \patlianient, and ‘the pedple of Britain, as ‘fo | many barbarous favages. “Many of théit ‘4etiOns Rave! probably: Bea Worfe than their intentions. “Fhat they fhould defire® unlimited dominion, af they can: obtain or preferve” it, is neither new “nor wonderful. -I-do not. refuife fubmiffion’to ‘their unjuft claims becaufe they are corrupt and

fo,

go The Dominion of Providence

fo, but becaufe they are men, and. therefore li- able to all the felfith biaffes infeparable from human nature. I call thefe claims unjuft, of making laws to bind us in all cafes whatever, becaufe they are feparated from us, indepen- dent of us, and have an intereft in oppofing us. ‘Would any man, who could prevent it, give up his eftate, perfon, and family, to the difpofal of his neighbour, although he had liberty to chufe the wifeft and beft mafter? Surely not. This is the true and proper hinge of the con- troverfy between Great Britain and America. It is, however, to be added, that fuch is their dif- tance from us, that a wife and prudent admi- niftration of our affairs is as impoffible, as. the claim of authority is unjuft. Such is and mutt be their ignorance of the {tate of things ‘here, fo much time muft elapfe before any er- rors can be feen and remedied, and fo much in- jaftice and partiality muft be expected from the arts and mifreprefentations of interefted per- fons, that for thefe colonies to depend wholly upon the legiflature of Great Britain, would be, like many other oppreffive connexions, injury

to the mafter, and ruin to the flave. The management of the war itfelf, on their part, would “furnifh new proof of this, if any were needful. Is it not manifeft with what ab- furdity and impropriety they have conduéted their own defigns ? We had nothing fo much to fran as diffention, and they have, by wanton and

a er. 2 actetatele

over the Paffions of Men. qt

and unneceffary cruelty, forced us into union.

At the fame time, to let us fee what we have to expect, and what would be the. fatal confe- quences of unlimited fubmiffion, they have uniformly called thofe aéts /enity, which filled this whole continent with refentment and hor- ror. The ineffable difdain expreffed by our fellow fubjeét, ‘* That he would not hearken to “America till fhe was at his feet,” has armed more men, and infpired more deadly rage, than could have been done by laying wafte a whole province with fire and fword. Again, we wanted not numbers, but time, and they fent over handful after handful, till we were ready to oppofe a multitude greater than they have to fend. In fine, if there was one place ftronger than the reft,-and more able and willing to refift, there they made the attack, and left the others till they were duly informed, completely incenfed, and fully. furnifhed with inftruments of war. . I mention thefe things, my brethren, not only as grounds of confidence in God, who car eafily overthrow the wifdom of the wife, but as decifive proofs of the impoffibility of -thefe great and growing ftates being fafe and happy, when every part of their internal polity is de- pendent on Great Britain. If, on account of their diftance and ignorance of our fituation, they could not conduct their. own quarrel with : : : : pro-

ai ote

Bie Bicide.

32 The Déminion of Piovidence

propriety: forconé-yeat, how:can they give is rection and vigour tovever fea Sass ‘of ‘oar. civil conftitution frdm. age: to: age ?);There are fixed bounds sto every.thingehuman: «Whem the branches, jof.a itreé grow, very large and weighty, they fall off from. the trunk. »/Ehe fharpeit {word will not pierée whete -it cannot: reach. Ahd-there is -a certain diftance -from: the feat of -government, where ‘4n attempt te rule will either produce tyranny, and helplets: fabjection, or pone nelitaiies and effect fe-: paration.

-T have’ fal wf! your + principles are pure. the meaning of which is, if-your prefent oppo- fition to the claims of the Britifh miniftry does notarife froma feditious and turbulent fpirir,' ora wanton .contempt-of. legal authority, from a blind and factious attachment to particular perfons or parties; or from a felfifh rapacious difpofition, and a defire to turn publick: confu- fion to private profits but from a concern for the intereft, of your country, and: the faferycof yourfelves and your pofterity. , On this. fubject, I cannot help obferying, that, though it would, be a miracle if there were not. many. felfifh per- fons among us, and difeoveries now and then made; of mean, and. interefted tranfactions, yet they. have. been: comparatively inconfiderable both in number, and, effect. In general there, has been fo great a.degree of clalahis {pirit,) that. we have much more reafon to be thankful for its

vigour

’ over the Paffians of Men. «88 |

vigeur and. prevalence, than to wonder at the few appearances of.. dithonefty or difaffection. It would be very uncandid to afcribe the uni- verfal ardour that has prevailed among all ranks of men, and the fpirited exertions. in the moft diftant colonies, to any thing elfe than. publick fpirit. Nor was there ever perhaps in-hiftory fo general a commotion, from which religious differences have been. fo entirely excluded. No-

~ thing of this kind has as-yet been heard, except

of late in the abfurd, but malicious and deteft- able attempts of a few remaining enemies to in- troduce them. At the fame time | muft alfo, for the honour of this country, obferve, that though government, in the ancient, form, has

been fo long unhinged, and, in fome colonies,

not. fufficient care. taken to fubftitute another in its place ,. ‘yet has. there been, by common confent, a much greater degree’ of order and publick peace, than men of reflection and ex- perience foretold, or could expect... From all thefe circumftances, I conclude favourably of the principles of the friends of liberty, and, do earneflly exhort you to adopt and act upon thofe which have been-defcribed, and. ret ‘the

influence of every other. abonira Once more : If to the: juftice of; — acute. and. the purity of your) principles, . ‘you add prudence in your. conduét, there-will be, the greatelt reafon tohope, by the blefling of God, for " profperity and fuccefs. By prudence in F con

3% Lhe Dominiin of ‘Providinve

‘to be put’ in execution s-if different clafles of. den intermix their little private views, ér clath- ing interetts, with public’ affairs; and. marfhal. into partiés' thé merchant’: againft the Jand-- holder,” atid’ the land-holder againft the mer ‘chant; ifocal- provincial pride “and jealdufy. ‘atife; and § odPallowbuaaeives ‘to fpeak with ‘contémpt of the courage, éhara@er, manners, or ‘éven ‘lariguage, of particular places, you are ‘doing ‘a' greater injury to’ the common ‘caufé,. “¢han You ‘ate aware of. | If fach practices are ‘admitted among us, I’fhalh look upon it as one: ‘of ithe moft dangerous’ fymptoms, ‘and’ if they “become general, of approaching rain: 9% By firmnefs and patience I mean, a-refolute -adhierénceto-your’ duty, and! laying. your. ac- ‘count with°omany difficulties; as well as: occafi. sonal difappointments: . In a former’ part of this -difcourfes-I have cautioned you againft oftenta- Gi SoMbeig VS disqi bas winegletg sigh

ew 3%

over the Raffons..of Meni 35

Le Sk Sy > ion. and vain glory. . » Be pleated: further:.toob- ferve,, that extreams., often. beget gne another ; : pete the fame perfons who fenait extravagantly on fuccefs, are generally :moft liableto difpon- dent, timidity. On, ‘everynlittle, inconfiderable de- feat. Men of this character. are .the, corruption of every. fociety . or party. to which they. belong, "but they are efpecially the,ruin of,.an army if fuffered to continue in it. Remember the vi- cifftudes.of human.things, and the ufwal; courfe of providence. . How often has a,juft, caufe een reduced to, the Jowett, ebb, and yet, when firmly adhered to, has become finally, -tri- EARP I {Peale of | this now, while , oS af-

Pe Ne ey

deft this He: erity itfelf fhould render

able une eer ak {peald seaiege 16 : The fam of the ‘whole is, that the blefling of God i is ‘only to. be looked or by thofe who are “not wanting in the difcharge of their own duty. 7 would neither have you to ‘trutti in. an arm of ‘fiefs. n not fit, with“ “folded hands, « sand. expect — that t miracles fhould be wrought . in your. _de- fence. "“"This is a fin, which, in, Acripture, 4s ftiled ‘Lempting God. ‘In. oppolition | to it, T would exhort you as Joab — did “the hott Taf: “Tirael ; who, though ‘he does ‘not appear ‘to haye had a fpotlefs' “character throughout, ‘certainly, in this. inftance, {poke |i like a prudent, general, and a pious | man. Be of good courage, and let us

2 play

36 The Dominion or Providence

play. the mew Yor our people, and for the cities of our God, ania the Lord do that which feemetl hime YO Or es

| Ufhall’ Aithoseside this difcourfe. by fome exhortations to duty, founded upon ‘the truths which have been illuftrated above, and fuited to the ‘intetefting ftate\ of ‘this gene | at ‘the kanes a oe ‘And rs

“n> Give’ me leave to 9 dipdiiientt to you ‘an attention'to the public interefts of religion, or, ‘in other: ‘words, zeal for the glory of a, and “the good of others.

B 9 have already endeavoured to exhort firiners

‘to repe ce. “What. be have here in view, is Say oie a to you: ‘the concern which. every ee man’ ought ‘to take in the national cha- raéter and manners, and the means, ‘which he

. “ought 'to-ufe for promoting ; public virtue, _ “and

- bearing’ down “impiety and” vice. This is a mat- “ter of the ‘urmoft moment, ‘and Sat. ought to bei well Wider! ftood both i in its “nature @ and } prin-

“eiples. Nothing is. more. “certain, t Yan “that a eee) ‘profligacy a and co rruption of manners, makes 4 “People: ripe | ‘for deftruction, A good form eee vernment ma ‘hold the rotten mate- rials tether ; for fome time, but beyond | a, cere

“tain ‘pitch, even ‘the bef. confticacion will be j in- “effectual, ‘and avery fees enfue._ ‘On the

Pt Te,

¥ z Sam. x..22,

“over the Paffi ions of Men. 37

pure, when true religion and internal principles maintain their vigour, the attempts of the moft powerful enemies to opprefs them are commonly baffled and difappointed. This will be found

_ equally certain, whether we confider_ the great faneeee of sat, moral government, orl the

friend to ikea tbery, “pHa is “waft fie ‘and aétive in promoting true and undefiled re- ligion, and who fets himfelf, with the greateft ‘firmnefs, to bear down profanity and immora- lity of every kind. “Whoever is an avowed enemy to God, I fcruple not to call him an enem ‘his country. “Do not fuppofe, my. emen, ‘that. I mean to” recommend furious and angry “Zeal for the’ circumiftant) tials of Jeligion, or the “contentions “of one ‘feet of religi 10n with ano- ‘ther, about their peculiar diftin@tions, I’ do ‘not wifh to oppofe any body’s religion, but “every body’s wickednefs. Perhaps there are no furer marks of the reality of religion, than when aman feels himfelf more joined in fpirit to a “truly holy perfon of a di erent denomination, “than to an irregular liver of his own. It is “therefore y your duty i in this i important and criti- cal feafon to exert yourfelves, every one in his " proper phere, to ftem the tide of prevailing _yice, to promote the knowledge of. God, ‘the reverence of his name. and sha ie and. obe- “ dience to his laws.

Perhaps

38 Ye be. Daninion. of Providence

Rin

Perhaps you will afk, “what. i is that, you are <alled to do f for ‘this j purpofe, further chan’ “your own ‘perfonal « daty § z a anfwer, “this Jitfell, ace

taken in its, roper extent, is not. dittle. The.na-

ty

ture. and ot bligation ¢ of vifible, teligion is, I an afials, “Title “underftood, and ‘les attended ‘10. any, “From ae ‘real or pretended | fear ‘of “the

a Yon

imputation of hypocrify,. b anifh «1 from, speir converfation and, carriage, every sBERRTRES af

sles ad dfubmiffion to. the living ‘ God. wW hae

T he eroth} is, “he- makes gee truly Tiabie to ‘she _accufation. eae be means _ to avoid. It is

Ts praia ane: “per haps ce culpable, shypo- “crify, to. appear, to-have. efs reli gion than you really have, than. to appear, to Pde more. This ‘fale fhame i isa ‘more extenfive evil than is ‘com- emorily, apprehended. We contribute conftantly, though infenfibly, “to, form each. other’ s charac- ters ‘and. manners, ‘and, therefore, the ‘ufefulnefs of: a ftriGlly holy ar a confcientiqus deportment, “3s not confine the offeflor, but fpreads its “happy. influence to all’ that are “within its, reach, _Aneed. fearcely add » that, in proportion as men : are. diftinguithed “by u ur nderftanding, _literature, ae, rank, cafes, ealfl or any other circum- pan ‘their example will be ufeful-on the one

hand, or'pernicious on the other, ie At OF SOF tat

“geen tbe Palais’ of Mer. %

is°a fcripture precept, delivered in very fingalar terms, to which: lee your attention. Thox- Shait not bate thy. brother in thy heart, bir. thou- fualt in any wife, rebuke bimy and not fuffer fin upon bim*. How prone are manly to repre- fent reproof, as flowing from °ill-nature and fournefs of tempers: The {pirit ofGod; on the contrary, confiders:it as the éffeét ef inward. hatreds or want of genuine love, to forbear ré- proof when it is néceffary, or may: be: ufeful. am fenfible, .cthere:imayy: in: foine :cafed;"be'h ‘re- ftraint from ‘prudencessagreeable to that-cair- tion: of our: Lord; Caf? not your: pearis Before fwine, left they trample them under their feéts-and- torn again and rend poe. Of> this:every ran: muft judge aswell as he tan forhimfelf ;- but certainly, either by open ‘reproof, or expreflive filence, or fpeedy departure: from fuch -fociery,. ‘we ought to gtatd againft being. partakers of other ien’s fingredil 202 asus comune eved To this let me add; that ifallimén dfe’bound. ‘in fome degree, certain clafésiof men are-under ‘peculiar obligations, to: the difcharge of this “duty. “Magiftrates, minifters, parents, heads:af wri docft families, mw Lev. XIX. 17. + Mat. vii. 6.

he Pee OME

40 The: Dominion of Providence families, and thofe whom age. has rendered ve

. nerable, .are called: upon to ufe their authority

and influence for the glory’ of God, and the good of others... Bad men themfelves difcover an inward conviction of this, for they are often Jiberal in their reproaches of perfons of grave characters or religious profeffion if they bear with patience the profanity of others. Inftead of enlarging on the duty of men im authority in general, I muft particularly recommend this mat-

ter to thofe who have the command of foldiers

enlifted for the defence of their country. The -caufe is facred, and the champions for it ought ‘to be holy. Nothing is more grieving to the -heart of a good man, than to hear from thofe -who are going into the field of battle, the hor- rid found of curfing and blafphemy. It cools the ardour of his prayers, as well as abates his

confidence and hope in God. Many more cir- ‘cumftances affect me in fuch a cafe than I can

enlarge upon, or indeed eafily enumerate at pre-

fent: the glory of God, the intereft of the de-

luded finner, going, like a devoted victim, and amprecating vengeance on his own head, as well as the caufe itfelf committed to his care. We have fometimes taken the liberty to forebode the

‘downfall: of the Britifh empire, from the cor- ‘ruption and degeneracy of the people. Unhap- »pily the Britifh foldiers have been diftinguifhed “among all the-nations in Europe, for the-moft

fhocking

over the Paffions of Men. At

fhocking profanity. Shall we then pretend to emulate them in this infernal diftinétion, or rob them of the horrid privilege ? God forbid! Let the officers of the army, in every degree, re- member, that, as military fubjection while it lafts is the moft compleat of any, it is in their power creatly to reftrain, if not wholly to ba- | nifh, this flagrant enormity.

2. I exhort all who are not called to go into the field, to apply themfelves, with the utmoft diligence, to works of induftry.

It is in your power, by this means, not only to fupply the neceffities, but to add to the ftrength of your country. Habits of induftry prevailing in a fociety not only increafe its wealth, as their immediate effect, but they pre- vent the introduction of many vices, and are intimately conneéted with fobriety and good morals. Idlenefs is the mother or nurife of al- moft every vice ; and want, which is its infepa- rable companion, urges men on to the moft abandoned and deftructive courfes. Indutftry, therefore, is a moral virtue of the greateft mo- ment, abfolutely neceffary to national profperity, and the fure way of obtaining the bleffing of God. I would alfo obferve, that in this, as well as in every other part of God’s .government, obedience to his will is as much a natural mean, as. a meritorious caufe of the advantage we wifli to reap from it. Induftry brings up a firm and

hardy

42 The Dominion of Providence

hardy race. He who is inured.to the labour of the field, is prepared for the fatigues of a campaign. ‘The active farmer, who rifes with the dawn, and. follows his team or plow, mutt, in the end, be an over-match for thofe effemi- nate and delicate foldiers who are nurfed in the dap of felf-indulgence, and. whofe greateft ex- ertion is the important. preparation for, and te- dious attendance on, a mafquerade or midnight

ball.

3. In the laft place, fuffer me to recommend to you frugality: in your families, and every other article or expence.

This the itate of things among us renders abjolutely necefiary, and it ftands in. the moft immediate connection both with virtuous in- duftry and ative public fpirit. Temperance in meals, moderation in drefs, furniture, and equipage, have, I think, generally been charac- teriftics of a diftinguifhed patriot.. And when the tame fpirit: pervades a people in general, they are fic for every. duty, and able to encoun- ter the moft formidable enemys » The general fubje&t ofiahe preceding difeourfe has’ been— The wrath of man praifing God. If the unjutt -oppreffion of your enemy, whicl» witholds from you many of the ufual articles of luxury. and magnificence, » fhall.contribute to. make you clothe yourfeives and your children. withthe work of your own hands, and cover your-tables with

‘ the

ne

A GAS

over the Paffions of Men. 43

the falutary productions of your own foil, it will be a new illuftration of the fame truth, and a real happinefs to yourfelves. and country.

I could wifh to’have every thing done from the pureft and the noblett views Confider therefore, that the Chriftian character, particu- Jarly the felf-denial of the gofpel, fhould extend to your whole deportment.. In the early times of Chriftianity, when adult converts were ad- mitted to baptifm, they were afked, among other queftions, Do you renounce the world ? its fhews, its pomp, and its vanities? I do, The form of this is ftill preferved in the admi- {tration of baptifm, where we renounce the de- vil, the world, and the flefh. This certainly implies not only abftaining from grofs aétsof in- temperanceandexcefs, but a humility of carriage, a reftraint and moderation in all your defires, The fame thing, as it is fuitable to your Chri- ftian profeffion, is alfo neceflary to make you truly independent in yourfelves, and to feed the fource of liberality and charity to others, or to the publick. The riotous and wafteful liver, whole craving appetites make him conttantly needy, is, and muft be, fubject to many matters, according to the faying of Solomon, The bor- rower is fervant to the lender. But the frugal moderate perfon, who guides his affairs with difcretion, is able to aflift in publick councils, by a free and unbiaffed judgment, to fupply the

wants

44 The Dominion of Providence, (Sc.

wants of his poor brethren, and’ fometimes, by his eftate and fubftance, to = ee aid to a finking country.

Upon the whole, E befeech -you to make a wifesimprovement of the °prefent threatening afpect ‘of public affairs, and to remember, that your duty to God, to your country, to your fa»

Freligion is nothing’elfe, but an inward temper and outward conduct, fuited to your ftate and circumftances in providence at any time. “And as peace with God, and conformity: to him, adds to the {weetnefs of created comforts while we poftels them, fo, in times of difficulty and trial, itis in the man of piety and inward prin‘ ciple that we may expect to find the uncorrupt- ed patriot,” ‘the ufeful citizen, and the invincible foldier. “Gad grant, that in A mefica true reli: gion-and civil liberty. may be infeparable, and that the vinjuft attempts to deftroy the one may, in the iffue,- the! = the a win ‘end epprait Hicat of both. Ny Kite ioe

<

The End) °°:

milies,.and “to yourfelves, is the fame. True

Fee ee ae

BEING AN APPENDIX toa SERMON : cape oe see _ - PREACHED AT

A WN A ti & RES S “TO THE

NATIVES or SCOTLAND

RESIDING IN

A. Mo oR TC A!

ee

PRINCETON on a GENERAL FAST.

Fe

_ By JOHN WITHERS POON; D.D.

Prefident of the Cottece at New Jersey. LONDON: Printed for FIELDING and WALKER, No. 20, ParernosTEer-Row.

M,DCC,LXXVIII. ; ; ; 3 Price SIXPENCE, 3 fe