5 
 
on 
 
 the, Srrencn ^/iev-olutlon. 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 DELIVERED 
 
 NOVEMBER 20, 1794 
 
 BEING 
 
 THE DAY O F 
 
 ANNUAL THANKSGIVING, 
 
 BY SAMUEL STILLMAN, D. D. 
 
 PASTOR OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN BOSTON, 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 Printed by MANNING tsf CORING. 
 

 THE Author of the Sermon begs his friends 
 who folicited its publication, to excufe his delay: 
 rndifpofition, of .boldy, and feveral other circum- 
 flances prevented his tranfcribing it fooner for the 
 prefs. 
 
SERMON 
 
 MATTHEW xxiv. 6, 7, 8. 
 
 And ycjhall hear of wars and rumours of wars : 
 fee that ye be not troubled : for all thefe things 
 muft come to pafs^ but the end is not yet. 
 
 For nation Jh all rife again/I nation, and kingdom 
 again/I kingdom : and there fhall be famines^ 
 and pejlilences^and earthquakes in divers places. 
 
 All thefe are the beginning of for rows. 
 
 AT may be thought by fome, that this paflage 
 is inapplicable to the prefent occafion. But, my 
 brethren, we live in an age when it is ftrikingly 
 exemplified. To endeavour to trace effedts to 
 their caufes, and to account for the folemn ftate 
 of things in the European world, its influence 
 and iflue, will be no improper employment for 
 this day ; becaufe it will naturally bring into 
 view abundant reafons of thankfgiving to God, 
 who guides the affairs of empire. 
 
 The 
 
6 : ; 
 
 cxtiis. found In our blefled Lord's con- 
 vcriation with his difciples, who, ftruck with 
 the magnificence of Solomon's temple, invited 
 his attention to it : to whom lie faid, See ye not 
 all thefe things ? Verily I fay unto you, There JJjall 
 not be left one flone upon another, that Jhall not be 
 thrown down. This folemn declaration of aii 
 event fo contrary to their expectations, excited 
 a defire in them to be informed when it mould 
 happen. Tell us, fay they, when foall thefe 
 things be ? and what JJoall be the Jign of thy 
 coming, and of the end of the world ? And Jefus 
 anfwered and faid unto them, Take heed that no 
 man deceive you. For many Jhall come in my 
 name, fay ing, I am Chrijl ; and fb all deceive many. 
 And ye Jhall hear of wars and rumours of wars : 
 fee that ye be not troubled : for all thefe things 
 mnji come to pafs, but the end is not yet. For na 
 tion fh all rife agaitifl nation, and kingdom again ft 
 iingdQra : and there JJzall be famines, and pejli- 
 Unces, and earthquakes in divers places. All thefe 
 are the beginning of for rows. 
 
 The text is a prediction of events, that were 
 to befal the JewiJJj nation in the fiift inftance .; 
 and may be divided into thefe two inquiries : 
 
 I. On what does Chrift found this decla 
 ration, Te Jhall hear of wars and humours of 
 wars ? 
 
 II. What does he mean by this faying, See 
 e be not troubled? 
 
 I. On 
 
JL 
 
 I. On what does Chrift found this decla 
 ration, Ye Jhall hear of wars and rumours of 
 wars ? 
 
 It is founded on his foreknowledge. In him 
 dwelt all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily : hence 
 he thought it no robbery to bs equal 'with God* *> 
 As fuch, at one glance he forefaw all thcfe 
 events, that would take place from the be 
 ning to the end of time. In the conclft but 
 expreflive language of infpiration it is faid, Hs 
 fees the end from the beginning. 
 
 Peter afcribes omnifcience to Chrift : LorJ 9 
 faid he, thou knoweft all things ; tbou knowc/l 
 that / love thee. His heart, by this confefiion, 
 lay open to the Son of God. If his, then the 
 heart of every other man. To know the heart 
 is a divine prerogative. 
 
 Jefus Chrift, who was in the bofom cf the 
 Father from eternity, and poflefied the fame na 
 ture with him, perfectly underftood the whole 
 economy of Providence, confequently thoie 
 events that would befal the Jewlflo people. 
 
 This prophecy was literally accompiiilicd : 
 for horrid wars preceded the deftrudtion of the 
 city Jerufalem ; which are mentioned by Joie- 
 phus. During the fiege of the city by the 
 Roman army, thoufands were flain, Se 
 times did they groan under the dreadful ca: 
 ities of civil war. Thefe, however, were but 
 the beginning of forrows, compared with the 
 evils that have befallen them iincc t!iek 
 difperfion. In the profpect of which our 
 
 blefibd 
 
bleffed Lord thus laments ; Jerufalem, Jeru-> 
 falem, thou that killejl the prophets , and ftonejl 
 them that are fent unto thee, hoiv often 'would I 
 have gathered thy children together, even as a 
 hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and 
 ye 'would not. Behold your houfe is left unto you 
 defolate. 
 
 This declaration was alfo founded on our 
 Lord's knowledge of the depravity of the human 
 heart. He knew what was in man, and need 
 ed not that any man fhould teach him. From 
 'within, faid he, out of the heart of man, proceed 
 evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, 
 thefts, falfe witnefs, blafphemies. Matt. xv. 1 9. 
 
 He alfo perfe&ly knew how that depravity 
 would operate, or what events would arife out 
 of it. Depravity in man is the fruitful fource 
 of evils in the world. From 'whence come wars 
 and fightings among you ? fays James ; come they 
 not hence even of your lujis, which war in your 
 members ? 
 
 In the front of the degrading catalogue I 
 place ambition as a principal ; which involves 
 pride and a fpirit of revenge. An ambitious 
 man is infatiable in his defires for honour and 
 power ; and generally artful and determined in 
 his attempts to acquire them ; and implacable 
 in his refentments in cafe of difappointment. 
 Ambition has flam its ten thoufands. In the 
 fmall, and in the great world, it hath done un- 
 fpeakable miichiefs. Its influence is evident 
 on individuals, in families, in religion and gov 
 ernment. 
 
 Individuals 
 
Individuals in general are anxious to excel ; 
 hence the competition we fee among perfons of 
 the fame, as well as of different profeffions. 
 From this fource arifeth alfo a fpirit of refent- 
 ment againft thofe, who treat them contrary to 
 the opinion they have of their own merit. 
 Hence come contentions and every evil work. 
 
 One perfon of this reftlefs temper in a family, 
 is capable of deftroying all its happinefs by a 
 haughty and overbearing conduct ; and a readi- 
 neis to refent every fuppofed neglect. 
 
 Ambition is too frequently apparent among 
 men who profefs a friendfhip for religion ; yet 
 religion enforces the neceffity of the deepeft hu 
 mility. Even the immediate difciples of Chrift 
 difputed who ihould be the greateft. From this 
 fpirit, fo contrary to the gofpel, have arifen per- 
 fecutions and martyrdoms. 
 
 Had mankind in general, and Chrifdans in 
 particular, been willing to allow to others the lib 
 erty they take, of thinking for themfelves, thefe 
 horrid fcenes would not have taken place. But 
 they have ftrangely and unreafonably imagined, 
 in many inftances,that they only have this right. 
 Hence the frequent attempts that have been 
 made by the civil magiftrate, in countries where 
 Chriftianity is eftablifhed by law, to check by 
 force the growth of opinions contrary to his 
 own. 
 
 In government it is perpetually at work, 
 having full fcope for its baneful influence. In 
 this inftance it has often appeared as a monfter 
 with a thoufand heads. 
 
 B Though 
 
10 
 
 Though a republican form of government, 
 in the opinion of the preacher, is the beft cal 
 culated to promote the freedom and happinefs 
 of the people, there always will be found men 
 of boundlefs ambition, who become heads of 
 parties, and fpare no pains to get into place. 
 One circumftance is fufficient to be mentioned 
 here, which all men muft acknowledge, and 
 that is, the competition there continually is, be 
 tween them who are in, and them who are out 
 of office. They who are in wiih to keep in, 
 and they who are out to get in : hence the con^ 
 teft that often happens, and the ungenerous at 
 tacks that are frequently made on perfonal char 
 acters, with a deiign of injuring them in the 
 public opinion. 
 
 The beft of men and meafures are often treat 
 ed w T ith the greateft feverity, in order to pro* 
 mote the defigns of certain ambitious men. But 
 while human nature remains in its prefent ftate 
 of imperfection, the great body of the people 
 fhould acl; with caution : their political falva- 
 tion, under God, depends on themfelves. It 
 has often happened, that the men who have 
 made the higheft preteniions to patriotifm, have 
 been the moft ambitious in heart. 
 
 In a monarchical government, where the fu- 
 preme power is vefted in an individual under 
 certain limitations, this vice will exert itfelf. 
 The various expenfive appendages of royalty 
 are food for an ambitious mind. The prince 
 feels his importance, and is tenacious of his pre 
 rogative ; and there always will be men enough, 
 
 who 
 
II 
 
 who furroimd his perfon, to flatter his pride and 
 to opprefs the people. The number of thefe 
 fycophants is eafily increafed by places and pen- 
 fions ; till finally the beft form of government, 
 in its principles or adminiiiration, becomes 
 corrupt. 
 
 The people groan under the yoke, complain 
 and remonurate without effeft ; for a venal 
 majority are always ready to fupport the meal- 
 ures of the prince. At length matters become 
 defperate ; government is oppofed by force of 
 arms, many lives are loft in the conflict, and a 
 revolution takes place. Hence the revolution 
 in England, headed by the Prince of Orange 
 Hence too the revolution in America, with an 
 excellent band of patriots, and our immortal 
 WASHINGTON at its head. 
 
 Permit me to declare, my brethren, that I 
 blefs God he ordered me into exiftence at a 
 period, which gave me an opportunity of ob- 
 ferving the origin, progrefs and glorious ifTue 
 of my country's conteft with her oppreflbrs. 
 She is free, happy and independent. Let the 
 people praifc thee, Lord \ let all the people 
 praife thee ! The fnare is broken^ and ive are 
 ejcaped. This is the Lord's doing^ and is mar 
 vellous in our eyes. 
 
 To return. What man can look into the 
 prefent ftate of Poland without a mixture of 
 grief and indignation, while he beholds that 
 unfortunate people deprived of their liberties, 
 and their country divided between the Emprefs 
 of Ruffia and the King of Pruffia ? But they 
 
 bravely 
 
12 
 
 bravely ftruggle : and every friend to the free 
 dom of mankind will wifh them fuccefs. 
 
 If we look into France, whofe prefent con 
 dition engages the attention of the world, we 
 {hall learn awful leifons of pride, ambition arid 
 cruelty. 
 
 To iriveftigate the dealings of Providence 
 toward that great nation, may tend to throw 
 light on their prefent ftate, and help us to af- 
 certain the reafons why God contendeth with 
 them. 
 
 The events that have taken place in France 
 are very different in their nature. Some of 
 them are pleafmg, others painful Some we 
 approve, others we condemn. We highly ap 
 plaud the principles of the revolution, and the 
 noble oppofition of that nation to civil and ec- 
 clefiaftical tyranny. But we are obliged to cen- 
 fure and lament their fanguinary meafures, their 
 numerous executions, their rejection of relig 
 ion, and the fluctuating ftate of their politics. 
 
 Senfible and difpailionate men will diftin- 
 guifh the good from the bad, and neither ap 
 prove nor condemn in the grofs. Rather they 
 will make up their judgment with that caution, 
 which arifeth from a consideration of the dif- 
 tance at which they are from the fcene of ac- 
 tion, and the mifreprefentations which com 
 monly attend fuch times of confufion, , 
 
 Perfons in every country, who are oppofed 
 to the French revolution, perpetually hold up 
 to view their cruelty, irreligion and inftability ; 
 and on the account of thefe condemn the whole. 
 
 But 
 
But this condud is very unreafonable, and cre 
 ates a fufpicion, that they are in heart unfriendly 
 to the liberties of mankind. This is the coun 
 terpart of that conduct which we Americans 
 experienced during the revolution in our own 
 country. 
 
 In France, " the paflions of men have been 
 enraged," fays one, " and, in the parcxyfm of 
 refentment, fear and defpair, the beil of caufes, 
 the caufe of liberty, has been ftained by the 
 commiffion of crimes which afflict a great ma- 
 jority of their own nation, and all the genuine 
 friends of liberty and juftice through the world. 
 None can contemplate them but with the ken- 
 eft anguifh, except thofe who are watching for 
 occasions to flander all who refift oppreflbrs." 
 
 " There is no nation exifting which, firil and 
 laft, has produced fuch a number of faithful 
 witneffes againft papal corruptions and tyran 
 nies, as France. No people have fo long a lift 
 of martyrs and confefibrs to mew, as the Prot- 
 eftants of that country ; and there is no royal 
 family in Europe which has fhed, in the fup- 
 port of Popery, half the blood which the Capets 
 have fhed. They flew above a million of Wai- 
 denfes and AlbigenfesjwhQ bore teftimony againft 
 the corruptions and ufurpations of Rome. 
 Who fet on foot, and headed the executioners 
 of the maflacre of Bartholomew, which lafted 
 feven days, and in which, fome fay, near fifty 
 thoufand Proteftants were murdered in Paris, and 
 twenty thoufand more in the provinces ? The 
 royal menders of France. A maflacre this, in 
 
 which 
 
which neither age nor fex, nor even women 
 with child, were ipared ; for the butchers had 
 received orders to Daughter all, even babes at 
 the breaft, if they belonged to Proteftants. The 
 king himfelf flood at the windows of his pal 
 ace, endeavouring to Ihoot thofe who fled, and 
 crying to their purfuers, Kill 'em, kill *em. For 
 this maflacre public rejoicings were made at 
 Rome, and in other Catholic countries. Un 
 numbered thoufands of Proteftants were flain 
 in the civil wars of France, for their attachment 
 to their principles." 
 
 . It is impoffible, in the time allowed for the 
 prefent fervice, to recount the horrid cruelties 
 that were infii&ed on the Proteftants, upon the 
 revocation of the edicl; of Nantz by Louis XlV.f 
 " He it was," fays the fame writer, " who 
 gave the death-wound to the civil liberties of 
 France, by taking from the parliaments all re 
 maining power, and from France every fhadow 
 of freedom. Their ancient conftitution had 
 been long impairing. It was undermined by the 
 crafty Lewis XI. and had been nearly fwept 
 away by the daring and fanguinary coun 
 cils of Richelieu under Lewis XIII. The af- 
 fembly of the ftates had been difufed ever fince 
 the beginning of this monarch's reign. The 
 laft time of its meeting was in the year 1614. 
 But all civil liberty did not then expire. Its 
 complete extinction was left for this tyrant, 
 
 Lewis 
 
 * Mr. Bi CHENG'S Signs of the Times. 
 
 f The reader may confult Mr. CLAUDE'S Complaints of the 
 Proteftants on this fubjelh 
 
Lewis XIV. From his days to the time of the 
 revolution 1789, the people were ftrangers to 
 both civil and religious liberty. The fame fyftern 
 of oppreffion was purfued, though not always 
 to the fame length; the fame tyrannic laws 
 continued in force, and were exercifed whenev 
 er the king or his courtiers conceived it necef- 
 fary for the promotion of their meafures. The 
 late banifhments and imprifonments of the 
 members of the parliament of Paris, for refuf- 
 ing to regifter thofe loans (becaufe they thought 
 them oppreffive to the people) which the court 
 demanded, are in every one's memory ;" and 
 may be thought to have haftened the downfall 
 of that unfortunate prince, Le<wis XVI. 
 
 The Eaftille^ that engine of horrors and mif- 
 ery, which no language can fully defcribe, con 
 tinued during his reign ; in which numbers of 
 unhappy victims to defpotifm had been con 
 fined for years, and fome of them died in their 
 chains. 
 
 In all thefe baniihments and murders of the 
 tens of thoufands, who fell in the caufe of civ 
 il and religious liberty in France, " what Prot- 
 eftant nation ever did any thing worth calling 
 an exertion in their favour ? Not one ! When 
 an opportunity offered for doing fomething for 
 them, at the peace of Ryfwick in 1697, an ^ 
 again in 1714, at which time four hundred 
 were ftill groaning on board the gallies, or per- 
 ifhing in dungeons, there was not one ftipula- 
 tion in their favour ! But the fall of this tyran 
 ny which inflided thefe enormities, produces a 
 
 fhock 
 
fliock which is felt from one end of the earth to 
 the other." And European princes, in dreadful 
 combination, fly to arms to reftore the French 
 monarchy, or punifh the nation ; and by in 
 terfering with their internal affairs, with which 
 they had no right to meddle, have become ac- 
 ceffary to many of the horrors that attend the 
 revolution* 
 
 Whofe heart does not bleed this day at the 
 recollection of the miferies, which the Protef- 
 tants and people of France have fuffered, for 
 many centuries, under defpotic and cruel princes^ 
 nobles and priefts ! 
 
 But, my hearers, there is a God who judg- 
 eth in the earth. Though he bear long with 
 fuch awful crimes, he will not bear always. 
 He is now making inquifition for blood. The 
 following words of John the divine are appli 
 cable in this cafe ; Thou art righteous^ Lord 
 they have Jhed the blood of faints and prophet s+ 
 and thou hajl given them blood to drink, for 
 they are 'worthy. Rev* xvi. 5, 6. Amidft the 
 diftrefifes of the fcene, let us not however for 
 get the providence of God. Not a fparrow falls 
 to the ground without his knowledge. 
 
 For many ages, Proteftants have been pray 
 ing for the downfall of Popery. JEHOVAH is 
 now accompliihing that great event, but with 
 circumftances that wound our feelings. Yet 
 his language to us is, Be Jlill and know that I 
 am God / 'will be exalted among the heathen : 
 I will be exalted in the earth. He is doing 
 terrible things in righteoufnefs. 
 
 The 
 
The kingdom of France hath been for many 
 centuries, a very important pillar of Popery. 
 And her kings, nobles and priefts have been 
 impioufly combined againft the civil and relig 
 ious liberties of the people. But their judgment 
 hath come upon them as in one day. On them 
 have the calamities of the times fallen with pe 
 culiar weight, even to their utter extirpation. 
 
 In Rev. xi. 13. we read, And the fame hour 
 there was a great earthquake ; meaning great 
 changes and convulfions among the people 
 and the tenth part of the city fell. That is, I fup- 
 pofe, a great proportion of the power and fup- 
 port of the Papacy was loft by her. And in the 
 earthquake werejlam of men f even thoufand. In 
 the original it is, feven thoufand names of men ; 
 meaning all their dignified titles and orders of 
 nobility. This has been literally accomplifhed 
 in the revolution in France^ by the demolition 
 of titles and privileged orders. CITIZEN is 
 their univerfal appellation, and LIBERTY and 
 EQUALITY their national motto. They do 
 not mean an equality of property, abilities or 
 influence, but of rights : It is a political equal 
 ity ; and is well exprefled in the bill of rights 
 of this Commonwealth " ALL MEN ARE 
 
 JSORN FREE AND EQJJAL." 
 
 Remarkable are the words of Peter Jurleu^ a 
 French Proteflant minifter, written by him above 
 an hundred years ago. He fays, " The tenth 
 part of the city which here fell, will at fome fu 
 ture time appear to be the kingdom of France, 
 where a revolution wili take place about the 
 C yeas 
 
year 1 7 #5* and a reparation from the Papacy* 
 follow ; when the names of monks and nuns, 
 of Carmelites, Auguftines, Dominicans, &c. 
 fhall perifh forever ; and all thefe vain titles, 
 and armorial bearings, which ferve for orna 
 ment and pride, fhall vanifh ; and brotherly 
 love make all men equal. Not that there mall 
 be no diftm&ions, for it is not a kingdom of 
 anarchy, but government fhall be without pride 
 and infolence, without tyranny and violence, 
 and fubjeclts fhall obey their governors with an 
 humble fpirit. .And all this cannot be brought 
 about without confuiion and tumult. The pop- 
 ifh empire cannot fall but it mult caufe blood 
 and a mighty noife." 
 
 The following extracts from Dr. Goodwin *s 
 expofition of the Revelation, who wrote one 
 hundred and fifty years ago, merit your atten 
 tion " The faints and churches of France, 
 God has made a wonder to me in all his pro 
 ceedings towards them, firft and laft ; and there 
 would feein fome great and fpecial honour re- 
 ferved for them yet at the laft ; for it is certain 
 that the firfc light of the gofpel, by that firft 
 and fecond angel's preaching in chap. xiv. 
 (which laid the foundation of antichrift's ruin) 
 was out from among them, and they bore and 
 underwent the great heat of perfecution, which 
 was as great, if not greater than any fince And 
 fo as that kingdom had the firft great ftroke, 
 fo no;vv it fhould have the honour of having the 
 laft great ftroke in the ruin of Rome."* 
 
 In 
 
 * Part I. Chap. vii. Sect. 6. 
 
'9 
 
 In his jth feet, on Rev. xi. he fays, " By 
 the earthquake here is meant a great concuffion 
 or leaking of ftates, politic or ecclefiaftical. 
 The efFeft of this earthquake and the fall of 
 -this tenth part of the city, is killing feven thou- 
 fand najnes of men. ' Now by men of name in 
 fcripture are meant men of title, office and dig 
 nity. As in Corah's confpiracy, fo here, a civil 
 punifhment falls upon thefe. For having kill 
 ed the witnefies, themfelves are to be killed 
 (haply) by being bereft of their names and ti 
 tles, which are to be rooted out forever, and 
 condemned to perpetual forgetful nefs." 
 
 Whether this prophecy in Rev. xi. 13. was 
 defigned by the Holy Ghoft to fet forth the 
 prefent events in France or not, it appears from 
 what precedes, to be capable of a very eafy 
 accommodation to them. 
 
 Several circumftances in the French revolu 
 tion are really aftonifhing. That twenty-five 
 millions of people, devout admirers of kings, 
 and dupes to a crafty and avaricious priefthood, 
 fhould fuddcnly reject both, was not to be ex 
 pected according to the common courfe of 
 things. That they mould be able to maintain 
 their ground againft all their internal enemies, 
 and a moft formidable combination of the Eu 
 ropean powers, is furprifing ; and much more 
 fo that they fhould be victorious in almoft eve 
 ry quarter. I pray God that they may know 
 when and where to flop. That they mould have 
 pafied at once from the great eft religious fuper- 
 iHtion, to a rejection of all religion, is a very 
 
 ftrange 
 
20 
 
 ftrange and ferious event. How far this is the 
 cafe of the great body of the people of France, 
 we cannot determine, not having the neceflary 
 information. We rejoice however to find, ac 
 cording to the lateft intelligence, that their lead 
 ing men are returning to the principles of juftice 
 and moderation, and a profeffed belief of natu 
 ral religion. Every good man will moft earn- 
 eftly pray, that they may foon embrace the 
 whole gofpel of Chrift. 
 
 Their new calendar has a natural tendency to 
 abolilh the Lord's day ; a moft important infti- 
 tution of Chriftianity* Yet I humbly conceive 
 that this ftrange circumftance, however dark 
 it may appear to us, will be overruled for good. 
 Is it not reafonable to fuppofe, that it will tend 
 to obliterate from the minds of the people, ef- 
 pecially children and youth, every idea of faints 
 days, feafts and fafts, &c. which make a great 
 part of the fuperftition of the Romiih church ? 
 Succeeding generations will be without any 
 knowledge of thefe follies of their anceftors, 
 unlefs their ancient calendar mould be preferr 
 ed. If ib, it will help on the downfall of anti- 
 chrift. 
 
 If it mould be faid, that with the deftru&ion 
 of the Romifh fuperftition, the people will be in 
 danger of lofmg the Lord's day, and its religious 
 inftitutions, I anfwer The Bible, the fource of 
 a Chriftian's knowledge, is carefully preferred in 
 France ; and religious worfhip kept up on that 
 facred day as ufual, by a number of churches 
 of different denominations of Chriftians. By 
 
 whom 
 
21 
 
 whom Christianity and its important inftitu- 
 tions will, no doubt, be preferved. This was 
 the cafe in their hotteft days of perfecution, 
 though in a private manner, and will doubtlefe 
 be the cafe now, feeing every man has full lib 
 erty to worfhip God according to the dictates 
 of his confcience.* 
 
 : 
 
 II. Let us now inquire, what our Lord means 
 by this faying, See that ye be not troubled : for 
 all tbefe things muji come to pafs, but the e?id is 
 not yet. For nation Jhall rife again/1 nation , and 
 kingdom againft kingdom : and there JJoall befam- 
 ines^ and peJUlences^ and earthquakes in divers 
 places. All thefe are the beginning offorroivs. 
 
 Moft certainly he who hath taught us, both 
 by precept and example, to pity the diftrefled, 
 and to lefifen as much as poffible the miferics of 
 mankind, could not mean to teach his difciples 
 to be unaffected with the calamities, that, in a 
 fhort time, were to overwhelm the Jewi/lj na 
 tion ; nor us to be unconcerned at the diftrefles 
 of our fellow-men. 
 
 Shall we hear of the horrors of war of gar 
 ments rolled in blood -of countries depopulat 
 ed and laid wafte of the thoufands who have 
 been flaughtered during the prefent conteft in 
 Europe of the miferies that accompany fam 
 ines, peftilences and earthquakes and not be 
 troubled ? It cannot be. 
 
 Perhaps 
 
 * That there are fuch churches in France, which, amidil all the 
 confufion of the times, maintain their principles and worfhip as 
 ttfual, I have authentic information. 
 
Perhaps the meaning of Chrift is, Be not dif* 
 couraged, or through fear, hindered from the 
 faithful difcharge of your duty, in preaching 
 the gofpel. Or, Be not troubled as though 
 thefe dark and calamitous events were undi- 
 reded. The government, as if he had faid, is 
 on my moulders ; I do my pleafure in the ar 
 mies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of 
 the earth. jTbe/e things mujl come to /tf/J, as 
 puniiliments of nations for national crimes. 
 , But the end is not yet that is, the end of 
 Jewlft) fufferings. For greater calamities did 
 come upon that people for their unbelief, and 
 rejection of the Meifiah ; calamities which bid 
 defiance to defcription. 
 
 But the text is not to be confined to them ; 
 It has refpedl to the world in general, and em 
 phatically defcribes its prefent ftate. 
 ' 
 
 ~ 
 
 I pafs now to the conclulion of the difcourfe. 
 
 We live, my brethren, in an interefting pe 
 riod of time. God is doing wonders among 
 the nations of the earth. He rolls on, in quick 
 iucceffion, events that juftly aftonifh us. 
 
 What the iffue of thefe things will be, is 
 the anxious inquiry of many worthy perfons ; 
 concerning which give me leave to hazard a 
 probable conjecture. 
 
 The prefent war in Europe is a war of kings 
 againil the people, of power againft opinion. 
 Power mufl be lupported by fleets and armies ; 
 thefe ccft imrnenfe furns cf money. Should 
 
 the 
 
-li 
 the war continue long, all the refources of the 
 nations engaged in it will be exhaufted, and 
 neceffity force them to terms of accommoda 
 tion. But opinion is . eafily propagated, and 
 can never be conquered by power. It has al 
 ready patted from America to France, and per 
 vaded the millions of its inhabitants ; who havd 
 rifen in a mafs to oppofe thofe powers, thaf 
 are at war againft their opinion of the rights 
 of men. In Poland it prevails, and is, beyond 
 doubt, fecretly fpreading among different and 
 diftant nations. If fo, the probability is, that 
 the great majority of the people, at a favoura 
 ble moment, will join ia the general caufe 
 againft oppreffcrs, and not only France, but all 
 mankind fihally be free. 
 
 Should this be the cafe, religious liberty will 
 not be forgotten. We fee in France, even in 
 their prefent condition, that every man is at 
 liberty to worfhip God according to his con- 
 fcience. Hence we conclude, or are willing to 
 believe, that when mankind ceafe to be agitated 
 by wars and oppreffion, they will be convinced 
 that they cannot live and be happy without 
 i-eligion. Hence will arife a fpirit of inquiry, 
 and at leaft a readinefs to encourage it as good 
 for the ftate. At the fame time good men, 
 who love the caufe of Chrift, will ufe all their 
 influence to check, by example and inftru&ion, 
 the progrefs of vice and infidelity, and to con 
 vert mankind to the truth as it is in Jefus. 
 But moft of all do we expedl this glorious 
 event, from the full perfuaiion that the caufe is 
 
 GbfiJT* j 
 
. H 
 
 Cbrijfs y and that he will accompany the dif- 
 penfation of the gofpel with his fpecial influ 
 ence, as he did in the firft ages of Chriftianity ; 
 when the difficulties it had to encounter, were 
 greater than 1 they will probably be at any future 
 period. 
 
 Human nature is univerfally the fame ; men 
 have confciences. And when religious truths 
 are propofed to their consideration, faid to be 
 calculated to make them happy here, and here 
 after, is it not probable they will liften to them, 
 and numbers of them be turned from darknefs to 
 light ? Man is a rational and inquisitive being ; 
 he wiflies to be happy, but is taught by expe 
 rience and fads, that this is not his reft. He 
 knows he muft die, and cannot help being con 
 cerned about his future well-being. The gof 
 pel then is excellently adapted to his condition 
 as a (inner, and a dying man, becaufe it brings 
 life and immortality to light. This then is no 
 conjedure, but a certain truth founded on the 
 teftimony of God, That the knowledge of the 
 Lord lhall ultimately cover the earth as the wa 
 ters do the fea. Even fo, Lord Jefus, come 
 quickly. 
 
 Let us give glory to God, my brethren, that 
 we enjoy this gofpel, and its various import 
 ant inftitutions ; and ftudy to improve them in 
 a proper manner. 
 
 Let us blefs the Lord this day for our happy 
 condition as a people. While wars diftracl; 
 and depopulate Europe, and the wrath of man 
 ipreads defoliations far and wide, we have peace. 
 
 At 
 
At the fame time we fmcercly lament thofe cu> 
 cumftances that damp the joy of the day. 
 The Indian war creates extreme diflrefles to 
 the inhabitants of our frontiers. Even here 
 the profpeft brightens, in the late fucceis of our 
 arms. It is the wifh of every benevolent man, 
 that this vi&ory may iflue in peace with thefe 
 fons of the wildernefs ; and that they and we 
 may hereafter dwell together as brethren, en 
 terms of reciprocal advantage. 
 
 The weftern infurrefiion gives us pain. 
 How aftonifhing it is, that men fliould be fo 
 loft to all regard to themfelves, to the govern 
 ment that protects them, and to the order and 
 happinefs of fociety, as to oppofe, by an ap 
 peal to arms, a law which has been fanclioned 
 by the majority of the people, or their repre- 
 fentatives in Congrefs. This painful event 
 hath, however, tended to djfplay the energy of 
 government and the excellency of our execu 
 tive, in the methods that have been taken firft 
 to conciliate y and in cafe of failure, tofubduc 
 the infurgents : alfo the determined fpirit of 
 our fellow-citizens to fupport the laws of the 
 Union. 
 
 Let us unite in giving glory to God for our 
 Federal Government, which hath already raif-r 
 ed the United States to wealth and eminence. 
 The experiment hath realized the expectations 
 of its warmeft friends, and is calculated to fi- 
 lence gainfayers. Our profperity as a people 
 cannot be denied, notwithstanding the depre 
 dations that have been committed on our com- 
 D mercc 
 
26 
 
 merce by the powers at war, efpecially by the 
 rapacity of Great-Britain. 
 
 We will blefs the Lord that our land hath 
 yielded her increafe, and the people have en 
 joyed a remarkable {hare of health through the' 
 year ; while fatal illnefs has fwept off* great 
 numbers of our fellow-citizens in other parts of 
 the Union, which we fincerely lament. But 
 fo inany are the bleffings conferred upon us by 
 a kind Providence, that if we would attempt to 
 fpeak of them, they are more than can be num 
 bered. 
 
 In fine. Let love and friendfhip abound 
 amidft our different political opinions. We 
 ihould ftudioufly guard againft mifreprefenting 
 one another ; which is too often done by men 
 of warm paffions. It ought not to be faid, 
 That the friends of the French revolution ap 
 prove of all the circumftances attending it. 
 They love the caufe of liberty, and wifh its 
 univerfal triumph^ but lament every event that 
 checks its progrefs and injures its reputation. 
 
 On the other hand, let not the warm friends 
 of the French nation, accufe their fellow-citizens 
 of being enemies to liberty in general, who, in 
 the warmth of their zeal for humane and mod 
 erate meafures, have faid fome very fevere and 
 improper things againft that people. If the 
 citizens, thus oppofed to each other, were to 
 think coolly upon the iubjecl:, I flatter myfelf, 
 they would unite in approving the principles of 
 the French revolution, and in condemning ev- 
 ry abufe of them, 
 
 Our 
 
Our beloved Prefident does not hefitate to 
 call the French republic, " The great and good 
 friend and ally of the United States." " It 
 was fome time (fays he) before a character 
 could be obtained, worthy of the high office of 
 cxprefling the attachment of the United States to 
 the happinefs of our allies, and drawing clofer 
 the bands of our friend/Joip. I befeech you 
 therefore, to give full credence to whatever he 
 {hall fay to you on the part of the United 
 States, and moft of all, when he fhall afliire 
 
 you, THAT YOUR PROSPERITY IS AN OB 
 JECT OF OUR AFFECTION.* 
 
 I am confident, my brethren, you heartily 
 approve of thefe expreffions of attachment to 
 that nation, who fought by your fide, and at- 
 filled you in fecuring your freedom and in 
 dependence ; and who are at this moment en 
 gaged in a moft important conteft, in the iflue 
 of which all mankind are interefted. May 
 Almighty God make them glad according to 
 the days wherein he hath afflicted them, and 
 the years wherein they have feen evil ; and 
 caufe thefe great events among the nations, to 
 terminate in the univerfal eftablifhment of the 
 rights of man, and the peaceful kingdom of 
 Jefus Chrift. And let all the people fay, 
 AMEN. 
 
 '' The Prefident's letter of credit for Mr. MUNK.OE, &c, 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
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 LOAN *' 
 
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