IN the Context, we find the men of Israel gathered to­gether, from one end of the land, even to the other, in a general assembly, to see justice done upon the per­petrators of an horrid rape, committed upon the Levite's concubine: Which, also, carried murder with it; for she presently died of the abuse.

AFTER a particular account of this tragical scene, had from the Levite, the party injured, [Page 4] they send messengers through the tribe of Benja­min, to which the profligate wretches, who had done this deed, belonged, to make further en­quity; and demand the criminals to be delivered into their hand, to be punished as their crime de­served, that the guilt thereof might be put away from Israel: But they refuse to deliver them, and prepare for war. Upon this the men of Israel consider the guilt of this horrible wickedness, as lying on the whole tribe, who had undertaken to skreen the criminals from justice; and resolve to avenge it on them, accordingly, by the sword. But first, they religiously consulted Heaven upon the solemn affair: Not so much indeed, as to the thing, whether they should go on with their design; the reason and right of this, being even self-evident, and apparent at first view; but rather as to the manner, and circumstantial management of the cause. "The children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of GOD, and asked counsel of GOD, and said, which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first" They proceed to battle; Ben­jamin prevails that day, and kills twenty-two thou­sand of the men of Israel. This seems to have made them somewhat suspicious of their cause, whether it was just and right in the sight of GOD: However, upon the whole, they are so far satisfi­ed it is so, that they resolve to go on with it, if the Lord does not forbid them; under whose awful hand, they first humble themselves, and ask fur­ther counsel of him: "The men of Israel encoura­ged themselves, and set their battle in array; and went [Page 5] up, and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brother? And the Lord said, go up against him." They go up, therefore, a second time; but, still Benjamin prevails, and destroys of them eighteen, thousand more. Whereupon, not only the men of war, but all the people that were assembled on this sad occasion, repair again to the house of the Lord, and spend the remainder of the day in re­ligious mourning, fasting and prayer, and offer­ing sacrifices of atonement for sin: For they per­ceive, by this time, that the Lord is angry with them. Yet they do not desist from their enter­prize; but, in this way of humbling themselves under the awful, and repeated rebukes of Hea­ven, and earnest seeking GOD'S reconciled face and favor, they determine still to prosecute the cause in hand, and if possible, to carry it through, if the Lord does not forbid them; whose will, they yet further enquire after, on this occasion: "Then all the children of Israel, and all the people went up, and came to the House of GOD, and wept, &c." And in their next encounter with the Ben­jamites, their arms had full success. It pleased GOD to permit Benjamin to prevail against them, in a first and second engagement, because there were with them, even with them, great and grie­vous sins against the Lord their GOD, for which he would punish them, in this awful way; and yet, in his own time, he appeared for the sup­port, and carrying through of the cause in which they were engaged. An awful scene, truly this [Page 6] was! And yet, on the side of Israel, undoubted­ly just. Not only a part which they might act without sin, but a part which they were in duty bound to act, and could not neglect, without great sin, however severely they suffered by it them­selves, as a just punishment for their other sins. Although there is not a universal correspondence of circumstances, yet in many respects, the hear­er will undoubtedly see an evident agreement be­tween my subject, and the sad occasion of this so­lemnity—the awful war in which we are engag­ed with Britain, and our duty and interest depend­ing; in reference whereunto, we are professedly humbling ourselves before the Lord, this day, and asking counsel of Heaven.

MY subject opens a large field before us; time will be wanting to travel it fully over: I shall stu­dy brevity, and, therefore, omit many points that are contained in the text: Neither shall I run the length, with those I take under consideration, which they might naturally lead me. Let me crave your serious attention to these four things, viz. That in certain circumstances, it is just and right, and agreeable to the will of GOD, for his own professing, covenant people, to take the sword and go to war, even against their brethren.—That, in first commencing, and after prosecu­ting a war, especially with brethren, there should be a fair, impartial, often-repeated enquiry into the right of it, that we may act with a safe conscience, and be able to justify our proceeding—That it is nothing strange and new, if, in pro­secuting [Page 7] a just war, for our sins against heaven, we meet with severe and repeated rebukes. And therefore, although this calls for mourning, and deep humiliation before the Lord, and a serious concern to obtain pardon and reconciliation with him; yet it is not sufficient ground of discourage­ment from a further prosecution of the cause, with hope in the mercy of GOD, to support and carry it through, in his own, wise and holy, time and way.

PROPOSITION I. IN certain circumstan­ces, it is just and right, and agreeable to the will of GOD, for his own professing covenant people, to take the sword, and go to war, even against their brethren: Shall I go up to battle (says Israel) against my brother Benjamin? Yes, saith the Lord, go. They repeat the enquiry again and again, (stumbled, perhaps, at their ill success) and the Lord as often repeats his affirmative answer, Go, go.

WAR, indeed, is an awful scene; that man­kind, all made of one blood, should kill and de­vour one another, and by the destroying sword, make even rivers of human blood to flow—how horrible the thought!

THE individual that sheds the blood of ano­ther, by his own private will (except in some sin­gular cases of extreme necessity) is guilty of the highest wrong to his neighbour—horribly violates the law, the righteous law of GOD and man—is [Page 8] a murderer—near a-kin to him, who was a mur­derer from the beginning, and forfeits his life in­to the hands of justice: And shedding human blood in a more public way, by a community war­ring against another community, always, I think, must carry a murderous guilt with it, unless the cause be great and good.

THE sword can never be lawfully used for the support of an unjust cause: Nor may a people have recourse to arms, to redress every little tri­fling wrong, and support a real right and interest, if it be but small; for, if so, the world would al­ways be full of wars, and constant scenes of blood. Even reason, and plainly our holy christian insti­tution, not only forbids private revenge, and re­quires forbearance of individuals towards their neighbours; but, it also, forbids communities con­tending by the sword, with other communities, a­bout small, and inconsiderable matters; or, in­deed, about their highest rights and interests, 'till other, and milder measures have been tried and pursued, as long as there was any encouragement to it, or any rational hope and prospect of success.

IF sin had not depraved the human heart, war had never been practised among mankind. Not only private and personal feuds and quarrels, but also public and national ones, derive their origi­nal from the lusts of men. War has always a sinful root and cause somewhere; I suppose it ne­ver can possibly be just on both sides, in any cir­cumstances [Page 9] whatsoever; yet, on one side, it cer­tainly may be.

THE great Sovereign, the righteous Governor of the world has committed his sword into the magistrates hand, to restrain therewith, or if ne­cessary, to destroy the wicked; that so his people may be in a capacity to "lead quiet and peaceable lives in godliness and honesty." (For you are to know that the end and aim of every just and lawful war is peace, safety and happiness, in the way of duty and obedience to the great Sovereign, our com­mon Lord.)

THE Magistrate is not only to defend his sub­jects from private violence, but also from pub­lic and national injury and abuse: And where there is no settled form of government—no su­preme standing magistrate, to whom this trust has been properly delegated, there the right and authority to defend themselves from extreme dan­ger and abuse—to restrain, and if it cannot other­wise be done, even to destroy the notoriously wicked and injurious, is in the hands of the peo­ple.

ACCORDINGLY we find the common-wealth of Israel, when they had no supreme Magistrate, to whom they had committed this trust to ma­nage it for them, once and again acting in virtue of this right themselves, on necessary occasions. Thus the ten tribes intended to make war upon their brethren, on the other side of Jordan, be­cause, [Page 10] as they supposed, they had fallen off from the true worship of the GOD of Israel, into ido­latry—and actually did so, against their bre­thren of Benjamin, for protecting the perpetra­tors of an horrid crime, from deserved punish­ment.

IF the supreme magistrate, in a community, violates the sacred trust reposed in him by the people, if "instead of being a minister of God for good" unto them, he becomes an oppressor, disregards the constitution, by which he was as much bound as the people, and which gave him all the authority, which he has over them—if he wantonly tramples on their most important and sacred rights, and is deaf to their multiplied, du­tiful and loyal complaints and prayers, for re­dress of their grievances and wrongs, 'till there remains no hope in this way, but their oppressi­ons, are continued, encreased, and multiplied up­on them more and more; they have a plain right in the sight of Heaven and earth, to recall the delegated power, that is thus abused; otherwise, the case of the people would be wretched in­deed; inasmuch as those that are exalted, in power, above others, are so apt to abuse it, and turn oppressors, and to persist irreclaimably in it when they have so done. If the people have not a right to recal this delegated power, when, thus grosly abused; they had better (I think) never entrust it in the hands of any man, but keep it in their own.

[Page 11] As to the doctrine of passive obedience, and non-resistance, it is so contrary to religion, and even to common sense, that it is high time it were banished out of the world. It flatters and sup­ports Tyrants in their pride and wickedness, and is highly injurious to the rights of human na­ture: It has been so often, so solidly and clearly confuted, by many worthy treatises, wrote, some in these times, and some in former unhappy times, similar to these; some or other of which must be supposed to have fallen into the hands of almost every one, unless any have been strange­ly and criminally inattentive to the very impor­tant and interesting scenes that have been acting of late, between Britain and America, that it is needless, as it would probably be fruitless, to add many words upon it.

AWAY with that unreasonable doctrine of the divine right of Kings, or any other magistrates, in that absolute sense in which some plead for it. In a sober, qualified sense, I believe this doctrine: I believe that magistracy is of divine right; but I believe withal, that GOD has left it with the people, to choose their form of Government, and appoint and constitute the magistrate; although he expects them to act the rational part herein, and commit this great trust, only into suitable and proper hands. "The powers that be, are or­dained of God;" but, if I mistake not, this ra­ther refers to Government in its various forms, than to Governors—to the office, rather than the person who shall fill it. Even in this, the provi­dence [Page 12] of GOD is not to be denied, for it extends itself to all events; but none, I believe, can shew an ordinance of God, that this or that individual or family in succession, shall fill the supreme office of magistracy, in this or the other community.

THE great Governor of the world, from a kind regard to the welfare of mankind, hath ordained that there shall be magistracy among them; and when a community have, regularly and or­derly settled this authority upon particular men, they have a divine right to execute just that au­thority over the people, that is thus committed into their hands, but no more. I believe they have now, a divine right to rule well; but not to oppress the people, and infringe and tram­ple on their highest rights; which, if they do, and persist in it, against the repeated complaints and prayers of the people, for redress of wrongs, pro­tracted even to long suffering; I believe that as it was by covenant pointing out the duty of each party, and carrying in it the solemn engage­ment of each to conduct accordingly, that they came into the relation of King (suppose) and subjects; this resolved unrelenting violation on the one part▪ dissolves the obligation of it on the other; so that the people have a divine right to take the forfeiture, renounce their allegiance, and take the best care of themselves they can.

AND, if such an oppressor pursues them with the sword for so doing, I believe he greatly adds to his sin hereby, and incurs the awful displeasure [Page 13] of the great sovereign, his master, as well as theirs. And that the people have a divine right, in case of such manifest, extreme wrong—such wanton abuse of power to enslave or destroy them, to take the sword too, for their own de­fence.

NOT only may one State use the Sword against another, in cases of weighty and urgent necessity, but so likewise may a part of the State, against the other part of the same, in like cases. Not only may a people, driven to it by unavoidable necessity, draw the sword against a foreign nation, but so may they likewise, against their own bre­thren, tho' it is an awful thing indeed, and should be considered as a sore frown of Heaven on the whole community, that ever there should be occasi­on for it. Such, evidently was the case with Israel, in the awful scene, my text refers to; the chil­dren of Benjamin were their brethren—a part of the same Common-wealth with themselves; and yet their design of making war upon them, for a gross and obstinate violation of equity and right, the righteous Sovereign of the world expressly approves, and repeatedly bids them go on with it: And this, by the way, was an offensive war; and if that was lawful and right, how much more evidently and apparently, a defensive one, to ward off the assaults of violence and oppression?

AGAINST what has been offered, perhaps it may be said, by way of objection,

IT is enough for the Heathen, who know [Page 14] not God, to fight and devour one another; Chris­tians surely should not fight.

I answer, Christians should never give occasi­on for the use of the sword; nor should they, lightly and hastily take occasion to use it: But let them shew that can, where christians are re­quired to give up their liberty, and submit to sla­very—to give up their property and the great rights which indulgent Heaven has invest­ed them withal, in common with the rest of man­kind, at the demand of an assuming community, with a Tyrant at the head of it, rather than de­fend themselves by the sword if it be in their power to do it, against such great and manifest injury and wrong.

Obj. 2. THE gospel every where requires forbearance, and forbids revenge.

Ans. WHEN there is the greatest necessity for using the sword, it must not be from malice, and a desire of revenge: Wo to them that use it thus, be it in ever so just a cause: Its just and lawful use, even on the weightiest occasions, is to obtain peace and quietness on terms of reason and right, which cannot otherwise be had: And further, if the objectors will impartially consult their Bibles again, I am persuaded they will find, that the most, if not all those passages, on which this objection is grounded, refer to private revenge of private and personal injuries, and do not forbid a community to defend themselves [Page 15] from violence, and right themselves from extreme wrong, not otherwise to be righted, even by the sword. If this be duly attended to, I think it will certainly dispel a cloud of objections against the point in hand, raised from these and such like scriptures, Render to no man evil for evil. Do vi­olence to no man. If any man will take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. If any smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also. Put up thy sword into the sheath, for all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword, &c."

Obj. 3. WHATEVER was allowed and practised in this respect, under the law, yet there is no al­lowance for it now under the gospel,

Ans. THIS point—the lawfulness or unlawful­ness of using the sword, on urgent occasions, does not belong to the ceremonial law, but to the moral law, or law of nature, which is fixed and invariable, from the beginning to the end of time; and abides just the same, through all the various dispensations of GOD to his Church, in way of ceremonial, or possitive law. Therefore, the use of the sword having been lawful heretofore, is plainly so now, and always will be, in similar circumstances. Self-preserva­tion, self-defence from extreme violence and wrong, is the great and universal law of nature, which I dare say the gospel does not disannul; for I have the Apostle's affidavit, viz. St, Paul's, to support me in it: "Do we make void the law, through faith? God forbid: Yea we establish the [Page 16] law." And if I do not mistake, the gospel does plainly countenance the soldiers calling (and you know, the sword, and the use of it too, on neces­sary occasions, is closely connected with it) for, not to insist on those words of our Savior, which are sometimes applied as a proof of the point in hand (though perhaps not much to the purpose) "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one," we find soldiers, among others, enqui­ring their duty of John, a famous preacher of righteousness; upon which fair occasion, he does not condemn the calling, and bid them relinquish it; but gives them direction how to behave in it; which I think must have been absurd, if the calling was unlawful; for I cannot conceive it possible, to conduct and manage a calling lawful­ly and well, which is itself wrong; and if so, then every kind and manner of conducting it, must be wrong too.

So among others, we find upon a certain time, a centurion, a captain over an hundred soldiers, coming to Christ, with a request that he would heal his servant that was sick; upon which, that great Teacher sent from GOD, who was constant­ly careful, on all occasions, to reprove the faults, and rectify the mistakes of the people, dont con­demn his calling, and bid him relinquish it, burn his commission—throw away his sword, and be­take himself to an honester occupation; but ra­ther, he bestows a high encomium upon him; "I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel." And here, by the way, we plainly see one very [Page 17] good man of the military profession, under the gospel. Oh! would to God, our centurions, our officers of every rank, and soldiers; yea, and we too, who stay by the stuff, were of a like cha­racter, with him.

BUT, perhaps it may be thought to be need­less, to insist so long on a point so plain and clear: Well, my friend, suppose it is sufficiently plain to me and thee; yet, some of our brethren pro­fess (and peradventure, this may be just the case with a number more, who do not openly profess it) that it is not so plain to them: Some profess to believe the cause, in which we are engaged, is not just; others are wavering and not established as to the right and justice of it, and are easily staggered by stumbling-blocks thrown in their way, and carried away by a plausibility of argument: Now, if the cause depending be, in thy mind and mine, not only just and good, but also, exceeding great and important, is it not worth while to take some pains, clearly to prove it out, and confirm it, in order to settle and establish the doubting, and wavering; and if it may be, to convince the mis­taken; or else if that cannot be, to leave them the more without excuse?

And now, my brethren, who are not satisfied of the justice of the cause in which we are en­gaged, for our defence, against the hostile inva­sions of Britain; if any such hear me (and be that as it may, yet very probably curiosity will [Page 18] lead some such to read these lines, now they are offered to a more public view) upon what ground can you raise an objection, which, my subject fairly considered and regarded, will not effectu­ally remove? That Israel's taking the sword, and going to war against Benjamin, was just and right, I think you will not deny; for when they consulted Heaven upon it, once and again, by solemn fasting and prayer, the Lord expressly said, go. Was it for skreening notorious offen­ders from public justice, that Israel made war upon Benjamin? Yes. Well, and has not Great-Britain, among many other unjust and unreason­able proceedings, done nearly the same thing? I allude to an act of the British Parliament, for exempting their soldiers that should be impeach­ed for murders, committed in America, from being tried, in order to their being punished if found guilty, by the law of the land. Are the Britons our brethren? So were the Benjamites theirs—Are we the professing people of GOD? So were they—Or if it be said, that scene was acted under the law, when many things were permitted, that are unlawful now, under the gos­pel; I reply, it was not a bare permission, that Is­rael had to wage war against Benjamin, but an ex­press command, and repeated too, go, go: And though it was indeed, under the law (ceremoni­al) yet it was a point that did not belong to that law: and therefore, it makes no odds at all, whe­ther it were under, or during the authority of that law, or not; but it belongs to the law natu­ral and moral, which forbad Israel every thing [Page 19] that it fordids us; and indulges Christians in e­very thing that it did the Jews: It allowed them undeniably, in an offensive war against their bre­thren of Benjamin, because they undertook to skreen notorious criminals from public justice; and with what face then, or appearance of truth and reason, can it be pretended, that it does not allow us in a defensive war with our brethren of Britain, who, after they have done the same, and a great many other high-handed acts of cruelty and oppression against us, have sent their Fleets and Armies—an huge host, sword in hand, to rivet on our chains of slavery, or else destroy us.

UPON the whole, it seems impossible for a per­son, who has his mind free from prejudice, and undue influence from every quarter; and has but a tolerable acquaintance with the state and grounds of our controversy with Great-Britain; and fairly compares it with the awful scene in the common-wealth of Israel, now under considera­tion, any longer to doubt or hesitate about the lawfulness of the present war, on the part of America.

WE have considered, that in cer­tain circumstances, of urgent necessity, it is just and right, and agreeable to the will of GOD, for his own professing people to take the sword, and go to war, even against their brethren.

LET us proceed, and consider, according to Prop. 2. That in first commencing, and af­ter prosecuting a war, especially with brethren, [Page 22] there should be a fair, impartial, often-repeated enquiry into the right of it; that we may act with a safe conscience, and be able to justify our proceeding.

So did the children of Israel, with respect to the war with their Brethren of Benjamin; they do not rush precipitately upon it, but first they seriously deliberate the matter with themselves, and weigh the merits of the cause; whether it requires, and will justify such a procedure: Thus they call upon one another, as the first step to be ta­ken, "Consider of it, take advice and speak your minds" And not only did they seriously weigh and delibe­rate the matter, with themselves, but they ask coun­sel of the Lord about it too, previous to the first beginning of the war, and repeatedly afterwards, during the continuance of it. No important enterprize should ever be engaged in, without se­rious fore-thought, and enquiry after the path of duty, "Remember and shew yourselves men" let reason search out the path of duty, and then let action follow, and exertion in proportion to the greater or less importance of the cause; Yea and why, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right."

REASON is to be consulted, but Heaven must be consulted too: "He that trusts in his own Heart, is a fool. The way of man is not in him­self; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps:" Therefore, "trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own understanding." It is true, "the spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord," set up within him, to direct his goings; [Page 23] and the voice of reason, is always the voice of GOD; but our manifold corruptions and preju­dices, are in the greatest danger, so to blind and deceive us, as to make us think that to be the voice of reason which is not; therefore, in searching out the dictates of reason, we must make diligent and honest enquiry at the oracles of GOD, and prayerfully consult the sacred pages of revelation, where things are stripped of their false guises and deceitful shows; and set to view in their simple truth: Withal, applying ourselves to the Father of Lights—the fountain of Truth, "who giveth wisdom liberally, to them that (honest­ly) ask it of him, without upbraiding," to keep us from a false judgement, and mistaken apprehen­sion of things, which would embolden us to en­gage in rash and unjustifiable enterprizes. "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths;" and especially, "with good advice make war." Be it with strangers and heathen, 'tis a matter of too solemn, and weighty importance, to be lightly and hastily engaged in; especially, when it is with Brethren, by blood, by professi­on, or both.

SUCH an awful scene should never be entered upon, without the greatest reluctancy; conse­quently never, without the most serious enquiry into the lawfulness, the duty, the necessity of it; and all other rational methods first tried, that could be thought likely to bring matters of con­troversy to an amicable settlement, on terms of reason and right.

[Page 24] ALTHOUGH, in respect to the controversy, be­tween Britain and America, which has been some time ripened into the present awful scene of war, there is no doubt but that America has been faulty in many things; it is scarce ever other­wise, in public or private feuds and quarrels, that are carried to any considerable length, but that there is blame, more or less, on both sides: It is hard, for such depraved creatures to bear grievous injuries and wrongs, without being thrown out of proper temper by it, and getting quite beside the path of duty: yet, I think, as it is plain that Britain was the aggressor, by whom the offence came; who first took the sword, and began the quarrel; so it is pretty evident to a fair, and impartial mind, that America (I speak not of individuals; the speeches and conduct of some of these have been utterly too rash and unjusti­fiable; but of our public councils; the represen­tative bodies of America) have proceeded with very considerable deliberation, moderation and caution, while matters were coming on to this sad pass, as much as could be rationally expect­ed, under such sore "oppression as makes even the wise man mad," and bare and forbare, until violence had risen to such an height, as to make it a matter of plain duty, and indispensable necessi­ty, to take the sword for self defence: And, be­fore and since the commencement of the war, we have been frequently setting apart days of fasting and prayer, professedly on the design of asking counsel and direction of Heaven, how we should proceed and conduct, in the embarrassed, [Page 25] and very distressing state of our affairs; which, were they attended only with a moral sincerity, I doubt not but they would be followed with some happy consequences: But I fear the most of us do not observe them so well as that—do not attend them with that concern, and thoughtfulness, that even natural conscience, and the common law of self-preservation, might well be expected to engage us to, at such an aw­ful day as the present is, when a cause of such high importance hangs, wavering, in doubtful expec­tation. Do not many of us regard these solemn days, only as mere matters of form, without heart, without the thoughtfulness, and proper temper and exercises of men, as well as without the piety and sincerity of christians? and so, on­ly mock, and insult Heaven, while we profess to humble ourselves before the Lord, and ask coun­sel of him. But, oh! beware my friends, what you do. This is exceedingly provoking to GOD, and dangerous to yourselves. However, I trust there is a goodly number, scattered here and there, who truly fear the Lord, and tremble un­der his up-lifted hand; who, on these occasions especially, and indeed from day to day, are mour­ning before the Lord, for the sins of the Land, particularly their own, which have provoked him to suffer matters to come to this sad pass with us; and sensible of the great need of divine guidance and conduct in such an awful embarrassed, and threatning state of things as we are in, are earnest­ly asking counsel and direction of Heaven; But as to a great many, I fear they are exceeding [Page 26] faulty, in not taking proper care and pains, by seri­ous, prayerful enquiry, to inform themselves into the state of the controversy in hand, and about the reason and right of our cause: And yet, perhaps they are zealously engaged, some on one side, and some on the other, while they neither know, nor se­riously concern themselves to know with any clear, distinct knowledge, what the cause is. How can you be sure to walk safe, when you do not know what ground you go upon? If the cause is good and just, what is that to you that neglect to search it out as far as in you lies, and be at reasonable and proper pains to see it to be so? Will you act in matters of weightiest importance, upon a meer presumption of right, without a rational sight, and conscientious satisfaction thereof? It will never do to see merely with others eyes, and take things of weighty importance upon trust, where the way is open and fair, by proper enqui­ry to see for ourselves. The awful scene now acting, must certainly have a further hearing: And how without a serious enquiry into the right of it, shall they that act for the cause, be able to justify their conduct at the great day? How shall they know but they are bringing blood guiltiness upon themselves? And how, without a fair en­quiry, shall they that oppose the public measures of the day, or only stand neuters, know but they are bringing the curse of Heaven (as well as Earth) upon themselves? As it is written, "curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly, the inhabitants there­of; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the Lord, against the [Page 27] mighty." Verily, the cause depending, is too great and solemn, to be treated with a careless indifferency: if it be an unjust cause, wo be to them that put an hand to it, to shed blood un­justly; and that the blood of brethren: If it is just, I am sure it is great, and calls upon all to join heart and hand for its support; left even by a neutrality in so important a cause, they greatly sin against themselves, against the public, against posterity and against Heaven too. Therefore, what I urge here is, that every one that is capa­ble of it, will seriously and prayerfully, without prejudice or undue influence from any quarter whatever; and with the best helps he can get to assist him, examine and search out the cause for himself; honestly endeavoring to see it in its simple, undisguised truth; that he may know how to act with a safe conscience, and so as to be able to answer it, another day. Say not, it is too late now, to make enquiry into the merits of the cause: It is true, it should have been done by every one capable of it, long ago; but if it has not been seriously attended to, thoroughly deli­berated, and brought to a rational issue in any of your minds, it is high time to do it now, and better late than never—if it has, yet, in so weigh­ty and solemn a matter, there is the greatest pro­priety in a further, and often-repeated enquiry; after the example of Israel, in my text and con­text.

THE cause depending is plainly, one that nearly concerns the honor of GOD, and our Ec­clesiastical, [Page 28] religious interest, as well as civil and secular welfare: And therefore, if we have gone in a wrong path, it is time to see it, and stop, be the consequence as it may: But if in a right one—if our cause is just, it is high time we were all rationally satisfied of it; and, with a cordi­al union, and spirited resolution, engaged for the support of it.

Prop 3. IT is nothing strange, or new, if in prosecuting a just war, we meet with severe and repeated rebukes of Heaven, for our sins.

MANKIND are apt to judge of a cause by its good or bad success, and that from some of the first and earliest events that turn up; and before it comes any thing near the turning point, and final issue. This has been the case with some, in respect to the controversy subsisting between us and Britain.

BUT where did we learn that a good cause shall certainly have a constant, uninterrupted se­ries of successes, from beginning to end; or that a bad cause is never attended with any fortunate events, that for the present, seem to favor and support it?—Not from a just observation of the course of things in our world, under the ad­ministration of the great Sovereign—Not from the sacred scriptures, certainly: When Is­rael was come over Jordan, to root out the inha­bitants of Canaan, and take possession of their land, certainly their cause was just, for they were [Page 29] acting by express orders from Heaven; yet they had not an uninterrupted course of successes. When they went up against Ai, they were repul­sed with loss. There may be other Achans, be­sides a bad cause, which may occasion bad success. So when Israel went to war against their brother Benjamin, they were right in this, their cause was just, GOD repeatedly approves of it, and bids them go on with it: And yet they met with ve­ry awful scenes of divine rebuke, and ill success, in the prosecution of it: Their two first encoun­ters with Benjamin, cost them no less than forty thousand lives, with the loss of the battle, each time; so that it is no new thing, for a people, prosecuting a just cause, to meet with sore frowns and rebukes of Heaven, by the way:

AND therefore, according to Prop. 4. Al­though this calls for mourning and deep humilia­tion before GOD, and a serious concern to obtain pardon and reconciliation with him, yet it is no sufficient ground of discouragement, from a fur­ther prosecution of the cause, with hope in the mercy of GOD, to support and carry it through, in his own wise and holy, time and way.

THIS head, I consider as the improvement of my subject, and accordingly, shall handle it with a more express and particular application to our own case. We see the conduct of Israel in my text, it is a worthy example; I pray come, let us set upon the imitation of it. Not only do they en­quire and search further into the cause, upon re­peated [Page 30] ill success, to see if it be agreeable to the di­vine will, that they prosecute it still (which I have already spoken to) but also, with great and serious concern, they set themselves to enquire out the cause of these sore misfortunes, which had befallen them, and to put it away: "They went up to the House of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted until even; and of­fered burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings before the Lord."

WE are following their example this day, in externals: O that we might also, in the spirit and truth of these great duties, which we find them here engaged in. Many awful scenes have turned up, since the commencement of this un­happy war, with our brethren of Britain; much American, as well as British blood has been shed: The enemy has at one time and another, gotten considerable advantage against us: And could we reasonably expect any other, even in the natural course of things? Could a cause, so cir­cumstanced as ours, be carried on without such scenes of calamity and distress attending it, un­less the Lord would work very miracles for us, to prevent it? (which we have no reason to ex­pect.) But as all events are in the hand of GOD, so the most natural occurrences are capable of a moral view, and should be ever considered by us in that light: And in a moral view, that is to say, in a view of the character of the great Go­vernor of the world, and our own character as a people, had we not reason to expect all this [Page 31] that has already befallen us? Yea, and a great deal more scourging and correction from the Lord's righteous hand. Even though our cause was good, and he was determined to sup­port it, and give us the desired success, in the end. The serious, sensible and thinking part of America were, even ready to tremble with awful concern, at our plunging into this unnatu­ral war with Britain, to think what a sore scourge the righteous Governor of the world, would pro­bably make it to us, according to his wonted way with his people, under great degeneracy; even while they were fully persuaded of the jus­tice of the cause, and duty of prosecuting it; and entertained withal, a comfortable hope that it would please him to crown our efforts with final success. When Israel met with repeated and heavy frowns and losses in the war with their brother Benjamin, "they wept before the Lord," not only, nor chiefly, for their ill success, but al­so and especially, for their sins, whereby they had procured these awful rebukes of Heaven—to be so severely punished, though on the right side of the question, by the hand of Benjamin, who were altogether in the wrong: Hereby they were con­vinced of sin, and brought to a concerned sense of their guilt, not in respect to the cause in hand, but in other things; in respect to their general character, as being now, a very degenerate, back­slidden people, and of the divine anger against them herefor: Therefore they fall to offering sa­crifices of attonement to the offended Deity; which, if done in faith, looking forward, to the [Page 32] great Propitiation to be offered in due time, to put away sin, with broken, penitent hearts, and a fixed resolution (Divine Grace helping) to put away their sins, and reform their lives, was just the thing that Providence was so loudly calling them to; the likeliest, yea, a sure way to better success: And it is with manifold wisdom, that the Lord takes this method with his people, e­ven when justly called to arms, to chasten and correct them by the hand of the enemy, especial­ly when they are grown very corrupt, before he smiles upon their enterprise, and works the desi­red salvation for them: Thus, he uses to humble their pride, beat them off from self-de­pendance, and bring them to trust in him, see­ing all their hope and help to lie on him: Thus he prepares the way, for the glory of their deli­verance and salvation to be given to him, to whom it of right belongs; which, otherwise, they would ascribe to themselves. This method is necessary to be taken with them, to bring them to a sense of their sins, of GOD'S righte­ous anger thereat; and so, of their awful dan­ger, and put them upon a concerned seeking his reconciled face and favor; and thus prepare them for mercy, that it may be conferred upon them, in a way, honorary to GOD, and his go­vernment.

Oh! that the sore correction, we have alrea­dy had from the hand of GOD, by our unnatu­ral, opppressive and bloody brethren of Britain, as his instruments, might effectually answer [Page 33] these wise and holy ends of Providence with us. GOD'S suffering this distressing war to arise, be­tween our brethren and us, is an awful token of his anger; and many things that have occurred, since the commencement of it, must in all reason be ranked under the same head; And will not all this alarm and rouse us?—make us sensible of our sin and danger, and fill us with a deep con­cern to obtain pardon and reconciliation with an­gry Heaven. It is surprising to think how stu­pid, careless and secure, we, in general are, un­der the very awful hand of GOD upon us: But truly, sirs, this will never do, to sleep on thus; if we do, I am afraid that GOD will presently rouse us with a dreadful vengeance; for it is an awful thing—a matter of highest insult, and provoca­tion to Heaven, for a people, thus to trifle and play with the dreadful shaking of the rod of GOD over them, and brandishing his glittering spear about them: By and by, if thus we go on (and perhaps sooner than we are aware) GOD will make us know it to our cost. We cannot har­den ourselves against him, and prosper: But when he judges, he will overcome.

IF peradventure for his own honor's sake, as moral Governor of the world, and for the great­ness and goodness of the cause, which we are en­gaged in against our oppressive brethren of Bri­tain, it should please GOD to support it, and car­ry it through; yet we should have nothing, in reason, to expect at his hand, if we are not hum­bled and reformed by all this, but some more [Page 34] dreadful and destroying judgments, presently to overtake us.

COME then, I pray let us awake out of sleep—let us "shew ourselves men," at least, and, I trust there is a goodly number yet left, scattered here and there, who are in a capacity, by virtue of new and divine principles implanted in them, to shew themselves christians: Let us set our­selves, with a prayerful seriousness, to that great, and all-concerning duty of consideration, the neglect, or too slight performance of which, un­does the world; let us seriously consider the great and manifold mercies of GOD to us—our preci­ous and distinguishing privileges, and ungrateful abuse of them—the awful alarms of Providence, and our careless and impious contempt of them, and the like; and peradventure, while we are musing, the fire may burn, and a divine influence concurring, our hearts be wrought by this means, to a broken, penitent, concerned frame and tem­per; such as GOD has promised to have respect unto. Let us set ourselves to an immediate re­forming of the outward, gross, abominable sins, that are so rise among us; extravagance, oppres­sion, extortion, prophaness, intemperance, un­cleanness, and the like; for which nothing is wanting, but a willing mind, and determined re­solution; withal, uniting our earnest, importu­nate and unwearied cries to Heaven, that GOD will please, by a plentiful out-pouring of his spi­rit, to set on foot, and carry on the great and blessed work, of real, internal, heart-reformati­on and vital piety among us.

[Page 35] Very evidently, the Lord is angry with us; but oh! surely that is a matter of awful conside­ration. Dare we [...] in such a case? It exposes to all calamity, misery and woe, temporal, spiri­tual and eternal: and will you not, in such a sur­prizing situation, immediately join with Israel in my text, and fall to offering your burnt offerings and peace-offerings, to appease the offended Dei­ty; You will say, but what may these be; I re­ply, not your prayers, tears, or duties of refor­mation and better obedience; these indeed, fall in very fitly, in their proper place (as observed before) and certainly, your hearts are in no mea­sure right; nor have the divine corrections, even begun to work their proper effect upon you, un­til you are brought to consider, mourn and pray, and reform the evils of your lives: But all this is of no virtue or value, as an attoning sacrifice, to appease the angry Deity, and procure you his pardon and mercy: If you do it with this view, it is all nothing, in respect to yourselves, or worse than nothing, however it may be, in respect to the community; for GOD will view it in this ve­ry different and awful light, viz. "He that kills an Ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood, and he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an Idol." He that endeavors to appease and please the injured, offended Jehovah, with his own poor, sorry sa­crifices (no respect had to the great Gospel-Sacri­fice) can be no more accepted of him, than a murderer, an idolater, or he that should offer the [Page 36] most unclean and abominable things on GOD'S Altar: The sacrificer of old conforming ever so exactly to the divine right of the law, could not be accepted without an eye to the great An­ti-Type: By faith in the seed of the woman, as who, with his bruised heel, should bruise the Ser­pent's head, Abel offered a more excellent sacri­fice than Cain. There is one only sacrifice of atonement for sin—a crucified Christ: "By one offering, HE hath perfected forever, them that are sanctified." Only "the blood of Jesus Christ, the son of God, cleanseth us from sin, all sin." O come let us then, a polluted, guilty generation, awful­ly exposed to the revenges of justice, immediate­ly "lay hold on the hope set before us," embracing this great Propitiation, let us offer it to an angry GOD, and it will surely appease his wrath, and procure us his favor: "The Lord is well-pleased for his righteousness sake," and is ever ready to "make us accepted in the beloved." This is the ve­ry method that Moses took for himself and his dear people of Israel, in Egypt, in a time of impending danger; and it proved effectual for their defence and security. "By faith he kept the Passover, and sprinkling of blood, lest he that de­stroyed the first born should touch them." Thus doing, we should be happily safe, amidst all the dangers of this evil time; and might with cou­rage, and confidence of success, through the mer­cy and help of GOD, notwithstanding the frowns and the rebukes of Providence upon us, in time past, go up yet again to battle, against our inva­ding, oppressing brethren of Britain, and their mercenary Assistants.

[Page 37] WHEN Israel was brought to this, in a broken­hearted sense of their sins, "to weep before the Lord, and offer to him their burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings," why now, says he, "go up again, and to-morrow I will deliver them into your hands:" This to-morrow (blessed be GOD) seems to be al­ready dawned upon us, in the late repeated, and very considerable successes of the American Arms. If his judgments have not yet, oh! may the goodness of GOD to so undeserving, and ill-deserving a people, lead us to repentance: And while we evidently see that he is yet waiting to be gracious, let us immediately fall at his feet, on the knee of submission, and implore his further mercy and aid; and let us bear it in mind, that we have reason to expect GOD'S protection and help, only in the use of proper means, or by his blessing on our exertions.

IT was an ancient maxim, "Wo! to the conquered." This wo, my brethren, will be like to fall on us, with many a horrible circumstance of aggravation; and so abide on our posterity; if we are conquered by our assuming, imperious brethren of Britain.

THEY told us long ago, before they were half so angry with us as now, that they had a right to make laws to bind us in ALL cases whatsoever: Horrid power! And (if, to be literally understood) sacrilegious invasion of the sole prerogative of the great Sovereign! Or, if it be attempted to be, ever so softened down from the alarming sound [Page 38] of the latter, I see not how it will mend the mat­ter much; for, if it means any thing, I think it must mean so much as this, viz. that we lie, meer­ly at their will (suppose in temporals only) and they are the sole judges, how we are to be gover­ned and disposed of. Horrid power still! Un­righteous claim! Where is our liberty then? What but despotism in its altitude, is here? What but slavery in the abstract? What assurance can we have, that they will, deliberately make, and hang up to public view, this surprizing claim, will not carry matters, in the exercise of this supposed right, to the most distressing and unsuf­ferable length? Is not such a claim to be denied by free-men, and its correspondent measures to be rectified, with a spirited, firm and persevering resolution? Surely, our cause is such as calls for exertion, for its support—an exertion not to be discouraged, not to be hindered, by a thousand dangers and difficulties in the way, so long as there is any hope of success left.

NEVER let it be said, that men are slow to run, when necessity calls; nor let a worthy reward (besides the generous satisfaction of assisting to rescue invaded liberty, out of the hands of as­suming tyranny) be grudged to them, who willingly offer themselves to the difficulties, and dangers of the camp and field, in defence of a cause so just, so great, and of such interesting importance to the common rights of mankind, and the Liberty and welfare of our dear country, not only in the present, but also, in succeeding times and generations.

[Page 39] FINALLY; would we, unfeignedly return to GOD, from whom we have greatly backslidden; and in the faithful discharge of our duty, as to a spirited and persevering use of the proper and ne­cessary means, for our defence, reposing the con­fidence of our hearts on the GOD of armies, for success, I am persuaded, we might justly adopt the language of the Prophet, Micah 7. 8, 9: Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto me; I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me; he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall see his righteousness."

AMEN.