Tyranny and Toryism exposed: being the substance of two sermons, preached at Newbury, Lord's Day, September 10th, 1780. / By Peter Powers, A.M. Pastor of the church in said Newbury and Haverhill.

Tyranny and Toryism exposed: being the substance of two sermons, preached at Newbury, Lord's Day, September 10th, 1780. / By Peter Powers, A.M. Pastor of the church in said Newbury and Haverhill.

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Tyranny and Toryism exposed.

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Tyranny and Toryism exposed:

BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF TWO SERMONS, PREACHED AT NEWBURY, LORD's DAY, SEPTEMBER 10th, 1780.

By PETER POWERS, A. M. PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN SAID NEWBURY AND HAVERHILL.

WESTMINSTER: PRINTED BY SPOONER & GREEN. 1781.

Tyranny and Toryism exposed.

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DANIEL XI. 30, 32.‘So shall he do, he shall even return, and have Intelligence with them that forsake the holy Covenant.—And such as do wickedly against the Covenant, shall be corrupt by Flatteries.’

THE cruel Tyrant here intended was ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, the little Horn in Daniel's Vision, Chap. VIII. 9,—12. ‘And out of one of them came forth a little Horn, which waxed exceeding great toward the South, and toward the East, and toward the pleasant Land. And it waxed great even to the Host of Heaven; and it cast down some of the Host, and of the Stars to the Ground, and stamped upon them. Yea he magnified himself even to the Prince of the Host, and by him the daily Sacrifice was taken away, and the Place of his Sanctuary was cast down. And an Host was given him against the daily Sacrifice, by Reason of Transgression; and it cast down the Truth to the Ground, and it practised and prospered.’ This is explained to the Prophet by the Angel, That in the latter Time of their Kingdom, when the Transgressors are come to the full, a King of fierce Countenance, and Understanding dark Sentences, shall stand up. And his Power shall be mighty, but not by his own Power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and practise, and shall destroy the mighty, and the holy People. And through his Policy also he shall cause Craft to prosper in his Hand, and he shall magnify himself on his Heart, and by Peace shall destroy many: He shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes; but he shall be broken without Hand. *

OUR Text says, He shall return, meaning to Palestine, where he had been, before, engaged in his bloody Wars and Massacres, and shall have intelligence with them that forsake the holy Covenant. The Apostates and vile Mercenaries among the Jews, called the Transgressors, † should give him Intelligence of every Design of the Jews, and who were in Opposition against him, what their Situation, Power and Strength; so that nothing could pass in Judas Maccabeus's Camp or Councils, but it was carried him by these corrupt and abandoned Men, bribed and flattered out of all their Liberties, and their Religion. These Miscreants of the [Page] Tyrant forsook the holy Covenant, the Covenant of the LORD GOD of their Fathers, and the Covenant they themselves had made to serve the Lord, to keep his Laws, and maintain the Rights and Privileges of that People. They were such as did-wickedly against the Covenant, whom this Monster corrupted by Flatteries. Traitors, and the worst of Traitors were they against God and against his People, their own People, for the Sake of filthy Lucre: The Love of Money was to them the Root of all Evil. And no sort of low Cunning, no Arts of Deceit and Falshood were too much for them who had given themselves over to Satan, and this great Officer of his cursed State and Kingdom.

BUT we are to observe, that the Foundation of all their Wickedness was, their forsaking the holy Covenant. And this is the Occasion and Ground of all abominable Practices in a Christian Land. Forsake the holy Covenant, then Lies and Fraud, and all the Arts of Injustice and Cruelty follow of Course—Nothing is too bad for such a Man.

Now these corrupted Em [...]ssaries of the Tyrant were among the Jews, what the Tories are in this Country in the present Day. They forsook the holy Covenant, and then they were corrupted by Flatteries to give Intelligence to one of the worst of Men, and cruelest of Tyrants that ever existed on this Side the infernal Regions. And how are such Covenant-breakers corrupted still by Bribes and Flatteries, to give the Tyrant and his Cut-throats Intelligence?

WE shall endeavor to take a little larger View of our Subject, under the following Propositions, viz.

I. DESCRIBE, in a comparative View, the Persons spoken of in the Text.

II. WE shall endeavor to point out their heinous Wickedness.

III. SHEW the Danger of such People in a State or Country.

IV. MAKE Application.

I. WE are to describe, in a comparative View, the Persons spoken of in the Text.

1. THE first is a Tyrant, and he one of the greatest and worst that ever existed among those that had the Name of Man. Antiochus, it would seem, aimed to be more than a Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander both. He was worse by far than both of them, for he even abandoned all Religion and Virtue. Not only did he level his Opposition against the Religion of the Jews, the only true Religion then in the World, but even the Religion of Nature, all the Religion of the Gentiles, see Ver. 36, 37, of the Context. ‘And the King shall do according to his Will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every [Page] God; and he shall speak marvellous Things against the God of Gods.—Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers, nor the Desire of Women, nor regard any God; for he shall magnify himself above all.’ So he was a perfect and consummate Athirst. This was uncommon. Nebuchadnezzar was a Deist, and a Worshipper of Idols. Yea he owned and acknowleged the only true God.* And so did most, if not all the old Tyrants. The less any Man has of Religion, the more he is of a Tyrant. Moreover this Antiochus stripped and plundered a great Part of the World of their natural Rights and Privileges, took away their Estates and Laws, and such as escaped with their Lives were turned into a State of Poverty and Distress. v. 43 He shall have Power over the Treasures of Gold and of Silver; and over all the precious Things of Egypt. And he plundered the Temple and the City of Jerusalem.†

FURTHERMORE, he used Chicanery and Flattery, corrupting and bribing People to favor and assist him in his wicked Practices. Thus this vile Person obtained the Kingdom by Flattery, ver. 21. And he corrupted by Flatteries loose and wicked People to stand on his Side, and carry on his infernal Works of Rapine and Cruelty. What a lively Picture of later Tyrants. ‘He scattered among them the Prey and the Spoil and the Riches,’ just as GEORGE the Third of England has among his corrupt Ministry, and his Vassals that he has flattered and cajoled to cut the Throats of this peaceable Country. How has he exhausted the public Treasury, and oppressed his loyal Subjects by most enormous Taxes, till they are in a great Measure ruined and bankrupted, and the poor perishing in the Streets, still hardened against all their Cries, Prayers, Petitions and Remonstrances, and perfectly callous to all Feeling of the Miseries of his People, till the Nation, being thrown into the greatest Ferment, has risen against him and his corrupt Parliament.

AGAIN, this impious Antiochus sent Fire and Sword amongst his Jewish Subjects, ver. 33. ‘Yet they shall fall by the Sword, and by Flame, by Captivity and by Spoil many Days.’ This is exactly answered in his Antitype in England, who for these five or six Years has been laying many of our populous Towns in Ashes, and pouring out the Blood of hundreds and thousands of the peaceable Inhabitants by the Force of the Sword.

ONCE more, Antiochus was a great Persecutor of the Saints of the most High. ‘His Heart was against the holy Covenant,’ ver. 28. And those whom he destroyed by the Sword, Fire, Captivity and Spoil▪ many days, were such as had Understanding, and instructed many in the [Page] Things of God, ver. 33. He destroyed the mighty and the holy People, and stood up against the Prince of Princes.† He changed their Laws, took away their Religion, and placed the Abomination of Desolation in the holy Place, ver. 31.*

SIMILAR to this has the Tyrant of England begun his Persecutions in this Land, by his notorious Quebec Bill, by which he established Popery in the extended Province of Canada; and also by establishing the Popish Religion in England last Year by Act of Parliament.

2. THE other Sort of People spoken of in our Text, is the Tyrant's Minions and Vassals; his corrupt Party. No Man so vile and wicked but he will have Companions, both in this World and in the World to come.—Now these were,

1. SUCH as forsook the holy Covenant.

THIS was the Covenant God made with his People Israel. The Covenant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It also included the Sinai Covenant, which was founded on the Abrahamic. In this Covenant God promised to be their God, and took them to be his People.† Also in this Covenant, he gave them Statutes, Laws and Institutions for them to walk in. And he commanded them to be separate from all People in the World, not to symbolize with them in Religion, Customs, and Manners, for they were a holy People to himself. But these wicked Persons could not endure the Strictness and Severity of the divine Rules that were given them. Their Religion was too pure and holy for their unsanctified Hearts; and their blind and carnal Reason falsely taught them that there was no Necessity of it; and therefore, though they had joined in the holy Covenant Profession of Religion, they soon forsook it. Perhaps not all at once, but by Degrees they grew worse and worse, till they wholly abandoned the Profession as well as Practice of Religion. And how is this like Multitudes of the present Generation, who have forsaken the holy Covenant, and the Purity of Doctrine and Worship maintained by their Fathers? And from this have proceeded to more Ungodliness and Licentiousness.

2. THESE People not only forsook, but did wickedly against the Covenant.—They broke the Covenant, and walked in direct Opposition to the holy Commands and I [...]sti [...]u [...]ons of it. They profaned the holy Covenant, and gave themselves up to all vicious Pract [...]es. And thus many, if not all, who have joined the Tyra [...]t of England, have gone into loose Practices. They are generally a lying, dishonest Sett of Creatures, [Page] who▪ to the great Grief of good Men, have formerly been waiting for, and catching at Offices of Profit, P [...]aces and Pensions, to gratify their Pride and Avarice, and to support their Extravagancies; and the lower Sort of them are abandoned to Idleness, Drunkenness and Deceit. And how very contrary is Religion and Virtue to such Children of [...]? Thus they have done wickedly against the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers.

3. THESE wicked People were bribed and hired, and so gained to the Tyrant's Interest by Corruption.—Here we see where breaking and forsaking the holy Covenant will carry Men, even to all Wickedness: Now they are ready to do any Thing for Money; and are nosed about by Flatteries to commit Murders, and every vile Thing. Thus our English Antiochus has corrupted many of our Covenant-breakers, by Flatteries and a little filthy Lucre, to aid and assist him in all his Barbarities.

4. THESE People were the Tyrant's Spies, that gave him Intelligence. This was one of the most consummate Pieces of their hellish Wickedness and Hypocrisy. These Covenant-breakers, that lived among the Jews, secretly informed Antiochus of all that passed, so that he knew how every Thing was going on in the Camp of the Maccabees, and the Situation they were in, whereby he was able to do according to his Will in many Respects. Our Tories, that live among us and in the Country, are not the first in such an infernal Plan, who privately keep up their Correspondence with the Enemy, and give them Intelligence of every Thing that may be to their Advantage. The old Spirit of Persecution, and the Spirits of Devils reign in such People, and they are of the malignant Spirit of their Father the Devil, secretly working, watching, and giving Information. For what? To assist the Nero of England to butcher and destroy peaceable Inhabitants, Men, Women and Children; who has hired his swarthy Barbarians to commit their savage Murders on the innocent and defenceless without Distinction. Witness Susquehannah, and the Settlements above Albany.

WICKED Tyrants, to compass the Rights of Mankind, to destroy the righteous, and put an End to all who opposed their ambitious and haughty Designs, have ever had their cajoled and corrupted Minions, whom they have employed in watching and spying out good and honest People. So Saul had his Creatures to watch David; and Doeg was one of his Informers against him and the Priests of the Lord. The Pharisees watched our Saviour, and had their Spies, the Herodians, to watch and entangle him in his Talk. And how many have there been [Page] sent out by the bloody Nero of England, to watch every Part of our Country and our Army, to give him Intelligence? And, how shocking and surprising is it to think that such Children of the infernal Regions, whose League is with Death and Hell, should be supported by our own Inhabitants, to bring the Enemy upon the defenceless, to commit their Ravages and Depopulations on the frontier Settlements, without any just Provocation! My Soul, come not thou into their Secret: unto their Assembly, mine Honor, be not thou united.

WE proceed,

II. To shew the Heinousness of the Wickedness of such People.

AND, I. Breaking and forsaking the holy Covenant, is the Sin which stands in the Front of all, as big with the most heaven-daring Insolence and Contempt of what is sacred, and pregnant with every other Enormity.

GOD's Covenant is a holy Covenant: And where the Gospel comes, People have it, in all the rich Grace of it, brought and freely tendered to them. Many think they are not in that Covenant except they are converted, or have made a public and solemn Recognition of it. Such People do but deceive themselves. It is true indeed, that the unconverted have not embraced the Mercy and Grace of the Covenant, and so are not interested in the internal and special Blessings of it. And such as have not publicly recognized the Covenant, are not under personal Bonds of their own, to the Church, to attend the Seals of it. But they are under the Law of the Covenant to their Maker; because his Authority binds them in the strongest Manner to be to him a People. The Children of Israel were in the Covenant, though they did not particularly and explicitly recognize it in but few Generations: and God considered them as his Covenant People. So now, my Brethren, you were born under the Covenant, and have it administred to you in a preached Gospel. And you that do not heartily embrace it, do wickedly against it in that, and in your slighting the Grace and Mercy of it, and in turning your Backs upon the Seals of it. You do wickedly against it in all your sinful Words and Actions, and in all your Opposition to God and Conformity to this World. And this is what aggravates your Sin, that it is against all the Mercy and Grace of the Covenant Had you never known the holy Covenant, your Wickedness had not been to [...] us. And thus our [...] Saviour says concerning the Jews, If I had not come and spoken to them they had not bad Sin; but new they have no Cloak for their Sin.—If I had not done among them the Works which none other man did, they had not had Sin. * To sin against [Page] the Love and Grace of the Redeemer, and all the rich Mercy of God in the new Covenant, is inconceivably heinous. But this our Infidels do, and this all our wicked People do▪ It is the very Case of our Drunkards, Swearers and Sabbath-breakers, with our unclean Persons, and all our unjust and extortionous People. And is it not, in a glaring Light, most aggravatedly the Case with our Tories? The Tories in the Time of the Maccabees were the Transgressors who forsook the holy Covenant, and gave Intelligence to the Tyrant, being corrupted by Flatteries. Our Tories have forsaken the Covenant, and given the Antiochus of England secret Intelligence. They are corrupted with Flatteries, the Flatteries of an arbitrary and blood-thirsty Tyrant, with Flatteries to betray their own Country, the Lives, Liberties and Fortunes of their Neighbours, into the Hands of the hardned Pharaoh of England. And if this is not Wickedness, then Wickedness is not to be found in Earth or Hell. Wickedness is merely ideal, and nothing but a Whim and Chimera of vapoury Brains and dreaming Fools.

BREAKING and forsaking the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, was the Sin which ruined Israel of old, by bringing all their fearful Judgments upon them, so as to make them an Astonishment and an H [...]ing among all the Nations.* Every Degree of Covenant-breaking is provoking to God, and will surely bring Wrath temporal as well as eternal without Repentance. How much more when Men go on to this high Degree of Wickedness, of betraying and selling their Country into the Hands of the Banditti of England, as Judas did his Master into the Hands of Murderers?

2. THE great Wickedness of Tyrants and their Mercenaries is, that they are guilty of Murder. And their Emissaries are the Causes of the cruellest of Murders. The Murders that have been committed in this Country, since the Boston Massacre, are very numerous, and would swell into large Volumes, were they to be properly noted; and chiefly, if not altogether owing to these abandoned Wretches, the Tories, whose inveterate Malice, and insatiate Avarice has kept them in perpetual Motion.

MURDER is a crying Sin. Innocent Blood cries, it cries for Vengeance. The Voice of thy Brother's Blood crieth to me from the Ground; and now thou art cursed.† O dreadful Thought! The Blood of Thousands of poor Women and Children, and of Men prostrate and begging for Mercy, cries for Vengeance on a guilty Tyrant, his murderous Army, and his apostate Kingdom, old in Blood, the Blood of God's Saints shed since the Reformation, since the Kingdom became a Protestant [Page] Kingdom. But O, how it cries against those of this Land who have forsaken and done wickedly against the holy Covenant▪ those Miscreants who have been l [...]king about and secretly conveying Intelligence to the Enemy! And O, how has AMERICA, dear AMERICA, nursed up Swarms of such Vipers to suck her own Blood, the Blood of her Sons and Daughters! And are these murderers still fostered in our Bosoms? Are they yet indulged to go on in all their clandestine Frau [...]s, while they put on the sanctimonious Air of Neighbour, Friend and Brother? But like David's secret Enemy, He hath put forth his Hand against such as be at Peace with him; he hath broken his Covenant. The Words of his Mouth were smoother than Butter, but War was in his Heart; his Words were softer than Oil, yet were they drawn Swords. * Hypocrisy, cu [...]ed Hypocrisy! Old Satan's Trade of Deceit when he ruined Mankind, and by which he still draws Men to Perdition! Is not this Wickedness? secretly to murder the innocent, and bring Murderers unexpectedly upon a People, and deluge Towns and Cities in Blood, and lay them waste with Fire and Sword?

Is there Honor and Generosity in an Enemy? It has been boasted among Britons, who professed to act upon Principle—now no more! No Honor! no Virtue!—All, all the Serpent, Satan [...]ull of Rage, Envy and Malice, the Fires of Hell. And are any of America's Sons joined in the infernal Plan? Any that live in Peace among us, and enjoy the Privileges of free Citizens, engaged, by any Mea [...]s, to aid the hostile Foe? More than probable. But what is the Design? To support Tyranny, and maintain the Devil's Cause by Fire and Sword. To pour out the Blood of Men, Women and Children promiscuously. Perhaps they expect a Name in the Tyrant's Roll, or a Pension by which they may possess the Estates of their murdered Neighbours, not fearing their frightful Ghosts will haunt their H [...]uses, and terrify their guilty Conferences. Hardned Wretches! They put far off the evil Day, that dreadful Day when their Hands will be found [...]u [...]l of Blood.

3. THESE Persons are guilty of Falshood, Lying and Perjury. Many of them have taken the Oa [...]h of Allegiance and Fidelity to their Country, yet are corrupted by Flatteries to give I [...]te [...]ig [...]nce to the Enemy. And although they may tell Truth [...]n many of their Reports, yet it is with no better Design than the Devil's when he said Skin for Skin, yea al [...] that [...] him hath will he give for his Life. ‡ They have no good Design [...] what [...] they convey to the Enemy. And [...] have they decei [...]d the Enemy, themselves? [...] their Neighbours to whom they have appeared as good Whigs.

[Page] THESE corrupted Vassals have lost the Truth, have sold it for the Support of Tyranny, and every Rule and Measure of Injustice. They are not afraid to speak falsely like Doeg.* Thy Tongue deviseth Mischief, like a sharp Raizer working deceitfully. Thou lovest Evil more than Good, and lying rather than to speak Righteousness: Selah. Thou lovest all devouring Words, O thou deceitful Tongue. This, this is the Trade of Tories, to lye and deceive. And is it not a heinous Sin? And what will be the Consequence? What shall be given unto thee—thou false Tongue?—Sharp Arrows of the Mighty, with Coals of Juniper. † And all Liers shall have their Part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone. † Every one should tremble at a Lye. It is so exceedingly contrary to the God of Truth, that he will punish it. Truth is sacred, most sacred and dear; but all Falshood is hellish and detestable.

BUT when shall we end?—There is a Complication of all Wickedness in these abandoned Creatures. The holy Covenant broken, Religion given up; for although they may sometimes attend a few external Duties, it can be no better than the wicked Woman's in the Proverbs, I have Peace-Offerings with me: this Day have I paid my Vows. § It is all with a most pernicious Design, even for a Covert of their wickedness, that they may not be so readily suspected. They hate the Truth, they love Falshood and Lying, chuse and delight in the wicked, and revel and sport with the Lives and Liberties of Mankind. They court eternal Damnation, which will soon be their Portion, when the crying Blood of the poor Innocents will have an Hearing, except timely Repentance prevents.

WE proceed,

III. To shew the Danger of such Persons in a State or Country.

AND besure such People are some of the greatest Pests to Mankind, though caressed and applauded by the Tyrants.—For,

1. THEY are a Part of the Community, a Part of it's Numbers and Strength; and therefore they take off so much, and weaken and diminish it according to their Numbers and Weight.

2. THEY are secret Enemies, often taken for Friends, and many Times a Part of our Councils, frequently Men in Office, that have much Power and Influence, and by being in such Departments are able to carry on their Correspondence with the Enemy, to their great Advantage. This shows that such Men are very dangerous, much more so than open Enemies. David says concerning Ahitophel, If it had been an Enemy I could have born it, neither was it be that hated me, that did [Page]magnify himself against me; then I would have bid myself from him. But it was thou, a Man, mine Equal, my Guide and mine Acquaintance. * Who would have thought a Man of so much Wisdom as Ahitophel, would have joined in so bad a Cause as Absalom's? The Counsel that he gave in those Days, was as if a Man had enquired at the Oracle of God. † And he was a Professor of Religion. We took sweet Counsel together, says David, and walked unto the House of God in Company † And this is frequently the Case with Tories, that they are Men of Sense, reputed for Wisdom, and some of them for Religion; but they have broken the Covenant, and employ their Wisdom to build up and support an unjust and wicked Cause, the Cause of Tyranny.

3. TORIES are an internal Enemy, a Pest and Plague in our own Bowels. It has often, of old, been observed, that the Enemy within the Walls was the most dangerous. These are like a Disease at the Heart, and in the Vitals, and what can be more dangerous?

HAD it not been for these corrupted Creatures, the Tools of the Tyrant, we may reasonably think the bloody Contest in America had been ended Years before this, to it's lasting Glory: But how long it will be before this vital Disease be healed, none on this Side Heaven can tell. Our Danger lies in having these Vipers in our Bosoms. And they are incessant and indefatigable, and yet, alas, less Care than ever taken to detect them, and bring them to cond [...]gn Punishment!

4. THESE wicked Men are Eyes to the Enemy, who would grope in the Dark, were it not for Intelligence obtained by them. The Enemy would not know how to plan their Operations, and to strike to Advantage, were it not for such Judases. Indeed they are so dangerous we can scarce conceive how dangerous they be.—The Butt of their Envy is at the Pillars of the Country, and it's ablest Friends in every Town; these are marked in their Counsels for Destruction. And whenever these Traitors have guided the Enemy to any Part, they led them to the Houses of those Men they most of all envied and to public Stores.

AT other Times they are assiduous in their Endeavors to corrupt their Neighbours; to stir up and carry on Divisions in Towns and Societies; and to spread fal [...]e Reports, together with every other Mischief the old Serpent is capable of instigating them to. Surely we need wise and faithful Watchmen to be Day and Night on our civil Walls.

WE now proceed,

IV. To make APPLICATION.—And,

1. WE learn that a Tyrant and a Traitor is abandoned of God, a [Page] Friend of Hell, a Companion of Sata [...] and an Enemy to the human Species. Satan the Chief, the old Tyrant and first Traitor, and these his Seconds.

2. WE see the dreadful, the distressing Work Sin has made in this World: a fallen World of Mankind have their Hearts filled with the Seeds of every Evil. 'Tis this that has filled the Earth with Violence, Disorder and Confusion; Wars, Rapine and Plunder. This has set Man against Heaven, and Men one against another, so that in some Sense every Man's Sword is against his Fellow.

SIN made Tyrants; and a Tyrant's Heart is full of the Devil, brim full of Hell. Sin is an evil Habit, an evil and envious Temper. St. Paul gives a sad Account of the State of Nature and Sin, For we, says he, were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse Lusts and Pleasures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful and hating one another. *

3. WE may see the Danger of breaking Covenant and forsaking Religion. All Men have broken the first Covenant by the Fall; but God has graciously been pleased to make a second Covenant, and has appointed a perfect Head and Mediator of it, Jesus Christ the righteous. This Covenant is proposed and offered to sinful Man in the Gospel; and those that forsake it, and break over the Bonds of it, are most justly lest of God to turn Traitors and Tyrants. Covenant-breakers are Traitors to God. They betray his Interest, Honor and Glory; and set up against him to support the Devil's Kingdom, which is made up of Tyranny. And the Devil is not only a Tyrant seeking the Destruction of those that are in Opposition to him, as all good People are, but also to his own Subjects, who are his Slaves and Vassals, that he binds in his Iron Chains, and drags along to cruel Destruction.

BUT now how surprising is it to behold People that are called Christians, having been brought up under God's gracious Covenant, turn Tyrants and Traitors?—And how many Covenant-breakers are there who have not been lest to turn Traitors against their Country, yet are pulling down the Judgments of God upon the Land?—God is very jealous for his holy Covenant, and has a tender regard for his own Glory, the Religion he has instituted and set up in the World. And his Power and Wrath is against all them that forsake him. † What brought all the Judgments of God upon Israel, but their forsaking his Covenant? And when once they had done this, they threw down God's Altars, killed his Prophets, and established a false Religion. Now although we have not killed the Ambassadors of Christ with the Sword, yet many have forsaken them, and forsaken Prayer in their Houses, and public Worship, [Page] denied the Baptism of their Children, turned their Backs on the Lord's Table, denied the Christian Sabbath, the Lawfulness of a defensive War, the Resurrection of the Body, and the Day of Judgment. Some deny that there should be any civil Government, and maintain that there should not be any Magistrate or civil Law, and that no Murderer should be put to Death, and that every Man should do that which is right in his own Eyes. And some assert that they are perfect, and shall never die. And others that all Men every where and in all Ages shall be saved, that there is no Hell, or future State of Punishment for wicked Men, together with many other monstrous and absurd Notions and Opinions. Now all these in the first Place forsook the holy Covenant, and this opened the Door to every wild Imagination and Disorder. And how can we suppose any other but that great is the Wrath of the Lord against this Land? Who fears? and whose Heart trembles for the Ask of God?

4. WE learn the Necessity of the Churches strictly adhering to the holy Covenant; and for every Person to consider the infinite Importance of the Covenant. This is a solemn Bond to God and one another, to maintain the Religion of Jesus Christ, and perform every civil and social Duty. Take away this Bond and Obligation to our Maker, and we are at loose Ends, and lie open to every Flatterer, to all Corruption and Iniquity; Corruption and Bribery from Tyrants, and from Satan; to be beguiled by his Wiles, and drawn away to espouse his cursed Cause. And what will be the Issue? What, but the Ruin of Religion, the Ruin of our Country, yes, and the eternal Ruin of our own precious Souls?

If Men are not sensible of Bonds to their Maker, they will not long be sensible of any to their fellow Creatures. All Bonds to one another are derived from our Bonds to our Creator. Leave all Covenant out with God, and all we have with Man soon comes to nothing. Therefore, see the Necessity of considering the Covenant in every view of it, and in all it's Extensiveness and Glory, both as a Covenant of Grace, providing, giving and promising all Grace to sinful Men, and as a divine Constitution giving Law and laying Obligations on the reasonable Creature, to perform all Duty to God and one another

5. WE learn the Danger of the Love of this World. The Love of Money is the Root of all Evil. * The Love of the World, and the Love of Money is the rare Thing. If any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him. † Some Man for the Love of Money of Honor, will Tell their Country to a Tyrant; and the Love of Money and Honor makes many a Tyrant. And it a Man's Heart is upon his temporal Interest, that Man will be where he [...] most, if it [...] [Page] with a Tyrant. And how will the Servants of Mammon bow and cringe, fawn and flatter for a little of the World? Yea, Men will sell their Souls for Money. It has been storied of some Men, that they have made a League with the Devil, and sold their Souls to him for Money. The Story is too true with Respect to Worldlings; they virtually sell their Souls, Christ and Heaven for the Things of this vain World, betray their Country and nearest Friends to a Tyrant, for the empty Vanities of a Moment's Auri sacra fames, said the Heathen Poet, Cursed Love of Money.

6. How necessary the Love of God, and Religion reigning in the Heart, to keep Men from the S [...]a [...]es of the Devil and wicked Me [...]? If a Man loves God with all his Heart, and his Neighbour as himself, he will walk by the divine Rule And such among will be kept from the Hour of Temptation that shall come on all the World. He shall be kept from the Snare of the Fowler.

7. How excellent the Love of our Country and it's dearest and sacred Interests? The Psalmist says, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem let [...] right Hand forget her Cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief Joy. *

8. LET every Man, and the People at large see then In [...], & that of their Country; to use all possible Care of and guard against them that give Intelligence to the Enemy. Surely it is Time to rouse up, and shake off all Slumber and Sloth—to be vigilant and active. The Enemy will avail themselves of every Advantage by Intelligence, and Additions to their Party. And we know those Things. What can any Man mean now to accumulate his Wealth by the Times? and to be negligent of the public Cause? Are we insensible of our own imminent Danger? One Hour may level all our Hours, all our Buildings and Comforts of Life with the Dust. What means a Discord among the Friends of America? Has the old Tyrant, the Enemy of the Liberties of Mankind, infused his Poison into any of your Minds? Have the mean and sneaking Tories secretly and [...] been tampering with any of you under disguise? Or how comes it to pass that you should be so insensible of the infinite Importance of brotherly Love, Union and Harmony, that you may strengthen one anothers Hands, and encourage one anothers Hearts in the noble Cause of your Country? Union is our Safety, Discord our Ruin. Look on your own Situation, and look on the Situation of your [...] bleeding Country. Methinks I see AMERICA; dear America, like a tender Mother bleeding and gro [...]ing with savage Wounds, and lifting up her dying Hands, while [...] ‘My Sons, [Page] my dear Sons, where is your Virtue—your Love to your Country—to your Liberties—to you▪ Religion—to your Posterity! O, has Avarice, cursed Avarice possessed your Hearts—lulled you to Step—given the Enemy Advantage! Most I die—my Virgins and young Men—my tender [...] be stain by the merciless Savage—be cast out unpitied and fo [...]orn! Rouse, rouse my Sons—attend to the Cause of your Country. [...],— [...]—strain every Nerve, revenge my Wrongs, drive the Tyrants [...] from the Borders of a Land of Liberty and never give over till you have raised and [...] shining Throne of sweet Freedom and dear Liberty. Heaven looks down with impatient Eye, stretching out it's almighty Aid, ready to crown the bold and the brave with Triumph, and with the Laurels of eternal Honor.’

POSTSCRIPT.

SINCE the foregoing discourse, were sent to the press, some things remarkable have occurred, that, by the blessing of God, may awaken and alarm the country. Particularly the late infernal plot of the infamous Arnold for delivering up our truly worthy General, and the Army and important works at West Point, into the hands of the enemy; whereby they might soon open a passage from New-York to Albany, and thence to Canada. Here was treason, cursed treason, and wickedness that wants a name, perhaps in hell as well as earth. And altho' heaven has, in a very wonderful way, discovered and broke the snare, blessed be God forever and ever, yet all the mischievous designs connected with the horrid plan are not ended. The late extraordinary movements and exertions of the Northern enemy. The taking, as we hear, of Fort-Ann, Fort William Henry, or Fort George and Fort Edward, burning and plundering the towns and settlements in those parts, and on Mohawk river, and killing and captivating the poor inhabitants, together with the desolations committed at Royalton, were most probably concerted in the aforesaid infernal plot. Surely we cannot now hesitate a moment longer, whether it be not absolutely necessary to awake and look about ourselves, in good earnest. We are, especially on these long extended frontiers, and through the Grants, in jeopardy every hour. Every thing we hold dear and sacred, is eminently exposed to the ravages of a Tyrant's me cenaries and savage cut throats! The dagger is at our breasts, and the tomahawk over our heads! And the situation of our whole country and our army is truly alarming.—My dear countrymen, what think you of these things?—Shall we after the most glorious struggle for our liberties and our all, that ever the world behold, sink down in a fatal lethargy, let the enemy take ALL, and enslave me and our children forever? Why should any call his houses lands, money or provisions his own, at such a time as this? Is it not high time that every one should be ready to part with all, except for necessary subsistence, for the support of his country's cause? Then we should soon see a very happy turn in our affairs We should have an Army and have i [...] well furnished and supported. God has gives us ability▪ And could we use our vigorous ex [...]ions for a little time, with a common blessing we might reasonably hope to secure our independence and with it every privilege. The Lo [...]d is a man of war, and he is on the side of Liberty, of the just rights of mankind▪ Implore his help, and put your trust in him. And, MAY heaven inspire every man with a [...] and intrepidity in this glorious cause, and read forth our armies to victory, glory, and renown. AMEN.

Notes

*

Ver. 23, 24, 25.

↵

†

Chap. 8. 23.

↵

*

Dan. 3 28, 29. and 4. 2, 3, 37.

↵

†

1 Maccabees, 1 Chap.

↵

†

Chap 8 24 25

↵

*

See a particular amount of these things. I Mac. I. 44—63.

↵

†

[...] 17. 8.Exod 20. 2 29 45. Deut. 29. 10,—13Deut. 7. 6.

↵

*

John 15. 22, 24.

↵

*

Deut. 29. 24, 25.

↵

†

Gen. 4. 10, 11.

↵

*

Psal 55. [...], [...].

↵

‡

[...] Jo [...] [...]. 4.

↵

*

Psal, 52. 2, 3, 4.

↵

†

Psal. 120. 3. 4.

↵

†

Rev. 21. 8▪

↵

§

Prov. [...] [...].

↵

*

Psal 55 12, 13

↵

†

2 Sam. 16 23

↵

†

Psal. 55 14.

↵

*

Tit. 3. 3.

↵

†

Ezra 8. 22.

↵

*

1. Tim. 6, 10.

↵

†

1. John 3. 15.

↵

*

Psal. 137. 5, 6.

↵

Information about this book

Title statement

Tyranny and Toryism exposed: being the substance of two sermons, preached at Newbury, Lord's Day, September 10th, 1780. / By Peter Powers, A.M. Pastor of the church in said Newbury and Haverhill.

Powers, Peter, 1728-1800.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2008-09.

ID [DLPS]

N13708

ID [TCP]

N13708

ID [STC]

Evans 17316

ID [NOTIS]

APY1186

ID [IMAGE-SET]

17316

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99028251

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Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 17316.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N13708)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 17316)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 17316)

Source

— Tyranny and Toryism exposed: being the substance of two sermons, preached at Newbury, Lord's Day, September 10th, 1780. / By Peter Powers, A.M. Pastor of the church in said Newbury and Haverhill., Powers, Peter, 1728-1800..

Extent

16 p. ; 21 cm. (4to)

Printed by Spooner & Green.,. Westminster [Vt.]: :: 1781.. (Two states noted. In the first, the first word of the title is misspelled "Tyrany"; in the second, the error is corrected.)

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