iLIBRAra OFCOxNGRESS.l 
 
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 I UNITED STATKS UF AMEUICzl. | 
 
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A 
 
 2^.J7 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 DELIVERED AT 
 
 PORTSMOUTH, N. H. 
 
 APPROPRIATE TO THE OCCASION Of A DAT 01 
 
 Humiliation and Prayer, 
 
 RECOMMENDEb BY THB 
 
 PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 ON THB 
 20TH OF AUGUST, lBl2. 
 
 
 ^ BY HOSEA' BALLOU, 
 
 PASTOR 0» THE yNlVBRSALlST SOCItTf. 
 
 PtfiuSHED BY kEQ,UjEST OP THE WARDEK9, 
 
 FRINTED BY W. WEEKS, 
 JPOETSMOlfTM, 
 
3/? 
 
 # 
 
 ■P 
 

 A SERMON, &c. 
 
 ST. JOHN Xviii. THIS CLAUSE OF THE 35tH VERSE. 
 
 " IF MY KINGPOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, THEN WOULD MY 
 
 SERVANTS flQHT." 
 
 FOR the eftablilhmcnt, building up and defence of 
 any form of government, means are required which cor- 
 refpond with fuch an ultimate objed. 
 
 This feems to be the general fenfe, or maxim of our text. 
 It is implied alfo, that the Saviour's kingdom is of fuch a 
 nature, that it does not require the fame means for its ei- 
 tablifhment, growth and defence, as are required by a 
 worldly kingdom or government. 
 
 Though the fcriptures of the prophets reprefent the Mef- 
 fiah as a conqueror, in fuch language as follows, " Gird 
 thy fword upon thy thigh, O moft mighty ; with thy glo- 
 ry and thy majefty. And in thy majeily ride profperouf- 
 ly^ becaufe of truth, and meeknefs, and righteoufnefs ; and 
 thy right hand (hall teach thee terrible things. Thine ar- 
 rows are iliarp in the heart of the king's enemies ; where- 
 by the people fall under thee." And an apoftle faith, of 
 the faithful and true, " in righteoufnefs he doth judge and 
 make war." Yet we are affured that " the weapons of 
 our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to 
 the pulling down of firong holds ; cafting down imagina« 
 tions, and every high thing that exalteth itfelf againft the 
 iiznowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every 
 thought to. the obedience of Chrifl." 
 
* ( 
 
 I 
 
 On reverting to the firft ages of the chriftian church, we 
 find the promulgators of the gofpel not only deftitute of 
 worldly authority, but forely perfecuted and grievoully 
 opprefTed by it. In room of having it in their power to 
 iifue edicts requiring implicit fubmiflion to the doctrine of 
 the gofpel, and to enforce fuch edicts by the terror of the 
 fword, they were the defencelefs fubjects of contrary edicts 
 and the innocent victims of this ever active fword. So 
 entirely ufelefs is the civil authority in the building up of the 
 caufe of Chrift, that their alliance proved the moft deadly 
 poifon with which it was ever diftrad-ed. From the fatal 
 moment that the current of perfecution was diverted from 
 the chriftian church and turned againit the pagan worfhip, 
 by Conftantine the great, though an overflowing flood of 
 chrifi:ian profeflion fucceeded to cover the Roman pro- 
 vinces, an undulating tide of pagan fuperftitions found its 
 way into the vitals of the church ; and, laying hold of the 
 civil fword, has fet up and maintained, for ages, the king- 
 dom of antichrifl:. 
 
 But temporal governments, neceflary to fecure to focie- 
 ty, and to each individual, their refpective rights, of a civil 
 or temporal nature, require very different means for their 
 cfl;abli{hment, building up and defence, from thofe requir- 
 ed by the fpiritual kingdom of Chrift. This is implied in 
 the words chofen on this occalion. ''-If my kingdom were of. 
 this worlds then uwuld my fer^vants fight ,^^ Not in an unjuit, 
 unrighteous, unnecefl'ary caufe, but in a righteous vindica- 
 tion of an eftabliflied fupremacy, and in tlie neceffary de- 
 fence of any of its rights which might poflibly be infringed. 
 Had it been the plcafure of the great difpofer of all worldly 
 power^by whom kings reign, and princes decree juiilce, td 
 have anointed jcfus a temporal prince, with this'anointing 
 he would have received the riijht to command and put in- 
 to motion all the fprings of government againfl any power 
 of earth, who ihould atten)pt to impede', or circumfcribe 
 the juft and lawful exerciic of his fceptre, 
 
 Ihis being the natural fenfe of thefc words of the uner- 
 ring te;icher, who laugiit as never man did, it is thought 
 to be a fafe fubject, on which to bt^lid a difcourfe appropriate 
 to the momentous occafion of thih national folemnity. 
 That this diicourfe may have a forni familiar to tlie mlndj 
 the following method is propolcd : 
 
1. An attempt to illuftrate from fcnpturc, and fupport^ 
 by reafon^fome of thofe occafions which may juftify a re- 
 finance which falls within the definition of war. 
 
 2. Apply the foregoing inftances and arguments, by 
 way of comparifon, to the occafions w^hich have led the 
 Gonftitutional authorities of our nation to exercife the 
 phyficai force of the country, to oppofe the power of Great- 
 Britain, in manner and form which are called war. 
 
 I. The firll and mod important of all caufes which can 
 juftify the means and meafures called war, is perfonal de- 
 fence ; not more particularly our own perfons, than others, 
 who have a natural claim on us for protecT:ion. The law 
 of moral right does not clafla with that of confanguinity. 
 Our Creator having placed under our more immediate 
 charge our neareft connexions, by family and blood, has 
 there more particularly fixed our refpectivt ])o{ls 5 though 
 not in fuch a manner as to excufe us from defending 
 others, when circumftances will permit. The following 
 fuppofable cafe may illuftrate this idea: Tvv-o friendly- 
 neighbors have their refpeclive houfes alTaulted by a favage 
 foe at the fame time ; the one cannot, confiftently with 
 (duty, abandon his wife and children to go to the ailiftancc 
 of the other. But varying the cafe, fo that but one is in 
 danger, it then becomes the duty of the other to put his 
 life m jeopardy, with all his {kill and phyficai force, to ref- 
 cue his expofed neighbor and family. 
 
 There is an account, in the facred hiftory of Abraham, 
 recorded in the 14th chapter of Genefis, of his putting 
 himfelf at the head of a very fmall company, and refcuing 
 hisbrother Lot and many others, with confiderable fpoil, 
 all w^hich had been captured in war, by a combination of 
 a number of kings. That Abraham was fully juftified, in 
 this exploit of heroifm, is not only evident irom ihofe 
 natural fentiments of duty to which our nature is uecefia- 
 rily alive, but from a fpecial approbation with whicli he 
 was favored on that occafion. It was on his return from 
 the llaughter of thoie kings, that Melchizedec, prieil of 
 the moil high God, met him and blefled him. lie npt 
 only approbated Abraham's courage and con dud by his 
 bleiling, but he rcrceived tithes of Uie fpoil m hich Abra- 
 ham had taken. 
 
6 
 
 We have a remarkable account of a war for felf-defenccy 
 purfu^int to a decree of king Ahafuerus in favor of the 
 jews, againft whom, through the wicked and malicious ad- 
 vice of Maman, his prime minifler, he had iffued a decree 
 of extermination. This decree, againft the Jews, is fet 
 forth in the following words : " And the letters were fent 
 by pofts into all the king's provinces, to deftroy, to kill, 
 and to caufe to perifli, all Jews both young and old, little 
 children and women, in one day/* For an account of the 
 bitter lamentation and mourning, fafting, weeping and 
 wailing which this unmerciful decree caufed among the 
 Jews, wherever it was promulgated, reference may be 
 made to the 4th chapter of the book of Efther. 
 
 That eternal, over-ruling Mind, which is ever watchful 
 that wickednefs fhall not go unpunifhed, nor the innocent 
 unprotected, by a wife direction of divine Providence, had 
 already introduced a Jewefs, who w^as the perfection of fe- 
 male beauty and virtue, to the throne of his royal majefty. 
 This favorite queen was viewed by Mordecai, her coufm, 
 and to whom ihe wa.s an adopted daughter, as a favorable 
 mediator between the unjuft wrath of the king's decree 
 and the devoted people on whom it was intended to fall. 
 Mordecai, therefore, fent to the queen a copy of the decree 
 given forth at Shulhan to deftroy the Jews, and requefted 
 her to go in before the king to make fupplication unto 
 him, and to make requeft before him for her people. On 
 account of a law of the court, that whoever came in be* 
 fore the king without being called, fhould be put to death, 
 unlefs the king fhould be pleafed to hold out to the perfon 
 thus before him the golden fceptre, Efther at firft declined 
 the hazardous attempt. But Mordecai proceeded to fet 
 the matter before the queen in its true light, and to fhow 
 her that the crifis w^as fuch that even danger ought by no 
 m.eans to repel her from this all important duty, w^hich fhe 
 owed to herfclf and to her people. Like a wife politician, 
 he reminded her that the decree was as much againft her 
 as any of the Jews, and that her father's houfe was as much 
 cxpofed as any family of her nation. And who knoweth, 
 fiiid he, whether thou art come to the kingdom for fuch a 
 time as this, lli^^ cxpoftulation prevailed, for it was aftift- 
 ed by a virtuous, magnanimous mind in her. 
 
Then Efther bade them return Mordecai this anfwet * 
 *'^ Goj gather together all the Jews that are prefent in Shu- 
 fhan, and faft ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three 
 days, night nor day. I alfo, and my maidens will faft like- 
 wife ; and fo will I go in unto the king, which is not accord- 
 ing to the law ; and if I perifh, I periili.'* According to 
 her refolution, flie went in before the king and obtained 
 the token of favor. She fell down before him and made 
 fupplication that the writing which had been obtained by 
 Haman againil the Jews, might be reverfed. How mov- 
 ing are her words. '^ For how can I endure to fee the 
 dvil that Ihall come unto my people ? Or how can I en- 
 dure to fee the deftrudion of my kindred r" Her fuppli- 
 cations prevailed, and a decree was obtained which author- 
 ifed the Jews to arm themfelves and to (land in their own 
 defence in all the provinces of the vaft empire, and the 
 Lord gave them vicfory over their enemies. 
 
 The account given in the 30th chapter of the ifl of Sam- 
 uel, of David's recovering from the Amalekites his two 
 Xvives, and the wives, the fons and daughters of thofe who 
 v^ere with him, cannot fail to obtain applaufe from any who 
 polTefs the fenfe of feeling, or the powers of fenfibility. 
 When David and the people with him came to Ziklag and 
 found the city burnt, and that their wives, their fons and 
 their daughters were taken captives, they lifted up their 
 voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep ! 
 How deep muft have been this wound 1 The allies of the 
 city w^as before their eyes, their property was carried off as 
 the fpoil of victory in war, but what was infinitely worfe 
 than this, and which touched the tendered and moft deli- 
 cate paflions of their hearts, was the captivity of their 
 wives and children. Strengthening himlelf in the Lord, 
 David foon come to a determination to put his little band 
 of heroes to a noble teft. He had but fix hundred men in 
 his v»^hole army, and out of them, but four hundred who 
 were not too faint to pafs a water, which divided them 
 from their enemies. With this handful of well tried men, 
 this youthful hero plunged through the flood, purfued, 
 overtook and attacked a vaft hoft, put the whole to rout,, 
 and recovered all that the enemy had taken. Tlie caufe of 
 jtiftice will prevail, the arm that defends it will God mak« 
 ftrong. 
 
t 
 
 ^. Next to t^e defence of our perfons and of thofe who 
 depend on us for protection, may be placed the aiTerting of 
 our national rights and independence. In this is compre- 
 hended, not only the defence of thofe rights, but alfo the 
 recovery of them, if by force they may have been taken 
 from us. The recovery of the independency of the Ifrael- 
 ites, from the hard hand of opprellion, under the king of 
 Canaan, w^ho mightily cpprefTed them for twenty years, by 
 the counfel of Deborah, the valor of Barak, and the he- 
 roine Jaei, who, with a nail of her tent, flew the captain- 
 general of the hoft, who fought againil Ifrael, has ever been 
 celebrated as an honorable achievement, worthy of the 
 memorable fong of praife to Almighty God, recorded in 
 the 5th chapter of Judges. 
 
 For the hns of the houfe of Ifrael, it appears, that God 
 delivered them into the hands of the Phiiiftines and into 
 the hands of the children of Ammon, who forely oppreff- 
 ed them eighteen years. But on their repentance, it pleaf- 
 ed the God of unalterable jullice and unconfmed goodnefs, 
 to deliver them by thehand of Jephthah. The diplomatic 
 correfpondcnce between the king of the children of Am- 
 mon and Jephthah recorded in the 1 ith chapter of Judges, 
 plainly fhows, that the caufe of the latter was juft. The 
 following w^ords fliow the ground on which he refted his 
 caufe. '' So now, the Lord God of Ifrael hath difpoiTeffed 
 the Amorites from before his people Ifrael, and Ihouldeft 
 thou polTefs it ? Wilt not thou poll'efs that which Chemofh 
 thy God giveth thee to poffefs ? So whomfoever the Lord 
 our God Ihall drive out from before us, them will we pof- 
 fefs." He difcovered in all this, no defire to claim any- 
 right which he was not willing to allow his adverfary, on 
 like principles. 
 
 3. Next to freedom and independence, may be placed 
 the defence of property, againft the depredations of wan- 
 ton, unprincipled plunderers. Divine authority is furnifli- 
 cd, for the defence of property, in the memorable inftance 
 of the war, in which Gideon was miraculoully vidorious 
 over the numerous hoft of Midianites, Amalekites, and the 
 children of the eafl:, at the head of only three hundred men. 
 An account of the depredations committed, by this com- 
 bination of free-booters, on the produce of the Ifraelites, 
 is recorded in the 6th chapter of Judges. 
 
That tiie bed reafon, of which the human mind is pot 
 lefied, will not only confent to the expediency of contend- 
 ing for the fafety of our perfons, the I'ecurity of our inde- 
 pendence and the defence of our property, but will urge 
 the thing by arguments not to be reiifted, is evident. Rea- 
 lon alfo teaches us, that the defence of lile and perfonal 
 liberty, ftands on the higheft ground for which contention 
 can be juilificd ; and alfo, that the defence of national in- 
 dependence ought to receive a higher rank than the de- 
 fence of private property, as a commodit)/ of merchandize. 
 
 In the infinitely w^ife economy of our Creator, it appears 
 to have been his pleafure that mankind fliould afcend, by 
 degrees, above the vile propenfuies and fordid appetites of 
 his^hnful ftate, and that he fhould learn to appreciate and 
 enjoy the bleffings fuited to his nature, by firft feeling the 
 v/ant of them. 
 
 The pains endured for the attainment of important ob- 
 jecls, generally ferve to heighten the value of the acquiii- 
 tionsj and a recurrence to the coil, generally ferves to per- 
 petuate, in the mind, the high eflimation in which fuch at- 
 tainments are held. The long and intolerable bondage, un- 
 der which the Hebrews groaned in the land of Ham, gave 
 fpirit to the fong fang on the oppofite margin of the fea, 
 where God wrought their deliverance. Ihofe dangerous 
 perils fuffered by mariners on the diflurbed bofom' of the 
 mighty deep, fail not to contribute mofi: liberally to the 
 joyful tranquility of the defired haven. Ihe toils of the 
 field, where the weary laborer fatigues in hope, ferve to 
 exhilerate the fongs of harveil and to make the autumn 
 doubly w^elcome. The fond embrace, in which the affec- 
 tionate mother holds her beloved, tender care, derives no 
 fmall proportion of its ftrength from the forrows, pains 
 and dangers which time can never erafe from her recollec- 
 
 o 
 
 tion. 
 
 The fentiment which gives propriety to thefe maxims, 
 has been w^onderfuUy exemplified by the high eflimation in 
 which the political liberty and independence of our favor- 
 ed nation has been held by the freemen of our union. 
 They wifely compare the advantages of our independence 
 with thofe which a colonial flate afforded ; they carefully 
 treafure up, in the receiles of recoileclion, the hard and 
 
 B 
 
lO 
 
 perilous flruggle, which was encountered by their fathersV 
 their brethren and themfelves, to obtain this achievement ;• 
 they are more choice of the remembrance of the rich 
 blood, which was fiied to gain the freedom of our country, 
 than of the revenue of gold. And from their facred 
 treafures, they enjoy a perpetual felicity, perfectly fuited to 
 an exalted elevation of our nature. 
 
 The law of reafon and virtue was implanted in man, not 
 for the inglorious purpofe of eternal fubmiilion to Hn and 
 folly, nor for the purpofe of forever itruggling in vain, 
 againft them. This divine emanation, from the author of 
 our being, was here implanted for the glorious purpofe of 
 fubduing the imperfeftions of our nature, and to raife us 
 to the rational enjoyment of the enlightened offspring of 
 God. To effect this object, injustice, whkh comprifes 
 all, in the moral and civil world, againft which we are call- 
 ed to contend, muff be combated, in every form, in which 
 it appears, and by whatever means it may operate. Nor 
 are we to conlider the necelTity of this conteft as unfortu- 
 nate to our race of being ; it being the ichool in which 
 it was the pleafure of infinite goodnefs to inftruct his chil- 
 dren, and from which, he has manifefted his purpofe, to. 
 bring his many fons to gJory, having made the captain of 
 their faivation perfect through fuffering. 
 
 According to thefe evident truths, it is not our duty, 
 nor can it be juftly considered a virtue in us, to fubmit to 
 injuftice a moment after it is in our power to relift it with 
 fuccefs. Any fubmiilion, beyond the point here noticed, 
 is a contribution for the fupport and increafe of that wTong, 
 w^hich we, in a criminal manner, delay to oppofe. Until 
 injuftice breaks out into overt acts of injury, either to in- 
 dividuals or to community at large, it is confidercd of 
 a moral nature, and is to be oppofed only by moral perfua- 
 iion : but when it takes a further leap, and puts in motion 
 a fyftem of oppreilion, and violates the rights of either in- 
 dividuals or the public, it is then the duty of every friend- 
 of virtue to ftep forward and oppofe thefe overt acts of un- 
 rigliteoufnefs and injullice with all their abilities, whether 
 moral, or natural. Nor can we be jullified in a neglect of 
 this on account of any expence which may be required to* 
 fucceed info righteous an undertaking. 
 
II 
 
 2. As was propofed, application may now be made of 
 the foregoing inftances and arguments, by way of compar- 
 ifon, to the occafions which have led the conftitutional au- 
 thorities of our nation, to exercife the phy Ileal force of the 
 country to oppofe the power of Great Britain, in manner 
 and form which are called war. 
 
 In prelenting thefe occafions, reference will be made to 
 that faithful and luminous manifello, communicated to the 
 Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives of the United States, 
 June I, 1812. The proprieiy of refering to that docu- 
 ment evidently appears from the following reafons. 
 
 1. This communication comes from the hi^-heil author- 
 ity, and from a perfonage again ft whofe veracity no proof 
 has eve^ appeared, and who muft be confidered in the high- 
 eft fenfe bound by the deepeft folemnity, to fpeak the truth 
 and nothins" but the truth. 
 
 2. The fads there ftated, are known, by the public, to 
 be true, and are acknowledged, by thofe who oppofe the 
 meafures recommended and now reforted to, to redrefs 
 thofe wrongs. 
 
 3. This is a refpe^l v/hich is due to the dignified ftation 
 of the chief ruler of our nation, efpecially as no honor ne- 
 ceffarily attached to that ftation, has ever been known to 
 be forfeited, or even tarnilhed by the author of that com- 
 munication. In ftating thefe reafons, it is acknowledged 
 that no refpe(ft is paid to the abundance of contumely, 
 which has appeared in the public prints, deftgnedto deftroy 
 public confidence in our chief magiftrate. And as the di- 
 vine precept ftriclly enjoins, " Thou Ihalt not fpeak evil of 
 the ruler of thy people," it is humbly conceived that no 
 relped is due to an open violation of this divine command. 
 What heart can remain untouched with grief, while fo 
 foul a ftigma is attached to fo many, who profefs the reli- 
 gion of Chrift ! The injuftice which ranks the higheft^ of 
 which America complains againft Great Britain, is the vi- 
 olence ihe commits on the perfons of our citizens. This 
 outrage is thus ftated in the communication to which re- 
 ference has been made. 
 
 " Britifh cruizers have been in the continued pradice of 
 violating the American flag, on the great high way of na- 
 tions, and of feizing and carrying oft' perfons failing under 
 
12 
 
 it ; not in the exercife of a bellisrerent riorht, founded on 
 the law of nations againil an enemy, but of a municipal 
 prerogative over Bricifa fuljecls. Britifa jurifdiclion is 
 thus extended to neutral vefTels in a fituatif^n where no 
 law can operate, but the law of nations and the laws of the 
 country, to which the velTel belongs ; and a felf redrefs is 
 alTumed, which if Britifli fucjecls were wrongfully detain- 
 ed and alone concerned, is that fubflitution of force, for a 
 refort to the refponfible fovereign, v»'hich falls within the 
 definition of war." 
 
 Here then is ieen open, authorifed,aDd continually prac- 
 tifed WAR on the oerfons of the citizens of our country ; 
 who, by this violence, are defined to experience what is 
 fo very juftly expreffed in the following words. 
 
 " Tboufands of American ci'iizens, under the fafeguard 
 of public law, and of <"heir national flag, have been torn 
 from their country and from every thing dear to them j 
 have been dragged on board fliips of war of a foreign na- 
 tion, and expoied, under the feverity of their difcipline, 
 to be exiled to the moil dlftant and deadly climes, to riik 
 their lives in the battles of their oppreiTors, and to be the 
 nielancholly inllruments of taking away thofe of their own 
 brethren." 
 
 If to this picture, there can be any additional horror, it 
 is exprclfed in the following words. 
 
 " Britiih cruifers have bjen in the practice alfo of vio- 
 lating the rights and peace of our coafts. Tliey hover over 
 and harrafs our entering and departing comm.erce. To the 
 moft infulting pretenfions they have added the mofl law- 
 lefs proceeding in our very harbors ; and have wantonly 
 fpilt American blood, vv^ithin the fancluary of our territo- 
 rial jurifdiclion." 
 
 If Abraham, the friend of God and the father of the 
 faitliful, was blell'ed on his return from delivering his bro- 
 ther out of the hands of lawlefs violence, will he who holds 
 the balances of eternal juilicc, frovvn on America for refift- 
 ing thofe multiplied outrages, committed on the perfons 
 of our brethren ? To the God of Abraham we appeal, to 
 him we look for approbation and fuccefs in the contell. 
 Abraham is diftinguilhed by the epithet faithful ; and he 
 never more juilly merited this characlcr than when he 
 
J3 
 
 xnanifefted his reliance on God, in the cafes of the offering 
 up of his Ion, and the recovery of his brother. Abraham 
 iDcnt no time in endeavoring to excufe himfelf in the cafe 
 of his brother's captivity. lie did not fay, '' it is in vain 
 for me to oppofe thofe pov/erful, victorious kings ; my 
 means are not adequate to the conteft ; I may pofiibly Me 
 more than I ihall gain ; thefe kings have always been in the 
 habit or taking inen when and where they pleafed, and 
 furely I am under no obliga'ion to go to war to break up 
 an eftabiilhed cuftom/' No^ the divinity of eternal juftice 
 was before his eyes, and he was an ardent lover of that di- 
 vinity ; yes, and he had a heart to feel for his brother 1 
 And fo have Americans hearts to feel for their brethren ! 
 It was enough that Abraham knew that his caufe was juft, 
 by that he knew his God would fupport it. 
 
 Hov/ long has Great Britain violated the rights of our 
 (citizens in thjs inhuman manner ? See the anfwer in the 
 addrefs of the minority in Coogrefs, in the following 
 words : '^ Ever fjnce the United States have been a nation, 
 this fubjecT: has been a matter of complaint and negocia- 
 tion." Are the minority fuccefsful in vindicating the right 
 of Great Britain in this thing ? No, for they thus con- 
 demn her, in the following words : " Concerning the fub- 
 jed of impreffment, the underfigned fympathize with our 
 unfortunate feamen, the vicriMs of this abuse of power. 
 Have the United States remonflrated againii: this wicked- 
 nefs? Has any aifurance been given to that power that there 
 was a readinefs, on the part of the United States to make 
 a fatisfaclory arrangement, whereby the real fubjects of 
 Great Britain fhould be fecured to her ? See the anfwer in 
 the Prefident's communication. " Againft this crying 
 enormity, which Great Britain would be fo prompt to 
 avenge if committed againft herfelf, the United States have 
 in vain exhaufted remonftrances and expoftulations. And 
 that no proof t. ''xhi be wanting of their conciliatory dif- 
 pofition, and no p. ^ext left for a continuance of the prac- 
 tice, the Britifh go^ rnment was formally allured of the 
 readinefs of the United States to enter into arrangements, 
 fuch as could not be rejeded, if the recovery of Britiih 
 fubjecls were the real and fole objecl. The communication 
 paffed without effed." No, no arrangement can be made ; 
 
. 14 
 
 e war on the perfons of our brethren mud continue ! 
 Thoulands of Americans, who have a juft claim on their 
 country for protection, muft be dragged into the worfl 
 and moft hated captivity ! How many poor feeble mothers 
 now lie at the door of charity, whofe fole dependance was 
 on thefe miferable captives ! How many wives are w^orfe 
 than widows, by this inhuman practice ! How many chil- 
 dren are made miferable orphans by this la\ylefs outrage on 
 human liberty ! If the arm of Dayid was made ftrong 
 againll the Amalekites, for the recovery of thofe whom 
 they had taken captive, may we not rely on the power that 
 gave him victory, to fucceed us againft a nation worfe than 
 Amalekites, in a caufe for which the groans of the captive, 
 the pinching wants of bewidowed mothers, the tears of 
 anxious v^^ives, the mifery of little children, and all the. fen- 
 fibilities of our nature are now pleading ? 
 
 Has our government violated the rights of any nation 
 on earth ? Has it withholden juftice from any ? Or has 
 it demanded aiiy thing more than juftice of any ? If not, 
 have we any reafon to fear that God will frown upon us, 
 becaufe we rely on him to fucceed a righteous caufe 1 Ma- 
 ny and henious are our fins, which we are bound to ac- 
 knowledge before God, and for which we deferve, and 
 iliall undoubtedly receive fuitable chaftifement, which it is 
 our duty to pray, may be made emendatory of our lives, 
 and eventuate in turning us from our fooHfh wanderings, 
 to a more virtuous and humble courfe of life and conduct. 
 But it would be ingratitude to him, who holds the hearts 
 of rulers in his hand, and can turn them as the rivers of 
 water are turned, not to acknowledge his divine protection 
 nnd goodnefs, in preferving our national government from 
 lawlefs violence, and from making any unjuft demands on 
 other nations. Divine wifdom will difcriminate, divine 
 juftice cannot be wrongfully directed. If our government 
 have done no injuftice, if the unclean thing be not found 
 there, God will approve. But if we, as a people, have been 
 ungrateful for the bleflings which heaven has fent, if we 
 have too much forgotten God, and lived to ourfelvcs in the 
 pride and vanity of the world, if oppreiTion have been 
 found in the hands of the rich, and envy in the hearts of 
 
15 
 
 the poor, let us riot be fo vain as to excilfe ourfelves, but 
 remember that the " foul that iinneth, it fiiall die." 
 
 Aftoniihment has been greatly excited on reading and 
 on hearing fermons, whole manifeft defign was to turn the 
 hearts of Americans againft their rulers, and to reprefent 
 adminiftration as wickedly inclined to praclice injuftice. 
 How loft are fuch declaimers a2:ainft the conftituted author- 
 ities, to ^he divine direction given fpeciaily to them, in the 
 New-Teftament, w hich fpeaks on this wife : *' Put them in 
 mind to be fubject to principalities and powers, to obey 
 magiftrateSp to be ready to every good work ^ to fpeak evil 
 of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, fhewing all meek- 
 iiefs unto all men." , 
 
 In order to do juftice to the account of Britifh violence 
 on the perfons of our citizens, it is neceffary to add the 
 abominable inftanee of their exciting the favages to mur- 
 der our women and children, together with their hulbandsl 
 and fathers, furprifmg them at unawares and in a detence- 
 iefs condition. This heart chilling perfidy is thus ftated 
 in the communication. " In reviewing the conduct of 
 Great Britain towards the United States, our attention is 
 neceffarily drawn to the warfare juft renewed by the favages 
 on one of our extenfive frontiers ; a w^arfare which is 
 known to fpare neither age nor fex, and to be diftinguifh- 
 ed by features, peculiarly fhocking to humanity." Satis- 
 fa(5lory evidence of the exiftence of this wicked policy has 
 been produced to our government and to the public j that 
 we are under the melancholly necefiity of believing that a 
 price is allowed for the fcalps of the citizens of the United 
 States, of women and children, which is defignated and ac- 
 cepted as an inducement to the com*miiiion of thofe dread- 
 ful outrages on our frontiers. 
 
 If Efther, the queen, could be juftified in putting her 
 life in jeopardy to obtain a decree that the Jews ihould 
 ftand in their own defence, and fight for their lives, the 
 lives of their women and children, then the cry of our ex- 
 pofed and fuffering brethren to congrefs for a fim.ilar de- 
 cree, muft be juftifiable in like manner. And as it pleafed 
 a juft God to difplay his righteous indignation againft the 
 wicked counfel of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, in a' 
 moft fignal manner, and to grant deliverance and enlarge- 
 
i8 
 
 this caufe that God gave us a Wafliington to lead our ar- 
 mies againft the fame foe who now refufes to do us juftice ? 
 Was it not in fuch a caufe that the Aln^ighty's arm was 
 made vifible, and the world aftoniftied ? 
 
 Notwithftandina: our lins call aloud for the rod of cor= 
 reclion, and notwithflanding God is calling on us to repent 
 of our evil doings, we are not to fuppofe that a righteous 
 caufe will be forfaken by him ; but we ought to repofe un- 
 wavering confidence in his divine goodnefs, and from a 
 fenfe of his favors, reproach ourlelves for ingratitude. 
 Does it not behove us all to unite, according to the fpirit 
 of that proclamation which invited us together, in an hum^ 
 ble fupplication of the divine affiftance, in the great and 
 indifpenfable duties of repentance and amendment of life ; 
 to aik of our Creator his merciful clemency towards our 
 beloved country, in this trying feafon of calamity and war ; 
 and humbly befeech him to take the American people un- 
 der his peculiar care and proteclion ; guide our public 
 councils, animate our pntriotifm, and beftow his blefiing on 
 our arms ? Does not the fpirit of the gofpel move us to 
 implore the divine agency in turning the hearts of our ene- 
 mies from their long prac1:ifed injuftice, to a difpofition 
 more confident with that moral rectitude and righteouf- 
 nefs which alon6 exalteth a nation ? ' 
 
 Can we be infenfible of the necefiity of union and con- 
 cord among ourfelves ? Shall we not endeavor, to the ut- 
 moii of our power, to cultivate a fpirit of harmony and 
 peace one with another, by endeavoring to exercife that 
 reafon which gives our race of being its peculiar diftinc- 
 tion, and that charity which our revealed religion incul- 
 cates as one of its brightefl jewels ? May God grant us that 
 prudence by which the honor, the juftice and the advance- 
 ment of our national caufe may be cultivated and duly ap- 
 preciated in all the circles of focial life; fo that both male 
 and female may lend their ' refpecliv^e aid and fupport. 
 Mention has been rnade or Deborah, tfther and Jael, with 
 a hope that their cxaniplcs and characlers may influence our 
 wives, our fillers and our daughters to emulate their virtues. 
 You are not called to the perplexing cabinet, noj* to the 
 tented field; but if you will encourage your hufbands, 
 your brothers and your fons in this monjCntous confliclj 
 
19 
 
 your tears of pity for their fatigues and fuffering, your 
 fmiling approbation of your country's caufe, and your pious 
 interceffions to the throne above, will be more than an hoft 
 againft our enemies. Is not this a time when God calls us 
 to lay afide the gaudy trappings of pride, to renounce thofe 
 gratifications which fweii the deadly paffions which war 
 againft heaven and our own peace? Let us not be deaf to 
 the admonition, but, humbling ourfelves before him, cry; 
 mightily that he may haften the time when all kings fhall 
 fail down before him, when all nations (hall ferve him ; 
 when that moft important precept of our holy rehgion, 
 w^hich teaches us to do as we would be done by, may be- 
 come the dire ^ingwifdom of all the potentates and nego- 
 ciators of the nations. Then Ihall that long anticipated day 
 of univerfal peace commence of which mention is made by 
 the prophet Ifaiah, with a portion of which I clofe this fub- 
 jecl, in the following words : " And it fhall come to pafs in 
 the laft days that the mountain of the Lord's houfe fliall be 
 eftabliihed in the top of the mountains, and fhall be exalted 
 above the hills ; and all nations fhall flow unto it. And 
 many people fhall go and fay, come ye,and let us go up to the 
 mountain of the Lord,to the houfe of the God of Jacob ; and 
 he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths ^ 
 for out of Zion fhall go forth the law, and the word of the 
 Lord from Jerufalem" And he fnall judge among the na- 
 tions, and fhall rebuke many people j and they fh-'M, .beat 
 their fwords into plough-fhares, and their fpears into prun- 
 ing-hooks: nation fhall not lift up fword againft nation, 
 Neither fhall the people learn war any more." 
 
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