=< okt boy 4 a Ft < Ta eae? 6 a a NUMBERy A 2. EO ee Ase cS Hye & ‘ : > : Soe , ae Re ue = , aK % : Eo 2) x” 4 SBORGUGH ). Ke 4 Pa # Ye SH STATE | ‘D CHURCH: / AND PROSPECTS OF THE K Prag T OF A RESPECTABLE ICKL. ROBINSON, cha T » GREENE : FE R QUES) - RE “f oI “ON A SABB ay Ui D AT LIVERE i ov. FRANCIS CUMMINS, 2. M, i GREENE %, a ¢ { = %: i dee, é y vy inl ‘DE ey a ue ‘ a, ay, f 2 Bs hak faicde fie citizens " of Greenesborough, and others : at whose request itis published, | _ the following sermon is afiection-. of aes dedicated. oe ee ee ch oni is iste tially: C7 bith some cml tasdeeiient J what they a heard hid tthe pulpt ; ; hy oe FRANCIS CUMMINS. ee Shady Grove, Greene county, ) ‘ fe va inn Utes We a fant 30th 1819, i ere a Uy aee aes | . Be te Pe aah 4 YE ye ts “ x4 f % bi gat ™ fie s , (gay: ea : $ mule : AR, aig Bs ps 2 aaa * oY ee eS Bd _ * Be i ‘ ee Pa * ae on eat | % d ‘ ‘ a Aig ; ‘) . a ae cai? aH spe t See & 1 ey ¥ EZEKIEL XVI. 6 & 7. { & Sa ‘And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own ‘blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live ; yea, <« | said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused ‘thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased _ «* and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments : thy ‘breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast — , «naked and bare.” ? “hs 4 W) nen the prophet Ezekiel wrote our text, he was in Chal- dea,* ina state of captivity, and in a land of idolatry. ‘The text is 2413 yearsold. It was originally addressed to the Jew- ish nation, but especially to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to call @ to their recollection and consideration their past and preserée condition, and by what means their present condition befei them. Fellow Christians and fellow citizens, this day is peculiariy important and interesting to us. Cycles of years could not afford to any nation or to the world, a day pregnant with more | religious and ‘political interest than this day which we now enjoy. ee iC Fe itis the weekly commemoration of one of the most event- ful providences, that ever took place since creation, the resur- reetion of Christ the son of God from a state of death : ((F° and itis the anniversary, the annual commemoration of the com- mencement of our national independence. | ‘Brethren, I consi- der and would have you to consider the coincidence of the Chris- tian Sabbath with the fourth of July this yeara noticeable pro- vidence, a circumstance which may prevent a world of sin and vanity. I hope that many pious and judicious ministers” of the Gospel, and their sober minded hearers will some how suitably improve the day 3 (not by cannon, toasts and ludicrous songs,) . * but by prayer and gratitude and songs of ,praise to God. 3 ap f ba Ay ; oe To entertain and profit my audience, I will now with the spi- rit ef the text and coniext kept in view. . % *Egek. f. 3. 6 i eS i. First brie ey take notice of some of ihe various conditions of Israel—the kind providence of God in behalf of them—lIs- rael’s abuse of this Divine goodness, and the consequences to them of their imprudent and undutiful conduct. é | If. Secondly, present to the congregation a compentlious view @ and consideration of the circumstances and condition of our " nation from her infancy to her present maturity and prospects through the help aps protection of God Almighty—and » I. Thirdly, make some improvement of the premises. : According to the plan proposed I am , I. First briefly to take notice of some of the various pondic tions of Isracl—the kind providence of God in behalf of them— Israel’s abuse of this Divine goodness 3 and the consequences to them of their imprudent and undutiful conduct. Of the Israclitish nation, Abram was the germe or root. Terah, father of Abram is no where called the father of Israel. # He appears to have been «+ without God in the’ world.”? No- covenant of promise was made to him; but to Abram the son was the Abrahamic covenant given.© He was a native of Chal-— dea north of Palestine ; and or riginally an idolator, at least very probably such. Asa fallen creature and an idolator, and as_ the very embryo of Israel, he was morally and jig uratively ins ‘chis blood.” He was spiritually and ecclesiastically an orphan. fn this situation God took a merciful notice of him—sent him to aud settled him in the land of Canaan, and promised that land to his posterity. Vhis land though bounded on the West by the. Wediterranean sea, and watered by Jordan and his tributary sireams, and approaching toward the waters of Sheba and Egypt, as well as subject to a powerfully exhaling sun; was — sometimes long without rain, and distressed by — drought and fa- mine. This happened to be the case Anno. Mundi 22973 before Christ 1707 years. See Gen. XI. 10, & XXVE- 1, & XL 566 The first of these drove Abram to Egypt —the second drove Isaac to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines ; and the third was in the days of Joseph, Abra? $ great grand gon when | he was prime minister, or second to Pharo ahi in Egypt. 4 * The envy of Joseph’s brethren and his persecution, by va Ses eventuated under providence in his eminent and le promotion. 5 re Joseph by his foresight and prudence, gifts of God, and by his _authority, filled the public graneries of Egypt with corn: I say the public’graneries, for no doubt the mass of the | eople had by luxury, and effeminating, unfrugal indulgence cons ied the productions of seven previous fat years. Joseph now “superin- tended the staff of life. 'The distribution of corn belonged to him. Gen. XL. 40.48.49 55: See these places. ¥ At this time (a) Israel consisted of only Jacob, his childven and grand children and sons’ wives, seventy by consanguinity. {CF At this time the hungry brothers of Joseph are impelled by almost starvation even in the «land of promise’’ to throw them- selves upon the power and mercy of their lately hated, unpitied, persecuted, and bartered brother for bread to save their lives. Now Joseph’s sheaf arose and stood upright, and his brethren’s sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to it. (0). By and by, or anon when the scene is ready “ Behold the sun, moon and eleven stars make obeisance to Joseph, that is his father and surviving kindred. ¢(c). Joseph having at length finished his humiliating and chastizing treatment of his breth- ren, revealed himself to them—sent. for his father Jacob and all the little church, the young infantile nation in Canaan. They came down to Egypt, and settled in Goshen on the borders of the Nile, 1706 years before the birth of Christ. Here Jacob lived seventeen years and died aged 147. Gen. YE 728. Having faith in the promise of God to his fathers, and also to himself. Gen. XLVI. 4. he directed his body (Gen. KLIX. 2o- Saré:L. 5. hig to be buried with his fathers. Here now in Goshen lived the little nation of the Jews, until they became almost Heyplionzed—lIdolators—ready to swear by the life of Pharaoh. ti, to do as if they did not belong to the Abrahamic covenant! 6 Hvil communication corrupts good manners’ [, Cor. 15.33. Atlength by tyranny, : erent oppres- sion, fatigue and even murder befel them. From national jeal- ousy, male children are put to death, at least ordered by SOV ermmuent to be put to death. Exod. [, 16. ee Task-masters are set over the people, and the Israelites now as poor slaves must « make brick without straw.’? Vhis did not avail to prevent. the population of Jacob 5 « But the more thes afflicted fhem. the more they multiplied and grew. Exod. (a )Gen. XXXXVi. 26. 7) Anno. M..2298. ¢6)) Gen. xxxvn. 7, (ce Gen, xxxvul. 9. | 8 I. 12. So was it with the persecuted Apostles, their cause spread abroad and the church increased by their persecution, Ww hen this, ‘oppressed people had been. in Egypt 815 vec from th . time that Jacob the Patriarch of the church, then net more ‘than seventy or eighty in number, went to live a neighbor to the Nile ; and 430 years after Abram left Haran to’ zo into Canaan Gen. XIf.40.41. when they were in the deepest dis- tress 5 when they ‘* were in their own blood” by religious igno- rance and superstition, as well as by native depra vity, and— especially by political degradation and misery ; when they were hated at home by their actual oppressors, and by the powerful 2nd numerous nations around: when they were like a child new born cast out without washing, unction, salt, or cloathing (con= text); then when no other eye pitied them, God passed by them, and in compassion took notice of them, ‘and « said unto them live.” ele qualified, commissioned and commanded Moses fo ge_ to Pharaoh, and in his name demand the emancipation of his people. Exod. V. 1. For this purpose God had marvelously preserved the life of Moses, and promoted his pertinent education at the expence of the royal family : He had married him too in Midian in Arabia to Zippora the daughter of Ruel* thé priest of Midian. There he lived f6 oyty years, and became acquainted with the climate and eens f: the country, ‘where he was about to be the captain of sojourning Israel for forty years more, and where he afterwards wrote the Pentateuch. All things ready for it, Moses. the late’ refugee, appeared at court and demanded of Pharaoh the dis- charge of Israel with all their floc ks and herds and stuff. Nos with reproach is Pharaoh’s reply, Exod. V. 2. and this persisted in, in the face of the most awful demonstrations of the right and power of the God of Israel to make the demand by Moses with success. Sah You all know my audience. I now allude to the or plagues of Egypt as they are usually called. You will find a statement and the history of them in Exod. 7th. 12th. chapters ‘inclusive. These plagues consisted in extraordinary blood, frogs, lice, flies, murrain, boils, hail, fire, locusts, darkness, and. ithe de- struction of all the first born in every Egyptian family, «from the first born of Pharaoh, that sitteth upon his throne, even un-__ to the first born of the maid-servant that is behind’ the mill ; and all the first born of beasts. Exod. XI. 5. * Or Jethro, G i . ; , & eS it? The last plague, which took ities at midnight. ie after the oppressed church and state, had taken the paschal sacra- ment, broke the oppressors courage; and he and his people not only agreed to Jet.the people go. with all their property, but loaned them what they chose, and hurried them off, «for they aay we be all dead men.” EKixod. XII. 33. Me “Wonderous change! but not an honest and Hnambitions one. It was like much local and sick-bed repentance ; ; like. treaties made and subscribed ‘inder the influence of unfortunate battles, while the heart of the vanquished continaes the same, waiting for another effort. See the treaty of Fontainbleau, and the sub- sequent hattle of Waterloo—See most of the ‘treaties in Europe, and with Indians ; mere respirations for renewed exertions. _ Pharaoh seized with regret, chagrin, rage, anda fresh influx of ambition at his heart, pursued the emigrant-Moses and the emancipated people, with the flower and terrible array of ‘his army, and ‘overtook them at their fourth encampment at the Red- Sea ** over against Baal-Zephon.”? Then and there God mi- raculously interfered in behalf of the alarmed, and probably unarmed Israelites. B . The waters of the sea heard and obeyed his voice, ante stood like walls on each hand of Israel passing over on the naked channel : but returned and swallowed up the Me yates Pha- raoh with his chariots and army. Exod. XLV. 7. 9. 28. 29. I. Cor. 10. 2. No less than this ought the haughty eae, to have expected, had he duly attended to former lessons: but ambition, pride, and rage, blind the human mind ; and destroy- — ing prudence, fill it with infatuation, and a kind of idiotism, all — miserable calculators, foolish logicians indeed. Vow. friends, a . observe, that by these things, "God proved to all surviving Egypt, to all Israel, to all nafions adjacent, and to all mankind — to whom the sacred history may come, that the.God of Israel | was and is the true and only liciag God, and that the heathen and their gods were and are as grasshoppers in his eye and hand. Rind, XV IUI. il. Isa. XL. 22. a After all this testimony from. ‘God’ in favor of his power ¢ andl covenant goodness toward his people, they proved the weakness of their faith, the depravity of their hearts, and the bad effects of an evil habit through bad education, by their early murmur. ines and various wickedness. And yet God proceeded and con- ‘descended t6 wash and dress this child; that is to org ganize them as.a church and ag a state. [i eae 10 From Horeb under qnniestios god-like circumstances, more terrific than the displays of Aitna or. Vesuvius, he gave them the Jaw—moral—an_ infallible compend of the duties of piety toward God, and of st huntoi gace: toward men. That Mount Sinai was not then enveloped in fire and smoke on the same principle with the volcanos of Sicily and Naples, is evident from the sacred language, Exod. XIX. 18. and from the fact, that no traveller or history speaks of it as periodically _or otherwise disgorging from its melted bowels burning rocks or lava. me /. 0 nn The Lord also progressively gave them the come law, the substance of all which, had its eye upon redemption, cleans- ing and salvation through Jesus Christ «* the end of both the moral and ceremonial law to believers for righteousness.” An- tecedent to Christ’s incarnation, the ceremonial law was his symbolical Gospel, and effectually salutary to cordial OES believers. . Moreover He gave them the judicial law, containing to this day the most essential and useful principles | of the best systems of civil law now extant among. mortals.* ‘Every species of civil, of sacred and of military office is appointed : And yet ** be astonished O Heavens,” the people violate their duty ; act an idclatreus part, and variously and frequently so provoke the Lord of Hosts, that, for their humiliation, and to destroy their propensities toward Egypt and idolatry, he chose to detain them in the deserts of Akabis for forty years, feeding them all that time on manna and quails, a kind of birds, and watering them from an Arabian rock,a type of Christ, I. Cor. 10. 4. is ” At the close of these punitive forty years, Moses itiad at 120 years old, after having written the Pentateuch. 0 OST, then * Vhis law demanded the Jife of a herders. ai um. XXXVI. 16. 17. BBs 19. 20.:21.30i:04; No commutation of punishment for murder was permitted. See Num. xxxv. 31. _ By this law theft was punished by four or five Mr ctiicrosoes or thee sale of an insolventthief. Exod. xxii, 1. 3. _ Theft committed between sun-set ang sun-Tise was a capital offence. “Exod. xxu. 2. This law demanded no money of abet anes to build and guard Penitentiaries to Abe tage oe in enormous expence, and a8 p paren ay yarious vice. 4 » i Ral BaF GP Mad Wk ee ad ” AY took the command—and led on the people past the lake of Sod- om on the left, and to the Eastern bank of Jordan above the lake, and opposite to Jericho. , Here the Lord gave a similar proof to young Israel, to that given to old Israel at the Red-Sea, that he was and is the God of nature, the true and living God, the God of Abraham, and their God, now fulfilling, and about further to fulfil his promise to Abrahamn’s seed. a ; Subject to Divine authority the waters of Jordan go back, or en the peoples right hand stand still, while those on the left go down and leave the channel dry, so that the people, pass over without wading—swimming, ferriage or boat. (fF No apology now remained, or ever after could possibly remain for a jot of infidelity, idolatry, disobedience, or for a tittle of cowardice in conflict with enemies, this true God « whom winds and seas obey” being on their side. But alas! Friends for human nature ; those people were undutiful—-unthankful—hard-hearted—stiff-necked—restless— proud—idolatrous, discontented.—guilty often of moral and po- litical whoredom, uniting in the practices of profane nations— sometimes mixing in forbidden and impolitic wars. I. Kings 22intoto. For these reasons God sometimes gave them up to famines—to pestilences—to defeats—to captivities—to ransack- ed cities—to have their women butchered, or dishonoured, and to national dispersion. Dispérsion was their case at the date of our text, A.M. 3,410. A. ©. 594—2,417 years ago. « A more expressive and awful description of the guilty causes, than that contained in Ezek. XVI. 15—29, cannot be imagined. - When the wickedness and punishments of highly favoured, and obliged Israel are considered in contrast with our text, and with the description of that Church and state in the seven verses ime: mediately following our text, I confess I feel humbled and asha- med of human nature in her depraved state. But we will pass over a thousand important things, the contingencies of nearly 600 years, and take notice of the greatest kindness ever God be- _ stowed on the Jews, or the world, and of their greatest abuse of it, and the tremendous consequences to them of such abuse. | See John I. 11. ** He came to his own, and his own received him not? John ILE. 16. « God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ Now hear the sentiment a oh ‘a Hit: 12" « its i ; of the Jewsstated by Jesus himselfat Matt. XXHIT. « This is the Heir 3 come let.us kill him, and Tet us seize on his inherit- ance.”? Had they any just reason for mal-treating the Son and giftof God? Hear a question put to them by Christ himsei!, at John X. 52. « Many good things have I shewn you from my Father, for which of these good things do ye stone me 2?) Pilot the Roman heathen governor, pending the trial of Christ _ his prisoner, repeate'ly pronounced in his favor ¢¢ I find no fault in him.’ Luke XXII. 4.14, Joha XVIII. 38.19. 4, 6—but in opposition to all the Roman judge could say for his release, the Jews clamorously called for his crucifixion, Like an undu- titel, thankless, infuriated mob, their language was «¢ away with this man, crucify him, crucify hin.” ‘ { They indeed crucified him, and thus consummated their na- tional sin and rebellion; brought rain thereby upon their city and national polity, 1,100,000 deaths upon themselves, God’s absence from all their ordinances, and the dispersion and degra- dation of their nation ever.since : but | ve Glory to God, Christ rose again on the third day as he pre- dicted, and this day commemorates that resurrection, and saiva- tion secured by it. O! itis‘a high day! a day commemorating an event, which for the believer takes away the * sting of death’? and the gloom of the grave and of eternity, by shedding light on the previously doubtfal doctrine of resurrection. Without faith in the truth of the doctrine of resurrection, every heart but that of an unfeeling stoic or hardened infidel must be appalled at the approach of death and the grave, or through uncertainty of a future state. Aristotle aftér all his study. and philosophy could say « Fediin hance Mundum iotravi, anxius vixi, pertur- batus egredior, quo vadain nescio, causa CauSarum miserere mei.” . Welcome, welcome Holy Sabbath of Jesus.. Welcome every Lord’s day every week. Welcome precious conservator and evidence of the truth of the Christian religion, and of the solidity of its comforts ta the believing hearts precious guardian of our civil manners & of our most polished Christian morals 3 precious means of the best possible furniture ofthe private & public mind, «the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ his Son, whom to Know, is eternal life.’ O! had weno Sabbath, or did we not observe, but all profane if, how callous to every thing spiritual would our minds become? how would the kingdom of satan pre- vail, and the rising generations be immersed in corruptions, and * thew own blood |”? Bee: fe, Vas 18 bids far The profanation of the Sabbath, Mipusit directly or indirect- ly some of the heaviest curses of: God upon the Jews: And we believe honestly, that nothing is more calculated to defile and corrupt the principles and morals of any people, and to bring the displeasure of God on an enlightened nation, than the profana- tion of Divine institutions. Many. have been, and many there arc, whe taik and act asif they believed, that liberty neither was wor coold be complete antil alvealled Divine or human institu. tigus or vestraints were taken off human passions and men left to as wach licence as the ani#Wal creation | O! how sin has wreck- ed the understanding, debdsed the taste, and demoralized the manners aud conduct of isultitudes. \ mo) ; A still more P diseudtine picture night here be truly given of the &: io taae and conduct of some evenin high life, who ¢ use. their hiberty for a cloak of licentiousness,” did not Dhl, for the ear or eye of delicacy forbid it. 4 T now proceed according: to the order proposed, Tf. Secondly. to present to the congregation a& compendious. view “nd consideration of the circumstances and condition of our nation from her infancy toher present maturity and: pros- pects, through the help and protection of God- Almighty. North and South Amer ica jointly i is more than: one quarter of the terraqueous globe. It is situated, says Dr. Morse, between the 56th degree of South latitude and the North pole: and be- tween the 55th and 165th degree of West longitude ;> nearly 10,000 miles lung, and 1,800.0r 2,000 broad. By whom this vast country of above 12;000,000,000 of acres of land and: water, a country of all climates, was first settled, no living man — er book known to us can tell, with any certainty, or how long is. has been settled ;* but certainly a long time. The sacred His- tory, the oldest in the world,j gives us not a word on this sub-. ject, unless perhaps we can force something out of that prophet- pale passage in Rev. XII. 14—16, « And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might ty into the wildert 1ess,”” &e, , : The settlement of umeribas is not now sr he years old, orthe Apostles would have visited this country and. the Scriptures would have recordedit. Matt. XXV. 19. Mark. RVI. 15. 20. From the Break san of ‘the cain paren es n ran ners, peggh cus-' -* Dr. Morse thinks soon after the flood,. "4 Pentateuch Homer, 486 years. : is BA chee ats toms, &c. of the Aborigines, iti is probable they derive ‘com the, same ancestors; but whether from Cae. or Rei we leave the connoisseur to tell us. : In the year 1492, viz. $27 years ago; 5,500 years after cree ation, God- Almighty, Lord of all worlds, and Author of all use-— ful discoveries, by Christopher Columbus a Genoese under the patronage of Isabella then Queen of Spain, discovered North America to Europeans. «* European bigotry and avarice, tho't Savage infidels had no intrinsic rigit to any soil.”” In the year A. D. 1585, Sir Waiter Raleigh planted ; a little settlement on the sea-coast of North Carolina, that. part of the United States now, but not then called North Carolina. All’was called Vir- ginia by Sir Walter in compliment to his queen and Ueeetu ded the unmarried Elizabeth. : By some means this little settlement like an abortive child, alk perished. ‘Twenty-two years afterwards. in April 1607, the first permanent settlement tock place on a peninsala on the North side of James’ river on the coast of Virginia. The river and town were called James’ river and James’ town in honor of king? James I. then on the throne of England. (GP We are now, in eur 218th year since Aprillast. As Columbus was the discov- erer, so Sir Walter was settler of this land of our fathers, and of our birth or adoption. | a. Both those great and distinguished men, of hordte minds, died in contempt, or worse. Columbus died aged 59 at Vallad- olid, A. D. 1506. Sir Walter as the victim of envy and faction, — was beheaded in or about A. D.1611.% | : ¥ When in confinement or under duis, ie wrote his faaroles i: history of the world in the Old English style, weil worth read- ing. He was a man of very extensive reading. In a short time half these James’ river people perished by diseases and Ln- dian wars. In the course of twenty years, it is said, out of nine thousand settlers, 7,200 died by hardships, diseases, wars with the natives, &c. | : i fee In consequence of. persecution ind | want of religious ities, at home, in Sept. 1620, about five years before the death of king: James I, one hundred and one Puritans sailed from Europe and: eho a at Cape-Cod, in the November following. Thus began. ors Tn ther cien of James I: * His ci letter to his wife the night before execuuon is in the authors possession. in ay 6 tis 1 New England by a handful of people under great difficulties, thirteen years after James’ town in Virginia. Civil and espe- cially religious liberty being so desirable, between A. D. 1626 and 1640. to avoid an oppression of conscience under the law for conformity, 21,2 00, emigrants came from Old to A eric’ land. Ap 4 Thus rapidly did our infant @iijen begin to grow, and the American Church or Churches ncrease and strengthen eun- der the care and protection #f God over us in our low estate. By accessions from almost all the dominions and regions of Ku- rope, and by native increase at home, favored by liberty, cheer- fulness anda salubrious climate, our nation grew ap from a few hundreds to about 3,000,000 perhaps, in the course of 168 or 9 years, although we were much of that time cut off in great numbers by common mortality, as well as by wars in union with Great Britain with Indians, Brench and Spaniards. Although some hardships anditt ils of patience and prudence be the common lot of, mortals ;, yet under the reigns of William, Ann, George I, George II, and some part of George Tit, the harmony of the mother and daughter countries was cousidera- ble, and America throve, and was more than contented: She was even sensibly attached to the mother country, and consider- ably happy. | 3 | : Young people were brought. up to revere and iia the’ country that or ieinated their parents, and grandsires ; and that gener- -ous and instinctive spirit is not yet dead. But ithold, at length «6 there arose a Pharaoh that knew not Joseah” —Ham ans: that *hated the honor and liberty of Mordecai, and imprudently eleva- ted their own gallows. . An attempt cr attempts were made to > make us «make brick without straw,” or to tax us a free pee- ple, sons of British liberty and spirit, without our consent, and | without fair reciprocal advantage, and also to confine our com- merce! To confine our commerce, make the price what they ‘pleased, and yet compel taxation, was provoking and intolera- ‘ble, and Naptbly ‘and sensibly so to common sense and Justice. Es ‘Such things i in various shapes, were attempted, by the British Ministry or Parliane t in the years 1764—-1765, and 1767. (See Frankiin’s lite, | say’s and other histories,) and. Oppo-. ged with a becoming: | band skill on the part of America at hame and friends. in England. Irritations now went on from Wipes Jess to more, until at lene: th blood was shed by British soldiers in’ - Boston on the 5th of March 1770. This embryo of war waslit- Wes why: % , hy > ya a ve _ ee Ss 16 tle cise than an affray; but a war humor was kindling very “fast, * In 1774, laws were passed of so oppressive a nature against (Boston and the Province of Massachusetts, as both provok» dd and invited that City and State to war 3 and such too as pro- voked and predisposed all the sister Provine es to demand justice by the sword, if it became absolutely netessary. By imperious necessity and w ell planned _gagasures, when Ba on was in (ise tress, on Se piel OL the American Congress viet in Philadelphia from twelve aces. In four days after, Dels- gates from North Carolina attended. On May 10, 1775, the wecond Congress met in Bela oi: ‘Things having come to such a crisis. on. the. 19th of April 1775. at Concord 18, and at Lexington 10 miles North West of Boston, were slain in battle 53 or: 54 Americans and, 65. British . regulars. 180 British were wounded, and 28 made prisoners. Now our. infant country. was «6 polluted i in her blood”? and 3 needed the pitying eye of God. , The Revolution then indeed he- gan. All classes engaged in it. Pulpits, benches, the gentle- men of the law, and the public presses espoused the American cause. Pee Fasts and prayers unto God for hel p were : appointed ‘and ob- eoyes by political and religious bodics of men and individuals 5 3 * Itis not improper to observe here, that a considerable number of people in Mort Carolina in the year 17 70, became discontented with the management of the King’s courts, and with the abuse as they. ‘cons © ceived of the public money ; and began in their own way to correct these things. Hence they assumed, or were pellge by the name of Regy ulators. In the Spring of 1571, a battle was fought between sea about a thousand in number, and Governor Tryon at the head of three or four hundred men.. The Regulators were beaten, some killed, and all di cha Rapin’s history of England. } “persed. This was followed by the imposition of the oath of allesiniite - by Tryon upon a large part of the Province, especially the middle and lower parts.. This defeat, discouragement, and oath of allegiance, caused hundreds of honest, but intimidated men, especially the Bae to be what was then called Tories; a term used in England to de gnate those in favor of the high handed ‘and arbitrary measures of the Crown, ath. These steps of the Scotch brought on Y # aot hewihals , te, and defeat by Col. Caswell, ‘after 1 svyolution really began. i= The above regulation measures, were in fact, of a Revolationary spirit, but undigested, hasty, unprotected, and they sunk instanter ter want of support and concentration. ¥. 17 nor did the female sex refrain their appeals to God in behalf of their country, nor keep back their husbands and sons from bat- tle, #(}° On the 17th of June, 1775, the battle of Breeds, or Bunkers-Hill was fought, in which fell 139 Americans, and 1054 | British, including 19 commissioned officers besides 70 wounded ! _ in the very next month, viz. July 1775, the Province of Geor-~ gia by their Delegates appeared in Congress. All the thirteen Provinces are now represented and united for liberty, and « li- . berty or death” became the national motto. ; In our great distress, and need of the first military talents, © fortitude, integrity. and prudence, George Washington, Esq. a native of Virginia, of English descent, born on February 11, 34732, was on June 15, 1775, unanimously chosen’ commander in . chief. He was a precious gift of God to his country and to her’ — armies. When elected to command he was a member of the second Congress, and 43 years, four months and two or three . days old. He had been Captain General but two days before the battle of Bunkers Hill. By astrong muscular body, acom- . prehensive and calculating mind, a cool, firm, cautious, dispas- sionate courage, by sympathy for the country and army, and all attended by a duly merciful disposition, he deserved his appoint. - gent. He satisied the publicexpectation. | RO. Jy Ah! friends,,we were then “in our blood.” The time was awful. Every officer from the general to the corporal ; and’ the regular or militia soldiers was deemed by the enemy a rebel, and liable not merely to be shot in battle, but hanged if taken. _ This doubled the danger of the field, and enhanced the hazard ef accepting any military, especially distinguished command. — Thus too it must have continued to be, until the coalescence of the Provinces by some official assertion and proclamation of In-. dependence, snould relax these dangers. "Till then to accept an’ office, was the height of temerity or of fortitude. (7 ‘This was done in Philadelphia on the 4th of July 1776. Qn tiat mem-- grable day Congress declared Independence.* | Bi ee % Some time § in the year 1775, the principle characters in the coun: ty of Mecklinburgh N. Carolina, met twice in the hall of Queen’s mu- seum for the purpose of digesting articles for a state constitution.— Numbers formally before magistrates, abjured the authority of George Ill, and of all foreign governments: And en an appointed day, said, county of Mecklinburgh generally met, and by their herald (Col. Tho-. mas Polk [ believe) proclaimed on the court-house stairs, indepen- Na § May I believe. — a Se Set 18 This day commemorates this great event, and ascertains it te succeeding generations. Henceforth we were and are a nation, a sovereign power, and entitled to retaliate cruel abuses of the legitimate rights of war. ‘The very knowledge of this was a rock of defence for the soldiers courage. ; * ie! To be summary, a thousand things must be left to be learned from general history. We were, to use the language in our text, «¢in our blood” from the 19th April, 1775, to the end of the war, Nov. 380, 1782. For the battles in which our blood was shed in the revolutionary war, you may consult history, Ramsay, Gorden, Marshall’s life of Washington, Weems and others, We mention some of the most distinguished, viz. those at | Bunkers Hill—Quebec—Bennington—Ticonderoga—Brandy-_ wine-Germanton~Trenton-—Princeton--Monmouth-—Beaufort-— Charleston—Savannah—Camden twice— Hanging Rock— Wax- haw—Sumpters—Kings Mountain—Cowpens—Guilford—’ 96— ~ Eutaw Springs—Little York. Here General Cornwallis ended his career ; and here was the grave of the British hope to tax America, with or without her consent. What numbers we lost in battle, in prison ships, by fatigue, by pestilences in camp, &c. we cannot certainly tell. God had mercy upon us, and * said unto us when we were in our blood, live,” or we must have per- ished, or sunk back into dependence. At certaingtimes, despair nearly seized upon some soldierly and honest hearts. ; ; bn After our declaration of independence on July 4, 1776, which under God, was our political foundation-rock of national exist- ence 3 the states assumed respectively their political dress, their respective constitutions and full organization. We got into an «armor and altitade” which under God, bore us successfully through a seven years bloody war. ‘True, ae Nn rr dence of Great Britain. Capt. James Jack yet living, and now of El- bert county, Georgia, was sent with intelligence of these facts to Phila- delphia to Congress. Congress returned thanks to the county for their — zeal, but advised a little further patience. Of the truth of all this note, the author assures the public ; as he was a personal witness to the whole of these things, and one of the abjurors as above. Of the day and month, dates of these things he cannot be certain, but positively. knows they were done before the declaration of independence by Congress. If priority therefore in things of this sort, can entitle a state to aclaim of primary honor, the claim of North Carolina is pre-. eminent. Massachusetts lost the first blood, unless we allow that honor to the regulators of N, Carolina in 1771. ny 19 we came out of it sore and naked; but our « time was a time of love, and God spread his skirt ayer us ‘and covered our na- kedness.” Verse 8, context. “ Now friends, let us hear the adacoeniate language of the text in verse 7th, and thankfully feel what God has done for.us. «I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments ; thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair i iS SPOWNs, whereas thou wast naked and bare.” This language is fcuratvely allusive to a forlorn neglected child, that child by grace adopted and raised to maturity and prosperity by some sympathizing benevolent friend. ‘The Uni- ted States have indeed multiplied as the bud of the field. From thirteen original states to above twenty states and territories, Our boundary extends from New Brunswich, or from tre 64th degree of West longitude from London to the Pacific Ocean, and froin the Atlantic Ocean to the middle of the great North- ern Lakes. The original states cover 640,000,000 acres, inclu- ding Water, besides acquired territory. Our population too $6 has increased and waxen great’ from about ack to not much, if any short of ten miilions ! ; it Ours excels the population of Denmark “Norway Pee a eretch Prncsia Hollaud Hight,” * Numbers at the close of the war had neit gound raiment to put on ; so hadthey been pl { See the present number of states§ and the American census: in , me) pe i¢ Ba 1010; 7,230,514. On these prospects some of our American pooty almost prophesied. Col. Liumphries, Barlow, &c. | § 24 or more states and territories. shige Shes ot Aa . * # ‘ 7 tT esas 4M q 4 ¥ ik he -covering, not God, if he be anery, fan dismay the hearts and distract the councils of men. Judges XX. 20—5, Il. Sam. 15. 31. IIL. Kings 19, 35. At a time when God was displeased with Israel, 26,700 Bene | jamites slew in two battles, 40,000 men of the opposite army of Israel consisting of 400,000 «* men of war.” In the third ac- tion 25,100 Benjamites were slain. Judges XX. 35. In all these battles God presided, ax the defeat or success was as he chose it should be. Tee Hither ae : Let us fear, love and obey the God of heaven and of armieg, _and satan cannot concert and combine as much power as can re- duce and annihilate our nation. But should we like Israel for- get and disrespect the Lord our redeemer and deliverer ; and by vice, luxury, effeminating pride and manners, and by state and family rivalships bring dow the Divine displeasure upon us, even our ** Federal Constitution,” the best in ‘the world, could not save us. Should the American people, especially those in power and influeuce become infidel, impious, and selfish, our vast bounds might become as convenient a theatre for military ambitious partizans and ciyi{ blood, as the « Orbis Terrarum’” ever did. Except so far as she is meliorated and modified by civilization, and especially the Gospel, human nature is always the same. But we trust in God, who has raised us so rapidly to conspicuous greatness, that he yuill make us more than politically ~ wise and great, make us religiously so too. | | at a ey ' Finally friends, hear a fatlier’s—a friend’s and a pastor’s ob- servation :— oe | | eae. As sure as the annitMith of July, commemorates a political certainty, the declaration of ingependence, of great consequence to us and alarge share of the world: so surely does this Sab- bath commemorate a certainty of greater importance to the whole world, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and the grave ; and anticipates ar‘everlasting rest for believers, who do their faithful duty to God and man. Let us duly then, respect, regard, and improve the constitutional laws of our country ; let the public make a judicious use of the elective pow- er, a terror to bad men—and lg duly appreciate and improve the Holy days and laws of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gracious Author of our independence and religious liberty, and we shall | certainly be blessed. AMEN. a ee