OCR Text |
Show [553' be willing to facrifice his country for the faith of avarice or ambition, has arrived to the high" cit Rage of wickednefs, that human nature is capable of, and deferves a much worle name, than lat prefent care to give him ; but I think Imay with propriety fay, that fuch a perfon has forfeited his right to human fociety, and that he ought to take up his abode not among the favage men, but among the favage beaits of the wildernefs. NOR can I wholly cxcufe from blame thole timid perfons, who thro' their own cowardice, have been induced to fat: our our enemies, and have refufed to aét in defence of their co'untrv : For a duclenfe of the ruin and dcH! lHlll ilruc'tion that our enemies are bringing upon us, is enough to raile fuch a refentment in the human breall, that would (1 fhould think) be i‘uflicient to banifh‘ fear from the mofi timid make : And befides to indulge cowardice in fuch CUP. fathers fled from the rage of prelatical tyranny and perfecution, and came into this land in order to enjoy liberty of confcience; and they have encreafed to a great people: Many have been the interpofitions of divine providence on our behalf, both in our fathers days and ours : And though we are now engaged in a war with Great-Britain, yet we have been profpered in a molt wonderful manner : And cm we think, that he, who has thus far helped us, will give us up into the hands of our enemies .7 Certainly he, that has begun to deliver us, will continue to fhew his mercy towards us, in faving us from the hands of our enemies ; he will not torfake us, it we do not a crude, argues a want of faith in GOD ; for can forfake him. Our caule is fojuit and good, that nothing can prevent our fucccfs, but only our fins. Could I feea {pint of repentance and reformation prevail through the land, I ihould not have the leilt apprehenfion, or fear of being brought under the iron rod of llavcry, even. he that firmly believes and relies upon the pro. though all the powers of the globe were com- vidence of GOD, doubt, whether he will avenge bined againit us : An! though I confefs, that the .irrcligion and prophanenets, which are ‘fo common among us, gives fomething ota damp to my lpirits, yet i cannot help hoping, and the canfe of the injured when they apply to him for help : For my own part, when I eon?» fider the dilpeniations of providence towards this land, ever linee our fathers firft fettled in Plymouth, I find abundant‘reafon to conclude, that the great fovcreign of the univerfe, has planted a vine in this American wildernefs,which he has canted to take deep root, and it has fil. led the land, and that he will never iuflei‘ it to be plucked up, or dellroyed. Ova even believing. that providence has dcligned this continent for to be the al'ylun‘i of liberty and true religion ; for can we fuppol‘e, that that Goo who created us free agents, and deiigned that we {honld glorify and ferve him in this world, that we might enjoy hinrforever here- after, will fuller liberty and true ‘el-igion to be baniihed from oil, the face of the earth? [I :But |