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Show George B. Cheever. infinite gain and glory, not to be measured by any consequence ; a po:sc. ~ ion worth more than the dominion of' th' glob •; a security or future prosperity and freedom great 'l' 1 han ten thou:=:.ancl na' ie~, ten tlwu snntl citad ·Is. Standing as tht•y did :in that act on the sitle of God and truth, or freedom antl humanity, the British gov nunent nntl JH'ople have secured not only the freedom nncllmppin('S of the enslavecl, for whom they acted, but their own, or which th<'y did not think. Go(l give.', for every su h act, a mortgage on his providence for their protection. "'\Vhnt th y gained in character alone, and in the strength of rigl1tcousne's, by that act, would have been a pos ession of incstimnbl value, outweighing all po: ... ibility of los . If the 'v 't ln<lies had been . unk to tit I bottom or the sea, and all th ·colonial posse ~ ion of Great Britain with them, the bcn<'fit of that act of justice nnd ben •vol •nee wouhl have remain ed, a richer endowment of the kingdom, than if Gou l1ad created an<l bestowed a new oceanic Etlen lor it!:i dominion and its wealth. "'\Vhat we need to lay to heart to-day i ~ this les. on. If the Briti ·h people hau eonfinctl themsel v . to stati ' tical nrguments about u gar-can e~, mola. es hog- he:ul~, price of labor, amounts to be ,cr wed out of e'tat ~. und ·r the la h, or to be sa ·rificr<l by f'r •etlom, they would not to thi ' day, have nc ·omplishcd the emancipation of the nrgroe ' . It wa the conscience of ju Lice, the divine pirit of liberty, the ense of right and duty, the command of Gou, the jmpulse of pit y, strengthened and made irre:i tible by the appeal to Go(l's Word, and not the mean, pitiful con. iueration of any superior profital>lencs of fr e labor over hwc, thnt gn in •cl the vietory. It was lirrhtning from heaven, and not nny ulacksmith's fire on earth, that melted the ·haim; or the 'lave, :\n(l :ct him free. 1\fen' ' hammers could. rivet them, but it r ~qui r •d the fire of God to un<lo th m. Nothinrr but prin('iplr, truth on fire in the heart, could ever set men to thiH work. The h1st of gnin never will break a {l·tt r on the ] imbs, bllt it can cnt into the soul, and cover it with the tetter of despotism. No G orge B. Cheever. 149 profits of lib rty, nor vrn it. nnticipntccl gain~, '''<·r y<'t . t <lllY JH'Ople free ; the S}Jirit or liberty Jllllst doth I fii·st work, r<'g:tnll<'~S oC any thin~ and very thing but what i~ just an<l ri cr!It. Th • profits of' liberty n ·vcr yet built a temple, unl•ss 0 th I • pirit of liberty first eonquered. the ground in fcc simple and laid the foundations. \Vc n d to-day th<'.' I lessons of principle, and tl1is assur: tnec of the sa~·ty or their application; tb. s:tfc•ty of trllsting in Uod, and performing our whole l111ty to J I im anu to our fellow-being~, lcnving tb <·onscquences with Jlim. The terril>! · outbrc•ak at Harp ~t·'s ]i'<•rry <'ails us anew to the consideration oC our own clut y, and of' th means by which we mr1y :1voi<l ocl';; jnclgm •nts, :mel ret1erm our country f'rom a wick ·dnc. s that threat 'n. to consume tL . \Vc must consid 'r, first, ou r instrum<'nls or nggr<•ssion ancl of conquest ngainst this sin, and second, the mannc~ r nnd the m thod in which we arc to usc them. Our duty as C hri~t ian s and our <luty as po1itieians come. into view, and we shall endeavor to di~crim in ate. Our in: trument of' aggrcs!'ion and of conquest ngn.in:t this sin arc grand and mighty: the Wonl of' Go<l rightly interpret •d, and the Con.' titution of' our country, rightly int rprcted. Hut both have been perverted; and if' in either tho p rversion is suflered to b •come the law, th en w' ar lo:t.; we can do nothing. If the "'\Vord of' God is held a11<l applied in its purity, you can save even your p rverte<l Constitution by it; cnn redeem your Constitution from the bon<1:1ge of' suC'h per'" 1' ion, by the law of the . pirit or life . etting it free from the lnw of , in nn<l death. Bring v ry provision in it to the har of' God's "'\Von1, and show the infini te gui lt of' <':teh perv<'rsion. A II the (}ll<'.'t ions involved, or right antl Wl'Ollg, ought to be thorotwhly, ferv •nt ly <li seuRsed, iu every a~pcl'!, in cv ry plaec. 0 Th re ought to be publi · mass 111 •cting:-~, as migl~ty cnu:ib1 ·~, l1eated by the spirit of Liberty; and your theoncs ami. your cn.mli(1at 'S mu 'L be thrown into them anu proved. 13~ |