Pass ^\1 i< Book .13 '- SERMON, ON THE FREEDOM AND HAPPU>[ESS I- OF THE United States of America, PREACHED IN CARLISLE, ON THE 5TH OCT. 1794. AND PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST OF TH£ OFFICE'R3 OF THE PHILADELPHIA AND LANCASTEi^ TROOPS OF LIGHT HORSE, BY ROBERT DAVIDSON, D. D, PASTOR OF THE PRES fi Y TERI A JI CHURCH IN CAR- LISLE, AND ONE OF TifE PROFESSORS I >f DICKINSON COLLEGE, Pif ILADELPHIA: ■S.INTED EY SAMUEL II. SMITH FOR ROBERT CAMPBELL. Jf.DCC.XCiy. No A SERMON, 'dc. ff An4 what one Nation in the Earth is like thy People, even like Ifrael ?'* If. SAMUEL, vii, 23, f-lp X O take a comparative view of the nations of 'the earth, and learn in what refpeds fome are happier than others ; and to examine what are the fources of national profperity, and the true foundations of -the ftrength and permanency of ftates ; mud be profitable at any time, and efpecially proper at the prefent crifis. It is with this view the words now read have been chofen. And let none fay, that we are carried away by the fpirit of the times, to fubflitute mere political harrangues in the place of the Gofpel of Chrift : for, as I obferved, on a former occalion*, the affairs qf ftate, the A 2 manage- * In a Sermon preached on the preceding Lord's dayi from Proverbs, xiv. 34. Righteoufnefs exalteth 4 pationj but fiu is a reproach to any people. ( 4 ) ilianagement of public concerns, and the du- ties of citizens are not to be confideredas topics foreign to the gofpel, but the con- trary ; becaufe the gofpel views man in every condition in which man can be plac- ed, — ^and efpecially as a member of fociety* I fhall not, therefore, need to apologife for the fentiments contained in the following; difcourfe; fmce, in delivering them, efpe- cially in prefent circumftances, I confider myfelf only doing cojifcientioufly the du- ties of my office. But not to wafte your time unneceffarily^ — let us come to the fubjecl now propofed to be confidered. David, the pious king of Ifrael, had been conducted from the humble walks of a paftoral life, to the exalted flation of a throne; and as he had been conduced to it, fo he was firmly eftablifhed in it. Nozv it came to piifs^ as we read in the firfl verfe of this chapter, that when the king fat in his hou/e, and the Lord had giveu him reji round about from nil his enemies ; meditating devoutly on all the great goodnefs of God to himfelf and the nation ; he thought in his heart, that he ought to make prepara- tions for building a temple to the honour of ( 5 ) t)f his God. And the Lord fent the pro- phet, Nathan, to afliire him, that he was pleafed with his pious defign, and to en- courage hina to perfevere. So we read, {in the 8th verfe). Ngzv therefore Jo JJ^alt thou fay unto my fervant David^ Thus faith ihe Lord of Hofts^ 1 took thee from following the Jheep^ to be ruler over my people^ Ifrael. And I ivas with thee whitherfoever thou went eft ^ aud have cut off all thine enemies out of thy fight^ and have made thee a great vame^ like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. He was ordered alfo to affure him of God's future goodnefs to his family, from which v^^as to arife, in the ful- nefs of time, that great Deliverer whofe throne was to be eflablifhed for ever. Af- ter thefle affurances, which filled the heart of this great man with a fubiime joy, he went iiu, it is faid, and fat before the Lord^ and there poured out the gratitude of his fouI» in the language here recorded. He ad- mires the goodnefs of God, in raifing him to a ftation fo very eminent ; in faving him from internal enemies, who had repeatedly attempted to diftradl his government ; in vanquifhing his external foes on every liand ; in giving him peace, in which he appears ( 6 ) iappears to have greatly delighted, though he had been an illuftrious warrior ; and thus aflfording him an opportunity of at- tending to the internal concerns of the ftate and his people's happinefs. And while he revolved in his mind the many indubitable inftances of Divine Providence towards the nation, and the happy circuili- flances in Avhich they were now placed ; looking around him from his exalted fla- tion on the fmiling fcenes of profperity on every hand, and the ineffable comforts to be derived from a ftat<; of peace and fecu- rity ; — having a heart capable of ardently defiring and greatly delighting in the feli- city of thofe committed to his care ; — he utters, among many other expreffions, the words of our prefent text, — And what one nation in the earth is like thy people ^ Ip We m.-ly here, in the jJrV/i? place, ctin-^ fider a little the rea'fons on which thii cxprelTion is founded, or in what refpe(f)s the people here fpoken of, were favoured above the other nation^uDf the earth, IT. This will prepare the way for our making fome obfervations, in the fecond place, on the great goodnefs of God to our own iUte and nation in particular ; Qur hyjh ( 7 ) feigh and many privileges, the gratitude due from us to God for them ; arid the wife improvement which we ought to make of them. I. Let us, then, in the firft place, make a few general obfervations on the ftate of the Jewifh people, previoufly to and at the time when thefe words were fpoken ; which will be a fuitable preparation for the re- marks that are intended to follow. The pofterity of Abraham have been a people mod remarkably under the diredion of Divine Providence, ever {ince their ori- gin : and notwithflanding the many revo- lutions which they have experienced, a remnant of them is ftill preferved diflin 9 J a few of the mcfre remarkable events, de- tached and feparate ; and if we endeavour to perfuade ourfelves, that all human affairs are under the guidance of blind chance, and tending to no conclufion for the dif- play of the divine juftice and goodnefs ;-— we (hail find our knowledge fruitlefs, and all our refearches vain. The mind of man is fo formed by its adorable! and wife author, that it wifhes tof underftand the final caufe of every thing which it contemplates and admires. In viewing the works of nature^ fo many ftriking proofs of defign and benevolence- prefent themfeves to tlie mind, as foon a^ the reafoning powers begin to unfold themfelves, that even children wiih to be inftruded in thefe things, to trace a chain of caufes and effeds, and to know why certain things are fo and io, and not either- wife. We fee the moft beautiful harmony fubfifting from age to age, among the hea- venly bodies ; however various in fize and fituation, and how complicated foever their motions and revolutions. We look for, and are pleafed to find, in every province of nature in this lower world, evident B ;iia,j:J5S ( >o ) fftatts alfo of wifdom aird goodnefs. A |)Ower that is irreliftible, under the direc- tion of infinite wifdom, appears to be con- ftantly operating, on every hand. It feems to be doing the utmoft violence to our teafon, to endeavour to perfuade our- lelves, that there is no wife defign in the conftitution of nature, and the arrange- ment of its various parts. And is it not doing equal violence to our rational nature, to fuppofe that the events of this lower world are under no wife diredion. Or, that there is no Pro- vidence over /^^ ^t^/W (9/'w^«/* Even the Romans of old, who built the mofl: aflo- nifhing fabric of empire that ever the w6rld beheld, evidently acknowledged, ef- pecially in tlieir better days, that their tepublic was under the divine diredion^ and l&ould ftand no longer than it was the will of the Supreme Deity, to preferve: k by his guardian care. They feem grate- fully to have afcribed their viiflories to an over-ruling power. The fentiments of their mofl: celebrated orator, patriot, and philofophdr, on this fubje^f^, have always been greatly admired. As ( » ) As a Divine Providence, then, muft be acknowledged over the affairs oT men ; and fomething may be learned on this fubjed even from the light of nature^ and the ge- neral voice of nations ; — how thankful fhould we be for the light of revelation^ by which our views are fo greatly enlarged, and our thoughts are carried back to the creation and forward to the confummatiom of all things ! But what we have more particularly in view, at prefent, is the interefting hiftory of the Jeivifh nation. And we fay that this is above all others full of inftrucllon, becaufe the defigns of Providence to- wards them have been more fully unfold-r cd to us, than his deiigns towards any other people. Had we only the hiflory of that nation, in the way in which hif- tories are commonly written,^ — a fplendid enumeration of the mofi: fhining fads and revolutions ; — and efpecially laboured de- fcriptions of battles, and high enccrmiums on the charaders and exploits of Mofes, Jofhua, and other leaders ;— -with little of the doings of the Lordy and the interpo- fitions of his hand ;-^^had we, I fay, this B % hiftory, ( 12 ) hlftory, tlius compofed in the comrnon way, and were we only amufed with the ingenious remarks of hiftorians, on the operation of mere natural caufes ; we could not read it with fo much advantage as we now can ; nor could we, in a fatis- faclory manner, account for the many changes through which that nation has been made to pafs. This people were called the people of the Lord, and he was pleafed to ftiie himfelf the God of Abra- ham, Ifaac, and Jacob. But we muft not fuppofe, that they had the fame ideas of the government of the world, which many other nations feem to have had, /. e. that every nation or flate had fome particulai Divinity pre fading over it, and attending to its concerns alone. For the reprefen- tations which are every where given of" God, ip.the Jewifh writings, lead us to conceive pf him as the Creator, Preferver^ and Lord of heaven and earth; as having all nations under his diredion ; and em- ploying all the fhining armies of heaven as his minifters, in the government of this lower world. — Now, as this people had fo much light and knowledge, refpeding ■ ' ' God ( '3 ) ,<&od and his providence, more tharj others around them had ; this fhows the force and propriety of the words of David, when he faid, " JVhat one nation in the earth is like thy people^ even Ifraelf It mufl: be confidered as an exalted pri- vilege, indeed, to have the knowledge of the true God, and of the manner in -which he is to be worlhipped. This his chofen people had ; while mankind in general around them were bowing dowi-j before flocks and ftones, and paying a fuperftitious adoration to falfe and ima- ginary objeds of worfhip. The ideas which they had of the Supreme Being, of his Providence and government of the world, are fully fet forth in thofe hymns of praife, which were compofed prin- cipally by this pious King, and which alj men of tafte and piety have ever ad- mired. They had alfo the moral law, written by the finger of God himfelf, which gives a full view of all thofe duties v;hich we owe to God and to one another. For the fum of the commandments is, To love the Lord our God with all our hearts^ and our neighbour as our/elves. They had alTurance^ C M ) afiufances not only of the juftice, but alfa of the mercy of God through a Redeemer, who is flow to anger, and fometimes fpares finners for many years, and who forgives iniquity, tranfgrelTion, and fm, to all thofe who truly repent. They had the cleareil proofs of his mercy ; for he had often turned away his anger from them, and exaffed of them lefs than their iniquities dejcrved. He gave them the moil: en- couraging promifes of his protedion, as well as the clearefl: views of the miferies that would come upon them, as a nation, if they departed from him, and became immoral and profane. He placed them in the land which he had promifed to fheir fathers, — a land, which, to ufe the fcripture-phrafe expreffive of the greatefl plenty, flozved with milk and honey. Out pf this land he expelled thofe nations, which by their enormous wickednefs had t)ecome ripe for ruin, that he might plant his people in their ftead. To fum up all in a few words, — the Jewifh nation were, at the time here al- luded to, in an independent and flourilh- ing condition ; having the light of the knowledge ( is ) knowledge of the true God fhlning upoiii them ; having alfo excellent laws for the rule of their condud ; and being in a ftate of peace,— having no enemies within the ftate that were difaifected to its befl: inte- refls, nor any without, to be feared ; while a pious and prudent man, of extraordinary abilities, and whofe life Providence had watched over and preferved through many a fcene of trial and danger, was placed at the head of the nation, and reigned in the hearts of his people. When thefe feveral things are taken, into conhderation, which time will only allow us at prefent briefly to mention, we fee how much fuperior, in point of pri- vileges, the Jewifh nation was, to all the other nations around them. II. Let us now, in the Jecond place, con- fide? the great goodnefs of the Divine Be- ing to our ftate and nation in particular ;— our high privileges ; the gratitude which we owe to God for them ; and the wiie improvement which we ought to make of them. We might draw a parallel between our, conddtion aiwd that of the nation fpoken of iQ in the text, in a variety of pOTticuIarfr. A perfed lefemblance, indeed, of the cir- Gumflances of any two nations is not to be cxpeifted ; and yet it may be fufficiently ilriking to merit attention. The celebrated navigator who firfl: dif- covered this continent was doiibtlefs under the guidance of heaven ; and the difco-^ very was preparatory to the wonderful events that were to follow. This part of the New World prefented itfelf as a place of refuge for thofe who wifhed to enjoy religious and civil freedom^ unmolefled, and to the greateft extent. They hoped that here they could worfliip God accord- ing to their confciences, and would be at a fecure diftance from all the infults of tyranny. The infant fettlements, which Providence defigned as the nurferies of a vaft republic, in due time to arife, gra- dually extended themfelves along the Ihores of the ocean, and into the interior parts of the continent. Their growtli was rapid and aftonifhing ; they were in general a fober, indullrious, and pious people ; and the governor of nations prof- pcred them. The fame of the privileges here ( »7 5 here to be enjoyed, and of the falubrity oiF the air, and fertility of the foil, drew hither great numbers from different nations of the OLD WORLD. But, alas ! how fubjed to change are all human affairs ; and by what a precarious tenure are thefe poffeflfions held and en- joyed ! Attempts were made to deprive us of tjhe privUeges which we fo highly prized ; and a diftant power, which we were wont to call the Parent nation, in- lifted on the right of making laws to bind us in all cafes whatfoever. We could not conceive in what other language, the moft alfolute tyranny could have clothed its man- dates and its menaces. We refolved to re- fufe a fubmilTion to the moft unequal and iniquitous laws ; for we would not acknow- ledge the power, that was affumed, to be ia lawful one ; but, on the contrary, a violation of our chartered rights. Hence arofe an obftinate and bloody conteft. To take a view of this in its rife, progrefs, and termination, would be a work of much time ; fuffice it to obferve, that being con-. Meat of the juftice of our caufe, we com- C mi:t^4 ( i5 ) itikied ourfelves into his hand, wlid dK- pofeth of ftates and kingdoms at his plea:- fure; \V8 prayed to him, and made a di- ligent ufe of the mofl proper means of felf- defence. And the arm of the Lord ap- peared evidently ftretched forth for our prefervation : And in nothing did his care more fully manifeft itfelf, than in railing up and preferving thofe illuftri6us men, of whom it may be faid, as is here faid of David, that he made unto them a ^reat jtaifie':" ^The malice of difafFedion, the deeip^aid fchemes of treachery, artd even all the open attacks of courz^ge, aimed at our fubjugation, were wholly disappointed. Many powerful friends were raifed up for us, and our independence, (to obtain which io much blood and treafure had been ex- pended ) was at laft acknowledged. The foundations of a free government being thus laid, and the moft favourable oppor- tunity afforded, which appears ever to have been given to any of the fons of men, of eftablilhing the freefl: and beft form of civil government, which could be learned fiOHa the wifdom and experience of ages, — ' Gonftitutions ( "9 ) jconftitutlons for the- feveral ftates, and ^ general one for the up-ion and interefl of tiie whole combined, were formed, and re- gularly and folemnly adopted. This is only an outlhie of the pidlure, haflily (ketched : To give it all the variety of fhades and colouring, neceffary to com-r plete it, would be rather the bulinefs of the niflorian than the divine. Thefe things are mentioned, to fhew, that when we compare our condition with that of other riations, we may with great propriety borrow and apply the words of the text, and lay, — f'f^bat one nation in the earth is like the American people. Hiftory 4oes inot inform us of any people v/ho had the fame favourable opportunities, that we have had, of choofing that form of govern- ment which we might think beft, and mofl c:onducive to our liappinefs. What was good in others, we were at liberty to adopt j what w^s bad, to rejed. This opportu- nity we hope has not been neglecled. And we live, and have lived and profpered for fome time, under a government which, w\}h all the imperfedions that can in any C 2 juftic^ ( w ) juftice be laid to ks charge, is one of the moil free and excellent under the fun. Nothing is wanting to make it all that we could wifh it to be, and to give us the pleahng hope of its liability and perma- nency, but more wifdom^ virtue^ and reli- gion^ among the citizens at large. This is a government, which all the real friends of freedom in the old world appear to ad- mire ; and under the wings of which the opprefled of every nation would wifh to take refuge. Here is liberty and equality^ according to the jufl: acceptation of thofe fa- vourite terms ; liberty^ civil and religious, to the utmpft extent that they can be, where there is any government at all ; and an '• equality of rights^ or proviiion made for the equal protedion of the lives and properties of all. That all men fhould be equal, as to abilities, ftation, authority, and wealth, is abfolutely, in the prefent ftate of things, impofiible. But where every citizen has a voice in making the laws, or in choofing thofe who make them, and is equally un- der their protec'^ion, — there is equality. As to religious liberty efpecially, we / { 21 ) may indeed fay, IVhat nation in the earth i$ like the American people ? For every man may entertain what opinions he thinks right, and worfhip God in what manner he thinks beft, without being excluded from any office, to which he has a profped of rifing, on account of his creed or religious fentiments. This is furely liberty, in the utmoft latitude that any man could deiire. If rulers abufe their truil, or aim at op- preffion, they are removeable in a regular and conflitutional way ; and better men can be put in their places, when the power reverts into the hands of the people, at the dated periods. This way of redreffing grievances is infinitely preferable to that of tumults and infurredions. Unhappy the people who can have no change in their government but what they muft obr« tain by the fword ! The advantages ariling from our fitua- tion, and the produdions of the foil, in the various climates comprehended within our boundary line, might, if this were the proper time and place, be fully defcribed. Aiid it would appear, that no other nation ' on on earth may be compared with this, in thefe refpeds. What unfpeakable advan- tages have we for a gainful commerce with the whole world ! At what a happy dif- tance are we placed, from the fierce and ambitious nations of Europe ! We hear of a great people contending for liberty. We hear of a nation in armSy combatting a formidable hoft of enemies, to fecure their freedom and independence. But oh ! what fcene§ of horror, — what fields of defolation and blood,-r-prefent them- felves to our imagination, when we endea- 'vour to form an idea of the real prefent ilate of Europe ! And how happy are we, to be in a ftate of neutrality and peace ! liov/ much fhould we admire, that wifdoni and firmnefs that have preferved us in fuch a fiate ; amidft fo many wicked en- deavours to involve us in the calamities pi war ! And has not Science darted her benign rays, into the remoteft parts of thefe United States ? Seminaries of learning are rifmg into reputation on every hand ; and under the fofiering care of government will be aiiioiig ( as } Morig the chief means of ^tdferving ou# libeirties. The fons of fcience, patticu-t laxly thofe educated in this place*, will,' vve hope, never be feen at the ftandard ot anarchy, or on the fide of defpotifm. And' as to Religion, the choiceft bl ef- fing of heaven to men^ and without which no nation can be truly hapfpy ; — is fhe not left at liberty, to difplay to every advan- tage heir celeftial charms, and to exert her renovating powers on the thind^ of men, free both from the aids i»nd the reftraints of the civil arm ? What wotild the people of thefe States have or wifh for more? Are iiot theft the v6ry objects for which our patriots bled ? And to obtain which the gteatefl facrifices have been made by all ranks of citizens ? While thus we view the faiif fid6 of things, and realize Oiir many privileges, We cannot but rejoice and be thankful. Hymm * Dickinfon College, in Carlifle, has fent forth at leaft eighty graduates, fince its ereftion ; and pro- tnifes to be an extenfive blefling to the Wcfterfir Country! if fupported by a generous public. ( 24 ) Hymns of praife fhould every where h€ fung to the Eternal King, who fought ioi us our battles, and gave us liberty and |>eace. But when I look around me, and fee multitudes of mtw in the garb of foldiers, and handling the inftruments of war, — X cannot but feel the moft painful emotions, and aflc, — IVhat theje things mean ? Has fome foreign defpot invaded our territo- ries with formidable armies ? Are the fa- vages of the wildernefs committing de- vacations far and wide upon a defenceT^fs frontier, having routed the army fent to fubdue them ? Or is there any other fimilar caufe of, thefe warlike preparati- ons ? "No! (I am anfwered) Thefe preparation^ are for a very different pur- pofe. Thev are to teach thofe who will not otherwife be taught, — that we ought all to be obedient to lawful authority; that we ought to refpecl the government which ourfelves have made, and whofe protection we have enjoyed ; that in a pure republic the will of the majority mufl: be fubmitted to, and no lawlefs gttempts ( 25 ) attempts made to weaken the energy bf good government." And is it polixb'e, that all our citizens have not gocd fenfe enough to know thefe plain and impor- tant truths, without fuch a formidable force to teach them ? It feems not. To bUr grief and fhame it muft be told. But upon this difgraceful part of our hiftory I fhall not dwell at piefent : it is a painful tatk ! and we have heard from the proper authority the real flate of our affairs. But oh! what heart, that is not hardened into an entire infenfibihty, dees not bleed at the thought of an unpro- voked injurreclion^ by fome of our de- luded fellow-citizens, againft the mildeft and freeft government under heaven \ What friend of pea:e and real liberty does not drop a tear over the fo'lly of his brethren ! Shall we pity them, 'and enu- merate their grievances, as an apology for their condud ? If they have any grievances, what are they ? and are they fuch as can juftify an appeal to arms ? No man in his fober fenfes can fay any fuch D ( i6 ) fuch thing. Can it be a grievance to fupport good government ? Surely it cannot. Unlefs government Itfelf be a grievance ; which is perhaps indeed the opinion of not a few'. But let us, my friends, better taught., rejoice in the privileges which we poffefs, and do every thing that is required of us, in our fe^'eral places, for their fecurity ; knowing that a regular adm'niflration of jullice is infinitely preferable to anarchy ; and that it is a folemn and important duty, to fubmit to laws, which have had every fandion that they ought to have, — for the public good and indivi- dual fafety. It is for the fupport of the laws of their country, I am well perfuaded, and for no other objev5\, that fo many of our brethren have voluntarily armed them- felves on the prefent occalion. To you, ray friends, who are prefent with us at this time, in the charader of Ciii-zen- Soldiers, allow me the liberty of a (hort addrefs ; and with this I fliall conclude. You ( 27 ) You are in the pre fence of Him who knoweth all hearts ; and I trufl you arc confcious to yourfelves, that you have af- fumed your prefent charader, not from the defire ofwar, but the love of peace. Wc cannot but admire your patriotifm and zeal. You have left your families, your friends, and all the comforts of the domedij fcene, to endure the hardfliips of a camp, — to expofe your health to the in- clemencies of the air *, — and your lives, if required, to the malice of difaffeiflion ! It is thus you will learn, as many as hava not learned already, fomething of the aflonifhing hardfhips v/hich the brave de- fenders of our country endured, for ft-vcn long years : and you will highly prize, and contend for, that liberty which was D 2 purchafed * At this time were encamped, on the Commons of Carlifle, many gentlemen from the city of Philadel- phia, and elfewhere, who had left behind them large families, and all the comforts of lifs, which an inde- pendent fortune could give ; and many of them fuch as worthily filled the higheft departments in fociety. To fee fuch men lying upon a bed of ftraw, and doing the duties of foldiers, was truly aftoniihing. What |;eal for liberty and good governjncat did this telUfy I ( 28 ) purchafed at fo dear a price. You have the example of oar beloved President, and other exalted charaders, to animate yoa to your daty. In obeying his di- reclions, and copying his many ftiining virtues, you will find the path to lafting honour. Your de:ermined firmnefs and unannnity will caufe difcord to hide her guilty head. Order and obedience will be reflored, and the eiiufion of blood pre- vented. You are called to ac5i under the direclion and authority of Him *, who never expofed to danger a lingle life without neceihty ; and who graced his victories with that clemency which is the greateft ornament of true courage, and one of the fureil: tefls of magnanimity. And is not the caufe, in which you are en- gaged, fuch, that you may fafely pray to the omnipotent and juft Ruler of the world, * The Prefident of the United States, Governor Mifflin, and many other gentlemen of high rank, be- ing prefent, the Preacher was reflrained from faying as much as he could have wifhed on this fubjed, left the expreffion cf his real fenriir-ents night have ap« peared to fome the language of adulation. ( 29 ) world, for his aid and proteaion? We are perfaaded it is : and would both fol- low you with our prayers, and befeech you to pray for yourfelves, and truft in him who is able to preferve you. Let no part of your condua refled difgrace upon your arms, or injure the good caufe ia which you are engaged. Be fober and temperate, — merciful and juft,— friendly to each other,— and firmly combined in the caufe of virtue, innocence, liberty, and law. And now may God dlfpofe the hearts of our fellow-citizens, every where, to the love of order, juftice, and peace! May he eftablifti good government among us! May he long preferve a life which appears fo neceffary for our public tran- quillity ; and preferve to this country her rights and privileges — while sun and Moorf SNDURE ! THE £ N O.