Excerpts taken by Dennis Evans from a sermon by John Witherspoon. The Reverend John Witherspoon was a Scottish Presbyterian and missionary in the American British Colonies. He was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence.
"A sermon preached at
Princeton, on the 17th of May, 1776. Being the general fast appointed by the
Congress through the United Colonies.”
Scriptures: Psalm 76:1-12; Acts 4:23-31
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Surely
the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou
restrain.” Psalm 72:10
There
is not a greater evidence either of the reality or the power of religion, than
a firm belief of God’s universal presence, and a constant attention to the
influence and operation of his providence. It is by this means that the Christian
may be said, in the emphatical scripture language, “to walk with God, and to
endure as seeing him who is invisible.”
The doctrine of divine providence is
very full and complete in the sacred oracles. It extends not only to things
which we may think of great moment, and therefore worthy of notice, but to
things the most indifferent and inconsiderable; “Are not two sparrows sold for
a farthing,” says our Lord, “and one of them falleth not to the ground without your
heavenly Father”; nay, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
It extends not only to things
beneficial and salutary, or to the direction and assistance of those who are
the servants of the living God; but to things seemingly most hurtful and
destructive, and to persons the most refractory and disobedient. He overrules
all his creatures, and all their actions. Thus, we are told, that “fire, hail,
snow, vapor, and stormy wind, fulfill his word,” in the course of nature; and
even so the most impetuous and disorderly passions of men, that are under no
restraint from themselves, are yet perfectly subject to the dominion of the
Lord. They carry his commission, they obey his orders, they are limited and
restrained by his authority, and they conspire with every thing else in
promoting his glory. There is the greater need to take notice of this, that men
are not generally sufficiently aware of the distinction between the law of God
and his purpose; they are apt to suppose, that as the temper of the sinner is
contrary to the law of God, so the outrages of the sinner are able to defeat
the purpose of God; than which nothing can be more false. The truth is plainly
asserted, and nobly expressed by the psalmist in the text, “Surely the wrath of
man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.”
In discoursing on this subject, it
is my intention, through the assistance of divine grace: 1.) To point out to
you in some particulars, how the wrath of man praises God. 2.) To apply these
principles to our present situation, by inferences of truth for your
instruction and comfort, and by suitable exhortations to duty in the important
crisis.
In the first place, the wrath of man
praises God, as it is an example and illustration of divine truth, and clearly
points out the corruption of our nature, which is the foundation stone of the
doctrine of redemption. Nothing can be more absolutely necessary to true
religion, than a clear and full conviction of the sinfulness of our nature and
state. Without this, there can be neither repentance in the sinner, nor
humility in the believer.
Justly does our Savior say, “The
whole have no need of a physician, but those that are sick. I came not to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Those who are not sensible that they
are sinners, will treat every exhortation to repentance, and every offer of
mercy, with disdain or defiance. But where can we have a more affecting view of
the corruption of our nature, than in the wrath of man, when exerting itself in
oppression, cruelty and blood?
Secondly, the wrath of man praiseth
God, as it is the instrument in his hand for bringing sinners to repentance,
and for the correction and improvement of [God’s] own children. What ever be
the nature of the affliction with which he visits either persons, families, or
nations; what ever be the disposition or intention of those whose malice he
employs as a scourge; the design on God’s part is, to rebuke men for iniquity,
to bring them to repentance, and to promote their holiness and peace.
Thirdly, the wrath of man praiseth
God, as he sets bounds to it, or restrains it by his providence, and sometimes
makes it evidently a means of promoting and illustrating his glory. There is no
part of divine providence in which a greater beauty and majesty appears, than
when the Almighty Ruler turns the counsels of wicked men into confusion, and
makes them militate against themselves. The scripture abounds with instances,
in which the designs of oppressors were either wholly disappointed, or in
execution fell far short of the malice of their intention; and in some they
turned out to the honor and happiness of the persons or the people, whom they
were intended to destroy.
From the New Testament I will make
the choice of that memorable event on which the salvation of believers in every
age rests as its foundation: the death and sufferings of the Son of God. This
the great adversary, and all his agents and instruments, prosecuted with
unrelenting rage. When they had blackened him with slander, when they scourged
him with shame, when they had condemned him in judgment, and nailed him to the
cross, how could they help esteeming their victory complete? But oh the
unsearchable wisdom of God! They were but perfecting the great design laid for
the salvation of sinners. Our blessed Redeemer, by his death, finished his
work, overcame principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them in his cross. With how much justice do the apostles and
their company offer this doxology to God, “They lift up their voice with one accord,
and said, Lord thou art God which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and
all that in them is; Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did
the Heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth
stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against
his Christ. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast
anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of
Israel were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel
determined before to be done.”
(In our own example) The violent
persecution, which many eminent Christians met with in England from their
brethren, who called themselves Protestants, drove them in great numbers to a
distant part of the world, where the light of the gospel and true religion were
unknown. Some of the American settlements, particularly those in New-England,
were chiefly made by them; and as they carried the knowledge of Christ to the
dark places of the earth, so they continue themselves in as great a degree of
purity, of faith, and strictness of practice, or rather a greater, than is to
be found in any protestant church now in the world. Does not the wrath of man
in this instance praise God? Was not the accuser of the brethren, who stirs up
their enemies, thus taken in his own craftiness, and his kingdom shaken by the
very means which he employed to establish it?
Proceed now to the second general
head, which was to apply the principles illustrated above to our present
situation, by inferences of truth for your instruction and comfort, and by
suitable exhortations to duty in this important crisis.
In the first place, I would take the
opportunity on this occasion, and from this subject, to press every hearer to a
sincere concern for his own soul’s salvation. There are times when the mind may
be expected to be more awake to divine truth, and the conscience more open to
the arrows of conviction, than at others. A season of public judgment [such as
this day of fasting declared by the Continental Congress] is of this kind, as
appears from what has been already said. Can you have a clearer view of the
sinfulness of your nature, than when the rod of the oppressor is lifted up, and
when you see men putting on the habit of the warrior, and collecting on every
hand the weapons of hostility and instruments of death? I do not blame your
ardor in preparing for the resolute defense of your temporal rights. But
consider I beseech you, the truly infinite importance of the salvation of your
souls. Is it of much moment whether you and your children shall be rich or
poor, at liberty or in bonds? Is it of much moment whether this beautiful
country shall increase in fruitfulness from year to year, being cultivated by
active industry, and possessed by independent freemen, or the scanty produce of
neglected fields shall be eaten up by hungry publicans [tax collectors]? While
the timid owner trembles at the tax gatherers’ approach? And is it of less moment
my brethren, whether you shall be the heirs of glory or the heirs of hell? Is
your state on earth for a few fleeting years of so much moment? And is it of
less moment, what shall be your state through endless ages? Have you assembled
together willingly to hear what shall be said on public affairs, and to join in
imploring the blessing of God on the counsels and arms of the united colonies,
and can you be unconcerned, what shall become of you forever, when all the
monuments of human greatness shall be laid in ashes, for “the earth itself and
all the works that are therein shall be burnt up.”
I beseech you in the most earnest
manner, to attend to “the things that belong to your peace, before they are hid
from your eyes.”
You may rest assured that there is
no time more suitable, and there is none so safe, as that [time] which is
present, since it is wholly uncertain whether any other [time] shall be yours.
Those who shall first fall in battle, have not many more warnings to receive.
Suffer me to beseech you, or rather
to give you warning, not to rest satisfied with a form of godliness, denying
the power thereof. There can be no true religion, till there be a discovery of
your lost state by nature and practice, and an unfeigned acceptance of Christ
Jesus, as he is offered in the gospel. I do not speak this only to the heaven-daring
profligate, or groveling sensualist, but to every insensible secure sinner; to
all those, however decent and orderly in their civil deportment, who live to
themselves and have their part and portion in this life; in fine to all who are
yet in a state of nature, for “except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God.” The fear of man may make you hide your profanity; prudence and
experience may make you abhor intemperance and riot; as you advance in life, one
vice may supplant another and hold its place; but nothing less than the
sovereign grace of God can produce a saving change of heart and temper, or fit
you for his immediate presence.
It would be criminal inattention not
to observe the singular interposition of Providence hitherto, in behalf of the
American colonies.
How many discoveries have been made
of the designs of enemies in Britain, and among ourselves, in a manner as
unexpected to us as to them, and in such season as to prevent their effect [and
success]? What surprising success has attended our encounters in almost every
instance? Has not the boasted discipline of regular and veteran [British] soldiers
been turned into confusion and dismay, before the new and maiden courage of [our
own] freemen, in defense of their property and rights? In what great mercy has
blood been spared on the side of this injured country?
Some
important victories in the south have been gained with so little loss. The
signal advantage we have gained by the [British] evacuation of Boston, and the
shameful flight of the army and navy of Britain, was brought about without the
loss of a man. To all this we may add, that the counsels may say with truth,
that there is hardly any step which they have taken, but it has operated strongly
against themselves, and been more in our favor, than if they had followed a
contrary course.
I am satisfied that the confederacy
of the colonies has not been the effect of pride, resentment, or sedition, but
of a deep and general conviction, that our civil and religious liberties, and
consequently, in a great measure, the temporal and eternal happiness of us and
our posterity, depended on the issue.
The
knowledge of God and his truths have from the beginning of the world been
chiefly, if not entirely confined to those parts of the earth where some degree
of liberty and political justice were to be seen, and great were the
difficulties with which they had to struggle from the imperfection of human
society, and the unjust decisions of usurped authority. There is not a single
instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty
preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the
same time deliver [our] conscience into bondage.
I shall now conclude this discourse
by some exhortations to duty, founded upon the truths which have been
illustrated above, and suited to the interesting state of this country at the
present time.
First, suffer me to recommend to you
an attention to the public interest of religion, or in other words, zeal for
the glory of God and the good of others.
…What I have in view is to point out to you the concern which every good
man ought to take in the national character and [national] manners, and the means
which he ought to use for promoting public virtue, and bearing down impiety and
vice.
Second, I exhort all who are not
called to go into the field [of war], to apply themselves with the utmost
diligence to [work]. [Work} is a moral duty of the greatest moment, absolutely
necessary to national prosperity, and the sure way of obtaining the blessing of
God.
In the last place, suffer me to
recommend to you frugality in your families, and every other article of
expense. [When this spirit of frugality] pervades a people in general, they are
fit for every duty, and able to encounter the most formidable enemy.
Upon the whole, I beseech you to
make a wise improvement of the present threatening aspect of public affairs,
and to remember that your duty to God, to your country, to your families, and
to yourselves, is the same [identical duty]. True religion is nothing else but
an inward temper and outward conduct suited to your state and circumstances in
providence at any [given] time. And as peace with God and conformity to him,
adds to the sweetness of created comforts, while we possess them, so in times
of difficulty and trial, it is in the name of piety and inward principle, that
we may expect to find the uncorrupted patriot, the useful citizen, and the
invincible soldier. God grant that, in America, true religion and civil liberty
may be inseparable, and that the unjust attempts to destroy the one may, in the
issue, tend to the support and establishment of both.
