TAUGHT by the omniscient Deity, Moses fore­saw and predicted the capital events relative to Israel, through the successive changes of depres­sion and glory, until their final elevation to the first dig­nity and eminence among the empires of the world. These events have been so ordered as to become a display of retribution and sovereignty; for while the good and evil, hitherto felt by this people, have been dispenced in the way of exact national retribution, their ultimate glory and ho­nor will be of the divine sovereignty, with a not for your sakes, do I this, saith the Lord, be it known unto you—but for mine holy names sake.

However it may be doubted, whether political Com­munities are rewarded and punished in this world only; and whether the prosperity and decline of other Empires have corresponded with their moral state, as to virtue and vice: yet the history of the hebrew theocracy shews, that the secular welfare of God's antient people depended upon [Page 6] their virtue, their religion, their observance of that holy covenant, which Israel entered into with God, on the plains at the foot of Nebo on the other side Jordan. Here Mo­ses the man of God assembled three million of people, the number of the united states, recapitulated and gave them a second publication of the sacred jural institute, deliver­ed thirty-eight years before, with the most awful solemnity at mount Sinai. A Law dictated with sovereign autho­rity by the Most High to a people, a world, a universe, becomes of invincible force and obligation without any reference to the consent of the governed:—it is obligato­ry for three reasons, viz. its original justice and unerring equity, the omnipotent Authority by which it is enforced, and the sanctions of rewards and punishments. But in the case of Israel, he condescended to a mutual covenant; and by the hand of Moses lead his people to avouch the Lord Jehovah to be their God, and in the most public and explicit manner voluntarily to engage and covenant with God to keep and obey his Law. Thereupon this great prophet, whom God had raised up for so solemn a transaction, de­clared in the name of the Lord, that the Most High avouched, acknowledged and took them for a peculiar people to himself; promising to be their God and Protec­tor, and upon their obedience, to make them prosperous and happy. Deut. xxix. 10 & 14. C. xxx. 9 & 19. He foresaw indeed their rejection of God, and predicted the judicial chastisement of apostacy; a chastisement involving the righteous with the wicked. But as well to comfort and support the righteous in every age and under every cala­mity, as to make his power known among all nations, God determined that a remnant should be saved. Whence Moses and the Prophets, by divine direction inter­spersed their writings with promises, that, when the ends of God's moral government should be answered in a series of national punishments, inflicted for a succession of ages, he would by his irresistible power and sovereign grace, sub­due the hearts of his people to a free, willing, joyful obe­dience; turn their captivity;—recover and gather them from [Page 7] all the nations whither the Lord had scattered them in his fierce anger—bring them into the land which their fathers possessed—and multiply them above their fathers—and rejoice over them for good, as he rejoiced over their fathers. Deut. xxx. 3. Then the words of Moses, hitherto accomplished but in part, will be literally fulfilled; when this branch of the posterity of Abraham shall be nationally collected, and be­come a very distinguished and glorious people, under the great Messiah the Prince of Peace. He will then make them high above all nations which he hath made in praise, and in name, and in honor, and they shall become a holy people unto the Lord their God.

I shall enlarge no further upon the primary sense and literal accomplishment of this and numerous other prophe­cies respecting both Jews and Gentiles, in the latter day glory of the church. For I have assumed the text, only as introductory to a discourse upon the political welfare of God's American Israel; and as allusively prophetic of the future prosperity and splendor of the United States. We may then consider

I. What reason we have to expect that, by the blessing of God, these States may prosper and flourish into a great American Republic; and ascend into high and distin­guished honor among the nations of the earth. To make thee high above all nations, which he hath made in praise, and in name, and in honor.

II. That our system of dominion and CIVIL POLITY would be imperfect, without the true RELIGION; or, that from the diffusion of virtue among the people of any com­munity, would arise their greatest secular happiness: which will terminate in this conclusion, that Holiness ought to be the end of all civil government. That thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God.

I. The first of these propositions will divide itself into two branches, and lead us to shew,

1. Wherein consists the true political welfare and pros­perity, [Page 8] and what the civil administration necessary for the elevation and advancement, of a people to the highest se­cular glory.

2. The reasons rendering it probable that the United States will, by the ordering of heaven, eventually become this people. But I shall combine these together as I go along.

Dominion is founded in property; and resides where that is, whether in the hands of the few or many. The Dominion founded in the feudal tenure of estate, is suit­ed to hold a conquered country in subjection, but is not adapted to the circumstances of free citizens. Large ter­ritorial property vested in individuals is pernicious to so­ciety. Civilians, in contemplating the principles of go­vernment, have judged superior and inferior partition of property necessary in order to preserve the subordination of society, and establish a permanent system of dominion. This makes the public defence the interest of a few land­holders only.

A free tenure of lands, an equable distribution of pro­perty, enters into the foundation of a happy State: so far I mean, as that the body of the people may have it in their power, by industry, to become possessed of real freehold fee-simple estate. For connected with this will be a general spirit and principle of self-defence—defence of our property, liberty, country. This has been singularly verified in New-England; where we have realized the capital ideas of Har­rington's Oceana.

But numerous population, as well as industry, is necessary towards giving value to land, to judiciously partitioned territory. The public weal requires the encouragement of both. A very inconsiderable value arose from the sparse thin settlement of the American aboriginals; of whom there are not fifty thousand souls on this side the Missisippi. The protestant Europeans have generally bought the na­tive right of soil, as far as they have settled, and paid the [Page 9] value ten fold; and are daily increasing the value of the re­maining Indian territory a thousand fold: and in this man­ner we are a constant increasing revenue to the Sachems and original Lords of the Soil. How much must the value of lands, reserved to the natives of North and South-America, be increased to remaining Indians, by the inhabitation of two or three hundred millions of Euro­peans?

Heaven hath provided this country, not indeed derelict, but only partially settled, and consequently open, for the reception of a new enlargement of Japhet. Europe was settled by Japhet; America is settling from Europe: and perhaps this second enlargement bids fair to surpass the first: for we are to consider all the european settlements of America collectively as springing from, and transfused with the blood of Japhet. Already for ages has Europe arrived to a plenary, if not declining population of 100 millions: in two or three hundred years this second enlargement may cover America with three times that number, if the present ratio of increase continues with the enterprising spirit of Americans for colonization and removing out into the wil­derness and settling new countries: and if Spain and Por­tugal should adopt that wise regulation respecting the con­nexion of the sexes, which would give a spring to popula­tion within the tropics, equal to that without. There may now be three or four millions of Whites. o [...] Europeans, in North and South-America: of which one half are in rapid increase, and the rest scarcely keeping their number good without supplies from the parent states. The number of French, Spaniards, Dutch and Portuguese, may be one million souls in all America; altho' [...] have trans­fused their blood into twice the number of Indians. The United States may be two million souls Whites, which have been an increase upon perhaps fewer than twenty or thirty thousand families from Europe. Can we contem­plate their present, and anticipate their future increase, and not be struck with astonishment to find ourselves in the midst of the fulfilment of the prophecy of Noah? May we [Page 10] not see that we are the object which the holy ghost had in view four thousand years ago, when he inspired the ve­nerable Patriarch with the visions respecting his posterity? How wonderful the accomplishments in distant and discon­nected ages! While the principal increase was first in Eu­rope, westward from Scythia, the residence of the family of Japhet, a branch of the original enlargement extending eastward into Asia, and spreading round to the southward of the Caspian, became the ancient kingdoms of Media and Persia ^†: and thus he dwelt in the tents of Shem. Hence the singular and almost identical affinity between the Persic and Teutonic languages through all ages to this day. And now the other part of the prophecy is fulfiling in a new enlargement, not in the tents of Shem, but in a country where Canaan shall be his servant, at least unto tri­bute.

I rather consider the American Indians as Canaanites of the expulsion of Joshua: some of which in phoenician ships coasted the Mediterranean to its mouth, as appears from an inscription which they left there. Procopius who was born in Palestine, a master of the Phoenician and other oriental languages, and the historiographer of the great Belisarius, tells us, that at Tangier he saw and read an inscription upon two marble pillars there, in the ancient Phoenician (not the then modern Punic) letter, " We are they who have fled from the face of Joshua the robber, the son of Nun." ^‡ Bochart and Selden conjecture the very Punic itself. Plato, AElian, and Diodorus siculus, narrate voyages into the Atlantic ocean thirty days west from the pillars of Hercules, to the island of Atlas. This inscription examined by Procopius, suggests, that the Canaanites, in coasting along from Tangier, might soon get into the trade winds and be undesignedly wafted across the Atlantic, [Page 11] land in the tropical regions, and commence the settlements of Mexico and Peru. Another branch of the canaanitish expulsions might take the resolution of the ten tribes, and travel north-eastward to where never man dwelt, become the Tchuschi and Tungusi Tartars about Kamschatka and Tscuko [...]skoinoss in the north-east of Asia: thence, by water, passing over from island to island through the northern Ar­chipelago to America, became the scattered Sachemdoms of these northern regions. It is now known that Asia is separated by water from America, as certainly appears from the Baron Dulfeldt's voyage round the north of europe into the pacific ocean, A. D. 1769. Amidst all the variety of national dialects, there reigns a similitude in their lan­guage, as there is also in complexion and beardless features, from Greenland to delseugo, and from the Antilles to Otah­eite, which shew them to be one people.

A few scattered accounts, collected and combined toge­ther, may lead us to two certain conclusions, 1. That all the american Indians are one kind of people. 2. That they are the same as the people in the north-east of Asia.

An asiatic territory, 3000 miles long and 1500 wide, above the 40th degree of latitude, to the hyperborean ocean, contains only one million of souls settled as our In­dians; as appears from the numerations and estimates col­lected by M. Muller, and other Russian Academicians in 1769. The Koreki, Jakuhti and Tungusij living on the eastern part of this territory next to America, are naturally almost beardless, like the Samoi [...]ds in Siberia, the Ostia [...]s and Calmuks, as well as the American Indians: all these having also the same custom of plucking out the few hairs of very thin beards. They have more similar usages and few­er dissimilar ones, than the Arabians of the Koreish tribe and Jews who sprang from Abraham: or than those that subsist among the european nations, who sprang from one ancestor; or these asiatic nations, which sprang from Shem. The portrait painter Mr. Smibert, who accompanied Dr. Berkeley, then Dean of Derry and afterward Bishop of Cloyne, from Italy to America in 1728, was employ­ed by the grand Duke of Tuscany, while at Florence, to [Page 12] paint two or three Siberian Tartars, presented to the Duke by the Czar of Russia. This Mr. Smibert, upon his land­ing at Narraganset-bay with Dr. Berkeley, instantly recog­nized the Indians here to be the same people as the Siberian Tartars whose pictures he had taken. Moravian Indians from Greenland and South-America, have met those in our latitude at Bethlehem, and have been clearly perceived to be the same people. The kamschatdale Tartars have been carried over from Asia to America, and compared with our Indians, and found to be the same people. These asiatic Tartars, from whom the american aboriginals de­rived, are distinct from, and far less numerous, than the mongul and other Tartars which, for ages, under Tamer­lane and other chieftans, have deluged and over-ran the southern ancient Asiatic empires. Attending to the rational and just deductions, from these and other disconnected data combined together, we may perceive, that all the Americans are one people—that they came hither certain­ly from the north-east of Asia; probably also from the me­ [...]terrane [...]n; and if so that they are canaanites, tho' arriving hither by different routs. The ocean current from the north of Asia might waft the beardless Samoieds or T [...]aschi from the mouth of Jen [...]sea or the Oby, around Nova Zembla to Greenland, and thence to Labrador, many ages after the refugees from Joshua might have colonized the tropical regions. Thus Providence might have or­dered three divisions of the same people from different parts of the world, and perhaps in very distant ages, to meet to­gether on this continent, or, " our Island," as the six na­tions call it, to settle different parts of it, many ages before the present accession of Japhet, or the former visitation of Madoc, 1001, or the certain colonization from Nor­way A. D. 1001, as well as the certain christianizing of Greenland in the ninth century; not to mention the visit of still greater antiquity by the Phoenicians, who charged the Dighton rock and other rocks in Narragansett-bay with Punic inscriptions, remaining to this day. Which last I myself have repeatedly seen and taken off at large, as did [Page 13] Professor Sewall. He has lately transmitted a copy of this in­scription to M. Gebelin of the Parisian academy of sciences, who comparing them with the Punic paleography, judges them punic, and has interpreted them as denoting, that the ancient Carthaginians once visited these distant regions.

Indians are numerous in the tropical regions, not so elsewhere. Baronla Hontan the last century, and Mr. Car­ver so lately as 1776 and 1777, travelled north-west be­yond the sources of the missisippi. From their observa­tions it appears that the ratio of indian population in the very heart of the continent, is similar to that on this side of the missisippi. By an accurate numeration made in 1766, and returned into the plantation office in London, it ap­peared, that there were not forty thousand souls, Indians, from the Missisippi to the Atlantic, and from Florida to the Pole. According to Mr. Carver, there are about thirty, ^§ and certainly not forty Indian tribes, west of the Senecas, and six nation confederacy, and from the Missisip­pi and Ohio northward to Hudson's bay, and from Niaga­ra to the Lake of the Woods. The chiefs of all these speak the Chipeway language. And perhaps all the remaining territory north of New Spain, and even on this side the northern tropic, and north-westward to asia, will not ex­hibit five times that number at highest.

Partly by actual numeration, and partly by estimate, the Indians in the Spanish dominions in America are consi­dered as a million souls in New Spain, and a million and half in Peru, or two or three million souls in the whole. And perhaps this would fully comprehend those of Para­guay and the Portuguese provinces. In my opinion, great defalcation must be made from these numbers. The abo­riginals have been injudiciously estimated at twenty mil­lions: but I believe they never exceeded two or three mil­lion souls in all North and South-America since the days of Columbus.

The European population so surpasses them already, [Page 14] that of whatever origin, they will eventually be, as the most of them have already become, servants unto Ja­phet—six hundred and twelve thousand Indians pay tri­bute in Peru. We are increasing with great rapidity; and the Indians, as well as the million Africans in America, are decreasing as rapidly. Both left to themselves, in this way diminishing, may gradually vanish: and thus an unrighte­ous SLAVERY may at length, in God's good providence, be abolished and cease in this land of LIBERTY.

But to return; the population of this land will proba­bly become very great; and Japhet become more nume­rous millions in America, than in Europe and Asia; and the two or three millions of the United States may equal the population of the oriental empires, which far surpasses that of Europe. There are reasons for believing that the English increase, will far surpass others; and that the diffu­sion of the United States will ultimately produce the gene­ral population of America. The northern provinces of China spread for ages, and at length deluged the southern with a very numerous and accumulated population. Prov. xiv. 28. In the multitude of people, is the king's honor.

But a multitude of people, even the two hundred mil­lion ^† of the Chinese empire, cannot subsist without CIVIL GOVERNMENT. All the forms of civil polity have been tried by mankind, except one: and that seems to have [Page 15] been reserved in Providence to be realized in America. Most of the states of all ages, in their originals, both as to policy, and property have been founded in rapacity, usurpation and injustice: so that in the contests recorded in history, the public right is a dubious question; it being rather certain that it belongs to neither of the contending parties: the military history of all nations, being but a description of the wars and invasions of the mutual robbers and devas­tators of the human race. The invasion of the lawless Macedonian who effected the dissolution of the medo-persian empire, the wide spread roman-conquests, the inundation of the Goths and Vandals, the descents of the Tartars on China, the triumphs of Tamerlane, Ulugh-beg, and Aurengzebe, and the wide spread domination of the impostor of Mecca, with his successors the Caliphs and Mameluhs down to Kouli-Kan, who dethroned his prince and plundered India of 200 mil­lions sterling:—these, I say, with the new distribution of property and new erected policies, were all founded in un­righteousness, and tyrannical usurpation. The real inte­rest of mankind and the public good has been generally overlooked. It has really been very indifferent to the [Page 16] great cause of RIGHT and LIBERTY, which of the billige­rent powers prevailed, a Tangrolipix or an Mahomet, an Au­gustus or an Antony, a Scipio or an Hannibal, a Brennus or an Antiochus—tyranny being the sure portion of the ple­beians, be the victory as it should happen. These things have led some very enlightened as well as serious minds to a fixt conclusion and judgment against the right and legality of all wars. In the simplicity of my judgment, I have for years been of this opinion, except as to the offen­sive wars of Israel, and defensive war of America. War in some instances, especially defensive, has been authorized by heaven. The blessing given by Melchisedec to Abraham, upon his return from the slaughter of Chelderlaomer and the kings of the east, justified that holy patriarch. The war with Amelek, and the extirpation of the Canaanites by Josh­ua, were of God. The location of the respective territories to the first nations, was so of God, as to give them a di­vine right defensively to resist the Nimrods and Ninus's, the first invading tyrants of the antient ages. The originally free and glorious republics of Greece, had a right from God, to withstand the haughty claims of the Assyrian em­pire, which they successfully resisted for ages, till the Ro­man power arose behind them, and at length prostrated their liberties.

But after the spirit of conquest had changed the first governments, all the succeeding ones have, in general prov­ed one continued series of injustice, which has reigned in all countries for almost 4000 years. These have so chang­ed property, laws, rights and liberties, that it has become impossible for the most sagacious civilians to decide whose is the abstract political right in national controversies— [...]ather we know that none of them have any right. All original right is confounded and lost. We can only say that there still remains in the body of the people at large, the body of mankind of any and every generation, a POWER with which they are invested by the author of their being, to wrest government out of the hands of reigning tyrants, and originate NEW POLICIES, adapted to the conservation [Page 17] of liberty and promoting the public welfare. But what is the happiest form of civil government, is the great question. Almost all the polities may be reduced to hereditary dominion neither a MONARCHY or ARISTOCRACY, and these supported by a standing army. The Roman and Venetian senates were but an hereditary Aristocracy with an elective head. The senatorial succession is preserved independent of the people. True liberty is preserved in the Bel ic and Hoe [...]ve­ [...]ic republics, and among the nobles in the elective monar­chy of Poland. For the rest of the world, the civil domi­nion, though often wisely administered, is so modelled as to be beyond the control of those, for whose end God insti­tuted government. But a DEMOCRATICAL polity for mil­lions, standing upon the broad basis of the people at large, amply charged with property, has not hitherto been exhi­bited.

Republics are democratical, aristocratical, or monarchial. Each of these forms admit of modifications both as to here­ditation and powers, from absolute government up to per­fect liberty. Monarchy might be so limited, one would think, as to be a happy form, especially if elective: but both monarchy and aristocracy, when they become hereditary, terminate in the prostration of liberty. The greater part of the governments on earth may be termed monarchical aristocracies, or hereditary dominions, independent of the people. The nobles and nabobs being hereditary, will at first have great power; but the royal factions have not fail­ed to intrigue this away from the nobles to the Prince: the assembly of even hereditary nobles, then become cy­phers and nullities in dominion. The once glorious Cortes of Spain experienced this loss of power. It is next to an impossibility to tame a monarchy and few have ruled with­out ferocity. Scarcely shall we find, in royal dynastics, in long line of Princes, a few singularly good Sovereigns, a few Cyrus's, Antonini, Alfreds, Bor [...]i [...]mes. Indeed, if we look over the present sovereigns of Europe, we behold, with pleasure, two young Princes, the EMPEROR, and the [Page 18] MONARCH of France, who seem to be raised up in provi­dence to make their people and mankind happy. A Gan­ganelli in the pontifical throne was a phoenix of ages, shone for his moment, and scarcely to be found again in the cata­logue of a Platina:—We see enterprising, literary, and heroic talents in a Frederick III. and wisdom in a Ponia­towski. I add no more—But when we contemplate the other European and Asiatic potentates, and especially the sovereigns of Dehli, Ispa [...]aun, and Constantinople, one can­not but pity mankind, whose lot is to be governed by—despots of small abilities, immersed and rioting in the splen­dor of a luxurious effeminacy. Nor could government proceed, were not the errors and desultory blunders of ro­yalty frequently corrected by the circumspection of a CO­LAO, a few sensible characters venerable for wisdom, called up among the stated councillors of Majesty.

Lord Bacon said, that monarchy had a platform in na­ture; and in truth monarchical ideas reign through the universe. A monarchy conducted with infinite wisdom and infinite benevolence, is the most perfect of all possible go­vernments. The Most High hath delegated power and authority to subordinate monarchies or sole ruling powers, in limited districts, throughout the celestial hierarchy, and through the immensity of the intellectual world; but at the same time he hath delegated and imparted to them, wisdom and goodness adequate to the purposes of domini­on: and thence the government is, as it ought to be, ab­solute. But in a world, or region of the universe, where God has imparted to none either this superior power or ade­quate wisdom, beyond what falls to the common share of humanity, it is absurd to look for such qualities in one man; not even in the man Moses, who shared the govern­ment of Israel with the Senate of Seventy. Therefore, there is no foundation for monarchical government, from supposed hereditary superiority in knowledge. If it be said, that monarchs always have a council of state, consist­ing of the wisest personages, of whose wisdom they avail themselves in the government of empires; not to observe [Page 19] that this is a concession indicating a deficiency of know­ledge in Princes, it may be asked, why not then, consign and repose government into the hands of the national coun­cil, where always resides the superiority of wisdom? The supposed advantage of having one Public Head for all to look up to, and to concenter the attention, obedience, and affection of subjects, and to consolidate the empire, will not counter-balance the evils of arbitrary despotism, and the usual want of wisdom in the sovereigns and poten­tates of the earth. For the hereditary successions in the dy­nasties of kings in the effeminate families of the great, seem to be marked and accursed by providence, with deficient wisdom. And where is the wisdom of consigning govern­ment into such hands? Why not much better, since we for once have our option or choice, to commit the direction of the republic to a Wittena-gemot, or an aristocratical council of wise men? Should we call forth and dignify some family, either from foreign nations or from among ourselves, and create a monarch, whether an hereditary Prince or Protector for life, and seat him in Supremacy at the head of Congress; soon, with insidious dexterity, would he intrigue and secure a venal majority, even of new and annual members; and by diffusing a complicated and variously modified influence, pursue an accretion of power till he became absolute.

The celebrated historian Mrs. CATHARINE MACAULAY, that ornament of the republic of letters, and the female LIVY of the age, observes, "The man who holds supreme power for life, will have a great number of friends and ad­herents, who are attached by interest to his interest, and who will wish for continuance of power in the same family. This creates the worst of factions, a government faction in the state. The desire of securing to ourselves a particular, unshared privilege, is the rankest vice which infests huma­nity; and a Protector for life, instead of devoting his time and understanding to the great cares of government, will, be scheming and plotting to secure the power after his death to his children, if he has any, if not to the nearest [Page 20] of his kin. This principle in government has been pro­ductive of such bloodshed and oppression, that it has in­clined politicians to give the preference to hereditary rather than elective monarchies; and as the lesser evil to consign the government of society to the encreasing and at length unlimited sway of one family, whether the individuals of it should be idiots or madmen. It is an uncontroverted fact, that supreme power never can continue long in one family, without becoming unlimited." ^‡

We stand a better chance with ARISTOCRACY, whether hereditary or elective, than with monarchy. An unsystema­tical democracy, and an absolute monarchy, are equally detestable, equally a magormissabib, the terror to all around them. An elective aristocracy is preferable for America, as it is rather to be a council of nations (agreeable to the humane, liberal, and grand ideas of Henry IV. and the pa­triot Sully) than a body in which resides authoritative so­vereignty; for there is no real cession of dominion, no sur­rendery or transfer of sovereignty, to the national council, as each state in the confederacy is an independent sovereignty.

In justice to human society, it may perhaps be said of almost all the polities and civil institutions in the world, however imperfect, that they have been founded in and carried on with very considerable wisdom. They must have been generally well administered; I say generally, otherwise government could not proceed. This may be said even of those governments, which carry great defects, and the seeds of self-destruction and ruin in their constitu­tion—for even an Ottoman or an Aurengzebe, must establish and prescribe to himself a national constitution, a system of general laws and dominion. But the abstract rationale of perfect civil government, remains still hidden among the desiderata of politics, having hitherto baffled the investiga­tion of the best writers on government, the ablest politi­cians, and the sagest civilians. A well ordered DEMOCRA­TICAL [Page 21] ARISTOCRACY, standing upon the annual elections of the people, and revocable at pleasure, is the polity which combines the UNITED STATES: and from the na­ture of man, and the comparison of ages, I believe it will approve itself the most equitable, liberal, and perfect.

With the people, especially a people seized of proper­ty, resides the aggregate of original power. They cannot however assemble from the territory of an empire, and must therefore, if they have any share in government, represent themselves by delegation. This constitutes one order in legislature and sovereignty. It is a question whether there should be any other. To resolve which it may be consi­dered, that each of these delegates or representatives, will be faithful conservators of local interests, but have no in­terest in attending extensively to the public, further than where all particular local interests are affected in common with that which one delegate represents in particular.

It should seem then that the nature of society dictates another, a higher Branch, whose superiority arises from its being the interested and natural conservator of the universal interest. This will be a senatorial order, standing, not on local, but a general election of the whole body of the peo­ple. Let a bill, or law, be read in the one branch or the other: every one instantly thinks how it will affect his constituents. If his constituents are those of one small district only, they will be his first care; if the people at large, their general or universal interest will be his first care, the first object of his faithful attention. If a sena­tor, as in Delaware, stands on the election of only the same district as a deputy, the upper-house is only a repetition of the lower:—if on the election of several counties com­bined, as in Virginia, each member of the upper-house stands and feels himself charged with a greater and more extensive care, than a member of the house of burgesses: not but that it is the duty of each deputy to attend to the general interest. Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Jersey, have each a senate or legislature of one order only; for although [Page 22] in Jersey it seemeth otherwise, yet that interest which will determine a vote in one, will determine it in both houses. The same is true of the two Carolinas.

The constitutions of Maryland and New-York, are founded in higher wisdom. The polity of Massachusetts is excellent and truly grand. It retains indeed some of the shadows of royalty, which may give dignity, but never operate an essential mischief, in the hands of a chief magi­strate, who is annually elective by the people at large. But Connecticut and Rhode-Island have originally realized the most perfect polity as to a legislature: any emendations and improvements may be made by the assembly with re­spect to the establishment of the law courts, and a consti­tutional privy council, which in all future time will be ne­cessary to attend the chief magistrate in the ordinary civil administration. These things are remedied in Virginia, whose constitution seems to be imperfect in but one thing—its twenty-four senators, though elected from local districts, should be elected by the people at large, being men of such public eminence, and of merit so illustrious, as to be known not to a few only, but to all the tribes throughout the state. It establishes judges quamdiu se bene gesserint. It provides perfectly for legislation and law courts, for the mi­litia, and for that continual administration of government in absence of assemblies, and while the judiciary tribunals are sitting, which must reside in and be uninterruptedly ex­ercised at the head of sovereignty in every civil polity.

It gives me pleasure to find, that public LIBERTY is ef­fectually secured, in each and all the policies of the United States, though somewhat differently modelled. Not only the polity or exterior system of government, but the laws and interior regulations of each state, are already excellent, surpassing the institutions of Lycurgus or Plato; and by the annual appeals to the public, a power is reserved to the people, to remedy any corruptions or errors in government. And if even the people should sometimes err, yet each as­sembly of the states, and the body of the people, always embosom wisdom sufficient to correct themselves: so that [Page 23] a political mischief cannot be durable. Herein we far sur­pass any states on earth. We can correct ourselves if in the wrong. The Belgic states in their foederal capacity, are united by a perfect system, constituted by that great prince WILLIAM of Nassau, and the compatriots of that age: but they left the interior government of the jural tri­bunals, cities, and provinces, as depotic and arbitrary as they found them. So the elective monarchical republic of Poland, is an excellent constitution for the nobles, but leaves despotism and tyranny, the portion and hard fate of the plebeians, beyond what is to be found in any part of Europe. Not so the American states: their interior as well as exterior civil and jural polities are so nearly perfect, that the rights of individuals, even to numerous millions, are guarded and secured.

The crown and glory of our confederacy is the amphict­yonic council of the GENERAL CONGRESS, standing on the annual election of the united respective states, and revoca­ble at pleasure. This lays the foundation of a permanent union in the American Republic, which may at length con­vince the world, that of all the policies to be found on earth, not excepting the very excellent one of the Chinese Empire, the most perfect one has been invented and realized in America.

If in the multitude of devices for improving and carry­ing our policy to greater perfection, and a more permanent and efficacious government, if, I say, some elevated geni­usses should go into the ideas of monarchy, whether here­ditary or elective; and others think of a partition of the united states into three or four separate independent con­federacies; perhaps upon discussing the subject calmly and thoroughly, and finding that the policy which will at last take place, must stand on plebeian election; they may at length be satisfied, that the die is already cast, and the po­licy has taken its complexion for ages to come. Thus the NINE BOWLS engraved with the map of dominion, esta­blished the policy of the Chinese empire for near twenty [Page 24] ages. ^* The antient division of the empire subsisted by means of these symbols of dominion, which passed in suc­cession to the nine principal mandarins or supreme gover­nors under the imperial sovereignty; and this for the long tract from their first institution by the Emperor YU, who reigned two thousand two hundred years before Christ, to GHEY-LIE-VANG, who was cotemporary with the great philosopher MENZIUS three hundred years before Christ. So that symbol of union the american flag, with it, in­creasing stripes and stars may have an equally combining efficacy for ages. The senatorial constitution and consu­late of the roman empire lasted from Tarquin to Caesar. The pragmatic sanction has probably secured the imperial succession in the house of Austria for ages. The medo­persian and alexandrine empires, and that of Timur Beg, who once reigned from Smyrna to the Indus, were for ob­vious reasons of short and transitory duration: but that of the Assyrian endured without mutation thro' a tract of one thousand three hundred years from Semiramis to Sandanapalus. Nor was the policy of Egypt overthrown for a longer period, from the days of Mitzraim till the time of Cambyses and Am [...]sis. Whatever mutations may arise in the United States, perhaps hereditary monarchy and a standing army will be the last.

Besides a happy policy as to civil government, it is ne­cessary to institute a system of LAW and JURISPRUDENCE founded in justice, equity and public right. The american codes of law and the lex non scripta, the senatus consulta and the common law, are already advanced to great perfection—far less complicated and perplexed than the jural systems of Europe; where reigns a mixture of Roman, Gothic, Teutonic, Salic, Saxon, Norman and other local or municipal law, controlled or innovated and confused by subsequent royal edicts and imperial institutions: superinducing the same mutation, as did the imperatorial Decrees of the C [...]sars upon the antient jus civile or Roman law. A depuration from all these will take place in America, and our com­munication [Page 25] with all the world will enable us to bring home the most excellent principles of law and right, to be found in every kingdom and empire on earth. These being a­dopted here, may advance our systems of jurisprudence to the highest purity and perfection:—especially if hereafter some FLETA, BRACTON, COKE, some great law genius should arise, and with vast erudition, and with the learned sagacity of a Trebonianus, reduce and digest all into one great jural system.

But the best laws will be of no validity, unless the tri­bunals be filled with JUDGES of independent sentiment, vast law knowledge, and of an integrity beyond the possibility of corruption. Even a Bacon should fall from his highest honors, the moment he tastes the forbidden fruit. Such infamy and tremendous punishment should be connected with tribunal bribery, that a Judge should be struck into the horror of an earthquake, at the very thoughts of cor­ruption. The legislatures have the institution and revoca­tion of law: and the Judges in their decisions are to be sacredly governed by the laws of the land. Most of the states have judged it necessary, in order to keep the su­preme law courts uninfluenced and uncorrupted tribunals, that the Judges be honorably supported, and be fixed in office quamdiu se bene gesserint.

But I pass on to another subject in which the welfare of a community is deeply concerned, I mean the public RE­VENUES. National character and national faith depend on these. Every people, every large community is able to furnish a revenue adequate to the exigencies of government. But this is a most difficult subject; and what the happiest method of raising it, is uncertain. One thing is certain, that however in most kingdoms and empires the people are taxed at the will of the prince yet in America the people tax themselves, and therefore cannot tax themselves beyond their abilities. But whether the power of taxing be in an ab­solute monarchy, a power independent of the people, [...] a body elected by the people, one great error has, I appre­hend [Page 26] entered into the system of Revenue and Finance in almost all nations, viz. restricting the collection to money. Two or three millions can more easily be raised in produce, than one million in money. This collected and deposited in stores and magazines, would by bills drawn upon these stores, answer all the expenditures of war and peace. The little imperfect experiment lately made here, should not discourage us. In one country it has been tried with suc­cess for ages, I mean in China, the wisest empire the sun hath ever shined upon. And here, if I recollect aright, not a tenth of the Imperial revenues hath been collected in money. In rice, wheat and millet only are collected 40 million of sacks, one hundred and twenty each; equal to 80 million bushels: in raw and wrought silk one million pounds. The rest is taken in salt, wines, cotton, and other fruits of labor and industry at a certain ratio, per cent. and deposited in stores over all the empire. The perishable commodities are immediately sold, and the mandarins and army are paid by bills on these magazines. In no part of the world are the inhabitants less oppressed, than there. England has eleven hundred millions property, real per­sonal and commercial, and five million souls. Their or­dinary revenue has for many years been ten or twelve mil­lions; and during this war the national expenditures have been annually twenty millions. A great part is raised by excise; by the land tax, not above a fifth or sixth, altho' the annual rental of England is really sixty millions. The funded debt has arisen from 123 millions A. D. 1775, to 230 millions in 1783, and can never be paid. It is un­paralleled in the annals of empires, that six or seven milli­ons of people ever discharged so heavy a burden. The Roman Imperial debt was once in the times of the Caesars 300 millions sterling, when the empire consisted of thirty million of people. One emperor at his accession wiped out twenty millions, and the Goths, and Vandals settled the rest, to the ruin of thousands. May God preserve these States from being so involved. The present war being over, the future increase of population and property will in time enable us, with convenience to discharge the heavy debt we [Page 27] have incurred in the defence of our rights and liberties. The United States have now two hundred and fifty millions of property, pretty equally shared by two or three million people. And our national debt ^* is not ten million ster­ling: which is to the whole collectively, as it would be for one man, possessing an estate of £. 250 in land and stock, to oblige himself to pay ten pounds. The interest only of the British national debt, upon six or seven million people, is above ten millions sterling annually, that is, greater than the whole national debt of the United States, upon half that number. Our population will soon overspread the vast territory from the Atlantic to the Missisippi, which in two generations will become a property superior to that of Britain. Thus posterity may help to pay for the war, which we have been obliged to fight out for them in our day. It will not, however, be wise to consign to posterity so heavy a debt; least they should be tempted to learn, like other na­tions, the practice of public injustice, and broken nation­al faith.

Another object of great attention in America, will be Commerce. In order to form some ideas respecting it, in the united states, we may take a summary view of it, while we were in connexion with Britain; and thence judge what it may be, after we shall have recovered from the shock of this war.

The British merchants represented that they received some profit indeed from Virginia and South-Carolina, as well as the West-Indies: but as for the rest of this conti­nent, they were constant loosers in trade. Mr. Clover has candidly disclosed the truth; and he and other writers ena­ble us to form some ideas of the matter. It appears from an undecennary account laid before parliament in 1776, that the state of commerce between England only and [Page 28] English America, for the eleven years preceding hostilities, was thus:

A commerce of 26 mil. exports, and only 13 mil. imports, is self-annihilated and impossible. The returns from the West-Indies comprehended a great part of the continental remittances. The American merchants, by a circuitous trade from this continent, and from Africa, remitted to London and Britain, by way of the West-Indies, in bills of exchange drawn on sugars, the balance of what they seem to fall short, in direct remittances on the custom-house books.

The whole American commerce, monopolized by Great-Britain, must be considered collectively; and was to Eng­land only in the above account 41 million exports, and 49 million imports. This inclusive of the 12 per cent. cha [...]ged, amounted to a real annual profit of 32 per cent. to the English merchants in actual remittances of the year, besides a standing American debt, it is said of six millions carrying interest. Well might the British merchants sus­tain a loss in American bankruptcies of a million a year (though probably at an average not five or ten thousand) in so lucrative a trade. An idea of the mercantile debt may be thus conceived. There is a district within the uni­ted states, upon which the state of European trade, at the commencement of hostilities, was thus; being chiefly car­ried on by foreign factorages, a mode of commerce which the British merchants intended to have been universal. In the course of a systematical trade, had at length arisen a standing debt of a million sterling among about a quarter of a million of people: to feed this the British merchants sent over one quarter of a million s [...]erling annually; for which and collected debts, they received in actual remittance half a million sterling within the same year, i. e. a quarter of a million returned half a million, and fed or kept up a debt [Page 29] of one million, paying to Britain an annual lawful interest; the security of all which complicated system stood upon american mortgages. This is true mercantile secret history.

If this specimen applied to all the states (and God be thanked it does not) it would shew, not only the greatness and momentous importance of our trade to Europe, but the necessity of legislative regulations in commerce, to inva­lidate future foreign mortgages, and yet support credit by the enforcement of punctual speedy and certain payments, whether with profit or loss. Without this no permanent commerce can be supported. I observed that the above specimen may assist us. It is not necessary for every pur­pose, to come to great exactness in capital estimates. The total exterior commerce of Great-Britain with all the world, is about twelve millions annually; of which five millions, or near half, was of American connexion, and four millions of this directly American, as Mr. Glover as­serts; and the real profits of the American trade was be­come to Britain equal to nearly half the benefit of her total exterior commerce to the whole world. The total of Bri­tish exports to all the world, A. D. 1704, was only six millions and an half sterling. The American British trade in its connexion, returns, and profits, nearly equalled this, A. D. 1774. We were better to Britain, than all the world was to her 70 years before. Despised as our com­merce was, it is evident, that had the union continued, our increasing millions would soon have made remittances, for more than the fewer millions of Britain could have manu­factured for exportation. For the greater part of the manu­factures of every country must be for domestic consump­tion. A specimen of this we have in the woollen manufac­ture. England grows eleven million fleeces a year, worth two million sterling, manufactured into eight million; of which six million is of domestic consumption, and two mil­lion only for exportation. When it is considered that a great part of this went to other countries, how weak must be the supposition that Britain cloathed America; while [Page 30] America, from the beginning in their own domestic manu­factures, furnished nine-tenths of their apparel.

Our trade opens to all the world. We shall doubtless at first overtrade ourselves every where, and be in danger of incurring heavy mortgages unless prevented. The na­tions will not at first know how far they may safely trade with us. But commerce will find out its own system, and regulate itself in time. It will be governed on the part of America by the cheapest foreign markets; on the part of Europe by our ability and punctuality of remittance. We can soon make a remittance of three or four million a year in a circuitous trade, exclusive of the iniquitous African trade. If Europe should indulge us beyond this, our failures and disappointments might lay the foundation of national animosities. Great wisdom is therefore necessary to regulate the commerce of America. The caution with which we are to be treated, may occasion and originate a commercial system among the maritime nations, on both sides of the Atlantic, founded in justice and reciprocity of interest, which will establish the benevolence as well as the opulence of nations, and advance the progress of society to civil perfection.

It is certainly for the benefit of every community that it be transfused with the efficacious motives of universal in­dustry. This will take place if every one can enjoy the fruits of his labour and activity unmolested. All the va­riety of labour, in a well regulated state, will be so ordered and encouraged, as that all will be employed in a just propor­tion in agriculture, mechanic arts, commerce, and the li­terary professions. It has been a question whether agricul­ture or commerce, needs most encouragement in these states? But the motives for both seem abundantly sufficient. Ne­ver did they operate more strongly than at present. The whole continent is activity, and in the lively vigorous exer­tion of industry. Several other things call for encourage­ment, as the planting of vineyards, and olive yards, and cotton walks; the raising of wool, planting mulberry trees, [Page 31] and the culture of silk; and I add, establishing manufacto­ries. This last is necessary, very necessary, far more ne­cessary indeed than is thought by many deep politicians. Let us have all the means possible of subsistence and ele­gance among ourselves, if we would be a flourishing re­public of real independent dignity and glory.

Another thing tending to the public welfare, is remo­ving causes of political animosities and civil dissention, pro­moting harmony, and strengthening the union among the several parts of this extended community. In the memo­rable bellum sociale among the Romans, 300,000 of Ro­man blood, fought 700,000 brethren of the Italian blood: After a loss of 60,000 in disputing a trifling point of na­tional honor, they pacificated the whole by an Amnesty, and giving the city to the Italians. ^* We may find it a wise policy, a few years hence, under certain exceptions, to settle an amnesty, and circulate a brotherly affection among all the inhabitants of this glorious republic. We should live henceforward in amity, as brothers inspired with and cultivating a certain national benevolence, unitedly glorying in the name of a COLUMBIAN or AMERICAN, and in the distinguished honor and aggrandisement of our country. Like that antient national affection, which we once had for the parent state, while we gloried in being a part of the bri­tish empire; and when our attachment and fidelity grew to an unexampled vigor and strength. This appeared in the tender distress we felt, at the first thoughts of the dissolution of this antient friendship. We once thought Britain our friend, and gloried in her protection. But some daemon ^† whispered folly into the present reign: And britain forced upon America, the tremendous alternative of the loss of li­berty or the last appeal—either of which instantly alienated and dissolved our affection—it was impossible to hesitate—and the affection is dissolved, never, never more to be re­covered:—like that between syracuse and athens, it is lost forever. A political earthquake through the continent hath shook off America from Great Britain. Oh! how [Page 32] painful and distressing the separation and dismemberment! Witness all ye patriotic breasts, all ye lovers of your coun­try, once lovers of Great-Britain; witness the tender sen­sations and heart-felt violence, the reluctant distress and sorrow, with which ye were penetrated, when spurned from a parent's love, ye felt the conviction of the dire necessity of an everlasting parting, to meet no more, never to be united again!

Oh England! how did I once love thee? how did I once glory in thee! how did I once boast of springing from thy bowels, though at four descents ago, and the nineteenth from sir adam of knapton! In the rapturous anticipation of thine enlargement and reflourishing in this western world, how have I been wont to glory in the fu­ture honor of having thee for the head of the Britannic [...]. American empire for the many ages till the millennium—when thy great national glory should have been advanced in then becoming a member of the universal empire of the Prince of Peace. And if perchance in some future period danger should have arisen to thee from european states, how have I flewn on the wings of prophecy, with the nu­merous hardy hosts of thine American sons, inheriting thine antient principles of liberty and valor, to rescue and reinthrone the hoary venerable head of the most glorious empire on earth? But now farewell—a long farewell—to all this greatness! And yet even now methinks, in such [...]n exigency, I could leap the Atlantic, not into thy bo­som, but to rescue an aged parent from destruction; and then return on the wings of triumph, to this asylum of the world, and rest in the bosom of liberty.

Moreover, as we have seen the wisdom of our ancestors in instituting a militia, so it is necessary to continue it. The Game Act, in the time of James I, insidiously disarm­ed the people of England. Let us not be insidiously dis­armed. In all our enlargements in colonization, in all our increasing millions, let the main body be exercised annual­ly to military discipline, whether i [...] war or peace. This [Page 33] will defend us against ourselves, and against surrounding states. Let this be known in Europe, in every future age, and we shall never again be invaded from the other side of the Atlantic. ‘The militia of this country, says general Washington, must be considered as the palladium of our security, and the first effectual resort in case of hostility.’

Another thing necessary, is a vigilance against corrup­tion, in purchasing elections, and in designations to offices in the legislatures and Congress; instituting such efficaci­ous provisions against corruption, as shall preclude the pos­sibility of its rising to any great height, before it shall be controlled and corrected. Although in every political ad­ministration the appointment to offices will ever be consi­derably influenced by the sinister, private, personal mo­tives either of interest or friendship; yet the safety of the state requires that this should not go too far. An admi­nistration may indeed proceed tolerably, when the officers of a well arranged system are in general ordinary characters, provided there is a pretty good sprinkling of men of wis­dom interspersed among them. How much more illustri­ous would it be, if three quarters of the offices of govern­ment were filled with men of ability, understanding, and patriotism? What an animation would it diffuse through a community, if men of real merit in every branch of busi­ness, were sure of receiving the rewards and honors of the state? That great and wise monarch OLAM PODHLA, the Alfred of Ireland, 1000 years before Christ, instituted an annual review and examination of all the atchievements and illustrious characters in the realm; and being approved by himself and the annual assembly of the nobles, he order­ed their names and atchievements to be enrolled in a public register of merit. This continued 2000 years to the time of that illustrious chieftan BRIEN O'BORO [...]ME. This had an amazing effect. By this animation, the heroic, military and political virtues, with civilization, and I add, science and literature, ascended to an almost unexampled and in­credible perfection in Ireland, ages before they figured in other parts of Europe, not excepting even Athens and Rome. I have a very great opinion of hibernian merit, literary, as [Page 34] well as civil and military, even in the ages before St. PATRICK.

But to return:—The cultivation of LITERATURE will greatly promote the public welfare. In every community, while provision is made, that all should be taught to read the scriptures and the very useful parts of common education, a good proportion should be carried through the higher branches of literature. Effectual measures should be taken for preserving and diffusing knowledge among a people. The voluntary institution of libraries in different vicinities, will give those, who have not a liberal education, an oppor­tunity of gaining that knowledge, which will qualify them for usefulness. Travels, biography, and history, the know­ledge of the policies, jurisprudence, and scientific improve­ments among all nations, antient and modern, will form the civilian, the judge, the senator, the patrician, the man of useful eminence in society. The colleges have been of singular advantage in the present day. When Britain withdrew all her wisdom from America, this revolution found above two thousand in New-England only, who had been educated in the colleges, intermixed among the peo­ple, and communicating knowledge among them. Almost all of them have approved themselves useful; and there have been some characters among us of the first eminence for literature. It would be for the public emolument should there always be found a sufficient number of men in the community at large, of vast and profound erudition, and perfect acquaintance with the whole system of public affairs, to illuminate the public councils, as well to fill the three learned professions with dignity and honor.

I have thus shewn wherein consists the true political wel­fare of a civil community or sovereignty. The founda­tion is laid in a judicious distribution of property, and in a good system of polity and jurisprudence; on which will a­rise, under a truly patriotic, upright, and firm administra­tion, the beautiful superstructure of a well governed and prosperous empire.

Already does the new constellation of the united states be­gin to realize this glory. It has already risen to an acknow­ledged [Page 35] sovereignty among the republics and kingdoms of the world. And we have reason to hope, and I believe to expect, that God has still greater blessings in store, for this vine which his own right hand hath planted, to make us high among the nations in praise, and in name, and in honor. The reasons are very numerous, weighty, and conclusive.

In our civil constitutions, those impediments are removed, which obstruct the progress of society towards perfection: such, for instance, as respect the tenure of estates, and ar­bitrary government. The vassalage of dependant tenures, the tokens of ancient conquests by Goths and Tartars, still remain all over asia and europe. In this respect, as well as others, the world begins to open its eyes. One grand experiment in particular has lately been made. The pre­sent empress of russia, by granting lands in freehold, in her vast wildernesses of volkouskile, together with religious li­berty, has allured and already draughted from poland and germany a colonization of six hundred thousand souls in six years only, from 1762, to 1768. ^‡

Liberty, civil and religious, has sweet and attractive charms. The enjoyment of this, with property, has fill­ed the english settlers in america with a most amazing spirit, which has operated, and still will operate with great energy. Never before has the experiment been so effectually tried, of every man's reaping the fruits of his labor, and feeling his sh [...]re in the aggregate system of power. The antient republics did not stand on the people at large; and there­fore no example or precedent can be taken from them. Even men of arbitrary principles will be obliged, if they would figure in these states, to assume the patriot so long, that they will at length become charmed with the sweets of liberty.

Our degree of population is such as to give us reason to expect that this will become a great people. It is probable that within a century from our independence the sun will [Page 36] shine on fifty million of inhabitants in the united states. This will be a great, a very great nation, nearly equal to half europe. Already has our colonization extended down the ohio and to koskajeah on the missisippi. And if the pre­sent ratio of increase should be rather diminished in some of the other settlements, yet an accelerated multiplication will attend our general propagation, and overspread the whole territory westward for ages. So that before the mil­lenium, the english settlements in america, may become more numerous millions, than that greatest dominion on earth the chinese empire. Should this prove a future fact, how applicable would be the text, when the Lord shall have made his american Israel, high above all nations which he hath made, in numbers, and in praise, and in name, and in honor!

I am sensible some will consider these as visionary uto­pian ideas. And so they would have judged, had they lived in the apostolic age and been told, that by the time of constantine the empire would have become christian. As visionary that the twenty thousand souls which first settled new-england, should be multiplied to near a million in a century and a half. As visionary that the ottoman empire must fall by the russian. As visionary to the catholics is the certain downfal of the pontificate. As utopian would it have been to the loyalists, at the battle of lexington, that in less than eight years, the independence and sovereignty of the united states, should be acknowledged by four european sovereignties, one of which should be britain herself. How wonderful the revolutions, the events of providence! We live in an age of wonders: we have lived an age in a few years: we have seen more wonders accomplished in eight years, than are usually unfolded in a century.

God be thanked, we have lived to see peace restored to this bleeding land, at least a general cessation of hostilities among the belligerent powers. And on this occasion does it not become us to reflect, how wonderful, how gracious, how glorious, has been the good hand of our God upon us, in carrying us thro' so tremendous a warfare! We have sustain­ed [Page 37] a force brought against us; which might have made any empire on earth to tremble—and yet our bow has abode in strength; and having obtained help of God, we continue unto this day. Forced unto the last solemn appeal, america watched for the first blood: this was shed by britons on the 19th of April, 1775; which instantly sprung an army of 20,000 into spontaneous existence, with the enterprizing and daring, if imprudent, resolution of entering boston, and forceably disburdening it of its bloody legions. Every pa­triot trembled till we had proved our armour, till it could be seen, whether this hasty concourse was susceptible of ex­ercitual arrangement, and could face the enemy with firm­ness. They early gave us the decided proof of this, in the memorable battle of bunker-hill. ^* We were satisfied. This instantly convinced us, and for the first time convinced bri­tons themselves, that americans both would and could fight with great effect. Whereupon Congress put at the head of this spirited army, the only man, on whom the eyes of all israel were placed. Posterity, I apprehend, and the world itself, inconsiderate and incredulous as they may be of the dominion of heaven, will yet do so much justice to the divine moral government, as to acknowledge, that this american JOSHUA was raised up by God, and divinely form­ed by a peculiar influence of the Sovereign of the Universe, for the great work of leading the armies of this american Jo­seph (now separated from his brethren), and conducting this people through the severe, the arduous conflict, to li­berty and independence. Surprizing was it with what in­stant celerity men ascended and rose into generals, and offi­cers of every subordination; formed chiefly by the prepa­ratory discipline of only the preceding year 1774; when the ardor and spirit of military discipline was by heaven, and without concert, sent through the continent like lightning. Surprizing was it, how soon the army was organized, took its formation, and rose into firm system and impregnable arrangement.

To think of withstanding and encountering britain by land was bold, and much more bold and daring, by sea: [Page 38] yet we immediately began a navy, and built ships of war with an unexampled expedition. It is presumed never was a 35 gun ship before built quicker than that well built, no­ble ship the Raleigh, which was finished from the keel and equipt for sea in a few months. Soon had we got, tho' small a very gallant initial navy, which fought gallantly; and wanted nothing but numbers of ships, for successful operations, against that superior naval force before which we fell. We have, however, exhibited proof to posterity and the world, that a powerful navy may be originated, built and equipped for service, in a much shorter period than was before imagined. The british navy has been many centuries growing; and france, holland, the baltic powers, or any of the powers of this age, in twenty years, may build navies of equal magnitude, if necessary for dominion, commerce, or ornament.

A variety of success and defeat hath attended our warfare both by sea and land. In our lowest & most dangerous estate in 1776 and 1777, we sustained ourselves against the british army of sixty thousand troops commanded by Howe, Bur­goyne, and Clinton, and other the ablest generals britain could procure throughout europe, with a naval force of 22,000 seamen in above eighty british men of war. ^§ These generals we sent home one after another, conquered, de­feated, and convinced of the impossibility of subduing ame­rica. While oppressed by the heavy weight of this combi­ned force, heaven inspired us with resolution to cut the gordian knot; when the die was cast irrevocable in the glorious act of INDEPENDENCE. This was sealed and confirmed by God Almighty in the victory of General WASHINGTON at TRENTON, and in the surprizing move­ment and battle of PRINCETON; by which astonishing ef­fort [Page 39] of generalship, general Howe and the whole british army, in elated confidence and in open-mouthed march for Philadelphia, was instantly stopt, remanded back, and cooped up for a shivering winter in the little borough of brunswick. Thus God turned the battle to the gate; and this gave a finishing to the foundation of the american re­public. This with the Burgoynade at saratoga by general GATES; and the glorious victory over the earl of CORN­WALLIS in virginia, together with the memorable victory of eutaw springs, and the triumphant recovery of the south­ern states by general GREENE, are among the most heroic acts, and brilliant atchievements, which have decided the fate of america. And who does not see the indubitable in­terposition and energetic influence of divine providence in these great and illustrious events? Who but a Washing­ton, inspired by heaven, could have struck out the great movement and manoeuvre of princeton? To whom but the ruler of the winds shall we ascribe it, that the british re­inforcement, in the summer of 1777, was delayed on the ocean three months by contrary winds, until it was too late for the conflagrating general CLINTON to raise the siege of saratoga? What but a providential miracle detected the conspiracy of Arnold, even in the critical moment of the execution of that infernal plot, in which the body of the american army, then at west-point, with his excellency ge­neral WASHINGTON himself, were to have been rendered into the hands of the enemy!—Doubtless inspired by the Supreme Illuminator of great minds, were the joint coun­cils of a Washington and a Rochambeau, in that grand effort of generalship, with which they deceived and asto­nished a Clinton, and eluded his vigilance in their transit by new-york, and rapid marches for virginia. Was it not of God, that both the navy and army should enter the che­sapeak at the same time? Who but God could have or­dained the critical arrival of the gallic fleet, so as to pre­vent and defeat the british, and assist and cooperate with the combined armies in the siege and reduction of york-town? Should we not ever admire and ascribe to a supreme energy, the wise and firm generalship displayed by general [Page 40] GREENE, when (leaving the active, roving Cornwallis to pursue his helter-skelter ill fated march into virginia) he coolly and steadily went onwards, and deliberately, judi­ciously, and heroically, recovered the carolinas and the southern states?

How rare have been the defections and apostacies of our capital characters, though tempted with all the charms of gold, titles, and nobility? Whence is it that so few of our army have deserted to the enemy? Whence that our brave sailors have chosen the horrors of prison ships and death, rather than to fight against their country? Whence that men of every rank have so generally felt and spoken alike, as if the cords of life struck unison through the continent? What but a miracle has preserved the union of the states, the purity of congress, and the unshaken patriotism of every general assembly? It is God who has raised up for us a great and powerful ally, an ally which sent us a chosen army, and a naval force; who sent us a ROCHAMBEAU and a CHATELLUX, and other characters of the first military me­rit and eminence, to fight side by side with a WASHINGTON and a LINCOLN, and the intrepid americans, in the siege and battle of york-town. It is God, who so ordered the ballancing interests of nations, as to produce an irresistible motive in the european maritime powers, to take our part. Hence the recognition of our independence by spain and holland, as well as france. Britain ought to have foreseen, that it must have given joy to surrounding nations, tired and wearied out with the insolence and haughtiness of her domineering flag, a flag which spreads terror through the oceans of the terraqueous globe, to behold the aera when their forces should have arrived to such maturity and strength, that a junction of national navies, would prod [...]ce an aggregate force, adequate to the humiliation of britain and her gallant and lofty navy. Nor could they resist the operation of this motive, prompting them to assist in the cutting off of a member, with which the growing aggrand­isement and power of britain were connected; as thus she would be disarmed of terror, and they should be at rest. If [Page 41] britain doth not learn wisdom by these events, and disclaim the sovereignty of the ocean, the junction of national na­vies will settle the point for her, in less than half a cen­tury. So wonderfully does divine providence order the time and coincidence of the public national motives, co­operating in effecting great public events and revolutions.

But the time would fail me to recount the wonder work­ing providence of God, in the events of this war. Let these serve as a specimen; and lead us to hope that God will not forsake this people; for whom he has done such mar­vellous things (whereof we are glad and rejoice this day) having at length brought us to the dawn of Peace. O PEACE! thou welcome guest! all hail, thou heavenly vi­sitant! calm the tumult of nations, and wave thy balmy wing to perpetuity over this region of liberty. Let there be a tranquil period for the unmolested accomplishment of the magnalia dei, the great events in God's moral govern­ment, designed from eternal ages to be displayed in these ends of the earth.

And here I beg leave to congratulate my country, upon the termination of this cruel and unnatural war, the ces­sation of hostilities, and the prospect of PEACE. May this great event excite and elevate our first our highest ac­knowledgments to the sovereign monarch of universal na­ture, to the supreme disposer and controller of all events; let this our pious, sincere and devout gratitude ascend in one general effusion of heart-felt praise and hallelujah, in one united cloud of incense, even the incense of universal joy and thanksgiving to God from the collective body of the united states.

And while we render our supreme honors to the Most High, the God of armies; let us recollect, with affection­ate honor, the bold and brave sons of freedom, who wil­lingly offered themselves, and bled in [...]he defence of their coun­try. Our fellow-citizens, the OFFICERS and SOLDIERS of the PATRIOT ARMY, who, with the Manlys, the Jones's, [Page 42] and other gallant commanders and brave seamen of the American navy, have heroically fought the war by sea and by land, merit of their once bleeding but now triumphant country, laurels, crowns, rewards, and the highest honors. Never was the profession of arms used with more glory, or in a better cause, since the days of JOSHUA the son of Nun. O WASHINGTON! how do I love thy name! how have I often adored and blessed thy God, for creating and forming thee the great ornament of human kind! upheld and protected by the Omnipotent, by the Lord of Hosts, thou hast been sustained and carried through one of the most arduous and most important wars in all history. The world and posterity will, with admiration, contemplate thy deliberate, cool, and stable judgment, thy virtues, thy valour and heroic atchievements, as far surpassing those of a CYRUS, whom the world loved and adored. The sound of thy fame shall go out into all the earth, and extend to distant ages. Thou has convinced the world of the BEAUTY OF VIRTUE—for in thee this BEAUTY shines with distinguished lustre. Those who would not recognize any beauty in virtue in the world beside, will yet reverence it in thee. There is a glory in thy disinterested benevolence, which the greatest characters would purchase, if possible, at the expence of worlds, and which may excite indeed their emulation, but cannot be felt by the VENAL GREAT—who think every thing, even virtue and true glory, may be bought and sold, and trace our every action to motives ter­minating in self.

But thou, O WASHINGTON, forgottest thyself, when thou lovedst thy bleeding country. Not all the gold of ophir, nor a world filled with rubies and diamonds, could effect or purchase the sublime and noble feelings of thine heart, in that single self-moved act, when thou renouncedst the REWARDS OF GENERALSHIP, and heroically tookest upon thyself the dangerous as well as arduous office of our GE­NERALISSIMO—and [Page 43] this at a solemn moment, when thou didst deliberately cast the die, for the dubious, the very dubious alternative of a gible [...] or a TRIUMPHAL ARCH. But, beloved, enshielded and blessed by the great MELCHI­SEDEC, the king of righteousness as well as peace, thou hast triumphed gloriously. Such has been thy military wisdom in the struggles of this arduous conflict, such the noble recti­tude, amiableness and mansuetude of thy character, something is there so singularly glorious and venerable thrown by heaven about thee, that not only does thy country love thee, but our very enemies stop the madness of their fire in full volley, stop the illiberality of their slander, at thy name, as if rebuked from heaven, with a touch not mine anointed, and do my HERO no harm. Thy fame is of sweeter per­fume than arabian spices in the gardens of persia. A baron de Steuben shall waft its fragrance to the monarch of prussia: a marquis de la Fayette shall waft it to a fa [...] greater mo­narch, and diffuse thy renown throughout europe: ^† listen­ing angels shall catch the odour, waft it to heaven, and perfume the universe.

And now that our warfare is ended, do thou, o man of God, greatly beloved of the Most High, permit a hum­ble minister of the blessed Jesus, who, though at a distance, has vigilantly accompanied thee through every stage of thy military progress, has watched thine every movement and danger with an heart-felt anxiety and solicitude; and who, with the most sincere and servant wishes for thy safety and success, has not ceased day nor night to pray for thee, and to commend thee and thy army to God;—condescend to permit him to express his most cordial congratulations, and to share in the triumphs of thy bosom, on this great and joyous occasion. We thank the Lord of Hosts, that has given his servant to see his desire upon his enemies, and [Page 44] peace on israel. And when thou shalt now at length retire from the fatigues of nine laborious campaigns, to the tran­quil enjoyment, to the sweetness and serenity of domestic life, may you never meet the fate of that ornament of arms and of humanity, the great BELISARIUS; but may a crown of universal love and gratitude, of universal admiration, and of the universal reverence and honor of thy saved coun­try, rest and flourish upon the head of its VETERAN GENE­RAL and glorious defender; until, by the divine Jesus, whom thou hast loved and adored, and of whose holy reli­gion thou art not ashamed, thou shall be translated from a world of war, to a world of peace, liberty, and eternal TRIUMPH.

The time would fail me to commemorate the merits of the other capital characters of the army. To do this, and to pay the tribute of fraternal honor and respect, to our glorious ALLIED ARMY, will belong to the future Homers, Livys and Tossos of our country; for none but americans can write the american war. They will celebrate the names of a WASHINGTON and a ROCHAMBEAU, a GREENE and a LA FAYETTE, a LINCOLN and a CHARTELLUX, a GATES and a VIOMENIL, a PUTNAM and a duc de LAUZUN, a MORGAN, and other heroes who rushed to arms, and of­fered themselves voluntarily for the defence of liberty. They will take up a lamentation and drop a tear upon the graves of those mighty ones, those beauties of israel, who have fallen in battle, from the day of lexington to the victory of york-town. And while they commemorate those who have lived through singular sufferings, as those honor­able [...], a LAUREN, and a GADSDEN; the names of the [...] martyr-generals WARREN, [...] DE KALB, WOOSTER, THOMAS, with a POLASKI, [...] others, will be recorded as heroically raising in these [...] of the Lord. But I may not enlarge, save only that we drop a tear, or rather showers of tears, upon the graves of those other brave officers and soldiers, [...] in battle, or otherwise perished in the war. Oh! [...] my [...] were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears; that [Page 45] I might weep the thousands of our brethren, that have pe­rished in prison-ships—in one of which, the jersey, then ly­ing at new york, perished above eleven thousand the last three years! while others have been barbarously exiled to the east-indies for life!—Come mourn with me all ye ten­der parents and friends, the fate of your dear—dear—But these scenes are too tender and distressing!—Can we ever love britain again?—Can the tender, affectionate fa­thers and mothers, brothers and sisters; can the numerous bemoaning friends and relatives, and perhaps the espoused bosoms of the tender sex—can they, I say, ever forget the cruel mockings, scourgings, starvations, deaths, assassina­tions, of their dearest offspring and connexions in british captivity? Can they forget the numerous thousands of their captivated countrymen instantly consigned to destruc­tion, to dungeons, prisons, places of variolous infection and certain death? Will they be soothed by telling them this is the fate of war? As well may inquisitorial cruelties be soothed, by alledging they are salutary corrections, and necessary for the good of the church. Our enemies took occasion, from this fate of war, to reek their vengeance, and to lash us with a severity too unmerciful ever to be for­gotten. Can we forget the conflagrations of charlestown, norfolk, esopus, fairfield, and other american towns, laid in ashes by a Tryon, and other incendiaries? Were these the kindnesses american brethren received from the hands of britons, and their more cruel associates the indians and loy­alists? Can we forget the barbarous tragedy of colonel Haine, or the murder of captain Huddy, in violation of the most sacred laws of war and of national honor? Blush, oh britain, for the stain of your national glory! Can we ever forget with what cruel and malicious delight they tortured, entowered, and insulted an american plenipotentiary, the illustrious LAURENS, although by the laws of honor and nations the person of an ambassador is sacred? Can we ever forget the cruel and infamous treatment of the honorable Mr. GADSDEN?—O Gadsden! how I reverence thy piety, thy firmness in captivity, thine intrepid and uncorrupted patriotism, thine enlightened politics, thy unremitted fervor [Page 46] and zeal in the cause of liberty! But how painful is it to recount the even less than ten thousandth part of the se­ries of distresses, the complicated woe and misery, that make up the system of sufferings, which we have been called to endure, in the pangs and throes of the parturition of empire, in ‘effecting our glorious revolution, in rescuing mil­lions from the hand of oppression, and in laying the foundation of a great empire. ^‡’

The PATRIOT ARMY merits our commemoration, and so do the great characters in the patriotic ASSEMBLIES and CONGRESS. Let america never forget what they owe to those first intrepid defenders of her rights, the honorable Mr. SAMUEL ADAMS, and the hon. JAMES OTIS, Esq add to these the hon. Dr. JOHN WINTHROP, hon. JAMES BOWDOIN, Esq who, with others, were the markt objects of ministerial vengeance; who early stept forth and heroical­ly withstood tyranny, and alarmed their country with its danger; while venal sycophants were lulling us to rest, and hushing us into silence. His excellency Mr. president RANDOLPH, merits our grateful commemoration; and so do the governors RUTLEDGE, WARD, LIVINGSTON, HOP­KINS, NASH, CLINTON, the honorable Messieurs WYTHE, DYER, SHERMAN, PENDELTON, HENRY, ELLERY, the LEES, president HUNTINGTON, LYNCH, WITHERSPOON, WOLCOTT, gov. PACA, gov. HALL, LAW, MARCHANT, president M'KEAN, ELSWORTH, VANDYKE, JEFFERSON—Jefferson, who poured the soul of the continent into the monumental act of independence. These, and other wor­thy personages of this and the other states, will be cele­brated in history, among the cardinal patriots of this revo­lution. All the ages of man will not obliterate the meri­torious name of his excellency governor HANCOCK, as president of congress at a most critical aera, nor the meri­torious names of that illustrious band of heroes and com­patriots, those sensible and intrepid worthies who, with him, resolutely and nobly dared, in the face of every dan­ger, [Page 47] to sign the glorious act of INDEPENDENCE. ^* May their names live, be preserved, and transmitted to [Page 48] posterity with deserved reputation and honor, through all american ages. Those great civilians and ambassadors, the illustrious FRANKLIN, ADAMS, JAY and LAURENS, have ap­proved themselves equal to the highest negotiations in the courts of nations; been faithful to their country's liberties, and by their great and eminent services have justly merited to have their names sent forward to immortality in history, with renown and unsullied glory.

Great and extensive will be the happy effects of this war­fare, in which we have been called in providence to fight out, not the liberties of america only, but the liberties of the world itself. The spirited and successful stand which we have made against tyranny, will prove the salvation of england and ireland: and by teaching all sovereigns the dan­ger of irritating and trifling with the affections and loyalty of their subjects, introduce clemency, moderation and jus­tice into public government at large through europe. Al­ready [Page 49] have we learned ireland and all other nations the road to liberty; the way to a redress of grievances, by open systematical measures, committees of correspondence, and mili­tary discipline of an armed people. Ireland has become gloriously independent of england. Nor will the spirit rest, till scotland becomes independent also. It would be hap­pier for the three kingdoms, to subsist with parliaments and national councils independent of one another, although confederated under one monarch. The union of 1707 has produced the loss and dismemberment of america. It is just possible, that within this age, some ill-fated counsellor of another connexion, might have arisen, and prompted majesty and parliament to sanguinary measures against america: but it is more than probable, that their enforce­ment would have been deferred, or procrastinated a century hence, or to a period when our accumulated population would have dictated wiser, milder measures, to the british court; and so america, by a gentle, fraternal connexion, would have remained cemented to britain for distant ages. But a rehoboam counsellor stept in, et actum est de republica—the ten tribes are lost. Had it not been for the insidi­ous and haughty councils of a Bute and a Mansfield, im­bued with principles incompatible with liberty; with the unwieldly faction of their despotic connexions in the em­pire, america and ireland had remained united with britain to this day. Chagrined and mortified by the defeat and dishonor brought upon them by Butean councils and do­minion, as well as with their curtailed and unequal weight in parliament, scotland, emulous of the glory of ireland, will wish for and obtain a dissolution of the union, and re­sume a separate sovereignty. It must be the lenity, the wisdom, the gentle and pacific measures of an augustan age, that can conserve the remnant of the british empire from this tripartite division.

Nor will the british isles alone be relieved into liberty, but more extensive still will be the peaceable fruits of our righteous conflict. The question on the mare liberum and the mare clausum, heretofore discussed by the [...] [Page 50] of the last century, will no more require the learned labors of a Milton, a Selden, a Grotius. This war has decided, not by the jus maritimum of [...]hodes, oleron or britain, but on the principles of commercial utility and public right, that the NAVIGATION OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN SHALL BE FREE: and so probably will be that of all the oceans of the terraqueous globe. All the european powers will henceforth, from national and commercial interests, naturally become an united and combined guaranty, for the free navigation of the atlantic, and free commerce with america. Interest will establish a free access for all nations to our shores, and for us to all nations. The armed neutrality will disarm even war itself of hostilities against trade; will form a new chapter in the laws of nations, and preserve a free commerce among powers at war. Fighting armies will decide the fate of empires by the sword, without inter­rupting the civil, social and commercial intercourse of sub­jects. The want of any thing to take, will prove a natu­ral abolition of privateering, when the property shall be covered with neutral protection. Even the navies will, within a century, become useless. A generous and truly liberal system of national connexion, in the spirit of the plan conceived and nearly executed by the great HENRY IV. of FRANCE, ^‖ will almost annihilate war itself.

We shall have a communication with all nations in com­merce, manners and science, beyond any thing heretofore known in the world. Manufacturers and artizans, and men of every description, may, perhaps, come and settle among us. They will be few indeed in comparison with the annual thousands of our natural increase, and will be incorporated with the prevailing hereditary complexion of the first settlers:—We shall not be assimilated to them, but they to us, especially in the second and third generations. This fermentation and communion of nations will doubt­less produce something very new, singular, and glorious. Upon the conquest of Alexander the great, statuary, paint­ing, architecture, philosophy, and the fine arts were trans­planted [Page 51] in perfection from athens to tarsus, from greece to syria; where they immediately flourished in even greater perfection, than in the parent state. Not in greece herself, are there to be found specimens of a sublimer or more mag­nificent architecture, even in the grecian stile, than in the ruins of baalbeck and palmyra. So all the arts may be transplanted from europe and asia, and flourish in america with an augmented lustre: not to mention the augment of the sciences, from american inventions and discoveries—of which there have been as capital ones here, ^‖ the last half century, as in all europe.

The rough sonorous diction of the english language may here [...] athenian polish, and receive its attic urbanity; as it will probably become the vernacular tongue of more numerous millions, than ever yet spake one language on earth. It may continue for ages to be the prevailing and general language of north-america. The intercommunion of the united states with all the world, in travels, trade, and politics, and the infusion of letters into our infancy, will probably preserve us from the provincial dialects, risen into inexterminable habit before the invention of printing. The greek never became the language of the alexandrine, nor the turkish of the ottoman conquests; nor yet the la­tin that of the roman empire. The saracenic conquests have already l [...]st the pure and elegant arabic of the koreish tribe, or the family of Ishmael, in the corrupted dialects of egypt, syria, persia, and indostan. Different from these the english language will grow up, with the present ameri­can population, into great purity and elegance, unmutilated by the foreign dialects of foreign conquests. And in this connexion I may observe, with pleasure, how God, in his providence, has ordered that, at the reformation, the english [Page 52] translation of the Bible should be made with very great accuracy, with greater accuracy, it is presumed, than any other translation. This is said, allowing that some texts admit of correction. I have compared it throughout with the originals, hebrew, greek and syriac; and beg leave to judge, and testify it to be, a very excellent translation. Nor do I believe a better is ever to be expected in this im­perfect state. It sustained a revision of numerous transla­tors from Tyndal, to the last review by the bishops and other learned divines, in the time of James I. 180 years ago; and has never been altered since. ^* It may have been designed by providence for the future perusal of more millions of the human race than ever were able to read one book, and for their use to the millennial ages.

This great american revolution, this recent political phaenomenon of a new sovereignty arising among the sove­reign powers of the earth, will be attended to and contem­plated by all nations. Navigation will carry the american flag around the globe itself; and display the thirteen stripes and new constellation at bengal and canton, on the indus and ganges, on the whang-ho and the yang-tse-kiang; and with commerce will import the wisdom and literature of the east. That prophecy of Daniel is now literally fulfill­ing— ishotatu rabbim vetrabbeh hadaugnt—there shall be an universal travelling too and fro, and knowledge shall be in­creased. This knowledge will be brought home and trea­sured up in america: and being here digested and carried to the highest perfection, may reblaze back from america to europe, asia and africa, and illumine the world with truth and liberty.

That great civilian Dr. John Adams, the learned and illustrious american ambassador, observes thus, ^† "But the great designs of providence must be accomplished;—great indeed! The progress of society will be accelerated by centuries by this revolution. The emperor of germany is adopting, as fast as he can, american ideas of toleration [Page 53] and religious liberty: And it will become the fashionable system of europe very soon. Light spreads from the day­spring in the west; and may it shine more and more until the perfect day."—So spreading may be the spirit for the restoration and recovery of long lost national rights, that even the Cortes of spain may re-exist, and resume their antient splendor, authority, and control of royalty. ^‡ The same principles of wisdom and enlightened politics, may establish rectitude in public government throughout the world.

The most ample religious liberty will also probably ob­tain among all nations. Benevolence and religious lenity is increasing among the nations. The reformed in france, who were formerly oppressed with heavy persecution, at present enjoy a good degree of religious liberty, though by silent in­dulgence only. A re-establishment of the edict of nantz, would honor the grand monarch, by doing public justice to a large body of his best and most loyal subjects. The em­peror of germany, last year, published an imperial decree granting liberty for the free and unmolested exercise of the protestant religion within the austrian territories and domi­nions. ^§ The inquisition has been in effect, this year, sup­pressed [Page 54] in spain, where the king, by an edict of 3d of No­vember, 1782, proclaimed liberty for inhabitants of all religions: And by a happily conceived plan for literary re­formation, the aurora of science will speedily blaze into me­ridian splendor in that kingdom. An emulation for liber­ty and science is enkindled among the nations, and will doubtless produce something very liberal and glorious, in this age of science, this period of the empire of reason.

The united states will embosom all the religious sects or denominations in christendom. Here they may all enjoy their whole respective systems of worship and church go­vernment, complete. Of these, next to the presbyterians, the church of england will hold a distinguished and principal figure. They will soon furnish themselves with a bishop in virginia and maryland, and perhaps another to the north­ward, to ordain their clergy, give confirmation, superin­tend and govern their churches; the main body of which will be in virginia and maryland, besides a diaspora or in­terspersion in all the other states. The unitas fratrum, for above thirty years past, have had moravian bishops in ame­rica; and I think they have three at present, though no [...] of lo [...]al or diocesan jurisdiction, their pastorate being the whole unity throughout the world. In this there ever was a distinction between the bohemian episcopacy, and that of the eastern and western churches; for in a body of 2000 an­tient bohemian churches, they seldom had above two or three bishops.—The baptists, the friends, the lutherans, the romanists, are all considerable bodies, in all their dispersions through the states. The dutch, and gallic, and german re­formed or calvinistic churches among us, I consider as pres­byterian, differing from us in nothing of moment, save in language. There is a considerable body of these in the states of new-york, jersey, pennsylvania, and at eben [...]zer in georgia. There is a greek church brought from smyrna, but [Page 55] I think it falls below these states. There are westleians, mennonists and others, all which make a very inconsiderable amount, in comparison with those, who will give the religi­ous complexion to america; which for the southern parts will be episcopal, the northern presbyterian. All religious denominations will be independent of one another, as much as the greek and armenian patriarchates in the east: and having, on account of religion, no superiority as to secular powers and civil immnities, they will cohabit together in harmony, and I hope, with a most generous catholicism and benevolence. The example of a friendly cohabitation of all sects in america, proving that men may be good mem­bers of civil society, and yet differ in religion: this pre­cedent, I say, which has already been intently studied and contemplated for fifteen years past by france, holland, and germany, may have already had an effect in introducing mo­deration, lenity, and justice, among european states. And who can tell how extensive a blessing this american Joseph may become to the whole human race, although once dis­pised by his brethren, exiled and sold into egypt? How applicable that in Gen. xlix. 22. 26. Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. The Archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. But his bow abode in strength, the arms of his hands were made strong by the arms of the mighty God of Jacob.—The blessings of thy father, have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hill: they shall be on the head of JOSEPH, and on the crown of the head of him that was SEPARATED from his brethren.

Little would civilians have thought ages ago, that the world should ever look to america for models of govern­ment and polity: little did they think of finding this most perfect polity among the poor outcasts, the contemptible people of new-england, and particularly in the long des­pised civil polity of connecticut; a polity conceived by the sagacity and wisdom of a WINTHROP, a LUDLOW HAYNES, HOPKINS, HOOKER, and the other first settlers of hartford, [Page 56] in 1636. And while europe and asia may hereafter learn that the most liberal principles of law and civil polity are to be found on this side the atlantic; they may also find the true religion here depurated from the rust and corruption of ages, and learn from us to reform and restore the church to its primitive purity. It will be long before the eccle­siastical pride of the splendid european hierarchies, can sub­mit to learn wisdom from those, whom they have been inured to look upon with sovereign contempt. But candid and liberal disquisition will sooner or later have a great effect. Removed from the embarrassments of corrupt systems, and the dignities and blinding opulence connected with them, the unfettered mind can think with a noble enlargement, and with an unbounded freedom, go wherever the light of truth directs. Here will be no bloody tribunals, no car­dinals inquisitors-general, to bend the human mind, force­ably to control the understanding, and put out the light of reason, the candle of the Lord, in man; to force an inno­cent galileo to renounce truths demonstrable as the light of day. Religion may here receive its last, most liberal, and impartial examination. Religious liberty is peculiarly friendly to fair and generous disquisition. Here deism will have its full chance; nor need libertines more to complain of being overcome by any weapons, but the gentle, the powerful ones of argument and truth. Revelation will be found to stand the test to the ten thousandth examination.

There are three coetaneous events to take place, whose futurition is certain from prophecy, the annihilation of the pontificate, the reassembling of the jews, and the fulness of the gentiles. That liberal and candid disquisition of christianity, which will most assuredly take place in ame­rica, will prepare europe for the first event, with which the other will be connected, when, especially on the return of the twelve tribes to the holy land, there will burst forth a degree of evidence hitherto unperceived, and of efficacy to convert a world. More than three quarters of mankind yet remain heathen. Heaven put a stop to the propaga­tion of christianity, when the church became corrupted [Page 57] with the adoration of numerous deities and images, because this would have been only exchanging an old for a new idolatry. Nor is christendom now larger than it was nine centuries ago. The promising prospects of the propaganda fide at rome are come to nothing; and it may be of the di­vine destiny, that all other attempts for gospelizing the nations of the earth shall prove fruitless, until the present christendom itself be recovered to the primitive purity and simplicity. At which time, instead of the babel confu­sion of contradicting missionaries, all will harmoniously concur in speaking one language, one holy faith, one apo­stolic religion, to an uncontroverted world. At this pe­riod, and in effecting this great event, we have reason to think, that the united states may be of no small influence and consideration. It was of the Lord, to send Joseph into egypt, to save much people, and to shew forth his praise. It is of the Lord, that a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars, ^* should flee into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, ^‖ and where she might be the repository of wisdom, and keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus. It may have been of the Lord, that christianity is to be found in such great purity, in this church exiled into the wildernesses of america; and that its purest body should be evidently advancing forward, by an augmented natural increase and spiritual edification, into a singular superiority—with the ultimate subserviency to the glory of God, in converting the world.

When we look forward and see this country increased to 40 or 50 millions, while we see all the religious sects in­creased into respectable bodies, we shall doubtless find the united body of the congregational, consociated and presbyterian churches, making an equal figure with any of them; or to say the least, to be of such magnitude as to number, that it will be to no purpose for other sects to meditate their aversion. This, indeed, is enterprized, but it will end in [Page 58] a sisyphean labor. There is the greatest prospect that we shall become thirty out of forty millions. And while the avenues to civil improvement and public honors, will here be equally open to all sects, so it will be no dishonor here­after to be a presbyterian, or of the religious denomination which will probably ever make the most distinguished figure in this great republic. And hereafter when the world shall behold us a respectable part of christendom, they may be induced by curiosity, with calmness and can­dor to examine, whether something of christianity may not really be found among us. And while we have to la­ment our laodiceanism, deficient morals and incidental errors, yet the collective system of evangelical doctrines, the instituted ordinances, and the true ecclesiastical polity, may be found here in a great degree of purity. Europeans and some among us, have habituated themselves to a most con­temptible idea of the New-England churches—conceiv­ing us to be only a colluvies of error, fanaticism, irregula­rity and confusion. ^* They have taken this idea in part from our brethren in britain, who have viewed us very much also in the same light, to this day. This on the contrary is the truth, that, allowing for offences una­voidable, for imperfections and controversies, incident to the churches in their most regular state, our churches are as completely reformed, and as well modelled according to the scripture plan, as can be expected till the millenium. Particularly these essential things may be found among them upon examination, that the churches or particular congregations are regularly formed, and duely uphold pub­lic worship every Lord's day, and this ordinarily in a very decent solemn manner; that the preaching of the word, baptism and the Lord's supper are regularly and duely ad­ministred by the pastors: that the pastors are orderly and regularly set apart to the ministry, by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, or of those who have regularly derived office power, in lineal succession, from the Apos­tles and Jesus Christ. We have no classical or synodical tribunals: yet we have ecelesiastical councils. And our [Page 59] church discipline, although not sufficiently attended to, is such that persons of evident scandal and immorality, and vicious ministers (of which God be thanked, there have been but few, very few indeed) cannot live long in our churches. With all our humbling imperfections, I know of no amendment necessary, as to our general system of church polity. Nothing of moment (unless it be grace) no doctrine, no ordinance or institution of the primitive churches, but may be found in general reception and ob­servance among us. If we are condemned for having no tribunals or judicatories out of the church, which however is not true, let it be remembred that neither Christ nor his apostles ever instituted any: and that in this respect, we are just in the same state, with regard to ecclesiastical poli­ty as the 150 churches of the apostolic age, ^* and particu­larly the seven churches of asia, in the time of St. John.

The invalidity of our ordinations is objected against us, and so of consequence the invalidity of all our official admi­nistrations. And now that we are upon the matter, give me leave to exhibit a true, though summary state of it, as the result of a very full, laborious, and thorough inquiry. It was the mistaken opinion of some of our first ministers in new-england (than whom, there never was a more learned collection, for they embosomed all the theological and ec­clesiastical erudition of all ages), it was, I say, their opi­nion, that the power of ordination of all church officers, was in the church, by their elders. They well knew, from ecclesiastical and scripture antiquity, that the power of election was there; and they judged ordination the lesser act: but their great reason was, that the church might not be controlled by any exterior authority, whether epis­copal or presbyterial, and so no more be harrassed by bi­shops courts, or any other similar tribunals. Our fathers held to an eldership, for they saw it in all antiquity, as well as the bible: and it was their judgment, that elders should be ordained by elders of the same church. The most of [Page 60] the first forty churches had ruling elders; a few had not. These few created an early difficulty; on which our fathers early made a mistaken decision, that where there were no elders in the church, ordination might be done by the lay­ing on of hands of delegated brethren. The introduction of ministers, already ordained, into the pastoral charge of a particular church, was at first done by lay-brethren; and this was, from the beginning, improperly called ordi­nation, how often soever repeated. A repetition of ordina­tions or baptisms, does not nullify the first regular admini­strations. All the first new-england ministers were ordain­ed before. Thus Mr. Wilson was first ordained by a bi­shop in england; then 1630 by governor Winthrop and others he was ordained teacher in boston; he then ordained an elder: and upon the accession of Mr. Cotton, 1633, he was, by this elder and governor Winthrop, again, a third time, ordained and constituted pastor. So the learned and courtly Mr. Davenport was ordained by a bishop, then by the brethren, pastor of the church in new-haven, in 1639; and 1668, was again ordained, pastor of the first church in boston, by elder Penn. Mr. Hooker was ordained a presby­ter by a bishop in england, and then again by the brethren at Newtown, 1633, who removed with his church to hart­ford. Mr. Bulkly, of concord, and Mr. Noyes, of new­bury, and others, expressly adhered to their former ordina­tions in england by the bishops, though not as bishops, but as presbyters. ^* But in general the induction of the mini­sters [Page 61] of the first churches, was performed by lay-brethren, and this was called ordination, but should be considered what in reality it was, only induction or instalment of those who were vested with official power. These, as I said, were all ordained before by the bishops in england. Nor have I ever found, with certainty, more than one instance of lay-ordination, of a person never before ordained, the last century, (and there are few but what I have examined) [Page 62] and this was done by the advice, and under the inspection of ministers ordained by the bishops in england, one of whom prayed at the solemnity of the consecration, and all gave their approbation and right hand of fellowship; which in my opinion, amounts to their performing the ordination themselves, they being present and assisting in the transac­tion. This was at woburn, 1642. I believe there were two or three more similar ordinations of unordained candi­tates, before the ministers saw and corrected their error—which, indeed, was almost the only error, of moment, which the ministers went into the last century.

Immediately upon publishing the cambridge platform, 1648, our brethren in england remonstrated against allow­ing lay-ordination. They alledged, that we had no exam­ple in scripture of lay-ordination; that the sacerdotal gift or office-power, was conferred and given by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, ^* and that we had examples of presbyterian ordination in scripture, and not only that it was safest to proceed in this way, but that it was the only scriptural ground. These arguments convinced our fa­thers, and they immediately set about to remedy the prac­tice, which had hitherto, providentially, wrought no mis­chief, as the body of the pastors had been ordained by bi­shops. It instantly became a custom for some of the or­dained ministers present to lay on hands in ordinations, it being for some time judged necessary, that the delegated brethren should join, in token of subjection of the church to the pastoral care of the minister. But at length it be­came a custom, so early as before 1660, that, at the desire of the church, the ordaining ministers performed the whole, both conferred office-power on the pastor elect, by the lay­ing on of hands, and committed the church to his pastoral charge; which, with the joint fellowship of the pastors and churches, finished the ordination. Thus ordinations were recovered into their right state and order, the last century, and before lay-ordinations had wrought any evil. Thus office-power, by scripture presbyters, continued to be trans­fused [Page 63] through the clergy. I have reason and even assu­rance to believe, that there was no candidate ordained in new-england, before 1746, but whose ordination may be traced to the bishops in england. I have found no in­stance to the contrary, although I have searched and exa­mined all the ordinations of the first half century here, and most of them for the first hundred years. And as to the wild and enthusiastic period between 1740 and 1750, though it gave birth to perhaps thirty little separate con­gregations, yet some have dissolved, others become regu­lar, and the ten or a dozen now remaining, are more and more convinced of the duty of seeking ordination from among the standing ministers. And it is remarkable, that Mr. Thomas Dennison, now living, assisted, laid on hands, and gave the charge at the first ordination, in 1746, and at the three succeeding ordinations among the separates in new-england, from whence all the ordinations in the churches of that description have proceeded. And although in the first, but not in the others, he acted as a brother delegated by the church, and in the others as an elder of another church, yet it is remarkable, I say, that he himself had been ordained, in 1743, by one, whose ordination I have traced to the Mathers, and other boston ministers, and through them up to the bishop of chester, and other bishops in england. It is probable the few separate churches re­maining, will, in time, become regular, by seeking ordina­tions among the pastors of the standing churches, where the ordinations are indubitable.

For, as I have said, the ordination of our clergy is regu­lar and scriptural, and may be traced, in the line of pres­byters, up to the apostolic age: and so in general may the ordinations, in this line, through the whole christian world, especially in the great divisions of lutherans, calvinists, and church of england. So wonderfully has Christ preserved the sacerdotal or presbyterian order in the church, that the succession in this line is without a doubt. The first ninety-four ministers who came over and settled new-england, long-Island, and the jerseys, before 1669, and chiefly be­fore [Page 64] 1640—These, I say, were all educated in the eng­lish universities, and were ordained in england. Some of whom, as Hooker, Davenport, Chauncy, Lee, Bulkley, Noyes, Norton, were men of universal reading in theological lite­rature, and were profoundly versed in the writings of the greek and latin churches, in the councils and historians, the fathers, the writers of the middle ages, and the reform­ers—especially those miracles of human and divine learn­ing, Chauncey and Lee. Of these ninety four, one or two on­ly were ordained by the puritans; as the fourteen, who came over after the ejection of 1662, were ordained by the bishops, or more probably by the presbyterians in the protectorate: all the rest by the bishops. All these were ordained pres­byters by the bishops in england: particularly the Rev. Mr. Richard Mather was ordained a presbyter by Dr. Morton bishop of chester 1618. ^§ The bishops did not in­tend to communicate ordaining powers; but they really intended to convey all the power of a scripture-presbyter; and by the scripture, we find this power conferred by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ^* If the succession in the line of bishops, might have been interrupted at the reform­ation, yet not so in the line of presbyters. Office-power has unquestionably been preserved in england among pres­byters, not only to the times of its subjugation to rome by Austin the monk, but ages before even to Lucius, accord­ing to venerable Bede. And indeed we have it more di­rectly to the apostolic age, without going through rome, for bishop Jewel asserts truly, that the antient churches of eng­land, were of greek, that is, oriental derivation. We have in this manner an historical evidence and assurance, that the new-england ordinations in particular may be traced back to the holy apostles.

There is not an instance in the apostolic age, of bishops, priests, and deacons, being stated officers of more than a single congregation. I risque this historic assertion with the exa­mination of the whole learned world; although I well know that, like the evidences of revelation, it has been [Page 65] examined a thousand times, with different judgments. Every congregation, regularly and fully organized, had them: as appears from Dionysius the areopagite, and St. Ignatius. The succession of bishops, who were only the first presbyters, as well as of the other elders, was preserved by ordinations performed by presbyters in or out of a church. And though ordinations were usually performed by three or more, yet if only one presbyter laid on hands, it was valid. Titus, a single elder, was left thus, to ordain elders in crete. The church of alexandria, founded by St. Mark, retained presbyterian ordination, exclusive, for 300 years, as appears from Eutychius, the patriarch there in the ninth century, who wrote the originals of that church in arabic, from which I have translated the following extract, viz.

"The ninth year of Claudius Caesar, while Mark, the evangelist, resided at alexandria—Hananies being convert­ed to christianity, Mark baptized him, and constituted or ordained him chief father at alexandria; and he became the first patriarch of alexandria. Mark, the evangelist, like­wise constituted and ordained twelve (Cashisha ^*) presby­ters with Hananias; who should abide with the patriarch; so that when there should be a vacancy in the patriarchate, they should elect one of the twelve presbyters, upon whose head the other eleven should impose their hands, bless him, and create him patriarch; and then elect some eminent person, and constitute him a presbyter with themselves, in the room of him who was made a patriarch; so that there should always be twelve. Nor did this institution con­cerning the presbyters, cease at alexandria, that they should create the patriarchs out of the twelve presbyters, until the times of Alexander, patriarch at alexandria, who was of the number of the three hundred and eighteen" (at the council of nice, A. D. 325) "For he forbade the pres­byters afterwards to create a patriarch. And decreed, that upon the death of a patriarch, the bishops should as­semble [Page 66] and ordain a patriarch. And he farther decreed, that on a vacancy in the patriarchate, they should elect, either from the twelve presbyters, or from any other coun­try, some eminent person, and create him patriarch. And thus evanished the antient institution, by which the patri­arch had been created by the presbyters; and there suc­ceeded in its place his decree concerning the creation of the patriarchs by the bishops. Thus from Hananias to the time of Demetrius, who was the eleventh patriarch at alexandria, there was no bishop in the provinces of egypt: nor did any patriarchs before him, constitute bishops. But he being made patriarch, constituted three bishops. And he was the first alexandrine patriarch who made bi­shops. Upon the death of Demetrius, Heraclas became patriarch, and constituted twenty bishops." ^*

Thus, in this most valuable piece or reject of ecclesi­astical antiquity, we have preserved and transmitted to us a specimen and exemplar of a truly primitive and apostolic church. And herein we have a full proof, that while there were fifteen hundred pastors or Kashisha, yet there were no bishops in egypt in the posterior appropriate sense of the latin and greek churches, until the fourth century: altho' the christians had by that time become so numerous in egypt, that in the most severe and memorable persecution under maximianus, the predecessor of Constantine the great, one hundred thousand christians were put to death there, and seven hundred thousand were sold for slaves! a barbarity which satiated and glutted the malice of persecution, and wrought a conviction in the whole roman empire, of the impossibility of subduing christianity.

Correspondent to this idea of a church and its officers was the form particularly of the church of ephesus, and the seven churches of asia, in the apostolic age; and the churches of new-england; wherein at their primitive insti­tutions, were originally two or more elders, besides the pastors and teachers, i. e. four presbyters: although, ha­ving generally, though not universally, dropt the ruling elders, they now more nearly resemble the church of phi­lippi, [Page 67] in having, at present, only bishops and deacons. It might, however, be well to resume the eldership as in the days of our ancestors.

Agreeable to this primitive idea of a church, was the church of ireland planted and formed, by that great light of christendom St. Patrick; who, (as Titus travelled crete, and ordained elders in every city) himself travelled ireland, converted it to christianity, and constituted 355 churches, and in each ordained a sett of elders, with a bishop at their head; ^* as did M [...]rk in alexandria. Agreeable to that of the irish poet in the psalter of Cashe [...], which doubtless while it retains the historical sentiments, looses its beauty in translation.

This was A. D. 432. And it is remarkable, that this institution of the pious Patrick, continued for 400 years, until the danish invasion. If the whole christian world were to revert back to this original and truly primitive model, how far more simple, uniform, and beautiful, and even glorious, would the church universal appear, than under the mutilated artifical forms of the pontifical or patriarchal constitutions, of the middle and present ages? And how far more agreeable to the ecclesiastical polity instituted and delivered by the holy apostles? May this be exhibited and displayed in the american churches. Of this it gives [...] joy to believe there is the greatest prospect. The initial re­vival of this primeval institution is indeed already so well established here, where the presbyerians hold so great a pro­portion [Page 68] in the american republic, that there can be but little doubt, but that in the ordinary course of events, our in­creasing and growing interest, without any interference with the other sects, will at length ascend to such a mag­nitude, and become so great and respectable a part of christendom, as to command the attention, contemplation, and fraternal love of our brethren and fellow christans, of the church universal, and even of the world ieself. And when the set time to favor Zion shall come in God's good and holy providence, while christendom may no longer dis­dain to adopt a reformation from us, the then newly gos­g [...]lized heathen may light up their candle at america. In this country, out of sight of mitres and the purple, and re­moved from systems of corruption confirmed for ages, and supported by the spiritual janizaries of an ecclesiastical hier­archy, aided and armed by the secular power, RELIGION may be examined with the noble berean freedom, the free­dom of american-born minds: and revelation, both as to the true evangelical doctrines, and church polity, may be [...] here, before they shall have undergone a thorough discussion, and been weighed with a calm and unprejudiced candor elsewhere. Great things are to be effected in the world before the millennium, which I do not expect to commence under seven or eight hundred years hence; and perhaps the liberal and candid disquisitions in america, are to be rendered extensively subservient to some of the most and glorious designs of providence, and particularly in the propagation and diffusion of religion through the earth, in filling the whole earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. A time will come when six hundred millions of the human race shall be ready to drop their idolatry, and all false religion, when christianity shall tri­umph over superstition, as well as deism and gentilism, and mahometism. They will then search all christendom for the best model, the purest exemplification of the christian church, with the fewest human mixtures. And when God in his providence shall convert the world, should the new­ly christianized nations assume our form of religion; should american missionaries be blessed to succeed in the work of [Page 69] christianizing the heathen, in which the romanists and fo­reign protestants have very much failed, it would be an un­expected wonder, and a great honor to the united states. And thus the american republic, by illuminating the world with TRUTH and LIBERTY, would be exalted and made high among the nations in praise, and in name, and in ho­nor. I doubt not this is the honor reserved for us: I had almost said in the spirit of prophecy, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.

Having shewn wherein consists the prosperity of a STATE; and what reason we have to anticipate the glory of the american empire: I proceed to shew,

II. That her system of dominion must receive its finish­ing from religion; or, that from the diffusion of virtue among the people of any community, would arise their greatest secular happiness: all which will terminate in this conclusion, that Holiness ought to be the end of all civil government— That thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God.

On the subject of RELIGION we might be concise and transient, if indeed a subject of the highest moment ought to be treated with brevity.

It is readily granted that a state may be very prosperous and flourishing, without christianity: witness the egyptian, assyrian, roman, and chinese empires. But if there be a true religion, one would think that it might be at least some ad­ditional glory. We must become a holy people in reality, in order to exhibit the experiment never yet fully made in [Page 70] this unhallowed part of the universe, whether such a peo­ple would be the happiest on earth. It would greatly con­duce to this, if MOSES and AARON, if the MAGISTRACY and PRIESTHOOD, should co-operate, and walk together in union and harmony. The political effort of the present day, through most of the united states, is to disunite, di­vide and separate them, through fear, least the united states, like the five vice-royships of new spain, should be entangled and oppressed with the spiritual domination of european and asiatic hierarchies. As if, by the title of mi­nister or pastor, we might not as well be reminded of the ministers of holland and geneva, or the mild and peaceable pastors of the primitive church, as of the domineering pre­lates and other haughty intriguing dignitaries of the romish church. Hence AARON is spurned at a distance, and the LEVITES are beheld with shy contempt, as a useless, bur­densome, dangerous tribe: and in some of the states, for the only sin of being priests of the Most High God, they are in­hibited all civil offices, and to a great degree, disfranchised of their civil immunities and rights of citizenship. I thank my God for this ordering of his holy providence (for I wish the clergy never to be vested with civil power) while I am considering the spirit and disposition of the public towards the church of God, indicated by such events. A general spirit reigns against the most liberal and generous establish­ments in religion; against the civil magistrates encouraging or having any thing more to do about religion, than to keep the civil peace among contending sects: as if this was all that is to be done for religion by the friends of Jesus. And hence, in designating to the magistracy and offices of go­vernment, it begins to be a growing idea that it is mighty indifferent, forsooth, not only whether a man be of this or the other religious sect, but whether he be of any religion at all: and that truly deists, and men of indifferentism to all religion, are the most suîtable persons for civil office, and most proper to hold the reins of government; and that to prevent partiality in governors, and emulation among the sects, it is wise to consign government over into the hands of those who, gallio like, have no religion at all. [Page 71] This is machiavellian wisdom and policy! And hence ex­amples are frequently adduced, of men distinguished truly for deism, perhaps libidinous morals, and every vice, yet of great abilities, it is said, great civilians, lawyers, phy­sicians, warriors, governors, patriots, politicians: while as great or greater and more numerous characters, in the same departments, a Thuanus, a Grotius, a Paul, of venice, a Sir Henry Wotton, a Sir Peter King, a Selden, a Newton, a Boyle, those miracles of wisdom and friends to religion and virtue; are passed by with transient coolness and neg­lect. I wish we had not to fear that a neglect of religion was coming to be the road to preferment. It was not so here in our fathers days.

Shall the Most High send down TRUTH into this world from the world of light and truth, and shall the rulers of this world be afraid of it? Shall there be no intrepid DA­NIELS?—great in magistracy, great in religion! How great was that holy man, that learned and pious civilian, when he shone in the supreme triumvirate, at the head of an em­pire of 120 provinces—venerable for political wisdom, venerable for religion!

If men, not merely nominally christians, but of real re­ligion and sincere piety, joined with abilities, were advan­ced and called up to office in every civil department, how would it countenance and recommend virtue? But, alas! is there not too much laodiceanism in this land? Is not Je­sus in danger of being wounded in the house of his friends? Nay, have we gone already such lengths in declension, that if even the Holy Redeemer himself, and his apostles, were to reappear among us, while unknown to be such, and importune the public government and magistracy of these states, to become nursing fathers to the church; is it not to be feared that some of the states, through timidity and fearfulness of touching religion, would excuse themselves, and dismiss the holy messengers, the heavenly visitants, with coldness and neglect; though importuning the spouse with an, open to me my beloved, my sister, my dove.

[Page 72] But after the present period of deism and sceptical indif­ferentism in religion, of timidity and irresolution in the cause of the great Emmanuel, perhaps there may arise a suc­cession of civil magistrates, who will not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, nor of patronizing his holy religion; with a generous catholicism and expanded benevolence to­wards all of every denomination, who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth; patronizing it, I repeat, not with the insidious views of a Hutchinsonian policy, but from a rational and firm belief and love of evangelical truth. Zion's friends will rejoice in Zion's welfare: and the reli­gious as well as civil patriot will shine in the faces of the fu­ture Moses's and Joshuas of this land. So shone it in the first governor WINTHROP, and so shineth it in a WASHING­TON. Yea, I glory in believing and knowing, that there are many now in the public magistracy of this and the other states, who feel with that illustrious and most excellent go­vernor, upon whom rested much of the spirit of Samuel and David, and of Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, I mean Nehemiah the Tirshata, who, with Moses, esteemed the re­proaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of egypt, who was of so pious, so noble, so patriotic a spirit, such a lover of his country and the true religion, that he prefer­red the very dust of zion to the gardens of persia, and the broken walls of jerusalem to the palaces of shushan.

Whenever religion is erected on the ruins of civil govern­vernment; and when civil government is built on the ruins of religion, both are so far essentially wrong. The church has never been of any political detriment here, for it never has been vested with any civil or secular power in new-eng­land: although it is certain, that civil dominion was but the second motive, religion the primary one with our ances­tors, in coming hither and settling this land. It was not so much their design to establish religion for the benefit of the state as civil government for the benefit of religion, and as subservient, and even necessary towards the peace­able enjoyment and unmolested exercise of religion—of that religion, for which they fled to those ends of the earth. [Page 73] An institution is not made for the laws, but the laws for the institution. I am narrating an historical fact, not giving a position or principle, which by shrewd politicians may be abused to justify spiritual tyranny, and to support the claims of the pontificate over all the civil states, king­doms and empires in christendom.

The american Nehemiah, the opulent and pious Gover­nor WINTHROP I. and the other first magistrates of the se­veral new-england republics, were men of singular wisdom and exemplary piety. And, God be thanked, the sena­torial assembly of this happiest of all the united states, still embosoms so many Phinehas's and Zorobabels, so many re­ligious patriots, the friends of Jesus and his holy religion: and that the Messiah's cause is here accompanied with civil government and the priesthood—allusively the two olive trees upon the right of the candlestick (the churches) and upon the left; the two golden branches, which through the two golden pipes, Moses and Aaron, empty the golden oil out of them­selves, ^* and diffuse their salutary influence of order and happiness through the community.

As to nominal christianity, I have no doubt but that it will be upheld for ages in these states. Through the liberty enjoyed here, all religious sects will grow up into large and respectable bodies. But the congregational and presbyte­rian denomination, however hitherto despised, will, by the blessing of heaven, continue to hold the greatest figure in america; and, notwithstanding all the fruitless labors and exertions to proselyte us to other communions, become more numerous than the whole collective body of our fel­low protestants in europe. The whole proselytism of new-england in particular, for 60 or 70 years past, has not ex­ceeded eight or ten thousand, while our augment in that term, by natural increase, has been half a million. The future difference in our favour will be far greater, even ad­mitting a tenfold increase of proselytism. We anticipate, with pleasure, the growth and multiplication of our church­es. God grant that we may not, like the seven churches [Page 74] of asia, have a name to live, while we are dead. Happy will it be for us, should we become a holy people, zealous of good works. For it is undoubtedly the will of heaven, and especially after the recent salvations of the Most High, that we should be a holy people unto the Lord our God.

It is greatly to be wished that these principles of our com­mon christianity, might be found in general reception among all the churches of these states.

The trinity in unity, in the one undivided essence of the Great JEHOVAH.

The sacred scriptures are of divine inspiration.

In the immense universe, two little systems of intelli­gences, or orders of being, have lapsed: and that un­happily we have the dishonor of being one of them.

The second person of the co-eternal trinity, having as­sumed human nature, made a real atonement for sin, and by his vicarious obedience and sufferings, exhi­bited that righteousness and vicarious merit, by which alone we are forgiven and justified.

The holy ghost is equally a divine person with the fa­ther and the son; sharing with them divine, supreme, equal and undivided honors.

True virtue consists in a conformity of heart and life to the divine law; which is as obligatory upon christians as if eternal life was suspended on perfect obedience.

The internal principle of holiness essentially consists in DIVINE LOVE, a disinterested affection for moral ex­cellency, a delight in the beauty and glory of the di­vine character, that is, the supreme LOVE OF GOD. And connected with, and issuing from this, is a joy­ful acquiescence in his will, a rejoicing in his sove­reignty, and universal dominion.

While salvation and pardon is of free grace, the retri­butions of eternity will be according to our works.

[Page 75] Whenever I find these principles, with others connected with them, and the real belief of them evinced by an ami­able life, there I judge the essentials of christianity to be found, and thither my charity and benevolence extends, with equal ardor and sincerity, be the religious denomi­nation as it may. Of these, the doctrines of the DIVI­NITY of the Lord Jesus, and his real vicarious ATONEMENT, are the most important, the jachin and boaz, the pillar truths of the gospel, the articuli stantis & cadentis ecclesioe.

This was the system of theology brought over from the other side of the flood, by our pious forefathers, now with God. The more this is realized in a state, the more will its felicity be advanced. For certainly the morals of chris­tianity are excellent. It enjoins obedience to magistracy, justice, harmony, and benevolence, among fellow citizens; and what is more, it points out immortality to man. Po­liticians indeed usually consider religion only as it may af­fect and subserve civil purposes: and hence it is mighty in­different to them, what the state of religion be, provided they can ride in the whirlwind, and direct the storm. No thing is more common than to see them, in every country, making use of sects for their own ends, whom they, in their hearts, despise and ridicule with supreme contempt. Not so the christian patriot, who, from his heart, wishes the advancement of christianity, much less for the civil good than for the eternal welfare of immortal souls. We err much, if we think the only or chief end of civil government is secular happiness. Shall immortals, illuminated by reve­lation, entertain such an opinion? God forbid! Let us model civil society with the adoption of divine institutions, so as shall best subserve the training up and disciplining in­numerable millions for the more glorious society of the church of the first born! Animated with the sublime ideas which christianity infuses into a people, we shall be led to consider the true religion as the highest glory of a civil po­lity. The christian institution so excelled in glory, that the mosaic lost all its glory. So the most perfect secular polity, though very excellent, would lose all its glory, [Page 76] when compared with a kingdom wherein dwelleth righteous­ness, a community wherein the religion of the divine Jesus reigns in vigour and perfection.

Let us institute a comparison of religions in three differ­ent polities, which will sufficiently represent the state of the whole world. And may that spirit, which justly springs from such a comparison, animate all, whether in humble life, or in the most elevated stations among mankind. We may consider three contiguous empires of the same civil po­lity, all alike as to the social virtues, laws of justice, bene­volence, and the morals of civil society—for I mean to in­stitute a very liberal and candid comparison. On the one of these shall be established the idolatry of the BONZAS, as a specimen of all the idolatrous religions: Deism shall cover the second: and of the unidolatrous religions, I will select for the third, not the mahometan, not the jewish, but the christian, in its purest apostolic form.

As to the first, the species of idolatry is indifferent, whe­ther antient or modern, that of the Druids or Zoroaster, of the Bramins or Romanists, or lastly, that of the great LAMA, of Potola, which is the most extensive, as well as most splendid, religion on earth, being the religion of one third of the hu­man race. Let us select the last: it has for its basis, in common with all other idolatrous systems, adoration and worship, of some kind or other, to an hierarchy of celestial spirits as our intercessors and protectors under the supreme God. These have been, in all ages, the MAHUZZIM of Daniel; who predicts the apostacy of the church to the worship of Mahuzzim departed souls, invisible spirits as intercessors with God. This is the real basis of all idola­try, antient and modern. These were the Baalim and the Heroes. And it is just indifferent, whether we sacrifice and pray to Hercules or to St. Paul, to the thirty thousand gods of athens, or the saints of the calender, as advocates with the Father of the Universe. Now let the inhabitants of an empire be resolved into religious assemblies and con­vocations, for the sacrifical worship of these inferior divini­ties, [Page 77] with a splendid ceremonial and priesthood. Who does not see, in these enlightened realms, that all this is religi­ous delusion, a transfer of worship to the creature from the Creator—who may well say, who hath required this at your hands? If it be said that supreme worship is not rendered to the saints of the pontifical canonization: so neither was it by the ten tribes, all of whom, but eight thousand, kissed the calves and worshipped the numerous Baalim, Heroe [...], or demi-gods. Dr. Middleton has shewn that the specifi­cal worship, with a change of names only, is paid at rome to the modern canonized saints, as to the deified he­roes of the antient romans and greeks. The last effort of the philosophers against christianity, was in the time of Julian; and they subordinated the whole system of ethnical worship to the worship of the supreme Being, asserting that as christians acknowledge the ministry of angels, so they held with the ministry of genii that of deceased and departed spi­rits, who must be supposed to retain a peculiar affection for their families, cities and kingdoms on earth; especially for those who should have referred themselves to their protec­tion and intercession with the Deus O. M. the supreme God. Thus they defended themselves upon the very same reasoning, as that upon which the christian idolatry is defended. We are directed to ask the prayers of our fellow christians on earth; and by parity why should we not ask their prayers in heaven, where they must be supposed to have far greater influence? And if we are directed to treat one another, and especially great benefactors of our coun­try, with public respect while here, why not by parity con­tinue this respect and the symbols of honor to them in hea­ven? What a beautiful gradation is there, it is said, in the ethnical and christian worship or ascription of gratitude to inferior and powerful intercessors? And how does it tend to keep alive in our minds and impress them with glorious ideas of that grand, august, and beautiful system of agency and subordinate administrations, in the great go­vernment of the one Great Supreme? How beautiful the subordinate mediation of angels and saints, under the all-comprehensive mediation of the blessed JESUS, thro' whom [Page 78] all worship, adoration and homage is to ascend to the Sove­reign of the Universe! Let us be assured that the romanists think themselves to have great reason for the adoration of the superior powers.

Adjacent to this, an empire of the same excellent consti­tution, shall be overspread with DEISM exclusively. And to give the idea the most candid extent, perhaps beyond the desires of a Tindal, or even of a Shaftsbury the amia­ble Confucius of deism, not to mention the smaller and more desultory geniusses of a Hume, or a Voltaire; neither of whom had any more taste or judgment in religion, or mo­ral reasoning, than Cicero in poetry, or Cibber for the dra­ma:—I say, to give the fairest idea of perfect deism, let the people of this empire be resolved into occasional, but not too frequent, worshipping assemblies for worshipping the God of nature, under the direction of the illuminated brethren, or of some right worshipful brother: and also to thank God for his goodness in this life, and for a certain prospect of a blessed immortality, if there should be any; when, perhaps some noble minds, spirits of elevated and sublime genius, of bold, refined, and independent senti­ment, might descant upon the common principles of social virtue and benevolence. I have certainly done justice to deism; although we hear nothing of pardoning mercy, because truly we need none—such being the excellency and dignity of man, who, as Phocelides saith, is the image of God, that he well answers the end of existence, merits reward, and must hereafter be happy under the all-comprehending, the most benevolent administration of the universal FATHER. How pure and sublime is natural religion!

CHRISTIANITY shall be the establishment of the third territorial empire. And to preclude the sectarian prejudi­cations from disturbing the clearness and calmness of the mental perception, let any one overspread it with the BI­BLE christianity, according to his own idea. I for myself might overspread the whole with the congregational churches; being not simply satisfied, but sure, from a tho­rough [Page 79] perlustration of all ecclesiastical history, that they are nearly apostolical as to doctrine and polity. And let this justice further be done, that religion shall reign in the hearts and lives of the people at large; and that it be the great and harmonious endeavour of the ruling characters and influential personages through the state, both by ex­ample and precept, to support such a reign of virtue and holiness. All that is valuable and truly excellent in the other empires, is embraced; and in addition, we have dis­coveries, and offers, and assurances, great in the confession of all men, if true, and glorious beyond description, infi­nitely momentous indeed, and infinitely surpassing what is to be found in all the mythologies or moral systems around the globe. But I do not enlarge.

Ten thousand myriads of ages hence, in which of these three, would the civilian, the patriot, the man of religion, wish to have been found? In which to have acted his part?—for most certainly they are not indifferent—and in ad­vancing its glory, to have exerted the talents and activity, with which the Author of Nature had blessed him?

Which of these governments is it probable would most contribute to the secular welfare, and be attended with the greatest dignity, and even the greatest worldly splendor? But above all, which most subservient to eternity and its momentous concerns? In which, as a school of institution and discipline, should we enjoy the happiest advantages for immortality? Which of these empires would be the favor­ite of JESUS? Or is he indeed an unconcerned spectator of human affairs? If not, why should we doubt or hesitate to give the preference to the christian republic? If revelation be not true, it does us no hurt: we are as safe and as well off as others, having all their moral virtue. But if revela­tion be true, it is true exclusively, and therefore to be attend­ed to at peril. This is no proof: but it is a reason for ex­citing our attention to its evidence, both in miracles and prophecy, as well as in a certain internal beauty and glory opened by heaven upon a benighted world:—Peradventure [Page 80] with other happy millions we may be also blessed to per­ceive it to be, not a cunningly devised fab [...]e (as was con­ceived by that impious pontiff, who could exclaim eheu! quantum lucrisecit nobis hoec fabula christi?) but the wisdom and power of God, to have issued from the fountain of un­erring wisdom and consummate benevolence. Which will be the case, the happy fact, the moment we perceive the evidence of the one single fact of the RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, after his undoubted crucifixion:—a fact testified by eye witnesses, and supported by evidence (preserved in memoirs, which have come down to us with greater au­thenticity than Justin or Tacitus) evidence, I say, over­looked indeed, but never overthrown, and which at once will support the whole glorious superstructure of christian­ity.

But I need pardon that I should institute this compari­son in a christian assembly, and in a country where we seem to be in no danger of idolatry, and where, God be thank­ed, Deists are very thinly sown, although, like another set of men among us, of illaudable and invidious description, they magnify themselves into legions.

I have supposed all religions equal as to virtue: and that civil virtue is the only end of civil society: but I must resume both these mistakes. Vices and every species of wickedness are found, more or less, to enter into the es­sence of all religions, except that of divine revelation. If christians are wicked, and even should they surpass the gentiles in vice, their religion never taught them so. But the very institution of the festivals of the ancient gods and goddesses directly taught the most impure obscenities and libidinous revellings. And this is continued to this day in the East-Indies. An indian Bramin ARUNASALEM, a Pandarum or Priest of Tarmaburam, was converted to christianity in 1765: upon which the college of Panda­rum sent him a letter to reclaim him. Too long, says he in his reply, too long have I been a witness to public lewdness in the sacrifices and worship of your pagodas or temples. My conscience told me these institutions could [Page 81] not come from a pure and holy God. O my God! how do I lament that I have been 28 years thine enemy. No ablution, no sacrifice of Lingam can wash away sin and pu­rify the soul: the blood sufferings and sacrifice of JESUS Nadar the redeemer, alone cleanse from all sin. ^*

[Page 82] This, with a survey of the state of man in all ages, may shew us that ethnic morals do not merit the high encomi­ums [Page 83] the rapturous eulogies, which some have given them. Nor are deistical morals very promising. A world, a uni­verse full of Rochesters and Chester fields, what would it be? Characters, which may blaze their moment in an earthly court, but can never shine in the court above.

Modern deists—but why do I say modern, for the very fraternity is but of yesterday—the deists have more lately improved and adopted suicide and fate into their system; holding it in common with the Bramins of Asia, and the aulic chieftans in Africa. We might trace the matter of suicide thro' a tract of ages, from Calenus the indian philosopher, who from the funeral pile laughed at Alexander the great, to that sublime genius, that deistical madman, who lately "stole away" out of life with his wife and four children at once, "closing the eyes of six persons, out of perfect hu­manity, and the most endearing fondness and friendship." ^*

Sir William Temple, Sale, and other learned deists, fond of depreciating christian virtue by comparisons, have ex­tolled and celebrated the mahometan, chinese and other ori­ental morals, as far superior to the christian. But the learned historiographer Principal Robertson asserts with historic verity, that upon the comparison of europe in par­ticular in its gentile and christian ages, her morality will appear to have been greatly improved and meliorated, and that the ethnic morals fell far below the christian. While we have to confess and lament the vice rampant in christendom, we have reason to believe that the more chris­tianity prevails in a country, civil society will be more advanced, ferocious manners will give way to the more mild, liberal, just and amiable manners of the gospel.

Be it granted that in all countries are to be found men of integrity, honor, benevolence and excellent morals, even where vice has a prevalent reign, to the greatest ex­cesses of a general licentiousness; yet supposing a commu­nity, [Page 84] a kingdom, a world overspread with such characters, with the finest morals of a Socrates or a Confucius, what would be the moral state of such a country, in comparison with one overspread with the reign of the christian morals? I mean in perfection.

How much soever we may admire the morals of Plato or Epictetus, they are not to be compared with those taught by Moses and the divine Jesus. Nor are we to conceive that civil virtue is the only end of civil government. As the end of God's government is his declarative glory in the holiness and happiness of the universe; so all civil go­vernment ought to subserve the same end. The most es­sential interests of rational beings are neglected, when their secular welfare only is consulted. If therefore we defend and plead for christianity, from its secular and civil utility only, and leave it here, we dishonor religion by robbing it of half, nay its greatest glories. It serves an higher pur­pose. For altho' it subserves the civil welfare infinitely beyond the morals of deism and idolatry, yet it also pro­vides for the interests of eternity, which no other religion does. It opens to us the most grand and sublime discove­ries concerning God, reconciliation with him, and the re­union of this lapsed world with the immense universe. Discoveries momentous and interesting beyond conception! Without which we are left to perfect incertitude, if not totally in the dark with respect to eternity and its vast concerns.

Should we have recourse to the goodness of God; yet of all beings, angels would think, that man should be the last, to reason from the benevolence and goodness of the uni­versal parent, to the impossibility of his offspring being involved in future ill, when from thence we might equally reason against the existence of present ill. If some distant seraph, who never knew nor heard of ill, should reason thus, it would be no marvel, perhaps: but that we, with all our sins and sufferings about us, should go into such reasonings, is the height of folly, the absurdity of absurdi­ties! [Page 85] And why should that infinite goodness preserve the numerous millions that die in finished, though half punish­ed vice, that did not preserve the lives of those upon whom the tower of Siloam fell—who did not avert the desolati­ons of Lisbon, Naples, Herculaneum and Palermo? Cast thine eyes thither, O man, remember the battle, and do no more. ^*

If instead of reasoning from the works and word of God, and thus ascending upwards into Deity, " we take the high priori road, and reason downwards 'till we doubt of God." ^† If by inductive reasonings from the perfections of God to what can and what cannot be, we should among other things boldly conclude a TRINITY, and the incarnation of the e­ternal WORD absurd nullities, and yet it should appear in another state, that a crucified JESUS sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high; how would these mighty sensible characters, these fine geniusses, these sublime these foolish reasoners be disappointed? May I be forgiven a very earnest sollicitude here?—having myself passed thro' the cloudy darksom valley of scepticism, and stood on the precipice, from whence I was in danger of taking a juve­nile leap into the irrecoverable depths of deism. For so rare are the FORBES'S and the JENNINGS, the instances of emancipated real infidels, that nulla vestigia retror­sum, ^‡ may be inscribed on the temple of deism. Know­ing these dangers, I pity from my heart, and almost bleed at every pore, for those who are caught in the vortex, and are captivated with the wiley satirical delusory and defici­ent reasonings of deism. Elevated with the pride of men­tal enlargement, of a supposed untrammelled understand­ing, they ascend aloft above the clouds of prejudices into the pi [...]gah heights, from whence they fancy that they see all religions the same, that is, equally nothing but priestcraft and artificial error. Whereupon they complement them­selves as endowed with a superiority of discernment in mo­rals, with high sensibility, sentimental and liberal ideas, and charm themselves with other fine self-applied diction, [Page 86] which in truth only cloaths the taedium the weariness of half discussed unfinished inquiries; or perhaps the hope that at worst the want of certain knowledge may pass with God, if there is any, as a sufficient excuse for some of the doubtful levities of life.

But errors in judgment, it is said, will be of no account with God. In ten thousand matters they may not. We may trifle on many things; but on the things that respect eternity, the things of religion, it is too solemn, too dan­gerous to trifle. Although most religions are false and ridiculous, there may however be one, which we must renounce or trifle with at our peril. For if revelation be true, as most assuredly it is, it is in Jesus only that we have eternal life. Infidels, and those excessively benevolent christians, who consider all religions alike and equally ridi­culous, do well, in their calmer moments to ponder those words of the eternal Judge, Mat. x. 33. WHOSOEVER SHALL DENY ME BEFORE MEN, HIM WILL I ALSO DENY BEFORE MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. Where then will a Judas, and a Beadle appear? Step forth, thou Her­bert, the father of deism; come hither ye Bolingbrokes, Tin­dals, Collins's, Humes, Voltaires with all your shining abili­ties; and that disappointed groop of self-opinionated de­niers of the Lord that bought them, with that cloud of de­luded followers, who would not that I should reign over them—evanish from my presence, with all the light of your boasted wisdom, into the blackness of darkness forever and ever! On what principles can the despised, the amiable JESUS withhold or recede from so awful a sentence, so tre­mendous a denunciation!

How infinitely happier they who, believing the record which God giveth of his Son, have received him, and are become the sons of God? Is it nothing, is it a small thing to be initiated into the glorious idea of God and the trinity revealed in the scriptures, to contemplate the hier­archy and government of the universe and the high dignity of that most illustrious personage, who is our intercessor, ad­vocate [Page 87] and sovereign? Shall this light come into the world, and we neglect it? And shall it be said that these views do not animate a sublimer virtue than the motives taken from civil society? Shall the consideration of being citizens of a little secular kingdom or community, be equally animat­ing with those taken from our being citizens of the august monarchical republic of the universe! But I must desist, with only observing that the United States are under pe­culiar obligations to become a holy people unto the Lord our God, on account of the late eminent deliverance, sal­vation, peace and glory, with which he hath now crowned our new sovereignty. Deut. iv. 34.

I have thus finished the two heads upon which I at first proposed to discourse. And I shall not further trespass upon the patience of this very honorable auditory, by an application: but close with the addresses usual upon this an­niversary solemnity.