YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

f V,' *--*Vj • "v * '"7"

THE LAW. OF LIBERTY,
A SERMON ON
AMERICAN AFFAIRS,
PREACHED
At the Opekino of the PROVINCIAL
CONGRESS of GEORGIA.
ADDRESSED
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
The EARL of DARTMOUTH.
WITH AN APPENDIX,
GIVING A CONCISE ACCOUNT OF THE STRUGGLES OS
SwiSSERLAND TO RECOVER THEIR LIBERTY*
By J O H N J. Z U B L Y, D.D.
Ephraim lhall not envy Judah, *
And Judah fhall not vex Ephraim. Isa. xi. 13.
¦it 1111 ^n ¦— 1  ¦¦ ... .... *».,i(»  ¦.  11 . ¦ |; Tl —— ¦ ,/m -
PHILADELPHIA PRINTED;
AND
London Re-printed for J. Almon, oppoftte Burlington
Houfe, in Piccadilly.
mdccjlxxv.

t S ]

To the Right Honourable
WILLI A M,
Earl of DARTMOUTH.
My Lord,
YOUR Lordfhip's appointment to be Secre
tary of State for the American department*
by numbers that refpedted your Lordfhip's reli
gious character, was looked upon as a very pro
vidential and happy event. Your patronizing of
religious undertakings, confirmed the general opi
nion ; and we were happy in the expectations of
your Lordfhip's confcientious regard to juftice
and equity, as well as to the civil and religious
liberties of this great Continent ; we expected the
caufe of liberty and religion would meet with the
ftrongeft fupport under your adminiftration, and
in your Lordfhip would ever find a conftant and
fuccefsful advocate with your royal mafter.
Unhappily during your adminiftration, mea
fures have been purfued very contrary to Ame
rican hopes; and we eafily conceive your Lord
fhip may think it not lefs ftrange that manyi
friends of religion in America fhould be fo u'neafy
B under

[ « j.
under laws which had your Lordfhip's concurrence
and approbation.
It is to the Man and to the Chriftjan I wifh to
be permitted to addrefs myfelf: your Lordfhip
, ranks among the higheft fubjedts, and has a large
fhare in all public meafures ; but anxiety for what
may diftrefs, and zeal for the welfare of the em
pire, can be no crime even in the meaneft ; and
.when a houfe is once in flames, every man is in-
excufable, or muft at leaft be fo in his own breaft,
that does not contribute whatever he may think
in his power to their being extinguished. The
effects of the prefent meafures are vifible, and it
requires no fagacity to forefee what may be the
confequence, fhould . they be continued, Your
Lordfhip may do much towards reftoring and.
perpetuating the tranquillity of a great empire :
perfons of my ftation have nothing to offer but
hints and wifhes ; fhould thefe be beneath your
notice, or ftand in need of forgivenefs, my fin-
cere wifh to contribute any thing towards a juft,,
happy, and perpetual connexion between a parent
ftate and an infant country, growing apace to the
moft aftonifhing importance, . muft be my only
apology .~ Pukhrum eji bene facere reipublica,
Jed & bene dicere non ejl abfurdum.
The queftion, my Lord, which now agitates,
Great Britain and America, and in whick your
Lordfhip has taken fuch an active part, is, whe
ther the Parliament of Great Britain has a right
tp lay taxes on the Americans, who are not, and
gannbt, there be reprefented •, and whether the
Parliament

t 1 J
Parliament has a right to bind the Americans In
all cafes whatfoever ? Whatever may be faid, or
whatever the good people in Great Britain may
believe, this is the whole fubject of the difpute;
AH the feverities hitherto exercifed upon the Ame
ricans profeffedly have no other view than to en
force fuch a dependance ; and nothing lefs than a
claim deftructive of all natural and national li
berty, could poflibly have united all America in
a general oppofition, or have aroufed them to
join all like one man in their common defences
Let a declaratory bill be paffed, that any law and
ufage to the contrary notwithftanding, America
is entitled to all the common rights of mankindj
and all the bleflings of the Britifh conftitution,
that the fword fhall never be drawn to abridge *
but to confirm;, her birthright, and the ftorm in-
ftantly becomes a calm, and every American.
$hinks himfelf happy to contribute to the necef-
fitiesj defence, and glory, of Great Britain to the
utmoft of his ftrength and power.
To bind them in all cases whatsoever, my
Lord, the Americans look upon this as the lan
guage of defpotifm in its utmoft perfection-. What
can, fay they,' an emperor of Morocco pretend
"more of his flaves than to bind them in all, cafes
whatfoever ?• Were it meant to make the Ame
ricans hewers of wood and drawers of water, were
it meant to oblige them to make bricks without
¦ftraw, were it meant to deprive them of the en
joyment of their religion^ and to eftablifh a hie-.
farchy over them fimilar to that of the church or
< B 3 Rome'

[3 ]
Rome in Canada j it would, fay they, be no more
than a natural confequence of the right of bind
ing them (unfeen, unheard, unreprefented) in
all cafes whatfoever.
. My Lord, the Americans are no ideots, and
they appear determined not to be flaves. Op-
preflion will make wife men mad, but oppreffors'
in the end frequently find that they were not wife
men : there may be refources even in defpair fuf
ficient to render any fet cf, men ftrong enough
not to be bound in all cafes whatfoever.
Grievous is the thought, my Lord, that a no
bleman of your Lordfhip's character fhould be fo
zealous, to make war, and to imbrue his hands in
the blood of millions of your fellow- fubjects and
iellow-chriftians : pray, my Lord, is it poflible
that thofe, who at three thoufand miles diftance
can be bound in all cafes, may be faid to have any
liberty at all ? Is it nothing in your Lordfhip'^
eye to deprive fo confiderable a part of the globe
of the privilege of breathing a free air, or to fubr
jugate numbers and generations to flavery and
^efpotifm ? Can your Lordfhip think on thefe
things without horuor, or hope they muft be pro
ductive of any fhing but deteftation and difap-
pointment ? Your Lordfhip believes a Supreme
Ruler of the eart,h, and that the fmall and great
muft ftand before him at laft : would your Lord
fhip be willing, at the general meeting of all
mankind, to take a place among thofe who de-
ftroyed or enflaved empires, or rifk your future
%hte on the merit of having, at the expenee of
Britifh

[ 9 ]
Britifh blood and trea-fure, taken away the pro**-.
perty, the life and liberty of the largeft part of^l
the Britifh empire? Can your Lordfhip think
thofe that fear the Lord will not cry to him
againft their oppreffors ? and will not the Father
of mankind hear the cries of the oppreffed ? or
would you be willing that their cries and tears
fhould rife againft you as a forward inftrument
of their oppreffion ?
I know^ my Lord, that this is not courtly lan
guage, but your Lordfhip is a profeffor of reli
gion, .and of the pure, gentle, benevolent reli
gion of Jesus Christ : the groans of a.t people
,pufhed on a precipice, and driven on the very
brink of defpair, will prove forcible ; till it can
be proved that any power, in whofe legiflation
the Americans have no part, may at pleafure
bind them in all cafes whatfoever ; till it can be
proved that fuch a claim does not conftitute the
very effence of flavery and defpotifm; till it can
be proved that the Americans (whom in this
view I can no longer call Britons) may, and of
right ought, to be thus bound ; abhorrence of
fuch affertions is only the language of truth,
which in the end will force its way, and rife fu
perior to all the arts of falfhood and all the
powers of oppreffion.
Right or wrong, my Lord, in all cafes what-r
foever, but more efpecially when the fate of na
tions is concerned, are words of infinite moment.
Your Lordfhip doubtlefs believes that the weighty
alternative muft have very fblemn and different effects

[ I* 1-
effects here and hereafter ; but Waving the right
or wrong of this vile unhappy difpute, let me
entreat your Lordfhip's attention to cohfider at
what an infinite rifk the prefent meafures muft
be purfued, even were it not demonftrable that
they are in the higheft degree wrong, cruel, and
opprefBve. The bulk of the inhabitants of a continent
extending eighteen hundred miles in front on the
Atlantic, and permitting an extenfion in breadth
as far as the South Sea, look- upon the claim, to
bind them in all cafes whatfoever, as unjuft, il
legal, and deteftable : let us fuppofe for a moment
that they are grofly miftaken ; yet an error im
bibed by millions, and in which they believe the
all of the prefent and future generations lies at
ftake, may prove a very dangerous error; de-
ftroying the Americans will' not cure them, nor:
will any acts that condemn to ftarve or be mi-
ferable, have any tendency to perfuade them that
thefe acts were made by their friends. The peo^
pie in England are made to believe that the Ame
ricans want to feparate from them, or are un
willing to bear their part of the common burden*
No reprefentation can be more falfe ; but, my
"Lord,1 a nation cannot be mifled always, and
when once the good people of Great Britain get
truer notions of the matter, they will naturally
wreak their refentment on thofe by whom they
have been grofly mifinformed or wretchedly de
ceived. Review,

[ II ]
Review, my Lord, the effedts of the prefent
meafures ; the paft and prefent will inform your
Lordfhip of what may be to come.
With an unparalleled patience did the Bofto-
nians.bear the annihilation of their trade, the
blocking up of their harbour, and many other
diftreffes, till at Lexington an attack vstas made
upon their lives, and then they gave fufficient
proof that their patience was not the effect of
timidity, but of prudence and an unwillingnefs
to fhed Britifh blood. This attack convinced all
America that the Britifh miniftry and troops
Were athirft after their blood ; and the behaviour
of. both parties on that day, and in many little
fkirmifhes fince, muft convince all the world
that in the caufe of liberty the Americans are
pot afraid to look regulars in the face> and that
in an unjuft and oppreflive fervice Britifh troops
^re far from being invincible.
The burning of the innocent town of Charles-r
town, after it, had been left by its inhabitants, is
g piece of fuch wanton cruelty as will fix an
everlafting difgrace on the Britifh Arms, In the
lpng civil war in Great Britain nothing of the
kind was attempted by either party, and this
barbarity cannot fail being condemned by all ci
vilized nations.
If at the battle on Bunker's Hill the Ameri
cans have been furprized, fuperiority has coft the
regulars dearer than the Americans what is called
their defeat ; one or two more fuch defeats of
the Americans would for ever put it out of the
power

[ » ]
power of the prefent regular army • to gain a
victory. The rejecting of the New- York' petition has
effectually filenced all thofe who pleaded for, or
hoped any good from, petitioning. The can
nonading of that town in the dead of the night,
and without the leaft previous warning, as it has
fhewn what the inhabitants' are indiicriminateh/
to expect, will in hiftory ftand as a lafting mo
nument of fuch wantonnefs of cruelty as nations
not remarkable for humauity would be afhamed
of. The deflroying of the New-England fifhery
laid all thofe who were deprived of their bread
and occupation at fea, under an abfolute neceffity
of feeking it in the American Army, and the
fenfe ofthe injury done them will doubtlefs exert
itfelf in the day of battle. '
The endeavour to ftir up popifh Canadians and
favage Indians againft the Colbnifts has been pro^-
ductive of the taking of the important pafs 6f*
Ticonderoga, which has been effected without
the lofs of a -fingle life on either fide.
Detaining the inhabitants of Bofton, after
they had, in dependance on the general's wofd
of honour, -given up their arms, to be ftarved
and ruined, is an action worthy of the caufe,
and can only be equalled by the diftreffes of Pro-
teftants driven under the walls of Londonderry^
at which even a James relented.
Propofals publicly made by minifterial writers
relative to American domeftics, laid the fouthern
provinces

t 13 ].
provinces under a neceffity of arming themfelves ;
a propofal to put it in the power of dorrieftics to ,
cut the throats of their mafters, can only ferve
to cover the propofers and abettors with everlaft-
ing infamy.
The Americans have been called " a rope of*
ct fand i" but blood and fand will make a firm
cementation ; and enough American blood has
been already fhed to cement them together into
a thirteenfold cord, not eafily to be broken.
My Lord, the violence of the prefent meafures
has almoft inftantaneoufly created a continental
union, a continental currency, a continental army,
and before this can reach your Lordfhip, they
will be as equal in difcipline as they are fuperior
in caufe and fpirit to any regulars. The moft
zealous Americans could not have effected in an
age,; what the cruelty and violence of adminiftra
tion has effectually brought to pafs in a day. ,
The regular army employed on this errand,
with four able generals, now lies no better than
v befieged within the ruins of Charles-town and
Bofton, unable to procure the neceffaries of life,
obliged to import their bread from Europe, and
fuel from Canada, pining away with difeafe, and
affording daily martyrs to cruelty and arbitrary
power, while every day adds, to the improbability
of their ever obtaining thofe unhappy ends, A
ftrange fituation for a Britifh army !
Reftraining the trade of the Colonies, will ef
fectually annihilate all their trade with Great
Britain, The numbers that croffed the Atlantic,
C or

t H 1
or fef-exported American commodities from
Great Britain ; the manufacturers that wrought
for America, or worked up their raw;materials ;
will now' be at full leifure to know and feel
Whether the American trade be an object of any
importance, and how much the nation is obliged
to a miniftry that has fo effectually laboured its
deftruction. The prefent difpute has made every American
acquainted with, and attentive to, the principles
of the Britifh conftitution : in this refpect, as
well as in a ftrong fenfe of liberty, and the ufe
of fire-arms almoft from the cradle, the Ameri
cans have vaftly the advantage over men of their
rank almoft every where elfe. From the conftant
topic of prefent converfation, every child unborn
will be impreffed with the notion : it is flavery
to be bound at the will of another in all cafes
whatfoever ; every mother's milk will convey a
deteftation of this maxim, Were your Lordfhip
in America, you might fee little ones acquainted
with the word of command before they can di-r
ftindtly fpeak, and fhouldering the refemblance.
of a gun before they are well able to walk. '«
When millions of free people at once turn
their thoughts from trade, and the means of ac-r
quiring wealth, to agriculture and frugality, it
muft caufe a moft fenfihle alteration in the ftate.
My Lord, this is the cafe at prefent in America;
every new act of violence will ftrengthen and
confirm the fpirit that taught them the neceffity of

[ ii I
bf being frugal and virtuous, that they might1;
remain free, and become invincible.
Admit, my Lord (for fuppofitiorts now be
come probable in proportion of their being
aftonifhing and violent) that a Britifh fleet may
effectually guard every harbour, river, crfcfik, or
inlet on the American coaft ; admit alfo that her
troops deftroy every town, village, ot hut along
the fea fhore ; what then will be the confequence ?
Why, my Lord, it will be the deftroying the
propetty of thoufands in Great Britain, and of a
few on this fide of the water, whom your Lord-^
fhip calls your friends : perhaps the attempt may
notfucceed; but fuppofing it fhould, the Ame
ricans, injured beyond a poflibility of reparation,
and irritated to the higheft degree, will retire
where they are inacceffible to troops and fhips ;
inftead of trade and navigation, you will have a
defolate fea-coaft ; the trade of America will be
loft, and with it the finews of war : and, my;
Lord, in the natural courfe of things America,
in lefs than half a century, will contain more
inhabitants than Great Britain and Ireland j and j
that period, my Lord, is not fo far diftant toj
put the prefent treatment entirely out of re
membrance. America and Great -Britain joined
in arms together, may grow confident againft
the world befides ; but if Britain continue her
arms againft America ; if her troops can be per
fuaded to go on againft their brethren and friends ;
if they will deftroy the laft afylunr of liberty,
and a country which has faved fo many thoufands
C 7, front

[ i* 3
from ftarving at home ; the Americans will fight
like men, who have every thing at flake : the
mercenariep with bayonets at their backs, and
at the rate of fix-pence a day, if they are once
defeated, whence will they be refupplied ? If
|hey return to Britain victorious, they will be fit
inftruments to promote that flavery at home which
they have been fuccefsful in faftening (probably
for a very little while) on their fellow-fubjects
abroad. In times of public confufion men of all parties
are fometimes carried further, than they intended
at firft fetting out. Hiftory and the knowledge
of human nature fhould inform your Lordfhip
how much it is againft all found policy to fecure
or ftrive for punctilios at an infinite rifk.
/""Th6 Americans have always fhewn an affect
tionate regard to the king, and they are truly -
fenfible of the neceffity and advantage of a pefr
petual union with the parent ftate ; but unde*
ferved feverities cannot be productive of any
pleafing returns. The Americans firmly believe
that the claim at prefent endeavouring to be en
forced, would render them mere flaves, and it is
their general motto, "Death or Freedom."
The parliamentary, or, as they fay, minifterial
claim is now written in letters of blood, and that
will be far from making it more acceptable, to
American readers.
On the whole, my Lord, fhould this, addpefs
be deemed impertinent and intrufive, I hope it
may ftill be excufable frorn the importance of
the

[ *7 3
the caufe, and the fincerity of its motive. In the
event ofthe prefent difpute I look upon all man
kind as interefted, and though not natural born,
his majefty has not another fubject that more
ardently wifheth that his own repofe and happi
nefs and that of all his fubjects may never meet
with any interruption. Whether Britifh troops ]
fhall now drive liberty from out of the greater
part of the Britifh empire, and bury her remains J
in the American wildernefs, or whether that
wildernefs fhall flourifh and chearfully contribute
to make Great Britain the greateft empire of the
univerfe/is the queftion now to be decided ; and
it is not fo unimportant, but it may be expected
He that is higher than the higheft, and taketh up
the ifles like a very little thing, will interpofe in
the decifion. The whole American procefs, my
Lord, is liable to a revifion, and when' righteouf-
nefs and judgment to come once make an im-
preffion, many a Felix will tremble.
To reftore peace and harmony nothing is ne
ceffary than to fecure to America the known
blefiings of the Britifh conftitution. This may
be done in a moment, and without any difgrace
or rifk. Let the Americans enjoy, as hitherto,
the privilege to give and grAnt by their own
reprefentatives, and they will give and grant li
berally ; but their liberty they will never part with
but with their lives. The day that reftores their li
berty, reftores every thing to their former channel ;
to enforce the contrary claim, ages may be infuffi-
cient, and every -day encreafes the danger of
" a mo-

[ i« 3
" a mother's being dafhed to pieces on her own
«e children."
That your Lordfhip, in the hand" of Provi
dence, may be a happy inftrument to bring the
prefent unnatural conteft to a fpeedy, juft, and
honourable iffue ; that you may live to fee much
of that happinefs which muft be the refult ; is
no lefs my fervent prayer, than that God would
blaft every counfel and meafure that may have
a contrary tendency,— —that would feparate
Britain and America, whom God has joined to
gether,  that would abridge the rights, liber
ties, and happinefs of the nation, our rightful
Sovereign (whom God ever preferve) or any of
his fubjedts !
lam, my Lord,
Your Lordship's moft humble Servant,
September 3, 1775.

J. J, ZUBLY.

I *9 1

A SERMON, @V.

James ii. 12.
So fpeak ye, and fo do, as they that fhall be judged
by the Law of Liberty.
THERE was a time when there was no
king in Ifrael, and every man did what
was good in his own eyes. The confe
quence was a civil war in the nation, iffuing in
the ruin of one of the tribes, and a confiderable
lofs to all the reft.
' And there was a time when there was a king in
Ifrael, and he alfo did what was right in his own
eyes, a foolifh fon of a wife father; his own im
prudence, the rafhnefs of his young counfellors,
his unwillingnefs to redrefs the grievances of the
nation, and the harfh treatment he gave to thofe
who applied for relief, alfo brought on a civil
war, and iffued in the feparation of the ten tribes
from the houfe of David. He fent his treafurer
to gather an odious duty or tribute, but the chil-r
dren of Ifrael ftoned him that he died j and when
he gathered one hundred and fourfcOre thoufand men,

[ ao 3
men, that he might bring again the kingdom
unto Roboam, God fent him a meffage, "Ye
" fhall not go up, nor fight againft your brethren*
<f return every man to his houfe, for this thing is
cc done of me." God di&pproved ofthe oppreffive
meafures and miniftry of Rotaeafl^ and that king's
army appears more ready to obey the command
of their God, than flay their, brethren by orders
of a tyrant. " They obeyed the voice of the
" Lord, and returned from going againft Jero-
" boam." 2 Chron. x. 18. xi. "4.
The things that happened before are written
for our learning. By comparing paft times and
proceedings with thefe that are prefent, prudence
will point out many falutary and religious leflonsi
The conduct of Roboam verifies the lamentation
of his father, " Woe to thee, O land, when, thy
" king is a child." Ecclef. x. 16. A very fmall
degree of juftice and moderation might have pre»
ferved his kingdom, but he thought weapons of
war better than wifdom; he hearkened not, neither
to the people, nor to fome of his more faithful
counfellors ; and the coqfequence was that, in~
ftead of enflaving the ten tribes, who ftood up
for their liberty, God gave Judah to be fervants
to the king of Egypt, that they might learn the
difference between his fervice and the fervice of
the kingdoms of the nations. A people that
Claim no more than their natural rights, in fo
doing, do nothing difpleafing unto Gqd; and
the moft powerful monarch that would deprive
his fubject of the liberties of man, whatever Way

[ at J
may be 'his fuccefs, he muft not expect the ap
probation of God, and in due time will be. the
abhorrence of all men.
In a time of public and general uneafinefs it
behoves both fuperiors and inferiors to confider.
It is eafy to extinguifh a fpark j it is folly to blow
up difeontent into a blaze : the beginning of
ftrife is like the letting out of waters, and no
man may know where it will end. There is a
rule given to magiftrates and fubjects, which, if
carefully attended to, would fecure the dignity
and fafety of both; but which, if not duly regarded,
is ufually attended with the worft confequences.
The prefent, my hearers, will eafily be ailowed
is a day of trouble, and furely in this day of ad-
verfity we ought to confider. When a people
think themfelves oppreffed, and in danger, no
thing can be more natural than that they fhould
enquire into the real ftate Of things, trace their
grievances to their fource; and endeavour to apply
the remedies which are moft likely to procure re
lief: this I take to be the defign of the prefent
meeting of perfons deputed from every part of
the country; and as they have; thought proper
to , open and begin their deliberations with a fo-
lemn addiefs unto God, and the confidefatibn of
his holy word, I moft chearfully comply with
their requeft to officiate on this occafion ; and fhall
endeavour, as I may be enabled, to point out
fuch directions from the holy fcriptures as may
make us wife in the knowledge of time, and di-
-rect > us how to carry <. ourfelves worthy of the
D character

[ >? ]
character of good fubjects and Chriftians : wn£ti?
ever may be peceffary for this pur,pofe, Intake -to
be comprehended in the apoftolical ride, which
I have laid down asthe'tubjedt of this o*ifbqurfe j
" S4o fpeak, and (o do, as ^ they that; fhall be
" judged by the law of, liberty,"'
There are two things which properly come
before us, viz. , . ¦ .;
I. That we are to be judged by the law of
liberty ; and
II. The exhortation to act worthy, and under
the influence of this important truth on every
occauon. A law is a rule of behaviour made" ttndef,
proper authority, and with penalties -annexed
iuitable to deter the tranfgreflions.. As all laws
fuppofe man to be in aibcial ftate, fo. all laws
ought to be made for the good of man : a8lawthji
is not made by fuch a^have authority for fo doirfg,
is of no force ; and if authority makes laws des
ftructive in themfelves, no authority can prevent
things from finally taking their natural courier
Wherever there is fociety, there muft alfo bp
law; it is impoffible that fociety mOu Id fubfift
without it. The wilf, minds, tempers, difpo
fitions, views, and interefts of men are fo very
different, and fometimes fo oppofite, that with
out law, which cements and binds all, every
thing would be iii endtefs diforder and confufion.
All laws ufually Wear the c6mplexion of thofe
by whom they were made ; but it cannot be de
nied that fome bad men, #<wn a fenfe of necef*. fity,

[ >3 ]

.."».

«(

fity, haye made good laws ; and that fome good
men, from miftake, or Other weakneffes, , have
enacted laws bad in themfelves, and pernicious
in their confequences.
All human laws partake of human imperfec
tion; it is not f© with the laws of God: he is
perfect, and fo are all his works and ways,
" Thp law of the Lord is perfect, converting
'* the foul. The teftimony of the Lord is fure,
" making wif$ the'iimple. The ftatutes of the
"Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The
" commandment of the Lord is pure, enlighten-
sing the eyes. All- his judgments are truth,
" and righteoufnefs altogether." Plalm xix.
Arnpng men every fociety and country has its
own laws and form of government, which may
be very different, and cannot operate-beyond their
limits ; but thofe laws and that form of govern
ment-are undoubtedly beft which have the greateft
tendency to. make all thofe that live under them fe
cure, and happy. As foon as we confider mari
ai formed .into fociety, it is. evident that the
* fafety of the whole muft he the grand law which
muftmfluenceand direct every other : men didnot
pafs from a ftate of nature into a .ftate of fociety,
to, render- .their fituation more mifer able, and
their rights more precarious. That government
and tyranny is the hereditary :. right, of fome, and
that- flavery and oppreffion is the original doorrj of
others, is a doctrine that would reflect difhonour
f SaJus populi iuprema lex.
D i upon

I 24 ]
upon God: it is treafon againft all mankind ; it
is indeed an enormous 'faith, that : millions were
made for one : tranfubftantiation is, but a harmr-
lefs abfurdity, compared with the (-notion of a
divine right to. govern wrong, or of making laws
which are contrary to every idea of liberty, pro
perty, and juftice.
The law which the apoftle fpeaks, of. in our
text, is not a law of man, but of Hi,m who is
the only lawgiver, that can fave and condemn,
to whom all Owe obedience, and whofe laws none
can tranfgrefs with impunity.
Though all the laws, that God ever gave unto
man are worthy of God, and tend to promote
the happinefs of thofe to whom jhey were given,
yet we may obferve a very ftriking/ -ieiy in the
different laws which he gave.a^ durerent times
and to different people. " He (hewed his word
ct unto Jacob, his ftatutes and his judgments unto
" Ifrael; he has not dealt fo with! 'any. other na-«
'* tion." Pfalm cxlvii. ,*8, 19. ;>'
To the generality „of , mankind be gave nOiWr^w
ten law, but yet left not himfelf .without a wit-*
nefs among them ; -the words of the law we^e
written in. their hearts, .their confcience aHo
bearing witnefs, and* their thoughts, the mean
while excufing.prelfe ^pcufing one another ;, it
cannot be faid they were without Jaw, whilft,
what they were to do, and what they were to for*
bear, was written irr thejr hearts, , ; .,
To Ifrael God came with a fiery law in his
¦ bands, it was given with 'the mb:ft awful folem*- nity

[ *5 ]
nity upon mount Sinai : and as the fum and fub-
ftance of all their Ceremonial, political, andf moral
law centered in the ten commandments, fo the
fum and fubftance of thefe are comprehended in
love to God and love to man, which,* as our
Lord himfelf informs Us contain all the law
and all the prophets.
' All rnanifeftations of fhe will, of God have
been gradual;' and it is probable the means of
knowing God will be progreflive through differ
ent ages, till eternity gives the good man a full
fight of God in his immediate prefence. During
the difpenfation of the oldteftamentand the ce
remonial law, a fpirit of bondage obtained unto
fear, the law was a' fchoolmafter to bring us unto"
Christ ; 'neither did the law make" any thing
perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope :
grace and truth were brought to light by Jesus
Christ ; and hence the difpenfation of the gof-
pel Under which we ¦ live, is called the law of
liberty. Though there is a manifeft diftinctlon between
law and gofpel, ahd fometimes thefe two things
are even oppofed to one another, yet the doctrine
of the gofpel is alfo called " the law of faith;"
Rom. iii. 17. partly becaufe it was ufual with the
Jewrfh writers to call every doctrine alaw, and
partly alfo becaufe the dodtrine of the gofpel pre-
ferits us with a rule of life, which all its profef-
fors are bound to obey: hence they are faid to be
« not without law, but under the law of Christ ;"
j Cor. ix, n. and hence our apoftle fpeaks of a
. royal

[ 26 ]
royal law, which, though we, cannot obey in per-*
fectioB* notj derive any merit from our imperfect
obedience, we cahnpt neglect without danger,
nor difobey without fhe wing our difregard to the
doctrine of the gofpel in general.
It deferves very particular; attention, that the
dodtrine of the gofpel is called a law of liberty.
Liberty and law are perfectly confiftent ; liberty
does not confift in living without all reftraint; for
were all men to live without reftraint, as they
pleafe,- there would foon be no Hberty at. all ; the
ftrongeft would be mafter, the weakeft go to the
wall y right, juftice, and property muft giveaway.
tp power, and, inftead of its being a bleffing, &
more unhappy fituation could hot e.afily be de-.
vifed unto mankind, than that every man fhould)
have it in his power to do what, is right in his own
eyes : well regulated liberty of individuals is thej
natural offspring of laws, which prudentiaily r ei{
gulate the rights of whole communities : and a£
laws which take away the natural rights of men
are unjuft and opprefiive, fb all liberty which 'ii
not regulated by law is a deluftve phantom, ar^of
unworthy of the glorious name.
The gofpel is called a law of liberty, becaufe,
it bears z, moft friendly afpedt to the liberty of,
man: it is a known rule, Evangelium. noh tollh
politias, the gofper makes no alteration 1'h \'he!
civil ftate ; it by no means renders man's natural*
and focial condition worfe than it would be with-,
out the knowledge of the gofpel. When the
Jews boafted pf their freedom, and that, they
never

I 27 .J
never, we're in bondage, iour Lord does not re
prove them for.it,, but only . obferves, that .'na
tional freedom ftill admits of improvement : " .|f
f the Son fh^ll make you free, then are you free
" indeed." John viii. 16. 1 his leads me to ob-
ferve, that the gofpel is a4aw of liberty in a much
higher fenfe : by whomfoever a man is overcome,
of the fame he is brought iptohondage;; but no
external enemy can fo completely tyrannize over
a conquered enemy, as fin does over all thofe
who yield themfelves its fervants: vicious habits,
when once they have gained the afcendant in the
foul, bring man to that unhappy pafs, that he
knows better things and doesworfe; iin, like a
torrent, carries him away againft knowledge and
conviction, while confcience fully convineeth hiita
that he travels the road of death, and muft ex
pect, if he .fo continues, to take up his abode m
hell;, though his decaying body clearly teU^ hifei.
iin breaks his conftitution, as well as waftes his
iubftance; though he feels the lofs of credit and
wealth, ftill fin has too ftrong a hold of hirri. tQ
be forfaken ; though he faintiy refolves tp, break
off; yet, till the grace of ,; God brings falvation,
when he would do good, evil is prefent with hjm:
ip fhort,., inftead of being under a law of liberty,
he is under, the law of fin and death; but when
ever he feels, the happy influence, of -the grace of
the apfpel; then this " Jaw of liberty makes him
" ' freedom the law of fin anddeatb,:" Rorn. viii. 2.
it furnifhith him not only with motives to refift,
but with power alfo to fubdue fin; fin reigns np
longer

I .?* ]
longer in his mortal body, becaufe he is not
under the law, but under grace. By this law of
liberty he is, made free from fin, and has his fruit
unto holinefs, and the end of it eternal life*.
There is another reafon why the gofpel is called a
law of liberty, which is to diftinguifh it from the
.ceremonial law under the Mofaic difpenfation ; a
yoke," pf which an apoftle faith, neither they
nor their .fathers were able to bear ; it was fuper-
added on - account of their tranfgreffions, and
fuited to the character of a grofs and ftubborn
nation, to- whom.; it was originally given: they
were fb prone to idolatry, ' and fo apt to forget
their God, their notions were fo grofs and carnal,
that a number of external rites iand ceremonies
became neeeffary, to put them in mind of him,
and to attach them to fome, degree of his worfhip
and fervice. This, however neceffary, was *a
heavy burden ; it bid, them " touch not, tafte
,". Hot, handle not;" it required of them expen-
five facrifices, and a coftly and painful fervice ; it
was attended with the. moft fearful threatnings ;
i£ any man brake Mofes' law, he died under two
or three witnefles ; and the very fpirit they then
received, . was a fpirit of bondage unto fear :
whereas the gofpel difpenfation -breatheth a fpirit
of confidence, and under the law of liberty we
call upon God, as Abba, Father. By this law pf
liberty the profeffors of the gofpel will be judged.
Every man is a rational, and therefore account
able, creature. As a creature he muft needs de
pend on his Creator; and as a rational creature he
muft

[ 29 ]
fnuft certainly be, accountable for all his actions.
Nothing is more evident than that man is not of
himfelf; and if once we admit that he holds his
exiftence, his faculties and favours from God that
made him, it becomes a very obvious conclufion
that his Maker muft have had fome view in giving
him exiftence, and more underftandirigthan to
the beafts of the field, neither can it be a matter
of indifference to him whether man acts agreeably
or contrary to his defigns. The Creator of the
natural world is alfo its moral ruler; and if he is
npw. the proprietor and ruler of intelligent beings,
at fome time or other he muft alfo be their
judge. .
If God had not made' his will known unto
man, there could have been neither tranfgreffion
nor judgment. If it fhould be faid that God
has not manifefted himfelf alike unto all men,
and that fome have much fmaller opportunities to
know his will and their duty than others, it is
enough to obferve, that no man will be judged
by a rule of which it was impoffible hcfhould'
have any knowledge. Every work and every
man will be brought into judgment, and the
judgment of God will never be otherwife than
according to truth; but thofe that never had the
law of liberty will not be judged by that law; and
t^ofe that have been favoured with the revelation
of the gofpel, will be 'more inexcufable than any
Others if they neglect the day of their vifitation.
« As many as have finned without law, fhall
^ alfo perifh without law ; and as many as have
E !' finnep

[ 3° J
" finned in the law, fhall be judged by the law.''
Rom. ii. 12. All men are under fome law; they
feel, they are confcious, that they are fo; the
thoughts which already excufe or condemn one
another, are an anticipation Of a final and deci
five judgment, when every man's reward will be
according to his works* ¦ -
That all thofe who heard and profefTed to be
lieve the gofpel will be finally judged by that,
We have the fulleft; affurance. GoD will judge
the fecrets of men by Jesus ChrisT according
to his gofpel. " The word that I have fpoken/'
faith Christ, " the fame will judge them that
" heard it on the laft day." John xii. 4§i It
greatly interefts us clearly to know what is the
import and confequence of being judged by the
gofpel as a law of liberty, and it contains the
following things :
The general character, all the thoughts^
words, and actions, together with the general
conduct of all thofe who profefTed the gofpel,
will be brought to the teft, and tried by this
rule. Man's own opinion of himfelf, the good
opinion of ^others, will here ftand him in no
ftead; his character will not be determined by his
external appearance, but by his inward reality.
" Man looketh On the outward appearance/i but
" the Lord looketh on the heart." i Sam. xvii. 7.
The felf-righteous pharifee will be rejected, not-
withftanding his fair appearance and boafting;
the penitent publican will be received, though he
has nothing to plead, but Lord have mercy on
me

[ 3* ]
' ¦ ...
me a finner. The law is fpirftual, and no law
more fo than the law of the gofpel ; it requires
not merely an external obedience, ,but an inter
nal conformity to the will of God ; it demands
truth in the inwapd part; it looks not only to the
actions that are done, but to the principle from
which they flow; we muft judge of man's in
ward difpofition by his vifible action ; but God
judges of the actions of men according to their
invifibl'e fpring; thpughts are out of the reach, of
human cognizance, but they are the firft object
of divine notice : there is not a word that drops
from our tongue but what our judge hears ; what
ever we do, or whatever we neglect, is all under
his immediate eye ; and he not only attends to
our general character, but alfo to every thought,
word, or action, and the prevailing complexion
pf all thefe taken together form our true and real
character. •
In. the judgment, according to this law, our
character, words, thoughts, and actions will be
brought to the teft of this rule, our conduct will
be compared with thefe precepts i this is the ba
lance of the fanctuary in which the profefTors of
the gofpel fhall -be weighed, and as they fhall be
found approved or deficient, their cafe muft be
determined. Thofe whofe temper and adtions
fhall be found conformable to the law of liberty,
will be acquitted, gracioufly accepted, and made
ever happy; and thofe who turned the grace of
God into wantonnefs, ; and made? the liberty of
the gofpel a cloak for their fins, will be finally
E 2 rejedted,

: [ 3'a ' 1
rejected. The gofpel informs .'us,, that a day is
already appointed for that purpofe ; it acquaints
us with the perfon of out judge, and every cir-
cumftance, as well as the rule, according to
which he will proceed in judgment. Perhaps on
that day, when all nations fhall appear before the
judge, and he will divide them as a fhepherd di-
videth the fheep from the goats, diftindl places
will alfo be allotted to thofe who are to be judged
by natural confcience and the law of nature, and
thofe who have been favoured with a divine re
velation, and efpecially with the light pf the
gofpel : the people of Nineveh wift arife againft
empty profefTors of the gofpel, and will condemn
them. Thofe who have been exalted above
Others in means and privileges, will fit propor-
tionably lower than thofe who have made a better
improvement of IefTer means ; and notwithftancl-
ing the fondeft hope and fineft profeffion, it is a
.determined rule of the law of liberty, that
f? except our righteoufnefs mall exceed that of
?c the fcribes and pharifees, we fhall in no caije
*f enter into the kingdom of heaven."
It deferves our peculiar attention, that the
apoftle confiders the gofpel as a law of liberty,
at the fame time when he fets it before us, as the
rule by which we are to be judged. We are not
to imagine becaufe the gofpel is a law of liberty,
dierefore men will not be judged; on the con
trary, judgment will be the more fevere againft
all who have heard and profefTed the gofpel, and
yet walked contrary to its precepts and doctrine.
f' As

[ 33 ]
As the trarifgreffion of a law of liberty muft be
more inexcufable, than the tranfgreffion of a law
uhjuft or opprefBve in itfelf, or even the ceremo
nial law, which was given only for a certain pe
riod, and to anfwer temporary purpofes, fo their
judgment and doom muft be proportionably hea
vier, who have finned againft love and liberty, as
well as'againft power and juftice.
According to this law the fate of men will not
only be determined, but fentence will alfo be put
into execution. God fitteth on the throne of,
judgment every day, and judgeth ri^hteoufly;
but he hath moreover appointed a particular day
when he will manifeft his power and juftice be
fore the whole creation ; when the dead both
fmall and great will ftand before God; when
thofe that acted agreeable to the law of liberty,
will attain the fuinefs of glory of the freedom of
the Tons of God, and when he will alio take ven-
'geance on all that have not known God, and have
riot obeyed his holy gofpel. This naturally leads
to the fecond thing propofed, , to; take a nearer
view of the importance of the exhortation, " So
" fpeak, and fo do, as they that fhall be judge4
" by the law of liberty."
Tt feems as though the apoftle had an eye to
fome particular branch of the law of liberty, /. e«
the love which we owe unto our neighbour,, and
that his defign is fo obviate the miftake as 'though
men might be confidered as fulfilling the-hny'bf
Christ, in paying relpedt ;o fome ot its ,c> m~
mands and prohibitions, at tl:.e fame time that
th-y-

[ 34 ]
they were entirely regardlefs of ^the reft. He af-
fures them, that " whofoever fhall keep the
" whole law, but fhall tranfgrefs in one point"
(e. g. having refpect of perfons) " is guilty of
«' all." On this principle the apoftle builds the
general exhortation, a So fpeak, and (o do, as
" they that fhall be judged by the law of li-
" berty." This implies, fb
I. Be thoroughly convinced of the certainty
of a judgment to come, and that it extends to
you, to all your thoughts, words," and actions.
There is not any truth of greater moment, nor
perhaps more eafily forgotten. The belief or
unbelief of this important dodtrine muft have the
moft fenfible effects. All the apoftles frequently
put their hearers in mind of a judgment to come ;
and there is not; any truth rnore neceffary to be fre
quently inculcated and daily thought on ; and
wherever this truth is really believed and felt, it
will have a conftant and natural influence on the
behaviour of thofe who truly believe it.
2. See to it that, in judgment you may ftand,
AH men will be brought into judgment, but few
will be able to ftand ; none will be excufedy or be
able to withdraw, and only thofe who have adted
worthily will meet with the diyine acceptance.
The difference will be amazing and beyond all '
conception : an eternity of happinefs, which eye
has not feen, ear has not heard, and which never
entered into the heart of any man, lies on the
one fide; and defpair, mifery, and torment on
the other. Thofe that are able to ftand, will
meet

t 35 I
meet With the fmiles and approbation of their
judge ; and to all the reft the king will fay,
<c Thefe mine enemies that would not have me
«* to bear rule over them, bring.' them. here, and
" flay them before mine eyes." Thofe that be
lieve and are convinced of this awful alternative,
fhould certainly make it their care that they may
be able to ftand in judgment; neither fhould the
perfuafion of this only influence their conduct in
general, but thefe words ought to be confidered
3S a rule, which we ought to have conftantly be
fore our eyes in all our difcourfes and every un
dertaking ; we fhould ever " fo fpeak, and fo
" act, as they that fhall be judged by the law of
"liberty." I fhall' draw a few inferences, before I con
clude with a more particular addrefs to the worthy
gentlemen at whofe requeft I preach on this
occafion, i . The gofpel is a law of liberty.
^A late writer * afferts, " Every religion coun-
«c tenances defpotifm,.. but none fo much as the
** tGhriftian." This is a very heavy charge againft
religion in general, but bears hardeft on the
Chriftian. Whether it proceeds from malice,
ignorance, or mifapprehenfion, it is needlefs to
determine : but if Chriftianity be a law of liberty,
it, muft be obvious how ill-gpounded , is fuch a
charge againft it. It cannot be denied but fome
.,... -an ¦
*• See a tra&, intituled, " Chains of Slavery." Printed,
London, 1775, Chrlftian

[ 36 ]
Chriftian writers have wrote againft the rights of
mankind. All thofe who ftand up for unlimited
paffive obedience and non-refiftance, may have
given but too much caufe for fuch furmifes and
fufpicions ; but the truth is, that both -thofe which
make this charge, and thofe who gave occafion
for it, were alike ignorant of the fpirit and tem
per of Chriftianity ; and it may well be doubted
whether the venders of fuch odious doctrines,
who foifted tenets, fo ¦ abominable and injurious
to mankind, into the fyftem of Chriftian religion,
have, not done that holy religion greater hurt,
under the pretence of friendfhip and defence,
than its moft barefaced enemies by all their moft
violent attacks. Some Chriftian divines have
taught the enormous faith, that millions were
made for one ; they have afcribed a divine right
to kings to govern wrong: but what then? Are
fuch abominable doctrines any part of Chriftianity,
bepaufe thefe men fay fo ? Does the gofpel ceafe
to be a law of liberty, becaufe fome of its pro->
fefiors pervert it into an engine of tyranny, op-
prefiion, and-injuftice ?
The afiertion, that all religion countenances
defpotifm, and Chriftianity more than any other,
is diametrically oppofite to fact. Survey the
globe, and you will find that liberty has taken
its feat only in Chriftendom, and that the higheft
degree of freedom is ^pleaded for and enjoyed by
fuch as make profeffion of the gofpel.
There are but two religions which are con
cerned in this charge ; the Jewifh and the Chrif tian.

L 37 J
tiari. Natural religion writers of this, kind I
fbppofe would not include in their charge; if
they do, they fet all religion at variance with the
rights of mankind, contrary to the fenfe of all
nations, who are generally agreed, that, ab-
ftractly of a world to come, religion is of real
fervice and neceffity to mankind, for their better
government and order.
As to the Jewifh religion, it feems really ftrange
that any fhould charge it with favouring defpo
tifm, when by one of its exprefs rites at certain
times it proclaimed " Liberty throughout the
" land, to the inhabitants thereof." Levit. xxv.'
iq. It required their kings ¦" not to be lifted
" up in their hearts above their brethren." Deut.
xvii. 20. And the whole fyftem of that religion
is fo replete with laws againft injuftice and op-
preflion, it pays fuch an extraordinary regard to
property, and gives fuch a ftridt charge to rule in
juftice and the fear of God, arid to confider thofe.
oyer whom they judge as their brethren, even.
when difpenfing punifhments, and forbids aft
excefs in them, that it is really furprizing any one
acquainted with its precepts fhould declare it
favourable to defpotifm or oppreffion.
The Chriftian religion, while it commands
due refpect and obedience to fuperiors,. no where
requires a blind and unlimited obedience on the
part of the fubjects ; nor does it veft any abfp-
lute and arbitrary power in the rulers. It is an
inftitution for the benefit, and not for the diftrefs
of mankind. It preacheth not only " glory to
, F "God

cc : Qpn on high," J but alfo " peace on earth, and
"good will among men."
The gofpel gives no higher authority to magi
ftrates than to he "the minifters of God, ^for the
" good of the fubject." Rom.' xiii. Ftom 'whence
it muft furely follow, that their power is to edify,
and: hot to deftroy : when' they abufe their au
thority, to diftrefs and deftroy. their fubjects,
they deferve not tp be thought: minifters of God
fqr good; nor is" to be fuppofed ,^whefi they adt
,fo ..contrary to the nature of their office, thatthey
act agreeable to the will of God, or in con-
;formity to the doctrine of the gofpel.
The gofpel recommends unto m afters to for
bear threateriings, and to remember that' they
,alfp have a mafter ,in heaven ; it afuires'them
that toe, eye of God is equally upon the feralht
and the mafter, and that' with God there is no
refptct. of perfons : it commands mafters, from the
moft folemn conuderatib'ns, to give unrofervants
that which is juft and equal: it faith to the
rhearieft Savfe;, " Art/ thou called, being'afervant,'
'V care not fp/it,, but if thou mayeft be made
,',c free, ufe it father." i Cor. vii. 2r. KV
f~ The, dodtrine of the gofpel has' that regard'' to
^property, that it commands even foldiers ; "r£)o
"violence to no man, and he content with your
" wage?." Luke iii. 14. That a Paul fent back
a run-away Have, though now' converted, and
belonging to his intimate friend, and at a time
when he feems. to have flood in real need of his
fervice, from a delicacy that he would do nothing
Without

'[ 22 ]
without the owner's mind, lefs his benefit fhould
appear as if it were of neceffity, and not willingly.
Philem. 14. From the fame fpirit of juftice a
Zacheus, after his converfion, reftored fourfold
what before he r had taken from any by falfe ac-
cufation : furely then the fpirit of the gofpel is
very friendly to, tlie rights and property of men.
The gofpel fets. confcience above all human
authority, in matters of faith, and bids us to
.,«' ftand faft in that liberty wherewith the Son of
f.'Li God has made us free." Gal. v. 1. Freeddrri'is
the very fpirit and temper of the gofpel : " He
,c5» th>at is called in the Lord, being a fervant, is
?"-!,the Lord's freeman. Ye are bought with a price,
"be ye not the fervants of men." 1 Cor. vii. 22,
23. .,, At the fame time that it commands us to
futpmit, to every ordinance of men, it alfo directs
us to act " as free, and notufing liberty as a
,#, cloak of malicioufnefs, but as the fervants of
" Oop." 1 Pet. iii. 13-18.
Thofe. therefore that would fupport arbitrary,
power, 'and require an unlimited obedience, inj
vain look for precedents or precepts for fuch/
things in the gofpel, an inftitution equally tend
ing to make men juft, free, and happy here^ and
perfectly holy and happy hereafter.
,LtJ a,. The main defign of the gofpel is not to direcl
'.l(S in our external and civil affairs, but how we
may at lafifland with comfort before 'God, the
judge of all.
Human prudence is to be our guide in the
concerns of time ; the gofpel makes us wife unto
F 2 falvation,

[ 4^ )
(faIvation,va^ - points out the means to be purfued,
that it may be well with us inthe world to come.
As rational creatures we are, to make ufe of .our
reafon ; as Chriftians we are to repent and be-:
lieve the gofpel. Motives of a worldly . nature
may very properly influence us in our worldly
concerns ; we are created not only for eternity,
but alfo for time : it is not at all improper for us
to have a due regard for both. The gofpel will
regulate our defires and reftrain our paflions as to
earthly things, and will raife us at the fame time
above time and fenfe, to objects of a nature .more
worthy of ourfelves. A, due regard for, and
frequent meditation on, a judgment to come, will
greatly affift us in ajl our concerns ; and this very
confideration , the, gofpel holds out to us in the
cleareft ma.nper. It not only affirms as a. truths
what reafon and confcience might confider only
as provable, but it takes away as it were the
veil frorp. between us and things to come ;
it gives us a prefent;. view of the future blifs of
faints, and the terrors and defpair of finners ; — ¦
rather an hiftorical account than a prophetic de-
- fcription of all the proceedings of the dreadful
pleafingday; it clearly points put the road to
deftrudtion, and the way to, efcape; it affords, us
a plain arid general, rule to obtain fafety and conv*
fort," when it bids us, " So fpeak, and fo do,
" as they that fhall be judged by:, the law of
" liberty." ' ; , ,
Tb^is general rule may alfo be of confiderable
fervice in extraordinary and particular cafes. It is

( 4i 3 '
is impoffible to provide exprefs directions for every
particular cafe ; and in the courfe of things cir-
cumftances may happen when a good man may
be at a, lofs to know his duty, and find it difficult
fo to act as to obtain- his own approbation. There
may be danger of going beyond, and danger in
not coming up to, the mark. To act worthy of
God, who has called us, is the general rule of
the Chriftian at all times, and upon every occa-
fion ; and did we but always follow this rule,
what manner of perfons fhould we then be!
But in cafes of intricacy, .we may ftill be in
doubt what may be moft for the glory of God,
and moft confiftent with our duty. Sometimes
alfo our relative duties may feem to come in
competition with one another, and vwe may
hefitate in our own mind which for the prefent
has the ftrongeft call. We would fain obey ouF
fuperiors, and yet we cannot think of giving up our
natural, our civil and refigipus fights, noracquiefce
in or contribute to render 'our fellow- creatures or
fellow-citizens flaves and miferable. We would
willingly follow peace with all men, and yet would
be very "unwilling that others fhould take the ad
vantage of a pacific difpofition to injure us in hopes
of doing it with impunity. We would exprefs duty?
refpedt, and obedience to the king, as fupreme,
and yet we would not wifh to ftrengthen the
hands of tyranny, nor call Oppreflion lawful :
in fuch a delicate fituation it is a golden rule,
"So to fpeak, an4 fo to do, as they that fhall be
"judged by the law of liberty." Nothing has
a greater

,.. IrJ  .,„
a greater tendency to mal^e men act wrong than
the difbelief of a future judgment; arid nothing
will more effectually reftrain and direct thern,
than the full perfuafion- thVat fuch an event will
certainly take -place :, nothing would have g.
happier tendency to mafee us act with prudence,
juftice, and moderation, than the firm perfuafion
that God will bring every wprk-jnto judgment,
and every fecret thing, whether it be good
or bad, , ,-¦;..- ..,-. ¦„
Neither could I think on any dire&ion mpre
applicable to the defign of our prefent meeting,
or which I might more properly recommend tp
the refpectable gentlemen now met together to
confult on the recovery and prefervation of tne
liberties of America, and who chofe to begin
their deliberations with a folemn adt of wprfhip
to almighty God, who has eftablifhed govern
ment as his ordinance, ^nd equally abhors
licentioufnefs and , oppreffion ; whofe fingular
bleffing it is if fubjedts enjoy a righteous govern
ment, and under fuch a government lead a quiet
and peaceable -fife in all godlinefs and honefty.
You are met, gentlemen, in a moft critical
time, and on a moft alarming occafion, not |ri a
legiflative capacity, but (while the fitting of the
nlual representation is not thought, for th/e king's
fervice, or neceffary for the good, of this province)
you are choTen by the general voice of this pro
vince to meet pn their behalf, to confult onfbch
meafures as in our local circumftances may be
mpft to' the real advantage, and tend to the
honour

honour of our fovereign, as well as the good
arid, fafety of this province, and of all this
great continent. For the fake of the auditory,
I fhall briefly ftate the immediate caufes that
have given rife to this Provincial and a General
American Congrefs, and then offer fuch humble
advice as appears to me moft fuitable to our
circumftances.
, To enforce fome adts for laying on a duty to
raife a perpetual revenue in America, which the
^Americans think unjuft and unconftitutional,
which all America complains of, and fome
provinces have in fome meafure oppofed*, . a
neel: and army has been fent to New England,
and after a long feries of hard fhips by that pro
vince patiently endured, it is now Put1 of all
queftion that hoftilities have been commenced
againft them ; blood has been fhed, and many
lives have been taken away ; thoufands, never
fo much as fufpedted of having any hand in the
adtlon which is made the pretence of all the
feverity now ufed againft tha't province, have
been arid; ftill are reduced to the greateft diftrefs.
From this other provinces have taken the alarm :
ah apprehenfion of nearer foes, not unlikely to
appear as" auxiliaries in an unjuft caufe, has
inr6,wh our neighbours into arms ; how far and
-vVide the flame fo wantonly kindled may beper-

>i, -'.

..-¦t* This oppoiition in fome provinces confifted 'in fending fhe
tea, op which this duty was to be pa_id back to England, not
fuffering it to be fold or landed in others, and in Bofton, when
¦ they were prevented from fending it back, fit was entirely
deftroyedi but no perfon hurt, nor any blood Jhed,
mitted

{ 44 j
.mitted to fpread, none can fell ; but in thefe
alarming circumftances the liberty of this' don--.
tinent, of which we are a part, the fafety and
domeftic peace of- this province, will naturally
i'become a fubject of your deliberations; and here
I may well adapt the language of old, " There
" was no fuch deed done nOr feen from the day
" that America. was firft fettled unto this day*
" confider pf it, take advice, and fpeak your
" minds," Judges xix. ,30. " I mean not to an
ticipate and diredt your counfels ; but, from your
defire I fhould fpeak on this o'ccafion, I take it
for granted you will permit me to offer? fuch
hints as may appear fuitable to the place -and
defign of our prefent meeting.
, In the firft place, as there is ho evil in a'city
in which the hand'of God may not be feen, fo
in vain is falvation looked foiufrom the hills and
from the mountains, but can come from him
only who has made' heaven and' earth. This
undoubtedly is" a day of trouble, but God faith
to his people, " Call upon me in a day of trouble,
" and I will deliver thee." Pf. 1. ic. V What
" nation has God fo nigh unto them, "as the
" Lord our God is in all things that we call
"upon him for." Deut, iv. 7. If this be bur
firft ftep, if firft of all we look unto hirn^'from
whom our' help cometh, we may hope all will
be well at laft. Let us be thoroughly convinced
of this, we muft -ftand well with GoD, elfe it
can never be well with us at at all : without him
and his help we can never* profper. The Lord

is

[ 45 ]
is with you, if you are with him : " if you
" feek him, you will find him ; butifyoufor-
" fake him, you .will be forfaken by him."
2 Chron. xv. 2. If God be for us, who can be
againft us?; if he be againft us, who can be
for us ? Before we, think on, or look any where
elfe, may our eyes be unto God, that he may
be gracious unto us. Let us humbly confefs and
fpeedily turn from our fins, deprecate his judg
ment, and fecure his favour. " Rent your hearts,
".and. not your garments, and turn unto the
"Lord your God, for he is gracious and
" merciful, flow to anger and of great kindnefs,
" and repenteth him of the evil, who knoweth
" if he will return and repent, and leave a
" bleffing behind him, even a meat-offering and
£;,a drink-offering unto the Lord your God."
Joel ii.iji3, 14.
W1 Let it be a ftanding rule witb every one that is
to fit in council, upon this occaiioii, " £0 to fpeak,
" and lb to do, as one that is to be judged by the
" law of liberty." Let us moft carefully avoid
every thing that might make us incur the dif-
pleafure pf God, and wound ; our own con-
fciences. The effects of your deliberation may
become very ferious and extenfive, and the con
fequences extremely important: think therefore
before you fpeak,1 deliberate before you execute,
and let the law of liberty, by which you are
hereafter to be judged, be the conftant rule of
all your words and action?. Far be it from us
to be reduced under laws inconfiftent with liberty,
G and

[ 46 ]
and as far to- wifh for liberty without law ; let the
orie be fo tempered with the other, that When
we ' come ' to give our account to the fupreme
lawgiver, who is the great judge of all, it may
appear we had a due regard to both, and may
meet with his approbation.
Such always hath been, and fuch is ftill the
attachment of America tor'the illuftrious houfe
of Hanover, that I need not put you in mind
of our duty to the king as fupreme. By our
law the king can do no wrong ; but of his prefent
majefty, who is univerfally known to be adorned
with many focial virtues, may we not juftly con
clude that he wOuld not do any wrong, even
though he could? May1 we not hope, that to
the greatnefs of a monarch he will fuperadd
the feelings of the man, the tendemefs of a
father ? May we not hope, that when the! truth
of things, the tears of his fuffering fubjects, the
diftreffes caufed by acts extremely ill advifed,
once reach his notice, a generous pity will force
his heart, and that pity, when he feels it, will
.command redrefs ? " The heart ofthe king is in
" the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water,
"and he turneth it as he pleafeth." Prov. xxi.T'i.
Moft earneftly therefore let us pray, that in this
great and moft important- matter alfo God may
give unto the king an underftanding heart, that
power maybe governed by wifdom, and" the
wheels of government roil on with juftice and
moderation. Should

I 47 1
Should you think that all our prefent diftrefs
is owing to evil counfellors, nothing need to
hinder you from praying that God would
turn their counfels into fpplifhnefs : you may
make it your earneft requeft, both in public and
in private, that the wicked being removed from
before the king, his throne may be eftablifhed in
righteoufnefs ; that the rod of the opprefTpr may
be broke, and, juftice and equity take place of
tyranny and oppreffion.
It may be owing to nothing but the firm-
attachment to the reigning family, that fo many
Americans look upon the prefent meafures as a
deep laid plan to bring in the Pretender. Perhaps
this jealoufy may. be very groundlefs; but fo
much is certain, that none but Great Britain's
enemies can be gainers in this unnatural con
tent*, i 7
Never let us lofe out of fight that our intereft
lies in a perpetual connection with our mother .
country^/ Notwithftanding the prelent unwife
and harfh meafures, there are thoufands in Great
Britain that think with us, and wifh well to the
American caufe, and make it their own: pet us
convince our enemies, that the ftruggles pf
America have not their rife in a de lire of in
dependency, but from a warm regard to our
Ifirl' .. ¦¦ • -
„,*. Were it defigned to giye the Pretender an opportunity; to
raife divifioas in Great Britain, ftarve the manufacturers, fend
away troops from Ireland and Scotland, and breed civil war in
America, muft all be circumftances too favourable, and I may
fay, very tempting to promote fuch a project.
G z common

,[ 48 ]
common conftitution ; that we efteem the name
of Britons, as .being the fame with freemen :
let every ftep we take afford proof how greatly
we efteem our mothpr country, and that, to
the wifh of a perpetual connection, we prefer
this only confideration, that we may.he virtuous
and free $,
Let me intreat you, gentlemen, think coolly,
and act deliberately : rafh. counfels are feldom
good ones: minifterial rafhnefs,, and American
rafhnefs can only he productive of untoward
compounds : inconfiderate meafures, framed on
the other fide of the Atlantic, are the caufe of
all our mifchiefs; and it is not in the leaft pro
bable that inconfiderate meafures in America can
be productive of any good. Let nothing, be
done through ftrife and vain glory ; let no pri
vate refentment nor party zeal difgrace your
honeft warmth for your country's welfare:
meafures determined on by integrity and pru-

* The idea of a feparation between America and Great Britain
is big with fo many and fuch horrid evils, that every friend . to
both muft fhudder at the thought. Every man that gives Ae
moft diftant hint of fuch a' wifli, ought inftantly to be fufpefted
as a common enemy ; nothing would more effectually ferve the
caufe of our enemies, than any propofal of this kind; all.w^e
men and all good men would immediately fpeak, write, and" ail
againft it : fuch a prppofal, whenever it fhould be made, Would
be an inlet to greater evils than any we have yet fuffered. But
what America detefts as the greateft evil, a Britifh 'miniftry". has
taken the greateft pains to effe£r. : has' wafted Britifh blood and
treafure to alienate America and Great Britain ; the breach is
growing wider and wider, it is become like a great fea; every
moment is a lofs that is not improved toward? bringing about
g. reconciliation.

dence,

[ 49 ]
dence, are moft likely to be carried into execution
by fteadinefs and moderation. Let neither the
frowns of tyranny, nor the pleafure of popularity,
fway you from what you clearly apprehend juft
and right, and to be yourduty. Confider how
much lies at ftake ; how greatly your relioion,
your liberty, your property, your pofterity, is
interefted. Endeavour to act like freemen, like
loyal fubjects, like real Chriftians, and you will
" fo fpeak, and fo act, as they that fhall be
"judged by the law of liberty." Act con-
fcientioufly, and with a view to God, then com^
mit your ways to him ; leave the event with
God, and you will have great reafon to hope
that the event will be juft, honourable, and
happy. And now, gentlemen, you have the wifhes
and prayers of every thoughtful perfon, that
yourdeliberations may be carried on with eandour,
unanimity, and prudence ;^f may be blefled to
preferve the quietnefs of this province, and
co-operate in reftoring the rights and tran
quillity of all America, as well as promote the
profperity of the whole Britifh empire. This will
afford you a heart- felt fatis'fadtion, and tranfmit
your name tp pofterity with honour, when 'all
thofe who had oppofite views, and fought their
greatnefs in the ruin of others, will be held in
abhorrence and deteftation.
I have but a few hints to give to my hearers
in general.
The

[ 50 ]
The times are evil ; this is a day of adverfity,
and in a time of adverfity ,we ought to confider.
It may perhaps foon become impoffible, -even to
the moft indolent, to continue. unconcerned ;j.and
thofe that wifh no more than to hide themfelves
in quiet obfcurity, may not always have it in their
power' to remain, neuter: to know the figns of
the time, is a copfiderable part of human pru
dence; and it is a ftill greater to walk circjum-
fpectly, and redeem the time, becaufe the days,
are evil. Whatever part you may think your-
felves obliged to take, " fo fpeak, and fo do,
" as they,, that fhall be judged hereafter,, and
" judged by the law of liberty."
In thefe times of. confufion I would prefs on
rhy ' hearers a moft confcientious regard to the
common laws of the land. Let our conduct fhew
that we are not lawlefs; by well-doing let us put
to filence the reproaches of our adversaries. Let
us convince them that we do not complain of
law, but of oppreflion; that we do not abhor5
thefe adts becaufe we are impatient to be under
government, but being deftructive of liberty and
property, we think them deftructive alfo of all
law. Let us, act " as free, and yet not make
" liberty a cloak of malicioufnefs, but as the
"fervants of God," '
While it is yet peace and quietnefs with us, let
us not think ourfelves inacceffible to the evils
which are already come upon others; there are
Tome evils which we would rather deprecate in
private than fpeak of in public, againft which -
being

[ 5* ]
being fore-warned, we fhould be fore-armed ;
every trifling report fhould not alarm Us, but it
would be folly ftill greater hot to be on our
guard againft fudden dangers.
Remember them that fuffer adverfity, as being
yourfelves alfo in the body. Think on thofe who
are driven from their habitations and all their con
veniences of life, or confined in their own houfes
by an enraged foldiery, to ftarve in their own
country in the midft of" property and plenty, not
permitted to enjoy their own, and diftrefled in
every connexion, and this without any caufe al
leged againft numbers of them, without com
plaint, fufpicion, or a legal trial : the like was
never heard fince the cruel fiege of Londonderry,
and is a fpecies of cruelty at which even that hard
hearted bigot James II. relented.
Above all, let every one earneftly pray, that
He that is higher than the higheft would foon
make a righteous end of all their confufion ; that
he would incline the king' to hear the cries of his
fubjects, and that no more innocent blood may
be fhed in America.
One thing more: confider the extreme abfur
dity of ftruggling for civil liberty, and yet to con
tinue' 'flaves to Iin and luft. " Know ye not to
" whom ye yield yourfelves fervants to obey ? his
'* fervants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of
"'rfiia unto death, or of obedience unto righte-
" oufnefs." Rom. vi. 16. Ceafe from evil, and
do good ; feek peace, and purfue it : who will
hurt you while you follow that which is good ?
become

become the willing fervants of, the ?Lord" Jesus
Christ, hearken to and 'obey; the voice of his
gofpel, for " where the-Spirit of the Lord is,
" there is liberty;" and ". if 'the Son makes you
" free," then, and not till then, " shall you
" BE FREE INDEED."

From the fimilarity of the fubjeSl, an extraSl from
another Sermon is added.
rTT~,HE queftion between Great Britain and
America, which has already been produc
tive of fuch alarming effects, is, " Whether the
*' Parliament of Great Britain have any power or
" authority to tax the Americans without their
" confent?" Every impartial man will allow that
this is the foundation of the whole difpute. It is
evident that in this queftion confcience. is deeply
interefted, and in this view it becomes a very pro
per fubjedt for .the pulpit. If any thing is re
quired of fubjects which in confcience they are '
bound to pay, give, or do, the refufal of it is not
only a crime againft the ftate, but alfo a finagainft
God: I think it therefore not only not improper,
but my duty,, to point out unto my hearers, fuch
hints and precedents as may illuftrate this matter
from the word of God.
The cafe I would ftate thus : " Whether any
"¦ duty or impoft fuppofed to be laid on in an il-
" legal manner, and inconfiftent with natural
" and civil rights, from motives of confcience " ought*

[ 53 3
kf- ought neverthelefs to be, paid?" and to eluci
date, this, I obferve. . the general f ule , i& ^thia :
"Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to
" whom tribute is due, cuftom to whom cuftom >
" fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour!'',
Rom. xiii. 7. There is fomething due to govern
ment which cannot be refufed without injuftice,
and mOre than which cannot be demanded with
out tyranny and oppreflion. When our Lord
was afked, " What thinkeft thou, is it lawful to
" give tribute unto Cifar or not ?" he gave a very
wife and general anfwer, " Render therefore
", unto Caefar the things which are Caefar's, and
.'^ unto God |he things which are God's, Matth.
xxii. 17. 2r. We are informed, that upon an
other pccafion he paid the tribute-money, and that
after afking Peter of whom do the kings of the
jearth take cuftom or tribute, and Peter anfwec-
ing, '.*. of ftrangers;" he remarked, " Then are the
" children free ;" and yet neverthelefs, as a vo
luntary act, ordered Peter to "..take -a piece of
<f money, and give unto them forme and thee."
MattHu xvii. 25. 27.
acjOn thefe pafTages I fhall make but two re-
marks, which are very obvious, and wili apply
themfelves : 1. How far foever the power of the
-magiftrate a;nd the fubmiffion of the fubject may
sbe-i-extended, it is plain that by thefe rules and
precedents property is left to the fubject. . . To
jender,,give, or pay, fuppofes property. Thofe
who*may be juftly deprived of what they poflefs,
at another's pleafure, , cannot be faid to be pof-
H fefled

C 54 ]
feffed of any property,' and therefore they can
neither give, pay, or render ;- they are themfelves
the property of another. I would further ob-
ferve, 2. That from the anfwer outLord gives
unto Peter, jt appears, that fovereigrrs ought to
treat' their fubjects as children, and that childreii
ought to be free.' O the free and benevolent
fpirit of the gofpel ! -/
By fome it is urged, that fovereigns have a
right to -take away what their fubjects poffeTs, at
pleafure. This right they ground on the follow
ing paflage, i Sam. viii. i o. — " This will be the?
" manner of the king that fhall reign over you i
" he will take your Tons, and appoint them for
" himfelf, for his shariots, and to be horfemeni
<t and fbnie fhall run before his chariots- — and he,
" will take your daughters to be confedfionariesy
, c« and to be cooks and bakers; and he will take
" your fields, and your vineyards^ and your olive^
" yards/ even the beft of them, and give them
" to his fervants ; and he will take the tenthrof
" your feed, and of your vineyards/ and give to
" his officers5 and his fervants ; and he will taksfc
t( your men-fervants and your maid-fervants, and\
" your goodlieft young men, and your afiesj ;and-
*' put them to his work ; he' will take the telith
u of your fheep, and ye fhall be his ferte&t&sT
Here then, according to fome, is the* warrant: of
'divine-right for arbitrary power. Thofe however",-
who found authority to do what is wrong in a re-
prefentation, meant to deter the Jevvs from put
ting it in any man's power to treat them thus,
would

¦t S3 i
wqujd do well to eonfider; that from the text it
felf it plainly appear§, this1 was not to be confi-
dereid as, a right, but as a grievance, Which their
fpily had brought on themfelves. " You fhall
tc cry in that day, and the Lord Will not hear
fc, you." Your mifery Will be the effect of your
$wn fofly. We have another precedent which
ftems fomewhat in point : Rehoboam was afoplifrl
Ion Of "a wife .father; it feems he laid a tribute
on Ifrael: 2 Chron. xiii.'i'S., the people applied
Unto him, prefented 4heir grievances, and grayed
redrefs : *' 'Thy father made Our yoke grievous^*
^ -now therefore $o thou make it lighter, and we
',' will ferve thee." This the council of the old
naen uadvifed him to do; they faid, " If thou
-S'xw'Ht fpeak good words unto them, they Will be
'*. .thy fervants for ever." But more violent coun
fels prevailedj the acts were enforced, " I will
*f. add tb your yoke, I will chaftifb you with fcor-
" pions." This the deluded monarch 'probably
confidered as firmnefs and dignity; but what was
the event? When all Ifrael faw that the king
higaskewed riot unto them, they faid, " What
'^portion have we in David? to your tents, O
'-'.Ifrael! now fee to thine btori houfe, David."
A-ki^d and juft arifwer might h aye prevented
thus^mnd what did the' king himfelf gaih? " The
"sskavgc fent Adoram, who was over the tri-
«&butey and all Ifpael ftoned. him that he. died,
*< and 'the king ^jkd i to JerufaJem." Thus far
tyranny was very unfixrcefsful; But this is not
aflhj^when the army of Judah was now ready to
H 2. fall

fall ypon the ten tribes, God himfelf interppfed
•* Ye fhall. not fight againft your brethren the
" children of Ifrael ; return every man to his
*.' houfe, for this -thing is of me"-, Thus this;
matter ended in a feparation of the two king
doms, and this very Rehpboam himfelf after^
Wards became a, fervant,' and tributary to the king
9f .Egypt? .,.^\r:l^V^,, :...„ ,:..., ., .
I leave the appficarjof) of all thefe things to
thofe whom , it may' concern ; but would further
ghferve, ..„';.,','.,' ¦ ¦ .- -: -\'
Every government muft be fupported;* grid
yvhat Js neceffary for the fupport of: government,
fs,,alfo juftly due, and ought tp be "given witji
reatjinefs and willingly.
Thjffg, that think their fuperior s have a' rightTQ
tak.e , away th^ property, or any part of it without
then- ccMent, up^ their own principle are guilty
pf finfuj re]jftanee and rebellion^ if they' do not
« ; ' -derria;nH* ndfuffher

they jnay labour, never to make ufe of ari^1 me
thods, of "^gjrefs unjufji in themfelves^ " ribr of ^arjy
remedies. that may be woife than the difeafe.' '*
¦ '"'-''/'' ' '-"'* i;-- ' - ' " ' ' :l*. - 1''' ' •-•'"' J
" * King Jame'$ tie 'tfirftafked ffie'bilhops ^ellbVandkn3i?ev#s,
whether he had' a -right to raife money on his awri authority ^Tlie
former ajTirmed it,', becaufe your majefty is . the anointed of the
LoRjp,|nd the breath o'f our noftrils. Tfhe letter replied, "1 think
ff yOiirmaje'fty Kas a good light to mybrotherNelfoji's money ?\

i 57 J

^A SHORT AND CONCISE ACCOUNT OP THE
^TRUOGLES Pf Sm$SERLAWD for
LIBERTY, ,
Q, a benevolent mind taking a fufvey of
the globe, it. muft be a very melancholy
confiderationth^t liberty, which is the
birthright of man, is ftill confined to a few fmall
fpotf-of our -eardi : alL Afia and Africa are out
pf; jjhe gueftion ; in the fouthern hernifphefe of
America it is unknown, and aftonifhing pains are
now taken to drive it out of this northern con
tinent.. In Europe^ Great Britain is commonly
y^Wl^das the featof it 5 but if the conjecture^, of
$e;,bi,$iop of St, Afaph be not void of founda
tion^ even there it hath a fickly countenance j
-Suisse rland, by that great man, is the only
Country which deferves to be called free, and even
Ypltajfe pronpunceth it happyT' By what means
t,he -jSwifs recovered and preferved their freedom,
is thf, fubject of the following narrative.
The three countries (ufually called cantons) of
Ury, V^WJtz, smd Underwalden, wWh firfj: en-
tefe4<i©t0<a confederacy that laid the foundation
pf, jth^ republic of Swifferlahd, are, but 'of fmall
extend all the three cantons together do not ex
ceed

ceed feveri^ miles in length, and about thirty in'
breadth ; tlSy are alfo very thinly inhabited; ow
ing to their fituation among the Alps,lJ many of
wlfidrareTsovrmr with emlritfagftjavi midirp
acceffible to man or beaft : it is ufuaibiy faid of the,
c^j»afeejthj£|4rhere is nineTmo$th$ winter, ;and.three
mpjith^g^SS At the time of ,,thei£ revoiutipfly
tnelcounr^Vas not nearly fo wM cuitlvatectsES-
it is at prefent, and at prefent all thennhiabkjtnts
of the three cantons, capable of bearing arms,
kfe not eftkriated abovd 12,000 men1;' a fkiaJl
Mfrnber tti'ma-ke heard With, : asthey did, agj|nft:
the very powerful houfe df'Auftria. -;'^FbweF fnd
ntirriber do not prove fht juftiee of ^tty-baufe \
.intd It is more honotirahle to; be deft&fed id the
caufe of virtue and juftice; ththvtb etect trophies
to injuftice and oppreffionv •' A#8toifierferi& was
ftibjuiated by Julius O&fai ^it^ecafcre^fterWards
fun|ec|ffeS different *lcfds\ arid had a nObihty
wWcn^MfMtneit friferidrs With-great petfflari^y
ati&WMeVktr 'The tfi^e^cantbnschbffl R«dofph
Op^ifi^if^^ihe^their 'cap; tarn; and bAhisJbei
i#g^t|OTe^^Srh'an e'rriptrbt in i2J%, the nb%f^
Ti'iylj<5i&pJ$rM againft thefe countries before 'Jn'ftif

ancffdaUedthem rebdrfious;

but when the^fttfii
uitted ther«,#§t^J

pe'rof favv tfi^ichariilfs^lre1
firmed thetf prwle^|^tta^|^e therrt f©vA
that were^^otiwhabitstrift/of thefe countrifcsf^nd'
Were not to^fll^^iii^lr, but dftly fr&tti finafc to
time to come-'atriong tntfrri to adtfrrritfter juSHM?
Thus the Country was t^niet, fubmltted to their
anof'-lfid they been always treated with

governors ;

With equal" juftice, probably would have con-;
tkiued fotO'this day ; bu,t Nullum' ¦violent urn diu-
turnum,\ti 'Nothing thatis violent -lafts long,"
-After the deceafe of Rudolph of Habfburg,
Adolphus of Naffatrwas chofen' emperor- He
confirmed their liberty, and they -continued in.
fubmrfEon to his government. Aidoiphus was
f|anf in battle by the hands! of hisr rival, Al-
bertus of Auftria, fon of Rudolph ; and it has
been obferved, that neither* this Albertus, not
any that were active againft Adolphus, died of
^natural death.
Albertus of Auftria,' having " a' numerous fa
mily of children, projedted the eftablifhment of
a. new principality in Swifferland, which then wag
a part of the empire ; -many imperiaf fiefs he
appropriated to the houfe of Auftria, purchafed
fome juriftrictioris which belonged to monafteries;
and "having made himfelf mafter of fome ftrong
places; he- thought to fubdue thefe three cantons
affb/i and fent ambaffadors to Ury, Switz,' and
Wqderwalden, requefting that they would fur-
reistder themfelves to hinr-and thehoufq of Auftria,
under many very fair promifes. When his1 am-
b&fTa-llotfa arrived- among' them, the cantoris pro
duced their charters, and alfo fent a;ri arribaffy to
th^r emperor, praying that they might be con-
finbtedr and that they might not be torn from
tbmempire, and put in fubjection to the then new
houfeof Auftria. Inftead of being gratified, as they
hadi'hoped, they were not only refufed, hut the
emperor alfo would -not take the 'leaft notice of
their

t <>* ]
their complaints againft their governors, but ap
pointed two new governors over them, which
from day to day proceeded to new and unheard
of acts of violence. The defign was* by fuch
means to excite an infurredtipn among the inha*
bitants, ?nd then, under pretence of being re^
bellious, to make war upon them, and entirely
to bring them under the yoke. Thefe are the.
exprefs words of an hiftorian, and in different
times and places tyranny makes ufe of the fame
arts. The tyranny and cruelty of thefe gover
nors continually encreafed. At that time there
lived in Uriderwalden an aged and honeft inha
bitant, whofe name was Henry de- Melchdall.
The governor ordered two oxen to he taken from
his plough, without even charging him with any
crime ; the honeft man wanted at leaft to know
what had been his fault ; but the governor's of
ficer anfwered it was the will of the governor that
henceforth the peafants fhould work in the
plough themfelves, and took away the oxen by
force ; the fon of the farmer, enraged at fo much
injuftice arid violence, gave the officer a blow
with a ftick, and wounded his finger, and then
fled the country immediately. The governor
put his aged father in prifon, and wanted, to
oblige him to deliver up his fon'; he excufed
himfelf that he did not know what became -pf
him, but the governor ordered both his eyes to
be put out, and took from him all he had.
The ca(tie of Rozberg was occupied by the
governor's deputy of the family of Wolferifhiefs, the

[ 6i ]
the %me feeing a very handfome woman wanted
to conftrain her to gratify his brutal luft; under
feme pretence fhe withdrew, met her hufband,
Who being informed of it, gave die governor a
back-ftroke with an axe, and" alfo immediately
fled the country.
Werner Stauffacre, a refpectable man in the
canton, Switz, was building a handfome. new
houfe ; the governor riding by, enquired of him
whofe it was ? Stauffacre, aware of fome defign
if he fhould dare to call it his own, replied, " My
" noble governor, the houfe belongs, to my king
" and you, and it is my fief." This fruftrated the
governor's defign, but he told him withal, I will
flLOt fuffer it that peafants fhould build houfes
for themfelves as though they were lords ; I will
bridle you moreclofely.
Governor Grifler of Ury could not help per
ceiving the diffatisfaction of the people; and that
he. might difcover the malecontents, he placed a
Jq^f, on a pole at Altdorff, and gave ftritf. orders
that every one fhould pay that hat the fame
honour as if fie were prefent himfelf; he alfa
placed fome fpies' to obferve who fhould pay
pheifance to his hat, and who fhould neglect it.
This infolence wrought fo effectually on the
people, that even fome of the nobility declared
it impoffible any longer to endure fuch tyrannical
proceedings. Among numbers that thought fo
in their hearts, there was one that had courage
to refufe fubmiffion to fuch a badge of abject
flavery. William Tell paffed feveral times with-
I out

[ 62 ]
out pulling off his hat ; he was informed againft,
and after feme irnprifonment, condemned, at' the
diftance of one hundred and twenty yards, with
his bow and arrow to take off an apple off the
head of a beloved child of his about fix years
old, and threatened with death in cafe he miffed.
No remonftrance availed, his life and that of his
fon was threatened in cafe of refufal ; the afflicted
parent moft tenderly took his leave of his child,
the fpectators melted in tears, but he providen
tially hit the apple without doing any injury to his
child. This happened October 30, 1307; and
rom.intic as it may feem, public 'monuments
to this day confirm the truth ofthe fact. The
people congratulated Tell on his fuccefs ; but the
governor obferving he had another arrow in his
quiver, afked him the meaning. Tell at firft
excufed himfelf with the common cuftom of
markfmen ; but this not fatisfying the governor,
-and he folemnly promifing him his life if he
fhould declare the truth, Tell very frankly faid,
that had he had. the misfortune to have done any
injury to his child, he was determined to fend
the next arrow to the heart of the tyrannical go
vernor. The governor condemned him to irn
prifonment for the reft of his days. Tell was
permitted to bid farewel to his family, and then
bound to be carried acrofs a lake to the place of
his captivity, and in the fame veffel the governor
alfo paffed with his attendants. The lake of
Lucerne is very liable to fevere and fudden tem-
pefts ; a ftorm of this kind brought it-hern- all into the

t 6-3 ]
the moft immediate danger : in this extremity
Tell, Who was known to be a good pilot, was
Ordered to take the helm, and he laboured fo ef
fectually, that he brought the veffel near the
ihore ; which he had no fooner effected, than he
jumped out, and pufhed the veffel off. The go
vernor, with great difficulty, landed at fome dis
tance, but in the way to his caftle he was way
laid by Tell in a narrow road, who placed the
referved arrow in his heart, that he inftantly fell dead
from his horfe ; and Tell had tirhe to fly to feme
of his friends, and give them notice of this event.
Thefe were Werner Stauffacre, Walter Furft, and
Arnold de Melchdall; thefe were partly forry
to hear of this event, as it had been agreed upon
to do nothing before the firft of January 1308,
when an attempt to recover Hberty was to be made
iby the three cantons at onte : they apprehended
the killing of the governor before they were ready
to follow the blow, would fruftrate their attempt,
and bring matters to a crifis before they were
prepared ; but tyrants frequently haften their own
doom by their own meafures.
The oppreffive governors were poffeffed of
three caftles, and unlefs thefe were reduced, the
oppreflion muft become every day more in
tolerable. One of the confederates had an
-amorous connexion with a fervant-maid in the
caftle of Rozberg: fhe, as ufual, furnifhed him
¦with means of entering, and he- introduced
twenty of his friends, who feizcd the caftle
and the governor without difficulty. The caftle
I 2 at

[ H 1
at Sarnen was taken by another ftratagem : it
was cuftomary on new year's day to bring^
prefents to the governor; twenty of the con
federates accordingly appeared, at the caftle gates
early in the morning, and made the governor
the ufual compliments, armed with nothing but
long ftaves : the governor was going, to mafs,
and as he faw them without arms, ordered them
to carry their gifts into the caftle. They had no
fooner entered, but they fixed irons which they
had concealed to their fticks, made prifoners of
the garrifon, and the caftle was demolifhed* The.
governors betook themfelves to( flight, and no
body offered to purfue them. Thus in one day
all. the ftrong holds were taken and deftroyed ;
and the next day the three cantons folemnly
fwore to each other for 'the fpace of .ten years.
This fmall beginning laid the foundation of the
republic of Swifferland, which has maintained
its freedom and independency until this time;
and nearly furvived the liberty of moft ftates
of Europe. .')»
The emperor Albert had now obtained his
wifh, viz. a pretext t© reduce the cantons by
open war, under pretence of rebellion. He im
mediately repaired to' Baden, Jlopt qjl commerce
with thefe three cantons, and ordered his vaffals to,
declare, war againfl them ; but while he meditated
war againfl an oppreffed people, he was himfelf
murdered by his nephew, whofe inheritance he
unjuftly detained from him : his murderer hoped
|o find a plage of retreat among thefe cantons; but

[ 6f 1
but theSwifs; zealous for their liberty, were in
capable to fecure it by giving an afylum unto
criminals : his Widow was fo bent Upon
avenging the death of her hufband, that fhe
took no meafures againft the Swifs, who had
refifted the oppreffions of their tyrannical
governors. Leopold, the fon of Albert, when he came
of age, determined to make war againft the three
cantons, and collected an army of 20,000 men
for that purpofe : bis plan was to attack the con^-
federates the 15th of November 13 11, at a
place called Morgarden, fituate between a lake
and a mountain. In expectation that the in
habitants of Underwalden would come to the
affiftanceof the confederates^ the count of
Strafberg and the city of Lucern were to invade
the cantons at the fame time, and at two different
places. At dinner he afked the opinion of his
jefter, who replied, " All advife 'how to enter
'** into the country, it feems to me neceffary to
<' confider how to get out again." His advice
was defpifed, but verified by the event. A brave
and virtuous people may be attacked, but woe to
tyrants that cannot -retreat!
' The plan-was exactly followed : Leopold made
a falfe attack at Arth, and perhaps the con
federates would have placed all their little force
there, if they had not received an information to
" beware at Morgarden." To that place the
cantons Ury and Underwalden fent 700 men,
gnd the canton Switz an equal nurnber, who
were

[ 66 ]
were polled on a mountain called The Saddle.
On the day appointed the duke of .Auftria ad
vanced at the head of his cavalry, his troops
marched in great confidence, fure to obtain an
eafy victory upon peafants, badly armed, and
without military difcipline. .'Accordingly, they
proudly preffed into a defile, when they were
flopped by 50 men, who had been banifhed the
cantons for crimes, and whom j , notwithftanding
their requeft, the confederates would not think
worthy to fight for liberty, even upon this
prefling bccafion. Thefe men, however, by
generoufly expofing themfelves for their country,
hoped to deferve the pardon of former crimes;
they pofted themfelves on a very fteep hill,
above a • narrow path, where the Auftrian army
could not march above two men a-breaft ; they
fuffered them very quietly to advance, but when
a considerable number were now engaged in
thefe narrow roads, they fent fuch a fhower. of
ftones and rolled large pieces of timber among
the Auftrian cavalry, that they were foon put ia
confufion ; which the Swifs no fooner perceived,
than they, fell upon them with fuch fury, that
they were obliged to retreat towards the; plain :
to gain ground fo form the order of battle, the
infantry opened their ranks to let the cavalry
pafs; at phis moment the confederates broke in
-upon them, and ftanding on rifing ground
their halberds did moft dreadful execution. . A
eotemporary "author faith, it was not a fight but
amaffacre. -The prince loft near 1500 of his
horfe,

[ 67 ]
horfe ; the ofs of the infantry could not be
a'fcertained, but 52 men from Zuric, then in the
intereft of Auftria, were all found flain in a
heap : the lofs of the don fed elates was incredibly
trifling. Meanwhile the count of Strafberg, with
4000 men, had alfo invaded Underwalden, who
fent to their friends at Morgarden, and 400 of
the victorious Swifs inftantly fled to their relief;
they came up with a body of their own people,
with whom they attacked the count, who feeing
colours among them that had been at Morgarden,
judged his mafter was defeated, and fo fled;
The Swifs killed about 300 of his men in the
retreat. After this battle gained, the three
cantons entered into a perpetual alliance, which
no power has fince been able to break, and
which heaven has remarkably preferved.
One of the next greateft battles the Swifs
fought in defence of their' liberties, was in the
year 1386. Leopold, duke of Auftria, perfonally
repaired to Swifferland, in order to carry on the
war with greater vigour. The duke had re-
folved to lay fiege to Sempach ; the confederates
had intelligence of it, and both oppofite armies
arrived before this little town the very fame day.
The Auftrian ~y advanced-guard, confifting of
about 1400 men, committed all manner of
violence on their territory : one of their officers
mounted a cart loaded with halters, and threatened
to hang all the inhabitants before fun-fet. The
Auftrians infulted the Swifs ; itf being in t he
time

[ 6* ]
time of hay-making, they came fo near -the walls
to fpeak to them, and defired they would fend
dinner and wages to their mowers. The Swifs-:
replied, it was not the cuftom of the Swifs to
pay wages till they we're earned, and that .they
would prepare a dinner for them that many
fpoorfs fhould drop out of their hands. The
duke's army confifted of about 4000 picked- men,
and' among them many princes and , noblemen*
armed from head to foot. The confederates-
were about 1300 men, badly armed, and all on
foot; they had no arms but halberds,> and
faftened pieces of wood on their arms, to fend
off and break the blows of the enemies, their
order of battle was very clofe, 'and reprefented
an angle, one foldier was followed by two, ;;two
by'four,' and fo on ; in this order this handful of
men courageoufly advanced againft the enemy.
Before they began the engagement, as was ufual
with them, they fell down to prayers, which
made the duke's jefter fay, " Leopold, my
" countrymen' (for. he was a Swifs) have all lift
" up their hands, and fworn to almighty God
*c to kill thee." .;' An Auftrian officer, obferving
their undaunted countenance, advifed to delay
the battle till next day ; but a nobleman declared,
« He would deliver that handful of boors before
" fupper into the hands of the duke roafted or
" boiled, as he fhould beft like them." The
nobility were "fo eager to engage, that they dis
mounted, gave their horfes into the care of their
fervants,

1 6,5> 1
-fervants, and would not fuffer any but noble
men to pfhare in the hpnour of the day. Jt
happened that a young nobleman, in cutting. ofiF
the long point pf his fhoe (as all the reft did)
Wounded his tbe, which made him cry, where
upon the nobility ordered him out of the rank,
jas> unworthy to, fight. His brethren were all flain,
(and -his -life- was laved. When the battle begun,
fthe fuperior power of the, Auftrians in men and
arms foon appeared, and 60 confederates were
killed before they could make the leaft irnprefliop
-on their enemy : in this diftrefs a brave knight of
the family of Winkelried refolved to facrifice his
life for his country; he accordingly advanced
boldly, and with his armsgrafped and bent down
as many of their long pikes as he could hold, which
his companion^ obferving, they preffed after him
with irrefiftihle fury, broke in with their halberds
upon the Auftrians, and made dreadful havock.
It is faid, that before the engagement they pro
claimed that every man that thought himfelf in-
fufficient to encounter ten Auftrians might with
draw, and that about 300 withdrew accordingly;
but when thefe faw the Auftrians order of battle
broke, they haftened to affift their brethren ; and
jthe nobility lofing courage,.gaye way to the Swifs,
and many of them, frofti; the heat of the day and
.the feverity4of the engagement, were fuffocated
by the weight of their own armour. The duke
was feveral times entreated to withdraw, hut
Teeing his banner in danger, he gallantly ad
vanced to refcue it, but fell in the attempt.
K When-

t 7* -3
When the fervants, who had been ordered in
the rear With the horfes, faw the defeat of their
mafters, they mounted their mafters horfes,
and left them to fhift for themfelves. It is
fuppofed the lofs of the Auftrians amounted to
2600, including 667 of the nobility, and among
•them 3^50 with crowned cafkets. The Swifs
•loft about 200, who were all carried to their re-
fpedtive homes. The third day they- permitted
the enemy to carry off their dead, among whom
the duke was the principal; he was carried off
the field of battle in a great box (ftill extant),
which, it is faid, had been full of halters' tohanjj
the confederates. The Swifs, in hopes of ob
taining peace, were fparing of the blood of the
Auftrians, and did not purfue them in their fetreaf:
they had reafon to repent afterwards of their lenity";
but the continuance of the war ferved only to
encreafe the victories and fame of the Swifscorf-
fcderates. Tlie fons ofthe defeated Leopold made
-great preparations for war, and many imperial
cities joined with them againft the Swifs : a truce
- was indeed concluded, which the Auftrians badly
kept, and by furprizje and fecret intelligence madie
themfelves mafters of Wefen, the poffeffion of
¦ which laid the whole canton of Glaris open to
their ravages. The: Swifs confederates advifed
that canton to get the beft terms poflible; but
thofe propofed "by. the Auftrians were fo exr
eeffivelyfevere, that the treaty came to nothing.
' The Auftrians propofed themfelves to invade
that country with about 8000 men: the in
habitants/

t;V ]
habitants had. caft up an entrenchment, which
was defended by.' about 350 men'; when the
Auftrians advanced, thefe findfrig themfelves too*
Weak to refift, retreated to a rifibg ground : the
Auftrians penetrated into the country, and burned
the village of Nafels, and then attacked the
above-mentioned handful of inhabitants, who
received them with a fhower of ftones ; the
Auftrians having retreated a little to put them
felves finder cover, the Swifs feized the favour
able moment, and fell upon them with fuch"
fury, .that" after an engagement of five hours
they .were tprced to fly. The Swifs purfued and
came up with them at, a bridge, where about
700 Swifs had gathered ; the Auftrians in their
confufion, not aware that the bridge was broke,'
preffed on, and numbers were drowned. The
lofs of the Auftrians was computed-at 2000, while
that of the Swifs did not exceed $$ men.
The dukes of Auftria again contented' to a
truce, by which the Swifs were fo remain in
poffeffion of alf their conquefts; this truce in
13 14 was renewed for twenty, and. in 1412 for
nifty years longer. The Swifs made ufe of thefe
tirpes of tranquillity to give ftability and perfection
to their military difcipline. In 1 303 they agreed
upon. the following regulations among themfelves.
j. ]Sfo church or chapel to be attacked, Unlefs
it' be made ufe of as an afylum by the enemy.
2. No woman to be violated or infulted., 3.
Every Swft evgageth. to. facrifice his Jubfldnce and
'K z Ufe

¦[ 7*; j
fife for his country. 4. No Swifs to forfake his
poft," even though wounded*.' !£.'^N&ie - to
tillage without leave of "his coftiniSnder, and
the fpoils to be equally divided. ^-7'. AH that
fend prpvifions to the Swifs' fhall be pTJo?
tedled,. 8. No canton to.rnake war without the
confent of the reft. 9. No Swifs to take away
any thing by violence from another, neither in
time of war" nor peace. cit -
The Swifs carried their military difcipltne? to
fuch perfection, that Machiavel" fays no
nation ever exceeded them in that refpedt,
except the Romans,
On the whole then we may conceive the rife
$nd progrefs of liberty in Swifferland thus : 1.
They had fpme rights and liberties granted them,
by emperor', which do not appear very con?
fiderabi'e. 2. The emperors of the houfe of
Auftria endeavoured to feparate them from the
Ropian empire, and bring them to fubjedlion
to tbe then rifing houfe of Auftria! 3, Againft
this the Swifs 'remonftrated, petitioned, and
pleaded their charters, 4; Governors were fent
among them, who were to, and did, opprefs
them, in order to drive them to , fome adt of
defpair, which their enemies intended to term
rebellion, and under pretence of it reduce them
by force of arms. This, 5. at length produced
"confederacies, firil pnly of three men, by degrees'
of three i mall countries, which inpreafcd gra
dually to thirteen cantons, befides feme con*
federates.

C 73 ;3
federates. 6. To fubdue them, a flop was firfl:
put to their trade, and afterwards they were
attacked by force. 7. When attacked, they de
fended themfelves with incredible bravery, arid
under every poflible difadvantage refifted every
attack, and at laft obliged their enemies not only
to defift, but to declare them a free ftate ; and
though furrounded by Auftria, France, and Savoy,
they have continued free and brave' ever fince $
and may they do fo to the end of time !

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