II. OUR CONSEQUENT DUTIES.

THAT our prefent fituation is uncommonly critical and perilous, all perfons of reflection agree, though opinions greatly vary as to the fources and degrees of our danger. With all the franknefs and plainnefs becoming an honeft and faithful watchman, I intend, my brethren, to lay before you what I humbly conceive to be our real and moft alarming dangers j thofe which have a malign afpect, both on our religious and our politi- cal welfare. Believing, as I firmly do, that the foundations of all our mojl precious interefls are formidably aflailed, and that the fubtil and fecret affailants are increafing in number, and are multi- plying, varying, and arranging their means of at- tack, it would be criminal in me to be filent. I am compelled to found the alarm, and I will do it, fo far as GOD fhall enable me, with fidelity. I fear that holy BEING, who faid to one of his an** cient prophets, and who through him addrefles the fame language to the fucceflive Minifters of his
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'Word , Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the houfe of Ifrael ; therefore hear the word at my monthy and give them warning from me. When I fay unto the wicked, Tthoujhalt furely die ; and thou gtvejt him no-t warning, nor fpeakeji to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to fave his life ; the fame wicked man Jhall die in his iniquity ; but his Hood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickednefs? norjrom his wicked way, he foal! die in his iniquity ; but thou haft delivered thy foul.*
IT is not my intention to give offence to any one, unlefs the truth fliall offend ; and the Ihort lived and honourable reproach of fuch offences, I am willing to bear. Thofe whofe opinions, re- ligious or political, may not exadtly coincide with my own, will do me the juftice to believe that I mean not to wound their feelings, and that I am as honefl in maintaining my own opinions as they can be in theirs ; and that a fenfe of duty only* in the public flation which I hold under GOD, prompts me at this time freely to declare them. After thefe obfervations, which I have thought proper to premife, I proceed to lay before you, what I conceive to be our prefent moft threatening dangers.
OUR dangers are of two kinds, thofe which af~ fed our religion, and thofe which affed our gov- ernment. They are, however, fo clofely allied
* Faek. iii. 17, 18, 19.
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that they cannot, with propriety, be feparated. The foundations which fupport the interefts of Christianity, are alfo neceifary to fupport a free and equal government like our own. In all thofe countries where there is little or no religion, or a very grofs and corrupt on^, as in Mahometan and Fagan countries, there you will find, with fcarcely a fingle exception, arbitrary and tyrannical gov- ernments, grofs ignorance and wickednefs, and de- plorable wretchednefs among the people. To the kindly influence of Chriftianity we owe that de- gree of civil freedom, and political and focial hap- pinefs which mankind now enjoy. In proportion as the genuine effects of Chriftianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the cor- ruption of its doftrines, or the negled: of its infti- tutions ; in the fame proportion will the people of that nation recede from the bleffings of genuine freedom, and approximate the miferies of complete defpotifm. I hold this to be a truth confirmed by experience. If fo, it follows, that air efforts made to deftroy the foundations of our holy religion, ultimately tend to the fubverfion alfo of our political freedom and happinefs. Whenever the pillars of Chriftianity mall be overthrown, our prefent republican forms of government, and all the bleffings which flow from them, muft fall with tbem.
FROM thefe obfervations we may perceive.the propriety of the following paftage in the Prefi- dent's excellent proclamation, which comprises and
exprefTes our dangers of both kinds mentioned, viz. that the mo/1 precious inter efts of the people of the United States are Jiill held in jeopardy , by the hojlile defgns and injidious arts of a foreign nation , as well as by the dijfemination among them of tbofe principles, fubverfive of the foundations of all retig- ious, moral, and focial obligations, that have prt>- duced incalculable mif chief and mifery in other countries.
THIS pafTage contains folemn and affecting truths, which merit our principal, our immediate, and deep regard. The violent oppofltion that has been made to this article in fome of our News pa- pers, is among the ftrongeft proofs that it con- tains an accurate flatement of our dangers. The puWic difclofure of the dark defigns of our ene- mies, always excites their refentment. Yes, my brethren, it is a facred truth, that our moft pre- cious religious and political interefts are at this moment imminently endangered, by the hojlile dejigns, the injidious arts and demoralizing princi- ples of a FOREIGN NATION ; and I plainly de- clare to you that I mean the FRENCH NATION.
Do you afk for proofs of all this ? They are fo abundant, and fo flagrant, that I fcarcely know which to feled. To fay nothing of their long continued, and very fuccefsful war upon our de- fencelefs commerce, becaufe this is well known to all, and is not altogether peculiar to the French nation, I pray you to confider their inhuman and, in fome inflances, worfe than favage treatment of
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thofe of our fellow citizens who have fallen into their hands. They have not only wreiled from them their property, but have in many inftances groflly infulted, beaten, and wounded them, and thruft them into loathfome prifons and dungeons, where multitudes have perifhed by difeafe or hun- ger. Nay worfe, to all their other enormities, thefe monfters in human form, have added mur- der, the moft Ihocking murder. Recent intelli- gence from the Weft-Indies, which has obtained general credit is, that one of our merchant fhips has been taken by feveral French privateers, and the prifoners, (five or fix excepted) confifting of 70 fouls, all immediately put to the fword, by the blood thirfty vidiors.*
IF thefe things are inefficient to evince the hof- tile defigns of France towards this country, let me afk your attention to the following fad:, not gene- rally known, and which I ftate from authority on which full reliance may be placed. " Some time " ago the French Directory fent to St. Domingo, "their principal Weft-India pofleffion, an agent " of the name of Hedouville. This man on his " arrival, you may recoiled:, made fome profef- " fions of juftice and amicable condud: towards *' the United States ; he notwithftanding foon " equalled his predecefTors in depredations on our *' commerce. Laft fummcr, while Mr. GERRY
* This intelligence has fince received full confirmation.
" was ftill in Paris, and the Directory was ftill em* " ploying every artifice to keep him there and to " draw him into an endlefs negociation, Hedou- " ville was preparing to invade the Southern States " from St. Domingo with an army of blacks ; " which was to be landed with a large fupply " of officers, arms and amunition, to excite an " infurreflion among the negroes, by means of •' miffionaries previoufly fent, and firft to fubju- "gate the country by their affiftance, and then " plunder and lay it wafte. For the execution " of this fcheme, he waited only till the Englilh " fhould evacuate a certain port in the Ifland, " which lay moft convenient for the expedition. " But he was interrupted by a black general by " the name of Touiflant, who drove him from the " liland, compelled him to embark for France, " and took the authority into his own hands. "*
THIS intelligence comes through a channel which entitles it to credit. And it inftrucSs us how to underftand the pacific profeflions and overtures of the French Government ; and clearly proves, what has long been believed by fome, that they have been, and ftill are, defigned only to veil the hoftile and deteftable defigns of this Gov- ernment againft us ; to lull us into a fatal fecurity, that we, in due time, may fall an eafy prey to their ambition and avarice. This is the way they have
* See note (A.)
conquered other countries ; and thus they are now attempting to deftroy us. And, my brethren, they will affuredly efteft their purpofes, if we are notfpeedt'fy aroufed from our {lumbers, and vigor- ous, adlive, and united in oppofing their infidious and feduftive arts. It was her flumber and her divifions, both effected by French " diplomatic Ikill," which ruined Switzerland.*
THAT fuch arts are now pradtifing upon us there is no room to doubt. It has long been fuf- pedted that fecret focieties, under the influence and direction of France, holding principles fub- verfive of our religion and government, exiited fomewhere in this country. This fufpicion was cautioufly fuggefted from this defk, on the day of the laft National Faft, with a view to excite a juft alarm, and to put you on your guard againft their fecret artifices. Evidence that this fufpicion was well founded, has iince been accumulating, and I have now in my pofleffion complete and indubitable proof that fuch focieties do exift, and have for many years exifted, in the United States. I have, my brethren, an official, authenticated liil of the names, ages, places of nativity, profeffions, &c. of the officers and members of a Society of Iltuminati, (or as they are now more generally and properly ftyled Illuminees) confifting of one hundred members, inftituted in Virginia, by the
* See Mallet Du Pan's " Hift. of the DeftrucUon of the Helvetic Union ;" a work, which every American ought to read, with application to his own country.
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Grand Orient of FRANCE, This fociety has a deputy, whofe name is on the lift, who refides at the Mother Society in France, to communicate from thence all needful information and inftruc- tion. The date of their inftitution is 1786, be- fore which period, it appears from the private pa- pers of the European Societies already publifhed, (according to PROFESSOR ROBISON) that feveral focieties had been eftablifhed in America,* The feal and motto of this fociety correfpond with their deteftable principles and defigns. The members are chiefly Emigrants .from France and St. Do- mingo, with the addition of a few Americans, and fome from almoft all the nations of Europe. A letter which enclofed this lift, an authentic copy of which I alfo poflefs, contains evidence of the exiftence of a fociety of the like nature, and pro- bably of more ancient date, at New-York , out of which have fprung fourteen others, fcattered we know not where over the United States. Two focieties of the fame kind, but of an inferior order, have been inftituted by the fociety firft mentioned, one in Virginia, and the other at St. Domingo. How many of equal rank they have eftablifhed among us I am not informed. -f*
You will perceive, my brethren, from this con- cife ftatement of fads, that we have in truth fe- cret enemies, not a few, fcattered through our
* Robifon's Proofs, p, 153. Phila. Edit, f See Note (B.)
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country ; how many and, except in three or four inftances, in what places we know not ; enemies whofe profeffed defign is to fubvert and overturn our holy religion and our free and excellent gov- ernment. And the pernicious fruits of their in- fidious and fecret efforts, muft be vifible to every eye not obftinately clofed or blinded by prejudice. Among thefe fruits may be reckoned our un- happy and threatening political divifions ; the un- ceafing abufe of our wife and faithful rulers ; the virulent oppofition to fome of the laws of our country, and the meafures of the Supreme Ex- ecutive ; the Pennfylvania infurrediion ; the in- duftrious circulation of baneful and corrupting books, and the confequent wonderful fpread of in- fidelity, impiety and immorality ; the arts made ufe of to revive ancient prejudices, and cherifli party fpirit, by concealing or difguifing the truth, and propagating falfehoods ; and laftly, the ap- parently fyftematic endeavours made to deftroy, not only the influence and fupport, but the offi- cial exiftence of the Clergy.
THE definition of the Clergy in all countries is evidently a part of the French fyftem,* and all their engines are now at work to accomplifh it. The Clergy have been among the firft vi&ims to that fanguinary revolutionizing fpirit which now
* As early as December, 1793, a member of the National Conven- tion, publicly avowed it to be a part of their plan to annihilate all frivi- s, and to ABOLISH every ECCLESIASTICAL incorporation.
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convulfes the world. In France, and in the countries which flie has fubdued by her intrigues and her arms, the Clergy have been inalmoft all inflances either deprived of their livings, fepa-* rated from their people, plundered, imprifoned, banifhed, or inhumanly maflacred. I have a letter from a refpedlable correfpondent in Europe, in- forming me, that when the French, fome years ago, entered Holland, a proteftant country, and blefled with as pious and learned a miniftry as any on the globe, one of their firft objefls was to dik place fome of their moft refpe&able and influen- tial Clergy, and to concert meafures for depriving minifters and univerfity profeffors of their legal falaries. How far they have proceeded in this diforganizing bufmefs I am not informed.*
THE fame malignant fpirit is vifibly at work to deftroy the Clergy in thefe United States. And what have they done to provoke this hoftil- ity ? Why they have " preached politics. "-]• This, fo far as I know, is the principal, if notjhe only, charge alledged againft them. But is this any new crime ? No ; it is as old as Christianity ; nay it is as old as the priefthood itfelf. The priefts and prophets under the Old Teftament difpenfation ; Chrift and his Apoftles under the New ; the faith- ful Chriftian Clergy in every age and every coun-
* See note (C.)
t My idea of the politics which become the pulpit, I have heretofore given in an extract from Boucher's Difcourfes, which it nny not be amife Jiere to repeat, By politics, I do not m^an " the wrangling debates of
try, have preached politics ; that is, they have inculcated fubjedion to civil magiftrates, and obe- dience to the laws ; have cautioned the people againft animofities and divifions ; warned them of their dangers, whether from foreign or domeflic enemies, and have exerted their talents and influ- ence to fupport the religion and lawful govern- ment of their country. . I appeal to the Sacred Scriptures, and to hiftory for the truth of what I have afferted. And what have, the Clergy of the prefent day done more than we have jufl ftated ? What have they done more than the Clergy in this country have always done in times of danger ? What more than has heretofore been required and expeded from them ? And yet, for doing what only twenty years ago they were called upon to perform as a duty? they are now cenfured and abufed, and reprefented as anexpen- five, ufelefs, nay even, noxious body of men. In fome of our news papers, which are read by too many with more avidity, and more faith than the Holy Bible, they are continually reproached and
modern aflemblies ; debates, which .far too often turn entirely on the narrow, felfifh, and fervile views of party. The term has been, and in difcourfes from the pulpit ought to be, ufed in a much more extended and more dignified fenfe ; as comprehending all that long lift of duties which every man owes to fociety in his public capacity. Every man is at leaft as much concerned to be a good fubjeft, as he is to be a good neighbour ; and fo far is a preacher trom being chargeable with being guilty of a confufion of duties, orofafiiiming a character which does not belong to him, that he acts ftriftly within the line of his profeffion, when he explains as well as he is able, and enforces on the people com- mitted to his care, their public as well as their private duties. Such pol- itics are literally the foaling voice ofchriftian charity.''1
* See a circular letter addrefied to the Clergy of Maflachufrtts, by th Provincial Congrefs, inferted in the appendix 10 my late Thankfgiving Sermon, page 65,
vilified ; and every low artifice is ufed to leffeft their influence and ufefulnefs ; and what is deeply to be lamented, this poifon is greedily fwallowed, and affiduoufly diiTeminated by fome even, who profefs to be the warm friends and fupporters of Chriftianity, and of the Chriftian Miniftry. Lit-* tie are thefe good people aware of what they are doing. Little do they believe that, blinded by their prejudices, they are in fadt aiding with all their influence, the adverfaries of religion in fub- verting its foundations; that they are aft ing a