The Dominion of Providence

On May 17, 1776, John Witherspoon (1723-94) preached one of the most significant sermons in the history of this country.

Preaching at Princeton, the Scottish pastor turned college president, delivered his most famous address. It was a General Fast day, appointed by the congress of the American colonies for prayer and humble supplication before God in the face of an unknown, and possibly war-filled, future.

Witherspoon’s sermon, based on Psalm 76:10, was entitled The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of  Men. It is widely regarded as one of the principal sermons which prepared the way for the Declaration of Independence, which Witherspoon himself would sign less than two months later.

After imploring his hearers to not only prepare “for the resolute defense of your temporal souls,” but to consider “the truly infinite importance of the salvation of your souls,” Witherspoon turned his attend to politics.

If your cause is just—you may look with confidence to the Lord and intreat him to plead it as his own. You are all my witnesses, that this is the first time of my introducing any political subject into the pulpit. At this season however, it is not only lawful but necessary, and I willingly embrace the opportunity of declaring my opinion without any hesitation, that the cause in which America is now in arms, is the cause of justice, of liberty, and of human nature.

So far as we have hitherto proceeded, I am satisfied that the confederacy of the colonies, has not been the effect of pride, resentment, or sedition, but of a deep and general conviction, that our civil and religious liberties, and consequently in a great measure the temporal and eternal happiness of us and our posterity, depended on the issue. The knowledge of God and his truths have from the beginning of the world been chiefly, if not entirely, confined to those parts of the earth, where some degree of liberty and political justice were to be seen, and great were the difficulties with which they had to struggle from the imperfection of human society, and the unjust decisions of usurped authority.

There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage.

Sounds relevant.

The sermon is worth reading in its entirety (go here, scroll down, and click on the Dominion of Providence), both for it political-historical significance and to learn from Witherspoon’s great concern for conversion and personal holiness even in the midst of such national tumult.