MR. MILES's SERMON.
A SERMON, DELIVERED AT TEMPLE, FEBRUARY 22, 1800, ON THE DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, LATE PRESIDENT, AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE DECEMBER 14, 1799, IN THE 68TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
BY NOAH MILES, A. M. PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN TEMPLE.
Published at the desire of the hearers.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOWN ON THE MELANCHOLY OCCASION.
PRINTED BY S. PRESTON, AMHERST. 1800.
BEING the Day ▪ recommended by Congress, to deplore the loss of our departed friend; that great, good and patriotic man, General GEORGE WASHINGTON. The day being remarkably fine, the citizens universally assembled, with each an insignia of mourning, agreeable to the solemnities of the occasion; and formed a procession in the following order:
All under 16 years of age, two deep, with their respective schoolmasters at the head of each school, district, or class.
- General FRANCIS BLOOD, Marshal.
- Music.
- Militia.
- Minister.
- Deacons.
- Representative.
- Civil Officers.
- Selectmen and Town Officers.
- Citizens.
The procession formed at Col. WHEELER's Hall. The Music performed "Washington's March," and the Militia marched with supported arms, to the dwelling-house of the Rev. NOAH MILES.
On their return to the Meeting-house, the Music performed the "Dead March," and the Militia marched with their arms reversed. A pertinent and ingenious Discourse was delivered by the Rev. NOAH MILES, pastor of the Church in said town. To this succeeded a solemn Dirge, appropriate to the gloomy scene; which seemed to excite in the audience mingled emotions of gratitude and sorrow. After which, various evolutions and firings were performed by the Militia; all of which were performed with great decency, regularity and good order.
A SERMON.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days.
BEMOANING the loss of friends and benefactors—the loss of the deliverers and protectors of our nation and land, is both decent in itself, and warranted by scripture example.
IT has ever been the practice, time immemorial, whenever a prince, princess, or persons, who had been friends and benefactors to the nation, or society to which they belonged, were removed by death, for the survivors to consecrate some time to lament, and to put on tokens of mourning. This practice we find observed, not only by the heathen world, but also by the most pious, and godly. For when Sarah was dead, whose name signifies a princess, or a high mother, Abraham came to Hebron to mourn for her. When Jacob yielded up the ghost, the Egyptians had such a sense of their loss, (and well they might, [Page 6] for Jacob was the father of him, who had been their salvation under God in the time of famine, and an intercessor with God for them) they, I say, made a mourning for him threescore and ten days. Joseph made a mourning for his father seven days. When Aaron was dead, they mourned for him thirty days, even all the house of Israel. They wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Though they were on a journey, and a toilsome one too, and had not arrived to their settled habitation; yet, they thought no time lost to pay some respect to those worthies. When David received the tidings of Jonathan's death, who was a valiant and friendly man, he says, I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. When Josiah, king of Judah, was slain, the good prophet Jeremiah lamented him; and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations; they felt the stroke; they were sensible of their great loss. When our blessed Lord came to the grave of Lazarus, he wept; a good man had fallen; the little flock of Christ, then in the world, was deprived [...] one of its precious members. He, who needed no [...] praises of angels, or of men, to add any thing to him, shed tears. Devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
IF pious and good men, heathen and saint, have lamented the loss of their friends and benefactors; and even the Lord from heaven! Shall we be wanting? Shall we be backward? Shall we refuse to follow the example of the Lord of heaven and earth, the example of the pious and godly in all ages? Shall we demean ourselv [...] below heathens and pagans? Yea, more brutish than the beasts which perish? [Page 7] Be astonished, O ye heavens! at this, and horribly afraid, O earth! God forbid. Surely, reason we have to lament, this day, the loss of him, who, under God, wrought our deliverance, and established our peace, in the happy enjoyment of our rights.
IN pursuing our discourse, we shall notice two things.
- I. The loss we sustain.
- II. Such a loss calls for great lamentation.
I. The loss we sustain.
IT is not my design, nor is it in my power, to give you a particular biographical history of the man, the loss of whom, we are requested to deplore this day. A number of able men have handed to us some things respecting his excellent abilities and character; no doubt, but we shall have a more full and complete history of the man. But from what hath been said, and from the experience of many of us, we must be convinced, that a great and good man hath fallen. No two characters did ever more coincide, than Moses' and WASHINGTON's. To draw their coincidences in character and fortune, a worthy divine of late hath done it, and now in print; therefore, it is needless for me, in particular, to delineate, or to say all that might be said of the man. Yet, however, in order to know in some measure our loss, it is necessary that we have some acquaintance with his excellent abilities and qualifications.
PERHAPS very few, if any, ever exceeded him in every point. He was favored with as great abilities, and with as good qualifications, as any that have been in the world; the meekness of Moses, the uprightness and patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, [Page 8] and the resolution of Nehemiah; all these centered in WASHINGTON. When he was reviled, he reviled not again. He was patient under fatigue and want, and made but few complaints. He was politic in his plans, and wise in the execution of them. He was resolute in opposing the Jannes and Jambres, the Sanballats, the Tobiahs, and Geshems of America, both foreign and domestic. He ever had the character of faithful and true; an eminent General, a man of war from his youth; yet; not delighting in human blood; but in justice and in defending the rights of mankind; a father to his country, and the deliverer of it from the paw of the lion and the bear, when as weak as the dove, and as feeble as the lamb; an able and wise statesman; the giver of the American Constitution; the establisher of his country's peace, in the full enjoyment of its rights; a friend to literature, virtue, peace and good order; a professor of the gospel of Christ, with a great sense of divine providence, which all his writings abundantly testify. He was one, who feared God, and eschewed evil; given to hospitality; a lover of all men; never elated in prosperity, nor depressed in adversity; ever ready to fly to his country's relief, and that in the most discouraging hour; ever steadfast, and immovable as a rock.
HIS character may be viewed as immaculate. No one, whether at home or abroad, was ever able to tarnish it. All their calumnies had no more effect, than the magician's rods had with Moses'. The brightness of WASHINGTON was such, they could not look steadfastly upon him. His face was like the face of an angels. His brightness would dispel all the darkness brought for his disadvantage, and cause it to flee away. The gates of hell never could prevail [Page 9] against him; but were forced to acknowledge, like the magicians of old, the finger of God is in this; let the people go.
HIS abilities as a General and as a statesman have been acknowledged, both by friends and foes, citizens and foreigners. I would take notice of an instance or two: The late King of Prussia sent him a medal, with this inscription; "From the oldest General in Europe, to the greatest General in the world." The Honorable CHARLES J. FOX, one of the ablest statesmen in Europe, in the British House of Commons, ('94) delivered the following encomium upon General WASHINGTON: "Illustrious man! deriving honor less from the splendor of his situation, than from the dignity of his mind; before whom all borrowed greatness sinks into insignificance. I cannot indeed," added Mr. Fox, "help admiring the wisdom and the fortune of this great man:—not that by the phrase fortune, I mean to derogate from his merit; but notwithstanding his extraordinary talents and exalted integrity, it must be considered as singularly fortunate, that he should have experienced a lot, which so seldom falls to the portion of humanity; and have passed through such a variety of scenes, without stain and without reproach. It must indeed create astonishment, that, placed in circumstances so critical, and filling for a series of time a station so conspicuous, his character should never once have been called in question:—that he should in no one instance have been accused either of improper insolence, or of mean submission in his transactions with foreign nations. It has been reserved for him to run the race of glory, without experiencing the smallest interruption to the brilliancy of his career. The breath of censure has not dared to impeach the [Page 10] purity of his conduct; nor the eye of envy to raise us malignant glance to the elevation of his virtues. Such has been the transcendant merit and the unparalleled fate of this illustrious man." Thus he.
THIS we all must attest to, who have had a knowledge of the day of WASHINGTON. His enemies never were suffered, nor able to crown him with a crown of thorns, nor to array him in a purple robe, with a mock sceptre in his hand: No; but, by the grace of God, a diadem of glory, a robe of virtue, and a sceptre of justice and humanity, ever attended him. Surely, to be deprived of such a patriot, father and friend, must be a loss great indeed, and ought to excite in each of our breasts great sorrow and mourning. Which brings me
II. Such a loss calls for great lamentation.
HERE I shall give you the reasons, why we should lament, when great and good men are removed from us by death.
WHEN great and good men are taken away from us, so much of the holy nature of God, as resided in them when with us, is now taken from the world. Those precious abilities, those excellent qualifications, gifts and graces, which they were wont to exercise for the promotion of the honor and glory of God, the peace and prosperity of the nation, with their prayers, have ceased. The nation, where they inhabited, had the profit of their abilities, gifts and graces; but now, no more! except only what is kept in remembrance, or upon record, of their holy and instructive words and examples.
[Page 11]THE loss of great and good men in a nation; men, who have been patriots, deliverers and protectors of their nation and country, demands great lamentation. They mourned for Aaron the high priest thirty days, even all the house of Israel. They wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. And why are such to be lamented? Because, thereby, a gap is made to let in the judgments of God upon the remnant that remains. It is said of Moses; Therefore he, i. e. God, said, that he would destroy them, had not Moses, his chosen, stood before him in the breach, lest he should destroy them. Lot was another such; he shielded wicked Sodom from the judgments of God; for God says to him, I cannot do any thing till thou art departed. When the Lord removes such excellent men, he thereby lays open a way to his vengeance. Hence, the death of great and good men is ominous of heavy judgments at hand. Says the prophet, The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. Yet, let us hope better things of our nation. However, this is a very great and potent argument for our lamentation, this day, for the loss of him, who was our father and friend.
WHEN the fathers and defenders of a nation are removed by death, the beauty of that nation is fallen; the nation looks not like itself Wicked men are the blemishes of a people; but good men, upright men, men of ability and integrity, are the beauty and glory of a nation. How desolate and melancholy doth a family appear, when the kind husband, father and governor is removed. How much more so, a commonwealth, when a redeemer, father, protector [Page 12] and citizen is taken away. Take away good men from their coun [...]y and nation, and what are they; but, like a vineyard, whose hedge is removed, and stone-wall broken down?
THE death of the fathers and defenders of our nation demands bitter lamentation; because, their virtuous walk, pious and wholesome words, and examples are no more; and thus a way, for fraud and deceit, sin and iniquity, and every evil work, to spring forth.
THE time, in which great and good men die, aggravates the loss. The day, in which we live, is a day of dreadful war and trouble in Europe; and all means have been prosecuted to involve us in the same; and we may feel the storm before it be overblown. Thus, to have our General and defender taken from us, at such a crisis, greatly augments the sorrow of those, who remain; and, that upon the following accounts: Great and good men are often taken away, when virtue and religion, when the spirit and power of godliness, are upon the decline; when the love of many has become cold. Ofttimes they are removed, when virtuous and religious men are very few; when men of integrity and uprightness are hardly to be found; when men are full of intrigue and deceit, watching every opportunity to entrap. But, we hope and trust, that there are some crying with the Psalmist, Help Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the righteous fail from among the children of men.
BUT that, which most aggravates the loss, is this; when it comes in a time, wherein the succession is in any measure hindered. In this case, the death [Page 13] of our political fathers and defenders, is very painful.
LASTLY. The removal of great and good men is a just ground for lamentation. For, when we consider what influence our sins and iniquities have had upon the judgments of God, our unworthiness of great and good men, our unthankfulness for them, and non-improvement of the same, have provoked the Lord to remove them. Thus we see upon what reasons our sorrows are a debt due to the death of great and good men.
APPLICATION.
HERE is reproof for three kinds of people.
To those, who are so impious, that they are inwardly glad, when great and good men are taken away. They took no delight in them, when living, and secretly rejoice when they are dead. But oh, that such men would consider their loss, and how exposed they are to the judgments of God: Says the prophet, Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnan [...], we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrha. Let the world think as they will of such men, such men are the salt of the earth; a wall between nations and destruction.
HERE is reproof for good men, who are too senseless, and too apt, slightly, to pass over such awful strokes of God. For this it was, God reproved his ancient people the Jews. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men and taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. Such tremendous strokes of God's providence, certainly call for a greater sense and mourning, than is generally to be found in men.
[Page 14]SUCH a stroke of God's providence, as we have experienced, reproves even the very best of people. It is true, they lament; yet, they do not lament it as they ought. They say such a worthy has fallen, the defender of our country and the establisher of its peace; but they do not lament as they ought, in prayer to the Lord God; they do not cry as the Psalmist did, Help, Lord! for the Godly man ceaseth; help, Lord! the remnant that is left; help, Lord! to repair the breach made by death. Alas! it is to be feared, that the lamentations of the best of men are not as they should be.— Lam. We may cry with the prophet of old, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! WASHINGTON—the GREAT—the GOOD—IS DEAD!— HE, who erected the chariot of the American Israel, and formed the harness for the government thereof—is no more! All his personal services are now at an end! How is the mighty fallen! Ye daughters of America, weep ye over WASHINGTON, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights; who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. And, while we drop a tear, or a sigh, for him, let us not forget other worthies, who have gone before him; worthies, who were able Generals and statesman, and who were instrumental in bringing about a glorious peace to these United States.
DIRECTION.
LET us be humble before God, this day, for our sins, which are the procuring cause of all the calamities and unhappy breaches brought and made upon us. Let us renounce the ways of sin, and embrace the ways of virtue and religion. Let us imitate those worthies, who have gone before us, and especially him, the loss of whom, we are requested to [Page 15] deplore. Let us follow such; so far as they followed Christ. Let us be humble for our ingratitude to God for all his mercies, and our non-improvement and hearty acknowledgement of the same, when we had them in possession.
LET us render praise to God, for all the helps and favors, which we have had and still enjoy. Particularly, that he was pleased to raise up unto us such an able General and statesman, and to continue him, till the rights of America were secured, and all things settled in peace, regularity and order; that he was pleased to preserve his character inviolate. Let us rejoice in the goodness and grace of God, that there are some wrestling Jacobs and prevailing Israels yet left in the land.
LET us be earnest in prayer to Almighty God, for a sanctified use and improvement of the dispensations of his providence and grace. That he would guide our rulers, counsel our counsellors, and grant our senators wisdom: That he would raise up, qualify, and send forth unto us, faithful men; men, who shall rule in the fear of God: That Elishas may be found, on whom the mantle of Elijah may fall: That he would take of the spirit, that was in Moses, and give unto Joshua. Let us cry earnestly unto God to save us from war, and desolating judgments; that the blessings of his throne and of his footstool may come upon us: That human and divine instruction may increase: That peace and good order, among all denominations of men, may prevail: That he would take under his fatherly protection our nation and country, the constitution, and several governments of the same: That he would cause justice and judgment to run down as a river, and righteousness [Page 16] as an overflowing flood: That he would bless us by sea and land, in our basket and store: That he would prosper our ministers in foreign courts, and grant us favor in the eyes of all nations: That he would put an end to war▪ and bring on the peaceable kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
ONCE more. Moses my servant is dead! WASHINGTON my servant is dead! It becomes us to encourage Joshua. How? By a strict observance of the constitution and laws of the land: In so doing, we shall give life and vigor to the supreme magistrate and court, and likewise to the several branches of the same. This is not all▪ but, it will serve to keep out of sight, such as would be our ruin.
CONCLUSION.
LET us remember, that we are all mortal; that no one is exempted from the stroke of death. High stations and relations, riches and honor, power, wisdom and goodness cannot discharge from that war, or give unto God a ransom. The fathers, where are they? And do the prophets live forever? No. All must bow to the king of terrors. Let it become our chief concern, that we be ready to meet our God and Judge: That we be ready to enter in through the gates into the city new Jerusalem, where sickness and sorrow, death and sin, war and trouble, can never come; and where tears shall be wiped from all eyes, and God shall be all in all.
AMEN.