Observations on the Real Rights of Women and Other Writings

Fast Sermon

3 Fast Sermon Preached Mr. Madison’s fast day, August 20, 1812 By Increase Mather Jun. of the inner Temple My Respected Hearers, We have this day assembled in the house of the Lord in compliance with and direction of the head government of this Nation.1 As specified by proclamation thro’ the medium of the public newspapers, it may be expected by them that we join in fervent prayer for the divine blessing to attend the present war. But every judicious person must be sensible it is the duty of a wise Nation to seek direction of heaven before they engage in a war. If they do not, but rush into one without seeking direction from him who is the wise ruler and disposer of all events of Mankind, we can have no reason to expect a blessing will attend the undertaking till we have sought out heaven to direct our path. I feel very confident no war can be justifiable in the eye of the God of peace except a defensive one. And when his people are labouring under the yoke of tyranny, and oppression, it is the duty of such a people to call on the Lord and be of good courage, and commit their cause to him if a just one. We may expect a blessing will attend us, if we fervently pray [to] him to appear on our behalf, that he would protect us and break to pieces the power of every cruel 4 and proud oppressor, for wherefore go we forth except the Lord go with us. Now if any Nation do go forth in a rash manner, not first seeking direction of heaven as to the justness of the cause, it may indeed be called a war of passion, or the rage of men in power. God forbid this nation, as a people, should engage in such a war, for which reason I have chosen for our present meditation these words, Numbers, the 22 chap[ter], 12 verse And God said unto Balaam thou shalt not go with them, thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed. I would recommend to you, my hearers, to read the whole of this chap[ter], when you return to your own houses, that you may take into view the wonderful interposition of divine providence on behalf of his ancient people Israel. Now at that time they, the Children of Israel, were many, and Moab was sore afraid of them, and Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at the time. And Moab was greatly intimidated and sore afraid, on account of the vast number of the Children of Israel, whom it seems had pitched their tents on the plains of Moab, on this side [of] Jordan, by Jericho. Now Balak, tho’ he was irritated to a degree of desperation, yet he had not the hardiness or imprudence to wage war against the Israelites till he had secured Balaam in his interest, as he supposed him to be a prophet, or one versed in divination. In the first place I shall take notice of the unhappy situation of the Moabites and their poor king Balak, that they could not call on the God of Israel as the God of their Fathers, and they dare not for their cause was a bad one. For it doth not appear that the Israelites made any war upon them but were quiet in fast sermon 5 their own tents. But such was the pride of Moab and Balak, they could not bear to let them go on quietly to the land of Canaan, read Canada,2 and they must have them routed to gratify their own pride and ambition. And how can it be done, they must needs have recourse to a false prophet, for a righteous one they would not listen to. So they repeatedly sent to Balaam, with the offer of large bribes, to come and curse the people of the most high God. Now we see in the words of our text, God said, go not with them, curse them not, for they are blessed. We, my hearers, have reason to hope we are the people of God. Tho’ in many instances we have sinned and come short of his Mercy, yet we have experienced the divine favour towards us in as striking a manner as his peculiar people of old...