I come now to apply these things to our own case, under the late awful
frown of divine Providence upon us in removing by death that honorable
person in public rule and authority, an inhabitant of this town and
belonging to this congregation and church, who died at Boston the last
Lord's day.
He was eminently a _strong rod_ in the forementioned respects. As to his
natural abilities, strength of reason, greatness and clearness of
discerning and depth of penetration, he was one of the first rank: it may
be doubted whether he has left his superior in these respects in these
parts of the world. He was a man of a truly great genius, and his genius
was peculiarly fitted for the understanding and managing of public
affairs.
And as his natural capacity was great, so was the knowledge that he had
acquired, his understanding being greatly improved by close application of
mind to those things he was called to be concerned in, and by a very exact
observation of them and long experience in them. He had indeed a great
insight into the nature of public societies, the mysteries of government
and the affairs of peace and war: he had a discerning that very few have
of the things wherein the public weal consists, and what those things are
that do expose public societies, and of the proper means to avoid the
latter and promote the former. He was quick in his discerning, in that in
most cases, especially such as belonged to his proper business, he at
first sight would see further than most men when they had done their best;
but yet he had a wonderful faculty of improving his own thoughts by
meditation, and carrying his views a greater and greater length by long
and close application of mind. He had an extraordinary ability to
distinguish right and wrong in the midst of intricacies and circumstances
that tended to perplex and darken the case: he was able to weigh things,
as it were, in a balance, and to distinguish those things that were solid
and weighty from those that had only a fair show without substance, which
he evidently discovered in his accurate, clear and plain way of stating
and committing causes to a jury, from the bench, as by others hath been
observed. He wonderfully distinguished truth from falsehood, and the most
labored cases seemed always to lie clear in his mind, his ideas properly
ranged--and he had a talent of communicating them to every one's
understanding, beyond almost any one; and if any were misguided, it was
not because truth and falsehood, right and wrong, were not well
distinguished.
He was probably one of the ablest politicians that ever New England bred:
he had a very uncommon insight into human nature, and a marvellous ability
to penetrate into the particular tempers and dispositions of such as he
had to deal with, and to discern the fittest way of treating them, so as
most effectually to influence them to any good and wise purpose.
And never perhaps was there a person that had a more extensive and
thorough knowledge of the state of this land and its public affairs, and
of persons that were jointly concerned in them: he knew this people and
their circumstances, and what their circumstances required: he discerned
the diseases of this body, and what were the proper remedies, as an able
and masterly physician. He had a great acquaintance with the neighboring
colonies, and also the neighbor nations on this continent, with whom we
are concerned in our public affairs: he had a far greater knowledge than
any other person in the land of the several nations of Indians in these
northern parts of America, their tempers, manners and the proper way of
treating them, and was more extensively known by them than any other
person in the country: and no other person in authority in this province
had such an acquaintance with the people and country of Canada, the land
of our enemies, as he.
He was exceeding far from a disposition and forwardness to intermeddle
with other people's business; but as to what belonged to the offices he
sustained and the important affairs that he had the care of, he had a
great understanding of what belonged to them. I have often been surprised
at the length of his reach, and what I have seen of his ability to foresee
and determine the consequences of things, even at a great distance, and
quite beyond the sight of other men. He was not wavering and unsteady in
his opinion: his manner was never to pass a judgment rashly, but was wont
first thoroughly to deliberate and weigh an affair; and in this,
notwithstanding his great abilities, he was glad to improve [by] the help
of conversation and discourse with others, and often spake of the great
advantage he found by it; but when, on mature consideration, he had
settled his judgment, he was not easily turned from it by false colors and
plausible pretences and appearances.
And besides his knowledge of things belonging to his particular calling as
a ruler, he had also a great degree of understanding in things belonging
to his general calling as a Christian. He was no inconsiderable divine. He
was a wise casuist, as I know by the great help I have found from time to
time by his judgment and advice in cases of conscience wherein I have
consulted him: and indeed I scarce knew the divine that I ever found more
able to help and enlighten the mind in such cases than he. And he had no
small degree of knowledge in things pertaining to experimental religion;
but was wont to discourse on such subjects, not only with accurate
doctrinal distinctions, but as one intimately and feelingly acquainted
with these things.
He was not only great in speculative knowledge, but his knowledge was
practical; such as tended to a wise conduct in the affairs, business and
duties of life; so as properly to have the denomination of wisdom, and so
as properly and eminently to invest him with the character of a wise man.
And he was not only eminently wise and prudent in his own conduct, but was
one of the ablest and wisest counsellors of others in any difficult
affair.
The greatness and honorableness of his disposition was answerable to the
largeness of his understanding. He was naturally of a great mind. In this
respect he was truly the _son of nobles_. He greatly abhorred things which
were mean and sordid, and seemed to be incapable of a compliance with
them. How far was he from trifling and impertinence in his conversation!
How far from a busy, meddling disposition! How far from any sly and
clandestine management to fill his pockets with what was fraudulently
withheld or violently squeezed from the laborer, soldier or inferior
officer! How far from taking advantage from his commission or authority or
any superior power he had in his hands, or the ignorance, dependence or
necessities of others, to add to his own gains with what property belonged
to them, and with what they might justly expect as a proper reward for any
of their services! How far was he from secretly taking bribes offered to
induce him to favor any man in his cause, or by his power or interest to
promote his being advanced to any place of public trust, honor or profit!
How greatly did he abhor lying and prevaricating! And how immovably
steadfast was he to exact truth! His hatred of those things that were mean
and sordid was so apparent and well known, that it was evident that men
dreaded to appear in any thing of that nature in his presence.
He was a man remarkably of a public spirit, a true lover of his country
and greatly abhorred the sacrificing the public welfare to private
interest.
He was very eminently endowed with a spirit of government. The God of
nature seemed to have formed him for government, as though he had been
made on purpose, and cast into a mould by which he should be every way
fitted for the business of a man in public authority. Such a behavior and
conduct was natural to him as tended to maintain his authority and possess
others with awe and reverence, and to enforce and render effectual what he
said and did in the exercise of his authority. He did not _bear the sword
in vain_: he was truly a _terror to evil doers_. What I saw in him often
put me in mind of that saying of the wise man, Prov. xx. 8, "The king that
sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes."
He was one that was not afraid of the faces of men; and every one knew
that it was in vain to attempt to deter him from doing what, on mature
consideration, he had determined he ought to do. Every thing in him was
great and becoming a man in his public station. Perhaps never was there a
man that appeared in New England to whom the denomination of a _great man_
did more properly belong.
But though he was one that was great among men, exalted above others in
abilities and greatness of mind and in place of rule, and feared not the
faces of men, yet he feared God. He was strictly conscientious in his
conduct, both in public and private. I never knew the man that seemed more
steadfastly and immovably to act by principle and according to rules and
maxims, established and settled in his mind by the dictates of his
judgment and conscience. He was a man of strict justice and fidelity.
Faithfulness was eminently his character. Some of his greatest opponents
that have been of the contrary party to him in public affairs, yet have
openly acknowledged this of him, that he was a faithful man. He was
remarkably faithful in his public trusts: he would not basely betray his
trust, from fear or favor. It was in vain to expect it, however men might
oppose him or neglect him, and how great soever they were. Nor would he
neglect the public interest, wherein committed to him, for the sake of his
own ease, but diligently and laboriously watched and labored for it night
and day. And he was faithful in private affairs as well as public: he was
a most faithful friend, faithful to any one that in any case asked his
counsel; and his fidelity might be depended on in whatever affair he
undertook for any of his neighbors.
He was a noted instance of the virtue of temperance, unalterable in it, in
all places, in all companies, and in the midst of all temptations.
Though he was a man of a great spirit, yet he had a remarkable government
of his spirit; and excelled in the government of his tongue. In the midst
of all provocations he met with, among the multitudes he had to deal with,
and the great multiplicity of perplexing affairs in which he was
concerned, and all the opposition and reproaches he was at any time the
subject of; yet what was there that ever proceeded out of his mouth that
his enemies could lay hold of? No profane language, no vain, rash,
unseemly and unchristian speeches. If at any time he expressed himself
with great warmth and vigor, it seemed to be from principle and
determination of his judgment, rather than from passion. When he expressed
himself strongly and with vehemence, those that were acquainted with him,
and well observed him from time to time, might evidently see it was done
in consequence of thought and judgment, weighing the circumstances and
consequences of things.
The calmness and steadiness of his behavior in private, particularly in
his family, appeared remarkable and exemplary to those who had most
opportunity to observe it.
He was thoroughly established in those religious principles and doctrines
of the first fathers of New England, usually called the _doctrines of
grace_, and had a great detestation of the opposite errors of the present
fashionable divinity, as very contrary to the word of God and the
experience of every true Christian. And as he was a friend to truth, so he
was a friend to vital piety and the power of godliness, and ever
countenanced and favored it on all occasions.
He abhorred profaneness, and was a person of a serious and decent spirit,
and ever treated sacred things with reverence. He was exemplary for his
decent attendance on the public worship of God. Who ever saw him
irreverently and indecently lolling and laying down his head to sleep, or
gazing and staring about the meeting-house in time of divine service? And
as he was able (as was before observed) to discourse very understandingly
of experimental religion, so to some persons with whom he was very
intimate, he gave intimations sufficiently plain, while conversing of
these things, that they were matters of his own experience. And some
serious persons in civil authority that have ordinarily differed from him
in matters of government, yet, on some occasional close conversation with
him on things of religion, have manifested a high opinion of him as to
real experimental piety.
As he was known to be a serious person, and an enemy to a profane or vain
conversation, so he was feared on that account by great and small. When he
was in the room, only his presence was sufficient to maintain decency;
though many were there that were accounted gentlemen and great men, who
otherwise were disposed to take a much greater freedom in their talk and
behavior than they dared to do in his presence.
He was not unmindful of death, nor insensible of his own frailty, nor did
death come unexpected to him. For some years past he has spoken much to
some persons of dying and going into the eternal world, signifying that he
did not expect to continue long here.
Added to all these things that have been mentioned to render him eminently
a _strong rod_, he was attended with many circumstances which tended to
give him advantage for the exerting of his strength for the public good.
He was honorably descended, was a man of considerable substance, had been
long in authority, was extensively known and honored abroad, was high in
the esteem of the many tribes of Indians in the neighborhood of the
British colonies, and so had great influence upon them above any other man
in New England; God had endowed him with a comely presence and majesty of
countenance, becoming the great qualities of his mind and the place in
which God had set him.
In the exercise of these qualities and endowments, under these advantages,
he has been, as it were, a father to this part of the land, on whom the
whole county had, under God, its dependence in all its public affairs, and
especially since the beginning of the present war. deg. How much the weight of
all the warlike concerns of the county (which above any part of the land
lies exposed to the enemy) has lain on his shoulders, and how he has been
the spring of all motion and the doer of every thing that has been done,
and how wisely and faithfully he has conducted these affairs, I need not
inform this congregation. You well know that he took care of the county as
a father of a family of children, not neglecting men's lives and making
light of their blood; but with great diligence, vigilance and prudence
applying himself continually to the proper means of our safety and
welfare. And especially has this his native town, where he has dwelt from
his infancy, reaped the benefit of his happy influence: his wisdom has
been, under God, very much our guide, and his authority our support and
strength, and he has been a great honor to Northampton and ornament to our
church.
He continued in full capacity of usefulness while he lived; he was indeed
considerably advanced in years, but his powers of mind were not sensibly
abated, and his strength of body was not so impaired but that he was able
to go long journeys, in extreme heat and cold, and in a short time.
But now this "strong rod is broken and withered," and surely the judgment
of God therein is very awful, and the dispensation that which may well be
for a lamentation. Probably we shall be more sensible of the worth and
importance of such a strong rod by the want of it. The awful voice of God
in this providence is worthy to be attended to by this whole province, and
especially by the people of this county, but in a more peculiar manner by
us of this town. We have now this testimony of the divine displeasure
added to all the other dark clouds God has lately brought over us, and his
awful frowns upon us. 'Tis a dispensation, on many accounts, greatly
calling for our humiliation and fear before God; an awful manifestation of
his supreme, universal and absolute dominion, calling us to adore the
divine sovereignty and tremble at the presence of this great God. And it
is a lively instance of human frailty and mortality. We see how that none
are out of the reach of death, that no greatness, no authority, no wisdom
and sagacity, no honorableness of person or station, no degree of
valuableness and importance exempts from the stroke of death. This is
therefore a loud and solemn warning to all sorts to prepare for their
departure hence.
And the memory of this person who is now gone, who was made so great a
blessing while he lived, should engage us to show respect and kindness to
his family. This we should do both out of respect to him and to his
father, your former eminent pastor, who in his day was, in a remarkable
manner, a father to this part of the land in spirituals, and especially to
this town, as this his son has been in temporals.--God greatly resented
it, when the children of Israel did not show kindness to the house of
Jerubbaal that had been made an instrument of so much good to them: Judges
viii. 35, "Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerrubbaal,
according to all the good which he had showed unto Israel."