Princeton & July 4, 1776

By Michael Griego on July 4, 2025 • ( 0 )

Almost 250 years ago, a pastor gave a stirring sermon at a small university that paved the way for the American Declaration of Independence. Half the sermon was political; the other half was not. ♦

Princeton University was founded in 1746, 30 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. Originally called the College of New Jersey, Princeton had 5 presidents before the Reverend John Witherspoon took the helm and oversaw a long period of growth and stability from 1768 to 1794.

A practical evangelical Christian leader, Witherspoon believed in a common moral sense philosophy that all human beings, religious or otherwise, could and should be virtuous.¹Yet we as children of God need ultimately be awakened to the glaring realm around us and act boldly and with strength.

Witherspoon was the lone clergyman who signed America’s Declaration of Independence. He later even served in the New Jersey state legislature.

A Sermon for the Ages
While a brilliant academic influenced by the intellectual inputs of the Enlightenment, he did not lose sight of our active plight as humans in the context of a very real God.

Witherspoon delivered a sermon at Princeton on May 17, 1776 entitled The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. The sermon was based on the Psalm 76:10:

Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.

This sermon is widely regarded as one of the principal sermons that prepared the way for the Declaration of Independence.²

While the latter half of his sermon focused on the political subject of the day – “the first time” he said, that he introduced a “political subject into the pulpit” – he put life and war in context, like all of us should, in the first half.

Here is first part of the sermon:

“In the first place, I would take the opportunity on this occasion, and from this subject, to press every hearer to a sincere concern for his own soul’s salvation.

I do not blame your ardor in preparing for the resolute defense of your temporal rights. But consider I beseech you, the truly infinite importance of the salvation of your souls.

Yes, he is saying, our rights may be worthy of defense, but of bigger importance is our souls.

Is it of much moment whether you and your children shall be rich or poor, at liberty or in bonds?

Is it of much moment whether this beautiful country shall increase in fruitfulness from year to year, being cultivated by active industry, and possessed by independent freemen, or the scanty produce of the neglected fields shall be eaten up by hungry publicans, while the timid owner trembles at the tax gatherers approach?

He is asking, shall we be focused on the temporal ups and downs of this earthly life, even in the midst of obvious goods and ills?

And is it of less moment my brethren, whether you shall be the heirs of glory or the heirs of hell?

Is your state on earth for a few fleeting years of so much moment?

And is it of less moment, what shall be your state through endless ages?

Essentially, shall one be focused on the fleeting now or on the endless eternity?

Have you assembled together willingly to hear what shall be said on public affairs, and to join in imploring the blessing of God on the counsels and arms of the united colonies, and can you be unconcerned, what shall become of you for ever, when all the monuments of human greatness shall be laid in ashes, for “the earth itself and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up.”

Are we here to listen to the public affairs of mankind and disregard the fact that all of this is ultimately temporal?

Suffer me to beseech you, or rather to give you warning, not to rest satisfied with a form of godliness, denying the power thereof. There can be no true religion, till there be a discovery of your lost state by nature and practice, and an unfeigned acceptance of Christ Jesus, as he is offered in the gospel. Unhappy they who either despise his mercy, or are ashamed of his cross! Believe it, “there is no salvation in any other. There is no other name under heaven given amongst men by which we must be saved.”

His major point: It is actually all about Christ Jesus.

Unless you are united to him by a lively faith, not the resentment of a haughty monarch, but the sword of divine justice hangs over you, and the fullness of divine vengeance shall speedily overtake you.

The sword of divine justice actively hangs over us with the divine vengeance of God ready to come upon us.

I do not speak this only to the heaven, daring profligate, or gravelling sensualist, but to every insensible secure sinner; to all those, however decent and orderly in their civil deportment, who live to themselves and have their part and portion in this life; in fine to all who are yet in a state of nature, for “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Witherspoon speaks to all of us, yes, as insensible secure sinners, decent and orderly people even, though apart from being born again, are forever separated from God.

The fear of man may make you hide your profanity: prudence and experience may make you abhor intemperance and riot; as you advance in life, one vice may supplant another and hold its place; but nothing less than the sovereign grace of God can produce a saving change of heart and temper, or fit you for his immediate presence.

Living a life and fearing or advancing amongst our fellow man, will do nothing truly to produce a saving change of heart or temper, or prepare one for God’s eternal presence.

Indeed, the only answer is the sovereign grace of God.

A Perspective on our Declaration of Independence
We do well to honor this great American nation on this 249th year of our existence as a national entity. Let us wave our flags and light our fireworks and celebrate with family and friends and fun.

But understand that even in the days of our national origins, people struggled with their own personal focus on temporal needs, wants, and rights. And the issue of their own spiritual salvation, or not.

As we will continue to do so today.

It is sobering to think of the bright minds, like John Witherspoon, who throughout human history noted and voiced the trials and travails of worldly needs even as we, and they, knew and know, very clearly, our humbled stature before a mighty and loving and gracious and demanding God.

It is always good to be reminded of the recurring major point, even on the 4th of July; it is always actually all about Jesus.

Have a Happy 4th of July!
_______________________________
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. – 1 Peter 2:16

¹The History of Princeton University, in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Princeton_University

²The Sermon That Helped Push the Colonies Toward Independence, by Kevin DeYoung, in The Gospel Coalition, July 4, 2016, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/the-sermon-that-helped-push-the-colonies-toward-independence/