Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men

Delivered on May 17, 1776, just two months before the Declaration of Independence, this sermon by Princeton president John Witherspoon addressed a day of public fasting and prayer proclaimed by the Continental Congress. Speaking to a congregation already deep in revolutionary ferment, Witherspoon sought to provide theological grounding for the colonial cause while maintaining proper reverence for divine sovereignty. The sermon takes its text from Psalm 76:10: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."

Witherspoon argues that God's providence works through human passions and political upheavals to accomplish divine purposes, even when those passions appear destructive or chaotic. He contends that Britain's oppressive policies, driven by human pride and avarice, will ultimately serve God's plan for American liberty. The sermon carefully balances revolutionary fervor with Reformed theology, insisting that while colonists must resist tyranny, they must recognize God as the ultimate author of their deliverance. Witherspoon warns against both passive resignation and presumptuous confidence, calling instead for active resistance grounded in humble dependence on divine providence. He explicitly connects American liberty to the advancement of true religion, arguing that political freedom serves the higher purpose of gospel proclamation.

The sermon became one of the most influential pieces of Revolutionary-era political theology, demonstrating how Reformed ministers provided religious justification for resistance to British rule. Witherspoon's integration of Calvinist doctrine with Whig political theory helped shape American Protestant thinking about the relationship between divine sovereignty and human agency in political affairs. Who should read this: those interested in the theological foundations of American political thought, students of Reformed approaches to political resistance, and readers seeking to understand how eighteenth-century Christians wrestled with the relationship between providence and revolution. This is not suitable for those looking for systematic political theology rather than occasional preaching.