Being will at one day appear fully in behalf of the oppressed, and arrest the progress of the avaricious oppressors; for although the destruction of the oppressors God may not effect by the oppressed, yet the Lord our God will bring other destructions upon them—­for not unfrequently will he cause them to rise up one against another, to be split and divided, and to oppress each other, and sometimes to open hostilities with sword in hand.  Some may ask, what is the matter with this enlightened and happy people?—­Some say it is the cause of political usurpers, tyrants, oppressors, &c.  But has not the Lord an oppressed and suffering people among them?  Does the Lord condescend to hear their cries and see their tears in consequence of oppression?  Will he let the oppressors rest comfortably and happy always?  Will he not cause the very children of the oppressors to rise up against them, and oftimes put them to death?  “God works in many ways his wonders to perform.”

I will not here speak of the destructions which the Lord brought upon Egypt, in consequence of the oppression and consequent groans of the oppressed—­of the hundreds and thousands of Egyptians whom God hurled into the Red Sea for afflicting his people in their land—­of the Lord’s suffering people in Sparta or Lacedemon, the land of the truly famous Lycurgus—­nor have I time to comment upon the cause which produced the fierceness with which Sylla usurped the title, and absolutely acted as dictator of the Roman people—­the conspiracy of Cataline—­the conspiracy against, and murder of Caesar in the Senate house—­the spirit with which Marc Antony made himself master of the commonwealth—­his associating Octavius and Lipidus with himself in power,—­their dividing the provinces of Rome among themselves—­their attack and defeat on the plains of Phillipi the last defenders of their liberty, (Brutus and Cassius)—­the tyranny of Tiberius, and from him to the final overthrow of Constantinople by the Turkish Sultan, Mahomed II., A.D. 1453.  I say, I shall not take up time to speak of the causes which produced so much wretchedness and massacre among those heathen nations, for I am aware that you know too well, that God is just, as well as merciful!—­I shall call your attention a few moments to that christian nation, the Spaniards, while I shall leave almost unnoticed that avaricious and cruel people, the Portuguese, among whom all true hearted christians and lovers of Jesus Christ, must evidently see the judgments of God displayed.  To show the judgments of God upon the Spaniards I shall occupy but little time, leaving a plenty of room for the candid and unprejudiced to reflect.