Jonathan Ashley’s 1749 sermon to the Deerfield slaves

            On at least one occasion, January 23, 1749 (a Monday), Deerfield’s Reverend Jonathan Ashley gave a special sermon to the enslaved blacks of the town. His manuscript notes survived, though their present location is not known. (They may be in the collections of the Union Theological Society.) Excerpts are quoted in George Sheldon’s History of Deerfield (1895-1896) and Lorenzo Greene’s The Negro in Colonial New England (1942). Fortunately, what appears to be a complete transcript of Ashley’s notes was published in an historical journal (now rather obscure) in 1867: The Historical Magazine and Notes and Queries concerning the Antiquities, History and Biography of America, Vol. I, Second Series, pp. 142-143 (March, 1867).

            That item is reproduced below, complete with the incorrect heading referring to John Ashley, rather than Jonathan. It might be pointed out that “X” is a common abbreviation for “Christ”. Thus “X” should be read as “Christ”, “Xtianity” as “Christianity”, “Xts” as “Christ’s”, etc. Also “y”, when followed by superscripted text, should generally be read as “th” (or some variation thereon). For instance, interpret “ y^e ” as “the”, “ y^r ” as “their”, and “ y^y ” as “they”.

            Transcribed from the 1867 publication by Robert H. Romer (Amherst College).

Here follows the item as printed in 1867. –  

IV. – REV. JOHN ASHLEY OF DEERFIELD.

            This distinguished minister was born in 1713, graduated at Yale College in 1730, and, on the eighth of November, 1732, was ordained Pastor of the church at Deerfield, Mass.

             He was widely known and greatly respected; and few of his contemporaries exercised a greater influence in the churches.

             The following notes of one of his sermons, preached at Deerfield on the twenty-third of January, 1749, are copied from the original Manuscript, in the possession of the Rev. E. H. Gillette, D.D., of Harlem, N.Y.; and will serve to illustrate the views of the Clergy of New England, concerning The duties of Masters and Slaves, a century ago. – [ED. HIST. MAG.]

I. Cor. 7. 22. For he that is called in y^e Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s Freeman; likewise also, he that is called, being free, is Christ’s Servant.

DEERFIELD   January 23, 1749.

Preached on an evening Lecture to the Negroes.

            God has no regard of persons in the affair of our Salvation; whosoever will is invited to come and take of the waters of life freely. Is. 55, beg. Rev. 22.

            There are none of the human race too low & despicable for God to bestow Salvation upon. Yea it is the mean & base things of this world which God is pleased to elect to eternal life – whilst the rich are sent empty away, & y^e great and honorable are left to perish in their sins. – There are some of the children of men, however wretched and miserable y^r case is, [that] have no sense of y^r need of a Saviour – They are satisfying themselves with earthly things – They glory in the enjoyment of this world – They say who will show us any earthly good – They pant after the dust of y^e earth, but they have no desires after Spiritual and eternal things – Some look upon themselves [as] too good to trouble themselves about the pardon of Sin. Fruits of [the] Spirit, meekness, humility, repentance towards God are too much beneath them, so some are ready to look upon themselves [as] above the duties of Xtianity.

            On the other hand, there are some who are tempted to think themselves beneath the offers of mercy, & they are ready to think – God will not have mercy on them, because they are such poor miserable creatures. It may be they are poor and despised – and will God think on them whom the world will take no notice of – or it may be they are ignorant, and cant know and understand like other men – and it is not worth while for them to trouble themselves much about Salvation.

            Or it may be they think y^y are Servants & y^y han’t time or advantages, & they are such poor creatures that it is not likely they shall ever obtain mercy. But let us take notice of the riches of grace to the children of men – The poor may be rich in faith and heirs of Glory – The ignorant may understand and know God in Christ, whilst the wise perish in their own understanding.

            Servants who are at the dispose & Command of others, who, it may be, are despised in the world, may be the Lord’s freemen and heirs of glory.

            1^st. I will show that Christianity allows of the relation of masters and Servants.

            2^dly. I will show that such as are by Divine providence placed in the State of Servants, are not excluded from Salvation, but may become the Lord’s freemen.

            3^dly . I will show what a privilege and advantage it is to be a freeman in the Lord.

            4^thly. Will give some Directions to such as are servants to become the Lord’s freemen.

            5^thly. Will show what motives there are for such to seek to be the Lord’s freemen.

            1^st. I will show y^t Xtianity allows of y^e relation of masters and Servants.

            When the Gospel was first preached to y^e Gentiles, & y^y partook of the glorious privileges of it, the Devil endeavored to puff them up with pride & to lead them into an abuse of the liberties of the Gospel. Servants who became believers, were ready to despise their unbelieving masters – and began to proclaim liberty to themselves, and declare it unlawful for such as were Xtians to be Servants. But the Apostle by the direction of God’s Spirit, considers and determines this point – They who were servants were not to forsake y^r masters, but to abide in that Station – Nor would he have them trouble themselves about being Servants. So when Onesimus, a Servant, ran away from his master, and was persuaded to be a christian by Paul, he does not tell him to forsake his master, but sent him home to him, and tells Philemon in his epistle he would be profitable to him for time to come, – What a temptation of the Devil is it therefore to lead Servants into Sin, and provoke God; to insinuate into them they ought not to abide in y^r place of Servant, – and so either forsake their master or are uneasy, unfaithful, slothful Servants, to the damage of masters and the dishonor of religion – the reproach of Xtianity.

            Secondly I am to show that Such as are by Divine Providence placed in the place of Servants are not excluded from Salvation, but may become y^e Lord’s freemen – The offers of Salvation are made to Servants as well as masters – There is no distinction among men. Whosoever will, is invited to come and be saved by X Jesus – he will cast out none if they have no money to buy – nothing that this world value – if they have no righteousness or goodness of y^r own, yet y^y shall find rest in X to y^r Souls. The Gospel is not sent to one nation or people, but to Gentiles as well as Jews, to Barbarians Scythians – bond and free are all alike welcome to X – tho they are under bonds to earthly masters – yet they may be free in X. Spiritual liberty is not inconsistent with a State of Servitude – men may serve their masters, and yet be free from the law of sin and death, and be free to serve X.

            Thirdly I am to Show what a privilege it is to be the Lord’s freeman, and it includes these things.

            1^st. They who are the Lord’s freemen are delivered from the Covenant of works. They are not under the law, but under grace.

            2^dly. They are free from the condemnation of death that is passed upon them.

            3^dly. They are freed from the power and dominion of sin, and are enabled to Serve X.

            4^thly . They are freed from the hands of Satan and set at liberty from his Kingdom.

            5^thly. They are freed from the bondage of fear and have good hope through grace – a sure refuge in X Jesus, – these are great privileges were there nothing more, – but as in cities or in Commonwealths, freemen have great privileges, so it is in the will of God Xts freemen have great privileges.

            6^thly. They are children of God, adopted into his family.

            7^thly. They are friends of God, and have liberty of access to him at all times, to lay open their wants and grievances to him.

            8^thly. They are entitled to all the great and precious promises which God has made to his people in his word.

            9^thly. They who are Christ’s freemen are led by the Spirit of God – his Spirit dwells in them to guide, quicken and comfort them.

            10^thly. Xts freemen are heirs of eternal glory & y^y are training up by providences and ordinances to eternal life and happiness.                    

            11^thly. Xts freemen have the holy angels to guard them & minsiter to them in the world.

            12. Xts freemen when they come to die enter into everlasting rest and glory. They go to be with the Lord.

            Fourthly I will give some directions to you that you may become Christ’s freemen.

            1^st. You must break off from all sin and sincerely repent of all your past wickedness.

            2^dly. You must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and accept of him on the terms of the Gospel, subjecting yourselves to his Government.

            3^dly. You must be holy in all manner of life and Conversation – if you live in sin you are the Servants of sin & are not Xts freemen.

            4^thly. You must watch against Sin and Keep at the greatest distance from it.

            5^thly. You must be contented with your State & Condition in the world and not murmur and complain of what God orders for you.

            6^thly. You must be faithful in the places God puts you and be eye Servants – in vain to think to be Xts freemen & be slothful Servants.

            7^thly. If you would be the Lord’s freemen you must resist all temptation to sin and be exemplary in your lives and Conversation.

            8^thly. Be constant and diligent in the uses of the means of Grace – read pray meditate – hear the word preached.

            Fifthly for motive consider 1^st if you are not Xts freemen you will be the Slaves of the Devil.

            2^ndly. If you are Xts freemen you may contentedly be servants in the world – 3^dly. X is come into the world and died to free you – 4^thly. God has done much for some of you to make you free – 5^thly. you are under good advantages to obtain your liberty by X. 6^thly. The time is that you know not what may be on the morrow. 7^thly. Think what it is to die in sin – not freed by X.