1765 EBENEZER SPARHAWK. 36pp of Colonial American Red-Hot Sermons by Important Divine

Three fine, rather blistering sermons in the revivalist manner of the American Great Awakening in thirty-six neat manuscript pages.

The author is Reverend Ebenezer Sparhawk [1738-1805], Minister for 45 years at the Congregational Church at Templeton, Massachusetts. He was regarded as one of the most faithful of Congregational divines; given to a rigid church discipline, clarity of expression, and preaching reminiscent of Samuel Davies or Jonathan Edwards.

His commitment to church Discipline was such that he underwent a three-year controversy with his own church when a woman attempted to gain membership, though she had been dismissed from her previous church. He was unbending. She must make restitution there before she could be admitted to worship with the faithful at Templeton. Perhaps extreme, but we could use a smidgin’ of that today.

Complete and legible.

Sermon 1: Preached at Templeton, February 22, 1789 on Proverbs 14.9. Fools make a mock at sin.

“Numbers of us should on recollection charge yourself with this great fault and folly, as which you are accustomed to. They can observe it of yourself, that you make sport about your own sins & the sins of others & that sometimes you do wickedly for the sake of promoting mirth. They know it to be true, that they are pleased with sin in their selves and others, that they converse upon their ill conduct for recreation, that they even boast of the wicked deeds as witty trick or noble exploits. Those of us in this assembly who are thus chargeable and guilty should seek to be humble on this account in special. It is a matter of humility that we have committed iniquity, but to have sported about it is our shame & exposes us to everlasting contempt; it should be thought of with peculiar dislike and regret. Well may we be confounded and abased that we have been such fools and exposed ourselves to be avoided by wise and judicious men and in a singular manner exposed ourselves to be rejected by God. If we have been so profligate and vile as to jeer about sin and treat with ridicule and indignity things of the most weighty and serious nature, we should vastly admire the divine patience toward us, that we are not made to feel what we would not fear, yet those mouths which have uttered such notorious wickednesses are not finally shut & we sent to the place of torments to be the companion of devils and the damned spirits. We should in such a case observe God’s forbearance toward us & be the more concerned to exercise and shew forth our contrition to acknowledge as we have opportunity our peculiarly great wickedness and testify our penitence by our future piety.”

Sermons 2 & 3 [On the same text]: Preached at Templeton, February 3, 1765 on Revelation 1.18. I am he that liveth & was dead: & behold I am alive forever more. Amen. & have the keys of Hell & of Death.

Considering His resurrection & glorious authority we may on our own account as well as on his account exult. O what assurance does his living forever after being dead give us, that His death is an effectual means to attain all the valuable gracious ends for which he submitted to die – He died as a sacrifice for sin to expiate the guilt of it, that God, consistent with the honor of his Law & Government, might pardon the believing sinner. And had not his Death been a sufficient & acceptable price for our redemption from sin and wrath, would he upon suffering in our room have received in his release from the grave a most honorable and public discharge. Is not his living forever a full & eternal evidence of his having made plenary satisfaction to divine justice & obtaining a completed victory over death & his enemy, is he not exalted and empowered to bestow the blessings he purchased, is he not advanced to plead the merits of his sufferings & death & is not Power given him over all creatures for our sakes. Then we may not only be assured that he is able to be the author of our salvation, but also that if we trust in him he will successfully carry on the design of it & complete it at last as he is alive forever & is the intercessor and advocate with the father, believers being pardoned and cleansed . . . O how capable & ready is he to maintain & increase the divine life in the soul by large communications of His grace & by a constant plentiful supplies of his Spirit!”

He was also known for his strict stand on temperance; rather a rarity at the time:

“It puts the blood and juices into a most terrible ferment, and disturbs the whole animal economy. It vitiates the humor, relaxes the solids, spoils the constitution, fills the body with diseases, brings on meager looks, a ghastly countenance, and very bad tremblings; yea, when the abuse of it is persisted in, it quite ruins the health, destroys the strength, introduces decay of nature, and hastens death faster than hard labor.”

From his memorial in Pine Cemetery, Templeton, MA:

This monument is raised to the memory of the Rev. Learned & Pious Ebenezer Sparhawk, Pastor of the Congregational Church Templeton who expired Nov. 25, 1805 In the 68th year of his age, & the 45th of his ministry. Early in life he devoted himself to the service of his God & Saviour. Endu'd with good powers of mind improved by liberal Education and sanctified by Grace, he proved a burning and shining light. In the pulpit he was clear and pungent rightly dividing the World. In the circle of his acquaintance, he was ever welcome guest, his conversation being ever pleasant & improving. From a child he knew the Holy Scriptures & was mighty in them. In Faith he was sound & Evangelical. In rectitude pure and exemplary. A strict adherence to the Discipline of the Churches was a distinguishing trait in his Character. As a Husband he was affectionate. As a Father tender. He ruled his own house well & His children arise up and call him blessed. With assiduity & fidelity he is preserved in his Works: until called to receive his Reward. The Sun shall cease to shine & stars shall fade away and earth & time grow old & die, but his Virtues shall live & the eye of Faith & Charity now behold him walking high in Salvation and the Chimes of Bliss.

Published Works:

A Discourse, Delivered January 18, at the Interment of Benjamin Shattuck, Esq. an Eminent Physician in Templeton; Who Expired, January 14, in the Fifty Second Year of His Age. 1794.

Buckminster, Joseph. Ministers to be Pray'd for in their Office, by the People, &c. &c. A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of the Reverend Mr. Ebenezer Sparhawk, to the Pastoral Care of the Church and Congregation in Narraganset, 1761.