On the 19th of January a fast was held on account of the public
dissensions, and on that day Wheelwright preached a great sermon in Boston
which brought on the crisis. He was afterward accused of sedition: the
charge was false, for he did not utter one seditious word; but he did that
which was harder to forgive, he struck at what he deemed the wrong with
his whole might, and those who will patiently pore over his pages until
they see the fire glowing through his rugged sentences will feel the power
of his blow. And what he told his hearers was in substance this: It maketh
no matter how seemingly holy men be according to the law, if ... they are
such as trust to their own righteousness they shall die, saith the Lord.
Do ye not after their works; for they say and do not. They make broad
their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments; and love the
uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues; and
greetings in the market place and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and ye shall be saved, for being
justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the way we must take if so be we will not have the Lord Jesus Christ
taken from us is this, we must all prepare a spiritual combat, we must put
on the whole armor of God, and must have our loins girt up and be ready to
fight, .
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