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is another symptom, that a nation is ripe for destruction, when the LORD looketh for some to make intercession, and there are few, or none; but when many present themselves, unanimous and cordial in this blessed work, though he bring that nation low, he will not yet give it up.

For these reasons, I consider it my duty to bless GOD for putting such a thing into the heart of our sovereign, (for "the king's heart is in the hand of "the LORD,") and I consider it as every christian's duty to observe such seasons with all earnestness. We may easily overvalue external religion, if we trust to it, and are proud of it: but it is possible to undervalue it; and we actually do so, if we do not immensely prefer it to open irreligion.

We are now assembled to return publick thanks for the mercies we then sought in publick prayers; and it seemed therefore proper to have at this season, a peculiar eye to those. It suffices, however, for my purpose, that we cried unto the LORD, and he heard us, whensoever our prayers were made.

For, I. In the very critical time, he gave important success to our arms. Had the event of the sea-fight between our fleet, under admiral Rodney, and the combined fleets, been as decisive in their favour as it was in ours; and had the Spaniards carried their point at Gibraltar, instead of being so severely repulsed by general Eliott, the consequences might have been fatal. At best, our present low estate must have been much lower, if

our existence as an independent kingdom had been preserved; if our civil and religious liberties had not been wrenched from us, or our happy island desolated by the horrors of war, and deluged with the blood of its inhabitants.

Let admirals and generals have their proper honour and reward: far be it from me to depreciate their characters, or envy their emoluments: they are worthy of them all from us, for whose security they expose themselves to danger. But let us not give them the glory which belongs to God. He inspires courage, he gives wisdom, he determines victory. Shall we not then render him our warmest thanksgivings for these seasonable and signal interpositions, in answer to the prayers we poured out in the day of our distress? Remember, my brethren, your anxiety, your apprehensions, your despondency, at that time; and ask your hearts, whether you have not cause for thankfulness? And whether you have been thankful? At that stage of the war, we were evidently not struggling for dominion, but for national security and equitable peace; which consideration disposes me more cheerfully to praise the LORD for thus answering our requests. And I think heaven and earth will condemn our ingratitude, if we do not as unanimously join in thanksgiving, as we did in supplication.

II. In consequence of these and other successes,

peace was at length concluded.

But what sort of
Such a peace

a peace? some are ready to answer,
as is much better than such a war.

When we

consider our national guilt, our national circumstances, our confederated foes, and exhausted finances, we must surely acknowledge that God hath done better by us, than either we deserved, or once expected; and this calls for grateful praise.-But some will say, 'tis so humiliating a peace, I cannot be satisfied with it, nor feel thankful for it. 'Tis true, God hath brought us low for our iniquity, both in respect of the extent of our dominions, and our national wealth and consequence; but if we be brought no lower, perhaps this very circumstance calls for thankfulness. Bad as the state of religion and morals is amongst us, had our wealth and honour increased, as it had done for some years past, probably matters had even now been much worse. Pride, ungodliness, sensuality, and luxury, had increased with increasing wealth and power, and probably would have increased. Had it been so, our destruction had advanced with hastier steps. Perhaps our being brought low, and deprived in part of that provision we had made for our lusts, is the very means of prolonging our state and delaying our ruin. And shall a christian murmur at this? Shall he refuse to be thankful for peace, and liberty, and security, because he doth not roll in wealth, nor is exalted in honour as heretofore? But to be more particular;

1. We are bound to thank God for putting a stop to the effusion of human blood. The value of man's life is great-of man's soul infinitely greater. He who duly ponders this, must consider war, though in some cases necessary, in all cases horrible: nor can he be other than shocked with reflecting on the thousands of his fellow-creatures slaughtered in battle, and their souls hurried into eternity; many of them, most of them 'tis to be feared, in the full career of unrepented sin. When a victory makes way for peace, I can rejoice in it; though not without melancholy reflections on the fatal consequences perhaps to thousands, mingling with my joy. Otherwise, the life of an American, a Frenchman, a Spaniard, or a Hollander, is, in my estimation, of equal value with the life of a Briton: even successful war excites my lamentation; and the return of peace is matter of thanksgiving, as I am a man and a christian, even though I should not, as an Englishman, approve of the conditions. Send peace in our time, O LORD!'—' That it may please thee to give unity, peace, and concord to all nations,' are requests, which surely no true christian can hesitate in adopting: nor should any christian refuse his tribute of praise and gratitude, when such requests are granted. Many, from selfish motives, wish for war; but can Le, who has the law of GoD written in his heart; even this law, "Thou shalt love "thy neighbour as thyself," desire the slaughter

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of his fellow-men, for the sake of his own emolument?

2. We have cause to thank God for stopping the effusion of the blood of our friends and relatives. How many, during the war, mourned over slaughtered fathers, brothers, sons, relatives, and friends! How many weeping eyes for the dead! How many anxious hearts about the living! Ought we not to thank God for relieving us in this respect from grief and anxiety?

.3. We are bound to thank GOD for preserving our land from becoming the seat of war. Many feared it; many of you, my fellow-christians, feared it, and prayed against it. Assuredly, our felicity, in this respect, both heretofore and in this conjuncture, is the gift of God, and demands our gratitude. He spread the protecting ocean around us; he raised us to our present naval power; he gives skill, hardiness, and courage to our seamen; he gives he gives victory to our fleets; he awes our enemies to a distance; he silences popular insurrections, and prevents civil war. For these mercies praise ye the LORD. The loss of men and money we know: but war, horrible war, as a nation we know not, or we could not fail to prize such a distinguishing favour. May we never learn to know its worth, by its loss!

4. We are bound to bless GoD for breaking the strong confederacy formed against us. Arguing from former events, we had little to fear from any

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