Such is the way of peace, revealed in the religion of Jefus. It admits the justice of the principle, which probably, handed down by tradition from the earliest age, the nations had so generally adopted; but, rejecting all their uncommanded victims, it exhibits a facrifice.

"Of nobler name, and richer blood than they." It teaches the great mystery of godlinefs, God manifeft in the flesh, for the purpose of our falvation; declaring that Jefus "died, the just for the unjuft, that he might bring us to God."

Now this, as far as we can conceive, is the highest act of benevolence that ever engaged the attention of the univerfe. Our Lord fpeaks of it in terms, which because they are indefinite, are therefore of fo much stronger import, faying, " God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fon," to fave finners who believe. And indeed a tranfaction fo new, yet fo marked with love and mercy-a plan fo well adapted to fecure all the perfections of the deity from dithonour, whilft it gives equal folidity to the believing finners hopes, muft create new views, and new feelings, throughout all the vast dominions of Jehovah, wherever it is published, understood, and believed. Angels are fpoken of as now prying into this mystery of incarnate love, and as finally joining with the redeemed in heaven, who celebrate the mediatorial glories of our Lord the Lamb. And fhall we remain unmoved, uninterested, ungrateful? Forbid it, O God of Salvation!

"Praise ye the Lord! Praise God in the "fanctuary. Kings of the earth and all people,

princes and all judges of the earth. Both young "men and maidens, old men and children. Let

"them praise the name of the Lord-who hath "raifed up an horn of falvation. Praise ye the

"Lord."

Hard-bard as that heart must be, which remains infenfate amidst these meltings of divine compaffion-this exuberance of the bounty of a God, need I go without thefe walls to find fuch as have often heard the love of God in Chrift Jefus read to them from the fcriptures, and declared from the pulpit, without any emotions but of weariness and disgust! Bleffed be God, the religion of Jesus makes provision alfo for the conqueft of the rebelJious heart! When our Lord afcended on high, he fent forth his holy fpirit, to renovate, fubdue, and fanctify the objects of his love. Of this spirit are all chriftians made partakers; fo that each faint from experience can fay, "The tabernacle of God is with men, and he doth dwell among them."

Of this fpirit have we been made partakers? Surely this is an additional motive to our gratitude. Hath Jefus healed us of the leprofy of fin? O let us, with the leper, turn back to-day-let us fall at his feet let us give him thanks-and glorify God "who giveth fuch power unto men."

I might here remind you of the important priviledges you enjoy, in freedom of accefs to Godthe endearing paternal relation in which he ftands

to

to you—the sweet communion you have with his people the public ordinances of his houfe-and the profpects opened to you in the gospel of " an "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Who can review the long catalogue of bleffings fecured to him as the difciple of Jefus, without feeling the facred spark already kindling in his bofom, which enflames the hoft of heaven with gratitude, and teaches them with a loud voice to cry,

Worthy is the lamb that was flain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing. Amen.”

III. Though the bleffings we enjoy as Chriftians claim our highest praife, yet much gratitude is due from us as BRITONS; and as we are invited by the fupreme magiftrate to national thanksgiving, on this day, I fhould ill answer the end of our meeting did I not take notice of national mercies.

It is to be greatly lamented that we are more difpofed to discontent on account of what we have not, than to gratitude for what we enjoy. Elle should we ever cease thankfully to reflect, that we are placed in a climate fo highly conducive to comfort and health-that we have been fo long exempt from those fatal epidemics, which in other countries, fo frequently almost depopulate a district, and by which fome of our acquaintance have this very year been cut off in America-that the means of decent fuftenance may be attained here with as little labor, and as much certainty as in any civilized nation that provifions are plentifully furnished

from

from our own ifland, and that the divine goodness hath fo richly supplied us these last years, that the neceffaries of life are not advanced but diminished in price-that our perfons and properties are protected by the laws from violence or injury-that our religious priviledges, though not perfect, are fo great, having bibles in our own language, which we are allowed to read, and judge of for ourselves, without the dread of a heathen tribunal, or a popifh inquifition- and that we may affemble for divine worship where, and when, and how we please? Ah, had the primitive chriftians, or our own ancestors, but been poffeffed of religious priviledges equal to ours, they would have taken down their harps from the willows, and cried, "Thanks be unto God for these unspeakable gifts."

But these are not the immediate bleffings for which we are met to exprefs our gratitude to-day. Recent events, in which we are all interefted, are now commemorated; and I feel it my duty, to point out to you the bleffing for which we fhould now give thanks to urge your thankfulness by fuitable motives and to direct it in its proper exercise.

I would, in the first place, ftate to you the precife bleffing for which your thanks fhould now rife to heaven. Should any one expect that I fhall introduce the deftruction of our foes, by the late victories gained off the coafts of Egypt and Ireland, as the object of pleasure and gratitude, he will be difappointed. The man who can take pleasure at the deftruction of his fellow men, is a cannibal at

heart;

heart; and for him New Zealand is a more fit habitation than civilized Europe. Let the favage fecure the fcalps of his enemies, as monuments of his triumphs- let him collect the blood, yet fmoaking from their veins, and with ferocious joy quaff the fanguinary draught; but to the heart of him who calls himself a difciple of the merciful Jefus, let fuch pleasure be an everlasting stranger. Since in that facred volume, which I revere as the fair gift of heaven to man, I am taught, that " of one blood God hath made all nations," it is impoffible for me not to regard every man as my brother, and to confider, that national differences ought not to excite perfonal animofities. Let a human foul be difembodied, and to what nation-to what colour, to what clime does it then belong? Let it have tenanted what body it may, it is vaft in its capacities, it is immortal in its duration; and who, with these fentiments, can reflect on the combuftion of the French Admiral's fhip in the late action, when a thousand immortal fouls-(alas, how few prepared for the event!) were in a moment precipitated into eternity, without a groan!

But though we dare not rejoice at the misery of others, we ought to be thankful for the fecurity we enjoy ourselves. It is well known that France has long meditated and threatened a defcent upon our coafts, and an invafion of our country. Proposals to this purpose have been made in her affemblies, and fhe has actually attempted to enfure fuccefs to her defigns against us, by her efforts to gain poffeffion of

Ireland,