After the days of mourning which we have beheld, the short period of about nine months hath produced such a series of favourable events, for these infant states, as astonishes ourselves; and, among our posterity, will scarcely be believed. Had the incidents which have taken place been but proposed to our hopes a twelve-month ago, by any person living, we should have thought that he mocked our Credulity, or insulted our Distress. But all things are possible with God; and when the affairs of a People are at the worst, then is often the time when the mighty one of Israel is pleased to interpose, and therein to "triumph gloriously."

In such cases, it is our indispensible duty to mark the manifestations of his power with humble reverence; and to rejoice before him exceedingly; but still, as was said before, we must "rejoice with trembling," because the same almighty Power which raised us up in our low estate, can dash us to the ground again, if, like the proud Assyrian of old, we begin to boast ourselves, and say that our own Hand, or the strength of our own Arm, got us the victory.

Wherefore, Brethren! let me, in conclusion, as is my duty, earnestly exhort you, in your best and most prosperous estate, to be clothed with Humility, and the Fear of God, in the fulness of his Love; ascribing only to Him all power and glory and victory.

When we come to give Thanks unto God, for blessings received, or to Pray to Him for success in our undertakings, it must be with a conviction that all the Events of this world, and the fortune and fate

of all the People and Nations in it, are in his supreme disposal! Let us, therefore, be persuaded that the People and Nations, who most fervently and earnestly follow His holy Laws, and support the Purity and Majesty of that Divine Religion, which he hath made known to them, will most effectually serve their country, by obtaining His favour.

In the present moment of trial, all who profess to love their country, would certainly wish to shew that Love by their Courage and Heroism, when duly called upon to exercise them. But these glorious qualities can stand upon no foundation but a Conscience at Peace with God, and a Conviction that we are engaged in His divine Cause. I trust that we have long since satisfied our own Reason and Conscience, that the cause in which we are engaged is not grounded on the wicked passions of Ambition, Malice, Revenge, Cruelty, and the like; but that, in sight of Men and Angels, and of Him, who is above all the quires of Angels, we contend for the security of those sacred and unalienable Rights, which the good Providence of God called us to inherit. These we are never to desert, but to strive for them, at every peril, with a holy and unquenchable Zeal; persevering, if need be, even unto Death. Every People and Country have native and essential Rights, which neither in conscience, nor in duty to God and themselves, they can tamely surrender. When Liberty is invaded, when Property is insecure, when Devastation, and Plunder, and all the Horrors of War, are around a People, it is their sacred Duty, by every brave and heroic Exertion, to repel such

Iniquity; and to seek for the Re-establishment of Peace and Safety, by every means in their power, hostile or otherwise. In such cases, Resistance is the voice of Nature, and of God. We have resisted-and Resisted even unto Blood; and through the blessing of God, have repelled the danger, and opened the Prospect of future Safety-opened it so far indeed, that, as already observed, our present Hopes, compared with our former Fears, in the short period of about nine months, have converted a kind of temporary Despondency, into a well-grounded Confi, dence, in the Strength of the Almighty.

Thus among our progenitors, in the parent land of Britain, when they had but just shaken off the yoke of spiritual bondage, and established the Religion of Jesus in its native Purity, a bloody Design was formed to extinguish their name and religion together. The vast Armada, foes to their peace, sailed, exultant, before the gale. It almost covered the intervening ocean-it approached the coast of GreatBritain—and, in the vanity of their heart, their proud. Host said "What shall resist our power? We will pursue, we will overtake, we will divide the spoil!"— The eternal God, who dwells in Heaven, the Protector of the Just, saw and heard them. He laughed their de vices to Scorn, Obedient to His Will, His servant. Seas and Waves rose and raged. The proud hopes of the Enemy were brought low; and all their stately castles, which rode ere-while so triumphantly on the foamy Surface, were now dispersed before the breath of the Almighty; or whelmed to the bottom in the midst of His vengeance, as a stone dropped from the hand. In the sight of Britain this deliverance was wrought. Our fathers, from the shore, stood and

beheld it. Their praises and shouts of triumph ascended to the sky. The God of Victory was their Theme. Him they adored; and Him, by their Example, they left it in charge for their Posterity to adore!

The next attempt against the Rights and Happiness of our Ancestors in the Parent Land, was laid dark as Night, and deep as Hell. In the bowels of the earth a Mine was placed, to blow up the King, the Parliament, and the Governing Powers; and thus, at once, to blast, the whole hopes and strength of the Protestant reformation, and civil Liberty. But the All-seeing Eye of God, detected the dark, design, and His all-powerful Arm dragged the Conspirators to deserved Vengeance; thereby working another deliverance as great as the former: for which a day of annual Thanksgiving was established, to be continued through all succeeding generations of their Posterity.

Lost, therefore, to every sentiment of religious. Gratitude should we be, if we did not this day, adore that Providence which has accomplished such

mighty Salvation for our country! And especially, let us remember, as I hinted before, to temper our Joy, with the consideration, that even the best Fruits of Victory are beset with thorns; and that what are days of Rejoicing to some, are but days of Mourning to others, whose dearest Relatives, have given their lives, as a sacrifice, in the Contest. This world is a che quered scene, and we are to expect no pure Bliss in it. But let us act the part of good Citizens, good Men and good Christians; and then we may safely trust the Issue, to the Direction of that Almighty Being, who is supremely, just, wise, and holy!

SUNDRY MILITARY SERMONS,

FROM LUKE iii. 14;

ON

THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER'S DUTY,

THE

LAWFULESS AND DIGNITY OF HIS OFFICE,

AS A

SERVANT OF THE PUBLIC,

FOR THE

DEFENCE OF HIS COUNTRY,

AND

FOR THE MAINTAINING AND ASSERTING

TRUE RELIGION AND LIBERTY.

SERMON I. Preached in Christ-Church, Philadelphia, April 5, 1757, at the request of General Stanwix, to the forces, under his command, previous to their march, after Braddock's defeat, against the French and Indians, on the Frontiers of Pennsylvania, &c.

The other Sermons, preached in 1763, in the great Hall, or Chapel of the College of Philadelphia, at the desire of Lieutenant Colonel Wilkins, to his Majesty's XVIIIth, or Royal Regiment of Ireland.