that, in an unpropitious hour, tempts thee thus to forego thofe advantages, which could not, perhaps, have been forced from thee? What is it that induces thee to put the capital of Canada, and, with it, the whole country, upon fo defperate a rifque as the event of the enfuing battle? Perhaps thou relieft on thy fuperior numbers. But doft thou not know both British troops and French ones better, than to think the latter can ftand before the former on even ground, tho' the difproportion of numbers be fo great s Is there not fomething elfe of more confequence than numbers, when things are brought to fuch a crifis as the prefent? Doft thou not know, that God has given men different nerves, finews, arms and hearts? Doft thou not know, that those who fight for a Tyrant, will not fight like free-born Britons? Perhaps thou thinketh thyself again at Ticonderoga-But doft thou not fee, who it is at the head of that little veteran army, by his prefence infufing courage enough into each breaft, to make every man a hero? Or, perhaps, thou thinkeft thy relicks, thy croffes, and thy faints, either St. Peter, or thy great Lady, whom thou profanely ftileft" The mother God," will now befriend, and make thee victorious. But remember, that little hoft now in array against thee, worship the God that made the heavens, earth, and feas, with all that they contain; the Lord of hofts is his name! His is the glory and the victory; and know, that the event of this battle fhall be accordingly! Crofs thyfelf ipeedily, if thou thinkest it will be of any advantage to thee! Mercy to thy foul, notwithstanding violated faith at Lake George, once St. Sacrament! But alas! be affured, that yonder gloomy wood on thy right, affords not laurels, but cyprefs for thy brows!

BUT

!

BUT remonftrances prevail nothing. Behold! now the charge begins! Behold, now the enemy fall, they fly Behold the horrid rout, the purfuit, the field covered with the flain! Behold, now the enemy regain their untimely-forfaken trenches! See, now they are ftormed, and turned into canals running with a purple tide, till choaked with the dead and dying, fallen promifcuously on one another! Behold, there falls their valiant Leader! Behold now, the gates or ports of the capital open to receive the vanquished and flying; but haftily fhut again, left the victorious should enter with them, or before them!-In fine! behold this place, renowned for its ftrength, the power and pride of the enemy, againft which fo many fruitless attempts had been made, now surrender'd to his Britannic Majefty, whofe colours, yonder, wave over the devoted city!.

This, my brethren, is the Lord's doing; a great thing which he has performed for us, for our country and nation, whereof we are glad; and it may juftly be wonderful in our eyes! That fo fmall a force fhould obtain fo great, compleat, and important a conqueft, as it were in a moment, with fo little lofs of numbers on its own fidel,and fo great a one on that of the enemy ! Since the furrender of Quebec, we may, without much prefumption, look on Canada as a conquered country. For, as was obferved above, according to the ordinary course of things, if we keep poffeffion of this capital, to prevent which we know of nothing at prefent, the inhabitants must foon be obliged to fubmit to terms, or elfe do what will be far worfe for themfelves, tho' not for us perhaps, the matter being confidered only in a political light. Scarce any thing fhort of a miracle, can prevent the alternative from taking place. But we shall have occafion to fay fome

thing

thing more particularly upon this point in the afternoon, when we come to confider the importance of this acquifition; and how much reafon we have to be glad and rejoice, on account of the great things which God has done for us, efpecially in the fignal victory we have been speaking of, and the furrender of Quebec in confequence of it.

It may be added here, that as things have turned out, through the good providence of God, almoft the only unfavourable circumftance, worthy of a particular mention here, relative to this great and profperous enterprize, and which was taken notice of above, is productive of another, different one, which in a great measure, if not entirely, counterbalances it. For that fleet, with her convoy, which arrived at Quebec fo opportunely for the enemy, is indifputably and wholly loft to France; and, not improbably, before this time in our own poffeffion. Which is a thing of no trivial, confideration in itfelf, tho' it may feem fuch in comparison of the reduction of this capital.

AND thus I have, as fully and particularly as was convenient, or at least, as the time would allow, reminded you of the great things, which the Lord hath lately done for us. The other parts of my defign, as expreffed in the beginning of this difcourfe, will, by divine permiffion and affiftance, be profecuted in the afternoon.

In the mean time, let us be glad in the Lord,and rejoice greatly in theGod of our falvation. Tho' hef ened, more than once, to have "caft us off and did not go out with our armies," when the reduction of this fame capital and country was meditated and attempted;

he

he has now returned to us in mercy. He has at length led us fuccefsfully into this American Edom, and

brought us into the ftrong city." He has at length, in a great measure, “ given us help from trouble, "when the help of man was vain: Thro' him we "have now done valiantly; for he it is that hath "tread down our enemies." + Some of you may poffibly remember, it was on this paffage of fcripture that I difcourfed the laft day of general prayer and fatting amongst us, which was to implore the guidance of heaven in, and a bleffing upon, our military defigns and undertakings this prefent year, particularly against our Canadian enemies. And I now most heartily congratulate you, my brethren, and blefs the great, the everlasting God, who doeth his will in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth," before whom "all nations are as the fmall duft of the ballance," that he has not rejected the common, united prayer of his people, nor fruftrated the ftrong hopes which were expreffed at that time, that we fhould "fee our defire on our enemies ;" on thefe our ancient, cruel and perfidious enemies, who have fo long dealt moft treacherously and unrighteoufly with us, and who meditated ftill greater mifchief against us ; even our utter extirpation and ruin! By which conduct in times paft, they muft doubtlefs have highly provoked righteous heaven against them. "Many a time "have they afflicted us from our youth: Many a "time have they afflicted us from our youth; yet "they have not prevailed against us. For the Lord "is righteous."-"The Lord is in his holy temple; "the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, "his eyelids try the children of men." He who, from heaven his.dwelling place has feen our afflictions, and many fufferings, has from thence alfo heard our prayers, I June 1759.

+ Pfalm LX. 9, - 12.

prayers, and fent deliverance to his fervants that hoped in his mercy. Our cries, and the cry of fo much blood, unrighteously and inhumanly fhed; the blood of helpless women, tender children, and infants at the breaft ;-these cries have doubtless been loud enough to be heard from the depths of earth to the higheft heaven, where they have entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth; and have, through" the blood of the covenant," had their effect: For "the Lord trieth the righteous: BUT THE WICKED, AND HIM THAT LOVETH VIOLENCE HIS SOUL HATETH! "

The End of the firft Difcourfe.

TH

HE apoftrophe beginning page 27, where Gen. Montcalm is brought upon the ftage, was form'd upon the conception which the author then had, of the fituation of the two armies, and what happen'd on that memorable day : But whether that conception were strictly just or not, he cannot fay, reports having been fo various. If any apology is needed on account of what relates to General Montcalm at the clofe of this apoftrophe, he obferves, That tho' the dead are not to be inhumanly infulted; yet as it is hardly fuppofeable that the perfidious and horrid maffacre of our troops at Fort William Henry, could have happened without the connivance of the French General, or that he could not have prevented it, (which is not the first instance of their cruel perfidy) it was thought fuch an hint at that tragical affair, was n ways improper : At least, that it could not be justly looked upon as proceeding from inhumanity, as it is guarded; efpecially fince that unhappy General is there confidered, not as being dead, but ftill living, and on the point of joining battle with the British troops.

DISCOURSE