fled to another, and carried the difcoveries of Popifh fraud to every part of the world. It was by fome of those who were perfecuted in Germany, that the light of the reformation was brought fo early into Britain.

The power of divine providence appears with the most diftinguished luftre, when fmall and inconfiderable cir cumftances, and fometimes, the weather and seasons, have defeated the moft formidable armanients, and frustrated the best concerted expeditions. Near two hundred years ago, the monarchy of Spain was in the height of its power and glory, and determined to crush the interest of the reformation. They fent out a powerful armament against Britain, giving it oftentatiously, and in my opinion profanely, the name of the Invincible Armada. But it pleafed God fo entirely to discomfit it by tempefls, that a fmall part of it returned home, though no British force had been opposed to it at all.

We have a remarkable inftance of the influence of fmall circumftances in providence in the English history. The two most remarkable perfons in the civil wars, had earneftly defired to withdraw themselves from the contentions of the times, Mr. Hampden and Oliver Cromwell. They had actually taken their paffage in a fhip for NewEngland, when by an arbitrary order of council they were compelled to remain at home. The confequence of this was, that one of them was the foul of the republican opposition to monarchical ufurpation during the civil wars, and the other in the courfe of that conteft, was the great inftrument in bringing the tyrant to the block.

The only other historical remark I am to make, is, that the violent perfecution which many eminent Christians met with in England from their brethren, who called themselves Proteftants, drove them in great numbers to a diftant part of the world, where the light of the gospel and true religion were unknown. Some of the American settlements, particularly thofe in New-England, were chiefly made by them; and as they carried the knowledge of Christ to the dark places of the earth, fo they continue themselves in as great a degree of purity, of faith, and ftrictness of practice, or rather a greater, than is

to be found in any proteftant church now in the world. Does not the wrath of man in this inftance praise God? Was not the accufer of the brethren, who ftirs up their enemies, thus taken in his own craftiness, and his kingdom fhaken by the very means which he employed to eftablifh it.*

II. proceed now to the fecond general head, which was to apply the principles illuftrated above to our prefent fituation, by inferences of truth for your inftruction and comfort, and by fuitable exhortations to duty in this important crifis. And,

In the first place, I would take the opportunity on this occafion, and from this subject, to press every hearer to a fincere concern for his own foul's falvation. There are times when the mind may be expected to be more awake to divine truth, and the confcience more open to the ar rows of conviction, than at others. A feason of, public judgment is of this kind, as appears from what has been already faid. That curiofity and attention at least are raised in some degree, is plain from the unusual throng of this affembly. Can you have a clearer view of the finfulnefs of your nature, than when the rod of the oppreffor is lifted up, and when you fee men putting on the habit of the warrior, and collecting on every hand the weapons of hoftility and inftruments of death? I do not blame your ardor in preparing for the refolute defence of your temporal rights. But confider I befeech you, the truly infinite importance of the falvation of your fouls. Is it of much moment whether you and your children fhall be rich or poor, at liberty or in bonds? Is it of much moment whether this beautiful country fhall increase in fruitfulness from year to year, being cultivated by active industry, and

Let this fhould be thought a temporifing compliment to the people of New-England, who have been the first fufferers in the prefent conteft, and have fet fo noble an example of invincible fortitude, in withstanding the violence of oppreffion, I I think it proper to obferve that the whole paragraph is copied from a fermon on Pfal. lxxiv. 22. prepared and preached in Scotland, in the month of Auguft, 1758.

poffeffed by independent freemen, or the scanty produce of the neglected fields fhall be eaten up by hungry pub licans, while the timid owner trembles at the tax gatherers approach? And is it of lefs moment my brethren, whether you shall be the heirs of glory or the heirs of hell? Is your ftate on earth for a few fleeting years of fo much moment? And is it of lefs moment, what fhall be your ftate through endless ages? Have you assembled together willingly to hear what fhall be faid on public affairs, and to join in imploring the bleffing of God on the counfels and arms of the united colonies, and can you be unconcerned, what shall become of you for ever, when all the monuments of human greatness fhall be laid in afhes, for "the earth itself and all the works that are therein fhall "be burnt up.

Wherefore by beloved hearers, as the miniftry of re conciliation is committed to me, I beseech you in the most earnest manner, to attend to "the things that belong to σε your peace, before they are hid from your eyes." How foon and in what manner a feal fhall be fet upon the cha racter and state of every person here present, it is impoffi ble to know; for he who only can know does not think proper to reveal it. But you may rest affured that there is no time more fuitable, and there is none fo fafe, as that which is prefent, fince it is wholly uncertain whether any other shall be your's. Those who fhall firft fall in battle, have not many more warnings to receive. There are fome few daring and hardened finners who defpise eternity itself, and fet their Maker at defiance, but the far greater number by ftaving off their convictions to a more convenient feafon, have been taken unprepared, and thus eternally loft. I would therefore earnestly prefs the apoftles exhortation, 2 Cor. vi. 1, 2. "We then, as workers "together with him, befeech you alfo, that ye receive not "the grace of God in vain: For he faith, I have heard "thee in a time accepted, and in the day of falvation have "I fuccoured thee: Behold, now is the accepted time; "behold, now is the day of falvation."

Suffer me to beseech you, or rather to give you warning, not to reft fatisfied with a form of godlinefs, denying the

power thereof. There can be no true religion, till there be a difcovery of your loft ftate by nature and practice, and an unfeigned acceptance of Chrift Jefus, as he is offered in the gofpel. Unhappy they who either defpife his mercy, or are afhamed of his crofs! Believe it," there is no "falvation in any other. There is no other name under "heaven given amongst men by which we muft be faved." Unless you are united to him by a lively faith, nôt the refentnient of a haughty monarch, but the fword of divine juftice hangs over you, and the fulness of divine vengeance fhall fpeedily overtake you. I do not fpeak this only to the heaven, daring profligate, or grovelling fenfualift, but to every infenfible fecure finner; to all thofe, however decent and orderly in their civil deportment, who live to themselves and have their part and portion In this life; in fine to all who are yet in a state of nature, for "except a man be born again, he cannot fee the "kingdom of God." The fear of man may make you hide your profanity: prudence and experience may make you abhor intemperance and riot; as you advance in life, one vice may fupplant another and hold its place; but nothing less than the fovereign grace of God can produce a faving change of heart and temper, or fit you for his immediate prefence.

2. From what has been faid upon this fubject, you may fee what ground there is to give praise to God for his fayors already beftowed on us, refpecting the public cause. It would be a criminal inattention not to obferve the fingular interpofition of Providence hitherto, in behalf of the American colonies. It is however impoffible for me, in a fingle difcourfe, as well as improper at this time, to go. through every step of our paft tranfactions, I must therefore content myself with a few remarks. How How many dif coveries have been made of the defigns of enemies in Britain and among ourselves, in a manner as unexpected to us as to them, and in fuch season as to prevent their effect? What furprising fuccefs has attended our encounters in almost every inftance? Has not the boafted difcipline of regular and veteran foldiers been turned into confusion and difmay, before the new and maiden courage of freemen, in VOL. III. E

defence of their property and right? In what great mercy has blood been fpared on the fide of this injured country? Some important victories in the fouth have been gained with fo little lofs, that enemies will probably think it has been diffembled; as many, even of ourselves thought, till time rendered it undeniable. But thefe were comparatively of small moment. The fignal advantage we have gained by the evacuation of Bofton, and the fhameful flight of the army and navy of Britain, was brought about without the lofs of a man. To all this we may add, that the counfels of our enemies have been vifibly confounded, fo that I believe I may fay with truth, that there is hardly any step which they have taken, but it has operated ftrongly against themselves, and been more in our favor, than if they had followed a contrary course.

While we give praife to God the fupreme difpofer of all events, for his interpofition in our behalf, let us guard againft the dangerous error of trusting in, or boasting of an arm of flesh. I could earnestly wifh, that while our arms are crowned with fuccefs, we might content our. felves with a modeft afcription of it to the power of the Higheft. It has given me great uneafinefs to read fome oftentatious, vaunting expreffions in our news-papers, though happily I think, much reftrained of late. Let us not return to them again. If I am not mistaken, not only the holy fcriptures in general, and the truths of the glorious gospel in particular, but the whole course of providence, feem intended to abafe the pride of man, and lay the vain-glorious in the duft. How many instances does hif tory furnish us with, of those who after exulting over, and defpifing their enemies, were signally and fhamefully defeated. The truth is, I believe, the remark may be applied univerfally, and we may fay, that through the whole frame of nature, and the whole fyftem of human life, that which promifes moft, performs the leaft. The flowers of fineft colour feldom have the fweetest fragrance. The

There is no ftory better known in British history, than that the officers of the French army the night preceding the battle of Agincourt, played at dice for English prisoners before they took them, and the next day were taken by them.