which the season and the place gives, in looking back upon the series of events through which we have lately passed, as those, that, believing the universal government of God, would Regard the works of the Lord, and consider the operation of his hands *. The power of reflection is the glory of the rational nature: May we now be directed to a proper use of it! And it will afford us a calm pleasure, which, though in these circumstances not unchastised with pain, is nevertheless much to be preferred to all the joys of a licentious mirth, to The laughter of fools, which Solomon esteemed but as the crackling of thorns under a pot +. It would very ill become me, to pretend to a knowledge of the secret springs of those events which have lately passed before us, or to set up for any peculiar penetration in judging of things which are most apparent. But there are certain ob vious remarks which arise from circumstances universally known, which though they be important in proportion to the degree in which they are obvious, some for want of attention may not fall upon, and others may not discern in that connection which is like to render them most useful. I think it therefore congruous to the relation in which I stand to you, and to the occasion of this day's assembly, to endeavour to guide your meditations to them, and to assist you in dwelling on the review. Let me then mention several things which have lately passed before the eyes of all Europe, as worthy of your farther remembrance and consideration. And I shall endeavour to do it without any unnecessarily severe reflections upon those of our neighbours, with whom we have lately been contending. When hostilities were once commenced, many of the events most grievous to us were justifiable by the laws of nations: And so far as ambition, or any other evil principle, might be the occasions of opening them, may the great preserver of men forgive it, and make us and our new friends for the future wiser and happier! In the mean time, as the most solemn acts of mutual reconciliation have passed, it would be unworthy the generosity of Britons, to rehearse the wrongs, they could not but once apprehend and resent. But it is surely consistent with the sincerest reconciliation, and with all the rules of propriety and decency, on such an occasion as this, to commemorate the divine goodness to us in events, which during the breach were afflictive to those who were then our enemies: And it is with no unfriendly disposition that we wish, they likewise may remember them for their future instruction. I shall not therefore make any farther apology, for what of this nature may occur; but proceed to those reflections, which may be naturally suggested from what we may easily recollect of the rise, progress, and conclusion of the war; reflections, which it may in many instances be pleasant to pursue, and I hope in all profitable to retain. I. Let us recollect, how much we are obliged to the divine goodness, that the late war hath not proved our destruction, or that of our protestant neighbours. Nothing is more common, than for those who have long been pampered with the blessings of peace, in the height of their spirits, to plunge themselves into war with a kind of wanton confidence, like that with which The horse rushes into the battle *: But the issue has been so frequent, that it grew into a proverb many ages ago, They who take the sword, perish with the sword. Let us adore the divine goodness, that GreatBritain is not added to the instances which illustrate it. It is the more reasonable particularly to acknowledge it, considering how ill we were provided with some kind of preparations, and how destitute of alliances when the war with Spain broke out; and how deplorably, I will not pretend to say by what sad fatality, we have since been disappointed in our expectations from some, who were most evidently joined with us in a community of public interest, had public interest been duly understood or regarded. But it is sufficient to have hinted at this. Let me rather call back your thoughts this day to the storm that hung over us, when France was preparing for so formidable an invasion, and God Blew with his wind and scattered them ‡, and strewed their own shores with the wreck of those ships and men, which had been armed for our destruction; an event, the importance of which there were few that then thoroughly understood, though what since happened opened the view more distinctly upon us. I here refer to that bold attempt, then concerted, and quickly after made, by the enemies of Britain at home, in concurrence with those abroad. And let me now more solemnly recall to your remembrance that day of alarm and consternation, when a little spring from the Northern mountains, which seemed in its rise beneath our notice, and was unhappily too much despised, swelled on a sudden into a torrent, that deluged half our land: When battalions of desperate and infatuated * Jer. viii. 6. + Mat. xxvi. 52. Exod. xv. 10. men, having consecrated their swords to our destruction, in blood ever to be lamented, bent on completing the ruin of their country, came pouring on us with such savage fury and unrestrained impetuosity; till it pleased God, according to the language in which he speaks of the proud Assyrian, to Put a hook into their nose, and a bridle into their jaws, to turn them back by the way which they came*, even like him to their own land, that they might perish there. Dwell, Sirs, on an idea, which I hope is already familiar to your mind, and ought for ever to be retained. Do you not even now tremble to think, what the consequence would probably have been, if those westerly winds which blew almost continually during the same season of the last year, had then been commissioned to detain our forces on the continent? What an æra had that been in the British history! What a spectacle to Europe! What a lamentation to ages unborn! But God wafted over to us speedy deliverance, so that not a company was kept back; nay, I think I may add, hardly a man or a horse miscarried. A deliverance, greatly endeared to us by the hand that brought it, and by the remembrance of those importunate prayers which we had so often presented in the day of our distress. Pursue the reflection, and let your hearts this day feel anew the tender and lively gratitude, which you owe to God, and to your human protectors. It becomes us also this day most thankfully to recollect, in what undisturbed tranquility we have generally lived, during this ten year's war; Sitting as in the profoundest peace under our own vines and fig-trees †; as entire strangers to those grievous desolations and horrid spectacles, which so many thousands of our neighbours have known, as if no sword had ever been unsheathed. We immediately owe it to the vigilance of our governors, and the advantages of our situation, in concurrence with the strength of our navy, and the conduct, courage and fidelity of those to whom the command of it was intrusted, and which the contrary character and behaviour of some in their station has, alas, too unhappily illustrated: But let us remember, that the governors, the situation, the navy, the commanders, in which we rejoice, are the gifts of a kind providence, and are to be acknowledged as such. Let the safety of Britain and its provinces, in consequence of all, be the subject of our repeated and continued thanksgivings. Nor let us be so unfeeling for the protestant interest in general, so forgetful of former benefits, so insensible even of our own present and future security, * Isa. xxxvii. 29. + Mic. iv. 4. as not to rejoice, that our allies, and especially the united provinces, have shared with us in the rescue God has been pleased to give us. Let us adore the Almighty, that those prayers for their safety, which we had so much reason to unite with those for our own, have appeared to come up in remembrance before God; so that they are indeed As a brand plucked out of the burning *. Praise waiteth for thee, Oh God, in our Zion, on all these accounts; and unto thee may our vows be performed +! the vows which we made when we were in trouble and perplexity, and Lifted up our eyes unto thee, from whom our help cometh, even to the God that made heaven and earth ‡. But amidst all the joy which these reflections may afford, II. Let us humble ourselves in the review of those rebukes of providence, which we experienced during the series of the late war. I question, whether modern history§ can produce an instance, in which a war has been entered into with more towering hopes, with more anticipated triumph, than that which we proclaimed against Spain; and probably, the wisest men amongst us thought that confidence no very good omen of our success. We seemed to think, we had nothing to do but to gird on our terrors, and make the earth tremble. As if, according to the beautiful manner in which Isaiah describes the pride of the Assyrian, we might at pleasure go to the nations that had offended us, as securely and irresistibly as to the Nest of some little insignificant bird, and gather their riches, as one gathereth eggs that are left, and there should be none to move the wing, or to open the mouth, or to peep. But the event proved very different: We found, there was such a thing as military prudence, and strength, and bravery among our enemies, as well as among ourselves: And after all the vain parade with which we set out, we returned, in repeated instances, disappointed and ashamed; so as to have evident reason, after such vast preparations, and such presumptuous confidence, to apply to several of our projects and attempts the words of Israel by the same prophet, We have been with child, we have been in pain; we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the * Amos iv. 11. † Psal. lxv. 1. Psal. cxxi. 1,2. § I say modern history, as I must allow the triumphant confidence with which the Athenians sent out their navy and troops to the unfortunate Sicilian war against Syracuse, where they were so deplorably destroyed, to be an ever memorable exception, and so far as I can recollect, an event unparalleled in its kind. See Thucyd. page 430-432. Diod. Sic. Lib. xiii. & Roll. Hist. Anc. L. viii. C. 8. Isa. x. 14. earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen before us*. For succeeding years during our war with France, though the British soldiery to their immortal honour behaved so bravely, we heard not of one battle gained, of one town taken by us or our allies, on the continent; while on the other hand, we received repeated information of actions, in which we had greatly the disadvantage, and in which victory was snatched out of our hands by accidents so vexatious, that they are not, even at this distance, to be named; and of fine towns, more than memory can number, lost to the enemy almost as fast as their forces could march from one of them to another, some without any resistance, and most of the rest with only a feint of defence. These, Sirs, are mortifying, but they are indisputable truths; and they must stand upon record, not indeed to the shame of our forces or our generals, but for the instruction of generations to come, that With good advice they may make wart; and that, how well soever the measures of it may seem to be concerted, they may not, while Girding on their harness, boast as if they were putting it off. I know, that by the war some particular interests have been largely advanced, and many considerable advantages for commerce, while we remained so incontestably masters of the ocean, gained, which to those concerned in them have more than balanced their share in the public expence: But I cannot imagine, that had the nation distinctly foreseen all the consequences, they would have engaged in it with the eagerness they did, when I suppose the whole gain that can be set down at the foot of the account, to balance the loss of so many thousand lives, and so many millions of treasure, is this, that some of our neighbours are perhaps more exhausted than we, and are less able, should they immediately attempt it, to make themselves terrible to the liberties of Europe. On the whole, just as our cause, and upright and strenuous as our measures were, it appears to have been the scheme of providence, to save Great Britain from sinking into ruin, rather than to exalt it: And we have much greater reason to wonder, when we consider our circumstances in comparison with our characters, that ruin was averted, than that so few memorable advantages were gained, or some sensible inconveniences incurred. In these views, III. Let us acknowledge the divine interposition, which facilitated so equitable a peace as that which we this day celebrate. *Isa. xxvi. 18. + Prov. xx. 18. +1 Kings xx. 11. |