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A Thankfging Sermon.

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happily defeated! And that we may be the more affected with our Deliverance, let us confider

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II. The Progrefs made by the Rebels in executing the Defign which they had wickedly formed, and were fo much bent upon pursuing.

When the infolent Invader of our Country firft landed, he brought fuch an inconfiderable Number with him, that the Account given of his being in Scotland was not presently credited; and when it was, we heard it fpoken of with great Contempt; but it was not long before Things appeared with à different Face. The Pretender's Son was fo audacious as to fet up his Standard, and foon collected an Army too confiderable to be defpifed. The unhappy Places to which they came were thrown into Confufion; great Outrages were committed; a Number of honeft People fuffered greatly, and more were in continual Danger of finding the fame cruel Treatment. The Plun derers increafed and grew formidable the Capital City in that Part of GreatBritain fell into their Hands, which, with a Defeat of a fmall Body of the King's Forces, without doubt encouraged them to hope that they fhould be able to carry all before them: Their March towards

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12: A Thanksgiving Sermon.

England was determined, and their penetrating fo far as they did into it, was Matter of Surprize, and when recorded in History will be thought fo by all that read it. The Terror fpread by these Sons of Violence was great, and thofe that had more Fortitude of Mind, than most of their Neighbours, could not but be under a Concern about the Confequences of the fwift Advances that were made by the Enemies of our Country; and especially as there was Reason to apprehend that they might foon be joined, and powerfully fupported by an Army of Foreigners who were watching for an Opportunity to be revenged upon us. What Confufion we fhould have been in, had the Rebels come near our Metropolis, we cannot fay; but fhould their Strength have grown as they made a greater Progrefs, what a bloody Scene might our dear Country have been made! We thought of these Things when we were in Danger, and I mention them now to fhew what a Mercy it is that the Danger is fo happily over, and that God has delivered us from our Fears. This brings me

III. To take notice of the kind and feafonable Interpofition of a Divine Hand, in defeating our Enemies and faving us.

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The Providence of God, which univerfally operates, and is always employed in the Government of the World, has ap peared in a Variety of Ways for the Prefervation of his People, Sometimes he has in a very extraordinary Manner difplay'd his Power, Juftice, Mercy and Faithfulness in their Deliverance, and faved them by Miracles. This was the Cafe, when the Children of Ifrael had a Paffage made for them through the Red-Sea, and 9 Pharaoh and his Hoft purfued them and were drowned. Many other Inftances might be mentioned here, in which the Almighty's Arm was fo furprisingly revealed, that we cannot read them without fecing it, nor will it be deny'd by any but refolved or ftupid Unbelievers.

baps That Providence is concerned in all other Events, though not fo remarkably as in miraculous ones, we, as Chriftians, profess to believe; and therefore you would justly. blame me, and I fhould have great Reafon to blame myself, if I had not a particular Regard for the Hand of God, in our own Cafe.

fanba How happy was it for us when we were threatned with fo many and fuch great Evils, that Proteftants of every Denomination fhould fo heartily unite in Oppofition to the Enemies of our King and Country; that both Houses of Parliament should,

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14 A Thanksgiving Sermon.

with fuch a glorious Zcal and Unanimity, enter into the most effectual Measures for the Defence of his Majefty's Crown and Honour, and the Safety of his People; and that the Nobility and Gentry, Merchants and Traders, and Perfons of all Ranks, fhould exert themselves in fo brave a manner as they did on the important Occafion! This we muft efteem a very great Mercy, and we ought to look upon it as Owing to the Influence of that Great Being who has the Hearts of all Men in his Hands.

His Majefty's appointing his Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland to command his Forces at a Time of fo much Danger, was fuch a Proof of his high and tender Regard for the national Welfare,

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as will tranfmit the Remembrance of him " to all future Ages, under the most ho"nourable Character that a King can "bear, the Friend, the Father of his Peo"ple *:" And we cannot but look upon it, as a moft kind Providence that our Sovereign made fuch a Choice; as to the Courage and Conduct of his illuftrious Son, under God, our Succefs may be afcribed.

To the fame Providence we must acknowledge it owing, that the Royal Hero was preferved through the great Fatigues

* Diffenting Minifters Addrefs to his Majesty.

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and Difficulties, to which he, with an invincible Magnanimity, exposed himself; that our Enemies fled before him with fo much Hafte and Fear, and that, when they made a ftand at last, and perhaps were confident of gaining their Point, the Bloody Controverfy was decided in our Favour. Who was it that covered the young Conqueror's Head in the Day of Battle, and infpired his Officers and Army with the Courage which they difcovered when he led them on to Glory and Victory? Surely the Hand of God must be in this. And when we remember what a Number of the Rebels fell in the Field, and how many were taken Prifoners, that the reft endeavoured to fave themselves by Flight, or furrendred in hopes of Mercy, and that upon this there was an End put to the Rebellion, almost at once; we cannot, I think, but own that this was the Lord's doing, and we ought to be affected with it accordingly.

The Salvation which I have been 'speaking of, without doubt, was very great in itself, and the Circumftances of it (fome of which have been mentioned) fhew it to be fo; to which I might add, many Things in relation to the Confequences of our Danger and Deliverance. His Majefty'sThrone will, it is not doubted, be more fecurely established by our late Troubles, and the very great Concern which he

has

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