THIS chapter contains an account of the Preaching of ſaint John the Baptiſt; who, being called of God in the wilderneſs, and duly commiſſioned for his high office, came into all the country about Jordan, preaching to the people the BAPTISM of REPENTANCE for the REMISSION of SINS.

THE more thoroughly to awake their attention and evince the neceſſity of his doctrine, he appears in the moſt ſtriking character; being, as was propheſied concerning him, the voice of one crying in the wilderneſs; prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths ſtraight! Every valley ſhall be filled, every mountain and hill ſhall be 〈…〉 ; the crooked [places] ſhall be 〈◊〉 ſtraight; the rough ways ſmooth; and all 〈◊〉 ſhall ſee the SALVATION of GOD!

THESE words allude to a known cuſtom of great Kings, who, when they undertook any long journey, were wont to ſend forth their meſſengers before them; proclaiming it among the people to make their way plain. Now as the Jews, at this time, daily looked for the Coming of their KING or PROMISED MESSIAH, ſuch a proclamation, from to extraordinary a perſon, crying out to clear the way, for that the Salvation of God was at hand, could not fail to excite their curioſity, and intereſt their affections!

EVERY heart was accordingly ſeiz'd with an inſtant hope of beholding the DESIRE OF NATIONS; with whom they expected to ſhare Crowns and Empire and Temporal Glory. Nay, they began to muſe in their hearts whether John himſelf were the Chriſt They were, no doubt, ſometime in this ſuſpenſe, before John reſolves them, by telling them that he was not the Chriſt, nor even worthy to unlooſe the latchet of his ſhoes; but that the Chriſt was quickly to follow after him., or only his fore-runner. In either caſe, they were eager to embrace the Baptiſm which he preached; as artful Courtiers will ſtrive to recommend themſelves to the Graces of an expected Maſter. Hence, a Multitude of them came forth, to be baptiz'd of him.

JOHN, who ſaw their carnal views, is not too forward in conferring his Baptiſm upon them, without duly inſtructing them in the nature and conditions of it. O generation of vipers! ſays he; who hath warned you to flee from the wrath which is to come? Nevertheleſs, if you are really deſirous to eſcape it, and to be admitted to the bleſſings promis'd in the Meſſiah, do not deceive yourſelves in thinking thoſe bleſſings may be derived to you by inheritance. They are not of a Carnal but a Spiritual nature. Nor will it avail you any thing to ſay, we have Abraham to our father; and are thereby the children of Promiſe. For I ſay unto you that unleſs you bring forth fruits meet for repentance; you can by no means inherit thoſe PROMISES—For God is able of theſe Scenes to raiſe up Children to Abraham; and in them ſhall his Promiſes be made good, if not in you. And you muſt now, without delay, make your choice. For the ax is already laid to the root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is to be 〈◊〉 down and caſt into the fire.

SUCH an alarming denunciation ſtruck the people with double aſtoniſhment; and they preſſed ſtill more eagerly about John, crying—what ſhall we do then; to eſcape this Ruin and obtain this Salvation? He anſwered and ſaid unto them, he that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none. And he that hath meat let him do likewiſe: herein ſtrenuouſly recommending the univerſal practice of that diffuſive Charity and Benevolence, which are a main foundation of Moral virtue, and the moſt acceptable ſervice we can render to our adorable Creator!

AMONG others who preſſed forward, on this occaſion, came the Publicans, a ſet of men infamous for their illegal Exactions upon the people, crying—Maſter, what ſhall we do? John, who knew their character, ſtrikes boldly at their capital vice; charging by their hope of Salvation and their dread of Ruin,—exact no more than what is appointed you by law; for how ſhall you begin to be good, till you ceaſe to be unjuſt?

LAST of all came the SOLDIERS demanding of him likewiſe, ſaying—and what ſhall we do? he ſaid unto them do violence to no man, neither accuſe any falſely, and be content with your wages.

SUCH are the words which were recommended to me as the ſubject of this diſcourſe. And had I been left to my own choice, I could not have ſelected any more ſuitable, nor more becoming a Goſpel-miniſter to explain, on ſuch an occaſion. For being delivered by divine Inſpiration, at a moſt important period; namely, when the Soldiers themſelves earneſtly requeſted to know, by what means they might eſcape the threatned Fire of God's wrath, and obtain ſalvation thro' the Meſſiah, we may be ſure they imply in them the fundamental parts of the CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS DUTY; ſo far at leaſt as relates to that particular character.

I ſhall therefore proceed upon them, in their natural order. With diffidence, however, I enter upon my ſubject. I know many of you to be men of diſtinguiſhed underſtanding; conſcious of the dignity of your own character, and of the glorious cauſe wherein you are engaged. And nothing but your own expreſs deſire, could give me courage to offer my thoughts concerning any part of your duty. But, being invited thereto, I ſhall proceed to the utmoſt of my abilities, as far as the time will permit. And, whatever may be the execution, I can ſafely ſay that I bring with me a heart panting for the Public—and for you!

FIRST, then, the Chriſtian-ſoldier is to do VIOLENCE to no man. There are two ſorts of violence which a Soldier may be guilty of. One is againſt thoſe who are lawfully veſted with Command over him. This is commonly ſtiled Mutiny, and is a crime of the moſt atrocious nature; ſeldom to be expiated but by the DEATH of the offender. And as God is a God of Order, it muſt be peculiarly odious to him.

ANOTHER ſort of Violence, which a Soldier may be guilty of, is againſt his Fellow-ſubjects. This is that Violence more immediately meant in the text; the original word there, ſignifying, the ſhaking or terrifying a man, ſo as to force money from him, thro' fear. This we find expreſſly forbid by the Spirit of Chriſtianity, under pain of forfeiting the Salvation of God. And we may glory to ſay that it is alſo forbid by the mild Spirit of the Britiſh Conſtitution!

OUR Soldiery are armed by the laws of their country, and ſupported by the community; not to command, but to ſerve, it; not to oppreſs, but to protect, it. Should they, therefore, turn their ſword againſt thoſe from whom they derive their authority, and thus violate the juſt rights even but of one Freeman, who contributes to their ſupport—what a complication of guilt would it imply? It would be Treachery! It would be Ingratitude! Nay it would be Parricide!

AS for the Tyrants of mankind, let them (belying heaven and pretending an authority from God!) let them lead forth their armed Slaves to plunder, to haraſs and to deſtroy thoſe, to whom they owe Protection! Let them fill thoſe lands with Violence and Blood, which they ought to fill with Bleſſing and Joy! verily I ſay unto you they ſhall have their reward. For, truſt me, ſuch actions are odious to Heaven, repugnant to the Goſpel; and God will certainly avenge his own cauſe!

HAPPY for us, we rejoice under milder influences! our gracious Sovereign, thro' a long and proſperous reign, has never, in any inſtance, offered Violence to the rights of his ſubjects; nor permitted it in his ſervants. The amiable nobleman, placed over us in our preſent diſtreſs, has long been diſtinguiſhed as a patron of Juſtice, and a true friend of Britiſh Liberty. And, tho' appointed to the moſt difficult Command, with a great army under him, among a people long accuſtom'd to a profound peace, jealous of their Liberties, and ſome of them even unreaſonably prejudiced againſt all force and arms; yet ſuch has been his conduct, that he has happily reconciled jarring intereſts, and ſupported the Military, without violating the Civil, power.

HENCE, general harmony has diffuſed itſelf thro' all the parts of his extenſive Command. As a ſignal inſtance of this, it will be but juſtice to mention you, gentlemen, of this Battalion which I have now the honour to addreſs. You have been among us for ſeveral months. You were at firſt but a raw unform'd corps; and from your manner of being quartered out in ſmall parties among the inhabitants of this city, diſorders might have been expected. But quite the reverſe has happened. No deeds of Violence have been offered. No complainings have been heard in our ſtreets. Your conduct has done honour to yourſelves; done honour to your Officers in general, and to your worthy Commandant in particular; whoſe name is thereby become dear to us. And our beſt wiſhes will attend him and them and you, whitherſoever you are deſtined.

ALL I ſhall add on this head is, to beſeech you, by your hopes of the Goſpelpromiſes, to perſevere in the ſame dutiful inoffenſive behaviour towards your fellow-citizens, in all parts of your future conduct. And, as you can never be led to deeds of Violence by any authority appointed over you, let it never be ſaid that your own choice or raſhneſs engaged you in them; ſo as to ſubject you to the ſevere and ſhameful puniſhments denounced againſt them, by the laws of your country in this world, and by the Goſpel of Chriſt in the world to come.

THUS I have endeavoured to give the true meaning of the words—do violence to no man. I know there are ſome who affect to underſtand them in a more unlimited ſenſe; as containing a general prohibition of all Force and Arms whatſoever. But, in this, they are neither warranted by Scripture nor Reaſon. Nay, the very reverſe is evident from the text itſelf.

THE Soldiers, whom ſaint John addreſſes, received wages for Fighting and Bearing arms againſt the enemies of their country. He expreſſly enjoins them to be content with thoſe wages. But this he never would have done, if the Service, which they performed as the condition of the wages, had been that identical Violence, which he ſo ſtrongly prohibits in the former part of the verſe. They muſt indeed be very daringly bold, who can charge the Spirit of God with ſuch an abſurdity!

BUT the fact is that—to ſupport Juſtice, to maintain Truth, to defend the goods of Providence, to repreſs the wild fury of lawleſs Invaders, and by main force, if poſſible, to extirpate Oppreſſion and Wickedneſs from the earth—this has never been accounted Violence in any language or country. On the contrary, it is Duty to the public, and Mercy to thouſands!

IF Society is of God's appointment, every thing eſſential to its ſubſiſtence muſt be ſo too; for he that ordains the End, ordains the Means. But how ſhall Society ſubſiſt, if we are to ſubmit to the unrighteous encroachments of every reſtleſs Invader? if we are tamely to be plundered, tortured, maſſacred and deſtroy'd by thoſe who covet our poſſeſſions! has God given us his Goſpel, endowed us with reaſon, and made us fit for Society, only to put us in a worſe condition than the roaming Savage, or the Beaſt of prey?

WE all allow, in common caſes, that a public Robber may be ſubdued by force or death, if other means fail. We grant alſo that thoſe who invade private property may be compelled to reſtitution at the bar of Juſtice. But if independent ſtates have injured us, to what Bar ſhall we cite them? who ſhall conſtrain them to appear at our ſummons? or, if they ſhould appear, who ſhall oblige them to abide by the ſentence? open Force, then, muſt be the dernier reſort. And ſtrange it is that thoſe who are often ſo litigious in caſes of private right, ſhould affect to be moſt paſſive in what concerns the Rights of the Community!

IN ſhort, if human Societies are inſtituted for any end at all, independent States may not only defend their Rights when invaded; but if they are already deprived or defrauded of them, they may demand reſtitution in the loudeſt and moſt importunate manner; even by calling for it in Thunder at the very gates of their enemy. This is often the ſhorteſt and moſt merciful method. Nor is it doing Violence to our neighbours, but juſtice to ourſelves, and to the cauſe of Right, Liberty, Virtue and public Safety; which would otherwiſe be left unavoidably to ſuffer.

IT were indeed ſincerely to be wiſhed that the Goſpel of the bleſſed Jeſus might have ſuch an univerſal influence on the lives of all men, as to render it no more neceſſity to learn the art of war. But alas! this is a degree of perfection not to be hoped for in the preſent ſtate of things, and only to be look'd for in the kingdom of univerſal Righteouſneſs. Were all men arrived to ſuch a degree of goodneſs as to render force unneceſſary, then alſo the Magiſtracy, the Laws and every thing elſe belonging to particular Societies in this world, would be a needleſs Inſtitution. But as long as particular Societies are of any uſe, ſo long will Force and Arms be of uſe. For the very end of ſuch Societies is to unite the Force of Individuals, for obtaining ſafety to the whole.

WHAT I have already ſaid will convince every reaſonable perſon that the words—do violence to no man—were never meant as a general prohibition of all Force and Arms; ſo often neceſſary in this embaraſſed ſcene of things. As for thoſe who from views of intereſt, pretended ſcruples of conſcience and I know not what prejudices of education, ſtill ſhut their eyes againſt the cleareſt light, I do not pretend to offer arguments for their conviction.

IF the barbarities that have been committed around them; if the cries of their murdered and ſuffering brethren; if their country ſwimming in blood and involved in an expenſive war—if theſe things have not already pierced their ſtony hearts and convinced their deluded reaſon, that their Principles are abſurd in Idea and criminal in Practice, I am ſure any thing I might ſay farther, would have but little weight. I ſhall only beg leave to remind them, that they will have this cauſe to plead one day more before a Tribunal, where ſubterfuges will ſtand them in no ſtead; and where it will be well if they are acquitted, and no part of the blood that has been ſpilt is required 〈◊〉 their hands.

HAVING found it neceſſary to dwell ſo long on the former part of the text, I ſhall be very brief on what remains. The Chriſtian-ſoldier is forbid, in the SECOND PLACE, to accuſe any man falſely.

TO circumvent, to bear down, or to take away, the character of another, for the ſake of revenge, profit or preferment, is indeed a crime of the moſt unpardonable nature. It ſeldom admits of any reparation, and ſtrikes at the very root of all peace and faith and ſociety among men. Surely, then, among a ſociety of Soldiers, whoſe ſtrength conſiſts in their Harmony, and whoſe peculiar character is their Honor and Veracity, ſuch a pernicious vice ſhould be diſcouraged in an eminent degree, as tending to their immediate ruin, and odious both to God and Man.

IN the THIRD and laſt place, the Chriſtian-ſoldier is to be content with his wages. This is alſo a very eſſential duty. Nothing ought to be more inviolable among men than the performance of their Covenants. Now, between the Britiſh State and its Soldiery, there is a Covenant of the moſt ſacred nature. They voluntarily enliſt into a certain ſervice for certain wages. Theſe wages are ſufficient for a comfortable ſubſiſtence. The Britiſh Government has Mercy in its whole nature, and all its appointments are liberal. The wages of our common Soldiery are almoſt equal to thoſe of the inferior officers in many other ſervices. Surely then, for them, above all others, to be diſcontented with theſe wages, to neglect the duty annexed to them, or to be faint-hearted in its performance, would argue the higheſt baſeneſs. It would be breach of Faith, breach of Honor, and a total want of every generous affection.

MOREOVER, to be content with one's wages implies alſo a faithful application of them to the uſes for which they are given. They are not to be ſpent in riot and intemperance, but in keeping the body neat, clean, healthy and vigorous for the diſcharge of its duty. Naſtineſs and ſlovenlineſs in dreſs or behaviour are ſure marks of a mean and daſtardly temper. The man who diſregards the care of his own perſon, which is the Image of his Maker, can have neither ſpirit nor grace nor virtue in him. It will be almoſt impoſſible to exalt his groveling Soul to the performance of any great or heroic action.

AND as for Intemperance, in a Soldier, a Vice of more ruinous conſequence cannot well be imagined; or rather it is a complication of all vices. For, not to ſay that it generally leads to thoſe acts of Violence ſo fully mentioned above, it is in itſelf a manifeſt violation of every tie between the Soldier and his country. The Soldier, by the terms of his enliſtment, conſigns his health, ſtrength and ſervice to the public, in conſideration of his receiving certain wages. Now for him to ſpend thoſe wages in enervating or deſtroying that very health and ſtrength for which they are given—what is it? It is robbery of the public! nay Deſertion itſelf is not a greater crime; and nothing but the mercy of our laws, in compaſſion to the frailties of human nature, could have made the puniſhment of the one leſs than that of the other. For a Soldier may as well be found abſent from his poſt, or aſleep on it, as be found on it in a condition which renders him unfit for the duties of it. Indeed, Diſcontent, Sloth, Murmuring and Intemperance, have been the bane of many a powerful army, and have often drawn down the divine diſpleaſure, by giving them up to certain ruin.

UPON the whole then, we may conclude from the text, that the particular Duty of Chriſtian Soldiers conſiſts chiefly in— Obedience to thoſe who are appointed to command them; a reſpectful inoffenſive behaviour to thoſe who ſupport and maintain them; ſtrict Honor and unſhaken Veracity towards one another; Temperance, Sobriety, Cleanlineſs and Contentment in their private character; and a ſteady, bold and chearful diſcharge of whatever ſervice their King and Country may require of them.

I ſaid that theſe things conſtitute the particular duty of Soldiers, conſidered as ſuch. But here let it be remembered, that no particular injunctions of this kind to any particular order of men as ſuch, exempt them from the general precepts of the Goſpel. Tho' the text be addreſs'd particularly to the Soldiers, conſidered in that character; yet as they are alſo Men and Creatures of God, they are equally called (in the eleventh verſe for inſtance) to the practice of univerſal Benevolence and Charity with the whole body of the people, whereof they are a part, and to whom that verſe is immediately addreſs'd.

THUS I have finiſh'd what I propos'd from the text. And now, Gentlemen Officers, you will permit me to addreſs the remainder of this diſcourſe more particularly to you. I know you love your King and Country. I know you regard thoſe men under your command, and would wiſh to ſee them ſhining in the practice of thoſe virtues I have been recommending. But yet, after all, this muſt, in a great meaſure, depend upon yourſelves.

IF, then, you would deſire to have any tie upon the Conſciences of theſe men; if you would wiſh to ſee them act upon principle, and give you any other hold of them than that of mere Command—let me, Oh let me beſeech you, to cultivate and propagate among them, with your whole influence and authority, a ſublime ſenſe of Religion, Eternity and Redeeming-love! Let the bright proſpects of the Goſpel of Jeſus be placed full before their eyes; and let its holy precepts be inculcated frequently into their hearts!

BUT oh! above all things, let the adorable name of the everlaſting Jehovah be kept ſacred among you! Glorified angels fall proſtrate before it! The very devils themſelves tremble at it! And ſhall poor worms of the earth; dependent on a pulſe for every breath of Being; ſurrounded with dangers innumerable; marching forth in the very ſhadow of death; to day here, and to-morrow in Eternity—ſhall they dare to blaſpheme and tear aſunder that holy name, before which all nature bends in adoration and awe? ſhall they forget their abſolute dependence upon it for all they have, and all they hope to have?

ALAS! when the Name of our great Creator is become thus familiar, and proſtituted to every common ſubject, what Name ſhall we invoke in the day of danger? to what refuge ſhall we fly amidſt the various preſſures of life? to whoſe mercy ſhall we lift up our eyes in the hour of death? and into whoſe boſom conſign our ſouls, when we launch forth into the dark precincts of Eternity?

ONCE more, then, let the Name of the Lord be holy among you; elſe have you no ſure foundation for Virtue or Goodneſs; none for dependence upon Providence; none for the ſanctity of an Oath; none for Faith, nor Truth, nor Obedience for Conſcience-ſake.

NEXT to Religion and a ſovereign regard to the honor and glory of your great Creator, it will be of the utmoſt importance to cultivate, in yourſelves and thoſe under you, a noble, manly and rational Enthuſiaſm in the glorious cauſe wherein you are engaged; founded on a thorough conviction of its being the cauſe of Juſtice, the Proteſtant-cauſe, the cauſe of Virtue and Freedom on earth.

ANIMATED by this ſublime principle, what wonders have not Britons performed? how have they riſen, the terror of the earth; the Protectors of the oppreſſed; the avengers of Juſtice, and the ſcourge of Tyrants? how have the Sons of Rapine and Violence ſhrunk before their united ardors, confounded and o'erthrown? witneſs ye Danube Hochſtet and Blenheim, villages in Germany, in the circles of Bavaria and Suabia, famous to all poſterity for the glorious victory of the duke of Marlborough, Auguſt 2, 1704, are ſituated on the Danube; of which Mr. ADDISON makes mention as follows— Thouſands of fiery ſteeds, with wounds transfixt, Floating in gore, with their dead maſters mixt, Midſt heaps of ſpears and ſtandards driven around, Lie in the Danube's bloody whirl-pools drown'd. Troops of bold youths the billows ſweep away, And into Scythian ſeas their bloated corps convey and Sambre At the conflux of the Maes and Sambre ſtands the ſtrong city of Namur, ſo nobly taken by the great king WILLIAM in 1695; of which another poet ſays— Sambre and Maes their waves may join, But ne'er can WILLIAM'S force reſtrain; He'll paſs them both who paſs'd the Boyn. PRIOR. , and thou Boyn crimſon'd in blood! hear witneſs and ſay—what was it that fired our WILLIAMS and our MARLBOROUGHS to deeds of immortal renown? what was it that ſteel'd their hearts with courage, and edged their ſwords with victory? was it not, under God, an animating conviction of the juſtice of their cauſe, and an unconquerable paſſion for Liberty and the purity of the Proteſtant-Faith Never were the noble effects of this ſublime principle ſo conſpicuous as at the glorious battle of the Boyn. Here out immortal deliverer king William, with a ſmall army routed a much ſuperior, and perhaps a better one. There was only this difference. The one fought for Liberty, for Religion, and their country; and were ardent in their cauſe, from a conviction of its Juſtice. The other ſought in defence of Tyranny, having nothing of their own to loſe, and no ſteady principle to act upon.?

AND do you think now, Gentlemen, that the cauſe wherein you are engaged is leſs honorable, leſs important; or that leſs depends on the ſword you draw? No: I pronounce it before Men and Angels that from the days of our ALFREDS, our EDWARDS and our HENRIES downwards, the Britiſh-ſword was never unſheathed in a more glorious or more divine cauſe than at preſent!

LOOK round you! behold a country▪ vaſt in extent, merciful in its climate, exuberant in its ſoil, the ſeat of Plenty, the garden of the Lord! behold it given to us and to our poſterity, to propagate Virtue, to cultivate uſeful Arts, and to ſpread abroad the pure evangelical Religion of Jeſus! behold Colonies founded in it! Proteſtant Colonies! free Colonies! Britiſh Colonies! behold them exulting in their Liberty; flouriſhing in Commerce; the Arts and Sciences planted in them; the GOSPEL preached; and in ſhort the ſeeds of happineſs and glory firmly rooted, and growing up among them!

BUT, turning from this proſpect for a moment, look to the other hand! direct your eyes to the weſtward! behold popiſh Perfidy, French Tyranny and ſavage Barbarity, leagued in triple combination, advancing to deprive us of thoſe exalted bleſſings, or to circumſcribe us in the poſſeſſion of them, and make the land too ſmall for us and the increaſing multitude of our poſterity!

SAVE me, ye Powers to whom the Intereſts of Britain and Liberty are dear! ſave me, what a ſight do I behold? 'Tis odious to the view, and horrible to relate! See, in the van, a ſet of human monſters hounded out againſt us from their dark lurking places; brandiſhing their murderous knives; ſparing neither age nor ſex: neither the hoary Sire, nor the hopeful Son; neither the tender Virgin, nor the helpleſs Babe. Ten thouſand Furies follow behind and cloſe up the horrid ſcene! grim Superſtition, lording it over Conſcience! bloody Perſecution, ſhaking her Iron ſcourge! and gloomy Error, ſeducing the unwary Soul! while, in the midſt, and all around, is heard the voice of Lamentation and Mourning and Woe; Religion bleeding under her Stripes! Virtue baniſhed into a Corner! Commerce bound in Chains and Liberty in Fetters of Iron!

BUT look again, Gentlemen! between us and thoſe evils, there is yet a ſpace or gap left! and in that gap, among othersTho' the plan of this Diſcourſe obliges the author to 〈…〉 particularly to the royal American Regiment, to whom it was preached; yet what he has ſaid of them he would have underſtood to be ſaid of all thoſe brave men ſent out to 〈…〉 , and engaged in the ſame common cauſe with them, you ſtand; a glorious Phalanx! a royal Regiment a ROYAL AMERICAN REGIMENT! a Regiment formed by the beſt of Kings for the nobleſt of purpoſes the firſt that has ever been formed expreſsly, as the ſcourge of Tyrants and the avengers of Liberty, in this new world! and formed for theſe important ends to continue, not for the preſent only, but probably in all time coming!

AND now is not my aſſertion proved? Conſider'd in this light, does it not appear to yourſelves that never, from the firſt of time, was a body of Britons engaged in a more glorious cauſe than you are at preſent: nor a cauſe on whoſe iſſue more depends? you are not led forth by wild Ambition, nor by ill-grounded claims of Right, nor by falſe notions of Glory. But, conſign'd to you is the happineſs of the preſent age and of late poſterity. You wear upon your ſwords every thing that is dear and valuable to us as men and as Chriſtians. And upon your ſucceſs it depends, perhaps, whether the pure Religion of the Goſpel, ſtreaming uncorrupted from its ſacred ſource, rational, moral and divine, together with Liberty and all its concomitant bleſſings, ſhall finally be extended over theſe American Regions; or whether they are to remain in the bondage of Idolatry, and darkneſs of Error for ever!

IN ſuch an exalted and divine cauſe, let your hearts betray no doubts nor unmanly fears. Tho' the proſpect may look dark againſt us, and tho' the Lord may juſtly think fit to puniſh us for our ſins, yet we may firmly truſt that he will not wholly give up the Proteſtant-cauſe; but that it is his gracious purpoſe, in due time, to add to the REFORMED CHURCH OF CHRIST, the HEATHEN for an inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for a poſſeſſion.

GO forth, then, with humble boldneſs▪ as men conſcious that their deſigns are approv'd of God. And oh! if perchance your feet ſhall touch thoſe fields that have already drank in the blood of the Slain, and have beheld our brethren expiring in all the variety of woe—gently, oh gently tread among their uncoffin'd Bones! drop a tear over their ſcattered Aſhes; and give a moment's pauſe for reflection! It will touch the heart with tenderneſs, and be a fruitful ſource of much uſeful thought. It will give freſh vigor to every arm, and new ardor to every breaſt!

TO ſee one of our ſpecies mangled and torn in pieces is horrible! to ſee a Briton, a Proteſtant, our Friend, our Neighbour, ſo uſed is more horrible ſtill! but to think that this ſhould be done, not to one but to thouſands; and done in an unguarded hour; and done without provocation; and done with all the aggravation of infernal torture; and done by Savages; and by Savages whom we have cheriſhed in our boſom; and by Savages ſtirred up againſt us contrary to the faith of Treaties; and ſtirred up by men profeſſing the name of Chriſtians—good heaven! what is it? words cannot paint the anguiſh of the thought; and human nature ſtartles from it with accumulated horror!

RISE Indignation! riſe Pity! riſe Patriotiſm! and thou Lord God of Righteouſneſs, riſe! avenge our bleeding cauſe! ſupport Juſtice, and extirpate Perfidy and Cruelty from the earth! Inſpire thoſe men, who go forth for their King and Country, with every ſpark of the magnanimity of their Forefathers! The ſame our cauſe, the ſame he its iſſue! Let our enemies know that Britons will be Britons ſtill, in every clime and age! and let this American world behold alſo thy Salvation; the work of the Lord for his Inheritance! Even ſo; riſe Lord God of Hoſts! riſe quickly! Amen and Amen.

FATHER of all! Preſerver of all! Judge of all! thou firſt and beſt of Beings! all praiſe, all glory be aſcribed unto thy holy name; who haſt made us capable of ſeeking and loving thee; and haſt invited us to fly to the throne of thy Mercy for aid and direction in all our Undertakings, and deliverance in all our dangers. Surely that heart muſt be loſt to every nobler feeling that does not ſee and adore thy unſpeakable Goodneſs towards the guilty Sons of men—

We ſee and we adore it, O thou King of Nations! ſtruck with the tranſcendent majeſty of thy Perfections, conſcious of our own Unworthineſs, and relying on the merits of thy ever bleſſed Son, we proſtrate ourſelves in the duſt, before thy glorious preſence; fearing, yet loving; trembling, yet adoring!

WE confeſs, O Lord! that thou haſt done wonderful things for us and for our Fathers! thou haſt diſtinguiſhed us among all the nations of the earth, by giving us the pureſt of Religions and the beſt of Governments In the Compoſition of ſome parts of this Prayer, the author would have it obſerved, that he had in view a beautiful Formula▪ recommended in ſubſtance by an act of the general aſſembly of the church of Scotland, for the national Faſt in June laſt. But the nature of his plan, which required a Prayer ſuitable only to the Subject of the Sermon, permitted him to make uſe only of one or two general Sentiments in it; and thoſe are marked in Italics above, tho' expreſſed in a different language.. We have indeed received a goodly heritage, and have often been ſignally ſupported by the power of thy glory, in the days of our danger! But alas! while thou haſt been heaping favors upon us, we have been multiplying tranſgreſſions againſt thee! Infidelity, Luxury and Immorality have increaſed among us, and ſpread themſelves far abroad. Thou has viſited us for theſe things; but we have neither learned Righteouſneſs from thy Judgments, nor Gratitude from thy Deliverances. And juſtly might our unworthineſs provoke thee to remove from us our ineſtimable privileges; both civil and religious.

YET ſtill, tho' we have ſinned againſt Heaven and before thee, we will truſt in thy paternal mercy—and we know in what we truſt. Thine ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, nor thy hand ſhortened that it cannot ſave; and there is ſufficiency in the blood of the Redeemer! ſuffer us therefore, O merciful Father, in this day of our viſitation, to throw ourſelves upon the merits of the ever-living Jeſus; humbled under thy chaſtiſements; confeſſing and bewailing our paſt offences, both public and private; and beſeeching thy divine Grace to revive among us a ſpirit of primitive Piety, Integrity and Virtue!

BUT oh! above all, and as the foundation of all, inſpire us with an awful reverence of thy glorious majeſty. Give us an unſhaken Loyalty to our gracious Sovereign; and a prevailing love and veneration for our excellent Conſtitution, civil and religious! And as often as we are called more immediately to appear in defence of it, O grant that, in ſuch a glorious cauſe, we may betray no unmanly fears; but act the part of BRITONS and FREEMEN; going forth, devoted either to death or victory; and ſcorning a Life that is to be purchaſed at the expence of the PROTESTANT RELIGION and our NATIONAL PRIVILEGES!

BLESS and long preſerve our rightful ſovereign KING GEORGE! Bleſs his royal family and all his alliances! ſurround him with Councillors of a true uncorrupted Britiſh Spirit; men ſagacious to diſcover, and ſtedfaſt to purſue, their country's Good, Guard him from all conſpiracies againſt his perſon and government; whether ſecret or more open. May his adminiſtration be ſteady! ſteady in the cauſe of Liberty! ſteady in promoting the public welfare! ſteady in oppoſſing the enemies of our Zion! and may the gates of hell never prevail againſt it!

FOR this end, O Lord, give ſucceſs to his Arms both by Sea and Land, and favor our righteous cauſe! give Courage, Conduct and Integrity to our Commanders, and thoſe who turn the battle from our gates. In a particular manner, bleſs his excellency the Earl of LOUDOUN our Commander, and all thoſe who go ſorth with him for the PROTESTANT-CAUSE, in this AMERICAN WORLD! make them inſtrumental in preſerving among us, and ſpreading abroad to the remoteſt parts of the habitable world, the precious Bleſſings of Liberty and the pure EVANGELICAL RELIGION OF JESUS! 〈◊〉 that ſtilleſt the raging of the waves and the tumults of the people, ſet bounds to the rage of our implacable enemies; and bring this expenſive war to the ſpeedy iſſue of a ſafe and honorable peace!

FINALLY, O Lord God, to whoſe uncontroulable power the elements are ſubject, grant us mild and ſeaſonable weather; and let neither ſeed-time nor harveſt fail us. Let our paſtures he cloath'd with flocks, and our vallies covered with corn. May we ſoon be delivered from all our fears, and peace be reſtored in all our borders. And may theſe men, who now go forth for us, be returned ſafe to our friendſhip and to our boſoms, crowned with triumph and victory; ſo that they and we may together ſerve and adore thee without fear, in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs before thee, all the remainder of our days! Hear us O heavenly Father, for thy ſon JESUS CHRIST'S ſake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghoſt, one GOD, be the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, world without end. AMEN.