of their country. Were they even wrong, their mistake fhould be lamented, not refifted; on the contrary, it would be the part both of generosity and juftice to fupport them effectually in a conteft which wifdom would have declined. We fee indeed, every day, melancholy inftances of a bafe and felfifh temper operating different ways. Many when they do not obtain that rank and honor which their pride and partiality think their due, or if their advice is not followed, immediately renounce the fervice of their country, and it may go to deftruction for them. In oppofition to this, let me recommend the example of the illuftrious Fabius of Rome. He had given ftrict orders to all his officers not to engage the enemy, but to keep at a distance. Unluckily his lieutenant-general, by his own rashness, got entangled with a part of the army under his command, and was engaged. Fabius, preferring his coun try's good to fame, rivalfhip, and fafety, came immediately to his fupport with all expedition, and thereby gained a glorious and complete victory, I hope you will take in good part the above reflections, which I think contain nothing that is virulent or indecent against any man or body of men. They are the effects of judgment and conviction. The author, as is probably known to many of you, has been perfonally abused in news-papers at home, for the part he was fupposed to have taken in the American caufe, which was in fome degree indeed the motive to this addrefs. He hopes that an honest and faithful fupport of liberty and equal government in this part of the world, will be no juft reproach to his character, either as a fcholar, a minifter, or a Chriftian; and that it is perfectly confiftent with an undiminished regard for the country which gave him birth. The above is fubmitted to your candid perufal, by, Gentlemen, Your fincere friend, and [61] DELIVERED AT A PUBLIC THANKSGIVING AFTER PEACE SERMON 45. 1782 W PSALM iii. 8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. MY BRETHREN, E are met together in obedience to public authori ty, to keep a day of folemn thanksgiving to God, for the goodness of his providence to the United States of America, in the course of a war which has now lafted feven years, with a powerful and formidable nation. We are particularly called upon to give thanks for the fignal fucceffes with which it hath pleased him to blefs our arms and thofe of our allies, in the course of the last year, and the campaign which is now drawing to a clofe. I need fay nothing of the importance of the great conteft in which we have been fo long engaged or the interefting alternative which depends upon the iffue, as these feem to have been felt in the fulleft manner by all ranks in this country from the beginning. The language even of the common people will convince every man of reflection that they are univerfally fenfible how much is at ftake. My proper business therefore is to engage every pious hearer to adore the providence of God in general, to offer with fincerity and gratitude the facrifice of praife for his many mercies, and to make a wife and juft improvement of the present promifing fituation of public affairs. Many who now hear me are witneffes, that it has never been my practice, for reafons which appear to me to be good, to intermix politics with the ordinary fervice of the fanctuary, on the weekly returns of the chriftian fabbath, further than fervent fupplications to the Throne of Grace for divine direction to the public counfels, and affiftance to thofe who are employed in the public fervice. But on days of this kind it becomes part of a minifter's duty to direct the attention of the hearers to events of a public nature. This you know I did with great concern and at confiderable length fix years ago on a public Faft Day. would therefore willingly in this more advanced period, take a view of what is past, and endeavor to direct you in what remains, of your duty to God, to your country, and to yourselves. I For this purpose I have chofen the words of the Pfalmift David now read; which are part of a pfalm generally thought to have been compofed by the royal author before the war with Abfalom his unnatural fon, was wholly finished, but when he had fuch prefages of fuccefs as made him. fpeak the language of faith and confidence. "I laid "me down and flept: I awaked, for the Lord fustained "me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that "have fet themselves against me round about. Arife O "Lord, fave me, O my God; for thou haft fmitten all "mine enemies upon the cheek-bone: thou haft broken "the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the "Lord; thy blefling is upon thy people. Selah." In difcourfing upon this fubject, I propofe, through the affiftance of divine grace, I. To explain and ftate the proper meaning of this expreflion or fentiment of the infpired pfalmift," falvation belongeth unto the Lord." II. To lay before you a fuccinct view of what the United States of America owe to Divine Providence in the courfe of the present war. III. To make a practical improvement of the subject for your inftruction and direction. First then, I am to explain and ftate the proper meaning of this expreffion or fentiment of the infpired pfalmift, "falvation belongeth unto the Lord." This I mean to do by adhering strictly to what appears to be the mind of the fpirit of God, in the paffage before us, as well as in a manner agreeable to the analogy of faith. As religion is the fame in substance in every age, the reflections of pious perfons in the courfe of providence arife from the fame examples, and lead to the fame end. The words may justly be fuppofed to contain the Pfalmift's thankful acknowledgment of the paft mercies of God, as well as the foundation of his future fecurity. They carry in them a general confeffion of the influence of divine providence upon every event, and in particular with refpect to salvation, or deliverance from impending danger. In this view when he says," falvation belongeth unto the Lord," it seems to imply the three following things. 1. That "falvation belongeth unto the Lord," as diftinguished from human or created help, and therefore all confidence in man ftands oppofed to the fentiment expreffed by the holy Pfalmift in the text. It is not oppofed to the ufe or application of, but to an exceffive or undue reliance on human means, or fecond caufes of any kind. It implies, that fuccefs in any attempt is to be ultimately attributed to God. That it is he who by his providence provides outward means, who raises up friends to his people, or caufes their enemies to be at peace with them. That it is he who in cafes of difficulty and danger, directs their hands to war and their fingers to fight, and finally crowns their endeavors with fuccefs. Whether therefore the outward advantages are great or finall, whether the expectation or the probability of fuccefs has been ftrong or weak, he who confefles that falvation belongeth unto God, will finally give the glory to him. Confidence before, and boafting after the event, are alike contrary to this difpo fition. If any perfon defires to have his faith in this truth, confirmed or improved, let him read the hiftory of mankind, in a cool and confiderate manner, and with a ferious frame of fpirit. He will then perceive that every page will add to his conviction. He will find that the moft important events have feemed to turn upon circumftances the moft trivial and the moft out of the reach of human direction. A blaft of wind, a fhower of rain, a random fhot, a private quarrel, the neglect of a fervant, a motion without intention, or a word fpoken by accident and mifunderstood, has been the caufe of a victory or defeat which has decided the fate of empires. Whoever with thefe facts in his view, believes the conftant influence and over-ruling power of Divine Providence, will know what the Pfalmift means when he fays, "Salvation be"longeth unto the Lord." 2. In this fentiment, the Pfalmift feems to have had in view the omnipotence of Providence; that nothing is impoffible with God; that there is no ftate fo dangerous, no enemy fo formidable, but he is able to work deliverance. He has not only the direction and government of means and fecond caufes, but is himself fuperior to all means. The word salvation, when it is applied in fcripture to temporal danger, generally fignifies a great and diftinguished deliverance. Thus it is used by Mofes, Exodus xiv. 13. "Stand ftill and fee the falvation of God;" and in the fame manner, 1 Sam. xiv. 45. "Shall Jona"than die, who hath wrought this great falvation in Ifrael?" When, therefore, a perfon or people are threatened with evils of the moft dreadful kind; when they are engaged in a conflict very unequal; when they are driven to extremity, and have no refource left as means of defence then if the caufe in which they are engaged is righteous and just, they may cry to God for relief. fentiment expreffed by the Pfalmift ought to bear them up against despair; and they may fay as the angel to the father of the faithful," Is there any thing too hard for the Lord ?" There are many inftances in fcripture of signal deliverance granted to the fervants of God, fome of them even wholly miraculous, which teach us to fet our hope in his mercy, and not to fuffer his mighty works to flip out of our minds. This is the exercife of faith in an unchangeable God-" the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever." The |