I781] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 5 I 



" Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for ever and ever : and all the 

 people said Amen, and praised the Lord ! " 



Be these great examples of Praise and Thanksgiving followed by us 

 this day; for surely whoever would be called a subject of these states, 

 and is content to hold his Liberty and Property under their protection, 

 could never desire to see their peace, however dear, established on 

 Conquest or Force, by any power upon earth ; and therefore we must 

 rejoice when the Almighty in his providence appears to blast and defeat 

 the most powerful reiterated attempts for reducing a free People, to a 

 Government at will, and unconditional Submission. 



After the days of mourning which we have beheld, the short period 

 of about nine months hath produced such a series of favourable events, 

 for these infant states, as astonishes ourselves; and, among our pos- 

 terity, will scarcely be believed. Had the incidents which have taken 

 place been but proposed to our hopes a twelve-month ago, by any person 

 living, we should have thought that he mocked our Credulity, or in- 

 sulted our Distress. But all things are possible with God ; and when 

 the affairs of a People are at the worst, then is often the time when the 

 mighty One of Israel is pleased to interpose, and therein to " triumph 

 gloriously." 



In such cases, it is our indispensable duty to mark the manifestations 

 of his power with humble reverence ; and to rejoice before him exceed- 

 ingly; but still, as was said before, we must "rejoice with trembling," 

 because the same almighty Power which raised us up in our low estate, 

 can dash us to the ground again, if, like the proud Assyrian of old, we 

 begin to boast ourselves, and say that our own Hand, or the strength of 

 our own Arm, got us the victory. 



Wherefore, Brethren ! let me, in conclusion, as is my duty, earnestly 

 exhort you, in your best and most prosperous estate, to be clothed with 

 Humility, and the Fear of God, in the fulness of his Love ; ascribing 

 only to Him all power and glory and victory. 



When we come to give Thanks unto God, for blessings received, or 

 to Pray to Him for success in our undertakings, it must be with a con- 

 viction that all the Events of this world, and the fortune and fate of all 

 the People and Nations in it, are in his supreme disposal ! Let us, 

 therefore, be persuaded that the People and Nations, who most fervently 

 and earnestly follow His holy I^aws, and support the Purity and Majesty 

 of that Divine Religion, which he hath made known to them, will most 

 effectually serve their country, by obtaining His favour. 



In the present moment of trial, all who profess to love their country, 

 would certainly wish to shew that Love by their Courage and Heroism, 

 when duly called upon to exercise them. But these glorious qualities 

 can stand upon no foundation but a Conscience at Peace with God, and 

 a Conviction that we are engaged in His divine Cause. I trust that we 

 have long since satisfied our own Reason and Conscience, that the cause 



