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arms of the United Colonies? and can you be unconcerned what fhall become of you for ever, when all the monuments of human greatness fhall be laid in afhes? For the earth itself, and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, as the ministry of reconciliation is committed to me, I befeech you, in the most earnest manner, to attend to the things that belong to your peace before they are hid from your eyes. How foon, and in what manner a feal fhall be fet upon the cha racter and state of every person here prefent, it is impoffible to know, for he who alone can know does not think proper to reveal it. But you may rest affured that there is no time more fuitable, and there is none fo fafe, as that which is prefent: fince it is wholly uncertain whether any other shall be yours. Those who fhall firft fall in battle have not many warnings to receive. There are fome few daring and hardened finners who defpife eternity itself, and set their Maker at defiance; but the far greater number, by ftaving off their convictions to a more convenient feafon, have been taken unprepared and thus eternally loft. I would therefore earnestly prefs the apostle's exhortation (2 Cor. vi. 1, 2.) We then as workers together with God, befeech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. Behold now is the accepted time, bebold now is the day of falvation Suffer me now to beseech you, for rather to give you warning, not to rest fatif

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fied with a form of godlinefs denying the power thereof. There can be no true religion till there be a difcovery of your loft ftate by nature and practice, and an unfeigned acceptance of Chrift Jefus as he is offered in the gospel. Unhappy they who either defpife his mercy os are afhamed of his crofs. Believe it, there is no falvation in any other; neither is there any other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be faved. Unless you are united to him by a living faith, not the refentment of a haughty monarch, but the fword of divine justice hangs over you, and the fulness of divine vengeance fhall fpeedily overtake you. I do not speak this only to the heaven-daring profligate, or grovelling fenfualift, but to every infenfible finner to all thofe, however decent and orderly in their civil deportment, who live to themfelves and have their part and portion in this life. In fine, to all who are yet in a state of nature; for except a man be born again be cannot fee the kingdom of God. The fear of man may make you hide your profanity: prudence and experience may make you abhor intemperance and riot. As you advance in life one vice may fupplant another, and hold its place, but nothing less than the fovereign grace of God can produce a faving change of heart and temper, or fit you for his immediate prefence.

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2. From what has been faid upon this fubject you may fee what ground there is to give praife to God for his favours already bestowed upon us respecting the publick cause.

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It would be a criminal inattention not to obferve the fingular interpofition of Providence hitherto in behalf of the American colonies. It is, however, impoffible for me in a single difcourfe, as well as improper at this time, to go through every step of our paft tranfactions, I'must therefore content myself with a few remarks. How many difcoveries have been made of the defigns of enemies in Briton and among ourselves, in a manner as unexpected to us as to them, and in fuch feafon as to prevent their effect. What furprising fuccefs has attended our encounters in almoft every inftance. Has not the boasted difcipline of regular and veterán foldiers been turned into confufion and difmay by the new and maiden courage of freemen, in defence of their property and right? In what great mercy has blood been fpared on the fide of this injured country. Some important victories in the South have been gained with fo little lofs, that enemies will probably think it has been diffembled, as many even of ourselves thought, till time rendered it undeniable. But these were comparatively of fmall moment. The fignal advantage we have gained by the evacuation of Boston, and the fhameful flight of the army and navy of Britain, was brought

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about without the lofs of a fingle man. To all this we may add, that the counfels of our enemies have been vifibly confounded, fo that I believe I may fay, with truth, that there is hardly any ftep which they have taken but it has operated ftrongly against themfelves, and been more in our favour than if they had followed a contrary course.

While we praise God the fupreme Disposer of all events, for his interpofition in our behalf, let us guard against the dangerous error of trufting in or boafting of an arm of flesh. I could earnestly with, that while our arms are crowned with fuccefs we might content ourselves with a modeft afcription of it to the power of the Higheft. It has given me great uneafinefs to read fome oftentatious vaunting expreffions in our newf-papers, though happily, I think, much restrained of late. Let us not return to them again. If I am not mistaken, not only the holy fcriptures in general, and the truths of the gofpel in particular, but the whole courfe of Providence feems intended to abafe the pride of man, and lay the vain-glorious in the duft. How many inftances does history furnish us with of thofe who, after exulting over and defpifing their enemies, were fingularly and fhamefully defeated. The truth is, I believe the remark may be applied univerfally, and we may fay, that through the whole frame of nature, and the whole fyftem of human life, that which

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which promises moft, performs the leaft. The flowers of finest colour seldom have the sweetest fragrance. The trees of quickest growth, or fairest form, are feldom of the greatest value or duration. Deep waters move with the leaft noife. Men who think moft are feldom talkative. And, I think it holds as much in war as in any thing, that every boafter is a coward.

Pardon me, my brethren, for infifting fo much on this, which may feem but an immaterial circumftance. It is, in my opinion, of very great moment. I look upon oftentation and confidence, to be a fort of outrage upon providence. And when it becomes general, and infufes itself into the spirit of a people, it is a fure forerunner of deftruction. How does Goliah the champion, armed in a most formidable manner, express his disdain of David the ftripling, with his fling and ftone. And when the Philistine looked about and Jaw David, he dif dained him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philiftine faid unto David, am I a dog, that thou comeft to me with ftaves? And the Philiftine curfed David by his gods. And the Philiftine faid to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. But how juft and modeft the reply. Then faid David to the Philiftine, Thou comeft to me with a fword, and with a Spear, and with a fhield: but I come unto thee in the name

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