Chapter II: CHRIST doth Invite all of you to be his spouse (1)

And it is on this account that he sends forth his ministers to preach. It is this, that makes me thus come among you; that you would accept of this invitation, to which, in the name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, I do call and intreat you to take him, on his own terms. He calls all of you, my sisters, whether elder or younger, whether married or unmarried, of higher degree, or of the meanest quality, the poorest servants, yea, the rabble of this world, as the world calls you, who are willing to be espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST. I say, the poor are as welcome to be CHRIST’s spouse as those that are rich. He regardeth not the rich more than the poor: he chose a mean virgin, espoused to a carpenter, to be his mother; and he chuseth and calleth all such to be his spouse; then be not discouraged at your being despised in the world; for if you are but loved by CHRIST, and espoused to him, it will be an over-sufficiency for all the trouble that you have met with here.

III. Those who would be espoused unto CHRIST, must hearken, consider, and incline to his invitation, and forget even their father’s house.

Such as would be espoused unto CHRIST must hearken. “Hearken, O daughter.” Many amongst you, my sisters, stop their ears against the calls of the gospel; they shut their ears like the deaf adder, which will not hearken unto the voice of the charmer, though he charm never so wisely. You will not hearken unto the invitations of CHRIST; you can hearken unto the vanities of the world, and be delighted with the espousals of the world, but never think, or are delighted with the espousals of CHRIST.

It was by the ear, that the temptation of sin was received by the first man, when he departed from GOD; and by the ear, the invitation to be CHRIST’s spouse must be received, before the heart will be opened to receive JESUS CHRIST in this conjugal relation.

If you would, my dear sisters, be espoused to CHRIST, you must consider CHRIST’s invitation. It is not a slight or bare hearing of CHRIST’s invitation, which will be of any service to you, or make up the match between CHRIST and your souls; no, you must receive CHRIST in the heart; you must consider the thing itself, the advantages of it, the difference between CHRIST’s invitations and the devil’s temptations, or any of the world’s proffers.

Those who would be espoused to CHRIST, must be inclined to accept of CHRIST’s invitation. “Hearken, O daughter, consider and incline thine ear.” This is to incline your hearts: You must consent with ♦your wills; there must be a compliance to the motion of CHRIST, and you must have desires after CHRIST, and then your hearts will say, ‘LORD, let us be thy spouse, and be thou our beloved.’

♦ “you” replaced with “your”

You must likewise forget your father’s house. “Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and forget thy father’s house.” You are not here to cast off all affections unto natural relations; but you must forget all relations, so as to be ready to forego all their favour, when it standeth in competition with that of the LORD JESUS CHRIST; and do not let your carnal friends and relations hinder you from closing with, and espousing the LORD JESUS. I earnestly beseech you to suffer the loss of any thing, rather than to lose his favours; you must indeed forget your own people, that is, you must forget all your evil customs which you have learned in your father’s house, and forsake all your vain conversation, your reading of plays, novels, or romances; and you must keep from learning to sing the songs of the drunkard; for CHRIST, if you are his spouse, hath redeemed you.

Such of you, my dear sisters, as are espoused to the LORD JESUS CHRIST are very beautiful. I do not mean in respect of your bodies; you may have less of external comeliness than others, in respect of your bodies, but as to your souls you will exceed in beauty, not so much in the eyes of man, as in the eyes of GOD; such have the most beautiful image of GOD stamped upon them; none in the world, beside them, have the least spark of spiritual beauty. Such as are not married to CHRIST, are unregenerated, they are not born again, nor brought from sin unto GOD, which must be done before you be espoused to CHRIST.

And the LORD JESUS CHRIST desireth to see this beauty in his spouse, for he cries out, “O my dove, thou art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.” He calleth his spouse his love, being the dear object of his love; and he admireth her loveliness; he repeats it twice in one verse, “Behold thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair.” Thus you see he describes their beauty. And then, my sisters, we have a wonderful expression of CHRIST to his spouse, “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.” Thus you see how pleased the LORD JESUS CHRIST is with his spouse; and will not you, therefore, be espoused unto the LORD JESUS? I offer JESUS CHRIST to all of you; if you have been never so notorious for sin, if you have been as great a harlot as _Mary Magdalen_ was, when once you are espoused to CHRIST, you shall be forgiven. Therefore be not discouraged, at whatever slights and contempts the world may pass upon you, but come and join yourselves to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and all your sins shall be washed away in his blood; and when once you are espoused to JESUS, you are disjoined from sin, you are born again. You are now, as it were, espoused unto sin; sin is your husband, and you are too fond of it, but when once you are married to CHRIST, when you are born again, then you may be said to die unto sin; but till then, sin liveth in your affections; therefore, my sisters, give sin its death-wound in your hearts; you have been called by the word time after time, and it has had no effect upon you; but when you are espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST, then you will be brought to him by his Spirit: You will then lay hold on him by faith, his Spirit will draw you unto himself; he will make you to be willing in the day of his power; he will give you faith in him. Faith is the hand of the soul which layeth hold on CHRIST; therefore, do not rest contented till you have this grace of faith wrought in you with power; do not be contented till you have received the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Embrace CHRIST in the arms of your dearest love; then you love the LORD JESUS CHRIST with sincerity, when you love and esteem him before father, mother, or all the delights and pleasures of this life; but if you do delight in any thing that this world can produce, more than in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, you have no true love to him.

If you are espoused to CHRIST, you have acquaintance and converse with him; you will endeavour to promote his interest, and advance his name in the world; when others are going to the polite and fashionable diversions of life, you will be labouring to bring honour to the LORD JESUS CHRIST; you will commend your beloved above all other beloveds, and endeavour to bring others into love to him. Can you, my dear sisters, who are now assembled to worship GOD, shew such evidence of your espousals unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST? O! how joyful, how comfortable an estate is this! Surely this is a marriage worth seeking after; this is the only desirable marriage, and the LORD JESUS CHRIST is the only lover that is worth seeking after.

Now, my dear sisters, I shall speak a few words to those of you who have not yet espoused yourselves to the LORD JESUS. It is a great sin, and surely you highly affront the LORD that bought you. It is likewise your folly to refuse and neglect the gracious proffers of being the spouse of CHRIST; hereby you forfeit all that love which he would bestow upon you; hereby you chuse rags before robes, dross before gold, pebbles before jewels, guilt before a pardon, wounds before healing, defilement before cleansing, deformity before comeliness, trouble before peace, slavery before liberty, the service of the devil before the service of CHRIST. Hereby you chuse dishonour before a crown, death before life, hell before heaven, eternal misery and torment before everlasting joy and glory. And need there a farther evidence of your folly and madness, in refusing and neglecting CHRIST to be your spouse.

My dear sisters, I should exceed the limits of your time, should I particularize all the advantages which you would obtain by being espoused to the LORD JESUS. This is your wisdom; they are foolish virgins who refuse; but you are the wise virgins who have accepted of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and have disposed of yourselves to him; you have made the wisest choice; and however the blind world may deem you fools, and despise you as being methodically mad, yet you are wise in the esteem of GOD, and will, one day, appear so in the esteem of them that now despise you. It is your glory that you are espoused unto the LORD JESUS; and therefore glory in your espousal; glory not in yourselves, but in the LORD who hath thus freely and graciously bestowed these favours upon you. It is your safety to be espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST, he will protect and defend you even from sin and satan, and eternal ruin; and therefore thus far you are safe; he hath a regard for you in times of danger from men, and these times of danger seem to be hastening; it is now arising as a black cloud no bigger than a man’s hand, and by and by it will overspread the heavens, and when it is full it will burst; but if you are espoused to CHRIST, you are safe.

Now, my dear sisters, I shall conclude with an earnest exhortation to high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to be espoused unto CHRIST.

Let me speak unto you, young women, who are not yet espoused unto CHRIST, in an especial manner. It may be to satisfy your curiosity, has brought many of you here; though, perhaps, this may be the time when you shall be brought home to embrace the LORD JESUS, and be espoused to him. And O, that I may persuade you, by his Spirit, to espouse yourselves unto the LORD of life.

And if you are but brought to close with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, I shall attain my end, and then both you and I shall rejoice that I preached this sermon to you.

Come virgins, will you give me leave to be a suitor unto you, not in my own name, but in the name of the LORD? O! that I may prevail with you for your affections, and persuade you to give them unto CHRIST! May I be instrumental of bringing your souls to CHRIST! May I be instrumental to join you and CHRIST together this day!

Be not coy, as some of you possibly are in other loves: modesty and the virgin blush may very well become you, when proposals of another kind are made unto you; but here coyness is folly, and backwardness to accept of this motion, is shame: you have ten thousand times more reason to blush at the refusal of CHRIST for your beloved, than at the acceptance; when otherwise the devil and sin would ravish your virgin affections. Never had you a better motion made to you; never was such a match proffered to you as this, of being matched and espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Consider who the LORD JESUS is, whom you are invited to espouse yourselves unto; he is the best husband; there is none comparable to JESUS CHRIST.

Do you desire one that is great? He is of the highest dignity, he is the glory of heaven, the darling of eternity, admired by angels, dreaded by devils, and adored by saints. For you to be espoused to so great a king, what honour will you have by this espousal?

Do you desire one that is rich? None is comparable to CHRIST, the fulness of the earth belongs to him. If you be espoused to CHRIST, you shall share in his unsearchable riches; you shall receive of his fulness, even grace for grace here, and you shall hereafter be admitted to glory, and shall live with this JESUS to all eternity.

Do you desire one that is wise? There is none comparable to CHRIST for wisdom. His knowledge is infinite, and his wisdom is correspondent thereto. And if you are espoused to CHRIST, he will guide and counsel you, and make you wise unto salvation.

Do you desire one that is potent, who may defend you against your enemies, and all the insults and reproaches of the Pharisees of this generation? There is none that can equal CHRIST in power; for the LORD JESUS CHRIST hath all power.

Do you desire one that is good? There is none like unto CHRIST in this regard; others may have some goodness, but it is imperfect; CHRIST’s goodness is compleat and perfect, he is full of goodness, and in him dwelleth no evil.

Do you desire one that is beautiful? His eyes are most sparkling, his looks and glances of love are ravishing, his smiles are most delightful and refreshing unto the soul: CHRIST is the most lovely person of all others in the world.

Do you desire one that can love you? None can love you like CHRIST: His love, my dear sisters, is incomprehensible; his love passeth all other loves: The love of the LORD JESUS is first, without beginning; his love is free without any motive; his love is great without any measure; his love is constant without any change, and his love is everlasting.

It was the love of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, my dear sisters, which brought him down from heaven; and which veiled his divinity in a human soul and body; for he is GOD over all blessed for ever: It was love that made him subject to hunger, thirst and sorrow; he was humbled, even unto death for you; for you who are espoused to him, he underwent the painful, shameful and ignominious death of the cross: and can you, my sisters, hear this, and not be concerned to think that the blessed JESUS underwent all this for such sinful creatures as you and I are? And when out of love he had finished the redemption on earth, as to what was needful for satisfaction; it was his love that carried him back to heaven, where he was before, that he might make application of what he had purchased, that there he might make intercession for those whom he had redeemed, and prepare a place for them, even glorious mansions with himself, in the house not made with hands, which is eternal in the heavens. It is out of love that he sendeth such tokens to his people from heaven to earth, which he conveyeth through his ordinances, by his Spirit unto them. Surely then none is so deserving as the LORD JESUS CHRIST for you to espouse yourselves unto: if you be espoused unto CHRIST he is your’s, all that he is, all that he hath; you shall have his heart, and share in the choicest expressions of his dearest love.

The LORD JESUS CHRIST, my dear sisters, doth beseech you to be his spouse. We ministers have a commission from the LORD JESUS CHRIST to invite you, in his name, unto this very thing; and CHRIST’s invitations are real; general; frequent; earnest; free.

CHRIST’s invitations of you, to be his spouse, are _real_; and as the thing is real, so you, my dear sisters, are really invited unto it. The LORD doth not mock and dissemble with you, as some pretending lovers, who dissemble love unto virgins, until they have gained their affections, and then falsely and basely relinquish them, never really intending either to espouse, or marry them: but the LORD doth really intend the thing, in his invitations of you; he never cast off any whose consent and affections he had gained. Again,

CHRIST’s invitations of you, my dear sisters, are _general_. All of you are invited, none of you are excluded; all sorts of sinners are invited; the most vile and abominable sinners, the most notorious transgressors are invited to be CHRIST’s spouse, and shall be as welcome as any unto the embraces of his love.

CHRIST’s invitations of you are _frequent_: JESUS CHRIST calls on you frequently; he hath waited on you time after time, one year after another; and he doth now invite you, by me this day, to come unto Him. Do not slight this invitation, but receive it with joy and thankfulness. Come, I beseech you, to this JESUS, who thus invites you to be his spouse. Again,

CHRIST’s invitations to be his spouse are _earnest_; he doth call upon you, and not only call, but call earnestly too; yea, he useth many arguments with you: he will press you to come unto him; he is loth to take any denial from you: he knocks, and knocks hard at the door of your hearts for entertainment; and surely you will not deny the LORD of life and glory who died for you, and gave himself for you: O my dear sisters, let this be the evening of your espousals to the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

He invites you _freely_ to be his spouse, for all his invitations are free; he doth not expect a portion with you, as worldly lovers do; He wants nothing of you: nay, you must have nothing, if you be espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST. If you be poor, miserable, blind, naked, JESUS CHRIST will supply all these defects of his own free mercy; he will fill and supply you with all things out of his treasury; he will make you meet for himself; he will prepare you to live with him for ever.

Consider, if you be once espoused unto CHRIST, if once joined in this relation, you shall never be separated from him; neither men nor devils shall be able to separate you: none, none, shall disjoin you; and when death doth break all other bonds, it shall not break the conjugal bond between you and CHRIST, but bring you unto the most full and everlasting possession of your beloved.

And what do you now say, young women? shall I have a grant for my master, or be sent away with a repulse and refusal; no, I cannot carry such a message to my master; I hope better things of you, my sisters, and things which accompany salvation: methinks by this time ye should begin to have a mind unto JESUS CHRIST; you look as if you did desire; you hearken as if you would consent. What do you say? Shall the match be made up this evening between CHRIST and your souls? O that I may be instrumental in joining your hands, or rather your hearts together: O that I may be instrumental to tie that knot, which never can be unloosed.

Some marry in haste, and repent at leisure; but if you were once espoused unto JESUS CHRIST, you would never repent; nothing would grieve you, but that you were not joined to him sooner; and you would not be disjoined again for all the world.

Shall this be the day of your espousals? Some of you have stayed a long time; and will you defer any longer? If you will not now, perhaps you may never have another opportunity; this may be the last time of asking; and therefore it is dangerous to refuse: some of you are very young, too young for other espousals; but none of you, my dear sisters, are too young to be espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST: in other espousals, you must have the consent of your parents; but in this you are at your own disposal; you may give, and ought to match yourselves to CHRIST, whether parents do consent or not.

But if any of you should ask, what you must do that you may be espoused unto CHRIST? You must be sensible of your need of being espoused to him; and untill you are sensible of your need of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, you cannot be espoused to him: You must have desires after this JESUS, and seek unto him for an interest in him; you must cry nightly unto him to espouse you to himself: put off the filthiness of sin and all its defilements; and then, my sisters, put on the white raiment, and clean garments, which CHRIST hath provided for you, the robes of his righteousness; in these garments you shall be beautiful; and in these garments you shall be accepted: you must have the wedding garment on; you must put off all your own good works, for they will be but a means to keep you from CHRIST; no, you must come as not having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but you must have the righteousness of CHRIST. Therefore, come unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and he will give it to you; he will not send you away without it. Receive him upon his own terms, and he is your’s for ever: O devote yourselves to him, soul and body, and all, to be his for ever; and CHRIST will be your’s, and then happy, happy you, that ever you were born! But if any of you die before this espousal unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST, then woe, woe, unto you, that ever you had a being in life; but if you go to CHRIST you shall be espoused unto the LORD JESUS: though your sins have been never so great, yea, the blood of CHRIST will cleanse you from them; the marriage covenant between CHRIST and your souls will dissolve all your sins; you will then be weary of your old ways, for all things will become new in your souls.

Now, my dear Sisters, I shall conclude by just speaking a word or two to those of you, who are already espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

O admire, admire the rich and free grace, which hath brought you to this relation: Is not this an instance of the greatest of love, that you should be the spouse of the LORD JESUS CHRIST? You that had no beauty, you that had no comeliness, that was full of sin, that He should embrace such as you and I are; that we should be taken into the embrace of this LORD JESUS. O infinite condescending kindness! O amazing love! Reverence, reverence, I beseech you, this LORD JESUS CHRIST.

He is your LORD, and you must reverence him, love and be faithful unto him, be subject to him, and careful to please him in every thing; endeavour to keep up a daily communion with him; look, long and prepare for CHRIST’s second appearance, when the nuptials between you shall be solemnized, and you live with him in mansions of everlasting joys, where you shall love and live with this king of glory for ever and ever.

I know not how to conclude; methinks I could speak to you till midnight, if it would bring you unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and make you be espoused to him, for indeed, that will be the espousal which will turn to the greatest advantage, as you will find by experience, if you will but make the trial; and that you may do so, my prayers and my constant endeavours shall be used.

I will, my dear sisters, spend and be spent for you, and by the assistance of GOD, will persevere in this that I have begun; and as many of you may have opportunity some evening in the week, without breaking in on the business of life; I shall therefore, my sisters, either be here, or where you shall be publicly acquainted with: I will not mind being reproached or despised: the men of this world may use what language they please; they may say I am a Methodist. Indeed, my sisters, I am resolved, by the grace of GOD, to use all methods I can, to pluck you from Satan, that you may be as brands plucked from the burning fire: this shall be my method, which I hope will be the means of effectually saving your precious and immortal souls.

And if I am the instrument of this, I shall rejoice, yea, and I will rejoice in spight of what men, or devils, can say or do to the contrary: and may the LORD JESUS CHRIST direct, and assist me at all times, to act what will be most for his glory, and the welfare of your souls: and may you all say a hearty Amen thereto.

“Now the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who is GOD over all, blessed for
ever, assist and watch over you, keep you from all evil and
sin here, and present you before his Father faultless at the
great day of account! To this LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father,
and the blessed Spirit, three persons and but one eternal and
invisible GOD, be ascribed all honour, power, glory, might,
majesty and dominion, now, henceforth, and for ever more. Amen,
Amen.”

“The grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the love of GOD, and the
fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you all, to comfort under,
and deliver you from tribulation; to preserve you to your
respective places of abode; and when there, to keep you in
his fear, that you may live to his glory; that to live may
be CHRIST’s, and to die be your eternal gain; so that you may
live with him through eternal ages, and sing Hallelujahs to
him for ever. Amen.”

SERMON VI.

_Britain_’s Mercies, and _Britain_’s Duty.

Preached at _Philadelphia_, on _Sunday, August 24, 1746_. and
occasioned by the Suppression of the late unnatural Rebellion.

PSALM cv. 45.

_That they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws._

MEN, brethren, and fathers, and all ye to whom I am about to preach the kingdom of GOD, I suppose you need not be informed, that being indispensibly obliged to be absent on your late thanksgiving-day, I could not shew my obedience to the governor’s proclamation, as my own inclination led me, or as might justly be expected from, and demanded of me. But as the occasion of that day’s thanksgiving is yet, and I trust ever will be, fresh in our memory, I cannot think that a discourse on that subject can even now be altogether unseasonable. I take it for granted, further, that you need not be informed, that among the various motives which are generally urged to enforce obedience to the divine commands, that of love is the most powerful and cogent. The terrors of the law may affright and awe, but love dissolves and melts the heart. “The love of CHRIST,” says the great apostle of the _Gentiles_, “constraineth us.” Nay, love is so absolutely necessary for those that name the name of CHRIST, that without it, their obedience cannot truly be stiled evangelical, or be acceptable in the sight of GOD. “Although, (says the apostle) I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity,” (i. e. unless unfeigned love to GOD, and to mankind for his great name’s sake, be the principle of such actions, howsoever it may benefit others) “it profiteth me nothing.” This is the constant language of the lively oracles of GOD. And, from them it is equally plain, that nothing has a greater tendency to beget and excite such an obediential love in us, than a serious and frequent consideration of the manifold mercies we receive time after time from the hands of our heavenly Father. The royal psalmist, who had the honour of being stiled, “the man after GOD’s own heart,” had an abundant experience of this. Hence it is, that whilst he is musing on the divine goodness, the fire of divine love kindles in his soul; and, out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth speaketh such grateful and extatic language as this. “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his mercies? Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” And why? “who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.” And when the same holy man of GOD had a mind to stir up the people of the _Jews_ to set about a national reformation, as the most weighty and prevailing argument he could make use of for that purpose, he lays before them, as it were, in a draught, many national mercies, and distinguishing deliverances, which have been conferred upon and wrought out for them, by the most high GOD. The psalm to which the words of our text belong, is a pregnant proof of this; it being a kind of epitome or compendium of the whole _Jewish_ history: at least it contains an enumeration of many signal and extraordinary blessings the _Israelites_ had received from GOD, and also the improvement they were in duty bound to make of them, “Observe his statutes and keep his laws.”

To run through all the particulars of the psalm, or draw a parallel (which might with great ease and justice be done) between GOD’s dealings with us and the _Israelites_ of old: To enumerate all the national mercies bestowed upon, and remarkable deliverances wrought out for the kingdoms of _Great-Britain_ and _Ireland_, from the infant state of _William_ the _Norman_ to their present manhood, and more than _Augustan_ maturity, under the auspicious reign of our rightful Sovereign King _George_ the second; howsoever pleasing and profitable it might be at any other time, would, at this juncture, prove, if not an irksome, yet an unreasonable undertaking.

The occasion of the late solemnity, I mean the suppression of a most horrid and unnatural rebellion, will afford more than sufficient matter for a discourse of this nature, and furnish us with abundant motives to love and obey that glorious _Jehovah_, who giveth salvation unto kings, and delivers his people from the hurtful sword.

Need I make an apology, before this auditory, if, in order to see the greatness of our late deliverance, I should remind you of the many unspeakable blessings which we have for a course of years enjoyed, during the reign of his present Majesty, and the gentle, mild administration under which we live? Without justly incurring the censure of giving flattering titles, I believe all who have eyes to see, and ears to hear, and are but a little acquainted with our public affairs, must acknowledge, that we have one of the best of Kings. It is now above nineteen years since he began to reign over us. And yet, was he seated on a royal throne, and were all his subjects placed before him, was he to address them as _Samuel_ once addressed the _Israelites_, “Behold here I am, old and grey-headed, witness against me before the LORD, whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed?” They must, if they would do him justice, make the same answer as was given to _Samuel_, “Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us.” What _Tertullus_, by way of flattery, said to _Felix_, may with the strictest justice be applied to our sovereign, “By thee we enjoy great quietness, and very worthy deeds have been done unto our nation by thy providence.” He has been indeed _Pater Patriæ_, a father to our country, and though old and grey-headed, has jeoparded his precious life for us in the high places of the field. Nor has he less deserved the great and glorious title, which the LORD promises, that kings should sustain in the latter days, I mean, “a nursing father of the church.” For not only the Church of _England_, as by law established, but all denominations of christians whatsoever, have enjoyed their religious as well as civil liberties. As there has been no authorized oppression in the state, so there has been no publicly allowed persecution in the church. We breathe indeed in free air; as free (if not freer) both as to temporals and spirituals, as any nation under heaven. Nor is the prospect likely to terminate in his majesty’s death, which I pray GOD to defer. Our princesses are disposed of to protestant powers. And we have great reason to be assured, that the present heir apparent, and his consort, are like minded with their royal father. And I cannot help thinking, that it is a peculiar blessing vouchsafed us by the King of kings, that his present Majesty has been continued so long among us. For now, his immediate successor (though his present situation obliges him, as it were, to lie dormant) has great and glorious opportunities, which we have reason to think he daily improves, of observing and weighing the national affairs, considering the various steps and turns of government, and consequently of laying in a large fund of experience, to make him a wise and great prince, if ever GOD should call him to sway the _British_ sceptre. Happy art thou, O _England_! Happy art thou, O _America_, who on every side art thus highly favoured!

But, alas! how soon would this happy scene have shifted, and a melancholy gloomy prospect have succeeded in its room, had the rebels gained their point, and a popish abjured pretender been forced upon the _British_ throne! For, supposing his birth not to be spurious, (as we have great reason to think it really was) what could we expect from one, descended from a father, who, when Duke of _York_, put all _Scotland_ into confusion; and afterwards, when crowned King of _England_, for his ♦arbitrary and tyrannical government, both in church and state, was justly obliged to abdicate the throne, by the assertors of _British_ liberty? Or, supposing the horrid plot, first hatched in hell, and afterwards nursed at _Rome_, had taken place; supposing, I say, the old Pretender should have obtained the triple crown, and have transferred his pretended title (as it is reported he has done) to his eldest son, what was all this for, but that, by being advanced to the popedom, he might rule both son and subjects with less controul, and by their united interest, keep the three kingdoms of _England_, _Scotland_, and _Ireland_, in greater vassallage to the see of _Rome_? Ever since this unnatural rebellion broke out, I have looked upon the young Pretender as the phaeton of the present age. He is ambitiously and presumptuously aiming to seat himself in the throne of our rightful sovereign King _George_, which he is no more capable of keeping, than _Phaeton_ was to guide the chariot of the sun; and had he succeeded in his attempt, like him, would only have set the world on fire. It is true, to do him justice, he has deserved well of the Church of _Rome_, and, in all probability, will hereafter be canonized amongst the noble order of their fictitious saints. But, with what an iron rod we might expect to have been bruised, had his troops been victorious, may easily be gathered from those cruel orders said to be found in the pockets of some of his officers, “Give no quarters to the Elector’s troops.” Add to this, that there was great reason to suspect, that, upon the first news of the success of the rebels, a general massacre was intended. So that if the LORD had not been on our side, _Great Britain_, not to say _America_, would, in a few weeks or months, have been an _Aceldama_, a field of blood.

♦ “arbritrary” replaced with “arbitrary”

Besides, was a _Popish_ Pretender to rule over us, instead of being represented by a free parliament, and governed by laws made by their consent, as we now are; we should shortly have had only the shadow of one, and it may be, no parliament at all. This is the native product of a _Popish_ government, and what the unhappy family, from which this young adventurer pretends he descended, has always aimed at. Arbitrary principles he has sucked in with his mother’s milk, and if he had been so honest, instead of that immature motto upon his standard, _Tandem triumphans_, only to have put, _Stet pro ratione Voluntas_, he had given us a short, but true portrait of the nature of his intended, but blessed be GOD, now defeated reign. And why should I mention, that the sinking of the national debt, or rending away the funded property of the people, and the dissolution of the present happy union between the two kingdoms, would have been the immediate consequences of his success, as he himself declares in his second manifesto, dated from _Holy-rood House_? These are evils, and great ones too; but then they are only evils of a temporary nature. They chiefly concern the body, and must necessarily terminate in the grave. But, alas! what an inundation of spiritual mischiefs, would soon have overflowed the Church, and what unspeakable danger should we and our posterity have been reduced to in respect to our better parts, our precious and immortal souls? How soon would whole swarms of monks, dominicans and friars, like so many locusts, have overspread and plagued the nation; with what winged speed would foreign titular bishops have posted over, in order to take possession of their respective sees? How quickly would our universities have been filled with youths who have been sent abroad by their _Popish_ parents, in order to drink in all the superstitions of the church of _Rome_? What a speedy period would have been put to societies of all kinds, for promoting christian knowledge, and propagating the gospel in foreign parts? How soon would our pulpits have every where been filled with these old antichristian doctrines, free-will, meriting by works, transubstantiation, purgatory, works of supererogation, passive-obedience, non-resistance, and all the other abominations of the whore of _Babylon_? How soon would our protestant charity schools in _England_, _Scotland_ and _Ireland_, have been pulled down, our Bibles forcibly taken from us, and ignorance every where set up as the mother of devotion? How soon should we have been deprived of that invaluable blessing, liberty of conscience, and been obliged to commence (what they falsely call) catholicks, or submit to all the tortures which a bigoted zeal, guided by the most cruel principles, could possibly invent? How soon would that mother of harlots have made herself once more drunk with the blood of the saints? And the whole tribe even of free-thinkers themselves, been brought to this dilemma, either to die martyrs for, (although I never yet heard of one that did so) or, contrary to all their most avowed principles, renounce their great _Diana_, unassisted, unenlightened reason? But I must have done, lest while I am speaking against antichrist, I should unawares fall myself, and lead my hearers into an antichristian spirit. True and undefiled religion will regulate our zeal, and teach us to treat even the man of sin with no harsher language than that which the angel gave to his grand employer Satan, “The LORD rebuke thee.”

Glory be to GOD’s great name! the LORD has rebuked him; and that too at a time when we had little reason to expect such a blessing at GOD’s hands. My dear hearers, neither the present frame of my heart, nor the occasion of your late solemn meeting, lead me to give you a detail of our public vices. Though, alas! they are so many, so notorious, and withal of such a crimson-dye, that a gospel minister would not be altogether inexcusable, was he, even on such a joyful occasion, to lift up his voice like a trumpet, to shew the British nation their transgression, and the people of _America_ their sin. However, though I would not cast a dismal shade upon the pleasing picture the cause of our late rejoicings set before us; yet thus much may, and ought to be said, that as GOD has not dealt so bountifully with any people as with us, so no nation under heaven has dealt more ungratefully with Him. We have been like _Capernaum_, lifted up to heaven in privileges, and for the abuse of them, like her, have deserved to be thrust down into hell. How well soever it may be with us, in respect to our civil and ecclesiastical constitution, yet in regard to our morals, _Isaiah_’s description of the _Jewish_ polity is too applicable, “The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint; from the crown of the head to the sole of our feet, we are full of wounds and bruises, and putrifying sores.” We have, _Jeshurun_-like, waxed fat and kicked. We have played the harlot against GOD, both in regard to principles and practices. “Our gold is become dim, and our fine gold changed.” We have crucified the Son of GOD afresh, and put him to an open shame. Nay, CHRIST has been wounded in the house of his friends. And every thing long ago seemed to threaten an immediate storm. But, O the long-suffering and goodness of GOD to us-ward! When all things seemed ripe for destruction, and matters were come to such a crisis, that GOD’s praying people began to think, that though _Noah_, _Daniel_ and _Job_, were living, they would only deliver their own souls; yet then in the midst of judgment the Most High remembered mercy, and when a popish enemy was breaking in upon us like a flood, the LORD himself graciously lifted up a standard.

This to me does not seem to be one of the most unfavourable circumstances which have attended this mighty deliverance; nor do I think you will look upon it as a circumstance altogether unworthy your observation. Had this cockatrice indeed been crushed in the egg, and the young Pretender driven back upon his first arrival, it would undoubtedly have been a great blessing. But not so great as that for which you lately assembled to give GOD thanks: for then his Majesty would not have had so good an opportunity of knowing his enemies, or trying his friends. The _British_ subjects would in a manner have lost the fairest occasion that ever offered to express their loyalty and gratitude to the rightful sovereign. _France_ would not have been so greatly humbled; nor such an effectual stop have been put, as we trust there now is, to any such further _Popish_ plot, to rob us of all that is near and dear to us. “Out of the eater therefore hath come forth meat, and out of the strong hath come forth sweetness.” The Pretender’s eldest son is suffered not only to land in the _North-West Highlands_ in _Scotland_, but in a little while he becomes a great band. This for a time is not believed, but treated as a thing altogether incredible. The friends of the government in those parts, not for want of loyalty, but of sufficient authority to take up arms, could not resist him. He is permitted to pass on with his terrible banditti, and, like the comet that was lately seen, spreads his baleful influences all around him. He is likewise permitted to gain a short-liv’d triumph by a victory over a body of our troops at _Preston-Pans_, and to take a temporary possession of the metropolis of _Scotland_. Of this he makes his boast, and informs the public, that “Providence had hitherto favoured him with wonderful success, led him in the way to victory, and to the capital of the antient kingdom, though he came without foreign aid.” Nay, he is further permitted to press into the very heart of _England_. But now the Almighty interposes. Hitherto he was to go, and no further. Here were his malicious designs to be staid. His troops of a sudden are driven back. Away they post to the _Highlands_, and there they are suffered not only to increase, but also to collect themselves into a large body, that having, as it were, what _Caligula_ once wished _Rome_ had, but one neck, they might be cut off with one blow.

The time, manner, and instrument of this victory, deserves our notice. It was on a general fast-day, when the clergy and good people of _Scotland_ were lamenting the disloyalty of their perfidious countrymen, and, like _Moses_, lifting up their hands, that _Amalek_ might not prevail. The victory was total and decisive. Little blood was spilt on the side of the Royalists. And, to crown all, Duke _William_, his Majesty’s youngest son, has the honour of first driving back, and then defeating the rebel-army. A prince, who in his infancy and youth, gave early proofs of an uncommon bravery and nobleness of mind; a prince, whose courage has increased with his years. Who returned wounded from the battle of _Dettingen_, behaved with surprizing bravery at _Fontenoy_, and now, by a conduct and magnanimity becoming the high office he sustains, like his glorious predecessor the Prince of _Orange_, has delivered three kingdoms from the dread of popish cruelty, and arbitrary power. What renders it still more remarkable is, The day on which his Highness gained this victory, was the day after his birth-day, when he was entering on the 26th year of his age; and when _Sullivan_, one of the Pretender’s privy-council, like another _Ahitophel_, advised the rebels to give our soldiers battle, presuming they were surfeited and over-charged with their yesterday’s rejoicings, and consequently unfit to make any great stand against them. But, glory be to GOD, who catches the wise in their own craftiness! his counsel, like _Ahitophel_’s, proves abortive. Both General and soldiers were prepared to meet them. “GOD taught their hands to war, and their fingers to fight,” and brought the Duke, after a deserved slaughter of some thousands of the rebels, with most of his brave soldiers, victorious from the field.

If we then take a distinct view of this notable transaction, and trace it in all the particular circumstances that have attended it, I believe we must with one heart and voice confess, that if it be a mercy for a state to be delivered from a worse than a _Catiline_’s conspiracy, or a church to be rescued from a hotter than a _Dioclesian_ persecution; if it be a mercy to be delivered from a religion that turns plough-shares into swords, and pruning-hooks into spears, and makes it meritorious to shed protestant blood; if it be a mercy to have all our present invaluable privileges, both in church and state, secured to us more than ever; if it be a mercy to have these great things done for us, at a season, when for our crying sins, both church and state justly deserved to be overturned; and if it be a mercy to have all this brought about for us, under GOD, by one of the blood-royal, a prince acting with an experience far above his years; if any, or all of these are mercies, then have you lately commemorated one of the greatest mercies that ever the glorious GOD vouchsafed to the _British_ nation.

And shall we not rejoice and give thanks? Should we refuse, would not the stones cry out against us? Rejoice then we may and ought: but, O let our rejoicing be in the LORD, and run in a religious channel. This, we find, has been the practice of GOD’s people in all ages. When he was pleased, with a mighty hand, and out-stretched arm, to lead the _Israelites_ through the _Red-Sea_, as on dry ground, “Then sang _Moses_ and the children of _Israel_; and _Miriam_ the prophetess, the sister of _Aaron_, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her. And _Miriam_ answered them, Sing ye to the LORD; for he hath triumphed gloriously.” When GOD subdued _Jabin_, the King of _Canaan_, before the children of _Israel_, “then sang _Deborah_ and _Barak_ on that day, saying, ‘Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of _Israel_.’” When the ark was brought back out of the hands of the _Philistines_, _David_, though a king, danced before it. And, to mention but one instance more, which may serve as a general directory to us on this and such-like occasions: when the great Head of the church had rescued his people from the general massacre intended to be executed upon them by a cruel and ambitious _Haman_, “_Mordecai_ sent letters unto all the _Jews_ that were in all the provinces of the King _Ahasuerus_ both nigh and far, to establish among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month _Adar_, and the fifteenth day of the same yearly, as the days wherein the _Jews_ rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow unto joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.” And why should we not go and do likewise?

And shall we not also, on such an occasion, express our gratitude to, and make honourable mention of, those worthies who have signalized themselves, and been ready to sacrifice both lives and fortunes at this critical juncture?

This would be to act the part of those ungrateful _Israelites_, who are branded in the book of GOD, for not shewing kindness to the house of “_Jerub-Baal_, namely _Gideon_, according to all the goodness which he shewed unto _Israel_.” Even a _Pharaoh_ could prefer a deserving _Joseph_, _Ahasuerus_ a _Mordecai_, and _Nebuchadnezzar_ a _Daniel_, when made instruments of signal service to themselves and people. “My heart, says _Deborah_, is towards (_i. e._ I have a particular veneration and regard for) the Governors of _Israel_ that offered themselves willingly. And blessed above women shall _Jael_ the wife of _Heber_ the _Kenite_ be; for she put her hand to the nail, and her right-hand to the workman’s hammer, and with the hammer she smote _Sisera_, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.” And shall we not say, “Blessed above men let his Royal Highness the Duke of _Cumberland_ be; for through his instrumentality, the great and glorious JEHOVAH hath brought mighty things to pass?” Should not our hearts be towards the worthy Archbishop of _York_, the Royal Hunters, and those other _English_ heroes who offered themselves so willingly? Let the names of _Blakeney_, _Bland_, and _Rea_, and all thole who waxed valiant in fight on this important occasion, live for ever in the _British_ annals. And let the name of that great, that incomparable brave soldier of the King, and a good soldier of JESUS CHRIST, Colonel _Gardiner_, (excuse me if I here drop a tear: he was my intimate friend) let his name, I say, be had in everlasting remembrance.

But, after all, is there not an infinitely greater debt of gratitude and praise due from us, on this occasion, to Him that is higher than the highest, even the King of kings and Lord of Lords, the blessed and only Potentate? Is it not his arm, his strong and mighty arm, (what instruments soever may have been made use of) that hath brought us this salvation? And may I not therefore address you, in the exulting language of the beginning of this psalm, from which we have taken our text? “O give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him; sing psalms unto him; talk ye of all his wondrous works; glory ye in his holy name; remember his marvellous work which he hath done.”

But shall we put off our good and gracious benefactor with mere lip-service? GOD forbid. Your worthy Governor has honoured GOD in his late excellent proclamation, and GOD will honour him. But shall our thanks terminate with the day? No, in no wise. Our text reminds us of a more noble sacrifice, and points out to us the great end the Almighty JEHOVAH proposes, in bestowing such signal favours upon a people, “That they should observe his statutes, and keep his laws.”