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النشر الإلكتروني

1474

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THANKSGIVING

SERMON,

For the SUCCESS of

His Majefty's Forces

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Printed for J. OSWALD, near the Man-
fion Houfe. M.DCC.XLVI.

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A Thanksgiving SERMON.

Deuteronomy xxviii. 7.

The Lord fhall caufe thine Enemies that rife up against thee to be Smitten before thy Face: They fhall come out against thee one Way, and flee before thee feven Ways.

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LMIGHTY GOD, who fuperintends and governs the Affairs of the World by his wife and good Providence, having fignally ap pear'd for us, in fuppreffing that monstrous and unnatural Rebellion by which we were lately fo much alarm'd; we should think oufelves obliged to join in publick and folemn Thanksgiving for fuch a Salvation; and this is the Duty to which, by our most gracious Sovereign's Royal Proclamation, we are now called.

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A Thanksgiving Sermon.

In the Time of our Trouble, and when we were under fuch Apprehenfions of Danger as gave us much Uneafinefs, Prayers were every where offered up to Heaven for the Defeat of our Enemies, Deliverance from the Calamities of an inteftine War, and a Restoration of the publick Peace and Tranquillity: And as, by a divine Blessing on his Majefty's Counfels and Arms, these great Mercies have been obtained; furely they ought to be in the most grateful and devout manner acknowledged; and this God expects from us. Not that he wants any Returns that we are capable of making for the Favours which he beftows; nor is it to be fuppofed, that there can be any Addition made to his effential Glory by our most exalted Praifes; but he is pleafed with our fincere, though faint, Attempts to proclaim the Honours of his Name, and fuch is his Condefcenfion, that he has fignified fo much to us by faying, Whofo offereth Praife glorifieth me, Pfal. 1. 23.

Now that we may be deeply affected with the great and undeferved Goodnessof God in the Deliverance, which we are affembled this Morning to thank him for, I have formed a fhort Difcourfe, grounded upon the Paffage of Scripture which has been read, and endeavoured to make it as fuitable as I could to the present joyful Occafion.

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A Thanksgiving Sermon.

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The Words contain a great Bleffing promised to the Ifraelites if they behaved themselves anfwerably to what God required of them, and obey'd the Precepts which they were commanded to have a ftrict and dutiful Regard to. Upon that Condition, they were encouraged to expect that Providence would smile upon them with regard to their Perfons, Eftates and Employments; that their Plenty would be continued, that they fhould be advanced above. the People round about them, and be victorious over their Enemies. The Lord fhall caufe thine Enemies that rife up against thee to be fmitten before thy Face, &c. You fee they were affured that God would be with them, fight their Battles, and defeat any Forces that should make War upon them, fo that they fhould cither be cut off and killed upon the Spot, or flee before them by many different Ways, that they might make their Escape, and not fall into their Hands.

Thus God engaged to favour Ifrael, and thus he has been graciously pleased to favour us, though we are fuch a finful People, and he might juftly have fuffered our Enemies to prevail against and triumph

over us.

This all that are concern'd for our holy Religion, and for the national Welfare and Profperity muft, I am sure, look upon

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