Vol. II. have obtain'd. It would require more Time than is now allotted me to take but a tranfient View of the one and the other. We have been deliver'd not only from Foreign Enemies, but from our felves, from the Egyptian Bondage and Darkness of Popery, and from the Frenzy and Confufion of Phanaticifm. No Plots, no Arms have prevail'd against us : We have broken under Queen Elizabeth the Power of Spain first, and under Queen Ann that of France afterwards, when the one and the other grafp'd at an univerfal Monarchy. Nor has the Subtilty of Rome. fucceeded better than open Forces against us; the very Methods they chalk'd out to our Ruin have led to our greater Security and Glory. But the Succefs we celebrate this Day is alone enough to take up our Thoughts; here we fee verified in a very eminent Inftance the Words of my Text; Thine Enemies fhall be found Liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high Places. We have baffled their beft form'd Defigns, and render'd all their Boasts vain; no Fortifications have been able to hold out against us; no Stratagems, no Numbers, no Advantages, have been able to refift us. We fee at this Day the mighty Projects of France brought to nothing; its ftrong Towns,

its

its numerous and difciplin'd Forces, which Serm.
were long the Pride and Confidence of XI.
that afpiring Monarch, and the Terror
of his Enemies, have at length only af-
forded Matter of Victories and Triumphs
to us. Who could have hop'd, who
fhould have confider'd the Face of Affairs
Twenty Years ago, that the vast and
united Power of France fhould have been
reduc'd to what it now is by a People fo
unprepar'd for War, fo divided amongft
our felves, as we were? Who could have
hop'd that he who threaten'd the Li-
berty of Europe, would fcarce be able to
defend his own? That he who had swal-
low'd up the neighbouring Kingdoms in
his Imagination, fhould be follicitous to
fecure his own, and live to fee Paris al-
most in as much Danger as we a little
while ago faw Vienna in? Who could
have thought that he who had been long
the Arbiter of War and Peace in Europe,
that was wont to begin the one,
and pre-
scribe the Terms of the other at his own
Pleasure, fhould live to fee fuch Terms
of Peace propos'd him as France it self,
not to fay its haughty Monarch, could
not digeft after fo many terrible Defeats,
and in the Diftrefs 'tis in, in every re
spect?

Thus

1

Vol. II.

Thus have I made fome Reflection upon our Happiness consider'd abfolutely in it felf.

2. I am next to fay fomething of it comparatively; Who is like unto thee? And here I might again run thorough all our Bleffings, and fhew what Pre-eminence we enjoy in each of 'em above other Nations. But I can but just glance at it.

What Nation is there that has abounded fo much in. Wealth, or about whose Glory God has rais'd fuch a Defense, such a Bulwark, as he has about ours? What Nation is there that enjoys fo much Plenty with so much Security? What Nation has been able fo long to maintain the Ballance of Europe? What Nation befides us is fit to be the Bulwark of the Proteftant Religion, the Center of Union, or the Retreat and Sanctuary of the Miferable and Oppreffed? If we confider our Government, what Nation is there that has Laws fo wife and equitable as we have at this Day? We alone of all the Kingdoms of Europe have retain'd our Liberty; we alone understand rightly the Difference between Kings and Tyrants, between Subjects and Slaves; we alone can call what we have our own, being almost the only People in Europe this Day

to

to whom Government is a Bleffing, and Serm. not a Plague and Punishment.

If we come now to Spiritual Bleffings, what Nation is there in which Religion is fo free from Superftition on the one hand, and Innovation on the other? Where Christian Charity and Liberty is in good Measure fecur'd against the Ufurpation and Tyranny both of Confiftories and Claffes? What Church is there in which the Word of God is preach'd, and the Sacraments administred with greater Purity and Simplicity? Where fhall we find a Liturgy, where a Catechism, that has nothing in it of Controverfy, no Stamp of a Sect upon it? Where is the Doctrine of Juftification more truly stated? Where is the Notion of Gospel Holiness more clearly taught, and the Neceffity of it more affectionately enforced? Where is Faith and Obedience more ftrictly joyn'd together, and the Doctrine of good Works advanced with so true Humility and juft Sense of our own natural Weakness and Infufficiency? Hence it is obferv'd, that where those of our Communion are good, none are better, because our Religion is pure and folid, and our Service a fincere and rational one.

II. I come

XI.

Vol. II.

II. I come now to the Caufe of our Felicity, O People fav'd by the Lord, for to him undoubtedly we owe all. We cannot doubt, unless we are Atheists, but thofe I call'd natural Advantages or Bleffings are the Product of his Creation." 'Tis he that has encompafs'd us with a natural Fortification; 'tis he that gives Fertility to our Soil and Healthinefs to our Clime; 'tis he that has given us fuch ftrong and able Bodies, fuch generous Tempers, and fuch clear Understandings. And you will as little doubt, but that we owe our Spiritual Bleffings all to him: That Judgment and Moderation, that Wisdom and Zeal, both of our Princes and our Bishops, vifible in the Conftitution of our Church, are furely to be afcrib'd to him. And as to our Civil Government, it has in it fo many manifeft Characters of Wisdom and Juftice; 'tis compacted with that Depth of Contrivance, and that folid Strength, that we cannot but think that Providence is as confpicuous in the establishing as in the defending of it: Nor have we any reafon to doubt but that God blefs'd with eminent Gifts those whom he made ufe of as his Inftruments in the one and the other. As to extraordinary Mercies, De