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break down the feparating Wall, and to open a Paffage for us, and to introduce us into the Joys and Glories of his heavenly Kingdom? Where is our boafted Honour? Where is our Public Spirit? Where is our Gratitude? Where, alas! is our Humanity? Dare we pretend to pay a Tribute of Gratitude to the Heroes of this Day, and not one Tongue move in the Praise, not one Trophy erected to the Honour of him to whom we are infinitely indebted? who efpoused our Cause in the last Extremity, and where our immortal Intereft was depend ing? who was wounded for our Tranfgreffions, and bruifed for our Iniquities*; who trod the Wine-Prefs of his Father's Wrath alone, and of the People there was none with him; who was betrayed into the Hands of his Enemies by one of his Difciples, and forfaken by all the reft; who perfevered notwithstanding in his generous Undertaking, bore up with divine and unshaken Fortitude under Indignities and Tortures innumerable; maintained the Fight even after his Body ftreamed with Blood; and at last, (though not till he had received a mortal Wound from a Roman Soldier)

* Ifaiah liii. 5.
F

+ Ifaiah Ixiii. 3.

cried,

cried, with a loud Voice, It is finished *. Thus He triumph'd when he fell; by dying He deftroyed Death, and him that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devil; and with his laft Breath he proclaimed the joyful Victory. I fay, fhall those who fight our Battles on Earth meet with more regard than the Captain of our Salvation? Shall our petty Conquests in thefe Lower Regions, give us more delight than the Promife of the heavenly Glory? Shall the Children of this World be always wifer in their Generation, and more grateful, than the Children of Light §? I beseech you, permit me to be a fuccefsful Advocate for our divine, but much-injured, Benefactor. Our political Profpects are undoubtedly bright and glorious; and the Names of those brave Men, who, under God, were the Means of rendering them fo, are defervedly dear to us; fuch repeated and important Succeffes loudly. demanded a Day of Publick Thanksgiving; and we should esteem it a great Mercy, that the whole Nation is fo unanimously disposed to bring all the Lawrels of this glorious Year, to adorn God's Altars, and to make their

* John xix. 30.

8

+ Heb. ii. 14. § Luke xvi. 8.

united

;

united Acknowledgments to the Lord of Hofts. Let this Day, devoted to the Commemoration of them, be witnefs to every innocent and decent Expreffion of our Joy. But let not all our Gratitude be exhaufted on this Occafion; let us remember, that, as Chriftians, we have a higher and a nobler Call for it. The enfuing Lord's Day will give us an Opportunity of exerting it. When therefore Jefus Chrift is evidently fet forth as crucified before our Eyes*, let our Eye affect our Hearts and with the Emblems of his mangled Body in our Hands, and with our Souls transported at the unspeakable Advantages arifing from his Death, let us refolve and actually begin to erect a Monument in every Heart, facred to the immortal Memory of Jefus. Let us every Day add one Stone at least to the Spiritual Building; and, at last, when it is got high above the Clouds, and the Top-Stone is laid in Glory, let us fhout, GRACE, GRACE unto it; and by the fame impreffive Finger, which wrote the two Tables of Stone, let this Inscription be engraven,

Worthy is the LAMB that was flain to receive Power, and Riches,

and Wisdom, and

* Gal. iii. 1.

+ Zech. iv. 7.

Strength,

Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blef fing; for he was flain, and bath redeemed us to God by his Blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation, and hath made us to our God Kings and Priefts*: To whom be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

* Rev. v. 9, 10, 12.

FINI S.

A

SERMON

PREACHED TO A

CONGREGATION

O F PROTESTANT-DISSENTERS

A T

Sidmouth in Devonshire,

O N

THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 1759.

Being the Day appointed for a

PUBLIC THANKSGIVING.

By J. HOG G.

LONDON:

Printed for JAMES BUCKLAND, at the Buck in Paternofter-row; and AARON TOZER, at Exeter,

[Price Sixpence.]

5

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