racy against the rights of their Fellow-creatures, must have been foon loofened; Policy, therefore, or a regard for their own fafety, obliged them to retract their blafphemies, and acknowledge a Supreme Being. It is true that in paying him worship they manifested the fame inconfiftence and abfurdity that characterised all their other proceedings. As under a pretence of aspiring after liberty they exercised the most deteftable tyranny, fo in prefuming to offer homage acceptable to a GOD whom they acknowledged to be Holy and Good, they lifted up to him hands contaminated with facrilege and stained with the blood of their Fellow-creatures. Still, however, they afford a lasting Monument to the world, that let men be ever fo depraved and corrupt in their principles, or unjust and inhuman in their practices, the idea of a Supreme Being they cannot abandon. A nation of Atheists cannot fubfift. The voice of confcience will cry aloud to the Multitude, and announce with irrefiftible force, that there is One Above to whom they must be accountable—the King of Heaven, and Judge of all the Earth. Enormous as are the prevarications and exceffes which the Almighty may endure patiently for a time, it seems fixed in his eternal decrees, that he will never leave himfelf without a Witnefs,-That his majefty and honour fhall not be so far infulted as to have his Being denied.

There is, then, a GOD, the Creator of this Univerfe and all things in it; and as the Creator, fo must he be the Supreme Lord and Governor of all. It is folly to imagine that he does not delight to prefide over, and regulate the works of his own hands. To maintain that he has abandoned every thing to a blind chance or fatality, and that he does not interfere by an especial Providence in the difpofal of human events, is to deprive him of one or other of his effential Attributes, his omniscience, his wisdom, or his goodness. But what? He who made the eye, fhall he not fee? He who made the ear, fhall he not hear?

Shall we prefume to queflion his fcrutiny into the minuteft parts of the creation, even the Mind of man-the thoughts and intents of the heart? Or if he fees and knows all things, can he but be wise enough to difcern what is best and most proper in every cafe? And what he thus difcerns will not his goodness most affuredly prompt him to execute? There are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counfel of the Lord that shall stand.* But of the whole series of incidents that chequer this stage of mortal life, what more momentous or more capable of arresting his especial regard, than that of Armies arrayed in battle, Nations engaged in conflict with each other? On the iffue of these events may depend, not only the happiness or mifeof a few Individuals—not only the downfal or prosperity of Families, but the revolution and very existence of Cities, States, and Kingdoms. And if no events appear more interefting or more awful to the mind of Man, we cannot suppose that He who numbers the very hairs of our head, and without whofe permiffion not even a sparrow can fall to the ground—we cannot suppose that he is an indifferent Spectator of them.

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He who first established order in the Universe, cannot submit to see it overthrown, and confufion and disorder introduced in its room, without anticipating fuch defigns or confounding their malicious Authors. He, who fo loves his Creatures, whofe tender mercies are over all his works, who has enriched us fo bountifully with all the comforts and conveniencies of life, cannot fee men attacking and devouring one another with favage ferocity, without interfering in their disputes, and moderating their resentment and rage. He who is Holy and Juft, cannot permit the wicked to triumph over the righteous, or fee the latter oppreffed and reduced to bondage, without standing

up as their protector and redreffing their wrongs.-All this, however, might frequently happen if the Deity was not to decide on the fate of battles. Wherefore, being firmly perfuaded of this truth, never did the Heathens undertake a war without imploring the affistance of the Gods, both by facrifices and prayers ;-to them also they constantly attributed the success of their arms; to them, after gaining a victory, they rendered public thanksgiving; and as the most honourable mark of their gratitude, the molt acceptable part of their homage, they suspended in pompous array in their temples, the trophies taken from their enemies. What enlightened reason thus fuggested, the Scripture every where abundantly confirms.-Almoft innumerable passages to this purpose might be produced: The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but fafety is of the Lord.-There is no king faved by the multitude of an hoft, nor is a mighty man delivered by much strength.-The race is not to the fwift, nor the battle to the Strong.—They got not the land by their own fword, neither was it their own arm that faved them; but thy right hand and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance.—Some truft in chariots, and fome in horfes; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.-The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought; he maketh the devices of the People of none effect.-The counsel of the Lord flandeth for ever.*

*

To these Sentiments, striking Examples afford additional weight: to mention only one, that of the victory of David over Goliah ;What a disproportion between the two Combatants ?-The one was an enormous Giant, fix cubits and a fpan high; he was a man of war from his youth,—the very fight of whom inspired the Ifraelites with fuch terror, that they fled;-He was fortified with armour of the greatest weight and fecurity, and provided with weapons of the moft

Prov. xxi. 31.-Pfalm xxxiii, 16.—Eccl. ix. 11.-Pfalm xliv, 3, 4.-xx. 7.-xxxiii, 10, 11,

moft dangerous and offenfive nature. David, on the contrary, was but a youth of a ruddy and fair countenance, totally unacquainted with the ufe of arms,-without helmet or fhield, and had as a means of attack, only a fling and five smooth ftones! Notwithstanding fo great a contraft, this young man courageoufly defies the gigantic Champion, challenges him to the combat, and obtains the victory. Would you know in this cafe, how the weak came to triumph over the strong,-learn from the mouth of David himself, when he addreffed the Philistine before the battle :-Thou comeft to me, fays he, with a fword and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hofts, the God of the armies of Ifracl.-In fact, why is the Almighty often ftiled in scripture with peculiar energy, the Lord of Hofts, the God of armies or battles, if not to intimate that he favours these Hofts with a peculiar care; that he honours these Battles with an especial prefence; like that, perhaps, which is afcribed to him in his Sanctuary?

It is, then, certain, that as the Moft High superintends and directs the course of all human affairs, the events of war must in an especial manner, depend on his unerring hand. He guides the fpear and the arrow, and if glory and fuccess be the portion of one, and ruin and difgrace that of another, they are both to be attributed to the fame caufe, operating for the wifeft and best of purposes. It is the fame righteous and beneficent Being, who of his good pleasure bringeth low, and lifteth up.

II. Whilft, however, for these reasons, we place our fole reliance for help on the arm of the Moft High, efteeming but little, comparatively, our own wisdom and ftrength-Whilft we fet up our banners in the name of our God, and acknowledge that it is for him alone to give the Victory to those whom he takes under his protection,

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let us beware of falling into an error of the opposite extreme-let not a pious and humble conviction of this truth lead to a dangerous indolence or fallacious fecurity. Though nothing can obstruct the Almighty in the accomplishment of the ends he has in view, yet he expects, on the part of his Creatures, a faithful attention to the means he has appointed for the purpose. Whatever right we may think to have to look up to the Divine favour and protection, we must not expect miracles to be operated in our behalf, or the regular laws of nature to be interrupted. Here, as in every thing that relates to the comfort and preservation of life, our mental and bodily faculties are to be called into exercise-though every good gift and bleffing defcend from Above, yet we are to labour to acquire these blessings as if their acquifition depended folely on ourselves,though fafety is of the Lord, the Horfe is to be prepared for the day of battle. Strenuous exertions are to be made, fleets and armies to be equipped: In the management of them, schemes are to be concerted and precautions adopted. If we are negligent or remifs in fetting up our banners, how can we presume to ask a blessing on them from above? If, for want of common fagacity, we fuffer favourable opportunities to escape; if from indolence or perverseness, we are not provided with the ufual neceffaries and fupplies, how can we expect that fuccefs will crown our efforts, or that victory will be our reward? To piety and confidence in GOD, then, we must add prudence, forefight and activity of our own.-Like Nehemiah, at the time that we weep, and faft, and pray before the God of Heaven, we must take care and arm our People with fwords, with Spears and with bows.

Nor is this all-another effential article is to be attended to. When we fet up our banners in the name of our God, we must be well convinced that we are justified in setting them up at all. Do we aspire after the favour or affiflance of any one, we take care to adhere