In

life, but also to arm us with resolution against the approach of death; teaching us to view it as the passage to a life immortal-as the end of all our sufferings, and the beginning of joys to come. spired with these reflections, let us consider the death of Christ as the gate of eternal life to us; and as we have this day partaken of his body, which was given for our transgressions, and his blood, which was shed for our sins, let us endeavour to be partakers of his resurrection.

SERMO N XXXVIII.

THANKSGIVING SERMON.

PSALM Xcviii. VERSES 1 and 2. O! sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things; with his own right hand and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory.

WE are assembled together, this day, to offer up our humble tribute of praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God, for the late victories obtained by his Majesty's fleets in distant seas and upon our own coasts (a poor return, but not unacceptable to God, if it flows from the heart as well as from the

lips), for the many and signal interpositions of his providence, in frustrating the daring attempts of our foreign enemies, and rendering abortive the infatuated designs of our domestic foes. To dwell upon the particular circumstances attending the successes we are called upon to commemorate, would be but a trifling employment of the short time allotted us to express our gratitude to Heaven; but to enter more at large into the causes from which these victories have derived their consequence, and to consider the beneficial effects resulting from them, may be objects of moment to us all. It is enough to observe, that the splendid conquest obtained by the gallant commander of our Sovereign's fleet on the coast of Egpyt, a conquest unequalled in the annals of history, loses nothing of its importance by being performed in a remote part of the world; however distant the scene of action,

the advantages are brought home to us. The capture of the greatest part, and disabling of the remainder of so powerful a force of the enemy, while it graced our arms with triumph, and brought confusion upon themselves, gave a check to their exertions, damped their aspiring hopes, and baffled all their projects. The subsequent victories upon our own coasts, though more contracted in their operations, and of less brilliant appearance, were in their consequences more immediately felt by this nation, against whom the deadly shafts of the foe were directly pointed-levelled against the bulwark of our constitution, dipped in the poison of fraternity, and guided by the hands of our own de ́luded countrymen. If we trace in our memory the unfortunate events that have taken place within the short period of a few months-if we consider the calamitous situation of our country, when the

VOL. II.