among us, and from a ſtedfaſt Adherence to that Truth we may promiſe our ſelves the ſame Favour and Protection, which hath put ſo viſible and ſo advantageous a Difference between Us and Other Nations.
Only let, that be Ours, I beſeech you, which is here commanded to be Iſrael's Care: To adorn this Truth; and to anſwer that Goodneſs of our Almighty Protector, by a Converſation ſuitable to Both. Nor let us be wanting to That, for which God hath done ſo much, in all lawful and prudent Methods for ſecuring, increaſing, and, if poſſible, perpetuating this our Glory: Eſpecially by a watchful Prevention of that unwearied and implacable Malice, which labours for Miſchief from a Principle of Religion, and teaches our Ruin to be meritorious: That furious Zeal, which, when it cannot call down Fire from Heaven, is not aſhamed to impregnate the Bowels of the Earth with it, thence to undermine, and ſcatter, and conſume us. Above all, let no Diviſions within (fomented induſtriouſly by them that are without) render us an eaſie and unthinking Prey. For, after ſo many Warnings and Experiments of an Enemy ſubtle and reſtleſſ, inſinuating and bold, and always in perfect Agreement againſt our Faith and Conſtitution: Any Breach upon us, for want of a yet more United and Enlarged Strength, will deſerve hereafter, not to be pitied as Our Misfortune, but cenſured as our Folly and Reproach.
Oh! therefore that the paſt Bleſſings and Eſcapes, to which we are indebted for remaining hitherto a Reformed Church and a free Nation, may be ſo devoutly commemorated and ſo religiouſly improved by us, that my Text may be anſwered in the Latter, as punctually as you have ſeen it is in the Former Branch! May the ineſtimable Mercies we have received, and the excellent Religion we profeſſ, be effectually taught our Sons and our Sons Sons:, And may the Lord, who hath ſo ſignally been Our God, be likewiſe Their God for ever and ever. Amen.
F I N I S.
