a it will be our Wisdom to hold fast the form of found Words as we have been taught; and to worship the LORD, as we now enjoy the happy Opportunity of worshipping Him, in the Beauty of Holinefs. d с But to return and conclude.-May we all, with that Serioufnefs, which the Occafion calls for, fearch and try our Ways, and turn to the LORD! May every one of us, before we depart from this devout Exercise, refolve to caft away all his Tranfgreffions whereby he bas tranfgreffed; and, in proportion to his Influence and Opportunities to help forward the Reformation of others! And, as the most ef-' fectual Engagement to this great Work, may we (according to our Prophet's emphatical Advice in a like Exigency) *fanctify the LORD of Hofts Himfelf, and let Him be our Fear, and let Him be our Dread! So fhall the Fear of GOD banish from our Breafts all vain, fuperftitious, enfnaring, or tormenting Fears: We shall take the best Method in our Power for averting His Judgments from our Country; and for recommending to His Bleffing our Counfels and Negotiations, or (fhould Need a 2 Tim. I. 3. d Ezek, XVIII. 31. b Pfal. XCVI. 9. e Ifai. VIII. 13. c Lam. III. 46. a ftill be) our Fleets and Armies. But, however Providence may think fit to dispose of the Affairs of this World; we shall, in all Events, fecure to ourselves that LovingKindness which is better than Life itself. And then-tho' we should still hear of Wars and Rumours of Wars, we fhall the lefs need to be terrified: In our Patience we may poffefs our Souls: Humbly relying on His gracious Promife, that when, YET ONCE MORE, GOD fhall bake not this Earth only but also Heaven; when the Commotions of States and Kingdoms fhall all be fwallowed up in one great Convulfion of an expiring World; We fhall receive a Kingdom which cannot be moved, if we be found, by the Affiftance of His Grace, to have ferved Him acceptably, with Reverence and Godly Fear. a Pfal. LXIII. 3. 26, 28. b Luk. XXI. 9, 19. c Heb. XII. A SERMON Preached before the MAYOR AND CORPORATION, A T St. Martin's in OXFORD, On Thursday, October 9th. 1746. Being the Day appointed to be kept as a General Thanksgiving for the Suppreffion of the late Rebellion. Published at the Request of the Mayor, Bayliffs, and Commonalty of the CITY. The THIRD EDITION. PSALM CVII. 1, 2. O give Thanks unto the LORD, for He is Good; For His Mercy endureth for Ever. Let the Redeemed of the LORD fay fo; Whom He hath redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy. HE Goodness of Almighty God is that Attribute, on the Contemplation whereof, fo long as we actually Τ' feel how much we ftand in need of it, our Thoughts delight to dwell. To This we naturally have Recourse under the Apprehenfion of Danger, or the Preffure of Affliction. And thus far all is right. But the Misfortune is, that Deliverances vouchsafed seldom leave Impreffions in any Degree proportioned to the Ardency with which they were implored. The fame Mouths, which in Time K of |