German dominions. We then also saw some success ful descents made on the coasts of France, from whence we had been threatned, but just before, with an invafion, as at present. We then saw several of the enemy's fortresses, and one of her valuable settlements, on the coast of Africa, reduced ; and subjected to the obedience of his Britannic Majesty. We then faw his Majesty's illustrious Prussian Ally, not only ftanding his ground against his numerous enemies, but victorious in divers instances ; and, in particular, triumphant over the formidable Russian army. We then saw, here in America, the French fortress, usually called Frontinac, surrended to his Majesty's arms ; and our troops returning from thence laden with the spoils of our enemies. We then saw the enemy driven from the river St. John ; and the adjacent country secured to his Majesty ; the whole Peninsula of Nova-Scotia having been before reduced, and well garrisoned by our troops. We then saw the British colours on the walls of Louisbourg; and the islands of Cape Breton and St. John, in our poffeffion. We then saw the trade of the enemy greatly distráffed ; and her maritime power much lessened: We saw the ports of GreatBritain and her colonies, filled with the merchantmen of France, and her private ships of war ; while the ports of the enemy were mostly blocked up. We then saw the armed vefrels of France on lake Ontario, burnt ; and no inconsiderable part of ler royal navy, taken, funk, or otherwise destroyed. In fine, we then saw the commerce of the enemy, to appearance, almost ruined ; her councils disconcerted, and her coffers low: the councils of Great Britain firm and steady; her trade in a fourishing condition ; and her fleets triumphant on every sea, where the British flag made its appearance.

IT

It was judged not amiss just to hint at these former fuccefles, with which heaven had favoured the British arms, before we came to those later ones, which fall within the period mentioned above ; and which are now to be spoken of. Only it is to be observed, that as this discourse is not designed for an history, much less for a journal, of sieges, voyages, and campaigns ; so it must not be expected, that I should be minutely circumstantial but only speak of the great things which God has done for us, in a summary, general way; which, it is conceived, is the only one that is proper for this place and occasion.

As things looked with a favourable and promising aspect, where we left off above ; so it must be acknowledged with all gratitude, that God has not disappointed the hopes, which those (miles of his providence had raised in us. The war has gone on with great and remarkable success, on the part of Great Britain, ever fince, as well as for some time before, our last general thanksgiving; * which is now almost a year. God has done many considerable, and some great things for us, in this time ; while our loffes and disadvantages have, comparatively speaking, been few and small.

SINCE the period last referred to, we have had authentic advices from the East-Indies, of an advantage gained there over the enemy's fleet in an engagement, the consequence of which was the utter loss of several of their capital ships. And altho', about the same time, the enemy obtained an advantage by land, in those parts ; yet there is great reason to hope, that by means of the succours soon after received there, whatever loss we sustained is at least retrieved, if not more than retrieved ; whereas that of the enemy could not be fo.

But # November 23. 1758.

But leaving those distant parts, the fituation of our affairs in which, we have less certainty of, lec us come to Europe ; and take a curfory view of it there.

Ar the opening of the present feason for the deAtructive buliness of war, the French King thought proper to send a prodigious army incoGermany. This, in conjunction with other troops in those parts, was destin'd to ravage his Majesty's Hanoverian dominions ; and, in short, to conquer, and take poffeffion thereof, for his Moft Christian Majesty : Who, if he resemble his immediate Predecessor, of such famous memory for disturbing and plundering his neighbours, can no more be satisfied, either with conquered, or ftolen provinces and countries, than “ he that loveth “ filver can be fatisfied with silver, or he that loveth « abundance, with increase.” Whofe Greatness, in its nature and rise, was not very different from that of the great Chaldean Monarch, thus characterized in facred writ: “ He is a proud man, neither keepeth at “home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as “ death, and cannot be satisfied; but gathereth unto “ him all nations, and heaping unto him all people. 46 Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his ! “ How long ? - Because thou haft spoiled many na6 tions, all che remnant of the people shall spoil thee ; " because of men's blood, and for che violence of the

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6 land

But not to digress: This design of his Moft Chriftian Majesty upon Hanover, had almost succeeded, and taken effect; to that all the friends to the liberties of Europe, who are of courfe enemies to the ambitious views of France, stood aghaft, as it were ; and trembled for the consequence of a general battle, which was now unavoidable; the army on which, under God,

the salvation of that country depended, being inferior
in number, at least by one half, to the united forces of
that, which stood ready to devour her to the very
heart, having before scarce half gorged itself with her
exterior, and less essential parts. In this critical and
memorable juncture, it pleased God to inspire Prince
Ferdinand with such wisdom and magnanimity, and
his comparatively small army of British and Hanove-
rian troops, with such invincible bravery and ardor,
as not only to maintain their ground, but to gain a
compleat victory. This prodigious army they entire-
ly routed, not without great slaughter ; took their ar-
tillery, magazines, &c. pursued them to the Weser,
and into it, where thousands of them perished in the
waters, as the proud Pharaoh and his hoft perished in
the Red Sea. And altho' there were nothing preter-
natural in this case, as in the other ; yet it seems, up-
on the whole, to have been a remarkable interposition
of providence : So that Prince Ferdinand, who is as
much renowned for his piety, as for his great military
virtues, might on this occafion have adopted, with
great propriety, the song of Moses, on that alluded to
above, -"I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath
triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he
thrown into the sea.-Pharaoh's chariots and his hoft
his chosen captains also, are drowned in the Red
Sea. The depths have covered them; they fank into
the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, is
become glorious in power ; thy right hand, O Lord,
hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

There is another
facred song, which all his Majesty's Hanoverian sub-
jects might, with peculiar propriety adopt, on occasion
of this memorable dėliverance from impending ruin.

“ If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Hanover say ; if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us ;

then

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then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Then the waters had overwhelmed us-the proud waters had gone over our soul. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

But to proceed to some other matters, which more immediately concern Great Britain and her dependencies, though not our gracious Sovereign ; whose hereditary German dominions may naturally and justly claim a great share in his royal care and affections : The French have been meditating, or at least pretending to meditate, a descent upon the island of Britain, with a formidable army; and again to bring the Pretender on the stage. Yea, their presumption has talk'd, and vaunted itself of a conquest of those kingdoms; so that they seem, in their own vain imagination, to have anticipated so great a triumph. And if they have not been in earnest, at least their preparations for an invasion, have been so vaft and expensive, as might naturally make one believe, they were : For it is hardly to be supposed, they would be at such a prodigious expence of labour and money, without any design to put their threats in execution ; and so, in the event, to make themselves the jest of Europe, which they have sometimes done at a much cheaper rate ; and might doubtless have done so again. But whatever their real intentions might have been by these formidable preparations, Great-Britain, on her part, has been attentive to guard against the worst. Proper disposicions have been made on her own coasts for the reception of the enemy; and at the same time, the ports of France near the Bri