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Show (3) Wlll offering, I hope we {hall render to God in their ancient rights and privileges, and 'a foun- fome poor meafure, the glory due to his narrie - dation is laid for laliing harmony betweenGreat- and that he Will gracioufly accept it, thro' oui" Lord Jefus Chrift the righteous, our mediator Britain and them, to their mutual advantage. to the church of God; which we would bv no But when you requel'ted me to preach a fermon on this joyful occafion, I conclude it was neither your expectation nor delire, that I fhould enter very particularly into a political confideration of the affair. Had I conceived this to have means do: We only exercife that liberty, where- been your intention, I muft, tho' with rcluflance, With Chril‘t hath made us free, being defirous that have given you a refufal ; partly from a conviction of the impropriety of minutely difculiing points of this nature in the pulpit, and partly from a fenfe of my own inability to do it as it ought to be done. I fuppofe I {hall belt anfwer your expectation, as well as molt gratify my own and advocate with the Father. At the fame time it is. iuppofed that, in proceeding thus, we give no jult ground of offence to Jew or Gentile, or all other perfons and churches Ihould do the fame; and not chufing that either they or we {hould _be "entangled with any yoke of bondage." ' 'Havmg rendered our devout thanks to God whole kingdom ruleth over all, and fung his higli praifes; permit me now, my friends and brethren, with unfeigned love to my country, to congratulate you on that interefling event, which IS the fpecial occafion of this folemnity: An event, as I humbly conceive, of the utmol'c im‘» portance to the whole Britilh empire, whofe peace and profperity we ought ardcnly to defirc ; and one, very peculiarly afieéiing the welfare of there colonies. Believe me, I lately took no in» confiderable part with you in your grief, and gloomy apprehenfions, on account of a certain ,PJIRLIA.MENTARY ACT, which you fuppofed ruinous in its tendency to the American planta- inclination, by waving political controVerfy, and giving you fuch Counfels and exhortations refpet‘ting your duty to God and man, as are agreeable to the facred oracles, to the dictates of fober reafon, and adapted to the occafion. This is, therefore, what I chiefly propofe to do in the enfuing difcourfe, as God Ihall enable me: And may the Father of lights reach me to fpeak, and you to hear in fuch a manner,_that our allembling together at this time, out of the ordinary courfe, may be to his honor, and to chriliian edification. However, if my difcourfe is to be particularl' adapted to this great occafion, inflead of beingg mes are emancipated from a flavifh, inglorious general, as to be almolt as fuitable to any other, you are fenfible it is necelTary that the occafion itfelf {hould be kept in view. I {hall therefore briefly premife a few things ralative thereto, by bondage ,- are rte-inflated in the enjoyment of way of introduftion to the main defign; Inch tions, and, eventually, to Great-Britain. I now partake no lefs in your common joy, on account of the REPEAL of that act ;whereby thefecolo- their 8 :2 things |