p . I
~
L
Mr. Prince
(Of Bofton, in New-England)
HIS
S E R M O N
On the Taking of
CAPE-BRETON.
[Price Four-pence.]
Extraordinary Events the Doings of GOD, and
marvellous ii\ pious Eyes.
Illuftrated in a
S E R M O' N
AT T H E
South Church in Bofton,
(New -England)
O N T H E
GENERAL THANKSGIVING,
Thurfday, July 18, 1745.
Occafion'd by
Taking the City of Louijbourg on the Ifle
of Cape-Breton, by New- England Soldiers, afTifted
by a Britifi Squadron.
By THOMAS PRINCE, M. A.~
And one of the Pallors of the faid Church.
Pfal. xcviii. I, 2. O Jing unto the LORD a new Song , for
He bath done marvellous Things : His Right Hand, and
his holy Arm hath gotten Him the Vittory : The LORD
hath made known his Salvation, his Righteoufoefs hath
He openly Jhewed In the Sight of the Heathen.
The FIFTH EDITION.
BOSTON, Printed:
LONDON, Reprinted; and Sold by JOHN LEWIS, in Bartholomew-
Clofe, near WeJl-Smithfald-, and by the Bookfellers in Town
and Country. 1 746. ,
[Price Four-pence.!
To His EXCELLENCY
William Shirley , Efq;
Captain General and Governor in
Chie£ in and over his M A j EST Y\S
Province of the Maffachufetts-
Bay in New-England, and Vice-
Admiral of the fame,
ing,, under the DI
VINE CONDUCT, the
principal Former and
Tromoter of the prof-
perous Expedition to Cape-Bret on\
of fiich vaft Importance to the
Trade, Wealth, and Power of Great
A 3 Britain,
DEDICATION.
Britain, as well as Safety of Her
American Colonies ; and fo much
to the Glory wherewith GOD has
crown'd his MAJESTY'S happy
Reign:
The following SERMON
is, in Gratitude and Juftice,
with all Submiffiott,
DEDICATED
By I f v^Sft'^f^ •
Tour EXCELLENCY'S
Moft Obliged,
Obedient,
Humble Servant,
Thos Prince.
(7)
*
A NKSGIVING
SERMON.
Ps A L. cxviii. 23.
is the LORD'S Doing ! It is marvellous
in our Eyes !
ITH O UT any Reference to the prime
and particular View of the Words ; I
fhall now only obferve the General
Truth reprefented in them, and then
apply it to the Special Occafion of the joy
ous Solemnity of the piefent Day.
For, the General 'Truth exhibited .in
the Text is this — that forne extraordinary Events, with
out being properly term'd miraculous, have fuch lively
Characters of their being the Doings of Go. us they are
evidently fo to unprejudic'd and careful Obfervers, and
appear marvellous in their pious Eyes.
By feme extraordinary Events, I mean fome remarkable
Ones in the natural and moral World, even in the pre-
fent Ages as well as the former, which greatly affect
human Societies or particular Perfons, efpecially the Peo
ple of GOD, and tbefc Events connected with the various
Means and Caufe} leading to them.
By Events not properly termed miraculous 3 I mean, when
A 4 GOD
A THANKSGIVING SERMON
GOD does not appear to work on his Creatures in a Man
ner contrary to the ufual Ways of his Working ^Jingly in
themfelves confider'd.
And by their having fuck lively Characters of their being
the Doings of GOD , as they are evidently Jo to unprejudiced
and careful Obfervers ; I mean thefe Chara&ers are di-
1 ftinguimingly bright and legible to fuch qualified Perfons :
Or if they are inadvertent, or under a Prejudice ; they are
net like to fee them to be the Doings of GOD, much lefs
admire them in a pious Manner, or yield him the Glory of
them. See Pfal. xcii. 4, — 6.
But to clear this Truth, we muft confider thefe three
General Heads, as the Time allows.—
I. In what Manner may the fovereign GOD be faid to
operate ufually among his Creatures.
.2. When have his providential Operations fuch lively
Characters of their being his Doings.
3. The pious Admirations they mould raife up in us,
and which they happily raife if we are duly difpofed.
I. In what Manner may the fovereign GOD be faid to
operate ufually among his Creatures.
And here we muft needs obferve, that as there are three
Sorts of Creatures or created Subftances, viz. Corporeal,
Spiritual, and Compos' d of Both ; fo there is a different Sort
of Operation of GOD upon and among them.
I. In his Operation on merely corporeal or material Sub-
fiances — He not only by his continual Influence, preferves
them in their Being, Nature or eiTential Properties of Soli
dity, Extenfion, &c. which h? has been pleas'd to give them ;
but to this Influence he alfo feems to add his further ufual
Operations in thefe three different Manners, viz.
(r) In continually caufmg all material Subftances to /«-
dine towards each other, in regular Proportions to their
Quantities and Diftances : Which is commonly called the
Law or Power of Attraction or Gravity.
(2) When, they come to a certain Nearnefs, he by a
'contrary Operation moves them, in regular Proportions al
fo,
for the faking of Cape Breton. 9
fo, to fly off: Which is commonly called the Law or Power
of Repulfion ; without which all material Subftances on
Earth wou'd foon unite in one folid Body.
(3) When they are forced within a certain Nearnefs,
he by a different Operation makes them move and -join to
gether in certain Degrees of Power: Which is commonly
called the Law or Power QiCobefion ; without which there
would be no fuch Thing as Union or Coherence in material
Subftances.
And thefe are called the three prime and general Laws of
Nature in the material World ; whereby he chiefly appears
to govern it. But yet it is moft evident that he confines not
himfelf to tbefe : For he plainly operates in divers other
Manners on the Planet sy Comets, Rays of Light ; as alfo in
the Cafes of Electricity, Magnet if m. Cold, Heat, &c. Which
are fo many various Ways of his Operation, needful for the
Schemes of Providence, and the Blefling and Chaftizing of
the World.
And in the different Proportions of all the various Powers
and Actions abovementioned, there is no $loubt amazing
Wifdom •> which I leave the Learned of Leifure, to confider.
To which we muft likewife add, that for the perfect Go
vernment of all Things here below, in a due Accommodation
between the material and the moral World, for the latter of
which the former is made, preferv'd and govern'd ; — It is
doubtlefs needful, that the abfolutely fovereign, wife andom-
jniprefent LORD, Proprietor, and Ruler of all, mould referve
^to himfelf the juft Liberty, either mediately by brutal Ani
mals, Men or Angels ; or where their Powers are infufficient
toanfwer his wife Defigns,by his immediate Influence (which
tho' unfeen by Men, may be feen by Angels) to move and
order all material Subftances this way or the other, as He
fees beft.
And it feems abfurd to fuppofe, that the infinite GOD,
who is abfolute and all-original Life and Power, mould con-
ftantly afford to Angels and Men, yea to the moft minute
Animalcula, the Power of moving material Subftances even
contrary to the abovementioned Laws of Nature every Mo
ment; yea that he mould be continually making Millions of
Animals with fuch a Power as this ; and yet confine himfelf
from doing as much as -they, by his immediate Power.- Thus
for Inftance, he now affords me by a lingle Breath the Power
of moving Millions of Atoms upwards againft the Laws
of Gravity : And can we imagine that this great and uni-
verlkl
io A TH-ANKSGIVING SERMON
verfal AGENT has confined himfelf from doing as much
upon all Occafions, by his immediate tho' fecret Influence ?
Or even infinitely more than this : As in raifing, turning,
allaying Winds and Seas, and numberlefs other Operations,
•where other Powers inferior to his are inefficient to com-
pafs his Defigns.
So, in Scripture^ the vaft Varieties of Winds and Seas,
of Clouds and Vapours, Snow, Fire and Rain, Cold and
Heat, and other material Subftances, are reprefented as
continually directed by him, to fulfil his Pleafure. See
y^xxxvi, xxxvii, xxxviii. Pfalmlxv, cxlvii, cxlviii, &c.
Nor may this be accounted properly miraculous — For it
would be ftrange indeed that the huge Leviathan mould by
a Power derived from Him, throw up a Cloud of Water
into the Air ; or even the moft minute Animalculum^ by
the Pad of a Fin, in a Moment raife up Millions of wa
tery Particles againft the Laws of Gravity, without a Mira
cle: And yet for the great GOD to raife up a fingle Atom by
his immediate Power, mould be efteemed a Miracle. And
as long as thefe are the ufual^ tho' the immediate Opera
tions -of GOD ; they ;;re no more miraculous, than his imme
diate Impreffion of Gravity on material Subftances, or on
any primary Subitance whereby the Impreiiion may be made
on others.
2. In his Operation on Subftances purely Spiritual — He
not only by his continual Influence preferves them in their
tiiftinguiming Exiftence, Nature or effential Properties of -
Ltfe9 and Powers of Perceiving, Thinking^ voluntary Mo~
tion^ &c. He has been pleas'd to give them ; but to this In
fluence he alfo feems to add his further ufual Operations
in thefe three Ways.
(1) By producing and continuing fecret, inward Bents or
Difpofitions in them ; as the holy Bents of holy Angels, and
holy Souls departed, tsc.
(2) By raifing and continuing Ideas in their Imagina
tions, Memories, and Uiiderftandings ; as alfo impreiHng
them with various Perceptions of Delight or Trouble :
Whereby he chiefly feems to* rule the moral World. So
he continually gives the Millions of holy Angels his Direc
tions : And they are conftantly attending to him, and in
every Part of the Univerfe accompliihing his Orders. And
fo he makes the holy Angels happy with Perceptions of
pure
for the Taking of Cape- Breton.' n
pure Delight 5 and the iinful Angels wretched with Per
ceptions of Anxiety.
(3) By awakening, foarpening,ftrengtkening, guiding their
intellectual Powers, to conceive ~and penetrate ; compare,
diftinguifh, and judge of Things, and contrive and form
their Schemes ; and by exciting their Purfuits : Whereby
he fecretly and wonderfully governs in the midft of num-
berlefs Contingencies among the Creatures.
And then,
3. With Refpecl: to Creatures Composed of Subftances
both Corporeal and Spiritual, as brutal Animals and Men ;
his Operations on them may be of all the various Kinds to
gether, according to their feveral Natures and Capacities,
We have in brief defcribed ; befides uniting them, keeping
them united, and fome peculiar Impreilions of Pleafurey
Pain, &c. fuitable to their myfterious Union. ,
And it feems highly reafonable to think, that where the
Powers of inferior Creatures fuffice not to accomplifh his
Defigns, He employs the higher, or both together : And
where they are all inefficient, He puts forth his Power
above them ; m?kes them inftrumental as far as may be,
and then a&s by his own fuperior Influence.
As to brutal Animals — they no doubt receive their va
rious Injlinfts from him: And he may by^Angels often
give them Ideas and rule them.
And as to Men — He no doubt infpires their various
Geniufes : As alfo frequently, if not continually, ufes An- •
gels, the Evil by Permiffion, the Holy by Command, to
fuggeft Ideas to them ;" and then ufes them to fuggeft Ideas
to one another : Which are inftrumental Caufes under his
permiffive, controlling and directive Influence, ofnumber-
lefs Paffions, Appetites, Confutations, Projects, Refolu-
tions, Actions and Events. He awakens, fharpens, ftrength-
cns, guides the intellectual Powers of Men : And where
the Powers of Angels are inefficient to give comp)eat Ideas
to perform his Schemes : He m^j fecretly by his immediate
Operations, utterly unknown to Men, fuggeft innumera
ble Ideas in them ; and therewith infufe his exciting Influ
ence of Zeal, Activity, Courage and Refolution to fulfil
his Councils.
Nor may the unknown Suggeftions of good Angels be ac
counted proper Infpirations ; any more than the Suggeflions
of Satan when he raifes up in our Minds Ideas of Scrip
tures,
12 A THANKSGIVING SERMON
tures, as he did in the human Mind of CHRIST : Or when
one Man by Signs fuggefts Ideas to others, and excites their
Courage. Nor are the Ideas and Excitations received from
GOD, either mediately by Men or Angels, or immediately
by Himfelf,*/»r0/w Inspirations : Any more than his infil
ling Millions of Spirits every Moment into new Seeds or
Embrios of Animals, making them alive and active ; or
infufing into them various Inftincts or Geniufes ; or'im-
preffing them with Pleafures, Pain, &c.
For, by Inspiration, I mean, the certain Revelation he has
been pleas'd to give of Himfe/fand of his Will^ and of Things
paft and to come, by CHRIST and his Prophets and Apo-
ftles of old, put into the BIBLE and confirm'd by Mira
cles, as a definitive Rule of Faith, Worihip, moral and
religious Conduct. Every Kind of Idea and Excitation*
or Propenfion in us, whether arifmg meerly from our own
Minds, QJ: from evil or good Men and Minifrers, or from
evil or good Angels, or even immediately from GOD him-
felf, are therefore all to be brought to this only infpiredRule,
and tried thereby ; for which End it was infpired and con
firmed. And the true Origin of our Ideas and Excitations
is kept concealed from us, (without any internal Criterion to
judge from whence they come, as the Prophets had of Old)
that by this knoivn divine Rule we might forever try them.
In which Trial we are carefully to ufe our intellectual
Powers : And being aware that in the midft of all we need
the Help of GOD, both in underitanding the Rule, and in
the Application of it ; to him we mult humbly and ever
repair in CHRIST, and feek for Guidance.
For Illuftration — I might eafily bring a Multitude of
Scriptures ; but the Time would fail me. I mall only cite
to Deut.ixxx.ii. I Sam. ii. 2 Sam. xxii. I Chron. xxix. Job
v. xii. xxxii — xxxv. Pfal. xxxiv. xlvii. c-ii. civ. cvii. and
cxiii. Ifa. xxviii. and xliv. Dan. ii. and iv. Joel i. and ii.
Mat. x. 29, 30. Atts xvii. 24, — 28.
In fhort, all Nature, both inanimate and animate, both
human and angelical, is full of GOD ; full of his perpetual
moving, "guiding and over-ruling Influence ; and as the
Apoftle perfectly exprefles it, Eph. i. ii. Who worketh all
Things according to the Council of his own Will.
But then I may not omit to obferve, that agreeable to
Scripture Revelation, THE ETERNAL WORD or SON of
GOD, who with the eternal FATHER and SPIRIT created
all Things ; in a perfect Union with thofe divine Perfons,
He alfo upholds and ruies the World from the Time he
made
for the Taking of Cape-Breton. 1 3
made it : But from the Fall, He rules it alfo in the fpecial
Form of a MEDIATOR : And upon the Exaltation of his
human Nature to Heaven, it is advanced to a wondrous
Participation with his DIVINE PERSON, in his fupreme
Dignity, tranfcendent Glory and univerfal Empire. See
John i. Eph. \. Col. i. Heb.'i. &c.
And thus have we {hewn in what Manner may the fo-
vereign GOD be faid to operate ufually among his Creatures.
We now come more briefly to confider,
II. When have his providential Operations fuch lively
Characters of their being his Doings, as they are evidently
fo to unprejudic'd and careful Obfervers.
Even the common Operations in the meerly material
World, the more we fearch them, the more they appear
to be the Doings of GOD. But there is fuch a natural
Atheifm, Blindnefs and Prejudice in us, as we are averfe
to fee it, and prone to afcribe them to Nature only, or any
Thing elfe than his ever acting Influence. A terrible Storm
of Thunder and Lightning, or a more fearful Earthquake,
or fome extraordinary Danger or other, feems needful
to bring us to fee his Operations in Nature.
And fo it is likewife in his mixt Operations of Provi
dence. When there is only a Circle of common Occur
rences, we are apt to imagine there is only a Courfe of Na
ture, blended with the common Powers, Arts, Contri
vances and Actions of Men ; and the Doings of GOD ap
pear not in them. We have therefore need of fome ex
traordinary Work of GOD in Providence, to awaken our
Minds, and more evidently mew his Doings. And this
he gracioufly condefcends to give us in the following Cafes,
I. When in Affairs ofvafl Importance, there is a won
derful continued Train and timely Coincidence of innumerable
Varieties of Means, both in the material and moral World
together, without our Power, and beyond our Profpect,
ail confpiring to fome great Event, exceeding happy in its
prefent Influence and future Tendency.
For tho' in fuch extraordinary Works of GOD as thefe,
thefeveral Parts con fide r'djingly, are his ufual Operations,
and don't affect with Wonder, or ftrike our Minds with
fo clear and ftrong an Evidence of their being his Doings :
Yet to fee them all fo perfectly adjufted, as to make up
One, great, wife, curious and confiftent Scheme, to accom-
plifh an Event of <vajl Importance > — « This yields fufficient
14 -A THANKSGIVING SERMON
Evidence of wife Defign and fuperior Management in HIM,
who has all the Powers of Nature, Men and Angels in his
Hands, and over-rules them all to fulfil his Purpofes.
2. This yet appears with a ftronger Evidence, and even
ftil.1 more wonderous ; when among a great Number of
furprizing and important Incidents^ there are many fo mo-
mentcus and critical^ that if any one had not fallen precife-
ly in its fpecial Place and Juncture, there would have been
exceeding great ImbarrafFments and Hindrances; and many
others fo effential^ that if all and every one had not come
in exactly as they did ; the great Event had faiFd, and the
main Scheme, with all its vaft and curious Apparatus totally
imfcarried.
3. When in exceeding difficult t perplex* d and dangerous
Cafes which look almoft defperate, and much more which
feern in a Manner /0/?, there opens at once a great Deliver
ance^ beyond our 'Power or Thought : And much more
ftill, when the Deliverance opens with Succefs, and the
very Means of our Diurefs and Danger, are made fubfer-
vient to our Profperity and Safety.
4. And laftly, When in this Conjuncture, the fovereign
GOD is more than ufually acknowledged; looked to, and
trufled in, an extraordinary Spirit of Prayer israifedup in
many; and all thefe furprifing Incidents and Means, with
all our wonderful Salvations, Succefs and Happinefs, come
on in punctual Anfwers to many fervent and fiducial Ad-
dreffes to Him.
I might mention Other Cafes and illuilrate Tbefe ; but
the Hour would fail me. And to make the larger Room
for the Application, we muft be alfo ihort on our
III General Head ; which is to reprefent the pious Admi
ration which thefe extraordinary Appearances and Works
of GOD fftculd raife up in us, and which they happily
laife if we are duly ciifpofed.
Admiration is one of the fublimeft Actions of a created
Spirit. It is the riling up of the Mind in a refpeclful View
of fomething it fees and towns to be fuperior to it. And
when it rifes to the reverent View of GOD, it rifes to the
higheft and moft worthy Qbjecl:, and pays him fome of the
Honour in the higheft Meafure eternally due to his tran-
fcendcnt Excellencies and Operations,
And
for the faking of Cape-Breton. 15
And as this allwife CREATOR has made us capable of this
iioble Aftion^ and in our very Make infufed a Difpofttion to
it on extraordinary Appearances ; he therefore frequently
does extraordinary Things in Providence, to awake our
Attention and excite our Wonder ; to give us more open
Difplays of his fupreme Wifdom, Power and Government,
and raife our due and reverent Admirations of him.
In the heavenly World \ from the inexhauftible Source of
his infinite Perfe&ions, no doubt there now are and will be
eternally furprizing Difplays of his Glories, to the perpetual
and entertaining Wonder of the happy Inhabitants. But
as in t'befe lower Regions we frequently need them, he fre
quently gives them : And if we were as bbfervant as Eli-
phaZy we mould find abundant Caufe to cry out in Admira
tion of GOD as He, "Job v. 9. Who does great Things andun-
fearchable^ marvellous Things without Number.
But when the fovefeign GOD is 'pleas'd in diftinguijhing
Favour to us, to go out of his common Courfe, and mew
a vaft Contrivance, and over-rule a Multitude of all Kinds
of Caufes, making them confpire to fome great and happy
Event, or do fomething extraordinary for our Salvation
and vaft Advantage ; — Then he mare highly obliges us,
and more loudly calls us to confider his wondrous Works ;
to fee HIM, i. e. his fuperior Hand and Excellencies in
them, and pay our due and diftinguiming Admirations to
him.
Then we mould carefully lay afide every Prejudice : And
our obliged Soul mould open to every Beam of Light and
.Evidence of the Operation and Care of GOD in all the Parts
of the Providence, and forming them all into an admirable
Syfrem. We mould enlarge our Views to fee the vajl Im
portance of his wondrous Works, both to Ourfelves and O-
thers, in all its Branches : And attentively mind the various
Springs and Incidents in the Run of the Whole, and how
they all furprifingly confpire to a profperous Iflue. Nor
yet — content with the bare viewing of thefe ; but our grate
ful Minds mould fee the JVtfdom, Power ^ Juftice^ Holinefs^
Truth and Goodnefs of GOD illuftrious in them ; and then
confider how He mould thus be working for Us, while we
were unworthy of the leaft of his Mercies. Laftly, in our
admiring Views of the whole Work of GOD, our Souls
fhould rife into the higheft reverent Admiration of Him;
and then break out in moft thankful Praife, as the pious
Pfalmift, — . // is the LORD'; Doing! It is marvellous in
our Eyes!
And
i6 A THANKSGIVING SERMON
And as all this is clearly moft due to GOD on fuch Appear
ances, it is the lively Bent and Practice of unfeigned Piety.
But we muft haften on to APPLY thefe Things, in Pur-
fuance of our firft Defign, to the great and extraordinary
Occnfion of this happy Solemnity.
For, the fovereign GOD, who ruleth by his Power for
ever, and does what he pleafcs among the Sons of Men, has
by a farprizing Courfe of Providence led us into a moft ad
venturous Enterprize againft t\\Q French Settlements at Cape-
Breton^ and their exceeding ftrong City of Louijbourg^ for
warlike Power the Pride and Terror of thefe northern Seas ;
and by a wondrous Series and happy Coincidence of various
Means, delivered them into our Hands. And this, in a moft
fignal Manner, is The LORD'J Doing in the prefent Day j
and is truly marvellous in every />/*#$, yea, I may fay,' in e-
very unprejudiced and confederate Eye.
And here, I ihull endeavour thefe two Things, as the
Seafon allows^
1. In brief lay open to view the vaft Importance of the
Place ; that we may more clearly fee the Greatnefs
of the Mercy in giving it to us : And then
2. Look into the wonder ous Scenes of Providence , and
fee fome of the various and furprizing Steps that led
to the happy Acqutfition.
I. In brief lay open to view the <uaft Importance of the
Place ; that we may more clearly fee the Greatnefs of the
Mercy in giving it to us.
The I/land belonged originally to the Britijh Empire :
Was at firft cornpriz'd in the general Name and grand Pa
tent of New- England in 1620 ; but in the following Year
fet off and included in Nova Scotia by a feparate Patent ;
and fmce, in Nova Scotia comprehended in the Royal
Charter aof the Majfacbufetts Province in 1691.
It abounds in the beft of Pit Coal known in America :
And fo near the Surface of the Earth and Coaft of the Sea,
as to be very eafily dug and put in VeiTcls. Yea, from 1703,
Labontan had told us of the French Ships loading with and
carrying the fame to Gaudalupe and Martincco^ for the refi
ning of Sugars, to their great Advantage. And its commo
dious Harbours ; with its happy Situation in the Center of
our Fiihery, at the Entrance of the Bay and River of Ca
nada, and in the Wake of all the Trade from Europe to
the
for the Taking of Cape- Breton. 17
the Brltijb Colonies on the Main Land of America, and both
from the?n and our Weft India IJlands to Europe ; rendered
the Place of fuch vaft Importance — that I remember while
in EnglanJ<> when we came to know the Tory Miniftry
had by the Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713? refign'd it to the
French ; all true-hearted Britons who knew the Circum-
ftance of the Ijland, moft grievoufly lamented the Refig-
nation, as full of teeming Mifchief to the Britijb Trade,
Wealth and Power, and as one of the molt fatal Acls of
that unhappy Miniftry.
And the mifchievous Confequence has fince every Year
been a growing Confirmation of their judicious Profpe&s.
For the French well knowing the vaft Advantage of their
Acquifition, have built a walled City on the moft convenient
Port both for Trade and Fortification j — for thefe Thirty
Tears been adding to its natural and artificial Strength ; and
by immenfe Sums and the utmoft Art and Diligence, made
it one of the ftrongeft Fortreffes in America, if not in Eu
rope: Such as was not like to be taken without a very power
ful, fidlful and refolute Army both by Sea and Land, or be
ing ftarved to a Surrender. In fhort, it was the Dunkirk
of North America, and in fome Refpe&s of greater Impor
tance.
For, by Means of this Ijland and Fortification, the French
have every Year enlarged their Fijhery ; and thereby their
Trade, Wealth and Shipping : And by timing cheaper than
we, they have more and more commanded the Trade of Spain,
Portugal and Italy, drawn away their Gold and Silver ; and
greatly diminiih'd our Trade and Fimery, a principal Source
both of the Britiftj Wealth and naval Power.
So pernicious a Settlement was this — that for above thefe
twenty Years, it has feem'd to me, 'twere worth the while
to engage in a War with France, if 'twere for nothing elfe
but to recover this moft important Ijland to the Briiij/j Em
pire. Tho' a War was dreadful, the Neceility and Hazard
feem'd every Year to increafe : The longer 'twas deferred,
the more powerful and dangerous they grew, and the lefs
our Hope of their ever being reduced.
Yea, from the Conilderation of fuch a Jlrong Defence?
the Advantage of JVoods^ Sea-Coal, Ftjberyj and Free-Gift
Land in this and the neighbouring Illands, the Settlement
of Thoufands of People on them already, and the innume
rable Poor in the Sea-Coaft Towns of France^ ever iwarm-
ing and coming over to them ; — it feems highly prob.u Ic,
that if the Pctice continued much lor.^r, there would be
B ia
i8 A THANKSGIVING SERMON
in a few Years Time fuch a Multitude of French Inhabi-
tantS) as with the growing Numbers in the bordering Con
tinent of Nova Scotia and Car.uda, with the Addition of
the Indian Nations^ would exceedingly vex and wafte, yea,
endanger the Conqueft of our Etiglyh Colonies.
At length, without our Seeking, and in the moft criti
cal Time, the LORD wcs pleas'd to leave them to preci
pitate a IVar upon us. An unexpected Seafon opens to
make the dangerous Trial, if the ALMIGHTY would pleafe
to profper us. And now all the northern Colonies, and Ours
efpecially, began to feel their deftru&ive Power and Influ
ence ; In a few Months Time, infefting our Coafts, taking
bur Shipping, ruining our Fifhery and Trade, deftroying
Canfe9 invading A-iapolis, reducing us to Straits, and car
rying our People Captive into a Place almoft impregnable.
And as it was a Source of Privateers and Men of War
diftreffing to Us ; it was alfb a fafe Refort, both of their
If/ejl and Eafl India Fleets, to their great Advantage in
returning Homeward.
Ot fueh vajl Importance was fhtt jtfrtfbg Port of our Ene
mies ; and this pofiefs'd by one of the moft enterprizing,
powerful and aclive of Nations.
But in the Wifdom of GOD, the ftronger it grew, the
better in the Iflue for us : The French having built a regu
lar City, and laid out inynenfely more to render it both
itrong and commodious, than we fhould, if the Place had
been in our Power. Yea, it feems moft likely, that if they
had not poflefs'd it, there would neither have been a Bat
tery, nor even a Houfe in the Port to this Day ; no more
'than in many fine Harbours of Nova Scotia ; which, tho* fo
near the Fifhery, have been negleded by us for fo many
Years, from the Peace of Utrecht. But now in a fe&
U'rceks Time, the fovereign GOD has pleafed to give us
the Fruits of thefe Thirty Tears prodigious Art, Labour
and Expence of our Enemies : And this by Means of fo
fmall a Number, lefs than four thoufand Land-Men, un-
us'd to War, undifciplin'd, and that had never feen a
Siege in their Lives. 7> is the LORD'S Doing I It is mar-
in our Eyes !
II. Let us therefore look into the wonderous Scenes of
Providence, and fee fome of the various and "furprizing
Stfps which led to the happy Acq
And thefe we may review under thefe Two Heads. •
i. The
for the faking of Cape Breton. 19
1. The remarkable Steps which led to the 'dangerous En
terprise : And
2. The furprizing Steps fucc ceding us therein.
I. The remarkable Steps of Providence which, led us to
the adventurous Enterprize.
I have already hinted at thefe two Particulars
I. Our Enemies being left of GOD, in Oppofition to all
the Rules of Policy, but in too early Confidence of their
fuificient Growth of Power, while engag'd with the §>ueen
of Hungary , to hurry into a War with us; while their tra
ding Ships were moftly abroad, their Navy not fo well pre-
par'd, and ours by the previous War with Spain equipp'd
and ready to employ its Power for our Defence and their
Annoyance : It feems in as" happy a Juncture as we 'could
wifh for : Without which we ftiould not have had the Ad
vantage or Opportunity which they have opened to us.
2. The People of Cape-Breton early and fuddenly feizing
Canfo, invading Annapolis, and M. DeViviers going to Francs
for additional Forces by Sea and Land, to renew the Afiault
in the Spring of the Year; — were improved by GOD as a
Means of rouzing us up with the Senfe of Danger, and of
exciting our Governor to implore the KING for fome naval
Help : Without which it feems that Commodore Warren
with his Three Ships of War had not been ordered from 01 r
Weft India IJlands to New-England : Tho' then, I fuppofe,
without any fpecial View to this important Enterprize.
3. By the Cape-Bret oners taking and carrying fo many of
our People into their Harbour and Crff, they were obliged to
return them to us : Whereby we came to be more acquaint
ed with their Situation and the proper Places of landing and
attacking : And at the fame Time it is in the Ifiue happy,
they were not fully aware of the prodigious Strength of the
Fortifications i or of the great Number of Men within and
near them • or we never had prefum'd on fuch an Enter-
prize : Yea, 'tis happy that fome few, who better knowing
the Place, gave the more exa£ Accounts and fpake difcou-
raging; yet we were fo fet 01 fending, they were not
regarded.
4. GOD was pleafcd to give loft Summer a great Plniv
B 2 cf
2O A THANKSGIVING SERMON
of Provifion to our northern Colonies, whereby we were this
Spring prepared to fupply fo great an Armament: And at the
fame Time cut fhort the Crops in Canada and the French
IVeJl India Ijlands, whereby 'twas apprehended that Thofe
at Cap f- Bret on were confide *??\j\y Jtraitend^ and that both
the Canada- French and Indians were hindered the laft Year
from troubling our inland'B orders.
5. By our Accounts of the Uneafmefs of the Switzers
There, for want of Pay and Provifion ; and the Call and
Wants of the r Eajl and I'/eJl India Fleet in the Fall of the
Year, and their Supplies with Men and Victuals, if not Am
munition ; 'twas reprefented, the remaining French were
further weakened ; and we were the more encouraged. And
'twas further remarkable, that their Store Ships from France
in the Fall came fo late on their Coaft, and the Winter
There fet in fo early and fierce, as to keep them out of their
Hajbour and drive them off to Martineco.
6. From the fanguine Reprefentations made by our re-
turned Captives, of the Eafmefs of our taking the Place by
an early Surprizal before any Help could come, either from
France or Canada ; GOD was pleafed to lead our Governor ,
vigilant and a£Uve for our Safety and Welfare, into the Pro
ject : And early forming the Scheme ; in the moft timely
Seafon, in the midft of Winter, when ourlntercourfe abroad
Was fealed up, to move and prefs it on the General AJfemlly ;
and after, in convenient Time, on our neighbouring Govern
ments ; and with wonderous Refolution, Circumfpection
and Afliduity to purfue the fame.
7. Tho* when the Affair was firft propos'd to the General
the Difficulties feem'd fo great, and the Expence fo
finking to this poor People, that they faw no Light to ven
ture without a powerful, previous Help from England ; yet
upon further Reprefentations, that the Seafon would likely
be loft for ever, &'c. the Affair was unexpectedly reconfi-
der'd : And the fovereign GOD fo over-rul'd the Ab fence of
clivers worthy Reprefentatives, who judged it too vaft an
Undertaking for us ; that 'tis faid the final Refolution for it
on Jan. 25. was jufl carried but by one Majority : And e-
ven that and other Votes had been loft, if the fuperior Great-
nefs of the Expence had been then imagined 5 it foon abun
dantly exceeding their Expectations,
8. Wl.cn
for the Taking of Cape-Breton. 21
8. When the General Court had agreed an this great En-
terprize, it is furprizing to think, with how profound a Se-
crefy, fo many Members in the Centre of fo populous, obfer-
ving and inquifitive Town as this, for fo many Davs, kept
their Confutations ; 'till the various Parts of the Plan were
fettled, Committees chofen, and all things ripe for enlifting
Soldiers, hiring VefTels, buying Materials and Provifions :
And as furprizing to fee with what a general Silence all thefe
Things were done in this City and Land ; and the Army and
Fleet equipp'd and ready to fail, while the reft of the World
had fcarce any Intelligence of our Preparations.
9. As foon as ever the Defign was known among us, it
was a marvellous Thing, that when this Province had lately
loft fo many hundred Men Volunteers in the fad Expedition to
Ca^tbagcna, not One in Ten being alive to return, theirWives
left Widows, and their Children Orphans ; — yet to fee fo
many likely Men, and I conclude the moil of them Owners
of Land and Houfes, or Heirs of the fame, and many Reli
gious, in all our Towns, readily lifting even as private Sol
diers ; with the fmall Wages of Twenty- five Shillings, New
Tenor, a Month, to leave their gainful Farms and Trades, -
as well as Parents, Wives.and Children; all as free Volunteers,
to ferve their GOD, their King and Country, in this hazard
ous Enterprize : Yea, more to enlift than the Court defired :
And that fo many Men of diftinguimed Figure, mould chcar-
fully offer themfelves — even Four of his MAJESTY'S Coun
cil for this Province, among them the Hon. William Pepper-
rell, Efq; the firft of the Council; as alfo the Hon. Deputy
Governor of Connecticut Colony, and divers Others of pub-
lick EJleem and Character.
10. It was wonderful alfo to fee that during thofe Two
ufually ftormy Months of February and March, the only
Seafon for our Preparation, GOD was pleafed to give us
fuch a conftant Series of moderate and fair Weather , as in
that Time of the Year has fcarce ever been known among
us : So that there was hardly any Impediment to our Offi
cers going about and enlifting, or of our Soldiers in march
ing, or our VefTels in fitting, or our Coafters in bringing
us Provifions, or our Committee of War in their various
Preparations, 'till all were ready to fail.
11. The extraordinary Thought, Contrivance, Order,
Management and quick Difpatch, not only of His EXC,EL-
B 3 LENCYj
22 A THANKSGIVING SERMON
LENCY, but alfo of our Council of War ^ feems wonderful
— that Gentlemen unus'd to fuch Affairs, fhould in Two
Months Time, think of and get every Thing fuitable for
fo great and various an Armament by Sea and Land : So
that nothing proper feems to have been omitted. And I
have heard fome exprefs themfelves with Wonder to fee
how Tilings would happen ; — Juft as they wanted fome
Kinds of Materials or Provijiom^ an unexpected Vejfjcl
would come in and bring them.
12. It is alfo wonderful — that though the Small Pox?
which has been fo fatal and dreadful to us, came into this
Town and Harbour^ as our Troops were coming in both by
Land and Water, and continued all the Time they were
quartering and anchoring here, very few of the Officers or
Soldiers having had it, and we were full of anxious Appre-
henfions ; yet it neither hindred them, nor did the dangerous
Infection fpread among them, which in that critical Juncture
would, after all, have wholly overthrown the Enterprize,
And now our Army of Three Thoufand Land Soldiers,
wirh all Kind of Stores being ready to fail about the 20th of
March) in about a Hundred tfk/asi befides Five Hundred
Soldiers more fent from Gonnefiicut) a"nd Three Hundred and
Fifty from New Hampjhire — we had almoft every gloomy
Prof peel to ma lie us tremble.
For our // <:Lmd Borders were now left bare of a great Part
of their Strength, by the enlifting of fo many of their able
Men Volunteers in the Expedition. And if the Enterprize
fucceeded, the heavy Debts would almoft fink us. But if, for
our Offences, GOD was carrying forth a great Part of the
Flower of our Country to be deftroy'd ; a molt difmal Scene
of Ruin feem'd to follow ! They were to fail Five Hundred
Miles to the Enemies Iflarjd, in a raw and ftormy Time of
the Year. And if the fear'd Infettion had taken Place and
fhould break out among them, efpecially after their Land
ing ; what a general Terror would feize them from the
Hand of GOD which there was no rcfifting, and in what a
miferable Cafe would they be! A naval Power with Stores
and diiciplin'4 Troops were alto early expe6ted There from
France to conquer Nova Scotia : And after all the Labours
of our unwearied Governor , to obtain fome Men rf War
from our neighbouring Colonies and Weft India Ijland^ to
come and prote£r. and help us ; our hopeful Profpecls f:em to
dwindle away — a'n«J we could fee no other but that, if Two
Sixty-Gun Ships of our Enemies, which were early expected,
fhould
for the Taking of Cape-Breton. 23
ihould arrive before we took the Place, they would fbcn
make our Fleet and Army Captives. — And then what would
become of this Country !
So they muft run the mofl defperate Hazards. The
Hearrts of many of the wifeft afhore now feem'd to fail.
Some repented they had voted for it, and others that they
had ever promoted it. Some judged it heft after all for
every Man to go Home ; and the Thoughtful among us
were in great Perplexity. — But yet a Wonder it was to fee,
that thofe who were venturing into the Danger, feem'd to
befuhVft of T^ruft in GOD and Courage. Many fill'd their
Veflcls with Prayers ; and a/king Ours, they threw them-
felves into the divine Protection, in the Name of GOD
they fet up their Banner •, and away they fail'd. Pray, for
us, and we'll fight for YOU — was the valiant and endear
ing Language wherewith they left us.>
Thus have we traced fome of the remarkable Steps which
led to this dangerous Enterprise. We now come
2. To view fome of the more furprizing Steps of Provi
dence fucceeding therein to the happy Accompli foment.
And as thefe are more in Number than can be reckon vd,
I may here but mention a few. — —
i. As it was very encouraging to think how many pious
and prayerful Perfons were embark'd in the Caufe, which
we accounted the Caufe of GOD and his People ; it gave
further Ground of Hope, to fee fuch a Spirit of Supplica
tion given to many in this Town and Land on this Occa -
fion. For, befides the folemn Days of publick and general
Prayer appointed by thefe three Governments ; there we<e
particular Days obferved in feveral Congregations. There
were alfo in divers Towns religious' Societies, fome of Wo
men as well as others of Men, who met every Week, more
privately to pray for the Preservation and Succefs of their
dear Countrymen : And I have been well informed of their
extraordinary Fervency, Faith and Wreftlings, as fo ma
ny Jacobs, in this important Seafon, Pfal. cviii. ic. — -13.
was ufually among our Petitions : As alfo, * That Go p
4 mould preferve, direcl: and fpirit our Friends ; and fur-
4 prize and terrify our Enemies ; and make them yield
4 without much Blood-fhed, and - in fuch a Manner as the
* Work an<j Glory might appear to be his alone.*
34 2. GOD
24 A THANKSGIVING SERMON
2. GOD then began in a remarkable Manner to hear
our Prayers : In that when fo many VeJJeh faiPd from
Hence and from New Hampjhire and Conn(£ticut, in fuch
a turbulent Time of the Year, thro' a Courfe of Five
Hundred Miles on the Ocean ; they every one arriv'd at
Ccnfo, the Place off Concourfe, about Jixty Miles on this
Side Cape-Breton^ without the Lois of more than One Sol
dier and Three Seamen, and but Fifteen Sick ; and Time
enough to meet together and refrefh themfelves, and get
into Order for their Defcent at Louiflourg.
3. It was remarkable alfo, that GOD was pleas'd to keep
our Enemies Shore and Harbour inviron'd with Ice longer
than ufunl : So trnt none of their Vefiels could, enter nor
go forth for Intelligence, 'till oiir Twenty Gun Gruizers
(which our Governor fent above a Fortnight before the Reft
of the Fleet) came Thither : And that fome of their Vejfels
coming ei.rly to them, both before and after the Harbour
•was open, were happily intercepted and taken by Ours ;
•whereby cur Enemies within fail'd of their Supplies, and
We were recruited by thofe without.
4. That by a mod gracious, feafonable and wonderful
pire&ion of GOD, thro' our Governor's Solicitations the
Fall before, the brave and active Commodore Warren, a
great Friend to thefc Plantations, is ordered by the Go
vernment in England^ to come immediately with Three
Men of- War from Ant ego to Eofton : That on his Voyage
h;ther near Cape Sables, he, on dpril I2th, met with a
Fijherman, who inform 'd him. of our Army's being gone
to Canfo the Week before : That on board the Fifherman
there was One of the beft of Pilots, who had got out of
the Way of our Committee of War, to avoid being prefs'd
for the Service : That tho' the Commodore wanted frefh
Provifion and Cloaths for his Men in fo cold a Climate
and Seafon ; he wifely confider'd the ncceflitous Cafe of
our Army, took the Pilot, generoufly tack'd about, went
after them, overtook them at Canfo, to their great Joy ;
and inftead of flopping, pafs'd on to watch the Harbour of
Louifbourg, that no Supply from Canada, Martineco or
France might flip into it: Without all which a 64 Gun
Ship, with nc-ir 600 Men and full of Stores, had entered,
and this great Affair had been foon defeated.
3. That the Commodore, by the Fijlerman, fent his Or
ders
for the Taking 0/ Cape-Breton. 25
<3ers for the King's Ships that fhould be found in thefc
Parts, forthwith to follow him : That the Fifherman time
ly arriving, our Governor immediately fent the Order to
a 40 Gun bhip at Pifcataqua , ready to convoy the Mafb
Fleet for England: And tho' fhe was got to Sea, yet by
a Boat the Order reached her, and fending her Fleet into
Harbour, fhe bore after the Commodore and quickly join'd
him. So that our Army before they fail'd from Canfo^ had
the Comfort of 4 Men of War^ under God, to protect and
help them.
6. That tho' our Fleet and Army ftaid near three Weeks
at Canfo* within 20 Leagues of Louifbourg, and within Sight
of their Jjland ; yet the People There knew nothing of it;
till early in the Morning April 30, when they were fo fur-
priz'd to fee us, that they had no Time to get in frefh Pro-
vifion and Force of the neighbouring Country to help them,.
It feems very wonderful, that none of the French or Indians
near to Canfo^ {hould happen to fee us, and give our Ene
mies Intelligence of us: And when our Fleet and Army
were compleat and ready, the Ice went off at once ; and
the Winds and Weather confpired to favour our Defcent on
the IJland.
y. It is alfo remarkable, that the French had made no
Fortification at the Place of our Landing, though 'tis faid
they defigned it, and were preparing for it: And tho' they
had Six Hundred regular Troops, and about Fourteen Hun
dred other Men in the CV/y, that yet they mould make fo
fmajl an Oppofition at our going afhore : That GOD fo
encouraged and helped the few who landed firft and en
gaged them, as to beat them away with the Lofs of Eight
of their Men Jlain, feveral wounded^ and Ten taken cap-
five, without the Lofs of One of Ours : That thereby he
ftruck a Terror in' our Enemies : And tho' our People
were fo eager of Landing, they were ready to quarrel to
get into the Boats, and the Surf ran high ; yet all our
Army landed fafely, without overfetting a Boat or lofing
a Man.
8. That he moved them to improve the Time and forth
with march up Five Miles^ thro' a thickety, rocky, hilly
and boggy Country, and enclofe the City. That in the
following Night he led fome of our Soldiers, thro' ftrange
Places to the Storehoufcs near the Grand Battery, which
was
26 A THANKSGIVING SERMON
was ftrongly fortified with Walls and Ditches, and at each
End a very thick Bomb-proof Tower : That the Store-
houfes full of combuftible Matter, being fet on Fire>
burnt and flam'd in fuch a Manner, and in the Night
encreas'd the Enemies Terror : That the Wind alfo bear
ing a prodigious black Smoke upon them, in which ex
pecting our Army to enter, they were every Soul frighted
out of it into the City : And that in the Morning^ but 13
of our Men obferving there was neither Flag flying, nor
Chimney fmoaking, nor Perfon appearing, but the Gates
open, &V. ventur'd in and took PofTeflion.
9. That yet the Enemy aware of their fatal Error, foon
after came with Forces in many Shallowaes to recover it :
But 8 of the 13 going out of the Battery and meeting
with about eight more of our Friends, run to the Water
Side, and .fo plied the J3oats with Small Anns, as damp'd
and hinder'd them, 'till feeing more of our Forces com
ing, the Boats turn'd back to the Town again: And if"
they had come but om Hcur fooner, they had regain'd the
Battery before we found it deferted. And thus this ftrong
Fortrefs of 32 great Cannon, 30 of them 42 Pounders,
which might alone have maintain'd itfelf againft all our
Army, the LORD deliver'd into our Hands, without the
Lcfs of a Man, or Shot of a Gun, and before we demanded
it:. Whereby he at once fav'd us both Time, Toil and
Bloof!, and furprizingiy gave us a great Power over the
Harbour, as well as fo many of the largefl: of the Enemies
Cannon, with a great Number of their Own Balls and
&o?nbs to improve againfl them.
10. That our Army was prefery'd from the dangerous
Infeftion : And th >' being open to the Air, Fogs, and
Dews, upon the Melting of the Ice, in a raw Climate and
Seafon of the Year, the C^mp-Dyfeniery feized many ; yet
fome of our Phyflcians in their Letters fignified, that it
look'd almoft miraculous, they fhould fo foon and gene
rally, without Means, recover.
11. That they fhould be infpir'd with wondrous Con-
regr, Eagern-efs^ Activity and unfainting Strength : Be
fupported under their extraordinary and conftant Toils,
Fatigues and Labours, in carrying Stores, drawing Cannon
over Hills and Valleys, over' Rocks and thro' Mcrafles,
up to the Middle* in Mire; and in digging Trencher, rai-
fihg
for the Taking of Cape-Breton. 27
fmg our Batteries, firing Shot and Bombs almoft incefTaritly
both Day and Night againft the City : And that GOD fo
fpeedily taught their Hands to War arid their Fingers to
fight i as prefently to throw them with great Exadrcefs,
and do continual Execution among our Enemies ; dif-
mounting their Cannon, beating down their Houfes, Gates
Walls, Flankers, and greatly diftreffing them.
12. That when a new 64 &un Ship from France with
near 6co Men, and great Quantities of Arms and Stores,
came fo near the Mout.h of the Harbour and before a
fair Wind, that two Hours more would have given her
Entrance ; me was happily difcoverM by feme of our
fmaller Ships, who led her along to the larger and fc-on
made her Strike ; tho' after near two Hours clofe Engage
ment ; wherein 'twas wonderful, fhe loft above 30 Men,
and they but 5 : And tho' by the Fog in the Night they
loft her, yet in the Morning they happily recover'd her;
to the growing Difcouragement of the Befieged, and our
encreafing Strength and Benefit.
That tho' to mew our Dependance on GOD continually,
He 'was pleas'd to fufFer the barbarous Indians, twice to
furprize and murder fome of our People; yet in feveral
Land-Encounters both with French and Indians, in divers
Parts of the I (land, He was pleafed to give us the Victory.
That by Mear.3 of the extraordinary Difpatch of a
Mejftnger, our Governor in February fent to the KING
for naval Help ; GOD was pleas'd to lend fo many Men of
War fucceflively, as by the 1 2th of 'June, with the 64
Gun Prize, and thofe who where there before, to amount
to Eleven ; to the finking Fear of the Enemy, and the
rifing Joy of our Fleet and Army ; as alfo to prefer ve a
happy Harmony between our various Officers.
That tho' GOD was pleas'd to humble us in defeating
our Attack in the Night on their ftrong Ifland Fort ; yet
He happily guided, and with furprizing Strength, Agility
and Quicknefs helped us to hoift up fome of the heavieft
Cannon and Mortars on the Light Houfe Cliff, which
overlook'd that Fort in which they trufted to hinder our
entering into their Harbour : And then ajjtfted in carting
our Bombs fo exactly, as after the two or three firft, to
throw in every One of the reft, and do fuch Execution
as quickly beat them out of this ftrong Hold they thought
impregnable, and frighten the City to a quiet Surrender.
That GOD fhou'd move them to it in that critical Mo-
2$ A THANKSGIVING SERMON
ment, when the Navy and Army had juft agreed on a ge-
neral, defperate and fierce AJJault both by Land and Wa
ter ; which was like to be exceeding bloody and of doubt
ful Confequence : For upon the Capitulation, when our
Forces entered the City, and came to view the inward
State of its Fortifications ; they were amazed to fee their
extraordinary Strength and Device, and how we had like
to have loft the Limbs and Lives of a Multitude^ if not
have been all deftroy'd. And that the City fhould Sur
render when there was a great Body of French and In
dians got on the Jjland^ and within a Day's March, to
moleft us.
That in all our clofe and conftant AfTauIts and Skir-
mifhes, fome of our Batteries being within Plftol Shot of
the City, and receiving fuch a vaft Number of Balls and
Bombs almoft continually by Day and by Night, we fliould
not have above Twenty Slain at our Batteries^ and not a-
bove a Hundred in all ; in fo raw a Climate, and Seafon,
and under fuch Fatigues, not lofe above a Hundred more by
Sickncfs ; and of fo many FeJJels tranfporting and cruizing,
in fo many Storms in March and April^ lofe but One ; tho'
this a Cruifer of a Hundred Men^ fuppofed to be overfet, is
a grievous Lofs.
That in the Time of the Siege^ there were many other
furprizing Events in our Favour — Such as timely Supplies
to cur Army, either by Tranfports or Prizes, as we were
near to want them — That the very Balls from our Enemies
Cannon were of no fmall Service, being as faft almoft as they
fell, catched up and put into Ours, and returned with Ad
vantage. — That digging a Trench to protect our Men, and
meeting a Rock in the Way we could not remove ; juft as
we left it, a Bomb from the Enemy came down in the
moft fuitable Spot, and without any Harm remov'd it for
us, &c.
That from the Army's leaving Canfo, April 29, to their
landing May 30, and during all the Siege^ there fliould be
fuch a continual Series oifair Weather ^ as was never known
in the Place before at that Time of the Year, 'till their en
tering into the City, June 1 7 ; and then the Clouds to gather
Blacknofs and pour down Rains for Ten Days together :
Which would have fpoiled our Batteries, filled our Trenches,
and greatly hindered and difabled us !— It feem'd to clofe the
Scenes of Wonder ! — As if the fovereign GOD would fuf-
pcnd the hurtful Operations of Nature, 'till he had qu«te
accompli/lied his great Defign^ deliver d the Fortrefs into
our
for the Taking of Cape-Breton. 29
our Hands, and led us into a Place of Shelter.
In the mean while, it is alfo remarkable, that the North
American Coafts have been unmolefted by both the French
and SpaniJhWeJl-India Privateers, 'till this great Affair was
ended. And that by Means of Du Viviers Project of taking
Annapolis in the Spring or Summer, both our French and In
dian Enemies have been all this Time diverted from our ex-
pofed inland Borders ; they being drawn to Menis, and to
make a tranfient Show at Annapolis : So he was guided into
his mifchievous but fruitlefs Project, and to go even te
France, to promote our Safety, and give us an unmolefted
Seafon .for the taking of Louifbourg.
Laftly, that though our GOVERNOR, our GENERAJ,
COURT, the Council of War, the General, \.\\Q Commodore^
the Officers and Soldiers, both by Land and Sea, have dif-
played a wonderous Wifdom, Zeal, Courage, Refolution,
Diligence, and unwearied Application ; yet they have the
eminent Honour in receiving thefe from GOD, and in his
employing them to atchieve and bring about fuch a glorious
and happy Addition to the Britijh Crown and Empire : Nor
without his numberlefs other Directions would all their Skill,
Care, Toil and Diligence, have availed any thing : And to
HIM be therefore all the Glory. For the infinitely inferior
Brightnefs fparkling in them, is wholly derived from HIM,
both by his original and continual Influence ; like the Glit
ters of Diamonds from the Morning Sun, and when He whol
ly hides his Light, they vanifh. And yet the brilliant Dia
monds are more to be valued than unfhining Pebbles.
And thus have we feen this Pajfc-ge of Scripture, in a re
markable Manner exemplified in the prefent Day,
And now who can in common Rcafon deny a particular
Providence in this great Affair ? Who can in Reafon ima
gine that fuch a Multitude of various and contrary running
Wheels, both of material Caufes and fpontaneous Agents,
fhould all be made to work together, and in the midft of
Thoufands of Difficulties and Contingencies, in the happieft
Seafons coincide, to accomplifh this GREAT EVENT; with
out a s u PR E ME Contriver, Mover, and Director ? We may
a thoufand Times more co.nfiftently apprehend the mcft cu
rious Engine in the World to be made without Defign, and
to work without a moving Power.
Yea, thofe who own not Thefe to be the Operations of
GOD, as a wife, fovereign, free, and actual Ruler among
Men and Elements; muft not only deny the Scriptures, but
even the very Foundations of all Religion, or Adoration c f
this
%o A THANKSGIVING SERMON
this fupreme Governor. For they muft deny there is any
Need., or Duty, or Wifdom, of fearing Him, or praying
to Him, or hoping on Him in any Emergencies ; or of ac
knowledging, admiring, praHin£, loving, or thanking Him,
for the greai-ft and tnojt war-jelious Salvations.
But as for Us — In the Name of GOD, our GOD in
CHRIST, yea in the Name of the SON of GOD, as mprerne
L rd and Ruler of Heaven and Earth, of Men, Angels
and Elements, we lifted up our Banners : To Him we
looked and prayed : In Him we put our Truft and fought :
And now, He has heard and profper'd, to Him we will
a/bribe the Praife !
Whatever Infirummts or Means he us'd, we will blefs
Htm for them ; we fee them form'd, endow'd, excited by
Him ; we fee them in his mighty and all-a&ive Hands, deri
ving Strength and Guidance from Him, and employ 'd conti
nually to fulfil his Pleafure. We will own, the Work is his
in the higheft Senfe : It was all comprehended in his fo-
vereign View, Defign and Providence ; begun, carried on,
accomplmYd by his all-governing Wifdom, Power, and
Efficacy; and the whole together is marvellous in every
ferious Eye.
When the Tidings came of furrendring the City, c we
c were like Them that dream : Our Mouth was filPd with
* Laughter, and our Tongue with fmging : Even the Hea-
c then then faid, The LORD hath done great Things for
« them ; and We — The LORD bath done great Things for us+
* whereof we are glad. Not unto us, O LORD, not un-
* to us, but unto thy Name give Glory : Our GOD hath
* done whatfoever he pleafed : The LORD hath been mind-
* ful of us : And we will blefs the LORD, from this Time
4 forth and for ever. Thine O LORD is the Greatnefs,
* and the Power, and the Glory, and the Victory, and
4 the Majefty ! For all that is in the Heaven and in the
4 Earth is thine : thine is the Kingdom, O LORD, and
* thou art exalted as Head above all ! Both Riches and Ho-
* nour come of Thee, and Thou reigncft over all, and in
« thine Hand is Power and Might ; and in thine Hand it
6 is to make Great, and to give Strength to all : Now
* therefore OUR GOD, we thank Thee and praife thy glo-
c rious Name. Give Thanks to the LORD, call on his
* Name, make known his Deeds among the People: Sing
* unto Him, fing Pfahns unto Him, talk ye of all his won-
4 drous Works : Declare his Glory among the Heathen,
< his marvellous Works among all -Nations !'
O that
for the faking of Cape-Breton. 31
O that when we have fang bis Praife> we may not un
gratefully forget his Works^ or return to Sin-, which is to
rob him of his deferved Glory, and fly in the Face of our
great Preferver and Benefactor ! It is the vileft Degree of
Ingratitude and provoking Bafenefs ; It is to fight againft
Him who has been marvelloufly fighting for us, and given
us a wonderous Series of great Salvations. Yea, this will
be the dangerous Way to move him to turn our Enemy ; to
change the Courfe of his flighted Difpenfations, and give
the Place into our Adverfaries Hands again, with a more
dreadful and mifchievous Increafe of Power than ever, to
punifh us. And the Sins of Drunkennefs^ Profanation of
the Name and Day of GOD, Undeannefs, Injujlice^ Op-
pre/fion, Contempt of CHRIST, and Opposition to the Puri
ty , Power and Praftice of his holy Religion ; are fome of the
higheft and moft dangerous Provocations and Preparatives
to ruinous Judgments.
Yea di/UnguiJhing Appearances of GOD to fave and pro-
fper us, are dijlinguijhlng Obligations^ not only to dijlin-
guiflring Degrees of Joy and Praife, but alfo to diftinguijh-
ing Degrees of Piety ^ i. e. of a&ive Gratitude and Love
to GOD, of perpetual Contrivances and Labours to pro
mote his Glory and holy Kingdom in Ourfelves and Others,
and to a conftant Life of Service to his Caufe and Peo
ple. And as the Failure of this will not be a rendering
to him according to his fignal Benefits, but a moft un
grateful Treatment of Him ; his Eyes are always on us, to
obferve us now, and to judge and recompenfe us Here
or Hereafter.
But let us rejoice, not only in our cwn Salvation-) the
Salvation of all our Colonies, and fome of the moft impor
tant Branches of the Britijh Trade ; But let our Joy
rife higher, that hereby a great Support of Antichriftian
Power is taken away, and the viftble Kingdom of CHRIST
enlarged. Methinks, when the fouthcrn Gates of Louif-
bourg were opened, and our Army with their Banners
were marching in; the Gates were lifted tip — the Gates-
were lifted up — and the KING of GLORY went in with
them. Even the SON of GOD, the LORD of Hofts, the
LORD ftrong and mighty in Battle — having gain'd the
Conqueft, he rode in Triumph and took Pofleflion. He fet
up his Standard, proclaimed his Gofpel of Peace, the Glad
Tidings of Salvation, opcn'd the Prifons, redeem'd his Cap
tives, and began to receive his grateful Incenfe of pure Ado
rations ! O that 'I*herc, in Purity of Worlhip, Doclrine
and
32 A THANKSGIVING SERMON, &c.
and Converfation, in the Power of his Grace and in the
Glory of his HoJinefs, He may reign and fliine to alLthe
Wands about, as tang as the Sun and Moon endure.
And as 'twas one of the chief Difgraces of Q. ANNE'S
Reign, to refign this Ijlandto the French j it is happily one of
the Glories of K. GEORE IPs to recover it to the Eritijh
Empire. O that it may remain united thereto for ever, and
fo perpetuate the Glory ! O that under the Influence of Eri-
tijh Liberties, in a happy Conftitution of Civil Government,
and the DIVINE Care and Bleiling, even Lowfbourg itfelf,
withCape- Breton, and all Nova Scotia, may revive and flcu-
rifh. May they have religious, wife and generous Governors,
that may be as nurfmg Fathers to them ; encourage them in
Piety, Virtue and good Order, promote their Trade, and
protect them in their Properties and Liberties.
Laftly, may this happy Conqueft be the dawning Earneji
of our DIVINE REDEEMER'S carrying on his Triumphs
thro' the Northern Regions-, till he extends his Empire from
the Eajlern to the Wejhrn Sea, and from the River of Ca
nada to the Ends of America. — THEN from the uttermoft
Parts of the Earth (hall be heard Songs, even Glory to the
righteous GOD: They mail lift up their Voice, they {hall
fing for the Majefty of the LORD, they mall cry aloud from
the Sea ; they mall glorify the LORD in the Woods and
Valleys, on the Lakes and Rivers, in the Mountains, in the
Wands : And the Heavens and the Earth fhall^be filled with
his Glory, and eccho with his Praife. AMEN.
Juft publijtf }d (Price is. neatly bound -,
Printed in the Uniycrfity Printing-Office at Oxford,
By His Majefty's Special Command)
A Neat (mail New Teftament (of fuch a convenient Size as to take up
very little room in tke Pocket) printed on good round Letter. To
which is prenx'd, A Complete Summary — whereby any particular
1'aifagein thofe holy Books may foon be foucd. — Let the iwr<t of Chrift
uivfll if )f>n richly. Col. iii. 16.
A Work never before publifh'd in this Manner : Being a good Companion
for all pious Per Cons to have about them, either iu Publick Worship, o*
in any IMaceor Retirement.
Sold by John Lewis, in Bartholomcw-Clofe, neOK Weft-Smithfield, Lou-
don ^ where may be had a larger Tcfcaraerit, with the fanac Summary,
Price T;.z=e Shilling nea.iy lo-^nd.
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