I am very sensible, that artful insinuations have been industriously published, in order to lay all the blame of this war upon us. But bold assertions and solid proofs are two different things; for it is plain, beyond all contradiction, that the _French_, fond of rivalling us both at home and abroad, have most unjustly invaded his Majesty’s dominions in _America_; and have also, by the most vile artifices and lies, been endeavouring to draw the six nations of _Indians_ from our interest; in short, almost all their proceedings ever since the late treaty of _Aix la Chapelle_, have been little else than preparations for, or a tacit declaration of war. But he that sitteth in heaven, as we may humbly hope, laughs them to scorn; and, as he once defeated the counsel of _Achitophel_, and came down to confound the language of those aspiring projectors who would fain have built a tower, the top of which should reach even to heaven; so we trust (whatever dark providences may intervene) that he will in the end frustrate the devices of our adversary’s most subtle politicians, and speak confusion to all their projects; who, by aiming at universal monarchy, are more than attempting to erect a second _Babel_.
I have heard, or read somewhere of a _Turkish_ General, who, being called to engage with a christian army that had broken through the most solemn ties, stood up at the head of his troops, and then drawing the treaty which they had broken, out of his bosom, and holding it up in the air, thus addressed the throne of heaven: “O almighty Being, if thou art, as they say, thou art, these christians GOD, thou lovest what is right, and hateth perfidy; look down therefore and behold this treaty which they have broken; and, as thou canst not favour what is wrong, render their arms, O GOD, successless, and make mine victorious.” He ended; immediately the sword was drawn. The two parties vigorously engaged, and the perfidious christians were beaten off the field. Thus may our protestant Generals, or at least their Chaplains, deal with our enemy’s forces, in respect to the treaty of _Aix la Chapelle_. They, not we, have broken it. They, not we, have been the aggressors: and therefore, notwithstanding we are looked upon as _heretics_, and they fight under the banner of one who stiles himself _His most Christian Majesty_; a righteous GOD, we trust, in answer to prayer, will humble _France_, and make the _British_ arms both by sea and land, more than conquerors through his love. It is true (and GOD knows with grief of heart I speak it) praying is become too unfashionable amongst our people in general, and among our military men in particular; but wherein the piety, and consequently the true policy, of such a ♦procedure consists, I believe will be very difficult to determine. If we have recourse to _Rollin_’s ancient history, I believe we shall find, that neither _Darius_, _Cyrus_, _Alexander_, nor indeed scarce any of the _Egyptian_, _Grecian_, _Persian_, or _Roman_ Generals, ever undertook any hazardous enterprize, without making some public acknowledgment of a deity. And if we consult that _history of histories_, that too much neglected book (as Sir _Richard Steel_ expresses himself) emphatically called the SCRIPTURES, we may always remark, that those heroic worthies, who by faith subdued kingdoms, and put to flight the armies of the aliens, were _men of prayer_ as well as men of _valour_. And if our researches descend down to our own annals, we shall soon be satisfied, that the _British_ arms were never more formidable, than when our soldiers went forth in the strength of the LORD; and with a bible in one hand, and a sword in the other, chearfully fought under his banner who hath condescended to stile himself “a man of war.”
♦ “proceedure” replaced with “procedure”