This would be to act the part of those ungrateful _Israelites_, who are branded in the book of GOD, for not shewing kindness to the house of “_Jerub-Baal_, namely _Gideon_, according to all the goodness which he shewed unto _Israel_.” Even a _Pharaoh_ could prefer a deserving _Joseph_, _Ahasuerus_ a _Mordecai_, and _Nebuchadnezzar_ a _Daniel_, when made instruments of signal service to themselves and people. “My heart, says _Deborah_, is towards (_i. e._ I have a particular veneration and regard for) the Governors of _Israel_ that offered themselves willingly. And blessed above women shall _Jael_ the wife of _Heber_ the _Kenite_ be; for she put her hand to the nail, and her right-hand to the workman’s hammer, and with the hammer she smote _Sisera_, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.” And shall we not say, “Blessed above men let his Royal Highness the Duke of _Cumberland_ be; for through his instrumentality, the great and glorious JEHOVAH hath brought mighty things to pass?” Should not our hearts be towards the worthy Archbishop of _York_, the Royal Hunters, and those other _English_ heroes who offered themselves so willingly? Let the names of _Blakeney_, _Bland_, and _Rea_, and all thole who waxed valiant in fight on this important occasion, live for ever in the _British_ annals. And let the name of that great, that incomparable brave soldier of the King, and a good soldier of JESUS CHRIST, Colonel _Gardiner_, (excuse me if I here drop a tear: he was my intimate friend) let his name, I say, be had in everlasting remembrance.
But, after all, is there not an infinitely greater debt of gratitude and praise due from us, on this occasion, to Him that is higher than the highest, even the King of kings and Lord of Lords, the blessed and only Potentate? Is it not his arm, his strong and mighty arm, (what instruments soever may have been made use of) that hath brought us this salvation? And may I not therefore address you, in the exulting language of the beginning of this psalm, from which we have taken our text? “O give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him; sing psalms unto him; talk ye of all his wondrous works; glory ye in his holy name; remember his marvellous work which he hath done.”
But shall we put off our good and gracious benefactor with mere lip-service? GOD forbid. Your worthy Governor has honoured GOD in his late excellent proclamation, and GOD will honour him. But shall our thanks terminate with the day? No, in no wise. Our text reminds us of a more noble sacrifice, and points out to us the great end the Almighty JEHOVAH proposes, in bestowing such signal favours upon a people, “That they should observe his statutes, and keep his laws.”
This is the return we are all taught to pray, that we may make to the Most High GOD, the Father of mercies, in the daily office of our church, “That our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we may shew forth his praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to his service, and by walking before him in holiness and righteousness all our days.” O that these words were the real language of all that use them! O that there were in us such a mind! How soon would our enemies then flee before us? And GOD, even our own GOD, would yet give us more abundant blessings!