Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

confidence and good opinion between the people and the princes of the blood; that whenever the time comes, which must rob us of our deareft bleffing, they may ascend the throne neither fufpecting nor suspected, but may be received with as much joy as the circumftances of that fad (and I hope far diftant) day will admit of. Let the people be told how fully they inherit the virtues of their royal ancestors, that no diftance of time or place can ever efface their love for our common country; but let none but theirs and their country's enemies infinuate, that there is any cause for mutual fears and jealoufies between them.

But whatever our fears are, let them be fo far fufpended at least, that we may enjoy the eafe and tranquillity which the prefent aufpicious reign affords. Let not all our zeal for our holy religion be spent in quarrelling and difputing about it; but fome of it be fhewn in our dutiful behaviour to our governors, in mutual love and charity. Let the purity of our religion be expreffed in the innocence of our lives; that whenever God fhall be pleased to deliver us from the scourge of war, we may be in fuch a difpofition to receive the bleffing, that mercy and truth may meet together, and righteousness and peace kifs each other.

Above all, let us earnestly contend with God in prayer for mercies upon our good Queen; that the may be long continued to us; that he would give peace in her time; that no demerit of ours may rob us of the invaluable bleffings we enjoy in her; that whenever the, ripe for glory and immortality, fhall be called to eyerlafting peace and a better crown,

that then he would with a more efpecial eye of mercy and tenderness regard these orphan kingdoms, and hide them under the shelter of his wings, till the danger be overpaft.

DISCOURSE IV.

2 SAM. xxiii. 3, 4.

The God of Ifrael faid, The Rock of Ifrael fpake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God: and he fhall be as the light of the morning, when the fun rifeth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grafs Springing out of the earth by clear fhining after rain.

THE words read to you are faid to be the last of David, and uttered by the Spirit of the Lord, whose word was in his tongue. They are by fome Jewish interpreters referred to the days of the Meffiah, as foretelling the righteousness and increase of his kingdom for evermore: but in this fenfe they can no otherwife relate to the Meffiah than as they are pointed at him through David, who was a type of that great Prince of peace and of righteoufnefs; and confequently, in their natural and literal fense, they regard the temporal government of David, and ftand as a fit inftruction for the princes of the earth.

There is likewife fome doubt of the time when these words were firft spoken: whether this admonition and promise were given David upon his first

entrance on his kingdom, as a fure direction to guide him through t difficulties of empire; and by him delivered as his laft words, and the beft legacy which he could bequeath, to those who were to fucceed him in the throne of Ifrael: or whether they were first conceived and uttered by David in the last scene of his life, and left with the authority of a dying father to his fons, as containing the true fecret of governing happily; which he had learned both from long experience and from the influence of the Spirit of God. But in whichfoever of these views we confider the text, it comes to the fame thing; and we have the true art of governing, by which a prince may render himself and his people happy, described to us by the wifdom of the divine Spirit, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord.

It is an happiness that we may juftly glory in, that these words are a proper theme for this day, the subject of which is the acceffion of our Prince to the throne. Such a defcription of the ruler's duty, produced on the like occafion, would in many places be esteemed a reproach to the prince; and could yield no fruit to the people, but a fenfe of their misfortune. Unhappy countries! where even fuch Scriptures have the found of treafon; but with us, the brighter light they are placed in, the more honour they reflect on the throne, the greater comfort and confolation on the people: for though the merit of good government be the prince's proper praise, yet the benefit of it is univerfal, and reaches even the meanest of his fubjects.

The profperity of a prince, who rules in the fear

« AnteriorContinuar »