9 hand with me in calling to mind, that the Pro- SER M. fperity, and outward Success, of the Queen, XIX. whom we obey, is our own Prosperity and Succefs; that when we pray for Her, we pray for Ourselves That when we give Thanks for Her, we give Thanks for our own envied Happiness, in having One ftill at the Helm, who has, for many Years, fo wifely fteered between all the dangerous Rocks, that many Others have formerly split upon. And indeed, if we look around us, the State of all other Nations will engage us to acknowledge thankfully our own Happiness; whilft we enjoy by written Laws, what is truly valuable in this Life, as secure as Human Affairs can be, from the Inconveniences most to be feared in a Civil Society; and whilst the Supreme Executive Power is lodged in fuch Hands, as have made us, for a Succeffion of feveral Years, feel the kindly Influences of good Government. I need say no more. Our own daily and hourly Experience fay enough to move us to pray for the Increase of Prosperity to fuch a Government, and the long Continuance of fucha State; and especially at a Time when the Bleffings of Peace and Plenty at Home, seem to be vying with the Glory of our Arms Abroad: Moderation and Piety prefiding here; Courage and Conduct exerting themselves A broad: SERM. broad: and contending with each Other, in XIX. their Efforts, to establish our Happiness at pre fent, and to transmit it down fecure to the lateft Pofterity. May we all, therefore, in Gratitude for fuch Mercies, join our Hearts and Voices to praise the Great Difpofer of all Things for them; and to entreat the Prefervation of them! And may we all refolve, in thankful Return to our Governours, and to God himself, to lead quiet and peaceable Lives, in all Godliness and Honefty. Which God grant, &c. SER SERMON XX. Preached at the Church of St. Peter's Poor, on PSAL. cxvii. former Part of ver. I. The Lord reigneth, let the Earth rejoice. T xx. HE Sentence I have now read to You, s ER M. carries along with it a most useful Leffon; full of as much Satisfaction and Comfort, as reasonable Creatures could defire, in fuch Circumstances as Men are in, whilst they are upon this Earth. this Earth. And what it fets forth to us is plainly this, that God, who first created all Things, doth alfo order the Course of this World, as we now fee it; and ftill continues to exercise a paternal Providence over it; and to direct and govern the feveral Parts and Inhabitants of it: and that we have the greatest Reafon to rejoice that it is fo. The Lord reigneth, let the Earth rejoice. In fpeaking farther to thefe Words I propose, SERM. First, To fhew what is implied in the Afxx. firmation, The Lord reigneth; and at the fame Time, the Truth of it; and, Secondly, to give fome Reasons why the Inhabitants of the Earth, fhould rejoice because the Lord reigneth. First, I propofe to fhew what is implied in this Affirmation, The Lord reigneth: and at the fame Time, the Truth of it. And, 1. The general Meaning of it is certainly this; That a wife and powerful God prefides over the whole World; that nothing comes to pafs without his Will, his Decree, or his Permiffion; unlefs he fees fit to order it, or to fuffer it to come to pass: That he holds the Sceptre of the Univerfe; and, comprehending all Things by an infinite Knowledge, and being able to order all Things by an omnipotent Will, he doth whatever pleases him both in Heaven and Earth: That, as nothing was made without Him, fo nothing, from the firft Moment of the Creation, hath happened in all the vast Extent of the World, amongst all the Multitude of Beings in it, which he did not think fit either to bring to pass himself, or to let other Beings brings to pass. But, 2. In order to be more particular, Let us confider his Government, as it refpects the the material and irrational Part of the Crea- SER M. tion; and his Government, as it refpects the xx. intelligent and rational Part of it. 1 As to his Government with refpect to the material and irrational Part of his Creation; let us obferve, that it was He, who, after he had created every Thing, placed and fixed it in its proper Place; and all in that peculiar and admirable Order, in which we now find the Univerfe with Wonder and Astonishment. And this was one Act of Government and Empire in Him, to give Laws to all the Matter that he had put into several Forms, and allot to every Portion of it, and to every Machine, its proper Province and proper Office; within what Bounds it should abide; how far its Influence fhould reach; what fort of Motion it fhould have; with what Quickness, and with what Determination, and to what End and Purpose it should move. Thus, having collected an unconceivable Number of Particles of Light and Heat, and fixed them in one vaft Body, he may be faid to have impreffed on it a Law, tho' it was incapable of Knowledge and Perception; and commanded it to bear fuch a Relation to a certain Part of the World about it, as that the Inhabitants of it might receive Light, and Heat, and the Comforts of both, from it. And from this Time the Sun is faid figuratively to have known |