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to continue his descendants a blessing to these lands for generations to come. Intreat the LORD to impart his grace to our princes and nobles, that they may improve their greatness, wealth, and influence, to promote and adorn true religion. Pray that magistrates may be indeed "for a terror to evil doers, and for the "praise of them that do well:" that ministers of the gospel may be endowed with knowledge and wisdom, judgment and experience, boldness and faithfulness, humility and holiness, zeal and love. Did you pray more for us, we should live more holy lives, preach more powerfully, and be blessed more abundantly with extensive usefulness. Pray the LORD of the har. vest to send forth labourers into his harvest: pray for the conversion of wicked clergymen, those blind leaders of the blind: pray for the rising generation of ministers, that they may be furnished and prepared for the work and charge, that is about to devolve on them: pray for the places of education of our youth, publick and private; that men may thence come forth qualified, and disposed to serve GoD in church and state; and that the rising generation may be trained up to godliness and honesty: pray that bigotry, superstition, error, and real enthusiasm, may cease; that offences and divisions may be prevented; that all true christians may love one another with a pure heart, fervently; may adorn the gospel by exemplary lives; be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory; and strive together for the faith of the gospel. Pray for your children, relations, neighbours, benefactors, and enemies, be sure not to forget them. Pray for the spread of the gospel,

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the fall of antichrist, the calling of the Gentiles, the conversion of the Jews, and the universal prevalence of true religion. Finally, my brethren, pray for the unworthy author of this exhortation, that both by his life and doctrine he may set forth the true and lively word of God, and when death comes, may be found so doing.

5. Perhaps, at the time alluded to, you did not heartily pray, but have since been taught to pray: well then, you have double cause for thankfulness: you partake of many blessings in answer to prayer, though you never joined in seeking them by prayer. Be not then now negligent in thanksgiving, though you were in praying; and henceforth forget not to unite your requests for national mercies, with those of that army of supplicants, of divers denominations, who are indeed the bulwark of the land.

Finally-Do any continue impenitent and ungodly? I fear I shall exhort you to gratitude in vain: if you neglect prayer, I fear you will have as little heart to praise and thanksgiving, though you have abundant cause. But two hints I will leave with you: though you despise spiritual blessings, you value temporal blessings inordinately. In answer to prayer, these are continued to our land, and to you among the rest. Do not then revile and ill-treat your praying neighbours, to whom under GOD you are indebted for your share of national security. And remember, that although, through the intercession of others, you may escape temporal calamities during life: yet death will come VOL. II.

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except as in case of approbation there is additional cause for gratitude, in case of disapprobation for deeper humiliation.*

Let it then be allowed, (and who can deny it?) that this nation has been peculiarly favoured by a merciful Providence: and waving, but by no means yielding, the question concerning publick measures, I would ask such as continue dissatisfied, whether Elijah was the less bound to thank the LORD for his daily provision, because it was sent him by ravens? whether David did wrong in blessing God for seasonable deliverance from the rage of Saul, because he could not approve the conduct of the Philistines, whose sudden invasion called away his persecutor?-or whether the primitive Christians, during three hundred years under pagan emperors, generally of very bad character, and most of them persecutors, were never called on to thank the LORD for their share in publick peace, or exemption from national calamities? Alas, in how few ages and places, if this reserve be admitted, have Christians been so much as required to be thankful for national mercies! How small a tribute of praise must our gra-, cious GOD receive from his whole church in this behalf!

My brethren, we do not meet together at this time to enquire what men have been doing; but what the LORD hath done for us as a guilty nation. He hath 'not dealt with us according to our sins, neither hath 'he rewarded us after our iniquities:' but "he hath

* 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. 2. Chron. ii. 11.

"withdrawn his hand, and wrought for his name's "sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the "heathen." In prosecuting this subject, I shall,

I. Make some brief observations on the text, as illustrated by the LORD's dealings with the nation of Israel.

II. More fully consider the words as applicable to the present circumstances of this our favoured land.

1. Then, I shall make some brief observations on the text, as illustrated by the LORD's dealings with the nation of Israel.

If we carefully weigh the import of a few remarkable passages of scripture, we shall find them throw much light on the subject, and prepare the way for all our subsequent enquiries. When Israel had made and worshipped the golden calf, the LORD said to Moses, "Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax "hot against them, and that I may consume them; and "I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses be

sought the LORD his GOD, and said, Why doth thy "wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast "brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should "the Egyptians speak and say, For mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains? Turn "from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against

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thy people. Remember Abraham, and Isaac, and "Jacob, thy servants, to whom thou swarest, by thine

own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your

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seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I "have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they "shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of "the evil, which he thought to do unto his people."* On this occasion, you perceive that he "withdrew his "hand and wrought for his name's sake.”

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When the Israelites " despised the pleasant land, "and believed not the word of the LORD," He said to Moses, "I will smite them with the pestilence, and "disinherit them."--And Moses said unto the LORD "Then the Egyptians shall hear of it; for thou broughtest this people by thy might from among "them: and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this "land; for they have heard that thou, LORD, art among "this people, that thou, LORD, art seen face to face, "and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou "goest before them, by day-time in a pillar of a cloud, ⚫ and in a pillar of fire by night.-Now if thou shalt kill "all this people, as one man; then the nations which "have heard the fame of thee, will speak, saying, be"cause the LORD was not able to bring this people into "the land which he sware unto them, therefore he "hath slain them in the wilderness."+ In answer to "this supplication "the LORD again withdrew his "hand, and wrought for his name's sake, that it should "not be polluted in the sight of the heathen."

Joshua also pleaded in the same manner, when some of the people were slain by the men of Ai. "O LORD

Ex. xxxii. 9-14.

f Numb. xiv. 11-23.

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