Such a man, the friend of all, is beloved and esteemed by all: he paffes through the various fcenes of life with fafety and refpect; if in offices of truft, he holds them by the fureft tenure, the goodwill of his fellow-fubjects:" and when, as to this world, he is no more, his name fhall be had in everlasting remembrance: and my audience will bear me witnefs, that our own nation hath, of late, afforded fome very ftriking examples of this amiable character. But, if his lot is caft in the worst of times, when he must not only quit with the comforts of life, but lofe even life itself for the fake of his God and his country; lie fhall find it in that other and better world, where God commands the bleffing, even life for evermore * Having, on a former occafiont, illuftrated this branch of the argument at greater length ;. I shall not at present infust farther on the infeparable connection between public and private happiness, with refpect to our temporal affairs : and I need fcarce fay, how much our fpiritual interefts depend on the profperity of Zion, the church of God, as being her mystical children,. and members of the fame body, who muft nëceffarily fuffer or rejoice with one another. "That the haters of Zion fhall be confound""ed and turned back; and fhall be as grafs "upon the houfe-tops, which withereth afore. "it groweth up; while they fhall profper that: Matth. x 39. Sermon preached before the Magifirates on Philip. ii. 4 "love her," is exprefsly declared in holy writ, and ftands confirmed by the teftimony of all ages. And it must be fo: for if God loves the gates of Zion, he will love them that love her; and they whom God loves, muft be happy. While they who are lukewarm and indifferent in the cause of Chrift, are represented by the facred writers as objects of the divine difpleasure ; they who are zealously affected towards his intereft, are confidered as the fpecial objects of the divine care and protection; his peculiar treasure, in whom his foul delighteth; the excellent ones of the earth, "who fhall fee the good of his chofen, rejoice "in the gladness of his nation, and glory with his inheritance ." And what fhall I fay of that happiness and felicity, which awaits fuch faithful fervants, when welcomed to the joy of their Lord? If in that day, not fo much as a cup of cold water given to one in the name of a difciple, fhall lofe its reward; how inconceivably great, how glorious muft his reward be, who, from a principle of love to God and men, hath lived and died in the fervice of God and men! For him, indeed, is fown a joyful light in the Zion that is above. And there he "fhall fhine as the brightness "of the firmament, and as the stars for ever " and ever **." Pfal. cxxix. 5. 6. cxxii. 6. ↑ Zech. xii. 3. Rev. iii. 16. 4. ** Dan. xii. 3. Thefs Thefe are only a few hints of what might have been represented, in a variety of particulars, for illuftrating the doctrinal part of our fubject. SER The Subject continued. By ALEXANDER WEBSTER, D. D. PSALM CXXXVii. 5. 6. If I forget thee, O Jerufalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerufalem above my chief joy. WE E now proceed to the practical improvement of what hath been faid in the preceding difcourfe. The diftreffed circumftances of the people and church of God, which gave rife to the moving lamentation in the verfes preceding our text, ought to infpire us with the most lively fenfe of the happiness we in this nation enjoy. The Jews were exiles from their native country, under the oppreffion of a cruel arbitrary tyrant we are the fubjects of the beft of kings, enjoying all the bleffings of British liberty. They were banished from the tabernacle, and the altar of God; to us the doors of his houfe and fanctuary are continually open. They were captives in the land of an idolatrous prince, who prohibited their folemn affemblies, and courts of judicature; but we : are are this day to meet in a judicative capacity, under the royal countenance and approbation; and have now before our eyes the moft convincing proof, with how much propriety our gracious Sovereign may be ftyled a nurfing father to this church. What grateful returns might have been expected from a people fo highly favoured! what proper improvement of fuch invaluable privileges! But alas! my brethren, how have these things been perverted to the worst of purposes! Hath not our civil liberty been abufed by the moft daring licentioufnefs, and affronted by repeated rebellions? and hath not our religious liberty been turned into an occafion of propagating atheism and infidelity? The contempt of the glorious gospel of Chrift; the neglect of divine inftitutions; the profanation of that day, facred to the honour of the Redeemer; the avowed impiety of those who have caft off all regard for God and reli`gion; the more fecret wickedness of fuch as have at beft but a form of godliness, while deftitute of its power and life; the want, among too many of the profeffed followers of Chrift, of that fympathy, that love, and mutual forbearance, which is the diftinguishing badge of his difciples; the angry debates and warm contefts, the animofities and divifions, which rend and diftract even the friends of Jefus; and in confequence of all this, the withdrawings of that divine Spirit, whose presence is the beauty, the glory, and the all of a Christian church,— are |