other hand, if God were to give him up to infatuated counsels, or to blast his best endeavours, the whole body politic would suffer, from the greatest to the least. As every member of the human frame participates in the sufferings of the head, so should we all, without exception, have reason to deplore any evil which befel him on whom the destinies of the nation so essentially depend.

But to the performance of this duty we have an especial call at this time'. The illness with which his Majesty has been visited, and from which he is at this time scarcely recovered, speaks loudly to us all, and should make us extremely urgent with God in his behalf, that his valuable life may be spared to us. Call to mind how suddenly one of his royal house, in the very prime of life, and in the utmost vigour of manhood, has been snatched away; and then say, whether we have not reason to unite in unwearied supplications to the God of heaven, to restore his health, and to preserve to us a life so justly dear, so transcendently important. But further, reflect upon the state of the nation at this time what a spirit of insubordination and impiety has prevailed, and would yet shew itself in the same daring attitude that it has already assumed, if the firmness of our king, and the wisdom of the legislature, had not repressed it. We must not imagine that the rebellious disposition of those miscreants, who, for so long a time, and to so awful a degree, have agitated the nation, is changed: no: it is only waiting for an opportunity to burst forth; and, like water that has been dammed up, it would quickly deluge the whole kingdom, if only it could bear down the barriers with which its progress has been stopped. See what this same spirit of impiety and of anarchy accomplished in a neighbouring kingdom, and, if it had not been withstood by the wisdom and firmness of

r The remainder of this head can, of course, apply only to the particular occasion: but every succeeding period will supply appropriate topics to substitute in its place.

s The Duke of Kent.

our late revered monarch, would have accomplished here also! See what an horrible deed this demoniacal spirit has just perpetrated in France, in order to effect the extirpation of the royal family there'! And is not the same spirit alive in this country? Look back to the former reign: no less than three times was the life of our late gracious sovereign attempted. Yea, and our present sovereign too:his prime minister has been assassinated; the life of another of his ministers has been attempted"; the lives of many of them have been menaced; and his own life also has been sought by the hands of an assassin. Scarcely have a few weeks elapsed, since several, who were engaged in executing the laws, were either murdered, or delivered, as it were by miracle, out of the murderers' hands: and apologies have been made by those who would direct the public mind, in extenuation of these enormities. Tell me, Is there not a call on the whole people of the land to "pray for the life of the king?"

But

But I must add yet further;-We have a special obligation to pray for him. Consider the obligations which we owe to his august family! What liberty, both civil and religious, have we enjoyed, since the house of Brunswick came to the throne! No person whatever is molested, if he molest not others. why speak I of obligations to the family of our sovereign? Think what we owe to the sovereign himself, who, under God, has brought us through all the difficulties and dangers of the late conflict, and placed this nation on a pinnacle of glory, which no

The murder of the Duc de Berri.

u If this and the foregoing instance be supposed to have occurred on private, rather than public, grounds, still they shew the spirit that has existed, and yet exists, in the nation; which is the point here chiefly to be noticed.

* Little did the author think, when he sent this to the press, what weight all his observations were speedily to derive from the horrible conspiracy just brought to light. (The Cato-street conspiracy.) Surely there will not be found many in the land, who will not bless and admire that gracious God, who has so mercifully interposed to defeat it!

human being could have ventured, a few years ago, to anticipate, or even think of! See, too, the manner in which he has proceeded in suppressing the atrocities which, from the excess of our liberties, licentious blasphemers and agitators have been able to effect! Not one atom more of restraint has he imposed than was necessary for the occasion: so far has he been from wishing to stretch either his own prerogative or the rigour of the law beyond what necessity required, that there is scarcely a person in the whole nation that is not impressed with the wisdom, and moderation, and equity of the enactments which his servants have proposed and his authority has sanctioned. I say, call these things to remembrance; and then ask yourselves, Whether the praying for the life of such a king be not the least that we can do to requite the benefits that we have received from him? Surely you need not to be instructed by a heathen: you need not Darius to inform you of your duty.-To all of you then, as Christians, I would say, "Offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king."

In my text it is said, "Pray for the life of the king and his sons." Would to God I could urge upon you your duty to the same extent; or that I could say, Pray for the king and for his daughter! But it has pleased God, in his mysterious providence, to deprive us of her, who was the hope and joy of the whole nation; and of her infant offspring too, to whom we fondly looked as to the future sovereign of these realms. Still does the nation mourn, and for many years will continue to mourn, that overwhelming bereavement. In a moment when every heart was ready to leap for joy, and every tongue to utter the language of congratulation and thankfulness, the sad tidings came, and plunged the whole nation in an abyss of woe. It is not permitted us, therefore, any longer to pray for her. But this should interest us the more in behalf of all the royal family, for whom our prayers should ascend with unceasing earnestness,

that God may bless them in all their concerns, both temporal and spiritual, and render them blessings, both by their influence and example, to this whole nation.

To conclude. Let us, from the example of this heathen prince, learn how to employ our influence:He was the mightiest monarch that day upon the face of the earth: and there were in his dominions a poor and despised people, who were zealous for the honour of their God, but whose zeal in the cause of religion was misrepresented, and made a subject of complaint. But the king, so far from wishing to interfere with them in the conscientious discharge of their duty, gave them every possible encouragement, as well by pecuniary aid as by his effectual protection; thus shewing himself the father of his people, and the patron of all that was good. In like manner, whether our influence have a wider range, or be contracted within a narrower sphere, let us use it for "the God of heaven:" let us employ it to protect the oppressed, to encourage piety, and to maintain the honour of God in the world.

On the other hand, let us learn also how to improve the privileges we enjoy. No doubt the Jews felt their obligations to Darius, and acknowledged with gratitude the hand of God, who had caused them to find favour in his sight. No doubt, also, the pious among them, at least, earnestly poured forth to God their supplications in behalf of their gracious benefactor. Let us then, who enjoy such privileges, not merely through the favour of our monarch, but through the established constitution of the realm; let us, I say, abound in praises to our heavenly Benefactor, in affectionate loyalty to our earthly king, and in every work, whereby God may be glorified, and the welfare of our fellow-creatures may be advanced.

CCCCXXXV.

THE SUBSERVIENCY OF A FAITHFUL MINISTRY TO THE ERECTION OF GOD'S SPIRITUAL TEMPLE.

Ezra vi. 14. And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.

THE purposes of God, whatever difficulties may seem to obstruct the execution of them, are all accomplished in due season. The deliverance of his people from Babylon, and the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, though in themselves the most improbable events, were effected with a facility the most surprising. The heart of Cyrus was moved to give the orders that were requisite; and though the constructing of the temple was retarded by unforeseen obstacles, yet afterwards, through the exhortations of the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah, that laborious work was finished in the space of four

years.

We shall offer a few remarks upon,

I. The building of the temple through the instrumentality of the fore-mentioned prophets. Many difficulties obstructed the progress of the work

[Scarcely was the foundation laid, before an attempt was made to impede the work through the hypocrisy of pretended friends. The Samaritans offered to co-operate with the Jews in raising the intended fabric: but their design was to frustrate, rather than promote, the completion of it. And though this appears at first sight to be a strange mode of shewing hostility, yet it is indeed most common, both in political contests, and in the concerns of religion. Many will profess to desire the same objects, and will offer to concur in prosecuting them to a certain point, who, if their offers were accepted, would only defeat the ends proposed -The Jews, however, aware of the snares thus laid for them, determined to prosecute their work alonea.

That device having failed, they were assaulted by the hostility of open enemies. Complaints were made against them to the governing powers, and they were represented as plotting to regain their liberty and independence. Their former endeavours

a Ezra iv. 1-3.