Thirdly. I would induce you to be peculiarly thankful, that under such an exemplary monarch, and so excellent a constitution, the religion of our Lord and Saviour has been continued to us in its purity, and the free and public worship of God has been preserved and established among us. These important and infinitely momentous blessings demand our particular and grateful acknowledgments. Great Britain in these respects, seems in truth, "the tower of the flock, the strong hold of Zion," the last asylum of God's church, "unto whom it has come, even the first dominion."* In early ages, while all Europe seemed sunk under an oppressive and fatal superstition, England dared to open her Bible and profess the pure religion of a divine Saviour. In modern times, while almost all Europe is overwhelmed with infidelity, atheism and impiety, England possesses those who know and acknowledge the true God, obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and adorn that gospel by works of piety and mercy. How distinguished then are these islands of the sea! May the predictions of the prophet be verified with respect to us: "The isles shall wait for his law." "My righteousness is near my salvation is gone forth, and mine arm shall judge the people: the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust." Micah iv. 8. + Isaiah xlii. 4. Isaiah li, 5. We cannot but indulge the hope that the great Redeemer, whose name is here honoured, while, through almost all Europe, it is disgraced and denied, has preserved these kingdoms for great, noble and glorious ends. We cannot but indulge the hope, that He has spared the British isles in order to revive and spread bis holy religion. throughout this heathenish and distracted world, -that through this nation, the blood-stained banner, may ere long, be supplanted by the peaceful olive-branch, and that together with peace, the everlasting gospel of peace may be carried by the inhabitants of this island through the wasted kingdoms of the world, to heal the contentions of mankind with its salutary influence, to compose their agitated minds, and to unite their hearts in Christian concord:-In the words of the prophet, to dispose them "to beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks,"*-to bring on the happy period, when "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more;" but " the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ," "and the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously."‡ In such distracted and convulsive times as the present, when not a throne but our's stands, *Isaiah ii, 4. + Rev. xi. 15. Isaiah xxiv. 23, from the Icy sea to the burning shores of Africa, -when all Europe is fermented with war, and even part of Asia begins to burn, or rather to tremble for the battle,-when the deadly struggle appears to add kingdom to kingdom,—and to follow up victory with victory, only to increase the power and gratify the ambition of a merciless tyrant,-in such "troublous times" as these, it should afford a peculiar pleasure to every christian, that Britain is not more warmly engaged in warding off war from her shores and protecting her commerce, than in spreading "the glorious gospel of the blessed God"* into every habitable part of the globe, and translating the Scriptures into every language of the known world! The star of Messiah has already began to appear in the East, and to eclipse the crescent of Mahomet! And, to use the words of a celebrated British governor in India, by the industry of an individual the Bible has been translated into that most difficult of all languages, the Chinese, and "those mines of moral wisdom and instruction have been thrown open to the largest associated population in the known world."-Added to this, the pure gospel of Christ begins to revive and to be valued more and more in these kingdoms its power is felt in turning men from ignorance to knowledge, and from sin to holiness, 1 Tim. i. 11. See Dr. Buchanan's Sermon-"The Star in the East." Lord Minto. in opening their hands and hearts in charity,in making many of the rich the patrons of piety and philanthrophy, and many of the middling and poorer classes examples of contentment, order and religion. These considerations, my fellowcountrymen, lead us to hope that "good is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning" this land, "Thou Lord wilt ordain peace for us, for thou hast wrought all our works in us. * But let us "rejoice with trembling." We wish to see a still more general estimation by all classes, -of the gospel of Christ, as distinguished from vain philosophy and mere heathen morality. We wish to see it more known, understood and preached in its genuine purity, undebased by' fanciful refinements, and unadulterated by a lax interpretation suited to the perverse taste of the age. We wish to see it more heartily embraced, more deeply experienced, more religiously improved, and more honoured and practised in the life and conversation. We wish to see the public worship of God more regularly and statedly attended, the poor more improving the leisure of the Sabbath in learning the words of eternal life, in their Churches and in their Bibles, instead of consuming it in indolence or intemperance:and the rich employing the Sabbath in working out their salvation in the house of God, in the Isaiah xxvi, 12. closet, and in the family, instead of wasting it on the sofas of indolence, and at the tables of luxury, or profaning it by journies of pleasure or business. In a word, we wish to see our excellent esta blishment, not only esteemed as "the pillar and ground of truth,"* and the bulwark of religion in the land, but resorted to in the constant use of her institutions. We long to see her services attended by all classes, and her christian sacraments devoutly used, her doctrines uncorruptly held, and honoured by the godly lives of her members, and of Britons in general. 蘩 1. For be assured, in proportion as this is the case, we shall become either a great, an encreasing and glorious nation, or a weak, a declining, a ruined. nation. The whole history of Europe, for fifteen years past, declares with a voice which every reflecting man must hear, and ought to regard, "Them that honour Me, I will honour, but they that despise Me, shall be lightly esteemed." O that God would pour out upon us his Holy Spirit, that the nation might be humbled for its iniquities, and fly to the mercy of God through a Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. How then would his gospel be prized, how would "repentance and remission of sins through his name" be extolled, how would his salvation be admired and promoted, his name be reverenced and honoured, his worship attended, and his laws observed! * 1 Tim. iii, 15. +1 Sam, ii. 30. |