Israel. But he still lives to reign over us,— the father of his people.

Let us, therefore, in the first place, in

the words of Israel,

66 BLESS THE KING." Let us send forth our ardent supplications, that God would continue to make him a partaker of the greatest and best blessings; "that he would endue him plenteously with "heavenly gifts," and also grant him the inferior blessings (if it be his will)" in health "and wealth, long to live." And let us pray for his family, that his sons may walk in his steps; that the glory of the kingdom may be increased, (like Solomon's), and not diminished, under the reign of his suc

cessor.

In the second place, let us, after the example of the people of Israel, be thankful unto the Lord" for all the good"ness that he hath done for the king, and "for us, his people," during a long and

arduous reign. The people of Israel be lieved in the superintending providence of God; they believed in that God, "by whom

kings reign and princes decree judgment." They did not look to the king as the fountain of these mercies, or express their thanks for what he had done, but for what the Lord had done, by him the instrument, for Israel his people."

We are, therefore, this day, to take a review of the goodness that " the Lord hath "done" by and for the king, his servant, and for us, his people. We shall notice, first, the temporal or political blessings of his reign; and secondly, those spiritual and religious blessings which we have enjoyed as a Christian people.

1. Among our political blessings we must note, first, the increase of our POWER as a nation. This was an allowed subject of

thankfulness to David himself; "the esta"blishment of his throne and kingdom."

It is certainly true, that almost every year of the present reign hath added something to the strength and stability of our dominion. It hath, during the same period, been greatly increased in EXTENT. Since the æra when the present monarch ascended the throne, the domains of Britain have been nearly doubled in magnitude. We now possess an empire in the East alone, almost equal in dimensions to the continent of Europe. And, in the other divisions of the globe, our ascendancy begins to be acknowledged. Again, we have acquired the dominion of the SEA; on which, at no remote period, we maintained but an equal conflict with the other nations. Providence hath been pleased to invest this nation with that SOVEREIGNTY, for wise and important purposes, we doubt not, in the present advanced period of the world; not merely, we would

believe, for our own protection and preservation, or for the maintenance of liberty and social order, during a period of revolution in the confined scene of Europe; but to carry the principles of moral civilization and useful knowledge to the remotest nations of the earth, to bring them acquainted with each other as one family, and to impart to them ALL the inestimable blessing of divine revelation..

2. Another subject of thankfulness is the increasing OPULENCE of the kingdom. Perhaps, at no former period of the world, have the blessings of wealth and plenty been more generally, or more largely, distributed in a nation, even to the lowest members of society, than in ours at this time. We have certainly no record of such a general prosperity in the recent history of mankind. And the source of this wealth is obvious. Our commerce extends to the uttermost parts

"no speech

of the earth; there is probably "nor language," where the British name does not begin to be known; and the produce of every clime is brought to our shores. The danger, indeed, is, lest opulence should produce luxury; and, lest the products of other countries, being too much concentrated with us, should become, after long use, necessary, in a manner, to the comfort of our existence.

3. But there is a blessing of another character, and of a higher order, and that is the preservation of our POLITICAL CONSTITUTION. While we contemplate the dense clouds which envelope and darken the intellectual horizon of other nations, preparing them for that humiliating and abject servitude which threatens them, we shall consider the preservation of our civil and religious liberties as a chief theme of our thanksgiving on this day. These liberties are not only preserved to us,