(for of that, fuch as it was, they had too much) but the univerfal Love of all Men: a Doctrine equally needful, though on different Accounts, for the Romans alfo. Yet he, and his great Apostle St. Paul, were fhining Examples of most affectionate Concern for their Brethren of the Houfe of Ifrael, even while they received the cruelleft Treatment from them. And, though the first Disciples were chiefly private Perfons, under one abfolute Dominion, and that, of unbelieving Magiftrates, and confequently no other political Injunctions, than those of dutiful Obedience and uniformly moral Behaviour, could with Propriety be laid upon them; yet these are inculcated with fuch Diligence, and grounded on fuch Principles in the New Teftament, that as ample a Provifion is made by them for the public Welfare as then was feasible: and whoever will seriously confider the Gospel Rules, will be far from afferting, with a late Author ", that the Love of his Country is a Virtue purely voluntary in a Christian.

If the Love of all Men be required by our Religion, the Love of thofe, whom we are most able to serve, must be understood as pe

culiarly required. If we are to feel for Strangers and Enemies, we cannot but feel more strongly for those, to whom Acquaintance and Neighbourhood, Relation and Friendship, common Laws and common Interefts, unite us. It was never from the Extensiveness of their Benevolence, but the Narrowness of it, that Men have made the Public fuffer: and therefore the truer Chriftian any one is, the truer Patriot he will ever be. And especially if the Equity of the civil Constitution, under which he lives, remarkably fecures whatever is valuable to Men at prefent; and the Purity of the Doctrines publicly taught, leads them the safest Way to eternal Bliss hereafter; he will rejoice and be thankful from the Bottom of his Soul, that the Lot is fallen unto him in fo fair a Ground: where he can fing of Mercy and Judgement, and go with the Multitude to the House of God, with the Voice of Joy and Praife.

But, though every pious Person will always confider the Happiness of his Country, as a very interesting Part of his own, yet the Degree in which he will confider it so, must greatly depend on the Relation to it, in which

c Pf. xvi. 6.

d Pf. ci. 1.

• Pf. xlii. 4.

he

he ftands. And therefore they who are diftinguished by the more important Relations, whofe Office and Bufinefs confifts in being the Minifters of God for Good, to Numbers, to Nations of their Fellow-creatures at once, they must have exalted Satisfaction in seeing the Pleasure of the Lord profper in their Hands". Every Inftance of national Felicity must warm their Breasts with fingular Confolation: above all, when they are confcious of its arifing from their own Rightnefs of Mind, and Vigilance of Conduct when they know they have deserved from the People under them that excellent Character of David: He fed them with a faithful and true Heart, and ruled them prudently with all his Power ".

II. The next Thing to be learnt from the Text is, that the Happiness, accruing to good Men from the flourishing State of their Country, is greatly increafed by the Profpect, that their own Posterity will continue to flourish with it.

The Defire of exerting our tenderest Affections, which are the conjugal and parental, and leaving Reprefentatives of ourselves behind

If. liii. 10.

f Rom. xiii. 4.

T 4

Pf. lxxviii. 73.

us,

us, to preferve our Name, inherit our Subftance, and carry on the Designs of Providence on Earth, is deeply rooted in our Frame: it hath always influenced the Conduct of Men, in Proportion as they have lived agreeably to the Simplicity of Nature: and they who have thought the abfolute Restraint of this Inclination the Way to higher Degrees of Purity and fpiritual Perfection, have entertained a Notion as evidently wrong, as the divine Constitution of Things is right. But though such Imaginations are groundless, preclude the Exercise of many Virtues, and weaken human Society yet the Indulgence of irregular Liberties, however favourably their own or common Practice may induce Perfons to think of them, produces Effects far more hurtful: overturns all good Order, deftroys the Peace of Families, introduces endlefs Confufions and Distreffes, causes most afflicting Breaches of Faith, tempts to moft execrable Barbarities, effaces gradually all moral Principles, and begets more Crimes and Sorrows, than almost any one Sin befides. The facred Inftitution of Marriage therefore is of the utmost Importance to the Innocence and the Happiness of Mankind. They who avoid it, as engaging them in Cares

and

and Troubles, diftruft the Goodness of God, who hath made every Article of proper Behaviour, on the Whole, our present Interest: and they who difcourage it, as many do grievously, though not profeffedly, by running into needless Expences and Refinements, pervert, for the Sake of Vanities and Follies, the plain Way, which Heaven hath marked out for public Strength and private Comfort.

Marriage lays the Ground-work of all thofe Kindreds and Affinities, which unite us together, by fo many engaging Ties; and from which proceed fuch numerous relative Duties, equally beneficial and delightful. Marriage allots to the several Members of the Society, distinct Parts of it for Objects of their peculiar Concern and their Affection to these animates their Zeal for the Welfare of the Whole. Their Country seems nearer akin to them, for having Perfons, whom they love as themfelves, interested in what befalls it: they ftudy its future Profperity from their Attachment to those whom they fhall leave behind them and triumph beforehand in the Profpect of Happiness to their Defcendants, when they

;

fhall