SER M. in the Seat of Mercy; the Safety of a whole NaXII. tion, and all its Concerns, weighed in the Bal

lance against Trifles; and even Popery itself painted with Truth, and Meeknefs, and Love, in its Face, as an harmless agreeable Thing, worthy to be received with the open Arms of Friendship, by Thofe, it would devour.

When these are the Methods of attacking an Adminiftration, it is a very happy Sign, that They, who make use of them, have occafion heartily to wish it much worse than They find it; and a very ftrong Argument to all Good Subjects, to wifh as heartily that their Country may never know the want of an Adminiftration, which is not reviled by its Greatest Enemies, unless it be in fuch a Manner, as to add to its Reputation and Honour.

What is it, that an Uneafy, Thankless, Generation of Men would have? Bleffed be God, the Publick Efforts of their Malice are once more diffipated. They are conquered in the Field. But their Spirits, and their Tempers, and their Defigns, do not at all. appear to be conquered: If We may judge from their Indefatigable Diligence and Art, in filling the Heads of their Well-wishers, as Soon as one Defperate Attempt is over, with Hints and Expectations of Another; and from the Unparal leled Infolence of their Agents and Followers,

even whilst they are begging and waiting for SER M. Mercy.

But this

It may be very hard, to find prefent and effectual Remedies for fo great Evils. One thing, I am fure, is very plain, and very proper to be mentioned, that, in order entirely and fuccefsfully to conquer fuch Enemies, We must first conquer Ourselves. Did all, who truly wish well to the present Establishment, unanimously pursue the Same good Ends, there would be no ground for Fear. But whilst the Paffions of Well-meaning Men, upon every Trifling and Private Occafion, join themselves with the Defigns of Thofe, who certainly mean our Ruine; it is this that fwells the Current; and that feeds the Infolence and Expectation of the Common Enemy.

But to conclude: If a long Series of Experience can make any Nation wife, We, of all Nations in the World, have that Advantage. We are not only made happy; but made happy in those Methods, which cannot but teach Us to value our Happiness; whilft, That which Others learn by Reflexion and Judgment, We have had brought home to Us, by the Senfe of Feeling, and Eye-Sight. The Enemies of our Happiness themselves, ought to learn Conviction, from All that this Nation hath been Witnefs to; and to become Friends. And for Thofe,

S 3

XII,

SERM. Thofe, who are truly Friends, in the main XII. and effential Points of our Happiness; certain

ly it is Time for all of them to think it Wifdom, to give up even their private Schemes and Notions, as well as their private Refentments and Views, to the Publick Good; and, at length, after fo many Viciffitudes of Hope and Fear, fo many Struggles between Life and Death, fo many Hazards and Dangers efcaped, to unite in ftrengthening, inftead of weakening, the Hands of Thofe, who have it in their Will, as well as in their Truft, to establish Us upon a Foundation never more to be fhaken: That' fo, the Best of Kings may have the Best of Subjects; and, Authority and Law, Obedience and Liberty, may be feen united, in all their Vigour and Glory; and defcend down, with the Bleffings which accompany them, to all Future Generations. Which God grant, for the Sake of Jefus Chrift bis only Son, our Lord!

The

The Nature and Duty of a Public Spirit.

SERMON XIII.

Preached at St. James's, Weftminster, on St.
David's Day, March 1, 1716. before the
Honourable the Stewards and Others of the
Society of Antient Britons, established in
Honour of Her Royal Highness's Birth-day,
and the Principality of Wales.

PHIL. ii. 4.

Look not every Man on his own Things: But every Man alfo on the Things of Others.

T

HERE are hardly any Words, more S ER M. common in the Mouths of Men, than XIII. a Public Spirit; a Regard to the Public; the Good of the Public; the Love of our Country; and many others of the like Sort: Which are indeed, in their Original Design, but different Expreffions for One and the Same Thing. The Great Point is, what thefe S 4 Words

SER M. Words ought truly to fignify; what Temper XIII. and Difpofition of Mind; what Practice and ~~ Conduct of Life, They ought to represent and

defign. And, as I think that the great End
of fuch Societies and Affemblies, as the pre-
fent, is to cultivate that Good Spirit of Love
and Humanity, which may diffuse itself thro'
the whole Tenor of Men's Actions; I have,
upon
this Account, thought it proper to chufe
thefe Words of St. Paul: In which He con-
demns that Vicious Selfishness which teacheth
Us to confine our Views to Ourfelves alone,
confidered as feparated from the Rest of the
World; and, at the fame Time, directs Us to
the contrary good Temper and Difpofition, of
a Diffufive Regard to All Mankind around
Us. And I chufe Them, as They will give
Us Occafion to confider, in a more general
Way, than perhaps He at that Time directly
intended, and with a particular View to Hu-
man Society, The true Foundation, Nature,
and Extent, of a Public Spirit; the Bad Dif
pofition, and Vice, oppofite to it; the Effects
in which It will fhew itself; and the Motives
there are, to the cherishing and improving it
in Ourfelves.

1. The Foundation of it is laid in that Virtuous Love of Ourselves, which is joined with the Love of Qthers, united with Us in Human

Society: