560 THE RELIGTOL`S IMPROVEMENT ness to God the Ruler of the world ? And how happily are our deepest sorrows for the death of our lato king alleviated by such a view of blessings in a glorious suc- cession ? Blessings for present and future ages ! I am corne now to The last general head of my discourse, and that is a humble enquiry into the various duties that naturally arise from the present event : Most of them may be summed up under the following particulars : 1. " A proper and becoming sense of our loss." Shall so great a prince be taken away from this earth, and so valuable a blessing from our nation, without an awful and solemn sense of the hand of God ? Though he had arrived at the age of sixty-seven years, which is al- most the term of the life of man, yet the vigour of his constitution, and his healthy frame of nature, seemed to promise us several more years of protection and peace under his government : But the all -wise God hath cut off the thread of his valuable life, and disappointed our hopes. And while we stand in awe, and adore the sovel reign hand of providence, that he bath deprived us of so excellent a prince, it becomes us to pay all due honours to his memory, even though his throne be supplied with so excellent a successor. All " Israel mourned thirty days for Moses their leader in the plains ofMoab, though they had Joshua to succeed him, who was full.of the spirit of wisdom;" Deut. xxxiv. 8, 9. 2. " Such a providence as this should shake us off from our dependence on any creatures," and fix our hope more entirely on God: " He only is the king eter- nal, immortal, and invisible ;" 1 Tina. i. 17. He is the King of kings, who disposes o their breath; and their sceptre, and their dominions as he pleases ; but he reigns for ever and ever, and his kingdom stands to all genera- tions. This duty was hinted before : I add therefore, As christians, it becomes us on such occasions to remember Jesus, the Son of God, whose title also is the " Lord of lords, and the King of kings:" Into his hands are committed all the reins of government in the upper and the lower worlds." " He hath the keys of death and the grave ;" Rev. i. 18. In his hand is the life of princes : they reign but under him, and according to his pleasure. He numbers the days of their life, and 1
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