SERMON LV. &c.* The solemn and important occurrences of the last week call us to a serious notice of the hand of God in tleem: The death of our late gracious Sovereign, and the happy accession of his present Majesty, have diverted my thoughts from the subject which I lately proposed, and have deter- mined me to entertainyou'tisis day with thewords ofthe holy prophet. ISAIAH v. 12And the harpand the viol,.the tabret and pipe, and wine, are in. theirfeasts': ISnt they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the+tiperationof his hands. IN the reigns of severalof our former princes, we had a just and melancholy apprehension of popish darkness and tyranny break- ing in upon us at their death. The peaceful and regular suc- session of it protestant heir tohis Father's throne, is sucha bles- sing as hath not been known in Great Britain for a hundred years pastt It might well be expected then that it should be received with universal joy and gladness of heart. The occasion for it is proper and glorious : Nor will I censure the moderate use of a feast, and a song, and, instruments of music, to express this in- ward and'becomin , joy : Nor doththeprophet in my text forbid them as unlawful things ; but he gives it as the character of the profane part of mankind, that upon all occasions they give up themselves to sensual merriment, with an utterneglect of the pro- vidence of God. In such events as we behold thisday, the man of wisdom and piety looks all around him : He takes a religious notice of the death of a preceding prince, which makes way for the introduc- tion of his successor, and he points his eye to the hand of God in the sudden change of our rulers. The true christian assumes the language of-the prophet Daniel with a devout temper of mind, Blessed be the name of Godfor ever,for wisdom and might are his: He changelh the timesand the seasons, he removeth Icings, and he setteth up kings; Daniel ii. 21. Whereas the formalpro- fessors of christianity, or the vicious part Of the people, show their mirth by enflaming themselves with strong drink; and the R' Preached at Berry-street, June 18th, 1757, on the death of George I. and the Succession of George 11. f The last instance of this kind was when Charles the First succeeded bis father James the First, in the year 1625, and indeed this was the only one, except when Edward the Sixth came to the crown in the room of Cleary the Eighth, his fathet.
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