"And the

delighted in the garden of Eden: Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it." In the first ages of the World all men were shepherds, or husbandmen: Cain tilled the ground, and Abel kept the flock.

Such also was the occupation of Abraham, the father of the faithful, and of all the Patriarchs; such the delightful cares of the early days of David. For upon Saul's repeated disobedience, God called David to his throne, "as he was attending upon the sheep-folds, following the ewes that were big with young."

Brought up in rural employments, accustomed to rise with the first dawn of day, David had abundant time to contemplate the handy works of God. He saw on He saw on every side proofs of His Almighty Being, marks of His superintending Providence; he saw that "God. gave food for the cattle, and the green

herb for the use of man.”

In every succeeding Season he beheld, and gratefully enjoyed, the fruits of its produce; a produce, at that period, most abundantly bestowed upon Canaan, the land flowing with milk, and honey; "which was the glory of He gathered the first blossoms of

all lands."

VOL. I.

S

Spring; the spicy groves of Carmel breathed around their rich perfume: the sweet-scented thyme, and the myrrh, and the balm of Gilead, adorned his sheep-walks: while the cedars of Lebanon afforded their shade, impervious to the noon-tide rays.

From every hill the gentle stream descended; and he led his flock along those delicious meads, which he so frequently compares to the future happy abodes of just, and righteous, spirits of mankind.

There, in those quiet scenes, he learnt to trust in God; his mind acquired strength, and composure; far away from the tumultuous noise of crowded Cities, far removed from the careful toils of congregated men.

There, in hourly contemplation of the works of his Creator; he beheld in the lofty fircrowned mountains of Judea; in the heights of Bethlehem, famed for her sheep-folds; in the lowly valley of the brook Kedron: there he beheld His Providence, and rejoiced in the operations of His hand.

Summer ripened his harvest, and the cheerful song of the vintage crowned his Autumn ; Winter, in that fine Climate, still added blessings to his store: there did David acquire

Even

upon

health, and strength, to endure the future cares of his Throne, the many eventful vicissitudes of his advanced years. the Throne he composed many Pastoral Psalms, and songs of praise; skilfully adapting them to music for the service of the Temple, and chanting their strains to the harmonious sounds of his own inspired harp.

Such were his peaceful joys, his gratitude, his praise, for all these mercies of our God. And such be ours also: for we have, in a temperate Climate, blest with alternate heat, and cold, every thing necessary to our comforts, and our wants. What we require, now that progressive arts, encouraged in this land of freedom, have created new desires; what we require from other Nations is procured in return for our superabundant produce.

Wool, our great staple commodity; for our folds are full of sheep; is employed in manufactures eagerly purchased by all other people, wherever the British flag waves on all the Seas. Our mines, celebrated by the Phoenicians, and sailors of Tyre, who frequented Britain long before the Romans visited our shores; and who conveyed their metals to Judea, and other Countries: our

mines furnish innumerable articles of com

merce.

Our various manufactures of our own Country's productions are much esteemed in every habitable part of the Globe and in this highly favoured Country God has indeed, poured forth the abundance of His goodness. Our seas are full of fish, giving food, and employment, to thousands: and nourishing that hardy, and honest, race, who see God's wonders in the great deep; and in the day of battle man our conquering fleets.

Added to all these blessings of His hand, we live in a land of freedom, where the great Charter of our Liberties was signed more than six hundred years ago; that Charter securing to every one of us the blessings of personal security, of personal property in the fruits of our own labour. The English peasant is no longer sold with the Landlord's Estate like the live stock on his lands; as the peasantry in many other Countries are still disposed of: but here all men are subject to the Laws. Laws which bind our Patriot King, the Chief Magistrate of our extensive Empire; laws which equally bind the nobles, and the

farmers of the Soil: laws which fix the boundary line between the lands of the King, and of the poorest Cottager; and allow neither the one, nor the other, to intrude upon each other's possessions.

We are blessed with a Constitution, the envy, and the admiration of the World; upon which other Nations are framing their own, seeing that ours alone withstood repeated shocks of Revolutionary fury. We have the purest Religion upon Earth, and a service of perfect freedom; a Religion hourly taught to the poor, and ignorant, in our numerous National Schools by our Clergy, and many excellent friends to the poor, and needy.

Look upon all these blessings, my Christian friends, fellow-servants of a righteous, and merciful, God; look around upon your golden harvest, and fields smiling with plenteousness: and, oh! be grateful unto Providence.

Fathers of generations, whose hoary heads excite our respect, and veneration; how many such abundant harvests have you beheld; bear witness to the goodness of our Lord! Teach your Children, and your Children's Children, that out of a grateful heart ariseth