Religion and Public Spirit

A Valedictory Address.

—DAVID, after he had served his Generation, by the Will of GOD [or, having in his own Age served the Will of GOD,] fell on Sleep, and was laid to his Fathers, and saw Corruption.

GREAT and good Characters are often formed by Imitation: And if we would shine in any Sphere, we must propose to ourselves some illustrious Examples. Great Generals have acquited their martial Skill, by perusing the Memoirs of the ALEXANDERS and CAESARS of former Ages. And LONGINUS advises us, if we would rise to the Sublime in Writing, always to keep in View, a Homer, a Plato, a Demosthenes or a Cicero. And how shall the more amiable, tho' less glaring and renowned Character of the good, the useful, and publick-spirited Man, be formed? Nothing surely can contribute more towards it, than the imitation of some bright Example. And among all the Kings, Patriots and Prophets, whose Names are immortalized in sacred History, no Example shines with a brighter Lustre, than that of DAVID, who served his own Generation according to the Will of God, and then, as a weary Labourer, gently fell on Sleep, and sweetly rested from his generous and pious Toils.

As this is my last Address to you, my dear and worthy young Friends, who have now happily finished the Course of your Education, and are about to take Leave of this Society, in which you have been instituted for public Life, I have been very solicitous to select some Subject of Importance, to employ your Thoughts in this precious Hour, that p. 4is peculiarly adapted to you present Circumstances and future Prospects. And after anxious Inquiry, I can fix upon none, that appears to me more perti◊◊ent or useful, than the Example of DAVID; a Man characterized from the highes◊ Excellency to which human Nature can arrive, Conformity to God the Standard of 〈…〉 Perfection; A Man after God's own Heart: A Man, that without the Advantages of Birth or Education, and without the dishonest Arts of a Courtier, rose to the Height of human Grandeur, and became an ext◊◊◊◊ Blessing to the Church and his Country: A Man, in ◊◊◊om an Assemblage of exalted Characters were united, beyond all Precedent; and who shines conspicuous, thro' all Ages, in the separate Splendors of each, and the collected Splendors of all; an invincible Hero in the Field; a magnificent and good King on the Throne; a great Example of passive Loyalty under Persecution, of Fortitude and Patience under Affliction, on a Mountain, in a Cave, or a Wilderness; an evangelical Prophet, a devout and sublime Poet, e'er Home◊ 's Muse was known, and, to finish all, the Servant of God and his Generation. 'Tis this last Part of his Character, my Text delineates. 'Tis this I would propose to your Imitation, as not beyond your Reach. And indeed, in ◊◊is are summed up all the complicated Excellencies of his other Characters. He suffered, he f◊ught, he reigned, he prophecied, he sung, he performed every Thing, to serve his Generation, according to the Will of God.

p. 4The Excellency of the Example now before you, consists in two Things, PUBLICK SPIRIT and RELIGION.—Public Spirit, in serving his Generation,—and Religion, in doing this according to the Will of God, or, (as it might be translated,) serving the Will of God, in his own Generation. The Union of these two Qualities ever composes the truly good and useful Man; a proper Member of human Society; and even of the grand Community of Angels and Saints. The one includes a Temper and Conduct agreeable to our social Connections; and the other a Temper and Conduct agreeable to our Obligation to the Author of our Nature. And so inseparable are these united, that the one cannot exist, in the entire Absence of the other. Public Spirit and Benevolence without Religion, is but a warm Affection for the Subjects, to the Neglect of their Sovereign; or a Partiality p. 5for the Children, in Contempt of their Father, who is infinitely more worthy of Love. And Religion without Publick Spirit and Benevolence, is but a sullen, selfish, sour and malignant Humour for Devotion, unworthy that s◊cred Name.

For if a Man love not his Broth◊r, whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

But when these are united, they form a beautiful Symmetry; they adorn, ◊◊◊rish and perfect each other; they contain the Substance of all Obedience to the divine Law, which is summed up in the Love of God, and the Love of Man. And if you, my dear Youth, enter into the World with this Foundation of future Utility and Importance laid in your He◊r◊s, my highest Wishes will be accomplished in you; and all the little Pains we have taken in your Education, will be more than repaid. It will be a Blessing to the World, that ever you passed thro' it; an Honour to this Dome, that ever you resided in it; and an everlasting joy to yourselves, that ever you were born.—To excite and cherish such a Spirit, I can at 〈…〉 comprehensive Epitome of the History of DAVID.

—"HE 〈…〉 his Generation."—To be the Servant of the Public, was his Ambition; 〈…〉 Love to Church and State, was the 〈…〉 of his Life. His public Spirit pushed him on to engage in the most fatiguing, self-denying & d◊ng◊◊◊◊s Services; he thought nothing too hard, nothing bene◊◊◊ his Dignity, that was conducive to the publick Good. Was he King of the Thousands of Israel? This only made him the Servant of Thousands; at once increasing his Labour, and enlarging the Sphere of his Beneficence. His Royal Prerogative was but an Obligation to serve; and his Authority but a Power of doing more extensive Good. Was he an able General, and a mighty Conqueror? He fought, he conqured, not to gratify the sordid Passions of Avarice, Ambition, or private Revenge; but to deliver his Country, to guard his Subjects, to chastise and restrain the Disturbers of Mankind, and to execute publick Vengeance upon public Malefactors. Had he a fine, a sublime Imagination? And did Nature and Inspiration animate him with poetical Fire? His immortal Writings bespeak a Breast glowing with the united Fervors of both. This Accomplishment he did not prostitute to mean selfish or impious Porposes; but consecrated it p. 6to the Church. His Muse was a heavenly Seraph, teaching Mortals to celebrate the Praises of JEHOVAH in a Language above Humanity; and furnishing a divine System of Psalmody, most perfectly adapted to that Religious Dispensation under which he lived; and capable of being accommodated, by a natural and easy Variation, to the more improved State of the Gospel-Church. Could his Prophetic Eyes penetrate into Futurity, beyond the Ken of human Knowledge, and pry into "the deep Things of God?" This also was consecrated to the Service of his Generation, and not converted into Ostentation, Amusement or idle Curiosity. In short, all his Talents, natural ond supernatural, were sacred to the Church, to his Country and Mankind; thus becoming universal and distinguished Blessings.