The felicity of the times. A sermon preached at Christ-Church, Cambridge, on Thursday, XI August, MDCCLXIII. Being a day of thanksgiving for the general peace. / By East Apthorp, M.A. Missionary at Cambridge. ; [Two lines from Psalms]

TO HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM SHIRLEY, ESQ GOVERNOUR of the BAHAMA ISLANDS, AND Lieutenant-General of HIS MAJESTY's Army.

SIR,

THE Public will readily concur with me, in the propriety of addressing to YOUR EXCELLENCY a Sermon on the safety, Peace, and happiness of my Country; to all which Your counsels were so mani|festly conducive, during Your patriot administration of the affairs of this government. But whatever indul|gence may be given to this discourse, on account of the subject, and of Your protection: nothing less than the authority of Your request could have induced me, to publish Sentiments intended only for a small and candid audience; and which are more expressive of an honest Love for my Country, than of the correct or instructive writer▪ I could indeed willingly resign any pretensions

in Science, for the nobler ambition, even in private life, always to act and think as becomes a good ••itizen; who, while he aims at the most expanded ••••••rity, is yet with preeminence of Love attached to his King, to the pure Establishment of the Church of England, to the free and happy constitution of his Country, to the true interest of this Continent, and to the cause of Virtue and Religion in this his native Colony.

IT is not my province to particularize the faithful services, by which, in Your public station, You have always consulted the safety and promoted the welfare of HIS MAJESTY's American dominions. Those im|portant benefits are recorded in the hearts of all who wish well to these Colonies. I therefore only con|gratulate YOUR EXCELLENCY, that Your generous labours and patriot counsels, as far as they have contributed to our present greatness, have been crowned with a felicity beyond your virtuous am|bition. Among the Statesmen and Commanders, who have been the instruments of Heaven in this great revolution; YOUR EXCELLENCY esteems that title your truest glory: and amidst the effulgence of the English Dominion, you discern its fairest lustre, to consist in the preservation and extension of pure Religion, and rational civil Freedom.

WHILE with supreme complacency you con|template the present greatness of Britain and Ame|rica: such a scene recalls to my mind that memorable period of ancient story, when on the defeat of PHILIP * 1.1 King of Macedon, and the consequent Treaty of Peace; the Roman people restored the Liberty of all the Grecian states. The narrative is so glowing and animated, that I shall give it YOUR EXCELLENCY in the words of your favourite historian.

Isthmierum statum ludicrum aderat.—Expectatione crecti, qui deinde status futurus Graeciae, quae sua for|tuna esset, non taciti solum opinabantur, sed sermoni|bus etiam ferebant. Romani ad spectaculum conse|derunt. Praeco in mediam arenam processit, et, tubà silentio facto, itá pronunciat. S. P. Q. R. et T. QUINTIUS Imp. PHILIPPO Rege Macedonibusque devictis, liberos, immunes, suis legibus esse jub••t — omnes gentes, quae sub ditione PHILIPPI Regis fuerant. Audita voce praeconis, majus gaudium fuit, quam quod uni|versum homines caperent. Vix satis credere se quisque audisse: alii alios intueri mirabundi, verut somnii vanam speciem.—Tum ab certo jam gaudio, tantus cum clamore plausus est ortus, ut facile appareret, nihil omnium bonorum gratius, quam Libertatem esse. Nec praesens omnium modo effusa laetitia est; sed per multos dies, gratis et cogitationibus et sermonibu•• re|vocata:

Esse aliquam in terris gentem, quae suâ im|pensâ, suo labore ac periculo, bella gerat pro libertate aliorum: nec hoc finitimis aut propinquae vicinitatis hominibus, aut terris continenti junctis praestet: maria trajiciat, ne quod toto orbe terrarum injustum impe|rium sit; et ubique jus, fa••, lex potentissima sint: unâ voce liberatas omnes Graeciae atque Asiae urbes: hoc spe concipere, audacis animi fuisse; ad effectum addu|cere, virtutis et fortunae ingentis.

WITH the sublime, the delightful consciousness, of having loved and served this Country; and of having laid the plan and foundation of its present felicity and extensive dominion: may YOUR EXCELLENCY enjoy, in the calm Evening of Life, the applause of good men, the favour of Your Sovereign, and the acceptance of GOD!

I am, May it please YOUR EXCELLENCY, Your most faithful and obedient Servant EAST APTHORP.

Notes

• * 1.1

  PHILIP II father of ••er••eus, the l••st of the Maced••••••n tyrant•••• d••s••ated at Cy•••••• ••ha••e by the consul FLAMINING••. ••••t. Ch••. 1 7. Vid. L••v. lib. XXXIII. 32, 33.