vicious propensions and inclinations and susceptible of the same sinful impressions with other men so they are in greater danger than other men of being overcome by their evil Passions and led Captive by their exorbitant Lusts and Appetites For whatsoever is peculiar to them as Kings and distinguisheth them from the Common Condition of their Subjects is a direct Temptation to Vice and Ministers both Power and Occasion for the satisfaction of their unreasonable Lusts and Passions The greatness of their Authority and the Incoercibleness of their Persons the Vastness of their Power and the Affluence of their Wealth and Riches are quick and powerful Incentives to Vice strong and vigorous Provocations to evil For all these Minister Matter and Fewel to Ambition and Pride to Malice and Revenge to Covetousness and Worldly-mindedness to all the Sins of Sensuality softness and Luxury And we may be sure that the Devil will be watching all Opportunities to press these Temptations upon them with all the force and advantage imaginable For the Devil very well knows that the Interest of his Hellish Kingdom and the success of his Malicious Designs do in an extraordinary manner depend upon the Power which he gets over Kings and Princes For Vice is never so infectious as in their Examples This gives Reputation and Authority to it This renders it bold and insolent This procures it avowed Patrons and shameless Assertors of its Cause and Interests and makes it spread and diffuse it self in every part of a Nation with a boundless and uncontrollable Licence To this I may add That it is not the least part of the Misfortune and Danger which Kings labour under that they have few Friends and many Flatterers Few that will deal plainly with them that will tell them of their Faults admonish them of their Errors or put them in mind of their Duty but many that will sooth them in their Mistakes applaud their very Vices commend their very Deformities put the brightest Colours upon their foulest Actions and turn their shame and reproach to their Glory So that these things confider'd we have great reason to say God help Poor Kings we have great reason to pity them for the Eminency of their Station and the uncontrollableness of their Power which indeed is so Necessary for us but so dangerous to themselves whâ—ch derives so many daily Blessings upon us but exposeth them to so many continual Temptations We have great reason to Pray to God for such extraordinary measures and supplies of his Grace for them as may defend them against their extraordinary Temptations and secure their Innocency and Vertue from being overcome by the Violence of their assaults and the importunity of their Sollicitations 3. Consider That Kings have more Enemies and are in more danger than other men Tho' Kings Administer their Government and manage Publick Affairs with never such an equal hand and prudent a Conduct yet it is impossible to please and content the minds of all their Subjects but still there will be some Sons of Belial some factious and seditious Spirits who either out of Envy or Ambition out of Covetousness or Revenge out of Enthusiastick Principles or false Maxims in Religion will be Plotting against their Government and Conspiring against their Persons Nay the justest the best Princes have oftentimes the most Enemies and are in greatest danger of being destroy'd by close and Treacherous Arts or by open and publick Insurrections For bad men are uneasie and restless under a just Government and impatient of those Restraints which wholsome Laws and equitable Constitutions put upon them Good Laws are against their evil Designs and therefore they are against good Kings who are the Fountains and Guardians of good Laws and out of their Princely Goodness take care to have them strictly Observ'd and Executed We have had in our Nation too great a demonstration of this sad Truth in the Accidents which befel our two last Kings of blessed Memory the first of which dyed by the hands of a bloody Violence because he would not offer Violence to the publick Laws of the Land and the Religious Dictates of his own Conscience And the other had infallibly succeeded him in the calamity of his Fate as he did in the Justice and Mercy of his Government if God by an extraordinary and Miraculous Providence had not prevented it So that Kings by the Height and Eminence of their Station are so far from being Plac'd above the reach of Mischief that they are thereby the more exposed to it and are only fairer marks for evil men to take Aim at to level and direct their Rage and Fury against them Kings in this respect are like Tall Oakes which are the most obnoxious to the Blasts of Storms and Tempests to the Strokes of Thunder and Lightning And certain it is that it would be impossible for Kings to sit safely and peaceably upon their Thrones for any considerable time if they were not in a peculiar manner the Care of Heaven and the Charge of the Divine Providence No Guards could secure no Force could protect them if God did not in a particular manner Watch over them keep them under the shadow of his Wings blast the Designs and restrain the Cruelty of their Enemies It is only God who doth and can give Salvation to Kings and delivereth David Psalm 144. 10. his servant from the peril of the Sword And how should this Consideration make us fall down upon our Knees and lift up our hearts in Prayer to God for the safety and preservation of Kings for their defence and Protection from all the evil Designs and bloody Machinations from the secret Plots and open Violence of their cruel and implacable Enemies 2. There are particular Reasons which concern our selves and which oblige us especially to Pray for Kings For 1. Consider That it is all our Interests to Pray for Kings For our Happiness and Prosperity is bound up and included in theirs and whatsoever good we do them by our Prayers or any other means we all share in the Advantage of it and the Blessing which falls upon them like the Sacred Oyle which was powr'd upon Aaron's head runs down to the very Skirts of their Garments descends upon the meanest of their Subjects who all enjoy it in some kind and in some measure or other in the excellent Effects and Fruits of their Government Civil Peace is one of the greatest Blessings of this World It is that which makes our Lives a comfort and gives rellish and sweetness to all our other injoyments But there can be no Peace without Government nor Government without Laws nor Laws without an Authority to Enact and Execute them Now this Authority is Vested in Kings tho' as to the Exercise of it it may be variously Modify'd Bounded and Limited according to the Fundamental Constitutions of several Kingdoms So that we owe all our Peace and all the Blessings which are derivable from it to Kings and
Princes It is their Conduct and Government which secures unto us our Lives our Possessions our Rights and Liberties It is that which preserves us from being devour'd by others from being destroy'd by our selves It is that which prevents and repells Hostile Invasions and descents from Abroad It is that which hinders Confusions and quells Insurrections at Home So that all our Temporal Happiness is bound up in that of the Kings we prosper and flourish with him and we all in common partake of his Felicity or his Misfortunes And therefore as it is our Interest that Kings should enjoy a long and uninterrupted Health that they should improve in Wisdom and Knowledge that they should grow in Goodness and Justice and all manner of Vertue that they should increase in Honour and Reputation and Power both at Home and Abroad so it is our Interest to Pray for all these things for them For in all this we exercise a Charity towards our selves we are but our own Benefactors and all the while are providing for our own Peace and Safety 2. Consider That we are bound in Gratitude to Pray for Kings The Benefits which we receive from their Government ought to affect us with a suitable Esteem and Value for their Persons and oblige us to all the Returns of Love and Kindness which we are capable of making The very Heathens styl'd their Governours Benefactors and look'd upon them with a Reverence and pay'd them Honours answerable to such an endearing and obliging Character And the Holy Scriptures describe describe and represent Kings under such forms of Expression as if all the good things we enjoy were the issues of their Providence the effects of their Wisdom Care and Bounty Thus David is styl'd 2 Sam 21. 17. the Light of Israel As if what the Sun is to the Material World David was the same to the Jewish State dispensing Life and Motion and Vigour to all within the Orbit of his Soveraign Authority by the quickening Rays the cherishing Influences of his Wisdom Power and Goodness And tho' this was said of David who was a good King and a man after Gods own heart yet no less is said of Zedekiah who was an Enemy to Goodness and good Men. For even he is called by the Prophet Jeremy the breath of our Nostrils Which plainly intimates that Lam. 4. 20. Kings are as necessary to the Being and Preservation of the Body Politick as Air is to that of the Body Natural And tho' bad Kings are like bad Air which Vitiates the Blood and Spirits weakens the Faculties and impaires the Strength and Firmness of the Natural Constitution yet as the Mischiefs of a bad Air are not so great and destructive as a total deprivation of it so the Miseries and Plagues of Tyranny are not so intollerably calamitous as those of Anarchy and Confusion For where there is confusion there is every evil work and when Government is once broke up then men are let loose upon one another and are at liberty to act all the Villanies and Oppressions and Barbarous Inhumanities which their Brutish Lusts and Passions can tempt them to And it is an Obvious and common Observation that more Rapin and Oppression and cruel Outrages have been Committed and more Blood has been spilt in our Late Civil Wars than ever was done in the Reign of the most Inhuman and Merciless Tyrant which sway'd a Scepter in any Place whatsoever So that Tyranny is better than no Government at all and tho' particular Persons suffer by it yet the far greater part of the Community is Oblig'd and receive such Benefits even under such an harsh and severe Administration as they could not enjoy in a state of Licentiousness and Confusion And therefore the whole Body of the People is bound in Gratitude to Pray for the safety and Preservation of the worst Kings because there are none so bad but do good to the Nation in general over which they exercise their Authority And if Subjects are Indebted to the worst of Kings how much more then to the good and Gentle to those who have an universal Good-will for their People who exercise a tender and paternal Care over them and study to preserve them in Wealth Peace and Godliness Such Princes are the greatest Blessings which Heaven can bestow upon us for they pursue the natural and proper Ends of their Authority and imploy their Power for all those useful and beneficial Purposes for which it is given them They do not Rule so much for themselves as for us and are indeed eventually as well as designedly the Ministers of God to us for good And can we ever be too much affected with the sense of their Favours and Benefits Can we ever be sufficiently Grateful for them Or can we express our Gratitude in too many hearty and affectionate Prayers to God for them Surely we cannot but look upon our selves Oblig'd to do them all the good we can who are the Authors of so much good the Dispensers of so many Blessings to us And therefore if by our Prayers we can contribute to their Interests and advantage We must needs think our selves bound in Gratitude to assist them with such a cheap such an easie way of expressing our Good-will and charity towards them 3. Consider That as Prayer is the best means we can use to make Kings wise and just and merciful and prosperous in their Government so also Prayer is the only means allow'd us by God for Redressing those Grievances and Mischiefs which at any time we may suffer from the violent abuse of their Power and the irregular Administration of their Authority For if Princes are bad Men and Oppress their Subjects against Reason and against Law we have no remedy left us but Prayers to God in whose hands are the Hearts of Kings and who can turn and dispose them as seemeth best to his Godly Wisdom They are God's Ministers and act by his Authority and therefore for his sake we must be subject to them Whatsoever Injuries they heap upon us whatsoever Violences and Persecutions we suffer under them we must not permit our Passions to rise and swell against them nor vent themselves in undutifull Language in indecent Reflections in scandalous Reproaches in Factious Complaints or Seditious Murmurings much less must we take up Arms and by Force Resist their Persons or Authority For the Apostle hath told us in express terms That we must be Subject not only for wrath but conscience Rom. 13. But all Resistance is inconsistent with Subjection for it sets us above our Prince and makes him accountable at our Tribunal Nay the same Apostle to discourage us for ever from any Rebellious Attempts and forcible Resistance has assur'd us that we cannot Resist but at the certain Peril of our immortal Souls for they that resist saith he shall receive to themselves damnation So that how distressed how afflicted soever our Condition may prove through the Arbitrary and
power and turns it into so much fruitless and insignificant wind which is spent to no manner of purpose For God is an utter and irreconcileable Enemy to all sin he cannot look upon it without infinit Abhorrence nor upon those who deliberatly practise it without a proportionable Aversation His Ears are deaf to all their Prayers and it is neither the number nor Importunity of their Addresses which can soften and render him pliant and yielding to them If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me saith David and God heareth not Sinners is a truth which the blind man in the Cospel could discern by the light and evidence of his own Reason So that if we would Pray successfully we must live Holily we must mortifie in us all vicious lusts and affections we must abstain from all manner of wilful and deliberat wickedness we must endeavour an universal and impartial Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel And then our Prayers thro' the merits of Christ will be as Incense a grateful Perfume a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to Almighty God Then all our Prayers for the King will have a blessed issue and a successful event and will return in showers of blessings upon him and upon us to the great and unspeakable Comfort of all our Lives But I must not forget to tell you that as we ought to Pray for the King so we ought to thank God for him Not only Supplications Prayers Intercessions but also giving of thanks must be made for all men for Kings and all in Authority Nothing is more natural than to be grateful to our Benefactors and he is a Benefactor to us who doth good to those whom we sincerely love and whose happiness we earnestly desire Charity which extends our regards and desires beyond our own particular interests multiplies every favour every mercy which is bestow'd upon any single individual Person into as many real kindnesses and distinct Obligations as there are men who wish and desire the Happiness of that Person And therefore if we had so much charity for the King as ardently and devoutly to Pray for his happiness we could not fail to bless God whensoever we found our Prayers answer'd in any instance of his welfare and preservation But mercies and favours which are bestow'd upon the King are not only favours to us because we have a Christian Charity and affection for him as we ought to have for every man living but they are favours to us because they enable him to derive upon us all the Blessings of a wise a just and peaceable Government For we are to consider the King as a Public Person and therefore besides that moral Union which is made by Love there is a Civil and Political Union between him and us which results from the Relation which he bears to us as supream head and Governour And upon this account every mercy which God confers upon the King is a publick mercy a mercy as universal as his Government and Coextensive with his whole Dominions It is not confin'd and limited to his Royal Person but has an influence upon the whole Community in its effects and emanations reacheth every Member of the Body Politick So that benefits and favours which God vouchsafeth to Kings and Princes are in this respect like fruitful and refreshing Showers which fall upon high and lofty Mountains and then descend and trickle down upon the Plains or Valleys beneath and impregnate them with a rare and admirable Fertility Now how great and manifold are the Mercies and Benefits which God has confer'd upon our Gracious Soveraign and therefore what strong and indispensible Obligations do we lye under to praise and adore the Divine Goodness for him How ought we to thank God for the wonderful Preservation of our King throughout the whole course of his Life for the Miraculous deliverance of him from those eminent and apparent dangers which he has been expos'd to both at Home and Abroad in his own and in Forreign Countreys at Sea and at Land in times of Peace and in times of War How ought we to thank God for his quiet and peaceable Succession to the Throne and that in despight of the extravagant fears and wild jealousies and desperat resolutions in despight of the rage and madness of the People How ought we to thank God for all those Royal and Princely Virtues which enoble his Mind adorn his Government and render his Administration so just and easie and consequently so great a blessing to his People How ought we to thank God for those fix'd and unalterable Purposes of his Mind to Govern us according to Law to preserve unto us all our Civil Rights and Spiritual Privileges And how ought we to thank God for those several and repeated Assurances which the King has given the whole Nation of those his Royal Purposes Assurances which can no more fail us than he can cease to be that just that Gracious and Generous Prince which he is How ought we to thank God for that late and intire Victory which he gave him over his Rebellious Subjects and thereby deliver'd both him and us from the worst of Enemies Enemies to our God and Holy Religion Enemies to all that can be dear and valuable to us Enemies who would have stuck at no Methods shrunk at no Villany to have destroy'd the Government both in Church and State This is a vast and incomparable mercy and loudly Proclaims to the whole World that God has a more than ordinary tenderness and care for our Gracious Soveraign and that whosoever takes up Arms against his Authority Fights against Heaven and not only breaks thro' all the moral Obligations of the Divine Will which has forbid all resistance of the Supream Power but even vainly strives against the natural force and invincible strength of the Almighty Providence So that every Rebel has all the reason in the World without true and unfeigned Repentance to expect Damnation both in this life and in that to come And can we now seriously reflect upon these various and infinit mercies which God has bestow'd upon the King and not be affected with a due and suitable sense of them Or can we be affected with such a sense and not feel our selves prompted with all the force and vigour of an ingenuous Gratitude to be thankful to God for them Or can we be truly and sincerely thankful for them and not make that due use and improvement of them for which they are intended Now what is the use which we ought to make of all these Mercies but to look upon them as so many Arguments and Motives to an Holy Life so many Encouragements to repent of those Sins which we have committed against God and to continue in that just and indispensible Allegiance which we owe our Soveraign Lord the King But how can we do this so long as we listen to every disloyal Whisper and factious Murmurings and spightful Suggestions and reproachful Insinuations which are contriv'd and propagated by disaffected and evil men to Expose His Majesties Person and Government to contempt and hatred and to dispose and prepare his Subjects for Rebellion and Insurrections And therefore let us have a care how we give countenance and credit to any Factious and groundless Stories how we admit or cherish any Popish fears and jealousies which by as great a Miracle as that of Transubstantiation converts every idle Chimaera into a Reality and every improbable fiction into a solid Truth which Robs men of their Senses and their Reason and will not suffer them to believe the plain evidence of either For is any thing more obvious to Sense than that His Majesty takes all the measures of his Government from the Direction of the Laws And is any thing more reasonable to believe than that he will never vary from his present Practise nor depart from the Publick Constitutions Have we not the highest moral Assurance of this which a breast inspir'd with sincerity Justice and Generosity can give to the World What is it then that people would have Would they be happier than God and the King can make them If not why do they not study to be quiet and do their own business Why are they not content to enjoy all the Privileges and Comforts of our holy Religion and all the Advantages and Blessings of our excellent Civil Government Why do they not discourage all seditious Talk and factious Rumours Why do they not Pray for the King and thank God for him as Christians ought to do which if we could be perswaded to do heartily and affectionatly we should be so far from lifting up an hand that we should not so much as lift up a thought against the King or his Government but should be glorious Ornaments to our holy Religion by being Illustrious Examples of Loyalty and Obedience which God make us thro' the Power of his holy Spirit for Christ Jesus's sake to whom with the Father and Holy Ghost three Persons and one God be ascribed as is most due all Might Majesty Dominion and Praise both now and for ever Amen FINIS
AN Assize Sermon Preached August 3. 1685. IN THE Cathedral Church OF St. Peter in York Before the Right Honourable Sir Edward Atkins And Sir Thomas Walcot His Majesty's JVDGES of ASSIZE for the Northern Circuit By WILLIAM STAINFORTH Residentiary Canon of YORK YORK Printed by John White for Richard Lambert at the Crown within the Minster Gates 1685. Imprimatur Leon. Welsted R mo P. D. Johan Archiepisc Ebor. à Sacris Domesticis To the Right Worshipful CHRISTOPHER TANKARD Esq High Sheriff OF THE County of York SIR IN meer Compliance with your Earnest Desires I have adventur'd to Print this plain Sermon For tho' I am sufficiently assur'd that no good Man can except against the Substance of the Discourse or the bonesty of its Design which is to promote Christian Charity and Christian Loyalty Yet I am so sensible of its Defects upon many other Accounts that nothing but the irresistible Power of your Friendship could have over-rul'd and determin'd my will to this Publication I know Sir your Over-value for the whole Composure proceeded from the perfect suitableness of its Matter to your Principles and Practices which are and alwayes have been Eminently Loyal even in the worst of Times when the Faction was bold and daring and formidable and all the several Sects of Religion were united witb the Men of no Religion in one joynt accursed Conspiracy against the Government When it was accounted a Crime to be a good Subject and all the Loyal men by as gross and foolish a Solaecism as a furious and undistinguishing Malice could be guilty of were Branded with the odious Names of Tories Arbitrary Men Popishly affected and whatsoever might expose them to a popular scorn and hatred But neither their false Pretences nor false Reasonings nor false Characters could Corrupt your Judgement nor shake your Constancy but you continued firm and immoveable in your Duty and upon all just Occasions Bore up against the Rudeness and Insolencies of the Faction with a Courage and Resolution which became you And this deservedly got you so Considerable an Interest in the Esteem of his late Majesty of blessed Memory that He judg'd the Power of so large a County as this of York could not be intrusted at so dangerous a Juncture in safer hands than your own And the faithful Discharge and vigorous Execution of your Trust has procur'd you no doubt a proportionable Value with His present Majesty And that His Majesty may never want a sufficient number of such Loyal Subjects and that others may learn to become and continue such by your excellent Example is the hearty and unfaign'd Prayer of Sir Your most Affectionat and most Humble Servant WILLIAM STAINFORTH 1 Timothy 2. 1 2. I Exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty PRAYER is a Duty which is founded not upon Mutable and Arbitrary but fix'd and unchangeable Reasons It is a Duty which results from the necessary Relation which is betwixt the Creator and the Creature and is a proper expression of that Homage and Worship which is naturally due from Man to God the Maker and Governor of the World It is a decent Confession of the weakness insufficiency and dependance of Man It is a just Acknowledgement of the Infinit Excellencies and Perfections of God such as his Power Wisdom Truth Holiness Goodness Mercy c. And therefore the Light of Nature has all along convinc'd Men of the necessity of this Duty and enforc'd its Practice and Observation upon them For no People who believ'd a God and Providence but testified this Belief by publick Adorations of the Deity and by offering up to him Prayers and Praises And as Prayer is a necessary Duty so also an inexpressible Favour an invaluable Privilege It is one of the Noblest Exercises and Divinest Imployments which a Rational Creature is capable of undertaking For Prayer is an Address an Ascent of the Soul to God It is a Talking and Discoursing with the Divine Majesty By it we have our Conversation in Heaven and maintain and keep up a friendly intercourse an humble familiarity and freedom with the Great Lord and Soveraign of the World But Prayer is not only a Favour and Privilege as it is a Mark of Honour put upon us by the Allowances and Condescentions of the Divine Goodness but as it is a sure and efficacious Means of providing for all our real and substantial Interests both as we are Men and Christians For there is such an invincible Power and Efficacy in Holy Prayer that Omnipotency it self seems not able to resist it It is represented in Scripture as if it put a Force upon the Almighty and by a pleasing and grateful Violence extorted those Blessings from him which otherwayes he would not bestow upon us And this is certain that if it be duely performed both as to the manner and matter of it it never fails of its design never meets with a disappointment but falls down in a Blessing and returns laden'd with Victory and Success For God has promis'd Success to its performance by assuring us that if we do but ask we shall receive And Matt. 7. 7. therefore that we may not be wanting and negligent in a duty so reasonable and necessary in it self so much tending to the Honour of God so much conducing to our own advantage so much subservient to the interest and welfare of all others St. Paul exhorts Timothy That first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all in Authority c. It is generally the Opinion of Interpreters that those several Words which we Translate Supplications Prayers c. have a distinct meaning and signifie the several Parts and Offices of Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Supplications denotes deprecations of Evil whether of Sin or Punishment and any sort of Calamity whatsoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Requests and Petitions for all things which are good and desirable which any way concern our welfare and happiness and which relate to this World or a better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Intercessions and Applications in the behalf of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies all manner of Praises and grateful Expressions whereby we Celebrate the Divine Goodness and Mercy for all his Favours and Benefits bestowed upon our selves and others The Words of the Text being thus Explain'd they acquaint us with all the Parts of Holy Prayer and teach us for what and for whom we ought to make our Addresses to Almighty God And from them we may make these two Observations I. We may Observe That we ought to Pray for all men II. We may Observe That in an especial manner we ought to Pray for Kings and all that are in Authority 1. We may Observe That we ought
and by Praying for all men which is the exercise and demonstration of such Good-will Lastly By Praying for all men we follow the example of our Blessed Saviour who had such an hearty and sincere Affection for Mankind that he laid down his Life for their Sins and offer'd up himself a Sacrifice of Atonement for the Transgressions of the whole World For he tasted Death for every man whether Friend or Enemy and shed his Blood for those who spilt it He endur'd all the shame and ignominy the pains and sorrows of the Cross even for those who led and fasten'd him to it and while he was under the quickest sense of the disgrace and torments of his accursed Crucifixion his love for his Enemies was so far from suffering any abatement or diminution that it broke out into the brightest Flame of Infinit Tenderness and Compassion and rose as high as Heaven in a most Ardent Prayer for Pardon and forgiveâ—ness for his very Persecutors And the same Benevolent Mind the same Charitable Spirit appear'd in a most Illustrious manner in the Primitive Christians to the wonder and amazement of the Heathen World For those early Christians liv'd that Holy Religion which they Professed and put on the Loving Nature as well as the Honourable Name of the Blessed Jesus No Injuries or Persecutions no Torments or Death could overcome their Charity but this was still invincible as their Patience this Prosper'd and Triumph'd amidst the strongest Oppositions and fiercest Provocations this held out to the last and turn'd their expiring dying Breath into Articulat Prayers for their Enemies and when they could live no longer this clos'd their Eyes and Seal'd up their Lips and went Victoriously with them into another world there to receive its utmost Complement and Perfection by being Eternally exercis'd upon the noblest the most ravishing Object God himself And if we would be Christians in truth and reality as well as in Profession this Charitable Spirit which was so eminently visible in our Blessed Saviour and his first Disciples must live in and actuate us For we cannot upon any other terms be either conformable to his Example or Obedient to his Laws And without such Conformity and such Obedience we may be any thing but Christians For if we have not the Spirit of Christ we are none of his have no Relation to no Interest in him And it is plain that Charity is the Spirit of Christ his frame and temper of mind Ay Charity as it has all mankind for its Object and as it expresseth it self in devout and affectionat Prayers for the good and welfare of all men And this is sufficient to shew that we ought to Pray for all men 2. We may Observe That we ought especially to Pray for Kings and all that are in Authority Tho' our Charity ought to reach all men and tho' we ought to express it by Praying for them yet there are peculiar Reasons why we ought to Pray for Kings above all men whatsoever And these Reasons are such as either concern Kings themselves or such as concern us First Such as concern Kings themselves For if Kings have more need of our Prayers than other men then it is plain that upon their account we ought especially to Pray for them And it will appear that they have the greatest need of the Prayers and Intercessions of others if we consider these following Particulars First Consider that the Duty and Office of a King is an arduous and difficult Imployment There are in most men an inordinat appetite after Empire and Dominion and they greedily desire to bear a Part in the Government of the World But few men consider the Difficulties of such a Province the weight and incumbrances of such a Burden For if they did but seriously consider what are the proper and Natural Ends of Government what Abilities and Excellencies are necessary to qualify a man for the due Administration of it what infinit pains and care must be undergon in the faithful discharge and execution of it such thoughts such reflections would mortifie the most aspiring Ambition allay and extinguish the most violent thirsts after Empire and make men not only contented but joyful in the state and condition of Subjects For it is an easie thing to obey there is required no great skill to understand nor much industry to perform the duties of Subjection It is the business of Governours to contrive the Rules and prescribe the Measures of Obedience which generally lye in a small compass and are deliver'd in plain terms and by a clear Publication are made known to all who are concern'd to observe them So that Subjects need not torture their Brains nor strain their understandings to find out and discover their Duties Their work is Cut out to their hands and laid before their Eyes and a tractable Nature and an humble Spirit and a peaceable mind will enable them to practise it with great ease and chearfulness But it is far otherwise with Kings and Princes who have a large Sphere to move in and an infinit variety of Particulars to attend unto which require an excellent Understanding a Solid Judgement a prudent foresight a constant Presence of mind an active Temper an unwearyed Industry a patient Spirit an upright Intention a Courageous Heart a steady Resolution to dispose and order and manage them for the publick Good for which Government is Instituted and Governours are appointed But alas It is not for me to Discourse of the Art of Government nor to enumerate all those Particular Excellencies and Qualifications which are necessary to complete and furnish out a man of Political Prudence My business is only to convince you that it is an hard thing to Govern wisely and that so many Gifts and Graces are necessary to make up and constitute a Prudent Governour as few men enjoy and God only can dispense And therefore we are under the strongest Obligations of Charity to Pray for Kings and to beseech God that he would furnish them with Abilities proportionable to the difficulties of their Employment that he would direct them by his wisdom and assist them by his Power that in all cases of Publick Concernment he would enable them to judge determin and Execute in such a manner as may best comply with the ends of Government and the Reasons of their Institution 2. Consider that Kings are exposed to more numerous and dangerous Temptations than other men Temptation is a state of Danger and Hazard and no man can be secure in such a State who is not endu'd with such a measure of Divine Grace as is proportionable to the strength and Violence of the Temptation And tho' it be true that no condition of life can boast of an exemption from the Assaults and Incursions of Temptations yet none is crowded and press'd with such Numbers and such variety of them as that of Kings and Princes As Kings are born with the same corrupt Natures subject to the same
Merciless Executions of a Tyrannical Prince we must not make use of any other Weapons against him than what God has put into our hands which are only Prayers and Tears We must no otherwayes oppose him than by desiring of God that he would convert him to the love of Truth and Justice and Mercy or at least restrain him from his Violent and Outragious Practises And this very Consideration is sufficient to convince us That we ought especially to Pray for Kings 4. Consider That by Praying for Kings we do that which in a peculiar manner is pleasing to God and agreeable to his will And therefore not to Pray at all for them or to Pray for them with a cold and lazy and unconcerned Indifference is to be negligent and Remiss in a Duty which God in an especial manner has oblig'd us unto St. Paul having exhorted Timothy to take care in the first place that this Duty be performed he enforceth his Exhortation by telling him that this is good and acceptable unto God ver 3. And we cannot but look upon it as a thing good in it self to Pray in an especial manner for Kings because it is such an Exercise of Charity such a demonstration of Gratitude and we have as much reason to believe it acceptable to God because it is good in it self because it is conformable to the Divine Will and done in obedience to God's particular and express Commandment And therefore if we would live in an humble Obedience to God and enjoy his Favour which is promis'd only on the condition of such an Obedience we must pray especially for Kings who are God's Ministers the Representatives of his Power and Authority the great Instruments of his Providence in Governing the World 1. If we ought especially to Pray for Kings then this shews how little of true Christianity how little of the Gospel-spirit and temper there is in those people who are so far from Praying for Kings that they bear a Malicious Spight an Implacable Hatred against them that Curse the King in their thoughts and wish him evil in their hearts that would rejoice at any disastrous Fate or untimely End which should befal Him If this be their Praying for the King it is a saying their Prayers backwards a sort of Devotion which those wretched Creatures are said to use who enter into Leagues and Compacts with the Devil And certain it is That such kind of Praying is an immediat Disposition the very next step to Rebellion which is as the sin of Witchcraft 2. From hence we may learn to what causes we may Ascribe the Failures and Irregularities of Princes the Mal-administration and Miscarriages of their Government Whatsoever is amiss in their Government we are apt to impute it solely to their weakness and infirmities to their Follies and Passions or to some prevailing Lust and domineering Vice in them For because the Conduct and management of Publick Affairs is in their hands we never look further for the Causes of publick miscarriages than to their very Persons from whom they immediatly proceed And thus we never Consider how much it is in our Power to make Kings better or worse and that the safety of their Persons the Holiness of their Lives the Wisdom and Justice and Prosperity of their Government do in a great measure depend upon the Charity of our Prayers the Piety and Righteousness of our Conversations For there is such a political Relation such a Civil Union between Kings and their People and their Interests are so involv'd and interwoven with one another that their respective Virtues or Vices affect each other with a mutual and reciprocal Influence and recommend each other to the Favour or Expose to the displeasure of God Almighty Thus God sometimes withdraws his Grace and Protection from a good King and suffers him to fall into Sin or Mischief for the sake of a wicked and perverse People This appears in the Instances of Holy David and that good King Josiah 2 Sam. 24. 1. 2 Kings 23. 25 And this may teach us to look at Home and to search within our own hearts for the Discovery of the Causes to which the Errors of Governours and the mischief of their Government are owing For seeing God has appointed us to Pray in an especial manner for Kings we may be sure that there is vertue and efficacy in our Prayers to enable Governours to discharge their Office and Administer publick Affairs wisely justly and Religiously and if at any time or in any Instance they do otherwise have we not reason to conclude that the fault originally is in our selves and that it so happens because we either neglect to Pray for Kings or else we do not Pray for them in such a devout affectionat and importunat manner as we ought 3. This shews the excellency of the Liturgy Publick Service of the Church of England in this point of Christian Doctrine how Evangelical in this respect it is in its Frame and Contrivance how Apostolical in its Composure and Constitution with relation to the Duty which we owe to Kings and Princes For how amply and largely has it provided for our Devotions in this instance How many Collects and Prayers does it contain for the King And how are we taught by those Collects and Prayers to Petition God for every thing which concerns our King in all his Capacities and Relations and which are any ways necessary to make him happy and prosperous as a Man as a Christian and as a King And in what significant Words and pathetick Expressions are those Prayers delivered such as are proper to inform the dullest understanding and inflame the coldest Devotions And this perhaps is one great Reason why those who are Enemies to the King are such Enemies to our Liturgy and have all along endeavour'd the Abolition of the one as well as the Destruction of the other But God be thank'd we have not so learn'd Christ as to despise his Publick Solemn Worship because it is such a friend to the Person and Authority of his Vicegerent and is so conformable to the Divine Will in such a main and important Duty of Christianity No we I hope shall value more and more the Liturgy of our Church and take all Occasions to joyn in the Publick performance of it because it is such an excellent Guide to our Devotions and teacheth us in such various and comprehensive and lively forms to Pray for our King and all in Authority under him But then withal I must crave leave to tell you that if we would have our Prayers which we either put up for our King or for our selves to succeed and Prevail for a Blessing we must take care that they be the breathings of a devout mind the issues of a pure heart and proceed from a Soul intirely resign'd and dedicated to the Service of God For all sin wilfully indulg'd vitiates and corrupts the Efficacy of Prayer disarms it of its strength and