Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	king_n	lord_n	parliament_n	20,596	5	6.9552	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36441	A phenix, or, The Solemn League and Covenant whereunto is annexed : 1. The form and manner of His Majesties coronation in Scotland, with a sermon then preached on that occasion, by Robert Douglas of Edenburgh, II. A declaration of the Kings Majesty to all his loving subjects of the Kingdoms of Scotland, &c. in the yeare 1650, III. The great danger of covenant-breaking, &c., being the substance of a sermon preached by Edm. Calamy, the 14 of Jan., 1645, before the then Lord Mayor of the city of London, Sir Tho. Adams : together with the shieriffs [sic], aldermen, and Common-Councell of the said city : being the day of their taking the Solemn League and Covenant at Michael Basenshaw, London.	Douglas, Robert, 1594-1674.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666. Great danger of covenant-breaking.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1660-1685 : Charles II)	1662 (1662)	Wing D2034; ESTC R5271	65,771	176

necessary duty to crown the King upon all hazards and to leave the successe to God 2. It appeareth now it hath been too long delayed Delay is dangerous because of the com●●●ance of some and treachery of ●thers If it shall be delayed long it is to be feared that the m●●● part shall sit down under the sh●dow of the Bramble the destroyi●● usurpers I come to the particular han●ling of this present Text and 〈◊〉 speak from it to the present ti●● I have read the 12. and 17. v. 〈◊〉 cause of these two which meet t●gether the Crowning of a Kin● and his renewing the Covena●● Amongst many particulars whi●● may be handled from the Text shall confine my self to these fiv● 1. The Crown He put the Cro●● upon his head 2. The Testimon● He gave them the Testimony 3. T●● Anointing They Anointed hi● These three are in the 12. vers● As for that which is spoken of t●● peoples joy we shall give it a tou●● when we come to the peoples dut● The covenant between God an● the King and the people Jehoja●● made a covenant between God an● the King and the people that th● should be the Lords people 5. The Covenant between the King and the people Between the King also and the people both in the 17. verse First the Crown is put upon his Head A Crown is the most excellent badge of Royal Majesty To discourse on Crowns in a State-way I shall leave unto States-men and lay only these three before you of the Crown I. In putting on of the Crown it would be well fastened for Kings Crowns are often times tottering and this is a time wherein they totter There are two things which make Kings Crowns to totter great sins and great commotions and troubles take heed of both 1. There are many sins upon our King and his Family Sin will make the surest Crown that ever men set on to totter The sins of former Kings have made this a tottering Crown I shall not insist here seeing there hath been a solemn day of humiliation through the Land on Thursday last for the sins of the Royal Family I wish the Lord may blesse it and desire the King may be truly humbled for his own sins and the sins of his fathers house which have been great beware of putting on these sins with the Crown For if you put them on all the well-wishers to a King in the three Kingdomes will not be able to hold on the Crown and keep it from tottering yea from falling Lord take away the controversie with the Royal Family that the Crown may be fastened sure upon the Kings head without falling or tottering 2. Troubles and commotions in a Kingdome make crowns to totter A Crown at the best and in the most calme times is full of trouble which if it were well weighed by men there would not be such hunting after Crowns I read of a Great man who considering the trouble and care that accompanied a Crown said he would not take it up at his foot though he might have it for taking Now if a Crown at the best be so full of troubles what shall one think of a Crown at the worst when there are so great commotions wherein the Crown is directly aimed at Surely it must be a tottering crown at the least especially when former sins have brought on these troubles As the remedy of the former is true humiliation and turning unto God so the remedy of the latter is Psal 21.3 speaking of Davids crown Thou settest a crown of pure gold upon his head God set on Davids crown and therefore it was setled notwithstanding of many troubles Men may set on crowns and they may be thrown off again but when God setteth them on they will be fast Enemies have touched the Crown of our King and casten it off in the other Kingdome and have made it totter in this Kingdome both the King who is to be crowned and you who are to crown him should deal earnestly with God to set the Crown on the Kings head and to keep it on against all the commotions of this generation 2. A King should esteem more of the people he raigneth over than of his crown Kings use to be so taken up with their Crowns that they despise their people I would have a King following Christ the King of his people who saith of them Isa 62.3 Thou shalt be a crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadene in the hand of thy God Christ counteth his people his Crown and Diadem so should a King esteem the people of the Lord over whom he ruleth to be as his Crown and Diadem take away the people and a Crown is but an empty symbole 3. A King when he getteth his Crown on his head should think at the best it is but a fading Crown All the Crowns of Kings are but fading Crowns therefore they should have an eye upon that Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 And upon a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 that Crown and Kingdome belongeth not to Kings as Kings but unto believers and a believeing King hath this Comfort that when he hath endured a while and been tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him II. The second thing in this Solemnity is the Testimony by this is meant the Law of God so called because it testifieth of the mind and will of God It was commanded Deut. 17.18 19. when the King shall sit upon the throne of his kingdome he shall write a copy of the book of the Law and it shall be with him that he may read therein all the dayes of his life The King should have the Testimony for these three main uses 1. For his information in the way of God Deut. 17.19 This use of the Kings having the Book of the Law is expressed That he may learn to fear the Lord his God the reading of other books may do a King good for Government but no book will teach him the way of salvation but the book of God Christ biddeth search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life and they testifie of me Joh. 5.39 He is a blessed man who meditateth in the Law of the Lord Psal 1.1 2. King David was well acquainted herewith as appeareth Psal 119. Kings should be well exercised in Scripture It is reported of Alphonsus King of Aragon that he read the Bible fourteen times with glosses thereupon I recommend to the King to take some houres for reading holy Scripture It will be a good meanes to make him acquainted with Gods mind and with Christ as a Saviour 2. For this direction in government Kings read books that may learn them to govern well which I condemn not but all the books a King can read will not make him govern to please God as this book I know nothing that is good in government but a

judgement upon King and Court as appeareth this day It is to be wished that such were in the Court as David speaketh of in that Psalm Let the King see to it and resolve with David Psal 101.7 That he who worketh deceit shall not dwell within his house and he who telleth lies shall not tarry in his sight 3. Reformation in Judicatories It should be carefully seen to that Judicatories be reformed and that men fearing God and hating covetousnesse may be placed in them a King in covenant should do as Jehoshaphat did 2 Chron. 19.5 6 7. He set Judges in the land and said Take heed what you doe ye judge not for men but for the Lord who is with you in judgment wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be before you c. 4. The Reformation of the whole land the Kings eye should be upon it 2 Chron. 19.4 Jehoshaphat went out through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers Our land hath great need of reformation for there is a part of it that hath scarce ever yet found the benefit of it they are lying without the Gospel It will be a work of a covenanted King to have a care that the Gospel may be preached through the whole land care also would be taken that they who have the Gospel may live suitably thereto If a king would be a through Reformer he must reformed himself other wayes he will never lay reformation to heart To make a king a good Reformer I wish him these qualifications according to the truth and in sincerity wherewith they report Trajan the Emperour to have been indued He was 1. Devote at home 2. Couragious in War 3. Just in his Judicatories 4. Prudent in all his affairs True Piety Fortitude Justice and Prudency are notable qualifications in a Prince who would reform a kingdome and reform well 5. I come now to the fifth and last particular and that is the Covenent made between the king and the people When a king is Crowned and received by the people there is a Covenant or mutuall contract between him and them containing conditions mutually to be observed Time will not suffer to insist upon many particulars I shall only lay before you three First it is clear from this Covenant That a king hath not absolute power to do what he pleaseth he is tyed to conditions by vertue of a Covenant Secondly it is clear from this Covenant that a people are bound to obey their king in the Lord. Thirdly I shall present the king with directions for the Government of the people who are bound to obey 1. It is clear That the kings power is not absolute as kings and flattering Courtiers apprehend a kings power is a limited power by this Covenant And there is a threefold limitation of the kings power 1. In regard of subordination There is a power above his even Gods power whom he is obliged to obey and to whom he must give an account of his administration Ye heard yesterday the Text By me Kings Raign Prov. 8.15 kings have not only their Crowns from God but they must Reign according to his will which is clear from Rom. 8.13 He is called the Minister of God He is but Gods servant I need not stay upon this kings and all others will acknowledge this limitation 2. In regard of Laws a king is sworn at his coronation to rule according to the standing received Laws of the kingdom The Laws he is sworn to limit him that he cannot do against them without a sinfull breach of this Covenant between the king and the people 3. In rgard of government The totall government is not upon a king He hath Counsellors a Parliament or Estates in the Land who share in the burden of government It was never the mind of these who receive a king to rule them to lay all their government upon him to doe what he pleaseth without controlement There is no man able alone to govern all The kingdome should not lay that upon one man who may easily miscarry The Estates of the Land are bound in this contract to bear a burden with him These men who have flattered Kings to take unto them an absolute ●ower to do what they please have wronged Kings and kingdomes It ●ad been good that Kings of late had carried themselves so as this question of Kings power might never have come in debate for they have been great loosers thereby Kings are very desirous to have things spoken and written to hold up their arbitrary and unlimitted power but that way doth exceedingly wrong them There is one a learned man I confesse who hath written a book for the maintenance of the absolute power of Kings called Defensio Regia whereby he hath wronged himself in his reputation and the King in his Government As for the fact of taking away the life of the late King whatever was Gods justice in it I do agree with him to condemn it as a most unjust and horrid fact upon their part who did it But when he cometh to speak to the power of Kings in giving unto them an absolute and illimited power urging the damnahle Maxime Quod libet licet he will have a King to do what 〈◊〉 pleaseth impune and without co●trolement In this I cannot bu● dissent from him In regard of subordination some say That a King is countable to none but God Do what he will let God take order with it This leadeth Kings to Atheism let them do what they please and take God in their own hand in regard of Laws they teach nothing to Kings but Tyranny And in regard of Government they teach a King to take an arbitrary power himself to do what he pleaseth without controlement How dangerous this hath been to Kings is clear by sad experience Abuse of Power and Arbitrary Government hath been one of Gods great controversies with our kings and Predecessors God in his Justice because power hath been abused hath thrown it out of their hands And I may confidently say that Gods controversie with the kings of the Earth is for their Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government It is good for our king to learn to be wise in time and know that he receiveth this day a power to govern but a power limited by contract and these conditions he is bound by Oath to stand to Kings are deceived who think that the people are ordained for the king and not the king for the people The Scripture sheweth the contrary Romans 13.4 The king is the Minister of God for the Peopes good God will not have a king in an arbitrary way to encroach upon the possessions of Subjects Ezekiel 45.7.8 A portion is appointed for the Prince And it is said My Princes shall no more oppresse my people and the rest of the Land shall he give unto the House of Israel according to their Tribes The king hath his distinct possessions and

King may learn it out of the book of God For this cause Joshua is commanded Josh 1.8 That the book of the law shall not depart out of his mouth and he is commanded to do according to that is written therein He should not only do himself that which is written in it but do and govern his people according to that is written in it King David knew this use of the Testimony who said Psal 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight and my Counsellors The best counsels that ever a King getteth are in the book of God yea the testimonies are the best and surest Counsellors because although Kings Counsellors be never so wise and trusty yet they use not to be so free with a King as they ought but the Scripture will tell Kings very freely both their sin and their duty 3. For preservation and custody the King is Custos utriusque tabulae the keeper of both tables Not that he should take upon him to dispense the Word of God or to dispence with it But that he should preserve the Word of God and the true Religion according to the Word of God pure intire and uncorrupted within his dominions and transmit them to posterity and also be carefull to see his subjects observe both tables and to punish transgressors of the same III. The third thing in this solemnity is the anointing of the King The anointing of Kings was not absolutely necessary under the Old Testament for we read not that all the Kings of Judah and Isral were anointed The Hebrews observe that anointing of Kings was used in three cases 1. When the first of a Family was made King as Saul David 2. When there was a question for the Crown as in the case of Solomon and Adoniah 3. When there was an interruption of the lawfull succession by usurpation as in the case of Joah there is an interruption by the usurpation of Athaliah therefore he is anointed If this observation hold as it is probable then it was not absolutely necessary under the Old Testament and therefore far lesse under the New Because it may be said That in our case there is an interruption by usurpation let it be considered That the Anointing under the Old Testament was Typicall although all Kings were not Types of Christ yet the Anointing of Kings Priests and Prophets was typical of Christ and his Offices but Christ being now come all these Ceremonies cease And therefore the Anointing of Kings ought not to be used in the New Testament If it be said Anointing of Kings hath been in use among Christians not only Papists but Protestants as in the Kingdome of England and our late King was Anointed with Oyl It may be replyed they who used it under the New Testament took it from the Jews without warrant It was most in use with the Bishops of Rome who to keep Kings and Emperours subject to themselves did swear them to the Pope when they were Anointed and yet the Jewish Priests did never swear Kings to themselves as for England although the Pope was casten off yet the subjection of Kings to Bishops was still retained for they Anointed the King and sware him to the maintenance of their Prelaticall dignity They are here who were witnesses at the Coronation of the late King The Bishops behoved to perform that rite and the King behoved to be sworn to them But now by the blessing of God Popery and Prelacy are removed the Bishops as limbs of Antichrist are put to the door let the Anointing of Kings with oyl go to the door with them and let them never come in again The Anointing with materiall oyle maketh not a King the Anointed of the Lord for he is so without it He is the Anointed of the Lord who by the divine Ordinance and appointment is a King Isa 45.1 God called Cyrus his Anointed yet we read not that he was Anointed with oyl Kings are the Anointed of the Lord because by the Ordinance of the Lord their Authority is sacred and inviolable It is enough for us to have the thing though we want the Ceremony which being laid aside I will give some Observations of the thing 1. A King being the Lords Anointed should be thinking upon a better unction even that spirituall unction wherewith believers are Anointed which you have 1 Joh 2.27 The Anointing ye have received of him abideth in you And 2 Cor. 1 21. He that hath Anointed us is God who hath also sealed us This Anointing is not proper to Kings but common to believers Few Kings are so Anointed A King should strive to be a good Christian and then a good King The Anointing with Grace is better then the Anointing with oyle It is of more worth for a King to be Anointed of the Lord with Grace then to be the greatest Monarch of the world without it 2. This Anointing may put a King in mind of the gifts wherewith Kings should be indued for discharge of the Royal calling For Anointing did signifie the gifts of Office It is said of Saul when he was Anointed King As 1 Sam. 10 9. God gave him another heart And Cap. 11.6 The spirit of God came upon him it is meant of a heart for this calling and a spirit of ability for Government It should be our desire this day that our King may have a spirit for his calling as the spirit of Wisdome Fortitude Justice and other Princely indowments 3. This Anointing may put Subjects in mind of the Sacret due of the Authority of a King He should be respected as the Lords Anointed There are divers sorts of persons that are Enemies to the Authory of Kings As 1. Anabaptists who deny there should be Kings in the New Testament They will have no Kings nor civil Magistrate 2. The late Photinians who speak respectively of Kings and Magistrates but they take away from them their power and the exercise of it in the administration of Justice 3. These who rise against Kings in open Rebellion as Absolom and Sheba who said what have we to do with David the son of Jesse To your Tents O Israel 4. They who do not rebel openly yet they despise a King in their heart like the sons of Beliall 1 Sam. 10. last who said of Saul after he was Anointed King shall this man save us And they despised him and brought him no presents 1. All these meet in our present age 1. Anabaptists who are against the being of Kings are very rife you may find to your great grief a great number of them in that Army that have unjustly invaded the Land who have trampled upon the Authority of Kings 2. There are also of the second sort who are secretly Photinians in this point they allow of Kings in profession but they are against the exercise of their power in the Administration of Justice 3. A third sort in open Rebellion even all that Generation which are risen up not only against the person of the

King but Kingly Government 4. There is a fourth who professe they acknowledge a King but dispise him in their heart saying Shall this man save us I wish all had Davids tendernesse whose heart smote him when he did but cut off the lap of Sauls garment that we may be far from cutting off a lap of that just power and greatnesse which God hath allowed to the King and we have bound our selves by Covenant not to diminish I have gone through the three particulars contained in ver 12. I come to the other two in v. 17. which appertain also to this said work for our King is not only to be crowned but to renew a covenant with God and his people and to make a covenant with the people Answerable hereto there is a twofold covenant in the words one between God and the King and the people God being the one party the King and the people the other Another between the King and the people the King being the one party the people the other The covenant with God is the fourth particular propounded to be spoken of The sum of the covenant ye may find 2 King 23.3 in Josiah his renewing the covenant To walk after the Lord keep his commandments and testimonies with all thy heart and to perform the words of the covenant The renewing of the covenant was after a great defection from God and the setting up of false worship The King and the people of God bound themselves before the Lord to set up true worship and to abolish the false Scotland hath a preference in this before other Nations In time of defection they have renewed a covenant with God to reform all And because the King after a great defection in that family is to renew the covenant I shall mention some particulars from the League and Covenant 1. We are bound to maintain the true Reformed Religion in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government established in this kingdome and to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in the other two kingdoms according to the word of God and the best reformed Kirks By this Article the King is obliged not onely to maintain Religion as it is established in Scotland but also to endeavour the reformation of Religion in his other kingdoms The King should consider well when it shall please God to restore him to his Government there that he is bound to endeavour the establishment of the work of Reformation there as wel as to maintain it here According to the second article the King is bound without respect of persons to extirpate Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Scheism Prophanesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godlinesse and therefore Popery is not to be suffred in his Royall family nor within his Dominions Prelacy once pluck up by the root is not to be permitted to take root again all Heresie and Error whatsoever must be opposed by him to the utmost of his power and by the covenant the K. must be farre from tolleration of any false Religion within his Dominions 3. As the people are bound to maintain the Kings person and authority in the maintenance of the true Religion and liberties of the kingdom So the King is bound with them to maintain the rights and priviledges of the Parliament and liberties of the subjects according to the third article 4. We are bound to discover and to bring unto condign punishment all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil instruments in hindring the reformation of Religion dividing the king from the people or one of the kingdoms from another or making any faction or parties amongst them hereby the king is bound to have an eye upon such and neither allow them nor comply with them but to concur according to his power to have them censured and punished as is expressed in the fourth article I shall sum up all this That a K. entring in covenant with God should doe as the kings did of old when they entred into covenant they and their people went on in the work of Reformation as appears there vers 8. And all the people of the Lord went to the house of Baal and brake it down c. And godly Josiah when he entred in covenant made a thorow reformation There is a fourfold reformation in Scripture and contained in the League and Covenant 1. A personal Reformation 2. A Family reformation 3. A reformation of Judicatories 4. A reformation of the whole Land Kings have had their hand in all the Four and therefore I recommend them to our King 1. A personal Reformation A King should reform his own life that he may be a pattern of godlinesse to others and to this he is tied by the Covenants The godly reformers of Judah were pious and religious men A King should not follow Machiavell his counsel who requireth not that a Prince should be truly religious but saith that a shadow of it and external simulation are sufficient A divellish counsel and it is just with God to bring a King to the shadow of a Kingdom who hath but the shadow of Religion We know that dissembling Kings have been punished of God and let our King know that no King but a religious king can please God David is highly commended for godlinesse Hezekiah a man eminent for piety Josiah a young king commended for the tendernesse of his heart when he heard the law of the Lord read he was much troubled before the Lord when he heard the judgements threatned against his Fathers house and his people it is earnestly wished that our Kings heart may be tender and be truly humbled before the Lord for the sins of his Fathers house and of the land and for the many evils that are upon that Family and upon that Kingdome 2. A Family Reformation The King should reform his Family after the example of godly kings Asa when he entred in covenant spared not his Mothers Idolatry The house of our king hath been much defiled by Idolatry The king is now in covenant and to renew the covenant let the Royal Family be reformed and that it may be a religious Family wherein God will have pleasure Let it be purged not only of Idolatry but of prophanity and loosness which hath abounded in it Much hath been spoken of this matter but little hath been done in it Let the king and others who have charge in that family think it lieth upon them as a duty to purge it And if you would have a Famiy well purged and constitute take David for a pattern in the purgation and constitution of his Psalm 10. The froward heart wicked persons and slanderers he will have far from him but his eyes are upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with him Ye may extent this Reformation to the Court A prophane Court is dangerous for a king it hath been observed as a provoking sin in England which hath drawn down

Revenues from the peoples he must not oppress and do what he pleaseth there must be no Tyranny upon the Throne I desire not to speak much of this Subject Men have been very tender in medling with the power of kings yet seeing these dayes have brought forth debates concerning the power of kings it will be necessary to be clear in the matter Extremities should be shunned A king should keep within the bounds of the Covenant made with the people in the exercise of his power concerning the last I shall propound these three to your consideration 1. A king abusing his power to the overthrow of Religion Laws and Liberties which are the very fundamentalls of this contract and Covenant may be controled and opposed and if he set himself to overthrow all these by Arms then they who have power as the Estates of a Land may and ought to resist by Arms Because he doth by that opposition break the very bonds and overthrow the essentials of this contract and Covenant This may serve to justifie the proceedings of this kingdome against the late king who in an hostile way set himself to overthrow Religion Parliaments Laws and Liberties 2. Every breach of Covenant wherein a king faileth after he hath entred in Covenant doth not dissolve the bond of the Covenant Neither should Subjects lay aside a king for every breach except the breaches be such as overthrow the Fundamentals of the Covenant with the people Many examples of this may be brought from Scripture I shall give but one King Asa entered solemnly in Covenant with God and his People 2 Chron. 15. After that he falleth in gross transgressions and breaches 2 Chron. 16. He associates himself and entered in League with Benhadad king of Syria an Idolater he imprisoned Hanani the Lords Prophet who reproved him and threatned judgement against that association and at the same time he oppressed some of the people and yet for all this they neither lay aside nor count him an Hypocrite 3. Private persons should be very circumspect about that which they do in relation to the Authority of kings It is very dangerous for private men to meddle with the power of kings and the suspending of them from the exercise thereof I do ingeniously confess that I find no example of it The Prophets taught not such doctrine to their people nor the Apostles nor the reformed kirks Have ever private men Pastours or Professors given into the Estates of a Land as their judgement unto which they resolved to adhere That a king should be suspended from the exercise of his power And if we look upon those Godly Pastours who lived in king James his time of whom one may truly say more faithful men lived not in these last times For they spared not to tell the king his faults to his face Yea some of them suffered persecution for their honesty and freedom Yet we never read nor have heard that any of those godly Pastours joyned with other private men did never remonstrate to Parliament or Estate as their judgement that the king should be suspended from the exercise of his Royal power 2. It is clear from this Covenant that people should obey their King in the Lord for as the king is bound by Covenant to make use of his power to their good so are they bound to obey him in the Lord in the exercise of that power About the peoples duty to their King take these four Observations 1. That the obedience of the people is in subordination to God For the Covenant is first with God and then with the King If a King command any thing contrary to the will of God in this case Peter saith It is better to obey God then man There is a line drawn from God to the people they are lowest in the line and have Magistrates superiour and supreme above them and God above all When the King commandeth the people that which is lawful and commanded by God then he should be obeyed because he standeth in the right line under God who hath put him in his place But if he command that which is unlawful and forbidden of God in that he shall not be obeyed to do it because he is out of his line That a King is to be obeyed with this subordination is evident from Scripture take one place for all Rom. 13. at the beginning ye have both obedience urged to Superiour Powers at the ordinance of God and damnation threatned against those who resist the lawfull power It is said by some that many Ministers in Scotland will not have King Jesus but King Charles to reign Faithful men are wronged by such speeches I do not understand these men For if they think that a King and Jesus are inconsistent then they will have no King But I shall be far from entertaining such thoughts of them If they think the doing of a necessary duty for King Charles is to prefer his Interest to Christs this also is an errour Honest Ministers can very well discern between the interest of Christ and of the King I know no Ministers that setting up King Charles with prejudice to Christs in erest 3. The third particular about this Covenant resteth to be spoken of to wit some directions to the King for the right performing of his Duty whereof I shall give seven 1. A King meeting with many difficulties in doing of duty by reason of strong corruption within and many tentations without he should be careful to seek GOD by Prayer for grace to overcome these Impediments and for an understanding heart to Govern his people Solomon having in his option to ask what he would he asked an Understanding Heart to go out and in before his people knowing that the Government of a people was a very difficile work and needed more then ordinary understanding A King also hath many enemies as our King hath this day and a Praying King is a Prevailing King Asa when he had to do with a mighty enemy 2 Chron. 14. prayed fervently and prevailed Jehoshaphat was invaded with a mighty enemy 2 Chron. 20. He prayed and did prevail Hezekiah prayed against Senucherib's huge Army and prevailed 2 Chron. 32. Sir you have many difficulties and oppositions to meet with acquaint your self with Prayer be instant with GOD and he will fight for You. Prayers are not in much request at Court but a Covenanted King must bring them in request I know a King is burthened with multiplicity of affairs and will meet with many diversions But Sir you must not be diverted and take hours and set them apart for that exercise men being once acquainted with your way way will not dare to divert you Prayer to God will make your affairs easie all the day I read of a king of whom his Courtiers said He spoke oftner with God then with men If you be frequent in Prayer you may expect the blessing of the most high upon your self and your Government 2. A king