Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	government_n	kingdom_n	3,695	5	5.8013	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39577	Honour the king a sermon preached on the solemn fast, January 30, 1672/3 : wherein the duty of subjects to their sovereign is opened and asserted, the principles and practices inconsistent therewith are directed and condemned, and the innocent vindicated from unjust censures : at Birmingham in Warwick shire at the publick meeting-place there licensed according to His Majesties gracious declaration / by Samuel Fisher, M.A., late preacher of the word at Thornton in Cheshire.	Fisher, Samuel, 1616 or 17-1681.	1673 (1673)	Wing F1059A; Wing F1052A_CANCELLED; ESTC R32432	21,867	42

but I cannot but look upon it as a heavy grievan●e for any sort of men to monopolize the style and opinion of Loyalty to themselves as if other ●en of different perswasions in some other matters must needs have forfeited their Loyalty because of this difference It hath been the sad fate of the Presbyterians to lie under this odium when men have had nothing else to charge them with to make the World believe that they wanted Loyal hearts to their Prince But if to pray for the Lords Anointed and those that are sent by him if to preach subjection to their Authority as God's ordinance if to obey and submit for conscience sake to their just and lawful commands if to pay tribute and custome to them according to Law if to endeavour to preserve to rescue to vindicate and engage for them if t● disown unjust and usurped Power and to suffer upon such an account may be accepted for a testimony these men do not will not want their Vouchers And as to the sad occasion of this days Solemnity let it offend no man if I say not to make comparisons they were not behind most if any in their cordial stren●●●●● endeavours upon the suspition of the design to have prevented that Barbarous Bloody Stroak and when it was given were as true and sad Mourners did carry as heavy hearts and moyst-eyes for the loss of their Sovereign and the sin against God as others that would fain blemish their Loyalty And blessed be God His Majesty our dread Sovereign being possessed of the truth hath honoured with His testimony when the envy of other men would have blasted their reputation Loyalty terminative is a Flower of the Crown blame us not if we be unwilling to be excluded from bearing a part in adding to those Ornaments that must Crown the Royal Brow And if any will yet question their Integrity let them shew us a fairer testimony then the R●monstrance of the Presbyterian Ministers of London sent in a Letter from them to the General and Councel of War Jan. 18. 1648. when they were upon the Trial of His Majesty in the High Court of Iustice in which they deal most plainly convincingly and very clearly though to the hazard of their lives with which they were threatned Besides their representation to the General and Councel of War they published their Vindications from the unjust Aspersions cast upon them by Malevolent Spirits let me give you one passage in their Vindication it is this We hold our selves bound in duty to God Religion the King Parliament and Kingdom to profess before God Angels and Men That we verily believe that which is so much feared to be now in agitation viz. The taking away the Life of the King in the present way of Trial to be not only not agreeable to any Word of God the Principles of the Protestant Religion never yet stained with the least drop of the Blood of a King or the fundamental constitution and Government of this Kingdom but contrary to them as also the Oathes of Allegiance the Protestation of May 5. 1641. and the Solemn League and Covenant from all or any of which Engagements we know not of any Power on Earth able to absolve u● or others 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour the KING I Shall neither look backwards nor forwards as it is usual but take the very words as they lie Honour the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be understood specifically as differing from other Governors and the chief amongst them him whom the Apostle calls Supream by way of distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut qui superemineat or supereminently 1 Pet. 2.13 or synechdochically as comprehending all others of what kind soever the rest that are subordinate being but sprigs from this root and so Calvin understands it And he thinks the Holy Ghost makes use of this name the rather to put the duty out of all question 1. Because this name and the kind of government was of all others to the People of Rome most offensive yet the Apostle urgeth it upon these scattered Jews to Honour the Rulers though Caesars yea though Heathen Caesars and the rather because they being Jews and the seed of Abraham were apt to shake off the yoke and thought much to be in subjection to any especially to Heathen Princes and Governours And therefore after he had more largely urged it before ver 13. he toucheth it again ver 17. Honour the King Vid. Calv. sup locum Honour it is comprehensive of the whole duty of Subjects to their Princes or Rulers to say the least whether the supream and most excellent amongst men in his Territories for in no other sense do we give Supremacy to any the highest among men having one above him i. e. God by whom he reigns and to whom he must give an account And in such a sen●e are the words Supream to be understood in the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance as Dr. Reynolds doth answer to Calvin and the Magdenburgh Centuriators vid. Rivet in 5. praec I say this Honour is comprehensive of all duties as we find it in the fifth Commandment where the wisdom of God which delights to express much in little coucheth all relative duties in a word Honour thy Father and Mother So here all the duties of Subjects in this Honour the King The Doctrine It is the duty of all Subjects to Honour their King I shall not at this time nor do I need to discourse of the several kinds of govern●●nt nor particularly of Kingly government nor of the nature and distinction of Subjects especially in a Monarchy where all are Subjects except the King himself that is Supream and amongst men hath none above him Subordinate Rulers though they bear some part of the government for the ea●e of the Prince and for the benefit of the People yet they are still subject to the chief Magistrate to whom from them the meanest Subject may appeal in case of mal-administration Scripture proof the fifth Commandment Exod. 20.12 Rom. 13.1 2 3 4 7. Titus 3.1 Prov. 24.21 Eccles 10.20 The opening of the duty to Honour Question What is implied in this duty to Honour Answer There are divers things implied though some make more some fewer They are such as these First Reverence and this is both inward in the heart in the high estimation of them and maintaining awful and reverential thoughts towards them 2 Sam. 14.17 and Chap. 19.27 the contrary forbidden Eccles. 10.20 And as it is inward in the heart so it ought to be outward in the expression in speech gesture action as there is occasion to express it One gives us six particulars whereof this Honour of Reverence is made up 1. Divinae ordinationis agnitio the owning of Gods Ordinance and Institution Rom. 13 1 Pet. 2.13 2. Honesta de Magistrat● existimatio an honourable esteem of the Magistrate we must look upon them as one saith tanquam Deus terrenos i. e. as

government that he may be kept from all Treasonable plots Conspiracies and Bloody attempts against his Person such as have been endeavoured or practiced against other Princes That God would lengthen out the thread of their lives grant them long and many happy dayes It hath been the ancient Vote of the People Vivat Rex Let the King live and great reason because it is threatned as a Judgment to have many Rulers i. e. to have the Seat of Government often changed by a multiplied succession of Princes whether taken away by God's hand immediately or by the violent hand of Traytors seldom is there a change of the person without some shaking of the Seat and Government it self Be earnest therefore with God ●or this as for your own lives that God would secure and preserve the life of the King for many dayes Daniel wished this for Darius when he was in the Lions Den Dan. 6.21 O King live● for ever And the Church prayeth for the King that the Name of the God of Iacob might defend him 2. Because the Kingly Office and so of other Rulers doth require high endowments special qualifications and a greater measure both of natural moral and supernatural accomplishments then is necessary for other men therefore God is to be sought earnestly to bestow all such gifts and graces upon them as may serve to accomplish them for their high and weighty employment by observing what the Scripture directs to as qualifications in Persons to be chosen to or set apart for Government or what the Scriptures do commend in such as were called to Government in the management of their places or what any have prayed for for themselves or others for them that may and should we pray for our Princes and Rulers It is an honest ambition for People to desire that their own present Governours might be equal to yea if it were the will of God might out strip the best of those that have gone before them in any Kingdom Now if you read Exod. 18.21 Deut. 1.13 15. 2 Sam. 23.3 1 Sam. 13.14 2 Sam. 22.24 1 Kings 3.6.5.9 2 Kings 22.19 In these places you may see some of the excellent qualifications that are fi● to be seated in the heart of a King viz. 1. The fear of God 2. Wisdom and ability 3. Iustice. 4. Vprightness 5. Hatred of covetousness 6. Tenderness of heart 7. Zeal for the Hou●e of God 8. Temperance 9. Love to and care of ●he People as Mo●es Make these therefore and whatsoever else you find as ● Jewel in the Crowns of Princes which hath rendr●d th●m famous and illustrious whether Meekness Mercy Magnanimity Curtesie Liberality Truth and Faithfulness in performing Promises c. the object of your Prayers and be earnest with God to enrich and enoble His Royal Majesty our King with all these excellent Graces by which he may be furnished and fitted for all the parts of His Government 3. Pray also that in the execution of His Government all things may be rightly administred according to the rule of God's Word that he may shew forth the beauty and glo●y of such rare and virtuous endowments as we have spoken of 1. That in His and Their personal carriage He may be free from all that may in the least eclipse His glory that His graces may sparkle in His conversation and His example make all others ashamed that are tainted with any thing contrary to the virtues of the Prince It 's a glorious thing for a Prince to go before His Subjects in the practice of that which is noble and praise-worthy Regis ●d exemplum c. Psal. 101.1 2 3 4. 2 Kings 20.3 It is a shame for Subjects to appear vitious when the Prince draws such fair lines in His course to be their Copies 2. That His Family may be rightly ordered in all points and therefore that He may have such and none other to serve Him as are themselves most careful to serve God It is noble for a Prince to take up Ioshuah's resolution Iosh. 24.15 and add David's to it Psal. 101.6 7. and to follow Abraham's practice 〈◊〉 ●8 18 19. and i● must need● be worthy of 〈◊〉 People 〈◊〉 pray fo● the ●rince that He may ●o so 3. In reference to the Public● we should pray to God that our Princes end Rulers may 1. Always in the first place look to the Interest of God and Religion above any of their own Interests and Concernments Psalm 132.2 3 4. Psalm 69.9 becau●e the settlement and security of theirs lieth principally in the maintenance and security of God's Right 2 Chron. 29.3 and 34.3 It cannot be expected that God should indulge them theirs if they be careless of his Property Pray 1. That by their Authority they may make the way open for the free passage of the Gospel that it may run and be glorified 2 Chron. 29.3 4. 2. Call the Ministers of the Lord and such as are to wait upon God's Altars to attend upon their Charge and be diligent in it 2 Chron. 29.4 11 25 30 31. and not to suffer any that are idle or scandalous in God's House 3. To cast out Idolatry with all the Relicks and Monuments of Idolatry that nothing remain to be a snare to the People to make them turn from God or to have an itching towards it 2 Chron. 30.14 and 31.1 4. To see whatsoever is wanting to the Worship of God which God hath appointed be restored 2 Chron. 30.1 2 3 4 5. and if any thing be crept in which is not of God's institution as Worship that it be swept out 5. That the Lord's Ministers who labour faithfully in the Word and Doctrine may be encouraged to th●ir Work by having their Portion set out for them and duly exhibited to them that they attend ●heir Work without distraction 2 Chron. 31.4 6. That care may be taken for the preserving encouraging and keeping pure the Fountains and Nurseries of Learning and Religion the Universities that from thence may still be raised up a learned and godly Ministry to officiate in God's House and to administer the Holy Things of God in all succession that there may be no room for the incroachment of Errors Heresies and False Doctrines These are things that have a special influence upon the happiness and welfare of Kings and Kingdoms and therefore God is earnestly to be sought that herein principally our Princes may approve themselves that they may have God with them and for them A pure flourishing Church doth usually make an happy and flourishing State God's promise is to honour them that honour him And on the other side the Apostacy Corruption and Degeneration of the Church hath fatally proved the Ruine and Destruction of the State beg therefore above all things that Kings and Princes may be Nursing Fathers to the Church Patrons to pure Religion 2. We should pray that our Princes and Rulers may bend themselves to look after the peace welfare prosperity establishment and good government

of the Commonwealth that all the People as much as in them lies may live in peace and lead quiet and peaceable lives under them in all godliness and honesty 2 Tim. 2.2 that every man may be encouraged to serve God and follow his particular calling for the publick good and that this may be God is to be sought unto to bless the King and Kingdom 1. With a grave wise sober religious publick-spirited Council such as may be ready to advise for the best both between the Prince and People and in all other the great Affairs of the Kingdom not such as Rehoboam's 1 Kings 12.8 9 10 11. Absalom's 2 Sam. 16.20 21 22. Abasuerus Esther 3.8 9 10. Zedekiah's Ier. 38.4 Nebuchadnezzar's Dan. 3.8 ad 13. Darius Dan. 6.6 7 8 9. had but the best of the Nobles and Elders of the Tribes 2. With learned religious and righteous Judges Justices and inferiour Magistrates seeing the execution of the Laws lies especially in the hands of these subordinate Ministers of State and for the most part such as they are that are intrusted such is the administration in their hands I● requires prayers for the King that God would incline his heart to see that his Authority be entrusted in the best hands and such as are most like to administer justice faithfully and impartially to all his Subjects men of truth and hating covetousness Exod. 18.21 Pray to God to restore Iudges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Isaiah 1.26 and 60.17 To make our Officers peace and our Exactors righteousness Ier. 7.5 6 7. and 22.3 4. It is the great happiness of a Kingdom to have judgment executed faithfully sin suppressed disco●nte●anced punished godliness sobriety justice ●ruth mercies and all good works praised and countenanced this is the end of Magistracy and therefore it should be our prayer that none may be en●rusted with power but such as will endeavour to answer the end of government and that those may answer the end that are intrusted with the power that so Iudgment may run down the streets like water and Righteousness like a mighty stream And if these Religion and Righteousness according to the just measure of them in the Word of God be established we may conclude the King's Throne and Kingdoms happiness stand upon a sure foundation Prov. 16.12 these are excellent supporrers strong pillars to bear up Dominion 3. It behoves us as a thing that may have much influence into the happiness of King and Kingdom to pray to God to bless the Royal Bed to raise up a numerous and virtuous Issue that there may never fail of the Branches of that Royal Stock to sit upon the Throne God entailed this as a blessing upon David that he should not want a man to sit upon his Throne Psalm 132.11 12. And I do not know but that with submission to God's will we may pray that our Kings and Princes may never want of their Seed to sway the Sceptres of these Kingdoms 4. It is of concernment to pray that God would bless his Majesty with loyal faithful couragious Armies that both Officers and Souldiers may be men of clean conscience and great courage and indeed it is hardly to be expected they should be of good courage if they be of debau●hed carriage and guilty conscience Iosh. 7.1 4 5 10 11. That such they may be that are intrusted with Martial Affairs whether by Sea or Land is worthy our prayers that so though Peace is to be desired in the first place and that God would bless the King and Kingdom with Peace yet seeing War in some cases is an Ordinance of God Deut. 10.1 2 3. it is not below prayers to desire if War must be that it may have a just ground be against the Enemies of God not Friends be rightly managed and happily succeeded by Gods blessing And thus we may do for a blessing upon all Counsels Negotiations Embassies which have Gods warrant for them Gods approbation of them We may and ought to pray in a special manner that God would keep the King and all Rulers from every evil way and from all evil counsels because both themselves and their Kingdoms are subject to a great deal of hazard and mischief thereby but if they do sin whether it arise from their own inclination or the provocation of evil Counsellors and who is it that lives and sins not Eccles. 7.20 1 Kings 8.40 then it is our duty to be instant with God for the pardon both of his and their sins that the guilt of them may not remain upon the Throne Lev. 4.22 23 24 25 26. We may also and ought to pray as the Church doth Psal. 20 3 4 5. that God would fulfil grant him all his righteous desires and petitions that the King may be a Iedidiah to God 2 Sam. 12.24 25. that God may singularly delight and take pleasure in his Anointed and that God may be to him his Crown and Glory Finally Let us pray to God to bless his Majesty with a numerous and great People because the glory of a King consists much in the multitude of his Subjects Prov. 14.28 and that therefore nothing may be done on either part to provoke the jealousie of God by any sweeping judgment to ●ut off and lessen the number of his Subjects as in David● time 2 S●m 24.1 10 12 13 15. but especially let us pray that he may be blessed with a loyal religious and obedient People which will be as much his honour and much more their strength then their multitude the multitude honour him with their names but the loyal and religious will serve him with their hearts and theirs will be the best service because whilest they obey their Prince they are men that rule and have power with God Hos. 11.12 I need not use Arguments to urge this duty I hope there is no man but is convinced of it and in some measure doth desire to perform it only I would perswade you to make a business of it not a complement to do it seriously to do it frequently to do it strenuously and fervently to do it feelingly and with affection as those that are with Child and do more earnestly long after all that concerns his Majesties happiness then our own I would beg of you this day as oft as you bow your knees before the eternal God for your selves to make conscience to lift up your hearts to God who hath the life and hearts of Kings in his hand for all the blessings of Heaven and Earth of this and that life that is eternal for his sacred Majesty Almost every thing be speaks this at your hand 1. The command of God 1 Tim. 2.2.2 The dignity and celsitude of his place 2 Sam. 23.3.3 The worth of his Person better then thousands of us 2 Sam. 18.3.4 Our relation to him as Subjects to their Prince Titus 3.1 Sheep to their Shepherd Isai. 44.28 Children to their Father Commandment 5.5 The