י This will perhaps appear a hard Saying to fome; but it will be mollified, when we confider that there is a great Difference between our Prayers, and between our Thankf givings for Kings, as to the Extensiveness of them, and the Degree of Fervour with which we put them up. We ought to pray for all our Princes and Governors, be they good or bad, with the heartiest Zeal we can raise up ourselves to. But it is unreasonable, and in the Nature of the Thing it is impoffible, that our Thanks to God fhould be as zealous and as unreferved for a bad Prince as for a good one. In the former Cafe we can only thank God for the common Benefits of Government and civil Society, that by his Influence are continued to us; juft as we thank God for the Air we breathe in; tho' fometimes we may light into fuch an Air as is not very wholfame; but yet, as bad as it is, we could not live without it. But in all other refpects we can no otherwife thank God for a bad Prince, than we can thank him for our Misfortunes, and Afflictions, and Punishment: They are defigned for our Good, and if we make a right Ufe of them, they will prove fo; and even for this we have Reafon to return Thanks unto God. But the Cafe is infinitely different when it pleaseth God to bless a People with pious, and wife, and virtuous Princes; here our Thanks will be as enlarged and as unconfined 7 unconfined as our Prayers; but the Pleasure and Satisfaction we feel in our happy Condition, will raife us to greater Degrees of Fervency, both in the one and in the other. Can there be a greater Bleffing to a Nation (confidering how much the Fortune of the Publick, and of every private Perfon, depends upon the Qualifications of thofe that are to govern us; I fay, can there be a greater Bleffing to a Nation) than to have fuch Princes placed upon the Throne (be they Kings or Queens, or bear they what Style they will) as are not only defcended from antient Monarchs of the Kingdom, but have also been always educated amongst their own People, and trained up from their Infancy in the Knowledge of the Conftitution, and in the Profeffion of the Religion established? Such Princes as in no Time of their Life have had any Blemish cast upon them, that could taint their Reputation, even in a private Condition? Such Princes as are not only zealous Defendants and Patrons of God's Religion, and God's Church, by giving all Countenance and Encouragement, both to the Minifters and Profeffors of it, but also by their own unblameable Conversation, by their eminent Piety and Devotion, by the Examples they give in their own Perfons of Modefty, Humility, and Charity, and univerfal Goodness, do recommend this Religion and Church to all about them them? Such Princes as are careful Managers of the publick Revenue; not fquandering it away in Luxury and unneceffary Pomps, nor hoarding it up to make themselves rich, but paying out of it to every one their just Dues, and employing the reft upon the publick Service? Such Princes as are as tender and careful of their Subjects Rights, as of their own; nay, are more willing to recede from their own Prerogative, than to do a hard or unacceptable thing to their People; fo far from injuring their Subjects in any respect, that they make it their Bufinefs to oblige them all? In a word, fuch Princes as have nothing in their View, have no other Defign in the World, but to be as good, and to do as much Good as they can? A Sure fuch Princes as thefe, when God is pleased to bestow them upon a Nation, and especially when they have this Testimonyfrom their People of the Truth of this their Character, namely, that whatever Differences or Difputes may happen amongst their Subjects between themfelves, they all agree in profeffing their Love, and Honour, and Efteem of their Prince; I fay, fure fuch Princes as these must be accounted rare and uncommon Bleffings, and accordingly all their People, that have any Senfe of God's Mercies, will every Day thank God for them. VOL. IV. N As As for us of this Nation, I doubt not but we are all fo fenfible of the Happiness we enjoy under her Majefty's Government, that there is no honeft Man in the Kingdom (excepting perhaps fome few that are carried away by new Speculations in the Politicks), but doth heartily join with us on this Day, both in offering up our folemn Thanksgivings to God for placing fuch a Sovereign over us, and alfo in moft earnest and affectionate Prayers to him, that he would profper the Queen in her Concerns, that he would direct and influence all her Counfels, both publick and private, that he would heal all our Divifions, and unite the Hearts of all her Subjects, that he would give Success to her Arms by Sea and Land, that in her Days, Religion and Piety, and Righteoufnefs may more and more flourish; and, laftly, that God would blefs her with Health and long Life, even a Life fo long, that none of us here prefent may ever celebrate any other Inauguration to the Throne, than what we do at this Day. May God Almighty accept the Thanks, and hear the Prayers we now put up to him, for the Sake of our Lord Jefus Chrift. To whom with the Father, &c. SERMON SERMON VIII. MATTH. XXII. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. 35. Then one of them, which was a Lawyer, afked him a Question, tempting him, and jaying, 36. Mafter, which is the great Command- 37. Jefus faid unto him, Thou shalt, love the 40. On these two Commandments hang all the HE Pharifees and Herodians, as we find in the 15th Verse of this Chapter, had taken Counsel together how they might entrap our Saviour in his Talk, and for that End they put several enfnaring Questions to him. One N 2 was T 179 |