THE Apostle in this Epistle gives Instructions to Titus, what Doctrines he should principally insist upon in Preaching to the People of Crete, amongst whom, there were some Unruly, 1.10. Men that were Wilful and Obstinate in their own way, who would not submit to Peace and Order. Others were [Page 2]Vain Talkers and Deceivers, who vented their own Idle Fancies, with such Sly Insinuations, that they Corrupted others into the Belief of them. By their False but Plau­sible Pretences, they Seduced whole Families into their Pernicious Opinions, Ver. 11. when their Real Design was their own Advantage. Others were Notorious Liars, such as would affirm a Falshood with the same Confidence as an Honest Man would assert a Truth, or to give it a more Advantageous Grace, paint it over with a Coun­terfeit Modesty, a Studied Gravity, and Affected Seri­ousness. Others were Contentious and Troublesom, who regarded more the Malice and Cunning of their Words and Actions, than the Justice and Morality of them, were perpetually busie in sowing the Seeds of Discord, possessing Men with Unjust Prejudices, and hatching some Mischief or other against their more In­nocent and Quieter Neighbours. Some were Factious and Seditious, always complaining against the Govern­ment, and what they did in Obedience to it seem'd to be against their Wills, with Wrath or Grudging, or some evident Mark of Ill-will and Discontent. Which Undi­tiful Carriage made them justly looked upon as Enemies to the Government, whereby they brought a Scandal upon the Christian Religion, and sometimes Persecution upon the Best Christians. By reason of their Pernicious Ways, 2 Pet. 2.2.the Way of Truth was evil-spoken of.

Now to take off the Dishonour, which these Men's Ill Practices had brought upon Christianity, and to save the good Christians from Suffering by their Provoca­tions and Immoralities, the Apostle thought it necessary. their Mouths should be stopt, Tit. 1.11.that they should be rebuked [Page 3]sharply,Ver. 13.and with all Authority, that they might either be Reformed, or Disabled from doing any more Mischief. And there was good Reason for it, for they were indeed Hypocrites, who Practic'd upon the Weak and the Cre­dulous, by pretending they knew more of God and his Religion than other Men, but yet their Actions were contrary to true Piety, for altho' in Words they profest that they knew God, 1.16.in Works they deny'd him, being abomi­nable and disobedient.

And to let the World see, that Christianity was Ca­lumniated, when represented as an Enemy to Civil Go­vernment; for the Best Christians were the Best Friends of it, the most Peaceable, Quiet and Obedient, and Taught so to be by the Principles of their Religion, he enjoins Titus the Metropolitan of Crete, to put the Chri­stians under his Care and Charge, in mind to be Subject to Principalities and Powers, to Obey Magistrates.

'Tis imply'd, they knew this to be their Duty before, but to ground them the more firmly in it, engage them the more strictly to the practice of it, and thereby to baffle the Objections of their Enemies, St. Paul thought it necessary, that they should be put in mind of this consi­derable part of the Christian Religion, that none might plead Ignorance or Forgetfulness, or be able to make any Pretence to Excuse the Non-performance of it.

Now, in Compliance with this Apostolical Precept, which gives a Commission to all Ministers, to inculcate the same Doctrine for the same good Purposes, I intreat your Patience and Attention, while I put you in mind of these Three Things.

[Page 4] I. Of the Necessity of Government.

II. Of the Necessity of Governours.

III. Of our Duty of Subjection and Obedience to them.

The two first being imply'd, and the last plainly con­tain'd in the words of the Text.

I. The Necessity of Government is Confirm'd by the Practice of all Nations, the Barbarous and the Infidel, as well as the Civiliz'd and the Christian, have all used the same Means of Common Safety. Several indeed un­der different Forms of Government, but all have con­sented in the Necessity of some. Herein all Countreys of different Climates, and contrary Tempers, Dispositions and Complexions jointly agree.

Whence we may conclude, Government as Natural as Self-preservation, and the same God, that planted the one in the Minds of Men, appointed the other, who sup­poses Humane Laws to make Property, before the Eighth Commandment is capable of being broken.

Now Government is made Necessary, because of the Errours of Men, which proceed from Ignorance and Vice.

1. From Ignorance. Although Men least complain of want of Knowledge, of any one thing, yet 'tis certain, the want of it has made many to be the Authors of great Confusion and Disorder in the World. Ignorance is the Blindness of the Understanding, and none are more in [Page 5]danger to mistake their way, than they who walk in the dark. And then if a Zeal be joined with Ignorance, as commonly it is, then it is a Zeal without Knowledge indeed, i. e. an Ignorant Zeal, or a Zealous Ignorance, which has driven Men on to commit the greatest Sins, under the pretence of doing well. This irritated the Jews to Hate and Despise, to Slander and Blaspheme, to Accuse and Crucifie our Blessed Saviour; for thro' Ig­norance they did it,Acts 3.17.as did also their Rulers. This in­raged them to Kill his Disciples, Joh. 16.3. and yet misled them to think they did God Service in doing so. This made St. Paul, before his Conversion, to be exceeding­ly Mad against Good Men, to Persecute them even to the Death, and yet to think he did well in it. But when he better understood himself, he confest he did these ill things ign [...]rantly in Ʋnbelief. 1 Tim. 1.13. This has kin­dled the Flames of many Cruel Persecutions, and caus'd many Uncharitable Divisions in the Christian Church. This has rais'd many dreadful Convulsions in the State, and by Riots, Tumults and Insurrections, has Threatned, and sometimes Effected the Ruin of Flourishing Kingdoms.

We have heard that Forty Men have been inraged to make War against a Mighty Nation, in full Peace, in the midst of its Principal City: And we have no Security, but an Ignorant, Furious, Enthusiastick Zeal, may animate greater Numbers, to attempt the like, or worse Mischiefs.

It is reasonable indeed that Ignorant People should be Modest, willing to hearken to good Instructions, [Page 6]and ready to follow the Directions of their Superiors: But on the contrary, a Zealous Ignorance, which is usually accompanied with Opinionativeness and Bigo­try, Partiality and Self-conceit, Pride and Prejudice, makes Men Bold above measure, and Self-will'd above the Power of Conviction; and 'tis almost certain, that those, who are acted by it, are very bad Men, and know it not, and do many ill things, and fancy they do well. Altho' the Rule of their Duty is plain and obvious, yet there is such a false Byass, such an obscurity in their Understanding, that they see it not. And as Error in Judgment produces Mischief in Pra­ctice, they think themselves Obliged to do Evil. Now there is no Cure for such an Ignorance as this, like Laws and Punishments, for many who have not Wis­dom enough to know their Duty, have Wit enough to fear the Punishment for the Transgression of it.

2. From Vice. Many, who know their Duty well enough, have not a Will to do it. Murderers, Thieves, Robbers upon the Highway, and other Criminals of the first Magnitude, dread Courts of Justice, being a­ble to read their own Doom, when brought before Up­right Judges and Honest Juries.

And other Malefactors, over-rul'd perhaps by Self­love, or Fear, or greater Cunning, who decline these Desperate Courses, and chuse to practice their Villa­nous Projects in as Morally a wicked, but as they think a safer way, by Fraud and Falshood, Injustice and Oppression, Forgery and Perjury, they all know [Page 7]the Shame and Punishment due to their Crimes, as appears by their Denials, and the Shifting, Deceitful Arts they use for the Concealment of them. And yet Bad Men will be guilty of these Crimes, by the In­stigation of the Devil, and the prevailing Vices of their Corrupt Nature. Their Wills are stronger than their Reason, and their Irregular Passions so much more powerful than their Consciences, that they will do such things, as in their Judgment, in their Sober Intervals, they Blame and Condemn themselves for. And if so great Crimes be committed in a Christian Countrey, under a Regular Government, notwith­standing so many Suffering Examples, and the standing Terrours of the Law, against the Desperately Violent, and Cunningly Dishonest part of Mankind, what could we expect but the Abomination of Desolation in every Corner of the Countrey, were Criminals suffer'd to Riot, at the Expence of other Men's Lives and For­tunes, with Impunity?

Altho' we all have this Security, that none can do us Injury, without venturing the Damnation of their own Souls, yet so great is the Wickedness of some Men, as makes Temporal Laws necessary, to affect them with the Fear of more present, more dreadful Punishments, than they think the Eternal Torments of Hell to be.

II. As there is a Necessity of Government, so there is the same Necessity of Governours, for by Principa­lities and Powers, are signify'd the Persons, who have the Power of Governing, and the Word Magistrates, [Page 8]which is not exprest in the Original, is added in our Translation, probably by way of Explanation of the former.

1. There is a Necessity of Supream Governours, to Exercise Acts of Soveraignty, viz. to make Laws for the Publick Good and Order of a Nation; to mode­rate the Rigorous Execution of them, when 'tis likely to prove more Prejudicial than Beneficial to the P [...]b­lick; in this sense, that is doubtless a good Maxim Salus populi suprema lex eslo; and to Repeal them, when upon change of Circumstances, and unforeseen Inconveniences, which no Humane Wisdom can pro­vide against, the Publick Benefit requires it: To have the Power of making War, whether Defensive or Of­fensive, for Reparation of National Wrongs, and to Secure their Dominions from the Dangerous Greatness of False and Faithelss Neighbours: And to make Peace upon the Offer or Acceptance of Just and Honour­able Terms; to Send and Receive Ambassadors; for the Securing a Good Understanding with Forreign Princes and States, and a Mutual Intercourse of good Offices with their Subjects; to Appoint the Value, Weight and Stamp of the Coin, to supply the Oc­casions of Trade and Commerce; to Confer Honours, as Rewards for, and Encouragements of Generous Minds to, Worthy Actions, and Noble Enterprizes; to Receive the Last Appeal, that the Course of Ju­stice may not run infinitely a Circle, from one Supe­rior to another without End; and to Appoint Mini­sters of State, Great Officers, Judges and Magistrates, such as St. Peter tells us, are Sent or Commissioned by [Page 9]the King for the Punishment of Evil-doers, and the Praise of them that do well.

2. There is a Necessity of Subordinate Governours and Magistrates, to Administer Justice in their Re­spective Places and Stations, according to Jethro's Ad­vice to Moses, Exod. 18.21, 22. for the Ease of the Prince, in bearing part of the Burden with him, and for the Benefit of the People, that they may not want Right to be done to them upon their several Occasions of it. For it is as impossible a Task for Princes to Administer Ju­stice to their People, as to Fight their Battels, with­out their Hands and Help. And it is greatly to the People's Benefit, and to Supply their Necessities, that there are Subordinate Magistrates, in several Parts of the Kingdom, Appointed by the Authority and Fa­therly Care of the Prince, from whom, as the Head, all the Advantages of Government are convey'd to them, as Members of the Body Politique. And in truth, the People, that they may not be like Sheep without a Shepherd, expos'd to Ravenous Wolves, and other Beasts of Prey, stand more in need of a Prince to Rule and Govern them, than a Prince does of the Honour with the Trouble of it.

It seems some People thought otherwise among the Old Persians, and therefore the wiser sort, to Con­vince the rest of their Mistake, for the space of Five Days after the Death of one of their Kings, permit­ted the People to live Lawless, that after the Experi­ence of the Slaughters, Rapines and Outrages, com­mitted in that short Interval, they might learn to [Page 10]hold their Kings in more high Esteem, and be made sensible of the necessity by the want of them.

But how much better is it for Men, to learn Wis­dom by others Experience, than feel the Miseries of a Trial by their own?

III. I proceed now in the Third place, to put you in mind of the Duty of Subjection and Obedience to Governours, which is to be exprest in several In­stances, 1 Pet. 2.17. as for Example; by Honouring their Persons, not only by paying outward Respects when we are in their Presence, Rom. 13.7, 8. but with an inward Love and Re­verence; by Speaking well of them, with Veneration and Esteem, that we be not of the number of those Sons of Belial, Jude 6, 7.who despise Dominions, and speak evil of Dignities; by Observing their Laws, and doing their Just Commands with Chearfulness, that we be not like them, whom the Apostle calls, Presumptuous and Self-will'd, who either refus'd to Obey the Laws of their Governours, or else did it grudgingly, with great unwillingness; by an humble Submission to their Reproofs, Corrections and Punishments, with Meek­ness and Patience; by Paying Tribute and Legal Taxes, Ordinary and Extraordinary, for so we are Taught to render to all their Dues, Rom. 13.7Tribute to whom Tribute is due; by Praying for them in Truth and Sincerity, Abhorring to Prophane the Worship of God with such a Vile Hypocrisie, as to Pray for them with our Lips, when our Hearts are far from them; and lastly, by not resisting their Authority, because [Page 11] they that resist, Rom. 13, 2resist the Ordinance of God, and shall re­ceive to themselves Damnation.

And all Christians are obliged to observe these In­stances of their Duty, in their respective Stations, ac­cording to their Abilities and Opportunities, of what Condition or Order soever they be, whether High or Low, whether Secular or Spiritual Persons, both Hear­ers and Teachers, for they, who are to put others in mind of their Duty of Obedience, they especially ought to practice it themselves.

And our Duty in all these Particulars, I hope will be the better observ'd, if we consider,

• 1. Our Obligations to the Government.
• 2. Our Advantages by it.
• 3. The Gratitude that is due to it.

1. Let us remember our Obligations to the Govern­ment, i. e. to be Subject and Obedient to our Gover­nours. And St. Paul urges the Duty of Subjection and Obedience by a Reason, which will effectually operate upon the Mind of every good Man, because the Powers that are, Rom. 13.1are ordained of God: As his Vice­gerents, as his Ministers, they are Invested with his Authority and Rule by his Commission, are Set over us by his Appointment, and Advanced by his Provi­dence, which Over-rules all Second Causes (when some­times very unlikely for such a purpose) into a sub­serviency to promote to Empire such Persons, whom he first Approves.

So that by this Doctrine, it is as much our Duty to Obey our Governours, as to Obey the Ordinance of God. And therefore the Apostie goes on to teach his Christian Romans, Ver. 5.That they must needs be subject, not only for Wrath, but also for Conscience sake.

St. Peter also upon the same Principles, teaches the same Doctrine of Obedience to the Supream Gover­nour in the first place, and in the second to all that Act by his Authority; 1 Pet. 2.13. Submit your selves to every Or­dinance of Man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King as Supream, or unto Governours as unto them, that are sent by him. And in the Text we are taught to Obey Principalities, and Powers, and Magistrates, not only the Supream, but the Subordinate, that none may think themselves Innocent, by pretending to Obey the one, while they disobey the other, for our Obedi­ence is requir'd to both, Ver. 15. [...], for the Lord's sake; and because it is the Will of God, and no good Man will oppose the Will of God to follow his own. He calls Obedience Emphatically well-doing in Oppo­sition to Disobedience, which is evil-doing. Thus these Two Great Apostles press the Duty of Obedi­ence upon the Consciences of Christians by the strong­est Arguments, with the greatest Earnestness; and these Reasons will take hold of good Consciences and ingenuous Minds, and God increase the number of them.

As for those Men, who impiously despise these Ar­guments, there are others, which likely may work [Page 13]upon their Self-love, so far as to restrain their Practice, tho' they do not Reform their Minds, and they are, fears of Punishments. With them that want Religion and Goodness to ingage them to their Duty, the fear of Justice may prevail, to keep them within the Bounds of it. They that have not the Grace to Obey for Conscience sake, may in Prudence have so much Inno­cence at least in outward Appearance, as not to pro­voke the Wrath of their Governours. Rulers are not a Terrour to good Works, Rom. 13.3, 4.but to the evil. Will you not then be afraid of the Power? If ye do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the Sword in vain. He is the Minister of God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon them that do evil. 1 Pet. 3.13.Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? Against Modesty, Meekness, Temperance, Peaceableness, there is no Law. No Government ever made Laws against such Virtues as are necessary to the support of it, 1 Tim. 1.9. The Law is not made for a Righteous Man, but for the Ʋngodly, and for Sinners, for Thieves and Murderers, for the Lawless and Disobedient. Against such Evil doers, every Wise Go­vernment provides Penalties proportionable to their Crimes; whether by Pecuniary Mulcts, or Corporal Punishments; Ezra 7.26. or by Confiscation of Goods, Imprisonment, Banishment, or Death. But all Temporal Punishments in this World, are but little in Comparison of Eter­nal Damnation, which St. Paul tells us, the Disobedi­ent Resisters of Authority shall receive in the next, which is certainly the Merit, whatever the Event may be of so great a Wickedness.

Besides the Doctrine of the Scriptures, which will effectually ingage the Obedience of good Christians, we are under the Obligation of an Oath of Allegi­ance and Fidelity, the Greatest Security, that can be given against Perfidiousness, and the best Assurance of our sincere Intention to perform that Duty, which indeed the Laws of Nature, and the Rules of Civil Society require of us; and they who have taken the Oath to His Present Majesty, and yet are Enemies to the Government, I suppose, expect not to be reputed Men of Integrity, because they themselves thereby de­clare how much indeed they desire, yet how little they deserve to be Trusted.

But if we regard the Honour of our Holy Religi­on, which by the Providence of God is most likely to prosper, by the sincere Obedience of the Professors of it, and to suffer Reproach with many Inconveniences by the Seditious Practices of the Disobedient, as Chri­stianity at first did, by the Factious Behaviour of some pretended Christians, who made their Religion a Cloak for their Maliciousness.

If we have any Love to our Native Countrey, and they are Unnaturally Barbarous, who have not, and may learn to Correct their Impiety of the Anci­ent Pagan Romans, who would have stigmatiz'd such as Diseases of the Community, and proscribed them as unworthy to Preathe in the common Air of their Country, who had Rejoiced at any Mischief or Mis­fortune that had befallen it.

If we have any Value for our Laws and Liber­ties, which were so Dear to our Wise Ancestors, that sooner than part with them, they would have parted with their Lives. And may they never want Due Honours to be paid to their Memories, for their Publick-spirited, Generous Care of their Posterity, nor we the Virtue to deserve as well of ours.

If we have any Sense of the Restless Designs of our Common Enemies, who by open Force, and se­cret Fraud, by making, fomenting, inflaming Divisions among us, setting on one part of the Nation to pro­voke, disable, destroy another by turns, thereby to wear off the Scandal and Odium of their Cruelties, by our upbraiding one another with our own, by all possible, insnaring, intriguing Policies, have endeavour'd to Rob us of these Blessings; and if we are willing still to be deceiv'd, would make us do their Work for them, and Barbarously become Instruments of our own Ruin. But should we so far oblige our Enemies (who have been too much, and for many Years obli­ged already) we should be thought deservedly to suffer all Scorn and Misery, with the Just, tho' se­vere Censures of Posterity, without Pity from any Mortal.

If we would avoid the Reproach of being an in­constant, fickle, ungrateful People, who in time of Danger wish for a Deliverance, and when we have it, know not how to Value it, but are ready to wish for our Danger again, and too many to give their Help, [Page 16]to bring it back again upon us, tho' with greater Violence, if not certain Destruction to our Religion, Laws, Liberties, and all that is Dear to us.

If there be any Love, if there be any Fear, if we have any Regard to things of the greatest Concern­ment to us, let us not Undervalue our Blessings, which will be best preserv'd, nor Court our Slavery, which is most likely to be prevented, by Unity among our selves, in a hearty Obedience to our Governours. And I hope these Considerations will be looked upon by all Sober Men, who are Protestants, as so many Obliga­tions and Motives to it.

II. Let us call to mind the Advantages we receive by the Government, which are more, and in many re­spects greater than other Nations Enjoy.

We are Guarded in our Civil Rights by many fa­vourable Laws, which give us Relief against all Inju­ries, either of Force or Falshood.

We are Protected in our Liberties, which is a great Encouragement to Labour and Improvements, when we consider that what is descended to us from our Ancestors, or gotten by our Honest Industry, we are secur'd in the Legal Possession and Disposal of, a­gainst all Arbitrary Attempts, or Injurious Pretensions. And above all, we have an Excellent Religion, the true Worship of God Establisht among us, and no­thing is wanting that is helpful to forward the Sal­vation of our Souls, unless it be (that which is in our [Page 17]power to amend) the Conformity of our Practice to the Rules of our Profession.

And these Temporal and Spiritual Blessings, we have Enjoy'd for several Years, since our last great Danger of losing them, and have reason to hope for the Continuance of them, since our Gracious King has no Secret Ingagements, or Sinister Designs, no Ends to serve, but those Glorious Ones, of Promoting the Pub­lick Good of these Kingdoms, Preserving the Protestant Religion at Home and Abroad, and Recovering the Just Liberties of the Suffering part of Europe. So that methinks it will be our own Fault, Negligence, Care­lesness, or something worse, if we receive not many, lasting, future Blessings, as well as the present, by his Auspicious Reign.

But some are apt to set the Decay and Loss of Trade, and the great Taxes, which lye heavy upon them, a­gainst this Account.

In time of War there are Common Accidents, which will unavoidably happen to some People's Loss, in one Nation as well as another, and therefore are not to be reckoned only on one side.

'Tis not reasonable to expect the same Conveni­ences in all Respects, as in Times of Peace, any more than to desire that bitter, tho' wholesom Medicines, should be as Pleasant as a Recover'd State of Health.

And if Taxes are great, the Necessity is great also. They are indeed sensibly the heavier by the Hellish Arts of Wicked Men, who for several Years have been Maliciously breaking our Strength at Home, in Clip­ping and Debasing the Coin, and thereby have done more Injury to our Nation, than the Successive Thieves and Robbers of many Ages. But this we hope will be Repair'd by the Wisdom of our Governours, and that in the Issue we shall be all Recompenced for what we suffer by it, by more Prosperous Events.

We are Ingaged in War against an Enemy, whose Greatness we have long dreaded, like a direful Co­met of Malignant Influence, portending some great Calamity, and if it had been begun sooner, it would doubtless have been shorter, and will be so still, if we are as Unanimous and Hearty in the Cause, as our King is Brave and Valiant in the Defence of it. The Success that cannot be obtain'd against a Powerful Enemy on a sudden, may be procur'd in time, by Courage, and Patience, and Perseverance, which Vir­tues, we had much better use with a doubled Reso­lution, than Relapse into our former Distractions, or submit our selves to Slavery, and be expos'd to the Mercy of French Dragoons, which can have no more Friends in England, than there are Enemies to our Re­ligion and Laws. It is the nature of weak and im­potent Minds, when under any uneasiness, presently upon any Terms to desire to get rid of it, without considering the Dangerous Consequences of their un­advised Impatience, whether they will not put them [Page 19]into Ten times a worse Condition, and irrecoverably so, than they are at present in.

We find in Scripture the People were called upon in time of Difficulty and Danger, 2 Sam. 10.12. to be of good Cou­rage, and to play the Men, as the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 16.13. [...], quit your selves like Men, and be strong. And the Heathens in their Addresses to their People to behave themselves Valiantly, used to bid them remember they were Men; implying, that if they did but consider they were Men, they would then do worthily and honourably, as became the Dignity of their Name, and the Excellency of their Nature.

And the Consideration that we are English Men, now in a time of Danger and War, with a Strong and Subtile Enemy, should raise in us a Courage sui­table to that Name, which has been so Famous in former Ages, and excite us to give it a new lustre, by Reviving the Virtues of our Forefathers, in giving all possible Testimonies of Fidelity and Good-will to our Countrey. Then should we bear our part of the Ne­cessary Charge for our Defence, not only with Con­tent, but Chearfulness, especially considering that upon a Just Computation, we are the Gainers by it; for besides the Deliverance from past Calamities, which ought not to be forgotten, and our hopes of future Safety and Prosperity, which are not to be despair'd of, we have Peace and Quietness at Home, the free Exercise of our Religion, and other Advantages of Go­vernment; without the Alarms and Fears, without [Page 20]the Devastation and Spoil of approaching Armies; so that we have more to be Thankful for than to Complain of. God be Praised, the Blessings we enjoy, do much over­ballance the Inconveniences we suffer, which are but as gentle Rods, in Comparison of the Scorpions of our Ene­mies.

And yet can we be willing by our Murmuring, Dis­contents and Divisions, to strengthen the Hearts and Hands of our Enemies, and weaken our own? To give them Encouragement to continue the War with hopes of Success, and thereby Contribute to the prolonging the Publick National Charge upon us, which we so earnestly wish to be eas'd of, by a Happy Peace?

III. For all these Blessings, which we Enjoy, next to the Goodness of God, we Owe Gratitude to our Gover­nours, who are the Happy Instruments of Preserving them to us. They Attend Continually with great Labour and Difficulty for our Benefit, laying out their Time, Care and Pains, which we have the Fruits of, without our Trouble. Ought we not then to be Thankful to our Benefactors? Does it not become us to make them as ea­sie as we can, that they may not be weary in doing good to us?

Sharp and severe Sufferings would make the most stu­pid, the most insensible People grateful to their Deliver­ers: But 'tis our Happiness to have Reasons of being grateful upon easier Terms, to them, who prevent as well as remove our Misery.

Upon the whole Matter, it is no less our Interest than our Duty, to express our Gratitude by our Faithful Obe­dience to the King, and to Subordinate Governours and Magistrates, who help to make the Burden more easie to him. And what Prince in the World better deserves the Burden of Government to be made easie to him? For his Benignity and Clemency to his People, for his Wisdom, and Valour, and Courage, and Mighty Interest in the World, all which he employs for our Safety: For the Unwearied Labours of his Life, the Hazardous Voyages, and Dangerous Expeditions he Undertakes for our Pre­servation.

And what Government better Deserves to be Suppor­ted both in Church and State? Our Church being de­servedly Owned to be the Glory of the Reformation, Teaching the Best Religion, Confirm'd by the Laws of God, Establish'd by those of the Land. The Civil Go­vernment so Famous all the World over, for Securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, as well as the Power of the Prince, as to be the Object of Envy to our Enemies. And certainly no People has more Obligations both of Duty and Interest, to Obey their Governours, and Sup­port their Government.

And now to conclude; let us not forget to give Thanks to God for all his Mercies to our Church and Nation, particularly for his having had Pity on us, when we were in great Trouble and Distress, by a Gracious Providence, in giving His Majesty so Happy a Success for our Season­able Relief and Deliverance; for Preserving him from [Page 22]the many Dangers, to which he has since so often, and too much Expos'd his Royal Person, and for Continuing to us, by him, the great Blessings of Government, the Safety of our Religion and Laws.

And lastly, let us Pray for the Preservation, Health, and Long Life of our Gracious King, that no Weapon formed against him may ever prosper; that God in Mercy to us would abate the Pride, asswage the Malice, and confound the Devices of all his Enemies, whilst on his Head the Crown doth flourish, and in order to it, that he would Bless his Councils, and Prosper his Affairs: That all, who are in Authority under him, may have Grace to Execute Justice, and Maintain Truth, and that we all may be Conscienciously Subject and Obedient to them, as be­comes good Christians, that thereby we may Enjoy the Blessing of leading quiet and peaceable Lives, in all Godli­ness and Honesty. Which God of his Infinite Mercy grant, to his Glory and our Comfort, for Jesus Christ his Sake, to whom with the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all Glory, Honour and Power for Evermore. Amen.