I Exhort therefore first of all—And I be-beseech you Brethren to suffer the word of Exhortation: So the same blessed Apostle that exhorts us here, addresses himself to his Brethren of the House of Israel, Heb. 13. 22. No question this in my Text is an Ex­hortation to the greatest of all Duties, which [Page 2] the Divine Writer thinks so necessary to re­commend at the highest rate, I exhort therefore first of all. Indeed here are two of our most important Duties joyn'd together, or as it were interwoven, and we are exhorted to them both;

First, To the due performance of the publick Worship and Service of God, for which there is all this Provision, that Supplications, Prayers, In­tercessions, and giving of Thanks be made for all Men;

Secondly, These Offices of the Church are most particularly directed to secure the Ho­nour and Obedience due to the Civil Magi­strate, whether supreme or subordinate, for Kings and for all that are in Authority;

Thirdly, The use of these good means is re­ferr'd to these two great Ends, the first of which most concerns our Temporal welfare, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life; the second reach­es even our Eternal Condition, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty.

1. And first we are exhorted to the care of Gods publick Worship and Service, on which we are now attending, to which the Apostle presses us elsewhere that we should all of us be either Preachers, or at least not hearers only but doers of this word of Exhortation, not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. For I must ob­serve [Page 3] to you, that St. Paul is not writing in­structions here to his beloved Son and Disciple Timothy for his private Devotions, but from his way of speaking, (not barely, I exhort thee to pray; but I exhort first of all that Prayers be made, that is, be prepared, appointed, establisht,) 'tis probable that he is dictating as the great Apostle of the Gentiles, and as Paul the Aged, directing this Apostolical young Man to whom this Charge is committed, that he might know how he ought to behave himself in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God. For Timo­thy whom he besought to abide still at Ephesus was this Church's Angel. Therefore St. Paul en­joyns him what was convenient for ordering the pure Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth, for settling it in the Church where the Holy Ghost had made him a Bishop. And it may far­ther appear what kind of publick Worship is prescrib'd to this Church of Ephesus, from what was practis'd in the most flourishing Churches in the first and the best Ages; the greatest Lights of the Ancient Church undoubtedly left behind them the plainest Commentaries on my Text, in the pious Offices they com­pos'd for Divine Worship. True indeed what they left so well devis'd and design'd, has been corrupted since with Letanies to Saints and An­gels, [Page 4] and many false Doctrines are crept into their Devotions in the Church of Rome, which would be practical Errors in us, and turn our very Prayers into Sin, if we should joyn through­out with them in Theirs: though to speak truth, they do not all pretend so much as to joyn themselves in what the Priest is in a man­ner whispering to himself in an unknown tongue, they neither hear, nor understand it. But I beg leave to say in behalf of the Church of England, when our Israel came out of Egypt, and our House of Jacob from among the People of a strange language, though we borrowed some Jewels of them, I mean some part of their An­tient Prayers, and brought them away; yet we have so accurately filed them, so carefully polisht and freed them from the rust they had once contracted; those that possest them here­tofore, do hardly know them again; nor will they own them now, being rather dazled than delighted with their present lustre: so that we are in no danger of such a Process in Law, as 'tis said the Egyptians commenc'd against the Israelites to recover their Jewels again ma­ny hundred Years after, since they had proof enough in whose hands they were from the Book of Exodus. But our Book of Divine Ser­vice is no such perilous Evidence in our case: [Page 5] our wise and pious Reformers receiv'd indeed, and retain'd some part of a Liturgy, (let none think ill of the Word, for 'tis a Scripture-word for the Worship of God in several places of Scripture, they retain'd I say some part of a Li­turgy) that was us'd before the Reformation, but us'd before Popery too; for what they so retain'd, was most of it out of the Scripture, out of the Epistles and Gospels, and the Book of Psalms. And so we may say they receiv'd and translated the Bible it self, which was before in the same hands, but in a manner useless to the People, since neither That was allow'd them in our Mother Tongue. Nay, to speak truly, we can hardly be said to have retain'd any Prayers of theirs; rather we have restor'd the Pure and the Primitive Devoti­ons, and rejected such as were truly and pro­perly theirs, that were liable to any just Ex­ceptions: we have kept to those of the Old Catholick stamp, and laid by the New, the Catholick falsly so called: we have try'd and purify'd ours seven times in the fire, they rose as it were from the Ashes of those Renowned Protestants who compil'd them, those excel­lent Men that suffer'd a glorious Martyrdom for being Protestants: they were the Men that separated the precious from the vile, and that is the [Page 6] admirable temper which God approves, Jerem. 15. 19. if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth, and I may add the next words to determine the Case between our truly Apostolick Church of England, and those of Rome, Let them return to thee, but return not thou unto them.

But now let no Man imagin that the same forms, if compos'd with sufficient va­riety, may not be us'd for all men, whom here we are bound to pray for, or that they may not be constantly used by all men of the same National Church; and the more constantly us'd, so much the more devoutly with daily increasing fervors, if all men would bring along with them a due intention of mind, and would practise the method of retiring within them­selves by a good preparative Meditation: And consider, I beseech you, as to that objection of stinting or confining the Spirit, any mans Prayer for others, offer'd I mean in behalf of a whole Congregation, be it to the Speaker never so unpremeditated, is as much a form to the hear­er if he goes along with it as if it were premedi­tated; nor ought sett Prayers to be call'd a stinting of the Spirit, when David a Man after Gods own heart, has left us almost as many Forms of Devotion as he left Psalms behind [Page 7] him. Form thy Spirit by the affection of the Psalm, says St. Austin, that is, frame and enlarge thy Conc. 3. in Psal. 30. Soul to follow the same Holy Spirit that pour'd it forth. Alas! what's our Spirit in Compa­rison of Christ's Spirit, for he had the spirit with­out measure, and yet at two several times he re­peated and recommended the same Prayer, that is, the Lord's Prayer, and in Matt. 26. 44. He pray'd the third time saying the same Words: And if it be said, that a Form of Prayer can never express the needs and necessities of all men who are here to be prayed for; 'tis answered, that no more indeed can all the most tedious Ex­temporary Effusions be so particular. But yet a devout mind in the swiftness of thought, can easily apply, and sufficiently extend the Lord's Prayer, or a Psalm to particular Occasi­ons, as a certain Father of the Desart instructs his Disciples how every one of them might be­come a kind of Psalmist; That we may enjoy this Treasure (saith he) it is necessary that we say the Psalms with the same Spirit with which they were compos'd, and accommodate them unto our selves in the same manner, as if every one of us had compos'd them, or as if the Psalmist had directed them purpose­ly for our uses. Loving when he loves, fearing when he fears, hoping when he hopes, praising God when he praises, weeping for our own and others sins [Page 8] when he weeps, begging what we want with the like Spirit, wherein his Petitions are fram'd, loving our Enemies when he shews love to his, praying for ours when he prays for his, &c. To proceed then, our Apostle prescribes in the first place Suppli­cations, which are Letanies or Deprecations, for imploring Mercy and Protection against evils to come; next Prayers to procure the good things we stand in need of; then Intercessions, as the Apostle, Heb. 7. 25. most properly calls such Petitions of any kind as are made for others, seeing he ever liveth to make Intercessions for us: and lastly, giving of Thanks the most ex­cellent act of the Soul, and the most delight­ful, for 'tis a joyful and a pleasant thing to be thank­ful. These several kinds of Prayers were to be made for all men, with a Charity as diffusive as the Love of God to the World, with a good will as universal as the Providence of his Good­ness. But I must not dwell on any of these Common Places; I proceed to that which is more particularly design'd and recommended by St. Paul to Timothy, that such Devotions as these should be offered up to God, as for all men, so especially, for Kings and for all in Authority, &c.

First then our solemn Prayers must be made for Kings, a customary Duty paid to the Kings of the Earth, and to the Royal Lineage [Page 9] by the Jewish Church under the Old Testament, and here confirmed by this Apostle under the New: And how even Heathen Emperours va­lued the Prayers of the Church, is evident from the famous Decrees of Cyrus and Darius those Great Kings, Ezra 6. 10. where their design of rebuilding the Temple, and restoring of publick Worship is avow'd to be this, that they may offer Sacrifices of sweet Savour to the God of Hea­ven, and pray for the Life of the King and of his Sons. So Artaxerxes another mighty Monarch, but a Pagan still, had the same veneration for these Divine Offices, the same sollicitude that In­tercessions should be made to God for him and his Posterity, not without dreadful Apprehensions of a judgment worthy of God, if his solemn and decent service were neglected, Ezra 7. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of Hea­ven: for why should there be wrath against the King and his Sons? But then this Duty of praying for our Governours, is so well establisht by the Apostle's express direction here, and by the constant practice of the most Apostolical times, as makes it a most indispensable Office in the Christian Church; and methinks 'tis very ob­servable how St. Paul here has fenc'd and guard­ed this Duty of ours, so as to leave no room [Page 10] for any to evade it; as if he had foreseen there would be a sort of Men (and they liv'd within our Memories, Men) who instead of praying for their King, would learn to pray against him: But then if all Kings according to the rule in my Text, ought to be prayed for, they who suppos'd their King was not to be prayed for any longer, no wonder if they advanc'd to the next immediate Consequence, to make him no King at all: nor is it strange if those in the Neigh­bour Kingdom, who of late had the hardi­ness openly to excommunicate his Majesty, and many others in Authority under him, de­livering them over to Satan instead of pray­ing for them as their Governours, forthwith proceeded to refuse them all manner of Allegi­ance and Obedience; but now allowing such Men all their most unjust prejudices against the persons of their Governours; yet does St. Paul in this place oblige both them and us, to make Intercessions for Kings as Kings, for all in Au­thority as lawful Magistrates, whether just men or no, he binds them to whom he writes to pray for the conversion of wicked unconverted Hea­then Potentates: for it follows immediately upon my Text, For this, that is, this praying for all Men, for Kings and all in Authority, this is good and acceptable in the sight of God and our Saviour, [Page 11] who will have all men to be sav'd and come to the knowledge of the Truth; where the Duty of pray­ing for the Conversion and Salvation of those at the Helm of State, who all were arrant Pagans, is repeated and reinforc'd. Again in the 8th verse, St. Paul is pleased to rivet this Injunction, I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up ho­ly hands without wrath or doubting; methinks the Apostle forbids the Christians here, to be ei­ther censorious or scrupulous, as if their Pray­ers for the worst of Heathens, whether publick or private persons should not be accepted, as he hath told them before, that this is good and ac­ceptable; and in my Text he expresses himself in such terms, as may best secure his precept of praying for Kings from the most perverse dispu­tings; as if he had taken it for granted, that some might in time arrive at that height of un­charitable Insolence, as to determine of Chri­stian Princes, that they were in that case where­in St. John seems to dispense with St. Pauls pre­cept here of praying for all men; there is a Sin unto Death, saith St. John, I do not say ye shall pray for it: but St. Paul in my Text has provided e­ven against this supposition, though the Cha­rity that hopeth all things were overcome, so that the Spiritual welfare of a Nero, or some other cruel Pagan and most malicious Persecutor of [Page 12] the Christian Faith were not only doubted, but in a manner despair'd of; yet such a tem­per is found (as no wonder if the Apostle has bounded and limited these great things exactly) such provision is made, that as their Prince he was to be pray'd for still, That they might lead a quiet and peaceable life. Thus it was in the case of that impious wretch Licinius, Colleague and Partner of the Empire with the Glorious Constan­tine, that same Licinius who became a bloody Tyrant, a Ravisher of Christian Virgins, a Murderer of holy Bishops, a most violent Per­secutor of the Church; when he first broke out upon the Christians, the first thing he did, saith Eusebius, was to turn all the Christi­ans Eccles. Hist. lib. 10. cap. 8. out of his family, so (as much as in Him lay) miserably stripping and depriving himself of the help of their Prayers, which they according to the institu­tion of our Fathers us'd to pour forth to God for him and for all men; no doubt it refers to my Text, and to this Apostolical Constitution; and the same Eusebius speaking of this wicked Licinius now grown to the height of impiety, He pulled down divers Churches, saith that Histo­rian, and shut up others, that none of those who us'd to frequent them might assemble there, and perform Divine Service to the most high God; for he was of opinion, saith he, that they made no Prayers for him [Page 13] there, being induc'd to that opinion as being conscious to himself of his own crimes; which implies suffi­ciently that they did make Prayers for him still, though he thought the contrary.

But Secondly, we are not only to pray for Kings, but for all in Authority under them, in which how the Ancient Church behav'd her self, let one of the Fathers inform us, We pray, saith he, for all Emperours, for their long life, for the peace of their Empire, for the safety of the Royal Family, for valiant Souldiers under them, for a faith­ful Senate, an honest Commonalty, a quiet World, and whatsoever else ought to be the subject of our Pray­ers, as he is a man whom we pray for, or as he is Caesar. But is it enough that we pray for Kings and for all in Authority? some have been praying for them after a fashion, that have at the same time been fighting against them. We must all pray to this end, and with this design, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, which is my Third particular.

Now if the Church of Christ be so indispen­sably bound to Pray for Peace, and if our lives ought to be answerable to our Prayers (since praying for Peace is but mocking of God without keeping the King's Peace too) then let not any pretend to be good Christians, and sound mem­bers of Christ's Church, unless they be also [Page 14] good Subjects: Let none lay any claim to Godliness nor yet to Honesty, whose heart is not set to lead a quiet and peaceable Life; let all Ec­clesiastical Power that exalts it self above the Civil for its Destruction instead of its Edification, be lookt upon as a mere Antichristian Imposture. My aim is, first against the Power of Deposing Kings, that has been often claim'd by the Bi­shop of Rome, maintain'd by his flattering Ora­tors; nay, by the Great Cardinal Perron himself, in a very august and solemn Assembly at Pa­ris; a power frequently practis'd and exercis'd to the great shame and ruin of Christian Kingdoms: These seem to pervert the place that is almost parallel to my Text, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake; whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governours as unto those that are sent by him, &c. One would think they read the words of St. Peter thus; Submit your selves to me or to my successor as supreme, and unto Kings as to Governours sent by him.

But is there not a many-headed Party of Se­ctaries yet still usurping that honourable Name of Protestants, as guilty of owning the like Principles and of acting accordingly? Have not Three Kingdoms but lately felt it in the Death of our Holy King by wicked hands; in the [Page 15] fall and bloodshed of many a Hero in Authori­ty under him, in the loss of our Peace and quiet­ness, in the decay of all Godliness and Honesty?

These have attempted to set one part of my Text against the other, whereas we are call'd upon here to pray for Kings and all in Authority; these have introduc't a distinction of taking Arms by the King's Authority against his Person: But as there is light and heat where the body of the Sun is not, for we enjoy light and heat up­on Earth when the Sun is in Heaven, and yet to be sure where the body of the Sun is there is al­so light and heat in the highest degree, that is, in the fountain of them both: So 'tis true the King's Authority may be where his Person is not; but yet 'tis certain, wheresoever his Per­son is, there is also his greatest Authority: So that to take up Arms by his Authority, yet against his Person, is indeed to fight by his Authority, yet against his Authority; which is most full of contradiction: And where his Person is not, yet if none act and if no­thing be acted but by his Commission and according to his Laws, that is still by his Autho­rity, 'tis the same thing, the King is present there. God imparts to them whom he calls Gods, as it it were a Ray of his own Attribute, to be by their Influence, in a maner omnipresent within [Page 16] such a district and compass of their own Do­minions, Political Virtue goes out of them into others when they shall think fit to have it so.

But some of the stiffest Defenders of our late See Doctor Hammond's pieces a­gainst Resi­stance. See Bellar­min. de po­testate Temporali Pontif. Rom. lib. 5. cap. 7. horrid Rebellion are agreed with the great Champion of the Papal Universal Monarchy, to offer another, and that a bolder distincti­on; and he tells us plainly that the Primitive Christians wanted not Authority and Right to re­sist upon occasion, and to make head against the Civil Powers, but that they wanted strength in those first Ages: So that for seven hundred years after Christ this priviledge of the Church to assert Her Rights, though it came to resisting of the supreme Magistrate, was, it seems, wrapt up in silence. A fair prescription of seven hundred years, and of the very first years of Christianity too against such a Priviledge! In the mean time what becomes of his great Ca­non of the Council of Trent, to interpret Scripture according to the Ancient Fathers? He that says St. Peter and St. Paul were not subject as o­ther men to the higher Powers, for fear he should be forc'd to acknowledge their Successors are in like manner subject: I will not ask how he answers the plain words of Scripture, which he thinks to elude, Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers; But I would ask how close [Page 17] does he keep to the Church for seven hundred Years, and to the Fathers, who he pretends are his Guides? See but how well he agrees with St. Chrysostome upon the place, [...], though thou art an Apostle, says he, though thou art an Evange­list, though thou art a Prophet, whosoever thou art, thou art subject to the Higher Powers. But will they say our Saviour himself wanted Power, or else he had exercis'd his Prerogative over Kings and Princes in the midst of his Enemies? Did he want Power then, when he controul'd all evil Spirits, and cast out Devils with the word of his Power? which is more than the greatest Monarch upon Earth could do, more than King Saul could do to cast out his own evil Spirit. Then, when he bid the Dead come forth, and presently the Earth gave up her Dead. Did he want Power then when he commanded uni­versal Nature? when even the Winds and Seas o­bey'd him? when he shew'd by his feeding so many thousands with a few Loaves and Fishes, at how easie a rate he could have maintain'd and defray'd the most numerous Armies, where­upon they would have taken him by force to make him a King: But he no sooner perceiv'd it, than he departed into a Mountain alone, chusing to be an Anchorite, rather than wear a Crown [Page 18] and lose his beloved Title, Isai. 49. 7. a Ser­vant of Rulers, yet whom Kings should see and a­rise, Princes also should worship. He that had more than twelve Legions of Angels at his call, if he would but have pray'd his Father to send them, one might wonder what hinder'd him from giving the word to one of them, that came to strengthen him in his bloody sweat, why did he not bid him strike the Tyrant Herod, or thun­der-strike the Roman Governour Pilate, but that he confesses himself subject to him? That Pilate had power given him from above, that is, in right of his Masters the Romans, now lawful So­veraigns of the Jews, who had surrendred their Vid. Jose­phi Antiqu. Judaic. lib. 14. cap. 8. Empire to Pompey the Great, for the use of the Roman State, even the Power of Pilate as one in Authority under the Imperial Romans was ordain'd of God: Therefore you see our Saviour, not only paid the Tribute-money to Caesar, but his Life-blood too; nay, he yielded himself to their Inferiour Officers, and menac'd the chief of his own, from whom this Power of Popes in opposition to Kings, is pretended to take its rise; he threatned St. Peter, I say, with pe­rishing by the Sword, for drawing his Sword a­gainst those common Souldiers the Governour had sent to apprehend him. And was it only weakness that the Apostles forbore opening [Page 19] and executing their Commission as Earthly Potentates? as if St. Paul could not as easily have struck dead the Jewish High-Priest Ananias, that smote him on the Face, as St. Peter struck ano­ther Ananias with his Wife Saphira. But that Husband and Wife were counterfeit lying Chri­stians, like these that we have to deal withal: they were no Kings, nor were they in Authority under them. Had they been such, no doubt St. Peter was better taught by this time, than to have us'd them so roughly: For otherwise, could not St. Peter have inflicted some terrible disease, that should have wrought immedi­ately upon any Pagan Emperour? as immedi­ately no question as Elijah could translate the Leprosy of Naaman to Gehazi. Where is the dif­ference then between St. Peter and these Suces­sors of his, for point of Ability to maintain the Rights and Royalties of the Church, if this of subjecting Kings and Princes had been one of them? But St. Paul though he was outrag'd then by that Mock-High-Priest (for St. Paul understood sufficiently that there was really no such High-Priest upon Earth, since Christ was ascended into Heaven) yet that being no time nor place to argue that point, the Apostle on­ly pleads he did not reflect upon that; allow­ing, upon their supposition, that if he were [Page 20] High-Priest, or however, as he was a Magistrate, a Minister of Justice, he had done ill to revile him, and confirming it for a Christian as well as a Jewish Law, for it is written thou shalt not speak evil (much less then act Evil) against the Ruler of thy People: nay, he was so far from declining or disputing the Heathen Emperours Jurisdiction over him, that he enters his solemn Protestation and Appeal, I stand at Caesar's judg­ment Seat, by whom I ought to be judged. And if the Heathen Emperours were so priviledg'd from any design of Resistance among the Chri­stians, have they now lost their Prerogative by turning Christians themselves? That were but poor encouragement for the Royal Converts. But did not the Primitive Christians pay equal and greater deference to Christian Princes? or did the Ancient Bishops of Rome keep the Com­mission, St. Peter had left them, dormant for want of Forces? Let the Apologies written by the Primitive Saints decide this question, Whe­ther they were subject for Conscience sake or no? There they set forth how great a multitude of Christians there were in Rome, how per­fectly they had it in their Power, if they were not extremely averse from such Devilish Pra­ctices, to fire the City at any time about the Ears of their Oppressors, yet still their Prayers [Page 21] and endeavours tended to this good end, That they might lead a quiet and peaceable life.

And this should be our great labour in the sight of all men, as well as our earnest petiti­on to Almighty God, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life; or which is all one, that we may enjoy a kind of lower Heaven upon Earth; for Heaven it self is describ'd to us a place of rest and peace: I am sure the contrary, that is, War, and the dismal effects of it, are an em­blem of Hell: For Hell is a scene of strife and gnashing of teeth at one another. The sword of the Lord does like Behemoth, that drinks up Ri­vers, but they are Rivers of Blood, when he bids it arise and go forth. His glittering Sword of War is seldom drawn without his flaming sword of fire, that goes along with it, to lay fenced Cities in ruinous heaps. But though no­thing is more extreamly opposite to the mild and loving spirit that Christians are of, at least that they should be of, than calling for fire and sword; though nothing disturbs their Devotions more than the Battle of the Warrior, with confu­sed noise and garments roll'd in Blood; yet there is somewhat else in War that makes a good Chri­stian tremble, and frights him more, that is, the inundation of Vice which commonly runs along in the same chanel with that of Blood. [Page 22] This consideration terrified him that durst en­counter a Gyant, the torrents of Belial, the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid, says that man of renown: And yet in the state of War it was necessary for him to set open a kind of sanctuary for all comers, all that would fol­low his standard were welcome to him, the light and the vain fellows, as we read in his story. He was fain to court and advance the Sons of Zer­viah that were too hard for him, because they were mighty men; though Joab the eldest of them was flusht in the blood of several brave and good men, yet still he must continue Ge­neral of the Armies of the Living God. But on the other side, how invaluable is the blessing of Peace? How well does the same gracious King David compare the Unity of Brethren among them­selves to those two precious things, the Dew that fell from Heaven, and the richest Oyl that the Earth afforded? Even Seneca the Heathen Philo­sopher apprehended and acknowledg'd the ne­cessity of his being a good Subject, if he would be a good Philosopher, or a happy man; Errare Epist. 73. mihi videntur qui existimant Philosophiae fideliter deditos contumaces esse, &c. Sure (says he) they are mistaken that think such as give themselves up entirely to the study of Philosophy are proud and stubborn, disobedi­ent to Magistrates and Kings, or those by whom the [Page 23] Commonwealth is govern'd; for on the contrary, none are more kindly obedient than they, because they can­not receive greater advantages than from such under whom they may enjoy a quiet retirement. Therefore (says he) those to whom the publick safety must open the passage, before they can arrive at their end of living well, they must needs reverence the Authors of that good, as they would do their Fathers. Again says he of his good moral man, He loves those by whose means he may do this in security—Un­der whose protection he may study useful knowledge—thus the benefit of this Peace which appertains to all, is more highly serviceable to such as use this Peace well. He will therefore own himself indebted to those men by whose administration and care an entire repose and the free disposal of his own time is allow'd him.

Now if so much Love and Duty to All in Authority be so justly due from every Good Man that would follow after wisdom, then how much more from every Good Christian? but most of all from Us the Allow'd Professors of the Christian Philosophy, I mean from Us of the Cler­gy? how mightily are we concern'd to Pray for peace and quietness? to Preach up this, not only for Godliness, for Honesty sake, but also because the publick tranquillity does most particularly befriend and favour the privacy so necessary and delightful to our Profession? we must needs [Page 24] reverence yours, and make supplications for you, and such as you, who under the King are in Au­thority, the great conservators of our Peace, that execute Justice and maintain Truth; the Ora­cles of the Law and Pillars of the Government, the shields of the Earth that belong to God.

But God himself is the fountain of all this honour and power, this peace and quietness, for the Lord God is a Sun and a shield, as the Psalmist entitles him: a Sun to increase, to enliven, and add lustre to all we enjoy; and a shield to guard and secure us in all assaults: But then remember upon what terms he is so, and upon what condition; it follows in the Psalm, that the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold; but it is only from them that live a godly life that he will not withhold it, or from them that walk uprightly. And so I proceed to my last particular, that we ought to pray for a quiet and a peaceable life, to this more excellent end, that we may lead it in all Godliness and Honesty.

For though there may be Godliness and Ho­nesty without Peace abroad, (I mean it of those good men that labour for Peace with all men, but cannot obtain it) yet there can be no peace and quietness either abroad or at home with­out Godliness and Honesty. 'Tis a case already [Page 25] judg'd by God himself, there is no peace, saith my God to the wicked. There may be some past feeling, as the Apostle describes them: there may be others that may dwell careless after the manner of the Sidonians, that were quiet and secure, as though there were no Magistrate in the Land to put them to shame in any thing: there may be a kind of Lethargic Dream, or rather a Mortal Trance, such, as they say, Witches are cast into when the Devil abuses their Phancies with a Scene of Feasting and Revelling; but a last­ing Peace within, must have a surer foundation, and that can be nothing but Piety, nothing but Purity and Chastity as some render the Text, nothing less than all Godliness and Honesty. But then again, these are the natural preservers of our outward as well as inward Tranquillity; for whence come Wars and Fightings among you? come they not from your Lusts? saith the Apostle. All foul disorders in private Families, in great Ci­ties, in States and Kingdoms, are either from rioting and drunkenness, from chambering and wan­tonness, or else from strife and envy, so vile a Carnality that St. James calls it, the spirit that lust­eth to envy.

But Secondly, there is a Supernatural Gon­nexion between Peace and Godliness, Honesty and Quietness. For though Peace in this World is [Page 26] (I have shew'd) one of the greatest and richest gifts and graces that God himself bestows up­on Mankind, yet Godliness must be acknowledg'd a greater still, and the Supreme good that God in this life affords us. Now if we refuse the noblest portion and despise it, and it's everlast­ing rewards; is there any reason that God should continue his Grace of temporal Peace which we turn into wantonness? we are enjoyn'd to follow Peace and Holyness: they that dare Pray for the former without a firm purpose to pursue the latter, what do they say in effect to Almigh­ty God? Only, in this be gracious unto thy Servants, give peace in our time, O Lord, that we may make the better provision for our Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Scatter thou for our sakes the people that delight in War, and stop the very rumours of Wars, that we may fill our selves with costly Wines, and that no flow­er of the spring may pass by us, that we may crown our selves with Roses before they be withered, that none of us may go without his part of voluptuousness, that we may leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place, for this is our portion, and our lot is this; that we may oppress the poor righteous man, that we may not spare the Widow, &c. This is a sort of Prayer that even the Heathen Poet thought too impudent to be offer'd aloud to one of their own tame Idols, Quod nisi seductis nequeat committere Divis; He must [Page 27] take his God aside (says he) that prays at such a rate, for sure he dares not let any man overhear him at such Addresses. Such a Petitioner deserves to be repulst, as Jehu fiercely replied upon the Messengers whom Jehoram sent one after ano­ther to ask, is it Peace? what hast thou to do with Peace? or rather he might expect in return to so prophane a suit, that some good Angel should do as Jehu did to that wicked Prince his Master (but not till God had depos'd him) when he askt for Peace, Peace still (which he meant to use onely for a Pander to the Whoredoms and the Witchcrafts of his Mother) he was answered with a bitter scoff, and then with an arrow to his heart; for he must needs say in his heart there is no God, that implores the Blessings of Peace and Quietness, but never intends the Duties of Godliness and Ho­nesty. And sure, we little value and esteem ei­ther those good things of this life that are the fruits of Peace, or even those better things that concern our better part, that is, all Godliness, if we do not thus faithfully ask according to God's Will, that we may effectually obtain those Glori­ous Christian Priviledges; to use the words of Lactantius the Christian Orator, Let us beseech God Lactantius ad finem lib. 7. in our daily Prayers first of all, that he would defend those whom he has made defenders of the State, that he would inspire them with a will to continue stedfast in the [Page 28] Love of God. This is most beneficial to us all, to them in regard of their own Happiness, to us in respect of our Peace and Quietness. Many, 'tis true, that have born the Sword and the Scepter, have done evil in the sight of the Lord: the fault was none of theirs that pray'd for them, and their prayers have return'd into their own bosome. Yet even in those Kings that have not been holy men, the Prophecy has been accomplisht in a lower degree, that Kings should be nursing Fathers to the Church of God. So the Prayers of the Church had their effect in part, when Adrian Severus and Antoninus sate at the Helm, all three of them Heathen Empe­rours, yet far more equitable than their Pre­decessors, and favourable to the Christians. But these Intercessions of theirs were fully answe­red in the Royal Constantine, in the Great and Good Emperour Theodosius, and in other Christian-Romans that govern'd the World; so likewise in many other Pious Kings and Princes in all Lands. Contribute then your daily Prayers, add them to those that are on the file already, for those great Blessings we pray for in our Le­tany, where we beseech God that it would please him to bless the Magistrates, these being the great means to preserve Peace and Quietness, and the preservation of these being so necessary to pro­mote [Page 29] all Godliness and Honesty. if the Apostle had bidden you do some great thing, would you not have done it to reap such vast advan­tages? what, when he only exhorts that Supplica­tions be made? what, when our Saviour has pro­mis'd, ask and ye shall receive? I do not urge you all to lead such a life of toyl as these that are in Authority are fain to do; that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable. I do not ask every one of you to stand between the living and the dead, like Phineas with a Censer in his hand, but only to let your Prayers ascend as Incense. Nor is any such hard service demanded of you, as was once ex­acted of Moses, to be all day long at your Pray­ers: He is called the chosen of God, because he stood in the gap in all extremities, do you but lift up holy hands to God in Prayer, but do not think lightly of neglecting the daily publick Wor­ship of God, in the Church's Divine Service, do not refuse to join with one heart and with one voice in all the parts of it: We do not know the things that belong to our Peace; if we think it may be secur'd any other way so effectually as by perswading all men, if it be possible, and prevailing with them to be of the one Com­munion with this National Church; Give me Socrat. Hist. Eccles. lib. 2. in Vitâ Costantii Edit. Vales. pag. 144. leave to relate a remarkable passage out of Ecclesiastical History, to shew the mischiefs [Page 30] those men have fallen into that would not make themselves part of the constitution, and of the setled Communion in the Church. ‘The Arians under the Emperor Constantius, who greatly favour'd them, persecuted as well the Novatians as the Orthodox Christians, both parties being Enemies to Arianism; the Orthodox, hereupon mainly apply themselves to bring the Novatians back to the Churches Communion; and the Historian tells us they were within a very little of being intirely united, if the Novatians stiffly adhering to their old Rule had not refus'd to joyn with them; therefore both parties were together persecuted; at last the Arians prevail with the Emperor for his orders to send four Re­giments of Souldiers into Paphlagonia, where they knew there was a multitude of Novati­ans to compell them, for fear of his Arms, to receive the Arian Confession: But these Nova­tians, prickt on with eager Zeal for their Sect, arm'd themselves with despair; many of them getting into a body, with long Scythes and Axes, and what ever came to hand, made head against the Emperors Forces. It came to a Battel, in which most of that party fell, and all the Imperial Forces, a few excepted, were; slain.’ Thus in the Righteous Judg­ment [Page 31] of God were these men permitted to give the leading foul example among Christians, of waging War with their lawful Prince, after they had so long broken the Peace of the Church, and (however they weaken'd and ex­pos'd themselves, yet) obstinately stood out and refus'd to joyn in her Prayers: For this (I think I may safely say) is the first instance of making any Resistance against the Sovereign Powers by any that call'd themselves Christi­ans. Such was the fatal progress of that Schism, thus desperately they fell who departed once from the Church, and would not be perswaded to return to it. Therefore as ever you would be found good Subjects to your Prince, good Citizens or good Men in any relation, yield this to the honour of God, and to the security of the Government to joyn in these best and most Sacred bonds, the Publick Supplications and Com­mon-Prayers for all men, for the King and all in Authority. St. Paul's Exhortation was never more necessary than now, For Prayers to be made that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life: 'Tis a generous principle, and besides even self-love would press it home upon you to make your own times (by your Godliness and Honesty, for those I have shew'd are the only means toge­ther with these Supplications and Prayers, to make [Page 32] the present Age) as quiet and as peaceable as you can. Imitate our Blessed Saviour in his Agony, now we are in a kind of Agony too, and pray more earnestly, and wrestle with God until he have mercy upon us. Three Sister-Kingdoms seem to joyn in this one just Petition, O pray for the Peace of Jerusalem: methinks the Church of Great Britain, in which we were born and Baptiz'd, is ready to fall upon her knees, and stretches out her hands as a suppliant to you, that this Apostolical Canon may never be out of date with you, that first of all Supplications, Prayers, &c.