Selected quad for the lemma: city_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A75684
|
God's king the people's blessing. A sermon preached on the day of thanksgiving for peace, at St. Ann's Church in Dungannon, in the diocese of Armagh. / By Edm. Arwaker, rector of Drumglass, and chaplain to his grace the Duke of Ormond.
|
Arwaker, Edmund
|
1698
(1698)
|
Wing A3909; ESTC R170385
|
12,645
|
21
|
his People he inspir'd him with an extraordinary Valour Taught his hand to war and his fingers to fight Psal 144. 1. The time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak of Sampson and of Jephthah who through Faith were endued with that Courage by which they subdued Kingdoms escaped the edge of the Sword waxed valiant in Fight and turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Heb. 11. 32 33 34. And the People of Israel were so sensible of the evil consequences of wanting a King to go out before them and fight their Battels 1 Sam. 8. 20. that they still persisted to desire one for that reason notwithstanding all the Inconveniencies of it represented to them by Samuel to divert them from that Request And tho' Saul proved as great a Scourge to Israel as the Prophet had fore-told he would yet since from the Blood of the Slain and from the Fat of the Mighty the Sword of Saul returned not empty David reckoned it as just a reason for the Daughters of Israel to weep over him as his Cloathing them in Scarlet and putting Ornaments of Gold on their Apparel and he knew that the occasion of their Sorrow would make the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce and triumph to find the Mighty fallen by whom Israel stood and the Shield of Saul which was his Peoples Shelter vilely cast away 2 Sam. 1. 19. to the end But the Weapons of War were not wholly perished while David yet survived and succeeded in the Kingdom since 't is part of his Character That he play'd with Lions as with Kids and with Bears as it had been Lambs that he slew a Giant when he was yet but young and took away the reproach from the People whn he lifted up his hand with the Stone in the Sling and beat down the boasting of Goliah Ecclus 47. 2 3. So great a Man of War he was so mighty valiant that he could as well put to flight the Enemies that Invaded Israel as the Evil Spirit that disturbed Saul and compose the Troubles in the heart of his Country as the Disquiets in the Breast of his King 1 Sam. 16. 18 23. But the Safety and Honour which his Country found in the great Effects of his Invincible Courage was afterwards often lost and laid in the dust by the want of that Vertue in many of his Successors Which may suffice to shew how fatal this Defect in a Prince is to his People But in no Miscarriage of the King is the Misfortune of his People so great as in his Impiety and Disregard of God for besides the Grievances of his Evil Reign and the Mischiefs they suffer from himself the Wickedness of a King brings Afflictions from Heaven upon his People in that his Example generally prevails with them to deserve them Thus when Rehoboam forsook the Law of the Lord all Israel did so with him 2 Chron. 12. 1. And tho' at the Preaching of Shemaiah they Repented and were delivered from Destruction yet were they not exempt from Spoil For Shishak King of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the Treasures of the Lord's House as well as of the King 's Vers 9. and the People were made his Servants that they might know Gods Service better Vers 8. Thus Ahab's Wickedness provoked God to shut up the Windows of Heaven 1 King 17. 1. and to with-hold from Israel the common Mercies of Dew and Rain which he usually bestows alike on the Just and Unjust Mat. 5. 45. so that there was a sore Famine in Samaria 1 King 18. 2. and the People wanted their daily Bread because their King had forsaken Him who alone fills all things living with Plenteousness Psal 145. 16. Thus Jehoram's working that which was Evil in the Eyes of the Lord caused the Revolt of the Edomites and Libnah not only from under his hand but the hand of Judah And 't is assigned for the reason of this Defection Because he had forsaken the Lord God of his Fathers For which Impiety of his his People are threatned with a Plague 2 Chron. 21. 10 14. To die an Untimely Death for the Irregularities of his Life Thus Ahaz's wicked Reign exposed his People as well as himself to the hand of the King of Syria who not only smote him but carried away a great multitude of his Subjects Captives to Damascus 2 Chron. 28. 5. And afterwards he was delivered into the hands of the King of Israel who smote him with a great slaughter so that there were slain in Judah in one day 120000 which were all valiant Men and the Israelites carried away captives to Samaria 200000 Women Sons and Daughters with much Spoil Vers 6 8. And as if this had not been enough the Philistines also invaded and took no less than six of the Cities of Judah whom the Lord brought low because of Ahaz for he made Judah Naked and transgressed sore against the Lord V. 18 19. Since then the Sin of an Evil King is often the Reproach and Ruine of his People Prov. 14. 34. How great a Blessing is a good King to his Subjects because he not only frees them from this Misfortune but is Instrumental to procure and promote their Happiness Which occasioned that saying of the Psalmist of such a one Thou hast set him to be Blessings for ever Psal 21. 6. for so 't is in the Original signifying that a Good King is the means of conveying many Blessings to his People And this Truth has been proved by a Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 12. 1. How did Judah enjoy the Benefit of Asa's Piety The first ten years of his Reign the Land was quiet 2 Chron. 14. 1. and he had no War because the Lord had given him rest Vers 6. so that the People built and prospered Vers 7. And when Zerah the Ethiopian came to disturb their Peace he did it to the Ruine of his own Vers 9. for the Men of Judah overthrew and spoiled him Vers 13. and had no War unto the five and thirtieth year of the Reign of Asa Chap. 15. 19. This Tranquility his People had because he did that which was good and right in the Eyes of the Lord his God 2 Chron. 14. 2. And they after his Example had entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers which as they had sworn with all their heart they performed with their whole desire Chap. 15. 15. And Jehoshaphat succeeding to his Father's Piety as well as to his Throne continues his Peoples happiness The Kingdom was not only stablished in his hand so that he had Riches and Honour in abundance 2 Chron. 17. 5. but the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms of the Lands that were round about Judah so that they made no War against Jehosaphat Vers 10. And when afterwards the Children of Moab and Ammon came against him to Battel they were destroyed but his People returned to Jerusalem with Joy and his Realm was quiet
Courage which so highly contributed to it and to place the Owner of it on his Throne to be King for the Lord his God so he found in Solomon another Vertue which crowned the rest and rendered them more Amiable and Advantageous and that was Piety or the Love and Fear of God I shall not trouble you with many Instances of this but let one suffice for all I mean that Everlasting Monument thereof the Temple at Jerusalem Which Work as it received Gods Extraordinary Approbation when it was finished 1 Chron. 7. 1 2 3. So it remains upon Record in sacred Writ as an Evidence of its Founders Zeal and Reverence for his Worship Acts 7. 47. And since the concurrence of these Vertues in a King tend to Compleat and Establish the Prosperity of his People it is unquestionably certain that God by giving any Nation a Prince in whom they are Eminently Visible and United does thereby give the most convincing Evidence of his Favour and Affection towards them and of his being highly delighted in the Person who is so much after his own Heart 1 Sam. 13. 14. So qualified to be his Vicegerent And this certainly requires the most Extensive Gratitude and Acknowledgments of that People for whom God makes such a happy Choice in admiring his Goodness which design'd and applauding their Soveraigns Excellencies which concur with it to effect their Establishment and Security That having a King like Solomon they shou'd say as much to him as the Queen of Sheba to that Great and Glorious Monarch Blessed be the Lord thy God c. And if ever People had reason to Adress their God or their King on such an account and in such a style We certainly of Great Brittain and Ireland lie under as great and as many Obligations to Both. For our Almighty Soveraign Above has blest us with a King Below sufficiently furnish'd and inrich'd with all those Vertues that are requisite to make us as happy a People as we can propose to be in the largest extent of our own Wishes So Just he has proved in the Administration of his Government that he has not only eschew'd the Evil of incroaching on our Liberties and Properties but he has done the Good of Securing us in those Rights of Englishmen with which all who are truly such shou'd as obstinately refuse to part as Naboth with his Vineyard since we have the same reason to alledg That they are the Inheritance of our Fathers 1 King 21. 3. But so careful our Soveraign has been to oppose the Fence of our Ancient Laws and Priviledges against all Incroachments from Himself as well as Others that nothing has been laid upon us in all his Reign to which we have not first consented by our Representatives Nor cou'd we fear he shou'd offer any Violence to our Laws who came to us on purpose to Maintain them when he saw an Arbitrary Power ready to throw down that hedg and lay us open to its Devastations This quick and happy foresight of the Storm that then was gathering and ready to discharge its fury on us to Crush us with the weight of Lawless Power and Poyson us with the Venom of Popish Principles and the Timely as well as Happy Prevention of those Calamities have sufficiently magnified his Prudence so that whether we consider him on the Throne swaying the Regal Scepter or in the Camp weilding the Martial Sword we must confess he has guided us by the Skillfulness of his Hands Ps 78. 72. And as his Wisdom has made us Safe so his Great Temperance and Moderation Sufficiently known to all men Phil. 45. even to his greatest Enemies has rendred us Easy too under his Government No Indulgence either to his Palate or his Passion has disturbed the Evenness of his Temper Tho he has often been provoked to be Vindictive by horrid Designs of Barbarous Assassinations yet he has shown as little Inclination to Revenge as Fear and has spared to shed Their Blood whose Thirst was Insatiable after His. Nor shou'd it seem strange he shou'd be so tender of his Subjects Lives for whose Safety he has frequently exposed his Own and that in the greatest Instances of an Unparallell'd Fortitude in Doing and in Suffering things almost incredible Perhaps never any King made his way so often thro' the Sea even among those who claim the Soveraignty and Dominion of it and that not only in Calm and Temperate Weather when the Winds were Still and the Ocean Smooth but even when Tempests Roard aloud and the Waves Raged horribly Nay when they were Congealed to Rocks of Ice by the Coldness of the Climate and the Season Yet as he engaged in these Difficulties with an Undaunted Constancy and Resolution so he under went them all with an Invincible Patience and an Unwearied Perseverance Tho' he knew he was to run these Hazards only in pursuit of Greater and went to expose his Life to an Host of Enemies among whom there neither wanted some who had Gallantry enough to attack it Bravely and with Vigor nor others whose Malice led them to attempt it Basely by Assassination His Generous Courage prompted him to press with greatest Eagerness where he saw the most imminent Danger in his way So that he was in Labours abundant and in Deaths oft in Perils in the City and in Perils on the Sea in Weariness and Painfulness in Watchings and in Cold 2 Cor. 11. 23 26 27. And all this he endured for us and for our Establishment to perfect which he has added Piety to his other Qualifications and exprest as much Fear and Reverence of God as Slight and Contempt of Dangers His Precepts and Example have all along contributed to bring Religion into Vogue and Countenance and to make us rather Sincere in the Practice than Noisy in the Profession of it that we might reap the Fruit of Righteousness dwell in a Peaceable Habitation and in quiet Resting Places Isa 32. 17 18. And that he might as happily Compleat as he gloriously Undertook the Restoration of our Peace And this Thanks be to the God of Peace he hath Accomplished and Settled upon such a Foundation as may by the Blessing of the same Power prove a firm and lasting Tranquility to Europe And now since War is ceased in most part of the World Psal 46. 9. so that Nation doth not lift up a Sword against Nation but instead of Military Discipline make Agriculture their Employment break their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks Mic. 4. 3. Will not this tend to Wealth and Plenty Shall not our Pastures be cloathed with Flocks our Valleys covered with Corn And while we eat in safety the Fruits of our Labours shall we not shout for joy and sing Psal 65. 13. And what Songs will so well become us as Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving to our God who by giving us so excellent a King does build our Jerusalem strengthen the Bars of her Gates bless her Children within her make Peace within her Borders and fill her with the finest of the Wheat Psal 147. 13 14. And if we desire still to see Peace within her Walls and Plenteousness within her Palaces Psal 122. 72. let us walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever Mic. 4. 5. Offer Sacrifices of sweet savour unto him and pray for the Life of the King Ezra 6. 10. That he may live to Rectifie Corruptions and Abuses effectually to Discourage Prophaness and Immorality and employ his Thoughts in Advancing the Happiness and Flourishing King's Speech to Parliament Estate of all his Kingdoms that he may so preserve our Laws and Liberties Entire and leave them so to Posterity that nothing may be left for his Successors to do but that which hath been already done Eccles 2. 12. to continue them as they find them And let our Gratitude to him who next to God has been the happy Instrument of conveying these Blessings to us make us so quiet and peaceable under his Government that he may rejoyce in the Pains he has taken for us and be a Sharer in the Benefits that accrue to us by them And let no Factious Malecontents be displeas'd with him in whom 't is Evident God Delighted to set him on his Throne and whom because he loved us he made King over us to Establish us May it please him therefore to continue the Mercy to us in giving our Defender a long and prosperous Reign that tho' we incessantly Commemorate with Thanks the Blessing of this Day we may never in our time have a Second Occasion of Thanksgiving for the Conclusion of a General Peace Which God c. FINIS