such a Laughter as Solomon called Madness with it Persons that are sober and in their Wits should have nothing to do Some cannot be merry without Ranting let them do so without you I do not now condemn nor speak the least Syllable against those outward Expressions of Joy which are in use among us and unquestionably lawful No no let the Bells ring and the Canons roar and your Bonfires flame let there be the sound of the Trumpet and Instruments of Musick But do not any of you mingle any thing of wilful Sin with these innocent and very becoming Signs of Joy do not speak your Thanksgivings in the Language of Hell away with all Swearing and Cursing and Excess all Drunkenness and Debauchery These things would be the Sacrifice of Fools and not of a sweet Savour in God's Nostrils They would indeed go up as Pillars of Smoak but not perfum'd with Myrrh and Frankincense and all the Powders of the Merchant While we are pleased I beseech you let not God be provoked by us lest he quickly distributes Sorrows in his Anger and turn our Mirth into Mourning Make it appear to all By-standers that while you are chearful and pleasant there is the Awe of God upon you remembring the Command given forth by an holy Person divinely inspired 2 Psal. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoyce with trembling Not as Slaves but as Children that know their Father's Greatness and their own Duty True Joy is a grave and severe thing and doth not admit of what is childish for that lessens it nor of what is prophane for that doth corrupt it Keep all your Festival Days like Christians not like Heathens Let Holiness to the Lord be written upon them May a Vein of Godliness run thorough all your Actions but do nothing contrary to the Principles and Rules of Morality When you have put on your white and beautiful Garments do all you can to keep them clean do not contract Dirt and Filth upon them for let me tell you that which is to day a Spot upon your Garment may another day prove a Wound in your Consciences Oh therefore after you have been here offering Praise to GOD do not go away and offer Affronts to Him May that abide upon you with a commanding Power which you find in the 50 Psal. 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of GOD. Let God see that which pleaseth him and you shall see that which will comfort you In this way you shall see more Temporal Salvations and you will have need of them and at last you shall have an Eternal one III. Our Joy in the King's Salvation ought to be a well regulated well govern'd Joy Give it its full scope but still keep it in its right place and within its due Bounds God would not have you honour him with stoln Goods but hates Robbery for a Burnt-offering and for certain he is as much against Sacrilege his Soul loathing them that would go about to take the Crown off his head and set it upon a Creatures Therefore let your Joy in the King's Life Health and safe Return be subordinate to your Joy in God Love the King and Queen dearly but love GOD more for he is infinitely better than they Honour them but give GOD a greater Honour for he is the KING of Kings and the highest of them are his Servants Rejoyce in them but most in GOD make him your exceeding Joy the Gladness of your Rejoycing Let us bless GOD for establishing their Throne but let none go about to set them or either of them in GOD's Throne Remember that of our precious Saviour which is Counsel worthy of the Author Give unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's and to GOD the things which are GOD's Our King is a great King and he is a good King a singular Blessing to us yet he is but a Man a frail Man a mortal Man subject to Errours Mistakes and Passions who would soon faint and sink if GOD did not uphold him quickly swerve and wander if GOD did not guide him The sence of this put Solomon upon asking Wisdom of God 1 Kings 3 c. I am but a child I know not how to go out or come in give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and evil Some have been so vain foolish and absurdly wicked as to turn Princes into Idols so must not you for doing so will be a Mischief to yourselves and no Kindness at all to them 12 Acts 21. Herod arrayed in Royal Apparel and sitting on his Throne made an Oration thereupon the People gave a shout saying It is the voice of a God and not of a man But it had been better for him if they had been silent or he had sharply reproved them for immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him and he was eaten of Worms Cursed is the Man that trusteth in Man glorieth in Man and maketh Flesh his Arm As for us let us trust in the Lord and that for ever since in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength I proceed to the Use which shall divide itself into five Branches First Do you this day put that in practice which my Text tells you the Church had in her Resolution God even our God hath graciously commanded Deliverance Salvation for our King and for our Queen he hath been the securing comforting Shadow and saving Strength of his Anointed now let his high Praises be in our mouths let us compass him about with Songs of Deliverance It is GOD that giveth salvation to Kings and covered his Servant's head in the day of Battle and deliver'd him from the hurtful Sword His gracious Eye hath been upon him for good while the malicious Eyes of his Enemies have been against him for evil Let us there therefore put on our Garments of Praise which are indeed beautiful Garments and comely for the Upright Let us make Melody in our Hearts to the Lord and come before his Presence with Thanksgiving The Mercy calls for it our King and Queen call for it our own Interest doth oblige to it and God expects it at our hands Let us now answer the Calls on Earth and the Expectations of Heaven and in order thereunto look diligently upon the Mercy study it well labour to see it through and through in the Largeness of its Extent in the Greatness of its Beauty and Glory Thereby our Hearts may come through the concurrence of a Divine Influence to be duly affected with it and greatly inlarged Oh that none of us here may be found empty before the Lord but every one provided of such a Sacrifice to lay upon his Altar as he will not despise but accept having a Respect to our Persons and to our Offerings as he had to Abel's Yea I earnestly intreat that you together with me would use greatest Care to offer up
A SERMON Preached on the Thanksgiving-Day The 27 th Day of October 1692. AT CROSBY-SQUARE By SAMUEL SLATER Minister of the GOSPEL LONDON Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry over-against the Compter 1693. TO THAT Flock of GOD which meets at Crosby-Square Dearly Beloved THE following Discourse was through Divine Assistance prepared for you and deliver'd in your hearing it is now publish'd upon your Desire which would not take a Denial Ambition of appearing in Print is far from me the very Trouble of it is sufficient to discourage one who hath so much Work besides to engage him But you are so dear over me and to me that to refuse what you request is next to impossible specially when it speaks your Zeal for their Majesties Interest and tends to the promoting of common Good The Acceptance my poor Labours find with you is a great strengthening of my Hands as your Peace and Unity among yourselves and the sincere Love you bear to all that love our dear Lord Jesus is no less the matter of my Rejoycing Sad Divisions there are to be found up and down at this day which cause great Thoughts of Heart and call for great Searching Oh that the infinitely great and wise Physician would be pleased to speed the Healing of them and blessed be his Name the Devil hath not hitherto set his Cloven Foot among you and oh that he never may And that you may still keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace growing exceedingly and sensibly in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shining with the bright Beams of Holiness to the Adorning of your Profession And that you may meet with God in Ordinances here to your Comfort and Improvement and after that have a full Enjoyment of him and immediate Communion with him in his Heavenly Kingdom for ever is and shall be the hearty Prayer of him who is Yours to serve you in the Gospel of Christ S. SLATER From my Study Nov. 14 1692. XX. Psalm v. We will rejoyce in thy salvation THIS short but sweet and excellent Psalm was indited by the holy Spirit of God and penn'd by David the sweet Singer of Israel in the form and manner of a Prayer for the help of the Church in their imploring Blessings and Successes upon their Kings whom God by his Providence had set over them though here is also a particular Reference or Respect had unto the Lord Jesus who is the Head of the Church and over all things to the Church King of Sion and of Saints Of whom those other Kings in their Power and Authority were Types shadowing of him out in his Royal Office and Dignity and some of them as David and Solomon were so in a more special and peculiar manner The Psalm indeed doth contain in it two parts or is made up of two things Prayer and Praise The former of these namely the Prayer takes up the five first Verses in which they do humbly and heartily beg of GOD these things for the King First They beg of GOD Audience for the KING The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble Where we may observe that Kings may be in Trouble as well as meaner Persons They have Burdens upon them the Burden of Government which calls for a strong Sholder and the Burden of Care which requires an able Head and Heart And as they have their Burdens so their Troubles Crowns and Thrones are not without their Thorns no more than other Things Trouble will make its entry into the Prince's Palace as well as the Peasant's Cottage Observe again As Princes have their Troubles so they should not be without their Prayer It is not enough for them that their Clergy and other Subjects are Suitors on their behalf but they ought to spread their own Case before God and make their Requests known to him while their People pray for them they should pray for themselves and their People too As they are Men of Power so they should be Men of Prayer I give my self unto prayer said David And happy that Nation which hath a Praying King such a King as is valiant and dares fight with Enemies for them and being gracious knoweth how to wrestle with GOD too It is in the Text taken for granted that the King prays and therefore they desire he may be heard Observe again While the King prays it is the People's Duty to back him and set in with God with him and for him We owe him a special Room in our Hearts and Petitions The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble Doth the King pray oh that he may prosper oh that his Prayer may come up before God as Incense oh that his Prayer may be accepted and granted The Lord hear thee Secondly They desire Protection for him The name of the GOD of Jacob defend thee Do Troubles encompass thee let Salvation do so too Are Men thine Enemies let God be thy Guard his Name is a strong Tower let it be so to thee from the Face of thine Enemies Let all his glorious Attributes which are as so many Letters of his Name be engaged and employed for thy Security and Preservation Thirdly They beg Assistance for him not only that the Divine Shadow may be over him but that the Divine Hand also may be with him and the Everlasting Arm stretched out on his behalf Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion Help when thou needest it and callest for it maist thou never be without the help of God Strength when thou hast Enemies to grapple with that thou maist conquer them and when thou hast Work to do that thou maist go thorough with it and do it to Acceptance Praise and Honour send thee such Help as will be seasonable and such Strength as will be sufficient Fourthly They beg for him Acceptance with God and the gracious Remembrance of all his Religious Services Remember all thy offerings and accept all thy burnt-offerings O my Friends what a singular Comfort is it to a gracious People when they know their King to be a true Worshipper of God together with them and have reason to look upon him as one that is devoted to the Fear Service and Honour of God and when they are so perswaded it is unquestionably their Duty to desire that he might in all that he doth be accepted of God acceptable to his People at least to the best and most judicious of them and to his God too Lastly They beg the fulfilling of all his Counsels and of all his Petitions Verse 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsels And v. 5. of which the Text is a part The LORD fulfil all thy Petitions The Lord grant that when thou hast directed thy Prayer and lookest up thou maist see something of Mercy coming down That none of thy Prayers may miscarry none drop by the way and fall short of
known to joyn with a common Enemy in order to the Overthrowing of all then it must be own'd a Mercy to have them taken away for it is a good Riddance and that Hand which gives them a fatal Stroke or a seasonable Remove reacheth out a singular Kindness to the People It 's sad when they sit in the Throne who will not mind and pursue the great Ends of Government But the Salvation of a Prince whose Heart is set for publick Good and who doth as David said bear up the Pillars of a Land should engage all his Subjects in the Work of Praise There are I would hope not many among us but what are sensible what a potent and cruel Enemy we have too too near us that hates us with an implacable Hatred a declared Enemy both to us and our Religion and who will if ever it come within the reach of his Power make us pay dear and smart bitterly for the Opposition we have made him and the Blows we have given him of which he possibly is soar and it is not a little slight Revenge that will satisfie his Rage Rods will not be thought bad enough no no they must be Scorpions And some who have their eyes in their Heads and open do and cannot but see what kind of Persons we have living among ourselves what Vipers lurk in our own Bosoms who are full of Discontent and Malice so that they cannot command themselves nor bridle their Passion but must give Vent We see their Restlesness we are not Strangers to their Purposes and Endeavours and we hear their Threatnings and if God had not been pleased to guard and establish the Throne to preserve our King abroad and our Queen at home and continue them both to us what Confusion would that sort of Men have put us into before this How would our Land have been made an Aceldama a Field of Blood But through Divine Goodness our King is saved our Peace is preserved you may follow your Callings take the Comfort of your Estates enjoy your Relations delight yourselves with and in your Friends meet together in the great Congregation Worship God in the Beauty of Holiness and sit under your own Roofs Vines and Fig-trees none making you afraid and therefore we have reason to rejoyce in the King's Salvation 3. The Salvation of the King is and ought to be the Matter of our Rejoycing because it is a great ground of Hope and comfortable Expectation for the future The broken hearted and weeping Prophet Jeremiah did teach the Inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem to bewail their own Loss by the early Death of that gracious and most excellent King Josiah in these Expressions 4. Lam. c. The breath of our nostrils the anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits of whom we said Under his shadow we shall live among the Heathen Blessed be God our King is not taken in their Pits nor fallen by their Swords nor stab'd by their Ponyards nor poysoned with their Figs nor wounded by their Bullets nor cut off by any of their cursed Plots But may we not say He is the breath of our Nostrils I mean under God for without him he is no more than another Man but it is to him under God that we do owe our being a Nation a Nation in so much Peace a Protestant Nation and may we not hope and say That under his Shadow we shall live notwithstanding the burning glowing Fury of our inraged Enemies and under his prudent and happy Conduct we shall be delivered from and prevail against the Power and Attempts of those Sons of Perdition who are skilful and greedy to destroy and who would gladly make us their Prey and swallow us up quick Surely we may look upon this Preservation in the midst of so many Enemies and Dangers as being a singular Token for Good and comfort ourselves with the thoughts of this that he is continued by God in Mercy to us to the Nation to Europe and to the Church of CHRIST And that as he hath not only exalted him and placed him in the Throne but likewise honoured him already by making use of him as an eminent Instrument in his Hand for Good so he will go on to imploy and prosper him yet further and that he still hath more great and excellent Work for him to do both among us and in the World And that as his Hands have laid most happily the Foundation of our Peace and Prosperity so he shall proceed until he hath added the Top-stone upon which theâ—e shall be joyful Acclamations Grace grace to it And since God hath put it into the Hearts of their Majesties with so much Thankfulness to own him in the Mercies which they have received in the Deliverances which have been commanded for them and in that signal Victory which was given their Forces at Sea I do heartily pray that they may and I do with no small Confidence perswade my self that they do and will look upon these Mercies Deliverances and great Success as laying upon them strong Obligations to a continued and vigorous Appearance for the Honour of his holy Name and the Prosecution of the great and glorious Ends of Government that so Mercies may not turn Plaintiffs nor the Expectations of God and good Men be disappointed I conclude that upon these accounts it is evident the Prince's Salvation should be the Peoples Joy My Work in the next place will be to offer to your serious Consideration some things which may advance and increase your Joy in order to the filling up of this Day with the Duty of it that the Flame may be answerable to the Occasion the high Praises of God being both in our Hearts and Minds Now to this purpose know that an ingenuous and rightly spirited People should and will raise up their Joy and Thankfulness to a lofty pitch a very high degree for the Salvation of their Prince when it is accompanied and cloathed with such Circumstances as these First When the Prince hath been the means of their Salvation when he that is now their King was before their Saviour when he is not only their Governour but their Redeemer and Deliverer also when that Crown which now he wears upon his Head was placed there by the Hands of an engaged and grateful People as a Reward due to him for the special Kindness he had shewn them and the eminent Service he had done them and when the Royal Scepter which he now sways was by them put into his hand as an Acknowledgement of his having drawn his Sword in their Quarrel and for their Defence Whatever some Sons of Discontent do mutter we cannot but know how sad and doleful our Condition was and what a black Cloud sate upon the face of Things among us when he was by a gracious and compassionate God sent in to our Relief You cannot so soon forget what a Multitude of perplexing Thoughts crowded in upon you what Fears did
and People were ready to sink under the weight of their Iniquities but David came in and set his Shoulder to it I bear up the pillars of it I am the Basis that doth uphold those things upon which the Earth should stand and without which Kingdoms must and will fall into Decay and Ruine I make it my business to reduce all into Order to set and keep matters in a due Frame and Posture by a regular and religious Government And upon this account also blessed yea for ever blessed be the Father of Mercies for putting his Everlasting Arms under our King and Queen and for bearing them up who bear up the Pillars of our Country without this we should soon have had among us a terrible Earthquake to an utter Overthrow But once more Sixthly It is most certainly the Peoples Duty to increase their Joy in the Lord upon the Prince's Salvation when it doth not come alone but attended with a great and lovely Train and bringeth other choice and desirable Mercies in its company when it is usher'd in by some and followed by others so that we may say Behold a Troop cometh Had there been no more than the single Deliverance and Preservation of our King who in our Quarrel ventur'd himself in the high places of the Field and upon the mighty Waters we should have been mightily concerned in it and therefore greatly obliged to bless God But as Affliction doth not use to go alone so neither did this Mercy God hath compasted us with Favours and laden us with Benefits of which we may well be glad How precious have his Thoughts been concerning us and how open his Hand of Bounty to us Who can tell the number of the former or measure the largeness of the latter Day unto day hath shewn his Love and night unto night his Faithfulness Take a few Instances and set a mark upon them How gracious hath God been in the Preservation of our Queen let us give him the Glory of that and of his directing and assisting her in a most prudent most just and most gracious Administration of Government His Mercy in the late Earthquake that he did so gently shake his Rod over us and not stir up all his Wrath nor rise up to that height of Severity which he had used a little before upon Jamaica but only shewed us what he could do and we deserved still drawing out upon us a longer Line of Life and Tranquility and giving us space for Repentance Mercy in continuing the Peace of the Nation so that none have been able to disturb or interrupt it Mercy in his gracious Presence with you of this great City in the Choice of your Magistrates under whose Conduct we may promise our selves Encouragement of them that do well and the Suppression of those crying Abominations which have abounded among us And likewise wonderful Mercy in that great and signal Victory given to their Majesties Navy over the French Fleet whereby the Marine Power of that Cruel Nimrod was greatly shaken and shatter'd and his intolerable Pride may well be abated Neither may we forget or in Silence pass by that seasonable Weather which was given to the laborious but then sorrowful Country-man for the gathering in the Fruits of the Earth when the great and continued Rains had threatned us and some begun to hoard up Corn and most did apprehend a Scarcity approaching and at the very Door Shall I bind these up together Our King hath had Salvation abroad our Queen been blest and made a Blessing at home our Forces have been crown'd with Victory our Land enjoyeth Peace when neighbouring Countries have been the Seat of a devouring War we have Plenty as well as Peace yea and the true Religion and Gospel-Truths and ordinances to sweeten all the rest For all this praise the Lord O England praise thy God O London whose Name alone is excellent and his Glory above the Earth In the next place we are to consider what should be the Qualifications what the Properties of this Joy and that I shall do in these three Things I. Our Joy ought to be an hearty Joy not feigned but real not hypocritical but sincere the joyful Sound we make ought not to be an empty Sound It is an impossible thing to deceive God and a dangerous thing to moek him Do not you mock him in your meeting together at this time I wish none might be guilty of it though I fear some will who for Example sake because others do so or out of Fear and to avoid Suspicion will go to Church somewhere or other and sit out the Publick Worship though very uneasily and as upon Thorns and then go to the Tavern and meet their vain Companions and with them drink Confusion to their Majesties sacred Persons and Health to their Enemies Let not such Guilt come upon any one here before the Lord whose eye is upon you that pure and peircing Eye which searcheth the Hearts and looks for Truth What you do this day do it as to the Lord as in the sight of God be affected indeed with this Salvation and with these Mercies and with the great Goodness of God in them and be thankful indeed The Apostle tells you your Love must be such not in word and in tongue viz. only but in deed and in truth Call upon yourselves as that holy Man did 103 Psal. 1 2. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me Bless his holy name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Or let me bespeak you in those words which you have in the 105 Psal. 3. Glory ye in his holy name and let the heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord. You have been a seeking People you have fought the Lord his Face and Favour and Strength you have been seeking frequently earnestly you have been seeking the Lord on the behalf of your King and Queen we have done it frequently earnestly together and apart many and many a Prayer we have lifted up to Heaven for them and God hath graciously heard us and been found of us Our King hath found God near to him and round about him He hath been followed and guarded with an Army of Prayers and he hath been brought home to us in the Arms of Prayer Now as you have been hearty in your Praying make sure that you be so likewise in your Rejoycing Let the hearts of them rejoyce that have sought the Lord. It is as the Prayer so the Praise of the Upright that is God's Delight It is an Harmony between the Heart and the Lip a Consent and Agreement between the inward Affections and outward Expressions that makes Melody in the Divine Ears Therefore that Request in the 19. Psal. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer II. Our Joy must not be light and frothy but a solid Ioy There is
this day such Praises to GOD as he may call a glorifying of him Secondly Let us accompany and follow our Praises to God for the Salvation which hath been already commanded with Prayer for further Salvation as need shall require and for more and more Blessings upon him upon them both sor they will stand in need of more They have an absolute Dependence upon him and cannot be without him one day should he depart from them their Strength would be Weakness their Counsels Folly and all their Endeavours unsuccessful God hath store of Salvations by him and a multitude of tender Mercies and can send down Showers of Blessings and he is willing so to do for he doth not faint under Works of Power nor is he weary of Acts of Kindness But still we must seek him for he loves to be enquired of by the HOUSE of ISRAEL Let us therefore pray for our King and Queen heartily constantly every day while they are thinking consulting ordering caring spending venturing themselves for us it is our unquestionable Duty to be Praying for them Let us do it now and hold on in doing it Praise and Prayer are good in company When we with Joy draw Waters out of the Well of Salvation we must let down our Buckets for more And since GOD hath set a Crown of pure Gold upon their Heads let them still joy in his Strength and through the Mercy of the most High let them not be moved let them be prevented compast followed with the Blessings of Goodness let them have Honour and Majesty laid upon them and be made glad with the Light of his Countenance Let the right Hand of GOD find out their Enemies that hate them and make them as a fiery Oven in the time of his Anger The good Lord cloath their Enemies with Shame but upon their Heads let the Crown flourish Thirdly Make their Work as easie to them as ever you can You all see the height of their Station and how much GOD hath advanced them above others but you do not know the Difficulties they meet with in it Crowns do glister but they are very heavy It is no easie thing to manage such a Trust and sit at the Helm of three Kingdoms You that have but little Families do know it is an hard matter to provide for them rightly to govern them and to keep all things in them in a due Order by that judge what it is to look after care for direct and rule such great Bodies O let us make it our business to render their Work as facil and delightsul as we can And surely it is highly reasonable that every one should contribute his utmost toward it While it is our unanimous Desire they should make their Government as easie to us as they can shall we not make it as easie to them as we can And then we shall do so when we are a quiet and well-temper'd People when we are a loving and loyal People when we are an united People Away with Discontent and Variance with Discord and Quarrels and Grumblings without Cause or for Trifles or for such things as are unavoidable Let their Majesties see that ye Love them and are at Peace among yourselves How sweet and pleasant will it be to them to find they have a Room in your Hearts and that you have a Brotherly Kindness for one another and why not Though there are and will be Difference of Judgment and consequently of Practice in some things yet there may and should be an Uniting in Affection Men may walk divers ways without punching one another Fourthly Be ready to assist them to your Power In the Natural Body the Hands and Feet and all the Members will contribute all they can to the Service of the Head so it ought to be in the Body Politick Accordingly let all do the Duties of their Places single Persons theirs let them order and govern themselves Masters of Families theirs let them wisely rule their own Houses Magistrates in Cities Towns and Countries fiâ—l up their Places Judges theirs Ministers and People theirs Persons in Ecclesiastical Civil Military Employments theirs That is an healthful Body of which all the Parts are fit for and bufie at their several Functions The doing of this will lighten the Princes Load and remove many Rubs out of their way Assist them then with your Persons one would think the Gallantry of an English Spirit should scorn to wait for a Press when the Service of the King and Country calls you out much more to flee and hide from it My heart is toward them among the people that offer themselves willingly said brave Debora 5 Judges And let all that are able too assist with their Purses Why such Discontent because of the Taxes are they Unnecessary Can they be avoided Can a War be maintained without Charge A Navy and Army be kept up with nothing Will Souldiers and Seamen venture their Limbs and Lives for nothing or is it fit they should Who can see by your Garbes and Tables that you are over-burden'd by the Taxes Which of you fares the Coarser for them or goes the meaner But what are these Taxes to what those poor Countries suffer that are the Seat of the War what to Military Execution Do you pay more than the Gospel is worth more than the Honour of your Wives and Daughters is worth more than your Peace and Liberty are worth I think it better to pay half what you have than lose all as thousands have and you will if under a French Power Lastly Do not you expose their Majesties to Danger by your Follies We are now rejoycing for their Salvation and other Mercies shewn to them and us in them let us not when we have done go and sin both them and us into Misery and Ruine Know as a People may suffer for the Sins of a King so Aegypt did for the Stubbornness of Pharoah yea and Israel too for David's Numbring the People so may a King suffer for the Sins of the People It was unto the People Samuel spake those words 1 Sam. 12. 25. If ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King Let us all therefore take heed to ourselves let us break off our Sins by Repentance and be a reformed and holy People so walking as to please GOD and honour the Gospel then it will be well with Us and our KING and QUEEN Amen The END