of Honouring the King a Duty upon which many others do mainly depend a duty incumbent upon all the Kings Subjects in what parts of his Dominions soever they live by whatsoever Titles they are distinguished whether they be Noble or Ignoble whether they be Lay-men or Ecclesiastical Persons a Duty which if rightly practised would tend to the universal good and welfare of the whole Kingdom and of every member of it 't would make the King great at Home and considerable Abroad that we may therefore rightly understand it that we may all duely practise it and carefully avoid what is forbidden by it I shall by Gods assistance in my following discourse endeavour to do these two things 1. To explain the Duty and the several parts of it And 2dly To shew the Obligations we have to it 1. First for explanation of the Duty by Honouring the King may in short be meant an awful framing and composing of the whole man respectively to his Authority For it hath respect to the very cogitations of out hearts to which none but God and our selves are conscious it concerns our speech and puts a bridle upon our tongues it hath an eye upon our actions and directs the regulation of them But that we may more fully discern what it doth positively require what consequently it doth plainly forbid be pleas'd to take notice of these following particulars 1. Honouring the King doth require a Reverential esteem of him an inward respectiveness of the soul to him so as in our thoughts to have a worthy opinion of him and to think of him very highly according to the dignity of his Office and the eminent Character he bears amongst us Such no doubt was that honourable account which the Subjects of King David had of him when they own'd him to be worth ten thousand of them as you may find in the Second Book of Samuel the 18th Chapter and the 3d. verse as likewise when in the same Book of Samuel the 21st chapter and the 17th verse they held him to be the Light of Israel Such were the thoughts which men conceived of Zedekiah who yet was no very good King when upon his fatal Captivity under the King of Babylon he was lamented by the character of the breath of their nostrils Such every lawful Governour that sits upon the Throne of Majesty ought to be esteem'd such apprehensions should every one of us have of our King We must have so great thoughts of his high Calling as to look upon him to be Gods immediate Vicegerent within his own Dominions and to be accountable to him only for what he doth for where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what dost thou we must esteem him under God to be the Supream Governour and not imagine that any man or any number of men either within or without his Realms hath any power or Superiority over him In which respect it was that Saul was said by Samuel to be the head of the tribes of Israel the King is called Supream in this very chapter of my text and by the good Lawes and Constitutions of this Land our present Sovereign is declared to be So in all Causes and over all persons to think otherwise of him is to wrong him and detracts from that honour which by the Laws of God man belongs unto him Let the Votaries of the Church of Rome who think the Pope to be above him and the upstart Sect of Presbyterians or Independents that would have him truckle under the Cognizance of their Classical meetings See how at the last great day they will answer to God their denyal of this part of his just prerogative The Loyalty of the Church of England teacheth us another Doctrine we all being thereby obliged to believe that the King hath all Power both Ecclesiastical and temporal and so long as we are members of this Church we must do him that right and afford him that honour in our hearts as to be firmly perswaded that no humane Authority is above his or equal to it that none may constrain or limit it And as we are not to lessen his Sovereignty in our thoughts so neither should we think ill of him much less devise or contrive any evil against him Honour is properly an inward act of the Soul which if it be true and sincere cannot afford harbour for any base intentions or treacherous designs evil purposes and malitious imaginations can no more consist with it then Light with Darkness or love with hatred and for a man to profess that he honours the King and at the same time to entertain thoughts and designes of harm against his Crown and Dignity is like Ioab to speak fairly and friendly to his Neighbour and presently to smite him under the fifth rib to the very heart The imaginations of our hearts 't is true are only known to God But if they be void of that due regard we should have for our Sovereign if they give way to any bloody intendments and Teasonable Practices although no mortal man that is not made privy to them can make them known yet that all-searching eye that pierceth into the very secrets of the heart can and often doth discover them be they never so cunningly closely contrived by wayes methods sufficiently declaring his care and providence in the protection and preservation of his Vicegerent And because the persons of Princes are more Sacred then the persons of private men therefore God hath promised in his holy word that curses tho' but in the heart conceived against them shall be detected by the Birds of the Air that is in some Notorious and Remarkable manner if by ordinary means they cannot be revealed So detestable in the sight of God are but the least intentions of evil against the Lords anointed And may all those Devilish devices be confounded and those false and evil thoughts blasted that shall at any time be hatched in the breast of any man against the Life or against the Honour of our Lord the King Now when this Reverential Esteem and Awful regard for the King is once well setled and grounded in the heart it will soon exert it self in real and substantial matter in outward and visible Signes that may plainly testifie and manifest our inward respect Honour conceived in the thoughts will not rest wholly there but will be productive of apparent indications of it 't is the root that gives life and nourishment to the branches that sprout up from it the Original and Spring from whence several considerable Duties as so many rivulets from the Fountain-head do naturally flow 't is not sufficient to pretend an inward respectiveness without giving an outward and sensible evidence thereof for that would be but vile mockery as on the other hand an outward submissiveness without an inward hearty and sincere reverence would be but downright hypoerisy Wherefore 2dly Honouring the
Kingdoms good to wage War against whom we are bound to fight and ventured our Lives and Persons in his just defence which should be as much at his Command and Service as our Estates and Fortunes His Domestick Enemies of the two are the worse for a man can have no worse Adversaries then those of his own Houshold a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand and if an house be divided against it self unless the good hand of Providence intervene the ruine of that house must needs be near Now his Majesties Domestick Enemies are those of his Natural Subjects that being instigated by the Devil do bear an ill will to his Person and carry on evil Designs and evil Practices against his Government Of which some perhaps may be in open Rebellion and with a bare face commit Acts of Hostility against him And a Man would really wonder that there should ever be such Monsters in Nature such unnatural bruit Beasts as thirst after the Bloud of their own Father endeavour to rip up the Womb of their own Mother and seek the subversion of the Place of their own Nativity the which all they may be suppos'd to do that draw their Swords against their Liege Lord and Sovereign and by a civil War disturb the public Peace And it is but the last Years Revolution that makes us experimentally know that there may be Devils upon Earth in humane shape as well as there are really Devils in Hell and as these rebel against God so do they rebel against Gods Vicegerent Now when Rebels are got to such an Head as to appear in open Arms it is the part of good Subjects to shew themselves for the Kings side by resisting and opposing them by preventing their Numbers to encrease by cutting them short of Relief by Declaring openly against them by animating each other to withstand them all of them in their several Capacities contributing some way or other to quell and subdue them Again others there are of the King 's Domestick Enemies that appear not so openly but yet covertly manage the same mischievous and treasonable Designs And they are by so much the more formidable dangerous by howmuch the more unperceivable and unsuspected their ways and methods of Proceeding are such are they who will not professedly declare and level War against him but they will lay cunning Plots and privy Conspiracies to deprive him of his Life Others will profess an abhorrence of such a bloody Enterprize and declare that they have no ill will towards His Person but yet they will not stick at seizing of his Guards taking Him out of the hands as they think of evil Counsellers and keeping Him under a Restraint till he shall be forced to comply with their unreasonable Demands or they will endeavour as was the Saying and the Design of that ungrateful Traytor the late Earl of Shaftsbury leisurely to walk His Majesty out of His Dominions by setting up factious Clubs and Cabals of disaffected and discontented People by subtile and crafty Insinuations withdrawing the Vulgar from the Duty of their Allegiance infecting their Minds with seditious Principles and making them sit for any sudden Assault and Insurrection which things they do some for some particular disgrace which they deservedly received at Court seeking to revenge their private Quarrel by setting the whole Nation on a Flame some out of Pride and Ambition not thinking themselves sufficiently rewarded for their former Services some out of a vain affectation of Popularity desiring to be esteem'd the Head of a Party some out of a design to fish in troubled Waters and to become gainers by public Destractions and lastly some for the meer sake of doing Mischief like the Scottish Ferguson that remorseless Villain that when the accursed Treasons of his Confederates were hapily detected had notwithstanding the boldness to profess that for his part he would never be out of a Plot as long ashe liv'd Now when such men are busied upon such hellish Contrivances it is the Duty of all those that truly Honour the King to be assisting to him in counterplotting their Designs in suppressing their Meetings in making if possible a discovery of their Actions and bringing their Persons to condign Punishment Particularly it should be the Endeavour of all inferior Magistrats and subordinate Officers who are to be a terrour to evil Works to take care that the King suffers no wrong by such Workers of evil that none of His just Rights and Prerogatives be invaded and violated by them to keep the Populacy quiet and make them do their own Business to suppress seditious Tumults in time lest by connivance and forbearance they become too headstrong and unruly and by a vigilant Circumspection to look well to the Trust which their great Master hath reposed in them Nay it concerns all the loyal Party when the Faction grows insolent and daring it mainly I say concerns us all to be no less couragious and active according to our power in asserting the King's Cause and vindicating his honour and not to suffer it to be run down by Noise and Clamour and by Fury and Violence in such a Case to sit still and be afraid to own Him is to betray him and quietly permit him to become a Prey to those that hate him we should speak our Minds freely and act boldly in the Defence of him and chuse rather to be buried in the Ruines of the Royal Family if that must fall then part with our Loyalty and side with their Enemies But Thirdly As we may be very instrumental in promoting the King's honour by relieving his Wants and by assisting him against all his Enemies so likewise may we be so in praying unto God for him which as it is a Duty enjoyn'd us by St. Paul exhorting us to pray as for all Men so more particularly for Kings so it is in its self most easie and in every Mans power to perform For whereas all men have not wherewithal to contribute towards the relief of the King's wants all men may nevertheless pray for Him The poorest man in his Dominions can make him this Offering and the richest can afford him nothing better He that begs his bread from door to door and is himself destitute of present Sustenance may enrich his Prince by the Tribute of his Prayers and advance him higher then all the Kings of the Earth And again whereas all the King's Subjects are not nor indeed conveniently can be actually engaged in his Service by fighting for him and assisting him against his Enemies yet they may all pierce Heaven by their Prayers and derive down showers of blessings upon his Armies and make them Successful and Victorious Now those things which we should chiefly beg of God for him are that he may be endowed First With all Spiritual blessings with the Piety of David with the Wisdom of Solomon and with a daily supply and encrease of all other gifts and
graces that may be needful for him 2dly With all temporal blessings that he may be delivered from all dangers incident to his place from Private Conspiracies from Tumultuous Factions and from Open Rebellion that he may overcome and subdue all his Enemies that they may have no advantage over him nor the Wicked approach to hurt him that his Life may be long and his Reign happy and that all his Subjects may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty Such were the Petitions which the Primitive Christians put up to God for the Heathen Emperours praying for their very Persecutors vitam prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes c. a long life à secure Empire a safe family Valiant Armies and so on as Tertullian tells us the example therefore binds much more when a King hath submitted his Scepter to the standard of Jesus and maketh profession of the Christian faith Nor indeed can we reasonably expect that the King should be happy and prosperous without our sincere observance of this Duty for let us do what we can to make him so tho' we cheerfully assist him with our Fortunes and our Lives as we are bound to do when need so requires yet if we do not add our Prayers to the King of Kings to crown him with his favour and loving kindness in vain may all our endeavours be for there is no King that can be saved by the multitude of an hoast neither is there any man delivered by much strength and except the Lord keep the City and by his good Providence guard the Kingdom the Watchmen waketh but in vain But if all the Kings Subjects would but most affectionately Pray for him and with one heart one mind humbly beg the blessing of God upon him we might then have great hopes that the joynt-addresses of a whole Nation would be very prevalent at the Court of the King of Heaven Wherefore that men do not truly Honour the King that is negligent in this Duty of Praying for him forasmuch as he neglects that one expedient that may so much tend to his true Interest and true honour But further 4thly As Honouring the King doth require that we should do such things as may tend to his honour so it doth likewise oblige us to do nothing that may lessen it and to endeavour to prevent and suppress whatever may be prejudicial unto it For it is natural for us to abhor and avoid as much as we can whatever may tend to the discredit of those whom we really Love and Honour nor can that honour which we ought to have for the King consist with any thing that may defame him or cast a blemish upon his Govenment and those things that may have this malevalent effectare First Scurrilous Libels Secondly Scandalous Reports and Thirdly the blazoing abroad his personal errours and failings First Scurrilous Libels whether they be in writing or in Print in Prose or in Verse do not only make the King ridiculous but contemptible too they have a direct tendency to the wronging of his Person to the lessening of his Authority to the weakning of his Power and in conclusion to the very shakening of his Throne and that man that can find in his heart to wound the Kings Honour by making Libels upon him would not stick upon a convenient occasion to embrue his hands in his bloud he that keeps them is as bad for he thereby approves of what the other hath done else why doth he keep them why doth he treasure them up and is so chary of them is it for the wit and Elegancy of speech he meets with in them but what wit can there be in Ribaldry invectives and Scurrilous reflections upon the Lords Anointed is not that wit vilely misemploy'd and that ingenuity degenerated into folly that is spent upon such unworthy Designs What loyal heart can endure to see his Sovereign vilely abus'd and bespatter'd in the most witty and most elegant Language Could a man be well content to have himself or his dearest Friend so serv'd and can we then with patience and contentedness with pleasure and delight behold the Sacred Majesty of our King which one would think should be exempted from such Usages Satyrically exposed and libelled much less shall we give entertainment and harbour to such Scurrilities and not rather with indignation and abhorrence reject and tear them But then he that gives vent unto them and makes them public spreads the malignity of them and is not perhaps well aware what great Injury as well as what great Indignity he thereby doth the King but if he be aware of it if he knows the harm and considers the Mischief that may from thence arise and yet forbears not to hand them from one to another he is a Traitor to the King a betrayer of His Honour and an enemy to his Kingdoms In a word they that make them they that keep them they that disperse them are all Blameable If we do indeed heartily honour the King if we have any value for the preservation of His Credit and Renown as we should never make such Libels our selves so having found them being made we should presently seek to suppress them and make them quite away So likewise should we do in reference Secondly To scandalous Reports whether they be true or false if true we should forthwith stifle them in their very first birth keep them wholly to our selves and prevent the farther growth of them if false we should contradict them rectifie the Mistakes and discover the Cheat and Malice of them and not only so but do all we can to keep them from spreading for if scandalous Reports do but once take air how senseless and unreasonable soever the grounds for them may be yet they will not only find entertainment with credulous and easie People but also be apt to encrease in the telling such I make account are those that concern bad News misrepresentation of the Kings actions traducing of his good ones missinterpretation of his words odious reflections on the Government the raising of Fears and jealousies and the like All which or any of them may by degrees lessen the King in the esteem and regard the Love and affections of his People may make them weary of his Government and breed in them an aversion and hatred to his Person such Reports are of very pernicious consequence and may have a malignant influence upon the honour and the happiness of the King and his Kingdoms And therefore as it should be the great concern of us all to beware of them so more particularly is it the Duty of all Masters of Families to take care that neither their Children nor Servants nor any under their Authority be the broachers or the publishers of such reports let them not suffer them to have the liberty of talking of State Affairs or censuring the Actions of their Superiours or making any
how miraculously he escaped the danger of Shipwrack in the Glocester Frigate how Providentially he was deliverred from the Barbarous assassination intended at the Rye And Lastly how wonderfully Successful his Arms were in the Suppression of the late Rebels both in England and Scotland when I say we reflect upon these things we cannot but discern and adore the good hand of God that out of such Perils both by Sea and Land hath reserved Him at last to Sway the Scepters of these Kingdoms and prospered the beginning of his Reign with a Victory so Remarkable and so much conducing to the good of his Subjects But particularly should we affectionately upon this Day Commemorate his quiet and peaceable Succession to the Throne of his Ancestors For when were consider how maliciously the Minds of ill men were not long since set against him what endeavours we made use of to exclude him from his just Rights Him the next Heir to the Imperial Crown of this Realm Him the intirely beloved Brother the only Brother of that most merciful Prince King Charles the Second Him the Son of that Royal Martyr King Charles the First Him that had often hazarded his Royal Life in the defence of this Nation and by his Courage and Conduct had gain'd Credit and Glory to it and farther what Rumors and Stories to that end were made of Him what bandyings and Consultations were held to work his Ruine and Subvertion and thereby to involve the whole Land in a Miserable Confusion and Sea of bloud and yet that notwithstanding all this all those restless endeavours of unreasonable men should be quite frustrated and brought to nought that the Strivings of the People should so soon be converted into a joyful reception of him and that he should so quietly and so peaceably enter upon the Entire Possession of his just Birthright and full Power without Bloudshed without Tumults without any Opposition with the joyfull Triumphs and Acclamations of all good men and receive no disturbance till the Late Unnatural Risings when I say we consider all this how great reason have we to Rejoyce Unfeignedly and most heartily to give the most Merciful God all Thanks and Praise who so wonderfully and so happily brought to pass the quiet Settlement of his Anointed and thereby delivered him and us from those Direful effects that must necessarily have been the sad Consequents of that black Bill of EXCLVSION Nor can it be any diminution of the honour or any reflection upon the memory of Our Late most Gracious Sovereign to make the Day on which he deceased a day of Joy and Thansgiving For we cannot but at the same time gratefully commemorate the many blessings we enjoy'd during the Reign of that most excellent Prince and in the midst of our Holy Triumphs for the happy Succession of the next Heir we cannot but affectionately remember that it was He next under God who by his Vigilant care and Prudent management of affairs allayed the heats and madness of the People stem'd the current of Popular fury brought the face of things to so good an issue and made the entrance to the Throne so plain and so easie for his Lawful Successor It was God's great mercy to us that he Lived so long to do so great things that he Died a quiet and a natural Death and after all the Storms and Tempests he strugled with left his Kingdoms in so serene a posture Wherefore whilst we endeavour to express our Joy and our Thankfulness to God for the King 's quiet and peaceable Succession let us not forget him who through God's blessing was the great cause and instrument of it So shall we honour the King that now is and not wrong the Memory of the King that is dead And I beseech you my Friends give me leave to exhort you to celebrate the Feast of this Day thankfully cheerfully and soberly not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Licentiousness and Disorder lest whilst you pretend to observe it in honour of the King you should by your Intemperance dishonour God Having thus at large explain'd the Duty of Honouring the King and shewn you the chief Parts whereof it doth consist I shall in the 2d Second place but very briefly touch upon the Obligations we have to this Duty and so conclude 1st The first of which may be taken from the Consideration of the Authority by which he Reigns and that is no less then Divine for by me saith God Kings Reign and Princes decree Iustice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the earth He derives not his Power from the People for they are but his Natural Subjects nor from the Solemnity of his Coronation for that is but a Ceremony of State nor from inherent or infused Grace for the most graceless Heathens have been invested with Sovereign Dominion but from the Constitution and appointment of God for there is no power St. Paul tells us but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Whence it is that all Kings and Supreme Rulers are called in Scripture the Lord 's Anointed And particularly Cyrus the Persian Monarch by Profession a meer Heathen is in Isaiah said by God himself to be his Anointed and all civil Magistrates those especially that have the Supreme Jurisdiction are also upon this accouut said to be Gods of whom God himself saith I have said ye are Gods and that very fitly and properly for they only act in his name by his Power upon his account and as God is the only Supream Governour over all the World so are these under him in their respective Dominions and so there may be as St. Paul saith Gods many and Lords many Usurpers that by Violence and Rebellion step into the Throne of Majesty such as was the Late Protector falsly so called have not this Prerogative nor is their power from God of such it is that God speaketh in the 8th of Hosea and the 4th verse they have set up Kings but not by me they have made them Princes and I knew it not But all Lawful Governours that come in by right and Lawful means such as beyond all condradiction is Our present Sovereign have their Character from the God of Gods and derive their Authority from a Divine Sanction Wherefore looking upon the King not barely as a Man but as a man by Gods appointment Reigning over us we cannot but find our selves oblig'd to Honour him Forasmuch as by honouring him we Honour the Ordinance of God and by not Honouring Him neither do we Honour the Ordinance of God We should Honour him for the Lords Sake who hath alwayes esteem'd any affront or disrespect done to His Anointed as if it had been directly offer'd to himself And if there be some degree of Honour due to the Kings Ambassadours abroad as they are his Representatives and to all Inferior Magistrates at Home as they act by his Commission and are sent by him how
much greater Honour doth there then belong to the King himself who is the Publick Minister of God and his immediate Vicegerent 2. Another Obligation to this Duty may be taken from the Advantages that accrue to us through his Government for he is set over us for our good and makes it his business to take care of us and protect us And therefore to do him honour is but a just Retribution for the Benefits we receive by him 3. To which thirdly and lastly we are obliged from the Principles of our Holy Catholick Religion as it is derived throughout all Ages from Christ himself and as it now stands planted and reform'd in the Church of England Which Church as it teacheth us all true Faith towards God so it obligeth us to all true Loyalty to the King Nor can we any longer be good Members of this Church nor consequently good Christians then whilst we remain firmly Loyal The King hath often Declared himself well satisfied with the Principles of our Church as they are for Monarchy and Loyalty and if we would not have our actions contradict our Principles if we would have them still preserved in that good Opinion he hath of them we must honour him in all those particulars which I have mention'd to belong to this Duty which whosoever doth not conscientiously observe cannot be a truly Loyal Man nor doth he well deserve to be accounted as by being Members of this Church we all justly profess our selves to be a Member of the Catholick Church My Friends and Gentlemen I am very sensible that I have detained you very long But the Subject I have handled is Great and Noble Copious and Seasonable nor could I have in any tollerable degree discharged my Duty had I said less of it tho' I could say much more But I will make no Apology for the tediousness of this Discourse well knowing that a Congregation that Loves and Honours the King such as I believe this to be cannot be displeased tho' it may be tired with Exhortations to Loyalty Nor shall I detain you any longer then till I have Concluded with that short but comprehensive Form of Blessing the KING or wishing well unto Him which was so frequently made use of in Times of Old which is so suitable to the Day and my Text and wherein I doubt not but I shall have your hearty Consent and that is God save the KING Amen FINIS Ioh. 18. 36. Eph. 6. 15. Acts 24. 5. Acts 17. 6. Mat. 22. 21. Mar. 12. 17 c. Luke 20. 25. Iohn 17. 11. Rom. 13. 1 7. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 1 2 13 14. 1 Pet. 2. 16 17. Suet. in vita Claudii cap. 34. Rom. 13. 5. Lament 4. 20. Eccles. 8. 3. 1 Sam. 15. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 2 Sam 3. 27. 2 Sam 20. 10. Eccles 10. 20. 1 Sam. 24. 8. 26. 19. 29. 8. 2 Sam 9. 11 13 33 14. 15 17 18 28. Ier. 38. 9. Esther 1. 4. Acts 23. 5. Iude 8. Mat. 17. 27. Mat. 22. 21. Mark 12. 17. Luke 20. 25. Mat. 12. 25. Mar. 3. 24. Luk. 11. 17. Declaration of the late Conspiracy published by his late Majesty's Order Pag. 9. Declaration of the late Conspiracy Pag. 69. Rom. 13. 3. 1 Thess. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 2 1. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Tert Apol cap. 30. Psal 33. 16. Psal 127. 1 Mat. 7. 1 Luk. 6. 37 Rom. 14. 10 13. Mat. 8. 9. Acts 4. 19. 5 29 Prov. 8. 15 16. Isa. 45. 1 Psal. 12. 16. 1 Cor. 8. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 2 Sam. 16. 16. 2 King 11. 12. 2 Chr. 23. 11.
THE DUTY OF Honouring the King And The Obligations we have thereto Delivered in a SERMON Preached at RICHMOND in York-shire on the 6th of February 1685 6. Being the Day on which His MAIESTY began His happy Reign At a general Assembly of the Loyal Gentry of those Parts held there on purpose to celebrate the KING 's quiet and peaceable Succession to the Throne of His Ancestors By Christopher Wyvil M. A. Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Ormond Printed at the request of the Gentlemen that heard it Imprimatur Ro. Altham R mo P. D no. Iohan. Archiep. Ebor. Ã sacris Domesticis YORK Printed by Io. White for Richard Lambert Bookseller at the Crown within the Minster-Gates Anno Dom. M. DC LXXXVI To the Right Honourable CONYERS Earl of HOLDERNESS Lord DARCY and MEINIL My Lord THe only Reason that obtain'd my consent to the publishing of the ensuing Discourse was the Opinion they had who heard it that it might be serviceable to his Majesty by reducing some of His misguided Subjects into a right sence and practice of their Allegiance towards Him to which end I beseech our good God to give it his blessing And the Honour I have to be related to your Lordships truly Loyal and Religious Family obligeth me to Dedicate it to your Lordship most humbly begging your Lordship's acceptance of it as a Testimony of the Duty owing to your Lordship from My LORD Your Lordship 's Most obedient Grandson and Most humble Servant Chris. Wyvil THE DUTY OF HONOURING THE KING 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour the King THat which in the Primitive Age of the Church raised many Enemies to the Christian Faith and induced the Potentates of the Earth to endeavour its extirpation was a groundless Suspition of its inconsistency with Civil Powers a Calumny invented no doubt and spread abroad by the Devil and his Agents on purpose to alienate the minds of men from making profession of it and to bring it into the contempt and hatred of Kings and Princes they being thereby perswaded that the Kingdom of Christ howsoever it was taught not to consist of this world was an encroachment upon their Dominions that the preaching of the Gospel howsoever it was said to be the Gospel of Peace carried nothing else with it but Fire and Sword wheresoever it was planted that Faction and Sedition Conspiracies and Rebellion were the only product of its Doctrine and that they who Taught and embraced it were no better then common Incendiaries Subverters of the public Peace and quietness Seducers of the People where they came and even turned the world upside down But the vanity and the falshood of this Suggestion both by the Practice of Christ and of the Writings of his Apostles doth sufficiently appear For our Saviour did not only give Commandment to his Followers to render unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's as well as unto God the things which be God's but that he might confirm his Doctrine by his own Example he patiently submitted himself to the Jurisdiction of an Heathen Governour freely owning the Power and Authority he had over him Nor were his Disciples less careful to imprint the same Doctrine in the minds of their Proselytes strictly charging them as to live in unity and concord one with another so more particularly to be obedient to Government and Governours and to pay a just deference to the Civil Magistrat St. Paul exhorteth every soul to be subject to the higher Powers and to pay tribute to whom tribute custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour is due And he chargeth Titus to put the People in mind of being subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates Which Subject is also prosecuted by St. Peter in this Chapter of my Text where he exhorteth his own Countrymen the Iews that were dispersed here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia to submit themselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him And he had some special Reason for so doing for there was then as there is now a Generation of men that under a pretence of Christian Liberty thought themselves under no obligation to temporal Princes denying to pay them even civil Respect esteeming all men as equal and vainly imagining that no mortal man ought to be accounted a Prince or a Lord over them It was therefore but necessary for our Apostle to put these men in mind of their Duty and to require them so to be free as not to use their Liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God and to fear God yet so as to Honour the King also And it is very considerable that the Persons to whom he directs this Epistle were at that time under the Supreme Government of the Emperour Claudius a prophane Infidel and a cruel Tyrant a worshipper of the Heathen Idols according to the custom of the ancient Romans a Man naturally merciless and given to bloudshed and yet such an unbelieving and bloudy Oppressor this blessed Apostle doth exhort the believing Iews to honour Now if such deference was to be paid to him how much more reasonably is it due to a Christian King And with what alacrity should we be ready to yield it to our present Sovereign who hath not only shewn himself merciful already to a great degree in Pardoning the Lives of some of those Men whose hands were unnaturally lift up to take away his but by his Sacred Word which was wont to be more unalterable then any of the Laws of the Medes and Persians and by his repeated promises which he hath made unconstrain'd unaskt unsought for God Almighty bless his Royal heart for it hath given us sufficient assuranccs that he will support and defend our Church It is one great excellency of our Holy Faith that as it is very consistent with order and civil Society and fitted for the prosperity and Happiness of men of all degrees So the just Rights and Priviledges of temporal Princes cannot be better secured then by the rules of its Doctrine all persons by the Christian Religion being enjoyned obedience to those in Authority not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake every man as he is bound to fear God being also obliged to honour the King And we cannot but admire and adore the Wisdom and goodness of God that when for the preservation of Order and Government in the World he did ordain that Power and Authority by which Kings do reign and Princes decree justice he did at the sametime determine to provide for the support of it and took great care for the securing of their Persons from violence and their Crowns from contempt as by many good Laws and precepts so more especially by that