You that are parents and masters of families and have but a few to provide for do yet feel that a burden and are many times at your wits end But what is your charge alas nothing to that of Magistrates and Rulers of a Nation who are the Fathers of the whole Countrey and have many thousands yea millions to look after If it be a hard matter to steer a Cock-boat what then is it to sit at the helm of a Ship Solomon was very sensible of the great trust that was committed to him as King of Israel and the weightiness of that work unto which he was engaged and therefore when God granted him liberty of asking what he should give him he asked not long life nor riches nor the life of his enemies but wisdom 1 Kings 3.9 Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great people and if their work be so great and wisdom so absolutely necessary for them in order to the doing of it it becomes us to be continually begging of God that wisdom for them The Hands of our Moses being thus engaged may soon grow weary and fall sure there is need of many Aarons and Hurs to hold them up If in all things then much more in things of great weight and concernment we ought by prayers and supplications to make our requests known unto God Princes stand in need of your prayers because their temptations are many Great places are filled with great snares there are snares in honor and power and prosperity in a full and raised condition yea they themselves are snares though not in themselves yet through the corruption that is in man So that it is a very hard matter to stand high and the head not be light and giddy for a man to be raised above his brethren and yet to consider that he is but dust vanity in a greater letter Philip of Macedon was sensible of this and therefore would have one every morning to put him in minde of his mortality saluting him with Memento te esse hominem Remember thou art but a man It was in a special maner given in charge to the Israelites that when they had eaten and were full they should not forget the Lord And so Agur prays Prov. 30.8 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord Fulness breeds forgetfulness Every grain of riches hath the vermin of pride and ambition on it Many in their low estate could serve God who being exalted resemble the Moon that never suffers an Eclipse but at her full An Agur full fed may grow wanton Solomons riches did him more hurt then his wisdom did him good A great estate is many times a great hinderance and like a shoe too big for the foot keeps men from running in the way of Gods commandements And as great places and enjoyments are snares so bee they accompanied with great and manifold temptations when persons are set upon the pinacle they may then looke to have the devil assaulting them It is true there is no estate nor condition which is altogether free from temptation Satan will be nibling at the heels of poor men private men therefore our dearest Lord bids his disciples and in them all his people one and other to watch and pray that they enter not into temptation but though these boysterous windes may shake the lowest shrubs in the wilderness yet the tall Cedars are most of all exposed to their rage and fury The poorest vessel cannot promise it self a safe passage it may be set upon the devil will keep his hand in and rather play at small game then stand out but he doth chiefly lie in wait for the rich merchant ships where he promiseth himself the greatest booty he grudgeth Christ a fisher-man and desires to have Peter that he might winnow him as wheat but however he will labour to make sure that none of the Rulers believe in him If he dan draw the Chief in a Nation to his will he knoweth he will not come alone others will follow For Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis the people generally will dance after the Princes pipe if once he hath great men for the first-fruits he promiseth himself as well he may a very large harvest among the inferiour sort there is no question but the out-works will yield when the Royal Fort is taken therefore his main battery is planted against that and though he will fight against both small and great yet his chief strength is drawn up against the King of Israel Cut off the head and the body will fall alone And truly when I have seen the miscarriages and eccentrical motions of men in high place though I cannot warrant them but desired to mourn under them and do freely confess them to be just matter of sorrow and lamentation yet when I have also considered what temptations they are liable to and how busie the arch enemy of mankinde is about their thrones I have been so far from wondring that their miscarriages have been so many as that I have rather seen cause to bless God that they are no more Now brethren many and great temptations do loudly call upon us for many and earnest supplications Since their way lieth through so many enemies pray that God would guide them with his counsels Princes need your prayers because their difficulties are numerous They have not onely many enemies to pass through but also many mountains to go over their way is up-hill and though some may look upon it as plain pleasant yet is it paved with thorns and briars and may sooner prick their fingers then open their passage We that sit at home can spie faults and say this thing is amiss and the other is not right and think it is an easie thing to mend what is out of order but did we see with their eyes could we look through and through the state of things we should soon change our judgements The skain of affairs is exceedingly snarled and an ordinary wisdom or patience will not serve for the unwinding of it Phaeton thought he could guide the Chariot of the Sun well enough and rule the horses at his pleasure but he set the world on fire when a person is sick and near unto death a little childe may see and say he is so but it is not so easie to cure the disease to purge out the ill humors that feed it and restore health unto the Patient Kitchin-physick is very useful but it will not serve every turn there are many diseases in a Nation which will puzzle and non-plus the wisest Physicians yea though they know what is very good a proper remedy yet the body is so weak and distempered as that they scarce dare administer it We can quickly see all is not
authority and raised up to eminent place While Princes have their hands upon the Rudder subjects should have their eyes unto heaven while they are consulting and caring for us we should be praying and wrestling for them They are not too great but that a weak Christian may and should carry them in his armes to the Throne of Grace outward advantages do not raise them above our prayers Indeed those that sit upon Christs throne in heaven and are crowned with the glory above have no need either to pray themselves or that any else should pray for them but they that sit upon earthly thrones and are clothed with majesty here will see cause not onely to ask for themselves but to send others also to the Throne of Grace that they may speak a good word and beg for them Nor are they too good for us to pray for David was a man after Gods own heart eminent for piety and holiness yet should the Church bless him in his exploits If a Prince be religious he will be sure to meet with most temptations from Satan most oppositions from wicked men and therefore should be most strongly guarded Though there be a good Ioshua fighting in the valley yet the Amalekires may prevail if the hands of Moses in the mount be not kept up The godliness of a Magistrate doth encourage us to pray for him since we go to God on the behalf of his friend and servant but it doth not give us a Writ of Ease nor exempt us from our duty Nor are any of them too wicked for us to pray for them Nero the Emperor when Paul wrote this Epistle and ordered out this exhortation he was an overgrown sinner a monster a beast rather then a man a desperate enemy to Christian Religion and all its professors yet pray for him saith Paul Good Princes cannot be without prayers wicked Princes stand most in need of them pray for those that are bad that God would make them better for those that they might never back-slide from God for these that they might return unto that God from whom they have already back-slidden Our charity ought to be comprehensive and by our prayers we should promote the welfare both of friends and foes as our Lord and Master gave us commandment Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitâ—fully use you and persecute you 5 Matth. 44. which precept he backt with his own example begging pardon for them who crucified him 23 Luke 34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do Indeed none are to be denied an interest in our prayers those onely excepted concerning whom we can upon good grounds conclude that they have committed the sin unto death the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which certainly and positively to affirm concerning any man is the most difficult thing in the world and not very far removed from an impossibility In the further prosecution of this Point I shall observe this method 1. We will enquire what kinde of prayers must be made for Kings and all in authority 2. We will shew you what is to be the matter of our prayers or what we ought to pray for 3. We will give you some reasons why we ought to pray for Kings and those in authority and then in the last place make some improvement of the truth in a way of Application Of all which in their order First what kinde of prayers must be put up for Kings and those that are in authority I might give an answer to this question in our Apostles own words in another place 6 Eph. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Pray at all times to day and to morrow while and as often as you have praying opportunities In the morning sowe your seed and in the evening hold not your hand and so pray all prayers Confession Petition Thanksgiving but we need not go anywhere else for an Answer to our Question since we have a full and satisfactory one in the Text The Apostle here tells us we must make supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks Unto all which we shall speak in their order We must pray for Princes and Governors with deprecatory prayers which are in the Text called Supplications The word in the Original is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which saith Cameron signifieth petitionem opis qua egemus ad avertanda mala a desiring of succor and help needfull for the averting or keeping off those evils and mischiefs which face and threaten us Zanchy saith the word imports those prayers quibus mala deprecamur â—am spiritualiae quà m corporalia tam temporalia quam aeterna i. e. by which we deprecate or desire God to preserve us from evils both spiritual which scatter their malignant influences upon the soul and corporal which molest and are enemies to the welfare of the body temporal which are inflicted in this life and make our way uncomfortable eternal which are reserved for the life to come and make our end miserable in a word these supplications are the calling in of God to be our shield and buckler our fortress and strong tower to keep us safe from what ever and whosoever would deprive us either of being or of well-being Now these supplications are to be made for Princes and Rulers Their thrones do not stand so sure but they may shake Their interest is not so great but they have some enemies Their designs and endeavors never so much for others good but some in their Realms may be desiring and contriving their destruction Though David was a man after Gods own heart and chosen by God himself to be King yet had he a Shimei to curse him an Absalom to rise up against him and thousands in Israel to back him in his unnaturalness and rebellion Indeed very few of their houses are as a morning without clouds Sometimes the Sun of prosperity shines gloriously upon their tabernacles but anon again the day is overcast the heaven is black with clouds and winde and there is a sound of abundance of rain Now it becomes us to labour the preventing of those miseries which threaten them and the keeping off those evils which seem imminent over them and to hold that hand which would sacrifice them and offer them up unto the fury of their enemies When there are any black clouds of trouble hanging over them we should labour to scatter them and blow them away by our praying breath When judgements are breaking in like a flood upon them and that with so great a violence as if there were no hope but they would carry all before them then should we be all Noahs Daniels and Iobs standing in the breach and hindering the Inundation begging God who by his commanding and omnipotent word sets bounds to the Sea to say unto these waves Be still and either to drive them back as once he
with blindeness so that they shall not see their way nor know how to bring their wicked and bloody devices to pass I will assure you let things be how they will your adversaries never so high your selves never so low if you can but keep the Trade of Prayer going the advantage is incomparably on your side I will seâ— one believing praying Christian against a thousand enemies because prayer engageth heaven and brings in the help of Almighty power And so would you have your Magistrates good pray for them this may prevail not onely for temporal but spiritual blessings also upon them The Kings heart is in Gods hand he can turn it as rivers of water would you have it set right desire him to do it God hath given in many a soul to the prayers of his people Praying subjects are most likely to make prudent and pious Princes Fourthly while you pray for your Magistrates you pray for your own persons and families in seeking their good you promote your own Let God but sanctifie direct govern and protect them you will finde the advantage of it If you will but peruse the History of Israel and diligently observe it you shall finde so long as they had good Kings that served God and studied an approving of themselves to him it went well with the whole Nation they had peace and plenty victory over their enemies and the blessings of God did abound among them But if God forsake the Rulers of a Nation withdraw from them his Spirit and Grace give them up either to blindness or madness to follow their own counsels and to fulfil their own lusts you shall soon in your families and the Nation feel the smart and taste the bitter fruits of it When the Kings of Israel and Iudah were wicked all went to ruine the Nation lay bleeding and the people were sometimes oppressed by their own Princes at other times spoyled and led captives by their enemies So that in praying for them you seek and further your own welfare Fifthly you pray for Religion while you pray for them This should be very dear to us and no cost nor pains should be thought too much for the maintaining and preserving thereof and truly that cannot be safe unless we have Religious Governors they that are of the synagogue of Satan will not build or repair or maintain Gods temple If you would not have a lawless liberty granted to others pray that your Governours may be strict themselves if you would not have others infected and poisoned with errors pray that your Governors may embrace the Truth and be valiant for it The Generality of Christians are State-Christians are not so deeply dyed but they can change their colour when they once see it out of fashion It hath been all along seen that the Religion of a Nation hath been according to the Governors of a Nation if they be holy then the true Religion thrives and prospers and flourisheth under their sâ—adow but if they be corrupt the door stands open to error heresie and indeed what not It is true in the time of wicked Ahab God told Elijah he had yet seven thousand knees that had not bowed to Baal but the generality were idolaters and these that kept themselves pure did also keep themselves so private as that the good Prophet looked upon himself as the onely man left that did own God and his cause We need go no further then our own Land for the proving of this Let a godly King Edward come to the throne and there shall be an happy Reformation begun the Nation shall become Protestant superstition and idolatry shall seek corners and flie the Land but if a wicked Queen Mary be advanced she shall carry England back to Rome or rather bring Rome into England and Popery shall set up its Crest again If there be no good blood at Court there will be little found in the veins of the Nation Lastly in this way you will bring your selves peace What ever should become of the Nation how ever it should fare with Religion what ever should happen to that Cause in which you have engaged though all things should return to their former state nay though you should be brought into a worse condition then ever you were in yet this may stay and comfort your hearts when you can say O Lord thou knowest I have not been wanting to my duty there is many a prayer now upon the File in Heaven which I have put up for England there is many a tear now in thy bottle which I have shed for England This will be a cordial to you in a day of trouble and at the hour of death if you have done your duty you may rejoyce let God do with you and the Land what he pleaseth FINIS Courteous Reader be pleased to correct these Errors of the Press viz pag. 8 l. 18. for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} pag. 10. l. ult. for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 3.15 * Deodate * Iude 8. Doctrine 1 Iohn 5.15 1 Kings 13.6 Psal. 132.4 5. 2 Sam. 7.9 2 Chron. 19.4 2 Chron. 28 3 4 5. 1 Chron. 34.3 7. Trap Lucan Vse 1 Kings 18 43 44. Tertul. ad Scapu