Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A67247
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The antidote: or, a seasonable discourse on Rom. 13. 1 Shewing the necessity and reasonableness of subjection to the higher powers. With an account of the divine right or original of government. By John VValker, M.A.
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Walker, John, 1650-1730.
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1684
(1684)
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Wing W392; ESTC R222266
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59,633
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307
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Universality and Sincerity of Obedience we pretend unto we will be no less careful and concern'd even for Conscience-sake to exert the same Wisdom and Prudence when God hath made it a standing and indispensable Law for us thus to act I know 't is objected by some that are I fear more scrupulous then wise more peevish then religious that we ought to fear God before Man I say so too nor is there the least shadow of Reason to assert the contrary but this is a mistaking or rather a perverting of the Question For that is not whether we are to fear God before Man none I suppose that had any sence of Religion ever doubted of that but the Question is whether we may not fear God and Man at the same time or whether our fearing of Man may not be an instance of our fearing of God If it may be as certainly it is in all things that are not contrary unto and against God especially when he commands it and we plead no farther for it then that Command extends then as we may lawfully and safely do it so are we bound and ty'd to the just performance of it as ever we expect and hope to come to the Seat of his blessed and truly holy ones For Holiness being the way to Happiness and no Holiness attainable without fearing of God and no Fear of God without keeping his Commandments and no keeping his Commandments without doing his Will and no doing his Will without fearing the King if we ever design to do God's Will and keep his Commandments truly to fear him and be holy here or happy hereafter we must resolve to fear our King in that there is no Holiness on Earth no Happiness in Heaven without it 3. But 3 dly Another Several of the Duty we owe unto the supream Governour is Benevolence By this I understand a sincere and hearty desire of serving him and procuring his Good in all things that relate and appertain unto him in his Soul and Body in his Spirituals and Temporals in his State consider'd as a King or as a Christian that his Reign may be long and prosperous and his days many that his Enemies may be cloath'd with shame and confusion and upon himself his Crown flourish that he may truly fear God study and obey his Laws make them his Guide and his Counsellor his Rule and way of living and acting that he may be another Solomon for his Prosperity and Wisdom and another David for his Piety and Goodness and so Felicity be his Portion now and ever on Earth and in Heaven Now as this is a piece of Charity we owe unto the whole World and what we are oblig'd unto by the Laws of our Religion for we are to do good unto all men Gal. 6.10 yet as the Apostle there adds more especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith so amongst them more especially to the Pater Patriae the publick Parent or Father of the Countrey or Kingdom in that the Good of the whole Community or Body is involv'd in his and his Happiness and Welfare doth derive and extend unto all So that if we would have the Effects of our Charity become more large and diffusive if we would do good to a whole Nation and People there is no better way of effecting it then by contributing all we can to the Security and Strength of the Royal Throne the Dignity and Honour of the Crown and the Peace and Safety of the Prince the Head and Life of the Body This as it is to love and wish well not only in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth so is it far more generous and Christian not so much to regard the benefiting and doing good to a few as to whole Nations and Kingdoms together We may indeed provide for the Good and Happiness of those that are more nearly related to us but certainly the greater and more communicative our Charity is the better is it the more noble and praise-worthy But besides that it is a part of Christianity and thus excellent so to act not to mention the blessing and happiness of a good Conscience the Delicacies and Sweets resulting from a sence of having done our Duty the prospect and foresight of meer temporal Goods consequent hereunto may vigorously and effectually excite us to a prosecution hereof For if we do in the least believe or think that the righteous and vertuous person hath any right to the Promises of this Life or that Godliness is not quite excluded the Blessings of Earth as St. Paul asserts it is not 1 Tim. 4.8 but that Providence doth even here dispence a bountiful Portion to the holy Man we may well conclude and reasonably collect that as he hath more right to them from the divine Promise so more reason to expect them as the present Reward of his Vertue and Honesty then others of wicked and ungodly Lives from their unjust and dishonest Practices For he hath God's Veracity and Justice to assure and encourage him and then as Balaam told Balak Numb 23.19 Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good The other hath nought but the Wretchedness of Falshood and Wickedness to support and assist him God is this man's Friend hath him under his more special Protection Favour and Care and therefore he needs not doubt or despond but that he will one time or other acknowledge and make good his word to him He is that man's Enemy hath rejected and banished him his Love and Favour and therefore tho' he may have suffer'd him like wicked Haman to be exalted to high Place yet it is ut lapsu graviori ruat that his Fall may be the greater the more exemplary and notorious 'T is as the Psalmist speaketh Thou settest them in slippery places thou castest them down and destroyest them O how suddenly do they consume perish and come to a fearful end Most certain is it what the Prophet tells us that promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South but God is the Iudge he putteth down one and setteth up another And if he is this or doth that in how fair a way of Preferment are they who by Uprightness and Integrity Sincerity Obedience and Holiness endeavour to approve themselves to God and his Vice-gerent The Heavens and Earth may fail but God and his Word cannot He is not as man that he should lie or as the son of man that he should repent Those that honour him he will honour This then may farther encourage us to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars to pay unto him that Fealty and Allegiance that Duty and Subjection we owe him as the Lord 's Anointed The Advancement of Ioseph in the House of Pharaoh and of Mordecai in the Court of Artaxerxes are memorable Instances of God's Providence in rewarding Fidelity and Obedience