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A30958
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A sermon preached vpon the fifth of November, 1679 in the Cathedrall Church of Gloucester / by Cl. Barksdale.
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Barksdale, Clement, 1609-1687.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing B808; ESTC R37064
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14,170
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26
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divine Offices to pray according to the Apostolical Ordinance for the King and subordinate Magistrates for the Bishops and subordinate Ministers Surely Brethren did we dayly and duly joyn as we ought to do upon many Accounts in our excellent Common prayers humbly and heartily heartily I say for we are many times I fear but cold and faint we should I doubt not in Gods good time finde the success of these united forces and assaults upon heaven as Tertullian cals them in the prosperity both of Church and State as well as in the peace and comfort of our own Souls But here 's our misery some whether through infirmitie of mind or obstinacy God knowes will not come to Common prayers they account them common in the worst sense that is Common and unclean some of us when we are at Church in the House of God mind not the Work of God about which we come behave not our selves as it becomes men that pray to the God of all Glory and Power bring not with us that humility that love that faith that zeale and fervor that should accompany and quicken and season our prayers Aske and you shall receive saith our Saviour but then we must aske aright with faith and zeale and love and humility and which is to be remembred not only love to God but Charity sweet and amiable Charity toward our neighbors even to our enemies also Ye ask and receive not saith S. James because ye aske amiss It is a common fault of People to murmur and complaine that Magistraâ—s are not so good Ministers are not so good as they should be But may not we rather complaine of our selves and confess We do not pray for Magistrats we do not not pray for Ministers as we should pray Verily it were a course more becoming Christians Godly men to turne our murmurings against Governors into prayers and supplications for them For we may well beleive that by our continual prayers our earnest and sincere pâ—ayers prayers proceeding from an humble and lowly penitent and obedient Heart that which is supposed to need amendment would be redressed our Grievances eased or at least which is a blessed fruit of true devotion our own souls would be better composed and fitted to bear all things without us patiently and contentedly Give me leave to call to remembrance that which was known to some of us here present how in the late times of trouble and confusion before the miraculous Return of his Majestie now Reigning whom God Almighty long preserve to reign in Truth and peace in the time of the late troubles how zealous how constant notwithstanding the danger of Assembling were the prayers of Ministers and People faithfull even then to our afflicted Mother the Church of England as if the fire of persecution as indeed it useth to do had enflamed our devotions We had a comfortable hope then that should we live to see the King againe in his Throne the Bishops in their Sees againe and the Clergy protected and the good laws and liberty restored to the languishing Church and people of God we hoped and expected that England would really become a Nation of Saints an holy Nation Christians not in name only but in deed and in truth But alas What happened After our Kings Returne and with him the Returne of our Laws and our Liberty and our Religion after the reestablishment of our Church and State to the wonder and admiration of all the World was not our ingratitude our unthankfulness no less wonderful Did not the Devotions of many slacken and cool Yea did not Covetousness and Ambition did not licentiousness and profanation did not intemperance and excess strife and contention and faction quickly spread themselves over the Nation and usurp a new Dominion and reign over us But to speake most gently did not even the better sort fall much short of that zeal for Gods honour and service that care of reformation and amendment of Manners both in our selves and others which perhaps we once vowed and certainely the Mercies the unexspected and undeserved Mercies of God exacted at our hands Surely surely we were more strongly obliged to be an holy People a thankfull People a praying People a People loving and Charitable peaceable and obedient united in obedience to the State and united in obedience to the Church if not agreeing in all points of Doctrine and opinion for there may be a mutual Toleration in that respect yet however united in the common Faith of Christians and in the common Devotions and publick prayers formed with great Wisdom and moderation agreeable to the common Faith Where the fault of our Divisions lyeth God will Judge But among our late Omissions since the Return in Point of Solemn Assembling for Prayer and Thanksgiving I cannot this Day forget to note the neglect formerly I say not in this great City generally in the lesser Parishes of the Country the neglect of observing this great Day A great Day justly so stiled but greatly neglected in the greatest part of the Nation Was not this Neglect one sin among many other to provoke God to permit new Plots more Popish Plots conspiracies to be contrived fetcht out of the old Magazine of Hell ' against our merciful King and his loving People against our Church and State and all that is dear unto us To these Traitors we shall say more anon let us now go forward and speak to our Text. This this I feare may be matter of just complaint that we were not thankful for our Peace and prosperity that returned with our King whom God preserve but we murmured at the management both of Church and State For remedy whereof I shall mention but two places of Holy Writ which as I conceive being well considered may serve to abate and calm our murmuring As to the affaires of State is the burthen of Taxes and Tribute a Grievance For this take the Sentence of our Lord Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars As to the Church are Ornaments of our Mother and her Ceremonies an eye sore For this Grief take the good Aphorism of the Apostle Let all things be don decently and in Order Ceremonies in some measure and you may see the measure if you please to read the Prefaces before the Liturgy some Ceremonies are necessary for the preserving of that decency which the Word of God and our own reason and common sense requires what Ceremonies are such our Governors must judge not we Tribute is necessary for the Defense of the King and Kingdome what Tribute is such our Governors must judge not we They have the Power of Commanding to us is left the praise of Obeying These few words spoken of Tribute in the State and Ceremonies in the Church cannot seem impertinent or improper to my Text For it may be observed that the peace of our Jerusalem hath been much impaired and is still endangered by such as are apt too apt to murmur at One
of Parliament and commanded by royal proclamation for the maintenance of Godliness and honesty would also be pleased by his effectual Grace to raise up the hearts and courage of Magistrates both in this city and all other places to maintain the laws and see to their due execution This is the way to have our peace and quietness renewed and continued to us by maintaining Godliness and honesty Godliness which you must remember is always to be joyned with honesty The Godly man is always an honest man Godliness I say hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come so Saint Paul Temporal promises and spiritual promises prosperity of all sorts For the soul also is said to prosper And the prosperity of the soul is when it proceedeth from grace to grace and is prepared more and more for Glory This is the chiefest part of the prosperity of those that love Jerusalem and pray for Jerusalem The prosperity of the outward or temporal estate is when you follow your wordly business in your honest vocations with safety and good success and this is the reward of those that love the State and Government In seeking the happiness and welfare of the King they seek the good of Gods kingdome for The King reigns for God and they that seek Gods Kingdom shall have all necessaries of this life added to them We have our Saviours word for it They shall be prospered and blessed in their outward concerns and all their temporal affairs The mention of Gods kingdom puts me in mind of the other part proposed concerning the Church I have shewed how they procure a blessing for themselves that love and pray for the publick State or common wealth or civil government now let me briefly shew you the same in respect of the Church or Eclesiastical government They that love the Church of God and pray for the Church-men do thereby procure prosperity and happiness for themselves The Christian Church at large that is the Catholick Church is the Congregation of Christian people all the world over but here we understand the ruling and unruling part of the Church that is the Bishops and Ministers under them those particularly of the Church of England placed under his Majesties supreme authority and government And they that love the Church are discerned by these two characters They pray for the Bishops and Ministers and obey their discipline and instruction For this Obedience â—â— the beâ—t testimony of their love Now they that pray for the Bishops and Ministâ—â—s procure to themselves prosperity 'T is a great hâ—ppiness to the people of God to have good Bishops and Ministers and the way to have such is to pray for them These are call'd Labourers in Gods harvest aâ—â— our Saviour hath said Pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his hâ—rvest The true labourers are of God's sending they do not intrude themselves without a call but are sent by God in an orderly way That you may have â—â—ch you must pray for them and when you have them you must pray for the continuance of them and for God's blessing on them in their labours So shall that gracious promise of God be fulfilled among us which iâ— recorded by the prophet Jeremy I will give you Pastors according to mine own heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding learned and godly Bishops and Ministers such as the Church of England Dicam adstante invidiâ such as our Church is blessed with in our Time and hath been blessed with in the former Age. These are a great happiness to the people if they would be pleased to know their own happiness a great happiness to the people of God And this happiness will be the better known if you have the leasure sometimes to weigh the several parts of their office They are to feed you as the prophet said to feed you with knowledge and understanding brighter and clearer knowledge than that in the prophet's time The knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified The knowledge of him and the power of his Resurrection They are to guide you in your doubts to comfort you in your sorrows They are to call you off from the way of error and the path that leadeth to destruction and to shew you the right and good wayâ— and to shew you what God would have you do and what God will do for you if you beleive in him and serve him even bring you safe to everlasting Glory You may be glad to pray for such persons and to love them by whose ministry you obtain such inestimable benefiâ—s and blessings And we must not only pray for them but obey them too that our obedience may secure our prosperity Obedience I say is the best testimony of love and it is the fruit of love The Apostle presses the duty of obedience to Bishops and Ministers by the great benefit of the Souls committed to their charge They that obey their spiritual Rulers shall be improved in their souls advantaged in their whole conversation So that a comfortable Account shall be given of them to Almighty God the lover of souls For what greater comfort and joy can be both to Ministers and people than to live together in the fear of God and in mutual love here and when God shall call them hence to meet again in heaven and be with Christ in perfect joy for ever and ever Thus much may serve for the prosperity of those that pray for and love the State and likewise of their prosperity that pray for and love the Church And now to draw to a Conclusion if you please to reflect upon the plain discourse you have had the patience to hear you may thence make a discovery of the friends and enemies either of Church or State 1. We discern who are friends and who enemies to the State They that pray heartily for the State for the King and all that are in Authority under the King they that second their prayers with a loving a peaceable humble and obedient behaviour contributing to the publick what service they can in their several stations These are the friends of the King these are friends of the State these the best Commonwealth-men these the most loyal Subjects The Ancient Christians in the primitive Times the times of persecution were accused as enemies of the Roman Empire and causes of all publick mischeifs and calamities To refute this slander and defend the innocent professors of Christianity Tertullian a man of a strong wit and sharp Eloquence pleads thus Oramus pro omnibus Imperatoribus c. We pray for all Princes that it may please God to grant them long life secure Goverment a safe Family valiant Armies a faithful Counsel a good people quiet times and whatsoever good things they themselves can desire either as men or Princes Thus the primitive Christians were wont to pray for the Princes and Magistrates and by these prayers proved they were