hate Rebellion For he that resisteth saith the Apostle flies in the face of God Resisteth his Ordinance Rom. 13.2 And though possibly they may escape here hereafter 't will be dearly paid for For without Repentance They that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation ibid. And if we will prove our selves True Christians we must be thus obedient not onely for wrath lest we suffer for our Rebellion but for Conscience-sake as we hope to approve our selves unto God who hath laid this law upon us ver 5. ibid. St. Peter is of the same mind with St. Paul For in his 1 Epist 2.13 14. we read Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake Whether to the King as Supream or to Governours as to those that are sent by him Where you may observe That the subordinate as well as supreme Magistrate is to have our Homage and obedience without resistance paid unto him And this in Conscience towards God to for the Lord's sake Which are but other words for the same thing St. Paul had spoken so that whatever any sort of men suppose may be objected by the Law of Nature the Law of Grace controuls that Fancy and doth most plainly determine our Obedience and the Doctrine of Non-resistance For who may say unto the King What dost thou Eccles 8.4 And this is a great part of our Duty who are Ministers to declare unto you especially in such a Turbulent and Seditious Age namely To put you in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 As if there were little likelihood of any other Good Works if this of our Obedience were neglected Touching the latter Their State must be supported likewise And this both by our Purse and Person also Support their State Need I remember you By Purse How shameful and unsafe it is for any Kingdom to have a King that is poor and needy Doth not the Honour and Interest of a People then Plead for a Liberal Supply unto their Prince But you shall hear that Contributions to this purpose are matter of Duty towards God For the Apostle Rom. 13.6 7. saith For this Cause even Conscience-sake the Words that do immediately precede Pay you Tribute also And the next Verse Render to all their due not your Curtesie but their Due Tribute to whom tribute Custom to whom Custom appertaineth Which makes me greatly wonder how any persons of sober or of honest Principles should as they say 't is common steal their Customs from the King 'T is so unconscionable that I nothing doubt it to be worse than Robbing of our common Neighbour of what are his unquestionable Goods Because our Soveraign's Right is manifest and the Wrong is highly aggravated by the Great and Publique Capacity of the Person injured 'T is plain our Blessed Saviour would rather work a Miracle for Paying Tribute to the Higher Powers than neglect the doing it Mat. 17.27 And if he perform this Duty should not we go and do likewise Nor are our Persons suppose them capable exempted from his Service when they are needful to it Honouring of our Parents injoyned by the Fifth Commandment intends the helping of them upon occasion with our Hand as well as succouring them with our Estate And the Civil Parent justly is by all Interpreters included there Was it not very honourable in Ittai a Stranger and an Exile onely taken under King David's Protection to vow That Wheresoever the King should be in life or death he would bear him company 2 Sam. 15. And should not natural Subjects think themselves under a greater Obligation Yes God's People of old would by no means have their King hazard his Person in the Battel because say they Thou art worth Ten thousand of us but they would freely venture their Lives for him 2 Sam. 18. They were not for Plotting his Destruction much less for actual Murdering of him as was too lately done upon the Royal Martyr by the prevailing Party in our late Rebellion to the Eternal shame thereof No no to save his blood they would spill their own and expose their own Throats to preserve the Crown upon his Head This is the part of Christian Loyalty And let me add That when we cannot by strength of Hand and force of Arms be Serviceable that must be made up by Counsel and Designs as far as our capacity reacheth What adventures did Husha Zadock and Abiathar and their Sons run to save their King the Lord 's Anointed and to defeat the Treasons of Ahitophel 2 Sam. 16 and 17 Chapters Whereas if their Loyal Practices had been Discover'd though they had been Masters of a thousand Lives we may be sure they had all been Sacrific'd to the most Exquisite Tortures that witty and enraged Traytors could have invented But there needs no more of this as being taught already in the Doctrine of Obedience which we have before discoursed of So much then of the Second Consideration to prove the peculiar care God takes of Kings by The Charge he lays on people concerning them The Third and Last I offer'd for the Proof hereof was this God's own very marvellous Actings for them 3 Considerations And if it shall appear That numerous Signal Providences have been exercis'd for the safety and preservation of God's Anointed Ones I think we shall have over-measure to our present purpose Now multitudes of Instances might be produc'd of this Nature both front amongst Jewish Heathen and Christian Princes I shall onely pick out one of each and be brief therein because indeed this Point will lead me home to the Third Proposition which is so near unto our selves as can't but prove most convincing with us First then A Jewish King the Care of Providence about a Jewish King And David is the Person to be spoken of Now he observe it though hunted unto death whilst but a Subject and for none other fault than Saving of the King and Kingdom doth still approve his Loyalty not onely in not offering Violence to his Soveraign who most unjustly Persecuted him but abhorring the thoughts of such accursed Treason with The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord 's Anointed 1 Sam. 26.11 And this when injuries provoked opportunities invited companions urged and impunity seem'd to Charm him thereunto For he was Heir Apparent and the Crown doth purge all stains But he was not an Oliver or a Bradshaw hating to think that Providence justified or encouraged unto any Villany And yet when himself is Lawful King there are many Conspiracies for his Destruction I shall take notice but of one but that the worst of all the rest The Unnatural Plot of his Own Natural Child but Rebellious Son Absalom And here let us consider First 1. What a Bloody Design it was not onely to remove ill Ministers of State nor barely to prune the over-grown branches of Prerogative no nor
O ye Righteous for praise is comely for the upright Where you see That rejoycing in the Lord is nothing else than joyfully praising of him So in the New Testament When the Blessed Virgin magnified the Lord her Spirit rejoyced in God her Saviour Luk. 1.47 And to give no more instances when our Saviour rejoyced in spirit he giveth God thanks saying I thank thee O Father And now the Words thus opened plainly teach us this Lesson That A Kings Salvation doth both oblige Himself Lesson and his People also to the joyful praise of God that gives it The Church you see doth undertake on both sides in my Text and by her word and practice shews That as the Soveraign so the Subjects are alike engaged And 't is no marvel since the Gospel plainly lays it as a Duty on all Christians as to make earnest Supplications unto God for their Soveraigns welfare safety and happiness so likewise to return most hearty thanksgiving when such mercy is vouchsafed St. Paul himself doth teach us this as plain as words can speak it in 1 Tim 2.1 2. saying I exhort therefore that first of all that is as one of the chiefest duties lying on you supplications prayers intercessions meaning thereby all manner and kind of petitions unto God that Christians use on the behalf of themselves or for their Brethren and giving of thanks also be made for all men of what Profession Order Rank or Quality soever they be but it follows there that in a more especial and particular manner this is to be done for Kings and all that are in Authority So that the Prayers and Praises of Christians are due apparently on the behalf of Magistrates Supreme and subordinate likewise Kings and all that are in Authority And the practice of this double duty is not onely enforced by the Exhortation of the Holy Apostle which might have abundantly suffic'd for the Obligation I Exhort But there is a further Motive and Encouragement thereunto subjoyn'd from the benefit and advantage likely to arise from thence unto our selves it hath a tendency to our leading of a quiet and peaceable life in allgodliness and honesty also Now if Christians were bound in duty thus towards Soveraigns and Superiors which were but Heathens strangers to and Enemies of the Gospel as was the Case when this was Written and a great while after how much closer and stronger is the Tye on Vs who by God's merciful Providence enjoy a Prince that is a Professed Christian a Defender of the Faith and a Protector of them that own it Doubtless as our continual Prayers should be poured forth for his Protection and Prosperity so when the Arm of God is made bare for his defence and safety our most Solemn Praises are doubly due to the God of His of Our and All Salvation But that the important Duty of joyful Praising God which we are engaged in This Day may be discharged to the best advantage my purpose is to lend you mine assistance such as it is in clearing these Four Propositions unto you and concluding with some Practical Reflections on the whole The Propositions are 1. All Salvation is from the Hand of God 4 Propositions 2. Gods Salvation useth to be exercised towards Kings in an Especial manner 3. Our present Soveraign is a signal Instance of the care God takes of Princes 4. This is just occasion of His Majesties and his Peoples great Joy and Thankfulness unto God On which follow short Reflections The First Proposition is 1. Propos That all Salvation is from the hand of God And methinks my Text implyes plainly The King shall joy in Thy strength O Lord and in Thy salvation c. Not in his own Courage or Conduct not in the Power and Policy whereof he was the Master nor in any thing else though he wanted none of those accomplishments that were found in the Greatest Prince and Bravest General of the World but in the strength of the Lord and in the Salvation of God So that whatsoever Dangers are escaped whatsoever Evils are prevented or removed nay whatsoever Good shall be obtained though the most proper means that could be found or thought on or were in Nature had been made use of with all the advantages that power art and industry could possibly improve them by yet at the last the success must be acknowledged entirely unto God as without whose hand there had been no help Salvation belongeth unto the Lord Psal 3.8 And against his Claim not Any nor All the Creatures can set up any honest Title at all Strong holds and places of defence cannot preserve us from our Enemies hands much less deliver us out of them Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of Mountains as likely a refuge as they are truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel Jer. 3.23 Horses are a generous kind of Animals both swift and strong and stout those especially that are bred up prepared and managed for the Wars Iron Chariots of old were a grear Terror to the Enemy and a good security to those that had them But yet an horse is a vain thing to save a man Psal 33.17 And though some trust in Chariots and some in Horses the Royal Psalmist and his friends would not take that course but trust in the name of the Lord. And what was the issue Those were brought down and fell but these arose and stood upright Psal 20.7 8. But Men you 'l say out-do all other Creatures And what great things have been done by them the Great Ones especially and with Great Armies under their Conduct Yet vain is the help of man Psal 60.11 And we must not put our trust in Princes nor in the son of Man whosoever he be in whom there is no help Psal 146.3 Nay no King himself is saved by the multitude of an Host nor a mighty man by much strength Psal 33.16 In short the Holy Scriptures teach us That no Design can prosper how rationally soever it be laid none Affair succeed how likely soever in it self to speed and with whatsoever prudence and diligence it be managed without the Lord. Except the Lord build the house they labour but in vain that build it Except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain 'T is in vain without God to rise up early sit up late and eat the bread of sorrows Psal 127.1 2. Our very Food cannot nourish nor sleep refresh nor Clothes warm nor Medicines heal nor any Endeavours profit us unless God vouchsafe a blessing therewith to us And when he intendeth any Relief to any of his Creatures it shall be effected although the means made use of shall be mean indeed and most contemptible although improper and contrary unto Humane Judgment nay though there be none at all in the case The holy Scriptures do abound with Instances unto all these purposes and 't is needless to
recite them they are so generally known Let me onely add That the Almighty can at pleasure make the very Eater to afford Meat and the Destroyers themselves to become Saviors He that promised his people that their Exactors should be righteousness hath often saved them by those very Hands that should have slain them Nothing is too hard for God and all salvation belongs to him We need not go from home to seek Examples for the proof of this Our late Domestick and most Devilish Plots give ample Testimony hereunto wherein the very Agents in the management of them and that should have been so in the Execution also do by the wonderful hand of God prove Instruments in the revealing and disappointing of them Which as it beareth further witness to the Truth of Scriptures That safety is of the Lord Prov. 21.31 So it engageth us to joyn this day with the Church in the words of my Text The King shall joy in thy strength O Lord and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoyce The rather to For The Second Proposition 2. Propos which is God's salvation useth to be exercised in an especial manner towards Kings Or in other words Divine Providence taketh peculiar care of Princes Which seemeth also to be intimated in my Text in that 't is there so Emphatically said The King shall joy in the strength of God and He shall greatly rejoyce in God's Salvation without the Express mention of his Subjects doing so though they be tenderly concern'd therein as before was hinted and hereafter will be fully proved And certainly if the Fowles of the Air and the very Flowers of the Field are not shut out from the care of God If the little Sparrows as our Saviour doth assure us Matth. 10. are interessed in his Providence Humane Affairs must claim undoubtedly a greater share therein and more tender respect from thence And therefore Government of States and Kingdoms without which nothing but Confusions and Desolations would be Mankind's dismal Portion cannot but be admitted to have the highest interest in the same And so at last Princes and Chief Governors upon whose Fates that is the Good or Ill befalling them the Publick and General Weal or Woe dependeth must be allowed to be the Peculiar concern of him that Governeth all Things with Infinite Wisdom and Goodness But to put this past all doubt there are Three Considerations that do offer their effectual service 1. Consiâ—…nations The Station God setteth them in 2. The Charge he lays on People concerning them 3. His own very marvellous Actings for them 1. Consid The station God sets them in Kings are by him Ordain'd not onely Superior unto others but Supream over all their People to Rule and Govern them under himself and in his own room and place It is by him Kings reign saith Solomon Prov. 8.15 He sets them up saith Daniel 2.21 Wherefore not a Saul onely whom God particularly appointed to Rule his People Israel but Cyrus also an Heathen Prince is honour'd by the Mouth of God himself with that high Title of being God's Anointed Isa 45.1 And in this matter there is great Harmony between the Gospel and the Law St. Paul tells us The higher powers are God's Ordinance Rom. 13.1 2. And that they Rule as his Vice-gerents Deputies and Lieutenants in hiâ— room and place that is For ver 4. 'T is said He is the Minister of God Nay they are dignifyed so as to be styled Gods of old Exod. 22.28 Psal 82.1 That is Gods on earth as Vice-roys to the God of Heaven and Earth â—nd who by his Commission are to keep good order in the World by punishing Wickedness and Vice and encouraging Religion and Vertue among the Sons of Men. Wherefore whatsoever injuries and affronts shall be offer'd unto them they do redound to God himself whose Character they bear and whose Person they represent Doth it not stand to all reason then that the Almighty should own abet and be especially concern'd for his own Commissioners and in the Execution of the Trust receiv'd from him Can it be otherwise than that his peculiar Providence should be engaged for his Highest Officer upon Earth who derives his Title from and is an Immediate substitute to the Supreme in Heaven Do we not know That Earthly Soveraigns will be careful for the greatest safety and best respect to those whom they depute to supply their place in Administring Justice to their Subjects And will they not avenge indignities put upon those Ministers with severity because they light upon Themselves at last by whom they are Authoriz'd And who can doubt but that the Supreme Governour of the Universe will take equal care of Princes that stand in the like relation unto him and for like reason We may be well assured of it And shall be better by what follows 2. 2 Consid The Charge God lays on People concerning them If God commandeth us the Highest Value Greatest Respect and Vtmost Service to our Soveraigns it must be necessarily admitted That the Almighty hath most tender and especial care for them King Davids so strict a charge to his General and other Captains concerning Absalom for the safety of him and their kindness to him 2 Sam. 18. makes it most manifest how dear he was unto his Father and what an Affectionate care he took of him Thus an Indulgent Providence towards Princes cannot but be inferred since we do find the Word of God so copious in the New as well as Old Testament for exacting such true and high Devotion unto Kings and this as rooted in our minds so professed by our Mouthes and attested to by our Lives To be particular 1. 1. Our Mind It was from God that Solomon spake it Prov. 24.21 My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change A man would think upon first Hearing that this Counsel were directed peculiarly to our times But certain 't is that as 't was not amiss for any age so it is very proper to the present Generation And observe the Precept serves to put our Minds into the fittest temper towards those that are Above us the Heavenly and the Earthly Soveraign and that 's of Fear I knows This commonly coucheth under it all the Expression of Love and Duty and Obedience But as I need not so I shall not thus consider it here Wee 'l keep it therefore to its stricter and most proper sense of Awe and Reverence Esteem and Veneration of the Mind unto its Object So God is indeed to be first served as he best deserveth First we must fear the Lord who is King of Kings and next the King who is under him and over us The meaning is the Best opinion and most worthy thoughts of Princes must be entertained by us The most fair construction must be put on all their Counsels and Affairs that they can possibly bear And we may not
that believes a Providence and is not forc'd to say as Job did in another case The hand of the Lord hath wrought this The next Deliverance to be observed by us is 2. Deliverance That from his Exile 'T is hard indeed and so we ever justly take it to be driven from our Native Soyl and forc'd into a Foreign Land But 't was a wonderful Mercy to our Prince that he could get from home and arrive abroad and both in safety And then his Support there when his Crowns and Kingdoms and Revenues were all lost and gone into the hands of Rebels deserveth admiration too No doubt the difficulties met with must needs be many and his Necessities often very great His Loyal Friends that he left behind him were but few and those reduced generally to the lowest Ebb of Fortune And where he came his Enemies influence quickly grew so great that old Allies and near Relations became both shy and weary of him and it comes at last to that cold kindness That He must not stay within their Borders But notwithstanding all the same kind Providence that saved him here preserves him there yea and provides both a safe Abode and sufficient Support for him Nor are there many Years gone over before the hand of God in the Eyes of all the World is made bare and naked on his behalf For when the King hath no Forreign Aid at all either Navy to waft him safely over Sea or Army to Fight his way on Land and when his old Faithful Subjects in his own Dominions were still kept under hatches so that they could raise no Force one way or other for his Assistance and when all Power was yet remaining in those Rebellious Hands whereby he had been banish'd from his Kingdoms and his Birthright When all these Mountaines lying in his way should suddenly become a Plain by the All-ruling Providence and matters be so order'd and dispos'd by the same touching Hs Majesties Restauration to the Throne of his Fathers That what is Written of Judah concerning David may truly be apply'd to England touching Charles the Second He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah even as the heart of one man so that they sent this word unto the King Return thou and all thy house 2 Sam. 19.14 And our King returned in peace and safety with greatest welcome and Universal Joy without the shedding of one drop of Blood or striking of one Angry stroak Which must constrain us to confess to God in the Psalmists Words This is thy hand and thou Lord hast done it The Third is 3. Deliverance Our Soveraigns Preservation in the late Popish Plot. And that there was a Design laid deep as Hell against the Protestant Religion and all its sincere Professors in the Three Kingdoms with all that was dear unto them nay and against His Sacred Majesties Life by the Popish Agents and Sons of Belial we have as good assurance I think as any man could wish excepting Them alone who would have had us felt it For is not the Royal Word and often repeated pass'd upon it Have not Four succeeding Parliaments concur'd to declare the same Is not the Publick Justice of the Nation in several Tryals Sentences and Executions a voucher for it Not to insist upon the Point-blank Evidences and most convincing Circumstances to the purpose He that can think That Judges Parliaments and Sacred Majesty it self could either be impos'd upon by their too much credulity or that they would impose upon the Peoples Faith what themselves believed not must necessarily to my understanding reflect indecently indeed most scurrilously if not worse upon their Sagacity or Integrity their Wisdome or their Honesty And this no Loyal Person surely can be guilty of Though I have not asked yet Who on the disbelief of such a Plot shall atone for so much innocent blood-shed in the case All which makes me very apt to conclude That he that will not now believe the Plot neither would he do it though the Traytors from the dead were sent to confess it to them But notwithstanding there were New Fauxes enough to do the Villany though the time and place and manner were appointed more than once though all the requisites were prepared for making of a Royal Sacrifice by the barbarous Butchery of his Sacred Majesty yet the Alseeing and Almighty and most Gracious Providence doth interpose and discovers and disappoints those Hellish Factors Thanks be to God Our King Lives Our Religion stands And they are fallen The Blow is turned upon their own Heads And as the Psalmist saith They are sunk down into the Pit which they made in the Net which they hid is their own foot taken The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Psal 9.15 16. The Last is Our Kings Salvation in this last Fanatick 4. Deliverance and Atheistical Plot. Fanatick it was as being certainly inspired of the Devil that is And it cannot but be Atheistical as disclaiming all sense of God upon their Souls who engaged in it There is not any consistence of the Principles leading to Assassinate Princes or Massacre Subjects with any Religion in the same mind And the onely True Religion and our Church's called Protestant Homiles against Rebels justly Condemns them to Hell from whence they came The Espousers of them therefore when they take the Name of Protestants on them do but Nick-name themselves to put a blind upon the World and carry on their Devilish purposes with the less suspition They must have been brought up in Ignatius Loyola's School or John-a-Leyden's necessarily 'T is true it seemeth a Reproach unto our Religion that those who did wear its Livery and would be counted belonging to it should be given up to work such Wickedness but really 't is none when we remember That there was a Judas who was a Devil among the Twelve Apostles and had the name of One also And as that Treason was abhorred by the Eleven so is this by all sound Protestants What was design'd by those Wretches you have had Publick Notice and a large account of Once and Again by His Majesties Declaration Which must assure every honest Man of the reality of the Plot although we had not Evidences and Confessions now made Publick that are able to convince an Infidel But how to aggrvate justly the Nature of the Thing and fully represent the dismal Consequences thereof if it had succeeded I must confess that I want both Wit and Words The King and his Royal Brother to have been Barbarously Brutishly and Devilishly Assassinated So many Eminent Persons of the greatest Quality and Loyalty butcher'd What but a general Massacre could have been expected What but Three flourishing Kingdoms wallowing in their own Blood could have ensued thereupon I need not say That our Laws and Liberties and Estates must have layn at mercy to a New Civil and more Bloody War that what we were not long since delivered
The Practical Reflections on the Whole Practical Reflections which are but these Two For 1. Obedience to Man For 2. Thankfulness to God 1. For Obedience to Man the Magistrate 1 Reflect that is the King as Supreme and Governours as sent by him as St. Peter Expresseth it And I need do little else than pray you to remember What plentiful Testimony you have already had from the Holy Scriptures for this great Duty So that the Refusers hereof must needs be Rebellious against God disobedient unto and contemners of his Word Whoever will prove faithful Servants of the Lord must also be found Loyal Subjects to their Prince He can never be true unto God that is false to his Minister which the Magistrate is Be dutiful therefore in chearful complying with all good Laws And if any be suspected you must be paâ—…ent in submitting where you cannot be active in fulfilling Joyn also highest Veneration for your Governours and the Chief especially Having heard before That the best thoughts of them should always fill your Minds And let your Discourse be sparing about Publick Matters and still most reverend thereof and of those that manage them Is it fit to say unto a King Thou art wicked And to Princes ye are ungodly Job 34.18 Beware of speaking evil of the Rulers of the people Act. 23.5 The best Constructions and best Expressions of all Publick Managements do best become us and are due from us Our distance will not allow a due Judgment and our duty binds us to the fairest Interpretation of them The Covering very nakedness of Superiours gat the Blessing when the contrary method of divulging it brought the Curse Gen. 9. Private Men's Work doth lye at home within their own Sphear and such a Person should check his aptness to extravagate with Who makes Me a Judge as our Saviour once rebuked a Pragmatick Spirit Luk. 12.14 Why will any be so busie then in Affairs of State which are not their Province Would we consult the Spirit of the Gospel and tread his Steps the Prince of Peace and Lamb for Meekness that did send it and theirs the Sons of Peace of Patience and Submission who did bring it how easie would this business be and how effectual would the Counsel to it prove with All Let us therefore study to be quiet and do our own business as St. Paul Commands 1 Thess 4.11 And according to St. Peter make a full proof that we Fear God by Honour paid unto the King 2. For Thankfulness unto God 2 Reflect The just occasion for it hath so fully been already manifested that nothing else is wanting but the Practice of it whereto so many Motives press us How should our Hearts be now enlarged how should our Mouthes be open'd to Bless and Praise the Lord to Exalt and Magnifie his Name for this so great Salvation he hath wrought 'T was not our Strength and Power no Wisdome and Fore sight of ours nay nor our Care and Diligence that was contributary to the Deliverance But it was God's right Hand and his own Arm and the light of his Countenance that did All because he had a favour to us Shall we not say then and say it from our Hearts Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things and blessed be his Glorious Name for Ever and Ever Do we love our King Who ought to be the Delight of our Eyes the joy of our Hearts and the breath of our Nostrils Let us Magnifie then the Almighty and most Merciful God That his Anointed was not taken in their pits Have we a value for our Country Acquaintance Friends and near Relations are they dear unto us Let us Exalt his Name that is most High that they are not wallowing in their own goar nor it become a New Akeldama a Field of Blood again Is our Religion and the Gospel more than our very Lives with us Let us give thanks and praise to God that still he doth preserve them For had that wickedness prosper'd when Irreligion like a Deluge must have overwhelm'd us what had become of the Word and Ordinances of all true Piety and Devotion Can we forbear the Psalmists Language now Bless the Lord O our Souls and all within us magnifie his holy Name How should we from our Hearts as I said declare God's praises with our Mouths And let me add thereto before we part How should our Lives and Conversations Eccho hereunto For I must tell you That Thanksgiving unto God is not matter of meer Complement Nor are his Praises the labour of our Lips onely No man can be truly thankful unless he will be really holy To speak well of God and spurn his Laws the while is like to Joab's kind saluting of Amasa when he stab'd him Whilst the Life Dishonours God the praises of the Mouth are no better then Dung Sacrificed which will be thrown back with indignation into his Face that offers it Will the most Holy and Alseeing God account That Tongue doth bless his Name as it ought with Thanks and Praise whose daily trade it is to Blaspheme the same with horrid Oathes and Execrations Or can he reckon those Persons thankful for his Mercies whatever they say that abuse those very Mercies to the Service of their Lusts and Satan What Atheism and Prophaneness pay God the Tribute of his Praises Can drunken Healths or wanton Embraces open Violences or secret frauds or any irreligious Courses give him Glory to whom they bid Defyance Assure your selves That ungodly Lives and holy Praises are like the Ark and Dagon they never stand together in the sight of God You must therefore either necessarily leave your Sins or loose your Thanks how fair soever they may seem If we would then be truly Thankful and to God's Acceptance Let us praise him with our Lips and please him in our Lives Let 's being deliver'd from our Enemies serve him that hath deliver'd us in righteousness and holiness before him all our days Luke 1.75 This is that Thanksgiving which is alone thank-worthy All other is not Current Coyn indeed Reprobate Silver or meer Dross Let us be renewed and reformed therefore Let us Renounce the works of darkness and walk as Children of the light Let us cleanse our selves from filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to the perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Without a sincere endeavour after which as our Praise is lost so are our Persons too for ever For God hateth all the workers of iniquity And take this further Motive hereunto You would be surely counted Loyal to your Prince but give me leave to tell you a debauch'd vicious and sinful Life is so far from being any proof thereof that it gives great cause to fear the contrary 'T is somewhat hard to think How that Man should be truly Loyal to his King that is an open Rebel against God So such Sinners are Whatever Obligation they may stand in to their Prince those on them unto God are infinitely greater And what security is there that he that breaks the stronger Bond should not likewise snap the weaker This we are sure of That Prophane and Ungodly Subjects may by their wicked Lives work great mischief to their Soveraign though they may not mean it in their Minds And so we are urged unto Holiness on the account of Loyalty also 'T was the Prophets Counsel unto Subjects 1 Sam. 12.24 25. Fear the Lord and serve him in Truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you And it follows But if ye still do wickedly ye shall be destroyed both ye and your King See here the Publick Mischief that may be done by Private Persons continuing in their wickedness Even Majesty it self is not secure from it And 't is strange Loyalty that over-turns Soveraignty Whereto 't is manifest That Subject's Sins have an apparent tendency For a Conclusion of all If we love our King our Country our Friends our Selves both Souls and Bodies let it be our care and business with highest Praises for all God's mercies and This signal One to joyn the Holy Practice of all God's Commandments Then Whoso offereth praise glorifyeth me saith the Scripture and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God Psal 50.23 FINIS