A Sermon ON the 5th of November BEING The last which was preached BY THE Reverend Father In God Bishop Brownrigg Bishop Of EXON London Printed for Roberâ— Crofts at the Crown in Chancery-Lane under Serjants Inne 1660. Dan. 6.21,22 O King live for ever c. THis Chapter upon a summary viero represents unto us a malicious conspiracy and a miraculous deliverance The proseprity and honor of holy Daniell was envied by the Babylonian Princes envy stirr'd them up to seek his ruine Nothing will satisfie for they consult conspire effect their purpose the Prophet is condemned yet he is snatched from the jaws of death and from thence the mighty hand of God doth wonderfully rescue him The words are Daniells thankfull acknowledgement of this great deliverance and 't is directed to King Darius by whom he was cast into this dangerous destruction and it standeth upon these particulars 1. A reverend Compellation O King 2. A loyall salutation Live for ever 3 A particular declaration of this deliverance My God hath sent his Angell c. Come we to the first the reverend Compellation O King The Prophet here acknowledges and honors Darius for his Prince and Soveraigne To understand this particular we will consider Darius in this four-fold consideration 1 Darius was a Heathen Prince an Alien from the People of God estranged from the Church of God and that holy society yet the Prophet doth honorably acknowledge him as his Prince and Soveraigne it affords us this observation That Religion doth not rescue and exempt us from the power and authority of such Governours and Magistrates though Infidells Heathens and strangers to Religion the tyes bonds of our obedience to them are inviolable Dominion and Soveraignty are the constitutions of God not as he is the author of Grace and Redeemer of the Church but as Author of Mankind and Governour of the world It 's a true Maxim Dominium temborat non fundit in Gratia supernaturall grace doth not constitute its authority but it 's the act of God in his providence Thus our Saviour acknowledges he was subject to Pilate and the authority he had over him was from Heaven Thus Paul appeals to Caesar accounts himselfe abnoxious to his judgement and tribunall as his Prince Thus Christ paid tribute to Caesar Some teach that Religion and Christianity does exempt us from obedience unto other Magistrates and thus they affirm that Christianity the Gospell doth utterly discharge us from any obedience to Heathen Magistrates No we see Christ Paul and all the Primative Churches acknowledge it otherwise Daniell Ezekiell and the whole state of Christianity doth abhor that Doctrine and acknowledge their Magistrates lawfull authority 2 Darius was not onely an Alien but an Enemy he held the Church of God under Tyranny his command yet notwithstanding the Prophet acknowledges him as his lawfull Prince Observe Obedience to Magistrates it 's nor only to those lawfull and just but though they be oppressors yet notwithstanding their subjects owes to them all due obedience Thus Jeremiah exhorteth the Jews to take upon them the yoke of the King of Babylon and submit to him to study the peace of his Government and to pray for him Thus the primative Churches submitted to the Emperour of Rome even when it was Tyrannus and Paul exhorts the Christians to submit to Magistrates even when they were persecutors Thus the whole Army of Marters submitted to Julian that hatefull Apostate 't is true what Tertullian says Christians had rather be murdered then murther others and it was told the Emperour in his time that the Christians would wage war against the Emperours that did slay and destroy them but that Religion and conscience did enforce obedience 3 Darius comes under a third account consider how he made wicked laws here prohibiting all the worship of God assumes all divine worship here to himselfe and yet notwithstanding the Prophet Daniel acknowledges him as Prince and Soveraigne Indeed active and actuall obedience to their unlawfull commands we may not we must not performe so to be obedient to them is to be rebellious to God but yet notwithstanding though we refuse thir personall commands in doing of them yet it must be with all submission and acknowledgement of their power and authority thus Saul's servants were obedient to him though they would not obey his command in killing Gods Priests This is certain Magistrates and Rulers though their commandments be unjust we must acknowledge their Authority though we doe not fullfill their commands saith Austin good lawes serve to bind men that are bad and evill laws serve to prove the constancie of Religion in them that are good This is the Piety of Christianity we know who to obey yet notwithstanding to refuse those commands that are made against God 4 Darius was he that cast Daniel into the Lyons Den His Law did insnate him his sentence condemned him his seale shut him up and seal'd him up in the Den of Lyons yet notwithstanding he did here acknowledge him as King and Soveraigne No wrongs that we can receive from Magistracy and Superiours must free and disingage us from our obedience to them Thus the primative Church did obey those Princes that yet notwithstanding brought them into danger Having seen the consideration of Daniel in it selfe Now let us look upon his salutation O King live for ever he wishes him long life peace and prosperity here and salvation hereafter 1 He does not pray against his Tiranny and Impiety He charges not upon him the cruelty of his office much lesse doth he threaten him w i th wrath and judgement from God least of all like the Pope that past sentence of death against Henry the second that for the death of a rebellious Papist presently sentenced him and cast him out of his Kingdome No here 's the piety of a Christian to pray for those that revile and persecute him saith Saint Paul pray and curse not Rom. 12. This is not to be overcome of evill but to overcome evill with good 't is that Saint Paul saith he approves himselfe to be a good Christian in all patience in affliction in suffering in persecutions in bonds and imprisonments Indeed the spirit of the Law it was more direfull and more severe Elijah calls for fire from heaven upon his persecutors I but the Gospell calls us to an other spirit the spirit of the Gospell is a spirit of meeknesse gentlenesse goodnesse there we must not take upon us unlawfull revenge but prayers and supplications We learn curseing and execrations and slaughters from the malignant Church they are the brands of those that are the worshippers of the red Dragon we that are the followers of the Lambe and adore him must be like the Lambe full of meeknesse and gentlenesse Zechariah the son of Jehoiada out of the spirit of the Law when he was stoned prays to God for vengeance 2 Chron. 24.20 But Steven when he was stoned out of the