Sermon on the Kings Day, Sermon
—Ad Teſtimonium.
A SERMON ON THE KING's Day, February the 6th 1685/6.
At St Katharine Coleman's, LONDON.
By S. P
LONDON, Printed by J. Leake, for Henry Bonwike, at the Red Lyon, in St. Paul's Church-Yard. MDCLXXXVI.
A SERMON ON THE KING's Day.
PSALM lxxij. the latter part of the 15. verſ.
Prayer alſo ſhall be made for him continually, and daily ſhall he be praiſed.
THESE Words have in them a double Energie, both of Prayer and Prophecy; they had likewiſe a double Completion both in Solomon and Chriſt. In the Prayers of all Holy Men, there is ſomething of Prophecy, they utter nothing but the Will of God; ſo God hears and ratifies their requeſts: The Words likewiſe of dying Men are eſteemed more Prophetic than ordinary, and theſe are ſuppoſed to be the laſt Words, i. e. as ye have it in the 20. verſ. the laſt Prayers of this Religious King, made, it ſeems, at that time when Solomon, by David's appointment, (that is by God's appointment, for David herein obſerved the Will of God) was Proclaimed King.
The particulars of Solomon's Inauguration are at large in the Firſt Chapter of the Firſt Book of Kings. We find there that in the latter part of King David's Reign, Adonijah, the Son of Haggith, exalted himſelf, and put in for the Succeſſion; not that he believed himſelf that he had a Title to the Crown, as he afterward confeſſed, Chap. ij. verſ. 15. but Joab and Abiathar, and ſome ſuch troubleſome Men, had put it in his Head; and that not for young Adonijah's ſake, as Solomon wiſely obſerves in the 22 verſ. but for their own Ambitious Ends. One would have thought, that that Declaration of King David to his Privy Council, 1 Chron. xxviij. had been ſufficient to blaſt all pretences of Uſurpation.
But theſe Diſturbances not only gave him new occaſion of declaring God's will in Solomon's Succeſſion, but of giving expreſs Command for his Inauguration before his own death; he reſigned rather than bequeathed his Kingdom to him, and recreated his dying hours with the publick Joy and Acclamations of the People.
David was well pleaſed with the Complement that his Nobles made to him, ſaying,1 King. i. 47. God make the Name of Solomon better than thy Name, and make his Throne greater than thy Throne. Theſe Courtiers are ſaid to bleſs King David, and in ſuch a ſence he took it; for he bowed himſelf upon the Bed, foreign, he worſhipped at thoſe auſpicious words, he nodded, he bowed, he worſhipped, and then he fell to Prayer and Prophecy.
I hope King David was no Flatterer, or Court-Paraſite, when he filled his Mouth with Prayer and Praiſe, and expreſſed ſo much pleaſure and ſatisfaction at his Son's Acceſſion to the Crown. In thoſe days it was no crime to be Zealouſly Loyal, to Worſhip toward the Eaſt, and Adore the riſing Sun: He was not then eſteemed an Enemy to David, or to the preſent Government of Iſrael, that ſtrew'd Aves and Welcomes in the new King's way, and forgot to think of any thing but the expectation of new Bleſſings.
David by his own example had diſcountenanced all intempeſtive Grief at the death of his firſt Child by Solomon's Mother, and that without the Comforts of another to ſucceed in his Affection; and now at his own death he will not ſuffer 'em to be unmannerly in their Sorrow; but teaches the people to forget him and look up towards his Son; and ſo they did as heartily as the King could wiſh, for they blew the Trumpet, Verſ. 39, 40.and all the people ſaid, God ſave King Solomon: And all the people came up after him, and play'd upon Flutes, and rejoyced with great Joy; ſo that the Earth rent with the ſound of them. It was as if the whole Earth had open'd its mouth and ſang for Joy too; and all this ſo long before King David was cold in his Grave, that he himſelf was one to make up the Chorus. They blew the Trumpet and he Pray'd, they Rejoyced and he Propheſied; he prays to God for the Proſperity of his Succeſſor, and deſires that all his people might pray for it too; and that not only for his Succeſſor's but for the People's ſake; and ſo he begins, He ſhall judge thy People with Righteouſneſs, Verſ. 2.and thy Poor with Judgment.
And indeed this Pſalm is not only a Prayer to God, but an Admonition to the People; it is their Cauſe which he Pleads, and therefore they muſt come in with their endeavours: God hath perform'd his part in giving 'em a juſt and righteous King to ſucceed David; and now 'tis their parts to pray to God continually for him, to pray that God would continue him amongſt 'em, that ſo their Happineſs might continue for many Years; ſo likewiſe they are to Offer up Praiſes, they are to Praiſe the King daily, that is in effect, to Praiſe God for the King.
This is the Peoples Duty at all times, and this is our preſent Duty; it is the moſt particular buſineſs of this Day; we come here to pray for the King, we come to praiſe him and to praiſe God for him; it is the ſubject of the Text, and the ſubject of the Day; Prayer and praiſe: The only two principal parts into which my Text can be divided. Prayer alſo ſhall be made for him continually, and daily ſhall he be praiſed.
Firſt, Of Prayer; which is a duty incumbent upon all Subjects for all Princes, pro omnibus Imperatoribus, without any diſtinction. My method ſhall be this:
Firſt, To give you ſome Reaſons why this Duty ſhould be performed. And,
Secondly, I ſhall offer at ſome Directions in the performing it.
I. The Obligations which Men lye under of Praying for their Soveraign Prince are Natural, and Political, as well as Divine.
The Laws of Nature teach us to look upon Kingly Government,Non adulatione vanâ adducti, 1 De Clem. 14. as a Paternal Function. Every Prince paramount is Father of his Country, ſo we call them, ſaith Seneca, not by way of Flattery: So we find him making long Prayers for Nero, Ad Polyb. 31, 32.even when he was diſgraced and exiled by him. Nothing being more Natural than for Children to Pray for the Proſperity of their Parents; from our Natural Parents we derive our Natural Life, ſo from our Political Parents, our Political Life: 1 De Clem. 4.The King is not only Caput & Animus Reipublicae; ſed etiam Spiritus vitalis, the vital Spirit, the very Life of the Kingdom; ſo that to pray for the King,Quod bonum fauſtumque ſit tibi domuique tuae Caeſaer Auguſte, (ſic enim nos perpetuam felicitatem reipublicae & laeta huic praecari exiſtimamus,) &c. Suet. Aug. c. 58. is moſt correſpondent to the Firſt great Law of Nature, Self-preſervation; for hereby we pray for our own and the Kingdoms ſafety; ſo the Wiſe Senate of Rome reckon'd, when they pray'd for their Emperour Auguſtus: Nor do we read of any Nation or People, tho never ſo Barbarous, but their regard to their Prince, hath been the ſame as of Children to their Parents, the reaſons being the ſame. For,
Firſt, It is from the King that we have our Origination: For as amongſt the Jews to beget a Child, was not eſſentially neceſſary to be the Father of him, ſome being the Legal Children of one Man, which was the beſt and moſt Excellent Title, altho the Natural Children of another: So our Saviour was the Legal Son of Joſeph and of David, tho by Nature the Son of Mary, Epiſcopius Inſtitut. Lib. 3. Sect. 4. l. 11.who perhaps was of another Tribe: In like manner, tho we have a natural obligation to thoſe Parents which begot us; yet we were Born legally from the influence of Government, we were born Children from natural Parentage, but Sons only from political Authority. It is from the Laws, i. e. from the King, the Fountain of Laws, that we are Legitimate, without which every Man is but Filius populi, the Son of the people. So that every Rebel ſeems to Baſtardize his own Children, in reſiſting that Authority by which they call him Father; for tho the inſtitution of Marriage is an ordinance of God; yet the Circumſtances of its Solemnization are by Magiſtratual Appointment, whereby we are to remember, that the King is our firſt Parent.
II. Secondly, it is from the King we have our daily Maintenance and Support; it is his Wiſdom and Power, that protects us from violence and wrong: Our Eſtates, our Lives, our All is under his Guardianſhip. Of the truth of which ſome of you here preſent are living Witneſſes. You remember the ſad time when there was no King in Iſrael; but it was worſe with you, than with the Old Iſralites, for they did every Man what ſeem'd good in his own Eyes; whilſt they that Sequeſtred your Eſtates, Plunder'd your Goods, and drove you into Want and Exile, committed ſuch Villanies as even out-dared their own Conſciences. 'Tis you can beſt tell, whether all that you at preſent enjoy is not owing unto the King's ſafety, he is ſo much more than a Father, that without the Preſervation of his Royal Perſon, it is not in your power to keep your own Children from Starving; and therefore great reaſon have we, both to pray for him our ſelves, and to teach our Children to pray for him too.
III. Thirdly, It is the King's Life and Preſervation that protects our own. The Shadow of his Wing is a Buckler to all his Subjects, a Buckler againſt all Foreign Violence, and Domeſtic Blood-thirſtineſs: So was the Regal Authority unto the Iſralites of old, as we have frequent inſtances in the Book of Judges; for thoſe Judges were all Kings in Jeſhurun as well as Moſes, Deut. 33.5.altho not Anointed no more then he. So when there was no Judge amongſt 'em, it is ſaid, There was no King in Iſrael, as that diſmal Story of the Levite's Wife is Prefaced;Judg. 19.1. which one is a ſufficient inſtance of Domeſtic Villany and Barbarity. So every now and then we read of Invaſions, and ſuch Publick Calamities, as muſt needs happen to a Nation without a Head; there muſt needs be much Wrong either done or ſuffered, where there are no Eyes to ſee, nor Ears to hear, but Hands to pull down Ruin, or Feet ſwift to ſhed Blood.
And now, ſure here's worth and ſubject enough for a Prayer, that God would protect that Perſon by whom our Lives and Fortunes are protected. It is a Duty, and a very modeſt one too, to pray for Kings. Whereas ſome very wiſe Heathens made a miſtake and pray'd to 'em: But Nature, Reaſon and Tradition, are not Perſwaſives ſtrong enough to Men of corrupt practices, to bring 'em over to their Duty; let us ſee then how far it is encouraged, or rather commanded, in Holy Writ, for the People to pray for their Kings; tho ſome Men can't find any ſuch thing as Monarchy its ſelf in the Scriptures, without an Opprobrium by way of Appendix to it: For all that is there ſaid in the behalf of Monarchy, is not a ſufficient Ballance to the Eighth Chap. of the Firſt Book of Samuel, for from thence they infer, That God Almighty was angry with the Iſraelites for deſiring a Monarchical Government: Whereas the whole Current of Scripture proves this and no other to be jure Divino, even in the interregna, which were Governed by One only Prophet, or Seer; ſo that from Adam to Saul, and forwards, the whole Government was purely Monarchical. The Seventy Elders being no other than Juſtices or Counſellors, and therefore God was ſo far from being angry at their deſiring of a King, i. e. for deſiring of one,Menaſſeh Ben Iſrael Conciliator. Q. in Deut. 6. that as the Jewiſh Rabbin tells us, they were commanded by God, That they ſhould do ſo, Statuendo ſtatues ſuper te Regem, Deut. 17.15. Their Crime was in the manner, the time, and the ends of their asking one: They ask'd with murmuring and mutiny, they ask'd importunately, rather demanded than ask'd; and that for the Idolatrous end of being like other Nations; therefore God ſaid to Samuel, Not thee but 'tis me that they reject: they were better pleaſed with their Vice-Roy Samuel, Verſ. 11.then with their Emperour God; and it was but a Pretence for 'em to find fault with the Government, when it was the Religion that they would alter; and there is no queſtion, that if they had not had ſuch baſe purpoſes in their Heads, that God would have given 'em a King long before, without asking; that bleſſing was ſo long delay'd, becauſe God ſaw they were not Capacitated for receiving it. And when a Nation is not capable of Government (we have had the ſad experience) God gives 'em up to Anarchy. A people muſt be ripe for Bleſſings before they can expect 'em, and then they muſt put 'em to a good Uſe, if they deſire their Continuance: And amongſt all the bleſſings that God hath promiſed his Church in this World, I take one of the greateſt to be, That Kings ſhould be its Nurſing Fathers, and Queens its Nurſing Mothers. I am perſwaded, that hitherto it hath been the greateſt bleſſing. And ſo thoſe Chriſtians would have told you, that lived under the Reigns of Conſtantine, Theodoſius, Arcadius, and thoſe good Emperours; each of which did more good to Chriſt's Church in ſome reſpects, than all their Predeceſſors had done it Miſchief: They Nurſed it, and Cloathed it with Beauty and Glory, which before had lain in Rags and Nakedneſs, expoſed to Contempt and Danger, like Moſes among the Ruſhes. But St. Paul did not look ſo far as Conſtantine the Great, when he exhorts the Chriſtians, in the 2 Ch. of the 1 Ep. to Tim. That prayers and interceſſions, and giving of Thanks be made for Kings: He doth not ſay, I exhort you that about Three hundred Years hence, ye ſhall begin to Pray for Kings; no foreign, i. e. if we make a Critical ſearch into the Word for the Emperors, for what elſe can it ſignifie? Who were Supream then but Emperors? And St. Peter expreſsly names the Supream;foreign, 1 Pet. 2.13. and again 'twas, Fear God, Honour the Emperor; for 'tis the ſingular number, foreign,Verſ. 17. ſo this cannot be underſtood of Governors as Chriſtians, much leſs of the Reformed Religion, when at that time there was no ſuch denomination; but St. Paul and St. Peter meant, That they ſhould preſently pray for the Emperor in being, and the Emperors in ſucceſſion, as ſuch: For Nero as well as Conſtantine, for Diocleſian as well as Charlemaign, for Mahomet the IV. (had he been Emperor of the World) as well as for JAMES the II. in Great Britain and Ireland.
Now ſince the Roman Empire is broken, this Exhortation belongs to us; becauſe every King in his Kingdom is Emperor, and JAMES the II. (whom God preſerve) wears the Imperial Crown of this Realm. Nothing can bar Prayer no more than Allegiance: it is part of our Allegiance, and a moſt indiſpenſible Tribute. He that defrauds the King of his Prayers had better defraud him of his Coin; ſaving that ſuch a Man's Prayers would not do him ſo much good: This is God's Due, and this is Caeſar's Due; our Prayers to God, and for the King: So that with one Mite we may pay both Tributes. What remains then, but that we ſhould bethink our ſelves how to pay it; which leads me to the ſecond Undertaking, i. e. To give you ſome Directions how Prayers are to be made for him.
There are Two Qualifications neceſſary to all Prayers, heartineſs and ſincerity; the third is conſtancy, expreſſed here in my Text, by the word continually; ſo we are to pray for our King heartily, ſincerely, and continually.
Firſt heartily, We are not to come to Church on ſuch days as this for faſhion-ſake, to avoid ſingularity, or a bad reputation; every good Man muſt bring a Zealous Heart along with him; a Heart full of Affectionate Duty and Loyalty, with Love and Hope in his Breaſt, and Joy in his Eyes: He muſt petition God for the King, as he would petition the King for himſelf; with all the Elegancies of Intreaty, as if he would petition for a Kingdom: And then ſure he would mix a few Vows with his Prayers, ſomething or other to diſtinguiſh 'em from common Petitions; at leaſt ways we ſhould pray with ſuch an emphaſis, as if we thought our ſelves quite undone, if God did not hear our Prayers, and ſo we may well think; for if God will not hear our Prayers for the King, 'tis a ſign he will not hear 'em at all. Let us have a care that thoſe Prayers be not luke-warm, for when God ſpits them out, he commonly ſpits 'em into the Cup of Indignation, that's the Cup of Anarchy, when the Prince and the Prieſt go off together; and then comes the Kingdom of Antichriſt:Treatiſe of reſiſting the lawful Magiſtrate. For the Pious and Learned Dr. Hammond proves every ſtubborn Subject to be a Limb of Antichriſt, who exalts himſelf above all that is called God. But,
Secondly, We are to pray for the King ſincerely, i. e. without any mental reſerves, or mixed equivocations: We muſt pray for the King in that ſence that the Church prays for him, in that ſence that the Primitive Church of Chriſt is wont to pray for their Emperors.Apologet. & ad Scap. c. 2. n. 11. Tertullian gives us a taſt of thoſe Prayers, by which we may gueſs at the reſt. Firſt their Manner, We pray, ſaith he, for our Kings with our Hands ſtretched forth, becauſe they are Innocent, they were never lifted up againſt 'em; 2. With bare-Heads, becauſe we are not aſhamed, our Conſciences do not fly in our Faces, and reproach us with Hypocriſie. 3. Without any humane order or preſcription, becauſe we pray willingly and from the bottom of our Hearts. Now follows the form: Vitam illis prolixam; a long Life, a ſecure Throne, a ſafe Abode, a potent Army, a faithful Senate, a Conſcientious People, and a peaceable Empire: This was a ſincere and honeſt Prayer, ſuch a ſort of Prayer as we come here to make, without Parſimony and without Fraud. Let me then give you Three ſhort and general Directions in praying for the King.
Firſt, To Pray for him as you would have others pray for you.
Secondly, To Pray for him as if you pray'd for your ſelves; and
Thirdly, Let the Subject-matter of your Prayers be as ſincere and liberal as when he prays for you; we may know how that hath been by the effects: Be ſure they are ſuch Prayers as David and Solomon put up, the effects have been the ſame: Peace is within our Walls, and Proſperity within our Palaces.
Beſides, methinks we are all grown better of late; a New Genius aſcends the Horizon. No doubt but from ſome new Cauſe, from our new King's prayers, For thou, O God, Pſal. 61.haſt heard his Vows; thou haſt given him the heritage of thoſe that fear thy Name. Then let us all joyn in the Chorus: Thou wilt prolong the King's Life; and his Years as many Generations. He ſhall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preſerve him. So will we ſing praiſe unto thy Name for ever, and daily perform our Vows.
Thirdly, We are to pray for him continually. Prayer alſo ſhall be made for him continually: So that we come here to Day, but to learn what we are to do all the Year after. This is but a ſolemn Remonſtrance of what we reſolve to do all the Days of our Life; and reaſon good, if we continue to expect the bleſſed Effects of ſuch Prayers. Not that ſome Men's Omiſſion of Prayer, (no nor their Curſes) can do the King, and his Loyal Subjects, any harm: For God can rain down Bleſſings upon the Fleece, and let the Barren Ground remain dry; and ſo God can rain down Curſes upon the Ground, and yet Gideon's Fleece ſhall eſcape, every lock and hair of it. If ſome will not continually pray for the King, yet God will continually bleſs him for their ſakes that do; at leaſt if the King prays for the People, God will return his Prayers upon his own Head: Thus much for Prayer.
The ſecond part is Praiſe: This is a more particular Duty, incumbent only for particular Reaſons: Prayers for their Kings is the Duty of all Nations, but Praiſe only belongs to Solomon, and ſuch Kings as Solomon was; and yet there is this Duty incumbent upon all Mankind, which is, To praiſe the Government, when they cannot praiſe the Perſon. The Character of a King, in the perſon of one Prince, is as Laudable, Divine, and Sacred, as in the perſon of another. They are all of them,In Luk. 1.21. as Calvin tells us, the Sons of God; they are ſo ex Officio, and Praiſe is as juſt a Debt to their Office, as Honor to their Perſons: Indeed there can be no Honor without Praiſe. Praiſe is the reſult of Liking and Approbation; without which, Honor is no better than Mockery. But in this place the Holy Pſalmiſt doth not ſpeak of that Praiſe and Honor, which is univerſally due to all Princes, but of that extraordinary Praiſe, which his Succeſſor King Solomon, and all ſuch Princes as he, may juſtly claim. So here we are to conſider the Character of a Prince who is praiſe-worthy.
And here I have a fair opportunity of entring into a Panegyric upon that Glorious Prince, whoſe Praiſes we come hither to Celebrate, as well as to offer up our Prayers for him: But I would willingly avoid all Invidiouſneſs, as well of the malevolent, for my Ambition, as of the Cenſorious, for my Preſumption, and yet I fear neither. But becauſe it is ſo co-incident with my Text, and moſt appropriate to the undoubted Sence of it, I ſhall give you a ſhort Character of that Prince for whom 'twas firſt made; that not only ours, but all Princes of thoſe Excellencies, may come in for their Dues.
Firſt, He was a Prince of the moſt Celebrated Wiſdom and Ʋnderſtanding in the World, this was his Natural Talent; which becauſe he had ſo well improved, God Almighty at his requeſt added to it: He was mature for Government, and well qualified for Empire; ſo that God ſent him to the People with a Bleſſing in his Hand. It is the King's Wiſdom that is the Peoples Safety; and therefore when God in Iſaiah threatens 'em to give 'em Children to be their Princes, Ch. 3. v. 4.and Babes to rule over 'em; the Conſequences of ſuch a Government follow in the next verſ. Verſ. 5.And the People ſhall be oppreſſed every one by another, and every one by his Neighbour.
Secondly, He was a moſt induſtrious Prince; he made his Duty his buſineſs, and very Conſcientiouſly conſidered the great Charge committed to him; he was always employ'd for the Peoples good, Vigilant and Active upon all occaſions. We read indeed, that in all his Reign the people had little elſe to do,1 King. 4.25. But to ſit down every Man under his Vine, and under his Fig-tree, from Dan even to Beerſheba, Eating and Drinking and making Merry; it was well for them; but you'l find the good King otherwiſe employ'd: His greateſt pleaſure was, to ſee his People ſafe, and to be the Author of all thoſe pleaſures and comforts that they enjoy'd, and which they could not enjoy, but by his pains and care.
Thirdly, He was a King very eminent for Juſtice; which was one great effect of his Wiſdom. 'Tis Solomon's own Maxim, That a Prince that wants Ʋnderſtanding is a great Oppreſſor; but a Prince of Underſtanding and Wiſdom, will never do, nor ſuffer Wrong. The Lawyers tell us, That the King cannot wrong his Subjects; and our Divinity-Books tell us,Quia enim Deus vult honorari Superiores, vult etiam ut ipſi honorem ſuum tueantur. Pareus Corp. Doct. p. 3. Q. 104. Lib. 2. That he ought not to wrong himſelf. The King is as reſponſible to God for his own Honor, as for the peoples Safety: And that the rather, becauſe 'tis God's Honor as well as his; but yet he had much of David's Clemency and Mercy. I am ſure Paterculus would have thought ſo, if he had lived in his Reign; for he look'd upon it as a thing even incredible, Quod humanam excedat fidem: That Caeſar, who was but an Uſurper,Afranius, Fauſtus, Scylla, Filia Pompeii. Florus. Suet. Dio. Caſſ. ſhould ſpare thoſe that were of Pompey's Faction; and yet we read of ſome great Perſons Executed upon that account, even L. Caeſar, his Kinſman, contrary to due form of Law.
Fourthly, He was a Prince of great Conſtancy and Reſolution; he met with many difficulties in coming to the Crown, and even at his firſt Acceſſion, he was forced to encounter with an unnatural and dangerous Rebellion: It was a difficult Juncto, and required a ſteady Hand of Government. Tranquillo quilibet gubernator eſt; Adag. Vet. Sen. Ep. 86.every one can Sail in a Calm Sea, but Storms and Tempeſts make a proof of the Pilot.Sal. Orat. ad Caeſ. 2. It might be ſaid of him, as it was of Caeſar, His mind was greater in Adverſity than in Proſperity. David was not afraid to leave him amongſt ſo many of his Enemies;1 King. 2.9. Thou art a Wiſe Man, ſaith he, and knoweſt what thou ought'ſt to do: 1 Chr. 28.20.Be ſtrong only and of good courage: That is, ſtrengthen thy ſelf, and be reſolute: It was verbum ſapienti; he did ſo.
Laſtly, He was a Man of extraordinary Piety and Devotion; in this he ſhewed himſelf to be the true Son of Holy David.
We are not to enquire, whether Solomon ſerved God with the ſame Circumſtances of Religion as David his Father: For ſo 'tis ſaid,1 King. 3.3. That Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the Statutes of David his Father. 'Tis true, from the Particle foreign following, ſome Learned Men have inferr'd, That the outward circumſtances of his Worſhip, were not altogether ſo laudable,Deut. 12, 13, 14. 2 Chr. 1.3. foreign Targ. Jonath. as his inward Sincerity and Devotion; becauſe, whereas there was but one legal High-place of Worſhip ordained by Moſes, he did nevertheleſs, in imitation of the Antient Patriarchs, Diodat. in 1 King. 3.3.permit their uſe in the plural number. But leaving this Diſpute to the more Learned, I here only take notice, That as this was not ſufficient to obſtruct God's Indulgence, and great Love towards him; So it could be no bar to his people's Prayers and Praiſes: For as Solomon loved the Lord, ſo the Lord loved him; and bleſſed him with immenſity of Wiſdom and Juſtice; and this appears from the following paſſage, to be the undoubted Reward of his exemplary Piety.
And now, to ſumm up all: This incomparable Wiſdom, this indefatigable Induſtry, this Juſtice, Reſolution, Conſtancy and Piety, might well deſerve the Acclamation and daily Applauſe of his people: And if Solomon did juſtly deſerve his peoples Praiſe, behold this Day a Prince not inferior to Solomon.
The Wiſdom of this One Years Reign will equal all the Hiſtory of that Eaſtern Prince. And as for all thoſe other Qualifications, which I have mentioned, it is but too plain, that I have ſtrain'd the Character of Solomon to make it bear ſome proportion with that of our King, and ſtill the faint Lines come ſhort of a Reſemblance: But if undaunted Courage and Bravery in Battle, (a vertue that never was experienced in Solomon;) the voluntary Expoſing of his Royal Perſon for the Good of his Country; the repeated inſtances of his Love and Affections to it; and ſuch other his more peculiar and Characteriſtical vertues, were to be inſiſted upon; it would require ſuch Sentences as Solomon's to declare his Worth.
But I come not here to uſurp upon Fame's Province; his Name is already ſpread as far as Solomon's, and ſhall continue as long as his, as long as the World ſhall endure.
But ſure the Obligations of his Subjects to him are far greater than any People ever lay under, and ought therefore to be paid in the moſt dutiful and ſolemn Manner: That great Tribute of Praiſe as well as of Prayer.
Give me leave likewiſe herein to offer you ſome few Directions, and ſo I'll conclude. The Church directs us to praiſe God, not only with our Lips, but in our Lives, we may take the ſame inſtruction in Praiſing God's Vicegerent. He beſt praiſes the Lawgiver, who lives moſt conformable to his Laws; and the greateſt Panegyric upon Caeſar is, To Obey his Commands; they are the only Flatterers, whoſe Hearts and Tongues do not go together; and 'tis our Duty to praiſe our Prince, and not to Flatter him. Nothing can be groſſer than to praiſe the King's Wiſdom, and yet at the ſame time to prefer our own above it: My Lord the King, ſaith Mephiboſheth, is as an Angel of God: But then he thought ſo as well as ſaid it; and therefore reſign'd all he had in the World to the King's diſpoſe. All Diſtruſt and Jealouſie is inconſiſtent with Praiſe; for this muſt proceed from Love, and Love caſteth out Fear. We have a Prince, that of all Mankind ought the moſt to be truſted; becauſe it is not in our powers, to provoke him him more to break his Word than we have done. Our Provocations have been ſo great, That nothing but his Sacred Word could ſtand between us and his Anger. But this muſt not encourage us to uſe him ill; for tho the Decree for our Good is gone out of the King's Mouth, yet it is not ratified by God, without good Conditions. We have been grievous Delinquents, and are now but upon good Behavior; and Lives, as well as Hearts, are in God's Hand.
Conc. Lat.Biſhop Andrews terms Kings the treaſures of the People: If ſo, we at preſent have a moſt ineſtimable Treaſure. But then he bids us remember,2 Cor. 4.7. That we have theſe Treaſures in Earthen Veſſels: Let us have a great care, and uſe it tenderly, that we, together with our Prince, may ſee our Childrens Children, and peace upon Iſrael.
Our Bleſſing is to us but a new Comer: we hardly know yet what it is that we enjoy. Conſider but one Particular, That the Engliſh Nation, for this laſt Year, hath been a greater Terror abroad, than for ſome Ages before; at leaſt-ways, 'tis in our power ſoon to be ſo; only by this, in not being a Terror to our ſelves. Let but the Engliſh Praiſe and Love their King, and all the World will ſoon ſtand in awe of him. Not that he truſts in his own ſtrength, or in the Arm of Fleſh, but in his God; in his Right, and in his Innocence. Witneſs that one Act of his, whereby in the Aſſembly now in being, he would not (what others would perhaps) have Excluded his Excluſioners.
But there is no occaſion to be loud and importunate in our Praiſes, they'l be beſt underſtood by our being ſtill and quiet. Let us all foreign make it our Ambition to be ſo. It ſhould be our Ambition, 1 Theſ. 4.7.becauſe it is our Intereſt; nay, we ſee it is to no purpoſe to be otherwiſe: It is but a folly to reſiſt ſo often, the plain and viſible Hand of Providence; the Injuries and Affronts that are done to Majeſty ſtill turn to Bleſſings. And, as to our Prince in particular, God hath as plainly and manifeſtly protected him from all his Enemies; as if with our own Eyes we had ſeen him guarded with a Flaming Sword, or reſting his Head under an Angels Wing. God Almighty hath given him ſo many and ſuch ſignal Deliverances, that we ſhould be even Faithleſs, if we did not believe, that it can never be in the power of Men or Devils to hurt him. So that God will Reign, and the King will Reign, be the People never ſo unquiet.
God hath Judged the King, Pſ. 43.1.and hath pleaded his Cauſe againſt an ungodly Nation: He hath delivered him from the deceitful and unjuſt Man. Pſ. 18.20.The Lord hath rewarded him according to his Righteouſneſs, according to the cleaneſs of his Hands, hath he recompenſed him.
And now, the King will be ſure to live Peaceably and Quietly himſelf. He is reſolved to ſtand faſt like a Rock in the midſt of his Ocean; neither the Raging Waves of the Sea, nor the Madneſs of the People, foreign. Hom. II. l. 1.ſhall ever remove him from his Center. He is reſolved to deſerve Praiſe, and to have it too, if not from his People, yet from his God.
To conclude then with the Words of this Pſalm.
His Name ſhall endure for ever, his Name ſhall be continued as long as the Sun, and Men ſhall be Bleſſed in him.
Bleſſed be the Lord God, the God of Iſrael, who only doth wondrous things: And Bleſſed be his Glorious Name for ever. Amen, and Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Simon Patrick, Sermon on the Kings Day (1686)