THE HONOUR Due to the Civil Magistrate Stated and Urged; IN A SERMON Composed for the Day of Thanksgiving, For the happy Discovery of the Late Horrid and Execrable Conspiracy AGAINST His Majesty's Sacred Person and Government. By THEOPHILUS DORRINGTON.  
London, Printed for John Wyatt, at the Rose in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1696.   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
THE materials of the following Discourse are Thoughts which have a long time taken possession of my Mind, upon a good consideration of the Duty therein urged, and of the Behaviour of the World with Relation to it. The Occasion of putting them now together was, The Happy Discovery of the late Wicked and Detestible Conspiracy against the Life of Our KING; (whom may it please God long to preserve) and by consequence against our Peace, Liberty, and Religion, and the Welfare of Europe.  
It was at first designed for a Sermon, and in particular for the Day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God for that Discovery; to which I intended it should have been somewhat more expressly accommodated in an Application at the End: To be sure, the best way of expressing our Thankfulness to Almighty God for having so wonderfully, again, preserved our Good KING, is to study and practise all that Duty which God requires we should pay to the KING. But having had no opportunity to use the Discourse in that way, by reason of my uncertain Circumstances at present, I have resolved thus to Publish it.  
Thus it came to pass that it is in such a Method: And the Duty is here Stated and Urged (as becomes a Sermon) from the Intimations of Holy Scripture concerning it; and the whole Discourse is chiesly grounded upon Principles of Religion. Being, then, after this manner at first composed, I was willing to let it go with this Character; Because the greatest Reverence and Regard is certainly due to Religion, and to what is firmly and necessarily connected with the Principles and Precepts of it: All That therefore may, with great Reason, have a mighty force, and power upon Men. I hearty pray that this Discourse may, as much as is necessary, revive this Happy and Important Instance of Religious Practice amongst us, to the Honour of our Holy Religion, the Obtaining the Divine Favour and Blessings upon the Nation, and the Promoting the Tranquillity, and Prosperity of our Good KING and his People. To which Ends I am sure this Practice will mightily conduce.   

THE HONOUR Due to the Civil Magistrate.  1 Pet. 2. 17. later part. Honour the King. 
ALL the Rules of Religion are designed to promote the Happiness of Mankind; and this we may very reasonably believe of them, since they were all contrived by that Good, and Just, and Wise Being who created us. Those Laws which tend to form us into orderly Societies, and direct the Behaviour of Men towards one another, if they were universally observed would certainly produce all that Advantage and Happiness which can be derived from Society, and Communion with one another. While we perform what is made our Duty towards other Men, this is not only for their Good and Advantage, but tends to our own too. As it is for the benefit of the World that the Great Universal Governor, the Lord of Hosts, has appointed Governments among Men, and this, as the Apostle says, is an Ordinance of God for Good; so 'tis for the Benefit of the World that those Governments be duly Honoured and Obeyed. This is not only to the Advantage of those that govern, but also to theirs who are governed. And, most certainly, a Man may, out of Love to his Country, and from a hearty Concern for the Welfare even of the People urge them, as the Apostle in our Text. does, to Honour the King.  
I shall therefore in this Discourse propose what Honour must be paid to the King: and offer those Arguments which ought to induce us to it.  
We have in this Text an evident and express Command to Honour the King: By the King is meant the Person or Persons who bear and execute the supreme governing Authority of whatever Nation. The Precept here supposes a single Person, because the People whom the Apostle wrote to were under such a sort of Government; but it does not at all oblige or require that all Government should be managed by a single Person.  
The Duty of Subjects to the King or Governor is comprehended here under the same Word which directs the Behaviour of Children towards their Parents in the fifth Commandment: Of which Command this Precept in our Text is a Branch. The Septuagint translate the Hebrew Word in that Command by the same Greek Word which the Apostle uses here: And the Apostle Paul expresses that which is required by the Fifth Command, by the same Word which the Septuagint use, in Eph. 6. 2. From what is required, then, in several Places of Scripture to be paid by Children to their Parents, we may learn how the Civil Magistrate is to be Honoured: And as Children must reverence and respect, must love and obey, must assist, and cherish their Parents, as there is occasion, so must Subjects demean themselves towards their Prince. It seems very well said by some Learned Men, That there is a peculiar Fitness and Propriety of Speech in using the Word Honour in that Command rather than Love or Fear, though our Parents are to be loved, and also reverenced or feared: Because, say they, He that Loves, does not always reverence and observe; And he that Fears does not always Love; but he that Honours doth both Reverence and Love. It is the best general Account, then, that we can give of the Meaning and Extent of this Precept to say, It includes all that which a reverential, respectful Love, or a kind and loving Reverence does require, and would exercise itself by. This I shall now represent, as well as I can so briefly do it, in the following Particulars.  
1 The Subjects must acknowledge and allow all that Authority and Power in the Prince which of Right belongs to him. This, I think, is of itself very evident to be included in the Command to Honour the King. And that it does belong to it, Solomon intimates in those Words, My Son fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change, Prov. 24. 21. We must neither in Principle deny, nor in Practice oppose or contradict, nor any ways endeavour to undermine or lessen the Authority which belongs to the Governor. We must treat him with Respect as a Superior, and prefer him and his Interests before ourselves, and our own. Every Subject must esteem him superior to himself; therefore all must esteem him superior to all. If he be higher than every Part of the Community beside himself, he is higher than the whole. It is a dishonourable Opinion of the Governor to account him a Servant of the People. Though a good Prince will (as we to our Comfort find at present) entirely give up himself to promote the Happiness of the People under him, as if he were their Servant; yet no good Subject who duly reuerences the King will account him so. His Servants we are to whom we Obey: If he then be a Servant to the People he is bound to obey them, and then they are superior to him, not he to them. But this is a Contradiction to Authority and Government: To govern is the Office of a Superior, and the Exercise of Authority, but a Servant, as such, is subject to Authority, and does not bear it: They who would have the Prince accounted the common Servant would themselves be esteemed the  Masters of the People when they are but in the Service of the Prince: According to the true Character of Pride, which is always disposed to deny and withhold the Honour due to another, and to assume also more than is due to itself.  
And if the Honouring of the Governor requires that we do asscribe and yield to him all that Authority and Power which of Right belongs to him; it manifestly forbids all Endeavour to make it less than it is. As due Reverence and Love must give all that Authority which the Law and Constitution of the Government allows; so it must be far from endeavouring that this should allow less than it does. It is Irreverence to invade his Right against Law, and also to invade the Law itself which establishes it. There is in both these things an Opposition to his Authority, and a manifest Contradiction to the Subjects Duty: They both proceed from an irreverent, undutiful and rebellious Disposition of Mind. The one Sort of Wickedness is like that of a Thief or Robber, who deprives a Man of the Possession of his own: The other is that which the Holy Scripture curses under the Name of Removing a Neighbour's Landmark. And it is very evident that this Wickedness is the worst of the two, and much the greater Wrong to a Neighbour. The former invades the Possession, this the Right; the one takes away the present Use, the other endeavours to deprive him of the Use of it for ever: The one takes but the Crop, or a Part of it, but the other takes away the Land too. Nor does it at all lessen the Gild of this later Case, that the Consent of the Prince is gained to the Diminution of his Authority. There may be such a thing as a forced constrained Consent; as when a Man invaded by two Evils, one of which he must needs suffer, therefore chooses the least. A Prince may be brought into such Straits as to find it necessary to let go a Part that he may not lose the whole. But it is a guilty thing to impose upon him in such a Necessity. As it is an Injustice to impose upon the Necessity or Ignorance of an equal or inferior Neighbour in our Deal with him: So 'tis Injustice together with Irreverence to impose thus upon the Necessities of a Superior. But especially is it guilty to bring the Prince under such Necessity, and then to make use of it against him, which is the usual Method of those who seek to undermine and lessen his Authority. Their Policy is, to find out Ways to bring him to the Danger of losing his Crown, perhaps to a foreign Enemy, and then to withhold the Assistance necessary to the Defence of it unless he will part with some of the Jewels of it to them, which is certainly contrary to the Honouring of the King.  
In due Reverence and Honour of the King we must ascribe and yield to him all that Power and Authority which is his Right and Due: And we must be directed to determine what is so by the Law and Constitution of the Government we are under, which is as it were the Landmark or Boundary of Right between one and another through the whole Community: And to know what the Law and Constitution allows, we must learn this from those who are Professors of, and Learned in the Laws. And if they happen to differ in their Opinions of the matter, so as to ascribe some of them more, and some less Authority and Power to the Prince; a reverend and dutiful Disposition of Mind, which is desirous to give all that is due, will follow those who ascribe the more: But those who want a due Reverence for the Prince, and are rather desirous to yield him as little Authority as they can, will be sure to follow those that ascribe the less: Which is certainly a Transgression of our Duty in this Matter, and that which no tender Consciences will allow.  
2. To Honour the King or Governing Power includes and requires Obedience and Subjection to his Laws. If we own his Authority in Word and Principle but do not obey his Laws we deny it in Practice. This therefore must needs be included in the due Honour and Reverence of him. As it is an Exercise of Authority to make Laws, so 'tis an Instance of acknowledging that Authority to obey, and be subject to them. We are bound to this by the Law of God which says Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers, Rom. 13.  
If his Laws are manifestly contrary to the Law of God, and so they cannot be actually obeyed; yet we must preserve a humble and submissive Disposition, and quietly suffer the Penalties which are imposed upon us by Law. This is that which the Apostle Peter commands, 1 Pet. 4. 15. Let none of you suffer as an Evil Doer or as a Busy Body in other men's Matters, but if a Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed. The Apostle intimates there would be occasion for them to suffer as Christians, or merely for being such; which could come to pass by no Law but a very contrary one to the Law of God: And he exhorts them, however, to suffer meekly and patiently, if this should be their Case, according to the Example of our Master Jesus. And if we must patiently and quietly bear the Penalty of evil Laws, this forbids the doing any thing contrary to the Reverence and Honour of the Prince to get rid of those Laws. It forbids the murmuring against him, the reviling of the Magistrate, the Endeavour to lessen his Reputation and Esteem among the People, and the making Parties against him in order to bias and constrain him to alter those Laws: This is the Spirit of Faction which is undutiful, disobedient and rebellious. If the Prince cannot be fairly and dutifully persuaded, the Subject must not endeavour to force him, to alter even an unjust and wicked Law.  
Without doubt the Magistrate has Power to make Laws in matters left indifferent, and which are not expressly and particularly determined in the Law of God. All the best and most religious Governments of the World have understood so, and practised accordingly; and it is a new and false Opinion which holds the contrary. If the Magistrate can command nothing but what is commanded in the Law of God he can make no Laws at all, has no Legislative Power, but all he has to do is to enforce and put in Execution the Laws of God. This Principle certainly takes from him part of his Authority and Right: And it is very apt in its Nature and Tendency to rob him of the rest too. It is commonly seen Iodged in a proud and disobedient Spirit: It makes Subjects more ready to dispute than to obey. It easily finds Pretences to refuse Obedience, and so encourages to refuse it whenever a Man's Lust or Humour, or ill-placed Interest inclines him to do so. It requires the Magistrate to make Laws, not according to the Light and Wisdom and Justice or Goodness of his own Conscience; but will have them made according to the Darknesses and Mistakes, the Self-Love, the Malice, and Perverseness of theirs. It is eager and fierce for a great Liberty of Conscience to be allowed itself, but will allow none to the Governor. It is a very common Effect of this Principle in Men that it withholds them from Subjection and Obedience to the Magistrate in many things which are commanded by the Law of God. As it is no wonder if Evil produces Evil and an Error betrays a Man into a Sin. Let us know that while we are mightily afraid of obeying the Magistrate too far, we are very liable to be betrayed, by the Subtlety of the Tempter and the deceitful Wickedness of our own Hearts, into the not obeying so far as we ought.  
Under this Head is included the Obligation to pay readily and faithfully the Taxes, Contributions, and Customs which are established by Law. This our Saviour enjoins when he says, Render to Cesar the things which are Cesar's: And the Apostle in like manner requires that we pay Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom, as well as Honour to whom Honour is due. We must obey these Laws as well as any other: And should account these of singular and eminent Importance; because these provide the necessary Supports of the Government, and the Sinews as it were of all Administrations, and Actions for the public Welfare.  
3. The Honour of the King requires and includes a candid and respectful Censure of his Government and Administrations. We are bound to put as good an Interpretation as the thing will bear upon the Actions of every Neighbour. Justice requires this, because 'tis according to that great and excellent Rule of Equity, That we do to others as we would they should do unto us. And true Love or Charity requires it too; which is always ready to think as well of every one as it can. Therefore the Apostle gives it this excellent Character (1 Cor. 13.) Charity thinketh no Evil. A true Reverence for any Person, too, will make us think respectfuly of his Actions; it will be ready to Honour them as well as the Person that does them. And the Honour of his Actions is to account them Just and Wise and Good. This therefore we ought to believe of the Administrations of the Magistrate, when there is not very evident Appearance of the contrary; this we ought to believe always when they are capable of such an Interpretation. We must neither hastily condemn his Actions nor groundlessly suspect his Designs. These things the Scripture evidently binds upon us by such Directions as these; Curse not the King no not in Thought: Thou shalt not curse the Gods nor revile the Ruler of thy People (Exod. 22. 28.) which Place of Scripture the Apostle Paul enforces (Acts 23. 5.) when he confesses his Error in having spoken too sharply and irreverently of the High Priest, before he was ware, and says, It is written thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People. The Apostle Judas puts it among several very ill Characters of a sort of Men, which infested and disparaged the Church in his time, that they did speak evil of Dignities. It is contrary to Reverence and Love to invent Disparagements of the Magistrates Actions, to study to find Faults in them: And it is the same ill Disposition full of Malice and Pride to be very ready to receive such Imputations, to seek and hunt after them and take Pleasure to hear them: And it is much more so to spread and publish dishonourable Reflections, to foment and cherish Suspicions and Jealousies in others: As we ought to reverence the Prince ourselves, so we ought to promote the Reverencing of him by others.  
The due Honour and Reverence of the Prince requires that we do acquiesce in his Administrations when we do not know the particular Grounds and Reasons of them: It may be many times unfit that the People should know all the Reasons of State upon which the Governor acts, especially when it may be supposed there are some Enemies of the Government among the People; and no Man is capable to make a right Judgement of an Action when he does not know the Reasons and Circumstances of it.  
We must not presently condemn those Undertake of the Prince as foolish or ill managed which do not succeed well. Success is in the Hand of God and he gives it where and when he pleases: And, to teach Men to acknowledge and depend upon his Providence, he sometimes gives it to weak and foolish Endeavours and Designs, and sometimes again he denies it to the best and wisest. It is often seen (as the wise Man says) that the Race is not to the swift, nor the Battle to the strong, nor Bread to the wise, nor Favour to Men of Skill. When the Undertake of the Governor for the public Good have not their desired Success, it is more just and reasonable that the People blame themselves, than that they should blame or censure him: They may justly suspect their Offences of Almighty God do provoke him to give Disappointments to wise and well managed Designs, when these do not evidently appear to be otherwise. And I doubt not it may be said the Sins of the People may occasion the Error of the Prince when he does err: To help themselves therefore, in both cases, their best Course is to abstain from murmuring against the Prince, and humble themselves before God, and to search out and forsake the Evil of their Do. Their irreverent and undutiful Behaviour to the Governor under such Circumstances would but add Sin to Sin, and be likely to pull down upon them more of the Wrath of God.  
Further, As the Honour of the Prince forbids that we despise or condemn him for ill Successes, so it forbids us to envy or grow jealous of him for great and happy ones. True Reverence and Love wishes his Prosperity, and delights in the Increase of his Reputation and Glory: But these are the common Practices of proud Men, and those that are rebelliously disposed; if the Prince does not succeed well, to despise and condemn him, and if he does, then to grow envious and jealous of him. It is utterly contrary to our Duty to entertain groundless Jealousies and Suspicions of the Governor, or to think that if he grows great enough to do Mischief, therefore he will do it. It was the barbarous Injustice of the Commonwealth of Athens, that if any excellent Person among them had recommended himself to the general Esteem and Love of his Country by great and brave Actions done to the Honour, and the Interest of his Country, they would reward his good Services by banishing him from his Country. They would fear he would do harm when they thought he might have Power to do it, though he had done nothing but Good. And that he might not wrong his Country, they would be before hand with him, and would wrong him. This becomes no Policy but that of wretched Heathens who knew not the excellent Rules of Justice and Charity which our Religion affords, and is the grossest Contradiction that can be to the Rules of Christianity. This bids us not return evil for evil received; and therefore much rather requires also that we do not resist or repel evil with evil; much rather than must it further require that none do seek to repel the Evil which is but only suspected, by doing that which is certainly evil. But these Men are for doing Injury to prevent their receiving and suffering such Injury as they unjustly and groundlessly fear. Thus they wrong the Prince while they unjustly fear him; they unjustly hate, of necessity, while they unjustly fear him; and they unjustly undermine his Power to prevent his doing Mischief while they unjustly fear he will do Mischief: Such a Heap of Wickedness and Gild does causeless Jealousy load itself withal.  
It is a certain Sign and Discovery of an ill Man to be full of groundless Jealousies and Suspicions of others. The common Cause of such things where there is no good Appearance to ground them upon is only this; that such Men are conscious to themselves they should be what they suspect another will prove in the same Circumstances: They evidently betray their own Heart, and Thoughts in the Case, and show that they do not think themselves to have Honesty and Virtue enough to avoid such Wickedness in such Temptations and Opportunities. And though they make mighty Pretences and a great Show, of Watchfulness and Care for the Public Welfare, they give all wise and good Men Ground to be very jealous of them, and to wish none such may ever have any Share in the Government.  
4. The Honour of the King requires and includes the yielding him readily all the Assistance we can in his Administration and Government. every one must endeavour to promote his Affairs and Undertake according as their Stations and Conditions will allow. We should consider him engaged in seeking the public Welfare which certainly deserves, and we may easily believe will constantly rquire the public Assistance. As Reverence and Love will charitably believe his Administrations and Designs aim at the public Good, so it must needs be that such a Disposition will be ready and forward to assist and promote them, it will do it very freely, and with a good will, and therefore with all its Power. But Jealousy and Pride set themselves to entangle his Affairs, and frustrate his Designs and Endeavours. They are glad to have something like a seeming Ground to revile and reproach him, and of a Colour for spiteful Accusations and Slanders; and because they have a mind to blame him they set themselves all they can to hinder him. When they slowly afford him the necessary Assistance, they accuse him as the Cause why the Work is no sooner done. They will not do their Duty, but study Excuses to put it off or delay it, that they may disable him for the doing what is his, and then accuse him as weak, or negligent, or ill-designing.  
If all are bound in their several Places to assist the Governor as well as they can, then are they also bound to esteem, and assist his Officers and Instruments, and those that assist him. He that loves and performs his Duty himself, in his Place, will be well-pleased with another for that he does so too. But they that hate and design against the Prince, will also set themselves against his Instruments, and such as serve and assist his Undertake. Those that set themselves against his Officers and Ministers, immediately, do many times ultimately design against him: They are their Enemies because they serve him faithfully and to good Effect. They would not have his Undertake prosper, and therefore hate and oppose those who endeavour that they may prosper: And that none may help him they will industriously find out Ways to discourage those that do, and to disable those that would do it. Some set themselves against Ministers and those that assist the Prince out of Envy against them, or out of Covetousness or Pride. They hate to see others have the Profits, or the Honour of serving the Prince which they would fain possess themselves: And the Humour comes to that Degree of Wickedness that they had rather such good Service, as others do, should not be done at all than that their Neighbour, and not themselves, should have the doing of it, which certainly demonstrates they have more Self-love, than they have of Reverence for the Prince or Love to their Country.  
We ought to assist the Government all we can, though we could expect no particular Advantage to ourselves from what we do: Contenting our sel●●● with our Share in the public good which is promoted thereby. We should assist the Governor to our own Loss, if that Loss be but small, and what may be easily born, though we are not particularly commanded to it by the Prince, when the Exigence of public Affairs seems to require it, or the Advantage to the public would be very great, which would come by such Assistance. A Certainty of a small Loss should not discourage a Man from public Service, much less may a mere Possibility do it, or a very distant Probability of suffering it. And then the mere Love of our own Ease or the Desire to attend only our own particular Affairs will not excuse us from the Service of the Public and the Prince. When the Prince needs our Assistance, and commands it, no Hazard that we shall run, or Loss that we may sustain by it will allow us to withhold it. Therefore 'tis the constant Style of good Subjects when they profess a due Readiness to assist the Prince, that they will stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes.  
These are some and perhaps the chief of those Matters which are contained in this Precept in our Text, to Honour the King. Now this excellent Precept, though, like all the rest of the divine Commands, it is wise and just and good in itself, yet it meets with as much Opposition and Averseness to it in the Heart of Man as any besides. It is in the Nature of all Wickedness to decline, and abhor Government and Subjection. It naturally says who is Lord over us, and hates to be conttrouled: So that 'tis inseparably belonging to the Corruption and Pravity of humane Nature to be loath to be governed. Besides, Pride is the most common Vice of corrupted Nature, and that which is for the most part, dearest to it, and the last that is cured. And Pride loves, indeed, to receive Honour, but does not care to give any. It makes a Man think he never receives enough; but it makes him think, too, that the least Measure is enough to give: It is no wonder, then, if Humane Nature needs to be exhorted to such a Duty as this.  
I proceed, then, to the second Part of the Discourse proposed; which is to urge the Practice and Performance of this Duty, as it has been stated: And there are these Considerations following which require it of us, and aught to move us to it.  
1. We must know that Magistracy and Government is an undoubted Ordinance and Institution of Almighty God. It is the Will and Appointment of Heaven that all Nations should have some Government and Order among them: That some one, or more, should have Authority to rule, and the rest should reverence, love, and obey that Authority. He has established this Order to enforce upon Mankind the Laws of Piety and Virtue: To Influence towards the keeping up those Virtues in the World, which he requires Men should glorify, and honour, and acknowledge him by; and those which are necessary to render them easy, useful, and comfortable to each other. And he knows very well how necessary some Government and Authority among Men is to these Purposes: That without this Mankind would be as wild as the Savage Beasts, and, perhaps, as little regard Him, and be as mischievous to one another as they. It may be reckoned a reasonable Confirmation of this, that Magistracy and Government is an Ordinance and Institution of Heaven, that we find such a thing still maintained and kept up in the World notwithstanding the common Unwillingness of Mankind to obey, and be ruled. Nothing is more evident than a universal Unwillingess to submit to Government, and be confined by Laws. It is not a new but an old thing, and that which has always been, for the Subject Part of a Nation to be apt to grudge at and envy the Authority of those that govern, and often to wish and, as far as they durst, to endeavour to make it less. There have been always some proud, ambitious and covetous Men among them who would fain have a Share in the Government for the Profit and Honour of it to themselves, and who have wheedled the People to their Side by finding mighty Faults in the Governors, promising they would govern them better, and especially would give them more Liberty: And 'tis an old and a common thing that they get some Fools to believe them, and to think them mighty Lovers of their Country, and the People, because they cry up Liberty much; and to account them mighty good Men because they find great Fault with others. The Histories of all Nations are not without frequent Instances of Designs and Struggles of this Nature: And these things are very pernicious to Governments, and tend to overthrow and destroy them: Yet is Government and Magistracy maintained in the World. It cannot be, certainly, that it could subsist against so great and constant an Opposition, if it were not supported by the Wisdom and Power of Heaven; If there were not the Force of a Divine Institution, and a constant Care and Application of the Divine Providence to maintain it.  
But I account the Authority of Holy Scripture a better Proof in Matters of Religion than any Reasonings of Men: Let us therefore take notice of what that says to this Matter; and perhaps there is not any thing more expressly taught us there than this. The Apostle Paul expressly calls Government an Ordinance of God, Rom. 13. 2. and says, Whosoever resisteth the Power, or opposes Government, resisteth the Ordinance of God: And they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation; they commit herein a damnable Sin. God himself says, By me King's reign, Prov. 8. 15. When we are commanded to submit to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's Sake, and to be subject and obedient to the Civil Magistrate for Conscience Sake; These things speak it a Law of Heaven that Honour and Obedience should be paid to the higher Powers, that is, to those who are in Authority among Men, and so do conclude that Magistracy and Government is an Ordinance of God. We ought to look upon Magistrates as the subordinate Officers of the great and universal Governor of the World; of him who is Head over all things to the Church, and who has all Power given him both in Heaven and Earth. He has an unquestionable Authority to Rule, and therefore has Right to set up what Officers under him he pleases to govern the World by; he can communicate Authority and Power, and that which they act by is his, and is derived from him, if all Power be his. This the Apostle Paul most evidently teaches us, when He calls the Governor The Minister of God, Rom. 13. 4. And the Apostle Peter urges Christians to submit to such as to them that are sent by God for the Punishment of evil doers and the Praise of them that do well.  
Now this is certainly a good Foundation and Argument for Honouring and Obeying the Higher Powers. This makes Authority to be a Divine and Sacred thing: And makes it Rebellion against God to Rebel against the Magistrate. We shake off the Divine Authority, and refuse the Dominion of Heaven when we despise and refuse the Governments on Earth: We break his Law, we insult his Officers and Vicegerents, those that do in a peculiar manner bear his Image and represent Him to the World, when we slight and oppose their Authority. Therefore is this commonly found in those who have not a due Reverence for Almighty God himself, but have lost this either by Profaneness, or by a fond Conceit of their extraordinary Favour with God, and a habit contracted thereupon of rude Familiarity with Him. Our Saviour says to a sort of Officers under Him, which undoubtedly ought to be reckoned Inferior to these, that which therefore we may conclude is with more force and reason Applicable to these; He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me. If we despise and affront his Vicegerents this rises to an affront and contempt of Himself. So absurd and foolish is the pretence of opposing the Civil Magistrate to promote the Kingdom of Christ; and to rebel against his Laws and Authority because we will own no King but Jesus Christ. He that opposes the Civil Magistrate does therein oppose the Kingdom of Christ which he pretends to advance, for he opposes the Officers and Administrators of that Kingdom. And tho' this Principle and Practice may be sometimes found together with a mighty and a fierce Zeal against Popery, it is a deplorable and gross Ignorance, at best, which makes these two things consist in the same Persons: For this Principle is in truth, the grand Character of Popery properly so called: It is in meaning, and constant Effect, where it can have its Natural Effect, just the same with that which subjects the State to the Church, and the Civil Magistrate to him or them that Govern the Clergy: And which is a direct contradiction to that Scripture that says Let every soul be subject to the Higher Pours Rom. 13. When the Apostle says every soul he certainly designs to exempt none, whether a single Person, or an Assembly of Men.  
2. Another Argument for the Reverence and Honour of the King may be this: The particular Interposition and Concern of the Divine Providence in setting up whatever Governors there are in all Nations. It must indeed be granted, That the first Governors in the World were Parents and Masters, who being Heads of particular Families Governed the Descendants and Servants of their Families. But it does not appear that this Form of Government is any where particularly required by Almighty God: Or that the World, having altered and lest this Form is bound to be crumbled again into such little Societies and Governments, that it may return to its Primitive Model. As it is very evident that this sort of Government was early altered in many Places, so we have no reason to think that this might not Lawfully be done, when the Exigences of the little Communities, and the Ends of Government require it. It is a Maxim must be allowed that they who have Authority can give it, and therefore they may Communicate or Surrender it. They who were Heads of Families might, by mutual Consent, join many Families together for the greater strength of the Whole, and perhaps other advantages, and might Rule them in one Body by a Common Vote as a Senate; and this might be a very Lawful Foundation of an Aristocracy or the Government of the Nobility, who doubtless are the Descendants of these Heads of Families, that were the first Governors of the World. Again: These Heads of several Families might also agree to choose out one among their Number, who had very eminent Qualifications for Government, and resign their Authorities to him, and so make him Sole Governor of the Community, subjecting both themselves and their Families to him. Some might consent to this out of the Love of Ease and Tranquillity, and to deliver themselves from the most troublesome Office in the World, the Office of Governing; others might do it out of Deserence to that Persons singular worth or Fitness to Govern; or they might all Consent to this in a thankful acknowledgement of some singular Deliverance or Benefit they had received, by the Courage and Conduct of that Person, and with the hazard of his Life and Fortunes for their sakes. And their Consent and Resignation to him might be a Lawful Foundation of a Monarchy or the Government of One. And if that Person so set up should forsake them and abandon his Government they might as Lawfully choose out another of their Company as if he were Dead: As Modern History tells us the Nobility of Poland did, when the Duke of Anjou their Elected King forsook them, to take Possession of (what he accounted his Hereditary Right) the Crown of France. After some experience of this thing, and when they found that upon the Death of every Monarch, as they were at liberty to choose again, so in the choosing of another they were apt, by reason of Competitions, to fall into Feuds and Animosities among themselves, and perhaps into War and Confusion to the great danger of dissolving their Community: They might Lawfully, to prevent this, Choose, not only the Person but, the Family also, successively, to Rule over them; As the Israelites said to Gideon when he had with great Bravery Delivered them from the Oppression of the Midianites, Rule thou over us and thy son, and thy son's son. And this might be the just Foundation of what we call a Successive or Hereditary Monarchy. It must be granted too, that if that Family should come to be extinct, they might Lawfully Transfer and Commit the Authority to another Family. Or if any Governor of that Family should, before his Death, forsake his Government, The Nobility might Justly choose and set up another of that Family to Govern. Thus they would serve the pressing necessity of the Community, which must for its own Welfare be Governed, and would do Justice to that Family, according to their Right by the Established Law among them.  
I shall not trouble this Discourse with the Question whether they that have no Authority can give any or not, because that is not our Case. 'Tis certain, The Governments of the World are now Administered in various Forms, and all Nations have often changed their Governors, as the Mortality of Men, and the various Mutations of the World have made it necessary for them to do: And very often by Force and Constraint has the Governor and Governments perhaps of most, if not all, Nations been Changed, and all things have been ordered by the absolute Will of a Conqueror. There is not perhaps any one Governor or Government in the World that is Descended by an uninterrupted Succession from the Patriarchal Government; to be sure there is none that can make out such a Succession.  
For us it is enough who are Subjects, That whatever the form of the Government is which we are under, and whoever are the Governors of any People, the Holy Scripture seems to teach Men to submit to them as appointed and set up by God himself. This is certainly said, there, of some of them who came by the Authority they possessed in some of the worst, and unjustest ways. Jeroboam was born a Subject of the House of David, on which the Crown of Israel was Entailed by the express appointment of God himself: He had no ground to pretend to it as a Descendent of that House; but he Rebelled against his King, and was set up and made King over a part of Israel by others of his Fellow-Subjects, who did this in Rebellion too. For tho' we find indeed this event was foretold to Jeroboam, yet we do no where find that the People had God's Commandment to choose him for their King, and throw off the House of David. Therefore when he and they were charged with Rebellion by Abijah the King of Judah 2 Chron. 13. they could not say for themselves they had the Command of God for what was done: Nor could he pretend as much Right to set up himself against the House of David, as David had to set up himself against the House of Saul. And God assisted the House of David to chastise him, and the People, for their Rebellion, with the slaughter of five hundred thousand Men. Yet to this Man does God by his Prophet say (1 Kin. 14. 7.) I exalted thee among the People and made thee Prince over my People Israel. Those who gained their Dominions by Conquest subduing the Rightful Governors and their People with them, are yet said to be set up over those Kingdoms by God himself: So he tells Nebuchadnezzer (Dan. 2. 21. by that Prophet) that the God of Heaven had given him a Kingdom, Power, Strength, and Glory. God had given him the Kingdom, and the extent of Dominion which he had: Accordingly the People of Judah were commanded to submit quietly to him as their King when God had made him their Conqueror. So again, of Cyrus a Heathen Prince and a great Conqueror God speaks and calls him his Anointed and says he had strengthened his hand to subdue Nations before him, Esa. 45. 1. It is often said of him in Scripture, that 'tis He who disposes of the Thrones, and Kingdoms, and Authorities of the World. The Prophet Daniel teaches us that He removeth Kings, and setteth up Kings, Dan. 2. 21. and again, that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, Dan. 4. 25. The Great Governor of the World is absolute Lord of all things; He is King of Kings, and has Right to change these who are his under Officers as He pleases: Even as a Prince on Earth can at his pleasure change his under Officers and Ministers of State. We must then look upon the Governors we are under as those whom Almighty God has provided, for us, as bearing his Authority in that which they have, for all Authority is from Him, and his Institution of Government. This must be said of the several Governors and Forms of Governments in the World; and therefore whoever or whatever, they are, the Subjects must Honour and Obey them for his sake. And this is that which the Apostle teaches us in as plain and express words as he can speak it, Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers: For there is no Power but of God: The Powers that are be ordained of God.  
3. This Reverence and Honour of the King or Governor may be justly urged from the great and unspeakable Benefits of Government to the World. The Wisdom and Goodness of God has appointed this as a Blessing; therefore the Apostle says of the Magistrate that he is the Minister of God for Good. Without doubt Government is one of the greatest Favours of Providence to this rude and wicked World. It is certainly that on which all the happiness and comfort of Society does depend, and by which it is procured and preserved.  
It seems as if the World were sensible of the Benefits of this; We may observe that all the wisest and most civilised People have always form themselves into a Body under a Government: And that none but the most wretchedly Ignorant and Barbarous (if any) are to be found without it. This has obtained the Major Vote in all ages, and almost the Universal consent; and that (which is very strange) though all the particulars are naturally loath to be subject and governed. In truth, every Man would have others governed, though he would not be governed himself. And though some mightily cry up Liberty 'tis not a Common one which they really design. The Liberty which would give others as much advantage against them, as they would have against others is not for their turn. If their desire were rightly understood it would appear, It is not other men's Liberty they desire but their own only.  
It is good Government, and Laws well Executed, which must make the Societies of Men tolerable and useful to each other. Without this, What enormous mischiefs would their extravagant Lusts every day produce? All the World would then be truly in a state of War: Men would like wild Beasts prey upon one another, and the strongest, and the cunningest, would devour and destroy all that they could get under their power. When notwithstanding Laws and Penalties there is so much Wickedness and Mischief done in the World we have reason to believe that much more would be done were it not that a great deal is prevented by them. We may see the necessity of such restraints by the Rapines, the Murders, the Cruelties, the Injuries committed where Men have thrown off all regard to Government and Laws; as in the cases of War, or Rebellion, or when a People are fallen under the Power of a Proud and Furious Conqueror. How many Hundred Thousand of Lives commonly go to wrack? How many Cities are demolished? How many Villages plundered and burnt? How many Provinces almost depopulated if a War lasts but a few Years? Mankind appear delighted in doing mischief when they can do what they will, and Lawless Power shows how great an Evil it is by the mighty mischiefs it does. Tho Governments cannot prevent but that there will be Wars between Nation and Nation, yet without doubt there is the less War for the Influence of these; and they maintain Order, and Peace, and Tranquillity within themselves, whereas there would be no such things in the World if there were no Governments.  
Further; As this prevents the Lusts and Wickedness of Men in a great measure from doing Mischief, so it often finds ways to make even such things useful, and like the Art of Medicine turns Poisons into Remedies, it cannot perfectly cure the Wickedness of the World, but it restrains much, and often makes good use of the Rest. The Rewards which are given to Public Service make the Narrow-souled Lover of himself, who otherwise would serve no Interest but his own, set himself to do some service to the Public, for the sake of gaining them. Some Men are handled as we may say and made serviceable to the State by their covetousness; some by their Ambition and Pride: And some become of use by reason of their Luxury and Riot, which yet do usually make Men good for nothing; If these Vices did not bring them into some necessities and straits their Country would have no service from them nor be ever the better for them. It is by virtue of Government that Men are rewarded with Profits and Honours for Public Service, and this engages the more of them in it. There can at no time be many found who will, with any trouble or hazard to themselves at least, seek the Interest of the Public, without some certain particular advantage to themselves by it. And we often see those who make the greatest pretences to a Public Spirit, and Love to their Country, yet caring for no service of it but what they may particularly gain by, or such as by which they hope to get into places of Profit or Honour.  
Government is the Bond of Union to a Community: That to which they being all United are thereby United to one another. It is therefore as we may say the Basis or Foundation of their Strength, and their best means of Defence against the Invasion of all Foreign Enemies. When the People of Israel were ordinarily governed by the Heads of their particular Tribes and Families apart, they always wanted some common Governor to have Power over the whole when they were invaded by any of their Neighbours: And usually they were greatly distressed till it pleased God to raise up some such Person to Deliver them. And we may justly believe it was for greater safety and strength that the World so soon left off the narrow small Governments of particular Families, and, by uniting several of them into one Body, did set up larger and National Governments. When the Governor has at his command the Strength, the Wealth, the Industry, the Skill, of a great multitude of People the Community is so much the stronger against any Enemy. Their union and subjection to him is as the string which binds together a bundle of Arrows: So long as that keeps them together no strength can break them, but if that bond be taken away, and the strict Union dissolved it will be easy to do it, because they may be separated. What every one is able to do being united in the Prince, as in a common Centre, redounds to the Advantage of the Whole. This matter has so much Truth in it that our own Nation has, within the compass of a few Years, seen, even a Lawless Usurping Tyrant making himself and the Nation more Formidable abroad, and giving it more Force and Impression upon its Neighbours, than ev●● a Just and Lawful Prince can do. Which is evidently come to pass by this means: He violently made himself be Obeyed by the force of Arms, Governed by his absolute Will, and commanded the Assistance and Strength of the Nation to his own time and measure: And so he united the Strength of it better than it will now be united by Consent. He Commanded and Forced that Assistance which a Just and Good Prince will, and does, only Ask for, and waits to have it given him, and to come as it will, according to the prescribed Method of our Law and Constitution.  
Great and many are the Advantages of Government: And this being so, we are bound in Gratitude to honour that which is the Cause of so much good. Even the Self-love in Mankind might reasonably induce them to this, in Acknowledgement of the Benefits which every particular enjoys from that common Prosperity and Tranquillity, which is procured and maintained by a good Government. To be sure a public Spirit, and one that is duly concerned for the Welfare of his Country, such an one must be well disposed to the Performance of this Duty. The Prince that sets himself according to the Ends of Government to promote the Happiness of his People, or as our Church speaks, studies to preserve those committed to his Charge in Wealth, Peace and Godliness, deserves the Honour of the whole Community: And when his Undertake accordingly are for the public Welfare it were the greatest Injustice to him, and indeed a manifest Token of the Want of a true Love to our Country, to deny him the utmost public Assistance that can be afforded, This brings me to the last Argument I shall urge to enforce this Precept.  
4. Let us all conspire to pay all due Honour to the King, because without doing so, the Benefits of Government can never be attained: This is of absolute Necessity to the rendering it so useful and beneficial as it may be, and is designed by Almighty God to be. I do not doubt the Truth of that Maxim in Politics Salus Populi est suprema Lex. It must be true, because the Good and Welfare of the People is the very End of Government: it is appointed of God for good. But then, it must be understood of the Community, not of any private Person or particular Party of Men who have perversely so ordered their Interests that they are inconsistent with those of the rest of the Community. And we must needs allow this to be true too, That Salus & Honour Principis necessaria est subditorum saluti. A steady Reverence and Subjection of the People to the Prince, and their ready Assistance is absolutely necessary to the Happiness of the People. What can he do for us if we do not assist him? He must help us by our own Wealth and Strength if it be done at all. As the Governor must indeed be wise, just, and good, and rule according to good Laws: So the People must be patiented of Government, and must readily obey the Prince according to those Laws, or else they can never be happy. By maintaining and allowing his Interest we maintain our own, and our Duty well paid to him will redound to our own Advantage. If the Head be sick the Heart must be faint, and the whole Body out of Order. And if in the natural Body the finest Blood and Spirits be not sent up to the Head, that cannot diffuse Life, Sense and Vigour so as it should do to the other Members. So, if the Governor wants his due from the People, they must needs want that Benefit and Assistance which otherwise they might have from him. Whoever, then, robs the Governor, robs the People by Consequence: And they that are Enemies to him are Enemies to their Country. For so far as they can lessen him, and diminish his Authority, so far they deprive the People of the Advantage which they might have by his Government. The weaker he is, the less Effect and Influence he must needs have towards the Ends and Advantages of Government. And hence it is that the Enemies of their Country, and those pretended Lovers of it who set themselves against the Interest of the King can for the most part very readily concur in the same Actions, and pursue the same Projects and Designs. They both tend whether thinkingly or unthinkingly to the same public Mischief, and like Lines from different Parts of the Circumference meet in the Centre.  
It is a false Notion, and the most unhappy one that a Nation can possibly fall into, to imagine, that the Interest of the People is one thing, and that of the Prince another. To think that these two are like the two Ends of a Balance, and therefore as one rises, the other must needs be depressed. We must know there is not two but only one Interest between the Prince and the People. The Welfare of the Head is the Advantage of the whole Body. And if there be any such Division among the Members as that any one would draw more to its self than is due, or would withhold from another what is due to that, this cannot be without some Prejudice to the whole. Among the Members indeed some are much more important than others, and to withhold from them threatens the Destruction of the Body, such Parts are the Head and other Vitals: Such is the Prince in the Body Politic; he is a vital and important Part and not only necessary to the well-being, but even to the being of the whole Body: Who cannot, therefore, be hurt but the Dissolution of the Community is endangered, nor can he be taken away but the Ruin of the whole is likely to ensue. As therefore a just and good Prince will often say to his People our Interests are inseparable, and does always think it; So will always good Subjects think the same concerning their Prince. If a Prince oppresses and destroys his People, this is as if a Man should cut off his own Legs with his Hands or one Hand with the other. If the People set themselves against the Prince, and destroy the Government, this is as if the Hand should cut the Throat, or, if that could be done, should separate the Head from the Body. As our Forms of Prosecuting Malefactors reckon a Fact to be committed against the Crown and Dignity of the Prince, which was immediately done only against the Interest and Welfare of some particular Subject: So will the Subject if he rightly understands himself account, That what is attempted or done against the Prince is really in its Tendency and Consequences against the Interest of the People too.  
While we duly Reverence and Honour the Prince, and render to him what is due from Subjects, he will have it in his Power the better to keep us at Peace among ourselves, to hinder the Subjects from injuring and persecuting one another, and to force all in their several places to discharge their Duties diligently and faithfully, and be the more useful and serviceable to the good of the Community. And this must also render him the better able to Defend us against those Foreign Enemies that seek our Destruction. 'Tis certain that if the People by their ready and generous Assistance make him great and considerable in the World they make themselves so too. If they enable him to do great Actions against their Enemies, and thereby raise his Honour and Renown they raise their own Glory and Renown also. All the World knows the Prince in his Person is but one, and cannot do any great matters without a great Assistance from his People, and so a large share of the glory of his Actions must redound to the People who assist him to do them. Their Might, their Riches, their Wisdom and Valour, and their laudable Affection and Esteem for their Prince will therein gloriously appear to their Immortal Honour. Which may teach us what to think of those Subjects who care not how Little and Contemptible the Prince and Nation are Abroad, so they may but hug the humble Glory of setting themselves up above their Fellow-Subjects at Home.  
If Subjects will set themselves against the Interest and Authority of the Prince, and grow Disobedient and Ungovernable none but fatal and unhappy Consequences can attend this. If any of his Subjects will have an Interest separate from and inconsistent with His they make it his Interest to suppress and destroy theirs. If they will be jealous of him without ground they give him good ground to be jealous of them. If they oppose his Interests, he must defend them as well as he can: Not only for his own sake, but for the sake of the Common Welfare and Tranquillity. This is in him due, not only to the grand Law of Self Preservation, which he must be allowed to follow as well as others; but also to the Public Benefit and Peace, which will necessarily go to wrack whenever the Government is weakened or thrown down: To be sure he must in that Case be disabled from Serving and Securing it, which is his Duty always to endeavour to do: And a good Prince must needs desire earnestly, to have it always in his Power to promote the Public Welfare.  
They that oppose the Authority of the Prince with a bare Face, and a manifest Discovery of their Design, and against apparent standing Law, are commonly with ease Suppressed, when their Projects come to light, because they can seldom if ever, especially against a good Prince, make their Party Considerable and Strong: But then they bring upon themselves the displeasure of the Government and meet with Ruin from that which was Ordained for their Happiness and Protection. But the more dangerous Opposition and that which carries the mischievous and ill Consequences further is, when any seek to undermine his Authority and Government by secret and concealed Arts, and colour their wicked Designs by specious and plausible pretences: Perhaps they may find out ways to use even the Law itself against the Authority and Power of the Prince, and may manage their Designs so well that he cannot Defend himself against them without straining the Law to the utmost Rigour, or without some Encroachment upon it. And what shall a good and a just Prince do in so unhappy a Case? The Support of Government with the Advantages of it for the Common Good together with his own Preservation tempt him strongly to make some breach upon the Laws: The Arbitrary and undutiful Carriage of these Subjects constrain him to some Arbitrary and Irregular Proceed against them: And though in that Case they will not sail to Clamour loudly against him, yet is the blame of what is done most justly due to them and they are the Causes of all the Evil that follows. If he be guilty in this, they are more guilty; they are the Aggressors and the first Spring of the Mischief. If any Case will allow the resisting Evil with Evil it is this; and I must needs say I think it hard, if not impossible, to prove that this Case does not justify some Irregular Proceed in the Prince. That Rule may take place here That, the Welfare of the People, the Community, is the Supreme Law, and may overrule any other. And the Support of the Government is absolutely necessary for the Welfare of the People. But in this Case the Government cannot Support itself, nor can it be for good to other Subjects unless it be evil to these. It cannot prevail against them for the good of the Whole, unless, according to the Supreme Law, it makes some breach upon Inferior and less Important Laws: And it chooses the least of two Evils in doing so, as the Destruction of a few Men of ill Principles and Designs, must needs be a less Evil than the Dissolution and Overthrow of Government; which must be attended with the Ruin of a great many, and those the good as well as bad.  
If the fair pretences of such Men make their Party very strong they may perhaps be able to make Head against the Prince, and then the matter may break out into a Civil War; which is always an unspeakable Misery, and brings a world of Woes and Calamities to a Nation, let which Side soever get the Victory. War puts Law, and Property, and Religion, all that is dear to us, and which these troublesome Men pretend they would secure, into the Hands of the Rude Soldier; makes all things subject to the Law less Sword and does certainly expose them to the greatest danger of being Lost, for the sake of an uncertain Security. While the Conflict lasts, the greatest Tyranny, and the most irregular and arbitrary Proceeding, which is that of the Soldier, is every where exercised. And they who would not afford the Prince the necessary Assistance to Support the Honour of the Nation, or the Interest of necessary Allies abroad, shall be forced to spend more in Freequarter of the Soldier at Home. The wretched People give away their Property to others, or set it at the Mercy of the most Lawless Men that it may not be at the Mercy of the Prince. So that this is a Remedy which cannot Cure, but increases the Disease; and therefore unless it be those weak People who are drawn in by the specious pretences of ill Men, none will betake themselves to this Course but those Men who hope and design to make their own Fortunes great either out of the Spoils of the Prince or of the People or both, during the Public Confusion.  
If the Conflict determines against the Prince still is the Condition of that Nation Sad and Calamitous. A State in Confusion is like a troubled Sea which is not soon appeased when the stormy Wind that ruffled it is allayed. When a Government is in this way Dissolved it is not easy to settle again into another. The Movers of the Rebellion who before could not endure a Superior, are now Proud enough each of them to think none should be their Equals. Every one strives to set up himself above the rest, and to be sure every one will disdain that any one should be set up above him: He that would not endure his Prince above him will much less endure a Fellow-Subject: They who Fought to get the spoils of the Crown into their own Hands, now Fight about the divideing them; Thus the Contention and War, and the Miseries of it, must continue: No Man shall know what Party to take, or where to place his Interests, and yet no Man perhaps shall be allowed to keep himself a Neuter. And this Contention commonly by the just Judgement of God ends in the Punishment and Destruction of the first Authors of the Confusion; they see others Reap what they Sowed, and find themselves run down and trampled upon by others, who enjoy the Honours and the Profits of Government which they themselves so guiltily sought and have miss off.  
When the Controversy among these is determined still they that get the Victory shall have an endless Trouble with the People. They have made the People so fond of Liberty that they will not easily now submit to be governed. They have taught them to dictate to their Rulers, and if they are not gratified in all their Votes to revile and disparage them, to murmur and rebel, and they must expect to find that they will serve them in the same manner. Meekness and Humility, Obedience, and Honouring of the Governor, are not now to be found very frequent among them. These quiet and happy Dispositions were banished from them before, and that was it which brought things to the State they are in. It is necessary, then, from the Nature of things that in this Case the People must be lawless and ungovernable: They will not be persuaded into quiet Subjection or Order, and there must be no Settlement at all, or they must be forced to yield to it. And then the Movers of the Opposition to the Prince must take the same violent and desperate Course themselves, perhaps to a worse Degree, to make the People subject to them, which they forced the Prince to take for the Defence of his Government, and for which they stirred up the Rebellion against him. And so the unhappy People fall under the Oppression of their Fellow-Subjects by their extravagant Fear of the Oppression of their Prince. They have exchanged one Master for a great many, which is a much worse Case, and perhaps a good and just Prince for many Tyrants. The People shall find these new Rulers very heavy ones, and what the Prince chastised with Rods these will chastise with Scorpions. They shall find that those who were loath to obey are the fiercest Tyrants when they come to rule. That these Men whatever they pretended, did not design to secure the Subjects Liberty and Property from the Prince, but to have it at their own Mercy, and to dispose of their Neighbour's Interest as they pleased. They that first endeavoured to rob the King of his Authority and Power will, if they can get that, rob the People next of their Liberty and Property. As they could find Pretences for the one they will easily find Pretences for the other, and let lose their Pride, their Covetousness their Malice to prey upon and devour their Neighbous, after they have done as much for the King. 'Tis a sottish Stupidity in the People that they do not expect such things from them. It were a Folly I ought never to pardon in myself, if when I see any Man cheat and abuse another, I should not expect he would abuse me too if he could. The foolish People are cajoled by these Men with the alluring Promise of more Liberty, and when these have set themselves up, they must be contented with less. These are not now the selfdenying Men they pretended to be, but would have the Authority of the Governors rather increased than diminished, when they have got the Government into their own Hands. This was it they wanted and will be sure to hold as fast as they can without yielding the least Degree of it. It appeared before to all wise and considerate Persons that though they pretended the People's Liberty and the Welfare of their Country as the Reason why they would lessen the Authority of the Governor and put it into more or other Hands, yet they designed thereby only their own Advancement; in that they would be sure to vote themselves into the Authority which they could get from him: And they would never be borough to demonstrate such a sincere and undesigning Love to their Country as to be content to exclude themselves and their Families for ever from having any Share in the altered Government, upon Condition they might obtain the Alterations which for the Good of their Country they pretended so much to desire. And that which wise Men, by this infallible Token, understood before, the deluded Multitude shall now feel, to their Sorrow, when 'tis too late to help themselves. They shall see they feared Slavery so extravagantly that it is come with their Fear, and they so blindly ran from it that they are run into it.  
These are some of the Miseries which must ensue upon the Subjects Opposition to the Interests of the Prince, and Refusal to pay him the Honour which is his due. All the Benefits and Advantages of Government will thus be destroyed, and all the Miseries of War, Confusion, Oppression, and Tyranny will take place in their stead, and chastise their Rebellion and Folly. Destruction and Misery are in their Ways, who will not know and keep to the Way of Peace.  
I might apply all these Arguments with great Reason and Force to urge in particular, the honouring of our Excellent King; whom the Providence of God does at present set upon the Throne of these Kingdoms, and has in Mercy to us so wonderfully hither to preserved. But I hope this Discourse will awaken in all good People, and those who think they have a Love and Esteem for our King, a lively and powerful Sense of their Duty, and then they will most effectually make the Application themselves. And the rest I must leave to the Providence of God to convince them of their Duty or punish them for want of doing it. I shall only say further that we have through the Mercy of God, with the best and most just Constitution of Government, the best King too in the World; we have it in our Power to be happy if we will; it is an old and most certain Maxim, That none can hurt England while there is a good Correspondence between the King and his People; and there never was a time when the People could better maintain that Correspondence by paying due Honour to the Prince than the present: Nor could the Maxim ever prove itself true by considerable Effects better than it may do now, when we have a Prince so eminently qualified to direct and manage our Efforts abroad. Let us then, as many as would approve ourselves true Lovers of our Country, and sincerely desirous of the public Welfare set ourselves to Honour the King which is the necessary and the best means to promote it. Let us abhor and suspect the Designs of all such as shall appear to be contriving against his Honour and Interests, reckoning them, as we may justly do, the Enemies of their Country; and according to the wise Man's Advice which it may not be amiss to repeat, Let us fear the Lord and the King, and not meddle with not join ourselves to any of those who are given to change. May the God of Truth and Order, of Love and Peace teach us all, the things that make for our Peace before they are hid from our Eyes. To whom be Glory and Dominion World without End. Amen.  
FINIS.