A SERMON PREACHED In His MAJESTY's Chapel-Royal AT WHITEHALL, Upon the 26th Day of July, 1685.  
BEING The Day of PUBLIC THANKSGIVING to Almighty God for His Majesty's late Victory over the Rebels.  
By HENRY HESKETH, Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY.  
Printed by Command.  
LONDON, Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh, at the Golden Ball, against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill. 1685.   

IMPRIMATUR,  
C. Alston, R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. à saeris domesticis.   

A SERMON PREACHED In His MAJESTY's Chapel-Royal AT WHITEHALL, Upon the 26th Day of July, 1685.  1 PET. II. 13. 
Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake.  
WE are invited by a Gracious and Merciful Providence to double the service of this Day, to add incense to our common sacrifice, and to wing our devotion and praise to Almighty God, with a pious and grateful reflection upon a fresh Deliverance; which it may be, nothing but that mighty Redemption could exceed or equal.  
A Deliverance of our Gracious King, and the whole Royal Family; of our Princes and Nobles; of our Church and Religion; of our Government and Laws; of our Lives and Fortunes, and whatever can be thought valuable or dear to Christian men.  
Were an Orator to manage this argument, he could not possibly want matter to enlarge upon, his hardest task would be to know where most aptly to pitch, and to methodise those thoughts which would crowd in so fast upon it.  
All the common Topics from which men use to show the becomingness and duty of Praise, and from which they endeavour to raise it to the highest pitch, were natural here, and would come in without the least art or force.  
Both the baseness and ingratitude of the Rebellion; the dismal and deplorable effects that would have followed, had it succeeded, and the immediate and even visible interposition of Providence in the defeating of it.  
I am very sensible the enlarging upon these were a popular entertainment, and would be grateful enough in some common Audiences.  
But I think you something above these things, and know that your own thoughts have anticipated the most of what I could say upon them, and have therefore designed to treat you with something that I take to be more generous and manly.  
To recommend that to you, which (I am sure) will be the most substantial and acceptable expression of your praise for what is past, and the most effectual securer of us all from such things for the future; and that is, to comply with the Advice given us in this text, to submit ourselves to every Ordinance for the Lord's sake.  
I do not come to preach up Loyalty in this place, nor am so impertinent as to think there is need of doing so; but I hope I may be allowed to preach up Religion, and recommend the practice of that which is the truest support of Loyalty, and every thing else that is acceptable to God, or of benefit to Man.  
It is for want of this that we ever hear of Rebellion, or are disturbed with the unwelcome interruptions of it, and it is by a due practice of it, that we shall be effectually secured from these things for the future.  
'Tis this which is intended to be the service of this day: by this we shall best answer the purpose of its institution, and most acceptably admire and adore that great Providence that hath called us to it; and therefore I humbly beg that you will hear me with your wont clemency and candour a few words.  
The Argument that I purpose to discourse from these words, is to state the true Ground of Christian Loyalty and Subjection, which is said here to be Religion and Conscience, Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the Lord's sake, that is, out of immediate duty to him, and conscience and respect to his Command.  
Whatever else there is observable in the Text, will fall in, upon our considering this main purport and design of it.  
In the prosecution of this Argument, I shall endeavour to do these three things:  
1. I shall briefly make good the Ground of the Argument, and show that Religion and Conscience doth really oblige to this Subjection.  
2. I shall remark some of the advantages of being subject upon this reason.  
3. Make some short deductions from this for our own benefit and improvement.  
Only if it might not entrench too much upon my time, and your patience, I would crave leave, in order to my argument, to state the Notion of Christian Subjection, as it is described here by St. Peter; and this the rather, because it would give me a fair occasion of reflecting upon two things, under which the Men of Republican and turbulent Spirits seek to shelter themselves.  
1. Then I observe, that when our Apostle speaks of Subjection here, he intends it equally to the Persons and Laws of Kings and Governors, and makes no distinction at all between them; in these words he seems to mean their Laws, and in the words immediately following he expresseth their Persons, To the King, and to those that are sent by him.  
I know no reason to oppose one of these against the other, or to distinguish between submitting to them. Subjection to the one, implies Subjection to the other, in the sober sense of all the World; and every honest heart will take it to hold true both ways: He that submits to the King, will submit to his Laws, and he that submits to his Laws, cannot resist, or offer violence to his Person.  
And yet we have had, (and I wish only have had) such nimble Sophisters, as can put a difference between these both ways.  
Some that can talk high of Allegiance, of deference and a mighty respect to the King, of being as good Subjects as any, but yet make bold to desecrate his Laws, and despise his Authority, when their Interest, or humour is crossed, as if honour to the one would be secured without respect to the other.  
And we have others as quick sighted the other way, that can distinguish between the Authority and Person of the King, and make a pretended respect to him in his political Capacity, an excuse for Violence against him in his Personal; that can raise Arms by his Authority against his Person, and use those Arms against the Man, in defence of the King.  
Sophistical miscreants! as if Authority would fight against itself, or Murdering of Kings could be in any sense allegiance to them.  
The Ignatian Wits never were Authors of a more subtle distinction, or a neater way of cheating Conscience than this, and if they did not prescribe to our dull Tramontains in this, it might be expected they would call some men so no longer.  
I am sure the Scripture was never so nice, as to distinguish between them, and had David known of any such difference, he needed not have been put to any dilemma, the case had been plain, and the resolution easy, he might have slain Saul, and yet have preserved the Lord's Anointed.  
2. Another thing with as much Evil art and subtlety collected from hence, is, that Kings and Governors are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, things of humane, yea of the people's Creation; this is the Palladium of the Republican cause, and that in which the rude strength of the Leviathan consists, and no place of Scripture (that I know of) hath been pressed to serve it like this.  
I confess I should not much wonder, to hear downright Atheism maintain this, (I know it doth others as absurd and irrational,) nor to hear those give this account of the Original of Government, that have given a more senseless one of the Original of man, if multitudes of Men spring up so like many Mushrooms out of the Earth at once, then perhaps this account might be consistent, and I will never wonder if they that believe the one swallow the other also.  
But to have God drawn into the Conspiracy, and his word suborned to serve an Hypothesis, that it is every where so express against, is intolerably fulsome.  
And yet I wish this were the only instance, in which any forced expression, and any obscure way of speaking shall be made to confront the most plain and obvious Doctrines of holy Scripture, when it is the interest of some Men to have such things believed.  
But these things are only previous to my design and argument, to which I now directly proceed, i. e. to lay down the true ground of Christian Loyalty, to fix it upon a principle that will keep it steady in this giddy and wavering Generation; now this is the being subject upon reasons of Religion, upon principles of Conscience and duty to God, which our Apostle means here, by submitting for the Lord's sake.  
1. The First thing I proposed on this, was to make good the ground of my argument, show that Conscience doth immediately oblige to this, and that if men have a true respect to God Almighty, and a regard to the duty that he hath made necessary, they must thus submit.  
And a very little I hope will suffice upon this, in such an Audience, for if the 5th Precept in the Decalogue be moral, and eternally obliging, and if either the Jewish or Christian Church may be allowed to have understood the sense of it: or if the plain Precepts of the New Testament may be allowed to be any rule of Conscience, and God's immediate Commands to lay any obligation upon it, than it is most plain that men are as immediately tied to this in point of Conscience, as any other duty whatsoever.  
So that let Conscience be as free, as men assert it to be, and accountable unto God only, as they love popularly to speak, in this we desire no more to be granted, and are ready to join issue upon it.  
For if Government be God's own immediate institution, and Kings specially commissioned and constituted by him, if he have guarded them with Laws, and charged all to be obedient to them on pain of Damnation, and his highest displeasure, than I am sure if Conscience be an honest respect to God and his Laws, and any thing more than the opinion and fancy of every private Person, it must necessarily oblige all men (that follow the conduct of it) in this instance.  
Now whether these things be so or not, I am content the most biased, and even perjudiced Persons judge, when they have read seven verses of the 13th to the Romans, and five verses in this Chapter, where it is plain if either the great Apostle of the Circumcision, or of the Gentiles understood the obligation of Conscience, or may be thought able to direct the obedience of it, we need not contend farther in this matter; though (if need were) we might summon the Old Testament, the Doctrine and Example of the Blessed Jesus in the New, the consonant Doctrine and practice too of the ancient and best Christians to vouch the truth of all this.  
2. But the thing is plain, and I proceed to represent the advantages of fixing Allegiance and Loyalty upon this principle.  
I know too well, how forward some men have been to represent Religion an Enemy to Government, and to reproach the Doctrine of Conscience, as a nearer Plea for Rebellion and resistance; and I would to God, that some men's practices who have pretended so much to both, had not given unthinking men too much cause for such surmises.  
But I do not understand why this aught to prejudice my present argument, unless we cannot distinguish between the truth and hypocrisy of a thing, nor will allow any men to be truly honest, because there are abundance of Knaves in the world.  
Allow me that Religion is a real thing, and Conscience more than a bare Name, (and methinks these are no very hard Postulates to beg in a Christian audience,) and then I will be content to argue the advantage of it to Government, with any thing, that the men of sense and reason (as they please to call themselves,) shall set up in competition with it.  
All I purpose to say, I shall reduce to these three heads of advantage only.  
1. The first is the keeping men steady, and fixed in their Loyalty and subjection.  
2. The second is the satisfaction and security of Princes.  
3. The third is the securing the divine Protection and Blessing, which after all five Stories, is the surest Firmament of Kings, and Government too.  
1. To the purpose of keeping men steady and constant in their Subjection and Loyalty.  
It is a sad contemplation to consider, how desultory and fickle the humours and tempers of men, especially the great crowd of them, generally are: But it is something sadder to consider, that there should never be wanting evil and designing men to put an evil ferment into their tempers, and to poison their Allegiance and Duty to their Prince. And yet the worst of all is to consider, how ready the multitude usually are for such insinuations easily prejudiced against their Governors; pleased to hear any ill Stories of them, and apt to Idolise those that set up for Assertors of their Liberties and Rights, though in the end they find them always the greatest betrayers and inslavers of them.  
Now in this state of things, what can fix this volatile temper of men, and keep them steady to their duty, in spite of their own inclinations, and the sorceries of factious rebellious Men, like Religion?  
There are but four things I can think of, to come into the competition in this case; Tower in the Prince; Interest, Honour or Gratitude in the People. Now, alas! what can any of these do in comparison of Conscience?  
Power were a sure way, were it inherent only in the Person of the Prince, and every King like another Samson, able to destroy whole Armies of Rebels by his single strength. But while it is lodged in others, there will be need of something to secure it there, otherwise (as the Great Augustus said once) Kings may be as unsafe amidst their Armies as without them; and 'twere well if no instances could be given in which that great Monarch was a true Prophet.  
As for Interest, it is so uncertain and changeable a thing, that the same reasons that now induce men to be Loyal, may, if the Scene should change, and a better offer be made, prevail with them to be Rebels and Traitors.  
Those that followed our Lord for the Loaves, soon forsook him; and those that follow his Vicegerent, for the same reasons, are in danger every hour to do so too; things are but at an ill pass, when Subjects will continue Loyal only while they are obliged; and when every little person shall make head against the Court, if he be not advanced and rewarded, as his own ambition and avarice tells him he ought to be.  
And what is Honour among the greatest part of men, but a name and a shadow? a thing that hangs upon Popular breath, and shifts as often as that wind that maintains it. It is a happy thing when it is reputable, and the mode to be Loyal, and when to shoulder a man's Prince shall be publicly infamous; but he that is Loyal upon this principle only, owes his Loyalty to that which fashions his clothes, and may possibly change the one as easily as he doth the other.  
Gratitude and thankfulness to a Prince are eternally due from all his Subjects, and a good foundation to build Loyalty upon; and it is certain their returns of duty can never exceed their receipts and obligations: but whoever saw a community truly thankful, or observed a sense of the greatest favours from their Prince, to continue much longer than their short shouts and acclamations?  
We need not look far, or search distant Stories for evidence of this; we ourselves have seen how little a goodness, next to Divine, in two Royal successive Instancers of it, hath been able to effect upon some tempers; and what other use an ungrateful generation hath made of it, than to animate their implacable rage the more, and to hope for the easier success of their Rebellions and Treasons, sinning the more securely and boldly, because grace did abound, and repudiating all the indulgence & favour of their Prince, as cowardice in him, as over-rulings of Providence, or infatuation from the Lord.  
In a word, Loyalty hangs but loosely upon men of no Religion and Conscience; and if they chance to continue good Subjects, their Stars, and not their Principles, are to be thanked for it, as the Moralist said of some men's constitutional virtue, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; so we may say of some men's accidental and chance Loyalty, it owes itself to Fortune and Providence, and the good luck to escape trial; and certainly he whose virtue lasts but till a temptation assault it, will not last very long in this age.  
2. Another advantage of fixing Loyalty upon the principle of Religion and Conscience, is the satisfaction and security of Kings themselves; I do not mean of their persons, but of their own minds.  
It is certainly very just and equal, that Kings who watch and take so much care for their People, should have some compensation for that care, at lest something to sweeten and alleviate the burden of it. As of all men living Kings have the hardest task incumbent on them, so of all Kings those find that task most uneasy, that watch and labour for ungrateful Subjects; make their days toilsome, and their nights restless, in caring for them, whose respects they are not so secure of, but that they may repay all their trouble and care with falsehood and treachery.  
The Royal Breast will always have Anxieties enough, occasioned by the ambition and avarice of Rival Princes; but certainly those Subjects are most unworthy, that double those Anxieties, by causing jealousies of their own faithfulness.  
And for my part, I do not see upon what reasons that Prince can be free from these jealousies, that sees his Subjects live without any fear of God, or sense of Religion; but instead of owning soberly the Obligations of Conscience and Duty to God, making it too often their business to ridicule and buffoon them.  
It was a rational way that the Emperor Constantius once took to make experiment of his great Ministers, and (in consequence of that to cashier all those, that upon his pretended invitations renounced Christianity, and returned to Paganism; giving this reason for so doing, That those that were not faithful to their Religion and their God, would hardly be true to their King; and I wish it were considered whether that Wise Emperor spoke reason in this or not.  
What security can you have of those that dare be treacherous to their God? or why should you think an Oath of Allegiance should hold that man, who contemns the obligation of his Baptismal vow? That Samson that could snap asunder new Cords, would not easily be bound with green Withs; and he, whom all that is Sacred, cannot oblige, and upon whom the mighty arguments from eternity can take no hold, why should we think the weaker motives of fashion or honour can prevail long upon? He that dare impiously fly in the face of his God, and profane every thing that bears his character upon it, why should he revere it only in his Prince? I will not deny but such a thing is possible, but I ask what security can the Royal Breast have that so it will be?  
Then only we give rational assurance of our loyalty and faithfulness to our King, when we show the same to that God, whose Vicegerent he is, and whose Character he bears; and (to use the reverse to that of our Saviour) then only shall we be trusted, and counted faithful in the lesser, when we are seen to be so in that which is greater: But if all our vows and mighty obligations to God hold us not fast, who will think that our Protestations and Oaths to Man should be counted inviolable?  
3. And lastly, I urge Loyalty upon Conscience upon this mighty advantage, viz. the endearing of divine Providence, and securing that blessing of Heaven, which is the firmest stabiliment, and the greatest safety both of Prince and People.  
I take it for a certain truth, and an Article of Natural Religion and Belief, that after the utmost care and policy of men, stabiliment and safety is of the Lord; and that unless God watch the City, the Watchman waketh but in vain. And there have been so many signal remarks of this given in all Ages of the World, that unless Man deny the Faith of all History, and can resolve all the events and issues of things (even the most miraculous and surprising) into blind chance, they must be convinced, that there is a Superior Power that over-ruleth and ordereth all these things, as himself pleaseth; that there is no Power or Wisdom against God; and that after all the counsels and devices in the heart of Man, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.  
And methinks (of all people in the World) we in this Nation should not be now to learn this, nor be contended with about the belief of it, who have seen so many visible interpositions of Providence in behalf of our King, our Church, and our Nation: those strange and sudden changes of things, and those mighty deliverances effected, which nothing but the right hand of God could bring to pass.  
It were well worth considering therefore certainly, how we may secure the influences and blessings of the same Providence still; and whether there be any so certain a way to this, as acting honestly upon Principles of Religion, and Conscience to God in all the instances of our subjection and duty to our King; the doing duty in singleness of heart, as unto Christ; as unto the Lord, and not to men only, as the Apostle excellently adviseth Servants.  
For in such a case we approve ourselves to God as his Servants, of whom he will never fail to take care; we render our Duty and Allegiance God's cause, and go the best way to engage his maintaining of it.  
For God is always ready to bless his own Institutions, and will never fail to bless those that keep religiously close to them; and when we honestly revere these, we shall find he will bless us in our subjection, and bless him too to whom we are subject; for good Subjects may make good and happy Kings; I wish good Kings could as easily make good and happy Subjects: And certainly, to preserve that due respect and honour to God, by whom King's Reign, and out of that respect to pay a religious fealty and subjection to them, is a sure way to draw down his blessing upon both, and entitle both most certainly to his protection and care.  
3. And now I beg leave to put a period to this discourse in the last thing I proposed, and all the improvement I intent of it, shall be in these three short Inferences.  
1. From hence we may inform ourselves of one great reason of the unsteddiness of men in their Allegiance and Loyalty in this age.  
The sickleness and unconstancy of English men is grown into a Proverb, and hath too justly rendered us vile and cheap in the esteem of other Nations; but there are few instances in which it more justly doth so, than our instability in our Allegiance to such a King, and subjection to such a Government, which all (but ourselves admire, and envy us for.  
For my part I can resolve the cause of this into nothing so rationally, as want of true Religion, and due respect unto God, unless it be a divine infatuation, and this evil also be of the Lord.  
No People talk more of Religion, and yet I fear few practice it less, we have wrangled and disputed so long about it, till we have quite lost it; and had God, and Conscience so long in our Mouths, that our hearts have almost forgotten that there are any such things; and 'tis not to be much wondered at, if such men do not greatly revere God's Institutions, or if they do, that they are not very zealous and steady in doing so.  
I know not how a House should stand without a Foundation; nor what great difference there is between standing upon a floating Sand, and no Foundation at all; there is no great thing to be expected from him that is Loyal upon uncertain and shifting reasons; he that chanceth to be Loyal, may chance to be a Traitor; and he that is subject upon changeable reasons, will upon the change of those reasons, change his subjection into Resistance.  
It is very well, and we ought to adore the good Providence of God for it, that men may be Loyal now upon all these lower reasons; that our circumstances are so happily changed, that even our Interest combines with our Duty, and is complicated with it; but such duty will scarce hold out in the day of temptation, or stand, if what supports it chance to fail.  
Then are men to be relied on (as I said before,) when their Allegiance is upon Principle, and their Loyalty the effect of true Conscience; when men honour their King, because they love their God, and dare no more become Rebels, than they dare be Atheists; when they revere their King as an embodied kind of Divinity, the Image and Character of the great God; who resents any disrespect or injury we do our Prince, as done against himself who will strictly require it, and severely punish it; and who counts himself blasphemed, when his great Minister is so.  
These are arguments that will hold men fast, and keep them close to their duty; preserve them against all the batteries and charms of Rebellion, and all the enchantments of factious and seducing men.  
2. From hence we may learn what to think of those men, that plead Religion for Rebellion, and Conscience to God for resistance against the King.  
There are two great degeneracies of Christian Religion at this day, justly chargeable with this egregious Prevarication, and it is not easy to say which are more so; their Faces (like Sampson's Foxes) look two ways, and they would be taken to be at the greatest enmity and distance; but it is notorious they have united in setting the Christian world in a Flame; and I am persuaded no Places can hope long to enjoy Peace, where they are freely permitted to earth and propagate.  
If any chance long to do so, it is in spite of them, and their Principles too, which are so very dangerous in their nature, so directly in their consequences introductive of disturbance and confusion, that if any Persons leven'd with them continue good Subjects, it is because their hearts are better than their heads, or the Vipers are under some powerful charm.  
We have been loudly alarmed in this Nation with the effects of both, and (unless we be infatuated) may with our own experiences fortify ourselves against their Importunities; if our reason were not able to secure us, yet our experience may, and warn us against attending to those men, who may court us as fair, as the Hyena doth the Shepherd, but whose embraces we have found to be as terrible and deadly.  
There hath been great disputing about Religion, and contesting the marks of a true Church; I think it would be one good way to reduce the contest to this question, and put the debate upon this issue; and I am very sure a Church that teacheth Doctrines that any way vacate a standing Law of Religion, and dispense from obedience to it in any case, may safely be condemned as Antichristian, how much soever it may pretend to infallibility on the one hand, or purity on the other.  
It is a sad Story, that any that call themselves Christians should become Rebels and Traitors; but to plead Christianity for being so, is a great deal worse: it is bad enough to violate the Laws of our holy Profession, but to traduce them, and make them a Cloak for our Villainies, and such horrid Villainies too, is a Sin next to that which is impardonable.  
Were this a place fit for a satire, or did my Religion permit me to bring a railing Accusation against any man; I might be pardoned, if I did a little warmly inveigh against our late Rebels, and indeed the whole race of them for nigh fifty years, for this grand prevarication, the making Conscience a cloak for maliciousness, and suborning the Religion of the blessed Jesus to abet such barbarous Villainies, as have scarce been done by Pagans and Infidels; there are not names bad enough for such Profligates, unless they be those of that cursed Apostate Spirit, who is always a Devil, but never more so than when he assumes the form of an Angel of light.  
3. And Lastly, this may be of good effect to endear Religion to our Governors, which is so serviceable to Government; and engage all us who are Subjects to mix Religion with our Loyalty, and show ourselves to be good Christians, as well as good Subjects; yea to be the one, that we may be the other; I press not the first of these, and we are all happy that I need not; blessed be God we have a Defender of our Faith; a Prince to whom it hath so far approved itself, as to engage his Royal word for its protection; in this all honest men rejoice and triumph, and bless God for the security of it; no men ever doubting the sincerity of it, but those whose own guilt and hypocrisy render them always suspicious, and diffident of all men.  
But I beseech you give me leave to press the second, and effectually prevail with us all to make real Conscience of Religion, and duty to God; not only that we better may, but while we do express it to our King; to become good men, as well as good Subjects, and to show that our being the one, is the effect of our being the other.  
I do not in this go about to recommend to you that whining, whimpering, noisy, scrupulous, formal Religion, that is nothing but the shame and hypocrisy of it, and which (I fear) prejudiceth many against it, as an ungentile unsociable thing, unfit for Courts, and men of address.  
But I mean that true, solid, substantial Religion, that consists in a great sense of our God, and a care to approve ourselves to him in generous and worthy actions; in Justice, and honesty, and great charity; in scorning to do an ill thing, or to debase ourselves by any of those mean and pitiful vices that Grooms and Porters now rival their Masters in.  
Give me leave to remember you of two or three things, and I have done.  
I have told you already, that this will be the most acceptable expression of the present praise; and I tell you now, 'tis the only one. A truly religious heart is the only Altar from whence God will accept any sacrifices; and pure hands are only fit to offer them▪ true Piety is the only thing that clears the air, and causeth our incense to ascend and appear before God; but Vice raiseth storms and thick vapours, which hinder its ascent, and cause it to roll back upon our own head, in pitchy and black smoke, the sad indications that our Persons, and our Sacrifices are equally odious to him.  
But I would have leave to add something more; you cannot be ignorant what a character our Enemy's endeavour to fix upon us, and under what disadvantage they represent all Loyal Subjects, while they glory in themselves as the only godly and sober part of the Nation.  
I thank God the charge is not so just, nor the guilt so general as they invidiously represent it; but they that are so prodigal of kindness to themselves, are always sparing and niggardly to others; and no wonder to see those men industrious to lessen other men's reputation, that have nothing but that to raise their own upon.  
But yet certainly a good use might be made of this, and in this we might cause our false accusers to benefit us; by rendering us more careful of our lives, and more solicitous to cause our light to shine before men, that the World may see our good works, and see also how unjust those men are that do so maliciously and falsely accuse us; and as our Apostle adviseth us in the verse just following the text, By well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.  
Again, I beg you to consider what a Religion you profess, and of what a Church you call yourselves Sons; a Church that instructs you truly in your duty to God, and Caesar too; and never knew how to dispense with one, under pretence of the other.  
A Church that teacheth Subjection and Loyalty without any reserve, and a necessity of real holiness, without hopes of commutation.  
A Church that knows no more how to absolve impiety against God, upon the reason of Loyalty to the King, than to hollow or allow Rebellion against the King, for the interest of the Church, and advancing the Sceptre of Christ, as some have loved to Cant.  
A Church, and Religion that indulgeth no manner of vice, that sets Traitors and the profane Rebels and Debauchees in the same rank, and threatens the same sad portion to both.  
Finally, Let me leave this one great thing with you, that in our case of Subjection, both the great arguments in the text combine, and it is hard to say, which is the more visible and obvious, to submit for the Lord's sake, and to do it for the King's sake too; to submit for the Lord's sake, who hath so remarkably appeared for him; and to do it for the King's sake, who so worthily deserves it from us.  
Shall I be allowed to say one thing, without offence, or imputation of base flattery or design. That if ever King might expect cheerful Obedience from us for his own sake, or challenge it for God's sake, that happy Prince that governs us may do it justly; whom Providence hath still attended, and Miracles of it guarded through so many Storms, and at last landed him safe, and set him upon a steady Throne.  
And who is kind to us to the utmost of our wishes; in such an instance, and to such a measure, as past ages have scarce seen, and future ones will sooner admire, than believe.  
It was Gamaliel's argument in a less obvious case once: Let us take heed of fight against God; and yet God had scarce so fully appeared in that case, as in ours; he had begun indeed to display his Power, and immediate interposition in behalf of the Apostles and their doctrine, and it greatly affected that Wise man, and awakened his care.  
Lord! how plain and visible is the argument in our case? and how effectual ought it therefore to be upon this generation? when the greatest favour and kindness upon Earth invites, and when Miracles from Heaven command our subjection?  
What shall we say of those men, whom neither bands of such Love, nor chains of such Miracles can draw to their duty? What can we say or think, but that the same chains of darkness, in which Devils themselves are bound, are reserved for them for ever?  
I conclude with that of the Prophet almost in a like case, Isa. 26.11. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: (when it scatters confusions and plagues upon Traitors and Rebels; and when it showers down Miracles of blessing upon the head of thine Anointed, and his Servants under him) but they shall see and be ashamed, confounded at their envy, and overwhelmed with their own black despair; sinking under their own guilts, and perishing under their own remediless anguish and horror.  

While the King shall rejoice in thy salvation, O Lord! and in the mercy of thee the most high God, he shall not miscarry; and while all his true and faithful Subjects that honour thee in him, and him for thee, shall wash their steps in blessing, rejoicing in those signal deliverances and salvations that thou vouchsafest us here, and in pious and humble hopes of that Eternal salvation hereafter: Which we humbly beg in the Name, and for the Merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: To whom with thee, O Father, and thine Eternal Spirit, three Persons, and one God, be ascribed by us, and thy whole Church, all honour, glory and praise, now and for evermore, Amen.   
FINIS.