THE LOYAL SUBJECTS REQUEST FOR HIS Royal Sovereign. IN A SERMON Preached to His Majesty's Garrison in the Isles of Silly, and in several places since November last. By Nicholas Philips, Chaplain to His Majesty's Garrison there. LONDON, Printed for T. Brown, 1681. LOYALTY AND PIETY The way to live happily on EARTH, The way to live happily in HEAVEN. By Nicholas Philips, late Chaplain to His Majesty's Garrison in the Isles of Silly. Feci quod debui,& servus sum inutilis. LONDON, Printed for T. Brown, 1681. To the Reader. THE Reason why I appear in Print is, because I want a Pulpit to preach Loyalty and Piety in. These are Doctrines, which as I have preached in the worst of times sans Fear, so in the best without Reward. Nor am I at all discouraged in this work, nor frustrated of my expectation and design. It being my earnest request unto Almighty God, upon the turning of the Captivity of our Sion, That if there were any reward due for Loyalty, it might be reserved for me in the other world. And I can be very well content to stay till that King come, who keeps a faithful Register of every mans Actions, and notes them down in his Book, and will bring with him a stock sufficient to reward every man according as he shall find his work to be. Non est mortal quod opto. To His Most Sacred Majesty Charles II. by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. THough whatever a Subject doth for his Sovereign is but his Duty, and there is nothing of Merit, no not in the very Sacrificing of his Life for him; yet since Earthly Monarchs are in this inferior to the Supreme and Heavenly One, that the Actions of their Subjects are represented unto them, not through the clear and unerring Glass of their own infinite Knowledge, but through the dark, deceitful one of other mens Reports. Be graciously pleased to give the humblest and meanest, the unworthiest of Your Majesty's Subjects, leave to mind you, That he adventured his Life, and was left for dead in the Field, in the Service of Your late Royal Father; was a patient Sufferer and a zealous Petitioner, for Your Majesty's Restauration, all the time of Your Exile; and could neither by Threats be frighted, nor Promises alured from his Loyalty; hath since Your Majesty's Happy Restauration spent the best part of his time in Your Majesty's Service, having twice been Chaplain to Your Garrison in Your Isles of Silly; and is now for the zeal he shewed there to Gods Glory, and Your Majesty's Honour, deprived of the Exercise of his Ministerial Function, having no settled place to Officiate in. And wanting other means, he is enforced to sand forth this poor, weak, worthless Tractate, to let Your Sacred Majesty and the World know, that however he be dealt with, he still is, and will live for ever, Your Sacred Majesty's Most Loyal, most Faithful, and Immutable Subject and Servant, Nich. Philips. The Loyal Subjects Request for his Royal Sovereign. Dan. 6. 21. O King, live for ever. TIs a good day this; a day on which after a long and grievous bondage of our Nation under wicked and tyrannous U●urpers, our miraculously preserved lawful rightful King, was as miraculously restored, and brought home to sit on his Fathers Throne. And though for the long Life and Prosperity of our King we should every day pray; yet on this day of his Birth and new Birth we should double our Devotions; pray and pray, yea never think that we can pray too oft, Let the King live for ever. And to stir you up to be constant and frequent in praying for the long Life and the eternal Life, the earthly Prosperity and Heavenly Glory of our King; I have chosen for the foundation and ground-work of my Discourse unto you on this day, this Prayer, which was made by a Loyal Subject for his Royal Sovereign, O King live for ever. Before I proceed to the handling of these word, which consist of A Royal Compellation, O King; and A Loyal Precation, Live for ever: it will be necessary for the clearer illustration of them to show, 1. Who it was that made this Prayer; and, 2. For whom it was that he made it. 1. The person that gave this Royal Title, O King; and this Loyal Prayer, Live for ever, was one of Gods holy Prophets; one who though he stand ranked but in the head of the minor Prophets, was one of the greatest of Prophets, and holiest of Men, viz. Daniel, Then said Daniel, O King, live for ever. Though being a Prophet of God, and inspired by his Spirit to writ what he did writ, the Testimony which he gives of himself be true; and we may well believe that Daniel was a man highly favoured and beloved of God, because we find it thrice so written in this Book of his prophesy; yet to confirm this we have the Testimony of his Contemporary the Prophet Ezekiel, who in his 14th. Chap. thrice gives him the 2d. place among the three darling and choicely beloved ones of God, and tells us there of Noah, Daniel, and Job, that they were men above all others most highly favoured of God and most prevalent with him. And the precedency in his favour, which God gave this our Prophet, above the rest of his Fellows, appears most plainly by the precedency which he gave him of them all, in prophesy and Revelations. The Revelations and Prophesies of the other Prophets, were limited as both to place and time. They extended no further than the Jewish nation, or those that bordered about them, and were their oppressors, nor much beyond the time of Christ's appearing in the flesh. But the Prophesies and Revelations of our Prophet Daniel, were neither limited by place or time: They extended to all parts of the World, and God was pleased to show unto him, the rise and fall of the Monarchys and Empires thereof, and they reach as far as the the end of time itself. And he not only speaks of Christs appearing in the flesh in weakness and humility, Ch. 9. 26. But also of his second coming in power and great glory with myriad of Angels to judge the world, Ch. 7. 10. But this our Prophet hath not only for the Theory and the enlighting of our heads, revealed unto us in his Writings, many an high and deep mystery: But he hath here also, for our practise, and the ordering of our hands, given us in his life and conversation, many an excellent pattern of virtue and piety: I could commend to your imitation, 1. The great temperance and sobriety which he shew'd in refusing to feed on the Kings dainty dishes, and contenting himself only with a Mess of homely pulse. Ch. 1. 2. The great humility and self-denial which he shewed, in relying not on his own wit and knowledge, but by applying himself unto God for ability, to reveal unto King Nebucchadnezar his fleeting and vanished dream, Ch. 2. 3. The great fidelity and heroic courage which he shewed in the execution of his Prophetical-office, by his fearless delivering of Gods Message, unto two of the greatest Monarchs in the World, Nebucchadnezar, Ch. 4. and his son Belshazar, Ch. 5. 4. The great zeal and piety which he shewed in making an open profession of the true religion, and worship of God, when it was no less then a mans life was worth, to be seen adoring any one, but an earthly King, about the middle of this 6 Ch. But because▪ it is most seasonable and suits best with the time, I shall only now commend to your imitation, the great Loyalty, and obedience which he shewed unto his King; manifested by his behaviour, toward two of the Assyrian, and two of the Persian Monarchs. No Native of Chaldea, no natural born Subject of the Babylonian Monarchs: But a Captive of Judea, one of the Kings seed there, was Daniel. And yet because God who translateth Kingdoms, had made nabuchadnezzar his King by Conquest; and he was carried from Judea to live in Chaldea; he acknowledgeth him for his lawful sovereign, behaves himself most loyaly, and dutifully, both towards him, and his Son Belshazar. Gives them both their due title of honor and Majesty calls them both O King, reveals unto the one his obscure Dream, Ch. 2. and reads unto the other the fatal hand-writing on the Wall, Ch. 5. and was by both highly honoured and rewarded. And as he behaved himself most loyaly and obediently towards the Chaldean Monarchies: So when the Most-High who ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will, had translated the Monarchy of the World, from the Assyrians and Chaldeans to the Medes and Persians; when Belshazar was slain, and Darius the meed had taken on him the Kingdom, he became and remains a loyal Subject to him, and to his Son in Law, and Successor, Cyrus the Persian: give King Darius he doth here in my text his due title of honour and Majesty, calls him O King, wisheth him long life and prosperity, and preys that he may live for ever. And this will led me from speaking of the person that gave this title, and made this prayer, Daniel the Prophet, to speak of the person, unto whom he gave this title O King, and for whom he made this prayer, Live for ever, King Darius. Then said Daniel unto the King, even unto King Darius, O King live for ever. My description of King Darius I will not fetch from out of the book of the Chronicles of the Medes and Persians, but shall confine myself within the limits of what I find written of him here in this Sacred book of Scripture. And here I find him set forth in a fourfold condition and quality. The particular view of each of which will mightily heighten the Loyalty and Obedience of holy Daniel towards him. 1. The first condition wherein we find King Darius here set forth unto us, is the condition of an ethnic or Heathen Prince. No true Israelite, one born within the Covenant of grace, but an Alien from the Commonwealth of Israel, an utter stranger to the Church of God, was King Darius: for he was a meed, Ch. 5. ult. 'tis a fanatique and brainsick fancy to Imagine, that grace and salvation gives a just title to temporal power and dominion: I am sure the author of grace, and salvation, our blessed Saviour himself, hath taught us otherwise. His Kingdom, as he tells us, John 18. 36. was not of this world, nor came he into the world to confounded, and overthrow, but to confirm and establish Civil Government. aclowledge he did the Sovereignty of Caesar over him, and paid him Tribute, Mat. 17. ult. Submit he did to the judgement of his Deputy Pilate▪ and aclowledge he did that the power he had over him, was given him from Heaven, John 19. 11. And enjoined he hath all his Followers and Disciples, Mat. 22. 21. to be Loyal Subjects; To give unto caesar the things that are Cesar's. Under pretence of seeking to advance Christs Kingdom, and to set him on his Throne: To rise up in Rebellion against Kings, and to go about to Dethrone and Depose them, is direct contrary both to the Precepts and Practise of Christ, is a most Antichristian Principle and practise: The very Doctrine and doing of Devils. And it is not assuredly the good Spirit of God; but the evil Spirit, Lucifer himself, he who was the first Rebel, that is still the inspirer, stirrer up and Patron of all Rebels. Dominion and Sovereignty( as saith a Reverend Prelate of our Church) are the Ordinances of God, not Bp. Brownrig. as he is the Author of Grace and Redeemer of his Church, but as he is the Author of Mankind, and governor of the World. And the Authority of Magistrates is not a Mystery of the Gospel, but an appointment of God by his general Providence. The duty of Children to Parents; of Servants to Masters; of Subjects to Sovereigns, is not a consequent of Christianity, but a Principle of Nature, and a Law of Nations, confirmed indeed by God in the Law, and by Christ in the Gospel; but not there first founded and established: For there were Parents and Masters, and Kings in the World, before the Law was given upon Mount Sinai, or the Gospel Published from Mount Sion. A Christian Child cannot cast off his Duty and Obedience to his Father, though he be an Heathen or an Infidel; but is bound not only by the Law of God, but even by the Law of Nature and Nations to honour and obey him. A Christian Servant cannot shake off his Yoke and Servitude, though his Master be an Unbeliever; but is bound not only by the Law of God, 1 Tim. 6. but even by the very Law of Nature and Nations to do him service. Christian Subjects cannot deny Obedience and Submission to their Lawful Sovereigns, though they be Infidels and Heathen; but are bound, not only by the Law of God, Rom. 13. 1. but even by the very Law of Nature and Nations to obey and pay them Tribute. My Christian Bretheren, It is not safe for you in this case, to trust to the Ear, and listen to what the Factious and Seditious Spirits of this our Age tell you. And if you will be kept safe from the horrid Sin of Rebellion, you must employ a surer sense. Open your Eyes, look into the Scriptures, and see what the Saints and Holy Men of God have done in time past. And if with the Noble Bereans, you give yourselves to the search of them, you will find the Prophets, Jeremy, Ezechiel, Daniel in the Old Testament: Christ himself, St. Paul, St. Peter, and all the Apostles and Primitive Christians in the New, not casting off their Obedience to their Lawful Sovereigns, because they were not Believers, and within the Covenant of Grace; but honouring, obeying and praying for them, though they were Heathen Men and Infidels. As an Heathen and ethnic Prince is King Darius here first set forth unto us. 2. The second is, that he was an utter Enemy unto, and a Persecutor of, the Church and chosen people of God. Not onely an Alien from the Commonwealth of Israel, but an utter Enemy unto it; one that kept Gods People in bondage and captivity, was King Darius: and yet for all this he is acknowledged by holy Daniel for his lawful Sovereign, honoured of him, and prayed for by him. And this will teach us( quiter contrary to the Doctrine of the Conclave and the Classes)▪ That Fidelity and Obedience is due from Christians to their Lawful Sovereigns, though they prove Oppressors of them; load them with heavy Burdens and Taxes, and keep them in Bondage and Slavery. The Prophet Jeremy exhorts the Jews in their Captivity to submit to the Yoke of the King of Babylon: To study the Peace of his Government, and to pray for the life of him and his Sons, Jer. 29. 7. Baruch 1. 11. The Apostle St. Paul exhorts the Christians at Rome to be subject to the Roman Emperours, though they were Tyrants and Persecutors; Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers, says he, Rom. 13. 1. and he forbids them there, Vers. 2. under no less penalty than Damnation, to rise up against them, or resist them. The person placed in Authority over us, may be an evil man; yet is not his Authority an evil, but a good thing; the Ordinance of God, says St. Paul, and therefore propter Deum, for Gods sake; because he hath put his Vizard on him, and made him his Representative here on Earth, he is to be honoured, obeied and supported, and in no case to be risen up against and resisted. Daniel, Ezechiel and the Captivated Jews honoured, obeied and prayed for the Assyrian and Persian Monarchs, who kept them in Bondage and Captivity. The Apostles and Primitive Christians honoured, obeied and prayed for the Roman Emperours, who persecuted them unto death, and spilled their blood like water. And thus must we do, and their Example must we follow; if we will manifest ourselves to be true Christians, and such who are followers of them who through Faith and Patience have inherited the Promises; if God be pleased to set such Rulers over us. As a Persecutor and Oppressor of the Church of God is King Darius, in the Second place, here set forth unto us. In the Third he is set forth as a setter up of a false Religion, and one that went about to compel his Subjects to Idolatry. Forbid he did by public Edict, the Religious Worship of God, and made a Decree, that Whosoever should ask any Petition of God or Man, for the space of thirty days, save of him only, should be cast into the Den of Lions; and yet notwithstanding all this, the holy Prophet Daniel acknowledged him for his King and Sovereign, honours and preys for him. The Papists may teach us out of their Cannons and Decretals; and Presbyters out of their holy Covenant, That Kings and Princes are no farther to be honoured, obeied and prayed for by the Subjects than they obey God, and are Professors and Defenders of the true Religion; but the Sacred Scriptures teach us otherwise, and do not exempt us from obedience to our Lawful Sovereigns; no, not when they make evil Laws, deface Gods Worship, and endeavour to force men to Idola●ry. Indeed active and actual obedience to the unjust Decrees of our Kings and Princes we may not, we must not give; for this were to prefer Men in our actual obedience before God, to submit to them, and rebel against him, directly to across the precepts and practise of our brave Leaders the blessed Apostles, Acts 5. 29. And verily, in evil and impious Commands, they obey the King best that disobey him most; and are his best Subjects, who are least obsequious to him. King Saul's Souldiers, who in 1 Sam. 22. refused upon his Command to slay the Priest of the Lord, were better Subjects, and shewed greater love and Loyalty toward him than did Doeg the Edomite, who by his ready obeying his Command, drew on his Head the guilt of innocent blood. And King Herod's Courtiers, Acts 12. who flattered and cried him up for a God, were the worst of Traitors, and occasioned his miserable death and destruction. But though we may not perform the unlawful Commands of our lawful Sovereigns; yet professions and protestations of Subjection and Submission we must still make them, and with patience, suffer we must, what they shall be pleased to inflict on us; when we find, that we cannot with a good Conscience, and with the salving of our obedience unto God, perform what they command. Holy Daniel here refuseth upon the Command of the King to make an Idol of him, and to pray unto him, but yet still acknowledged him for his Sovereign, continues Loyal to him, and ceaseth not to pray for him, and patiently, without any resistance, doth he submit to the punishment he was pleased to inflict on him. In like manner the Primitive Christians refused to burn Incense to the Roman Emperours, or to swear by their Genius▪ but yet, pray they did for the success of their Armies, peace of their Empire, and the safety of their Persons, and patiently, without the least show of resistance( when sufficiently armed with defence) permitted they themselves to be cut in pieces by them. When God stirs up the Spirit of Princes to make good Laws, he doth it St. Augustine saith, for the Reformation of those that are evil, an when he permits them to make evil Laws, he doth it for the probation and trial of those that are good; and unless God did sometimes permit Princes to make evil Laws, to publish Decrees against his Sacred Worship, how should his True Worshippers, such as are sincere in his Service, be known and distinguished from other Men? and therefore as St. Paul said of Heresies, 1 Cor. 11. 19. we may say of evil Princes, oportet esse, they must be; otherwife how shall Gods true and faithful Servants be approved and manifested? If there had been no Persecutors of the Church, there had never been any Martyrs in the Church. Men that Arm themselves with Swords and Guns to oppose and make resistance against the unlawful Decrees of their lawful Sovereigns, may talk much of the Protestant Religion, and boast of their great zeal towards it; I am sure the truly ancient, catholic, Christian Religion allows Subjects to make use of no other Weapons against their lawful Sovereigns than Prayers, Tears and Patience; and their Religion( whatever they call it) is not the Christian Religion, will not bring them where Christ is, and to Reign with him, unless it teach them to do as Christ did, even patiently to suffer for well doing. As the setter up of the false Religion and a compeller of his Subjects to Idolatry, is King Darius, in the Third place here set forth unto us. And, In the Fourth, As the Author and Commander of Daniel's Death and Destruction. Daniel being for his Wisdom, and the excellent Spirit that was found in him, preferred by the King to be one of the Three Presidents of the Kingdom. He is by his Fellow Presidents and the rest of the Princes, mightily envied, and because they could not fault him concerning the Affairs of the Kingdom, which he managed with Prudence, Fidelity and Equity, they( knowing him to be a Worshipper of the true God) resolve to make a snare of his Religion, and to entrap him by means of it; and by their cunning insinuations and flatteries, they prevail so far upon the King, that they persuade him to make a Decree, That whosoever should offer any petition to God or Man, for the space of thirty days, save of the King only, he should be cast into the Den of Lions, Now this Decree of the King, being directly opposite to Gods Holy Law, and to the second Commandment,( wherein God hath reserved Religious Worship and Adoration solely unto himself) Daniel refused to observe: And contrary unto it, he in his Chamber, with the Windows open toward Jerusalem, three times a day, after his wonted custom, presented his Supplications and Prayers unto Almighty God; for which being accused by the Princes& condemned by the King, he is cast into the Den of Lions. And being there miraculously preserved of God, he doth not upon his coming forth of it, complain of the hard measure that was shown him, nor of the great injustice that was done unto him: Doth not revile the King, and charge him with Tyrannies and Cruelties, but owns him for his Sovereign still; gives him his due title of Honour, calls him, O King, preys for his Life and Prosperity, and wisheth that he may live for ever. And in so doing he hath taught us, that no wrongs and injuries that are done us by our lawful Sovereigns, can exempt and discharge us from that Loyalty and Obedience which we owe unto them. The Israelites when oppressed and slain by King Pharaoh, rebelled not against him. David when persecuted and pursued by King Saul would not oppose him, would not conspire against him; yea refused when it lay in his power to take his life from him. Jeremy when abused, shackled and imprisoned by King Zedekiah, would not revolt from him, and fall to his Enemies the Chaldeans. The Primitive Christians when Massacred by Thousands, and cut in pieces by their persecuting Emperours, could never be provoked by any of their Cruelties to join in any Conspiracy or Rebellion against them, but always prayed for them, and wished them good success. When wrongs and injuries are done us by private persons, we may safely use what lawful means we think fit to right ourselves; but when Kings, armed with Power and Authority from Heaven, oppress and injure us, we must not unsheathe our Swords, but show forth our Patience, and learn of our Master Christ Jesus to be lead like Seeep to the Slaughter. It is not bono Regi, said Regi: not to Kings that are good and gentle, and rule well; but to those that are froward and evil, and rule ill, that we Christians are commanded by St. Peter, 1 Ep. 2. 18. to be subject and obedient. Evil, as well as good Princes have their Kingdom from God; for by him, as he tells us, Prov. 8. 15. Kings reign; and he it is, as our Prophet Daniel teacheth us, Chap. 4. 25. that translates Kingdoms, and gives them to whomsoever he pleaseth. He who gave the Kingdom of Israel to David, that good and pious Prince, gave it also to Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, that impious and profane one. He who gave the Roman Empire to Augustus, that sweet and merciful Prince, gave it also to Nero, that inhuman Carnifex, and Monster of Men. He who advanced to the imperial Dignity, Constantine the most Christian Emperor, advanced also unto it, Julian that damned Apostate from the Christian Faith: And therefore propter Deum, for Gods sake, because the Powers that be, are ordained of him, because he hath put his Vizard upon Kings, and made them his Representatives here on Earth, are they to be honoured and obeied, supported and prayed for by their Subjects, and in no case, no though they be never so Tyrannical or Heretical, are they to be risen up against, or resisted by their Subjects. Kings are soli Deo minores, inferior to none but God, have no superior on Earth to judge or depose them, no not so much as the Pope or the People: And therefore, when wronged or injured by them, we have no other way of appeal;▪ than unto him, who is higher than the highest, and with Prayers and Tears to lay open our Cause before God. And in no other Water are we Christians allowed to drown a Tyrant, than in the Water of our Eyes; nor with any other Fire to burn an Heretical Prince, than with the coals of kindness, heaped on his head: And this, this, as saith St. Pet. 1 Ep▪ 2. 19. is truly Christian and Thankworthy; when men for Conscience toward God, and because they will not be found guilty of resisting his Ordinance, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. Bonum facere,& malum pati, to do good cheerfully, and to suffer evil patiently, est vere Regium, a truly Kingly Act, and by so doing, subjects will in the end, with Daniel, get the Conquest and Victory over their Kings. You have seen who it was that said, and the person to whom it was said, O King live for ever: It was the Prophet Daniel to King Darius. And now before we proceed any farther, let us make a brief Application of what hath been already said, and as the Apostle phraseth it, transfer over these things unto ourselves. 1. Did the Prophet Daniel honour, obey and pray for King Darius who was a Heathen Prince, and an Alien from the Church of God? And are not we Christians much more bound to honour, obey, and pray for King Charles, the Restorer of the true Religion, and the Defender of the true catholic Faith amongst us? Did he say unto King Darius, O King, live for ever; and are not we much more bound daily and hourly to pray unto God, that our King Charles may live for ever? 2. Did Daniel honour and pray for King Darius, who was an Oppressor and Persecutor of Gods People; one that kept them in bondage and slavery? And are not we much more bound to honour, obey, and pray for our King Charles, who hath been under God the Restorer of our Liberty, the Healer of our Breaches, the Repairer of our ruins; one who hath f●eed us from the greatest bondage and slavery that ever people groaned under? Did he say unto King Darius, O King, live for ever; and shall not we much more pray for our King Charles, that he may live for ever? 3. Did Daniel honour, obey, and pray for King Darius, who made evil Laws, and endeavoured by his evil Edicts to compel him, and the rest of his Subjects unto Idolatry; and are not we much more bound to honour, obey, and pray for our King Charles, who doth not exercise an arbitrary authority over us, but rules himself and us by those very Laws which we ourselves have made and consented unto, and doth not command us from; but unto the Service of God? Did he say, O King, live for ever; and shall not we ever pray, that our King Charles may live for ever. 4. Did holy Daniel honour and pray for King Darius, who exercised great injustice and cruelty upon him in particular, and commanded him for his sincere serving God to be cast into the Den of Lions; and are not we much more bound to honour, obey, and pray for our King Charles, who hath not wronged nor injured any one of us, but hath protected us all in our just Rights and Liberties; and who may truly and justly make the same Challenge amongst us, that aged Samuel made among the Israelites, 1 Sam. 12. 3. Behold here I am, witness against me whose Ox have I taken, or Ass have I taken, or whom have I oppressed or defrauded, &c. Did he say unto King Darius, O King, live for ever; and shall not we daily and hourly pray unto God, that our King Charles may live for ever? I have done with persons concerned in this Compellation, O King; and in this Precation, Live for ever. I take my leave of King Darius and the Prophet Daniel, and I pass now to speak something in brief of the Title itself, and of the Prayer. And, 1. Of the Title or Compellation, O King. Titles of Honour and Acts of Reverence are debts and duties which Subjects owe, and must readily pay unto their Sovereigns. The Dignity of a King is a kind of Divinity; and as God sometimes takes unto himself their Title, and calls himself a King; so doth he sometimes impart unto them his Title, and calls them Gods; I have said ye are Gods, saith he of Kings and Princes, Psal. 82. 6. Kings and Princes are Gods, though not by nature, yet by office; for they are Gods Vicegerents, and represent his person here on earth. The very Heathen called their King Imago Dei, the Image of God; and oft in Scripture are Kings termed The Lords Anointed, to teach us that God hath a more particular Interest in them, than he hath in other men. Many in these our evil and licentious times take unto themselves,( the more is their shane) a wretched liberty to speak evil of Dignities; and it is meat and drink to the factious and seditious Spirits of our Age▪ to discourse over their Pots and their Pipes▪ of the faults and failings of their King. But beware, my Brethren, that you cast not in your lot among them, and be partakers with them in this evil dead; for it is written Exod. 22. 28. Thou shalt not revile thy God, nor speak evil of the Ruler of thy people. Is it fit as Elihu the Basire demands, Job 34. 18. to say unto a King, Thou art wicked, or to Princes, You are ungodly? It is no way fit sure, but deserves a most severe Censure and Punishment. Kings have no superior here on earth, and therefore cannot be arraigned and judged for their faults by any, but by their superior Lord in Heaven; who to keep them within their due limits, hath threatened them( Esay 30. ult.) with a Tophet he hath prepared for them. Kings are not to be thought on, are not to be looked on, are not to be spoken of or unto as more men, but as the Vicegerents, the magnificent Representatives of Almighty God. Honoured they are to be next unto God, and as persons inferior to none but God. And if you please to search and observe the Scriptures, you will find the like reverence and respect required of Man, to be given unto the King as unto God. Fear God and the King, saith the Wiseman, Prov. 24. 21. Fear God, honour the King, saith the Apostle S. Peter, 1 Epist. 2. 17. And though the Bill of Naboths Indictment( 1 Kings 21.) was badly proved, yet it was well enough drawn sure; Naboth did blaspheme God and the King, for a man may as well be guilty of Blasphemy in speaking evil of the King, as in speaking evil of God, whose Vicegerent he is and whose person he represents. And the Apostle S. Peter in his second Epist. 2. 10. hath pointed out such men unto us to be ungodly men, and heirs of damnation; such as are reserved unto the day of judgement to be punished; who despise Dominion, and are not afraid to blaspheme and speak evil of Dignities. That then, my Brethren, you may manifest yourselves to be true Christians▪ and Loyal Subjects, Heirs of Salvation and not of Damnation; learn( I pray) of holy Daniel to honour and reverence the King; and though when you speak to him or of him, you call him not Stylo Chaldaico, O King; yet call him Stylo Anglicano, either Gracious Lord, or Royal Sovereign, or Sacred Majesty. And as we must here in the first place learn of holy Daniel, to give Titles of Honour and Reverence unto our King; so in the second place, 2. We must learn to sand up our Supplications and Prayers unto the King of Kings, for the safety and prosperity of our King, and to pray with him, O King, live for ever. The duty indeed it is of us Christians to pray for all men, but to pray for Kings and such as are in Authority, is, as S. Paul teacheth, 1 Tim. 2. 13. Our principal and especial duty; for Kings above all others, stand most in need of our prayers, as being persons most exposed to temptations, and dangers, and therefore for our King doth our mother the Church of England enjoin us in her Liturgy, to pray three or four several times, and yet in so doing commits no Tautology, nor makes use of any Idle expressions; for the several capacities of our King as he is a man, a Christian man, a Magistrate, yea, our supreme magistrate, require us so oft to pray for him. And to speak nothing but truth, the many prayers which our Liturgy hath in it for the King, is none of the least causes that makes it so disgustful, to the factious and seditious spirits that are amongst us; and it is no less than a miracle to find one that is, or hath been an enemy to the King, well affencted toward the Liturgy of the Church. To make solemn supplications and prayers for, and to wish well unto their King, hath been the practise of Pious and Loyal people in all ages: And great need sure have the people to be instant and always to pray for the safety and prosperity of their King; for as the life of Old Jacob, was said to be bound up in the life of Benjamin; so the happiness and felicity of the people consists in the safety and prosperity of the King. The blessings which God showers down upon the King, are like the ointment that was poured upon the head of Aaron; they stay not there but descend from him unto the very skirt, and upon the lowest of his people; and if God be pleased to bless the King and keep him safe, he will have a care, that all the people, even from Dan to Beersheba shall live in safety and sit quietly every man under his own vine and his own fig-tree. When the members of the body feed the belly, what do they else, I pray, but feed themselves and provide for their own strength and nourishment? so when subjects pray for, and cheerfully contribute and pay tribute towards the maintenance and support of their King; what do they else I pray then provide for the safety of themselves and their posterities; for under his shadow and protection it is that they sit safe, both from Foreign and domestic foes? And like the Ivy three they cannot grow and prosper, without the support of this Royal-oak, And therefore, my brethren, as you wish well to yourselves and your posterity, to your Friends, to your Country; so wish well unto your King, and pray as Daniel did here for Darius, That he may live for ever. But is not this prayer, you will perhaps say, which Daniel made for King Darius, and you now advice us to make for our King, a faithless, groundless one? And do we not in it pray for what we cannot hope, viz. That our King who is a mortal man and must die, may be immortal and live for ever, Surely this prayer is not only of a Babylonish style and stamp, used by none but the Subjects of the Chaldean and Persian Monarchs, but it bears on it also the stamp of the sanctuary, and was made use of in Jerusalem, by Gods own people; And as Nehemiah prayed for King Artaxerxes; the wise▪ men of Babylon for King nabuchadnezzar; Daniel here for King Darius prayed; Queen Bathsheba for King David, and that too when he lay on his death bed, and could not by the course of nature live many days longer: Let my Lord King David Live for ever( saith she) 1. King 1. 31. And it is a Prayer that may Faithfully and Piously be made by us, for ou● King, and that in a threefold respect and sense, 1 It may be said of us in respect of ourselves and present happiness▪ all changes in Government are full of Peril and Danger, as well to mens Souls and Bodies as to their Goods and Estates, and therefore in respect of our own good and happiness, we may safely and faithfully pray, That the King may Love for ever, Live for ever to us, that is, that he may outlive us; That our little stars may all go down, before the setting of our Glorious Sun, that our small candles may be all wasted and burnt out, before the Great Lamp of our Israel be extinguished. 2. It may be said of us in respect of our Country, and the future felicity and happiness of it when we are dead and gone. 'tis a Maxim in our law, That the King never dies: no sooner is the breath out of the nostrils of the possessor of our Crown, but the right of it is immediately devolved and passed over upon his lawful Heir and Successor, and therefore that Kingly Government, the Government under which our Nation hath long flourished may never cease amongst us, we may safely and faithfully pray, That the King may live for ever; Live for ever to our Country, that is, that no night may follow the setting of our Sun; But that when our Moses is called up into mount Nebo to die, a Joshua may be appointed to succeed him; when our King David shall be gathered unto his fathers, a Solomon may be set upon his Throne, and that his successor may be the Heir of his virtue and Piety, as well as of his Crown and Dignity. And indeed Brethren and Country-men, prayer is the only lawful means, that we may make use of in the case of succession: The disposing of Kingdoms, and the setting up of Kings, is a prerogative which the King of Kings claims as peculiar onely unto himself. By me Kings reign, saith he, Prov. 8. 15. He it is, as it is written D●● 4 25. That ruleth in the Kingdom of men, and giveth it unto whomsoever he will. Surely when Subjects in hereditary Kingdoms take upon them to elect Kings, and presume to nominate who shall be next Heir to the Crown, they traitorously usurp upon the Authority Royal of Almighty God, set up Kings as he complains, Hos. 8. 4. without him: run themselves directly into the same crime that the Israelites did, 1 King. 13. when they revolted from the house of David, thrust out the right Heir to the Crown, with a Nolumus hunc, We will not have this man to rule over us: And will( 'tis sadly to be feared) provoke God, to give them a King in his wrath, to plague them with a Jerob●ham indeed; to set up such a King over them, as will withdraw them all from the true service and worship of God at Jerusalem, into Idolatry, and the worshipping of the golden Calves that he shall set up at Bethel and Dan. God hath hide future things, the issue of to morrow in the dark, locked up in his Cabinet, amongst his secret things, as well the date of Mans days, as all things that shall happen after, this very minute, and no man knows what shall be after him under the Sun, who shall be his own Heir, and succeed him in his Estate, much less who shall be the Kings Heir, and succeed him in the Throne. Men may get Estates, but it is God that makes Heirs unto them; men may consult and presume to enact who shall be next Heir to the Crown, but it is the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand; and he shall be our next King, whom he shall please to nominate and appoint; nor should we suffer doubtful thoughts to arise in our minds, despair of Gods providence, and care for us, and run ourselves into seditious and traitorous practices, because the next Heir to our Crown, and the visible successor of our sacred Sovereign, is said to be seduced and drawn away from the true faith, and the religion that is professed amongst us; for who of all us knows whether he may not be laid in his grave, before the eyes of our present Royal Sovereign be closed? and who amongst us can tell, whether when God alters his condition and makes him our King, he may not also alter his mind, give him as he gave Saul when he made him King, 1 Sam. 10. 9. another heart. All I say brethren that we have to do in this case, is to praise God for the present gracious King that he has set over us, to pray for his long life and prosperity; and to beseech him, that when he sees fit to take him from us, he would be graciously pleased to set such a King over us, as may with him be a zealous desender of his true faith, and a nursing father to the Church; a supporter and pillar of the state, and one that will govern not in an arbitrary, but a legal way, and secure us all in our just rights and liberties; and let us quietly permit God to do his own work, to rule in the Kingdom of men, and to give it to whomsoever he will, and with patience wait the event. This Prayer, O King live for ever, may safely and faithfully be made of us in respect of our King himself. Surely the soul, and the eternal salvation of the King, ought to be as dear to every good Subject as his body and temporal preservation, and we should be as zealous', and as careful, to obtain a Crown of Glory hereafter for him in Heaven, as to keep the Crown upon his head here on earth; and therefore we may faithfully and piously pray that our King may live for ever, that is, that when God shall be pleased to put an end to his days, he may change his temporal Crown into an eternal one, and from reigning over men on earth, admit him to reign for ever with himself in Heaven. To pray for the King is the duty of every good Subject; but so to do is the most especial duty of those that are payed by the King, and have their whole livelihood and maintenance from him: such must know that it is their duty, as well to guard the King and the Fortresses of his Kingdom, with their spiritual weapons of Faith and Prayer, as with their carnal ones of Pikes and Guns; and when the Kings Souldiers▪ and those that are paid by him, are not employed in the natural Militia, and in the guard-house a watching for the defence of the fortress▪ which he hath committed unto them, they cannot with a good conscience be better employed, than in betaking themselves to the Spiritual Militia, and in repairing to the Church, there to join with the Congregation, in praying for the Safety and Preservation of the King. And they have large consciences sure who take the Kings daily pay to do many times the Devils work, and spend more time in the tap-house and drinking to the King, than in the Temple a praying for him; and I am right sorry that I am enforced to complain, that the prayers of the Church which are here daily, Morning and Evening in the Church, made for the King, are so far from being acceptable unto those that are here maintained by the King, that they swell and puff at them; and hearty wish that they were rid of the busy, precise, pragmatical Priest that useth them. But though swaggering and swearing Sword-men boast themselves to be the Kings lifeguard, and best defence against his Foes; yet 'tis pious and praying Churchmen, that are indeed his best lifeguard and strongest▪ Tower of Defence. Valiant Souldiers and Sword-men are at best, and when they have done their best, but the Infantry and Footmen; 'tis pious Priests and praying Churchmen,( as lightly as malapert Souldiers set by them, and as basely as they esteem them) that make up the Cavalry, are( as termed 2 Kings 13. 14.) the Chariots of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof; the principal Militia, and defence of King and Kingdom. And I will be bold to say, that His Majesty hath not in all his Dominions a stronger Castle or Fortress of defence against his Foes, than is the Church, nor any better Souldiers than those Priests, that to their watching add daily praying for him. But what may some here object? Will you blame Souldiers, and such as are paid by the King, for neglecting to pray for the King? Why no men are more mindful of the King, or pray oftener for him than they do? They seldom drink,( and they drink many of them God knows too oft) but they drink a Health to the King, and pray for him? Surely my Warlike Brethren and Sons of Mars, as grim and big as you look, I am not afraid to tell you, that to make a Taphouse your Temple, and to sacrifice there for the Life of your King to the Heathenish and drunken God Bacchus; and in the mean time, to leave the Temple of the living God, the Church, where Prayers are daily morning and evening made for the King, to lye naked and desolate, is to make yourselves justly guilty of what Naboth was falsely charged withall, viz. of blaspheming God and the King. My Brethren, I am not so Stoically severe, as to deny you the use of moderate Refreshments and Recreations, especially at such times of public joy as this is. In the use of moderate and allowed pleasures no man can lawfully give you the reins further than I will; and if you will but keep yourselves within the limits of Obedience unto your Heavenly King, and have a care that you abuse not him by intemperance and abuse of his Creatures, by Blasphemy, and the taking of his Sacred Name in vain; I will tell you, that you cannot be on this day too expressive of your joy for the Restauration of your Temporal King; and the bodily Pastimes and Merriments which you at this time use, will not at all be prejudicial to your Souls, nor a blemish to your Religion, if you will but be pleased to observe in them these few short Rules, and have a care, 1. That you do nothing contrary to piety and the glory of God. 2. That you do nothing contrary to Loyalty and the Laws of the King. 3. That you do nothing contrary to Sobriety and good of yourselves. And, 4. That you do nothing contrary to Charity and good of your Neighbour. Observe but these few short Rules, and you may safely and with a good conscience go and eat the Fat, and drink the Sweet, and use on this day any of Gods good creatures for your comfort and solace. But before I dismiss you to your temporal Sports and Merriments, I shall desire you to join with me in the spiritual duty of praying for the long life, safety, and prosperity of the King. I. Let us pray then, 1. Vivat▪ Rex, Let the King live; give him( O Lord) long life, and let his years continue unto many generations; let him abide before thee for ever; O prepare thy loving kindness and faithfulness, that they may preserve him. Amen. 2. Sit felix Rex, Let the King prosper and have good success in all his undertakings. Give strength( O Lord) unto the King, and exalt the horn of thine Anointed; let his honour be great in thy Salvation, Glory and great Worship do you lay upon him; give him everlasting felicity, and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance. Amen. 3. Sit salvus Rex, God save the King; defend( O Lord) thine Anointed, and keep the King safe from all the Plots and Conspiracies of his secret Foes, and from all the assaults and attempts of his open Enemies. Let the Soul of my Lord the King be bound up in the bundle of life with thee( O Lord;) but as for the Souls of his Enemies, sling them all out as out of the middle of the sling; cloath them all( O Lord) with shane, but upon himself let his Crown flourish. Amen. II. Let us pray again, 1. Vivat Rex in aeternum, Let the King live for ever, live for ever unto us; may he( O Lord) outlive us all, and let none of our glimmering Stars ever see the setting of our glorious Sun; but let all our dim Lights be put out, all our Eyes closed, before the bright shining Lamp and Candle of our Israel be extinguished and put out. Amen. 2. Again let us pray, Vivat Rex in aeternum, Let the King live for ever, live for ever to our Country. O let no twilight of Popular Schisms and Factions, no dark night of Popish Ignorance and Superstition follow the setting of our Sun, but appoint( O Lord) a Joshua to succeed our Moses, when he is called up to Mount Nebo to die; a Solomon to sit on the Throne of our David, whenever it shall please thee to gather him to his Fathers. And may Kingly Government never cease in our Nation, may our Royal Sovereign never want an Heir of his virtue and Piety, as well as of his Crown and Dignity, till Shiloh come again, and all Crowns and sceptres be laid down at the foot of the Lamb. Amen. 3. Once more let us pray, Vivat Rex in aeternum, Let the King live for ever, live for ever( O Lord) with thee in Heaven. When thou art pleased to put an end to his Reign here on earth, O take him we beseech thee to reign with thee for ever in Heaven; and turn his Crown of Gold( O Lord) into a Crown of Glory. Amen. And now, Lastly, unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible; to the onely wise God and our Saviour Christ Jesus, be given and ascribed as most due, all Glory, Honour, Power, Might, Majesty and Dominion, now and for ever more. Amen. FINIS.