Serm. XXX. Prayingfor Governours. 2 > " Communicants do know is done every day, Morning and Evening ; how that we " pray for all the World, for Kings, andfor all that are in authority. Secondly, For whom we are to pray ; In general, for all men. OurPrayers are one of the greateft and belt Expreflions of our Charity, and therefore ought to be as large and extenfive as our Oharity is. We are bound in common Charity to love all Men, and to with well to them ; but our bare Willies lignifie nothing, unlefs we dire& them to God, who is able to confer upon them the Bleffings and Good Things which we with to them. And this is a Charity which God bath put into everyMan's Power, and which the pooreft Man in the World, as well as the richeft, is capable of exercifing at all times and upon all occafions : For the Ear of God is open to the Prayers of the poor, as well as of the rich, and they are every whit as prevalent with him ; nay, the Scripture feems to fay, that God bath a more particular regard to the Prayers ofthe poor. So that we may be liberal and bountiful in our Prayers to thofe, to whom we are able to give nothing elfe ; and when our Hands cannot reach to re- lieve them, we may pour out our Hearts to God for them ; we maypray for their Spiritual and Temporal good, and we maypraife God for the good which befalls them, tho' it was out ofour power to be any ways inftrúmental to procure it for them. Thirdly, For whom we are more efpecially, and in the firft place, to pray; viz. for thofe who have the greateft and moft publick influence of all others, upon the peace and happinefs of Mankind, for Kings, and for all that are in authority ; that is, for the Supreme Magiftrate, and for all inferior Magiftrates, who derive their Power and Authority from the Supreme. Government is neceffary to the welfare of Mankind , becaufe it is the great Band of Humane Society, the Guardof its Peace, and the Securityof every Man's Per- fon andProperty ; and therefore we are concerned as much as is poffible, both to pray for our Governours, and to biefs God for them ; becaufe without them we fhould be in a moft wretched Condition. Mankind would be unavoidably mifera- ble without Government; Humane Society would prefently disband, and all things would run into confufion, It is a remarkable Sayingofone of the Jewifh iMaftera, Pray for the happinefs of theKingdom or Government ; for if it were not for the fear of that, Men would devour one another alive. And Jofephus tells us, that when the Jews were made fubjeF to theRomans (tho' it was by Conqueft) twice a day they offered up Sacrifices for the life and fafety of the Empereur. And this was very agreeable to what God had commanded that People by his Prophet, in a much like cafe, when the Jews were Conquered by the King of Babylon, and car- riedaway Captives, per. 29. y. Seek thepeace of the City whither I haave caufedyou to be carried awayCaptives, andpray unto the Lordfor it ; for in thepeace there- of fhallyehave peace. And furely the Reafon is much fttonger, why we fhould pray for our natural Princes and Governours. Ì come now to the Fourth and Left Thing confidered in the Text, and which I principally defigu to fpeak to, namely, the Reafon or Argument which the Apoftle ufes, to engage us to pray for our Princes, and for all that are in Authority, that we may live á quiet andpeaceable life, in allgodlinefs and bone,fly. The manifold Benefits and Advantages which redound to us from our Governors, is a fúfficient Argument why we fhouldpray to God for them, and Praife him likewife. for fo great a Blef- ling, and that in the firft place ; I exhort thereforefirfi of all (faith the Apof}le,) &c. Now theApoftle here in the Text expreffeth Two great Advantages of Go- vernment, which upon the Matter do comprehend all the reft, r: That byGovernment we are Secured in our Civil Rights and Interefts; in the quiet and peaceable Polfeflion of what is our own. 2. That we may thereby be prote&ed in the free Practice and Exercife of Reh- gion and Virtue. Thefe are the Two greateft and molt deferable Things to Man; and neither of thefe can be had without Government. I Ihall briefly confider thefe Two particu- lars, and then 'endeavour to Phew, what Obligation the Confideration of them lays upon us, both to Pray to God in the behalf of our Princes and Governours, and likewife
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