566 THE RELIGIOUS IMPROVEMENT us honour the king, for these three commands arejoined together in the NewTestament ; 1 Peter ii. 17. Rea- son and scripture unite them all. Let us submit ourselves tó him with all chearfulness, as one whom God has appointed to be the guardian of our religion, and our liberties, and all that isdear to us. Let us ever speak of him with honour, and not mention his name without a becoming respect. With a just im- patience let us frown upon all tale-bearers, and discou- rage every whisperer, those secret and vile instruments of public mischief. Nor let us give countenance to sly and private insinuations against the dignityand honour of our sovereign. Let us reverence and love him as one that is exalted to be " the minister of God for our good ;" Rom. xiii. 4. It is on him, under God, that our eyes are fixed. it is in him that our hopes of happiness centre. Under Christ Jesus who is the Lord of glory, we must look upon GEORGE the Second of Great Britain, as the chief guardian and support of the protestant religion in the world. 5. " Let us offerour daily and ardent prayers to God for his long life, prosperity and peace." Addresses' to heaven for the Divine Presence with him, should be joined with all our vows of allegiance. We read in Joshua chapter i. 17. that when the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh surrendered themselves to the con- duct of Joshua in the room of Moses, theyjoined ahearty petition to the Lord for him ; " According as we heark- ened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee, and all that thou commandest us we will do : Only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses." When Solomon was placed on the throne of his father David before he died, David is supposed. to write the Psalm, which may be a proper pattern for our present petitions in 'this manner: As thou gayest our late king "'thy judgments, O God, so give thy righteousness to the -Icing's son Let him judge thy people with righte,, ousness, and thy poor with judgment. Let him save the childrenof the needy, and break in pieces the oppressor : -Let him' come- down like rain upon the new mown grass, "ás shòwers' that water the earth. In 'his days let the 4..ighteotis`-flourish, and abundance of peace be derived
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