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DISCOURSE I.

PROV. xxiv. 21.

My Son, Fear thou the Lord and the King; and meddle not with them that are given to change.

HE Fear of God, and of the King,

THE

are joined together in Scripture, to fhew the Dependence one has upon the other. The only lafting Foundation of civil Obedience, is the Fear of God; and the trueft Intereft of Princes, is to maintain the Honour of Religion, by which they secure their own. The Advantage of Religion to all public Societies and civil Governments, is fo plain and visible, that fome have fufpected it to be the only End of Religion; which they allow to be an excellent Contrivance of State, a proper Remedy for the turbulent

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turbulent Humours and Paffions of Men. And though we acknowledge nobler and better Ends of Religion, which refpect another world; yet we muft, with Thankfulnefs to its Divine Author, own it to be excellently adapted to the temporal Felicity of private Men, and public Societies; Righteousness exalteth a Nation, but Sin is the Reproach of any People.

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If we look into the Hiftory of former Times, we fhall find the firft Symptoms of Ruin and Destruction have appeared in the diffolute Lives of the People, and a general Contempt of facred Things. Irreligion naturally tends to Disorder and Confufion for all civil and moral Duties are founded in the Principles of Religion; which once overthrown, nothing remains but pure Force and Power, to reftrain the unruly Appetites of Men: a Way of governing neither fafe to the Prince, nor easy to the People; and therefore can never last long. Duties, which flow from fixed and fettled Principles, must always be the fame; the Obligation arifing from them unalterable; from the Practice of which, will follow Order and Regularity. But Intereft and Paffion are in continual Motion, and liable

to

to infinite Changes; and Men who steer by them, can hold no fteady Course of Action, but must be given to change, as often as they are out of Humour, or think the present State of Things not proper to ferve their Turn. Therefore nothing but a religious Sense of our Duty to God, and to our Governors, his Minifters on Earth, can keep us conftant and upright in our Obedience. Fear God and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change.

I fhall not confider the Duty of fearing God, any farther than as the Obedience due to our Superiors on Earth is included in it; and shall therefore confine myself to the following Particulars; To confider,

First, What Obedience to our Governors is enjoined by the Law of God.

Secondly, How inconfiftent with this Obedience the Practice of thofe men is, who are given to change.

First, What Obedience to our Governors is enjoined by the Law of God.

Obedience is feen chiefly in three Things: Ift, In Submiffion to the Laws and Commands of our Princes.

2dly, In Honour and Reverence to their Perfons and Government.

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3dly, In defending them, when any Danger threatens them or the Public.

The first and principal Instance of Obedience, is Submiffion to the Laws and Commands of our Princes. To determine the Original of civil Power, or how the Prince's Right to the Obedience of the Subject first began, is neither eafy, nor at this Time neceffary. But whatever the Original of Government has been, or upon what Account foever lawful Authority has been. gained; upon the fame, Obedience becomes due. At the Time our Saviour appeared in the World, various were the Forms of Government in it, and different the Degrees of Power that were exercised by Rulers over different Countries; none of which were either leffened or increased by the divine. Law, but all pronounced to be the Ordinance of God; and Obedience to all exacted under the Penalty of disobeying God, the Original of all Power and Authority. For be that refifteth, refifteth the Ordinance of God; and they that refift, shall receive to themfelves Damnation.

But fince the Nature of Obedience is no where determined by the Law of God, but only the Practice of it commanded; fome

other

other Rule there must be, to judge of the Extent of our Duty. As in moral Virtues, the Light of Nature and right Reafon inform us what is Temperance, Sobriety, and the like; and therefore these Virtues are commanded in Scripture, and, in moft Cafes, Men left to their natural Notions of Good and Evil, to distinguish between the Virtue and the Vice; fo likewife muft the Acts of Obedience, which the Law of God commands, be explained and defined by fome other Rule. When the Jews put that captious Question to our Saviour, Whether it were lawful to pay tribute to Cæfar, or no; he gave no new Directions, but judged them out of their own Mouths by the known Rules of Government: for they having owned the Coin of the Country to bear Cafar's Image and Superfcription, a manifeft Token of their Subjection and his Sovereignty; he determined, Render therefore unto Cæfar the Things which are Cafar's. Agreeable to which is the Apostle's Rule, Tribute to whom Tribute is due. Our Saviour took it not upon him to determine the civil Right of Cæfar; but the Right appearing, Obedience and Compliance he commanded. The Rights of Princes are not determined

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