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SERM. fortable and delicious than this, that the great Master IX. of all things, the most wise and mighty King of heaven and earth, hath entertained a gracious regard, hath expressed a real kindness toward us? that we are in capacity to honour, to please, to present an acceptable sacrifice to him, who can render us perfectly happy? that we are admitted to the practice of that wherein the supreme joy of paradise, and the perfection of angelical bliss consists? For praise and thanksgiving are the most delectable business of heaven; and God grant they may be our greatest delight, our most frequent employment upon earth.

Vid. Psal.

To these I might add such further considerations: Ixix. 30, 31. That this duty is of all most acceptable to God, and

1. 13, 14.

23.

niss. Chrys.

That gratitude for benefits

most profitable to us. procures more, disposing God to bestow, and qualifying us to receive them. That the serious performance of this duty efficaciously promotes and facilitates the practice of other duties; since the more we are sensible of our obligations to God, the more ready we shall be to please him, by obedience to Vid. divi- his commandments. What St. Chrysostom saith of locum tom. prayer, It is impossible that he, who with competent v. p. 76. promptitude of mind doth constantly apply himself thereto, should ever sin, is most especially true of this part of devotion: for how can we at the same time be sensible of God's goodness to us, and willingly offend him? That the memory of past benefits, and sense of present, confirms our faith, and nourishes our hope of future. That the circumstances of the divine beneficence mightily strengthen the obligation to this duty; especially his absolute freeness in giving, and our total unworthiness to re

IX.

ceive; our very ingratitude itself affording strong SERM. inducements to gratitude. That giving thanks hath de facto been always the principal part of all religion, (whether instituted by divine command, or prompted by natural reason, or propagated by general tradition;) the Ethnic devotion consisting (as it were totally) in the praise of their gods, and acknowledgment of their benefits; the Jewish more than half in eucharistical oblations, and in solemn commemorations of providential favours; and that of the ancient Christians so far forth, that bystanders could hardly discern any other thing in Plin. Epist. their religious practice, than that they sang hymns to Christ, and by mutual sacraments obliged themselves to abstain from all villainy. But I will rather wholly omit the prosecution of these pregnant arguments, than be further offensive to your patience.

Now the blessed Fountain of all goodness and mercy inspire our hearts with his heavenly grace, and thereby enable us rightly to apprehend, diligently to consider, faithfully to remember, worthily to esteem, to be heartily affected with, to render all due acknowledgment, praise, love, and thankful obedience for all his (infinitely great and innumerably many) favours, mercies, and benefits freely conferred upon us: and let us say with David, Ps. Ixxii. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things: and blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from Ps. cvi. 48. everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen.

18, 19.

SERMON X.

ON THE KING'S HAPPY RETURN.

X.

Ver. 6.

1 TIM. ii. 1, 2.

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: for kings, and for all that are in authority.

SERM. ST. PAUL in his preceding discourse having insinuated directions to his scholar and spiritual son, 1 Tim. i. 3. Timothy, concerning the discharge of his office, of instructing men in their duty according to the evangelical doctrine; (the main design whereof he teacheth to consist, not (as some men conceited) in fond stories, or vain speculations, but in practice of substantial duties, holding a sincere faith, maintaining a good conscience, performing offices of pure and Ver. 5. 19. hearty charity;) in pursuance of such general duty, and as a principal instance thereof, he doth here first of all exhort, or, doth exhort that first of all all kinds of devotion should be offered to God, as for all men generally, so particularly for kings and magistrates. From whence we may collect two particulars. i. That the making of prayers for П«λā kings is a Christian duty of great importance. (St. οὖν πρῶτον Paul judging ft to exhort thereto πρῶτον πάντων, bemonidan fore all other things; or, to exhort that before all things it should be performed.) 2. That it is incumbent on the pastors of the church (such as St.

πάντων

ποιεῖσθαι.

X.

Timothy was) to take special care, that this duty SERM. should be performed in the church; both publicly in the congregations, and privately in the retirements of each Christian: according to what the apostle, after the proposing divers enforcements of this duty, subsumeth in the eighth verse; I will therefore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting.

The first of these particulars, That it is a duty of great importance to pray for kings, I shall insist upon it being indeed now very fit and seasonable to urge the practice of it, when it is perhaps commonly not much considered, or not well observed; and when there is most need of it, in regard to the effects and consequences which may proceed from the conscionable discharge of it.

My endeavour therefore shall be to press it by divers considerations, discovering our obligation thereto, and serving to induce us to its observance: some whereof shall be general, or common to all times; some particular, or suitable to the present circumstances of things.

I. The apostle exhorteth Christians to pray for kings with all sorts of prayer: with denσes, or deprecations, for averting evils from them; with προστ evxaì, or petitions, for obtaining good things to them; with évreugels, or occasional intercessions, for needful gifts and graces to be collated on them: as, after St. Austin, interpreters, in expounding St. Aug. Ep. 59. Beza, Paul's words, commonly distinguish; how accurately, Grotius, I shall not discuss: it sufficing, that assuredly the apostle meaneth, under this variety of expression, to comprehend all kinds of prayer. And to this I say we are obliged upon divers accounts.

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&c.

X.

SERM. 1. Common charity should dispose us to pray for kings. This Christian disposition inclineth to universal benevolence and beneficence; according to Gal. vi. 10. that apostolical precept, As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men: it consequently will excite us to pray for all men; seeing this is a way of exerting good-will, and exercising beneficence, which any man at any time, if he hath the will and heart, may have opportunity and ability to pursue.

No man indeed otherwise can benefit all: few men otherwise can benefit many: some men otherwise can benefit none: but in this way any man is able to benefit all, or unconfinedly to oblige mankind, deriving on any somewhat of God's immense beneficence. By performing this good office, at the expense of a few good wishes addressed to the sovereign Goodness, the poorest may prove benefactors to the richest, the meanest to the highest, the weakest to the mightiest of men: so we may benefit even those who are most remote from us, most strangers and quite unknown to us. Our prayers can reach the utmost ends of the earth; and by them our charity may embrace all the world.

And from them surely kings must not be excluded. For if, because all men are our fellowcreatures, and brethren by the same heavenly Father; because all men are allied to us by cognation and similitude of nature; because all men are the objects of God's particular favour and care: if, because all men are partakers of the common redemption, by the undertakings of him who is the common Mediator and Saviour of all men; and because all men, according to the gracious intent and desire of

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