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duce the like tragical Effects, as having a natural Tendency to fubvert Government, and to introduce Anarchy and Con fusion amongst Mankind.

FOR which Reason I have chofen for the Subject of my following Difcourse, this folemn Charge of the wife King Solomon to his Son; My Son, fear thou the Lord and the King: and meddle not with them that are given to change. In which Words are bound upon us three Rules of Life, very neceffary to be obferved by all who would not be deemed Enemies to the publick Peace and Tranquility. THE firft is, To fear the Lord.

THE fecond is, To fear the King. THE third is, Not to meddle with thoje that are given to change.

OF each of these Injunctions I shall difcourfe in Order, and fhall fhew in what Latitude, and with what Restrictions they are to be understood; how highly reasonable they are, and of how great Importance to the Prefervation of Human Society, and the Maintenance of the Magiftrates Authority.

THE

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Hab i.

THE Fear of God is a Duty equally obliging Perfons of all Ranks and Conditions, at all Times, and in all Places; and in its full Extent comprehends all other Duties. It has for its Foundation, all the glorious Attributes and Perfections of God; but more especially his Omniscience, his Holiness, his Juftice, and his Almighty Power. For they who are firmly perfuaded, that all their Actions, and Words, and Thoughts, are open to the View of the Deity; that he is of purer Eyes than to behold Evil with Approbation, and can- 13. not endure to look on Iniquity; that He will one Day judge all Men in Righte oufnefs according to their Works; and that the united Force of all the Creatures of the Universe cannot hinder Him from executing the terrible Sentence which He fhall then pass upon the Tranfgreffors of his Laws; they who do, in good Earneft, believe these Things to be true, and frequently and seriously confider them, will of Course be very careful not to incur the Difpleasure of the Almighty, by doing thofe Things which He hath forbidden, or Ff

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by neglecting to do what He hath comSERM. manded. Hence, in Scripture, the Fear of God is often used to fignify the Whole of Religion: Because in all who live under the Influence of it, it is a very powerful Principle of conftant and uniform Obe dience to the Divine Laws.

THE Fear of the King too compre hends the whole Duty of a Subject to his Sovereign. To fear the King is, to yield to him that Homage, and Submiffion, and Obedience, which the Laws of God, and of the Land, do require: Chearfully to contribute towards the fupporting his Royal Honour and Dignity, and the fup. plying the Neceffities of the State; to labour every one of us in our own Sphere to defeat the Expectations and Contritrivances of his Enemies, and to promote the Peace of his Government, and the Succefs of his Defigns; and continually. to pray to Him who difpofeth of all Events, to protect his Perfon, to direct his Counfels, and profper his Undertakings; to demean our felves towards him with profound Reverence, to speak honourably

rably of him, to think of him with Awe, to entertain the most favourable Opinion of his Character, and to put the best Conftruction upon his Actions; and finally, to render due Honour and Obedience to all inferior Magiftrates and Officers, who act by his Commiffion, and in Subordination to Him.

THE Reasonablenefs and Neceffity of all this, will appear by fhewing, that nothing less than this, will fully answer the Ends of Government; and that the contrary Practices are very injurious to the Authority of Princes, and do tend to the Disturbance and Diffolution of Society.

GOVERNMENT it is clear, cannot fubfift, where there are none who will submit to be governed, and own their De pendance upon their Governours: There can be no Soveraign, where there are no Subjects; no Commanders, where nonę will obey.

To call any one King, and at the fame Time to rebel against his Authority, what is this but to mock him with an Ff2 empty

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empty Title? And it is nearly the fame Cafe, when Subjects, though they do not take up Arms against their Soveraign, do withdraw from him thofe Supplies without which his Government cannot be upheld.

In the natural Body all the Members, even thofe which are esteemed the most ignoble and inconfiderable, do their Of fice for the Prefervation and Well-being of the Whole: And in the political it is as fitting that all the Members, even those which are in a private Station, fhould, as their Circumstances will allow them, exert themfelves for the Security and Profperity of the whole Community. The Protection which the Authority of the Magiftrate affords to all, lays an Obligation upon all to unite in the Defence of it against the Attempts of its Enemies, which fometimes can no otherwife be repelled than by the united Endeavours of all. It gives great Encouragement to the Adverfaries of a State to observe, that those who do not fide with them, are not very hearty and diligent against them.

The