Thanksgiving for Princes. A SERMON Preached before the Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS, A T St. Margaret's, Westminster, On Wednesday, March 8, 1703-4, I TIM. ii. 1, 2, 3. I Exhort, That, first of all, Supplications, Prayers, Interceffions, and giving of Thanks be made for all Men; for Kings, and all that are in Authority; that we may lead a Quiet and Peaceable Life, in all Godliness and Honefty: For this is Good and Acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour. THER HERE was nothing by which the SER M. ed, and hoped fo much to retard the SER M. Progrefs of it, as by representing to VIII. Princes and Rulers, that the Propagation Jude 8. of this Doctrine tended to fubvert their Government; that the Spreaders of it, where-ever they came, exceedingly troubled Cities, and turned the World upfide down. It behoved the Apoftles, therefore, to guard against this Objection with all imaginable Care. As they knew, that the great Work, in which they were employed, was not, as yet, to be promoted, or countenanced by the Powers of this World; fo they refolved to give them no juft Ground, or Colour to obstruct it: and wifely, therefore, took all Occafions to declare their Abhorrence of fuch as deSpifed Dominion, and Spake Evil of Dignities; frequently preffed upon their new Converts the Duties of paying Honour, and Fear, and Tribute to the Higher Powers [as being the Ordinance of God] and of fubmitting themselves to them, not only for Wrath, but also for ConScience Sake. And, for this Reason, it may be prefumed that St. Paul introduceth his Inftructions to Timothy, the new Bishop fhop of Ephefus, by Exhorting him, that, SREM. in order to a due Difcharge of his high VIII. Truft, he should first of all, or, above all things, take care, that Supplications, Prayers, Interceffions, and giving of Thanks be made for all Men; efpecially for Kings, and all that are in Authority; that we may lead a Quiet and Peaceable Life, in all Godliness, and Honefty: For this, fays he, is Good, and Acceptable in the Sight of God; our Saviour. The Exhortation hath a double Afpect, on Mankind in general, and on Princes and Rulers in particular. I fhall confider it, with regard to the Latter of these only, for whofe Sake the Apoftle feems chiefly to have made it; and under this View, it fuggefts to us Three Heads of Discourse, very proper to be handled on this Day, and in this Affembly. I. It recommends a great Duty to us, the Duty of making Supplications, Prayers, and Interceffions, and of giving Thanks, for Kings, and all that are in Authority. I. II. It expreffes the general Reason, and Ground of that Duty: For this is Good and Acceptable in the Sight of God, our Saviour. III. It quickens us to the Exercise of it by a special Motive, drawn from the Confideration of our own Eafe, Advantage, and Happiness; That we may lead a Quiet and Peaceable Life, in all Godliness and Honesty. Thefe Points I fhall firft confider, and explain, in that Latitude, with which the Apostle hath propofed them; and then adapt the general Argument to the particular Occasion of this Day's joyful Solemnity. The Writers on this Place have diftinguished with fome Exactness between Supplications, Prayers, and Interceffions, and endeavoured to give us the ftrict and proper Sense of each of thefe Words; which, I think, it is neither neceffary, nor easy to to determine, Sure we are, that by All S ERM. thele together the Apofties intended to ex- VII. prefs the Petitionary Part of our Devotions; and by giving of Thanks, the other Part, which consists of Hymns and Praises. These two comprife the whole of our Religious Service; and in both thefe ways we are exhorted to addrefs ourselves to God, for Kings, and all that are in Authority, i. e. for the Supreme Magiftrate, and all Inferior and Subordinate Governors. 1 Tim. iii. 15. Ancient and Modern Interpreters agree to understand this Paffage of the Public Offices, or Devotions of the Church: and, indeed, the Epifcopal Character of Timothy, to whom the Exhortation is addreffed; the Inftructions which immediately follow, and manifeftly relate to the fame Head of Public Worship; and the profeffed Design of St. Paul in writing this Epistle, which was, to inftruct Timothy, How he ought to behave himself Tim. iii. in the Houfe of God; do, I think, naturally and neceffarily determine us so to understand it: Efpecially, if we confider, that 15. |