VI. II. Other reafons will offer themselves DISC. respecting rulers, and the fituation in which they are placed. If we are to make interceffion, we are to make it chiefly for those who ftand most in need of it; for those, who in this life have the largest share of temptations and of troubles, many Now, who upon earth is exposed to so and powerful temptations as a king? Has he a propenfity to the pleasures of sense? They are all at his command: they stand around him, only waiting for his call, to return answer, "Here we are." Has avarice taken poffeffion of his breast? It may be gratified by amaffing treasures, instead of expending them in generous and noble donations. Is he disposed to pride? He has every thing the world can furnish to puff him up. Does ambition fire him to aggrandize himself at the expence of his neighbours; to feize that to which he has no right; to defolate whole countries, and de VI. DISC. luge them with the blood of the inhabitants? The inftruments of deftruction are prepared; fleets and armies move when the word is given. In short, does either appetite or paffion at any time excite him to do that which he ought not to do? The means are at hand, and there are always those who will flatter and encourage him in following his inclinations. But fuppofe him manfully to resist these temptations; and now let us view that fea of troubles, which threatens to overwhelm him in the discharge of his office. He must feel, day and night, the weight of that office, the various duties to be performed, and the difficulty, nay, almost impoffibility, of performing them all, in any tolerable manner. Deceived by others in matters concerning which he cannot inform himself, or fee them with his own eyes, he finds he has done wrong, when his whole intention was to do right; and perhaps bestowed his favours on worthleffness and profligacy, when he defigned to reward virtue and merit. Expofed continually VI. continually to the fhock of parties contend- DISC. ing, oftenfibly, for the public good, but, in reality, for places of honour and emolument, he knows not, at length, whom to trust or employ; nor must he trust and employ those whom he would wish to trust and employ; but is often under the neceffity of discarding men whom he loves, and taking to his bofom men whom he cannot love. In the mean time, a set of libertine, unprincipled writers in prose and verse are ready to exhibit him to his people as a monster, to mifrepresent and traduce his best actions, to aggravate his errors, and treat him in a manner in which he himself would difdain to treat the beggar at his gate.—Is a perfon thus circumstanced an object of envy? No; -if there be any bowels of love and mercy, pity and pray for him, that God would grant him patience in fuffering evil, and perfeverance in doing good, to the end of his days. This all of us may do; and this is all that most of us can do. By interceffion pisc. with heaven there is a communion opened VI. of the greatest with the leaft; and to the prayers of the meaneft and remoteft fubject of the empire, who knows him only by name when he prays for him, may the fovereign ftand indebted for fome part of the favour and profperity vouchfafed him, who needs the prayers of his people, because the cares and the toils of business will often scarcely allow him time and compofure of mind to pray for himself. III. But it is not only a regard to our rulers which fuggefts reasons why we should pray for them. A regard to ourselves fhould operate no lefs. Our own interest is deeply concerned. "I exhort that fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks, "be made for kings, and for all that are " in authority"—Why?" That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all "godliness and honesty;" a quiet and " peaceable life," as citizens; "in all godfflinefs and honefty," as Chriftians. "A quiet VI. "A quiet and peaceable life!"—What DISO. a bleffing! involving in it all other bleffings. Without quiet and peace, what can we pursue with pleasure, or enjoy with comfort? The Scriptures paint it under the lovely and affecting image of “ every "man fitting under his own vine, and un"der his own fig-tree"-"Sitting"-a posture of perfect eafe and fecurity" under " his own vine"-fomething that he can call his own, guarded and insured to him by the laws and government of his country. Without laws, and government to carry thofe laws into execution, there would be nothing that he could call his own. His next neighbour, who had a mind for it, and was ftronger than he, must have it, and with it the life of the proprietor offering to defend it. The weak must be a prey to the ftrong, and the honest man be ruined by the villain, without redress or remedy. We of this nation (blessed be our God for it) know not what it is to fee government overturned by war from abroad, or infurrection at home. For years toge ther |