MY design in speaking to these words at this time is, partly to applaud that excellent Choice, which you the Loyal Young Men of this City made, when even in the blackest of times you openly bid defiance to every thing that called it self Seditious or Fanatical, and solemnly Devoted your Lives and Fortunes to the Royal Interests; and partly to direct your forward Zeal to some apt and suitable pressions thereof, that so you may not only be re­puted, but may in all instances approve your selves, what the great reason and intent of this Anniversary Feast oblige you all to be.

In prosecution of which ends, without any farther Introduction, I shall make it my business to represent unto you,

• [Page 2]I. What great Obligations there are lying on all Subjects to Honor the King.
• II. What are the most proper and effectual Methods for the expressing that Honor by;
• II. How unreasonably some men pretend to Honor him, when their practices run counter to his Interest concluding all
• IV. With some seasonable Improvement of the whole.

1. What great Obligations there are lying on all Subjects to Honor the King. And those I take to be principally three, viz. 1. The express command of God; 2. The ties of common Gratitude; 3. The dictates of common Prudence.

1. The express command of God. For maugre all the artifices and pretensions, which the filthy Gno­sticks of old made use of for the disengaging them­selves from the obligations of Christian subjection; maugre all the fallacious Arguments and Apologies, which the Modern Gnosticks of these latter Ages have found out for the defence and vindication of their Vil­lanous and Anti-Christian Practices, yet if there be any credit to be reposed in the Holy Scriptures, those Lively Oracles of God, there is no truth more certain and undeniable, than that Kings, as they are Kings, have a just Right to our profoundest reverences and respects, and that there is nothing in the whole world sufficient to annul or can­cel [Page 3] the indispensable duty of Honour which is owing them. Of this our Apostle St. Peter, among the other Sacred Penmen, is a clear and positive, as well as infallible, Witness. For whereas it was urged in his time, that all the Proselytes of the Holy Jesus were the Lords Freemen, that he had delivered them from the slavery of Obedience to Magistrates who had be­fore Tyrannically insulted over them, and that now they were all become Kings and Princes themselves, absolute and independent; our Apostle a little before my Text reflects upon the grosness and carnality of this their error, telling them indeed that they ought to look upon and value themselves as Free, i. e. as men deliver'd by Christ from the Bondage of the Cere­monial and Judicial Laws; but yet, this notwith­standing, it would be no ways excusable in them, if they made this Freedom or Deliverance [...]; a Cloak or Covering for Sedition or any other Wickedness. And whereas it is even at this day urged, by some in the Communion of the Church of Rome on the one hand, that there is no Deference or Allegiance owing to an Heretical Prince; and by most of the Puritanical Separatists on the other, that there is none owing to a Papist Prince, it is remarkable, that Tiber. Clau­dius, whose Life see in Sueto­nius. the King, who Reigned, when the Apostle wrote this Epistle, was an Idolatrous Heathen, and not only so, but likewise a most extra­vagantly [Page 4] debauched and bloody Tyrant. And yet saith the Apostle, Honor the King; tho the way of Worship, which he maintaineth and defendeth, be certainly of all others the most vile and abominable, and tho the whole course of his Actions be very much beneath the Dignity of a Man, and much more of a Prince; yet since the Great Lord and Pro­prietary of all things hath thought fit to make him partake of the Glory of the Divinity, by advancing him into the number of the Ps. lxxxii. 6. Mortal Gods, you are necessarily bound for the sake of his Eminent Character to deport your selves with all dutiful respect towards him, lest otherwise by despising him ye be found despisers of the Almighty Jehova, who hath intrusted the So­vereign Authority and Jurisdiction in his hands. But,

2. Another Obligation, which lieth upon all Sub­jects to Honor the King, is deduced from the ties of common Gratitude. For unless a King be mon­strously negligent or savage in the exercise of the Su­preme Power, unless he totally addicteth himself to the brutish sensualities of the Flesh, or the more brutish efforts of violence and raging Cruelty, the fatigues and cares, which he must necessarily un­dergo in the Administration of the Government, cannot but deserve so well at least of the generality of his people, as to derive upon him a very firm Title to the most humble expressions of thankful­ness. [Page 5] But, whaever the circumstances of Forein Sub­jects are, I am sure we of this Nation must be most horribly ungrateful, and therefore unchristian, if we are defective in rendring the due acknowledgments of Honor and Praise unto our most Excellent Prince. For, if we consider him in himself, his unbiassed Justice, his exemplary Temperance, his resolute Courage, his sagacious Prudence, his never-failing Veracity, his indefatigable Industry; together with many other Noble and Godlike Dispositions of Mind: would all exact of us, even if he were not a Prince, a very extraordinary admiration and esteem. But then, If we consider him farther as the Man, whom God himself hath in a very wounderful manner de­lighted to Honor; and that not only in common with other Sovereign Princes, by making him one of his Deputies or Vicegerents here on Earth, but like­wise by many miraculous Interpositions of Provi­dence, for his safety and deliverance, by rescuing him from the jaws of many violent Deaths, wherewith the Raging Waves, Forein Enemies, and accursed Domestick Traytors, have often threatned him, we are surely bound, even in submission to the unerring judgment of God, to conclude him worthy of a great Veneration, who hath all his life long evidently been the peculiar Care of Heaven. And yet this is not all; For, If we consider him farther in respect unto these his Kingdoms, he cannot be denied to be [Page 6] a Tender Father and Defender of them, doing what in him lieth towards the advancement of your Repu­tation Abroad, making the Publick Good the Rule and Square of his Actions at Home, suffering his own Rest and Quiet to be frequently interrupted for the sake of other mens Security, condescending in many instances, even beneath the Grandeur of his Royal Station, in order to the satisfaction of his people, and in a word, so managing his Actions in the general course of them, as is most likely effectu­ally to render himself one of the most Glorious of Princes, and us absolutely the most happy People in the world. And are we not then even in Honor bound to Honor such a Prince? But,

3. If there be any here present, who are not to be prevailed on either by this or the fore-mentioned Obligation, let them moreover consider that they are obliged unto the same by the dictates of common Prudence. For, when all is done, even in respect of this Life, Loyalty is ordinarily the best Policy; and tho it be true indeed that there are some particu­lar examples to be produced, of Honest men who have been utterly ruined for their Fidelity to their King, and of Villans who have raised themselves plentiful Fortunes by their opposition to him; yet generally speaking, or for the most part, the best and most likely way of being good and kind to our selves in our Temporal, as well as Spiritual, con­cerns, [Page 7] is to be just and faithful unto Caesar. If you look back to the History of the late times of Anarchy and Confusion, you will there indeed observe Re­bellion for a while very Triumphant and Prosperous; he that was the least troubled with a bogling Con­science, that could audaciously attempt the most Sawcy and Virulent things against Royal Majesty, put himself in the fairest way for a publick vogue, and for that which is usually consequent thereunto, the capacity of soon getting a great Estate. But if you likewise remark the Issues of things, pray what generally became of those Impudent Hotspurs at a long run? Many of them you will find were un­done and destroyed by others of their own Faction; and tho some others had a long time the good luck to secure themselves, notwithstanding all the various changes and vicissitude of affairs, yet Divine Justice hath already overtaken the far greatest part of them, the Persons of some being brought to tragical and ex­ecrable ends, and the Estates of the most being come to nought, their Families impoverished, and scarce any thing of them remaining behind, besides their Names, to be detested and abhorred by all succeeding Generations. Nay farther yet, if we reflect on the Transactions that have occurred within the compass of these few years, what is it that the Hot-headed Bigots of the Faction have got by all their multi­plyed Plots and Conspiracies? Have they indeed at­tained [Page 8] the proposed ends of increasing their Wealth, and swelling their Titles, and of living more hap­pily and joyfully than they did before? It must be confessed that at one time they grew very rampant and domineering, and seemed too too likely by their number and noise to bear down all before them. But when the Measure of their Arbitrary and Seditious Practices was once filled up, God was then pleased to make even those very Practices the Instruments of their ruin, and instead of blessing them with the expected success, miraculously to blast and confound all their devices; so that now they are become in all their capacities Fatal Examples of the mischiefs arising from Disloyalty, and we may boldly with the Psal­mist say of them and of all villanous Psal. lxxiii. 18. undertakings, O how suddenly do they consume, perish, and come to a fearful end!

And thus I have endeavoured to represent unto you, what great obligations there are lying on all Subjects to Honor the King. I come now in the se­cond place to shew you, what are the most proper and effectual methods for the Honor by. And those that I shall at present discourse of, and which are indeed the chiefest, shall be the three that follow, viz. We are obliged to express our Honor of the King,

• [Page 9]I. By always speaking respectfully of his Person;
• II. By yielding a due obedience unto his Laws;
• III. By endeavouring the promotion of his other just Interests on all emergent occasions, tho we be not by the letter of any Human Statute compellible thereunto.

1. By always speaking respectfully of his Person. And this indeed (tho it be one of the meanest and lowest manifestations of our duty, yet) i [...] in it self so indispensable, as that I know not how we can rightly be denominated so much as Christians, if we customarily act in contradiction to it. For so in­finitely tender is our Holy Religion of the Reputati­ons of all men, as that it by no means permits us to speak evil of any, even the most inferior person: nay we are not only forbid to detract from such an one, by inventing or spreading a false report, but even by unnecessarily relating an Uncharitable Truth, concerning him. And how much less then doth our Religion permit us to speak evil of Gods Anointed, whom he hath deputed to Reign in his own stead? St. Jude tells us in the ninth verse of his Epistle, that Michael the Arch-Angel durst not bring a railing ac­cusation even against the Devil himself: for tho he be only an accursed Prince of the Air, yet because he is a Prince, a favourable modesty of speech towards him was adjudged best becoming. And if so, then surely they have great reason with shame and con­fusion [Page 10] of Face to reflect upon themselves; who think it not enough formerly to have been concerned in the most damnably malicious defamations of their Sovereign Liege Lord, but still persevere in the making it a part of their Saintship to vilifie and traduce him, sometimes by unjust and unreasonable insinuations, and more often by groundless forgeries and lyes. But (beloved) we have not so learnt Christ, the Rules of our Profession requiring of us a directly contrary behaviour; and therefore, if we would act agreeably to the Injunctions thereof, it is necessary for us, in case we ever hear of any Infir­mities, wherewith the King as a man is encompassed (and who alas! Is there that can plead an exempti­on from such?) presently to cover them with the Mantle of Piety and Charity, perfectly abominating any the least resemblance to the inhuman crime of * Ham, when he delighted to gaze Gen. i. 22. upon and publish his Fathers naked­ness. But this is not all, for we are in like manner strictly bound to take all convenient opportunities of displaying the many Admirable accomplishments and endowments, which render the King deservedly Illustrious, not only forbearing to speak ill, but speaking as well of him as we may and ought; that his Enemies may be the more ashamed of their base and unjustifiable Disobedience, and his Friends the more readily excited to the engaging themselves in. [Page 11] his Services, even tho they were sure of becoming Sa­crifices thereby. But,

2. Besides the speaking respectfully of him, if we would indeed Honor him aright, we must likewise yield a due obedience unto his Laws, those I mean which are still in force, and so far as they are in force. For as our Saviour hath made the observation of his Laws the Test where­by to distinguish his Friends from his Enemies ( John xv. 14. Ye are my friends, saith he, if ye do whatsoever I command you:) So the same may be proportionably said of the observation of the Kings Laws too. But among the rest there are three sorts of them more especially, which exact a thorough conformity from all those, who would in good earnest be thought to deserve the reputable Character of the Kings Friends, viz. 1. Those which concern Uniformity in Divine Worship; 2. Those which prohibit the Levying of Arms against the King upon any pretence whatsoever; 3. Those which determine the payment of Tri­bute.

As for those which concern Uniformity, uncon­trollable experience hath all along demonstrated, how absolutely necessary that is for the support of the Crown; Recusants of all sorts having ever since the Reformation been the Instruments of almost in­finite disturbances in the State; and it being more [Page 12] especially observable of our Fanatick Recusants, that notwithstanding all the noises, which they for­merly made concerning their own godliness and their good meanings, yet (to speak within compass) there was in all probability not one in five hundred of them, but what evidently enough appeared at least to have wished well to the success of the late Rebel­lious Arms. And therefore, if we would not be thought Confederates with those, who every day undermine the True Interests of the Crown and the present Government, one of the most effe­ctual methods is intimately to adhere to the Com­munion of the Established Church, than which none can possibly be more Loyal in the world.

And so again as to those Laws which prohibit the Levying of Arms against the King, altho there have been some indeed, who have been impudent enough to assert, that the so doing is consistent with the Duty of a good Subject, declaring even when they were in actual Rebellion against their Sovereign, that they intended nothing else thereby but only to make him a most Glorious Prince, yet the fal­lacious absurdity of this Paradox was notoriously interpreted by the terrible event, the Glory (pre­tendedly) designed, being not that of a Trium­phant Throne here, but the Glory of dying a Mar­tyred Sacrifice to the implacable fury of his Ene­mies. Which kind of Glory, tho I question not [Page 13] but that in the consequence of it proved infinitely happy to that Ever-Blessed Saint, yet God forbid that it should ever be made a President of a way to Honor the King in future Ages! For surely it is a very strange expression of Honor inhumanly to murther the person Honored; nay to do any thing in the least measure tending thereunto, must needs be directly repugnant to the duties of Fidelity and Obedience.

And so lastly as to those Laws which determine the payment of Tribute, it is plain that thereby a Legal Right unto those sums of mony there­in specified, whether they be greater or less, is devolved upon the King; and tho it is to be feared, that there are too many in the Kingdom, who take all the secret opportunities of defrauding him thereof, and that notwithstanding still reckon themselves Mighty Loyallists, yet for my part I must confess that I am not able to reconcile things so very opposite and contradictory. Our Saviour I am sure manifested his own Loyalty, and com­manded us to manifest ours, Mark xii. 17. by giving unto Caesar the things that are Caesars: and St. Paul among other instances of subjection injoyns this as one, Rom. xiii. 7. that we should render Tribute to whom Tribute is due; Custom to whom Custom. From whence it clearly follows, unless we will deny our Saviour [Page 14] and St. Paul to have been competent Judges of the Obligations of Loyalty, that he that cheateth the King of his Custom, or any other Dues, is in so doing an evil and a disobedient Subject, neither truly Loyal, nor Christian. But,

3. It is not sufficient for us, if we would in­deed Honor the King aright, to speak respectfully of him, and to be obedient to his express Laws, it being likewise required of us to endeavour the pro­motion of all his other Just Interests on all emer­gent occasions, tho we be not by the Letter of any Human Statute compellible thereunto. For such a defect of knowledge always attends all Human Legislators, as that it is utterly impossible for them to foresee the various accidents that contingently arise, and therefore they cannot in many particular cases explicitly prescribe what is necessary to be done in order to the Publick Good. From whence it cometh to pass that in many weighty transacti­ons, which have a great influence upon the Com­munity, men are left indeterminately on the one side or the other to act according to the Liberty of their own Wills; insomuch that it is easily pos­sible for a man to come up to the Letter of those Established Laws, which usually fall under cog­nizance, and yet at the same time to be a very ill and pernicious Member of Society. Thus, for example, in the Popular Election of Officers [Page 15] to Publick Trusts and Employs, the common In­terests of the Kingdom certainly require us only to Vote for those, who by the soundness of their Principles, and other necessary qualifications, are well capacitated for the respective Places, for which they are Candidates. But yet, because it is not possible for the Law-giver upon all occasions to determine, what persons are well capacitated, and what not, therefore the liberty of determining that is thought fit for some Political reasons to be indulged to the People. Which liberty not­withstanding if any man so far abuseth, as to throw away his Voice upon a Person known to be Distaffected to the Government, or otherwise unqualified, let him call himself as good a Church­man or Kings-man as he pleaseth, yet in this at least he acteth contrarily to the duties of such. And as it is not allowable for any man to abuse the Liberty granted him to the Kings Disservice in this Case, so neither is it in any other Parallel Case that doth occur. Concerning which point it is farther to be observed, that tho abuses of this kind are not properly and in themselves pu­nishable by the Laws of the Land, yet they cer­tainly render us obnoxious to the Laws of God, he having indefinitely commanded us to do what in us lieth for the advancement of the Kings Ho­nor, [Page 16] and we therefore being unavoidably obliged thereunto in all manner of Instances, excepting only those which interfere with some superior Com­mand of God, that clearly appeareth to be his Command.

And thus I have dispatched the second Ge­neral proposed, and come now in the third place to represent, how unreasonably some men pre­tend to Honor the King, when their Practices run counter to his Interests. Such more particularly I mean,

• I. Who only talk for the King and Govern­ment, and never act any thing;
• II. Who tho they Act somtimes well, yet are often biassed by sinister respects and considerations to the acting ill;
• III. And lastly, Who lead debauched and irregu­lar lives.

1. Who only talk for the King and Govern­ment, and never Act any thing. And these indeed are a dangerous sort of Plausible Hypocrites, who usually do as much prejudice to the Kings Cause, as his most avowed Enemies. Nay sometimes they do much more; for, whereas his avowed Ene­mies are always suspected, and therefore narrowly watched, and seldom or never trusted in any thing, these men, before they are well known, too often [Page 17] occasion some degree of confidence to be reposed in them, and by that means cunningly slip into Publick Offices, answerable to their respective qualities. But when they have so done, then they begin to shew themselves by deceiving the expectations that were conceived of them; for, instead of being really instrumental in the service of the Crown, their time is chiefly spent in consulting their own ease and quiet, thinking it enough to enjoy the Honor, with­out undergoing any thing of the Burthen, of the Places to which they are called. Some­times an immoderate desire of Pleasure, and hatred of business seduce them from their Duty; either their Lusts prevail upon them to play the Wantons, or the Good-Fellows, or to prosecute some diverting Sports or Games, and therefore they cannot be at leisure when there is need of them. Othertimes through Cowardise and ex­orbitant Fear they quit the exercise of their Rea­son and Authority together; if they should en­gage in such and such difficult points, they are afraid it may be the worse for them hereafter, and therefore they are resolved to sleep in a whole Skin, and to have nothing to do in those matters. Othertimes again a covetous principle [Page 18] operates within them, and suggesteth great ad­vantages that may accrue, if they will be but absent at such a time; mony perhaps may be gotten abroad, or saved at home, Relations may be gratified, or obligations may be laid upon some who may do good turns another way, and therefore they pretend that they have some private concerns that are not to be dispensed with, and so excuse themselves. And thus by the prevalence of these and such like temptati­ons, when any business of real importance is to be done, they constantly slip their Necks out of the Collar, leaving the King to shift for himself as well as he can, and preferring their own corrupt affections and sensual interests to the common Good. And are not such persons then, if they call themselves Loyalists, Ufurpers of that Honorable Name? Yes certainly; for, if they had any real Title thereunto, they would at least be so far Masters of themselves, as to control and over-rule those their vicious Appe­tites, when they arise in opposition to the ne­cessary Duties of their Station, and the Publick advantage. But,

2. Those men likewise unreasonably pre­tend to Honor the King, as they ought to do, who, tho they Act sometimes well, yet are often biassed by sinister respects and considerations to the acting ill. For he that truly and really honoreth the King, doth it uniformly and regu­larly, as well in one instance as another; he is not at any time to be induced either with Judas, or the Rebel Scots to sell his Master for mo­ny; but is constantly honest and just unto him, even tho he were sure of losing, as well as tho he were likely of getting, an Estate by serving him. If therefore any man cometh to bargain with him for the doing any thing contrary to the Interests of his Prince and Country, he flieth from him as from a Poiso­nous Serpent; he detesteth the person, who durst affront him so grosly, as to think him so base and mercenary a Traytor; and he abominateth the offered reward of unrighteousness with the same kind of Holy Indignation, as St. Peter did, when in the zeal of his soul he said unto Si­mon Magus, Acts viii. 20. Thy mony perish with thee! Which generous disposition is indeed implanted in the very Habit of his mind; [Page 20] for he is Loyal upon Principles, and for Con­science sake; not for the hopes of preferment, not by chance or good fortune, not because it is Fashionable to be so; but because God hath positively required it of him, and hath made it one special part of his Unchangeable Law. Whereas now, if on the other side we review the persons of whom we were speaking, it is strange to observe into how many Shapes mony is able to change them. Sometimes there are no men so high for Conformity and Subje­ction as they, and (if you will believe them) they would not by their good wills leave a Wealthy Fanatick, and much less a Rebel, in England. Othertimes they Advocate for pity to be shewn to such a man whom they name, for that, tho he hath justly incurred the penal­ties of Recusancy, or it may be forfeited his life, yet by favor and fair means he may per­haps be made a Proselyte. And so in many other particulars very easie to be reckoned up, were it necessary, they clash and interfere with themselves; the true reason of which is, be­cause their pretended Loyalty is not bottomed upon the firm Foundation of Religion, but up­on things variable and uncertain, I mean their [Page 21] own advantages. And what praise then is really unto such persons? Upon what account can the King be really said to be beholden to them? For though they be supposed sometime to perform Services, if considered in themselves, signal and Eminent, yet when they perform them for their own sakes, and not for the sake of the King, as our Saviour Matth. vi. 2. saith in another case, Verily they have their reward. But then moreover, when they them­selves demonstrate by their actions, that the very same principle, which leads them some­times to be Serviceable to the Crown, can othertimes lead them to be Disserviceable to the same, they have no reason to boast that they deserve to receive Honor from it, when they really shew none at all to it. But,

3. And lastly, Those men in like manner un­reasonably pretend to Honor the King in the full sense and meaning of the Text, who lead debauched and irregular lives. For tho such persons indeed may chearfully embark them­selves in the Kings Business, and heartily wish well to his Cause, and sometimes in their several Spheres do brave and acceptable things, yet by their gross and scandalous Immoralities they cer­tainly [Page 22] countermine themselves, and mightily in­crease the number and strength of the Party which they say they hate. For although it be in it self highly absurd and unreasonable, for any men to encourage themselves in Disloyalty against their Prince, because there are some on their Princes side, who are Disloyal to their Maker, especially considering how obnoxious the Opposite Party is to much more severe Re­criminations; yet de facto we find that the open impieties of some, who call themselves Loy­allists, are frequently made an argument against Loyalty it self, and that that Argument is usu­ally adjudged very cogent and demonstrative by the common and injudicious sort of people: and so it comes to pass that the King loses the hearts of many of his Subjects, who are by these means decoyed out of their Duty and Allegiance, even to the Associating themselves with his professed Adversaries. But this is not the only mischief which the vicious and Immoral behaviour of such persons doth; for it is more­over sadly observable, that thereby they do what in them lieth, tho inconsiderately perhaps and besides their intentions, for the bringing down the heavy wrath of God, not only on [Page 23] themselves, but on their Sovereign too. To which purpose it is remarkable, when Samuel exhorteth the Children of Israel to fear the Lord, and to serve him in Truth with all their heart (1 Sam. xii. 24.) that one great Motive which he useth with them is this, that if they still did wickedly, they should be consumed, both they and their King. The Justice of which threatning, if it be called in question, may be cleared from hence, that the proper way of taking vengeance upon Kingdoms for a General and National wickedness, is by in­flicting a General and National punishment, which can never be done, but that the King, who is the Head of the Body Politick, must needs bear a large share in it, in proportion to the na­ture and quality of that which the Body beareth. So that from hence it follows, that every wicked man, as he is a wicked man, is a real Enemy to his Prince, because as such, he for one contributes to the provoking and incensing God unto the exercise of his fury, in the de­stroying both Prince and People by a com­mon fate. And therefore they, who would in good earnest promote and perpetuate the Honor of their Prince, are strictly bound, if they will [Page 24] not live religiously for Gods sake, or their own, yet at least to live so for the sake of their Prince, whose safety and happiness so much depend upon the piety and vertue of his People.

And thus I have done with the three Ge­neral Heads of discourse proposed to be spoken to. From all which it cannot but appear, that in order to the Constituting and Making a truly Loyal man a great many things are ab­solutely required, and that not every one who Honoreth the King in some few Cases, but he alone who Honoreth him in all, hath a just claim to that Appellation. And if so, then let me per­suade and prevail upon all here present, but especi­ally upon you who are the Great and Flourishing Hopes of this City, not to content your selves with a formal and superficial appearance of Loyalty, but constantly to endeavour in your respective Stations the manifestation of the in­ward power and virtue thereof. You have lately given to your selves a Gallant and Excel­lent President of so doing; for no more is re­quired of you, but only to continue Acting consistently and agreeably to what you did the other day, when you so eagerly courted the op­portunity of being in Arms against the Rebels. [Page 25] Do but still persevere in disvaluing all your other private Interests, when the King's are at stake, as you then seemed to disvalue your very lives, and you cannot fail of performing the Whole of this Duty. For your farther encou­ragement whereunto you would do well to consider, that you have now the Honor of being Headed by The Right Honorablethe Lord Arthur Somerset. a Truly No­ble, and Right Honorable Leader, a Leader, whose example, if you attend to it, may be a Living Ser­mon of Loyalty; and therefore, seeing you have voluntarily listed yourselves under so Great a Command, it will be the basest thing in the world, if hereafter you should disgrace both his Lordship and your selves by turning Renega­does or Apostates. But this is not the only bond wherewith you are obliged; for you may likewise reflect on the Solemnity of those se­veral Addresses, which together with your selves you have been admitted to prostrate at the King's feet; and consequently you cannot with­out a monstrous vileness and disingenuity violate those Promises, which you have so sacredly and frequently made. But above all it will be proper for you to remember, that your Eternal [Page 26] Salvation very much depends upon the discharge of this Duty of Obedience the right way; and therefore, if you have any regard to your own well-being hereafter, let this consideration like wise be instrumental in nourishing and increasing your Fervent Zeal; that so at the last day, when the Great King of Heaven comes to make a Scrutiny into your Actions, and inquireth especi­ally [...]w you have behaved your selves to­wards his Vice-Gerents on Earth, you may be found in the number of those, who shall be counted worthy to Rule, because they have not thought it any ways unworthy of them to Obey, and may be exalted to those everlasting Thrones of Glory and Happiness, where all the most transporting satisfactions of infinite Splendor and Triumph are to be enjoyed. Which God grant even for the merits of his Blessed Son! Amen.