Vicegerents in it. In the Church, they are the Minifters of the Gospel, who are the spiritual Fathers of the People committed to their Charge. In a Family, they and their respective Inferiors are Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Mafters and Servants. 2. Superiors in Excellency are fuch as furpass others, either in the Gifts of the Mind, or in Wealth and Honour, or in Beneficence and Liberality, &c. and our Purpose must be to fhew, what are the feveral Rights that these Men may claim, and, confequently, what are the Duties that interfere between the Prince and Subject, the Paftor and People, Parents and Children, the Hufband and Wife, the Master and Servant, Friend and Friend; between Superiors in Rank and Riches, in Parts and Abilities, and their refpective Inferiors.

1. Between Prince and Subject.

WH

HOEVER will give himself Pains to reflect upon the State and Condition of Things in this World (and to confider how much ftronger Influence Mens Paffions have over them than their Reafon) may foon be convinced of the Neceffity of Government to the Peace and Happinefs of it. We may perceive, by the Injustice and Wickedness that is done every Day, in Defiance of Law and Punishment, what Mankind would be if these Restraints were withdrawn, and Will and Pleasure were the fole Principle of every one's Actions. It is of happy Defign therefore that God has appointed governing Powers in the World, for the Support and Comfort of human Society, to be his Minifters to us for Good, and Revengers to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil. But then thefe Governors are not to look upon themfelves as Perfons exalted, by the immediate Direction of Heaven, K 2

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to an Height above other Mortals, merely to be Arbitrators, at their own Pleasure, of the Lives and Fortunes of their Fellow-Creatures; but as Perfons called, by the Providence of God, to a difficult and laborious Tafk; not to live in Eafe and Delicacy, but to watch, Day and Night, for the Good of that Society in which they prefide; to be distinguished indeed from others by the Enfigns of Greatnefs and Authority, but this only to make them more capable of serving the Publick, and confulting the Interest of all their Subjects, in their endeavouring, by all proper Means, to promote the Honour and Intereft of true Religion, but without ufurping an Authority over other Mens Confciences; in their taking Care to have the Laws duly executed, and yet that Execution tempered with all the Lenity and Goodness that may be confiftent with the publick Safety; in protecting their Subjects against all outward Violence, and providing them fuch Things as are neceffary for the Relief of their Wants; and in encouraging and promoting Perfons of Merit and Probity, and making them the more peculiar Objects of their Favour and Confidence.

In the Language of Scripture, Kings and Queens are called the nurfing Fathers and nurfing Mothers of their People; and the Terms (in what Senfe foever we take them, whether for natural Parents, or for fuch as fupply their Place in the Care and Tuition of Children, viz. Guardians and Nurses) do certainly imply a wonderful Truft repofed in Princes, and a wonderful Care, Sollicitude, and Tenderness required of them, with Relation to those that are committed to them. As therefore they are nurfing Fathers, they are to fecure and promote the temporal Peace and Happiness of their Subjects; and, accordingly, fhould think themfelves obliged to look into the Affairs of the Kingdom with their

own Eyes, and to fee that all Magiftrates under them do their Duty, in their respective Stations and Offices; to take Care that their Favourites incroach. not upon them, or make ufe of the Credit they have with them, for the Oppreffion of the meaneft of the People; and to provide, that impartial Juftice be administered to all; but Juftice (as we faid before) that is tempered with Mercy, because they fhould remember, that their Thrones fhould be upholden by Mercy. And as they are nurfing Fathers, with a more immediate Regard to the Church of God, their Bufinefs must be to maintain and defend the true Religion; to encourage Piety and Virtue; to oppose and discountenance all Atheism and Infidelity, all Schifms and Herefies, and all Vice, and Wickednefs, and Impiety of what Kind foever; to use their utmost Endeavours to make all their Subjects good Men and good Christians; and, in order to this, not only to be exemplary themselves in Piety and Devotion, in Temperance and Moderation, and all other Virtues; but to take especial Care that Godliness be not defamed, and the Ways of Truth evil spoken of, by Reason either of the ill Lives of ill Principles of those that incompass the Throne: For this was holy David's Refolution, and the. Measure he defigned to follow in his Government, when God had advanced him to the Kingdom of Ifrael: I will walk in my Houfe in a perfect Heart : I will take no wicked Thing in Hand: I hate the Works of the Unfaithful; no fuck shall cleave unto me. A froward Heart fhall depart from me: I will not know a wicked Perfon; but mine Eyes fhall lock upon fuch as are faithful in the Land; and whofo ·leadeth a godly Life, he shall be my Servant: For take away the Wicked from before the King, (fays his wife Son Solomon) and his Throne shall be established in Righteousness.

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To be fhort, as fovereign Power was ordained by God for a publick Good, to guard and defend the Innocent, to fhelter and relieve the Oppreffed, to fence and propagate true Religion, and adjust and balance private Rights and Interefts, every Subject has a Claim to be protected by it, in his Perfon and legal Rights, in his juft Liberties and Privileges, and in the Profeffion and Exercise of God's true Religion; and the Prince, who, being. invested with fovereign Power for this Purpose, either betrays, oppreffes, or any Way inflaves his Subjects himself, or, out of Negligence or Malice, permits others to do it, is an injurious Invader of their Rights and Properties, and, though not accountable to any human Authority, fhall one Day anfwer for it at the Tribunal of God.

And, on the other Hand, as Kings are God's Vicegerents here on Earth, and reign by his Authority, they have a Right to be obeyed in all Things, wherein they do not interfere with the Commands of God. As they are the Representatives of his Power and Majefty, they have a Right to be honoured and reverenced by their Subjects: And, as they were fubftituted by him to maintain the pub Lick Weal, and to guard the Properties of their People, they have certainly a Right to be aided and affifted by them; for they are God's Minifters, fays St Paul, attending continually upon this very Thing: Render therefore to all their Dues; Tribute, to whom Tribute is due; Cuftom, to whom Custom Fear, to whom Fear; Honour, to whom Honour.

Sovereign Princes and States are the chief Inftruments which the Providence of God employs in his Administrations here below: To them is intrufted the Execution of all Laws; and Laws, we know, are the Source of every Advantage that redounds to Mankind from Society. Even ill Princes cannot help doing a great deal of Good,

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by preserving some Degree of Order and Government in the World; but, when Virtue afcends the Throne, it difpenfes Bleffings without Number and without Meafure. Seeing therefore, that, by the Administration of our Princes, we enjoy great Quietness, and many worthy Deeds are done to this Nation by their Care and Providence; it is certainly our Duty to accept it always, and in all Places, with all Thankfulness; and, instead of cenfuring and reviling, to esteem them highly in Love, for their Works Sake.

Christian Charity and Beneficence is certainly a Debt which we owe to Kings as well as the meaneft of their Subjects; but how fhall we extend our good Offices to those who move in fo high a Sphere? How, but by entertaining a fincere Efteem for their Perfons, and a good Opinion of their Adminiftrations; by concealing their Faults, and commending their Virtues; by filencing the Clamours and fuppreffing the Jealoufies which proud, and envious, and felf-defigning Men are too apt to propagate: Thefe, together with our hearty Prayer to God for their Profperity and Preservation, are the only Compenfation, or Return, which most of us are capable of making them, for their Vigilance and Concern for the publick Safety; the Pains which they take, and the Hazard which they run, to fecure it.

Moft Men, indeed, by their Condition of Life, are fet at too great a Distance from the Springs of Government, to be rightly inftructed in Facts and Circumftances, and much lefs to enter into the Reafon and Foundation of publick Councils; and therefore for fuch to cenfure the Conduct of their Superiors is talking without Knowledge, and judging without Examination. And even those who are placed in higher Stations, and have a nearer View of the publick Management, cannot but

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