(iv)

from that glorious perfon who is represented as having this name written on his vesture and on his thigh, KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS; and whom GOD hath appointed to be head over all things, and the head of all principality and power for the good of his church . You are a dignified minifter in the kingdom of his providence, and a nurfing father to his church. To whom, therefore, could I more properly addrefs a defence of the glorious gofperaf the beffed Jefus against its enemies than foi a Chriftian magiftrate, who is both the natural and fworn protector and promoter of the Chriftian cause and intereft among men?

NOR ought it to be a small encouragement to you, Sir, in the difcharge

a Rev. xix. 16.

Eph, i. 22. Col. ii. 20.

of

(v)

of this important part of the duty of your ftation, to find that the cause you are engaged to promote and protect is the cause of GOD and of truth. A cause which bore up and prevailed against all the power and policy, the malice and cruelty, the ridicule and reproach of the heathen world in the firft ages of Chriftianity. A cause which will endure the fevereft fcrutiny of reafon and philofophical difquifition, and like gold, will ftill appear the brighter and purer, the more it is tried.

I MIGHT alfo add, what will be extremely obvious to your own penetration, that the firm bafis on which (as I hope will appear by the following discourses) Chriftianity is built, lays a high and indefeafible obligation on every Christian magiftrate to exert himself for promoting, both by his A 3 example

1

example and authority, that pure morality which the gospel teaches, and for fuppreffing every fpecies of public vice and disorder, which is fo great and just a reproach to any Christian people.

As Christianity has a moft friendly afpect upon all the true interefts of human fociety, fo it fmiles with dif tinguished favour upon all lawful, civil authority. It gives a kind of divine right to the powers of this world, lawfully established, and acting according to the true defign of their inftitution. It makes them a kind of minifters and vice-gerents of the Deity, bearing fomething of his image in majefty and authority, and reprefenting his power and juftice among men. It crowns them with a diftinguished honour, and entitles them not only to tribute, but alfo to reve

rence,

rence, regard and an almost unlimited obedience from their subjects, and that not only from fear, but alfo for confcience fake.

AN inftitution therefore fo favoura ble to the civil magiftracy fhould certainly engage every gentleman, who fuftains the honour, and bears the commiffion of a Chriftian magistrate, from a principle of gratitude as well as of justice and duty, to watch with cordial affection and unwearied affiduity, over its beft interefts. To use every endeavour in his power to render that name and religion honourable which puts fuch a diftinguished honour upon himself. And this may be the more reasonably expected from the Christian mtrate, when it is confidered, that the Chriftian revelation declareth this to be one very impor

tant end and defign of his office, and that God hath furnished him with dignity and authority, exprefly for this purpose, when it is confidered that he beareth not the fword of civil power in vain, but is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath on him that doeth evil, and that governors are sent by GOD for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well d.

I must confess, I have a fenfible pleafure in reflecting, that while I am using this freedom of fpeech, in an epistle dedicatory to a magistrate of distinction, I am using it to a Christian magiftrate. To one who is, in many refpects, a friend to the religion he profeffes; and to one on whofe probity and humanity I might have filled many pages with juft panegyric; but I imagined that

d Rom. xiii. 17. 1 Pet. ii. 14.

fuch