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my death an affliction? Must I abandon my dear children, whom I love as my soul, without a guide, and in danger of losing the small temporal means that I have provided for them; in danger also of being overcome by the vicious customs of the age, and enticed to idolatry and superstition?

That we may be able to govern this violent passion, that prevails so much upon our minds, we must labour betimes to bring ourselves to this: "to rest upon the good providence of our heavenly Father." Christian souls, meditate upon this excellent saying in Ps. xxxvii. "Leave thy ways to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will direct thee." And in Ps. Iv." Cast thy burthen upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee." Forget not also that blessed exhortation of St. Peter, "Cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you." Imprint also in your mind St. Paul's assertion," All things work together for good to them that love God." Remember the noble resolution of that great apostle: "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed; but that with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death."

Thou desirest to be instrumental in the service of God, and of the public. It is an excellent desire indeed, and praiseworthy: but it belongs to God to appoint the service that he intends to receive from thee. It belongs to him to prescribe to thee thy task, and to order thy bounds. He knows when he is to release thee from thy labour, and how long thou must fight. Is thine eye evil, because thy God is so good and gracious to shorten thy work and troubles? All such as follow cheerfully the banners of the Lord of Hosts, and never retreat without the command of the great General of heaven and earth, shall enjoy a blessed victory, and obtain the honour of the triumph; as well the novice and the fresh soldier, as the old and long-experienced. All such as labour

faithfully in the Lord's vineyard, shall receive from him an eternal reward, as well he that continues but an hour, as the other that bears the heat and burden of the day. When thou shouldest have gone but a few steps in the paths of righteousness, thy God is so noble and liberal, that he will bestow upon thee an incorruptible crown of glory, as well as if thou hadst continued there many years.

Great princes, who yield to the King of kings a religious respect, and seek your greatest glory in the cross of Christ, submit yourselves altogether to the pleasure of your universal Monarch: For seeing the lives of all men are governed by his wise providence, he hath a particular regard and an high esteem of the lives of kings and princes, the sons of his right hand. Therefore, whilst it is expedient for his glory, and their salvation, that they should live upon earth, he placeth round about their sacred persons his holy angels, and encompasseth them with a wall of fire. Remember, that as soon as the king of Israel was seated upon the throne, God commanded him to take in hand the book of his law, and to read in it all the days of his life. Ask from him that wisdom and prudence that is requisite to govern such multitudes of people, and beseech him to grant unto you the strength and virtue that is necessary to bear so great a burden. Let the sword that he hath entrusted in your hands, be to do justice upon offenders, and to protect the guiltless. As you are living images of God's sovereign authority over his creatures, remember that you should also imitate his goodness and mercy.. Follow the example of him who resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Live in such a manner, that your subjects may cherish and honour you as their common father, may obey and serve you as their lord, and may respect and fear you as their king. Suffer not your heart to be puffed up with pride, when you behold the large dominions that God hath put under your command, and the people that own you

for

for their sovereign: But lift up your eyes to the spacious heavens, take a view of their vast extent, and see how the whole earth is inconsiderable in comparison of them; and think upon God, before whom all nations are but as the smallest dust of a balance, and as a few drops of water. Consider well that your subjects are creatures that God hath made after his own likeness, and redeemed by the death of his Son, and that they are to reign with you for ever in heaven. Remember, that the more God has committed to your trust, the greater must be your reckoning, and that you must one day appear in person before his dreadful throne, without sceptre or crown, or as other wretched sinners, to implore his mercy. Search into yourselves, and examine what you are your bodies are subject to wounds, infirmities, and diseases, as that of the meanest of your servants; your souls are also moved with the same passions and lusts as theirs. In short, you are entered into the world in the same manner as the most miserable slave, and you shall go out of it again as he doth. So that if a crowd of flatterers sooth you up, as they did Herod, "The voice of a god, and not of a man," Acts xii. mind well what God speaks to you from heaven, "I have said that ye are gods, and the children of the most High; nevertheless, you shall die as men, and you that are the chiefest shall fall as the rest," Ps. lxxii. During the time of your abode in the world, employ your blood, sweat, and all the strength and power that God hath put into your hands, for the good and advantage of your empire, and for the defence and preservation of your people, that are under your protection. And if, in the midst of your greatest and most flourishing prosperities, Death comes to give you a summons to depart, let fall the sceptre willingly, to join your hands together, and fall down and adore the King of the whole earth. Grieve not for the loss of worldly glory, that passeth away as lightning, or as a shadow; for God promiseth another, that shall be more lasting than the light of the sun. If you can but overcome

Death

Death and yourselves, God will cause you to sit down upon another throne, and will bestow upon you a kingdom that will never be moved, Rev. iii. Heb. xiii.

Wise and religious princes, be not solicitous for the things that shall happen after your decease. He by whom kings reign and princes do justice, is able enough to enrich your successor with the graces and qualities that become a powerful prince. It may be that he will bestow upon him more glory and happiness than upon you. When king David had ended his mortal race, God took him into his rest. It seemed at first, that the loss of so good a prince could not be repaired; but God caused Solomon to sit upon his father's throne, and made him the wisest and the most happy monarch in the world. David did but remove God's ark, but Solomon built for him a stately and magnificent temple. David was a type of the encounters and victories of the Son of God, but Solomon represented his glorious triumphs, and that eternal peace with which he shall bless his chosen in the kingdom of heaven.

What if you leave your children under age? Be not discouraged, for God will preserve them, as the signet upon his right hand, or as the apple of his eye. Think upon Josias, who was but eight years old when he succeeded in the kingdom of Judea; nevertheless there was never a prince more holy and more religious; none ever did more good to the church of God. And that you may be able to strengthen your faith, and confirm your glorious expectations, meditate upón the life of Joash, who was but one year old when his father was killed, and an infernal fury sought to destroy him; but in the middle of so many tragedies God preserved him alive by a miracle, and placed him in a glorious manner upon the throne of his fathers. Seeing therefore that it is the pleasure of him who gives and takes away the earthly crowns, leave cheerfully this corruptible one, to receive another that is im

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mertal and incorruptible. You also, noble governors of countries and castles, that represent the persons of your kings and princes, remember that this dignity comes not only from the appointment of your masters, but from God himself, who holds in his hands the hearts of all the kings and princes of the world. Remember what our Saviour told the governor of Judea, "Thou couldest have no power upon me, if it were not given to thee from above," John xix. Let all the world see by you, that there is nothing more agreeable with piety towards God, than fidelity and loyalty to your prince. Take heed that you abuse not your power and authority in satisfying your passions, and pleasing your covetousness or vanity. Protect not the guilty, and oppress not the innocent. Seeing that you are appointed to punish evil-doers, and to encourage such as do well, behave yourselves as if you were always in the sight of your prince; or rather, behave yourself as in the presence and in the sight of God, before whom all things are naked and open, and as if you were to give up unto him an account of your stewardship. Whilst you are happily employed in the service of your prince, and of your country, if Death comes to interrupt your prosperity, yield yourselves, without resistance, to the wise orders of him who is both your sovereign Lord and theirs, to whom you must be subject on earth.

Trouble not yourselves withthe thoughts of the things that shall happen after your death, and think not but that there are yet some worthy and able to succeed you in your employments. When God is pleased to be favourable to kings, and to cause their empire to flourish, he raiseth up faithful ministers, and wise governors; as when he gave to Pharaoh a Joseph, to Hezekiah an Eliakim, to Nebuchadnezzar a Daniel. When he pleaseth to search into his unfathomed treasures, he can quickly provide men after his own heart, adorned with all the abilities required for a worthy discharge of a glorious em

ployment.

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