Religion and Loyalty

George Wyllys, Secr.

An Election Sermon.

—Fear GOD: Honour the King.

THE Principal and most Noble design of our being made Rational Creatures, is to Capacitate us for Religion; and thereby to Qualify us for Usefulness in the World, and for the Enjoyment of our Maker: An End, truly worthy of it's Author, and our Existence. So that some have tho't, that a Religious Creature, or a Creature capable of Religion; a better Definition of Man, than merely a Rational Creature or a Creature Endowed with Reasonable Understanding: Because what ever Resemblance of Reason may appear in some parts of the Sensitive Creation; yet none of Religion. And by how much the more we exert ourselves in the Practice of Religion and Moral Virtue; By so much the better do we Conform to the Injunction in our Text. Fear God, Honour p. 6the King. Loyalty being Dictated as an Essential part of Duty, both by the Light of Nature & Revelation. And nothing is more Evident, than it's being strictly Enjoined in our Christian Profession. I need not go from my Text & Context to Confirm this. The Apostle in the 9th verse of the Context Reminds those to whom He wrote, of their peculiar Priviledge & Dignity as Christians and Saints; and the Obligations they were under to Conduct, accordingly: But ye are a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an Holy Nation, a peculiar People; that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into marvellous light. In the 11th & 12th verses, He besecheth them to be extreemly careful of their Moral conduct and Conversation: that they give no Occasion to the Gentiles to reproach them with Licentiousness & Disloyalty: But to Submit to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the King as Supream; or unto Governors, as unto them that are Sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. i. e. To be Subject to Civil Government, out of Conscience, and Obedience to God, who has Ordained the Civil Magistracy, and Commands Obedience unto it. There are two things implyed in this, (1.) That Disobedience to Civil Authority proceeds from Mens Lusts, (2) That such p. 7Disobedience, would open the Mouth of Unbelievers against the Gospel: and that a Loyal behaviour will put to Silence the ignorance of Foolish Men; as in verse 15. In the next words the Apostle seems to prevent a secret Objection. Some might Reply, we are free in Christ, and therefore owe no Obedience to any above us. The Apostle grants the Anticedent, understanding it of their freedom from the burden & curse of the Law, & the bondage of Sin & Satan; but withal he Admonish◊s them not to withdraw their Obedience to the Magistrate, under this pretence: As free and Not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness, but as the Servants of God. But says He, in the next words, Honour all Men, according to their State and Calling: Love the brotherhood, as becomes Saints; and to include all in a word, Fear God▪ Honour the King. i. e. Let your Religious & Civil deportment be such as becomes your Profession as Christians: Examples of Virtue & Piety, and a Bar to every Objection.

p. 7I shall improve the words more fully under this DOCTRINAL Observation, viz.

That Religion and Loyalty is the Duty and Glory of a People.

These things are implyed in the words; in as much as the Fear of God includes the p. 8whole of Religion, and Honouring the King all Loyalty and Subjection that is due to Civil Authority.

1. I say the Fear of God, is often put to Express the sum of our Religion, and the whole of Duty, as in Job 28. 28. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Psal. 111. 10. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. And Eccl. 12. 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Now the Reason why this is put for the whole of Religion, seems to be, because Fear is so powerful a Principle, and has so great an influence upon men to make them Religious. For ( [Dr. Tillotson.] as one observes) it is a Passion that is most deeply rooted in our natures, & flowes immediately from that Principle of self-preservation which God has planted in every Man. Every one desires his own Preservation & Happiness, & therefore hath a natural Dread & Horror of every thing that can destroy his Being, or Endanger his Felicity: and the greatest Danger is from the greatest Power, & that is Omnipotency. So that the Fear of God is an inward acknowlegement of a holy and just Being, which is p. 9Armed with an Almighty & Irresistable Power. God having hid in every Man's Conscience, a secret awe and dread of his Infinite Power, and Eternal Justice. Now Fear being so intimate to our Natures, it is the strongest Bond of Laws, and the greatest Security of our Duty. For however much we have lost the relish of true Happiness, yet not the sense of Pain & Misery; So that what Love does not attract, Fear may excite.

2. That other Expression of Honouring the King; includes all Loyalty & due Obedience to the Civil Magistrate: for as the King is the Head and Fountain of Civil Power, so Subordinate Authority, are streams issuing there from. This by a Metanimia a Figure often used in Scripture, is sufficiently expressed.

p. 9My Method shall be,

I. To shew that Religion is the greatest concern of all Orders of Men, and the chiefest Glory of any People.

II. That a Spirit of Loyalty is Essential to the Peace & Happiness of a People. And