Gods interest in the King set forth in a sermon preached in the cathedral of Edinburgh October the 14th at the anniversary commemoration of His Majesties birth / by one of the ministers of the city.

To the Right Honourable JAMES Earl of Perth, Lord Drummond and Stobhall, &c. Lord High Chancellor of the Kingdom of Scotland, AND JOHN Earl of Mellfort, Viscount of Forth, &c. Princi∣pal Secretary of State for the said Kingdom; Knights of the most Noble and most Ancient Order of the THISTLE: AND Of His Majesties most Honourable Privy-Councel, in both Kingdoms of Scotland and England.

May it please your Lordships,

THe Illustrious Character, you deservedly bear, is no less demonstration of the King's profound Judgment, and Affecti∣on to His People, than marks of Honour to your

Family, or Favour to your Persons. It is the Fe∣licity of the Nation, as the King makes no Impress but on the finest Metals, no more does he imploy Ministers, but such whose intrinsick Worth justifies His prudent Choice, and Endears Him to His People: We find by your faithful Management of the great Trust you have, that State Ministers are not now, as in some former Ages, Screens to the Prince, to keep off the popular Hatred of those Discontented at the Government: But rather like those reflective Glasses, which, by intercepting the Love of His People, double the same towards the Sovereign. The Interest your Fidelity to the King's Concerns has given you in his Majesties good Opi∣nion, you have Improven to the King's Mind, for the Happiness of His Subjects: The Boldness with which you assert his Right, the presence of Mind with which you unfold the well-mean'd Overtures, but not so Happy, of others: The dexterity by which you manage your better laid Proposals; the unbyassedness of your Temper, which no con∣sideration can induce to wrest Justice; the Zeal wherewith you encourage the Loyal, and dishearten the Factious; the Humanity, wherewith you receive Addresses from all, without respect of Persons, has a very auspicious Influence on the whole Nation, to confirm it in its Duty to the King, and Obe∣dience to the Government.

Virtuous and excellent Pesons, as they are more easily Exalted, and that with more Honour to the Prince, less Envy to the Court, and Grumbling to the People; so they prove more Faithful to their Trust, more Grateful to the King the Fountain of their Advancement, more Serviceable to the Pub∣lick, more Acceptable to both God and Man: Hence it is, the great Figure you make in our Horizon is so little spoken against; Although the Conjuncti∣on of such Dignities in two Brethren at one time, has as rare Presidents in our Historians, as there are in them Examples of such a Constellation of Virtues, or the present Age affords Instances of such singular Accomplishments.

He who knows and considers, how congenial Loyalty must needs be to your Noble Family, which has the Honour to be so early ally'd to the Crown, will less wonder yet at the benign Influences of the Throne, towards Persons, whose Integrity to the King, is not only conveyed with Their blood in a long Series of worthy Progenitors, but is the re∣sult of Conscience and sense of Duty: Yet do not I think, it was the Advantage of your Quality and Blood, so much as the Eminence of your Endow∣ments has attracted the Kings Good Will towards you: His Majesty, as an Angel of God, discerns where Heaven qualifies and prepares fit Instru∣ments for his purpose and his Peoples Weal: And,

as an observant Vicegerent, He seconds the more Curious Ingravings of the Divine Hand with some Strokes of his own: And where these concur in State-Ministers, the Kingdom is more Happy, than when according to Plato's Model, Philoso∣phers govern, or Governours aim to be such.

It is no small Joy and Satisfaction to all honest Hearts, and it has wonderfully reviv'd the Spirits of the Loyal in the Nation; to see the Favour of the Court run in so right a Chanel towards per∣sons of such untainted Loyalty, Ability and Inte∣rest, who are no more united in Blood than in Noble Designs, for the Honour of the King, the Security of his People, and the Interest of his Ser∣vice: No small Prognostick of perpetuating our Happiness under so Wise, so Gallant a Prince, and such Excellent Ministers.

We now see these Happy Days, in which the Kings Favour is not made mercenary, nor due Rewards of Loyalty mis-plac'd on Intriguers with Faction: and that none can obtain them, but by his Fidelity, or retain them but by perseverance in his Duty.

My Lords, It may be thought strange, consi∣dering how zealous a Protestant I am, I should have made bold to implore your Patronage, and perchance there will not be wanting some, who will whisper against it: But I dare openly own, what

they dare but privately condemn, as no difference of Religion can alienate my affection and duty from my Prince; no more will it make me omit my re∣spect to His Ministers, regard to their Authority, or obedience to their Command; my zeal for Re∣ligion will not rase the esteem I have for Worth and Virtue, so eminently set: And where could I dedicate a Discourse better, than to such conspi∣cuous instances and promoters of it? I once enter∣tertain'd the Vanity to have addressed it to His Sacred Majesty, whose Title to the productions of our Brains is no less, than to those of our Loyns and Fortunes; But considering Princes are not to be rudely accosted by mean Persons, but to be approa∣ched with profound Reverence by the Mediation of others, I have presumed to publish this first Essay under your Honourable Names, which if it be so happy as to touch the Kings hands, or get a glance of his eye, I am more rewarded than I could expect, or can deserve. I remember an expression of that Prodigy of Piety, Constancy, and Eloquence, King Charles I. in a Letter to the University of Cam∣bridge, approving their Election of the Duke of Buckingham for their Chancellor, upon His Majesties Recommendation, He says, We shall ever conceive, that an Honour done to a Per∣son VVe Favour, is out of a Royal Respect had to Our Self: As my respect to the King put

me on this Service, so it has induced me to this De∣dication, upon which account it is only acceptable to your Lordships, who make Persons affection to to the King the measure of your favour towards them: By which the World sees, the Kings con∣cerns go nearer you than your own; to promote which, as there are none more sincerely set than you are, so there is none more cordially Prayes, you may Live long for his Majesties Service, for the Or∣nament of your Families, and the Happiness of the Nation, than

My Lords,

Your Lordships Most Faithful, Most Humble, And most Devoted Servant. JOHN MACKGUEENE.

Notes

• K. Rob. III. Married to Arabel∣la Drum∣mond, Daughter to Sir John Drum∣mond of Stobhall; She was Mother to K. James I.
• Scrini Sa∣cra.