A defensive, protecting, patronizing power to the church, and all the members thereof.  “Kings shall be thy nursing-fathers,” &c., Isa. xlix. 23.  “The magistrate is the minister of God for good to well-doers, as well as the avenger, executing wrath upon evil-doers; a terror not to good works, but to the evil,” Rom. xiii. 3, 4; he is called an heir, or, possessor of restraint, to put men to shame, Judges xviii. 7.  And as the church ought to pray for kings and all in authority, so consequently all in authority should endeavor to defend it, that the church and people of God should lead a quiet and peaceable life, (under the wing of their protection,) “in all godliness and honesty,” 1 Tim. ii. 2; and this is evident from the end and scope of these prayers here prescribed, as interpreters unanimously agree.  And hereupon are those promises to the church, “The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee,” Isa. lx. 10; “and thou shalt suck the breast of kings,” Isa. lx. 16.  Now, this nursing, protecting care of magistrates towards the church, puts forth itself in these or like acts, viz:  He,

1.  Removes all external impediments of true religion, worship of God, &c., by his civil power, whether persons or things, whether persecutions, profaneness, heresy, idolatry, superstition, &c., that truth and godliness may purely flourish:  as did Jehoshaphat, Asa, Hezekiah, Josiah.  And hereupon it is that God so oft condemns the not removing and demolishing of the high places and monuments of idolatry, 1 Kings xv. 14, with 2 Chron. xv. 17; 1 Kings xxii. 44; 2 Kings xii. 3:  and highly commends the contrary in Asa, 2 Chron. xv. 8, 16:  in Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xvii. 3, 4, 6-10:  in Hezekiah, 2 Chron. xxxi. 1; 2 Kings xviii. 4:  in Manasseh, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 15:  in Josiah, 2 Kings xxiii. 8, 13, 19, 20, 24:  whereupon the Holy Ghost gives him that superlative commendation above all kings before and after him, ver. 25.

2.  Countenanceth, advanceth, and encourageth by his authority and example the public exercise of all God’s ordinances, and duties of religion within his dominions, whether in matter of divine worship, discipline, and government, maintaining for the Church the fulness of spiritual liberties and privileges communicated to her from Christ:  as did Asa, 2 Chron. xv. 9-16:  Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xx. 7-9:  Hezekiah, 2 Chron. xxix., xxx., and xxxi. chapters throughout:  Josiah, 2 Chron. xxxiv. and xxxv. chapters.  And to this end God prescribed in the law that the king should still have a copy of the law of God by him, therein to read continually, Deut. xvii. 18-20; because he was to be not only a practiser, but also a protector thereof, a keeper of both tables.