Answ. 1. As I said before, they keep the hearts of subjects in an obedient holy frame. 2. Were1 it not for prayers, those few good ones would be fewer, or worse than they are: and the bad ones might be worse, or at least do more hurt to the Church than they now do. 3. It is not to be expected that all should be granted in kind, that believers pray for: For then not only Kings, but all the world, should be converted and saved: For we should pray for every one: But God who knoweth best how to distribute his mercies, and to honour himself and refine his Church by the malice and persecution of his enemies, will make his peoples prayers a means, of that measure of good which he will do for Rulers, and by them in the world: And that's enough to encourage us to pray. 4. And indeed if when Proud ungodly worldlings, have sold their souls by wicked means to climb up into places of power and command, and domineer over others, the Prayers of the faithful should2 presently convert and save them all, because they are Governors, this would seem to charge God with respect of persons, and defect of Justice, and would drown the world in wickedness, treasons, bloodshed and confusion; by encouraging men by flatteries or treacheries or murders, to usurp such places, in which they may both gratify their lusts, and after save their souls, while the godly are obliged to pray them into Heaven. It is no such hearing of prayers for Governors which God hath promised. 5. And yet, I must observe, that most Christians are so cold and formal in their Prayers, for the Rulers, of the world and of the Church, that we have great reason to impute the unhappiness3 of Governors very much to their neglect: Almost all men are taken up so much with their own concernments, that they put off the public concernments of the world, and of the Church and State with a few customary heartless words; and understand not the meaning of the three first Petitions of the Lords Prayer, and the Reason of their precedency, or put them not up with that feeling as they do the other three.
Answ. 1. As I said before, they keep the hearts of subjects in an obedient holy frame. 2. Were1 it not for prayers, those few good ones would be fewer, or worse than they are: and the bad ones might be worse, or at least do more hurt to the Church than they now do. 3. It is not to be expected that all should be granted in kind, that believers pray for: For then not only Kings, but all the world, should be converted and saved: For we should pray for every one: But God who knoweth best how to distribute his mercies, and to honour himself and refine his Church by the malice and persecution of his enemies, will make his peoples prayers a means, of that measure of good which he will do for Rulers, and by them in the world: And that's enough to encourage us to pray. 4. And indeed if when Proud ungodly worldlings, have sold their souls by wicked means to climb up into places of power and command, and domineer over others, the Prayers of the faithful should2 presently convert and save them all, because they are Governours, this would seem to charge God with respect of persons, and defect of Justice, and would drown the world in wickedness, treasons, bloodshed and confusion; by encouraging men by flatteries or treacheries or murders, to usurp such places, in which they may both gratifie their lusts, and after save their souls, while the godly are obliged to pray them into Heaven. It is no such hearing of prayers for Governours which God hath promised. 5. And yet, I must observe, that most Christians are so cold and formal in their Prayers, for the Rulers, of the world and of the Church, that we have great reason to impute the unhappiness3 of Governours very much to their neglect: Almost all men are taken up so much with their own concernments, that they put off the publick concernments of the world, and of the Church and State with a few customary heartless words; and understand not the meaning of the three first Petitions of the Lords Prayer, and the Reason of their precedency, or put them not up with that feeling as they do the other three.
- 1Answ.
- 2Obj. Si id j• ris ob•ineat status religionis e••t instabilis: Mutato regis animo religio muta bitur.
- 3Resp. Unicum hic solatium in Divina est providentia: Omnium animos Deus in potestate sua habet; sed speciali quodam modo Cor Regis in manu Domini. Deus & per bonos & per malos Reges opus suum operatur. Interdum tranquillitas, interdum tempestas ecclesiae utilior. Nempe si pius est qui imperat si diligence lector sacrae scripturae, si assiduus in precibus, si Ecclesiae Catholicae reverens, si peritos attente audiens, multum per illum proficit veritas. Sin distorto est & corrupto judicio, pejus id ipsi cedit quam ecclesiae. Nam ipsum grave manet judicium Regis ecclesiae, qui ecclesiam inultam non sinet. Grotius de Impe•. p. 210. Joh. 18. 36.Resp. Unicum hic solatium in Divina est providentia: Omnium animos Deus in potestate sua habet; sed speciali quodam modo Cor Regis in manu Domini. Deus & per bonos & per malos Reges opus suum operatur. Interdum tranquillitas, interdum tempestas ecclesiae utilior. Nempe si pius est qui imperat si diligens lector sacrae scripturae, si assiduus in precibus, si Ecclesiae Catholicae reverens, si peritos attente audiens, multum per illum proficit veritas. Sin distorto est & corrupto judicio, pejus id ipsi cedit quam ecclesiae. Nam ipsum grave manet judicium Regis ecclesiae, qui ecclesiam inultam non sinet. Grotius de Impe•. p. 210. Joh. 18. 36.
