This only proves, what will easily be granted, that Christ prayed not for all his persecutors, with a prayer proceeding from an absolute and effectual will. But there is one thing which I shall not dissemble, but freely acquaint the Reader with; And it is, that many great Scholars both Papists and Protestants do deny, that the proposal, expression, or representation of a conditional and uneffectuall will or desire, is properly a prayer: I shall allege but two; the first shall be a Papist, to wit, Becanus Sum. Theol. Tom. 5. cap. 17. q. 3. Licet in Christo (saith he) distingui debeat duplex voluntas; una efficax, altera inefficax: non tamen distingui debet duplex oratio, una procedens ex efficaci voluntate, altera ex inefficaci. Nam oratio si vere oratio est, semper procedit ex absoluta & efficaci voluntate orantis, nunquam ex inefficaci. Qui enim petit aliquid fieri, efficaciter illud desiderat, & ideo adhibet orationem, tanquam medium quoddam ad obtinendum id, quod petit; hinc solet dici, orationem natura sua utilem esse ad impetrandum. Unde sic concludo: qui vult aliquid voluntate inefficaci nullum medium adhibet ad illud obtinendum; quia si adhiberet aliquod medium, jam vellet illud voluntate efficaci: at qui orat, adhibet aliquod medium ad obtinendum, nempe ipsam orationem: ergo qui orat, non vult voluntate inefficaci, sed tantum efficaci. Although in Christ there ought to be distinguished a two-fold will, one effectual, another uneffectuall; yet notwithstanding, prayer ought not in the like manner to be distinguished: for there are not two sorts or kinds of Prayer, one proceeding from an effectual, the other from an uneffectuall will; for prayer, if it be truly prayer, always proceedeth from an absolute and effectual, and never from an uneffectuall will of the party praying: For he that petitioneth for the doing of any thing, doth effectually desire it, and therefore useth Prayer, as a means for the obtaining of that which he requests: Hence it is wont to be said, that Prayer is in its own nature useful or profitable for obtaining or procuring. Whence I conclude thus; He who willeth any thing with an uneffectuall will, applieth or useth no means for the procurement thereof; because if he should make use of any means to procure it, he should will it with an effectual will:
THis only prooves, what will easily be granted, that Christ prayed not for all his persecutors, with a prayer proceeding from an absolute and effectuall will. But there is one thing which I shall not dissemble, but freely acquaint the Reader with; And it is, that many great Scholers both Papists and Protestants doe deny, that the proposall, expression, or representation of a conditionll and uneffectuall will or desire, is properly a prayer: I shall alleadge but two; the first shall be a Papist, to wit, Becanus Sum. Theol. Tom. 5. cap. 17. q. 3. Licet in Christo (saith he) distingui debeat duplex voluntas; una efficax, altera inefficax: non tamen distingui debet duplex oratio, una procedens ex efficaci voluntate, altera ex inefficaci. Nam oratio si vere oratio est, semper procedit ex absoluta & efficaci voluntate orantis, nunquam ex inefficaci. Qui enim petit aliquid fieri, efficaciter illud desiderat, & ideo adhibet orationem, tanquam medium quoddam ad obtinendum id, quod petit; hinc solet dici, orationem natura sua utilem esse ad impetrandum. Unde sic concludo: qui vult aliquid voluntate inefficaci nullum medium adhibet ad illud obtinendum; quia si adhiberet aliquod medium, jam vellet illud voluntate efficaci: at qui orat, adhibet aliquod medium ad obtinendum, nempe ipsam orationem: ergo qui orat, non vult voluntate inefficaci, sed tantum efficaci. Although in Christ there ought to be distinguished a two-fold will, one effectuall, another uneffectuall; yet notwithstanding, prayer ought not in the like manner to be distinguished: for there are not two sorts or kinds of Prayer, one proceeding from an effectuall, the other from an uneffectuall will; for prayer, if it be truly prayer, alwaies proceedeth from an absolute and effectuall, and never from an uneffectuall will of the party praying: For he that petitioneth for the doing of any thing, doth effectually desire it, and therefore useth Prayer, as a meanes for the obtaining of that which he requests: Hence it is wont to be said, that Prayer is in its own nature usefull or profitable for obtaining or procuring. Whence I conclude thus; He who willeth any thing with an uneffectuall will, applyeth or useth no meanes for the procurement thereof; because if he should make use of any meanes to procure it, he should will it with an effectuall will:
