A Practical Difcourfe upon the Prayer for all Conditions of Men.

S.III.

God the Creator and Preferver of all Man

kind, we humbly beseech thee for all fo2ts and conditions of Men, that thou wouldelt be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, the laving health unto all Pattons.]

That the Church hath introduced every Prayer with those divine Attributes, which are fittest to direct and encourage the Petitions thereof, hath been noted before: And the Observation may be renewed and confirmed from the Preface to this Collect, which being a Requeft for all men is begun with a Commemoration, that our God is the Creatoz,Rev.iv.11.and the Weferber of all ankind, Job vii.20. from the Confideration whereof we learn two things. 1. That he is fit to be addreffed to in behalf of all men, 2. That we are obliged to make the Address to him.

I. To whom should we pray for all men, but to him whofe Power created them at firft, and whose mercy preferves them ever fince? Man is one of the nobleft of his Works, and a principal part of his carc, fo that we commend unto him the work of his hands, and those that are the objects of his daily Providence, and dear to him above all the reft of the Creation; for his Spirit rejoyceth in the habitable part of the Earth, and its delights are with the Sons of men, Prov.viii.31. And we may be affured he is able to do whatsoever we fhall defire for them,or any of them, for he hath made, and doth preferve them all. Mankind is indeed of feveral forts, inhabiting in several Countries, speaking different Languages,diftinguished by various Names, Complexions,Humours, Cuftoms and Laws. And in the fame Nation, fome are Princes, others Subjects; there are rich and

poor, young and old, males and females, bond and free, but in this they all agree, that God is the maker, and the keeper of them all, Prov.xxii.2. And all of them need his help; He also understands their feveral wants, and he only is able to relieve them; He therefore alone is fit to be addreffcd unto for all mankind.

(1) Si ab uno Deo infpirati omnes animati, quid aliud quam fratres fumus? La&t.1.6.

Omnes homines

velut jure quodam germanitatis connexi, ab uno patre conditi,

una matre tan

quam fratres uterini editi Amb. de Abraham.lib.2.

II. And we are obliged to make this Addrefs, for He is our Maker and Peelerver also, and all men are our Brethren; we are all infpired with the fame breath of life (1), All made by the fame hand, of the fame matter, A&is xvii.26. And all fprung from the fame common Parents So that we are obliged by nature to pray for all forts of men. And when we do make fuch an univerfal Requeft, what is more neceffary or more defirable to be asked for them, than for their Converfion? And where can we have a better form to ask this by, than in the holy Scripture? from whence we have taken David's words, Pfal.lxvii.2. That thy ways may be known upon Earth, and thy faving Health among all Nations: The next Petition is made for the Church, to whom God's ways are known already, but this is to be understood of the poor Heathens and all Infidels, who are ftrangers to their maker and pzelerver; for these therefore we pray that God who only can, may also please to make his ways knewn unto them; understanding by his ways, either the Methods of his Providence in the wife difpofal of all things, and the courfe which his Mercy takes to fave poor finners, as Pfal.xxv.4. Ifai.lv.8. which are fo lovely and admirable, that if the World did fee them they would be converted by fuch a profpect: Or elfe by

(m) Que eft via tua? quæ ducit adte; Agnofcamus quò camus, agnofcamus qua eamus, Aug. in Pfal.

67.

his ways, may be meant his Commandements and Laws, as Pfal.cxix.1,3,15,&c.which are the path,that he hath marked out to lead us to eternal happiness (m). We defire thefe Paths may be made known to the Heathen World: And not only his Laws, but his Gospel alfo, which is the meaning of God's fabing Health, and is fo called, because it is the bleffed way of faving Souls by Jefus Chrift,Rom. i.16. and chap. xi.11. We indeed are already happy in the Knowledg of both the Law and the Gofpel, and we have abundant comfort and infinite benefit thereby, which may teach us to pity and pray for those millions of poor Men and Women, that are as yet Pagan, and worship ftocks and ftones, and ferve the infernal Spirits inftead of God; and thofe that are Mabumatan, who believe in an Impoftor, and take an infamous cheat for their grand Prophct; as alfo thofe obftinate Jews, who yet reject their promised Meffiab. All these have rational and immortal Souls as well as we; and oh! what pity is it they should live and dye in this miferable Delufion, and run such a defperate hazard of their eternal Damnation? If we have any compaffion for our own flesh and blood, any value for their poor Souls, or any fenfe of their miferies, let us fhew it in our most hearty Prayers for their Converfion, which will advance the glory of God, enlarge the Kingdom of Jefus,and refcue innumerable poor Souls from a fad and intolerable ruine.

S.IV. Die efpecially we pray for the good Estate of the Catholick Church, that it may be lo guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profels, and call themselves Chziœians, may be leb into the way of Truth.]

(n) Orantes ut qui boni funt meliores fiant & opere bono per qui mali

man.ant,

funt citò fe corrigint. Aug. Homil.6. tom: X.p.92.

We are commanded to do good to all men, efpecial ly to fuch as are of the boushold of Faith,Gal.vi.10.which precept may ferve for the Rule of our Prayers, as well as the Direction of our Charity, and teach us, when we pray for all men, efpecially to pray for the Catholick Charch. S. Augustine faith, that in his time they pray ed for the Improvement of good men, as well as the Converfion of the evil (n); In like manner, when we have expreffed our Charity abroad, in defiring that Heathens may be converted, we must not for get to take care nearer home, but muft Pray for the Peace of Jerufalem, Pfal.cxxii.6. that is, for the good Eftate of the Catholick Church, that it may be in a profperous and fafe Condition in every part of the World, free from Violence and Perfecution, that it may be honoured and defended, fair and flourishing, quiet and abounding in all good things. This we may account the good Estate of the Church; although we may obferve this Prayer feems not to look fo much at the external Profperity of the Church, nor doth it reckon its good Eftate to confist so much in outward good things; for it follows, that it may be fo gutbed,&c. The Infpiration of the fpirit and the Profeffion of the Truth, the Unity and Piety of the Members thereof, are more really the good Eftate of the Church,than riches or any worldly fplendor, as is evidenced from the firft ages, wherein it was

more

(0) Fa&ta eft quidem opibus major, fed virtutibus minor. Hi

eron.in vit.Malch.

more glorious in its Poverty and Perfecution, than it was afterwards in its Peace and Plenty (o). We wish therefore, that the Church may flourish as well outwardly as inwardly, but efpecially we pray for the internal happinefs thereof, viz. That the whole body thereof may be animated by God's good Spirit, which is,as it were, the Soul of the Church, by which Jefus our Head quickens the whole Body, and orders every part. Now we have a gracious Promise from our Lord, that his Spirit fhall be with his Church to the end of the World, John xiv. 16. And shall guide it into all Truth; chap.xvi.13. So that as to the whole Church we are fure it shall never be forfaken by God, nor fuffered to fall into any notorious Errors: But we know, that particular perfons may fall into Errors and Impieties. There are many who profefs the Religion of Chaitians in general, and call themselves by that Name, and are called fo by others, which are but dead Limbs and withered bran ches, being in a worse condition than the Heathens, because these think themselves safe, aud imagine their bare Profeffion will fave them, when in Truth it will more surely and fadly condemn all fuch as dishonour it, and live contrary to it (p). Such as these therefore we ought to pity and pray for,wishing if it were poffible, that Herefies and Schifms,impiety and injuftice might never be masked under the holy Name of Christian; But firft,that every Chriftian in Profeffion may by the good Spirit be led into the way of Truth, that none among us may revive any old Herefies, or invent any new ones, That none may deny antient and fundamental Articles,nor yet introduce

(p) Atrocius enim fub faneli nominis profublimior eft prære feffione peccamus, ubi gasiva major eft culpa. Salv.gub.l.4.

new