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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67550	The pious mans practice in Parliament time. Or A seasonable and necessary tractate concerning the presages, and causes of a common-wealths ruine, and the wayes, and meanes to preserve a church, and state, in prosperity, plenty, purity, and peace. By R. Ward, utriusque regni in Artibus Magister; and preacher of Gods holy word at Stansteed Mount-Fitchet in Essex.	Ward, Richard, 1601 or 2-1684.	1641 (1641)	Wing W804; ESTC R218413	102,562	298

serve them and answer them and speake good words to them then they will be thy servants for ever And the goodnesse of this counsell appeared by the event for the refusing to follow it and giving a rough and ragged answer unto the people ten of the twelve Tribes revolted and fell from him Agesilaus could say that Magistrate governes best in a Common-Wealth that governeth the subjects people under him as father his children I know that a good Magistrate may ought to be severe in punishing offenders reforming of vices but I conceive that he generally shall to most good in a Common-wealth which although he be not remisse in his calling or in the execution of his place yet doth rule and governe those who are under him with a gentle hand a mild and soft temper and a sweet government And therefore I place this particular also under the head Bene esse not Esse absolute And 4. 4 To be holy and religious If those who are in place of authority and government desire to doe good in their places to that Church and State wherein they live then it is very requisite that they should be holy upright unblameable and Pious And therefore that all Magistrates may be moved hereunto let them consider a particular or two namely 1. Mat. 5.14 That they are like Cities set upon a hill and consequently their sinnes can hardly be concealed but will easily be made conspicuous unto the world And therefore if Magistrates regard their owne reputation and credit they must labour to be religious immaculate and holy And 2. Let them remember that as of all sinnes theirs are seene soonest so of all sinnes theirs are the greatest because they are not onely hurtfull to themselves but to others also and that both in regard of their conversation and also of the administration of the Common-wealth That is if Magistrates be wicked they are both examples of wickednesse unto others and also for the most part doe obliquely governe the Common-wealth Now by the evill examples of superiours many are infected and mis-led as follows by and by and by the evill administration of the Common-wealth the whole body politicke is endangered and harmed ● Pro. 28.15 16 29 2 4. Pccle 10.16 Pharoah that wicked Aegyptian King hurt his people by his life in giving them an example of his disobedience and obstinacy and by his administration of the Common-wealth in uniustly oppressing the people of God Solomon infected his people by his life and manners in marrying so many Idolatrous wives and infected them by his administration of the State in introducing idolatry amongst them and so wee might instance also in Rehoboam and Ahab and others but I passe them by concluding this particular thus if Magistrates would not bee the worst of men nor the greatest of sinners nor of that number for whom the severest plagues and punishments are reserved then it concernes them and that not a little to labour to be pure and unspotted in the eyes of God and men And 3. Let all Rulers and governours remember that their lives being exemplary a godly conversation seene perceived in them will be an excellent meanes to make a good and godly Common-wealth Pittacus being asked which was a well and a right governed Common-wealth answered a cuius gubernaculis mali removentur that which keepes wicked men from all rule and governement and this answer was not given without iust cause the life of a Magistrate being the rules square frame and forme of an honest life according to the which subjects and inferiours frame their lives For although it was said of old Vivitur legibus non exemplis Men live by lawes not by examples yet now adayes people or subjects do rather take their patternes and examples from the lives of Princes and Magistrates then from their lawes as may appeare by an instance or two Fline lib. 18. Cap. 27. As the Hearbe Heliotropium doth alwayes looke towards the Sunne and when it it is hid doth gather in the flower so many yea the most looke unto Superiours and Rulers and addresse themselves to whatsoever they see them inclined Plato being broad-brested all his Scholers wore pillowes under their garments that they might seeme to be like him Aristotle stammered in his speech and therefore his Scholers would stut and stammer that they might be like their Master Because Ennius the Philosopher was so given to drunkennesse that he was seldome sober therefore his Pupils would goe reeling and staggering in the streets And therefore seeing subjects looke more to the lives then laws of Superiours if they desire that they may be well ordered under them they themselves must labour to be religious and holy yea as they exceed others in place and dignity so should they also in zeale and piety according to the saying of Alphonsus Panormit lib. 6. de rebus gestis Alphonsi Those Qui aliis praeessent tanto privatis hominibus meliores esse oportere quanto honoribus dignitate aneccellerent The greater that a Magistrate is in power above others the more ought hee in vertue to excell all others The King of Calecut is chiefe of his Religion and for this cause goeth before the other Kings of India in dignity and is called Samory that is to say God on earth And indeed if all amongst us would labour to excell others as farre in zeale vertue purity and Religion as they excell them in power and dignity and that the higher any one is either in Church or Commonwealth he were the more eminent and singular in godlinesse and grace then people would honour them as the Lords Vicegerents on earth and as earthly Gods and would strive to tread in their steps and be fearefull of doing what is evill lest they should thereby incurre wrath and punishment and consequently the common-wealth would quickly bee much reformed The stalke I know is a different thing from the graine of corne althoughit support it and beare it up and a Magistrate may be profitable to the Common-wealth and yet be no saint in life and therefore I put this particular also under the head Bene esse not Esse absolute But Omne tulit punctum That Magistrate who is a good Magistrate in regard of the Common-wealth and a good man yea a burning and shining lampe in himselfe shall have praise both with God and man and be profitable both to himselfe and others And therefore if we wish the peace aud prosperity of our Church and State then let us saithfully and fervently call upon our God that he would be pleased to enable all our Rulers and Governours to execute profitably and to discharge religously those places and offices wherein they are and to sanctify them by his only Spirit and to make them holy and lovers of goodnesse and good men and mild meeke and gentle in their government and rule And thus much for those duties which are required in Magistrates

ranne at him and slew him in the midst of the presse for not regarding to doe him justice when he complained unto him of an injury done by one of the Peeres of the Realme And therefore if Magistrates would not make themselves guilty of the peoples sinnes if they would not aimate and embolden people to sinne if they regard the credit of their Countrey or their owne oath or safety then they must execute the Lawes upon transgressors Now 3. As Magistrates must execute the Lawes 3 They must be just in judgment so they must be just in judgement administring the Law equally and justly without respect of persons As there were two Pillars before Solomons Temple viz. 1 Kin. 7.21 2 Chr. 3.17 Iachin id est God will establish nad Bohaz id est Strength which two Pillars were set up to behold the porch of the Temple So there are two Pillars which uphold our Church and State viz. Religion of which by and by and Iustice true Religion upholding the Church Psa 122.3 4 5. and Iustice the Common-wealth and therefore they may more fitly be learned The sword and buckler of the Common-wealth then Fabius and Marcellus were The King saith King Solomon By judgement and justice establisheth the Land Prov. 29.4 Ps 72.1 For which cause his Kingly father desires the Lord to give these unto the King And therefore Magistrates must administer just judgement without respect of persons Anacharsus said that Lawes did rightly resemble the Spiders web because they take hold of little Flyes and Gnats which fall into them but the great ones will breake and runne through them at their will But indeed this is neither the fault of the Law nor Law-giver but of the Magistrate who doth administer it with partiality and respect of persons which should not be For as the Sun is not one to a poor man and another to a rich but common alike to all So a Prince and Magistrate ought not to respect the person but the matter Tatius the fellow King of Rome with Romulus Plutarch for not doing justice in punishing certaine of his friends and kinsfolkes and had robbed and murdered certaine Embassadours which came to Rome was so watched by the kindred of the slaine that they slew him as he was sacrificing to his gods because the could not obtaine justice at his hands Malum consilium consultori pessimum as evill counsell is often worst unto him who gives it so is neglect of justice to him who should administer it And therefore all Magistrates who desire the safety of themselves and the preservation of the State ought to judge with righteous judgement And 4. 4 They must be magnanimous As Magistrates must be just and upright in the execution of the Lawes so must they also be magnanimous and couragious in the administration thereof For it behooveth a Prince or Ruler to be of such zealous and godly courage that hee alwayes shew himselfe to be as a strong wall for the defence of his people Religion and Lawes Yea it is requisite for all those who have rule and governance in a Common-weale under their Prince to know the bounds of their State and the full effect of their dutie Lactantius that by a couragious and undaunted executing of justice they may be feared and by shewing mercy they may be loved Magistrates must be so magnanimous that they omit not the execution of the Lawes for feare of any and so resolute that nothing may hinder them from the administration of Justice The Naturalists observe that although the great Owle bee in shape like other Owles yet in bignesse and in sharpe talents she ressembles the Eagle but no withstanding her bignesse and talents shee wanteth courage and is a very cowardly bird And such are evill and timerous Governours who being armed with authoritie doe not or dare not bend their force for the suppressing of evill and resisting of common enemies Magistrates must not onely have a good inclination but also a religious resolution in the executing of their places For otherwise 1. Importunity of friends and suiters will overcome them if they be mutable weake in resolution And 2. Rewards gifts and bribes will corrupt them if they be covetous And 3. Love or hatred or anger will blind them if they be passionate and partiall Judges And therefore it is necessary that being armed with authority they should be also with magnanimity courage resolution and constancy and adorned with purity equity moderation impartiality and circumspection and free from all vice avarice and impurity And 5. 5. They must governe according to the word As Magistrates must be couragious and resolute so they must rule and governe according to the word and will of God Here observe that there are two sorts of lawes namely permissive and preceptive Now although humane lawes often permit those things whch are not warranted by the word of God as Moses permitted unlawfull divorces and our Land permits usury for the avoyding of some great inconveniency yet they must never command any thing to be done whch is contrary to the word and Law of the Lord. Caius a Romane Emperour sent Petronius into Syria with commandement to bid battle unto the Jewes Iosephus if they would not receive his image into their Temple which they refused with these words They had rather die then turne from the Lawes of God And as all godly Christians should say thus That they had rather die then doe any thing contrary to the Law of God so all good Magistrates should thus say That they had rather die then command subjects to doe any thing contrary or not according to the will of God or not governe according to that rule which is the square and patterne of all pious and perfect government And 6. 6. They must defend Religion Talmud Cholin 62.1 As Magistrates must be carefull to governe according to the Lawes of God so they must carefull protect and maintaine Religion and the true worship of God The Iewes in their Talmud say That the Grapes in Babell sent upon a time to the Vine leaves in Iudea desiring them to come and overshadow them otherwise the heat would consume them and they should never come to maturity And thus if Religion be not sheltred by those who are in place of government or if they cast not their sha●dow over it it will soon decay but where they favour and protect it it prospers Licurgus reformed the State of the Lacedemonians Numa Pompilius of the Romans Solon of the Arhenians and Deucalion of all the Grecians generally by making them devout and affectionate towards the gods in prayers oathes oracles and prophecies through the meanes of feare and hope of the divine nature which they imprinted in them And certainely if all our Christian Magistrates would make it their principall care to advance Religion and to compell men to worship and serve the Lord both by their precepts

of weake persons as women and children Thirdly of strangers Fourthly of beasts and cattell so in the Church of God or in any true visible Church there are First such as are strong in faith Secondly the weake and fraile Thirdly hypocrites which in outward shew joyne themselves to the Church as those strangers did Fourthly carnall and worldly men prophane persons yea Devils incarnate which may be compared unto beasts And therefore let neither ther all of us in this land in generall nor any of us in particular trust unto this that we are members of the Church of England which is a true Church and professeth the truth and true Religion It may here now bee demanded Question 2. Doth no prerogative belong to a true outward visible Church or are wee never a whit the better for being within a true Church which purely professeth the truth There is an externall prerogative of a true externall Church Answer which is not to bee contemned or despised The Prophet David had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of God Psal 8.4 Rom. 13 1.2 c. and 9.4 then to dwell in the tents of wicked men because the Christian every way as the Apostle saith hath great priviledges above Heathens who are without the Church For in the Church are the meanes of grace and salvation offered Psal 79.6 Ier. 10.25 and there or by those within the Church the Lord is more easily entreated and is more difficultly provoked unto anger against them Yea in a true Church wee see many burning and shining lights which animate attract and encourage us to the practice of pietie and therefore it is no small prerogative to be made a member of a true Church neither should our care be small in learning and labouring so to live that wee doe not provoke the Lord to deprive us of this great blessing and blessed priviledge by taking away the Candle or removing the Candlesticke out of his place or letting out his Vineyard to other Husband-men who will bee more thankfull profitable and obedient unto him then we have beene And thus much for the second answer to the first Question Thirdly Answer 1 sometimes wee trust to precedent mercies and deliverances some in this land dow often say The Lord hath not dealt so with any Nation as with ours in giving us pious prudent and religious Princes who zealously and couragiously maintaine and defend the true Faith and in continuing his Gospel among us and peace prosperity and plenty unto us so long a time and in preserving us from the Spanish Armado or Bravado in 88. and that unparallelled Powder-plot and all the plots counsels and consultations of the Jesuits and all the Whoores brood who inendtd mischiefe against our Estate And therefore we may be secure in this land because the Lord we know will bee unto us one and the same to day and to morrow and for ever I answer hereunto 1. That this is most true that the Lord hath long dealt most graciously with England in all the particulars instanced upon And 2. That the mercie of the Lord is above all his workes and greater then all our sinnes And 3. That if we would live sincerely as Ammi the Lords people hee would never then so long as we so continued pronounce against us Lo-ammi that we should be no longer his people If we were ready to embrace the Lords offers or carefull to walke worthie of his love he would never then denounce against us Lonuchama that hee would no more be mercifull unto us For the Lord is immutable in himselfe and these changes are in us and if wee doe not fall from truth unto error from sanctitie unto sinne from profession unto profanenesse from religion to rebellion from God unto Sathan the Lord will never faile nor forsake us but continue to be our God and continue us to be his people But 4. If wee abuse his mercie Rom. 11 2● and long-suffering and prove like those evill Husband-men or that wicked servant we must then expect that mercie will give way to justice and judgement and wee through the Lords just anger shall become as miserable a Nation as ever we were happie by his free mercie and goodnesse And therefore let us adorne that profession which we have undertaken Let us make religion our Sparta 1. Pet. 2.12 and labour to beautifie it by righteousnesse holinesse sobrietie and temperance that those without the Church may bee wone unto her by our holie lives and godly conversations coupled with feare and then we may be confidently and comfortably assured that the Lord will be as a wall of brasse about us and hedge us about with a guard of angels and protect defend and preserve us from all our enemies and all who have evill wil at this our Sion whether forraign or domesticall establish Religion peace in our Borders and continue his Gospell in purity and sincerity amongst us even untill the second comming of Christ unto judgement Amen Fourthly Answer 4. some particular persons presume of their communicating of the Sacraments some will say they were baptized and have beene at the Lords table and therefore they conclude Tush 1 Pet. 2.21 no evill will come unto them But we must know that there is an outward washing in Baptisme as Saint Peter saith as well as an inward and many are washed by water who were never purged from all their fins by the blood of Christ And S. Paul tels us that all the Israelites were baptized in the Cloud in the Sea and were all made partakers of the same spirituall me ate 1 Corinth 10. 5.8 and drinke and yet many of them perished The Evangelists tell us that Iudas ate with his Master the Paschall Lambe and received a sop from him and yet died in damnable desperation and the Apostle saith that many communicate the outward elements in the Eucharist to their owne damnation And therefore let not us trust to the outword worke 1 Cor. 11.20 or to the partaking of the outward elements only for these alone profit nothing but let us labour for the baptisme of the spirit and true regeneration and endeavour to eate Christ by a faith unfained Luk. 10.20 and then wee shall have greater cause of joy and rejoycing than if wee had power to cast out devils to cure the sicke to raise the dead and to remove mountaines Secondly Quest 2. it may further bee demanded why wee in England may not presume of those many and great priviledges which wee have above many yea the most if not all other Nations First no outward thing will profit or advantage us at all Answer 1. as was shewed before rom 2.2.6 and therefore wee must not trust to any such thing And Secondly Answer 2. our Church and State hath long continued without any desolation or alteration and therefore we have the more cause not to be high minded but

Chrysost Pro se orare necessitas cogit pro oeliis autem hortatur charitas Necessity conitra●…es men to pray for themselves but charity moves us to pray for others Cyprian Non d●…s Pater meus sed Noster necda mihi sed nobis Our Saviour did not teach us to pray Mat 6.9 10. Ephes 4.16 my Father or give me but Our Father and give us And there is great reason that we should remember others in our prayers as wel as our selves because we are all conjoyned in one that is either in body as we are Christians or at least in flesh as we are men Now when I say we must pray for others or for all it must be thus understood viz. We must pray for the goldly in faith for the wicked in hope and for our enemies in charity 3. More especially we must pray for our dread Soveraigne 3 For the King King Charles Pope Leo 10. honoured our King Henry 8. with the Tittle of Defender of the faith because he defended the Popedome and writ against Luther But our gracious Prince is more truly called Defender of the faith because he disclaimes the Pope and maintaines the doctrine of Luiher so farre as it stands and accords with the infallible rule of divine truth 1 Tim. 2 1 2. And therefore great cause is there that we should pray for him Psal 72. i. c. and 20.1 c. that he may long continue peaceably to governe us and fincerely to professe support and maintaine the true Catholicke and Apostolicke faith amongst us And 4. As we must pray for the Kings sacred Majesty 4 For Magistrates so must we also for the Magistrates who are placed in government by him over us that we under them may lead a godly and peaceable life Rulers and Governours are the eyes of the Land as we see by the Phrase used by Davids servants unto him Thou shalt no more goe forth with us least the light of Israel be extinguished Yea according to saint Pauls precept pray for Kings Christians have alwayes prayed for those under whom they lived even though they were heathens and unbeleevers Tertullian sets downe the matter and forme of the Christians prayer Tertul. in Apol. for the Romane Emperour Manibus expansis quia innocuis capite nudo quia non erubescimus precantes semper sumus pro omnib us Imperatoribus vitam illis proliam imperixum fecurum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quieium That is With hands spread abroad because innoceni and bare head because not blushing we are alwayes praying for all Emperours that God would grant unto them a long life a happy reigne a safe house victorious Armies a faithfull Counsell a loyall people and a peaceable world And therefore having Apostilicke precepis and Primitive precedents we should not neglect to pray for our King and Governours But we touched upon this before in the former Proposition and therefore I proceed 5. And lastly we must pray for our Minisers 5 For Ministers and spirituall Governours It was the ernest prayer of the Iewes that Aarons rod might flourish Talmud Babylon●… i.e. that the Priests and the children of the Priests might prosper for when Aarons rod flourished it was a token that the Priest-hood should continue And therefore let us pray Plin. lib. 3. Cap. 12. that our two famous Universities may be like the Pom-citron tree that as it beareth apples at all times some falling off some ripe and some budding out so as many notable lights decay others may supply their places Rom. 15.30 Saint Paul exhorts the Romans To strive with him by prayer unto God for himselfe implying as Beza observeves that the godly should pray as fervenly for the spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temporall and eternall good of their Ministers as he should for himselfe that there should be a godly contention betwixt them for so much the word imports who should excell other viz. Whether the Minister excell the people when he prayes for himselfe or they him when they pray for him And contrarily Ministers must be as fervent and hearty in their requests for their people as for themselves And therefore let us call upon God for our Ministers that he would make them able Ministers and eyes to the blind and feet to the lame and so sanctifie them with divine knowledge and grace that they may lead us in the truth and true way of life both by their doctrine and example Having thus compendiously seene for whom wee must pray For what we must pray 1 First for temporall and spirituall things for ourselves the next things to be confidered is for what wee must pray First we must pray unto God for protection from evils and deliverance out of evils and for all those blessings graces and mercies which wee stand in need of either for soules or bodies These I need not reckon up because every mans necessities wants and defires will suggest these unto him Secondly 2. For those things for our Church Common-wealth c. 1. For the prosperity of the Church State from the Prophet Davids example in my text we ought to begge many things at Gods hands in the behalfe of our Church and state wherein we live Now because they are many I will bee the briefer in some of them 1. Wee ought to pray for the flour shingestate and prosperity of our Church and Common-wealth and that it may continue yea encrease in purity piety peace and plenty The Romanes were wont upon certaine high dayes to pray for encrease of wealth to the people of Rome which custome Scipio being Censor changed saying That their wealth and prosperity was sufficient and therefore they ought onely to pray unto God to preserve in such as it was I will not say altogether thus of our Common-welath because many say and more know that wee are much decayed in regard of what we were and the most Countries and shires much impoverished And therefore as wee ought to call upon the Lord for the continuance of our prosperity wealth and peace so wee may warrantably pray for the increase thereof Abraham praying for Sodomes prosperity and preservation was answered according to his request That if there were but as many godly men therein as hee mentioned it should not be destroyed Upon which promises Calvin in Gen. 18. Master Calvin observes That if God doe so patiently heare and graciously answer the prayer of one faithfull Abraham for the wicked Sodomites then how much more mercifully and willingly will he heare the prayers of his children for the good of his Church and for a Nation wherein his name is called upon And therefore let not one of Abrahams sonnes but all his faithfull seed in this Land crie aloud unto the Lord for the continuance yea encrease of our wealth prosperity and plenty in outward things and for our peace

truth maintaintd and defended And these things wee should all begge earnestly of God Having thus clearely handled Why wee must pray for the Church and Common-wealth What wee must pray for in the behalfe of our Church and Common-wealth it now remaines in order to shew Why wee must be thus carefull to pray and bus earnest in praying for our Church and State I answer hereunto First Answer 1. because wee cannot expect that either should prosper without prayer Heaven shall cease to be when it shall cease to runne and men shall cease to prosper when they cease to pray For how can wee expect a blessing from God either upon our selves or our Common-wealth when wee neglect to sue unto him by prayer for it And hence the lewes say Druf in Gen. Sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus the world could not endure without standing idest praying for they usually stood when they prayed and Gnammuda standing is one of the seven names which they give to prayer And therfore I may say to my brethren as Nestor said to his children Pray for ulesse God helpe us we shall all perish Homer The Lacedemonians custome was not to crave any thing of their Gods but what was of importance and great consequnce saying that all small matters were to be obtained by mans industry Now the prosperity purity and peace of our Church and State is a matter of much moment and therefore there is great reason that wee should all pray unto God for them And. Secondly Answer 2. wee should pray for our Countrey Church and State because no temporall thing should be dearer unto us then our Countrey I say no temporall thing because the Lord Religion and the truth must bee nearer and dearer unto us then either our Land liberty or lives Homer tels us that so deare was the love of his Countrey to Vlisses that he preferred his native soyle lthaca before immortality Wee must not so doe but onely preferre it above temporall things Some define a Countrey thus Definition of a Country It is the Region or Climate under which we are borne and the common mother of us all which wee ought to hold so deare that in the defence thereof we should not feare to hazard our dearest lives Plato saith There can be no kindred nearer unto us then our Countrey There is nothing more to be desired then the good of our Countrey nothing more to be affected then the love of our Countrey For although children parents and friends are neare to us yet our Countrey chalengeth a greater love And therefore as the heathen said Happy is that death which being due unto nature Pulchrum est pro patria mori is besto wed upon our Countrey And therefore seeing our Countrey should bee thus deare unto us there is great reason that wee should pray for it and our Church and State established therein And Thirdly Answer 3. because the good of the Common-wealth and Church is ours For if as Stobaeus saith The profit of the Countrey extendeth it selfe to every City of the same then the good of a Commonwealth and Church must in like manner be communicated and extended to every inhabitant therein Tully telsus Nemo sibinatus None are borne for themselves onely but also or their Countrey and therefore if wee should seeke the good of that before our owne gaine then much more should wee desire and labour to procure that which is good both for our selves and Countrey as peace prosperity plenty and purity are It argues selfe-love for a man to love his Countrey not for it selfe but for that good which he possesseth in it and therefore if wee love our selves let us pray for the peace and good of our Church and State For as the life of all the members proceedeth from the heart so from the Common-wealth proceedeth the common good of every one Geminianus lib. 6 de homine ca. 5.7 and upon the safety thereof dependeth the safety of all Wherefore every one of us should labour both by prayers and endeavours to promote the good of this Country The Senate of Rome saluted Augustus Sever. by the name of Pater Patriae The Father of the Countrie and the Romanes erected Images of all such as renowned or benefited their Countrey And therefore if wee desire happinesse and esteeme amongst men while wee live and a good name and report when wee are dead wee should by all meanes advance the good of the Church and Common-wealth And Fourthly Answer 4. wee should pray for our Countrey because necessity requires it it being now taking physicke and alwayes subject to enemies 1. Saint Iames saith If any be sicke let him send for the faithfull Ministers to pray with him and the prayers of the righteous shall save the sicke Here note that something is there expressed to wit that Prayers must be made for the sicke and some thing implyed viz. that besides the prayers of others the party must not neglect the meanes of Physicke for Physicke must bee used and then the blessing of God desired upon it by prayer whereby the creatures are sanctified unto us Thus should we now doe for our Church and Common-weath being sicke and Parliaments and Convocations being the proper Physicke ordained for the healing curing recovering redressing and restoring thereof and this Physicke being now a working we should all pray and that powerfully that the Lord would so blesse and assist them both that they may be instruments of much good both to our Church and State And 2. Certainly Liv. lib. 30. wee are never without some enemies or other either home-bred or abroad either open or secret Livy saith truely Nulla magna livitas quiescere diu potest si foris bostem non invenit quaerit domi No Nation can long bee quiet or at peace for if it have no enemies abroad it shall finde some at home Yea the devill being an enemy unto truth and all true profession Religion and worship doth ordinarily stirre up most enemies and employ most subtle and most crafty instruments against that Countrey or Kingdome where the truth is professed defended and maintained And therefore seeing wee are assured that wee are not destitute or altogether without enemies although wee could see none therefore there is great cause and need to pray for the protection preservation and prosperity both of our Church and State Fiftly and lastly Answer 5. wee should labour by prayer for the good of our Common-wealth and Countrey because otherwise wee are worse herein then infidels as will appeare by an example or two Aristotle beeing at Athens was very carefull for his Countrey the which when Alexander had over-runne and rased Valer. Max by letters he moved him to buid it up againe Plutarch Dion of Syracuse was so loving unto his Countrey that he never rested untill he had thorowly freed it from the tyranny of Dionisius Themistocles being banished his