Chap. 29. an Expofition upon the Poó,t;. of J o a. Verf. t x. 507 nelle, their filth and deformity, through all the painted coverings which parafites and flatterers put upon them. They can never receive honour from others, who have not the root of it in them- felves. Again, Job letting forth his profperity in the capacity of a Magifirate, brings in the peoples high efleemof him , as the proof of it. Whence note, Thirdly, It is agreat häppinefs to a ( agìflrate, when be bath the hearts and affeîlions, the goodwill and good wifhes of bis people. When the ear that hears blefleth, and the eye that fees gives witnefsro a Prince, then he is an happy Prince indeed. What is it for a Prince to command the bodyes of his fubjects , while he bath no room in their affe tìons, nor is at all interefied in their prayers and well-wishes. The love of apeople is the belt treafure and fecurity of Princes. He cannot want their purfes while he hub their prayers ; yea,well- wifhes and prayers from a good heart upon good grounds, are better then the fullea purfes and largefi reve- newes. VVhoknows what the comings of prayer may amount unto ? Prayer can build and pull down ; Prayer can both plant and root ul . What is it that prayer cannot do, that is, prevail with God todoe, when fent up toHeaven, by thofe that are the favourites of Heaven, and haven through Grace the ear of God? Whatfoevera Prince loofeth, he may comfort himfeif fo long as he Both not bofe the prayers of the godly ; and wharfoever a Prince enjoyes, he bath no reafon to rejoyce in ir, while he+loofeth their well-wi(hes and prayers. Better loole. Armyes then lode prayers ; prayers may loon recover Armyes, but :Armyes can never (as fuch) recover prayer. VVhen the Pialmift would de- fcribe the miferabbe and delperate conditionof the enemies of the Church, in all their attempts and plots, he loth it firfi by letting theprayers of the Church againfi them (Pfal. 129. 5,) Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion ; let them be ae the graft on theboufe tops, which witheretb afore it growth up, &c. Secondly, he doth it by (hewing that they had no the leafs b'eath of prayer for them (v. 8.) Neither do they whichgo byfay, The blefngof the Lord be upon you, we blefe yon in the nameof the Lord. They were fo far from having any (olemne dayes of prayer, of T t t 2 any
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