As Jacob, when he was to deal with Esau, he falls down and prays first ; and when he had gotten of God by prayer, God, that makes ' even of enemies friends,' he turned Esau's heart of an enemy to be a friend. And God put into Jacob's heart a wise course to effect this, as to ofler a pre- sent, and to give him titles, ' My lord Esau,' &c.. Gen. xxxiii. 4. God, when he will effect a thing amongst men, and hear the prayers that are made to him for the favour of men, he will put into their hearts such ways whereby they shall prevail with men, as Jacob did with Esau. So Esther, before she goes to Ahasuerus, she got* in heaven first by prayer. When she had obtained of God by prayer, how placable and sweet was Ahasuerus to her ! So we see in other places of Scripture, when holy men have been to deal with men, they began with God.
I beseech you therefore learn this point of Christian wisdom. If you would speed well, — as we all desire to speed well in our business, — especially those that have public employments, [this must be the course] that they would pray to God, that hath the hearts of kings and princes in his government and guidance, that he would make them favourable ; and not to * Spelled ' gate,' ». e., gat. — G.
lOG
THE SPIRITUAL FAVOURITE
think to carry things in a violent course, for then God doth not usually give that good success ; hut to carry things in a religious course to the King of heaven, and then to know in what terms to stand in all inferior things as may stand with the will of God in heaven.
If so be there be a dependence of all inferiors to God, then we must not oflcnd God, and go against conscience, for any, because he is ' King of kings, and Lord of lords.' He doth not set up authority against himself, to disarm and disable himself. Ho never went to set up gods under him, to make him a cypher ; that ho should make them gods, and God a man, or nobody, to alter all the frame of things. He never meant to set up any ordinance to nullify and make himself nobody. Therefore, I say, we ought to pray to God for kings, that so in our obedience wo may be sure to do notliing against conscience for any creature. We must do all things that possible can be, that may procure the favour, and ingratiate us, because it is in vain to pray unless we use all possible means to win their favour ; but if it cannot be upon good terms, then ' whether to obey God or man, judge ye,' Acts v. 29. And as the thi-ee young men, ' we take no thought to answer in this matter ; our God can defend us if he will,' Daniel iii. 16. And as Esther said, 'If I perish, I perish,' Esther iv. IG. When things are clear, we are to be resolute, yet reserving due respect to God's ordinance and to his lieutenant upon earth ; I say, always reserving due respect, and using means to win favour, and also to use prayer.
Holy Nehemiah, he prays here ; and together with that, he attends upon the king. As good Jacob observed Esau, so all good means must be used, or else God will not bless our proceedings.
Remember that all inferior governors whatsoever, they are subordinate and dependent, and therefore they must be regulated by a superior. They are limited, they are dependent, they are derivative. They are dependent upon God ; they are derived from him. Therefore, as the apostle saith that ' servants must obey their masters in the Lord,' Eph. vi. 5, so we must obey and do all ' in the Lord.' That limitation must be always added ; but reserving that, it is a good thing to pray that there may be favour from the king, because it is of much consequence to bring business to a good issue. x\ud with prayer, there must be a using means to get favour, always with this liberty, to do it so far as we can with preserving a good con- science.
As they have a distinction among civilians, there is a parting with a thing cumulaliri} and privative : cumulative, that is, when we part with a thing so as that we reserve the propriety ; * jyrivativ/j, when we give away the propriety and all. Now, so God parts with nothing below, as to strip himself; but cwnuJative, he derives f authority to others, but reserves the propriety to himself. Therefore we must obey them in him, and with this limitation, as it may stand with his favour.
To draw to a conclusion in a word. You see here that any good Chris- tian may be a good statesman in one good sense. What is that ? A good Christian hath credit in heaven, and he hath a spirit of prayer, and his prayer can set God on work ; and God can set the king on work ; and he can set his subjects on work. Now, he that can prevail with God to pre- vail with the gods upon earth here, surely such a man is a profitable man in the state. And you know, God he can alter all matters, and mould all things : it is but a word of his mouth. And what God can do, prayer can do ; for prayer binds God, because it is the prayer of faith ; and faith, as it * That is, property, 'possession.' — G. t That is, 'communicates,' bestows. — G.