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Inftitutio Ordinis.

Poftulationes & Gratiarum Actiones pro omnibus Hominibus, pro Regi-bus imprimis, &c hiis qui in Sublimitate conftituti font, ut quietam &c tran-quillam Vitam agamus* Prò Regibus orandum, pro cæteris lub eo Magnati-bus, immo pro eundis fimul Hominibus* An fic pro Viventibus orandum,ur defunctorum oblivifeamur Ì Quod Ariiicitiæ genus, ibi non adjuvare,ubi tui potiffimum eget Amicus ? illic deferere ubi maxime pericula pre-t\ 9. munt ? Pervideat hic Chriftianus, ne fe pientius, amicius atq; fidelius fen-tiat Ethnicus : qui tunc fhccurri jubet amico, quando periculofa fortuna gra-vat. Certiorem pléraq; me faciunt dum quis vivit, quid fit circa cum,quod Orationem defideret ; Neleio quot quantave mortuum pericula cir-cumdant : Ideo tunc magis ac magis Orandum, ut quicquid fit Oratione ju-vari queat. Elio quis in Coeli gloria* fit in inferni gemitu : Orandum ta-men tibi, qui id nelcis, ne dum prave niteris incerto, id aliquando negli-gas aut prætermittas, quod Orationem tuam necelfario depofoit & expe&at.Faciendum hic certe quicquid boni polfumus : Sed cui non eft ita confiden-ter aut arroganter potius inhærendum, ut aliorum Nobis Orationes cum inhac tum in futura vita non fidenter adhibere debeamus. Hæc Mens opti-morum jam ante Regum erat, hæc Ducum, Marchionum, Comitum, Ba-ronum, hæc omnium Equitum, hæc Univerforum pie Militantium,Cunclo-rum hæc piorum hominum. Neque jam opus eft ad id probandum ut ex-terna repetamus Exempla, qui doinefticis abundamus. Reges enim noftriquo Nobilitate reqj militari præftantiores erant, eo religionis hujus, ut e

fore ( faith St. Paul) that firß of all Supplications, Prayers, Interceßons, andGiving of Thanks he made for all Men. For Kings and all that are in Authority,that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life. We muß pray for Kings, forthe reß of the Nobles under him, and alfo for all Men. But are ave to pray forthe Living, fo as to forget the Bead ? What Friendßip is that to deny yourAfßßance, when your Friend ßands in moß need of you ? To forfake him at aTime when he is in the greateß Danger ? Let every Chriflian take Care then,that he behave himfelfnot with lefs Godlinefs, Friendßip, and AffeBim, than thevery Heathens : For they fay we are to aßiß our Friends, when in Misfortunesand Dangers. Our Circumßances in our Life Time, moß commonly ßew in whatPoint we ßand chiefly in want of Prayer, and feing we are ignorant, how ma-ny and great Dangers encompafs the Dead, we ought furely to pray fo much themore -, that whatever the Cafe may be, they may be relieved by our Prayers.Suppofi them to be in the Glory of Heaven, or Torments of Hell, yet ought weto pray who are ignorant of it, leß while we do III upon an Uncertainty, weßould be guilty of a Breach of Duty, when our Prayers were demanded andexpeBed out of Neceflity. It is true indeed, that we are to do what Good we canwhilfl here, but we muß not be fo confident, or rather arrogant of it, as notearneßly to make ufe of others Prayers fot us, as well in this Life, as in theLife to come * This was long ago the Opinion of the befi Kings, Dukes, Mar-quefies, Earls, Barons , and Knights, of all good Soldiers and religious Men.Nor have we any Need to fetch Examples from Abroad to prove this, whenwe abound with fo many at Home. For the nobleß of our Kings, and moß il-lußrious Warriors have always had fo great a Regard to this Duty, as to leave