unto the Lord. By this and other places in Deut it is plain that God would chuse a place for his sacred Name and that they were to resort thither to perform their more solemn Worship and Service to him there And here at this place were all their Males to appear three times in the year Deut. 16.16 Three times in a year shall all thy Males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose in the feast of unleavened bread and in the feast of weeks and in the feast of tabernacles And the Lord did signify to David that he had chosen Jerusalem for this place where he would put his holy Name And so he saith Psal 132.13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it And Zion was a part of Jerusalem and seems to be put for the whole And unto Jerusalem had David brought the Ark of God and put it in the Tent which he had there made for it until the Temple was builded 2 Chr. 1.4 And here had he prepared a place for the Temple of the Lord and did intend to build it but God would have Solomon his Son to build it and he builded it in the place that David had prepared 2 Chr. 3.1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah where the Lord appeared unto David his Father in the place that David had prepared in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite And not only the City and the place but the very draught of this house of God was shewed to David and God himself seems to order the fashion of it as he did of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and David delivered the pattern thereof to his son Solomon 1 Chr. 28.11 And according to these divine Instructions did Solomon build this extraordinary Temple of the Lord and as soon as it was finished the glory of the Lord appeared in it 1 Kings 8.10 And here was he to be more solemnly worshiped than any where else a great part of his Worship and Service being appropriated to this peculiar Temple of his In Zion it was that praise waited for him and in Jerusalem was the vow to be performed to him Psal 65.1 and 116.18 19. And saith the Psalmist Psal 48.2 Beautiful for situation the joy of the whole Earth is mount Zion on the sides of the north the City of the great King The Temple here was God's peculiar house and to be an house of Prayer to all people Is 56.7 And upon this account of Religion and of God's Worship and Service it is that Jerusalem is called the holy City the City of God the City of the great King and God said to love it above all others Matt. 4.5 and 5.35 And Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Upon this account especially it is that the Royal Psalmist requires them to pray for Jerusalem because it was the capital City of Religion the City of the Lord of hosts that he had espoused to himself above all others and his great Temple of Worship was to be here for upon this house of God had the devout Psalmist set his heart and affections though it was not then built as he sheweth 1 Chr. 29.3 Moreover because I have set my affection to the house of my God saith he I have of mine own proper good And upon this account it is that he is so much concerned for Jerusalem And this he declareth himself in this psalm 122.9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good This is the great reason why he would seek the good of Jerusalem and doth exhort others to pray for it because God's House and solemn Worship was to be here and his heart was set upon them In praying then for Jerusalem he doth exhort and require them to pray for the good and welfare of the Church of God that it might enjoy all Peace and Quiet and that his Worship and Service might here at Jerusalem be performed in a due and publick manner to his great Honour and Glory and to the real benefit and comfort of his Worshippers and Servants That his Sanctuary and holy Place there might not be polluted and profaned by Heathens and unhallowed Persons and his Worship and Service corrupted or quite neglected and cast off and Religion driven to hide her head but that Jerusalem might be as a City upon an hill taken notice of and admired by all the World for the solemn Worship of Almighty God that should there be performed That they might unanimously Serve and Worship God there and that all Nations might flock thither to his Solemnities and to join in his Worship and Service That many Nations might come and say as it is Mic. 4.2 Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths That God's Ordinances and Worship should there be duely celebrated and kept where they ought and with that purity and devotion and splendor that they ought too That true Religion might be advanced and in esteem among them and that God's Honour and Service might be set up and exalted above all and that it might be joy and gladness of heart to them to see it so In praying for the Peace of Jerusalem he seems to do no less than require and enjoin them to pray for the good and welfare of their whole Nation which depended hereupon and especially that they should pray for the Good and Prosperity of the Church that it might flourish and enjoy all manner of Peace among them and that God might be duely served at his Temple the place that he himself had chosen And now from this Text we may see that it is our duty to be much concerned and to pray for our Jerusalem in this manner That we should bear hearty good-will to our own Land and Nation and the Israel of God among us and especially to our own Church and that pure Religion among us That we should be very zealous in our Prayers for them and endeavour to preserve them and to do them all the good we can in a lawful way This we are taught by this Text For the Psalmist spake by the Spirit of God and what he hath said here is to be an Instruction to us as well as it was to the Jews Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime saith the Apostle were written for our learning And we may see that under the names of Jerusalem and Zion the Christian Church seems often to be meant or at the least to be included therein Jer. 33.15 In those days and at that time will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto
Metropolis and Royal City of the whole Land of Judea at that time and in the days of King Solomon and always afterward was the Royal City of the Kingdom of Judah till they were carried into Captivity for their great Sin and Wickedness And here in Jerusalem the House and Posterity of King David Reigned and had their Royal Throne and God himself doth signifie that they should Reign here and that the People should be prosperous and happy under their Government if they would hearken to his voice and keep his sacred Commandments This was the Supreme Seat of Judgment among them where the highest Courts of Judicature were kept and where true and impartial Justice was to be Administred whereby every one was to be protected and defended in his just Rights and Liberties And by the Regal Power thereof were they to be preserved from the invasion and annoyance of all Forreign Enemies And upon the Peace and Prosperity hereof did their own Peace and Prosperity depend and could not well subsist without it In this City did God declare that his Servant David should have a Light before him 1 Kings 11.36 And unto his Son that is Solomon's Son will I give one tribe that David my Servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem the City which I have chosen me to put my Name there For Solomon's sin in departing from the Lord and following of Idols and for the wickedness of the People did God declare that he would rend part of the Kingdom from his Sons and posterity and give it to Jeroboam but yet he would let them have a part for David's sake that he might have a Light before the Lord in Jerusalem that is a Son and Heir of his Family to reign there in Jerusalem And although Abijam deserved to have his Posterity deprived thereof yet God would have David to have a Lamp there still and have Jerusalem established with the Royal Throne of King David 1 Kings 15.4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem to set up his Son after him and to establish Jerusalem And this is one reason why the Lord would defend this City from the King of Assyria because it was the Royal City of the House of his Servant David 2 Kings 19.34 And when God was about to deliver them to be spoiled by their Enemies he declares to them that if they would repent and keep his Commandments and sanctifie his Sabbaths he would still grant to them this blessing that they should have the Kings hereof over them ruling in great prosperity and that they should still be happy under their Government Jer. 17.25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes sitting upon the Throne of David riding in Chariots and on Horses they and their Princes the Men of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and this City shall remain for ever And so Jer. 22.3 And the Psalmist here in this Psalm doth mention as a part of the Prerogatives of this City of Jerusalem that the Seats of Judgment and the Throne of the Kingdom was there and doth hereby intimate that this was one reason why they should pray for the Peace and Happiness of it ver 5 the Verse before the Text For there are set Thrones of judgment the Thrones of the House of David And vers 8. For my Brethren and Companions sakes I will now say Peace be within thee We may see that it was upon publick respects that he enjoyns them to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And we may conceive that this was one reason why he requires them to pray for it because it was the Regent City and the Royal Throne of the Kingdom was fixed there and it was the chief place where Justice and Judgment were to be executed In praying then for Jerusalem we may conceive that he intends no less than that they should pray that this City might be advanced and set up on high and that the Throne of David might be therein continued and that he might not want a Man to sit thereon after him to sway the Scepter thereof in Truth and Righteousness That the Kings hereof might prosper and be Mighty and that they might protect and save the People from all their Enemies That true Justice and Judgment might be administred from hence and every one defended in his just Rights and Liberties That they should seek and pray for the Peace of Jerusalem their head City because in the Peace thereof they all should enjoy great Peace and Prosperity as God ordered them afterwards to Pray for the Peace of Babylon upon the like account when he sent them into Captivity Jer. 29.7 And seek the Peace of the City whether I have caused you to be carried away Captives and pray unto the Lord for it For in the Peace thereof shall ye have Peace And much more then might they expect Peace and Prosperity in the Peace of their own City Jerusalem in the days of David and Solomon and the succeeding Kings thereof In praying then for the Peace of Jerusalem he doth in effect require them to pray for their whole Polity and Government and for the Good and Welfare of their whole Land and Nation that depended hereupon and was made happy in the Peace and Prosperity of this City and the Throne therein established But farther Jerusalem was the Renowned City of all the World that had none like it upon the face of the whole Earth for this was the City of the great King the Lord of Hosts the City that he had chosen above all others to place his sacred Name there and to be the place of his more peculiar Residence here amongst us Mortals and here was a Temple then to be built for his Honor and Service according to his own direction and appointment which was to be a House of Prayer to all Nations and here had he commanded them to perform his more solemn Worship and Service and here he vouchsafed more of his divine Presence than he did in any City besides And upon this account especially it is that the Royal Psalmist exhorts and enjoyns them to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem God did declare by his servant Moses that he would choose a place to cause his Name to dwell there and that they should resort to that place to perform there more solemn Worship and Service to him there long before David's time Deut. 12.10 But when ye go over Jordan saith Moses and dwell in the Land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your Enemies round about so that you dwell in safety then shall there be a place which the Lord your God shall chuse to cause his Name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices your tythes and the heave-offerings of your hand and all your choice vows which ye vow
of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of our God That as a young man marrieth a Virgin so her Sons might marry her and as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so her God might rejoyce over her That God would create our Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Is 65.18 That he would rejoyce in our Jerusalem and joy in his People that the voice of weeping may no more be heard in her nor the voice of crying That ver 25. the Wolf and the Lamb may feed together and the Lion eat straw like the Bullock and dust may be the Serpent's meat that they may not hurt nor destroy in all this holy Mountain That such universal Peace and Love may every where prevail that men of the most perverse spirits may be overcome by them and lay aside all their malignity That the Lord of Hosts Zac. 1.14 would be jealous for our Jerusalem and for our Zion with a great jealousie That God would be gracious to our Land and cause the Gospel to flourish amongst us and to take deep rooting in our hearts That God would cloath the Priests of our Zion with Salvation Psal 132.16 and make her Saints to shout aloud for joy That the mountain of the Lords house Is 2.2 might be established in the top of the mountains and be exalted above the hills and that all nations may flow unto it That there may be such an universal willingness and readiness in all to know and practise their duty that they shall say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths That our Ministers and Pastors may be orthodox and sound in the Faith true and faithful in the discharge of their offices and of an upright life and conversation and so adorn the Gospel of the blessed Jesus and that holy Religion which we profess That God would abundantly bless the provision of our Zion Psal 132.15 and would satisfy her poor wâ—â—h bread and give us all kind of plenty and store in our Land That there may enter in by the gates of our City Kings sitting upon the throne of their Ancestors Jer. 17.25 and riding in Chariots and on Horses and Ruling in justice righteousness and mercy That he would fill our hearts with food and gladness and grant us health and prosperity in our Land That God would make our Zion an eternal excellency Is 60.15 a joy of many generations That our People also ver 21. might be all righteous and inherit the Land for ever and that in all Peace and Quiet That there may be heard in our Land Jer. 33.11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride the voice of them that shall say praise the Lord of Hosts for the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord That our Land may be blessed with all manner of blessings and that we may not be unmindful to return Almighty God his due Laud and Praise for the same Such promises have been made to and such petitions have been put up for Jerusalem and by such may we be instructed how we are at all times to address our selves to Almighty God in prayer for our Jerusalem for the Church of Christ in general and more particularly for our own Church and Kingdom But at this time we have great reason to make our earnest prayers to Almighty God for the Protestant Church especially that part of it with us and for our own Nation that they may be preserved from such judgments and miseries as now threaten them and us and we have justly deserved for our great wickedness and abuse of mercies Sixthly We are to rejoyce and to take great pleasure in the Peace and Prosperity of our Jerusalem when there is just cause for it and to praise and magnify Almighty God for the mercies and benefits that he hath granted to her The good and welfare of the whole Church and especially of our own Church and Kingdom should be matter of great joy and gladness of heart to us and stir us up to return God his due Laud and Praise for the same And this is the Prophets exhortation Is 66.10 Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoyce for joy with her all ye that mourned for her That ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory And with our Jerusalem the true Protestant Church should we rejoyce when she hath cause to do so which when the days of darkness are over I hope she will have And saith the Psalmist Psal 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy salvation That I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance Like fellow-feeling members are we both to suffer and to rejoyce with the Church and all the true and faithful Members thereof And saith the Psalmist Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion were like them tâ—at dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing And Psal 137.6 saith the Psalmist there If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy And at every thing that tended toward the good of Jerusalem and the pure worship and service of Almighty God did the Royal Psalmist King David greatly rejoyce as he sheweth here Psal 122.1 I was glad when they sa d unto me let us go into the house of the Lord. Every advancement of God's Church and Worship did much delight and please him and so it should do us And for all the Mercies and Blessings that Almighty God shall at any time vouchsafe to our Church and Nation are we to be truely thankful and to make our hearty return of praise to him for the same This the Psalmist doth most passionately wish and sheweth that men are too negligent herein Psal 107.8 O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness saith he and for his wonderful works to the children of men And this the Psalmist exhorteth Jerusalem to do to make a due return of praise for the Blessings that she had received Psal 147.12 Praise the Lord O Jerusalem saith he praise thy God O Zion For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates he hath blessed thy children within thee He maketh Peace in thy borders and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat And this St. John sheweth in that vision of the Elders that we are to praise and magnify Almighty God for all the