of Parliament and commanded by royal proclamation for the maintenance of Godliness and honesty would also be pleased by his effectual Grace to raise up the hearts and courage of Magistrates both in this city and all other places to maintain the laws and see to their due execution This is the way to have our peace and quietness renewed and continued to us by maintaining Godliness and honesty Godliness which you must remember is always to be joyned with honesty The Godly man is always an honest man Godliness I say hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come so Saint Paul Temporal promises and spiritual promises prosperity of all sorts For the soul also is said to prosper And the prosperity of the soul is when it proceedeth from grace to grace and is prepared more and more for Glory This is the chiefest part of the prosperity of those that love Jerusalem and pray for Jerusalem The prosperity of the outward or temporal estate is when you follow your wordly business in your honest vocations with safety and good success and this is the reward of those that love the State and Government In seeking the happiness and welfare of the King they seek the good of Gods kingdome for The King reigns for God and they that seek Gods Kingdom shall have all necessaries of this life added to them We have our Saviours word for it They shall be prospered and blessed in their outward concerns and all their temporal affairs The mention of Gods kingdom puts me in mind of the other part proposed concerning the Church I have shewed how they procure a blessing for themselves that love and pray for the publick State or common wealth or civil government now let me briefly shew you the same in respect of the Church or Eclesiastical government They that love the Church of God and pray for the Church-men do thereby procure prosperity and happiness for themselves The Christian Church at large that is the Catholick Church is the Congregation of Christian people all the world over but here we understand the ruling and unruling part of the Church that is the Bishops and Ministers under them those particularly of the Church of England placed under his Majesties supreme authority and government And they that love the Church are discerned by these two characters They pray for the Bishops and Ministers and obey their discipline and instruction For this Obedience â—â— the beâ—t testimony of their love Now they that pray for the Bishops and Ministâ—â—s procure to themselves prosperity 'T is a great hâ—ppiness to the people of God to have good Bishops and Ministers and the way to have such is to pray for them These are call'd Labourers in Gods harvest aâ—â— our Saviour hath said Pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his hâ—rvest The true labourers are of God's sending they do not intrude themselves without a call but are sent by God in an orderly way That you may have â—â—ch you must pray for them and when you have them you must pray for the continuance of them and for God's blessing on them in their labours So shall that gracious promise of God be fulfilled among us which iâ— recorded by the prophet Jeremy I will give you Pastors according to mine own heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding learned and godly Bishops and Ministers such as the Church of England Dicam adstante invidiâ such as our Church is blessed with in our Time and hath been blessed with in the former Age. These are a great happiness to the people if they would be pleased to know their own happiness a great happiness to the people of God And this happiness will be the better known if you have the leasure sometimes to weigh the several parts of their office They are to feed you as the prophet said to feed you with knowledge and understanding brighter and clearer knowledge than that in the prophet's time The knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified The knowledge of him and the power of his Resurrection They are to guide you in your doubts to comfort you in your sorrows They are to call you off from the way of error and the path that leadeth to destruction and to shew you the right and good wayâ— and to shew you what God would have you do and what God will do for you if you beleive in him and serve him even bring you safe to everlasting Glory You may be glad to pray for such persons and to love them by whose ministry you obtain such inestimable benefiâ—s and blessings And we must not only pray for them but obey them too that our obedience may secure our prosperity Obedience I say is the best testimony of love and it is the fruit of love The Apostle presses the duty of obedience to Bishops and Ministers by the great benefit of the Souls committed to their charge They that obey their spiritual Rulers shall be improved in their souls advantaged in their whole conversation So that a comfortable Account shall be given of them to Almighty God the lover of souls For what greater comfort and joy can be both to Ministers and people than to live together in the fear of God and in mutual love here and when God shall call them hence to meet again in heaven and be with Christ in perfect joy for ever and ever Thus much may serve for the prosperity of those that pray for and love the State and likewise of their prosperity that pray for and love the Church And now to draw to a Conclusion if you please to reflect upon the plain discourse you have had the patience to hear you may thence make a discovery of the friends and enemies either of Church or State 1. We discern who are friends and who enemies to the State They that pray heartily for the State for the King and all that are in Authority under the King they that second their prayers with a loving a peaceable humble and obedient behaviour contributing to the publick what service they can in their several stations These are the friends of the King these are friends of the State these the best Commonwealth-men these the most loyal Subjects The Ancient Christians in the primitive Times the times of persecution were accused as enemies of the Roman Empire and causes of all publick mischeifs and calamities To refute this slander and defend the innocent professors of Christianity Tertullian a man of a strong wit and sharp Eloquence pleads thus Oramus pro omnibus Imperatoribus c. We pray for all Princes that it may please God to grant them long life secure Goverment a safe Family valiant Armies a faithful Counsel a good people quiet times and whatsoever good things they themselves can desire either as men or Princes Thus the primitive Christians were wont to pray for the Princes and Magistrates and by these prayers proved they were
friends to the present State On the contrary that man that takes himself to be a royallist a friend of the King and a faithful subject and only talkes or drinks a health and does not both in publick and private pray for the welfare of the King and Kingdom is very much mistaken Can he truly love the King that does not heartily pray for the King The loving Subject is the praying Subject and he will not fail in any other act or duty of obedience 2. For the discovery of the Churches freinds and enemies you have heard that by the Church is chiefly meant the Ruling part the Bishops and Ministers So the word seemeth to be understood in that precept of Christ Die Ecclesiae Tell it to the Church i. e. to the Rulers of the Assemblies as our learned Paraphrast has it out of Chrysostome These Rulers spirituall if we do not pray for we are no freinds but enemies of the Church For these are given by the special favour and providence of God for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ as Saint Paul saith They are given as the same Apostle adds that being instructed and guided by them we be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine So then if our settlement in the true Religion and our preservation from dangerous Errors if our edification and growth and perfection depend under God upon the sacred Ministry certainely he can be no freind to Religion and the Gospel who does not not love and pray for the Bishops and Ministers of the Gospel Nevertheless it is true and often found by sad experience that Church-men have many Enemies And no wonder For the Prophets of old and after them the Apostles yea Christ himselfe our Lord and Master had their Enemies slanderers revilers Elias the Prophet was accused as a troubler of Israel Paul the Apostle was accounted for a seditious fellow and his own Galatians seem to have been his Enemies for his telling them the truth And is not this that which raiseth up enmity against our preachers somtimes even the telling them the Truth The truth is we love our sins and favour our own lusts and vanities and would not be vehemently urged to part with any thing which is in deliciis a delight to us and dear as the right hand or eye We care not to be taught how to be grave and yet withall kind strict and yet courteous temperate and yet sociable as our Religion our Christianity exacteth We can hear the Doctrine but endure not to come under the Discipline of the church And here among the Churches Enemies I might fall againe upon the Popish Traytors both old and new the grand Adversaries of our Jerusalem both of our Church and State But 't is time to ease you and I had rather pray then inveigh Wherefore I intreat you to joyn with me in your most ardent desires that God would be pleased still to discover and defeat and blast his and our enemies that our Soveraigne Lord the King may still be protected by the Divine power and directed by the Divine Wisdom that the Parliament now summoned may in due time meet together and sit fâ—st with such unanimity and concord in their Counsels such order and prudence and success in their Affaires that they may be a joy to the King and to all his faithfull subjects and may rise with the honour the lasting honour of having been the reestablishers of truth and peace for us and our posterity I must not end till I have in a word admonished you of some other Traytors and these the worst of all For those Traitors aforementioned could only destroy the Body but these destroy the Soul the immortal Soul I mean these privy Conspirators in our own bosomes our carnal lusts and unruly passions and our presumptuous Sins proceeding thence I need not name them These must be searched out mortified extinguished and totally destroyed A great Work but possible by the Grace of Almighty God and by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ which we shall receive if we pray for it as we ought to do with humility and fervency and constancy And therefore in the close of all let me earnestly request of the Worthy Citizens here that this magnificent and beautifull Basilica the House of God the Glory of your ancient Corporation and the solemn service dayly ministred in this Colledge may be more frequented and attended by you And withall let me petition that the daily Divine Service at least in the mornings may be procured and maintained according to the Injunction of our good Mother the Church of England in every Parish Church in this City Consider of it if you please Right Worshipfull and beloved Brethren Bear with my zeal in this proposal If ever you will be zealous for publick and Common Prayer Now is the time Extraordinary occasions call for our extraordinary care and diligence Verbum sapienti My last words shall be taken out of a Prayer appointed for this Day O Lord Let the Consideration of thy Goodness work in us true Repentance that Iniquity may not be our ruine And increase in us more and more a lively faith and fruitfull Love in all holy Obedience that thou maist continue thy favour with the Light of the Gospel to us and our posterity for evermore And that for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Advocate Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
A SERMON PREACHED Vpon the Fifth of November 1679. In the Cathedrall Church at Gloucester By CL. BARKSDALE Pray for the peace of Jerusalem OXFORD Printed for John Barksdale Book-seller in Cicester 1680. Psal CXXII VI. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem They shall prosper that Love thee TO observe the coherence and meaning of the Text you may be pleased to look back to the 3 verse Jerusalem is builded as a City that is Compact together i. e. Jerusalem is a Lovely place the very buildings being so uniform and orderly joyn'd together are very beautifull an Emblem of that unity of minds that should be in the Church of God Then at the 4 verse Thither the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel or rather as our Critical Paraphrast has it according to the Commandment unto Israel to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord. It was the place to which all the Inhabitants of the Land were obliged to go up thrice every year to commemorate the mercies of God afforded to his people Then at the 5 verse For there are set Thrones of Judgment the Thrones of the House of David i. e. Besides the Service of God there also is the Sanhedrim or supreme Judicatory of the Nation that great Court where the highest matters are decided And there also is the Palace of David where the King resides and his Posterity shall sit upon his Throne All these Considerations infer the Duty of the Text Pray for tâ—e 〈…〉 the City of God weâ—l compacted and 〈…〉 in it selfe â—erusalem is the place where the House of God is and his solemn service â—erusalem is the seaâ—e of the King and the seat of â—â—stice Therfore Pâ—ay â— pray 〈◊〉 the peace of Jerusalem It is the duâ—y of â—ll Good men to pray for this place and to love it most affectionatly and to beseech God to bestow a quiet enjoyment of all these Advantages and all manner of prosperity upon it They shall prosper that love thee They that love and pray and contribute their utmost to Jerusalem shall not loose their reward they shall gain to themselves prosperitie The Text you see being thus explained falls into two parts A Duty and a Reason Thâ— Duty in tâ—e former words Pray for the peace of Jerusalem The Reason in the later They shall prosper that love thee a reason which is the great Reason and Common Motive to duty taken from their own intereâ—t and benefit They shall prosper that love thee ô Jerusalem So that we have these two Observations I. It is our duty to pray for the peace of the Church and State wherin we live II. They that well performe this duty procure prosperity and happiness for themselves I. It is our duty to love and pray for the peace of the Church and State wherin we live I joyn the Church and the State together for as I said at Jerusalem was the House of God the Temple and there also was the House of the King and the Court of Justice Religion and Justice are the great pillars of a Nation when these stand fâ—rm and inviolate then is a Nation happy That the Church may florish in true Religion and the State florish in the due Execution of Justice this must be the desire of our hearts this we must endevour every one in his place and this must every one pray for Pray for the peace of Jerusalem It is to this purpose that the Apostle Paul so earnestly exhorts that supplications and prayers be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty The Kings and Emperors and Magistrates in those times were Heathens and persecutors of Christian Religion yet the Apostle requires that prayers and supplications be made for them How much more ought we to pray for Christian Kings and Princes that under the Gracious Government of these Nursing Fathers Godliness and Honesty Religion and Justice may be nourished and maintained Good Reason to pray for Magistrats in the State under whose protection we live and by whome we enjoy peace and quietness And we have good reason too to pray for Ministers in the Church This the same Apostle requires Pray for us I desire your prayers for me and my fellow labourors in the Gospel those he means that are described there that watch for your souls and must give account for them namely the Bishops and Ministers under the Bishops They that have such a great charge as the charge of Souls that labour amongst you in the word and doctrine that exhort and admonish you in the Lord they certainly may well exspect the benefit and help of your prayers Pray for us Ministers in the Church saith the Apostle as well as for Magistrats in the State that it may go well both with the Church and with the State What the Apostle enâ—oyns that prayers should be made for Magistrats and Ministers was duly remembred in composing and framing the Liturgy and publick prayers of the Church of England as you may easily acknowledge who are such obedient sons of the Church as dayly to attend which I do heartily wish all having no lawful hindrance would do daily attend the publick divine Service For example O Lord save the King And endue thy Ministers with righteousness Againe for the King O God Behold our gracious Soveraigne Lord the King and so replenish him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit that he may alwayes encline to thy will and walke in thy wayes And for the Ministers Send downe upon our Bishops and Curats the healthful Spirit of thy grace and that they may truly please thee pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing Againe for the King By the way remember a Note of King Charls I of blessed memory That sure some of his Enemies were the more offended against the Common prayer book because it taught us to pray so much and so often for the King a reason which may make those who are loyal Subjects the more in love with it I say Againe for the King So rule the heart of thy Chosen Servant that he may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory So rule his heart that he may study to preserve thy People committed to his charge in wealth peace and godliness And yet againe Save and defend our King that under him we may be Godly and quietly governed Grant unto his whole Counsel and to all that are put in Authority under him that they may truly and indifferently minister Justice to the punishment of wickedness and vice and to the maintenance of true Religion and Vertue Where also you may remember it follows for the Church Give grace O Heavenly Father to all Bishops and Curates that they may both by their life and Doctrine set forth thy true and lively Word and rightly and duly administer thy Holy Sacraments Thus Beloved are we taught in our
divine Offices to pray according to the Apostolical Ordinance for the King and subordinate Magistrates for the Bishops and subordinate Ministers Surely Brethren did we dayly and duly joyn as we ought to do upon many Accounts in our excellent Common prayers humbly and heartily heartily I say for we are many times I fear but cold and faint we should I doubt not in Gods good time finde the success of these united forces and assaults upon heaven as Tertullian cals them in the prosperity both of Church and State as well as in the peace and comfort of our own Souls But here 's our misery some whether through infirmitie of mind or obstinacy God knowes will not come to Common prayers they account them common in the worst sense that is Common and unclean some of us when we are at Church in the House of God mind not the Work of God about which we come behave not our selves as it becomes men that pray to the God of all Glory and Power bring not with us that humility that love that faith that zeale and fervor that should accompany and quicken and season our prayers Aske and you shall receive saith our Saviour but then we must aske aright with faith and zeale and love and humility and which is to be remembred not only love to God but Charity sweet and amiable Charity toward our neighbors even to our enemies also Ye ask and receive not saith S. James because ye aske amiss It is a common fault of People to murmur and complaine that Magistraâ—s are not so good Ministers are not so good as they should be But may not we rather complaine of our selves and confess We do not pray for Magistrats we do not not pray for Ministers as we should pray Verily it were a course more becoming Christians Godly men to turne our murmurings against Governors into prayers and supplications for them For we may well beleive that by our continual prayers our earnest and sincere pâ—ayers prayers proceeding from an humble and lowly penitent and obedient Heart that which is supposed to need amendment would be redressed our Grievances eased or at least which is a blessed fruit of true devotion our own souls would be better composed and fitted to bear all things without us patiently and contentedly Give me leave to call to remembrance that which was known to some of us here present how in the late times of trouble and confusion before the miraculous Return of his Majestie now Reigning whom God Almighty long preserve to reign in Truth and peace in the time of the late troubles how zealous how constant notwithstanding the danger of Assembling were the prayers of Ministers and People faithfull even then to our afflicted Mother the Church of England as if the fire of persecution as indeed it useth to do had enflamed our devotions We had a comfortable hope then that should we live to see the King againe in his Throne the Bishops in their Sees againe and the Clergy protected and the good laws and liberty restored to the languishing Church and people of God we hoped and expected that England would really become a Nation of Saints an holy Nation Christians not in name only but in deed and in truth But alas What happened After our Kings Returne and with him the Returne of our Laws and our Liberty and our Religion after the reestablishment of our Church and State to the wonder and admiration of all the World was not our ingratitude our unthankfulness no less wonderful Did not the Devotions of many slacken and cool Yea did not Covetousness and Ambition did not licentiousness and profanation did not intemperance and excess strife and contention and faction quickly spread themselves over the Nation and usurp a new Dominion and reign over us But to speake most gently did not even the better sort fall much short of that zeal for Gods honour and service that care of reformation and amendment of Manners both in our selves and others which perhaps we once vowed and certainely the Mercies the unexspected and undeserved Mercies of God exacted at our hands Surely surely we were more strongly obliged to be an holy People a thankfull People a praying People a People loving and Charitable peaceable and obedient united in obedience to the State and united in obedience to the Church if not agreeing in all points of Doctrine and opinion for there may be a mutual Toleration in that respect yet however united in the common Faith of Christians and in the common Devotions and publick prayers formed with great Wisdom and moderation agreeable to the common Faith Where the fault of our Divisions lyeth God will Judge But among our late Omissions since the Return in Point of Solemn Assembling for Prayer and Thanksgiving I cannot this Day forget to note the neglect formerly I say not in this great City generally in the lesser Parishes of the Country the neglect of observing this great Day A great Day justly so stiled but greatly neglected in the greatest part of the Nation Was not this Neglect one sin among many other to provoke God to permit new Plots more Popish Plots conspiracies to be contrived fetcht out of the old Magazine of Hell ' against our merciful King and his loving People against our Church and State and all that is dear unto us To these Traitors we shall say more anon let us now go forward and speak to our Text. This this I feare may be matter of just complaint that we were not thankful for our Peace and prosperity that returned with our King whom God preserve but we murmured at the management both of Church and State For remedy whereof I shall mention but two places of Holy Writ which as I conceive being well considered may serve to abate and calm our murmuring As to the affaires of State is the burthen of Taxes and Tribute a Grievance For this take the Sentence of our Lord Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars As to the Church are Ornaments of our Mother and her Ceremonies an eye sore For this Grief take the good Aphorism of the Apostle Let all things be don decently and in Order Ceremonies in some measure and you may see the measure if you please to read the Prefaces before the Liturgy some Ceremonies are necessary for the preserving of that decency which the Word of God and our own reason and common sense requires what Ceremonies are such our Governors must judge not we Tribute is necessary for the Defense of the King and Kingdome what Tribute is such our Governors must judge not we They have the Power of Commanding to us is left the praise of Obeying These few words spoken of Tribute in the State and Ceremonies in the Church cannot seem impertinent or improper to my Text For it may be observed that the peace of our Jerusalem hath been much impaired and is still endangered by such as are apt too apt to murmur at One