Peace as we desire yet to rejoyce in it and to be heartily thankfull to God for it The Motives hereunto are many but I shall onely and briefly declare Six Motives Motive 1 BEcause of the Effects which Thankfulnesse produceth viz. it doth not onely retaine Gods favour for the present but also moveth him to bestow his Blessings upon us for the time to come So that Thankfulnesse for present Peace may not onely continue it to us as it is for the present but also for our greater comfort increase it for the future You know beloved that Thankfulnesse even Inter homines amongst men is not onely a meanes still to retaine their former Favours but also to purchase the fruites of their future Affections Now if Policy amongst men produceth this gratefull Effect ought not then Religion towards God to work it in us much more Certainly yea Oh then let us not be like those nine unthankfull healed Lepers in the Gospell who returned no thanks unto Jesus for healing their infirmity But let us be like the Tenth of that company that good Samaritane who thankfully for his cure turned back and fell on his face at Jesus feet and with a loud voice praised God Luke 17.15.16 Motive 2 Because it is Gods owne Injunction to his people Deut. 8.10 When thou hast eaten and filled thy self thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee And Psal 50.15 Call upon me saith God in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise me Then contrarywise not to be thankfull is to disobey God and consequently to contemne his Command What Doth God Command and shall not man Obey Oh what is Impotent Man the Creature that he should oppose the Omnipotent God his Creator The Larkes and other little sensitive Birds that fly in the Aire doe after a sort in their language sing praises to their Maker And shall rationall Men whom God hath indued with understanding be more remisse in performing their Duty then they Let all Ingratefull men then blush for shame that those little sensitive Creatures should transcend them And learne to be more thankfull for blessings received and to make God the Object of their praises for the time to come Motive 3 Compare our present condition in this Land with other Countries beyond the Seas which have been visited with greater desolations and destructions then we our selves as yet have been So that their Wives like those of this Land are not onely Widdowes and their Children Fatherlesse but also their Cities Townes and Villages sacked and burned their Women ravished their Virgins defloured their Infants rosted their Goods plundred their Cattell destroyed and Country wasted So that by reports a man may travell many miles before he shall meet with any person for his travells farther direction or visibly discerne for his hungry and thirsty bodies repose and present refection a place of repast and supplying Habitation So that those places that formerly have been habitations for Christians are now become Nests for wild Birds Dens for favage Beasts and Receptacles for Toads Adders Snakes Serpents and such like Vermine Oh then what great cause have we to magnifie God that we are not as yet in their condition Motive 4 Consider what we are in our personall walking towards God even dissolute in our deportments and desperate Rebels against his Lawes Alas Beloved what are we but the spurious off-spring of our unhappy Progenitors from whose loynes we are polluted with originall cursed corruption which hath contaminated all the powers and faculties of our soules and defiled all the parts and members of our bodies and we have and still doe daily bring forth the fruits thereof in our conversations So that we justly deserve even present destruction And there is nothing but the free bountifull goodnesse and the admirable unparalleld longanimity of our gracious God that restraines his destroying Angel from seizing upon us to our utter confusion And have we not great cause then to praise him for our peaceable Preservation Motive 5 Let us reflect into our selves recollect our thoughts and seriously consider what we have deserved at Gods hands if he should enter into Judgement with us and deale in Justice against us Loe then we could looke for nothing but all manner of temporall punishments in this World and everlasting burnings in the World to come In which never-dying flames Cursings should be our Himnes and Howlings our Tunes Blasphemies our Ditties and Lacrymies our Notes Lamentations our Songs and Shreekings our Straines These should be our morning and evening yea mourning Songs there Moab should cry out against Moab Father against Sonne and Sonne against Father that ever he begat him And those infernall Torments should be unto us both Endlesse Easelesse and Remedilesse not onely for a Thousand yeares but also unto all Eternity Oh let us all then consider the mercifull dealing of our gracious God towards us in this Condition who still suffers us to live in this time of Grace and also in the bosome of the Church from whence the light of Truth shines most splendidly unto us and doth out of his goodnesse toward us suspend his Judgements from us and gives us time to repent of our Wickednesse and to cry unto him for the pardon of our Sinnes that so we may escape those intollerable Punishments which by our sinnes we have deserved Whereas it had beene just with God that our Bodies should long agoe have beene laid in their Graves and the Wormes gnawing upon them and our Soules cast into Hel-fire and the Devils tormenting of them What great cause then have we to magnifie God for giving us so gracious an Opportunity untill this Moment whereby we may endeavour our selves by Humiliation to pacifie Gods displeasure and have him become a reconciled Father to us in Jesus Christ Motive 6 Thankfulnesse to God hath ever beene the Practice of the Saints of God for all the Benefits he hath bestowed upon them whereof our selves can speake experimentally the blessng of Peace is not the least Noah after his deliverance from the Flood Gen. 8.20 built an Altar to the Lord in thankfulnesse and offered burnt offerings upon the Altar Abrahams servant when he found experimentally that the Lord had prospered his journey Gen 24.48 blessed the Lord for guiding him in his way Isaack Gen. 26.25 built an Altar to the Lord in Beersheba for his Blessings and there he called upon the name of the Lord. Moses and the people of Israel sang praises to God for their deliverance from Pharaohs fury And the Forme of their Thanksgiving was this Exod. 15.1 2 3. I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he overthrowne in the Sea The Lord is my strength and praise and he is become my salvation He is my God and I will prepare him a Tabernacle He is my Fathers God and I will exalt him
It is required as a due debt from the children of God that they should pray for the Peace of the Church their mother O Pray for the Peace c. Now let us returne to the Particle O. But here before we goe into the Temple with Peter and John to pray this Particle O doth as it were tell us it will not be amisse to make a little stop in Solomons porch that so all the people may flock about us Act. 3.11 as they did about them And also bear us company into the house of the Lord. This is that the Psalmest drives at in this Particle or Interjection O O Pray c. This Interjection O is like the Cryers O Yes before some weighty Proclamation or the ringing of a Bell before some excellent Sermon or the sounding of a Trumpet calling the Souldiers together for to March speedily upon some great weighty and important service Yea it may not unfitly be parallel'd to the Hebrew word Selah Psal 3.2 which signifieth a lifting up of the voice to cause us to consider the sentence as a matter of great importance Behold the Prophet here is earnest and patheticall in his perswasion to this Religious duty his heart breaketh out for the very fervent desire he hath that all good men should joyne with him in this Sacrifice of Prayer to offer up the calves of their lips unto God And for the kindling of which holy Devotion this O is as it were the bellowes of the Sanctuary to blow this Sacred fuell into a flame O Pray c. Not that David here intended to exclude himself and to ease his owne shoulders by laying the burthen on the necks of others As Pharaoh did by Moses and Aaron when his land was afflicted with horrible haile thunder and lightning Pray ye unto the Lord saith he for it is enough that there be no more mighty thunders and haile Exod. 9.28 and I will let you goe And as Simon Magus dealt by Simon Peter who when he was exhorted by the Apostle to pray If perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him revolved back the businesse upon St. Peter and would needs engage him to doe the service for him Pray ye saith he to the Lord for me Acts 8.24 that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me No David meant to be one of the company himselfe but would not willingly goe alone And therefore saith elsewhere O praise the Lord with me Psal 34.3 and let us magnifie his name together Now for proof of this Doctrine from the Particle O viz. Doct. 1 It is the duty of the children of God to provoke and stir up one another to the service of God Our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount told his Disciples Mat. 5.13 14. they were the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World meaning thereby that their Office was to season the hearts of others with their heavenly Doctrine and also by their knowledge to give Light unto those that sit in darkenesse And when Christ taught his Disciples and others with them the true Patterne of a Christian life He set it forth by this Querie Mark 4.21 Is the candle lighted to be put under a Bushell or under the Table and not to be put on a Candlestick Alluding to those that have a greater measure of Knowledge and Understanding then others to impart it to them for their Benefit whereby others also might be brought to the service of God We have here also Davids practice and it is the very same lesson that S. Paul commends unto us 1 Thes 5.11 even to exhort one another and to edifie one another and to provoke one another to love and to good workes Yea this was the practice of St. Paul himselfe 1 Cor. 9.19 20 21 22 23. where he saith of himselfe For though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all men that I might win the more And unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might win the Jews to them that are under the Law as though I were under the Law that I might win them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as though I were without Law when I am not without Law as pertaining to God but am in the Law through Christ that I might win them that are without Law To the weake I became as weake that I might win the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some And this I do for the Gospels sake that I might be partaker thereof with you And this lesson S. 2 Tim. 1.6 Paul gave in charge to Timothy that he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the gift of God in himselfe The which Gift of God is a certaine lively flame kindled in our hearts by the Spirit of God which the Devill and our corrupted nature labour to quench and therefore we must nourish and stir it up And S. Paul exhorts Timothie with this expression viz. That the servant of the Lord must not strive 2 Tim. 2.24 25. but must be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evill men patiently Instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by him at his will Yea S. Paul exhorts his Galatians Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted And 1 Tim. 4. ult S. Paul there lessons Timothy to take heed to himselfe But this is not all True it is indeed that Charity is to begin at home but it is not also there for to end But to resemble that pretious ointment spoken of Psal 133. which being poured upon Aarons head did descend and worke downe by degrees unto the skirts and hem of his garment And therefore in our Charity we are commanded to be like to him who is the God of Charity Luk. 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your father in heaven is mercifull who saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 and to come to the knowledge of the truth It was Cursed Kain that member of the Church Malignant and bloody murtherer that was the first that thought himselfe discharged from being his Brothers keeper when he answered the Divine Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am I my Brothers keeper when as his guilty Conscience within him tacitly told him his Brothers blood would be required of him Whereas the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 So that all those gifts and graces that descend from above
home to the guilty Consciences of all obstinate Offendors all those infallible Truths that here already have beene together with all other that hereafter shall be delivered by Mee being but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weake infirmed Mortall and sinfull Man and to make them become Divine Physicall convincing Aphorismes serving as prevalent healthfull soveraigne spirituall Potions for the speedy Curing of blinde ignorant sinfull and sicke Soules that so they may prove to the Soules of diseased Persons as sweet Balsame of Grace wherewith to heale them for their present Preservation and also to keepe them from future Destruction being made by the mighty power of God Profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 And through the Divine Operation of his Blessed Spirit to worke so powerfully by them in the hearts of all those Persons of what Quality soever that are any wayes guilty of Disobedience unto lawfull Authority as speedily to open their eyes that they may turne from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26.18 And also to rouze them up from lying any longer in the drouzie Lethargie of their sinnes under the hellish Power and damnable Domion of cursed bloudy and sinfull Rebellion lest Pharaoh-like they sleepe so long in their Sinnes untill the voice of Gods mighty thunders Exod. 9.23.24 and haile mingled with fire from Heaven awake and rouze them up And to prevaile so farre with them as to walke in those wel-pleasing Pathes both to God and the King which the sacred Scripture expresly commandeth of that subjective Fealty Christian Loyalty and dutifull Obedience which all Subjects owe to their lawfull Soveraigne For to live Anarchically where there either is or else ought to be Monarchicall Government is to live as it were Without God in the World Eph. 2.12 But if obstinate Rebels will not be awaked rouzed up and reclaimed then let them hearken to the Lords Servant Moses predicting their fatall Doomes He that heareth the Words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I Walke according to the stubbornesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord Will not be mercifull unto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and every curse that is Written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven Deut. 29.19 20. Oh fearefull Judgements What both Temporall and Eternall Not onely corporall for the Body but also spirituall for the Soule And both of which Punishments no lesse then insufferable and that for ever Loe this must needs inevitably fill a sensible guilty Heart full of perplexing Amazement and tormenting Horrour And let Mee also tell them both as a timely faithfull Remembrancer to them of their past and present Sinnes and also as a Christian sensible Sympathizer of their future Sorrowes they may all justly feare that unto them belongeth that fatall propheticall Expression judiciously pronounced against Old Elies disobedient and rebellious Sonnes They hearkened not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 And therefore in Christian Pitty and tender Compassion towards them my greatly grieved Heart shall wofully mourne and sympathizing sorrowfull Soule bitterly weepe in secret for them Jer. 13.17 When there was no King in Israel every man did whatsoever seemed good in his owne eyes Judg. 21.25 Anarchie looseneth the Bridle whereby wicked men take liberty to themselves for the perpetration of all ungodlinesse without any Restriction and will thereby in a short time through the perversnesse of their wicked Wils and prevalency of their cursed Corruptions become like wilde Horses left to themselves without their Riders to command them Such loose Libertines and carnall Gospellers despise Government and speake evill of them that are in Authority Jude 8. By whose wicked Words and Workes great Detriment befalleth both Church and Common-wealth Those good necessary and Ancient Lawes of this Kingdome which formerly have beene and still ought to be the Rules of the Subjects continuall Obedience to all lawfull Authority are now by such Anti-monarchicall Persons converted into Club-lawes For the Arbitrary and Military power is now growne to such an height as that will you doe such a Thing Or will you pay such a Summe If answer to either Question be made No Then presently followeth take him Souldiers by the power of the Sword but if ye cannot apprehend his Body then speedily seize upon all his Goods with violence and sell them with expedition for his disobedience Is this the Liberty of the Free-borne Subjects Is this the Priviledge of the English Nation God forbid that Zion should be built up with bloud and Jerusalem with iniquity Micah 3.10 that were abhorring judgement and perverting all equity Was it ever knowne that the Children of God strove to erect and establish a Religion by the power of the Sword To lay the Foundation thereof in Blood To draw obedient Subjects against their wills into Disobedience To make others with themselves to falsifie their sworne Fidelitie to their lawfull Soveraigne To compell the Conscience and force it by Violence To kill the Body to convert the Soule and that also without affording any time of Preparation for the Kingdome of Heaven The which is rather a Prevention of the Soules Conversion and consequently the Destruction of both Loe such sinfull hainous and diabolicall Practices were never formerly heard of to be in this our Land especially amongst those who desire to be reputed as refined and purified Christians who also publiquely professe themselves to be Saints zealously walking in the Wayes of Holinesse constantly living in the Power of Godlinesse and also faithfully performing all their Workes in Righteousnesse every particular whereof necessarily requireth a farre more ample and larger Discourse than this superficiall short occasionall Glance expresseth Oh then what a great happy and rich Blessing is a godly vertuous and Religious King from whom his people under God receive the whole Benefit of Religion and Justice He is the Anointed of the Lord the Nurse of the Church the Father of the Common-wealth an Husband to the Widdow a Mouth for the Dumbe Limbes to the Lame the Light of our Eyes the Breath of our Nostrils and without whom where there either is or else ought to be Monarchicall Authority both Church and Common-wealth will be in the way of Confusion of which our selves of late have bitterly tasted by wofull Experiment Oh then how ought we to love our Dread Soveraigne to obey Him to doe our best endeavours to preserve Him to magnifie God for Him to rejoyce in Him and both constantly and heartily to pray unto God for the long continuance of Him amongst us and His happy and prosperous Reigne
lockt then against Theeves and Robbers S. Paul is peremptory in this particular Be not deceived saith He neither Theeves 1 Cor. 6.10 nor Covetous nor any of that cursed rabble he speakes of there shall have any inheritance in the Kingdome of God and of Christ But no sooner comes the penitent Thiefe with this Key of Prayer Domine memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome but presently the doore is open unto him with an Hodie mecum eris in paradiso This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise A Key did we call Prayer It seemes rather to be a Pick-lock that did not onely open heaven gate but also even let in a Thiefe He that formerly had rob'd passengers on the way and walked in the way of errour and shaddow of death Now bids Stand to the Way it selfe And sets onely upon him who is the Way Ioh. 14.6 the Truth and the Life and by his prayers unto him as it were by a new kinde of theft steales Heaven And as the Thiefe by his prayers opened the doores of heaven so Elijah the Prophet by his prayers made them fast He prayed that it might not raine Iam 5.17 and it rained not by the space of three years and six monethes 1 King 18. When he fled from the presence of Ahab He tyed up the influences of heaven and carryed away the Clouds in his Mantle It seemes God who is the Father of the drops of dew saith Job Ioh. 36.28 Mat. 5.45 and sendeth raine upon the just and unjust saith our blessed Saviour had granted unto Elijah a Patent or Monopoly of the raine and his prayers were the onely Rent he paid for it Eusebius reporteth Lib. 5. That in the Primitive Church Anno Dom. 175. The Army of Christians was called the Thundering-Legion because upon their prayers God scattered their Enemies with Thunder and refreshed themselves with comfortable showers from Heaven But not to loose our selves and protract the time in this Panegyrick of Prayer It is our Christian Sacrifice the calves of our lips which after all the abolished Sacrifices of the Law doth yet answer them all It is our morning and evening Sacrifice our incense offering which we put into the hand of our high-priest Christ Jesus to offer for us Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight like the incense saith David and the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice Psal 141.2 Like incense it vapors up in a sweet perfume in the nostrils of God It is our Juge Sacrificium our daily Sacrifice pray continually saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.17 pray without ceasing Prayer is our sinne-offering our clensing-offering Oratio sonat pestes mentis saith the Father It cures the plague-sores of the Soule And God accepts of the fruit of the lips proceeding from a penitent heart for the faults of the whole body Lastly Prayer is our Elevatum or heave-Offering even the lifting up of our hands in his sight And blessed are they that can lift up pure hands in his Sanctuary they shall be sure to have the Victory and to triumph over all their Necessities When Moses hands were lifted up Exod. 17.11 then Israel prevailed but when they hung downe then Amaleck prevailed Moses is the History and every man that is a meeke and faithfull man as Moses was is the Morall When we lift up our hands and hearts to God in faithfull and fervent Prayer then our sinnes and enemies doe both retire but when we let them hang downe neglecting that necessary Duty then they charge us with double Forces Which teacheth us how dangerous a thing it is to faint in Prayer And therefore cease not to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the Dignite of Prayer unto the Reasons of the Observation viz. Wherefore Prayer to God is the onely salve to cure calamity and to continue the favour of God unto his people Reas 1 Because it is the Lords expresse Injunction together with a gratious promise to grant our requests Call upon me in the time of trouble Psal 50.15 so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise me Reas 2 Because there is a blessing pronounced by our blessed Saviour unto those persons that labour for the Peace of others Blessed are the Peace-makers Mat. 5.9 for they shall be called the Children of God Reas 3 Because we being Children of the Church our Mother we have a Portion in our Mothers Peace For the Church our Mother and we her Children are relata and mutually sympathize the distresses of each other And as we should condole the Church our Mothers adversity so in like manner we ought to congratulate her prosperity our Portion being in her Peace Reas 4 Because of the happy Effect that Prayer produceth If saith God I shut the heaven that there be no raine 2 Chron. 7.13 14. or if I command the Grashopper to devoure the Land or if I send Pestilence among my people If my people among whom my name is called upon doe humble themselves and Pray and seeke my presence and turne from their wicked wayes then will I hear in heaven and be mercifull unto their sinne and will heale their Land Unto which also S. James alludeth where he saith Pray one for another that ye may be healed Iam. 5.16 for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent And therefore Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the grounds of the Observation unto the Application The Uses of this point are briefely foure viz. 1. Vse of Examination 2. Vse of Exhortation 3. Vse of Reprehension 4. Vse of Consolation Examination Vse 1 TO Examine thy selfe whether thou Prayest for the Peace of the Church or no if thou doest then it is an Argument of thy Regeneration But if thou doest not then it is an Argument that as yet thou art without the pale of the Church and art still in thy Naturall cursed condition And one of the bastard-brood of Sathan and consequently a firebrand of hell rather then a faithfull Son of God and Heire of Heaven Exhortation Vse 2 TO exhort us all in Gods feare to pray for Jerusalems Peace And this ought to be done secretly privately and publiquely secretly by our selves privately with our families and publiquely in the Assembly Beloved if thou art so aged or otherwise possessed with infirmities as that thou canst not fight for the Church when she is in distresse yet if thou cast Pray thou art for the Churches turne and that thou maiest doe for Prayer is a Spirituall quality of the Soule which may be performed by a weake and infirmed body and therefore as occasion is offered neglect not the same But admit the Lord hath decreed as I hope he hath not that we should perish in a generall Calamity yet notwithstanding let us all endeavour for to die
The LORD is a man of Warre his name is Jehovah c. Deborah Iudg. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang a song of Praise for the peoples Victory Hannah 1 Sam. 2.1 praised God for her sonne Samuell It was S. Phil. 4.6 Pauls Exhortation to his Philippians that they should be Thankfull unto God And also to his Colossians Col. 2.6 7 that they should abound with Thanksgiving Thus Raguell praised God for the preservation of Tobias life Tob. 8.15 O God said he thou art worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise therefore let thy Saints praise thee with all thy Creatures and let all thine Angels and thine Elect praise thee for ever It was the desire of wicked Balaam to have the Righteous mans Death Num. 23.10 But he would not live the Righteous mans life If therefore we desire to be happy with the Saints at our Death Let us endeavour to imitate them in our Life And one way whereof must be by being thankfull to God for his Blessings received Holy Davids thankfull heart unto God makes it his Quaerie Quid retribuam Domino What shall I give unto the Lord Psal 116.11 12. for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Yea the serious consideration of Gods Blessings caused David to stir up his owne soule to be thankefull unto God when he said Praise the Lord O my soule Psal 103.2 and forget not all his benefits And the same Princely Prophet foure times in one Psalme heartily wisheth that the people would praise the Lord and set forth his loving kindnesse to the world Psal 107.8 15 21 31. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Our Thankfulnesse to God ought to be testified as far as Mortals may in a threefold duty In Corde In Affectione In Lingua In Professione In Vita In Actione In Affection Profession and in Action Cordially Verbally and Visibly 1. Thankefulnesse in Affection is when willingly we accept the Benefit and heartily think our selves indebted for it 2. Thankfulnesse in Profession is when we make publication of a benefit received to the praise of the Giver 3. Thankfulnesse in Action is when the party receiving a gift doth expresse a reality of gratitude gratifying thereby the Donor to the uttermost of his power So that our reall thankfulnesse must be by a constant cordiall and universall obedience to Gods commandements It should therefore be the care of every one who would be truly Thankefull to be the same all these three wayes viz. In Heart in Mouth and in Life Let us therefore call to mind my beloved Brethren how many Bonds of Thankfulnesse the Lord hath bound us in And also consider with our selves it was onely his free mercy towards us that we had not beene those children that were ripped out of their Mothers bellies 2 King 8.12 Or those young men that perished in the Battell Judg. 9. Or those women that ate their Babes to preserve their lives 2 King 6.29 Or that we were not Infidels Pagans Papists Atheists or Hereticks So that we may comfortably say with the Prophet David He hath not dealt so with every Nation Psal 147. ult Let therefore evermore the Praises of God be in our Hearts the Word of God in our Mouthes and the Gospel of Christ in our Lives And by how much the more we have tasted of the Lords Goodnesse above others so much the more let him tast of our Thankfulnesse above others And let us all in Gods feare pray continually for the Peace of England and the flourishing estate of this Church and Common-wealth wherein we live Use the meanes to keep it refuse the way to lose it and long yea for ever may they prosper that love it O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Thus much for the Subject of this Duty being the Third Considerable in our Text set downe in this word Peace From whence you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Peace is a pretious blessing of God well deserving the prayers of his faithfull servants And now let us come to the last Considerable in our Text viz. the Object of this Subject set down in the last word of our Text Jerusalem By which is meant the Church of God From the which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. It is required as a due debt from the Children of God that they should pray for the peace of the Church their Mother O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And here I am not to speak of the invisible Church triumphant in Heaven but of the visible Church Militant here upon Earth and of that as briefly and orderly as I may The word used for Church in the Originall language of the New Testament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to call for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was called of the Graecians an Assembly of the Citizens called from home by the voice of a Cryer to heare the Judgement of the Senate But the Jewes called their place of publique meeting for the reading of the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synagogue that is a gathering together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather together to bring together and to assemble together But the Christians that by the very name of publique meetings they might distinguish betweene their Christian meetings and the Jewish assemblies have used and kept the word Church for the Congregation of them that professe Christ So that the Church of God is the company of selected Saints being effectually called from the world by the Preaching of the Gospell and chosen before all Worlds to the Worship of God being also Justified and Sanctified in Christ Jesus through the Operation of the Holy Ghost who heartily desire to serve and earnestly endeavour to please their Creator in all things whilst they live here in this world and shall have the full fruition of Eternall happinesse hereafter in the world to come And from being Members of this Church none that are true Believers are excepted whether they be high or low rich or poore old or young noble or ignoble learned or unlearned simple or politique of what estate degree or condition soever they be For there is neither Jew nor Grecian Gal. 3.28 there is neither bond or free there is neither male or female but they are all one in Christ Jesus The Sapient Solomon describeth the Church as though it were a Stately Court Cant. 6.7 in which there are none but those that are of the Blood Royall viz. Kings Queenes and those that are Heires apparent to the Kingdome of Heaven So that the true essentiall Members of the Church being faithfull Believers in Christ Jesus are the most precious and Noble Persons that live upon the earth even
fight under his Banner against Sinne the World and the Devill is now brought by the Providence and Permission of God into the fiery Fornace of Affliction for the firme triall of His saving Faith and profitable Christian Exercise of Gods heavenly graces within Him and also by probability extracted from fatall Conjectures in the very Twilight of His time betwixt the Day of Life Night of Death being now a PRISONER in Carishrooke-Castle in the Isle of Wight mournfully complaining unto God in these words Oh! my loving and compassionate God who by thy most holy wise and powerfull Providence dost continually preserve and governe all thy Creatures and all their Actions I humbly pray thee for Jesus Christ his sake to grant me Pardon and Patience thou that searchest the heart and triest the reines thou knowest the Sincerity of my Soules Service towards thee my constant Resolution for the continuation of the Protestant Religion the carefull Preservation of the Ancient Lawes of this Kingdome the rightfull Priviledges of Parliament the just Liberty of the Subjects the firme Settlement of Truth and Peace amongst the People and the Conscience I make of keeping that Oath administred to Me and also taken by Me at My Coronation for which things sake c. I am now deeply involved into great Misery and therefore O My tender-hearted God take Me into the safe custody of thy powerfull Protection and shelter Me under the preservative Wings of thy speciall Providence for the fierce Floods of popular Rage are risen up against Me the swelling Surges of mischievous malitious Adversaries looke big upon Me the rough Waves of the rude Multitude strive to overflow Me the proud Billowes of insolent insulting Enemies have almost overwhelmed Me and the violent Streames of the bitter waters of Affliction are also every day ready to swallow Me up all which I know thou canst if thou wilt suppresse at thy Pleasure who stillest when thou pleasest the raging of the Seas Psal 65.7 the noise of the Waves and the madnesse of the People And now ô Lord in this My great Extremity I flie unto thee who art Almighty with whom there is Helpe from whom there may be Reliefe upon whom dependeth My Hope and in whom resteth My Confidence one Deepe calling upon another Psal 42.9 the Depth of My Misery calling upon the Depth of thy Mercy craving thy present powerfull Assestance for My speedy and joyfull Deliverance And though for the present My Body from Liberty be restrained yet through thy Mercy towards me My Heart with grace from thee is greatly enlarged and Love in Me towards thee much increased thou hast often put the oyle of gladnesse into My heavy Heart and such sacred Influences of heavenly Comforts I daily doe receive from thee as that I nothing doubt of thy Mercy towards Me. Oh my deare God! thou hast beene graciously pleased to make Me thy Vice-gerent over three Kingdomes but woe and alas I am now deprived of all that Power which formerly I had in them all three abridged not onely of that sweet Society of My deare Consort but also of all My loving and tender-hearted Children who might in this My great Distresse as comfortable Cordials to My heavy Heart afford Me some Comfort those who formerly were and still ought to be My loyall Subjects are now risen up against Me have here Imprisoned Me and I am now become not onely as an Abject unto them but also the very Object of their Reproach Scorne Contempt and Derision and none of My Subjects in all My three Kingdomes will vouchsafe to rescue Me out of Mine Enemies hands And in this My great Distresse My teares have beene my meate day and night Psal 42.3 while Mine Enemies daily and hourly reproach Me and also craftily plot greater Mischiefes against Me not onely for the deadly destruction of My mortall Body but also for the utter Extirpation of Monarchicall Authority whereby My Royall Issue and their Princely Posterity should for future times be for ever abridged of all their just lawfull and Kingly Power in this Kingdome after Me for which My potent Adversaries so wickedly intending and cruelly practising against both My selfe and Mine I have often eaten the bread of Carefulnesse and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal 102.9 Now in this My deplorable captivated and calamitous Condition I beseech thee O My gracious God who breakest not the bruised reede nor quenchest the smoaking flax looke downe with thy favourable Eyes of fatherly Pitty upon me and let thy mercifull and loving Bowels of tender Compassion yerne towards Me Heare my prayer ô Lord with thine eares consider my calling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal 39.13 And if it shall please thee O my good God to deliver Me out of the hands of Mine Enemies whereby My Life may be preserved from their furie I shall ever praise thee for being so mercifull to Me but if otherwise in thy heavenly Wisdome thou hast decreed concerning the last Period and inevitable Expiration of My naturall Life that Martyr-like I shall deeply drinke with My blessed and sweet Saviour in his owne passionate Cup of bitter Death and so My mortall Body to perish and be destroyed by the Violence of the People yet shall I ever acknowledge thee to be righteous and will alwaies even to the last breath of My Life pray from the ground of My Heart Lord pardon whatsoever I have done amisse through the whole course of My Life and sanctifie all the Dispensations of thy Providence in these My great Sufferings unto Me forgive all Mine Enemies their cruell and unnaturall dealing towards Me lay not their Sinnes to their Charge and then Not my will but thine ô righteous Father for ever be done Loe these pittifull Passages proceeding from His Majesties greatly grieved Heart together with many others me-thinks I heare Ecchoing in mine Eares for which by way of Christian Sympathie as well as obliged subjective Duty towards His Majesty my heavy Heart Heaven is my Record doth often pray privatly and sorrowfull Soule mourne secretly on his behalfe and so in like manner all other loyall hearted Subjects ought for to doe as well as my selfe that thereby we might prevaile with the God of Heaven for our gracious Soveraigne His present Deliverance out of all His Troubles and speedy Re-establishment in His Throne of Righteousnesse The which over-joyous welcome Blessing to this perplexed and distracted King-dome our good God in his great Mercy grant to us all for the Glory of his great Name the Peace of this disquieted Land and the slourishing Estate of this English Church Common-wealth wherein we live and let all those who sincerely professe and faithfully love the Lord Jesus Christ truely searing the living God and heartily honouring their lawfull King say hereunto unfeignedly with my selfe even from the very ground of their HRARTS and SOULES So be it Amen Amen Oh! let us all in the filiall feare of God