thou the Walls of thy Jerusalem But how cometh David who was in the depth of private Humiliation so suddenly to fall upon the Case of the Church There was a special Reason for annexing this Request to his own private Complaints and Confessions The Reasons will occasion so many Observations 1. Because of the Offence Scandal and Mischief done to the Church by his Fall and to make amends he prayeth the more earnestly Let not Zion fare the worse for my sake From thence observe That the Sins of particular Persons oft bring a Mischief upon the whole Community David had made a Breach in the Walls of God's Protection and left them naked and more in danger of Judgment Therefore do good c. 2. David was not only a private Member but a Prince and their Sins have a more universal Influence The Sins of Magistrates draw down Judgments on their People all smart for their Miscarriages Hezckiaâ— â—s Pride cost Israel dear 2 Chron. 32. 25. Wrath was upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem It did not stay upon his Person As a great Oak cannnot fall but all the Shrubs about it suffer Loss But 3. David having some comfortable Assurance of the Pardon of his Sins doth now seek Mercy for the Church From thence observe That we are never fit to pray for the Publick till we have made our Peace with God As the Priests under the Law offered Sacrifice first for their own Sins and then for the Peoples Heb. 7. 27. 4. Because being brought by such a solemn but sad occasion into God's presence he could not but have some thoughts of Zion And from thence observe That we should never come to God upon any private occasion but we should remember the Publick We are to pray in Love as well as Faith Christ hath not taught us to say My Father but Our Father to shew that we should take in the Interests and Concernments of the whole Body that there may be a Spirit of Communion breathing in our Prayers David doth not only say Have mercy upon me according to thy Loving-kindness but Do good unto Zion in thy good pleasure Every living Member will be careful for the Body Members should be careful one for another much more for the whole Is any Member pained or grieved all suffer If the Toe be trod upon the Tongue complaineth you have hurt me but now much more when all is concerned Therefore we should not altogether seek our own Things but wrestle with God for the Publick 1. This reproveth divers sorts of People Some are Enemies to the Publick Welfare as Vipers eat out the Dam's Belly especially Enemies to Zion Down with it down with it even to the Ground What Monsters hath this Age brought forth Others are indifferent and careless which goeth up Christ or Antichrist they only mind the Matters of their own Interest and Concernment All seek their own Things As to the Publick Interest of the Church let all go how it will Let me tell you To be selfish is a sort of Self-Excommunication you cast your selves out of the Bundle of Life And to be sensless 't is an implicit renouncing the Body Others there are that are gracious but full of discontent at some Passages of Providence and these seem to have lost their publick Affections 'T is a sad Symptom when a praying People are discouraged from praying for Publick Welfare God is very tender of the Prayers of his People he is loth they should be lost and sorry they cannot be granted We may sin in ceasing to pray 'T is a sad Judgment when the Hearts of God's People are taken off from praying Again Those that pray too coldly for the Publick not as those that would do their Work There is a great Decay of the Spirit of Prayer which is also a sad Presage But now to shew you II. What we should pray for for Zion 1. The Dilatation or Enlargement of it throughout the World The more ample God's Heritage is the more is his Glory known Prov. 14. 28. In the Multitude of the People is the King's Honour and the Glory of a Shepherd lieth in the Number of his Flock So Christ's Kingdom the more it is enlarged the more Honour God hath Psal. 67. 2. That thy Way may be known among the Heathen and thy Saving-Health among all Nations Especially when the Fulness of the Gentiles is brought in Psal. 54. 2. and when the Jews are brought in Hos. 3. 5. To be instrumental to enlarge Christ's Kingdom 't is an Honour to us to draw on Christ's triumphant Chariot let us be sure to have an hand in it These Prayers if sincere are never in vain if they profit not others they promote the Kingdom of God in our selves 2. The Preservation and Defence of the Churches already planted frustrating the Plots and Power of the Enemies That God would be a Wall of Fire round about them Zech. 2. 5. Qui comminus arccat eminus terreat When at the weakest God can protect them bridling by his secret Power the Rage of Adversaries or defeating their Attempts 3. For Comfort and Deliverance in Afflictions We should pity the distressed Church as before That God would redeem them out of all their Troubles Every true Member of the Church hath Life Christ and that Life giveth Feeling and that Feeling Affection and Sympathy to rejoice and mourn They that mourn for Zion rejoice with her Isa. 66. 10. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoice for Ioy with her all ye that mourn for her 4. For the Furniture of the Church a Supply of all Good internal and external 1. Internal That God would bless them with Ordinances enrich them with Graces preserve Truth and Unity and continue his Presence with them his Ordinances that they may enjoy them in Purity that the Word Seals and Censures may be rightly administred till the Lord come These are Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God concerning which Christ spake to the Disciples Acts 1. 3. These are to be kept till Christ's appearing â— Tim. 6. 14. 'T is an Honour to God and of great Profit to the Church and a rejoycing to God's People to see them pure and unmixed Tho absent in the Flesh yet I am with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order Col. 2. 5. And then that God would enrich them with his Presence Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the World 'T is God that giveth the Increase Paul may plant and Apollos water but God giveth the Increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. for Conviction Conversion Confirmation 'T was not the Ark nor Mercy-Seat covered with Cherubims but the Answer from between the Cherubims given immediately by God that manifested his Presence It is not the Sound of the Gospel or outward Ministry but the Work of his Spirit Psal. 84. 2. My Soul yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my
to God as a Creator as we may come to him as the workmanship of his Hands It is better to do so than keep off from him And we may come to him as the workmanship of his Hands when we cannot come to him as Children of his Family The Church saith Isa. 64. 8. Now O Lord thou art our Father we are the Clay and thou our Potter and we all are the work of thy Hand They plead for Favour and Mercy by that common Relation as he was their Potter and they his Clay And David Psal. 119. 73. Thy Hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments Surely it is some Comfort to claim by the Covenant of Noah which was made with all Mankind when we cannot claim Mercy by the Covenant of Abraham which was made with the Family of the Faithful The Scriptures warrant us to do so Isa. 54. 9. For this is as the Waters of Noah unto me All this is spoken to shew that one way or other we should bring our Hearts to depend upon him as a Father for Succour and Relief Thirdly His Attributes Three this Text offereth God's Omnisciency He knows His fatherly Care Your Father knows what you stand in need of And his Readiness to help even before we ask 1. He is Omniscient He knows our Persons for Christ calleth his own Sheep by Name Joh. 10. 3. He knoweth every one of us by Head and by Pole by Person and Name Yea and he knows our State and Condition Psal. 56. 8. Thou tellest my Wandrings put thou my Tears into thy Bottle are they not in thy Book All our Wandrings he tells them all our Tears he hath a Bottle for them to shew God's particular Notice they are Metaphorical Expressions And he observes us in the very Posture when we come to pray and where Acts 9. 11. Go to such a Street in such a Place and enquire for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth The Lord takes notice in such a City in such a Street in such a House in such a Room and what you are doing when you are praying And he seeth not only that you pray but how you pray Rom. 8. 27. And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God He can discern between Lustâ— and Groans Words and Affections and such Words as are the Belches of the Flesh and such as are the Breathings of the Spirit 2. There 's his fatherly Care for it is said Your Father knows what Things you have need of He knows what pincheth and presseth you 'T is said 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you It is not said that he may take care of you but he doth take care God is afore-hand with us and our carking Care doth but take the Work out of God's hand which he is doing already Our Cares are needless fruitless burthensom but his are assiduous powerful blessed A small Matter may occassion much Vexation to us but to him all things are easy Upon these Considerations We should be careful for nothing but make known our Requests unto God Phil 4. 6. Praying for what we want and giving thanks for what we have For your Father knoweth you have need of these Things Mat. 6. 32. His fatherly Love will not suffer him to neglect his Children or any of their Concernments Therefore if you have a Temptation upon you to Anxiety and Carefulness of Mind and know not how to get out of such a Strait and conquer such a Difficulty remember you have a Father to provide for you This will prevent tormenting Thoughtfulness which is good for nothing but to anticipate your Sorrow 3. The next Thought is his Readiness to help This should be deeply impressed upon your Minds and should habituate these Thoughts how ready God is to help and to run to the Cry Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin Before his Purpose could be brought to pass Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear So Jer. 31. 20. I heard Ephraim bemoaning himself c. God's Bowels were troubled presently He is more ready to give than you to ask This will help and direct you mightily in the business of Prayer for God hath a care for his Children and very ready to help the weak and relieve them in all their Straits Thirdly For Directions about our Affections in Prayer three things are required viz. Fervency Reverence Confidence 1. Fervency that usually comes from two grounds a broken-hearted Sense of our Wants and a desire of the Blessing we stand in need of For the broken-hearted Sense of our Wants especially Spiritual Weaknesses are incident to the best All Christians have continual need to cry to God We have continual Necessities both within and without Go cry to God your Father without Affectation but not without Affection and seek your Supplies from him Let me tell you the more Grace is increased the more sense of Wants is increased For Sin is more hated Defects are less born And then there must be a desire of the Blessings especially Spiritual our Needs must stir up fresh Longings and holy Desires after God Mat. 7. 7. Ask Seek Knock. Luk. 11. 8. For his Importunity he will rise and give We spend the earnestness of our Spirits in other Matters in Disputes Contests Earthly Pursuits our importunate earnestness runs in a worldly Channel No no it must be from simplicity and sincerity pouring out your Hearts before him No Sacrifice without him Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much 2. Reverence a reverent respectful Carriage towards our heavenly Father Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Mark there is in God a mixture of Majesty and Mercy so in us there must be of Ioy and Trembling God's Love doth not abase his Majesty nor his Majesty diminish his Love We ought to know our distance from God and to think of his Superiority over us therefore we must be serious Remember God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to â—e had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal. 89. 7. 3. With Confidence Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him There is boldness in pouring out our Requests to God who will certainly hear us and grant what is good we must rely upon his Goodness and Power in all our Necessities He is so Gracious in Christ that he will do that which is best for his Glory and our Good and upon other Terms we should not seek it If you would not turn Prayer into Babling much-speaking to Affectation of Words take heed of these Abuses and labour
so tender to others as they which have received Mercy themselves that know how gently God hath dealt with them and did not take the advantage of their Iniquity 4. It is put here to shew that it is a Duty incumbent upon them that are pardoned God hath laid this Necessity upon Men. And that may be one reason why this Clause is inserted that every time we come to pray and beg Pardon we may bind our selves to this Practice and warn our selves more solemnly of our Duty and undertake it in the sight of God So that when we say Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors it is a certain Undertaking or solemn Promise we make to God if he will shew mercy to us this will incline us to shew mercy to others In earnest Requests we are wont to bind our selves to necessary Duties 5. It is an Argument breeding Confidence in God's pardoning Mercy When we that have so much of the old Leaven that soure revengeful Nature in us yet when we have received but a Spark of Grace it makes us ready to forgive others then what may we imagine in God! What is our Drop to that infinite Sea of Fulness that is in him Clearly thus it is urged in that Clause Luke 11. 4. And forgive us our Sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us There is a special Emphasis upon that For we also that is we that have so little Grace we that are so revengeful and passionate by Nature we also forgive those that are indebted to us Therefore the gracious God in all Goodness and in all moral Perfections doth far exceed the Creature and if this be in us what is there in God This kind of Reasoning is often used in Scripture as Mat. 7. 11. If ye then being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good Things to them that ask him If evil Men have such Bowels and Affections towards their Children certainly there 's more of this Goodness and Kindness in God Thirdly Wherein this forgiving of others doth consist 1. In forbearing others 2. In acquitting others 3. In doing good to them 1. In forbearing one another and with-holding our selves from Revenge This is a thing that is distant from forgiving and accordingly we shall find it so propounded by the Apostle Col. 3. 13. Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any Man have a Quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye Mark there 's first forbearing and then forgiving What is forbearing a ceasing from Acts of Revenge which tho they be sweet to Nature yet they are contrary to Grace Some Men will say we will do to him as he hath done to us Prov. 24. 29. Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the Man according to his Work Corrupt Nature thirsteth for Revenge and hath a strong Inclination this way but Grace should give check to it Say not c. Men think it 's a base thing and argueth a low pusillanimous Spirit to put up Wrongs and Injuries O it argueth a stupid Baseness But this is that which giveth a Man a Victory over himself nay it gives a Man the truest Victory over his Enemy when he forbears to revenge It gives a Man a Victory over himself which is better than the most noble Actions amongst the Sons of Men. Prov. 16. 32. He that overcometh his own Spirit is more than he that taketh a City There is a Spirit in us that is boisterous turbulent and revengeful apt to retaliate and return Injury for Injury now when we can bridle this this is an overcoming of our own Spirits But that 's the true weakness of Spirit when a Man is easily overcome by his own Passion And then hath our Enemy a true Victory over us when his Injuries overcome us so far as we can break God's Laws to be quit with him Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 12. 21. Be not overcome of Evil but overcome Evil with Good Then is Grace victorious and then hath a Man a noble and brave Spirit not when he is overcome by Evil for that argueth Weakness but when he can overcome Evil. And it is God's way to shame the Party that did the wrong and to overcome him too it is the best way to get the Victory over him When David had Saul at an advantage in the Cave and cut off the Lap of his Garment and did forbear any Act of Revenge against him Saul was melted and said to David Thou art more righteous than I. 1 Sam. 24. 17. Tho he had such a hostile Mind against him and chased and pursued him up and down yet when David forbore Revenge when it was in his Power it overcame him and he falls a weeping So the Captains of the Syrians when the Prophet had blinded them and led them from Dothan to Samaria what saith the King of Israel he is ready to kill them presently No 2 Kings 6. 22. Set Bread and Water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their Master He was kind to them and what followeth They did no more annoy Israel This wrought upon the Hearts of the Syrians so that they would not come and trouble them any more 2. In Forgiving it is not only required of Christians to forbear the avenging of themselves but also actually to forgive and pardon those that have done them Wrongs They must not only forbear Acts of Revenge but all Desires of Revenge must be rooted out of their Hearts Men may tolerate or forbear others for want of a handsom Opportunity of executing their Purposes But the Scripture saith Forbearing one another forgiving one another This Forgiving implieth the laying down of all Anger and Hatred and all Desire of Revenge Now this should be done not only in word but sincerely and universally 1. Sincerely and with the Heart In the Conclusion of that Parable Christ doth not say If you do not forgive thus it shall be done to you but If ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses so also shall my Heavenly Father do to you We must not only do this but do it from the Heart Ioseph when his Brethren came to him and submitted themselves did not only remit the Offence but his Bowels yearned towards them and his Heart was towards them Gen. 50. 17. Then 2. It must be done universally whatever the Wrong be be it to our Persons Names or Estates To our Persons Acts 7. 60. Stephen when they stoned him he said Lord lay not this Sin to their Charge Tho they had done him so great an Injury as to deprive him of his Life and Service yet Lord lay not this Sin to their charge So to our Names When Shimei came barking against David the poor Man was driven out of Ierusalem by a rebellious Son and this