Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A31405
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A sermon preached in a country-audience on the late day of fasting and prayer, January 30 by a priest of the Church of England.
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Cave, John, d. 1690.
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1679
(1679)
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Wing C1585; ESTC R36288
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19,279
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33
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louder than the cry of mine against them After all this some perhaps may ignorantly alledge that of our blessed Saviour John 17.9 for a dispensation in this case if not for a contrary practice I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me But we are not by these words to understand that our Saviour did wholly leave wicked men out of his prayers but he preferred his Apostles and faithful servants before them these were nearest his heart and peculiarly dear to him and as there are degrees in Gods kindness so may and ought there to be in our prayers whilest we pray for all men we are to pray more especially for some 1. For our kindred near relations and intimate friends With what ardency and transports of zeal Moses and St. Paul prayed for such we read Exod. 32.31 32. Rom. 9.3 2. For the Church of God for the whole congregation of Christian people The City of Jerusalem was heretofore honoured above all the Cities of the world by Gods placing his name there and by that solemn worship which was there performed to him when the Tribes came up thither thrice a year c. Upon which account it was a Type of the true Church and the whole company of Gods faithful people are called Zach. 12.1 Heb. 12.22 the house of Jacob and the inhabitants of Jerusalem The Heavenly Jerusalem And therefore they were to pray for the Church under this title Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psalm 122.6 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces c. The Lord would not have them hold their peace Isa 62.6 7. for Jerusalems sake nor give him any rest till he made it a praise in the earth And it was a most fervent and pathetical Prayer Dan. 9.16 that of Daniel's O Lord according to all thy righteousness let thine anger and fury be turned away from thy City Jerusalem thy holy Mountain because for the sins and the iniquity of our Fathers Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us And doubtless we under the Gospel have all reason to own the same or greater obligations to pray for the Peace and prosperity of the Church of God and if we are not wholly devoid of the spirit of Christianity we shall express a sympathy with our fellow members rejoycing with those that rejoyce and weeping with those that weep praying most affectionately for those of the same holy communion with our selves that God would be pleased to confirm them in his truth keep them sound in the faith succour them by his grace defend them by his power Ephes 1.17 18 19. Epes 1.3 4. deliver them from every evil work and preserve them to his heavenly Kingdom For this among others we have the example of our Apostle praying for the Churches Col. 4.3 1 Thes 5.25 as well as desiring their prayers for himself upon all occasions particularly when he foresaw that he should meet with enemies in Judea Rom. 15.30 31. This is left upon record as an honourable testimony of Epaphras his zeal for the Church and people of God That he laboured fervently for them in prayer Col. 4. 12 13. that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Obj. But it may be objected against this part of our discourse that there is no such need of praying for the Church because God hath undertaken to secure it promising Mat. 16.18 That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Answ It is true Christs Church shall never totally fail but no particular Churches ever had a Patent of perpetual preservation The decays and ruins of the Eastern Churches are a deplorable instance of the contrary and what hath been done to one Church may certainly be done to another what hath been done in Asia may be done in Europe Nor is that Church exempt which calleth her self the Mother and Queen of the rest but as she is fallen already in a sad degree from her first love from her truth and purity so may she soon be cast down from her pomp and glory And indeed when we consider her Apostasie from the Primitive Faith in many particulars we understand what great need there was of that early caution of the Apostle Be not high minded but fear Rom. 11.20 But to say no more of that now All Gods promises of not fayling and forsaking his people are made with this reserve that they do not wilfuly depart from him As the Prophet said unto Asa The Lord is with you while you are with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you 2 Chron. 15.20 but if you forsake him he will forsake you In which respect without naming any others at present we see there is great reason that in our prayers and supplications for all men we intercede especially for the Church of God in some such words as those of the Prophet Spare thy people Joel 2.17 O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach 3. We must pray more especially for that part of the Church of God among our selves because a natural and a civil added to the Christian relation strengthens our obligation to this duty Psal 122.7 For my brethren and companions sake I will now say Peace be within thee We that are united in the same civil as well as religious interests must needs suffer or prosper together and therefore ought to unite in mutual intercessions to pray most affectionately for one another and the whole body of the kingdom Jere. 14.9 Zach. 2.5 Psal 147.3 That the God by whose name we are called would not leave us but be a wall of fire round about us and the glory in the midst of us that he would strengthen the bars of Sions gates and bless all her children within her That he would protect his ordinances maintain his truths among us and continue his gracious presence with us that he would preserve the beauty and stability of religious government that errours and heresies may not infest the Church nor injustice treachery rebellion disorder the State but that the Tabernacle and the Tribunals religion and policy may mutally support and adorn each other That our Jerusalem may be a City compacted and at union within it self that we may not by any trifling or peevish differences among our selves open a breach for the common enemy to enter in at but that we may stand fast in one-spirit Phil. 1.27 and with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel that we may contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints that by all honest and orderly endeavours we may joyn together to defend and promote the religion of Christ and his Apostles the religion of the first and purest ages the religion which the Church of Rome hath so grosly corrupted the religion which the Church of England with others hath