you believed you were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise Ephes. 1. 13 14. 2. There is a Witness which is given to the Saints that the thing may not be always dark and doubtful The Holy-Ghost is given as a Witness If you would know whether or no you are the Children of God see that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God As under the Law in the Mouth of two Witnesses every doubtful Thing was to be established Deut. 17. 6. So here the Spirit beareth Witness together with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Our Spirits alone may be lying deceitful we may flatter our selves and think we are the Children of God when we are Children of the Devil All certainly comes from the Holy-Ghost and therefore the great Question which is traversed to and fro in the Heart is Whether we be God's Children What is the Spirit 's Witness 1. He lays down Marks in Scripture which are the Ground and Decision of this Debate for the Scriptures are of the Holy-Ghost's inditing and so may be said to bear witness Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 1 John 3. 10. In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Thus the Spirit beareth witness to our Spirits by laying down such Marks as we by our own spiritual Sense and renewed Conscience feel to be right within our selves And this is the main thing called the Witness of the Spirit 2. He worketh such Graces as are peculiar to God's Children and are Evidences of our Interest in the Favour of God and therefore it is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 13. and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Look as Iohn knew Christ to be the Son of God by the Spirit 's descending and abiding upon him Iohn 1. 32. So by the Spirit 's Work and the Spirit 's Inhabitation we know whether we are the Children of God or no whether we dwell in God and God in us because of his Spirit that he hath given us that is because of those Graces wrought in us And this is called the Seal of the Spirit for the Holy-Ghost stamping the Impress of God upon the Soul working in us an answerable Likeness to Christ is said to be the Seal then we have God's Impress upon us 3. The Spirit goes further he helpeth us to feel and discover those Acts in our selves There is a stupid Deadness in the Conscience so that we are not always sensible of our spiritual Acts. Hagar saw not the Fountain near her until God opened her Eyes So we may not see the Work of the Spirit without the Light of the Spirit We cannot own Grace in the midst of so much Weakness and Imperfection there is a misgiving of Conscience therefore the Spirit of Sanctification is also a Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1. 17. The Author of the Grace is the best Revealer and Interpreter of it He works and he gives us a sight of it As a Workman that made a thing can best warrant it to the Buyer he knows the Goodness and Strength of it and how it is framed and made So the Holy-Ghost which works Grace he reveals and discovers this Grace to us 4. The Spirit helps us to compare them with the Rule and accordingly to judg of their Sincerity The Spirit opens our Understandings that we may be able to discern the Intent and Scope of the Scripture that so we may not be mistaken We must plow with God's Heifer if we would understand the Riddle In thy Light we shall see Light We shall be apt to misapply the Rule so as to judg of our own Actions Rom. 9. 1. I lie not the Holy-Ghost bearing me witness when he had spoken of some eminent Thing wrought in him We are apt to lie and feign and misapply Rules Comforts and Privileges But now the Holy-Ghost bearing witness with our Spirits by this means we come to have a Certainty There are so many Circuits Wiles Turnings in the Heart of Man that we are not competent Judges of what is wrought in us therefore it is usually ascribed to the Spirit to be the Searcher of the Heart Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence Acts 5. 4. Thou hast not lied unto Men but unto God The Holy-Ghost is rather spoken of than any other Person because it is his personal Operation to abide in the Hearts of Men and to search and try the Reins It is more particularly ascribed to him tho it belongs to all the Persons 5. As the Spirit helps us to compare that which is wrought with the Rule the impression or thing sealed with the Stamp or the thing sealing so he helps us to conclude rightly of our Estate For many times when the Premises are clear the Conclusion may be suspended either out of Self-Love in case of Condemnation or out of legal Fear and Jealousy in case of Self-acquitment Therefore the Conclusion is of the Holy-Ghost 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit There 's a great deal of do to bring us to Heaven with Comfort There needs a Person of the Godhead to satisfy us as well as to satisfy God and help us to determine concerning our Condition 6. He enlivens and heightens our Apprehensions in all these Particulars and so fills us with Comfort and raiseth our Joy upon the feeling of the Sense of the Favour of God for all this is the Fruit of his Operation Therefore it is said Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is given unto us Those unspeakable Glimpses of God's Favour and sweet Manifestations of God's Love in the Conscience which we have these are given by the Holy-Ghost There is not one Act of the Soul but the Holy-Ghost hath a stroke in it for our Comfort in every degree all comes from God So that if you would know what the Witness of the Spirit is consider What are the Marks in Scripture What Graces are wrought in your Hearts How doth the Spirit help you to discern those Graces to compare them to the Rule to make accordingly in these Things a Determination of our Condition And what Joy and Peace have you thereupon wrought in your Hearts by the Holy-Ghost For an immediate Testimony of the Spirit the Scripture knows of no such thing All other is but Delusion besides this 3. There are certain Fruits and Effects which do more sensibly evidence it unto the Soul What are those Fruits of the Spirit of Adoption in our Hearts by which we may further evidence it whether we are the
Lord to whom I have entirely given up my self in a way of Subjection This is a Sign you are brought under his Government 8. None can obey his Laws but by the virtue and power of his Spirit The new Covenant it is not only a Law but the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ so it is called by the Apostle Rom. 8. 2. It is not a bare literal Command that shall urge us to Duty but it giveth strength and efficacy to the Heart Other Kings they give Laws that Men may keep them by their own Strength But now Christ he would be owned as a King not only in a way of Subjection but establish a constant Dependance He is a King not only to require but to give Repentance Acts 5. 31. not only to make a Law but to write and work a sense of this new Govenant-Gift upon the Heart Heb. 8. 10. He doth not only set up his Ordinances Laws Constitutions but there is Power goeth along with the Dispensation of this Kingdom and thereby we are fitted and enabled to love serve and please God and then are we under the Kingdom of God when we are under the spiritual Power of it It is not only necessary to obey his Laws but that we do it by virtue of his Power and Spirit The Kingdom of God stands not in Word but in Power 1 Cor. 4. 20. That we may both acknowledg his Authority and wait for his Strength This is a true Submission when we look for all from him and serve him in the strength of his own Grace 9. All those that act through the virtue and power of his Spirit they do unfeignedly seek his Glory and make Christ to be not only their Principle but their End for having a new Principle they have a new Tendency acting in the Power of the Spirit their Hearts are carried out to seek Christ's Interest and Christ's Glory when they can say with the Apostle Phil. 1. 21. To me to live is Christ when their whole Business is to set up Christ. We set up our selves in the room of Christ if he be not at the end of all 2 Thess. 1. 11 12. That God might fulfill all the good Pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power and that Christ may be glorified in you If you have the Power of Christ's Kingdom this will be the immediate Result and Issue of it that Christ may be honoured and set up not only as a Law-giver and Fountain of Grace but as the last End If to us to live is Christ then is the Kingdom of God come into our Heart For this we pray that the Lord would so break the Yoke and Government of Satan that we may receive the Lord Iesus into our Heart that we may come under the Awe of his Laws and in the Power of his Grace may seek his Kingdom and Glory To conclude All this Grace is offered to you if you refuse the Offer your Condition is worse than if it had never been tendred to you The Lord hath sent his Son to help you out of the Power of the Devil and bring you in Heart and Life again to himself if you refuse this then This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light John 3. 19. The Lord Jesus when he comes in flaming Fire to render Vengeance it shall be upon them that do not obey his Government 2 Thess. 1. 8. that did not acknowledg God to be their Sovereign There will be a sore Vengeance on them which had the Gospel tendred and this wonderful Provision brought home to them and left to their Choice and yet have turned their Backs upon it Secondly We beg the Continuance of it that he would maintain this Kingdom in our Heart and preserve us in this State for those which can call God Father are still to say Thy Kingdom come It is not enough to go to Christ to begin it but to carry it on and to keep and preserve us unto his heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 18. That we may not revolt to the Devil's Side after we have chosen God for our God and so our latter End be worse than our Beginning Thirdly We pray for the Increase of it that it may get ground more and more There are some Reliques of the Kingdom of Darkness yet left and there is something wanting to the Kingdom of Grace we are troubled and molested still Tho Sin doth not get the Throne tho the Regency of it is cast down yet it is not cast out in regard of Inherence Sin shall not have Dominion over you that is all we can hope for Rom. 6. 14. We cannot hope for an Extinction of Sin but only that it shall not have Dominion As the Beasts in Dan. 7. 12 tho their Dominion was taken away yet their Lives were prolonged for a season and time The Reign Power and Dominion of Sin is taken down yet it continues for our Exercise and Molestation Now we desire he might rule in us by his Grace and that of the Increase of his Government there may be no End II. For the Kingdom of Glory which in this private Consideration as it concerns each Person is to begin at Death And when we desire the coming of the Kingdom of Glory we do two things we express our Readiness for it or our Desire after it 1. Our Readiness for it at least the Kingdom of God is ready for us if we were ready for it as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 5. God is ready to judg but we are not ready to be judged And therefore we read of the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for us and of Men prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven It is prepared for the Saints Mat. 25. 34. A Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And the Saints prepared for it Rom. 9. 23. Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory And this is that which the Apostle gives thanks for unto the Father which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. Before we come to Heaven there is a Right to Heaven we are made meet more mortified and weaned from present Things often in Communion with God here and so for ever with the Lord hereafter We are still to have our Eyes to our Rest and happy State that we may be made ready for it We express our Readiness or we beg it 2. That we may express our Desires after the Enjoyment of it A Christian is to desire the Company of Christ. Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And he is to hasten the coming of the Day of God 2 Pet. 3. 12. Now because this cannot be but by our Death therefore here we may examine a Case or two Case 1. First about longing for Death Is it lawful to desire Death The Law doth not
when they are alone with him When Daniel was praying alone with great Earnestness the Angel Gabriel was sent and caused to fly swiftly to him to tell him his Prayers were answered Dan. 9. 21. And Cornelius while he was praying alone an Angel of God came unto him to report the hearing of his Prayers Acts 10. 3. and vers 9. Peter when he was praying alone then God instructs him in the Mystery of the calling of the Gentiles then had he that Vision when he was got upon the top of the House to pray Before we are regenerated God appeareth to us many times when we do not think of it but after we are regenerated usually he appeareth upon more eminent Acts of Grace when we are exercising our selves and more particularly dealing with God and putting forth the Strength of our Souls to take hold of him in private 3. There is this profit in it It is a mighty Solace and Support in Affliction especially when we are censured scorned and despised of Men and know not where to go to find a Friend with whom we may unbosom our Sorrow then to go aside and open the matter to God it 's a mighty ease to the Soul Iob 16. 20. My Friends scorn me but mine Eye poureth out Tears unto God When we have a great Burden upon us to go aside and open the matter to God it gives Ease to the Heart and Vent to our Grief as Hannah in great Trouble falls a praying to God and then was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 13. As the opening of a Vein cooleth and refresheth in a Fever So when we make known our Case to God it is a mighty Solace in Affliction 4. It is a great Trial of our Sincerity of our Faith Love and Obedience when we are alone and no body knows what we do then to see him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. When we are much with God in private where we have no Reasons but those of Duty and Conscience to move us Carnal Hypocrites will be much in outward Worship They have their Qualms and pray themselves weary and do something for Fashion sake when foraign Reasons move them but will they so pray as to delight themselves in the Almighty Will they always call upon God Job 27. 10. That Delight in God which puts us upon Converses with God affects Privacy 5. It is a profitable Duty because of the great Promises which God hath made to it This secret and private Prayer in the Text shall have a publick Reward it will not be lost for God will reward it openly So Iob 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him and be at Peace thereby Good shall come unto thee Frequent Correspondence with and constant Visits of God in Prayer what Peace Comfort Quickning brings it into the Soul So Psal. 69. 32. His Soul shall live that seeks the Lord. Without often seeking to God the vitality of the Soul is lost we may as well expect a Crop and Harvest without sowing as any Liveliness of Grace where there is not seeking of God Could a Man take notice of another in a Croud whose Face he never saw before So will God own and bless you in the Crouds of the Assemblies of his People if you mind not this Duty when you are alone APPLICATION Vse 1. To reprove those which neglect Closet-Addresses to God they wrong God and themselves 1. They wrong God because this is a necessary part of the Creatures Homage of that Duty he expects from them to be owned not only in publick Assemblies but in private And they wrong Themselves because it brings in a great deal of Comfort and Peace to the Soul and many sweet and gracious Experiences there are which they deprive themselves of and a Blessing upon all other things But more particularly to shew the Evil of this Sin 1. It is a Sin of Omission and these Sins are very dangerous as well as Sins of Commission Natural Conscience usually smites more for Sins of Commission than for Sins of Omission To wrong and beat a Father seems a more heinous and unnatural Act then not to give him due Reverence and Attendance We are sensible of Sins of Commission but yet God will charge Sins of Omission as well as Commission upon you and so will Conscience too when it is serious when against the plain Knowledg of God's Will you can omit such a necessary part of God's Worship Iames 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is Sin That is it will be Sin with a Witness Conscience will own it so when it is awakened by the Word or by Providence or great Affliction or cast upon your Death-bed how will your own Hearts reproach you then that have neglected God and lost such precious Hours as you should have redeemed for Communion with him Sins of Omission argue as great a Contempt of God's Authority as Sins of Commission for the same Law which forbids a Sin doth also require a Duty from us And Sins of Omission argue as much Hatred of God as Sins of Commission If two should live in the same House and never speak to one another it would be taken for an Argument of as great Hatred as to sight one with another So when God is in us and round about us and we never take time to confer with him it argues much hatred and neglect of Him And Sins of Omission are an Argument of our Vnregeneracy as much as Sins of Commission A Man which lives in a course of Drunkenness Filthiness and Adultery you would judg him to be an unregenerate Man and that he hath such a Spot upon him as is not the Spot of God's Children So to live in a constant neglect of God is an Argument of Unregeneracy as much as to live in a course of Debauchery The Apostle when he would describe the Ephesians by their unconverted State describes it thus Eph. 2. 12. That they lived without God in the World when God is not owned and called upon and unless the Restraints of Men the Law of common Education and Custom of Nations call for it they live without God So Psal. 14. 1. They are corrupt they have done abominable Works there is none that doth Good they are altogether become filthy every unregenerate Man is that Atheist There is some Difâ—erence among unregenerate Men some are less in the Excesses and gross Out-breakings of their Sins and Folly some sin more some less but they all are abominable on this account because they do not seek after God And the Apostle makes use of that Argument to convince all Men to be in a State of Sin Rom. 3. 11. There is none that seeketh after God The Heart may be as much hardned by Omissions yea sometimes more than by Commissions As an Act of Sin brings a Brawniness and Deadness upon the Heart so doth the Omission of a necessary Duty Not only the breaking of a String puts the
is not to be understood so as if he were included in Heaven or locally circumscribed within the Compass of it For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him 1 Kin. 8. 27. In regard of his Essence he is in all Places being infinite and indivisible He is not included within the Heavens nor excluded from Earth but filleth all Places alike Ier. 23. 24. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. But yet in an especial manner is God present in Heaven That appears because there is his Throne Psal. 103. 19. He hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens Earthly Kings they have their Thrones exalted higher than other Places but God's Throne is above all it is in Heaven He hath a more universal and unlimited Empire than all the Kings of the Earth so he hath a more glorious Throne Heaven is the most convenient Place to set forth his Majesty and Glory to the World because of the Sublimity Amplitude and Purity of it And so Isa. 66. 1. Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool Heaven is his Throne because there is his Majestical Presence more of his Glory and Excellency is discovered And the Earth is his Footstool because there in the lowest part of the World he manifesteth his powerful Presence among the lower Creatures Briefly to conceive how God is in Heaven we must consider 1. The several ways of his Presence He is in Christ hypostatically essentially or as the Apostle speaks bodily Col. 2. 19. The Fulness of God dwells in him bodily In the Temple under the Law there God was present symbolically because there were the Signs and Tokens of his Presence The Jewish Temple was a Sacramental Place and Type of Christ in whose Name and by whose Merit Worship was acceptable to God But now in Christians he is present energetically and operatively by his Spirit And in Heaven he there dwells by some eminent Effects of his Wisdom Power Greatness and Goodness God hath shewed more of his Workmanship in the Structure of the Heavens than in any other part of the Creation that being the most glorious part of the World Psal. 19. 1 2 3. The Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord and the Firmament sheweth his handy Work c. Certainly it is meet God should dwell in the most glorious part of the World now Heaven is the most glorious part of the Creation Heathens in their Straits would not look to the Capitol where their Idols were but to Heaven where God hath impressed his Majesty and Greatness When ever we look upon these aspectable Heavens the vast Expansion of those glorious Luminaries the Purity of the Matter and Sublimity of its Posture it cannot but raise our Hearts to think of a glorious God that dwelleth there When we come by a poor Cottage we guess the Inhabitant is no great Person but when we see a magnificent Structure we easily imagine some Person of account dwells there So tho the Earth doth declare the Glory of God and shew much of his Wisdom and Power yet chiefly the Heavens when ever we look upon them we cannot chuse but have awful Thoughts and be struck with a Religious Horrour at the remembrance of the great God which hath stretched out these Heavens by his Wisdom and Power 2. Therefore God is said to dwell in Heaven because from thence he manifesteth his powerful Providence Wisdom Justice and Goodness God is not so shut up in Heaven as not to mind human Affairs and to take notice of what is done here below Psal. 11. 4. The Lords Throne is in Heaven His Eyes behold his Eye-lids try the Children of Men. Tho his Throne be in Heaven yet his Providence is every where his Eyes behold he seeth how we behave our selves in his Presence and his Eye-lids try the Children of Men He may seem to wink now and then and to suspend the strokes of his Vengeance but it is but for our Trial. He owneth his Children from Heaven Deut. 26. 15. Look down from thy holy Habitation from Heaven and bless thy People And from thence he punisheth the Wicked Rom. 1. 18. The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven 3. There is God most owned by the Saints and glorified Angels therefore he is said to dwell there as a King is beloved by his Subjects but most immediately served and attended upon by those of his own Court. So that in Heaven there we have the highest Pattern of all that Duty which doth immediately concern God In this Prayer Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done these three Petitions concern God more immediately now before we put them up Christ would have us think of our Father in Heaven praised by 〈◊〉 and Saints that fall down before his Throne crying Honour â—lory and Praise There he Reignâ—th his â—hrone is there and there he is perfectly obeyed and served without any oppoâ—ition 4. There God is most enjoyed and therefore he dwells there for there he doth more immediately exhibit the fulness of his Glory to the Saints and Angels In Heaven God is all in all Here we are supplied at second or third Hand Hos. 2. 18. I will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the Earth c. But there God is immediately and fully enjoyed Here there are many Wants and Vacuities to be filled up But in thy Presence there is fulness of Ioy and at thy right hand there are Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Look as when the Flood was poured out upon the World you read that the Windows of Heaven were opened Gen. 7. 11. The drops of Rain were upon Earth but the Cataracts and Flood-Gates were in Heaven So when he raineth down drops of Sweetness upon his People the Flood-Gates are above they are reserved for that place where they are fully enjoyed Thirdly Why hath God fixed and taken up his dwelling place in the Heavens I answer 1. Because mortal Men they cannot endure his glorious presence Deut. 5. 23. When ye heard the Voice out of the midst of the Darkness for the Mountain did burn with Fire ye said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his Glory and his Greatness and we have heard his Voice out of the midst of the Fire now therefore why should we dye For this great Fire will consume us if we hear the Voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall dye Any manifestations of God how easily do they over-set and overcome us A little Spiritual Enjoyment it is too strong for us If God pour out but a drop of Sweetness into the Heart we are ready to cry out Hold Lord it is enough Our crazy Vessels can endure no more Therefore when Christ was transfigured the Disciples were astonished and fell back they could not endure the Emissions and Beamings out of his Divine Glory because of the Weakness and Incapacity of the present State therefore hath God a place above
wish himself to love Christ less or to be less beloved of him for these things we cannot part with them without Sin but in our enjoyment of Christ there is a happy part some personal Happiness which resulteth to us now all this he could lay at God's Feet How so What for others A regular Love begins at home and every Man is bound to look to his own Salvation first and then the Salvation of others But that was not the case it was not their Salvation and Paul's Salvation which was in Competition but the Glory of God and the common Salvation of the Iews and Paul's particular Salvation It was a mighty prejudice to the Gospel that the People from whom Christ's Messengers proceeded for the Law went out of Sion the Gospel came out from among the Iews that so many of them were prejudiced and a mighty Eclipse to the Glory of God Now he could lay down all his personal Happiness at God's Feet he speaks in Supposition if such a Case falls out But however this is a clear Rule the Glory of God must be preferred before our own Salvation In some Cases there will be need of this Rule For Instance there 's many a Man that possibly is convinced of a false Religion and the first Question Men make is if they can be saved in such a Religion but many Men are hardned in Popery When therefore a Man is contented to continue in a false Religion and dishonour God with his complyance there provided he may be saved he prefers his own Salvation before the Glory of God And in case of the delay of Repentance when Men dally with God and put off the work of returning to the Lord until another time or hereafter it is time enough to repent these Men prize their Salvation before the Glory of God If it were true upon that Supposition that if ever they shall be saved they are contented God shall be dishonoured a great deal longer and that if they be saved at length this will satisfy them Quest. But how may we discern that we make the Glory of God the first and chief thing we aim at in Prayer 1. Partly by the work of your own Thoughts The End is first in Intention tho last in Execution When you are praying for a publick Mercy against an Enemy what runs in your Thoughts Revenge Safety and your own personal Happiness or God's Glory What wilt thou do O Lord unto thy great Name Josh. 7. 9. Are you pleasing your selves with Suppositions of your Escape and Deliverance and reeking your Wrath upon your Adversaries So in Prayer for Strength and Quickning what is it that runs in your Mind Are you entertaining your Spirit with Dreams of Applause and feeding your Minds with the sweetness of popular Acclamation 2. By the manner of praying absolutely for God's Glory but for all other things with a sweet Submission to God's Will Joh. 12. 27. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Father glorify thy Name Then came there a Voice from Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again Christ is absolute in the Request and he receives an Answer Is this enough Do you mainly press God with this that he might provide for his own glorious Name that his Name might not lye under Reproach But now carnal Aims do make Affection impetuous and impatient of check and denial Rachel must have Children or dye When the Heart is set upon earthly Success Pleasure or Comfort then they cannot brook a denial without Murmuring The Children of God only accept of God's Glory and in all other things they leave themselves to God's disposal and therefore this is the main thing 3. Partly too by the Disposition of your Hearts when your Prayers are accomplished and God hath given any Blessing you pray for we do not ask it for God's Glory if we do not use it for God's Glory The time of having Mercies is the time of Trial and therefore when we consume our Mercies upon our Lusts when they do not conduce to check our Sins it is a sign God's Glory is not the thing intended as it should be Thus for the Order of this Petition II. The Necessity of putting up such a Request to God 'T is his charge to us in the Third Commandment That we should sanctify his Name Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain The positive part of that Commandment is Thou shalt sanctify it Now here we make it matter of Prayer to God Hallowed be thy Name From whence let me observe Doct. Those that would have God's Name Hallowed and Glorified must seriously deal with God about it There are several Reasons why we must put up such Requests to God I might argue from the Utility and the Necessity of it First the Utility We put up these Requests to God 1. That we may more solemnly warn our selves of our own Duty In Prayer there is an implicit Vow or solemn Obligation that we take upon our selves to prosecute what we ask It is a Preaching to our selves in God's hearing So that every Word we speak to God is a Lesson to us and our Requests are as so many Exhortations to glorify his Holy Name With what Face can we ask that which we are wholly wretchless and neglectful of Then we shall certainly come under that Character Mat. 15. 7 8. This People draweth nigh unto me with their Mouth and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me It is the greatest Mockage of God to ask unless we have a Mind to pursue and diligently to attend to this Work and Business that the Name of God may be glorified in us and upon us 2. That we may have a due Sense and Grief for God's Honour God's Children they are troubled to see God dishonoured Lot's righteous Soul was vexed not with Sodom's Injuries but with Sodom's Sins 2 Pet. 2. 8. And David saith Rivers of Tears run down mine Eyes because Men keep not thy Law Psal. 119. 136. Many will scarce weep for their own Sins where they have advantage of remorse of Conscience but when they are zealously affected with God's Glory they will weep for others Sins When his Name is torn and rent in pieces it is a grief of Heart to them Now God will have us ask this that this Holy Sense of Spiritual Grief may be kept up for when it is become the matter of our Requests then we are interested in the Glory of God We are loth to see things miscarry where we have petitioned and begged for others so when we have begged the Glory of his Name it will further this Spiritual Sense and Grief of Heart when his Name is dishonoured 3. That we may count it as great a Blessing when God is glorified as when we are saved Continue in Prayer saith the Apostle and watch thereunto with Thanksgiving When we have been instant
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