THough the particular time and occasion of Penning this Psalm is uncertain , yet so much is plain , that it was after David had setled the Ark at Ierusalem , and made that City the place of God's House , and of Religious Worship , and the Seat of Justice and Judgment . There was the House of God , verse 9. that is , though the Temple was not yet built , if this Psalm was composed by David , as the Title of it signifies it was , yet there was the Tabernacle and the Ark of God , which formerly was in Shiloh , and afterwards removed from one place to another , till David setled it in Ierusalem : Thither all the Tribes of Israel were to resort three times a year to worship God before the Ark of the Testimony , 4 ver. There was the Imperial Seat , where David had built his Throne and Palace , and where his Posterity were to dwell and govern Israel ; and therefore it was the Seat of Justice too , as that must be , where the Kings Throne and the House of God was placed . There are set thrones of judgment , the thrones of the house of David , 5. ver. These were the peculiar Privileges of Ierusalem , above any other City in Iury. This was the reason of that peculiar affection and passionate concern , which David had himself , and exhorts all others to express for Ierusalem , that he greatly rejoiced to go thither , and to continue there . I was glad when they said unto me , Let us go into the house of the Lord ; our feet shall stand within thy gates , Ó Ierusalem . That he exhorts all people to pray for the peace and prosperity of Ierusalem , and promises a Blessing to those who love it ; as it is in my Text , Pray for the peace of Ierusalem , they shall prosper that love thee ; peace be within thy walls , and prosperity within thy palaces . All this was not for the sake of the material Buildings , the beauty of the place , or the conveniency of its scituation , but because it was the Center of Unity ; Which is builded as a City that is compact together , whither the Tribes go up , the Tribes of the Lord , unto the Testimony of Israel , to give thanks unto the name of the Lord , 3. & 4. ver. Which shews in what respect he commends Ierusalem , that it is built as a City , which is compact together ; not with regard to the Uniformity and regular Order and Union of its material Buildings , but that it was the Center of a Religious Unity and Order in Worship , where all the Tribes of Israel met and united in the same Acts of Worship and Praise to God . There was the House of God , there were the set Thrones of Judgment . So that to Love Ierusalem , to Pray for the Peace and Prosperity of it , is to love the House , the Worship , the Name of God ; to love and pray for the Unity , Happiness , and Prosperity of the Church , for the flourishing State of Religion , and the peaceful Opportunities of Worshipping God in his Holy Temple , together with the equal and impartial Administration of Justice , which is so much for the Publick Good , to promote the Temporal and Eternal Happiness of Men , that our Love to Mankind , but especially our Love to the Brethren , as well as our Zeal for God's Glory and Worship , requires this of us ; For my Brethren and Companions sake , I will now say , Peace be within thee : Because of the House of the LORD our GOD , I will seek thy good , v. 8 , 9.

Thus I have given you a very plain and easy Exposition of this whole Psalm , and therein have sufficiently Explained my Text. I have but one thing more to add , to make way for my intended Discourse , and that is , to shew you , that this Exhortation does directly , and not merely by Accommodation and Analogy concern Us , as well as it did the Iews .

For Ierusalem was but a Type of the Christian Church , as the carnal Israel , or the carnal Seed and Posterity of Abraham were of true and sincere Christians , who are the Children of Abraham , by Faith in Christ : And therefore St. Paul expresly distinguishes between the earthly Ierusalem , and the Ierusalem which descends from above , 4. Gal. 25 , 26. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia , and answereth to Ierusalem , which now is , and is in bondage with her Children ; but Ierusalem which is above , ( or from above , that is , the Christian Church ) is free , which is the Mother of us all . Which in 12. Heb. 22. he calls Mount Sion , the city of the living GOD , the heavenly Ierusalem . And 3. Rev. 12. it is called , The city of GOD , the new Ierusalem , which cometh down out of heaven from GOD. And 21. Rev. 2. The new Ierusalem coming down out of heaven from GOD , prepared as a bride adorned for her husband : Which is a Description of the most reformed and purified state of the Christian Church on Earth . So that this Exhortation , To Pray for the Peace of Ierusalem , does most properly belong to Christians , because the Christian Church is the true Ierusalem , the new , the holy Ierusalem , descending out of Heaven from GOD , v. 10.

By this time , I suppose , you understand the meaning of my Text , and how much we are concerned in it ; and there are two parts observable in the words : 1. The Duty to Pray for the Peace of Ierusalem , or of the Christian Church ; Peace be within thy Walls , and Prosperity within thy Palaces . 2. The Encouragement to this , They shall prosper that love thee .

It is the first of these I shall at present speak to , The Duty to Pray for the Peace of Ierusalem ; wherein I shall consider two things .

I. What we must pray for : Peace and Prosperity . Peace be within thy Walls , and Prosperity within thy Palaces .

Now the Peace of the Church signifies two things :

1. The Unity and Agreement of Christians among themselves : When they profess the same Faith , and join in the same Worship ; when they love like Brethren , and have a tender affection and sympathy for each other , as Members of the same Body : This all Christians confess to be a great and necessary Duty , and pretend to lament the many scandalous Dissentions and Divisions of the Christian Church .

This I am sure , that though Divisions and Dissentions are destructive to all Societies , yet there is no Society suffers so much by it as the Christian Church : This destroys Love and Charity , which is the true Spirit of the Gospel , and the Badge and Cognizance of our Profession ; By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples , if ye love one another . This turns the Christian Church into a School of wrangling Disputes , and makes men more concerned what they believe , than how they live ; this gives great offence to the World , representing the Christian Faith as very doubtful and uncertain , and Christianity it self as a great Disturber of the Peace of Mankind ; this overthrows all Government and Discipline in the Church , and makes its Censures despised and scorned , when the most profligate Sinners can shelter themselves in a Schism , and palliate or expiate their other Crimes by a factious Zeal ; and therefore , if ever we desire to see Christianity flourish , we must Pray heartily for Peace and Unity among Christians .

But that we may the better understand what we are to Pray for , let us briefly enquire wherein the Unity of the Church consists ; and that is in the Unity of Faith , the Unity of Communion , and the Unity of Love and Charity .

1st . Unity of Faith : Whereby I do not understand , that all Christians must agree in all the Opinions and Speculations of Religion ; it would be well if it could be so ; but this can never be , while men have such different Understandings and Abilities , such different Skill and Opportunities of enquiry ; but the Unity of Faith is secured by an Agreement in all the Fundamental Articles of Religion , though a little varied in some nicer Speculations ; which are like the different Features in mens Faces , which distinguish them from one another , but do not alter the Human Shape : And this is the difference between the Disputes which divide Papists and Protestants , and the Disputes of Protestants among themselves : The first subvert the Foundations of Christian Faith and Worship , and therefore these Differences can never be Accommodated and Reconciled ; they will not part with their Errors , and we must not embrace them , if we love our Souls ; for as dear a thing as Peace is , we must not part with Truth for Peace . But now the Disputes among all that are allowed to be Protestants , whatever mistakes there may be on any side , do not overthrow any necessary Article of the Christian Faith ; and therefore the Unity of the Faith may be secured amidst all these Disputes . Some of these Disputes are only inconvenient Modes of speaking , and the difference is only in Words , when both Parties really mean the same thing ; which , I believe , if all Heat and Passion were laid aside , would in a great measure appear to be the true State of that Protestant Controversy about Justification by Faith alone . Others are mere Philosophical Disputes , in which the Christian Faith is not peculiarly concerned , for they have been , and are disputed in all Religions ; such as the Controversy about God's Eternal Decrees , and the Power and Efficacy of Nature and Grace ; which is only a reviving of that old Philosophical Dispute about Necessity and Fate , and God's concourse with second Causes to produce their Effects . And thus it is in some other Cases . Now methinks such Disputes as these , which do not properly belong to the Christian Faith , should not divide the Christian Church : Let men dispute about them as Philosophers ; but as Christians , let it suffice them to believe what Christ and his Apostles have plainly taught us ; t at is enough to carry us to Heaven ; and methinks it should be enough to make us agree in the Way thither .

As to Explain this more particularly , but very briefly : There is no good Protestant but will confess , That we are Justified only by the Merits of CHRIST's Death and Sacrifice , as the only Expiation and Atonement for our Sins . That no works of Righteousness which we can do , can make Satisfaction to God for our Sins , nor merit Eternal Life , which is the Gift of God . That Christ is our only Saviour , and that he is the Saviour only of his Body or Church . That we are incorporated into the Body of Christ , and put into a state of Justification , by Faith and the Christian Sacraments . That no impenitent unreformed Sinner , though he do profess to believe in Christ , and be baptized , shall be saved by Him ; and therefore though Repentance and a Holy Life do not merit the Pardon of Sin , nor Eternal Rewards , yet they are necessarily required in all those who shall be forgiven and saved by Christ . This I say , all good Protestants agree in , and all this is plainly taught in Scripture ; and whoever believes this , and practises accordingly , shall certainly be saved : And what need is there then of reducing all this into Artificial Schemes , wherein Mens Fancies and Conceits differ ? What necessity is there of disputing what the Office of Faith , or what the Efficacy of Works is in our Justification , when we all agree that we are saved only by the Mercy of God , and the Merits of Christ through Faith in his Blood , and the Exercise of Repentance and a holy Life ? To understand the reason and order of things , conduces much to the beauty and perfection of Christian Knowledge ; but Men may be saved , and the Peace of the Church better secured , without such particular Determinations .

Thus all good Protestants agree , that all God's Works are known to him from the foundation of the World : That Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world : That God knows who are his , and always did so : That we are predestinated to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himself , according to the good pleasure of his will , to the praise of the glory of his grace , wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved : That we are predestinated according to the purpose of him , who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will , 1. Ephes. 5 , 6 , 11. That when God comes to judge the World , he will appear infinitely just , and good , and merciful : That bad men shall have no reason to complain of God , and that good men shall have nothing to arrogate to themselves . This secures the Glory of God ; of his Wisdom , Goodness , Justice , Power , and Soveraignty ; and what need is there to enquire any farther into the Divine Decrees , than the Scripture has revealed ; in the particular explication of which , when men follow their own Fancies , they vastly differ from each other , to the great disturbance of the Peace of the Church ? We are assured by plain Testimonies of Scripture , That God desires not the death of a Sinner , but rather that he should return and live : That our destruction is of our selves : That all the good we do , is wholly owing to the Grace of God , who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure : That all the evil we do , is owing to our selves : That every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust , and enticed ; then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin ; and sin , when it is finished , bringeth forth death . This we all agree in , and this attributts the glory of all the good we do , to God ; and the shame of all the evil we do , to our selves ; this encourages us to do good in a confident assurance of the Divine Grace ; and teaches bad men , that they must not think to excuse their wickedness by charging it on God : And this is all that is necessary for us to know , because it is all that is needful to the purposes of Religion , and a holy Life .

But when men frame this into Philosophical Hypotheses , they then divide as far from each other , as East and West ; and all the attempts of reconciling them is vain and fruitless , for there is no Medium to unite in . The only way to Peace , is to silence all these Disputes , as matters which Mankind will never agree about , and wherein Religion is no more concerned , than the Government of Kingdoms or States ; and on which the Salvation of our Souls no more depends , than the conduct of our Secular Affairs , or the preservation of this Mortal Life : For the dispute about Decrees ; Predestination ; God's Power over our Wills ; how God and Creatures produce the same Effect ; what belongs to God , and what belongs to the Creature in every Action , ( since in him we live and move ) ; concerns every thing else as well as Religion ; and yet in all other cases , men let Philosophers dispute these Points , and quietly go about their Business , and do what is fit to be done , as if there were no Controversy about these matters ; and I cannot imagine why they should not do so in Religion too : Believe what is plainly taught , and do what is commanded ; use the greatest Wisdom , and our utmost diligence in doing good , and depend upon the succours of the Divine Grace , and leave these Disputes to be decided at the day of Judgment , and that will decide them all . By this means I am sure most of the Disputes among Protestants , which have given the greatest Disturbance to the Church , would be for ever silenced , and Christian Religion would not be clogged , nor reproached with such Philosophical Controversies .

2ly , The Unity of Communion : and that consists in our worshipping God together : when we resort to the same Church to offer up our united Prayers and Thanksgivings to God , and to partake of that holy Supper , which is the Sacrament and Symbol of our Union to Christ , and to each other : and this indeed is true Church-Unity , and it is greatly to be lamented , that men who profess the same Faith , and agree in all the Essentials of Worship , should divide Communion , and refuse to Pray together , and to Feast at the same holy Table of our Lord . We cannot indeed Communicate with the Church of Rome , because they have corrupted the very Essentials of Christian Worship . Most men do not understand their Prayers , and therefore cannot joyn in Prayer with them : they worship Images and Pictures , which is expresly forbidden by the second Commandment . Instead of praying to God in the Name of our only Mediator and Advocate Jesus Christ , they have joyned other Intercessors with him ; pray to Saints and Angels , and the Virgin Mary , to pray for them , and help them . They worship the Host , which we believe to be nothing but Bread and Wine as to the substance , and therefore no Object of Worship ; and turn the Sacramental Feast of Christ's Body and Blood into a propitiatory Sacrifice for the Living and the Dead . Such a Worship as this we dare not joyn in , because it is Sinful and Idolatrous . But the case is quite different among Protestants ; they pray to the same God , in the only Name of the same Lord Jesus Christ ; put up the same Petitions , offer the same Thanksgivings and Praises , observe the same Divine Institutions , without any essential change and alteration , and yet cannot worship God together ; as if it were an impious thing to put up the same Prayers , and to offer the same Praises to God in a pious , and grave , and well-composed Form of Words , which others do , it may be not so well and decently , in their conceived Prayers ; as if the Devotion of the Communicant in receiving so inestimable a Blessing as the Sacramental Body and Blood of Christ upon his knees , were a prophanation of that Holy Feast ; as if a white Linnen-Garment , which never underwent any Religious Conjurations , and is used only as a decent Habit , without any opinion of its Virtue or Sanctity , were a just reason to drive men out of the Church , from the Christian Communion of Prayers and Sacraments . These would be surprizing stories to any Christians in the World , who had never heard before of such Disputes among us .

Pray give me leave to speak my mind freely upon this occasion . Upon the best and most impartial Inquiries and Observations I can make , I do in my Conscience believe the Church of England to be the most Apostolical and best Reformed Church in the World : I see no reason from the nature of things to make any material Alterations in her Doctrine , or Worship ; and therefore ; I confess , it has given me very just Resentments to hear our Church charged with such unjust Imputations of Popery , Superstition , Idolatry , Will-worship , and what not , and to see a blind and furious Zeal ready to raze up the very Foundations of it . It has often grieved me to see such a Church as this rent and torn by Schisms , which a man of ordinary prudence might easily foresee , would give great advantage to the common Enemy of the Protestant Faith . This and the care of mens Souls , and of their temporal Fortunes too , moved several Divines of this Church , when the Government thought fit to re-enforce the Laws of Uniformity , to examine and answer all the Arguments of our Dissenting Brethren , which they performed with that good Temper , with that perswasiveness and strength of Argument , as will be a Vindication of our Church to future Ages ; and I wish it may upon second thoughts , have yet a better effect upon those , who were not then perswaded : and this , I suppose , will not be called Persecution , much less can the many kind Offices they did in keeping off Ecclesiastical Censures , be called a Persecution .

And yet after all , when it is so apparent , that Prejudices are grown as obstinate as they are unreasonable ; when not the reason of the thing , but the weakness of some , and the ill designs of others , require some compliance and condescension , we have reason to hope , that the CHURCH of ENGLAND , which at the beginning of the Reformation took such prudent are not to offend the Papist by going farther from them , than was necessary , will whenever it is likely to do good , condescend a great deal farther , than it is necessary to Reform , to meet the Dissenter ; for while the external Decency , Gravity , and Solemnity of Worship is secured , no wise and good Man will think much to change a changeable Ceremony , when it will heal the Breaches and Divisions of the Church : and let us all heartily Pray to GOD , that there may be this good and peaceable Disposition of Mind in all Conformists and Non-conformists , towards a happy Re-union ; and all considering Men will think it time to lay aside such little Disputes , when it is not merely the Church of England , nor any particular Sect of Protestants , whose Ruin is aimed at , but the whole Protestant FAITH .

3ly , Another kind of Unity is Love and Charity , and a mutual forbearance . This I confess is a very difficult thing , when the Dispute runs so high as to divide Christian Communion ; for it seems in effect to declare Men to be Heathens and Publicans , when we refuse to Worship GOD with them : and few Men can bear this , when so dear an Interest is concerned , as the Salvation of their Souls . And the truth is , that Forbearance St. Paul so often mentions , was to preserve Men of different attainments , and different apprehensions , in the Unity of the Church , not to countenance their Schisms and Separations .

But yet , since we are fallen into such unhappy Circumstances , that a great many Men , whom we have reason to hope , are in other respects very good Christians , and such as our common Saviour will receive with all their Infirmities , are involved in a Schism , let us still treat them as Christian Brethren , pay all that Kindness and Respect to them , which is due to the Members of Christ , to the Children of the same Father , and the Heirs of the same Promises .

The good Order and Government , and the wholesome Laws and Constitutions of a Church , must not be presently Sacrificed to the Scruples of every good , but it may be ignorant and indiscreet Christian ; but yet in our Treatment of them , we must consider , whether we have not reason to think , that Christ will own them with all their Faults ; and if we have reason to believe , that Christ will own them , we ought also to own them , and pay such Kindness to them as is due to all sincere Christians , tho under some Mistakes .

Now I am very confident , after all the Heats that have been between the Church of England and Dissenters , neither of them will Damn each other upon account of such Differences as are between them : no Church of England-man will say , that to Pray Extempore , to Baptize without the Sign of the Cross , to Officiate without a Surplice , to Receive the Sacrament Sitting , are damning Sins ; and I believe there are very few , if any of our Dissenters , that will say , That the contrary Practise is Damning ; and then there may be good Christians on both sides ; and those who are so , ought to love one another , as Members of the same Body of CHRIST , though divided in their external Communion by some unhappy Differences .

Schism indeed we do say , is a damning Sin ; but there may be Divisions where there is not always the guilt and formality of Schism ; and we hope this is the Case of all good Men , who separate from the Church , through some invincible Prejudices and Prepossessions .

This shews what great reason we have to love one another , notwithstanding such dividing Disputes ; but if we would practise this true Christian Charity , we must take care , that these Differences do not grow up into personal Hatreds and Animosities . Mens Opinions and Practices may differ , and while they dispute fairly , they may be Friends still ; but when Self-love , Honour , Reputation , and Interest , is engaged in the Quarrel , this makes the Enmity mortal , and they must Ruin one another , though they both fall together . This I am sure is not the Zeal which descends from above , which is pure and peaceable , gentle and easy to been treated .

2. The Peace of the Church signifies its Preservation from the Oppression and Persecution of its Enemies : For the Church never wants Enemies , though their Power be not always equal ; and this , I presume I need not perswade you to Pray for , for you are all sensible what an advantage this is . There is none of you would choose Racks and Tortures , a Gibbet or a Stake , these are grievous things to Flesh and Blood , the very thoughts of which make us tremble : though immortal Life , and the Joys and Pleasures of GOD's Presence , are an abundant Recompence for the loss of this present Life , and all the Sufferings of this World ; yet it is a very difficult Tryal , even to the best Men , who when they see it a coming , cannot but Pray with the Importunity of an Agony , as our SAVIOUR did , Lord , let this Cup pass from me . Though good Men prefer their future Hopes before all present Things , yet their Life , their Ease , their Liberties , their Estates , are valuable things too , and all Men would be glad to get to Heaven without meeting with such a Storm by the way .

Especially if it be such a Storm as threatens the very Ruin of the Church , and of the true Religion , to subvert the Faith of many professed Christians , to entail Ignorance , Infidelity , or monstrous Errors on our Posterity ; in such a case the love of our Religion , of our Country , of our Posterity , will make us raise our Hearts and our Voices to Heaven , in our fervent and passionate Prayers for the peace of Ierusalem . And if we do heartily Pray for the peace of Ierusalem , methinks we should not Sacrifice our Religion to private Animosities : GOD forbid , were it in my power , and had I never so little kindness for Dissenters , that I should ever embrace any Proposals which would Ruin all the Dissenters in England , and the Protestant Religion into the bargain ; and I doubt they are no Protestant Dissenters who would be contented to Ruin the CHURCH of ENGLAND , though they introduce Popery , and set up the Church of Rome in its stead .

Thus I have shewn you , what that Peace is , which we must Pray for ; and I need not add many words in the second place , to shew you , how necessary Prayer is to obtain these Blessings ; for not to insist now on those common Topicks , of the necessity of Prayer in general , and its Power and Efficacy to obtain our Requests of GOD ; I shall desire you only to consider , that this Peace is such a Blessing , as none but GOD can bestow , and therefore we ought to pray for it .

1. As for Unity and Peace among our selves , this Saint Paul expresly prays for , 15 Rom. 5 , 6. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another , according to Christ Iesus , that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God , even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ : for it is God that maketh men to be of a mind . Whoever considers the unruly passions of men , their different capacities and understandings , and different interests , will not wonder that the best Arguments , and the most obliging Arts , do not always prevail ; but God can still our passions , enlighten our minds , over-rule our interests , remove our prejudices , and unite and reconcile the most distant persons : and not to take notice now of that power he has over our Wills , and his immediate applications to our Minds and Spirits , he many times effects this by some external and visible Providences . The Gaol and the Stake presently reconciled the Differences between those two excellent Bishops and Martyrs , RIDLEY and HOOPER , who before disputed fiercely about some Ceremonies , as we have done ; and I pray God grant us so much Christian prudence and temper , that we may not need such means to reconcile us ; and we have great reason to hope this , since the Divine Providence has in a great measure already removed the Prejudices on both sides , and convinc'd us , that we are not at such a distance from each other as our Enemies would have us , and as it may be , we thought our selves to be . Dissenters , I hope , are by this time very well Satisfied , that the Church of England has no inclination to Popery ; and we have reason to acknowledge , that the Body of Dissenters ( for some private Intriguers on either side do not deserve our notice , nor to be thought on either side ) have not such an irreconcileable Hatred to the Church of England , as to sacrifice her to a Popish Interest ; and this bids fair for a good Understanding between us ; and let us pray to God to continue and perfect it .

2. As for the Preservation of the Church from the Oppression and Persecution of her Enemies , this is God's care too ; and many times nothing but an All-seeing , Vigilant and Omnipotent Providence can secure her . Many times their Designs are laid deep and low , full of Intriegue and Artifice , unknown to all men but themselves , as it was in the Gunpowder Treason , when our King , and Nobles , and Senators , were designed as a rich Sacrifice to a furious and Antichristian Zeal ; but when the wicked plotteth against the just , and gnasheth on him with his teeth , the Lord shall laugh at him , for he seeth that his day is coming , 37. Psal. 12 , 13.

Let us then Pray heartily to God , that he would reconcile our Differences and Divisions , and restore Peace and Unity to his Church ; that he would defend us from all the Plots and Machinations of our Enemies , that we being delivered from all Persecutions , may evermore give thanks unto him in his Holy Church , through Iesus Christ our Lord ; To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost , be Honour , Glory , and Power , now and for ever .