An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…

And this City hath been as a great Body of a Tree that hath sent out juice, and sap, and succour to all the Towns and Villages in the Kingdom. When the Sword is upon the City there is little hope that the Villages shall escape, ⟨p. 115⟩Isa. 14. 31. Howl, O gay; Cry O City, thou whole Palestine ¹art dissolved. When the City cries, then whole Palestine is dissolved; no marvel then though there hath been such ²plotting in this City, by making divisions, besides other treacherous and villainous ways, to spoil this City, to bring the Sword upon it, What labouring hath there been to betray us, one plot upon another, as soon as one is broke presently another, and all against this City? Oh! what a pleasant sight would it have been to our Adversaries to have seen this City in confusion, & wallowing in its own blood! But the more there is depending upon this City, the more careful should all that love peace, and the welfare of the Kingdom, labour for the good of ³this City, every one should labour for the peace of it, that it may be a City compacted with unity within its self, that all that are godly and faithful may join in one, that every one may bear the infirmities of his Brother, that there may be no grating upon one another's Spirits, no exasperation, no stirrings up violence one against another, especially against those that are gracious and peaceable. The more plotting, and falseness, and treachery there is against this City, the more should we be faithful and labour ⁴for the good of it, yea, and the more should we increase our prayers for it. You have a notable Scripture in Psal. 55. 9. I have seen violence and strife in the City, ⁵day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof, mischief also and sorrow are in midst of it. What then? in the 17. verse, Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. What saith the Psalmist? I have seen violence and strife in the City, yea, and deceit and guile do not depart from their streets. What shall I do then? Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray. We complain of contentions and divisions, and strifes in the City, and that there are so many plots and treacheries against the City; Oh! let not us only talk of these things, but increase our prayers in the frequency,