Lamentation for the want of a public spirit in prayer

           A lamentation may be taken up for the narrow­ness of our spirits in prayer.  Some, indeed, are so far from praying for others, that they have not learned to show so much mercy to themselves; yea, live in such an estate of alienation from God, wherein they can­not pray for themselves or their dearest relations.  O how many prayerless fathers have we that are cruel to their own flesh! husbands to the wives of their own bosom!  Ask whether they love them; they will tell you, Yes, that they do as their own souls.  And you may believe them, for they serve them no worse than they do their own souls.  A time is coming wherein they will know, one hearty prayer found upon the file for their relations would speak more for their love they pretend towards them, than all the bags of money which they fill for them.  Others, if they show a little natural affection to their own flesh and domes­tic relations, yet their love hath much ado to get over their own thresholds, to inquire how it fares with others.  O how little do they feel their neighbours’ pains! how seldom do they spread them with any real sense upon their hearts before the Lord!  Or, if their eye affects their heart with what is presented so near unto them in the afflictions of their next-door neigh­bour, yet how few discover such a public spirit as to carry upon their hearts the miseries of those that are at further distance, so as to be faithful remembrancers to the Lord for them?  Blessed Paul was afflicted with, yea, had ‘a great conflict for, those that had never seen his face in the flesh.’  Even among those that are Christian, O what a decay is there of this public spirit!  There is great complaint in the world among men of their great losses in our late times of confusion; but I think the saints are the greatest losers, who have lost so much of their love and char­ity.  One saith the world was once destroyed with water, propter ardorem cupidinis—for the heat of lust which had set it on a flame; and shall be once again destroyed with fire, propter teporem charitatis—for the coldness of love and charity.  Love is to the soul what natural heat is to the body—it gives vigour, and enables for the performance of all offices of life.  But alas! how is this kindly heat decayed among Chris­tians in this old age of the world!  This was long ago foretold by our Saviour, ‘The love of many shall wax cold,’ Matt. 24:12, and no won­der, when self‑love, that predatory fire, waxes so hot; foretold also by the apostle, ‘In the last days men shall be lovers of themselves,’ II Tim. 3:2.  And what a black regiment follows this captain sin, is there to be seen!  If once a man make self the top of his aim, farewell loving of or praying for others.  Charity cannot dwell in so narrow a house as the self‑lover's heart is; yea, it is diametri­cally opposed to it: ‘Love seeks not her own,’ I Cor. 13:5.

           But to turn lamentation into exhortation: labour for a public spirit in prayer.  Is there none, O man, that needs the mercy of God besides thyself? Wouldst thou have none saved in another world, nor provided for in this with thee?  Now, in remembering others, God will give thee leave thy love should begin at home, though he would not have it end there.  Look into thy family; canst thou forget them a day, if thou rememberest thyself?  Shall a believer turn worse than an infidel?  He provides for his house; and thou hast light that tells thee all thy providing for them is nothing, except God say amen. When thou hast paid thy duty to them, still widen thy charity and take up thy neighbours into thy thoughts.  O consider what is doing in the streets and neighbourhood!  How many mayest thou there soon find pouring out their pre­cious souls as a drink-offering to Satan, the god of this world, in their horrid abominations?  O pray that God would stay their bloody hand before they have irrecoverably made away themselves!  Then take a further walk in thy meditations to view the public state and posture of the nation.  See what mercies are writ with the golden pen of Providence upon its fore­head, and pay thy humble thanks; what prognostics of judgments coming thou canst observe in the face of the times, and get into the gap before the wrath begins.  Did Abraham so plead for a Sodom, though himself was far enough from the danger of the storm, and not thou for thy own nation, who art like to be taken in it if it fall in thy days, or thy posterity to rue it, if the cloud impending be not scattered by the prayers of the faithful?  Nay, let not the sea that divides thee and the other parts of the earth make thee think thou art not concerned in their happiness or misery.  Let thy prayers walk over the vast ocean, and bring matter for thy devotions, like the mer­chant’s ship her freight from afar.  Visit the churches of Christ abroad; yea, the poor Indians and other ruins of mankind that lie where Adam’s sin threw them with us, without any attempt made as yet upon them by the gospel for their recovery, and carry their deplored condition before the Lord.  Our Drake is famous for compassing the earth with his ship in a few years; thou mayest by thy prayers every day, and make a more gainful voyage of it too than he did.