bottome Every private Christian is upon the same termes in point of stability with Sion it self They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion And they not only collectively taken but likewise distributively When it is said here that God will establish Sion we are to understand it especially of Sion Mystically rather then of Sion Locally Particular Churches may fail but not the Church in General And again general Churches may fail but not particular Christians yea the whole world may fail when yet a Beleever stands impregnable Cadit mundus stat Christianus quia non codit Christus Augustine There is not the poorest Christian that is but he is upon surer termes with God then any one visible Church Gods Covenant is but temporary with a Nation but it is perpetual with a Person as being founded in Christ Himself whom he is rooted into As here in the City such a Company or Corporation may fail when as the particular Members or Brethren of it may subsist and hold up their Heads We see those famous Churches of Asia which are made mention of in the Revelation how they are all now come to nothing And other Churches have no better an hold then they had Quam diu bene se gesserint durante bene placito That so we may not be high-minded but fear Indeed it should be All our Cares and endevours that God would establish not only that but this not only Sion in general but also our Sion in particular not only Christendome but England nor only England but London and we are answerably to demean our selves in order and reference hereunto which may be very much obtained and procured by our behaviour we should every one so deport our selves as that God may delight still to dwell amongst us and not remove the Candlestick from us We which are set watchmen upon the wals we should never hold our peace day nor night And we which make mention of the Lord or are the Lords Remembrancers we should not keep silence till he has establisht and made our Jerusalem even a praise in all the Earth Esai 62.6,7 So much for that And so I have done with this celebration of the Priviledge on Mans part by way of Report in the 5. verse And of Sion it shall be said c. The second is on Gods part by way of Record The Lord shall count c. vers 6. 2. The Divine Celebration This has a double preheminence both of the Person and of the Conveyance First of the person that it is God As for men to take notice of such a businesse there 's it may be no such matter in it They may be carried perhaps by fondnesse and partiality and self-love have some respect to themselves in it Yea but for the honour of the Natives of Sion the Lord Himself shall take an account of them and observe who they are Secondly For the Conveyance That other it is only of Report Of Sion it shall be said that 's but a transient observation Vox audita perit But this here it is by way of Record The Lord when he writes up the people c. Litera scripta manet This is more abiding and permanent And here again two things more First somewhat Implyed And secondly somewhat Exprest That which is implyed is this That God does write up the people That which is exprest is this that when God does write up the people he shall count in this with it That this Man was born there 1. That which is implyed First For the thing implyed it is this That God does write up the people He does conscribere Populos It is a Metaphor taken from the affairs of this present life and the offices of it From a shepherd taking account of his sheep From a Commander numbring of his Souldiers From a Magistrate or Chamberlain of a City registring and inrolling those which are made free of such a City and Corporation Thus does the Lord do in his Church in Ezek. 13.9 we read of Kethab Beth Iisrael The writing of the house of Israel And Exod. 30.12 of Rosh Bene Iisrael The sum of the children of Israel And Numb 11.26 Of Eldad and Medad that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among them that were written In Mal. 3.17 There 's Sepher Zikkaron A Book of Remembrance which was written for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And God hath divers Books of this nature First The book of Election and Predestination which is calld in Scripture language The Book of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4.3 whose names are in the Book of Life that is the Heavenly Roul Luk. 10.22 Rejoyce in this because your names are written in Heaven Secondly The Book of Scriptures wherein there are the Records of all the famous and eminent Saints both of the Old and New Testament and in them vertually of all the rest In Scriptura populorum so Hierom renders it In the Scripture of the people and he gives this reason for it ut quae ab omni populo legatur which may be read of all people indifferently The third is The Book of Providence and preservation which Moses understands by Thy Book Exod. 32.32 When as rather then Israel should be utterly destroyed he makes this Petition to God Blot me I pray thee out of thy Book which thou hast written i. e. Not out of the Book of Election as it is commonly and ordinarily taken but out of the Book of Providence According to that also in Esai 4.3 Every one that is written amongst the living in Jerusalem or appointed and designed to life and preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take it which way you will There is a Register and record which is made God writes up the people and the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal THE LORD KNOWETH THEM THAT ARE HIS 2 Tim. 2.19 That 's that which is here imply'd 2. That which is Exprest The second is that which is Exprest And that is this That when God does write up the people He shall count in this with it That this man was born there God takes a special notice of such and such particular persons which were born in such and such places and how they are qualified He does not only Censum agere make a Taxation of the people which I noted before but he does also Censuram agere set his mark of Remembrance upon them and gives his verdict and judgement of them He takes notice not only of persons but of conditions Thus and thus Able Thus and thus Usefull Thus and thus Serviceable And he esteems of his Church so much the better as such as these are Members of it and born in it Vse This is much for the honour and comfort of the servants of God and may serve as an incouragement to us in the service of Him That however men may esteem of us we shall
complete and finisht in them It may be they are in such a form and way of profession attend upon such a Ministery and are accustomed to such such company therefore they must needs be as good as those which they are acquainted withall But alas what poor things are these to hold by and to build ones hope upon Oh Beloved these will serve in a day of peace but they will not serve in a day of trouble as long as men are in health and prosperity and out of the reach of Temptation such weak things as these may suffice them and satisfie their mindes but in sicknesse and death and the hour of triall these things they will not serve Then they 'l be ready to cry out with him Alia sunt Judicia hominum alia sunt Judicia Dei The opinions of men are one thing and the opinion of God is another whose Judgement is according to Truth and so most of all to be regarded by us that so we may have rejoycing in our selves alone and not in another having approved our work to him as it is Gal. 6.4 We finde in ordinary experience that those which have most of the Cry have least of the Wool It is so in every thing almost we can name which do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a fair shew in the flesh and that 's enough for them they think and God in judgement suffers it to be so that whiles men are taken with applause and esteem of themselves accordingly they may have their reward and it may be all which is eminent in them Others there are that judge of themselves by some abilities which they are indued withall or performances which come from them which reckon of Grace by Gifts and by duties which they are conversant in Because perhaps they have such a measure and degree of knowledge obtained by education and converse or such a measure and degree of utterance and discourse facility of expression as a natural qualification in them therefore their case is good with them whereas alasse all this may be and the heart the mean while rem in unchanged And so for performances because they abound in them which though good and to be abounded in yet are no demonstration Much lesse which too many uphold by their plenty and prosperity in the world These are all far from the mark and do not come up to this work of the new Creature which is here exhibited to us Let us therefore all labour to be upon surer termes in a businesse of so great concernment and whereupon all our hope and comfort does especially depend as indeed it does If we be not the children of Sion we are the children of Satan and if we be not in this sense born there we are born to very little purpose Therefore let us make this good to our selves upon infallible grounds Errors in the first foundation they are for the most part irrecoverable I am sure 't is so here if we be not right as to the fundamental work and beginnings of Godliness in us all our following profession and conversation it comes to nothing As we see again it is in Nature and in the state of the Body if a man be not well-born that is of a sound and healthful constitution but have some notorious defect of Nature in him with which he came into the world he will never be right all his life though ye physick him and patch him up as much as ye can because there is a flaw in his principles Even so is it also here in Grace and as to the state of the Soul If a man have not the right work of conversion and regeneration in him he will never be a good and sound Christian as long as he lives he may be patcht up a little with duties and good society and such things as these which are things which I do not slight there are too many in the world that do in these present daies but if he hath nothing else besides he will be but a Skeleton nay a Monster in Religion and of no account To presse home this point so much the more of indevouring for this work which we speak of let us take in this consideration with us that namely this will make us so much the more constant and stedfast in Religion Those that take up Religion upon trust or upon custome because others do so they are very uncertain in the profession of it because their principles are uncertain on which they stand But now those who are Religious from the principles of the new Creature they will be firm and abiding in it There 's nothing which is so convincing as Sense and the Demonstrations which are made to that now thus it is here in this present businesse there 's a spiritual sense as well as a natural and the former full as satisfactory as the latter for that proportion in which it is in us Look as a man in Nature he has these and these natural workings in him which he is sure of and cannot be beaten from so in Grace are there the lâ—ke workings of Spirit which cannot be gainsayed There are the Experiences of Christians as Christians which all Christians are acquainted withall And this was the Apostles meaning in that expression of his to the Philippians in Phil. 1.9,10 And this I pray that your love may abound yet more in all knowledge and in all judgement or as it is in the margent in all sense for so the word properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to answer that of David Psal 119.66 Give me good judgement and knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Taste and knowledge There 's a taste in Grace as well as there is in Nature and that I say as firm as the other and which Believers partaking of they from hence become more setled and resolved then other men are the Truths which another man knowes and believes only from discourse a Christian knowes from experience As for Instance in two or three particulars Another man he believes there 's a God for such and such natural reasons which perswade him to it a Christian because he has acquaintance and converse and communion with him Another man acknowledges the Scriptures from the Testimony and authority of the Church which has transmitted them to him A beleever from the power and efficacy and autopisty in the Scriptures themselves and that agreement and correspondency which they have with his own heart and conscience so far forth as renewed Another man beleeves there 's an Heaven and a blessed estate and condition of Gods people in another world because it is a point which is received by all that mention Christianity a regenerate person and childe of God who is born in Sion from the first fruits of the Spirit and the anticipations and beginnings of Heaven in his own soul Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and more induring substance as the Apostle
be reckoned and esteemed of by Him which is more then if all the world besides had us in estimation The Lord He viewes and looks ever the whole City takes notice of every Company Congregation Family Person in it and he pleases Himself in the thoughts of them as they are any thing more serviceable to Him There 's such an one mourning and weeping in secret for the publick abominations I le set my mark upon him There 's such an one active and zealous for the truth and the cause of Religion I le set my seal upon him There 's such an one full of bounty and liberality to my poor Saints I know where to finde out him as I have occasion to make use of him Look as some Prince or Magistrate that has occasion for the supplies of money he knowes all the rich Men in the City and for a shift can single them out one by one there lives such an one worth so many thousands and there lives another worth as many and so of the rest Even so it is with God here as concerning his people He does mark them and set them out to himself and makes account of them and reckons of his Church as so much the richer and better for them A double Adjunct And he does it with a double adjunct or concomitancy which is here considerable in it first of Expectation from them And secondly of Resolution for them Of Expectation from them This man was born there therefore I look for so much service and duty at his hands Of Resolution for them This man was born there therefore accordingly Ile be the more tender and regardful of him 1. Expectation First of Expectation from them The better any are or may be the more does God look for from them according to their Abilities and according to their opportunities And so here That man which was born in Sion he has had more Grace bestowed upon him whereby he might be inabled to Good and he has had more Mercy shewn unto him from whence he might be incouraged to Good and therefore is so much the greater good expected to be done by him 2. Resolution Secondly There 's here also considerable in this Account betwixt God and his people His Resolution for them and that singular Affection which he seems to bear unto them The Lord shall count when he writes up the people that this man was born there Selah Therefore I must make another reckoning of him then of some ordinary person There are distinguishing Mercies and Priviledges which God reserves for his children and servants which every one is not partaker of and that upon this account even because they are his children as in Mal. 3.17 There was this followed upon the Book of Remembrance And they shall be Mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that Day when I shall make up my Jewels Mine not only as to interest as having relation to me but mine also as to successe and as receiving protection from me as it followes afterwards in the vers And I will spare them as a man spaneth his own son that serveth him God counts Himself in a manner concern'd to do somewhat more for his people then for the ordinary rank and rout of the world for those which are born in Sion at least in the Mystical acception which are regenerate and born again above those which are born in any other place besides And accordingly may those which are so expect it from him He does not altogether neglect them for he writes up the people He does not forget them for when he writes up the rest of the people he takes notice of them more especially nor he does not suffer others to forget them neither but does register them and put them upon record to all Generations and as he establishes Sion it self so establishes likewise the memorial of all such as are born in it The Lord will count when he writes up the people That this Man was born there That 's the second Branch of this second General to wit the Celebration of the priviledge on Gods part by way of Record and so I have done with the whole Text it self The Application of the Text to the occasion BUt yet I have not done with You which are my proper Hearers this Day I have a word or two farther to you and so I have done To you which were born within the limits of this honourable City The blessed Apostle St. Paul wisht himself sometime to be Anathema Rom 9.3 i. e. Accurst or separate from Christ for his Countreymen whom he cals his Brethren and kinsmen according to the Flesh Indeed that was a very high strain of affection and such as it is more then every one is able to reach so perhaps more then every one is bound to perform I will not therefore presume to promise so much for my self But this I will be bold to say in his words in another place in the following chapt Brethren it is my hearts desire and prayer to God Rom. 10.1 for LONDON that they might be saved and I should count it a great favour from God to me if I might let fall any thing at this time tending and conducing thereunto I must confess I may seem to be under a common disadvantage in this regard as our blessed Saviour was before me who complains He could do no great good amongst his own people He came to his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 and so laies down a General observation to this purpose That a Prophet is not without honour saving in his own Countrey and in his Fathers House Mat. 13.57,58 It is the great unhappinesse oftentimes of us which are Ministers to have least acceptance there where we have most cause to expect it and to have greatest discouragement there where we have least cause to receive it But you have taken this off from me at this present time as I may say by the contrary extreme in your call and invitation to this work especially having so much better choice as you elsewhere had amongst so many of my Reverend Brethren But then hereby as you have put me in hope of doing some good amongst you so you have likewise ingaged your selves to attend to what is spoken by me I shall reduce it to two Heads even the two parts of the Text viz. The Priviledge and Celebration of it First As to the Priviledge that ye be carefull to look to this and to see that you are interested in it that is born in Sion according to the sense now explain'd Not only Professors and Protestants at large but regenerate and true Beleevers who have the seed of God remaining in you and are made partakers of his sanctifying Spirit 1. Real Christians This is one thing and the first which we here in this City have cause to be admonisht of To be sure that we be reall Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉