the glory and finishing of Christs designe shall be brought about and established by the power of Government and Ordinances it shall proceed from between them both For the avoiding of further trouble I shall gather the Doct. summe of the words into this one Doctrine Christ when he ariseth to build his Church will so establish the peace thereof by the power of Government and Ordinances that the honour of that glorious work shall be chiefly his Before I come to the application I shall explain these four particulars in the Doctrine 1. That Christ will certainly repair the desolations of his Church 2. That this work when ever it is done will be a glorious work 3. That whoever be the agents the honour will be chiefly Christs 4. That this work shall then be done when peace shall possess the Church by the power of Government and Ordinances 1. First Branch of the Doctrine That Christ will certainly repair the desolations of his Church It is a known truth that the Church cannot totally fail though the bush may be in the fire and some of the outmost branches here and there may possibly be scorched and consumed yet it cannot be wholly raked up in ashes The gates of hell shall not prevail against it saith Christ in that famous place of Matth. 16.18 Where whatever the contest be amongst interpreters Vid. Godwin Moses and Aaron lib. 5 p. 211 this conclusion is beyond all dispute That the Magazine and councel-boord of hell I suppose I need not insist upon the known allusion in the word Gates to the customs of the Jews shall never be able wholly to destroy and overturn the Church This is also an article of the Creed I believe the holy Catholick Church not that we are hereby engaged to believe as the Church believes by an implicit Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. it is not I believe in the Church but I believe the Church to be Catholick temporum personarum locorum ratione in respect of time persons and place viz. Asted Theol. Cate. p. 352. I believe that there alwaies was is and shall be a Church upon earth c. I might from hence prove the certain recovery of the Church from outward and inward spiritual desolations but I shall wave this and yet evidence this truth from these particulars Reason 1 1. Christ is eminently engaged for his Churches rebuilding and he cannot go back so that we find these very engagements do work upon him when other things will not move him this is much insisted upon by God Ezek. 20.9 14 22. he layes it down as the great motive that turned the scales even when he was upon the point of destroying Israel in Egypt and in the Wilderness for their rebellions I said I will pour out my fury upon them but I wrought for my Names sake c. The earnestness of the expressions and the repetitions of them shew that God would have them take notice that this was the very thing that stood betwixt them and ruine He is more plain in Eze. 36.22 I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for my holy Names sake Joshua knew the weight of this when he made it the main argument of his prayer for the people And what wilt thou do for thy great name Josh 7.9 Samuel also had encouragement for them upon the same ground 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his people for his great Names sake And no wonder if we consider what these engagements are it is a six-fold cord He is engaged 1. 6. Engagements on God for repairing the Church By his Covenant and Oath he hath lifted up his hand to Heaven and sworn his truth and faithfulness lies at the stake when then we have these two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye we cannot want consolation and assurance of this thing Gods Promise and Oath make the thing promised to become * Dominus ipse fecit se debitorem non accipiendo sed promittendo Aug. confes lib. 1. cap 4. debt though not so much to us as to (a) Non creaturae sed sibi ipsi Daven Jus habit actual p. 640. himself and the non-payment of this debt is altogether inconsistent with the divine nature We can then humbly challenge it upon the score of justice and righteousness and God himself hath put this plea into our mouths when he tells us that we obtain our faith and eternal life called therefore a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 from his righteousness and justice in fulfilling promises 2 Pet. 1.1 We read indeed that God doth dispence sometime with his precepts but not with absolute nor yet with conditional promises if the conditions be performed and indeed he cannot except he should cease to be God viz. Holy Just and True c. Hence the School-men conclude that such precepts are * Praetepta indispensabilia sunt quae versantur circa 〈◊〉 habentes emanantem ex imagine Dei. indispensable as well as promises whose objects are things that have an intrinsecal goodness in them flowing from the Image of God because if he should dispense with these he should deny his own Image and himself which is impossible if oaths are such sacred obligations in the very (a) Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Suidam Judgement of the Heathens that they thought God a special observer and an avenger of their violation can it be thought that God should forget or not perform what his own lips have attered * Quid est Dei veri veracisque juratio nisi promissi confirmario infidelium quaedam increpatio Aug. civit Dei lib. 16. cap. 32 His oath is enough to establish our couâ—â—â—â—ence to check our unbelief 2. By the special interest which he hath in his Church as Creator of all things all the world is his but his own people are his by a more peculiar title the wicked belong to him as the lumber of his house as the wastes of his demain as his vessels of dishonour his Church is his not as a mans goods are his 2 Tim. 2.20 but as a mans wife or child is his He calls it his sealed fountain His enclosed garden Cant. 4.12 His chosen people His people known of all the families of the earth Amos 3.2 His portion and the lot or cord of his inheritance as the Hebrew hath it Deut. 32.9 as if he should say I have divided the world by lot and measured it by a cord and out of all I have onely chosen my Church as the garden wherein I will walk the house wherein I will dwell the spouse with whom I will delight my self All interests have not an engaging force though every post-head about our house or every stake or thorn in our hedge be ours yet we do not find our selves moved with pitty or inclined to rescue them from breaking or burning God himself
pits brink and then delivers them so far he carries them that they might see the worth of their deliverance and the seasonableness of their escape and no further because he intends not to destroy them How seasonable is meat to the fainting Soul Even unsavory and bitter things are precious and sweet to the hungry how seasonable and glorious is deliverance to a Church wasted and desolate When his servant are ready to say The Lord hath forgotten to be gracious or as Lam. 3.17 18. Thou hast removed my Soul far off from peace I forgat prosperity and I said My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord Then for God to step in betwixt them and dispair and so seasonably to recover them when they give all for lost how glorious a mercy is it 5. God will do his work in a glorious way the manner and means will be miraculous and wonderful thus he brought Israel out of the house of bondage with signs and wonder and in after times though the Church cannot expect the very same miracles of killing the first born of their enemies dividing the red Sea c. yet God hath promised he will set those before him as his pattern and that there shall be some resemblance and correspondency betwixt their deliverances that out of Egypt Mich. 7.15 According to the dayes of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things David when he returns thanks to God for delivering him out of the hand of all his enemies 2 Sam. 22.8 9 Vide Dickson on Psal 18. c. he alludes to the most glorious manifestations of God in the behalf of his people as if they were the same miracles acted over again which God shewed 1. At Sinai in giving the Law The earth shook and trembled c. v. 8. 2. At the battel against the five Kings Josh 10.11 whom God overthrew with hail-stones The Lord thundred ut of Heaven he sent forth his arrows and scattered them v. 14. And 3. at the red sea The channels of water were seen c. v. 15. If David being but one single person finds in his deliverances something resembling those noble act of God much more may the Church and if Gods waies were seriously studied we should find wonders and miracles in every deliverance 6. God will raise the Glory of his enterprize upon the confusion and astonishment of his adversaries it was the custome of the Romanes and others to reserve many of their Captives to augment the glory of their triumphs Thus will God do when he will redeem Zion he will give the stout adversaries as dust to their sword and as driven stubble to their bow He will make them arise and thresh the mountains Esa 41.2 15. and beat the hills as chaff where will then be the glory of their proud looks This is excellently set forth in Mich 7.10 16. When God brings his servants to the light Then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said Where is the Lord thy God The Nations shall see and be confounded at all their might they shall lay their hand upon their mouth their ears shall be deaf they shall lick the dust like a Serpent they shall move out of their holes like wormes of the earth they shall be afraid of the Lord our God and shall fear because of thee 7. There is one thing more which will beautify the Church when God comes to plead her cause she shall beside what is inherent have a derivative glory a ray of the beauty and majesty of Christ her Lord and husband shall be upon her as Moses his face became shining by Converesing with God It is true the Church hath no beauty which is not borrowed she is comely by the comeliness which Christ puts upon her but this is a radiancy occasional and for the time begetting a greater reverance and awe from her adversaries this seems to be spoken of Psal 90.17 Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and Esa 4.5 I will create upon every dwelling place in mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night and upon all the glory shall be a defence Where God alludes to the pillar of fire and his glory coming down upon the Tabernacle that as in those glorious appearances the Tabernacle did shine with the glory of God So should his Church when he appears gloriously in it and this shall highten the admiration of the spirits of men towards his people 3. The third thing comes now to be spoken to The third Branch of the Doctrine viz. That whoever be the instrument yet the chief honour of the work is Christs this will be easily cleared 1. The Father committed this work and all power to manage it into Christs hand Matth 28.18 All power is given to me in Heaven and in earth to Christ as Mediator belongs sole supreme and absolute authority for the gathering upholding and governing his Church and hence he gives encouragement and commission to the Apostles to go and preach Go ye therefore and teach all Nations v. 19. I need not here trouble that Question about the twofold Kingdome of Christ as God and as Mediator or whether Magistracy be from Christ as head of the Church Gillespy Aarons Rod. lib. 2. cap. 6. Iranes it is enough to our present purpose to take what is already granted by all that the Mediator is God equal with the Father and so Rules over all and as God-man he hath a least all Ecclesiastical power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kingly Government Yea and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a power and over-ruling Providence by which he can dispose of all things for his glory and his Churches good this will prove the building of the Temple to be his work and then it is easy to infer that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory of it is his also Men indeed are instruments in this employment and they are stiled fellow-workers but they can do nothing alone no more then the tool can work without the workman and if they could yet seeing they are but servants Christ hath the honour of all that is done by them 2 Sam. 21.22 and that upon a more unquestionable account then the victories of David servants are ascribed to David himself not unto us let his servants say but to thy name be the praise 2. The glorious perfection which he brings his work unto shews it to be beyond the power or skill of men and Angels We may perceive the traces of infinite power wisdom and love in every parcel and piece of it much more then when we see the whole frame together Church reparation is the creating of new Heavens new Earth and who will ascribe such a thing to man In Esa 54.11 he declares the state of his restored Church thus I will lay thy stones with fair
colours and thy foundations with Saphirs I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles c. These expressions resemble the Church to a building made up all of precious stones with curious art and contrivement We do not use to father exact pieces upon ignorance and impotence and we may as well attribute the building of our Castles and Palaces to birds and flies as the establishment and beauty of the Church to men 3. He doth this quickly as in a moment you may know by his pace that it is not the goings of a man Cant. 2.8 but of him that rides upon the wings of the wind Who comes leaping upon the mountains and scipping upon the hills He can quickly blast the greatness of men and as quickly lift up from the earth him that was fallen if ye doubt of this consider how quickly and easily the Heaven and Earth were created and how suddenly it shall be destroyed at last though God seems to delay deliverance for a time as the sence of the burthen makes it seem a longer time to the afflicted then it is yet when he ariseth he will make a quick dispatch peace is a work of Creation Behold I create peace c. and Creation takes not up much time it is done in an instant the Lord calls us out to wonder at this Esa 66.8 Who hath heard such a thing Who bath seen such a thing Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day Or shall a Nation be born at once For as soon as Sion travelled she brought forth her children Veni Vidi Vici He makes more hast then if corn should come to maturity the same day it was sown c. Julius Caesars swift conquests are nothing to the conquests of him that doth but speak and it is done it must then be stupendous ignorance or arrogancy that gives not Christ the honour of such actions 4. He brings his work through visible contradictions and unlikelyhoods Esa 43.19 I will make a way in the Wilderness and rivers in the Desart and in Hos 2.15 He promiseth to give her vine yards from the Wilderness I will bring her into the Wilderness and will give her her vine-yards from thence Surely the barren heath of the Wilderness is an unlikely place to make a vine-yard of so we read Deut. 32.13 He made them to suck honey out of the rock and oyl out of the flinty rock Burroughs Hos p. 501. Not that honey and oyl came out of the rock as the waters did after the smiting of Moses but that they had their sweetness and comforts where and from whence They might least expect them out of rocky difficulties all ages have given testimony to this the wounds of the Church the poysonous arrows of adversaries the apostasies of the wicked dissentions martyrdoms every thing that seemed to destroy have been bended about contrary to the intendments of men to further the Churches more lasting peace and happiness We our selves have seen that the storm that threatned our ruine hath cast us upon a rock where we have a greater security from the waves a safer standing the great ship-wrack of Faith and Conscience that many have made hath discovered hypocrites manifested who are fincere puts men on unity shews the necessity of Church discipline and government with the restraint of licentious opinions and practices hath occasioned the clearing and vindicating of truths and hath quickened and cautioned both Ministers and people Moses argues from the strange and unusual death of Corah that it was not chance but Gods immediate hand that destroyed those Rebels Numb 16.29 30. And so may we in this case say God is seen in the strangeness of his workings the dullest heads the most envious hearts shall acknowledg his finger Esa 43.20 The Beasts of the field shall honour me the dragg us and the owles because I give waters in the wildernesse Deut. 32.3 Psal 68.34 much more shall his People ascribe greatnesse to God 5. He doth all this for his Church when she hath the fewest helpers when lover and friend forsakes her nay when friends wound her when they that should make up her breaches make them wider when the keepers of the wall smite her and take away her vail T is the design of God that in works of this nature little of man should be seen least he should say mine own wisdom and strength hath done it and often he lets them weary themselves in their own endeavours and then when they see they can do nothing he appears with this acknowledgment from all Lord thou hast wrought all our works in us Esa 63.5 I looked and there was none to help therefore mine own harm brought Salvation The Glory then of this deliverance is Christs I have now brought you to the fourth Branch of the Doctrine Branch 4. Of the Doctrine This work shall then be done when peace shall possesse the Church by the Power of Government and Ordinances The Peace of the Church is the accomplishment and completement of this building all the conflicts battells desolations and conquests of the Church they are but the noise of the axe and hammer fitting and squaring the matereialls but when the Temple is built the noise of them ceaseth 1. Peace is the end and aime of God in all the preparations he makes for this building 2. T is the great subject of the Promises made to the Church and sometime whatever concerns the happinesse of Sion is wrapt up in that word great shall be the peace of thy children Esa 54.13 Behold I will extend Peace to her like a River Esa 66.12 and many places more Quest But What Peace is requisite to make up Temple-reparation Ans 1. There must be outward Peace Peace from adversaries round about when God makes the destroyer to cease and gives his Churches rest for while it is Persecuted the Sanctuary is said to be trodden down this is the building of the outer wall and fence which preserves the tender plants from the violence of the wild hoare and gives opportunity and advantage for growth the Church indeed will thrive and increase under afflictions sometime and that not only in the root in strength and solidity but also in the branches in its extent and number thus we read in the Acts Acts 12.24 5.14 while the Apostles were imprisoned and forbidden to speak in the Name of Christ that the Word of the Lord grew exceedingly and many were added to the Church multitudes both of men and women but the greatest season of growing is when the storme is over for then the Word of the Lord prevails mightily and like the heat of the Sun after Winter invites those plants to appear which the frost kept und er ground those which we call growing sicknesses do not appear to be so till the sickness is over for then the parties shoot up in length so that we may better ascribe the growing to