of her children And when God shall count the people of forraign nations he shall set a mark upon every true believer and reckon him as one born in Sion a Denizen of Jerusalem though not a Jew in the flesh De Dieu in loc I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me or rather among them that know me or for them that know me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will remember them as persons inlightned by me and acquainted with me The Psalmist reckons up here nations that were greatest enemies to the Church Rahab or Aegypt * For so Aegypt is named Isa 51.9 her antient enemy Philistia her perpetual invader Rahab signifies pride or fierceness the fiercest people shall be subdued to Sion by the power of the Gospel Aegypt the wisest and learnedst nation the most Idolatrous and Superstitious men that rest in their own parts and strength shall cast away their Idols Babylon the strongest and most powerful Empire the subjects of which the Scripture often describes as luxurious cruel proud Tyre the greatest mart whose Citizens were the greatest merchants The Aethiopians the posterity of Cursed Cham whose souls are blacker than their bodies men buried in sin benighted with ignorance poysoned with pride the most fierce and envenom'd enemies shall be brought in by an infinite grace and make up one body with her and shall be counted as related to her by a new birth and be made members of her by regeneration this is properly to be born in Sion * This man was born there as without regeneration we have not God for our father so neither have we Sion or the Church for our mother this is the great priviledg we should inquire after without which we are not in Gods register this 2d birth God only approves of he enrolls no man in the number of the Citizens of Sion nor indows them with the special priviledges of it upon the account of their first wherein they lye buried in the corruption of Adam and are Citizens of Hell not of Jerusalem Again this 2d birth is never without the knowledge of God * Among those that know me Ignorance is a bar to this enrolment he is no man that is not a rational creature and he no regenerate man that hath not some knowledg in the great mysteries of God in Christ In v. 5. 1. The honour of Sion is described by her fruitfulness 1. In regard of the eminency of her births she is not wholly barren she hath her births of men and worthy men the carnal world hath not exceeded the Church in men of raised intellectuals Sion hath not been a City of fools Dionysius the Areopagite hath been her production as well as Damaris a woman Kings also have been nurst at her breasts that they might be nursing fathers to her by their power but the honour of Sion consists in the inward change it makes on men dispossessing them of the nature of wolves for that of lambs rendring them the Loyal subjects of God instead of his active enemies 'T is the glory of Sion that this or that man born in her was changed to such principles and such affections that all the education and politeness of the most accomplisht Cities in the world could not furnish them with 2. In regard of the multitude of them this and that man of all sorts and conditions and multitudes of them so that more are the children of the desolate than of the marryed wife The tents were prophesied to be inlarged the curtains of the habitations of Sion to be stretched out and her cords to be lengthened to receive and entertain that multitude of children that should be brought forth by her after the Sacrifice of the Son of God Isa 54.1 2. For that exhortation follows upon the description of the death and exaltation of Christ Isa 53. 2. The happiness of Sion The highest himself shall establish her 1. Security in her glory Establish her 2. The Author of that security and perpetuity The Highest and that exclusive of any other The Highest himself * Coccei in loc all that are not the most high are excluded from having a share in the establishment of the Church 'T is a work peculiar to him 'T is not the excellent learning strength of the wise or mighty men that are born in her that doth preserve her but God alone he spirits and acts them means God doth use in bringing in inward grace means he doth use in setling the outward form But such means that have in reason no strength to effect so great a business means different from those which are used in the establishment of other Kingdoms whereby the hand that acts them is more visible and plain than the means that are used * Folang 'T is not the wit of man which is folly nor the strength of man which is weakness nor the holiness of man which is nothing can claim the honour of this work God himself picks stones out of the quarry smooths them for the building fixeth them in their places he himself is the only architect his wisdom contrives it his grace erects it his power preserves it and accomplisheth his own work 't is the highest none higher to over-power him none so high as to check and mate him Shall establish her This cannot be meant of the literal or local Sion though that indeed was preserved while the legal service was to indure excepting that interruption by the Babylonish captivity but now Mahomets horse tramples upon it and it retains none of the ancient inhabitants but of the true mystical Sion the Gospel state of the Church which shall continue in being as Christ the head of it hath setled it till time shall be no more Other Kingdoms may crumble away the foundations of them be dissolved But that God which laid the foundation of Sion and built her walls will preserve her palaces that the gates of Hell the subtilty of Hereticks the fury of Tyrants the Apostacy of some of her pretended Children all the locusts and spawn of the bottomless-pit shall not be able to root her up Shall establish her The word signifies the affording all things necessary for defence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 increase of victory preparations of it the knitting of it Doct. The Gospel-Church is a perpetual Society establisht by the highest Power in Heaven or Earth It shall continue as long as the World and out-live the Dissolution of Nature she shall bring forth her Man-child maugre all the vigilancy of the Dragon which shall be caught up to God and his Throne and though she be forced to flie into the wilderness yet a place is prepared for her habitation and food for her support during that state no less than 1260 days or years and this by no weaker no meaner a hand than that of God himself * Rev. 12.3 4 5 6. where she hath a place prepared of God that
As God shews his mercy in his Peoples Redemption he will shew his strength in their conduct Exod. 15.13 He that made this deliverance a standing Monument of his Power entitles himself by it Isa 43.16 Thus saith the Lord which makes a way in the Sea a path in the mighty waters 2. His kindness to and care of his People When the straits are remediless and the counsels whereby the Projects are laid not to be defeated by humane skill when God seems to have forgot then in a seasonable deliverance he shews himself the careful Watchman of Israel When the Ship is in a raging storm and Christ asleep he will leave his own ease to keep his word and content his People When the Church thinks God hath forgotten his mercies and they have forgotten their dependance when the misery is so pressing that there is no faith of a deliverance left then Christ comes when faith is scarcely to be found upon the Earth Luke 18.8 to exalt his mercy in the depths of their misery and work terrible things they looked not for Isa 64.3 The Israelites would not have understood God's care in their protection without this or the like strait God had a new opportunity to shew his watchfulness over them to turn the cloud which went before them as their guide behind them for their defence Exod. 14.19 The scoffs of the Enemy at the Churches misery are God's motive to help her I will restore health to thee because they called thee an out-cast Jer. 30.17 'T is in straits we see God's salvation not man's Exod. 14.13 Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. 3. His Justice He lets the Church be encompassed with miseries and the Enemies in a Combination against her that he may overthrow them at once God makes a quicker dispatch with the Aegyptians when they were united than when they had assaulted Israel with a smaller body His Righteousness gets glory at one blow when he makes them to lye down together Is 43.17 His Justice is unblemisht in striking when their wickedness is visibly ripe the equity of it must needs be subscribed that when the Enemies malice is greatest when they have no mixture of compassion 't is the clearest righteousness to crush them without any mixture of mercy God brings things to that pass that he may honour both his Justice and Mercy in the highest That the black horses and the white horses may march firm together Zech. 6.6 the black horses that brought death and Judgment Northward to Babylon where the Church was captive the white horses that followed them and brought deliverance to his People the one to be Instruments of his Judgments the other of his Mercies God loves to glorifie those two Attributes together he did so in the redemption of mankind by the death of his Son and he doth so in the deliverance of his Church there is a conformity of the Church to Christ in her distress that there may be a conformity of God's glory in temporal to his glory in eternal Salvation God singles out a full crop to be an harvest for both A wicked man is said to be waited for by the sword Job 15.22 God attends the best season for revenge when mercy to the one shall appear most glorious and vengeance on his Enemies most equitable and all disputes against his proceedings be silenced 2. It makes to the Churches Advantage God had a work to do upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem before he would punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Isa 10.12 His end shall be attained in the correction of his Church before his glory shall be exalted in the destruction of her Enemies There are Enemies in the hearts of his People to be conquered by his grace before the Enemies to her peace and prosperity shall be defeated by his Power he will let them be in the fire till like gold they may have a purer honour in a brighter lustre 1. Humiliation is gain'd hereby God would not presently raze out the Canaanites lest the wild Beasts should increase upon them Deut. 7.22 Too quick deliverances may be occasions to multiply the wild Beasts of pride security and wantonness in the heart humility would have but little footing There is need of a sharp Winter to destroy the Vermin before we can expect a fruitful Spring Without humiliation the Church knows not how to receive nor how to improve any mercy The Enemies hasten their own mine by increasing the measure of their sins and Israels deliverance by being instruments to humble then hearts The sooner the plaister hath drawn out the corrupt matter the sooner it is cast into the fire God hereby prevents the growth of weeds in that ground he intends to enrich with new mercies 2. A Spirit of Prayer is excited Slight troubles make but drooping prayers Great straits make it gush out as the more the bladder is squeezed the higher the water springs We hear not of the Israelites crying to the Lord after their coming out of Aegypt till they had a sight of the formidable Army Exod. 14.10 They were sore afraid and the Children of Israel cried unto the Lord. Prayer gains mercies but scarce springs up free without sence of distress We then have recourse to Gods power whereby he is able to relieve us when we are sensible of our own weakness whereby we are unable to relieve our selves men will scarce seek to God or trust him while any creature though but a reed remains for their support they are destitute before they pray or believe God regards their prayers Psa 102.17 He will regard the prayer of the Destitute and not despise their prayer Distress causes importunity and God will do much for importunities sake Luke 11.8 3. Discovery of sincerity Hereby God discovers who are his people and who are not who are in the highest form of Christianity and who are not in the School or at least but in the lowest form he separates the good corn from the useless chaff No question but there were some among the Israelites that in this extremity acted faith upon the remembrance of the wonders God had wrought for them in Aegypt before their departure certainly they did not all murmur against Moses Were there no Calebs and Joshuahs that followed God fully in a way of faith and submission Their faith courage had not been conspicuous without this extremity Thundrings and Lightnings and terrible things in righteousness are to prove us whether the fear of God be before our faces that we sin not Exod. 20.18 20. God separates the dross You never know a new building without pulling down to separate the rubbish and rotten rafters from the sound materials Abraham was put upon hard work the imbruing his hands in the blood of his only Son to prove his integrity when God sees his sincerity he divers the blow not only delivers him from his grief his Son from his danger
saw their affliction was bitter and there was no helper yet when they did not thankfully improve it to a reformation God denounced judgments against them for their Idolatry 2 Kings 14.26 27. The Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel So that he had not yet denounced it for he waited to see the improvement of this mercy But before the end of Jeroboams reign by the prophet Hosea who began to prophesy in his time he declared their final captivity from whence they are not restored to this day Praise for former mercies is a means to gain future ones the Musick of Voices in Jehoshaphats camp praising the beauty of holiness was a prologue of a deliverance from a formidable army 2 Chron. 20.21 22. and more successful than the warlike musick of drums and trumpets 4. Exercise faith on the power of God manifested in deliverances in the time of straits 'T is not for want of ability in God but for want of faith in us that we at any time go groaning under misery Faith would quiet the Soul When David relyed upon God and found by experience God sustaining him he would not then be afraid of ten thousand Psa 3.5 6. Let that be our carriage which is recorded of the Israelites after this memorable defeat Exod. 14.31 They believed the Lord and his Servant Moses We must never expect to see Gods arm bare without faith in him Christ can do no great work where unbelief is predominant Unbelief doth not strip God of his power and mercy but it stops the streams and effluxes of it Unbelief against experience is a double sin 'T is gross when against a bare word worse when against the word confirmed by a Witness Israel was past thoughts of any relief in this strait but expected to perish by the hand of their Enemies yet God brought them into straits in mercy to bring them out of straits with power he makes their distress a snare to their Enemies and a scaffold for their faith That deliverance ought to be a foundation for our trust in God though bestowed upon another Nation yet not so much upon them as a State but as a Church and a type of those future ones under the Gospel which are yet expected Well then trust upon this foundation Great trust in God is a sort of obligation upon God Men out of generosity will do much for them that depend upon them Dependance on God magnifies his Attributes this will bring deliverance whereby God will magnify himself Do not distrust him till you meet with an Enemy too strong for him to quell a red Sea too deep for him to divide an affliction too sturdy for him to rebuke an Aegyptian too proud for him to master Then part with your faith but not till God hath parted with his power which he hath formerly evidenc'd 5. Expect and provide for sharp conflicts God brings into straits before he delivers Another deliverance is yet to come the Churches distresses are not come to a period Babylon hath another game to play The right of the Devil to tyrannize over the Mystical Body was taken away at the death of the head yet he still bruiseth Christs heel and bites though he cannot totally overcome As long as Christs Enemies are not made his foot-stool as long as there is the seed of the Serpent in the World as long as Christs members want a conformity to the head Satans pinches must be expected as long as the Beast is in being he will make war with the followers of the Lamb his power is to continue forty two months to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Revel 13.5 7. Forty two months or years 'T is like the time is not expir'd One thousand six hundred and twenty years which make forty two months no ending since he first had his power when his time draws near to an end he will bite sharpest This deliverance from Aegypt is yet again to be acted over and that must be at the end when the whole Israel of God shall be freed from Anti-christ the Antitype of Pharaoh 6. Yet let us not be afraid Apostacies may be great there will be but two Witnesses not two in number but in regard of the fewness of those that shall bear testimony to the Doctrine of Christ there may be no Advocate for the Church Sion may be an out-cast cast out of the affection of many that served or favoured her But the sharpest Convulsions in the world are presages of an approaching Redemption Luke 21.28 and the Gospel will shine clearer as the Sun doth after it hath been muffled with a thick Cloud The words in the mouths of the Witnesses will be most killing and convincing Fear not a natural above a supernatural Power Was not all the Church God had in the world in as low a condition at the Red Sea Not a Soul that we read of exempt or but few as Job and some few others in other parts yet the Church was then delivered for a Pattern to shew forth the power of God in the Ages to come What though there may be a want of Instruments Are not all Instruments out-liv'd by God Has God dismist the care of his People Is he not alwaies the Churches Guardian He must be dethron'd before he can be disarmed While Heaven is too high for humane hands to reach the Church is too well guarded for them to conquer Fear not till Christ lets his Scepter fall out of his hands and ceases to rule in the midst of his Enemies and flings away the Keys of Death and Hell fear not till God strips himself of his strength wherewith he is clothed He is clothed with strength Psal 93.1 Though there be little strength in the Church there is an Almighty one in their confederate 'T is no matter what the Enemy resolves against what God ordains Pharaoh intended to destroy God intended to deliver God will have his will and Pharaoh's lust goes unsatisfied When the Enemies are most numerous God shall darken their glory and strength and then shall he be the hope and strength of his People Joel 3.14 15 16. The Valley of Achor the Valley of the sharpest trouble shall be a door of hope Hos 2.15 That God that can create a World out of nothing can create deliverance when there is no visible means to produce it What can be too hard for him that can work without materials that can make matter when it is wanting and call Non-Entities into being He created the World with a word and can destroy the sturdiest men in the world with a look The strongest Devil trembles before him and the whole Seed of the Serpent is but as the dust of the ballance before the breath of his mouth He looked the Aegyptian Host into disorder and their Chariot-wheels into a falling-sickness Exod. 14.24 He created the World by a word He restored Jerusalem by a word Isa 44.26 27. dispirited Aegypt by
their office of teaching Since he promised his presence with his ministry to the end of the world he will have a Church to the end of the world to enjoy the benefit of that promise to be taught by them It consisted not with the wisdom or faithfulness of Christ to promise a perpetuity to that if he knew it were to be cut short before the end of the world And this himself also assures the Church of in all its variety of states Revel 2.1 These things saith he that holds the seven Stars in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlestiâ—k Not only seven Stars at one time or seven Golden Candlesticks in being together but in all the successions of the Church to the consummation of the world And as he describes himself by this title when he speaks of the Church of Ephesus which was the first state of the Church not only assuring her of his holding her Star and walking by her Candlestick but all the rest that were to follow so he doth renew the same expression in part when he speaks of the Church of Sardis which is the rising of the Church from the Apostacy wherein it had been covered in the Thyatirian state Revel 3.1 These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars The seven spirits of God signifies the gifts for the building and perfecting the Church still in the hand of Christ which should be in a more plentiful way poured out than for some time before as they were in the first reformation He is still therefore as a Prophet walking in the Church in all ages Not only in the first Foundation of it by the Apostles but in the reformation of it after it had been buried in Superstition and Idolatry And at the restauration of the Church in the world there shall be a pure river of water as clear as Christal proceeding from the Throne of God and the Lamb Revel 22.1 i. e. Pure doctrine without any mud and mixtures 2. 'T is his part as a Priest to establish it in the favour of God and look to the reparations of his Temple The Church is his Temple A Temple is the proper seat the proper care of a Priest He is a Priest still upon his Throne Zach. 6.13 and that for ever As he hath therefore some thing to offer so he hath always some for whom he offers who are they but his Church His prayer on earth John 17. was but a model or draught of his intercession in Heaven one part of it is for preservation of them through the truth of God John 17.17 The keeping up the Gospel in the world in order to a sanctification of some is the matter of his intercession which is one part of his Priestly Office And we cannot imagine his plea for his Church to be weaker on his throne it being also a throne of grace than it was for his enemies when he was upon a cross of suffering The compassions annext to his Priesthood remain still Heb. 4.15 If his office be perpetual the qualifications necessary to that office are as durable as the office it self as long as there is any object for their exercise To what purpose are his compassions if he should not pity her for whom they were designed and for whose behoof he was furnisht with them He cannot be faithful to God in his office if he be not merciful and tender to Sion in her distresses He certainly pities her as he would himself were it possible he should be in an infirm condition He must lose his Soul before he can lose his pity and the Church must cease to be his body before she can cease to be the object of his compassions He hath the same sentiments now that he had when he called to Paul from Heaven Act. 9.4 It was not then Why persecutest thou mine but why persecutest thou me Nor is it so now as the relation continues the same so doth the compassion so do his sentiments so do his cares To what purpose doth he as a Priest sit upon a Throne of grace if he did not shew grace to his Sion against the cruel designs of her enemies As God pities us when he remembers our frame Psal 103.13 14. So no question doth Christ when he remembers Sions oppressions as a distressed child is the object of the fathers pitty Add to this That since the death of Christ was one part of his Priestly performance and that the virtue of his sacrifice is as eternal as his Priest-hood what a disparagement would it â—e to him and the virtue of his death if ever the world while it stood should be void of the fruits of it There can be no moment wherein it is not valid to expiate the sins of some men and therefore not a moment wherein the world shall be without a Sion whose sins are expiated by it Should the standar'd of Sion be snatcht away and torn by the powers of darkness what would become of the glory what would become of the virtue of the Redeemers death Would God consecrate him so solemnly by an oath to be a Priest to so little purpose How could it be for ever if the execution of that office should be interrupted by the cessation of a Church as long as the world stands upon its pillars Would it not be an empty title if the end of it were not performed We cannot imagine the falling of Sion but we must question the merit of his death the truth of his exaltation the strength of his intercession the faithfulness of his office and the sincerity and candor of his compassions 3. 'T is his part as a King to establish Sion in being and govern her The Prophets always testified that of his Government there should be no end If the Church should cease for one moment in the world what subjects would he have to govern here Can he be a King without a Kingdom or a governour without subjects to bear a voluntary and sincere witness to his name If he be King in Sion he will also have a Sion to own him and a Sion to rule in not only a conquest of the Serpentine brood and infernal powers was promised but the total and perpetual victory Gen. 3.15 The sted of the woman was to bruise the Serpents head When the head is bruised there is no more wisdom to guide or force to Spirit the arm and the other members of the body It was a promise made not only of Christ to man but of a compleat victory to Christ that he should outwit the Serpents wisdom and utterly discomfit the Serpents power If the conquest were not perfect and perpetual it could not be called a spoiling of principalities and powers as it is Col. 2.15 but an interruption or temporary check whence they might rescue themselves He is therefore said to still the enemy and the avenger * Psal 8.2 I make no scruple
to understand the whole Psalm of Christ since the Apostle hath interpreted part of it of him Heb. 2. i. e. Make them utterly silent not knowing what firm Counsels to take or what successful orders to give And it being his end to destroy the works of the Devil the destroying the works must be the root of the being and preservation of the Church Did Christ then rise as a Conquerour out of the grave and sit down as King upon his throne to let the Devil and the world run away with the fruits of his victory Will he be so injurious to himself as to let his Throne be overturned by his enemies And to let the adversary of Sion repossess himself of that which he hath been so powerfully and successfully stript of Christ being King cannot be chased out of his Kingdom nor wants power to keep it from being utterly wasted To be the governour of Sion was as much in his first Commission as to be her Redeemer * Isa 49.10 He was to feâ—d guide his flock which is often in Scripture put for Ruling Christ as King will never leave beating up the quarters of Hell till he hath utterly routed their force and made the partizans of it his footstool and thereby established Sion beyond the fears of any tottering Therefore when he speaks of the Church of Smyrna which was to have a sore conflict with the Devil and feel the smart of him for 10 days understanding those 10 Ancient persecutions of the Church he assumes a new title for her encouragement Revel 2.8 These things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive I was the first that listed you and embodied you for the war and I will be the last to bring up the rear I was first in raising you and I will be the last in preserving you Fear not the terror of those persecutions though they be to blood and death I was used so I was dead but I am now alive and I live for my Church to behold her battles to procure her victory and to Crown those that shall fall in the fight against her enemies Christ in encouraging them to suffer for him assures them of the security of a Church the Devil should not wast the whole but cast some of them into prison not all and that for their refining v. 10. The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed Christ lives still and acts as King for the security of Sion and preserving a Generation to serve him till the time comes that is promised Rev. 22.3 that there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and then his Servants shall serve him with a full security from all trouble 3. The Foundation of Sion is sure 'T is founded upon Christ the corner stone Christ is called the Foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 The Apostles are the Foundation Eph. 2.20 Christ is the Foundation personally the Apostles doctrinally Christ meritoriously the Apostles ministerially the Apostles in regard of the publication of the Doctrine Christ in regard of the efficacy of the Doctrine whereby the Church is established 1. The Church is ingrafted in Christ united to him one with him the parts of it are reckoned as his seed * Psal 22.30 A s ed shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord as a generation As if they had sprung out of his loins as men naturally did from Adam's that as Adam was the Foundation of their corruption so shall Christ be the Foundation of their Restauration They shall be looked upon as the Children of Christ and Christ as their Father and as Father and Children legally counted one The Church is his own body Eph. 5.29 30. In loving and establishing the Church he loves establisheth himself Whatsoever is implanted in nature as a perfection is eminently in God Now since he hath twisted with our natures a care of our own bodies this care must be much more in the nature of Christ because his Church is as nearly united to him as our members to the flesh and the bones and he hath an higher affection to his mystical than we can have to our natural bodies Christ will no less secure and perfect his own body than a man would improve the beauty and strength of his natural body to preserve it from wounds from being mangled or scarrified unless it be for the security of the whole If he did not do it it would be a hatred of his own flesh which never any man in his right wits was ever guilty of The Eternity of Christ is made the Foundation of the Churches Establishment Psal 102.27 28. Thou art the Son and thy years shall have no end The Children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee There could be no strength in the Argument without union and communion with him The Church is settled upon him as a Foundation and therefore is of as long a duration as the Foundation upon which it stands the conjunction is so strait that if one fails the other must especially since as Christ is the head the Church is his fulness Eph. 1.22 23. Sion cannot be compleat but in him and Christ cannot be compleat without her A Foundation is of little use without a Superstructure a building falls not without a discredit to the Foundation upon which it stood Sions compleatness depends upon the strength of Christ and Christs mystical compleatness depends upon the stability of Sion he will not leave himself an imperfect and empty head 2. 'T is founded upon the Covenant Upon that which endures for ever and shall survive the Funeral of the whole world Heaven and Earth shall pass away but the Church is founded upon that which shall not pass away 1 Pet. 1.23 the Word of God c. Not such a word as that whereby he brought forth light in the world and form'd the Stars at the Creation a word that engaged him not to the perpetuating of it * Tarretin Sermons p. 330. This Covenant is more firm than the Pillars of Heaven and the Foundations of the Earth The Stars of Heaven shall dissolve the Sun shall be turned into darkness the Elements shall change their order for confusion But the Church being founded upon an eternal and immutable Covenant shall subsist in the midst of the confusions and flames of the world Isa 54.10 The Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my Covenant of Peace shall not be removed 'T is more establish'd than the world The Apostle clearly intimates it in his commendation of Abraham's Faith when he tells us He looked for a City which hath foundations by virtue of the promise of a numerous seed Heb. 11.9 10. As if the world had no foundation in comparison of the Church 'T is beyond the skill of Hell to raze up the foundation and therefore impossible for it to beat down
the superstructure Adam fell under the strength of the Serpents wit but he could by no promise lay claim to stability as the Church can by an immutable Covenant for her support IV. The Vse 1. Information 1. If the Church hath a duration and stability then Ordinances and Ministry are perpetual Ministers may be thrust into corners clapt up in prison hurried to their graves but the Sepulchres of Ministers are not the graves of the Ministry A Ministry and a Church Ordinances and a Church cannot be separated they run parallel together to the end of the world for Sion cannot be supposed without Divine Officers and Divine Institutions the one cannot be established without the other Christ walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 in the seven States of the Church to the end of the world * I do not question but that the whole is prophetical it would not else be called Mystery as it is Rev. 1.20 were it meant of those particular Churches As there are seven States of the Church so there are seven Stars in the hand of Christ for all those States the Ministry have the same support the same Guardian as the Church her self What was in the Ephesian and Primitive State is also in the Sardian State the State of the Church rising from corruption of Doctrine and Ordinances * Rev 3.1 These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven Stars Christ hath still Stars to shine and seven Spirits to gift them hath at present not had hath in the State we are which seems to be the end of that Sardian State 'T is true the Church is in a wilderness condition and hath been so for above 1200 years but hath she yet seen her Funeral No she hath a place for her residence and food for her nourishment and both provided for her by that God that fram'd her by that God that stood by her in the pangs of her travel and shelter'd her Man-child from the fury of her enemies * Rev. 12.6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there 1260 days They should feed her she is not starved in the desert she hath Manna to comfort her her Caterer to provide her food and some to administer the Banquet of the Word and Sacraments to her For any Member of Sion to deny a Ministry and deny Ordinances and therefore to neglect them is to conclude her dead in a grave and not living in a desert utterly famisht and not fed Though there be a smoke in the Temple a cloud and obscurity the Truths and Ordinances of God not so clear so efficacious as they have been as some understand Rev. 15.8 or as they shall be yet there is a Temple still A smoke in the Temple supposeth a Temple standing and Ordinances in it The obscurity of a thing nulls not the being of it nor a cloud upon the Sun the stability and motion of it He that denies a Church a Ministry and Divine Ordinances in it must first charge Christ with falshood when he promised to be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28.19 20. Alway even to the end of the world Not to sustain their particular persons to the end of the world but their Doctrine in a succession of some to teach and baptize by virtue of Authority from him for to that doth the promise and command refer and not unto the continuance of the Apostolical dignity or of their extraordinary gifts of miracles but the duration of their standing work till the top-stone were laid with the loud acclamations of grace grace The Church shall no more want a Ministry in the desert than she wanted a Prophet in Babylon 2. The Doctrine of the establishment of every member of Sion is clearly confirmed He that establisheth Sion counts up every man that was born in her every Child of Sion is in the same state and under the same promise as Sion her self The promise of stability to Sion is not to be understood of the firmness of her palaces but the duration of her inhabitants as when God is said to build a house 't is not to be understood of the rearing the walls but increasing the family * Exod. 2.21 God made them houses i. e. gave them children Every renew'd man every one truly born in Sion stands upon the same Foundation of the Covenant hath the same Charter with Sion her self and therefore upon a surer ground than any particular society of men in the world Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remov'd but abides for ever He is upon a better Foundation of security than the Church of Ephesus or Smyrna Pergamus or Sardis which have lost their footing and their places know them no more A believer injoys other priviledges with Sion but the patent runs here for his stability in the favour of God and runs high by removing all fears in the negative Cannot be removed and confirming all confidence in the affirmative Abides for ever No name writ upon Gods hand no name presented on Christs breast shall be razed out no fruit of his death shall be lost no Devil shall steal from him any part of his purchase As he hath blood enough to redeem them so he hath power enough to preserve them the same blood that is the cement of Sion the same hand that built her the same head that influenceth her secures every one of her true born Children They are all in the same posture and upon the same Foundation with Sion her self 3. How great is the folly of Sions enemies They Judg of her by the weakness of her worldly interest and not by the Almightiness of her Guardian They stand against a God that in decreeing the stability of Sion decreed the ruine of her opposers and can with as much ease effect it as resolve it The Stone which is the Foundation of this Kingdom shall break in pieces the Image of all worldly glory the policy of all worldly wisdom and the force of all worldly power Dan. 2.35 44 45. It shall make the Mountains of the world as a level and dust underneath it Chaff may as well stop the wind and force it to another quarter Stubble may as well quench the fury of the flames as the Enemies of Sion be victorious over the God of Sion As he hath a Fire in Sion to warm her so he hath a Furnace in Jerusalem to consume her Enemies Isa 31.9 a Fire to burn his Peoples dross but a Furnace to dissolve his Enemies force Pharaoh is an Example to all Generations to warn men not to struggle with those whom God resolves to patronize how did he further his own destruction by his hardness and the deliverance of the oppressed by his fury How often is the violence of her Enemies the occasion of the manifestation of
orders that a Woman should not teach But I suffer not a Woman to teach i. e. publickly Two Reasons are rendred 1. * Hierom. She was last in Creation Adam was first formed then Eve 2. First in defection v. 14. And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression The fall of man was the fruit of the Womans first Doctrine and therefore she is not suffered to teach any more the Woman was deceived by the Serpent and so drew her Husband and whole Posterity into ruine Some of the Papists bring this place as an Argument against Womens reading the Scripture but no reason can conclude it from this place How can the Spirit of God prohibit their reading the Scripture in private and the instruction of their Families since Women are among those who are commended for reading the Scripture Acts 17.11 12. where the honourable Women are mention'd And Lois and Eunice are applauded for their instruction of Timothy Are not Women bound by that command of Peter to give a reason of their Faith to any that shall ask them unless they would have Women Christians without reason What was the Office of those Ecclesiastical Widdows in the Primitive times but to instruct the younger Women But this is not to be charged upon all the Papists Becanus only is the man that Rivet mentions * Isagog ad Script c. 13. p. 990 991. And because upon this declaration of the Apostle some might be dejected by the consideration of the deep hand the Woman had in the first fall in the punishment inflicted upon them for it the Apostle in the Text brings in a Notwithstanding for their comfort Notwithstanding her guilt in defection her punishment in child-bearing she hath as good a right to salvation as the Man So that the Apostle here answers by way of anticipation an Objection which might be made whether the guilt contracted by the Woman and the punishment inflicted might not hinder her eternal salvation The Apostle answers No. Though she was first in the transgression and the pain of child-bearing was the punishment of that first sin yet the Woman may arrive to everlasting salvation notwithstanding that pain if she be adorn'd with those graces which are necessary for all Christians Though the punishment remain yet the believing Woman is in the Covenant of Grace under the wings of the Mediator of that Covenant if she have Faith the condition of the Covenant which works by Love and Charity and is attended with holiness and renewal of the heart Observe God hath gracious Cordials to cheer up the hearts of Believers in their distress and in the midst of those cases which are sufficient of themselves to cast them down The Apostle here alludes to that curse upon the Woman Gen. 3.16 Vnto the Woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception In sorrow thou shalt bring forth Children The punishment is peculiar to the married woman besides that punishment which was common to her with the man Thy sorrow and thy conception Hendiadys say some The sorrow of thy conception The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the whole time of the Womans bearing in the Womb and so includes not only those pains in the very time of Labour but also all those precursory indispositions as the weakness of the stomach heaviness of the head irregular longings and those other symptoms which accompany conceptions Though this pain seems to be natural from the constitution of the Body yet since some other Creatures do bring forth with little or no pain * Aristot Hist Animal l. 7. c. 9. It would not have been so with the Woman in innocency because all pain which is a punishment of sin had not been incident to a sinless and immortal body We will consider the words apart Saved It may either note the Salvation of the Soul or the preservation of the Woman in Child-bearing The first I suppose is principally intended for the Apostle here would signify some special comfort to Women under that curse But the preservation of Women in Child-bearing was a common thing testified by dayly experience in the worst as well as in the best Women and Christianity did not bring the professors of it into a worse estate in those things which immediately depended upon God or make the Children Vipers not to come into the world without the death of their Mothers Yet a temporal preservation may be included for when an eternal salvation is promis'd temporal salvation is also promis'd according to the methods of Gods wisdom and goodness in the course of his providence there being in all such promises a tacit reserve viz. if God sees it good for us and the manner of their preservation also wherein the preservation of a believer differs from that of an unregenerate Person Others are preserved by God as a merciful Creator and Governour in a way of common Providence for the keeping up of the world But believers are preserv'd in the way of promise and covenant in the exercise of faith and by the special love of God as a tender Father and their God in covenant with them through Christ In Child-bearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Child-bearing The Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Rom. 4.11 That he might be the Father of all that believe though they be not circumcis'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believing in uncircumcision where it notes the state wherein they shall be saved So it notes here not the cause of the salvation of the Woman but the state wherein she shall be saved and amounts to thus much The punishment inflicted upon the Woman for her first sin shall not be remov'd in this life yet notwithstanding this there is a certain way of salvation by faith though she pass through this punishment For by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not meant a simple Child-bearing but a Child-bearing in such a manner as God hath threatned with sorrow and grief If they continue By They is not meant the Children as some imagine because of the change of the singular to the plural the sense then should run thus she shall be saved if the Children remain in faith c. That would be absurd to think that the Salvation of the Mother should depend upon the faith and grace of the Children When it is sometimes seen that the Children of a godly Mother may prove as wicked as Hell itself But by they is meant the Woman The name Woman is taken collectively for all Women and therefore the plural number is added The Apostle passes from the singular number to the plural as he had done from the plural to the singular v. 9. In like manner let the women adorn themselves in modesty where he uses the plural but v. 11. reassumes the other number again in his discourse The graces which are here put as the conditions are Faith Charity Sanctification