standing Thesis follow it and let your thoughts run whither it will lead you A Theme of the Spirit 's setting is better than one of our own chusing 4. Record the choicer of them We may have occasion to look back upon them another time either as grounds of comfort in some hour of temptation or directions in some sudden emergency but constantly as persuasive engagements to our necessary duty Thus they may lye by us for further use as money in our purse Since Mary kept and ponder'd the short sayings of our Saviour in her heart †Luk. 2.14 51. committing and fitting them as it were in her common-place book why should not we also preserve the whispers of that Spirit who receives from the same mouth and hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—â—ych what he both speaks and shews to us It is pity the dust and filings of choicer metals which may one time be melted down into a mass should be lost in a heap of drossy thoughts If we do not remember them but like children are taken with their novelty more than their substance and like John Baptist's hearers rejoyce in their light only for a season †Joh. 5.35 it will discourage the Spirit from sending any more and then our hearts will be empty and we know who stands ready to clap in his hellish swarms and legions But howsoever we do God will record our good thoughts as our excusers if we improve them as our accusers if we reject them and as He took notice how often He had appear'd to Solomon †1 Kin. 11.9 so He will take notice how often His Spirit hath appeared to us and write down every motion whereby we have been solicited that they may be witnesses of his endeavours for our good and our own wilfulness 5. Back them with Ejaculations Let our hearts be ready to attend every injection from Heaven with a motion to it since 't is ingratitude to receive a present without returning an acknowledgment to the Benefactor As God turns His thoughts of us into promises so let us turn our thoughts of Him into prayers and since his regards of us are darted in beams upon us let them be reflected back upon Him in thankfulness for the gift and earnestness both for the continuance and encrease of such impressions as David prayed that God would not take his holy Spirit from him †Psa 51.11 which had inspired him with his penitential resolutions To what purpose doth the Holy Ghost descend upon us but to declare to us the things which are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 And is it fit for us to hear such a declaration without a quick suitable reflection Since the Comforter is to bring to our remembrance †Joh. 14.26 what Christ both spake and did it must be for the same end for which they were both spoken and acted by him which was to bring us to a near converse with God Therefore when the Spirit renews in our minds a Gospel-truth let us turn it into a present plea and be God's remembrancers of His own promises as the Spirit is our remembrancer of Divine Truths We need not doubt some rich fruit of the application at such a season since without question the impressions the Spirit stamps upon us are as much according to God's will †Rom. 8.27 as the intercessions he makes for us Therefore when any holy thought doth advance it self in our Souls the most grateful reception we can bestow upon it will be to suffer our hearts to be immediately fired by it and imitate with a glowing devotion the Royal Prophet in that form he hath drawn up to our hands O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy servant and prepare my heart unto thee †1 Chron. 29.18 This will be an encouragement to God to send more such guests into our hearts And by an affectionate entertainment of them we shall gain both a habit of thinking well and a stock too A DISCOURSE OF THE CHURCHES STABILITY Psalm 87.5 And of Sion it shall be said This and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shall establish her THE Author of this Psalm and the time when it was penn'd are uncertain Some think it was compos'd after the return of the Jews from Babylon upon the Erection of the second Temple and designed to be sung in their constant Publick Assemblies Others think it was compos'd by David when he brought the Ark to Sion as the Repository for it till the Building of the Temple wherein it might honourably rest It seems whoever was the Author to be Ecstatical The Penman breaks out into a holy rapture and admiration of the firmness and stability of the Church 'T is also Prophetical of the Christian Church of the glory of it the largeness of its bounds and perpetual duration The Jews ridiculously interpret it of literal Jerusalem in regard of the excellency of its Climate the goodness of the air being seated in the middle or navel of the earth and the seat and spring of all the wise men accounting all fools that were to be found in other parts 't is true others were not wise with a wisdom to Salvation they were not instructed in the high Mysteries of Religion by God as those People were But was there not Learning among the Greeks Wisdom among the Chaldeans and a ripeness in Mechanick Arts among the Tyrians which lived in the same Climate with the Jews It can by no means be understood of the material Jerusalem and Sion that was ruin'd by the Babylonians and tho re-edified yet afterwards subverted by the Romans and the remainders of it at this day become a Stable for Mahomet and the bringing in those Nations mention'd v. 4. overthrows any such interpretation which never were inrol'd in the registers of Sion nor became Votaries to the true Religion while the walls of that place were standing in their glory Sion was the place whence the Law was to come Mich. 4.2 a Law of another nature than that which was uttered with Thunders from Mount Sinai Sion was the place where the Throne of Christ was to be settled where he was to be crowned King Psal 2.6 and where he was to manage the Scepter and rule in the midst of his enemies Psal 110.2 and therefore 't is here celebrated as the figure of the Christian Church of that City which Abraham expected whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 And the Christian Church is particularly called by this name of Mount Sion Heb. 12.21 And Believers are called the Sons of Sion Joel 2.23 The Psalmist speaks 1. Of the great love the Lord bears to Sion v. 2. 2. Of the glory of the Promises made to her v. 3. 3. Of the confluence of new Inhabitants to her v. 4. 4. Of the Duration and Establishment of
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
God's glory and the setling Sion's security Had not Pharaoh been so furious God had not manifested the glory of his Power nor his Israel enjoyed so miraculous a safety 'T is true the Church is weak but the Arm that holds her is the strongest in Heaven and Earth Her outward Interest is small but her Interest is twisted with that of her Lord. An Enemy shall find more mischief from mud-walls under the protection of a valiant Arm than from stone-walls under the guard of an Infant How foolish is it for a man to think to break a Rock with his fist for hurting his shins whereby he bruiseth his hands as well as his leggs How foolish is it for men to beat the bushes about a Lions Den whereby they will be sure to rouse him God dwells in Sion from thence he roars to the shaking of Heaven and Earth the Powers of the world when he will manifest himself to be the hope of his People and the strength of the Children of Israel Joel 3.16 4. What a ground is here for prayer This sets an edg upon prayer No petition can more comfortably no petition can more confidently be put up than for Sions establishment Prayers for particular Persons or for our selves may want success but supplications for Sion never miscarry they have the same Foundation for an answer that Sion hath for her stability viz. The promise of God they are agreeable to that affection which shall never be removed from her How believingly may we cry out Be it unto Sion according to thy word There is no fear of a repulse whatsoever God denies he will not deny that for which he hath so often ingaged himself It may be for the good of the Church that so great a person as Paul should lye in Chains and his Fetters conduce to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1.12 But it can never be for the Interest of Sion or for the Interest of Sion's God that she should be crusht between the teeth of the Lions and that which he hath redeemed by the blood of his Son be a prey to the Jaws of the Devil God hath entitled Sion by the name of a City not forsaken Isa 62.12 And as we have his promise for her settlement so we have his command for our earnestness vers 7. And give him no rest till he doth establish Jerusalem a praise in the whole Earth And he prescribes us to back that by our prayers which he had promis'd v. 1. For Jerusalem's sake I will not rest till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness Our desires in this case are suited to his resolves and run in the same line with his immutable Decree he will have no rest in himself nor he would have no rest from us till this be accomplisht We cannot call upon God with a greater confidence for any thing than for that Church that shall out-live the Funeral of the world and survive the frame of Nature that shall lie in Ashes 5. What a strong ground is here for trust Look not so much upon the condition of Sion's Walls as upon her Foundation not upon her present posture as upon her promise-Charter not upon her as a weak Vine but under the hand of the Highest as the Vine-dresser look not upon the feebleness of the Flock but upon the care of the Shepherd nor upon the fierceness of the Lions but upon the strength and affection of her Guardian 1. Let not our Faith rest upon appearances Flesh will then make a wrong Judgment of God Providences are various and should our Faith be guided only by them it would have a liveliness one moment and faint the next As the Promise is the stability of the Church so it is only the stability of our Faith The Authority of the Word is the Life of our Faith and not the sense of any particular Providence in the world A Faith built upon protecting Providences is a sensitive Faith a Faith built upon the Promise is a spiritual Faith 2. Yet the Experiences God hath given us hitherto of the continuance of the Church may be called in to bear witness to the Truth of the Promise He hath before conducted his Israel into Canaan when Pharaoh meditated their utter ruine or their continuance under his Chains he fed them with Manna and watered them with a Rock in a desert that afforded no earthly assistance The preserving the Vine could never be ascribed to the Vine it self in which there is no strength nor to the Foxes in whom there is no pitty but to the keeper of the vineyard We have reason therefore to trust God but not at all to trust man Is it from man or from God that the Church hath subsisted so long in the world a little flock in the midst of many Wolves among enemies more numerous than her friends What a small number hath the Church had in any age to mate the multitude of her enemies what wisdom to countermine their policy and what power to repel their force The Church is not weaker now than it hath been the Sons of Sion were always Sheep Sheep have not the strength of Lyons to resist nor the swiftness of Eagles to fly away from danger the danger cannot be greater than it hath been there were always Dragons that spat out their venom and Lyons that opened their mouths against her the Devil never wanted diligence nor the world enmity to overturn her could she for one moment have subsisted in the midst of so many furies had not God been her shield and glory Call to mind how often God hath healed her diseases and bound up her wounds Let us rest in that promise which hath so often been made good by his power which he hath in many ages displayed upon as great occasions of danger as Sion can be in Let us live believingly under his wings and fear not our own weakness or our enemies strength 3. We have greater ground of confidence than the Church of Israel had In the day of Israels trouble by Salmanasser the Prophet comforts the Church in her anguish by the consideration of the Messiah who was to assume the Government though many years after Isa 8.22 Isa 9.1 6. Shall a promise that was to stay so many ages for performance be a ground of trust and confidence to a tottering Church then And shall not the staggering Church have more ground to rest since the Messiah is made the head of the Corner and hath the Keys of Hell and death delivered to him What a base thing is distrust then against so many assurances of stability and the experience of a multitude of ages Grasp the promise plead it earnestly shew God his written word which he hath sent from Heaven he never yet disowned it nor ever will Methinks the voice God is able to deliver Sion sounds too much of distrust If we know no more than Gods power we know not so much as the Devil doth he knows his
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
forelorn Gentiles as stupid as stocks and stones he raiseth up Children a great posterity to Abraham Those that he imployed in the erecting Sion and establishing the Law that went out from her in the rubbish of the Gentiles he struck off from all humane assistances all strength and power in themselves when he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait there for a power from on high before they ventured to be Witnesses to him and publish his Name not only in the uttermost parts of the Earth but in Jerusalem the City where they were to abide or in any part of Judaea Acts 1.4 8. They were not to speak a word of him in their own strength or in any strength less than a Power from Heaven which was to be given them by the sending the Spirit and this he calls the promise of the Father as signifying his purpose to enlarge his Church as well as build it at the first by himself and his own power 'T is this the promise of the Father our Saviour there pitches their faith upon and 't is this our faith should be established in in all conditions of the Church Now hath God thus rear'd up a Church out of the ashes of mans original Apostacy setled it among the murmuring and ungrateful Israelites that industriously longed for the Garlick and Onions of Aegypt as weary of the greatness of his mercy to them and propagated it to the Idolatrous Gentiles fill'd with all unrighteousness as bad as bad could be as is described Rom. 1.29 30 31 To what purpose was the enlarging the Churches Patent if he did intend the footsteps of her should ever be rooted out of the world He pickt out the weakest poorest persons as the matter of it that he might shew his own honour in preserving it he hath yet supported her all the while she hath carryed the cross of her Lord he hath sent his spirit to frame a succession of new materials for her how fruitless would all this be if he should let Hell waste the Temple erected for Heaven What did he gather and enlarge the Church only to make it a richer conquest and a fatter morsel for the Devil How vain would his former kindness appear if he should let it utterly sink as long as the world endures It cannot be imagin'd with any semblance of reason that God hath taken all this care about the nursing and growth of the Church from small beginnings to let his darling be a prey to the mouth of Lyons and be of no other use than to fatten his enemies 4. In regard of the cost and pains he hath been at about Sion Did the creation of the world ever cost him so much Was there one tear one groan one sigh much less the blood of the Son of God expended in laying the foundation of it When the matter of it was without form and void the beauty of it was not wrought with a washing with blood When God established the clouds above and strengthn'd the foundations of the deep when he gave the sea his decree and appointed the foundations of the earth the Son of God was by him rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth and his delights were among the sons of men Prov. 8.28 29 31. Not bleeding and dying But this he must do he must take humane nature be bruised in his heel by the serpent and be a Sacrifice himself make an atonement for sin before a stone for the building of spiritual Sion could be fram'd and laid What pains have been taken also in the effecting it The birth of the Church was a work of greater power than the fabrick of the world a few words went to the rearing of that in the revolution of six days it was set upon its feet but many a year was God in travel before Sion was brought forth there was an enemy as potent as Hell to deal with in setting it in Adams family after mans Apostacy The corrupt nature that had then got the possession of the world to contest with The world must be drowned to bring it to a second nativity and establishment in Noah The forming the Church of the Jews was not without some pangs of nature what signs and wonders and great terrours were wrought in its bringing forth out of Aegypt and striking off the chains of her Captivity Deut. 4.34 What fire blackness darkness tempest that made a convulsion in the Souls of those that were to be her materials Heb. 12.18 19. And the bringing forth the Gentile Church and enlarging the cords and stakes of Sion was preceded by the darkening the Sun the trembling of the Earth the opening of the Graves the suffering of that which was dearest to God himself No Power was ever employed so signally in the Affairs of any worldly concern as in the settlement of Sion The devouring waves of the Red Sea have been made her Bulwarks and the Sand the Grave of her Enemies hath been a path for her passage The Sun hath forgotten his natural Race to gaze upon her Victories Josh 10.13 Angels have been commissioned to be her Champions and fight her Battels 2 King 19.35 The whole Host of Heaven have been arrayed to fight for Sion on Earth The merciless nature of the fire hath been curb'd to preserve her children when she seemed to be reduced to a small number and the mouths of hunger-starv'd Lions have been bridled for the same purpose Dan. 6.22 The proudest Enemies to her have been vanquisht by Frogs and Lice and Tyrants that would lay their hands upon her have been made to their disgrace a living Banquet for Worms the vilest creatures Act. 12.23 And indeed after the malice of the Devil had usurpt God's right in the Creation and had drawn the chiefest of his sublunary creatures into an Apostacy with himself no less than an Infinite Power could be engaged against the greatest of created Powers if God would not forego his own honour in suffering himself to be deprived of the fruit of his works No less than Infinite Power could erect a Church in the world that God might have the fruit of his Creation he ordered this Power to appear struck down the Gates of Hell sent his Son to rescue his Honour and his Spirit to polish stones for his Temple Every one that is fitted for this Building had Almightiness at work with him before he was form'd Eph. 1.19 20. Every stone was hewed by the Spirit and the Image of God was imprinted by a Divine Efficacy Shall the fruit of so much Power and the mark of his own Image want an establishment God would seem to be careless of the Treasures of his own Nature wherewith he hath endow'd her Shall all this cost and pains be to no purpose Were the Gates of Hell taken down to be set up again more strongly and the chargeable Counsels of God to be puft away by the breath of Satan Doth it consist with his Wisdom to let
Sion fall out of his hands into the power of her old Oppressor Men are more desirous to preserve the Estate they have gotten by sweat than that which is left them by Inheritance and are most careful in settling that which hath cost them more Treasure and more Labour Jacob sets a value upon the Portion he got with his Sword and Bow Gen. 48.22 No less will God upon that Sion he hath wrested out of the world by the Might of his Arm. 5. In regard of Faithfulness His Veracity is ingaged 1. In regard of Faithfulness to Christ the Head The Spirit was promised to Christ Act. 2.33 Having received the promise of the Holy Ghost i. e. the Holy Ghost promised to him by the Father He received that which was promised his receiving it from God implyed the Spirit 's being promised to him by God To what end was this Spirit given him and sent by him To convince the world of righteousness John 16.10 an effect necessary to the building Sion For this end he received it for this end therefore it was promised to him The promise would be vain the performance of the promise in the mission of the Holy Ghost would be to no purpos◠if the end for which he was promised and for which he was sent were not perform'd if there should not be a perpetual number convinced of and imbracing that righteousness of Christ which hath been manifested by his going to the Father God also promised him a great posterity after his making his soul an offering for sin Isa 53.10.11 A seed that he should see therefore stable and perpetual ‖ A posterity was to follow his Sacrifice his Cross was to give them being and his Blood was to give them life because always visible to him God pawn'd his word upon the condition of his death the condition was performed to the full satisfaction of God his Truth therefore hath no evasion no plea to deny the performance of the promise in raising up a multitude of believers in the world and such a multitude as shall always be seen with pleasure by him as good and sound children and the travel of the mothers womb are by the parents The truth of God is oblig'd by Christ's exact performance of the condition as well as by the particular respect he hath to the glory of it it was for the Church Christ gave himself Eph. 5.25 'T is necessary therefore that God should preserve and establish a Church for him to the end of the world that Christ might not by any default of his Father lose the end and design of his death there shall be a generation of believers a little seed lying in the midst of all the chaff so God promised * Psal 72.17 His name shall be continued as long as the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His name shall be propagated in a perpetual birth of Children it shall be sound while the Sun in the Heaven keeps its station 2. In regard of faithfulness to the Church it self How doth the word sparkle with promises to Sion in all her concerns He hath promised an indissolvable marriage the fixing a knot that shall never be untied * Hos 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever and that in judgment righteousness loving kindness mercy faithfulness A marriage that shall never end in widdow-hood so that Judgment righteousness loving kindness mercy faithfulness must first fail before the Church meet with an entire dissolution i. e. God and the glorious perfections of his nature shall fail before the Church be forsaken and left to her enemies She is no less assur'd of continual supplies and nourishment and that by no meaner a hand than that of God himself Isa 27.3 I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment I will keep it night and day Nor a meaner dew than himself Hos 14.5 Also without the failing her a minute he would water her with doctrine to preserve her verdure and increase her growth He would be her Guardian night and day in the darkness of adversity in the sunshine of prosperity so that Satan should not outwit nor the craft and subtilty of hereticks waste her for it refers to v. 1. wherein God promiseth her to punish the piercing Serpent the crooked Serpent that by various windings and turnings insinuates himself to the destruction of men And he adds v. 4. Fury is not in me he lays by his anger against her as considered in apostate nature the fury of Hell shall not prevail where the anger of God is pacified but her enemies shall be as bryars and thorns before him He hath a consuming fury for her enemies though he hath none for his vineyard Protection is in no less measure promised and that not a temporary one nor a bare defence but with the ruin of her enemies and treading them down as straw is trodden down for the Dunghil Isa 25.10 In this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest By hand is meant his power and by rest is meant the perpetual motion of it for her and that against the most furious malicious powerful of her Enemies Mat. 16.18 against the gates of hell against the wisdom of Hell gates being the seat of councel against the censures and sentences of Hell gates being the place of judicature against the arms of Hell gates being the place of strength guards When Christ secures against Hell he secures against all that receive their commission from Hell neither Hell it self nor the instruments edg'd and envenomed by Hell shall prevail against her she is secur'd for her assemblies in one part or other when they gather together to hear the Law and to sacrifice And I that am the Lord thy God from the Land of Aegypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles as in the days of Solemn feasts Hos 12.9 't is a promise to the Church it was never yet nor appears like to be performed to the ten tribes as a Nation but to their Posterity as swallowed up in embodied with the Gentiles The conquest of her enemies is secur'd to her Ps 110.1 The promise is made to Christ of making his enemies his footstool But made to him as Davids Lord and consequently as the Lord of his people as King in Sion and therefore made to the whole body of his loyal subjects And all those things are of little comfort without duration and stability which is also secur'd to her Hos 6.3 His going forth i. e. the going forth of God in the Church is prepared as the morning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stable His appearance for her and in her is as certain as the dawning of the morning light at the appointed hour All the clouds which threaten a perpetual night cannot hinder it all the workers of darkness cannot prevent it the morning will dawn whether they will or no. Her duration is compared to the most durable things to that of the Cedar the
love of delight since he hath refined and beautified her by imparting to her of his own comliness Ezek. 16.14 Is it likely this affection should sink into carelesness And the fruit of so much love be dasht in peices Can such tenderness be so unconcerned as to let the apple of his eye be pluckt out To be a lazy spectator of the pillage of his Jewels by the powers of Hell to have the Center of his delight tost about at the pleasure of men and Devils Shall a Mother be careless of her sucking Child How then can that God whose tenderness to the Church cannot be equalled by the bowels of the most compassionate mother to her infants Surely God is concerned in honour to maintain against a feeble Devil and a decrepit world that which is the object of his almighty affection 8. In regard of the natural weakness of the Church No generous Prince but will think himself bound in honour to support the weaker subject no tender parent but will acknowledg himself obliged in affection to take a greater care of the weaker than the stronger Child The Gardiner adds props to the feeblest plants that are most exposed to the fury of the storms and have least strength to withstand them The powers of the world have always been the Churches enemies the wise have set their reason and the mighty their arms against her the Devil the God of this world is so far from being her friend that Sion hath been the only object of his spite He contrives only floods to drown her or mines to demolish her Her own friends are often so darkened or divided that they cannot some times for Ignorance and will not other times for peevishness hit upon and use the right means for her preservation 'T is an honourable thing then for that God who entitles himself the Father of the fatherless to shew his own power and grace in her establishment The fatherless condition of the Church is an argument she hath sometimes used to procure the assistance she wanted * Hos 14.3 With thee the fatherless finds mercy And the weakness of Jacob urged by the Prophet excited repentance in God and averted two Judgments which were threatned against that people Amos. 7.2 3 5 6. 'T is no mean motive to him to help the helpless this opportunity he delights to take when there was no man to help no intercessor to plead then his own arm brought Salvation When he saw no defenders but all ravagers no Physicians but all wounders then should the Spirit of the Lord lift up a standard Isa 59.16.19 To conclude if Sion the Gospel Church were not of as long a duration as the standing of the world God would lose the honour of his creation after the Devil by sin had made the creatures unuseful for those ends to which God had appointed them by his first institution The wisdom of God had been blurred the serpent would have Triumphed the Kingdom of God had been dissolved the enemy would have enjoy'd a remediless tyranny had not God put his hand to the work and erected a new Kingdom to himself out of the ruins of the fall And since God was pleased to take this course rather than create a new world and hath laid the foundation of a new Kingdom by drawing some out of that common rebellion the humane nature was fallen into and that he might do it with honour to himself hath sent his Son upon that errand by his blood to bring back man to God and his spirit to make men fit for a Communion with him and hath backt his affection to the Church with so much cost and pains for her welfare If after all this God should-desert his Church the dishonour of Gods wisdom the loss of the fruit of all his cost and pains the weakness of his affection or of his power to perform his promise and the ruin of his glory intended by those methods would be the issue which would be attended with the triumph of his revolted creature and greatest enemy This would be if God should cease picking out some men for his praise and keeping up his name and royalty in the earth 2. 'T is for the exercise of the Offices of Christ that Sion should be establisht He is Prophet Priest and King which are all titles of relation Prophet implies some to be instructed a Priest some to offer for and a King some to be ruled put one relation and you must necessarily put the other If there were no Church preserv'd in the world he would be a nominal Prophet without any disciples a King without subjects and a Priest without suppliants to be atoned by him upon earth Now Christ is the wonderfull Counsellour the everlasting Father and the Government is laid upon his Shoulders to what end to order and establish the Kingdom of God Isa 9.6 7. All the strength and vigor he had as it was from God so it was intended for God * Thou madest the Son of man strong for thy self Psa 80.17 And the reason is because though God hath given up the administration of things to Christ yet he hath not devested himself of his right nor can For God is the chief Lord and the relation of creatures not ceasing the relation of Lord and Creator cannot cease And therefore since the right of God continues the grant of the uttermost ends of the earth to be the inheritance possession of Christ includes not only a gift but an Office to preserve protect establish and improve his possession for those ends for which he had the grant and to prevent all that may impair it As he had a right and strength by the order of God to rear it so he hath an Office and Power to establish it as well as to erect it and Christ is the same in all his offices yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 The same in credit with God in faithfulness to his Office the vertue of his blood the force of his arm and compassions to bleeding Sion 1. 'T is his part as a Prophet to establish it in Doctrine 'T is his part externally to raise his truth when it lyes gasping in the rubbish of errour and refine his worship when it is daub'd with Superstition and Idolatry Internally to clear the understanding to know his truth quicken the will to imbrace it rivet the word in the conscience and enflame the affections to love and delight in it Certainly the promise of the abiding of his Spirit implies the efficacy of his operation while he abides He is to provide against the subtilty and rapine of fox like Hereticks that they spoil not the tender vine Cant. 2.15 And to furnish the Church with gifts for the preserving and increasing her The perpetual exercise of this prophetical office he promised them when he gave the Apostles a Charter for his presence to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Which was in relation to their ministry and
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
God shall establish her stability is not to be found out of her To depart from her is to leave a firm Rock to find security in a quick-sand To leap out of a stout Ship in a storm to expect a preservation in the waves To turn our backs upon Heaven to seek ease in the bowels of Hell The Altar at Damascus is cast down and Jeroboam's Altar is demolisht when that at Jerusalem stood To stay in Sion is to be exposed to the gun-shot of men and Devils to run from her is to seek to the Devil for protection and run into the mouth of all the Artillery of God that is set for the establishment of Sion If we are Christians no force nor violence should separate us from her 2. Let us love Sion There is nothing the Scripture uses more as an argument to separate our affections from the world than the uncertainty and fading nature of it The perpetuity then of the Church should be a motive to place our affections there where they shall never want an object and which we cannot love without loving her head and her establisher The Jews in Babylon would rather forget themselves than their City and Temple Psal 137.5 6. Our affections to Gospel Sion should be more tender since God hath poured out more of his Spirit upon her and she is more amiable in his eye That which the Jews so much affected is perished But the true Sion is eternal and shall flourish for ever The highest himself hath an establishing affection to her Let our affections to her equal the malice of the Enemies against her since we have greater incentives to love her than they can have to hate her While others cry Raze Raze it even to the ground let us at least testify our affections and if we have not her standing walls to love let us not estrange our tenderness from her very dust Psal 102.14 There is a pleasure to be taken in her stones because they shall be again set in their place a favour to be shewn to her dust because it shall be again compacted and enjoy a resurrection For the highest that hath promised to establish her will not desert her in her ruins v. 16. When the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in glory we have therefore more ground to favour her dust than to admire the proudest palaces 3. Let us desire the Establishment of Sion more than our own private Establishment 'T is the Sign of a gracious Spirit to look not only on his own things but the things of others Phil. 2.4 And what things of others should be regarded if the things of Christ and his Spouse be over-looked No private person hath any promise of establishment but as he is a Denison of Sion as one born in her In desiring therefore the welfare of Sion we wish and make way for the establishing of our selves our interests are common with hers Her prosperity therefore should be the first and last of our wishes When we wish the stability of Sion we wish the honour of God the continuance of his worship the glorifying his name which is deposited in that cabinet The glory of God cannot flourish if the Church perish How base then are those that if they can swim in a worldly prosperity care not if the Church be drowned in tears and bloud that cloth themselves and regard not her nakedness that provide an earthly Canaan for themselves and care not what desolate desert Sion sits weeping in 4. Let us endeavour the establishment of Sion 'T is a grateful thing to a Prince to favour his favorite Let us be as forward to enlarge her Territories as the Devil and his instruments are to increase the Suburbs of hell The Highest himself will establish her by himself we must therefore take those methods which are agreeable to the chief preserver A complyance with the Enemies of God was never the way to secure the interest of Sion A divine work in a divine way will meet with divine assistance To contribute to the establishment of Sion is a work honourable in it self since it is the work of God himself 'T is an imitation of the highest pattern In this we are associates and coworkers with God For the Highest himself shall establish Sion A DISCOURSE UPON THE Fifth of November Exod. 15.9 10. The Enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them Thou didst blow with thy wind the Sea covered them they sank as Lead in the mighty waters AN Anniversary Commemoration of a memorable Deliverance falling upon this Day hath caused a diversion of my thoughts to look back not only upon a mercy never to be forgotten but to look forward to that Deliverance which is to come parallel to this in the Text. Israel was a Type of the Church Pharaoh a type of the Churches Enemies in all Ages of the world both of the spiritual Enemy Satan and of the temporal his Instruments The Deliverance was a type of the Deliverance that Christ wrought upon the Cross by his Blood Also of that Christ works by his power upon his Throne the one from the Reign of Sin the other from the Empire of Antichrist This was the Exemplar of all the deliverances the Church was to have As the Assyrian should lift up a staff against Jerusalem after the manner of Aegypt so the Lord should lift his rod up for them upon the Sea after the manner of Aegypt when the Yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing Isa 10.26 27. when the power of the Enemies shall be destroyed by the strength of Christ The Lord himself makes it his pattern in those victories he is to gain for his people when he calls upon his arm to awake as in the ancient days when he cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon and made the depths of the Sea a way for the ransom'd to pass over Isa 51.9 10 11. then the redeemed of the Lord shall come with singing unto Sion the Song of Moses while they stand upon a Sea of Glass a brittle frail and stormy world Rev. 15.3 And our Redeemer makes this his pattern rule when he comes to tread the Wine-press in wrath and make them drunk with his fury that then he would remember the days of old Moses and his people when he divided the water before them to make himself an everlasting name Isa 63.1.2.11 that his power may be as glorious in the latter as it was in the former and all deliverances of the Church from the beginning to the end be knit together to be an everlasting matter of praise to his name This Historical narration is to have a more universal accomplishment the deliverance from Aegypt is promised to be fulfilled a second time and God would act the same part over again as also their deliverance from Ogg King of Bashan after the ascension
erected his stately head to seise upon the prey then God wounded him put an end to Aegypts pride and the Israelites fear He loves to beat down the pride of the one and raise up the lowliness of the other When Herod will assume the title of a God given him by the acclamations of the People an Angel shall immediately make him a Banquet for Worms Acts 11.22 23. When Sennacherib had prospered in his Conquest of Judea had taken many strong Towns closely be leaguered Jerusalem thundred out blasphemies against God and threatnings against his People then comes an Angel makes an horrible slaughter in a night sends him back to his own Country where after the loss of his Army he lost his life by the hands of his own children A greater pride cannot be exprest than what the Apostle predicts of the Man of Sin and that hath been extant for some time in the world * 2 Thes 2.4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God in additions to the word clipping the Institutions of God and adding new and canonizing new Mediators of Intercession who sits in the Temple of God in a profession of Christianity shewing himself that he is God assuming the name of God and the title of God in being called most holy And perhaps it will yet amount to a higher step than it hath yet done before he be consumed by the brightness of the Lord 's coming since all that yet lets and hinders is not taken out of the way The higher the pride the nearer the fall When Goliah shall defie the God of Israel a stone from a sling thrown by the hand of David our great David the Antitype shall lay him vomiting out his soul and blasphemies on the Earth We are many times more beholding to the Enemies insolence than our own innocence Deut. 32.17 Were it not that God feared the wrath of the Enemy i. e in their pride lest their Adversaries should behave themselves strangely and say Our hand is high a sinful Israel should not have so many preservations * Trap on Exod. p. 9. When they will ascend into Heaven and exalt their Throne above the Stars of God when they will ascend above the heights of the Clouds and be like the most High then shall they be brought down to Hell to the sides of the Pit Isa 7.13 14 15. The highest Towers are the fairest marks for Thunder and the readiest Tinder for the lightning of Heaven When Tyrus had set her heart as the heart of God then would God defile her brightness and make her die the death of them that are slain in the midst of the Sea Ezek. 28.6 7 8. 3. Eager malice Nothing would Satisfie the Aegyptians here but the bloud of the Israelites My hand shall destroy them they were under a cruel bondage attended with anguish of Spirit before God began their rescue The serpents seed have the same principles of craft and malice sown in their nature that are resident in his ever since the beginning he endeavoured to shape men into the same form and temper with himself Their rage would raze out the very foundation of Israel and not suffer the name to be had any more in remembrance Psa 83.4 They love to be drunk with the blood of the saints and are no more satisfied with blood than the grave with carcases they repair their arrows and watch for an opportunity to discharge them and never want poison but opportunity this is Gods time to deliver When Pharaoh would pollute the land with the blood of the Hebrew males and ordain them to be drag'd from the womb to the slaughter then God raises up himself to attempt the rescue of Israel yet he bears with his insolence punisheth him but not destroys him But when he would be still stiff against a sense of the multitude of plagues and a greater mercy of patience in them when he would arm for the field against that God the smart of whose force he had felt and resolves to destroy or bring back the Israelites upon the point of his Sword God would then bear no longer but make the water his sepulchre When Haman designs the ruine of the Jews procures the Kings commission sends dispatches to all the governours of the Provinces sets up a gibbet for Mordecai and wants nothing but an opportunity to request the Execution he tumbles down to exchange his princes favours for an exaltation on the Gallows Est 6.4 Est 7.10 When the Serpent encreased his malitious cruelty and cast out a flood against the Church God makes the earth the carnal world to give her assistance and repel the force that Satan used against her * Rev. 12.15 16. The earâ—h helped the woman When multitudes shall gather together in the valley of decision then shall the Lord roar out of Sion and be the hope of his People and the strength of the Children of Israel Joel 3.14.16 And when Spiritual Aegypt shall make a war against Christ who sits upon the white horse and combine all their force for the destruction of his people then shall the Beast and the false Prophet be taken and brought to their final ruine and their force be broken in a lake of fire as that of Aegypt was in a Sea of water Rev. 19.19 20. The time of their greatest fierceness shall be the time of Christs fury he will strike them sorest when he finds them cruellest their rage shall rouze up his revenge when the men of Sodom to which the Antichristian state is likened shall be resolutely bent to wickedness they shall be struck with blindness and that blindness suceeded by destruction then will God set bounds to the outragious waves and snatch the prey out of the teeth of the Lyons 4. Confident security I will divide the Spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them God lets the enemy come in like a floud and torrent with a confidence to carry all before him before he lifts up a standard against him Isa 59.19 Then shall the Spirit of the Lord stir up himself gloriously in the principles and actions of his people and the redeemer shall come to Sion God will set his force against their confidence break their impetuousness by his own power When the Enemies of the Church think they have intangled it in such a snare reduc'd it to so low a condition as to be secure of her ruine with a blast and puff then God will arise and set her in safety from them that puff at her Psa 12.5 This will be the case of Babylon when she shall say I sit as a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow then shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine for then God will stir up his strength to Judge her Rev. 18.7 'T is in the time of the Antichristian Polity and mutual congratulations with the highest security for their happy success triumphing over the dead bodies of the