argues to the beleeving Hebrewes Heb. 10.34 and so of the rest Ye have an Unction from the holy one and ye know all things sayes the Apostle John 1 Joh. 2.29 And again the anointing which ye have received of him teacheth you c. and it is Truth and is no lie what 's this Unction and Anointing Even Regeneration and the sanctifying work of the Spirit the work of the new creature in them this abiding in them it taught them c. And this by the way gives us an account of the contrary Errors and false Doctrines and opinions which are abroad in the world why there are so many strange Tenents and conclusions which are broach'd and divulged not only in lighter matters and such as are of smaller concernment wherein every one hath liberty to abound in his own sense so he disturbs not the common peace of the Church but in the very substantials and fundamentals of Religion the truth of it plainly is this because there is so great a defect as to the work of Grace Therefore we have so many Hereticks because we have so many Hypocrites if men had better hearts they would have better heads and if they were better Christians they would be better Divines But because they fail in the one therefore they prove defective in the other That man that has a gracious spirit he cannot easily have a corrupt Judgement in those things which are of the Essence of godlinesse because his experience will set him right and prevent such corruptions in him Indeed it does not hold reciprocally and è converso A man may be orthodox in his judgement and yet but barren in his heart as not receiving the Truth in the love of it But he cannot be savoury in his spirit and rotten and unfound in his Judgement in a spiritual Truth at least so as long to abide and continue in it what ever he may for a fit and in a Temptation be subject unto as in any vice or enormity of practise yet to abide in it that he will not no more then he will in the other No if he be right in Affection he will accordingly be right in Opinion and if he be not he will not but then he will recover himself again These distempers they lye not in the Brain so much as in the Heart in the Heart originally and in the Brain only symptomatically By sympathy and complication you know as concernes the workings of the soul in a natural way there may be sometimes strange fancies and conceits arising from some lighter melancholy and distemper of body But where there are contradictions of reason and common sense it argues laesa principia some distraction or phrenetical humour Even so here in these spiritual improvements men may perchance erre in lighter matters through ignorance or non-attendency but to erre in fundamentals is an argument of some substantiall defect as to the work of Grace it self There are two Reasons especially why those which are of false hearts should be of false judgements in Religion The one is direct and immediate from the nature of the thing it self as the effect flowing from its proper and univocall cause And the other occasional and consequential as proceeding from the just Judgement of God who because they receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therfore sends them strong delusions that they should believe lies And thus ye see as an improvement of this point what great cause we every one have to make this work sure to our selves That we are indeed such persons as in this sense are born in Sion Now further where we prove to be so we have great cause likewise to acknowledge it and to blesse and praise God for it and the opportunities of it as who hath pleased to deal so graciously with us as herein he hath done When all 's done this is the great mercy of all and there 's none like unto it It is the original and fundamental Mercy and which layes the ground for all the rest Look as it is in the world all the consequent comforts of it they depend upon our Birth into it If we be stifled in the Birth there 's a period to all our worldly expectations or the hopes of our Parents for us Even so it is also in Religion as to the comforts and accommodations of that If we be not regenerate and born again there 's no hope for us at all If we be so we are then made for ever This Regeneration it brings in many other comforts with it Ability to serve God Benefit of the Ordinances improvement of all passages of Providence the peace of conscience and joy of the Holy Ghost and Heaven and salvation at last If we have any of these consequent priviledges belonging to us as Christians it does depend upon this primitive mercy that we are the children of God adopted and regenerated by Him Therefore let us blesse God for this above any thing else and for all the means which have been tending and conducing to this gracious work in us Let us think our selves so far born in Sion not only as we are born in it locally within the pales of the visible Church which I spake of before but also as we are born in it mystically that is as Members of the Church which is invisible and have the true and genuine work of saving Grace wrought in our hearts This is to be born in Sion and this is to be born in London indeed to be born in it thus They are not only born in London which are born within the Wals and Suburbs and Liberties within the Freedome and compasse of the City and here breath their first natural Breath No but which being born abroad though in remote and forein Countreys and Nations are here partakers of the Efficacy of the Ordinances and of the Power of the Gospel upon their hearts And they have cause for ever to bless God for such a mercy vouchsafed unto them these are the priviledges of the City indeed more then any thing else Whosoever he be that God has been pleased to make this City in which we now are to be an occasion of his Regeneration and Conversion to himself This City is the true place of his Nativity though the place of his Birth into the world were perhaps many hundred miles off though in Italy in Turky in India though in the farthest and remotest places of all the earth I will make mention of Rahab Babylon among them that know me They which were born at the lands end they were born in the very Heart of the City if it was thus with them This to the praise of Gods grace and to their own everlasting comfort is and still will be the condition of many an one at this time and in this very place There 's many a poor youth which comes up hither to the City from the furthest parts of the Nation and from the blindest
e. This honourable Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eminent in Countenance as he is called Esai 3.2 He is likewise born in Sion The mighty Man and the Man of War The Syriack Interpreter was so far sensible of this as that he expresses it in the very Text therefore in stead of saying This man was born there he saies A Potent man was born there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he has establisht it whereby as I conceive he takes in the word Highest which followes afterwards in the verse and refers it here to this place and so the Scripture sets it in other places besides Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship c. Esai 49.7 And again The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifis Psal 72.10 And again the Chaldee Paraphrast in the Text This King was born there understanding thereby Solomon as most conceive and apprehend it Indeed these great and potent men have not the greatest name for Religion for the most part Not many mighty not many noble are called But yet some there are and through Gods goodnesse instances of it such as these born in Sion Men of power and place and authority and nobility and the like This man was born there 3. This Godly man Thirdly Take it for spirituals and for these accomplishments especially This Man i. e. This godly Man this is that which is most proper and essential to Sion and to the being born in it yea it is that which makes Sion it self in the sense we now take it It is the highest perfection of it and the greatest commendation to it of any thing else This is the great honour of the Church that it formes men to such qualities and dispositions as those are which no other place does besides It is not all the Schools of the Philosophers The Stoa or Academy or Lycaeum though they also have their use and seasonable improvement which are able to send forth such a man as Sion does so qual fied and adorned and beautified especially in his inward parts As for other places and such as those which I now mentioned they may perhaps now and then reach to some other principles and those likewise very glorious in the eyes of the world morality and civility and ingenuity and smoothnesse of behaviour The School of Nature and common reason may sometimes come up to these and that in a very great measure yea but now go a little higher to brokenednesse of heart to self-denial to love of enemies to closing with Christ the frame and spirit of the Gospel this is to be found no where but only in Sion And here it is THIS MAN was born THERE This in the Amplification Now this will further take an advancement and amplification of it not only by considering this man what he is now but what he was once which is also intimated in the Text Behold Philistia and Tyre and Ethiopia This man was born there Here 's the excellency of the Ordinances and that Power and Energie which is stirring in the Church of Christ that it is able to work such a miraculous alteration as this to bring men from darknesse to light from Satan to God from a state of sin and corruption and unregeneracy to a state of Grace and Holinesse and Regeneration yea from the lowest degree of the one to the highest degree of the other That Philistia should turn into Palestina Tyre into Jerusalem Ethiopia into Judaea here 's the wonder of all The reconciling of these two opposite termes thus both together That Princes should come out of Egypt and that Ethiopia should stretch out her hands to God as it is Psal 68.31 That the Blackmore should change his skin and that the Leopard should change his spots And that this Ethiopian should become this Christian that he which was born there should be born here There are some which have understood this place here in the Text concerning the Ethiopian Eunuch mentioned in the 8. of the Acts and whom I mentioned in the beginning of the Sermon as if this passage here before us were spoken Prophetically of him But I conceive that to be a little too narrow an Interpretation and a little too much forced I rather take it more general and at large as relating to all kinde of sinners whosoever they be yea the worst that are as reduced by the power of the Gospel and the mediation of the Ordinances of the Church as sometimes through the goodnesse of God it happens to be And that 's the first thing here considerable in the children of Sion to wit the quality of the persons exprest in this man 2. The Dignity of number The second is the Number or plurality This and that man c. And there are three things again here For this man only to be born there there had been no great matter in that one Swallow does not make a Summer and there is not the plainest or meanest place that is but may chance to have one eminent man to be born in it In this First Variety Secondly Indifferency And thirdly Succession 1. Variety This and that man i. e. That man with this 2. Indifferency This and that man i. e. That man as well as this 3. Succession This and that man i. e. That man after this the one following and succeeding to the other 1. Variety First Variety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man and a man i. e. many men Repetition it does denote multitude in the ordinary signification of it And so here The Church is a fruitful Mother and has the honour of many eminent children to be born of her Many in the Multitude of persons both men and women and many in the multitude of Nations both Jewes and Gentiles There 's a Plurality and a Variety of both And so the Scripture declares unto us at large in sundry places of it in Act. 2.41 we finde how at one Sermon of Peters there were three thousand which were born at once and Act 5.14 After that Peter and the rest had been restrain'd it is said That Beleevers were the more added to the Lord even multitudes both of Men and Women This for the Multitude of the persons And so for the multitude of the Nations Sion Mystical is inlarged beyond Sion Local And it is not only a multitude of Jewes but also of Gentiles which is here intended as also elsewhere exprest in Esai 2.2 The Mountain of the Lords House shall be established c. And all Nations shall flow unto it yea and these too in great multitudes as we may see further in Esai 60.4,5,6,7 Lift up thine eyes round about and see All they gather themselves together c. And then thou shalt see and flow together and thine heart shall fear and be inlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee and the forces or riches of the
The Author of this Blessing and that 's the Lord Himself 1 The Churches stability First The Blessing it self promised And that is the stability of Sion Sion shall be establisht This is a point which the Scripture is very full and pregnant in as none more Esai 33.20 Look upon Sion c. A Tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed So Psal 125.2 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Mat. 16.16 It is said That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church And Heb. 12.28 It is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingdome that cannot be shaken The Ground of it The Ground of it is the strong Foundation whereupon it is built Her foundation is in the holy Mountains vers 1. of this Psalm according to some Translations of it And Esai 14.32 The Lord hath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it or betake themselves to it What is it founded upon Upon the Attributes of God upon the Word of God upon the Son of God It is founded upon a Rock On this Rock will I build my Church in the place before alledged 2. The Author This brings in the second with it and that is the Author or Bestower of this Blessing They do well being joyned together and indeed they cannot well be sever'd This is here exprest in the Text to be the HIGHEST HIMSELF 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is He that establishes Sion and every member of it He that establishes us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God And so S. Peter 1 Pet. 5.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of all Grace who hath call'd us c. make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you see there are four words at once for the expression of this unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set you in joynt consolidate corroborate give you a good foundation And all from God himself who gives the Grace at first He that cals must also keep He that begins must perfect He that is the author of converting Grace must be the giver also of establishing we stand not by our own Habituals but by his Auxiliaries and Assistances c. And so here the most High There are inferiour Highnesses even below here in the world which the Preacher tels us of Eccles 5.8 Subordinate establishers of Sion All men are not of the same stature or size nor is it fitting they should be There are some Higher then others by the Head and Shoulders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the establishment of Sion does in a great measure depend upon them it is their work to do it it is their duty to do it it is their glory to do it not only to pull down Babylon but to establish Sion To establish it in the Graces of it and to establish it in the Doctrines of it and to establish it in the Ordinances of it They cannot better establish themselves then by establishing that It is the Highest Honour which God puts upon them when he does not only give them abilities and opportunities for it but likewise withall hearts and affections to it But yet the strength of the work it lies not so much in them as in Him That He which is higher then the highest regards it as there be higher then They. The Coherence Therefore it is worth our observation how these words are here brought in in the Text namely in a way of prolepsis and anticipation He had said in the words before That this and that man that is as I have already explained it this variety of eminent persons was born in Sion now from hence some might be ready to conclude that then certainly it should be sure to stand if it hath such excellent Supporters as those famous Men which were born in it then there 's no fear that it should ever decay They 'l take care to keep it up themselves Oh but saies the Spirit of God That 's not that which Sion must trust to It is an advantage indeed to Her to have such persons of note and quality to be born in Her yea but that 's not the Basis whereupon she must rest her self No no but the Goodnesse and Power and Providence of an Almighty God God will not trust his Church with the Best man alive No He will establish it Himself He will establish it Himself as a work peculiar to Him Where men shall neglect to do it there He will do it Himself by supplying their defects that He may not be beholding to them Where men shall undertake to do it there He will do it Himself by strengthening their undertakings that so they may be beholding to Him So it is still Himself which does it and upon the point Himself alone There 's none which have Bowels for it like Him there 's none which have Power for it like Him And therefore it must needs be He and so it is I the LORD do keep it Esai 27.3 And here The Highest Himself shall establish it A word of comfor◠This is a Point of admirable Comfort and consolation in both the Branches of it whether we consider the work it self Sions establishment or whether we we consider the Author of this work the Lord Himself yea in both taken together it is very sweet and satisfactory Every one naturally desires the establishment of their own party and the establishment of their own Countrey that that may be sure to stand what ever becomes of any thing else This is the priviledge and advantage now of Sion i. e. the Church of God The Lord Himself has undertaken to establish it And that for ever as the Arabick Interpreter reads it in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath founded it for ever Because He ever lives that establishes it therefore it shall for ever be establisht As for Men they are mortal and their establishing is no longer then for their lives although they may lay a ground and foundation of establishment for future Ages But now the Highest Himself is for ever The ETERNAL God is thy Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armes Deut. 33.27 Therefore thou shalt be an eternal excellency and a Joy of many generations Esai 60.15 Vse Where then are those that are ill-willers to Sion and that think to pull down that 1 Confusion to Sions Adversaries How do they befool themselves and labour in vain which All the Powers in Earth or Hell are never able to prevail against This Altissimus He is out of their reach and besides can over-reach them This City which is built upon a rock it will out-stand all flouds whatsoever 2. Comfort to particular Christians This is comfortable not only in the behalf of the whole Church but also of every particular person and member of it which stands upon the same
complete and finisht in them It may be they are in such a form and way of profession attend upon such a Ministery and are accustomed to such such company therefore they must needs be as good as those which they are acquainted withall But alas what poor things are these to hold by and to build ones hope upon Oh Beloved these will serve in a day of peace but they will not serve in a day of trouble as long as men are in health and prosperity and out of the reach of Temptation such weak things as these may suffice them and satisfie their mindes but in sicknesse and death and the hour of triall these things they will not serve Then they 'l be ready to cry out with him Alia sunt Judicia hominum alia sunt Judicia Dei The opinions of men are one thing and the opinion of God is another whose Judgement is according to Truth and so most of all to be regarded by us that so we may have rejoycing in our selves alone and not in another having approved our work to him as it is Gal. 6.4 We finde in ordinary experience that those which have most of the Cry have least of the Wool It is so in every thing almost we can name which do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a fair shew in the flesh and that 's enough for them they think and God in judgement suffers it to be so that whiles men are taken with applause and esteem of themselves accordingly they may have their reward and it may be all which is eminent in them Others there are that judge of themselves by some abilities which they are indued withall or performances which come from them which reckon of Grace by Gifts and by duties which they are conversant in Because perhaps they have such a measure and degree of knowledge obtained by education and converse or such a measure and degree of utterance and discourse facility of expression as a natural qualification in them therefore their case is good with them whereas alasse all this may be and the heart the mean while rem in unchanged And so for performances because they abound in them which though good and to be abounded in yet are no demonstration Much lesse which too many uphold by their plenty and prosperity in the world These are all far from the mark and do not come up to this work of the new Creature which is here exhibited to us Let us therefore all labour to be upon surer termes in a businesse of so great concernment and whereupon all our hope and comfort does especially depend as indeed it does If we be not the children of Sion we are the children of Satan and if we be not in this sense born there we are born to very little purpose Therefore let us make this good to our selves upon infallible grounds Errors in the first foundation they are for the most part irrecoverable I am sure 't is so here if we be not right as to the fundamental work and beginnings of Godliness in us all our following profession and conversation it comes to nothing As we see again it is in Nature and in the state of the Body if a man be not well-born that is of a sound and healthful constitution but have some notorious defect of Nature in him with which he came into the world he will never be right all his life though ye physick him and patch him up as much as ye can because there is a flaw in his principles Even so is it also here in Grace and as to the state of the Soul If a man have not the right work of conversion and regeneration in him he will never be a good and sound Christian as long as he lives he may be patcht up a little with duties and good society and such things as these which are things which I do not slight there are too many in the world that do in these present daies but if he hath nothing else besides he will be but a Skeleton nay a Monster in Religion and of no account To presse home this point so much the more of indevouring for this work which we speak of let us take in this consideration with us that namely this will make us so much the more constant and stedfast in Religion Those that take up Religion upon trust or upon custome because others do so they are very uncertain in the profession of it because their principles are uncertain on which they stand But now those who are Religious from the principles of the new Creature they will be firm and abiding in it There 's nothing which is so convincing as Sense and the Demonstrations which are made to that now thus it is here in this present businesse there 's a spiritual sense as well as a natural and the former full as satisfactory as the latter for that proportion in which it is in us Look as a man in Nature he has these and these natural workings in him which he is sure of and cannot be beaten from so in Grace are there the lâ—ke workings of Spirit which cannot be gainsayed There are the Experiences of Christians as Christians which all Christians are acquainted withall And this was the Apostles meaning in that expression of his to the Philippians in Phil. 1.9,10 And this I pray that your love may abound yet more in all knowledge and in all judgement or as it is in the margent in all sense for so the word properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to answer that of David Psal 119.66 Give me good judgement and knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Taste and knowledge There 's a taste in Grace as well as there is in Nature and that I say as firm as the other and which Believers partaking of they from hence become more setled and resolved then other men are the Truths which another man knowes and believes only from discourse a Christian knowes from experience As for Instance in two or three particulars Another man he believes there 's a God for such and such natural reasons which perswade him to it a Christian because he has acquaintance and converse and communion with him Another man acknowledges the Scriptures from the Testimony and authority of the Church which has transmitted them to him A beleever from the power and efficacy and autopisty in the Scriptures themselves and that agreement and correspondency which they have with his own heart and conscience so far forth as renewed Another man beleeves there 's an Heaven and a blessed estate and condition of Gods people in another world because it is a point which is received by all that mention Christianity a regenerate person and childe of God who is born in Sion from the first fruits of the Spirit and the anticipations and beginnings of Heaven in his own soul Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and more induring substance as the Apostle