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النشر الإلكتروني

SERMON CIX.

GLAD TIDINGS IN SAD TIMES; or, The CITY of GOD, in the Times of Trouble and Confufion watered with the River of Confolation *.

PSALM xlvi. 4.

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There is a river, the ftreams whereof do make glad the city of God.

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HE tide of joy and confolation hath never come, to a greater height, in the people of God, than in the time of affliction, perfecution, and tribulation; then they are readily moft zealous Chriftians who are Chriftians indeed; and when zeal abounds, then joy and peace in believing abound alfo. I remember Moulin, fpeaking of the French Proteftants, fays, "When Papifts hurt us, and afflict us for reading the fcrip"tures, we then burn in zeal to be reading them: "but when perfecution is over, our Bibles are like old "Almanacks." When the people of God are paffing through the fire of affliction, then he ufes to let out the ftreams of the river of life to their hearts, to allay the burning heat of the fire, and to give them the oil of joy for mourning.

The Pfalmift here, in the church's name, most triumphantly expreffes her confidence in God, and that in def pite of all imaginable dangers, in the fecond and third verses, "We will not fear, tho' the earth be removed;

* This fermon was preached in Anandale, on Sabbath, August 27th. 1738.

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and tho' the mountains be carried into the midft of the fea: tho' the waters thereof roar, and be troubled, tho? the mountains thake with the fwelling thereof." By thefe expreffions we are to understand the reelings and commotions that are in the world, with the violence and rage of the enemies of the church. And, in the words of our reading, he fubjoins the matter of the church's confolation, amidst all the reeling and confufions in the world, There is a river, the ftreams whereof do make glad the city of God. Where you have these four things.

1. The name given to the church; it is a city.

2. The owner and proprietor thereof; it is God; the city of God.

3. The fad circumftances of the city here fuppofed, while all is in confufion and commotion.

4. The gladdening provifion made for the city, amidst all faddening circumftances of the inhabitants; There is a river, the streams whereof do make glad the city of God.

DOCT. "That the church, which is the city of God, hath the sweeteft grounds of encouragement, even "in the faddeft times."

Thus, amidst all the confufions that encompaffed the church here, we are informed, that There is a river, the Streams whereof do make glad the city of God.

The method we would lay down, for the profecution of this fubject, through divine affiftance, fhall be the following,

I. To fpeak of the city of God.

II. Shew what these fad times are, that puts

of God into confufion.

the city

III. Speak of these fweet grounds of encouragement that the church, or city of God, hath in thefe fad times, imported in this river, the ftreams whereof do make glad the city of God.

IV. Deduce inferences for the application.

I. To fpeak of the city of God. famous city hath been in the world.

Many a great and Tyrus was a magnificent

SER. CİX. nificent city; this was turned defolate by Alexander. Nineveh was a great and populous city; but now it would puzzle a traveller to point out the place where it was. Babylon was a great a city; but now, where is it? It is called, Babylon the great; but, with the fame breath the angel cries, It is fallen. But this city of God hath trampled upon the graves of many great and remar kable cities, that had their beginnings feveral thousand years after it. "Glorious things have been fpoken of thee, O city of God," Pfal. lxxxvii. 3. And whence this glory is derived, you fee in the latter claufe of the verse, where my text lies, "The holy things of the tabernacle of the Moft High."

Here two things may be enquired, 1. Why the church of God is compared to a city. 2. Why it is called the city of God.

ift, Why is the church of God compared to a city?

1. A city is a place of fecurity. This was the end why men built cities, to fecure themfelves from the enemies that might attack them: fo this city of God is of fuch fecurity and defence, that there is no fhelter to be had elsewhere, no place free from the incurfions of the devil, but this city, wherein his works are deftroyed, and his fiery darts quenched. Cities ufe to have their walls, and then watchmen upon their walls: even fo, this city of God is a ftrong city; " Salvation doth God appoint for walls and bulwarks," Isa. xxvi. 1. And there are watchmen upon thefe walls, that fhall never hold their peace, nor keep filence, Ifa. lxii. 6. God himself is the force that defends it; and this makes it impregnable: "God is our refuge and ftrength, a very present help in trouble," Pfal. xlvi. 1.

2. A city is a place of fociety, infomuch, that what one wants, another fupplies; they have mutual fellowfhip one with another: fo in the church of Chrift, there is a fweet fociety and communion they have together. The faints pray for one-another, comfort one-another, when they meet together, as the apofile commands, 1 Pet. iv. 8,9. "Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of fins. Ufe hofpitality one to another, without grudging; as

every man hath received the gift, even fo minister one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." Yea,

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3. A city is a place of unity, that people may there in live together in peace and concord: fo, in the church. of God, there is a holy fraternity and agreement in the truth, that fhould take place, otherwife it is a confpiracy against heaven.A city is a fociety of men that live and dwell together, united by one common intereft even fo is the church of God, namely, a fociety of men united in one undivided intereft, Eph. iv. 4, 5. "There is one body (whereof Chrift is the head), one Lord, one faith, one baptifm, one advocate, one God and Father of all.-Jerufalem is a city built compactly together."-A city is a fociety of men that live together under the fame common laws, fubject to one and the fame government and fovereign power: fo it is with the church of God; it is a lovely fociety, having a rule and governor, even Chrift himself, the eternal Son of God, on whofe fhoulders the government lies. No creature can, without the moft palpable blafphemy, affume to himself this power over the church of God; " Lord is our Judge; the Lord is our Lawgiver; the Lord is our King; he will fave us.-Rev. xv. 3. Juft and true are thy ways, thou King of faints." Chrift doth enact laws, and appoint governors in his houfe; "Obey them that rule over you; for they watch as they that must give an account."

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4. A city is a place of trade and traffic, where there is buying and felling; fo the city of God is a place of merchandise. Here is the market of free grace; "Ho, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price." Here is the Pearl of great price expofed to fale; for the procuring of which, the wife merchant doth fell all that he hath. Here are all things neceffary for poor finners; Rev. iii. 18. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayft be rich; and eye-falve, that thou. mayft fee." And all is to be had freely; "Whofoever will, let him come, and take of the waters oflife freely." Here VOL. VII.

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then is a place of trade and traffic: and if you trade the right way, Sirs, in a fhort time, you may make a great purchase, and grow prodigiously rich.

5. The church is compared to a city, because it is a place of freedom and liberty; fuch as, freedom from the guilt of fin, the condemning wrath of God, the curfe of the moral law; from this prefent evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of fin; from the evil of afflictions, the fting of death, the victory of the grave and everlasting damnation; as alfo freedom of accefs to God, and yielding obedience unto him, not out of flavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind.

6. A city is a place of order and regularity; it hath its conftitutions and ordinances and fuch is the city of God; the conftitutions whereof, we think, are the articles of the gracious covenant of redemption or grace; fuch as, "I will take away the heart of flone, and give an heart of flesh; I will write my law in their hearts; I will be their God, and they fhall be my people; I will pat my fear in their heart, that they fhall not depart from my ftatutes." The city of God is not a lawless city for whereas the law of God to Adam had the impreffion thereof defaced by corruption, it is here restored again by the tenor of the fecond covenant.-Again, it hath its inftitutions and ordinances: the King of the city tells us every day, almoft, from his word, what fervice he will have, and likewife the manner thereof; how the affairs of this city fhall be adminiftered, and by whom; and we are not to be wife above what is written, nor to be fubject to the ordinances, traditions, inventions, and doctrines of men, Col. ii. 20.-23.-A city is a fociety of perfons, into which we enter in a regular way. You know it is the cuftom of all cities, that ftrangers are admitted to the privileges and immunities of the city by their burgefs-act: so there is a regular way by which we enter into the city of God. There is a door; and fee what the door is, John x. 9. "I am the door, fays Chrift, by me, if any man enter in, he fhall be faved; and fhall go in and out, and find pafture." Whoever enters into the visible church, if they come not in by this door, they are not of the true citizens, or invifible

church;

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