upon the highest peril. Chrift is the foundation of the city; "And other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid."

2. If the church be a city, then it is the duty of all the citizens to advance the common intereft of the whole. There is one common intereft, which they fhould jointly promote, namely, the glory of the founder of the city, and their own eternal happiness. Let us join together, Sirs, in oppofing, by our prayers and endeavours, any thing that may tend to the prejudice of the welfare of the city.

3. If it be a city, then all the citizens fhould love one-another. Let us live, Sirs, in unity and peace, unanimity and concord. Why, "A city divided against itself, cannot ftand.-O how pleasant a thing is it for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

4. If it be a city, then thefe that go about to difturb the comely order of this city, are to be looked upon as fire-brands and incendiaries therein; " Mark these that caufe divifions, fays the apoftle, for they ferve not our Lord Jefus Chrift, but their own belly; who, with good words and fair fpeeches, deceive the hearts of the fimple."

Queft. Who are thefe that caufe divifion, and disturb the peace of the city? Is it Elijah, that is the troubler of Ifrael? No; though he be called fo. Is it Micaiah, who would not run with the current of the times, nor join with the four hundred prophets that flattered the king and court, but behoved to be fingular? No furely. Nor is it Chrift and his apoftles, who were called the men that turn the world up-fide-down? No. Who then are these that caufe divifions? I love not to speak in the clouds. I think,

(1.) Thefe who come not in by the gate of the city, but climb up fome other way, whom the fcripture calleth thieves and robbers, look like the disturbers of the peace of the city.

(2.) These who affume offices in the city, from selfish' ends, for a piece of bread, not for the good of the city; not for feeding of the flock, but feeding themselves; who feek the fleece and not the flock.

(3.) These who break down the walls of the city, and

lift up hammers and axes upon the carved work, to demolish the doctrine, worship, difcipline, and govern. ment thereof.

(4.) These who wound the citizens: and, indeed, many of the people of God, at this day, have occafion to fay of the watchmen, " They smote me, they wounded me, they took away my vail from me."

(5.) These who are like Gallio, indifferent and easy whether the walls be broken down or not. We need to be zealous in the caufe of Chrift and his church what would have become of us, if Chrift had not been zealous in our caufe? When, in the counfel of peace, it came to the vote, Save them or damn them? if Chrift had not voted, or if he had been a non liquet, damnation would have carried it; we fhould therefore fee how we do with his caufe.

(6.) These who are wholly filent, when the city is in danger; "Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not filence." What! fhall all be hufhed, even when the city is in extreme danger? This look not like our Reformation-days, wherein there were acts of Affembly for fu fpending and depofing minifters who fpoke not to the fitua tion of the times *. We may allude to Efther, to whom Mordecai faid, "If thou altogether hold thy peace at this - time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise from another way, but thou and thy father's houfe fhall

* See Act of the General Assembly 1596, revived by the Affembly at Glafgow, 1638, and the Act of Affembly 1646, Seff. to. And particularly the A&t of the Affembly at Edinburgh, August 3d, 1648. Seff. 26. wherein, INTER ALIA, "They appoint and ordain, that every minifter do, by the word of "wisdom, apply his doctrine faithfully against the public fins and corrupti ons of thefe times;-that fuch perfons as fhall be found not applying their "doctrine to corruptions, which is the pastoral gift, but cold and wanting of fpiritual zeal, flatterers, and diffembling of public fins, and efpecially of great perfonages, fhall be cenfured according to the degree of their faults; "that filence or ambiguous fpeaking, be timely cenfured; that if any be found "too fparing, general, or ambiguous in the forefaid applications and reproofs, that they be fharply rebuked, dealt with, and warned to amend, under the pain of Sufpenfion from their miniftry by the Prefbytery or Synod: but if there be any who neglect or omit fuch applications or reproofs, and continue in fuch negligence, after admonition and dealing with them, they are to be cited; and, after due trial of the offence, to be Depoled, for being pleafers of men, rather than the fervants of Chrift; for giving them"felves to a deteftable indifferency or neutrality in the caufe of God; and for defrauding the fouls of people; yea, for being guilty of the blood of fouis, "in not giving them warning."

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be deftroyed; and who knoweth, whether thou art come to the kingdom for fuch a time as this?" Efther iv. 14. 2dly, Is the church the city of God? Then hence fee,

1. That God hath the abfolute ordering and difpofal of all the concerns of this city. He is the Head and Governor of it himfelf, it being his own property. It is the height of arrogance for any mortal, to take upon them to be fupreme head of it. He needs no colleague for the vaftnefs of his dominions, no regent in his minority, nor viceroy in his abfence.

2. If it be the city of God, then none have any power, without his warrant, to make laws in his city, and appoint things without him. The civil laws of men, and the laws of the city of God, do ftand upon separate foundations; and when the laws of men do clafh with the privileges and immunities of the church, it is a manifeft encroachment upon, and contempt of the royal prerogative of the founder of the city. The church is the city of the living God.

3. If the church be the city of God, hence we infer, That the church is a very honourable fociety; " Beautiful for fituation, the joy and glory of the whole earth is mount Žion, the city of the great King." Indeed, they are contemned by the moft part of the world; but yet they are the excellent ones of the earth, all glorious within, and fhall be more glorious one day, when every one of them fhall fhine as the ftars in the firmament of glory. They have an honourable Governor, honourable privileges; Why do ye leap, ye high mountains? This is the hill where God defires to dwell."

4. If it be the city of God, then it is the fafeft city. Why, "God is known in her palaces for a refuge." It is the city of God. It is fenced with the wisdom, ,power, and other attributes of God. It is a ftrong city; for, "As the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth, even for ever." It cannot be ftraitened without, for weakness and want of fecurity; nor within, for fear of want of food; "The place of thy defence fhall be the munition of rocks: bread fhall be given thee, and thy water fhall be fure."

5. Is the church the city of God? Then we may infer the perpetuity thereof. If it be the city of God, it fhall never be totally ruined. The greatest cities have been brought to ruin and defolation; Jam feges ubi Troja fuit. But this is firmly established, that the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it: "God is in the midst of her, fhe fhall not be moved."

6. If it be the city of God, then we fee what fhould be the temper of all the citizens; furely we ought to imitate him whofe city it is, to be holy as he is holy. We fhould feek to be like the Governor of the city; "Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

3dly, Hath the city of God, the church of God fweet grounds of encouragement amidst all the confufions in the world? Then hence we may infer,

1. That it is not the ruin of the church to undergo, external confufion and affliction. When human fences are gone, we are not to let our confidence and hope go; for the church hath no dependence on the creature. There is ftill ground of encouragement in God, on whom it depends. It falls out that the ftate of the invisible church is beft, when the ftate of the visible church is worst. Lacedæmon was always a gainer by its wars. It is faid of the tribe of Levi, that they got no inheritance with their brethren; for the Lord was their inheritance. Really it was no lofs to them; for, if they had another inheritance, perhaps they would have had no fhare in God.

2. Hence fee, what is the duty of the people of God, under the confufions and commotions of our day. Be not difcouraged; "Ye are come to mount Zion, to the city of the living God:" and, There is a river, the streams whereof do make glad the city of God. O what encouragement and comfort have fome martyts had, in embracing the very flames! Vincentius fpoke in these terms. "Rage, fays he, and do the worst that the fpirit of malignity "can fet thee on work to do; thou fhalt fee God's Spirit firengthen the tormented, more than the devil can do the tormentor." I remember another joyful martyr had thefe triumphant dying words, "It is but a fmall matter, fays he, to die once for Chrift; but,

"if it might poffibly be, I could wish to die a thoufand "deaths for him." O what gladnefs and triumph hath filled the hearts of the people of God, not only in the profpect of danger, but in the profpect of death! And all the matter is, There is a river that makes glad the city of God.

3. If there be a river that makes glad the city of God, then let the citizens be afraid of doing that which may divert the ftreams of this river from their fouls. Beware of fin, which may provoke God to turn away, and alter the channel of the ftreams; and then you fhall have forrow inftead of gladnefs. Do not tempt him to withdraw the fenfe of his favour.

The fecond ufe of the doctrine may be for examination. If you be a true citizen, you will not only have the burgefs-ticket, baptifm, (many are like honorary burgeffes, that get a burgefs-ticket, and perhaps never fee the city again, nor are concerned about the welfare thereof;) but try what you know,

1. Of the avenue of the city, the avenue that leads to it; I mean, conviction and humiliation, John xvi. 8. The Spirit convinces, partly by opening the law, both in its fpirituality, as reaching the heart, Mat. v. 28.; and in its feverity, as pronouncing a curfe againft fin, Gal. iii. 10.; partly by opening our fin, as a tranfgreffion of the law, and an expofing to the curfe and wrath threatened. -The Spirit humbles as a Spirit of bondage, which imports partly an apprehenfion of our prefent evil, finful condition, as a bafe condition, a depraved, enflaved, dangerous, weary condition; and partly an expectation of future evil. The man is troubled for what he hath done against God, and for what God may juftly do a gainst him.

2. What do you know of the gate or door of the city; I mean, converfion? Here the Spirit opens the door, partly by opening the gofpel, and the ftrong grounds of faith and hope in gofpel-offers, anfwering doubts and fears from former iniquity, or prefent unworthiness and unfitnefs; these the Spirit inwardly anfwers, partly by opening the heart and overcoming it, and drawing it out towards