is a poor disconsolate flock, that dwells separate from relief. This takes in two things: Inward disconsolation from themselves, and their own fears and distresses; and outward helplessness. They are where none comes at them to relieve them. It is a great plea, the solitariness of God's flock, with the compassion and mercy of God for their relief. It may be, through our peace and plenty, and such things as we enjoy, we are not so sensible of the efficacy of this argument; but the Lord knows, and many of his understand, how strong a plea it is with God upon that account: we are a poor solitary people, comfortless within, and helpless with

out.

(2.) As they 'dwell solitarily;' so 'in the wood;' that is, in a dark and entangled condition. They are not only solitary, disconsolate, and helpless; but they are in the dark, see not their way, and so in danger to wander; and if they are out of the certain path, the wild beasts of the forest are ready to devour them. There is nothing harder with the people of God at this day, than that they are in the wood, where it is difficult to find their way. The Lord make them careful, and to see the steps of their shepherd going before them, that they may not wander, and so be exposed to the wild beasts that are ready to devour them.

(3.) Another plea is from the place where this wood is: it is in the midst of Carmel.' Though there was a particular place so called, yet the word is a common name for a a fruitful field for feeding: the country or nation where they lived was such. Some think this hath relation to Babylon, which was very fruitful unto the inhabitants of it; yet the poor remnant dwelt in the wood, in the midst of Carmel. The Jews did so. Nehemiah gives us a most pathetical description of their state, chap. ix. 36, 37. Behold, we are servants this day; and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it. And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us, because of our sins; also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.' This people 'dwelt in the wood, in the midst of Carmel,' a land good and pleasant, yet they were in a distressed condition.

(4.) There is yet another plea in it for mercy that they

are not only solitary for a little season, entered into the wood; but they dwell in this solitary condition, have been long in it, and may continue long so; it signifies an abiding or continuing in that state. This argument, as I told you, respects the pity, the bowels of God, his compassion and tenderness, when his poor people shall dwell and abide long solitary, in an entangled, perplexed condition, as in a wood, in the midst of a fruitful land, that God had given their fathers. It is so at this day with many of God's people; and it is a great plea for mercy and compassion.

4. There is one argument more in the words, which I shall but name, and I have done. Let them feed,' saith he, 'in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.' Bashan and Gilead were places of very fruitful pasture. Whence the children of Reuben and Gad desired Moses, that they might have their possession in Gilead, and in the kingdom of Bashan; ‘because,' say they, it is a place for cattle, and thy servants have much cattle.' It was a fruitful place where their flocks were well fed and nourished.

Where lies the argument here? It is fetched from former experiences of what God had done. It is from God's faithfulness grounded upon former experience. We have seen what God can do, how he hath brought his people out of straits, and carried them through difficulties, and delivered them out of troubles, and fed them in Bashan, and in the land of Gilead: which is made an argument, that he would feed them so again.

I might press this argument farther; but I shall offer nothing more at present; and I think what I have said is not unseasonable. We have seen the state of things laid before us, that we have a rule of faith what to pray for in such a day, that God would feed his people. We have shewed you what is contained therein, and have gone over briefly those arguments that may be pleaded with God in such a case, reserving the time and season unto his own sovereignty.

SERMON XXXVI.*

THE BEAUTY AND STRENGTH OF ZION.

1

Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death.-PSAL. xlviii. 12—14.

MANY expositors think this psalm to be an Tivíkɩov, a triumphant song of thanksgiving after some great deliverance at Jerusalem. Some apply it to the times of Asa, when Zerah and the Ethiopians came with an army against Jerusalem of ten hundred thousand men. Others apply it to the times of Jehosaphat, when the Moabites, and Amonites, and mount Seir the Edomites, were gathered together against Judah. And others again to the days of Hezekiah, when Sennacherib and his army came against Jerusalem and were destroyed. They ground their interpretation upon ver. 4-6. ‘Lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it' (but they could come no farther), and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail :' which is a description of some great consternation that befell the enemies of God, and the enemies of Jerusalem, when they drew near unto it. So the Jews do interpret these verses: Walk about Zion, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof, mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces:' that notwithstanding this great and dreadful attempt, whether by the Ethiopians, or by the Moabites, or Sennacherib, there is not one tower broken down of Zion or of Jerusalem, but all things are safe and well. For my own part, I should rather judge this psalm to be composed by David, and purely mystical and prophetical. It is easy to manifest that all the foregoing psalms are so. And the close of the former psalm is the calling of the Gentiles, where he saith, God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holi

*This sermon was preached April 22, 1675.

ness;' ver. 8. And in ver. 9. you read in the margin of your bibles, better than in the text: The voluntary of the people are gathered unto the people of the God of Abraham.' The people were become a willing people in the day of his power. However, all conclude that these words are a graphical description of the defence that God will at all times give his church, which the psalmist doth set before our eyes.

Look upon it, and observe what a diligent view he requires to be taken of what he here proposes. He looks upon Zion as a well-fortified garrison, not like to be carried in haste by the enemy. And he would have you well consider too, what the fortifications are; therefore he distributes his direction into so many particulars. Walk about Zion;' this is the way whereby you may come to see how Zion is fortified. It may be you have gone a little way in walking, and have seen much, but do not cease: Go round about her,' see if you can find one weak place, where she is likely to be attacked by the enemy: Tell the towers,' cast up the number of them, and see that they are not few; which is what a man of judgment and understanding would do, if he were to take a view of a fortified place, and consider whether it would hold out against a strong enemy: Mark ye well her bulwarks;' or, set your heart to her bulwarks,' consider them, do not take a general view of these fortifications of Zion, but ponder and consider, whether they are likely to hold out or not, and whether you may put your trust in them: Consider her palaces,' which were the great and eminent buildings in and about Zion, called in some place, 'palaces of ivory,' with which they were greatly adorned. So that here is this direction given to take a very strict, sedate, considerate view of the fortifications of Zion; since it would certainly be attacked by great and powerful enemies. There are two things added. One is the particular end wherefore they should do so: 'That ye may tell it to the generation following,' since other ages of the church would have the use of it. The other is the ground why all this would be of benefit to them, and the generations following: For this God is our God in covenant, and that for ever and ever, and will be our guide unto death.'

I shall make one observation from the words, and speak a little very briefly and plainly to it.

Observation. A diligent search into, and consideration of, the means and causes of the preservation and protection of the church in the greatest dangers and difficulties, is a duty incumbent on us for our own support against sinful fears, and to enable us to that testimony which is required for future generations, to encourage them to trust in the Lord.

Every age is to give over a good testimony of God's dealing with Zion to the age that comes after. And a diligent search and inquiry into the causes and means of the protection and preservation of the church of God in the midst of imminent dangers and difficulties, is a duty incumbent upon us, that we may be fortified against sinful fears in ourselves, and encourage succeeding generations to trust in the Lord. As we have received the testimony of such who have gone before us, so we are to give our testimony to those who shall come after.

All that I shall do at present is to answer these five questions:

I. What is to be understood by the preservation and protection of the church, so as we may look neither for less nor more than what we are like to meet with?

II. What is meant by searching into, and considering of, these causes and means of the church's preservation? 'Walk about Zion, tell her towers, set your heart to her bulwarks, consider her palaces,' &c.

III. What are those causes and means of the church's preservation, those towers and bulwarks which will not fail, whenever Zerah or Sennacherib comes, or whatever attempts are made upon Zion?

IV. What reason is there why we should thus search into, and consider these causes of the church's preservation and protection?

V. What is the testimony which we have to give concerning this matter to the ensuing generation? That ye may declare it to the generation to come.'

I shall speak a little in answer to these five inquiries.

1. What is that preservation and protection of Zion, the church of God, that we may expect, whose causes and means we should inquire into?

This

may be reduced unto three heads.

1. The eternal salvation of the church of God. This is