656 TuE ·CHURCH cALLED THE CITY or GOD. ,Book IV. METAPHOR. XVI. In a City, notwith!l:and– >ng the many noble and honorable .Perfonages, or worthy Patrons, that dwell therein, yet there are fame ill and unworthy Members that get a Being there, which tends muc!1 to its Blemifh and Reproach. PAR ALL EL. XVI. So the City of God, notwithfrandino all the holy and eminent Saints and Servants of God who dwell therein, yet hath in it fame wicked and ungodly Ones, who by Craft and Hypocrily get a Being there, though when known they be turned out, as the inceftuous Perfon, 1 Cor. v. Hymeneus, and Alexander were, t '.Tinr. i. 20. For there are certain Men crept in unawares, who were .before of old ordained to this Condemnation, ungodly Men, turning the Grace of God into Lafciviolljnefs, and dmying the only Lord God, and our Lord 'Jefus Chrifl, Jude 4· Thefe ill and loofe Profelfors bring a great Reproach upon the Church of God; but there is a Day coming, when the Church !hall be freed of them. '.There jhall be no Canaanite in the Houfe, or City of God, Zech. xiv . 21. XVII. The Citizens of a great XVII. So the Citizens of Zion have an honorand glorious City are much affetl:- able refpetl:, and high efreem for God's Church, .:d with, and highly e!l:eem and as appears particular ly in David: If I forget thee, love the City where they dwell. 0 Jerufalem, let nry Right-hand forget her Cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my 'Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth, if I prefer not Jerufalem above my chiefeft 'Joy, Pfal. cxxxvii. 56. M any Reafons may be given, why the Godly are io much taken with Zion. '· Becaufe it is the Place of their Birth; they were born, or rather born again in ·her. And ofZion it jhall be faid, '.This and that Man was bom in her, and the Higheft himjelfJba/1 eftablifb her. '.The Lord jha/1 count, when be writeth up his People that this .and that Man was born there, Selah, Pfal. lxxxvii. 5• 6. 2. Becaufe it is the Citv of thei r Father, and fa their blelfed Inheritance; all the glorious Immunities thereof are theirs. . 3· It is a City redeemed or purchafed by Chri!l:'s moll: precious Blood, he gave himfelf for it. Ye are bought with a Price, AEls xx. 2 7· 4· It is built by God, ar.d for God; it is the Place that he hath chofen, he e!l:eems highly of it, 1 Cor. vi. He is faid tO rejoice in Zion, be loves the very Gates thereof, more than all the Dwelling-places of J acob, Pfal. lxxxvii. 2. 5· lt is a fplendid and moll: glorious City; her Foundation is laid with precious Srones, yea, the choice!l: Sapphires; her Streets are paved with that which is more rare th>n the pure!l: Gold . XVIII. Some Citizens who are i ndu!l:rious, grow very rich, and attain to great Honor among their Neighbour~; and thofe arc quick– ly known and taken notice of; they may b e difcovered in divers -~efpeB:s. XVIII. So fame of the Citizens of Siou, who are diligent and indufhious in the ImprOvement of Grace, and the Means of Godlinefs, grow very rich in Faith and good Works, rich in lpiri– tual and divme Knowledge, rich in heavenly Ex– perience. The diligent H and maketh rich, with the Bleffing of God. And thefe rich Saint> are alfo foon difcovered, and taken notice of, Prov. X. 22. '· So chafe who are fpirirually rich, 'James ii. 5· rich in F aith, rich Merchants of Mount Zio11, the City of God, can cru!l:, they can !l:ay patiently, in expdbtion of the Good of the Promife, as Abraham, who was !l:rong or rich in Faith, when others cannot rely upon a bare Promife, or take God's fingle W ord for the Ac– complifhment of this or that, Ram. iv. 20. 2. So thofe who are rich Citizens of Sion, rich in Grace, have a Stock of blelfecl Experience, as David had. They have a Stock of Faith; much Faith, when others have but a little; a Stock of good Works, having done much ior God, and for his Church, &t. t. Rich M en, wealthy Merch– -ants, can truft, or ftay a great while for their own, when poor Men mull: have all prefently paid down. The cleareit Prorni:<>, or 'firmefr Covenant, will not ferve their Turn, without fame confider– able Part prefently paid. 2. Rich Citizens have a great Stock lying by them. 3· So
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