~sS TnE CHURCH cALLI:D THE CITY oF GOD. Book IV. Balrylon is a great City. In comparifon of the Wicked, Chrift's Flock is but a Hand– ful of Pe0ple, as it were, Ecclef ix. 14. Rev. xvii. 18. METAPHOR. PARALLEL XX. ACity,thoughvery ftrong, XX. The City of God, this little City, is beyet is fometimes betitged, and hatl1 fieged ; the Daughter of Zion is left as a Cottage many Enemies. . in a Vineyard, as a Ledge in a Garden of Cucum– bers, as a bejieged City, !fa. i. 8. and marvellous it is, fo fmall a City !hould hold out fo bravely unto this Day, efpecially conGdnino– what mighty Enemies have and do betiege her. " Obje8. But here it may be objeCted, hath it not been overcome? It is not fa id, ']'he holy City was trodden under Foot? Rev. xi. 2 . .dnfw. lt is only the outward Court. God hath had his Church in all Ages, thouo-h forced f.>r a Time to fly into the Wildernels, from the Face of the Dragon, Rev. xii."6. f?<!.u.ft. By whom is this City bejieged? Anfw. 1. By the Devil, called a great King, and the King of the bottomle(s Pit. 2. By Anti-Chriff, the Firff-born of Satan. He bath tor above twelve hundred Years laid Siege againft it, uting all manner of Engines, Craft, and Cruelty, to bat– ter her down, and 6nally to deftroy her, Rev. xii. 3· She is betiegcd by the World, by wicked Men, Men of earthly and carnal Prin– ciples, who abhor Zi01z, and !ay, let her be defiled, raze her, even the Foundation thereof, Pfa/. cxxxvii. 7· 4· She is belieged by Sin, and the F le!h, a fecret Enemy, who fain in a clandeftine way would betray her; this Enemy doth her the mo!t Mifchief. 5· She is beflcged by a Multitude of falfe Teachers; thefe likewife have done great Hurt and 0 .1mage to the Church of God, who labor by evil DoCtrine to poilon all her Inhabitants 1 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2. 6. And be tides all this, there have been fad Divitions within her alfo; (he has been as a City divided, anJ yet (he !tands. 7· There have been lad Breaches made in her Wall, fa that many have been let in that way, who 010uld have been kept out. 8. Many that feemnl to be for her, have deferred her, and joined with the Enemy, and yet ftill 01e hdds our. 9· And, which is wor!t of all, few of thofe "who have been in the City have brave– ly acquitted thtmfelves, by Zeal and Holinefs, to defend her, and yet Che holds out frill. :,zye.ft. From whence is it that jbe is helped to bear up again.ft all theft fore and grievous .difau!ts, Batteries and Calamities? .dnJ. 1. This City, as you h•ve heard, is built upon a Rock, it has a fure Founda– tion, which can11or be removed, Matt. xvi. 18. 2. The Lord of Halts hath fought for her; it is he that hath been on her tide, he hath defended Mount Zion, and the Hill thereof; he hath took part with her, and doth at this Day, Pfa!. cxxv. 2. lfa. xxxi. 4• 5· 3· She ho!Js out, becaufe God hath decreed her Standing, and that her Enemies (hall not prevail, Zech. xii. 8, 9· 4· She is defended, becaufe Che is the Place which the Lord loveth, and hath pur– chaled with the !llood of his own dear Son, Pfa!. lxxiv. 2. 5· Becaufe it IS the Place where God's Honor dwells: I have loved the HabitatioJZ of thy Houfe, tbt Place where thy Honor d-wells, Pfal. xxvi. 8. 6. Agam, fue fhll remains, becaufe fue is, though a little City, yet a ftrong City: We have a.ftrvng City. She hath !lrong Fortifications, ftrong Walls and Bulwarks, Jfa. xxvi. r. 7· It i<, becaufe God's own Habitation, as you have heard, is in her; God is a Wall of Fire round about her, and the Glory in the mid.ft of her, Pfal. xxxi. 21. and cxxxv. 21. 8. She is defended by reafan of the fhong Tower fue hath in her; fo long as her Tower !lands, how can fhe be battered down? Zech. ii. 5· And her Tower is impreg– nable. The Enemy may loaner pull the Sun out of the Firmament, than undermine or batter down, deface or demoli01 the Tower of Zion, which is the Name of the Lord, Prov. xviii. 10. See jlro11g 'l'o<ver. 9 . She
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=