The Gofpel of the perfonal Types. 135 there was neither Path nor Guide: But they had the Lord himfelf to guide them. So it is faid of this Cloud in Exod. 13. 21. where it is firft mentioned, that it was to lead them theway by Day, and by Night to give them Light ; and more fully and with much Emphafis, Numb. 9. 17, 18. to the end of the Chapter. So doth Chrift dire& and conduá his People in their Travels thro' the Wildernefs of this World to Heaven, the trueCanaan : He is the true Light, John t. 9. who coming into the World, enlighteneth every one that is enlightned : For fo that Place may be fitly rendred, He is the way the Truth and the Life, John i4,. 6. There is a directing Light : They are under the everlalling Condu& of his Word and Spirit. Hedoth not leave his People in the. Dark, as to things abfolutely necefl'ary for their Communion with him here in this World, and for their Salva- tion, with hirn in the World to come : We mull follow Chrift, as Ifrael followed the Cloud. z. A fecond Benefit they had by this Cloud was Safety and Proteflion Both from the heat and fcorchings of the San in chafe burning Sands and Defarts of Arabia; For. the Cloud covered and overfhadowed them ; therefore it is faid of it, Pral to5. 39. hefpread the Cloud for a covering : And likewife from. their Egyptian Perfecutors and Enemies; For the Cloud went behind them, when their Safety fo required, Exod. i 4.4. r9, zo. as if the Lord fhould fay, You lhall not hurt them, till you have 'trick= thorough me first. Yea the very fame Difpenfations, which are direCingand proteCing to. God's People, are dark and deflrullive to his Enemies As here ; the fame Cloud was Light to the Ifraelites,_ but Darknefs to the Egyptians,. Vpon all the Glory (hall. be a defence and a covert from the. Storm, Ifa. q.. 5, 6. There is a proteaing Prefence of God in his Church ; we do experience the Truth of this at this Day in all our.folemn Affetn- blies, there is a wonderful proteaing Providence over us. Every. Churchof Saints is a Spiritual ArmyofJefus Chrift, and thefe Armies are terrible, Cant. 6... t o. glorious as the Sun, terrible co an Army with Banners. It is a terrible.thing to offend or trouble them : AMan had better fight againft all the Power the great Turk can raife, than op- pole or offènd one Church of Chrift, and there wemore hope of Succefs : For the Lord himfelf¿5 a Wall of Fire round about - them, Zach. 2. 5. as well as the Glory in the midst of them. Therefore it is writ- ten, Ifa. 54. 17. no Weapon that is formed againft thee fhall profper, and every Tongue, that fhall rife againft thee in lodgment, thou/halt con- demn. Some
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