V E R. 13. Eplftle to the HEB K E W S. 13 will go up to them that are at' refs, that dwell fefely, all 6f them dwelling Without :voile, and having neither bars nor gates. They look upon the Church of Chrift as a feeble people, that hath no vifible Power or Defence, and therefore eafie to be deftroyed> this encourageth them to their work ; who or what can deliver them out of their hand ? With this Refolution they come upon the breadth of the earth,and com pafs the Camp ofthe Saints, and the belovedCity, Rev. 20.9. They go about their work with Glory and Terror, as if they would do it in a day., So they havedone in all Ages, fo they continue to doto this day ; and what is the Wire? This City which they look on asanunwalled Town, no way defenfibleor tenable, is not yet taken by them, nor ever (hall be ; but there they fall before it, one after another, and their bones lyeunder the wallsof theCity they oppofe. They fall upon the Mountains of Ifrael, and leavea (link behind them, the fhanse and reproach oftheir Names unto Eternity. Sometimes they feem tohaveprevailed, and tohave done their work; but (tí11 the iffue is; that theydye, or are defiroyed and go down to thePit, and come under the feet ofChrift, leaving the Cityúntaken. Difappointment, Ihatne apd ever - loftingpunifhment is their Portion. And they find at loll by experience that this feeble folkwhom they fo defpife, are Wife, andhave their Habitation in a Rock: This pledge we havealready of theTruth propofed s that all who have formerly' rifen up in Enmity to the Kingdom of Chrift, aredead, gone , periffted, under his feet , and have left their work undone ; as far from Accomplifhment as the lirff day they undertook it ; The fame (hall be the Lot of thofe that are, and thofe that frdl.w, to theend of the world. And when they have all done their utmofl, then (hall the end be; Then shall all their miferybecompleated, the Joy of the Saints filled, and the Glory ofChrift exalted For the Enemies themfelves; What can bemorePaine/al unto them, than to be fo ftupid, as not to learn from the Experience of fo many hundredof year: to give over a work wherein never any profpered ? more miferable than to engage in that defign, wherein they muff neceffarily fall and be ruined ? More woful than to work out'their ownEternal Defirucbon under the Wrath of Chrift, in a bufinefs wherein they had no fuccefs ? And what profit is it iffor the prefent they grow a little rich with the gain ofOppreffton, if there be a Worm in it that will devour both it and them ? What Advantage if they drink a little precious blood and find fweetnefs in it, if it make them fckand (well and dye. The beloved City hull abides, and their mifery fhall never end. For the Saints ; whatmorejoyful thing can there be,than for than to take aview of theft things ; to lookbackwards andfee all the Nimrods of the earth that haveoppofed the Kingdom of Chrift, lying in fhame and nìifery with their necks under the footftool cfhiefeet F There they may fee Pharaoh lie;and Nebuchadnezzar, Nero, Domitian, Diode- fian, 'with all their multitudes, and all that have walked in their fleps, brought dowi.. to the fides ofthe Pit, in fhame and Eternal Mifery, for their OFpofition to the Kingdom ofChrift ; There are they fallen and perifhed all of them, who laid their(word* under beads , andcaufed terror in theLand of the living. And the like Profpeét may they take of what is to come ; They mayby faith fee Babylon fallen, the wholeConfpiracy that is in the world againá.them and their Lord difappointed, and all his Enemies that shall mile even to the Confummation of all things; brought to ruin. How may they triumph in a glorious Profpe6tof this certain and unavoidableWile of the Oppofitionthat is made to the Kingdom of their Redeemer ? And this muffbe the iffue of theftthings. For, t. God bathpromifed unto the Lord Chrift from the foundation of the world, that fo it Ihould be. It waspart of his Eternal Covenant and Compaft with him, as hath been declared. And after the firsi promife of breakingthe Serpents head; and prevailing therein againft the Enmity of his feed ; no feafon of the Churchpalled, wherein the promifes of the fame fuccefs and iffue were notrenewed ; and hereunto do the Wri- tings of Mofes, thePfalms and the Prophets bear witnefs. Andhereof it was that Enocb the feventh fromAdam prophefied fo exprefly unto the Old world before the flood, jade ,v.r¢, tg. other Prophecies and Promifes to the fame purpofe occurs every wherein the Scripture. And this God alto infeveral Ages for the greater pledge of his veracity, typedout; as in theVidory ofAbrahamover thefour Kings, reprefenting thegreat Monarchies ofthe world ; wherein he had a pledge, that he (hould be Heir of theWorld in his feed : in the Conqueft of Canaan the feat and inheritanceof the Church byjofhtsa; in theSucceffes and Vi boriet of David, and by many fignal In- 0 o 0 fiances
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