Sermon 3
God:
The Defense and Glory of His Church
(
A Sermon
Preached at Devonshire-Square on the Fifth of November,
To The Society, Who Support the Lord’s Day Evening Lecture,
In that Place Published at the Request of some who heard it.
Printed for Aaron Ward at the King’s-Arms in Little-Britain.
"For I, saith the Lord,
will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the
glory in the midst of
her.”
Zechariah 2:5.
This prophecy was delivered about the time of the Jews return
from Babylon, where they were in a state of captivity seventy years: in which
the Prophet excites them to a speedy departure out of their enemies’ country to
their own land, and encourages them to rebuild the city of Jerusalem; assures
them of success in that undertaking, although it was attended with difficulties
which, to them, might seem insuperable. In order to obviate [avert; Ed.] an
objection to the safety of the city, which this people might form from the large
number, great power, and nearness of their adversaries; the Lord, in these
words, declares, that he would be its Protector: “For I, saith the Lord, will be
unto her a wall of fire round about;” that is to say, I will securely guard and
defend it, and consume all those who attempt to destroy it; and adds, that he
would fill it with glory, “and will be the glory in the midst of her.” The great
privileges which are promised, not only refer to this people, for they concern
the whole Church in every age and period of time.
The text furnishes us with this doctrine, that God is the
defense and glory of his Church: This doctrinal proposition consists of two
branches.
First, That the Church’s safety and security is in her God.
Secondly, That she derives all her glory from him.
First, I begin with the first branch: the Church could not
have subsisted in any age, unless divine power had been exerted to support and
protect her.
The people of God are not in a capacity to defend themselves,
or maintain their interest, against the violent attempts of indefatigable
[unrelenting; Ed.] enemies, which is evident from these things:
1. They are much inferior in number; the Church is but a
small collection of persons out of the numerous crowd in the world, hence Christ
declares that his followers are a little flock; “fear not, little flock, for it
is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” (Luke 12:32). The
enemies of real religion are far more, than its true, hearty, and constant
friends; it is the multitude that let themselves to oppose the cause of God, and
only an inconsiderable few, who appear in its defense.
2. The Church in general, is composed of persons mean and
contemptible; there is but a small number of the wealthy and powerful, that have
humility enough to espouse and defend the despised interest of a redeemer. The
Apostle’s observation holds true to this day, “that not many wise men after the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called,” (1 Cor. 1:26): some indeed
of a higher rank are instances of sovereign grace, the consideration of which
should inflame their zeal for the honor of God, and quicken their desires to
contribute to the spread of his Gospel: but the much greater part of believers
are in low and obscure life; therefore it is not to be expected that the cause
of religion can be maintained by the power and influence of such as embrace it.
3. The people of God are not equal in wisdom and policy to
their enemies: The generality of those who profess the name of Christ, are
persons of weak understandings; therefore our Lord observes, “with thankfulness
to the Father, that he had hid the mysteries of the Gospel from the wise and
prudent, i.e. men superior in knowledge and abilities, and revealed them to
babes; that is to say, to such as are of mean capacities,” (Matthew 11:25): nor
will the circumstances of these persons allow them to take the methods for
improvement in knowledge and experience, as those in the opposite interest are
capable of; therefore the cause of Christ is destitute of such temporal
assistance for its support and propagation, which the contrary to it is
furnished with: these things being thus, it must necessarily be allowed, that
the Church’s defense and security arises not from within her self.
Secondly, her enemies are ready to
improve every opportunity and advantage which offer to disturb and distress her.
The carnal mind of man is filled with a fixed aversion to God, and all spiritual
good, as the Apostle affirms, “the carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,” (Rom. 8:7): and therefore the
nearer any saint approaches to the likeness of God, the greater is the hatred of
wicked men to him. Thus Cain slew his brother Abel, “because his own works were
evil, and his brother’s righteous,” (1 John 3:12). This fettled enmity in the
hearts of men to powerful godliness, pushes them on to treat the professors of
it with the greatest severity: this matter is capable of abundant proof from the
many plots, and conspiracies, which were formed against the Old Testament Church
before her captivity in Babylon: but my design is briefly to observe the
opposition which her enemies made to obstruct and prevent the rebuilding of the
holy city and Temple; in which we shall discover hypocrisy, calumny, and
inveterate [incorrigible; Ed.] malice, the common principles upon which the
Church’s opposers act. It was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah, that Cyrus,
king of Persia, should enact a decree to empower the Jews to return to their own
land, and rebuild the Temple of the Lord, which prediction had its exact
accomplishment at the time prefixed, as Ezra informs us: “Now in the first year
of Cyrus king of Persia, (that the Word of the Lord, by the mouth of Jeremiah,
might be fulfilled), the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia,
that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in
writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord God of heaven hath
given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him an
house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah,” (Ezra 1:1, 2). Whereupon the principal
and chief of the people joyfully departed from
As the Church, in the former dispensation, was encompassed
with enemies, so under the present, she hath suffered many afflictions from the
hands of powerful adversaries. When Christianity was first planted, great
persecutions were raised against it by pagan Rome, of which history informs us,
“nevertheless, the purity and power of religion exceedingly flourished; and
large numbers embraced the Christian faith, being encouraged to it by the pious
lives and holy triumphs of the saints, when in the most cruel torments that
hellish rage and malice could invent.” I am of opinion that the interest of
Christ never lost ground by the strongest oppositions its most inveterate
enemies have been able to make against it; adversity has always proved more to
the advantage of the Church than prosperity: this is evident in the different
turn which the affairs of religion took in the reign of Constantine, the first
Christian emperor; for under his government, corruptions in doctrine, and
superstition in worship, were soon introduced by many ambitious clergy, who
valued the Christian Religion no farther than the profession of it served to
promote their temporal interests. And to this cause, I apprehend, are owing the
abominable errors, and detestable idolatries, of the Romish Church.
When it pleased God to set the
Reformation on foot, by Wickliff in
Some useful observations may be deduced from these things:
1. That the Christian and Reformed religion are true, or of
God, what less than divine power could have propagated the Christian faith in
the first ages of the Church, when the whole world was let against it, and
resolved to overthrow it; especially as a few ignorant and illiterate men were
employed to spread it: and yet, “the Word of the Lord had free course, and was
glorified,” (2 Thess. 3:2). It obtained conquests over almost all the nations in
the world, but not by human force, for of that it was destitute; as it is really
very foreign from its nature: and pretty much the same may be observed of the
Reformed religion. The persons engaged in the Reformation were very few; their
enemies numerous and potent, who made the most fierce and cruel oppositions
against it: nevertheless, it gained surprising advances in a very short time,
which evidently discovers it to be the cause of God.
2. The great folly of those, who seek the ruin of the Church,
one would imagine, that as they have often been defeated in their designs
against her, and in such a manner, as plainly demonstrates that God is resolved
upon her defense. They might easily collect, that it is in vain to attempt her
subversion; and that the consequence will certainly be fatal to themselves. That
the Church hath sufficient encouragement in the greatest dangers to depend upon
the protection of providence, “God is in the midst of her, she shall not be
moved, God shall help her, and that right early,” (Ps. 46:5). That the Lord will
be the security of his people may be concluded from these things:
(1) His value for them above all others, the Church is most
nearly interested in his favor, he treats all others with neglect in comparison
of her: when nations, or kingdoms, stand in the way of his gracious purposes
concerning his saints, he gives them over to ruin and destruction; hence he thus
lays unto the Church, “I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee,
I will give men for thee, and people for thy life,” (Isa. 43:3, 4). There are
none in the world of which he makes any account but his children; and therefore
he expresses himself after this manner, “What have I here, that my people is
taken away for nought,” (Isa. 52:5). This language clearly intimates, that all
others are as nothing in his esteem; his tender concern for the Church he lets
forth in the most moving way in these words, “He that toucheth you, toucheth the
apple of mine eye,” (Zech. 2:8). That is, as a man is industriously concerned to
defend that valuable and useful member from injury; so I am thoroughly engaged
in your welfare and safety from that infinite love and value I have for you.
(2) He has promised it, and his Word may be depended on; the
holy Scriptures abound with promises of this kind. The Church may expect
perpetual protection from God, as we learn by those words of his, “sing ye unto
her, a vineyard of red wine, I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every
moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day,” (Isa. 27:2-3). The
sacred oracles declare, that the saints shall dwell on high; and that the place
of their defense shall be in the munitions of rocks. The Church though a small,
is yet a strong city, because God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks:
now the gracious promises of God may be fully relied on; for he is in one mind,
and who can turn him? “And what his soul desireth, even that he doth: God is not
a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: Hath
said it, and shall he not do it? Or, hath he spoken, and shall he not make it
good,” (Job 23:13; Num. 23:19).
(3) His own glory is nearly interested in this matter: the
welfare of the Church is interwoven with the honor of her God; his Name is
publicly professed by her, his Word is precious to her, and in his institutions
the delights: her several members are called “trees of righteousness, the
planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified,” (Isa. 61:3). The Lord assures
us that they are a people formed for himself, and that they shall show forth his
praise. The Church is the proper seat of divine glory on earth; hence the
Apostle hath these words, “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus
throughout all ages, world without end, Amen,” (Eph. 3:21): therefore a regard
in God to his own honor will influence him to protect the saints.
(4) He will destroy those who seek the ruin of his Church,
none can afflict the saints without the greatest injury to themselves; since God
is as tender of them, as a man is of the apple of his eye: the Church is “a
burdensome stone, and all that burden themselves with her shall be cut in
pieces, though all the people in the earth be gathered together against her,”
(Zech. 12:3). God may for wise reasons permit the enemies of his people to
harass and distress them, yea, he may use them as his rod for the correction of
his children; yet this will not excuse them from his most severe resentment and
anger, which, I apprehend, to be the import of these words, thus saith the Lord
of Hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion with a great jealousy; and I
am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease, for I was but a
little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. To the saints the
Lord is a wall for their security, and round about them, so that they are not
any way open to invasion: as he is a wall of fire, it is most certain that he
will consume and burn up those who attempt the destruction of his Church, the
city about which he is a wall of protection and defense. However, formidable her
enemies may be, and though they may imagine that it is an easy thing to devour
her, because she is weak and defenseless in her self, as was before observed;
yet they will ever find it absolutely impossible, and will eternally sink under
the intolerable weight of divine vengeance.
They are but as combustible matter before devouring flames,
they are comparable to briars and thorns, not only on account of the grief and
pain which they occasion to the Church; but also because they will be consumed
in a moment by the burning wrath of a provoked God: for to them he will for ever
be a consuming fire, (Heb. 12:29), without any intermission or allay.
I proceed to consider the second Branch of the Doctrine.
Secondly, The Church derives all her glory from God: and will
be the glory in the midst of her. These words may be understood passively, or
actively, as Cornelius a Lapide observes, though he prefers the latter sense,
“This glory may be taken in a two-fold manner; first passively, i.e. in her I
will be glorious, that is, I will be glorified and reverenced with honorable
worship in Jerusalem: thus several take it, as he tells us; secondly, and better
actively; i.e., I will glorify Jerusalem, I will bring glory to it;” in this
light others understand it, as he informs us.
I shall consider it in both senses, God as glorified in the
Church by what he works in her; and by that which he enables her to do with a
direct view to his honor.
1. God is greatly honored in the Church by what he works in
her. And,
(1) In the conquests he makes upon the
hearts of rebellious men. By his omnipotent grace, he subdues the stubborn and
perverse will of man, brings him to submit to Christ as King in
(2) In upholding of his saints; they are insufficient of
themselves to perform anything that is spiritual, their corrupt part strongly
inclines them to backslide from God; hence the Lord says of them, “My people are
bent to backsliding from me,” (Hosea 11:7). They are subject to many
temptations, and unable to resist the least; a great many enticements to evil
frequently present to them, which entangle the affections, and influence the
will: and therefore they cannot persevere in holiness in their own strength; but
they shall be “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” (1 Pet.
1:5). In their support and preservation the wisdom of God is displayed; for the
greatest enemies are overcome, sin, Satan, and the world, by such as are
impotent in themselves; and this is readily acknowledged to be all of free grace
by the saints: also the almighty arm of God is most clearly discovered in
enabling such weak and feeble creatures to withstand and conquer potent, subtle,
and unwearied adversaries.
2. God is greatly glorified in the Church, by what he enables
her to perform with a direct view to his honor.
(1) By that faith she exercises in him: The true Church is
composed of believers in Christ; it is a spiritual house made up of lively
stones, as saith the Apostle, and “ye also as lively stones, are built up a
spiritual house,” (1 Pet. 2:5). That is to say, they were persons endued with
supernatural life, which is the proper principle of all spiritual acts: those
who are in a state of unregeneracy are destitute of such a principle of grace;
and therefore the Apostle observes to the Ephesians, that they once were dead in
sin, “and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins,” (Eph.
2:1). Life must necessarily precede motion as a cause doth its effect; all acts
flow from life; spiritual acts proceed from spiritual life; such an act is
resting on God’s promise, which is faith: by the exercise of that grace God is
highly honored; hence it is said, that Abraham “staggered not at the promise of
God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,” (Rom.
4:20).
This is an excellent grace, it abases the creature, and
ascribes the whole of our salvation, and of every mercy to God, it adores his
incomprehensible wisdom, admires his infinite and immense favor, extols his
power, and cheerfully submits to his foreign and absolute dominion in all
things.
(2) The holy obedience of the Church advances the glory of
her God, he hath a tender regard to his honor, and desires a perfect conformity
to his most righteous will. Sin is the greatest burden of the saints, and it
gives them, when it is prevalent in their souls, inexpressible disquietude;
under divine influence their language is really this to their heavenly Father,
“teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God, thy Spirit is good, lead me into
the land of uprightness,” (Ps. 143:10). The spring of their obedience is not
selfish and carnal, but evangelical and spiritual; it is not performed with an
expectation of procuring favors from God, but to acknowledge with a humble
gratitude his un-demerited regard and love: This is a truly generous and noble
principle, which is formed in the saints by the Holy Ghost, and is cherished by
all his operations upon them.
(3) God is honored by ascriptions of glory to him; this will
be the delightful service of the Church in heaven, without any interruption; and
it is a work which the saints begin on earth, when they have a lively sense of
their own unworthiness, or view the impurity of their hearts, and the
imperfections that attend all their duties, when they have a prospect of their
aggravated guilt: and behold how God’s super-abounding grace rises over their
mounts of sin and rebellion, that it has secured to them the most valuable
blessings, they are struck with wonder, and cannot but give him the glory
thereof in such low and humble expressions as these, “not unto us, O Lord, not
unto us, but unto thy name give glory,” (Ps. 115:1), with the greatest pleasure
at such a time they join with the Apostle in saying, “Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” (Eph. 1:3): thus God is glorified in
the Church.
3. The words may be understood actively, I will fill her with
glory: the Church’s glory doth not consist [of] the multitude of her members, a
Christian community may be large and numerous, and yet dishonorable; the riches
and grandeur of her members are not her glory, nor are beautiful edifices for
the public exercise of religious duties any part of her honor, neither doth it
consist in a pompous and gay mode of worship; the Church may be truly glorious,
although all these things are wanting: this must be granted if it be allowed
that the purest Church which ever was upon earth might lay claim to true honor,
which was composed of Christ and his Apostles; indeed, where these are not, the
far greater part of mankind imagine that the glory of religion doth not attend.
The Church’s beauty is not discoverable by a carnal eye, for it is spiritual and
invisible, fine [sic] is truly illustrious; but internally so, “The king’s
daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought Gold,” (Ps. 45:13).
Her outward appearance is mean and despicable, yet she possesses inwardly the
greatest glory, upon which account she thus speaks of her self, “I am black, but
comely as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon,” (Songs 1:5); the
outside of which were coarse and rough, but within they were very beautiful and
rich: her real beauty and luster consists in these things:
(1) The purity of the principles she embraces and defends.
The Gospel is an excellent system of doctrines, which are calculated for the
honor of God, and that center in the glory of the Mediator; hence it is called
glorious, “According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God,” (1 Tim. 1:11).
Now it is to the advantage as well as honor of the saints to preserve the Gospel
pure and free from the invented schemes of men: The primitive Church is highly
commended for a close adherence to divine truth; “And they continued stedfastly
in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in
prayers,” (Acts 2:42). Whenever the church becomes corrupt in her opinion, she
declines in her true glory; and therefore let all the saints, as the Apostle
exhorts, “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the
faith of the gospel,” (Phil. 1:27). Such as never discerned the excellency, felt
the power, nor tasted the sweetness of Christian doctrines, may conceive that it
is of little or no moment, what reception and entertainment they meet with: But
persons enlightened by divine grace discover an excelling glory in them, and pay
the strictest regard to all the branches of heavenly truth: for they are
sensible that the doctrines of the free grace of God are the source of all their
present consolation, and the sum of their future hopes; therefore they cannot
but esteem them more than all things else; they know that they are “more to be
desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; they are sweeter to them than the
honey, and the honeycomb,” (Ps. 19:10). That which heightens the glory of the
Gospel—revelation is, it contains the fuller display of the divine perfections,
as they harmoniously agree in the salvation of lost man, through the obedience,
crucifixion, and death of Christ: if therefore it is to the honor of the Church
to receive and maintain a set of doctrines, wherein the glory of God is most
nearly concerned, it must be allowed that it is her peculiar glory to stand fast
in the truth.
(2) Her honor lies much in strictness of discipline. Christ
the Head of the Church hath prescribed the set of rules to preserve unity,
holiness of life, and incorruptness of opinion, among his followers, which it is
the glory of every Christian community strictly to observe.
A religious society cannot countenance persons of pernicious
principles and scandalous lives, without censure from Christ: thus he reproves
the Church at Pargamos, because some of her members entertained erroneous
doctrines, and were guilty of evil practices, “I have a few things against thee,
because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac
to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication; so thou hast also them that hold
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate,” (Rev. 2:14,15). The
enemies of religion are very froward to improve every irregular step of the
saints to the disadvantage of those truths which they profess, their sinful
actions they charge upon their sentiments, and represent the doctrines they
embrace as licentious and loose, affirm that they have no good influence upon
the hearts or lives of men; and therefore every particular congregation of
Christ is under an indispensable obligation to eject all such, whose conduct is
not answerable to their profession, in order to prevent open reproach from the
world.
(3) Another branch of her glory is the holiness of her
members. It is certainly her honor to be conformable to her Lord, “who is holy,
harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners,” (Heb. 7:26), free from all
blemish in heart and Life; he “did no sin, neither was guile found in his
mouth,” (1 Pet. 2:22); he is the perfect pattern whom she ought to follow: this
he recommends to his people, saying, “learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart,” (Matthew 11:29); we are to imitate no others any farther than they tread
in his steps. The great Apostle proposes himself as an example to the
Corinthians, but with this limitation, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am
of Christ,” (1 Cor. 11:1): looseness and immorality among professors is a great
dishonor to the Christian name; it causes the Gospel, and ways of Christ, to be
evil spoken of, as was before observed. On the contrary, a regular and holy walk
recommends religion, and vindicates the doctrine of grace from the false
aspersions which are thrown upon it by opposers; and, is an evident proof, that
what is objected to it, as abating men’s regard to holiness, is mere calumny and
falsehood; that it really influences such that have experienced its power, to
shun vice, and practice virtue: these were the happy effects it produced in the
primitive Christians, as the Apostle affirms; “for the grace of God which
bringeth salvation, and hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,
in this present world,” (Titus 2:11,12).
(4) The church’s glory consists in
unity and love. Jars (irritations or
disturbing effects) and contentions, heats [intense emotions; Ed.] and
animosities among, the saints, weaken their hands, and give an opportunity to
the enemies of the Gospel to prejudice their common interest; not that all
contention is unlawful, for it is a duty incumbent upon us to contend for the
faith, we are expressly exhorted to it, “it was needful for me to write unto
you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was
once delivered unto the saints,” (Jude 1:3); that is to say, for revealed truth.
When the doctrine of Christ is opposed and error is advanced, providence calls
upon his servants to vindicate the one, and to expose the other, which ought to
be done with zeal and fervor; but not with undue heat, or personal reflections
on any: it verily becomes those, who profess to have a value for Revelation, to
be lukewarm and indifferent about the doctrines it contains, whatever may be the
opinion of the generality concerning them. No branch of sacred truth ought to be
sacrificed to peace, although some may presume to pronounce it of little
consequence or weight: if the latter is not to be maintained without giving up
the former, dissension is rather to be chosen: to purchase peace at the expense
of truth, is buying it at too dear a rate; but where the cause of truth is not
concerned, we are to follow the things that make for peace, and the things
“wherewith one may edify another,” (Rom. 4:19); which is beautiful and
excellent, as the words of the Psalmist plainly intimate, “Behold, how good and
how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity; it is like
the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s
beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and
as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord
commanded the blessing, even life for evermore,” (Ps. 133:1,2,3).
(Lastly), Her greatest honor is the
enjoyment of the divine presence. The glory of the Christian religion
principally consists in the influences of God upon his people, and in the
manifestations of his love to them: the external part, without these blessings,
is but like the picture of a man, in which, though there may be likeness and
proportion, life is wanting. It is only a dead and lifeless form, without
nearness to, and fellowship with God, the object of our worship; communion with
God, elevates our souls, strengthens our graces, and gives vigor to all our
religious acts. Upon serious reflection on the general disposition of our minds,
and the usual manner in which we perform the exercises of religion, whether in
the closet, and in the family, or in the house of God; I fear we shall find that
we have but too great reason to confess, that the spiritual and experimental
part of religion is very much lost amongst us. Is there not in us an
indifference to duty? Are we not dull, heavy, and wandering from God in the
discharge of it? But little of powerful godliness is seen, or felt, by us; and
therefore our glory is greatly eclipsed: there is just occasion for us to say,
“How is the gold become dim? How is the most fine gold changed? The stones of
the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street; the precious sons of
Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the
work of the hands of the potter,” (Lam. 4:1,2). May the happy time be hastened,
when the Church shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal
diadem in the hand of her God, (Isa. 62:3). When he will say to
