Be there a backsliding upon your spirit to these, or such-like things as these, the Lord will walk contrary to you ; and were you "as the signet upon his hand," he would pluck you off.
(2.) Return not to the open enemies of our peace. I could here enlarge myself, to support your spirits in the work mentioned. Job xxix. 14, 15; but I must go on to the following parts of my text. And therefore, — ■
II. I pass from the direction given to the supportment and assist- ance promised : " I will make thee to this people a brasen and a fenced wall."
An implied objection, which the prophet might put in, upon his charge to keep so close to the rule of righteousness, is here removed. If I must thus abide by it, to execute whatsoever the Lord calls me out unto, not shrinking nor staggering at the greatest undertakings, what will become of me in the issue? will it not be destructive to stand out against a confirmed people? No, saith the Lord, it shall not be; "I will make thee," &c.
Observation. God luill certainly give prevailing strength and un- conquerable defence unto persons constantly discharging the duties of righteousness, especially ivhen undertaken in times of difficulty and opposition.
The like engagement to this you have made to Ezekiel, chap. iii. 8. 9. Neither was it so to the prophets alone, but to magistrates also. When Joshua undertook the regency of Israel in a difficult time, he takes off his fear and diffidence with this very encouragement. Josh. i. 5. He saith, he will make them a wall, — the best defence against opposition ; and that not a weak, tottering wall, that might easily be cast down, but a brasen wall, that must needs be impregnable. What engines can possibly prevail against a wall of brass? And to make it more secure, this brasen wall shall be fenced with all manner of fortifications and ammunition ; so that the veriest coward in the world,
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being behind such a wall, may, without dread or terror, apply himself to that which he findeth to do. God will so secure the instruments of his glory against a backsliding people, in holding up the ways of his truth and righteousness, that all attempts against them shall be vain, and the most timorous spirit may be secure, provided he go not out of the Lord's way ; for if they be found beyond the line, the brasen wall, they may easily be surprised. And, indeed, who but a fool would run from the shelter of a brasen wall, to hide himself in a little stubble? And yet so do all who run to their own wisdom, from the most hazardous engagement that any of the ways of God can possibly lead them unto. It is a sure word, and for ever to be rested upon, which the Lord gives in to Asa, 2 Chron. xv. 2, " The Lord is with you, while ye be with him." An unbiassed magistracy shall never want God's continued presence. Very Jeroboam himself receives a promise, upon condition of close walking with God in righteous admi- nistrations, of having a house built him like the house of David, 1 Kings xi. 38. What a wall was God to Moses in that great imder- taking, of being instrumental for the delivery of Israel from a bond- age and slavery of four hundred years' continuance? Pharaoh was against him, whom he had deprived of his sovereignty and dominion over the people. And what a provocation the depriving of sove- reignty is unto potentates needs no demonstration : to the comip- tion of nature which inclines to heights and exaltations, in imitation of the fountain whence it flows, they have also the corruption of state and condition, which hath always inclined to absoluteness and tyranny. All Eg}'pt was against him, as being by him visibly destroyed, wasted, spoiled, robbed, and at lengt.h smitten in the apple of the eye, by the loss of their first-born. And if this be not enough, that the king and people whom he opposed were his enemies, — the very people for whose sakes he set himself to opi)ose the others, they also rise up against him, yea, seek to destroy him. One time they appeal to God for justice against him, Exod. v. 21, "The Lord look upon you, and judge." They appeal to the righteous God to witness that he had not fulfilled what he promised them, — to wit, liberty, safety, and free- dom from oppression ; but that rather by his means their burdens Avere increased : and in this they were so confident (like some amongst us), that they appealed unto God for the equity of theu- complaints. Afterward, being reduced to a strait, such as they could not see how possibly they should be extricated from, without utter ruin (like our present condition in the apprehension of some), they cry out upon him for the whole design of bringing them into the wilderness, and affirm positively, that though they had perished in their former slavery, it had been better for them than to have followed him in this new and dangerous engagement, Exod. xiv. 11, 12; — that gene-
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ration being, as Calvin observes/ so inured to bondage, that tbey were altogether unfit to bear with the workings and pangs of their approach- ing liberty. Afterward, do they want drink? — Moses is the cause. Do they want meat? — this Moses would starve them, Exod. xv. 24, xvi. 7. He could not let them alone by the flesh-pots of Egypt ; for this they are ready to stone him, Exod. x\ii. 3. At this day, have we too much rain, or too short a harv'est? — it is laid on the shoulders of the present government. It was no otherwise of old. At length this people came to that height, as, being frightened by the opposi- tion they heard of and framed to themselves in that place whither Moses Avould caiTy them, they presently enter into a conspiracy and revolt, consulting to cast off his government, and choose new com- manders, and with a violent hand to return to their former condition, Numb. xiv. 4, — an attempt as frequent as fruitless among ourselves. When this would not do, at length, upon the occasion of taking off Korah and his company, they assemble themselves together, and lay, not imprisonment, but murder to his charge ; and that of " the people of the Lord," Numb. xvi. 41. Now, what was the issue of all those oppositions? what effect had they? how did the power of Pharaoh, the revenge of Egypt, the backsliding of Israel prevail? Why, God made this one Moses a fenced brasen wall to them all ; he was never in the least measure prevailed against ; — so long as he was with God, God was with him, no matter who was against him.