This, I say, then, " God hath founded Zion ;" he hath taken care of the generation of the righteous, the children of Zion, however differenced among themselves ; — hath broken the yoke of their oppressors, given them peace, ordered the affairs of this nation so, that they do or may
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all of them enjoy quietness, one not envying the other, nor they vexing them, but, serving God according to the light which he is gi'aciously pleased to afford them, they wait for farther manifestation of the glorious gospel; and that God hath broken, and will break, every design that, either openly and professedly, or imder specious pre- tences of crying, " Lo, here is Christ, or, Lo, there," hath sought, or shall seek and endeavour, to subvert this his work, to the preservation whereof he will certainly mould the government and interest of this nation; ordering its affairs in a peculiar manner on that account only, and not that he delighteth in one way or form whereinto it hath been cast more than another. And whatever high-minded men, full of their own apprehensions and wisdom, may do, to this " work of God the poor of his people shall repair." And for my insisting on this answer, and this only, I have these farther reasons to add for my justification : —
(1.) This is an interest comprehensive of all the sons of Zion, whose foimdinij God intends; — it excludes none that can claim a share in the city of the living God. God takes equal care of all the dwelling-places of Zion. Every dwelling-place of Zion hath its beauty, hath its glory, Isa. iv. 5. The glory of one may be as the glory of the sun ; of another, as the moon ; of others, as the stars ; and those differing from one another in glory ; — yet each hath its glory ; " and upon it there shall be a defence," — a covering, a protection. This is the promise ; this hath been the work of God.
(2.) This compriseth all them who have lived by faith, and abode in supplications in reference to God's late dispensations amongst iis. Who dare despise any one of those little ones, and say, God hath heard me, not you; regarded me, not you; you have no share or portion in the returns of supplications which we enjoy?
(3.) This alone preserveth the dwellers of Zion from offering vio- lence one to another, — from taking the work of Babylon out of its hands, and devouring one another. Let any other apprehension what- ever of the work of God be embraced, and the first work that thereby men will be engaged in is the oppressing, persecuting, ruining of their brethren ; which, whether it be the founding of Zion or no, the day of judgment shall determine.
(4.) This is that which the common cneiny seeks to destroy. It is not this or that party that ho would devour; it is not this or that persuasion he would cast down ; his hatred is Tpbg to ysvog, " against the whole race" and kind. This is that Avhich he would accomplish, that all the children of God, however differenced among themselves, might be ruined, destroyed, cast down, and rooted out for ever, — that tlie name of Israel miglit no more be hail in remembrance. This, then, is that which God, in their disappointment, aims to establish.
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(5.) Because the founding of Zion dotli not consist in this or that fonn of the civil administration of human affairs, there being nothing promised nor designed concerning them, but that they be laid in an orderly subserviency to the common interest of the saints; which, let men do what they will, yea, what they can, all governments shall at last be brought unto. And who is there amongst us that, in single- ness of heart, dares make such an " answer to the messengers of the nations," inquiring after the peculiar work of God amongst us, — namely, that it consists in the establishment of this or that form of civil administration, though much of the work of God lies therein, in relation to this general end? This, then, is the answer which I "shall give to the messengers of the nations;" and of it there are these three paiis : —
[1.] God hath broken, destroyed, ruined them and then contriv- ances, who made it their business to overthrow Zion, and to root out the generation of the righteous, not under this or that way or form, whereby they are differenced among themselves, but as such, as the saints of the Holy One ; and will continue so to do.
[2.] He hath given to them — to " the poor of his people" — peace, liberty, freedom, from impositions on their consciences, with much glorious light in several degrees in his worship and service.
[3.] He hath cast (as he hath promised) the power of the nation into a subserviency to this common interest of Christ and his 2:>eople in this world; and hath made, or will make, them to understand, that as the peace of Zion lies in their peace, so their peace lies in the peace of Zion. And what to say more " to the messengers of the nations," I know not.