Observation. The care of Salem, of Zion, lies at the bottom of all God's powerful actings and workings among the sons of men. Every mighty work of God throughout the world may be prefaced with these two verses. The whole course of affairs in the world is steered by Providence in reference to the good of Salem. Zion hath been the rise and downfall of all the powers of the world; it is her deliverance or trial that is intended in their raising, and her recompense and ven- geance in their ruin. God works not among the nations for their own sakes. When they are sifted with a sieve, they are but the chaff; Israel is the corn for whose sake it is done : whereof not the least grain shall fall to the ground, Amos ix. 9. She is precious in God's sight and honourable ; he loves her: therefore he giveth men for her, and people for her life, Isa. xliii. 4. The men of the world are very apt to pride themselves in their thoughts, as though great were their
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share and interest in the glorious things that God is accomplishing; like a fly that sat on the chariot wheel, and cried, " What a dust have I raised round about ! " The truth is, their names are written in the dust, and they are of no account in the eyes of the Lord in all he is accomplishing, but only to exalt his name in their miscarriage and destruction. Was it not in the thoughts of some lately amongst us, that their right hand had accomplished the work of the Lord, and that the end of it must be the satisfaction of their lusts? And hath not the Lord declared that they have neither part nor lot in this matter? It was Salem, not self, — Zion, not Babylon or confusion, that lay at the bottom of the whole.
(2.) There is a relation of God unto this place. His will was known there, verse 1 ; and his worship was established, verse 2. And these also have their particular mention.
Observation. In the deliverance of his people, God hath a special regard to the honour of his ordinances. Why so great things for Salem ? Why, there his word is preached, whereby his will is known and his name made great;— there his tabernacle is fixed, and his dwell- ing-place established ; — there he gives his presence in his worship and ordinances, wherein he is delighted. " Because of thy temple at Jeru- salem shall kings bring presents unto thee/' Ps. lxviii. 29. Here is the temple, Christ, and then, the worship of Christ : for their sake it shall be done. When vengeance is recompensed upon an opposing people, it is the vengeance of the temple, Jer. 1. 28. And it is a voice from thence that rendereth recompense to his enemies, Isa. lxvi. 6. The great work which the Lord at this day is accomplishing in the world looks fully on this one thing. Wherefore is it that God shaketh the powers of this world, and causeth the towers to totter which they up- hold? Is it not that the way of his worship may be vindicated from all their abominations, and vengeance taken upon them for their opposition thereunto? And there is no greater sign of God's care for a people, than when he shows a regard to his ordinances among that people. The defence he gives is of the glory of the assemblies of mount Zion, Isa. iv. 5. When the ark departs, you may call the children, " Ichabod." The taking away of his candlestick, the re- moval of his glory from the temple, is an assured prologue to the utter ruin of a people.
And hath not the Lord had a special eye this way in the late deli- verance? It is his promise, that he will purge the rebels from amongst his people. And he hath done it. Were there not children of Edom amongst them, who cried, (l Down with them, down with them even to the ground"? Hath not God magnified his despised word above all his name? Was it not as an offscouring to many particular per- sons among them in the late murmuring for pre-eminence against
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those whom the Lord hath chosen? — who, I suppose, have no other joy in their employment than Moses had in his, who once desired the Lord to slay him, that he might be freed from his burden. Only the will of the Lord and the good of a poor thankless people swayed their hearts unto it. And were there here any more discriminating rods cast in before the Lord, to have that bud and spring which he owned (as Numb, xvii.) than this one: Scripture, or no Scripture? solemn worship, or none at all ? I speak only as to some particulars, and that I can upon my own experience. The Lord give their hearts a free dis- covery of his thoughts hi this business ! Doubtless he hath had respect to his tabernacle and dwelling-place. For my part, they are to me as the Theban shield ; and, notwith standing all my pressures, I would labour to say, as Mephibosheth, " Let all go, since I see the king in peace."