IV. Why should we make this inquiry into these causes and means of the preservation and protection of the church?
The reason is, to deliver ourselves from our own sinful fears, and that by a discovery of the great mistake which all the adversaries of the church run upon. The reason why, the ground whereupon, they attempt the church, is that, and no other, which you have, Ezek. xxxviii. 10, 11, "Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates." Here is the very ground of the undertaking of the world against the church in any age, — that they have no defence, are a poor people that dwell in unwalled villages, and have neither bars nor
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gates. It is a miserable disappointment, for men to go and undertake to destroy or oppress any place, thinking they are unprovided, and, when they come there, to find it quite otherwise. At this day there would not any move a tongue against the people of God, but upon this very account, that they have no defence, no protection. And some- times they proceed so far as that they begin to discover the bulwarks of Zion, — if not in the causes, yet in the effects. The old world saw not God in the cause of what he did; but when the waters began to roll upon them, the psalmist tells us, "They saw it, and were afraid; and fearfulness took hold upon them." — " Is this the people that dwell in unwalled villages, that have neither bars nor gates? See their towers ! behold their bulwarks ! there is no attacking them/' When once God makes them to see this, that the power of Christ is engaged for his people, they will then cry to the mountains and to the rocks to hide them from the day of his wrath; they will be surprised with fear.
Now, seeing the adversaries of the church of God are certainly upon this mistake attempting the church, — because, as they imagine, it hath no guard (and they will certainly find at last that they have a guard, which they saw not and were not acquainted with), — why should we be afraid in such a case? Nothing more encourages per- sons, than when they know their enemies do clearly mistake their condition. This is enough to make the veriest coward in the world valiant. Let us be sure to be found within this garrison and place of defence, and certain that we have to do in the concerns of Zion, and not of the world ; and then shall we see the mountains all full of cha- riots and horses of fire round about us, — Christ reigning, the promise of Christ engaged, and the watchful eye of God upon the church con- tinually. Our fears arise from the want of considering these things, and taking a carnal view and measure of things that are seen.
V. The last inquiry is, — What testimony are we to give over to the generation that is to come after us?
This testimony consists of two things : —
1. The exercise of faith and patience in all our own trials that may befall us, that there may be a remembrance of it in the generations that are to come. The martyrs that suffered here so long ago do still tell us in this generation, by their faith and patience, that Zion had walls and bulwarks round about her, and that God was her God and Guide. Had they not believed it, do you think they would have given up their bodies to the flames in this city and other parts of the nation? In like manner, that faith and patience which we shall exercise in any trial that may befall us in the behalf of Zion, is to tell the generations to come what God hath done, and how we have found it ourselves.
320 PERILOUS TIMES.
2. It is our duty to give it over by instruction to those that we bring up. Our fathers have told us what God did in their days ; and we are to give in this testimony to God, — to tell our children what God hath done in our days: — " So long have we lived and been professors ; so long have we walked in Zion ; and we have found God faithful in his promise, — not one word or tittle hath failed that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken." Thus are we to instruct the generation that is growing up, that hath not seen those things which we have seen.
SERMON XXVI.1
PERILOUS TIMES. " This know also, that in the last clays perilous times shall come." — 2 Tim. iii. 1.
You know, my way and manner upon these occasions is to speak as plainly and familiarly as I can unto what is of our present con- cernment; and so I design to do at this time, if it shall please God to help under infirmities.