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manner are the pastors of the churches, 'they watch,' Heb. xiii. 17. as the priests and Levites heretofore kept the watch of the Lord. It cannot be denied, but that many who have taken upon them to be these watchmen, have watched only for their own advantage, have been very dogs, yea, dumb dogs, the very worst of dogs ; Isa. Ixvi. 10. yea, they have been, and oftentimes are, under various pretences, great * smiters, and wounders of the spouse of Christ;' Cant. v. but yet were they never so good, and true to their trusts, they vvere never able all to watch and keep this house, had it not another watcJiman : ' Except the Lord keep the city, these watchmen watch in vain;' Psal. cxxvii. 1. He that keepeth Israel, who doth neither slumber nor sleep, must keep this house, or it will be destroyed. Christ then is that ' Holy One, and that watcher, that came down from heaven, and commanded to cut down the tree and the branches;' Dan. iv. 13, 14. Nebuchadnezzar and his great power, for meddling with this house. Now Christ watcheth his house for two ends.
(1st.) To see what it wants, 2 Cor. xvi. 9. 'The eyes of the Lord run to and fro, throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in its behalf. He looks down from heaven to behold them that fear him ;' Psal. xiv. He is that stone; upon which are 'seven eyes;' Zech. iii. 9. a sufficiency in perfection of wisdom, inspection, and government for the good of his house. And those ' seven eyes of his run to and fro through the whole earth,' for this very purpose ; Zech. iv. 10. He takes notice of the state and condition of his people, to eye them in their distresses, and to give them timely and suitable deliverance. They may call every spring of their refreshment, Beer-lahai-roi.
(2dly.) To see that the son of violence draw not nigh unto it; and if he do, to require it at his hands, to make him eat his own flesh, and drink his own blood, that he may learn to devour no more. Observe then.
Observation 1 . Whence it is that this house, which seems so often to be nigh to destruction, is yet preserved from ruin. Ofttimes it is brought into a condition, that all that look on say. Now it is gone for ever. But still it recovers, and gets up again. The Lord Christ looks on all the while : he knows how far things may proceed for trial. When it
406 THE BRANCH OF THE LOUD
comes to that pass, that if pressures and troubles should continue, the house will be overborne indeed, then he puts in, rebukes the winds and waves, and makes all things still again. Like a father, who looks upon his child in a difficult and dangerous business, knows that he can relieve him when he pleases, but would willingly see him try his strength and cunning, lets him alone, until perhaps the child thinks him- self quite lost, and wonders his father doth not help him; but when the condition comes to be such, that without help he will be lost indeed, instantly the father puts in his hand and saves him. So deals the Lord Jesus with his house, lets it oftentimes strive and wrestle with great oppositions, to draw out and exercise all the graces thereof; but yet all this while he looketh on, and when danger is nigh indeed, he is not far off.
Observation 2. Let all the enemies of the church know, that there is one, who hath an eye over them in all their counsels and undertakings. Whilst they are digging deep, he looks on, and laughs them to scorn. How perplexed was the king of Syria, when he found that the prophet was ac- quainted with all his designs, and made them known to the king of Israel? It cannot but be a matter of perplexity to the enemies of this house, when they shall find, that the great friend and protector thereof is continually present in all their advisees. Let them not wonder at their birthless undertak- ings, the eye of Christ is still upon them.
Observation^. Let the saints see their privilege, whoever they are, in what condition soever, the eye of Christ is upon them. He watches over them for good, and knows their souls in adversity. When no eye sees them, he looks on them, they cannot be cast out of his care, nor hid from his sight. There are many poor souls, who go heavily all the day long, that mourn in their spirits unknown, un- regarded, unpitied ; the eye of Christ is on them for good continually, they cannot be thrown out of his watchful care.
4thly. Christ is the indwellerof this house. He hath not built it, and framed it for no use. It is for a habitation for himself. He ' hath chosen Zion ; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest,' saith he, ' here will I dwell ;' Psal. cxxxii. 13, 14. This house is built up, to be ' an ha-
THE BEAUTY OF SIGN. 407
bitation unto him ;' Ephes. ii. 22. He is the ' King of saints,' and this house is his court. It is true for his human nature, * the heavens must receive him, until the time of the restitution of all things;' Acts iv. 27. but yet he dwelleth in this house three ways.