Part 36 (1/2)
CHURCH-FELLOWs.h.i.+P.
It is the ordinance of G.o.d, that Christians should be often a.s.serting the things of G.o.d to each other; and that by their so doing, they should edify one another.
The doctrine of the gospel is like the dew and the small rain, that distilleth upon the tender gra.s.s, wherewith it doth flourish and is kept green.
Christians are like the several flowers in a garden, that have upon each of them the dew of heaven; which being shaken with the wind, let fall their dew at each other's roots, whereby they are jointly nourished and become nourishers of one another.
Church-fellows.h.i.+p, rightly managed, is the glory of all the world.
No place, no community, no fellows.h.i.+p is adorned and bespangled with such beauties, as is a church rightly knit together to their Head, and lovingly serving one another.
The church and a profession are the best of places for the upright; but the worst in the world for the c.u.mberground.
THE CHURCH A LIGHT.
The Holy Ghost is well pleased to bring in the s.h.i.+ning virtues of the church, under the--notion of a s.h.i.+ning moon; because, as the church herself is compared to the moon, so her virtues are as naturally compared to a s.h.i.+ning light: as Christ saith, ”Let your light so s.h.i.+ne;” and again, ”Let your loins be girded, and your lights burning.” For indeed, while we are here, that church and congregation of the Lord doth most s.h.i.+ne, and most send forth the golden rays and pleasant beams of Christianity, that is most in the exercise of the aforementioned virtues. Take away the moon, and the night is doubtful; or, though the moon be in the firmament, if she hath lost her light, the night is not thereby made more comfortable.
And thus, I say, it is first with the world, where there is no church to s.h.i.+ne, or where there is a church that doth not so s.h.i.+ne that others may see and be lighted.
SPIRITUAL CHARACTER OF THE CHURCH.
She meddleth not with any man's matters but her own; she comes all along by the king's highway; that is, only by the rules that her Lord hath prescribed for her in his testament. The governors of this world need not at all fear a disturbance from her, or a diminution of aught they have. She will not meddle with their fields nor vineyards, neither will she drink of the water of their wells. Only let her go by the king's highway, and she will not turn to the right hand or to the left, until she has pa.s.sed all their borders It is a false report that the governors of the nations have received against the city, this new Jerusalem, if they believe according to the tale that is told of her, that she is and has been of old a rebellious city, and destructive to kings, and a diminisher of their revenues.
She is not for meddling with any thing that is theirs, from a thread even to a shoe-latchet. Her glory is spiritual and heavenly, and she is satisfied with what is her own. 'Tis true, the kings and nations of this world shall one day bring their glory and honor to this city; but yet not by outward force or compulsion: none shall constrain them but the love of Christ, and the beauty of this city.
”The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” The light and beauty of this city, these only shall engage their hearts and overcome them.
Indeed, if any shall, out of mistrust or enmity against this city and her prosperity, bend themselves to disappoint the designs of the eternal G.o.d concerning her building and glory, then they must take what follows. Her G.o.d in the midst of her is mighty; he will rest in his love, and rejoice over her with singing, and will UNDO all that afflict her. Wherefore, a.s.sociate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall he broken in pieces; for G.o.d is with us.
WARNING TO THE PROFESSOR.
He that sins himself out of the church, can find no good in the world; and they that have sinned G.o.d out, can find no good in the church. A church that has sinned G.o.d away from it, is a sad lump indeed. You, therefore, that are in G.o.d's church, take heed of sinning yourselves out thence; also take heed, that while you keep in, you sin not G.o.d away, for thenceforth no good is there. ”Yea, woe unto them when I depart from them, saith the Lord.”
CHURCH-ORDER.
It is hard to have all things according to rule in the day of the church's affliction, because of the weakness and fearfulness of some, and because possibly those who have most skill in that matter may for a time be laid up in chains. But when the church has rest and quietness, then as she praises G.o.d, so she conceives and brings forth governors and good government and rule among her members.
David, a man of blood, could not build the house to the Lord, which peaceable Solomon, that man of rest, afterwards did. When armies are engaged and hot in battle, it is harder to keep them in rank and file than when they have rest and time for discipline.
THE CHURCH IN AFFLICTION.
When the church of G.o.d is afflicted, both heaven and h.e.l.l have their hand therein; but from a differing consideration, and to a diverse end. From heaven it comes, that we may remember we have sinned, and that we may be made white and tried; but from h.e.l.l, that we might sin the more, and that we might despair and be d.a.m.ned.
SATAN'S HOSTILITY TO THE CHURCH.
Satan has tried many ways to be at amity with the church--not because he loves her holiness, but because he hates her welfare. And that he might bring about his enterprise, he sometimes has allured her with the dainty delicacies of this world, the l.u.s.ts of the flesh and of the eyes, and the pride of life. This being fruitless, he has attempted to entangle and bewitch her with his glorious appearance as an angel of light; and to that end he has made his ministers of righteousness, preaching up righteousness, and contending for a divine and holy wors.h.i.+p. But this failing also, he has taken in hand at length to fright her into friends.h.i.+p with him, by stirring up the h.e.l.lish rage of tyrants to frighten and molest her; by finding out strange inventions to torment and afflict her children; by making many b.l.o.o.d.y examples of her own bowels before her eyes, if by that means he might at last obtain his purpose. But behold, all has been in vain; there can be no reconciliation. And why, but because G.o.d himself maintains the enmity? G.o.d hath put enmity between the devil and the woman; between that old serpent called the devil and Satan, and the holy and beloved and espoused wife of Christ.
SECURITY OF THE CHURCH.
Gold is a metal so invincible and unconquerable, that no fire can consume it: it may burn it indeed, and melt it; the dross indeed doth consume and give way to the power of the fire, but the gold remains and holds its ground, yea, it gets ground even of the furnace and fire itself; for the more it is burned and melted, the more it recovers its color, and the more it shakes off its dross and dishonor.
Just thus it is with the people of G.o.d, and hath been so even from the beginning: the more men oppressed them, the more they grew. His church has been now for many hundred years in the king of Babylon's furnace; all which time she hath most gloriously endured and withstood the heat; and at last, when the fire hath done its worst against her, behold, there comes out a city of gold. Wherefore, let her be bold to say, even before she comes out of the fire, ”When I am tried, I shall come forth as gold.”
So long as the church endured hards.h.i.+p and affliction, she was greatly preserved from revolts and backslidings; but after she had turned her face from the sun, and had found the plain of s.h.i.+nar, Genesis 11, that is, the fleshly delights that the pleasures and profits and honors of this world afford, she, forgetting the word and order of G.o.d, was content to dwell in the land of Babel.