(2.) In regard of faithfulness to the Church it self. How doth the word sparkle with promises to Zion in all her concerns? He hath promised an indissoluble marriage, the fixing a knot that shall never be untied*. A marriage, that shall never end in widow-hood, so that Judgment, righteousness, loving kindness, mercy, faithfulness must first fail, before the Church meet with an entire dissolution, i. e. God and the glorious perfections of his nature shall fail, before the Church be forsaken, and left to her enemies. She is no less assured of continual supplies and nourishment, and that by no meaner a hand than that of God himself, Isa. 27.3. I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, I will keep it night and day. (Nor a meaner dew than himself, Hos. 14.5.) Also without the failing her a minute; he would water her with doctrine to preserve her verdure and increase her growth. He would be her Guardian night and day, in the darkness of adversity, in the sunshine of prosperity; so that Satan should not outwit, nor the craft and subtlety of heretics waste her; for it refers to v. 1. wherein God promiseth her to punish the piercing Serpent, the crooked Serpent, that by various windings and turnings insinuates himself to the destruction of men. And he adds v. 4. Fury is not in me, he lays by his anger against her, as considered in apostate nature; the fury of Hell shall not prevail where the anger of God is pacified, but her enemies shall be as briars and thorns before him. He hath a consuming fury for her enemies, though he hath none for his vineyard. Protection is in no less measure promised, and that not a temporary one, nor a bare defence, but with the ruin of her enemies, and treading them down, as straw is trodden down for the Dunghill, Isa. 25.10. In this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest. By hand is meant his power, and by rest is meant the perpetual motion of it for her, and that against the most furious, malicious & powerful of her Enemies, Mat. 16.18. against the gates of hell: against the wisdom of Hell, gates being the seat of counsel, against the censures and sentences of Hell, gates being the place of judicature, against the arms of Hell, gates being the place of strength & guards. When Christ secures against Hell, he secures against all that receive their commission from Hell;
(2.) In regard of faithfulness to the Church it self. How doth the word sparkle with promises to Sion in all her concerns? He hath promised an indissolvable marriage, the fixing a knot that shall never be untied*. A marriage, that shall never end in widdow-hood, so that Judgment, righteousness, loving kindness, mercy, faithfulness must first fail, before the Church meet with an entire dissolution, i. e. God and the glorious perfections of his nature shall fail, before the Church be forsaken, and left to her enemies. She is no less assur'd of continual supplies and nourishment, and that by no meaner a hand than that of God himself, Isa. 27.3. I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, I will keep it night and day. (Nor a meaner dew than himself, Hos. 14.5.) Also without the failing her a minute; he would water her with doctrine to preserve her verdure and increase her growth. He would be her Guardian night and day, in the darkness of adversity, in the sunshine of prosperity; so that Satan should not outwit, nor the craft and subtilty of hereticks waste her; for it refers to v. 1. wherein God promiseth her to punish the piercing Serpent, the crooked Serpent, that by various windings and turnings insinuates himself to the destruction of men. And he adds v. 4. Fury is not in me, he lays by his anger against her, as considered in apostate nature; the fury of Hell shall not prevail where the anger of God is pacified, but her enemies shall be as bryars and thorns before him. He hath a consuming fury for her enemies, though he hath none for his vineyard. Protection is in no less measure promised, and that not a temporary one, nor a bare defence, but with the ruin of her enemies, and treading them down, as straw is trodden down for the Dunghil, Isa. 25.10. In this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest. By hand is meant his power, and by rest is meant the perpetual motion of it for her, and that against the most furious, malicious & powerful of her Enemies, Mat. 16.18. against the gates of hell: against the wisdom of Hell, gates being the seat of councel, against the censures and sentences of Hell, gates being the place of judicature, against the arms of Hell, gates being the place of strength & guards. When Christ secures against Hell, he secures against all that receive their commission from Hell;
- *Hos. 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, and that in judgment, righteousness, loving kindness, mercy; faithfulness.
