A55752:382
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The sixth and last benefit we have by Christ dwelling, is defence, he defendeth those in whom he dwelleth, he 1covereth them, he is a buckler and protector to them, he preserveth them from all evil, from all crosses, or the evil of crosses. This is a great benefit. For there is this difference between Christ and other Inhabitants, other Inhabitants are defended by the house wherein they dwell, but here the Inhabitant defendeth the house. And the reason is good, because, though he dwell in our hearts, yet he is our habitation, as it is in the Psalm, that is, we dwell in him, he covereth us, as a house covereth a man, and defendeth him from the violence of the weather. This you have excellently expressed in the 4. Isaiah, the two last verses, Upon all their glory shall be a 2defence; that is, upon all the people of God which are glorious, he calleth them glory in the abstract. I will defend them from all evil. If you ask what defence it is? you shall see a distribution of it, in the verses following, I will be as a covering in the heat of the day: That is, one kind, and a place of refuge and covert from storm and from rain. That is, if there be heat I will keep you from that, if there be storms and rain I will preserve you from that; you shall be as a man within doors. Thus Christ defendeth those that belong unto him, he is a covering to them, he keepeth them safe; in the 1 Cor. 3. Him that destroyeth ⟨p. 135⟩3the Temple of God, him will the Lord destroy. It is his Temple, it is the place where he dwelleth, and be assured, Christ will not have his house pulled down over his head; no man will promise his Inheritance to be spoiled. Now Gods children are his portion, they are his sheep, he will not suffer them to be plucked out of his hands. Therefore the Prophet Isaiah compareth his Church to a Tent, that though it be made of two or three materials, only cords and stakes, yet saith he, there shall not a cord be broken, nor a stake plucked up. My Brethren, if you look upon the Church, you will wonder that they should not have been swallowed up ere this time, but know that God dwelleth in this Tent, he keepeth and defendeth them. Christ dwelleth thus in every believer, in particular he will be a buckler, and defence unto him. And this benefit you have by Christ dwelling in you.