The brand plucked out of the fire a sermon preached before the lord major,…The brand pluck'd out of the fire a sermon preached before the lord major,…

And therefore they are enemies to the building of Gods house, who go about to persuade the Magistrate that he hath nothing to do with matters of Religion, that it belongs not either to his power or duty, to take care that purity of truth and worship be preserved within his territories: of whom notwithstanding it is prophesied, that they should be nursing Fathers to the Church, Isa. 49. 23. and truly they are none of the best Nurses, that suffer their children to have poison as freely offered them, as milk or wholesome meat.

And therefore they are enemies to the building of Gods house, who go about to perswade the Magistrate that he hath nothing to do with matters of Religion, that it belongs not either to his power or duty, to take care that purity of truth and worship be preserved within his territores: of whom notwithstanding it is prophecied, that they should be nursing Fathers to the Church, Isa. 49. 23. and truly they are none of the best Nurses, that suffer their children to have poison as freely offer'd them, as milk or wholsome meat.

There is something in it, that we find Joshua here alone. Satan would do mischief to any one whom God honours and employs. But his notable malice is against Religion, and the building of the Temple. If there be any more special instrument of that then other, him in special manner he opposeth; the more spiritual the service, the more resisted by the Devil. The true Jesus, whereof our Joshua was a type, was no sooner called by God to build his house (for so it was said of him that he should do, Zach. 6. 13.) but we find him assaulted by the Tempter, Mat. 4. 1. Of all works this is the work which Satan most desires to oppose, as the Apostle intimates, 1 Thes. 2. 18.