N00328:103
God's promise to his plantations
God's promise to his plantations; [Three lines from Samuel] / As it was delivered in a sermon by John Cotton, B.D. and preacher of God's word in Boston. ; [Seven lines from Psalms]
Boston: printed by William Jones for John Bellamy, 1686
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.
Ans. Have special care that you ever have the Ordinances planted amongst you, or else never look for security. As soon as God's Ordinances cease, your Security ceaseth likewise; but if God plant his Ordinances among you, fear not, he will maintain them. Isai. 4. 5, 6. Upon all their glory there shall be a defence; that is, upon all God's Ordinances: for so was the Ark called the glory of Israel. 1 Sam. 4. 22.
Secondly, Have a care to be implanted into the Ordinances, that the word may be ingrafted into you, and you into it: If you take rooting in the Ordinances, grow up thereby, bring forth much fruit, continue and abide therein, then you are a vineyard of red Wine, and the Lord will keep you, Isai. 27. 2, 3. that no sons of violence shall destroy you. ⟨p. 18⟩Look into all the Stories; whether divine or humane, and you shall never find that God ever rooted out, a People that had the Ordinances planted amongst them, and themselves planted into the Ordinances. Never did God suffer such Plants to be plucked up. On all their glory shall be a defence.
3. Be not unmindful of our Jerusalem at home; whither you leave us, or stay at home with us. Oh pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love her, Psal. 122. 6. They shall all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion,