daring the insolences and attempts of men of unstable minds, destitute of solid and steady principles, acted by the various and quotidian conduct of changeable and domestical interests, have been against our Jachin and our Boaz, authority in our parliaments, and ministry in our churches,—hath been so well known both at home and abroad, as to render these nations a shame to themselves, and a ludibrium to the world! What the great works are which the Lord by the wonderful series and vicissitudes of Providence is doing in the midst of us, the hearts of his servants, hanging in suspense between hope and fear, do tremulously attend upon, and labour to understand. When we consider the maturity of our mighty sins, we have great reason to fear his wrath; and when we observe the progress of his wonderful works, we have some comfortable encouragement to hope for the reward of his mercy: and that so much the rather, because he hath stirred up your hearts in this great city to return unto him the glory due unto his name, for his goodness to these nations, in restoring the parliament, and unto yourselves, in restoring your council, and healing the wound inflicted on the honour of this renowned city. That the Lord will be graciously pleased to crown and consummate the mercies which he hath begun, in guiding the hearts of the people to choose for this next parliament, men of eminency for piety and prudence; who may come with healing spirits, and make it their business to repair our breaches, and be the restorers of paths to dwell in; who may lay to heart the interest of Christ and his church, and promote purity of doctrine and worship, due administration of holy ordinances, and whatever may conduce to the power of godliness and the comfort of all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity; that he will be pleased to set his eyes and his heart upon this city for good, and to dwell in it night and day, to be a wall of fire about it, and the glory in the midst of it, to appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks unto it, is and shall be the hearty prayer of,

Your most humble and faithful servant in the Lord,

ED. REYNOLDS.

March 14, 1659.

ZECH. ii. 5.

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

Two gracious visions the Lord giveth our prophet in the former chapter: one, of a man riding amongst the myrtle trees' in the bottom; Christ in his despised church at Babylon ;-the other, of 'four carpenters,' sent to fray and cast out the horns, which had scattered the church:-by both, giving an assurance, that he would disappoint the enemies of his afflicted people.

We have here, in this chapter, another vision, of a man with a measuring line in his hand,' to shew that the Lord was now in a readiness to build and restore the city and temple; the former, we find accordingly done by the care of Nehemiah, Chap. iii, and Chap. vi. 15; the latter by Joshua and Zerubbabel, Ezra vi. 14, 15.

Now whereas it is here said, ver. 4, That Jerusalem should be inhabited as towns without walls,' which may seem, 1. to cross the history, Neh. vi. 15, where we find that the wall was finished ;-2. to discourage the people, who having such potent and malicious adversaries round about, as they had, should by that means be exposed to all the assaults and impressions which they should make upon them:-The meaning is, that though the city within the walls were very spacious, yet the people should return in so great abundance, (as Josephus reports they did) that multitudes should be constrained to lie without the walls, unto whom the Lord promiseth to be himself a wall and defence. b

a

They were now called to build the city and temple; two great discouragements they meet with in that enterprize, danger and scorn. (Neh. iv. 8, and i. 3, 7, 8, 9. Neh. vi. 1, 10. Ezra iv. 4, 5) The Lord here, by a gracious promise, fortifieth them against the fear of both; against the fear of 'danger,' by promising to be their protection; and against

Antiq. 1. 11. c. 4.

b Isai. lx. 22. Jer. xxxi. 27.

the fear of scorn,' by promising to be their glory." When they are without walls, I will be their wall; when they are without gates, I will be their gate; my salvation will be a bulwark unto them; they shall call their walls salvation, and their gates praise." (Isa. xxvi. 1, and lx. 18)

The words set forth the Lord opposing all the enemies, removing all the fears of his people, by a double promise, of ' protection,' against all powerful oppositions, of' honour' against all reproachful insultations.

In both it is considerable; 1. The author and substance of it, "I, saith the Lord." 2. The subject of it, 'Jerusalem,' I will be unto her.' 3. The description of it. 1. Of the protection, by the metaphors of a wall and of fire,' and the place of that, in circuitu, round about.' 2. Of the honour, and the place of that, 'I will be for glory,' or 'the glory in the midst of her.'

A weak people met together about a hated and invidious enterprise, opposed by strong, subtle, vigilant, active, malicious adversaries, had need to have a help to defend them. "I, saith the Lord, will be a help, a wall unto them.”

But potent enemies can batter walls and scale them: (Ezek. xxi. 22. Prov. xxi. 22) Nay," saith the Lord, "I will prevent that fear, I will be a wall of fire,' which the enemy shall not dare come near or touch."

But a wall may have gaps and breaches in it; the gates may be pulled down and consumed, as we find they were, Neh. i. 3, and vi. 1: and then whatever the wall be, the breaches will let in the enemy. The poor church is never without some breaches or other, called the breaches of the city of David, Isa. xxii. 9. Some gates pulled down, to lay them open to danger. But every work of God is perfect. (Deut. xxxii. 4) Where he is a wall, he will be a wall, 'in circuitu,' round about; no breach, no gap; no gate or portcullis pulled down, by which danger may enter in.

But if the wall be fire, what will become of the houses of the city?" I will, saith the Lord, be a wall unto her," not a wall against her. "It is dativus commodi;' a beneficial fire to the city, a consuming fire to the enemy that assaults her: A fire for the three children to walk in; a fire for their

Dan. iii. 25, 22.

enemies to perish by; a fire in the bush to Moses; a fire in brimstone to Sodom; a destroying fire to the captains of Ahaziah; and a triumphal fire, a chariot of fire to the Lord's prophet. g

But a wall may shut men and their misery in together; the wall of a prison or dungeon is no great comfort to those that are shut within it. It may be sad enough in medio,' though there be a wall in circuitu.'

We have a relief against that too: As the Lord is a wall of fire round about' to keep out the enemy, so he is 'The glory in the midst of Jerusalem,' to comfort his people. Providence is expressed by a circumference with an eye in the centre. God is here both in the circumference and in the centre of Jerusalem: a severe providence in circuitu,' to keep off the enemy; a gracious providence in medio,' to honour and revive his people: Ignis et exitium hostibus, gloria et subsidium ecclesiæ."

66

The poor church was miserably opposed and oppressed by the potency of their enemies on every side. But against them all they have a God to put into the other part of the balance: God alone is eminently unto his people, whatever good thing else they want. In widowhood, he is a husband;-" Thy Maker is thine husband." (Isa. liv. 5) In orphanship, he is a father;-"A father of the fatherless is God in his holy habitation." (Psalm lxxxviii. 5) In darkness, a sun,—in danger, a shield; (Psalm lxxxiv. 11) a refuge in trouble, a river in drought; (Psalm lxvi 1, 4) a safety where there is no wall, a praise where there is no gate, a light where there is no sun; (Isa. Ix. 18, 19) a God of salvation in whom his servants can triumph, where all other comforts in the world are wanting. (Hab. iii. 17, 18)

Let us hold fast our God, and we need not fear our enemy. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. viii. 31) If he justify, who can condemn? If he love, who can separate? Many will be against us to hate us; but none can be against us to hurt us. Many will gird and gird again; many will take counsel, and make a decree; many will rant it with Pharaoh, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the

d Exod. iii. 2. 2 Kings ii. 11.

• Gen. xix. 24.

f 2 Kings i. 10, 12.

"

spoil, my lust shall be satisfied, I will draw my sword, mine hand shall destroy." (Exod. xv. 9) Agam, ruam, rapiam, tundam, prosternam," as the proud confident in the Comedian; but if he be Emmanuel, God with us,-they shall be broken; their counsels shall not stand; their decrees shall come to nought; he will strengthen, he will help, he will uphold with the right hand of his righteousness. (Isa. viii. 9, 10. xli. 10) Let the name of your city be Jehovah Shammah,' the Lord is there;' be zealous for his truth and worship, for his name and glory : let him be in medio,' in the midst of your hearts, to fear him,-of your counsels, to follow him, of your houses, your trades, your conversation, to walk with him. Provoke him not by your impieties against him, by your unrighteousness against men: and then, if there be any help or comfort against danger in heaven or earth, he can command it; if there be none, he can create it: whatever is wanting, he can supply and make it good out of himself; "I will be a wall." h

1. A wall of partition to separate the church from the world; as the land of Canaan was divided by the Mediterranean sea westward, by the inland seas, and the river Jordan eastward, and at each end north and south with mountains; so the church of God is severed and shut up from the rest of the world. Israel dwelt alone, and was not 'reckoned amongst the nations.' (Numb. xxiii. 9) They are chosen 'out of the world." (John xv. 19) A garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed,' (Cant. iv. 12) their laws diverse from all people; (Esther iii. 8) they are not to conform to the world, (Rom. xii. 2) nor to walk xar' aiuva. (Eph. ii. 2) The world knows them not; (1 John iii) but looks on them as prodigies, and men to be wondered at. (Zech. iii. 8)

2. A wall of conjunction, uniting the parts together in one common interest, as the brain is walled in by the skull, the vital parts by the ribs and the breast, to keep them firm and close together, that they may not be scattered nor divided. Though the members of the church are called out from the world, and are to separate from that; yet they are to be compacted and united within themselves; (Psalm cxxii. 3) to be of one heart, and of one soul; (Acts iv. 32) to hold the

h Psalm xliv. 4. Isai. iv. 5.

1 Aug. de Bap. 1. 5. c. 27, 28.