The Little Horns Downfall, Treatise 2 · Discourse · Part 3 · Preface
The Preface.
When the Lord ſhall build up Sion (ſaith the Pſalmiſt then) *Pſal. 102. 16.hee ſhall appeare in his glory: Implying, as if the Lord did never appeare ſo gloriouſly as then he doth, when he ſtandeth forth to build up his Sion: And indeed it is very true, that when the Church of God is in a deſolate afflicted condition; when the enemies of the Church triumph over them, and make them as vaſſals, and ſlaves to them, and tread them under their feet, as if they were the off-ſcouring of the world: then is the glory of God much obſcured, and the world cannot at all ſee it, nor is it ſo viſible to his Saints as it ſhall be.
But when God ariſes to ſhake terribly the earth, and to viſit the inhabitants thereof for their iniquity; eſpecially for the cruelty, and malice, and inhumanity, they have exerciſed againſt his own people, his peculiarly beloved ones, who bear his owne ſtampe, and image, and name and nature; of whoſe ſoules he is the beloved, and who are the beloved of his ſoule. Then when he commeth to viſit wicked men for theſe things, and to owne his owne people, (as he did the Iſraelites of old when hee brought them out of Egypt,) and to manifeſt to all the world that they are indeed his people, and that hee will avenge their quarrell; and when hee comes to rebuke, deſtroy, and ſcatter the Kings, and the great ones of the earth for their ſakes; and when he ſets his people at perfect liberty, and crownes them with gracious bleſſings, and deſtroyes all the Nations that indeavour to injure them, or diſturbe their peace. Then I ſay, when the Lord doth theſe things, doth hee appeare in his glory; and ſo hee did when he brought the Iſraelites out of Egypt; and ſo in a more glorious manner then ever will he do, when he buildeth his Sion now in theſe latter daies; wherein hee hath ſpoken of doing greater things for them, then ever hath been done from the beginning of the world, as wil appear in the following diſcourſe.