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A CH O I Q E
COLLECTION

OF VERY V, ALU ABLE
PREFACES, LECTURES, and, SERMONS,

P R E A C II E . D
Upon the Mountains and Muirs, <bc.,oi SCOTLAND,
In the hotted Time of the late Persecution ;

By that faithful Minifter and Martyr of Jejus Cbrift,--
The, reverend Mr JAMES RENW1CK.

Carefully collected, and faithfully tranfcribed, from feve-
ral Manufcripts ; and now publifhed by the Owners of
that Caufe, which the famous A'U.thor fealed with his
Blood.

Mark i. 3. The Voice of one crying in the WUdernefs, Prepare ye
{he Way of the Lord, ynake his P,aths firaight.

G L A S G 0 W:

Printed and fold by John Bryce, Bookfelkr Saltmaiket.
M,DCC,LXXVI.

03 1 1 1 (p.

Ill

TO THE
READ E R-

Christian Reader,
AMONG the many wonderful works, which the Lord,
in the wife difpenfation of his providence, hath brought
to pafs and accomplifhed for the children of men, his mar
vellous loving-kind nefs, and tender mercies, bellowed upon
Scotland, ought with thankfulnefs to be acknowledged, to
be among the greateft that ever he beftowed upon any one
particular nation, fince he finilhed the work of man's re
demption, and afcended up on high j in the Father's giv
ing, and the Son's taking this nation (which 13 one of the
utmoft parts of the earth) for his poffeffion, and a part of
his inheritance, Pfal. ii. S. Ifa. xlix. 1.; in converting this
nation from grofs heatheni£h idolatry ; and making the in
habitants of our land, who were fitting in darknefs, and in
the region of the fiiadow of death, to fee great light, Matt.
iv. 16. ; by viiiting them with the Day-ftar from on high,
with the light of the glorious gofpel, fliining as in a, dark
place, until the blacknefs and darknefs of heathen idolatry
vanifhed out of this land : And thus our land, by their*
early converfion unto God, was among the firft-fruit of
the Geotiles unto him.
And, after that this nation had, by an univerfal defec
tion, apoftatized from the purity and fimplicity of the gof-
pel of Jefus Chrift, and fallen into the grofs errors and a-
bominable idolatries of that fynagogue of Satan, the anti-
chriftian church of Rome, and was involved into black po-
jpery, the Lord mewed again the power of his, works, by
Jetting to his hand, the fecond time, to redeem and de
liver his people in this, land, from under the tyranny,
and ufurped power, of the man of fin, that Roman an-
vtichrift, Pfal. cxii. 6. Ifa. xi. 11.. by raifinj; up fit inftru-
menjs, to fhake off the heavy yoke of popery, renounce
and abjure the popifli errors and idolatries^and to carry
on a glorious work of reformation ; which, notwithstand
ing of all the oppofition that it met with from the popifli,
prelatic, and malignant factions, yet at laft arrived to the
greateft degree of reformation, that, ever was eftaWifhed in
A a ¦ any

Iv To ths READER.
any one notion fince the apoftles days ; which was accom
panied with a great meafure of the power and prefence of
the Lore', and' a fph-it of converfion going along with the
preached • gofpel ; whereby many were turned from dark
nefs unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
Afts xxvi 18. For then the Lord made his people willing
By a' day of his power, and conllramed his enemies to feign
fuhje'etion unto him, Pfal. ex. 3. and Ixxxi. 15. The gof-
pel gave, a certain found : The King of glory rode profpe-
rouily in fta'te, and was held in the galleries; and, by the
arrows of conviction, wounded the hearts of his enemies,
tiil they were brought .into fubje<tion under him, Pfal. xlv. ,
4, 5. Cant. vii. 5. And fo mightily did the Lord work by
his power in this land, that the inhabitants thereof were
brought to make a feif-furrender of themfelves, and all that
they had, to the Lord, by folemn covenant, in a national
way ; and ftrictly bound-themfelv.es to all the duties of holi-
nels, and againft all things whjtfoever that are contrary to
found doctrine, and the power of godlinefs : At which time
the glory of the Lord fo filled our temple, that Scotland
became the hoi}' place, where the moft high had his abode,
Pfal xlvi. 4 Aland, like the land of Judah, where God
was well known, where he h.ici his tabernacle, and his feat,
Pial. lxxvi. 1. A land, whole inhabitants might juftly have
faid, He that is our God, is the God of falvation, Pfaltn
Ixviii 20. And a land to whom it might have been faid,
Cry silt, andfbout, 0 thou inhabitant of Z ion, for great is the
holy One of Ifrael in the midfl of thee', Ifa xii. 6. Aland,
¦which the Lord redeemed for the rod of his inheritance, as
a part of his purchale, which he poffeffed, and where he
dwelt, Pfal Ixxv. 2. A land, for purity of doctrine, wor»
fhip, government, and difcipline, preferable to any one
particular nation under the New-Teltament difpenfatjon;
of whom it might have been faid, as in Deut. iv. 7, 8. For
•what nation is then fo great, who hath Godfo nigh unto them,
as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for ?
Andiubat nation is there fo great, that hath Jlatutes and judg
ments fo righteous as aH this law, -which I Jet before you this
..' iy F A land, for faithful minifters, bold confeffors, va
liant, heroic, and faithful martyrs, inferior to no nation
tu the world. A1 land, where Chrift's kingly government
¦and alone head (hip in and over his church, hath been af-
ferted, defended, contended for, and fealed with'the blood
of a noble cloud of witneffes, who overcame by the blood of
the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony, and loved
nut their lives unto the death, Rev. xii. 11. A hind, where
in the Lord hath taken as particular poffeffion, as ever he
took of. any nation in the world : For, hehath taken poffef fion

To the READER. v
fion of our churches, our houfes, our towns, our cities, out
in-fields, our out-fields, our glens, our cleughs, our brae-
fides, our moffes, our muirs, our mountains, and wild re-
ceffes: In all thefe places, the banner of the glorious gof-
pel hath been faithfully difplayed j and, hy the fruit aod
increafe thereof, God hath been glorified, and as numerous
multitudes converted, and comforted, by the powerful pre
fence of God, as hath been at any time fince the apoftles
days: For, in this mountain (even in Scotland) hath the Lord
of hofis made unto his people a feaft of fat things, full of mar
row, a feaft of wines on the lees, well refined, Ifa. xxv. 6.
Here his ftately goings have been feen in his fanftuary, with
his footffeps dropping fatnefs, with many vifible figns of
his fenfible prefence : The fhout of a king was heard in
the affemblies of his" faints, and young and old were made
to rejoice together. So, if all the mercies that the Lord
hath beftowed upon Scotland be duly tonfidered, it may
jiiftly be faid, concerning the Lord's great goodnefs to this
Land, That he hath not dealt fo with any nation, Pfal. cxlvii.
20. Among the many great mercies, that the Lord wrought
for us in this land, the railing up, and calling to the work
of the miniftry, faithfuLMr James Renwick, may juftly be
reckoned one, confidering the low and lamentable cafe and
condition that the Lord's fuffering remnant was in, before
and at that time; for, from July ioth, 1681, that the re
verend Mr Donald Cargill preached his la ft public fermon,
till November 23d, 1683, that Mr James Renwick preach
ed his firft public fermon, they had this as a bitter ingredi
ent in the cup of their affliction, under all their fiery trials
of a hot perfecution, that they were altogether deprived of
the public preached gofpel, and all public gofpel ordinan
ces, becaufe there was no faithful minifter in Scotland,
from Mr Donald Cargill's martyrdom, till Mr James Ren-
wick, his fucceffor in the work of the miniftry, came home
from Holland after his ordination ; of him the reader may
be pleafed to take the following brief account.
. Mr James Renwick was born in the parifh of Glencair,a
in Nithifdale, February 15th, 1662, of Chriftian parents.
When he was but about two years of age, he was difcerned
to.be aiming at prayer, even in the cradle, and about it:
During his childhood, he was not only kept from the Ordi
nary pollutions of children, but even then fell in love with.
the ways of .God, by taking delight in fecret prayer, read
ing the word of God, and making cpnfcitnce in obeying his
parents

«i To the READER.
parents ; and had fuch exercife upon his Spirit, when he
was about fix year9 of age, as brought him under doubts
aod debates in his mind, coneerning thefe things which
Were the matter of h's exercife : Afterward, when he came
Jcr more maturity, and diftinitnefs of knowledge, he was
>ifoulted with temptations of atheifm ; with which he was
ranch perplexed for a time ; but at laft, out of this temp-
ttiion the Lord delivered him, through his grace, by giv
ing him the fweet ferenity of a fettled perfuafipn, of the
being of a God, and of his intereft in him.
He learned at the univerfity of Edinburgh; and when
she time came, that his courfe at the college drew to an
«nd, he, for refuftng to fwear the oath of allegiance, was
refufed- the privilege of laureation ; but afterward he ob
tained it privately at Edinburgh ; 'where for fame time he
remained, profetuting his ftudies : He continued in amity
and unit; with the prefbyterian minifters there, until they
had given fo many difceveries of their many lamentable de
fections from Scotland's' covenanted work of reformation,
that he could not with peace of confidence join with them in
gtublic ordinances ; and that brought him to a neceffity, to
withdraw his countenance from them.
He was prefent at, and much concerned with, the mar-
syrdara of faithful Mr Donald Cargill, July 27th, i6Sf.
s>nd foort after that (having juftly feparated himfelf from all
the unfaithful minifters in this kingdom) he joined with the
Lord's faithful perfecuted witneffes, who at that time had
bo minifter to preach the gofpel to them : Not long after
he joined with the^n, they agreed upon emitting that decla-;
ration, publiihed at Lanerk, Jan. 12th, i6$2. which con-'
firmed their preceding declaration at Sanquhar, and gave
the reafons of their revolt from the government of the ty
rant Charles II. wherein he was fo far concerned, as to
have the honour of being employed in proclaiming the
fame. TfifE fuffering remnant being fully fatisfied with his pie
ty, jzeal and '.earning, did, by the appointment of their ge
neral meeting, which met at Edinburgh, October nth,
8 682;,fend him over to Holland, in the month of Decem
ber following : When he went there, he was fettled at the
jiniverlity or Groningen, where he profecated his ftudies
with approven proficiency, until, by the merciful providence
pf God, he was ordained a minifter of the gofpel, for the
church of Scotland, by the prefbytery of Groningen, May
10th,

To the READER. *3
ioth, 1683. without any impofition or restriction, but that
he fhould teach according to the word of, God, and Scota
confeffion agreeable therewith-, which ordination was ac-r
companied with much of the Lord's prefence.
After his ordination, bis fervent zeal, accorditi^ t-rs
knowledge, increafed in him longing defires, to layout ihs
talent that he had received, to the relief and advantage oS
the poor people in Scotland, who were languishing., suA
like to ftarve, in a famine of the gofpel : So, after foe ha*l
for fome time longed to be home to his native country, he
embarked in a yeffel bound for Ireland, which by a violent
fisa-ftorm was compelled to, put into1 the Rye-harbour m
England ; but getting off again, after many tofiings and pe
rils at fea, he arrived at Dublin in Ireland 1 While he was
in Ireland, he had many contefts with the unfaithful mi
nifters there, for their defections, in.differehcy, and hike-
warmnefs in the caufe of Chrift ; for which he oppofed and
upbraided them to their face.
After he was for ibme time detained In Ireland, he
took fhipping for Scotland^ ; in which paffage he had coa-
fiderable dangers and difficulties, and a profpect of more,
becaufe he knew not the place where he was to land, nor
how to put to fhore in any place undifcovered ; all ports
iheri being ft) ftrictly obferved, to know what paffengeijs
landed, and the flcipper refufing to let him go untill fea»
name fhould be given up : At laft, when the fhip came to
the coafts of Scotland, he prevailed with the fkipper to give
him a caft to fhore : .After he was landed, he had imexprd*-
fible difficulties to wi-eftle with, in wandering through un
known wilderneffes, among unknown people, before he
could meet with any of his friends.
IT was in the month of September that he arrived la
Scotland : But though the neceffity was great, he wohIkI
not preach the gofpel publicly till he was orderly called
thereunto, by thefe who fent him to Holland for ordination.
So, he was orderly called to the work-of the mioiftry, hy
the general meeting Of the true prefbyterians, of the per-
fecuted church of Chrift in Scotland, which met at Dar-
mead, in the parjfh of Cambufnethan, in Clydefdale, Octo
ber ;>d, t68c.
His firft public day's preaching was at the fame place,
called Darmead, upon the 23d day of November thereaf
ter, being a day appointed for public humiliation, fafting,
and prayer, for their own and the land's fins; Upon which day,

Viii To the READER.
day, he lifted up the public ftandard of the gofpel, which,
fell at the martyrdom of famous, faithful Mr Donald Car-
gill, and laid open the fins of the land, very plainly and
particularly. When he was entered upon the work of the miniftry,
the fuffering remnant, whole minifter he was, were great
ly comforted by his minifterial ambaffador-becoming prac
tice, " approving himfelf in all things, as the minifter of
" God, in much patience, in afflictions, in neceffities, in
" diftreffes, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in faft-
*' ings, by purenefs, by knowledge, by long-fuffering, by
" kindnefs, by the Holy Ghoft, by love unfeigned, by the
" word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of
" righteoufnefs, on the fight hand, and on the left, by ho-
*' nour and difhoriour, by evil report and good report ; as
*f a deceiver, and yet true ; as unknown, and yet well
*' known ; as dying, and behold living ; as chaftened, and
*' not killed ; as fcrrowful, yet always rejoicing ; as poor,
" yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet pof-
" feffing all things," 2 Cor. vi. 4,  10. And they found
to their fouls fweet confolation, that the Lord had given
him fuch knowledge and underftanding in the great myfte-
ries of religion, true godlinefs, and foul-exerciie, as made
him know, from his own experience, how to fpeak a word
in feafon, to the foul that was weary, Ifa. 1. 4. And, all
the time of his miniftry, the gofpel preached by him, gave
as certain a found, concerning the duties, fins and dangers
of the times, as ever it gave in any period of time in this
church. He travelled, with great pain and diligence, through the
moffes, muirs, and mountains of Scotland ; difplaying the
banner of the gofpel faithfully, in the dark, cold, ftormy
nights, as well as in the day-time, as a workman, that had
no caufe to be afhamed ; breaking the bread of life to his
bearers, and declaring the whole counfel of God to them,
in feafon, and out of feafon, Acts xx. 27. 2 Tim. iv. 2.
When, oftentimes, he had no better place of retirement,
to confult his Matter's mind, concerning what he was to
fpeak to his people, than a cold glen, cleugh, den, or cave
of the earth : And thus he, ".of whom the world was not
*' worthy, wandered in deferts, and in mountains, , and in
" dens, and caves of the earth," Heb. xi. 38. without any
certain^place where to lay his head, Matth. viii. 20. And
that for the true and unfeigned love which he had to Chrift,
his caufe, intereft, and perfecuted people ; hor'y purfuecj
gnd perfecuted by open enemies, and grievoufly reproached bv

To, the READER. ix
by many falfe lies, and flanderous calumnies, vented and
fpread.-againft him, by falfe brethren, backflidden profef-
forsj and fuch as ran into right hand extremes, .n'ho de-
ferted the Lord's caufe themfelves, and therefore hated him,
becaiife their own works were evil, and his righteous, i Joh.
iii. 12. Under all which perfections and reproaches, he
gave many convincing evidences, that he was one of thefe,
who efteemed the reproach of Chrift greater riches than all
the treafures in the world, Heb. xi. 26. And, under all
his perfecutions and reproaches, he was fo countenanced of
the Lord, that the more he was afflicted this way, the more
he, and the work of" the Lord in his hand, grew, Exod. i.
12. For, though the archers forely grieved him, and fhot
at him, and hated him, yet his bow abode in Strength, and
the arms of his hands were made ftrong, by the hands of
the mighty God of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 23, 24 For, under
all his trials and temptations, .both before arid during the
time of his imprifonment, the Lord made him to remain
immoveable in his caufe, Pfal. lv. 22. And gave him grace,
pot only to believe in his name, but to fuffer patiently for
his fake, Phil. i. 19. till, at laft, he honoured him to feal
all thefe truths, which he contended earneftly for, and taught
to others, with his blood, by martyrdom, at the Grafs-
market of Edinburgh, February 17, 1688. being then twen
ty-fix years and two days Old : And, as he was lovely and
pleafant in his life, fo he obtained fuch a good report at
his death; as will make bis memory fweet and favoury to
the generation of the righteous, while fun and moon en
dure. ,'
As for the following prefaces, lectures, and fermons,
they are, ia the matter, found and folid, plain, and eafy
to be underftood ; not in the inticing words of man's wif-
dom, but in the demonftration of the Spirit, and of power,
1 Cor. ii. 4. Not gleaned and gathered from other mens
labours, but fpoken from the word of God, as the Spirit
of God gave htm utterance, Actsii. 4. free, and faithfully
applied, to the duties, and againft the fins of the time they
were preached in : And notwithftanding of all the ftrait.
ning circumftances that he was under, thjy are, as to their
manner and method, regular and orderly, above what could
be expected from any, in the cafe that he was in : And tho'
he was but young in years, yet he fpeaks as one of old and
ancient experience, in the great myfteries of godlinefs.
So far as we underftand, thefe fermons, he. were writ
ten by fome of his hearers, when they were preached, and
B afterward

s To the READER.
afterward tranfcribed and difperfed among others r And it
is certainly a great difadvantage, in their publication that
they we;e neither written rior revifed with his own hand j
which, if providence had fo ordered, they would now have
appeared with a far greater luftre, than can be expected of
a pofthumous work, fo long after the author's death.
We could heartily have wifhed, that fome perfon of bet
ter abilities, for fuch an undertaking, thah any amongft us
are, had revifed and prepared this worthy author's labours
for the prefs •, which is a work fo honourable,, that it is no
ways below the ableft fcribe in the kingdom.
As for what we have done in publifhing them, it pro
ceeded merely from a call of neceffity ; for, confidering
that it is abbve fixty years, fince the laft of thefe fermons
were, preached, and no learned man (fo far as we know)
hath ever effayed to eollect, revife, and publifh them to the
world; and that the written copies that are fcattered here
and there, in peoples hands, are written in the old hand,'
Hot now in ufe, and many of them fo worn, dim, and ful-
lkcf, that, if care had not beer* taken to prevent it, by their
publication, they would, for the moft part, in a fhort time,
have, been extinft, and of no ufe to pofterity: The consi
deration of thefe things moved us, to make all the diligence
that we could, to collect, transcribe, prepare, and put them
to the prefs, that thereby they m<y be both uieful to the
Lord's people of this prefent age, and alfo preferved for
the good of pofterity : And, if thereby God be glorified,
and his people edified, ftrengthened, and comforjed, we
•have all our deiirein what we have done : And if any, thro'
prejudice, fhall be fo cruel and uncharitable, as to condemn
us for this piece of our generation-work, becaufe we are
but private perfons who have done it, we are refolved to
bear what reproach -they are pleafed to caft upon us for it,
patiently, and to commit ourfelves in this to him that judg-
cth righteoufly, I Pet. ii. 23.
As for the precife time, wherein- thefe fermons were
preached, the moft part of them having no date, it could
not be known ; yet we have been as careful as we could, to
place them in order, accordirlg to the time wherein they
were preached, as near as we could undcrftand it.
Since the fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him,
and he in a fpecial manner revealeth his fecrets to his fer-
vswws the prophets, Pfalm xxv. 14. Amos iii. 7. None need

To the READER. xi
need doubt of the accomplishment of what this faithful am-
baffador of Jefus Chrift hath fpoken in the name of the
Lord, in feveral of the following prefaces and fermons, con
cerning the foxe and heavy judgments and calamities, that the
Lord is to briDgupon the malignant enemies of his„caufe,inte-
reft and people, inithefe covenanted -nations, and his glorious
return to thefe nations, with the down-pouring.of his Spirit
from on high, with the purity and power of gofpel ordinan
ces with a purer gofpel reformation, and minifters more faith
ful than ever yet have been, to revive true religion and godli-
nefs, to eftablilbitruth andrighteoufnefs in the earth, and to
heal the limentaD.le.breach.es that are amdngft bis people, be-
caufe thefe things are not yet accomplifiied : For, fince the
Lord honoured him to believe in his name, to be faithful in
bis generation, Jo fuffer for his caufe, and to fealhjs testimo
ny with his blood, we are fully perfuaded, that he will not
buffer any of his words to fall to the ground, i Sam iii. 19.
Though he referveth the fet time and feafon of their accom-
plifhment to himfelf, as not feeing it for his glory to reveal
it to any, Acts i. 7. And though the delay feem long, to
fuch as have long looked for, and earneftly delired Zion's
deliverance ; yet it is but a fhort time with the Lord, with
whom a thoufand years are as one day, 2 Pat. iii. 8.
And, befidesthis, he is a God of fuch long (paring mer
cy, that, in the o-diuary way of his procedure, in bringing
temporal judgments upon Irs enemies, hs doth not punifh
them till their iniquity be full, nor thruft in the fickle of his
wrath into their field, till the harveft of their wickednefs
be fully ripe ; neither doth he deliver Zton, till the fet time
be come, Gen. xv. 16. Rxv. xiv. 15. Pfal. cii. 13. But, if
once the iniquity of his enemies were full, their harveft ripe,
and the fet time of Zion's deliverance cqme, then the Lord
will bring his threatned judgments upon his enemies, and
•make the glory of our fecond temple to exceed the glory of
the fir ft, for purity of laws and ordinances, faithfujnefs of
minifters, and manifestations of the Lord's prefence among
his people : And, when this comes to pafs, then Scotland
fhall know that they had a faithful prophet (who had the
mind of the Lord, in what he fpake in his name) among
them, when they had faithful Mr James Renwick, declar
ing his Mailer's mind, upon the high places of the fields in
Scotland. That the Lord in mercy may haften the, fall of Anri-
•chrift, the man of fin, and all the fupporters and upholders
•f the kingdom Of Satan, the revival of the decayed power
B 2 , -of

Sii To the READER.
ofgodlinefs, and buried work of covenanted reformation/
the pouring forth of the Spirit of grace and fupplicationi
upon the hearts and fouls of all his children, the healing of
ad the breaches that- are among the godly, in this fad time
of divifion and confufion, his return to this, and the other
two covenanted nations, with the purity, converting and
comforting power of gofpel ordinances, the eftablifhmeiit
of truth and righteoufnels in the earth, the accomplishment
of all things which he hath promifed in his word, concern
ing the advancement of the kingdom of grace, and the com
ing of the kingdom of glory, and, that the following fer
mons, through his bleffing, may be inftrumental to con
vince and convert finners, reclaim backfliders, ftrengthen,
comfort, and build up believers in holinefs, and the fear of
•the Lord, is the earneft and hearty defire of the
Publishers,

A COLLEC-

A
COLLECTION O F
PREFACES, LECTURES and SERMONS.
¦I ' t. ¦"¦ ¦ '¦ III «¦¦  ¦.¦¦¦¦¦—¦¦ ¦!¦! I ¦,¦¦¦¦¦¦— ¦¦¦  ¦ ¦.-- I I.— ,
A FAST-DAY's PREFACE.
YOU know, my friends, that this meeting was ap
pointed to have, been at another place and occasion,
but was difappointed : What the language of this
difappo.intment may be to us, you would ferioufly confider.
I fhall tell you; we think the Lord would have us to leara
thefe three things by it.
i. He would have us to take a back -look of, and make
a more narrow fearch into, and take ferious thoughts of
our own fins and iniquities which have provoked him to
remove the gofpel and gofpel-ordinances from us.
2. He would have us highly to efteem gofpel-ordinances,
and not to look upon them as common mercies and privi
leges. But yet,
3. He would have us not fo to efteem of them as to put
them in his room (which, alas ! we have done), but to feek
the living God in them. And feeing, in his providence,
he hath tryfted us together this day, it may be afked, What
is our errand here ? We fhall tell you this in thefe three
things. (1.) To fet about the great duty of 'falling, mourning*
and humiliation before the Lord ; even to mourn over the
feveral fteps of our defections; and in order to this, we
fhall defcend, or go down to where we firft left the Lord
and declined, which hath provoked him to leave us. ' ¦
(2.) Our fecond errand here this day, is to offer you re
conciliation ; to tell you this, that God whom you have
offended, by thefe fins and fteps of defection and backflid-
ings, is content to be reconciled to you : O therefore tura
you, turn you unto me, faith the Lord of hofts, and I, will turn
unto you, faith the Lord of ho/Is J
(3..) Our third errand here this day, is, to lift up, and
raife the fallen ftandard of the gofpel that did fall in this our

E4 LECTURE I.
Offirland, when that valiant chariot-man, Mr Donald Car-
gill, fell; yea, that very part of the Standard which he
httd; yejlet not any captious creature (if there be any
fach here) think or fay, that we are following the exam-
H&saffmen: No, no; for we defire only to follow them,
in fib feff as they followed the Lord.
M. E. la t&S preface, there is a. very faithful enumeration of the
bfetffe public fins and defections, which is designedly omitted tier's,
fescaafe-the fame public fins and dffections, with Some additions,
feJS ibi afterwards in another faft-day's work : And Since it is unne-
es&ieS to ptrint the fame things twice in one book, it is finely bjft
»pwit that enumeration of public fins which is largeft.

LECTURE I.
Isaiah xl. i,  8.
t. Comfort $*> comfort ye my people-, faith your God.
2. Speak ye comfortably t& Jeriifakm, and cry unto her, that
per warfare is aceomplifhe4, that her iniquity it pardoned s
far fie hath) received of the Lord's hand double for all her fins.
g. The voice ef him that crieth in the wilderngfs, Prepare ye
t be -way of the Lord, makeftraight in the defert a high way
for our Cod.
4. Every valley fhall be exalted, and every mountain and hill
fh&ti he made lew; and, the crooked fhall be made Jiraight,
arid the roMgh places plain -•
5. And. the gkry of the Lard fhall be revealed, and all fiefb
fhall fee it together ; for the mouth of the Lord bath fpo-
ken it.
6. The voice faid, Cry'. And he faid, What fhall 1 cry F All
fiejb is grafi, and all 'the gaodlinefs thereof is as the flower
of the field.
•j. The graft withereth, thefisvierfadcth ,- hecaufe the Spirit of
the Lord blaweth upon it : Surely the people is grqfs.
8- Thegrafs withereth, the flow erfadetb, but the word of our
Cod (hall \fiaud for ever.
TH E Pfalmift fays, Pfalm xxx. 5. Weeping may endure
for anight, but joy comethin the morning. So a night
of affliction and darknefs. hath, and ever will have, a mor
ning of light and deliverance. And tn this portion of
fcripture, we have, (i.) A prophecy of the children of
Ifrael,

UJon Isaiah xl. i,"-— ?. if
Ifrael, their returning out of their captivity temporal^ aw&
that by the way of a type of their being delivered *)ia!t «sf
their fpiritual captivity by the Meffias. C&tnfort ye* cvnt-
fort ye my people ; and fay that her warfare is ^'Mkfr'Mj&ht,
&c. ver. i, 2. (2 ) A prophet^ of John the Htp&tit &os
being fent before Chrift's coming in the fiefh, to jprepase
the way before him, ver. 3, 4, 5. (3.) Ifaiah's cOm'Bteiifeaa
at this time, to proclaim all fie fh to be grafs: Wmmthe
tranfient fading whereof, he concludes the Stability «sf site
word of God, ver. 6, 7, 8.
1 . As to the firft, viz. tlie prophecy of their return, «&r.
and the prophet's telling them, ihat their warfare is ac
complished under the Jaw, Obferve, (1.) That it issrasm-
fort indeed which cometh from the Lord ; and surhen $se
fpeaks it will be comfort indeed. (2.) When the Lord ss&-
lows comfort, he will not have it to be hid, try ¦tertts fey,
8ce. (3.) That his confolation is fure and true, flfw!lJ»iagPsat
to be believed; therefore he repeats it twice, Ctmfdrijz*
comfort ye. (4.) That his confolation is fuch, as carries £»
niuch mercy in it, as cannot be taken up at tine lik&e.
(5.) That whatever favour or refreshing the Lord gra$, it
comes all through the channel of his mercy, and *fee pas--
don of his peoples tranfgreffions. Therefore, woffli|9 ya«a
have him to put an end to your warfare, and to 'bring Ms
enemies down ? feek the pardon of your iniquity, (&t„
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people^ faith the Lord .- Thei-.efca
he doubles it, jhat a fecond light may be taken of it, thxz
it is he that comforts his people, and that with the ticTrafjs
of mercy ; and the tidings of aecomplifhing their warCftre,
and with the voice of one crying in the wildernefs i whklk
belongs to the
2. Divifion of the words, viz. That before Clirift was
to come in the nefhj he would fend his harbinger awd (fore
runner, John the Baptift, to prepare his way before late,
by preaching the neceflity of repentance : So now the LofriS
is on kis way in coming to Scotland, to fit as a refiner's Sire,
to confume and purge away the drofs : He is therefore tie-
firing preparation of you, and defiring you to repetot,/swi
the kingdom of heaven is at hdnd. O then ? what fay yoa
to it .' will you yet put forth your hand to hold glorjotts
Chrift away? O loak to him whom ye have pierced aiasl
mourn ! Look to that Prince of delight, whom ye have'
made (with a very fore heart) to forfake his liabitadon*
Return unto him, for he is fe^kingto be reconciled to yea
again, and he hath fent this gofpel among you, *j prepare
you for his return ; and when he comes he will utterly dc-
ftroy enemies and backsliders : To dear this to you, consi
der Malachi's prophecy' of John, Mai. iv. 5, 6. «« Behold I
<¦ " will

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18 Upon IsAfta xxvi. 20.
judgments without : And he never lays on a blow but he is
ftill provoked to it ; and when he lays it on,' the tears are in
his eyes becaufe he rhuft do it, Lam. iii. 33. " For he doth
" not a'fflict willingly, nor grieve the children of pen :" Yea,
when his own turn their backs upon him, he lets them not
alone, but is ftill calling them back again, Zech. i. 3. " Turn
«' ye unto me, faith the Lord of hofts, and I will turn unto
" you, faith the Lord of holts." And alfp, when he threa
tens moft fadly, he fails not to make large promifes to the faith
ful, and to give them ample invitations to come to him for
their pleafure, and for their fafety, Came, my people, &q,
When the Lord is coming out of his place, to fit in judgment
upon the inhabitants of the earth, and to give out fentence
upon them according to their doings, and to punifh them for
their iniquities, he calls in his own people to himfelf, where
they are to be hid and preferved. O Stand ftill amazed ! and
wonder at his tender love "and fatherly care of his children,
who will not (Come with his cloak of zeal and cloaths of ven
geance, to give out, and execute his fentence of juftice upon
his enemies, until that he give his people fair warning thereof,
And alfo invites them into their Shelter and fafety which he
bath prepared for them. You know, Ezek. ix. 2. the Lord
fends forth, firft, " a man clothed in linen, with a writer's
*? ink-horn by his fide, to fet a mark upon the fore-heads of
" them that Sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done
u in the earth," and commands his men, with the Slaughter
ing weapon in their hands, to go after, " and finite, and not
" to fpare nor pity, but to flay utterly old and young, both
*' maids, and little children, and women •, but not to come
*' near thefe upon whom the mark is fet.**
Now the Lord hath men prepared, with Slaughtering wea
pons in their hands, to kill a Sacrifice at Bozrah, in the land
Idumea in Scotland, of prelates and malignants, and of back-
flidden minifters and profeffors: He is coming to be avenged
on that curfed- throne, and the fupporters thereof, for their
cruelty done againft him, and of minifters and profeffors for
their heinous treachery towards him : And this is his commif-
fion, and our charge unto you, to invite and to call you, and
all that will give ear unto this rock of ages for your Shelter,
to come unto the chambers of his prefence and protection,
where ye fhall be. faved with delight. 0 come my people ! In
which words ye have,
I. An invitation, Come. «
II. The perfons invited, or the determination thereof, My
people. III. That which they are invited unto, the chambers of
the Lord's protection and prefence, whereuntohe invites them
to enter.

S E R M O N I. 19
IV. Their carriage, and that which they are to do there,
Shut thy doors about thee, and hide thyfelf, as it were, for a lit
tle moment.
V. The fafety of thefe chambers, being an hiding-place,
Until the indignation be over-paft ; or rather the determina
tion of the continuance of their hiding, Until the indignatiafy^
he over-paft.
I. As to theory?, The invitation, Come; 0 come ! a home
ly word indeed : This is no lefs than behold me ! behold me !
Here is enough to give, arid here is willingnefs to give, only
come, only receive, only take, and ye Shall not want.
But to enlarge a little, we lay down a twofold doctrine.
Do-ct. I. There is both ability and ¦willingnefs in the Lord to
give you whatfoever your neceffity requires.
Ability. What would you have, Salvation and deliverance £
then -he is able to fave to the utiermoft all that come unto him,
Heb. vii. 25- Lift up your eyes and behold a wonder which,
ye cannot behold, behold a wonder which you cannot know,
and put forth this queftion, Ifa. lxiii. 1. Who is this that com-
¦etbfrom Ed'/rH, with dyed garments from Bozrah ? This that is
glorious in his apparel, travelling in the grealnefs of his ftxengtb ?
And his anfwer will be unto you, It is / that fpeak in righte-
oufnefs, mighty to fave. Gainfay it who will, the pleafure of
the Lord [ba.ll profpcr in his hand: He fhall fee of the trWvail of
his foul and be fatisfied-
And now, methinks, I heat fome of you faying, All that
is true, we can fet to our feals to it ; but, O i is he willing ?
there is our queftion. Willing indeed : He is not more able
than he is willing. . What are all his promifes but declarations
of his free willingnefs? What are all his fweet invitations but
to tell you that he is willing and ye are welcome ? He that
thirfieth let him come, and wbofie'ver will let him come, and take
of the water of life jreely. Ah! what fay you to it ! Give us
your feal to his willingnefs alfo. Go, fay you, why not ? ye
have, it. Then come away, there is no more wanting, fay,
come; we know he is willing, and we fet to our feal to his
willingnefs. But is he willing to receive me? Satisfy ce in
that, and then I will be right. Ah cheat 1 ye are taking your
word back again now, and lifting off your feal : If ye except
not yourfelf, he will not' except you : His invitation is unto
all, every one come, he that thirfieth, come; he ihat hath no
money-, come, Ifa. lv. 1, Now, why will ye be fo ill to your-
felves, as to debar yourfelves ? for be doth not do it; ye may
as well, and as rationally fay, that ye are not a body, as to
fay he debars you. His invitation is to every one. Now, a,f-
fent to this, and then, before you except yourfelf out. of this
invitation, you muft firft fay you have not a being, neither
of foul nor body. We fay, for you to think that he excepts
C 2 you,

20 Upon Isaiah xxvi. 20.
you, it is all one as to deny yourfelf to be one of the children
of Adam Now, O come, come niggard! what aileth thee ?
Come, what would ye have that is not in Chrift ? O that
fweet invitation, come! we cannot tell you what is in it;
there is a depth in it that all the angels' in heaven cannot fa- -
thorn : It is no lefs than Jcfus Chrift, who was delivered for
our offences, and was raifedfor our juftification, fpreading forth
his arms and inviting you ; he is opening up-himfelf, his all-
fufficiency and fuper-tranfcendent excellency, and calling to
all poor needy things^ come, here is enough for yOu ; give
in your defires, and you Shall have them Satisfied to the full.
What then have ye to fay to the bargain ? Come, come, it is
a rich commodity, and there is no Sticking at the price, only
receive and have ; the eafieft of all terms : There is no more
required at your hands. But, fay ye, ha fir, ye go without
your bounds, the invitation in your text is to his people only,
ye are then all wrong: We are not fo far wrong as ye trow,
for the invitation is to his people, to enter into their chambers,
and to all who will come and become his people, to enter into
their chambers, and fo this is a free market. We muft invite
all to come, ye who are enemies lay down your arms againft
him and come : Ye who are upholding his enemies, and com
plying with them in their finful courfes and abominations, by
paying them cefs and loyalty, and by furnifhing them meat
and drink, (which is more than a bidding them God fpeed^ ,
which the Holy Ghoft, by the mouth of John, forbids, fe-
cond epiftle of John, 10th verfe) quit the putting the fword
in God's enemies hands and come : Ye who have given bonds
to the adverfary, break your covenant with hell and death,
and come : Break your fworn allegiance to the devil, and come
and fwear a new allegiance to Jefus Chrift, and ye Shall never
rue it : Ye who compear before their courts, and pay them
fines, Whereby both ye acknowledge them who are robbers of
God, and call your duty your fin ; quit thefe courfes and
come : Ye who go to the curates, leave thefe perjured blind
guides and come : Ye who go to the indulged, leave thefe
traitors to God : Ye who go to the backslidden Silent mini
fters, leave thefe betrayers of the caufe, and deferters of the
crofs of Chrift, and come : Leave all thefe and follow him,
he is a true guide, and will be fo unto you : Ye who any ways
feek or take the enemy's protection, leave that and come;
come to him and ye Shall find chambers indeed both for fafe- ,
ty and delight: All ye that are Strangers to him come; ye
that are in nature come, and ye that know him come. We
muft preach that word, come, unto you fo long as ye are here,
until ye be tranfplanted out of this fpiritual warfare unto ce-
leftial tribmph. O Sirs ! come, come, alk what ye will and
be fhall give it ! O come, come !
Now,

S E R M O N I.. 21
Now, it were requisite here to Shew to you, who it is that
comes to Chrift, and who it is that comes not ; but it will
come as fitly in the fecond thing which we have noticed in the
words, and fo we proceed to it. The
II. Thing, ye know, was this, The perfons invited, or the
determination of the invitation, my people : Thefe are they
whom he invites to their chambers ; his people, they who fub-
fcribe to the terms of his covenant, which is, / will be your
God, and ye fhall be my people ; they who make a covenant with
him by facrifice, they who covenant with him only to be ac
cepted through the facrifice of his Son, apd who facrifice
themfelves by covenant away unto him ; they who efpoufe
him to be their God, and his quarrel and concernment to be
theirs. But before we enter upon what we propofed, we pro
ceed to the third thing in the words, to make way for it, and
fo Shall return. The *
III. Thing was this, Thefe chambers whereinto they are in
vited to enter; that is, the chambers of the Lord's protection.
and prefence. What are thefe chambers do ye think ? ASk at
Solomon, and he will tell you, Prov. xviii. 10. The name of the
Lord is a ftrong tower, the righteous run into it and art faved.
It is Jefus Chrift that ye are invited unto. Hence,
Doct. II. Thefe chambers are fife, and they who are therein
need not fear wrath.
See for the confirmation of this point Ifa. xxxii. 2. A man
fhall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the
tempeft, as rivers of water in a dry place, as a fbadow of a great
rock in a weary land. There is the defcription of thefe cham-,
bers ; they are chambers of fafety, no wind can win there in.
to them, no tempeft can overtake them who are there, ye are
without the flood-mark of the wrath of God; and they are
chambers of delight, ye will not want refreshing ; they are
rivers of water in a dry place, the fbadow of a great rock in a.
weary land; We cannot commend them unto you, for it,
paffeth the eloquence of angels to do it ; but enter thefe, and
ye fhall find more than we can tell you ; enter, and ye Shall
find more than ye will be able to tell yourfelves : Enter, we
fay, that is in the invitation. But ye will fay, How Shall we
enter ? What is requisite for our entering ? What will take
us in ? I anfwer, Faith. That is the thing will take you in ;
that is the key that opens thefe doors, the ufe of the means
and the exercife of faith, the hand of duty, and the key of
faith; but take notice, it is true faving faith ; it is neither
hiftorical, temporal, nor the faith of miracles, but it is faving
faith, whereby Chrift is only received and refted upon 5 it is
faith as an instrument apprehending the object, Chrift : L is
that, I fay, which taketh you in. But

2:2 - Upon Isaiah xxvi. 20."
But for your more clear uptafcing hereof, confider what is
requisite in true faving faith.
1... A deep fight and fenfe of your loft condition, that y«
are d'eftroyed, liable- to the wrath of God, and all the curfes
in the law.
2. A deep fenfe of this, that there is nothing in you, or
that ye can do, that will help you; it is beyond all created
power to recover you ; and fo not at all feeking to eftablifh a
felf-righteoufnefs, it is, Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you reft, Matdi. xi. 28.
3. Aright fenfe of the all-fufficiency that is in Jefus Chrift,
and his excellency drawing the heart out after him as all the
defire of the foul, and fo clofing with him. Therefore, ye
who remain fenfeleSs of your loft condition, have a care ; ye
are not yet in thefe chambers.
But that I may make it clear unto you, confider moreover,
if ye would enter into thefe chambers,
1 . Yemuft clofe with Chrift alone, there muft nothing have
a Share in the meritorious caufe in bringing you there but
himfelf alone ; ye muft not lay part of the weight upon him,
and part upon yourfelves and your duties : No, no ; he muft
either have it all upon his back, or elfe he will have none of
ii ! Therefore take^heed to yourfelves.
2. You muft clofe with full Chrift, as Prophet, Prieft, and
King : As a prophet to teach you his will : He muft be your
School-mafter : As Prieft, through whofe facrifice only the
Father muft accept you, a°d who continually makes interces
sion at his right hand for you : And as King to fway a Scep
ter in your foul, to rule you according to his own law, and
to caft down, and to caft out every thing exalting itfelf agaiaft
bis kingdom within you.
O take heed to this1, ye who regard not his will, ye who
give him not a throne in your hearts ; without this ye cannot
enter into thefe chambers : And aflure yourfelves, if he were
reigning in you, ye would care more, and contend more fot
his kingdom witbout you, and in the world. Take heed to
this, ye who care not though a tyrant poffefs his throne, and,
as it were fpoil him of his princely robes. Take heed to this,
ye who ftand not to hold down his kingdom by upholding
of his enemy's.
3. Ye muft, if ye will enter into thefe chambers, clofe with
^11 the inconveniencies that follow him : 'His crofs muft be
taken up, Luke ix. 23, 24. If any man will come after me, tit
him deny'himfelf, and take up his crofs daily, and follow me. For
whojoever will fave his life, fhall lofe it : But whofoever wiU lofe
his life for my fake, the fame fhall fave it. Whatever he calls
you unto muft be embraced : Your heart muft fubfcribe to
sbe reafonstblenefe and deCreablenels of everyone of thefe in-
con-

SERMON tl. *S
fionveniencies, but let us change their names, and call them
conveniencies and Chriftian advantages, and (o we may; for
theyare of fpecial good ufe to Christians; thefe are a part of
the difcipline of Chrift's School, and fome fay this is David's
me'aning, Pfal. cxvi. 13. where lie fays, / will fake the cup of
fafvation ; That is, as they fay, the cup of affliction, as that
wbereby the Lord works the falvation of his people ; and fa
indeed the cup of affliction may be called the cup of falvatkxn.
Now that is the way ye muft enter.
Ufe. O come away ! Let us hear what ye fay to it, Are ye
willing to enter this way ? Think upon it. This is the way
ye muft enter ; and in our telling of it, we may tremble to
think upon this generation, who will not clofe with thefe (fa
called) inconveniencies. We. have no Skill of people's -clofiirg
with Chrift, who will not clofe with thefe. But Oh ! what
fay ye unto us ? What is your reply r Is it not this, ** That
" neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
'* powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height,
" nor depth, nor any other creature, Shall be able to feparatena
" from the love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our%Lord f
Is this your faying r Then come away, take him, take on his
yoke; for his yoke is eafy, and his burden is light.

SERMON II.
Isaiah xxvi. 20.
Gome, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, andfhut thy dowrz
about thee : Hide thyfelf, as it were, for a little moment, un
til the indignation be over-paft.
THIS is the way that folk undo themfelves and forfake
their oivn mercies : That which ought to chafe them to
God chafes them out from him. All hypocritical convictions
only put them the farther away from the Phyfician ; fo it is.
with judgment, which Should put folk to their duties, they
are thereby put from it. When the Lord furbiShes his glit
tering fword of juftice, then it is to drive his own children
unto his own hand, Come, my people, &o
Ye know the laft occasion how we divided thefe words :
You know alf'o, how that before we left th&firft head, we
faid, it would be requisite to Shew unto yoa, who it is that
comes to Chrift, and who it is that comes not : But we told
'"" yoi>.

24 Upon Isaiah xxvi. 20.
you, that it would come more fitly in the fecond head ; yef,
to make way for it, we proceeded foreward unto the third
thing in the words : And now, having touched that a little,
we return again, as we told you we propofed to do, and fhall,
as the Lord will affift, open the fecond head, further declar
ing who are his people ; viz. Thefe, as we were faying, who
have made a covenant with him by facrifice, to.be accepted
only through the facrifice of his Son, and who facrifice away
themfelves unto him. In a word, it is thefe who are righte
ous, and live righteoufly. Thefe who are righteous, are thefe
who are fled into Chrift for his righteoufneSs, and have got
ten themfelves clothed therewith.
But that ye may the more clearly take up who thefe are
who come unto Chrift, before we give you fome marks of
them, and fome rules bow to apply thefe marks, we Shall firft
declare who it is that comes not.
1. Thefe come not unto Chrift, who come not from all Sin,
Ezek. xviii. 21. But if the wicked will turn from all his fins that
he hath committed, and keep all my ftatutes, and do that which is
lawful and right, he fhall fur ely live, he fhall not die. Ye fee
the condition ; it is if ye will turn from all fin, both omifiion
and commiffion ; from all fin unto all duty ; leaving all fin,
and taking up all Christian duty. Therefore remember, if
ye entertain any one idol, it will keep Chrift out. Many fay
of fome idol-fin, that they do not quit, as Lot faid of Zoar,
It is a little one, therefore let me brook it. But remember what
David faith, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not
hear me, Pfal. lxvi. 18. Remember this and deftroy not your
felves, ye who follow not grofs fwearing, drinking, or whor
ing, and the like, yet cleave unto your petty minched oaths,
and your idle vain difcourfe, and your light converfation. 0
remember this ! ye who have any one predominant whofe head
ye clap : Your right hand, and your right eye fins muft be
cut off, and plucked out, before ye can enter into the king
dom of heaven : I fay, if ye entertain any predominant, it
fpeaks out this, that ye would as well entertain all fins, if
your inclination were as bent upon them, and that ye do not
leave them, as they are hateful to God, but only as they are
not fo delightfome or hateful unto you. O take heed ! ex
cept ye repent and amend, ye fhall all likewife perifh. Remem
ber this, ye moral civilians, who are not chargeable wirh grofs
profanity in your private walk, yet have your hands imbrued
in blood, and have them defiled with public land-fins, which
procure land-judgments : Ye take a liberty to pay cefs, and
Jitfes, and tiends to Baal's priefts, and do many other things
to Strengthen the enemies of our Lord, and condemn his
caufe : I fay, take heed to yourfelves, except ye repent and a-
mend, yejball all likewife perifh. Remember this, ye who turn not

Upon Isaiah xxvi/20. 25
not to take up all Chriflian duties with you ; ye think k e-
nough if ye babble over two or three words at night and at
morn to yourfelves, y though you fet not up the worfhip of
God in your families; and if ye do that, ye think that e-
nough, though ye neither put to vour hand to act with the
Lord, nor.fympathize with his afflicted people, nor imbody
yourfelves in fociety with them, to cry for all the abomina
tions- of the land. O take heed ! except ye repent and amend,
ye fh-Jl all likewife perifh.
2 Thefe come not unto Chrift, who, though they may
come a great length, not to be chargeable by men, neither
with omiffion nor commiffion, yet reft there ; all that will not
take them to heaven. Paul, before his converfion (he re
ports of himfelf) Phil, iii 6. was touching the rieht'eoufnefs
which is of the law blamelefs. He was as trim a legalist as the
beft of yOu; but mark what he Says of himfelf, in the 7th,
8th, and 9th verfes, " But what things were gain to me, thofe
" I counted lofs for Chrift, yea doubdefs, and I count all
" things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of
"Chrift Jefus my Lord: For whom I have fuffered the lofs
" of all things, and' do count them but dung, that I may win
"-Chrift, and be found in him, not haVing mine own righ-
" teoufnefs, which is of the law, but that which is through
" the faith of Chrift, the righteoufnefs which is of God by
" faith." There is that ye mull only reft on, and no where
clie, but upon the complete and imputed righteoufnefs of J6-
fus Chrift : Therefore take heed how ye build..
3. Thefe cotne not unto Jefus Chrift, who feed themfelves"
up in that deluding fancy, that they have not lb. much need .
of him as others have, by reafon of their thinking their fins
to be but little fins. O ! fay Sjpme, I am not like the pro-
phane and wicked; what then need I fear? O poor fool !
mind what the apoflle tells thee, Gal.iii. 10. " For in fuch a
" cafe, thou art under the law ; and as' many as are of the
" works of 'the law, are under the curfe ; for it is written,
"Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which
" are written in the law to do them." A pen-knife can take a-
way the life as well as a broad fword, Indeed, I think the
cafe of the wicked and prophane is more hopeful than thy
cafe, becaufe they will be fooner gotten convicted of the ne-
csffity of repentance than thou wiit.
4 Thefe come not unto Chrift, who becaufe they meet
with favourable difpenfations, and great proofs of the Lord's
general providences, and thereupon conclude all is well with
them. Think upon what David fays, Pfal. xvii- 14. "From
" men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world,
" which have their portions in this life, and whofe belly thou
" filleft with thy, hid treafure : They are full of children, and
n .« le^ve

20

SERMON II.

" leave the reft of their fubftance to the babes. None know-
'<* eth love or hatred by all that is before him, Eccl. ix* i.
5. Thefe come not to Chrift, who think all is right with
them, becaufe they are not challenged in their confciences.
O mad fools ! whofe hearts are fealed with obduration ; the
faddeft place in all the fcriptUre holds forth your cafe, Hofea
iv. 17. Ephraim is joined to his idols: Let him aldire. When
ye drop into hell, the fire thereof will foon burn up that thick
ikin that is grown upon your confciences.
6. Thefe come not to Chrift, who reft upon their appre
hended forrow for fin. O .' fay tliey.J, am not fuch a fool as
to think all is well, hecaufe I want challenges, but becaufe I
have them : Remember Efau, remember Judas. Your build
ing upon your forrows and tears, is like a man that builds u-
pon a flow-moSs.
7. Thefe come not unto Chrift, who fall off the common
road of fin unto duty, and reft there : Mind what our Lord
fays of the conceited Pharifee, Lukexviii. 11, 12, 13, 14. that
though he was not an executioner, unjuft, nor an adulterer,
and fafted twice a week, and paid tythesofall that he had
poffeffed, yet he went not down to his houfe fo juftified as
the poor publican did : Yet ye will fay, I am far from fwear*
ing,' drinking, itc and have betaken myfelf to the fociety
of the people of God ; and I read and pray, <bc. therefore
all is well. O poor fool! thy cafe is worfe than ever. O!
we tremble \p think upon the multitude that pray themfelves
unto hell. This may be compared to David indeed, who kills
bis ten thoufands. What fhall I liken you to ? Ye are like a
man that diggeth deep down, and cafteth out the old earth,
but brings new earth of his own mould and fills up again.; and
goes not the length of the rock. i
8. Thefe come not unto Chrift, who eyen go that length,
as to affent to the fpiritual meaning of the law, and reft there.
This is much indeed ; this is a great length ; yea, a greater
length than the moft part of you who are hearing me this day
have come unto, and yet they are far from the kingdom of
heaven. Obferve that paffage, Mark xii. 32, 33. where a
fcribe anfwered our Lord, and faid, " To love the Lord with
*' all the heart, and with all the underftanding, and with all
•' the foul, and with all the Strength, and to love his neigh-
" hour as himfelf, is more than whole burnt-offerings and
" facrifices." To whom our Lord replies, verfe 34. "-Thou
" art not far from the kingdom of God.
9. Thefe come not unto Jefus Chrift, who have common
gifts, and reft there. O ! fay ye? I find a faculty of prayer,
J want nof words enough, and get them bravely let upon the
pins, and I have great knowledge of the fcriptures, and I am
ftraight and not byaffed in my judgment ; and what need fuch
• a, man

Upon Isaiah xxvi. 20. 27
a man as I fear ?¦ O deluded fool ! confider what Paul fays,
1 Cor. xiii. 2. " Though I have the gift of prophecy, andun-
" derftand all myfteries, and ail knowledge, and though I
" have all faith, fo that I could remove mountains, and have
" not charity, I am nothing." No doubt,' Judas had much
of this ; God will give gifts unto perfons, for the behoof and
advantage of others ; but when he gives grace, it is ay for
their own advantage ;- yea, the devil himfelf is better gifted,
and hath more knowledge than you all have
10. Thefe come not unjto Chrift, who fuffer many things
materially for the troth, and have fome Seeming fruits there
of, and reft there : Do not think that your fuffering your
goods to be fpoiled, and yourfelves caft out of your habita
tion, before ye comply with the enemy, is a ground, from
which ye may conclude all to be right : Nay, I tell you, as
the apoftle fays, " Though ye Should beftow all your goodt
" to feed the poor, though ye give your body to be burned,
" and have not charity, it profits you nothing," 1 Cor. xiii. 3.
Yea, the fame apoftle fuppofeth, Gal. iii. 4. that there may
be much fuffering in vain, " Have ye fuffered fo many things
" in vain ? if it be yet in vain." There are many of you that
are fuffering this day materially for Chrift -, materially we fay,
and not formally; for hypocrites never win to fincerity in,
their doings and Sufferings, nor to do them as to God ; and
yet ye will get hell to fuffer in through all eternity ; yea, a
man when his Credit is ftraitly engaged, he may give his life
for the caufe, and yet get hell for his reward.
11. Thefe come not unto Chrift, who have only a histori
cal and temporary faith, inftead of a faving faith ; though ye
fhould believe all the truths in the Bible, yet that will not a-
vail you, the devils believe and tremble ; yea, though ye
fhould give your general affent to the way of Solvation by
Chrift, yet unlefs ye receive and embrace him, and reft upon
him, all will be for nought : Look the cafe of his people, Ifa.
xlviii. 2. Who call themfelves of the holy city, and flay themfelves
upon the God of Ifrael ; but what fays the Lord of them, Yet
not in truth, nor in righteoufnefs. O take heed what ye are
doing ! and do not deceive yourfelves, for ye may win this
length, as to be convinced, that it is good'to come unto Chrift,
and think ye have done it, being blinded by your pride, and
may fome way comfort yourfelves as if ye had done it, in this
your prefumptuous dream, and yet really never have done it ;
never really have been brought to deny your own righteouf
nefs, and to receive Chrift, relying only upon him for attain
ing of life through his righteoufnefs and fatisfaction. ' fy
12. Thefe come not unto Chrift, who have only the com
mon operation of the Spirit upon the affection within, and
refting there, conclude that all is well with them. We have
already

a8/ S..E R M O N II.
already fpoken of the danger of refting upon apprehended
forrow for fin, for there may be much alfo of the fl.ifhes of
joy, tendernef's, and heart-meltings, which hypocrites may
have at fometimes by another, Confider thefe who were
John's hearers, John v. 35. who far a feafon rejoiced in his
light. O! beware of golpel-hypocrifies, take not flafhes for
converfion. If it could be determined how great a length hy-
pocrifes may come, we think it would lift here. O what Shall
we fay of it ! do what they will, and come as great a length
as they can, they never come unto Chrift, who are not fully
denied to themfelves,, and pofhively reft only upon Jefus Chrift
for j.uftification and fanctiiication. True f nth hath two voices,
(1.) It calls and cries, O Sinner ! lean not to thyfelf, reft not
there. (;>.) O linner ! reft on Jefus Chrift, and lean unto
himfelf.* Use. Now, O, believers ! fearch and try yourfelves, fet
about it earncftly, this is your work, and it will not be done
Slumbering and Sleeping. There are many of you here this
day, who are not come the length of fome of thefe fteps
which we have named ; yea, ye may come through them all
every one, and if ye go not further, ye will never win to
Chrift: 'And in his name I ttll you, Except your righteoufnefs
exceed the righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pbarijees, ye cannot
enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Ye know we gave you fome hints of thefe who are the
Lord's people, viz- thefe who have come unto Chrilt, and
are made righteous, and live righteoufly : And for the more
clearing of it, we now declare who thefe are who have come
unto him, by giving fome marks and evidences how the fame
may be known. We are not now fpeaking of being in Chrift,
as a creatpre by creation and prefervation, nor as a member
externally, but as a member internally and effectually. But
ye will fay, how is this ? Anfw. By the ftricl union and com
munion betwixt Chrift and believers, which flows from the
ftrictnels of the bond ; to wit, his word and Spirit on his part,
and fahh and love on their part. Now, we fay, how will
that be known ? Well, we will give you thefe marks ; there
fore try yourfelves.
For, 1. If. ye be come to Chrift, then ye will find in you
a hatred of fin naturally, and a defire to all good, though of
ten ye may fail it) the performance, Rom. vii. 15 "That
" which 1 do, I allow not, for what I would, that I do not,
" but what I hate, that 1 do" 1 John iii. 6. " Whofoever
" abideth in him finneth not ;" to wit, 1. Purpofely. 2. Wil
lingly. 3. Affectionately. 4. Not unto death : For the Lord's
people have, (1.) Grief^ (2.) Care to recover. (3.) Fear to
Sin . O can ye run on in fin without returning and care of re
pentance ? If it be fo, ye are not in this living root. o If

Upon Is,aiah xxvi. 20. 29
2. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will find' this in you,
a right and high efteem oif the Lord's mercy ; h? and his fal-
va.tion, will be only precious in your eyes. Blcffed is he whofe
tfanfgrfiffion is forgiven, whofe fin is covered, Pfalm xxxii. 1.
That will be your thoughts.
3. If ye be come unto Chrift, ye. will find this in you, a
love unto all the ways of holinefs, as well as unto happinefs
itfelf : Yea, your heart will be fo drawn after that noble de
vice of falvation, feeing all the glorious attributes of God fo
Shining therein,, that ye wouid in no ways be content to go
to heaven another way, than that glorious way, though it
could be had; and this is all the Lord requires of you, only
a pleafing the device. " This is the brazen ferpent, which ye
muft look unto for healings. O come away.
4. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will find this in you,
an acting upon God as he acts upon you : Hath he called
you i then ye will call upon him ; hath he juftified you ?
then ye will juflify him.
5. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will find this in you,
a Self-denial, and a daily taking, up of the crofs, againft your
own inclinations, the doctrine and practice of mortification ;.
and a cutting yourfelf Short of carnal delights will be defired
by you.
6. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will be fubject unto
him willingly, and yield fweetly unto the fwaying of his Scep
tre in your foul. •
7. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye are fubject unto him
univerfally in all his commands.
8. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye are fubject unto him
Sincerely in all things, feeking his glory. *
9 If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye, are fubject unto him
constantly, obeying him without wearying.
10. If ye be come unto Chrift, then his word abideth in
you, 1 John ii. 14. If that which ye have heard from the
beginning remain in you, ye fhall continue in the Son and in
the Father, it muft abide in you, fo as your mindunderftands
it, your hearts affect it. O how ill hath that which ye have
read and heard, remained in you ! few, few be in Chrift.
n. If ye be come unto Chrift, ye will find his Spirit lead
ing you into all truto, John xvi. 13. Teaching and leading
unto, and confirming you in all duty ; but do not miftake,
we mean no enthufiaftic Spirit, but his word and Spirit which
he hath conjoined together, Ifa. Ivi. 21. My Spipt which is
upon thee, and my words. which 1 have put in thy 'mouth, fhall
not depart, &c.
12. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will find Lis Spirit
convincing you of fin. 13. If

3°

SERMON II.

13. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will find his Spirit
ruling and commanding you, cafting down all things exalted
againft Chrift's kingd9m.
14. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye will find his Spirit
in you by Supplication, leading unto fenfe of fin, and appre
hension of the neceffity of mercy, which makes fervency, let
ting the foul fee God only appealed in Chrift, and S'ealeth
the truth of God's promifes and records in his word, on thy
foul. ' '
15. If ye be come unto Chrift, then ye may find faith in
you, that will be your Stay in all States, actions, temptations,
and afflictions : This is hard to find out, yet it may be found
out; if ye have a defire for it, ye may have it. '
16. If ye come unto Chrift, then ye will find an admirable
change in you, a new fpirit without guile, a new judgment,
new defires, new affections, love, hatred, forrow, joy, new
fenfes, eyes, fmelling, ears, tafte, and feeling.
Use. Now find ye thefe, or any of thefe marks really in
you, then doubt no more, misbelieve no more, all is fure, ye
are come unto Chrift, and feeing ye are come unto him, prefs
always for more and more of his likenefs, for a progrefs in
fanctification. Remember, 1 John ii. 6. He that faith he a-
bidetb in him, ought himfelf alfo to walk even as he walked. And
k leads us *unto the '¦•
III. Thing in the opening up of this point, to wit, To de
clare who are his people. They, as we were faying, who are
righteous, and live righteoufly. Now thefe who are righte
ous, are thefe who have fled unto Chrift, and they indeed live
righteoufly. Yet to make it more clear, we Shall in Short tell
yon, who thty are who live righteoufly : Thefe, to wit, in a
word, Who walk as he walked.
Omnia nos Chrifli vita docere poteft.
(1.) They live righteoufly, beginning all things with God,
referring all things to God.
(2) They do all things by the warrant of the word, con
temning their own wills, that they might do the Lord's : Net
my will, but thy will be done : They muft lofe their life, 'be
fore they lofe their obedience.
(3.) They walk holily, Be ye holy, as I am holy, John iii. 3.
Every man that hath this hope in him, purjfieth himfelf, even as
he is pure.
(4.) They walk fruitfully, they go about doing good ; O
fad ! not only the unfruitful walking of this generation, but
even the Humbling that they are in.
(5.) Thev walk juftly, not wronging any. Thefe are they
who live righteoufly, who walk fo as Chrift walked : O ! ho*
few righteous livers are ainongft you, and theie only are his
people,

Upon Isaiah xxv'1,'20. 31
people, righteous perfons, righteous livers, and it is thefe'
whom the Lord hath chambers for.
Now we proceed to the rules how to apply thefe evidences,
1. Though ye find them not all, yet if ye find one or more
of them really, then comfort yourfelves.
2 If ye find not what formerly ye have found, labour more
to renew the Same, than to feek a fight of the old.
3. Do not try yourfelves in the hour of temptation.
4. When ye find marks and evidences, do not reft upon
them ; fo^s though ye have them, they may foon begone.
5. Do noifpurfue fo much to Satisfy your fenfe for thepxe-
fent, as to have a folid well-grounded, affurance for the time
to come.
6. Be not fo defirous to know what ye are, as what ye
fhould do. Spend not your time in queftioning your ftate4
as ye do, but ule the means of real union and communidn
with Chrift : This is the fhorteft and fureft way.
7. Judge not yourfelves by the meafure of your'graces, but
by the Sincerity of them.
8. Compare not yourfelves too much to the faints, bujt
judge yourfelves by the word. ,,
9. When there is a ferious wreftling againft corruption,
though not meeting with any fenfible victory, yet caft not a-
way your hope. Paul tells you, Rom. vii. how far a child
of God may be enflaved by a body of fin.
10. Fiemember, ye have to do w,ith God in a covenant of
grace. Now, what more Shall we fay ? We muft end as we
began. O ! come away, come away to Chrift, this Prince
of delights, come and enter into thefe chambers, and for your
encouragement take thefe motives.
1 . Come away and enter, then your condition will be ho
nourable with Chrift.
2. Comfortable. All your debts are' paid.
3. Rich. All that Chrift hath, grace and goodnefs is all
thine. 4. Fruitful. He purgeth his branches,
5. Safe. He takes all your quarrels upon him, your head
will be above the water.
6. It is the only State of perfection, which is in him, and
derived to us. "
7. Then all the promifes are yours.
1 8. It is a fure ftate ; in this life ye have Strength againft
temptations ; my grace is fufficient for you.
9. In death, affurance. They that Sleep in Chrift, perifh.
not. 10. In the day of judgment, boldnefs ; O come away, the
chambers are every way pleafant, and every way Safe, come
away, the indignation Shall not overtake you. The

32 S E R M O N II.
The Lord is come down with an univerfal deluge of wrath,
upon the generality : Come away, and ye Shall be hid. O!
be is willing, he is willing, he would not have fent this mei-
fage to you this day, if he had not been willing : And now,
when ye are keeping a fall-day unto the Lord, who hath
"given you this call, Pray that he would help you rightly to
improve it; I fay, O improve it rightly, by your anfweririg
of it.
But ye will fay, how fhall we improve it ?
Answer, i. Improve it, by feeing that it is only of the
Lord's free mercy, that he hath given it, Ezekiel xxxvi. 22.
I do not this for your fakes, 0 h'oufe of Ifrael, but for mine holy
name's fake.
2. Improve it, by being thereby the more Stirred up to
your duty, Pfalm cxvi. Becaufe he hath inclined his ear unto me,
therefore will I call upon him as long as 1 live. Hath he heard
your prayers in this ? Then be more in prayer, and be more
fingle in prayer, and all other dutiesj than ever heretofore.
3. Improve it, by loving the Lord himfelf, who hath grant
ed you \t, Pfalm cxvi. Hove the Lord, becaufe be bath heard my
voice and fupplication.
4. Improve it, by feparating yourfelves more from the abo
minations of the time, by making clean hearts, and clean
hands, Pfal. vi. 8. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, the
Lord hath heard the voice of my fupplication.
5. Improve it, by having a high and becoming efteem of
the ordinances, yet keeping in its own room, and not refting
upon it, but feeking unto the Lord himfelf, Amos v. 4. Seek
ye me, and ye fhall live, but feek not to Bithel.
6. Improve it, by anfwering his call therein, and let not
the "Lord' have it to fay of you, that after long and many re-
fufals, Yet 1 came and ftretched forth my wings, and would have
gathered you, as a ben gathereth her chickens, but ye would not.
0 let him not have that to fay, Come away, come away, En-
icr into your chambers, andftmt your doors about you, and hide
yourfelves as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be
tverpaft.
The preceeding preface, lefture, and fermons, were the firfl [Jublic
days work, which Mr. James Renwick had in Scotland, which was
at Darmead in Clydefdale, Nov. 33d, 1683.

PREFACE

C 33 J"
PREFACE.

ELOVED, the apoftle Paul fays to the Corinthians,
/ am jealous over you with a godly jealoufy ; fo that I
may fay to you, Sirs,
I. I am jealous over* you with a great jealoufy, that the
moft part of you that are come here, are but mere black athe-
ifts ; fo that if there were an impartial fearch made on each
of us, although we are living in the midft of the church, it
is to be feared, that the molt of you who are come here,
would be found very atheifts'; but think not, becaufe you
are living in the midft of the church, that the judgment of
God when pafling through the land will mifs fuch, or pafs
by you ; nay, it will find you out, and that ere it be long,
for he is coming to judge, and the books will be opened, and
all that are atheifts fhall perifh.
2. I am jealous that the moft part of you who are come
here, will not win through the Storms, which are coming on
thefe lands, for all that we have met with is little, to what
is coming ; and the moft part will fall, yea, there are many
that have come through many Straits and fuffering, that will
not win through the Storm that is coming, as it was with Peter,
when he went down into the Sea, he walked a while above the
water ; but after, when the waves began to blow hard, he
began to fink; when the ftorm increafcd he fainted, even fo
I fear it be with many of you ; yea, even thefe who have en
dured ftorms and difficulties heretofore, I fear a growing
ftorm will make you to fink ere all be done ; yet I would not
have you to think that I am uncharitable in fo faying ; but I,
fay it, to make you Seek Strength to Stand. O feek the in-
creafe of all grace, and especially of faiih, againft this ftorm
come on you.
,3. I am jealous over you, as to your willingnefs to come to
Chrift, O firs, are you willing to come to Chrift, and to have
your will changed ? It is the confent of the will, that will
carry you through with the confent of the perfuafion ; for
the perfuafion will not do your turn, but you muft receive
him with the confent of the will alfo ; O then receive him So
in fear, and in love, and feek to be kept in his hands. ' .
4. I am jealous over you with a great jealoufy, that many
of you know not what you are Seeking, whereas your many
inconveniehcies, difficulties and difcouragements in your way,
do call you to Search, try and know your errands ; O feek a
right impreffion of the majefty of God uponyou, So milch
for' the firfl thing that I had to fay to you. ..* '
E And

34 LECTURE n.

\

And the feccnd thing I have to fay to you, is fome things I
would require of you that are come here. , And,
i. I require you to feek a right impreffion of the' majefty
of God upon you, that you may be fuitably exerciled there

unto. *:V

2. I require yoii to be Sincere in feeking of God ; for Sel
dom any get Chrift in the ordinance that come for other
ends ; it is true, fome have gotten good of the ordinances
that came for other ends,, but it is very rare ; however, be
what you will, or your ends what they will, we with you to
be profiters by your here coming.
,3. I require you to come empty, O come empty of all
things ; O the fenfe of your necefllty would make you with
Jacob to fay, / will not let thee go, except thou blefs me, for
thou only can help me in whatever condition I am in.
4. I require you that are come here, to look to the Lord,
for your profiting in your here coming ; O ! we are but poor
empty creatures, and have nothing to, impart unto you, there
fore we befeech you to look to the Lord, that muft give and
bellow on you that which muft and can do you good, O
then look unto him for your profiting and gain in your here
coming.

<:;<

LECTURE II.

Psalm xxiii. 1,  6.
1. The Lord is myfhepherd, I fli all not want. „
2. He makethme to ly down in green pa/lures : He leadeth me
befide the ftill waters. x , -,
3. He reftoreth my foul : he leadeth me in the paths of righteotif-
nefs for his name's fake.
4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the fbadow of death,
I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy
ft a ff they comfort me.
5 . Thou prepareft a table before me in the prefent'e of mine ene
mies : thou anointeft my bead with oil, my cup runneth over.
6. Surely goodnefs and mercy fhall follow me all the days of my
life : and I will dwell in the houfe of the Lord for ever.
MY friends, we would be a bleffed company, if we could
fay with David, The Lord is my fbephcri ,• if you could
once Siy this, then you m%ht lay claim to all the reft that is'
in

Upon Psalm xxiii. i,  -6. 35
ia the pfalm. Now the pfalmift lays down here, many brave
conclusions from the Lord's being his Shepherd ; and by thefe
he comforts himfelf. And the
*,::Conc'uSion he draws from this, is, that he leads him in
green pastures, and by the quiet and Still waters ; whereby is
to be underftood, abundance of all things needful for him in
fpirituals' and temporals, which he enjoyed with much eafe.
and pleafure, like as a flock of Sheep coming to quiet waters,
get eafy drinking thereof, with all eafe and conveniency, with
out impediment.
2. He concludes, That he fhall be well fed and nourished,
there was no doubt of plenty, they fhould (meaning himfelf
and all the truly godly) be fed as with marrow and with fat-
nefs in his paftures.
3. He concludes, That he leads them in righteoufnefs, as
if he had faid, there is no doubt of their Straying here, for
his way is perfect and /converts the Sinner; therein making
them perfect in righteoufnefs. ^
4. His pafture is a fure pafture, for fays he, he wjtll be my
guide, bis rod and bisftaff is with me ; and being mentioned
here, the rod Signifies his correction, and his ft-aff imports his
government, or holds out his kingly office and power, that
he rules by his fovereign authority.
5. There is this held out in this pfalm, that this pafture
is a pleafant pafture, and full of Spiritual dignities j'and holds
out his affurance of his fruition and enjoyment thereof all
bis life.
6. There is this alfo held out by this pfalm, his duration
and continuance in that bleffed and happy eftate.
Now we fhall obferve fome things from thefe conclusions,
which the pfalmift lays' down here ; . and fo from thefirft con
clusion that he is his (hepherd, we fhall obferve,
, 1. That the pfalmift in fo doing, doth it after the manner
of men ; and yet God is not angry nor difplea-fed with him for
this Style : You know that a Shepherd is not much in refpe'et
with the world ; and yet our Lord Stoops fo low, that he con-
defcends to take on him this Style of being a Shepherd. And
kence we may fee, his love to his church and Sheep; as alfo,
that he will be careful of them and lead them.
2. That before a perfon can draw any fure conclufion of
their ftate, they muft get him to be theirs, or they muft have
an intereft in him ; O then Sirs labour to get him to be your
God !» O.get him to be your King ! get him to be the object
of your love abov"e all things ; and then fear not, you fhall
not want any thing that he fees good for you. It may be fome
of you think that you have many ftraits and wants as to the
world, yet look on that as God's good dealing, with you, fince
he fees it better for' you to want than to have your defire
E 2 therein;

36 L E C T U R E II.
therein ; what is good the Lord will give, arid what would
yo"u have more than take all well out of his hand ? '/**
3. Obferve, That the Lord who is a good fhephercf, leads
his people in a good pafture, though the World thinks our
cafe very fad •, and though enemies caft out the people of
God to hunger and die in the* fields, yet they Shall be fed for
all that, arid Shalt grow and flourish ; O then firs ! get Chrift
to be your Shepherd, and you Shall get life, you Shall get grace ¦
and glory, yea, and your wildernefs fhall become a fruitful
field, and you fhall not be barren.
Next from the fecond conclufion that he draws, which was,
that he fhould be fed, from that, obferve,
1 . That though the people of God be overcome fometimes,
yet he will come and re (tore life and health again ; or tbns,
though they be like to be fwallowed up, both as to their fpi-
rituals and temporals ; yet there is a day of restoration com
ing, in "which they will be revived again : but ah ! I fear there
be many of you fo ignorant of God, that you do not difcern
between his prefence and his abfence ; and you that are fuch,
know not what that reftoring or reviving is.
2. Obferve, Tfiat there is no fafety in fuch a Stumbling day;
but to feek to be led and guided of God, now when all are
out of the way ; and for my part, I know of nothing that will
bring or fet folk right, and keep them right in fuch a day,
but a deep impreffion of the wrath of God, and of the caufe
of God upon your fpirits, and a deep impreffion of your duty
to God, and to your generation ; and never think you will
be right while you come to this, and to look only to God for
your leading and guiding.
3. Obferve, That you muft look only for good in and thro'
Christ's merits, and no other way, it muft come all thro' that
channel, and not for any thing in you, or ought that you'can"'
do ; but look to God, who muft come down and condefcend^
to you, for you will never be able to come up to him,, he
muft (to fpeak fo) make the travel, for we cannot do it ; 0
firs ! here is a broad field and large pafture to feed on, there
fore, Q firs ? come here and be fatisfied with this fruitful
field of Chrift's merits and bounty.
But next from the third conclufion, viz. That in the Lord's
moft righteous paths, is the fafeft pafture. Obferve,
1. That the people of God may be in that cafe, that they
cannot tell where they are, they may be in great trouble of
fpirit, and great darknefs, and go through many a fad and
dark Step, Ifa. xliii. 1. Yea, they may go through many a
weary ftep, ere they come to the:ir outgate from under thefe,
yet fear not, it will come in due time ; you would ay be at a
world of eafe without any feck of trouble, you would be at
that

Upon Psalm xxiii. i  6. 37
that to have two fummers in one year ; but you muft refolve
to have dark fteps, to let you fee your need of his guiding
and leading you.
2. Obferve, The people of God will not do anything right,
and they will fear and dread any thing; till once they get a
faving fight of Chrift, and their intereft made fure in him ;
and then they will be bold, they will not fear, neither the
fear of fin, nor the fear of the punifhment ; O get this ! and
get faith in exercife ; in the affurance of this, you may brag
in your ftrength, for faith is a great bragger ; but you may
ftill fee this, that it never brags in the creature, but in God,
who can deliver out of all troubles and every difficulty, when
he fees his own time ; and we may fay this, that ftraits and
difficulties fhould feed and embolden, the faith of the people
of God; for, if you would afk at David, What it was that
madehim fo fearlefs and confident ? Here is the reafon of it,
the Lord is with me, or thou art with me. O firs ! feek to get
the Lord with you ; but feek not the aflurance of this perverfe
generation, feek not the affurance of compliers and their con
federates ; but feek that the Lord may be with you, and 11a-
vifh fear Shall flee away, and the fear of man fhall flee away.
3. Obferve, That God hath Shewed the instruments where
with he leads and guides his people, viz. bis rod and his fluff,
that is, his correction and government, doctrine, and dif-
cipline, by which he leads, ' governs, and feeds his people to
their great comfort.
4. Obferve, That by fanctified trials, he makes his people
a wife people, fo that fome times, and in fome refpects, they
become wifer than their teachers; O firs ! get this pafs and
abfolution, viz. That you are interested in him, and that is
wifdom ; but, though you Should be abfolvedby all the world,
if you want this, you fhall be rejected of God : O then ! feek
your intereft in him, and then all other things Shall be fure
to you. . •
Next from the fourth conclufion, which he lays down in
this pfalm, viz. The furenefs of the believer's portion, tho'
in fight of their enemies.
1. Obferve,,, That believers Shall not want anything that
fhall be for their good ; O believe this ! that even when you
are meeting with robbing and fpoiling, and calling out of your
houl'es, and are cruelly.ufed by enemies, fo that you are be
come a by-word and derifion, a proverb and a hifling, yea,
a wonder 'ha Ifrael, yet in all that, you are meeting with no
thing but what Shall be for your good ; O believe this ! be
lieve this firs ! ,and look to Chrift who hath a broad back and
ftrong arms to bear you up in all thefe ; O firs ! do not com
ply with enemies, but betake yourfelves to Chrift, and plead
your necelfity from thefe things, that he may be your guide, and

3S LECTURE II.
a®$; get your intereft made fure in him, and you fhall not
want what is good ; and as you will readily profefs, that you
will trult your fpiritual concernments to him, fo let your tem
poral wants be on him alfo.
2. Obferve, That his people Shall be fed, were it even in
the prefence of their enemies ; although they feek to Starve
you, and to make you miferable by their acts and laws, which
they put out againft you ; yet, though they feek to deftroy
you, fear not, neither for your fpiritual nor- temporal necef-
fities, for they Shall be feen to ; dare any of you fay, for all
that the enemies have done, -that ever you had caufe to com
plain ? although they have done all that they could to cut off
*he life both of foul and body, yet you are fed in both.
3. Obferve, that the people of God are not only fed, but
they are fed to the full, fo that their cup runs over, and he
anoints them with oil ; oil is faid to make man's face to Shine,
and it is taken in feveral places of fcripture for the graces
of the Spirit, as a parable of the t6n virgins, &c. but here j
k Signifies their fatisfaction in all their neceffities in foul and
body. And from the fifth conclufion that he draws from this
pfalm, viz. His holding out of God's favouring of him with
his goodnefs,
Obferve, 1. That we are to look to God for tha doing of
the. work himfelf, for his own name's fake, and for nothing
in us moving him to it ; He fays in another place, it is not
for your fake, but f°r his own name's fake that he doth this.
2. Obferve, That the believer's inheritance Shall be made
fure to him ; all things in the world Shall vanish away ; but
the believer's portion Shall never fail, nor vanifh away.
Sixthly, and loftly, From the fixtb conclufion that he lays ,
down here, viz. That the Lord is his dwelling-place, and'-'
that he Shall have a fure abode in his houfe. Obferve,
1. That believers, and fhey that are really interested in him,"
fhall dwell with him for ever ; he hath a lure abode for that
fiarty, They fhall go. no more out, &c. O firs ! here is the be-
iever's happinefs, which goes far beyond any temporal hap
pinefs in the world. O! who is able to defcribe this place
of happinefs ? It is a place of continual loving, a place of
continual longing, and a place of continual Satisfaction to all
eternity. .
2. Obferve, That* it is a place of continual continuing and
ghode ; it will never end, it will continue for evermore : All
other inheritances, pleafures, and enjoyments will cOme to an
end, and to many they will come to a Sorrowful and mifera
ble end, but this is an enduring Subftance, an inheritance that
lafts for evermore.
Now

SERMON III. 35>
Now the Ufe we draw from all this, is an ufe of inflruc-
tion. O firs ! feeing there are fo many fweet things to be hal
with, and in Chrift, O then! come and accept of him, and
receive him on his own terms. O firs 1 get an intereft' in
him ; get him to be your Shepherd, and you Shall be led in his
way, and Shall get food to your fouls. To him be praije far
evermore . Amen.
SERMON III
Canticles ii. 6.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth em
brace me,

NOW, my friends, I would inquire at you who'ars
come here this night, Can you fay any thing to pur-
pofe concerning true manifestations ? Now, lay your hands
to your hearts, and fee what you can fay concerning thefe
things. But I may almoft fpeak as well of thefe things to the
¦(tones and dumb creatures befide you, as fpeak of them to
many of you : -And, O but it be fad ! that a people who hav«
lived fo long under the drop of the gofpel, fhould be fo igno
rant of thefe things wherein lies the bleSTed State, and happy-
lot of believers ; yea, inftead of that, ye rather look like a
people come to fee a Stage play, than like a people come to
Seek Chrift in the ordinances. O but Chrift hath gotten a
bad requital among yon I But to come to the words. Here
you have the fpoufe, her laft expreflion or words, <&c.
The laft day we were on thefe words, ye heard one doc
trine delivered and explained ; and now, not to refume it,
K\ve come to a fecond doctrine from the words, and it is. this,
Doct. II. That believers may attaints nearnefs with 'God,
and the affurance of an intereft in him.
See for proof of this many places in jhe Pfahns, where my
Lord and my CW is expreffed : And John xx. 28. And Tho
mas anfwered and faid unto him, My Lord, and my God. But
mlftake not the faith of adherence for the faith of aflurance ;
for faving faith may be, where affurance is not yet attained
or made clear: But it is clear, that where the faith of affur
ance is, there is alfo the faith of adherence.
Now, from the doctrine, I Shall fpeak to thefe three things.
I. Shew

do SERMON III.
I. Shew you how to attain to the faith of affurance ; and
in order thereutito,
i. You. mull retain nothing that will darken your intereft
in Chrift: And fo you muft not entertain any idol in his
room ; for none who have true love to Chrift will retain love
to their idols, but will give all their heart to Chrift; and,
with Ephraim, will fay, What have I to do any more with idols ?
Hofea xiv. 8,
2. You would be much in the exercife of right fear ; he
will give his love to them that fear him : This is not a Slavifh
fear that I am fpeaking of, but a filial fear ; and that is a
true godly fear.
3. You muft have much tendernefs. O feek a tender heart
to mourn for all the wrongs that are done unto God in the
land ! O but much ftupidity and want of tendernefs appears'
greatly among you, which greatly mars your affurance.
4. Be diligent to get an intereft in God, through Jefus
Chrift. O! this will not be gotten done negligently: You
muft give all diligence to get it done, and to attain it, for
Sleeping will not do the turn : So then, do not think that
you will attain it, as long as you are indifferent and negli
gent. 5. In order to this, you muft get a deep fenfe of your loft
condition. Study much the law, that thereby ye may win
to fee yourfelves loft in Adam ; for without the right taking
up of the law, and your own loft condition by the breach
thereof, you will never be perfuaded to feek after that blefied
Days-man, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is the only Redeemer
of God's elect, to deliver you out of that loft Slate and con
dition, which by nature you are in.
6. Then you muft feek. a deep apprehenfion of the love of
God in Chrift Jefus : His love is a free love, there is nothing
in you that can move him to pity you : O feek to have much
of this manifefted unto you, for thereby he gives you this af
furance. 7. Meditate much upon the precious promifes, held forth
to believers in the fcriptures through a Redeemer. O but
there is great comfort in the believer's lot, who meditates
much on ths promifes which are given to Support and com
fort his people.
8. Be much in the exercife of the faith of adherence, which
is the direct act of faith, in order to the attaining of affurance
to the believer ; and though it be not fo comfortable to them
that have it as the other, yet it is as fure.
9. You muft get the Lord's teftimony, by his word and
Spirit, that your intereft is fure, that you may be confirmed
in his way and teftimony. II. A

Upon Canticles ii. 6. 41
II. A fecond thing. to fpeak to from the words, is concer
ning fome advantages of the faith of affurance. And,
1. The firfl advantage of the faith of affurance, is, that
mortification is much carried on thereby, to any thing in
time, or that comes in competition with it, and any thing
that folk claim as marks of this faith of -iSfurance ; if mor
tification be not. carried on by it, and advanced, they have
reafon to doubt of that affurance, and rather to conclude that
to be a delufion.
2. The fecond advantage of affurance, is, that it makes
them more humble who have it. After Paul won to the af
furance of his intereft, he called himfelf the leaft of faints.
O but humility be a pleafant thing in the elect ! Yea, it makes
them very pleafant.
3. The third advantage that attends the faith of affurance,
is this, they are much quickened thereby : The pf ilmift made
this clear, when he fpeaks fo often of being quickened. And
for my part, I like not that affurance that doth not ftir up
and quicken' to duty in fuch a day as this.
4 The fourth advantage that attends the faith of affurance,
is, it makes them to go confidently to God in a ftrait : For
as the perfon looks on him as his God, fo they come boldly
to him, holding forth their intereft in him, making that an
argument of being heard, or that he muft hear them.
5. The fifth advantage that attends the faith of affurance,
is, that thereby Chrift is more precious to them than all o-
ther things ; for although- he be an undervalued Chrift in this
generation, yet he is precious to them. O prefs forward for
this mark of affurance!
6. The Sixth advantage that attends the faith of affurance,
is, that it makes them to be more in the duty of praife, and
to fay with the pfalmift, Pfalm cxviii 28. Thou art my God,
and I will praife thee. And it makes them, to long more for
him, and for more of his fulnefs. O firs I if ye had right im-
prcflions. of his fulnefs, ye would be longing to be with him ;
yea, ye would give him more ado.
7. The Seventh advantage that attends the faith of affur
ance, is, that it will help the;n to endure in Sufferings, either
in fpirituals or temporals ; yea, what is it that the faith of
affurance cannot help them in ? It can make them to efteem
a fcaffold or imprifoamerit (or. whatever would look terrible-
like to others) forChrift and his caufe, to be a pleafant thing,
and delightfome beyond all time's things ; yea, thefe count
the day of their death the moft joyful day that ever they faw,
when fuffering for his caufe V though indeed I think that thefe
who Suffer for Chrift, who have only the faith of adherence,
glorify God moft ; but thefe who have the faith of aifurance
in their Sufferings, find moft comfort.
F Now

42

SERMON IIL

Now the ufe that I would make of this point, is,
I. An Ufe of reproof, to thofe that quit Uhrift for ~ the,
world, and will not be at the pains to try whether they have
an intereft in Chrift or not. So then, come away, Sirs, try
yourfelves, now you have an offer of Chrift, will ypu not
then try whether you be in Chrift- or not ? O firs ! come, re
ceive and embrace him ; but if you will not be concerned, or
affected, nor receive and take the offer off your hand, then
you will be great lofers and not he, for he Stands in no need
of you, but you of him ; fee then who will be the greatest
lofer. Ufe 2. Submit to God, being in the ufe of means, for this
faith of affurance; but as for, the faith of adherence it is al
together neceSfary for falvation ; yea, you muft be peremp
tory in it, for it is effential to falvation.
Ufe 3. Of reproof, to thofe who difpute God's purchafe,
thefe who believe the devil's Suggestions, and will quarrel with
God for what he doth.
Ufe 4. Of reproof, alfo to thefe who will not go about duty.
O be intfeated to fet about your duty ! though all Should go
againft you ; and though you fhould not meet with that fuc-
eefs in duty that you would be at, yet prefs forward.
Ufe 5. Is of reproof to them that content themfelves with
any thing that looks like fenfible prefence, and never prefs
forward for affurance for the time to come, fince fome of his
dear friends have win at it in time, as you find recorded of
that great and worthy martyr, Mr Qonald Cargill, who, wh«;a
on the fcaffoldi declared that.it was near thirty years fince
he was fure of his intereft in God, and all that time he durfl.
never queftion it, fo you may fee that fuch a thing is attain.
able in time.
Ufe 6. Is of reproof, to any that feek more to know what
.they are, than to know what they fhould be and do ; but if
you would do right, feek to win at a well grounded^ and
well ordered walk, in order to your winning at affurance ;
and this is both the fweet 2nd the fafe way; it is Sure and
fefe, I fay, when rightly attained, therefore let this be your.
ftudy and main endeavour at all times.
Another general doctrine from this head is, . ,
Doct. III. That Chrift walks with delight among believers.
The firfl chapter of Revelation is a proof of this, for there
Chrift is faid to walk in the micHl of the feven candleftlcks,
meaning the feven churches ; and in the fortieth Pfalm, it is
Staid he delights to do his Father's will. O that it were our
delight to do him fervice ! He hath pleafure to behold poor
things feeking unto him, and putting their iruft in him. Q
but believers be a pleafant fight to him ! he compares them to
the

Upon Canticles ii. 6, 43*
the lilies in refpect of other common herbs ; for the church is
"to Chrift, as the lily among thorns. O believers! will ye
come and be partakers of his divine nature, and you Shall be
like him, and pleafant unto him, and he will greatly delip.lu
in you, and walk amongft you : I need not prove this fur
ther, but any improvement and enlargement that I fliall make
thereon, fliall be by way of ufe. And the
1. Ufe is of exhortation. O firs! admire at this love of
Chrift that he hath unto believers. It is faid, that the hea
ven of heavens cannot contain him, and yet that he dwells
with him that is of a humble and contrite fpirit. O won
derful ! that he will dwell with vile dull. O then ! wrap up
yourfelves in admiration at his low condefcendency.
Ufe 2. Is of advice. O then ! admire the happy condition
of believers, they fliall dwell in the houfe of joy and delight
for evermore : Who then would not quit and relinquifh all
things to be at him ? O then ! firs, quit your idols, and
make choice of the rofe of Sharon, and him who is the lily
of the valley.
Ufe 3. Is of inftruftion. O firs ! is it with believers that
Chrift will dwell ? Other.! come and clofe with him, that
not only will dwell with you, b-jt that can do ail things for
you, and unto you. O come unto him ! But, O many of
you are a Stupid generation, who will not be affected with
your own miferable and loft cafe and condition though he be
offered unto you ! But here in his name we invite you to come
and clofe with Chrift, and he will dwell with you. md you.
fhall have all things ; but if you refufe, we leave it at your
door as a witnefs ag.iinft you. O firs! here I proteft againft
your having any right, either to the faith of affurance or ad
herence, if ye come not and clofe with him as he is offered
in the gofpel: But, O come and clofe with him! and then
ye may lay claim to the faith of adherence and affurance that
are to be had in him : O come, come !
Ufe 4. Is of inftruc7ion<, O feek to partake of his righteouf
nefs aryd likenefs ! and as he is holy, O ft ok to be holy like
unto him ! O let this furnace you have been in, and yet are
in, this long time, part you and your drofs ! Now pray that
it may not only difcover the drofs that is in you, but that it
may part you from your drofs, and that you may be made to
rejoice now, and in the end to ling fongs of triumph. And
together with a good walk and practice, labour to get the
caufe rightly ltated in your hearts, and then you fliall not be
permitted to comply with enemies in the leaft 5 and whatever
enemies, and fuch as comply with them, feek as a Sign of
yielding or compliance from you, refufe them in that, be it
never Co little ; for the time is come that ye muft fr-ffer. O
F 2. then!

44 S E R M O N IV.
then ! fludy to fuffirr cleanly, for that will be peace of con-
fcience unto you in the end of the day.
And now, what think ye of yourfelves that are not come
to Chrift yet? O! while it is yet time, come and feek ac
quaintance with him, and halt not between two opinions, do
not reft on uncertainties, but feek to get it fure : And you
who have your intereft in Chrift, I fay, fee that you know
that you have it, and feek for more confirmation in it, and
for more communion and fellowfhip with him, for in it is
your life, in it is your reft, in it is your joy, and in it is your
comfort : I fay, in the knowledge of it you will find peace.
Now to him who can give you this affurance, and the con
firmation of it, and peace therein, we defire to be found giy-
ing praife. Amen. ,

S E R M O N IV,
Isaiah viii, 17.
¦J&fid 1 will wait on the Lord that hidetb his face from the houfe •
"•¦*" °J J:,cob, and I will look for him : Behold I, and the children
whom the Lord hath given me are for figns and for wonders in
Ifrael.
TH E prophet, in the former part of this chapter, has
been threatening the overthrow of the adverfaries of
Zion ; he comes alfo to threaten fad judgments on the mo
derate lands, which they,fha!l not be able to refill cr efcape
from : And withal he ferves an inhibition upon all the Lord's
people, not to jom with the decliners in an evil time : And
for preventing their deftruction, he exhorts them to fanclify.
the Lord of hofts in their hearts, and only make him their
fear, and cleave clofe to him ; and if they will do fo, he pro
mifes to be a fanctuary to them : But all that join with de
cliners, in an ill time, he threatens their overthrow. But the
prophet thinking thefe words would have no Weight, except
with a very few : Therefore he commands to feal up the law
among my difciples ; and then he hints, at the duty of the
godly in an ill time, and of their lot : Their duty is to wait
on the Lord ; / will wait on the Lord that hideth his face, Sec.
where he fpeaks of himfelf in the name of all the godly ; and
truly he tells what will be their lot who refolve to be waiters, and

Upon Isaiah viii. 17. 45
and it \s this, They fhall be figns and wonders in Ifrael. Now,
he hints not only at the children begotten by his miniftry,
that they fhould be made figns and wonders among the un
godly and profane,, but alfo the children who, by their abiding
faithful, though mocked at, yet their abiding faithful Should
tie God to the church.
And then he warns them not to go to charmers, or dead
dogs, but to the living and true God, to the law and to the
teftimony. He encourages them to go to God, and not to
charmers ; he threatens dreadful Strokes on them who go to
thefe charmers : They fliall curfe their king and look upward,
and they Shall receive no comfort from any of thefe whom
they have followed. Now, in the text there is,
1. The fad cafe of the church of God, held out in thefe
words, that God is faid to hide his face from the boufe of Ja
cob. 2. Ye have the ordinary lot of the church of God in that
cafe, they may expect to be made figns and wonders in Ifrael :
to be gazed on, and mocked at : But there is a mitigation in
thefe words, it is from me the Lordofhofls - As if he would
fay^ feeing it is from the Lord of hofts, we ought to bear it
the better.
3. Ye have in the words, the duty of the people of God
under that fad lot, and that is to wait on the Lord till their
fentence come from him, until he plead their caufe and exe
cute judgment for them.
Doct. I. Many times it falls out to be the lot of the church
of God, that he hides his face from them, Ifa. xlvii. 13. Truly
thou art a God that hides thyfelf. This is often the complaint
of the Lord's people in Scripture. For clearing cf the doc
trine, I Shall fpeak to thefe things :
I. What is meant by the Lord's hiding his face.
II. "What be the caufes why the Lord does fo.
III. Too, what is the duty of the people of God in that
cafe when he hides his face.
I. Then, what is meant by the Lord's hiding of his face .'
For anfwer,
1. By hiding of his face is meant, the Lord's overlooking
or Teeming to Hand aloof from noticing his people's cafe :
Hence the pfalmift complains, Why ftandeft thou afar off, and
how long wilt thou hide thyfeff ?
2- By the Lord's hiding of his face is underftood, the re
straining of his Spirit in the ordinances, and keeping back
his influences therefrom, when the word of the Lord has not
that kindly effect and operation on hearts as it has had formerly,
but. their hearts are hardened from his fear : Hence the pro
phet complaineth, Why haft ihou hardened our hearts from thy
fear ?

4* S E R M O N IV.
fear? And it is juft in befide that word, Where is the found
ing of thy bowels ? f. x
3. By the Lord's biding of his face, is meant, the Lord's
sieftrainrrtg the Spirit of prayer, Ifa. lxiv. 6. Our iniquities like
the wind have taken us away, there is none that call upon thy
name. We have not a heart to pray, and he gives the reaffln,
For thou bides tbyfelf.
4. By the Lord's hiding of his face, is meant, the Lord's
keeping up of his mind from his people. The Lord is doing
ftrange things, but his people they complain ; we fee not our
figns, there is not a prophet among us that knows how long, Pfal.
ixxiv. 19. And Job complains of this, that the Lord paffes
by on the ^right hand and on the left hand, and he could not
take up what he was doing. I confefs, when the Lord wraps'
Top his mind in the public ordinances, it is the faddeft of all
the former ways that he hides his face.
II. A fecond thing for the clearing up of the doctrine,
why it is that the Lord hides his face from bis people. I con
fefs it is hard to tell all the reafons the Lord may have ; but
it is very rare to fee, neither can we fay that the Lord hides
his face from a whole land for their trial, though he may
hide his face from a particular perfon for the trial of their
faith ; but not readily from a whole land but for the punish
ment of their fin, and that becaufe there is no land fo- clean
and upright, but, the Lord may have many things againft
them : But the reafons I Shall fpeak of, why it isthat the
Lord hides his face, are,
1. Sin feparates between God and us. Many grofs and
grievous tranfgreffions have filled this land and defiled ir, fo
that the Lord has no more credit and honour by his people.
2. The Lord hides his face in .the public ordinance, for
the defect of the people in their approaching to God in them :
There is hypocrify and a defect in our frequenting ordinances,
few cofne to hear with a refolution to practife what they hear,
Micah ii. 7. Is the Spirit of the Lord ftraitened ? do not my
•words do good to them that walk uprightly ? If ye deal not de
ceitfully with God it will not be. Thence I give the reafons
as particularly relating to the former caufe of God's hiding of
bis face. But,
3. The Lord hides his face, ih refpect to the pouring out
She fpirit of prayer, becaufe the Lord has not a mind to make
Jiafte to deliver the church : And I give this as a reafon,
becaufe, Pfalm x. 17. it is faid, Thou wilt prepare their hearts,
and incline thine ear to hear. Whenever the Lord has a mind
to deliver a people, he ufes to pour out the fpirit of prayer.
4, The Lord Sides his face, in order to the keeping upof
his mind in the ordinances, that he may reduct his people to
pure believing or nothing at all: .For as long as we have a
puefs

Upon Isaiah viii. 17. 47
guefs whereaway God is going, it is eafy to know where he
will land : But when God hides his face, and we have no
open vifion as to his returning to the land, then try what
thoughts ye have of God, or of his church and work in the
land. III. What is the duty of the Lord's people in that cafe when
he hides his face ?
I. His people will fearch and try their ways, and turn a-
gain to the Lord : This is thought a common truth, yetk,
is a good old truth. Many look for vain things to be done
as their duty ; but I affure you, till the land, and efpecially
the godly in it, fearch and try what is the evil of their owa
ways, and turn from it, ye need never expect peace with God,
or that he will be at peace with the land again : For this was
the way that his people took of old, Lam. iii. 40. Let us feared
and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord. Therefore
go, and take with the evil of your own ways and your own
fin, or ye fliall not fee a fight of God in hafte again -. Yea
more, if ye do not fearch and try your ways, vengeance will
be upon the land.
2. When the Lord hides his face, it is the d-uty of all the
godly to juftify the Lord in all that he does, andtojxidgcyour-j
felves guilty, and lay afide your ornaments, and lie in ths
dull : Ye do not believe what weight it has to lay afide your
braveries and in in the duft before him : It is not a time now
to buSk with braveries when ye Should Sit in fickcloth ; and
ye would expect favour from God, therefore be humble be
fore God : Many of you are ready to fay, the king and no
bles and minifters have the blame of what is in the land ; but
no man fays, What have I done ? ' but till every one look what
he himfelf has done, and juftify the Lord, and fay that he hath.
done nothing contrary to the covenant, which is, If ye for
fake him and break his law', he hath faid, that he will chaftife
you with rods of men. I ("ay, till ye do fo, ye need not expect
that your trouble will ceale. Remember that it was tqk! you
in the name of the Lord ; ye are ready to let this word pafs
by you lightly, but it fliall find you out, and wknefs againft
you one day.
But thirdly, When God hides his face, it is the duty of his
people to Strengthen what remains ; Is there any thing left i
I pray you Strengthen it : Go and take with you words, and
though there be no more left but words, make ufe of thefe,
and fpeak ye often one to another. Is prayer left you ? I pray
you ply it well : Can you pray better with others than your
alone? then ply it well: And whatever, duty ye C2n come
beft fpeed in, make it yodr care to go about it*, whatever re
mains ye would ftrengthen that ; it is the will of the- Lord to
do fo, if yei'do it not, ye know what is thveatned, Rev, 5:j.
Strang fun

43 S E R M O N IV.
Strengthen what remains that is ready to die, for he threatens
to come upon them as a thief unexpectedly or fuddenly.
4. When the Lord hides his face, it is the duty of all his peo
ple (who doing the former three) then to wait on the Lord,
and expect good from him to you and to the church ; let If
rael hope in the Lord from this time forth and for ever: And
that word, wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he fhall
ftrengthen your heart. Wait, I fay, on the Lord with cou
rage, reflect back upon the ground of hope ye had long fince,
and fee what ground ye had more than now : Had ye hope of
the thriving of the work of God when it was low before ?
then ¦ what grounds of hope want ye now that ye had then ?
Is armies gone ? is the fpirit of prayer gone ? and fhall the
hope of Ifrael depend upon thefe things ? in a few men in
arms ? and the blowing of the Spirit ? This is all our hope,
we had armies in the fields whofe rottennefs is too vifible this
day ; and Shall the ground of your hope and expectation be
founded upon the blowing of the Spirit, in prayer, which
flowed more from th.e profperity of armies arid fuccefs in other
things than in any thing elfe ? Did not many of you fay between
God and you, that after Alafter MacDonald's days ye would
no more be afhamed of your hope in God ? and likewife in
the duke's days ; and alfo when the English did invade the
land ? Then why Should ye be afhamed to hope in him no-v ?
For Ufe, 1. I would ye were all convinced that God is hid
ing his face at this time. There is no doubt, fome think,
thefe are the beft days that ever they faw, but dreadful is the
cafe of fuch. Let not my foul enter furety. There be fome
that faith, The ark is returned out of the land of the Pbiiiftines.
I Shall fay no more for confuting of the opinions of fuch, but
this, I fear ye fhall (ere all be done) mifs in that ark the two
principle things.
(1.) The two tables of the law written by the finger of
God. (2.) Aaron's rod bloffoming.
2. When our covenanted God hides his face, then turn to
God, and take with the evil of your ways.
3. Be ferious in all the titles of God's worfhip, and diligent
in ail thefe.
4. Wait on God and expect good from him, if ye do the
former three.
Doct. II. A fecond doctrine is, When God hides his face,
then faithful minifters and their converts are for figns and won
ders 1 fo much faith the text, Behold I, and the children -whom
thou haft given me are for figns and wonders. David faith,
I am a wonder to many, it is clear from fcripture. In fpeak-,
ing to this doctrine, I Shall fpeak to thcfc things : •$
I. That

. Upon Isaiah viii. 17. 49
I. That it is fupponed, that faithful honeft mmift.rs have
fome children begotten by their miniftry in ihe work of the
gofpel. II. Thefe children are the gift of God.
III. There is a mutual intereft between the two, to wit, the
minifter is the parent, and his converts are the children
IV. It is ordinary for faithful men to be put lirft to the
trial. V. Suffer the minifter what he, will, it is the ordinary lot
of the honeft minifter and his conveits to be both one, Spe
cially in being made figns an d wonders in an evil time.
1. Then it-is fupponed that l.dihful isi'milter? have converts
ordinarily. When the Lord lights a candle there is great
light. So when the Lord places an honeft minifter, tlure is
fome work there (though oftentimes they are few.)
2. Thefe converts are ordinarily hid and obfeure from fome.
3'. Th the lime of trial they appear who .ire children of that
minifter, for if they appear not iii the time of trial, I have
no fkillof them.
4. Thefe converts are the gift of God ; and b re ye would
remember that a minifter cannot convert any of himielf, and
therefore has little tb boaft of, or to glory in,
2. The people have not the minifter to thank, they have
none to thank but the great God for their coriverlion.
Yet, 3. It is their part and duty who are minifters to la
bour, as it were, in pain to fee if they can be inftruraents in
forming Chrilt in any whom they have the charge of.
4 There is a common intereft between the minifter and his
converts, and that is,
1. In regard of fpiritual things, they have one Lord, one
faith, one baptifm ; and that word that edifies the people,
edifies the minifter alfo.
2. In regard of f\mpathy, what troubles the one, troubles
the other alfo ; and what makes the one lad, makes the o-
ther fad alfo ; and when the minifter rejoiceth, the convert
rejoiceth alio.
3; As to giving and taking, there is a mutual communion
of things, temporal, all things are, as it were, common, the
one will not have, and the other want.
4. Take notice of this, that it is moft ordinary for m.. li
fters that are moft faithful, to be put (lift to fffering in an
ill time, the reafon is, becaufe they are ordinarily moll free
in difcharging of their duty in an ill time, and that lays them
open to the malice of the adverlary.
2. It comes to pals that thefe converts and children, be
gotten by his miniftry may appear and be difcovered who were
obfeure and hid before. , G 3. It

50 S E R M O N TV.
3. It is becaufe the Lord in his providence gives them a
thorn in ihc flefh, left they fhould be exalted above meafure : and
this comes to pafs, to keep them humble : For, although the
Lord has made them forth-coming for him, yet he expofes
them to ftraits. Then it were good for all to judge oft-times
as the Lord does. There is a time when God appears in the
church openly, and Shines on them, then they are hondura-
ble ; and there is a time when God hides himfelf, and then
they are miferable, they are then for figns and wonders.
But the laft thing in the doctrine is, That ordinarily honeft
minifters and their converts Share of one and the fame lot, ef-
pecially in being madefigns and wonders.
1. They~are noticed as Strange and Singular perfons who
trouble Ifrael.
2. They are made wonders, as they become the common
difcourfe of the country, and of the time.
3. They are faid to he figns, as to their entertainment. It
ufually gives a proof of the temper of the time, according as
they are dealt with ; men may judge of the goodnefs and bad-
nefs of the time.
• 4'. They are for figns, as to their deportment and carriage,
k is a cldar proof and Sign that may be looked for on the
ehurch : His people they are to take God for their party ia
, an ill time. Whence ye would confider, that there is nothing
falls out to the people of God, but that which is according to
the determinate purpofe of God ; there cannot one hair fall-
from their head without his providence. Hence it is faid,
They have done to thy Son Jefusi, according to thy determinate
purpofe, Acts iv. 27, 28. and no more they could do.
1. "He had thoughts of peace towards his people, come
more what will, Jer. xxix. 11. / know the thoughts that I
think towards you.  Thoughts of peace and not of evil to
give you an unexpected end : Seeing the Lord leas thoughts
of- peace towards his people, then it fays, He doth not willing
ly ajflitl his people ; 'therefore they are to fearch out the ends
and caufe of affliction.
2. The thing falls out according to the purpof: of God;
the inftrumems are not. the lefs guilty, and fliall not efcape
judgment in due time : Yet it' concerns all the people of
God to take him as their party, and to Study to have him
on their Side, for it is the great work that the people of God
have to do. - -^
Then for Ufe,- 1. Tins fhould compofe and'quiet the hearts
of the people of God much, fo that more or- Jcfsrcannot be
done, nor what God hath determined.
2. Fix in your hearts the faith of this, Thai he hath thoughts.
of peace towards you. Get me the man or the woman that
bath chofen him as their ire ifuri hid in the field, and has rec*
kr»ned

Upon Isaiah viii. 17. ji
konetPhim as the pearl of price, and valued him at the higheft
rate ; they may wait for peace according to that word, Zech.
vi- 13. And pe fhall fit and rule upon his throne, avd he fhall be
a Prieft upon his throne, and the counfel of peicc jh ill be between
thcmpofh, or between them two. What two? to wit, the
offices of Chrift as King and Prieft fettled and fixed, and the
peace of the people between them, fo that as he can no more
remove thefe two offices of Chrift, neither can the peace of
bis people be removed, for they are alike fure fixed.
3. Lay afide your paffion at men, go and fecure your inte
reft in God, get him ou your fide, or all is in vain, Man is
not your party, but the Lord God Almighty.
Doct III. A third doctrine is, Let God hide himfelf as he
will, he is aj/ hid within doers : For litre it is Said, The ftroke is
from the Lord who diecllcth in mount Zic;:, he hath his abode
there. Hence,
1. We would remember that the Lord dwells not in his
church, as one not concerned nor afflicted with her cafe : No,
no, he is ever mindful of all her concerns, and thefe that
touch his people, tone!- the apple of his eye: He is concern
ed in the good or iii that befals his people.
2. As long as God dwells among his people, he hath fome
work to work amongft them, he is not there without work.
3. Though it be true that he be in the church, yet he is
not tied to any particular church in the world Since the days
of Ifrael : He engaged himfelf to the people of Ifrael till the
Meffiah.came, and he has engaged himfelf to return again un
to them.
4. Though it he fo that he be not engaged to any particu
lar church, yet there is fome church has moie ground 'to ex-
pec! his abode th'an others, which I take to be Biitain and
lreiand ; and that for thefe grounds and preemptions.
1. Becaufe' I take Biitain and Ireland to be a part of the
ends of the eauh that was given to Chrift, Pfalm ii but be-
fides this, th.u this is the very parcel of ground he intended
for that end and ufe ; for the Lord did take poffeffion in thefe
lands beyond any land fince the apoftles days.
2. Thefe lands have fworn themfelves away to the Lord,
moft Solemnly, Signally, and frequently : Seven times has
Scotland been Sworn away to the Lord, in little more than the
Space of an hundred years. Wherein 1 grant thefe covenants
have been broken, for which the Lord has plagued thefe lands :
And as there lias been no breach of covenant formerly like
this ; lo 1 think no plague has come like that which we may
expect yet: Seeing there is a party in the land who adhere
'to thefe covenants and have given teftimony for them ; and
that parry is counted of God for a generation or holy feed and
G 2 Subftance

52 S E R M O N IV.
fubftance of the land : Then God and thefe will not Shed yet,
if they abide by thefe covenants.
A fecoud prefumption, That God will not part with his
intereft in Scotland, England, and Ireland, is this, That there
was no land wherein the work of God wis at fo high a pitch
fince the apoftles days And do ye think that the Lord will.
o\crth'.cw that work ? I think not.
A th'rd prefumption is this, Tint according to the words
of the text we prel'ume to fay, the Lord is in his kirk in Bri
tain and Ireland ; and that is a pood token yet, that he will
help us, and that right early. The Lord is y<=t amongft us.
'1 hen for U'c , i . Y.'e are a part of the church of God, fee
ing there is lo xueh of the true ordinances amongft us.
2. Seeing God is in the church, then he is not far off; if
ye will leek well, le.k him therefore ferioufly, for he is wil
ling to be found.
3' Though God be not abfolutely tied to any particular
church 'fince the days of brael; yet from the forefaid pre-
fumptior.s we are not without hope that God will yet abide
amongft us, and will help us, and th.\t right early.
Doct. IV. A fourth doctrine is, That when a people is
Shaken out of all confidence, then their duty is to wait on God.
And that,
i- Becaufe we are commanded fo to do: Wait on the Lord'
is often commanded.
2 Ye would wait en the Lgrd, becaufe of the promife that
is annexed to thofe that wait on him, they fhall never be a-
jhamed. 3. To wa't on the Lord, is the moil quieting and compofing
pollure one can light on in an ill time, ii is good to hope and
quietly wait on the Lord.
4. Wait on the Lord, for it has been the work of the people
of God in the days cf old Pi "am exxx. M: foul waits for the
Lord, more than thofe who wait for t':e morning.
5. To wait on tb'e Lord has always a joyful iffue,- Ifa. xliii.
Lo, this is our God, we hxve waited for b m. we will rejoice in
him But that ye may know when it is your duty to wait
or,:y .-./;,<; the L-rd, I fhall in the next place Shew you,
1. What proceeds or goes before watting.
2. What it is to wait, or what waiting does import.
- 3. What follows -wa'ting upon the Lord.
Firfl then. The thing which goes before waiting, and the
duty itfelf is holden out in this chapter, Say not a confederacy
to whom this people /halt fay a coiv'cderacv, that is, let not their
words make y>m afraid, but only fantlify the Lord f hefts, in
your hearts, th.u is, only be afraid for angering God. But,
2- Confider there is a promile held out to fuch as make God
ikeir fear, ver. 14. Hefbaiibcforafaniluary to you. But;
- 'There

Upon' Isaiah viii. 17. 53
3. There is a fad threatning pronounced on the common
multitude who joined with the time, and declined therein,
He will be a ft one of ftumbling to them : For in that forefaid
14th verfe, it is but a promife held out to thefe that walk a-
right, and a threatning againft them that comply and go
wrong in an ill time. Then,
4. There follows a wrapping up of the law or ordinances
among Chrift's difciples, or the people of God for a while.
And next there follows the. duty of waifing, which imports,
1. A terminating of the heart with an expectation only on
God for their help, and none elfe, as Pfalm lxiij, 5. My foul,
wait thou only .upon God, and upon no other thing ; and it is
like that word, Pfalm lx. 11. Give us help from trouble, for
vain is the help of man.
2. To wait on God, imports this too, That their expectation
is more on God himfelf, than any other thing, they expect
that he will do for them by any created mean : God can give
you means, but, and ye get not himfelf, it is no matter what
ye' get: He might fend back your minifters to you for a
plague, and not for a mercy : Therefore plead for himfelf
with them, and be peremptory, and fay, and thou go not with
us, Lord, take us not hence, but flay us all here. So I fay, ye
would p'ead move for the prefence of God, than for any means
under heaven.
3. To wait on Cod, imports a fubmitting to the feafons of
outgate, and the lot and the ordering of it; and all that con
cerns you under the trial.
4. To wait upon God, imports a prefent refolution to abide
at their duty of waiting, ay and while he Shew what elfe
they Should do ; for waiting on God is Still your duty when
ye are in the dark, and can ufe no means for your own re
lief. 5. Thefe things follow on waiting, as it is clear from the
text here.
* 1. Refolve to he. for figns and wonders in Ifrael ; and once
ye turn waiters on God, ye muft refolve to be perfecuted,
mocked, imprifoned, banilhed, and reproached.
2. There is great temptation follows waitmg on Cod.
3. There will be few public men left to preach the gofpel,
or to confult with in that dark time : He fays, to the law and
to the teftimony. Ye muft .make ufe of your bibles inftead of
your minifters. _ ' -
4. The manifeft vengeance of God fliall be on them that
go wrong, that fliall be their lot, who are in oppolltion to
the work and pebple of God.
Then for Ufe, 1 . Hear your duty and work in a dark time,
go and wait on God, and pretend no ignorance ; fay not, What
fhall I do ? I fay, Wait on the Lord, and judge yourfelves hap- py

54 PREFACE to LECTURE III.
py that the thing which is your duty, men cannot take it
from 'you except they take your life.
"2. Refolve to have temptations under that lot to caufe you
to go wrong : Therefore Study to be clear in your judgment
oi the honefty of Chrift's caufe ; and for that end, be weil
acquainted with the fcriptures,. and ye will fee your duty
there. And taftly, Believe this, that the wrath of God abides the
wicked, arid thefe that go aftray from him ; and all that they
took, pleafure in before Shall be made to forfake them, or be
iffibktered to them in that day, when the waiters on God fliall
come to the enjoyment of thefe things that they wailed for.
Let us pray. ,

PREFACE.

MY friend?, I would afk you, if ever you think the Lord
will return to Scotland again : for indeed there are
many things that fpeak very fad things to our lands, and de
clare it to be very hard to conclude, that ever he will return
to Scotland again ; but yet for all that, there are fome things
which fay he will return again to Scotland, which are yet as a
door of hope to us ; fo that our hope is not without good ,
ground. And the
i. Proof, That he will return again to Scotland, are the
many declarations of his mind that he hath given to his pro
phets and minifters, that he will come again, and make it a
glorious land with his gofpel ; and his martyrs have Sealed
it with their blood, and died in the faith of his return fo this
land: And Pfalm ii. 8. hath. a reference to this, that the
outtnoft parts of the earth are given to Chrift in poffeffion,
and for an inheritance that he may rule over them.
2. Proof, That he will return to Scotland, is, becaufe it
is his land of conqueft ; Chrift hath been at much pains to
bring this land into fubjection to himfelf ; and therefore do not
think that he will quit his inheritance, that hath coft him fo
dear : Did he not take much pains upon our land by govern
ing and guiding it ? And did he not make his fervants beftow
their ftrength, yea, their blood upon it ? And think ye that
be will quit that which hath coft him and his fo dear i No, he
will not, but will yet return, and make it a glorious church
and land in fpite or all his enemies. 3. Proof,

PREFACE to LECTURE IK. 55
3. Proof, That he will return again to Scotland re, be-
canfe it belongs to him by covenant, it was a land dedicated
unto him, a land which fware allegiance and fidelity to bias,
for did not our fathers covenant themfelves away unto ham
and their pofterity, their lives and goods, and all that dtejr
had, to be his ? and fo, Did not we all become the Lord's by
formal covenanting with him ? And did not we fubfcribe that
covenant, and-, become his by mutual confent, and formal
compact, that ourfelves and our land might be his ? yea, to
be his, and that on many refpects, which can never be nul
lified again : So he is, our covenanted God, and tlierefEare he
will return again to our land.
4. Proof, That he will 'return again to Scotland, is bss
leaving us fome pledges of his returning agai», jby his accep
ting of Sacrifices and testimonies of his people and re-mmaots
hands : For, hath he not received the blood of martyrs »a
fcaffolds, Seas, and fields thefe feverals years, and haih made
them all die in the perfuafion of it, that he will return agaia
to Scotland ?
5. Proof, That he Will come again to Scotland, is this,
that he is not fetting up a pure church in any place clfe-
where, for there is no land or church in the world, as yet
that hath, or is like to get the wand-hand (fo to fpeak) of
Scotland, for purity in reformation ; fo that this in humi
lity we may fay, that not only he hath known us of all the
families of the earth, but alfo in a fpecial manner hefides, and
above all the families of the earth.
6. Proof, That he will return again to Scotland, is, the
great impreffion of it that is upon the fpirits of his people,
the moft faithful in the land have been perfu acted of it: 0
then ! why Should we doubt it, and fince he will come agaia,
What will-he do ? Anfwer, When he returns, he will let ysa
fee that he is come feafon ably; fo then fear not, doubt nos,
that he will come again, for he will come and t'.iat feafona-
b'y; to hold In. his people's life, when all hope, appears to bs
gone. When we appeared at Pentland, Botbwel, Drumclog,
and Air's-mofs, we thought it then time, but he faw far o-
therwife, and has let us See by all thefe, that there was more
need of difcoveries than deliverances : O ! what need of dif-
coveries, and O ! what difcoveries have there been Since ? fij
that we fliall be made to fay, he did wifely that flayed. And
yet we would have you perfuaded of this, that he will ftay n<j
longer than he Sees it fit for his own glory, and his poor
church and people's profit. His coming will be a terrible
coming to his adverfaries -, yea, fo terrible, that they ihall b§.
ready to cry, Hills and mountains fall on us, and hide us frot**
an offended Majefty, whom we have pierced with our fins, aa4

$6- PREFACE to LECTURE III.
and undervalued by our lightly efteeming of him ; O firs !
that day will be a terrible day to the wicked, who know not
Cod ; But his coming will be a glorious coming, for he will
make his juftice to appear, and fliine in fuch a way that it
fhall fcatter all from before him that are prefumptuous and
unjuft Sinners ; yea, all fuch fliall be destroyed ; and in that
day he will be glorious, and that in many refpects ; yea, the
moft glorious day that ever was feen here, Shall then appear,
and we long for it. Indeed we had brave days not long fince,
within the kirks ; and after that we had brave days on the
mountains when our Lord difplayed a banner, and covered a
table in the fields, and feafted his people with fat things ; and
yet thefe days that are coming to Scotland, fhall be far be-,
yond any of diem that ever we faw in the world : O Sirs I be
lieve this, that his coming will be both feafonable, terrible,
and glorious; always Sirs, when he comes, he will pluck up
that which is, or hath been planted, dad plant that which
bath been plucked up ; there will be a ftrange overturning of
the wicked in that day ; fo that thefe who feem to have taken
root, fliall then be plucked up ; and the righteous that have
been plucked up by all means that the wicked could devife,
fhall be planted again ; always firs, popery, prelacy, eraftianifm,
indulgency, and profanity, are all plants that fhall be plucked
up out °f this land ; and in their Stead the gofpel and godli-
nefs, in their power and purity, Shall be planted in our land;
and yet I advife you to be making ready, to meet with him
In the way of his judgments. O ! prepare for his coming,
and pray for his coming, to manifeft his glory, although ye
ihould get a claSh or ftroke when he comes ; yea, pray for
it, though ye fhould hardly efcape, yet if you win through in
end it will be your mercy, though it be very hardly. It Shall
be a great mercy to win through the ftorm. Let us pray,
and to him be praife. Amen.

LECTURE

C 57 J"

LECTURE III.

Zechariah i. 18.,  21.
1 8. Then lift I up mine eyes, and [aw, and beheld four horns.
I a. ¦ And I faid unto the angel that talked with me, li'h.it be thife ?
and he anfwered me, Thefe are the horns which have Jcatturcd
Judah, Ifrael, and Jerafalem, ±
20. And the Lordfhewed me four carpenters.
21.- Then faift I, U hat come thefe to do ? and he fpake, faying,
Thefe are the horns which have fatter ed Judah, fo that no
man did lift up his bead : But thefe are come to fray them, to
caft out the horns of the Gentiles which lift up their horns over
the land of Judah to fcatter it.

B

E LOVED, here is fhewed to the prophet a vifion;
and there are two things obfervable in this vifion. The
i. Which was a very fad light, and that was four horns to
deftroy Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem. And,
2. There is a joyful light to the godly, but terrible to the
wicked, viz four carpenters wiuvn the Lord had prepared
to cut off the horns or enemies of the church..
i. Then, in the general, we may oblerve here man's igno
rance, and particularly the ignorance of the godly, for here
it doth appear ; fo that when the prophet had gotten a fight
of the vifion, he cannot take it up until he be informed by
the angel what it is. But to'come to the words more parti
cularly. In the firfl part of the virion, the enemies of the
church, in their cruelty, are called horns, by way of fimili-
tude, as beafts are faid to have horns, iome for offence, and .
fome for defence ; fo here, by horns, the power of the wic
ked is fet out or held forth. And next, if it be enquired, why
they are called four, we conceive it may hold forth this much,
viz. That the church is compaffed about with enemies from
all airths, or from the four corners of the earth: So paffing
the firil part of the vifion, let us again, from the fecond part
of it, obferve this :
2. Obfervation, That though enemies may infult for a
while, yet they fhall not always triumph, but be tryfted with
a change of difpenfations ; for here he fbews the prophet four
¦carpenters, a considerable vifion indeed : Hence obServe, That
he provides a fufficiency of instruments to contend with ene--
mies ; for as the horns are four, fo the carpenters are four.
But more particularly. " 3. Obferve,

58 L E C T U R Es III.
'3. Obferve, That as long as people have their eyes down
ward, or earthward, they cannot fee that which might be
comfortable either to themfelves, or to the chinch ; but when
they get their eyes upward, and fixed upon God, and his wife
hand of government, then they maj get a fight that will re
vive fhemlelves and comfort others. Do you complain that
you do not get a joyful fight for yourfelves, or to make knoWn
to others, unto the church ? Though it might be, if we were
as the prophet was, but the canon of the fcripture being now
perfected, it cannot in that \yay and manner be expected ;
yet how can it otherwife be ? becaufe your eyes are down
ward, your hearts are earthly, and while you are thusi you
neither can nor fliall fee.
4. Obferve, That until we be fixed on God. and get our
minds Stayed on the Lord, we fliall not fee thofe comfortable
vifion?, or be tryfted with fweet manifestations of enemies
down-bringing : Though it be a cafe that is very incident to
the church and people of God, to have enemies on all hands,
and the nations gathered together againft them, fo that when
one enemy prevails and wins ground on the church, then
all the enemies beftir themfelves, and join hand in hand to
. deftroy her, but it fhall not be fo with them
J 5. Obferve, That tho' he had feen the vifion here before,
and had been informed and confirmed anent it, yet it doth
not ferve him, while he ge:« a new difcovery of another vifi
on, but muft be informed what is the meaning of that alfo:
So yo.u may fee hence, That it is one thing to fee, and ano
ther thing to know the meaning of what is feen ; for he faw
the horns firfl, and the carpenters next, but knew not what
they were to do, until he was informed : So people, or a per-
fon may get a vifion or manifestation of comfort to the churchi
and yet not know the meaning of the fame: And for this
caufe, fome may embrace a delufion inftead of a manifestation'",
and therefore ye have need to feek guiding, leading, and
teaching to know thefe things, and to get them applied.
6. Obferve, That as the Lord will have them fenfible of-
thetr ignorance, fo they muft imploy Chrift, that he may
inftruct them ; But people who think that they have lkilhe-
nough of < their own, and throw themfelves out of Chrift's
road, and out of his hand, will not take up any thing aright ;
fo then, if ye would be taught, yc muft Seek to be informed
by Chrift, and his word and Spirit will teach you to make a
right choice. O pray for this inftruction and leading ! and
this would encourage you, poor things in the worft days or
times. O ! pray eameftly that he would teach you.
7. Obferve, That the Lord takes notice who are Chattering
his chinch and people, and will mind them forit ; for fo in
this chapter, he is taking notice, both what enemies aie doing, and

Upon Zechariah i. 18,  21. co
and what the church is doing. Here the church was in great
trouble and affliction, but the nations, her godlefs neighbours,
were at reft ; and he faw that they helped forward the af-
flictidn of his people; for which the Lord railed up instru
ments to come in battle againft them.
In applying this, we fhall fpeak to two forts of folk that
are reproveable here.
1. The firfl fort is thefe that have directly pufJied and fcat-
tered Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem.
2. The Second fort are thefe who haveconfe'quently puflied
the church of God. And,
3. We Shall fpeak to fome forts of folk that are compre
hended under both thefe ranks. And So we come to Speak
to thofe that are comprehended under the fir ft rank, and may
be faid to be direct! v guilty of puShing the church and people
ofGod. 1. The firft fort is the tyrant and his accomplices, who have
fet out acts and laws of tyranny, contrary to the law of God,
and thereby have condemned his people, and put them to
death"; by the execution of thefe wicked laws, thefe are di
rectly guilty of fcattering Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem, viz,
the tyrant and his wicked council.
2. A fecond fort that are guilty of pufhing the church di
rectly, are thefe who have put thefe wicked laws in execu
tion, and ufed them againft the godly, and are keeping up
thefe laws againft the confcientious followers of Jefus Chrift ;
and have been intelligencers, and have given notice to the.
enemies of the people of God, where to come/and apprehend
them ; even thefe are directly guilty of Scattering the people
of God, and of pufhing Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem.
3. A third fort that come to be directly guilty here of pufh
ing at, and fcattering the church and people of God, are all
thefe that obey the wicked acts of council ; particularly tint
which wasiffued out to raife the hue and cry againft the peo
ple of God ; for on the matter, thefe are as directly guilty as
the troopers and dragoons that apprehend them.
4. A fourth fort, are all the nobles and gentry who have
made fuch wicked laws, and countenanced and encouraged
others to execute them; thefe are all directly guilty of fcat
tering Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem, by concurring with the
foldiersin apprehending, taking, and killing them in the fields,
and on fcaffolds : And with thefe I may join, or reckon, all
you commons that affifted them by your company and con
currence, in riding and running at their command ; and all
you that appeared againft them any manner of way, plead
what you will, you Shall all be found directly guilty, of nhe
blood of the church 6f God, for you are thefe who have
H 2. pufhed

<5o LECTURE III.
pufhed with your horns of violence, you are thefe ravenous
beaftsthat have deftroyed his people 'by your offenfive and
-defensive arms againft the. church of God.
5. A fifth, fort are the wicked officers and judges that have
witnelfed agair.fl/ accufed and condemned the people of God
for their duty -, ye are directly and actually guilty of the blood
of the church of God : And all you who once had a profef-
Sion of religion, but now have helped to take and apprehend
the people of God, you are directly guilty of their blood ;
and efpecially the profeffors of Edinburgh, who guarded*the
people of God to the place of execution, and while they were
alive in guarding them alfo.
6.' A fixth fort are all Skippers, that had a hand in carrying
away our banifhed to other lands, or had a hand in buying,
felling, or tranfporting them to other lands ; ye are all di
rectly guilty of pufhing the church of God witb your horns,
and Shall be liable to punifhment'for it.
Next we fliall fpeak a. little to the fecond rank, viz. thefe
who are confequeiitially gui'ty of pufhing the church of God ;
and under this rank I take in all thefe :
1. Such as aififted or helped enemies, by countenancing
and epcouraging of, or complying with them, by hearing of
curates, compearing at courts, giving of bribes to their unjult
judges ; all payers of cefs and locality, all payers of teind "or
Stipends to Baal's priefts, or whatever ftrengthens their hands,
or encourages them -, I fay, you are they who have put arms
in enemies hands to deftroy the work and people of God in
this land : You have bought fwords, guns, and piftols to
take away the life of the godly, and people of God in this
land ; who of you Shall be found innocent in that day when
he makes inquifition for the blood of his people ?
2. Thefe are confeque*ritial!y guilty of puflfing Judah, If
rael, and Jerufalem, who have'not tided with the church a-
gainft her enemies. And all you who have lain by in this day
Jacob's trouble, and taken your eafe, and fled into your
lurking places, and have-not taken common lot with the peo
ple of God, you Ihall be found guilty of fcattering Judah,
Ifrael, and Jerufalem, even his people in their Straits', that
poor handful who have been flain in their oppofing of Cds of
all forts in the land ; you, I fay, Shall be found confequentiaUy
"(if not du-ectLy) guilty. There was a fcattering at Pentland,
.at Bothwel, and at Air's-mofs, where his noble witneffes were
flain ; and how. did all ly by then, yea, I fear that blood be
crying not only againft enemies that took away the lives of
thefe godly ones, but it is crying againft profeffors alfo, for
their not oppofing and hindering what they could, the Shed
ding of their precious blood ; and fay, all you who have not
hindred thefe wicked practices, that have been practifed thefe
•many

Upon Zechariah i. 18,-  -21.' 61
many years againft the godly, you will be found to be guilty,
confequentially of pufhing the church of God ; and all you
who have fuffered the church of God, or his people to be
taken, imprifoned, or banifhcd, or any manner of way wrong.
ed, that you could have hindred, will be found all guilty con-
fequentially of pufhing Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem ; fo then
firs, I fear that the moft part of Scotland, fliall be fonnd
„guilty of pufhing at, or fcattering the church of God, fome
one or other of thefe ways, either actually and directly, qr in
directly, and confequentially. And fo leaving the firfl part
of the vifion,
We come to the fecond- part thereof, and that is, The com
fortable part of the church, which was the vifion of the car
penters, or a competency of inftruments that God hath pre
pared againft his enemies ; fo that if enemies be great, many,
and ftrong, Turk, pope, prelate, malignant, &c. yet our
God, who is the Lord of hofts, hath a/fufficiency of instru
ments to bring againft them : So then, ye who are the Lord's
people, would not, nor Should not fear though your enemies
be both ftrong and many, for he hath enough of power to
bring againft them : For here the .prophet afked what thefe
came to do, and is anfwered. Whence, *
8, Obferve, That the Gentiles or Heathens, being fa.'d to
be. the horns, the Lord raifed up the like againft them; fo
that be who they will that have deftroyed the church of God,
denied them their help, hen by, and have letten them Stand
and fall to themfelves, as you have heard, Shall be found
guilty of pufhing the church, and fo will be punifhed when
the Lord brings forth his carpenters, or fufficiency of instru
ments ; and the more heathenifh that the enemies have been,
and are, the more cruel fliall thofe be whom the Lord raifes
up againft them; then judge what the inftruments will be
who are to be fent againft thefe heathenifh enemies : For go
and fearch the whole world, and you fliall not find men of
a more heathenifh difpofition, for all the light that hath been
amongft them in Scotland. But no wonder to fee poor Scot
land' lo undone, for where the light hath ihiped, and hath
been moft abufed, there is greateft darknefs, and fuch be
come worfe than Heathens, and are worfe to be convinced,
and fo Shall be liable to the fevereft of judgments, for fcatter
ing Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem.
9. Obferve, That the Lord will make his inftruments to
do his work, which he gives them a commiffion to do ; fo
what ever inftruments he employs, they fliall be fitted and
qualified for his work ; they Shall be foldiers that Shall not
fpare their lives, and they Shall profper ; no oppofi tion Shall
prevail to Stand in their way ; yea, you may believe, that the
vengeance that he is about to bring on enemies will be very
fevere.

eu S E R M O N V.
fevere. Thefe io-Srumems that the Lord makes ufe of againft
them, they fhall have the wind, as it were, in their wings,
and the providence of God concurring and going alongft with
them in that work.
Now the Ufe that we fhall draw from all this, is this.
i. That God will undoubtedly plead his people's caufe and
quarrel, upon and againft all their enemies, and will deliver
them out of all their ftraits and temptations.
Ufe. 2. is this, That whatever inftruments the Lord makes
ufe of, will be Sufficient to do his work, they Shall be fur
nished with axes and hammers, they will have a good ready
hand, and be a people able and ready to do his work, and
that cpmpleatly, fo that no opposition fhall be able to Stand
in their way, in that day of the Lord's dealing with them.
Ufe 3. is this, I advife you to flee out of the way of his
wrath ; I advife you to come from among them ; come from
among enemies, or you will Share with them in their punifhi
ments ; flee therefore from them, left you partake of their
temporal or eternal puniihment and mifery. O my friendjs !
quit your compliance, quit with all things that include you
with enemies, for God will be about with enemies, he will be
even hands with them in that day, when he appears to take
vengeance onthe enemies who have been theft horns, who
have fcattered his Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem.

SERMON V.

Canticles ii. 17.
Until the day break and the fhadows flee away : Turn my be
loved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart, upon the moun
tains of Bethcr. *
ELOVED, there are five things that are little believed
by the moft part of this generation.
1. The firil thing that is little believed by the world, is the
being of a God ; and this appears by the little fear of God
that is in the land. O if ye knew and believed the being of a
God'! ye would certainly Sear him more.
2. The fecond thing that is little believed by the moft part
of this generation, is this, They believe not that there is a
heaven, a place of reft fox the fouls of the godly, or elfe there

Upon Canticles ii. 17. 63
would be more labour and diligence to get it for their dvrel-
ling-place, apd there would be more holinefs in you, and
hungering after it, that you might enjoy that pleafant inhe
ritance that is above, where the fervice of God cannot be in
terrupted nor marred by fpiritual or temporal enemies, as k is
often here below.
3. The third thing that is little believed by the moft part
of the world, and that is, that there is a hell, a place of tor
ment, where the fouls of the wicked go to after death, even
a place of endlefs torment, where there is no mitigation of the
p;dn for evermore. O firs ! if this were believed, there would
be more pains ufed to avoid this place, there would not be
fuch an entertaining of idols in your bofoms as there is ; you
would not comply with the Sinful courfes of the time aj you
do ; there would not be Such compliance with thefe flaves of
the enemy, neither would there be fuch a running in unto
fuch, if you believed that there were fuch a place as hell,
where all impenitent Sinners muft receive their ju ft deferts ov
defcrvings of their Sins through ail eternity.
4. The fourth thing that is not ferioufly believed by this
generation, is this, viz. the certainty of death: We will all
Say that we believe this, but it is but with a natural or rational
faith. But, O if the ferious thoughts of this did poffefs our
hearts ! we would be more in believing it, and more in pre
paring for it. O Sirs! live well, and labour to die well, for
after death there is no repentance, nor turning to God in the
grave, for as the tree falls it muft lie to eternity. O firs !
Strive to get a right fight of this.
5. The fifth thing that is little believed by the moft part
of this generation, is this, the certainty of judgment. O Sirs !
believe that ye muft appear before the tribunal of God, who
is, and will be a juft and terrible Judge. Confider when you
come there, you will be either juftified or condemned then,
and there will be no excufe admitted, neither will there be
any overfight in the matters there handled, but all will be
juftly done. O labour then to be ready to meet with God in
mercy, and with joy in that day of accounts I There are fome,
I believe, to whom it will be a day of joy, and a rnercifiul
meeting; but there are others to whom this will be a ten't^
ble day, even the wicked and reprobate. Oh : Oh ! it wilt
be a fad and dreadful day unto all fuch': But, O i it will be-
a pleafant day to all true believers, and thefe that are in
Chrift Jefus. ,
But to come to the words. In this and the former verfes,
we have the two lafl parts of the bride's fpeech and her car
riage. And here are holden out three things : (1.) She af-
feits her faith or intereft in Chrift. (2.) She maintains this ia

6-4 S E R M 0 N V.
in the face of all oppofers, in that expreffion, He feeds among
the lilies. * * *
In the words feveral things are contained. As,
I. By day here is meant, the day of judgment : We find
the fcripture fpeaking Several times of that day ; as that, of
the day'fpringfrom on high: but that is meant rather of Chrift's
glorious birth, that, by way of eminence, is called the day or
firfl day ; but the fecond is the day of judgment, or the day
of his ilcond appearance, and that is the day here meant. It
is called a. day, becaufe it is light that nothing can be hidden
from it ; the fublunary light muft give place here ; no candle
needs to be there, no fun nor moon need to be there ; but '
fuch a day it will be, that nothing can be hid from his eye.
And' again it is called a day, becaufe nothing Shall be dark ;
there fliall be no darknefs to the believer in that day, all A
the night-Shadows will flee away. The
2. Part of her carriage is held forth in her prayer, in thefe
words, Return, or be as a roe or young hart upon the mountains
of Bet her, or the mountains of divifion, that were fallen in be
tween her and her well-beloved. She made ufe of that ex
preffion, Come as a roe or young hart, to fet forth her defire
of his fpeedy return; and the expreffion hblds out'her ap-
prehenfion of his pleafant returning, or how pleafant it would
be to her ; like a fwift roe that comes to his mate, Skipping
and bending with pleafure and delight to be it her. His mo-
• tion is fwift, he comes with alacrity and delight, admitting of
no hindrance or impediment, that he may win to her or
come at her. From which words I Shall lay down fome doc
trines. N
Doct. I. That though there be many fiia&ows now between*
Chrift and believers, yet there is a day coming, when thefe fba
dow s fhall flee away. And for proof of this doctrine, fee1
2 Peter i. 19. Now to open this a little to you :
I. I Shall Shew you Some Shadows that are now betwixt
Chrift and believers, which at that day Shall be removed a-
way. II. I fhall hold out the excellency of that day, by Shewing
you fome privileges and benefits that the believer Shajl partake
of in that day. As to the firft,
I. Of the Shadows that come in betwixt Chrift and belie
vers, while they are here, but at that day Shall be taken a-
way, take thefe following :
1. The firft Shadow is the_Shadow of the believer's infir-mi-
ties. O firs ! this is a dark cloud betwixt Chrift and belie
vers, that hides his countenance, and makes many fad days
and nights to poor believers while here : But at that day,
there Shall be a pleafant change, for then they Shall be freed
from alliheir manifold infirmities, and be perfected for ever ;
then

Upon Canticles ii. 17. 65
then there fliall be no Sinning any more ; then Shall this mor
tal put on immortaliry, and corruption Shall put on ineor-
ruption, then Shall all be changed.
2. The fecond Shadow that overShadows the believer while
here, and which will be taken away at that day, is, the Sha
dow of jealoufy. Here we are often very jealous of Chrift,
for oft-times we cannot fee him acting or perceiving things as
they are ; when we become fo fufpicious of that unfpotted and
unchangeable love of Chrift, oft-times we think he loves us
cot, and therefore we will not' beftow our love upon him.
But, O firs I do not fo, for that day that is coming, even
the day of accounts, will take away all your fufpicions of
Chrift's love, and you fliall then fee that he hath had love,
and heart love too ; for in that day there fliall be no place
for doubting left.
3. The third Shadow that over-clouds the believer, and
fhall be taken away at that day, is that dark Shadow of dead-
nefs and defertion, which fin hath drawn down upon believers.
O how many a fad complaint the poor believer is put to make
by this dark cloud, when the Lord withdraws his countenance,
and lets the poor thing Sink beneath the Stream! yet he en
couraged, for it is oft-times the lot of the Lord's people to
be at this with it, to cry out, O he is withdrawn ! he is with
drawn ! he is gone ! he is gone, and we wot not where to
find him ! but at that day it will be turned over to another
tune, crying, Oh he is prefent, he is prefent ! and fo that
dark day, or cloud of defertion, will he utterly difpelled, and
you Shall fee him face to Sace, and fee him. as he is.
4. The fourth Shadow that overclouds the believer while
here, that fliall be removed at that day, is that dark Shadow
of incapacity to receive Chrift, or to entertain him. O! do
you not perceive this, even much of this in yourfelves ? O !
how feeble, how lazy, how carnal and cold-rife in command
ed duties, are you ? Is not his fervice oft-times a wearineSs to
you ? Is it not a burden to you ? even as it were intolerable
Unto you to bear ; but at that day all fainting fhall be done
away, all difcompofure of fpirit fhill then be done away, and
it will become your pleafant labour always to be taken updn
the endlefs work of praiiing and wondering for evermore, and
that .without wavering.
5. The fifth Shadow that comes over the believer while
here, that fliall be taken away at that day, is the Shadow of
ordinances ; (for though they be means in lib hand, and doth
not hide Chrift from the believer, but rather gives a repre-
fentation of him, yet it is but a fmall and dark glance that
they give of him, 1 Cor. xiii. 12- In ordinances we fee him,
but as in a glal's darkly, or behind the wall, or through the
lattice, darkly :) But, O believers I at that day that cloud of
• T ordi-

66 S E R IVI O N V. --$
ordinances fliall be removed away, and you Shall enjoy ffiie
immediate prefence of Chrift, even of lovely Chrift, without
this Shadow : I fay, indeed it is very comfortable to poor
things to get a light-of him in ordinances. Ol what joy
have fome of" his people found in his manifefting of himfelf
in the gofpel ? yea, Sometimes they have been made to cry
,out at them, Lord, hold thy hand, for we are but poor clay
veffels, and can ho! I no more. But yet, O how far below
the eternal enjoyment of him is this which is had in ordinan
ces ! O firs ! this eternal happy condition cannot be told.
6. The Sixth Shadow that is now upon believers, which Shalt
be removed at that day, is the Shadow of faith; for although
that be not a Shadow which mars and hinders the be'iever's
enjoyment, yet that noble grace is not without a fhado$i;
but in that day faith fliall diffolve into fight ; for even at our
beft it is but a dark Sight that we get of him here by faith ;
for we know but in part, we fee but in part ; but when that
which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ^a" be<
done away, and then we fliall fee him as he is.
7. The feventh Shadow that muft be taken away, is that
Shadow of fen fible prefence, that we feek fo_ much after. This
is very joyful to believers, but O ! it is but an obfeure fight
ef him here, in refpect of that which Shall be to eternity ; it
is but like the night befide the day,. and fo may be reckoned
in among die Shadows, and fo to be done away. But 0 that.
eternal enjoyment of Chrift ! that pleafant inheritance is pre
ferable to prefent enjoyment, even Peter's place of fenfiblc
prefence: He wa^ far mistaken with the manifestation, for
it made him that he would have been content, to have quit
his public poft, and public fpirit, and to have been hid from
the church for her public edification, fo that he might enjoy
Chrift's lenfible prefence on the mount, and yet it was but
a lhadow, in refpect of the glory which Shall be revealed at
that day.
8. The eight Shadow that overclouds believers, that SbalW
be removed at that day, is the Shadow of a ihitetral death;
they muft alt d> or be changed ; for then death Shall be
fwallowed up of life. We have many fymptoms of death by
ficknefs and difeafes, that draw clouds between Chrift and
us ; a!l which fhall evan/fh in that day, when we Sh.iil have
victory over death, which is the laft enemy, or the laft fight
ing adverfary that the believer hath to rencounter with, but
at that day it Shall remove, and they Shall be made to cry out,
0 death! where is thy fting? 0 grave ! when is thy viflorj ?
Now a
II. Thing I come to fpeak to from this doelrine, is' to
fome privileges that the believer Shall have in that day.
And,

Upon Canticles ii. 17. qj|
1. The firft privilege that the godly fliall partake of at the
day of judgment, is, they Shall be gathered from the four
winds of heaven, and from the four corners of the, earth, by
the found of the laft trumpet. O firs ! there is a great feat-
tiring among believers now ; fome are killed, Tome banilhed
to foreign lands, fome dead in their banilhment, and fome
dead in their imprifonment, and many drowned in the fea ;
yea, fome caft into the fea, when dying by the way, and fome
cruelly tortured, and their bodies quartered and put far fun-
dry ; but at that day the Lord will found a gathering, So that
not one pile of that duft of theirs fhall be loft, but with thefe
bodies that they endured thefe Scatterings, tortures, or death,
they Shall appear, and be united to the foul again. »
2. The Second privilege that the believer Shall partake of at
the day of account is, they fhall then be caught up from the
earth to meet the Lord in the air. O firs ! the King is com
ing, the great judge is coming, he is on his way. O prepare
for him ! prepare to meet with him, for if you be godly, you
Shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air with joy and
gladnefs. 3. The third privilege that believers fir. 11 partake of at the
laft day,, is, they fliall be fet on the riyht hand of the great
Judge, a place of invaluable or inestimable honour, a place
of high renown. It is true, the wicked fliall be gathered,
but they Shall not Share of this honourable privilege, of being
fet at the right hand of Chrift with his true Sheep ; nor yet do
we think that they fhall be caught up at all, but fliall remain
below, and when fentenced, Shall go to hell, there to remain
to all eternity ; but the righteous Shall have a place at his right
b^and, a place of honour, a place of pleafure, and a place of
delight, where they Skill be made Sharers of that victory and
triumph, and Ihall join heartily in giving fentence againft the
reprobare, angels and men: They Shall not then be partial;
the believing father fhall give out fentence againft the unbe
lieving child, and the child. againft the father; and the huf-
band againft his loving wife, and that without any reluctancy
or hesitation at all. V
4. The fourth privilege that the true believer fliall partake
of at the laft day, is, they fhall be acknowledged of the Lord';
they fhall be acknowledged of him before his Father, and all
the angels in heaven: 0 then, firs ! fear not to obey him -,
fear not to confefs him here below, for you Shall be acknow
ledged by God, and get his approbation, and that is of more
worth than if you had the applaufe of angels, and all faints
that ever lived, or fhall live upon the earth ; for though
you had thefe, if you wanted his pafs, you will not partake
of the joy of being acknowledged -and approves of God at
that day. I * "5. ¦The

68 S E R M O N V.
5. The fifth privilege that true believers Shall have at the
laft day, is, they fliall be freely freed from the guilt and
power of fin. O but the believer hath many a black fpot
while here below ! but at that day he Shall be freely freed,
and clearly cleared, and cleanly wafhed from all the Spots and
blemifhes that fin hath brought upon his foul, and Shall be
clothed with pure and white raiment, even the righteoufnefs
of Chrift. O Sirs ! what think ye of that glorious garment
that fhall be put on you at that day ?
6. The iixth privilege that true believers Shall Share of at
the Jaft day, is, that thty Shall be cleared, by God, of all the
Scandals and afperlions, or calumnies that have been caft
upon them by men ; for then he will rid them from all the
fcandals and reproaches they have met with here in this life:
1 fay, in that day they Shall be freely freed before all their
adverlaries, and acquitted for evermore.
7. The Seventh privilege that true believers fliall partake of
at the laft day, is, they Shall be kindly entertained and receiv
ed by the Lord himfelf ; he who is King of heaven' and earth
will welcome and entertain them with this pleafant invita
tion, Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you, from the foundation of the world. O that glorious,
pleafant, and profitable inheritance, where ye Shall enjoy that
glorious company ! and your labour fliall. be a continual
praifing of God without intermiffion. O! who can tell what
it is ! O ! who can fpok of it to purpofe ! O that foul-ra-
vifhing inheritance which they Shall enjoy at that day !
8. The eight privilege which the godly Shall partake of at
the laft day, is, they fliall fit with Chrift, concurring with
him in judgment, judging the world. Many unjuft fentence*
have been given out againft the godly in this world, but at
that day the believer Shall give his confent to that juft and ter
rible judgment given out againft the fearful difobedient Sin
ners, that would not that Chrift Should reign over them in
this world : And at that day the love of believers Shall be fo
great towards Chrift, that they will concur with him in judg
ment, and Shall accufe and condemn their neareft kinsfolk or
relations according tothe'fleSh, and that without any reluc-
tancy or hesitation.
9. The ninth privilege that the godly Shall partake of at
the day of judgment, is, they fliall be invited to come and
take poffeffion of that brave dwelling-place prepared for them
from all eternity. 0 come and take poffeffion and infeftment
now of your kingdom ! It would but darken the glory of it
to you, for me to begin to fpeak of it ; for who is able to
deieribe that holy place, the privileges of it cannot be told
you ; neither by angels nor Spirits of juft men made perfect,
that are now in poffeffion of it, far lefs by me : I fay, that not all

Upon Canticles ii. 17. 69
all the angels, foe. that have been in poffeffion of it thefe ma
ny years, they could not defcribe it unto us: But we may fay
this of it, It is a reft without a reft ; there they are for ever
quit of trouble, of Sin, forrow, or mifery, and there they are
for ever reftlefs in giving praife to God.
i&. The tenth privilege that true believers partake of in the
day of accounts, is, their fenSe of their happinefs, or the hap
py condition they are in when they think on, or fee the wick
ed in torment, and find themfelves freely freed from that
miferable and woful condition that the wicked are entering
into, that Shall never have an end..
Then for Ufe, O Sirs ! confider what you are doing, while
you'have time, and while you have opportunity. O Strive to
be made Sharers of thefe privileges I O feek to enjoy him !
Now, I Shall come to a fecond doctrine from the \vords,
which is this :
Doct. II. That the hope of the day of judgment is, and ought
to be, very refrefhful to true believers : Whereupon Paul
could fay, Dearly beloved, comfort ye one another with thefe
words. But I Shall not infill upon this, but proceed to a third
doctrine, which is this r
Doct. III. That whofoever are in covenant with Chrift, they
fhall have all thefe privileges, already fpoken of, at the laft day
applied to them.
And from this doctrine, I Shall make fome ufes, to bring
it home in application to you.
Ufe 1. Is of inftrutlion. O firs ! labour' to win to the faith
of this, that all the promifes in the bible, and all the privileg
es of heaven, Shall, at the day of judgment, be made over '
unto you, even to the believer, and that to their' experience
in that day, when the book Shall be opened, and all things
fhall appear as they are, naked and bare before him, when
the impartial Judge will fit, and give out fentence, then the
believers Shall reap the advantages of all thefe privileges, to
their everlafting comfort for ever more.
Ufe 2. Is of invitation. O come and enter into covenant
with Chrift, and ye Shall find all true we have been telling
you of! And you who have fo-done, take it for your encou
ragement, you Shall find that a day of joy unto you ; and
you who have not yet done it, be intreated to come and em
brace Jefus Chrift upon his own terms, as he is offered to you
in the gofpel, and all Shall be well. I obteft you, by all the
joys of heaven, and by all the torments in hell, to come and
embrace him: Come and take him for your God, and offer
yourfelves away to him to become his people..
Ufe 3. Is of information. O firs ! at that day all Shadows
will evaniifh away, and you may be informed, yea, perfuad-
ed, that never till then they will be gone ; the flefh will war
againft

To S E R M O N V.
againft the fpirit, an unrenewed part will ftill remain till then:
t>o you muft learn to fubmit to his will in this, that you will
Still have clouds and Shadows, as well, as fun-blinks and fair
weather. Ufe 4. Is of encouragement to all the godly. O be encoura-.
j-ed inthis! for at that day all Shadows Shall be gone ; all
your fofferings and forrows, yea, all your finning Shall have
an end. In that day faith Shall diffolve into fruition, and
hope into poffeffion, and love, that ambitious grace, fliall be
the believer's companion for ever, and that even to all the a:
ges of eternity.
Ufe 5, Is of comfort to all his people who are in ftraits and
difficulties for him and his caufe : Comfort yourfelves with
this, that the day is coming, and faft approaching," when all
thefe Shadows fliall flee away, and you fliall be made more
than conquerors in Chrift, or through him who hath loved
you. And now I come to the next thing in the words, viz her-
prayer ; and I Shall open it a litt^ to you : In opening where
of,, many doctrines might be laid down therefrom, but I Shall
only lay down this general doctrine, that Shall contain the fub-
lie ice of the whole : And the doctrine is this :
Doct. That though Chrift withdraw himfelf from believers-
now and then, while they are here, yet they fhould not fatisfy
themfelves in that condition of his abfence, although they have
the hope of their real future enjoyment of him-, but fijould ufe
means, by inviting him, to get him to rt tarn to them, and to
gi-i<c than his prefence, and frequent manifeflations of bis love
¦a grin. . , ^
And now, from this doctrine, I fhall obferve thefe three
things*. I. That Chrift may withdraw from his own.
II. That they fhould not reft content in his abfence.
III. That they Should ufe means for his returning again.
I. Now in (peaking to the firfl, I fliall fpeak to thefe few
caufes of his withdrawing. __
1. Tbe firft caufe of Chrift's withdrawing is, there may be
fome tranfyreffions, or known Skis entertained in your bo-
fom -, fome beloved lull or idol that you will not quit with,
and that may occafion the hiding of his face : Then confider
your cale, how rebellious you have been : How can it be o-
"herwife ? Think ye to enjoy his prefence, and yet entertain
known fins in your hearts? O firs! I will tell you, if you
harbour any known fin in your hearts, there is not a greater
mark can be that you are not yet true believers. O firs ! ,come
and part with your fins, quit your going to the kirks and cu
rates, qui: the wicked practices of this generation ; come,
quit your obeying them by paying of cefs, and all other Sin-
•ful.

Upon Canticles ii. 17. yt
fiil impositions of one kind or other, and remove all your pri
vate and fecret fins, which are the caufes of his withdrawing
from you, if you would have him to return-to you again.
2. The fecond caufe why he may withdraw his prefence
from you, is your conversing with other lovers. O but this
is very grievous to God ! that aftdr that he had made you to
be fenfible of your fins, and 'you were refolded to part with
them, as moft destructive to your fohls, that you yet Should
have Sought after, yielded unto, and relapfed into theft- fins,
and conversing with your old lovers again, whom you had put
formerly out of doors : I fay, O but this be grievous unto
him ! he will not admit of a rival, or of a lover befides him
felf ; he muft be held as chief with the foul, above all others;
and in the foul, he muft be loved, and had in reverence be
yond all others : I fay, he muft have all the affections of the
foul, or elfe he will have none at all.
3. The third caufe of his withdrawing, and going away
from his people, maybe, becaufe of the decay of that noble
grace of watchfulnefs, which may be insinuated in that ex
preffion of a roe and a young hart, Sec. which, as he comes
eafily, fvviftly, and plealantiy, bounding or Skipping over the
mountains to his beloved mate ; fo it holds out, that a little
or fmall thing will fear him from coming, or foon, put him
away, as is imported in th'at expreffion, that you awake him
not until he pleafe ; fo that as he is fwift 'in coining, he is alfo
fvift in going ; I fay, he will be fwift to go ; if you offend
him, he will foon be ftartled, and put away from you out of
his place : And how, alas ! what is to be feen in this genera
tion, but the decay of all graces, especially of that noble grace
of watchfulnefs ?
4. The fourth caufe of his withdrawing, is negligence ; and,
alas I the more he withdraws, the more negligent ye grow,
and like a cake unturned, that is cold upward, and hot down
ward ; fo, you are cold in the upj-pr Side towards God ; and
any heat that you have, is downward, or in the nether fide,
towards the world ; for, may not this be feen, in that you
prayed three times before, where yon pray not once now ? Q!
it is fad to fee the great decay of duty that is now fallen iiaa-
rnong you ; O ! Sirs, get up again, and reft not in that evil
condition that fin hath brought you to.
5. The fifth caufe of his withdrawing his prefence, is want
oftlarneftnefs to be in fellowship and communion wiih God t
When was it that Peter would have made three tabernacles,
one for his tilzfier, one for tvlofcs, and one for Elias? Even
when he was roving, and will not what he faid : Ay, h'ecOuid
have flayed there, and never_ have feen the church again;
faints are never in a more dangerous condition, nor when they
have been admitted to union and ftllowfhip'with God;. I 'fay,.
the'?

72 S E R M O N V.
they are in a dangerous condition on the back of that, to fall
afleep, or go wrong ; for thefe old veffels cannot contain thefe
fills of the new wine of heaven, but are very ready to mif-
carry. 6. The Sixth caufe of his withdrawing is, when they grow
proud under manifestations : It is never a foncy-fike mani
festation, that makes proud ; it is but a carnal and vain con
fidence tbat they have embraced, inftead, of a manifestation,
of which they were proud, and this makes him withdraw,
when you mifplace fuch ill frames and flafhes, in the room of
manifestations ; I Say, it is juft with God to withdraw. O !
fays the man, when he wins to any flaSh of joy like prefence,
¦ Now I am able to teftify for him : you may fee this made out
in Peter's vain confidence, when Chrift told him, That he
would deny him ere long : No, faid Peter, that Shall not be ;
Though all men fhould deny thee, yet will not I. So then he
confided in his prefent cafe, and gainfaid Chrift, and his word
too ; and you fee what came of it
7. The feventh caufe of his withdrawing is, when his people ¦<
grow remifs in their zeal : O I Sirs, look back to your for
mer experience, when your zeal was green and tender, was it
not brave days with you then ? Cannot you fay fomething to
this, foon'er or later ? You that ever appeared for him, was
it not ay bell with you, when your zeal was moft, in a well-
ftated caufe and teftimony ? But now, I profefs, the remifnefs
of zeal that is now fitten down on the moft part of all profef
fors, fpeaks out fad things a-coming on this generation ; fo
that it is no wonder that he withdraw ; for we want zeal,
even that zeal which we had formerly, againft defection and
compliance : Ah ! zeal is much blunted ; O ! labour to' get
^your zeal heightened and quickened again for his glory ; and
the more his declarative glory is difowned, be ye the more
zealous for it.
II. A fecond thing from, the doctrine was this, That when
he withdraws, ye Should filbmit, and take with your iniquity,
becaufe it is for the punifhment of your fin ; and be ever uf-
iag the means to get him back again, and that for thefe rea
fons :
1 . Becaufe of the near relation that is betwixt Chrift and
his people, betwixt him and his fpoufe ; he and She are mar
ried together ; fo that, although he abfent himfelf for a time,
yet you muft Sloop'and fubmit to it ; for it is for the punish
ment of your iniquity. •
2. Becaufe his love to his church is moft tender, and muft
be made of, when he is with them, when the object is in view;
and his people failing here is tryfted with his withdrawing.
3. The ufefulnefs of his prefence ; fo that, when tbat is not
made ufe of, he is made to withdraw. O ! what is to be found in .

Upon Canticles ii. 1 1.- "73
in his abfence ? Nothing but deadnefs. Hunger and pining
away in iniquity and fin : But, O ! his prefence is lovely, and
with him is fulnefs for evermore.
4. His prefence is ufeful ; for it is Strengthening againft
fin ; which is oft vigorous and ftrong againit the poor belie
ver. O! ftrive by alt means to attain to, and retain his ufe
ful prefence ; for, when he is abfent, the believer is then in
hazard, becaule then he is fir fiom his ftrong hold; for
Chrift is the believer's ftrong hold and hi^h tower in the Stor
my day.
5. Folk Should feek for his return when he is abfent, be*
caufe his prefence is ufeful and neceifary, to bear you com
pany in all your afflictions, temptations, and trials, ' and in,
your duties alfo. Alas! firs, you that can carry contentedly
under Chrift's abfence, I fear it be long ere he return, and
be as a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of your Be-
ther unto you.
III. A third thing from the dodlrine drawn from the words
was, To fpeak to fome means, vhich we Should make ul'e o^,
in order to his returning again : fn then,
1. The firft mean we fhould make ufe of is, To feek out
the caufe of his departure ; O ! then/ bc~cliligent, be at pains
for it ; although for fome time you may think you come ill
fpeed, yet feek ay till you find out the caufes of his depar
ture. ,
2. The fecond mean you are to make ufe of in order to his
return is this, Pour forth your fupplications into his bofom,
and never ceafe till he difcover fin to you in its own ugly co^.
lour. »
3. The third mean which you are to make ufe of is this, Do
not continue in fin when difcovered, but fee that you forfike
it ; if you would but give that much proof of your love to
Chrift, or that you have love to him in exercife, then conti
nue not in fin, but forfake it
4. The fourth mean to be made ufe of, in order to his re
turn, is, To be diligent in duty in all commanded and called-
for duty ; be diligent in prayer, pour forth your fouls in his
bofom ;' go and weep, and watch over your practices, until
you get evidences of his returning, or that he is returned to
your fouls.
5. The fifth mean to be made ufe of, in order to his retur
ning, in all your duties, is, You rfiuft look to "him for his re
turn, to work his own work; he. muft (as we ufe in another
cafe to fay) make the travel ; all muft come on his fide ; he
muft make you to cry, and he mult give the anfwer; he nnift
draw, and make you run ; O ! remember this, that he muft
do it, and none elfe.
K- -. 6. The

74

PREFACE to SERMON VI.

6. The fixth mean to be made ufe of is this, When yog
mils him, do not tire, but feekhim till you find him ; when
you mifs him in one duty, go to another duty : O ! firs, if
you knew what the believer gets of heaven, fometimes upon
earth, you would never tire in feeking him, though you had
a lot of perplexity and trouble while in this world : O i cry
him back again, and do not reft, nor give him reft, until he
make our Jerufalem a praife in the whole earth, and remove
the clouds of obstructions betwixt him and you. Now, the
ufe 1 Would make of this is, To put you in remembrance of
the former ufes: O ! come, and accept of him in his own
terms ; come, and receive him with whom there is fulnefs
for evermore: Oi come and receivehim ; come, and behold
him ; come, and embrace him on his own terms, and you
fhall have fulnefs of joy, and pleafure for evermore.

PREFACE.

THERE is a fmall handful of you come here this night:
but, Oh ! in two things I am jealous over, the moft part
of you : And,
I. I am jealous that many of you know not what you are
feeking this night, and that many of you know not what end
you have before you in coming here this night : I fear* fome
of you are feeking yourfelves, and to pleafe your curious
fancies. 2. I am jealous over many of you, for this, That ye have
not counted the coft rightly ere ye came here ; th.-t you have
not been reckoning what this night'e work will coft you ; fori
it will coft you to anfwer before God's throne, and, it may
be, before man's throne too. God will inquire at each of
you, Man and woman, young and old, What did you with
inch an opportunity ? What did you with fuch a work ? And,
poffibly, man may either call you to deny this work, or to
luffer for it : I believe there are few of you who have been
counting the coft, and refolving to fuffer by men, and pre
paring to anfwer to God for, it ; and it is even very Strange,
that ever any people Ihould run blindly on in their duty,
without knowing their end and defign therein : However, I
think it is all your duty to be here -, and it is alio the duty of
them that came not, to Rave been here : But I think it Strange,
when fuch. a duty as this may coft you your heads, that you are

S E R M O N VI. 75
are not considering what you are doing. But I will tell you,
my friends, lofe what you will, or whatever hazard or fkaith
you come to by being here, if ye be only come to feek the
Lord himfelf, ye Shall be made up : They that are come here
only to feek himfelf, they fhall have no reafon to rue, what
ever happen to them, or whatever may come in their way :
Seek him this night, for he is a faithful God, and he will be
found of thofe who feek him in fincerity : O ! that ye were as
willing to feek him, this night, as he is willing to meet with
you ; then you would have a joyful meeting with him : My
friends, if you be feeking to meet with him, he will con. - un
to you : Let us pray, that he would raife up your fpirits to
feek himfelf.

SERMON VI.

Hosea viii. n.
Becaufe Ephraim hath made many altars to fin, altars Jhall be
to him to fin. l ,
THE Lord hath no thoughts of peace to a people, whom
he gives up to follow their own ways ; when once he
gives a people way in finning, he minds next to deftroy them.
Why did he give Pharaoh fo much way in Rebelling fo often
againft him, but that he might fit him for deftruction ? For
the fcripture teftifieth, that he was raifed up for this very
end, that the Lord might fhew his wonders upon him : O !
miferable 'fouls, whom the Lord hath no other, fervice for,
but to fet them as a fpectacle of his indignation: O ! wretch
ed creature, whom the Lord chufeth to gjorify himfelf in thy
destruction : In effect, the Lord hath no more to do with the
wicked powers in thefe covenanted lands, but to make them
monuments of his difpleafure, and objects of his juftice, and
that he may Shew forth his wonders and power, in breaking
of their power, which they, Pharaoh-like, exercife againft
him : In plain terms, they. are much worfe than Pharaoh was;
for we read of Pharaoh's oppreffing the Ifraelites in their per-
fons and eftates, but not in their confciences, and he took
not their lives ; but the prefent wicked powers cannot be fa-
tisfjed, except they get -eftates, lives, confciences and all ^ If
we would rightly deline;ne them, we muft join Ahab and
K % Pha-

?6 ,. SERMON VI.
Pharaoh together ; yea, and it will, not doit; for. neither
Ahab nor Pharaoh were fo much obliged to do otherwife as
they are, being engaged in covenant to the Lord, and to his
people ; I lay, they have the Subjective tie, which Ahab and
Pharaoh wanted: Ol what can we expect upon them, but a
wonderful end, fuch as Pharaoh made, and the plummet of
the houfe of Ahab to be Stretched out upon them, and the
line of Samaria upon their habitations ?. What means their
being fo long fpared, but that they are referved for a future
judgment? Mic. vi. 14. O Britain and Ireland I thy carting
down fliall be ip the midft of thee : Thou fhalt take hold, but
fh;* not deliver, and that thou dclivere'ft will the Lord give
up tothefword. But, to come to the purpdfe, 1 would fay
t-his, It is fad when a people enters uporra courfe of defection
from the Lord, for they are ordinari'y given up to be end-
lefs therein ; a wrong courfeus fbon fallen upon, but it is not
fo foon forfaken -. Becaufe Ephraim hath made m my altars h
fin, altars fhall be to him to fin. This contains a threatning of
Ifrael's destruction, wiih the caufes procuring the fame judg
ments fhall come as fwift as an eagle againft the houfe of the
Lord, becaufe they have broken the ford's covenant, and
trefpaffed againft his laws, fo that they fhould be made to cry ¦
out, My God, we know thee; but this flowed from the fenfe
of their calamity, and riot from the ftnfe. of their fins ; for,
becaufe they had caft off the things that were good, the ene
my Shortly purfued their wicked rulers, whom they did cluife
without the Lord's advice j their' idolatrous courfes and Sin
ful cbnfederacies Should not help them ;, though they hired
lovers, yet they Should forrow a little for the burden of the
king of princes, vi* the king of Affyria ; for, out of juft
difpleafure, the Lord would give them up, to take their fill
of their own ways, that they might drop ripe for destruction.
Ephraim made many altars to fin, altars for idolatry ; thofe he
multiplied, and for this he is given up to follow thofe altars)
being unto him to fin ; he is accounted by the Lord, as if he
had intended to commit all the fin that is in them*, fince the
law which the Lord had given him, was accounted a Strange
thing by him : From- which words, Becaufe Ephraim hath
made many altars to fin, &c. I lay down thefe few doctrines,,
being the moft fubftantial of the many that might be given. •
Doct. I. When people go on in a courfe of defeilion, they.
cannot be /laid, but, ordinarily, become endlejs therein. Eph
raim erected many idolatrous altars : and this is confirmed
from the cafe that Ifrael was in, they made defection; chill-
ing Jeroboam without the Lord's advice : They Staid not
there, but worshipped the, calves of Dan and Bethel, which
he fet up; they Staid not there, but with Ahab ferved Baal;
Oh! fad experience among ourfelves confirms this point; for,

Upon Hosea viii. n. 77
for, we firft made defection, by bringing in enemies to God
into places of power, and truft amongft us ; and we Staid not
there, but the moft part went and worshipped the calves which
they did fet up and fabricate, to wit, prelacy and indulgency -,
and there is no Standing there ; for the- moil part were gap
ing after Baal alfo, to get popery eftablifhed by a law : Think
not this, my beloved, a wonder, that people run endlefs u-
pon defections ; for; in entering upon fuch a courfe, they
leave God, and then light and life leaves them : Now, for
Ufe 1. Of exhortation, To you who are following crooked
ways, take heed to what ye are doing, turn you quickly to
the Lord, left he leave off calling you ; turn you quickly to
him, left ye be given up to yourfelves, left he be put to this
with you, to foffer you to chufe your own delufions, fince ye
have chofenyour own ways; left he fay of you, Let them a-
lone, for they are joined to their idols : You that Stand on
the other Side, give ear to this ; ye that will not concern your
felves with the work and people of God, providing ye get
your o-n things, give ear to this ; O ! let Slanders on the
other fide take heed, to themfelves ; for, believe this, ye fliall
not Hand long there, ye fliall go quickly either to the one
fide or the other. We read, in Obadiah, ver. n. how that
Edom Stood on the other fide, in the crofs way, to cut off
thofe that did efcape of the children, of Ifrael, and did deliver
up to the enemy thofe that did remain in the day of. their
diftrefs; I tell you again, ye that Hand on the other fide, and
•look lightly on the affliction of your brethren, and will not
fide yourfelves fully with the Lord, ye fliall not continue long
* there : See, The cry is gone forth from the Lord, Who is on my
fide? And, believe it, ye fliall be either, made to declare
yourfelves for him, or againft him ; for the trial fhall come to
your door, to prove you, what ye will do. Scotland hath
gotten the brim of the cup of affliction ; but England muft-
have the dregs ; ye in England- have gotten a time to mind
your own things; and ye have minded nothing, but how
to fecure yourfelves in peace, without truth and holinefs ;
but the Lord hath an alarm to found among you, and ye
muft either be with Michael or the dragon; there will be no
halting: O ye halters, who Strengthen mens hands in wicked-
nefs,- 0 ! that ye would lay this to heart ; ye think it a fmall
thing, to uphold the enemies of the work of God, and to
anfwer all their impositions ; but, when the Lord avengeth
the quarrel of a broken covenant, you Shall not be found
free : 'And when he makes inquilition for blood, it fliall be
found in your Skirts : O I ye who join with all perfons that
come in your way, though never fo treacherous and unfaith
ful, ye would give ear to this; the Lord fays by the kingly
prophet, Meddle not with them that are given to change .¦ Ye
who

7S SERMON VI.
who have, only men" to follow, have a poor guide ; and, in
effect, it is a fault among the moft part, they plead for this
roan, and that man ; but never a word for truth and duty.
Ufe 2. Of exhortation, To you who are Standing to your
duty, keep your ground, lofe hot an inch, feek for Mofes'
fpiri't, who would not quit to Pharoah a hair or hoof of
that which belonged to the children of Ifrael : What belongs
to the Lord quit nothing of it, though ye fhall all lofe the
head for it : We ufe to fay (fpeaking in a proverb) It is bet
ter to hold by a hair, than to draw by a tether ; a grip is foon
flipt, but it is not foon recovered : The minifters of Britain
and Ireland, when they quit their, grip, at the command of
the tyrant and his wicked councellors, gave that at a wordj
which will coft many thoufand carcafeSj before it be recovered;
they quit that Shamefully, which cannot be recovered but mi?
j-.iculcufly : I fay, O beloved, quit nothing ; for, the more
you quit, the leis ftrength you have to hold what remains. I
know one, who, by the inftigation of one was induced to own
the prefent<tyrannical powers, fo far, as to prefent a fupplica-!
tion to them ; after which, he had no power to refute any
of their demands ; yea, and inftantly was prevailed With to
Swear the- oath of the Scottifh peftiferous teft -- Do not wonder
at the like of this ; for our outward enemies are like our in
ward enemies ; for the more ye yield unto them, the more
their ftrength increafeth, and" yours abateth. «-.,
Doct. II. The Lord will have ring-leaders in defection efpe-
cially noticed. and obferved ; becaufe that Ephraim made many
altars to fin, Ike. The prophet fays here, Ephraim, pointing
efpecially at their kingly tribe, who were endlefs in their Sin
ful courfes : Ye may fee the point confirmed, Micah vi. 16.
The ftatutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the houfe of
Alxib : You may alfo See it confirmed from that epitaph, writ
ten upon Jeroboam the fon of Nebat, which is, That he made
ifrael to fin ; yea, this fhall be the remembrance of the pre
fent wicked powers, to other generations, the fo called king
and councellors of Britain and Ireland, that they made thefe
covenanted lands to fin. I fliall (ay but little to this, that ye
may think the more. It is like ye will Jay, that I have preach
ed treafon ; and if preaching truth be treafonable, then ani I
a treafonable preacher.
The ufe of the point, is, An ufe of premonition : See that
¦ye be not followers of thefe wicked powers, who are the ring-'
leaders in finful courfes: What becomes' of Ifrael for keep
ing the ftatutes of Omri, and the works of the houfe of At
bab ? They were made a defolation and a hifting, Micah vi.
16. There are fome who fry, The law commands fuch a
thing, and therefore we cannot Shun it ; a brave plea indeed !
The

Upon Ho sea vifi. n." 7a
The children of Ifrael were' nothing the more excufeable, tbat
their abominations were ftatutes of Omri, and the works of
the houfe of Ahab : The Jews in crucifying of Chrift foughi
to excufe themfelves, by laying, They had a law, and by their
Jaw he behoved to die. Did their law, think ye, excufe them
in crucifying of Chrift, the Lord of glory ? I will tell you.
one thing, if you Study fo to walk as that the laws of 'men
may not reach you, the law of God will reach you ; for they
are confronted one againft another : What think ye ihall be
come of the laws of thefe times, when the Lord returns to
thefe covenanted lands? Shall not they, and all owners of
them, be removed ? Micah vii. ti. In the day that thy walls
are to be built, in that day fhall the decree be far removed,
Doct. III. The Lord judgeth a people following fmftd courfes,
as if they intended the fin that is in their way : Ephraim made
many altars to fin : The Lord here reputes them, as if they
intended all the fin that is in their way, and in their idolatry :
Many think to juftify themfelves by good intentions ; but that
will 'not do; for, what faith the apoftle of thefe, that does
evil that good may come of it, but that their condemnation
is juft ? I fay, the Lord accounts of perfons who are follow
ing Sinful courfes, as if they intended all the fin that is in their
ways ; he accounts of the way of the graffators, as if they
all intended to rob him of his princely robes, and as if they
intended avowed rebellion againft him ; yea, as if they intend
ed the bloodshed arid murder of his faints ; and as if they in
tended the oppreffion of men, in their perfons, in their con
fciences, and in their eftates, and blotting out the very name
of Ifrael : He accounts the ways of the prelates and their un
derlings, as if .they intended to climb over the walls, as if they
intended to teach lies, and cherifh vice ; as if they intended
to murder fouls, and to make way for antichrift in his full
ftrength : He accounts the way of the indulged, as if they
intended breach of covenant, by their dividing themfelvesfrotn
the work of the Lord ; as if they intended the forefaultiy of.
their commiffion by accepting restrictions and limitations from
men; as if they intended altogether unfaithfulnefs, by their
fupine neutrality and lothefome lukewarmnefs, in Siding with
and defending of fin ; yea, as if they intended the destruc
tion of the work of God, and to be the authors of all our
breaches : He accounts the Ways of bonding minifters, as if
they intended to take upon them the favour of the enemies;
as if they intended to break God's covenant, and to bind up
their own hands from duty ¦, as if they intended to declare
themfelves to be more the minifters of men, than the ministers
of Jefus Chrift : He accounts of the way of thefe unfaithful
men in the meeting-houfes in England and Ireland, as if they
intended to hide Sin and duty from the poor deftroyed peo
ple i

go •. . S. E R M O N VI.
pie,; as if they intended abominable unfaithfulnefs, and mak- .
5ng lies their refuge : He accounts of the way of Silent mini
fters, in this day of defection, as if they intended the efpouf-
ing of his- enemies quarrel, againft him and his people, con
demning their duty and the yielding up unto his enemies the
peaceable poffeffion of his houfe ; and he accounts of the
ways of the people who follow fuch men, as if they intended
the homologation and approbation of all their courfes: He
accounts the way of fine-payers, as if they intended the wrong
ing of his caufe, the denying of their duty, and the encou-,,
raging of men to work wickednefs : He accounts of the way
of chimney cefs-payers, a& if they intended the homologation
of chimeric government, and as if they. intended the uphold?;
ing of a thron£ of iniquity, inoppofitiori to this throne and
kingdom. The Ufe is of exhortation ; fee then that ye walk in filch a
way as will abide the trial of the Lord's word; fee that ye
build not hay and Hubble, which will be devoured by fire;
fee that ye do not follow after crooked ways', left ye be led
forth with the workers of iniquity, when the Lord fhalfc bring
peace^ to Ifrael his people : Now, that ye may win to this, I
would propofe thefe few helps to you :
i. Seek for an intereft in Chrilt ; for, while out of him,
ye can neither expect light nor life: While out of him, ye
can do nothing that is acceptable to him : I fay, while you
are out of. him, your performances are but an abomination
in his fight.
2. Study Strict communion and nearnefs with himfelf, that
ye may not only have grace, but grace in exercife, which is
the only thing can bear you up in this day of temptation : O
be not far from him, left in the day of your trial ye be far
from your ftrength.
3. Study to have a continued Sight of the precioufnefs of
the Lord's caufe ; for, without this you cannot be ftedfaft
in it.
4. Study a conftant willingnefs to follow the Lord's wayy
over all oppositions and through all difficulties.
5. Follow no man implicitely, left, when he ileps afide,
ye be made to Stumble and fall : Oh ! implicite following of
men hath been a great mean to break us ; for I have not feen
a man of any note fall away, but ftill they have taken a fleece
with them.
¦ 6. Forecaft'and fefolve upon the worft ye can meet with,
for fuch as do fo are moft likely to be carried through. I Shall
fay no more to you at the time; but clofe with a word to two
forts of folk :
(1.) Ye whofe ways are not pleafing to the Lord, and pot
at all approven by him, turn unto the Lord, and I am here to

PREFACE to SERMON VII., it
to teftify, that he is willing to turn unto you : Come over all
impediments in your way, and turn unto him, and notliing
will-be an impediment in his way.
(i.) You who have made aright choice, Stand to your
choice, and admire him, who hath made you fo happy, as to
efpoufe his concernments : O ! admire that work of love and
wonder, which will be your work through all eternity ; feed
your defires upon him, and fatisfy yourfelves in him : So, to
him who is the admiration of angels, the love of the fpiiits of
juft men made perfect and the wonder of the higher houfe,
do we give praife.
N. B This Sermon was preached at Newcaftle in England.
PREFACE.

THERE is one queftion that I would afk at you who are
come here this day, and I defire an anfwer of every one of
you ; and the queftion is this, that, in your coming here what
pains have ye been at to bring the Lord along with you ; I
tell you, what pains have ye been at about this ? Alas ! I fear
there be few here in this congregation, who have been wref-
tling with the Lord, to get him with you to this work; I fear
greatly,', and I doubt not but I have many of your confciences
going alongft with me, that ye have not been feeking to bring
the Lord with you ; for, I fay, if ye had been conlcientious
in this duty, we might hope and expect to have a heartfome
meeting this day and much of the power of God feen in his
word: If ye durft all hold up your faces before God, and
fay, that this hath been your work, you might expect to meet
him ; but when you come 'carclefsly, it is no wonder that
ye mifs him : Howbeit, my friends, I would have you con
sidering, that there are many things calling yOu to this duty :
i . There is his commandment, Amos v. 4. Seek ye me, and
ye flrnll live. And this was David's exercife, Pfalm xxvii. 8.
Thy face, Lord, will 1 feek. Remember, therefore, that there
is the tie of a, commandment lying on you for this; and what
ever the creature feeks, befides the Lord, he feeks but him
felf therein ; and therefore, whoever of ybu have not been
at the pains, in, fome meafure, to feek the Lord, to be pre
fent with you, in your coming here, you, are to be pronounced
rebels to him.
L ,2. The

¦*2 PREFACE to SERMON VII.
2. The excellency that is in him calls you to this : O 1 how
excellent. and precious is Chrift ! He is fo excellent, that if ail
the angels in heaven had his excellency to count, they Should
come far Short of it ; and if all the mathematicians in the world
were fet to count his excellency, they Should drown in this
ocean ; he is fo precious, that the moft' fagacious creature is
drowned in this depth, to find, out the excellency that is in
him ; fo he calls you to this work, to get him brought along
with you ; for, what is the matter, man, and woman, what
you get, if you get not Chrift for your portion ?
3. You are to feek the Lord to be with you in your here-
coming, becaufe one day he will feek an account of your
here-coming : As Chrift, after he expounded the parables,
aSked this queftion at his hearers, have ye understood all thefe
things? Matth. xiii. 51. So remember, Sirs, that your here-
coming will coft you an anfwer; therefore fee that' ye have
the anfwer before-hand.
4. The consideration of this puts a ne'eeffity upon you, he
calls for this from you, becaufe there never was a people un--
der heaven in greater need of it than we are this day : For;
what have we to look to this day, if we want the Lord him
felf to be prefent with us ? For many of us are robbed and
fpoiled of all that was pleafant to the carnal eye. But, what
is the matter what ye want, if ye have God to be your por
tion, and his prefence with you i But, poor folk, if ye want
pod, 'what have ye ? And, what will ye do now, when ye
are coming to your Jordan ? O! now ye are coming to Jor
dan waters, and it muft onlybe his right hand underneath you,
that muft bear you up, elfe the waves will overwhelm you ;
alas \ our vain hopes deceive us many times ; for it was a great
matter to get many dung off the arm of flefh, intrufting to
that party, that they would do great things for our deliver
ance : But now, Since God brake' that party, many are upon
the contrary frame ;. for now they think there is no hope, and
that there will never be a reviving of this work any more:
Some had fuch confidence in fome of thefe men working our-
deliverance, that, I fear, fome are at that with it, fince our Lift
daSh at Bothwel, as to Say, with Micah, They have taken away
my gods, and what have I more1.? O ! believe it, firs, as I have
oft told you, the narrow Sieve is coming ; and therefore it
ought to have been your work, to get the Lord to be with
you ; for if his ftrength be not on your fide, ye will never
bear up, but fink under the waves : Now, let it be all your
ferious defire and work, to get his prefence amongft us this
day. Let us pray.

SERMON

r. s3 i

SERMON

Zechariah ii. 8.
for thus faith the Lord of hafts, after the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations which fpoiled you : For ha that touchetS you,
touchfitb the apple, of his eye.
IF Jefus Chrift were feen to be in his church, the privi
leges of his people would be much feen and admired : O !
who can tell thofe privileges ? Yea, they who have himfelf,
have unfpeakable privileges ; for they have all his attributes
forthcoming to them, in fo far as it is for their good ;' fo
that they may fing with joy that fong, Pfalm xlvi. i, 2. God
is our refuge and ftrength, a very prefent help in trouble : There
fore will not we fear, though the earth he removed, and though
the mountains be carried into the midft cf the fea; and put a
defiance to all their enemies, with P.-iul, B.om. viii.,31. ff
Gad be for us, who can be againft us ? Becaufe they have infi
nite love putting infinite power in execution for them -. I lay,
his great love puts infinite power in execution for his people ;
for fo doth Paul conclude in the forecited place, If Cod be for
us, who can be againft us ? And he draws this conclufion ft ora
that golden chain of falvation, ver. 29. For, whom be did fore
know, he alfo did predeftinate, &c. What fliall we fay to thefe
things, If God be for us, who can be againft us ? Since he is a
God of infinite love, as well as of infinite power ; therefore
thofe that have him, have a fpecial help, for he both can and
will help : There are fome friends that would help, but
they cannot : But Chrift cannot be pur. to a'nonplus ; for
as he is willing, fo he is able ; and as he is able, fo is he
willing; he being with, for, and amongft his people; is fuch.
an one unto them, that they need complain for no want :
They need not fay, Who is on their Side ? Or that they are
weak ; for they have infinite power .on their fide, and all
power in heaven and in earth ready to be put forth, in execu
tion for (ihem, in fo far as it is for their good. The fun <md
the moon flood ftill in their habitation, Hab iii 11. It was in
his power fo far to let forth thefe, or to hold the.ni back,
when it was for his people's good, in companding tlife fun to
Stand ftill, -or to go, as it might ferve for the good of his peo
ple, in that prefent expedition of war. So, this prophet Ze
chariah gets a fight of Chrift being with his people, and en
gaged againft their enemies, as you have it in the words read ;
L 2 For

84 S' E R M O N VII.
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations tbat fpoiled you, Sec.
Now, for better understanding of the words, I Shall Shew
you the connection of them, with Some obfervations from it.
In this chapter we have,
i. A vifion which this prophet gets Shewn unto him, ver i.
He fiw a man with a meafuring-line in his hdnd ; this is the
vifion, he law Chrift, and a meafuring-line in his handi and
he asked at him, Whither goeft thou ? ver. 2. 1 go, fays he, to
meafure Jerufalem, to fee what is the breadth and length thereof :
Then he commiffionates the angel, to fend forth Zechariah
with this in his mouth, to tell, That Jerufahm fhould be inhi
bited as towns without walls, and tbat he would be a wall of fire
found about, and the glory in the midft of her. The obferva-
tion from this vifion, is, That thtfe that fee the cafe of the
church rightly, will always fee Chrift bufied and employed^-
bout his church, and concerned with her welfare ; for, her
welfare is the bufinefs and grand concern of Jefus Chrift.
Here the holy prophet fees Chrift, not idle, but with a mea-
f'uring line in his hand ; which Shews his care of his church,
and defigp to build her : I fay, this Sheweth his purpofe to
build her, and his care to repair her old waftes : So this may
be the church's great comfort, that Chrift's hand is about her;
he is employed about her welfare ; her concerns are his con
cerns ; and hence obferve,
2. That he iiath the fetting of the bounds to the church;
for, he hath a charter, gifted him of his Father, which no
power on earth can retrench or dimmifh ; for, as he hatha
line, here Signifying his purpofe to build his church, fo it Sig
nifies alfo that it is he that fets bounds and limits to the church;
and all created power cannot retrench the fame : So, let ene
mies do what they can, yet they cannot leffen the bounds of
the church of Chriil ; for he hath Said, That he will make
Zion a burthenfome Stone to all them that weary themfelves
with her; fo, what get they for their pains but their own o-
verthrow and destruction, when Zion is made a burdenforae
ftone, that upon whomfoever it falleth, it grindeth them to
powder ? Now, Chrift being fo employed, he will not have
this kept up from his church, but presently giveth commif-
fion to Zechariah, to go and proclaim what he hath to do,
and to tell them what is his great purpofe, ver. 4 Run, faith
he*, fpeak to this young man, tell him, That Jerufalem Shall
be inhabited as towns without walls ; and this confirms what
I am faying, viz. That Chrift hath the fetting.of the bounds
to his church, for he can only declare, by reafon of the irre
vocable decree of the Father, what are the limits of his church :
But, here they might have objected, if fo be, That Jerufalem
fliall be inhabited, as towns without walls, then Where is her
fafety i

Upon, Zechariah ii. 8. 85
fefety ? For, to a city without walls, the enemy can come in,
and incroacb upon her as they pleafe : But, in anfwer to that,
he faith, verfe 5. J will be unto her a wall of fire round about,
and will be the glory in the midft of her. . But then,
3. Obferve, That onepromife from Chrift, and one proof
of his, kindnefs, makes way for another : Thus, the promife
of enlargement;makes way for the promife of protection ; and
thus he deals with his people, by making one- mercy make
way for another, till they get the accomplishment and fulfil
ling of all promifes ; / will be a wall of fire round about her.
4. Obferve, That, in the midft of all calamities, he can
reftrain his church's enemies ; for he hath a hitherto Jhalt thou,
go, and no further ; he hath fet bounds and limits, which
they cannot tranfgrefs or go over ; yea, he can fo hinder e-
nemies epterprizes, that they Shall be as dangerous to them
felves, as it is for a man to run through the fire; fo, the
Lord makes enemies, in their defigns againft the church, run
upon what is very dangerous to themfelves : Alfo, the ex
preffion itfelf may betoken or Signify, what the Lord was, or
had been to his people, in the time of their deliverance out
of Egypt ; or, it may be fpoken in albjfion to Elijah's fiery
chariot, wherein he was taken up to heaven This is the vi
fion, and it is applied to three forts of folk.
(1.) It is applied to thefe who remained ftill in Babylon,
who came not home with the reft, to put their hands to the
Lord's work ; for that end it is applied to them, viz. That
they might leave Babylon, and come home, and join with
their brethren.
(2.) It is applied to thofe who were at Jerufalem, that; they
might fing and rejoice, becaufe they had their hands about
the work. \
(3 ) It is applied to all whooppofe God's work and intereft,
and that, either by open enmity, or unbelief, foe. Be Silent,
O I all flefli, foe. as to the firft, as it is applied to them, even
all fuch as were at Babylon (for many had forgotten their na
tive country, Jerufalem and the temple)., The comrniffion
or call was, ver. 6. Ho, ho, come forth and fiee from the land of
the. North. So, hence we may,
5. Obferve, in application of this, That if the advantage of
Chrift's church and people was rightly feen, there would be
enough to perfuade all people to join hands with his people ;
for, fiiice Chrift was about to build his church, that was e-
nough to invite them to come and join, to come, and put to
their hands to his work and intereft ; Ho, ho, come, and flee
from the land of the north.
6. Obferve, That, whatever our carnal natural hearts fay
to the contrary, yet our belt is to obey his command ; yea,
obedience to his command is the way of fafety and well-be ing

-36 ' SERMON VII.
iii? : For the fhorteft cut to be well, is to do well ; whichis
exprefled' alfo in the word, Ho, ho, come forth, and fiee out of
the land cf the north : 6 then ! would he fay, give obedience
to his commands, as you would flee fome great hazard ; or,
as you would flee from a man that is going to kill yon.
"~ 7. Obferve, That a people may come to fuch a length1 of
ftupidity, as even at length to fit down contentedly under that
condition, which formerly they would have thought a plague': '
For, once this people could not think of going to Babylon ;
but, when come there, they fit down clofe and ftill, and can
not think of a return. But, O! this is a very curled difpofi--
tion, when people fit ftill under the fad tokeps of the Lord%
difpieafure ; as if he had faid, The Lord, in his difpleafiire,
hath fcattered you, why will ye fit ftill, when he opens a door
of relief unto you ? O, what a judgment-like difpofition was
this, for them to be under this fad calamity ! as if he had faid,
You would be content to live under this calamitous condi
tion ftill, without his temple-worfhip and temple-prefence ;
but formerly it was not fo. Long fince, it would have been
thought a very ftrange thing, to have a p'eaceable life, when
and where fin was abounding ; but now, the moft part would
be content to have outward peace, without his prefence in
the worfhip. O then, what a judgment is this ! But, to en-
-force this exhortation, there are two reafons here implied;
and, (1.) It implies God's anger, to have fcattered them already;
Why will you ly ftill, Since my anger hath Scattered you, arid
put you in that cafe ?
(2.) That their profeffing to be of Zion, ver. 6. fhewed that
it was very unlike to Zion, to dwell in Babylon ; Deliver thy-
felf, 0,Zion, that dwells at Babylon.
8. Obferve, That if profeffors would notice their privileges
and profeffions, they would find much in them ; the Lord
names them here, Ziou, to Shame them out of it, fo that he
would either have them to quit the name of Zion, or quit
their place in Babylon, But, to come to the words read,
Chrift is here instructing the prophet, in thefe words, Aftet
the glory, that is, After that the Lord had vifited his people
with affliction ; or, after he had manifefted his glbry in de
livering. his people, then he fent Chrift to them that had pu-
nifhed his people, and hindered them to build his temple;
and the reafon of this is, Becaufe Chrift was fent to punifh
the Babylonians; therefore it was very unfuitable tor them
te) dwell among them. I grant there is fome difficulty in thefe
words, After the glory ; but this will exhauft the full mean
ing of it :
(1.) If we understand it thus, After the glory , that is, After he

, Upon Zechariah ii. 8. ' 3y
¦he bad afflicted his church and people ; for by glory is forac-
times underftood his church, Ifa. iv. 5.
(2.) If we understand it thus, After the glory, that is, Af
ter the Lord had begun to manifefl his glory, in Veftoring his
glory, or his church, then he was fent, that he might reftrain
them from hindering his work and intereft's ongoing. And
this he doth, for his tender Sympathy that he bears towas-ds
his church. After the glory hath he fent me to the nations that
fpoilid you ; for he that touclieth you, toucheth the apple cf his
-eye. In the words there are five things :
I. Chrift is held forth to be the declarer of the Father's
will ; for he tells unto the prophet, what the Lord is faying.
II. Here is held forth Jefus Chrift, feeing the Father's will
done ; he fent me to the nations.
III. Here is fet forth the time of it, viz. After the ghry <fx
hath fent me to the nations, tbat is, After he had vifited his
people with afflictions, and reftored them again.
IV. Here is the caufe why he is fent, and that is, to punilb
them becaufe they fpoiled his people : And,
V. Here is the reafon why, or the motive, from which' h~
5s moved thus to do ; and this is brought from his own affec-
tion toward his people, He that toucheth you, toucheth the' ap
ple of his eye. And now, \
I. From the firft of thefe, That Jefus Chrift is here making
known the Father's will, let me lay down this doctrine from
it, viz Tbat Chrift Jefus is the interpreter of the Father's will,
and he is the revealer of his counfet ; for it k he, I fay, thai:
declares to the prophet what the Lord faith, John xiv. 26.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Gboft, whom the Father
will fend in my name, he fhall teach you all things. Col. ii c*.
For in him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the godhead bodily. Col. i,
19. For it pleafedthe Father, that in him fhould all fidnefs dwell.'
He teacheth the will of his Father, he is that wife Solomon,
who is the teacher and instructor of Lis people : So then, lex
me lay home this with a word of ufe : Is he the Instructor of
his people ? Then come, and make him your teacher; he wiUI
teach you to profit ; he can teach you effectually; for he will
teach his people by his word and Spirit. (I mean not tbat
fpirit of delufion, which enthufiafts and quakers lean upon.,
fepavating the word from the Spirit.) If you inquire, What
doth Chrift teach his people ? I anfwer,
1. He will teach his people what fin is, he will not teach to
commit fin, for that is of the devil ; but he will reprove the.
world of fin, John xvi. 8. and teach you to know bow hateful
a thing fin is, by giving you a right uptaking of it.
2. He will teach his people the miferies thit accompany fin,
He will reprove the world of fin, of righteovfncfs, and of judg
ment, John xvi. S. You have been taught this, that fin
makes

SB S E R M O N VII.
makes a diftance betwixt God and you, betwixt God and the
creature. Know ye not, that fin cads out of God's prefence
into hell ? Have you been taught this, to fee fin calling into
hell out of God's prefence, and arming God againft you, to
purfue you with the fword of his juftice drawn in his hand ?
Hath he brought you to mount Sinai ? Whether or not,
know you this, what it is to dwell at mount Sinai, and what
it is to be brought up a while at Mofes's feet ? I fear, the
moft part of you do not know what it is to be brought up a
while at Mofes's fchool, at the foot of mount Sinai ; for he
ufually leads to mount Sinai, before he leads to mount Zion.
O ! this is an untender generation, that ventures upon fin
againft light : But, I muft tell you, we have not been killed
at Mofes's fchool ; I tremble, not fo much to think upon the
grofs defection and compliance of the land, asl do, when I
remember that the moft part of the land is finning againft
light. I heard it reported of one man, who on his death-bed
was under fomething of this exercife, unto whom a minister
came ; and he, feeing that there was fome pins of the taber
nacle loofed, told him his cafe, and that the fword of juftice
was hanging over his head ; whereupon, the Sick man cried
Out, This man hath killed me: To whom the minifter repli
ed, I have not killed you ; but the two tables of the law have
killed you. O ! know ye what it is to have the two tables of
the law killing you ? They kill all them whom Chrift quick
ens again : Paul knew what it was to be killed by the law,
and to live by the gofpel. This is the thing I am faying,
Chrift teacheth his people to know fin, and the mifery that
attends fin ; and if you were trained up at this fchool, there
would be more tendernefs among you ; you would know that
it is a bitter thing to depart from the living God. He was an
honeft man who faid, I could embrace hell in mine arms, ra
ther than Sin.
3. Chrift will teach you in whom your help is ; he will not
take you to Mofes's fchool, and kill you, and leave you there;
but he will Shew you that help is in himfelf ; you have de
ftroyed yourfelves, would he fay ; now, I will teach you that
you are no more deftroyed, for I am fufficient to help you ;
O ! come unto him, and he will teach you to know his power
and love, and to know, thefe meeting together in him for
your help. O ! thefe are fweet leffons, to be taught to fee
infinite power, and infinite love, joining hands together for
your help, by taking the poor creature by the hand, taking it
out of juftice's way, and teaching it to flee to the city ofre*
fuge, that the avenger of blood may purfue it no more.
Would it not be a fweet leffon for a man, bound up in
prifon, all hope of outgate being cut off, if a prince fliould
come and fay, I will tell you how you fliall come out hence ;
take

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 89
take a grip of me, and follow me, and you Shall efcape. And
now, 0 undone creature ! come here, and Chriit Shall teach
you his aU-fuflieiency, that he is a complete Saviour ; lie will
teach you the boundlefsnefs and freedom of ins g'-ace, and
that he is a glorious and eoftly Saviour, and a communicative
good. 4. He will teach you effectually, Jen xxxi. 33. I ' wi'l put
my law in their inward parts, and write it in their harts, &c.
fo he will teach you, and m.nke you take with the learning ;
he will teach you effectually, and with a high hand, not by
compulfion, but by a holy conftraining and overpouring ; he
teacheth b/-enl:ghtning the mind, and quickening ihe will,
and moving the affections, to embrace Chrift as he is oiiered
in the gofpel. O ,1 ye that are ignorant of this, come ye now ;
ipr now he is offering himfelf, and testifying how willing he
is to have this ieffon taught you ; he is faying, Behold me,
behold me: O ! then, who hath eyes now to fee Chrift an
ali-fufrkient Saviour ?
5. He will teach you to know the advantages that his Scho
lars have; his fchool is a fchool of great advantages ; the
fchool of Chrift is a fchool of peace , and joy ; no trouble is
there; but there is no peace to the wicked ; but unto his dif-
ciples he Saith, My peace I give you, my peace I leave you :
O I then, would you have a life of peace in a time of trou
ble, and would ye have joy in the time of trouble ? O ! then,
come to Chrift's fchool ; for true peace and true joy cannot
be had elfewhere : O! had you the advantages that his fcho-
lars have* and the manifeftations that they have of himfelf,
you would thinkithat they only had the advantages, who are
at his fchool: O! ye who have flood long out, come and
fubmit yourfelves to him, for he is willing to receive you, and
he will not upbraid you. But there are two forts of folk, who
will not come and be taught of him :
1. The conceited folk, according to that which the apoftle
fays, The world by wifdom knew not Gcd, \ Cor. i. 21. You
have fo much wit, that you think you need no more, O for
humble ignorance I a fenfe of ignorance would be a prepara
tive to you for Clirift's teaching. Zech. iv. 5. Knoweft thou not.
what thefe be ? and he find, No, my Lord; he would have folk
humbled under the fenfe of their ignorance, before he would
teach them ; for he receives a co'nfcffion of the prophet's ig
norance, and then teacheth him: Chrift knew well enough
that Zechariah was ignorant, but he would have him give a
confeffion of it, that he might See and have the fen.'e c? it :
So, there is a company of conceited folk, that will not con-
fel's their ignorance, as the proud Pharifees who faid, Doll
thou teach us ? Yea, there are fome amongft you, that will
be ready to fay unto Chrift, Doft thcu teach us ? There is
M So

?o SERMON VII.
fo much worldly wifdom amongft you, that Chrift hath no
place 2. The fecond fort is unwilling folk ; unwillingnefs hinders
fu ejection to Chrift in his prophetic office, John v. 40. And
ye will not come tq me, that ye might' have life. What makes
you fo unwilling ? Ye will fay, That Chrift is an auftere maf^
ter, 1 dare not come : But, believe it, he is no auftere maf-
ter, Ifa. iv. 23 A bruifed reed fhall he not break, and thefmok-
ing flax fhall he not quench. He is a matter eafy to be intreat-
ed ; but ye will poffibly fay, That his difcipline and learning
are 'very auftere : But, I tell you, his leffons are very plea
fant leffons ; and the more Sharp that they appear, that is
but to make way for more pleafant leffons; for, they that
know moft of the fliarpnefs of his leffons, know alfo moft of
the pleafantnefs of them. In his. teaching, you Shall have that
which is- Sufficient for you ; his ways are all pleafantnefs, and
his paths are all peace : O ! then, make yourfelves acquaint
ed with this ; then may ye fet to your feals to this, Faithful
is he that hath promiled, who hath faid, his ways are ways of
pleafantnefs, and his paths are paths of peace.
fl. I proceed to the fecond thing which was obferved, viz.
That Chrift is Sent to fee the Father's will executed, After the
glory hath he fent me, &c. fo Chrift here instructs, his people
as a prophet ; now he is fent to fee the Father's will executed
on the nations. We will not get this point now handled, as
need would require ; only we Shall touch it but a little, and
obfe,rve, this doctrine :
Doct. Chrift Jefus hath not only a peculiar fujficicney over
his church, but he is governor of heaven and earth, over nations,
to rule and crufh them as he p'eafeth. Pfalm ii 8. 9. AJh of me,
and I fijill give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,' andf be
nttermqft parts of the earth for thy poffeffion. Thou fhalt break
them with a rod of iron, thou fhalt dafb them in pieces like a pi-
ters vcffel. Dan. ii. 44 And in the days of thefe kings fhalitlie
God of heaven fet up a kingdom which fhall never be deftroyed,
and this kingdom fhall not be left to other people, but it fhall breik
in pieces^ and conjume all thefe kingdoms, and it fhall 'ft and fir
ever. So then,
1. Here you fee him fent to ihe nations, to crufh and pu
nifh, not only in a particular manner, as Lord of his church ;
but he is fuperior over all nations : It is true, Chrift hath' a
peculiar fupcriority over his church ; for, as Mediator, he
hath a peculiar intereft in her. which engageth him to be
much concerned with his church ; and hence learn this ufe
from it, that they are in a miferable- condition or. cafe, to
whom Chrift is fent, for their overthrow, and not for help i
to whom he is not fent with glad tidings, but to punifh and
crufh them ; and when he goes againft fuch a people, that* in

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 91
in Pfalm 1. 3. is made out againft them, our God fhall come,
and fhall not keep file nee ; a fire fliall burn before him, and be
very tempeftuous round about him ; and, Heb. xii. ver. laft, our
God is a confuming fire : Then is not their cafe fad, against
whom Chrift is coming as, a confuming fire ? The apoftate
powers of this land are little thinking of this, that Chrift will
be among them, and make them feel it to their coft and expe
rience. They carry their heads very high now, whom Chrift
will break; for, as he hath a fcepter to fway oyer his ped-
ple, fo alfo he hath a rod of iron to break his and their ene
mies. O I then fubject yourfelves unto him ; for miferable
is the cafe of this generation, who have broken all ties and
vows, or engagements to him : The wicked carry now too
high ; but when Chrift co'mqs to give them a blow, it will be
a Weighty blow indeed.
Ufe 2. Wherein learn the woful cafe of thefe, whom Chrift
cometh to deftroy : Obferve, this is an ufe of great encou
ragement and concernment ; I fay, it is an ufe of exhortation,
to draw you from among enemies. Believe it, firs, thefe who
are found among enemies, when Chrift comes to punifh ene
mies, they fhall tafte of enemies cup : Ho, ho, come forth, and
flee, becaufe for judgment lam come againft the Babylonians';
and if ye be found in Babylon, then you Shall tafte of Baby
lon's cup. Believe it, 1 fay, thefe who fliall be found in ene
mies camps, in the day of his appearance for his church, and
againft her adverfaries, Shall certainly Share of enemies judg
ments ; and there are fix forts of folk that will be found in
the enemies camps :
1. Thefe who are making peace with enemies; they are
making a covenant, with hell, and with death ; but God will
come and break thefe : Then thefe that will not go and pin
with you, and proclaim war againft them, fliall be broken.
You who are making peace with the wicked, who are fiying,
ye will never more own him, nor his way ; remember that
peace-making with them Shall bring you down, and bring
wrath upon you ; and your covenant with hell and death ftj.vl
not Sland, but be annulled. O ! then, confider how *»-.u
are venturing upon the boffes of the Almighty's buckler ; it
is eafier to venture upon the wrath of men, than upon the
wrath and great difpleafure of a living Godi O! then, let
fucli take heed to themfelves, what they are doing ; for their
covenant with hell and with death fliall not ftand.
2. Thefe who uphold the enemies. People think it a fmall
thing now, to contribute for the upholding of enemies, hy
paying cefs and locality to them ; but remember what Paul
fays, Rom. vi. 16. Know ye not, that to whom' ye yield your
felves fervants to obey, his fervants ye are to whom ye obey ? I
would have vou' believing this, that, Since ye yield yourfelves
M 7, to

92 S E R M O N VII.
to enemies in their Sinful impofitions, the Lord will reckon
with you as them that are fubjects to enemies when he comes
to punifh. them, and then you fhall be made to tafte of ene
mies cup.
3. Thefe who are justifying enemies ; unlike to- David, who
faid, Pfalm* ci 3. / hate the work of them that iurn-afide, it
fij.ill not cleave unto me : Men venture upon justifying of, ene
mies, and they juftify them, when they do what they do,. and
in that inftance ; when they pay fines, they juftify enemies,
fiying, That Che enemies have been right, and they them
selves wrong. O i deliver yourfelves from this, for this in
flates you in the camp of enemies ; deliver yourfelves from
them, for I tell you, thefe that are found in Babel, when God
puniflieth B.ibel, Skill be partakers of Babel's lot. Believe
me, when he gives enemies a blow, he will not mifs them a
blow.vyho juflify enemies : Alfo he will not mifs a lukewarm
people, fwearing one day to the Lord, and the other toMal-
cham ; one day coming here, and another day going to the
perjured curates, or other hirelings: So, 1 fay, fuch as do
not follow the Lord fully, will be found guilty in that day;
and if ye will not believe me, take the Lord's word for it,
Zeph. i. 4, 5. And I will firetch out mine band upon Judah, —
and them that worjhip, and that fwear by the Lord, and tbat
fweir by Malcham ; all thefe will the Lord punifh '; Take heed,
now, ye who are halting betwixt two opinions ; as it were,
in fomethiiig worshipping God, and in fomething ferving i-
dols ; ye will be cut off. O halters • take heed, and be ad-
monifhed .to deliver yourfelves ; for, if ye be found halting
between two opinions, God will repute you to be in Baby
lon. 4. Thefe will be found to be in enemies camps, and punifh-
ed with them, who are not zealous againft Babylon, that (tir
not up themfelves againft her, Judges v 23. Curfe ye Mem,
(faid the angel of the Lord,) curfe ye bitterly the inhabitants
thereof, becaufe they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help
of the Lord againft the miahty .- Meroz, lying by from this du
ty, brought a heavy curfe from God on themfelves. A weigh
ty curfe is that, Curfed is he that doth the work of the Lordde-^
ceitfuhy, Jer. xlviii. 10.. and curfed is he that doth the work
of the Lord negligently ; ye ought to hate all with a perfect
hatred, who are haters of God, Pfalm exxxix. 21, 22. This
is clearly to be understood, againft and concerning the prac
tices and ways of the wicked : So, then I would warn you to
deliver yourfelves from an indifferent and lukewarm frame,
elfe God will find you in enemies camps ; for, if there be
not a zealous refentment againft what enemies are doing a-
gainft the people, caufe and kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift,
he may juftly charge the wrongs done by them againft usj on
you.

Upon Zechariah ii. 8.

93

you. If all that the enemies are doing be not refented, with
heart and practice, I fay, he may charge it home on you
and us.
5. Thefe will be found in enemies camps, who are turned
back from following the Lord, Zeph. i. 6. And them rhat
are turned back from the Lord; you who hav$ made apofta-
cy from your former profeflion and practice, from former
vows and engagements, when all have been founded up6a
and confonant to the fcriptures of truth, which is the word
of God ; if ye do not remember from whence ye are fallen,
and repent, and do your firft works, ye fhall be found in Ba
bylon, when the Lord comes to punifh you with them ; for
he will deftroy them who have turned back from following
the Lord : many of the people of this generation think to
get Safety and fecurity in the world, by turning from follow
ing of God ; but, believe it, God Shall make his difpleafure
againft them fadly appear : Piemember what is faid, Ifa. xxxi.
2. Yet he alfo is wife, and will bring evil, and wdl not call back
his words, but will ar if e againft the houfe of evil doers, and a-
gainft the help of them that work iniquity : There was many a
wife politic one in Ifrael, who thought to Strengthen them
felves, by joining with the enemies of God ; but the Lord telis
them, this was a covering that was not of his Spirit, I(aiah,
xxx. 1. And, in the forecited place, he adds this word, Yet
he alfo is wife, &c ye think, forfooth, would the prophet fay,
that ye are wife men ; but God is more wife, and knows how
to out-wit your wifdom : God will out-wit this wordly-wife
generation ; and the ways which they have taken for peace,
fliall bring down great trouble and defolation from the Lord
upon them : the only way to be well'^to do well : It fliall be
feen, that thefe who have laid afide th'Lord's.work, whether
minifters or profeSIbrs, have caft themfelves into inevitable
calamities ; for the Lord will not fuffer fuch ways to pals
without punishment, and evidences of his difpleafure.
6. Thefe will be found in enemies camps, and may expect
to be punifhed, as ftrangers and enemies to God, who have
not fought the Lord, nor enquired after him ; for whatever
ye are, and whatever ye profefs yourfelves to be, if ye be
found ftrangers to God, ye fliall meet with Babylon's punish
ment : So then, remember this, that Chrift will make no dif-
•ference, betwixt thefe who are ftrangers and them that are
enemies ; they fhall both meet in end, they Shall both be
found in one camp, they Shall be found in one company thro'
.all eternity ; if mercy prevent it not, the wrath of God Shall
feize on, them to all eternity : Ol then, remember this, you
who are ftrangers to God, and know him not, ye fliall drink of 1
enemies cup; for fuch will God, hold to be one with Ba
bylon, when he comes to punifh Babylon, Ufe

04 PREFACE to SERMON VIII.
Ufe 3- Learn hence the happy cafe of all thefe, whera
Chrift comes to help and encourage ; as they are miferable he
comes to deftroy, fo they are happy whom he comes to help,
Zech ii. 10. Sing and rejoice, 0 daughter of Zion; for lo, I
come, and I will dwell in the midft of thee, faith the Lord : So,
thefe that. are fetting about the work that the Lord is calling
them unto, are hereby invited to Sing, and to Shew their joy
by Singing ; for Chrift was coming to them, not as to enemies,
to deftroy and puniSh, but to help and comfort them, and to
take up his habitation amongft them : Sing, and rejoice ; for
lo, I come, and will dwell in the midft of you : It is.obfervable,
and very emphatical, that it is put in the prefent time, or fu
ture, I will come, and it holds put the perpetuity of it, as
that, in his, coming, he is always in the prefent time, coming;
and it holds out alfo the increafe of it, and it points out his
being at all pains, to make up an union betwixt his people
and him : And now, my friends, Chrift is offering to make
tip a bargain with you ; he is offering to come to each of
your fouls, young and old ; Lo, I come, fays he ; I will be at
all the pains, to make up an union betwixt us, and to come
unto you. Are they not in a happy cafe, rhen, whom Chrift
comes thus unto, whom he comes unto, taking pains upon
them, to make up an union betwixt him and them ? Now,
what is your anfwer'? Is this your reply, Evenfo, come, Lord
Jefus ? But, I fear, many of you are ready to reply, with
the fwinifh Gadareans, Depart out of our coafth. O ! dare
any of you give this reply when he is prefenting himfelf unto
you ? You will fay, Who comes ? I anfwer, it is Chrift, a
glorious King, no mean perfon, a glorious and compleat Sa
viour : O ! then, let this be your hearts out-cry, Even ft,
came, Lord Jefus thrift?

PRE FACE.

NEED not afk this queftion at many of you, What
hath brought you here this day ? For, I am afraid, that
rtic mod part of you know not your errand : I will tell
you what the coming of the moft part that are here will pro
duce. Firft, It is a dishonouring of Chrift, and a wounding of
bira. Secoiid'yt

SERMON VIII. pi
Secondly, It is a haftning many of you to perdition ; Chrift
had a word to his difciples; That he had chofen twelve, and
one of them fhould betray him ; but, I fear, he Shall have
it t© fay of this company, that of each twelve eleven fliall be
tray him : I will tell you, your coming here fhall eithef be a
great mercy, or a great judgment, to many of you ; ye are
fo unlike the duty of the day, and fo little of the work of
the day to be feen among you : There is fuch unfittednefs,
and fuch idle difcourfes to be found amongft you, which
makes me fadly to fear, that the effect of this day's work will
be fad to many. Alas! Shall he cover a table in theVilder-r
nefs, and Shall he fpread forth his net where there is fo many
fifh, and Shall nothing be catched ? O ! take befid what ye
are doing, and what a jewel^the gofpel is, that ye have in your
offer : I believe there are many here, who fliall have this day'1;
work as an article of their indictment, when it will be aSked
at them, what improvement they made of fuch a day. -Q 5
whsi would they do, who are in hell, for the lead opportu
nity that we have had, and undervalued it ? O ! it is fadly to
be feared, that the Lord be provoked to draw his table fvoai
among us, becaule we improve it not.
Let us pray, and cry after him, for a blink of his reconciled
countenance tofhine on us this day.

SERMON VIII.

Zechariah ii. S;
for thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he fent tne
unto, the nations which fpoi'.ed you : For he that touchetkyou,
toucheth the apple of his eye.
THE Lord's coming to a land hath different effects, u-
pon different Sorts of folks : He comes to his church in
peace, but to his enemies in red-war ; he comes to his church
with garments of lalvation, but to the enemies of his church
with garments of fcverity ; fo that his coming is joyful to
fome, but terrible to others. I fear it would be a pleafant doc
trine, that would go well away with many, to tell you, That
there is not a God to call you to an account, and to aSk you
what you are doing : I fay, this would go well away with the
moft

96 SERMON VIII.
moft part of you ; for his coming will be a terrible confing
to the moft part, though indeed it will be a joyful coining to
bis own : But his coming, as it fhall dart terror to the hearts
of his enemies ; fo his appearance is joyful, and much long
ed for by his own people. But, to come to the purpofe, iri
the foregoing occafion, we Shewed the connection of the
words, with fome obfervations from the connection ; which
obfervations I cannot now reduce ; for the time will' not al
low me to do it: However, that I may come to the words
themfelves ; and, for your better underftanding of them, con?
fider the connection of ihem thus. In the beginning of the
chapter there is a vifion Shewn to Zechariah : The vifion is
of a man, to wit, Chrift, in the prelude of his human nature,
with a meafuring line in his hand ; and being aSked by the
prophet, Whither he was going ; he fays, To meafure Jeru
falem, to fee what is the breadth, and what is the length thereof.
Now, by the meafuring line in Chrift's hand, is reprefented
unto us, that he fets bounds to his own church, that all the
powers on earth cannot intrench, or retrench, or diminish :
Let them bend in or out their forces, yet they cannot incroach ,
upon the bounds which he hath fet : This was fo comfortable
to the church, that Chrift prefently polls away the news of
it ; and an angel gets a commiffion to tell it; Run, faith he,
tell this young man, to tell the people, That Jerufalem fhould
be inhabited, as towns without walls ; he gives promife of en
largement to his church, that her borders fliall- be enlarged,
fignified by the multitude of inhabitants ; and he gives ano
ther promife of fafety, that this promife of enlargement might
be made out, becaufe there might be a fecret doubt, to wit,.
That if Jerufalem fliall be inhabited as a town without walls,
where fliall her fafety be ? then the enemies may come in as ¦
they will : To prevent this, he tells, That he will be a wall
effire roundabout her .- So this is the vifion, and the meaning
hereof, which is applied to two or three forts of folk :
I. To. thofe that remained at Babylon, when the reft of
the Jews came home, and builded the temple : There was a
company of them that remained at Babylon, and were content
with their judgment-like condition ; but he applies this to
them, to encourage thefe who had their hands at the work.
iO ! beloved, if ye had eyes to fee, ye would lee Chrift's hand
always about the work: This exhortation is inforced by three
reafons, whereof two are more darkly fet down, Firft, ver. 7.
Deliver thyfelf, 0 Zion, that dwelleft with the daughter of Ba
bylon. And ver. 6. I have fpread you abroad as the four winds
cf heaven, fo then haften out of Babylon, becaufe their being
there was an evidence of his difpleafure. Secondly, Since they
pretended to Zion, therefore it was unfeemly for- them who
were

Upon Zechariah ii. ft. or\
were profeffors, to dwell- among enemies. And, Thirdly,
The third reafon is in the words read, which he inforceth the
exhortation from ; becaufe, the Lord having afflicted his
people, and now is beginning to manifeft his glory, Chrift is
fent unto the nations ; and (b'then; who can hinder his work ?
Therefore it is not fafe for them to dwell among them ; as if
he had Said, I am fent to punifh. the nations, who are my e-
nemies ; and if .you be in their camps, when I come to. punifh
them, you fhajl tafte of their cup : ' Whereby is meant, that
he made a deep relentment of the wrongs done unto them by
enemies; alfo, that he hath a great Sympathy with, or to
wards them, He that toucheth you, toitcheth the apple of his eye :
And their judgment is held forth or told them in the follow
ing words, where the manner of it is fet down, ver. 9. For,
behold, I willfhake mine hand upon them, and they fhall be a fpoil
to their fervants, and ye fhall know that the Lord of hofts bath
fent me : That is, Thefe whom they had conquered fhould
be lords over them again : By which he would make it known
that he was the Lord's meffenger to his church: And fo I
Shall return again to the words, in which I noticed five par
ticulars ;
I. That Jefus Chrift is the interpreter of the Father's will.
II. That he is fent to lee the Father's will executed.
III. Here is pointed out the time when, to wit, After the
glory, that is, after he had afflicted his people, or vilited his
church with affliction ; which is bis declarative glory, and
where his glory begins to be manifelled, in helping them out
of their low Slate and cafe, and bringing them back to their
own land, and fetting them to work again. ..'
IV- There is the caufe v. hy, Becaufe they had fpoiled his
people. V. The reafon, to wit, He that toucheth you, Sic. The
reafon is taken from his fympathy with his pec-pie. Now,
the firft particular was Spoken to a little, and a doctrine laid
down, which was" this :' That Jefus Chrift, as he hath afuperb-
ority over bis church and people, fo he is Lord over all, and go
vernor of heaven and earth.
And now, I come to lay down a-feccmd dodtrine from
,thefe words, which is this,: That Chrift being fent ' to fee the
Father's will executed, as he is Lord over all fo he is the Fa
ther's meffenger to his church. And for clearing of this, .con
fider what is laid, Mai, iii. 1. And the Lord whom ye feek fhall
> fuddenly come to his temple, even the meffenger of the covenant.
There he is called the meffenger fent from the Father, to
thefe who were feeking him : Alfo remember, Zech. ii. 10, 1 1.
Sing and rejoice, 0 daughter of Zion; for lo 1 come, and will
dwell in the n:idft of thee, faith the Lord: And many nations
fhall be joined.' to the Lord in that chy, and fhall be my people,
N and

98 SERMON VIII.
-and I will dwell in the midft of thee, and thou fhalt know that
the Lord 'of hofts hath fent me unto thee : There are many other
•fcrlptures that hold forth this alfo, as Gal. iv. 4, 5. But when
the fulnefs of the time was come, 'God fent forth his Son, made of
a woman, made under .the law, to redeem them that were under
the law f that, we might receive the adoption of fans : So. there
is the reafon wherefore Jefus Chrift is Sent to his church, to
re it, To redeem them from under the condemning power and
fentence of the lr.w, and advance them to the privileges and
advantages of the Tons of God :. It is clear alio from what
Paul-fays, 'Gal. iii. 1 3. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of
the law, being made a curfe for us ; for it is written, Curfed
is every one that hangeth on a tree: As it is clear here, that
Chrift redeems his people from the fentence and condemning
power of the law,, by being made a curSe for them; fo it is
clear alfo, that he is fent to his church, that he may advance
to* the privileges of the adopted fons of God, all his own chil
dren, Eph. i 5. Having predefiinatcd us unto the adoption of
children, by Jefus Chrift to himfelf.
Now the fecond member of the doctrine/ was, That jefus
Chrift is the Father's meffenger to the enemies of his church;
and, for proof of this, call to your remembrance what was
faid. by Davjd, Pfalm ii 8, 9 Aikqfme and I full give thee
the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermofi parti of the
earth for thy poffeffion : Thou fhalt break them with a rod of iron,
thou fhalt d.ifh than i.-i pieces like a /'tier's vejfel. It is likewife
cleiir from Dan. ii. 45. For the ltonecut out of the mountain
without hands, that is mentioned there, that brake in pieces •
the ivon, the brafs, the clay, the Silver, and .the gold, is the
Lord Jefus Chrift in his kingdom ; for he is that King that,
Shall break, through and dafli in pieces all the kingdoms of the
earth, even all the kingdoms of his enemies ; aud for that
purpofe he v.- as fent : Likewife it is clear from the woi'Js of
our text, After the glory haih he lint me to the nations,- be,
there he is particularly commifflonateJ, but in different re
flects ; for he is lent-to his people, to redeem- and deliver
them from the fentence of the law, and from the ftrnke of
juftice: But, he is fent by his Father to the enemies of his
church, to get the law executed againft them, ai:d to fee
juftice fatisfied upon them: He is lent of his Father to liis
people, to advantage and advance them in the. privileges of
adopted children ; but he is fent to his enemies, to pafs fen-
, tence of exclusion from his prefence, and all the privileges
which his people are privileged with, againft tlu-m. His- com
ing to his people is joyful, but his coining to his enemies is
very terrible and dreadful, Matth, mv. 25. ifs difciples be
ing near to perifh, he came unto them walking on the im,
treading on the waves ngiuicd with the v.-ir.d : This fight- it -
tioubled

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 99
troubled the difciples : But they were foon quieted and com-
poled, by our Lord's coming : Even fo, -when Chrift. comes
to deliver his church, he traniphrs' his enemies under his feet,
as morter is trodden : O ! then, what fad days will the powers
of tli 's land meet with, When Chrift gets a pari.-jul.ir meffag-e
to tread them under his feet, when he is lent to break thole,
who have been the rod in his hand-, and to caft the ftaff into
the. fire ? but, I fuppofe, that which is faid, may have occa
sioned this queftion : May all of you fay, O! how fliall I
know if jefus Clirjlt be his Father's meffenger, to fave or de
stroy, to relieve or not relieve me from the fentence and con
demning po^ver of the law? Anfwer, for fo'uiion in this,
take thefe evidences following :
i- It fo be that Chrift is come to you, to deliver you from
the condemning power of the law, then you,, will find Chrift
dwelling in you, and you duelling in Cbrift, John xiv. 20.
At that day ye fhall know that I am in my Father, and you in
me, and J in you';, to wit, when he fliould fend the comfor
ter, the Holy Ghoft ; then they fhould ka,ovv that they were
in him, and he in them ; fo then, thefe whom he comes to
Save, have him dwelling in them, and they in him. O! can
ye find yourfelves dwelling in Chrift by Lith and love, and
him dwelling in you by his word and Spirt ? It would take
uf/,more time tlian now we have, to tell over the enemies of
your dwelling in Chrift by faith and love: However, I Shall
give you fpme evidences, whereby ye fliall know if Chrift be
dwelling in you by his word and Spirit ; and if ye find the one,
ye may know the ether, that is, if you find him dwelling in
you by his word and Spirit, ye may know by'this, that you
are in him by faith and love ; for the two are reciprocal, ac
cording tcf-the forecited place ; and fp, -what proves the or,?,
proves the other alfo ; and by what means ye know, the one,
ye may know the other alfo : So, I fay, if fo be that' Chrift
ilvvell in you by 'his word and Spirit, you will find them duel
ling in you : This is his promife, John xv. 6.' If ye abide in
me, and my words abide in you, ye fhall ask what you wil:, and
it fhall be done .unto ym. There it is clear, that his word .1-
bides in his people : and that his Spirit alio abides in his chil
dren, is clear, from 1 John iv. 13. Hereby know we tb it w;
dwell in him, 'and he in us, becaufe he hath given its of his Spirit .
•Now, if he dwell in you by his word and Spirit, ye will find
his word and Spirit dwelling in you, for your direction, John
xiv. 26: But the Comforter,- which is the Holy Ghoft, whom tbe:
Father will find in my name, he fhall teatf) you all things. So
then,, do ye find God's word and Spirit directing you, and
heading. you ? if it be fo, Chrift is come to you for your de
liverance from, under the curie, and condemning power of the
law: But, OlvM fear the moft part of you ifoes not know
N 2 what

loo ct E R M O N VIII.
what it means, tohave his word and Spirit for your direc
tion ; but rather ye are led by your fancies and lulls, and
know not what it is to be taught, by his word and Spirit; but, '
believe it, where he comes with deliverance, there he- dwells,
leading, teaching, and directing his people by his word and
Spirit, and if ye knew what this meaned, ye would be far
from obeying the doctrine of men, contrary to the doctrine
which his word and Spirit teacheth i ye would difobey ,a)f .
tyrannical . power, coft what it will : So then, believe me,
Chrift dwells by his word and Spirit, teaching and directing
them in whom he dwells. . - ¦.
2. Where his word and Spirit is, he convinceth them of
their fin and mifery, and loft condition, John xvi. 8. And
when he is come, he will reprove the world of fin, &c. O ! ye
that have not the conviction of your loft cafe and condition,
or of your Sinful (late, in a humble way and manner, ye know
not what it is to have Chrift dwelling in you by his word and '
Spirit ; for, where he dwells by thefe, he convinceth of Sin and
mifery : The word of God is Sharper than a two edged fwotdj
and it is like a hammer, to break the rocks in pieces. 0 ! the
Spirit of God is a Spirit of conviction and compunction ; and
all ye who can run on in fin without remorfe, ye have reafon
to fufpect that Chrift dwells not in yOu. It is like many will
fay, 1 have Sundry checks for fin, and convictions ; but Ifer
few of you know what is required of you, to have1 the Spi
rit's conviction of fin : it is not am ordinary check of confci-
ence, and away again ; nay, it is fuch a conviction of Sin, as
hath a deep fenfe of fin going alongft with it ; and it leaves
not the man, till it beget a loathing and leaving of fin ; for,
as it begets a fenfe of fin upon the foul, fo it begets hatred
and forfaking of fin : ijo then, never tell me that" the man's
convictions can be real, v.-heie his fin is not hateful to him,
and forfaken by him: I wonder what this generation can be
thinking, who are confefiing fin, and yet failing into it every
day : Surely, unto fuch God hath not given the promife of
mercy; for, that is, to fuch as.confefs and forfake. fin : So
then, if ye fliould confefs your Sin every hour, and yet Stick
to it, ye need not think to be the better, nor to expect mercy
out of his hand; yea, all Such confeffions Shall make, your
bonds the Stronger. It is but a mocking of God, to coulcSfy
and not forfake fin.
3. Where Chrift dwells by his wprd and Spirit, there he
dwells as with dominion and prevalency over the creature.
His grace in yOu, orchis Spirit, will not dwell as, an undet-
ling ; it will have a kind of dominion, 1 John iii. 3. Evtryone
that hath this hope in him, purifieth himfelf, even as he is pure,
Enh. vi. 12. We wreftle not againft ftefh and blood, but againfi prin-

Upon Zechariah, ii. 8. ioi
principalities and powers, Sec. I fay, ye will find his word and
fpirit wreftling agairift thefe, and fomerimes conquering thefe
and bringing them fenfibly under fubjection. It is ftrange.
what people can mean, and what do they deem, who can.
have peace of confeience, when yet their Sin is prevailing, yea,
reigning over them ? for where the Spirit of God is, -t will
not live as an underling, I John iii. 9, Whcfoever is born of God
doth not commit fin : This is not fo to be understood, as if
they did nothing that is Sinful ; for the fad experience of the
faints proves the contrary : But I will tell you, how the child
of God may be faid not to commit fin; as,
( I.) They cannot Sin of fet purpofe ; they dare never fay
unto God, that purpofedly thev trampled upon his revealed
will, (2.) They cannot fin willingly: It is true, they may be o-
vercome; but yet there is a party within them, that doth not
yield ; the unrenewed part may yield and prevail, but it ne
ver carries alongft with it the confent of the regenerate part ;
fo then the child of God never fins with the whole will.'
(3.) Such can never fin wittingly; fin .is not the child of
God's element : for there is a warfare kept in them, and that
keeps the regenerate part from taking delight in fin, but
caufeth grief for. fin : but you who have no grief for fin, but
take delight in it, ycu have reafon to lufpect- and queftion
your adoption. If one fliould caft a Sheep into a puddle, it
would not ly there, though a fow would delight therein:
even fo, it is. not the element of the children of God to dwell
in fin ; for, when ehey fin, they go out of their element.
(4 ) The child of God commits not that fin unto death ;
whatevei;,he doth, he cannot commit that fin, and will have
a diligent Study to recover out of fin, when they fall into it,
and a care not to fin again. Indeed I wonder what people
^redoing or thinking, who can fin fo, as in their finning
there is neither fear of fin, nor a care to be kept back from
fin again : But believe it, where Chrift dwells not as an un
derling, his word and Spirit hath always a commanding pow
er. Try then yourfelves by this ; for, albeit ye Should tie
yourfelves to him by a thread of profeffion, fo long as you
pleafe, yet, I fay, if his word and fpirit dwell not in you, by
a fort of predominating power, you know not what it is to
be a kindly ingrafted member inro him who is the true vine,
nor a member in that root ; for that, root will not admit, of
fuch a gangrene rotten member ; for thefe who are true mem-;
bers of Chrift, receive vital Spirits from him.; and wherever
he dwelleth,' there a motion is kept up againft fin ; but thefe
who are tied to him by a profeffion only, have not this vital
fpirit in them; yea, 1 fear, that I may fay this-of the moft
part of you, who will not care to adventure to follow the
. . courfes

ro2 SERMON VIII.
conrfts of the time, and to go into that idolatr.ous worfliip,,
find receive thole men as meffengers of Jefus Chrift, whojire.
felafphemers; and whole hands are full of blood. But where*
Chriit is, there he is by a prevailing power-; his word and
Spirit d veils and reigns there : But as for fuch that' can fin'
;ip-iir.t light, his Spirit lives too much undervalued-like, if
be be there at all.
4. Where Chrift dwells by his word and Spirit, there is a
fpirit of prayer and fupplication given them, according to
that word, Zech. xii. io. And I will pour upon the houfe of Da
vid, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace'
and fuppbeation. Amos v. 4. Seek ye me, and ye fhall live.
Now then where Chrift dwells, his Spirit is a Spirit of grace
and fupplication : I wonder, what folk can think, who know
not what it is to call on God. O. I what can prayerlefs folk
think, that know not any thing of hi? Spirit dwelling in them;.'
for where he dwells, there his Spirit is a fpirit of fupplication,
Pfal. xxvii. 8 When thou faielft, feck ye my face, my heart faid
unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I feek. Ye who neglect prayer,
and ye who feek not the Lord's face, ye know not what it is
to have the Lord's Spirit dwelling in you ; and, whatever ye,
think of 1*1 is evidence, it is a holding ^ne ; for whom God
calls, ,he Stirs them up to call upon his name, as it is in that
forecited place: There the Lord calls, fetk-ye my face ; and
the man who is called, anfwereth, Thy face, Lord, will 1 feek.'
O then | prayerlefs folk, I fay, ye are void of grace, . and, of
Chrift ; and ye know not what :r is to have Chrift dwelling,
in you. I now proceed to the fecond part of that evidence,!
bow it may be known by you, if Chriit be come to fave or
,-deftroy, to redeem and deliver you frem. the condemning
fentence of the law, or to execute the Sentence of the law a-
gainftyou. And, ,• '.
1 II he.be coming to deliver you, then you will find a de-
five after Chrift, Ifa. Iv. 1. Ho! every one that thirfieth, come
ye to the waters. Ye fee who they are that are invited to come
io tiic waters;; it is thirPy folk, not fuch as Stand in fome
need of drip!:, but fuch as are fecfible of thirft : So, thofe
.whom Jefus Chrift is come to lave, they have a defire after
Jefus Chrift ; and, believe it, it is fuch a deiire only as is af
ter himlelf, Pfalm lxxiii. ?{. Whom have I in heaven but thee?
' and there is none upon the earth I defire befides thee .- Nothing
vrill Satisfy the pfalmift, but Chrift himfelf; he cares for nei
ther heaven nor earth, but for Chriit ; yea, .he vilipends
leaven, considering .-it abstractly from Chnjjj|j..- -^>, believe
me, friends,' you that know not what it is to have your
deiire after Chriit himfelf, more' than after- any other thing,
ye know not what it is to have him coming to lave you.
„„ — (j ! aw.ikeu out of fecurity, and left net fiuisfied with
you 1-

Upon Zechariah, ii; S. icj
t-
yourfelves, in that condition ; for, remember the prolific
is. made to them that diligently leek hiiii. *But you who.
know not what it is, to have your hearts panting after*
him, flightering and thirfting after him, and have your d<e-
fires more after other things than alter him, Chrift is not
yet amongft you, fo as to come and five >ou': So, ye mule
believe what the apoftle Says, I Pet. ii. 7. Unto you therefore
which believe, he is precious : Yea, believe ,me, were he pre
cious to you, your defires would be more after him, O. how-
do ye value him, ye who never had your defires rigluly and
fevioufly going out after him ! Surely, ye have no cite era of
him fince your defire goes not out after him ; ye care not for
him. O ! what fliall I think of this Chriit def piling genera
tion, that cares not for Chrift arr-J his glory, whether k Sink
or fwim ; whether a'tyrant upon a throne wear his crdwn 01-
not upon his head? whereas, right defires after Chrift, and
a right efteem of him, and a fenfe of his precioufneisi would
keep them trom thinking or. that but with in/lignatioa, ev.-u
that Chrift Should be robbed, fpoiled, and divefted of his royal
robes, by thefe worms of the earth, by wretches, yea, by tlu:
worft or men. O! ye that care fo little for his glory, and
what belongs unto him, and that whereby he makes hiinleif
known, there is no evidence that he abides in you.
2. If he be coming to deliver you, as. Chrift will be preci
ous himfelf to you, fo what he hath will be. precious alio,
Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2, 3. There David puts a hi«h efteem upcrj .
the man that is pardoned; he is even the hLifi-d man, that is
made partaker. of this mercy. Hvive you a high efteem of par
doning mercy ? Remember all thefe whom he makes parta
kers of faving mercy, he makes them know what th;;t mercy
means, he gives them a high efteem of that mercy. But Ohl
I fear many of you never knew what that mercy was, or what
it was to have a continued Serious thought or defire after mer
cy. Oh ! the world gets more of your efteem, than Chrift's
pardoning mercy ; for trie world <ind your'lufts get more of
your aSil c'dorss than his pardoning mercy does. But the man
or woman to whom God extends his mercy, are they who put
a high efteem on this mercy. Indeed, the world thinks them
fools that Seek after this mercy, who feck after pardoning and
preventing mercy; but David acknowledged them wife folk,,
Saying, Bleffed is the man whofe fin is pardoned, and m
whofe fpirit there is no guile ; albeit that people who are
feeking after pardoning giv.ee, expof'c themfelves to be look
ed upon <by the v/orM as fools. But yet, I tell you, and a
wifar man than I, even Dav'd, tells you, ivA not only David,
but the God of truth by David tells you, Pfal. xxxii. 1. Blef
fed :s he whofi trangrcfiion is forgiven, whofe fin is covered.
Now, beloved, if yc would put a high efteem on mercy, you
might

to4 SERMON VIII.
might have mercy ; for, whatever the world think of it, it is
an'evidence of the foul's getting mercy, when a high efteem is
put upon mercy.
3. If he be come to deliver you, you will find this as a third
evidence of it, that ye will find in yourfelves a holy jealoufy
and fufpicion of yourfelves, that you are not in Chrift: Paul
fays, Examine yourfelves, prove yourfelves, &c. 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
He ufeth reiterated exhortations, to put them to the work;
intimating, not only the diligence that they ihould. ufe, but
alfo the difficulty of it ; and why is diere need that examina-
tion*and probation be ufed by them in whom the Lord works'4
this work, but becaufe there is a holy jealoufy in them ? Paul
was jealous over the Corinthians ; yea, all ought to be jea
lous Over themfelves, and thefe ,who judge not themfelves
God will judge. I, like not that faith which is from the cra
dle ; fuch as fay, they never doubted, or never wanted faith,
have reafon to fufpect themfelves ; for many are the doubts
of believers ; and indeed, a holy fufpicion evidenceth faith..
Ye may think this a ftrange word, but it is a fure one, be
caufe it evidenceth this that the poor creature would fain have
faith ; and a defire after grace evidenceth grace. They would
be fo perfuaded of grace, that they cannot get fure enough
grips of Chrift and his grace; they would be fo fure, that
this makes them even to queftion and fufpect themfelves, left
they deceive themfelves.
4. The fourth evidence is (and take heed to it) if he be •
come to 'deliver you, ye will find fuch fatisfaction in the way
of falvation, even in that noble device, that ye would not
cbndefcend to go to heaven any other way, though there were
another way poffible (which yet is impoffible). For, fuppofe
one fliould come and bring this doctrine with them ; yet the
foul, where Chrift dwells by his word and Spirit, would re
ply thus, Let me be out of heaven; before I go there any o-
thei» way, than in and through Chrift, that he may get the
glory. I fay, the creature in whom Chrift is, and whom he
is coming to fave, will fee much of God's will, and much of
bis attributes, meeting together in this work, that they will
rather be denied to heaven, ere they would go td it another
way: They fee his juftice with mercy fo Shining there, that,
before he had wanted a remnant of Adam's loll children, the
Father would rather quit for a while with the Son of his love ;
and there is fo much glory to be Seen there, that, before in
their way of falvation God be not glorified, they Would ra
ther be denied to their part of heaven; and they See this
work to be fo pleafant to the whole Trinity, that it is made
pleafant to them : For, what makes it fo pleafant to belieyers,
but becaufe the Trinity hath taken fuch delight in it ? 1 John-
iv. 9. In this was manifefted thi love of God towards us, becaufe God

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. - : ito|
God fent his only-htgotfm Son into the world, that \U.e might live
through him : And, what moved him to that but his infinite
love ? O ! then, is not that a pleafant work, that proceeds
only from a motive of love ? and what greater love could be
manifefted than\that, that he would. part (fo to fpeak) with
his exprefs image ?
Now, as this work was well-plealing to God the Father, fo
likewife it Was to Chrift, John xv. 13. Greater love hath no
man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And
if, it had not been pleating to Christ, he Would not have en
dured his Father's difpleafure and indignation. Was it not
love, that made him to come iri the flefli, and fuffer fo ma
ny contradictions of ficners, tlfat made him to wander up
and down, fuffering fG many natural yet finlefs infirmities.?
0 I was not this a pieaftint work, that moved him to undergo
all this ?¦ Yea, Chrift fo loved this work, that, many times'
before he actually came in the flefli, he tried how he could
act on the ftage of man's fiefh. He appeared oftimes to pur
Fathers under the Old Teftament dslpeftfaiion, as to Abra
ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and to the prophets, in vilipns, and
to this prophet, with a meafuring line : And, what was all
this for, but to let us fee how he delighted in this work, to
become flefli of our ftefh, and bone of our bone ? I fay, he
tried how that would fit him 5 and as it was pleafant to ths
Father and the Son, fo it was pleafant to the Holy Ghoft }
hence is that word^ He fliall tcftify of me. When Chrift
was baptized, the Spirit defcended on him like a dove, and it
was voiced from heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom lam
well "pleafed, bear ye him. And as this is and hath been fuch
a pleafant work to the Trinity, So alfo it is made a delight to
the foul that hath root in Chriit ; fo that that ^vd would not
be content to be faved another way, than that way, becaufe
it is fo glorious a way; and if you are not win this length,
you are not witfnut Self's reach. A perfon who would be
content to he faved and to go to heaven by works, or any
other way than by Chrift, knows not what it is to have Oh rift
in him, Though ye fhould weep never fo long, it is but a
heaven ye build up to yourfelves ; it is not Chrift, it is but
Self-feeking, and ielf-deftroying, if ye feek falvation that way.
But whom he comes to fave, this work of falvation through
a Redeemer, becomes io pleafant to -"them^ that.it is the joy
of their heart. Now, let me lay home this upon yon, by a
word of exhortation ; and, O ! that he would prepare you
for it: Therefore, gird up your loins, and anfwer to it.
Then, fince Chrift is his Father's meffenger, to h</e fome',
and to deftroy' others, would ye be faved by him ? Would ye
be delivered from the condemning power' of the law ? O I
then come ye unto Chrift; he is Spreading- forth his arms,
O and

106 SERMON VIII.
and calling you to behold him: O! come unto him, a cruci
fied Saviour, who endured fuch things for our fins, and who
fliall deliver you from the fentence of the law, and the threat-
nin<? of the wrath of God that hangs over your headsi Of
come, and let nothing ftand in the way of your coming: Be
lieve it, no mountain ihall ftand in your way on his part. 0!
whatever doubts or. objections ye have, come foreward with
them. It may be,^ fome may fay, My Sin is a great mountain ;
but, O Sinner I be thy Sin what it will, come to Chrift; tho'
thy fin reach to heaven, yet his mercy is above the heavens;
yea, though each one of you had all the fins of this meeting,
yet, I fay, come unto Chrift ; there is enough in him, who
is that fountain opened for the houfe of David, and inhabi
tants of Jerufalem, for fin, and for uncleannefs : So, then,
let not this Stand in the way ; for, the greater thy fin be, the
greater mercy fhall be manifefted in pardoning it : And thy
greateft fin Shall be from henceforth, in refuting Chrift's call
this night ; yea, it fliall, be greater than all your other Sins,
that ever before ye have committed. If ye refufe him now,
on the matter, ye fay, he is a liar, and mock him'.
-Rut it is like ye will object, and fay, That ye have broken
vows, refolutions, and covenants, that ye have made to him
formerly. I anfwer, Poor Sinners, let not this ftand in the
way; hearken to Chrift's call, Jer. iii. 14. Turn, 0 backjlii^
ing children-, faith the Lord, for I am married unto you, and I
will take you, one of a city, and two of a family, and will bring
you to Zion.
But it is like, that fome will have this Handing in the way
cf their coming, I have flighted many offers and calls, and
will he now accept of me ? I tell you, for as oft as ye have
flighted the call, yet he is willing to embrace you Then,
come ; now is the feafonable time ; were he not willing, he
would not have fent you this call on the back of fo many. ¦
O ! be instructed, you who have fitten fo nmny calls, to come
now, and I tell you, your former refufals fhall never be men
tioned againft you; and whatever doubts ye have yet, if for
the prefent ye cannot get them folved, lay them by, and come
and take Chrift Jefus. That was a noble way that Abraham
took ; he had doubts that he could not Solve, and therefore
he laid them afide ; he confidered not the deadpefs of Sarah's
womb ; that was a doubt that he could not win over, there
fore he laid it afide. Believe me, ye who will not come unto
Chriit, Shall have no excufe. from this night foreward ; for,
what&yer Hands in the way, ve may lay afide, and come to
Chriit, and partake of his falvation ; and I will tell you in,
fliort what an one he is, that you muft come to.
1. He is a glorious Saviour, whofe glory is made to ftiine
in what li: hath done, in purchasing fuch mercies for finners;
n and

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 107
and this was voiced from heaven, when he came to the world,
Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace, and good-will to
wards men. So then, he is a glorious Saviour ; for he hath
manifefted his good-will", and his glory, in the fiilvation of
his people. All the works Of God are written, back and fore,'
with liis glory: Sun, moon, and ftars, and thefe clouds that
are there, are all written over with his glory. But not one
of his works hath fo much glory written on it, as this work
of man's redemption hath.
2. He is a wonderful Saviour : It is the work and exercife
of fuch as are above the clouds, to wonder at and admire him.
O! he is an ocean of wonders ! wherein all the inhabitants
of that higher houfe are foi mining. It is faid, Rev. viii. 1.
There was filcnce in heaven about the fpace of ha fan hour. They
were fo Struck with amazement, when th.iy l«oked on Chrift,
he was fo great and glorious, that they were made to be filent
in wondering ; they will not how to cxprcfs themfelves
3. He is a complete and an all-fufficient Saviour, Hof. xiii.
9'. 0 Ifrael, thou haft deftroyed ihyfe'f, but in me is thine help ,-
fo he is completely able to help you out of your left cafe and
condition. He is completely able for conferring pardoning
grace, for justifying and Sanctifying his people ; he is able to
put you out of Satan's clav>s, and out of the fetters of a, dead
and hard heart ; and will not this provoke you to come unto
Chrift ?
4. He is a free Saviour; for all, who are here this night,
young or old, men Or women, may have Jefus Chrift, if they
pleafe this offer of him, which is of free grace. O I then,
now come unto Chrift, who gives away himfelf, without mo
ney and without price, O! now come and. embrace him,
fince he. hath a heart to the bargain; and it is a free offer
made unto you, that he; may become a Saviour unto all of
you, he gives himfelf, without money and without price, Ifa.
Iv. 1. There Jefus Chrift feeks nothing for this Salvation
which he hath offered, but that ye would take it off his. hand.
O hard-hearted Sinners I who will not put forth your hands,
and take'this offer out of his hand.
It is a coftly falvation to him ; it colt him to endure heavy
fufferings; it coft him to fweat drops of blood in the garden ;
it coft him to undergo heavy fighting under the wrath of his
Father ; yea, and the fhedding of his precious blood : And
yet it is a cheap falvation to you ; ye fliall have it for putting
out the hand.. And will ye go away, and fall back from fuch'
a market this night ? If ye do, I fhall be a witnefs againft you,
that this night Jefus Chrift and his falvation have been in your
offer; and although I Should- never be. partaker of this f.ilvaJ
tion, yet I fliall be a witnefs againft you : And I take all here
witnels' againft you ; yea, I fay, I Shall be a witnefs againft
O 2 ' you

io8

P R E F jfc£ E Tfo S E R M O N IX.

you 3,11, that will not partake of this offered falvation through
a SUin Saviour.
Now, by the love of Jefus Chrift unto, and for finners,
and by the joys of heaven, and by the torments of hell, I pb-
teft you, to embrace- Jefus Chrift ; otherwise I declare irre»
vocable war againft you - And to his name be praife. *¦*

PREFACE.

Y friends, there is one thing that I would have you to
believe, and it is this, that the Lord is coming to Set up
ifis throne of juftice in Scotland ; and the time is near, and
I will give you thefe evidences of it :
Firft, The greitnefs of the enemies power, and the great-
nefs of their iniquity; their power is very great, and they
have got much of their will done and accomplished ; but they
will never get all their will accomplished; their purpofe in
deed is to blot out the name of Ifrael out of the land ; but
that they will* not get accomplished, although they have ac*
eomplifhed very much cruelty : Howbeit, the greatnefs of
their iniquity (peaks forth the nearnefs of the judgments that
are coming on this land ; for, the greater they be, the near
er is their fall. It is the Lord's ordinary way of procedure,
to let his enemies he very ripe, before he thraft in his fickle
to cut them down: Now, they are declaring rebellion againft
heaven, and avowedly belching out bkftphemies againft God's
holy name ; and now, though jiany think that G-.id is keep*
jng Silence, yet he will not always keep Silence, but will come
with his judgments ftuldenly.
2. The lownefs of the work : Many think this a ftrange e-
vidence ; yet it is true ; for his way of dealing with his work
and people_ is always to lay them very low, and then to deliver
them in the day of their extremity ; and the low cafe that his
work and people are now in, fays, that his comiligis not far
oft"; and this is an evidence of it, that he is manifefting lii«
difpleafure againft his enemies already, by dividing their
tongues and languages, by writing many perfecutors childlefs,
by taking many of them at unawares out of this world ; and
thefe private calamities are fore-runners of fad judgments
coming upon them ; for particular calamities are fore-run
ners of ui.jverlal judgments \ as the flying roll, entering in
to the houfe of the thief, and the falfe fw^arer, Zech, v. i, 2,
3>4»

SERMON IX. 109
3, 4. Signifies, that the very timber and fUones of their houfes
Should be confumed. All that is now in fight is but like
fpittings of God's wrath before the Shower come on.
But what fliall I fay to you who are here ? I am greatly a-
fraid, that his coming with judgments to the land, will be a
very terrible coming to the moll part of you : The enemies
look to be ripe for cutting down ; and indeed fo does the
moft part of you too. Would ever it have been thought,
that God would have.taken fo much pains upon a people, by
wonderful mercies and judgments, and yet fo little of the
fruits of his pains to be feen, fo little fenfe of fin, and fo
much upconcernednefs with the defolations of his church,
and the dishonour that his name gets in the land ? O uncon
cerned people I God is coming, and his coming will be a ter
rible coming ; his coming will make the moft fecure of you
to Shake : I would have you to think upon this, and, to lay it
to heart, and fee how ye will meet with him. O I who will
ftand before his face,, think ye, before a Sin-revenging God,
coming to take vengeance on a guilty pedple for the disho
nour that his name hath gotten ? Let us pray unto him, that
he may prepare us for a meeting with him, and help us to
take warning in time.

¦¦..;,.-.:,>,: ;>

SERMON IX.

Zechariah ii. S;
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations which f foiled you. ; For he that toucheth you,
toucheth the apple of his eye.
BELOVED friends, they make a right choice who chufe
rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than
judgments- with his adverfaries ; for the Lord afflicts and
chaftneth his people out of love ; but be plagues his enemies
with wrath and indignation. He, by the afflicting of his peo
ple, doth purpofe their correction and amendment ; but, by
jHyiifhing his adverfaries, he purpofech their overthrow and
destruction. The afflictions of bis people are light and mo
mentary ; but the judgments of enemies are heavy and ever-
lafting ; they may begin in time, but eternity fliall not put an

no . ' S E R M O N IX.
an end to them. Th'e affliction of his people turns to their
glorification ; but the punifhments that enemies meet with
here, are but fore-runners of the wrath of God, that they
arc liable to, and fliall meet with to eternity.
But, to come to what remains in the Words, ye may re
member, (at lead fome of you) how I fhewed you. the con
nection of the words,' which in fum was this, There is here
a vilioti, reprefented to the prophet, viz. Jefus Chrift, with
a meafuring line in his hand, whereby is Signified his purpofe
of building his own church, and fetting bounds to her : And.
hereupon he gives an angel a charge, to give Zechariah a
commiffion, to declare the meaning of this vifion to the
church, which was, that the church Should be' enlarged and
poffeffed, as a town without walls; and alfo, to make her
snercy" complete, he promifeth to the church fafety and pro
tection, I will be a, wall of fire round about her. And this is
applied to Several forts of folk : For,
i. It is applied to thofe that remained at Babylon, andde? ,<
ferted the work of God, and their brethren ; and is made"
ufe of as a call to them, to come and join with their brethren,
in building the houfe of God. Here they are exhorted to
fiee from Babylon, and from the land of the ncrth, and to*
deliver themfelves out of it, as from fome eminent and greats
judgment : A.-d there are three reafons made ufe of, to en-V
force this exhortation.
(i.) The firft, which is couched up darkly in the 7thverfe,'f
Deliver thy f elf, 0 Zi;;i, that dwellefi with the daughter of B 'a- ,
bylcn : and in the 6th verfe, Ho, ho, come forth, and fiee from *
the land of the north, faith the Lord ; for I have fpread yo%a-
li odd, as the four winds of heaven, faith the Lord: Yea, the ,
reafon is this, ye ought to flee out of Babylon, becaufe ye ,
were fcattered abroad, as an evidence of his difpleafure: andj
therefore ye fliould not be content to ly in that cafe, where- -
unto they were caft in anger ; come forth, flee, for I have!
ipread you abroad in mine anger.
(2.) The fecond reafon is, becaufe they have had the name
cf Zion, it was very unfeemly for them that- profeffed his ;
name, to dwell in Babylon.
(3,) The third reafon is in the words read, becaufe he was
corning to punifh enemies, therefore it would be very fad for
them to be found in enemies camps. This is enlarged in the,
following words, verfe 9. For, behold, I will fhakc mine hand!
upon them, &c. Their judgment is pointed out, to be bosh
S.ui and Sudden. It will be a very ignominious Stroke ; fo?,'
their very fervants' fliould become their matters. The words
were divided into five particulars.
1. That Jefus Chuff is the faithful interpreter! of the Fa-
luel's Will. , 2. That

Upon 2$x;haRiah ii. 8. in
,, 2. That he is fent of the Father, to fee his will executed cm
the nations. '
3. The time, viz. after the glory, that is, after the Lord
had vifited his people with affliction ; or, after his glory was
manifefted, in the begun restoration of his people, which is
his glory : Then Chrift was fent to puniSh their enemies.
4. There is the caufe why he is fent to punifh the nations,
and it is, becaufe they had fpoiled his people.
5. There is the reafon, moving him to this, which is
brought from his fympathy with his people, 1 He that iouchech
you, toucheth the apple of his' eye,- The firft particular was
handled, and the Second a little touched, wherein I Shewed,
that as Jefus Chrift is the Father's meffenger to bis church,
for their redemption and falvation; fo he is the Father's
meflenger to his church's enemies, for their overthrow and
destruction : And he being employed as the Father's meflen
ger to punifh the heathens, is ufed here as a reafon to inforce
this* exhortation, that is given unto the Jews, that they fliould
come and leave Babylon, becaufe he was coming to punifh
the enemies of his church ; and therefore it was very hazard
ous to be found in their camps : And fo he exhorts them t©
^fiee from Babylon, as they would flee from a great pTagUiC
and eminent judgment. And now, I lay down this doctrine :
Doct. That it is very un fafe for the church . of God to be
found in enemies camps, or living under their fbadow, in thz
time when the Lord punifheth his enemies ; left they be made par
takers of their judgments.
This doctrine I confirm from 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. '".-Where-
" fore come out from among them, and' be ye feparate, faith,
" the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I -will re-
" e'eive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye fliall be
" my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty :" For as
it is in ver. 15, 16. "What" concord hath Chrift with Belial?
" and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?19
Revel, xviii. 4. " Come out of her, my people, that ye be
"pot partakers of her fins, and that ye receive , not of her
" plagues." „ 1
There is a charge given, that they Should not comply with,
nor pamk* of die; wicked's fins, as they would not be liable
to their plagues ; for, people who join with enemies any
manner of way, expofe themfelves to the greateft hazard.
The Jews who were at Babylon, thought themfelves in a Se
curer condition, than thefe who, were at Jerufalem, becaufe;
they were invironed about with the Strength' of enemies ; yet
their cafe was very hazardous, for a cloud of God's v. rath was
ready to break forth upon them, if they continued in that
cafe that they were in, by flaying in the enemies camps : And this

ii2 SERMON IX.
this was ufed as an argument to bring them out, that they
were to flee out of Babylon, before the Lord brought his
judgments upon Babylon.
The greateft part of this land thinks, that the remnant,
Who defire to keep themfelves from joining with, enemies, in
lefs or in more, expofe themfelves to'the greateft of hazard ;
but, believe it, a little time will make it appear, that as there
is leaft fin in their way, fo alfo there Shall be leaft hazard in
it. O ! whereunto Shall I liken adversaries, and compilers
with them ? Adverfaries are like a great tree, fendii.-g forth
great branches and boughs ; and compilers are like a com
pany under that tree, reforting to it for fafety : But what
conies of it ? the Lord drops down a drop of his wrath from
heaven upon it, which confumes the tree, and it falls, and the
weight thereof cruSbeth all under it -. So, enemies never get
a fall, but all that are under their Shadow get a great crtiSn ;
for, they are like a wall, built up with untempered mortar,
and fuch as flee in under- the Shadow of the wall, Shall be
cruShed by the fall thereof, when the Stormy wind from on
high rents the wall, and brings it to ruin. And believe me,
friends, the day is near, when wo and calamity Shall be feen
to abide them, that are to be found amongft enemies camps ;
and the farther that people are from their fins, the farther
they fhall be from their plagues.
Now for ufe of this doctrine, I fliall give eight forts of* folk
Warning of their fin and danger.
i. The firft fort of folk, to whom I would give warning, are
thefe who join with thisRomifh prelacy ; when God comes to,.
punifli enemies, they Shall find the weight of his hand. I may
allude to that word, Hofea x. 14, 15 " Therefore Shall a tu-
" mult arife among thy people, and all thy fortreffes Shall be
" fpoiled, as Shalman fpoiled Betharbel in the day of battle :
" The. mother was dafhed in pieces upon her children ; fo
" fhall Bethel do unto you, becaufe of your great wickednefs :"
Your idolatrous Bethels, that now you go under for fafety,
fliall bring down fad judgments, woes, calamities, and ven
geance upon you ; Jer. ix. 1 5. ¦« Therefore, thus faith the
*• Lord of holts, the God of Ifrael, behold, I feed them, e-
" ven this people, with wormwood, and give them the water
" of gall to drink ;" for the Lord hath many articles of in>
di.ctment againft you.
(1.) He hath idolatry to charge upon you ; concerning
this, I may allude to that word, Ezek xxii, 3. TL city maketh
idols againft herjelf, to defile herfelf. Believe it, firs, the Lord
will find you chargeable in his fight with idolatry : for it is
not God that ye worship, but man ; and it is his acts and laws
that ye obey, in hearing the curates. But ye wiil fay, they take

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 113
take their text out of the bible ; but they may as well take it
out of the acts of parliament.
(2.) He hath covenant- breaking to charge againft you ; and,
fliall ye profper ? fliall ye efcape ? or, Shall ye break the cove
nant, and be delivered ? Ezek. xvii. 15. Remember what ye
are engaged unto by covenant, with up-lifted hands, to the
moll high God, viz. to extirpate popery, prelacy, and what
ever is contrary to Sound doctrine and the power of godlinefs, '
and that, to the utmoft of your power. How contrary to this
is it, to comply with prelacv, and other Sinful courfes, which
are breaches of covenant, and a betraying of the caufe of Chrift,
to the, utmoft-of your power ?
(3.) The third article of your indictment is, b'.oodfhed :
He will find the blood of the faints in your Skirts : Hence is
that word, Ezek. xxii. 3. The city lheddeth blood in the
midft of it ; and that .word, Jer. ii. 34. Alfo in thy fie its is
found the blcc 1 of the fouls of the poor innocents : I have hot
found it by fecret fearch: bat upon all thefe. The blood which
enemies have Shed, will be found in your Skirts, that comply
with enemies, when God comes to make inquifition for the
fame. Ye who juftify enemies in Shedding of blood, and Say,
It was but folly to ftand out againft fuch courfes, and to re
fill unto blood ; remember wli.it is ('aid, Jer. v. 29. Shall 1 not
v fit for thefe things, faith the Lord ? Shall not~my foul be aveng
ed on fuch a nation as this ? O! believe it* firs, that his dif
pleafure is againft fuch courfes, which people are finfully fol
lowing for fafety; he will not let fuch ways pafs without
writing folly upon them : But cemember, that he hath no
pleafure in t'-e death of the wicked, but that he would turn
from his wicked ways, and live- O ! therefore, turn from
your wicked ways, Why will ye die, faith the Lord .'
2. The fecond fort of folk that I would warn, are thefe
who join with the eraftian indulgency; of whom it may be
faid, as in Ifaiah xxix. 13. " And their fear towards me is
" taught by the precept of men.'' Indeed the Lord will have
the fame articles of indictment againft them, that he hath a-
gai'nft other compilers;' and therefore remember what is faid,
in Ezekiel xxiii. 32, 33 " Thus faith tile Lord God, Thou
" Shalt drink of thy lifter's cup, deep and large, thou Shalt
" be laughed to fcorn, and had in derifion ; it containet'h
" much : Thou Shalt be Silled with' drunkennefs and lor.
" row, with the cup of aftonifliment and deiolation, with
"the cup of thy Sifter Samaria.'' The indulged Shall drink
of the cup of their lifter prelacy ; the Lord will put the fame
cup in the hand of the one', that tie puis in the hand of the
other; for the Lord hath the fame articles of indictment
againft both. O ! remember this, and turn to the Lord ; for,
¦ why will ye die ?
P 3 The

114 SERMON IX.
3. The third fort of folk, to whom I would give warning,
is, peace-makers with enemies : Remember what is faid, Ifa.
lvfi. 21. There is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked. Yet,
though there be no peace from God to the wicked; ye wjllbe
at peace with them, and will not lift up your hands agair.ft
them, but will go on with them in their evil courfes ; there
fore, as thefe who break wedlock with God, and fhed inno
cent blood,, are judged, fo will the Lord judge you.- He hath'
in the articles of your indictment, rebellion, bloodfhed, and
perjury, to libel againft you : Therefore, return, Ol back
sliding children, to the Lord; for he is merciful- and will
not keep his anger forever, againft fuch as repent 'aid re
turn to him.
4. The fourth fort of folk that I would warn, are uphold
ers of enemies ; and, under thefe, I comprehend cefs and
locality payers, and all the eraftian indulged : And by this
ye have made the hearts of the righteous fad, and ftrength-
ned the hands,. of the wicked, that he fhould not return froin
his' wicked way, Ezek. xiii 22. ThC'ftprd will have thifto
libel againft you, the ftrengthning of the wicked's hands in
wicked courfes : And when their day comes, that the whinV
wind of the Lord-goes forth in fury, and falls upon the heads
of the wicked, then ,ye will get a fad crulh, with the fall of
thefe that ye have been endeavouring to uphold. Remember
this, and return to the Lord, O I backfliding children.
5. The fifth fort that I would warn, is, juftifiers of ene-
mes 5 and, under thefe, I comprehend all payees of fines:
For, fuch not only ftrengthen the hands, but alio juftify ene
mies, and fay, that they are wrong, and enemies are right;.
otherwife, why fliould they puniSli themfelves, why fhotftii
they wrong themfelves fo far ? This alfo comprehends alt
thefe of all ranks, who make choice of their own imprison
ments. In the Sixth chapter of Zechariah we read of feveral hor-
fes therein mentioned, and that the black and white horfes
were fent into Babylon ; and the grilled horfes were fent into
Egypt. Obferve from thence, That Babylon being ihe place,
that the Lord fent his people to, by his Ipecial hand, for the
punifhment of their fir>s and iniquities, -God fent forth1 there
the black horfes, Signifying thereby the destruction of the
.Babylonians: After that,. he fent forth white horfes, Signify
ing profpeiky to the Jews : But he fent forth grilled horfes
to the land of Egypt, Signifying a mixed difper.i'ation to the
land of Egypt, whereunto many of the Jews went of their own
accord, with Johanan the fon ofKareah, after the death of
Gedaliah ; theEgyptians were not puniShed in pure wrath,
as the Babylonians were : but ufed with a mixed difpenfatioft'
of judgment and mercy. Tor proof of this fee Jer. xxiv.
•5> 6> 7;

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 115
5, 6, 7. many promifes of good things to the captives in Ba
bylon. And chap. xliv. it, — 14. fevere threatenings againft
the voluntary exiles in Egypt. They were far from the cafe
of fuch Jews as were in Babylon, in the affliction whereunto
God had caftenthem ; for fuch as chufed their own affliction,
vere worfe than thofe who were in. the, aiflction that God
had fry fled them with. Believe this, there fliall be <: vifible
difference betwixt them that chufe their own affliction, and
thefe who take what affliction God hath caften them into.
And I comprehend under this, fuch as come from among the
enemies hands, by granrmg bonds of compearance ; they juf
tify enemies, in faying they are fo defervedly punifhed, and
enter them, not prifoners of Chrift, but prilbners of men,
with their own confent. Now, let this be remembred, which
is fpoken by the prophet Ezekiel, Thai by this ye ftrengthen
the hands of the wicked, that they fhould not return from their
wicked ways, Ezek. xiii. 22. when they are both justified and
Strengthened in their evil courfes, by fuch compliance ; 0 !
backfiiding children, return, faith the Lord, for I am married fo
you. 6. The Sixth fort of folk, to whom I would give warning,
are fuch as fall from their duty, Zech. x. 6. and them that
are turned back from the Lord. O ! firs, believe this, when
the Lord conies, arftl pours forth his judgments upon his
enemies, thefe Shall not efcape, who have fled from their du
ty, for fear of hazard, and for a fafe condition in the world ;
the Lord will make it appear, that that, which they have taken
to fave them from trouble, fliall involve them and inlbare
•them inevitably into calamity ; the Lord will nv-ike them to
know his might, and his power and that his name is the Lord
of hofts. O ! the greateft part of tfiis land is chargeable with
this ; they have turned back from following the Lord, and
laid afide. their duty, becaufe of the hazard that attends. du
ties. - But, believe this, fay the contrary who will, the Short
est cut to die well, is only to live well. And they who know
not duty, are not fo guilty, as they who know it and forbear
it. They have turned back from bearing up the Lord's Stan
dard, becaufe of danger i,» the way. And, O! that people
would follow minifters no further than they follow the ways
of the Lord. But, believe me, the Lord will give fuch a tef-
' timony againft lying,by from duty, upon (he account of haz-
;.-'¦' ard in the way, that die fame courfes which they take to de
cline duty, Shall involve them in inevitable calamity.
7. The feventh fort, to whom I would give warning, are
thefe who plead for the enemies intereft, and thereby Siren?-
then enemies hands, that they turn not from their evil ways.
0 ! that people would plead more for their mother church,
which is lo greatly wronged,, and for the wrongs She hatbgot-
¦ P 2 ten?

116 S E R, M O- N IX.
ten, and lefs for enemies who have wronged her. I wonder
what is in peoples hearts, who have their mouths opened in
pleading for a malignant intereft, more than for their mother
church, which is fo greatly wronged by thefe enemies. But,
believe this ilieie that plead fo much for it, ihall never be
honoured to do a good turn for the Lord.
8 The eighth fort of folk, that I would give warning to,
are fuch as are Strangers to God ; when God comes to make'
his juftice known, they Shall not be unpunished ; for he will
make no difference between enemiafc and ftrangers, Zeph. i.
6. and thofe that have not fought the Lord, nor inquired for,
him. O ! remember what is ft id, Pfalm 1. 22. Now confider
this, ye tbat forget God, left I tear you in pieces, and there is
none to deliver. O ! confider this, yc that make no confci-
encc of duty in Seeking the Lord, but neglect and forget to
Peek him ; for ye fhall be made to drink of the wine of the
'Lord's pure difpleafure, when the whirlwind of his wrath
falleth with pain upon the heads of the wicked. O I ye that
forget God, ye fhall not mils his wrath in that day : 0 will
ye believe this, and take warning, and feek the Lord ; and
remember the exhortation that the Lord giveth you, to come
out from among all fuch as are carrying on finful courfes,
and be no longer partakers with them in their fins, left ye.be
alio partakers with them in their plagu'es, Rev. xviii. 4. 0!
come out, and be- feparated, and touch not the unclean thing, ,
2 Cor. vi. 17. O! that ye wouid take warning, and flee
fpeedily from the hazard that ye are in of judgments, that
are hanging over your heads, and ready to fall down upon
you, when the Lord "is coming to make a facrifice for him
felf ; flee, flee unto him out of wrath's way ; O I flee from
among the wicked ; why will ye be found among their camps
when he comes to reckon with them ? It is like, ye will fet
light by all this; but, believe it, time will make it evidently.
appear, that fuch as are found in enemies camps, fhalt-drink *
Qf tnemies cups, when God pleads his controverfy with this
land. But here a queftion arifcth from the doctrine propofed,
which is this, Why is it neceffft-y that fo many reafons are
ufed to inforce this exhortation, to deliver themfelves from
Babylon ? or, why is an exhortation to this fo neceffary ?
The reafon is, becaufe there were fuch murmu-rings in then\
to come ; they had great unwillingnefs to leave Babylon, ana
to join with the work of God. So, from this, 1 lay down
this doctrine.
Doct. That it is an ufuat and very ordinary fin in many, to
negleEl the glory of God, and that which is their own good. Pfab
li ii - 2, 3. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men,
to fee if there were any that did underftand, that did ftek God:\
Every

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 117
Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy,
there is none that doth good, no not one. Pfal. xiv. 13. They are
corrupt, there is noi$e that doth good, no not one.
O ! it is an ufual, but an inexplicably heinous fin, for men
to neglect God's glory and their own good. But, what are
the reafons, that men are not bent in feeking God's glory,
and. their own good ? The caufes why then are kept from
feeking the giory of God, and their own good, and. are hin
dered from joining with the work of God, whereby their
ovvn good is moft. advanced, .are thefe,
1. Ignorance of God is a great caufe that hinders people
from coming to him, and feeking his glory, and their own
good in him ;• for, as it is faid, Heb. xi. 6. He that cometh to
God, muft believe that he is. Alas ! God is an unknown God
to the moft part of men ; therefore they will not feek his
glory, join to. his work, nor to their own duty, nor feek the
advancing of his kingdom, and their own good. But believe
this, ,as they that know him will put their truft in him, Pfalm
ix. 10. fo they that know him will ferve him ; and they that
know him will believe in him, and evidence their faith by
feeking and ferving him.
2. The fecond caufe that hinders people from coming to
Chrift, and Seeking God's glory, and their own good, is un-
willingnefs. Jefus Chrift hath fuch to expostulate with, John.
v. 40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. O !
what hinders people from joining with the work of God ? It
is their unwillingnefs ; they are fo unwilling, that they will
nat come to Jefus Chrift, in that way that he hath appointed ;
and therefore will not cordially embrace that which is for the
promoting of God's public glory, and that which is their own
duty, and for their own good.
3. The third caufe is unbelief : Many believe' not that there
is a God ; and this hinders them from coining to him ; for
he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is, Heb.xi. 6.
for without the true belief of his being, and that he is a rewar-
der of them that diligently feek him, and a fin-revenging God,
to fuch as defpife him, none can come to him in a right way,
:o feek his glory and their own good. But, O I if thefe things
.were believed, his will would not be difobeyed by men.
4. The fourth caufe why people are fo unconcerned with
the Lord's public glory, and their own good, is negligence
and Sloth ; a Sin wherewith the moft part of men are poffef-
fed ; for, as Solomon faith, Prov. xxvi. 15. Thefiothful bidet h
bis hand in his bofom, it grieveth him to bring it again to bis
mouth : This is a great caufe, why men will not put their hand
to the work of God,. they are fo very Slothful; for, were
there not fo much floth and negligence among people, there
, Would

nS S E R M O N IX.
>$ -
would not be fo much need offo many exhortations, to Stir
up people to feek God's glory, and their own good.
5. The fifth caufe is love of the world; for, as it is faid,
1 John ii. 15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father.
is not in him. O ! there is fuch a gladnefs of heart in purfu-
ing the thing; of the world, that the work of God getsno
room in the hearts of the moft part of men ; neither is the
enlargement of his kingdom Studied by them, becaufe their
hearts are exercifed about worldly things,
6. The Sixth caufe that hinders many, that they will not
put their hands to the work of God, is prejudice, that they
take up at the work ; we may fee an example of what became
of thefe that took up prejudice at Chrift and his caufe ; for,
cf them it is faid, John vi. 66. From that' time many of bis dif
ciples went back, and walked no more with him ; they went
back at that time, becaufe they took up a prejudice at his
doctrine. There are many who ftand at a distance from the
work of God, becaufe of the prejudice they take-up at it ;
this prejudice that they take up at it, hinders many from put
ting their hand to the work, and feeking thereby God's glory,
and their own good.
7. The Seventh caufe (and I fliall but name it) is unwilling-
,nefs to embark in difficulties: This is a great caufe, even the
'uiiwillingnefs that is in the moft part, to embark with thefe
difficulties, that attend the owning of the caufe, Prov. xxvi.
1 5. The flothful man faith, there is a lion in the way. If there
was not an uiiwillingnefs in people to embark with difficul
ties, people would be more ready to put their hand to the
work, and to "ftudy his glory and their own good; but all
tlicfc are great hindrances in peoples way ; ignorance, unwil-
lingnefs, unbelief, love to the world, negligence, prejudice
at the w>iys of God, and unwillingnefs to embark in difficul
ties. Now, fearch and try yourfelves, ye that are flack-handed,
and ye that are lying by, from putting hand to the work of
God, and to your duty. Search and try, which of thefe
things are in your way, and come ower whatever hinders you,,
and put to your hand to his work ; ftudy his glory, and this^
fhall be for your own good ; for, remember what he hatjji
faid, .2 Cor. vi. 18. And I will be a father unto you, and ye fhall
!>e my finis and daughters, faith Lord a/mighty. What a poor
bargain do yc make, who are in enemies camps i and what-
p^or company will ye have of enemies, when ye and they
Shall ftand before the tribunal of God, when they Shall cry to
hills and to mountains to cover them from the face of the
Lamb, and from the prefence of a provoked- God ? What a
fv.l figlit will it be to alk the wicked, when he fits upon his|
throne for judgment, and fcts the goats upon his left hand*, and

PREFACE to SERMON X. no
and paffeth the fentence of condemnation, upon them ? And
all who walk in the fame road with them now, will land in
the fame place with them then. Therefore, as the fbeep,
who are the righteous, will ftand on the right hand then, O I
feparate yourfelves from the wicked, and join with the righ
teous now, as ye would defire to ftand among them in that
day. O ! let nothing hinder you from joining with ihe Lord's
work, and your own duty. It is no fmall privilege that lis
hath pcomil'ed to you that do So, that he will be your Father,
and ye fliall be his Sons and daughters. O ! is it a fmall
thing, to be joint heirs with Chrift in glory, to be his bride
and fpouf'e, and to fpend eternity in beholding him, in loving
him, and praifing him ? O ! is it- a Small thing to have a liie
of love and joy for your work through eternity, and tobe
members of Chrift Jefus, united to the King of glory ? O '•
remember what great things he hath promil'ed unto you, it
ye will come to him, and feparate yourfelves from all uncleaa
things. Now, take him, as he offers himfelf to be your Ei
ther : And to him be praife, Amen.

P R E F A C E.

THE Lord, by a fpecial providence, hath brought us tn-
gether, not knowing if ever we fliall have the like occa
sion to meet together again : Therefore I would lay before
you fome general exhortations.
i.I would exhort you to make religion- more your work
than you have done; take up yourfelves more with the or.s
thing needful, to get your calling and election rnad<; fure ;
for, I muft fiiy it to my own grief, that there is little to be
feen of thnt ferious e;:ercife -, O! little of it to be found 3-
'mong the moft part in this place of the country. G firs-J be
exhorted to make yeligion your miin work; it will not be a
profeffion, neither will it be man's verdict, nor- the appro
bation of all men and Chriftians in the world, that will doit-,
and though ye fliould be very conceited of yourfelves,. that
will not do' it;' 'it is not he that men approve of, that is ac
cepted of God, hut he- whom God himfelf approves oft A-
gatn, I fay, be exhorted to hy religion to heart ; labour to
know the work of regeneration upon your fouls, for it is
neither cirevjmciiion nor uncircumcifion that availeth any
thing, but only a ncv,- creature. Whatever ye.be, if ve be
! , '£0

120 PREFACE to SERMON X*
not new creatures, ye cannot ftand uncondemned before the
tribunal of the Supreme Judge of heaven and earth-: I fay,
then, fee to your regeneration, and lay religion to heart.
2. I would exhort you to this, to get a continued Sight of
the precioufnefs of the caufe of Chrifle, as it is his caufe ; -O!
get a continued fight of the goodnefs of his caufe. Believe
me) a lukewarm temper is the moil difpleafing to God, of all
tempers. Awaken out of your lukewarm temper, left he
fpue yOu out of his mouth when he deals mercifully with o-
ther corners of the land.
3. I would exhort you to this, to follow no man impticite-
Iy. Paul, who was an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, fays, 1 Cor.
xi. 1. Be ye followers of me, even as J alfo am of Chrift : It hath
been the plague and fnare of the moft part of profeffors in
this land, that ( they have followed men implicitely. It was
not the caufe that they followed, but men ; arid we have feen
the fad fruits of this ; for, whenever any men of note Sled
back from the Lord, they always got a fleece away with them.
I fay, ye muft not have your eyes in other mens heads, nor
your faith pinned to other mens Sleeves : Ye muft fee and be
lieve for yourfelves ; they have poor guides, who have men
for their guides ; for man is a very changeable and unliable?'
guide ; ye muft look upon them, as they are but men. The
Lord hath taken as much pains on this land, as upon any
land, to have our eyes taken off men ; for he hath proclaim-,
ed this through all the corners of Scotland, That all ftefh is"
grafts. 4. I would exhort to this, to follow no men, be who they
will, that flip out of God's way ; follow no man againft-
whom God hath a controverfy, for going out of his way. It
is an ordinary thing, in the moft part of profeffors mouths,
that fuch a man is a godly man ; but, believe it, to follow a
godly man in his finful courfes, will never be approven of by
God, and it is very destructive tp his caufe ; for, the more
godly men be in their profeffion, their offence and fcandal is
the more grofs ; though a man, as to his State, be a godly
man, yet that warrantethno man, who defigneth heart honef-
ty, to follow him in his finful practices : Jonah was a godly**
man, and a great prophet, yet the Lord contended with the"
heathen for his fake, when he was out of God's way, as is
clear from the firft chapter of Jonah : he fled from God's
Standard and banner, and refufed to preach when God bade
him ; and therefore God purfued him with a Storm, and" the
heathens for being in company with him. Let me tell you,
many a man hath met with crofs difpenfations for other mens
fakes: O! be intreated to follow no man, when out of God's
way Follow none whofe ways are difpleafing to God, tho'
Otherwife never fo godly, and their profeffion never fo emi
nent)

PREFACE to SERMON X. * m
nent; for, the more eminent that their profeffion formerly
was, and the more apparently godly that they have been, the
greater is their fin, and the greater hurt the caufe -gets by
their fcandalous offences : Would to God, ye were more
pleading for the wrongs done to his caufe, than fo* men,
whom ye call godly, in thefe corners.
5. I would exhort you to lay your accounts with what may
befal you. Many know not what it is to count the coft ; and
then, when any piece of coft comes to their door, they are
furprized with it. Ol lay your account with the worft , that
can befal you ; and ye Shall find the trial the more eafy, when
it is laid to your door; the man that is always laying his ac
count with the worft of it, is the man that feemingly fliall be
cvtried through, and- fliall be moft free of the incident pieces
pi coft, that many Shall be put to. Believe this, if any win
through the ftorm, it fliall be the man that always lays his
account with the worft, and is always embracing the worft
that can befal him in the way of his duty, Look for other
things than ye have met with hitherto : Believe me, ye may
come under fharper things, than all that ye are come under
yet; and, O! that they may not come upon you Sleeping
and unprepared.
6. I would exhort you to this, ly near God, keep commu--
nion with him, and be not far from your ftrength, in the day
of God's coritroverfy, I tell you, there is more than the ha
bit of grace required, for carrying you through troubles;
and, I fear, the moft part of you know not what grace is;
for it is grace in exercife, that muft carry you through trou
bles : Faith and love in exercife, is neceffary for this. O !
ftudy the exercife of grace, and communion and nearnefs
with the Lord, that ye may not be far from your ftrength,
in the day that ye are called to give a proof of your faith in,
him, and love to him. O ! keep communion with him, and
draw near to him, for there is nothing but deadnefs.and
darknefs to them that are far from him ; and that foul that
is far from him, is a prey to every wind of temptation ; and a
fmall temptation lays them on their back, who are living at a
diftance from God ; for, it will not be the thing that hath
been received formerly, that will carry through, but a con
tinual fupply of grace muft be fought after. Therefore keep
up communion with God, and draw. near to him ; for1 they
that are far from himfelf fliall perifh : And purfue after him
with heart longing defires, that he may draw you into himfelf.

O SERMON

n 122 i
SERMON X.

. Zechariah ii. S:
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations which fpoiled you : For he that toucheth you,
toucheth the apple of his eye.
GOD is an unknown God to the moft part, and a roifta-
ken God by very many : O ! if he were known, this
prefent condition, to bear affliction for his name and caufe,
would be envied ; and if he were known, the church's privi*
leges would be admired ; for he withholds no good thing from
therri that feek him uprightly. But to come to the purpofe,
I Shall not detain you, with refuming any thing that hath been
faid from thefe words ; fuppofing that there are few of you,
but who have heard the fame or at leaft Somewhat of the fame.
Yon may remember that there are five particulars that we
noticed in the words :
i . That Jefus Chrift is the faithful interpreter of the Fa
ther's will ; for he faith, Thus faith the Lord of hofts ; and
herein he declareth the Father's mind,
2. That he was fent of the Father, and employed by hiii^
to fee his will executed upon the heathen nations.
3. The time thereof, After the glory, that is, after he had
vifited his people, which are his glory, by afflicting them;
or, after he had manifefted his glory by aybegun reftauration
of them.
4. The caufe, why he was fent unto the nations, was, be
caufe they had fpoiled the Lord's people, He hath fent me un
to the nations that fpoiled you.
5. The reafon and motive why he was moved to come a-
gainft the nations, which is drawn from his own fympathy
with his people, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his '
eye. The firft two particulars were fpoken to ; and now I pro
ceed to the third, which was, The time wherein Jefus Chrift
was fent unto thefe nations who were his enemies, for the
help of his church, viz. After the glory, that is, after he had
vifited his people with affliction, and begun to deliver them,
by his own out-ftretched arm : And from this, I lay dovii'}
this doctrine. ''"?
Doct. That the church is Chrift's glory. Ifii. iv. 5. For upotri
all the glory fhall be a defence. '-¦•
The

SERMON X. 123
The church is Chrift's glory, as it is diftinguifhed from that
univerfal kingdom, which he hath with God, and as he is
God equal with the Father ; whereby he is Lord of heaven
and earth, and over all creatures : tie hath the church for
his peculiar and particular kingdom, where he delights to ma
nifest his glory; for fhe is his declarative glory, his pus-chafe,
and the price of his precious blood, and lociety where he de
fires to dwell. O,! who can fet forth the love of Chrift to his
church ? for She is beautiful through his comelinefs. But, to
enlarge a little on this doctrine, I will tell you in what refpects
the church is called Chrift's glory :
i. The church is called Chrift's glory, becaufe he hath glo
rified himfelf in the great work of his church's redemption :
when the angel of the Lord came, and informed the Shepherds
of Chrift's birth, we fee what followed, Luke ii. 13, 14. And
fuddenly there was with the angel, multitude of the heavenly heft,
praifi.ng God, and faying, Glory to God in the higheft, and on the
^arib peace, goodwill toward men : That was the long that was
fuiig at Chrift's birth and nativity, Glory to God in the higheft,
&c. That was a work that got him great glory ; for therein
he manifefted the glory of his free grace : 0 I how glori-
oufly did the boundlefnefs of his free grace appear in that
work ! And, O i how did his wifdom Shine in the freedom
thereof I yea, and he manifefted the glory of his juftice in
the work of man's redemption wonderfully, in this, that he
would rather fuffer death himfelf, and thereby fatisfy juftice
than fuffer fin to pafs unpunilbed : And therein he manifeft
ed the glory of his power, in that he was able to fuftain the
Father's wrath ; and in his church he manifests the glory of
his power, in the converfion of his elect; for, there is more
of the power of God to be feen, in the converfion of fouls to
himfelf, than i/i the creation of heaven and earth; becaufe
God could create, and did create, the heaven and the earth,
without the merit or mediation of his Son Jefus Chrift. Hea-"
ven and earth are God's works, not as Redeemer, but as Cre
ator; I mean, they are the work of God the Father, as Cre
ator. It is true indeed, that, in the woik of creation, and
all the works of God, all the three perfons of the ever bleffed
godhead concurred together ; but Jefus Chrift, as he is Re
deemer, the work of creation is not attributed to him, as his
perfcnal property : Yea, and moreover, in the fecond crea
tion, (viz the foul's converfion to God) there is an old rub-
bifh of corrupt nature in man, which Strongly oppofcth and.
relirtefh the work of grace ; and therefore it is greater glory
to begin and carry on the work of grace, againft this Strong
oppolition and reliftance, than it was to create the heaven
and the earth, againft which there was no opposition.
Q^2 O ! firs,

124 SERMON X.
O ! Sirs, do not think that ye can make yourfelves new ;
do not think that ye can change yourfelves when ye pleafe,
or repent and turn to God when ye pleafe ; for there. is more
of God's power (if rightly considered) in converting the foul
that lies' in Sin, than was in creating the heaven and the earth.
But what Shall I fay of this glory which Chrift manifests in
the work of converfion ? for it paffeth the rhetoric of angels
to exprefs it. The glory of Chrift's truth, and low conde-
fcendency, is alfo manifefted and Shineth forth in this work,
Zech'. ix. 9. Rejdice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion, fbout, 0 daugh
ter of Jerufalem, behold thy king cometh unto thee : He is juft,
and having falvation, lowly, and riding upon an afs, and upon
a colt, the fole of an afs.
2. The church is Chrift's glory, becaufe he hath dignified
and beautified her with his ordinances, Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20. He
fheweth his word unto Jacob, his ftatutes and judgments unto If
rael : He hath not dealt fo with any nation, and as for his judg
ments, they have not known them .- Praife ye the Lord. The
pfalmift here mentions the ordinances of God, bellowed u-
pon his church ; and then he is prefently convinced of the
glory of God thereby, and of the beauty, dignity, and privi
leges of the church, which is under him, and then he adds
this exhortation, Praife ye the Lord : And, in fcripture-lafc
guage, his ordinances are called his name; for, whenitiS
faid, that he hath put his name in his temple at Jerufalem,
by his name is to be understood, that whereby he maketh
himfelf known. Now, his ordinances are a part of that
whereby he rnaketh himfelf known ; and fince he beautifies
and dignifies his church with his ordinances, therefore his
church is called Chrift's glory: For, he hath not dealt fo
with any nation ; and as for his judgments they. have not
known them. Barbary and Turkey want theSe ordinances
and ornaments ; and Rome, for all her pomp, wants thefe
ordinances ; and this is her glory, and the is called his glo
ry : But, 1 may fay, that the prelates, in a great meafure, want
thefe ordinances, and the glory of his church.
3. The church is called Chrift's glory, becaufe he maketh
known in her his glorious prefence with his ordinances, Pfal.
lxviii. 15, 16. The hill of God is as the hill of Bafhan, an high hill,
as the hill of Bafhan : Why leap ye, ye high hills ? This is the
hill which Goddefireth to dwell in, yea, the Lord will dwell in it
for ever. His glorious mount Zion (which is his glory) is his
church, where his prefence is with his ordinances : Thus his
church is called his glory. And, O ! how glorioufly, fome-
titaes, hath he fliined and appeared in his ordinances, even
in Scotland ? How hath he made his glorious voice to be
heard, and his footfteps to be feen, to drop down fatrtefs in
his Sanctuary .' O ! how have his ftately goings been feen in,
the.

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 125
the fanctuary ? There hath" been much of hi3 glorious pre
fence manifefted in his ordinances in Scotland, on hills and
brae-fides : There his voice hath been heard, and his ftately
goings have been feen ; and his people could have faid, with
the fpoufe, Cant. i. 12. While the king fitteth at his table, my
fpikenard fendeth forth the fmell thereof. O ! firs, fee ye any
thing of this ? See ye any thing of the ftately goings of his
gracious prefence in his ordinances, which is one way where
by he makes his church glorious ?
4. The church is called Chrift's glory, (O ! take heed unto
it) becaufe She carries his image, 1 John iii. 3. And every one
that hath this hope in him, purifieth himfelf, even as he is pure.
This is the godly man's exercife, to be holy as he is holy. O,
what glory is it to be like unto Jefus Chrift ! This is the pe
culiar privilege of his children, Pfal. xiv. 13. The king's daugh
ter is all glorious within. Cant. iv. 9. Thou haft ravifhcd my
heart, my fifter, my fpoufe; thou haft ravifhed my heart, with
one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. O! how glorious
was his fpoufe, how glorious was his church, of which he fo
fpeaketh here ? Thou haft ravifhed my heart, Sec. And, verfe
10. How fair is thy love, my fifter, my fpoufe ? How much bet
ter is thy love than wine, and the fmell. of thine ointments than
all fpices ? . What was the favour of ointments, to the defira-
ble favour of the graces of his Spirit, which he had bellowed
upon her ? O ! how glorious doth Chrift's image make his
church ! He is the exprefs image of his Father's perfon, and the
brightnefs of his glory, Heb. i. 3. And he fets his image upon
the true church, who are real members of his myftical body :
And, O ! how glorious are they, when they are thereupon
called his glory ? Ye may alfo fee what he faith, concerning
the beauty of his qhurch, Cant. vi. 4, 5. Thou art beautiful,
0 my love, as Tirzah, comely as jerufalem, terrible as an army
with banners : Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have
overcome me. Now, my friends, the church is called Chrift's
glory, becaufe fhe bears his image : Ye muft be fure, then
to have Chrift's image upon you, if ye would be amongft
them that he puts his name upon. For.it is not the mere
profeffion of religion, that will give you a right to that
name, His glory. It is the real bearing of his image that will
doit. 5. The church is called Chrift's glory, becaufe he delights
to manifeft his glory, in appearing and doing for her, and
making her triumph over her enemies, Exod. xv. 1. " Then
" fang Mofes and the children of Ifrael this fong unto the
"Lord, and fpake, faying, I will fing unto the Lord, for he
" hath triumphed glOrioufly ; the horfe and his rider hath he
"thrown into the lea." Verfe 21. " And Miriam anfwered
" them, Sing ye to. the Lord, for he hath triumphed glori-
, 'J oufly ;

i25 SERMON X.
*8 oufly ; the horfe and his rider hath he thrown into the fea."
Pharaoh and all his forces were purfuing the children of Ifra
el, and the Lord fuffered them to purfue them into the midft
of the ft- a : But then, he brought the fea upon them, and
Fwallowed Pharaoh andall his hoft : And thus Mofes and
the children of Ifrael were made to rejoice at God's triumph
ing glortoufly over their enemies. God gets glory, in his
wonderful appearing for his people, and making his works
appear for them. So bis church is his glory, becaufe he glo-
rifieth himfelf in appearing and doing for her; and' her low
cafe doth not obftruct'this ; for, notwithftanding that he vifit
ed his people with trouble and affliction, yet his church was
Lis glory: " After the glory hath he fent me unto the na-
*' tions that fpoiled you," foe. And when his church and
people are low, and in trouble, then, I may fay, is the time,
when he moft manifests his glory, in doing for them. Ifrael
in the wildernefs, met with as many proofs of God's glory,
hy appearing for them there, as ever they did when they came
to poffefs the promifed land ; for, there he fed them from
heaven with manna, and gave them water out of the rock to
drink ; he led them by a pillar of fire by night, and a pillar
of cloud by day : How glorious was he in thefe appearances >
for them? Pfalm lxviii. 7. "O God, when thou wenteSt*
" forth before thy people, when thou didft march through
" the wildernefs, Selah." There Ifrael's marching through
the wildernefs is reputed to be God's marching.
6. The church is called Chrift's glory, becaufe She fetteth
forth his glory, Pfal. 1. 23. whofo offereth praife, glorifieth me.
The Christian is much taken up, in declaring God to be a
glorious God, in adorning his profeffion by a gofpel convert
fation : He- is much delighted in praifing him, and in Study
ing a life of thankf ulnefs to him, as well as in praying to him :
So that a Christian muft take up much of his time, in pray
ing to, and praifing of God, that thereby he may be glori
fied. Siothfuinefs is a great difhonour to the name of God ;
but diligence is an exalting of the name of God, and is a glory
snd commendation upon his name : Hence is that word,
Rev. v. 11, 12. " And I beheld, and I heard' the voice of
" many angels round about the throne \ and the beafts, and
fl the elders, and the number of them was ten thoufand
f( times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands ; faying,
" with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to
*' receive power, andriches, and wifdom, and Strength, and
"honour, and glory, and bleffing." This is the thing that
they are crying this night, above the clouds and ftars , and
all who expect to have their life through eternity, fhould be
gin their work now, in glorifying and praifing God.
1 .7. The

Upon Zechariah1 ii. §. i::j-
7. The church is called Chrift's glory,, becaufe it is only
for his name's glory, that he doth all things for her, Ezek.
xxxvi 22 '• Thus faith the Lord God, I do not this for yoar
" fakes, O houfe of Ifrael ; but for mine holy name's fake,
" which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye
"went." Pfal. lxxix 9. " Help us, O God of our falvation,
" for the glory of thy name, and deliver us, and purge away
" our fins, for thy name's fake." This is the only moving
argument that the church Should make ufe of, Help as, O
God, for thy name's fake. But, e'er I proceed to the applica
tion of this doctrine, let us pray a Utile.
Now, I come to the application : And the ufe is an ufe of
information, which I deiire to back with a word of exhorta
tion : Hence theD, be informed concerning the glorious con
dition of Chrift's church : O I how glorious is it, that his
church is his glory fo many ways ? It is no low and Small
name, to be called his glory. What think ye of that name.'
and would ye not wonder to fee it written upon yourfelves*
His glory 1 would ye not wonder to fee that name written u-
pon you ? and if ye would have it written upon you, corns
and receive Jefus Chrift, who is glorious, and who makes his
church ' glorious : And he will write that name upon yow^
which ye have, in Rev. ii. 17. " To him that overconierh wilt
" I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white
" ftone ; and in the Stone -a name written, which no man
'* knoweth, faving he that receiveth it:'' And, Rev. iii. 12.
" Him thst overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of
" my God, and he Shall go no more out ; and I ivill write
*' upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
" of my God, which is new Jerufalem.'' And what is that
new name, but that which Paul fpeaketh of, Phillip, ii. 9.
"Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and givea
*' him a name, which is above every name ? What think ye
of this, to have the name of your God, and the name of the
city of your God written upon you? and would you have
this ? then come and receive Jefus Chrift, in the glad tidings
of the gofpel, now when he is in your offer : And, as ye
would tender the glory of his name, and the good of your
own fouls, flight him slot ; for it is oiily thefe that embrace
and receive him, that glorify him in this work; for, thefe
who will not take Chrift ,in his offers, deny him the gtory of
all that he- hath done, Cant. iii. 11." Go forth, O daughters
" of Zion, and behold king Solomon, with the crown where-
" with his mother crowned him, in the day of his efpoufals,
" and in the day of the gladnefs of his heart." Chrift hath
a crown upon his head, which believers fet upon him ; and
this crown is their acknowledging of hinj to be their Prophet, Prieft,

128 S E R M O N X.
Prieft, and King.;. Now heislookingdown from heaven, and
fetting his eyes upon you, to fee if there be any lad or lafs
here, that will fet the crown upon his head this day. Now,
as ye would not deny Chrift the glory that is due to him, come
and embrace Jefus Chrift : And, to move you to this, confi
der two things :
i. Confider your own condition without him, that ye are
loft and undone, limbs of Satan, children of wrath, hell to be
your dwelling-place, and devils and damned fouls your com
pany eternally; where fin Shall be your eternal torment:
This is your condition without Jefus Chrift.' What think ye
of eternal exclufion from the prefence and comfort of God?
And what think ye of hell, where there is nothing but utter
darknefs, weeping, and wailing for evermore, to be your
dwelling-place ? And what think ye of devils to be your con
tinual company ? And what think ye of fin to be your con
tinual life, always blafpheming the glorious name^of God?
And what think ye of your condition, to be in continual tor
ment, always weeping and gnafhing your teeth ? And all
this, I fay, is abiding you, who will not embrace Jefus Chriit,
whatever your profeffion be. For, believe me, a profeffion
will not fave you Srom this eternal mifery, if ye receive nqt
jefus Chrift : And whatever your fufferings be here, yet ye
Shall fuffer this hereafter, if ye receive not Jefus Chrift. My
heart bleeds for many fufferers in Scotla»d, who Shall fuffer
everlafting torment in hell, becaufe they wiil not embrace and
receive Jefus Chrift, this gracious and free Saviour^ who is
now in your offer. O ! receive and embrace. Jefus Cbriff;
otherwife, be who ye will, and do what ye will, God's juf
tice Shall purfue you ; and he Shall have war againft you,
without ceffation ; for there Shall be no difcharge of that war.
The great warriors of the earth are lying with their weapons
broken pnder their heads : But here is a war that hath no
end. O ! ye who will not receive Jefus Chrift, ye will fee
that ye have made a bad choice, when ye pafs through the
dark gates of hell, to the inner-chambers thereof.
2. To move you, further confider, that if ye will take him
ye Shall have him, and all his ; ye Shall drink of the living
waters of life ; your feet Shall be eftabliShed upon that fea of
glafs about the throne ; ye Shall have his name, and bear his
image, and wear a crown of pure gold upon your heads;
and follow the Lamb with palms in your hands, faying, Hal
lelujah, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our
God, Rev. xix. 1. Ye fhall have the fine white linen gar
ments of Chrift's righteoufnefs, to wear in heaven in cloathing
eternally ; ye Shall have the glorious cloud of witneSfes, an
gels, and the fpirits of juft men made perfect, for .your con
tinual

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 129
tinual company; and ye Shall have a life of love and joyi
ever loving, him that is altogether lovely, by perfect love,
and joylunfpeakable, that is full of glory, becauie of the
poffeffion and enjoyment of him', that is fo glorious and fo
lovely; and heaven is the place where all this is; O ! then,
come and take Jefus Chrift : Would ye make a happy choice ?
then take him, errtbrace and receive him, old and young,
man and woman, lad and lafs. Now Chrift is in your offer;
you are all invifed to come to him : And now, I charge you
all, as ye refpect the glory of God, andas ye defire this happy
condition that I have fpoken of to you, flight not this offer :
Now the golden chain of falvation is letten down to you,
O! grip, grip it faft, before it be taken up again/ Go not
away fools, left ye never be at fuch a market-day again. What
fliall I fay to perfuade you ? let the excellency and glory of
his great name, do it : Be intreated to do it. And hese 1 ob-
teft you, by. what he hath purchafed for Sinners, and by what
he hath fuffered, come and embrace him I obteft you, by
the blood that he hath Shed on ' the crofs : I obteft you, by
the drops of blood that he "Shed in the garden ; and by all the
joys that are above the clouds, in heaven, that ye put ndt this
offer a'way : And I obteft you, by all the torments of hell,
that ye put not this offer away : And I obteft you, by the
glory of heaven, and by the crowns which believers put on
his head, that ye flight not this offer.
Here I take every man and woman to witnefs againft one
another', that ye had Chrift in your offer : And I fliall be a
witnefs againft all of you, that have not received Chrift this
night: Yea, though he fliould never be glorified in fuch a
fort by me, yet I Shall be a witnefs againft you. And here,
before the throne of grace, I declare in his name, that I have
made an offer of him unto you : And therefore your blood
fhall be upon your own heads, if ye perifh, apd I fliall be
free of the fame. ,
I thought to have proceeded to another doctrine ; but time
will not allow.

R PREFACE-

t *3° 3

PREFACE.

THE Lord hath been bringing a great trial in Galloway's
way : I would afk one r.eceffary queftion at you, Whe
ther or not do you find yourfelves getting any good of this
as yet ? Believe me, you look like a people fold under judg
ments', rather than chafed in to the Lord byjudgments. But,
my friends, if you be getting good of this trial, I will tell you
what you will find wrought in you by the Lord's blefiTng.
I. You will find this wrought in you, viz. a more ferious
frame, and Sincere ftudy in religion feeking after God; you
will find religion more ferioufly to be your concernment. A
man or a woman that is getting good of the trial- will be
getting more concerned nefs with religion ; you will find that
made more your work, and you will find more ferioufnefs a-
bout it : This is one of the Lord's Special purpofes of bring
ing on this trial upon you ; and how great and noble an ad
vantage do you reap, if this fhall be gained ? My friends,
would you get good of this trial ? then be Stirred up to make
Ture work with himfelf; be Stirred up by it to make relu
gion yOur main work, and to flee in to himfelf; be Stirred
tap to prize Chrift the more, and that which he hath pur>
chafed for Sinners. t
2. If you be getting good of this trial, I will tell you what
you will find wrought, in your fouls by his bleffing. You
will find a more deep fenfe of the vanity and hatefulnefs of
fin. The Lord is writing over and upon all the finfol courfes
of the time, vanity. And, O ! that the vanity of them were
a light to let you fee the finfulnefs of them. He is making
many to fee this, even that their compliance with finful cour
fes will not fave nor help them. He lets them fee complying
courfes to be vain and hateful courfes. O ! all ye tbat would'
have good of this trial, be instructed to look back upon your
finful ways, and upon fin, as it hath provoked the Lord fo to
deal with you. O ! look upon fin in its own colour, as it is
vain, and a hateful thing. O ! how bitter and evil a thing
it is, to depart from the living God ! O ! how hateful a thing
is it to depart from him, to fin againft him, who is of purer
eyes than to behold iniquity, without indignation ? Believe
me, I will tell you one thing, thtt man and woman, that
looks not on fin- as God looks on it, viz. -with hatred and
deteftation, they Shall be looked on by God, as he looks, on
fin, that is, God will look upon you with hatred and abhor-
rency, if ye look not upon fin with the;greateft of abhorrency. 3, If

PREFACE to SERMON XI, 131
, 3. If you be getting good of this trial, then you will find
it working in you an acceptance of the punishment of your
iniquities ; and you will be justifying God in bringing it u-
uporf you. But know, that an acceptance of the punifliment
of your iniquity, is given by the Holy Ghoft, as an evidence
offittednefs and preparednefs for mercies; for, when they
accept of the punifhment of their iniquities, and are humbled
for their uncircumcifednefs of heart, then he will return and
have mercy, and remember his covenant with Jacob. O ! ac
cept of the punifliment of your fins, and take it as out of
God's hand. Do not look upon the trial, as a thing coming
upon you by chance, and coming only from men ; take it,
as coming from the Lord ; take it, as the punifhment of your
fins, and as his reproof : For, indeed, it is moft juft on your
part, as coming from him ; and, as to his part, it justifies
him-, who doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of
men. O ! then, accept of it, as the punifliment of your ini
quity, and beware of quarrelling at God's hand ; for this
trial is, to know who will accept of it, and who not. Behold,
his foul that is lifted up, is not upright in him. faith Habakkuk ;
but the juft fhall live by faith, Hab. ii. 4. And I will tell you
ohe thing, if you be not helped' by grace to accept of ir, as
the punifhment of your iniquity, you will foon run into ini
quity, and into fome finful courfe ; and fo add iniquity to
fin, which is explained by the apoftle, and called murmuring
and quarrelling, or, drawing back, Heb. X 23. If any man
drawback, my foal fhall have no pleafure in him- For, let me
fee a man or woman, quarrelling at God's punifhing of them
for their iniquities this day, and I will let ycu fee a man or
woman, who will turn their back upon Chrift the next day.
4. If you be getting any good of this trial, you will find in
yourfelves a patient fubmiffion of fpirit, both as to God's pre
fent chaftifement, and alfo to what he may do in time to come :
Even fo, the prophet Micah holds, out the church her reap
ing good of her affliction, when flie is brought to this with it,
Micah vii. 9, / will bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I
have finned againft him, O ! be patient under the Lord's
hand, and fubmiflive to what he fees Sit to carve out in your
lot; you muft be at fubmiffion of Spirit, as to what he may
hereafter do, if you would get good of this trial: You muft
be fubmiffive to his meafuring out of your lot as he pleafeth :'
You muft not fet bounds to the unlimited holy one of Ifrael :
So the church, when humbled under his hand, fays, Micah
vn. 9 I wilt bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I have
finned againft him, until he plead my caufe, and execute judgment
for me : That is, I will bear what meafure of chaftifement
the Lord Shall be pleafed to let forth ; I will bear it ay till he
be pleafed to remove it ; I will fet no term-d-ay nor bounds
R z unto

i32 S E -R M O N XI.
UDto, him. You that ase fe-eking, and earneftly defiring the
Lord's appearing, for breaking the yoke of the enemies, and
removing the blalphemies of the wicked, you muft be thus
exercifed } you muft fubmit to his chaftifements, as long as
he-fees fit to lay them on you.
Now, thefe things ye fhall find wrought in you, if fo be
you get good of this prefent Short trial : Many other eviden«
ces may%e given, but I Shall name but anothec, and leave
you at prefent with it.
5. If you be getting good by God's afflicting you, you will
find this wrought in you, even much humility of fpirit ; for,
when the Lord chaftens his people, he' feeks efpecially to have
them a humble people : Humble yourfelves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, and he fb.- II lift you up in due time. I fay,
you will find humility wrought in you, if So be you be getting
good of this trial. Proud conceited folk,' under the rod, de
clare by their practice, that jhey get no good by the rod:
How long Shall the Lord chaften you, and yet your pride re.
main with you ! -O ! then, humble yourfelves under his hand ;
for, the want of this humility draws many ftrokes out of his
hand. Humble yourfelves under God's hand then, and lie in.
the duft, if ye would get good of trials. And to him only,
who can blefs this prefent trial unto you, let us pray.

SERMON XL
Zechariah ii. 8.
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he ferit me
unto the nations which fpoiied you : For he that toucheth you,
toucheth the apple of his eye.
1 \
TIME, and your patience, will not alldw me to repeat ,
what, at a former occaiion, hath been faid on thefe
words ; howbeit, becaufe fome of you have not been prefent
to hear what was delivered at the fame, I Shall briefly deduce,
refume, or rehearfe, what hath been faid from the connection
and divifion of the words. As for the connection, there, is
here reprefented to the prophet Zechariah, a man with a mea
furing line in his hand, going to meafure Jerufalem, to fee
what

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 133
what was the breadth thereof, and the length thereof; and
this man here, with the meafuring line in his hand, is Chrift,
appearing to the prophet in the Similitude of his human na
ture : And he hath a meafuring fine in his hand, to fignify
that he was exercifed, or taken up about his church ; and
that he only can fet bounds, and prefcribe limits unto his
church, and that he is taken up about, her building. The
meafuring line faith, he hath the borders of his church in his
own hand, and that he is the mafter-builder. Now, when
the prophet fees, that there is prefently information given
him, what Chrift's purpofe is in Shewing him this vifion, viz.
that Jerufalem Shall be inhabited as towns without walls ; and
his purpofe was, to inlarge the borders of his church ; for,
by Jerufalem is Signified and typified the church, and that She
fhall be-inhabited with great multitudes of people, like peo
ple dwelling without the body of a city ; and Chrift here pre-
fcribeth the bounds of the church :, And, believe me, what
ever bounds Chrift prefcribeth to his church, I defy all the
powers in heaven or in earth to retract it : Let kings and .
powers of great men fet their Shoulders to it, and mount all
their forces, they Shall <>not retract it : Ho, ho, fays.be, Je
rufalem fhall be inhabited, as a town without walls ; and that
whether they will or not. But, to make up the church's hap
py condition, there feems fomething to be wanting: Where
fhall our fafety then be (might the church fay) if Jerufalem
be inhabited without walls ? But to obviate this their doubt,
it is told the m^ that he will be the glory in the midft of them,
and a wall of fire round about them. The expreflion feems
to be taken from the pillar of fire, that went before the chil
dren of Ifrael ; or from the Lord's guarding Elijah in Do-
tharn with chariots »f fire, foe. Howbeit, it holds out this,
that' the enemies of God's church run themfelves into as haz
ardous courfes, as ifa man Should throw himfelf into a bur
ning fire. Now, this is the vifion, and the Lord applies it to
three forts of folk.
1. He applies it to the Jews, who lay by from the work of,
the temple, and ftaid ftill at Babylon ; and he ufeth it as an
exhortation to invite them home. . And here he reprefents
to the people this vifion, that he is about his work, to build
his temple, and that was to encourage the Jews, who ftaid at
Babylon, to come and join with their brethren at Jerufalem :
Here you have three reafons to inforce this encouragement
in the words : The firft two are in the fifth and feventh ver-
fes, and the other is in the Words read.
The firft reafon, becaufe they had been fcattered abroad in
God's anger; and their being in that condition was an evi
dence of his difpleafure ; therefore they Should not haye (laid in

J 34

SERMON XI.

In that condition, whetein God's wrath is declared againft
them. The fecond reafon is couched up in the> feventb verfe, that
fince they had the name of Zion, and were profeffors, it was
very unfeemly for them to remain dwelling at Babylon, Deli
ver thyfe/f, 0 Zion, &c. It was a Shame to Zion to dwell at
Babylon when they might be at jerufalem ; as if he had faid,
It is a Shame for profeffors to dwell at Babylon ; the very
name of Zion, or of profeffors, fhould fhame you Out of
Babylon. The third reafon is in the words of the text, After the glo
ry hath he fent me unto the nations that fpoiled you, &c. He
was abont to bring judgments on the nations that fpoiled
them, even upon Babylon ; and therefore it was not fafe for
them to be at Babylon ;' for, they that are in enemies camps,.
when he puniShes enemies, fliall drink of the enemies cup.
After the glory hath he fent me unto the nations that fpoiled you :
And therefore flee, O daughter of Zion, out of Babylon, if
thou wouldft not tafte of Babylon's cup.
Now, for. the better understanding of thefe words, they
were divided into thefe five particulars :
i. That Chrift is the fit interpreter of the Father's will,
for he it is who faith, Thus faith the Lord of hofts.
2. That Chrift is fenrto fee the Father's will executed, or
done, I am fent to them that fpoiled you.
3. The time when he was fent, viz. After the glory -, which
js to be understood thus, after that God had vifited his peo
ple with afflictions, Chrift is fent to pour down afflictions on
the nations that had been the instruments of their afflictions
and calamities : Or, it is on this way understood, that, after
the Lord had begun to manifeft his glory, in their begun re
storation, he fent me to the nations, that they may not im
pede or hinder the work.
4. The caufe, which is, becaufe they had fpoiled his people.
5. The reafon and motive, which is drawn from his own
fympathy with them, For he that toucheth you, toucheth the ap
ple of his eye : That is, they that hurt the members of Chrift's
myftical body, touch his eye, which is the moft tender part
of the body.
Now, as to the firft twp particulars, they were a little fpo
ken unto ; and fo we proceed to the third, which-is the time,
After the glory, &c. From whence this doctrine was laid
down. -1
Doct. I. That the church is called Chrift's glory .- And that
was Shewn in fix or feven refpects ; and it was applied by a
word of ufe: And now, I proceed to a fecond doctrine from
the lame head.j .
Doct.

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. ' ¦ 135
Doct. II. As the Lord in his procedure doth ajfticl and punifh
his church, before he punifh his adverfaries, fo ibe affliclions of
his people are fore-runners and pledges of his enemies ruin. Af
ter the glory hath he fent me unto the nations thai fpoiled youj
that is, after he hath vifited his people (which is his glory)
with afflictions : Now, fays he, I am fent to the nations that
fpoiled his people.
This fecond doctrine hath two members ; the firft whereof
is this, That the Lord in the way of his procedure, puni/heth his peo
ple, before he punifh lis enemies : And you may fee, for con
firmation' of this, what the apoftle faith, 1 Pet. iv, 17. For the
time is come, that judgment muft begin at the houfe of God, &c,
So you fee, the Lord, in his ordinary procedure, firft gives
the cup into the hands of his people, before he yoke withe-
nemies ; and fo he hath begun to punifh his people in this
land, before he punifh malignartts.
My friends, would ye have fome reafons, why the Lord
doth this way proceed to .punifh his people, before he punifh-
their enemies? For anfwer take thefe :
1. Reafon. Is, that the people of God may win the mors
ealily through ; for the cup of God's difpleafure hath always
- the dregs at the bottom of it ; which is put into enemies hand;,
Pfal. lxxv. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and
the wine is red ; it is full of mixture, and he poureth out d£
the fame ; but the dregs thereof nil the wicked of the eartk-
fhajl wring them out, and drink them : Becaufe, I fay, he wilt
have his people to pafs ealily through; therefore'be giveth.
them the brim, or beginning of the cup : He giveth them
the firft of the cup ; but to the enemies he giveth the dregs
and bottom of it. His people get an eafy pull of it, in reS-
pect of what they have, who get the dregs thereof put into
'their hands. O! his enemies cup is a cup of pure wrath 5
buthis peoples cup is, a cup of no wrath, but of comfort and
confolation ; but the wickeds cup is a cup of pure wrath ; for
the dregs of the wrath of God is "a very Sad cup.
2. Reafon, why he punifbeth his people, before he pnnilb
his enemies, is, becaufe he will have enemies the more inex-
cufable, becaufe they took not warning at his peoples rods
and afflictions, Obad. ver. 16. For, as ye have drunk upon my
holy mountain, fo fhall all the heathen drink continually ; yea
they fhall drink, and they fhall f wallow do.wn, and they fhall bg
aslthottgb they had not been, Jer. xxv. 29. ' For lo, I begin ta
bring evil on the city, which is called by my name ; and fhall ye
be utterly unpuni/hed ? Ye fhall not be unpunifhed ; for I will
call for a fword upon all the inhabitants of -the earth, faith thi
Lord of hofts. So, when the Lqrd bringeth evil upon the city,
which is called by his name, and when he punifbeth his peo-

136 SERMON XI.
pie, he thereby declares his hatred againft fin ; and thereby
warns the enemies of their danger; for, fince he puniSheth
the city and people that are called by his name, much more
will he punifli them ; they- Shall not be unpunished ; he will
call for a fword againft them ; fo, he punifbeth his own peo
ple firft, that he may get his enemies rendered inexcul'able,
by their not taking warning to leave their ungodly ways,
when they fee the afflictions of the Lord's people for their Sin
coming from him.
3. Reafon, why he puniSheth his people firft, before he pu
nifh his enemies, is, becaufe enemies are made ufe of as the
inftruments of bis peoples affliction, Ifa. x. 5, 6 0 Affyrian,
the rod of mine anger, and the ftaff in their hand, is mine indig
nation. I will fend him. againft an hypocritical nation, and a-
gain ft the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take
the fpoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down' like the
mire of the ftreets. So, you fee, the Lord makes his enemies
a rod, in his hand, againft his own people ; therefore he muft
firft make ufe of it on them, before he break and burn it.
As to the fecond member of the doctrine, viz. That the af-
fiiclions of the Lord's people are fore-runners of judgment on his
enemies, and the reft of the world. Remember thefe fore-cited
places, 1 Pet. iv. 17, 18. Obad. verfe 16. Jer. xxv. 29. Ay,
all your afflictions and judgments, I fay are pledges of his
pouring down his wrath upon his enemies: For, fo. long as
ye have the rod on your backs, ye want not pledges and con
firmations of this truth,i that God will. be about with his ene
mies. But I Shall give you fome reafons to prove this point,
That the Lord's punifhing of his people is a pledge and fore
runner of fad judgments coming upon his enemies, and the
reft of the world.
1. Reafon, becaufe thereby he declares his hatred againft
fin: And, Since he declares his hatred againft fin, in punish
ing it in his own people, how much more hatred and abhor
rence hath he at it in his enemies .' The fins of adverfaries,
are fins of a grofs dye ; they are grofs wickednefs, Hab. i. 13-
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canfi not look on
iniquity : Wherefore lookeft thou upon them that deal treacherou-
fly, and holdeft thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man
that is more righteous than he ? Hereby the prophet is holding
out, that the Lord is, of purer eyes, than that he can behold
fin (becaufe of his holinefs) but with hatred and deteftation,
though in his own people ; and therefore, how much more
hatred bears he againft the fins of his enemies? So then,
what he doth to his people, is a fore-runner, or declaration,
of what is «oming on his enemies : For, fince God thereby
declares that he hates your fin, it is a pledge that he will pu
nish enemies becaufe of their grofs abominations. 2. Reaj

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 137
1. Reafon is this, becaufe by thefe chaftifements of his^peo* '
pie for their fins, he declares his anger againft fin: There, is
anger imported in theS'e reiterated expreffions, Obad. ver. 16.
They fhall drink, and they fhall fw allow down, and they flea 11 be
as though they had not been. Thefe hold forth how angry the
Lord is at them becaufe of fin ; and hereby he declares his
anger againft his peoples fin, by making them drink the cup
of affliction at his hand ; yea, how doth that, I fay, proclaim
the greatnefs of his wrath and anger agjinft the fins of hea
thens ? His people did drink the brim, but it is faid of them,
They fhall fwal/ow down, and be as' though they had not ben ;
they fhall drink till they be confumed. 1 fiiy, ye may read by
your afflictions, God's anger againft your Sins; and this)e
may read, as a proclamation of his anger againft the wicked
courfes of the heathen; fo this anger is manifefted by the
chaftifements that befal you, and is a fore-runner of hi: cru
el wrath, that will break forth by fad judgments on his ene
mies, and the reft ot the world.
3. Reafon is, becaufe that fince he afflicts his own people for
their fins, notwithftanding of their intereft that they have in
him, and his love toward them, how much more then will
he punifh the wicked of the world, who have no intereft in
him, and who have no fpecial part of love in him ? This is
clear from Jer. xxv. 29. There the Lord reafons thus, Since
he had punifhed the people called by his own name, and the
city that had intereft in him, and to whom he had borne a
kindnefs beyond others ; therefore he affures his enemies,
that they Should not go unpunished : So, I fay, when he pu
niSheth his people who have part in his fpeci.il love ; that is
a pledge that he will grievoufly plague adverfaries, that have
no fuch intereft in him. So then, lince he puniflieth you,
who are his people, take that as :i declaration of his anger
and judgments, which he will bring upon his adverfaries, and
them that are not his peopfe.
4 Reafon is, becaufe his perfect holy eye of providence is
over his people, to take notice of their ways, that he may
take notice of them. So, his perfect holy eye of providence
is over his enemies, that he may take notice of fin in them,
and puniSh them accordingly ; and fo, as he punilheth his
people, undoubtedly he will not p ifs Ins enemies unpuniflied ;
this is clear from Zech. ix. i. The burden of the word of the
Lord, in the land of Hadrach, and Dam.: f us fhall be the reft
thereof, when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Ifr el, fhall
be toward the Lord : And Hamath alfo fhall border thereby ; Ty-
rus and Sidon, \hough it be very wife. This is meant of ene
mies ; the Lord had a burden, viz. fad judgments to bring on
the land of Affyria, called Hadrach, from one of its idols ;
and Damafcus, the chief city thereof, fliould drink deepeft
S ' in

i38 S E , R M O N XI.
in the cup, the. burden fliould ly chiefly there: And remem-
ber this, by the vyay, that the chief cities of the land, Shall be
the chief feats of God's judgments. Why was it that God
brought this burden upon ASfyria, but becaufe the LordfeetH
all men (a* fome read it) to punifh them according to their
ways ? The words may alfo be underftood thus, when the
Lord's people have their eyes towards him for their help^
then he will bring judgments upon his enemies; yet fome
read the words thus, without thortering one another, That
when the Lord is the eyes of man, in all the tf ibes of Ifrael,
then the eyes of all Ifrael Shall be toward the Lord ; Shewing
this, that the Lord; by his eye of providence, obferveth all
nations, as well as his own people, and will alfo puniSh them ;
which he is declaring, by his punishing his own people for
their fins : And therefore, fince he obferves enemies fins, as
well as his own peoples fins, he will not leave enemiesiifins
unpunished- The Lord hath been obferving your ways, and
backflidings or backdrawings, and is punilhing you for them.
He is alfo obferving enemies blafphemiesand wickednefs; and
as he p'unifheth you for your fins, fo he will punish them for
their fins and iniquities; and the, dregs of the cup of the wrath'
of God is^jO be put into their hands; for the afflictions of
the people of God are hot only fore-runners of fad judgments
on adverfaries ;~but alfo of infupportable judgments coming.
upon them : It is eafier to bear what God lays on you, than
to, bear what he lays upon enemies backs.
5. Reafon, becaufe enemies help foreward the affliction of
his people; and therefore he declares that their afflictions are
fore-runners of enemies judgments, Zech. i. 15. And I am vi'
ry fire difpleafed with the heathen that are at eafe : for, I w*
but a little difpleafed, and they helped foreward the affliclioni
Therefore he is very fore difpleafed with them. So, the af
flictions which enemies carry on, declare that there are fad
judgments abiding them, becaufe be is very fore difpleafed
with the heathen, for helping foreward the affliction of his
people ; for, when God intends by them to puniih his people}
then they purpofe a far other thing than God intends, evefl
his peoples ruin, Ifa. x. 6, 7. / will fend him againft an hypo
critical nation — to take^the fpoil,  howbeit he meanttb not ft;
— but it is in his heart to deftroy, and cut off nations not a few.
I fay, when the Lord doth correct, afflict, and chaften you
by enemies, they are helping on their own calamity, by going
beyond all bounds, propofing your overthrow and destructi
on ; I fay, hereby they declare themfelves to be in fuch a
cafe, that your afflictions are pledges and fore-runners of
their own fad judgments ; for it is in this cafe, as if a father
Would be angry with a fon, and for his fault Should correct
him ; and a Slave in the houfe, feeing that, Should beginro
# run

Upon Zechariah ii. 3. 139
run upon him, and kill him : What think ye, would he not
foon forget his fon's fault, and turn his hand upon the Slave i
Even fo it is with enemies, when God puniSheth his people;
enemies, as fo many Slaves, run upon them, to flay them,
therefore he will turn his band upon thefe flaves, and cut
them off. Thefe tbings may confirm us in this, that God's
dealing with his people, by way of afflicting them, is a cer
tain pledge of the deftruction of adverfaries ; for, as God is
faithful in punilhing your fins, fo he will declare himfelf to
be juft, in bi-inging heavy wrath upon them. Let me lay
this home upon you by fundry ufes. ,
Ufe 1. From the firft member of the doctrine, learn to ac
cept of, and be exhorted to receive, your punifliment and
affliction at God's hand, with great cheerfulnefs ; and take it
'as a token of his kindnefs towards you, he hath -given you the
brim of the cup. My friends, the greateft ftorm that you have,
you have moderation with it, in refpect of what comes on en
emies; and ye have your Storm firft; for the firft blaft is ea-
ffeft, your affliction hath moderation; bin, that which comes
upon his enemies, hath none. When he comes to feek and
-find his enemies out, though they Should climb to the top of
Carrnel, or hide themfelves in the bottom of the fea, yet there
bis hand will find them out. His people get a hole tojiide
themfelves from enemies; but when God comes againft ene
mies, they Shall get no place to hide them in ; yea if God were
come to the fields, to contend againft, enemies, I do not think
that moffes, woods, muirs, or craigs, Shall be hiding-places
for them, I mean maliguants : Therefore receive your chaf
tifements with cheerfulnefs off his hands ; I fay, take it with
cheerfulnefs, that he hath begun at you firft.
Ufe 2. From this member of the doctrine, viz. That God
pHmfheth his people before bis enemies, let me reprove you who
refofe to fuffer affliction with his people : Ye who refufe and
reject his caufe, ye fliall drink deep in the cup of his enemies;
for, believe me, they who will not fuffer with his people, fliall
fuffer with enemies, when -he comes to plead his caufe againft
them O ! but compilers, he great fools ; they think by compli
ance to free themfelves- of fuffering; but they fliall involve
themfelves into inevitable fufferings ; thofe who go about and
refufe to fuffer affliction with the people of God, fliall fuffer
with his enemies, Pfalirt ix. 16. The Lord is known by the judg
ment which he execuUth, &c. The' complying of compilers
fliall infnare them into inevitable fnares ; the day is coming,
when neither kirk nor court, teft nor gear, Shall fave them ;
he will make ufe of enemies; to punifb compilers : Then fol
ly and vanity may be written upon them, and their compli
ance ; yea, when enemies fall, ye Shall fall who comply with
them : When God throws down enemies, then compilers
S 2 with

'Mo S E ,R M O N XL
with enemies, who have upholden them, Shall alfo fall down
with tliem, when God levels his Shots at the wicked throne
of Britain, then fhall all who are cdvered with the Shadow of
it, be cruftied with the ruins of it. And fo, I fay, this trial
of the godly is a token of his love ; and thereby he is feeking
to chafe fome of you out of enemies camps, who have had
very little will to part with them and their camps. There is
fome, who, if they could have ecaped fo, they would not have
parted with them ; they would have been' content to have
payed the cefs and locality, that they might have bidden in
their houfes ; yet it fhall not be fo ; for, if God have a love
unto you, he will not leave you fo •/, That family that he hath
not a mind to deftroy with adverfaries, he will bring them
forth : I fay, thefe that he minds not to deftroy with the e-
nemies he will bring fuffering to their doors ; therefore, re-
fui'e not fuffering affliction with the people of God ; for, be
lieve me, if ye have run from them, and continue fo to do,
the judgments of God, that he fends upon his enemies, will
overtake you. O ! then, fee what ye will chufe.: whether
will ye take part with his people, to drink. the cup of his Fa-
therly difpleafure, and chaftifements ; or, will ye take part
with enemies, and drink in the cup of his unmixed wrath
and judgments .' Mofes rather chufed to fuffer afflictions with
the people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures i of fin for>a
feafon. Ufe 3. From the fecond member of the doctrine, viz. Thai
the punifihments of the people of God, are fore-runners of fad judg
ments upon enemies, and the reft of the words ; learn this ufe
of instruction'; be affured, enemies fliall not be unpunished;
for your punifhments are proofs and prognoftics of fad judg*
ments coming upou them. Jer. xxv. 29. It was a fad token
for malignants, when God began to chaften his people far
their Sin ; ..they may therefore be affured, that he will punifh
them : Ye' have his promife for it', even for the confirmations,
of this; yea, their ftrength, wifdom, nor riches, Shall not
fave them ; for the Lord is he that is moft powerful, and faith?
ful ; and therefore he will be about with them : He is a faith
ful God, in executing what he had threatned upon his people
for their fins ; and therefore he will be faithful in executing
judgments upon his enemies for their fins ,
I proceed to the third doctrine from this particular, After
the glory hath he fent me to the nations that fpoiled you. I told
you, it might be understood two ways, thus :
1 . That in the Lord's vifiting his people with affliction,
then he would turn his hand againft his enemies ; and from
this I have drawn two doctrines;
Doct. I., That the people of God are his glory.
Doct.

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. * 141
Doct. II. As he punijheth his people before his enemies, fo
their chaftifements and affliclions are fore-runners of fad judg
ments upon the enemies.
' So, from the other fenfe of the words, viz. After that he'
had begun to manifeft his glory, in their begun restoration,
he will puniSh his enemies, that they may not mar the carry
ing on of his glory : And, from this fenfe, I lay down this
doctrine :
Doct- HI- That when the Lord begins to manifeft his glory
to his people, either in the time of ft arms, or after forms, in
their low cafe, it is a pledge or token, that he will carry on his
glory, and that he will not fuffer' the carrying on of it to be
kindred. For proof of this, fee Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the rock, his
work is perfect : for all bis ways are judgment, a God of truth,
and without iniquity, juft and right is be. Pfalm cxi. 6. Ha
hathfhexved his people the power of his works, that he may give
them the heritage of the heathen. So, after the glory hath he
fent me unto the- nations that fpoiled you : Yea, notwithstanding
that they were fpoiled, they were his glory : For, all that
their afflictions did, to obstruct their being that in his fight ;
yet they were his glory, and precious in his Sight ; notwith
ftanding of all their afflictions, yet they are his declarative
glory ; for, their intereft Stands in him, and his love is to
wards them, and his care of them continues, as no chaftife
ment can break off this intereft between God and his peop'c ;
•fo, God's love to, and care of, his people, Stands ; they con
tinue to be his glory, notwithstanding of affliction. But, for
application of this point,' to our own cafe, I would tell you
fome ways of God's manifefting his glory amongft us, in our
low cafe ; whereby we may be confirmed in this, that he will
carry on his work, notwithftanding of all oppolltion.
(1.) He is manifefting his glory, by truth's getting many
deliverances ; yea, even in thefe times, when we fell, truth
met with thefe dieliverances : As the Lord, by our fall at
Bothwell, brought more clearnefs and vindication to the
truth, than our ftanding would have done ; yea, I will tell
you, truth is meeting with a deliverance amongft you, by
this prefent trial ; many a man lippened to the paying qf the
cefs, as aground to keep them in^thelr houfes; who, yet,
notwithftanding of that, they fliall be caften out of their
houfes, that God may write over that courfe, folly and va
nity : And now, that truth is meeting with a deliverance,
take it as a manifestation of his glory, as a token that he will
carry on his gltory, hinder who will ; and that he will remove
impediments out of the way.
(2 ) He manifests his glory, by continuing a wifneffing
remnant in the land : notwithftanding of all the backflidings therein.

N2 S E R M O 'N XL
therein, yet be bath had a witnefflng remnant in this land :
yea, there is not a ftep of our defections, but our Lord hath.
bad a fmall remnant to witnefs for him againft the fame ;' and
he hath a remnant this day, to witnefs againft all defections and
compliances : So, by this we may fee him manifefting his
glory ; and it is a token, that he will carry on his work, and
will remove away whatever obstructs the fame.
(3.) He manifefts his glory, by accepting of facrifices at
the hands of that remnant ; yea, he hath accepted of prbtef-
tatkrns at their hands, when they could not get fin hindred j
yea, he hath accepted of declarations and testimonies, on
fields, in cities, and feas, for his caufe and truth ; fo that,
we may fay, on the matter, as Manoah's wife faid unto him,
(being afraid of the angel) If the Lord had a mind to dpftroy us,
he would not have accepted a meat offering and a drink offering
at our hands.: So, I fay, if the Lord minded to deftroy us,
he would not have accepted fuch facrifices at our hands: So
thene. the Lord has not a" mind to deftroy, but will carry on
bis work and glory, and will remove all obstructions out of
the way. Had he not accepted fuch testimonies, declarations,
and protestations, at your hands, where had we been long
e'er now ? And thus be, in our low cafe, manifefts his glo
ry. Take it then, as a pledge of his carrying on his work
and glory, and that he will remove all obstructions out of the s
way, and that be will not give over carrying on his work and
glory, till he perfect it ; he is bufy building his church, and
though his building be, as it were, under the ground ; yet,
becaufe he is building, he thereby declares, that he will not
give it over, till he get it unto the end, with Shouting and
acclamations of joy, and crying, Grace, grace, unto it.
(4.) He manifefts his glory, by his owning and countenanc
ing his remnant in their fufferings ; he hath made them to
declare, at the day of their extreme or greateft fufferings, that
that day was the moft joyful day that ever they had, even
when going to the fcaffolds, to lay down their lives for him ;
they have been made to go Singing and rejoicing, declaring
that they then would not change their lots for many king
doms ; yea, how many of them have been made to appear
like the children of kings ? and, how he hath filled their
mouths with fongs of praife, and making them fay,JThat the
lines Were fallen to them in pleafant places, when that he was
with them in the fire, and the water ? So he manifefts his
glory, by giving his remnant cheerfulnefs of mind, to endure
Sufferings for him ; fo he lets out his kindnefs in this day of ,
trial unto you, when he lifts up the light of his countenance
jipon you ; and fo ye may take this as a pledge of his carry-
ikv on his work and glory. (J) He

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 143
(5.) He manifefts his glory among us, by his leading, and
feeding the remant in their low cafe -, fo that in fome cafe it
may be faid, that there was not more of God feen, in leading
the Israelites through the wildernefs, by the pillar of cloud
by day, and the pillar of fire by night, than there is in his
leading of his poor remnant this day, by his careful eye oF
providence, upon us, and about us ; for^ we have rocks on
the rjght hand, and rocks on the left hand, parties on the
right hand, and parties on the left hand ; and yet he hath
led a remnant through all thefe, in the good old way. And,
hath he not manifefted more of his attributes, in feeding and
leading his people now, than to Ifrael of old, as fpiritual on
lookers do behold ?
(6.) He manifefts his glory, in plucking his people as preys
out of the enemies teeth fometimes, and relieves and delivers
out of-prifon-houfes Sometimes ; and fometimes he pulls them
out of the hands of'foldiers, and fometimes delivers them,
when they are purfuing them, and hides them under his
wings : Think ye, that if the Lord's Special providence were
not in all this, but fo many hunters would foon hunt us all -
out ?
(7.) He manifefts his glory amongft us, in our low cafe,
byincreafing the number of the remnant, in many corners of
the land, notwithftanding of all the cruelties and oppositions
by enemies : So, is it not to be faid of fome places of the
land (to the praife of his name be it Spoken) the more they
were oppreffed, the more they grew ; fo that it is our won-
det^confidering how many have been taken away by death,
banishment, and otherwife, that yet they are not miffed; the
Lord hath not been wanting to keep up the number, yea, to
increafe the number,; fo that, if you Shall pafs through fome
corners of the land, this Shall be founded in your ears, See
ing I have loft my children, who hath begotten me all thefe? O J
that it might be fo with poor Galloway i that this great op-
preffion might make them grow 1 I hope it Shall bring Some
of you 'more from (the enemies camps ! ,0 ! let it nuke none
of you- fall more into enemies canips. I fay, take all thefe
as manifestations of his glory, and pledges that he will carry
on his work, and perfect it, notwithftanding of what may
obftruct it.
Let' me lay this home upon you, by a word of ufe, for
confolation. Be comforted then, that, fince God is fo many
ways carrying on his glory, therefore be comforted in this,
that God will carry it on to the end : Enemies fliall not
be able to hinder it ; therefore, encourage yourfelves in this ;
and in his name and ftrength proclaim a defiance to all- that
enemies can do, or what created powers can do, and tell them,
that ye have pledges that he will carry on bis work amongfi you,

144 PREFACE to SERMON XII.
you ; proclaim this to the bloody tyrant, and to the bloody
council, and to the bloody foldiers, and let us fay, we defy
you ^ for we have the Lord amongft us. G ! all ye his faints,
praife ye him. Amen.

PREFACE.

BELOVED, the plague of this generation feems to be
hardnefs of heart. O ! hard-hearted people, and un
concerned, will not all that is come upon you, afflict and
affect your hearts ? What unperceivingnefs of temper is this,
that doth thus bewray itfelf to be in you, to behold thefe
things in our day, which your eyes do fee, and yet be with
out affectednefs of heart at the fight thereof? The Lord's
holy , name is blafphemed, his work and worfhip overturned,
his holy mountain laid walte, and all our pleafant things taken
from us ; Chrift is daily crucified in his members, and will
not all this affect your hearts ? Believe me, the hard-hearted-
nefs of this generation doth argue, that ye want fomething
that ye fhould have ; or it fays, that there is fomething want
ing, of great concernment, that you Should be at, and that
you have not yet attained unto. And,
i. I would tell you, that your hardnefs of heart declares,
that there is much ignorance of God in the land, or much
blindnefs, as to the taking up the being of God. O ! ye do
not fee the excellency of Chrift Jefus, who is rejected, vili
pended, and defpifed, and fet at nought by this generation ?
againft whom this generation, hath thrown out a flag of defi
ance. O I if ye Saw thefe things, thefe wrongs that are
done to him, there would be more affectednefs of heart, with,
and at the difpenSations of the day.
2. Your hardnefs of heart declares, that ye are little con
cerned with religion : Ah ! it appears, that it is little of your
exercife, and that it is little your work ; for, they that are
rightly taken up and exercifed with religion, are taken up
with the indignities done to a holy one ; whom they are
feeking to be theirs, and whom they are feeking to make
choice of : Ay, they who are rightly concerned with religion,
are even concerned with all the affronts and indignities done
unto him. 3. Your

PREFACE to SERMON XII. 145
3, Yqur bardnefs of heart, declares much blindnefs; it
fays, ye do not fee the precioufnefs of the caufe of Chrift :
I fear the moft part of you look on it as mens matters ; or,
as a thing of lets value; and therefore'ye cosne and go in it
as ye pleafe : Ay, ye would not tome and go fo in yoiir own
matters, many of y6u, as' ye do in. Chrift's matters: The great
cau.'c of the unltedfaftaels of many of this generation, is, their
blindnefs; becaufe they See not the precioufnefs of Je'lus
Chrift, nor the precioufnefs of his declarative glory, whereby
he maketh himfelf known : For, if this were feen, there
would not be fo much prigging with him, nor fo much ftarid-^
ing with him on thefe points ; nay, difficulties would not be
fo much, or fo big in your eyes. If ye had a right fight of
that precious one, of that lovely one, and what he*hath done
for Sinners, and purchafed for them ; ay, that wcuiu carry
yoiir eyes over all oppolltion that is in the way of following
him. O I carnal hard-hearted generation, what fliall I Say '
unto you ? O ! ftudy, and feek to get a fight of the preci
oufnefs of Chriit ¦;¦ ftudy to make confciencc ot religion ; ftudy
to win to a fight of the precicufneSs'of his caufe; and then
there will be lefs need of fo many arguments, to perfuade you
to StedfaftneSs. O ! beware of reservations, in following of
Chrift Jefus, in this day of" trouble and affliction. Now, that
you may be more ftediafl, and tefolute in. following of him ;
and, for your better help to affectednefs of heart, I will bring
three things to your remembrance.
(t.) I will bring this to your remembrance, that God is a
great and a terrible God, and a fin-revenging God ; and think
on this, that there is a day coming, wherein ye fliall all be ar
raigned before his judgment-feat ; where the queftion will be
alked at each one of you, O man ! and O woman ! how
came ye to do thefe things againft me ? O how think ye Sin
ners will ftahd before him ? How will poor bits ot clay Stand
before hjm, when the Almighty comes as an anned man a-
gainft them ? Ol fix yourfelves in the faith of this, of his
being a great and terrible fin- revenging God. O ! if you
faw and believed this, there would not be fo much venturing
"upon the bbfles of the Almighty's buckler. Believe me, be
who ye will, that dare adventure upon a courfe of opposition
to-him, whatever ye may boaft of, at the putting on of your
armour, ye Shall not boaft at the off-putting thereof.
(2 ) I would bring this to your remembrance, that, as he
is a terrible, God, and a fin-revenging God, fo there is a day
coming, wherein ye Shall be arraigned: before his tribunal
feat, where the queftion will be alked, -Oman! O. 'woman!
how came ye to do thefe things againft me ! O I rthen think
on it ; the plea and pretences of this generation, which' t!-ey
give for their corrupt com Is, will then have ho weight :-e-
T fore

146 PREFACE to SERMON XIU
fore his.jusdgment-feat ; it will be no excufe, to tell them ia
that day, I could do no otherwife ; for then I would have ex-
pofed myfelf unto hazards in the world, and to the wrath .of
man : But, ah ! firs, is there not a great difference betwixt?;
the wrath of man, and the wrath of a fin-revenging God ?
So, I would have you Slating the Queftion thus with your
felves, Whether of thefe will ye undergo ? for, believe me,
one of them ye Shall undergo. What think ye of the wrath
of man, of the wrath of clay, in refpect of the wrath of a
fin-revenging God, of an offended majefty i Ol what think
ye of a momentary difpleafure of inftruments, that are in his
hand-, befides the difpleafure of an offended majefty, of an
offended juftice ? O ! fee that ye make a good choice here :
God will ask at you one day, How came ye to own fuch
courfes againft me ? Arid he will admit of no excufe at your
bands. O ! think on this in time.
(3.) I would bring this to your remembrance, what he hath
faid; and, what lie hath commanded to be told you> muft
be told you : Say ye te the righteous, it fhall be well with them,
the reward of their hands fhall be given them ; But fay to the,
wicked, it fhall bf ill with them, for they fioall eat the fruit of
thur doings. There are rich promifes abiding the righteous,
the Lord will have this told unto you ; and' there is a recom-
pence of vengeance abiding the wicked ; they fliall be paid
home, according to their deeds ; fo, he commands his word
to be faithfully divided ; he will have promifes to be applied^
to whom they ought to be applied, and the threatnings to be.
applied to whom they ought to be applied : O! if the wpr^i;
of God had been rightly and faithfully applied,' as the contra
ry is this day in Scotland; I fay, if the promifes had been/
lightly applied, and the l'criptures rightly divided, there had
not been So many divisions this. -day in- Scotland as there are:
Then remember this, it flaallgo well with', the righteous, and
ill with the wicked. . --/- - V
Now, Sirs, lee whofe Side ye will go to, when tbe cry is
going through the land from the Lord, Who is on the Lord's
fide ? O ! my beloved friends, fee that ye fide yourlelves
rightly now, for, there is one of two you muft go to ; ycV
muft either go to his camps, or to his enemies camps; he.
will not have a halter amongft you ; he will have you declar
ing what ye aue for ; ye muft be for him, or on the other
ikle ; therefore fee what ye will do. O ! come into his camps,
and under his banner, and let us pray unto him, for grace to
nuke a right choice.

SERMON

r 14? 1
SERMON XII.

Zechariah ii. 8.
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he fent me
urto the nations which fpoiled you : For he that toucheth you,
, Uv.chcih the apple of his eye.
THOSE that chcofe.Chrift, make a good choice, they
make a right choice, yea, a right and a noble choice ;
for, Chrift being theirs, all things are theirs; his grace is
theirs, his glory is theirs, and he will be a hiding place to
them in the day of trouble. lit. xxxii. 2 And a man fhall be
ds an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeft.
Ifa. xxv. 5. For thoufiaft been a ftrength to the poor, a ftrength
io the needy in Us diftrefs, a refuge Jrcn the ftorm, a. fbadow
from the, heatrfwhen the blaft of the' terrible one is a ftorm a-
againft the wall. Pfalm xci. 14, 15 Becaufe he hath fet his
fove upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will fet him on
•high, becaufe he hath known my name. He fhall call upon me,
and L wilfanfwer him : I will be with hi in in trouble, 1 will de
liver him, and honour him. This is the cafe of the godly man,
that hath made choice of Jefus Chrift.
Moreover,- he will appear alfo agaioft all who will appear
againft his people ; he will avenge the wrongs done to them.
Ifa. i. 24. Therefore thus faith the Lord, the Lord of hofts, the
mighty One of Ifrael, ' Ah II will cafe me of mine adverfaries, and
avenge me of mine enemies. I fay, the Lord Jefus Chrift will
pay home all the injuries done.u.ito his people; for, Thus
faith the Lord, after the _glory hath he fent me unto the nati
ons, &c.
Some of you may remember, how I Shewed you the con
nection, with the divifion of the words, which in Sum was
this :,The prophet is here Shewed a vifion, of ai man with a
meafuring line in his hand ; by which Chrift is reprefented to
Him, baving his hand about his work, as mafter-builder of
bis houfe or church; feeing that it is he only, that fets the
bounds and limits to it. Then the prophet feeing this, is told
the meaning of it, viz. That Chrift purpofed to build and
enlarge his church : Run, tell this young man, {hat Jerufalem
fliall be inhabited, as a city without walls ; whereby the in-
creafe of the church is implied, and her profperity is promi.
fed: But, to make her cafe more completely happy, tkere is
promifed her (feeing She might doubt of hef fafety, in that
T' '1 f«j

M8' S E R M O N XII.
fhe Should be without walls) great fafety, in this promife of
protection, / will be a wall of fire round about them. So learn,
that all the wrongs done nm.| his people by adverfaries, they
run as hazardous a, race. -asv if they ran through the burning''
fire : And this comfortable vifion is applied to three Sorts of
folk. i. To thefe who flayed at Babylon, and would not come
to Jerufalem, to help their brethren ; and there were feveral
reafons given for enforcing this.
. (i.) Reafon, becaufe they were fcattered abroad in thefe
foreign places, by the Lord's difpleafure ; therefore they
fliould not be content to fit Slill in Such a, condition, where-^
into they were caft, by his indignation. And, are not peo
ple come to a great length in ftupidity, when they are willing
to fit ftill contentedly, even under that, which, by the bear
ing thereof, they bear the mark of God's difpleafure or an
ger >. And I fear that the moft part of you, if ye could get
external peace and eafe, ye would be content to bear all the
blae marks of his difpleafure, and would be content to dwell
at-Babyion, to enjoy external pleafure and eafe, before ye
come to Jeiufalem, to tp]oy the privileges of the temple.
(2.) Pveafon was, becaufe they are called by the name of
Zion, or, were profeffors; and therefore it was unfeenilyfor
them to dwell at Babylon. O ! how feemly is it for them that
profefs friendftiip to Chrift and his caufe, to dwell with ene
mies, or to be in their camps ? O I Sirs, either quit enemies;
camps, or elfe quit your profeffion.
(3.) Reafon was, becaufe, in the words read, the prophet
was declaring that Jefus Chrift was fent of his Father to thefe
nations, viz. Babylon, that had fpoiled the children of If
rael, to punilh them ; therefore it was not fafe for them to
tarry among them: For, thefe that are in enemies camps,
when he comes to punifh them, they fliall drink of their cup ;
and this reafon was enlarged in the 9th verfe, Behold, I will
fibake mine hand upon them, and they fijall be afpoil to their fer
vants : Whereby he fliewcth, how eafy a thing it was for him
to bring them down, and how ignominious their ftroke Should
be, if they were found amongft th,em.
2. It is applied to thefe who are at Jerufalem ; for, their
encouragement is in ver. 10, ii, 1 2, foe.
3. It is applied to adverfaries, and brought in againft them,
whether oppreffors, of his people, or oppofers of his work, or
adverfaries to God, by mifbeliefof his on-carrying of his.
work, as verfe 13. Befilent, 0 ad ftefh, before the Lord. So, he
will have adverfaries to Silence their boafting, and he will
have unbelievers to filence their unbelief and doubts, or their
faithleffhefs. 1 » And

,\

«'

Upon Zechariah ii.

And as for. the divifion of the words, they were divided
into five particulars :
i . That Chriit is the faithful interpreter' of the Father's
will. 2. That he is fent of the Father to fee the Father's will
executed. 3. The time when, viz. After the glory, that is, after that;
he had vifited his people, which is his glory, with affliction;
or after he had begun to manifeft his glory, in their begum
reftoration : then is he fent to punifli the nations, that they
might not hinder the carrying on of his work. ,
4. There is the caufe, viz. becaufe they -had fpoiled his
people. 1
5. The reafon thereof, which is drawn from his fympathy
with them, to. wit, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of
his eye.,
The firft three were fpoken fomewhat to already ; fo, then,
I proceed to the fourth, which is the caufe of Chrift's being
fent'unto the nations, to puniSh them ; and that was, becaufe
they had fpoiled his people : Whence I lay down this doc
trine, Doct. That the Lord Jefus Chrift is the avenger of his peo
ple's quarrel, and he will recompence the wrongs don,e unto 'his
people. For, he is here fent to puniSh the nations, becaufe
they had fpoiled his people : See alfo, Deut. xxxii. 34, 35,
36. " Is not this laid up in Store with me, and fealed up a-
" mongft my treafures ? To me belongeth vengeance and re-
" compence : Their feet Shall Slide in due time ; for the day
" of their calamity is at hand ; and the things that Shall come
" upon them make hafte : For the Lord fliall judge his peo-
" pie, andrepent himfelf for his fervants, when he feeth that
" their power is gone, and there is none Shut up or left."
So then, he is the avenger of his people's quarrel, and he will
be their glory : Whence he fays, Ifa. i. 24. " Ah ! I will
" eafe me of mine adverfaries, and avenge me of mine eae-
'*' mies." For1 he takes it as a great affront and indignity done
unto him, to deny him of his glory, even of the glory of his
vengeance ; For, faith he, Amos iii. 6. " Shall there be evil
" in the city, and the Lord hath not done it ?" He looks
down from heaven, as it were, and hears them even telling
who hath done this evil, and who hath done that : and he
takes it as a great affront and indignity done to him, when
it is attributed to another: But, beloved, this is not meant
of the evil of fin ; for he is altogether free of it, and tinca-
pable of fin ; but it is meant of the evil of punifliment ; for,
to me belongs vengeance, faith he, therefore their foot fhall flide
in due time, ,
' Now,

x-3 5- SERMON XII. '
Now, in profecuting or fpeaking to this doctrine, I fhall,
7. Shew you fome forts of folk, againft whom God will
avenge his people's quarrel.
II. I fhall give you fome reafons of the rJbctrine.
II. I Shall aid Some ufes.
I I fey, God will avenge his church and people's quarrel
sg.iirjft all thefe that wrong his church and people ; and un
der thefe, I may comprehend five forts of folk : Such as,
i. Open and avowed enemies or persecutors : Thefe are
they, againft whom God will avenge his church and people's
quarrel ; After the glory hath he fent me to the nations that fpoil-
edyou, viz. the nations that were open and avowed enemies to
the Ifraelkes, and that fpoiled and robbed his people. Alfo fee
Zech. i. 2 1 . and you will there fee how he avengeth his church
and people's quarrel : and how doth be it ? There is a vifion
preferred to the prophet, of four horns, Signifying the church's
enemies, coming from the four corners of the earth, ib?.t fpoil--
edujieir country. Then there are four carpenters Shown him,
Signifying a fufficiency of inftruments in the Lord's hand :
and what were thefe to do ? Thefe were to break the horns,
and to avenge God's quarrel on thefe enemies, that had fpoil
ed bis people : Thefe had lifted up their heads againft his
chsrch ; therefore he fent carpenters, or, fufficiency of in-
ftru.nents, to cut off their power. I fay then, againft open
enemies, he will avenge his church's quarrel ; bee ufe their
main work and ftudy was, to make havock of the church,
and to bring his church and people under their ;eet.at their-
pleaiure. Then, I fay, in that day fliall the wicked tyrant on
the throne be paid home, for all the wrongs that he and his
accomplices have done unto the church; he Shall be paid
borne, and they for joining with him together, iu opprefiirig
the confciences, perfons and eftates of his people : Then fliall
they be paid home ; for, thus faith the Lord, I will pur.fio them
according to the fruit of their doings.
2. The fecond Sort, againft whom the Lord will avenge his
church's quarrel, are,' peace-makers with the enemies of his
church and people ; againft thefe he wiil avenge his church's
quarrel, and he will recompenfe the wrongs that they have
cicne to his church and people, Ifa, viii. 12, 13- Say ye not,
A confederacy to all them to whom this people fhall fay, A confe-
deraey ; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. SanFlify the
Lord of hofts himfelf, and let him be your fear, and your dread.
I fey, he will be avenged on all confederals, and peace-ma
kers with the enemies of his church ; for they have chofen
enemies to be their fociety, and have disjoined themfelves
from the members of Jefus Chrift : For what concord hath
Chrift with Belial ? Their covenant with de-ath and hell Shall
pot ftand. When God brings the overflowing fcourge, that
(lul: overflow the hiding-place of the wicked, and fvveeps a-
way

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. »5*
way, the wall tbat people have built to themfelves, and day-
befl with untempered mortar. Then it Shall be Said, Where
is the wall and the builders thereof? And their covenaiu
with hell and death Shall not Stand ; for, God will avenge h.r,
churih's quarrel, upon thefe peace-makers with enemies; for
he hath faid, There is no peace to the wicked. Then -hai'l
;ii1 thefe that have taken protections and abfolviturcs, be paid
home for the wrongs they have done to his church and peo
ple : For, thus faith the Lord, I will punifh them according i$
the fruit of their doings.
3. The third fort of folk, againfr whom the Lord will a-
vc-ige his church's quarrel, are upholders, and affifters of
cue ales ; againft foe'i he will avenge his church's quarre",
Ezek. .xvii, 21. And -oil his fugitives, with all his bands, JhaS
fall by the fword. And Judges ix., 23, 24. Then. God fent an
evil fpirit between Abhr.elcfi and the men of Shechcm, un.li.be
men of Shechent dealt i reach e run JU with Abimekch, that tkt cru
el: y done to the fever, fy fans of Jerubbaal might cisne upon Ahi-
me'ee.h, and their blood.be laid on him that (lew them., and on the
men of Shechem, who aided him in killing of his brethren. So,
then, 1 Say, againft upholders and affifters of enemies of his
church and people, God will be avenged, for the wrongs thef .
have done to his people ; for they have put arms in the ene
mies hands, and baye joined with them in difplaying pf a ban
ner againft the Lord: Then, ar.d in that day, Shall cefs-p.iveis
and locality-payers be paid home, for the wrongs that they
have done, in putting earns in enemies hands, to fight againft
the Lord and his people ; yea, they have armed enemies a-
gainft the Lord himfelf. Then, fhall miliiis-moncy-payers be
paid home, for* what they have done ; for they have arme3
men to uphold that fupremacy, whereby a wretch hath roa-
bec! Jefus Chrift : For that is declared to be the very cntd, for
which the militia-money was up-lifted, by their act of parlia
ment. Then Shall teind-p.iyers be paid home, for what they
have done ; for they have upholden a corrupt worfhip in the
church, for they have upnolden idolatrous temples in the
land : Thus faith the Lord, ih-,y fijall be rewarded according to
the fruit of their doings .
4. The fourth fort of folk, that God will avenge his church
and people's quarrel upon, are juftificrs of the enemies of
God: They that juftify the enemies of the work of God,
whom God will never jufliCy, fliall be paid home for' it, Pfalm
ci 3. / late the work of them that turn afide, itjla'l not cleave
to me ; And lo fuch our Lord faith, / know you not, depart
from me, ye workers of ir,iq:iity,for J acknowledge you not, ilja'ii-
fy you not : So,iGod will never juftify enemies, for the wrongs
they have done to his church, nor Such as juftify enemies;
who by their practice declare that enemies arc in the right, anel
that

152 SERMON XII.
that the Lord's people are worthy of all that they are meeting
with from the enemies hands. Then, I fay, that in that day,
capitulaters with enemies Shall be paid home, they that enter
into capitulations with enemies, and thefe that juftify enemies
in their proceedings, who fay, upon the matter, that that
which they once looked upon as their duty, they now fee it
to be their fin; or by their compliance fay, that the Lord's
people are in the wrong, and in the tranfgreffion ; thefe Shall
be paid home. O ! Sirs, think ye that that is fuffering, tq
give fo much of your goods to the enemy ? Nay, nay, it is
rather a giving away your goods with your own hand, by free
choice ; am , by your fo doing, ye condemn your duty, and
Juftify the enemy ; for, if ye be not in the tranfgreffion, why.
do ye concur with the enemies in punishing yourfelves?
Chrift is fent to punifh the nations that fpoiled you ; but
fine-payers cannot fay they are fpoiled, for they fpoil them
felves. 5. The fifth fort of folk, that the Lord will avenge his
church and people's quarrel upon, are thefe fpoken of, Zeph.
i. 5. Tbatfiwear by the Lord, and that fwfar by Malcham ;- thefe
that will not fide themfelves with the church of God, nor yet
againft the church of God : Thefe were a company of folk,'
that halted between God and Malcham their idol ; who would
not feek the Lord fully : Thefe the Lord will cut off, becaufe
of the Wrongs that they had done to him ; for thereby they
deny the church their affiftance, they deny the obligation of
the covenants, whereby they are bound to take their lot with
the common caufe, whereby they are bound to defend all in
covenant : But, believe me, there is nothing but one of two
for fuch ; either to Chrift's camps or enemies camps : This;'
is the language of this trial that is going through the land,
who is on the Lord's fide ? Who ?. .And there is nOne but-
one of two, either for the Lord's camps, or enemies camps:
And, againft you that will not join with him, his, caufe and
people, he'wili ayenge the quarrel of his church and people
upon you.. Remember what he fays, Matth. xii. 30. He that
gathereth'not with me, fcattereth abroad. Therefore, thus-
faith the Lord, I will punifh you for all your iniquities^ And
now, I fear, that there are many of you here, againft whom
the Lord will avenge his church and people's quarrel, for all
the wrongs and injuries ye have done unto him : And, O !
what will ye do, when ye have God a party againft you ? for
he will be againft thole that are againft his church, and that
wrong his church and people. But,
II. I would give you fome reafons, wherefore the Lord
Jefus Chrift doth avenge his church and people's quarrel :
And, 1. The

Upon Zechariah ii, 8. 153
I. The firft reafon, is; becaufe of their intereft in him,
Hofea xii. 9. And I that am the Lord thy God from the land nf
Egypt, will yet make thee to dwell in tabernc.cn s, rs in the
days of the file mn feaft. So, he is the (>'Od of his people, and
his people are interested in him, and therefore he will I'vcnpe
their quarrel ; for, upon the account of their beinn, interef-
ted in him, their quarrel becomes his quarrel, as you have it
in Ifa. i. 24. Ah II will eafe me of mine adverf--r.es, and avenge
me of mine enemies : So, he counts his people's adve-'aries his
adverfaries ; and therefore he reputes the wrongs done unto
them, as done unto himfelf : As alfo ye may fee, in the 2 ph.
chapter of Matthew; where Chrift makes a Separation be
tween the fheep and the goats ; he fays' to the goats, " De*
" part from me, ye curfed into cvta lading fire, prepared for
" the devil and his angels-^ For, I was an hungred, and ye
" gave me no meat ; I was thirfty, and ye gave me no drink ;
" I was a Stranger, and ye took me not in ; naked, ar.ei ye
"clothed me not; Sick, and in prilcn, and ve vifited ire
" not ;" And his anf ver to their objection, is. " In as much
" as ye did it not to one of the leaft of thefe, ye did it not to
"me." So, that which is done to Christ's people, he counts
it as done to himfelf, becaufe they wrong a people interested
in himfelf, whofe wrongs he takes as done unto liimltlf;
and therefore they fhall not efcape, hut lie will punilh them
for the wrongs done to his church and people.
2. The fecond reafon is this, becaufe of his Sympathy with
his people; " He that toucheth you, toucheth the rpple of
" his eye," This is' alfo proven from Heb. iv, 1 5. " For we
" have not an High Prieft which cannot be touched w'nh the
<! feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted,
" like as we are, -yet without fin;" viz. Jefus Chrift, who
bath a fympa.thy with all his people's wrongs, for he that
toucheth you in any place, toucheth the apple of. his eye,
which is the tend, veil part of the body. And, believe me,
firs, the greater the wiongs be that his people are enduring,
the greater way is made for the Shewing of his bowels'of Sym
pathy ; and the greater wrongs they fuffer, they lie the nearer
to his heart, and he will punifh the injuries dor.e unto- thefe,
according to the fruit of their doings. '
3. The third reafon, is, becaufe of his holinefs ; for. Since
he is a holy God, therefore he will pay enemies home, that
this may be no imputation to his holinefs, Hab. i 13. where
the prophet, confiderihg God's holinefs, concludes, faying,
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canft not look on
iniquity. So; from this he concludes, that Babylon fliall not
be unpunilbed.
4. The fourth reafon may be 'drawn from h;s feiihfulnefsj
He who hath faid, Ifa. i. 24 Ah I I will cafe me of mi' e aei-
U 1 -a fanes,

154 SERMON XII.
verfaries, &c. hath alfo faid, Jer. ii. 37. For the Lord hath re-
jeiled thy confidences, and thou fhalt not profper in them. For,
as the. Lord is both a holy and a faithful God, and hath fo
manifefted himfelf, in fulfilling his promifes to and for his
people ; fo alio, he is faithful in executing his judgments a-
gainft their enemies 5 becaufe he is a faithful God, therefore
he will punifh their adverfaries.
5. The fifth reafon may be drawn from his juftice,' Pfalm
1 6. For God is jul ge himfelf . God is a righteous Judge, who
judgeth theworld in righteoufnefs, and the people with equity
and truth : Therefore he will punifh his enemies, for all the
wrongs they have done to his people. There is grofs wicked.
net's gone out from the pretended judges of the land ; fo that
the judgment-feats of the land are become feats of iniquity,
inftead of juftice ; therefore the Lord muft fet up his courts
and pafs fentences of equity. He will judge wicked enemies
of the land, of all forts and ranks, for all the iniquities tney
have done. Many a wrong fentence hath been paffed in thefe
lands, thefe twenty-two years by-gone ; but, when he comes,
he will pafs a juft fentence againft thefe fentences of his peo
ple. O ! then, you may be affured, that he will be avenged
upon his enemies, even upon the injurers of his people \ and
hence I may lay horhe this doctrine by fome ufes.
1. The firft ufe we come to, is, an ufe of inftruction-. Is
it fo, that Chrift avengeth his church's quarrel ? then, hence
learn the cafe of thofe who are the objects of his vengeance.
O ! is it not a miferable caS'e and condition, to have the Al
mighty for a party againft them, to have him coming as an
armed man againft them ? Now, this is the cafe of the ene.
mies of the church : O ! then, it is not a weak party that
they have to do with ; for, it is God almighty, the Lord of
hofts, whofe arm is an cverlafting Strength ; yea, they have
the terrible majefty of heaven and earth for their party ; they
have God againft them, who is S man of war. O ! how will
thefe poor bits and atoms of clay ftand before his cloke of
zeal, and garments of vengeance ? When Chrift is mounting
upon his red horfe of vengeance, he will ride through Scot
land, and make them a miferable party, lor wronging his
church, caufe, and people.
2. A fecond ufe of inftruction : Is it fo, that the Lord
will be our enemies party ? then, learh the happy cafe and
condition of thofe whofe quarrel he will avenge: Happy are
thofe ; for they have God on their fide, they have infinite
love, putting infinite power in execution for them ; what
made the Pfalmift cry out, Pfalm xlvi. 2. " Therefore will
" not we fear, though the earth be moved, and though the
" mountains be carried into, the naidft of the fea." It was even
becaufe

i"1' •'. UptfN Zechariah ii. 8. 1,55
becaufe he could alfo fay, ver. 7. " The Lord of hofts is with
"us, the God of Jacob is our refuge." O! then, if God
be with us, and for us, who can be againft us ? Surely they
are a happy people whom God doth Side with, or, who have
the Lord of hofts upon their fide; who have his love putting
his power in execution for them, upon the objects of his ven
geance. 3. The third ufe is, of exhortation : Would ye be among
thofe whofe quarrel the Lord avengeth ? then, come, and
receive him, and make up a contract with him ; and give
Over yourfelves to him, both fouls and bodies, to be his, and
for him ; and here, in his name, I offer him to you, and his
all to you ; come, take him Lo I here is a rich bargain,
a mutual intereft betwixt Chrift andtinners. O! my friends,
go not away as fools, from fuch an offer: Here Jefus Chrift
is holding forth his willingnefs, to enter into this noble bargain
with you. O ! he requires the fubfcribing of your confent to
the bargain : Are ye willing ? for, indeed, he hath iubfcribed
his confent to the bargain,- with letters of his own blood :
Therefore, be intreated to come, and join yourfelves to the
Lord Jefus Chrift. Come, and receive a crucified Saviour ;
come, and partake of his falvation, a bloody Saviour ! crjme,
Of come unto him, and take his falvation off his hand ; for,
thefe who join with him, are they whofe caufe and quarrel
be will avenge, and whole wrongs and injuries he will recom-
penfe upon enemies, their own heads.
4. The fourth ufe is, of confolation: O I then, well's you,
tbat are- his people, whofe quarrel he will avenge. Rejoice,
and be exceeding glad ; be ye comforted and encouraged in
him, for he will avenge your quarrel : Though now ye be
fuffering under the feet of enemies and perfecutors, God is
marking down every item of the wrongs done to you ; and
the day is coming, when " the righteous fliall rejoice -, when
'** he fetth the vengeance, he fliall wafb his feet in the blood
" of the wicked ; fo that a man Sbali Say, Verily there is a
" reward for the righteous, verily he is a God that judgeth
*' in the earth,'' Pfalm Iviii. 10, it. Then rejoice and be
comforted, ye who are his people;, for ye have him to take
your part, againft all that fet themfelves againft you : Ye who
are his people, his holy ones, rejoice in this, and be glad. Be
not anxious anent enemies ; for he will pay them homein their
•wn coin : He will avenge your quarrel, or rather his own
quarrel, in yours : So then, regard them not; God is a party,
great enough for them all : Envy them not, for their cafe is
miferable. The Lord is a man of war, who is againft them,
and is their enemy ; and, if he be againft them, and their
enemy, it matters not who be their friend ; he is a powerful
U 2 enemy.

»5°"

PREFACE to SERMON XIII.

enemy. Whatever outward prevailing they may have for. a
time, ye: envy them not, feeing they have God for their par
ty ; but iBther rejoice ye in him, ye who are his people, whofe
qu.n re! he is coming to avenge, efpoufe and own. Comfort
yondelyes in this, ihat God is the avenger of your quarrel,
and recompenfer or your injuries and wrongs. Rejoice in
him, and be exceeding glad ; for he hath faid, Vengeance is
his, and with him jt is laid up in Store, and leafed among his
treafures; Deut. xxxii. 34, 35, He will repay them ; rejoice
in him, who judgeth the earth in righteoufnefs: For David
inviteth a 1.1 things to rejoice, becaule he cometh to judge the
world in ipgiiteuufnefs : Let, all creatures rejoice in him; let
inn, moon, and ftars, rejoice in him, who judgeth the world
in righteoufnefs, and his'people in equity. O all ye his faints !
praiie yc him. To him be praife. Amen.

P R E F A C E:

~% MY friends, ye have need to know what is your errand
-i.V_i here this time; for, there are many things that call
to it :
i. The authority of God that calls you to it ; for he, ha.th
faid, Seek yc me, end ye fhall live : I fay, the authority of
heaven, calls you to know this, what ye are feeking. Ofirs!
greatnel's, goodnefs and meeknefs, meet all in him, who hath
laid this, Seek ye me, and ye, fhall Jive ; and therefore, ye are
called by his authority, to kr-envudiat ye are Seeking.
2. The. certainty ot judgment : This c tils you to know what
is your -errand here'; and what ye are Seeking, even the cer
tainty of judgment -, becaufe, at that day, this will be one of
the mterrogafions t'Kit will be inquired at you, man and wo
man, where were you iuch a day or time ? And, what was
you feeking in fuch a place, and at fuch an occasion ? 0 !
then, fee to it, and contider how ye will anfwer to the great
Julge, when he afks the queftion.
¦}. There is this that calls you to know what is your er
rand and what ye are feeking here, even the difficulties of
your coming ke^e, in the h.,z.uJ of your lives ; I Say, this
' calls

PREFACE to SERMON XIII. 157
calls you to knpw. what ye are feeking, in your going or com
ing fuch errands. O ! I fey,, the hazard and difficulties that
ye are put to, in your coming here, call you to know what
ye are feeking here.
4 This calls you to know your errand, and what ye are
feeking here : The great difeouragements ye meet with in the
way, this calls you to knew your errand here : 1 fay, people
that go and run fuch errands and ways, over and through fo
many difficulties and difeouragements, had need to know What
they are feeking, at this or the like occasion. Your night-
wanderings, your uncertain journies, your wcarinefs and cold,
foe. call you to know your errand here ; therefore, I intreat
you, try yourfelves, what is your errand ? And I fliall tell
you of five forts offolk, that have not a right errand and end
before them, in their coming here at this occalion :
(1.) The firft .fort are, thefe that come for a name of felf-
credit ; fuch, I lay, their errand is not good nor right. But,
ye will poffibly object and fay, Will any be fuch fools, as to
come here over fuch difficulties and hazards, for by-ends,
felf-ends, or Self-credit ? I anfwer, I do affirm, they may do
more than this -, and that even for Self-credit, and for a name;
for P.ail fuppofeth that a man may give his goods to the poor,
and his body to be burnt; and yet, if he want charity, he
hath nothing. And I do not understand, neither can it be
conde'feended upon, what it can be, that can move a man or
woman, to go that length, if it be not Self-credit ; the world
cannot do it ; for he lofeth the enjoyment thereof, when he
doth as the apoftle inlinuates. Riches cannot do it, for they
are a part of the man's world. Then, feeing that the enjoy
ment of the world cannot do it, nothing elfe can do it but
felf-credit : And fo, I fay, fuch as feek that, have not a right
end before them.
(2.) The fecond fort of folk, that have not a right end dr
errand before them, in their here-coming, are thefe who are
feeking ordinances ; and, I fear, many of you have no better
end here to-day, than to hear a preaching ; but, if this be
your end, ye will not be profilers by your here-coming : For,
thus faith the Lord, feek ye me, but feek not Bethel, for Bethel
fhall go into captivity, &c. What can ordinances do unto
you, that have not the Lord in thern ? O then, feek unto the
God of ordinances ! Ah I hatb not the Lord taught Scot
land, that ordinances are but Shadows in themfelves ? An J,
hath henot taught you this, by depriving you of ordinances ?
O ! therefore, feek that which ye cannot be deprived pf ; feek
the Lord. It is people's duty, indeed^ to fee ordinances, and
to feek to them ; but, above all, to feek,to have himfelf in the
ordinances. So, then, let it be the Lord, that ye feek in the
ordinances, or elfe ye do nothing, and may foon be deprived of

1 58 PREFACE to SERMON XIII.
of them ; for, ye fee now, that ye may be deprived of ordi-
wantes. Do, then, as David did, when he was deprived of
ordinances, who faid, Pfal. xl'ii. 2. My foul thirfieth for God,
for the living God. It was not after ordinances, not after the
remple-worfhip, nor after the fanituary and folemnities'thene-
of, fo much, as it was after the living God, who was to be
found in thefe ordinances, and in the fanctuary, that he
thirfted. ,
(3.) The third fort of folk, that have not a right end and
errand before them, in their here-coming, are thefe who are
come to feek ftafhes and frames. There are many that feek
bo further, if they can get their hands full of fenfe, or their
f infoal appetites fatisfied with the fmell of Chrift's garments :
Many of you feek no farther than that ; ye may think this
Strange, but, I fay, firs, Chrift may come and be prefent
with, and in his ordinances ; and fome may find the fmell of
his garments there, and yet never get more good of him. Ay.
firs, flafhes and frames are deceitful things; therefore be-*
guile not yourfelves with them ; for, if this be your errand,
ye will not be profiters by your coming here.
(4.) The fourth fort of folk that have not a right errand
in coming here, are thefe who are come to feek created grace,
or falfe grace ; this indeed is a more fubtil deceit than many
of the reft. What is created grace ? It is nothing : It is like
temporary faith ; it is not that which will uphold you, and
carFy you through to the end ; of itfelf it can do nothing.
The poor creature can do nothing without continual fupplies.
out of the fountain of God's bounty, love and affection. So
then, I may fay, created grace is nothing elfe but fome cer
tain evidence, that the Lord is become the portion of that
foul, -without his word. But, my friends, feek himfelf, and
get himfelf, and ye fhall not want evidence of it. It was
well faid by the pfalmift, Whom have I in the heavens but thee ?
or in the earth, that I defire befides ¦ thee ? Mark it, firs, he
doth not fay, Whom have I in heaven but thy grace, or thy
ftrength? foe. but, it is thyfelf. And, Pfalm xiii. 2. My foul
thirfieth for God, for the living -Cod. Whatever other things
could have been offered him, would not have fatisfied him,
in his hungering and longing condition ; nothing lefs would
do it, than a living God himfelf, who is infinite. O but he
had broad defires I O that there were fuch defires among you
this day !
(5.) The fifth fort of folk that bath not a right errand or
end before them, in their here-coming, and they are thefe
that are come to feek the Lord, not for himfelf only, but for
fome other by-end. Many defire to know the Lord, and de
light to feek him ; and yet never win over'* the march-Stone,
betwixt chriftianity and hypocrify: I fay, they may do this, and

SERMON XIII. f'59-
and yet never win over the nwch-ftone betwixt the two.
They may feek the Lord, but not for himfelf. They may
delight themfelves in the knowledge of God, as others in their
vain fpeculations or other feiences ; and yet not win withoiu
the flood-mark of his wradi, and beyond hypocrify. So„
then, fuch feekers, as Seek God, but noc for himfelf, nm'
expect a refufal at hjs hand. A rational Christian will fey,
that God cannot love any fuch. Do ye think, in reafon, thai
any would condefcend tp a fuiter, that was only feeking the
means, and not the perfon ? And, do ye not think that ii
were rational in the other, to reject fuch fpurious love, that
feeks them for theirs, and not for themfelves ? Even So will
Chrift do with all fuch, that feek him for what is his, and net
for his gracious and glorious felf : For it is not Chrift that
they are feeking, but what Chriit hath. O ! therefore, feek
himfelf, and nothing but himfelf-, according to that word,
Seek ye me, and ye fhall live Now, let this be your errand
here this day ; and pray that he may be found of us.

t

SERMON XIIL

Zechariah ii. S.
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, After the glory hath he fent ine
Unto the nations which fpoiled you : For he that toucheth you.,
toucheth the apple of his eye. v
^A Y friends, God maketh himfelf known many ways, botb
i. in his works of creation, and his works of providence ;
heaven and earth publifli and preach forth the knowledge of
God ; fun, moon, and liars, are all written over in legible
characters, teaching us the knowledge of God; the earth,
trees, mountains, bill,' and, vallies, yea, atod piles, of grafs
are all written over, back-fide and tore-fide, with legible cha
racters of the knowledge of God ; the blind and deaf crea
tures that can neither fee nqr hear, preach unto us the being
of a God ; but, above all, he declares his love to us, in that
glorious work of redemption ; God fo loved the world that
he- gave his only begotten Son for the fame : Greater love hath
no man than this, tftat a man lay down his life for his friends, Joha

icfo S E R M ON XIII.
John xv. 13. O I how is his love here made known ! O his
condefcendency i that he who was and is the prince of glory,
fhould have left the father's bofom, and the glory of heasen,
and Should have come to earth, to fave poor loft Sinners.
And how was his juftice made known ? For fo it \v?s, that
ere fin in the elect paffed unpunished, he would puniSh -it in
their head, in the Son of his love,. Jefus Chrift: SO, the
work of redemption, if duly considered, is the greateft preach
ing of juftice and mercy that ever was preached. So, then,
would ye fee God's indignation againft fin ? It is in the work
of redemption; for he had fuch hatred at fin, that, before it
pafs unpunished, he will puniSh it in him who knew no fin ;
and fo may be faid of his mercy, by looking into the.coviyiant
of redemption. So then, God is known by his works of won
ders unto his people. How did he make himfelf known to
the children of Ifrael in the witdernefs, and that many ways?
He fed them with manna from heaven ; hS gave them water
to drink out of the hard flinty rock ; lie. divided the fwelliiigs
of Jordan, that he might make a paffage for them to the pro
mised land, and divided the Red-Sea, foe. All thefe wonders '
make him known. And moreover, he makes himfelf known
by works of wphders againft enemies, Pfal. ix. 16. The Lordis
known by the judgment which he executeth -• The wicked are fnar-
ed in the work of their own hands. I fay, the Lord is known in
executing judgment on enemies, and bringing down judgment
upon them, in fuch a way, as their own hands are feen in *;
drawing judgments upon thern: For thus faith the Lord, After *
the glory, &c. .,1,
I intend not now to refume what formerly hath been faid
from thefe words ; and now, pafiiDg by the connection, I
fhall only name briefly what thefe words contain, viz. five '
particulars. r. That Chrift is the Father's interpreter, and the faithful
interpreter of the Father's will.
2. That he is fent of the Father to fee his will executed,
and imployed by him againft enemies. ;
3. The time to puniSh his enemies, viz. After the glory,
&c. tbat is, after that the Lord, had manifefted his glory, in
the begun restoration of his work and people, and bringing
down his enemies;
4. There is the i caufe, viz. becaufe they had fpoiled his peo
ple. *'
5. There is the reafon of it, which is taken from "his fym-
pathy with his people, in this, He that toucheth you, toucheth
the apple of his eye. *
Now, having, in fome meafure, handled the firft three
heads, I proceed to the fourth, viz. the caufe why* Chrift is
' fent

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 161-
fent to his enemies, becaufe they had fpoiled his people : And
from this I laid down this doctrine.
DocT. That Chrift is the avenger of his people's quarrels, and
the recompenfer 'of the injuries done unto them . Which doctrine
was a little Spoken to, and enlarged, by Shewing fome- forts
of folk, againft whom Chrift will avenge his church and peo
ple's quarrel ;' and L gave, fome reafons of it ; and it was laid
home by fome ules : And now, I proceed to a fecond doctrine
from the fame head, which is this :
Doct. II. That God makes ufe of thefe fame ways, that ene
mies take, for eftablijhing and advancing themfelves, as means
and caufes of bringing th.-m down. Thefe enemies fp'">!led his
people, to make up themfelves : but, what comes of it? C brill
is imployed in his eloke of zeal, and garments of vengeance,
againft them : He is mounting the red horfe of feverity ;
which is clear from feveral instances that I may mention, as
that of Pharaoh, how the Lore' made ufe of that m-ans,
whereby he thought to eftablifti himleif, on the ruins of the
church of God, as a mean of his utter .overthrow ; ;-•: pur-
fued the Ifraeiites to the Red-Sea, and, in effect, fays, Now
I have them in a hofe-net ; but the Lord maeie ufe of that as
a mean to bring him dotvn headlong into destruction and
ruin. Likewife this is clear from Hamrm : He thought, no doubt,
that he would get his eyes fatisfied and pleafed with Morde-
cai's death ; and for this effect he l'cts up a pair of gallows to
hang Mordecai on ; but yet, for all that, he was hanged
thereon himfelf; Even fo, little know enemies, that their pro
ceedings againft the godly, is a fetting up of gallowfes, and
twining the ropes to hang themfelves with: And yet, .in ef
fect, it is no lefs ; for God makes ufe of thefe means and
ways, that they take for eftablifliing themfelves, as a mean to
overthrow them : Yea, and was it not fo with Abimelech,
and the men of Shechem ? For he, that he might bifog about
the kingdom to himfelf, imployed the men of Shechem to
help him in the killing of his brethren : And lo, becaule of
this, the Lord S'ent an evil fpirit between Abimelech and the
men of Shechem ; fo that they got no reft for it, till fire
went out from the men of Shechem, and d-Mt roved Abime
lech ; and this he got for his way of eUablifliing himleif in
, the kingdom. Ifow' many times doth God make vile of the
means that enemies take for their own establishment, and ad
vancing themfelves, as means of their overthrow ?
This is likewife confirmed and made out on the prefiuerts
and princes of the king of Babylon, who, to promote them
felves in the king's favour, foueht out means to deftroy Da
niel, which proved their own overthrow : Hence it doth ap-
X .'¦'. pear,

}$% SERMON Xiii.
pear, that the means of wicked mens advancement, is a mean
made ufe of for their overthrow.
Indeed there is a corrupt company in this generation, who
have ufed many indirect means fo left'abliSh themfelves, and to
keep themfelves in peace in this time ; but he fliall ufethefe
hieans to bring them down, and to bring his curlis upon their
pofterity. What need I mention instances to make this appear ?
And yet this is a truth, fo hard to be believed, that moft of
men will Scarce be perf'uaded of the truth of the fame ; and fo,
to perfuade you, I make mention of thefe inftances. Remem
ber alfo, . wh at became Of the apoftate Ifraelites, for joining
with the* -Egyptians : Say they, We will join with the Egyptians,
far th'$ have men and chariots. But they became a mean of
their destruction ; for the king of Babylon counted thiiasa
nruSlering of their forces, and reputed that confederacy a
caufe of his breaking that bond of protection he had granted
to them ; and therefore he departed not from their borders,
nor left off contending with them, until he went through the
length and breadth of their land, to their great hurt and to*
tal ruin. It is faid, that he alfo is wife : They tliought them
felves wife ; but the Lord is more wife than the Ifraelites ; tor.
he made their wifdom to appear to be but folly : He will arife
againft the help of them that work iniquity, Ifa, xxxi. i, 2, 3.
Their Sinful confederacy was a mean of bringing them down.
0 ! how doth the Lord make himfelf known bylbis judgments,
in bringing down the enemies in fuch ways ? The Lord is known
in the judgments which he executeth ; for the wicked are fn.ired
in the work of their own hands, Higgaion! Selah, Pfal. ix. 1 6.
See alfo Rev. xiv. 8. Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city',
becaufe fhe made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication. Babylon thinks now to eftabliSh herfelf as a qqeet),
by the. wine of her fornication, given into the hands of ma
ny people ; but the Lord hath and will make that the caufe of
her rum, rind will have it voiced with a double voice, Babylon
is fallen, is fallen. And it is faid, they that gave their power ¦
to the beaft, Shall burn her flelh ivith fire; and thofe that
ferved her, fliall -be the instruments to pull her down. Be
lieve me, whatever way people take for advancing themfelves^
by finning againft God, the Lord will make ufe of that very
fame way, to bring, them down: So then, when people, go
out of God's way, toeftablifh themfelves, he will make ufe of
that very fame way, to bring them down ; fo that they Shall
Hot only be difappointed, but. they Shall meet with the quite*
contrary. O ! then, what think ye of enemies doings, of their
mounting their forces to pull Chrift down from his throne?
Believe it, they are thereby fetting up Chrift's throne, and
pulling down themfelves.: However they think now, yet it
'fhall be feen in the hinder end of the day. Alfo, what are
X 2 com? ,

Utm Zechariah- ii. 8, 163
compilers doing, by Shadowing themfelves under enemies
wings ? Indeed, they are drawing down judgments on. them
felves, as it were, with both hands : For, when he comes a-
gainft them that fpoil his church, they that are Sheltering un
der their Shadow, fliall not efcape; yea, they fliall find' that
they have made a bad choice; for God, when he puts the cup
of trembling, and of his indignation, in enemies hands, they
fliall not mifs. But, to enlarge a little into fo neceffary a
point, that is fo hard to be believed, let me fpecify fome ways
that God makes, ufe of to bring down enemies, when they
are Seeking thereby to eflablifh themfelves ; As,
1. God makes ufe of the cruelty of enemies againft his
church and people, for a mean of bringing them down : they
ufe their cruelty againft his people to advance themfelves :
But he ufeth it as' a mean to bring down -and deftroy theiri,
Amos i. 13. " Thus faith the Lord, for three tr.infgreffiorjs
" of tile children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn
" away the punifhment thereof; becaufe they have riot up
'-' the women with child of Gil'ead, that they might enlarge
"their border :'' But the Lord ufed that. cruelty as % irieaii to
bring the fire of his fury upon them : So then, all the ene
mies cruelty that they have ufed In this generation, againft you,
will be made; -ufe of by the Lord, as a mean to bring them
down ; for it will be as a fpecial crying fin agfinft them, fo
bring wrath down upon them : It will not be Silent, until lie
pour out his wrath and indignation upon his enemies : I fay,
the Lord wilFmake ufeof the cruelty. that.is ufed againft your
bodies, confciences, and eftates, as. a mean to bring them
down : Their fins and their cruelty will' have a loud cry to
heaven ; and will not be filent, until he come with wrath u-
pon this- cruel generation : The cruel'.y of their proceedings,
in the abstract, it fpeaks Sorth. not only their being void of
Christianity, but alfo of humanity ; for, by their cruelty they
think to get all brought under them ; but the time comes,
when God Shall make himfelf known by the judgments which
be will execute upon them ; for, as he is infinite, fo he is
more powerful than they, and fliall make ufe of all thefe
means, which they are making ufe of to eftablifli themfelves,
as a mean to overthrow them.
2. He makes ufeof the oppreflion of enemies, that they
ufe for establishing themfelves, as a mean to overthrow them :
See, for proof of this, Micah ii 1, 2. " Wo to them that de-
l\v.\fe iniquity  -and they, covet fields, and tj-ke them by vio-
" 'fence, .and houfes, and take them away : So they opprefs a
"man and his houfe, even .a man sn3 his heritage-5' And
this they did, to enlarge their border: But, behold/ what
follows, verfe 3. " Therefore, thus faith, the Lord, againft
X 2- '.* ..".t1"3

¦i64 . SERMON XIII.
" this Emaily do I devife an evil, from which ye fliall notre-
" move your necks." So little know the wicked perfecutors
and oppreffors, that their oppreffions that they think to ad
vance themlelves.'by, that it Shall be made a mean to bring
them, down, and to bring a heavy yoke upbn their neck;
For, fo it was here ; thefe enemies oppreft the Ifraelites, to
profit themfelves ; but the Lord made ufe of that, as a mean
to bring them down : Think not then, when they come to
fpoil you, that it will advance and Strengthen them; nay,
nay, it fliall not be fo ; but rather a mean to weaken them ;
for he that is infinite in wifdom, is infinite in power ; he
knows how to make ufe of their oppreffion, as a, mean to bring
them clown. '
3'. He .makes ufe of their treachery againft the people of
God, which they make ufe of as a mean to advance them
felves, as a mean to bring them down, Amos i. 9. "Thus
" faith the Lord, for three tranfgrefiions of Tyrus, and for
" four, I will dot turn away the punifhment thereof; becaufe
" they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and reinem-
" bred not the brotherly covenant." There was a brotherly
covenant between Solomon and Hiram, or between the Ifrael
ites and Tyrians; but the Tyrians delivered up the whole
captivity of Edom, and ^reinembred not the brotherly cove
nant ; and fo they carried very treacheroufly therein; and
this the Lord makes ufe of, as a mean Of their ruin, and looks
on it as a cope-Stone fin, whereby they declared themfelves
to be completely fitted for judgments ; and therefore he kin
dles a Sire in Tyrus, which did devour the palaces' thereof :
Even fo, our enemies, by breaking the covenant, think to
eftablifli themfelves; but that fliall certainly be a' mean to
bring them down : The Lord will make ufe of their cruel
treachery in end, as a mean of their weakening and nun :
Ay, they think nbw by their treachery to fecure themfelves
and their faction ; but the Lord will ufe their treachery, as
a mean of their ruin and downfall : For men who are unsta
ble as waters fliall never excel ; yea, the feed of evil doers
Shall never be renowned, or honoured, when walking m their
fathers paths.
4. He makes 'ufe of their riches, whereby they think' to
eftablifli themfelves, as a mean to bring them down, Obad.
v 6. " If thieves came to tbee, if robbers by night, — would
" they not have Slollen till they had enough ? — how are th*
" things of Efau fearched out ! how are his hid things fought'
" up !" Their riches in which they trufte'd, was then become
a mean of their ruin; for they were as baits to allure their
enemies to come in upon them ; and fo, that which 'tHey
trufted in, and thefe things whereby they thought to eftablilh
themfelves, the Lord made ufe of it to bring them down ; I
fay.

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 165
/ay, it was a bait for their enemies to make them good fol-
diers : So, let not enemies truft in their riches or weaUti, for
that will be fo far from fecuring them from a ftroke, that on
the contrary, it Shall bring a ftroke upon them ; So the Lord
will ufe the wealth of enemies, and their riches, as a prey to
thefe whom he will bring as instruments of judgments upon
them ; for they have uSed all'thefe for his people's overthrow ;
therefore they Shall prove their o,wn overthrow.
" 5. He makes ufe of their wifdom, which they ufe for esta
blishing themfelves, to tend to their overthrow ; for, all their
wit, policy, and politic plots, are by the Lord fo framed, as
to deftroy them ; as by this they had defigned his people's
ruin, aod their own establishment ; yet he alfo is wife ; fo
he makes their policy and wit to appear to be folly, by his
making it a mean of their own overthrow. This is alfo clear
from Obad. vet. 7. " All the men of thy confederacy have
*' brought thee even to the border; the men that were at
" peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed againft
" thee ; they that eat thy bread, have laid a wound under
" thee ; there is none understanding in him." The Edom-
ites thought themfelves wife, by making confederacies with all
enemies of the kirk round about them ; and the Lord makes
this as a mean to bring them down ; the men of thy confede
racy brought thee to the border of thy land, to fight • there,
and then went in and fpoiled and robbed their land ; They
that eat thy bread, have robbed thee, and laid a wound un-
i'der thee ; they thought it good policy to bud and bribe ene
mies : But, what came of it ? The enemies made them" a bed,
as it were, and fet up naked" daggers therein for the Edom-
ites ; fo then, there is none underftanding in them; ye may
fee then, how God will make ufe of wicked mens policy, as
a mean to bring them down, and bring deftruction on them':
Ah! how greatly are many feared for enemies? But, I tell
you, fear them not ; for, all their meetings and confultations
are for their own ruin ; all their plottings are for their own
overthrow. It is even as one of them were faying to another,
What way Shall we take to bring a ftroke upon ourfelves, fo as
nothing may be left undone, for bringing a fad ftroke on us ?
It is true, the language of their tongues, is, how fhall we get
ourfelves eftablifhed on the ruins of the church of Chrift?
and how Shall we get all that party rooted out ? how Shall we
get the name of prefbyterians rooted out of Scotland? But
indeed, the language of the Lord's providence, by their pur-
pofes and projects, fays quite the contrary ; for indeed, that
of their projects fays, how Shall we ge't the kingdom of Chrift
advanced? how Shall we found prefoyterian government on
a more Solid foundation ? This is the language which provi
dence in their projects will fpeak in the end. 6. The

r6<5 SERMON ^JOTi:
6. The Lord makes ufe of the enemies ftrength as a mean
to bring themfelves down ; this re' clear from' Obad. ver. j.
" The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee : Thou that
" dwelieft in the clefts of the rocks, whofe habitation is high,
" that faith in his heart, who Shall bring me down to the
" ground ?" ver. 9. "-And thy mighty men, O Teman, Shall
, " be difmayed, 'to the end that every Orle of the mount of
,! Efau might be cut off by Slaughter." They trufted in their
ftrong holds, in the clefts of the rocks, whofe habitation was
on high mountains ; and to the towers that they built on the
tops of thefe mountains : But all thefe things Were but things
that deceived them ; and the Lord made ufe of them, as things
to bring them down. So, do not think that enemies Strength
will fecure them in the day of the Lord's controversy; nay,
nay, God fliall make ufe of that for their overthrow, and
down-bringing. Now, to fum up all, I would fay this, whatever way folk
take to eftablifh themfelves by, in corrupt courfes, or by ftep-
ping 6ut-of God's way, that fame way God will make ufe of
for their overthrow ; for he that feeks to fave his life fhall
lofe it; which may be underfrood thus, the very fame Way
that men take Sinfully to fave their lives, that very fame way
fhey Shall lofe their lives : Believe me, the day is coming, on
thefe lands, when finful compliances fliall neither fave life nor
gear ; and the way which they take to fave themfelves, by go
ing out'of God's way, Shall be a mean to bring down the car-
cafes of thefe men, who have taken finful courfes for their
establishment and fafety 1; even their carcafes Shall be laid
low in the duft, and their gear Shall go alfo. Now, let me
lay home this by way of ufe^ in four or five words. And,
1.' The firft ufe is for inftruction; be ye instructed and
affured, that God will make ufe of thefe things or means,
which adverfaries are ufing for their, own establishment, as
means in his hand for their overthrow ; for, his wifdom arid
power are engaged in it, or, for to do it ; he is engaged to
manifeft his power againft them, and he being wife and above
them, is able to outwit them in all their policy, and to con
found their courifels, and'to make all their politicians to be but
mere fools ; and all their politics to appear to be but mere
folly. They have fet up a corrupt worfiiip in the houfe of
God, to eftabliSh themfelves, and for this very end have bro-'
ken the covenant; bm, believe me, it fliall be with them, as
it was with Betharbel, which was fpoiled by S'nailum ; ,fo1
fliall their idolatrous Bethels do unto them ; fo fliall their
cOnupr worship do unto them ; yea, fhall they break the co
venant and profper ?- They fay they fliall, but God fays no:
O ! then, be affured of ir, God Shall make all their actings,
gs means to bring them down. Be not anxious about enemies tl.en,

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. „ 167
tfien, for what they are confulting againft you and the Lord's
work ; for it is hard for them to kick againft the pricks.
It is hard to know vvhat they are plotting ; yea, it maybe that
they are devifing fo cut off man, woman, and children from
the land ; but yet, plot as they will, the Lord will make
ufe of all their plots, as means to deftroy and bring down
themfelves. 2. The fecond ufe is a word of reproof to adverfaries : Is
it fo, that God will make ufe of all the. devices that enemies
life' to deftroy and bring down the wo-.k of God, as means to
deftroy and bring down themfelves ? Then, let not enemies
rejoice in their cruelties, and defperate proceedings againft the,
church and people of God : 0 ! fooliSh adverfaries, little
are ye considering, that what ye do, and are purposing a-
gainft the church, fends to advance t\s church, and ruin
yourfelves ; yea, thefe very means that they are taking to e-
fab'iil: themfelves, Shall haften on the day of deftruction u-
por, them : Then fhall the righteous rejoice and be glad, when
he fee th the vengeance on the wicked ; ay, he fhall wafb his
feet in the blood of the wicked, Pfalm Iviii. 10. Then fhall
it be feen, that it is good to wait upon the Lord, though he
fhould come in the way of his judgments ; for none Shall be
afhamed, nor need to be afrabb that trull in him ; Rejoice
not agiinft me, 0 ! mine enemy'i'vM. For there is not fo much
caufe of rejoicing as they do fancy : I fay, there is no caufe
of enemies intuiting,' whatever they pretend to themfelves j
and therefore, let not them rejoice, neither do ys regard it.
3. The thud ufe is a word of reproof, to all who placa
their confidence in enemies : O I but ye have a brittle Staff
to lean to, that have God's enemies to lean to, as the Ifrael
ites who leaned to the Egyptians; who were as a Staff when
leaned to ; that burft afunder in fheards, and thruft, through
their hands that leaned to them : So, ye rely on enemies, but
what are they doing? Even as thefe, when ye look for fafety
from them, they are, as it were, letting up a naked dagger
under you, to wound your fiae. Ah ! ah ! people who Stand
with' enemies, Hand oil Slippery ground ; and they that defire
enemies to ftand, that they may be fecured by their ftanding',
do ftand on a very Slippery place : 1 would not be in the cale
of fuch as Stand and fall with enemies, for ten 'thoufand
worlds. Be reproved, then, from this, ye that combine arid
affociate yourfelves with enemies ; you who take their pror
tccfion and abfblvitures, and' place your confidence in them,
ye think ye have fafety under them ; but that Shelter will
foon fail you ; for the Lord will come and caft them down,
arid bring them down, ana that ibadow.will lis e aw;y ; and
ye that have built that Wall, what will ye do when the over
flowing Shower comes, that Shall fweep away ike wail,, ;vh?a the

168 S E R M 0 N XIII.
the whirlwind of God's indignation Shall come with pain upon
the head of the wicked ? Believe me, all within the reach of it
fliall be broken by it.
There is a foul and corrupt throne in Britain, and people
flee founder the Shadow thereof; but God hath a quiver full
of arrows to Shoot at it, and all under it Shall fall when he
that fits on it falls. So then, this reproves* you who are in
enemies camps ; all, who are Handing by and with enemies,
know, that the way that they and you take Shall bring you
both down. O ! that ye would remember the word, Come
out of her, my people, and be ye feparated, and touch no unclean
thing, and be not partaker of her fins ; for when God comes to
reckon with Scotland in judgment, ye may fay, I- am a liar
tins day, if thefe men and women efcape, who are taking the
enemies protections and abfolutions ; Come therefore out of her,'
My people, and partake not of her fins, left ye be fharers in her
plagues ; for. plagues and fin follow each other ; they that
partake of the one, Shall (unlefs true and unfeigned repen
tance intervene) inevitably partake of the other; for he is
faithful, who hath faid it, and will in due time perform it.
4. The fourth ufe is of confolation, to all fuch as arelook-
ing for the day of his appearing in the way of his righteous
judgments ; be of good cheer, for the enemies cannot fecure
themfelves againft God's judgments and wrath; the wicked
fhall be infnared in the worf^lf their own hands. O then !
comfort yourfelves in this ; for the means which they take to
eftablifh themfelves, Shall be the means to deftroy them. E-
nemics are proposing great things to themfelves ; yea, and,
may be, permitted to accomplish them in a great meafure ;
yea, they may purppfe to ruin Zion, and may be permitted
fo far to carry it on, that there may be rio apparent door of
efcape left ; and they may be gathered together, to blot out
the name of Ifrael, both root and branch, and 'yet be Stopt ;
yea, God fliall gather them to the fields, that he may pour
out his wrath upon them : They will gather out to the fields^'
that they may eStabliSh themfelves on the ruins of thechurch -,
but it Shall be a gathering together. for their own destruction.
Then Shall it be voiced through the land, Arife, and threfb,
0 daughter of Zion ; for I wilt make thine horn iron, and 1 will
make thy hoofs brafs, and thou fhalt beat in pieces many people,
Mic. iv. 13. O I pray for that day, when the enemies Shall
all go out to the fields ; for then they fliall be as Sheaves bound
together in bundles, for the day of his wrath.
5. The fifth ufe is, another word of confolation. Is it fo,
that God hath tin-earned judgment on his enemies? Then
long for God's executing his judgments on his enemies; for
this is a fpecial way, whereby he makes himfelf known ; forthe

PREFACE to SERMON XIII.

169

the wieked are fnared in the work of their own hands : Then
labour to know the Lord, by the acknowledging of his power,
for he makes himfelf known by his power to be above ene
mies, and that even in thefe things, wherein they dealt proud
ly. By his wifdom he outwits enemies in their wifdom : The
Lord will make himfelf a known God, by his judgments, ere
it be long, in Scotland ; and ail who will not now know and
acknowledge him, fhall then be made to know him by his
judgments. O ! now, then, it is time to ftudy to know him,
in the way of, his mercy, even by his calls of mercy, that ys
be not then objects of his juftice. We may lee, then, by what
is faid, that the Lord is ufing the very fame means and ways,
whereby enemies ftudy to, eftablifli themfelves, and fuch as
comply with them, by making them friends fo themfelves,
and thereby endeavouring to get it to go well with them in all
things; and yet they are broken among themfelves How
like are they to the builders of Babylon, in thefe their devi
ces, in a great meafure ; for they cannot understand < one a-
nother's language, nor work to one another's hands jj^st fee
fomething of this already. O ! then, this calls us to feek to
know God, for further manifestations of his judgments upen
tkem ; and as he. thus lets them out, to ftudy to obferve and
know his hand in them, and as ye would have rich difpenfa
tions letten out and not loft to you ; for, ye fliall fee that all
the product of their curling and Swearing Shall be nothing
elfe but a mean to bring themfelves down ; for, even this the
Lord Shall make ufeof, for making himfelf known. Then
believe it, and pray for this 'end. And to him who can coun- ,
ter-work all his enemies, and make all the means which they
make ufe of for their .establishment, become effectual means
for their destruction, and the church's advancement. To
him let us pray.

PREFACE.

Y beloved friends, the being of a God is a thing not
ealily .believed ; although fooliSh people apprehend lfr-
tle difficulty in the faith of it ; yea, if 1 Should go through
you all, and alk at each of you, man and woman. Whethr
or not do you believe that there is a God ? I think 1 would
not get a negative anfwer from any of you; every one of
Y you

f/a PREFACE to SERMON XIV:
you would be ready to fay, I believe that there is a God : But,
believe me, although all be ready to fay it, yet I fear there
is but a very few of you, that do really believe it, even the
feeing of a God ; for, if it were believed, that there is a God,
there would be another kirid of impreffion upon your Spirit*,
of his divine majefty. O ! pray for it, and for a right imprefi-
fion of his attributes on your fpirits ; for if this were, there
would be more-due' fear and reverence payed him byyou: yea,
if it were believed, that there were a God, there would be
certainly another of it amongft you. Ay, God hath m.iny
mouth-confeffors, but few heart-confeffors : I fay, if it were
believed, that he is a God, infinite in all his attributes, how
would poor creatures tremble at his prefence ! But I would
inform you of five things, that every one of you would thinfe
on : .
i. I would inform you that there is a God ; but it is hard
to get a people really to believe this : But, I fay, God hath
many witneffes for himfelf; for, all his works bear witnefs
for him ; and if men and women would not deal violently
with their own confciences, God hath a ftrong witnefs there
for himfelf; yea, ye can look to no place, but there you may
have a witnefs for God ; heaven, earth, and fea, and all
things therein, do witnefs to the being of a God ; yea, in a
word, all his words and works do bear witnefs that there is
a God, who is infinite in all his works and attributes.
2. I would inform you of this, that he is a very fore party
for the Sinner, that Stands in opposition to him : Ay, he is a
very terrible God to thefe, againft whom he comes with con
fuming fire -, yea, he is a very fore party for any created op
position. O! who or what can Stand before that terrible
majefty of heaven and earth ! O ! who Shall ftand, or can
ftand, when he appears ! Oh ! the appearance of God will
make the wicked cry unto the hills and the mountains to fall
upon them, and hide them from the face of God and the
Lamb, even from the face of an angry God : O ! then, be
think yourfelves, while you have time, how ye Shall ftand be
fore him, when he fets himfelf down in the feat of judgment,
to judge you.
3. 1 would inform you of this, that as God is a righteous
Judge, fo he is coming to fet up righteous judgment inScot-
land'; he is coming to judge himfelf, and will fet himfelf in
the bench, and will have the whole land arraigned before''
him, in his court of majefty, and juftice: Ay, firs, he is
coming fo Stretch out a plumb-line over the land; becaufe
once he did erect to himfelf a moft glorious fabric, both of
church and State, in this land, that was fquared, mealured
out, and lined, by the meafuring-line of the fcriptures, and
metted out by his band, with the compafs of good difeiplinc and

PREFACE to SERMON XIV. 171
and government ; and now he is coming with that fame
plumb line in his hand, and will cut off all that difagrees with
the foundation, even all that does not agree with the plumb-_
line of the fanctuary : The word of the Lord will cut off
all of the building, that is not conform to that t Ay, Sirs,
the Lord is coming to cut off all the excrefeences and fuper-
fluities, and all that is not fquare with the plumb line of his
word ; and what is not fquare, both in church and State,
fliall be hewn down, and thrown by as ufelefs cumberers of
the land. O ! but he will make a ftrange day through Scot
land ; and with admiration fhall his working appear, both to
friends and enemies. O! when his cup fliall pafs through,
how terrible will he be ? He hath been dealing with his jpeople
that is called by his name, and made them to tafte the brim
of the cup of his anger, but the dregs are referved to the
wicked ; he will pour forth his anger upon them, even on
all obftinate offenders. O ! believe it, firs, ye may expect
terrible days in this land ; for he will. Stretch forth the line
of Samaria, and the plummet of the houfe of Ahab Shall be
ftretched out upon it; I fay, he will Stretch it our, especi
ally on the great ones, the powers of the land, and their
houfes. 4. I would inform you, that, in that day, all tivnt are
found 'n enemies camps, fliall tafte of the cup of enemies,
and be made to drink of the fame : Remember this, that they
that dwell at Babylon, and partake of her fins, fliall partake
of her plagues : Ol it cannot be admired enough, the folly
"of the great part of this generation, in their fleeing out pi
God's way, and turning thejr backs upon him and it, and
fleeing into the enemies camps for fafety. G ! do ye think
that God will let you and them get Safety that way ? No, no,
expect it not: for, as he is a Gad of mercy and love, So he is
a God of juftice, and will make manifeft their folly to the
world, by making it appear, that all that they are doing is
a making of Shares to catch themfelves. Think upon this,
Ol all ye that comply; when the cup paffes through unto
the Amorites, then Shall you Ed'omites not pafs unpunished.
5. I would inform you of this, and call you to mind, that
the Lord hath brought you here for .this end, that ye might
be told that judgments are coming, and fall appi caching u-
pon enemies ; and therefore ye would take warning, to flee
out of the way of his wrath, that ye may be without the
flood-mark of his wrath and indignation. O! be intreated to
, take warning, to flee from the wrath that is to come; for,
when it is come, it fliall fpeedily overflow, and over run all'
that is in its way: I fay, be intreated to take warning, and
to flee, out of the way of his wrath, that.ye may be hid in
• Y 2 . . • the

172 S ' E ' R M O N XIV.
the day of the Lord's anger, in the day of his fierce anger :
For,' let me tell you, the fword of his anger is ready to be
Sent forth on all the inhabitants of the land-; yea, he hath
fent me here this day, on the peril and hazard of my life, to
tell you this ; and ye .are come here on the peril and hazard
of your lives, to hear it told you : O! therefore take warn
ing, and pray for the fame.
S E R M O N XIV.
Zechariah ii. 8: ¦
,Forthus faith the Lord of hofts, After the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations which fpoiled you : For he that toucheth you,
toucheth the apf. e of his eye.

WHEN God tak"s up a controverfy againft his people,
that controverfy will end in the ruin of enemies ; when
he' draws forth his fword againft his people, the fword will
not return into Its flier, th, until it end its controverfy, by cut
ting off the enemies : When he puts the cup of affl;£tion into-
his people's hands, that cup will not be emptied, until ene
mies get the dre'gs of it j for the afflictions of his own people
are a pledge arid declaration of his judgments' to be upon ene
mies ; and the reafons ot it are thefe :
i. When the Lord doth afflict his people, notwithftanding
of his love to them, and his intereft in them, he is thereby
declaring his dilp'eafure at fin in them ; ' and how much more
will he punifh his adveriaries, who run on in a way of fin,
and SinfulbppoSltion ag/mlt him? Indeed, he will not let
bis own people aw.iy with their faults unpunished ; but Shall
reach them 'a ftroke alfo, Jer. xxv .20. But this controverfy
that the Lord begins with th. -n, Shall not en! fo, until it end
in the ruin of aelverfar'..- : for, when the Lord afflicts his
people, the city and people that is called by his nftme, when
fuch things are done in the green tree, how much more will
he punifh enemies ? And what Shall become of them that
know not God, neither obey the gofpel of Jefus Chrift? O
fit's ! believe that the controverfy will end with and in the
ruin of adverfaries and enediies,
', ' " ' - . " 2. Be-

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 173
1 2. Becaufe the Lord's holinefs is engaged in it, and requires
it, that their iniquities and abominations, fliall not pafs un
punished, Hab. i. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil,
and canft not look on iniquity : Wherefore lookeft thou upon\ them
that deal treacherotidy, and holdeft thy tongue, when the wicked
devoureth the man tbat is more rightesui than he ? .
''¦ ' 3. Becaufe of his juftice, Pfalm lviii. 11. Verily he is a God
that judgeth in the earth. Seeing then, that he is a God of
juftice, he will not pafs the wicked, the notorious offences of
enemies and rebels. Enemies now have their courts and cir
cuits ; but God fliall hold' his circuits, and then he will bring
ail his enemies before his judgment-feat, and will not let them
pafs unpunished.; for, as our afflictions are pledges of our e-
nemies punishments, fo his controverfy will end in their ruin
and overthrow.
4. Becaufe' that enemies helped foreward the affliction of the
Lord's people, therefore he muft needs make his controverfy
with his people end in the ruin of his adverfaries ; fo, by his
afflicting of his own people, he declares his anger againft their
fin : So that much more he is offended with them that will
not that he Should reign over them, Zech. i. 15. I am very
fore difpleafed with the heathen that are at eafe ,- for I was a lit
tle difpleafed, and they helped forward the affHElion. So then,
when the Lord fets himfelf down in the feat of judgment, in
thefe lands, then he will reckon with adverfaries, for tb'eir
helping foreward the affliction of his people; and he will not
forget, any of the wrongs done to his church: For thus faith
the Lord, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his' eye.
Now, having, at fome former occafions, Shewn you the
connection of the words, and the divifion. of them, which
was divided into thefe five parts, viz.
1. That Jefus Chrift is the faithful interpreter of the Fa
ther's will.
2. That he is fent of the Father to fee his will executed u-
pon the heathen.
3. The time when, viz. After- the glory; that is, after the
Lord had begun to manifeft his glory, in their begun restora
tion. 4. Then there is the caufe, viz. becaufe they had fpoiled his '
church. 5. There is the reafon of it, which is taken from' his fym-
pathy and tender affection towards his people. And, fo, hav
ing touched a little the firft three .heads, I proceeded to the
fourth, from which I laid down thyefe doctrines :
. Doct. L That Chrift is the avenger of his people's quarrel,
and the recompencer of the wrongs done unto his church. And
this was Somewhat inlarged on, by Shewing you Several forts
of folks, againft whom he will avenge his church's quarrel.
Doct.

»74 SERMON XIV.
Doct. II. Was, That the ways that enemies take to make up
themfelves, is mads ufe of by the Lord, as a means to bring them
down. This was alfo largely fpoken to, by Shewing fome ways
whereby the enemies of the kirk think to eftablifli themfelves,
which, when they have taken, prove of no effect : And now,
I proceed to a third doctrine, which is this :
Doct. III. That God's fpecial quarrel, which he hath at tire
wicked, is for their fins, which he will not have unptinifhed : Yet
the greateft quarrel that he hath againft them% is becaufe of the
wrongs done to his church and people, whatever be the other
quarrels t»at he hath at the wioked'-: For thus faith the Lord, af
ter the glory hath he fent me unto the nations that fpoiled ycu,
&C. This paint is confirmed from Amos i. 6. Thus faith the
Lord, For three tranfgrejpons of Gaza, and for four, [ will rut-
turn away the punifhment thereof ; becaufe they carried away
captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom. Verfe
O- Thus faith the Lord, for three tranfgreffions of Tyrus, and for
four, I will not turn away the punifhment thereof : becaufe they
delivered up the whole captivity of Edom, and remembred not
the brotherly covenant. Now, by thefe ye may fee that the
Lord had many other fins to charge them with ; and though
their iniquities were of a competent, yea, of a complete num
ber, Signified by three and four, which sr,nde feven ; yet this
fin is mentioned as their cope-ftone fin, which was the main
catlfe of his anger againft them ; and which was the fin where
upon the Lord's quarrel was mainly founded againft Gaza and
Tyrus : It was even for what they had done againft the church
and people of God. Likewife this is clear, from Zech. i. 19.
where there are four horns Shewn to the prophet, which was
a vifion of the enemies of the church, coming in upon her
from the four corners of the earth : Tben, ver. 20, 21. there
are four carpenters reprefented unto the prophet to fray thefe
horns, becaufe they had fcattered abroad judah, Ifrael, and
Jerufalem; fo, then, the Lord makes that a fpecial quarrel.
Now, I fliall give you fome reafons for confirming this
doctrine : And,
1. The firft reafon, is, becaufe thefe fins fpeak out moft of
their cruelty and enmity againft God and his church, far
which- he will punifh them.
2. The fecond reafon, is, becaufe thefe wrong* done againft
his 'church, declare moft of their hatred and malice; for,
wherefore perfecuted they his church and people, but becaufe
of their hatred and malice at his image in them, which they
bear ? Pfe- I. 1 7. Seeing thou hateft inftrutlion, and c.iftcft my
words behind thee. Ver. 20. Tboufitteft and fpeakeft againft thy
brother, and ftandercft thine own mother' s fan. Enemies, indeed,
they commit fin with greedinefs ; but, fure it is, that the
Wfongs done unto his church,, and againft bis people, becaufe of

Upon .Zechariah; ii. It. j »-.
of their duly, declare moft of their hatred to the image of
God in them; and that more directly, than for any other
thing in 'them ; and therefore God Shall make this the fpecial
ground of his quarrel againft them, becaufe of the wrongs
done to the church of God.
3. The third reafon, is, becaufe this is a fin againft God,,
that (peaks out moft of their wickedrtefs, Pfalm lix. 3. For le,.
they ly m wait for my foul, the mighty are gathered againft me,
not for my tranfgreffion, nor for my fin, 0 Lord. Ver. 5. Thorn
therefore, 0 Lord God of hofts,, the God of Ifrael, awake to vifit
all the heathen, be not merciful to any wicked tranfgreffor. If
it be inquired, who are thofe, that thus declare their wick-
cdnefs and tranfgreffions moSt ? It is thofe that lie in wait for
the righteous, and perfecute them, npt for their trantgrefiloo.,
but becaufe they are the church, bear the image of God, ami
efpoufe his quarrel; and fo this declares moft of their wick-
ednefs againft God.
4. The fourth reafon is, becaufe their pirfecuting the peo
ple of God, does moft declare their ignorance of God, and'
much of a reprobate temper to be in them, Pfalm Ixxix. 6,
7. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen, that have not iuowii
thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name :
For they have devoured Jacob, and laid wafte bis dwelling-place.
So, what they do in this declares much of their ignorance of
God, and of being given up to a reprobate temper;, for they
kid wafte his dwelling-place : See for this the whole eighty-
third plalm.
Now, for application of this point, to the prefent. time, I
would Specify fome things, which the. enemy hath robbed this
church and land of, for which the Lord will-avenge his
church's quarrel-on them.
1. They have robbed the church of Scotland of her glori
ous privileges; and therefore God will avenge his quarrel a-
gainft them ; and particularly, enemies have robbed us of gof
pel ordinances, for which the Lord will take up a fpecial, quar
rel againft them 5 for we may allude to that word, Lam. ii,
11.' Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my U-
ver is poured on the earth, for the deftruSion of tlie daughter of
my people ; becaufe the children and the fucklings fwoon in tb*
ftreets of the city. So indeed, we may fay, that the children
and fucklings do fwoon in the ftreets of our city, for lack ©£
fpiritual food ; and it is enemies cruelty that hath done this;
for their .cruelty hatb been a great mean of depriving us of
the preached gofpel, and gofpel ordinances ; andfor this God
fliall take up a fpecial quarrel againft them. Shall he not vi
fit them for thefe things ? and Shall not his foul be avenged
on fuch a nation as this ? . 1 %. They

176' SERMON XIV.
2. They have fpoiled this church and nation of their inte
grity ; for which the Lord will take up a fpecial quarrel againft.
them r I may allude to that word, Cant. v. 7. Ihe watchmen
that went about the city found me, they fmote me, they wOimdea\
me, the keepers of the walls took away my vail from me. There
you fee, that both churchmen and ftatefmen robbed the
church of her integrity : And fo we may fay of thefe in Scot
land, that both corrupt ftatefmen, and corrupt kirkmen, have,
deprived the church in Scotland of her integrity. This quar
rel therefore God will avenge ; for they have trampled upon
mens confciences ; and their great work is, how to get peo
ples confciences infnared ; and Shall not the Lord vifit for
thefe things ? Though indeed, well may the fin of compliance
be laid to compilers doors, yet' enemies fliall reckon for it,
becaufe they do what they can to rob people of their integri
ty; for which the Lord will have a fpecial quarrel againft
them. ..
3. They have robbed the church and people of their liberties.
They have Spoiled the land of its liberties; for which the Lord
will take up a quarrel againft them. We were once bound in
a folemn covenant, to maintain the church's privileges, and
our own liberties in the land ; and for this I allude to Micah
ii. 9. The women of my people have ye caft out from their pleafant
houfes, from their children have ye taken away my- glory for e-
ver. So, they have fpoiled and deprived his people in thefe
covenanted lands, of all their liberties and privileges, of be
ing Chrift's true fubjects, or native Subjects, in this land ; and
for this the Lord will not let them pafs unpunifhe'd.
4. They have fpoiled his people of their goods and estates ;
they have robbed and fpoiled bis people of temporal as well
as of fpiritual privileges ; they have caft out women and chil
dren out of their pleafant habitations, Micah ii. 9. and there
fore the Lord will have a fpecial quarrel againft them. But;
for your encouragement, I fay, tliere is not one corn Sheaf
that they have fpoiled you of, for lfis caufe, or for his Sake,
but he will count it down on enemies fcore, and make them
reckon and pay for it.
5. They bave fpoiled the people of God of their reft and
quietnefs, Heb. xi. 37, 38. They wandered about in fheepftins
and goat Jkins, being deftitute, ajfticled, tormented'; (of whom
the world was not worthy,) they wandered in deferts, and moun
tains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And now, this is
the cafe, they have put his people fo in this land. They have
deprived them of their rell and quiet; and becaufe of this he
hath a Special controverfy againft enemies, and all them that
have caufed it. And remember this, there is not a foul ftep,
nor a wrong ftep, that ye have had in all your wanderings, tor

Upon Zechariah ii. 8 177
for him and his caufe, but God will note that up, as an item
in the fcore of enemies. '
6. The enemies ha*e fpoiled you of your communion and
fellowship one with another, in meeting together ; and there
fore he will take up a quarrel againft them ; concerning this,
I may allude to Pfalm xiii. 4. When I remember thefe tilings, I
pour out my fold in me\; for 1 had gone with the rmdtitude, t
went xvhh them to the houfe of God, with the Voice of joy and
praife, with a multitude that keep holy-day. And now, they
have deprived his people of that ; for they cannot get liberty
to meet together, for the worfiiip of God in public ; yea, they
cannot get private fellowship meetings kept up, but are in
hazard of their lives, and are hunted 'Sundry, one from ano
ther ; yea, fuch is their enmity and hatred at our public meet
ings, that they term them rendezvoufes of rebellion ; and they
declare them to be rebellion ; and they give eu' acts to he-.nr,
'purfue, take and kill any who are at the fame ; and becaufe
of this the Lord will be avenged on fo:h a people as this.
The church of Scotland hath wanted ordinances, after her
former manner and purity, thefe feveral year- fince the ene
mies got the upper hand ; but, he will make them count, and
alfo pay, for every bit of it.
7. They have fpoiled many of the Lord's people of their
live? ; . and therefore the Lord will have and plead .; fore quar
rel againft the enemies. See for this Ffolm Ixxix. i, 2, 3. O
God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance ; thv holy temple
have they defiled ; they have l>»d Jerufalem on heaps V. The bo
dies of thy fervants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of
the heaven ,• the flefli of thy faints unto the beofts of '.he earth ;
their blood have they fhed tike water, &c. A ml fo, becaufe of
their fpoiling his people of their lives, he hath a fore quarrel
againft them : 1 fay, there is not one drop of his faints blood,
fhed on feaftblds, fields, feas, or any other places, but God
Shall lay it to their charge, and fadly quarrel them for it, and
make them pay ftckerly for it.
8. They have robbed you of your good name ; for which
he will count with them, Pfalm lxxix. 4. We are become a re
proach to our neighbours, a fcorn and derifion to them that are
r'Ound about us. So, enemies have gotten up odious names u-
pon the Lord's people ; but the Lord will not forget it : They
bave gotten up the odious names of murderers, rebels, and
traitors, upon us ; but the Lord will mind them for fuch o-
dious. names, as they give us in their papers and pamphlets;.
for Shall not the Lord vifit them for thefe things ? and Shall
not his foul be avenged upon Such a nation as this?
, Now, I Shall d6fe, or SliOt up this doctrine, with fome
Words of ufe.
Z Ufe 1.

178 SERMON XIV.
, Ufe i . If it, be fo, tbat the wrongs and injuries done to his
people, arc a fpecial caufe of God's quarrel againft his ene
mies ; then, for encouragement, be affured, that the enemies
of Chrift's church and kingdom Shall ndt pafs unpunifhed;
for they have wronged the church, as much as was in their
power; and therefore, in his quarrelling with them, be will
do to them as they have done, and purpofed to do, to bis
people ; for, they purpofe to blot out the name oflfrael out
of the eartb ; bin they fliall not get it done ; but God will
blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven ; for God
will deftroy them, and blo't out the names, yea, the very re-
membrarke of them, from, under heaven, except it be conti
nued with a • note of Ignominy, as it was of Jeroboam: it
was ever after laid of him, that Jeroboam, who made Ifrael
to fin : So then, the Lord will not forget any thing, that
they have fpoiled his people of, neither their privileges,, their
lands, nor their integrity, their liberty, their reft, and quiet,
their lives, nor their good names, nor their communion and
fellowship one with another : In none of thefe he will forget
you, but will furely repay them,
Ufe 2. Is of inftruction : If it be fo then, that the wrong*
done to his people, are the caufe pf the Lord's controverfy
againft his enemies ; then, know affuredly, that the more
cruel enemies are, the more will God's controversy and quar
rel be againft them, and the greater judgments will they meet
with. Do ye now fee the enemies ftrong, proud, and inftfl-
ting .viperqufly, and malicioufly venting themfelves, not only
againft God and man, but alfo againft poor women and chil
dren ? Take that as a declaration, that God will have a lore
quarrel againft them, and that their trouble Shall be great-,
for God will puniSh them according to the fruit of their do
ings ;" according to that word, Obad," ver. 16. For as ye have
drunk upon try bo'y mountain, fo fhall all the heathen drink con?
¦finually ; yea, they fhall drink, and they, foall fwalhw down,
and they fhall be as though they had not been. So then, all the
cruelty of enemies againft the church and people of God in
Scot'r.ind doth declare, that as the ftorm, which thefe wkked
ones will meet with, fliall be fore, fo it Shall be bidden. The,
Lord will as in a moment, or morning, fuddenly bring dfer
{Inaction upon them. O ! how fuddenly will he overthrow
them ! even as in a moment it Shall be on them, Mic. vi. I4>
• Thy eafting down fhall be in the midft of thee : Their down- call
ing fliall be in the midft of their pomp and pride; they Shall
not efcape judgments : Yea, and believe it, their So long es
caping is, that he may prepare Strokes, even fore Strokes a-
gainft them; fo that, as. they intended to cut off his people,
(b he may cut them off, and make them as the waters of No
ah, not to return any more. - Vfi 3'

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 179
Ufe 3. Is of reproof: Now, feeing that it is fo, that the
Lord will avenge his church and people's quarrel ; be repro
ved from this doctrine, all ye who ftand in the way of the
Lord's avenging his church and people's quarrel; for the
Lord hath a quarrel with enemies. Now then, think upon
this, all ye who are ftrengthners of enemies ; all you fupply
and locality-payers, all you fine-payers; think upon this, for
ye cannot fay ye are fpoiled, for ye have fpoiled yourfelves
with yourown hands : And think 'on this, you militia-payers ;
for ye are ftanding in the way of God's avenging his quarrel
on enemies', becaufe of their Spoiling of his church and people ;
and fo, be intreated to quit thefe practices and evil Courfes,
as ye Would not be found ftanding in the way of the Lord's
avenging his church and people's quarrel : And O I think u-
poa this, all ye capitulators with enemies, and ye builders and
upholders of enemies, who fpoil yourfelves with your own
hands to uphold them, as ye would not have a hand in leng
thening out the church's captivity, nor Standing in the way
of the king's returning to vifit his church and people again.
Ufe 4. Is a word of confolation and encouragement, to all
yeu who are his people, tharare robbed and fpoiled, becaufe
of your loyalty to Jefus Chrift, and becaufe of your ftedfaft-
riefs in his caufe. Be of good cheer, for the Lord will recorn-
penfe all your enemies for the wrongs they have done to you ;
and as they have fpoiled you, he will 'alfo fpoil them ; for he
will take your quarrel by the end, and plead it to the full -.
See for this, Obad. verfe 16. O my friends ! 1 fey, fuffer
cheerfully, and rejoice when ye are fpoiled for him and his
caufe ; for God hfi'.felf Shall take your quarrel by the hand.
Therefore, O! wait ou him, who will punifh enemies, be
caufe they have fpoiled you. O then ! rejoice in him, who
is the avenger of his people's quarrel, who will reckon with
enemies for all the. wrongs they have done to you; comfort
yourfelves in him, for he will not let enemies pals unpu'niflied.
Ol therefore, Suffer patiently all that he may call you to ;
and be not fpoilers of yourfelves with your own hands ; and
Stand not in the way of God's contending with enemi'eS ; and
fee that ye be not a mar in the way of his coming, to avenge
you on your enemies. O! then, come to him, who is the
avenger of his church and people's quarrel: And to him be
praife. O ! praife ye him, all ye his faints.

Z 2 PREFACE

7 r* 180 3
PREFACE.

Y friends, there are four or five things, that I would
.VJ_ bring to your remembrance in this country-fide.
i. I would call you. to the remembrance of this, that ye
have not been put to fuch fufferings,. as other places of the
country have been put unto, Galloway and Clydewale,- An-
nandile and Nitheldale : Tliefe places, I fay, have been fubject
to moreour-caftings, robbings, and fpoilings, yea death itfelf,
and efpecially Clydeldale, than ye have been yet Subject unto.
2. 1. would briug this ro your remembrance, not to think
yourfelves advantages thereby, but. rather lofers: So then,
do not think that ye have gained 'any thing thereby, but ra
ther that ye are grc ; lofers: For,
(i ) Ye have wanted many errands to God, which other
places had ; for extremities and fufferings give people many
errands to go to God ,vith ; and, that ye had not fuch fuffer
ings as other places have had, ye have been lofers thereby.'
(2.) Ye wanted occasions of God's manifesting his love and
kindnefs to you, which fome other places have had ; for a
d y of their extremities and ftraits, for him and his caufe,
furnifheth him an occafion of making known his loving-kiad-
riefsunto them, according to that word, Pfalm 1. 15 And cull
upon me in the day 'of trouble ; I will deliver thee, and thou fhalt
glorify me. In effect, I would fay this, that that hundred fold,
that is promifed to be given to them of the Lord, is then gi
ven to all who do fuffer feu- him ; r fay, it is never well known,
until they be taken off all things in a prefent world, and all
the -. bioyments therein.
3. I would call to your remembrance, that ye have gotten
leave to be more neutral than other places have1 been, and
thereby ye are not gamers but lofers; for, the Lord hath
brought great trials and extremities in the way of others, in
other places of the country, and hath made ufe of thefe trials
and troubles, to make them to llde themfelves, and declare
themfelveE, either to be for him, or againft him. And fuch
as are truly chafed into hirn, to declare more for him than
formerly, are gre.it advaritagers by all tliefe calamities : And
now, ye have wanted this advantage, and are fuffered to ly
by more neutral, and not made to fide yourfelves fully with
him, as he hath gotten Some in oilier places of the country
to do. Therefore, I lay, do not think yourfelves gainers,
but rather lofers, by what hath been his way of dealing with
you. 4.I

S E R M O N XV. 181
4. I would call to your remembrance this, that ye would
not think that it fhall be with you, as it hath been before- I
aSfirm it, That if the Lord have any thing to do. with you in
this. corner of the land, he will Shake you out of your eafe ;
and I add this, I think now the Lord is manifefting littlf of
his love to that perfon or place, that he is not try (ling with
fiiffering this day, even with great fuffering ; and, believe
me, I take it as a great token of love to them, on whom he
lays the weighty end of the rod and crofs of Chrift. O I is
it not moft defirable, to have yourfelves fquared out, and le
velled with Zion's cafe and condition, and made according
thereto.' ft Was a noble faying in Uriah, Should f go to my
houfe, faid he, when the ark of God, and my lord Joab is in the
fields? So that good man, when he might have been other-
wife, he would be no otherwife than it was with the ark and
people of God.
5. This I would call you to remember, that the Lord is
feeking yon., to make your errand here this night, to feek
fomething from himfelf, and to prepare for what you are to
meet with ; for, I will, tell you, ye have the fwellings of Jor
dan to go through : And therefore, make it your errand, to
get provision out of his hand, to ftrengthen-you, that ye Sink
not under the Stream.
Now, pray for the opening of his hand, and for appetites
and defires after him.

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S E R M O N XV.
Zechariah ii. 8.
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, after the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations which fpoiled you : For he that toucheth you,
toucheth the apple of his eye.
MY friends, they do greatly miftake, who think that
God will not pupifh his people, becaufe he loves thpm^
and becaufe they are interested in him : Nay, I fay, his inte
reft in them, and love to them, are fo far from hindering
him to punifh them for their faults, that, on the contrary,
, it becomes-the only reafon and ground of his punifhing them,
Amos iii. 2. You only have I known, of all the families of the
earth,

tS-2 Upon Zechariah ii. 8.
earth, therefore will I punifh you for all your iniquities :" For,
«hi»t is the caufe of his punishing them ?¦ Is it not becaufe he
bath a love to them ? and why hath the Lord punished his
c.harch and people fo Sharply, and fo feverely in this land, but
becaufe he hath in a fpecial manner known them ? We can-
cot only fay, that of all the families of the earth he hath
known us; but alfo in a fpecial manner, he hath known and
foved us, and therefore, pafs unpunished who will, he will
not tet us pafs unpunished, verfe 3. he faith, Can two talk to
gether, except they be agreed? So, I fay, the Lord is feeking
%o get his people made fuch, by their Strokes, as he and they
can walk together; for, even men cannot walk together, ex-
ct-pt they be in one way : And alfo they mistake greatly, who
think, when he punifheth his people, that he hateth them,
arid fhutteth up his bowels of mercy, and compaSfion, and
fyrispathy with them ; for, as he loves them in chaftningj
even fo, he chaftens them in love; fo that, the more chaf-
tifing that they are meeting with, they are the more near his
'fympatbj : For thus faith the Lord, he that toucheth you, touch
eth tit apple of his eye.
And having at Some other occasions fpoken unto thefe
words ; we fliall briefly come to the words, and to what we
left at. The words were divided into five particulars :
1. That Jefus Chrift is the faithful interpreter of the Fa
ther's will.
2. That he is fent of the Father to fee his will executed on
the nations.
3. The time, viz. After the glory, that is, after that he had
vifited his people with affliction, or after his glory was mani
fefted, in the begun restoration of his people ; then Chrift
was fent to punifh enemies, that they might not hinder nor
ftand in the way of his church's deliverance.
v4. There is the caufe of it, becaufe they had fpoiled his
people. 5. There is the motive whence he is moved, viz. bis affec
tion and fympathy. And now, having fpoken fomewhat to
the firft four particulars, I come now to the fifth and laft,
that is, the motive that moved him to it, He that toucheth you,
toucheth the apple of his eye. There is contained here,
1. The matter in the expreflion, viz. His Sympathy with
his people, which is the. reafon why he puniSheth his ene
mies, and which makes him prove his fympathy with his pea*
pfe, and is the caufe why he contends with the inftruments of
Jiijs people's affliction.
2 The manner of the expreflion is here to be considered,
He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. Now,- this
is fpoken after the manner, of men ; and yet, albeit God be
S.ii - to have, eyes, ears, foe. as men, yet this is not properly=r to

S E R M 0 tt XV. if3
to be understood, biit figuratively ; and fo, for on r better
understanding of it, and the like, he fhewg, that, as man's
eye in the tendereft part of man's body ; fo, it holds out his
tender affection of, Sympathy with, and love that he hath no
his people : And foj from the manner of the expreflion, Hay
down this doctrine ;
Doct. I. That fuch is God's kw condefcendency , thM, he-caxfs
,ef our weaknefs, he exprefjeth himfelf fo lowly, that he -nay be
taken up and undcrftood, according to our capacity.
And this is clear- from the text ; as alfo from Hof. xii. its.
1 have alfo fpoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied vU'ien;,
and ufed fintilitudes : And all this was to make his mind more
clearly known to poor ignorant men and women. Alfo
Zec'h- iv. 6. This is thewordofthe Lord, that is, the vifion that
was prefented to him ; and this tells us, that he teacheth Jus
people, not only by the word, but by other means: The
fcriptures are full of fuch exprefiions,, -which are Spoken after
the manner of men, becaufe of our weafcnefe and ig.noriMx.ej.
fo that he may fpeak to our capacity: From whence 1 dcaw
fome ufes.
Ufe i. Is of exhortation : Be humbled then, I fay, wilder
the Senfe of your ignorance ; for, God, becaufe of your ig
norance, expreffeth himfelf thus : And therefore we may
fay with Job, 0 J how fmall a portion of him is knovnt -by us 7
Therefore now be convinced of your ignorance of God, aodl
of your manifold infirmities ; for, what is man, or wherein
is he to be accounted of? Oh I man is an ignorant creature^
both of God, and of himfelf; for, Jeremiah, who was a.
great proficient in this Study, faith, Jer. xvii. 9. The heart it
deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked, who can know
it,? They that think they can perfectly know the deceits of
the heart, I fay, they are unacquainted with it; for, asooe
fpeaketh well, they that know any thing of themfelves, or of
God, do know this, that there is little, or, a fin all portion,
of either of them, win to be known hereaway: I fey then,
be llmmbled under the fenfe of your ignorance : O ! but con
ceited people be folk of bad tempers or difpofitions : We read
of feweft of the conceited Pharifees coming unto Chrift, of any
other fort of people : Many publicans and Sinners entered
into the kingdom; but few of the conceited Pharifees - So,
people conceited of their knowledge, are of very bad tempers,
and very hopejafs. This malignant generation, they think
themfelves a. very wife people, and they are either very con
ceited of their wifdom, or they call religion folly, and count
them that have ventured any thing tor it, fools: Be yet, it
fliall be feen, that they themfelves Shall prove fools, and their
ways fliall prove to have been folly, one day: Then it Shall
be Seen who have been the wife ft folk, when we muft all ap
pear

184 S E R M O N XV.
pear before the judgment feat of Chrift, or the tribunal of
God, to anfwer before him. So then, let them call religion
folly, and fuch as follow it, fools; yet, in that day, God
fliall give a decifive teftimony on the godly's behalf: Then
testimonies fhall be given for it, when this fhall be proclaim
ed, Come, my people, enter into the joy of your Lord ; and to
the wicked, Depart from »r, ye workers of iniquity, I know
you not. Now, are thefe wife folk, or not, that reject God,
and by fo doing provoke God to reject them ? Sure then, their
wifdom at laft Shall be feen to be folly.
Ufe 2. Of exhortation : Be exhorted, therefore to adore
and admire God's condefeendency, who condefeends to bum
ble himfelf fo low, and that after a very plain and clear man
ner. We ought to adore him who hath condefcended to'-re-
veal himfelf thus to man ; fo that I may fay, it is his great
mercy, that any way he reveals himfelf, but more efpecially
in his bleffed gofpel, 2 Cor. iv. 3. But if our gofpel be bid, it
is hid to them that are loft. Indeed he might have kept up
his mind from us, and might have hid his will from man ;
arid yet none could have challenged him for it : But, Q ! it
is a double mercy he hath bellowed upon us in his word.
Indeed, the papifts fay that the word is dark, and therefore the
common people ought not to read it. It is true, there_are many
dark myfteries in the word ; but the Lord revealeth them by
other Scriptures, after a very plain way and manner. It is
true again, that his word is a very deep treafure, yea, fuch a
depth, that the bottom thereof cannot be found out ; but yet,
he reveals himfelf fo plainly and pleafantly in bis word, that
thefe things that are neceffary to falvation, are ealily difcerned
and understood: Were people at this exercife, of adoring
and admiring of God aright, becaufe of his revealing himfelf
fo plainly unto man, there would be more feen and found, if
there were more reading and meditating on the feriptures :
I fay, if there were more making ufe of the feriptures, and
thefe helps and means, whereby it might be understood, and
whereby he maketh himfelf known, there would be far mbre
known of him. 0 ! be much in this exercife, of reading his
word, and ufing thofe approven helps, to learn and make
you know the meaning ofthe word : But there are many peo
ple, who think it below them to read, and get the Catechifms'
and Confeffions of faith ; but, I fay, it is not below the
greateft divine or nobleman in the land ; for therein is con
tained a fum of the Proteftant Christian religion ; and the
oftner they are read, the more fobftance is found therein.
O! adore and admire him, and fearch the feriptures; for
therein ye will find the words of eternal life. Now, from the
matter of. the expreffion, the motive whence Chrift is moved to

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. j8e
to cojne againft his and his church's enemies, or, the reafon
why Chrift is fent againft them, vii, He that toucheth yoii,
toucheth the apple of his eye ; whereby he evidenceth his fym
pathy to his people, I lay down this doctrine -.
Doct II. That the troubles of the' church of God do more,
and not lefs, indeaV them to his fympathy ; for, this is the rea
fon, why Chrift is fent unto the nations, For he that toucheth
you, toucheth the epple of his eye. It is likewife clear from
Zech. i. 14, 15. Thus faith the Lord of hofts, I am jealous for
Jerufalem, and for Zion, with a great jeakufy : And I am very
fore difpleafed with the heathen- that are at e fie, for I was but
a little difpleafed, and they helped forward the aff.iBion. There
ye fee, that the church was in a very low cafe, when her af
fliction was helped forward by the heathen who were at eafe ;
and this' made Chrift enlarge his fympathy towards them ; I
mean, his church; for, his marriage covenant with his peo
ple moved his jealoufy in anger againft the heathen who were
at eafe, whereby he Shewed his fympathy with his church, and
his feverity towards his enemies ; in love to the one', in very
great anger to the other, Rev. iii. 19. As many as I love, I re-
buk&and chaften : It is a mark of love, to be chaftened of him,
Heb. xii .6. For whom the Lord loveth be chaftenetb, andfcour-
geth every fon whom he receivetb : I fey then, chaftifements
and afflictions, are fo far from arguing the want of fympathy
in him, -that they do rather indear his people more and more
unto him. Now, to enlarge upon this fo neceflary a point,
I would tell you,
1. What is required of them, that would be partakers of
bis fympathy, and would enjoy it.
2. How he proves this fympathy with his people.
3. Specify Some advantages which thefe reap, who enjoy
his Sympathy. So then, as to the firft head, what is required
of them, that would partake of and enjoythe Lord's Sympa
thy : I anfwer,
1. It is required of them, that they come to Jefus Chrift,
Matth. xi. 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy
'laden, and I will give you reft. For, thefe that come not to
him, are like a tree-leg, tied to a man's bcdy, -which feels
not, although many Strokes and calamities befal the man ; I
fay, fuch cannot expect Chrift's fympathy, unlefs they come
unto him, and become real members of his myftical body ;
and therefore:, O I be intreated to come unto him ; for, he
hath made large offers of himfelf, and is offering himfelf to
you. this night ; and I charge you, as ye would have him to
be your fympathizer,- flight not this offer: O ! come, and
embrace a crucified Saviour : And, that I may invite you the
more freely, remember the words that he hath fpoken by the
prophet, lf'a. Iv. 1, 2, 3. Ho, every one that thirfieth, jcome ye
A a . "to-

186 S E R M O N XV.
to the waters, and be that hath no money, come ye, buy a\d eat,
yea. come, bay wine and milk, without money, and without price.
Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not bread? and
your labour for thap -which fatisfieth not ? Hearken diligently
¦unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let, your fouls de-
, light itfelf in fatnefs. ' Incline your ear, and come unto me, bear,
and your foul fhall live; and I will make an everlafting cove-'
nant with you, even the fure mercies of David O thy friends!
are ye not filled with your own vain ways ? Why will ye fpend
your money for that which fatisfieth not ? Come, here is the
-bread of life in your offer this night. O ! have ye not appe
tites for the fame ? O come ! ye have a rich offer, and I will
affure you, it is a very free offer ; for, if ye will, he may be
yours ; yea, if ye will, there is neither young nor old of you,
but ye may have Chrift ; for, he is in all your offers. c
2. It is required of them, that they walk before him in the
due' line of duty, according to that word, 2 Chron. xv. 2.
The Lord is with you, while ye be with him, and if ye feek him,
he will be found of you. So, I fay, the Lord is with you by
(his fympathy, while ye are with him- by your duty, in feek
ing bim. O ! will ye follow him in the way of duty ; for, if
ye forfake him, he will forfake you. See alfo, Pfal. xxxvi. 0.
\/n thy light fhall we fee light : Which fome interpret well,
thus : In the light of thy path, we Shall fee the light of thy
f countenance. So, men or women that ftep afide from duty,
provoke him, to deny them his fympathy. Now then, as ye
wohld have hjs fympathy, ftudy to know your duty, and- to
follow it ; follow it fully and constantly : The line of duty
muft be taken up aright, and followed well ; it muft not be
a ftart forward, and a flart backward : Indeed, fome begin
well, but do not continue, but turn their back on it the next
day, and forfake all : But I exhort you to make it your con-
ftant work. Zech. x. 12. And they fhall walk up and down in
his name, faith the Lord; that is, conftantly, and inceffantly:
Therefore, as you would have Chrift's fympathy with yorj,
Study to follow him in the way of duty, and to have him with
you ; and be not drawn away from duty, by the furious rage,
or vain flatteries of men ; for his fympathy is enough to coun
ter-balance all thefe.
3. It is required of them, that would be partakers of his
fympathy, that they make ufe of, and imploy him for his
fympathy, Pfalm 1. 15. And call upon me in the day of trouble,,-
i will anfwer thee. So, fuch as Seek him Shall find him, and
they Shall find that made out unto them, 2 Chron; xv. 2, And
if ye feek him, he will be found of you. And do not think, that
ye that call not on the name of the Lord, fliall be partakers of
his love and fympathy. Ye who call not on the name ot the
Lord, ye who neglect the worfhip of, God in your families, or

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 1S7
alone, think on, this ; all prayerlefs folk, think on this,
Would ye have God manifefting his affection and fympathy
towards you, and will ye not feek for it ? The Lord hath
joined the end and the means together : It is thofe who call
upon him, whom he "hath promifed to deliver.
4. It is required of them, that they depend upon him for
his Sympathy, Ifa. xxx. 15. In returning and reft fhall ye be
faved, in guietnefs and in confidence fhall be your ftrength.
Thefe cannot' be a continual dependence on Chrift exercifed,
by thofe that will not enjoy his fympathy ; therefore, in or
der tp the getting of this, ye muft labour to keep up the life
of dependence upon Jefus Chrift; for that is an inriching
and fruj|ful life ; and know, whatever ye be elfe, if this life
be given; and gotten kept up, all is fafe and well ; but if not,
Chrift will quit his fympathy with you : Therefore, hang on
him, in whofe arms is everlafting ftrength. Think ye, that
any can have the fun-beams, while the fun is with-held ? fo,
neither can ye keep a mercy in Chrift, or expect his Sympathy,
when Chrift is with-held, or not kept in with. I fey, grace,
though it be a fair flower, yet when it is out of Chrift's
hand,, it will foon wither and decay, ye fee ; what did Pe
ter's grace, when he became confident of it ? it withered ; So,
I fay, keep up a life of dependence on him, which is fo glo
rifying to God, and fruitful, and profitable to his people,
and ye fliall not want his fympathy.
5. It is required of them, who would partake of this fym
pathy, that they would walk in his fear, Pfalm cxlv. 17. He
will fulfil the defire of them that fear him. But this is not a
fervile or Slavish fear, that is here meant of ; but a holy
filial fear : It is not a fearing of him, as he is a fin- revenging
God; but it is a fon-like fear, as a child fears his father";
for, of fuch he, faith, there, is mercy with him, that he may
be feared. Now, I charge you, to feek to win at this fear,
and walk in it, and quit your untender practices and'eon-
verfetion, that diaw many a cloud betwixt you and his coun
tenance. 6. It is required of them, that there be a nearnefs with
God kept up, that their fouls follow hard after h'm, Pfalm
lxxiii. 28. 'It is good for me to draw near to God. O ! what is
there to be found in his abfence? nothing but deadnefs and
darknefs : Therefore, O ! prefs near to himfelf, and ye fliall
be acquainted with that which I fpeak of; for they that
are far from him fliall perifh, but it is good to draw near to
God.' 7. It is required of them, that would partake of this fym
pathy, that they put a price on his love; Deut. xxxiii. 29.
Happy art thou, 0 Ifrael, who is like unto thee, Ofieople faved
by the Lord, the fhield of thy -help ? Here IMfefes puts a right
A a 2 efteem

E

188 SERMON XV.
efteem upon the people of Ifrael : Why? becaufe they'were
a people laved by the Lord : And here he puts a high efteem
upon the fympathy of the Lord': So then, if ye will have him
manifefting himfelf and his fympathy, ye muft know what it
is to love him ; for, to whom he makes known his love, he
makes them to know what it is to enjoy him, Pfelm xxxii. i.
Bieffed is he whofe- 'tranfgreffion is forgiven, whofe fin is covered.
Yea, Sirs, it p,.ffes the rhetoric of angels to tell 'what 's in his
redeeming love. O ! efteem it much, and wonder, at it, if
ye would partake of it : Let the world fay what they will, yet
we fay, becaufe his word fays it, they are happy who enjoy
his love and fympathy, whofe fins are covered ; and, let the
world vilipend as they will, yet be intreated to efteem high
ly of it, as ye would be defirous to enj jy the fame, here and
hereafter. 8. It is required of them, that they have a fympathy with
all his people, in whatever cafe or condition they be in, ifye
would have his love to be towards you, or Shine upon you,
Pfalm xii. i. Bieffed is he that confider eth' the poor ; the 'Lord
will deliver him in time, of trouble. So then, think on them,
and fympathize with them now, in their low cafe ; for they
or he that confidereth the poor, and doth not fympathize
with them, Shall be delivered ; but thefe who deny fympathy
now with hisjpeople, God will _deny fympathizing with them
in their afflictions and calamities. O ! be intreated then, to
beep up a fympathy with his fuffering people, with his banifl;;
ed, with his wanderers, and with alt who are bearing the bur
den in the heat of the day ; and in this firft trial, as ye would
have God's fympathy with you. when he calls you forth to
the trial, fo fympathize and keep up your fympathy with
them in their trials : As ye would have him manifefting his
fympathy to you, manifeft your fympathy to his children.
O I this is a great article againft the wicked, Matt, xxv.42, 43;
" For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; 1 was
" thirfty, and ye gave me no drink ; I was a Stranger, and
*' ye took me not in ; naked, and ye clothed me not ; Sick,
*' and in prifon, and ye vifited me not." Verfe 45. " In as
" much as ye did it not to one of the leaft of thefe, ye did it
" not to me." For, the Lord makes ufe of trials, as 'touch-
Stones, to fee who will fympathize with him in his members,
and who will not ; and he geis a great article of indictment
againft thefe, who will not fympathize, with him in his mem
bers. O ! then, do not think light of the fufferings of the
Lord's remnant ; otherwife, G0d will look light on you in
the day of your afffction.
Thefe are the things tint are required of fuch as would
partake of his Sympathy: (1.) They muft embrace Chrift.
m (2.) They

PREFACE to SERMON XVI. 189
(2) They muft not go out of the line of their duty. (3.)
They muft employ him in it, and for it. (4.) They muft de
pend upon him. (5.) They muft- walk in his. fear. (6.) They
muft prefs to be near himfelf. (7.) They mull put a price 011
his love, (8.) They muft keep a fympathy with his fufferers.
Remember thefe things, and the Lord help, and grant you
grace to practife them, to the glory of his great name.

PREFACE.

[ Y dear friends, to make way for what we are about to
do, I would have you to know three or four things.
And, '
1. You would know that the Lord is greatly difpleafed with
his people: But I need not meption this; for may not the
marks and evidences thereof, which are many and vifible, put
us all to cpnfefs this ? and, among the reft, the fad divisions
that are among fufferers, called by his name, fpeak outthis,
that he is angry, and in great wrath againft us. And when
he is calling many to fuffer, yet they cannot be gotten to part
with thefe things that are the caufes of his wrath againft his
church and people ; yea, and doth not the decay of. love a-
mongft his people fpeak out that he is angry ? O ! the little
love and fympathy that is among his people ; and the great
envy and jealoufy that is amongft them, fpeaks 01$ that he is
angry ; and do not the feaffolds that many are drawn to, de
clare that he is angry ? When his people are drawn as lambs
to the Slaughter, the blood Shed on Scaffolds, and in the
ftreets of the cities in Scotland, proclaims his wrath and anger
to be gone forth againft his church and people : And do not
the fad night-wanderings, and the out-caftings of his people,
and the hazard they are in and put to, declare his" anger and
indignation? and our coming here in the peril of 'our lives
declares this. But Oh ! why need. I mention thefe things that
are evidences of bis difpleafure ; for who '.may nor fee that.
the Lord is angry with us i
2- 1 would call you to know and believe this, that all we
have met with yet, is but like the Spittings before the Shower j
yea, all that I have named, that you have met with yet, I fey,
it is but tike the fpittings before the Shower: That which is
coming will be like a plump Shower, that is to falfd'own upon thefe

19<* PREFACE to SERMON XVI.
thefe lands ; and it will not mifs, for there is a cloud of wrath
banging over thefe lands, and over your heads, and is ready
to fall down upon thefe covenanted nations, and it will hot
mifs ; for, if ever the Lard went through a land, in the1
length and breadth thereof, with his cloke of vengeance, and
garments of, zeal, he is now about to go through this land in
that pofture, and this calls us to be preparing for the .ftorm ;
and I'll tell you, that it Shall be fucb a ftorm, that death Shall
be more eligible than to abide it; yea, fuch it fliall be, that
they that win through it, Ihall be as if they had travelled thro'
many deaths.
3. 1 call you to. know and remember this, that, however it
be, it Shall be well with the righteous. This is a truth that
always holds true, it Shall be well with fuch as can, or may
fay this. Come he in what pofture he will, he is our God,
and we have waited for him ; and, for the encouragement of
fuch, I fay, he will not fail to prepare a Zoar for fuch, even
for a remnant to flee unto, when his fire -of vengeance from
heaven is coming down upon Sodom and Gomorrah, "even
¦upon Britain and Ireland. And as he hath continued a rern,-
nant hitherto, fo he will keep a remnant ftill, to be a feed un
to him, to ferve him, and to pleniSh the earth ; I fay, to re
plenish the land again : But indeed, they will be a very fmill
remnant ; we are a very fmall remnant already,., but we Shall
be Smaller yet; they Shall be ftrange and rare perfons, that
fhall endure, and wade through the ftorm that is coming.
4. 1 call you to know and believe, that' as the faddeff days
tbat ever our church met with are coming, fo the moft glori
ous days that ever our church met with are coming at the
back thereof. Know then, that the Lord is ufhering in the
greateft mercies, by the greateft judgments : For, why will
be heat the furnace fo hot, but that he may bring forth a
piece of pure metal ? And why will he throw down the fabric
of this church to the ground, but that the rubbifh thereof
may be taken away, and the fuperftructure thereof made more
glorious ? Yea, for as affrighting-like as the overflowing
judgment is, that is coming on Britain and Ireland, who faw
what the Lord hath provided for his people at the back of
that blaft or Shower, they would forget it, they would not
,,get their eyes fixed on it.
Now, let us pray to the Lord, tbat he would prepare us
for judgments and mercies.

SERMON

[ ¦?¦ 1
SERMON XVI.

Zechariah ii. 8:
For thus faith the Lord of hofts, After the glory hath he fent me
unto the nations which fpoiled you : For he that toucheth yw^
toucheth the apple of his eye. i
BELOVED, there is nothing that a poor creature can
ftand in need of, but it is to be found in Jefus Chriftj
and thert is not a cafe that any of his people can be in, but
there is help for them for it, to be found in him : For, in
deed, he is concerned with his people in every cafe and con
dition they are in, or can be in. And, firs, they wrong
Chrift greatly, who think that he is an idle fpectator or be
holder of his people's cafe ; nay, indeed, he cannot abide to
be fo efteemed ; and they that look upon him as an idle on
looker, (Seeing he is'concerned, and really taken up with his
people in every cafe and condition) they ftand greatly in the
way of their own mercies, and in the way of his letting out
of his fympathy to them, who fo look upon him ; for he is
concerned with his people, and will not deny them neceffary,
fuitable, and feafonable helps : For thus faith the Lord, &c.
Now, not refuming what was laft faid, or what was faid at
former occafions from the Words ; but, that I may come to
what I left at, ye may remember, that I had entered upon the
fifth and laft particular, contained in the words, where, hav
ing fpokeii to the manner of the expreffion, Hethit toucheth
you, toucheth the apple of his eye, this doctrine was laid down,
Doct. That the troubles of the people of God do more, and not
lefs, endear them to his fympathy.
And, iq the profecution of this doctrine, I told, you that f
purpofed to fp£ ak to thefe three particulars :
I. What was required of them that would be partakers of
the Lord's fympathy.
2. How doth the Lord prove his fympathy with his people.
3. What advantages they reap who enjoy his. fympathy. S3,
having fpoken to the firft of thefe, I come now to the fecoud,
viz. How the Lord proves his fympathy with his people : And
now, I (hall, name fo many ways that he doth it.
1 He proves his fympathy with his people, by Shewing
them mercy, Pfal. cl. 1. His mercy endure th for ever. There,
in that pfalm, it is twenty -fix times repeated, that his mcrcy-
endurethfor ever. O ! it is hisinercy that makes him confer

192 S E R M O N XVI.
thefe benefits to his people ; fo, his mercy is fhewed by his
manner and way of it, or of letting out of it, and by this he
fpeaketh, or letteth out much of his fympathy unto the ifr, and
of his affection to them. This , is a large fountain, from
which flow all their other benefits; for what can or willhis
mercy not be forth-coming for unto his people ?
2. He proves his fympathy with his people, by his moderat
ing their chaftifements and afflictions that he brings on them ;
yea, all our afflictions and chaftifements fpeak forth his fyrrl-
pathy with us, Hof. xi. 8, 9. How fhall 1 give thee up, Ephra
im? How fhall I deliver thee , Ifrael? I will not return to. de
ftroy Ephraim, for I am God, and not man, the holy One in the
midft of thee,, &c. All the chaftifements that the Lord's peo
ple meet with, are all parts of his fympathy; becaufe, in any
of thefe, he never exercifeth the fiercenefs of his anger upon
them ; though flefh and blood be ready to fay their afflictions
are Sharp, yet, if we confider it rightly, his fympathy is ay
great, fo long as we are not confumed, fo long as we are out
of the pit, or not plunged into eternal wrath ; for his love is
a token of his fympathy. O ! then, think not that his bow
els of mercy are Shut up, otherwife we had been fwallowed
up in the flood of his wrath ; fo, all we can be tryfted with,
on this fide of time, are a proof of his fympathy, how Sharp
fo ever they be to us : And again,
3. He proves his fympathy with them, in condoling their
cafe- fo to fay, Heb. iv. 1 5. For we have not an high prieft, which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in
all points tempted, as-we are, yet without fin. Ifa. liir. 3. He
is a man of forrow, and acquainted with grief. So, all the af
fliction of his people is, as it were, the piercing of Chrift's
fide ; and every Stripe they get brings, as it were, a tear from
his eye. May not this make us wander with cheerfulnefs,
even through all our afflictions, that you have fuch a fellow-
feeler and Sympathizer as ChriSl is ?
4. He proves his fympathy with his people, by letting them
have his affifting prefence with them, Pfalm xlvi. 5 God is in
the midft of her, Jhe fhall not be moved. Whatever piece of
trouble the Lord calls his people to, or whatever afflictions
they are to walk through, yet he js always near them, and
prefent with them, Jofli. i_. 5. I will not fail thee, nor forfake
thee. And may not fome of us fay, we have feen the Lord
manifefting his prefence, by his fympathy to his people, when
he brought them to the Stake, and led them to the Scaffolds ?
O ! there he proved his fympathy with them, by helping them
to look the king of terrors out of countenance ; and when
be led them to the Swelling of Jordan, there be left them not,
but his gracious prefence was affifting to them, that they fink
not under the Stream : O ! feek manifestations of his prefence under

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 193
under your trials and chaftifements ; and then you m?y pro- -
claim a defiance to all that enemies car. do : God is our re
fuge, therefore we need not be afraid, though the mountains
were caSl into the fea, P/rz. xlvi. 12.
5. He proves his fympathy with his people, by his" comfor
table prefence, Pfalm xlvi. 4. There is a river, the. ftreams
whereof fhall make glad the city of God ; there is a r;,vr of con
folation, whereof lie never fails to let out to his own, in the
time of their affliction, Ifa xliii. 2. When t'i-u p iff eft through
the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they
fhall not overflow, thee ; when thou watkeft thr-aiph the fire, thou
fhalt not be burnt, neither fhall the flams inula" upa, thee : In
the midft of all thefe, his comforting prefence will make us
fing for joy, fongs of praife, and will make them fey, Where
can the wormwood and gall of afflictions be ?
6. He proveth his fympathy with his people, which is known
by his delivering his people out of their great difficulties and
ftraits, Pfal. xci. I 4, Becaufe he hath fet his love neon me, there
fore will 1 deliver bim ,- and thistie doth, when he fets them
at liberty from their calamities : O I how many ways did he
prove this his fympathy with. Ifrael, when they were under
the feet of their oppreffors ? and did he not this to us, when
he delivered us from the yoke of popery and prelacy, and e-
raftian fupremacy ; albeit our fins have provoked him to call
us under fuch yokes again ? But his inward great affection
and fympathy will not let him alone, until he deliver us a-
gain. 7„He doth fliew himfelf in his fympathy towards his peo
ple, by his anger jgainft the inftruments of their affliction,
Exod, iii. 9. Now therefore, heboid the crv of the children of If
rael is come unto me. and 1 have alfo feen the opp'-cfilon, where
with- the Egyptians oppreffed them - Well, what comes of it ?
Exod. xiv. 7. Behold, 1 will harden the heaits of the Egyptians,
and they fhall follow them, and I will get me ha -our n^on Pha
raoh, and upon all his hoft, upon his chariots, and upon bis borfe-
men .- See this, the Lord's fympathy with the Ifraelites in his
executing of juftice upon the Egyptians ; and thus he proves
his affection and fympathy to his people, -by faking vengeance
on the inftruments of their calamity. Think you not, but
the love that Chrift carries, by virtue of his marriage-cove
nant to thefe lands, will make him lay on heavy Strokes on ,
perfecutors, on thefe tyrants, and their accomplices? I fay,
bis love to his own will make him tread them down in his in
dignation ; then, fear not, feeing the Lord proves his fym
pathy with his peeple,- by his Strokes upon the inftruments
of his own people's afflictions. And again,
8. He proves his Sjrhpathy with his people, by making all
that they meet with work together for good, Rom. viii. 28..
B b ' Nothing

194 SERMON XVI.
Nothing fhall they meet with, but it fhall be good, and turn
to good in the end ; for, he is God ; and fo, as he is God,
he is good, and will with-hold no good thing from his own;
therefore he can do no evil ; yea, he will do nothing but what
he will make work together for their good : All their toffings
and toilings, and all their extremity and hardships, arid diffi
culties that his people meet with, Shall be for their good :
Now then, queftion not the proofs of Chrift's fympathy with
you; for he is faithful, who hath faid and promifed it; he
will perform it, and will not lie, "though in the mean time it
is hard for carnal misbelieving hearts or eyes, to fee or confi
der how many difficulties and crofs-like difpenfations he can
make work together for his people's good ; but I would have
you believing this, for faithful is he that hath promifed it,
and will alfo do it : Now, I come to the application.
Ufe i. Is of exhortation : Now, be exhorted then, to make
ufe of Chrift for his fympathy, Heb. iv. 14, 15. Seeing Chrift
is fuch a Sympathizer, and proves it fo many Ways, O I then,
come to him, and feek it of him, for he delights to prove his
fympathy to his people : Would you have his fympathy, and
will you not'feek it from him? I fay, feck it, and give him
no reft, until he prove his Sympathy by his affifting prefence;
and, in the reft of the ways I have Spoken of to you. Oybu I
that make mention of the, name of the Lord, give him no reft,
Until he eftablifh Jerufalem, as the praife of the whole earth i
O I then, for the affection he bears to his own people, be in-
treated to employ him, night and day, to prove bis fympathy
to his people.
Ufe 2 Is of information : O ! wonder at his condefcenden-
cy, in that he doth fo far condefcend, as to prove his fym
pathy with his people : This is matter of wonder and admira
tion, that he fliould humble himfelf fo low, as to behold what
is among his people ; I fay, this is matter of wonder, that he
fliould condefeend fo low, who is the glory of heaven, as to
be concerned with the worms of the earth : As if a beggar
was fitting on a dunghill, and a great king was paffing by, in
a throne of majefty, fhould leave his throne, and fit down
with him, that he might fympathize with him in that low
cafe : This did Chrift, he left his Father's glory, and came
down to dwell with men, that he might the better Show his
fympathy with men.
U/e.2 Is of encouragement : Be ftrengthned and encourag
ed to go on, in following fuch a loving mailer, through all tri
als and afflictions ; fear not to venture upon him through all
the lwellirtgs of your Jordan, through ail the fwelling depths.
of difficulties ; fear not to face Storms, be encouraged to caft
yourfelves over upon him, and he Shall Strengthen your hearts.
O ! then, put away your fears, doubts, and mifbelief, and go
on'

Upon Zechariah ii. S, 19?-
on valiantly, as valiant foldiers of fuch, a noble captain ; for,
he. will carry on his work, and fufficiently furnifh and carry
through his people, and will give a noble reward unto you :
The -victory is Jure and certain with him ; therefore wait on
him, and bide with him. I come now to the third thing I
purpofed. to fpeak unto, viz. The advantages which they reap
who enjoy his fympathy ; and,
i. The firfl advantage is this, they reap and enjoy a cotn-
pleat fympathy, that is, he is compleatly able to fympathize
with us all ; For it hath pleafed the father that in him fhould all
fulnefs dwell: There is no ftrait that can reduce him to a
non-plus. O firs J in him dwells all fulnefs, he is a fountain
of love, and flows Still towards his people, and never fails.
2. The fecond advantage is this, they enjoy a glorious fym
pathy, I mean, fetch a fympathy, as is glorifying to God, and
in end brings them to glory ; for when Chrift manifefted his
fympathy to his people, in a fpecial manner, by his coming
io take their nature, what was the fong that was fong in hea
ven by the angels? Luke ii. 14 Glory to God in the higheft, and
on earth peace, good-will toward meiL. This is a fympathy,
that doth not derogate from his glory, but it rather adds to
the fame. Hence learn, all you that have a defire after the
glory of hk name, rejoice, in how much he is manifefting his
fympathy towards bis people; for thereby his glory is more
declared. ,
3. The third advantage (which, with all the reft, may ra
ther be called properties of his fympathy) it is a cofUy fympa
thy, Heb. v. 8 though he were a fon, yet learned he obedi
ence by the things which he Suffered ; he fuffered many things,
that he might kdow how to fympathize with his people ; It is
an eafy come-at fympathy to yoii, but it was not fo to him ;
.it was dear-bought to him, for he came and lay three quarters
of a year in a virgin's womb, he fuffered reproach, and death
itfelf, that he might manifeft his love and fympathy towards
you ; fo it is a coftly one to him, though net fo to us : O !
then, think not little of it, that coft him fo dear. He put
himfelf in every condition his people can be in (fin only ex
cepted) that he -might .the better fympathize with his own peo
ple: He had not a hole to hide in, he endured all the onfets
of-his Father's wrath, that he might learn, and be able, to
Sympathize 'with poor thunder-beaten fouls.
4. The fourth advantage they enjoy of him, who are his,
and made faithful is, his faithfulnefs, Jofh. i. 5. I will be with
thee, I will never leave tbee nor forfake thee; he will not leave
them in the day of their ftraits. He is not fuch an one, as
can do, but will not do it; but he is fuch an. one, as both
can and will ; neither is he fuch, as would fain do it, but can
not do it; for he is both willing and able: Oi then, that is
B b 2 a friend

IQ6 S E R M O N XVI.
a friend worth the having. There are many worldly friends,
that would fain do good, if it were in the power of their hands ;
but Chrift is iSol fuch a one ; but., as he willeth, fo he is able
to doi and will do : There are many falfe friends, who love
thc'r friend in profperity, but give him the flip in a day of
Straits ; who are compared by Solomon to a foot out of joint;
but Chrift is a friend that fticketh clofer than a brother ; yea,
he is a brother born for adveriiry.
5. The fifth advantage that they reap is, a communicative
fympathy, which each of his people reap and enjoy; yea,
and each one of his people, in more or lefs, reap and enjoy
it, without wronging one another, or without difadvantage
one to another ; for Chrift can and doth Sympathize with his
own, in the outmolt coiners of the world, and alfo with us
here -, even as ail enjoy the fun beams, godly and wicked, as
tfiey .were but one, v-iihout wronging One another; even fodo
all his people enjoy him, without wronging others. Q what
a communicative goodnefs is Chrift's goodnefs to believers!
It is fuch, that all his people enjoy him, as but one enjoyed
him. Ay, firs, there is no envying, or rather, no wronging
of one another, as to the'enjoyment of Chrift ; fo large is his
fympathy, as if he were fuch, that his fympathy with one
makes him not forger, another, as readily and ordinarily it is
among men ; for it is ordinary with men, that if they fyn>>
pathize with one, they forget another; but it is not fo with
Chrift, for he will not forget the moft insignificant thing or-
perfon of all his peop'e ; he remembers all our afflictions, and
alfo commiferates our cafe, in all our ftraits. :
6. The Sixth advantage is this, they enjoy a free fympathy,
Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to five them to the utter-
moft, that come unto God by him : I lay, nSne can come to en
joy , his fympathy, but they foon or late get their errand : He
puts none away that come unto him, and he makes a free of
fer to all that will.come unto him. and partake of, or receive
and embrace the offer. So then, feeing it is a free fympathy,
any of you that need it (and who needs it not?) exclude not
yourfelves from it.
Now, for the ufe of this doctrine, you may here learn, 1.
The happy eftate of thofe who have his Sympathy : Of fuch it
may be Said, that their eftate cannot be made miferable; thofe
who have him a fympathizer with them, are in a happy con
dition : Ay, they may go with the fmalleft party, and defy
all their -enemies ; they may fling out a flag of defiance againft
hell and death ; they may fing God is our refuge and our
ftrength, a prefent help in time oftroubk ,- we will not be afraid,
though the mountains be caft into the fea, &c. O ! then,' thofe
who have him, their cufe is happy; ye.i, even fo happy that
it cannot be declared ; yea, fo happy, that all created powers cannot

Upon Zechariah ii. 8. 197
cannot make them miferable. O ! then, learn from that, the
happy cafe of his people.
Ufe 2. Be moved hence to come unto Jefus Chrift, tbat you
may enjoy that fympathy ; for this is chiefly required of all,
that they would come ; do not think that he will fympathize
with any that are not his true members ; foi* it is as if you
Should tie a tree-leg to a man ; let him wear it never fo long
he will not find life in it: Know, then, that as Chrift hath
true members, fo he hath true fympathy with them : Be in-
treated therefore to come and receive Chrift, who is a com
municative and true feviour. Would you have him manifeft
his true Sympathy to you thefe fo many ways forefaid ? Then
come and embrace and receive him ; for, without this, you
cannot expect his fympathy; fo then, I lay it home upon you,
that, as you defire to reap the benefits which they who enjoy
him do reap, be intreated to lay hold on him : O I flight not
this offer ; for you know not when you get fuch an offer : I
fay, as you love your immortal fouls, come away ; as you
tender his glory, flight not this offer : The Lord has brought
this offer in your way, and we are come over many difficul
ties, tendering his glory. As you tender God's glory, flight
not the offer. I fay, the Lord likth brought u? here, ever
many difficulties, to make thefe offers unto you ; and will
you let this offer go away with a Slight ? If you do it, fad Shall
your cafe be, and fed fhall be your accufetion ; it fliall wit
nefs in heaven againft you, that Chrift was in your offer, and
you refufed him ; ay, it fhall gnaw the confciences of you, in
that unquenchable fire of hell : Be intreated therefore to em
brace him. And now to fuch as embrace him, I declare1
peace ; but to fuch as will no: embrace him, I denounce ever
lafting war. O I all ye his feints, praife ye him.

PREFACE.
THERE are many, I fear, of the few that are come here,
greatly unprepared for this piece of work. There are
few of you, I fear, that have been at any pains to get prepi-
ratiort for fuch a work: And if ye have been feeking' prepi-
•ration, I will bring fomething to your remembrance, which
ye Should have been putting to yourfelve"s, before ye came
hither: l.fey, there are fome pieces of exercife, which ye
• , fhould

iqS PREFACE to SERMON XVIK,
fhould have been about, before ye came to this piece of work :
And, i. If ye have been deiiring to be prepared for this work,
then ye have been upon a fearch, to know what may. be
the caufe of distance between God and you. O ! beloved,
have ye be.en at^ this this night ere ye came here ? Have ye
looked back and fore, to fee what caufes of diftance are yet
between God and you ! O have ye been praying unto hirn,
that thefe might be removed ? I fear the fenfe of thefe are
very little, upon the moft part of your hearts : And if ye
would fpare a time, to know-,who; is the man and woman,
that is at greateft. diftance from Gad ;. I would anfwer you
this, "That mari and woman, that iste|$Bfe'nfib!e of their dif
tance, leaft Senfible of Sin, that, caufes diftance^ and is as a
cloud betwixt the fight'Of God's countenance and their poor
fouls, which is as a multitude of mountains of divisions, di
viding between God and Sinners Have ye Searched the caufes
of diftance, and wreftled that tliefe might be removed, for
his name's fake ? Such as have done this, have been feeking
to be prepared for this work. , . ,
2- Have ye been examining, what it was that brought you
here ? What moved you <jl come here ? and what had you
before your eyes in coming here ? have ye examined this ?
O ! fear, the moft part of us have neyer faid to our fouls,
O foul ! what art thou feeking here this night ? O foul !
what wouldft thou have this night ? 0 foul ! knoweft thou
what thou irt going about this night ? Hath this been your
communing and language with your hearts i1 O ! hath it been
fo ? and what caufes have ye found out to be in you ? i fear,
many come here to get their curiofity fatisfied, and that is
the thing they are feeking : And pofiibly fome come to catch
advantage, and go away with an ill report, and that is the'
thing they are feeking ; but if ye be not feeking Chrift, and
his directing and affifting grace, his pardoning and preventing
qrace, all your feeking is but foolifh and destroying : Q !
but people have' great need to examine their ends and motives,
in all the duties they go about.
3. Have ye been Searching into your fouis, and examining
yourfelves, and Searching to know what corruption ii ftrong*
eft, and what gr.ice is weakeft, and winning to get the one
ftrengihned, and the other weakned ? If ye have been feek-
jng preparation, ye have been at this piece of exercife : Bat.
1 lear, the moft part here cannot lay their hand upon their
fore; ye cannot touch it with your finger, ye cannot fey, I
would have this corruption brought down, and this grace
ft lengthened : O! but I 'would have you believe it, if ye
would have any ni.'dkines applied by Christ's hand, ye muft
l.iy your hand upon the fore : ¦ We read in the gofpel, that
there

PREFACE to SERMONfXVIL- fogr
there came unto Chrift, fome blind men,' crying, Have mer
cy upon us, thou Son of David ; but they got not what they
were aSking, until they became more particular, faying, Lord,
la us receive our fight ; then they received their deiire : Ye
lnuft lay your hands on the fore, and touch the particular
one ; for, it is not all needy folk, but fenfible folk, whom
Chrift helps, fuch as are fenfible of their need ; and they
cannot be fenfible, if they be not particular.
4 If you have been preparing for this work, then ye have
been counting the coft of it, to kriow what it may coft you :
It will coft you Tan anfwer before the tribunalvof God ; yc
muft anfwer there for all the deedsdone in the body; and
this alfo will be a queftion, O man, and woman ! What wall:
thou feeking on fuch a night, in fuch a place? Remember this,
firs, and fee what anfwer ye will give to the Almighty ; arid
gird up your loins, for this question will as certainly be pro-
~poned to you, as I am fpeaking unto you, What was your
errand? and what benefit reaped ye by fuch opportunities?
There are no works of this kind, which are not either great
mercies, or great plagues to the people they are fent to ; they
either help forward of backward.
5. If ye have been feeking to be prepared for this duty, ye
have been counting what pieces of incident coft this piece of
duty may coft *you : Have ye counted that this night's here-
coming may coft you your heai^s or necks ? Ye may be called
by men to anfwer for it; ye may be called by men to deny
it, or to die for it : Ye muft count the coft of all duties ye
go about ; this is needful ; there muft be a fubferibing to
be at any coft whatfoever, in going about any piece of duty*
6. If ye have been preparing you-.-felves rightly, then ye
have been aSking at your own hearts, O foul ! what haft thou
. done with former opportunities, and how haft thou improve n
thefe : Every new opportunity hath a new call to look back
to former occasions, to fee how they have ;been impvoven:
Have ye been aSking at yourfelves, what good ye have gottea
of the gofpel in former opportunities ? This, I fey, ihould
bring you, in mind of former ©ccaftons ; and ye Should exa
mine what good ye have gotten by L'':n>.
7. If ye have been preparing yourfelves, then' ye Should
have .been putting this queftion to yourfelves alio, 0,- foul I
what good haft thou potten of the rod ? God hath fen: his
rod, to make his word work ; and,. O ! how hath it made it
work? I would have ycu to ir.y this home, upon- yourfelves,
how the rod of God. made the word of God work ; for that
it is the Lord's purpofe in his rod, is evident, he fends it on a
people, that he may make his word work effectually •. God
would have the w.jrd t-? do us good ; and for this effect he
islaying the rod heavy upon u$ythat-he may caufe tbe'o-;s CO

200 SERMON XVII.
to be a mean to make the other do us good t If ye have got
ten good of the rod, then it hath made the word to work
effectually upofa you ; if ye have been rightly preparing your
felves, this hath been a part of your exercife. ,
8. And lailly, If ye have been rightly preparing yourfelves
for this piece bf work, then ye have been wreftling with God,
that he might be here, and tryft with us this night ; ye have
been praying, that he might remove the caufes of diftance,
and might draw near to us, and draw our hearts near him'-'
felf. Dare I think that any of you bath not been about this
exercife before ye came hither ? I am ready to think, in the
judgment of charity, that all of you have been thus exercifed ;
and if there be any, who have Slighted and neglected it, that
their hearts will finite them : But as for fuch as have been di
ligently taken up about it, fuch may expect his prefence, and
to fee his hand liberally opened.

mmmw^mmB^wwMw^Mo^^^mmm)

SERMON XVII.

Jeremiah xxx. 7. '-,•
Alas! for that day is great, fo that none is like it .- It is even
the time of Jacob's trouble, but he fhall be faved out of it,
THIS generation's plague is hardnefs of heart: I think
there was never a generation and people, that were
given up of God to more judicial hardnefs of heart, than this
people is : I think there was nevera people that had fo little
feeling, as this people have, who are given over to fuch hard
nefs of heart, and ftupidity of mind ; and I will give you two
demonstrating evidences of the fame : The firft is from the
enemies : The fecond from ourfelves.
As to the firft, which is taken from the enemies, I think
we never heard of a generation of perfecutors, whofe fpirits
were more fet on edge by bell's fire than thefe ; they perfecute
without compaflion, they perfecute without pity ; fo that
they have given up, not only with all things like Christianity,
bur with very human reafon itfelf: What example fhallT
bring to delineate them ? I co'nfefs it puts me to it : Pharaoh will

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. ,201
will not do it ; he oppreffed the Ifraelites in their bodies and
eftates ; but we read not of his. oppreflirig them in their con
fciences ; and of blood-Shed,, whatever' he intended, at the
end, when they were gone out of this land, I fey. we read
not much of his oppreflion of confcience, and of his blood
shed : But there is a generation will be Satisfied with nothing,
but the- confcience ; and that will not Satisfy unlefs the head
go alfo. Neither need I mention Ahab, he was indeed a'
wicked man, and perfecutor ; but, whatever objective ties.
were lying upon him, yet there were no: fuch fubkctive ties as
on this generation : It was as little his duty, as their duty ;
yet he waB not fo oft fworn as they : He was a wicked man ;
but if he had been as wicked as the men of this generation, he
would not have had an Obadjah .about him. Neither need ¦
I mention Hazael : I think, if I could join the,m all together,.
it would not completely do it : I may lay, O poor Scotland !
the Lord hath fent the worft of the heathen to perfecute thee;
for, they declare by their actings, that they defy God ; they
declare their defiance againft the Moft High, and caft out a
flag againft the heavens : In effect, I can read nothing to be
the due fenfe and meaning of their actings and proceedings,
but this their defiance of God. But,
A fecond .demonstrating evidence is amongft ourfelves ;
for, there was never a poor people chaftried, and fo little
fenfible of it ; ourjliroke is heavier than our groaning: The
Lord hath taken a rod, arid hath dipt it in the feum of hell, and
whipped us with it ; and yet >we are not fenfible ! He tiath
chofen men, worfe than the heathen, to be our chaftifements;
and all to let us fee the iilthinefs of fin, and the great uefs of
our defections: ^et, where is the man, and where is the wo
man amongft you, that is rightly fenfible of God's- anger ?
Who is brought by all this, to hear the declarations of his
wrath, which our fad cafe is publishing to us? Ah! ah!
there_are few laying it to heart, that this is the time df Ja
cob's trouble, and that it is a great day, and that none is
like it : Few are crying, alas ! alas ! alas ! for the greatnefs
of this day!
.-¦. At the former occafion, I Shewed the connexion of the
words, divided them, and laid down a doctrine, and an ufe
from it. ' But, to make way for what is now to be faid, I Shall
deduce the fame in a Short word.
1 . As to the connection, the Lord is in this chapter Shew
ing unto Jeremiah the bringing bark of the Jews captivity,
and gives a command to write it, that it mighribe the better
believed, aud contribute to the Jews their ftrengthning in fuch
a cafe, when, fome were laying, bow could thefe things be ?
as if is in verfe 6. Wherefore do I fee every man writh hn hands
tn his loins, as a woman in travail, and allfaies are turned into
C c paknefi ?

202 SERMON XVfl.
palenefs ? and therefore command is given to write it : For
thus faith the Lord, though it be a great day, yet he fhall be
faved out o) it • And the manner of it is declared in the fol
lowing words, ver 8, 9. 1 will break his yoke from off thy neck,
and will burft thy bands, and ftrangers fhall no more ferve them
felves of him .- But they fhall ferve the Lord their God, and Da
vid their king, whom I will raife up unto them. Shewing that
this gathering of them from their captivity, typified Chrift's
collecting his difperfed elect throughout the world.
I divided the words into two heads: The firft contained
the meafure of the affliction of the church, which is very great,
fo that they met not with the like of it formerly, and it was
matter of concernednefs to'the church's children, Alas! for
that day is great, Sec.
The fecond head contained a ground for their deliverance,
But he fhall be delivered out of it.
From the firft head, I obferved this point, That when mo-,
derate afflictions do not the Lord's people good, then he comes with
feverer judgments againft them. I enlarged a little upon this,
with the anfwering of two queftions: The firft was, How did
the judgments of God appear among us, to be greater and
forer I The fecond queftion was, How Shall it appear, that
we have gotten good of the Lord's rods and afflictions ? Now,
I proceed to a Second doctrine, which is this,
Doct. II. The ajftitlions of the church of God, are caufe of
great forrow and concernednefs to all God's children, Jer. ix. i>
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night, for the flain of the daughters
of my people. The Slain of the daughter of his people lies fe '
near his heart, that he would defire to weep day and night*,
without intermiffion, I trow, the moft part of you know
not what it is to mourn one hour for the Slain of the Lord's
people. Likewife, Jer. iv. 19. My bowels, my bowels, I am
pained at my very heart ; My heart maketh a noife in me, I
canndt hold my peace, becaufe thou hafi heard, 0 my foul, the
found of the trumpet, and the alarm of war. O I what con
cernednefs is there, concernednefs at the heart ? I am pained
at the heart, becaufe destruction upon destruction is cried, be
caufe I heard the Sound of the trumpet, the enemies coming
againft the church of God. And, how is he greatly afflicted ¦
with what befals the church of God ? Lam. ii. 11. Mine eyes
do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured
upon the ee^rth, for the deflrUilion of the daughter cf my people,
becaufe the children and the fucklings fwoon in the ftreets of the
city. O! the church's calamity is matter of great concern
ednefs to all the church's children ; it is matter of great
concernednefs, iudeed. Do ye not think that he would be a,
* very

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. , 203
very ungrate and unnatural fon, who faw his mother toffed,
troubled, deftroyed, and left wounded and bleeding ? I Say,
think ye, were he not very ftubborn, who faw this, and were
not concerned with it ? and yet, Zion's children, how un
concerned are they now with their mother's bleeding and dif-
trefleckcafe ?. I will prefs this duty, home upon you, with Se
veral reafons.
Ye may fay unto me, what can the reafons be, why Zion's
children ought to be fo much concerned with Zion's afflic
tions ?
Anfw. I Shall tell you fome weighty reafons, why it ought
to be fo.
1. Becaufe the afflictions of the children of God are evi
dences of his anger againft his church, Pfalm lxxix. 3. Their
blood have they fhed like witer round about jerufalem, and there
was none to bury them. Verfe 4. We are become 'a reproach to
our neighbours, a fcorn and derifion to them that are round about
us. Verfe 5. How long, -Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever?
Shall thy jealoufy burn like fire? What was it that the Pfalmift
faw in their blood being Shed ? He faw God's anger : All ojr
blood Shed is a declaration of God's anger ; all our toffings,
banishments, outcaftings, foe. are a declaration of God's an
ger; yea, our coming here under cloud of night, with the
hazard of our lives, fays that God is angry ; and Should not
the affliction of the church lie near our hearts, becaufe it cries,
God is angry? Where is there a fon that hath love to his
father, but he will be concerned with his father's anger ?
And where is there a fervant that loves his milter, but he will
be troubled when his matter is angry ? But, in effect, I muft
fay this, The moft part looks like children that care not for
their parents, and like unto a fervant that cares not for his
matter ; ye profefs fair indeed ; but who of you is hear
tily grieved tor the affronts and indignities done againft the
Lord ?
2. Becaufe then God's declarative glory fuffers : The church
is faid to be God's glory, Ifaiah iv. 5. For upon all the glory
fhall be a defence. He will be for.a wall of fire about his church ;
She may be feid to be his glory, becaufe he dalights to glorify
•himfelt for her, and by her ; he declares his prefence in her,
and for her :. His glory and name Suffers by the afflictions of
bis church ; and fhould not this lie near our hearts, that
his glory is fo concerned in the afflictions of his church ? It
were a fmall matter, if only a company of men and women
fuffered ; but, mainly and principally, his glory fuffers ; and
that becaufe then his prefence is obftructed : His prefence
makes the church glorious ; btit then, in the time of her
great affliction, he is. net feen appearing for his church ; his
C c 2 mercy

2o4 S E R M O N XVIL
mercy and juftice are. not then confpicuoufly manifefted to
the world.
3. Becaufe then his attributes are'hidden and darkned ; his
faithfulnefs and power is called in queftio.n : This was a thing
that did lie near David's heart ; for, it was as a fword in his
bones, while the enemies faid unto him, Where is thy God?
Pfehnxlii. 10. The affliction that was upon the poor church,
made the enemies to lay, Now where is their Gad ? he hath
forfeken them :, God's being and attributes are called into
queftion, by proud boalfors and blafphemers, in fuch times
as thefe ; and Should not this lie near our hearts ? The ene
mies are faying unto us, as they faid to David, Pfalm xxli. 8.
He trufted on the Lord, tbat he would deliver him .- Let him de
liver him, feeing he delighted in him. Let him deliver him
now: If he come not, bis'preS'ence is obfeured, and his at
tributes called in, queftion ; and Should not this move-us with
concern for his church's affliction ? *
4. Becaufe it is a day'. of abounding fin : Hence, fays the
Pfalmift,. Pialm ixxiv. 18. Remember this,' that the enemy hath
reproached, O Lord, and that the Joolifh people -hertfe- bhfpbemed
thy name. That is a day of reproach and blafpherny againft
God ; a day of abounding fin, and that two ways.
(1.) S:.i abounds becaufe of the perfecution ; they afid" Sin
unto iniquity, they multiply iniquity, they run like incarnate
devils in their corrupt courles.
(2.) Sin abounds, becaufe many deny GocJ's name, and
faint in fuch a rime : We never read of the church's afflic
tions in any time, but there were always many that drew back,
and few Stood, in comparifon of them that did fall ; fo, fuch
a day is a day of abounding fin, Pfalm xii: 8. The wicked walk
on every fide when vileft of men are exalted. It ' is then that
wickednefs keeps the crown of the caufeway, and is moft in
requeft. We fee now, that wickednefs is become the pafs,
by which men may fafely travel : One who can curfe, drink,
and fwear, is fafe ; fuch are calledby them no rebels to their
king ; albeit he and they be both rebels to God.
5. Becaufe enemies in Iuch a day become infolentand proud;
therefore thechildrcn of 'orod ought to be concerned with the
church's afflictions -. Remember, this, Says the PS'almift, that
the enemy hath reproached, 0 Lord, and tbat the foolifh people
have blafphemed thy name, Pfal. Ixxiv. 18. It is a day, where
in the enemies become proud, when they fey, Let God deliver
him, feeing he trufted in him. They proclaimed their defiance
againft God ; they declare that they defy him, and efteem
him not ; and Should not this make the church's affliction lie'
near our hearts ; Seeing then the enemy becomes greater
boafters and mockers ? 6. Becaufe

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. 20c
6. Becaufe the affliction of the-church puts many to a fed
quandary and nonplus ; therefore we aught to be much con
cerned with Jacob's affliction : many are like to be Stumbled
in fuch days, as even 'David himfelf was like to be Stumbled,
when he few the profperity of the wicked, feeing they were
not troubled, nor plagued like other men : Therefore he faith.
Pfalm Ixxiii. 13. Verily, I have cleanfedmy heart in vain, and
wafhed my hands in innocency. What a fad non-plus puts it
thofe unto, who are fpoken of,-, Malachi ii. 17. Ye have wea
ried the Lord with your words ; yet ye fay, Wherein have we
wearied him ? when ye fay, Every one that doth evil, is good in
the fighfof the Lord, and he delighteth in them, and where is the
God of judgment ? And chapter iii. 14. 15. Ye have faid, It is
vain to ferve God, and what profit is it, that we have kepi his
ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord
of hofts ? And now, we call the proud happy : yea, they that
work wickednefs are fet up ; yea, they that tempt God are even.
delivered. Say they, 'Judgment hath left the earth, and the
Lord is testifying that he delights in wickednefs, when they
fee them that tempt God even delivered, and the workers of
wickednefs exalted : Then, fay they, it is in vain for us to
keep his ordinances ; and what profit have we by fo doing?
The affliction that hath befallen the church in our day, hath
made many fay this, that they think wickednefs will never
come down ; and we muft caft in our lot, and take part with
the reft : This is a very fad quandary and non-plus,, that it
puts people unto ; and Should we not be much concerned
with this ?- '
7. Zion's children ought to be concerned much with her
afflictions, becaufe of their filial and brotherly feeling which
calls thereunto : Should not a child be very concerned, when
his rfiother is toifed, and, troubled, and herried ? If a mother
were in her wounds, were it not a great unconcernednefs, if
her fons were not troubled and concerned with her cafe ? Jer.
ix. 1. Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of
tears, that I might weep day and night, for the flain of the
daughter of my people. Brotherly fympathy, and fellow-feel
ing, calls to this great concernednefs with the afflictions of the
church. And now, beloved, feeing there arefuch reafons,
feeing this is a great day, when the church is rebuked, be con
cerned with her afflictions ; the unconcerned perfons, on
whofe hearts the afflictions of God's church lie not near, are
the perfons with whom the Lord is difpleafed ; for, believe
me, unconcernednefs with the church of God, goes before en
mity : Let me fee a man unconcerned this day, and I will let
you fee a man that will turn an enemy the next day : Let not
this appear an hard faying ; for, in the prophecy of Obadiah,
ye will fee it fully cleared ; for, ven n. it is faid, They flood

*o5 SERMON XVTL
era the other fide ; but, verfe 14. their open enmity is pointed
hy cutting off thofe that did efcape, and delivering up thofe that
did remain in the day of diftrefs. Ye fee then, that firft they
ftood upon the other fide, and unconcerned perfons, and
then afterwards proved open enemies. So we fee, that thofe
who are unconcerned this, day, next day they will, run away
to enemies courts. .But, ye will fay, may we not anfwer to
their courts, and clear ourfelves of Such things as we are clear
of ? I anfwer, > , ,
(1.) Such men are not competent to call you to their
courts ; and yet, your going there fays, ye hold them as com
petent judges.
(2.) Though they were competent judges for civil things,
yet they Sre no ways competent to judge in matters concern
ing which ve are to be interrogated of, But,
(3.) That which ye feek to clear yourfelves of, it is not to
your credit to clear yourfelves. of. But ye will fay unto me,
May we not fwear that, which is truth, about fuch matters
and perfons? I will tell you, what that oath implies, and it
is this, That it was your advantage not to fee them, and that
ye look upon it as your duty, not to own them, nor to help
them, nor to converfe with them. Many will fay, that they
were not at Bofowell ; and, may I not declare, fay ye, that
it is true ? It may be, ye were not at Bothwell ; but, if ye
would not wrong and betray the caufe of God to the enemies,
when ye come before them to declare this, ye Should avow
edly add, But that was my great fin. In many things the If
raelites were a very unconcerned people ; and what comes of
it at length ? They went and fet up the calves at Dan and Be
thel : So, many of you are come here unconcernedly this
night, and we will hear tell of you the next day, that ye are
away to the tefted curates. This is ." point that I would dwell
a little upon ; and that by propounding this queftion to you,
and anfwering it.
You will have it to fay, poffibly, How fliall we be concer
ned with the afflictions of the people of God ? It is a neceffa-
ry queftion, and I will tell you four things which are neceffa-
ry to right concernednefs with the afflictions of the people of
God : And,
1. If fo be, that ye would be rightly concerned with the af
flictions of the people of God, then be more concerned with
$our fin than with your calamity: We read what Ephraim
did when he few his ficknefs, and Judah faw his wound ;
then went Ephraim to the Affyrian, and fent to king Jareb ;
but what follows ? yet could he not heal them, nor cure t htm of
their wound, Hof. v. '3. They were fenfible of their calami
ty, but not of their fin, and therefore they took a wrong
courfe ; thefe who are more concerned with calamity than
with

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. fay
with fin, will readily take a finful courfe, that they may win
out of it. O I be more concerned with your Sin than with
your calamity. If ye afk the reafon, why fo many comply?
This is it, in Short, they are more fenfible of calamity, than of
fin ; if ye were fenfible of fin, ye would not do it : Will ye
fliew yourfelves more fenfible of your fin, and more con
cerned with it, than with your calamities. O ! then, be per-
fuaded to cry o^ut very much for the greatnefs of the fin,
which hath extorted fuch Strokes from God; are thefe his
ways ? chaftifements are not the ways in which God delights ;
The language of our hearts, when we receive the rod' upon
our back, Should not be for the Sharpnefs of it, but for the
fins that have procured it. .
2. If, ye Would be helped to a right concernednefs, beniore
taken up with the fufferings of the name of God, than with
your own fufferings, Pfal. Ixxiv. ,8. They faid in their heart,
let us deftroy them together ; they have, burnt up all the fyna-
gogues in the land. When he fays the firft, viz Let us deftroy
them together, he would add this, But what is the matter of
that ? but then it is added, They have burnt up God's fyna-
gog'ues : This fays indeed, that our fufferings are but a Small
bufinefs, in refpect of God's being dishonoured, his name
blafphemed, arid his work deftroyed. Men perfecute Chrift
in his members ; but ye Should be more concerned with the
fufferings of God's name, thar^with your own Sufferings, if
ye would be rightly concerned with the church's afflictions.
3. If ye" would be helped to be concerned with thechurch's
diftreffed cafe, then ye muft alfo be ready to contribute any
thing ye can, to the rebuilding of the broken work of God.
Is this the language of your hearts to the Lord, to fey with
Peter, Acts iii. 6. Silver and gold have I none; but fuch as I
have give I thee. Ye will fay, Sve are a poor wafted remnant,
what can we giVe r But will ye fay this, though we have not
means nor fortunes to beftow upon the work ; yet, behold,
we have heads and hands, and thefe will we beftow upon it :
We have hea Is and hands, for flones ; and legs and limbs,
for timber ; 'and blood, for cementing ; and thefe will we
give. 4. Ye muft be as concerned with your brother's fuffering?,
as with your own fufferings : Ah ! Ah ! I fear that brethrens
fufferings lie not very near your hearts -, when one member
fuffers, Should not all the members fuffer with it ? Are we
not all members of one body ? How can the members of one
body be fo divided, as not to fympathize one with another?
Be therefore concerned with the fufFerings of others, if ye
would be concerned with the, fufferings of the people 6f God.
Now, in the next place, I would give you Some helps
whereby ye may learn to win to be rightly concerned. And. l. If

zo8 SERMON XV.
I . If ye would be rightly concerned, ye muft once come,
and be a fight fon or daughter of the church, and member
of Jefus Cfo'A; untn then, ye cannot have a fellow-feeling
of the body. Come, then, and Chrift will give you a fellow-
feeling with the fufferings of the church. Come, and em
brace himfelf, and he will fet the Stamp of natural children
upon you. Without' hiin ye can do nothing ; without him
ye cannot be concerned with the fufferings pf his name and
members; refufe not, and reject not his offers, when he calls
you to himfelf. It is hard to wit, if fome of you Shall have
an offer again ; now is the acceptable time, now is the day of
falvation ; he is now fpreading his net, and will ye not come
about the net's mouth, that a catch of you may be gotten ?
He is proclaiming unto you, that he hath invincible power,
thougb managed by apparent weaknefs. O! find ye any of
this irrefiftible power of Chrift ? O ! come unto him, who is
the joy of heaven, and it Shall be a joyful night in heaven ;
be will have a go,od report of you through heaven, if he fliall
have it to fay, that fome poor lad or lafs hath put a crown u-
pon his head in fuch a place. But, Oh ! how fad Shall it be,
if Chrift Shall .have it to fay, I gave offer of myfelf to a peo
ple like Slocks and Stones, but they would not hear: This
will help you to concernednefs, once to become true fonsof
your mother church.
1. Study to know the finfnlnefs and hatefulnefs of; Sin ; for
it is the fenfe of fin, that muft produce concernednefs with
fin. O ! ftudy to have a fight of the hatefulnefs and Sinful-
nefs of fin, , for God is declaring his hatred againft fin; for
he is of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity. O ! be
fenfible therefore of fin, and hate it.
3. Study a continued fight of the precioufnefs of the caufe.
Many of you think it a caufe#vherein ye may come and go ;
ye look upon it as man's caufe. O ! were ye'Tenfible of the
precioufnefs of the caufe, ye would think otherwife. O!
were ye fenfible of the precioufnefs of the caufe, as.it is
Chrift's caufe, before ye would quit one pendicle of it, ye
would rather quit witb a hundred heads-and lives, I fay, ye
muft have a continued fight of the precioufnefs of the caufe.
4. See that ye cbunt all the pieces of the coft. Be not like
that foolffli builder, that began to build, and was not able to
finifh. Be not like a foolifh warrior, who fitteth not down
„by the way, to fee, if with ten thoufand he be able to meet
the other with twenty thoufand. Alfo, count the coft, that
whatfo.ever may befal you in the way, it fliall not furpriie
you ; this will help to great concernednefs. Lay thefe things
to heart, feeing there are fuch weighty reafons for it, fuch
as, the declaration of God's wrath, the fufferings of God's
glory, Seeing fin fo much abounds, Seeing the enemy is fo
info-

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. 209
infolent, feeing many are put to a hard non-plus, and feeing
fellow-feeling calls for it: Therefore,' ftudy much concerned
nefs with the church's condition.' the third doctrine from
that head, is this :
Doct. III. The Lord ufeth to lay his church low, before he
deliver them : and he ufeth to chdften his p,cp;e very fore, before
he change his way of dealing with them.
It is faid, Hofea xiv. 3. In thee the fatherlefs findeth mercy :
That is to fay, he will have his people low before he exalt
them. Lie deals as the priefts under the law, who took the
heave-offering, and waved it, there and here, hither and thi
ther, and then lifted it up ; fo he takes and toffes his church,
as if he would not leave a bit of it together. But here ye will
aSk, What is the reafon that he lays them fo low, before he
begin to deliver them ? For anfwer to this, take thefe reafons.
1. He brings his church low, before he begin to deliver
them, that he may get his pedple brought off allvifible helps,
Jer. iii. 23. Truly, in Vain is falvation hoped for from the hills,
and from the multitude of mountains. Folk are ready to put
their trull in vifible means ; but God will have all that which
is the object of fenfe out of the way. This is the Lord's pur
pofe, to take our eye off inftruments, and all vifible helps, that
we may learn, that in vain is falvation hoped for from the
hills, and from the multitude of the mountains; the Lord
plagues means, when they are doated on ; and when they are
plagued of the Lord, they are ufelefs creatures : Hence that
word, Hof. viii. 18. For Ifrael hath forgotten his Maker, and
buildeth temples , and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities ; but I
will fend a fire upon his cities, and it fhall devour the palaces
thereof. The Lord behoved to fend a fire on the fenced ci
ties, that they might be taught not to rely on 'them any more.
2. He brings his people low, that he may get them taught
to fix their eyes on him alone for help. Be their cafe ne«.r
fo low, there is enough in him for their recovery. He can
not be put to difficulties ; his hand is not fhortned, that it
cannot'fave: But, as he teacheth them in the fore-cited. place,
That in vain is falvation hoped for from the hills, ' and from the
multitude of mountains ; yet he teacheth them, that there is
help enough in himleif, that, having their eyes off ail vifible
things, they.niight fix them on God.'
f 3. That fo he may make his people fitted objects of his mer
cy ; according to that word, Hof. xiv. 3. In thee the fatherlefs
findeth. mercy' It is miferable folk' that find mercy ; there
fore he layeth them low, that they may be the objects of his
mercy. 4. He lays his people low, before he deliver them, that we
may be made fat objects for his opening of the bowels of.his
fympathy to us ; For Chrift is waiting to be gracious, and to
D d open

310 S E R M O N XVII.
open the bowels of his fympathy to us. The more lo» that
we are, the more occaficn hath he for this, Zeeh.-ii. 8. After
the glory hath he, fent me to the nations which fpoiled you ; For
he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. The mean
ing is this, after his church, w\ich is his declarative glory,
was fpoiled by thefe nations, then Chrift was fent unto thefe
nations, to fpoil them ; becaufe he had occafion to left if y his
fympathy with his people, he that toucheth you bis church,
tOucheth tin apple of his eye, which is a moft tender part.
Here is great Sympathy ; ay, indeed, he makes himfelf glori
ous in their delivery, when they are low, that he may get all
the praife of their delivery, Zech. ii. 9. For, behold, I will flake
jny hand upon them, and they fliall be a fpoil to their fervants,
and ye fhall know that the Lord of hofts hath fent me. It is Chrift
that is here fpeaking, that he may manifeft that he was fent
of his Father, to be the Redeemer of, and Mediator for, his
church. It is, that Chrift may manifeft his. attributes to his
church ; for, his infinite power would not be feen, in raising
them up, were they not brought to a hopelefs-like cafe, as to
fenfe. He -would not get all the praife, if they were inftru
ments for it. This is the reafon, that he lays them low, that
bis hand alone may be feen in their deliverance: Even as it
was with the Ifraelites, when out of that great army of Gide
on's he choofed only three hundred, left that the Ifraelites
fliould have aferibed the victory to their power. Thus it is,
that he may have occafion to manifeft his attributes, and fheWi
his arm, wherein is everlafting ftrength ; that fo he may get
all the praife. He layeth them low, that fo it may be Sung,
as it is, Pfalm cxv. 1. Not unto us 0 Lord, not unto us, but'
unto thy name give glory.
5. That he may teach his people faith to believe in him, in
all cafes of extremity : Hence, when the Ifraelites were in ex-
tr - :iity the Lord minds them of their former extremity, when
they were in Egypt, and of the Lord's delivering them when
they were there, and hearing their prayers there ; and he puts
them in remembrance of what he did for them ; and, had
they not been fo non-pluffed, the Lord had not gotten occa-
caiion to manifeft himfelf for them ; nor had -they been fo
fitted for new trials : And thus they were made, like David,
to fay, 1 Sam xvii. 37, The Lord that delivered me out of the
paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver
me out of the hand of this Philiftine. He brings a day of great''
trouble, before he deliver, that Jacob may truit in him, all
the days of his trouble.
6. That, then when he delivers, he may the more confound
his enemies. It is a great furprizaj to enemies, when they are
faying, as it. were, we have no more to trouble us, while fud
denly their profperous ftate is turned into mifery or adverlity.

Upon Jeremiah, xxx. 7. 211
After that David had been fpeaking of the profperous Slate
of the Wicked, he clearly points out what will befal them,
faying, Pfalm Ixxiii. 19, 20. How are they brought into defla
tion, as in a moment ? They are utterly confumed with terrors :
As a dream when one awaketh, fo, 0 Lord, when thou awakeft,
thou fhalt defpife their image. The higher enemies are lifted
up, the fadderand forer fhall their fall be; like a man falling
from the top of a Steeple, whofe fall is greater, than if he had
fallen but the height of one houfe. He will give a ftroke un
to enemies, that will confound them ; the higher enemies are,
they Shall. be the more confounded. When God fliall plead
his controverfy with them, they fliall be in fuch a cafe, that
they Shall not know what hand to turn them to.
7. That he may teach all fucceeding generations to learn
this, that the prosperity of the wicked is very uncertain, and
their advancement goes before their ruin and fall. He will
learn his people in following generations, that his enemies
fliall not ftand, and that they ftand 011 Slippery and flidry
ftones, and fliall foon fall heels-over-head. I fliall detain
you no longer, but Shall only name two words of ufe.
Ufe 1. Seeing God lays low, (before he deliver K and delivers
when low, then let not enemies rejoice at our low cafe ; let
them not infult and fay, Let us perfecute them, for God
hath forfaken them. Though we fall, we Shall arife; tho'
we fit in darknefs, yet-the Lord will be a light ur.to us. Be
lieve it, the lower our cafe be, the nearer is their cleftruction.
Our low cafe is a fore-runner of their fall and ruin ; there is
not Such matter of boafting, as enemies imagine ; though we
fall, we Shall arife.
Ufe 2. Ye that are the people of God, defpond not at your
low condition ; the lower your cafe is, he fhall get the mere
glory in delivering of you. Rejoice in your low cafe, becaufe
it makes for the manifestation of God's, attributes : Rejoice,
becaufe God Shall be exalted in your delivery ; for, the'Iow-
er ye are brought, the more glory fliall redound to him,
when ye fliall be redeemed out of all your troubles. Unto
bkn be praife.

Dd2 SERMON

[ 212 3

SERMON XVIII.

Jeremiah xxx. 7.
Alas 1 for that day is great, fo that none is like it : It is even
the time of Jacob's trouble, but he fhall be faved out of it.

IT is a comfort to the people of God, that, be it with them
as it will, their help is in him : Whatever their cafe be, he
can help them in it, Ilaiah lix.'i. Behold the Lord's hand is nit
fbortned, that it cannot fave. There is not a cafe at all, that
the people of God can be in, t1 at can put him to a non-plus
or difficulting extremity. Moreover, there is not a cafe at^H,
that the people of God can be in, but he will deliver th'em
out of it : I fay, there fliall no trouble nor afflicted cafe be
fal them, out of which lie is not ready to deliver them, albeit
their complaint Should be fuch as that in Jer. viii. 20. The har
veft is paft, the fummer is ended, and we are not faved : Yet he
will fave them even then ; and although many be the troubles
that afflict the juft, yet the Lord Will deliver them out of them
all. Although this day of trouble be fuch as none is like it,
yet Jacob Shall be faved out of it.
I had formerly fome occafion to be on thefe words, and di
vided them into two heads ; the firft whereof contained the
greatnefs of the trouble of the church and people of God : It
is fo great, that they did not meet with the like of it before ;
and this was a cafe of great concernednefs to all the children
of God. To this head I fpake a little, laying down fome
doctrines and ufes from the fame, and by raising fome necef-
fary questions, which now I fliall ndt refume. Howbeit, fome
may remember, that, at the laft occafion, I was giving fome
reafons, why it wis the Lord's manner of way with his church
and people, to bring them very low, before he deliver them:
And iiowl proceed 10 a fecond head, viz. A promife of deli
very, notwithftanding of the greatnefs of their trouble, But
he fhall be delivered out of it. Hence I lay down this firft docri
trine from it :
Doct. I. That when, the Lord minds to deliver his people, no
thing will ftand in the way of it. Zech. iv. 7. Who art thou, 0
great mountain,' before Zerubbabel ? thou fhalt become a plain.
When did the Lord mind to deliver his people ? Even then,
when that great mountain, the Perfian dominion, d.J prove
an impediment in the way, and the Samaritan faction ; then
faith he unto them, that Shall be fo far from hindering, that it

SERMON XVIII. 213
it fhall be made an help. The Lord takes the mountains,
and calls them into the valleys, to make up even ground,
and fo makes them helpful. There can be1 no mountain in
the Lord's way, which he will not eafily remove, when infi
nite love and infinite power ftrike hands together. What
mountains will ftand then, when the feet of reconciliation
begin to tread upon them ? for they will then melt away ; for
all the troubles of the church are like a thick mifty cloud, be
fore the rifing of the fun ; fo that when the fun arifeth, it
difpelleth it, and the place of it is no -more known. All the
church's afflictions 'are fuch at the Lord's appearing ; they
fhall evaniSh, and though thofe your mountains be great in
your eyes, yet they are not fo in the Lord's eyes.
But it is like fome of you will have this to fay, O ! are not
many mountain's ftanding in the way of the Lord's coming
to deliver us ? Well, they are fo ; but, let me tell you, thele
fliall not ftand -,' and, that I may confirm the doctrine, and.
make it more clear, by applying it to our own cafe, I Shall
hold forth untO you fome of thefe mountains that are in the
way, an J make it appear that thefe fliall not ftand. And,
i . It may1" be, that ye will fey, The force and might of
the enemies is a great mountain. It is true ; but, remember
what is faid, Zech. iv. 7. " Who art thou, O great mountain,
" before Zerubbabel ? thou Shalt become a plain." When
infinite love puts infinite power in execution', for the 'church's
delivery, what will ftand in the way? Ifa. xl. 6,7. "The
"'voice faid, Cry , and he faid, What Shall I cry ? All flefli is
" grafs, and all the goodnefs thereof is as the flower of the
" field. The grafs withereth, the flower fadeth, becaufe the
" Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it : Surely the people is
" grafs." What is the adverfary then ? Nothing but grafs :
Can they ftand before him When his breath blows upon them I
Nay, they will wither and decay :' " Surely the people is grafs.
Pfalm ciii, 15, 16. " As for man, his days are as grafs, as a
" flower in the field fo he flourifheth : For the wind pafleth
" over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof Shall know k
" no more."
Doth not the Pfalmift defcribe unto us the cafe of the wic
ked ? Pfalm xxxvii. 35, 36. " I have feen the wicked in great
" power, and fpreading himfelf like a green bay-tree':' Yet
"he paffed away, and Io, he was not; yea, I fought him,
"buthe could net be found." Thefe enemies, in all '.'their
might and multitude, are but as grafs in the Lord's Sight, and
fhall no rnore hinder his fickle of juftice, than grafs hinders
the fickle of him that moweth it down.
Think not that thefe wicked powers can ftand in the,Lord's
way as mountains ; all their combinations, train-bands, and
con-

2i4 SERMON XVIII.
confederacies, their foldiers, dragoons, and militia, will not
Stand before him ; he needs do no more but breathe upon
them, and they fhall wither ; the breath of his noftrils will
ealily confume them.
2. The fecond mountain, which ye may fpeak of, is, our
divisions. O! is it not a great mountain in the way of our
delivery ? Ay, that is true, but it Shall not ftand, Zeph. iii. 9.
" For then will I turn to the people a pure language,' that
f' they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to ferve him
'• with one confent." Ifa. xi. 13. "The envy alfo of Eph-
", raim Shall depart, and the adverfaries of Judah Shall be cut
*' off ; Ephraim Shall not envy Judah, and Judah Shall not
*' vex Ephraim." Thus the Lord hath promifed, and fo it
fhall not ftand in the way of the Lord's delivering of his
church, and that in a due time ; for, he will take away our
divisions, by removing the caufes of our divisions, and will
;beal our breaches ; he will either let men fee their folly, in
following backfliding courfes, or elfe remove thefe out of the
way, if he fee it not fit to put a Slop to it another way ; he
will take away dividing men. What are fuch men like ? They
are like thofe fpoken of, Ezek. xiii. io. one built up a wallr
and lo, others daubed- it with untempered mortar: but it is
added, the wall Shall fall, and a Slormy wind fhall rend it :
Then Shall it be faid, as ver. 1 2- Where is the daubing where
with ye have daubed it ? Then Shall it be faid, as in ver. 15.
The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it, O ! thatj
men would think upon this, who are pleading for a Shadow '.
of peace, under that malignant intereft : When God brings
forth his Stormy wind on that wall, to throw it down, where
will they appear? It fhall be faid, where is the wall i and
where are they that daubed it? He will remove that ma
lignancy that hath divided the land, he will remove the indi
gency that hath divided the land. I fay, believe it, for that
day will come, wherein many Shall be afhamed for cleaving
fo clofe to their defective courfes ; he will remove thefe per
fons, he will remove the Stumbling-blocks with the wicked,
he will remove them with thefe, before the church's deb-
very. ,y
3. The third mountain is, the mountain of our guilt ; that,
is a great hindrance in the way ; but neither Shall that ftand ,
in the way ; for Iris feet of reconciliation will make that
mountain to melt : Hath he not faid, Ifa. xliii. 25. " I, even .
" I, am he, that blotteth out thy tranfgreffions for mine own
*' fake, and will not remember thy fins ?" He Shews himfelf
to be a God, boundlefs in mercy, to forgive, and alfo to for
get their iniquities. Hath he not faid, Hofea xiv. 4. " I will
" heal their backflidings, I will love them freely ?'' and Ezek.
xviii. 21. " But if the wicked will turn from all his fins that
"he

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. a*S
»' he hath committed, and keep all my ftatutes, and do tbat
" which is lawful and right, he fliall furely live, he fliall not
".die?" The Lord will batter down thefe. mountains. O?
then, would ye have him to batter them down? Then re
member what he hath faid in the forecited place, Ezek. xviii.
2-1 1 . forfake fin, and fear his name ; and I make an -offer in
his name, of his mercy unto you, in that Word, Ifaiah i..i8«
" Come now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord,
"though your Sins be as fearlet, they Shall be .sis white as
" Show, though they be like crimfon, they fhall'be as wool.49
Compare this with Zech. xiii. 1. "In that day there fliall be
" a fountain opened to the houfe of David, and to the inha-
" bitants of Jerufalem, for fin and for uncleannefs." What
ever be your fins, come onto Jefus Chrift, and ye Shall not
be put away : Though each one of you 'had the fins of a whole
congregation, ye Shall have pardon : Remember the virtue
that is in that fountain, that ye are invited to come to ; he
will pardon all your fins, wafh away all your guilt, and heal
all your backflidings. O ! it is virtuous ; not only doth it
wafh away the guilt of fin, but alfo remove the confequen-
ces of fin : Shall fuch mercies be offered to you, and wsil
ye refufe them r O ! foolifh people, who undervalue Suck
great mercies : Ah ! go not away fools, when ye come here-
in the hazard of your lives ; but accept of Jefus Chrift ; for,
in a word, if ye will take Chrift, and ihe fountain of his me
rits, for wafhing away your iniquities, remember he hath told
you, he will heal your' backflidings, and love you freely-
O ! for the glory of his name, and your own falvation, fit
not the call, now, when he is coming in the garments of fal
vation. O I take him in that drefs, otherwife, his next com
ing will be in garments dyed with blood.
4. The fourth mountain, which is in the way, is even a
great indifpofition for the Lord's coming and delivering us -,
yet, hath he not told us, Hofea xiv. 4. that he will heal our
backflidings, and that by pardoning guilt, and removing the
power of fin, and by removing our fpiritual judgments \
therefore, the indifpofition of his people for delivery, is fuck
a mountain as Shall not ftand in the way, though itbe a gi"eat
mountain ; yea, the ftrong and great king Shall batter down
thefe ; for, infinite love, and infinite power, are able to bat
ter down tbefe : He can t'eliver in fuch a.manner, as his de
livery Shall difpofe for itfelf: When his people Shall be de
livered, they Shall be a humble people; for his deliverance"
fliall make them moft fenfible of thair fin ; bowbeit, there are
fome, that are not Seeking a difpofition for a delivery; thefe
are very great fools. Some, again, look not to free grace bring
ing about a delivery, and working a difpofition for that dif-
penfation, ,

2i6. SERMON XVIII.
penfation, and they lay too much ftrefs upon external arid
outward reformation : But, as we Should ftudy inwardly and
outwardly to reform ourfelves, according.to the word of God ;
fo, we ought to lay no ftrefs upon any. thing we can do : We
muft not think, though we could get ourfelves Shaken free of
aft the abominations of the time, that we can move God to
deliver us : No, it muft be nothing in us : How ..will it be,
then, that he will deliver his church ? It will be, by loving
them freely, and pardoning all their iniquity, Hofea xiv. 4.
This love in him is both able to bring about that delivery,
and work that -difpofition for a delivery : Indifpofition Shall
no£ ftand in the way ; for, if it cannot be wrought another
way,, he will work a difpofition by the delivery itfelf. Ah !
it is fadly true ; we are not fit for a delivery ; all that hath
come on us, .bath not humbled us; but, I. fay, free grace
can do this thing, albeit all former pains have not done it.
The Lord can make our deliverance do it, though all that
bath come yet hath not done it ; yet, when his time comes,
this mountain Shall not ftand in his way.
5. The fifth mountain, which fliall not Stand in the way,
is,, the blae marks of God's difpleafure upon us, Joel ii. 25.
And I will reftore to you the years that the locuft hath eaten^
the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my.
great army, which I fent among you. They were a people which
had many a blae mark of the Lord's difpleafure upon them ;
yet he fays, he will reftore what they had loft ; for, he, can
foon turn himfelf gracioufly to his people, Zeph. iii. 13. Bev
hold, at that time, I will undo all that affliti thee, and I will
fave her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and
J will get them praife and fame in every land, where they have
been put tofhame : Thefe were a people that had many blae
marks of the Lord's difpleafure ; for, (1.) They were driven
out. (2) They were fcattered here and there*. (3.) They
were reproached by enemies, foe. Yet he fays, I will fave
her that halteth, foe. and get them praife and fame. The
Lord, by appearing and doing for his people, can foon do a-
way thefe tokens of his difpleafure, and the marks o£ his in
dignation ; fo that they may not hinder him.
6. The Sixth mountain, is, the want of inftruments, and
helps for this work ; but neither Shall this mountain Stand in
his way, Obad. ver. 18. But upon M^unt Zion fhall be delive
rance. Verfe 21. And faviours fhall come upon Mount Zion, to
judge the mount of Efau, and the kingdom fhall be the Lord's.
He can take a man from the plough or barn-floor, and make
him an inftrument of greateft works : Howbeit, he will not
let the want of inftruments ftand in the way. Let not die
want of inftruments difcourage you; for, when God defigos
to bring about the deliverance of bis church, his ordinary way

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. > 217
way is, to lay by inftruments, becaufe much ufe of them
would make his hand obfeure in the action ; and fothe praife
fhould not be given him. Remember what he did to'l'rsel,
in the time of Gideon ; he then lays afide all the army, ex
cept three hundred men, that unto him might be afcrib'ed all
the praife of th,e action : The want of inftruments fliall pre
pare the Lord's people for the deliverance, in the mean time
when inftruments are leaft feen ; that is the time that Chrift
appears moll for his people : Hath he not called you to re
member what is faid, Ifa. lix. 16. And he faw that there was
no man, and wondred that there was no interceffor ,- therefore
his arm brought falvation unto him, and bis r'ghteoufnejs fvftain-
ed him. Verfe 17. For he put on rigl-teoufr.cj:. as a breft plate,
and an helmet of falvation upon his head ; and he put on the
garments of vengeance for c loathing, and was clad with zeal as
a cloak : When was all this ? Even when he faw none con
cerned with his people's cafe. It is a- noble inference, indeed,
he faw no man as instruments, therefore his own arm brought
Salvation. O I firs, fear not thefe mountains, the.want of
inftruments ; God can work without inftruments ; for, as
he can work with inftruments ; fo, he can alio work with
out them. But now,1 let me prefs home this duty with a two
fold ufe.
Ufe 1. Seeing it is fo, that nothing can ftand in the way
of the Lord's delivering of his church, then, filence all your
doubts, and misbelieving of him, Zech. ii. 13. Be fiient, 0
allfiefh, before the Lord; for he is raifed up out of his holy ha
bitation. Silence your doubts, and mifbelieving-thoughts ;
for, the might of adverfaries, the divisions of the land, the
blae marks of his indignation, the want of inftruments, the
guilt of his people, foe. fliall not ftand in the way of his
church's deliverance : Silence your fears and doubts : Who
art thou, 0 great mountain? before ¦Zerubbabcl thoilf!edt be
come a plain. Hath he not faid this, and 'Should" ye not be
lieve it ? Then filence all the language of your mifbelieving
hearts. Ufe 2. Is it fo, that nothing can ftand in the way of the
Lord's delivering of his church and people ? Then, as ye are
not to misbelieve, fo be not flack handed, Zeph. iii. 16. In
that day it fhall be faid to Jerufalem, fear thou not ; and Zion,
let not thine hands be flack Thefe two are joined together,
fear, and flack-handednefs : Therefore, on the contrary, the
want of fear, and diligence, fliould go together : So, 1 lay,
beloved, as ye ought pot to fear and misbelieve, ye ought ro
beware alfo ot flack-handednefs. Remember what is recorded
of that war betwixt Ifrael and Amalek, Exod. xvii, 11. And
it came to pafs, when Mofes held up his hand, that Ifrael pre
vailed ; and when he let down his hand) Amalek prevailed.
E e Let

a i* SERMON XVIII. s
Let not your hands fall down ; for, the falling down Of the
hands of the Lord's people' gives great advantage to enemies :
Believe me, the Lord is feeking that ye Should be diligent,
according to that word, Ifa. lxii. 6, 7. ' Ye that make, men-
" tion of the Lord, kec'p not Silence, and give him no reft
" till he eftablifb, and till he make Jerufalem a praife in the
" earth." • '
The fecond doctrine from the fecond head is this, That the
delivery of the church and people of God is certain, Obad. ver. 17.
" But upon mount Zion Shall be deliverance." Zeph. iii. 17.
"The Lord thy God in the midft of thee is mighty ." Ifaiah
xxxv. 4. " Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be ftrong,
" fear not ; behold, your Godi will come with vengeance,
" even God with a recompence, he will come and fave you. '
There are many promifes he hath made, where will and
shall is recorded ; which holds forth the certainty of his
church and people's delivery. But, what delivery is it, that
is abiding his people r In what fenfe doth he deliver his peo
ple .' I will tell you, the firft delivery, even in time is abiding
his people : How many times delivered he the people- of Ifrael
out of the hands of their enemies, out of the hands of Pha
raoh and the Egyptians, out of the hands of the Philistines
and Midianites, foe. And albeit that he hath caft us into the
furnace now, yet he hath formerly delivered us from under
Antichriftian tyranny, and he will yet deliver us ; and I will
give you fome reafons, whereby it Shall appear that he will
deliver his church in general. t
1. His faithfulnefs is engaged in it, 2 Tim. ii. 12, 13. If
we fuffer, we fliall alfo reign with him — If we believe not, yet
he abideth faithful^ he cannot d'.ny himfelf. Whatever Stands
' in the way, his faithfulnefs is engaged in it, and he will not
fuffer his faithfulneSs to fail, nor his promife to fall to the
ground. 2. Becaufe his holinefs is engaged in it, Hab. i. 13. Thou
art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canfi not look on ini
quity. Why doth the prophet mention the Lord's holinefs?
To ftrengthen his faith in this, that God wo,yld puniSh the
Babylonians, and help Ifrael; for, if he did not deliver his
people, they would be ready to think, there were no hazard
in fin, nor any advantage in following of righteoufnefs ; but
he will deliver his people, that it may be feen, there-is a righ
teous Judge in the earth, Pfalm lviii. n. As his holinefs en-'
gages him to punifh his enemies -. fo, it engages him to de
liver his people ; and, as it puts him to punifh his people for
fin ; lb, it puts him to deliver his people, that the enemies
may i;ot begin to think that he winks at their iniquities*
. 3,. Becaufe of what is laid upon his name, by the adverfa
ries : Now, that he may vindicate his glory, and free his
name

Upon Jeremiah xxx/7. 2 -'9
name from the reproach and blafphemy of man, he delivers
his church from oppreflion ; for, when his church is in trou
ble,, his name is made to fuffer ; his enemies are then faying
to his people, Where is your God ? Pfalm xiii 3. which thing
made the Pfalmift's heart to quake and tremble : He doth it,
that he may vindicate his glorious name from thefe affronts
that are caft upon it: So, then, when his church and peo
ple fuffer, he will give deliverance to his people, even in time.
But, remember, as a caution,
(1.) That his people is not to expect compleat deliverance,
in time, either from Outward or inward enemies ; for, tho'
be gives his people fometimes the upper-hand of enemies, yet
they will not get them utterly rooted out ; even as the Ifrael
ites were not able to extirpate the Canaanites wholly ; fo, I
fay, there will be always a devil to raife troubles, while his
church is in warfare.
(2.) I will tell you what a delivery is abiding his church, a
compleat, full, and perfect deliverance, at the end of time,
Rev. vii. 14. Thefe are they which came out of great tribulati
ons, -and have wafhed their robes, and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb. There is a compleat delivery, notwitliftar.d-
ing of all their troubles in time : the Lord's pfople Ihall win
'through them, into that land wliere all tears fliall be wiped
away from their eye,s ; viz to the holy and heavenly Canaan,
where no enemies can enter to trouble them. No Sooner fliall
'bis people lift their feet out of death's wafers, but all troubles
ffhall be left behind, they fliall purfue them no farther; fo
that, if fome of his people meet not with a deliverance in time,
yet after death they Shall meet with it compleatly. 0 I hdw
'Satisfying is this, that is faid of them, thefe are they which
have waShed their robes in the blood of the Lamb ? There is
no fear of adverfaries rifing up againft them ; ther,e they Shall
follow the Lamb, with palms in their hands; for -< he re they
have obtained a compleat victory. Heaven is a reftfroni Sin
and forrow, from temptations and tribulation's, but no reft
from joy and praife. But let me now lay this home upon you,
with a twofold ufe. >
Ufe 1. Since it is fo, that the Lord will deliver his people
in time; then, wait upon that delivery, Hab. ii. 3 For the
vfion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it fhall fpeak,
and not lie; Though it tarry , wait for it, becaufe it. will fure-
ly come, it will not tarry. I fey, even -becaufe a ^ompleat de
livery is certain, therefore wait for it patiently ; though the
vifion tarry, it Shall come.
Ufe 2. Seeing that it is fo, that there 'Shall be a compleat
delivery after time, regard no trouble or affliction in time :
What is' the matter, though ye, have no delivery in timer
Regard1 not your lofs of perifliing tilings,' nor the Sufferings^
E < 2 ic

22o PREFACE to SERMON XIX.
in this life, be what they will, wanderings, imprifonments,
and death ; for ye Shall have a compleat deliverance in the
end ; but all your enemies Shall not now be removed from
you, but there they Shall : They fliall follow you no farther
than to the borders of death. Many are the troubles that af
flict the. juft, but the Lord Shall deliver them. out of them all.
So, then, it is certain that his people Shall have a compleat
deliverance ; yea, it is very certain, though they Should en-
dure affliction to the end of their days, it is not comparable
to eternity ; O ! then, regard not what fufferings ye can be
put to in ...time,. Since your happinefs Shall endure to eternity.
1 thought to have proceeded further ; but I fhall forbear.

PREFACE.

THERE are many looking for a deliverance ; but, for
my part, I look for no Such thing yet : I will not fay,
but they may be inftruments to cut off fome of our Lord?s
enemies; but, I trow we Shall not have much to' crack qfe
them, when all.is done. But, if ye will look for the delive*
ranee aright, look for four things to come before it, and they
Shall come Shortly :
i. The cup muft go round ; round muft the cup go ; it is
begun at the houfe which is called by his name, but it Shall
go round ; fome there are, who have refufed it, but they fhall
drink it ; the nearer the brim, the fweeter ; the nearer the
bottom, the bitterer ; unmixed, unmixed Shall many of this
generation drink it ; all ranks Shall tafte of it ; yea, that a-
bominable tyrant on the throne, fliall tafte of it ; and that
chancellor Shall tafte of it -, prelates fliall tafte of if -, our,
maligoants and indulged Shall tafte of it ; and our lown folk
fliall tafte of it.
2. The land Shall be laid defolate ; defolate fliall the land
be. 3 . There Shall be no airth to look to, neither hills, moun
tains, nor armies.
4. His caufe Shall be rightly Slated ; but ye may fay, if the
cup muft go round, if the land muft be laid defolate, and if
there be no airth to look to, by whom then Shall his caufe be
ftated ? It Shall be by a remnant whom he Shall fpare, whom he

SERMON XIX. 221
h#fball honour to Slate his caufe aright; and then may ye
expect his back-coming to Britain and Ireland. There may
be fome poor body faying, If the cup muft go round, if the
land muft be laid defolate, if no airth to look to, and his
caufe Shall be rightly Slated, what then fliall I do ? My coun-
fel to you is, get an .intereft made fore in Chrift, that fo ye
may find Shelter under the Shadow of his wings.

^^^M^M^M^M^^^^M^^M^iM^M^

SERMON XIX.
Jeremiah xxx. 7.
Alas! for that day is great', fo that none is like it .- It is even
the lime of Jacob's trouble, but he fhall be faved out of it.

THEY are in a very miferable condition, whom God
brings to the furnace, and leaves there ; that is a la
mentable condition, which ye will find recorded, Ezek. xxii.
18, is, '20. The 'houfe of Ifrael is become to me drofs ; ail they
are brafs and tin, a-gd iron in the midft of the furnace, they are
even the drofs of filver. Behold, therefore, I will gather you in
to the midft of Jerufalem. As they gather filver and brafs, and
iron and lead and tin, into the midft of the furnace, to blow the
fire upon it to melt it ; fo will I gather you in mine anger, and, I
will leave you there. Here we have a catalogue of Jerufalem's
fins reckoned up, and the threatnihgs againft them ; thefum
is this, The Lord will bring them to the furnace, and leave
them here. It is a fed and miferable cafe, to be brought to
the furnace, and to be left there of God : But O ! they are in
a moft happy cafe, whatever flefh and blood think of it, ,
whom God brings to the furnace,ftand Slays with, and does
not forfake, but manifefts his glorious purpofe to them; his
condefcendency to them by that furnace, in making them
more fit for himfelf and for his ufe, as a goldfmith doth With
a curious piece of work ; he calls it into the fire, that he may
caufe it lofe the drofs, that it may be for his own ufe ; fo the
Lord calls his own into the furnace, that they may come out
more fit for him ; in this he manifefts his condefcendency to
them, in not leaving them in the furnace; but purgeth and'
purifieth, according to his promife, Jofb. i. 5. / will not fail
thee.

iit S E R M O N XIX,
thee, jwr forfake thee : alfo Ifa. xliii. 2. Whin thou paffeft th%'
the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they fhall
not overflow thee ; when thou waUeft through t'hefire^ thou fhalt
not he burnt, neither fhall the flames kindle upon thee. Ye fee
the Lord brings his people to the furnace,' but he leaves them
-hot there ; he is fo far from leaving them there, that he
brings them out thereof. Although he brings a day of great
trouble and perplexity on Jacob, yet he delivers Jacob out of
it : Alas', for that day is great-, but he (hall be faved out of
it. I cannot now take time to reduce what hath been already
faid from thefe words, only I' remember they were divided
into, two parts.
Firft i Concerning the fad cafe of Jacob, or the Lord's peo
ple here, containing the great meafure of their great trouble,
which was Singular in matter of concernednefs : Alas J for
that day. ,
And the fecond head contained a promife of delivery,- not
withftanding the fadnefs of the cafe : But he fhall be faved out
of it. '
We handled the firft head a. little, and proceeded to a fe
cond, and laid down a fecond doctrine,, which was this,
Doct. That notwithftanding of all difficulties and oppositions,
yet the Lord when he minds, will deliver his people, there fhall
nothing ftand in the way of it .- And this was a little fpoken
to ; then,
Doer. II. That this delivery of the Lord's people is certain.
This we Shewed, that it was not only cerrain, when the Lord
gives them a complete victory, and places them beyond the
reach of affliction, and tranf'plants them into eternal happinefs;
but the Lord's people may even expect deliverance in time.
Now, I Shall inlarge a little on this, by application of the doc
trine to us.
1. By Shewing fome grounds, from whence we may gather
the certainty of the delivery of this church.
2. By Shewing fomewhat of the manner of it.
3 A word of ufe for fuch as believe the fame.
I fay, in application of the doctrine to us, that even the
Lord's church in this land Shall certainly be delivered out of
their troubles ; that the church Shall meet with a delivery :
I fay, confider thefe few grounds which may prove the farrie.
1. We are a people that is promifed to Chrift in a particu
lar manner ; this land is a promifed land unto Chrift, Pfalm
ji. 8. / will give thee the uitermoft parts of the earth for thy pof
feffion : Yea; and this is principally to be underftood of theSe
iflnnds, which are in the utmpft parts of the earth. It is alfo
clear from Ifa. xlix. 1. Liften, 0 iftles, unto me, and hearken, ye
feeple, from far, the' Lord hath called me from the womb. Ver.
6. is

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7- as?
6. hit a light thing that thou fhouldft be my fervant, to raifeup
the tribes of Jacob, and to reftore the prefervedi of Ifrael : I will
alfo give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayft.be my
falvation to the ends of the earth. Alfo Ifa. xiii. 4. Hef/eeil! not
fail nor be difcouragcd, till he hath fet judgment in the earth,
and the ifles fijall wait for his law. Britain and Ireland fliall
wait for his law. Likewife Pfal. lxv. 6. Thou art the confidence
of all the ends of the earth, and them that be afar upon the fea.
All. thefe hold out, in a very particular manner, that thefe
lands are promifed to Chrift, and that we are a people pro
mifed to him; lb,, think not that he will quit that which is
given to him ; think not that he will let the bounds of his
charter be fo intrenched ; let us rejoice that ever there was a
line in the Old or New Teftament pointing at Britain and Ire
land's cafe : We are a promifed people, and our land a pro
mifed land ; and therefore we may expect the Lord will cbroe
to it again ; we may expect, tho' it be a day of great trouble,
that we fhall be faved out of it.
' 2, We may expect it, as we are a covenanted people, Hof,
xii. 9. And I that am the Lord thy God from the land 0/ Egypt,
will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the day of the fo-
lemn feafts. The Lord is there holding forth the promife of
giving the Ifraelites a Satisfactory delivery ; and his bottoming
It upon his covenant, which he entered into with them, when
he brought them out of Egypt; fo there was a covenant en
tered into with God by thefe lands, when we came out of E-
gyptian darknefs ; he with whom we entered in covenant,
fhall y*et make us dwell in tabernacles ; as in the days of old;
fo, that as our land is a promifed land, fo it is a dedicated
land ; all of us are dedicated to him -, yea, all our goods and
gear, yea, all our lives : But many of you have taken your
word again, and given it to the enemies: But ye are his, by-
right of explicate dedication ; therefore it is certain that he
will deliver this church out of trouble, though it be a great
trouble. 3 It is certain, becaufe we are a people conquered by Chrift,
we are conquered, and that in a very coftly manner -, Chrift
loft many a noble, fubject, before he conquered us out of an*
tiqhriftian tyranny, Rial, cxxxvi. 12. He brought their, out with
aftronghand, and ftretehsd out arm ., We came not out of thefe
but by fighting, and ftrong wreftiibg ; many a drop of preci
ous blood was loft, in bringing us oat of that darknefs, to be
a covenanted land ; think nqt dien that what he hath fo dear
ly bought, wfH be fo ealily quit; therefore he Will certainly
return, and bring us out. of trouble, though it be a very
great trouble.
¦ 4. It is certain that the Saving- and.delivering his church evtt
of trouble fliall Be, becaufe he is taking many feeii-kes off

224 ; SERMON XIX.
our hands ; he is giving us pledges that he is about to del-ivef
os, by taking pledges off our hands, Judges xiii. 21, 22, 23,
When Manoah was fore afraid by feeing the angel of the
Lord, he concludes, 'We fhall furely die : But his wife get* a
far better fight of it, faying, If the Lord were pleafed to flay
us, he would not have received a meat-offering and a burnt-of
fering at our hands. If the Lord had a mind to give up with
us, and quite forfake us, he would not have received fo ma
ny facrifices at his fervants hands ; he hath accepted facrifices
on fields and feaffolds ; he hath received facrifices by protesta
tions and declarations; and he hath testified his acceptance
, of thefe, by countenancing of his people, when he brought
them to feaffolds, to offer up themfelves a facflfice : How
hath he been feen to make them rejoice, fo that all that Saw
them could not but envy their lor? Many ways hath he testi
fied his accepting of a Sacrifice at Scotland's hands ; and thefe
are pledges that he will yet return, and not deftroy us.
5. The Lord will come and fave us out of this trouble, tho'
it be great, becaufehe is ftill keeping up a witnefling remnant,
that he may fay, Thefe are my witneffes that I am God, not
withstanding the great part of the land hath forfaken him j
yet he is keeping up a remnant for truth; albeit the great
part of the gentry hath left us, yet he wants not fome to wit
nefs for him ; notwithftanding the great part of the ministers
hath left us, yet he wants not fome to confefs him, and to.
profefs fubjection to his caufe; all which reaches us fome >j
branches of hope.
6. God will certainly deliver us out of this trouble, where
of alfo he gives us this branch of hope, by giving us many
and great wonders in the furnace of affliction; he is "letting
us fee his power, even^in leading a remnant through between
right and left hand rocks : We- have many upon the left
hand ; indulged and indemnity-takers, with compilers, are
fet upas fo many rocks, which we ought to beware of: So
alfo we have rocks on the right hand fet up before us, and
yet he hath kept a remnant from fplitting upon thefe, like
unto a Skilful pilot, keeping his people from right and left
hand rocks; yea, the feeding of his people, and doing for.
his people, and delivering them when brought, as it were, to
the very, fnare, by plucking them, fo to fay, out of the very
teeth of enemies ; all, this fays that he will do greater things ;
and yet will appear for delivering this church Out of trouble;.
yea, his wonders that he is manjfefting in preferring a rem-,,'
nant from utter confumption, is a ground of hope for this,
according to that word, Pfalm cxi. 5. He hath fhewed his peo
ple the power of his works, tbat he might give them the heritage
of 'the heathen. Muft we not fay then, th^at the Lord's works
of wonders for us in this wildernefs fhould h% taken qs pledg es

v Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. 225
es that he will give us the heritage of the heathen ? Ahho'
it be a time of great trouble, yet we fhall be delivered out of
it, *
7. He is reaching us this ground of hope, becaufe truth is
delivered; it Shall be more delivered ; when we moft feeming-
ly fell, then truth was delivered; the Lord has * gotten his
caufe moft clearly ftated in the land ; we may date truth's de
livery from our fall before our enemies at Botliwell-bridTe,
whence we faw clearly the danger of joining with them who
had received favours from the enemies; the hazard of join
ing with the indulged, and taking.in the malignant intereft;
many things were made to appear in their own colours, more
than. formerly ; and afterwards the Lord had a proclamation,
to fee who wpuld take truth by the hand ; a proclamation, I
fay, publifhedi through the high places of the fields, fo that
truth's delivery gives us fome ground of hope that truth, fliall
be delivered. Let us rejoice, we have this to fay, That truth
is delivered ; what is the matter of our fufferings, fince truth
is delivered. 8. The certainty of the church's delivery is in this, The ve
ry confciences of enemies and compilers give teftimony to
truth's delivery ; very enemies are made to fay, Thefe only
are the true prefbyterians, that fo many are reproaching ; and
compilers themfelves fay, That were it not for their necks
and means, there would not be fo many to contend againft
thefe things. But likely fome compilers, who are come here
to-day, may fay, I never heard fuch a thing : But, O man
and woman ! let confcience hut fpeak, and the things vjould
foon be heard, Dent, xxxii 32. For their rock is not as our
rock, even our enemies themfelves being judges.
9. The Lord certainly purpofes to deliver us out of this
trouble, as appears by his way of dealing in this land ;' he
hath a promising work begun in the hearts of fome young
ones in this land, fome young lads and laffes up and down
the land, Ezek. xiv. 22. Behold therein fhall be left a remnant
that fhall be brought forth, both fans and daughters : Behold,
they fhall come forth unto you, and ye fhall fee their ways and
their doings, and ye fhall be 'comforted concerning all the evils
that I hive brought upon Jerufalem ; and they fhall comfort you.
•when ye fee their ways and their doings, and ye fhall know that
I have not done without caufe, all that I have done in it. I fey,
the Lord hath a- young generation, whofe ways and doings
fhall juftify the remnant in all their, contendings, and Shew
that the Lord's ways are right, and his doings juft; this is a
certain ground of hope, that he Shall deliver his children.
O ! young ones, lads and laffes, to your work, to your pray
ers ; for ye Shall go in and poffefs the promifed land.
F f The

226 SERMON XIX,
The fecond tiling we mentioned, was, to fhew fomething of
the manner of the Lord's delivering us.
i. This delivery fliall be bidden ;. the pfalmift prays Pfalm
cxxvi. 4. Turn again our captivity like Jir earns in the foutb :
Our delivery Shall come as water down a fteep place ; it Shall
be bidden, it fhall come as a thief in the night, and as an ar
med man. It Shall be bidden on thefe two accounts.
1. In refpect of his people, becaufe it Shall come when they
are leaft expecting it, Deut. xxxii. 36. The Lord 'fhall judge
his people, and repent himfelf for his fervant 's fake, when he feeth
their power is gone, and there is none fihut up or left. When
his people fees leaft ground of vifible hope, then is the time
he will come fuddenly, with delivery : When all doors of vi
fible hope, are Shut, then will he come ; it Shall be an unex
pected delivery, fuch as, when Gideon fubdued the Midianftes
with three hundred, and when Saul and Jonathan fubdued
the Philistines, when there, was neither fpear nor fword a-
mong them but Saul and Jonathan's ; and as it was in Jeho-
fophat's time, 2 Chron. xx. When the Moabites and Am
monites, and children of mount Seir, invaded Judah; it Shall
come fuddenly and unexpected; yea, though it may be delay-*
ed, it Shall come when leaft thought upon.
It Shall be fudden, in refpect of enemies, Mic. vi. 14. And
thy c -a fling down fhall be in the midft of thee : When* they think
leafl to fail, then fball judgment from God be upon them ; as an
armed man with coaths of vengeance, and a cloke of zeal,
fhall his coming be ; then fball he come mounted upon the
red horfe of vengeance and feverity. BelShazzar little thought
on judgment, when drinking and caroufing in the yeffels
brought from the houfe of the Lord ; then did the hand-writ
ing prefent itfelf. Expect a fudden delivery ; it fball come as
a thief in the night -, God can work a work in one night that
fhall be a delivery.
2. As it Shall be fudden, fo it Shall be feafonable, (t.) Be
caufe, if God Should deliver his people fooner, then his people
fhould not be purged and purified, and would not be brought
allenarly to look unto himfelf, Ifa. xxvii. 9. By this fhall the
iniquity of Jacob be purged away ; he will take pains upon his,
people in the furnace, until he get them brought to fome fit-
tednefs for himfelf ; and is not this a feafonable delivery ?.
For, believe it, when he brings his people out of the furnace,
before their drofs be taken away, it is in order to the calling
them into a more hot furnace.
3. It fhall be feafonable ; becaufe, if he fhould delay any
longer, we Should be ready to give up the ghoft. Zech. iii.
2. Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire? They were near to
be confumed in the furnace of afflicticn, and he fteps in when
they were as a Stick half-burnt, and plucks it out ; it fhall
come

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7- 227'
come at fuch a time, that if the Lord Should delay any long
er, we would be ready wholly to give over.
4. It Ihall be feafonable, becaufe God will wait till all back
doors, that his people are ready to look Sinfully' unto, fhall
be Shut. Some folk think that the church's delivery may be
brought about, by ftirring up the enemy to dafh upon ene
mies, or a party to appear againft the, enemies ; but all that
fhall be cut off, and then it Shall be a feafonable time, Dcut.
xxxii. 26. when no one is Shut up nor left. Then Shall he re
pent concerning his fervants, it Shall come when people are
not looking to the hills and to' the mountains, but to the Lord
himfelf for their delivery.
5. It Ihall be feafonable, becaufe the Lord will wait till the
enemies put on the cope-ftone of their iniquities ; enemies
muft firft put on the cope-ftone of their iniquity, before he
deliver. Then will he fill up' the cup of his enemies, which
they have been making his people drink. Amos i. 2. it is of
ten faid, For three tranfgreftions, and for four, I will not turn
away the punifhment of their iniquities .- three and four make a
complete number, although otherwife they have a great mul
titude, yet there is always one as the cope-ftone fin of thefe
people, as ver. 13. this is the cope-ftone fin of the children
of Ammon, becaufe they ript up women with child of Gile-
ad, foce So the Lord will wait, till they have put on the
copeftone fin, which they have not yet done ; and when that
is done, then they have no more to do ; but the Lord will
come and make them as the waters of Noah, no more to o-
verflow the eartli. He is waiting to have them drop-ripe,
that he may cut them off with the fickle of his juftice.
3. This delivery Shall be a very terrible delivery, Pfalm I. 3.
Our Gad fhall come, and fhall not keep filence, a fire fhall devour
before him, and it fhall be very tempeftuous round about him. It
Shall be terrible to enemies, when he fills up to them double
of the cup which they have filled, when he draws his (word
againft them, and when he executes judgment without mercy,
it fliall be a terrible delivery to all peace-makers with enemies.
There is a great company in the land going in to make peace
with enemies: But, reniember this, as ye are partaking wiih
them in their iniquity, ye Shall be partakers with them in
their judgments ; ye that are coming under the Shadow of the
enemies for protection, ye Shall fall with them when they fall.
O I that men Would confider who are by thefe actings pro
claiming war againft God ; it Shall be a terrible delivery to
fuch as are upholders of the enemies ; many are upholding
them; to the bearing down of the work of God, and lengih
ning oyt the captivity of his church ; but, confider this, thefe
enemies tluy now uphold, as fo many pilfirs, Sb.-ll fall and
crufh them, Scotland Shall be a fat land with the blood of
F f 2 / com-

228 SERMON XIX,
compilers ; with the blood of cefs-payers, and with the blood
of locality-payers : It fliall be a fat land with, the blood of in
dulged -. He fhall invite the beafts of the field, and the fowls
of the air to a facrifice. Now I Shall tell you in what refpeft
it Shall be a terrible delivery. ;
X. To many it Shall be very terrible, becaufe it Shall want
all confolation, Zeph. i. 15 That day is a' day of wrath, a day
of trouble and of diftrefs, a day of waftenefs and defilation, a day
of clouds and thick darknefs, it (hall be a day without light of
comfort or confolation ; fuch are the judgments thefe .meet
with, who are punifhed when enemies are punifhed; fuch
are the judgments of enemies, and of thefe who are in ene
mies camps ; their cup of affliction is without confolation ;
but his people's affliction is moderate chaftifement, whereas a
cup of indignation fhall be put in the hands of enemies.
2. It is terrible, as it fhall difappoirit the expectation of ve
ry many, Mic. vi. 1 5. Thou fhalt fow, but thou fhalt not reap.
People have been bufy labouring this long time, to Shelter
themfelves in a life of eafe ; but the Lord fliall difappoint
their expectation. Enemies have been Studying to eilabliSh
themfelves, but the Lord Shall difappoint them; he will dif
appoint the expectation , of thefe who have been Studying to
Shelter themfelves under the enemies banner. There is a com
pany in the land, who have been' Studying to have a peacea
ble life of it, by going under the enemies banner, by accep
ting indulgences, foe. What hath moved fo many to fall in
to fuch courfes, but the expectation of a peaceable life ? But
their expectation Shall be miferably difappointed ; for the ve
ry way they have made ufe of for getting peace Shaft bring
trouble and defolation ; it Shall be a way to bring his anger,
vengeance and hot difpleafure upon them. What are they
like ? They are like thefe falfe prophets, who prophefied
peace to them, to whom no peace belonged, building a wall
with untempered mortar; but a Slormy wind fliall come u-
pon the wall, and thefe who daubed it ;-and it Shall be faid,
where is the wall, and thefe who daubed it ? Ezek. xiii. 10,
11, 12. The time is coming, when it fliall be Said, Where
is the indulgency and the indulged ? They have been plead
ing in defence of the adverSary, and they have been weakning
the hands of the faithful witneffes ; they have been covering
the iniquity of the adverfaries and enemies, foe. but a ftormy
wind is coming from dbove, that fhall rend it in pieces: Be-"
lieve it, the Lord fhall have them fweeped off the face of the''
earth. See what is recorded, Ezek. xv. concerning the vine
tree, it is faid to be unfit for any ufe, when it beareth no
grapes; under this type, the Lord is holding forth the ufe-
lefnefs of minifters, when God forfakes them, and they for
fake him ; they are ufeful for nothing. 3-It

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. 229
3. It fhall be a terrible delivery, in this refpect, becaufe
the affliction of thefe who are enemies, and with enemies,
Shall be without moderation, Zech. i. 15. lam fore difpleafed
with the heathen, that are at eafe, &c. Enemies, and fuch as
are in enemies camps, fliall have affliction withoutmoderafion;
he is but a little difpleafed with his people ; but he is greatly
difpleafed with his enemies ; the chaftifement of his people is
but very little, when compared with what he will bring upon
his enemies.
4. It Shall be terrible to them, "becaufe their refervation
from this calamity, is only to caft them into a greater, Micah
yi. 14. Tbou [halt take hold, but fihalt not deliver, and that which
thou delivereft will 1 give to the fword. The compilers of this
generation have ufed all finful means to deliver themfelves
from trouble ; but what are they doing by all thefe ? They
are referring themfelves to a greater affliction, albeit they may
efcape the leffer affliction of the people of God ; remember
what is recorded in Amos vi. of thofe who are at eafe in the
time of Zion's affliction, ver. 7. They fhall go captive with the
firft that go captive ;. feme fliall fall by the fword, who thought
the evil day Should never overtake them ; Believe it, they
that are not in the fire of affliction this day, Shall be call in
to a more hot furnace than this is : Such as are now at eafe
irt Zion's trouble, are referved for a more hot furnace; it
fhall be a very terrible delivery for many : When God Shall
mount the red horfe of feverity, he Shall ride to the girths in the
blood of many; he Shall Shed the blood of enemies in a great
er meafure : Blood fliall run down Scotland, as rivers down
a fteep place; it fliall be a very terrible delivery ; if. few
friends Shall be found in Scotland then, there fliall be as few
enemies found in it ; if few for God, there Shall be as few
for his enemies.
5. As for the manner of this delivery, it fhall be very
glorious, and that in feveral refpects.
, (1.) Becaufe his name Shall get all the praife, Pfalm 1. 23.'
Whofia offereth praife ghrifieth me, and to him that ordereth his
converfation aright, will I jhew the falvation of God. Then
men fball be made to fay, Verily there is a God to judge on the
earth; for he will bring it about in fuch a manner, that his
own hand fhall be feen in it only, he Shall be greatly glori
fied by it.
(2.) It Shall be glorious, becaufe he fliall make his temple
in Scotland more glorious than ever it hath been, Hag. ii 9.
The glory of this latter houfe fhall be greater than of the former,
&c. He Shall caft his church into the furnace, that he may
bring forth a piece of more glorious metal, with a more no
ble gofpel reformation. (3-) lt

230 Sv£ R M O N XIX.
(3.) It will be a glorious delivery, becaufe he will glorify
and honour his people, Zeph. iii. 19. Behold, at that day, I
¦will undo all that affliSl thee, I will fave her that halteth^ and
gather her that was driven out, and I will get them praife and
fame in every land where they have been put tofbame ,- his peo-
pie are now contemned and reproached, but then he will put
honour upon them ; yea, enemies themfelves fhall then be
made to feign" obedience ; but, believe it, feigned 'obedience
ihall not be taken off their hands ; we have many proofs of
the danger of that already ; he will make his people an ho
noured people ; he will purchafe to them a praife in the lands
Where they have been put to Shame : Now, it is faid of Scot
land, as it was of old, concerning the church, This is Zion,
whom no man feeketh after ; but then, the church of Chrift
in Scotland fliall no more be termed forfaken and defolate,
bu?Hephziba and Beulah, the Lord delighteth in her.
( -p) It Shall be a glorious delivery, becaufe then the Lord
will pour out a great down-pouring of his Spirit, Zech. iii, j.
And I faid, let them fet a fair mitre upon bis head; fo they fet a
fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments, and
the angel of the Lord flood by. The Lord was there working
his, work ; his people was come back from captivity, and he
furniShes his priefts with fuitable gifts and graces, typified by
the mitre and garments ; fo, when the Lord delivers his peo
ple, he will give a more abundant meafure of his Spirit ; then
there fhall be well furnifhed minifters, zealous and well qua
lified minifters : Whatever minifters have been, there are
more powerfulnefs in gofpel-ordinances to be in this delivery ;
he will make our former, beft days, to be forgot, Ifa. xxx. 26.
" Moreover, the light of the moon Shall be as the light of
" the fun, and the light of the fun Shall be fevenfold, as
" the light of feven days; in the day that the Lord bindeth
'.' up the breach of his people, and healeth the Stroke of their
" wound." 6. As to the manner, it Shall be a fatisfying delivery, Hof.
xii. 9. " I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in
61 the days of the folemn feaft." It Shall be a fatisfactory, de
livery, to fatisfy them as in the days of the folemn feafiji
that will be fatisfactory in feveral refpects :
(1.) Becaufe he will deliver from temporal afflictions and
judgments, Zeph. iii. 19. I will undo all that affiibl thee: he
will deliver us from all afflictions of this kind.
(2 )- Becaufe he will deliver from fpiritual judgments and
plagues; the voice 'hat Ihall be voiced through Scotland,
fliall be, " Let us go up to the houfe of the Lord God of
*' Jacob." Il'aiah ii. 3. " And many people Shall fay, come
" ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the
" houfe of the God ot Jacob, and he will teach us of liis ways,
" and

Upon Jeremiah xxx. 7. 23*
" and we will walk in his paths, 6c," Alfo Mic. iv. 2 *' For
"all people will walk, every one in the name of his God,
" and we will walk in the riame of the Lord our God, for
" ever and ever ;" They Shall then run unto the Lord, there
is not fuch falling back now, but there fball be a more fpeedf
running then ; but. thefe that Shall fee a returning to the
Lord, Shall be ftrange folk : There are few that fliall fee it,
but ye fball fee and flow together to the Lord, as waters down
a fteep place, each one encouraging and exhorting one ano
ther, faying, " Let us go Speedily, and pray before the Lord,
" I will go alfo ;" Will not thefe be brave days, and a brave
company in Scotland, when every man and woman Shall take
each other by the hand, faying, Let us go pray, and praife
before- the Lord, let us go and fing fongs of praife unto his
name, I will go with you ? How defirable a day will this be ?
He will have a willing people in Scotland in the day of his
power ; inftead of darknefs, there fhall be light, inftead o£
deadnefs, there fliall be life ; inftead of jealoufies, there Shall
be love and unity.
(3.) It Shall be a fatisfaftory delivery,; for, he Shall make
up all his people's wants and loffes when he delivers his church*
Joel ii . 25 • And I will reftore to you the years that the locuft hath
eaten. There is no lofs that his people endureth now, but
he will make it up when he delivers them ; he will reftore
their, or rather his glorious privileges, whereof he is robbed
now ; yea, he will reftore your own privileges, whereof y«
have been robbed ; but I wonder what his people will do with
all that the enemies have robbed from' them; it Shall be re-
ftored to them in that day ; ye Shall think all your loffes and
toffings well wared ; thefe that come through to fee the fatif-
factorinefs of this delivery, they Shall fay, there, could not be
too much wared on it, when they reflect on the blood that
hath been fhed, and upon the wanderings and hidings that
have been in the land : This fhall be the anfwer, The coft is
far Short of the building ; this fball be voiced, through the
land, fo glorious Shall be the building. Now, let me lay this
home upon you in a word of ufe.
Ufe 1. Do ye believe, this that hath been fpoken ? then, ap
ply it home to yourfelves with this, word of ufe: Humble-
yourfelves under his afflicting hand, that he may lift you up
in due time ; whom Shall he deliver ? It is a humble people,1
fitting upon the duft, cl.oathing themfelves with fackcloth and
allies ; thefe will he raife in that day, in him the fatherlefs
findeth mercy, he will bring down the proud, but he will
deliver the humble ; if ye believe this, that he will deliver
you, and that in fuch a manner, humble yourfelves under
the band of God. Ufe 2.

232 SERMON XIX.
Ufe 2. Study to he fitted for a delivery, by being a purged
and purified people ; he hath caften his people into the fur
nace, that they may be a holy people ; ; labour to get your
felves made white, your garments, hands, heart and all, made
clean for him, purify and cleanfe yourfelves from the fins for
which he is contending, for which he hath calten us in the1
furnace ; for, if ye believe this delivery, what concord will your
have with thefe abomination ? Believe this, the people whom
Jiefhall deliver Shall be a cleanfed people,^tfuifjLwork and
ftudy it is, neither to tafte, touch nor handlewTQi tolre things,
for which his anger is burning, whofe work it is to beware to
tafte of the dainty meats of the time, which are deceitful.
O ! make and keep clean garments and hearts. O ! fly un-
t6 Chrift and- implore him for reconciliation, justification,
and fanctification, that ye maybe clean in his^fight, and ftudy
to ftand'it out unto the end : Believe it, the delivery when
it fhall come, many Shall be afhamed of their ways and do
ings. Manyfoall be made to fay, O ! that I had continued
a little longer. Dear friends, ftudy to ftand it out until the
delivery fball come, be prepared with clean garments, clean
hearts, and clean hands.
Ufe 2- Believe ye it? then, cry diligently unto God, and
give him no reft till he come. Ifa. lxii. 6, 7. Ye tbat make
mention of the name of the Lord, give him no reft day nor night,
until he eftablifh. and make jerufalem a praife in the whole earth ;
ye that believe this, we charge you, that ye fall { about this
work, and continue earneftly in it ; for he is willing to be in-
treated ; and why will ye not intreat him ? Chrift is as one
Handing upon the , mountains, while ye are in the vallies ;
and he is deSiring our invitation, that he may come and crown
himfelf ; will ye not lay hold on his garments, and draw him
back again ? Will ye not take him in your arms, and bring
him into the chambers of her that conceived you? Join in
this work, young and old, lad and lafs : What fay ye to. this ?
Chrift is Shewing himfelf willing to deliver you, and will you
not put to your hand, to bring him back again ? Why will
ye be among the laft to bring the king home again ? He is
over good company to lofe, we cannot want him ; put to your
hands, and bring him back again, and fay, 01 that, tbpu
wouldft come down, tbat ibe mountains might flow dawn at thy
prefence.

P R E F A C E,

r_ 233 i

PREFACE,
On a FAST-DAY, at Carntable, December
28th, 1680", with the Causes of the Fast. *
(ffee moft part of which were the Caufes of the firft
Fail, which Mr. James Renwick held, at Dar-
made, November 23d, 1683.
After finging a part of the feventy eighth Pfalm, he
proceeded, and faid,
O! but fin brings a neople low ; for, ip the foregoing
part of this Pfalm, we may fee, that the Lord had done
great things for this people of Ifrael, even all the great things
that he had done for them in Egypt, in the fight of Pharaoh J
and how he dried up the Red-Sea before them : and all the
proofs of his power and goodnefs, that they had feen and
found in the wildernefs ; and in the land of Canaan, how he
had driven out the heatben before them, and had given them
the good land : But yet, all this did not prevail with them,
to make them to be thankful for his mercies,, but for all this
they finned ftill the more, and provoked the Lord to anger,
which did burn very fore againft them ; fo that he delivered
their ftrength into captivity, and delivered their ftrong men
over to the fword, and left his glory in the hands of his proud
enemies ; fo that their priefts fell by the fword, and the ark
was taken, foe. But what need we fearch, or trace back, to
fee what fin hath brought them to t We may look to our own
cafe this day, and fee what fin hath brought us to.
O ! have not our Sins brought us low this day ? ¦ And, have
not our fins fet up the right hand of our enemies ? And, is
it not our fins that are keeping up thefe oiir enemies, in their
robbing, and' fpoiling, in their Stigmatizing and imprison
ments, bonds, and deaths, of the Lord's choice people, flain
and murdered "by their hands, both on feaffolds and in the
fields ? I Say, the wanderings and reprdaches, yea, and all
that the enemies have done to the work and people of God,
are all the fruit of our fin : It is our fin that hath brought
the Lord's work fo low, and hath made us fo lovr this day ;
and fo, we would defire you all to confider, and lay it to heart,
that ye may come and humble yourfelves before the Lord, for
your own and the land's Sins ; becaufe we thereby have pro
voked the Lord to manifeft fo much of his anger agaia'ft us,
G g .. as

334 C AUSE'S of a FAST. :
as is to be feen this day ; fo that his hand remains to be
Stretched out 'ftill, that Iuch a cloud of his wrath, like a
plump Shower ready tfe be poured down*upon us in this land,
may be turned away ; ahd'S'o, I befeech and earnejtly iritreat
you, that this may be your errand here'this day ; to come and
mourn, and pour out your hearts before him, by thetears of
unfeigned repentance; for, it is# renting the hearts, and not
the garments,' that he is calling for this day : And for this
end, we fball read a paffage in .Joel ii. i^.^low the trumpet
in Zion, fantlify a fafl, call a folemn affembly. Here the.Lprd
preffeth to this duty, when he had been, threatning fad plagues
and judgments for their fins : Here ye fee he exhorts the pro
phet to blow the trumpet in Zion, to fanctify a faft, and call,
fi folemn affembly ; "and if ye read from the 'beginning of
the twelfth verfe downward in this chapter, ye will find what
the Lord by the prophet is calling them unto, that they turn
to him with all their hearts, with faffing, weeping, and mqur-,
ning; that they rent their hearts, and not their garments,
and turn unto the Lord their God, foe, §o then, ye may fee,
when judgments* have been long threatned, and feem to ap
proach near, what people in fuch a condition ought to do j
that it'is then high time for them, to gather together, and blow
the trumpet, foe. And, indeed, it had been the duty of all
Scotland, to have been here at this work this day, for all
have finned"; all ranks have provoked God to anger ; and
that anger is gone forth againft the land, even the whole lands
Oh ! this is a great concerning bufinefs, a great and concern
ing work, that the whole land is concerned in ; for all have
iinned, from the higheft to the loweft, ministers, and people
of all ranks ; for all have firmed. But, ah! in this the land
Will not concur with us this day -, for, it is to be feared, that
it is hid from the eyes of many. But as for you, who are
come here this day, you Should come to corffefs, and mourn
over, and forfake your fin, and to turn' to the Lord from,
all fin and finful courfes, that have provoked him to anger
this day. But,
It may be, ye will fey, at leaft fome of you, What are the
particular fins that we Should humble ourfelves for ? I anfwer,
Indeed this is a talk, this is a work, that far exceeds our
tongues to elite, or your pens to write : O ! who can Spesk
out our fins, or the land's fins ? O ! what a volume would
thev amount to ! ah ! ah I the libel of Scotland's Sins is large
and broad ; the public and national Sins, and the private and
fecret fins of all ranks, who can expi'efs ? But there are fome
Special Sins, which we fliall hint at, which Should be matter of
our humbling ourfelves before Godr which, amon.g many
oth\rs, are the chief caufes of his wrath, and are fteps of our
deteofen and felling from him and his way. t, The

CAUSES of a FAST. 23s
1. The firft caufe of the Lord's wrath, which we fliall
name, as a ftep of our church's defection, was, their cloth
ing commiffioners w^th authority to dole a treaty with the
tyrant, Charles II. and fetching him home, when the Lord
bad delivered them from his yoke : And this was the fin of
Scotland, yea, even of many godly ministers, who were ie ft
to do this; which fome of them ("aw afterward, and went
mourning to their grave for ; for, the bringing of him home,
vyas the bringing home, of a fad plague to thefe lands, and is
that which we have fedly fmarted for; becaufe, even then,
he gave evidences, that he was a kpown enemy to God and
godlinefs ; and fo it was fir contrary to that Scripture, ExcM.
xviii. 21. Moreover, thou fhalt provide out of all the people, able
men? fuch as fear God, men of truth, bating' cevctoufnefs, and
'place fuch over them, &c and w,is too like unto that Scripture,
Hofea viii. 4. They have fet up kings, but not by me; they
have made princes, tand I knew it not - It is true, the Lord
knew it well enough by His omnifek-nty, but never approved
of the deed.
2. The fecond caufe and Step of our land's defection, that
we may name, and which we Should mourn for this day, was,
the neglecting and hindering the purging of our armies anel
judicatories, of men difaffectcd to the woik of God : It is true,
there were fome, who would have been at "this; but, ah !
there were many lukewarm minifters and gentry that oppofed,
this ; fo that there was no purging of the camp, of the Acharis
and fcandakms perfons, yea, nor of fuch as had a heart ma
lice at the caufe of God.
3. The third. caufe and ftep ,of defection, that we, fhall
name, was, the bringing in, by public re folu lions, into places
of power and truft, in judicatories and armies, perfons that
were malignant, and dilaffected to the caufe of God ; for,
hereby the caufe of Chrift hath been much wronged ; for, by
taking in thefe again, we took the fire into our bofom, that
hath burnt us and the church alrnoft to death ; this was far
contrary to Dent. vii. 2. 'And when the Lord thy God fhall deli
ver f hem before thee, thou fhalt finite them and utterly deftroy
them; thoufhalt mxke 'ri-o covenant with them, norfhew mercy
unto them. So ye may fee this is our fin ; and we have found
it fedly to our coft, Since that time, that the malignantshave
been brought in amongft us ; and, alas \ this hath been a Sin,
that hath ne.ver.t>een rightly laid to heart, nor mourned over
tyet ; for, albeit there be fome amongft us, that think Shame
to plead for thefe public resolutions ; yet the fame fpirit is in
many of you this day, even in not a few of you that pretend
lo be friends to- the work of God : But a purged church
Shall never be in Scotland, till that fpiiit be purged out of the
hind. " G c 2 4: The

236 CAUSES of a FAST.
4. The fourth caufe, and ftep of defection, that is matter
of mourning this day, which we Shall name, is, the public
refolutioners, their excommunicatjng of colonel Strachan,
that famous and godly man : How like was their practice in
this, to Diotrephes, who loved to have the prehemirience I
3 John, ver. 9.
5. The fifth caufe and ftep of defection, was, the Sinful
compliance, that was with Cromwel's ufurpation, and tole
rating of fectaries : He brought in all fects amongft us ; and
the fad dregs of thefe are to this day yet growing in this land.
It is true, there were fome that protested againftthis at that
time ; but this is yet the fin of Scotland ; this was far from
that charge, given by the Lord to Ifrael, Deut. vii. 2, 3; 4, j.
See alfo Exod. xxxiii. 16. For wherein fhalt it be known here,
that land thy people have found grace in thy fight ? Is it not
in that thou goefi with us ? So fhall we be feparated, I and. thy
people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
For, as Ifrael, in that forecited ^place, were txprefly com
manded to-cut down their groves, and burn their graven i-
mages with fire ; fo ought our fathers to have done with
thefe : Oh ! this was a more hainousfin than many confider;
it was no lefs than a fetting up of altars, befides him and his
altars. 6. The Sixth Step of defection, and heavy caufe of mourn
ing, was, the finful fubjection of both minifters and profef
fors, but efpecially of minifters, leaving their churches, at
the firft call and command of the enemy, even at the finful
command of the tyrant ; fuch as did not comply with abjured
prelacy, left their flocks to be devoured of wolves ; far from,
and much unlike unto that precept, that is gjven by Paul to
church guides, Acts xx. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourfelves,
and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you.
overfeers. As alfo far from that which minifters have in
commiSfion, 2 Tim. iv. 2. Be inftant in feafon, and out of feafon.
When enemies have done, as Jeroboam did, that threw Out
the priefts of the Lord, and made him priefts, like the nati
ons, of the loweft of the people ; fo that, who ever could
afford a beaft, and could have offered, might have been a
prieft to him.
7. The feventh ftep of defection, and caufe Of mottrniDg,
which I Shall name, was, that finful neglect and omiffion, tw
giving a teftimony, when the tyrant, Charles II. cut off at one
blow, the whole of our noble covenanted constitution of our
church and Slate, by the wicked act refcinding the fame ; and
when the covenant was broken and burnt; this was not one
breach, but a real overturning of all : And, alas ! where was
that teftimony which fhould have been given, when prelacy was

CAUSES of a FAST. 237
was reintroduced ? Ah ! we have done that, that it will be a
wonder, if ever the Lord fpare or honour any of this'genera-
tion, to be witneffes of his backcoming, to build bis houfe a^
gain in thefe lands.
8. The eighth (ftep of defection, and caufe of mourning,
was, the not exhibiting a teftimony againft Charles II. wben
he arrogated that fupremacy unto himfelf, over the church
of Chrift : Where was our testimony, when the crown was
taken off Chrift's head, and put upon the head of a poor crea
ture ? If our love had been as right as it ought to have been
to Chrift, and our zeal for his glory, and for the houfe of
otir God, what it ought to have been,' before they had got
this done, they would have made a road through our heart?
blood. Ah ! we may fay, as the prophet Ifaiah faid of the
king of Babylbn, Ifa. xiv. 13. For thou haft faid in thine heart,
J will afcend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the ftars
of God. O! when will it be faid by' the church of Chrift in
Scotland, as in verfe 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, Q
Lucifer, thou fon of the morning I Thou that haft exalted thyfelf,
to Strive for fupremacy with the Son of God ! There is met-
ble faid of concealing of treafon to poor worms of the earth ;
but, O ! what treafon was this that was concealed, although
fo heinouSly commitjed againft the King of heaven I we care
not though they call it treafon to declare this,
9. The ninth ftep of our defection, and caufe of our mour
ning, and a part or piece of the Lord's great controversy, and
caufe of God's wrath againft us, is, the countenance that hath
been given to that anniverfary Cay, fo called, the 29th of
May ; and no teftimony hath been given againft it. It i? true,
the Lord honoured a party at Rutherglen, to give a teftimo
ny. againft this fin ; but this Should have been teftified againft
at the beginning; fo then, it is the land's fin, even the finful
countenancing the fame ; and the finful filence of all, both
minifters and profeffors, made it their Sin ; we never read of
a good turn, at the keeping of fuch days ; the head of John
the Baptift was taken off by Herod, on his birth-day ; whence
it is clear, what a dreadful generation this is, in Setting days
for Rich ends, and obferving-them in their times and feafons,
is an incroachment upon the fovereignty of God, who oniy
hath power, and hath commanded us only to keep and ob
ferve fuch times as he hath appointed in his word : And fure,
there is no precept in his word, for the keeping yearly fuch
days, for fuch exercifes, and for fuch a monfter, as he was,
who hath deftroyed the work of God ; and likewife obferv
ing the 14th of October, for, the, duke of York, an avowed
papift; for, as I faid, by fo doing, it is an incroaching upon
the prerogatives of Jehovah who only hath this power, to fet
days, and command obedience thereunto ; and yet, O! how
hath

a$ CAUSES oj A FAST-
hath this been complied with openly, by minifters and pro
feffors of all ranks I
" ra 'i' ' *
__, io. Fhe tenth ground ar^dcaufe of pur humiliation, which
we are called to fall and mourn over, as a ftep of our defec
tion, and Caufe of God's anger, is, that we did not teftify a-
gainft that act of Middleton's parliament, which fet the crown"
cf fupremacy upon the head of that tyrant, Charles Stuart;
when it. had been alt our duties, to have, come forth and dif.
owned him therefore,, when it was in .our power, and when
we were in a capacity for it : And, I lay, for the fad neglect
of not taking this opportunity to witnefs for. God, it is Sadly
to be feared, that few of this generation Shall be, honoured to
he witneffes to the Lord's coming back,' to build the houfe of
David in "Scotland again. O ! how fad is it, to lofe the op
portunity of duty, by neglecting to fet about it in its feafon?
When fo it falls out or comes to pafs, it is hardly ever fou^d
agiin. And now, what is to be found? Nothing-, bur, in
stead thereof, all are grown blind by compliance, apd the
moft part running into curates kirks,rand enemies, courts, and
taking of finful oaths and bonds; snd.fo thereby have over
turned all that ever they did, and have debauched their con
fciences, and fo have put themfelves out of capacity to wit
nefs for God, againft fuch abominations. O? but this is a
fad fin to be mourned.for, and what the land, fliould mourn
for. '
ii. The eleventh caufe of our mourning this day, as our,
fin, and the land's fin, was, the finful filence of ministers,
that kept not up a teftimony for the caufe and work of Godj
when in fuch hagafd. and when fo much called to it. Oh !
what did they then, but all to their lurking holes, when they
were called to have preached in feafon and out of feafon ;
when the poor people were left without free warning,' and
that when there were fo many of them ? O ! where were they
then to be found ? It is true, the Lord honoured fome mj^
nlfters and private chriftians, who witneffed for him ; but^
where were the reft ? It was with them, as it was with thefe,
fpoken of in this fcripture, Judges v. ij.'Gilead abode beyond
jordin ; and why did Dan remain infhips ?' After continued ore.
the fea- fhore, and abode in his breaches ; when ver. 18. Zebulwi
and Kaphiali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the
death, in the high places of the field Oh I where were they
then all to be found ? Ah I many of them were to be found,
even in the curates kirks.
12. The twelfth caufe of the Lord's anger, and which is a
ftep of tjie land's defection, and fo,a great caufe of mourning'
Shis day, wai, the fmall encouragement that that party met
wi b, which the Lord rail' d' up in the Weft, and honoured
t&ap/ear in the open fields at Pentland, for the re:overy of
the

CAUSES of a' FAST.

!TQ

the privileges of the church ; ancj yet, how few came to
countenance and concur with them, either of minifters os"
profeffors ? Ah ! this is the fin of Scotland, efpecially of pro-
leffbrs ofe all ranks, and of them in Edinburgh. Ah! wc
fear that the blood of thefe witneffes fliall be charged upon
ito'any profeffors.. Why fhould GUead abide beyond Jordan / Dan
remained in hisfhips, and Afiher contihuedcn the fea-fhore in his-
breaches, when Zebulun and Naphtali were jeoparding their lives
unto the death, in the high places of the fields.
13, The thirteenth caufe that we have to mourn for, as a
caufe of the Lord s wrath againft the land (although we ou^ht
to fpeak with reverence of that party who renewed the cove
nants at Lanerk, before thejr appearance at Pentland) wa3,
their taking in the tyrant's intereft in the covenant ; for, lure
we are, no covenant did bind us to tiake in the intereft of iis
deftroyers and ours, in the renewing and owning of it. Ah?
ehis is a fin, that we have to mourn for ; for, Since that time,
we never Stood before our enemies ; and there hath been an
unclean'fpirit amongft us, that the Lord will have purged oui
of the land, ere he return to it. ' '
14. The fourteenth caufe to be mourned over, was, that
idol. of jealoufy, the indulgence, that hath been fo counte
nanced; which enemies granted, on purpofe to divide and
rend the church's bowels ; for this was the chief end of ene
mies in granting it, to divide and break the builders, and to
put a difference betwixt the Strict preSbyterian, and the more
moderate fanatic, as they themfelves termed them : And, ah i
how fad was it, that they got their intention1. Alas I what
matter of mourning is this, and how far hath the church of
'Chrift and his truths been wronged by this deed ? We look
ed much to the arm of fiefh, as if our ftrength hadconfifted
in the multitudes of men ; and fo the Lord brake us off our
carnal confidence and expectation : And, O ! how many were
overcome in this, fin ? O ! how many minifters preached with
the enemies fetters upon them, by complying with that fin ?
Again, other fome of the minhters would not preach near a-
ny of the indulged pariSh.es ; and fome would not fet up their
tent in their ground ; Some held this as a Sin, others thought
it not needful, and fome- had no will to offend them ; and
when the Lord raifed up Mr Cameron, to teftrfy againft that
indulgence, a-nd other fins of the time. Some of the minifters
did cenftire him for his faithfulnefs, astwo prefbyteries, the
one at Edinburgh, the other at Sundaywell, in DunfcOre pa
rish : So, one built a wall, and another daubed it with un-
tempered mortar ;, but .where is the wall, and the building1 to
be feen at this day ? But, it may be fome of you will fey,
What need ye tell us of that, feeing it is now away ? But, let
me tell you, the fin of it is not yet dune away ; and tlursforti we

240 CAUSES of A FAST.
we Should come and mourn before the Lord, tha^we have
fuch a deep hand in it.
15. The fifteenth caufe of mourning this day that we have,
and that we Ihould mourn for, was, the finful countenance
that hath been given to that fin of the indulgence, ottner than
once, efpecially by profeffors ; and, alas ! how few of the
land have been ffee of it, and even of countenancing the -cu
rates by hearing them, and even receiving the Sacraments at
their hands, or from them.
16. The Sixteenth caufe that we have to mourn for, as a
ftep of the land's fin and defection, was and is, that Sinful
paying of the cefs, that abominable fin, to bear down the way
and work of Chrift : This hath been the wily and crafty way
that they have taken, whereby they have advanced the king
dom of Antichrift, and that in an avowed manner-. O !
tremble at this ; ye that pay that cefs, ye have need to mourn
and to break off your fins by repentance, and efpecially that
fin -, O ! break it off, and leave it ; for, 0 ! what a nefarious
wickednefs is this, to employ that which God hath given you,
and lay it out for them, to hire a profane enemy to baniSh
Chrift and his gofpel out of the land, and to take and root
out the owners of his caufe and truth ? I remember a word,
that a godly minifter faid in the fields, which was this, " That
;" if the enemy continued to impofe, and people yielded, to
" pay thefe ten terms cefs that was impofed, that it Should
<*, baniSh the gofpel out of Scotland;" and, Itrow, the gof
pel was not to be found in purity, before that time was ex
pired. 17. Thefeventeenth caufe we have, of the Lord's wrath a-
gainft us, and that we ought to be humbled for this day, was,-
the mif-guiding of that victory at Drumclog, when the Lord
bad countenanced that handful there, and had begun to Shew
his falvation to them, by giving them fome victory over their
enemies ; we did not then fanctify the Lord of hofts in our
hearts', and among us, fo humble ourfelves before the Lord,
but ran greedily upon the fpoil ; and (as fome of you may be
convinced of the fin of this thing) yet flood not thefe,' but
joined after this with the favourers of the indulgence ; and
that after, by open proclamation at Rutherglen, they had re
jected the tyrant, and all thefoeople of his practices ; we did
again take them into our bofom, as if we had been more loth
to offend that party, than to provoke the Lord to anger a-
gainft us, for our unftedfeftnefsin his caufe. O ! this is a Sin
that we have this day to mourn over before the Lord ; for,
after this, there was no more a fpirit found in us,' to Stand
- before our enemies ; and fo, this unclean fpirit, that hath
been and is amongft us, the Lord will have purged out. ere
he take delight in us. 18. The

CAUSES of a FAST. 241
18. The eighteenth caufe that we hate to mourn for, was,
the keeping of an open door at Bothwell, and thereby receivr
ing both friends and enemies, for fear of offending that party '
that owned the fupremacy, particularly the indulged : But,
ah! that word was little minded, tb.it the Lord gave unto
Ifrael, Deut. xxiii. 9. When the hoft gaeth forth to war againft
thine, enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.'
19. The nineteenth caufe of our mourning, was, the op
pofing a day to fail and mourn before the Lord, for their own
and the land's fins, and to intreat for the Lord's prefence a-
mongft them : This was dope by the indulged party, they
flopped it ; alas! for the flighting of this : And wherefore
was it ? Even left that twig of fupremacy, their idol of jea
loufy, the indulgence had been made, and mentioned as a
caufe thereof; ah i man's credit, and man's intereft, were
more looked unto, than the credit' and honour of Chrift,
whofe caufe we were then profeSfing to own : . O ! what a Spi
rit, was this ? The Lord vra.\\ have fuch fpirits purged out, ere
he be feen to appear for his own work.
20. The twentieth caufe of our mourning, was, the taking
the tyrant's intereft into the declaration at Hamilton : What
bad We to do with his intereft, feeing he had broken covenant
with God and his people ? We were never bound to him, but
in defence of the covenants ; and fo his breaking, and alfo
burning that covenant ,he had fworn, Roofed us from thefe
bonds ; yea, even as to the moral part of the obligation ; for,
we are bound to fight againft all the oppofers of the cove
nants, and to defend our brethren, and to relieve them, ac
cording to our power ; and fo,. we may before, no covenant
can bind us to fight for it, and againft it.
21. The twenty firft caufe of his anger, and ftep of defec
tion, that we are called to mourn for, was, that finful capi
tulating with Monmouth, for feeking of that, which he could
not give us, and that we Should not have 'fought from him :
It is true, fome have been helped to mourn for this fin ; but,
O ! how little is this feen or laid to heart by many ?
22. The twehty-feoond caufe of the Lord's anger, that we
are called to confefs and mourn over this day, Was, the mak
ing ufe of that finful indemnity, after Bothwel ; and ye may
guefs what a dreadful liberty it was, at what time it was pro
claimed; for it was proclaimed that fame day.' that the blood
of thefe two honoured martyrs, Mr John King, and Mr John
Kid, was Shed.
23. The twenty-third caufe to be' mourned over, was, the
finful counselling of the prifoncrs in the Grcy-friars kirk-
yard, to take the bond of peace, fo called : And, O! how
deep were the hands of minifters in this efpecially I And what
was that but a binding up their hands, that although enemie*
> Hb '.: Ihould

242 CAUSES of A'FAST,
if-
Should ruin and raze the work and people of God, they fliould
never give their concurrence any more to help them ?
24. The twenty-fourth caufe, that we have to mourn over,
was, that meeting of minifterS|at Edinburgh, where al moft all'
of them voted for that new indulgence,1 to preach on a cau
tionary bond : Alas! what a breach was this, for fo many
minifters together, to vote for that finful liberty ? I fey, 0 !
what a fad breach was this, for the work and people of God ?
It would take more, time than at prefenr we can have, to ex-
prefs what a fin it was ; and this was not done in the North,
nor Highlands, where the gofpel was never had in that power,
and purity, or plenty ; but it was even in thefe corners, where
moft of the gofpel was enjoyed, and by many of thefe" minif
ters, who had formerly been honoured to carry on this work;
and what was this, but a widening of the breach more, to fee
fo many ministers counterfeit and deal fo untenderly with the
poor church of Chrift ?
.25. The twenty-fifth ca.fe, whereby the Lord hath been
,provoked 5:0 anger againft us, was, the general fainting that
was among minifters, after Bothwel; and that, when the
Lord raifed up Mr Cameron, and Mr Cargill, to'go again to
the high places of the fields, to jeopard their lives, to teftify
faithfully for his noble truths and caufe, and againft the fins
and defections of the time ; they did not join with them, to.
continue at the work of God, to keep up the Standard of the
gofpel in the open fields ; and, as I faid before, ah, why did
Dan remain in fhips, and AJher continue on the fea-fhore in his
breaches, when Zebulun and Naphthali jeoparded their lives in
the high places of the fields? And, O ! how, many minifters
lay by in Edinburgh and Glafgow, and refufed their concur^
rence, when the Lord honoured fofne to witnefs for him,
whofe blood was Shed in the open places of the fields, and u-
pon feaffolds ?
26. The twenty-Sixth caufe of our mourning this day, was,
that when ministers were preaching the gofpel in the fields,
therewas a great neglect of catechifing, and instructing the
poor people, in the right principles of the reformed. religion
in our catechifms, when the opportunity was put in their
hands ; fo that the fruit is found, even among profeffors, and
fuch as countenance the work this day. Alas ! this is a fin
that we are all guilty of before the- Lord, even of finful. ig
norance : And, how many were finfully Silent, in not de
claring againft the fins of the time, and efpecially of the Sinful
oaths and bonds, that have been fo finfully impofed, to the
debauching of the confciences of the poor people ? Ah ! was
this the performing of what they had in commiflion, t° ^et
the trumpet to their mouth, to give a certain found to the
people, or whole city of God ? certainly this was * fin in mi-
niftersj

CAUSES of a FAST. 245
n'ifters, tbat our general affembly would have cenfured ft'iarp-
ly, and, if perfifted in, would have depofed them for it.
27. The twenty feventh caufe of the Lord's wrath againft
us, and the whole land, and fqfouglit to be matter of mour
ning this day before the Lord, and that hath been the finful
compliance of profeflbrs, with thefe Chrift-dethroning and
heaven-daring fins, which have gone through the land. Alas!
how many took the declaration, and that bond after Pentlan.d-
and the bond-bf regulation, and the bond in the Gray-frier's
kirk-yard after Bothwel ? and how many took that horrid
and hell-hatched teft', and the oath of abjuration ? the which,
although it be little looked to, yet, whatever more might be
faid of it, it was a fwearing to a lie, caffing. that upon our de
claration, which contained" no fuch thing ; befides all that it
carrieth inits'bofom: And, how many went, and fware at
their finful courts, and bound themfelves to keep the curates
kirks ? and how many fware the oath of inquisition, that they
fhould tell all that they knew, and all that the enemies inquir
ed at them ? and many complied with the paying of the cefs
and locality, and paid Stipends to the curates and indulged,
and in paying fines to the enemies, for the doing of that which
was their duty : And, what fliall I fey ? Inftead of giving
teftimony againft, or refenting the wrongs done to our Lord,'
there is an avowed continuing in thefe fins. Ol who can e-
numerate our public andperlbnal land fins this day ? And
even in Edinburgh, the finful avowed apoftacies, and con
curring with the enemy that hath been, in taking the blood of
the fain.s, and that even by profeffors, by holding aflizes on
them, and then guarding them to the feaffolds, they being at
enemies command; regarding, more their privileges than the
blood of the faints and martyrs of our Lord Jefus Chrift.
20. The twenty-eight caufe of the Lord's anger agmift the
land, that we are called to mourn for, as a great Step of the
land's defection, was. the reception of the duke of York, that
avowed enemy of Chrift and his work, that limb of Anti
christ, whOf although he was procreate, and come of that
race, yet he had s(o right to govern, being excluded by the
word of God, our covenants, and laudable laws; he being a
fworn enemy tO the church of Chrift in thefe lands; and yet,
with what triumph was he received, and how few moved a
tongue againft this horrid fin ? .and although the Lord helped
fome to give a teftimony againft him, by open proclamation,
yet, O I how few fpake their.mind freely of this dreadful re
ception ? O ! what the'fin of this land amounts to ! we read
of the Lord's threatning judgment againft a people, Ezek. xiv.
13,  22. that, I fear, may be fadly applied to Scotland, .that^
though No.ih, Daniel, and Job were living in this time; they
Ihould by their iuterceffion feve neither fob nor da.ugh.ter,, buf
H h 2- they

»44 CAUSES of a FAST
they, only fhould deliver their own fouls by their righteouf
nefs. Then, O ! how heinous is this fin, of not giving tefti
mony againft popery, notwithftanding that ft is coming into
the land like a flood ? yet tbfe is nothing but Sinful filence;
no teftimony given againft it : It was even fo with prelacy,
when it came in, and entered into thefe lands : Where was
minifters teftimony agaipft it? and where was profeffors' tef
timony againft it ? And now, where are we this day? O!
think on this, and mourn ; for our hearts may meditate ter
ror, to think On what this land may expect to meet with, if
a popiSh party get tlieir defigns accompliSbed. O! firs, if we
believed this, we might mourn in bitternefs, for the finful Si
lence that hath been by the generality, till the enemy hath en-
tered our borders ; and now, they are that length, that pub
lic mafs is fet up and kept, in the mod public city of our na-
tipn ; and fo it hath been brought in, piece and piece, and no
teftimony given againft it.
29. The twenty ninth caufe of the Lord's anger againft us,
that we are called to mourn for .this day, is, the finful coun
tenancing and concurring with thefe fectarfes and malignants,
in Argyle's affocidtion : Hath not the Lord faid of fuch, that
walk to go down into Egypt, to Strengthen themfelves in the
fttrength of Pharaoh, and to trull in the Shadow of Egypt,
that the ftrength of Pharaoh Should be their Shame? Ifa. xxx.
2, 3. And what was the affociation with, thefe, but a relying
and putting confidence in the arm of flefli ? And yet, how
was this fin countenanced by many minifters and profeffors of
late ? So, all thefe, and many more may be caufes of the
Lord's wrath againft us ; And how are they that concurred
with thefe, difcovered this day, to be going back again to
Egypt ? . Ah ! this is a fin, that we have this day to mourn
for; and we will fee ground for it, if we look and read the
caufes of the Lord's wrath againft Scotland.
30. The thirtieth caufe, that we have to mourn for, is, the
fad extravagancies that have been among both minifters and
profeffors, on the right hand, as well as on the left ; fome
who have now made a breach, and are ufurping the ministry
of Chrift, foe. Ah ! and alas! was' there- ever fuch a Shaking
in a land, as is to be feen amongft.us this day ?
31. The thirty-firft caufe that we have to mourn over this
day, is this, that there hath been too much untendernefs
ufed toward thefe that went but from us ; we have rather, been
imbittered againft their perfons, than with a fpirit of tender
nefs endeavouring to reclaim them, and to mourn in fecret
for their faults and fins ; we mean, their flippings and failings
have' b|$n more the fubject of our atfeourfe, than a matter
of mourning over their Sins. 32. The

CAUSES of a FAST. 24s
32. The thirty fecond caufe of our mourning, for which
we ought to be humbled this day, is, the great profanity that
the land is filled with, the fwearing, lying, fixating, and drunk-
ennefs ; Banning, and fwearing minch'd oaths, even among
profeffors in focieties ; fome having their Shame, their haes,
and their faes, and the like, they may even fpeak them all out ;
O ! how fad is this among a people perfecuted for their duty,
and yet fo 'little exercifed about the life of holinefs? But, in
thefe, and the like, ye are even bad examples to others. O !
what height of profanity is this land come to, when men can
not get living in the country, but they are wondered at, and
had in fufpicion, if they be not profane, or loofe, and let
an oath flee ? But, to fay no more of it, O ! how fad is it
with a land, when the vileft of men are in place', and when
the wicked walk on every fide, and when it is the very badge
of loyalty, to be profane ?
33. The thirty third caufe, that we have to mourn for this
day, is, the deep ignorance of God and of religion, and the
principles thereof, that is in the land, -and that even among
iprofeffors ; x--eally, we could not have believed this, that it
was fo grofs, till we took a trial, efpecially when they come
witn children to baptife, and tbat even among fuch as can
read the feriptures.
34; The thirty fourth caufe that we have to mourn for this
day, is, the great familiarity that many have with the enemies
of God ; O ! remember, that this is a fin that ye have to
mourn for ; yet we are not-faying that people can altogether
feparate from them ; for then, as Paul Says, we may go out
of the world : Rut we mean, too familiar company keeping
with the Wicked and profane ; and the needlefs converfe mauy
have with them, which ought and Should be avoided ; for,
O ! how many have gotten the edge of their zeal, love and
tendernefs blunted this way, by coming too near enemies'?
for, although men cannot Shun fometimes the meeting and
fpeaking with, or eating and drinking at neceffary occafions
with them ; yet, too much company, aDd familiar converfe
with them, is that w.hich ye Should fhun, as ye would not be
defiled with the bad and ill air of their company.
35., The thirty fifth caufe that we have to mourn for this
day, as a ground of the Lord's anger againft us, is, the Sin
ful differences and breakings that have been among us, even
in focieties ; alas ! this is a raging fin, and fpeaks out much
anger from the Lord. O ! how dead and indifferent are we
become ? yea, there are many grown fo indifferent, as if they
had never profeffed love to his work'; yea, ye are cofne to
that' of it, many of you, that ye will bring forth no arms to
defend the gofpel, even you of the focieties ; fo that ye mind not

i4<> • CAUSES of 'A PAST.
not the morality of the command, let be the bond of the co
venants. , ,. , , \
' $6. The thirty fixth caufe of God's anger, which may be a
ground of our mourning this day, and we may take it to our
selves, who are in focieties, and that is, that there is not that
care and confcience made in keeping up Of our focieties, that
ought to be in fuoh a day as this ; yea, .many are become fo
indifferent and carelels, that they will not carry their Bibles
about them to read on. "Alas! our flothfulnefs in that and
other things, makes us to be cloathed with rags, with reference
to religion, arid our foul's cafe.
37. The thirty feventh : caufe, which we may take as a caufe
of, the Lprd's anger againft us, is the great carnality that is
iitten down upon our fpirits ; ah ! there is little or nothing
in all our meetings and converfe, to be feen or heard, but car
nality : This is a great plague and hindrance.to fuch a hum
ble and tender frame of fpirit, as this day calls for at our
hands, and that 'we Should be in. O I Strive againft this Sin;
this is„that which we fliould wreftle againft, and beftir our*
Selves againft it, for helping forward the work of the day ;
ay, we Should do all that we can, by Striving againft this, to
remtove away his wrath.
. 38. The thirty eight caufe of our mourning is, the immo
derate 'ufe' of Sleeping, eating, drinking, and apparel ; all.
thefe may be caufes of our mourning, humiliation, and la
menting before the Lord, and that even when he hath been
calling for other'things at our hands : O! that we could win
t'o mourn over thefe. ,
39. The thirty ninth caufe that we have to mourn for this
day, is; the immoderate ufe of tobacco: It is true, we are
not againft it altogether, or that it fhould not be ufed ; but
there is an untimous ufe of it, as well as an immoderate ufe
of it ; for, fome 'in the time of public worfiiip cannot be
'brought from it, nor at other times from the exceffive ufe
of it.
40. The fortieth caufe that we have-to mourn over chiefly,
and that is, the fin of flighting and neglecting the precious
offers of the gofpel, in kirks formeily, and now of late on
hill fides. Ah ! ..and alas ! how little ground hath Chrift
gained upon many that have heard the gofpel ? So, that for
i-cfufel of him, we have made him this day to return to his
place : Ah ! we have finned him away from the place of our
Solemnities, and have made him cry out in regret, that we
would not come unto him, that we might be faved. O I Jiow
Sad will it be in Scotland, when he comes back to count with
it, and to require the fruit of a preached gofpel ? whatever
cloak of excuie fome may pretend now, yet then no excufe.
" ^ • " will

, CAUSES of a FAST,, 247
will be for us who have lived in Scotland, whom he hath ho
vered over fo long, with a preached gofpel.
4.1 . The forty firft caufe that we have to mourn oyer, is
this, that under all the profeffion that we have had, that there
hath been fo little heart holinefs ftudied ; this, in a great mea
fure, hath been neglected, to have the work of God promoved
in our hearts,, and to be conform to his image, and to have 1.
fuitable walk thereunto : Ah ! ah ! the want of. this is well
feen this day ; for, if this had been more ftudied, it would
have been more feen in our practice and converfe one with
another ; and there would have been more of a practice like
it Seen this day among profeffors. There js a word in Jere
miah, fpoken to a formal people, that- may well be applied to
the moft part of the profeffors in this age, Jer, iv. 14, 0 Je
rufalem, wafh thine heart from wickednefs , that thou inayeft be
faved ; how long fhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? O !
the mocking of God by formality that hath been in Scotland,
and efpecially on fuch fail-days as this ; fo that, inftead of
praying him back again to the land, we have but provoked
hini further tp remove, and make the cloud darker and thick
er; fo that he is gone out of fight this day, fo that our
prayers' cannot pafs through unto him, O! that w;e could
mourn all of us this day over thefe things : ¦ Q i that it might
pleafe biiu to fend down a Shower of the influences of his
fpirit amongft us, and that we might be helped to cry for his
help to this his work : And, O ! what need have we to look
to. ourfelves ? for there is fomething to be won this day, if
we be ferious with God ; and there is fomething to be loft
this day, if we be come to mock God with our formality, foe.
for Satan will be here, and will be careful and bufy, to pet
the fruit of this day gathered up: And, 0\ how fad will
this be, if the guilt of this day. be charged upon us, and be
added to all our former guilt,, fo.'that, inftead of ffoakning
the flame that is kindled againft us, we be found but to acid
more fuel? Ol firs, be intreated to" ftudy heart hutnilitv,
and holinefs before God, and to get your hearts under the
lively impreffion of this day's work, and come with a refoiu-
tion to forfake all the fore-named fins.
Such of you as have countenanced prelacy, refol-'e to come
out from them ; and you that have payed cefs and locality to
uphold his avowed enemies to ruin his work, come with'are-
folution. to i break off your fin of fo doing, by repentance ;
and you that have been carnal- in your heart, and forma! if*
your practice under a profefliQii. O ! come, .and feek the
grace of Sincerity from him ; and you that have been in ani
indifferent caSe, both as to. your own particular cafe, and the;
work of God ; O ! come to him, and feek -a Spirit from him,
.that yc may be concerned with both, and with all the reft of
.the

248 LECTURE IV.
the forenamed caufes, and abounding fins : And, if ye have
not a heart to join, arid concur With us, in the caufes of this
day, do not give us your, countenance, nnlefs thatye refolve
to abfl^in from thefe defections, and to difcountenance the
practice of fuch as avowedly go on in the fame. O ! what
fliall I fay ? Come and let us go to the Lord, to feek him,
that he would humble us, and engage our hearts to him.

mm®mmmBmm&mmmmam

L ,E C T U R E IV.

ZechaRiah vii. 4,  7.

1

4. Then came thepuord of the Lord of hofts unto me, faying,
5. Speak unto alt the people tf the land, and to the priefts, faying,
When ye fafited and mourned in the fifth and feventh month,
efien^mfie feventy years, did ye at all f aft unto me, even f»
me ? *%
6, "lAttif,fwl>en ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did ye not eat
for yourfelves and drink for yourfelves ?
•f. mould yc not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by
the former prophets, when Jerufalem was inhabited, and in
prqfperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men
inhabited the fouth of the plain ?
THERE were feveral faft-days kept by the Jews ; as,
firft, there was one upon the occafion of the lifting of
the fiege from the city, Jer. xxxvii. 5. And when the Chaldeans
that befieged Jerufalem, heard the. tidings of them, they departed
from Jerufalem. The occafion of a fecond faft was, when the
king's houfe was broken up, and Gedaliah was Slain, 2 Kings
xxv. 25- upon wbich they kept that faft for a long time after
that. And the caufe of a third faft was, when the king of
Babylon came againft Jerufalem : . So thefe they were wont to
keep among them, during the time of their feventy years cap
tivity : But now, when they were in a great meafure deliver*
cd, and were fallen to the building of the Lord's houfe, they
that were remaining at Babylon fent two men to the houfe of
God, to pray before the Lord, and to enquire of the priefts*
and to-pray with one another, and to propone a cafe of con
fcience, that they were in the dark about ; and the cafe was
this:

Upon Zechaeiah vii. 4,-— *¦*/. 24$'
this : That feeing they were in a great meafure delivered,
whether they "Ihould and ought to keep thefe fafts, as they
had done formerly ? as ye may fee, in verfe 3, and in this
part of the chapter, the Lord anfwers the queftion, then
came the word of the Lord of h.fts unto me, &c. which bare in
it a reproof ; as if he had faid, ye 'talk meikle' of your fall
ing, (would the Lord fay) as if ye had done fomething of
worth : But here the Lord tells them by the prophet, that
when they failed, they failed not unto him ; for, if ye had
hearkened to the word of the Lord by the former prophets,
ye needed not to have failed ; for ye Should not have had fuch
occafion to faft ; for, if they had hearkened to the threat-
nings, and turned to him from their fins, they had gotten
a better of it ere now : And now, we Shall come and ob
ferve fome things from the words read, and be very brief, be
caufe of the time, and the
1. Thing we would obferve, is this, That fome, proponing
a cafe of confcience ,to be folved, have been the mean of in
ftruction to others ;jfos here, this people were not clear in this,
and they fent twomen to the reft at Jerufalem, to pray toge
ther, and be informed anent this ; and here the Lord an
fwers them, and folves them of tbeir dOubt : So, the pro
poning a cafe of confcience to minifters, fometimes hath been
the occafion of folving many others ; the minifter being help
ed of the Lord, by taking the occafion to folve cafes, by
treating on fuch, fubjects. But,
2. We would obferve, That people may be about fuch a
work as this, of faffing, and yet not be right in it ; as here,
the Lord fays, that though they had faffed, yet ye faffed not
to. me, even to me ; and fo, I fear, that the Lord Shall have
that to fay to many of us, if not all, tbat though we fatted,
yet we faffed not to him ; and, O ! how fad will it be, to fee
many come, and that with fo great difficulty, and with fo
great hazard, and yet the Lord to fay, upon fuch a day, and
upon fuch a place, there were fo many met together to faft,
and yet they fafted not to rne, but mocked me by their Shews
of fafting ? And now, for clearing of this more, I Shall let
you fee that many, in their fafting, faft not unto the Lord ;
and there are feveral forts, of whom it may be faid, that they
faft not to the Lord. And,
(1.) The firft fort are thefe, who faft not when the Lord
calls for it, as the Jews did, when they fafted in thefe mdnths ;
and fuch fafts as thefe are an incroaching on his prerogatives,
who only hath power to fet times for his own Service ; and
fome never fet about this duty of fafting, but by obferving the
anniverfary days ; and thefe days of fafting are fuch as the
Lord cannot away with ;- for, as we faid befo'ri, it incroaches
upon his prerogatives, to ftatute and obferve # day in the year,
I i -:• f upon

as« L E C T U R E, IV.
upon fuch an account ; and it is fuch ^he. Lord gives this an
fwer to, Who required thefe things at your hands ? It is true, he
bath called his people to call a faft, and humble themfelves
before him, under the light and fenfe of abounding Sips, in
a church or land ; but, to make a day as a ftajtute yearly,
when it comes about, as here the Jews' did, is altogether un
lawful ; and no fuch days are to be obferved, except only
fuch days as he hath appointed in his word; for he only hath
power fo to do.
(2.) The fecond fort, whb may faft, but not unto the Lord,
are thefe who fet about the work of fafting, but not for right
ends, and right caufes ; and they who dp fo, their faftings
will be their plague ; and when they are about it, they are
feeking a plague : O! how many have been of this Sort, and
bow. many are guilty of this in Scotland, by their countenan
cing of fuch ? O ! how many days of fafting have been fet
in Scotland, for giving thanks for preferring the king,, or
their bifhops, foe. which are but plagues ? And fure, none
fliould faft for plagues, even for fuch plagues as thefe have
been. •
(3.) The third fort that fafts, and fafts not to the Lord, are
thefe, who, although they be content to join in this work,
and conf?efs.fin, yet they will not quit with thefe fins they faft
for ; and 1 fear there be many of this fort here this day ; I
fear- there be many that will join in the caufes of this day s
humiliation, who yet will not quit their Sins which they pre
tend to faft for ; and truly, we muft fay this of Such, we care
not much for your bodily prefenGe ; therefore we would fay
this to you, ye muft refolve, either to quit with all your fins,
,or elfe you cannot expect this to be an acceptable day to you.
,(4.) The fourth fort, who in their fafting faft not to the
Lord, are fuch who are conceited becaufe of their perfor
mances ; and fuch may be Said' to faft unto themfelves, as
you may lee in .Ifa- Iviii. 3. Wherefore have ye fafted, fay they,
&c. ) So we may fee, that this people were conceited of their
performances; they do fee niatters, going well with the wick
ed, and' therefore they fey, why is it that they that cotrimit
wickednefs are fet up, and they that tempt God are even de
livered ? As if they had faid, What better are we of ferving
God, what profit isi it that we have kept his ordinances ? for
we are plagued,, and enemies are delivered ; fo, when they
fee that they are fo dealt with,, inftead of being humbled, they
are ready to quarrel with God, and boaft, and he conceited
of their performances ; fuch people faft unto themfelves, and
not to God. >r\
(5.) The fifth fort who faft, but not to the Lord, are thefe,
that are fo proud and prefumptuous, ;>s if they could profit
God, who think they oblige God by their, performances ; and
• ' - alas!

Upon Zechariah vii. 4,- — 7. 251;
alas ! there are many,, we fear,' of this fort, herjg this day, and
elfewhere; but ye may know boW it is faid in Job xxii. 2. Caw
a man be profitable unto God ? Away with fuch a prefumption
as this ; for, wherein can we lay any obligation on God ?
(Therefore, fuch as come this way, faft to themfelves, and
not to the Lord.
(6.) The fixth fort, who in their fafting faft not unto the ,
Lord, are thefe that faft from the fenfe of their punifhment
and calamity that their fin brings on them, and rot for the
fin that brings on the calamity; and, I fear, there be many
of this fort here this day; and fuch were thefe, in the words
read unto you, which may be proven from the reduplication
of the word; When ye fafted, did ye faft unto me, even unto me ?
O ! what a catalogue of fins might we rank up, if time would
allow us ? And, as our fins are many, fo our fins are great,
and the cry of them is greater than Sodom's, that reached
unto heaven: O I what aggravation this is of all our fins, to
come before him in fuch a day, to mock him ? O ! then, you
who are come prompted up. to this duty, more from the fenfe
of your calamity, than from the fenfe of your fin, I fay, it is
fo offenfive to God, your coming hare to faft, that you faft
not unto God, but to yourfelves.
(7.) The feventh fort, who in their fafting faft not, to the
Lord, but to therfifelves, and they are thefe that humble
themfelves outwardly, but not inwardly in the heart : We
are come all prOfefling to be humbled^,; but where is that
brpkennefs of heart, that the Lord is calling for in this day ?
0\ where is the frame of the day, and of the work of the
day, to be feen ? O ! confider and lay it to heart, and the
Fad lofs you are at, while this is wanting ; look what the Lord
fays in Joel ii. 13. And rend your hearts, and not your, garments,
and turn' unto the Lord yoiir God. Oi if we were right in
heart, there would be much heart-forrowing for Sin, that
hafth provoked God. But, although we flfould all weep this
day, becauie of our affliction and calamity, yet were not this
a fafting unto him, but to ourfelves ; for you know what the
Lord laid to that people, that howled upon their beds for
corn and witxe; foe. their mourning was only for their exter
nal calamity. ' •
(8 ) The eighth fort, that in their fafting faft not to the
Lord, are thefe, who are brought from refting on outward
reformation, but not from refting upon inward.fanctification -,
and when that is refted on, it is not acceptable to God: So,
my friends, 1 would fay this unto you, that though you were
free of all the caufes of his wrath, that I have named unto
you in -the preface, yet, if you be riot feparated from this
refting upon inward fanctification, you will not find accep
tance this day with God.: So, then* we would expoftuUfe
I i 2 with

252 L E C T U R E IV.
with you for thefe two, viz. i. For outward and inward re-
' formation. 2. For inward fanctification, and yet to be deni
ed to it j for all thefe muft be had, but nothing muft be reft
ed on, but only Chrift ; elfe in your coming you but faft to
yourfelves, and not to the Lord.
(9 ) The ninth fort, that in their fafting fail not to the
Lord, but to themfelves^ are thefe that look not for their ac
ceptance through Chriit, but through themfelves. O! what
are all your bell performances, as hearing, prayer, and all,
your other duties ? All thefe will have but a ftink, as they
come from us : fo then, you muft only look for acceptance
through Jefus Chrift ; for he is the altar of incenfe, that we
muft offer up all our performances upon ; for it is only when
offered here, that they are all made favoury, or to have a
fweet odour and fmell before God.
Now, for preventing mistakes of what we have faid, we
would only fay this word, That,- though there be fome that
cannot attain to that meafure of humiliation, fincerity, and
brokennefs of heart, that they would be at, yet their Sincere
endeavours after this, and the deep fenfe of the want of this,
will be accepted of God through Chrift ; but, we fear fadly,
that this is the trouble or cafe of the feweft fort that are here.
O I what Shall I fay unt,o you, that are fet down upon your
performances of the feveral forts of duties that I have nam
ed ? We are fure, if you had been duly considering what a
hazardous matter ft is, to come before the Lord, in fuch a
work, that ye would have been afraid to come to fet about it;
it is of fuch a great confequence, to come rightly on fuch a
day, under fuch a cafe as we are in this day ; and it is fad to
come otherwife, and to have the Lord faying. That, in your
fafting, ye fafted not unto me : O ! how fadly is it to be fear
ed, that Satan gain the day of many, and many of you be
made fad lofers by this day's work, and that Satan Shall go
laughing away, carrying' away his captives, and great fpoil?
And fo, I charge you, as you will anfwer at the great day of
the Lord, before his tribunal, that, in your coming here, ye
would ftudy to faft unto the Lord, and not unto yourfelves :
And fo, we Shall fay this further, that all that refolve to come
rightly, muft refolve to take witb fin, and the punifhment of
it : O ! how fweet were it, to fee all under the deep convic
tion of fin, for both people and minifters, and all of us, are
guilty before the Lord -, therefore all Should take home the
conviction; and, Ol how fweet were it, if all in Scotland
were deeply convinced of fin.! There are fome that have the
conviction of Sintna general way, and have clofed with Chrift
in a, general way; but, O ! there isnothing to be Seen of that,
to be particularly convinced of all fin this day ; that keeps up
the difference betwixt us and that party, that refufes to take
with

Upon Zechariah vii. 4,  7. 253
with their fin this day ; and fo, here this day we take evi
dence, how willing we are to join with all that will be willing
to take with, confefs, and forfake fin ; and we declare how
glad we would be to have peace ; but we would have it on
right terms : This union we would have it a holy union,
founded on the word of God, and laudable acts, and consti
tutions of this church and State ; but.for us to feek after or
make onenefs with thofe, whq are guilty of grofs defections,
till they be convinced of, acknowledge, and forfake, the fame,
were not right ; for that were but a confpiracy againft the
Lord ; for he hath faid, That there is no peace to the wicked,
Ifaiah Ivii. 21. and fuch as follow crooked ways are led forth
with the, wicked. And fo, that all may fee bow willing we
are of peace, on the terms forefaid, and that you maybe
brought off from reproaching us, we are willing for, and
moll defirous of peace, yet in his own way ; and while this
may not be obtained, we may look on all our fad breaches,
as tokens and caufes of his anger this day, and as the fad
fruit of our fin : O I to fee us brought to the right conviction
of this, , and all of us taking with the challenge, that, when
we have pretended to faft,' and be humbled, we have not
done it unto him (as ye fee the Lord challenges his people
here) and, fure, there was never a people more formal in;
their fafting, or that hath more mocked God, than hath been
in Scotland, both in our fachers and in our own days. And
then, I would fay this, m the laft place, that it is good to be at
pains for information in your duty; it is good to go to God
for counfel : So, this people were at , pains, and fent for in
formation, and God anfwered them thus by the prophets ;
they got an anfwer to the queftion they were in doubt of;
Hence, we would fey, in thefe days we now live in, that we
would not confult our own eafe ; when duty is fo dark in
fome cafes, it is no time to fit down, and eat, and drink, and
be fecure, and fatisfied with our temporal eafe, or pamper
ing our bodies, but only refreshing them, in fo far as we may
be fitted for the fer'vice and work that he is calling, us to be a-
bout ; and riot to be forfeiting ourfelves with eating and
drinking, arid pampering the body, but only to refreSh us,
and fit us as travellers for our journey: So then, beftir your
felves, as travellers going to.the Canaan above : O! the faints
reft is not here ; but, alas ! I fear, that the moft part of us
have never fet right forward yet in this journey.
Again, in the third place, the Lord tells them, that they
fhould have heard his word, when he cried by the former
prophets, when Jerufalem was inhabited, foe. Whence we ,
would obferve, ',,.,. 1. That

254 LECTURE W. "
i. That faithful minifters fhould be looked on as the b'e".
-raids or ambafladors of the great king, and that all Should
bften and hear the Lord's Word from or by them : Thus Paul'
was an ambaffadpr of this great king, befeeching Sinners to
be reconciled to God. So here it is faid, that the Lord cried-
by the former prophets: Sp then, although it be the voice:
of man which you hear in this preached gofpel, yet it is God's
commiffion that they carry, arid in refuting to hear them,
God will take it as a refuffog to hear him. And,
Laftly, We may notice this from tbe words, that if people'
would take warning, when the Lord gives it, that the judg
ments they meet with for riot taking Warning, might be pre
vented. So, when the Lord calls by his Word, and rod, and
threatc'mgs, you fhould hear, if you would have the thing
tbreatned to be prevented ; So then, you riiay fee this clear in
this people, if they had taken Warning, they might poflibly1
have prevented that calamity ; for there was a large time1
from the threatning of tills captivity, before it came on,, or
before they were carried into Babylon : The Lord gave a
commiffion to feveral of his prophets, to warn them, of this
before-hand ; but they would not take warning ; and fo came
of it : So, my friends, let me fay this unto you,- that if ye
bad heard our former faithful ministers, in the day when they
gave us warning freely, and told us what our Sin, in contempt
of the gofpel, would do ; if we iiad heard them, we fliould
:--.ot have had the caufes of this day to mention ; at leaft, we
fliould have wanted a great part of them ; fo that, although
there nfigh: be many caufes, and have been many in the beft
of times, yet ve fliould not have had the occafion to have
pome to fuch a place, and upon fuch hazard, foe if we had
J^eard them, they would riot have been removed Out of their
kirks from us ; but what need we go fo far back ? If we had
beard our minifters in the fields, and taken warning, when
thisday was frequently told us, that we have met with, it had
not been with us as it is this day ;¦ yea, we used go no further
than the words we have been on, for clearing of this truth ;
and fo wc ihould all mourn before him ; for as long as God's
controverfy is not taken away, which he hath againft us, the
differences will never be taken away amongft ourfelves: O !
that at laft now ye would hear the word that the Lord feys
unto you ; and fo, we fball leave with that word, becaufe of
the want of time, Rend your hearts, and not your 'garments ,-
and turn to the Lord ; and the Lord enable you fo do : I Shall
fay no more at the time, but, To him be praife.

SERMON

SERMON XX.
Amos ix. 9.
For lo, I will command, and I willfift the houfe of Ifrael among
all nations, tike as corn is fiftad in a fieve, yet fhall rtat the
leaft' grain fall upon the earth.
DEAR friends, I would have you to remember this of
our cafe, that it is fuch, that fearcely ever a church
Was tryfled with the like ; fo that I may allude to that, Lam.
i. 1, 2, 3. How doth the city fit folitary, thdt was full of people?
How is fhe become as a widow, fhe that was great among the na
tions, and prince fs among, the provinces, how is fhe become tribu
tary ! fhe weepcth fire in the night, and her tears are on her
cheeks : Among all her lovers fhe hath none to comfort her ; aU
her friends have dealt trcacheroufly with her, they are become her
-enemies : Judah is gone into captivity, becaufe of affliction, an-{
bec,aufe of great fervitude : She dwelleth among the heathen, fhe
findeth no reft ; 'all her perfecutors overtook her between the
ftr'aifs. And likewife Lam. ii.. 16, 17. All thine enemies have
opened their mouth againft thee : They hifs, and gnafh the teftDz
They fay, we have fwallowed her up : Certainly this is the'day
that w]e looked for, we have found, we have feen it. The Lord
hath done that which he hath devifed : He hath fv filled his word,
that he had commanded- in the days of old : He hath thrown, down,,
and hath not pitied, and he hath caufed thine enemy to rejoice 0-
ver thee ; he hath fet up the horn of thine adverfaries. O ! what
Shall I take to liken our cafe to ? Are not enemies faying,
This is the day we would have* had, and what we looked for ?
So that I may allude alfo to Lam. i. 12. Is it nothing fo, you,
all ye that pafs by ? Behold and fee, if there be any forrow like
unto my. forrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicl,ed me. in the day
of his fierce anger. And to that in Jer. viii. 15. We looked for
peace, but no good came ; and for a time of health, and behold
trouble. Ver. 20. The harveft is paft, the fummer is ended, and
we are not faved. Is not this then a fad cafe ? But, I fey, a
fuffering caSe is ay a fad cafe.
But, to come to the words, For lo, 1 will command, and I
•willfift the houfe of Ifrael, &c. In the beginning of this chap
ter-, the prophet fees the Lord ftanding upon the altar ; and
the prophet gets a conimiSfion to finite the lintels of the' door,
that the polls thereof may Shake, and to cut them in ths head j
and lie fays, I will flay the laft of theni with the fi era. By cut-

256" SERMON XX.
ting the polls in the head, is meant the heads, and Strength
of the people, and their defolation ; hereby the Lord con
firming them, that all the ways they took, or Should take, to
efcape, Should not prevail, but they fliould be taken ; altho'
they Should dig down to hell, yet thence he would bring them
up ; and though they Should flee unto Carmel, yet thence he
would' bring them backhand though they go into captivity,
yet there would he caufe the fword, and it Should flay them.
So, from all this, we may Say to ycu, firs, think not to mifs
the Stroke that the Lord hath to bring upon this generation;
no, no. Some may dream to be among the enemies, and yet
not be known, or among ftrangers, and fo efcape ; but re
member, and take the Lord's word for it, that you fhall not
efcape : And it is long fince the Lord threatned this land
with judgements, and defolating Strokes : And, to confirm
it this tells whofe hands they have to go through : It is he that
buildeth his Stories in the heavens ; it is the Lord of. hofts
that toucheth the land, and it Shall melt. And, then, left
they fhould fay, that they were a people in covenant with
God; the Lord anfwers, and fays, Are ye not as children of
the Ethiopians unto me ? Notwithstanding of all the privileges
that I bellowed upon you, yet, ye are even as ugly unto me
as the Ethiopians ; and fuppofe ye Should object and fay, Hath
not ^ the Lord delivered us out of the land of Egypt, and
brought us through the wildernefs, and will he now deftroy
us ? Alfo the Lord anfwers to that, that he had likewife de
livered the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Affyrians from
Kir ; and therefore they needed not conclude, that their pri
vileges 'Ifcpuld fave them ; for he tells them, That his eyes
wer&u|5on the finful nation, and that he was looking always,
thattie might deftroy them: And, I think, that this is the
language, that he is faying to Scotland,- that is fo bewitched
with whoredom, drunkennefs, profanity, perjury, and back
sliding, that he will deftroy them.
But there is a promife made to his own people, that he will
not utterly deftroy the houfe of Jacob. And then, in the
text, he tells what he will do with them, that he will lift the
houfe of Ifrael among all nations ; yet one grain thereof Shall
not fall to the earth ; there Shall none of them be loft : And
be tells who they were that he would Sift, they were the fe-
cure folk, who faid, That the calamity Should never overtake
them. So then, the folk likely that the Lprd will find out
and count with, are thefe who have their own Starting holes,
that they think they will flee to for fafety : Be taken who will,
they Shall be taken, and Shall not efcape. But then, the iffue
is fwefct, verfe ii. In that day will I raife up the tabernacle of
David that is fallen, and clofe up the breaches thereof, and I
•will raife up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old. So

Upon Amos ix. 9. 257
So much for the connection, and now I come to the words,
/ will fift the houfe of Ifrael. The meaning of. the words is,
That the Lord will command to fift his church, as mrrowly
as corn is Sifted in a Sieve : And this is to' be underffood, that
either the Lord Should fift them among the nations; or eh'e,
that they fliould be vas narrowly, and Sharply cfo-.lt with, aa if
they had been So ufed: This may be undei flood from this;
and yet, notwithstanding of all the hard ufiige that tiris church
fliall meet with ; yet, where thare. is a grain, if it be but like
a grain" of grace, it' Shall not be foft: For, by the falling of
fo Small a grain to the earth, is meant, that it ,5s left, and
cannot be gathered up again: And fq, I fhall divide the
words into thefe two heads : : -
1. That the, Lord will narrowly fift his people and church.
2. That one grain of grace fliall not be loft; not one of
his people fliall be loft." i\nd from the firft head I Shall lay
down this doctrine : '. - , ¦ >
Doct. Whatever be the fioif lings that men ;n^y take to efcape,
and fhift the fieve by ;-yet they need' not think. io efcape fo .- Who
ever they be that have efcaped this fearch, yet they 'fhall not f.i/s
unfifted. And now, for confirmation of this point, ye fee what Jdln
the Baptift fays, concerning Chrift's coming to his church,
Matth. iii. 12. Whofe fan is in his hand, end he will, throughly
purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner ; but he
will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Do ye think
thaj: a inan that hath a heap-of corn and chaff lying together,
that lie will let them ly fo ? Np, no, be will, not ; for he. will
winnow and fift it, til! he get the corn and chaff parted : So
alfo, the Lord will Sift hypocrites from among his people :
For, as it is in JMal.' iii 3". He fiallfit as a refiner, and purifier
of. five r.' He Shall purify and purge out all the drofs of his
people, Zech. xiii. 9. And I wi'd brieg the third part, through the
fire, and will refine them. as filver is refined, and will, try them as
gold is tried. So the Lord will purge his people. , Do ye think
a man, that hath a heap of gold and droi's lyi-ng together, will
fuffer it to remain fo ? No, certainly ; but he will bring it to
the furnace, and melt and feparate them there.
Noiv, in (peaking to this poiqt, there are five things that I
would fpeak to from this :
I. A word, in Shewing fome Sieves, that the Lord Sifts bis
people with. , 1
II. What he lifts them for.
III. What he lifts them from,
TV. What the Lord purpofes in the fifting_of bis people. v
V. Some words of ufe. ', ,
/ . No w, as -to the firft of tliefe,
'l ' * • K k , . 1, The

25S S E R M q N XX.
i. The Lord Sifts his people, by the Sieve of his word, IJeb»
iv. 12. For the word of God is quick and powerful, and jharpcr
than any two-edged fword, piercing even to the dividing afunder
of foul and fpirit, arid of the joints and marrow, and is a difcer-
ner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This is a Sieve that
the Lord oft makes ufe of in the Sifting of his peOpfe ; and
ttiuch of his Sifting by his word have we gotten ; the Lord
lifts by his law, and by his gofpel. And now,' I would pole
you, as in bis Sight, in whofe hand this Sieve is, Do ye know
what it is to be lifted by the law ? if not, and if ye' continue
fo, as fure as the Lord lives, he bath the ax in his hand, and
he will cut you down, and caft you "off at the left hand ; and
there is no delivery from this hand of his, that this fieve is
in. 2. The Lord Sifts his people with the fieve of the difeipline
of his church ; and by this he fifts out many hypocrites and
hypocrify : And although this is a thing, that the want there
of is looked but lightly on by many ; but let them, or any,
think of it as they will, yet this is a trying fieve. When he
had a well constituted church, by doctrine and church difei
pline, how terrible were we to the enemies ? For, what was
the thing that caufed the malignants fear at, arid be fo much
averfe to prefbyterial church-government, but becaufe they
Could not endure the difeipline of the church? For they
Would never have been fo'cafeful (at leaft many of them) for
prelacy, if it bad not been this.
3. The Lord fifts his people with the fieve of affliction, Lev.
xxvi. 15, 16. And if ye fhall defptfe my ftatutes, or if your foul
abhor my judgments, fo that ye will not do. all my commandments,
but that ye break my covenant, I alfo will do this 'unto you, Iv/ill
even appoint over you terror, confumption, and the burning ague,
that fhall confume the eye, and caufe forrow of heart : And. ye
fhall fow your feed in vain, for your enemies fhall eat it. The
Lord hath appointed all forts of affliction, as a fieve to difeo-.
ver the drofs and hypocrify of his people ; and therefore, O
friends ! the ufe that ye fhould make of tjief'e your afflictions,
ficknefs, and croffes 5 or whatever trouble you have, if it
were but a tootfi-aCh, fliould be, to rnake you fearch your
felves, and to hate all your fin and hypocrify : For this is
God's defigq in afflicting his people, to part them from all
their drofs and hypocrify«
4. The Lord Sifts his people with the fieve of defertion,
Pfalm xiii. 6 0 my God, my foul is caft doxurt within me. Here
he gives proof of his being interested in God, by calling him,
My Gods and yet he is here under a defertion : And believe
it, firs, defertion will Sift Strongly ; it will try what grips ye
bave of Chrift, and of grace. And, by the way, when we
fpeak of this Sieve, do not grudge at it ; gradge not at de
fertion v

4 „ Upon Amos ixt'9. • 259
fertipn; for, although it be not joyful nor comfortable, yet
it is needful, and will fift narrowly.
5. The Lord fiftg his people with the Sieve of persecution :
And this fieve the Lord makes fometimes wider ; and he gives
enemies a permiflion to fift with it : Yet ftill he keeps the
fieve in his own hand ; and he hath been Sifting this long
time with this fieve, and bath been heating the furnace a-
new. He began firft with a wide Sieve; and, Ol but much
chaff and drofs went through at the firSt : But, now he hath
laid that by, and made hot the furnace anew : And, O ! but
the chaff be much that be hath found out, and will find out :
It is much, and^will be much ere all be done ; for, it is navy-
come to that, we fay, that all , that was pleafant to the out
ward eye, we are robbed of it : God is now making ufe of
this; and, O! but he hath Sifted out much chaff with this
fieve: In charity, it could not have been believed, that fo
much chaff fliould have been found within fo Short a time,
as is difeovered already,
6. The Lord fifts his people by the Sieve of temptations ;
and this is a 'narrow fieve: It is narrower than the fieve of
perfecution ; but think not Strange that the Lord fliould take
this Sieve; for Chrift himfelf went through this Sieve, Matfo.
iv. 1,  12. No doubt, but this is a narrow Sieve, becaufe
this Sieve of temptation is fourfold : As,
{1.) When the temptation is fuited to the inclination ; arid
that will try rhe man or woman to purpofe : And, believe it,
ye that know any thing of this, ye wilt find yourfelves oftner
tried with this, than with any other temptation : For drunk-
ennefs is not So oft the man's temptation, that is not inclined
to it, as it is to hirii whofe inclination ~is after it. '
(2.) There is another fort of temptation which Satan ordi
narily affauhs by, and that is, when the temptation fuits the
man's n.eceSfity ; and this Satan did to our bleSfed Lord, when
he was an bungred ; for then the tempter bade him command
the Stones to be made bread, JVfatth. iv. 3.
(3.) The third fort of temptation is, when Satan fuits the
temptation to the creature's advantage; when Satan by the
temptation fays to the man, Dp this thing, and - the other
thing, and ye will get the gear kept in this evil time-, and if
ye do ptherwife, ye will be berried out at the door ; as that,
if ye go not to the kirk and cburt, and take the hond that is
coming through, ye will'not get the corn and the cattle kept.
And fo, it is not the want of light, that hatfomade fo many
.'of tlie profeffors of Scotland run fo many black roads ; but
Oflly this, to get the gear kept.
(4 ) And there is a fourth fort of temptation, that is moft
prevailing, and that is, when the temptation is grounded u-
ponthe word of God, that is,.when S.atan brings in feripture,
Ii k s - tbat

26b SERMON XX.
j
that the temptation may get the better place ; this alfo he did
to our Lleffed Lord, Matth. iv. 6. If thou be' the Sort of God,
caft thyfelf down ; for, it is wrificn, He fhall give his angels
charge concerning thee, and in their hands they fhall bear thee
up. Yea, Satan will not mifs to cite Scripture, for making
the temptation work the Stronger ; but ftill he will keep back
tliat.place of feripture, that is moft lignificant, or elfe leave
it out altogether: For, he will make ufe of n'P' more ferip
ture than ferves his turn: This he did to Chrift, when he cit
ed Pfal xci. 1 1, 12. he left out thefe words, To keep thee in all
thy ways Tor, that was none of his ways that he advifed
bim to, and fo, no promife of keeping in it. O! but the
devil hath'been bufy to fift with this fieve, and he hath 'pre
vailed with many ; fo that whatever they appeared once to be,
they are now found to be but chaff. If you will aik at fome,
what makes them go and hear thefe corrupt clergy, that are
profane in their practice ? They will anfwer, They fit in Mo
fes's feat, and therefore,, whatfoe'ver they bid you obferve, that
obferve and do ; but'db not after their works, 'Matth. xiiii.
2, 3. And if ye fliall aik at feme profeffors, What is the rea- '
fon that they have laid by their profeffion, and that they do
not now appear for GaA, and own his caufe? They will cite
that feripture, Amos v. 13. Therefore the pruchnt fhall keep fi
lence in that time ; for it is an evil time. And if ye but fpeak
to them of'the cefs-paying, they will anfwer with that word,
Matth. -xxii. 21, Render therefore unto Cefar, the things which
are Cefar's : Whereas, we neither have a Cefar, nor are they
in cafe to give that unto him ; for they give unto him, Whom
they call their Cefar, that which is God's; for they have
given away their confcience unto him. '
7. The Lord fifts his people by the fieve of ftumb'ing-blocks,
and by this he fifts the church of Scotland, as ¦when enemies
wax ltronger and Stronger;' and, as to the outward difpen
fations of.providcr.ee, the Lord Seems to be with them: This
{tumbles many, and makes them either to queftion the way of
God, or to leaven : This1 made even David to Stumble, to fee
the profperity of the wicked, Pfal. Ixxiii. 3, — — 17. Ay, this
hath been a Stumbling block to many, wherewith the Lord
hath fitted them. There are Some, that he will fet to his
work, that will build a while -, but when tribulation arifeth
becaufe of the gofpel, then they caft all down again : This
hath been feen in many, who onee feemed to be tall cedars;
fo that their fall hath "ftumbled many. And, O ! how many
are there, who have quit their profeffion, becaufe fo many mi
nisters and profeffors have in this day ftcpr afide, and left the
way of God ? Alas ! many have fallen to the ground becaufe
of this, that will never rile again: So, ye may fee, that the
Lord lets fome fall, to be Stumbling-blocks to others ; fo that
many

Upon Amos ix. 9. 261
many break their necks upon the falls of fome, who once ap
peared to be fomething, that are now difeovered to be but
incarnate devils Hacb not this fieve laid by many, whd fome
times endeavoured to act for the Lord moft publicly and fo-
lemnly ? O I this hath been a fieve, that hath Sifted Scotland
many times •, and we think that the Lord is faying, That it"
there were not another fieve but this, even this, that he will
thereby find out many, and make them to fall over Stumbling-
blocks. 8. The Lord fifts his people by the fieve of death ; and this
fifts hypocrites thoroughly, and finds them out ; and this fieve
will try his people ; yei,' this fieve will make many to change
their notes and thoughts, that have been efteemed to be fome
thing, and that have flocked after the gofpel ; • yet this will dif-
cover them to be but; chaff. The Lord hath appointed men
and women once to die, Heb. ix. 27. So that, although ye
fhould efcape all the reft of the forenamed fieves, yet ye fhall
not efcape the fieve of death.
9. The Lord will fift us by the laft judgment ; for, at the
day of judgment, there will be a full feparation ; but 1 do
not mean that he will lift hypocrify from his people then ;
for,, they will be feparated from that, before the 'day of judg
ment come; and then will be the parting,, betwixt the Sheep
and the goats, betwixt the cornand the chaff, and betwixt the
gold and the drofs: Then will he gather the wheat -into his
barn ; but the tares will be gathered and bound io bundles,.'
and caft into the fire : There fhall not be. one wicked perfon
left among the godly ; no chaff fliall remain with the corn ;
then the Lord will fift and part them cleanly. , Many hypo
crites, and real Christians, are living together now, but tbey
will not be long together ; for the day-ofjudgment will part
them cleanly. O ! then, think what ye will dQ, and what ve
will fey in that day. Many think little of fevinc; grace now ;
but a dram weight of it will be found precious in that, day:
II. The fecond thing that I promifed to fpeak to, was, What
it is that the Lord fifts in his people : And,
1. He fifts his people's profeffion : Peter had the. greateft
profeffion, of all the difciples ; So he got the greateft Sifting.
What do ye profefs ? If ye profefs much, then refolve that
ye Shall be as^ell tried. Do ye profefs much zeal, faith, and
love ! Then refolve, that it fhall be-' as well tried and lifted.
I do not fay this, to fear any from their profeilion, or to
think that thele who are real in it, Shall be dung from it ; but
to ftir you up to more diligence, and to make fore work, to
build your profeffion rightly, upon the fure rock, Chrift Je
fus : Fori am Sure, nothing that that man meets with will
ding him off his feet ; but he fliall be carried through the
ftorm. So, remember that he will fift your pro feiifon •„ and
although

?<S3 SERMON, -XX|
although ,that there have been many profeffors of his truth,
yet he hath found but few confeffots of his name among
them. , ^
2. He-will fift the principles of his people : And, O I but
thisbe a narrow fieve : He will try, whether ye took up that
principle that ye hold, at your feet, or got it from him ; fo,
be will try, if ye came rightly by it ;'and by this he-win try,
if ye came rightly by it ; and by this he will make it out of
many, that they never got their principles from him ; fo, he
will try, if ye came rightly by this or that principle. O I try
yourfelves, and fee that ye be well principled O J I fear, that
many will be found to have taken up their principles at their
feet, and that they never got them from the Lord ; and fuch
fliall be found to be unstable as water, Reuben-like, and fo
ihall not excel, Gen. xlix. 4.
3. He will fift your clofing with Chrift : What, have ye
clofed with Chrift? Well then, he will difeover this; for,
be will Sift you by his word, and he will Sift you by tempta
tions, and he will fift you by perfecutioh. O ! how many
faid, by their profeSEon, within thefe eight years, that they
would never quit with Chrift and his way ? and yet they have
made irrecoverable apoftacy from him. O! fee how ye are
principled, that ye may abide the trial of all- thefe Sieves, and
fee how ye have clpfed with Chrift ; for this will be tried and
fitted alfo.
4. He will fift the graces of his people, not only the reality
of them, but even the Quantity of them, and the meafure of
them: This he did with Peter; he thought that he had grace
enough, and that he wOuld die or burn for Chrift ; fo, Chrift
faid that Should be tried, not only as to the reality of it, but
as to the meafure and quantity ot it. So, then, refolve to be
tried, firs, not only in the reality of your graces, but even as
to the meaSure and quantity of them, and in your love, £eal,
and Hedfaffnefs. O friends ! refolve on, this, that it Shall be
tried, if ye can be denied to all thefe, yea, even to the reality
of your graces, as to truft in him ; and to look to the Lord
&lone, for your future through-bearing : Ay, I will tell you,
friends^ #hat meafure of grace, that bath borne up in time by-
paft, will not do it now ; that which would have borne thro'
at Pentland, Bothwell, and Airs-mofs, will not do your turn
now, to carry you through cleanly: We rend that Peter's
(faith ferved a while ; but when he came upon the raging waves
pf ' the fea, he began to fink : So, look how ye will win
through this qarrow fieve ; ftudy, not only to have grace,
but to have an exceeding meafore of grace, and that in exer
cife. 5. He will lift the duties of bis people, and find what reality
If in thenij Mai. iii. 14, Ye h&ve faid, It is vain to ferve God; and,

Upon Amos ix. 9. 263
and, vshdt profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and
that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hefts ?< O!
this is very fad ! They wouldjhave ferved the Lord for out
ward advantage ; but when matters went not with them, as
they would have had them, then they were difeovered, that
it was never out of love to him, that they £erf ormed their
duties : O! remember, that this land was once verjf forward
in flocking to Chrift's ordinances, and in fetting days apart
for humiliation for fin ; arid fo the Lord hath Sifted thefe,
and they are found not to be bell-metal ; and fo, this day
the Lord hath difco.vercd, that your duties were never from
a right principle : Your going to ordinances, When ye had the
gofpel among you*, and all your other duties, we fear, there
hath been much formality in therii : O I then, ftudy to exa
mine your duties, that theyj.may not be found to have beta
but lip-labour and formal ; and try your practice, whether it
be conform to the rule of the word of God ; whether ye took
his word and Spirit to be your guide, or not s He hath fent
afflictions and trials, to try you, by thefe ; but if thefe bavc
not done your turn, to part you from your Sin, ye Shall be
yet varioully and better Sifted, ere all be done. O I then, will
ye ftudy the perfection of the thing, although ye cannot win
to be abfolutely and thoroughly perfect ; yet; in your refo-
lutions, fo Study to walk, that ye may be bell-inetai : I af-
fure you, if ye were rightly refolving to be, thus Sifted, ys
would be more tender, and more zealous. Ye that are fo
flotbful and carnal now, and fo untender of his glory, re
member, if ye thus continue, God will Sift you, and ye tfhall
go off at the left hand, among the chaff, that will be caft in
to unquenchable fire : So, remember, that he will fift your
duties ; therefore ftudy to make confcience of tbem.
III. The third thing prppofed to be fpoken to, is this.
What is it, that the Lord by his Sifting fifts from his people?
And, 1. The Lord fifts hypocrify from his people; and he -fifts
carnal hypocrites from ainong his people; O! ye that are
carnal hypocrites, remember, that ye muff either part with
your hyppcrify, and Study to' be real Chriftiarrs ; or elfe ye
fliall be caft off at the left hand into uriquehchable-fire ; ye
muft quit your carnal thoughts, and your uncleannefs, arid
hypocrify, and whatever fin ye are lying under; or -elfe he
will caft you into) the fire of indignation
2. He will fift from his p/ople felf-feeking : What way
think ye to win through, firs '. will ye quit your felf-feeking?
O ! he bath difeovered many, who have been but felf-feekers :
O ! -quit this, firs, or elfe he will en ft you off at the left hand,
and give you your portion in unauencltable fire : Remember,
•God

264 S E R M O N XX.'
God will either have you, and your felf-feeking parted; or
elfe ye Shall be caft into thelake of fire and brimftone.
3. He will have his people t.,fifte.d from felf-lpve,: Many
there are, that have been but lovers of themfelves ; fo that'
thereby they have let CliriSl, his caufe; and golpel go, to get
their own tilings keeped : ' Minifters and profeffors are guilty
of this ; they have ,refolved to lay all by when hazard came,
and have chofen the world ; but the Lord will either have
them to let the world go, or elfe he will lift them fo, that
they fhall turn "chaff, and be caft off at the left hand, into un
quenchable fire.
4. He will Sift his people from their felf-conceit : This is
the chaff that Sticks to many of his own people ; but he will
fift them thoroughly, till they quit with that conceit that
many of them have of themfelves, and get it put away : Sp,
people that think much of themfelves, muft be Weaned from
fuch high thoughts : O ! 'that ye would remember this ; for,
Chrift will Sift you, until he have you parted from this : I
wifh ye may confider, what a conceit Peter had of himfelf,
and fear, and tremble ; fpr, faid he, Though all. men fhall be
offended becaufe of thee, yet will I never be offended : And, tho'
J fhould die with thee, yet will I not deny thee, Matth. xxvi.
33, 35. Ay, but Peter was Sifted, till he was parted from
that conceit.; The Lord made him fee his own weaknefs :
Then, what fays Chrift to Peter, after he had denied him 2
Ye may obferve, that Chrift faid nothing, by way of rebuke,
to caft Peter down; but, after his refurrection, where the
difciples were all affembled, and Chrift among them, then he
fays to -Peter, Simon, fon- of Jonas, bveft .thou me more than
thefe'?- Now, Peter durft not^anfwer him with t'-.e confidence,
he had done-oefore, but anfwerSvhim more calmly,. Lord, thou
knoweft all things, thou knoweft that I love thee, John xxi. 15,
%6. Peter was driven out of his felf-conceit, and felf-confi-
dence that he had : So, remember, that. Chrift will either
have this Self conceit Sifted from his people, or elfe he will caft
them off at the left hand, and give them their portion in the
lake that burnetii with fire and brimftone.
5. He will have his people Sifted from their felf Slothful-
neis ; they are little in duty, car'elefs and formal in it : Now,
this is a thing that is fo contracted-in folk, that it is not eafy
to get them parted with it ; but, quit it ye muft, or elfe he will
quite caft you off: Remember that threefold exhortation of
Paul's, Examine, try, and prove, yourfelves : Now, a three-,,
fold cord is not ealily broken ; O ! then, roufe up yourfelves
from this felf-flbthfulnefs, and beware of it ; for, if Satan
get you once-rocked in this cradle, be will rock, and keep
you, if he can, afleep Still. O! then, Study to rouze up
yourfelves to diligence ; for Chrift will either have you lifted and-

Upon Amos ix. 9. 26;
and parted from this, or elfe he will call you off at the left
hand, and give you your portion in unquenchable fire.
6. He will have his people Sifted from their worldly-mind-
eflnefs, and love to the world, he will take his word,, and
trials, peifecution, and afflictions of all forts, and fift his peo
ple with them, for this end, that they may be parted from
their wprldly-mindednefs : And, O I but the Lord hath made
much ufe of this Sieve, for this end ; and yet, how few are
brought to quit with all for Chrift? And, O! how many
have quite given over all that they feemed to have of religion,
and complied with enemies, to get the world keeped ? Oh !
it may well be called a factor to the devil ; ay, it may be feid
of the world, as_it was feid of Saul and David, other fins
have flain their thoufands; but the love of the world hath
flain its ten thoufands! It is a word among the Latinifts,
That the throat kills more than the. fword : So, I will fay it
of the world, That the world kills more fouls, than the fword
doth of bodies. O ! believe it, that exceffive love to the world
is a rife fin, but it is little regarded : O I Study to part with
it ; or elfe God will caft you off at the left hand, and give
your portion in that lake that burns with fire and brimftone,
where there is nothing but weeping, and gnafliing of teeth.
7. He will have his people Sifted from their prefumption ;
many there are, who have proud and prefumptuous thoughts
of themfelves, that they have much religion, and much love
to God; and the Lord fees them, and. knows that they are
but chaff; and by fitting will difcover many, who have taken
up their religion at their foot ; ay, and that have taken it
up, ere it took them ; for, they know not, nor cannot in
struct, how they came at their religion at the firft ; but they
foon waxed confident in it, like Peter, who thought that he
had more Strength, than he had : O! remember this, firs, and
fear, and Study to keep humble ; for, God will either fift
prefumption out of you, or elfe he will caft you off at the left
hand, into unquenchable fire.
8. He will have his people Sifted from their unbelief: Oh !
how rife is this ? Oh! there is much of this to be fitted out of
his people ; But this is the chaff that he will not let flay with
his people : O ,! unbelievers, think upon this ; the Lord will
fift you, till he difcover you to be but chaff, and caft you off
at tfie left hand, and give you your portion in that lake of
unquenchable fire : And, as for you that are his people, re
member that God will put you through many Sieves, till he get
you and this chaff of unbelief parted.
9. He will have his people lifted from their trufting and
putting confidence inman, or in the arm of flefli. Alas!
how many were there of us, that looked that our deliverance
flioul«fc-have come that way, even by that party that was lately
LI on

26> SERMON '.XX.
on foot with Argyle, expecting that the Lord would do great
things by them ? But, for my part, I never thought fuch a
thing, that our deliverance would come that way ; for, the
Lord brake a party at Pentland, Bothwell, and Air's-mofs,
that there was more to have been looked for from them, and
more confidence to have been put in them, than in this party ;
But, I will tell you, the Lord will never leave ^lifting of his
people, till he fee therii Shaken out ofiall carnal confidence,
and bring them to look to himfelf only for delivery ; but I
think that few of his people looked for a delivery directly, by
thefe men ; but they did it indirectly, by thinking, as I thought,
that the Lord might make ufe of them, to break the common
enemy, that fo he might make way for himfelf; but he will
have his people taken off all thefe, and brought to a nonplus,
what to do; and are not we at this already? But the Lord-
will have us brought more into it yet, that we may look to
himfelf allenarly.
io. He will have his people Sifted from their envying and
grudging at hisf enemies ; O ! but this fin prevailetb much ;
it prevailed even with David ; for he was everi envious, and
grudged to fee the prosperity of the wicked ; yea, was brought
to think, that the wicked had the beft of it, and faid, that he
thought that he had wafhed his hands in vain, till that he went
into the fanctuary, where the Lord let him fee their end.
But, O. ! poor things, they need not be envied in their gold,
and in their gear ; but rather they are to be pitied, and their
cafe mourned over, Considering the dreadful day that is abid
ing them, though now they enjoy their good things.
But there is a worfe fort of envy, which is more dangerous,
and that is, to envy grace in the Lord's people, and that is
efpecially, when they are like to outftripus in holinefs. O!
beware of this Sin ; it is true, and it cannot be denied, but
that we fliould all Stir up ourfelves in diligence, who may be
foremoft in grace; but this is from a better principle ; but,
O I envy not becaufe, ye cannot win up to the meafure of o-
thers ; but Strive that ye may ; for, true grace envies not to
fee others thriving in grace, but rejoiceth, though they Should
be leaft of all. Then, O! ftudy to get the chaff purged out ;
for, God will have you parted from this, or elfe he will caft
you off at the left hand, and give yon your portion in the lake
that burnetii with unquenchable fire. And fo, ye fee that
the Lord fifts hypocrify from his people, and he will fift them ,
from their felf-feeking, from their Self-love, from their felf-
conccit, from their Self-confidence, from their felf flothful-
nefs, from their world ty-mindedncfs, from their prefumption,
from their unbelief, from putting confidence in man, and from
their envy :_ O! there are many things, that he hath to fift
his people from, even from thele who have giace. O I there will

Upon Amos ix. 9. 267
§
will be many and much winnowings, before they win to the
true grain. I come now to the
IV. Thing propofed to be fpoken to, which is this, What '
is God's defign, end, and purppfef in Sifting of his people ?
In anfwer to this, I fay,
1. God's purpofe in Sifting his church is, to difcover the
hypocrites ; If the Lord bad not taken Scotland in his hand,
and fitted it, many minifters and profeffors that were but hy
pocrites, would never have been known :_ Why is it, that he
is Sifting his church with the Sieve of perfecution and Stum
bling-blocks, but to difcover hypocrites and hypocrify in his
own people ? And woful is the cafe of minifters and profef-
-fors, who have given proof, that they are but hypocrites.
2. God's purpofe in Sifting of his church is, that thereby
they may win to know themfelves ; Peter came never to know
himfelf, till he was tried; we do not know what, we will
prove, till once we he tried ; O ! then, Study fincerity, for
ye will be tried.
3. God's purpofe in Sifting of his church is, that they may
be brought^thereby to know him ; there are many who are
very ignorant of him; I may pofe many of yourfelves in this
place, what deep ignorance of God ye are under, and if it
had not been for the trial anddifeovery of the deep ignorance
that many are in of him, and bringing them therefrom, the
Lord had not taken this fieve in his hand.
4. God's purpofe in lifting his church is, that he may purge
and purify away the drofs that is in them; for, why is it that
man takes the fieve in his band, but to cleanfe, and better
cleanfe, the true grain from the chaff? And why is it that the
goldfmith puts the gold into the furnace to melt, but that the
true gold may appear the purer ? So, the Lord's end in Sift
ing his church is, that he may make a cleanly people for him
felf ; it is for this that he is Sifting his people ; O! then, ftudy
to be holy, de"ar friends ; for this is the language of all his
"" Sieves, that his people may be holy.
5. God's purpofe in Sifting his church is, that tjiey may be
more precious : A heap of corn is more precious, when the
chaff is feparated from it : And, as the Lord faith, Zech. xiii.
9, And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will re
fine them as filver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried:
And that is, that they may be the more precious; for, the
goldfmith refines and purifies the metal, that it may be the
more precious; and fo it is with the church of Scotland this
day ; fie hai;h caft all into the furnace, that he may bring out
the bell-metal ; this will be the upfhot of all, the drofs he will
confume, and the geofl metal fliall be more pure. O ! my
friends, -the belt days that ever Scotland faw, are at the back
of this, but coming : There Shall be a pure church, and a
v Lid .ec. holy

268 SERMON XX. .
holy people ; All the minifters that ever were in the church
of Scotland have been naught, in comparifon of what they
fhall be, that the Lord Shall give to Scotland ; and they fhall
be a pure and holy people* So then, if we by faith could Win
to fee that glorious building of the church of Scotland that
fliall be, it would be all our outcries, that the coft that was
fpent upon it, was nothing in comparifon of the building, it
fliall be fo glorious.
6. God's purpofe in Sifting of his church is, that the graces
of his people may appear the more clear; the Lord hath
brought on the fieve of perfecutiOn, and all the reft of the
Sieves, becaufe there hath been fo much corruption, that the
true grace of God could not be feen for weeds. O ! firs, ye
know that a decayed old houfe, if there come a flood over
it, it takes away the rubbilh, and makes the ftpnes of the
building to appear clearer. Alfo, ye know what were Sa
rah's tfprds to Abraham, Caft cut the bond woman and her fon,
for he fhall not be heir with my fon Ifaac. So, caft out all the
fruits of the bond woman, and your graces will appear the
clearer. 7. God's purpofe in fitting of his church is, that thereby
he may prove his intereft in them ; ye know, ifa man come
by a heap of corn and chaff, if he have no intereft in it, he
will not concern himfelf with it, but if it be his own, he will
take all the pains he can, in Sifting and winnowing it, till he
get the corn and the chaff parted ; fo it is with Chrift and his
churph, he will pafs by the' faults of others, that he is not
concerned with ; but he will not pafs by the faults of his own
people : For, whom he loveth he chaftifeth, and fcourgeth every
fon whom he receiveth, Heb. xii.e6\ O ! it is in this that he
proveth his intereft in his people; for, becaufe there was
much drofs in the kirk of Scotland, therefore he hath done
what he hath done ; fo, he will take much pains in Sifting the
fame, to part the chaff from the corn, and the drofs from
the metal ; and fo by this he proves his intereft in us. Away
with that faying of enemies, who fay, We are not the Lord's
people, becaufe he afflicts and chaftens us fo fore ; for, I fey,
that by his Sifting1 us fo fore, by So many Sieves, his carer of
us, and defign to part us from our chaff and drofs, appears ;
and this proves us to be his people, and that he hath an inte>
reft in us.
8. God's purpofe in Sifting of his church is, that he there
by may give us many errands to himfelf (I do not mean only
fuch as call upon God, when trouble is upon them, but when
it is removed, there is no more dirt of it, or their feeking of
God, or calling upon him) but thefe that are faft purfuing
him, for peacetatid acquaintance with him, that by his Sifting
them with, thefe Sieves of affliction, foe. it will be like a Spur,
fl-'K • .' 'tO

'Upon Amos ix. 9. 26&
to make them run the fafter ; and fo, it is for this end that
the Lord fifts his church and people, that they may have the
more errands to himfelf : fo that, when the creature comes
with one errand to him, he will anfwer it, and give it another
errand, by putting another work in his hand. And fo, O!
my friends, as the Lord, is increasing the number pf his Sieves,
pray the more, and be the more in all duties, and make ufe
of them, as means to make you go with more errands to
him. I \
9. God's purpofe in Sifting pf his church is, that he may
make his holinefs to appear, that he is of purer eyes than he
can behold iniquity; and fo, he will purge,it out of his peo
ple ; otherwife, it would be thought that he winked at the
fins of his people, if it were not fo, that he took fo much
pains, by fo many Sieves for Sifting of his people.
And fo, I Shall come to the laft point, that I propofed to
fpeak to, which is, to give fome ufes of the doctrine.
Ufe 1. Seeing that it is fo, that God hath fo many Sieves
that he fifts by, then refolve not to fit down fecure, but re
folve on ftrange fufferings and fittings; and do not think to
pafs unfifted ; for, if ye belong to him, he will fift you tho
roughly, till he get the chaff Sifted from you : O ! then, re
folve with this, firs : Have ye not yet met with thefe Sieves ?
Indeed, we think there are but few, but they have met with
fome of them, if not all of them ; but he may make the fieve
narrower yet : Indeed, we may refolve to meet with as narrow
a fieve, as ever a land met with ; Ol refolve , in the matter,
and fee what ye will prove ; If ye prove chaff, then ye will
be bound in bundles, and caft into the unquenchable fire ;
but if ye prove corn, ye fhall be prefented among his peo
ple, in that day when he makes up his jewels, Mai. iii. 17.
Ufe 2. Refolve on this, firs, that the Lord will fift your
principles, ypur practice, your love, and the meafure of your
patience, your ftedfaftnefs, and all the reft we named : And
O, ! I fear, that many fliall be difeovered to be but hypocrites ;
for, I fear there be many of you unfixed, and that the coun-
fel of fome fubtle pretended friend will turn you from your
ftedfaftnefs : O I refolve to be Sifted, by all thefe Sieves I have
named : And Oh ! if ye give proof of yourSelves, that ye are
profeffors, and not co::feffors, then away to the bing of chaff
with yoti ;i and if ye give proof of your principles, and not
from a right end, then away to the bing of chaff with you ;
and if ye give proof that ye have no grace, then away to the
bing of chaff with you : But if ye have a grain of grace, if it
were but a grain, it fball not be loft ; for, although ye Should
be drawn through hell, as Jonah wasrin the depths, yet ye
fhall be preferved. Q ! refolve then, to have r.ll your prayers
.. ¦ and

27Q , SERMON XXL
and duties tried ; for he will have all put through the Sieve ;
then refolve to be tried, in-through, and out-through.
Ufe 3. Is it.foj that ye will be fifted ? O* then, be intreated
to quit thefe things, that God would have-you fifted from, as
felf-love, and all the forenamed things, that come under the
name of chaff 5 for God will continue the lifting of his church
in Scotland, until he get a remnant fifted from thefe.
Ufe 4. Seeing then, that the Lord hath fo great purpofes
and gracious ends, in Sifting and winnowing his people, then
take all well out bf his hand, whether it be perfecutions,
temptations, or ftrimbling-block ; or all other trials : Take
all well out of his hand ; and, if he call you to it, take up
your crofs, fit not his call, and ftudy to take all well oubxif
bis hand ; this is a proof that ye are interested in him-; for,
there is no furCr proof that ye are interested in him, and that
be is interested in you, than this, bis taking pains to get you
and fin parted. 0! ftudy to be parted from the chaff, and
take all trials well ©ut of the Lord's hand, feeing <that his
purppfes are fo gracious therein. -
1 And now, to him wbo hath all thefe Sieves in his hand, be
praife for ever.' Amen.

SERMON XXI.

Hosea ix. 3.
They fhall not dwell in the Lord's land; but Ephraim fball re
turn to Egypt, and they fiball eat unclean things in Affyrici.
Til E prophet Ifaiah, in the 59th chapter of his book,
ver. 1, 2, 3. fays, Behold, the Lord's hand is not fbortned,
that it cannot fave ; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear :
But your iniquities have feparated between you and your God,
and your fins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
For, your hands arc defiled with blood, and. your fingers with i-
niquity ; your lips have fpoken lies, your tongue hath muttered
perverfenefs. So ye fee, that fin is the caule of all mifery ; it
is that, that bath made theXord lay us low this day.
The greatnefs of our fins may be read. upon the greatnefs of
our judgme'uts ; for he takes no deligb/ to afflict his people,
gs ye may fee from Lam. iii. 33. For he doth not ajfiitl willingly, t
nor

Upon Ho sea ix. 9. :;jj
nor grieve the children yf men ; but men fuffer for the punish
ment of fin. Then, what muft our fins be, that have, pro
voked the Lord to lay us fo low this day, as we are befet on
every fide ? And our enemies, and they, that hate us, are they
that rule over us : Indeed, our fins cannot but have a load
cry before him; fo that, at every. ftroke from his hand, this
fliould be our language, Wo's us, that we by our fins fhould
put the Lord to fuch a work, tbat is fo far againft bis heart 5
and that he takes fo little pleafure in, But there is this quef
tion, that ye may poffibly aSk, What judgment is it tbat h©
inflicts for fin, that fpeaks -out moft of his anger ? I fay, wbea
the Lord puniSheth fin with fin, that is a demonftiation of
great anger, when he puniSheth with fpiritual judgments and
plagues upon the hearts of men ; and this we may fee to he
the cafe of the whole land, generally ; God is punishing their
fin with fin, when he is giving them up to a farther degree
©f finning. But, inthe Words we have two things :
1. The Lord ppniShing fin with fin. Confider the connec
tion in the verfes before, what is feid of the children of Uracil,
what their cafe was, Thou haft gone a whoring from thy God.
thou haft loved a reward upon every corn-floor. Ifrael had made
defection from God, and bad chofen the religion that promifed
great advantage ; and the Lord threatens them, that the floor
and the wine prefs Should not feed them, and that the new
wine fhould foil in the midft of her. Seeing they had forfak-
en the way of the Lord, and were joined to idolatrous worfhip,
they had faid, a confederacy, with the people of thefe abo
minations ; therefore the Lord threatens, and tells them, that
which they thought Should be their gain, Should turn to their
lofs and difadvantage ; and it is juft with God, to punifh their
fin with a further degree of finning. . » » ,
But, the fecond threatning, is with exile1'; They fball nek.
dwell in the Lord's land : But Ephraim fball return to Egypt,
and fhall eat unclean things in Affyria. Theoy fliall comply
with idols and idolatrous worfiiip. And,
A third threatning is, that they Should be cut Short of that
worfiiip which they had chofen ; that facrifice they had cho
fen and trufted in, Should be taken away; they Shall not offer
wine-offrings unto the Lord, neither Should they be pleafing
unto him ; but their Sacrifices Should be unto them as the
bread Of mourners, and all that eat thereof Shall be polluted :
for their bread for their foul Shall not come into' the houfe of
the Lord
. A fourth threatning is, that they Shall not only be depriv
ed of their facramenfs, but of" their feafts alfo: What will yc
do in the day of the folemn feafts of the Lord ? For to, they
are gone, becaule of deflruuiau Egypt -fliall gather them up.
And, Laftly,

272 SERMON XXI.
Laftly, They are threatened with this, that they Shall die
in banishment. So, ye fee, the threatning is, That they fliall
be driven to Egypt, and- that they Should be made to eat the
unclean things in Affyria. And the doctrine that I ihall ob
ferve is this, t ,.
Doct. I, That it is a fad calamity to a land or people, when
people provoke the Lord to take away that which he had formerly
conferred upon them ; and when he takes away a people by exile.
It is true, all places are alike to the people of God, while
they are helped to keep his way ; but it was not fo with the
children of Ifrael, for that land was given unto them for in
heritance, and it was a type of the heavenly Canaan ; and
their being banished from it was a being baniflied from bis
church and family: So the doctrine is this,
Doct. II. That it is fad, when fin makes the Lord to be fo
provoked, as to take away that from people, that he had formerly
conferred and privileged them with.
And, in application to our cafe, how deeply ought we to
be affected, and concerned, to look back to what our privileges
have been ? to that noble work of reformation, that our land
was- privileged with? To enter into covenant with "God ?
wherein we dedicated, and gave away ourfelves to be for him,
and he fet a complete hedge about his church, and he made
his poor church then terrible as an army with banners : So
that we may now fay, with fad hearts, that all the kings of
the earth would not have believed, that the enemy 'Should
have entered within the bulwarks and walls of thee, O cove
nanted Scotland !
Take a look to what fin hath done to us this day ; fo that
we may now Sigh, and Sob out that fad word, Is there any for
row like unto our forrow, wherewith the Lord hath affliclcd us,
in the day of his fierce anger ? The inhabitants of the church
of Scotland may take up that fad complaint this day, and may
be put to it, to fearch the caufes, why. it is fo : Ye may read
the caufes, the paftors are become brutifh, light, and treach
erous perfons ; they have polluted the fendtuary, and de
ftroyed my vineyard ; and the people have deeply corrupted
themfelves, as in the days of Gibeah : And therefore he will
remember their iniquities, and will vifit their fins.
Indeed, we need not blame enemies fo much, for what is
come upon us, as we may blame ourfelves, becaufe we have
given away our pleafant things with our own hands ; and there
is none of us all that can cleanfe cur hands from this trefpafs;
but, believe it, minifters have had an active and fpecial hand
in this: The paftors are become brutifh, they polluted the
fanctuary, and deftroyed the Lord's vineyard ; and are they
not this day making themfelves ftrong, in entering in sffocia-
tion with malignants and fectaries I and therefore, they fliall
' ' ' not

Upon Hosea ix. 9. , ' 273
not profit this people at all : Therefore we may fay, that our
crown is fallen from our head. But, what is our crown, ye
will fey ? Look Rev. xii. 1 . And there' appeared a great- wonder
in heaven, a woman clothed with the fun, and the moon under
her feet-, and upon her head a crown of twelve ftars, according
to the number of the twelve apoftles But now that crown is
fallen in Scotland ; and fo, the Stars tbat once Sbined brightly
and glorioufly in our horizon, have now loft their beauty and
light, and are become fallen ftars. Would ye know what the
generality of this church is like ? (do hot miftake me, for I
defire to believe that he hath a church 'in Britain, that is pre
cious to him ; but,) the moft part is not like the woman, for
they have the moon above their head, and the worldupmoft
in their heart : But then,
The fecond thing, we obferve in the words, is, That they
fhall eat the unclean things in Affyria. Now, this may be di-
Verfe ways understood :
1. That they Shall be brought to fuch penury and ftrait,
that they Shall eat that which they ought not; and fo, this
was an humbling neceffity, though not finful. Look the ex
ample of David, what he was brought to, and they that were
with him; and what Chrift's difciples did, in plucking the
ears of corn upon the fabbath-day ; fo it is their humbling
neceffity, though not finful ; for he hath laid, That he will
have mercy, and not facrifice ; fo, this Should be very humb
ling to us this day, being our fad condition, that by our meat
and drink we Strengthen the hands of the enemies of God ;
likewife, in all the disturbances we get, or meet with, we are,
as it were, put to the flight on the fabbath-day, if we Should
now be prefently affaulted by the enemies, and put to flee be
fore them, which is our duty, rather than to ftand, when we
»re not in cafe for refitting : And fo, it ought to be a humb
ling thing, that of neceffity we are put to ; and We Should
construct thefe things thus, That the reafon why it is fo with
us, is, becaufe we have departed from God, and have for-
faken his way ; and this is the caufe of all the mifery and toil
that we are put to.
2. This is understood (which is the principal thing meant
in the. words) They fhall eat unclean things in Affyria : That is
to fay, they fliall involve themfelves in compliance with wick
ed tyrants and graffators, and eat and drink with them; of
things facrificed to idols; being made to quit the fubftance
of religion, and Shall worfhip, the calves of Dan and Bethel ;
and fo the Lord pronounceth this, that he will make them
quit and give up with all forms of worfiiip, feeing they quit
with the fobftance of religion : And from this, I wouli draw
this doctrine : ,
-,',! ;'-..;, M m Doct.

2?4 SERMON XXI.
Doct. III. That the Lord is provoked often to punifhfin with
fin ; and thus to punifh thefe their yieldings to enemies, and com
plying with their fuperftitious worfhip >. As ye may fee in Rom.
i. 23. 28. And changed the glery of the incorruptible Gpd, into
an image pmde like to corruptible man. And even as they didnot
like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
reprobate mind, 'to do thofe things which are not convenient .-
And fo, in the four following verfes, ye may fee the fad
fruits of tlieir turning away from God : And, as the prophet
hath it, in Ifa. Ixvi. 3, 4. They have chofen their own ways-, and
their foul delighteth in their abominations : I will alfo choofe their
dehifions. And, as the apoftle Paul faith, in 2 Theff. x. 11.
Becaufe they received not the love of the truth — '-for this caufe
God fhall fend them ftrong delufion, that they fhould believe a lie.
So, this was the Lords p'uoifhing fin with fin ; they thought
to cover their fins with tlieir rites and ceremonies ; but that
would not do ; for God gave them up to a furtheV degree,
and more visible way of finning.
And, in application to our cafe, I would fey this from it,
that foch fliall never, be honoured to witnefs faithfully for
the Lord, who have quit with the moft part of his truths al
ready ; for it is always obferved to be the belt way, to Slick
clofe by all his truths { for wherefore was it thus with his
people, but becaufe they had forfaken the right way of the
Lord ? Therefore, O f remetnber this word, and take it with
you, firs, whpfoever makes inward defection from the truth,
yet, ere all be done, God fliall make outward defection to,
follow, and at length will give them oVer, that they Shall quit
with all forms of worfhip, if repentance fpeedily prevent it
not in time : If once folks religion turn all to a form, he
cares not for that. Remember that fad word; in Luke viii 18.
Andwhofoever hath not, from him fhall be taken, even that which
he feemtith to have. And, would ye know the reafon why lo
many comply with thefe graffators ? It is even that the Lord
may manifest to the world, and make it evident, that they
were never right nor found at the heart for him ; and fo, he
would have them to quit all forms alfo,' and make them to be
known to the World, what they have been, that they have
been but traitors to him : Hath not C0CI evidenced this, in
many that have had a profeffion,, that have now gone and
beard the tefted curates; and have renounced all their engage
ments, both the Solemn oath of the. covenants, that all in the
land lie under, and alfo their baptifriial vows, this day ? And
why is it, but becaufe they are hollow-hearted ? And there
fore God hath made them to fubfcribe with their own hand
in the view of the world, what they were ftill in his Sight. O!,
beware of inward defection, firs ; for, if inward love and
zeal to God and his way be once loft, I fear, left it come, to
<&- ' this

Upon Hosea ix. 3. 275
this in the end with you, to quit all forms alfo. Hath it not
been his way of punifhirig inward defection, with a public re
nouncing of all ? I "would exhort you all, that defire to abide
by the Lord in the day of trial, toheware of inward defection,
or elfe he will make you to be difeovered, that all the world
fliall know what you are. Now, this is your cafe : Then, if
may be, ye will fay, What fliould be our, work now ? There
are five things, tbat I would recommend to you,, to be your
work this, day : And,
1. Search and try your hearts, and your ways, and turn a-
gain unto the Lprd. We ought to trace back our ways, and
mark, from the firft Step of our defertion and turning from
God ; for, it is to fuch as fearch their hearts, and try their
ways, and turn again to, the Lord, that the Lord will give a
right to this promife made to Ifrael, that they'fhall return,
and feek the Lord their God, and David their king, which is
principally meant of Chrift, Hof. iii. 5 As the children of
Ifrael were to trace their fteps, back po the firft Step of their
defection, which the Lord was contending with them for,
which was to the time that Jeroboam fet up the calves in Dan
and Bethel ; fo we Should begin at the firft ftep of our defec
tion, and a flighting of a gofpel invitation; and this is impli
ed againft falling away ; and they have a promife, to return
with their whole heart, with weeping, mourning, falling, and
fupplication ; which was a good evidence of repentance, and
of a people's turning to God, and God's turning to them.
2. This muft' be our work, a de,ep humiliation; for Sin, a
deep fenfe of the greatnefs of our fin, whereby we have pro
voked the Lord, which may be read upon the greatnefs or
our judgments. What doth this call for? It requires of us
to, go foftly, and to be, clothed with Sackcloth, and to lie in
the dull, and to be humbled inwardly in heart, and" outward
ly in our' converfation,' and to be more weighted with the
fenfe of our fin, than with the fenfe of our calamity :' But,
fee that ye be not more humbled with the fenfe of your calli-
lamity than with the fenfe of yoiir fin, that has brought on
the calamity ; for, if this be your cafe, (by the way) your
grief that you have will but fend you a black gate ; fo it was
with Ephraim, when he faw his wound, he returned to king
Jareb, and joined with him: So, many fee their wound, now
and then, and yet run into the_ enemies, and comply with
them, and pay fines to them ; and that is the way of many
that they take to heal their wounds; but' it was not fo with
Ifrael, when rightly humbled ; for then they would no more
fay to, idols, ye are our gods ; neither would they flee to A-
fliur to fave them, neither would they ride upon horfes ; but
they would flee to the Lord tfou had wounded, that he might
heal ; fo, if we had the deep fenfe of our fin, we would not
M m 2 ''fee

2?6 S E R M ON XXI.
fee fo many running to eneniies, making peace with them,
and fo provoking the Lord to anger ; but we would run to
himfelf, that hath wounded us, that he may heal us again. ,
3. This ought to be your work, a cheerful fubmiffion to
all the Lord's chaftifings ; as it is Micah vii. 9. I will bear the
indignation of the Lord, becaufe I have finned againft him. Now,
what is yonr work, firs ? Ye that are hardly put to it, and
caft out of houfes and harboury, this word is fweet to feve-
ral of you ; get a humble fubmiffion to what the Lord hath
done to you, and a right fight and fenfe of fin, and this will
be an antidote to you, to overcome all your difeouragements,
and then your language will be, I will bear the indignation of
the Lord, becaufe I havefinned againft him.
4. This muft be your work, a. giving pf yourfelves over to
the Lord, fully and freely, and to be content to wait on him,
and Study to keep his way ; and fey, with the prophet, And I
will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the houfe of Ja
cob, and will look for him, Ifa. viii. 17. Until he plead my caufe Tf
and execute judgment for me,Mic. vii. 9. Ye muft be content
to put a blank in his hand, to chaftife as he pleafeth.
5. Let. this be your work, that every new declaration of the
Lord's wrath be anew mean to put you more to your duty.
Are enemies reins let Ioofe upon the people of God, to run
and ride over them as it is this day ? All this fliould Spur you
to your duty, and put you to a new fearching out of fin,
which is the caufe,of all this. Now, becaufe this is our cafe,
that we are brought to eat the unclean things in Affyria, in
anfwer to, all that I have faid, What is the report that ye will
give this night ? What are ye refolved to do ? Will ye give
me ground to fay, that your refolution is that in Hof. vi. 1.
Come, and let us return unto t-'e Lord ; for he hath torn, and he
will heal us; he hath fmitten, and he will bind us up .- May I fay
this of you, firs ? Now, when we. have provoked him, what
will ye anfwer, firs ? Sure. I am, we Should come to him with
bluShing of face, and take with our fin, now, when he is wait
ing, and defiring us, to be reconciled to him. O ! lay down
your arms of fin, and fight no more againft him; but if ye
will not, and if ye boaft when ye put on your armour, ye
fliall not boaft when ye put it off. Remember Who it is that
invites you this night : It is he that hath a love of delight,
yea,' all delight is in him ; and he is calling you, as in Cant.
iv. 8. Come with me from Lebanon, my fpoufe, with me from Le
banon. It is himfelf that is inviting you ; it is him that tread-
eth in the wine fat, with his garments red,, dyed with blood.
O! come and yield to him, and let this night make joy in
heaven. Ye know what the Lord faid himfelf, that there is
nxeikle joy in heaven at the converfion of one foul. What,
will ye refufe him, when he is calling you back again, crying,
O back*

Upon Zecharihh ix. 9. 277
Obackfliding children ! will ye return, and I will heal your
backflidings, why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael ? O, let us
come, when he is ftanding upon mount Zion, and holding
out the golden feeptre of his free grace unto us: And, will
ye not touch it, firs, and make peace with him ? He is crying,
Let him that beareth come ; and him that thirfieth, let him come,
and take of the water of life freely. Now to him that can o-
pen, and none can Shut, and Shut, and none can open, we
defire to give praife. ,

^XMMMMmMMMMmMimm,

S E R M O N XXII.
Zechariah ix. 9.
Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion ,- fhout, 0 daughter of Je
rufalem : Behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he, is juft, and
having falvation ; lowly, and riding upon an afs, and upon
a colt, the foal of an afs.

T TER.E ye may fee Chrift in a very low condition, riding
Xi upon an afs, yet for all that he was a King.
I. He is called juft, and that in thefe refpects :
1. He is juft towards his people ; he can nor will do them
n6 wrong ; for all the troubles and afflictions that they meet
with while here, they will be made to fay, that he is juft in
fo doing, as it was, for their good that they were fo dealt
with. 2. He is juft towards his enemies, in their condemnation ;
they will be made to fubfcribe to the juftice of it. O I how
will this glorious attribute of his juftice Shine towards his ene
mies, when he arifeth in this land to plead his caufe, when
he cloatheth hiinfelf with zeal as, with a cloak, and with the
garments of vengeance, when it is- faid, Who is he that cometh
from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozra ? Ifaiah lxiii. 1.
O ! then, what will his enemies dp ?
3. He is juft, that is, he hath jultification and righteouf
nefs to give to his people ; he hathfanctification to give them ;
yea, be hath all things to give them, O ! then will ye come
away and embrace him ; lay hold upon him for justification
and fenctification ; if Chrift is yours, all things are yours ;
then let nothing hinder you from coming to him. '- But fome will

27» SERMON XXII.
will fay, O ! I am a great Sinner, and how can I come t,o
Chrjft? O! let not that hinder, but rather further you to
come ; ye ftand in the greater need of him, that ye are a great
finner ; he is juft, that may anfwer all your objections.
II. And he hath falvation, that may anfwer other of your
objections : Therefore come and embrace him. He hath not
only falvation to give you, from the guilt and damning power
of fin, but alfo from the defiling and reigning power of fin ;
he hath falvation to give you, from hell and wrath. to come ;
yea, from all your enemies, inward nnd outward.
Ill, He is lowly. And may not this anfwer all your objec
tions, he is lowly ? He is great, yet condefcending ; he is a
King, yet-he is lowly. O ! may we not wonder at his lowli-
nefs, and fhould not this confederacy engage us to him ? If
it be'aSked, What is the belt 'way to labour to mortify fin ?
Anfw. Meditate much upon the condefcendency of Chrift to
poor loft Sinners ; that will make the foul to hate the fin,
that was lovely to him before ; and will make the foul to be
drawn. out in love-after Chrift, loving holinefs, and panting
to be like-bin*,;. .It is faid, there were five men met to confolr,
whaLt was-the beft way to make a foul labour to mortify fin :
The firft faid, to think much on death : The fecond feid, to
think much on judgment : The thirdfaid, to think much on
heaven : The fourth faid, to think much on hell : The fifth,
which was the beft, faid, to think much on the condefcenden
cy of Chrift: Ol therefore, let us meditate much upon his
condefcendency, that we may be drawn out to love him,* and
bate fin ; let us take him for our king. O I the moft part
of the land have dethroned him, taken his crown and princely
robes, and royal prerogatives from him; let. us not "do fo,
but take him for our king, and fet our crowns upon his head.
All they who take him for theirs, and embrace him, fet their
crowns upon his head, Cant, iii i I. Go forth, 0 daughters of
Zion, and behold king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his
mother crowned him. That is,' go forth, and behold King
Chrift, with the crown wherewith his people crowned him.
Lowly and riding upon an afs. This holds forth two things :_
i. He rode thus, that he might be near the ground, the
afs being of a low Stature,, that he might have the more con-
veniency to fpeak to his people as he paffed by.
2. That he might have the more time to fpeak to them,
the afs being of a flow motion ; both holding forth his won
derful condefcendency, and how he can work glorious works
by. Small means, and in flow motion to our uptaking. O !
what glorious works, yea, works of wonders, he hath wrought
in Scotland, by weak and fmall means ? carrying on the feme
fjowly and lently to our apprehensions, ye; wifely and glori-
(uufly, for his own holy ends.
Observe,

Uf on Zechariah ix. 9- 279
Observe, That the very hopes of Chrift's coming to a church
and people, fhould make them rejoice, andfhoutforjoy.
The church here is bidden rejoice, and Shout, becaufe
Chrift was coming; which was long before he came actually
in the flefli ; kings and prophets rejoiced at this, tbat Chriit
was coming ; Abraham faw his day, and ,was glad : May not
the faith and hope of this., that Chrift is coming back again
unto Scotland, make his people to rejoice ; yea, they may
and Should rejoice, and be glad and Shout for joy. And there
are three marks and evidences of Chrift's coming again to this
land. 1. Scotland is a married land; it is Chrift's by covenant,
having given away itfelf wholly to him, then do not think that
he will quit the fame.
2. He hath always kept up a remnant, a party for him, to
avouch that marriage relation, to avow openly before the
world, that they are his; and to teftify and witnefs againft
all the wrongs and indignities done againft him, by testimonies,
declarations, and proteftations, and otherwife.
3. He hath honoured feveral of his faints and fervants, to
feal their teftirrionies with their blood ; he hath accepted of a
facrifice at our hands ; and may not we then fey, as the wo
man faid, Judges xiii. 23. If the Lord were pleafed to kill us,
he would not have received a burnt-offering, and a rite at -offer in i{
at our hands. O ! then, let us rejoice in the faith of it, that
Chrift is coming back again to Scotland.
And it may be aSked, What will he do when he comes ?
Anfw. 1. He will overturn all thefe overturners, who have
ruined his work and intereft \ he will overturn and ruin their
Work, which they have been building upon the ruins of his
' work ; He will overturn, overturn, overturn, and befhail cottie^
whofe right it is, and it fhall be given him.
2. When he' comes, the work of many Shall be turned np-
fide down ; many have been fettled upon their lees, making
lies their refuge, building walls, and daubing them with ^o-
tempered mortar, carrying on defection, and pleading Strong
ly for the fame ; but, in that day, they Shall all be thrown
down ; all their defenced cities and high tow-ers which they
have been making, Shall then be brought to the ground ; their
pleading much for fin and defection Shall then be fee n fo have
been but folly and madnefs.
3. He is coming to Scotland, to build up his houfe and
fanctuary again in the land ; he hath taken the hedge of go-'
vertimcnt and clifeiplifre from -his houfe, that, when he comes;
he. may make the feme more Sure. There have beeu e;reat
and glorious days of the gOfpel in this land ; but they have
been but fmall, in comparifon of what fliall be.
PREFACE.

C 280 3

P R E F A C E.

THERE is this queftion that I would ask at you, that
are come here this night. What think ye of the lan
guage of this difpenfation, that the enemies of the kingdom of
our Lord Jefus Chrift are increasing their cruelty, and their
reins let loofe in a greater meafure than ever, to get their wic
ked and malicious ends accomplished ? Have ye not been aSk
ing, What can be the language of this difpenfation, which is
fo obfervable in our day ? I will tell you of two languages that
it fpeaks forth :
1 . It fpeaks forth this, that they are nearer the end of their
courfe ; the fafter that they are permitted to run, they are the
nearer the end of their journey ; and the meafure of their
cup is faft filling up'; and, till every drop be put into it, that
the Lord hath decreed, we need not expect the Lord's graci
ous returning for the delivery of his church ; and this mani
fests that the Lord is haftening on in his way : Think not
this ftrange, to fee the night darker, and the cloud thicker,
feeing it is ufual, before the breaking of the day, to have the
darkeft hour in all the night. 'So likewife, it is ufual to his
churchy to be exercifed with the Sharped Storms of affliction,
before the Lord return to comfort her.
2. The difpenfation fpeaks out this, that it ought and
Ihould be very humbling to us, that the difpenfations of this
holy God, have not had the right effect upon us : He hath
delivered bis houfe in pbffeffion, to the hands of his enemies,
and hath made people to be more tried by their hands ; and
yet this hath not done our turn, in order to our humbling ;
and therefore neceffity fays, the rod muft be continued, till
we be brought to the bumbling fenfe of our fins : So, I would
forewarn you, to expect fadder rods yet from his hand, fince
what we have met with hath not humbled us in his fight.
But, for encouragement, we hope it fhall put on the cope
ftone upon the building of the enemies, that they have been
carrying on, and it fball be feen that he Shaft counter-work
all their policy and devices. O ! feek preparation for this day,
that we may be kept through the fad ftorm ;, for they will be,
well fixed that Shall win through. Now, what is your work
and exercife, for preparation for that day, that ye may evite
his wrath and difpleafure, that is to go forth againft us ? O !
it is fed, to fee us fo little concerned, and fo little preparing
for this day, when the enemies cup feems to be fo near full,
that we are fo little about our duty, which we ought to. lay to
heart

PREFACE to SERMON XXIII.

23t

heart and mourn over, left we be ftanding in the way, and fi>
marr the work in his hand : But the Lord can ealily bring a
day, that will bring a difpofition, and a .frame, that his work
fhall not be flopped. Otherwife, if it were not1 fo, the term-
day of enemies fhould be very long : If it were in our difpofi
tion and frame, it would Stay long ; but this fliould be very
humbling to us, that we Should be under fo great fecurity and
deadnefs, as the fruit of all the kindnel's of God, that he hath
bellowed upon us in the wildernefs ; feeing the Lord hath
fhewed us fo much kindnefs, near to thefe twenty years in the
wildernefs, when we had the gofpel in the power and fulnefs
thereof, frequently, and duly, but where is all the fruit and
improvement of fuch a difpenfation ? We have been juft like
the children of Ifrael when in the wildernefs, they loathed
the manna, and lulled for flefh ; for we were fed with manna,
and with angels food -, but we loathed the honey-comb, and
lulled for an earthly kingdom, and the Lord hath deprived
us of both : We gave the world much room in our hearts ;
and therefore the Lord is threatning to Strip us naked of that,
for our flighting of him in the gofpel. O ! but this be fad, to
confider the bad fruits and unkindnefs, which the Lord hath
met with from us ; and may not this be notourly obferved ia
all the places of Scotland, where moft of the gofpel hath been
preached, that they are fartheft degenerate, and look lefift
like it this day ? This fpeaks out no lefs than the defolation
of thefe places, that, fpare the Lord whom he will, they Shall
not efcape unpunished .- And, is not this the cafe of many
parlfbes, efpecially in this place ? So that they need expect
little fparing, when God Shaft finite with the fword of his juf
tice, which is to be drawn. '
Now, there is this queftion that I would ask at you : What
is your errand here this night in coming together ? It is fadly
to be, feared, that there are many here that cannot tell their
errand ; and ye that have little thought on it, Seek, that ye
may come to Seek the Lord, and get acquaintance with him,
and that.ye may, get fomething from his hand ; for ye have.
the fwellings of Jordan to go through : There are fome here
that likely fball never have the fame opportunity again : O !
then, be intreated to look to him with greedy eyes, viz. with
hungering hearts, for his bowels are tender -, and he hath
promifed, that the hungry Shall get a fill of him. But, pof-
fibly, ye will aSk this queftion at me. What are ye feeking
here, but that ye may obferve the Lord's hand the more ? We
will tell you our errand, (for we are in a lequeftrate cafe at
prefent) it is, to wait upon the Lord, for a manifeftation of
his mercy, or his judgment. But, believe this, for your encou
ragement, that if we Shall be tryfted with a manifestation of
his judgment, yet it fball be in mercy. But, poffibly, fome
N n - of

*** SERMON XXIII.
of you will fey, And what is the meaning of that ? Therefore
we tell you, ere we cariie here we were kept in a fequeftrate
cafe ; fo that we could get little or- nothing from his hand :
And now, if it Shall pleafe the Lord to give us, a word to
fpeak to you, he will be the more feen in it : Therefore let
us go to him by faith, and intreaj for hisfavour and prefence
to be with us.

SERMON XXIII.
EVHESIANS V. 15, l6.
See that ye -walk circumfpeBly , not as fools, but as wife ; re
deeming the time, becaufe the days are evil.

AMOS faith, You only have i known, of all the families of
Jl\ the earth ; therefore I will punifh you for all your iniqui
ties, Amos iii. 2. A people that God Shews moft of his
kindnefsunto, and confers moft privileges upon, he will pafs
by fetveft faults in that people : I may fey from this, that
Scotland was known in a Angular manner, above many nati
ons and kingdoms in the world ; and fo may refolve to rec
kon for the leaft fault or flip that we have made, in debord-
ing from God : And indeed, we read of no church that hath
been perfecuted as the church of Scotland hath been, -abd is
this day : For, if ever there was a pack of locufts afeended
out of the bottomlefs pit, to perfecute the church of Chrift,
we are fure that this crew is a part of them, who are our per
fecutors this day. But think not this ftrange, brethren ;
for, he hath known Scotland in a Singular manner, and fo
wifl not pafs by the faults of Scotland, that he will pafs by in
others. O ! if ye Xvould confider the rich privileges,' that we
iii this church have been privileged with, ye would be quiet,
and far from quarrelling with God, for what he js bringing
in our way, as the fruits of our doings, for our' departings
from him ; for, where God manifefts moft of his kindnefs,
there is his jealoufy moft over that people -, and he takes nar
rower inspection of them, than of many others : Befide, they,
look upon fin with the wrong end of the profpect, that look
other-wife; and that makes the fin to feem'to be both far off

Upon Ephesians v. 15, 16. 283

3

off and fmall :. But, O! if ye would confider the aggrava
tion of Scotland's fins; and then ye will not think it Strange
becaufe of the fiery trial of the hot furnace that he hath put
us in ; and fo, it is no wonder1 that this be an evil and bitter
day, becaufe it is the day that his anger is burning as a fire
againft us: There are many indeed, who have this, as then?
out-try, that it is an evil day; but there is none crying out
becaufe of fin, that hath made it to be fo.
But, to come to .the words, from the connection, ver. 14.
the apoftle was inviting two forts of folk to awake, with that
promife, that Chrift Should give them light and life ; and, in
the words that I have read, we are taught to walk circum-
fpectly, viz. by redeeming the time; and this direction he
inforceth with this argument, becaufe the days are evil. Now,
there is~no difficulty in the words ; therefore I fliall proceed,
and lay down this firft doctrine :
Doct. That Iofing of time, and flipping of opportunities,
when God puts them in our hand, brings on fad days on a peo
ple. This is prefuppofed in the words ; becaufe, redeeming the
time brings good days to a church and people : So, neglecting
time, and the opportunities of time, brings on fed days to a
church and people, by judgments and Strokes ; as in Num
bers, thirteen chapter ; there it is confirmed: The Childrea
of Ifrael Sent twelve men to view the land of Canaan, .and ten
pf them brought an ill report of the good land, and faid, it
was not worth the fighting for : There was an opportunity then
put in their hand, to go and cut off the heathen that dwelt
therein ; but they believed the lying fpies, more than the
true ones ; and fo the Lord made them to wander forty years
in the wildernefs, for the forty days that the fpies were a view
ing the land, until that generation was wafted. Ye will find
this further confirmed, in the 2d chapter of Judges ; thatthe
tribes of Ifrael fliould have driven out the inhabitants of the
land of Canaan, and not fuffered any of them to have remain
ed among them; but, becaufe they loSE the opportunity at
firft, they never got it done afterward ; but they became
thorns in their fides, and their gods were a fnare unto them,
ver. 3. It is alfo clear, in the prophecy of Jacob : Jonah got
a commiflion from the Lord, .to preacb to Nineveh : but lie
flipped the opportunity, and fled from his duty ; and there
fore he got- a tied made by God, in the belly of the whale, that
be never thought to win out again : So, the.fe inftances make
the point clear, that flipping of opportunities, when put in
our hand, brings on fad days : And I may prove this, in ap
plication to our cafe, that the iofing of lime, and flighting of
opportunities, has brought on fed days upon this church;
and this I Shall Shew, in fome few (among many) inftances.
N n 2 l. The

284 SERMON XXIIL
ii The Lord was pleafed to vifit this land, with a power
ful gofpel, preached in purity ; and frequently and much of
God's power accompanied his ordinances ; then there was a
riobfe opportunity, for Sinners to come to Chrift : Chrift de
lighted then to Shew his face through the kirks of Scotlarid ;
but how few took hold of the opportunity and embraced him ?
and therefore the Iofing of that opportunity made Chrift to
withdraw his prefence ; that the power and the luftre of the
word preached was much loft ; and therefore became a dead
and killing letter ; arid this prftvoked the Lord to foriake his
houfe, and to give the dearly beloved of his foul unto the
hands of her enemies. *•
2, The Lord was gracioufly pleafed to triake an offer of
himfelf, and to Shew himfelf in the fields, and in the moun
tains of Scotland, when he brought his church to the wilder
nefs ; and there he offered himfelf in his excellency and per
fection ; but the Iofing of the opportunity of clofing with
Chrift, when he was ferious, in inviting apd befeeching Sin
ners to be reconciled unto him', has brought on thefe evils:
(•I.) It hath brought on that great and fad evil, to deprive
us of the preached gofpel. O ! would it have been thought
or believed, within thefe ten years, that the Standard of the
gofpel was fet up, in moft of all the corners of Scotland ;
could it have been believed then, I fay, that this day Scotland
fhould have been without a witnefs for ChriSl, to witnefs
faithfully for him, in the keeping up "of his Standard ? And
this in a fpecial manner hath provoked the Lord,, to give men
up to feek their own things, and fo eafily to quit with his con-
cernments. ,(2 ) It hath brought on this evil, that thereby
God Jiath been provoked to deny his grace, to the moft part
,of the hearers of the gofpel. A noble opportunity we' had,
where Chrift might have been received in all the corners of
the land ; but now, the defpifihg and flipping of the oppor
tunity to clofe with Chrift, hath provoked the Lord to deny
the people fore hearts for the want of the gofpel : There
have been few fore hearts in Scotland for the want of Chrift,
and the want of the gofpel : Some fore hearts there have been,
arid not a few, we fear, for the lofs of their cattle, or their
crops in an ill year. : But few, alas ! there have been, for
the lofs of the gofpel : So, the defpifing of the gofpel hath pro
voked God to deny a fpirit to lament after him, and to deny
grace to receive Chrift : So that, now when we make offer of
Chrift to you, it is not taken off vour hand : It is looked on
as a tale, that ye may hear of, and talk of daily ; fo that the
word hath no more impreffion on the hearers of the gofpel,
than on a ftone ; and this is the fad fruit of defpifing and un
dervaluing this rich offer, of a powerful preached gofpel,
when we had it in Scotland.
r 3- The

Upon Ephesians v. ij, 16. 285
3. The Lord brought us to a clear fight of our duty, in the
years 1648, and 1649. he 1 l us then fee how to Slate the quar
rel with the enemies ; but that opportunity was Slighted, when
put in our hands, to have kept out malignants, when the Lord
did caft them out before us, and gave it in our ha'nd, and gave
us power to keep us where the light of his word and fpirit bad
fet us : So, our provocation, by taking in thefe, that were
known to have a heart malice and prejudice at the caufe of
Chrift, hath provoked the Lord ro make us feel "the weight
of their heavy hand Since : So that inftead of light there is no
thing but darknefs ; fo that the moft part have never feen the
ground rightly Slated fince ; although the Lord was pleafed to
caufe fome keep up the remembrance of his name unto this
day ; yet it hath brought us to that, that many know not
what to hold by, as duty ; and what to forfake, as fin.
4, When the Lord gave a fpirit to act for him, about eight
or nine years fince, then that was not followed out ; there
was then a moving of the fpirit among the hearers of the goi-
pel ; and there was fomething like love and tendernefs feen ;
but, by the not following forth of this, that opportunity was
loft by many, that are now dead, like dead ftones ; the edge
of that fpirit was taken away, and that zeal for the Lord of
hofts ; and this hath brought us to this fad cafe this day, that
our hearts remain hard and dead under all difpenfations. I
dare appeal to yourfelves, and let your confciences fpeak,
What have ye done with that edge of a fpirit of zeal, and with
that tendernefs, that once feemed to be amongft ydu ? When
the Lord brought enemies under our feet, and when he gave
us a noble, opportunity, to have been rid of thofe, that were
known enemies to him, we would fpare them, and keep them
in amongft us ; and now, they are grown above our heads,
and we fadly made to fmart under their hands.
5. When. God had fettled our church, and had given us
re.lt, we did not purge our church of thefe infuflicient per
fons ; although there were fome that wpuld have had the land
purged; But what did we then with the opportunity? No
thing, but gave them truft again, when they came in humbly,
and fought to live with lis ; and then, when we would not,
they carried themfelves very Slily ; but, what were, and are
they ftill feeking, but to devour the children, and to poflefs
the houfe themfelyes ? But we had then a noble opportunity
to have rid ourfelves of them, which we never had Since.
6. Another opportunity that we have flipped was, the not
keeping out of tbe malignants, when the Lord did caft them
out before us, when we could not reft, but Piefolutioners
were on foot to bring them in again ; who, by their, public
refolutions, prevailed, and did bring them into places of power
and truft, after God had put that opportunity in our hand, to

2S6: S E R M O N XXHI.
ko have kept out that race, we refufed to hearken to hjm,
bm mixed ourfelves among . theSe-.. Arid now, we may fee
"what evil this hath done : Thefe made us believe their fair
words, when war was in their hearts ; fo we brought in thefe
people, curfed of God, among us again. • And now, do ye
not fee that we are cruelly fmarting under their cruel hand,
when they have got opportunity to act their mifehief, to kill,
:;od to baflifh, and, to ufe us moft cruelly, like lavages as they
are h Is not this evil corns upon us, for not 'taking the op
portunity to; keep out thefe.frorn amongft us ? And now, ye
fee how the land is filled, defiled and pgftered wjth this crew;
and I .will tell you, that God will never make us quit of them,
till we engage never to let them in amqngft us again. ,
When Charles II. had broken our covenants, then there
was an opportunity put in our hand, to have revolted frona
under him; when that deed was done, we had a clear call
then, from God, to have Stuck to our covenants, and to have
Shaken off the yoke of his tyranny ; arid it is thought, that,
if, we had quit him, and the men of his confederacy, when
they quitted us, and brake the covenants, it would have far
ed better with us -, neither would they have been fo ftrnng as
now they are ; and moreover, when once that time was, flipr
ped, there were few found for owning their privileges to do
it, and few honoured to contend for the fame.
3. When the deceafed tyrant difeovered more of his abor
minable wickednefs, in taking Chrift's robes from him, arid
his princely-crown from his head, and investing, himfelf there
with, by the blalphemous fupremacy, there was not a tefti
mony. given againft it in all Scotland. O ! what a great Sfo
was this, that covenanted Scotland, that once appeared fo fair
for the work, of God, .and had contended fo much for the
fame, Ihould have been fo ealily led afide by that fupremacy ?
1 will tell you what evil that fupremacy hath done amongft
many ; It hath given an inlet to all fects ; fo, when we eSfey-
ed to deliver ourfelves, God divided us in his anger, becaufe
of this evil that was amongft us ; and made us fall before our
enemies, and to flee when none purfued.
9. When prelacy entered into the church again, then the
moft part of all the land complied with it; and that was the
time and opportunity, when it fliould have been ealily crush
ed in the beginning ; but the neglecting ot this hath made
ihe Lord juftly plague this generation with the blae marks of
this bitter root; and he hath difeovered it fadly by the fwear
ing and drunkennefs, and all manner of villany, that is com-
nfitted avowedly in the land; and yet many minifters and
profeffors have been drawn a\v;:y, to hear and countenance
thefe abjured prelates. ip. When

J Upon EphesiANs v. 15, it5. z$j
io. When that finful divifive indulgence entered into the
land, then there Was an opportunity to have testified againft
it ; but this was not jointly testified againft, and it hath brought
On great evil upon us, fo that the moft part of minifters Iv.ve
been drawn away therewith, and have thereby become pre.uh-
ers of fmooth things ; and there were many alfo that look.-.?
On, that had the opportunity to have witnelfed againft it, that
connived with and countenanced them that took it: But as I
faid, the opportunity being loft at firft, of testifying againft
this evil of the church, hath brought on that, that no fooner
was that fecond indulgence offered, but multitudes flocked
out after the fame, and they cried out, the indulged was the
church. ii. When God had put many opportunities of advantage
in his peoples hands many times, but no advantage was taken
bold of 5 and that hath brought us to this, that now we can
get no opportunity nor advantage to get from under enemies,
but they always get advantage of us. It is Strange, to confi
der the many that fall into their hands every day ; and hew
many of them are butchered and killed, upon the high ways
Where they Sfnd them. Oh ! we may fee our fin in our judg-
inent ; we may fee what Saul got for fparing of Agag ; he
got never the countenance of God, nor of Samuel after that,
but was rejected ; fo, many a time the Lord hath done fo, he
hath made bur lives go for our enemies.
12 And laStly, When we were at Some Settlement for Serv
ing of God, and had the opportunity of reading and praying.
Without disturbance ; but there was little confcience made of
that duty ; and no;." we are deprived of that opportunity, that
neither alone nor together can we perform the leaft duty with
out hazard. And hath not the flighting and flipping oppor
tunities thf.t have been put in our hands> brought this upon
ourfelves, that we are made to hurry up and down in deSarts,
and in mountains, upon fuch imminent hazard? There arc
many riiore opportunities, that I might name, that have been
flipped by us, that have brought on thefe fed evils this day:
But, well then, feeing it is fo, I would have you to make thefe -
three ufes of it, 1 -y .
Ufe 1. Learn the hazard of fitting the opportunity that God
puts in your hinds for doing of duty ; and remember, that
it brings on fpiritual plagues -on a. people ; and then if is a
wonder, if ever the Lord grant them an opportunity to do
Any thing for his work ; and, I fear, there be many in this
generation, that fliall never be honoured with any public ler- /
vice for the church again.
Ufe 2. There js this fed evidence that is feen, that, we have
loft that which we may never Tecover, as, when the preiatic
party firft intruded themfelves over us : If we had fjuhfuily
_/ • oiipofei

288 SERMON XXIII.
oppofed and withftood that in the beginning, we might eafier
have prevailed, if we had kept our ground ; and now, they
are grown fo ftrong, that, ere this wicked generation be root
ed out, it will coft tneikle blood ; I think, the lofs of the op
portunity fliall loSe all this generation for the moft part: We
might eaflly have rooted them out, when they were in the
bud : but now they are grown fo ftrong, that they are above
our heads.
Ufe 31 I would have you to make this ufe of it, flight no
more duty, if ye would redeem time : Now ye have a fair oc
cafion to appear for God, and fide yourfelves with his peo
ple : Take up your ground now, when there is a party drawn
to the fields, that are God's open and avowed enemies : The
dragon and his angels are faft flocking together: O ! beware,
that ye draw not up with thefe. And there is another party,
viz. Argyle's party, that has fair pretences to be for God, yet
paffeth by all the fins of the time, homologating thereby the
fin of their backfliding, but will do nought that Jmay dishear
ten fectarians from joining with them : Ye have great need
to be earneft with the Lord, that he would clear up duty unto
you, ere ye truft too far unto thefe. But ye will fey, Where
will we Stand then, if we lift not ourfelves with either of thefe ?
I fay, Stand at Chrift's back, keep the ground that our fathers
left us i Remember our covenants, that by them we are bound
againft all fects and fectarians whatfoever. O ! let us ftand,
where our contending fathers Hood ; where they Stood, when
the Lord drew them up, when his caufe was clearly Slated,
both againft malignants and fectarianifm : Remember the bond
of1 the covenants. But, fome may poflibly fay, that the church
would be ftronger than ever, if we would take in thefe: But,
remember, that the arm of flefli hath been oftentimes over
much trufted in ; and we are taught by the word of God, not
to do evil that good may come of it : Ye muft ufe no means,
but what are approven of God, otherwife he will break them
in your hand. Let us remember, how fadly we were plagued
at Bothwel-bridge, for the joinipg with that malignant party,
who were for the tyrant's intereft, and the indulgence. I
fhall fay no more, but ftudy to live near God, that only can
clear all your doubts, and difpel the cloud ; and be not over
rafh and hafty in any matter, until ye be fure ye have God's
call ; for he will be more angry at you, that he hath honour
ed to contend and fuffer for bim, than with any other peo
ple ; and fo, I fliall clofe at the time, leaving you to the Lord,
for leading and direction. Amen.
END OF VOL. I.

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COLLECTION O F
PREFACES, LECTURES, and SERMONS,
Preached upon the Mountains and Moirs of Scotland*
in the hotted Time of the late Perfecution.
VOL- II-
MMMM^^^^W^^^M^M^M^MM=MMMM' PREFACE.

THE wicked and ungodly are the perfons that ftand in
judgment now ; but the day is coming, and fall batten
ing, when there fhall be another fort of judgment : A day of
fearching, wherein all fliall be called, and all muft appear,
where none will be judge, but God himfelf ; and they that
now ftand in judgment, Shall not ftand then. O Sinner I if
thou be not found in Chrift, no ftanding for thee in judg
ment then Thofe who are kept far under now, and get ma
ny unjuft fentences paft againft them, their heads Shall be lif
ted up in this general judgment"; then fhall the righteous
have the dominion : For as low as they are now, they Shall
then fit and judge them, that now are their judges, and Shall
pafs fentence upon them : Know ye not that the faints fball
judge the world ? The feints then Shall be admitted to fit with
the judge, and pafs fentence on the wicked ; little do the
wicked rulers and judges believe this, That the poor bodies
that they have, many a time, paft unjuft fentence againft,
and perfecuted and flairi, Shall fit and judge them, and pafs a
righteous fentence upon them. For in this day of judgment,
every one ff13^ receive a fentence, as his works in the world
have been. The wicked cannot endure the company of the
faints now; but this day fliall make a reparation : They get
O o leave

299 L E C T U R £ V. ' s
leave, now to ftand in the congregation of the righteous ; but
in that dayrhey Shall be far feparated from them.- We fear
we will mifs many of you in that day : The tares muft grow
amongft the wheat, till the time of harveft, and then the rea
pers will get a commiffion, to make a feparation. O then,
there will be many .a woful cry and Shriek amongft you I Ye
who are wicked, will not get leave, to come into the con
gregation of the righteous, unlets ye be otherwife polifhed
than ye are. It may be'wondred at, what many of you fpend
your precious time about ;' we may fey, That not one of
twenty, yea, not one of a hundred of you, is minding eterni
ty as ye Should i It is a great pity, that many of you are like
brute beafts, ye eat, drink, and Sleep, and fo do they ; but,
oh ! how few of you mind eternity, more than the beafts do !
Hath God given you fouls to murder ? Certainly God is fay
ing of many of you, It repenteth me that everi gave that peo
ple immortal fouls, they are fo carelefs of them ; I warn you-
of it, ye are in great hazard: Wherefore, think ye, were ye
Aiade ? Was it not to pleafe your Maker, and to glorify him ?
How. will ye look your Judge in the face, in that day, ye that
fpend your time about the things that will not profit ? there
fore confider your ways., and turn into his tefiimonies.

LECTURE V.
Matthew iii. 7, — ~i2.
7 But when he faw many of the Pharifees and Sadducees come
to his baptifm, he faid unt% them, 0 generation of vipers ! who
hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ?
8. Bring forth therf ore fruits meet for repentance.
9. Arid think not to- fay within yourfelves, We have Abraham
to our father : For I fay unto you, that Gsd is able, of, thefe
ftones, to raife up children unto ^Abraham.
10. And now alfo the ax is laidunto the root of the trees : There
fore every tree that bringcth not forth good fruit, is hewn
down, and caft into the fire.
11- I indeed baptife you with viater unto repentance ; but be
that cometh after me, is mightier than .', whofe Jhoes I am
riot worthy to bear : He fhalhbaptife you with i-i.e Holy Ghoft,
and with fire. 12. Whofe,

Upon Matthew iii. 7,  12. 291
12. Whofe fan is in his band, and he will throughly purge his
. floor, and gather his wb$at into his gamer .- But he will bum
up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
PEOPLE are oft-times ill prepared for Chrift's coming
amongft them : But I will tell you good news, firs, That
where (Shrift hath a mind to come, he will not flay away ;
but he will be at pains to pre'pift-e them for himfelf ; and the
worfe tliey are prepared for him, it will be the coltlier to
them. Here was a people that he wps coming to, and he
fends John the Baptist before-hand, to prepare them for him :
Chrift is fuch an one, that he will fpare no pains to a people;
be is coming to; torchere, John, through his blefllng accom
panying his miniftry, had great fuccefs : For, in the forego
ing part of this chapter, it is faid, that all Judea and Jerufa
lem went out to hear him, and to be bnptiled of him. But
when it is faid, that all Jerufalem and Judea went out to hear
him," we are not hereby to understand, that all thefe cities and
people fubjected themfelves to John's miniftry ; for their af
ter malice and contempt Shewed the contrary : For the words
are to be So understood, that there were fome of all forts that
Chrift died for, fo that there is no r:\nk excluded from elec
tion, as the "apoftle faid, Let prayer he made for all men, efpe
cially for kjngs ': Not meaning all in authority ; but fuch as
are within the election of free grace, and rule for God.
But to pafs this, we come to the words read, they went out
to John's preaching and baptifm ; and there were two focts a-
mong them that nlaybeawonder,efpecially theSadducees, who
denied the refurrection, and the immortality of the foul : In
effect they were brutifh as beafts. And the other fort was the
Pharifees, that laid all the weight of their falvation uporiVtheir
own performances, and refted Gn them. And John wondre.i
to fee fuch come forth, and faid, 0 generation of vipers 1 who
hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? We are to
fuppofe that John would have had them receiving the fad Sen
tence, 0 generation of vipers 1 &c. And as for the Pharifees.
who retted on their profeffion and performances, he charged
them to bring forth fruit meet for repentance ;" fo he takes
occafion of this in his fermon, and fets good works and holi
nefs together as infeparable : And there are five reafons that
be backs this with : The firft Is, In what he calls them, 0 ge
neration of vipers ! that is, Serpents, be no more fo, but evi
dence your. bringing" forth fruit, by a holy life. There are
fome things from this reafon that 1 would obferve. As,
1. When Gcd follows the preaching of the gofpel with his
blefling, he makes it 'a powerfel word ; the Lord here brought
in both SudJucces and Pharifees.; Ye may fet then, that when
Q 0 2, ' this

292 L E C T U R E V.
this power of God is prefent, there":thay be hope for the in-
bringing of fectarians, when the word is fo, it will be power
ful as a two-edged fword ; and fo it is incxpreflibly powerful,
when it is backed with the blefling of God. Here is an evi
dence of it, fome perfons being drawn out from among thefe
fects, to receive John's baptifm : This made John to fay, I
wonder to fee thefe Scribes, and Pharifees, and SadduCees
come here ; and if they were a£l well fearched, that are in this
fmall number, and known, they would be wondred at to fee
them here. But, O feek bis blelfing ! and that will make the
word effectual.
2. I would obferve from th:s firft reafon, That peoples faults
fhould be publicly reproved. John tells them in the breadth
of their faces, They were but a generation of vipers ; the cre->
dit or applaufe of folk are not to be looked to, by the am-
baffadors of ChriSt, when the glory of God, and the purity
of ordinances, and, their edifying of the people, Should make
them free to divide the word aright, and to declare the whole
counfel of God": He tells them here of their faults and errors,
that they were in, as a motive to ftir them up the more, to
the ftudy of holinefs It is a good ufe and improvement,
when people are brought to be truly humbled, under the fight
and fenfe of their former fins; ,and may be a motive to fet
them on to the Study of holinefs. John took no delight to
take advantage of them, before the reft of his hearers, to tell
them the dreadfulnefis of the cafe they were in ; but as tending
to their good, a neceftity being laid1 upon him, to tell them
plainly what they were. O that all the minifters of Chrift
in Scotland had been thus free in telling people their faults,
the fin arid danger had not been fo great as it is this day !
3. Obferve from this reafen, That they that will not take
warning, in the time of God's long-fuffering, when he is pleaf
ed to warn th_em by his meflengers, wrath is abiding them;
it fuppofeth they are in wrath's way, ripening for judgments,
when people will not obey the word of exhortation, by yield
ing obedience to the goSpelof Christ : There is no way to be
free of wrath, but by coming to Chrift, only embracing him,
and receiving him in the gofpel. O then ! ye that wonld'not
be overtaken by wrath, here is the way to be delivered from
it : Subject yourfelves to Chrift, and his ordinances, and take
him for your prophet, prieft and king. Take his riiark upon
you, and be not afhamed of his badge and livery.
And now there are two forts of folk, that I wbuld warn
from this.
(1.) The Sadducees. I compare them to the loofe and pro
fane, that take liberty to do all that their corrupt hearts lead
them to.
(2.) Under the Pharifees tbat are here threatried, I com-
* pre-

Upon Matthew iii. 7,  12. 293
prehend all that have a profeffion only, and nothing of reli
gion. O friends I remember that there is none, that ye can
build upon as a Saviour, befides Chrift, tbat will fave you.
O flee to him ! Shelter under Chrift's wings, if ye would be
hid in the day of his wrath.
I proceed to a fecond reafon ; that is, That he perfuades
them to repentance ; And think not to fay within yourfelves,
faid be, that ye have Abraham to your father -. becaufe ye are
the children of Abraham after the flelh, and that ye are with
in the covenant, therefore ye Shall be faved ; for he can eafily
cut you off, and raife up children to Abraham, of them that
are in as little hope as the very Stones. And this he brings in,
that there is no privilege, where repentance and true grace
are wanting, that will evidence them to be God's children, or
the feed of Abraham after the promife. And from' this rea
fon we would learn this,
That people's external privileges may be a great hindrance
in the way of faith and repentance ; They are the neck-break
of many, and fo bar them from Chrift. They thought be
caufe they were the children of Abraham after the fleih, that
they were in covenant, and had a right to the privileges of his
children : But thefe, who would believe and hope to be faved,
muft make it their work, to come to Chrift, to get faith and
repentance, and true grace, that purifieth the heart from dead
works, and fets to the ftudy of holinefs : Do not think there
fore, that ye are in covenant, becaufe in fome meafure, ye
have been kept free from the grofs pollutions, that the land is
involved in, and have been helped to witnefs for him. O do
not think that ; for if ye reft there, and think that God will
fpare you, when he is coming with judgment to the land, ye
will be difappointed ; ye muft abandon all your privileges, or
whatever ye reft on befides Chrift ; for, ere the Lord's word
fail, in railing and keeping up a feed to ferve him, he will
wqrk miracles and wonders. But now, there is a difference
betwixt a miracle and a wonder ; for a miracle is that, that no
creature can do : But in fome refpects fome may do that, that
may be looked upon as wondrous. And. fo he fays, That
the Lord, before Abraham want children according to the
promife, will raife them up out of the Stones : Therefore
O friends I let not difcouragement or defpondency damp
you ; for ere his word fail, that he promifed to Abraham, in
name of his church, he will work great miracles, He will bow
down the heavens, and the earth, and make the mountains flow
down before him. Then ftudy to believe what he has feid ; he
will carry on his work over all opposition ; for his work is
perfect, and no opposition can hinder it.
•The third reafon that he brings in, is this, The ax is Lid to
the root of the tree ; and every tree tbat brings not forth good
'fruit,

Missing Page

Missing Page

296 L E C T U R E V.
Chrift ? My friends, if ye knew the excellency that ye are
called to, in Chrift's fervice, ye would vilipend all that would
be dear to you, beneath him ; no lofs of your eafe, credit,
efteem ; no lofs of your gear; yea, the lofs of your life ; and
all in his fervice, would be nought to you, although there were
no reward of free grace to be lopked for. It is fo excellent
a thing the fervice of Chrift, that the angels of heaven are
not worthy to do the leaft piece of fervice to him. O let us
rejoice in him ! and let us not regard what we may lofe in his
fervice. But I Shall proceed to the fifth and laft reafon. which John
gives, Whofe fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his
floor. O fad word to many I For I will tell you, the day, is
coming, when he will make a feparation,, and throughly puirge
bis floor. Remember, ye may beguile me, and ye may per
guile Christian acquaintances about you ; but ye will riot be
guile Chrift ; for he knows the chaff from the corn. And,
i. The firft thing that we would obferve from this reafon,
5s this, That the vifible church, while She U militant on earth,
is a mixture ; She is like a corn floor, that , hath both chaff
and corn ; or like a corn floor, where there is fome corn,
and fome tares ; and it will be fo, while the church is here
below : For the ftroke was never yet in the church, but
there have fome hypocrites remained, hid there. Sometimes
the chaff will keep the ftroke off the corn, therefore there
will be a mixture to the end. So, that doctrine of the inde-
pendants is not to be received, who admit none into their
church, but they that profefs to be in Chrift, and to be /visi
ble faints, foe. And fo they pretend by this, to keep a pure
church, without mixture ; whereas, we fee that the word of
God clearly points out the contrary, that there will be a mix
ture in the church, the good feed and the bad. There are
fome, that are fervers only in the utter-court, that partake
of all the outward privileges of the church ; but not ferving
in the inner-court, without this inward baptifm of the Spirit.
Therefore, ye fee, there is. ground here Sufficient, to confute
that opinion of thefe, who would be at a pure church, as they
call it, without mixture : But beware of foftering fucb errors,
for it may be our trial more than formerly.
But I muft make a caveat here, That none ought to bring
in perfons of lax principles into the church; for that may be
dangerous, for the drawing away from the profeffion of this
faith : For there is a neceffity for fuch as are received into the
church, to profefs this faith of repentance, and obedience un
to Chrift, according to his word and gofpel-precepts :. But to
think to get a p'ure church and a clean church, without a
mixture of hypocrites, foe. is but in vain to fancy, until
Chrift's time come, that be will make the feparation. 2. The

Upon Matthew iii. 7, — — 12. 297
'2. The fecond obfervation, that we would riote here, is
this, That tho' there be a mixture in the church, yet Chrift
can make a Separation, for he has a Sieve, and he has a fan :
But ye will fay, What is his fan ? Anfoi. Thefe things may
be called his fan «
(1 ) He hath his word, and by this his word, he tells who
the hypocrite is ; he gives the evidences of the hypocrite, in
his word, although all the evidences cannot be feen by the
minifter, who he is, and who not.
(2.) The difeipline that he hath allowed to be in his church
is bis fan ; for by this (though he purge not all out) he fans
the profane, that they fliould not be there.
(3.) Afflii-lions and trials that he brings in the way of his
cliurcii, is his fan ; and this makes many this day, that had
a proftllion, to quit it, and caft themfelves out of the bofom
o/'ihe church. ¦*$¦"¦
(4?) A fourth fan that Chrift hath in his hand, is death,
and this winnows, narrowly, many tiiat have a way of living,
and dying with the approbation and good thoughts of all a-
bout them, of being re-Srl Christians ; and yet the tan of dcr.th,
when it comes and affaults them, blows them away to the
chaff: And the moft principal fan is death, for then there
goes no chaff out with the corn.
(5.) And then the day of judgment will make a full 'fepa
ration, when he will fay to the goats, Stand ye here upon my
left hand ; and to the fheep, Stand ye upon my right hand':
And what will he then fay, when he feparates andparts them ?
The believers Shall then be brought to. heaven, to inherit the
kingdom- prepared for them ; and the hypocrite fhall be caft
into unquenchable fire. So he will fey to the Sheep, 'Come ye
bieffed of my Father, enter into your reft, there is glory and
joy prepared for you ; enter your poffeffion, and wear your
crowns, that fliall not fade away. Hypocrites will now Steal
into the church among his people ; but none will Steal in then :
In that day he will fay to you, I know you not : What fay
yc ! do ye not know us ; we heard you preach in our ftreets,
and we were members of the church: -That is all true, will
Chrift fay, but ye were but chaff, ye were not the corn ; and ,
fo ye muftdwell under the Stroke of my wrath to all eternity.
Then the feparation will be clear, though ye carry clearly •
with a fair profeffion now, yet he will try you, whether ye
be the fheep or the goats: O beloved friends ! ,1 warn you
then, in time, come and bring forth fruits, that will can y and
bring you to heaven: And there ye Shall be highly privileged,
to follow him with palms in your hands. Now, as ye would
have this defirable life, then come to Chriit, and ye ftiftl
have a Sweet life, and a fatisfying life, yea, a happy and a glo
rious life for evermore ; whereas upon the contrary, the goers
P p ' fliall

so8 SERMON XXIV.
fhall have a miferabfe life ; becaufe they are to dwell under
Wjrath everlastingly. Then if ye would not have war declared
againSt you in heaven, arid be made liable to this fad fentence
of wrath, Study to bring forth fruit meet for Repentance. Re
member, I fay, I lay it on you this day, old and young, as
ye will anfwer at' that great appearance, That ye now Study
to prepare your hearts to Seek him, that ye may be. of that
number, whom he will gather into his garner, when- the tares
will be burned with unquenchable fire.. But I fliall go no
farther. .

SERMON XXIV.

Matthew iii. io.
An d now alfo the ax is laid unto the root of the trees : There
fore, every trie which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn
dohvn, and caft into the fire.
THE gofpel is an inestimable treafure, and is made up
of many rare and choice rubies of great price, far. be
yond the chiefefl pearls, and precioufeft Stones, that the world
can afford. What can the heart of man devife or defire, but
it is to be found in the field of the gofpel : But though it be
fuch an ineftimable and matchlefs treafure, yet how few are
there, that attain to any thing of the knowledge of the worth
thereof. Ay ! how few get the knowledge of the worth
thereof. How few are there, tbat get fuch knowledge of
this pearl, that makes them fell all that they have, and buy it.
But wo and wrath will be to you, if ye get not good of this
gofpel ; better for you yehad been born injhat place of the
world, where the goSpel was never preached, nOr heard tell
of; and in a place where Chrift and falvation had not been
freely offered, and holden forth to you : But now Chrift bath
been freely offered to you in the gofpel; and yet ye are not
the better thereof ; but flight the fame : .Yea, ye flight Chrift
and his offers ; and wo will be to you in fo doing. Would
ye know the great fin of this age, and the great fisvof, Scot
land ? It is even this, they have not put that efteem upon the
gofpel, that they ought to have done And this declares, that'

Ufon Matthew iii. io. 299
that before ye lofe any thing, or put any thing in hazard for
it, ye will rather part with Chrift, and with all his free of
fers in the gofpel. What ails our lairds, that they come not
out to hear the gofpel preached ? They dare not for fear of
Iofing their eftates : But many will lofe their fouls in faving
their eftates : and curfe the day, that ever they v\rre lords
or lairds : For, by faving their lands and honours, they will
lofe* tlieir immortal fouls. There is a great profeffion, and
many profeffors in this generation : But oh ! we fear, few
have received Chrift into their hearts. What is the Sin where
fore the great God is contending with u*at this time ? It is
even this, he hath fully and freely offered his Son Jefus Chrift
to us in the gofpel, and we have Slighted and defpifed him :
This is the great fin of Scotland, we have Slighted and under
valued the Son of God. He hath been thefe many years
knocking at the door of our hearts ; but few have opened and
letten him in, which is the great fin, wherefore he hath been
contending with us thefe many years paft. But wo will be to
thee, that holds this king at the door, and ftill declares by
thy practice, that thou wilt have none of him : Fen- he cares
not what ye profefs, as long as your practice fpeaks the con
trary. > Now John the Baptift, Chrift's fore-runner, comes forth
here and preaches, and there comes forth, a great multitude
{as there is here this day) to hear him ; many whereof are in
he'll this day : And we fear it be fo with manv of you ; for
your countenance declares, that yc are an obdurate and an
impenitent generation. Here John deals very freely with this
generation, that he was fent unto, by calling them a genera
tion ot vipers, and forewarning tbem of their danger: And
O ! that we might be fo with you, that fo we might be free
of your blood. Bring forth, fays he, fruit meet for repen
tance ; and then the argument he makes ufe of, is this, The ax
is laid to the root of the trees ; and every tree that bringeth not
forth good fruit, is hewn down, and caft into the fire .- Even, as
if he had faid, The ax of God's wrath is laid to the root of
every profeffor, arid thefe profeffors, who bring not forth
good fruit, fball be hewn down, aad caft into hell. Many of
you think not much of the hearing of preachings-; but there
is not a preaching that ye hear, that ye are not wrought upon
by, to make you forfake your Sin, and to draw near unto
God ; but it is a Stroke given you with this ax, to take the
life of your fouls. Now a ftroke this fabbath, and if ve.get a
preaching the next fabbath, iris another ftroke ; and fo one
ftroke after another, till at length ye plunge down into the
fire of hell.
Now ia thefe words which lihave read, we have,
P p" 2 h The

300 SERMON XXIV.
I. The condition of thefe, who are under the means of
grace and falvation, and never bettered thereby : Thd ax is
lard 'to. the root Of all fuch trees, and is ready to cut them
dow.i : The juftice of God is Standing with the ax of God's
wrath, ready to hew you down : And we fear it be fo, with
the moft part of you, ye that are the dry and withered pro
feffors, that have come thefe many years, to follow after or
dinances, and are never profited thereby, and have nevdr been
perfuaded to leave of, and forfake your fins. O fet about
this work of holinefs and righteoufnefs ! (which is meant by
the good fruit) for the ax is ready to cut you down. When
David faw the destroying angel ftanding over againft Jerufa
lem. with a fword drawn in his'hand, David thought that a
fearful fight : But we tell you, and'warn you of it, the great
God is marching on the fore front of his hoft, coming againft
Scotland, and will take vengeance upon all that have been
flighters of his Son Chrift Jelus.
II. We have. in thefe words, The Lord's impartial dealing
with all thefe perfons, every man and every woman, great and
fmall, rich and poor ; no exception of perfons with him:
For, whoever they be, that he finds barren and fruitiefsy they
fliall be- hewn down, and caft into the fire. Power and nioying
among men, caufes this perfon, and the other perfon get fa
vour, and be fpared, but it will not be fo with him ; for
there will be no refpect of perfons with him ; But, be , who
they will, be they rich be they poor, be they old be they
young, none fliall be fpared, that will be found fruitlefs and
barren fouls. If ye be found an old flock without fruit, ye
ihall be hewn down, and caft into the fire of bell.
III. We have that in the words, which makes perfons the
objects of God's wrath ; and it is this, Even the want of good
fruit. IV. We have the fentence they get, They are hewn down
and caft into the fire. The fen tepee is paft'already ; we have
all gotten the fentence, and if we get not faith and repent
ance, there is no recalling of the fentence again, no meriting
of burning in hell to all eternity. This Ihall be the lot of all
barren Souls. ' ,,'
V. The fifth thing we have to take notice of here, is, The
dreadfulnefs of the punifhment, that Shall be inflicted upon
the barren trees : If it were but fuch a punifliment, where
with men punifh, to have a leg or an arm, or though it were
the head cutoff, that were but an ordinary punifhment, it
were nothing to bide it : But they will be hewn down, and caft
into hell's fire.
VI. and laftly, We have the duration of this mifery and
torment: If it were for an hundred, or a thoufand, or ten
thoufand years, and then to be delivered out of it, there
would

Upon Matthew in. io. 301
would be fome ground of comfort ; but there is no efcaping,
or out -winning through all eternity :fAnd there the worm
will never die, and the fire will never be quenched. If ye
knew and believed your hazard, there would be another fort
of a Stir amongft you than there is : The father would fay to
the child, What will we do, child, if we be caft into hell, and
there be tormented through all eternity ? The hulband would
fay to the wife, and the wife to the huSband, What will wc
do, if we be thrown down to hell, and there tormented thro*
eternity ? But, Oh ! there are few fuch fears, and few fuch
questions, we apprehend, amongft you.
We had occafion elfewhere, to fpeak to the firft two, of
thefe things cbferved from the words: Now we come fo the
third obfervation, which is this, What makes perfons the ob
jects of God's wrath ? We tell ycu from the Lord, there are
many in that uifquenchable fire of hell, that fiiid the truth
of it to their fad experience, that did as little look for it asa-
ny of you do, that are now tormented with the torments that
we are telling you of; they are roafting and tormenting in
thefe flames of hell : And what is the reafon of it ? If ye had
accefs to commune with them, they would tell you, that their
unbelief, and not turning to God from the evil of their ways,
and not bringing forth fruitunto God, was the caufe of all
their mifery. Now, what is the main and the only thing that
expofes people to this fad and miferable condition ? We an
fwer, That it is for the want of good fruit. The ground that
is oft rained upon, and bringeth not forth good fruit, is near to
curfing, and the end to be burnt ; and we fear it be fo with you
in this place of the country -r Galloway hath beenAften water
ed with the gofpel,' when other places have beemdry ; fo, if
ye bring not forth good fruit, ye are near to curfing. Ye
may read Luke xiii. 6; 7, 8, 9. which is fuppofed fo be a con
ference betwixt mercy and juftice ; juftice pleading to have
vengeance executed, mercy crying, Spare them till they get
another Shower of ordinances ; fpare them till they gef ano
ther offer of Chrift, and of falvation through him ; jmd then
if they embrace him not, and bring not forth fruit to his
praife, I Shall plead for them no more, but Shall give you
leave to execute wrath and vengeance upon them. It is even
as a gardener were going through his orchard, and where he
finds a dry and withered branch, he takes his hedging knife,
an,d cuts it from the tree, and brings.it in, and cafts it on the
fire; and fo Shall it be with every one that brings not forth
good fruit,. they Shall be cut down, and caft into the fire of
hell. But it may be, ye will' fay, Seeing good fruit is fo ab-
folutely neceffary, what is requifite to the bringing forth of
good fruit ? In anfwer to this,
. 1. 1 Shall fpeak fomewhat concerning that. II. I

3°z SERMON XXIV.
II. I fliall fpeak to fome affertions from this doctrine, againft
fome of the errors that* we are like to have to do with in our
day and time.
And, III. I Shall make application.
I. Now for the firft, What is requifite to the bringing forth
of good fruit ? faith the trembling foul. O I is there any fuch
among you this day ? But in anfwer to' this, we fay thefe
things are neceffary :
' i lets requifite that the tree be good. Would ye bring
forth good fruit ? I mull tell you* the tree "muft be good, be-
forethe fruit be good; for a corrupt tree cannot bring forth
godd fruit. But ye may fay, What is it to have the tree
good? I Will tell you it is this; Ye muft be transplanted:
We grow all in a very bafe and barren foil, fo long as we are
in the State of nature. Ye that are in this' eftate, (and, Oh!
we fear, there be many fuch here,) So long'fes ye continue in
5r, your moft holy performances are like the cutting off. a
dog's neck, and the murdering of men, Ifa. Ixvi. 3. So, till
ye be taken out of the old Stock of nature, and planted in the
new and living vine Chrift Jefus, ye cannot bring forth any
good fruit : Let you multiply as many duties as ye pleal'e, tho'
ye fliould pray, till your knees fail under you ; and though
ye Should deal all that you have to the poor, let you do never
So many good works, they will ,he to no purpofe, fo long as
ye are in the State of nature. Therefore fliall we alk all of
you thefe questions, Are ye in the State of nature, or in the
State of grace ? Are ye converted, or unconverted ? Are ye
jn Chrift) or out of Chrift? Are ye fervants unto God, or
are ye fervants unto Satan ? O ! will ye afk thefe, and fuch
like questions at yourfelves, and at one another ; for, if ye
he in a State of nature, all your performances are but adding
fin to fin : Therefore, arife and cry, night and day, unto the
great hufbandman, That he would come, and cut you off the
old ftock,' that ye have long grown upon, and plant you in
to his , bieffed Son Jefus Chrift, who is the true and living
vine. John xv, I am the vine, ye are the branches : He that a-
bidet b in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit.
This is the union that is betwixt Chrift and his people, and
all the members of his myftical body ; and let me tell you, if
ye be Strangers to this union, ye are ftrangers to partaking of
the benefits of his death and fufferings; ye are ftrangers to
the bavipg and. entertaining of communion and fellowship
with him here; and if ye' be fo,' ye Shall be debarred from
baving any communion and fellowship with him to all eterni
ty. Now, what is it to be planted in this noble and living vine,
Int to believe in his name ? as ye have it, John vi. $6. He that
ea/eth my fie /%, and drinketh my blood, dwctleth in me, and I in
.,\ il'i : '

Upon Mat**?BV iii. to. 303
him : That is, to eat his flefh and drink his blood by faith.
It is nothing elfe then, but believing in his name. So long
then, as ye are ftrangers to doling with Chrift, upon his own
terms, all your prayers, and all your coming to preaching?,
is but the heaping up of wrath upon your own heads. There
fore we advife you, to labour to know what it is, to be ingraf
ted in the true and living vine, that fo ye may bring forth
good fruit ; for till then, all the fruit that ye bring forth,
will be but evil fruit. Oh ! many an ill tree is here this day 5
but few good. Oh ! that ye would cry mightily to God, That
he would fend forth his Spirit, to convince you of fin and mi
fery. And, Oh ! that ye may be all difquieted, and find no
reft in your confciences, from the fight and fenfe of fin and
mifery, till ye be neceflitated to flee, by faith, unto Jefus
Chrift, and get the union made up betwixt him and your
fouls. 2. It is requifite for the bringing forth good fruit, that it
be according to the word of God. Your fruit muft be ac
cording to his will revealed in his word ; they that caft at his
word, from being their rule, be their (hews and pretences what
they .will, they have nothing of that, which he will account
good fruit. Whatever be the blind zeal of papifts and qua-
kers, as it hath not a ground in the word of God, fo it is but
ill fruit in his fight. Therefore let the will and command m
fos wprd be eyed by you in Ull that you do, and then it will
be looked on as good fruit.
3. It is requisite to the bringing forth good fruit, tbat k
pleafe God. We fear many of you pleafe yourfelves, becaufe
minifters and other profeffors are pleafed with you. Oh ! many
in thefe lands, at this time, are greatly deceiving themfelves, by
pleafing themfelves with that, which is not pleafing to God.
Your ware muft be fuch as will pleafe the merchant ; of which
you may fee in that word, Heb. xiii. 16. But to do good, and
to communicate, forget not ; for with fuch facrifices God is well
pleafed. . For it is that which is pleafing to' him, that is good
fruit. But fome of you may be questioning within yourfelves,
and faying, O ! if I knew what fruit would pleafe him ? la
anfwer to this, I fay,
(i.).What ye do muft be done in faith, Heb, xi. 6. Without
faith it is impoffible to pleafe hjm. Luther fays, " They that go
" about to pleafe God without faith, go about to pleafe hira
*' with fin." Then if ye would pleafe God, ye muft firft h*
believers; ye muft accept of Chrift, and clofe with him by
faith; and then, if once ye, were in hjm, ye Shall be fit for
performing iuch duties, as will be pleafing to him ; but ne,-
ver till then. ^ .
(2 ) If ye would bring forth fruit weil-pleafing" to God, then
whatever duties ye go about, ye muft go about them with a
depen-

3»4 SERMON XXIV.
dependence upon Jefus Chrift. We fear many of you gpa«
bout your prayers without Chrift, and then they are but fin :
Ye that go to him in your own Strength^ without depending
upon JeS'us Chriit, you and your prayers will both be reject
ed i for, he is our high prieft who makes atonement for us.'
So ye muft go to God through Chrift, and depend upon hint
for acceptance, both to your perfon and performances ; and
then will ye be well-pleafing to God ; but not till them O
Jiut it be fad, that fo many of you Should live fo lorigjunder
ordinances, and yet remain ignorant of the way to obtain fal
vation. (3.) If ye would bring forth good fruit, fuch as will be well-
pleafing unto God, then ye muft get all your furniture from
Chrift, for going about all your duties. Whenever ye go to
prayer, either by yourfelf, or with others, look to him for
furniture, and then will your duties be well-pleafing to his
Father, and fo be looked upon as good fruit. , But, Oh!
many have ground to mourn for their duties, as welt as for
their fins, beeaufe they go about them in their own ftrength.
(4 ) Would ye bring forth good fruit? then whatever ye
do, ye muft eye the glory of God.in it, 1 Cor. x. 31. Whether
therefore ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God. See then, that whatever ye do, ye have a'war-
rant for it in his word*, and do it in faith, with an eye to his
glory, and then it will be accepted of, as good fruit,
(5.) Would ye bring forth good fruit ? then labour to have
your duties flowing from a principle of love to God. We
fear a natural confcience pats many of you to your prayers,
and brings you forth to your meetings. Who of you dare
fay, That it is love to him, and to his ordinances, that brings
you forth to preachings? And, Who of you does love con-
flrain to rife up in the morning, and to go to your knees to
feek the Lord ? And, who of you does love conftrain to read
his word, and to meditate upon it ? And, who of you does
love cOnftrain to fupply his diftreffed members in their necef-
fities ? Ye may try yourfelves^ if it be fo with you : But oh !
we fear, that fear of hell puts many to their duty; becaufe
the natural confcience will not let the foul have peace, till it
go about duties. But love to God, and making confcience
in obeying his commandments, muft put you to your duty,
or no acceptance with God for you ; for otherwife ye will
not be looked upon, as thefe that bring forth good fruit.
4 It is requifite to the bringing forth of good fruit, that
there be an honeft heart, fuch as the pfalmift prays for, Pfal.
cxix. ?p. Let my heart be found in thy ftatutes, that I be not a-
Jbamed. O! many play the hypocrite with God ; they draw
near with their mouths, and do honour him with their lips,
when their hearts are far removed from him ; fuch fruit as
that

Upon Matthew iii. io. 365
tbat will not ple.ife God. Who of you dare fay, That you
are not hypocrites ? Are (your' hearts prefent with God, .15
,y'our bodies are prefent here ? And are you Sending up your
bear'ts to God by prayer ? If it be fo, that ye are darting up
ejaculations to him in the time of his worfiiip. foe. it is well ;
ye may have ground to hop,e, that ye are of thefe that are
bringing forth good fruit. But, are ye of thefe, that are Sa
tisfying themfelves with bringing their bodies here, and let
ting tlieir hearts go with the fool's eyes, through the ends of
the earth ? Then remember 'that word that ye have, Mai. V.
14. But curfed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male,
and voweth and facrificelh unto the Lord a corrupt thing. O but
fincerity be much worth in the Sight of the Lord ! David fays,
Pfal. exxxix. 23. Search me, 0 God, and know my heart ; Try
me, and know my thoughts ,- and fee if there be any wicked way
in me. If ye be not upright and Sincere before God, your
fruit is not good fruit.
.5. Alfo it is requifite, if ye would bring forth good fruit,
that ye bring forth fruit in feafon, Pfel. i. 3. But ye may fay,
What is it to bring forth fruit in feafon? I anfwer, if ye
would bring forth fruit in feafon, ye muft not confound du
ties : As for inftance, When ye are hearing preaching, as ye
'are doing now, ye muft not be muttering and praying; for
hearing the word preached is one duty, and prayer is ano
ther. And ye muft go about your fpiritual duties in their
feafon, and your civil duties in their feafon. Indeed it is fea
fonable, that the firft road ye go in the morning, be to God, to
pour out your hearts before him; and then read his word,
and meditate upon it, and pray for his bleSfing upon it, and
labour to keep your hearts with God through the day. And
upon the fabbath day, fearch out your idols, and endeavour
to get a ftroke upon them, that fin may be fubdued under
you : And fearch out your wants, and lay them out before
the Lord, that he may lupply them ; for thefe are feafonable
fruits unto the Lord, but, O ! how many are there, that
fatisfy themfelves with the bare forms of duties, and prefs not
for the power and life of godlinefs. How many are there,
that fatisfy themfelves with a few words in the morning and
evening, to quiet their guilty confciences, without any fenfe of
the evil of fin, or need that they are in of Chrift, or any fpi
ritual life upon their foul, and take no care to keep their
hearts through the day, but can let faith and confcience flee
upon every fmall tem^.ition ? Thefe are very evil and unfea-
fonable fruits. O but there are very few, who bear and bring
forth feafonable fruit in this day we live in ! But, O ftudy to
make your calling and election fure, now when the Lord is
threatning to make an end of us by his judgments ! I charge
all of you to be at pains about this. What if this ax of his
Q^ q wrath

3°6 SERMON XXV.
wrath hew you down before you get your calling and election
made fure : And then, what Shall your mifery be, but eter
nal feparation from his prefence ! O ! will ye remember, that
although many are called, yet few are chofen. Many are
called by the outward call of the gofpel, but few called by the
inward call of the Spirit. O I reft not till ye get it made Cure,.
that ye belong to the Lord ; for I fear, that if the devil had
his own from amongft you, we would be but a very fmall
company. Therefore make this fure, that ye are brought
from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto
God. But, oh! we fear, that many of you have fit your
time ; therefore delay no longer, for if death find you in the
ftate of nature, then there will.be no remedy for you ; but
ye Shall be hewn down with this ax of God's juftice, and caft
into the fire of hell, out of which there will be no > redemp
tion. Lord make you confider it in time, and to him be
praife. Amen.

SERMON XXV.
Matthew iii. io.
And now alfo the ax is laid unto the root of the trees : Therefore
every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down,
and caft. into the fire.
WHERE will ye all be ere it be long ? Truly ere thirty
or forty years go about, the moft part of us will be in
little bulk ; for we will be either in heaven or hell. Ye are
now well gathered out, and' ye fit clofe, but ere it be long,
we fliall be as far Sundry as Lazarus and Dives were. Many
of you get leave to eat and drink, and keep company with
the righteous, but ere many years run, ye fliall be as far fun-
dry as Lazarus and the rich glutton are. Should ye not be
taken up to know, where your eternal dwellings will be ? Ma
ny are taken up with houfes and lands, *&> get an inheritance
made Sure to theml'elves and others ; and many in feeking
and keeping the world, lofe their immortal fouls. But, oh !
how few are feeking the houfe which is not made with hands, (
that is eternal in the heavens? 2 Cor. v. i. O ! where will
the moft part of you be, ere it be long ? We fear ye will be
burn-

. Upon Matthew iii. 9. 3°7
burning in the flames of God's wrath. Many of you are liv
ing at peace and eafe now, but if ye bring not forth other Sort
of friiit than ye have done, ere long ye Shall be burning in
the flames of God's wrath : And this is an evidence of :t,
that we fee that ye are no more' concerned at the hearing
of this, than if ye were brute beafts. O that we, knew what
would prevail with you ! If we 'knew what would do it,
we would even venture our Sfefli and our blood for you.
Though there be but one thing needful, O ! how few of
you choofe that good part, that part that cannot be taken
from yon ? Oh ! many Marthas in this day, (though .it be a
very evil time) that are taken up with nothing but the houfe,
and the corn, and the cattle. But, Oh ! who is minding the
one thing neceffary ? Oh ! firs, ye have but one foul to keep,
and will ye lofe that ? Will ye be at no pains to fave your im-
! mortal fouls ? Are ye refolved, fay what we will, that ye will
go 00 in a courfe of fin, forgetting God, and your own foul's
Salvation ? God is crying to you, hold your hand ; and we
are crying to you, will ye not turn from your tranfgrefllons,
by fafting and mourninj, and fupplication ? O ! where will
we find you in the laft d.,y ? The greateft pest of you, we
fear, will be fet among the goats in that day. O ! will ye be
prevailed with, to turn from your fins and iniquities ? O ! if
it were in the power of our hand, we would fain have you
taking warning to flee from the wrath which is to come..
Now remember the text, The ax is laid to the rod of every
tree ; and if ye bring not forth good fruit, ye are nearer the
hewing down than ever yc were before. < Ye know not when
this ax will be lifted up, and give you the hi ft ftroke: Ye
know not, but this night your fouls. Shall be requircM at your
bands. O I are ye ready firs ? Little know many of you how
near your day of counting with your judge is : Ye know not,
but within twenty-four hours, ye Shall be Standing before,
your Jud«c. O! but ye have great need to get your peace
made up with God, and your debt discharged , We fear that
there are but few of you, that have ever counted with God.
Why come ye not, and why flee ye not to the cautioner to be
difcharged ? O ! how much debt are ye owing, and yet ye
Sleep found. Think ye not that juftice will call you to an ac
count ; yea, ye fliall be called to an account for the leaft item
that ye Are guilty of. And if' ye die undifeharged of your
debt, then ye will be caft into the hopelefs prifon, cut of
which ye will never efcape to all eternity.
Now, there is no lefs than life and death lying at the fluke j
but I fliall riw.wVary you with difcourfe : Ye are wearied of
God, and lie" is 'wearied of 'you, and it is likeye fhall get your
will. He hath been long threatning to take away the gofpel
from you ; and he hath kept fonictlii-ig of it v. nn you, ater
v Q^q J other

3©8 ¦ SERMON XXV.
other places have been deprived of it : And now we fee ye are
' wearied of it, and this will caufe him to take it from you alfo.
And, wo will be to you, if be depart from you, Hof. ix. 1,2. It
is like that ye will be brought to that, which Ifrael was
brought to of old, to be without teaching priefts. Now, what
will ye do with this word, as ye have with many other words ?
We think the Lord is faying, As 1 live, 1 have no pleafure in
the death of the wicked. Why will ye die ? Why wilfye not
turn ; I would fpare you, notwithftanding of all the evil that
ye have done, a'nd notwithftanding of all your former bar-
rennefs. Or he is faying, I will leave you without excufe, in
the day when I count with you. What then will ye do with this
word? Ha. Iv. 10, 11. For as the rain cometh down, and the
fnow from heaven, and returneth not hither, but watereth the
earth ; fo fball my u ord be that goeth forth out of mv mouth ; it
fhall not return unto me. void, but Ah fhall accompl'ifh- tbat which
I pleafe. The word fliall not return void; for if it feal not
,up falvation to you, it fliall feal up your damnation.
Ye may remember what we were laft upon in the forenoon,
which was this, That the trees, which bear not good fruit, are
ready to be hewn down, and caft into the fife ; and that tliey are
trees appointed and prepared for burning Alas! that- there
are fo many that have brought fo much ill fruit forth. What
hath been the fruit, that many of you have brought forth ?
Are there not among you fabbath-breaking, worldly-minded-
nefs, drunkennefs, uncleanneGi, lying, filthy fpeaking, and
many of thefe fins, of w'eich the apoftle Paul tells, That they
which do fuch things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God, Gal. v.
21. It is alfo told you. who they are, that Shall not -inherit
the kingdom of heaven, in 1 Cor, vi. 9, 10. Know ye not, that
the unrighteous fball not inherit the kingdom of God ? R^v. xxii.
15.. For without are dogs , and forcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and wbofoevcr loveth and maketh a lie.
'The wicked are compared to dogs ; CurSied Cain was a disho
nour to his Father ; but ye have been a dishonour to God,
whom ye fliould have glorified. It is not leaves that will do
your turn ; it is not a profeffion that will do your turn, but
ye mult alfo have good fruit. The fooliSh virgins had fair
leaves ; but when the bridegroom came, they were kept out,
becaufe they h. id rot good fruits.
We told you what was requifite to the bringing forth good
fruit. And you may remember that this was one thing re
quifite, That good fruit be brought forth in feafon ; your
fruit muft be Seafonable as to the time; young folk Should
bring forth good fruit in their youth, as good,J.c>(iah did, for
he brought forth good fruit in his tender age ; and John the
Baptift began foon to feek the Lord. Old men and old wo
men, ye that are old withered Stocks^ it is a hundred to one, if

Upon Matthew iii. 9. . / 309
if ever ye bring forth good fruit all your days : But will ye
go to God, and pray him to give you the fenfe' of the evil of
your fins ; and go to the Prince exalted, the Lord Jefus Chrift,
and pray him to give you repentance, and the free remiffion
of fins : O I will ye remember, that there is no repentance in
the grave, where ye are going: Therefore, if ye get not re
pentance and the remifilon of fin here, ye will undoubtedly
perifh. O but ye .have need, to mourn, for the many ill fpent
days and nights that are gone over- yoiir heads, and for much
ill fruit that ye have brought fortHT We told you to give all
'diligence to make your calling and election fure ; for this is a
jFruit tbat is well-pleafing to God, and profitable to yourfelves,
and that which "Will yield you comfort at your dying day,
when no othemhing can give you pleafifoe" and fatisfaction :
For, if this be wanting, when-ye muft count with God, no
other thing will give you folid peace. Therefore delay not
this great bufinefs.
Another fruit is watchfulnefs; a duty much' called for,
now when the Lord is threatning to turn all things upfide
down. After that Chrift had foretold the destruction that
was coming upon the temple and Jerufalem, he gives this ex
hortation, Luke xxi. 36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
that ye may be counted worthy to efcape all th-fe things, thai
fhall come to pafs, and to ftand before the fon of man. But ye
may fey, What fhould we watch againft ? I anfwer, ye Should
watch againft the Sins, fnares, and' errors of the. time. Be
ftill upon your watch-tower, that the enemy get not an ad
vantage againft you ; for he is ftill going about as a roaring'1,
lion feeking whom he may devour. Alfo watch unto prayer,
watch unto reading, watch unto hearing, yea, watch untoJi
all duties; for ye that are Strangers^ to watchfulnefs, ye are '
ftrangers to all the duties of Christianity. Therefore watch
at all times, in all places, and among ail company. David
keeped his mouth with a bridle when the wicked Was before
him, O but ye have great need to Watch, when among wic
ked perfons ! ye that have any name or Shew of piety, When
ye join with the wicked in their fin, ye harden them in their.
fin, and bring an evil report upon the truth. Alfo;,- we
would have you much in fecret prayer; for that is a good
fruit, and a feafonable fruit for this time : If ever there was
a time to draw near to God by prayer, it is now, when all
things are threatning defolat.ion. See what the apoftle fays,
1 Peter iv. 7. But the end of all things is at band, be ye there
fore fiber, and watch unto prayer. O my friends ! ilii? is a
time, wherein ye are called to be much in fecret prayer,- ,<j'"yVt:-
have that charity-for feverals of you, that ye make cpnf&f
ence of this duty morning and evening. But, O ! \«^^is-
. wreftiing with the Lord as Jacob did ? This is ,1 time WheVe7'
7 ' , iii

3»o SERMON XXVv"
in we have all need to be much in prayer, an* to wreftle with
foe Lord in it. .„ , . . , . ,
Another &ood fruit is fobriety : Wo to them tbgtare drtnk-
i,c- their wine in bowls, and are forgetting theaffii^ion ofjo-
hlh Wo to tfeem that are now furreiting,and Satisfying them*
Vlves with the creatures, and are forgetting the afflictions of
she Lord's people : Then ye that are prcfeffors live foberly,
.r" to the- ufe of meat and drink ; for this is a part of the duty
J>f Sobriety. Be alfo fober in apparel; there is a pertinent
fcri.niu'e tor this, which you may read, Ifaiah iii, 16. to the
£-,<;' of the chapter. And confider what is laid, ver. 24. And
it Ihnll come to pafs, inftead of fweet fmell there fhall be flink, &c.
There the Lord threatens to give them Slink inftead of per
fumes; and we fear that many of you fpend mora time be-
.twist the comb and the glafs, than ye do at your prayers;
as an honeft man faid, when he was coming up the Street,
end looking in at the1 window he fees one dreifing herfelf, and
when he fees her go fo often back and forward to the glafs,
he cattie away weeping, and one meeting him, wondered to
ice him in that pofture, thinking he had gotten fome fed
news ; and asking what ailed him ? I have (laid he) feen one
i.lk'uw more pains and care for her body, than I have taken
for my foul ife fober in expreflions, that is another part of
this duty: It is a Shame to hear the expreflions of feme pro-
itflois and their difeourfes, fo that there is little difference
betwixt them and the profane. So then fobriety in meat,
think, apparel, and expreffions is good fruit. Micah vi. 8.
He hit h fhewed thee, -0 man, what is good ; and-what doth the
Lord require of thee ; but to do juftly, and to love mercy, and
to walk humbly with thy Cod ? Alio, to mourn with the mour
ners of Zfon, is a good fruit, Lam. i. 12. Is it nothing to you,
all ye that pafs by ? Behold and fee, if there be any forrow like
tinto mv furrow, -ivhich is done unto mc, wherewith the Lord hath
cfiliileJ r,ie, in the day of his fierce anrer. O then ! would \e
tiling forth Seafonable fruit, in the time ye live in ? then fym
pathize with Zion in this day of her affliction. Would ye be
foared in the day of the Lord's fierce wrath : then mourn for
your fins, and the Sins of the land. Read the ninth chapter
i.ft" liackiel ; and ye will find, that when the jnen with the
fi. Hunter -weapons went through to deftroy, they got acorn-
million to fp ire all ti.it were marked ; and there were none
marked, bin the mourners only j and thefe. were paffed by and
Spare.!. O but Ilkiah and Jeremiah's frame would be a' Suita
ble- frame in this day that we live in ! O but weepin" and
juodrning, and fupplication, day and night, were a fu it able
name for us this day ! There are many things that call for
ii ; threatntd judgments and vr-nh, that we may fear Shall
c me 111 on us, caiffor it; ail thirds c.dl for it; bur, Ol we

Upon Matthew iii. 0, 311
we fear, that there are but few of vou that are crying to t he-
Prince exalted for repentance and 'remiSfion of fin. O cry fo
him, that he would pour the Spirit of prayer and fupplicati
on upon you, that ye may cry to him day and night, th.it
he would fpa,re a remnant, and not make a full end ! for k
may be, ere all be done, that a cottage in a wildernefs would
be thought a fweet lodging. The time is like to come, and
not long to it, that the top of a mountain would he thought a
fweet dwelling places It will be your wifdom therefore, ti»
prepare for that day.
Another feafonable fruit this day, is. felf-denial t This is
Seafonable fruit, to be denied to the world, and all creature-
comforts : There are great pains taken in keeping them, and,
by keeping them, many lofe their immortal fouls : But it is
very like, that we will be all alike in worldly things ere it be
fong : Ye that have any thing of the world, be denied to it;
loofe your grips of it ; for, if it be not lb, it will make van.
lofe your fouls.
Another thing requifite for bringing forth good fruit, a»i
that is univerfal fruitfulnefs ; both infi.de branches, and out-
fide branches muft be fruitful : There are many thst have a
fair outfide, that inwardly are ful-' of enmity and wickednefs;
and many that ye would think had fruit on the fabbath, but,
through the week, care not what they do ; but will cheat,
and backfoite their neighbours ; and fome will feparate the
two tables of the law : They feem to have refpect to the firft,
their duty to God ; but, when they come to the fecond, to
the performing of their duty to their neighbour, in that they
foil ; and thereby they caufe the way of truth to be evil fpo
ken of. And others, who feem to Shew fome refpect ta
the Second table of the law, yet have no refpect to the
firft. But, if ye bring forth good fruit, ye muft have an uni
verfal refpect to all God's commandments, and all your mem
bers muft be fruitful therein : Your tongue, that hath been
employed, for Satan, muft now be employed for God. Your
coming forth to preachings will not do your turn ; many
come out to the preaching upon the Sabbath, that through
the week, their tongues will go like bells with curling and
fwearing. Lord five us from fuch profeffors 1 Alfo, your
head, your hands, and your feet, and all your other mem
bers, muft all be employed in the fervice of God ; for, if ye
live in the orniflion of any known duty, or in the practice of
any known fin, it will fink you down to hell.
Another thing that is requifite to the brmginq forth of
good fruit is this, y.: muft be constant in bringing forth fruit:
It muft not be by Iks and Starts, ye muft be conftant, and
continue in your duty to the end, if ye would be Saved. O <
how many had been touched at preaching, and have fome- thi'uj;

312 PREFACE to LECTURE VI.
thing likea real work upon their foul, who foon have turned
like the dog to the vomit, to live again in their old fins.
Many in Scotland flourished fair, when thefe days began, that
are now but withered branches : But, if ye be trees of God's
planting, he will make out this tcyou, that is in Pfalm xcii.
.13, 14. Thofe that be planted in the boiife of the Lord, fhall flou-
riflh in the courts of our God. They fhall ftill bring forth fruit
in old age ; they fhall be fat and flour ifbing. Ye fhould think
upon thefe things, as things that concern you very near.
Obferve again,
1. That although good works be very neceffary, yet they
have no hand in our justification, as the papifts fay, .but we
are justified only by free grace.
2. Though good works be neceffary, yet they cannot me
rit pardon of fin, -nor falvation ; for this we muft expect for
his free mercies fake : as you have it in Neji. ix. 31. Never-
thelefsfor thy great mercies fake, thou didft not utterly confume
them. And Pfalm cvi. 8. Neverthelefs, he faved them for his
name's fake : That he might make his mighty power to be known.
Our good works can merit no good thing to us ; for any good
works that any body works, they are wrought by the Spirit of
God ; But it is not eafy for perfons to quit their own righte
oufnefs, and to lay hold alone upon the merits and righteouf
nefs of Jefus Chrift.
3. Though good works be not meritorious, yet the Lord
is pleafed to reward our good works, through Chrift.
4. Although natural men go about good works, yet they
are but an abomination in the fight of God ; as ye have it in
Prov. xv. 8. The facrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto
the Lord.

M

PREFACE.

WE need not aSk this queftion at you to day, What is
becomeof all the noblemen of Scotland, that there are
none of them here ? For they are polling to the pit ; and the
Lord is faying. Let them be going, Slay them not, fince they
have rejected me, and forgotten all my kindneffes. Neither
need we aSk this queftion, What is become of all our gentry,
that there are fo few of them here ? For they have chofen
Demas's portion, and have left the Standard of the gofpel,
and chofen the would. Nekh«r need we alk this fad and un
desirable

PREFACE to LECTURE VI. ' 373
defirable queftion, What is become of all the minifters and
profeffors, that once appeared for this gofpel in the wilder
nefs r For they have ^aken a wearying in the wildernefs, and
are looking back to Egypt again, as the children of Ifrael did.
But for you that are come here this day, there are two things
that I would inform you of; and the firft is this, The day
of the Lord's coming is near at band ; he is hastening him on
his way ; therefore fee how ye will meet him ; for his coming
will be a furprizal to many., And the fecond thing that I would
inform you of, is this, That his coming will produce dread
ful things to the weft of Scotland : for he hath given them a
fourfold garland to wear beyond other places : And remem
ber this, To whom much is given, of them much is required.
The firfl garland that he hath bellowed on them, is the gar
land of ftraightncfs in the way. And although there hath
been much treachery and double dealing, yet there hath been
more ftraightnefs found in the weft, than in any other corner
of the land.
The fecond garland that he hath honoured the weft with,
hath been much zeal for God ahd his way. Although this
day there be a great decay in this, and a drawing back in
many, to the camp of the enemies, yet there hath more zeal
appeared there, than in any other place of the land.
The third garland that he hath bellowed upon the weft oS?
Scotland, is, That there hath been more ferioufnefe among
them. Although formality hath been our plague in this day,
yet there hath been more ferioufneSs feen here than in any
other place, though, alas I too little. But, O I believe it,
firs, your guiding of thefe garlands fo bafely, will make his
coming to be dreadful to many therein. Other places are like
to rob you of thefe garlands -, O ! labour to hold faft, that no
man take your crown.
The fourth garland that the weft of Scotland hath been ho
noured with,, hath been to fuffer for his name's fake. The
weft hath been harraffed with fuffering beyond any other cor
ner ; and indeed, if the weft's Sufferings were removed from
them to other places, I would be afraid they Should lofe all
thefe rich garlands. Wherefore," O ! ftand fall by the Lord,
and by his way ; for, remember, To whom much is given, of
them much will be required again. The pains hath been great
that the Lord hath taken upon you, by a powerful pure gof
pel, and by judgments and chaftifements ; I mean, fuffering
for his caufe and truth. O ! fee how ye have carried under
all the care and kindiiefs of God. Let us go to him, and feek
his prefence to be amongft us.
Rr LEG-

' E 3*4 3
LECTURE VI.
Zephaniah iii. 8, g, io, u, 12, 13.
8. Therefore wait ye upon me, faith the Lord, until the day that
I rife up to the prey : For my determination is to gather the
nations, that I may affemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them
mine indignation, even all my fierce anger : For all the earth
fhall be devoured with the fire of my jealoufy .
9. For then will 1 turn to the people a pure language, that they
may all call upon the name of the Lord, to ferve him with one
confent.
10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my fuppliants, even the
daughter of my difperfed fhall bring mine offering.
1 1 . In that day fhalt thou not be afhamed for. all thy doings,
wherein thou haft Jranfgreffed againft me.: For then 1 will
take away out of the midft of thee them that rejoice in thf
pride, and thou fhalt no more be haughty becaufe^of my holy
mountain.
12. I will alfo leave in the midft of thee an affiitled and poor peo
ple, and they fhall truft in the name of the Lord.
13. The remnant of Ifrael fhall not do iniquity, nor fpeak lies :
Neither fhall a deceitful tongue, be found in their mouth : For
they fhall feed and lie down, and none fliall make them afraid.

AS the holy God is jealous over his people, to punifh them
for, their iniquity, when they rebel againft him; fo h©
is likewife jealous to punifh feverely thofe, that are the inftru
ments of his people's punifhment ; for he fays by the prophet
Zechariah, / am greatly difpleafed with the heathen : I am jea
lous for Jerufalem, and for Zion with a great jealoufy ; And 1
am very fore difpleafed with the heathen that are at eafe : For I
was but a little difpleafed, arid they' helped forward the affliction,
Zech. i. 14, 15. It is1 true, that the Lord many times makes
ufe of the wicked, for the feourging of his people for their
trials ; but it is as true, when he is gracioufly pleafed to visit
bis people with mercy, that he will caftthe rod into the fire ;
and this they may expect and be affured of, to be the reward
of the wicked from the Lord.
Now, as for the feope of the words read, it may be taken
up thus, The children of Ifrael, and the children of Judah
had provoked the Lord by their fins, arid fo.t^ie Lord reproves
them Sharply, and chaftifeth them with the r^4s of men ; and he

LECTURE VI. 315
be makes ufe of the -heathen for punifhing of them. And
alfo it fays this, That as his jealoufy provoked him to finite
them for their faults, So likewife, when he hath done fo, his
jealoufy alfo for his people provokes him to gather the na
tions, and Sharply to reprove them, and rebuke them fadly
for their cruelty againft his people : Therefore, he commands ....
his people to wait upon him, until he rife up to the prey : Fot
•my determination is to gather the nations, that I may affemble
the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my
fierce anger ; for the earth fhall be devoured with the fire of my
jealoufy. And then I will turn to the people a pure language,
that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, and ferve hini
with one confent. They Shall have not only a pure language;
but alfo they Shall have a pure gofpel, pure ordinances, and
pure hearts He will bring them back again from their difper-
fions, or fcatte rings, and that from beyond the river of Egypt,
my fuppliant s , even the daughter of my difperfed fhall bring mine
offering. He tells, He will bring back all the fcattered and
banifhed, and many more to them. And then he tells them,
He will pardon all their fins ;¦ and they fhall not be afhamed of
all their doings, wherein they have tranfgrefjcd againft him ,- and
he will takeaway all their reproach ; foe he will take away
out of the midft of thee, them that rejoice in thy pride, and
thou fhalt no more be haughty becaufe of my holy mountain. Thefe
that boafted of their privileges, and took liberty therefrom to
fin, he tells them, He will firft take them away, ere all this
fliould be accomplished,' and they fliould be greatly wafted,
and yet there Shall be aremnant left.
Now, we will come back, and obferve fome leffons for our
inftruction: Therefore wait ye upon me, faith the Lord. Whence
we would obferve,
1. That fuch is the Lord's love to, and care of his people
and followers, that are defiring to keep faithfully by him,
under tlieir tri.tls and chaftifements, as that he allows them,
great matter of comfort, left their hearts Should be troubled
and caft down : This is evident from Ifaiah xl. 1 . Comfort ye,
comfort ye my people, faith your God. And this he brings in as
an encouragement unto them, that when he brings judgments
and Strokes upon a land, he will not leave them without com
fort : Alfo, Ifaiah xxvii. 7. Hath he fmitten him, as he fmote
thofe tbat fmote him ?
2- Obferve, That when the Lord hath a glorious piece of
work to produce, or bring forth, he calls all the metal into
the furnace together, that he may at once feum off the drofs,
and refine the metal, and make it the purer : Ye may fee this
clear in thefe words, That he may turn to the people a pure lan
guage, he will gather the nations, and affemble the kingdoms,
that he may pour out upon them the fiercenefs of his anger.
R r 2 Now,

3i<5 L E C T' U R E VI.
Now, ye have their firft cafe, and then their duty : As for
their cafe, they were fadly chaftifed by the Chaldeans,, that
ruled over them : And as for their duty, they were to wait
upon the Lord ; So learn, that when the Lord is afflicting his
people, by the hand of the wicked, then he calls his people
to wait upon him. O happy people, that the rod chafeth in
to the Lord ! But all our rods have had the contrary effects
to this day.
3 ' Obferve, That the certainty of the Lord's pouring his
indignation on his enemies Should encourage his people to wait
on him : «* For my determination is to gadier the nations,
'* and affemble the kingdoms, that I may pour upon them
" the fiercenefs of mine anger, foe." Seeing then that judg
ments on enemies are certain ; therefore let this move and
ftir you up to wait upon him. This ought to be your work
now, when he is gathering papifts and malignants, and all the
enemies together, that he may pour out his anger upon them ;
therefore yoiir duty is to wait upon him; for it will -have an
uncouth afpect even to them, that he is coming to deliver
them. In the original the words read, Then will 1 make the
people a pure language.
4. Obferve, That the Lord ordinarily makes ufe of judg
ments, as a furthering of mercies to his people : Then will I
turn to the people a pure language, pure worfhip, and pure
doctrine, and pure ordinances ; and people Shall be of pure
hearts, to ferve the Lord with one confent.
5. Obferve, That although the Lord's coming be. oft in a
terrible manner, though in mercy to his people, yet.it is of
ten mistaken by bis people ; anfl fo he muft put them in mind,
and tell it before-hand to wait upon him. And that other
translation hath it : He will turn io the people of a pure language;
fo, thefe whom the Lord makes choice of, to come to them
with mercy and judgment, are thefe who are of a pure Ian-
fjnage. Do not think that he will come to them- that are
fpeaking the abominable language of ASbdod : No ; it is to
them of a pure language that he will come in mercy, when
he pours out his indignation on his enemies, that they may all
ferve him with one confent,
6. Obferve, That it is an heartfome and thriving like thing,
where there is a mutual exhorting and exciting one of ano
ther, and. a hearty confenting to ferve the Lord ; when there
fliall be no debates among his people. O ! how deSirable. is
that, to fee the church of Chrift unite together in him, who
is their h'eajd, all ferving the Lord with one confent, when
thefe Shall fpeak the language of Canaan, and every one Stir
ring up another to ferve the Lord with one confent ? From
beyond the rivers, my fuppliants, even the daughter of my dif-
perfed fhall bring rnine^ offering. Now, the godly had fome
thing

Upon Zephaniah iii. 8,  13. . 317
thing to object here, How fliall all this be performed, feeing
we are>a fcattered and difperfed people, and borne down ? And
here the Lord anfwers it, From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,
my fuppliants fhall come. He will bring back the difperfed,
and gather home his ba/iifhed, that they may ferve him in
their own land, with one confent.
7. Obferve, That when the Lord hath a-mind to deliver
his people, and bring back their captivity, neither the low
nor defpicable cafe that his people may be in, nor yet the
ftrength and cruelty of their enemies, fhall be able to hinder,
or flop the work in the Lord's hand : For he will bring back
their captivity ; for ftrong is the Lord that redeemeth them ;
and they Shall bring back many with them. The enemies of
our Lord will gain no advantage, by banifhing the Lord's
people; for, inftead of diminishing his kingdom thereby, this
is the way that the Lord hath taken for the enlarging of his
Son's kingdom.. And why is it thus this day, that the Lord
hath fuffered the fury of his enemies thus to banifli away the
Lord's people ? They think thereby to wafte arid deftroy ut
terly the feed of Ifrael; but we believe the Lord hath other
thoughts of it : He will thereby fow his feed among the hea
then and ftrangers, that there may be more gathered in, to
take part with the poor church of Chrift. Therefore let not
friends be difcouraged upon this account, although this be
our cafe this day, for this is the high way to enlarge the bor
ders of his Son's kingdom, and to make his power to be the
more known among the heathen.
8. Obferve, That the 'effects of his returning will be known
by this, when the heart of his people fhall be lifted up, in
afcribing praife and glory to.him: Then his people that have
been banilbed Shall return with fongs of praife in their mouths.
The daughter of my difperfed fhall bring mine offering. Ancfthe
hearts of his people Shall be lifted up, with the mutual love
of one another, arid Shall all ferve him with one confent.
What a fweet day think ye will this be to the church of Chrift ?
And though this promife was partly accomplished at the re-v
turning of the people, from Babylon, yet it is alfo applicable
to the church under the New Teftament, that fliall be in the
like cafe > they were in. It Shall then be fung of the poor
church in. Britain and Ireland,' when our Lord fliall bring a-
gain, and return our captivity, Not. unto us, not unto us, but
to the Lord be the glory. He tells them that they Should noe
be afhamed for all their former mifearriages and misbehavi
our ; for he will freely pardon all their iniquity. ,
9. Obferve, That this will not only be a great mercy to the
people of God, but alfo a delivery from the" guilt of fin and
power of Satan. O ! for this delivery from the guilt of fin,
and the power of Satan : For then it would be, Thus faith the
Lord%

3$S LECTURE VI.
Lord, Thow fhalt no more be called defolate, nor a city forfaken i
hut the Lord thy God fhall lead thee by the fountains of living wa'
ter, &c. For, as we feid, Nothing fliall ftand in his way ;
for Strong is the Lord that executeth judgment for her. So
that as the Lord, for their encouragement and removing their
objection out of the- way, that they were a fcattered and down-
borne people, and in no cafe that looked like a delivery ; fo
si] fa, he removed that objection, that they were a Sinful peo-
j/e^.hcre he anfwers that, and tells them, That he would par-
4on ail pheir iniquities : Andfo they fhovld not be afhamed of their
firm&fways. And then the Lord tells them, That he will take
tvivajtjthem that rejoice in their pride, and they fball no more be
haughty becaufe of my holy mountain. Where we would,
io. Obferve, That ere the Lord bring about delivery to his
church, he will make a difeovery of formalists, hypocrites,
foe. He will take away them that rejoice in her pride ; and thoii.
fhalt no more be haughty becaufe of my holy mountain. Them
that boafted of their privileges, and thereby took liberty to fin
the more, he tells them, that he behoved to take them out of
the way. What may we then fay of many, that gloried in
the privileges of Scotland, who are now turned out of the
way, and are taking more liberty to fin ? Here the Lord tells,
that he will take fuch out of the way, before he deliver his
people And left the church Should fay, that if this be done,
and all thefe be taken out of the way, there will be none left.
But here the Lord anfwers this objection, and tells them,
'That a remnant Shall be left behind, and tbat he will be glo-
i ioufly feen in their delivery.
1 1. Obferve, That though the judgment or ftroke be uni-
verfet, that the Lord may bring on a church or people, yet
hehiath faid it, That he will f pare a remnant. Though I make
a full end of all nations, yet will I not make an end of thee ; but
will leave in the midft of thee an afflicled and poor people, and
they fhall truft in the name of the Lord. O ! be not discourag
ed, afraid, or caft down, becaufe of the cruelty of the ene
my, and the feeming victory that they have over the poor
church of Chrift this day : Do not fofter that fear, that they
fliall get them all rooted out ; for ye fee the faithfulnefs of
God is engaged, to keep a remnant in the hotteft of trials and
fufferings. i 2. Obferve, That he tells them, That he will denude and
empty them of all their privileges, that ihey may be brought
to truft in himfelf; 'they fhall be no more haughty, becaufe of my
holy mountain. Now, let us not dilpone of our own cafe this
day, but let us rather hope and rejoice in it, feeing that he
gfeth to take this way in delivering his people. Wherefore
I hath

Upon Zephaniah iii. 8,  13, 319
hath he brought us to this pafs, to be fo low, but that we may
put our truft in him, that hath everlafting ftrength ? He will
have us to be poor in our own eyes, and poor in the world's
eyes, and defpair as to help in ourfelves, that we may rely oa
him for ftrength.
13. Obferve, That he will not only pardon their fins, and
give them grace, but he will give them preventing grace: They
fhall ftudy holinefs and tendernefs, and Shall truft in the name
of the Lord, and they thereby fliall prove themlelves to be
his remnant ; and they Shall have his image Stamped' upon
them. . „
14. Obferve, That the Lord hath engaged himfelf by pro
mife, that he will help them to do all that he requires of them:
And the remnant fhall do no iniquity.
15 Obferve, that he tells them, that it is them that truft in
him, that all this is promifed unto ; there be none that can
do any thing to purpofe, but they th*t*believe in him. Who
is it that fhall be helped thus to ftand, when many fliall fell
on both fides ? And who is it that fliall do iniquity ? It is on
ly they that believe and truft in him. But left Some of you
miftake us in this, it is not here promifed, that they fliall be
perfect, and fliall not fin at all; but the meaning ii this, they
Shall not fin wittingly, and willingly, purpofedly, or delight-
fomely. •''' /
16 Obferve, That the Lord's removing of enemies out rif
the way, is to make way for great mercies to his friends ; and
that likewife his people fhall be helped and, guided to improve
mercies, and Shall ftudy holinefs, when God Shall pour dowa
wrath upon his enemies. Oh ! how unlike we are to this at
this day I For there is a fpirit: of lying gone forth, that they
who turn out of the way defend themfelves by, when they
draw 'in and comply with enemies ; but the remnant of Ifrael
Shall not fpeak lies; he will keep his remnant in good cafe:
For, they fhall feed and ly down, and none fhall make them a-
fraid. This is the reafon, he will protect and defend thera
from enemies.
And laftly, The effects that both the mercies beftowed,
and thefe which he hath promifed to beftow, Should make his
people fet to the ftudy of holinefs. And who is there among
you all now, that can fay but ye have met with much of his-
kindnefs ? Therefore ftudy to improve it, ftudy faith and ho
linefs, and to get the exercife of faith kept up. He will bring
judgments upon enemies, that he may turn to his church, and
to the people a pure language. And, O! hippy is the maa
or woman, that is preparing to meet with, him, and is Study
ing to keep his wa*. <v
SERMO-X

( 320 )
/
S E R M O N XXVI.
Habakkuk ii. 3, 4.
Far the vifion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it fhall
fpeak, and not lie : Though it tarry, wait for it, becaufe it
will furely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his foul which is
lifted up, is not upright in him : But the juft fhall live by his
faith.
PROUD conceited man is ready, finfully, to quarrel a-
gainft the Lord's way of ordering his affairs. I believe
there is fo much atheifm in your hearts, that ye think, if ye
bad matters iri your own hand, and in your own guiding, you
would manage. them better than they are. O proud blafphe-
my ! to fee the potfherds of the earth quarrel with their Ma
ker. Although he be the high and lofty one that inhabits eter
nity ; and hath the clouds under his feet, and who hath the
treafures of wifdom by him, arid dwells in the light inacceili-
ble : Though his faithfulnefs be engaged, that he will order
all well, for his own glory, and his peoples good, yet, the vi
fion is for an appointed time, though it tarry, in the end he will
make it fpeak, and it will not lie ; and he hath'commanded his
people to wait for it. The prophet Habakkuk was greatlv
plagued with temptations and confufions in his mind, anent
the Lord's returning. In the firft and fecond chapters, be
ufeth means to prevent thefe confufions : What does he ? faith
he, / will go and ftand upon my watch-tower. He would not
lie ftill under difeouragements and temptations that affaulted
him ; but got him up to his watch-tower : What way got he
up to his watch-tower ? It was by prayer and fupplication, and
. by getting his heart fet on God. And what got he when he
was there? He got a difcovery, from the Lord, as the anfwer
of bis prayer ; he got the vifion difeovered, and he is com
manded to write it in great letters, that they may run that
read it. This vifion was concerning the delivery of his church
again, which we may conclude from that his charge which
he got, to write the vifion ; it was, that thereby his people's
hearts might be ftrengthned' in their feet to wait. It feems,
it was ufed by the prophets then, to write all their commif-
fions on tables, and to fet them at the entering in of the gate
of the temple, that all might fee and read them : Then we
tee, the Lord's word Should "not be concealed, but published
faithfully by his fervants, and divided aright and alade plain.
Now,

S E R MO N XXVI. 32*
Now, there are thefe two things in the words read. There
is the promife of the return, and there is the reafon given of
his delaying the vifion. The reafon why it was to be written,
becaufe the time of the accomplishment was not yet come:
It is for an appointed time. And if it were afked, why he, de
lays the vifion ? The reafon is given in the fourth verfe, that
he may difcover the proud hypocrites and alfo that the fince
rity of his people might be tried. The juji floall live by his
faith. This for the meaning of the words ; and .0 I fliall lay
down this doctrine :
Doct. I. That the mercy promifed to the Lord's people, and
the threatnings to his enemies, the timing of them, is in his own
hand. See Dari. xii 4. Shut up the words, and feal the book,
even to the time of the end. ; Deui. xxx'i. 34. Is not this laid up
in fiore with me, and Jealed among my treajurrs. So, as a part
of his fovercignty, he orders and limes mercies and judg
ments. It is like, if vengeance had been in our hands, that enemies
had felt it ere now : But the Lord knows beft how to time
mercies and judgments. It may be, that there were many,
who thought that the vifion fliould haVe fpoken, and been
accoriipliflied at Bothwell ; and fince they were difeppointed
of their expectation, they have caft off their waiting for the
Lord any longer, and are ready to fey, This evil is of the Lord,
why fhould we wait any longer for him ? yet, the vifion is for an
appointed time, and not a minute Shall it be delayed longer,
than that time he hath fet be accomplifhed. There be many
that fpeak of the vifion now, that will forget it when it comes,
for it fhall fpeak in a ftrange language ; it will make the de
ceits and hypocrifies of many to be difeovered, therefore wait
for it.
We Would give you an ufe of advice. Seeing the vifion is
certain, then be comforted, Ye that can be comforted with
no other thing, comfort yourfelves with the hope of this,
that the Lord will return again to his church, oppofe him
who will ; for the delaying of his appearing takes not away
the certainty of it : Though it be for an appointed time, yet
it will both come and fpeak. Though we would have the vi
fion fpeaking, yet there is much opposition in the way ; there
is a wicked, powerful, and malignant enemy in the way ; but
there is no opposition but what he hath promifed, anch can
foon remove, Ife. xl. 6. The voice faid, Cry, And he faid, What
fhall I cry ? Al/fiefij is grafs, and all the gondline/s thereof as the
flower of the field. Therefore enemies though they were ne
ver So many, and though they were never fo ftrong, yet they
are but like a meadow or corn field, for Gc .1 to thrull in his
fickle; and the more rank it be, it Shall cu the more fweet-
ly. Therefore do not think that thefe affocuuons of papiffs,
S f malis-

322 SERMON XXVI.
malignants, and multitudes of foldiers fhall be able to ftand
before him ; for they are but like grafs before his fickle. But
ye will fay, There is great opposition in the way, viz. fin that
Stands in the way. Indeed, that is true, that is fhe greateft
impediment, but yet he hath promifed, that he will come o-
ver that alfo ; aS in Ifa. xl. 2. Speak ye comfortably to feryfa-
lem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplifhed, that
her iniquity is pardoned. The Lord's mercy is fuch, that he
will not let fin ftand in the way, when he comes to deliver his
people, this Should make us wait patiently, to get the pro
mifed mercy out.of his own hand, now while he is in Speak
ing terms with us. What will ye do ? Will ye not receive
this mercy that he hath promifed ? He hath promifed to par
don our fins, if we will but come and receive the mercy off
his hand. What fhall we liken the church of Scotland to,
but to a woman who hath left her hufband, and followed par
amours, and yet the Lord is content to take her home again ?
And is not this his language to us this day, Thou haft played
the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me, faith the Lord.
Therefore, I fay, if ye will come over the mountains of your
doubts and miSbelievings, mercy will come over the moun
tains of fin. But ye will fey, What will we do with our
doubts, to get them removed, when all things look fo impof-
fible like ? Ye muft labour to come over your doubts, and
grip to the Lord by faith. This was the way that Abraham
took, when he was commanded to facrifice his fon : But I will
tell you, there is little preparation of heart Studied, to meet
the Lord in that day. Study to be prepared, for there is great
need to be fixed in the faith,, that ye be riot Shaken ; for it
will be both a coftly delivery, and a humbling delivery -. It
will overcome this laft and great opposition, viz. fin in his ,
people. O ! but he be much to be admired by all that love
him, that rides fo triumphantly in the chariot of free grace.
There be many that will not wait till his time coirie, but make
a finful hafting from under the crofs, that think that the
Lord hath forgotten to be gracious,, and think alfo that he
hath forgotten to punifh enemies ; but, remember the dam
nation of the wicked flumbers not, but the longer that the
judgment be deferred, it will be the ladder and Sorer when it
" ponies ; for it hath a time appointed, when the vifion Shall
fpesk and not lie- Therefore labour to build 'upon the faith
of this, That he will appear, and make the virion to fjSeak.
Enemies fey, He doth not regard the prayers of Iris people,
and that he denies to appear for litem ; therefore, they go on
in perfecuting the people of God ; and yet though they do
fo, ind though fm.h as run to their camp for Safety fey by
the r practice, That the Lord hath forgotten to be gracious,
and denies his help to his people ;' and we believe' that this is
a great

Upon Habakkuk ii. 3, 4. 323
a great reafon, that fo many run and.aflbciate themfelves with
the wicked party, and give bonds, and pay fines to them, and
io Seek their preservation and fefety fro,m thofe, that are in
open war Igainft God' ; for, if this were believed, that the
Lord is hading on his way, and that the vifion fhall fpeak,
ano^ its language will be terrible to all that are without mer
cy's compafs : Although tliefe that have drawn their hand
back from the work of the Lord this day, Say by their prac
tice, That he hath forgotten to be gracious, and denies to
help his people ; not a few minifters and profeffcrs declare,
by tlieir practice, That they do not believe that the Lord is
fo concerned about his church. So then, the time fliall not
be delayed, when the time that he hath fet is come, when he
will build up Zion again. O believe it, that the vifion will
fpeak, and its language will be heard by all i
Doct. II. Although that we do not miftlclievc altogether ; yet
wm are ready to give much ear to fenfe, and forget the exercife
if faith : But if we would be helped to carry rightly, we muft
not let fenfe have a hand in cenfur'wg of dod, under the delays of
his returning. Here fenfe faith that be will tarry, and faith
faith that he will come.
This point is clear, Hab. i. 13. as to what the language of
fenfe is, Wherefore lookeft thou upon them that deal treaebcroujly,
and holdeft thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man. tbat
is more righteous than he ? That was ftrange ! and fenfe feys,
in the foregoing part of the verfe, how can it be, that he is of
purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and thus to Shine upon the
ways of the wicked ? Therefore fenfe fays, that he hath utter
ly caft off, and that he willfte gracious no more .- And faith feys,
That his faithfulnefs fails not to, all genet at ions. But ye will
fay, How doth faith help itfelf againft fenfe ? I will tell you,
Faith helps itfelf againft fenfe by tliefe things.
1, It confiders and takes a look of the fovereignty of God,
Matth. xx, 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with
¦mine own ? Faith knows all this, that, he is Lord of all, and
keeps Silent,* knowing that the vifion will certainly come at
the time appointed.
2. Faith helps itfelf againft fenfe, by considering the wifdofn
that is in God, and as he believes that infinite wifdom and
knowledge is with God, fo that alio his faithfulnefs obliges
him to come ; and by his infinite wifdom he knows well how
to time his coming, aod therefore faith is helped to keep Si
lent. 3. Faith helps itfelf, by the love that God hath manifefted
to his people, fo that he will not forget them. Senfe faith,
He afflicts and chaftens fore. But faith fays, His wounds are
like oil ; and thereby is helped to conftruft favourably of all
bis difpenfations. -*" S f 2 4. Faith

324 SERMON XXVI.
4. Faith helps itfelf by considering the purpofe and end,
wherefore he delays his coming ; as the people of Ifrael, they
muft 'compafs the mountains in the wildernefs forty years :
And wherefore was it ? The cup of the Amorites'Was not yet
full : And fo the reafon of his delaying is, becaufe he will
have a difeovery of the grace., of his people, and of the hypo
crify of many formalifts ; and he will have the cup of enemies
full. 5. Faith helps itfelf by this, considering that the Lord's per
formances are not Out of date, but his time is feafonable :Tt
is true, if matters were paft recovery, fenfe might have a great
advantage, and faith little ground to wait for him ; but it is
Otherwife, his performances cannot be out of date. If fenfe
*had its defire, and matters going as it would have them, the
vifion had been difeovered long ere now: But faith considers
the neceSfity of this delay, by the difeovery that he hath made,
and is making ; fo that if his coming had been fooner than
thetime that he hath fet, it had been unfeafonable. Senfe
fays, We are without help this day, and little ground to wait
for better, feeing that enemies are multiplying and increasing
every day, and his people are wafted and diminished by the
cruelty of enemies, by banishment and death : But faith be
lieves that the Lord can raife up children to Abraham out of
the very ftones ; and then it believes alfo, that when he comes
back he will make up all their loffes ; as ye may fee in Joel
ii. 25 And I will reftore to you the years that the locuft hath eat
en, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, arid the palmer-worm,
my great army which I fent among you. So that whatever are
your complaints, he will make up all the loffes, when he
comes. 6. Faith helps itfelf by considering, that there is enough in
God to bear up his people at his appearing : Ye will fee this
confirmed in 'Ifa. xl. 31. But they tbat wait upon the Lord fhall
renew their firength .• They fball mount up with wings as eagles,
they fhall run and not be weary, and they fhall walk and not
faint. Faith believes that the trial cannot be fuch, but that
he will bear them up in it.
Doct. Ill Is the certainty of the Lord's appearing for his
people, and againft his enemies.
This furniSheth encouragement for his people to wait, the
vifion fhalt fpeak. And that certainly ; then the encourage
ment is enjoined, wait for it : Eftabl.fh your h^art in the faith
of it, and ye Shall find that afford encour-.gement to wait upon
him. Ye fee what a great help this was to the church, when
in a low condition, Micah vii, 7. 1 will wait for the God of
my falvation ; My God will hear me. Ver. 9. untill he plead
my caafe ,- and execute judgment for rye. And Ifaiah viii. 17.
/ will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the heufeof
• Jacob,

Upon Habakkuk ii. 3, 4. 325
Jacob, and 1 will look for him. The church there believed
that he would help her, and fo She refolves to wait for him.
O firs ! believe this, that the people who have turned out of
the way of God this day, have known nothing of the exercife
of believing and waiting. But ye will ftart this queftion : How
fhall we wait for the vifion until it fpeak ? I anfwer, if ye
would wait aright.
1. Ye muft wait patiently : Ye fee this ought to be joined
with on-waiting, Pfalm xxxvii. 7. " Reft in the Lord, and
*' wait patiently for him.'' Verfe c. " Commit thy way unto
" the Lord, truft alfo in him, and he fliall bring it to pafs."
I fay, There cannot be waiting without patience : Therefore
when ye find your hearts quarrelling, and rifing up againSt
the difpenSations of God, ye fliould rife up in opposition a-
gainft them ; for thefe heart-rifings are from the devil. O !
do not murmur againft this way of dealing ; for this will make
you weary, and turn your eyes back to Egypt again.
2. Ye muft wait fubmiffively ; as it is in Micah vii. 9, " I
"will bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I have Co
ined againft him". Ye muft wait with fubmiSfion, and put
a blank in his hand, concerning the date of his coming. Be
ware of incroaching on his fovereignty. " I will bear the in-
" dignation of the Lord,'' fo ye mult wait fubmiffively.
3. Ye muft wait believingly ; for this is right waiting, as
is alfo clear, from Micah vii. 9. " I will bear the indignation
" of the Lord, until he plead my caufe-.'' And then; "he
" will bring me forth to the light, and I fhall behold his righ-
" teoufnefs." The church believed that her enemies, who
then triumphed, fliould be trampled upon, and it was feen
by her faith : So the certainty of the thing waited for, when
believed will beget patience, and will render the waiter yet
patient, though it be delayed.
4. Ye mull wait for it, in the way of duty, Ifaiah xxvi. 8.
" Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we wait-
" ed for thee." Ye muft wait in the way of duty, both in
refpect of judgments and mercies. Thefe that wait not this
way, they will not wait long : And the vifion, when it comes,
will fpeak no good to them, but it will have a fed language
unto them, that are waiting, and not in the way of duty,-
but are joining in all the finful abominations of thefe times ;
and are joining iffue and intereft with the avowed declared e-
nemies of God. What fays the prophet Ifaiah to fuch ? ** He
" Shall appear to your joy, and they Shall be afhamed," Ha.
Ixvi, 5. There are many, that are reproaching us in'Scotland
this day for our duty; but reriiember, and believe it the
mouths of the reproachers Shall be Slopped, when he comes
back again, whether they be minifters or profeffors. Aftho'
the language of many hath been, as when the children of
I feud

3

16 SERMON XXVI.

Ifrael cried in the wildernefs, that it was better for them to
turn back again into Egypt ; and this the Lord will charge
many minifters and profeffors, with ; that did feem to, run
well a while, but have been foon hindred. O ! beware of
turning afide, firs, out of bis way; for, if ye do, the vifion
will fpeak wrath and indignation to you. But if ye would
have the vifion"" fpeaking comfortably to you, then ye muft
perfevere in his way. If ye would have it to be a -day of light
and not of darknefs, wait on in the way of duty. But Ifear
fadly that t'here are many of you, that if the trial come Sharply
to your door, ye will draw back Shamefully, But fuch as
would have the vifion fpeaking good to them, they muft wait
for it in the way of duty, and muft perfevere in waiting. O !
if this day we could get you all perfuaded to this duty. How
fliall we perfevere, fay' ye? Anfwer,
(i.) Confider that it is a commanded duty: The apoftle
Paul commands and charges the Corinthians, fo io run, that
they might obtain, i Cor. ix. 24. They that are running in a
race ought not to fit down, if running for a great prize. It
may be, that ye will think this but a fecklefs. help, to tell
you that it is a commanded duty ; but I will tell you, The
consideration of duty, will help the foul to wait, and wait pa
tiently. (2.) To help you to perfevere, labour to count the coft of
your duty -, there be many that are never come this length,
to count the coft of their religion ; and, how can fuch wait ?
I fear tliefe be many here who have not counted this day's
wOrk, what it may coft them. O ! if ye would be helped to
perfevere in waiting:, count the coft of your duties better,
left happily after ye have begun, and put to your hand, ye be
not able to finilh.
(3.) To help you to perfevere, confider that the mercy
promifed, apd that which you are called to wait for, is fealed
by the blood of Chrift, and fo it is fure O ! if we could
perfuade you from this, that the inheritance is fure ; for he
is a great King that hath promifed ; one that cannot lie :
He hath engaged his honour in pawn, and fo undoubtedly it
js Sure. (4,) To help you to perfevere, confider that the out-gate
fliall be feafonable, and the beft of things Shall be given you
tn the beft of feafous. when in your loweft condition, and in
your greateft need. If ye would fet about the exercife of
thefe things, they would help you to perfevere, and ye would
Eiot be fo ready to draw back, and deny him and his ways ;
(neither would ye be fo ready to mifeonflruct and quarrel him.
Therefore wait on the vifion patiently and fubmiffively, and
perfevere in the way of duty : And the Lord give you Strength
to to do. I Shall fey no more.
' SERMON

S E R M O N XXVII.

Habakkuk ii. 3, 4. '
For the vifion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it fhall
fpeak, and not lie : Though it tarry, wait for it, becaufe it
will furely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his foul which is
lifted up, is not upright in him : But the juft fhall live by his
faith.
THE Lord is a mrift wife manager of his affairs ; a glimpfe
of the wifdom that is to be leen in him, would make.vts
cry out, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to carry the government,
A fight of his wifdom in all his difpenfations, would' make us
join to our note, with that heavenly company in the Reve
lation, that was represented to John. And 1 looked, (faid he)
and behold a great company, that no man could number ,- and
what were they all faying ? Worthy is the Lamb that was flain,
and is alive, to receive all riches and power, and glory and do
minion, for ever and ever, but to come to our purpofe. The
Lord's vffdom.is much to be feen in his delaying of his peo
ple's delivery. But ye will fa"y, What way is his wifdom Seen
therein ? Even in this, that be will have many to be difco-
^ vered; he will have the hypocrify and formality of many to
be difeovered ; and he will have the fincerity of his people
alfo tried likewife : and therefore, there is much of his wif
dom feen in the delaying of the vifion.
You know the la(l occasion in the forenoon, we toldyoa
tgto reafons of the words -. 1. That the prophet got the vifioss
revealed to him, that it Should fpeak. 2. That it Ihould be
del.iyed, that the difeovery of the hypocrify of fome might be
male manifeft. And we came to the fecond thing propoi-eJ
in the words ; that is, to juftify the Lord in delaying of" the
vifion. Where we would obferve,
1. When the Lord delays the delivery of his people, that
thereby he finds out much unfoundnefs and hypocrify, by-the
delaying of the vifion, that could not otherwife be discovered,
Why! Becaufe the hypocrite will run well for a while, as
long as wind and tiJe fcrves him : But When that he fends- a
ftorm upon the church's face, this tries and difeovers the un
foundnefs of many.: So that there are many looking back to
Egypt this day, who femetime were very forward in buikiir.r,-
the Lord's houfe ; and by the Lord's cont'uuing the tri.tl, he
hath found out much, that otherwife could never h.n;e been ' ctf-

323 S E R M O N XXVII.
difcpvered. O what of his wifdom Shines forth here ! But it
may be, that fome will fay, What is the matter what had
come of us, and what we had Suffered, if be had appeared
for our deliverance ; for there is no probable way that we
can fee for his coming. But I will tell you, That is not the
language of faith ; for the delay thereof is much better, fee
ing there is fo much that he hath difeovered, and more yet
that he hath to difcover ; and the delaying of his appearance
is for this end. Ol there are many- things that fpeak out,
That the vifion fhall not be delayed long. But, O I how un
likely a people are we to be delivered ? And remember this,
That the trial Shall come more particularly to your doors,
and ye Shall be fearched and found out what your refpects to
him are. But fome of you will fay, He hath brought that
already in your way : But 1 will tell you, It Shall come more
nniverfally, and more particularly to every man's door; and
there will be fed difcoveries among us ere all be done. There
are many come here under the vail of love to Chrift, that he
will difcover, that their goodnefs hath been like the morning
cloud, and the early dew that foon paffeth away, What are
all the profeffors, for the moft part, for all the Sufferings that
are come, but a Shadow, and know little what is the fubftance
of religion? Your countenance, this day, gives us fad ground
of fear, that there are many of you that know little or no
thing of God ; there is fo little- of the impreffion of the duty
of the day, and of the work of it feen upon your fpirits;
which gives us fad ground to fear this : Therefore let me lay
home this advice, by way of exhortation, to your doors par
ticularly. Seeing that it is fuch a trying time, and that the^
end of the Lord's delaying the vifion is for thefe two fore-
mentioned reafons. Therefore it concerns you to try your-*
felves, feeing that there is a behold annexed to it, that his foul
which is lifted up, is not upright in him : But the juft fhall live
by his faith. Remember therefore, that the Lord's eye is al
ways upon you, yet in a more fpecial manner-, when he hath
brought you to the furnace to, melt you, feeing he Sits at the
furnace as a refiner, and that he eyes the metal, and he eyes
the drofs likewife. O look to yourfelves, how ye will come
forth, feeing that ye are put into this furnace ! O wretched
man or woman, that is put in a gilded hypocrite, and comes
out all drofs ! I would give you this advice therefore, to
guard againft defection, and. falling from the way of God,
that many are drawn into, feeing this is the Sin of our time,
and therefore ought to bs guarded againft, feeing the un-
foundnefs of the profeffion of many, hath occasioned them to
be iritangled in the fnare : Remember this, when people ftu
dy not to walk with God, that they are ealily turned, afide ;
ftudy'

Upon Habakkuk ii. 3, 4. 329
ftudy love and fincerity toTiim, for where this is wanting,
he gives many up to inevitable finning. And upon the other
hand, where God is eyed in all the tract of a man's life, ius
crofs will produce the right effect. But, alas ! the contrary
is Seen in many, it hath chafed many away from Qod, and the
reafon is, becaufe they obferve always the affliction, and con
siders not the caufe thereof.
The fecond doctrine, that we would obferve is this,
Doct. 2. That a quarrelling temper, becaufe of bis delaying,
•will foon make apoftacy.
Thjs is clear, from Heb. x. 38. Now the juft fhall live by
faith, but if any man draw back my foul fhall have no pleafure
in him. He tells who is the man that Shall make defection,
the man that draweth back : Ye know that drawing back is
the fruit of quarrelling. O I remember this, therefore, if ye
be of this temper, that ye will not ftand to your profeffion ;
ye will foon fall into temptations, if ye be of a proud tem
per, and a ^quarrelling temper, becaufe of the delaying of the;
delivery. Therefore let me lay home this doctrine by way of ufe, to
thefe that have denied their allegiance to Chrift, in joir.ir.g
with his enemies, by cefs, and locality, and fines paying ; and
in being infnared by compearing before enemies courts ; let
me exhort you by this to try your temper and frame ; for ye
will find it to be a quarrelling temper, and that your hearts
have not been right with God, otherwife ye had been more
fubmiffive, waiting and depending upon him ; for why was
it that ye fell into fuch courfes ? ye will all fay, That ye few
not the fin of it i But if ye will fuffer me, I will tell you ihe
truth, it is, ye know not what it was to depend on God by
faith : The life of faith hath not been Studied by you, and
will ye confider, that by thefe ways, that ye have taken, ye
wreathe the yoke more upon your necks, to be keeped under
the yoke; remember then, if ye will quit thefe iniquitous
courfes, and turn unto him with unfeigned purpofes and re-
folutions, to bide by hfm, he hath promifed that he will have
compaflion upon fuch, as are ignorant and out of the way.
The third doctrine that we would obferve is this,
Doct. 3. The juft fhall live by his faith.
And from it obferve, that when the Lord delays his ap
pearing for his people, that as he finds out much hypocrify
in many, yet he leaves a remnant that fhall live by faith.
When there is a defolation fpoken of by the prophet Ifaiah,
it is faid, Ifa. vi. 13. " But yet in it Shall be a tenth, and it
" Shall return, and fliall be eaten as a teil-tree, and as an
" oak whofe fubltance is in them, when they caft.their leaves :
" So that the holy feed Shall be the fubltance thereof." A
tenth part Shall be left, that all the judgments and Strokes
T t Shall

330 SERMON XXVII,
fliall not bring to drofs. There is fome that he preferves to
bet-be feed or fubftance, that Shall have the fap of the truth
of the gofpel in their hearts, as thVoak hath the fap m its
root. But before I apply this, I wouldlay down anotherdoc-
trine. The fourth doctrine then is this.
Doct. 4. That none can apply this to themfelves, but thefe
that have faith in Chrift.
Paul knew this well enough, when he tells the Ephefians,
that it was by grace they were faved, through faith, Ephef;
Si 8. And Shews the Romans, that by the deeds of the law, no
fefi) could be juftified, Rom. iii. 20. And fo there muft be an
union with Chrift by faith, ere ye win to improve either mer
cy or judgment for your advantage ; for, it is even with the
Christian, as it is with the men upon the earth, in their con
tracts of marriage, that there is none that hath a right to
what the other poffeffeth, till once the marriage be confummate.
Then let me lay this home upon yo.u ; Since it is fo, that fome
fliall be found to have grace, and that thefe have this fap in
them, and fo they are accounted righteous in the fight of
God: Then let me invite you to come and Hake Chrift : O
come and ye Shall be welcome to him ! would ye have a plea
fant life, and a defirable life ? O then, come to Chrift ! Let
this offer be embraced, by thefe that. are upfitten profeffors ;
and let not this call be delayed or flighted, that Chrift is in
viting backfliders to return to him, ye that the Lord hath dif
eovered your drOfs, in the fight of the world. O come to
him and feek love, and feek fincerity of heart from him !
But. there be many that may object, and have this excufe,
and fay, Chrift is a matchlefs Perfon for beauty and excellen
cy ; and with all he is^matchlefs holy ; and I am but a poor
worm, and cannot come to him. It is juft like a prince woo
ing a poor woman clothed in rags*, and when She gets the
news, She cannot embrace them nor come to him,- fhe. is ft)
' unlike him : But when once the marriage day is over, and
he hath given her his jewels, She then refemblts him. O then !
will ye come to Chrift and let not this be your excufe, but
come, he. will make 110 obstacles of his mercy ; therefore,
come over all your jealoufies ; for he is willing to clothe you
with change of raiment, and to take away your filthy rags :
Therefore let me leave this with you, with this charge, re
member that Chrifl is offered to you to-day, therefore, if ye
refufe him-, look how ye will anfwer him at the great day. .
And now I will tell you what a life it is that the juft five
by faith, in a day of trial. ¦>
TLcy live by grace, and hereby are they accounted righte
ous ;. likewife.they live in Chrift, and under his Shadow, and
there is no condemnation to them wh'uh are in Chrifl Jefus, Rom.
viii. 1.

Upon Habakkuk ii. 3, 4.,, 33l
viii. i. Therefore come to Chrift, and ye fhall live a life
without fear of Condemnation.
2. They live this life by faith, whereby they draw quick-
ning grace from Chrift. O ! fey ye, we muft declare that
we are not a people fit for him : But will ye come, and draw
quickning grace from hini, and this Shall fit you for him,
and fball help you to improve mercies, and to improve judg
ments. ,
3. They Shall live an eftablifhed life ; .no trial can drive.
them off their ground : " My Sheep hear my voice, and I
" know them, and they follow me, and I give untothem eter-
" nal life, and they fhall never periSh, neither Shall any pluck
" them out of my hand," John x. 27, 28. They fliall live
that noble life of liability- in Chrift, and ihall be borne thro'
all trials.
4. They live a myfterious life that live by faith ; What a
life is that fay ye .' It is a life beyond both fenfe and reafon ;
they judge not by probabilities : But although both fenfe and
reafon Should fay againft it, yet they look to the promife :
Senfe Says, The vifion will, not fpeak : But faith fays, He.
hath faid it, and it fhall be.
5, They live a deiightfome life: Can there be a 'more de-
lightfome life, than faith hath to enjoy, and fee aad feal the
truth of the promifes made unto them. 1
6. They live a peaceable life in the midft of all troubles !
" for lie keeps them in perfect peace5 whofe minds are Stayed
" on him,'-' Ifaiah xxvi. 3. And when " a thoufand fall at
" their fide, and ten thoufand at their right hand, it Shall not*
"come near untothem," Pfalm xci. 7. So they have a life
of peace, and a life of fafety in the midft of trouble. Are ye'
not longing to know,, -what a life this is that the juft Shall live ?
To have peace and fafety in the midft of trouble, though the
world Should turn up-Side down? O then ! will ye come to.
Chrift, and ye Shall find this life ? Ail the delays that he
feems to make, Shall not mar this life to you.
7, They live a fearlefs life : " They need not be afraid
*' f faith he) for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that
*• flyeth by day ; nor' for the peftilence that walketh in dark-
" nefs ; nor for the destruction that waftetb at noon-day,"
•Pfalm xci. 5, 6. So that neither night-fears, nor day-fears
will trouble them. " I will not fear (fays David J though
-**' riiountains be carried into the midft of the fea," Pfal. xlvi. 2.
Oye that are of a fearful fpirit, tli^t the troubles of this world
¦put iri confufion, ye know not what this life- is, that the juft
live by in a time of trouble.
8. They live a fatisfied life ; and none can live that life but
they : Let men fuppofe of all created delights, unto themfelves,
yet they will find but poor fatisfaction in them. He was a
T.tj wife

332 SERMON XXVIL
wife man, ye know, that baving ftudied them much, put this
commentary on them, That all was but vanity : But the juft
have all fatisfadtion ; for all delight is in him: So "by their
feeding on him by faith, they cannot but have a fatisfied life
then. 9. They have a flourishing life, and a growing life, and
that is a Sweet life : For, they get meat out of the eater, and
Jweetnefs- out df the ftrong. They are like the bee that fucks
honey out of the bittereft of herbs ; fo the juft that live this
life of faith, have the troubles and croffes, (that is poifon to
others) their natural and neceffary food, that they are Strength-
fled by.
Now, all thefe ways the juft live by faith. Are ye not
falling in love with this life, ye that formerly have been ftran
gers to it ? O come ! be intreated this day to embrace Chrift,
arid ye Shall live the life of faith all thefe ways.1 Come make
up your .union with Chrift, and ye Shall live by faith all thefe
ways. And laft of all,
10. To conclude, To make it a happy life, they live a life
in glory. It is true, now it cannot be faid, They' lite by faith
there : But none Shall live that life of glory, but" they that
live by faith here, it is only they that Shall enjoy Chrift, the
eternal wonder of all the glorified in heaven, with whom the
Father's delight is, and will be for ever ; they fhall live with
him, and be adorned with his robes of glory, which they fball
receive from hini, and crowns upon their beads.
O ! this life would make you all miSken yourfelves. Then
O ! will ye come and take him, and fuch Shall your life be,
your life fhall be a king's life. The fun in the noon-day is
not fo glorious, as ye Shall be made to Shine in the kingdom
of your Father. What is it that makes it to be fo glorious
there, but becaufe Chrift is the light of that higher houfe ?
Ths enjoyment of the Father and the bieffed Spirit is there,
and therefore I leave it on you this day, as ye defire that life,
fee that yc put not this offer away: Otherwife, if ye reject
him, your lives Shall be with reprobates and damned fpi-
rits, through all the ages of eternity. I fliall fay no more.
Amen.

PREFACE

C 333 rl

PREFACE.

WHAT! have ye been preparing your hearts to come
here this day, to meet with the Lord in his ordinances ?
I will tell you of fome pieces of preparation, and if ye have
not been feeking thefe, ye are not rightly prepared to come
here this day :
i. Ye Should have been fearching out, and mourning over
your fecret and perfonal fins, faults and failings. O ! have
ye been at that exercife ? There are many, who defire more
to mourn over the land's public fins, than over their own
private and heart fins ; and it is obferved, that they defire ay
to do it in public.
2. Ye Should have been mourning over the public fins o£
the land : O ! ye fliould have been mourning and lamenting
over the land's fins, and over all the wrongs done to the
Lord, by his wicked and avowed" enemies ; and ye fhould
have been mourning for the wrongs done to him by ministers
and profeffors,
3 . Ye Should have come here clothed with the garments of
fincerity and finglenefs of heart, aiming at nothing, and feek
ing nothing but the glory of God, and the enjoyment of him
felf. Many are come hire this day out of felf-ends, fome out
of curiofity, fome to fife and be Seen, others to get a name,
and fome to get a fmell ot Chrift's garments : But, O ! if ye
would come rightly, ye muft be Sincere.
4. Ye Should have come here this day, having your fouls
emptied of all things, that may hinder his coming to you :
The wifdom of God fays, That it is the hungry foul that he
fills, but he fends the full empty away : Thefe who come to a
well with a full pitcher, cannot get it filled there. O then i
if we would expect his prefence, we muft be emptied of all
things in ourfelves.
5. Ye fhould have been rightly counting the coft, what
coming to this meeting may coft you ; to fee if ye be willing
to be killed or taken, ere ye go off the place : We may lay
our account for this ; but I. fay not this to fear you, but on
ly to make you count the coft rightly in time.

LEG-

C 334 T"
L EC T U R E VII.
Zephaniah hi. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
14, Sing, 0 daughter of Zim, fbout, 0 Ifrael, be glad and re
joice with all the heart, 0 daughter of jerufalem.
j 5. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath caft out
thine, enemy : The King of Ifrael, even the Lordt is in the
midft of thee : Thou fhalt not fee evil -any more.
16 Injhat day it fball be faid to Jerufalem, Fear thou not ; and
to Zion, Let not thine hands be flack.
1-7. The Lord thy God irtthe midft of thee is mighty 1 he will five,
he will rejoice over thee with joy : He will reft in his love, he
will joy over thee with finging.
18. 1 will gather them that are forrowfulflor the folemn affembly,'
¦who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden;
19. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee .- and I
will fave her that halteth; and gather her that was driven
out, and I will get them praife and fame in every land, where
they have -been put to fbame.
ao. At that time will bhr.mgyou again, even in the time that I
gathei^you : For 1 will make you a name and a praife among
all people of the earth, when I turn, fg/feky our captivity before'
your eyes, faith the Lord. -

THESE who have leaft ground of joy, have often moft
of it. The church here is bid Sing ; yea, Shout and re--
joice ; and that upon three accounts,
j. Becaufe the Lord would take away her fpiritual judg
ments and plagues, and grant her a fpiritual deliverance, and
would pardon her Sin ; and promifes, ver. 13. That the rem
nant of Ifrael fball not do iniquity. That is a promife of falva
tion. O what ground of rejoicing is this ! And, O if the Lord
would give his people, in this land, fuch a delivery, as will
take away their fpiritual plagues ; as hardnefs of heart,- dead-
neS's and unconcernednefs I They might then fing, rejoice,
and Shout for joy. Let us not defire a temporal delivery
without this.
2. The fecond ground of joy, is, his calling out of enemie?,
anJ removing them; and this is ground of rejoicing to his
people,indeed -. And hath not his people in this land ground
of joy and rejoicing upon this account, that the Lord hath
rfKioveJ that great enemy, Charles Stewart, off the throne, who

l "rmnrE vm

33S

who was ftanding in the way of the land's mercies : And the
removal of the land's judgments I
3. Becaufe the King of Ifrael, the Lord of hofts, is in the '
midft of them. O great ground of joy indeed I His prefence
makes any lot defirable : It will make his people, even when
imprifoned and tortured, to cry out, Ok is good to be here 1
It will make them, when fuffering andbaniShed, yea, when
upon a fcaffold, looking death in the face, cry out, O it is
good to be here !
Now, who are thefe, who are bid thus to fing and rejoice?
I anfwer, None but his people, who have an intereft in him,
Ifrael and Jerufalem; the people who are in covenant wlta
himfelf: Therefore if we would fing< and Shout for joy with
his people, we muft once have an intereft in himfelf- And
alfo, it is thefe who are 'Sorrowful for the folemn affeinbryV
verfe 18. Thefe who are rightly concerned with the Lord's
-fallen-doWn, and trampled-upon work and ordinances.
Again, The Lord's people are exhorted, not to fear, nei
ther to be flack-handed, that is,. They are not to fear man ;
but to be diligent in duty ; for thefe two are joined together.
But Zion, the Lord's people, may object and fay, How can I
fing and rejoice ? What can I do, but fear, and be flack-
handed, when my fins are fo great and many? But to anfwer
this, The Lord hath faid in verfe 17. That he will reft in his
love ; that is, he will reft in the Son of his love, Chrift Je
fus. And will be well pleafed with his people for his Son's
fake, Ezek. xxxvi. 22. Tims faith the Lord God, I do not this for
your fakes, 0 houfe of Ifrael, but for mine holy name's fake ;
And will blot cut all their fins in his blood that cleanfeth
from all fin, 1 John i. 7. Or, it may mean this, Where he
once fets his love, he will reft there ; for he doth not change.
Again they might object, What can I do but fear, and be
flack-handed, feeing we are broken in pieces, and fcattered
like the dry bones, about the grave's devouring mouth? But
in anfwer to this, he hath promifed to gather them that are
forrowful for the Solemn affembly: How far Soever years
fcattered, yet he will, gather you again.
"They might yet object ahd fey, Our enemies are many and
great,- and ftill increafing. But in anfwer to this, He pro
mifes to undo all that afflict them : And therefore, though
enemies in this land be many, though papift?, prelates, and
malignants, be againft his people, yet they may fing and re
joice, and neither fear nor be flack-handed, for he will un
do all that afflict them.
They might yet object arid fay, We are a poor and defpifed,
people, a poor reproached handful. Sb to anfwer this, he
h.uii promifed to rejoice over them with joy, to rejoice over
them with Singing, and to get them praife and fame in every iaiv'.

336" SERMON XXVIII.
land, Ver. 17, 19, 20. And however defpicable, defpifed, and
reproached his people and fuffering remnant in this land be
at this time, yet, when he comes back to Scotland, he fhall
nlake them to be honoured and praifed of every one.
But they might ftill object, (for unbelief will keep the field
as long as it can) and fay, But how fhall we believe that all
this fhall be performed ? To anfwer this, he concludes all
that is here promifed with, Saith the Lord. He hath faid it,
and promifed it, therefore it fhall come to pafs. Hath the
Lord promifed thee any thing, then believe it : Truft in him.
for he will perform it.

SERMON XXVIII.
Luke xii. 32.
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleafure to give
you the kingdom.
THE words read may be divided into thefe four heads:
I. The people exhorted, the Lord's own difciples, the
little flock.
II. The exhortation itfelf, Fear not.
III. The ground of the exhortation, the Father's promife
to give them a kingdom,
IV. The motive moving him to do fo, his own good plea
fure. Thefe I Shall fpeak to, in the following obfervations.
Obferve, 1. That the followers of Chrift are very few.
They are here called a little fleck : And it is faid, Matth. xx.
16. Many be called, hut few chofen. And vii. 14. Becaufe ftrait
is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it. And,
1. They are few in refpect of the reft of the world, who
are not following Chrift ; although when the general affem
bly of the faints fhall all meet, they will be a glorious com
pany, yet they will be but a fmall company, in comparifon of
theSe who will be on his left hand. Chrift hath but a yery
thin backing this day, and the devil hath a very great back
ing ; many, yea great multitudes, are following and wonder
ing aft«r the be-aft. If the world were divided into thirty-Six parts,

* Upon Luke xii 32. 337 "
parts, the thirty-fixth part would not be found to be Christi
ans ; and again, divide that thirty-fixth part, into four pins,
ye Should not find the fourth part thereof to be Sincere Chrif-
tians, and real fearers of God.
2. They are few and Tittle in the world's eyes, and in the
world's account : The ehurch and people of God have always
been, and now afe, fmall and defpifed in the eyes of the
world; yea Chrift himfelf, in the days of his flefh, was- de
fpifed of men, and was*counted by the Jsws to be little, bafe,
and contemptible ; and^ out of difdain, called the carpenter's
fon, Ifa. liii. 3. Matth. xiii. 55. And this is one of the re
proaches of the fuffering remnant this day, That they are a
poor, infignificant handful, a few and fmall party; hut that
ought to-be no ground of difcouragement, fince Chrift's fol
lowers have ever been defpifed by the world. '
3. They are fmall, and little in their own eyes, and fow in
their own fight, Pfalm xxii. 6. But I am a worm, and no man.
Doth the. world then count you few and defpifed, and think
nothing of you ? Then, O my friends ! be humble and low
in your own eyes, and think little of yourfelves.
Obferve, 2. That the Lord's own people, his little flock,
have no ground or reafon to be afraid of any thing, Fear
not, &c.
I fliall therefore name a few things, which the Lord's peo
ple Should not fear, which yet they often fear. And,
1. They Should not fear man, Luke xii. '4. Be not afraid of
the,m that kill the body, &c. But alas ! there hath been much
of this flavifh fear in Scotland, and it hath caufed many mi
nisters in this day, to quit and forfake the carrying of Chrift's
Standard, and hindered many people from following the Same.
But, O'my friends, fear not man ! Fear not the foldiers and
dragoons, for the fear of them will bring you into a fnare.
2. They Should not fear reproach ; and this is what they are
often afraid of; but, O fear not the reproach of tongues. ¦•*
3. They Should not fear the want of provision for the natu
ral life ; yet this is what they are ready to fear. But, O fear
not this ! for, they that feek the Lord, fball not want any good
thing, Pfalm xxxiv. 10,. Did not the Lord feed his people,
while in the wildernefs, with manna from heaven, and water
out of the flinty rock ? a very ftrange and improbable way
indeed. O therefore, fear not. the want of this.
4. Sometimes the Lord's people fear the want of fpiritual
food for their fouls, the want of gofpel ordinances : But they
ought not to fear the want of this ; for, before they want this,
the Lord will give them it, and provide it for them in an ex
traordinary way and manner, Ifaiah xii. 17, 18. When the poor
and needy feek water, and there is' none,  1 will open rivers
in high places, and fountains in the midft of the vallies, &c. Al-
U u though

33« S E R M ON XXVIII.
though the Lord Should fee fit to remove from you the prea*
ched gofpel, yea, and to fuffer your enemies to take your bi
bles from you, yet be not difcoufaged; for be can make a
portion of Scripture, by bripging'it to your mind, or a note
of a fermon which ye have heard, more fweet and refreshing
to your fouls, than now'they are.
5. Another thing which the Lord's people ought not to
fear, which yet they fear, is changes and revolutions, which
fall out in the world, and in the place where they are : But
they ought not to fear this, Pfal. xlvi. 2. Therefore will not we
fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be
carried into the midft of the fea. In Hag. ii. 7. there is a pro
phecy of Chrift, the defire of all nations, his coming in the
fiefh ; and it is faid, That before he come, he will Shake, all
nations, that is, there would be great changes and revolutions.
So when Chrift comes back again to Scotland, there will be
great changes and revolutions; at his-coming he will over
turn many, yea, fo to fpeak, the very foundation of the land
will be Shaken : And we Should be fo far from being afraid at
this, (becaufe it will be before he come back to the land) that
Ve Should pray and long for it.
Another thing that they Should not be afraid of, which yet
they are, and that is death. O ye that are his little flock !
fear not death ; for, to the believing foul that is interefted in
Chrift, death is unftuhg. O be not afraid of death I for it
will put an end to all our toilings and wanderings, and to all
our miferies and fightings. As one not unfitly fays, " Life
" is, away to death, and death is away to life. O therefore,
fear it not.
7. Another thing which they are ready to fear, but which
they ought not to fear, is hell. O ye that are his little flock,
fear not this ; for Chrift died for you, to fiee you from the
wrath to come ; therefore ye Should not fear any evil thing,
feeing neither death nor life,  nor things prefent, nor things
to come, can feparate you from the love of God, which is in Cbrift
Jefus our Lord, Rom.viii. 38, 39
Obferve, 3. That the reafon, why the little flock of Chrift
ought not to fear, is, becaufe he hath promifed to them a
kingdom: For, it is your Father's good pleafure to give you the
kingdom. Rev. i. 6. And hath made, us kings arid priefts unt*
Gmt and his Father.
And, O ! who can defcribe or fpeak of this kingdom a-
right ? For, as the apoftle faith, r-Cor. ii 9. Eye hath not
feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man,
to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him. Summon all the fpirits of juft men made perfect,
they cannot tell you what it is : Summon all the angels, thefe
' glori-

¦"•? Upojs Luke xii. 32. 339
glorious and glorified fpirits, they cannot defcribe it to you :
However I fhall give,
I. Some negative properties of this kingdom.
II. Some pofitive properties of it.
And, 1. 1 Shall give you fome negative properties of this
kingdom. 4
1, This kingdom is free of fin : O there is no fin there, !
2. Therets no care or anxiety there; no vexation for any
thing there ; no wicked men to perfecute, nor no devil to
tempt there.
3. There is no forrow there becaufe of fin, no forrow be
caufe of trouble from the world, no forrow there becaufe of
temptations from an ill heart and inward cpiTuptibns : For
there is no fin, nor temptations to fin there.
4. There Shall be nothing there, which may in the leaft ar
gue imperfection.
II. 1 fhall give yom fome pofitive properties of this king
dom. And,
1. His people, the inhabitants of that kingdom, do enjoy
the immediate prefence of God. O ! doth not that make it
a glorious kingdom indeed, when they fliall enjoy the pre
fence of God immediately, without any cloud of defertion !
0 wonderful kingdom indeed.
2- It, copfifts in the beatific vifion of God. They fliall not
only get his prefence, but fliall fee him as he is; they fliall
fee him face to face. Ol doth not this make it a glorious
and wonderful kingdom. While his people are here, the beft
of them fee him but darkly through the gla's of ordinances,
and that but at fome times ; but, O then ! in that kingdom
they fliall fee him face to face as he is.
3. It confifts in a fulUperfuafion oY Chrift's love to his peo
ple, and the fulnefs of their love to him again. ¦ Many timfes,
while they are here, they are jealous of his love to them, and
of their love to him as imperfect ; but there they fliall get the
full fenfe and perfuafion of his love to them, without any
doubting, and their love to him fliall be complete.
4. It is a kingdom full of glory. . .
5. It is a kingdom of righteoufnefs ; it is all righteoufnefs :
There the faints Shall be clothed with the Sine white lirmen,
which is the righteoufnefs of Chrift.
6. It is a kingdom of holinefs ; no unclean thing can enter
within the gates of the new Jerufalem. Rev. xxi. 27. O !
therefore, let us ftudy holinefs, and defire it more than hap
pinefs. ,
"j. This, kingdom is a triumphant kingdom 1 becaufe the
feints, who are the inhabitants thereof, are overcomers, and
they have palms in their hands, in token of their viftory, of
flieir full and complete victory over all their enemies, inward
U u 2 ' and

340 SERMON XXVIII.
and outward, the devil, the world, and the flefli. O they
there Sing a fweet fong of triumph over all their enemies !
8. It is an eternal kingdom. O ! this makes it glorious and
•wonderful ; for there his people fliall enjoy his prefence im
mediately to all eternity : They Shall fee him face to face thro'
all, eternity ! They Shall have thefull perfuafion of his love
to them, and their perfect love to him to all eternity ! They
fliall be righteous and holy as he is holy to all eternity ! They
fball fing their fong of triumph, and hold their palm, in their
band, in token of triumph to all eternity. O then, doth not
this make it a wonderful and glorious kingdom !
-q. There is every thing in that kingdom that argues perfec
tion : O ! this makes it a glorious kingdom
For Ufe then Seeing it is lb, that this kingdom is fo glo
rious a kingdom, O then> my friends, labour to be inhabi
tants there ; and if ye would be inhabitants there, lay hold
upon Chrift by faith, clofe with him, for he is the way to
glory : For, without coming to him, there is no winning to
glory.* Obferve 4. That the motive moving Gdd to give his people,
the little flock, this glorious kingdom, is only his own good
pleafure: It is your Father's good pleafure to give you the
kingdom. It is nothing in them tbat moves him to do it;
nothing but his own good pleafure, Eph. i. 5, 6." Having pre-
defiinatcd us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Chrift to him
felf, according fa the gpod pleafure of his will, to the praife of
the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved. «
And this doctrine, that the falvation of the elect, is only
out of free grace, ferves to reprove threejbrts of folk .
1. It reproves papifts, who hold,,*" That good works me-
" rit falvation at God's hand, and make the doers of them
"acceptable in his fight, as if it could move him to fave
" them.'' And if this be true, O what need was there for
Chrift's dying ! yea, if it were true, he died in vain : But in
opposition to this falfe doctrine of theirs,, let us remember,
that we are accepted in the beloved, and for nothing in our
felves. %¦ It reproves thefe who fay, " That it was the forefight of
" faith in his people, which moved God to give them the
" kingdom." Whereas, it was only the mere good pleafure
of his will.
3, It reproves thefe who go about any ways to eftablifh
their own righteoufnefs, thinking thereby to merit fomething
from God. O 'ct ns believe this, that it is his own good plea
fure, and nothing in us, which moves him to give us the
kingdom : and that we are only accepted in the beloved. Being

Upon Luke xii. 32. 341
'Being ftraitned for want of time, I can get no- more prea
ched ; and being now to leave you, and not knowing but ma
ny of you may never have the. opportunity to hear another
fermon, nor I opportunity to preach to you j therefore I
would warn you of fome things. As,
1. God is coming to Scotland with great judgments, great
defolations and ftrokes ; his people have been this long time
in the wildernefs, and now they are coming to Jordan, and
it will be very deep ; yea, there will be many wiles in it. But,
O pray, that it may not be broad ; for, if it be as broad, as
it will be deep, few, yea, very few, will win through to the
other fide.
2. The afpect and fight of the defolation that is coming on
this land will be more terrible than the thing itfelf: The Swel
lings of Jordan will be more terrible afar off, than near hand :
Therefore fear not, nor faint.
3. His coming to Scotland will be fuddenly, when-left look
ed for and expected ; he will come fuddenly, and make a
fpeedy riddance of all his enemies : He will foon make quit
of them- - He will overturn many noblemen, many gentle
men, and many commons out of their habitations ; and ma
ny fair houfes Shall be wafte. The morning of that day,' when
he comes, will be more terrible, dark and gloomy, than the
afternoon. 2dly, I would exhort you to fome few things; in order to
prepare you for the Lord's coming, to meet with him in the
way of his righteous judgments. And,
1. Labour for an' intereft(in Chrift : Flee in to the city of
refuge, where only Shelter and fafety is. O happy foul, that
fhall be found there when he comes! for there is more re
quired, in order to a right preparation for his coming than
ftralghtnefs of judgment, though that be required alfo ; there
fore make an intereft in him lure.
' 2. Shake off feeurity, wherewith this generation is plagued.
If I fpeak to you of wrath and approaching judgments, ye
will confefs and affent to the feme. But, O ! who anions
you is Stirring up yourfelves, and Shaking off feeurity ; and
preparing to meet with him. O there is Something coming,
that will awaken you more than any thing ye have met witfi
thefe twenty years !
3. Shake yourfelves free of hypocrify, and labour for fin
cerity •and finglenefs of heart, aiming at nothing but the glo
ry of God. O felf-feeking hath marred, and doth mar all
the work ! Therefore be fincere. " •
4. Labour for humility : Humble yourfelves under the migh
ty hand of God, that fo, in due time, he may raife and lift you
up. O! this is much wanting among his people this day,
notwithftanding of all that he hath been inculcating to them, to

242 PREFACE to LECTURE VIII.
to be hnmble, both by his word and rod. O therefore be
bumble !
5,. Upon every new declaration of the Lord's anger againft
you and the land, fearch out and try what are the caufes
thereof, and mourn for the fame. O fearch out, what hath
been the caufes of the Lord's anger againft us this lorig time !
and what is the caufe of this, his prefent contending; and
mourn and be humbled for the fame.

PREFACE.

SEVER AL times I have been telling you (at leaft fome
of you) of this, and now I am forced to tell you again,
That the Sharpeft and greateft trial that ever a generation met
with, we may refolve to meet with. There is,a word fpoken
by the Lord, in Zeph. i. 12.- 1 will fearch Jerufalem with can
dles. O remember this word and tremble: For, affuredly
God will fearch Scotland thoroughly ; he will go through
the breadth and length of Scotland, with a narrower fearch
and fieve, than ever a land or church met with. We think
there are many who think to pafs this fearch, whom he will
take and find out : Arid I am certain that fomething of this
may be feen already ; for this fieve that God bath already
brought through hath come to the door of many that did not
expect it. But, O friends, I muft tell you this, That we are
a generation "that are moft unready for the things that are
coming : God hath manifefted his kindnefs largely to us, in
that 'he hath tryfted us with fuch moderate afflictions for
merly, for the training of us up fpr what we have to meet
with : But, alas ! we are as unready this day as we were at
the beginning; and they are blind who fee not this day faft
coming : And we are; very unfit for it ; and there are many
evidences of this. As, .
1. Thp great carnality that cleaves to us ftill, for all the
pains that God hath taken on us,, to have the gold and the
drofs feparated : For, will the goldfmith caft the gold into
the furnace, and melt it; and will he bring it out till the
gold and the drofs be parted ? So then, what can we look
for, Since all that we have met with, hath1 not done our turn ?
Jfor, 1 am fure there is as much carnality and droS's, to be
feen

PREFACE to LECTURE VIIL 343
feen among us, as was when he firft caft us into the furnace :
And it is always a fpiritual people or perfon that is fit for the
delivery, and for the day that is faft coming : I fey, tlv:v
are fitteft both to receive mercies, and 10 meet with judg
ments. 2. Notwithftanding of all that we have met with, we re
main yet an unhumble people 5 fo, as I faid in the former,
as we are not fit for mercies, neither are we fit to meet with
judgments: But the man and the woman that is fitteft, and
fhall meet with mercy, when the Lord pours forth his judg
ments upon the land ; it is they that are found lying in the
dull, mourning both for their own and the land's Sins. And
believe it, our judgments Shall be fuch, that the ftrong. man
fhall not deliver himfelf, by his ftrength ; nor the wife man
by his wifdom ; nor the rich man by his riches, that he oft
trufted to : But fuch as God Shall delight to honour in that
day, Shall be fuch as fliall be duly humbled, that is fitting
on the dunghill in aSbes, mourning for their own and the
land's Sins.
3. An univerfal unwillingnefs, wMch is amongft u?, to
fearch out the evil of our ways : This is an epidemicTiifeafc
amongft us all ; and I will tell you, We will never be a thriv
ing people, till both minifters and people be content to Search
out their 'fin, and to confefs it, and defire to be humbled in
the light of the Lord for the fame. O! if we were once
brought to this, then we might have hope concerning our
cafe ; but, oh ! it is far otherwife with us.
4. The unreadinefs to believe the threatnings of God that
is amongft Us : O ! it is not believed that judgments are com
ing, yea haftning npon this land for fin. Oh ! I may well
tell you of this, but, alas! few, we fear, believe it : And
indeed the judgments look fo terrible-like fometimes, that I
cannot tell if I believs it rightly myfelf as I ought : For a per
fon can never win rightly to believe till he be putting in prac- '
tice, in fome meafure, the things that will carry him through
in a judgment : The want of the practice of thefe things, that
will carry us through in a judgment is a1 great lofs ; yet this is
not believed.
5. That notwithstanding that the Lord hath brought many
of us to be robbed of our external privileges and w,orldly'en-
joyments, yet we are not brought to take Chrift inftead of
all O !' wherefore is it that he hath brought us out of all
thefe things, and robbed us of them, but that we may come
to himfelf? What is the caufe that he hath taken away your
external privileges, and many of your relations, but that he
may endear himfelf to you, and that ye may take him inffoui
of all ? Wherefore is it that he hath brought you to waniW
fo this wildernefs in fori, a defert, and in fuch a manner, with
your

344;, LECTURE VIII.
your lives in your hands, but that his excellency may be the
more feen by you ? But, alas ! Chrift's excellency hath been
but little feen or fought after by many; and this fays, That
there are many jn Scotland, that Shall be found unfit and un
ready when the Lord brings on Scotland's judgments. O that
ye could be prevailed with and Stirred up to the exercife that
is called for this day ! And-that this may be all our out-cries,
None but Chrift, none but Chrift. Now, let us go to him by
prayer, and feek his prefence and blefling to be amongft us
this day.

wm^mmmmmmmmm^mmmmBm

LECTURE VIII.

• Matthew xiv. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
15. And when it was evening his difciples came to him, faying,
This is a defert place, and the time is now paft ; fend the mul
titude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy them-
, felves victuals.
16. But jefus faid unto them, They need not depart, give ye
them to eat.
17. And they fay unto him, We have here but five loaves, and
fwofifhes.
18. He faid, Bring them hither to me.
19. And he commanded the multitude to fit down on the grafs,
and took the five loaves, and the two fifties, and looking up to
heaven, he bieffed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his dif
ciples, and the difciples to the multitude.
20., And they did all eat, and were filled : And they took up of
the fragments that remained, twelve bafkets full.
21- And they that had eaten were about five thoufand men, be-
fiie women and children.

NO W, in fpeaking to thefe words, I will Shew you that
I need not fpeak to any words before, contained in this
chapter for connection ; for thefe hold only by themfelves.
Chrift had been here working a great work, in fatisfying a
great multitude with five loaves and two fifties ; and ye fee
the multitude is numbered to be about five thoufand : A great
miracle indeed ! and it is here recorded to be tile' firft mira cle

Upon Matthew xiv. 15,  21. 34J
cle that Chrift had done in that place. Now, ye fee that
there is no difficulty in the words. There was a great multi
tude that followed Chrift to the wildernefs to hear the gofpel ;
fome followed really, and fome but profeffedly t And at night
Chrift's difciples came to him, and defire him to fend away
the multitude into the towns and villages, to buy meat to them
felves ; for all they had was not Sufficient for them ; and
therefore they dcfired Chrift to difmifs them. But in anfwer
to them, Chrift Shews, that there was no neceffity for him to
fend them away, but bade give them to eat: Certainly this
was a great furprifal to the difciples ; and fo they objected a-
gainft it, and told, All that they had was not fufficient to Set
before them. Now, Chrift reproves not the difciples for this
objection as their fin, but only commands the multitude to
fit down ; and fo he bieffed and brake, and gave it to the
difciples, and they fet it before the multitude, and they did
all eat and were filled ; and. the fragments that were taken
up, exceeded far all that was fet down at the beginning. So
that this is the meaning of the words in Short. And now
there are fome few things that I would obferve.
Obferve 1. In the beginning of the words read, the difci
ples notice the people's cafe, defiring Chrift to fend them
away ; and it may learn us this leffon, " That it is the duty
" of all that hear the gofpel, to be counting with themfelves,
" what coft they may bear, or can endure for the following
*' of the fame." For they that count not what ordinances
may coft them, will never endure long when hardships come ;
and they will be found unready when hardships come, and
unmeet to meet with trouble in the following thereof. But
here in Chrift's anfwer to the difciples, that the people need
ed not go away, he doth not reprove the difciples, for what
they faid as their fin, but only will not yield to their aSking,
to fend the people away.
Obferve, 2. " That when the Lord calls for any thing that
" is Angular of his difciples, or from his people, be will bear
" them up in it •" So it is here, they need not depart, fays
Chrift, for I will provide for them: So obferve, that what
ever the Lord calls for at his people's hands, that is Singular,
he will furnifh them in it, in an extraordinary way and man
ner : We are called to ufe ordinary means, but when ordi
nary means will not do the turn, then they may look for
fomething extraordinary, Ifa. xliii. 19. Behold, I will do a new
thing.; now it fhall fpring forth, fhall ye not k)iow it? I will
even make a way in the wildernefs, and rivers in the defert.
Meaning thereby, that when they were robbed of the gofpel,
and when all things ftruck againft them, that even in that
cafe he would make waters to break forth in the wildernefs,
and ftreams in the defert ; fo doubt not, when he calls for
X x extra-

345 LECTURE VIII.
extraordinaries from his people, but he will furniSh them with
ftrength for the fame. They need not fear, if he but once
promife, although they have but little in hand to do with,
as the difciples had here ; for they could not think on this,
becaufe they law^nothing but what was ordinary, and faw fo
little provision, as they had for fuch a multitude, yet they go
forward. Obferve, 3. " That whatever the Lord calls for at his peo-
" pie's hands, they Should not be difcouraged, becaufe they
*' have but little furniture for the work; for when the 'Lord
" calls for any work, or any piece of duty at your hands, fet
" about it ; and doubt not but he will lay furniture to your
" hands." So,. I would give you this advice, Never com
pare your fufficiency with your. work; ye muft look above
fenfe., and a£t faith on his omnipotent power ; then, O take :
heed to yourfelves, and fliift not duty, becaufe of the fenfe
of your weaknefs ! for if the Lord put you to work, ere ye be
not borne through in it, alt the ftrength that is in heaven
fball be forth-coming to you ; yea, all the ftrength that is in
Chrift Shall be employed for your through-bearing. , And it
is one great reafon, why .the Lord fometimes lets his people
fee fo much of their own weaknefs, that they may be made to
flee in unto him„ and make ,ufe of him for their ftrength :
And he allows his people to tell them of all their weaknefles,
and to have the deep fenfe of it upon their hearts ; and this
both maketh way for his power, and engageth his power to
do for them; And, who would not blefs him for this, that
he takes fuch a way to gct'glory to himfelf? And I am fure
we fliould be content to fee ourfelves nothing, at all in the
world, that-he may be all in all unto us : We Should bt con
tent to be made llepping-ftones, for him to ftep upon, if fo
be, that he get glory thereby. O ! our infufficiency is many
ways to be Seen, as in our not Standing before the enemies.
O \ we may fee much of our weaknefs many Ways : But, alas]
we win not rightly to employ him for Strength. O I we know
not what it is to be near him, otherwife we would find his
power, and Strength to engage for us. But,, alas! our little
looking to him, and looking fo much to the arm of flefh,
bath made us to find fed difcoveries of our own weaknefs.
And remember of it friends, I fear ye find more yet, ere he
come wiih deliverance, becaufe we know fo little how to make
ufe of him for our ftanding. But whatever be our failings,
or Short-comings, -obferve this ; that a very naughty mean
in his hand, is fufficient to work a great work ; for fo we may
fee from this: How weak and mean foever the means be in
his hand, he can work his work with it ; he could foon
make enemies to fall before biro, and make a great victo^ were

Upon Matthew xiv. 15,-?— 2ji 347
were we right \a heart and in ways with hitn. But whatever
we be, till Chrift once-takqus in his own hand, we (lull be
nothing : But, O ! when he takes his fan in his hand, and
comes to purge his floor, he will make the ftouteft to fall and
bow, and be taken by him. Therefore, O firs ! feek this
mainly, that Chrift would take his work and people in his
own hand, and then ye Shall be fit for any work he calls
you to.
" Obferve, 4. That when Chrift made all the people fit down,
be took the loaves, and bieffed, and brake*,1, and 'gave them to
the difciples, and they to the people ; where we may obferve,
" That he cafts a noble pattern to his fervants, to feek their
" food from his own hand, for the feeding of his people."
And now he doth it in a way, that he may Shew himfelf there
in ; and the very order that he takes in doing of it is confpi-
cuous, if ye may obferve the place and the me;»y; then we
may fee what we are made to learn from it, That in your duty
ye labour to get his fulnefs feen, under the fenfe of your own
emptinefs and weaknefs, as here. Surely all the bread and
fifties that the difciples had, would not have come a far length
among this multitude, had not his power been feen in it.
Obferve, 5. "That the more they come to Chrift, to dif-
" tribute what they had, the more it increafed among their
" hands." O therefore, remember this, people that would
increafe and grow, and be ufeful, mult, and ought to lay
out and improve themfelves for the Lord, for Chriit, and for
bis church and people ! for this is the way to make the talent
to increafe. But it is ordinary with many profeffors, efpecially
in this day, to decay; and no wonder, for they do not im
prove themfelves for the Lord ; For he manifefts himfelf fb,
in the diftributing of his graces; this hath been commonly
obferved by many people to hold ; but not always in external
things, becaufe there is no promife for it ; but that is fure,
they Shall have the hundred-fold in this life. O then friends I
if ye would have gifts and qualifications, growing and thriv
ing, then ftudy to improve them all for God, and the good
of his people ; do what ye can to Strengthen the hands cf your
brethren : Such as are defirous to aSk the way to Zion -, ftudy
how ye may be ufeful to help them forward in their journey,
in ftrengthning their hands. God hati bellowed much more
grace arid knowledge upon fome of you than upon. others ;
then, if ye would have the increafe thereof, improve it for
the Lord, and for the good of his church and people.
Now, ye fee from what hath been faid, that people called
to any work, fliould Stand at no difficulty ; for ye fee that
the Lord fopplies all their -wants ; arid when ordinary mei.s
will not do, he will do it by extraordinary means. However,
X x % he

343 S E"'R M O N XXIX.
will bring his people many times to the trial, to exercife their
faith ere he appear, and do for them.
And, laftly, Ye may fee what fragments they took up ;
where we would obferve, " That the more a people or per-
" fons, lay out themfelves for the Lord, they Shall have the
" more in-come." O then be prevailed with, to lay your all
out for him', for it is your duty ; and befides, ye are bound
in covenant to this. 0 then, lay out yourfelves for him, who
will largely recompefafe you .- For he is able to do all things
for his people, who is Lord of heaven and earth. Now to
him be praife.

SERMON XXIX.
Mark xii. 34.
#
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
THERE are two kingdoms in the world ; God hath a
kingdom, and Satan may be faid to have a kingdom in
the world. Although it be true that God hath a kingdom,
even among the reprobates, in which he will be glorified, in
his juftice ; and (it will not be amifs to fay) even in the elect
before their converfion : For Chrift came to the world, to de
ftroy the works of the devil. ,
2. He hath a kingdom, which is his church vifible ; for
his church is his fpecial kingdom ; I mean, the election ac
cording to free grace ; for he hath a kingdom within a king
dom ; an invisible within a vifible kingdom.
But to come to the words. I Shall not trouble you to re
peat any thing in the verfes before; only, in the twentieth
and eighth verfe there was a difcourfe paft betwixt Chrift and
one of the feribes, who anfwered difcreetly, and he aSked at
our Lord, What was the firft' and greateft commandment ? And
when Chrift had told him the fum of all, the feribe anfwered,
To love God with heart, foul, mind, and ftrength, and his neigh
bour as himfelf, was more than all burnt offerings and facrifices.
Then our Lord anfwered him again, and faid, Thou art not
far from the'kingdom of God. So then, the words maybe taken
affirmatively one way, and negatively another : Thus the
Lord

Upon Mark xii. 34. 349
Lord hath a kingdom over all the earth, as Creator of all his
creatures ; but more fpecially, he hath a kingdom in his
church : But in a Singular manner, he hath a kingdom in the
election, over which he rules, reigns, anddwells; by his word
and Spirit. And this we understand to be the kingdom fpo
ken of by Chrift in thefe words ; and fo there is no difficulty
in them. And fo I Shall lay down this doctrine.
Doct. I. That they who embrace Jefus Chrifl, in the free of
fers of the gofpel, which is the great fum of the gofpel, may be
faid, to receive the kingdom of God. For it is called, the gof
pel of the kingdom, Matth. iv. 23. and ix. 35. And it is that
only which enriches fouls, and makes them fit to be members
of this kingdom. O ! it is a foul-fatisfying kingdom, all de
lights are to be had in it.
But to clear the doctrine, I will confirm it by fome marks
and evidences, in Shewing how the gofpel may be called the
kingdom of God. And,
1 . The gofpel may be called the kingdom of God, becaufe
- it points out the way to the kingdom of God, by Shewing the
duties required of all fuch, as mind to be in the kingdom of
God, and the way of performing them by the ftrength that
is in Chrift. The gofpel is like the Slar that guided and led
the three wife men to Chrift.' This gofpel never leaves fuch
as believe it, till it put them in poffeffion of the kingdom.
2. The gofpel may be called the kingdom of God, becaufe
that in this gofpel the way is laid down, and the terms pro-
pofed, not only to the bieffed, but to all Sinners ; fo that, if
ye will embrace the offer, ye need not doubt, but ye Shall be
received into the kingdom, according to the free invitation
given, Ifaiah Iv. 1 . Ho! every one that thirfieth, come ye to the
waters ; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat ; yea,
come buy wine and milk without money, arid without price. Rev.
xxii. 117. And the fpirit and the bride fay, Come: Add let 'him
that heareih fay , Come : And let him that is athirftt come . And
whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely. So that,
where-ever this gofpel is offered, the kingdom of heaven is
offered therein. O firs ! if ye be willing to come to Chrift,
I offer him freely unto you, in this gofpel : Then chufe what
ye will do ; if ye will receive him in this gofpel, ye Shall be
heirs with him of that never-fading and glorious kingdom.
3 The goSjpel may be called the kingdom of God, becaufe
receivers of the gofpel have a right to all that is within the
kingdom ; this is their privilege, they have a right to God,
they have a right to Chrift, and they have a right to glory,
felicity, and endlefs happinefs. Here is the way, if ye would
have a right to this eternal life of happinefs, come and receive
the offers made in the gofpel: and if ye will do it, I fay, this
is all that the juftice of God requires of you, to come andem-

35° SERMON XXIX.
embrace Chrift, and take him upon his own ternjs, and tbsa
all the rich promifes in the bible are yours, yea, ye Shall have
a right to all the great arid precious promifes of the gofpel,
and to this promife 117 particular, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. Afld I will
receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye fball be my
fans and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty.
4, The gofpel may be called the kingdom of God, becaufe
the Lord confers upon tfeem that receive the gofpel this rjch
privilege, that he gives them the earned of the inheritance, as
the apoftle fays, Eph. i. 13, 14- After that ye believed ye were
fealed with that holy fpirit of promife, which is the carneft of our
inheritance. They get this as the fure earneft of the kingdom,
fo that they may be faid to be in heaven, becaufe they have
gos the earneft of heaven. O know ye what this is ? It is far
above what we can, conceive: Yea, fet to all the arithmetici
ans in the world, they would come far Short, in counting the
earneft-penny that they have got, who have got the earneft of.
the inheritance. of the kingdom. And, O what can the full
poffeffion and the enjoyment of Chrift, of heaven, and. of
glory be, when the earneft-penny is fuch! They are fealed
with the holy fpirit of promife : Know ye this any of you ?
Ye that know not what it is; to have the earneft of this in
heritance, ye are Strangers to that inward joy arid peace, that
fome are made to feel.
5. The gofpel may be called the kingdom pf God, becaufe
the receivers of the kingdom are' Chrift's, and he hath them
to lead through the wildernefs Men and women, know ye
what it is to come through the wildernefs, leaning on your
beloved ? Think on this ; for although it be a free gofpel,
yet it binds the receivers thereof, to walk in the way of com
manded duties, as the king's high-way that leads to the king
dom. And there is a twofold ufe that I would make of this,
Ufe k, Would ye be guided through the wildernefs, then
will ye come and receive the gofpel ; come and embrace Jefus
Chriit : Remember, firs, I offer him freely unto you this day;
I offer him to .you, that is the darling of heaven, the eternal
delight of ihe Father, that is given to be a leader and com
mander to the people. Now, would ye be led on in his way?
Then will ye come to Chrift. Q ! if ye really knew the ne
ceffity that ye have of a guide, for without this guide there is
no wi tin ing to the fafe harbour. Q ! if this were believed,
verily .Chriit would be more fought after, for guiding and
leading. Ufe 2. Seeing it is fo, that they that receive the gofpelre-
ceive the kingdom of God, O then ! will ye efteem mucllj'bf
die gofpel; for it is that which leads. to the kingdom. Sure
then it is an ineftimable benefit. Oh! if this gofpel had been
.{received by you, Chrift fliould have been more feen in his ex-.
cellency

Upon Mark xii. 34. 351
cellency and worth, than now many fee hirri to be. But,
however, to fuch as receive the gofpel it gives a right to the
poffeffion of the kingdom", arid puts them in full poffeffion
thereof: Therefore, as ye would not reject the kingdom of
heaven, reject not the gofpel.
Doct. II. That a man' may go near the kingdom of Godt ami
ndt be in it.
;Now, the text confirms this doctrine, as alfo the parable of
the foolifh virgins, Matth. xxv. I,  14. for they were as
diligent in trimming their lamps, as the wife virgins were,- and
they Went out, that is, they went out from the wicked of the
world they lived among, and joined themfelves with God's
people, and had a well-trimmed profeffion, as is clear from
the place ; and they had a fort of ferioufnefs after grace, for
they fought grace, verfe 8. Give us of your oil. Whence it is
clear, that they went far, and left the way and guife of the
world ; and yet for all this, they were but near the kingdom
of God : So a man may go a great length in the way to hea
ven, and yet never enter therein. And it is ftrange how new
a child of God may go to the pit of hell, arid yet efcape, and
bow others may go a great length, in the way to heaven, and
yet never enter therein. Therefore I Shall,
I. Give a glance how near a man may come to the kingdoia
of heaven, and yet not win in there.
II. I Shall Shew you what he wants, that the man that en
ters fois kingdom bath.
III. GiVe fome marks whereby a man may know whether
he be in this kingdom or not.
I. As to the firft, what length a man or woman may come
in the way to heaven, and yet be but near the kingdom. This
is a hard tafk indeed, therefore I dare not take in hand tt»
fpeak of it to purpofe ;.but yet there are fome marks that I
Shall name, of thefe that go a great length, arid yet are but
near the kingdom of heaven. And,
1. They may have an eminent profeffion, and fome meafure
of knowledge, and yew be but near the kingdom ; as the a-
poftle fuppofeth, that one may understand aHmyfteries and
all knowledge, afid yet be nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. So it is
clear, that perfons may have a great meafure of understanding
and knowledge, and yet be but very hypocrites, without the
fubftance of holinefs in their hearts : For a man may have the
understanding enlightned, as to the knowledge' of the lettcr
of feripture, and outy-fide of religion ; yea, he may have a
curious knowledge or defire to know with curiofity, which
defire flows from the brain O'.'y, that thereby they may de
bate for truth, and keep up among the Lord's people: And
fome glory in their knowledge, which glorying is not good:
' But this only is a right defire after knowledge, "when it is de-
iii'eJ,

352 SERMON XXIX.
fired, that thereby they may win to ftudy obedience to the
truth, and when they endeavour to believe and obey what
they know ; for otherwife it is not good, for the devil knows
more of the truths of the feripture, and of the truths of God,
than all the world befide him, for although he loft his holi
nefs when he fell, yet he loft not his knowledge : But what
is all fuch knowledge, but like a light candle to let him fee
to go down to the pit ?
2. They may excel in the outward form of religion, and
yet be far from the kingdom of heaven. Ye know what the
Pharifee could fay of this for himfelf, That he was beyond
many ; and yet we fee what our bieffed Lord fays, That the
poor publican went down from the temple rather juftified
than he, Luke xviii. 14. So they may go on in the perfor
mance of duties, and not be in reality and fincerity, perform
ing and doing thefe duties from a right principle, and for a
right end. This only lieth in the heart, and that they never
win to. Folk may be much in duties, and may out-ftrip ma
ny that are really godly, and be near the kingdom of heaven :
And this both profeffors and minifters may have, and yet
want this fincerity of heart, which the Lord approves of.
Many may be much in duties, that have but little or no grace.
I could name fome this day, by name and fimame, that would
have prayed four hours together, and yet they are this day
difeovered to be but incarnate devils.
3. They may have purpofes and refolutions, and yet never
bring thefe to practice, and fo be but near the kingdom of
heaven. This Pharaoh had many times, and yet when he was
out of his extremity he turned back again -, fo they may come
far ben in their purpofes, and yet never get purpofes and
practices compared and fquared together ; and whatever they
know, and whatever their purpofes be, they know not what
it is to be a new creature : And though, when in extremity,
they may promife fair, yet when they are delivered from that,
they may he as bent in finning as before, as Pharoah was.
Many there are Who think, if God was come with deliverance,
they would be other folk, and ftudy more holinefs and ten
dernefs ; but feeing the rod continues and lies on their back,
they break off their purpofes, and return with the dog to the
vomit again : Many there be, that put God by with a good-
day, and put off to fuch and fuch a time, and then fay they,
we will fall to and pray, and repent, and feek God ; but their
purpofes fail them, and Satan fortifies himfelf Stronger in
their heart than before, and fo they are kept captives by Sa
tan ftill.
4, They may come that lerigth to confefs fin with fome fe
rioufnefs, and yet be but near the kingdom of heaven ; look
to Judas, who faid, I have finned, in that! have betrayed in
nocent

Upon Mark xii. 34. 353
cent blood, Matth. xxvii. 4. Now, the feripture holdeth out,
that at what time foever a Sinner Sincerely confeffeth and for-
faketh his fin, he Shall find mercy, Prov. xxviii. 13. But this
confeffion of theirs is either from a confcience awakened with
wrath, as Judas'* was or elfe it was for the fliame of fin ; fo
that there is no real grief of heart for fin, as it is dishonour
ing to God r And it is but for fuch fins as are public to the
fight of the world ; but to have true brokennefs of heart for
all fins, this they cannot win at, and though they confefs fin,
yet they ftill retain and love it.
5- They may win, not only to mourn for fin, but alfo to
have a defire after repentance; as it was with Efau, who
found no place of repentance, though he fought it carefully with
tears, Heb. xii. 17. So let men and women be, never fo feri-
ous-like in mourning for fin, if it only flow from the'evilthat
comes by fin, and not from the evil of fin itfelf, they know-
not what the right heart-conviction for fin is, although they
win to a great meafure of forrow, as is clear from feripture,
yet they are far from real repentance.
6. They may hate Sin in fome refpect, and yet be but near
the kingdom of heaven ; as Abfalom, ye know, hated his
brother Amnon for his fin in defiling his fifter Tamar. But
what was it that moved him to this, but becaufe of the Shame
of fin in the eyes of the world? So their hatred againft fin
would not fo much appear, were it not Shameful in the eyes
of the world. Abfalom hated Uncleannefs in Amnon, but
he did not hate it in himfelt. I think .every one hath fome
fin, that is like Saul, higher from the Shoulders and upward,
above all the reft of their fins, that they cannot win eafily o-
ver : They may wjn to hate fome fins in particular, but they
cannot win to hate all Sin, and though they may leave off ma
ny Sins, that formerly they practifed, yet. they ftill keep a love
to their beloved Saul-like Sins. n
7. They may forfake their former courfe that they lived in,
and may affent to the truth of the gofpel ; they may leave off
their drunkennefs and uncleannefs, and forfake their former
company, that they ufed to haunt ; yea, they may win to quit
thefe fins in thek" practice, but yet they cannot from a right
principle hate all fin.
8. They may have a defire after grace, where there is, no
true grace, or right defire after it as it is faid, The'defire of
the hypocrite Shall fail : The defire that the hypocrite hath,
fails anent the object ; for where grace is real, and rightly
fought after, it flows from a love to holinefs, to be really
w allied and cleanfed from all fin, and to be renewed' in holi
nefs. It is true, hypocrites may have many flafhes ; but where
this real love to. holinefs is wanting, all fuch flaflies are naught.
As, caft water often upon a ftone, it may have fome impref-
Y y fion

354 SERMON XXIX.
fion to make it foft, but it never reacheth the heart of the
ftone ; even fo it is with the hypocrite. I fay, there may be
many SlaShes where no grace is. The eloquence of a preach
er fometimes may beget flaflies in hearers, where nothing of"
faving grace is : Ezekiel was to his hearers, as one that play
ed Skilfully ona pleafant inftrument. There may be Some
Iteming delight in hearing the word, and yet be but near the
kingdom of heaven. O the great length that a perfon may
come with flaflies and common operations, where true faving
grace is wanting, when they win to hear the word, and to
receive it with joy, (as in the parable of the feed fown upon
the ftony ground, Matth. xiii. 20.) arid yet be but near the
kingdom of heaven when all is done ! The apoftle fays, That
whatever he knew or did, if he wanted charity, which is love,
he was nothing, 1 Cor .xiii. 12. Yea, many may win to the
very threshold of heaven, and have their hands chopt off on
the threshold, and never enter in.
9. A man may have great gifts and eloquence in parts, and
may be ufeful to others, and yet they themfelves be but near
the kingdom of heaven. A man may preach with eloquence,
and yet be but near the kingdom of heaven: Ye know that
Judas came nothing behind the reft of the apoftles in. preach
ing and working of miracles, and yet he was but a devil : So
I fay, a man may preach, have great gifts, and be ufeful to
others, and yet be but a caft-away, as Judas was, whofe call
to preach- the gofpel was not fanctified to himfelf; for Chrift
can. water his people himfelf: But remember, they muft have
Chrift's commiffion, or elfe they cannot profit a people to
whom they fay they are fent : For the Lord fays, concerning
the prophets that ran and were not fent, That they Should
not profit the people at all, Jer. xxiii. 21, 22.
10. Profeffors may have great hopes, and yet be but near
the kingdom of heaven ; as the foolifh virgins had, when
they went out with the reft to meet the bridegroom, and trim
med their lamps. But, .as Job fays of the hypocrite, fo may I
fay of fuch, They will not always call upon God, Job xxvii. to.
Neither do they win always to depend upon God, and to fix
their hope in him ; nor have they this diftinguilhfng mark of
a true believer, 1 John iii. 3. And every man that hath this hope
in him, purifietb himfelf, even as he is pure. So if they endea
vour not to have the heart purified and cleanfed from all Sin,
they want the true mark of grace ; for true hope is begotten
into the heart by the Spirit of God, but the hope of the hy
pocrite, he takes it up of himfelf, and knows not whence it
came ; he may win to fay that God IS powerful, and fo he
will truft in him ; but he can never win to lay hold on, and
believe in Jefus Chrift, in whom all the promifls are yea and
amen, and this way to make application of the promifes to
him-

-Upon Mark xii. 34. 355
himfelf ; and fo, that hope of his is not of the right ftamp.
O but it is fad to confider, to fee people have fuch big and
'ftrong hopes, as they think, and yet, notvvithStanding of all
that, to be miferably deceived by this their hope ! O! how
fad and lamentable will it be to Such, when it fliall be difeo
vered to themfelves, that for all that they have done or hop
ed for, they have been but near the kingdom of heaven.
i(. Thty may go this length, to fuffer many things fofr
profeffing the truth; yea, even as Paul fays, to give their bo
dies -to be burned, 1 Cor. xiii, 3.; and yet wanting true love to
Chrift, all is naught : Importing this much, that at the firft
view, men may be brought to die for the truth, and yet be
but near the kingdom of heaven. Hypocrites may be fo wed-
fled to their name and credit, that they may come this great
length in fuffering, and yet be but' near the kingdom of hea
ven :  But to Suffer with an eye to the glory of God,
and as fuffering upon the account of Chrift, this they can
not do. And likewife I fliall add this word, That they that
are near the kingdom may have fome convictions,— —But
thefe never work to converfion ; for they are in this like E-
phraim, a cake not turned, Hofea vii. 8. O feek for the tho
rough work of the Spirit, to convince you of fin, of your
own inability to help yourfelves, and that he may convert
you faringly.
I might mention moire fteps that the hypocrite may come to,
that might make us all fear ; for I fear there be many here,
that are not come that length yet, that hypocrites win to. O i
roufe up yourfelves, and fee what ye luive been doing ; for
there are many here, I fear, in a dead cafe and conditiori,
that have never win this length that I have' named, that fome
Win to, and yet never win within the kingdom of heaven
more than devils fliall win. O ! that ye would fall to and
fearch yourfelves, and make fore work I I Shall fay no more,
but leave it in the Lord's hand, for the bleiuiig to your fouls.
And to him be praife.

y 2 PREFACE

[ 356-]
P R E F A C E.

THERE is one thing for which I am jealous of the moft
part of you that are come here, and it is this, that in
your coming, many of you have not the right end before you.
I would think this a lingular meeting, if the fourth, yea the
eighth or the tenth perfon that is here, durft fay, as before
God, that they have the right end before them :> And, • •
I. I fear that there be not a few here this day, that are only
come for a name-; and furely fuch have a wrong end before
them ; and yet it is to be feared that many have no better end
than this, but to get a name and a profeffion ; but I may pro
nounce ail Such to be but rebels to God, for all the pains they
have been at in' coming here : And, O but it be fad to carry
a profeffion fo coftly, and to Slave and feek no more I Oil
¦would lay this to your doors, and tell you, ye that are guilty
of this, that ye have not a right ei*d before you in your here-
coming. 2. A fecond fort, that in their coming. here, have-not a
right end' before them, are thefe that are come only out of a
principle of curiofity ; they come only to hear fome new thing,
or to fee fomething that is to be feen here. O ! I fear there
be fome here that have no better end before them than this :
But thefe are as great fools as the other; and,^for my part,
I think it is ftrange to fee men and women run fuch riiks,
both at God's hand and man's, for mere curiofity. For, cer
tainly, as we are the butt of enemies malice and difpleafure,
and are here with' the hazard of our lives ; fo, to be under
God's difpleafure is harder ; for God will afk what we have
done with fuch a day, when he covered a table to us in the
wildernefs, in the prefence of our enemies. Remember it will
coft you an anfwer to God, and ye muft count for this op
portunity. 3 A third fort, that in their here-coming have not a right
end before them, are they that come only to feek ordinances.
And there are many that in their coming, I fear, feek no
farther than ordinances ; But I will tell you, if this be all the
courfe that ye mind to run, it will be long ere ye come to the
kingdom of God : For although ye come to the ordinances,
ye mu*-: come farther, even to God, to feek him in the ordi
nances ; for ordinances are but the wing or fliell to carry the
foul to Chrift. Therefore remember this, ye that come only
to the ordinances, and feek no further, that this will be an
article of your indictment.
4 A fourth fort, that in their here-coming have not a
right end before them, are thefe that have this as their er
rand,

PREFACE to SERMON XXX. 357
rand, to feek a flafh and a frame ; fometimes they have found
this at a preaching, that hath made them to think their cafe
right enough, and fo they have fitten down upon this : This
fort indeed go beyond all the reft ; but yet they go not far
enough. What are they like ? They are like thefe that fit
in the fun-beams, and fatisfy themfelves therewith, and ne
ver feek to the fun itfelf; So, many reft on the beams that
come from Chrift in the gofpel, and never feek to Chrift
himfelf, and fo they may be enlightned' frith flaflies and frames
and get no more. But; as it is folly to come and feek flafhes
and frames, and no mqre, fo it is a difficulty to get the hearts
of people brought off, and denied to this ; but they will be
ready to conclude, that their mountain Stands fure, and that
they Shall never be moved, and yet was never built upon Chrift.
5. A fifth fort, whofe end in coming here is worfe than
any of the reft that we have named, are they who come to
catch and carry away any thing that they hear, to the preju
dice of the work of God, or to delate fome whom they know
to the enemies ; and to take away an ill report of the way of
God, and the further reproaching of the gofpel : But, if
there be any fuch here, remember, God hath his eye upon
you, and he will pay you home to the full for your pains,
when he reckons with you. but, as we faid, it is ill for
people to have bad ends before them ; fo we fay, it is bad for
people to have no ends at all before them : And this leads
me to,
6. The Sixth and laft fort that I Shall name, and that is,
fuch as have no end nor errand at all for their coming here,
that have expofed themfelves to fo much travel and wearinels,
to come to this defert place, upon fo great hazard, no lefs
than the utmoft of cruelty that men can devife or do. But
we fay, that we fear, that fuch as have not been examining
their ends, before they came here, that when God Shall rec
kon with them, they Ihall be found to have no end at all.
But ye will fay, Who a« thefe that have a right end before
them in their coming here ! We fay, even fuch as are come
to feek the Lord, Seek ye me, faith the Lord, and fj: fhall live.
And we tell you, if ye had all this end before you, ye Should
meet with much of the Lord's prefence in his ordinance.
But believe.it, firs, we look like a people, and a congrega
tion that are indifferent, whether we meet with him or mifs
him, and that is very fad. Therefore let us go to God by
prayer, that he that hath the power over the hearts of ail men
and wBmen to difpofe of them as he pleafetb, that he would
change the hearts of fuch as have bad errands before them ;
and that fuch as have no errands, that be would give them
one before they go. SS let us pray.
* SERMON

f. 358 3

S E R M ON XXX.
Mark xii. 34.
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

»rT^ HERE are two forts of folk, and each of them ought
JL to have a particular queftion to themfelves. And,
1. Thefe that are not win to know that they have an intereft
in Jefus Chrift, they fliould put this queftion to themfelves,
What fball we do to be faved? 2- TheSe who know that they
have an intereft in him, and are clear and diftinct concerning
the Sarhe, they fliould put this queftion to themfelves, What
fball we render to the Lord for his goodnefs to us ?
My dear friends, I do really wonder that any of us, can
fo much as eat our bread, till we come to know, in fome
meafure, that we have an intereft in Chrift ; Shouldit not be
ftill our out-cry, What fhall we do to be faved ? O ! this fliould
be. ftill your queftion, what is wanting in me; that is to be
found in a found believer ? And this leads me to the purpofe
in hand : In the foregoing part of the day, I Shewed you what
length a man might come, and yet be but near the kingdom
of heaven. Now, I come,
If To the fecond thing propofed, which is to Shew you
what is wanting, in fuch that are but near the kingdom, that
the real believef that is in the kingdom of God hath. And,
1. Whatever the man hath, that is but near the kingdom,-
this is always wanting, a thorough obedience, to all the com
mandments of God ; and the commandments of God are two
fold, like the foul and body of man ; fo people that are but
near the kingdom of God, may obey the out-Side of the com-
mandftie'nts, but as for the inward part, that confifts in clean-
fing of the heart, this they want ftill ; fo people may pray and
hear, and be very forward in all out-Side duties; but they
cannot win to perform them, in love and fear, and heart obe
dience to the commandments of God.
2. The fecond thing that is wanting in him that is but near
the kingdom, and that is he always wants the right principle
of the new creature, which is absolutely neceffary, 2 Cor. v.
1 7. Therefore, if any man be in Chrift ,¦ he is a new creature :
Old things are paft away ; behold, all things are become, new.
The man that is in Chrift is a new creature, not only in his
piactice; but alfo in his heart; a hypocrite may be new in
bis

S E R MO N XXX; 3J9
his practice ; but not in the principle of a fanctified heart :
A hypocrite may both pray much and preach much, and srjay
excel others in qualifications and' parts, but this thing they
ftill want, a new heart.
3. The third thing that the man wants, that is but near
the kingdom, he ay wants a right motive; and where this
does not oil the wheels of our performances, we will never
perform the duty rightly ; for, if it be love to ourfelves, tbat
is not right ; but, if it be out of love to God, that is right ;
that is the motive, that, moves all the man's performances
rightly. Now, a hypocrite can never win to do all that lie
doth out of love to God ; for a hypocrite cannot delight him
felf in, the Almighty, JobjKXvii. 10. So then it is inipoSSble
for hini to love God, feeing he cannot delight himfelf in God ;
fo, whatever they get, this is ftill wanting, love to God, as
the right motive in their duties.
4., The fourth thing, that the man wants, that is but neap
the kingdom, he always wants the right end ; and doth not
obferve and practife, what the apoftle gives in charge to the
Corinthians, 1 Cor» x. 31. Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink,
or whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Now, they thai,
go neareft the kingdom and go not in, cannot win to this, to
do all that they do to God's glory : Hypocrites may feek hea
ven with fome ferioufnefs, but not fo as that Chrifl may have
all the glory; for, he only feeks heaven becaufe of its hap
pinefs, but never defigns God's glory thereby.
5. The fifth thing that the man wants, That is but near the
kingdom, and that is, the right regulating of all his actions;
he never wins to feek and ferve God upon a right account,
he wins never to feek and ferve him as God : He that wins
near the kingdom, may win to love God, for the happinefs
that is to hi found in him ; but he never loves God as God,
for himfelf; therefore, once win to get love to God, and to
do all that ye do on a right account, and then ye Shall win to
do all well ; and whatever ye win to, if this be wanting, yc
are nought, if ye Should pray one half of your days, and'
weep the other, yet ye are but hypocrites ; and, remember.
that hypocrites, are ranked with the firft fort that go to the
pit; and I think that they have the hotteftpart in all bell :
They are ugly devils with a white coat of profeffion : Like
Judas, they carry, under a vail of love, a dagger to Slab
Chrift. O friends I remember, whatever ye win to, if this
be wanting, ye are within the rank of hypocrites, though ve
Should come never fo near the kingdom of heaven. Maiiy
haye gone So near, to fpeak fo. that they have had their hands
Stricken off, 011 heavens threffibld.
III. Now, the third thing which I propofed to fpeak to.'
Was, what they muft have that enter, into the kingdom o£
God.

3<So SERMON XXX.
God. * So then, there are fome marks and evidences, whereby
a man may win to know, whether they be in the kingdom or
no. And,
1. If ye. be within the kingdom of God, there will be in
you a real turning from all fin, with an univerfal, obedience
to all the commandments of God ; for it is to fuch that the
kingdom is promifed, Ezek. xviii. 12. But if the wicked will
turn from all his fins, that he hath committed, and keep all my
ftatutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he fhall furely
live, he fhall not die. So' the promife of the kingdom is only
unto fuch,' as ftudy univerfal obedience unto all the com
mandments of God : But the hypocrite, he oply clofeth with
fome commandments/ and fets to, to obey them outwardly ;
but the man that is in the kingdom, he hates all fin, and takes
up all duty ; fo that every true Christian is perfect in his re-
folutions ; he refolves, and endeavours perfect obedience to
all the'commandments of God ; though in his practice he wins
not up that length, yet he -endeavours univerfal obedience;
fo then, it will not be the picking out of this" commandment,
or that commandment, and obeying that, but it muft be an
univerfal obedience to all the commandments of God that muft
be ftudied, as David faid, Pfalm cxix. 6. Then fhall I not be
afhamed, when I have refpebl unto all thy commandments .
2. They that are in the kingdom ftudy uniformity in
their obedience, not only in the matter of duty ; but in, the
manner thereof, and timing of it ; fo they obierve both the
matter, manner, and timing of the duty : For, a man that is
out of the kingdorii, he may read and pray much ; but it is
alike with him if he get the duty by : But a man that is in the
kingdom, if he fhould fit half a day upon his knees, if he
meet not with fomething from the Lord, he wiH account all
as undone ; fo he that is in the kingdom, he will find fome
thing of a fervent and cordial joining of the outward and
inner man, in ferving the Lord.
3. They that are in the kingdom, they have. always feme.
fincerity of heart in what tljey do ; and this may be called the
march-ftone betwixt the two, the really godly* and the hypo
crite ; for this the man that is not in the kingdom, cannot
win to ; but the man that is within the kingdom, bath the
witnefs of fincerity within him : And where Sincerity is, God
will caft a mantle of love on all their other infirmities ; for
there is nothing that is fo well-pleafing to God as this ; and
there is nothing more provoking to God than the want of
this. 4, They that are within the kingdom, they will be much
in duty, and yet much above duty : Much in duty in obedi-'
ence to the commandments of God ; and much above duty, in

Upon Mark xii. 34. 361
in denial to it; fo the man that is in the kingdom, is won
far above all duties, and yet much in duty : But the hypo
crite thinks if it be near, that he needs not fear his winning
in ; and if he be much in duty, he needs not be above duty :
But the man that is in the kingdom, is much in duty, and
above duty,
5. They that are in the kingdom, they put an high estima
tion upon Chrift, 1 Peter ii. 7. Unto you,.tbercfore, which be
lieve he is precious. This is a, clear mark ; and, therefore, O
man and woman, whoever thou be, that hath not win to fee
Chrift more precious to thee, than all that is in heaven and
in earth befides him, I tell thee, thou art not in the kingdom
of God. Faith hath two eyes that look to Chrift ; the one
eye looks to the power that is in Chrift ; 'the otlier eye looks.
on his excellency. So he that wins to believe, hath a high e-
ftedm of Chrift, both for his power and his excellency.
6. They that are in the kingdom, there is no difficulty that
can come in their way, that will fear them from Chrift :
There is fome that may be near Chrift, and yet a ftorm may
drive them back again : The thorns and the cares choked the
feed that was fown on the thorny ground ; but nothing can
choke the feed that is fown on the good ground. There is
no difficulty that will fear him from Chrift and from duty,
that is once in the kingdom. He will not cry out with the
Sluggard, There is a lion in the way. Nay, when difficulties
arife, he will mind that word of Chrift, Matth. xvi. 24. If
any man will come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up
his crofs and folbwrne . Do not think this ftrange, my friends,
for he holds felf-denial as a true mark of a right follower of
him. O backfliders ! think upon this, ye who have turned
back, and left the way of God, and denied his truth, for '
fearof the wrath of man. Remember that Chrift fays to you,,
That his foul hath no pleafure in fuch as draw back : But he will
lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, Heb, x. 38. Pfal.
exxv. 5. Ye took your profeffion eafily up, and ye quitted it
as eafily. It may be, if ye had known better bow ye came by
your profeffion, ye would not have parted fo eafily with it.
O fufpect yourfelves, you that are guilty ! for I would have
you to be jealous of your faith, that quit . it fo eafily,
7. They that are in the kingdom, they have clofed with
Chrift in his own terms ; they have received him with humi
lity, brokennefs, and fincerity of heart : And this unites all
the affections : a broken heart clofes with a broken Chrift;
and this unites all the affections to him : And the more that
Chrift is clofed with, they are the more united to Chrift
in all his offices, fo that they can neither be feparated nor
parted ; he is a Prophet, a Prieft, and a King to them ; for
all Chrift muft be received, and they muft look to him for all,
Z z Chrift

3& K

SERMON XXX.

Ghrrft and croffes^ and loffes, Chriit and reproaches, Chrift
and imprisonments, Chrift and wanderings; Chrift and death,
and whatever may follow Chrift. Now, ye that think that
ye are in the kingdom ; look if ye have received Chrift this
way, and with what fincerity of heart ye have done it.
8. They that are in the kingdom, their inherent Sin is ay
before them, as David faid, Pfalm li. 3. My fin is ever before
me. I like not fuch as. think one day or one hour before they
die enough to confefs and mourn for their fin,' for I fadly fuf
pect that cafe not to be right. But they that are in the king
dom, they cannot get their former fins and their daily fail
ings out of their mind ; but remember that God lets them
not fee their fins thus for their mifery ; but only to let them
fee what they have been ; and to be thankful to him, for
what they now are by grace, and them that keep not up a
bumbling fight of fin, I doubt their cafe at prefent ; for they
that are in the kingdgm they are keeped humble, under the
fight and fenfe of their fin ; J and yet they are made to rejoice-
in Chrift.
9. They that are in the kingdom of God and have the be
gun poffeffion of it, by the work of grace in their hearts,
they will have a longing defire for more of heaven ; for they
that have grace, in exercife, have longing defires to have k
perfected. What ! are ye not longing to be with Chrift,
firs? O? where this is, there will be a longing to.be with
Chrift; and ye will be made fometimes to cry out, O that
time had wings to flee away ! and, O that.the Shadows Were
gone, that I might get my long fummer day of eternity I ¦ O
if it were come, that I might get my fill of Chrift \ But, alas I
I fear many of you are ftrangers to this life : But if ye have
the evidence of this fealed upon your fpirits and hearts, that
ye are in the kingdom of God ; ye will find fomething of all
thefe fore-mentioned marks, to be in you : Ye will find, an
univerfal obedience to all God's commandments ; an unifor
mity in obedience not Only in the matter, but in the manner
of duty ; ye will have a high estimation of Chrift ; and a
doling with Chrift in his own terms ; original fin, will be
ever before you ; and no crofs will feparate you from Chrift,
and ye will find in yourfelves a longing to have the work of
grace perfected in your fouls ; and to be with Chrift, in the
foil enjoyment of himfelf in glory. This made Paul to be in
a ftrait betwixt two, having a defire to depart, and to be with
Chrift, Phil. i. 23. And this made John cry out, in anfwer
to the Spirit and to the Bride, Even fo, come, Lord Jefus,
Rev. xxii. 20. And this the foul of every true believer will
fay. Now, I come to the laft thing propofed, which is the
ufe of the doctrine. Ufe 1.

Upon Mark- xii. 34. 3°3
JJfc 1. Is it fo, that the way to the kingdom of heaven is
not eafy, then this may ferve for an ufe of exhortation, fop
all, to be diligent ; for ye may. go many a ftep, and yet not
win to the kingdom of heaven. Ye may not think," firs, that
ye will win to heaven Sleeping -, for, if it were fo eafy to win
there, as fome dream of, what need had there been of Paul s
threefold exhortation, fo examine, prove, and knew our own
felves? 2 Cor. xiii. 5. But doth not our bieffed Lord put
this beyond debate, and out of doubt, when he Saith, Matth.
vii. 14. Becaufe ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way which
leadeth unto life, and few there be-that find it. If ye come to
heaven, ye muft come over the belly of your lu-fts and idols ;
yea, every one of you muft wage war with yourfelf, and with
all that oppofe you in the way of your duty. 'And as for
you that know nothing of this warfare, ye do hot know what
religion is ; and the more ye ftudy this, the more of the dif
ficulty thereof ye will find : Some, there are, who, if in their
life-time they get an hour to pray before death, they will not
fear wrath, for what fins they have formerly committed : But
if that word be true, that isin 1 Peter iv. 18. If the righteous
' fcarcely be faved, where fbrli the ungodly and the ftnner appeir ?
That is, if the holieft have much ado, to get thek feet over
the threshold of heaven ; then furely Such have juft caufe to
£ear, that they fhall never enter in there
Ufe 2. Is of inftruction. Seeing that the gate is very ftrait
and narrow, that leads to the kingdom of heaven, then what
fhaU become of many of you, that never come the length that
hypocrites have come •? 0 1 what will ye fly t and, how
will ye meet with God, when he comes to Count with you for
a preached gofpel ? And, what will ye think of a Mediator
that was offered to you, whom ye flighted and defp'fed ; when'
-the heaven and the earth fliall melt away, and great men and
mean- men thai I howl and cry, and all the tribes of the earth
fhall wail becanfe of him? Oi this will be the portion of
hypocrites from God.
Vie 3. Is of trial: For ail of you to try yourfelves, and
ponder in your hearts and fay, 0 foul i whether art thou in
the kingdom of heaven or not f O be exhorted to this, what
ever thy 'ftate be ! O man and woman! it is fafe for thee to
try thy ftate, to fearch thy ftate ; and if matters be right be
twixt God and thy Soul, it will be thy peace ; and if not, thou
may poffibly get it righted. And, for my part, I count him
the beft Chriftiam, that is moft accurate, in this fearching.and
communing with his own heart ; for, if yemeglecf this, ya
may come to lofe the Gght of your intereft- in-Chrift, if ever
ye had it ; and to be carelefs of the "State of your fouls, it ye
never wan to it. Z a 2 Ufe

364 PREFACE to LECTUHE IX.
Ufe 4. And it may be for counfel. Do, not fatisfy your
felves with' being near the kingdom of God, but'go into it :
And, for this end, break the bargain and peace with your
lufts and idols ; and, make up peace with God; thro' Chrift
our peace-maker, and ye Shall find a great advantage in the
exchange : For the wicked have but peace with fin and Sinful
men, but the godly have peace with God. Ol will ye quit
all other things, and Seek to be interefted in him ; for, it is
to be feared that many here have proclaimed peace with fin,
have Some idol or other. O break the bargain, and make
peace with Chrift !* Make choice of him, for he can give you
that which no other lover can give you. O break that peace
with your lufts and idols, and make peace with him ? Re
member he offers' himfelf freely to you this day ;' choofe
' therefore what ye will do. O feek for the fulnefs of the Spi
rit of Chrift, and reft upon nothing but upon himfelf alone !
and feek to be in the kingdorii of God, by the thorough work
of converfion upon your fouls.
And now to all that are in the kingdom, I proclaim peace
in the name of God, whatever troubles they at'e under here ;
fo enter into the kingdom through Chrift only, for that is the
way to it. But, as for you, who will not come to him, and
enter into the'kingdom through Chrift only, who is the way
to it, I do, in like manner, proclaim war with that foul from
God, whatever ye be in your profeffion O friends! lay it
to heart, and choofe ye whether it be better to have heaven's
peace, arid the devil and the world's feud; or to have the
devil and ,the world's peace, and feud with God for ever.
And now to him, who is the purchafer of true peace, be glo
ry and praife for ever. Amen.

PREFACE.

IF I Should aik this queftion at you who are. come here
this night, Would ye have the Lord coming back to Scot
land again with the gofpel ? I trow, if I Should begin at the
one end of you, and go out at the pther end, that I Should
not get a negative anfwer; ye will all fay, That ye would
have this day again. But, 0 ! where is the right exercife
that ye Should be exercifed with, in order to your prepara
tion to meet him ? for his coming will difappoint many of
their

PREFACE to LECTURE IX. 365
their expectation : And therefore^ I would offer thefe two
things to your consideration :
1. The firft is this, He will come, but his coming will be
in flaming fire, to take vengeance on the generation ; he will
come with the garments of vengeance, and the cloke of feve-
rity : He will come, and will have his heart avenged on the
inhabitants of Scotland: He will come, and he will make the
land to Shake before him, and melt for fear ; all hearts Shall
be pained, and all faces turned into palen'els : This Shall be
the manner of his coming. Ay! it will be very fad and af
frighting to them that he is come to deliver ; it will even be
with them, as it was with Chrift's difciples, when he came
walking unto them upon the fea, they were much troubled,
and cried out for fear ; his coming Shall be fuch, that his
treading Shall be fad, even upon thefe that he is coming to
deliver. 2. His coming Shall be fuch, that many fhall be miferably
difappointed of their expectation : Many of you think that ye
have a defire after, his coming, and have the expectation of
great things when he comes, but ye fliall be greatly difappoin
ted ; for his coming will be with great fewels of fire. I may ,
compare fuch folk to thefe fpokeii of, Ifaiah lix. 2, Yet they
feek me daily,- and delight to know my ways, as a nation that
did righteoufnefs, and forfook not the ordinances of their God 1
they afik of me the ordinances of juftice, and take delight in ap
proaching to God. They had a Sort of longing after him ; and
wherefore was it ? They had expectation of great ihings ; they
thought they fliould get temporal felicity, but they miftooic
him. So many think that they will have brave days when he
comes back, but they will be greatly difappointed ; for, his
coming will be with their destruction. To what end, faith the
prophet, it it for you to defire the day of the Lord? Shall it not
be darknefs and not light ? Amos v. 1 8.
We think it ftrange that many understand fo little what
they are doing: They will pray for his coming back to the
land again, and in the mean time they are joining with all
the Sinful courfes of the times. They will pray for his com
ing, and in the mean time they are doing what they can by
their practice to keep" him away. Many of you are going and
joining with the hirelings of the time, in hearing them.
What ! do ye expect that that Dagon, whom ye worfhip, will
ftand when he comes back to the land ? I tell you, that his
coming will be in feverity to you : And it is a great queftion,
to me, if any of thefe that have gone back, and left the way
of the Lord, and joined with finful courfes, fliall win through
the calamity : Do" not think to footh yoariefees up with thefe
vain hopes ; for his coming will be in another kind than ma
ny look for. But,

3&i PREFACE to LECTURE IX*
But, poffibly ye will have this queftion to afk, Who will
thefe be that he will come in mercy to, and that will likely be
Spared, and meet with mercy and win through ? Anfwer,
Truly tbat is an odd queftion, and not eafily anSwered : But
1 fhall Shew you fome marks of thefe, that likely he will come
in mercy to, although in judgment. Arid,
i. Thefe that have fled to him for refuge, and to be Shelter
ed under the Shadow of his wings, and to be hid from wrath f
thefe that are fleeing to Chrift, fleeing from themfelves, from
Satan, and from the world, and have chofen Chrift for their
alone portion and choice ; it is thefe only that he will likely
Spare. But, do not think, that when Chrift hath been fo
great a Stranger in the land, and the rod hath lain fo heavy
upon his people, think not that he will fpa:e hypocrites; no,
no: They Shall meet with an overflowing ftroke: They need
not expect that they will be fpared, be fpared who will ; but,
thefe that expect to be hid in that day, muft refolve to be in
Chrifl, to be hid under the fbadow of his wings; and have an
intereft in him, and ftudy to make it their work to carry as
fuch. 2. Thefe that likely will be fpared, are thefe who are Shak
ing their hands, .and keeping them clean of the caufes of his
controverfy with Scotland : The Lord hath taken up a quar- -
pel and controverfy with the inhabitants of Britain j there
fore, thefe that he will fpare, will be thefe that are keeping
themfelves clean of the caufes of his indignation. Ye need
never expect to win through the ftorm, aad- to be free of the
ftroke, by going in under tliefe curates, and fo think that ye
will thrimble through the ftorm ; no, no : God is purfuing
bis quarrel againft the land, for their backflidin'g from him ;
and, think ye, by fo doing to be fpared ? No : I will tell you
affuredly, that God's anger fliall ceafe in the destruction of
fuch : But, it will be only thefe that fhall be fpared, that are
ftudying how to be faithful to the Lord -, it was only Jofhua
;and Caleb, that followed the Lord fully, that he brought o-
ver Joydan, when the reft, even the whole camp of Ifrael,
died in the wildernefs : It is only thefe that are ftudying to be
faithful to him, that he will bring through and fpare, when
he makes way for his wrath and indignation, that he will re
peal with fury upon this land.
3. Thefe likely he will fpare and bring through, that arc
putting a blank in his hand, that he may .afflict and chaften
as he pleafeth: Thefe that hawe their wills resigned wholly to
fcim, and that are putting no limits upon his Sovereignty, as
(.0 his chaftifing and contending ; thefe that are crying out,
// is the Lord, let him do as Jeemeth good to Mm; and fo ftudy
fo.bmiffive patience, and are waiting under all his chaftife ments,

P R E F A C E to L E C T U R E IX. 367
ments. It is not thefe that he will bring through, that are
crying out, How fhall we Shift tbe crofs, and Shun the trials ?
Brit it will be thefe that are crying out, How Shall we carry
rightly under trials, and under the crofs ?
4. It will be thefe that likely he will bring through, tbat
are Submitting themfelves to what the Lord pleafeth to do to
them ; them that are refolving with themfelves to die in the
common calamity, andeare content if God get glory, that they
be made ftepping-ftones for his returning. It will not be thefe
that will win through, that have taken finful anxious longing
to win through, to fee good days ; no, no : I doubt if any
fe.ck of thefe fliall win through. There muft be a refolving,
and a fubmitting of themfelves to what the will of the Lord
is : For, his coming Shall have an uncouth afpect ; it Shall be
as terrible like, as to look death in the face; and, io fome
refpect, death Shall be chpfen rather than life, and be as de
sirable : And it Shall be thefe that are content to die, and to:
leave their carcafes in fhe wildernefs, that the Lord Shall
bring through.-
5. It Shall be thefe that he Shall fpare and bring through.
that are refolving upon the worft of it, come what will: That
neither height nor deep, things prefent nor things to come, fhall
feparate them from the love of God, which is in Chrifl Jefus, nor
make them forfake his way; thefe that are refolutely fet for
him, ftudying heart-honefty in hismatters, and that are re
folving to follow him as their beloved, through death and
blood, and all that may come in their way. And, Oh! Shall
be not have fuch a company in Scotland, that Shall be found
thus faithful for him, that Shall not love their lives unto the
death, to do fervice to him ? It Shall be fuch that he will briag
through, that Shall not fear fire or fwOrd, gibbet or tortures j
theS'e ,-hat refolutely refolve upon the worft of it. Ah. ! alas •
we are an unprepared people for fuch a mercy. Let us put
up Our fuits to him, that he would prepare a people for the
good-tbat he is coming to do to thefe lands.
Let us pray.

LECTURE

C 308 ]

L E C T U R E IX.

Malachi i. 12, 13, 14.
12. But ye have profaned it, in that ye fay, The table of the
Lord is polluted, and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is con
temptible.
13. Ye faid alfo, Behold, what a wlsarincfs is it,' and ye have
fluffed at it, faith the Lord of hofts ; and ye brought that
which was torn, and the lame, and the flick ; thus ye brought
an offering : Should I accept this of your hands ? Saith the
Lord.
14. But curfed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male,
and voweth and facrificeth unto the Lord a Corrupt thing. For
J am a great king, faith the Lord of hofts, and my name is
dreadful among the heathen.
N
MANY may get rrtuch of their hypocrify in matters of
their worfhip hid from others, that are like themfelves,
they may bogle and beguile men, but there is an all-feeing eye
of God, that knows well what is in man, and what is design
ed by all men; particularly and efpecially in the matters of
bis worfhip, he knows well who is guilty, and he will find
them out : There is not a hiding-place for man to get his fin
hid from God ; there is no place to be found for thefe ; no
pretence that men may rriake for themfelves, that will either
bide a man's iniquity from this all-feeing eye, nor no excufe
for it will be admitted of: Mens external Shows may paSs for
much among men, but it is not poffible that thefe Shows of
religion, how glittering-like foever, will pafs in the fight of a
jealous God, who is a juft Judge. But to come to the words
read. $r\ the foregoing part of this chapter, the Lord is Shewing
by this prophet, how this people, especially the priefts, were
exceeding' guilty of the contemning of his name, and hspro-
nounceth a fad.fentence againft them, viz. that he will tranf-
fer his church, and remove it from them ; and tells them,
That he will get a people among the Gentiles, that his name
fhall be great among ; and he gives the reafon of the juftnefs
of this Sentence, and the reafon is, Becaufe they have profaned
his name. Now, they might reply, How had they profaneci
it? And he proves it, ( 1.) By their expr-eSficm : And then,
(2.) By their deeds. They concluded that the temple of the
Lord

L E C T U R E IX. 369,
Lord was polluted, by what it had been, the expreflions that
he proves it by, and fo they needed not to Stand what to offer ;
fo they thought that ought would fuffice, to be an offering
offered thereon, fo here their deeds that they proved by.
But we would come and obferve Some things' anent the rea
fons of the caufe of the juftnefs of his controverfy. And,
1. Obferve, That the juftice of the Lord's controverfy with
a people, within a vifible church, is ill to be feen, when the
caufe is not candefeended upon, and laid to heart ; fo, it is
the duty of that people that he is contending with, to be of
ten putting up their Suit to God; and aSking that quefticn,
Why contendeft thou fo' fore ? I do not mean by quarrelling,
but by alking humbly the caufes of his anger. Alas ! the
caufes why the Lord hath contended wiih us thefe many
years have been little inquired into : The Lord hath been I1O7
vering over Scotland for a long time, and hath been keeping
up. and carrying on a controverfy with the inhabitants of this
land, and, if we were not blind, we might fee our fins writ
ten on our judgments. So that it is clear here, that neceffary
truths are oft-times ill heard, and therefore muft be oft in
culcated ; for they are not to be paft without tibfervation.
What is it that ye have polluted and profaned my name by,
in bringing polluted bread to offer upon mine altar ? This is
connection being repeated, what need (ye will fay) is there to
have it repeated ? It is to Shew, that oft-times the moft ne
ceffary truth is worft heard, and leaft heeded. Whence we
will inftruct this leflbn, that fuch is thcunperceivingnefs of
people, that live under the drop of God's word for- a long
time, and hear very wakening truths, and yet not hear, fo as
to regard or lay it to heart. Their hearts are harder than a
Slone ; for water, dropping often upon a flint, will make a
hoilow-place therein,. but the hardnefs of mens hearts is fuch,
that they grow more hard : And fo it is needful, that necef
fary truths be often inculcated. Few or none of you dare
fay, but ye have got the finful way of this generation told
you ; I fay, it hath been often told you : But what have ye
done ? What have ye done with thefe warnings ? How have
ye carried under thefe? I think the half of the preaching,
that hath been in testifying againft thefe courfes of cefs and
locality-paying, and againft joining with enemies, might'have
convinced all Scotland of the evil and fin of thefe ways. But,
O how little hath this been heard or regarded ! at leaft by
many of this generation.
a. Obferve, That the corrupting of God's worfhip, and
flighting of performances, is, a profanation of the Lord's
name. How doth he reckon or evince this ? Becaule they
faid, That the table of the Lord was polluted ; and fo they
would not care what they brought to offer, even any thing
A a a they

37° L E C T U R E' IX.
they thought would ferve ; but -remember, that he will riot
hold'fuch guiltlefs of profaning his name: And remetnber
this, that the following of the courfes of this finful genera
tion, and the going into, and hearing of thefe hirelings, who
have run unfent. and joining with them, is a profaning of
his name, and a breach of his day, and ye will be. held as
guilty. It is true, ye may efcape the punifliment of men,
but ye fliall not efcape the punifliment of God, if ye repent
not. For I do declare, That the going in to hear thefe cu
rates, and obeying them in their finful commandments, is 'a
profaning of the name of the Lord ; for, by fo doing, they
mock God, and flight the performances that they ought to
do. And, alas ! many folks prayers aTe an abomination to
God, and is crying for vengeance as the return of their pray
ers, becaufe th^y mock God by them, in that they pray for
the Lord's returning again to this land : And, in the mean
time, by their practice, they join with all the abominations
of the time ; and by fo doing, they do all that they can to
keep him aivay, that he may not return to this land again.
And thus they take his name in vain, by mocking him *with
their prayers, as they call them. O finful prayers! remem
ber that fuch are guilty of the breach of the third command
ment, for taking of the Lord's , name in vain; and for this
he will not hold them guiltlefs : For he is .1 jealous God,
and in no ways will be mocked, but he will difd'ahi thefe
prayers. 3. Obferve, That as they had given evidence of their pro
faning 'the Lord's name, by their- expreflions, fo he proves
that they had given evidence of it by their deeds,, (which is a
confirming of the juftice of his fentence againft them ;) for
here they made no confcience of his fervice, but brought any
thing for an offering that came to their hand, and this he ap
peals to themfelves ; For, faith the Lord, offer it now unto
thy governor, will he be pfeafed with thee, or accept thy per
fon ? for it is very odious, and makes the fervice of , God con-'
temptible, when they that do it, weary of it. He rejoiceth to
fee a willing people ferve him willingly : He forbade that the
bread of mourners Should come into his houfe, fo then, he
would not have people going heartlefsly about his fervice, as
it were their burden, but as their duty, with delight and plea
fure. But ye will fay, What can be the reafon or caufe of
this, that his fervice is fo wearied of? For anfwer, As lam
fure that many of you are guilty of this, of wearying of his
yoke and fervice, fo I will Shew you Some of the caufes there
of. And, * , ', ,
(1.) The firft caufe is the want of the awe and impreffion
of God upon their fpirit;. and where this is wanting, and
there is not a right fear and reverence of God, there will Soon be

Upon Malachi i. 12,- — 14. , 371
be a wearying of the fervice of God : Buf, where the impref
fion of his authority is upon the heart, this will guard the
heart from this wearying.
(2 ) The fecond caufe is, they find no fweetnef?, comfort
or delight in his fervice, and (b it becomes wearifome unto
them. But, how comes this? It doth not come from his
part, nor from the nature of his fervice ; for, his way is de-
lightfome and pleafant, but the caufe is in your part, in that
ye ferve him fo coldrifely, and this begets more coldrifenefs,
for he that prays coldrifely to God, by this provokes God to
give him a denial, and to with-hold his prefence from him :
Folk that weary in his fervice need not think but that will
beget more wearinefs ; and then they fee many difeourage
ments in that way, and this disheartens them, and they find
np fweetnefs or delight in it, and fo they weary. O fet to
ferioufly, and reft not till ye get all thefe clouds removed} and
that ye be brought to find fweetnefs and delight in his way,
and then ye will cry out, with the difeipks upon the mount,
That it is good to be here.
(3.) The third caufe is, becaufe they defpond of his mercy.
O defpond not of his mercy. I think no wonder^ that lo
many have no love, reverence, nor delight in the fervice of
God, confidering how they defpond of God's me*cy ; but if
ye would afk how ye Shall walk before him, without weary
ing of his fervice ?. I would tell you, to Study to walk before
him with fear and reverence, and defpone not of his mercy ;
and do not provoke him to draw back the gracious out-let-
tings of his love and grace, that have been fweet arid refresh
ing to you ; for, where thefe things are not ftudied, there is
nothing of this fweetnefs or comfort felt, or enjoyed, and
therefrom is a wearinefs procured, and a fnuffing at the or
dinances ; fo then, as he proved the profaning of his name
by their expreflions, fo he proves it by their deeds, for they
wearied at the multitude of their facrifices.,
4. Obferve, That when a people give way to themfelves,
thus to weary, in the fervice and worfiiip of God, then there
is one of two effects that it will produce : For, ( 1 ) It Shall
either make them to quit and give up with the. performance
of duty altogether : or, (2.) It fliall have this effect, that they
fhall go about the exercife of his worfhip, fo overly and
Slightly, that they fliall not care how they get it over. Re
member this, ye tbat weary of his fervice ; it is a wonder that
ye do not quit \vith the form of it alfo ;- for, it is fadly feen
this clay, that many have quit all the form of religion : Wea
rying in the fervice and worfhip of God begets more of this,
and fo this, continued in practice, -provokes God to fuffer
them to renounce all ; and this is feen in many, that feemed
to be fomewhat before : But if ye be not left to give up with
A a a 2 duty

372 L E C T U R E IX.
duty altogether, ye will regard how ye put your duty by hand.
lam Sure fome of your confciences will bear witnefs to the
truth of this, that when ye go to pray, due care is not ftudi
ed how to go about prayer, fo as to worihip and ferve God
in the Spirit : But any way pleafeth you, if ye get it by, and
then your carnal fecure minds take reft, and get no fatisfac-
tion again ; whereas, I am fure, that they that are right.fer-
vers of God will be as careful in the manner as in the matter
cf his fervice, with a fpirit of holy and tender zeal, with an
eye to his ^lory in. all that they do : And this will coft much
more work than ever they found in the matter of his fervice.
But they brought any thing, and thought it would ferve;
they brought polluted bread and offered, and wherefore was
it ? Becaufe they faid, the table of the Lord was contemptible.
They thought that the beauty and purity thereof was not as
had been, and fo they concluded, that a*ny thing would ferve
for an offering, fo as this confirms the juftice of the Lord's
charge. of profaning his name.
5. Obferve, That the Lord requires, that there be no dif-
cord betwixt the inner^man and the outward man : If thou
offer the torn, is it not evil ? And if thou offer the lameros
it not evil ? It was forbidden under the law, to bring the torn
and the lame, as an offering to the altar ; So there muft like-
wife be an agreement betwixt the inner and the outward man.
, It was alfo forbidden to bring the fick of the flock, , Signify
ing, that he will not have the drooping and languishing fer
vice that many have to give. But that is not the fervice that
he will accept of, fo beware of bringing the fick as an offer
ing : Beware of a difequraged and languifhing way of Serving
him, and beware of a disagreement betwixt the outer and in
ner man, for he calls for both to be cordial in his fervice. O
up with your head, therefore, and be cheerful in his fervice.
It Should be our element to ferve him, as the frefh air is to the
beafts, and the water to the fifties ; we Ihould be fo, that we
could not live out of his fervice. 0 f°r fvch a Sight of him,
as would make it fo ! and this would be reward enough for
the hardeft taSjche puts us to, although there was no reward
of free grace after this
6. Obferve, They that weary of the Lord's fervice will foon
quit the Confcience that is appealing to them : Offer this to thy
governor, will he be pleafed with thee, or accept thy perfon ?
When confcience fpeaks, That it was not you, fo ye will find
that your confcience will be an awe- band. Is it not ftrange,
that fo many profeffed, not long fince, to be ferving and fol
lowing him, even under the crofs, that their practice is now
turned to the quite contrary; but I will not think ftrange of
it ; fori fucn as weary of ferving him will foon flight the
- voice of their confcience, or they will quit altogether, and he

Upon Malachi i. 12,-14. 373
he will quit them; and then, when God leaves them, their
cafe is miferable. It is a fad word frotn God to a foul, Let him
alone, he is joined to his idols. But curfed be the deceiver, which
hath in his flock a male, and fltcrificeth to the Lord a Corrupt things
*j. Obferve, That the feritence that was pronounced againft
thefe, that were the corrupters of God's fervice, was chiefly
againft the deceiver and the hypocrite ; they pretend much
zeal and love, make vows, and pay, and refolve and per
form : But, what was it tbat they brought ? It was but a
corrupt thing, the refufe of what they had, that they had
brought. They were juft like many of this generation, that
have no will to venture their beft things in the fervice of God,
they will be loth to venture the beft of their nolt and fheep
for the caufe of Chrift, but think that any thing may ferve,
and fo there is a curfe pronounced againft them : Curfed be
the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and offereth a cor
rupt thing to the Lord.
8. Obferve, That let {lighters of God's worfhip and fervice
be as good as they will, in their own eyes, and in the eyes
of others, yet they are under, the hard fentence of God's hea
vy curfe : Curfed be the deceiver, which bath in his flock a male.
But many will not believe this, thefe that go in to the hire
ling curates, the wrath and the curfe of God Shall be upon
them, if they continue in that courfe without repentance.
Therefore, as I defire that ye would flee from the curfe pro-
ndunced by the Lord in his word, I defire that ye would ffeg
from the camps of thefe men ; for, as the fire devoured the
camps of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, fo fliall the fire of
God's wrath burn up the camps of thefe men : So, as Mofes
warned the children of Ifrael to flee from the camps of thefe
wicked men, fo, in the name of the Lord, 1 tell you to flee
from the camps of thefe hirelings ; Shall ye efcape by iniquity ?
No : Ye Shall not efcape ; for, when the Lord is bringing
on judgments on the land, for fin and falling from- him,
think ye to be Saved under this gourd ? Perfuade yourfelves
no : There is many a ftorm, that feems to be coming on fore
and Sharp. Many think they would go a day or two to the
kirk, to prevent the ftroke ; but remember, that will make the
deluge of wrath greater to you; do not think that ye fliall
efcape by finful means ; for God fhall difcover all thefe
gourds, and overturn all thefe fhelters tlrit many take. Curf
ed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and offereth a
corrupt thing to the Lord.
9. Obferve, That the wrongs that are done to God out of
a pretence of zeal and godlinefs, are thefe that are moft hei
nous in his fight; their hypocrify and out-fide of holinefs,
and other feeming integrities and zeal that they 'had, and yet
they are curfed with a curie, becaufe that it was under the
> • pre-

m L E C T U R E IX.
pretence of zeal and forwardnefs, for h6 was thereby 'moft
dishonoured. And this is the leffon that we would learn from
it, That of all the wrongs that is done againft God, thefe are
moft abhorring to him, that are under the pretence of zeal to
his name and way. O ! have a care that ye run not off at the
right-hand, under the pretence ofj zeal and forwardnefs for
him ; for fetch zeal and forWardnefs is heinous in his fight,
and injurious to him, though fomething in it may feem to be
right ; for, as it is wrong, and a fin, under any pretence, to
offend the Lord, yet this hath a great aggravation in it, when
it is done under the pretence of love to", and zeal for the Lord.
Therefore Study and labour to beware of all fin ; but this ef
pecially, that is palliate and covered with the pretence of love,
seal, and feeming ferioufnefs. O take warning ! ye fee what,
they did, that went offfrOm us under the pretence of zeal
and forwardnefs for him, that the Lord hath taken away that
zeal, that' they were maSked with, and difeovered their way
to be moft injurious to him : And he will alfo difcover thefe,
that this day are covering their injurioufnefs to him, with the
pretence of love, zeal, and forwardnefs for him.
io. Obferve, That it cannot but be a great injury againft
God, and procure a curfe, when people employ not their
beft things in his fervice. This is clear from verfe 14. Curfed
be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and
facrificeth unto the Lord, a corrupt thing. So men that em
ploy not their beft things in the Lord's fervice, believe it they
are chargeable with this ; he calls for your beft things in his
fervice, and not that ye Should fpend that upon your lufts.
Ye are called to employ the beft of your time in his fervice,
and many of you give him but the refufe of your time ; or
at beft he gets but your by-time for his fervice. But ye Should
g"ive him the beft of your time and ftrength, and your hearts ;
allftiould be" employed in his Service. Do not fey, that ye
do the beft that ye can, for I am perfuaded, that there is none
of you, but ye may do more for him than ye do. And do
not fay, that ye improve the talent that he hath given you to
trade with, for ye but mifimprove it ; and tha beft of you,
we fear, come fhort of improving it, for if ye improved it,
ye fliould find it increafe upon your hand, and ye would more
appear like his children. But becaufe people do not improve
tlieir time, and their abilities to lay them out for God, it
procures a curfe ; for though our obligations go far beyond
our duties, that we do, yet when we do not lay out all our
abilities for him, and do not bellow our love, our affection,
and our time, and all that we have for him, but beftow them
upon other things, we procure his curfe.
Young folk fet to the work, and be intreated to give up
yourfelves to his fervice, and employ your beft things for him ;"
now

Upon Mala-chiM. 12, — 14. 375
now when your defires are frefh and quick. O ! will ye beftow
them on precious ChrilT ! ye have a brave prize put in your
hand, if ye. fet right to the work; ye may fee Zion's King
come back, and the crown fet upon his head again. Now,
there is two reafons given, wherefore they fhould„not profane
his nafne : (1.) Becaufe he is a great King : (2.) Becaufe Ms
name is dreadful among the' heathen
1 r . Obferve, That the great reafon of peoples flighting of
God's worfiiip and Service, is the want of the itnpreffion of
the greatnefs, fovereignty, and power of God : People win
not to right thoughts of him ; and therefore- think, that any
time may ferve, or that any fervice is good enough and any
facrifice may Suffice to offer. But, will ye know, firs, that
he is a great King ; great men, and kings on earth, require
more fervice, than this great King and Lord gets from many;
I do not mean thefe corrupt men, that call themfelves fo ;
but thefe that are fuch. They require and get more fervice,
than this great Lord gets; who is the King of Kings.
And thus he brings in. Ifrael ; offer this now to thy govermr^
would be accept thy pe'rfon ? No certainly. If ye were employ
ed to ftand before kings, and to do them fervice, ye would
have other preparations for it, and would wait with other at
tendance diligently and obediently, than now ye do. Ye think
to efcape this Stroke from his hand, "that tbeinjurers and pro-
faners of his name will meet with, when he wil} avenge hfoi-
felf on all fuch. O! remember this, ye corrupt and carnal
worfbijppers, that he is a great King, and that he will not
'pafs by fuch injurers and profancrs of his name ; but he will
avenge himfelf upon you fuddenly. , ,
Now, will not this caufe you to feek after more feriouf- '
nefs in his fervice? Remember, that the carnal and formal
w, fliipper will be charged with profanation of his name, as.
weii as the grofly wickedj thougb they do not make fuch o-
pen proplamation of profaning his name before the world as
thefe do. Remember this, that he is a great King, and will
not fit with the wrongs done to his name, but will be avenged
on you fuddenly.
1 Obferve, That the Lord is dreadful, among the heathen,
the refpect that heathens bear to the name of God, by reafon
of his common providence, in what they conceive of him
darkly, .therein, may be fufficient to condemn all that have a
profeSCon of him. O the refpect the very heathens bear to
bis name ! and the impreffion that they have of a deity, may
be fufficient to witnefs againft the profeffed worfliippers of
him: So that the Lord makes ufe of the ftedfaftnefs of tlje
heathen, when pleading with'ni; people for their unfixednefs:
For, faith he, fafs over the ifles of Chittim, and fee if there be
fuch a, thing, that they have changed their gels, which yet are, no
gods:

376, SERMON XXXI.
gods t But my people have changed their glory. The heathen
then continue ftedfaft in the worfhip*of their falfe gods, and
they have even fome impreffion of a deity on them ; but a
people that is under a' profeffion of the name of the. true
God, will turn to a corrupt worlhip. Shall not the heathen
ftand up, and witnefs againft fuch in this land ? May not the
Lord bring in Turks and Barbarians, to witnefs againft many
in this generation ? O contemners and flighters of God's wor
fhip ! it Shall bejnore tolerable in the day of judgment, for
them than for you. And this will be the cafe of many, that
little know this. But, oh ! who would not fear thee, 0 thou
King of nations.

m&s&3mM'm%%mmi(mMm{%mm( SERMON XXXI.
Isaiah iii. io.
'Say ye to the righteous, that it fball be well with him.
THERE are feveral queftions of great weight, which
we fhould be oft aSking, that are of foul'-cohcernment ;
as that, What fball 1 do to be faved ? Do ye know what this is,
to be put to much exercife, and great diligence about your
foul's cafe ? This flows not from paffingand tranfient thoughts
of Chrift, but frpm a heart-work, and a humble work. O !
think, What fhall I do to be faved} It is fadly to be feared,
that there are fome folk, that never aSk the queftion a"t their
own hearts, What fhall I do to be-faved ? And there are fome,
when they fet about this .work, in fome cafe, they do make
.themfelves, by their overly feeking, to be ftill under a fecure
filent condition ; and, if they go to feek the charter of their
foul's affurance, they fatisfy themfelves very eafily, and they
are. content to have it written in fuch fmall letters, that they-
can hardly win to difcern or read them ; but Chriftians Should
feek to have the evidences of their affurance drawn and in-
graven in great and grave letters, feeing this is the only thing
needful, .that we are called to make fure in time.
A fecond queftion, that we Should be fetting about, and
ftudying to know, and that is, How to know God, and to
have the foul brought under high contemplations of him ?
The j

Upon Isaiah iii. io. 377
The beauty of him Should make us love and admire him,, and
praife him: This will be the motto, that the believer will he
forced to put upon him, He is .mat-chiefs , and everyway tran-
fcendantly glorious. Look how he is brought in by the Spirit,
Ifa. ix. 6. Wonderful, Counfellor, the migky God, the everlafting
Father, the Prince of peace. And look how he is brought, in
by John, Rev, xix. 16. KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS. So that his properties and Styles cannot be fet out by
the believer : And therefore, with the fpoufe, they muft de
clare h«'m mat chiefs, and altogether lovely.
And, there is a third queftion, that ye fliould be oft aSking
at'your ov.-n hearts, and it is this, What fhall I render unto
the Lord for all his benefits to me ? Are ye fo fenfelefs, that
ye know not that ye have yoiir being of him ? Are ye not
made to wonder at the condefeenfion of our Lord, in all the
fteps of his goodnefs ? A foul, when right with God, will
read mercies out of the greateft of judgments : Jacob was made
to fay, I am lefs than the leaft of all thy mercies. And I will
tell you, a quarrelling difpofition with God, is far from a gra
cious difpofition. *
And, a fourth queftion that ye fliould be often asking,. and
it is, your duty to be feeking much ot the Lord's mind-in it ;
and it is this, Watchman, watchman, what of the night ? The
anfwer is, The morning cometh, and alfo the night. , We are
in the night with it this day ; but there is a darker night com
ing, when the Lord fliall draw forth his bright fword : It is
furbifhed that it may glitte/-, and it fliall be put in the hand
of the flayer, when he fhall pafs through the breadth and
length of the land, and deftroy and lay wafte the finners of
his people ; that will be a dark night. But, believe this, the
church will have glorious days, when the Lord comes back
to his church in the latter days, to reftore the folemn feafts ;
when every one fliall dwell fafely, under his own vine, and
Ifrael fliall no more dwell in tents. O ! if this were be
lieved, a Sight | of thefe days, by faith, would, create more.
courage in his people's hearts, refolutely to face the ftorm.
Considering what he will bring with him, of the power of the
gofpel, this will make all the fwellings of Jordan to appear
but little, although it fliould overflow all its banks. And,
however, in this portion of feripture, the Lord hath certified
and afferted, that come what will, it fhall be well with the righ
teous. Now, from the words read, I would draw thefe two obfer
vations :
i. The firft obfervation is this, That it is a minifter's duty
to divide the Lord's word aright. Here ye fee ifaiah gets his
commiffion from the Lord, to tell the righteous for their en
couragement, that it Jhall be well with them: And likewife to
B b b ' '-' tell

378 S E R M ON XXXI.
tell the wicked, that wo and wrath was abiding them, and
that itfijott-'d be ill with them. This was Paul's charge, to Ti
mothy, that he fliould ftudy to divide the Lord's word rightly,
2 Tim. ii. 15. For the clearing of the meaning of this ; it is
to apply promifes to whom promifes belong, and threatnings
to whom threatnings are due. Minifters Should excufe or
palliate fin in no perfon, of whatfoever degree, as ye may fee
frequently from feripture, from the Lord's commiffipn to his
fervants, that they be faithful Stewards in his houfe, in divid
ing his word faithfully. In effect, 1 fliall fey this word from
it, the failing that hath been in this time, in not dividing the
Lord's word faithfully, hath made his church a brokcq and
divided church, which if the word had been faithfully divid*
cd, and feafonably applied, our rents and divifions, and Sub
divisions, had not been fuch as they are this day : But there
have been fome that came, and pretended to carry the Lord's
meffage ; that have fpoken and proclaimed peace to them,
that capitulate with the Lord's open and avowed enemies,
and ftrengthned their hands, by their fainting, to bear the
Lord*S banner, and taking the lee-fide of the brae, and fo
the fall of many hath been occasioned thereby. Oh ! what
Shall thefebe likened unto, that fhould have been builders with
others in the houfe of God i There is nothing that they can
refemble more, than a company of builders at an houfe,
Where there are fome building, and fome calling down : And
fo. the minifters of Scotland are fuch; there was one party
building, and another party catling down ; and fo, when
thefe that were building law, that the reft caft down what they
builded, they began to call as faft down as the reft, and fo
the building is come to a ruinous heap. Or, they may be
compared to men rowing in a boat, and the wind becomes
contrary, and the ftorm rifes ; and ere they weary themfelves
to get the boat brought to the harbour, they would rather
qnit their work and let the boat perifh. And fo th/is day ye
are fcattered without Shepherds to feed the flock : And what
the Lord faid to Hofea, may be applied lo, and faid of the
men of jdiefe practices, Hofea iv. 6. My people are .deftroyed'
for lack of knowledge. And this is not our obfervation ofily,',
but their own, that when they that fhould feed Chrift's flock
deny to do it, they thereby provoke the Lord to deny their
children of fpiritual food : We fee fomething of this al
ready. 2. The fecond obfervation is this, That 'n this commiffion
that Ifaiah gets, to fay to the righteous, that it fhoidd be well
with them, we See, that when, the Lord threatens Sinners moft
¦with judgments, lie doth 'not forget to comfort his own peo
ple. This piophet, from the beginning of this chapter, fhews,
that he will take away the prophet, and the o-ptaiu, and the
elo-

Upon Isaiah iii.^ie. 379
eloquent orator ; and then, in a word, that he wili bring a
general judgment upon all, fo that none fliall efcape : Yet
he forgets not a promife of comfort to his own ; Say ye to
the righteous, that it fieiJl be well w 'it h him. O! if wt. could
ftand ftill, and admire the condefcendency of God, that he
will not bring a ftroke upon the wicked, till he warn his peo
ple of it ; Ye will See a proof of this in the ninth of Ezekiel ;
for then, when he had determined that he would bring a ge
neral ftroke upon the. city, he gave a charge, th.it there fliould
be nothing done, until all the mourners were marked ; and
not only fo, but when die fentence was put in execution, he
gave a charge, to the men with the Slaughtering weapons,
that they Should not touch or come near any that had the
mark. Ol how wonderful is his condefcendency and kincl-
nefs ? He is fometimes fo kind to, and familiar with his peo
ple, that he will give them a fight of their captivity, with the
fight. of a promife in the bofom of it, for their out-gate: He
dealt thus wit?h his difciples, when he foretold them of his
going away ; for, Says he, / will fee you again, and your
hearts. fhaU rejoice. For he knew that the news of his depar
ture was fad and heavy to them, and therefore he promifed,
that he would come tfgain, and pay them 'a vifit. Whence
we fee, that the -Lord allows comfort to his own people in
the faddeSt of times ; and he will have them comforted, and
he will have it told them : This is clear, from Ifaiah xl. 12.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, faith your God ; fpeak ye com
fortably to Jerufalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is
accomplifloed ; that her iniquity is pardoned. And he forewarns
the wicked of what Shall tj^efal them alfo. ,
3. The third obfervation that I would notice is this, That
the righteous man is the only happy man, becaufe that he
hath the promife of life eternal : And not only fo, but he
hath the promife of all that the Lord fees needful for him in
this prefent life. Who is the man, that will get all the pro
mifes made out to him ? Only the righteous man. : They fball
be brought to Sit on thrones, and to walk in white : They Shall
be kings and priefts to God, and to the Lamb. This is only
given to the righteous perlbn' : All the promifes in this life;
and the life to come, the righteous may claim to them as their
'own, Pfelm Ixxxiv. 11. No good thing will he with hold from-
them that walk uprightly.
But, perhaps, ye. will fay, How can this confiffwith the
cafe of his people ? for we fee that the Lord is giving us
around to take up that complaint, that the wicked are fp read- -
ing' themfelves like a green bay-tree, and have all that their
hearts can wifh, when his peoplc'are reduced to great ftraits.
But though this be true, yet it confifts very well with the pro-"
1 B b b 2 miles j

380 S E:;R M O, N XXXI.
/' ' '¦*'
mifes-; for if the Lord faw not this good for his people, that
they be emptied from veffel to veffel, for their being made
meet for heaven, he had never reduced them to fuch ftraits :
But he is wife who hath faid, Rom. viii. 28. And we know
tbat all things work together for good to them that love God. He
can give them the hundred-fold in the hardeft of their con
dition?. Dare ye not lay, ye-who have peace with him in
your own confciences, that ye have found this to be true,
fiat ye have found thefeafl of fat things, of wines well re
fined upon the lees, in your hardeit lor, when all other things
have been but as trifles to you.
But, perhaps, ye will fey, How doth it confift with the
promifes, when his people are dragged to prifons and to feaf
folds every day, and are made to undergo the hardeft and
fliarpeft of fufferings ? Yet though all this be true, it Stands
very well with his promifes ; for, is he not their light and
their life, and has not his ftrength been forth-coming to
them i whereas he haih faid, 11 hen they go-through the rivers
they -fball not overflow them, and when they walk through the
fire they fhall not be, burnt. Hath he not made out this pro
mise to niany a poor thing, that, no doubt, hath faid, Their
lines are. 1 alleh to them in pleafant places ? We doubt not, but
his prefence hath been fa manifefted to his people, .that even
enemies themfelves have wifhed that their latter end might be
like' theirs; although, like Balaam, they will not live their
life. And fo the Lord caufeth the prophet to proclaim this,
Say to the righteous, it fhall be well with him. „.
But for the better understanding of thefe words.
I. I Shall Shew you, who is the righteous man. And .then,
II. Shall give you fome 'evidences for clearing of this : But
I Shall be very brief.
I. As to the firft, Who is the righteous man ? And how
fhall I know whether this promife belongs to me or not ? I
anfwer, The righteous man is he that hath fled to- Chrift for
righteoufnefs ; that is, the man that hath apprehended Chrift
for his righteoufnefs. Obferve it, till ye be in union with
Chrift, there is not a promife in all the Bible for you ; for,
there is none that can open this book, that is faft fealed,, but
only Chrift ; and can let out of his promifes to his people.
It is faid, Rey. v. 4. That John wept becaufe no man was found
worthy^ to open, and to read tie book, until Chrifl, the lion of the
tribe of Judah, prevailed to open the book, and to loofe the feven
feals thereof. So then, believe it, that the book is fealed till
once ye be in union with Chrift ; and then, when Chrift \f
yours, all is yours and ye are righteous folk : For, it is thefe
who have fled to him, and have union with him, that are the
only righteous. O labour to make this lure, that ye are u-
nited

Upon Isaiah iii. io. 381
nited unto Chrift by faith, and married to him Hy covenant !
Remember, that till then; ye can perform no duty acceptable
to God : And there are four forts of folk that I would pro-
pofe this unto, to try themfelves by. And,
1. The firft fort are thofe, that are not fenfible of their own
condition ; that know not what it is to be convinced of fin,
and of their foul's destitution for fin, and that See not the
fword of juftice drawn above their heads, for a broken law,
until Chrift came and interpofed in their room : And fo con
fider, ye that are in that cafe, that never knew what it was,
to dwell half an hour under defpairihg thoughts about yqur
fouls, ye have never^ known what it is to come to Chrift, a£
feeing yourfelves under the curfe of the law. I fay, whate
ver ye may imagine in a gofpel way, that ye may look at, in
order to your in-bringing to himfelf ; yet this is fure, that ye
muft make ufe of as much of the law-work, as Shall difcover
to you, what ye are by nature.
2. The fecond fort are ye who reft on purpofes and refo-
lutions to grow better, but never bring your purpofes the
length of practices. Remember this, that Balaam had good
purpofes and intentions, who prayed to the Lord, that he
might die the death of the' righteous, and that his latter end
might be like theirs. Remember alfo, what ftrong refolutions
and purpofes Peter had, when Chrift was foretelling that they
fhould all leave him, he1 cried out, That although all fhould
deny him, yet he woii'd not do it ; yet, ye know, Pefer was the
firft tbat fell foully : Therefore I would fay, that refolutions
refted on, and purpofes and intentions to grow better, when
they are not brought the length of practices, fpeak out.this-,.
that they are none of the righteous that the Lord is here com
forting againft-trials and Straits.
3. The third lbrt that I would name are thefe that are reft
ing on duties without Chrift, there is not a promife in all the
feripture to fuch. O ! fey fome, What need I fear, or be
at fuch pains, for if I neglect not reading and praying, and
opportunities of that kind, what will ail me ? But remember
this, that there are many fochhypocrites, that are among (he
damned in hell, that have been very forward in external du
ties : Ye know what the Pharifte faid, when he went up to
the temple to, pray, and began to commend himfelf to God,.
by the good dedds he had done, thanking him, that he wap
not like others, or like the Publican. Ye fee alfo what Paul
fays of hinifelf, when out of Chrift,. that he was a very trim
legal man ; and yet ye fee, for as good a conceit as Paul had
of himfelf,. and of his zeal that made him perfecute, the
church, yet he tells in another place, when once he faw the
law-work* and had the right conviction of fin, then he calis
himfelf, The chief of finners.
4. The

3«2 SERMON XXXI.
4. The fourth fort are thefe who crucify convictions, and
rely on created graces: They ever think it is well, becaufe
they had a calling of this forts Therefore they crofs their
convictions, and fight againft their confciences to get them
•nuieted. Bpt remember this, that every challenge is not fav
ing ;tye may come through many challenges, and may get
the confcience quieted and calmed, and yet not be a faving
work of grace. Many have had many challenges, flowing
t"i obi the common operation of fhe Spirit ; as Judas, who
had challenges enough for betraying innocent blood., yet no
work of faving grace: It is true, that his challenges were
Tuch, that he could not get his confcience calmed again : but
however I will fay this, unlefs your convictions produce a real
hatred of fin, and a lothing of yourfelves, and a fleeing into
Chrift, they are, not faving convictions. It is true, Chrift is
the end of the law to them that belieVe : Convictions maybe
made ufe of by the Lord, iri a fovereign way, as he pleafeth ;
but they, in themfelves, wanting this character and mark, a
hatred at fin, and a real defire to. get God's wrath pacified,
through the merit? of Chrift, it is naught. Now, this is the
language of faith, yet it hath another language, 0. Ifrael, thou
haft deftroyed thyfelf; but in me is thy help. Mofes himfelf
was not fufficient to carry forth the children of Ifrael out of
Egypt, through the wildernefs; but Chrift behoved to be em
ployed, as the fpiritual rock they drank of, to keep them
from fainting. So there muft be a conftarit travelling of the
foul, betwixt Mofes and Chrift. It is the greateft lubiilty
and wilinefs of Satan, that caufeth men to rely upon con
victions: For, believe it, that it cannot be the evidence or
ground of true faving grace. Itisalw-'e the unchangeable
love of God in Chrift, that is to be depended upon, for what
is all created grace, but like the trufting in the arm of flefli.
But remember this, while out of Chrift, no promifes made to
the righteous will ferve your turn. But fay to the righteous,
itflhall.be well with him.
But, who pre the righteous ? Only fuch are they, as hive
communion with God. And here ye may know your union
with him, by the communio* that ye have with him : Aad
if it were afked at you, what is it, that your hearts are going
out after through the day ? And what is it that ye have moft
communion with? We fear, if confcientioufly anf.vered, ihat
it is with Belial, and the works of darknefs ; he that gives
way to the world, and to his lufts and idols, and is keeping
i: Ilowlliip with '.hem, and is not crying out w'uh Ephraim,
Ji'hat hive 1 lo do any more with id'ls ? is none of the righte
ous, But there are feme that think, that they can ferve God
aj;d idols both ; they will give one pan of their hearts to hits, and

Upon Isaiah iii. io. 383:
and another to the world, and the'if idols in it; but he hath
told uS, that there is no concord betwixt Chrift and'Belial.
But, to make it more clear, confider thele evidences : For
as thefe that are fettling upon their lees, and purfuing the
world, are far from having union with Chrift : So thefe arc
the evidences of fuch as have union^with him :
(1.) The man, or the woman, that hath union with Chrift,
they have a real antipathy at every fin, becaufe the fear of
God remains in their heart : It is not a hatred at fome fins,"
that are averfe to their nature, but a hatred, at all fins, efpe
cially that fin, that their nature is moft inclined unto. It. was
David's endeavour to keep himfelf from bis own iniquity,
Pfelm xviii 23.
(2.) They that have union with Chrift, they know by ex
perience, that faith is the instrumental caufe ot that union,
becaufe it is only by faith in Jefus Chrift, that the believer is.
helped to this ; but ye tbat know not how ye wan by faith,
have reafon to queftion that your faith is not found. There
fore, there is no union with Chrift without faith: Ye will
readily fay that ye believe, and that ye huve faith : Siit, how
came ye by it ? Ye cannot tell: But I tell you, that faith
which ye brought to the world with you, Shall not carry you
far. But the man that hath union with Chrift, he can tell
of the difficulty of believing; and how hard a work he iud
ere he wan at his faith. Christianity is a myftery indeed, to
the Christian, to win at : But to fuch only this is that whk'h
Strengthens their faith, that Chrift is the Author 'and Fini
sher thereof. Therefore I would fay this from it, that ye that
know not the difficulty of believing, ye know not what it is to
believe. (3.) Thofe that have union with Chrift, this is an evidence
of it, that he only is precious to them ; according to that
word, 1 Peter ii. 7. Unto you therefore which believe be is pre
cious. They that believe they have a high designation to give
him ; and their eftimation of him is above all things. So ye
that find your hearts much after other thl.igs, and ace .ready
to forget him ; he hath never been feen to be precious io you.
Ye have never win to know, what it was to dwell under the
refrefhing thoughts of him atid his love : And to come with
him from Lebanon. And if an abfent Chriit be thus lovely ;
what mult his prefence be ? Indeed when he is prefent, a foul
will not win to get all his properties commended ; but this,
that he is altogether lovely. And ye that know not what it
is to- have his loyelinefs engraven upon your hearts, know
not what it is to believe in him, and to* have union with him :
But, to them that believe he is precious. -:
(4 ) They that have union with Chrift, they are '^a*ing
for com. Hitmen with him, and :<i:-h-;:il interruption : The Spirit
' and

3»4 SERMON XXXI.
and the Bride fays, Come; and the loving foul, -that hath u-
nion with him, fays, Even fo, come quickly. It was thus with
Paul, Who fliall deliver me from the body of death? This put
him to a Strait, defiring to be diffolved, that he might win to
enjoy communion with him without any interruption. Have
, ye not been at this, to. have a thirfting and longing to be freed
from a prefent life, that y*e might win to enjoy him ? O hap
py foul ! that from a real ground can Shy this, that this is the
thing, that' would make him content to be abfent from the
body/ viz. that he might be prefent with the Lord.
But I Shall name this as the laft and fum of all in it ; that
thefe who are united to Chrift, they have faith, and it is fuch
a faith as purifies the heart : There is nothing but Chrift that
lives and reigns in the foul ; they are helped to trample upon
principalities and powers ; the world and their lufts, and
Chrift is become the only defire of their foul: But ye that
fay ye have union with him, and yet keep and entertain your
idols in your bofom, I would alk this, where is your holi
nefs ? for, faith employs him, not only for justification, but
for fanctiiication and cleanfing alfo.
Now I Shall fpeak a word to two forts of people,
Ye that can lay hold on thefe marks and evidences, do not
doubt him, although, as to human appearances, he Should
feem to croSs his promifes ; for he that hath begun a gocrd
work of grace in the foul. Shall carry it on, for his work is
perfect; therefore fpend more time in bleffing and praifing
him, and in believing on him : For the enemies, in the midft
of all their profperity, cannot have the fatisfaction that ye
may have, be is iriviting you to come and take your fill of
love : Is he not crying, Behold me, behold me ? And holding
out his arms, and bidding all come ; and every one that will
let him come, and he is begging upon his knees, as it were,
that you would come unto him, and partake of his rich fal
vation. But poflibly fome will fay, I am a poor Sinner, will he ac
cept of me, that is fo vile and polluted ? I anlwer to this, I
trill tell thee in his name, that it is fuch he is feeking : And
although thou be black like the tent's of Kedar, yet thou fhalt
be made comely like the curtains of Solomon. It is not the
penitent only, but the impenitent that he invites to come ; the
greater thy fin be, the greater neceffity thou haft of him. And
I promife you,, in his name, that ye fhall not be the unwel-
comer to him that your fin is great ; for, we never hear that
Chrift upbraided any heinous finners for coming to him. But,
on the contrary, his ferious intreaties are ufed, and he here
by regrets, that finners will not come to him that they might
have life.' This made him weep over Jerufalem and fay, How
often would 1 have gathered you, as. a hen gathercth her chick ens.

Upon Isaiah, iii io. 38$
ens, and ye would not, therefore let not this be your excufe ;
let not the' greatnefs of your Sins hold you away ; for, altho*
ye had all the fins, that all within this place are guilty of, yet
I, in his name, promife you, ye Shall be welcome to him, and
that this Shall not keep you awayi Come, and regret your
cafe to him, for it is only he that can help you out of that
condition. Seek a heart to repent, and grace to believe, in
his name, that he that is God, that juftifieth the ungodly,
may juftify you.
Now there are two or three words of ufe, and I fhall only
name them.
Ufe 1. Is of reproof to them, that are at no pams to get it
known that they are righteous, and have an hi" reft in the
promifes. What a poor portion have they, that will not 1a
at pains to come to him : Ye have not a right-to this promife,
that it fball be well with you ; but the wi.rh of God fliall
feize upon you, and ye fliall be joined to the company of de-
vils'and damned Spirits to all eternity. Therefore, take' this
exhortation, and let not him be provoked ro fay of voir, 'ring
thefe murderers, and flay them before me, that would not that 1
fhould reign over them. Lay to heart, and confider what ye
will Say, when that fentence fliall be pronounced againft you,
Depart from me ye curfed, &c. Remember, that ye are now
invited to come and dole the bargain with him; and if ye re
fufe, there is not a promife in all the Bible for you ; no, not
from the firft of Genefis to the laft of the Revelation, that
fball be for your comfort. Rut I, in his name, do denounce
eternal wrath againft yon : And, what will ye anfwer I Will
ye fend the anfwer of Pharaoh, which he gave to Mofes, Who
is the Lord, that I fhould obey him ? Well, if this be your refo-
lution, gird up your loins, and make yourfelves ftrong, and
put qn your harnefs; for ye fball not boaft when ye put it, off.
again ; ye fhall not boaft of your victory : Remember that ye
have an angry God for your party.
Ufe 2. Is of reproof alfo, to a generation that feeks their
well-being only in the world ; and that are fettling-themfelves
upon their lies, and they will keep the big world in their
arms, till the fire of hell be kindled in their bofom. 0 re
member what a poor portion you have, who have chofen the
world for your portion! ye that will do any thing that ye
may get the world bruiked, that agree and capitulate v»kh e-
nemies, and do thereby deny all duty that ever ye have done:
Remember, it is the Shortest cut to die well to live well,
Ufe 3. Is a word of confolation to his own faithful poes ;
that however it fare with the world, it Shall fare well —ith
them. O man !tart thou a believer ? What is thy cafe ? Thou
haft many rich 'promiles to apply to ti.yieif: And although
thy life may be attended \riih croifes, yet thou haft the pro-.
C c c mile

3&°* SERMON XXXI.
• raife of his prefence, and of all the Strength that is in Cfyiftto
be forth-coming for thee, and for thy through-bearing ; and
the end fliall be well, for the latter end of the righteous is
peace, however matters go with the world. And even as to
time, it Shall go well with him ; he Shall have his hundred
fold in this life, and the Lord's prefence Shall not be wanting,
fometimes lefs and fometimes more, according as he fees it
needful for him : And, if it were no more than the crumbs
that fall from the childrens, table, it is enough <*o make thy
heart cheerful. His company and prefence make, the hardeft
of lots a .paradife- The pfalmift faid, He would not fear, tho*
mountains were caft into the depths of the flea. However, . his
enemies may think light of this,, to caft out a flag of defiance
againft him, and think little Of his love that his people par
take of; yet be is a friend that loves at all times, and he is
fuch a, friend that will Stick clofer than a brother. He is not
like many temporal friends, that although they have willing
nefs to help, yet they want ability ; but he i3 both able and
willing. Whjt is it that ye want, but it is to be found in
him ? Then, will ye affect the caufe, and endeavour to be in
the cafe of his people, and ye Shall be;counted righteous in
bis fight: And never reft, till ye know that their cafe is your
cafe,; and that ye have a right to him. He gave the prophet
a charge to proclaim this in the ears Of the people, before he
brought on defolation and wrath .upon the wicked, go to the
righteous, and fay to them, tbat it fball be well with them.
And now to him that is able to perform thjs promife, and all
others, do we defire to give praife. Amen.

m&mM^mx'x^'^m^ifBm^.)im»M». PREFACE.

». ^T^HERE is this that I would have you confidering, and
X they are blind who fee it n»t fo, that the devil hath a
great ill-will at this place ; for, if he had not a great ill-will
he would not have railed up his inftruments, to have depriv.
ed us of the former opportunity of the gofpel ; nor would he
have been fo bufy to deprive us of the prefent opportunity.
But, 2. I would have you confidering,, that God is very angry
with the people of this place ; for, if the Lord were not very
angry, he would not have given Satan, and bis inftruments, fo

PREFACE to SERMON XXXII. 387
fo much liberty to disturb, and ftand in the way of the preach
ing of the gofpel in this place ; no : His enemies Should not
have prevailed fef much as they have done. We may read
much of his bnger, not only in the laft difeppointment, but
'alfo at prefent, becaufe of the dreadful compliance, far con
trary to what would have beeb expected of them : For, they
may all be foon numbred, that have Hood out from their
courts in this pariSh of Carmichael. ' O! that the people of
this. pariSh and corner, that have heard fo much of the gof-
pel'j fhould think fo little of this heinous fin, that hath Such
aggravations in it ; and fo voluntarily to go, and take the
mark of the beaft by that oath of abjuration. Therefore, as
God is angry with you in this place, fo lbok to feel the weight
of his hand, fo that, efcape a ftroke who will, this place Shall
not efcape. And as for that Lord,, that hath been fo vigilant
in prefiing and conftraipirig men, over the light of their con*
fciences, to go and join wkh thefe courfes of finning, adding
yet this fin to all that .they have done: Believe it, tbey that
•live to fee it Shall fee-, that his houfe fball he a deflation, and
his, farriily a curfe. And I would not give much filver," for all
that his pofterity Shall bruik of his eflate; otherwife ye may
fay that Ihad no commiffion to fpeak this. And the ufe and
improvement that I would have you making of ft is this, Stu
dy to walk fo, as ye may be free of the fed plagues that
are coming ti'pon this place. O! flee from the wj> and
wrath that is coming. But, alas! many are fo entangled,
that they think they .cannot get their feet loofe again : But O
that ye would confider the danger, arid ftee fpeedily into him ;
for all that are partakers with them in their fin Shall be par
takers wkh them in their plagues. O that ye would there
fore take warning, to flee fpeedily out of wrath's way. We
¦fliall fay no more ; but let us go to God by prayer, ,to feek
his prefence and bkffing.

C c c % SERMON

[ '3»8 I

SERMON XXXII.

Haggai i. 4.
Is it time for you, 0 ye, to dwell in your cieled houfes, and this
houfe lie' wafte'?

TH E world is a grent enemy to religion : It is a factor to
the devil, to gather in his children. It hath ftrong
claws, and it holds many very faft ; it never.fets the grip go',
till it cafts them into the bottomlefs pit. Ye may fee what a
great hindrance it is from Matth. xxii. 4, 5 When the king fent .
'forth his fervants, to call in thefe that were bid to the wedding,
they made tight of it, and fome went to their farm, and others to
their merchandife. And in effect we may fay this., That there
was never a vifible church more worldly than the church of
Scotland ; and I have thought it Strange, that Scotland, that
hath fo little of the world, and is the pooreff as to worldly
riches, of all nations, yet it is the greedieft after the world,
and the moft glewed to it of any nation. But I will tell you,
they that have fuch a love to it care but little for the houfe of
God. And this is the Lord's expostulation with the profef
fors of Scotland, Is it time for you to dyjell in your cieled hou
fes, when my houfe is wafte ?
Now the Jews were returned, and come back from their
captivity,' and they had begun to build the houfe of the Lord,
but they were hindred by their wicked ruleis and counfellors -,
as ye may See in the fourth chapter of Ezra ; where they Stir
red up Artaxerxes to hinder the building; fo it Was hindred
all the days of Artaxerxes, until the fecond year of Darius:
And all the time, that this houfe lay wafte, they were bufy
building their own houfes. Then the Lord fends his prophet
to them, ana1 reproves them thus. Is it time for you, 0 ye, io
dwell in your cieled houfes, and my houfe lie wafte ? A*
I had occafion to be on thefe words before ; and I laid down
two doctrines, and profecuted them, which I Shall not now.
name. And a third doctnne was this,
Doct. 3. That carnal and lukewarm people, cttre much
more for the things of the world, than they do for the work of
God. This is clear in the text, and from Phil, ii 2t. For all feek
their own, and not the things which are Jefus Chrift's. He is
fpeaking hereof the generation, that profeffed godlinefs : and
look

S E R #L O N XXXII. 3$9
look that forecited place, Matth. xxii. 5, .They made light
of the offer of the gofpel, and went to their farms and nier-
chandife, they minded the world fe> much. O! there have
been many in Scotland, and many in this bounds, that have
made light of the gofpel, and have gone to their trades, and
to their labouring ; and fo are held, by the world, from com
ing to Chrift; and fo have finned exceedingly againft God.
But what can be the reafon, that carnal and lukewarm people
care fo little for the houfe of God ? we Shall give you a few
reaSons why it is fo. Abd,7
I. This is a caufe, The blindnefs of lukewarm profeffors ;
for, their blindnefs is fo great, that they do not fee Chrift ia
his excellency and comelinefs", which if they few, they would
be made to cry out, What have I to do any more with idols ?
They would no more make the world their idol ; or rather
their god : But the want of this is the reafon that lukewarm
profeffor care fo little for the houfe of God.
2. The -fecond caufe, why lukewarm profeffors care fo
little for the houfe of God, is, their not accepting of Chrift,
as king in their hearts : For, where he is accepted as king,
he muft rule and govern : No man can ferve two rnafters -
I defy that man that takes not Chrift as king to rule in his
heart, over his will, his mind, arid his affections, that ever
he will care much for the houfe of God : For, his affections
are after, and upon other things.
3. The third caufe, why carnai and lukewarm profeffors
care fo little for the houfe of God is, their blindnefs as to his
caufe. They fee not the noblenefs of Chrift's Caufe ; and
therefore it is that they prefer the world before it : They fee
not his declarative glory to be his concernment, caufe, and
quarrel, and fq they prefer the world before it. But, O ! if
ye faw, what a noble caufe and quarrel, his caufeis, and what
a houfe his houfe is, ye would not be fo carnal, as to build
your own houfes, and to feek great things for yourfelves,
while the Lord's houfe is lying wafte. '
4. The fourth caufe, why carnal and lukewarm profeffors,
prefer their own things before' the caufe of Chrift, is, their
blindnefs in not feeing the vanity and emptinefs of time's
things. Though there be nothing more certain, than this, that
we Will carry nothing to the grave ; naked came we into the
world, and fo Shall we return out of it:. 0-! what a naked
thing this world is! It may be. faid of it, as Job faid of his
friends, Job xvi. 2. Miferable comforters are ye all .- And as
Solomon feys, Eccl. i. 2. Vanity of vanity, all is vanity. Peo
ple do not fee the emptinefs "of time's things, and fo they
prefer them before the things of Chrift. Of if ye could win
to fee, that the Lord can make an ill year part you and the
things of the world ; and he cui make enemies ro rurt vou, and

39© SERMON XXXII.
and the things of the world, that ye have fo high an efteein
¦of.-,. 5. The fifth canfe why carnal and lukewarm profeffors
*fteem the world above tbe things of God, is, theit brutiSh
ignorance ; they mind not eternity. The man tbat cares much
for his own houfe, and for the world, he is not careful for
eternity 4 And I would think fomething to fee mens hearts
glowed to the things of the world, if they were to live ever
lastingly together : But them that bath their happinefs in this
life, I may fay", that they are of all men the moft miferable,
O ! will ye confider this, when ye prefer the world to the
work of God ? Remember what the rich glutton faid, when.
he was fwimming in his earthly pleafures, and carnal delights :
He bade his foul take eafe, for he had enough laid up for
many years ; but be knew not that the fentence was paft h»
heaven, This night thy foul fliall be required of thee i And then
•whofe fhall all thefe things be, tbat thou took fo much pleafure in ?
And then he behoved to leave his full barns, and brave build
ings : So, tbe caufe of efteeming fo much of the world, and
fo little' of the work of God, by many carnal and, lukewarm
profeffors, is thefe ignorance and brutifh foolifbnefs in reft
ing fo much fatisfied upon the things of this world. O fools i'-
what are they at the beft, but transient and-paffiag vanities ?
Now there are fome forts of folk, that I would reprove
from this doctrine. And,
(1,) Thefe are to be reproved, whofe thoughts are all con
cerned and taken up, about their own private things in the
world, more than with the work of God. I fear that there
are Some here, that their main care arid thoughts, are more
I10W to get their cattle preferred, and their gear bruiked and
keeped in this time, than how to get the houfe of God built
again. (2.) Thefe are to be reproved, that lay afide their being
ufeful for the work of God, when hazard is in the way -.
And bow many are there of this fort* in Scotland, that, with
in thefe eight years, would have been very ufeful, for the
work and people of God, that have now laid it afide, becaufe
of hazard that is in the way ?
(3. J' Thefe are to be reproved -from this doctrine, that
comply with the enemies of God, that they may enjoy the
things of the world; what hath made fo many comply, and
go to the enemies courts, but to get the world keeped? Is not
diis the reafon that many lukewarm profeffors have to give
for their compliance ? 1 will not get the houfe keeped, Say
they, if I Sland out, and go not to courts, &c. Oh ! alas !
Jt is a poor tale : Therefore we fear, that when the Lord re
turns to Scotland again, he will get few boufe-keepers, or
jund-keepers to come to, (4). Thefe

Upon Hag'gai i. 4. 391
(4.) Thefe ate to be reproved, that are more concerned
with their own private lofs, jhan with all the loffes of the ,
work and people of God. They that have bad fqrer hearts
for their nolt and fheep dying, than for the blood of his pre
cious fervants, that hath been ftted in fuch abundance. O
atheifts! remember that ye Shall come to lofs at laft, when
bis people Shall be.made to rejoice.
(.5.) Thefe are, to be reproved, that rejoice more in a good
year, when the world .profpers well with them, than they do,
to have the work of God to profper and thrive. Ay,,f«p-
pofe that there were a toleration granted for all men to go to
their employments, and markets, and tradings again, they
.would think that they were well come to, if they had eafe
and liberty, though they wanted the precious gofpel. Bo*
remetnber, O carnal atheift .' that thou art worthy to be re
proved ; for God {hap 'make a fudden and certain parting be
twixt thee, and the world, that thou del'ghteft fo much in.
(6.) Thefe are to be reproved, that can go over difficulties
to get gain to themfelves ; but will not venture to go over
difficulties, to do a good turn to the work of God, they ven
ture over all difficulties to build their own houfes ; but they
venture over none to build the* houfe of God. Many wiil
venture far for advantage in the world, that will not in the
leaft venture for the advantage of the church of God. M&nf
will venture to go to markets and fairs, over difficulties and
hazards, for worldly advantage ; but they will not venture to-
come to a preaching for fear of hazard. Many will venture
to carry prohibite ware for their gain ; but will not venture
to carry prohibite books. But remember, how fad your doom
will be one day, when fhe -Lord bids you go to the gods whom
ye have Served, and let them deliver yOu.
Doct. IV. A fourth doctrine is this; That God will re
duce your praklice, in and about your own things, to refute your
vegligence in the building of his church. Ash is verfe 9. Te
locked for much, and lo it came to little, and when.ye brought it
home, 1 did blow upm it .- Why ? faith the Lord of hofts ; Be
caufe of mine houfe that is wafte ,- arid ye run every man un'ts
[his. own houfe. Jer. ii. n. Hath a Nation changed their gods,.
which are yet no gods ? And fo to -refute their negligence he
•will bring in riie heathen nations in their faithfulnefs to theis-
falfe gods. As ye have it in Malachi.iii. 8. (Vila man rob
God? Yet yc have robbed me. As if he fliould fey, Will the
heathen rob or take away any thing from their idol-^ods,
though yet they be no true god's, no ; they will not : There
fore he will bring in their care, diligence, and faichfu'ru )», to.
refute the negligence of his profeffing people. Enemies are
alfo diligent in the courfes that they take jn Land -, and there-
Sore he will bring in enemies %q refute the negfgeuce of'his- ov.-.-s

&* SERMON XXXII.
own people. Enemies are diligent in courting and Stretching
for their whole power, for promoting a courfe of Wicked
nefs ; fo the Lord will make ufe of this to refute the ne
gligence of his people. And there are two Sorts that he will
thus refute.
I. Thofe tliat are diligent about their own things', to re
fute their negligence for his work: Thofe that are careful
about their own work ; and fpare no time for this. Bat
can get no time to pray to the Lord,, for fear it wrong their
own work.
2. Thofe that venture over difficulties for gain and advan
tage to themfelves, but will not go over difficulties when they
are in their duty, as I feid before. Therefore, O remember",
that the Lord will feek no other thing to witnefs againft you,
than your own riractice, to refute your negligence, and con
demn it. Is it time for you, 0 ye, to dwell in your cieled houfes,.
and this houfe lie wafte ?
,' Doct. V. A fifth doctrine that I Shall name is this, That
God hath a witnefs in every man's confcience that will fpeak for
him. He appeals it to them, Is it time for you, Q ye, to dwell
in your cieled houfes ? All the appeals in feripture prove this,
as that in Jer. v. 7. How fhall 1 pardon t bee for this ? Putting
, the queftion over to themfelves to anfwer ; How fball 1 pardon
thee for this? i&c. Ay, God hath a witnefs in "every man's
bofom, that will witnefs for him; I do not fay, but in the
time of ignorance, ye may have no fpeaking witnefs ; and when,
by inconfiderate and accuftomary finning, ye may Silence the'
confcience, fo tbat it ceafe to be a reprover, yet God hath a
witnefs, and this witnefs will fpeak for him one day.
Now, there are three forts, that I would apply this doc
trine to. And,
.1. I would apply it to thofe, who when they have complied,
and gone to their curates, and gone to their courts, when
queftioned for it, they feek out arguments to defend it, and
to cheat their own confciences ; and are not afraid to go to
the Lord's holy word, to feek to cover their fin"; v but I tell
you, ye that are guilty, confider, what ye are doing ; for
God will one day put the queftion to yourfelves, and your
confcience will fpeak for him.
¦ 2. I would apply this, to thefe 'who are ready to take ad
vice and counfel from men ; that fey, Such a man, and fuch
a man, he counfelled me ; and Such a minifter he hath gone
fuch a way, and can there be any ill in it ? Pvemember, that
you are reproved from this, that ye lay more weight^upon
the counfel and example of men, than upon the witnefs of
confeienca. 3, I would apply this to thefe, who, by their cuftomary
finning, do much to get the confcience filenced, if they can

Upon Haggai i, 4. 393
get it done. I remember a Story of two murderers, the one
had committed a Single, act of murder, and the other had fol
lowed a cuftom of this practice.; he that had committed but
one act, could not get his confcience quieted j but the other
advifed him to go on in that courfe; for at firft it was fo
with him, which he did, and fo got peace enough, So peo
ple this way get the.confoier.ee Silenced: And for my part,
I think little of it, although people think little of going to
kirks, to hear thefe profane curates ; and to go to enemies
courts ; and. of paying cefs and locality to thefe bloody fol
diers, for maintaining them, to deftroy the Lord's work, and,
to kill his people ; becaufe of their cuftomary finning, their
confcience is much quieted.. Many had a reluctancy at the
firft, to go and join in thefe courfes, who now have great
peace ; and will pretend and argue clearnefs in it, and, by ar
guments, defend what they do. 0 bad cafe ! they have got
ten their confcience feared, as with a hot iron. But, O re
member, that this witnefs, that ye have Silenced thjs way.
will one day flee in your face : This never dying worm 01
confcience, fliall be your tormentor.
4. I Would apply this to thefe, that go on in fin, and, yet
have a witnefs in themfelves againft it. They go to the kirks
and hear the curates, with conviction that it is fin -, Where
fore is it then that ye go ? To feve your gear. Remember
the queftion will be put home, to you ; anfwer therefore ;
let confcience fpeak, whether that .be Sin or duty, to go to
the kirk and communicate with thefe men in their rebellion.
againft God ; and to go to their courts, and pay cefs and
locality, for maintaining the Lord's enemies, to ruin hii work,
and people. O let confluence fpeak! ifyourcoUrfe be not
right, why go ye on in It, and flight the voice of confcience
flow ? But remember, that it will- flee in your face in one
day. The gnawing wo-.m of the confcience of the damned,
that will torment them for ever. O J will ye all remember
this, ye that flight the voice of conscience ? But I fliall fey
110 more.

Ddd PREFACE

L 394 'J

PREFACE.

CHRIST JESUS is moft willing to come amongft
us ; but, there are many forts of folk here that are
great Slops in his way. As,
i. Thefe who are Come here,- and yet are holding their i-
dols in their hearts : O ! will ye remember that there is no
concord betwixt Chrift and Belial ; nor no agreement betwixt
the temple of God and idols ? One luft retained in the heart
is enough to keep out Chrift. Some are come with the world
in their hearts ; fome with one idol, and fome with another,
which they will not quit with ; anil for this Chrift will not
come to them, till they be in another cafe, by forfaking all
their idols.
2. The fecond fort, that are a great hinderance in Chrift's
coming, are indifferent folk; fuch as care not whether he
come or not : O ! I fear there are many of you that fall un
der this name, who are come here without any ferious defire
after Jefus Chrift : And when it is tojd you, that fuch indif
ferent folk are not meet for Jefus Chrift, ye have but little
painednefs of heart, or concern about the fame; which is a
fad evidence of your indifferency, and that ye care not whe
ther ye find Chrift in his ordinances or not.
3. The third fort, that are great hinderers of Chrift's com
ing, are hypocrites : Thefe are great hinderers of Chrift's
prefence; for, they come to ordinances, as Joab went, to
Abner, with a bloody dagger under his mantle, to kill him :
Ye would think it ftrange language to tell you, that ye are
come to betray Chrift this night, but we tell you, hypocrites,
ye are come as Judas did to betray Chrift with a kifs ; hypo
crites crucify Chrift under the vail of love, and carry their
arms under their mantle of pretended love, to crucify him, as
joab and Judas did r So wherever hypocrites come, they are
a plague to the affembly of the Lord's people ; for others are
the worfe dealt with for their fakes.
4. The fourth fort, that are great hinderers of Chrift's
coming, are unbelievers ; for Chrift cannot do many mighty
works among fuch as live in unbelief ; as himfelf testifies of
the unbelieving Jews, Matth. xiii. 58. O but unbelief be a
great mar in Chrift's way ! O but unbelief be a bloody Sin !
for it kills many a poor foul : For, as hypocrites crucify
Chrift under a vail of love, fo unbelievers crucify Chrift un
der a vail of humility. If any one would fay to an unbeliever,
Why

PREFACE to SERMON XXXIII. 395
Why do ye not embrace Chrift, and take him at his word ?
Say they, Chrift is fo great a Prince, and I fuch a poor^oath-
fome object upon the dunghill, that I dare not believe in him ;
but oh ! this painted humility is, in reality, but the height of
pride and ignorance : It is like one of whom it is reported,
That he would not take up a crown at his foot and wear it :
For thus it is with all unbelievers, they are fo proud, that
although Chrift comes to them, and offers them a crown
freely, they will not take it out of his hand ; for, thodgh
they have a fliew of painted humility, it is nothing but brutifh
pride. O I are ye fenfible, firs, of this bloody fin of unbe
lief, that murders fo many fouls, that Chrift cannot take up
company with ? I tell you, it is no prefumption to believe in
the name of Jefus Chrift, Since he hath commanded it : Can
it be prefumption to obey the king's lawful command ! And,
this is his commandment, that ye believe in the name of "Jefus
Chrift, 1 John iii. 23: O but we might expect an heartfome
meeting With him, if we were freely quit of unbelievers from
amongft' us !
5. Tfie fifth fort, tbat are great hinderers of Chrift's com
ing, are fecure folk : A company of fenfelefs Secure Sleepy
•folk, are great hinderers of Chrift ; for, he meeteth with
thefe that rejoice and worketh righteoufnefs ; but, we read
not in all his word, that he meeteth with fuch as Sleep in fe
eurity. Alas ! there is fuch a fleeping lethargy feized upon
this generation, that thevery founding of a trumpet will not
awakenthem out of their fleep. O Sleepy fecure folk ! ye
are a great hindrance in Chrift's way. And, alas ! I muft
fay to that man and that woman, that will not awake in
fuch a time as this, Sleep on, for ye know nothing, that
. know not this, that God- never took more pains to awaken
any generation than he hath taken to awaken this generation ;
for, he fent his word among us, and that did it not ; and now
be hath fent his rod, but neither hath that done it. He hath
cried to us, and that hath not done it : And he hath begun
and continued to chaftife us ; but that hath not done it. O
fecure folk ! will ye awake, left ye fleep unto death. Let
us pray, that be may awaken us*-

Ddd2 SERMON

t 39« 3
SERMON XXXIII.
Hosea xiii. 9.
0 Ifrael, thou haft deftroyed thyfelf ; but in me is thine help, ,
MAN hath always leaft will to walk in the way that
God fets him in^ Man would always rather walk in
his own way, than in God's Way. When God created man,
be entered frito a covenant of works with him ; but though
he could, he would nbt^ keep it, but brake it ; and thereby
rendered himfelf liable to all miferies. Again, the Lord out
,of his free love entered into a covenant of grace with him,
through a Mediator; yet notwithftanding of this, there is in
man by reafon of fin, a natural enmity againft God, till the
Lord renew the will : and man would rather be fayed by a way
of his own, than by Chrift's way, till he fee the neceffity of
believing in Jefus Chrift for falvation. This is fummarily
comprehended in • thefe words ; Thou haft deftroyed thyfelf;
hut in me is thine help.
In t!)'e beginning pf this chapter it is faid, That when Epbt
r aim, f pake trembling, he exalted himfelf in Ifrael; That is,
when he got out God's laws, then the fear of God was upon
him : But, when he offended in Baal, he diedj From this we
may obferve, ,
i, '* That it is peoples Sin that brings them down from
f their excellency.*? What brought the church of Britain
down from her glory ? It was even this, her finning againft
the Lord.
2. " That when people are once fet upon a courfe of defec-
?5 tion, it is hard for them to hold from proceeding from evil
*' tq worfe :" For here it is faid, ver. 2. And now they fin more
and more ; for one ftep of defection makes way for another j
and we may fee this in ourfelves ; for one firft ftep of defec
tion hath been a chain to draw us into all tbe reft. Verfe 3.
It is faid, They fhall be as the early cloud and morning dew, that
foon paffeth away : By which is Signified, that there is n6 Sta
bility iri thefe enjoyments, thatarje procured by finful courfes;
for they foon flee away, as the clouti and the dew doth, when
the fun rifeth: For the Lord watcheth Qvpr people for evil
and not for good, white they continue in Sinful courfes.
But now I corne to the words ; O Ifrael.' thou haft deftroy
ed thyfelf. This is fpoken of the ten trib.es : And, what was it
that

• S E R M O N XXXHI. 397
"tnat deftroyed them ? It was their fin in choofing and fetting
up of Jeroboam tO be their king, without aSking the Lord's
advice, or waiting for bis commandment; and then falling
into idolatry, by worshipping the golden calves which he fet
up at Dan and Bethel ; and afterward their worshipping of
Baal : From one ftep of fin they proceed to another, till they
have deftroyed themfelves : And here the prophet gives the
caufe of their destruction, that it is of themfelves ; 0 Jfraell
thou haft deftroyed thyfelf. Peoples definition is of them
felves ; it is their fins that deftroy them. And, as their ori
ginal fin is the fountain and root of alt other fins, fo it may
juftly be Said, that original fin is the caufe of their destruction.
"And now we would aSk this at you, Are ye fenfible that fin
hath destroyed, you ? O ! if ye were fenfible of this, ye would
have another kind of exercife upon your fpirits than you have,
concerning the way to be relieved from under the burden of
felf-deflroying fin. Alas I we fear, that few of you are con
vinced of the deftroying nature of fin, And therefore in
fpeaking from this at the time, I fliall, ,
I. Give you fome evidences of thefe that are not convinced
of the deftroying nature of fin.
II, I Shall Shew you whereby ye may know if ye be convin
ced of the deftroying nature of fin.
I. Now, as to the firft of thefe ; as the moft part of peoples
practices declare that they are not convinced of the deftroy
ing nature of fin, fo thefe things following are particular evi
dences of it;
1. The firft evidence of a people that are not convinced of:
the deftroying nature of fin is this, when a fight of fin fets
them not on a way of humiliation ; but, over all the difcover*
ies they have of fin continue unhumbled and unbroken in .
heart for the fame : And, by the deceit of Satan, the enemy "
of man's falvation, conclude, that it is as ill with them as it
will be, and that all is but one fault ; and therefore they re*
main unconcerned as they were, notwithstanding of the fight
they have of fin. If we could hear the confcience of this ge->
neration fpeak, we would find this to be true;
2. The fecond evidence of the want of the conviction of the
deftroying nature of fin, is when people go on in fin, with a
refolution to continue in ft. Some do this ; they ta^e a Hbe|&
ty to fin, and becaufe they are not convinced of the destroy
ing nature of it, they refolve to continue in it, and feek not
the remedy provided in Chrift Jefus for loft finners, for de
liverance from the power and dominion of it. And, O but
this is a great Sign of the want of love to God, and the want
of love to your own fouls ! for love to God would make you
to ftand in awe to Sin, becaufe it offends, God, and love to,
your own fouls woulff make you to hold off from fin, becaufe k

3S>8 SERMON XXXIII.
it destroys the foul. O confider this, and forfake fin fpeedi-
lv I and do not think that it will be fufficient for you to re
fold to quit fin afterward ; for, what if God call you before
his tribunal, before that time tome ? And then, how will
ye anfwer to him for your continuing in and taking a li
berty to fin ? - '
3. The third evidence, of the want of the conviction of
the- deftroying nature of fin, is the following of fin through
example. There ire many that follow'fin through example of
others, againft the challenge and conviction of their own con
fcience ; and that declares, that they have not the thorough
fight, and righi conviction of the deftroying nature of fin.
Some of you will Say, Some minifters go, and hear the hire
ling curates preach, and may not we go alio ? And fo.ye fol
low their exarriple, though ye have a reluctance in your con
fcience againft it. But, wbat pleafure will ye have in this,
when ye are brought to anfwer before God/- at his tribunal ?
It will be but a poor argument; and what will not excufe
you, that ye have followed the example of others.
4. The fourth evidence of the want of the conviction of
the deftroying nature of fin, is the following of fin through
advice, even when they have fome reluctance againft it. We
have heard of fome that would not have complied with finful
courfes, if their friends had notadvifed them : Some will fay,
they would not have payed fines ; but counfel prevailed wkh
them to do it. This is a poor argument, that will avail them
nothing when they Stand before their Judge. Now, paying
of fines is a great fin againft the Lord : For,
(1.) It is a feeking of enemies peace and profperity which
is contrary to his word, Deut, xxiii. 6. Thoufloalt not feek their
peace, nor their profperity, all thy days for ever.
(2 ) It is a finning againft the Lord's work; yea, it is'a de
nying of the Lord's work, and a denying of your duty, when
ye pay fines for doing your duty, as if it were your fin.
(3) It is a finning againft enemies; for it hardens their
hearts, and Strengthens tlieir bands in their wickednefs, and
niakes their ways justifiable.
(4.) It is a finning againft the tender and godly, who are
offended at it, and a finning againft your own fouls, when
ye comply with fuch finful courfes, through the finful advice
of men, and the fear of man, that brings you into this fnare,
O,!' this proclaims that ye are not thoroughly convinced of
the deftroying nature of fin ; for if ye had this, ye would en
deavour not to fin upon any account. O beware of the lear
of man ! tor it brings on much fin. What is it, that makes
you put bribes in the enemies hands, when they co. -ie to your
boules, but the fear of man ? And by this ye firei.^hen their
bands,

Upon Hose a xiii. 9. 300
' hands, and deny to give a teftimony for Chrift, and againft
them. (;.) Paying of fines is a Shifting of the crofs of Chrift. It
is true, that none Should caft themfelves needlefly in a fnare;
but it is as true, that none Should take a wrong way to Shift
the crofs Of Chrift, for this is not agreeable to his word, as
ye may fee, Matth. xvi. 24. Then faid Jefus unto his difciples, if
any man will come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up
his Crofs, and follow me. ¦
5. The fifth evidence of the want of the conviction of the
deftroying nature of fin is this, many think, if they fin not
actually, they are not guilty, though they countenance others
in Sin. Now, this fpeaks oiit the want of a real conviction of
the deftroying nature of fin ; for it is againft the word of
God ; for, he hath faid, Lev. xix. 17. Thou fhalt not hate thy
brother in thine heart : Thou fhalt in any wife rebuke thy neigh
bour, and not fuffer fin upon him. Confider this, ye that give
your goods and houfes to others, that they may comply and
keep them, for it is all one as if ye did it yourfelves, for the
fin is yours, and then it becomes the fin of your neighbours ;
and as it is their Sin, it is upon your account : But ye will fay,
ye did not, bid them comply, but Since ye knew they would
comply, your knowing that they would do it makes it your
fin. 0 confider this, ye that are guilty tbis way, and be not
. fatisfied with yourfelves, till ye repent,and recover yourfelves
from under tbis fin ! and confider, that God is a fin-reveng
ing God; and if ye will not be convinced, and repent in time,
he will be avenged upon you to all eternity.
• II. The fecond thing was, to Shew you how ye may know,
if ye be convinced of the destroying nature of fin ; And the
evidences of it are thefe.
1 1, When people are throughly convinced of the deftroying
nature of fin, they are alio convinced of their own infufficien-
cy and inability to help themfelves, from under their fin and
mifery : And therefore, papifts, that place a Sufficiency in
their duties, and are fatisfied therein, are not convinced qf
the deftroying nature of fin ; for fuch, as have oft a right
fight and fenfe of the deftroying nature of fin, have alfo the '
conviction of their own infufficiency and inability to help
themfelves from under their mifery.
2. Such as are throughly convinced of the deftroying na
ture of fin are convinced of their unwillingnefs, as well-as of
their inability; fo they fee, that they are neither able, nor
willing to help themfelves, from under their loft and undone
cafe and condition, and they fee that there is nothing in them
to move Chrift to be their help!. O ! if ye would believe this,
that it is the free grace of God, in Chrift Jefus, that is the
only moving caufe in Chrift to be your help and Saviour !
for

4oo SERMON XXXIII.
for the want of the belief of this keeps people Staggering and
doubting, they are ay feeking fomething for. their relief in
thenifelves; but they will never be rightly fettled, or flayed,
concerning their cafe, till they fee that their help is only in
him. And a thorough conviction of the deftroying nature
of fin would help you to fee your unwillingnsfs to come to
Chrift, and your nnworthinefs of him.
1 3. Such as have a thorough conviction of the deftroying
nature of fin will have fuch pregnabt motions, and pricking
conviction?, as will fink to their heart with grief and forrow ;
and will make the fou^ cry out, with the jailor, Acts xvi: 30.
what muft. f do to be faved ? O ! if ye knew any thing of this,
which is of fuch foul concern, ye would not fpend your days
as ye dp.
4. They that are convinced of the' deftroying nature of fin
have a permanent, thorough, and abiding conviction of Sin,
as David had, when be faid, Pfal. Ii. 3. My fin is. ever before
me. O! how few can fay, that they are' under fuch a deep
conviction of fin, that is a permanent and abiding conviftion,"
till the Lord get his end thereby !
5. Where there is a thorough conviction of the deftroying
nature of fin, it produces in the foul a hatred againft, and.
lothing of fin : They will hate and lothe fin, as if it were poi-
fon ; and that not only as it is hurtful to themfelves ; but as
it is hateful to God, finful in his fight, and grieving and of
fending to him, and not as it was with Judas, whofe repen
tance was, becaufe his fin was hurtful to himfelf, and not as
it was hateful to God. For this they will hate and lothe the
very nature of fin, as the worft of poifon, wherever it is, and
in whomfoever it is.
6. The thorough conviction of the deftroying nature of fin
produces in the Soul a forfaking of fin, according to that
Which is required, Ifaiah lv. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return.unta.
the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for
he will abundantly pardon. Ezek. .xviii. 31. Caft away from you,
all your tranfgreffrons, whereby ye have tranfgreffed, and make
you a new heart and a new fpirit ; for, why will ye die, 0 houfe
sf Ifrael ? Le^ none think that they are convinced of the de
ftroying nature of fin, as long as they continue ftill in fin ; for,
when the Spirit of God convinceth of the deftroying nature
of Sin, it is followed with a forS'aking of fin, otherwife it doth
not lead on to ai faving work of converfion.
7. A right difeovery of the deftroying nature of*fin lays
open and convinces the foul of original fin, as well as of actu
al tranfgreflions, and makes the foul to fay with David, Pfal.
ii. 5. Behold I was f hap en in iniquity, and in fin did my mother
conceive me. Natural convictions will convince the foul of
fuch

Upon Hosea xiii. 9, 401
fuch actual fins as are known to the world ; but the Spirit of
God, in giving the thorough conviction of the deftroying na
ture of fin, convinces the foul of original fin, and actual fin ;
of fins known and unknown to the world : Yea, it makes
the foul to look back and fee, that the bitter root from which
all actual fin fprings is original Sin.
8. The thorough conviction of the deftroying nature of fin
makes the foul to have a high eSleem of mercy, and of Jefus
Chrift the purchafer and giver of mercy ; and it cannot o-
therwife be, when, to the foul under the deep conviction of
the deftroying- nature" of fin, Chrift cries, In me is thy help.
This is feafonable comfort to the foul that is crying out, What
fhall I do to be faved? Or, What would 1 not do to be faved? O !
this makes the foul to run to Chrift, withbut being hindered
by any thing, and to have a high efteem of him. It is with
the convinced finner in this cafe, as if a poor creature were
in a dungeon, and the dungeon Shut with gates of brafs and
bars of iron, fo that the poor creature could by no means win
out oT the dungeon he was lying in, and a great prince Should
come by, and break the gates of brafs, and cut the bars of
iron afunder, and let the poor creature go free ; would not
the poor creature have a high efteem of that prince ? For the
foul is chained up in the dungeon of black nature, from
which there is, no liberty, till Chrift come by a day of his
power, and fet the poor imprifoned fouls at liberty. O then !
will not the liberated foul have a high efteem of Chrift the
great Prince, that fets them at liberty ? O ye that never knew
what it was, to dwell under the fenfe of his love and free
grace, for fetting you at liberty, ye know not what it is, to
be thoroughly convinced of the deftroying nature of fin !
9. A thorough difeovery of the deftroying nature" of firj
makes the foul to employ Jefus Chrift, not only for justifica
tion, but alfo for fanctification, to be freed from the prevail
ing power, filth, and pollution of fin, as well as from the
curfe of the law, and condemning power of Sin : Hypocrites
cannot win to this, for they feek heaven by external holinefs,
and care not, if they could get it, though they live in all
their fins, that are hid from, the world i But, from the tho
rough conviction of the deftroying nature of fin, proceeds a
defire to employ Chrift for fanctification ; for the moft pact
of the Christian's exercife«will be to deftroy and mortify the
remaining power of fin, and 10 get the body of death fubdu
ed ; and where this is, if fpeaks out, that they are convinced
of the deftroying and hateful nature of fin.
10. The foul that is convinced of the deftroying nature of
fin is brought to a filent fubjection under all rods and chaftiSe-
ments^ as it was with the church, Micah vii. 9. 1 will bear the
indignation of the Lord, becaufe 1 have finned againft him. The
E e e con-

402 - . SERMON XXXIII.
conviction 6f her fin made( her to Sloop under the Lord's
hand willingly. They put fuch a high efteem upon fpiritual
niercies and fpiritual deliverance, that they are well fatisfied
With whatever outward chaftifements tbe Lord is pleafed to
bring upon them; but ye. that fret, and fpurn under the
Lord's chaftifements, it is an evidence that ye are not fenfible
of the deftroying nature of fin. '
Nowj it is the work of the Spirit of God, the believer's
comforter, to convince the world of fin, John xvi. 8. And
when he is come, be will reprove the world of fin. And there
fore, if any of you know what it is to'have thefe evidences I
have named to you, it Is a fure evidence that the Spirit of God
hath convinced you of the deftroying nature of Sin, ,and that
ye are now in another condition than once ye were in.
Now, for application ; there are two forts of folk that I
will fpeak a Short word to.
(i.) The firft fort are thefe who have never been convinced
of the deftroying nature of fin : O take heed to yourfelves';
fee where ye ftand, and where ye will land ; there is no fafety
without Chrift ; therefore awake out of your feeurity, and
flee to Chrift fpeedily, before the flames of hell and the judg
ment of the everlafting God awaken you : And what awak-
ning will that be when ye paSS through the dark chambers of
hell ; It will be out of time then to be convinced of the de
ftroying nature of fin, and ro feek to the remedy provided in
Chrift Jefus for loft finners. O then ! be convinced in time,
and flee to the city of refuge, otherwife the wrath of God
will be on you to all eternity.
(a.) The fecond fort are thefe who are throughly convinced
of the deftroying nature of Sin : O labour to keep up your
convictions, that thereby ye may be led to Chrift, and inte
refted in him ! And labour to keep up a high efteem of
Chrift, who is .your help, and deliverer from under your
felf-deftroying condition ; and dwell under the impreffions
of his excellency ; and be putting up that queftion, Who is
like Unto him ? And giving that anfwer, he is matchlefs and al
together lovely. O deal with him, that he may take you to
himfelf, and make you fit down under his Shadow with great,
delight, and have his fruit fweet to your tatte !

PREFACE

t 403 3
P R E F A C E;

THE Lord hath brought us here this night, but would
to himfelf that ye, knew what ye are feeking, and that
ye knew what ye are come for. Would -to God, ye were
prepared for fuch a work ; and that ye may be the better pre
pared, I will bring fome few things to your remembrance.
And, 1. The firft thing that I would call to your remembrance is
this, that this corner of the land hath wanted much of God's
word,, and much of God's rod, that other corners of the land
have been tryfted with. Indeed Carrick hath been far behind
with fome other places of the land, both as to the having of
bis word and rod amongft them. And I would not have you
to think, that this way, wherewith ye have been dealt, is any
way for your advantage ; no, no ; for there is much flour
and drift flicking to you, which God hath fweeped off other
places -,'fo other places have been before you, both in fuffer
ing and teftifying for Chrift: And, believe it, ye Shall either
refufe God altogether, or he will not allow you to be fo far
behind in time-coniing, as ye have been hitherto.
,2: The fecond thing that I would call to your remembrance
is this, that the Lord, even this night, is witnefliog that he
will not altogether neglect and pafs by you : The devil, in a
great meafure, hath endeavoured to caft his cloke over this
place, but the Lord is making it appear, that it fhall riot be
fo.' And, believe me, ye may expect th'at the Lord will come
amongft you with a Sharper rod and trial after this, than hi
therto he hath clone ; and ye may take it as a proof of his
fove and kindnefs, for he will have you to understand your
felves better than ye have done
3. The third thing that I wouldbring to your remembrance
is this, that now, feeing, by his merciful providence, he hath
convocated you together, to fuch an opportunity, then ye
ought to come with an appetite of hungering and thirfting af
ter himfelf. O but ye have long wanted fuch a meal as ye
might expect here this night, if ye had but an appetite for it !
O ftrange! that people fhould be fo many months; yea, fo
many years, we may fey, without fuch a meal, and have fo lit
tle appetite for it! O ! what fenfelefsnefs doth this proclaim !
O I is it not fed", that people fliould be, a's it' were, Starving
for hick of food, and yet not hungering and panting after.it !
O! believe it, that there was never any that carne to Chrift
with an appetite, butthey always got a portion ere they '.vent
away ; for a fenfible empty people get a well furnifhed pieach-
E e e 2 ' cr ;

PREFACE to SERMON XXXIII. 404
er ; but a full people, not fenfible of their wants, get a ftrait-
ned bound up preacher. O for a fenfe of emptinefs here this
night, accompanied with a hearty longing after Chrift !
4. The fourth thing that I woiSld bring to your remem
brance is this, that - your coming here this night will either
help you foreward, or put you backward : Believe it, our
coming here this night Shall not be for nothing ; for it Shall
either be a help foreward, or a help backward. O! what a
fad judgment fhall it be to thefe, to whom it is a help back
ward, fo to cah it, when that which God hath appointed as a
mean to" help forward, is turned to the contrary ; for this is
the faddeft evidence of a people plagued of God, when that
which Should be the mean of their cure, is the mean to kill
them. O that ye would confider what ye are doing this night !
for much depends on this night's work, and on the guiding
of it, for it Shall either lift you higher, or caft you down
lower. And therefore fee what ye are doing, and what you1
have before your eyes in "coming here, and prepare your
hearts for a meeting with the Lord-.
5. The fifth thing that I would call .to your remembrance
is this, that ye fhould put a high price upon this opportunity
of the preached gofpel, that God hath long let you want, that
fo ye may know how to prize it the more, and how to make
ufe of it. We ufe to have a common proverb among us,
That we do not know the good of the well, till it run dry. People
know not the goodrieSs' of mercies till they be deprived of
them ; and that people may learn to put a value upon them,
the L°rd fometimes withdraws mercies from them ; fo, I fay,
ye ought to put a value upon this night's work: If ye knew
the worth of it, there would not be fo much Standing upon
Stepping-ftones as there is by the people of this land : I fay,
O that the worth of fuch an opportunity Were known' and
believed ! for if ye knew more of the worth of it, ye would
riot ftand back, upon the account of impediments, as ye do,
but ye would feek 'after it; for ye Should all feek after Jefus
Chrift, and reconciliation with himfelf ; and the way to obtain
this is held forth in the gofpel : and, O think ye, if ye were
feeking after this, that there would be a ftanding back from
going Such an errand, as to feek himfelf in the gofpel, as he
is freely offered to Sinners ! O Should not the free offers of
Chrift in the gofpel be highly prized ? O but Chrift and his
gofpel is little efteerned by this generation !
6. The Sixth thing that I would bring to your remembrance
is this, that albeit ye are to put a due value "upon ordinances,
yet ye muft look beyond them to Chrift himfelf; for it is not
ordinances that can fatisfy you, but Chrift found in the or
dinance ; the ordinance is but the Shell to carry the fubftance
to your fouls. And, O ! that people, when they are feeking alter

SERMON XXXIV.

405

after the ordinances, would feek Chrift in the ordinances;
but, alas ! many come to worfhip their idols, by fetting up
that in Chrift's room, that is, not Christ. O that there may
not be idol-worfhippers here this night ! Remember, my
friends, what I fay, that it is Chrift in the ordinances, that
ye muft feek and have, though ye are to prize ordinances,
yet ye are not to put them in his room ; but, with the Pfal
mift to fay, as in- Pfalm xiii. 1, 2. As, the hart panteth after
the water brooks, fo panteth my foul after thee, 0 God. My foul
thirfieth for God, for the living God, &c. He was then in "the
wildernefs, and wanted the Sanctuary and temple prefence ;
he wanted the ordinances,, and folemn meetings for worship
ing of God, and this was a grief of foul to him, and he ear
nestly defired them again, that he might have a meeting
with God by thefe means ; for his foul panted after the liv
ing God.
Let us pray to him, that he may give us afioul-thirfting after
himfelf.

SERMON XXXIV.
Hosea xiii. 9,
0 Ifrael, thou haft deftroyed thyfe-f ,- but in me is thine help.
THERE is no doubt, but Jefus Chrift would come a-
mong us this night, if there were not many bars in his
way: Therefore thefe bars muft be removed, if ye would
ha.ve Chrift among you. And,
1. The firft bar that muft be removed, is the bar of pro
fanity. People need not think to get Chrift, while they are
keeping their profanity : For to fuch as are keeping their pro
fanity, he will fay, Let them alone, for they are joined to their
idols, Hofea iv. 17. Profanity bars out Chrift, and puts him
to open Shame ; and therefore fuch as live in profanity, need
not expect that Chrift will come to their foul. ..
2. The fecond bar that muft be removed is ignorance : Ig
norance puts away Chrift, and keeps him from you. If ye
were acquaint with Chrift, and once1 knew him, O ! what
heart-flightering Would there be after him ! yea, your fouls
would

406 S E R M O N XXXIV.
would run fwiftly after hith, like the chariots of Aminadab.
But, alas ! you are fo unacquainted- with him, that this may
be written upon all your duties,- To the unknown God, whomye
tgnorantly worfhip. But, as the Pfalmift fays, If ye kitew bis
name, ye would put your truft in him, Pfalm ix. io.
3. The third bar that muft be removed, is the bar of un-
willingnefs : There is fuch an unwiflingnefs amongft you,
that Chrift Should come to you ; for ye that have no will to
quit with your idols, ye can have no will that Chrift Should
come to you : For,as there is no concord betwixt Chrift and
Belial, fo there can be no concord betwixt him arid your idols.
Therefore, ye muft be willing to quit all your idols, or elle
ye carrtiot be willing to receive Chrift.
4. The fourth bar that muft be removed, is the bar of un
belief. Alas .! Chrift cannot do many mighty works amongft
you, becaufe of your unbelief, Matth xiii. 58. For, unbelief
hinders you to fee a fight of this king in his beauty, and of
the land^that lies afar off. '
5. The fifth bar that muft be removed, is the bar of hypo
crify. There are many that, in Shew and appearance, come
to feek Chrift, that in heart are' Chrift-betrayers ; they fpeak
fair to him with their mouth, yet deliver him to be crucified.
Hypocrify crucifieth Chrift under a maSk of love.
6. The Sixth bar thatmuil be removed, is the bar of world-
ly-mindednefs. There is no room in the worldly-minded
heart for Chriit.
Now, if ye would have all thefe bars removed, that fo
Chrift may come among you,*we feek no more in order to
their removal, but your willingnefs to come to Chrift, and to
have therri* rerrioved. For, here he tells you, that though ye
have deftroyed yourfelves, your help is in him.
At the laft occafion, fome of you heard me fpeaking from
thefe words, of the deftroying nature of fin. But next we
came to draw this doctrine from the words.
Doct. That as people are felfdeftroved in themfelves^ fo
1 there is in Chrift help to raife them up again. For he it is that
$ame from Edom with died garments fram Bozrah, glorious in
his apparel, travelling in tbe greatnefs cf his ftrength, that
fpake in righteoufnefs, and is mighty to fave, Ifa. lxiii, 1. Yea,
as Paul fays, Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore, be is able alfo ti fave
them to the tittcrmoft, that cpme unto God by himi feeing he ever
(iveth'to make intercefflonfor them.
There were never any that came to him, that ever found
Jiim in the leaft infufficient or unable to help them : For, as
lie fays, In me is thine help ; fo it is ever found to be true.
I ihall therefore declare unto you, what help is to be found
in Chrift. And; 1. There

Upoto HosEA xiii. 9. 407
1. There is great help to be found in Chrift ; all-other helps
are but little and vain helps ; but, as his falvation is called
the great falvation, fo his help is the great help, that delivers
from fin, and gives the great falvation ; and as they cannot.
efcape wrath, who neglect, the great falvation, fo, if ye flee
not to Chrift for help, ye cannot be delivered from the wrath
which is to come.
2 . There is fufficient help to be found in Chrift ; He is
fufliciently able to help the moft needy that come to hhn,
and to heal the moft deadly diS'eafes of all that come to him.,
Ye never read of any that came to Chrift, with any difeafe but
be healed them : And none can come tp -him with any dil-
temper, or want, but they will find him fully Sufficient to cure
their diftempers, and to Supply all their wants ; for, he is 3
Skilful phyfician to heal, and a rich Saviour to fupply all his
peoples wants. And they that come to him, under the fenfe
and burden of fin, and difficulties that they are under, he
will free them from one part of their burden, and give them -a
back to bear the reft : For, he is a Skilful and all-fufficient
help, who can give the believer grace to overcome fin, and
ftrength to wreftle againft temptations, and to fet about duty.
Then, let no objections whatfpever, no wickednefs that ye
are guilty of, and no difficulties that ftand in your way, keep
you frorii coming to this fufficient help, that is in Jefus Chrift;
for-, believe it, to you who have destroyed yourfelves, he is
a fufficient help. /
3- There is an admirable help to be found in Chrift ; there
is fuch admirable help in him to felf-deftroying finners, as is'
the wonder of the higher houfe ; it is the wonder jof angels,
and the Spirits of juft men made perfect, who worfhip before
the throne of God ; they wonder at this admirable help that
is in Jefus Chrift, to loft finners : It is faid, Rev., viii. 1. There
was filence in heaven for half an hour. They were Stricken
Silent with amazement, at the . wonderful work of man's re
demption. O believers ! ye Should be making this your work
now, that Shall be your work above in the heavenly J.eiufk-
lem ; to' be wondering at this admirable help that is in Jefus
Chrift to loft deftroyed finners.
4. There is a dear-bought help to be found in Chrift:
Chrift payed dear for this help, which he purchafed to.feif-
deftroying finners; for, to purchaie it, he did lie three quar
ters of a year in a virgin's womb ; to be born in a low condi
tion ; to wander up and down, not knowing where to lay bis
head ; to fuffer the wrath of God ; to fweat drops of blood
in the garden ; to die the curfed death of the crofs, to be bu
ried ; and to lie in the grave till the third day. It coft him
all this, to procure this help, and yet he offers all the privi
leges purchafed thereby to you on eafy terms ; he recjuires no

4o8 SERMON XXXIV.
no more, but that ye receive it. O ! there is much love and
much willingnefs in him to give you this help. O therefore,
receive and embrace this help, as it is freely offered unto
you !
5. There is a free help to be found in Chrift : O ! it is a
free help; for he debarreth none from it, but inviteth all to
come and receive it, ISaiah Iv. 1. Ho! every one that thirfieth,
come ye to the waters ; yea, come, buy milk and wine, without
money and without price. 0 come and receive this help ! for,
if ye come, he will not call up your former fins, but if ye
will come to him with your burdens, ye Shall find help : He is
ready to anfwer all, your objection's ; and though ye do not
know your own condition, yet here is help for yoii, if ye will
receive it freely, as it is freely offered to you.
6. There is a communicative help to be found in Chrift :
Every one may have as much of it, as no other had it but they :
It is like the light of the fun, every one hath as much of it, as
there were none but they enjoying it, fo every believer hath
as much grace here, and Shall have as much glory hereafter,
as there were no otber enjoying grace and glory, .but they
themfelves. O ! how defirable is this communicative help,
that each believer fo abundantly enjoys, and none envies ano
ther in ? O ! it is defirable to perceive.
7. There is a fatisfying help to be found in Chrift, what- •
ever difeouragements any of you are under, come to Chrift,
and ye Ihall find fatisfying help to pear you up under all your
difeouragements: Give in your dfcfires, and, make your re-
quefts known to him ; and he will give you a fatisfying help.
Would ye have your fouls fanctified from tbe pollution of Sin ?
in him is this help ; for his blood cleanfeth from all fin, 1 John
i. 7. Would you have your eyes fatisfied ? then come to
him who fills heaven and earth with his prefence ; whofe coun
tenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedar; for there is
bulk and beauty enough in him to be a fatisfying help to you
in this* Would ye have your ears fatisfied ? then incline your
ear, and come to Chrift, hear, and your fouls fhall live, Ila. Iv. 3.
come to him, that hath the words of eternal life, and he will
be a fatisfying help to you, by proclaiming in your ears, while
lying in your blood, Live. And what more would ye have ?
Would ye have your tafte fatisfied .' O then ! embrace Chr|Sl,
and he will make you eat and drink abundantly till your tafte
be fatisfied; for, ye Shall fit down under his fbadow with great
delight, and have his fruit fweet to your tafte, Canticles ii. 3.
Would ye have your finelling fatisfied ? then come to him,
the fmell of whofe ointment is better thanfpices, and the fmell of
his garment, like the fmell of Lebanon, Canticles iv. 11. as the
fmell of a pleafant field. And, would ye, have your feeling
fatisfied ? There is fufficient help in him for this ! for, he

Upon Hosea xiii. 9. 4°9
that fills heaven and earth, offers to fill your arms. O then !
do not reject this help ; but confider that none can give it
but Chrift.
8. There is a glorious be°;p to be found in Chrift : It is a
help that tends greatly to his glory, and to bring you to glory
in the end, when the glad tidings of help through Chrift to
poor finners, came to be preached on earth, how was it preach
ed ? It was preached by the heavenly hoft, by praifing of God,
and faying, Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace and
good will towards men, Luke ii 13, 14. It is a glorious help :
Have ariy of you a defire to have Chrift glorified, then take
this help off his hand ? He offers it willingly. O will ye fet
the crown upon his head, and glorify him, accepting of his
freely offered falvation. 0 behold king Solomon with the crown
wherewith his mother crowned him ! for, what is this, but e-
ven the acknowledgment that believers give to him? God will
fee who will glorify hini : When ye can do it, no other way
than this way, fet the crown on his head, and glorify him, by
taking this kelp off his hand.
9. There is an eternal help to be found in Chrift ; fuch an
help, as will help you to all eternity : Ye will never need help
again ; for, this help will help you to the full enjoyment or
himfelf, through all the ages of eternity : And he will put
you in fuch a capacity, as ye will never more fear any evil
wh'atfoever ; for, if once you were entered eternity, all the de
vils in hell cannot moleft you ; fo it Shall be an eternal help
to you againft all evil.
And there are feveral properties in this help, that Should
engage you to embrace it. As, '
1. Chrift's condefcendency to take on him man's nature,
and to pay the price of his own blood. O confider what he
hath endured, before he could procure this help to you ! O
.let this allure you to embrace this help !'
2. It was out of free love to you, that made Chrift pur-
chafe and procure this help to you. O! what cold-hearted
creatures are ye. that have no love to kind-hearted Chrift,
who hath done fo much for loft fallen man ? He is feeking
this as a proof of your love, that ye accept and receive him -,
that ye may take him, and all the benefits of his purchafe.
Ahd, O ! that his infinite love may beget this love to you, that
a knot may be caft to unite you to him, never to be loofed !
3. Chrift is very ferious to have you engaged t0 take this
help that is in him : He is come, net with empty words, but
with fair engaging compliments, to engage your hearts to em
brace him. O ! will ye let Such a prince, as he is, humble
himfelf fo far, as to come to you, as it were upon his knees,
befeeching you to take his help, and will ye reject and refufe
him ! If your hearts were as ferious this night to receive
F f i Chrift,

41 o SERMON XXXIV,
Chrift, as he is in offering himfelf,' ye would have no more
to do, but lie'doWn with him in the bed of love.
5. Without this help, the wrath of God is abiding, and
will abide upon you to all eternity ; Ye are undone for ever,
and devils and hypocrites will be your companions to all eter
nity, unlefs ye embrace this help that Chrift offers you : O
therefore embrace it ! let your neceffity move you to it: If
ye were fenfible of your neceffity, ye would deal earneftly
with Chrift for this help. O ! as he is ferious, fo be ye im
portunate with him ; for, neceffity hath no law ; it will an
fwer all objections:' Neceffity, over all objections, will fay,
I muft have him. And now while he is offering you his help,
let your neceffity move you to embrace and receive it this
night : Young and old, and all of you receive this help. But
I am afraid, that for as great as your need is of this help, there
are five forts of perfons that will not embrace it. And,
(1.) The firil fort, that will not receive. Chrift's help, are
felt-righteous perfons : That is, ye who build your confidence
in convictions of fin, attainments, good wiShes, and good ac
tions ; all ye that do fo, are among thefe who refufe this help
that is in Chrift : Therefore take heed to what ye are doing ;
he is defiring you to leave off your fooliSh'building, and to re
nounce all your own righteoufnefs as fifthy rags, and to put
all your confidence in this glorious help, that is to be found
in Chrift.
' (2.) The fecond fort that wil' not receive Chrift's help, are
thefe who are of Demas's temper ; -that embrace this prefent
world, and let Chrift go : There is fo much of the world
feated in your hearts, that ye have not a heart to receive
Chrift ? What Shall I liken this world to ? It is like a weighty
burden upon peoples backs, that hinders them to go to the
heavenly Jerufelem. O ! will ye lay afide this weight, and
embrace this help that is in Chrift.
3. The third fort that will not receive Chrift's help, are
thefe, who, with Felix, pu? off Chrift to a more convenient
feafon ; and that feafon never comes. O do not put him a-
way this night ; for, ye do not know but ye may be fummoned
before his tribunal, before ye get another occafion : Ye know
not but the dreadful fentence of condemnation may be paft a-
gainft you, that reject his help this night, before the conve
nient feafon that ye put off to be come; and then when ye
call, he will not hear.
(4.) The fourth fort tbat will not receive Chrift's help, are
thefe who would rule the word of God, by their practice ;
but will not have their practice ruled by the word of God. Ye
fhould wholly travel betwixt Chrift and the law, the law con
demns the Sinner and fends him to Chrift for justification, and
Chrift fends the Sinner back to the law, for direction, how to
frame

Upon Hosea xiii. p. 411
frame their converfation : But they who will not rule their
way by the word of God, would have the word of God, to
be ruled by their way : People who will not be ruled by the
word of God, will fay, Why may I not comply with the hire
ling curates ? And they will wreft the feripture ; by faying,
The feribes and Pharifees fit in Mofes's feat ; therefore they
Ihould be heard, fince they are called unto office -, but thisis
falfe when applied to the curates, for they are not called to
the office; for they enter not in by the door, but climb up
another way. They enter by perjury, in a forbidden way :
Therefore, they are intruding hirelings, thieves, and robbers.
And Chrift never taught his difciples and followers to hear
thieves, and robbers, or intruding hirelings ; but on the con
trary, he fays, That his fiheep would not follow a fir anger ; but
would flee from him ; becaufe they know not the voice of ftrangers,
John x. 5. Again, people who are refolved to pay fine's,
whereby they make themfelves tranfgreffors, and give for their
warrant, that which David fays, They made me reftore tbat
which I took not away. Confider that which, David fays, Bands
of the wicked have robbed me. David did this paffively, and
not actively; as if it were faid, They fined David, and he
would not pay'the fine : And they Sent out robbers on him,
that robbed him ; and therefore in this he was a fufferer.
And doth not Paul fay, // 1 build again that which I have de
ftroyed, I make myfelf a tranfgreffor ? By your paying of fines
ye acknowledge yourfelves to be tranfgreffors. The point is,
the perfons that would rule the word by their way, and will
not rule their way by the word, cannot come to Chrift; for
the law fends the finner to Chrift for justification, and Chrift
fends the Sinner back to the law for direction. But they that
hear and follow the advice of their relations, in this evil time,
reject the advice of Chrift, and will not hearken to his voice.
Chrift invites and calls you all to fo low him, and not to hear
thevoice of ftrangers : And it will be but a poor excufe, tha:
many will have when challenged by Chrift, that they heard
the perjured curates, beca.ufe they wereadvifed to do (0 by
their parents, hufbands, wives, or mailers. Remember what
Chrift fays, Whofoever loveth father or mother, Sec. better than
me, is not worthy of me. Do not mistake me ; as if I were
not for keeping the fifth commandment ; for I am for keep
ing this commandment as much as any : But when commands
or advices are contrary to the word of God, they Should nor.
be obeyed or followed : For, our obedience to the command,
is only in things that are lawful ; for all obedience fliould be
in the Lord, only in things that are agreeable to his will, but
no other wife.
Fffa PREFACE.

t 4H 3
PREFACE.

OBUT the Pfalmift, in this pfalm, cafts us a noble copy
to follow his example ; he travels through feveral of the >
works of the Lord, and he makes a noble ufe thereof. Af
ter he hath taken a view of fome of his works, he brings this
in as the ufe he makes of them all, to rejoice in his mercy ;
to make it the matter of his fong and meditation. And in
deed it is a bieffed travelling through his works, when a foul
is brought to this, to get God thereby held out to them ;
and to get themfelves committed to him, by getting him com
mended to their fouls : And there are feveral of his works,
that we Ihould never look upon ; but we Should be brought
thereby, to reflect upon them with fome fpecial and fpiritual
ufe; yea, and all his works Should be looked upon with fome
fpiritual obfervation. And,
i. In his works of creation : When we look upon the ex
cellent fabric of the world, and how rich and full it is of his
works, Should we not thereby be brought to read his power
and fovereignty, and the excellency of his wifdom, and the
wonderful contrivance of his works of creation ? Doth not
each creature in the fea, and in the earth carry a character
and Stamp of God t And fhould not we be brought to make
fome fpecial and fpiritual ufe and obfervation of tb'is ?
2. When we call to mind thefe glorious works of his, in
his providence, in his governing and ruling over the works
of his hands, iri the works of his-providence -, O then Should
riot we reflect upon thefe with joy and admiration ? When
we think upon the greatnefs and glorioufnefs of his attributes,
that Shine forth therein, in the governing fo wifely over all
his works ; fhould we not be brought to admire the deepnefs
of his condefcendency, in his love to poor man ? This is a great
piece of the work of them that are above, they need not
prayers there or preaching ; but their thoughts and exercife
run all out in love, joy, admiration, and praife. So we fay,
the works of his providence, in his ruling and governing all
his creatures. Should caufe us to make Some fpecial ufe of
the fame. He upholds and defends by his power, and wifely go
verns by his wifdom and faithfulnefs, all that he hath decreed
to bring to pafsl and whatever confufion be in the creatures,
all is ordered aright by him: And from this I would fay,
What ufe make ye of them all ? And what good get ye of all
God's works, that the earth is fo rich and full of? Indeed
it is to be feared that many of ps that are here, have fo little
of this fpiritual fight, to take up God rightly in all his works, that

PREFACE to SERMON XXXIV. 413
that we are as unfenfible as brute beafts, as to the difcpvering
and taking up of God fpiritually in his works. But we would
add this word, that the Lord hath been at more pains with us,
to get us taught, than any nation befide : His providences
and mercies have been doubled and tripled to Scotland, and,
to fpeak fo, with reverence to his name, he bath been dealing
with both hands : His mercies have been great to us, and
fure there are none that can fpeak of more judgments than we
may do : And I would have you to learn this, that God, by
this hitherto, hath been training us up for what is coming.
He hath dealt very gently with us in the time paft, Sitting and
training us for what he hath to bring us through. This
year he hath dealt more Sharply with us than formerly : But
let me tell yori, that he is, by thefe things that we are daily
meeting with, but preparing us for the judgments, that he is
bringing on the land : And let me tell you this, that the land
.is now in a fwelling motion ; they, who live to fee it, will fee
ftrange fights ere all be done. Our cafe, at this time, is like
the work of creation at firft -, for then the earth was without
form, and darknefs covered the face of the earth, and the fire
and water all fighting through other, and fo it is now. The
Lord, in former times, divided all rightly, and put the fire
above the water, as the philofophers fey, and as his word fays,
and the waters were above the earth. O I let us pray, that
the Lord would put that undermost, that Should be fo, and
that upmoft that Should be fo ; feeing they are of contrary
natures, that are now fighting againft each other ; as the fire
and water are, and ere thefe two be parted, there will be
ftrange things brought forth. And by this that we have faid,
we would- have you warned, that all that we have met witb
is but to train and prepare us for what is now Coming.
The laft time that I was in this place I told you fomething
of this, that now is approaching faft on; it is nearer, and
they are blind that fee it riot. O \ let us pray to the Lord,
that he. may turn the wheel the right Way ! I Shall fay no more
for prefacing ; but let us pray to the Lord, that we may be
prepared to meet the Lord, when he comes to construct his
glorious fabric out of thefe congruous natures.

SERMON

C 4M J"

S E R M O N XXXV.

Revelation iii. 4.
Thou haft a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled
their garments -, and they fball walk with me in vihite : For
they are worthy.
IHad occafion elfewhere to fpeak from thefe words ; and
to raife obfervations from them : Ye may read the advice
given, vet. 2. Be watchful, and ftrengthen tbe things which re
main, that are ready to die : And then the caufe of it, for I
have not found thy works perfeSl before God. Thou haft a few
nanies even-in Sardis, &c. Though this church was in a de
clining and decaying condition, yet there were a few Chrifti
ans in her, that had not defiled their garments with the pol
lutions of the times : There were a few in her that held by
the word of God, and the teftimony of Jefus Chrift. And
then what Shall they have for their ftedfaftnefs and fidelity ?
They fhall walk with me in white, &c. And then all their
Sighing arid fobbing fliall be forgotten : Far they are worthy.
The papifts fay, that this worthinefs was their own inherent
righteoufnefs and holinefs, therefore they were worthy : But
we fey that it was becaufe they were made worthy by Chrift's
worthinefs; And becaufe they were made to meet with, and
come through great tribulations ; and had acted faith upon
a crucified Lord and Saviour. And fo they were made wor
thy. Then,
I. We have here a description of a remnant.
II. We have a defcription of that remnant.
III. The commendation put upon that remnant.
IV. The reward of free grace and mercy. -.
I. The remnant ; they are perfons that are pointed out by
their names; fome few in that church of Sardis, that had
not defiled their garments ; that is, they have been walking
with me, cleaving to me and my truth. From the consider
ation of this, I ihall give you thefe obfervations.
1. " That where-ever the Lord fends the gofpel, he bath
ft fome elect. ones there:" For, where the gofpel is, there is
the doctrine of reconciliation, 2 Cor. v. 19. God was in Chrift,
reconciling the world to himfelf. Shall we think that he will
fend the gofpel to a place where he hath none to gather in ?
It is not So with the men of the world ; they ufe not to light
a candle but where they have fomething to Seek, 2. " God's

SERMON XXXV. 4,5,
" God's remnant is a very fmall remnant." Ordinarily
v en a church or people is in a declining condition and Slate,
ii w not the bulk of the land that cleaves to God, arid to his
truth; it is but a very fmall remnant: And fo may. we fay
of or.r land, it is declined ; the bulk and body of our Jand is
declined and fallen from God, and from the truth : This land
feems to be under a fpiritual deadnefs. It may be faid /oi
S otland, as it was faid of this church of Sardis, Rev iii. u
Thou haft a name that thou live ft, and art dead. And alfo,, we
ir.ii/ fay of Scotland, as was faid of this church of Sardis,
Thou baft a few names in thee, 0 Scotland, which have not de
filed their garments. We fay, the remnant that God is weli
pleafed Srith is but a very fmall remnant, a fmall company;
but yet, we hope, there are fome. #
, 3. <( That in a declining time, though never fo fad, God can
*' preferve a feed to himfelf." .
4. " That the moft hopeful ingredient in the cup of a de-
" clkfing church is to have a remnant that keeps clean hands,
" clean garments, and Straight with God." And we have
reafon to praife the Lord, that is mighty in power, that hath
to this day preferved a remnant, when the bulk and body of
this land is run away from Chrift and his truths, to keep their
goods and gear. Thou haft a few names j even in Sardis, that
have not defiled their garments. So we hope we may fay,
Thou haft a few names in thee, 0 Scotland, that have not defiled
their garments. And this' we take to be a token for goodj
that there is a remnant in Scotland.
Object. But ye will fay, " What are the properties or marks
" of that remnant ?" Anfw. Here I Shall point out fome marks
of this remnant.
1. The. firft mark of this remnant that I give you is this,
they are fearers of God, more than fearers of men, Mai. iii.
16, 17. Then they that feared the Lord, fpake often one to ano
ther, and the Lord hearkned and heard ; and a book of remem
brance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord,
and that thought upon his name .- And they fhall be mine, faith
the Lord of hofts, in that day when I make up my jewels. They
that lived in that time, (for it was an evil time, as tbis is now)
the more that others fled from God and his truths, the more
clofely tbey clave to him and k;-and that was a token foe
good to them. And then, What Shall they have for this their
cleaving to God then? In that day when I make up my jewels,
they fball be mine. We fear few of you have ground to lay
hold upon this mark, pr to take any comfort from it ; for"
the greateft part of you have feared man more than God, and
that hath caufed you to go So many black ways, as ye have:
That hath been the caufe of your complying with the enemies
of his glory, and of his truth; and the caufe of vour lAing all

416 SERMON XXXV.
all thefe unlawful bonds and-oaths ; fo that ye have caufe to
fear that ye ShalLnot be his, in that day wridn he maketh up
his jewels. But as for you that have been labouring to cleave
to the Lord, and his truths, and have, given proof of your
fearing God more than men ; hold on your way, and ye need
not fear, but ye fhall be gatbered up among the jewels.
2. The fecond mark of that remnant is, they are mourners
and wreftlers, Ezek. ix. 4. There was a company that the
angel got a commiffion to mark, and thefe were they, that
Sighed and "cried for all the abominations that were done in
the midft of the land ; and the deftroying angel got a com
miffion not to come near any that were marked for mourners.
The command was, to hurt none of fuch as did Sigh and
mourn for all the abominations that were committed in the
land, ver. 6. They did not only forbear to countenance fin
ful courfes ; but they mourned over them, and alfo wreftled
with the Lord, that he would "preferve a remnant, that they
might not all go a black road together. If ye have any ref
pect to God or his truths, ye cannot but be concerned in this
evil and declining day, and that God is well pleafed with none
but with. mourners and with Wreftlers? What advantage hath
the kirk of many of you? It may be regreted, that many of
you are nothing but a burden to the kirk : Many of you fad-
den and weight the hearts of the godly, with your light, loofe
and gaudy life, and carriage and apparel. Iris certain, offen
ces will come ; but, Wo to them by whom the offence cometh.
There are fome, both men and women, that are a great grief
and burden to the reft ; but dear fhall they pay for it, eilfcer
here or hereafter ; and it may be to all eternity. Labour, as
ye love your own fouls, to mend this, and let not the way of
God be evil fpoken of, becaufe of any thing in you.
3. The third mark of this remnant is, they are endeavour
ing to be more fpiritual by the crofs. The apoftle Paul hath
a good word for this, 2 Cor. iv. 16. Though our outward man
perifh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Oh ! for
the deadnefs and dulnefs that is among the profeffors of this
age, notwithftanding all the pains that have been taken on us,
to make us lowly, and to make us. fruitful, what by the word,
and what by the rod. We fear many profeffors be cheating
themfelves and others ; ye may get yourfelves beguiled, or
ye may get others beguiled, but ye will not get God beguiled
or cheated : Ye may cheat others, and yourfelves, but God
fees your infide as well as your outfide : Ye may hide your
hypocrify from ope another, but ye cannot hide it from him
that fearcheth the hearts and trieth the reins. If ye be in any
meafure right with him, ye niuft obferve the rod, and tbe
band that fends it. We hold out to you from the Lord, and
preach

Upon Revelation iii. 4. 417
preach unto you in his name, that ye fliould rather fuffer
than fin,
- Ohjebl. But fome may fay, " If it were a great fin, we would
" rather fuffer than fin, but we cannot fuffer for fo fmali a
" thing, or fo fmall a fin.''
Anf But will ye confider rightly upon it : Is any fin fmall
in the Lord's account ? Doth not his word tell you, That
every fin is a tranfgreffion of the law ,- and defei ves God's
wrath and curfe ? If any of you were challenged for being
here, by the enemy, we fear that many of you would fwear
that ye never faw this meeting ; or then, if ye would confefs
it, ye would fwear that ye have no affection or liking to this
work : But remember, that he knows your hearts.
4. The fourth mark of this little remnant is, they are meek
and lowly ; they are a humble people ; But yet although they
be fo in their own things, they are zealous in God's matters ;
They are labouring to be valiant for the truth upon the t-.irth.
Search and try yourfelves by this mark, whether \e have..! .en
among the remnant, that have been reiving cioff to Chrift,
arid to his controverted truths, or not.
Now, it may be, fome of you will be curious to know our
teftimony, and to, know what we profefs and maintain ? To
this we anfwer you, or any that alks us fuch a queftion, We
are the covenanted party, in opposition to popery, prelacy,
malignancy, eraftianilro, fupremacy and fectarianifm. We
are for the covenanted work of reformation, agreeable to the
word of God, contained in our confeffion of faith, larger
and. Shorter catechifms, caufes of God's wrath, acknowledge
ment of fins, and engagement to duties. And now, the mi
nisters who have embraced this toleration, they are content
to quit the covenants, and will not have children baptized
that way, according to our fworn reformation : But they t.ike
another way to get peace : The woful curates have laid them
by, and fo do they : They get peace by their quitting fome
things, which they were fworn to defend, witb their lives,
liberties, and eftates ; to Stand againft popery, prelacy, and
eraftianifm, and all the trafh of the whore of BabeK Now,
by yielding and contenting that thefe he embraced, they have
got their liberty and poifonable peace ; but we have no peace,
becaufe we may not give our confent to that woful toleration.
But if it had been true, that they faid of us, we had not been
worthy to live in a commonwealth : But be what we will, be
we weak, or be we Strong ; be we few, or be we many ; be we
foolifh, or be we wife ; we are fure of this, that we have the
work of God in our hands: Let them fay what they will, it
is our duty to- wait upon our God, and to give glory to him.
And let us wait on him in the way of our duty. And now I
counfel you to thefe duties following :
G g g 1. Break

418 SERMON XXXV.
I, Break off your evil Ways and courfe by well-doing. We
fear that the day be coming, when many Shall have the yoke
of judgments wreathed about their necks, becaufe they refut
ed the yoke of fuffering. We tell you, whofoever ye be that
refufe the yoke of fuffering, ye Shall get the yoke of judg-
iuents wreathed about your necks: Counfel you who vvill to
crooked ways, and crooked paths, and hearken to them who
Will, they cannot, and will not, ftand betwixt you, and the
wrath of an angry God : So hearken not to them that coun
fel you to walk in Sinful ways, as ye would not incur God's
wrath. 2. Labour to be amongft that remnant, and to be one of
that number, that are ftudying to keep their garments clean
froin the fins of the time : And alfo ye muft labour for thefe
marks that we have given you ; what fay ye to it ? Wiil ye
take Share with the fuffering faints of God, "or will ye refufe ?
Will ye take Share of their lot and their company ? What if
the Lord take. you at your word, if ye do not nifo'ciate your
felves with them here,, ye Shall be feparated from them to all
eternity, if henceforth ye go on in that condition ; and we
fhall witnefs againft you, that we have told you the truths of
God, and ye have flighted and undervalued them.
3. Honour God and believe in him, labour for fuch a con-
verfetion as will honour him, Pfalm 1. 23. And to him that or
dereth his converfdtion aright, will Ifihew the falvation of God.
Put away yorir lightriefs and gaudinefis ; at no time have ye a
liberty for this, and much lefs now, when the work of God
is run down, and Zion is in trouble. Now, wait on and be
lieve in hirii ; believe in his name, and labour to be among,
the juft Ones that tie hath faid fhall live by faith, Hab. ii. 4. ,-¦
4, Labour to follow the cloud of witneffes, Heb. xii 1. Oh !
that ye would fay fo, and do fo. Be ye not fiotb/ut, bt yc fol
lowers of them, theit by faith and patience inherit the promifes,
Heb. vi. 12. That is, either thefe', that are patiently waiting
upon the accompliihmerit of tie promifes, or thefe that are
win to the enjoyment of the promifes, Now, if ye would
fhare with the faints hereafter, ye muft alfo Share with them
here in time ; for Our Lord will have no idlers in his houfe :
He that is not with us, is againft us. Ye, that will not be
concerned with bis work, are but a trouble and a hurt to it.
Here, ye fee, are none-'that get any commendation, but thefe
who had not defiled their garments. And to them that keep
his word, and deny not his nairie, he faith, Rev. iii. 10. Be
caufe thou haft kept the word of my patience, I alfo will keep thee
from the hour of temptation, which fball come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth. Thou that keepeft by
me and by my truths, I will Strengthen thee in the hour of
temptation and trial. And

Upon Revelation iii. 4. 419
Aqd now for ,your encouragement, if ye will fall in love
with precious Chrift, and follow him through troubles and
trials, I fliall name thefe few things that he will do for you.
1. He will bear you company; he will bear your charges,
Ifa. xliii. 2. When thou paffeft through tbe paters, I will be with
thee ; and thtough tbe fivers, they fliall not overflow thee:
When thou walkcft through the fire, thou fhalt not be burnt ; nei
ther flail the flame kindle upon thee. By thefe are meant great
and ftrong temptations and trials ; and is it not a great en
couragement, and a fweet ingredient in thy cup, that there
is not a cafe thou canft come into, but he hath help for thee ?
And if thou wilt not fall in love with him, nor obey his laws
and commandments, then he will exercife his power and
wrath againft thee, arid nothing Shall profper that thou takeft
in hand, or goeft about-
2. If ye fall in love with Jefus Chrift, his way and his fol
lowers, then he will, fympathize with you, in all your trou
bles and afflictions : Ye have a clear proof for this, Zech. ii,
8. For he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. There
is a kindly fymp.uhy with his poor people, in their difficulties
and ftraits: We have not an high prieft that cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was. in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without fin, as the apoftle fe.ith, Heb- iv.
15- .
3, If ye fall in love with God, he will, certainly own your
quarrel ; he will not fuffer the enemies always to infult'ovir
his poor-church, and people : For he will certainly avenge his
own cleit, that cry day and night unto him, Luke xviii, 7. I
Say then, Ogive riot over, but cry day and night to him, and
he will without queftion, in his own tiaie and way, give you
an anfwer of peace.
4. IP'yc will make choice of the Lord Jehovah for your por
tion, and refolve, through his grace, to follow him through
well and wo, through good report and ill report, then all
that he brings io your way fhall work for good, Rom. vi ii. 28.
And all the paths of the Lord fliall be mercy and truth to
you, if ye will keep his covenant and his tellimonies, Pfelm
xxv. 10.
5. If ye will labour to be among this remnant, that are la
bouring to keep their garments clean, then all the wicked
defigns of the enemies of his glory he will counteract. Re
member what he did to Hainan, and many other examples ye
have recorded in the word of God : And he is the fame God
now that he was then, and he hath the feme zeal to bis own
glory, name and truth, and the femefove to his people, that
ever he had.
Now remember, that all the pleafure of fin will have an
.end, aad that a fpeedy .end ; and ye that take moft pieafnre
G g g 2. in

420 SERMON XXXV.
in it will find the wages of it to be bitter, ye will find devour
ing fire and everlafting burning hard to endure : And there
fore if ye would flee from the wages of Sin, ye muft flee from
fin itfelf. Be not deceived by the temptation of the tempter,
let him not deceive you, as he did our firft parents at the be
ginning. Says-^e tempter, Ye ftjall not furely die, though ye
Should fin in eatingthe forbidden fruit; yet many millions of
their feed have found, from woful experience, that he lied
to them ; as fo will ye do, if ye continue in Sin, and do not
repent and turn from your fin, and return again to the Lord
your God, from whom ye have foully fallen.
r> If ye will take part with this remnant, then the day is
coming when all your croffes and loffes Shall be made up to
you, though they he Sharp "and many, the hundred fold, and
life everlafting will make all up again ; and will make you to
forget all your toil, and all vour forrow ; yea, it Shall flee a-
way, and no more return again. You may mind the parable
of Dives and Lazarus -, Lazarus was in a fad condition in the
world ; ye may read how full of boils and fores he was, and
how that the dogs came out and licked his fores : But then
when he died, he wan to Abraham's bofom, and then he for:
got all his troubles. Then there is not much matter, when
and where trouble be, Since the troubles of the people of God
always end in peace and felicity. And likewife Dives, he
forgot all his pleafures and lordly fare, and delicate difhes he
had in the world, when he was tormented in hell-flames ;
and for all the cups of liquor he had in the world, he could
not get a drop of cold water to cool the tip of his tongue ;
therefore beware of finning, and labour to join yourfelves to
that remnant, that own the Lord's caufe. What would have
become of us, if we had all gone one way I O pray that, he
would keep a remnant with clean garments, and undefiled !
and pray that ye may be among that remnant.
Obferve here another note from the words, which is this,
" Though this remnant were never fo few, yet the Lord will
" not be wanting to commend them ; and alio to defend them
" from the wrath of men " For as be tells you, Matth. x.
22. And ye fhall be hated of all men for my name's fake. So,
there is no doubt, but the few, that had not defiled their gar
ments in the church of .Sardis, were mocked and reproached
by them that had defiled their garments : They mocked them,
and held out their fingers to them, even as we are dealt with
this day : But though there were but one in a congregation,
he will eye that one for good ; and condemn them who will,
he will commend them We fee, he counts them not accor
ding to their profeffion, but according to their ' faithfulnefs.
Whether are they fuch as let the teftimony fall, or are they
fuch as hold it up ? It is true, the faults of the godly are not to

Upon Revelation iii. 4. 421
to be overlooked, but are rd be Chriftianly reproved. When
God takes account he will aSk what fort of Chriftians ye have
been, whether ye have been Chriftians in the letter only, or
Chriftians in the fpirit. A Christian in the letter only, hath
no will to obey all God's commandments, more than that
young man in the gofpel had : He would not obey that com
mand" of our Lord's, Go fell all that thou haft, and give it to
the poor. But a Chriftian in the Spirit, is one inwardly; it
is his great ftudy to get his practice conform to his profeffion.
Now, if ye were never fo poor and low in the world, yet if
your courfe and walk be right with God, then ye will be ap
proved of, and commended by him. If ye have been honeft
and Sincere in his matters, he will take notice of you for good ;
but though your profeffion were never fo broad, if ye want
the truth in the inward man, all will be to no purpofe.. We
confefs we Should cherifh religion wherever we fee it, or find
it, though it have never fo weak or fmall beginnings ; yet if
ye think there be any reality in it, encourage and cherifti ic
the more.
Now, they that would be among that remnant, they muft
be Sincere and upright, and endeavour to keep themfelves un-
defiled : See for this, Pfalm cx'ix. 1. Bieffed are the undefiled
in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. And he gave
Abraham this command, Gen xvii. 1. Walk before me, and be,
thouperfetl. And ye know Enoch, he got this commenda
tion, that he walked with God, Gen. v. 24. There are few
now, we fuppofe, but they have been blackned with the abo
minations of the times ; but we advife you to come off again,
and acknowledge your offences, an^turn from the evil of
your ways, and amend your ways and your doings ; for, it
is better late thrive than never thrive.
Another note from the words, And they fball walk with me
in white. Here obferve, " That although the church may
" be very low, yet lhe Shall arife again." Micah vii. 3. Re
joice not againft me, 0 mine enemy : When I fall, I fhall arife ;
when I fit in darknefs, the Lord fhall be a light unto me.
Obferve, again,' " That although the Lord fpeaks very
" feverely to thofe that had declined, yet he fpeaks moft ten-
" derly and gracioufly to thofe few that had not defiled their
'•' garments "
Then if we reckon men ?.ccording to their generation-
work, there is none that God is well-pleafed with ; but thofe
that are Sincerely endeavouring to walk ftraight before God ;
fuch as are ftudying to walk with clean garments, and it is
thefe that the Lord ii well-pleafed with. The children of
. God have their worft things firft, but it is not fo with the
wicked, for they have tlieir beft things firft, but that makes
them defile their garments : But, bs feys to his own, If ye
sot

4*2 SERMON XXXV.
got that which they call beft, it would make you defile your
garments. They have not 'defiled their garments; that is,
(diey were fincere as to their generatipn-work. We muft not
half the work of God ; ye muft not half your religion ; ye
mull either be wholly and thoroughly religious, or elfe the
Lord will not care, for you, nor for your religion neither.
Since the year 1666, the work of God is carried on to pof
terity, by honeft teftimonies. How is it that the faints over
come ? It. is by the blood of the Lamb, and by their own
1 honeft teftimony. The worthies of old, they loved not their
lives unto the death. They had a greater refpect to the glo
ry of God', ar.d to his truth, than they had to their own
lives and liberties, Heb. xi. Rev. xii. 11. Here is the patience
cf the faints : They that will be faithful muft refolve to give
teftimony to the truth, and muft cleave clofe to the truth,
though it Ihould coft them their lives. The church hath
had this to fay, in ages paft, The more fhe fuffered; the more
fhe overcame. Every piece of a teftimony, is a piece of a
viftory. Now, for Ufe, Beware of taking up an ill report againft
the Lord's faithful witneffes, or entertaining it ; for, many
foul mouths have been opened againft them thefe years pail ;
but he hath recorded all. He that heard the reproaches of
Ahab againft his people, he hath heard all the reproaches and
nick-names that enemies have caft upon them : Remember
that, in Zech ii. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple <f
hit eye. He i3 as tender of his people, as a man is ot his eye.
Though his wicked enemies be cruel againft them, yet they
have a merciful God, tkat will be for them.: When the wic
ked fliall have the face of God fet againft them, Pfelm
'xxxiv. 16,
I'lon', 1 Shall give you fome advices farther, hew to carry
in thefe evil times. And,
1. Yournuft ltudy the fubftance of religion, more than the
profeffion of it. Labour to be godly indeed : if ye knew it,
ye would prize it at a more high rate. Do not Stay long in
the place of breaking forth of children;, tbat is, do not ltay
too long in the out-borders of a profeffion, for that is a dan
gerous condition ; even as it is with young children in the
birth, to ltay long in the birtb, between the womb and the
world : But be always labouring to make Some progrefs in
die work of your falvation : The ground that being often wa
tered, and bringeth not forth fruit, is near unto cur fing, whofe
end is-to be burned, Heb. vi. 7, 8. Remember, that ye muft
count for every mean, and for e'very mercy that ye receive. -
2. Prepare to meet with the Lord in the laft general judg
ment; and alfo prepare to meet with temporal judgments, ¦ 'i -. that

Upon Revelation iii. 4. 42 3
(hat he is about to bring upon thefe lands ; he bath been threat
ning us long with his rod, and we Would not take warning;
and now, we fear, that fentence begone out from the Lord
againft many of this generation, fleep on ; comply on ; fin
on, Remember that word, Geft. vi 3. My Spirit ftjal'i not
always ft rive with man. Rut ye that are of the remnant, pve-i
pare to meet the Lord ; and think not that he will forget all
the oppreffion, violence, fpoil, and blood-Shed, that hark
been acted fo cruelly and malicioufly againft him and his fol
lowers in this land -. We tell you from the Lord, it wilt not
be long tiil the table will be drawn, and the door of mercy
will be Shut, and then ye that Shall be found, out of him,
fball get the fentence paft againtl you, Departfrom me, ys
curfed,. into everlafting burning, I know yen not : And then
that Sentence (hall never be recalled again any more. O I fear
wrath, and flee from wrath ; and hafte to the city of refuge ;
hafte you in to Chrift the city of refuge, before the gate bs
Shut : Remember what he faid to JeVufalem, Luke xix. 41, 4;,
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over
it, faying, If thou hadft known, even thou, at leaft, in this thy
day, the things. which belong unto thy peace : But now they are
hid from thine eyes. Beware that the things belonging to your
peace, be not hid from your eyes : Beware that ye be not
found among the foolifh virgins, left ye meet with a Shut
door : But labour to be found among the, wife virgins, having
oil iri your lamps, that fo ye may be ready to meet, with the
bridegroom. He will erect his white throne in the clouds, ere
it be long, and then they who will not obey his voice now,
fliall then be fent away with the devil a,pd his angels, to ever
lafting prifon, -where they fliall be tormented through all the
ages of eternity.
3. -Walk before thi Lord, and be yc perfect : Ye may fee this
was the charge Abraham got, Gen. xvii. 1. Walk before me,
and be thou perfect. But it may be, ye will fey, How Shall «--;-
do that ? I anfwer, Walk firicerely and holily with God';
and wa'k juftly with men, Rev. xvii. 14. Aiid they that c.r-e
with him, arc called, and chofen, and faithful .- That is, thefe
that are with him labour to walk fincerely with God, and up
rightly with men. There willbe none in- this army but fuch.
Bieffed are they, and bleflcd fliall tlrey be, that fet themfelves
to be his followers : Let the world judge of them as they will,
they Shall be bieffed •, therefore sffociate yotsriclves with them,
if ye would be, bieffed here and hereafter.
4. The laft advice that I give you, ait this tim-:, is this, If
ye have walked in crooked paths, labour 'to. come off, and
make them ftraight; that is, if ye 'have complied with the
flunks of the Lord's glory and his troth, acknowledge vout"
(jffciice, and feek grace from a gracioi.s God, to return :nnl

424 PREFACE to SERMON XXXVI.
repent ; there is mercy with him that he may be feared .- There
is mercy for the humble and penitent; as ye may fee in the
parable of the prodigal fon ; how joyfully his father met him,
and received him whenever he fet his face home-ward, and
turned from his former courfe. But no .mercy for you that
are run away from under Chrift's colours, and are joined
with his avowed Slated enemies ; and think that ye have
done no wrongs that with the whore, Wipes your mouth
and fays, What have we done ? We have done no wrong :
Ye fee no fin in what ye have done. We dare not of
fer mercy to you -, we have offered as far as God in his
word hath commanded to be offered to you ; and if ye lay
claim to it in that condition, we affure you from the Lord,
that ye Shall meet with a fearful difappointment. So ye that
have been driven away with the ftorm, come ye back again ;
Return backftiding children, faith the Lord, and 1 will heal your
backflidings. And as for you that have been labouring to keep
his way, and to keep your garments clean, labour to keep
them fo ftill ; and watch and pray, that ye enter not into temp
tation .- And, when ye are tempted, pray that ye may not be
overcome of the temptation. And to him be praife.

P R E F A C E.

MY friends, there were many that flocked to tbe ordi
nances, in Chrift's days, that had not a right end be
fore them : fuch as thefcribes, and Pharifees, and Herodians;
that came for no other end, but to intangle him in his talk,
and 10 catch !at his words, to find an occafion againft him
whereby they might accufe him. And alfo, there was a fort
of people that came out of curiofity, that delighted to hear
of new things. . And I fear there are many fuch come here ;
fome to catch at the words fpoken, and to find and feek ad
vantage, how to reproach the way of God ; and fome are
come to hear new things : But, I fay to fuch, if ye be come
for any of thefe ends, ye Shall get a fad fentence pronounced
againft you. I fay, if ye get not that faid to you, that the
women that came to the fepulchre to feek Jefus Chrift, got
faid to them, by the angel, Fear not, it will be a fad here-
coming to you. But if ye can fay upon good grounds, that
it is Jefus of Nazareth that ye are feeking here this night,
then, we dare be bold to fay, Fear not ; for ye Shall be made
welcome. But

PREFACE to SER,MON XXXVI. 425
But there are a few things that I would require of you,
that are come here. this, ni^ht, ;if ye would profit by your
coming. And,
1. I would .require of you, to think much of the live of
Chrift to fallen men ; that hath done fo great thinjs for die
recovery of men, out of that miferab'e condition, they aie
in by finning againft God. O firs ! admire and -wonder at
this admirable love, that is fo manifested in redeeming of loft
Sinners,. >
2. I require you to think much of the gofpel. , O wonder
that ever he condelcended to let you hear tell of drift offer
ed in this gofpel ! .he hath not dealt fo with many nations.
O admire his love in this to you I for he hath paft by many
nations, great and ftrong, and never hath let them have
this privilege, to hear tell of Chrift manifefted in the gofpel ;
yea, never to have the privilege to have the Bible amongft
them. Ay, Sirs, if ye few the great privilege bellowed upon
you in this, ye would think it well worth all your pains, and
all that ye can fuffer on this account for your duty.,
3. I would require you to caft away all your idols, both of
one fort and other ; and give them not Chrift's room in your
hearts any longer. O ! remember this, that Chrift will not
dwell where any idol is kindly entertained. O ! remember
this, that ye muft part with all your idols, if ye would have
Chrift to be with you.
4. I require of you, who are come here this night, that
ye have a right end in your here-coming before you : And
if any of you have had wrong ends before your eyes, in com
ing here, be humbled for it ; and, in the time that is, labour
to get his glory for your only and chief end, in coming to or
dinances, otherwife ye will not find him in his ordinances^
but will lofe your pains in coming to them,
5. I would require of you, that are coming here this night,
that ye come empty of all things in yourfelves to his ordinan
ces. O come empty of all your own righteoufnefs, and of all
things that wrong his glory ; and,, remember, that it is the
hungry that Shall be filled with good things,, but the full Shall
go away empty. O ! labour to come empty to him, and ye
fliall be filled with the fatnefs of his houfe.

Hhh SERMON

T. 426 3

S E R M O N XXXVI.

Canticles i. 7.
Tell me, 0 thou whom my foul loveth, where thoufeedcft, where
thou mSkeft thy flock to r.efl at noon ; For why fhould I be as
one that turneth afide by the flocks of thy companions ?

NOW, I would afk tbis queftion at you, who are come
here this night, Where are you ? It was the firft queftion
that was aSked at Adam, after his rebellion, Adam, where art
thou ? He was in a miferable condition, 'and he -had hid him
felf from the prefence of 'the Lord, when he faw, his nakednefs.
And fo I aik thefe questions at you :
1. Where are you? Andit may be anfwered, In a ftate
of fin and mifery; without God, arid Without Chrift. O
firs ! is not that a miferable and fearful condition, to be in a
ftate of fin ; and liable to the wrath of a fin-revenging God?
•O ! bethink yourfelves, how ye will be able to-abide that ter
rible and juft fentence, of a holy and fin-revenging God,
'I>ipaft from me" yecurftd, into everlafting burning, prepared
for the devil and his angels . Know ye' not that ye are liable
to this, while out of'Chrift, and are flighting the free offers
of him in the gofpel ?.
2. Where are your afflictions ? I trow they are fcattered
abroad upon many unprofitable objects : Sorne on one idol,
and Some on another. The worldling hath the world for his
object; and the things that he feeks is 'She warld, arid the
things thereof, and he rejects Chrift. But here is the preci
ous object that is worthy of all" your love, even precious
Chrift. O firs ! 'beftow not yourfove upoirbafe and uripro- '
fitable objects.
3. What will ye be, when ye' come to be tried'by afflic
tion and perfecution ? I trow ye will be'found out of Chrift;
and then there will be no ftanding for you : O come! and
fay wkh the fpoufe to Chrift, Tell me where thou feedeft, and
•where- thou makeft thy flocks to reft at noon.
The fooufe, in the firft four verfes of this chapter, Signi
fies her love to Chrift, and that he was the only choice of her
love. Then, verfe 5. She turns to the daughters of Jerufa
lem, and tells them, Though -She was buck, and feorched
with perfecutions and afflictions, &c. yet She was comely, by
being

SERMON* XXXVL 427.
being beautified with Chrift's comelinefs ; becaufe he had a
tove to her, and fhe had a love 10 him ; and this made her
beautifufeand lovely, even when She was black, by reafon of
perfecutions and- afflictions. '
And here, in the words, read, flic turns to Chrift, and di
rects her Speech to him, 7ell me, 0 thou whom my feid loveth,
&c. And there are, three things in her fpeech 10 him :
I. The title which She giv.es him, 0. thou whom my foul
loveth; And this fets forth. the great love which She had tg
bim. II. We have her petition, or the thing which She feeks of
Chrift : Tell me where thou fee deft. This is not meant where
he feeds himfelf, but where he feeds his flock ; and where
he makes them to lie down in the hot and lcorching time:.
And., here ye have her cafe laid down in a twofold condition.
(t.) She was afraid of being mistaken in her way. (2.) The
way She takes to get the doubt cleared to her, She comes to
the right hand for help ; fhe comes to Chrift, and feeks his
leading ; which holds forth the grace of faith to be in ex
ercife ; and that She had the fenfe of his attributes upon her
fpirit; and. that there was food and fafety to be found iri
him. HI. The third thing in the words, is the argument that
ffie makes ufe of, to inforce her love to him, and to fignify
her refpect, to his feeding, and her confidence in his fafety;
and hiding.
Now, from this bead, I fliall lay down this doctrine.
Doct. I. That there is in Jefus Chrift incomparable loveli-
nefs. And to .clear and confirm this point, read Canticles v. to.
to the clofe ; where She hath a lovely apprehenfion of a$ tbe
parts of his perfonal comelinefs : And when She hath gone
through all the parts of his perfonal comelinefs, She thinks
not that eriongh ; but all that file can fpeak of his beauty and
comelineSs, is far below her thoughts of the fame ; and there
fore to advance her commendation of him, She fums all up in
a heap together, and fays, tie is altogether lovely and amiable !
Whatever others think of him, (be thinks him inccjmparable, .,
and <compleatly comely ; there is no fpot in him.
If ye would aSk, what is his beauty ! It may be anfwered,
that it cannot be named ; it is paft the comprehension and
capacity of all the ages and generations of eternity to give it a
name ; yea, it paffeth the wit of angels, thefe glorified fpi
iits, to give it a name ; wherefore are the angels feid to have
wings, but to cover their faces ; becaufe, as it were, they blufh
and are afhamed to look to that beauty and matchlefs loveli-
nefs that is in our Lord Jefus Chrift. Ay, any thing that was
ever feen, or conceived of him by the creatures, was but a
H h h 2 • dark-

428 SERMON XXXVI,
darkning of his gloty. When he appeared upon Mount Si
nai to the Ifraelites, at the giving of the law, if was fuch a
fight as made them to quake. They durft not hear that voice,
arid they befought Mofes to hide it from them ; they thought
it fo terrible to behold fuch an obfeure figfft of that glory; AH
this was a hiding of his power, and a darkning of that inac-
ceffibfe glory, and tranfeendent excellency that is in him. Q
firs ! is he not lovely to them, (fiat gets a faving fight of him ?
They cannot but fee him incomparable and matchlefs in his
lovelinefs. And now from,this doctrine, I Shall lay down1 fome ufes.
Ufe i. Is of reproof, to all folk who are fpiritually blind
ed, and fee not this lovelinefs that is in Chrift. O Sirs ! o-
pen your eyes and behold Chrift's comelinefs, that is altoge
ther lovely and delightl'ome to poor believers that get a right
fight of him.
Ufe 2. Is of reproof, to fuch as prefer other things to
Chrift; for fuch declare plainly, that they have no love to
Chrift in exercife; for if they had love to him in exercife,
they would be loth to let other things compete with Chrift,
that is the pleafentej'c object of the btkever's love ; for, to the
believer, there is nothing befides him.
Ufe 3. Is. of infraction. Is it fo, that Chrift is the love-
lieft object i O then ! come to Chrift, and take him for your
foul's love, and ye Shall never rue it, O ! come and make
him your love. O beftow your love upon him, that is well
woi thy of all your love !
A fecond doctrine from the words is this, \'- .
Doct. II. 7 hat folk ought to bear a vehement love to Chrift.
And from this doctrine I Shall take notice of thefe three
things : -
I What of Clmft it is, that we Should love.
II. How we Should love Chrift.
III. That we Should. give fome teftimonies of orir love to
Chrift. I. As to the firft, What of Chrift it is, that we Should
love: And here there are two cafes of confcience, of foul-
concernment, to be fpoken to.
1. And the firft queftion, which is a cafe of confcience,
is this, How fhall I know what of Chrift I fhould love? In an
fwer to this queftion, I fay. ye- Should love all Chrift. There
is nothing of Chrift, or of Chrift's concernments, but we
fhould love it. But I fliall name a few things of Chrift in par
ticular, that we Should love. And,
(1), We Should love Chrift's perfen. O firs ! he is lovely
in his Perfon ; as ye may fee by the Strain of the commenda-'
tion, whereby the Bride fets out .the lovelinefs of his parts. She

Upon Canticles i. 7. ' 429
She puts a high efteem upon them all, to makeothers delight
in him with her ; and oftentimes She repeats them over, to
make others to take a fecond look of him, and to fall in love
with. him.
(2.) We Should have an univerfal love to all his laws and
ordinances, and to his image in his people, wherever it is to
be feen: For all his laws and ordinances are lovely, and his
people who bear his image are lovely, becaufe they are beau
tified through his comelinefs. V
2. A fecond queftion, which is a cafe of confcience, is this,
How fball 1 know if 1 have a real love to Chrift ? And in anf
wer to this, ye may know your love to Chrift by thefe marks
following, if ye find all of them, or any of them, in your
felves. (1.) If ye be wiu to IoVe all Chrift, in all his three offices,
as a prophet to teach you, as a prieft to facrifice and inter
cede for you, and as a king to rule in and over you. Alas !
I fear that the moft Part °f you are unwilling to love Chrift
in his kingly office, now in this day, when it is much contro
verted by men : Have they not robbed him of his kingly pow
er and authority, and fet his crown upon the head of a mor
tal worm, by that ufurped fupremacy. O firs ! if ye would
Shew your love to Chrift in vehemency, ye muft contend for
that part of his prerogatives, that men have affumed to them
felves. O let your love be feen in this now !
• (2 ) If ye would be at the knowledge of your loving Chrift
truly, try it by your loving of Chrift alone ; ye muft love no
thing befides him. There are many that would join Chrift
and idols together, but ye muft love him only ; he muft have
no competitor here, neither muft ye love him for any thing
that is his,. for he will reject fuch fpurious love as that. There
are fome indeed that love Chrift becaufe he hath purchafed
falvation ; but that is not true love, but a loving of him tur
his goodnefs to the creature : But true love will love himfelf
alone, and- true love will love him for himfelf, and not for
any thing that is his, or that is with him.
(3.) Would ye know your love to Chrift, then fee if ye love
him in his crofs, and in fuffering for him ? and, with Mofes,
choofe the crofs before the crown of Egypt, and prefer afflic
tions, with the people of God before the pleafures of Sin for a
feafon. O firs ! have any of you feen him lovely in his crofs ?
Have any of you feen him lovely in your" afflictions and trials,
that ye have met with upon his account, and for owning of
his way ?
(4.) If ye would know your love to Chrift, ye muft evidence
it by your loving and keeping all his commandments ; ye muft
have a refpect to all his commandments, and muft be as care
ful to keep tliefe of them that are moft crofs to your corrupt inclina-

43° S E R M O N XXXVI.
inclinations:, as the reft: of tbem that your" temper agrees/more
with;, for, the keeping of his* commandments is an, evidence.
that ye love him, John xiv. 15.
(5.) Ye muft evidence your true love to Chrift by your ha»
tred at all your, idols, of whatfoever kind ; ye muft part with
your beft beloved idols andipredomindnt lufts, for he will not
be yours, or regard you, if ye regard fin. in your hearts^
Pialra. Ixvi. 18.
(6 ) If ye would know your love to Chrift, ye muft evidence
it by your loving of his image'iri his people. There is a gneat
difference betwixt enemies and friends in this ; for Chriii's.
friends, that have true love to him, love their brethren, be
caufe they have his image ftamped upon them ; but the wkki
ed, who are his enemies, hate his image, perfecute his pea*
pie for his fake, arid hy this they declare diat we and, they
have not one Father.
(7.) If ye would know your love to Chrift, ye muft make
It evident hy your loving of the true church, the temple of
God, that is bis glory.
(8.) If ye would know your love to Chrift, ye muft evi
dence it by your loving of his kingdom ; ye muft pray for the
coming of his kingdom in this world, when all things fliall
be accomplished that be hath promifed in his word, concert
ning the advancement of the kingdoin of grace, and ye mufti
love, and long for his fecond coming in judgement ; when.
alt things Shall be rightly ordered, by his juft and final deter
mination, and all wrongs Shall be righted, and put to a perk
£)d. II. Now, as to the fecond particular from this doctrine,
which is this, How Shall we love Chrift? This queftion be
ings alfo a caSe of confcience, in anfwer to it, 1 fay,
\. Ye muft love him Sincerely. It muft be a lincere foul
love that ye bear to him ; and not a formal hypocritical love ;
but a Sincere, foul-love, is that which will giv*e peace in the
end. O I how loves a true child his father, with a heart-
fove ! And it muft be fuch a love as this that you bear unto
Chrift. 2. Ye muft love him vehemently ; it muft not be a coldrife
love that ye bear to Chrift, that will foon be quenched with a
fmall difeouragement or cooled by a cold ftormy blaft ; but it
mult be a love with great vehemency.
3. It muft be a conftant love, an abiding love ; it muft not
fje a flafli and away again ; but it muft abide always. Much
jmconftancy of love to Chrift, hath appeared in this, genera
tion. O ! how many, who once Seemed to be lovers of Chrift
indeed, have either changed their love, or elfe it it is grown
Very cold ? III. The

UfO\N Canticles i. .7. 4jt
III. The thbd .particular from thfi doctrine, ts, that ye
fhould give fometeftimonies of your love to Chrift ; and this
yc muft do,
I. By loving Chrift for himfelf and for nothing of hispur-
chafe. O I feek h'tri for himfelf; and love him for himfelf;
otherwife your loverw-ilI not be accepted.
2- By loving him witb a ftrong love, and not with a poor,
ifieckteis love.
3. By loving him with a continual love. This grace of lowe
hath the prehetftmence of all the other graces of the Spirit =
Faith and hope ievanifheth ; but k>ve abides your companion
here and in heaven.
4. By loving him with a figlhting love : For, in loving him
ye muft maintain a conftant tvarfare againft die devil, the
world, and the flefli : And ye muft refill the wrongs, and re-
fent the affronts that men are putting upon the noble. captain
of ourfalvation. -Alas! what a finful tampering with,- and
yielding to enemies hath there been, which is a grievous fin
ning" again ft him ? There hath been a declared war from the
beginning againft him, hy his enemies. O therefore ! go
forth ye that would prove yourfelves valiant for him and his
caufe, and refent the wsongs done to our noble captain Chrifti
and tell his enemies, that ye arid they Shafl never agree, for
what they have -done, and are doing againft him. When ye
fee they have robbed. him of his glory, if ye were true chil
dren, ye would be more concerned with this than ye are. Ay,
fiis, if ye were true children, the-inroads the enemies have
made upon the royal prerogatives of Jefus Chriit, .would!
have made a road through your heart, ere they had got trim
robbed after this manner. Alas ! firs, it is fad to fee minis
ters and profeSfbrs fit Silent and unconcerned, when our Lord
is iogreatly wronged by enemies andprofeffors of this gene
ration. Now, from what I have- feid, I ihall lay down, thefe two
ufes. Ufe 1. Is 'of inftruction. O be instructed to go forth an i
Shew your refofotion, that ye -will be for Chrift though .»<sq&
Should accompany you : Ay, though ye. Should be left alone
by* all the w.orld, and be for a Sign and a wonder in Ifrael;
and though all appear to be againft yon, this may not difc-ou-
rage you : When both enemies and profeSTors are condemning
your teftimony in a great part, appear ye for- him by your
practice, as well- as by your,. profeffion. O com© andtay-fll
down at his feet, and prigg not with him ! O firs ! ^ivefom
your all, ftand not with him, on your life,, and ail that yo-j
hate, and hlufli and be afhamed, that ye. Irive somorstj
lofe for him. O come ! acd i,..y, All that I have is Chrift's ;
? T
Mill

432 S E R M O N XXXVI.
and then he fliall add that pleafant word, I, and all. that I
have is thine.
Ufe 2. Is of advice. Ol be ad vi fed rather to difpleafe all
other things, than in the leaft to difpleafe Chrift. 1 charge
you that ye awake him not till he pleafe. O firs ! beware of do
ing any thing that may difpleafe him : Difpleafe friends and
relations, and all others, before ye difpleafe our Lord. Obey
him in all things that. he commands you to do; for this will
be pleafing to God, and comfortable to you ; whereas, pleaf
ing of other things will prove forrow to you in the end, and
keep his room empty when he withdraws himfelf. The fpoufe
lets none come in his place when he is away, like a chafte wife
that will lie alone when her hufband is abfent. And, O firs !
entertain this noble grace of love, for it will be your compa
nion in heaven to all eternity.
A third doctrine from the words is,
Doct. III. That as there is a relation betwixt a fhepherd and
his flock, fo there is a relation betwixt Chrifl and believers, who
are his fheep.
For proof of this fee Ifa. xl. 1 1. He fhall feed his flock like a
fhepherd : He fhall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry
them in his bofom, and fhall gently lead thofe that are with young.
And from this doctrine I Shall, ,
' I. Shew you wherein this relation doth appear in Chrift.
II. Shew you what duties this relation binds upon us.
I. Now, as to the firft head from this doctrine, viz ' where
in doth the relation betwixt Chrift and his Sheep ftand ? This
relation Hands in thefe things :
¦i. It appears to Stand' in Christ's feeding pf his Sheep in his
own pafture; and there are feveral kinds of paftures, where^
in be feedeth his people. And,
(i.) His paftures are wholefome paftures, wherein his Sheep
muft feed, and wherein he does feed them, Pfal. xxiii. 2. He.
maketh me to lie down in green paftures -¦ He leadeth me beftde
the ftill waters. The Lord muft lead them, as other Shepherds
do, and not leave them to wander among the flocks of his
companions. Chrift hath fome companions, to fpeak after
the manner of men, that fet up their figris for his figns, to
deceive his flock ; but he is the good Shepherd of Ifrael, that
both feeds and leads his people, and keeps them from follow
ing the voice of ftrangers, John x. 4, 5.
(2.) His pafture, wherein he feedeth his people, is a fat
pafture, it fatisfieth them with marrow and fatnefs, Pfal. Ixiii.
5. It is a place of marrow and fatnefs ; it is a place of room
and largenefs : A large field, they may not wander out of it,
neither are they ftraitned in it for want of food, for- in it tlieir
Souls are filled with good things. (3-) ^

Upon Canticles i. 7; ' 433
(3.) It is a fecure pafture : In it he governs his people, ard
none Shall make them afraid. He doth not promife to keep
them in fafety from affliction, but he promifeth to be with
them in the fire and in the water, that they fliall 'not prevail
againft them ; and at laft to deliver them out of all their af
flictions, and by this they are ever in fafety and feeurity.
2. He appears to Stand in the relation of a fhepherd to his
people, (1.) By gathering in the Straying Sheep by his ordinances,
and by his Staff of government,
(2.) By his faving of them that halt ; he will make the hal
ters to be made whole, and will let them lee their duty more
clearly in a dark day, than they few it.
(3.)- By his gathering his Sheep into his fold. If ye be
Chrift's flieep, ye will not get leave to Stay out of his fold ;
and if ye get leave to go after the flocks of his companions,
and to Stray after other Shepherds, it is a token that ye are
nof of Chrift's flock. You that are ignorant of his way. and
wftuld be taught, fliall not want leading into his fold. ¦ Thofe
that would fain be in his fold, but cannot win, becaufe they
know not the way, he will lead them in hither ; for he leads
the blind in ways they know not, Ifa. xiii. 16. But thefe who
are wilfully blind, and will not be led by him, he will let them
fall among ftrangers and ftrayers to their ruin
(4 ) By carrying the young and tender of the flock in his
bofom. Peter was bid feed Chrift's Lambs, b fore he was
bid feed his flieep, John xxi. 15 which Shews that he is con
cerned, in the firft place, and hath a tender care oyer young
and tender Chriftians, that are newly begun to feek him This
Should teach minifters and profeffors, to take great care of
Chrift's young, and tender believers, becaufe a little harlhnefs
will difcourage them. O be careful to feed Chrift's little ones,1
be tender of them, and do not break the bruifed reed, nor quench
the fmoking flax , Matth. xii. 20.' Oh I it is a fed charge that
will be given-in againft minifters and profeffors in this age,
whofe practice hath been a Stumbling-block, and difeourag-
ing to poor tender Chriftians, that defired to follow the Lord
Sincerely. (5.) He watcheth and Stands feeding his flock, his own peo
ple, with his two flaves, beauty and bands ; and he hath a
mafs of iron in his hand, to break in pieces his church's ene
mies. He is not fitting or lying, but he is Standing; which
Shews forth his readinefs to do for his people,
(6 ) He will be countable for his flock to his Father^ accor
ding to that word, John xvii. 12. Thofe that thou gaveft me I
have kept, and none of them is loft. Ye that are his flieep need
not fear, for neither devils nor men fliall be able to pluck
you out of Chrift's hand ; he will prefent you S'pctlefs before
I i i the

434 SERMON XXXVI.
the throne of God ; not one of you Shall be loft : All his an
gels Shall be gathered together, and all his children fliall be
gathered together, and brought home at night, and there Ihall
not one of them be loft.
II. Now, as to the Second head from the doctrine, which
is, What duties this relation, which is hetwixt Chrift, the
fhepherd, "and us the fheepj binds upon us. And,
i. It binds thisduty upon us, that we hear his voice, in his
word, in his gofpel, in his calls and difpenfations. It oblig-
eth us to anfwer his calls, by obeying his voice, and fubmit-
ting to him as prophet, prieft, and king in his church.
, 2. It binds this duty on us, not to hear the voice of Stran
gers. Ye muft not obey any other voice but his voice. O
firs ! how can ye hear hirelings, that have intruded themfelves
upon the labours of the faithful minifters of Jefus Chriit;
thefe devouring wolves, that are erroneous in their doctrine,
and fcandalous in their practice and conversation ? O ! ceafe
to hear all thefe, whatever they call themfelves, whofe inftruc
tion eaufeth to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. xix. JJ.
Hear not any that condemns duty, and gives a toleration to
any iniquity : Hear them not, and ye Shall know them by
their fruit ; for they that are dark and myfterious in their
doctrine and application, concerning the fins and duties of
the day, and the tellimonies of the truth, owned by God,
and felled with the blood of his faithful fervants ; I fav, all
fuch, whatever they have been, hear them not, for thefe are
voices that ye Should not hear : Thefe that are liable to
church cenfure, high or low, by being guilty of fuch fins as
would have fufpended them from their office, thefe ye Should
not hear, until their fins be acknowledged and forfeken : For
though we want church-judicatorfes to complain to, yet we
have a judgment of diferetion to know our duty : Therefore
lbear them hot, left, by being partakers of their Sins, ye alfo
-(bare in their judgments.
3. It binds this duty upon us, to be harmlefs -, and, with
Taul, to endeavour to keep a confcience void of offence towards
God, and towards men, , Acts xxiv. 16, Alas! firs, when ye
comply with firiful courfes, ye give great offence many ways;
for thereby ye both offend God and the people of God, and
ye harden the enemies of God in their fins. O ! feek for that
harmlefnefs, that confifts with holinefs; but do not ceafe to
contend for wronged truth, neither neglect any known duty:
For, if ye were able to bring down all the enemies of truth,
and of the church of God, it would be no harm, if ye do juf
tice on God's enemies, in recovering the work of God, it is
your duty, and there is no harm in it. *
4. It binds this duty upon us, to be ufeful in our day, ac
cording to our place and Ration. The flieep are ufeful crea
tures ;

Upon Canticles i. 7. 435
tures ; they are both meat and clothing : I fay, it is all your
duty to be ufeful in your Station. And if ye would be ufe
ful and faithful to the Lord, O ! labour to be Iris fheep : for
ye muft be in him, before ye can act and do for him.
And now I Shall raife fome ufes from this doctrine.
Ufe 1 Is of instruction. If ye would be his people, and
be ufeful to him and for him, then be inftructed to take him
for your Shepherd, and hear no fhore the voice of ftrangers,
but give up yourfelves to be led and taught by him ; for, he
is the faithful leader of his people.
Ufe 2. Is of advice. O carry as his flieep, and he will not
fail you ; he will be reft to the weary ; Springs of water to
the thirily ; and bread to the hungry : And he will make
you chew your cud on former experiences, when ye will
think that ye will die for want. O then \ carry as Iris Sheep,
r.nd ye fliall experience his goodnefs.
Ufe 3. Is of encouragement to all t'ie true flieep of Chrift.
When all your Shepherds will not dd their duty, he will Say,
my Shepherds have not done their duty, in feeking, ftrength-
ning, binding up, and gathering my icraying Sheep, there
fore I will do it myfelf : I fey, when his Shepherds fail in this,
be fajgg, he will fearch for And feek his left flit-ep, and feed
them Upon the mountains of Ifrael. Alas ! our Shepherds
did leave us in our greateft Straits. When fnares did abound
in the land, there was none to warn us : So the land is invol
ved in many great abominations, of one kind and another.
They lay by from their miniftry, as if they had not been o-
bliged to ftand upon Zion's walls, to cry aloud and give the
people faithful warning. But herd's a faithful Shepherd, that
will do all himfelf ; and will do all his work in faithfulnefs to
his peoples comfort.
The fourth doctrine from the words is this,
Doct. IV. That when the fpoufe of Chrift kaows not what to
do, to avoid fin and fuffering, he both knows how, and will help
her ; becaufe he is her leader.
The fpoufe was in a ftrait here, and therefore She fays, Tell
me where thou feedeft, &c. He leads her in gre.en paftures*:
And thefe are the means whereby he leads her :
(i.) He leads her by his word.
(2.) He leads her by his Spirit. And thefe two muft go to
gether; for the Spirit will not lead you without the word,
nor the word without the Spirit : For the Spirit, without the
word, is but like the lamp without the light, and cannot be
ufeful to lalvation, as the deluded quakers and other enthu-
fiaSts affert : So neither can tie word, without the Spirit,
lead you ; for it is like the lamp without the light. So theie
two, the word and the Spirit, muft of neceffity go together,
jjct-.the Lord's leading of his people, «'
I i i 2 (3 ) He

4.36 S E R M O N XXXVI.
(3.) He leads his people, by directing them in the way of
their duty. This is a confufed time wherein we live; fo that
people cannot obferve the difference betwixt duty and fin :
Every one pleads that their own way is right. Therefore I
defire you to go to God for direction in his Way ; mjffiy feem
to be fti-mbled and offended at his way ; but thefe that have
his caufe rightly Stated in their hearts, (hall neither Stumble
norbe offended at it : And I think none will bide unftumbled
at it, but thefe that have his caufe rightly Slated in their judg
ment, and the real impreffion of the duties of the day fettled -
in their hearts.
(4,) He leads his people, by ftrengthning them with inward
Strength, to ftand out againft the Stormy wind of perSecuticm.
O feek Strength from him to ftand ! for ye have the ftorm in
your face ; and all that ye have feen yet in this land, is little
or nothing ia comparifon to what is to come ; for it will be
feven times harder and worfe to fuffer. But, O firs I think
not of going back to defection; for there is life enough in
him, and Strength to make you ftand in the evil day, if ye
continue in his way ; for all that he takes in under his ftia-,
dow, he will be to them a a covering in the day ofwar;, a hid
ing-place from the wind ; a covert from the tempeft ; aWrivers
of water in a dry place, as the fbadow of a grdat rock inwi wea
ry land, Plal. cxl. 7. Ifa. xxxii. 2, He will give themjrefrefh-
ful fruit, that will be pleafant to their tafte : He will hide
them in the ftorching day of perfecution, and will be a Shel
ter to them in all their ftraits, and take them into the cham
bers of his protection, Ifa xxvj. 20 where there is pleafure and
fafety to be found : Where he gives honour to ffis friends,
and makes his fruit fweet to them ; and at laft will admit them
to his chambers of delight, in his father's houfe, which is an
high honour indeed ; for there they fliall have both pro
tection and perfection O firs ! feek not peace with enemies ;
do not feek their profperity. •
But ye will fay, if we be not at peace with *hem, we will
lofe the world, and it may be our lives alfo : It is true, if ye
be faithful in the Lord's caufe, ye may lofe the world, and
your life : but if ye be not faithful, then ye will lofe your fouls
and that is more than your life and the world both : And if
ye venture upon the way, -wherein he fees afflictions bell for
you, ye Shall not be'ln the afflictions alone, for he will be with
you in them, and under them ; for, in fire and water he is
with his people : And in your difficulties he will give you his
counfel ; for'heis the councellor of his people, O therefore!
come and feek counfel and' direction from him, who is the
only wife councellor of his people, and ye Shall find love in
him, for he is lovely indeed in all his dealings, both in mercy and

PREFACE to SERMON XXXVII. 437
and juftice. O therefore! come and feek him to be your
leader and commander.
Now, 1 fhall fpeak to fome ufes.
Ufe I. Is of advice. O firs beware of finning, for it is the
caufe of all our mifery ; it makes God an enemy unto us,
and it turns all our mercies to become curfes unto us. O !
employ him for the difeovery of fin ; and as it is difeovered,
confefs and forfake it.
Ufe. 2. Is of experience. Ye fee the^people of God are in
cident and liable to many troubles ^nd afflictions ; be not an
xious anent this, if he be pleafed to lay them on you ; but
labour to carry well under the crofs, *for it is the way that his
people hath trode in, in former times ; through croffes and
tribulations is the way to glory.
Ufe 3. Is of confolation, to all the truly godly. Chrift will
tell you where to feek help ; and that in him is help, both
from Sin and fuffering. O employ him for comfort in all your
afflictions ! and feek to be led by him in the way of truth.
Ye know not what ye may meet with ere it be long. O come
and employ Chrift for all that ye ftand in need of! for there
is a lad day coming on thefe lands : A day of anger and in
dignation is coming through tliefe lands, to take vengeance
upon thefe that would not that he Should reign over them.
O ! flee in to him to be hid, for he is coming on his red
horfe of feverity, and all that is out of him will be deftroyed
in the fire of jealoufy. O ! flee in to him, who can hide you
in the day of war. O labour to be found- in him, that is the
God of heaven and earth! in whom is pleafure and delight
for evermore.

P R E F AC E.
THIS is a time wherein minifters have great difeou
ragements to preach : There is,
t. The opposition, of a powerful and wicked enemy, and
this is great difeouragement : This will make a minifter un
dergo much toil and hazard, and likely lofe his life, if he
would follow out his miniftry and make full proof of it.
But, 2. There is a greater difeouragement than this, and that
Is. the differences and divifions that are among profeffors and

ir. ; :

-43* S E R M O N XXXVII.
minifters. We cannot attain to a" joint carrying on of the
work. Some are calling down what others are building upj
yea, Some are calling down; what once they builded up them
selves : This is a great difeouragement. But yet I think,
3. There is a greater than this ; and that is the fruitlefnefs
of the gofpel. Oh ! the gofpel is fruitlefs ; we fee few ftrangers
to God converted by it ; we fee few who are going on in the
finful courfes of the time, reclaimed by it : We have often
told you of your iniquities, and ye Will not forfake them. So,
that if it were not to difeharge our confciences, and to give a
testimony, it would appear almoft ufelefs to mention them
an;-- more : We fee few of the ftraighteft and ftrickeft of pro-*
feffors bettered by it ; for they are rather growing more in
different as'to the matters of God ; more fiothful in keeping
up Christian focieties ; more negligent of their fecret duties ;
more carnal in their converfe and converfetion. Oh ! this is
fad; this is great difeouragement; this makes us fear, that
the gofpel this day is plagued to the moft part; that it is fent
to harden their hearts, deafen their ears, blind their eyes, as
Ifaiah got in his commiffion, chap, yi 'o. O ! let us pray to
the Lord for his prefence with this piece of work ; that it
may have a bieffed fruit.

SERMON XXXVII.
Canticles i. 7.
fell me, 0 thou whom my foul loveth, where tboufeedeft, where
thou makeft thy flock to reft at noon ; Far why fhould I be as
Qne that turneth afide by the flocks of thy companions ?

THERE are feveral forts of fplk, that have finful wishes
and defires : The open and avowed enemies of God,
they deiire the utter ruin of his work and extirpation of his
people : Voluptuous perfons, they defire the fatisfaction of
rileir bffe lufts : Ambitious men, they defire great honour
and preferment in a world : Covetous men, defire riches :
And hypocrites, an efteem and name of religion amongft the
profeffors thereof. But, my friends, I would have your de-
¦iieec, to go out alter Chrift and his falvation ; alfo, I would have

Upon Canticles i. 7. 430
have you going to him with the fpirit of the fpoufe, Tell ma,
0 thou whom my foul loveth, &c.
After the inscription of this fong, which is verfe 1 . the
fpoufe fpeaks firft, and directs her fpeech, Firft, to Chrift »
as ver. 2, 3, 4. Secondly, To the vifible profeffors ; as. ver.
§,6. Thirdly, She turns again to Chrift ; as ver. 7. I fay,
She fpeaks firfl to Chrift, Shewing her wiSh for the kiffes or
his mouth ; that is, the kindly expreflions of his love and fa
miliarity : , The reafon is, his love is more pleafant, ftreagth-
ning and refreshing than wine; which is confirmed from the
favournefs of his ointments ; that is, his graces ; the pouring
forth whereof, makes believers love him ; as ver. 2, 3. Next,
She puts up a fuit unto him, for the powerful working of his
fpirit ; which fhe preffeth with an engagement to advance
fwiftly towards himfelf, and prefently obtains her fuit ; for,
She is brought into his chambers ; that is, nearnefs with him
felf ; which was effectual to the filling of her heart with great
and fpiritual joy ; wherefore She will re-member hrs l&rs p'aov-:
all creature -com forts. And then for confirmation, is nc fori,
Thai the upright love him, as verfe 4. She fpeaks, idly, To,
the vifible profeSTors, Shewing, That though She was black
with corruptions and croffes, as the tents of Kedar, yet She
was comely with graces and , comforts, as the curtains o£
Solomon : Wherefore She labours to diffuade them from
looking only upon her blacknefs, fhe being Scorched with the
fun of perfecution, raifed againft. her by the children of, the
vifible church, who did put her to keep the vineyards ; that
is, to labour under painful and reproachful fuffering. How
beit, She more carefully refents her fins and infirmities, con-
fefling and lamenting her Sloth and negligence, in not keeping
her own vineyard, Which was her particular graces and ta
lents, ver. 5, 6. And then, in the 3d place, fhe turns again
unto Chrift, as in the text.
Now, there are in thefe words three things,
I. The title which the fpoufe giveth to Chrift.
II. Thething. which She feeks of him.
Ill The reafon of her petition.
I. The title which the fpoufe giveth to Chrift, 0 thou whom
my foul loveth! This title holds out her great efteem of him,
and affection to him. O ! if every one of you could fay un-
totiim, Thou whom my foul loveth, ye would be a pleafant and'
happy company: For no hypocrite, for all their flourishing
profeffion, and the fair compliments they give unto Chrift,
c.n'call him fo.
II. The thing which the fpoufe feeks of Chriftyis fet down
in a twofold Suit ; the fif-ft is, Tell me where thou fee-left ;
where feeding is not upderftood' in a paffivc fenfe, that is,
-wliere he feeds himfelf, as chap, vi. 2, but in an active fenfe, that

44° SERMON XXXVII.
that is, where he feeds others, as Ifa. xl. 1 1. 0 that ye were
all careful to know the paftures, whereunto Chrift doth direct
you, and where he will feed you !
The fecond fuit is, Tell me where thou makes thy flocks to
reft at noon, the noon of the day ; that is, the middle of the
day, which is the hot and Scorching time of the day. So She
feeks to know where he gives his people reft and refrefhment
under perfecution. If ye were careful to know this, ye would
not flee in under the Shadow of his enemies for protection
from their cruelty and rage.
III. The reafon, or argument, whereby the fpoufe enforceth
her petition, For why fhould I be as one that turnetb afide after
the flocks of thy companions ? Where, by companions, is to be
underftood, every thing that is to be fet up befide Chrift, or
efteemed above him, as lufts and idols ; alfo, every one who
leads people away from Chrift, as heretics. And, in general,
all who„lead people from their integrity in any courfe of error
or defection from Chrift, who are in fo far his companions ;
for the text (as is clear in itfelf) doth comprehend all, though
there be vaftly different forts and fizes amongft them, whom
to follow, were to turn afide : And certainly, whoever they
were, fhe hath her eye moft upon thefe, whom moft readily
fhe might follow in a courfe of defection, having in herfelf a
fear of fnares, and new failings, from the lenfe of her black-
nefs by her fins and infirmities, as ver. 5. And accordingly,
in the following verfe, Chrift directs her to look to the foot
fteps of the faithful that went before her, and to follow the
public ordinances difpenfed by true and faithful minifters, a
great part of whofe charge is to keep people right in dangerous
times, Eph. iv. 12,— — 16. O that there were this care in
every one of you, in this-diftracting and confuting time !
Now, I fhall come to fome doctrines from thefe heads ; in
laying down of which, I Shall not obferve every thing that
may be pertinently drawn from the fame, but only what is
moft obvious from the words, and may be moft fuitable to
your cafe. So, from the firft head, to wit, the title,
Doct. I. There is in Chrift an exceeding and match/efs love
linefs. This the fpoufe faith, when She calls him, 0 thou whom my
foul loveth .' O what a lovelinefs is in him ! ¦ He is the br'ightnefs
of his father's glory and exprefs image of his perfon. Heb. i. 3.
He is fairer than the children of men, with the beauty if wifdom
and holinefs, Pfal. xiv. 2. O ! how lovely is he in his majefty !
how lovely in his glory ! how lovely in his grace ! how lovely
in his beauty, and in all his properties ! The fpoufe faw much
of his lovelinefs, when She brake forth in fuch a commenda
tion of him, Cant. v. 10, to the end. My beloved is white and
ruddy,

Upon Canticles i. 7. 441
tuddy, the chief eft among ten thoufand ; his head is as the moft
fine gold, Sec. And when She thinks She cannot commend
him enough in particulars, She breaks forth in that general
expreffion, He is altogether lovely 1
Now, a word of life. For reproof, firft, to thefe who fee
no lovelinefs in Chrift. Ah ! though he hath Shewn himfelf
many times to you in his ordinances, yet he hath been a vail
ed Chrift unto the moft part of you ; ye have feen no comeli
nefs in him. Is this becaufe there is no comelinefs in him ?
No ; for, he is altogether lovely. Is this becaufe he hides his
beauty from you ? No ; for he hath many times Shewn his
face to you in the glafs of the gofpel, and appeared in his or
dinances, as in garments perfumed with aloes, myrrh and ca-
fia, and all odoriferous fipices : But this is becaufe of your
blindnefs, ye will not come forth from your natural igno
rance. Ye are like thefe that fit within doors, when a ftate
ly fight is going by, and fee nothing of it.
Secondly, To thefe who prefer other things to Chrifl. The
moft part of you have no efteem of him, ye look upon feve
ral other things to have more lovelinefs than he. O how bafe
is this ! the man that is given to his pleafures, prefers his lufts
and idols to Chrift, arid the Satisfaction thereof -to the pleafing
of him : So the drunkard, fo the unclean perfon, and forni
cator, 6t. The man, whofe idol is ambition, prefers his
naughty, worldly grandeur to Chrift. The man, whofe idol
is the world, prefers the trafh thereof to Chrift. O! what
an affront and indignity is this to his incomparable excellen
cy ! O! my friends, will ye efteem and prize him above all !
Seek through heaven and earth, ye will not find another fo
lovely. i Doct. II. As it is penp'es duty to fet their love upon Chrift,
fo they fhould contemplate his lovelinefs, efpecially when they are
in a ftrait, and feeking direction from him.
The fpoufe here holds out this_unto us, calling him, in
this her cafe, 0 thou whom my foul loveth I Chrift defires his
people's love. So, John xxi. 15, 16, 17. he, puts the quef
tion three times to Peter ; Simon, fon of Jonas, loveft thou me?
And accordingly Peter confeffed and avowed his love to Chrifl
three times, (according to his thrice denial of him) and ap
pealed the certainty thereof to his omnifeience, who knew all
things. And when the daughters of Jerufalem, chap vi. 1.
were enquiring of the bride, where they might find Chrift,
they contemplate his lovelinefs, calling him twice her beloved ;
and being convinced of his worth, do Shew their defires and
purpofe of feeking him ! O I what are ye doing ! will ye fet
your love upon Chrift ? will ye give him your hearts ? will
ye call him, 0 thou whom my foul loveth ?
Kkk But,

442 SERMON "XXXVII.
But, to illuftrate this doctrine a little, I fliall Shew you, -
L What ye Should love, if ye would love Chrift : Or,
wherein ye Should at all times distinctly take up his lovelinefs,
efpecially in your prefent circumftances, when (as the fpoufe
in the text) ye ought to feek direction from him, to know, the
means wherein he is to be found.
II. How ye Should love Chrift.
III. I, Shall give you fome marks and evidences whereby ye
may know true love : Or, I Shall Shew you, how ye fliall know
if ye love him. And then,
IV. I Shall come to a word of ufe.
I. As fo the firft, to wit, what we Should love, if ye would
love Chrift ; ye fhould love, I. His own excellent felf ; or ye
Ihould love him in his perfon, Pfal Ixxiii. 25. Whom, have I
in heaven but thee, and there is none upon the earth that 1 d/ftre
befides thee ? O ! he is only worthy of your love ; angels can
not declare his excellency. And it will be in a manner a dark
ning of it, for me to fpeak of it : But, O ! think ye much
Upon him, and count him worthy of all your love ?
Secondly, Ye Should love him in his offices. The truth of
his three offices is generally profeffed, and fo little doubted
by you, that I need net bring feriptures to prove it, which
would be tedious O! his offices are lovely. He is to be
loved in his prophetical office : whereby he reveals by his
word and Spirit the will of God for pur falvation. He is to
be loved in his prieftiy office: whereby, 1. He hath offered
up himfelf a lacrifice, which is fufficient both for fatisfying
the Strict juftice of the Father, and making reconciliation for
us. And whereby, 2. He is our interceffor and advocate with
the Father. He is to be loved in his kingly office : Whereby,
1. He Subjects us to himfelf, and makes us voluntarily comply
with his will. Whereby, 2. He rules us by his laws, and
officers of his own appointment. Whereby, 3.- He doth de
fend us fo, that no evil can befal us, but what he fees meet
for our trial, correction, or instruction. Whereby, 4. He
doth reftrain our enemies from fulfilling all their defires, and
effectuating their purpofes. And whereby, 5. He will con
quer them all under our feet ! O ! are not thefe offices love
ly .' Have ye not love to him in thefe ? Many would have him
their prieft ; they would be content to be laved by the price
he hath payed ; yet they will not have him their prophet, far
lefs their king: They will not Submit to his reigning and tri
umphing in them ; but, I tell you, if ye would have an inte
reft in him, ye muft take him as he offers himfelf, and that
is, in his threefold office. O I what fay ye to it ? Is he not
to be loved in thefe ?
Thirdly. Ye fhould love his word, Pfalm cxix. 97. 0 how
love I thy law ¦' The Pfalmift had vehement affection towards
> ' God's

Upon Canticles i. 7. 443
God's law, as that his admirative exclamation imports; he
had fuch an efteem of his law, that it was better to him than
thoufands of gold and filver, ver. 72. But I fear the Bible,
to the moft put of you, is a moft uupleafent book, otherwife
ye that cannot read it would be impatient until ye learn it,
and ye that can read it would be careful to read it oltner, to
understand it belter, and practife it more. Al.is for your ig
norance ! Some of you that bring children to be baptized,
are as ignorant, as if ye had not lived a month in a land where
the Bible is, and where the gofpel is.
Fourthly, Ye fhould love his church, Pfal. xxvi. 8 'Lord, I
have loved the habit. tion of thv hvife, and tbe place where thine
honour dwc/le.'h. O I there is little of this to be found among
us ; we made little oppofition to the calling down of his houfe.
The defolatron thereof hath coft us few fore hearts. The
moft of us, if wc get our own things, arc regardlefs whether
his work link or fwim, and many will do nothing for his
public work. And others do not ftand to Strengthen enemies
in thur fupprefling, and defigned ruin of it.
Fifthly, Ye Should love his ordinances. Thefe are the out
ward and ordinary means, whereby he communicates to the
elect the benefits of his purchaled redemption : Such as, the
reading and preaching of his word, the adminiftration ot his
facr.iments, and prayer. If there had been much of this a-
mongft us, minifters would not have forborn to difpenfe, and
people to countenance the public ordinances, though the h.iz-
afd wis not fmall : Alas, for it !
Sixthly, Ye fliould love his children, 1 John v 1. Every
cue tbat loveth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotte-i
of him. Oh ! there is little of that amongft us. But, i lay,
it is impoflible for one child of God to hate another child of
God ; ye.i, not to love another child of God as fuch ; how
beit. this love to God's children is not mainly hecaufe of" their
civility, which their religion brings along with it, but becaufe
of Chrift's im.i.;e which they bear O ! what Shall 1 fay ? Ye
th.it are begotten of the feme F.t.'^er love one another ; and
this love, in exercife, will make you bear one anothcrs bur
dens, encourage and exhort one another to duty ; it will
make you pity one anothers infirmities, and lament over one
another; it will make you faithful to reprove one another,
and plead with thefe of you that are blame-worthy, in meek-
nels, and in love, and discountenance their defections, not
out of any prejudice, but out of refpect to their gain and edi
fication. Seventhly, Ye fliould love the afflictions of Chrift. Heb. xi.
26 Ye fee there Mofes efteemed the reproach of Chrift greater
riches than the treifurcs of Egypt. O! my friends, why will
yc fear at his fufferings ? Nay, take up bis crofs lu.uifomely,
K. k k 2 bind

444 S E R M O- N XXXVII.
bind it to you, as your garment, and wear it as your crown,
and he will carry you and it both. O love it ! for it is lovely,
and it Shall be all paved over with love unto you. The time
of your greateft fufferings Shall be the time of your greateft
joy and content : This he hath promifed,- and this fufferers
and martyrs have found.
Eighthly, Ye Should love his coming, Rev. xxii. 20. Even
fo, Lord Jefus, come quickly. O what are ye doing ? Are ye
not loving and longing for his coming to fet judgement in
the earth ? Are ye not longing for his appearing to Shew his
mercy unto his church, and his juftice to his enemies ? Are
ye not longing for his making your tabernacles of clay to fall
about your ears, that your fouls may be taken up unto the
full enjoyment of himfelf ? Yea, are ye not longing for his
fecond coming ? When he will teftify his great refpect to his
bride, in fight of angels and men, kindly inviting her to in
herit the kingdom prepared for her, and fo She fliall be ever
with himfelf. But, I proceed unto the fecond thing I propo-
fed to fpeak unto.
II. As to the fecond, to wit, how ye Should love Chrift.
May I take it for granted, my friends, that you defire and
refolve to love Chrift, and are only inquisitive how ye Should
do it ? O to have you all brought this length ! Weil, I will
fhew you how, v
Firft, Ye Should love Chrift with fupremacy of affection,
Matt. xxii. 37. Thoii fijalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, with all thy foul, and all thy mind. He muft be chief in
your affections ; this is to love him with all your heart, foul,
and mind. But, ah ! how bafe are the moft part of you ? Ye
have naughty objects plated higher in your affections than
Chrift; ye have the world, and the pleafures thereof poffef-
fing the chief places of your hearts. But, I'll tell you, if you
would love Chrift, with a right and true love, ye muft love
him with fupremacy of affection.
Secondly, Ye Should love Chrift with ardency of affection ;
this is to love him with heart, foul, and mind. O ! who of
you can fay, that thus ye love him ? Nay, your hearts with
for more fervour, go out after other things than Chrift. It
is not the-enjoyment of himfelf, but of fome idol thing or a-
nother, that ye do moft vehemently and Strongly defire : But
I will tell you, Chrift will never heftow his love upon the like
of you.
•Thirdly, Ye Should love him with conftancy of affection :
Thus muft ye lov.e him, if ye would love him rightly. Some
of you have thought that ye have found a fit of love to. him,
but ye have been beguiled with yourfelves ; ye have turned
back to the world, to your fins, and to all your old lovers,
andye have taken up houfe with them. They that once lay
their

Upon Canticles i. 7. 445
their love upon Chrift, will never lift it again. I grant, in
deed, that their love will not be always alike ftrong, and in
exercife ; yet they will never change him with any other
in heaven or in earth.
Fourthly, Ye Should love him with fincerity of affection,
Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is
none upon earth that I defire befides thee ? This is to love him
felf, or to love him for himfelf. Many of you think ye have
a love to Chrift, but ye miftake it ; it is not true love, it is
either a love to him, for what ye would have from him,
which ye may really think that no other can give you, and
not for himfelf; or elfe a love to what is his, and not at all to
him, take it as ye will .- But, I fay, true love is a far other
thing, it is not fo bafe and fpurious ; it loves his own excel
lent felf. Now, what think ye of loving him thus > Many of
you have been fadly beguiled in thinking that ye loved him :
But, what fay ye to him ! will ye not love him with all your
heart, foul, and mind ?
III. As to the third, to wit, fome marks and evidences,
whereby ye may know true love to Chrift. Are ye fo 3efir-
ous to love him, that ye are inquifitive to know whether ye
love him or not ? O to have you all crying out I How fliall
I know if I love him r I fay, I will Shew fome marks and e-
vidences whereby ye may know it. As,
Firft, If ye have true love to Chrift, ye will love whole
Chrift, My beloved is mine and I am his, fays the fpoufe, Song
ii. 16. I mean by this, that ye love Chrift in all the relations
that he Stands in to you ; particularly, ye will love him in his
threefold office, of Prophet, Prieft and King. If ye have
right love to him, your affections will not defpife or divide
theie his offices. Many of you think ye love him, but ye will
not receive him as as he offers himfelf : To fpeak fo, there
may be fomething in him that ye like well, but there is fome
thing again that ye have no liking of; and I tell you plainly,
that in his account ye are not his lovers, but his haters ; and
not his friends but his enemies. O ! what fay ye to it ? There
is nothing in Chrift to be caften out with,.
Secondly, If ye have true love to Chrift, ye may know it
by this; ye will love Chrift alone, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. Whom have
1, ,&c. True love will not admit of a rival with Chrift: Ye
muft either love him alone, or not love him at all ; he will
not accept of a heart divided between him and your idols, No
man can ferve two mafters : Now, if ye have any thing fetting
up befides Chrift in your affections, ye have not true love to
him. What Shall we then fay of the moft part, who have o-
ther lovers fet up in their affections above Chrift !
Thirdly, If ye have true love to Chrift, ye may know it by
this, ye will love the kingdom of Chrift ; your h .arts will cry cut

44^ SERMON XXXVII.
«out .is ye are taught, Matth. vi. 10, Thy kingdom come. Thefe
whole hearts and affections Chrift gains, and whom he efpou-
fes to himfelf, do. likewife efpcufe his concerns. O we won
der of the unconcernednefs of this profeffing generation, with
the profperity of Chrift's kingdom. How do ye think that
ye can bear the evidence of true love to himfelf? We wonder
what we are doing, that we are not wreftling for the advance
ment of his, and the deftruction of the kingdom of Satan.
O wreftle for it : O pray for it. Men would have you to pray
otherwife ; they would have you to pray,-;  Save their king ':
That prayer is not confiftent with this, Thy kingdom come. Ye
are not to pray at their direction, neither are ye to direct fuch
a fuit or fpeech (call it as ye will) unto God, for it is not a-
greeable to his will ; it is not a feeking falvation to him. We
vrifh him that, if he be reconcileable to God ; but it fpeaks
out (as in the enemies own fenfe) a wifhing prefervation to
him in his perfon and government : For our parts, we dare
with no. fuch thing. O that would draw deep; yea, it would
infer an homologation of his government as right and lawful.
It is but a poor fubterfuge to fay that,  Save the king, is the
fame with, Let \t he king live : Suppofing it were fo, yet we
muft be far from thinking it, or faying it. Let him live; what
is that ? Let him live (as he calls himfelf) a king : Who can
own him fo ? Let him live in foe poffeffion of the throne ; let
him live and rage ; let him live and tyrannize ; God forbid.
If the law of God, and the laws of the land were put in exe
cution, he would not live long.
Again, I know fome will fay, that, from i Tim. ii. I. we
are "commanded to make prayers and intercefftons fiof all men,
for kings and all that are in authority : But we muft underftand
that prayer to be fpecificated to ttjat all, for whom he gave
himfelf a ranfom, ver. 6. which was not certainly; for all and
every individual man of every kind and degree, (otherwife all
would be faved) but only for Some of all kinds and degrees
of men : So he gave.bimfelf a ranfom for all, that is, of all
ranks, not for every one of all ranks. See for this John xvii.
p. and alio the famous Gillefpie's mifeellany qucftions. Now
ithere is no doubt but we ought to pray for thefe all, for
whom Chrift died, and amongft others, for kings; for he
hath his own ek4ct among thofe of that degree : But that doth
not fay, that we fliould pray for that tyrant, or any other'
ft.itcel enemy of God. Whatever others pray for unto him,
we can pray for nothing but fudden and fed temporal ven
geance upon him, his throne, and all the men of his practices.
We cannot feek the advancement of Chrift's kingdom, but
as a neceffary mean conducible thereunto, we muft feek the
tlownfal and deftruction ot his enemies. O friends 1 pray
luuclt for the advancement of Chrift's kingdom ; It is the
duty

Upon "Canticles i. 7. 44.7
duty, I think, will have moft fuccefs. Our appearances a-
gainit his enemies have bad fuccefs : Our conteiiduu; for truth
has had little fuccefs ; and we have great need that our pray
ers fhould have fome. Now, I fay, if ye have true love to
Chrift, ye will have great refpect unto his kingdom. But,
ah ! the moft part of you, if ye get your own kingdom,<t,;r;;
not what comes of his : This is evident by your practice, for
we will not venture for God, ye will not appear on his fide,
ye run to your own houfes and lurkings, and let his houfe lie
wafte. O feek love to himfelf! and then ye will get zeal to
his concerns.
Fourthly, If ye have true love to Chrift, ye may know it by
this ; ye will love thefe who bear the image of Chrift, i John
v. 1. Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth a//o him z.'.-at
is begotten of him. But, ah ! there is little of this love among
you. Ye have little Sympathy with his children in their af
flictions ; ye will not receive them into your houfes, or be
ufeful, or comfortable to them, becaufe of the laws of men,
and for fear left they peifecute you for it. Well, I (ay, exa
mine yourfelves, whether or no ye love thefe, that ye think
do bear the image of Chrift ; for affuredly, if ye love himfelf,
ye will love thefe ; and if ye love them upon the account of
his image, that argues your love unto him.
Fifthly, If ye have true love to Chrift, ye may know it hv
this, ye will endeavour the keeping of all the commands of
Chrift, John, xiv. 15. If ye love me, keep my commandment s-
There he requires the keeping of his commandments as the
Sign of their love unto hini. O friends ! as ye love him, do
his will; jf there were love amongft us, there would be more
obediencS. , Now, ye that continue in the omiffion of any
known duty, think with yourfelves, that ye' have little or no
love to Chrift. Oh ! there is among you great neglect of fa
mily worfiiip, great neglect of fecret prayer, great neglect of
reading the feriptures, our confeffipn of faith, catechiiins,
and covenants, great neglect of embodying yourfelves in fo
cieties for mutual edification; for crying to the Lord for aR
the abominations in the earth, and for carrying on the testi
mony in our day, in our places and ftations : All this argues
a, defect, if not a want, of love to Chrift. But what Shall I
fay, but what our Lord himfelf faid ? If ye love me, keep my
commandments. Sixthly, If ye have true love to Chrift, ye may know it hy
this, ye will hate and feryourfelves againft all fin : The pfal
mift fays, 1 hate every falfe way. And Paul fays, Rom vii.
15 What I hate, that do I. There he hated all fin and when
be committed fin, in his failing, it was not with the full con
fent of his will, or no ways with the confent of his renewed
part; for he Says downward, verfe 17. It was nb wore h; that

443 SERMON XXXVII.
did it, but fin that dwelleth in him. Likewife, I John, iff. £«
Whofoever is born'ofGod, doth not commit Jin .- That is, not that
the child of God is perfectly free from all fin in this life, but
when he finneth, he' finneth not p'urpofely, for he honeftly
refolves againft it ; he finneth not willingly, for the whole
conSfnt of his life goes not alongft with it : He finneth not
affectionately, for the renewed part of his affections Is Slated
againft it, and fin is the object of his hatred ; and he Sinneth
not unto death, for the feed of God remaineth in him : And
in a word, he is either kept from grofs fins, or if, through
unwatchfulnefs and temptation, he fhall fall into any as Da
vid did, then he is forry for his fault, he is careful to reco
ver himfelf, and not fall again; and as for ordinary efeapes,
and fins of infirmity, his refolution is againft all thefe. Now,
think upon this, ye who entertain any fin, efpecially any
known fin in your hearts : Think upon this, ye who continue
in any known fin in your walk, ye that keep your idols in
your bofom, ye who are lying over in your drunkennefs, un
cleannefs, cheating, or fupplanting your neighbour, and go
ing along with the known corruptions and abominations of
the time , for I cannot fee how ye bear this neceffary and true
love to Chrift.
Seventhly, If ye have this true love to Chrift, ye may know
it by this, ye will take up the crofs of Chrift, Matth. xvi 24.
Our Lord faith, If any man will come after me, let him take
up his crofs and follow me. If ye have true love to Chrift, ye
will take up his crofe againSl the flefh, the devil, and the
world. Many folks think that the crofs of Chrift is only to
be taken up againft the world, but thefe are ignorant of his
crofs, for ye muft crofs your own perverfe and corrupt in
clinations, and all the temptations of the devil. But I Shall
not infift upon this, it being hinted at upon the matter in fome
of the former evidences. Howbeit, if ye would evidence your
idve to Chrift, ye muft alfo take the crofs againft the world ;
for this taking up of his crofs is the great fcope in the fore-
cited place, as appears by. the following verfe, where he fays,
Whofoever will fave his life, fhall lofe it, and whofoever fhall
lofe his life, for my fakf, fhall find it. Moles did bear this mark
of love to Chrift that I am fpeaking of, for Heb. xi- 24, 2;,
26. He chofe rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than
to enjoy the pleafures of fin for a feafon ; he efieemed the reproach
of Chrift greater riches, than all the treafures of Egypt. Now,
I would have you to think upon this, who will not take up
the crofs of Chrift, when it is laid to your doors. Ye fliould
not caft yourfelves into needlefs calamities ; ye fliould not
take fufferings upon you, before they be laid upon you ; but
when fuffering and fin are laid in the balance together, fee
then

- Upon Canticles i. 7. 449
then that ye make a right choice, and embrace the greateft
of fuffering, rather than the leaft of fin.
Many of you, when the trial comes about for the kirk, put
away the crofs from you, and refufe to Suffer upon/hat head,
but will go-and hear the curates ; whereby ye yield obedience
to the wicked laws of men, enjoining hearing as a fign of your
incorporating in that courfe, whereby ye receive the ordi
nance from thofe who have no commiffion from Chrift, in
his orderly and appointed way, to difpenfe them, and fo ho
mologate their finful entry ; whereby ye trarifgrefs the fecond
commandment, in yielding countenance and encouragement
to a very corrupt worfiiip ; whereby ye Strengthen the courfe
of persecution that is on foot; whereby ye help in witli po
pery into the land again ; and whereby ye do condemn all
tbe testimonies, fuffering, and blood-Shed that hath been in
the land for non-conformity with that accurfed eraftian di-
ocefian prelacy. Ol think upon this, ye curate hearers I and
come out from amongft them, as ye would not receive of
their plagues, wherewith their way is threatned in the word
of God .
Many of you, when a trial comes about for a bond, will
put away the crbfs, and refufe fuffering upon that head, and
will fubfcribe any bond that is tendered ; and fo fome have
taken the bond of regulation, which is in effect to. renounce
the work of reformation, and to bind to a corrupt and wic
ked courfe, contrived and carried on by the enemies of our
bieffed Lord. Some have taken bonds not to carry arms a-
gainft the tyrant or any other under him, which, in effect
is to caft loofe the bond of our holy covenant, to condemn
the on-carrying of, and appearances for, our glorious work of
reformation ; and to Say, that for you the enemies fhall keep a
peaceable poffeffion of Chrift's houfe, and let them fet up what
wickednefs, what idolatry, what Atheifm they will, they fliall
not be oppofed by you. And as for the bond of compear
ance, that is, to compear or anfvyer at the enemies call ; fome
think little of it : But, my friends, I would not have you
look lightly upon it, for you cannot take it without the ac
knowledging the enemies unjuft. power and ufurpation % yout
cannot take it without having a hand in the punifhment which
they may unjuftly inflict upon you.
Many of you^ when ' a trial comes about for a finful oath,
do put away the crofs/ and refufe fuffering upon that head,
aud fwear any oath that is impofed; and fo fome have not
flood to take the, oath of the tell ; the finfulnefs whereof is So
evident, that I need not fpeak of it. Some have taken the
blafphemous oath of fupremacy ; whereby our bieffed Media
tor is dethroned and degraded from his kingly office. Some
have taken the oath of allegiance, which is contrary to our
L 1 1 covenants ;

4So SERMON XXXVII.
covenants ; which fpecificates our allegiance to rulers only,
in prefervation and defence of our covenanted religion, which
juftifies the ufurpation of the tyrants, and binds unto an un-*
limited allegiance unto them; and which, as it is ordinarily
tendered, containeth "many more fins and abfurdities than
that of mere allegiance ; yea, fay, it were an oath of lawful
allegiance, if fpecificated to a direct object, and fo might be
lawfully taken ; yet now it cannot be fo underftood, for it
muft be looked upon with a refpect to its prefent object, to
wit, the ufurper and tyrant raging o"h the throne. And as
for the oath of abjuration, many of you have taken it, and
look'lightly upon it; through the mafk put upon it by the
enemies, and through the counfel and example of fome, mi
nifters and profeffors, whom ye follow too far: But, my
friends, I would have you to fufpect whatever comes from
adverfaries hand, who are feeking no lefs, than your confci
ences,- enjoyments, and lives; but if ye would look upon
that oath, in its own lineaments and features, ye may fee a
great finfuinefs in it ; for, by it ye fwear to a lie ; and caft
odious and unjuft .imputations upon the apologetic declara
tion, abjured thereby ; which is fo far from afferting (as the
oath fays of it) the lawfulnefs of killing all who ferve their
king in church, State, army, or country, that it plainly holds
forth the contrary ; and taking it in its genuine fenfe, it is
fo. far from an extreme/ upori that head, that it cannot be
confuted by reafon, whatever fome do by clamour : Ye will
fay, that ye only abjured murder ; and what wrong could
be there ? I count them not Chriftians, who either allow or
practife murder ; and the nature of the oath is a far other
thing. That was but a pretence of the enemy to entangle
you in the fnare : And giving it had been as you fay, yet it
was a wrong to caft fuch an odious and unjuft imputation
upon the declaration, which the perfecutors branded with
murdering principles. I would have you to remember that
orthodox principle, That every oath is to be taken in the com
mon and plain meaning of the words, and the fenfe of the impof-
ers ; otherwife ye do but cheat your own confciences. More
over, by that oath, ye did homologate the Sacrilegious en
croachment of the tyrant, upon the fupremacy of Chrift;
for it fays, They that ferve their, king in church, ftate, army,
or country. Now thefe who fay he is ferved in the 'church,
do not they fay, that he is mafter and head of his church?
Again, by that oath, ye renounce the found principle of a
lawful and neceffary defensive war, and which is plainly de
clared in our covenant, againft all thefe malignant enemies
of godlinefs. Further, by that oath, ye involve yourfelves
into a moft p'oor Slavery ; for, according to the proclamation
enjoining it, the beft gentlemen, and freed fubject in the
land,

Upon Canticles i. 7. 451
land, was obliged to fwear, before any petty foldier or dra
goon, or officious or naughty perfon, that might challenge
him upon the way, that his pafs granted upon the taking of
that oath, was true and not forged; confider this was con
trary to our confeffion of faith, and orthodox principles, al
lowing oaths only to be impofed and received by lawful au
thority, and upon lawful, weighty, and neceffary matters,
0 ! confider how deep that oath draws, when the enemy
reckons it to deferve a pafs, which they call a diferimating
Sign between the good and the bad; that is, between the
loyal, who are good in their account, and the confeientious
recufents, who are bad in their account. O ! I fey, take it
to the Lord, and feek a difeovery of its iniquity, I have
fpoken the more of it, becaufe ye look 1b light upon it.
Finally, many of you, when a trial comes about, for the
finful exactions and impofitions of the time, ye do put away
the crofs," and refufe fuffering upon that head, and pay any
thing that is required of yon ; and fo many have payed the
wicked cefs, exprefly and declaredly impofed for maintain-
ance of ruffians, to bear down the gofpel of Chrift ; where
by, ye have become greatly acceffory to the bringing the work
of God thus lowf and to the cruelty ufed to his people. Ye
may as well buy fwords, picks, mufkets, and put them in the
hands of the Soldiers and dragoons, and bid them ufe them
againft God and his people, .as pay that cefs unto them.
Many have payed the curates Stipends ; which practice is
contrary to the bond of our covenant, obliging us, in our
places and Stations, to the utmoft of our power, to extirpate
prelacy: and which practice tends to uphold it, as now ob
truded upon the land. The zealous primitive Chriftians
Would have fuffered, before they had contibuted any thing
to the building and upholding of the idol temple. And as
for the locality, I would not have you look light upon it.
O ! confider tliefe, to whom ye gave it, are flated, avowed,
and declared enemies of Jefus Chrift, and it doth encourage
and ftrengthen them in their courfe of oppolltion to him ;
for they garrifon in what towns or country places they fee
moft conducing to their purpofe, in bearing down the work
of the Lord ; and where they hear his people to be moft ftir-
ring and thriving-like, and then they feek in their locality
from the adjacent corners ; and ye who pay it unto them, do
Strengthen them in that courfe and method. O ponder thing3
deeply 1 and feck to be zealous arid downright to God, and
ye will fear at fuch a thing. O ! my friends, how fid
and lamentable is it, that fo many profeffors fhould have
fo many ways fhown their uawillingnefs to take up the plea.-.
faot crofs of Chrift ! O I when it is laid -to yJur doors, put it
not away. I fhall not fay, but fundry of the elect, and real
L 1 1 2 , lovers

452 SERMON XXXVII.
lovers of Chrift, have gone on in fome or other of thefe i-
niquities ; but this argues either a defect iri their knowledge,
as being ignorant of the evil of thefe* things, which in fome,,
I can ficarcely think, it being fo often and plainly many
ways held foith unto them, or elfe a defect in the exercife
of their love to Chrift in the time of their failing: But where
there is always a fhunning of the crofs of Chrift,, upon any
head, I muft be free to tell you, that it fpeaks out no right
and true love to Chrift; but I would have you fixed in that
old and found principle, which, ah ! is now exploded by the
profeffion of fome, and the practice of many of the worldly-
wife of this generation, to wit, That the greateft fuffering is
to be embraced before the leaft fin. Some folk will' grant fuch
and fuch a thing to be a fin, but they will deny it to be a head
of fuffering. O, friends ! whatever hath any fin in it, I fay
unto you, that is a fufficient head of all the fuffering that
can be laid upon you: And if ye Shall fay, can we quit our
enjoyments, and fcatter our families upon this head ? I tell
you, that way of arguing is fo carnal, that I think ir unwor
thy of'my confutation : Howbeit, remember the words of
our bieffed Lord, He that loveth father or mother, fifter or bro
ther, houfe or lands, better than me, is not worthy of me. Now,
if ye cannot quit all thefe for him, when he calls you to it,
your practice fpeaks out your loving them better than him.
O what fears you ? What affrights you at the crofs of Chrift?
Take it up, and ye . will find it eafy ; for, he will bear you
and it both : Take it up, and ye will find it pleafant ; for the
time of your greateft fufferings will be the time of your great
est joy and contentment. The fenfe of his favour, and a
peaceable confcience, will be the hundred fold, and a thou
fand times told unto you But I fliall come to the ufe of the
doctrine, and it is a threefold word of exhortation.
Firft, Seeing it is the duty of people (as it is laid down in
the doctrine) to fet their love upon Chrift, ye would try whe
ther or not yc love him. I exhort you to examine yourfelves
whether or not he hath gained your hearts and affections : If
ye be amongft the true members of Chrift, ye may call him,
as the bride doth here, 0 thou whom my foul loveth ! O, my
friends I go home and fet fome time apart, and reft not till
ye find out whether or not he is your beloved.
I have been giving you feme marks and evidences whereby
I would have you to examine yourfelves ; if ye find thefe, ye
may indeed conclude, that your love is fet upon him ;, but if
ye find them not, I would have you to fufpect it.
Secondly, Seeing it is the duty of people to fet their love
upon Chrift, I would exhort you to it. O love him ! love
him ! what fey ye to it ? will ye give him your hearts ? I Shall
add a few motives to enforce this exhortation upon you. As,
i. Love

Upon Canticles i. 7. 453
I. Love him, becaufe of his love- worthinefs. 0.' he and
he only is worthy of love ! Seek through heaven and earth,
ye will not find fuch a deferring' object befide him. We may
wonder that he feeks our love ! we may wonder that he ac
cepts of it. O ! get but a fight of him ; and ye will fee more
of his lovelinefs, than any can tell you, than ye will be able
to exprefs.
2. Love him, becaufe of his love to us, 1 John iv, 19. We
love him, becaufe he firft loved us. He loved lis before we
were ; he loved us from eternity ; he loved us with the
ftrongeft and greateft love ; and he loved us altogether un-
deferving it ; yea, he loved us rather deferring hatred than
love ; wrath, inftead of mercy. O ! may not this move you
to love him !
3. Love him, becaufe of his fuffering for us ; he fuffered
want and diftrefs for us ; he fuffered hunger and cold for
us ; he fuffered contradictions of finners for us ; he fuffered
vcruel mockings and Scourgings; he fuffered in all his Senfes
and parts of his body; yea, he fuffered the accurfed, painful,
fhameful, and lingering death of the crofs for us. O ! what
think ye of all his love, that Shines in all his fufferings?
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man fliould lay down
his life for his friends. O love him • love him ! every indig
nity done him for your fakes, cries aloud to you to love him:
The racking of his body on the crofs ; the wounds of his
fide ; the piercing of his hands and feet cry aloud to you to
.love him : And above all, his bearing the full weight of bis
Father's wrath, upon his foul ; yea, that meafure of wrath,
which might be proportionated to what wa's due to the elect
through eternity, cries aloud to love him.
4, Love him, becaufe of the pardon of your fin ; ye will
fee, Luke vii. 47. That a woman loved much, having her many
fins forgiven her. There is no way to get your fins pardon
ed, but through the price that he hath payed. Ye may think
God is merciful, and therefore he will pardon you. But, it
is prefumption to look for mercy, otherwife than through
Chrift. 5. Love him, becaufe of the excellency of the actions of
love. O ! love is an excellerit thing, when it acts upon this
excellent object. It is fo with Paul, in his reckoning, 1 Cor.
xiii. 1 3. When he fpeaks of faith, hope, and charity ; it is
fo indeed, for faith apprehends the promife » hope the thing
promifed ; but ambitious love writ have no lefs than the pro-
mifer. Faith grips the garment of Chrift; hope the feet oF
Chrift ; but love grips into the very heart of Chrift. Faith
and hope come to a clofe; but love never ends : faith eva-,
nifheth into fight, hope into poffeffion ; but love is the Chris
tian's continual companion throughout all eternity. 6, Love

454 SERMON XXXVII.
¦ 6. Love him, and ye fliall not want the manifestations of
hislove. His love terminating on us, draws out love after
hf.ii ; and our love terminating on him again, draws out
more of the fenfe ot his love to us.
7. Love him, and ye Shall not come Short of your enjoy
ment of him hereafter. It is true, faitbjs that, which, as
an inftrument, apprehends Chrift, and ingrafts us in him,
yet it vvorketh by love ; and love accompanied* faith, as the
fun-beams do the fun. O! what_ Shall I fay ? Love him!
lo.ve him ! ye cannot beftow your love fo well ; turn others
to the door, and take in this beloved. Here I make offer of
him unto you ; here I prefent him unto you, lift up your
heads, 0 ye doors, that the king of glory may come in. I pre
fent a glorious conqueror this night to be your gueft. O !
call you open the two foldings of the door of your hearts, to
wit, The affent of the mind, and confent of tbe will, that ye
niay receive him ; caft ye open the hearty confent of faith
and love, that he may take up his abode with you. O I what
fey ye to it ? Friends, will ye clofe with Chrift ? I obteft you,
by his own excellency ; I obteft you, by his love and fuffer
ings ; I obteft you, by the joys of heaven, and the torments
of hell, that ye may clofe with him: Ye thirty and forty
year-old finners, will ye clofe with him ? Ye have rejected
and defpifed many offers of the gofpel, and after all thefe
.flights and affronts he is as willing to be embraced by you this
night, as when he firft offered himfelf unto you. Ye young
folks, will ye clofe with him; he would have a thatch made
up with you : O ! what Shall I fay ? All of you come, what
ever ye have been, or are ; none of you fliall be caft out,
Whofoever will, let him come, and take of the water of life freely.
Thirdly, Seeing it is the duty of people to fet their love u-
pou Chrifl, I exhort you, to give Some teftimonies of your
love. Think ye that ye love him ? Will ye then Show that ?
I would expostulate for fome teftimonies of your love. When
Peter confeffed that he loved Chrift, in the 20th of John, our
Lord defires him to Shew that hy feeding his lambs and fheep.
It is true, ye cannot Shew your love that way, for ye are not
called to that office : but you ought to Shew it the way that
is competent for you in your Stations. So, as I was Saying
before, I expostulate with you for fothe teftimonies of your
love : As, . • ¦'•
1. Make a free arid full resignation of yourfelves and your
all-to Chrift, that ye may fey with the fpoufe, Song vi. 3. / am
?av beloved's- ,0 ! ye fliould not prigg with him about any thing.
Some they prigg with hini about their hearts, and will have
a part thereof in theiridar'mg idols, which they cannot think
lo quit. Some they prigg with him about their time, and
they will make religion but their by-work. If tlieir worldly
j em-

Upon Canticles i. 7. -4$$
employments be throng, they will neglect the worfhip of GoA
in their families, and prayers in fecret ; others, if they keep1
any family-Worfhip, it is in the evening, and ordinarily they
are impatient and hafte to an end of it, and neglect it in the
morning altogether. „ O ! what a fad prigging is this ? Some
they prigg with him about their relations, they will not quit
thefe when he calls them to fuffer for his fake; but will tempt
them, or will insinuate upon them to comply, anddeny his
caufe. Some they prigg with him ahout their poffeffions;
and if yielding to this or that iniquity will keep their houfes
or lands, they will not quit them. And fome they will prigg
with him about their lives, and if the fwearing of a' .finful
oath, the fubferil-ing to'' an iniquitous bond, or denying of
his caufe will fave their lives, they will not lofe'thein. Oh !
what fad prigging' is this ? Oh! be afhamed of it. Will ye
lay all at his feet, and count it your honour and joy, that be
difpofe of the fame as he pleafeth. ;
2. Give this teftimony of your love to . 'Chrift, rejoice in
him prefent, and keep his room empty when he is abfent ; I
fay, rejoice in him prefent ; I need not prefs you much to
this ; for, in his prefence there is great joy, though the en
joyment of him here be imperfect, yet it brings exceeding
gladnefs with it: Therefore, faith the pfelmift, Plal. iv. 7.
Thou haft put gladnefs in my heart, more than when their wine and
their corn increafed ! But when he is abfent, fee that ye keep
his room empty for him ; when he fees it meet at any time
for your correction, trial, and inftruction, to withdraw him
felf, or hide his face, then idols or other lovers will readily
prefent themfelves, and feek to poffefs his room : But be ye
chafte and true to your beloved, as the fpoufe, Song iii. 2,
3. 4. who, in his abfence, could not reft contented,. but ufed
all means and diligence until fhe found him.
3, Give this teftimony of your love to Chrift, be ye filled
Vvith Sorrow and indignation, for the wrong done to the be
loved. O ! can ye look upon the horrid indignities arid af
fronts done to him, by his declared and Slated enemies, with
out grief and deteftation ? Can ye look upon the wrongs
done him, by the backflidings and defections of many mini
fters and profeffors, without grief and lamentation ? if there
were more mourning over their fins, and lefs occafion given
for irritation and bitternefs by us, we would be more in our
duty, more fnccefsful in our contendings, and more ready
either to reclaim, fuch as may be reclaimed, or leave a con
viction upon them. Can ye look upon the ivrongs done to
him, by the detestable right-hand extravagancies of fome,
who have run far out of courfe, without forrow and amaze
ment? Yen, can you look upon the wrongs done to him by
everyone of yourfelves, in your own perions, without grief,

4S& SERMON XXXVII.
indignation, and aftonifhment ? O ! I fay, give this testimo
ny of your love, to be filled with forrow and indignation for
every wrong done, to him, whoever be the doers of it.
4. Give this teftimony of your love to Chrift, refent the
wrongs and affronts done to him as ye are able. How can
ye hear his name any way evil fpoken of, and not refent it?'
How can ye let his enemies enjoy a peaceable poffeffion of his
crown and regalities, without 'bearing teftimony againft it!
Some both dead and alive have been aimirig at the bearing a
teftimony againft the fame ; and for that they have been the
great butt of the adverfaries rage, and the object of the con
tempt and reproach of the generation : I fay, how can ye let
the enemy wear his princely robes without refenting it ! Did
they not eftabliSb the Mediator's head-Ship of his own church
upon the deceafed tyrant ? And though (bey declared it to
be inherent to the crown of the realm, yet we know not
what is become of it now, according to this man's principles,
if he hath not' transferred it unto the Pope; howbeit he will
not be behind with his brother, for he hath invaded the king-
dofn of the moft high God, and fupreme governor of heaven
and earth, by declaring and proclaiming himfelf to have an
abfolute power and fovereignty : Who can lay claim to this,
but the great Majefty of heaven and earth ? For, what is it
to be abfolute, I fpeak of it in their fenfe, but to be above
all law, and have a power to do whatever his will and plea
fure Is r And by virtue of this his arrogated abfolutenefs^ he
takes to himfelf the making and annulling oaths at his plea
fure ; the making, calling,, and disenabling laws at his plea
fure, and accordingly he hath refcinded all our penal laws
and ftatutes againft papifts : Many of which ye will fee men
tioned in our national covenant : Arid by virtue of fuch
power, he hath taken to himfelf the difpenfing of heretable
rights at his pleafure. Now, this is the man whom many
will have you to own, as king. O! my friends, if ye will
own him, ye muft do it as he proclaims himfelf, and as he
requires owning of you ; for be bath declared that he will
not have his authority oppofed to his perfon ; \fo it is but a
cheating of your confciences to ufe any distinctions : Some
fay he is a king defailo; that is, in actual poifeffion, of the
throne, and therefore he is to be owned. But, I fay, he is
a tyrant defailo'; therefore he is to be difowned. He pro
claims himfelf a tyrant, 1 for he declared his power to be ab
folute and uncontrolable, as we faid, and the exercife of his
power is tyranny ; and ye are not to look to fatlum, or the
thing done, nakedly, and 'in itfelf only considered ; but to
the jus and injuria faEli, the right or wrong that is done, ac
cording as it agrees or difagrees with the rule of institution ;
for confcience is to be exercifed about the thing as it is right or

Upon Canticles i. 7. 457
or wrong, as it is confidered in its concordance with, or dif-
crepance from the rule ; and Io accordingly it is to bs own
ed or difowned : Now, if it be good to conclude tli:it he :s
to be owned becaufe he is King defile ; ye may alfo con
clude that the Pope is to be owned becaufe he is Pope de fac
to : Some, belike, will fey, here, That the office of the Pope
is not instituted in the word of God, but that of the king is,
therefore the confequence holds not. 1 anfwer, True indeed,
the office of the pope is not instituted; for the pope in that
office, whether more moderate or more rigid in the exercife
of his tyranny, is the antichrift, and that beaft fpoken of in
the Revelation: And though the office of magistrates be in
stituted in the word, and a great ordinance of God, to which
we ought to yield fubjection and obedience for confcience
fake, yet that uncOntrolablenefs of a monarch, more tiuiy
tyrant, hath as little veftage and footing in the word of God,
as the office of the pope hath. I fey this abfolutenefs he hath
cloathed himfelf with, and is the fountain of all the exercife
of his power ; this is it which he proclaims to be his : Hence
the queftion now put to prifoners is not, Do you own the au
thority, but, Do ye own the prerogative ? Which is the very
fenfe of the meaning of the adverfaries old interrogation a-
bout the owning the authority : O ! my friends, confider
now what it is to own him, it is no lefs than to own this his
arrogated and ufurped prerogative of abfolutenefs : Confider
what a horrid affront it is to the ordinance of magistracy,'
instituted by the great Lord and Sovereign How can ye own
him, without homologating his wicked, difenabling, and an
nulling the penal laws and ftatutes made againft papifts, a
great piece of your reformation, Which do incapacitate him
for any rule, and you for owning of him. I fliall fay no
more of this, but lay afide your carnal intereft and reafonings,
and take the matter before the Lord, and home to your own
confciences. Now, I muft return again to expostulation with
you, that ye would give this teftimony of your love to Chrift:
Refent the wrongs that are done to him, as is competent to
your Stations and power : See that ye have your proteftations
ftanding in heaven againft every indignity offered to the Fa
ther, and his bieffed Chrift. See that ye difcredit and dif-
countenance every courfe of wickednefs or defection : See
that ye oppofe, by all lawful means 'to your, capacity, the
bloody ways of your perfecutors. Ah ! the practice of fome
fpeaks out, that they have little purpofe to defend themfelves,
or refift the cruelty or rage of thefe murderers, for they have
forborn to carry arms : Ye confider not that defenfive arms is
a part of our teftimony; for we are accounted rebels, and
perfecuted to the .death upon that head. Ye confider not
M rn m what

458 S E R MO N XXXVII.
what a fed furprize ye may meet with, which may make you
find, to your grevat coft, the Skaith of fuch a Sinful neglect.
5. Give this testimony of your love to Chrift, Stand with
him though ye Should be left alone. Think not ftrange that
I think this of. you, for firft, Peter may be worthy to be -with
stood to the face, Gal. ii. 11. and a Barnabas may be car*
ried away with difiimulation, ver. 13. And Paul may have
them both to contend againft, for their walking not uprightly,,
ver. 14. Ol my friends, Stand ye for truth, how few foever
ftand with you ; be ye on God's fide of all the controversies
of our day : It was this that made Enoch get that commenda
tion, That he walked with God. Let fubverters and perverters
of truth have no place by Subjection : No not for an hour,
that the truth of the gofpel may continue with you, Gal ii.
5. Many receive opinions, becaufe of learned mens owning
of them; whofe perfons they have in admiration ; but ye
Would take every thing to the halance of the fanctuary ; ye
fhould take it to the law and to the teftimony, and what
fpeaks according to thefe, receive it, whoever reject it ; ye
fhould refolve and ftand to it, that whofoever leave Chrift,
yet ye will not leave him.
6. Give this teftimony of ycur love to Chrift, .Study more
to pleafe him than all the world : He told you, That whofo
ever loveth father or mother better than him, is not worthy of
him. If paftors, ministers, or fathers Shall bid, you do any
thing which may difpleafe Chrift, fee that yt do it not ; but
tell them, that ye have a pallor, father, and matter above
them, whom ye are to pleafe in thefe matters. Be ye care
ful to perform the duties due to every one in their relations
and places, according to the fifth commandment ; but be
ware ye obey not man with difobedience to God. Some
hufbands, parents, or mafters will bid their' wives, children,
and fervants go to kirk, and hear the curates, and chide with
them, and threaten them to comply with other corruptions
of the time ; but, as I charge you not to withstand thefe re
lations, but to obey fhe lawful.commands of your fuperiors,
and to pleafe them in things lawful and indifferent, fo I charge
you to difobey them, when you cannot otherwife obey the
commandments of God. 1 fliall not longer infill upon this
doctrine, but proceed to another.
II. The fecond thing in the words was, ye know, the peti
tion, which the fponfe craves of Chrift, fet down in a two
fold fuit, to wit, Tell me where thou feedeft, and where tboit
tnakeft thy flock to reft at noon. From thence
Doct. 1. There is between Chrift and his church-, the rela
tion of fbepbeYd and flock.
Therefore fays She to him, Tell me where thou feedtft. O
is not this great condefeenfion in Chrift, to wit, thy flock, and

Upon Canticles i. 7. 450
and where thou makeft it to reft at noon. Ye "may fee the
proof of this, Ifa. xl. 11. He fhalt ftand and feed his flock like
a fhepherd. ' O ! is not this great condefeenfion in- Chrift,
that he Stoops to any name, and bows to any relation which
may be comfortable and profitable unto us. He is not a-
Shamed to call himfelf, and to be called by us, a Shepherd ;
•or to call us, and that we fhould call ourfelves his liock.
Now, I Shall take occafion," from this doctrine, to Shew
you, I Wherein this relation appears in Chrift.
' II. Some of the duties that it binds on us.
I. As to the firft, this relation appears in Chrift,
Firft, By feeding his people, Ifa. xl. 11. He fhall feed his
flock like a fhepherd. He feeds them by tbe means of all his
ordinances of his own institution and appointment. He leads
them unto bis paftures ; O his paftures are excellent paftures !
For, 1
1. They are wb ol fome paftures ; ye will not be poifoned
or hurt in them : Thefe paftures which may poifonably in
fect you, Should not be reforted unto 5 he leads you not un
to thole ; yea, he warns you to beware of fuch a leaven :
Therefore the doctrine of error is not his pafture. -
2. His paftures are fat and fattening, for they are green paf
tures, Pfal xxiii. They that, feed there, are, in comparifon
of others, like Daniel, Hannaniab, Miftiaei and Arariah,
who were fairer and fetter in flefh, than all the children
which did eat the portion of the king's meat, Dan i. 15.
His paftures are fat, for they are bieffed of him ; they are
fat, for his flock hath a liberty in "them, not a liberty to fin,
not a liberty to forfake them, hut a liberty to ufe his ordi
nances fully and entirely ; the liberty to feed in the length
and breadth of his paftures. Aiasf it is no wonder that mi
nifters, who take upon them the fetters and reftrictior.s of
adverfaries, and -do not difpenfe Chrift's ordinances faithful
ly (as the indulged did, the moft vifible fruit whereof we
fee to be loathfome and lukewarmnefs) and. the people who
refort to them do but appear lean, becaufe they are upon a
hard and bare leathering ; whereas Chrift allows them to feed
at liberty. If any fliall appear lean in Chrift's paflures, it is
not from the nature of his paftures, but from their own ill
humours and conftitutions
3. Chrift's paftures are fecure ; his flocks may lie down in
them, as Pfal. xxiii. 2. Yea, they may feed and lie down in
them, and none Shall make them afraid ; for the Lord will
¦be a wall of fire about ihem, Zech. ii. 5. He will be a wall
of fire, fo that any who would affault them fhall catch their
-own hurt. They fliall be well guarded, for they fliall have
three fe.ore ten valiant men about them, of the valiant of Ifrael,
M m m 2 *//

460 SERMON XXXVII.
all holding fw or ds, being expert hi war; every man having his
fword u>-on his thigh, becaufe of fear in the night, Song iii. 7,
8. That is, They Shal be well guarded with angels,' and
v-'iih the igoodnefs. the power, the juftice, and all the attri
butes of God, who fhall be a defence on all the glory, Ifa.
iv. 5. But, it may be faid, How then comes it to pals that
enemies are fuffered to make havock of his people ? How
comes it to pafs that the wolves and wild beafts come in upon
his pafture, and catch and kill his flieep? That is not becaufe
his pafture wants feeurity, but becaufe the (trayings of his
flieep provoke him thereunto 5 that is not becaufe the guard ,
is weak and infiifficient, but becaufe he feeth it needful' for
the glory of his name apd good of his flock, to let the adver
saries provoke againft them. O .' my friends, Stray not from
his paftures ; keep dole by him ; go on in your duty, for
therein fliall be your fefety, which fhall be performed, in fo
far as is for your good ; and what would ye have more ?
And if the Lord fee it meet to caft you into trouble, he will
be with you through the fire and water of affliction, and keep
you from ikaith, Ifa, xliii. 2. If he fee it not fit to hide you
from the cruelty of man, he will hide you from fainting un
der their cruelty : Is not this enough : Is not this hiding fuf
ficient ? Is not this fafety abundance ? But,
Secondly, This relation appears in Chrift by governing his
people, Micah vii. 14. Feed thy people with thy rod. He feeds
them under the rod of his government ; he governs, them by
his laws and difeipline ; he governs them by his officers of his
own appointment ; he governs them by powerfully determin
ing them to follow his leading patiently: For he is given a
leader and commander to his people, Ifa. Iv. 4.
Third'y, This relation appears in Chrift, by gathering the
ftraying amongft his people, Micah iv, 6. / will gather ber
that is driven out. Alas ! there are fundry of his elect ftray
ing to day ; yea, fome of the converted go-ing on in fome or
other of the corruptions of the time : O pray fo him that they
may be reclaimed ! O cry to him that he would gather them
again !
Fourthly, This relation appears in Chrift, by faving the
hating amongft his people, Micah iv. 6. In that day faith
the Lord, wi'l I affemble her that halteth. Oh? there are fome
of his people halting, as to fome points of their duty, and
darkened and confufed in fame things, not knowing what to
choofe and what to refufe. O pray that he may lave them
from halting ! O pray that he may fend, out bis light and
truth to lead them !
There are fome profeffors ignorant, and there is hope of
thefe, but there are fome byaffed, who are wedded and ad
dicted to the corruptions of their way ; and, alas ! there is
little ¦

Upon Canticles i. 7. 461
little hope of thefe; but the Lord know eth them that are his,
2Tim.,ii. 19. O that he would affemble them from their
halting ! O ye that are his people ! Why will ye halt ? Why
will ye not declare yourfelves fully on the Lord's fide ?
Fifthly, This relation appears in Chrift, by carrying the
young of his flock, Ifa, xl. 12. He fhall gather the lambs with
bis arm, and carry them in his bofom. The fmaakingflax will
he not quench, the bruifed reed he will not break, Ifa. xiii. 3.
He is a tender hearted Shepherd, the young converts and
weak of his flocks, he will deal gently with them. O! let
none of you caft a Stumbling block in the way of his little
ones, For it were better for you that a milftone were hanged
about your neck, and ye caft into the fea, than that ye fhould of
fend the leaft of them.
Sixthly, This relation appears in Chrift, by his watching
and ftanding always in ready pofture for the feeding, govern
ment and defence of his flock, Micah v. 4. He fhall ftand,
and feed in the ftrength of the Lord, in the majefty of the name
of the Lord his God. Feeding is not there taken in a paffive,
but in an active fenfe, as in the text ; Sbr he feeds his people,
and, as it were, Slands Still over tlieir heads. He is a careful
fhepherd, and he will not fit down -, he is a faithful Shep
herd, and he will not !y by from his office.
Seventhly, This relation appears in Chrift, by his being
accountable for every one of his flock ; he is engaged to the
father for them, and (to fpeak fo) he dare' lofe none. He is
¦ fo powerful, that he is well able to keep them ; he loves them
fo well that he vvill not want thern, John x., 28. And no man
fhall be able to pluck them out of his hand; of all that his father
gave him be will lofe none, A man requires no more of his
fhepherd, but either that he will reftore every one of his fheep,
elfe give Skin and burn, as we ufe to fay, of what is in-lack
ing, that it may be feen it is not devoured or loftby his
floth : But, oh ! it is otherwife with this our great and.
powerful Shepherd, he will prefent every one of his flock a-r
live; he Will prefent them fafe and found; he will' prefent
them without fpot or blemifh.
II. The fecond thing propofed to be fpoke unto, is fome
of the duties that this relation binds upon us; as,
Firft, It binds this duty upon us, to hear Chrift's voice,
John x. 27. My fheep hear my voice. If ye profefs to be his
flieep, ye muft hear his voice; ye muft hear it with prepara
tion ; . ye muft have an impreffion of his majefty who fpeak
eth ; ye muft hear his fent and faithful ambaffaddrs, who
fpeak in his name, and by his warrant, not as men fpeak to
you, but as Chrift fpeaking by them. Ye muft lay apart all
filthinefs and flip erfluity of naughtinefs, that ye may, with meek-
nefs, receive the ingrafted word, which is able ic five your
'fiulu

462 SERMON XXXVIL
fouls. Ye muft hear his voice, with diligent attention. O! where
are your minds ? What are they upon ? Many of you in time of
preaching, have your thoughts and defires chafing vanities ; ye
iriuft hear what he fays to you in faith j ye muft give a believing
affent to all Scripture hiftory and prophecy : Ye muft give an af-
S'ent to the righteoufnefs of all feripture doctrine and precepts :
Ye muft give a believing affent to all feripture threatnings ; and
ye muft make fiducial application of all feripture promifes. A-
gain ye muft receive what he fays to you in love. Many tho'
they profefs the truth, yet they receive it not in love; andthere-
fore they prove unconftant and unftedfaft in their profeffion.
Many cannot hear their fins freely and fully held out unto them
but prefently they fpurn and kick, like thefe who gnafhed upon
Stephen with their teeth, when he was telling them their own
and their fathers ill deeds. O ! what Shall I fay, ye muft hear
bis voice with obedience of practice. Ye muft receive it with
meeknefe and fubjection of fpii it-j that ye may not only be
hearers, but doers of the word: But, alas ! many of you hear
the offers of the gofpel, but defpife them ; many of you' have
heard the duties of the day held forth unto you, and ye have
not followed them ; many of you have heard the fing-of your
rime, and the evil of your courfes Shown unto you, but ye
have not regarded : Oh ! this makes us to cry out, Who hath
believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?
Secondly, this relation binds this duty upon us, not to hear
the voice of ftrangers. It is faid of Christ's flieep, John x. 5.
Aftranger will they not follow, but will flee from him ,- for they
know not the voice of ftrangers. As ye are to take heed how
ye hear, fo ye are to take heed what ye hear, and whom ye
hear : Ye are not to hear the inftruction that caufeth to err
from the words of knowledge : Ye are not to bear ftrangers
who have not commiffion from Chrift to fpeak unto you ; or
who pretend a commiftlon, but have it not in his appointed
way • they are thieves and robbers, -that enter not in by the door,
but climb up fome other way ; neither are ye to hear thefe who
pervert, corrupt, and forefault the commiffion of Chrift. Alas!
there is little confcience of this amongft profeffors ; They think
any man is good enough to hear, if he be not a cura:e, or a
hearer of them, O friends ! I would have you more' ambiti
ous of the character and duty of Chrift's flieep.
Thirdly,* This relation binds the duty" of harmlefnefs upon
us. Sheep are not ravenous or devouring, but innocent and
harmlefs creatures. This duty may be gathered from, Zeph.
£i. 3. Seek righteoufnefs, feek meeknefs. If ye would not wrong
or harm any, ye muft. give every one their due; ye mult
pmit no duty that ye owe unto them. Ye muft give God his
due ; ye muft, love him with all your heart, mind, and ftrength ;
and feek his glory in all things. Ye muft give his people their
due;

Upon CanticIes i. 7. 463
due ; ye muft love them becaufe of his image which
thcv bear; ye muft carry their cafe before the throne of
grace; ye muft concur with them in the neceffary duties ;
ye muft fympathize with them in their afflictions, and commu
nicate to their neceffiiies. Ye muft give the enemies of God
their due ; ye muft love tlieir perfons ; ye muft pray for the
fouls of all who are reconcilable to God : Ye muft hate their
caufe and their way >, ye muft not pay cefs and locality to them
which fome plead as due ; but by prayers, lawful war, and o-
ther lawfufmeans, feek their overthrow. Ye muft give rela
tions their due ; ye muft honour them, love them ; obey the
lawful commands of thofe to whom ye are fubject. ' Ye muft
give yourfelves your own due ; ye muft feek your own falvati
on -, ye muft not caft. yourfelves into any needlefs calamity, but
feek a lawful and cleanly efeaping out of it : Ye muft do to
yourfelves what God alloweth, and nature requireth. Fur
thermore, if ye would not wrong or harm any, ye muft caft
no Stumbling-block in their way. Alas ! the carnality of many
profeffors, their unwatchfulnefs, their unfteadfaftnefs, their
defections, their untendernefs, their bitterne.'s againft the per-
fons'of men, do great harm, and Stumble many.
Fourthly, This relation binds the duty of truitfulnefs upon
us. Sheep are fruitful creatures, they give meat, drink, and,
cloathing to a people- O ! Chrift's fheep Should ftudy to be
fruitful : Therefore are they called, The branches which mvfl
bear, fruit, elfe t bey fhall be taken away, John XV. 2. do ye pri-
fefs to be Christ's Sheep? ye muft bring forth fruit ; not fruit
into yourfelves ; ye muft not feek your own things ; ye muft not
make your own ufe of your talents* and enjoyments, for that-
will prove you to be but empty, Hof x. 1. But ye muft bring
forth fruit unto God, Ye muft feek the honour of his name,
the advancement of his kingdom, the edification of your own
and others fouls.
Fifthly, In a word this relation binds upon you the duty of
Subjection unto Chrift : He calls his people his Sheep, becaufe
of their towardnefs and cleannefs : He calls the wicked the
goats', becaufe of their SilthineSs and unrulinefs.
Now, I come to a word of ufe from the doctrine.
And firft a twofold word of exhortation.
1. Give up yourfelves unto Chrift as his Sheep, and take
him for your Shepherd. O ! I fey, take him for your Shep
herd ; fatisfy not yourfelves, till ye can fay with the pfalmift,
The Lord is my fhepherd; and then ye may boldly apply to your
felves all that David lays claim unto through the reft of that
pfalm : Ye may be confident, tbat ye fhall not want any thing
that will be good for you ; he will do all for you, ihat luck a
relation engages him unto. 2. I

464. SERMON XXXVII.
2. I exhort you, from this doctrine, to carry as his Sheep;
he will not fail in the part of a fhepherd unto you, fee that ye
do not fail in the duty of lheep unto him. Do ye profefs tb
be his fheep ? Oi fee that ye carry with that cleanlinefs, harm-
lefnefs , and fruitfulnefs that becomes fuch a profeffion !
A fecond ufe is of confolation. O ye flock of Chrift ! be ye
comforted from that relation that Chrift Stands in unto you,
when under-Sbepherds will not do their duty. Alas ! many
paftors have delisted from their charge, and left off to feed
you : And fome, if ye will follow them, will lead you afide
from fome points of truth, and pieces of duty : In this dark
arid fad cafe, have your recourfe unto Chrift ; and under all
fuch difeouragements, comfort yourfelves with this, that he is
your fhepherd, and will not fail to act the part of that relation.
He will feed you, govern you, gather you, fave you, watch o-
ver you, and be countable for every one of you.
Doct. II. When the flock of Chrift knows not what to do to a-
void fin and fuffering ; he, in both thefe cafes willdireil.
The fpoufe was confident of this, when, as in the text, that
flie might avoid fin, She feeks to know where he feeds his
flock; and that She might avoid fuffering, feeks to know
where he makes them to reft at noon-; likewife, Ifa. Iv. 4,
He is given for a leader and commander to people.
This doctrine hath two branches ;
I. The firft is touching Chrift directing and leading his flock,
that they may avoid fin. The
II. Is his leading them that they may avoid fuffering.
I. As to the firft we will enquire,
Firft, Whereby doth he lead his people fo as to avoid Sin.
Secondly, How he doth it.
For the firft, he doth it by his word and fpirit, Ifa. lix. 21.
My fpirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy
mouth, fhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out. of tbe mouth of
thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feeds feed, faith the Lord,
from henceforth and for ever. Some profefs to take the word,
but they neglect arid mifregard the fpirit; but thefe are carnal
and formal. Some pretend the fpirit, without, befide, and
oftentimes contrary to the word ; as the abominable Quakers,
and thefe are enthufiaftick. But, my friends, I would have
you to feek, and take the fpirit and the word together, accor
ding as he hath promifed unto you in the forecited place.
The word of God, without his fpirit, cannot effectually teach
you his will, for your falvation : And his fpirit, without his
word, will not do it.
The Second thing we will enquire Into, is, bow he leads his
people fo as to avoid fin I And he doth this ;
I. By difeovering fin and duty unto them. His word holds
out duty with commands, and exhortations;' his word holds1 out

/ Upon Canticles i. 7. 465
out both the one and other; his promifes, to fuch asfollow it,
and it holds out fin with fevere prohibitions and terrible threat
nings, if it fhall not be efchewed.
2. He doth this by enlightning their minds, fo that they fee
an exceeding finfulnefs in fin, and lovelinefs in their duty.
The word, indeed, doth literally enlighten folk, but this is fpi
ritual enlightning which I am fpeaking of. The word holxis
plainly and fully out to m.an what fin is ; and the exceeding
Sinfulnefs of it ; but without this enlightning of the fpirit, man
is dark, and hath little difcerning of it. It is true, a man that .
hath not the fpirit of God, may, from the word, tell you, that
murder is a .fin, uncleannefs is a fin, and prelacy is a tin,
isc. but heites little of what he feys : Therefore doth the
pfalmift pcay, Open mine eyes, that I may behold the wonderful
things outiof thy law.
3^ He doth this by Strengthning and powerfully determin
ing of his,people to folio-/ his direction : For, as he is given
a leader to his people, fo he is alfo a commander to make, them
follow his leading : he doth not force them or compel them,
but kindly and powerfully gains them to his will and way, mak
ing them willing who are unwilling, Pfelm ex. 3. Thy people
fhall be willing in the day of thy power.
II. The fecond branch of the doctrine, is touching Chrift's
leading his flock, that they may avoid Suffering : He doth in
deed lead them in under the wings of his love and merit,
which doth "cover them from Suffering under the juftice of the
Father, and from bearing his wrath. But this, not being the
prefent feope, I Shall not Stay upon it. But we would en
quire how be doth lead them fo as to avoid the perfecution of
adverfaries. And.
Firfl, He doth it by hiding them from it ,• A man fball be as
a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeft.
He is a fbadow from the heat, when the blaft of the tirrible one
is as a ftorm againft the wall, Ifa. xxxii. 2. and 25 4 He
hides every one of his purfued people fo long as he hafh any
thing to do with them, and fo long as he fees it for their
good; and he will always hide fome of them, by Some provi
dence or other, in fome place or other , for ye fhall not have gone
over all the cites of Ifrael, until the fon of man be come, Mat. x. 23.
Secondly, He doth it by preferring his people from fainting
under the perfecution of enemies : This way is he a refuge
from the'florm, and a fbadow from the heat, when the blaft of the
terrible one is as a ftorm againft the wall. Let enemies lay up
on the head of his people what they will, he upholds them
under it ; he Stands between them .and the weight arid force
of it : For, when they pafs through the water he is with them ;
andthro' the rivers, they fhall not overflow them :When they walk
through the fire they fliall not be burnt ; neither fhall the fianus kin-
N n n - die

40 J S E R M ON XXXVII.
die upon them, Ifa. xliii. 2. O! this is fafety enough.
Thirdly, He doth it by letting out much of the confolation
and' joy of his fpirit to his people under their fufferings, 1.
Pet. iv. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Chrift, happy
are ye -, for the fpirit of God and of glory refteth upon you. O my
friends, fear not perfecution ; fear not the being caft out of
your houfes; fear" not imprifonment -, fear not banishment;
fear not a fcaffold ; fear not a fire, for Chrift can riiake thefe
times moft fweet and eafy unto you : Yea, and he hath dealt
ordinari y fo with his martyrs in former ages, and even in our
days, Who would not have changed their fcaffold for a throne.
0 get you into your chambers, and [hut your doors about you, and
hide yourfelves as it were for a fmall moment, untill the indigna
tion be overpaft, Pfal. xxvi. 2Q. •
Now a word of ufe, for inftruction and information.
Firft, to let you fee the danger of Straying from Chrifl,
The fpoufe faw this, when fhe fought of Chrift where, he did
feed bis flock. O I fee the danger of every corrupt and Stray
ing courfe. Many think little to ftep afide, that is, becaufe
they fee not the evil and danger of it.
Secondly, To let you fee that fuffering is the ordinary lot
pf the flock of. Chrift. The fpoufe in the text looks for a
noon-tide, and fcorching time of perfecution ; and, Acts xiv.
22. we are told, That we muft thro' much tribulation, enter into
the kingdom of God; and, 2. Tim. iii. 12 That all who willlive
godly, in Chrift Jefus, fhall fuffer perfecution.; yea, your own
experience may fully inform you of this.
Thirdly, To let you know that Chrift tan help you in berth
cafes. Are ye ready to be drawn away with fin ? he can
help you and prevent it., Are ye ready to be objected to the
heat of perfecution ? he hath cool refreshings, and can lead
you thither.
A fecond word of ufe, is of exhortation. O make ufe of
Chrift for leading and fbelter. Are ye afraid of fins ? Make
ufe of him for difeoyering it unto you, for llrentghning you,
and powerfully determining you againft it. Are ye afraid of
fuffering ? make ufe of him for hiding you from it, or pre
ferring you from fainting ; and le ting out unto you much
of the joy and confolation of his fpirit under it.
III. A third thing in the words, ye know, was the reafon
or argument whereby the fpoufe enforceth her petition ; for
why, fays She, fhould I be as one that turns afide after the flocks
of thy companions ? Many doctrines might be drawn from this;
but I Shall only lay down this general and comprehensive one.
Doct. As Chrift hath many companions, who may lead away
people in greater or leffer meafure from him ; fo believers care
fhould be, not to turn dfide after them, but to carry a holy indig
nation againft fuch an evil. This

Upon Canticles i. 7. 467
This is all clear from the text ; for the bride here fuppo-
feth that Chrift hath companions, and that they have flocks
following them ; and her faying, Why fhould I be (is one that
turns afide after them ? Shews her averfenefs from her ini
quity. In the opening up of the words I was Shewing you what
was to be underftood by companions, viz. Every thing that
is fet up befide Chrift, or cfteemed above him, as luft and
idols, (but I Shall not go out here upon thefe, having alrea
dy infilled upon that doctrine, ab'out fetting your love upon
Chriit) Alfo every one that leads people away from Chrift as
bereticks ; and in general, all ,who lead people from their
integrity, into any courfe of error or defection from Christ,
who are in fo far his companions. But, in fpeaking a little
to the doctrine, I fliall endeavour to Shew you,
I. Some companions that Chrift hath in the land, of whom
we would bevyare, and after whom ye. would not turn afide.
II. I Shall fliew you, fomewhat of the neceSlity of Standing
at a due diftance from their flocks.
III. Some helps to avoid the evil of their way. And fo I
fhall clofe.
( I. As to the firft, viz. Thefe companions, they are indeed
of vaftly different forts and Sizes; and feeing the bride's rea
fon here doth comprehend all, whom to follow, were to
turn afide :
I muft not only fpeak a word of grofs herefy, and depart
ing from the fundamentals of falvation, and of the deteftable
backfliding, as it occurs to this purpofe, which hath been
carried on in the land now for many years, by wicked and
cruel laws : But alfo, of the defections of others; fome of
whom otherwife I love, reverence, and efteem, as great and
godly. And,
Firft, Thefe muft be reckoned Chrift's companions, who
lead people into a total abnegation or denial of the offices of
Chriit. Thefe are grofs hereticks indeed, and .fuch are Pa
pists. They lead people into the abnegation o.f the prophe
tical office of Chriit, whereby he teacheth by his word and
Spirit; for, they prefer and obtrude their own traditions a-
bove the word of God ; they deny the ufe of his word to the
laity, or thefe that have no office .in' their antkhriftian, ec-
clefiaftic tyranny ; holding, that ignorance is the mother, of
devotion: They place an infallibility in their churoh; fome
in the Pope alone, whom they will have to be an unerring
prophet ; fome in the pope, together with a general council :
But, however they may differ about the fobje£t of this infal
libility, they generally all hold it to be in their whorifh church.
They lead people unto the abnegation of the prieftly office of
Chriit ; for, they obtrude upon them the doctrine of felt righ-
N n n a tecuftaeis

468 SERMON XXXVII.
teoufnefs, and meriting by their own works, and fo they
plainly fay, That the facrifice of himfelf, which Chrift once
offered for the fatisfaction of divine juftice, and our recon
ciliation to God, was in vain. But I need to ufe no other ar
gument to confute their doctrine of merit, but to Shew you
what is required in a work before it can be meritorious. As,
i. This is required in it, that it be a work merely of the
creatures own working : But no good work, or action of a
creature can be laid to be of their own working, becaufe it
is the Lord alone that worketh in them, both to will and
to do.
2. This is required in it, Thatrit be a work which the
worker oweth not, and is under no obligation to do ; where
as, let a Christian do all the good he can, he is infinitely Short
of what is due : Let him do his utmoft, he is but an Unprofit
able fervant, as our Lord hath taught us. I may ufe ahome-
ly comparifon, There is a debtor, and he oweth to his' cre
ditor a great fum of money, and he hath nothing to pay
with, but his creditor pitieth, and giveth him fome pounds
or talents to trade withal. Now, what think ye, doth the
poor debtor merit any thing at the creditor's hand, who
bringeth an inconsiderable gain to him, of his own money,
after he was turned bankrupt ?
3. This is required in it, That there be a proportion be
tween the work and the reward. Now, what proportion can
there be, think ye, between any thing ye can do, and eter
nal happinefs ? Yea, inftead of meriting eternal falvation by
any good, that is in a good work, there is fo much evil in
the beft of men's works, as would deferve eternal damnation,
if Cod Shouldenter into judgment with them. Now, what
think ye of the doctrine of merit .' Ye may read the epiflle
to the Romans, and there ye will fee the conceit of it fully
and clearly confuted. I know ye will all profefs to be even
down againft this herefy. But, ah 1 many of you are papifts
in your practice ; even as many cf you as go about to efta-
blifh your own righteoufnefs, by refting on your own per
formances and attainments.
But, moreover, they lead people unto an abnegation or
denial of the prieftly office of Chrift, by fetting up other in-
terceffors or mediators befide him, as angels or faints. They
fay, that as we cannot have immediate accefs unto an earthly
kirig without his courtiers, fo we are to judge the like in our
approaches to God. But, it is bad arguing from thecuftoms
of the courts of men, to fhe way of our accefs unto the court
of lieaven : This is their carnality and ignorance ; importuni
ty is readily counted impertinency with men, but it is well
pleafing unto, God. Let them pretend what humility or re
verence they will, for this their idolatry, their way is con
demned,

Upon Canticles i. 7. 469
demned, and their practice refuted by the Holy Ghoft, Col.
ii. 18. Let no man beguile you in your reward, in. a, voluntary
humility, and worf hipping of angels ; intruding into thofe things
which he hath not feen, vainly puft up by his flefbly mind. We
fee, Rev. xix. 10. and xxii. 8. when' John, through that
miftake, fell down at the feet of an angel to worfiiip him.
that he peremptorily forbade John, feying, See thou do it not.
And, Acts x. 25, 26. When Cornelius met Peter, and, fell
down at his feet, and worshipped him, Peter refufed, arid
faid, Stand up, I myfelf alfo am a man . Our Lord Shews us,
Matth. iv. 10. That thou fhalt worfhip the Lord thy God, and
him only fhalt thou ferve. It is our comfort that our Media
tor, Chrift Jefus, knows all our cafes and neceffities, and
that he can fufficiently help them. He is both our advocate
and judge ; and we need not fear that our caufe fliall mifear-
ry with him: And to employ any other interceffors were to
give them that worfhip and glory which is only due untu
God, and to derogate greatly from the prieftly office of
Chrift. Thefe blafphemous papifts lead people unto an abnegation
of the kingly office of Chrift; for they fet up the pope, whofe
name is blafphemy, as head of the church : They reject the
doctrine of Chrift, and obtrude their own antichriftian and
heretical traditions : They reject Chrift's inftitution of his fa-
craments, turning his baptifm unto the vileft fuperftition,
ind his fupper into the groffeSl of idolatry, obtruding for it
their mafs; and afferting the bread and wine to be really
tranfubftantiated into the body and blood of Chrift ; and ad
ding unto thefe five others of their own carnal and curfed in
vention They reject the worfhip of Chrift, and obtrude
their own idolatries, fuperftitions, and infignificant teaching
human ceremonies. They reject the difeipline of Chrift, and
obtrude their own popifli penances, and blafphemous par
dons. They reject the government of Chrift, and obtrude
their own tyrannical hierarchy, with a monftrous number of
antichriftian orders. O I my friends, confider their dam
nable way, and what a height they are come unto in the land.
Popery hath got up into the throne, and into many places of
power and truft. And ye muft refolve either to yield unto
their keys, or be purfued by their fword. Some folk were
faying, that through this courfe of revolt from the Lord,
they could never fee a head of Suffering ; but, if it wpce'ccrru:
to popery, they would ftand then. O! remember, He that
is faithful in little, will alfo be faithful in much ,- and he that is
unfa'-tbful in little, will not be faithful in much. I Shall not
fay, but many that have conformed with prelacy, may Suffer
ere they embrace popery ; but I would have carnal profeffors,
who have been convinced of the evil of pre'ucy, and yei not
thf unlit

47» SERMON XXXVH.
thought it to have been a head of fuffering, to be afraid; to
think, how far they may be juftly left of God, Many of you
are expecting peace, and gapeing after a liberty. Ol infatu
ated fools ! What do ye expect from men, who know not
what it is to keep either to God ot man ? What can ye ex
pert from men, whofe principles lead them neither to give
faith to, nor keep faith with proteftants, whom they call he-
reticks. It may be obferved through the paffages of their
cruelties and treacheries, that they have had the moft bloody
defigns, when they have given forth liberties, and published
proclamations, promifes, and proteftations of favour : I may
snftance, for this, the bloody and never-to-be-forgotten maf-
facre of Paris, which was carried on in this wife-
The-popifh French king, that he might enfnare and dellroy
the proteftants, would needs give his fifter in marriage to the
king of Navarre, a good and proteftant prince ; making o-
peri profeffion and protestation that he did, not fo much give
her unto the king, as to the whole proteftation church, and
that it might be a mean of conciliating an inviolable peace be
tween him and proteftants : And the French admiral, Co-
ligne, who had greatly maintained the civil war in France,
for the proteftant intereft,, was invited to the marriage, and
allowed to bring with him fifty well armed gentlemen for his
guard ; and kindly welcomed by the French king, who called
him father, and gave him an hundred thoufand Frenchmen,
for the reparation of that lofs he had fuftained by that war ;
and in the mean time, by the allowance and inftigation of
the French king and queen, the duke of Guife affaults the
.admiral's chamber in the night, and murders him: An&then
he, and the duke of Anjpu, together with threefcore thou
fand papifts, well armed within the city, at the ringing of the
royal-bell, killed and maffacred the proteftants, noblemen,
gentlemen, minifters, and commons of all forts, without a-
ny refpect to quality, age, or fex ; fo that in the Space of one
night,, and two days, there were ten thoufand cruelly mur
dered ; All the king of Navarre his attendants were killed in
this fatal butchery; only himfelf and the prince of Conde
Spared, who were' threatened either to embrace popery, or
lofe their lives, who, notwithftanding, remained Sledfait in
their religion. I may give you a more recent inftance than
this; and that is of the Piedmondcr.3, the reliques of the old
Waldenfes, who, this laft year, being forced to defend them
felves by war againft fome Savoyan and French forces, di,<I
u-cnderfully profper and Succeed, which the- enemy, perceiv
ing, did offer peace unto them, and liberty to enjoy their re
ligion and poffefiions, if jhey would lay down their arms ;
which condition, alas! they prefently embraced, except a ve
ry few'; fo, their arms being laid down, the treacheious and
ciuel

Upon Canticles L 7. 47,
cruel enemy prefently affaulted them, (tripping them naked,
and dragging them into prifons, where many thoufands xvere
killed with hunger and cold, and they br-ought'almoft to
nought. *
Other inftances I could give you, but time will hot allow.
Ol my friends, ye miay fee how baddtis to truft enemies.
I have obferved through feveral paffages of hiftory, that the
greateft calamity hath come upon the church, when the ene
mies pretended and profeffed that they fhould have peace and
liberty: And greateft fkaith hath come to church by trust
ing them ; therefore, ye would mind our Lord's warning us
to beware of men. O! will ye come to this, friends, not to
truft enemies? When they profeffed to be friends to us, and
did fwear to maintain the religion -which we.pwn this day,
how did they treacherously break the covenant? and from that
day, have perfecuted us for continuing in the oath of God,
which they themfelves are obliged to, as well as we. And
will ye now truft them when they profefs- to be adverfaries ?
When they profeffed friendship they did not giwe us peace,
and I count it a mark of a fpirit plagued of God, to expect
it from them now. No, no : It will be better for you, to be
preparing for a bloody winding-Sheet ; for the Lord hath a
controverfy with the inhabitants of this land, and be will
bring a fword upon them, which Shall lay dries and country-
fides wafte and defolate.
Secondly, TheSe muft be reckoned Chrift's companions,
Who lead people unto the abnegation of any one office of
Chrift, as the prelatick party, who lead people unto the de
nial of his kingly office. He is alone .king over his own
church, Pfal. ii. 6. / have fet my king upon my holy hill of Zi
on. And, Eph. i. 22. All things are under his^fest ,- and fie
is given to be head over all things to the church. And ac
cordingly he hath given ordinances to his church, and fet
officers in her, Eph. iv. 1 1. 1 Cor. xii 28. But this wick
ed prelatick party puts him down from his royal throne, and
introduces into his church officers that he never appointed ;
they bring in arch-bifhops, bifhops, deans, etc. which are
among the orders' of antichrist; they 'deny the divine war
rant of a ruling elder in the church, and lay him 'afide from
judicatories ; they throw ail power of government out of the
hand of the poor curates, and put that over upon their proud
bifhops ; and they again mult be countable to the civil power,
whofe creatures they are ; and inftead of receiving and ob
ferving the full 'prescriptions which Chrift hath given for re
gulating his miniftry, they receive and obferve the orders of
parliament and council : and fo this is not only a dioccfun,
but alfo an eraftian prelacy. O,! what Shall I fav I look 10
them in their entry, and there ye v, ill fee ihem robbers and
thieves

472 SERMON XXXVIL
thieves : Look, to them in there doctrine, and their you will
fee them hugely erroneous : Look to them in their worfiiip,
and there you will fee them greatly fuperftitious : Look to;
them in their government, and there you will fee them and-*
chriftian : Look to therii in their walk, and there you Will
fee them for the moft part profane :, Look to the caufe they
propogate, and ye will fee that to be black perjury, grofs
darknefs, overfpreading profanity, and rebellion againft God.
Wherefore, I fay, as ye would not incur the wrath of God,
go not along with the flocks of thefe companions, but come
out from their kirks : And feeing they will go on in an ac-
curfed way, let them go alone, we cannot help it; but go
not ye along with them.
Thirdly, The fpoufe having her eye upon every one, who
might lead her unto any courfe of error or defection, who
ever they were as to their perfons and State ; therefore, I
muft here reckon in this third place, thefe to be, jn fo far,
companions of Chrift, in refpect or" their courfe, who lead
people to own what the word of God, and their national
church, doth condemn ; Ezek, xiii. io. They have J educed my
people ; and one built up a wall, and another daubed it with un-
tempered mortar. Such are thefe minifters, who counfel or
teach the lawfulnefs, or toleration, of hearing curates, thefe
ftrangers whom Chrift's Sheep Should not follow, John x. 5.
and which is condemned by our covenants and acts ofaffem- ;
blies ; or, who couniel or teach the lawfulnefs, or toleration,
of paying the ceffes, and other exactions to the enemies, whicb
is a feeking their peace and profperity, forbidden, Deut. xxiii.
6. And which is a (trengthening of the hands to the wicked,
that he return not from his wicked way, which is challenged
Ezek. xiii. 22 . and which is condemned by the act of our af
fembly, for cenfuring compilers with the enemies of this
church and kingdom ; or, who counfel or teach the lawful
nefs, or toleration, of fwearing finful oaths, and fubferibingthe
iniquitous bonds of the time ; contrary to the word of God,
Deut. vii. 2. Thou fhalt make no covenant with them; and Jer.
iv. 2. Tbou fhalt fwear the Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment,
and in righteoufnefs. And contrary to that act of our affem
bly, difcharging the members of this church, the embracing
of all new oaths and bonds in the common caufe, impofed
without the confent of this church, as they would riot incur
the wrath of God, and the cenfure of the kirk. Now thefe,
be who they will, ye would not follow, for they will lead you
from your integrity ; Their inftruilion will caufe you to err
from the words of knowledge, Prov. xix. 27.
Fourthly, I muft reckon thefe to be in fo far Chrift's com
panions, in refpect of their courfe, who lead people to con
demn what they are bound to own by the word of God, and by

Upon Canticles i. 7. 473
by the constitutions, and attained-to reformation of their
own church : This is not to hold faft that we have already re
ceived, Rev. v. 25, Nor to walk by tbe fame rule, and mind the
fame thing, whereto we have already attained, Phil. iii. 16.
Such are thefe ministers, who counfel or teach people to re
linquish any of the truths which we are bound to contend or
fuffer for, by the objective tie of the word of God, and the
fubjective tie of our holy covenants ; who do condemn the
heads of our martyrs fufferings : And, who do prefs a re-
linquifhing and difeountenancing of, thefe, who, in their
places and Stations, are helped more faithfully to carry on
the teftimony to the reformation : For, as different ages and
diftinct churches 'have different and diftinct words of tefti
mony, fo whatever truths ye are called either to deny, or
to fuffer, be faithful in them, and count ncme of them Small :
It was this for which the church of Pergamus was commend
ed, Rev. ii. 13. 1 know thy works, arid where thou dwelleft,
even where Satan's feat is ; and thou holdeft faft my name, and
haft not denied my truths, even in thofe days wherein Antipas
was my faithful martyr, who was flain among you, where Satan,
dwelleth. For this alfo was the church of Philadelphia com
mended, Rev. iii. 8. Thou haft a little ftrength, and haft kept
my word, and haft not denied my name ; And it is added, ver.
10. Becaufe thou haft kept the word of my patience, I will alfo
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which fhall come upon all
the world, to try them which are upon the earth. . Now, thefe
ministers ye are to beware of, and not to follow; they will
lead you from your integrity, their inftruction alfo caufeth
you err. ' In thefe things they bring not the doctrine of the
prefent word of Chrift's patience ; and therefore ye are not
to receive them, and bid them God fpeed, in that work of
their counfelling and teaching, 2 John ver- 10, 11.
Fifthly, There are fome who may be called indirect or in
terpretative companions of Chrift, in refpect of their courfe :
Thefe are they who do not lead people themfelves into error
or defection ; but lay them open, or leave them to be led a-
fide by others. As,
1. They who do not give them warning of the palpable
fins and Shares of the time ; when as a great part of their
charge b to keep people right ,in dangerous times, Eph. iv.
12, 13, 14, 15, 16. They are commanded, To cry aloud and
not to fpare, and to lift up their voice like a trump'/ i, andflbew
people their tranfgreffions, and the houfe of Jacob ibeir fins, Ifa.
lviii. 1. Paul had another teftimony of thrir confcience than
they can have, when he Says, Acts xj. 20. / have kept back
nothing that was profitable unto you ; and ver. 26, 27. I lake
you to record this day, that I am pure fi un the blood, of all men ;
for 1 have not flhunned to declare unto you all the coarflcl of God.
"'"" O o o Now,

474 SERMON XXXVII.
Now, fuch are thefe minifters who have not warned people
of the fin of prelacy, indulgence, finful oaths, and bonds)
cefs, and other finful exactions : All which have been parti
cularly witneffed againft, by fo many faithful ambaffadors of
Chrift within this land ; but thefe being fo unfaithful to their
commiffion, and highly eenfurable- by an ait of affembly, for
ambiguous fpeaking, and not making particular application
to the fins of the time, and for defrauding of fouls, as being
pleafers of men, rather than fervants of Chrift, I cannot fee
bow ye can, with a fafe confcience, follow them ; fad experi
ence lets us fee the bad confequents of countenancing fuch;
for, thereby people become once indifferent as to the public
fins, and then give -up contending againft them. And,
4. They may be called indirect and interpretative compa
nions of Chrift, in refpect of their courle, who leave the
public work, and defift from the exercife of their office.
Paul durft not have done fo, for he faith, 1 Cor. ix. 16.
Though I preach the gofpel, I have nothing to glory of, for necef
fity is laid upon me ; yea, wo is unto me, if I preach not the
gofpel.. This is the practice of a hireling, John x. 12! He
that is a hireling, and not the Shepherd, feeth the wolf com
ing, and leaveth his Sheep and fleeth. And though fome
have not altogether forborne- preaching, yet the way of their
going about it, bath bceqtas the putting a candle under a bufi.
el, Matth. v. 15. Alas ! how little warning bath the land
got of the current of the times corruptions, thefe fundry -
years by- paft, when compliance therewith was moft preffed,
and yielded unto ? I cannot but teftify againft this, consider
ing what the Lord faith to Ezekiel, chap xxxiv. 2. Son of
man, prophefy againft.. the fhepherds of Ifrael : Should not the
fhepherds feed the flocks? O that they wOuld confider what is
faid, Ezek. xxxiii. 2. Now, confider how pnfaithful thefe
.are in their commiffion ; and that they come under the laSh
of that cenfrire appointed by the Lord for diforderiy walkers,
2 Theff iii. 6. which diforderiy walking was their not work
ing, ver. 11. From thefe we are commanded to withdraw, as
ver. 6. For it is a great diforder not to work the work of
the Lord. The greater the work of a man's calling be, the
'greater is his fcandal in not working it. I cannot fee how ye
can countenance rh'em, who are thus chargeable, though
"they Should now preae-h unto you, until they duly refent
their finb,1, Shameful, and offensive neglect. Ministers fliould
not carry, as if eventual providence gave them their couimif-
fipn, and preach only in limes of leaft hazard ; for, it is giv
en them in commiffion^ to be inftant in feafon, and out of fea
fon, 2 Tim. iv 2- There are fome appearing more in the;
public work th;;n formerly ; and I with it be with no eye to
this expected liberty. 1 know many of you will lay, they no-
? tice

Upon Canticles i. 7. 45 j
tice it not, and they come not under the covert and colour
of it. I wifli it may be fo ; and I fliall tell you how I think
it may be known.
(1.) If they have a confeional teftimony againft it; and in
their preaching, warn people what may be the enemies bad
defigns in it, and the fin of any who embrace and accept it.
(2.) If they give a practical teftimony againft it; that is,
if they in their practice obferve none of the limitations where
with that liberty may be restricted.
Hence I cannot fee how the proclamation that did tolerate
fire-fide preachings, and difeh'arge preaching in out-houfes
and fields, can be testified for by thefe minifters, who preach
ordinarily and habitually in fire-ho.ufes ; yea, let me tell you,
that field-preachings is a greater teftimony than is well con
sidered ; for being difeharged by the enemies of our Lord's
crown, it becomes to us a cafe of confeftion. They count
it rebellion, we Should teftify that we hold it is no rebellion ;
for it is a worlhipping and ferving of the Lord in that way ;
which, in the prefent circumftances, is moft for' the advance
ment of his kingdom ; as is manifeft, by far-more having ac
cefs, than otherwife, unto the gofpel ; yea, it is a practical
afferting of this principle, That God is to be worflalpped every
where : That place is an indifferent circumftance in the wor
fiiip of God ; and that we are no more to be restricted now,
than in the days of Chrift and his apoftles.
Now, yc are not to think it ftrange, that I reckon thefe
who warn not the people of the palpable fins of their day;
or, who leave the public work, to be indirect, ar.d interpreta
tive companions of Chrift, in refpect of their courfe ; for
fuppoling that they lead not people to own what they Should
condemn, or to condemn what they fliould own ; yet they
lay people open, and leave them to others to be laid allele :
It is to be remembred what our Lord Siiith, He that gatbereth
not with me, fcattereth abroad; that is, he who doth not
what he is called unto, for the advancement of Chrift's king
dom, is culpable with its hinderance ; the tempers of people
wedded and addicted to the carnal interelts, are fuch, that
they are but wanting for the direct or indirect toleration, or
allowing of minifters for their own Strengthning of their cor
rupt courfes, that they may go on with the more confidence
and lefs iharae : But, I fay, thefe efpecially, who by office
•are called 10 endeavour the preventing of peoples Straying,
an 1 yet do it not, will be foundchargeable with their iniquity.
II. The fecond thing proponed to be fpoken to from this
doctrine, was fomewhat of the neceffity of ftanding at a due
diftance from the flocks of Chrift's companions, and not
turning afide after them. I hope, I need not Shew the necef-
fity of 'ftanding aloof from popery, which is a mafs aadcom-
O 00 2 plex

476 SERMON XXXVII.
plex of blafphemyf idolatry, herefy, fuperftition, cruelty,
and rebellion. I hope alfo, that the duty of leaving the.pre-
lates, and their curates, is alfo clear to tbe moft part of you:
But, whoever are engaged in, and carrying on a courfe of
defection, ought to be difeountenariced by you, whatever e-
fteem. you may have of their perfon?. There are fundry, the
goodneis and gracioufnefs of whofe ftate, we do not doubt,
neither are we to meddle with it, for it is the fecret of God;
but becaufe of the badnefs of their way, we cannot go alongft
with them: I fey, whoever are engaged in, and carrying on
a courfe of defection, thefe ye ought to difeountenance, till
they refent and relinquish that way : Somewhat of the necef
fity of this may appear, from thefe few things following.
Firfl, It is neceffary, left otherwife ye partake of their Sin,
2 John, verfe 1 1 . He that biddeth them Godfpeed, is partaker
of their evil deeds. There is no other way for you, in this
day, to be free of flrengtbning their hands in their evil way.
Secondly, It is neceffary, left otherwife ye receive of tlieir
punishment, Lev. xxvi. 14, 15. 17. If ye will not hearken un
to me, and wilt not do all thefe commandments , but break my co
venant I will alfo do this unto you, I will even appoint over
you terror, etc. and ye fhall be flain before your enemies : Aid,
if ye. will not, for all this, hearken unto 'me, but walk contrary
unto me, then I will walk contrary unto you, aifoinfury, and I,
even I, will chaftife you feven times for your finis : Wherefore,
we muft come out from amongft them, and not touch the unclean'
thing, 2 Cor. vi. 17. "When we find a curfe threatned.in
feripture, we dare not walk with men in that courfe, for fear
of the threatning.
Thirdly, It is neceffary that we may thereby propagate the
teftimony of our day. I fee not how we can carry it on by
concurring with thefe who pervert it, or contradict it, or
defert it.
Fourthly, This is a way to obtain the promifed mercy,
Ezek. xiii. 23. " Therefore ye Shalt fee no more vanity, nor
" divine divinations? for I will deliver my people out of your
" hand, and ye Shall know that I am the Lord." Some will
fay, That they who thus difeountenance any going on in de
fection, do take upon them the inflicting of a cenfure. But
I fay, Not fo ; they may teftify the fenfe they have of the ,e-
quity of the cenfure, whenfoever rightly and duly inflicted:
And I may fay, upon the other hand, that thefe who concur
with them do rather (according to their way of argumenting)
abfolve and loofe them from a cenfure ; than thefe who re
fufe concurrence do inflict it : And it is an act of kiridnefs to
difeountenance a man, when he goes on in a cenfurable way :
For, it is a mean to reclaim him. in. The

Upon Canticles i. 7. 477
III. The third thing was, fome helps to avoid the evil of
their way. As,
1 . Ye are to'be afraid of the evil that is in it. The fpoufe
was thus, when She enforceth her petition with this reafon,
" Why Should I be as one that turns afide by the flocks of thy
" companions ?" Fear of an ill is a very great help to avoid it.
2. Ye are to be fenfible of your propenfityto concur with
them who are going on in a courfe of defection : This was hi
the fpoufe; as is clear both from her Suit and argument en
forcing it; therefore She feems to have her eyes not moftly
upon Chrift's wicked and worfe companions ; for though She
abhorred their way moft, yet She would find in herfelf leaft
propensity to follow it : But upon thefe, whoever they were,
after whom She might moft readily turn afide.
3. Ye are to have a holy indignation againft every evil
courfe of error, and defection : This was in the fpoufe, for
fhe fays, " Why Should I be as one that turns, afide J" And
in the pfalmift, for he feys, " I hate evfery falfe way."
4.. Ye are to pray to the Lord for leading in right and
ftraight paths ; fo doth the fpoufe ;¦ her faying, <• Tell me
" where thou feedelt, etc." And when ye pray, fee that
your hearts be not cleaving to your own ways, arid that you
be willing to be determined by God according to his word.
5. Ye are to depend upon Chrift for leading : He is given
to be a leader unto you, and ye muft hang upon him for it :
Ye muft pray for it, and wait for the return. O! He is a
true guide -, he is an unerring guide. See that ye put your
felves in his leading, who can guide you in the time of great
eft diffraction, confufion, and darknefs ; and who can caufe
you efcape fnares, and avoid every turning: O! get all of
you your love fet upon lovely Chrift, and let it be your care
to efchew finning; and whatfoever fearcliing time of perfecu
tion ye be tryfted with, ye Shall be led to thefe cool-refrefh-
ings, where he makes his flocks to reft at noon.-
Now, my friends, I defire you to make a right ufeof what
I have been faying, for, as I dare not ftudy to pleafe men,
otherwife I could not be a fervant of Chrift, fo I have neither
'deligned nor defired to irritate any of you: (far be that from
me) It is your good I am feeking : But I have ftudied to fift
myfelf Under my mailer's eye, and to difeharge.my duty free
ly and plainly unto you, that I may'have peace, when I Shall
anfwer fof this night's work : And I know not how fopn it
may be. ,
P B. E-

E 478 J

P R E F A C E.

S/. dly fear the moft part of us1 knows not wherefore
we are conveened here this night : And, I queftion
not, but the motives that have moved you are various. It
may be that novelty hath moved foriie of you; .and it
may be that cuftom hath moved others: And poffibly, to
fearch and try where they can do beft, hath moved others.
We Shall not much quarrel with fuch, we wifh all would try
and hold faft that which is beft. And it may be, other feme,
out of refpect to their friends and, acquaintances, have been
moved- to come. And, ic may be, for fear of being ill look
ed upon, by thefe whom they efteem to be good Christian
people, hath moved fome, left they fufpect them to be falling
back from the way of God and godlinefs But, who is come
here to caft in their mite, to hold a departing Chrift in the;
land ? Who is come here panting and thirfting after the liv
ing God ? We fear that thefe be the feweft number, if all the
reft were drawn out from among them. If thefe were fingled'
out, who are come to get fome helpful token to thefe fouls,
we fear, our meeting would be very fmall, and that we would
rot fit fo thick upon this piece of ground, that we are fitting
upon ; and let me tell you, if your defign be any other, we
wilh a companionate' Chrift would give you better ends.
But, oh ! what if fome be come out to fpy what they can
take notice of, and catch from our mouth -, and to take no
tice whom they can fee here : We wifh there be none fuch
among us : .But if there be any fuch, though we cannot dif
cern you, yet remember, you cannot be hid from an all-fee
ing God ; and dear Shall ye buy it when the Lord Shall come
through thefe clouds, in flaming fiee, to take vengeance u-
pon his enemies ; then he Shall take vengeance on you alio,
if ye da not timeoufly repent But, we fey further to you.
that-are come out to fpy, you declare to the world, that yow
are in the devil's fervice, and that you* refolve to hold you
there, and that you will venture on the devil's bargain And
what if fome be come out to catch words, arid to carry them
away to falfe brethren; mife or; {hutting our words, if fo be
that any thing efcape us. But we advife you to do',' as the
prophet ifaiah bids you, lit. viii. 20. '¦ To the law and to the
" teftiraony." And as our Lord bade his apoftles, John v.
39. -*' Search the feriptures, for in them ye ihinlj ye have e-
ternal lite; and they .ire they which testify of ine". If ye
find any thing in what we fey, contrary to the feriptures of
truth,

PREFACE to SERMON XXXVIII. 4y0
truth, ye may have the more freedom to fpeak :u>ainft it;
but if otherwife, dear Shall ye pay for it in one day, ify,;
come to Spy, and to make our breaches wider, and. do what
ye can to mar and keep back the healing of a deadly wound
ed church., How dare ye come, here to mock God ? Dare ye
come here, and. not feek his bleffing, and his prefence to his
own work? Ahl it is fad to fee many of your faces. We
fear there is.but few of you, that have been very ferious for
the Lord's bleffing to the work.
But for you tnat tire h's followers, let your eyes be toward
him : And whatever have been your lhort-comings in time
paft, mourn for them, and do fo no more in time to come.
"We have been a tempting, provoking generation ; whatever
trial or terhpatlon hath come through the land, there hath ay
been a great fleece gone with the Storm, and hath been carri
ed dowD the Stream. The Lord hath been threatning us with
tbe fword, tliefe years paft, therefore it is high time for us
to awake and beftir ourfelves, before the decree go forth, and
before ye b; made to read your fins, in your ftrokes and
judgments. We have been a finful people; few among us
; have keeped clean hands, and clean garments. But Stay till
the popifli priefts come in, and then ye will be enjoined, by
authority, to go to mafs ; and we fear many of you will run
to it : We wifh that none would take fuch bad courfes ; but
the truth is, ye have given fuch bad prefages in time pall,
that we fear many of you will be drawn away with what is
coming. It is an eafy matter for him to put a flop to the
current of your backfliding, and you to be helped, through
his bleffing, to ftand in an hour of temptation and trial,
, Therefore we Shall give you fome advices, whereby ye may
be helped to choofe the good, and refufe the evil.
i. Refolve upon it, that, in the Lord's ftrength, hence
forth, never to make any thing, that is Sinful, your. Stay o?
ftrength ; ye all know this to be Sinful,- to make any thing in
time your llay or ftrengtb, or trrft. Oh! when will ye de>
what ye know to be duty, and abstain from what ye know to
be fin ? Would many of you do what your confcience deter
mines, it would be good for you: But, your putting truft in
worldly things, and your miftrufting of God, is the great
caufe of many of your compliances with the finful courfes of
the time. Many of you have done thirds, that the word of
God, an, I your, own confcience, hath condemned you in,
many a time. We. tell yon from the Lord, except ye repeia
ye Shall perifh : f.'o we would fain have you, from this time
forth, refolving in his Strength, never ,to make anv thing,
that is finful, your Slay, and your truft, whatever Shew or
pietence it may have: Do not truft in it ; for \-;'h-e.y:;er ye
pretend tb irult in, beneath the Lvrd Jehovah, it will prove iiks

4So. PREFACE to SERMON XXXVIII.
like a broken reed, which when a man leaneth unto, goeth
into his hand ; or like the fnow before the fun and wind in
a hot day.
2. As ye would not Slay or truft in any unlawful thing,
fo let nothing that is lawful be exceffively loved, or doted u-
pon by you. Beware that ye give not more love to the crea
ture than ye Should ; for, though it be lawful to love father
and mother, to love wife and children, houfes and lands,
yet when thefe come in competition with his truths, and ye
muft either quit Chrift and his truths, or quit them ; if ye
put them in Chrift's room, and let ChriSl go, your love isf
not right. Our love to thefe things Should be in fubordina-
tion to the love of God, and fhould not be fupreme ; there
fore let every thing be kept in its own room.
3. Lay down this refolution, in the ftrength of the Lord,
that through his grace ye fliall quit no neceffary truth, that
ye are called to witnefs for ; refolve through his grace, that
ye Shall not turn your back on any of Chrift's truths. Now,
all the difficulty is to get hearts to unite and join with thefe
truths, when they come to your door,- when it comes to that
of it, that ye muft either fuffer or fin. O then ! do not baulk
any duty, do not prefer your houfes, profits, pleafures or
your natural life, to his glory. Whatsis the caufe that the
mouths of your confciences are Slopped ? Nothing but this,'
that when the teriiptation comes to your door, that ye behov- .
ed, either to quit his truths, of elfe quit with your own pro
fits and pleafures, riches and honour, that then ye quit his
truths, and keeped your profits and pleafures, riches and ho
nour : And fq God, in his righteous judgment, hath Slopped
the mouth of your confciences, and they are Silent ; and fo
ye think ye have done no ill, or no wrong to God, nor to
his caufe or intereft. Your confeience ar firft reproved, and
cried out againft you ; but many have licked themfelves whole
again : Your profits and pleafures is a plaifter," that hath put
confcience fo dumb, that it feys nothing ; and fo ye have
peace from a dumb, cuterized confcience, which (as the
feripture fpeaketh of it) is feared as with a hot' iron ; and fo-
ye think, that ye have done no wrong : But flay till your con
fciences be awakened, and then ye will get an other Sight,
and they will tell you an other tale : They did but bark at
you, when ye ran away from God and his truths, but when
they are awakened, they will bite you ; and the gnawing
worm of an ill confeience, will then rug your foul, and tear
it in pieces O ! pray for a merciful wakening. Pray, " that
ye get not fuch a wakening as Judas got. When ye are wake
ned, ye will lay, " What profit have I now of all thefe things,
" whereof I am afhamed ?"
4. Do

PREFACE to SERMON XXXVIII. 481
4. Do not defend, extenuate, or continue in your Sin,
as if it, were no fin : Therefore beg grace from a gracious
God, to give you a right Sight and difeovery of your fins ;
even fuch a difeovery as will affect the heart ; fuch a difeove
ry and fight of it, as will make you look no more light on it,
nor defend it, nor continue in it. \
5. Refolve, through the grace of God, to confult more
with the word of God, than with carnal reafon, or with car
nal friends and relations. There are many, that when the
word, and God, and their confeience checks them for any
thing they have done amifs, or when they are tempted to a?
ny fin, then they will run away to this profane perfon, and
the other profane perfon, for advice and counfel ; but ye
fliould confult with the word of God rather, that cannot err
nor lie. When the beft of men are left of God, it is but vani
ty to feek advice from them : Ye may mind Peter's advice to
our Lord, when he was going up to Jerufalem to fuffer, he
was telling his difciples, and warning them of it : And Peter's
advice to him was, Be it far from thee, herd : 1 his fhull not be.
unto thee. This was a godly man's counfel ; but neither right
of itfelf, nor yet accepted of, nor approven by Chrift, to
whom it was given ; and yet it was out of love to Chrift's per
fon that it was given ; for, Peter had no will to part with his
dear matter, and to lofe his company ; and yet he was Sharp
ly reproved by Chrift who faid unto him, Get thee behind me,
Satan, thou art an offence unto, me, for thoufavoureft not the
things that beof God, but thofe that be of men.' What hath mo
ved many to comply with enemies in thefe years paft, but this ?
O ! fay they, we muft either obey the powers, and do what
authority commands, or elfe we will be put out of houfe and
hold ; and nothing in the world will be left us : So they pre
fer their worldly things to the commandments of God, and
to the 'peace of their confcience : And ye fay, by your yield
ing to the enemies, and miftrufting of God ; if the Lord will
not take care of us, we muft take care of ourfelves.
6. Refolve in the Lord's Strength, from henceforth to pleafe
the Lord. O ! will ye refolve, through grace, to prefer the
pleafing of him, to the'pleafipg of men, or yourfelves ? This
would be an excellent refolution, if backed with the Lord's
bleffing. Will ye do, as Jofliua did, put on fuch a refolution
as he put on, when he faith, Choofe you this day whomyou will
ferve, whether the god whom your father ferved : But as for
me, and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord, JoSh. xxiv. 15. Tben
put on honeft refolutions, that ye will follow the Lord, by
walking with him in all well pleafing; for the day is coming
When ye would give ten thoufend worlds in exchange for your
fouls, if they were all at your difpofing. There was a rich
man, that had taken much pab.s for the world, to get up a
P p p great

404 P R E F A C E to S E R MO N XXXVIII.
great eftate, for him arid his pofterity after hifn ; and when
he was a dying, he called for his eldeft fon, with a burning
candle, and effaying to hold his finger in the flariie of the can
dle but for a tittle' time, he could not : ,jthen he called to his
eldeft fon, to put his finger into it, but he could not. endure
it ; then he cried out, with tears, and faid, " How Shall I a-
" bide the devouring fire ; that everlafting burning? I have
*' taken much pains (faid he) to gather up an heap of the earth
" to thee, and thou cannot do that forme. O! what a fool
" hatfe I been ? for now I have loft my" foul." When men
demand any thing of you that is unlawful, ye fhould anfwer
them thus, " Whether it be right, in the Sight of God, to
'* hearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye ?"
7. Relblve, in the Lord's ftrength, rather to fuffer than
,to fin: Make Mofes's choice, "Rather to fuffer affliction
" with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of fin
•" for a feafon, Heb. xi 25." Whenever ye fee or heas of
temptations to fin coming, then beware of them, even alfho'
attended with enticing allurements to gain the favour of men ;
better all the world be thine enemy, than to have God to be
thy enemy; it matters not who be thy friend, if God be thy e-'
nemy ; for," he is the greateft enemy, or (he greateft friend.of
ariyj for, thefe whom he curfes who can blefs? and whom he blefi-
fes, who can curfe ? So it will be your wifdom to make him
your friend, and then ye need ndt care who be your enemy,
devils or men: But, if he be thine enemy, then devils arid
all the creatures are armed againft thee. The wife man faith,
When a man's ways pleafe the Lord, he maketh even his enemies
to be at peace with him. Arid on the contrary, when a man's
ways do not pleafe the Lord, then he maketh all the creatures
to turn his enemies : Friends and all then turn againft
him. We tell you from the Lord, that finning is the great
eft evil ; but fuffering may confift with God's favour: Sin
makes us more like the devil, whereas fuffering makes us more
like unto God : Sin, if we do not crucify it, it will crucify
and deftroy us :. But fuffering fits us for heaven : Who was it
that got tlieir robes waflied in the blood' ofthe Lamb ? Who'
but they that came through many tribulations: Therefore
refolve rather to fuffer than to fin.
$. Refolve, in the Lord's Strength, to follow that courfe
that will advance the honour of 0°d moft ; and give you
moftgrbund to expect God's favour : and whatever courfe of
life decourts you ofthe favour of God, flee from that. And
alfo, we advife you, that whatever ye defire, know and con
fider them with their, circumftances wherewith they are clo
thed, or attended. There are many things that appear at the
firft look to be very fair-like, but when rightly confiderej8,
they begin to appear in another colour, and not fo fair as at
the

PREFACE to SERMO..N XXXVIII, ,483
.the -firft appearance they did in their out fide. At the begin
ning ye would think them good, but if ye will but ferioufly
confider, and look tb the rife thereof, and the tendency there
of, ye will judge of therri otherwife. Thus it is with this popifli
toleration Whatever fair pretentes may be in it, ff ye look on it
rightly, 'ye will find it to.be the ftrongeft bond of fin, that ever
the church of Scotland was bound with. We defire to be free;
;witb you, this toleration is a thing that is mpft hateful in the
fight of God, and defigned by men, forbad, politic, fubtile,
and deceitful ends. It is that all the fubjects muft obey,; as is
clear from that proclamation that came forth, in February
laft ; all the fubjects muft of neceffity obey the fame ; this is
commanded by the granters abfolute authority, which none
of bur kings before did ever affume to themfelves ; or fpoke
of fuch a title belonging to themfelves. But when a popifli
ufurper comes forth, and commands fuch a thing, it is pre-
fently obeyed and clofed with; and fo, it is come to that now,
the kirk hath no power, but what he gives her; and what
may' be the upfliot of that, but that thereafter there fye no
¦ parliaments, and then after that no proteftants. And then
affer thefe defigns are accomplished, nothing but a bloody
fword : But ye will fay that is nothing, but to fright bairns ;
but, I trow, France looked as little for it once, as ye do now :
And what fed things hath their liberty brought them to, ye
have heard ; and what youi* brave liberty will bring us .to,
they are blind who fee not. What think ye that it tends to ?
The burying of our covenants, and Work of reformation.
Look what came. forth in the proclamation, in October, to wit,
That there Should be no houfe nor field conventicles. But
fuch as embrace this popifh toleration, and come to be limited
and reftricted wjth it. O ! ye will find it, if ye fearch nar
rowly, that our minifters are fo bound up, that if any 'of them
ihould preach in defence ofthe covenants, or the- lawfulnefs
of defenfive arms, in cafe of a maffacre, that fuch preaching
lhoubf.be called rebellion ; alfo, it is \ drawing .near to that
which they would be at, even the burying of all our teftimo
nies for truth j and this' is not a burying, but a felling of the
truth. / But our oppofers will fey, we" muft take pan, and
leave part : But we anfwer, who made tberri cutters and car
vers in God's matters ? Mofes was an honeft riian, but he is
foon forgotten among us ; he would not quit a hoof to.' Pha
raoh. If thefe things were mens own, that they cut and qarve
In, they might do fo; but .they may not do, fo in God's matters.
Now, let the experience of their hearers prove this ; qur
covenants are not now mentioned by them: The fworn ene
mies have burnt the folemn league and coveqant ; and now
muft we bury it ? Bnt they will fay, that they preachfaifo and
repentance. But will ever general faith and repentance take
P p p 2 people'

484 PREFACE to SERMON XXXVIIf.
people to heaven ? It is the application that is the life of preach.
Ing. Will ye believe, or repent, except ye know what to
believe, and what to repent of ? But they will fay, May we
not accept of this liberty, as well as the jews did accept ofthe
liberty granted to them by Cyrus ? We anfwer, (,i.) If the
granter had given a commandment to bring back all our cap
tives, that are caft out to foreign nations. (2.) If he had fet
at liberty all our prifoners, without imposing anything upon
.their confciences, contrary to the word of God, our cove
nants, and wOrkr of .reformation. (3.) If he had commanded
us to do all, that is commanded in the written word of God
in the juft and holy law of our God, as Cyrus did command
the Jews, we could have had fewer feruples to embrace it :
But feeing there is fuch restrictions and bands laid upon ac
cepters, that they may preach, nothing but what the granter
pleafeth : And fo, feeing cprinnanded duties may not all be
preffed ; nor the evil of fin, and compliance With the aborni-.
nations ofthe time holden forth, to be evil in the fight of God,
and deftructive to the fouls of men and women, we canndt^and
dare not embrace it. But, by tbis courfe the defections of the
time goes on ftill 5 but ye will fay, we have gotten honeft meq
to preach to us, and wbat is the matter, what a company of
giddy beaded fools fay. I anfwer, the reafon, that thefe
Whom ye call honeft men, are fo well looked upon by the
bulk of people, is, becaufe they cloak people's fins, and do
not reprove their compliance with the enemies tefters, ban
ders, and all other perjured oath-fweafers, and are all re
ceived into communion with them, Without ever defiring the
public acknowledgement of thefe things to be fin. And now
they may not reprove fuch fins, but muft rather approve of
them : And becaufe they cannot reprove the fins of fuch as
come to them, who have turned their back upon God and
forfaken his truths, they are honeft men in the account of
thefe compilers, that join with them; but they love not the
minifters that would reprove them for fuch fins. But ye that
are the people of God, confider your work : We are fure,
this toleration was never designed for our good. It hath di
vided the Chriftians in Britain and Ireland, more than ever
any thing did, fince the change df the government. By this
they have divided the fufferers from Sufferers: Thus they
think, that they cannot do God better fervice, than to make
the fuffering party odicms to one another. Take heed' what
ye d,Q, for the courfe is dangerous ; for faithfulnefs, and free
dom, is not to be found among them that are embracers of
and compilers with this toleration. Therefore, let us not jug
gle nor bourd with God : For dig as deep as ye will or can, the
Lord feeth, and they, and we both, will be found out by him.
To his name be praife, >,e
SERMON

C 485 I
SERMON XXXVIII.

Canticles v. 16.
His mouth is moft fweet : Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is
my beloved, and this is my friend, 0 daughters of Jerufalem.
THERE is none among you all, but ye have one thing
or other, that is your beloved : And, O but it be
flrange, that any Should beftow their love upon bafe objects I
for love is that, faith Solomon, that many waters cannot quench,
neither can the foods drown it : Though a man flxuld give all
the fubftance of his houfe for it, it would be utterly contemned,
Cant. viii. 7. Then to give that noble grace of love to bafe ob
jects, it is ill bellowed indeed : And, yet alas ! how many
are there, who beftow it on bafe objects, to wit, on worldly
profits and pleafures, isc. And for thefe, fome will quii con
fcience and all, to obtain bafe objects. And therefore, O man 1
O woman ! feek out a more noble object for your love. And
therefore O friends'! fet your love upon Jefus Chrift; for all
other objects are but bafe objects : For, angels are not fuffi
cient objects for love ; for love is that which is fuperlatively
noble; no created things are' fufficient objects for love. Ay,
firs, love is fuperlatively noble in the creature, when it is fet
upon the right object. Some writers reprefent love to us in
this^mblem of feraphtms wings, always Stretched forth ; it is
that which the wife man fpeaks of, Eccl. viii. 16. For alfo there
is thai neither day nor night, feeth fleep with his eyes. Love is
impatient of confolation, till it obtain its object, it mounts o-
ver all difficulties, and all is but loft labour when it is fet upon
any other object than Chrift : For love is that which is impa
tient, and yet very patient, impatient of taking any reft until
it obtain its object, and yet will patiently wait on long, till it
obtain its object ; it cannot want that, be what it will ; love
though it get many back-fets, yet it fets ay to again, and will
not give over. So is it here with the fpoufe, when fhe fays,
This is my beloved, and this is my friend.
Chrift had been defiring her before to open to him ; and
therein he ufeth much fair language to her ; for, faith he, c-
pen to me, my fifter, my love, my dove, my undefiled. And he
ufeth arguments to prevail with her; for, faith he, my headns
filled with dew, and my locks wjth the drops ,of the night. But
all doth not prevail with her; for, She g"«vc him a very laay an-?

496 S E R "M O N XXXVIIL
anfwer : / have put off my coat, how fhall I put it on ? 1 have
wafhed my feet, how fhall I defile them ? Alas I alas ! firs, la-
zir.efs is that which puts many from their dnty. Folk will
sot be at pains, to let Chrift into their hearts: But now Chrift
hath' a mind to let her know her lazinefs. He gives her a
touch, he puts in his hand by the hole of the door ; he
toucheth her hear tt and then goes away again : And prefent-
Jy She gets up. O for a touch of his finger upon our hearts.
this day, it would make us lay by our fezinels. Irofe"up to
open io my beloved, bit* my beloved had withdrawn himfelf and
was gone. It coft her a fore Skin, and a bare back, before
fhe found her beloved : for, the watchmen that went about the
city found her ; they fmote her and wounded her ; the keepers of
the wall took away her vail from her. So they make her a -fore
Skin and a bare back, by their cruelty to her. O ! fay they,
ye make too much din in feeking your beloved ; ye might Slay
at home, and feek him in your chamber, and not run fo from
mountain to mountain, cumbering all the cbu.ntry with Seek
ing your beloved, and putting yourfelf in hazard'.
' Now, .when the daughters of Jerufalem beard her charging
them, and making Iuch ado for her beloved -, they begin to
be ir.cmifitive at her, to know what her beloved was, more than
another beloved. And then She begins to defcribe his parts
and comelinefs, faying, "My beloved is white and ruddy,
(i the chief among ten thoufand. His head is as the moft fine
(t gold ; his locks are bufliy and black as a raven- His eyes
" are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, wafhed with
" milk, and fitly fet. His cheeks are as a bed of fpices ; as
" fweet flowers : His lips like lillies, dropping fweet fmefling
" myrrh. • «Hi,s hands are as gold rings fet with the beryl:
" His belly as bright ivory overlaid with fapphires; Hif legs
*' are as pillars of marble. fet upon fockets of fine gold. V His
i.*' Countenance is as Lebanon ; excellent as the cedars. His
*' mouth is mod fweet; yea, he is altogether lovely.. This is
** my. beloved, and this is my friend, O daughter; of Jeru-
" Salem." The fpoufe here gives a noble defeription of Chrift, though
he was abfent : He is altogether lovely to a believer, either
prefent or abfent : For, it cannot be faid of .Chrift to his
fpoufe ; as it was feid in another fenfe, out of flight, out of
fengure. For, here the fpoufe was even fick of love for
Chrift,. though abfent// Now, when fhe had ended her def
eription of him to the daughters of jerufalem, She feys, This
is my beloved, and this is my friend.
And now the doctrine which arifeth from the words is this,
Doct. That the love, and lovelinefs of ', Chrift, is the faunda-
jf..-".' fi the -believer's hue- Whim. In

Upon CANTifcLEs v. i6\ 4S-f
Iri handling of which I lhal!,
I. Prove the doctrine,
II I Shall give you feveral properties of Chrift's. lovelinefs.
III. I Shall Shew you wherein Chrift is lovely.
IV. I Shall Shew you feveral qualifications that/ are requifite
td be in your love to him.
I. Then, fot proof pf the. doctrine, that the love and love
linefs of Chrift, is the foundation of our love to him; ye
may fee it clearly in tliis fifth chapter of Cant, that the lovely
delcription, that the fpoufe gives of Chrift, is the ground
and foundation of her love to him. For ibis alio, fee i John
iv. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God ; but that he lov
ed us, and fent his Son to be the propitiation for our fins. And,.,
ver. i a We love him, beciitfe be firft loved us. I fey; this
proves that the love and lovelinefs of Chrift, is fhe foundati
on of our love to him. And "alfo John xx. 27, 28 Then
faith he to Thomas, reach hither t by finger, and behold my hinds ,-
and reach hither thy hand, and thrift it into my fide ; and be
not fait blefs but believing. And Thomas anfwered and faid
unto him, My Lord and my God. O friends ! this is the pre
vailing motive with Thomas's unbelief, even the real figlit of
the love of God in Chrift. Now having proven this point.
II. I come in the fecond place, to let you fee fome of the
lovely properties of that excellent love of Chrift. And,
1. The firft property of Chrift's love is, That it is from e-
ternity, Jer. xxxi. 3 *• The Lord hath appeared of old im-
" to me, faying, Yea I have loved thee with an everlafting love :
" Therefore with loving kindnefs I have drawn thee.'' Pfal.
Ixxxix. 30, 31, 32, 33, *« If his children forfake my taw, and
" walk not in my judgments: If they break my ftatutes, and
" keep not my commandments, ' then will I vilit their 'tranf-
" greffion with the rod, and their iniquity witlvftripes : Ne-
" vecthelefs, my loving kiridnefs trill I not utterly take from
" them, nor fuffer riiy faithfulnefs to fail." O n.y friends!
but there be many fweet promifes within the bible ; and tins
is one, that notwithftanding all the fad paffages of providence,
that come in the way of the elect, none of thefe do prove,
that the Lord hath taken away his loving kindnefs from
them : For, his loving kindnefs will he not take from them, nor
fuffer his faithfulnefs to fail. All the infirmities of human na
ture, do not make a child of God uncomely in Chrift's
Sight; for thotigh they be black with" finful infirmities, yet
they are comely in his Sight, Cant. i. 5. So that, ..although
his love be not always fo difeerni'oie to our, feeling as we
would have V. ; yet it alt.-rs no mor? than the fun'doth his
natural com fe of heat and brightnefs, in a cloudy and dark
day : So that this is a noble property of Christ's love ; it is
from

SERMON XXXVIII.
from eternity to eternity, without any alteration ; for, whom
he loves he loves to the end:
;2. The fecond property of Chrift's love i3, That it is a
ftrong love ; which appears, (i.) From what he hath done
for finners. (2.) From what be gives to finners.
(1.) He hath dorie great things for finners : He took upon
himfelf all the finlefs infirmities of human nature, not Sinful
nature ; yea, he endured a Shameful and fingering death, be
fides a burden of wrath that, he had waded through ; fuch a
flood of wrath, as would have drowned all the fons ;tnd
daughters of Adam to all eternity. Thus he who knew no
fin, became a curfe for us, that we might be made the righteouf-
nifs of God in him, 2 Cor. v. 21. O ! greater love hath no man
than ttiis,' that a man lay down his life for his friend. O ! my
friends, if ye will follow Chrift through all the fteps of his
humiliation, ye may fee that the love of Chrift is ftrong love,
which made him undergo fuch things for finners.
(2.) He gives great things to finners ; whereby he Shews
the Strength of his love to them : For, he gives grace and glo
ry, and no good thing will be withhold from them that walk up
rightly, Pfalm viii. 4. 11. For he faith, Father, I will that
they alfo whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am, tbat
they may behold my glory, which thou haft given me, John xvii. 24.
Chrift gives the believer union with himfelf, and communion
in glory with the Father ; even a .{hare of that glory which the
Father giveth him, he giveth them ; and he gives them a
crown of righteoufnefs, which Shall never fade away ; and
gives them to drink of the rivers of his pleafures, that are at
his right hand for evermore^ . O ! my friends, Chrift doth
not prigg with his fpoufe ; he will keep nothing back from
her, that he fees to be for her profit. O but his love be
ftrong ! and he requires no more for all that he hath done,
and all that he hath given, but that he fee the travail of his
foul. He will think but little of all that he hath done, if we
will but accept of his love, and lay our love upon him ; yea,
fo may be faid of him, as was faid of Jacob, The feven years
that he ferved for Rachel, feerned to him but a few days, for
the, love that he bare unto her. O ! his love is fo ftrong, that
although thou that art one of his own children, Shouldft run
away from him never fo faft, yet his love will overtake thee,
and bring thee back again. Paul ran very faft in opposition
to his love, when he was going to Damafcus to perfecute the
church ; but Chrift's love overtook him fuddenly. Manaffeh,
he ran very faSl away from Chrift, when he made the ftreets
of Jerufalem to run with innocent blood, and fet an abomi
nation iri the houfe of God, and ufed witchcraft ; and yet
Chrift's love, it overtook him, and brought him back again
from the pit, If thou be one of thofe that the Father hath
given

Upon Canticles v. 16. 489
given to the Son, though thou fliouluft run to the brink of
hell, he will bring thee back again from thence. 4
3. The third property of Chrift's love is, That it is pure
love and fincere love: Herein is his /we, not- that we loved
him ; but that he loved us. Not for any advantage that he can
have by us, for he is infinite in all perfections without us ;
therefore we can neither enrich him, nor add any more glory
to him. We may well magnify his glory ; that is all we can
do, and all the advantage is our own. Chrift's love is not a
bafe and whorifh love, he loves, us not for his own good cr
advantage, but for our real good and advantage : It is pure
and Sincere love; for all the advantage is our own.,
4. The fourth property of Chrift's loye is, That it is an
inriching love; for, thefe upon whom this love is bellowed,
they are no more poor : For, how can they be poor, who
have Chrift for their riches ? For, faith the apoftle, All are
yours, and ye are Chrift's, and'Chrift is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. •
If ye have this love bellowed upon you, then all other. things
are made to- fervp you for your good ; ye fhall lack no good
tiling; For though the lions young, do lack, and fuffer hunger,
they that feek the Lord, fhall not want any good thing, .Pfal.
xxxiv. 10.
5. The fifth property of Chrift's love is, That it is a free
love ; he gives his love freely, without anyreward ; and fo
it is free love : For the offer is alike to all ; if ye will but take
it off his hand, he makes open proclamation of it to you ill,
faying, Ho ! every one that thirfieth, come ye to the waters,
Ifa. Iv. 1 . O i my friends, all other love is infinitely beneath
this : He took not on him the nature of angels, but the feed of A-
braham, Heb. ii. 16. O ! my friends, God hath made us
the centre of his love : And therefore I befeech you, do not
defpife his love : He came not to redeem any of the fallen
angels, but the feed of Abraham.
III. I fhall Shew you wherein Chrift is lovely. And,
1. Chrift is lovely in his perfon. O but he be a lovely per
fon ! for in him dwelletb all the fulnefs 0/ the Godhead bodily,
Col. ii. 9. In hini is all the perfection of the human nature :
He is perfect in knowledge ; for the Spirit is not given him
in meafure. This was his donative knowledge. He is per
fect in infufed knowledge ; for, as the Pfalmift faith, grace
is poured into thy lips ; and thy God hath- anointed thee above
thy fellows, Pfal. x'v. 2. 7. He is perfect in experimental
knowledge: for, be increafed. in wifdom and filature, and in
favour with God and man, J^ilke y. 52. All this is but the"
perfection of his human nature : But as he is God, who cart
behold him or defcribe him ?
2. Chrift is lovely in his ordinances 'Among his people,
Cant^ ii. <fi My beloved is like a roe, or a young 'hart : Beheld
Q^ q q ' he

490 S E ~R M 0 N XXXVIII.
he ftandelh behind our wall; he looketh forth at the windows,
Ibewing himfelf 'through the lattice. 0 fits! Chriftus very lovely
in Shewing himfelf through the lattice: And if he would but
blink upon us this day^ it would make oiir fouls with Peter to
fay, It is good for us to be here, Matth. xvii. 4. David thought
him lovely in his ordinances, when he feid, I was glad when
they faid unto me, Let us go down into the houfe_ of the. Lord, Pfal,
cxxii 1. Ola day in his courts, is better than a thoufand elfe-
where, Pfal Ixxxiv. 10. O my friends I follow hini in his
ordinances, in hopes to get a fight of his face ; and whether
ye get a Sight of him or no, yet he is altogether lovely and
beautiful. As the fun in the firmament is beautiful, when
under a cloud, in a cloudy day, when it cannot be feen, fo
Chrift is beautiful to his people, even in the time of his ab
fence, when he hideth his face and cannot be feen. O that
Chrift would be pleafed to take the vail from off cur eyes,
that we might fee his beauty !
3. Chrift is lovely in his commandments and precepts ; and
therefore David fays, 0 I how love I thy law ? It is my medi
tation all the day'. Thou, through thy commandments, haft made
me wifer than mine enemies ; for they are ever with me. I have
more underftanding than all my teachers ; for thy teftimonies are
my meditation. I underftand more than the ancients, becaufe I
keep thy precepts, Pfal. cxix. 97, 98, 99, 100. O but his com
mandments be lovely ! and therefore we, with Paul, may fay,
Rom. vii. 12. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment
holy, and juft and good. It is that which is the tranfeript of
fhe will of God to us, and therefore Should be loved : But,
alas ! we are carnal and fold under fin.
4. Chrift is lovely in his promifes. Where is the Christi
an that will not fet to his feal of approbation to this truth,
that Chrift is lovely in his promifes ? For there are promifes
of grace, whereby believers are enabled to do , their duty ;
and whereby the foul is made to rejoice in God: As Mary
did, Luke i. 46, 47. And Mary faid, my foul doth, magnify the
Lord ; and my fpirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 0 my
friends ! the lovelinefs of his promifes, hath made many go
away from their prayers,, as Hannah did, with their counte
nance no more fad.. By this believers are able to difpel their
doubts and fears; and by %liis helievers are fortified againft
trials and perfecutions.
5. Chrift is lovely in his graces- Hence Solomon fays,
Cant i. 2. Let himkifs me with the kiffes. of his mouth ; for thy
love is better than wine. Becaufe of the favour of thy good oint
ments, thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the
virgins love thee. O but Chrift belovely in his graces ! yea,
he is lovely in the influences of his graces, that he beftows upon

Upon Canticles v. \6.

49 1.

upon believers ; fo that it makes them with Ephraim to fay,
What have I to do any more with idols ? Hof. xiv. 8.
6. Chrift is lovely in his government, and in his fteps of
majefty among bis people : For he hath, on his veflure, and on
his thigh, a name written, King of Kings and Lord of
Lords, Rev. xix. 16. By commiffion from his Father, The
government fhalt be upon his fhoulders, Ifa. ix. 6. He rules and
orders all' the affairs of his people, to his glory and their
good; yea, he counteracts the wicked in their devices, when
they intend to deftroy his people ; he difpofeth them only for
the trial of their faith ; which is better than that of gold that
perifheth ; and thereby difeovers the rottennefs and hypocri
fy, that is in many of our hearts. Thus the way that enemies
judge for our ruin, he, by his government, makes them
work for us, a far more exceeding weight of glory'. And al
fo, he is lovely in his government, in the hearts of his peo
ple, in difpofing of their affections on himfelf, and in fway-
ing their actions according to his laws.
7., Chrift is lovely in his crofs -. But I know that flefli and
blood vvill not lubferibe to this; yet it is true ; for if ye fuffer
for righteoufnefs fake, happy are ye, for the fpirit of glory and
ofGodreftsth upon you, i Pet. iv. 14. I-may atteft to the ex
perience of the faints, for this truth ; for when the crofs
feemed to ly heavy upon them, then they have found the love
of God fweeteft unto them. Paul and Silas Sang pfelms in
the prifon : And fome have gone valiantly through death ;
fo they found no pain therein ; And have feid, That they
would not change their lot, with all the pleafures of the
world ; therefore do not fear at the'crols : But comfort your
felves wifh this pleafant promife, Ifa. xliii. 2. When thou paffeft
through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the rivers,
they fhall not overflow thee : When thou vaalkeft through the fire,
thou fhalt not be burnt, neither fhall 'the flame kindle upon thee.
O my friends I do not ftumble-a't his crofs, for he hath a cha
riot to carry you in: " It is made of the wood of Lebanon ;
" the pillars of it are filver, the bottom of it of gold ; the
*' covering of it of purple, and the midft thereof paved with
"love, for the daughters of Jerufalem," Cant iii. 9, 10. O!
ye will find him SledfaSt in his love ; fo that in the end ye will
fubfcribe to this, That he is lovely in his crofs.
> S. Chrift is lovely in his houfe above. It is faid, Rev. viii.
I. " And when he had opened the feventh feal, there was
" great filence in heaven, about the Space of half an hour."
All the glorified creatures were Stricken Silent, with aftonifh-
ment to behold Iris love, in the work of redemption. But all
that we can attain to here, is but a gUnipfe of his love ; for
it is infinitely above our conception : So that, if ever we win to
fee his icvelinefs in his houfe above, we will even think fliame
0^qq2 of

492 SERMON XXXVIII.
of what we have fpoken of his love here, it hath been' fo far
above our capacity. It is faid of feraphims, " Each one had
" fix wings; with twain he covered his face, with twain he
" covered his feet ; and with twain he did fly," Ifa. vi. 2.
With twain he covered his face, that we cannot difcern his glo
ry ; with twain he covered his feet, that we cannot difcern his
goings,; and with twain be did fly ; that is, very fwiftly in his
motion. -O firs ! we cannot take up his' lovelinefs in his houfe
above : Mofes got but a fight of his back parts, who was very
near to him. We would not be able to endure his loVelineSs
in his houSe above, until we win there. And there we Shall
behold it, though we Shall not comprehend it ; yet it is his
demand from the Father, John xvii. 24. *' Father, I will,
¦" that they alio whom thou haft given me, be with me where
" I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou haft
" given iue.''
Now, ye have heard that Chrift is lovely in his perfon;
lovely in his ordinances -, lovely in his commandments ; love
ly, in his proinifes ; lovely in his graces ; lovely in his govern
ment ; lovely in his crofs; and lovely in his houfe above ;
Therefore take him for your beloved, and for your friend,
IV. I Shall Shew you the feveral qualifications that are re
quifite to be in your love to Chrift. And,
1. It mtiSl be new love. We. muft have a new heart ; for
we cannot love him with the old heart; therefore we Should
feek of him a new heart, For, if any man be in Chrifl, he is a
new creature : old things are paft away, behold all things are
become new, 2 Cor. v. 17. Not only a new body, but a new
creature. It muft be a new created quality, running through
the whole man. t Wherefore is pur obedience called new o-
bedience, in -u.- catechifms ? But that our obedience muft
come from a new created quality, in heart; and all the mem
bers of our body muft act anew for Chrift : And, with Eph
raim muft fay, What have 1 to do any more with idols ? Hof.
xiv. 8.
2, We muft love Chrift truly and Sincerely. There are
many who profefs moft friendship to Chrift in words, who
yet in deeds do but deny him ; But ye muft love him truly
and Sincerely.
3. We muft love him mtirely : Ye muft love him in all
that he is to you, and aft that he requires of you : Ye muft
keep nothing back of all that he requires : There are many
who would be content to take Chrift for their prophet, to
teach them ; and for their prieft to appeafe the wrath of God
towards them ; who yet will not be content to take him to be
their king, to reign over them in their hearts : They do not
fubrnit to his government; for, they have loved idols, and
after them will they go : But, my friends, ye muft love him
intirely

Upon Canticles v. \6. 493
intirely with all the inconveniences that may come in your
way : Ye muft make a full resignation of yourfelves over un
to him : O ! keep nothing back ; referve him your time and
your ftrength. O! my friends, make an, ariiple resignation
of you and yours up to his will ; you muft lay all at his feet.
The reafon why many ftep afide in an hour of temptation, is,
becaufe they love not Chrift intirely. Therefore, > if ye de
fire to be kept Sledfaft, in an hour* of temptation, love him
intirely, and lay all at his feet.
4. We muft love him with a Superlative love : Ye muft
love him above all things. But ye will fay, May we love no
other thing but Chrift ? I anfwer, yes, ye may love other
things, in fo far as your love of them, may ferve to bring
Chrift's love to you, and carry forth your love to him : But,
I fay, ye mu'ft love him above all things; when he and other
things ftand as competitors, ye muft then let all go, and cleave
to Chrift : Ye muft let the world, your name, credit, repu
tation, relations, yea, and your life all go ; yc muft not
count thefe dear to part with for Chrift.
5. We(muft love him for himfelf only, and not for any
reward that is to be expected from him ; for that is but an
idolatrous love. Therefore fearch and try yourfelves, to
know what is the ground wherefore ye love bim ; whether
it be for hire and reward, or for himfelf. Satan would fain
have fathered this falfe kind of love upon Job, when he faid,
" Doth Job fear God for nought : Haft thou not made a
*' hedge about him, and about his boufe, and about all that
" be hath on every fide ? And haft bieffed the work of his
"hands, and his fubftance is incfeafed in the land : (there-
" fore it is bis common good to love thee) But put forth
" thine hand, and touch all that he hath, and he will curfe
" thee to thy face," Job. i. 9, 10, 11. But in this Satan was
a falfe liar ; for when all Job's gear was gone, he faid, " The
" Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bieffed be the
" name of the Lord," Job. i. 21.
And now, my friends, ye muft love Chrift with a new
love, with a Sincere love, with an intire love, with a fuperla-
tive loye ; and ye muft love him for himfelf, and not for
any thing ye get from him; otherwife he will reject your
love, arM|j«rill not take it off your hand. Now, what fay ye
to it, man pjc woman, lad or lafs, are ye content to take
Chrift for the- object of your love ? Ye heard that he is a
lovely perfori-;v3nd ye heard, feveral of the properties of his
love; and will ye not then fay with the fpoule, He is altoge
ther lovely : he is our beloved and our friend? But, I fear,.
there be feveral forts of folk here this day, that will make
light Of this offer. And there are nine forts of folk, who
will return us Some anfwer, and burorie of them good. 1. There

49f SERMON XXXVIII.
1. There are fome that have chofen idols, arid after them
'they will go t But let me tell thee, O man or woman, who
bafe chofen other lovers than Chrift, go where yon will, ye
will not find the like of him ! For all other lovers, laid in
the balance with him, are lefs than nothing: Therefore it is
your blindnefs and madnefsv that makes you put any thing
in Chrift's room. O that our fouf could weep for you in
fecret places i '
2. There are others that would clofe with Chrift, but they
think, that he- is a hard mafter and auftere. They think,
that he hath auftere government ; therefore they cannot be
ruled by his laws ; but they muft have elbow-room to lyingj
fwearing, and Sabbath-breaking. They will not take on the
yoke of his commandments; and they think it a hard faying
to take- up the crofs daily.
3. There are fome who are ready to fay, that they will
clofe with Chrift, but they will not do it yet ; they muft dwell
a while with their idols. But, O my friends I do not put off
Chrift till another time,, when he is now calling for your |
love : Go not away with Felix, faying, At another time, left
the fentence be paft againft you, tbat ye Shall never enter in
to his reft. He will not take the out-wails of your love;
therefore, if ye will not take his offer in the prefent time, the
fentence will be paft againft you, and fo as he called, andye
would not anfwer, ye Shall call, and he will not anfwer you ;
but will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your, fear com
eth, Prov. i. 26.
4. There are fome that would love Chrift ; bufthey would
love their idols alfo : But, I fay, ye muft love him alone ; he
will admit of no rivals: If any of you bring your idols unto
Chrift, he will put you and your idols, away again : There is
no room for you and your idols, in the ftrait way. that lead
eth unto life. Indeed you and your idols may walk on iri
the broad way to hell, but ye cannot walk together in the
narrow way to heaven.
5. There are fome that would love fomething in Chrift,
but they will not love whole Chrift : They love not the fpi
ritual extent of his commandments. But, I fay, ye muft
love every bit of Chrifl : Ye muft love him both in his com
mandments and promifes, and threatnings : Ye muft love
htm all or none of him ; for he is all love-worthy.
6. Tfiere are fome would love Chrift, if they could get gear
with him. O firs ! if there had been houfes and lands to have
been dealt here this day, there had been more up and down
the land, to have. been partakers thereof.. But, O my friends!
is not Chrift himfelf riches enough ? Will ye take him for
your gooiis and gear, and then ye Shall not want riches, if ye
lee it for your profit, ye (hall not want any thing ye ftand in '
need

PREFACE to SERMON XXXIX. 49-
need of, here and hereafter : Ye fliall get reft above. Take
himfelf, and ye fliall get reft from all your wearifome trou
bles ; where ye Shall not ceafe day nor night, to praife the Lord,
for that fliall be your element.
7. There are fome that would love Chrift, if he were fe
parated from the crofs ; but they cannot think on bearing the
crofs: But, let me tell you, Chrift is lovely in his crofs -
and, if ye will fet your love Upon Chrift, ye will find this *-
pon your experience. O my friends! if ye knew the worth
of his love, ye would think nought to fight through hell for
him. 8. There are fome, they think they would love Chrift, bt*t
they lay on their love ralhly : They are not deliberate about
the matter ; and fo they take their word again, like the feed
that falls upon the ftony ground : Therefore be well advifed
iri your relolution for Chrift, that fo ye may Stand in the hour
of temptation.
9. There are fomethat would love Chrift, if they thought
that he would love them. 1 fey to Such, O ! do not queftioa
his love ; for, he offers it freely unto you, if ye would take
it freely off his hand.
10. There are fome (and I fear they are thin fown) and they
will love Chrift whether he will love them or no ; Though bs
fhould flay them, yet they will truft in him, Job xiii. 15. To
Such I fay, truly ye need not fear, for ye fhall never get an
ill turn out of Cbrift's hand for that. ,
Now, I Should have ufed fome arguments or motives to
prevail with you to give your love to Chrift, but, I think if
that which hath been faid, be not fufficient, arguments or mo
tives, to prevail with you, I know nothing will do it ; and
therefore I require, -that ye give in this fentence, That he is
your beloved, and he is your friend.

OK

PRE F A G E.
I THOUGHT in the'forenoon, ye looked like folk, that
through long fafting had loft your ftomachs ; and ye
know fuch folk Should have fome meat, to breed you an ap
petite again. O ! that we could this day raife fome appetite in
your defires after Chrift. O firs I wherefore are ye come
here this day ! O ! let it not be only to fetisfy your eyes and
ears, but for your fpiritual good and advantage. U I my
friends, if the prefence of a grfcat king were cominj in at the
¦ - brae-

S E R M O N XXXIX.
brae-head yonder amongft you, would there not be a great
ftir and rifing amongft you to give him way ? And would not
all your eyes be very attentive upon him ? O firs ! we expect
the prefence of a great king here amongft us, who hath pro-
mifed to come, wherever he hath caufed his name to be re
corded ; and therefore be compofed with an attentive ear and
frame, to hear what Gpd the Lord will fay. O! that king
Chrift would look down through the clouds, this day upon
us ! And O ! that we might rife, and let him have entry in^
to our hearts. Let us pray.

SERMON XXXIX.

Canticles v. 16.
Hit mouth is moft fweet : Yea he, is altogether lovely. This is my
beloved, and this is my friend, 0 daughters of Jerufalem.
ARE AL friend indeed is a very rare thing; and ye will
go far before ye find one ; and when ye have founds
him, O ! how unconftant and unfure is he to lippen to ! like
a loofe tooth, or foot out of joint, that dow thole nothing.
But here ye will find a friend indeed, that will not beguile
you ; but ay the more ye lippen to him, ye will have the more
encouragement to truft in him. O ! ye will find Chrift fuch a
friend, that will do more for you than you can aSk or look for.
I fhall not refume what I have faid in the forenoon ; only
I named one doctrine, from the words, and it was this, That
the love and lovelinefs of Chrift, is the ground and foundation of
eur love to him. And now I come to a fecond doctrine from
the words, which is this,
Doct. II. Theit Chrift is. a real friend.
He ufeth no toom and empty compliments ; for, as he faith
John xv. 13, 14. Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friend. ¦ Te are my friends, if ye do
whatfoever I command you. Chrift is that friend that fticketh
clofer than a brother, Prov. xviii. 24. And if ye will take
him for your friend, ye Shall never want an act of friend-
fhip at his hand.
Now, in handling of this doctrine, I fhall
I. Shew to you what a friend Chrift is. II. I

Upon Canticles v. 16. 497
II. I SbaUfhew you the feveral acts of1 friendship that he
pcrfprmeth to his people.
III. I Shall clofewitba word- of ufe. And
tI. To fliew you what a friend Chrift is. I cannot declare
unto you particularly the matter as- it is, only,
1. He is a , fure friend; without any diffimulation cr de-
ceivery : For, it is his effential property,, as he is God, The
God of truth, that he cannot lie, Titus i, 2. He is a real friend
in aU his rffers unto you. '>,,
2. He is a friend to you on the account of your goodi>
There are fome they will be friends to you, but what, I pray
you, is the reafon ? It-is even this, they have their own good
and advantage before their eyes : For, the rich man, he. hath
many friends, buf the poor man. is defpifed of Jiis own neighbour,
Proverbs xiv. 20. But Chrift is a friend, only upon the ac
count of your good. And though ye were never fo poor, he
will never defpifeyou, but befriend you, and, make you rich,
if ye will but take it off his hand.
3. He is a pow +. ful friend. There may be fome who would
fain befriend you, but it is not in the power of their hands :
But, O but. Chrift be a powerful friend, who can befriend
you in" your greateft .ftraits I It ir. be who cometh vp from Edom,
with died garments from Bozrab, traveling in the greatnefs of
his ftrength, mighty to fave, Ifa. Ixiii. 1. It is he whofe eyes
run to and frO, to Shew himfelf mighty and powerful in be
half of thofe that truft in him : Some real friend nsav be in
capacity to do you fome good, but the good ye Stand in need
of,- may be above his -power to beftow upon you ; but Chrift
is a powerful Friend, and is always in capacity to do you good
in your greateft ftraits and difficulties : That cannot be faid
of him, that Diogenr,"; faid to Alexander; this Diogenes was a
heathen philofopher, who being in a tub, Alexander the Great
(fo called) comjAto fee him, al'ked him, what he would
have from him,*^* That (feid he) which you cannot give me,
" but now at prefent is holden from' me ;" which was die
beams of the fun. But Chrift is fuch a friend, as can give you
all things, that are for your good.
4. Chrift is a willing friend ; for as be is powerful and a-
ble to do you1 good ; fo he is willing to beftow his goodnefs
upon you ; as is demonstrated by all his promifes and invitati
ons, that he hath made to Sinners/ He calls you that labour
and are heavy laden, under the fenfe of fin, to come to him and
he will give you reft, Matt. xi. 28. And bis willingnefs to do
you good, is confirmed by the experierice of all the feints, who
have ftill found him, as good as his word.
5. Chrift is a kind friend : Ye know a kind friend goes
neareft folk in greateft Straits. O my friends ! Chrift is Such.
a friend, as wiil come near you, in alf the fed cafes you can
R r r • be ,

4S>s SERMON XXXIX.
, . i
be n; when ye are in a fick-bed, he- will make all your bed in
yoiirficknefs : He will not ftand at a diftance from your fore,
for he is fo kind, that he will come nearer! you in your great
eft ftraits ; for b"is fympathy is fuch, that he that toucheth you,
toucheth the apple of his eye. And the apple of the eye, yc
know, is the moft tender member of the body, by which he.
Sheweth the fympathy. that he hath with his people, in all
their finlefs infirmities ; as inwearinefs, fairunefs. and coldnefs,
&c. He -is fo kind a friend, as that he takes a r.am-v account
of all his friends conditions.
6. Chrift is a faithful friend : (So to fay) Chrift's words are
his deeds ; for he never promifes a good turn to any, .and be-,
guiles them,; yea, nothing can incapacitate him from anfwer-
ing his friends neceffities. It. cannot be faid of him, what
Solomon fays, of putting Confidence in an unfaithful Arm, hi
time of trouble,' that is like a broken tooth, or afoot out of joints
Prov. xxv. 19 for the more ye truft in fuch,- the more ye are
beguiled : But the more ye lean upon Chrift, the more ye
will find of his faithfulnefs: Therefore, cci ft*-y our hur den Upon
him, and he willfuftain you. If ye wiilfay yourfelves and your
burden both upon him, he fliall carry you and it both.
7. Christ is a conffant friei-d : There is no chnnge or al
teration 1ft him, that can alter his refpect to you. Rich men
may alter their refpect, as your condition in the world ebbsor
flows 5 and great men their refpect is alterable, but Chrift is
a conflant friend, who will bide ' with you in your great
eft need. He is not like other friends, who are unconllant-
and uncertain, in their own willingnefs and ability, in doing
acts of friendship; for he is always willing-'; aad it is always
in the power of his hand to do you good. Therefore, my
dear friends, take him as your friend, y.mr beft friend; for
the friendship of molt men is little worth ; for it is very un-
conftant and uncertain •- For, there were fome the laft" year,'
that testified friendship, who, this year, their friendship is
quite altered ; fo that they openly teftify againft civil converfe
with us, But O Sirs! Chrift is a constant friend; and
whom he once befriends, he befriends to the end. Therefore,
I befeech you take him for your friend, for he will befriend'
you in your greateft ftraits; for, happy are ye when ye fuffer
and are reproached for the name of Chrift.' For then the fpirit of
glory, and of God, refteth upon you, 1 Pet. iv. 14. So then, if
ye would fake him for a friend, ye fhould never want a friend :>
He is fuch a friend as will give health to you in your ficknefs,.
yea, he is Such a friend, as will deliver you infix troubles ; yea,.
in feven, there fball no evil touch you, Job v. 19. for, when- ye
pafs t/>roiigb the waters, he will be with you ; and through the ri
vers, they fhall -not overflow you - When ye walk through thefire
ye floall'not be burnt -j' neither fhall the flame kindle upon you, Ifa»
xliii.

Upon Canticles v. 16. 499
xRii 2. Now, my dear friends, take him for your friend, and fay
of him, as tbe fpoufe doth here, This' is my beloved and this is
my friend.
II The fecond thing that I am to fpeak to- from the doc
trine, is, to Shew you- the feveral aits of friendfliip, that
Chrifl perforraeth to his friends ; the which, though all the
powers in heaven and earth, Should join all their power iri
one, to do you acts of friendfliip ; they could not do thefe
acts of friendship which Chrift doth. And,
1. The firft act of friendship which Chrift hath done, or
will do to all his friends, is the taking 'away a burden of fin
and wrath from thercu For, he who knew no fin, Was made
thefinner, by imputation, t hut we might be made the righteouf
nefs if God in him, 2 Cor. v. 2 1. Ye know, firs, that if ye
were preft under a, heavy burden, heavier than ye were able
to bear, ye *ould count him a friend, that would relieve you
of it; Chrift, he hath'taken on a heavier burden off your
necks, than the weight of all thefe mountains that are-abewt
us; yea, the reprobates in the gre.it day of judgment, would
rather bear the weight of mountains, than the prefence ofthe
Lamb, who is to judge them ; then, hath not Chrift beftow-
ed a great act of friendfliip upon you, who are his friends,
who bath taken fuch a burden from you ? O my friends ! if
ye found» the weight thereof,, as they did, whoare fpoken of,
Acts ii. 37. who were prided in their heart, and faid unto Pe
ter, and to the reft ef the apoftles, men and brethren, v. hat fball
we- do- ? ye- would1 count it an act of friendfliip indeed.
¦z. The fecond act of friendship that Chrift w-il] do unto
you, is this, he will htelp your in your fpiritual warfare, againft
your fpiritual enemies : He wifl fubdue your enemies. He
muft have the crown and the victoiy ; for, ye muft give him
all the praife of your victory, which ye obtain through him.
Ypu fi-id that Joab, when he was fighting againft Rabbab,
fends for king David, to come and fight againft the city,
and take it, left 1 (faid he) take the city, and it be called by my
nawie, % Sam. xii. 26, ft 7, 28. I think this was the greateft
a£t of loyalty, that ever Joab did to David, in Sending for
him, only that the praife of the victory might be aferibed to
hini. So, my friends, ye have your Pmbbahs to befiege;
your ftrong corruptions-, and your unmodified lufts, and if
ye defire to have the- victory over them, ye muft fend for king
Chrift, 'and by him take in the city, and obtain the victory ;
for, ye will never prevail againft any of thefe enemies with
out him: Therefore, if ye defire to be loyal to Chrift, em
ploy him >o help you, and let him have all the praife. O firs !
Chrift is fuch a friend, as will rid and deliver you out of the
multitude of troubles, ,and all fpiritual evils j. The Sight
whereof made Paul to cry out, 0 wretched man that I am I
yjbo fhall deliver me from the body of Ibis death? Rom. vii. 24.
. R r r 2 But

$00 SERMON XXXIX.
"But afterwards he is made to fey, Thanks be to God which giv
eth us the viFtory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, I Cor. xv.
57. 0 firs ! if ye be Chriftians, ye will count it no fmallacT
of friendfliip, to be helped forward in the exercife of holinefs.
A .true believer will count fanctification, as great a benefit as
jultification. My friends, holinefs carries its reward in its
bofom. If ye will employ Chrift, he will do you' that kind
ait of friendship, to fobdue your fpiritual enemies, and to
give you tbe victory, only let him have the praife.' ¦'','•
3. The third act of friendship that Chrift will do for' his
friends, is this, he will protect you from all evils, both from
fpiritual evils and temporal evils. Temporal evils Shall not
harm you ; for, he hath given you his word, that they Shall
not harm you, but fliall turn to your own advantage :*For,
who can go through fire, and be not burned thereby, but
thefe who have his prefence with them ? O firs ! ye need not
fear, for he will protect you through fire and water, fo that
the flame (hall not kindle upon you, nor the floods overflow,
nor drown you : Arid when ye are in ftraits, the Lord will
point out a way for you to eicape.
4. The fourth act of friendfliip that Chrift will perform to
ypu that are his friends, is this, he will provide for you: Re
will fupply all your wants, both Spiritual and temporal If
ye be defirous to feek after the means of fpiritual life, ye Shall
not want it ; for, when the poor and needy feek water, and.
there is none, and their tongue fail etb for thirft, I the Lord will
hear ihem; I the God of Ifrael wjfl 'not forfake them.- Twill o-
pee. rivers in high places, and fountains in the midft of the bai
lies : I will male the wildernefs a pool of water, and the dry
land fprings of water, Ife. xii. 17, 18. And, 'for your tern.*-
poral wants, they Shall be fupplied ; for, y„ {hall not want
neither meat nor drink that is for,' your welfare, Pfal. xxxiv.
10. The young lions do lack arid fluff er hunger ; but they that feek
the Lord fhall not want any good thing. In the Sixth of Matthew,
the Lord Jefus takes much pains to remove your unbelief,
concerning your neceffary provifion ;- for, faith he, ver. 25.
" Therefore I fay unto you, take no thought for your life,
" what ye fliall eat, or what ye Shall drink ; nor yet for your
" body, what ye -fhall put on .- Is not the life more than
** meat, and tbe body than raiment ? ver. 26. Behold the
" fowls of the air, for they fow not ; neither do they reap,
" nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father fe'edeth
" them : Are not ye much better than they ?" O firs ! will
ye take Chrift for your friend, fid then ye need not fear,
but ye Shall be provided for: Therefore we ougi'.t to take
joyfully the fpoiling of our goods, when he calls' for them at
our hands; for, he v. ill ftill abundantly provide for us," what
he fees we ftand in need df. O myfriends ! it is your unbe lief

f,

Upon Canticles v. io". 501
lief that makes many of you turn afide to crooked ways, Ye
are doubtful of his providence to you, and that makes many
to take of their goods, which he bellowed on them, and give
them to his enemies, to buy fwords to kill his friends with.
O ! it had been better for you, that ye had never had thefe
goods, than beftow them upon his eneriiies: The reafem is
this (fay ye) we may leave houfe, and all, if we do hot pay
the cefs: And we fee no other way for our provision, with
out paying of it. But, O friends ! will ye take Chrift for
your friend, and ye. need, not fear : Do hot diftruft his pro
vidence. • We may tell of many in this day, who have not
paid ceffes, that have been provided for. Well then, in
whatever ftate any of you have been,, who have fuffered in
thefe years by-gone, Chrift hath hitherto provided for you,
and he will do it ftill, if ye abide faithful for him, although
ye cannot always fee the airth from, whence your provifion is.
coming. And, O my friends ! if any of you would betake
yourfelves to this way, ye Shall have more peace of confcience
than ye have, though ye Should be caft forth at a dyke-fide.
5. The fifth act of Chrift's friendfliip that he will perform
for you, is this, he will make all things work together for your
rood : Allthathetryfts you with Shall be ordered for your good.
f profperity be for your good, he will give you th-t : But
if he fee that other difpenfations be more for your good, dien
he will give you them: For who fhall harm you, if ye be followers
of that which is goad. If we Shall take Chrift for our friend,
he will make us gainers for all the lofs that we fuftain in the
world ; for, our light affliilions, which arejaut for a moment,
they work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory.
6. The Sixth act of Chrift's friendfliip tfiat he ' performeth
for us, is this, his correcting of us, Heb xii. 6, 7. For whom
the Lord loveth he chaftneth ; and fcourgeth every fon 'whom he
receiveth. ' If ye endure cbaftning, God dealeth with you as with
fons. So, I fay, the Lord's chaftnings are acts of his friend-
fliip, and tokens of his love to us.
, (1.) In reference to his purpofe, for which he doth tli^m j
for, all his corrections are to bring back the foul from the
pit : And though the backfide of correction may feem griev
ous to lpok to, yet when we look to the infide thereof, u:
yields the peaceable fruits of rightecuinefs. ,
(2.) Chrift's. corrections are friendly as to their meafure;
for, we meet with in;r.iite|y lefs than we deferve from his
hand ; for we have deferved God's heavy wrath and curfe,
both here and hereafter. '
(3.) Chrift's corrections are friendly/ in refpect of (he ef
fects that he worketh by them ; which ye may fee, Pfal. cxix.
67. Before I.was afflicted 1 went aftray; but now 1 have kept
thy word. The Lord hath made affliction the mean of peo ple's

502 5 E R M 0 N XXXIX.
pie's converfion, Hof. v. 15.. In their ajjUtHon they will' feek nit
early. The Lord' made Macaffeh's affliction a mean of his
converfion. The Lord Oft- times. makes ufe of this as phyfic^
for healing of his people from their fin,, and prevfcnting\ of
then" mifery. He keeps fome in a mean condition in thfc
wet Id, ro hide pride from their eyes ; and he gives fome a
fin all tailing of hell in theit confeience here, that they may
find, heaven the fweeter hereafter. Others arc very hard be*
ftead in the world, that they may be chafed out pf It to Chrift.
So- then,- we may fee that Chrift's corrections are acts of
friendship, that he performeth to his people-, both in refpect
of his, purpofes, and -fovrefpect of. the effects th:n he produc
ed; thereby.
7. The fevench act of Chrift's friendfliip that he perform
eth to his people, is his leading of them ; for,, he is given a
hader to the people. O firs ! Chrift not only fcrnifheth and
fi'rengthneth instruments for the leading of his people; but
'fometimes he leads them immediately himfelf, by bis word
and fpirit. Therefore, my dear friends, will ye take Chrift
for your friend, and he will guide you unto' all truth ?Tor
be will give us his word before us, and without us, to guide
tis, and his fpirit within us, to lead us; which is the voice
behirfd us, faying, This is the way, walk ye in it, Ilk. xxx. 2U
O firs ! if ye understood the worth of the Bible, ye would
count it an act of friendfliip indeed,1 that it is continued yet
with us, and amongft us unto this day : And who knows,
, but it nay come to'that, that a Bible may be a rare thing a-
myngft us ? Hqwever,. if it come to that, I hope and am con
fident, that that time Shall not be long. Now, if we defire
to have that ftroke prevented, we ihould make much ufe of
it while we have it, and highly prize the worth, of it. There
was a very rich young gentleman, who was coming home
from other countries, having a Ship loaden with fine waresv
who, when they were not far from land, a leek Struck up iri
the Ship, and the young man feeing the Ship begin to Sink, he
caft off aft his deaths, only he took a fo.all New Teftament,
and bound it in a napkin about his neck, and fo throws him-
felf into the fea, to fwim, if poffibly he might win to landi
Snd fo he was pre-ferved. He Shewed more refpe t to the
fmall New Teftament tban to all the filver and gold that was in
the Ship : So, 1 fey to you, have great refpect to the word of
God ; for in it is contained 'the ccsntr„> betwixt Chrift and tbe
fpoufe:' By it God manifefts his will unto us ; in it we have
the prpmife of hi; Spirit, to lead us, and to make his word
plain and eafy to us. The word of God is the fentborn, and
histSpirit is the c-.indle of (he lanthorn, that giveth light.
Therefore, I fay, his word and fpirit muft always 00 toge*-
tLer for our profiting, for, as an empty lanthorn will give no
light, ,

Upon Canticles v. id", 503
light, fo bis word, without his fpirit, will not enlighten Our
dark minds.; neither will one carry a candle without a lan
thorn in a windy night, but it will foon be hlown out : Su,
I fay, that fpirit ithat is nat accompanied with the word of
God, will not abide tfie wind oi God's trial; fo, I fey, yc
muft have the word and fpirit to lead you ; and ye Shall not
Want that, if you take Chrift to be your friend.
8. The eight act of Chrift's friendship is this, he will tell
yon much of his mind. Near friends will let out much of
their mind to others, and fo will Chrift do to you, if ye take
him for your friend: For, faith he, John xv. 15. " Hence -
" fortb I call you not fervants ; for the fervant knowetb not
V what the Lord doth.; but I have called you friends; for
" all things that I have heard, of my Father, 1 have made
" known7 unto you." And, Pfal. xxv. 14. . " The fecret of
" the Lord is wkh them that fear him, and he will Shew them.
" his covenant.'' And not only will he Shew you your ftand
ing intereft in him ; but he will alio tell you what be is about
to do in other places about you.; as ye may fee fie did to A-
braliam his friend, Gen. xviii. 17. " And the Loru feid.
" Shall I hide from Abraham, that thing which I dc." Omy,
friends' if we were making Chrift our friend, v/e- needed.
not be in the dark in many things, as we are ; for he would
clear our duty tous.
9. The ninth act of Chrift's friendfliip that be will, perform
to you, (if ye be his) is this, he will be your advo:at£ with the
Father.: He will plead your caufe, and. carry the day; fo that
we may fay, as in Jer. xvii. 7. " .Bieffed is the man tfew:
" truftetk in the Lord, and whofe hope .the Lord is." Ye
know it is faid, A friend in court, is better than a penny in the
purfe. And now, 0 friends, we have a friend up at the
court of heaven, who will receive all the bills off our hands,
and- plead ourcaufe; who is not there as' a Supplicant, but is
there as a party; arid therefore he will carry the day. The.- -
fore, fet papifts pray to Saints or angels, or other creatures as
they will, but they Shall not get a hearing. But we may be
fore to be heard in and through Jefos Chrift, who is pur ad
vocate with the Father, arid- will See our wrongs redreffed.,
Zech. i. 15, 16. " And lam fore difpleafed with the heathen
'* that are at eafe : Fox I was but a little difpleafed, andthey
"helped forward the affliction. Therefore, thi*> faith the
" Lord,. I'am returned 10 Jerufalem v/i-.h mercies : Mv haufe
"Shall be built in it, faith the Lord of . hofts." Chrift will
order aright all your concernments ; therefore, fay ye, Tbis
is my beloved, and this is my friend.
io, The. tenth act of friendfliip that Chrift will perform to
you, is this, he will uvengc you of your enemies, Zech. ii- 8,
o. " For ihus frith tb? Lord of hofts, After the g'orv hath he
" fent

504 SERMON XXXIX.
" fent me unto the nations which fpoiled you; for he that
" toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye : For behold
"T will Shake mine hand upon them, and diey Shall be a fpoil,
" to theit" Servants." We look that the Lord Should eafe his
people, work, and intereft by the very hands that brought
them low: But look' not that any. of the great men, that have,
gone alongft with the fins of the time, in wronging of his
people, arid Shedding of their blood, Shall be honoured With
it : But Chrift will fee juftiee-execute upon them to the full,
who have delighted in Shedding of blood ; they fhall get blood
in great meafure, and it Shall he feen, tbat the Lord.fhall be
the doer of it. . < , (
ii. The eleventh act of Chrift's friendship, that he per-
formeth to you that are his friends, is, the many fweet em-'
bracements that he beftows, and will beftow upon you. He
will kifs you with the k'iffes of his mouth : He will let you
find the fweet breath of his mouth, to comfort and refrefh
yOu : He will fay unto you, Eat, 0 friends ,- drink,' yea, drink
abundantly, 0 beloved. Chrift will let much of his love, and
kindnefs out to you ; and therefore I would not have you to.
queftion his love to you, becaufe of his feeming abfence from
you; for be will not always bide at a diftance from you;
Therefore take him to be your friend, and he will beftow
niuch of his love upon you.
12. The twelfth act of Chrift's friendship that he will per
form to you who are hisfriends, is this, he will perfect you
at your death. He will fend his angeU pdlt from heaven, to
carry you home to your Father's houfe, as he did Lazarus-,
that poor man died, and was carried by the angels to Abra
ham's bofom. O my friends ! ye Shall go to heaven with the
victory, and fpoil of all your enemies: For the worft that e-
nemies can do to you, is, but to perfect your happinefs ; and
make you perfectly in capacity for his fervice : And the wrong
arid injury that enemies do to you, it will return' upon them
felves. Their own mifchief Shall return upon their own
heads ; and you, by death, Shall be perfectly freed of all inca
pacities and troubles, that ye .are troubled with in the world.
Chrift fliall make death to perfect your happinefs; though
to the wicked it fliall be.the beginning of their mifery, which,
is the eternal feparation of them from the prefence of the
Lamb- , Now, firs, is not this a kind act of friendship, that
Chrift will perfect your happinefs .at death ? O then \ fay.
This is my beloved, a.-d this is my friend. I
13. The thirteenth act of Chrift's friendfliip, that he will
pciform to yori his friends, is this, when he comes again at
thegreat day of judgment, ye fliall be firft raifed-and fet upob
Chrift's right hand ; for, the dead in Chrifi fball rife firft. Then
ye fliall be fet down to judge the wicked; and fliall fey, A-
men,

Upon Canticles v. i6» 505
men, to the righteous and.juft fentence of condemnation, that-
fhall be paft againft the reprobate, angels and men, Depart,
ye curfed, to a curfed place, to ev'erlafiing torments, prepared
for the devil and his angels. And thefe Shall go away with a
Shriek and a noife. -Now, O Sirs ! is not this a kind act of
friendship indeed, that Chrift will perform to you, who Shall
free you of all that mifery, that reprobates muft endure to all
eternity, and fet you down with himfelf to judge the wicked?
Then be perfuaded to take him for your beloved, and your
friend^ 14. The fourteenth act of Chrift's friendfliip, that he will
perform to you his friends, is tqis, he will crown your hap
pinefs with the eternal enjoyment of his- prefence. O my
friends ! your crowns fliall not wax old, and your palms of
triumph Shall not wallow in your hands ; they fliall always
flourish ;* ye fhall be made pillars in the temple of your God, and
fhall go no more out. Your eternal enjoyment of God Shall
be your element, which ye Shall for ever delight in ; and this
will be to praife and admire his love : For eye hath not feen,
nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart pf man to
conceive, the things that the Lord hath prepared for them that
love him. O then, firs ! what think ye of Chrift ? Will ye
not, at this time, fay, that he is your beloved and your friend ?
We cannot reckon over to you all the feveral acts of friend
fliip, that Chrift performeth for his friends : Only we recom
mend tb you, the reading of his bieffed word, and then ye
will fee the feveral acts of friendfliip, that, Chrift perforrneth
for his friends, and that he hath performed to us, and for
us : And this we may fay, happy are ail thefe that take him
for their friend. , O give your confent to become his friends,
and accept of him for your friend. I leave this offer at your
door, he is willing to befriend you, if ye will come into an e-
ftate of friendship w.ith him. Q come, come and take his
offer off his hand; fay not that ye have fo long continued in
fin, that ye know not if he will befriend you now ; for, if
ye will come to him he will yet befriend you. Therefore, for
the Lord's fake, put not away fuch an offer, ~but take it in
the prefent time ; for ye know not if ever ye Shall have an
offer again : And if ye will not take his offer off his hand this
day, I fliall be a witnefs againft you in the great day of judg
ment, that this day the Sun of Righteoufnefs offered himfelf
to be your friend, and ye have made light ofthe offer; yea,
the hills and mountains about us (hall be witneffes; and the
heaven that is above our heads fliall be a witnefs, that ye had
Chrift in your offer fuch a day, injhch a place : Therefore,
my dear friends, fay thftt he is your beloved, and that he is
your friend. S f f III. The

506 SERMON XXXIX.
III. The laft thing propofed to be fpoken to, was a wo^
of ufe. And it is this, that if ye have taken Chrift to be your
friend, fee then that you behave yourfelves towards him as
friends. And in doing this,
i. Ye muft endeavour to keep his commandments; forfie
faith, John xv. 14. Ye are my friends, if, ye do whatfoever I
command you. What way Shall we be diftinguifhed from his
enemies, if it be not in this, that; we keep his commandments?
O my friends ! ' difplay a banner for truth : If ye would be
have as friends, ye muft keep his laws in high estimation in
your hearts ; and ye muft be very fearful" to offend him. Ye
know one would be very loth to offend a dear friend : And
if ye offend Chrift, ye offend a real friend: Therefore, Study
bow ye may not offend nor difpleafe him.
2. Ye muft keep up intimate converfe and fellowship. with
Chrift: For, faith the apoftle John, 1 John i. 3. Truly our
fellowfhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus ChrijL By
all means we ought -to endeavpur to keep up fellowship with
Chrift. And truly, my friends, they are to be pitied who
are ignorant of Chrift's prefence, of his abfence from the
foul ; for fuch cannot behave towards him as friends : For
friends always long when they are abfent from each, other, and
delight much in others company. O my friends! ye fliould
delight much in Chrift's company. Mind his carriage toward
you, and .fee if ye have walked anfwerable to his carriage to
ward you. O firs ! ye muft turn away your eyes from view
ing vanity : Ye muft not converfe with other lovers, other
wise ye do not behave toward him as friends.
3. If ye defire to behave toward Chrift as friends, ye mull
manifeft it, by being zealous for his truths in your place and
flation : Ye muft ftudy always to be zealoufly affected in that
good matter of owning his caufe. Alas! alas! my friends,
Chrift's truth fuffers wrongs and injuries from all hands; for
open enemies they wrong his truth, by open perfecution unto
1 the death : And we, by our unanfwerable converfation to
pur profeffion, do him more wrong ; and alfo by our de
fection, indifferency, and lukewarmnefs in the matters where
in his glory is concerned ; For our public refolutions Hid
more wrong and injury to the truth, than open enemies could
have done, if this had not been yielded unto : For, by con-
fenting to the bringing in of malignants into places of, power
and truft, they provoked the Lord to make thefe malignants
to be pricks in our eyes, and thorns in our fides, to vex us
in the land wherein we dwell, Numb, xxxiii. 55. And.even
now, what indignity is done to Chrift, by Suffering the ban
ner of his truth to ly upon the ground O Sirs ! truth is fal
len in the ftreets; for there are fome fo lukewarm, that they
will grant a toleration for us, and all forts of folk,' to live to
gether

Upon Canticles v. 16. 507
gather With contentment ; whereas, the Lord hath forbidden
to fet an altar by his altar : Yea, he hath commanded to de
ftroy their altars, and break down their images, Deut. vii. 5.
So, toleration of falfe religion,- will never do good, but
much evil. Therefore as We defire, to car-ry as friends to
Chrift, we mull fet to, with tooth, and nail (fo to fpeak) to
©ppofe this courfe of defection.
(4.) If we would behave as friends to Chrift, we muft not
defert hini-, when his back is at the wall : When his truth is
moft low, then we fhould be moft zealous for holding it up.*'
The more that adverfaries labour to mar his truth, the more
We Should labour to advance his truth. It is faid of L^ri,
that he faw not his Father not his mother ; neither did he ac
knowledge his Brethren, nor know his own children in the
day of the plague, Deut. xxxifi. -p. So we Should' be impar
tial in giving free and faithful warning againft all fins, in all
perfons, though never fo dear unto us, and efpecially when
there are fome, who are endeavouring to have mixed through
other, paplfts, proteftants^ malignants, and fectarians, of ail
forts. O firs I be ftedfaft iri the truth.- We have a little Af
ter, let us go On, arid act for our fifter ; fet us go in before
the great monarch of heaven, and earth, and mourn before
hirn for our fin, that hath brought us low this day, and fet
up our enemies: And let us ufe all our nioyan with that
great king, at the throne of grace; that our enemies may ne
ver enjoy a peaceable poffeffion of our true prefoyterian rights ;
and let us never give our confent to live peaceably without
them. 5. If ye would behnve as friends to Chrift, ye muft not
prigg wkh him, for what he hath called for at your hands :
Freely ye have received at his hands, and freely -ye muft give
it to him again, when he calls for it : Whatever it be that he
calls for, as a teftimony of your love to him and his.- truth,
belt your name or-reputation in the world;, ye muft, when
his truth calls for it, give it freely. O my friends ! lay your
gear and ail that you have at his feet: Refolve upon reproach
es and infamy, when he calls yOu-to it, for a witnefs to his
truth. And truly we are mifreprefented by fome, who fay,
that we are againft the calling of minifters, to labour in the
Lord's vineyard : Wo unto us, if the cafe were fo : But as
Joab faid, in another cafe to the wife woman of Abel, 2 Sam.
xx. 21. Tbe matter is not fo, but a man of mount Ephraim (She-
ha the fon of Bicbri by name) hath lift up his hand againft the
king, even againft David ; deliver him only, and 1 will depart
from tbe city, fo, I fay, it is thefe that have made, defection
in thefe days, and thereby brought themfelves under public
fcandal, and will not acknowledge the fame, that are to be
blamed : For it is neceffary that thefe acknowledge their of-
S f 1 2 fences

508 SERMON XXXIX.
fences, and evidence their repentance before we call them j
For if we Should confent to any other way, we fliould there
by throw down all that we have been building. But, I fay,
let the world fay as much evil of us as they will, and let any
traduce us as much as they like, let us lay all at Chrift's feet,
when his truth calls for it. 0 my friends ! lay your gear
and all that ye have at Chrift's feet ; and that which you give
to him, take it not again, for we, in baptifm, have given a-
way ourfelves to ,him, and to be for his fervice ; and fo have
proclaimed open war againft the devil, the world, and our
corruptions. And now, when we take that gear which he
hath, bellowed upon us, and beftows it upon his enemies, to
hold up their ppwer againft God's intereft in the world, is
not this a taking from God, and a breach of our baptifmal
vows ? Now, there are fome who will fay, We, thought little
of our fuffering, as long as a clat of gear would have done
the turn : But when ye give them your gear, it is taken from
God, and given to his enemies, and therefore is your fin,
and not cleanly fuffering : But when the enemies take it
from you, that is your fuffering : And ye muft lay your ac
count, not only with the lofs of your gear, when bis truth
calls for a teftimopy, but ye muft quit all your relations ; ye
muft quit with wife and children ; father, mother, .filter,
and brother, and lay all at Chrift's feet ; for ye muftfet your
affections upon him above all that you have ; yea, and above
your own lives, and lay your account with fudden and Sharp
death. O my friends ! do not prigg with him, for he will
not prigg with you, but will freely give you all things you
Stand in need of., O therefore fpeak well of him; when ye
hear his name reproached, lend in a word for him ; and
fpeak well of his truths. Praife him for his goodnefs, for
he is praife-worthy, who is the chief among ten thoufand,
and the altogether lovely one. Therefore to him who is the
beloved of his fpoufe, we defire to give praife

PREFACE

C s°9 3

PREFACE.

TH E great end of prefacing is to waken up the hearers
attention, and prepare them for the fervice. O ! ye
are a congregation that ftand in great need of this ; and what
fhall be faid to you for this end? What would you now
think, if Jefus Chrift were coming among you to feal your
condemnation, and to clofe quite the door of mercy, and
were fetting up his throne in the clouds, and'arraignirig you
before his tribunal, and in judging you, and paffirig that
fentence upon you, Depart from me, ye curfed, into hell's fire ?
What would ye think, upon the other hand, if Chrift were
coming to feal your falvation, to give you hearts to clofe
with the terms of the covenant, giving you the feal of faith,
and to fet you upon his right hand, to pafs the fentence of
abfolution and confirmation upon you ? This you are to con^
fider. There is, in the gofpel, the way of life, and the way
of death; there is life to the accepters and receivers, and
death to all rejecters and defpifers ; and it is a dbuble death
they are liable unto, (i.) As rebels and tranfgreffors ofthe
law. (2.) As rejecters and defpifers of the gofpel ; fo you
fhall be twice made liable to death : Therefore, it fliall be
more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment,
than for you It is not a matter of fmall concernment that
you are now about, if rightly considered : For, in the gof
pel, ye Shall get one of thefe two, either your condemnation,
or your falvation fealed : The gofpel, to many is a Stumbling*
block, and fooliSbnefs ; but to them that believe, the power
of God unto falvation. Will you think on this ? What will
be the fruit and confequence ofthe gofpel, to fome this night ?
They will get their falvation fealed : But the fruit and confe
quence of it to triany of you will be, ye wift get your damnati
on fealed : Wherefore, it had. been telling many of ycu that
ye had never heard the gofpel, nor affembled yourfelves
here this night.
Now I fhall fpeak a word to two or three forts of folk, and
leave it. And,
1. To you that are ftrangers to God, whether you be pro-*
feffors or not, who are riot brought near to God ; you are
under the wrath of God, and the fentence and curfe of the
law : You are hanging above hell by the fmall thread of your
life ; and Q how foon may that be cut ! and then you will
fall down to tbe, bottom : I fay unto you, will ye hear the
gofpel

S10

S E R M O N XL.

gofpel found, and receive it ! It is of your everlafting con
cernment, if you were fenfible to look upon ifo
2. You that have not fought the Lord ; you that have not
¦ufed means, folk that prays riot ; O ! confider what cafe ye
are in, and fet about the feeking Of the Lord ; for, you are
encouraged to it by this ; if ye feek the Lord, ye Shall find
him ; bu^t there js nothing of this to folk that is not ufing of
means ; and ye may riot fatisfy yourfelf with the formal ufing
of means, but fall to and feek God in fincerity, and do not
think thit it is a bondage ; ye will find meikle peace in the
doing of it, and unfpeakable advantage. Alas ! many do
fear at religion ; they think it a hard, rough, unpleafant
work \_ and if they fall about it, then they muft give up with
•heir carnal pic-fores : But David could fay, he found more
pleafure therein than they did in their corn and thtir wine.
3. But a third fort of folk is, you that have turned back.
from the Lord ; O ! will you turn again ? Let me fpeak to
you in the words of the prophet Hofea, Take with you words,
and turn to the Lord', Hof. xiv. 2. What made you turn bacK
frohl following the Lord, for his yoke is eafy and his bur
den is light ? O! return, return ftrangers; return, and he
will heal your backflidings.
4. I would fay this to you that are Chriftians ; but, alas?
1 have few to fpeak to, you cannot but be fenfible of the
withholding the influences of the Lord's Spirit : O will ye Cry
to him that he would Shed down this abundantly among you ?
O ! will ye give him no reft till his dew ly on your branches ?
O I cry, Awake, 0 nofth wind, and come thou fouth^ and bhiu
upon my garden, that the fpices thereof may flow out : Let my
beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleafant fruit.

SERMON XL.

Canticles iv, 16.
A: v. ike, 0 northeuiind, and come thou fouth, blow upon my gar-
dei), that the fpices thereof may flow out : Let my bebvid
come into his garden, and eat his pleafant fruit.
KNOW not for you that are Christians a word in all
thefcripture more (uitable for your time than this: I-
know r.ot a prayer more pertinent for you than this, Awake, 0
nirt'i

Upon Canticles iv. i<5. 5r3
ntrth wind, aid come thouflmlhh and blow upon my garden .,, ¦
tbe fpices thereof may flow out.
In the foregoing part of the chapter, Chrift was very large^
in commending the fpoufe. And now in the words that we
have read, She puts up her prayers in two fuits: In the firft
fuit, there is two things :
i . The things fought, which is, then erth and fouth wind te
awake and come.
2. The end wherefore it is fought, and that is, that the fpi
ces may flow out.
Now, by wind is understood, the fpirit of the Lord, which
is clear by Ezekiel's prophefiing to the dry bones, Ezek. xxxvii.
a. The fpirit of the Lord is compared to wind for fevefal rea
sons: For, i. The wind is of a purifying nature, even fo is
the fpirit of the Lord, in its efficacious working. 2. The wind
is of a cooling nature, even lb the fpirit of the Lord in his gra
cious working, doth cool and quench the feorching heat of
all temptations (3.) Where the wind is commanded ro breath
upon them. Now, the wind is vei'y refreshing, and fo is the
Spirit. (4.) The wind is very fructifying, and maketh fruitful,
and. fo doth the fpirit of the Lord. 5. The fpirit of the Lord
is eompared to wind, becaufe of the manner of working where
by it works : For, confider the wind, we know not whence
it comes, nor whither it goes : Even fo is the fpirit : For,
though we feel the motion of the wind when it blows, yet we
know not from whence it comes : Even fo is the working of
the fpirit.
Now by north and fouth wind, is Signified the'fame fpirit,
but the diflerent ways of Working: For the north wind, is a
Sharp nipping wind ; and the fouth wind, is a coolling refresh
ing wind : And by awake and come, doth fignify and note,
the operations and working thereof: The thing it works u-
pon, is the garden : So believers have a talent committed to
tbem ; a garden culled her garden, becaufe it was committed
to her keeping ; flic herfelf abounding with graces ; as a gar
den doth with plants and flowers.
2. The end wherefore She prays, is that She may be fruit
ful, that her fruits and fpices may flow out.
The fecond fuit is, Let my beloved come into his garden, and
eat lis pleafant f/it/ts. The garden is called his garden, and
tbe fruits are called his fruits; We Shall Shew the reafon af
terwards, why they are called his ; and we Shall now, after
tbis brief explanation of the Words, come to lome iloctrir.. -s
from th.-m.
Doct. I. That although behevers have alwivs grfa, 1Vf nit
in excereile ; but arc fometimes in a dull, heavy, and ft tilth fs-
¦frame and d'u/njuion. '¦•
1, It is dear horn the UM ; fur it is the fpoufe that puts up
Ufo

SERMON XL.
5 -i ind fhe was a garden that had fruit and fpices
in growth. But the point is likewife clear fron
tn. The pfalmift there is in a gracious ftate, but
exercife ; and all that he could win to, was, e-
jfmber former mercies ; 0 my God, my foul is caft
'therefore I will remember thee from tbe land of Jor-
jthe Hermmites, and from the hill Mizer. There- ,
fore hetJoth reprehend himfelf, and therefore he was thirfting
for God : He was in a dead, dull frame, and therefore he
crys unto God. We may fee it likewife in the fpoufe's cafe,
chap. v. 3 . She was in a fruitlefs, and heavy frame ,and dull
difpofition ; for, when Chrift was calling at her door, fhe re
turns this anfwer, I have put off my coat, how fhall I put it on?
J have wafhed my feet, how fhall I defile them ? This doctrine,
I need notj ftand to prove but in fpeaking to it, to lead
to the' application, I fliall,
I. Shew you fome difference betwixt chriftians indifpofition0
by being in a fruitlefs frame, and them that are incapacitate, by
being in a ftate of nature ; for, the condition of folk in na
ture, they have not the grace of God in them, neither in ha
bit, nor in exercife ; but thefe in a dull frame, have grace in
habit, but not in exercife.
n. I fhall fpeak to fome things that doth ordinarily procure
fruitlefs frames, and heavy and dull difpofitions : - And then;
III. Come to the application.
I. l4ow for the difference between them that are dead, and
them that are only dull, for we call thefe dead, who are in a
ftate of nature.
i. The firft is this, thofe that are only dull and not dead,
they have a fenfe of it ; but thofe that are dead, they have no
fenfe of it : But Chriftians, in their dull difpofition, have a
fenfe of if, and that fpeaks out fome life; for, the fenfe of
feeling doth argue fome actings, and exercife of life.
2. A Second difference is this, perfons that are dull and not
dead, they loath themfelves, becaufe of their dulnefs, and are <
burdened with it, becaufe they are in that which is not their
element ; but thofe in nature, are not burdened, becaufe they
are in that which is their element : For that which is a per-
Ton's element does not burden them ; though the whole ele
ment were above you, yet it would not burden you. Put a
man in the bottom of the fea, he will not be burdened with
the water, becaufe he is in the element of the water ; but put
a fmall quantity of water in a veffel, and lay it on him when
he is on theland, it will burden him, becaufe he is then in the
element of the air.
3. A third ^difference is -his, Chriftians, in their fruitlefs
frame and indffpofition, they will remember that it hath fome
times been better with therii : But they in nature have not
that

Upon Canticles v. 16. 513
that to look back unto : As in Pfalm xiii. 11. Hope thou in
God, for 1 fhall yet praife him.
4. A fourth difference, is this, Chriftians in thejr fruitlefs
dull frame, they will have a longing for a fruitful frame ; but
the man in nature, cannot have thefe longings. David could
fay, 01 when wilt thou come- in kindnefs unto me ? They in na
ture know not what it is to have a fruitful frame ; therefore
they cannot long for it : They fee not the need they have of
it ; and therefore though they want them, yet they do not
mifs them, But,
5. This may be given as a difference, dead folk they want
themy but Christians, though dull, they mifs them, a;;d they
fee that they want them, and have need of them, and that
when they want them they are fad : For, a man, though he
want wings, yet he doth not mifs them : Fowls, they would
mifs them : Fifties would mifs their fins : Fowls do not mifs
them,- becaufe they need them not, and it is not their ele
ment ; even fo, as long as a man is in the ftate of nature, he
fees no need that he hath of a fruitful frame, and therefore he
doth not mifs it. But,
6. Qhriftians in their dull and dead cpndition, they will be
ufing means of livelinefs, that they may be recovered out of
that dull frame ; but, I lay not, but many dead in nature may
and do ufe means, but not for that end, that they may be enliv
ened : And that is even good, that Chriftians do not leave
off the ufing means ; For, if they cannot pray, then they will
chatter like a crane, like Hezekiah ; byt, t. hat if they cannot
chatter like a crane ? Then they will groan ; but, what if they
cannot groan ? Then they will Sigh ; but, what if they can
not figh ? Then they will fey as D,ivid faid, All that I defire
is before thee. -However, ¦ this we fay, that wherever grace is,
the perfon' that hath it, will be ufing feme means or other for
livelinefs. Now try yourfelves, by thefe things, whether ye be in the
ftate of nature, and altogether dead, or if ye be in a'dull and
fruitlefs frame. And' now, Sirs, what think ye-of your fruit
lefs condition. O {. I fear that many Of you are not doll, but
dead, and in a ftate of nature.
II. A fecond thing to be fpoken to from this doctrine is, to
Shew you fome things that do ordinarily procure heavy and
dull difpofitions, and are the caufes of the Lord's hiding of
his face. O ! is it not your great queftion, tb know where
fore the Lord hides his face, and doth not fend down the in
fluences of his Spirit ? I will then Shew you fome things that
are the caufes of this. And,
1 . The falling into fome grofs fin or other ; this is the caufe
of very great dullnefs, and this procures a deferted condition.
We See this confirmed by David's fad experience, after his a-
T t t dukery,

514 S E R M O N XL.
dultery, his lips were clofed. There is little wonder though
the influences of the Lord's fpirit be wkhholden from you,
O finners ! O ! there are fome of you guilty of great fins that
the world knows not of; and fome of you guilty of great Sins
that the world knows of; but whether the world knows of
them or not, God knows of them ; and they are as a wall and
mountain betwixt you and God.
2. And a fecond procuring caufe of the Lord's hiding of
his face, is the neglecting of duty, and of ufing the means that
God hath appointed in his word- Think you it any wonder
that you are dull when you neglect your duty ? It is the hand
ofthe diligent that maketh rich. It is no wonder that focieties
be lifelefs, and that families be lifelefs, there is fo little ufing
of means that you may be enlivened.
3. And a third procuring caufe of the Lord's hiding of his
face, is the formal performing of duty ; for there are many
tbat do neglect duty ; and others, though they perform duty,
yet they do it but very formally, and the out-fide is moft re
garded in performing of it ; and fo it is no wonder though the
Lord hide his face, becaufe of your formality. And,
4. A fourth procuring caufe ofthe Lord's hiding of his face
is your neglecting to depend upon him for life. This is no
fmall caufe; for, he is the fountain cf life, and when you do
not depend upon him for it, how can ye have it ? O ! depen-
cy, firs ! labour to know what it is. I know not what to
compare it to, to make you underftand it : It is like an em
pty veffel fet out to kep the falling rain ; or it is like an im
portunate man at law waiting to get his caufe difculled ; or,
it is like a hungry man fitting befide meat, and would fain
have a Share : O ! therefore, I pray you do not neglect it.
5. -A fifth procuring caufe of the Lord s hiding of his face
is folks reftlefnefs of mind, and unftayednefs, and unfixed-
nefs ; and this I aver to be a very great caufe of it. Folks
minds chafing vanity, like a fowl in a flight, fometimes high,
and fometimes low ; fometimes eaft, and fometimes weft.
And that is the caufe wherefore tbe Lord withholds the influ
ences of his fpirit.
6 A Sixth ordinary caufe of the Lord's hiding of his face,
is folks keeping converfe with fome idol or another, and it is
inconsistent with Christians to have converfe with idols; For,
what concord hath Chrift with Belial ? or what agreement hath
the temple of God with idols ? And if ye have converfe with
idols, ye cannot keep up communion with Chrift. And,
7. A fevent i procuring caufe of folks dullnefs is their in-
differency and neutrality in the matters of God ; and this is a
great caufe of our dullnefs, that when there is any alteration
of times, you will find no great change upon your frame : So
it is no wonder to fee folk dull ; for, when the judgement is
blind.

Upon Canticles iv. 16. 515
blind, folk are not fit for any work : even fo, when the judg
ment of folks fpirit is blind, they are not fit to receive the
influences of his Spirit, And,
8. An eight procuring caufe of our heavy and dull difpo
fition, and our fruitlefs frames, and that is our defection from
God : Our leaving the" Lord hath procured his leaving of us.
There is minifters defection, and peoples defection. O! we
have gone from one ftep of defectipn to another ; fo that we
may reckon our defections from our receding from our cove
nant, and joining with the public refolutions, when the ge
nerality did fall' upon conclulions, to bring in the malignant
party into places of power and truft ; and from tba* very day,
we have gone from one Step of defection to another. And
then when abjured prelacy came in, how many of us did coun
tenance it, and went and heard the curates, and did not give
a testimony againft it ? And at the king's coming home, how
many did lay down their charge ? And then when , the en
suring indulgence came out, bounded with many restrictions,
how many of us did gape after thefe ? And, alas ! what un
faithful dealings were thefe ? But inftead of being faithful,
there wa3 a cenfuring of others that was more free. How
unfaithful have we been in the time of greateft hazard ? and
have not given faithful warning to the people; as if it were
not clear in the word, to preach in feafon and out of feafon :
And when there was any publick appearance for God, as at
Pentland and Bothwell, how few of us did concur with theiri,
and put to our hand to the work, to help the Lord againft tbe
mighty ? And now to put on the cope-ftone on all our other
fteps of defection, we have accepted of, and joined with this
finful liberty, though it be given forth with diffembling, and
many lies : Yet no Sooner this comes forth, but it is accepted
as a mercy, or our duty. But we fey, and aver, that they
who do accept of this liberty, they bring a doctrine contrary
to that which we have received ; for we have received that
doctrine, that Chrift's kingdom is not Subordinate, nor yet
confounded into, or with the civil government: And they
upon the matter fay, that it is both : And they bring not the
difeipline ofthe church to put a difference between the clean
and the unclean. And fome of them that did mufter them
felves under their popifli colours, and rode in their armies
are admitted and accepted of, and there is none exauterated,
how grofs foever. • There is no difference ; and they that
have their hands directly in the blood of the Saints are ad
mitted ; and where is our government of the church then ?
1. may with confidence, even defire you to keep at a diftance
from fuch courfes, and to keep up a teftimony by discounte
nancing of them. Let me ufe this parable only ; " There
•' was a great Lord who had a great vineyard, and he com-
T 1 1 2 " mit:ed

ci6 SERMON XL*
" mitted the keeping of it to his fervants"; he gave them in-
" Slructions how to labour, and knowledge of the nature of
" the ground, and commands them to labour on all^ hazard,
" and lo leaves them : Thereafter there comes a Stated enemy
" to that Lord's fervants, and declares that they may not la-
" bour, unkfs that they take prefcriptions from him, and
"unlets that they let all weeds grow befides the mailer's
" plants." Well, would you not think then, that if they
confented to this, that they were to be taxed with great dif-
loyalty ; and the leaft that could have been done, were to
teftify againft him ? Well, this hath been the way that they
have dealt with Jefus Chrift., However, we may think great
fliame of our defection, yet ye may take with the guilt of
yours; for, if you had not been a people that loved to have
it fo, you would have been priviledged with better : For ma
ny of you have gone and heard the curates; and fome of you
have taken the declaration, and the Highland band; and
many of you are guilty of paying the cefs : How many of you
have taken the bond of peace ? And many of you have tak
en the teft, and the oath of abjuration ; and many of you
have payed locality and fines to thefe declared enemies. O !
what fad defection is the generality of the land guilty of?
Well then, feeing we are fuch a. people, need we think it
ftrange that we are a fruitlefs people ? How can he look up
on us, but with a frowning face ? And,
9. A ninth caufe ofthe Lord's hiding of his face, and our
dull frame, and that is, our divifion ; take the coals of afire,
and featter them abroad, and the heat will foon decay and
evanilh, but fo long as they are kept together the heat re
mains ; however, this is one of the lad confequences of our
divifion ; love and affection one to another is decayed and
gone. Well, then fay fome, Why do ye not unite ? Why,
we dare not unite in a courfe of apoftacy ; we may not quit
our reformation for divifion, but we muft have it right fa
thered and right mothered ; for it hath been charged all this
while on the wrong fide ; for, when two parties are agreed
together, Shall the fide that Stands to what they have agreed
upon, be blamed for the divifion or dividers? If two men
were walking on the way, and one of them go out of it,
fhall he be blamed that keeps the way ? Thofe are. not only
the dividers, hut they have caft oil into our flames, by re
proaches ; howevef, our divisions are the fad confequei:ces
of our departing from God. And then,
10. And laftly, dullnefs is a common plague, and- every
one is getting a Share of it, and there is ay more and more
generally extended : And now we fee that we are all charge
able with thefe things, and fome of us chargeable with many
of them ; whereas every one of them in particular, were e-
nough

Upon Canticles iv. 16. 517
nough to procure the Lord's hiding of his face, and provoke
him not to fend down the influences of his Spirit, and how
much more when we are guilty of all of them ? And therefore
it Is no wonder though we have dull frames and difpofitions.
But I proceed to a fecond doctrine from the words, which
is this, Doct. 2. Believers, as believers, have a great longing to
have grace in exercife', although they cannot attain to it with
out the Jhedding down of the influences of his Spirit upon them.
The text confirms this. And the Pfalmift, in the eightieth
pfalm prays, Quicken us, and we fhall call upon thy name.
And we lee the point confirmed from Cant. v. where the
fpoufe was in a dull frame, and She cannot rife up till he work
by his Spirit, ver. 4. My beloved put in his hand by tbe hole of
the door, and my bowels .were moved for him. Ver. 5. I rofe to
open to my beloved, and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my
fingers with fweet fmelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock:
That is, the fpecial working of the Spirit ; and the hole of the
door, are the entrefs of the heart.
And now for the application. I fhall fpeak to fome things
which would be gone about as our duty, for attaining the in
fluences of his Spirit. And,
1. That you would fall about the fearching of thefe things
that have been the particular caufes of God's withholding
them ; and fearch dilig-ently what in you hath been a procur
ing caufe thereof. And,
2. A fecond duty requifite in order to the attaining of the
influences of his Spirit, is this, that whatever fin ye do find
in you to be a procuring caufe of the withholding of them,
that you would mourn for it as in his fight ; for, wherefore
do ye fearch for them, but that you may mourn for them.
3. A third piece of our duty is, to accept of the Lord's with
holding of the influences of his Spirit in this refpect,. that it
is the punifhment of our iniquity, not becaufe we are not
bringing forth fruit to Chrift, but we muft accept of it as the
punifhment of our iniquities, and juftify. God, and acknow
ledge his fovereignty, acted in the fliedding down of the in
fluences of his Spirit, where and when he will. And,
4. A fourth piece of our duty is, whatever fin we find to
be a procuring caufe-, we would forfake that fin ; for, while
you continue in that fin that you know to be difpleafing to
him, his Spirit will be further restrained. It is a Strange
thing that Some folk will grant, thatfuch and fuch things are
fin, and (hat thefe things are the caufes of the Lord's hiding
of his face, and being difpleafed, and yet they cannot be pre
vailed with to forfake them. It feems they are married to
their idols : For, folk that are convinced of fin, and are not
forfaking it, what are they, like ? They are even like two wie kid

5*S SERMON /XL.
feed folk, that there is ill greeance between, and they do never
part ; Why ? becaufe they are married. But you would ftudy
to forfake this, and all other fins that you find difpleafing to
God. 5. In a word, in order to the attaining of the influences of
bis Spirit, ye would labour and ftudy to have every fin mor
tified; not only thefe fins that are the chief caufes of our
fruitlefs frame, but every fin ; for, the leaft fin hath a part of
the eaule of it, though there be Some fins more heinous in the
fight of God than others ; but you would have mortification
carried on, as Paul fays, and unlefs you get heart mortifica
tion, corruption will ay fometime break out.
6. A Sixth piece of our duty that we would go about, in
order to the attaining of the influences of his Spirit, and that
is, to be ufing diligence in the ufe ofthe means ; negligence
procures the want of holy diligence : For, we are fure that
frequency in duty is a mean of fervency in duty. O I there
fore, will ye be diligent in the ufe of tbe means, and this will
be very helpful ? And then,
7. This will be your duty, that when you mifs Chrift in
one duty, then go to another till you find him : When you
mifs him in prayer, then go to reading : And if you mifs him
in reading, then go to meditation ; and if you find him not
in mediiation, then go to fpiritual conference : And then, in
whatfoever duty you find him, and on whatfoever duty the
Lord breathes, then continue there : But when you are
not ufing means, you have no ground to expect that the Lord
will fend down the influences of his Spirit upon you : For the
fpoufe fays, I will rife now, and go through the ftreets. of the
city. She goes from one duty to another, till fhe find him.
Thofe that are diligent at duty, are like a woman that miffes
her hufband, and She arifes and fays, I will never return till
I find him.
8. This is" another piece of oiir duty, in order to the at
taining of the influences of his Spirit, and that is, That you
would Study to get your hearts fixed, and this would be a
great mean pf attaining of them ; the Pfalmift could fay, My
heart is fixt, I will fing .- But when the heart is not fixed,
folk are not fit for any work ; much lefs for receiving the in
fluences of his Spirit.
Now, O ! will you ufe thefe means, and they will be very
helpful for the attaining of a fruitful frame.
But a third doctrine is this,
Doct. 3. That fruitfulnefs doth contribute much to the en
joying ofthe prefence of Chrift.
This is clear, from John xiv. 23. Jefus anfwered and faid
unto them, If any man love me, h'e will keep my words ,- and my
Father will love dim, and we will come unto him, and make our
abode

Upon Canticles iv. \6. 519
abode with hint. For he will not dwell with the1 dead, but wkh
the living; not with the barren, but with the fruitful:
Therefore if ye defire to enjoy his prefence, labour to bring
forth fruit unto him.
But I now proceed to a fourth doctrine from the words,
ivhich is this,
Doct. 4. That believers cannot, and fhould not call their
graces and fruits their own.
All the graces and fruits of a believer are called Chrift's :
For, fays the fpoufe, Let my beloved come into his garden, and,
eat his pleafant fruits.
Now, by eating is meant a feeding or delighting in the
fruits that believers bring forth, which we fliall fpeak to a lit
tle ; but before we touch that, it will be needful to Shew you
fome of the fruits of this garden that is called for at your
hand. And,
I. There is that grace of faith, whereby a believer lays hold
on the promifes, and clofes a bargain with Chrift, and this
goes on and acts on Chrift in pll their ftraits.
2. Love is a plant that hath a very comely, be*iutifol,
fmiling face, and it is a very high plant ; for it reacheth to
the heart of ChriSl : For faith lays hold, as it were, on the
garments, or on the word of Chrift ; but love lays hold on
his heart; and it is a plant that will continue through all e-
ternity; for faith evanifheth into Sight, and hope into fruiti
on : But love never evaniiheth. And,
3. There is a zeal, which is a very rare plant in our day,
but it is alfo a plant of this garden ; for, we are not now
fpeaking of the influences of his Spirit, but we are now fpeak
ing ofthe graces of his Spirit. Now we fey, where love ip,
zeal will not be wanting; for love is as the tree, and zeal as
the bloffom. And then,
4. A fourth plant of this garden is patience ; a very Strong
plant; a' very fovereign remedy; there is not an evil but it
will remead it : For, what is the reafon that lb many have
complied with a wicked courle ? But becaufe they fo.J not
patience. And,
5. A fifth plant of this garden is humility; a tree that hath
along root, and grows deep downward, and the fruits of it
grow upward ; and there is not a plant in all the garden that
will grow well, if it be not there. And,
6. A Sixth plant or fruit is, vivifying and enlivening: You
muft die unto fin, and live unto righteoufnefs. And,
7. There is diligence, which is another plant of this gar
den : You muft give all diligence to make your calling and
election fure. And, 8. I mav

S2P S E R • M O N XL.
8. I may 'name purity, a very pleafant plant, .a very noble
plant ; ' For every one that hath this hope in him, purifieth him
felf, even as God is pure, fays the apoftle.
And laftly, There is ftedfaftnefs of profeffion ; and though^
this be aslant that is very needful, yet it is a plant that feems
to be very rare ; ancl it is a fruit, that the want of it may be
the -fad complaint in many of tbis generation.
II. Now, the fecond thing to be fpoken to is, To Shew you
how thefe fruits are faid to be Chrift's ; for they are not the
believers, but in this refpect, that they are committed to their
keeping ; but they are called Chrift's in this refpect :
i. Becaufe he hath purchafed all thefe fruits to believers;
for believers have a right to nothing, but through his pur-
chafe, and they are a part of it.'
2. They are called Chrift's, becaufe he did plant them, ac
cording to John xv. i. 1 am the true vine, and my Father is
the hufbandman ; and he and his Father are one. He is both the
author and finifber of thefe fruits ; and therefore they are
faid to be his. And,
3. They are faid to be his becaufe he giveth the increafe ;
Paul may plant, and Appollos may water, but they cannot
make one plant to grow, without that he give the increafe.
The fpoufe was fenfible of this here in the text, when She
prays, That the north and fouth wind might blow upon her
garden. III. Now, The third thing to be fhewed from the word is,
Wherefore doth he delight in. thefe fruits ? And, -:ff
1. He doth delight in them, becaufe they are his : It \i na
tural for men, and ordinary with them to delight in that
which is their own, Ifa. Iv. 11. He fball fee ofthe travail of his
foul, andfhali be fatisfied. For, as we faid before, he pur
chafed them by fuffering on the crofs, and in his humiliation,
2. He delights in themi becaufe they are his image, and
becaufe they make the perfon that hath them conform to
himfelf; for he fees fomething of himfelf in them, and be
caufe of this he cannot but love them, and delight in them.
3. He delights in thefe fruits, becaufe by them he is glo
rified ; Herein is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much -
fruit. Now, I fliall clofe with a word to you that are fruitlefs
folk. Well, I fay to you,' that Chrift hath no delight in you.
O ! let this alarm you, he can eat no fruit of you, and. ye
cannot bring forth fruit, except ye be brought out of the
ftate of nature.' O ! therefore, will ye come unto Chrift, he
is now in your offer, and we do certify you, in his name,
that you fhall be welcome : Though you have been the worft
of finners, yet come unto him, and he will accept of you.
Therefore

S E R. M O N XLI. itc. 521
Therefore we befeech ypu do not now reject him, left it be
faid unto you, 0 ye defpifers, behold, and wonder, and perifh.
2. And a fecond word to you that are Chriftians, may I
fay fruitlefs ; fruitlefs in refpect of what ye fliould be ; and
fruitlefs in refpect of what others have been, that have gone
before you ; aDd fruitlefs in relpect of what ye will be, if tvei
the Lord make ufe of you, as inftruments of his work ; have
you any defire that he Should be glorified ? O then ! will you
cry, and give not o.ver till you obtain fuch an anfwer as the
fpoufe got from him,' for it is moft fuitable for your cafe ?
You are all in a manner complaining ; but, O : cry, cry,
Chrift, he is abfent; but if you would cry, he would come
among you : Therefore, O! cry, cry, Let my beloved come
into his garden, and eat his pleafant fruit .

SERMON XLI.

Revelation xii. 1.
And there appeared a great wonder in. heaven, a woman, cloath-
ed with the fun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her
head a crowan of twelve ftars.
TH E Works of creation are a wonder, and the works of
providence ; whereby God guides and governs i\\ his
creatures, and all' their actions ; yea, the moft common of
providence are a great wonder : But here is a wonder greater
than any of thefe, A woman cloatbed with the fun; which here
is called a wonder, yet this cannot be Seen, but by a Spiritual
eye: For, John fays here, it appearedin heaven.
In fpeaking to this, we fhall firft explain the words a lit
tle ; and next raife fome doctrines there-from, and profecute
the fame a little.
Firft, And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a wo
man. By this is meant the church, which is here compared
fo a woman ; as in other places of feripture, Pfal. xiv. 9.
Cant. vii. 1.
Secondly, She is faid to be cloathed with tbe fun, which is the
righteoufnefs of Chrift, who is called, Sun of Ri?btmflncfsj
U u u Mai.

522 SERMON XLI.
Mai. iv. 2. with whofe righteoufnefs all believers are clpath-
ed, for, they put on the Lord Jefus, Rom xiii. 14.
Thirdly, She is faid to have the moon under her feet ; by
which is meant, that Chrift being now come in the flefli, and
fuffered for finners, the ceramonial law was taken away : She
w.is now freed from the yoke of ceremonies ; as the facrifices,
new moons, etc. and got them under her feet : Or it may be
tbis, that all believers in Chrift get fublunary things under
their feet. Fbr, by moon here may be_ meant the world,
and this, through grace, every believer gets under his feet.
Fourthly, And upon her head a crown of twelve ftars. , By
Stars here are mearit the minifters of the church, which
Chrift hplds on his right hand ; and they are faid to be upon
her head, which is upderflood, that faithful minifters are the
crdwn and glory of a church : The number twelve here, hath
a relation to the twelve apoftles, whofe doctrine minifters
fliould only teach ; for, believers are faid to be built upon tbe
foundation of tbe prophets' and apoftles, Eph. ii. 20,
Doct.- i . That jefus Chrift is very tender of his people,
For here he compares them to a woman, of whom he, as
her hufband, will take care ; and this comparifon is very fuit-
able in thefe refpedts.
1. As a woman is very liabfeto receive injuries and wrongs;
fo is the church and people of God. And thefe they get from
many hands.
2. As a woman is weak, and fo cannot well either refill
the wrongs done her, or refent them ; fo is the church weak
and fetble in herfelf, and not able to refift her enemies, nor
refent the injuries done to her ; but here is comfort, Chrift
being her head and hulband, is both mighty, and alfo will
refent all the wrongs done her.
3. As a woman is the mother of children, fp is the church ;
for She is faid to be Chrift's mother, Cant. iii. 11. Behold king
Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned biml
Chrift is formed in believers; fo every lad and lafs, thatclbfes
with Chriit, hath him formed in them, and puts the crown
on his head (giving him all the glory of their falvation) may
be faid to be his mother.
But more particularly, the church here compared to a wo
man, is the mother of all believers, and God is their Father;.
and they are begotten by the word of truth. Yet when our
mother plays the harlot and forfakes her hufband, all that
would be accounted her true fons and take their father's part,
againft her, muft plead with her, Hof. ii. r,2. and witnefs
againft her whoredoms and defections, that She. may leave
them, and return to her hufband : But our pleading with her
muft be with reverence, as with our mother : Yea, when mi
nifters,

Uppn Revelation xii. i. 573
nifters, who have begotten us tp to Chrift, by the word of
truth, make defectipn, we muft plead with them.
4. As a woman is married to her hufband ; fo is the church
married unto Chrift, who is her head and hufband.
Doct. 2. That the church of Chrift is a wonderful thing ;
and there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman. .v
And the church is wonderful,
1. In refpect of her defeent, O! She is nobly defeended,
God being. her Father; She is called a, prince's daughter, Cant.
vii. 1 . How beautiful are thy feet, withfhoes, 0 prince's daugh
ter ! She is called the king's daughter, who is all glorious with
in, Pfal. xiv. 13.
2. She is wonderful in refpect of her huSband, Jefus Chrift
the Son of God, the Father's delight, and the light of the
higher houfe. O ! what a condefcendency is this, that Chrift,
who is the matchlefs one, infinite in all perfections, fliould
be married to poor Sinners; this makes it wonderful.
3. The church is wonderful, in refptit of her privileges
beftowed on her by her huSband Chrift : And,. O ! they are
many. For, , ^
(i.) She hath the privilege of protection from him: He
will protect her from all evil, both of fin and mifery, Pfel.
exxi. 5, 6, 7. Every condition fhe may be in, he h.ith pro
mifed to keep her from the evil of it : And, 0 ! is not this a
noble privilege ?
(2.) The church hath the privilege of provifion from Chrift,
Pfal. xxxiv. 10. They that feek the Lordfljaft not want anv good
thing. He will give them both fpiritual food and pjov;!fon
to their fouls in his ordinances, where they may Sweetly' ft e;l,
and feaft upon himfelf, and alfo natural provifion ; yea he
will give them every thing that is for their good,; not wliat
they think fo, for many a time, what they think is for their
advantage is for their hurt; but he will give theai what he
fees for their good.
(3.) They have the privilege of correction from him, Whom
hi loveth, he chaftneth, and fcourgeth every Son whom he re-
ceiveth, Heb. xii. 6. O ! tins is a noble privilege, though
many times we think not fo, to be corrected for. our faults,
and not fuffered to go on in fin without rebuke : For, when
we are meetingtf'ith any crofs, and corrected for our Sins, we
would he fo far from Spurning at him, pr quarrelling wkh
him, that we would blefs hirri. for the fame ; for, to be left
ofthe Lord, and without bis corrections, is- one of the fed-
deft judgments mentioned, ia Scripture, Ephraim is joined to
idols, let him alone, Hof iv. 1 7. „ ,
(4 ) They have the privilege pf hearing their prayers, 1
John v. 14, 15. But if we'Would have this privilege, to have our
prayers heard, and made out to us, then we muft pray in faiiji,
U u u 2 hy

524 SERMON XLI.
by the help of his holy fpirit, for things agreeable to his will :
For, alas! there are many of us, though we may have the
words of prayer, and the gift of prayer, yet nothing of the
fpirit is iri them all,, and fo we cannot expect to be heard
of him.
(5.) They have the privilege of a right and title to the
kingdom of heaven, 'and is not that a noble privilege which
they have ! For through Chrift being interefted in the- cove
nant, they are children, they are heirs of God, and joint heirs
with Chrifl, Rom. viii. 17.
4. The church is wonderful in refpect of her laws, which
are all holy, juft, and good, and eafy tb be borne and obeyed ;
and in refpect of her doctrine, which is pure and free from
corruption. It is one of the things which makes this woman
(to wit, the church) wonderful, that She hath upon her head
a crown of twelve Stars ; whereby is meant, faithful minifters,
holding and maintaining the true -and pure doctrine of Chrift.
Doct. 3. That thefe who are the true members ofthe church,
they are not naked, but cloathed with the Sun, which is the Righ
teoufnefs of Chrift.
The woman is faid to be cloathed with the Sun. And this
cloathing wherewith believers are cloathed, is,
1 . A glorious cloathing ; no covering is like it. Our firft
parents after" they fell, when they faw their nakednefs, they
fewed fig leaves to cover the fame ; this Was not fufficient,'
and fo the Lord made them coats of Skins ; but this cloathing.
is more glorious and excellent than any of thefe.
2. This cloathing is ftrong, the righteoufnefs of Chrift is
impregnable againft all affaults made againft the fame ; Sin,
hell, wrath, yea, the juftice of God cannot pierce it, it is
proof againft the feme.
3. It is a coftly cloathing ; it was purchafed not by cor
ruptible things, as gold and filver, etc. but by the blood of
Chrifl. O ! it coft him his precious blood, and that Should
endear it to us ; before it was purchafed, it behoved him to
leave heaven, and come to thfe earth, to ly three quarters of
a year in a virgin's belly, to live in the World, and to die a
painful and curfed death, and all to purchafe -this cloathing
to poor finners, O! fhould not this make us to wonder,
and to look upon it as a coftly covering ?
4 Albeit this be a coftly cloathing, yea, fuch a cloathing
as angels and men, fet them altogether, could not weave or
work the like ; yet it is cheap and eafy to be obtained; for,
give but your hearty confent to have it, and it is your own,
Ho I every one tbat thirfieth, come ye to tbe waters ; come, buy
wine and milk, without money and without price, Ifa. Iv. i.
O ! is not this a cheap cloathing: Take and receive it, arid it
is your own ; open tbe doors pf your hearts ; open the two
leaves

Upon Revelation xii. i. 525
leaves thereof, to wit, the affent of your judgment and un
derstanding, and the confent of your will, and the king of
glory will come in and dwell with you, Pfal. xxiv. 7.
5. This cloathing is an everlafting cloathing ; it is fo dur-»
able that neither time nor eternity will wear it out, or make
it old : It is the fine white linnen, the righteoufnefs of the
faints ; thefe long robes which they always wear.
Next we Shall Shew yOu fome things that are requifite, in
order to a being cloathed with the Sun, the righteoufnefs of
Chrift; all have not tbis cloathing, they are but few. And,
1. Thefe who would be cloafhed with the righteoufnefs of
Chrift, they muft be fenfible of, and fee their own naked
nefs ; for otherwife they will never feek a cloathing to cover
the fame ; all, by nature, being blind: O labour for the fight
and fenfe of this ! that fo ye may feek a covering, and ye will
not get fuch a covering any wliere elfe as this.
2. Thefe who would be cloathed with this righteoufnefs,
albeit they fee their own nakednefs, yet they muft not make a
coat of their own working and fewing, as our firfl parents did,
of fig-leaves ; for, it is not fufficient to cover you from wrath,
and the juftice of God. O ! guard againft this deceit, of go
ing about to eftablifli your own righteoufnefs, which by na
ture we are all prone to ; for all you can do in this, will prove
but as rotten rags, and filthy garments ; yea, as a fpider's
web, which is eafy broken : But get on this cloathing ofthe
Sun, the righteoufnefs of Chrift on you, and it will not on
ly be a glorious, but a durable and ftrong cloathing, propf
againft every thing that may affault it.
3. They muft fee their own unworthinefs, how unworthy
they are of fuch a cloathing. O ! a foul that gets a right
fight of itfelf, how vile and finful it is; and of Chrift, how
glorious and excellent he is, it will make them look upon
themfelves as bafe and unworthy to have fuch a cloathing as
his unlpotted righteoufnefs is; it will humble them in their
own fight.
4. Thefe who would be cloathed with Chrift's righteouf
nefs, they muft actually put on this glorious cloathing,
Rom. xiii. 14, otherwife it fball never be theirs. You muft
• take and receive Chrift as your own, and embrace him, yea,
enter into a formal covenant with him, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
5. If ye would put on the Lord Jefus Chriit, receive and
embrace him : Then ye muft doit,
.; (( ) Wholly; you muft receive and embrace whole Chrift,
as prophet, prieft, and king : He cannot be divided : Many
would take him as a prieft, to fave them from their fins, but
they cannot endure to receive him as a prophet, to teach and
lead them aright in his way, and as a king to reign in, and o-
ver them, and to be fubject to his laws ; this crolfes too 'much their

S26 SERMON XLI.
their nature, therefore they fpurn againft it. But, O ! he
niuft be embraced wholly, or not at all.
(2.) He muft be embraced only ; he muft be your alone
* Saviour, without any competitor : Ye muft not think to di
vide your falvation betwixt him and other Saviours, fo as lie
may do a part of it, and ye another yourfelf: No ; ye muft
not do that, ye muft quit your own righteoufnefs, and ye muft
' take him as your only and alone Redeemer, whofe righteouf-
tiefs only (without your own, or any other's) is fufficient.
(3,) He muft be clofed with willingly; the confent ofthe
will, as well as the affent of the mind muft be in it; Tt Can
not be done hankeringly, but chearfully and pleafantly.
(4:) It muft be done knowingly.
[$.) It muft be done with deliberation ; not rafhly in a fit,
or when a flafh is upon you, but deliberately : For,, when the
foul is about to clofe with Chrift) it hath many wooers to di
vert it; and Seeking its ruin ; and fo it fits down to deliberate
which of them to make choice of. It is like a woman who
haih many fuitors ; it hath the devil, the world, its ill heart,
and corruption within, all in fuit of it ; and this hinders it,
untill Chrift, by his ftrong power, rightly determine it to
make choice of himfelf.
(6.) It muft be done ferioufly ; it being the moft ferious
btifinefs that is gone about ; and the foul that is more ferious
about other things than ever it was about this grand bufinefs,
may fufpect it is yet in the gall of bitternefs, and the bond if
iniquity. It m'ay be here afked, How Shall one know whether, they
have put on the Lord Jefus, and are cloathed with this cloath
ing or not ?
Anf. t. Thefe who are cloathed with the righteoufnefs of
'Chrift, they are advancing in the work of mortification :
Thefe who have put on the Lord Jefus, make no provision
for the flefli, to fulfil the lufts thereof, Rom. xiii 14. For
when they do embrace Chrift for juftification, they clofe with
him alio for fanctification ; as it is their great defire to be juf
tified by his righteoufnefs, fo alfo to be Sanctified by his Spi
rit, that the Strongholds of fin may be brought down, and
fpiritual wickednefs that are in the high places of their fouls
mortified, that fo they may perfect holinefs, in the fear of
the Lord.
Anf 2. They who are cloathed with Chrift's righteoufnefs,
they give their confent to the terms of the covenant, held out
to Sinners therein : They embrace him, as he offers himfelf in
the gofpel, to be their prophet, prieft, and king: They clofe
with a whole Chrift, with a. broken heart ; and with a broken
Chrift, with a broken heart. As Chrift in the covenant
makes an afiignatibn to them of himfelf, of his grace and glo- >7>

Upon Revelation xii. i. 527
ry, yea, of all the benefits and privileges of the covenant, fo
they make a resignation of themfelves, and all that they have,
to him : They give away themfelves to him, to be his, and
for him. ,
Anf.^, They, like the way to falvation and happinefs, as
well as happinefs itfelf < As they defire heaven, lb they are
well pleafed with the way to it, which is the way of holinefs ;
and in it they defire to walk. I doubt not but all of you would
defire heaven ; but many of you are not pleafed with the way
to it ; ye think it too ftrait and narrow : But if ever you ex
pect to come there, ye muft be pleafed with the way to it.
The profaneft man in all the country will deiire heaven and
happinefs, ,But he cannot abide the way to it : Balaam deficed
to die the death ofthe righteous, and his laft end to be like
his, Numb, xxiii. 1 o. but he had no will to five the life of
the righteous.
Anf 4. Thefe cloathed with this glorious garment, the
righteoufnefs of Chrift, they have the word of God dwelling
in them, Col. iii. 16. It is, a guide to them, teaching them
how to walk \y It is a lanthorn before them, letting them fee
their way ; but; if they have not the Spirit of God to be as
eyes to them, whereby they may fee it, and the way where to
walk, they will not be the better of it. They are like a blind
man, although he have a lanthorn before him, it is of no ufe
to him, becaufe he wants eyes to fee it with. Thefe who
have the word abiding in them, it Will be their prayer, that
thrir eyes may be opened, that they may behold wonderful things
eut of bis l<iws, Pfal- cxix. 18. and that' they may be quickened
according to his word, Plal. cxix. 25. They defire the light
of manifeftation only, in and by the light of revelation,
. Anf 5. Thefe cloathed with the righteoufnefs of Chrift-,
they have his fpirit dwelling in them, Rom. viii. 9. Arid
where the fpirit is, ,£
(1.) It convfnceth of fin ; opening the foul's eyes to fee
fin's hatefulnefs: It makes the foul hate fin, mourn for it,,'
and forfake it.
(2.) It quickens to all duties; makes it lively in its motion
townrd Chrift. ,
(3.) Where the fpirit is, it is predominating and prevailing ;.
it will not be an underling, but carry on its work until the
fame be perfected.
. (4.) It is a fpirit of grace and fupplication, Zech. xii. io.
It helps to pray, without which no prayers are acceptable be
fore God.
Ufe 1. Of examination. 0! examine yourfelves ; try whe
ther ye be cloathed with this glorious garment, or not : See
whether ye have put on the Lord Jefus or not. O ! fed is,
and will be, your condition, if yehave, not on this glorious
gifmcnt,

C28 SERMON XLI.
garment, the righteoufnefs of Chrift : If ye have it not on
yet, reft not till ye have it put on, and can fay upon good
ground, / am my beloved's, and he is mire.
Ufe 2. Of exhortation. O ! be intreated to clofe with, and
embrace Chrift, as he offers himfelf to you this night. O !
put on the Lord Jefus ; get on this glorious garment the Sun,
the righteoufnefs of Chrift, on ypu, and it fhall be proof a-
gainft fin, the devil, hell, wrath, and the juftice of God.
Doct. 4. They who have on this gloriotis cloathing of the
Sun, the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, on them, they win above
the world ; the moon is beneath their feet, as it is in the
text ; the woman cloathed with the fun, hath the moon under her
pet. ,"
It may be enquired, what ofthe world do believers win
above, and get under their feet ?
Ahf. 1 . They win above the honour of the world, which is
the thing (many one to purchafe) has fold their part of fal
vation, and heaven; and when they have gotten it, it is a
poor eriipty thing which foon evanifheth : But the 'believer*' ;
through grace, gets this under his feet, he is- more nobly
minded, than to be taken up about this ; he fees it to be but
vanity ; and therefore he tramples upon it, that he may lay*
bold upon that which is abiding. And,
2. He wins abpve the applaufe of the world ; which, alas !
is the thing that many are only feeking ; and, 0 ! what great
pains will they be at to get it ; and when obtained, it is but
aby arid foon gone: Many minifters will be at great pains in
preaching, and learned men in writing will Stretch their wits,
and all to feek applaufe ; yea, it is the thing that many pro-''
feffors and fufferers are feeking, but the believer, through
grace, wins above this. And,
3. He wins through grace above the profits of the World,
and tramples it under his feet -, being more heavenly-minded,
than to be taken up about that which is fo fading. Love to
have, and keep the riches of the world, hath been the great
caufe why many in this day, have complied with enemies, fo
as to hear the curates, pay wicked impositions, take Sinful
oaths, and bonds, repugnant to the oath of our covenants;
yea, the fmootheft of them, the oath of abjuration, hath ma
ny evils in it. I do not deny, but fome believers, in this day
of temptation and trial, the world hath win fo far above them/
as to caufe them go on in fome of thefe dreadful courfes;
but they muft repent for the fame, either explicitely or impli-
citely : If they get a fight of them in their Sinfulnefs, then
they will repent and mourn for the fame explicitely ; but if
they never get a fight of them, yet they will repent for them
implicitely among their other fecret fins, which will be pardon
ed : David prayed to be clean fed from fecret faults, Pfal. xix. 12.
4. He

Vetrk Revelation xii. u 529
4. Hi »ihs', through grace, above the pleafures of the
world, which are fo enfnaring to many. O ! thefe ye muft
get under yp.ur feet, if ye would be clothed with the Sun, the
glorious cloathipg of Chrift's Righteoufnefs. Hear what
Chrift fays to his fpoufe, Come with me from Lebanon, my
fpoufe, with me from Lebanon: Look front the top of Ajnana,
from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the ly 6ns den i, and
the mountains of tbe leopards, Cant. iv. 8. Come and leave
the pleafures ofthe world; be more Spiritually minded, than
to be entangled with them ; get them beneath your feet, Come
with Chrift from Lebanon, &fc. That is, leave the world, tho'
as pleafant as Lebanon. Clofe with Chrift,- and ye Shall get
his company.
And to prefs you to this great duty of gelting the moon un
der your feet, the world, and the honour, app-aufe, profits,
and pleafures "thereof, under your feet : I will make ufe o£
fome arguments.
Argiim. 1. The world, profits, and pleafures thereof, are
but deris of lions, and mountains of leopards : Dfins for wic
ked and profane men, "of ravenous and bloody natures; and
fo it is not for faints to reft and ly down with fuch. O ! Be
lievers fliould be of a more noble fpirit than to wallow in the
mire with fuch fwine. Chrift invites his people to come with
him from Lebanon, and to' look from the top of'Amana, which
were pleafant and delightfome places ; ^whereby he would
have her to underftand, that fhe Should leave the world, tho*
pleafant as Lebanon, or Amana, etc. And to perfuade to
this, though they were 'pleafant. yet they were dens of lions,
and mountains of leopards ; and fo not to be flayed in.
Argiim. 2. Let this move you to labourto get the moon, the
world, sunder your feet : Though ydu could win to get all the
pleafures and profits thereof, yet the enjoyment of them"" all
could not fetist'y you ; for the foul is fuch a thing which no
thing can fatisfy but Chrift. .One fays the heart of man is
Mthree-iiooked, and the world round, and fo the world can
never fill it ; there is ay fome wants : Let a man have never
fo much ofthe world, it cannot fatisfy him; lie would ftill
have more. Although Pompey had the empire of the eaft,
and Caffar tbat of the weft, yet neither of them could be fa
tisfied with what tbey had, but fought one againft another
"for the government of the whole. Alexander the Great, al
though he had much, yet he defired more. And Solomon
the wifeit, and richeft of kings, he could find no Satisfaction
in a)f that he had in the world, but writes this motto upon
them all, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
Argum. 3. Let this move you to trample the world, and
all the pleafures and profits thereof undev your feet, that ye
will foon leave them : Death is approacaing which will part
X x x you

53cr~— S 'E R M O N XLI.
'you and them; and therefore fet not your hearts on .them,
but "look upon yourfelves as pilgrims and Strangers, as all
your fathers were.
Argum. 4. Let this ,perfuacle you to it, that it is the com
mand of Chrift that ye Should do it ; and, O let this haye
weight with you to trample the world under your feet, and
be more heavenly-minded ! He invites and intreats you to
come with him from Lebanon, from the pleafures of the
world: And^ to prefs you to this, he promifes you liis com
pany, Come with me, etc. and, O! is not this defirable !¦
Doct. 5. That a faithful miniftry is the great glory of a
church. A part of the woman's glory, defcribed in the text, is, That
'fhe had upon her head a crown of twelve filar s -, that is, faithful
minifters are called ftars in feripture ; holding the doctrine
of the twelve apoftles, they are her crown.
It may be enquired here, Who are thefe minifters whom
we ihould own, honour and refpect, as faithful minifters of
Chrift, and whom we Should look upon as our crown and
glory? Anf. 1. This is to be understood, all them whom we are to
hear. and refpect, muft be lawfully ordained ministers, in
Chrift's orderly and appointed way ; unlets they be fent we
cannot hear them preach. But,
(1.) Thefe whom we Should honour and refpect as Chrift's
ambaffadors, they muft be fuch, wbo hold faft fhe form offousid
words, 2 Tim. i 13. They muft not only hold faft, and be
found in the fundamental truths of the gofpel, but in the
words of Chrift's patience, and in the teftimony he gives his
church to contend for.
(2.) We Should own and refpect thefe who can fay, with
Paul, they are pure from the blood of all men, for they have not
Jhunned to declare unto the people, all the counfel of God, Acts
xx. 26, 27. and have kept nothing back that was profitable
for them ; but declared unto them the fins and fnares, duties^
and dangers of the day.
(3.) We Should own, honour, and refpect fuch,; who
preach the word, and are inftant in feafon, and out of feafon,
2 Tim. iv. 2. not forfaking their duty, when the generality
thinks it unfeafonable, but preaching out of feafon, to wit,
the time the world thinks fo, as well as in it.
Ufe. Now this may ferve to let us fee, ' '
1. The bieffed and happy ftate of the church, which hath
faithful minifters: O ! they are adorned with a noble crown,.,
and with great glory.
2. It may let us alfo fee the fad ftate of that church and
people, who are plagued with unfaithful minifters: O! they
want this crown : And, alas I unfaithful minifters are a great part

Upon Revelation xii. r. 531
part of our mifery in this land : We may fay the crown is fal
len from our heads ; wo unto us that we have finned, Lam. v,
16. Many of our minifters are guilty of grofs fteps of defec
tions, fome in complying with enemies ; others in lying by
from their duty ; and now, alas I the generality of them are
guilty of embracing and accepting of this antichriftian tolera
tion, flowing from the fountain of abfolute power, arrogat
ed by the prefent dominator ; a power, above all laws, both
divine and human, Abfoliite power is that which none can
claim to but God, who is infinite, and whofe will is a law :
But yet the prefent tyrant claims this, and requires all to o-
bey it, without referve of religion, confcience, credit, or ho
nour ; but all are to be mancipate and-enfl.ived to it : O ! if
we had the zeal of Chriftians, or the courage of men, we
would difdain to be home-born Slaves ; yet this is the fountain
from which this liberty comes : The channel through which
it runs, is the fofpending of our penal laws againft idolaters,
the taking away the legal bulwark, whereby our religion is
fecured : And the greateft liberty granted by this toleration,
is only to quakers, the greateft of heretics on the right-hand;
and to. papifts, the greateft, on the left hand; to them it is
free and unlimited : But that which i? granted to prefbyteri-
ans, is clogged and bounded; for minifters are restricted in
their doctrine, that they may preach nothing that may any
way tend to alienate the hearts of the people from him who
gi ants it, or his government ; hereby they are boupd up from
preaching againft the fins and Snares Pf the time ; for that will
be by court expositors interpreted, an alienating of peoples
hearts from the government. Arid thefe who do accent of
the toleration, they change the holding of their miniftry,
which they had from Chrift, and do depend upon the courts
of men : Fo.', by the proclamation, though a minifter be ne
ver fo weil qualified, yet he cannot exercife his office, iii any
place, except he give up liis name tso Some ofthe councellois,
lor Sheriffs, and they to be pleafed with him ; and, as to the
defigns of granting it, they are very fad and dreadful; fome
whereof are declared in the proclamation, others may be guef-
fed at : That which is declared in the proclamation is, that
thereby all the hearts of his fubjects may be un::ed unto him in
loyalty, and to their neighbours in love. Now,, what is this
loyalty, he would have them unite in, but a Stupid fiibjeclion
to his abfolute power, which he hath arrogated It is not a
Christian loyalty for confcience fake, nor a Prefbyteri.m loy
alty according to our covenants, national and folemn l.-aj'ue.
And who are thefe neighbours he, would hive us unite \riih,
but Papifts, with whom we.fhould have an irreconcil..b!e war ?
And as to the ends gueffed at, are they not thefe, that here
by be may get his abfolute power by him t~ i^au; and obev-
X x x 2 ed'-i

532 SERMON XLlt.
* ¦-,
ed ; and that he rhay get popery and idolatry intp the land a-
gain ; And with, this portion of liberty he may ftop the mouths
of proteftants, while he is filling the places of power and truft
with papifts, that lb-vhe may get popery broright in the more
eafily. '
Now, my friends, , a* ye would defire tobe free ofthe many
fins and evils that are wrapt up in this toleration, arid of the
wratb and judgement wherewith it will be purfued ; and as ye
would not cooperate with the w.ickecVdeSjgn ofthe granter, nor
have your fouls fubverted from the words of knowledge, ye
would nc. concur, nor have any thing ado with this tolerati
on, nor countenance thefe minifters who have embraced and
accepted the fame.
Let us pray.

S E R M.O.N XLII.
Preaphed in the Shire of Fife, January 24th, 1688,
Psalms xiv. 10.
flearien, Q~ daughter, and confider, and incline thine ear ; far'
get alfo thine own people, and thy father's houfe.
THERE is, firft, the preface, in- verfe firft, My heart it
meditating, &c. The fpirit of God, as it were, boiling
in the heart ofthe pfalmift, untill he .got a vent to it? his heart
was taken up about noble and fweef meditations: We fhould
guard againft vain thoughts, and be much exerrifed and tak?
en up about heavenly things, meditating upon Chrift, and U-
pon heaven ; But afes ! this is not our exercife. There is,
Secondly, The fubject matter of the pfalmift, and that is
touching the king, to wit, Chrift,: And the excellencies of
Chrift are defcribed, which are many, wonderful arid great.
For, - '
Verfe 2. He is fairer than the fons of men, even as he is man ;
but infinitely tranfeending them all, as he is God* being the
exprefs image oftfe Father, and the fulnefs ofthe Godhea^ dwells
{in him bodily. Verfe 3-

Upon PsALms xiv. io. 533
Verfe 3. Girdihy fword upon thy thigh, 0 moft mighty. And,
Verfe, 4. 5, 6. Here is his glory and majefty held forth,
riding in a ftately pofture, as it were, iri this glorious chariot
having four wheels. The firft wheel js majefty ; pointing at his
greatnefs, power, and glory. The fecond is Strength ; hrild-
ing out his faithfulnefs. The third is meeknels ; Shewing his
humility arid low condefcendency to finners. The fourth is
righteoufnefs ; he is right and righteous in himfelfj and makes
all his people righteous iri his fight, through the covering of
his righteoufnefs. 0 ! we Should long and pray for that day
when we fliall fee Chrift riding in that ftately pofture, Shewing
himfelf to be moft mighty, tobe KINGS OF KINGS ,- ANDt
%ORD OF LORDS ; and that be may gird his fword upon his
thigh,, and in his majefty-ride profper onfily, going forth conquering
and to conquer 5 overcoming his people mOre to his Service,
fubduing their fins and corruptions, and breaking his enemies
in pieces, who will not bow to him : His riding in this, glo
rious pofture nYay ferve to comfort his people under all dif
eouragements, and in the midft of diftreffes ; for, he hath
not only a fword to defend them, but a fcepter (the fcepter of
his kingdom, is a right fcepter ) to rulie and guide them j and
it may be, of terror to all his enemies : liis fword of power
will reach them, and his arrows are flharp in the heart of the
king's enemies, whereby the people falls under him.
Verfe 7. Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil above thy
fellows. Chrift received not the Spirit In meafure, but was fil
led with the holy Ghoft above his fellows, to wit, all belie
vers : So he is a full Stored, and compleatly furniShed Media
tor ; a Saviour to fupply all the wants of his people : What
ever they need, it is to be found in him.. O ! what conde
fcendency and matter of wrinder i? this, that all believers arq
called Chrift's fellows ?
Verfe 8. All thy garments fmell of myrrh, aloes, and exflia,
gcc. Pointing out this, that all Chrift's ordinances, appoin
ted in his word, are the means he hath commanded his peoe.
pie to make ufe of, and wherein he hath promifed to be foun:i
of thofe that feek him, fmell all fweetly of himfelf. O ! his
ordinances when he is found iri them, fmell pleafantlf of
himfelf; yea, the fmell. thereof far excells that of aloes, myrrh,
and cafifia -, yea, and all. the fpices of the merchants.^ O ! fre
quent his ordinances appointed by himfelf, make ufe of chs
means he will approve of, and he will be found of vou, and
ypur foul Shall be fatisfied as with marrow and with fatnefs.
The fmell ye fhall find Shall be pleafant and fragrant, more
than that of myrrh, <bc
Verfe 10. which is the text, hearken, 0 daughter, Sec. con
tains an invitation by Chrift tQ bis church and people, whom
' .',.' "he.

534 SERMON XLII.
»'
be calls his daughter, to leave he? people, and forget her fa
ther's houfe.
For explaining the words a little, I Shall Shew you how the
v/otd hearken hatb divers acceptations in feripture,
i. It is taken for obedience, JoSh. i. 17 As we hearkened
to Mofes in all things, fo will we hearken unto thee.
2. It is put for the granting a petition, Deut. ix. 19. But
the Lord hearkened unto me at that time alfo.
3. It is put for not confenting unto a requeft, 1 Kings xx.
8. All the elders and all the people faid unto him, hearken not unto
him, nor confent.
, 4. It is the feme wiih liftning, as it were, and laying to the
ear to hear what is fpoken, Ifa. xlix. 1 Liften, 0 ifies, and
hearken ye people from afar.
5. It is put for receiving inftruction, Jer. xxxv. 13. Will yt
not receive inftruBion io_ hearken to my words, faith the Lord.
6. It is the fame with hearing, Job xxxvii. 2. Hear, atten
tively the noife of his voice, and the found tbat is gone out of his
mouth. 7. It is all one with inclining the ear, as in the text, a ben
ding of the ear to hear what is fpoken, hearken, 0 daughter,
confider, and incline thine ear. The Lord ufcs thefe three ex
preflions, hearken, confider, and incline thine ear, to hold forth
with what great earneftnefs" She Should hearken to what he
was faying, forget alfo thine own people, and thy father's houfe;
that is, fhe fliould leave. all that She had from her firft father
Adam, and got in his houfe, and come to Chrift.
Doct. i. That Chrift is very tender of his people.
In the text he calls themhis daughter, and he as a father takes
care of them, Rey. xii. 1. His church is called a woman, who
is liable to many injuries, and encompaffed about with infir
mities ; and fo he, as her head and huSband, takes care of
them ; yea, his care and tendernefs of them is fo great, that
be carries the lambs in his bofom, and gently leads thofe that are
with young, Ifa. xl. it. He takes fpecial notice of the kids, to
wit, young beginners, left they fliould wander and go aftray.
When the fpoufe is feeking direction where fhe might find her
beloved, fhe is bidden go away by the footfteps of the flock, and
feed her kids befide the fhepherds tents, Song i. 7, 8 O ! what'
a wonderful myftery is this in the text ? He calls her his daugh
ter, and yet he invites her to be married unto him, and he to
be her hufband ; this holds forth the near relation that is be
tween Chriit and his people; the neareft relation that is be
tween any in the earth ; there is the Same between him and
his people, he is their father, and they his Ions' and daugh
ters ; he the Head, and they the members ; he the huSband,
nnd they the fpoufe ; he the king and. they the Subjects ; he
tl;c Lord and mailer^ aud they the fervants. For

Upon Psalms xiv. io. 535
For Ufe. Seeing it is fo that Chrift is fo tender of his peo
ple ; it may teach us,
1. That we Should fubject ourfelves to him, to be his, and
for him ; we Should fubject ourfelves to his laws and ordinan
ces,' for they are all eafy and light: fubject yourfelves to
him, and quarrel not againft him ; let not your hearts rife
againft his fovereignty, nor quarrel at his way of procedure
with you and others.
2. As he is tender of his people, fo we fhould bs tender of
his glory and truths, that we and others may not wrong them}
but, alas I where is our zeal for, and tendernefs of his truths
and caufe in this day, when they have been, and are fo wrong
ed and wounded ! And let your zeal for his truths, and a-
gainft the wsongs done to the fame appear : O ! be tender of
his truths.
3. It teaches us to be tender of his people, and to be tender
of one another ; and if ye would be tender of one another :
Then, . i
(1.) We fhould love one another : This is a duty much
commanded and commended in feripture -, Chrift enjoins it
many a time to his difciples, that they fhould love one ano
ther ; and Paul, in his epiftles, preffes it rriu'ch.
(2.) We fliould Sympathize with one- another : We ought
to bear burden with all his afflicted members. But, Oh! and
alas ! ye in this country-fide, where hath your fympathy with
his afflicted people appeared ? For ye have been at eafe and in
quiet, while many in the weft have been fore perfecute ; fome
to wandering, tolling, and biding ; others to bonds, impri
sonment, banishment, and death for his truths. O ! ly not
at eafe, but be concerned with his caufe, and fympathize with
his people.
(3 ) If we would be tender of one another, tnen we fliould
reprove one another for-our faults; this is a great duty, tho'
unpleafant to nature, and that which many do not like ; yet
to reprove one another is much commanded and preffed in the
word, and it is the greateft act of love we can Shew -to our
brother^ not to fuffer fin upon him, but to rebuke him, Lev.
xix 17.
(4.) If we would be tender of our brother, then we fliould
withdraw from him when he walketh diforderiy after all our
admonitions, exhortations, and reproofs, prove fuccefslels;
this alio is an act of love to him, but it Should be the laft thing
we can do with him, and with great tendernefs ; and, with
forrow of he.art obferving that rule, yet counting h:m not as an
enemy, but admonifh him as a brother, 1 Theff, iii 1 5
Doct. 2. Thefe who are believers iri, and daughters of 'Chr: 'ft,
they fhould hearken andincline tlrfir ear, and confi.'.-r exuhat he
fays.
He

S3<5 S E R M U JU. IUI.
He preffes this in the text ; and Ifa. Iv. 3. Incline your ear,
and come unto me ; hear, and your foul fhall live.
Tn fpeaking to this, I Shall Shew,
I. What way ye muft confider. r »
II. Shew you fome things that this day he is calling upqjr
you to confider.
L as to the firft of thefe, if ye w_puki rightly confider what'
Chrift is Sayingi then ye muft do" it, ".'*¦'
1. Attentively ; take good heed what ye hear, and consi
der ferioufly uppp the feme. 0 my friends! let not your
hearts wander after vanities, when ye are hearing the word,
but let your hearts be prefent. I fear many of you the night,
though ye be here, yet, your minds are going out after your
goods, gear, and cattle, and at home in yPur houfes.
2. Ye muft do it in faith, for without this, it is impoffible
to pleafe God, Heb- X'- 6. We muft believe not only that he
is, but what be is ; that he is a holy, juft, wife and merciful
God> otherwife, we can do no duty aright.
3. Ye muft do it in love^ loving him and all his commands.
4. It muft be done with delight ; cheerfully obeying what
be commands.
5 It muft be done with a fubmiffive fpirit, not murmur-
.ing at his commands , but cheerfully acquiefcing unto what
he enjoins, without difputingi though crofs to our nature.
II. I Shall Shew you Some things that Chrift would have you
to confider this day ¦ O ! think upon the fame ferioufly;
flight them not, for theyare matters of great moment and con-
fequence, and very worthy your consideration': As,
i. Confider your natural State ; ye were all born in a ftate
of enmity againft God, in a ftate of fin and mifery ; by na
ture your understanding is darkned, fo that ye cannot difcera
of fpiritual things ; your will is perverfe, fo that ye cannot
will that which is Spiritually good ; and the affections depraved
fo that ye cannot do that which is right. O ! confider feri
oufly upon your ftate ; for, if ye die in that natural ftate, mi
ferable will your lot be.
2. Confider your own impptency to help yourfelves out of
that riiiferable ftate you were born in, all ye can do in this
will be to no purpofe ; yea, angels and men cannot help you.
O ! do not think to make a Chrift of your duties; for they
cannot help you out of that ftate ; and go not abqut to make
a Saviour of your own righteoufnefs, for that will not fave
you, it will prove as rotten rags, and filthy garments.
. 3. Confider your own unworthinefs to be delivered out of
that fed ftate ; for there is nothing in you to commend you
to a Saviour ; A right fight of yourlelves, and of your fin, will
make yon think yourfelves unworthy of mercy. O! do not
think yourfelves worthy of falvation, or more worthy than ci
thers

Upon Psalms xiv. io. 537
fliers, but humble yourfelves in his fight, and under the fenfe-
of your fin; have a low efteem of yourfelves.
4. Confider this great truth, this faithful faying, which is
worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into 'the world
to fave finners : He is a compleat Saviour, and well-furnilhed
Redeerrier, able to fave and redeem all that come to him. O !
therefore come unto him ; embrace him as your Saviour, for
he is willing to receive. O ! clofe with him, by faith, as youjr
Prophet, Prieft, and King. Though ye have flighted him
formerly, yet now is he willing to accept of you. O ! confi
der ferioufly upon it, for it is matter of great concernment;
yea, of no lefs, than that which concerns the eternal welfare*
of your immortal fouls.
5. Confider ferioufly whether ye have actually clofed with
Chrift or not. .
6. O! Confider, whether ye be born again or pot; if ever
ye knew what regeneration, and the pangs of the new-birth
were. O ! fit down ferioufly, and confioer on this great bu-
finefs, fet -about the work of felf-examination ; though.it be
painful and againft nature, yet it is profitable : Put yourfelves
to the trial j to fee whether ye know any thing of religion,, and
of the -faving work -of the Spirit of God upon your Souls ;.
think not this a light bufinefs ; it is of no lefs coniequence,
than the eternal falvation of your fouls. And,
7. Confider your ways, Hag i. 5. Confider your perfonal
walk, how ye have carried in your ways as to that ; all ye
who are guilty of perfonal fins and Scandals, as dru ftcen-
nefs, fwearing, uncleannefs, or any other way -, O ! con-fider
upon the fame ; turn unto the Lord. Mourn for thefe things
and get pardon for the fame. Confider your way alfo, as to
the pubiick caufe, what hath been your carriage in reference
to that: Alas! ye in this place of Fife, many of you are
guilty of defection from his truths, and of compliance with
enemies. Many of you are guilty of hearing thefe abjured
hirelings, the curates, though ye got faithful warning to the
contra^ : O ! confider the finfulnefs of fuch a courfe, for
thereby ye are guilty of bringing in that lordly dominion of
prelacy into his houle, which he never commanded in his word,
thereby ye have confented to the extrufion of Chrift's faith
ful minister? out of his vineyard, and to the intrusion of thefe
abjured hirelings in their room : Ye at^thereby guilty of
ftrengthning the hands of evil doers ; and^f are thereby guil
ty of perjury ; prelacy being exprefly abjured by our covenants.
Many of you again have payed the cefs and locality, for the
maintenance and upholding of enemies; confider the wicked
nefs thereof; for the paying thereof is the fame, as if ye had
bought a gun or a Sword to give the foldiers to murder all the
fervants and people of the Lord : or, as if every one of you
- ' Y y y had

538 SERMON XLH.
had brought a Coal to make a fire to burn them all in ; Ofthe
fin of this ye got alfo faithful warning, which makes the pay
ing of it new more heinous.
Many of you have alfo taken thefe dreadful oaths and bonds
that came along, all repugnant to the oath and bond of our
covenants. O ! confider upon thefe things ; feek repentance
and forgivenefs for the,m ; and confider the great danger the
in,tereft of Chrift is in this day: The proteftant intereft is in
hazard to be razed and ruined ; therefore be not fecure..
7. Confider the danger ye are in, and be not at eafe : O
confider it ferioufly ; rouze up yourfelves, for God is angry
with the lands. Is not our religion, and the intereft of Chrift
in great danger, when he that hath now ufurped the regal
power is a profefled papift, and a fworn vaffal and votary of
Anticbrift, and one who is a member of the fociety of Jefuits,
the cruelleft and bloodieft fort of all the Papifts ; yea, one
who faid, that he Should either convert England, to the catholic
faith, or die a martyr ; yea, who faid alfo, that it would not
be right, till the weft of Scotland, was made a hunting field ?
O then I are we not in great danger ? And now, to carry on
his defigns the more undifcernable, he hath granted a preten
ded favour and toleration to proteftants, which he can remove
when he fees fit ; for, it is his pririciples to be treacherous,
and to keep no faith to heretics, (as papifts and proteftants}.-
O my friends, confider the hazard ye are in ; for, though
he fpeaks fair, he means not fo. Confider the finfulnefs
of this toleration ; for, the fountain of it is abfolute power,
which the -granter claims above all laws divine and human ; the
channel through which it comes, is the taking away of the
penal laws : The restrictions wherewith it is bounded are Sin
ful, and the defign thereof evil: Yea, by this toleration, all
the kinds of power that Chrift hath feated in his church, are
invalidated, invaded, and encroached upon. For,
(1 .) The dogmatick power, whereby ministers are to judge
of truth and err or in point of doctrine, according to the word
of God ; this power is encroached upon, and this key eg^orted
out of their hands : For according to the proclamati,^, no
thing may be taught by the accepters of the toleration, in their
tolerated meetings, that can be interpreted by the court, to
alienate the hearts of the people from the granter, or his govern-
ment ,- whereby thejtare bound up, that they may not doctri-
nally difcover untd$e people the tics and fnares of this tolera
tion, or any other fin of the time.
(2.) The diatactick power, whereby the courts of Chrift are
to difcern the circumflarites of the worShip of God, as to time
and place, for order, decency, and edification, according to
the gjneral rules of the word, this power is invaded ; The
key of order is wrung out of their bands ; for, now the pla ces

Upon Psalm xiv. io. 539
€es of worfhip are determined in the royal proclamation,
which muft be made known to fome of tbe court patrons, on
whofe warrant they are tied to depend : In the mean time,
field meetings, for the worShip of God (which have been Sig
nally countenanced of the Lord) are feverely interdicted.
(3 ) The critic, or corrective power which the courts have
to cenfure delinquents, and abfolve penitents, according to
the word of God, is alfo invaaed : For, not only does this
toleration rob the minifters tolerated of this power of impar
tial cenfuring thofe Scandals that are tolerated thereby, and
all that make themfelves guilty, by complying with the fame,
or have been involved in finful and feandaious compliances
formerly: But alfo ufurps this power formally, invefting the
granter of this authority to dilcharge fome ministers the ex
ercife of their office, whom the word of God, and laws of
this church, do authorize ; and to allow others, whom the
word of God, and constitutions of this church, require to
be laid afide, and fufpended from that function.
(4.) The exaufiaftick power of trying, fending^ and autho
rizing office-bearers in the church, is made ufeiefs and void,
by this toleration : For, fuppofe a minifter hath his million
in Chrift's orderly appointed way, and never fo well qualified
to exercife it, and alio have the call of the people ; yet the
fame is not of any Signification, except intimation be made,
to this exotick power, of their names that are to officiate un
der this toleration, and they be found fuch as pleafe the
court patrons.
So now my friends, ye would confider the fin fulnefs of this
toleration; and as ye would keep yourfelves free of the fin
and fnares of it, and of the judgments wherewith it will be
purfued, ye would keep yourfelves free of it, and of counte
nancing thefe minifters who have accepted the feme ; for,
they have changed the holding of their miniftry, and have its
dependency upon the courts of men.
p, Confider the defolation of the Lord's houfe and fanctu-
ary, how Zion is laid wafte, and her pleafapt places defolate ;
the walls of Jerufalem are broken down, and are robbed of
all her pleafant things : And, O i let thefe things affect your
hearts ; be not ateale, or unconcerned, in this day of Zion's
trouble. . ,
to. Confider ferioufly how the Lotd's. anger is burning a-
gainft the fend. ; O I there is much anger incumbent and ly
ing on, and much more wrath impendent and hanging over
us ; therefore prepare for the fame ; flee into Chriit, the city
of refuge : Enter into your chambers, fihut the doors about you,
and hide yourfelves for a little moment, • until fhe indignation be
qverpaft.
Y.yy.2 Doct. 3.

54o SERMON XLII.
Doct. 3. Ihat thefe who would believe in Chrift, and be his
children, they muft leave and forfake their own people, and their
Father's houfe.
That is^ they muft forfake every thing they got, in their
firft father Adam's houfe, and come to Chrift, clofe with
him, and embrace him . He invites them to this in the text,
Forget alfo thine own peotle, and thy father's houfe.
I. In fpeaking to this, we fhall Shew you what ye Should
leave and forfake."'
1. Ye muff leave natural ignorance, that old companion
that hath kept you company fince you were born ; ye muft
leave that and come to Chrift for light: for, by nature ye are
ignorant of God, of Chrift, and of yourfelves ; of heaven,
and the way to it : O ! forfake your ignorance ; reft not till
ye have it to fey, Sometimes ye were darknefs, but now ye are
light in the Lord, Eph. v. 8.
2. Ye muft leave your unwillingnefs, another companion
ye gpt in your father's houfe ; for by nature the will is per-
verfe, only inclined to eyil, and cannot will that which is Spi
ritually good : O ! labour to get this removed ; come to
, Chrift and get your wills fubdued and inclined to that which
is fpiritual, and that he may make you a willing peoph in the
day of his power, Pfal. ex. 3.
3. Ye muft forfake your unbelief, another oldcompariion;
this is a brat begotten betwixt the other two, to wit, igno
rance and unwillingnsfs : O ! get that removed ; believe in
Chrift ; and remember that without faith it is impoffible to
pleafe God, Heb. xi. 6.
4. Ye muft forfake your worldly wifdom ; the natural man
looks upon religion as foolifhnefs, and a fancy ; and to be
religious, is but a poor fad melancholy life. But, O ! the
believers in Chrift, thofe who have their eyes enlightened, and
difcern things fpiritually, they will fee it a far other thing;"
they will fee it to be the power of God, and the wifdom of
God -, they will look upon it tp be no fancy, but a real bufi-
nefs ; and that it is not a fed melancholy life fo be religi- ,
ous, but a moft pleafant and fweet life : They count one day in
the courts of God, better than a thoufand, Pfal. Ixxxiv. 10. The
noble Gallacius, marquifs of Vico, it is faid of him, "that
" it was one of the means of his converfion, when he heaEd
*' a minifter preach how the world looked upon religion as
"folly and -a fancy, and yet what reality, harmony, and
'? pleafantnefs was in it ; for, faid the minifter, the profeffors
" of the gofpel are like a people dancing, and keeping order to
" fweet harmonious mufick -." When this is feen at a diftance
by any, they think them mad and diftracted, but when they
come nearer, and fee what order they keep in dancing, and
what cone ,, 1 is in the mufick, they change their minds :
And

Upon Psalms xiv. io. 541
And even fo it is with the profeffors of religion, when the
hlmd world fees them at a diftance, they count them distrac
ted ; but any that comes nearer, they will fee and obferve a
fweet pleafant order, harmony, and concord, and then they
change their thoughts.
5. Ye muft leave your covetoufnefs ; ye muft forfake your
worldly-mindednefs, which naturally ye are addicted to ; ye
muft leave all thefe arid Come to Chrift : In a word, ye muft
leave all ye got in your firft father Adam's houfe ; all ye had
in that family, ye muft forfake :' Ye muft leave your idols,
your corruptions, your predominant lufts, thefe old compa
nions, who were greater, higher, and Stronger than the reft,
ye muft leave all thefe and come to Chrift.
II. Now, it maybe aSked, that fince we are to' leave fo much
in coming to, Chrift, What Shall we get when we are come ?
O my friends ! If ye will forget your own people and father's
houfe ; if ye would leave theSe your old cpjjgffc|nions and come
to Chrift, clofe with him, and embrace^bim, ye Shall get
much more than you left : For,
1. Ye fliall be taken into a new family, even ChrifTs fami
ly: Ye fliall get a new head and hufband, even Chrift: Ye
fliall get a new inheritance, and new companions, yea, every
thing new ; and all thefe much more defirable and excellent
than the old.
2. Ye Shall be made beautiful ; for, by nature, ye are all
unclean and defiled : Ye Shall be made all glorious within,
and your cloathing of wrought gold: You fliall be made beau
tiful through Chrift's comelinefs.
3, And being made fp beautiful through'his comelinefs, he
will greatly delight.in your beauty -. O ! what a wonder is thisj
that though the poor believer hath no beauty of his own, be
ing only adorned with Chrift's comelinefs, yet he will greatly
delight in its beauty, as if it were its own ?
4. As Chrift will have a. common intereft in you, and all
that is yours ; fo ye will have a common intereft in him, and
all that is his : Ye may fwectly travel through all his attri
butes, vievv*andbehold them, and make ufe of them as your
' own. 5. Ye fhairhave that fweet companion, Peace of confeience
(that peace which paffeth all underftanding, Phil, iv, 7,) to fol
low you : This the wicked mart wants, though he may have
the enjoyment Of never fo much of the world, yet there is a
bitter root and Sting in them all.
6 You fhall have your State changed from a ftate of mifery,
to a ftate of happinefs ; from death to life ; from darknefs to
light : Yea, ye Shall get more than tongue can exprels. If I
bad the tongue of angels and men, I could not get expreflions
' to

542 SERMON XLHL
to hold forth what ye Shall get, what a life ye fhall have; for
eye hath not feen, nor ear beard, neither hath it entred into the
heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that
love him, i Coi". ii. 9. O therefore ! come and embrace Chrift;
leave all your own things, and clofe with him.
Let us pray.

S E R M O N XLIII.

Preached in the Shire of Fife, January 27th, 1688..
Luke xii. 32.
Fear not little flock ; for it is your Father's good pleafure to give
you the kingdom ¦
OU R bieffed Lord Jefus, knowing that his difciples and
followers, were to meet with many difeouragements in
their way to heaven, he labours to comfort them, that they
might not faint in the way, by forbidding them to fear, as the
words read hold forth. ¦
To explain the words a little, I fball Shew,
I. How the word fear, in Scripture, hath divers acceptations.
II. Shew you Several forts of fear. And then,
III, Raife fome doctrines from the words, and profecute
them a little. . x^,
I. For the firft of thefe,' tbe word fear in feripture,' hath
divers acceptations As,
1. It is put for God himfelf, Gen.-xxxi. 5. And Jacob fware
by tbe fear of his father Ifaac ; That is, God, whom his fa
ther liaac feared.
2. It is put for religion and piety ? Job. iv. 6. Is not this .
thy fear. Heb v. 7. And was heard in that he feared.
3, It. is put for the :. worfhip and fervice of God, Deut vi.
j ;. Thou Jhalt fear the Lord thy God, and ferve him, and fhalt
jliear by his name : That is, ferve and worfhip him, Deut. x. 20.
4. It is put for the doctrine of the word, Pfal. xix. a. The
fear ofthe Lord is clean, enduring for ever ; That is, the doc
trine of the Lord is clean and pure, 5. It

Upon Luke xi1. 32. $43
5. it,is put for the thing' feared, Prov. i- 26. I will mock
-when your fear cometh. Ifa. Ixvi. 4. And will bring their fears
upon them
6. It is put for doubting, Ruth iii. 1 1. And now my daugh
ter fear not, I will do to thee all that thou require/!. That is,
doubt not my daughter,
7. It is put for terror, Gen. xxxiv. 5. And the terror of God
was upon tlte cities, that were, round about them, 1 Sam. xi. 7.
And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out
with one confent.
8 It is put for reverence, Rom. xiii. 7. Fear io whom fear,
Eph. Vi. 5.  With fear and trembling.
II, The fecond thing is to Shew you that there are feveral
forts of fear. As,
1. Natural fear; and every man and woman hath fome
thing of this : It is not finful, except it exceed the"due bounds $
And it is thought that our Saviour Chrift had fome of this
fear, when he did fweat great drops of blood in the garden.
And it was no wonder, for he had almighty weight upon him.
even the fins of all the elect, that would have cruflied milli
ons of worlds, of angels and men to nothing.
2. There is a divine fear, whereby the Lord's people fear,
him, and fear to offend and fin againft him.
3. There is a SlaviSh fear ; and that is, when man, or any
Other creature, js feared too much.
4 A civil fear, which is due to magistrates, and other fu-
periors, by their inferiors, Rom. xiii. 7. Fear to whom fear.
5. There is an idolatrous fear, and that is, when any idol
is fearetl, as if it could do any thing, 2 Kings xvii. 7. — And
had feared other Gods.
6. Ttiere is a devilifh fear, and that is, when people fear
the devil, and ferve him, as many of the poor Indians do.
Now, I fhall come to fomedoctrines from the words : And
the firft I lay down is this ;
Doct. i. Tbat believers in Chrift are but few.. For, in the
text, they are called a little flock; Fear not little flock. And,
I. They are few, and little comparatively, or in, comparifon
of the reft of the world ; they are but a little flock, in refpect
of the vaft multitudes, bpdy, and bulk of the reprobates, who
believe not in him : Yet they are a great flpck, a glorious
and i.oble company.
2. They are little in the world's eflimation ; the world def-
pifeth and thinks little of them; the world thinks religion
but a fancy, and counts the profcflors thereof fools : But they
are far beguiled, for religion is a real thing, and the true pro
feffors are only wife. 3. They

544 SERMON XLIII.
3. They, are little in their, own eyes; the fight of fiq, and
of their own unworthinefs in themfelves, keeps them humble
in their own eyes.
But for application. Since it is fo, that Chrift's followers
are few, it may teach us,
1. Not to Stumble at religion, nor offend at the way and
caufe of God, though fhe fame be defpifed and lightly esteem
ed, and the owners of it but few. O ! Stumble not at the way
of God ; though the wicked hate it, offend not at his caufe,
though thefe that own it be but few, and thefe few very mean
and defpicable in the world's eyes, and in their own eyes al
fo ; and though they be perfecuted at this day, yet the caufe
is the Lord's. Religion is no fancy, but a real thing, though
Chrift's flock be but a little flock.
2. It fhould teach us humility, we ought not to be high-
minded : As Chrift's followers are little in the world's eyes, fo
fhould they be in their own : If ye be humble, then ye are
right ; and if ye would be right, then ye Should be humble,
O ! be not proud ; humble yourfelves, and in due time the
Lord will exalt you", and lift you up.
Doct. 2. That believers in Chrift, that dre his little flock,
have a kingdom given them.
For fo fays the text, It is your father's good pleafure to give-,
you the kingdom. And, O! it is a noble and glorious king
dom ; becaufe it is a purchafed kingdom; Chrift paid no
lefs for it, than the price of his precious blood : I fay, he hath
purchafed, provided, and prepared it for them, John xiv. 2.-
Jn my Father's houfe are many manfions, if it were not fo,l would
have told you: I go to prepare a place for you.
For Ufe then. Seeing that it is fo, that the Lord's people
have fuch a glorious kingdom to look for, then,
1. They Should not be carnal and 3 worldly-minded ; they.
fhould not be taken up with the things ofthe world, that are
perifbing ; their affections Should be fet on things above, and
not on things in the earth : Thafwhich is feen is temporal; but
the things which are not feen are eternal. Let your thoughts
be often in heaven, and your converfation much with hea
ven. O my friends ! Believers fliould be of fo noble fpjrits,
that feeing they are all kings, and have a crown and a King
dom to look to. they fliould dil'dain to be taken up exceffive-
ly with tinte-things, and to be encumbered with that Which is
fo perifhing ^ but be heavenly-minded. A king's fon will
think it below him, to be taken up with trifles," when he hath
greater things to loj$k to.
2. Seeing believers have a kingdom prepared for them, then
they fliould long fo be out of the vale of fin and mifery, and
from this miferable world, that they may be poffefied of fuch
a glorious kingdom ; yet they Should not defire to be gotie^
becaufe

Upon LtfKE xii. 32. 545
becaufe of the afflictions, trials, and troubles, that attend
them while here, but they may lawfully defire to die, when
ready ; and the fame flows only from a defire to be freed from
a body of Sin ai.«d death : Or from a longing to have the full
and free enjoyment of Chrift without intermiffion ; and to be
hold his face without interruption, distraction, or fear of fin
ning : For, while iri the body, they are abfent from the Lord ;
and fo, fometimes they would rather defire to be out of the
body, that they may be prefen,t with the Lord.
Doct. 3. That though believers have a kingdom provided for
them, yet it is only" tbe Father's good pleafure that he ghees them it.
There is nothing in them that merits the fame or moves
'him to give it : The text fays, It is the Father's go. d pleafure to
give you the kingdom. So that it doth not depend upon the
creature's will and pleafure, whether he may get heaven or
not, Eph. i. 5. Having predeftinated us unto the adoption of
children, by lefius Chrift, to himfelf , according to the good plea
fure of his will,
Now for Ufe This may reprove,
'.¦' 1 Papifts arid Arminians. It reproves Papifts, who feek
justification by works; and think to merit heaven by their
own good works. O ! Such would remember, that it is only
of the Father's good pleafure that any get the kingdom : S°
then, free grace only muft be exalted, and proud nature laid
low. And it reproves Arminians, who exalt the will of man,
above the will and pleafure of God ; who fay, that the getting
of heaven depeudsupon the will of man, and not upon- the
will and pleafure of God : And that it depends upon their
OTD will, and not upon the good pleafure ofthe Father. O !
what a great iniquity is this, thus to exalt the will of the poor
creature, and to ab.ife the will of the great Creator ? Such
Should remember, that the text fays, It is the Father's good
pleafure to give you the kingdom, and that the will of man, by
nature, is crooked and perverfe, and only inclined to evil,
and fo cannot" will that which is fpiritually good.
2. It reproves thefe who go about to eftabliSh their own
righteoufnefs, and think to get heaven that way ; many who
will not be called Papifts do this; yet, they reft upon their
duties, upon their prayers, and upon their fufferings, and
feek to have the kingdom this way : But, this is not the way.
O ! remember, that it is your Father's good p/eafur' to give you
the kingdom .- Quit your own righteouftiels ; be denied to your
felves ; come to Chrift, aod reft upon him only, and alone
for falvation, and let him have all the glory.
Doct. 4. That thefe would have a right to, and expeil to be
pofffffors of that glorious kingdom ; which is the Father's good
pleafure to give to the little flock ; they muft be his chillren;
by being true believes st otherwife they cannot win there.. The
Z z z text

5j&. S E R M, O N XLIII.
text, fays, It is the Father's good pleafure, to give yon the king
dom : ,
So he muft be their father, and they muft be his children,
if ever they expect to be inhabitants of that glorious kingdom.
i. They muft be his children by adoption; they muft be
Drought and -taken into his family; for there are none bprn
c,hildreu in it by nature; for, all, are by nature heirs of hell,
and children of wrath ; and when they are made his children,
he adopts, and brings them into hist amily, making them
his own : This is an act of his free grace.
2. They muft be his children by' regeneration, John, iii. 3.
Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born again, he
cannot fiee the kingdom, of God. They muSt be changed and re
newed, -, all the faculties of the foul muft be changed and re
newed, as to their qualifications, and the members of their,
body as to their ufe. Their understanding muft be fevingly
enlightned and renewed, which before was darkned, fo that
now they can difcern things in a fpiritual manner ; and they.
get a fight of, and take up Chrift aright, as he is offered, in
the gofpel: Their affections muft be renewed ; their love
which formerly went out after vanities, fin and. the. world, is
now changed and made to run out after Chrift, after holinefs,
and after heaven. .Their will, which by nature, is pervefe
and rebellious, muft be likewife changed, and.rnade to delight,
in the ways of God, and willingly to clofe with Chrift, and
cheerfully tp^obey his commandments. As alfo, alj the mem
bers .of the body are renewed, as to their ufe, formerly they
ferved fin and Satan : But being changed they ferve the Lord;
they defire to be for him, and to live to his glory." His name.
is now precious, and, his concerns favoury to them.
Npw, for Ufe. My friends, let it be, your ftudy to be his,
children : O labour to be his children, both by adoption and,
regeneration ; for thereby your bleffings fliall. be great, and
your privileges many : As,
1. If ye be the children of God, ye fhall get protection
from your father ; O ! is not this a great privilege' ? Ye Shall
get protection from all evil, both of fin and mifery.
2 Ye Shall have the priviledge of provifion from him: He
will provide both for foul and body ; ye Shall not want any
good thing.
3. If ye be his children, ye Shall get fatherly correction
from him : He will chaftife you for your faults, for your
good, that he may not fuffer you to.go on in fin, which is a
great privilege.
4. Ye fliall have the, privilege of having your prayers heard.
5. If ye be the, children of God, ye. Shall have the privilege
of a right and title to the kingdom of heaven: And, O!
what a great privilege is that i Here

Upon Luke xii. 32. 547
Here it may be enquired, what are the marks of the children
* of God ? Or, how fhall one know whether they be one of
the children of God or not ?
Anf There might be mahy marks of this given from ferip
ture 5 but I Shall only give you thefe few at the time.
1. Thefe who are the children of God, it will be their aitn
and endeavour, to yield univerfal obedience to all their fa
ther's comrnands; not baulking any, becaufe tinpleafant to
their nature; Or obeying fome, and flighting the reft : But as
it is their defire to mourn for, hate, and forfake every Sin,
fo it will be their endeavour to obey all the Lord's commands.
The Pfalmift fays, Pfal. Ixvi. iS. If 1 regard iniquity in my
heart, tbe Lord will not hear me. This fays that he did net
regard iniquity in his heart, but was an obedient fon who o-
beyed all his father's commands.
2. Thefe who are the children of God, they „will honour
tlieir father : They Will greatly reverence him, and fear be
fore hi in : It 'will be tlieir great defire to glorify him, and to
have him exalted, Mai, i. 6 A fon honoureth his father, and a
fervant his mafter ' If then I be a father, where is mine honour ?
3. Thefe who are the children of God, will have a high e-
ftimation of their elder brother Chrift ; he will be lovely in
their eyes, and altogether defirable to their fouls, accord
ing to that word, 1 Pet. ii. 7. Unto you therefore which believe,
he is precious.
4. They put a high eftimation upon the ftate of the recon
ciliation with God : They count this ftate of his children, to
be among the only bieffed and happieft of conditions : As the
Pfalmift fays, Pfal. xxxii I, 2. Bieffed is he whofe tranfgreffions
is forgiven, whofe finis covered. Bieffed is the man unto whom
'the Lord Ah'pufeth not iniquity, fmd in whofe fpirit there is no
guile. 5 Thefe who are the children of God, fubject their fpirit
unto their father, endeavouring to be for him, and at his
difpofal ; putting 'a blank in his hand, cheerfully acquiefeing
to what he carves out to be their lot ; and with patience and
fubmiffion to embrace it, though hard to fleih and blood,
without murmuring at his way if dealing with them, or
their hearts rifing againft his fovereignty, Or quarrelling with
his wny of procedure with them.
Doct. 5. .Thai 'fhe fe who are believers in Chrift, his little
flock, fhould not be poffefied with ft wifh fear. Fear not little flock.
There are foriie things that the Lord's people are readily
feared for, Which yet they have no ground for. As,
1. They fear the lofs of the things ofthe world; but this
they Should not fear, Pfal. xxXiv. 10. The young lions do ldck>
and fufffr hunger i but they that fear the %Lord fhall not want a-
vy good thing. Q ! let not the fear1 of the lofs of the world
Z z z 2 fear

548 SERMON XLIII.
fear you ; for, tbefe who fear the Lord, fhall not want any
good thing. ,
2. They fear the revolutions, and overturnings that fall'';.
out in the world ; we have feen fome of thefe already : But,
O I we may expect more, and greater revolutions, than we
have either feen or heard : Sad days we may fear are comirtg.
But yet, here is no ground for believers in Chriit, to be pof-
feffed with flavifh fear . For though the earth be removed, and
the mountains be caft into the midft ol the fea ; yet they fhould not
fear, for God is their refuge ; a prefent help in the time of trou
ble, Pfal. Xiv. 1,2. O ! they may Sit, Noah-like, in the midft
of the .flood, and be fafe ; becaufe they are in the ark, where
there is no fear of drowning.
3 They oft times fear man, and this brings a fnare : As,
alas ! it hath done this day. Many of you, through tbe fla- '
viSh fear of man, have complyed with the enemies, fo as to
bear the curates, pay the enemies wicked impositions, and
fwear, and fubfcribe Sinful oaths and bonds. 0! mourn for
thefe things, and turn unto the Lord. Let not this flavifh
fear of man poffefs your hearts. Fear no man : Fear not him
that can kill. the body ; but rather fear him, who is able to deftroy
both foul and body in hell,
4. They fear death ! This is a terror to them ; but this
they, Should not fear ; for, if. they looked rightly upon it,
they would welcome it, when it comes, as a defirable meffen
ger ; for, it is a chariot to carry them' out of this miferable
world, unto their father's kingdom ; where they Shall enjpy
their, beloved fully and freely They Should invert Ahab's
words, Haft thou found me, 0 mine enemy ? And fay unto
death, Haft thou found me, 0 my friend ?
There are Several disadvantages, that the true believer hath,
when this flavifh fear predominates. As,
(1.) It is a tormenting thing ; for where this fear is great,
there is always torment. It is better to have the boots with
out this fear, than to have this fear without the boots
(2.) It weakens the foul in going about duties, Zeph. iii.
16. In that day it fhall' be faid to Jerufalem, Fear thou not :
And to Zion, Let not thine hands be flack. Erom which we may
fee, that this flavilh fear, and a fiack-handednefs in duties,
go together : As when the Lord promifes it Should be faid
to his people, fear not ; fo it fliould be faid to them, let not
thine hands be flack.
(3.) Where this fear predominates* it is an evidence of little
grace I Shall not fay, but where this fear is, the perfon may
have grace, but it is evident, that at that time, it is not- very
ftrong and lively, Matth viii. 26. And he faith unto them, why
are ye fearful, 0 ye tf little faith ? Thefe in whom this fear fo
far prednmines, as to make them fall from a general prnfeffion of

Upon Luke xii. 32. 549
of the Lord, and to fall totally and finally away from him ;
it is a mark that they never had grace : But in whom it pre-
domipes for a time, through a violent fit of temptation, fo as
to make them to fall into fome Sins, it they repent, it evi
dences that grace in them is but weak.
In the next place, I fhall Shew you fome helps, to help you
to guard againft this fear.
I. Labour to be more and more denied to the things ofthe
world ; loofe your affections from the things thereof ; let it
be your ftudy to be like the woman, as She is nobly pour-
trayed ; being cloathed with the fun, and the moon under her feet,
Rev. xii. iv O ! labour to be cloathed with the righteoufnefs
pf Chrift ; and to get the moon, and the vain and changeable
world, under your feet. O ! fear not the lofs of the world's
trifles, or your through-bearing in it. '
2. Labour to get faith, and to keep it in exercife, arid this
will help to guard againft this Slavish fear; for it will help
you tb read difpenfations, though crofs and angry like, aright -.
It will let you fee the in-fide of the.cloud to be white, though
the out-fide be black : It will prove a flay to you in all your
tribulations. 0 therefore get it, arid keep it lively and in
exercife! -<'y»
3. Labour alfo for the grace of love, and have it alfo .5n
exercife. Labour to have it Shed abroad in your hearts, and
your fouls filled with it, 1 John iv. 18. There is no fear in,
love : But perfeB love caftefh out fear.
Now, my friends, guard againft this Slavish fear ; let it
not have the poffeffion of your hearts : And to prefs you to
this confider,
(1.) It is the command of Chrift, that ye Should not let
your hearts be poffeffed with it : Fear not little fiock .- And
let that have weight with you, to guard againft it.
(2) Let the difadvaritages that are in it, make you to guard
againft it : It is a tormenting thing and it weakens your
bands in duty.

SERMON

n ss<> i i
SERMON XLIV.
Being the Author's laft Sermon; preached at Berrowfton-
ne'fs, January 29th, 1688.
Isaiah liii. t.
Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the
Lord revealed?

THIS Chapter contains a prophecy of Chrift, and of
tbe great fufferings he was tb undergo, for the re
demption of poor finners. And the prophet begins with a
fad complaint, that neither the report which he gave of Chrift,
tvould be believed by many, nor yet fhe report that Chrift
would give of himfelf; and that though the arm ofthe Lord
was, and Should be revealed wonderfully, yet the fame was
not, nor would not b'e taken heed to by the generality.
To explain the words a little, I Shall Shew you, '
I. The various Significations the word, believe, bath in
feripture : As,
1. It Signifies to give credit to Gpd's word, 1 John y. '0.
He that belicveih not God, hath made him a liar, becpufe he bt-,
licveih not the record that God hath given of his Son.
2. It Signifies to affent barely to gofpel truths, Acts viii 13.
Then Simon himfelf believed alfo : That is, he affented to the
truth of the gofpel in his mind, but did not give the confent
of his will ; for he was in the gall of bitternefs, and in the bond
of iniquity. Even fo, when the word comes with light, per-
Sjpicuity, and power, it may fo far gain upon the confci
ence, as to get the affent of the mind and understanding, to
the truth and veracity of what is fpoken, that it hath nothing.
to object againft it ; while yet, neither the heart is broken,'
the will renewed, nor the affections changed,'and fo Chrift is
not embraced as offered in the gofpel; fo my friends, ye muft
have more than this, ye muft not only give the affent of the
niind, but alfo the confent of the will, to the truth of the
gofpel. 3. It Signifies to know, John xvii. 23. That, the world may
know thit thou haft fent me. The devils win this length; they
know that there is a God; that Chriit died forffinners, and
that

SERMON XLIV. 55 1
that there is falvation through his blpqd, James ii. 19. The
devils alfo believe and tremble.
4. It Signifies to be fully perfuaded and affured. of the cer
tainty of a thing, Luke i. 45. A,nd,, bieffed is fhe that believeth,
for there fhall be a performance of thefe things, whieh were told--
her from tbe Lord.
5. It Signifies to expect, or hope for a thing, Pfal xxvji, ^j.
J had fainted, unlefs 1 had believed, to fee the, goodnefs of. the
Lord, in the land of the living.
6. It Signifies to receive, and cjofe with Chrift, as he is of
fered in the gofpel, John i. 12, But as many as received him,
to them gave he power to become the fons of God, eveato-thcns,.
that believe on his name. This is, when the foul makes, a fidu
cial application of Chrift, and of the promifes to itlelf ; tbis
is true faving and juftify ipg^ faith.
This believing fppken of in the text, may have- a relation
to all thefe varipus Significations. The prophet might, com
plain, and minifters may complain, that credit, is not given
tip the word of God 5 that the; affent of the mindi nor con
fent of the will is not given to the truths ofthe gofpel ; that
people do not know ; that they are not fully perfuaded ; that
they do not hope; that Chrift is not received. But the chief
thing mearit by this, Who hath believed our report ? is, that
Chrift was not received, clpfed with, and, embraced.
II. The word arm, bath alfo divers Significations in ferip
ture. As,
1. It is taken for the natural arm, 2 Sam. i. 10. And I took
the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet: tbat. was oa
his arm.
2. It Signifies outward ftrength, 2 Chron. xxxii. 8. — -With
him is an arm of fie ph. Pfal x. 15, Break thou. the, arm of the
wicked, and the evil man.
3. It Signifies the power of God ; even the power whereby
he made heaven and earth, Jer. xx vii., 5. I have made the
earth, the man and the beaft, that are upon the ground, by my
great power, andby my ftretched out arm. See alfo Jer. xxxii. 17.
4. It Signifies the gofpel; which Signification it hath here
in the text. So, the prophet here complains, that although
the arm of the Lord was revealed, in the difepvery of Chrift
in the gofpel, and of falvation hplden forth therein, to be
had' in and through him, yet the reporc thereof was not, nor
would not be believed as it ought.
Now, I come to the doctrines.
Doct. i. That oft times the minifters of Chrift have it, for
the matter of their complaint, that the meffage and charge, which
they have in commiffion from him, is not behaved, nor the report
thereof credited. This.

55* SERMON XLIV.
This was tbe prophet's complaint here, and it hath been
the cprnplamt of minifters of the gofpel in all ages ; and it
may be our complaint this day. Alas ! the profeffors of Scot
land ha.ye not believed the report of that which minifters
have had in commiffion from Chrift to tell them ; they have
not credited it, though they have been in earneft, in telling
them the fame.
In profecution of this doctrine, I fhall Shew you fome things,
which the minifters in this land have declared unto the peo-,
pie, which they had in commiffion frotri him ; but, alas ! as
the repbrt of the fame hath not been believed by the genera
lity^ though the arm of the Lord hath been revealed, yet the
lathis hath not been taken heed unto, nc* what was faid cre
dited by the moft part. \
i. This hath been declared unto you.jby the faithful mi
nifters of Chrift, the finfolnefs and mifery of your natural e-
llate, and the great danger of continuing in the fame. It
hath been told you, that ye were born in a miferable eftate;
in an eftate of enmity againft God ; heirs of hell, and chil
dren of wrath ; and yet the moft part have not, nor do not
believe it : Ye do not credit tbis report, though it hath been
often, again and again told you. All ye who are not fenfible
of, and weighted under the fenfe of tbis lamentable and fad
ftate, and feek not the right way out of it; ye have not be
lieved this report ; and for this, ye will inevitably periSh.
2 This hath been told you, your own impotency, to deli- -
ver yourfelves out of that miferable eftate. Hath it not been
told you, that all that ye could do in this cafe, would be to
no purpofe, without faith in Chrift ? For, by nature, ye arc
not only unable, but unwilling to be delivered out of that e-
ftate ; fo, fuppofe ye did never fo much in your own ftrength,
it would be but as rotten rags, and the fpider's web : For, all ,
ye who have'not fled to Chrift by faith, for deliverance out of
this eftate, and N clofed with him; but have gone about to
make a Saviour of your duties, and to eftablifh your own
righteoufnefs, or put any thing in Ghrift's room, ye have not
believed this report.
3. This hath been Shown unto you, that not only ye were
unable to deliver yourfelves, out of that miferable eftate that
ye are in by nature, but alfo unworthy that any fliould do it
for you : It hath been told you how unworthy ye were of fal
vation, which fhouldhave humbled you,- and broken you in
yourfelves. But, all ye who are not bumbled under the fenfe
of your fin, and of your unworthinefs, and think yourfelves
worthy of falvation and of heaven, or more worthy than o-
thers, ye have not believed this report. O ! be convinced of
your fin and mifery, and let the fenfe thereof humble you ;
and look upon yourfelves as unworthy of falvation. 4. This

Upon Isaiah liii. i. 553
4. This hath been declared unto you, by the faithful am-
baffadors of Chrift, that although ye were unable to deliver
yourfelves out of that fad eftate, that by nature ye are in, and
the insufficiency of all your duties, or the endeavour of any o-
ther creature for that end,, and that ye are unworthy to be de
livered, yet there was a Saviour and a Redeemer provided, e-
ven Jefus Chrift the fon of God, Hath it not been told you,
that faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jefus
Chrifi came into the world to fave finners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. And
that he is an all-fufficient and well furniflied Saviour, able to
fave to the uttermoft, all that come to God through him ? Heb.
vii. 35. But alt ye who have not fled out of yourfelves, into
Jefus Chrifl, and have not believed in him, nor laid hold upon
him for falvation, and to whom he is not precious, have not
believed this great report, that hath been often Shown unto
you, viz. That your eternal falvation dependeth thereon.
O! believe this fure report, that Chrift is an all-fufficient Sa
viour. Ol therefore believe in him ; he is able to fave you.
5. It hatn been told you the neceffity of an actual doling*
with Chrift,. in the terms of the golpel, as your Prophet,
Prieft, and King. It hath been declared unto you, that yc
muft enter into covenant; clofe with and embrace him, as your
own ; and that ye were to give away yourfelves to him, to be
his and for him, and yet this hath not been believed by many
of you : For, all you, who are ferving other lords, and
have not forfaken your fins, lufts, and idols, have not actually
clofed with him, in the terms he offereth himleif; nor have
ye covenanted with him ; and have not given away yourfelves
and all you have unto hjm, to be his, and for him, and at his
difpofal : Ye have not given credit to this report.
6. It hath been preached unto you, the neceffity of heart
holinefs, and the need ye had, to have your heart", as well as
your ways changed, and clean fed ; and that ye fliould purify
your hearts from all your lufts and idols. The want of this
bath been provoking unto the Lord. And hath not this
been told you ? O Jerufalem, wafh, thine heart from wic
kednefs, that thou may eft: be faved : How long fhalt thy vain
thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. iv. 14. But the report of this
hjith not been, credited by the moft part ; for, all ye who have
not made it your exercife, to fet about the work of mortifi
cation, and have not made fanctification and heart holinefs
your Study, ye have not believed this report.
7. Minifters have preached unto you the neceffity of a gof
pel holy converfation, called for at your hands, as well as
heiirt holinefs, that ye were to ftudy a holy perfonal walk.
fuiting your profeffion : But, oh ! this hath not been believed
by the generality ; for all ye who are fcandalous in your per
fonal walk, ye who have not exercifed, yourfelves, in baving a
A a a a ' on-

554 SERMON XLlV.
i
converfation fuiting the gofpel, ye have not believed the re
port of this. O ! my friends, labour for heart holinefs, for heart
religion. Let your converfation be as becomeih the goSpel.
8. The faithful minifters of Chrift have preached and de
clared unto you, the finfulriefs of the time's abominations^
and of the land's defections ; and the fad compliance with e-
nemies, that the generality have been involved in. Have they-
not declared unto you, the finfulnefs of hearing the curates?
ire. But all ye who have countenanced them, have not be
lieved this report ? Hath not the finfulnefs of paying the cefs
and locality been preached unto you, and yet all ye who have
payed it, have not believed this report. Hath not the Sinful-.
nefs ofthe wicked oaths and bonds, impofed upon the con
fcience of poor people, been declared unto you ? yet all ye
who have Sworn, or taken any of them, have not believed
this report. Likewife, hath not the fin, Snare and danger of
this Antichriftian toleration, been declared unto many of
you ? yet all ye who go on to countenance the fame, ye do
not believe this report. And now, this night, I give you warn
ing of the fin, Snare, and danger, of it, fo that ye would
have nothing to do with it : For, a toleration is always of e-
vil, feeing that which is good cannot be tolerated, but ought
freely to be owned and countenanced as fuch'. A toleration1
is exprefly contrary to feripture. To give toleration to ido
latry is a great iniquity. Ifrael was commanded to deftroy*
their altars, break down their images, cut down their groves,
and to burn their graven images with fire, Deut. vii. 5. This
was far from tolerating of them. A toleration is contrary to
the acts and constitutions of this church, and to the faith
ful warnings of the general affemblies thereof; and it is con
trary to our covenants, which, alas! are now like to be bu
ried, by trie accepters of this toleration. And, as tolerations
in general are evil, fo this prefent toleration is evil and SinfuU
The foundation thereof is abfolute power, which the granter
blafphemou Sly arrogates to himfelf : It runs through fuch a
channel, as'difeblcs and fulpends our laws againft idolatry.
The restrictions are fuch, as a minifter cannot accept of, if he
would refolve to give the people faithful warning of the fin
and duty of the day. And thefe who are accepters of this li
berty, they change the holding of their miniftry, and depend
for it, upon the courts of'men. And the defign of granting
it is wicked, even no lets then to introduce idolatry. So my
friends, I would give you warning, not to countenance it :
H^ve nothing to do with it; do not countenance nor hear
them, who have embraced and accepted, it, as ye would be
free of its fin, and not Share in the judgement wherewith
it is to be purfued.
Now, I Shall anfwer fome objections concerning it. 0bje8.

Upon Isaiah Iiii. i. 555
Objekl. 1. Some of you will fey, " They are gpod men.
" who have accepted and embraced this toleration, and why
*' may not we then hear them ?"
Anf. I grant that many of them are godly and gracious men,
but their accepting of this Antichriftian liberty, is no part of
their godlinefs. They muft not be countenanced in their fin,
tho' they were never fo godly; for their being (o, mikes their
fin the more heinous : I Shall fay that word, lCoi". i;i. 12. 15,
Now, if any man build upon this foundation . gold, filver, and
precious fione, wood, hay, ftubble ,- If any man's work fliall be
burnt, he fhall fuffer lofs, but he himfelf fhall be faved, yet fo' as
by'fire. Though the Lord may pardon their iniquities, and
give them their foul for a prey, yet he will take vengeance on
their inventions. >
Objetl. 2. Some may fay, " It is a great mercy to have !i-
" berty to preach the gofpel ; and having fuch a liberty, fliould
" we not make ufe of it ?"
Anf. I grant it is a great mercy to have the gofpel preached
with freedom : and when we have it fo, we ought rightly to
improve it ; but, I deny that the prefent liberty is fuch, for,
by itrhe gofpel is in greater bondage, and truth in more thral
dom than before it was granted, though the perfons of fuch
men as accept it, have fome more liberty ; for it is fuch a
liberty as comes from the fountain of abfolute power, which is
the alone incommunicable prerogative of Jehovah ; yet the
granter of this liberty takes this to himfelf, and requires all his
fubjects to obferve it without referve : And the accepters of
this liberty do recognofee fuch a power in him who grams
it, by accepting this liberty; yea, it is fuch a liberty, that it
difables all our penal laws againft papifts, and takes off the le
gal bulwark, which our religion hath : And it is fuch a liber
ty, as reftricts minifters in their doctrine ; for, they are there
by enjoined, that they preach nothing, that may any ways
tend to alienate the hearts of the people from the granterj or
his government. It is fuch a liberty, that thofe who ac
cept of it, do change the holding of their miniftry, which
they profeffed they had from Chrift, and make it to have its
dependency upon the courts of men ; for, fuppofe a minifter
be orderly called and ordained, and have never So good qua
lifications, and alfo the call of the people, yet he cannot preach
in any place, unlefs he give up his name to fome of the coun-
fellors or Sheriffs, <&c. and they be pleafed with him. It is
fuch a liberty, which hath, for the defign of its granting, the
bringing in of idolatry into the land again ; and the accepters
and embracers of it do co operate with the defign of granting
it, by their accepting, thereof. And it is fuch a liberty, as
hardens enemies in their wickednefs, and backfliders in their
defection ; and h it offends many ofthe godly at home, and
A a a a 2 proves

5s6 SERMON XL1V.
prpves offenfive and ftumbling to the churches abroad, who
cannot but think, by this, that Scotland, who was once fo fa
mous forks zeal againft Antichrift, is now in a fairway of re
conciliation with him, when it hath embraced a liberty gran
ted by his vaffal, the defign whereof, is to' introduce idolatry
into the land again. Now, in consideration of thefe things,
ye may fee, it is finful to accept of, or countenance fuch a
finful liberty.
Objecl. 3 Some may fey, " What fliall we do then? Bet-
" ter that we hear thefe who have accepted this liberty,
•' than to hear none."
Anf. It is greatly your duty to hear any faithful minifter,
when ever you can have the oportunity ; but it doth ndt fol
low, that ye fliould hear the accepters of this woful liberty ; for
in the circumftances that we ftand in, we cannot do it without
fin : For we are commanded to ceafe to hear the inftrutlion
that caufeth to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. xix. 27.
And when we cannot get a faithful minifter to hear,we Should
make ufe of the means the Lord hath left us, We fhould mourn
and lament for this want, and long to have it again. If ye
would abflain from countenancing the accepters of this liber
ty, one of thefe two fliould follow: either feek that they
fliould be convinced of ihch a finful courfe, and forfake it;
or elfe, that the Lord would raife up faithful minifters, whom
ye might hear, and whom he would countenance.
Objecl 4 Some may fay, '* Is it not better to take apart,
*'¦ than to want all ? If we were affaulted by a robber for our
" purfe, is it not better to give him a part, than to let him
" take all ? Though enemies will nof fuffer minifters to make
" application of their doctrine, yet they give them liberty to
" preach, fhould we not then be content with that?'
Anf. I fliall not debate, what a man may do when' affaulted
by a robber for his purfe, isc. feeing, in many cafes, a man
may do with his own what he pleafeth; but he may not do fo
in the matters of God : He muft not come and go in the mat
ters of God; for in thefe we fhould hold faft, and let no
thing go, feeing they are not our own. And a minifter, that
would be faithful to his Mafter, and free of the blood of fouls,
fhould, and muft make particular application of his doctrine,
to the fins, fnares, duties, and dangers ot the time, whoever
be offended. For oftentimes the life of preaching lies in the
application ofthe doctrine.
Objecl. 5, Some may fay, " Should we not hear them, that
" we may be edified thereby ?"
Anf. It is a matter of forrow and regret, that fo few are e>
dified, even by thefe, who defire to keep their garments clean
to keep the way 01' God, and to be found faithful to the maf
ter, in this day of trial and temptation. Arid, however, feme

Upon Isaiah liii. i. 557
by hearing the minifters who have accepted of this toleration
may be edified in providence, yet they have not a promife for
it ; for, there is not a promife in all the feripture, that God
will countenance and blefs fuch a wicked courfe. And, if a-
ny get edification, in his holy providence, it will be thefe who
come in the Sincerity of their foul, not knowing nor feeing the .
evil of this liberty ; or who are, in a great meafure, ignorant of
the controverfy of the day : But thefe who fee fomething ot
the fins and fnares of it, and are not ignorant of the contro
verfy of the time, may expect but little benefit by them.
9. The faithful minifters of Chrift have declared unto you
and given you warning, that wrath and defolations are com
ing upon the land : Have not fuch told you, that judgements
were coming and haftning? Have they not preached unto
you that the Lord's wrath was kindled againft the land, for the
many heinous fins, and wicked abominations committed there
in ? But the report of this hath not been believed, nor credi
ted by the moft part : For, all ye who have not been fearch-
ing out the caufes of his anger, both in yourfelves and others,
or have not been mourning over, and forfaking the fame, have
not believed the report. And all you who have not been pre
paring for wrath, by entering into your chambers, and Shut
ting the doors about you, by fleeing into Chrift, the city of
refuge, ye have not believed this report. ,
But now I come to a fecond doctrine, which is this :
Doct. 2. That it is matter of forrow and grief to faithful
minifters, swben the report of what they preach is not believed.
This was the matter of the prophet's forrow here ; and it was
Jeremiah's grief, Jer. xiii. 17. But if ye will not hear it, my foul
fhall weep in fecret places for your pride ; and mine eyes fhall weep
fore, and run down with tears, becaufe the Lord's flock is carri
ed away captive. So their forrow is great upon thefe accounts.
1. Becaufe Chrift, whom they have preached, is not em
braced and believed in.
2. Becaufe the report of the feripture is not believed by
people : And it is a lure token of fad wrath and defolation
apprpaching, when preaching hath little, or no other effect,
, tban to make the hearts of people more fat, their ears heavy,
and to Shut their eyes, that they neither fee, hear, nor un
derftand, for then may we look for dreadful defolations ;
as it is in Ifa. vi. 9, 10, 1 1, 12. O ! this is the great fin of
Scotland. That the report of the gofpel hath not been be
lieved, by the generality of the people ; that that- which the
faithful minifters of Chrift, have had in commiflion from him
to tell them, hath not been credited as it fliould : And what
doth this fay, but that defolation and wrath is approaching ?
And happy are they, who are preparing for the fame.
The End of the Sermons.

Z 55* 1

Mr. REN WICK's PREDICTIONS, in a Letter to
Mrs JEAN HAMILTON, dated Nov. 18th, 1685.
L f THINK we are not yet entred our Jordan; for
I though we have come through a miry and thorny
wildernefs, yet our Jordan is before us ; and it wil} be very
deep, but it will not be very broad ; when the ark of God
enters it, it Shall be like to drown, but it Shall fuddenly and
admirably win to the other fide.
II. I think fafety fhall only be to thofe who have their
hands neareft the ark. Oh then ! many a woe to the mini
fters and profeffors, whofe hands have been drawn back from
the work ; and they, whofe malice is againft the burden-
bearers, Shall be, as it is faid, Ifa. xxvi. 11 . Lord, when thy
ftand is lifted up, they will not fee, hut they fhall fee, and be a-
Jbamed, for their envy at the people , yea, the fire of thine ene
mies fball devour them.
III. I think Scotland Shall be made a wafte land, ere God's
controversies againft it be ended ; he will fell the heritages
of earls and lords, and others ; yea, and their carcafes, good
cheap. IV. I think, that the Lord, until be raife his Work again,
will guide and manage it, more by his providences, than by
inftruments, and this is, that his hand alone may be feen in
it, and that he may get the glory : And what way is mod
glorifying untp him, fliould it not be moft pleafant and re
joicing to us ?
V. I think, that when the Lord returns again, it will be
with fuch a meafure and out pouring of his Spirit, that the
remnant that Shall be left, Shall have a very heaven upon
earth : And bur land Shall be made the joy of all lands.

The

C 559 3
The FORM and ORDER of the ADMISSION
of ELDERS, as done by Mr. James Renwicx,
at Darmead; and Several other Places of the
Country where he Laboured.
WE defire thankfully to acknowledge to the Lord's praife,
that he did give unto our church, doctrine and poli
cy ; having the meafuring-line ofthe fanctuary Stretched o- ,
ver the Same ; fo that, we may fay, we were once as a wall,
made by a plumb-line, Amos vii. 7. Alfo, we defire to con
fefs it, as our great fin and fliame, that our practice hath nGt
been agreeable to our principles, and if weighed in the ba
lance, we will be found too light : For, in tliefe things
whereunto we had attained, we have not walked by tbe fame
rule, and minded the feme things, Phil. iii. 16. Who may
not fee, that from the corrupt mixtures, in church-officers and
members, there is a great caufe, why (o much wrath is gone
forth from the Lord, againft us, and doth abide upon us?
And his way of dealing with Scotland, now for many years,
fpeaks aloud, that his defign is, to purge his houfe, that his
ordinances may be pure; and alfo, his officers and people:
But, though he hath been purging us, we refufe to be pur
ged ; for every furnace difcovers more drofs, and every Sieve
more chaff There is a perverfe fpirit in the midft of us,
which caufeth us to err, in every work, as a drunken man
ftaggereth in his vomit; and we eat every man the flefli of
his own arm, Manaffeh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manaffeh,
and they together are againft Judah, Ifa. ix. 20, 21. And
now, there is, as it were, a confpiracy among all forts to re
turn to Egypt, to build again the walls of Jericho, and to re
pair the ruins of Edom.
But that I may come to the purpofe; the admiffionof rul-
ing-elders, in this broken and low ftate of our church, hath
been long delayed, and much impeded: Howbeit, through
the good hand of the Lord, We have, after fome confuta
tions and deputations, prayer and fafting, fallen upon it \
and being now to admit fome to this great trull and charge,
I Shall Show, (1.) What is understood in feripture by the
name elder. (2.) I fliall prove from the word of God, the
institution of the ruling elder to be divine. (3.) I Shall Show
what moveth us to admit ruling-elders at this time. (4 ) I
Shall labour to t.tke off what may be objected againft our
prefent proceeding. (5.) I Shall fpeak ofthe vocation, or-cal-
ling of ruling-elders. (.6.) I fliall fbow their duties, and take
the p:rfons, elected and tried, engaged vhcreunto ; and alfo,
fpeak a word unto the duties whereunto the people are bound. 1. As

$6o The Form and Order
i. As to th$ firft, the name, elder, in feripture, doth fig
nify divers things, (i.) It fignifieth old men, i Tim. v. i.
(2.) Thefe who have lived in the times of old, Matth. xv. 2.
(3.) Honourable arid worthy men, Ifa. iii. 2. (4.) It is the
name of a fpiritual officer in the church of Chrift, Acts xiv.
23. Thefe who bear rule in Godjs houfe, are called elders ;
becaufe of the knowledge, gifts, experience, prudence and
gravity, wherewith they ought to be endowed. And there
are feveral forts of fpiritual officers, who in the feripture are
named elders : The doctors or teaching elders, the ministers
or preaching elders, and the ruling, or governing elders:
Thefe three are often, in the new teftament, comprised under
the general name Of elders, Acts xv. 6. 1 Pet. v. 1. It is
the ruling-elder, whom we have now to do with ; who is fo
called, not becaufe the power of ruling and governing the
church belongs to him alone; for that belongs alfo to the
teaching and preaching elders, or to the doctors and paftors ;
but, becaufe to rule and govern, is the principal and chief
part of his charge and employment ; it is the higheft act of
his office : It is not competent for him to teach, that belongs
to the doctor; nor to preach, that belongs to the minifter,
or paftor : But his office is comprifed within the compafs of
ruling and governing the church : And therefore, (I fay) he
is tbe governing, or ruling elder : The apoftle calleth him,
Him that ruleth, Rom. xii. 8. and governments, 1 Cor. xii. 28.
putting the abstract for the concrete, governments for gover
nors. Hence,
Then they greatly err, who call them laick-elders, as if
they were a part of the people only ; and not to be reckoned
among the officers of the Lord's houfe ; whom the popifli
church in their pride calls the clergy ; that is the Lord's in
heritance, in opposition to the laity, or people, whom they
look upon as bafe, and inferior to the other, in worth and
excellency: Whereas all the Lord's people are his portion and
the lot of his inheritance, Deut. xxxii. 9. 2 Pet. v. 3.
They are alfo in a miftake, who, call thefe' only ruling el
ders, who fit in prefbyteries, fynods, and general affemblies,
allowing others the name of elders, but not ruling-elders:
But every elder, in the Lord's houfe, is a ruling-elder ; be
caufe. the power and exercife of rule and government be-
longeth to every elder ; though fome of them, upon fpecial
occafions, be called to a more eminent exercife of it than
others. II. As to the fecond, I prove from the word of God the
institution of the ruling-elder to be divine.
The Lord Jefus Chrift, upon whofe Shoulders the govern
ment is, and who is faithful in all his houfe, hath, in his e-
ternal wifdpm, thought fit to appoint fuch an officer in the
church,

bfthe Admiffion of Ruling- Elders. 56't
church, for the right and orderly governing thereof. It is
true, tbat by the floth, or rather the pride of teachers, whilft
they alone would feem to be Somewhat, and by the policy
of Satan,' and inadvertancy ofthe church, thefe officers ivere,
for fundry ages together, out of ufe in the Christian church. ,
But certain it is, that both the Jewifli fynagogue, and there
after the Christian church, had feniores- or elders, without
whofe counfel nothing Was done in the church- The Jew
ish church had fuch, as appears from 2 Chron xix 8 Jer.
xxix. 1. Matth xvi. 21. And that the Christian church
alfo had them, in the primitive and pureft times thereof, ap
pears from the teftimony of ancient writers, as, Ambrofe,
Auguftine, and others. But we have a more fure word for
the divine institution of ruling-elders, in the Christian church ;
to wit, The teftirnpny pf God in the new teftament; For
clearing whereof, I fball adduce two or three feriptures.
The Srft is, Rom. xii 6, 7, 8. Having then gifts differing,
according to the grace tbat is given to us ; whether prophecy,
let us prophefie, according fo the proportion of faith ; or mini
ftry, let us wait on our miniftring; or he thit teacheth, on
teaching ; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation ; he that giveth
let him do it with fimplicity ; he that ruleth, with diligence ; he
that fihewelh mercy, with cheerfulnefs. In which text the a-
po'ftle doth firft comprehend all the feveral kinds of all ftand*
irig officers in the church of God, under two feveral heads,
to wit, prophecy, whereby is meaned, the ordinary faculty
of right understanding and expounding the feriptures; and
miniftry, Under which is comprehended, all other church of
ficers and emp'oyments. To each of thefe he addeth their
general duties, to wit, That he who prophefieth, fliould c'o
it according to the proportion of faiih ; that is, according to
the meafrire of the knowledge of the word of faith, that he
hath received of God ; and he that minifters, let him wait
on his rhiniftring, that is, let him do it faithfully and diligent
ly. Then, he fubdivides rhefe two generals, into the fpecial
officers contained under them ; He divides him that prophe
fieth into, him that teacheth, and him that exhorteth ; or,
into the doctor, to whom the word of teaching or instruction
belongs ; and the paftor, to whom the word of exhortation
is competent ; and under him- that miniltreth, he compre
hended, him that giveth ; and him that flieweth mercy, by
whom is meaned the deacon, who is appointed for the Sup
ply of the poor 5 and him that ruleth, by whom can be mean
ed no other than the ruling-elder, feeing an ordinary ruling
officer in the church, who is different from the pallor and
teacher, is here fpokenof by the apoftle.
The fecond place of Scripture is,. 1 Cor. x'fi. 28, And God
hath fet feme in the church, firft apoftles, fecondly prophets, th'.rd-
B b b b - >y

5 6* , The Form and Order
ly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps,
governments, diverfities of tongues. Here Paul reckoneth fe
veral officers of the church, fome extraordinary,^ as apoftles,.
prophets, powers, or miracles, gifts of healing, kinds of
tongues ; fome ordinary, fuch as teachers, or the ordinary
church officers, who are exercifed in the word : helps, that
is the deacons, who are appointed for the help and relief of
the poor; and governments, that is, the governing or rul
ing-elders ; for this cannot be any other of the church offi
cers, becaufe thefe he named befides.
The third place of feripture is, i Tim. v. 17. Let the elders
that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, efpecially
who labour in the word and doilrine. Which text diftinguifb-
eth two forts of elders, to whom Chrift hath committed the
power of ruling : One fort, who. do alfo labour in the word
and doctrine, as paftors and teachers : Another fort, who
do only rule, and doing it well, are counted worthy of dou
ble honour; and thefe are the ruling-elders.
Now the office of the ruling-elder being of divine institu
tion, thefe that are once lawfully called thereunto, and have
gifts from God meet to exercife the fame (unlefs they be re
moved therefrom, becaufe of iriifcarriage) are ftill elders;
though (happily) in congregations, where many qualified
men may be found, fome may be permitted, for a time, to
furceafe from the exercife of their charge, and others put in
their room, as was among the Levites under the law, in ferv-,
ing the temple, by courfes,
III. As to the third, I Shall Show what moveth us to admit
ruling-elders at this time : As,
Firft, The neceffity of fuch an officer in the houfe of God :
He is inftitute in the word, and we ought to conftitute him ;
for without him government arid difeipline cannot be rightly
exercifed. It was Still in a declining time of the church, that
this office was little regarded : And becaufe of the Singular
neceffity and ufefulnefs thereof, it has been a great eye-fore
to Satan and his inftruments: And in former times and cafes
of the church, like unto this, the admitting of qualified men
un:o this truft and charge, hath been followed with no fmall
bleffing, and fuccefs and progrefs in reformation ; which we
pray God, may be the confequent of this our action.
Secondly, The perpetuation, and continuation of fuch an
officer in the houfe of God : For, the old, or former elders,
are many of them dead, and many of them turned fo grofly
Scandalous, and fallen into fuch ugly defection, that they
have rendred themfelves incapable of being continued, or
acknowledged as Iuch officers.
IV. As to the fourth, I labour to take off what may be
objected againft our prefent proceeding ; and this I dp by
anfwer-'

of the Admiflion of Ruling-Elders. 563
anfwering to fome questions, that may be moft orderly pro
poned. The firft queftion is, It is ufual, that ruling-elders be ad
mitted to refpective parishes ; but, this admiflion is not fo ;
therefore, how can it be fuftained as lawful ?
I anfwer, \ft, Ruhng-elders are indeed admitted to refpec
tive parishes, in the cafe and time of a conftituted church ;
but now in the time of this her broken and declining ftate,
there is a moral impoffibility of doing it fo ; For, the moft
part of the people in the feveral pariShes of the land are either
turned avowed and Slated enemies unto God, or become fuch
that they will do nothing for God, and have no meddling in
fuch matters: And the want of that accidental circumftance,
can no ways warrant us to forbear fuch neceffary duty.
2dly, Thefe ruling-elders who now are to be admitted,
are to exercife their office over fuch as elect them ; yea, and
all Such as will fubmit unto them, which none concurring
with the teftimony of the day* will refufe. Howbeit, they
are particularly and fpecially tied, to take infpection of that
bounds, where they are chofen ; and therefore, they are to
endeavour to refide there, fo far as the troubles of the time
may allow.
1\dly, They are, as to their not being fixed in refpective pa
rishes, in the like circumftances with the minifters, who, in
this broken ftate of the church, do officiate to all who em
ploy them -, and if this manner be right to them, fo it is alfo
to the ruling-elders in the prefent condition of affairs.
The fecond queftion is, How can elders be admitted by a-
ny minifters, but thefe who are fettled and fixed in their re
fpective pariShes ?
I anfwer, We find in feripture, that it hath been done in
the growing ftate of the church, Aits xiv. 23. And there
fore it is moll lawful for minifters, in her disturbed and bro
ken ftate, when people invite them, receive ordinances , at
their hands, and fet the meh, whom they choofe, before
them ; to admit fuch to this office, providing that, after trial,
they be found qualified; which accordingly hath been prac-
tifed in the churches of Chrift in former ages : Yea, even in
the time of a constitute church, though it be moft ufual and
ordinary, that elder: are admitted by the rninifters of their
refpective pariflies ; yet, in a cafe that a parifh wanted a mi
nister, that work was to be performed by one or more mini
fters of the prefbytery,
. The third queitipn, is, This way of admiflion feems to be
fehifmatical ; yea, the fetting up a church within a church ;
therefore, how can it be warrantable ?
I anfwer, There is nothing like fehifin in it: For, though
we have not the concurrence of thefe minifters and elders,
B b b b 2 uk°

564 The Form and Order
who are departed out of the way, with who*" we cannot join
in oilier parts of their office ; yet this work is agreed upon by
the faithful minifters and elders, who own the teftjmoriy of
the day. There is here no new thing ; there is here no in
novation ; there is here no fetting up a church within a
church, but an adding to the number of her officers, that
the old church, tofay fo, may not dfe among our hands.
The fourth queftion^ If our church fhall come to a con
stituted fettled ftate, then what flialf become of thefe elders?
How, or where fliall they exercife their function ?
I anfwer, That even as the minifters, who now travel a-
bout, in difcharging their office, moftly for the advantage of
the church, in the cafe wherein She now' i?, would then be
ministers of that particular flock or pariSh, whereunto they
got application ; fo, the ruling-elder, with application to the
refpective pariSh, where then they might reSide, Would be
come their elders ; and no civil power on earth ufurping a
fupremacy, or ecclefiaftical power, mifweilding the keys, can
exauctorate thefe, whom now we admit; unlets their own
fcandals give an ecclefiaftick power (confcientioufly ufing the
keys) fufficient ground tor it, which we pray the Lord may
prevent. V. As to the fifth, I fpeak of the vocation, or calling of
ruling-elders : As no man is to intrude himfelf into any fa-
cred function in the houfe of God, Heb, v 4. fo, before
any take upon him to exercife the office of a ruling-elder, he
ought to be lawfully called thereunto: This call is inward,
or outward : Tbe inward call is the teftimony of a good con
fcience, concerning fome meafure of ability and gifts fop the
charge; and fincere and honeft inclinations and purpofes, to.
imploy thefe gifts for the honour of God, the advancement
of the kingdom of Chrift Jefus, and the good of fouls. The
outward calling is, to be after the fame manner with that
of other church officers: And it Stands (1.) In their election.
(2.) The trial of their carriage and gifts. (3.) Their admiSTi-
on to the charge.
1. The election is to be made, by thefe amongft whorri
they are to bear charge, Acts vi. 3. 5. and xiv. 23. That it
may be gone about in the more orderly way, it is fit that a
nomination be made of the beft qualified perfons, for the
employment, by the minifter and elders ; in cafe of the want
of elders, by the moft judicious and godly members; parti
cularly mafters of families: And that intimation ofthe names
pf the perfons nominated, be publickly made to the people,
among whom they are to bear rule; and they defired, in cafe
of their not being fatisfied, as having exceptions, or know
ing others better qualified., to reprefent the feme. 2, The

of the Admiflion of Rukng-Elders. 565
2. The trial is to be made by the minifter and elderfhip :
And, they are to be tried, both in regard of their converfa-
tiqn, that it be blamelefs and holy ; and alfo, in regard of
their knowledge, and experience in the things of God, and
affairs of his houfe, and of their ability and prudence for go
vernment. The apoftle, 1 Timothy iii. 10. fpeaking of dea
cons, which is the loweft rank of the officers of the church,
requires, that they firft be proved; And more efpecially
ought the elders ; yea, the fame reafons and grounds, that
plead for the trial of a minifter, plead alfo for the trial of ru
ling-elders, in a way Suitable to the qualifications required in
them. 3. The admiflion is to be made by the minifter, in prefence
of the whole congregation, with the preaching of the word
concerning their duty ; and with prayer and humiliation,
concerning the fpirit of their calling to be poured out upon
them ; and that the pleafure of the Lord may profper in their
hands : At which time, they are folemnly to engage them,
felves unto all the duties of that holy office ; and the people
alfo are to engage themfelves, to fubmit unto them in the
Lord. Now this order hath been followed for the perfons, who
now are to be admitted into this great truft : They have been
elected by the refpective focieties, among whom they are par
ticularly to bear rule ; and tried by the minifter and elders,
arid found, (in a tolerable meafure) qualified for that honour
able employment. And that we may proceed to admiflion,
we defire you who have been chofen and proven, for bearing
the office of ruling-elders, to ftand up.-  I.aSk, if ye be all
willing to take on the charge of ruling-elders in the church
of Chrift.- 
VI. So I come, in the Sixth place, to Show you the duties
of ruling-elders, to take you engaged thereunto.
The duties are, either perfonal, and relate to your conver
fation ; or, official, and relate to the office. Your perlbnal
qualifications, or the duties of your converfation, are the
lame with thefe that the apoftle requires in the converfation
of a minifter, 1 Tim. iii. 2,  7. iv. I2, and vi. 11. Alfo
Tit. i. 6,7, 8. For under the nairie of e^ks;™, or overfeers,
he comprehends all thefe officers, who have overfight and
charge of fouls. But that ye may more distinctly know the
duties of your converfation, from thefe feriptures, I fliall f'ub-
divide them into negative and pofitive duties : The negative
duties Show you what you muft not be; and the pofitive,
what you muft be, in regard of your converfation.
NEGATIVE DUTIES, are,
! (1.) Ye muft ndt be given to wine ; ye muft- not be lovers nor

$66 '¦ The Form and Order
nor followers of ftrong drink, nor tipple away. time in ale-
houfes. (2.) Ye muft not be covetous nor greedy of filthy
lucre. (3.) Ye muft not be foon angry, neither upon. real,
nor conceived caufe of provocation (4.) Ye muft not be
ftrikers nor brawlers, nor given to quarellings and contenti
ons. (5.) Ye muft not be felf-willed, adhering pertinaci
ously, and without reafon, to your own judgements, and re
fusing to hearken to the judgement of your brethren, though
found and wholefome. (6.) Ye muft not be novices, orfuch
as are newly come to the faith, left ye be puffed up with pride,
and fall into the condemnation of the devil : The fpirits of
novices are not yet well baliafted, nor brought low by fre
quent exereifes of the crofs ; and fo come to be more eafily
puffed up : Therefore, there is need that ye be exercifed fol
diers of Jefus Chrift, and who by experience are taught to
know the wiles ofthe devil, and are able to endure hardnefs.
POSITIVE DUTIES
(1.) Ye muft be biamelefs, that is, without offence towards'
God and man. (2,) Ye muft be vigilant, watchful over your
own fouls, that no temptation prevail upon you; ready to
lay hold upon every opportunity of well-doing.- (3.) Ye muft
be fober and temperate, of a found and humble mind modera
ting your own "appetites and affections, and fatisfying your
felves with a moderate ule of the creatures and things of this
world. (4 ) Ye muft be chafte, Shunning all lulls, and every
immodeft and unbecoming carriage. (5.) Ye muft be holy ;
careful to exercife the life of religion, and power of godlinefs,
in all your converfation (6.) Ye muft be juft and upright
in your dealings among men, deceiving no man, and with
holding from no man what is his -due. (7.) Ye muft be mo
derate and not rigorous, nor exacting the higheft of the law
in your dealings; but in your own particulars of a condefcen-
ding nature, and remitting fomething of Strict juftice. (8.)
Ye muft be given to hofpitality ; ready to receive ftrangers,
efpecially the poor and thefe who are of the houfhold of
faith. (o ) Ye muft be lovers of good men, whofe fouls
cleave to tliefe who fear God, having Such an estimation above
ali others, cherifliing them, and conversing ordinarily with
them, and familiarly with them. (10.) Ye muft be apt to
teach, that is, men of knowledge and able to inftruct others,
of willing and ready minds to teach others; which is not fo
meant, as if it were requifite for you to be endued with the gift
pf inftruction and exhortation, competent to the teacher and
pallor; or that ye may and ought to employ yourfelves there
in : But of that fitnefs and ability to teach, that is competent
to your calling, which ye "muft be ready and willing toxxer- cife,

of the Admiflion of Ruling-Elders.' 567
cife, fo far as is competent to you or belongs to you. (11.)
Ye muft be patient, waiting upon your duty, without weary
ing, notwithftanding of difficulties, and bearing the delays,
untractablenefs and injuries of others. (12.) Ye muft be of
a good behaviour, men of a grave and Stayed, yet of an affa
ble and courteous carriage; neither light nor vain, to the Iof
ing of your authority, and rendring yourfelves contemptible;
nor furlyand felf-pleafing to the dilcouraging and fearring a-
way of the flock, by your needlefs distance and aufterity. ( 1 3.)
Ye muft be Slable in the truths of God ; holding faft she faith
ful word, which ye have been taught, without wavering and
turning afide to error. (14.) Ye muft be of a good report of.
thefe, who are without; left ye fall into reproach, and the
Share of the devil : Not that ye muft be without the reproach
of a wicked and malignant generation ; for they reproached .
Chrift, the Prophets and Apoftles. But that ye muft be of
fuch a blamelefs converfation, Sober and Chriftian walk, as
may extort a teftimony even from thefe, who know not God,
and by well-doing put to filence the ignorance of foolifh men,
that if any fpeak evil of you, as evil doers, they may be a-
fhamed who fpeak falfly againft your good converfation in
Chrift. (15-) Ye muft perform your relative duties. You
who have families muft rule well your own houfes. This rul
ing well imports, not only an ability for doing of it ; but al
fo, making confcience of and actually performing thefe duties
that are required, for the right ordering of a Chriftian fami-
¥ -
I proceed, in the next place, to Show your official duties,
or the duties of your office and calling : And I fubdivide them
into more private and more public duties. The more private
Shew you, what you are to perform yourfelves alone ; and the
more public, what ye are to perform jointly with the reft of
the overfeers of the houfe of God
The more private duties of your calling are thefe, that
Chriftians are bound to perform each one to other, by the
law of charity and love, and much more ye by virtue of your
office. As,
(1.) Ye muft inftruct, John iv. 29 Acts xviii. 26. (2 ) Ye
muft exhort, Heb, x. 24, 25. (3.) Ye muft admonifh and
rebuke, Lev. xix. 17. (4.) Ye muft comfort the afflicted,
and fupport the weak, 1 Theff v. 11. (5 ) Ye muft reftore
thefe that are fallen, Gal. vi. 1. And fo alio endeavour fo pre
vent the falling, or Straying of any, and their countenancing
or ftrengthning any courfe of iniquity or defection. (6.) Ye
muft reconcile thefe, that are at variance, Matth. v. 9. (7.)
Ye muft pray one for another, Jude 20. (8.) Ye muft vilit
the fick and thefe who are in diftrefs, Matth. xxv. 36. The
feripture doth expreSly mention Softie of thefe duties as incum bent

568 the Form and order
bent upon ruling-elders, as admonition, 1 Theff v. 12. visi
ting and praying over the fick, Jam. v. 14. feeding the flock
by inftruction, exhortation, rebuke and comfort, in fuch a
way as is competent to their, Station, Acts xx. 28. and the reft
we may warrantably gather by analogy and proportion : For
if private Chriftians be oblidged thereunto, much more are
Chriftian elders in a fpecial way, who have the charge of
fouls. Thefe things are well exprefled in the Sixth chapter pf
the fecond book of difeipline, " As paftors and doctors (fey
" they) Should be diligent in teaching and foWing the feed of
*' the word ; fo, the elders Should be careful in feeking the
«' fruit of the fame of the people. It appertains to them to a-
'-• fift the pallor in examination of them that come to the Lord's
" table ; and in vifiting the fick : They Should caufe the acts
«' of the affemblies, as well particular as general, to be put in
" execution carefully. They Should be diligent in admoniSh-
" ing all men of their duty, according to the rule of the e-
" vangelift : Things that they cannot correct by private ad-
«' monition, they Should bring to the elderShlp."
The more public duties ot your calling, are thefe which lie
upon you, in the affemblies, or courts of the church, which
are made of teaching-elders, preachiog-elders, and ruling-
elders. Thefe affemblies are congregational, claffical, pro
vincial, general, or national and oecumenical. Thefe things
which are handled in the affemblies of the church, are, either
matters of faith, matters of order, matters of difeipline, or
that which concerneth the Sendingof the church-officers. Ac
cording to which, they have a fourfold power.
'Firft, D'ogmatick, whereby they judge of truth and error,
in points of doctrine, according to the word of God only.
Secondly, Diatadtick, whereby they difcern and judge of the
circumftances of thefe things, that belong to the worfhip of
God ; as times, places, perfons, and all fuch particulars in ec-
cleflaflick affairs (as are not determined in the word) accor
ding to the general rules thereof, concerning order and de
cency, avoiding of fcandal, doing all to the glory of God and
edifying of the church. 7.dly, Critick, or corrective, whereby
the feandalous are cenfured, and the penitent received again
into the ordinances and fellowship of the church. 4thly, Ex-
oufiaStick, whereby church officers are fent and authorized,
and power given unto them to ferve the houfe of God.
All thefe aSfemblies are not to exercife all thefe powers, but
to keep themfelves within tlieir due bounds ; the inferior
leaving thefe things that are of more common concernment
to the fuperiors. But in all thefe powers ruling-elders have
a Share, and do put forth the fame in exerciSe according to the
meafure that belongsl to the affembly, whereof they are mem
bers, Aits xv, 6. 22, 23. Howbeit tbe execution of fome de
crees

of the Admiflion of Ruling-Elders. 569
crees of church-affemblies, fuch as, the imposition of hands,
the pronouncing the fentence of excomunicaiion, receiv ng of
penitents, the intimation of the deposition of ministers, and
fuch like, doth belong to the ministers alone.
But becaufe the government, and more frequent duties of
ruling elders, lieth (for tbe moft part) in the exercife of their
'fhare of the power of cenfuring fcandal and feandaious per
fons, and trying and admitting of penitents. Therefore, I
Show you fomewhat of the right way of following your du
ty in thefe things. As,
17?. Ye muft exercife your power over all perfons within
your charge indifferently and impartially ; over the rich as
well as the poor, the high as well as the low, your kinsfolk
as well as others, Jam.- ii- 1. Divers weights and divers mea-
fures are an abomination to the Lord ; yea you muft exercile it
over thefe of your own number ; and alfo, over teaching and
preaching elders, Acts xx. 28.
2d, Yemuft exercife your power towards all forts of feandals
and offences, 2 Theff. iii. 6. The acts of our church do appoint
that, whatfoever it be, that might fpot a Chriftian congre
gation, ought not to efcape either admonition or cenfure.
Therefore ye muft take notice of all Scandalous omiffions and
commiffions. ^d, Ye muft not bring in civil questions anddebates before
the affemblies of the church, John xviii 36.
4th, Ye muft obferve this order in taking notice of offen
ces : If the offence be private, and known but to a few, then
follow the order prefcribed unto you by Chrift, Matth. xviii.
15, 16, '7. If the offence be public, and open, then is the of
fender, without previous admonitions, to be delated to the
feffion, 1 Tim v. 20.
$th, In thefe delations, you muft not, upon every rumour,
Or jealoufie, or fufpicion, bring men to be queftioned pub
licly, as feandaious walkers ; but ye are firft to make diligent
and prudent enquiry about the truth of the matter, and to
fee if it can be proven by witneffes ; or, if the fcandal there
of be common and flagrant, or attended with pregnant like
lihoods, and prefumptions of truth, before ye bring it to
public. 6th, In the matter of delations and cenfure, ye muft, in
the fear of God, and fincerity of your heart, take heed, that
fear, or favour, or folicitations, or threatnings, or gifts, or
bribes, make you not wink at the faults of any ; and that
paffion, or malice, or private quarrels and particulars, make
you not rip up, delate, or cenfure the mifcarriage of any :
And alfo, that ye carry yourfelves with tendernefs, compaf
lion and moderation towards the offender, Gal, vi, 1. that
C c c c )e

57® The Form and Order
ye may commend yourfelves to every man's confcience, 2
Cor: iv. 2.
jth, Ye muft not ufe, nor inflict any civil punifhment u-
pon perfons convicted of fcandal: The kingdom of Jefus
Chrift arid the cenfures thereof are fpiritual, and not of this
worldy John xviii. 36.
8th, Ye muft not ufe the cenfures of the church as a bo
dily punifliment, or penance to fatisfy for fin ; but as a fpiritu
al medicine, for humbling and gaining of the foul: All
churcb-cenfures, even excommunication itfelf, are ordained
of God for this end, 1 Cor. v. 5 The word fatisfaction,
may admit of a tolerable construction in church-cenfures, in
order to the removing ofthe fcandal ; but this being fo much
abufed in the popish church, and the hearts of men being fo
prone to turn gofpel repentance into a mere legal penance,
and to conceive, that by a mere outward fubmiffion and o-
bedience to the cenfures of the church, the guilt of their Sin
is done away before God : Therefore, ye would carefully
fliun every thing that may give occafion to the fofteririg of
this pernicious opinion, aud take due pains to instruct the
offenders, in the true nature and ends of the cenfures-of the
church. oth, Ye muft take pains upon perfons convicted of fean-
dals, to bring them to repentance, and to have them fitted
to evidence and declare the fame in publick, before the con
gregation, that fo the fcandal may be removed.
10th, Ye muft not defire, or appoint, any to profefs re-
pentence before the congregation, until the figns thereof ap
pear in them : For, it is but a mocking, to put fuch to pub
lic repentance, who neither underftand what fin is, what re
pentance is, what grace is, nor by whom God's favours and
mercies are purchafed : For this, fee what is fet down in the
form and order of publick repentance, appointed by the af
fembly 1567.
Laftly, When the Signs and evidences of unfeigned repent
ance do appear in thefe who have offended ; ye muft Show
yourfelves ready and willing to receive them, with all tender
nefs and compaflion, and to forgive and comfort them, and
confirm your love towards them, 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8. '
Now thefe are the duties briefly and fummarily holden
forth unto you.  But, before we take you engaged, we
will pray.  : —
Do ye give your adherence to the feriptures of the old and
new teftament*, our confeffion of faith, as it is received and
approven by the general affembly of this church, our cate-
chifms larger and Shorter, our covenants national and folemn
league, and to the acts of our lawful general affemblies, for
promoval and defence of reformation .' And alfo, unto the
teftimony

ofthe Admiffion of Riding-Elder si 571
teftimony of our day, againft popery, prelacy, eraftianifm,
indulgence, tyranny, fectarianifrri, fchifm, defection, and
all herefie and error; as it is Slated and owned by the prefent
witneffing and fuffering remnant, according to the word of
God, and the forefaids ? And do ye firmly and unfeignedly
purpofe and refolve, to continue all the days of your lives in
adherence to thefe ? fo that no terror or perfuafion of men
fhall turn you afide, either to compliance with iniquity, or
deferting of duty.
Now, do ye undertake the office of ruling-elders in the
church of Chrift, and Solemnly engage before the Lord, that
ye Shall be faithful, diligent and watchful over the flock com
mitted to your charge, and in all the duties of that holy and
honourable employrrient ?
And ye who are the people, ye are taken engaged to obey
thefe ruling-elders, and to fubmit yourfelves to them in the
Lord -.jfor they watch for your fouls, as they that mull give
account : And to honour them, and highly efteem them in
love for their works fake, according as is prefcribed unto
you, Heb. xiii. 17. I Theff. v. 12, 13. If ye Shall mifregard
their office, difdain tlieir perfons, Slight their wholfom in-
ftructions and exhortations, and neglect their found and fea
fonable admonitions and rebukes, ye Shall be found to def-
pife Chrift, contemn his ordinances, reject the means of
your edification, and to fave your own fouls, in the Sight of
the holy one, when he fhall be revealed from heaven, with his
mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus
Chrift. Thus Mr. James Renwick admitted, or ordained elders
(ftill concluding the work with prayer) not only at the two
times and places foreSaid, but at other times in feveral other
places, in that disturbed and afflicted ftate of the church ;
which the unbyaffed reader may perceive, was no lefs order
ly, folemn, and conform to feripture-rule, than if it had been
in a fettled and constituted church. Yea, fome may obferve
iiow far it excels the fuperficial manner of admitting elders
by many in a fettled and (as is pretended, well) constituted
church. And if elders, admitted in our days, have not been
fo well preadmonifhed of their duties, or be not confcienti
oufly diligent and faithful in the difeharge of their feveral du
ties, in that fecred function, they need not be afhamed to
learn by the above-m/ntioned, method and documents of that
young difciplc of Chrift, who, it is evident, was a beloved
one, and had the mind of the Lord ; and like young Eliliu,
baving the fpirit and love of Chrifl conftraining him, did
not accept any man's perfon, nor give^flattering titles to man ;
but freely and faithfully delivered the whole counfel of God.
C c c c 3 A Reply

C 572 .1
A REPLY to Mr. Robert Langlan's LETTER
to Gavin Wotherspoon, by Mr. James Ren-
wick Minifter of the Gofpel.
December 13, 1685.
Sir,
IH A VE feen your letter which you wrote to Gavin Wo-
therfpoo'n, and it doth not a little trouble me, that ye
have, and expreft fo great mistakes of us; many are the
wormwoods and bitteringredients in our cup, and I think our
fad and wide breaches (together with the various fpiritual
plagues that have leized upon our fpirits) are amongft the
bitterell. Bnt until the Lord heal our backflidings, (by tak
ing away the guilt thereof, and breaking the power thereof,
and removing the fpiritual judgments, which are the faddeft
confequcnces thereof, and pour down the fpirit from on high)
it will never be otherwife with us : Our ruptures will never
be truly and fafely removed, until our fins- be confeffed,
mourned over and forfaken, and the'unclean fpirits of felf,
prejudice, and mistakes be made to pafs out of the land. For
mine own part, union in the Lord, would be a moft rejoic
ing, pleafant, and defirable thing : I fay, that union, that is
bottomed upon the truth, and cemented with love ; for any
kind of union would be but a confpiracy, and not union. 0
for that foul-raviftiing day, when we fliall have union right
ly qualified ! I think that would be the church of Scotland's
reftauratipn. But to come to your forefaid letter : There are fome things
there, Sir, which (I fay) are not a little aftonifliing to me:
I Shall not now enter into the lift ofthe debate ; but I defire,
in the fear of the Lord, that, ye would look otherwife
upon our matters : Ye fay, *' That we have overturned pref-
" byt'erian government even to the foundation, and put in its
*' room a popular confufion : And to prove this, ye inftance'
a paper of ours in reply to James Ruffel, his libel againft us;
whence ye draw, that we commit to perfons, that are not
church officers, the trial both of the degree of feandals, and
the degree of cenfures to be inflicted for the fame. But in
this ye wrong our paper, very fadly ; for, it does rtot at all
fpeak of cenfures, or the meafure thereof committed to thefe
perfons, but only the trying and fearching out the meafure
of the Scandal ; and by trying and fearching, there, we do
not underftand, a judicial trying and fearching, but only pri
vate, and popular, by way of information 5 not that we might judge

Mr. Renwick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter. 573
judge or cenfure the perfon, if feandaious: But, that we
might have a judgment of our own duty, how to carry to
wards him ; and if the meafure of the fcandal would bear
the weight of our withdrawing from him: Non per modum
fpecia/is delegationis-, fed per modum communis charitatis ; not
by way of fpecial delegation, but by way of common charity,
which is no act of the keys : And this is very clear ; feeing
our paper makes no mentiori of cenfure, though ye alledge
the Same upon it. Alfo charity, which thinketh no evil,
would put this conftruction upon our words, feeing they can
fo well bear it. Again, the word (try) is taken in this fenfe,
1 John iv. 1. Try the fpirits, which epiftle is not written to
church guides, only : ficklike, Rutherford, in his peaceable
plea for prelbytery, chap. i. page 83. difclaims a representa
tive church, in a common fenfe ; which is a number fent by
a community, to give laws, abfolutely tying : As if believers
Should fay, we refign our faith and confcience to you, to hold
good whatfoever you determine, without repeal, or trial :
Now, doth not this make it clear, that our words will bear
this fenfe ? All that we underftand and exprefs by them, is
alfo competent to profeSfors of the faith; as Acts xvii. 11.
Thefe of Berca received the word with all readinefs of mind, and
fearched the feriptures daily, whether thefe things were fo. Now,
thefe were the believers in Berea, and not tire church-guides,
as is clear in the 12th verfe, where it is fpoken of women,'
who are not admitted to bear any office in the church : More
over, Acts xi. Thefe of the circumcifion contended with Peter,
for an alledged fcandal, for eating with the uncircumcifed ;
and he rehearfes the matter from the beginning, and expounds
it in order to them. From this, I do not draw (with the in
dependents) that the power of cenfuring church-guides is in
the hands of the people ; as in their argument from the fore-
cited place: But, I hold what holy and learned Rutherford
faith, in anfwer thereunto, in his peaceable plea, chap. iv.
page 51, 52. (to wit) That Peter, or any church-guide, is
to purge himfelf before any one brother of a Scandal : Yea,
the neceflity of his falvation, and fo the law of nature forbids
to offend the weak, and willeth him to purge himfelf, if he
were a Pope, faith Oecom. ' If Peter had done wrong, he-
was obliged to confefs his fcandal before one offended bro
ther, and alfo, before all the church : But that proveth not
jurisdiction in the believer.
Lafily, If this belong not unto people, they have, nothing;
but a blind implicite faith ; and what better are they than pa
pifts, who muft believe as the church believes t Yea, hath
not every private Chriftian a judgment of dilcretion, even in
reference to the actions of others ? feeing they are "to do no
thing doubtingly, but to be fully perfuaded in their1 own
mir.ds

574 Mr. Renwick's Reply to Mr. Langlatfs Letter.
minds, Rom. xiv. 5. 23. TBut fome (I know) fay, that with
drawing from a feandaious perfon, is a cenfuring of a fean
daious perfon ; and to withdraw from a feandaious minifter,
is to depofe him, and make him no minifter. But this I de*
ny; for fimpte withdrawing is not the inflicting of a cenfure,
but only the believers testifying their fenfe, that the cenfure
fhould be inflicted (to wit) by fuch .as are competent : And
this is warranted by feripture, Rom. xvi. 17. Eph. v. 11. 2
Theff iii. 14. and many fuch like places. Alfo, Rutherford
faith, in his peaceable plea, chap. iv. page 25. That the law
of nature will warrant a popular and private fubftradtion and
feparation from the miniftry of a known wolf and feducer ;
and alloweth what Parker faith, from Saravia, Licet tutela
inculpata uti, ft malus reclor ab ecclefia deponi nequit. It is
lawful to ufe that blamelefs and juft defence, if the bad
church-guide cannot be depofed. Any private perfon may
take that care for the fafety of their foul, that they may do
for the fafety of their bodies : For, a fon may defend him
felf, by flying from his diftractcd father, coming to kill him ;
and none will call this an act judicial of authority, but only
an act natural. Now, I fay, private feparation from fean
daious perfons, is not depriving of them, if they be paftors ;
nor an excommunjeating of them, if they be profeffors : For,
the latter is, an act of authority, belonging to thefe to whom
Chrift hath given the keys ; but the former is an act natural,
belonging to every believer. Likewife, if withdrawing from
a feandaious perfon be a cenfuring of feandaious perfons, then
the profeffors who withdraw from the curates, do cenfure,
the curates ; which I hope no found preSbyterian will fay.
Howbeit, I distinguish betwixt a perfon feandaious really,
and a perfon Scandalous judicially; and between a church in
a Settled Slate, and a church in a broken Slate. So, I fay,
when a church is in a fettled ftate, a perfon really feandaious
cannot be withdrawn from, until (at leaft) he be judicially,
by two or three witneffes, convicted, before the church,
Rutherford's peaceable plea, chap ix. page 117. feeing that
the brethren offended have church-judicatories to appeal uri-
to, for taking order with offenders : But when the church is
jn a broken ftate, and every man (as the children of Ifrael,
when they wanted governors) doing that which is right in his
own eyes, there may and fliould be withdrawing from a per
fon feandaious really, though he be not feandaious judicially ;
becaufe then ecclefiaftick judicatories, for cenfuring of him,
cannot be had : Otherwife, all muft go into a mixed confu
fion together ; the faithful muft become partakers of other
mens fins, private and popular means of reclaiming offend
ing brethren fliall be Stopt, and the teftimonies of the faith
ful fliall fall to the ground. But (mark it) I am not, even in

Mr. Ren-wick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter. c->5
in this cafe, for a rude, off-hand withdrawing, until private
admonition (according to Chrift's method) once and again,
prove ineffectual; and the offender declare his obstinacy.
Now, I beg that ye would confider how heavy a charge ye
have laid upon us, by afferting, " That we have overturned
" prefoyterian government even to the foundation, and put
" in its room popular confufion ;" feeing your grounds are
bottomlefs. And as to this I fhall fay no more : But ye have
a way, Sir, of drawing Stretched confequences from words
and fentences, (which I cannot join with) as ye have done
from the forefaid words, in our forefaid reply ; as, to all un
prejudiced perfons, may be manifeft. As alfo, from that
word [[treacherous] in our proteftation, againft the ScotiSb
congregation at Rotterdam, afferting and writing, that the
forefaid word [treacherous] imports a defign to betray : But
for my own part, I could never fee that it imported more
than a practical deferring of duty, or betraying of -truft, ab
stracting from the perfon's defign ; and I never knew another
commentary upon it : And I defire to know, what way
treacherous (expreffed Zeph. iii. 4.) will bear your fenfe.
Alfo, great Mr. Durham, in his treatife upon fcandal, doth
fay, " That the term, malicious, is not to be referred to the
" defign of the perfon ; though malicious be ftill taken in as
" bad a fenfe as treacherous." Ah ! the Lord behold our
cafe. James Buffel fpreads of us, that we went off at the
left-hand, by admitting feandaious perfons amongft us : And
ye write of us, that we went off the right-hand, by devolving
the church power upon the Shoulders of the people ; fo we
are beat upon both hands. The Lord help us.
Secondly, Ye fay, " We have moft unhappily thruft in
" ourfelves into the magistrates room, and taken to us the
" civil government." Wherefrom do ye draw this ? From
our declining the magiftrates, becaufe tyrants ? Then every
man declining a prelate, becaufe a church-officer not of
Chrift's appointment, thrufts'himfelf into the prelate's room,
and takes unto himfelf the eccleliaftick' government ; and
what great abfur'dity will be here ? But miftake me not ; for
I will not misinterpret your words : Ye fay, *' That, if every
"- man of us, for himfelf, had faid, he could not own the
" magiftrates and the prefent government, becaufe tyrants
" and tyrannical ; there had been little to be faid ;. efpecially
" if we had done as we faid, ftriving like men to caft off the
*' yoke." But, granting it had been fo, there would have
been fomething to be faid ; for little to be faid, imports fome
thing to be faid ; and I know many faid very much, even a-
gainft the matter of the deed : Alfo, we could have faid more,
than that we, every man for himfelf, could not own the go
vernment, becaufe tyrannical; and the magiftrates, becaufe
tyrants;

57<5 Mr. Renivick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter.
tyrants : For we could have faid, we, for ourfelves and all
our adherents, and all thefe by whom we were Sent and com-
miffionated for that deed, could. not own the forefaids ; and
that the law of God, the law pf nature, and the fundamen
tal laws of our land, and our covenants, did oblige all the
fubjects of the kingdom (efpecially thefe who yet profefs ad
herence to our covenants) to do, as we have done : And this
is all that I underftand, by any words in our declaration (a-
bout which ye make fo much matter of debate.) Alfo, how
can it be inftructed, that we have acted as a convention of
eftates ? The mere difowning of the prefent government, and
governors, doth it not ; for that is an act radical and natural.
,And as for the expreffion itfelf, in our Lanerk declaration,
(ufed in the historical relation of the Sanquhair declaration
preceeding) to wit, convention of eftates ; what needeth fo
much fighting about it, feeing ye know our mind ? Famous
Mr. Rutherford faith, in his peaceable plea, chap. ix. page
107. " That he lifts not to Strive about names." We crave
only that right, that God and nature have given us ; and,
come in behind us, or go out before us who will, let us have
our own place. Howbeit, as to me, thefe words, that ye
fight fo much againft, in our declaration, may bear a fafe
fenfe, though I difown the fenfe ye put upon them : For, as
to convention of eftates, I underftand it not in a formal and
proper fenfe, extending itfelf judicially over the whole land
(although all were obliged to have concurred with us, by rea
fon of the duty of the action :) But in an improper and figu
rative fenfe ; yea, may it not be faid by Synecdoche ? the
better part getting the denomination of the whole ; they ac
ting jointly, by common confent, and explicite commiffion,
for that effect, from feveral honeft fufferers, in feveral cor
ners of the land, in the name of all their adherents; and
founding upon the law of nature, the fundamental laws of
the kingdom, and our laudable constitutions. And as to
the other expreffion, in our Lanerk declaration, to wit,
" In our name and authority ;" I underftand it not as im
porting the authority of the judge, but the authority of the
law, which certainly they had ; they keeping by the funda
mental laws of the land.
And as to that, in our firft declaration at Sanquhar, viz.
" Reprefentatives of church and covenanted nation :" What
abfurdity is there in faying, that thefe elders, who keep clof-
eSl by the lawful conftitutions of a church, are the reprefen
tatives thereof? And people of a covenanted nation, who
keep clofeft by their covenants, (even though they were,
mever fo few) are the reprefentatives thereof, as it is covenan
ted ; though not in an authoritative and nomothetical, yet
in a material and participal fenfe ; as it hath a relation to the
word

Mr. Renwick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter. 577
word from whence it is derived, that is reprefentatives, not
as it is Strictly taken, for thefe who are clothed with formal
authority ; but as it is largely taken, for thefe who do repre-
fent, or are in the place of others, doing that which all,
whom they reprefent, are obliged unto, from the nature of
the thing But I do not hold, that thefe declarations were
emitted by a formal judicatory, as having the authority of
any judge; for as yet, I fee not how fome perfons, as having
ecclefiaftick authority, and others, as having civil authority,
could authoritatively concur in one action : I leave this to the
tyrant's council^ Which is made up of lords fpiritual and tem
poral, as they call them. So, I look upon the declarations
to be emitted by the publishers, as free fubjects, for them
felves, and thefe, from whom they were commiffionated, for
that effect; and all others their adherents. And, for mine
own part, I wiSh that thefe words had been otherwife expref-
fed, that fo they might not have admitted of fuch various
fenfes. Neverthelefs, I Still think, where there is a cordial
agreeing with the matter and intent of thefe papers, there
would not be any fuch enveighing againft thefe expreflions ;
efpecially feeing the minds of the owners thereof are Sound
(even anent the feme) and their meaning good. And 1 won
der greatly how ye can exclaim fo much againft the forefaid
names, Seeing we told you many times, in our conferences
together, our judgment concerning them, that we owned
them not in the fenfe that ye put upon them ; and that, ra
ther than that debate Should be kept up, upon fuch a head
merely ; though we could not relile from them in any fafe
and found (enfe, wherein we ourfelves could take them; yet,
for union's fake in the Lord, we would be content to lay
them afide, defiring no more of any, who would join with
us, (sis to that head) than their cordial agreement with the
matter and intent of our forefaid declarations. Yet, notwith
ftanding of all this, ye often recurred upon thefe words at
our meeting, and now have written, that " we have moft
" unhappily thruft, ourfelves into the magiftrates room -," and
that " we continue moft unhappily to manage civil affairs "
Seeing that ye know our minds, Sir, why will ye make men
fuch offenders fpr words ? (uppofe they cduld bear no Safe
fenfe at all : Will fuch a fpirit be helpful, to the healing of
our breaches? And howcomes it, that in the relation, which
ye give of our conferences, ye fay, " That we have difowned
" fuch things," and in this your letter ye Say the contrary,
aflerting, that " we coniinue yet, moSt unhappily to manage
" civil affairs." And -whereas ye fay, "There would have
" been little to be feid, efpecially, if we had done as we feid,
"Striving like men to caft off the yoke:" We have done as
the Lrird gave us fpirit and ability ; and he hath alfifted many
D'ddd of

5?9 Mr. Remvhk's Reply fo Mr. Langlan's Letter.
of us, (0 praife be to bim alone for it) to wreftle to our ut-
irioft breath, and to leave our blood both on feaffolds and
fields, in teftimony againft the wrongs done to our Lord Je
fus, by that tyrannical government. And I think people
fhould not fpeak much of our dping little, until they do more
themfelves. And for my own part, I wifh, the Lord might
polifh and raife, up a party, whofe zealous, Chriftian, and
manly actions, might obfeure all ours : For, the glory is on
ly due to the Lord, and not to any creature ; and a felf deni
ed Chriftian will defire, that all inftruments hands may be
bid; to the end that the Lord's hand may the more appear ;
ft> that, he may get all the praife of the work. Now, from
thisi I wifh, ye Shay fee how groundlefs ynur accufation is.
Thirdly, You fay, '«« That we have impofed moft unhappy
'* reftrictions upon minifters, in the exercife of their mini-
" ftry." I think, this poor mistaken remnant, never in the
leaft intended any reftrictions on minifters ; but only defire
tbat they may declare unto them the mind of God faithfully,
both anent the fins arid duties of our day ; they would have
minifters taking a liberty to preach up all duties, and down
ill fins : This is no restriction, neither is it any imposition;
neither is it a prefcribing rules to minifters; for the word of
God hath preferibed this rule, Ifa. lviii. i. Shew my people
their tranfgrefftons, and the houfe of Jacob their fins. Jer, xv.
io. If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou fhalt be
as my mouth: But this is a pleading with cur mother, Hof. ii. 2.
And a faying to Archippus, Take heed to the miniftry, which
thou haft received of tbe Lord, that thou fulfil it. And this the
feriptures do allow, and this I hope ye will not deny : But
to prove your affertion, I know ye will inftante the firft call
given to the minifters, which ye did fee yourfelf long before
I faw if; yet what, needs this ? feeing it was fo frequently told.
in public, that, that call was not owned by us, as to all, (e-
fpecially the leffer things in it) for, pudor eft nemini in meliora
tranftre, it is a Shame for no man to mend the leaft thing that
is amifs. Should not every Chriftian (in whatfoever capaci-
ty)be ftill Stepping forward unto better ? feeing there is nei
ther perfection, nor infallibility here. I muft fay, that more
tendernefs fliould be ufed towards a poor wafted bleeding
people, chafed by a cruel enemy, as partridges in the wilder
nefs, their blood fpilt in great meafure ; yea, and left in the
dark by their leaders : Efpecially feeing they are fo willing to
receive inftruction, and to take wjth any thing tbat ever look
ed like the leaft wrong among them. Which thing I have
not yet feen in others ; for they defend even their grofs fean-
dals, andwill not acknowledge any offence, in particular a-
mpng themfelves, through the whole tract of our defections. Further,

Mr. Renwick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter. - 5:79
Further, Ye wrong us, wjiep ye fay, «* That becaufe they
" preach upon fuch and fuch terms, we call them Silent and
«< unfaithful, and require difowning of them." For, before
ever thefe terms were offered to them, by the Suffering party,
which, I wiSh, had been yet undone ; we were in the feme
cafe and circumftances as to them, that we are in to this day.
And as for the queftion put to thefe, who are admitted to fit
in our general meeting, itc. It is, anent " the joining With
," the complying, Silent and unfaithful minifters ofthe time :"
It is not my concern now, to cfefeend in application to parti
cular perfons ; yet I aSk, ift, Whether or not are there any
fuch in Scotland ? 2dly, If tberebeany fuch, whether or npt
Should they be joined with ? 2,d(y, If they are to be joined with,
what mean fuch feripture precepts, Rom. xvi. 17. 2 Theff. iii.
14. Arid what meap pur general affemblies to decree, " That
" complying minifter^ with the adverfaries, and filent and
*' unfaithful minifters anent the fins of the time, (if perfifling
" in, them) ought to be depofed." And, 4thly, Whether or
not that which will bear the weight of deposition, will bear
the weight of vrithdrawing,, when deposition cannot be had,
Vhe minifters perfifling in theV, offensive courfes ? Nowl hold,
that people are not tp judge minifters, yet they -are to have a
judgment of their own duty, how to carry towards minifters :
I am;again,ft peoples defiring any thing of minifters, but what
is divinely bound upon them by the word of God, and eccle-
fiaftically.by.our national and folemn covenants, and acts of
our genera) affemblies ; fo this is not the peoples imposition,
restriction, or binding, but what is bound by the authority
of God and the church • And if thefe ties were regarded, as
they fliould be, honeft people Would be fatisfied themfelves,
and otherwife constructed by others j and there would not
be. fuels differences, when we defeepd into particulars.
Now, I defire from real charity towards you, that ye would
weigh matters in the. balance, of the fanctuary, which is even,
and impartial ; and forbear your far-fetched arid Sickly con-
fequence,s, which ye draw from honeft actions
,, Alfo, I thought fit to, infinuate unto you here, that there
are fome ^things iii the relation of what paft at, our confer
ence, as if was refumed by you before our general meeting,
which I can fufficieptly prove,, to be in a great part, mifee-
prefented ; as afterwards, (if need be) may be made manifeft.
But as, tp what ye have Said, in your letter, of me in particu
lar ; I heartily forgive you, and fliall be very brief in my
reply. ,
Ye fey, Firft, That I have written in a letter to a friend in
Ireland, " That there is not a minifter in Scotland, 'England,
" or Irelanl, faithful feve one " I humbly arid kindly. dc-
D d cl d 2 fi»'Ci

580 Mp. Renwick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter.
fire, that ye would confider upon what grounds ye have faid
fuch a thing; For the charge I deny; and the expreflion
(yea, fuch a thought) would favour fo much ofthe bafeftof
felf, (which, though it be as our Skin, wherein our flefh
and bones are enchambered, and fo nature is moft tender of
one penny-breadth of it) that therefore I would abhor it.
If I have written any thing of the unfaithfulnefs of minifters
indefinitely; yet it is aweer-drawing of words, or a wrong
drawn confequence, to infer, that I have faid, " There is
" none faithful in Britain or Ireland, fave one;" for it is
not unufual in the feriptures to fpeak indefinitely of a plura
lity, that which is to be inftanced of any of that fort: See
learned Mr. David Dickfon upon Matth. xxvii. 44. I Shall
fay no more as to this, but, God pardon the unfaithfulnefs
of minifters; and let their deeds prove who have been faith
ful, and who not.
Secondly, Ye fay, " That, by my own confeffion, I am
"not a minifter of this church ;" which I altogether deny :-
For, that which I Said, was, That I am a minifter in that
place wherever 1 have a, call from the people, and do em
brace it : And if your affertion will follow from this truly,
I fee not well ; but I am Short-fighted always. There are fey
veral other things in your letter, arient which I was think
ing to have written unto you ; but I being loth to trouble
you, and the things themfelves not fo material, I fhall for
bear ; only defiring, that what I have faid, ye would not take
in, ill part : For, fo far as I can fee into mine own heart, it
is neither felf, nor prejudice, that hath moved me unto it ;
but merely, that truth may be cleared, and that the actings
ofthe poor, wounded, Suffering party, may not be fo fadly
mifreprefented, to the great detriment of the caufe of Chrift.
Alfo, I beg, ye would not give ear to bufy-bodies, and tale
bearers, their whifpering in your ears:' For fuch have had
no Imall hand in widening of our breaches : I wifh they may
have pardon of God for what they have done. O that the
Lord's elect were agreeing together in truth ! O that all
thefe, that Shall agree in heaven, were agreeing upon earth !
I think if my blood could be a means to procure it, I could
willingly offer it up, upon that account : But I fpeak as a
fool. 0 that all the Lord's people were fearching out their
fins, taking with their guilt ; mourning for, and forfaking
their iniquities! This, would be yet fome branch of hope.
But that is coming, which will make many change their
thoughts : For I write it, and abide by it, That the Lord is
coming with a flood of his anger upon Scotland ; and ere his
controversies be ended, he will work a ftrange work in the
land : For, as Micah vii. 11, 12, 13. Although that, in the
d^y

Mr. Renwick's Reply to Mr. Langlan's Letter. 581
day that her <walls are to be built, the decree fhall be far re
moved, and they fball come to her from fea to fea, and from
mountain to mountain : Notwithftanding, the land fhall be defo
late, becaufe. of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their
doings. O happy are they, who are going into their cham
bers, and clofing door and windows about them, that wrath
may have no entry in ! O happy they, who are Sighing and
crying, for all the abominations that are done in the earth !
But, in the mean time, it doth not a little quiet and comfort
me, that Chrift hath told, that the government is upon his
fhoulders, and he knoweth how to erect a glorious fabrick
out of a mafs of confufion ; and I believe, he will make the
fucceeding generation to reap a glorious fruit of the fad fuf
ferings and contendings, that have been in our day. Not
to trouble you further, I wifh peace and truth may be your
companions, I am, S I R,
Ypur Soul's Wellwifher,
And Friend in Jefus Chrift.
JAMES RENWICK.

ADVER-

I -ste'l

ADVERTISEMENT, T 6 THE
READER ofthe following TESTIMONY.

AS the worthy author hath, in feveral of his letters al
ready printed, .particularly the i$th, 4$d, artde4$th
letters', mentioned this teftimony, andfhown his defign to
refcribe and enlarge it, 'and that he hoped never fa refile
-from H,. as having -the right ftate of the caufe thet'eirt ;
that he rejoiced in fome of the effects, and tendency to the
fiding us, either for or againft the Lord, there being not
one article in it, but what he was more and more confirm
ed of ; — that be was refrefhed yet, when he looked back to
the frame he was then in, when he wrote it, and had
peace in his ingenuity therein.  This has induced five-
rals, pf different denominations, earneftly to defire that it
might be publijhed : And as it contains a comprehenfive
fummary at once of his judgment with refpecl to what was.
fin and duty in that time ( which is contained in and inter-
fperfed through his fermons and letters) it is expected,
that, as it will be acceptable to ?nany, fo it will give of
fence to none ; even although in his laft letter he faith,<—
" Now as to my teftimony, ivhich I left in your hands,
" when I entered into the work ofthe miniftry, I do fiill
" adhere unto the matter of it ; but I think the manner of
" expreffion is in fome things too tart, and it containeth fun-
^' dry mens names, fome whereof are now in eternity : —
*f Alfo it is not fo pertinent to our prefent affairs, for the
"ftate of our conlroverfi.es is altered, therefore I judge it
(' ?nay be deftroyed, for I have fufficient teftimony left he'
^ hind me in my written fermons and letters. But if this
£-' trouble you, and if you defire to keep it for your own ufe,
/* you would keep this letter with it, and not publifh it fur-
*' ther abroad : Tet you may make ufe of any matter of it,
** ihat may conduce to the clearing of any controverfy." It
appears from fome of his fermons, that, by what he fpeaks 1

ADVERT IS E 4 E NT. 583
of the ftate of the controverftes being altered, he under-
ftands the dij continuance •of the indulgence, and fubftitu-
tion of the boundlefs antichriftian toleration in place there
of, and the blafphemous afifolute power fwallowing up the
eccleftaftic fupremacy, or transferring it to the ptipe : As
alfo in faid letter he feems to propofie two alternatives, viz.
either to fupprefs it, or that this' letter may* go along with
it ; the laft of which is here performed : Therefore, as
the letter is printed^ formerly in the volume of his] letters,
and alfo here all that relates to the teftimony, it is fiuppof-
ed that by deleting, a few (and incfeed they are but a few),
ofthe moft tart phfafes that could be. obferved in it, and
giving only the initials of the names of men, thefe being
the chief things moft offenftve at that' time ; if is hoped
that none will think the worthy author injured, or that
his defire in forefaid letter is croffed or wholly d'tfobeyed,
or that the men named therein are injured (though feveral
$f them were great and godly men) as it was no injury to
Eeter and Barnabas, that. Paul withftgpd and publicly
teftified againft them for their not walking uprightly accor
ding to the truth of the gofpel, and regiftraling the fame
in his epiftle to the Galatians.
If any fufflecl, it, as not genuine, or any way vitiatta]
tr altered (excepting a few of the forefaid deletions) they
fball be willingly fatisfied with a fight of tbe autograph
written and fubfcribed by his own hand, which is ftill
preferved infire.

THE

THE
TESTIMONY O F
Mr. J A M E S R E N WI CK,
To the Truths of God and to his Caufe, as (at this
Time) it is Hated by the true Prefbyterians of the
Church of Scotland, againft all its adverfaries;
which he left in the hands of that valiant Contender,
and much honoured Robert Hamilton, be
fore his Entry to the Work of the Miniftry.

Much honoured Sir,
WHEN I think upon the Lord's glorious way of dealing
with you, for thefe feveral years by-paft, I muft rejoice
in the Lord, and praife him for the holy wifdom, majefty,
and good-will, that he hath manifefted therein, in levelling
and fquaring your condition fo exactly according to Zion's
cafe, for he hath been teaching you to look at none but him
felf ; and fo have his difpenfations been crying aloud to all
that would elpoufe his quarrel, and chufe him to be their
God. He will let no one's hand be feen but his own, in
counfelling, affifting, helping, and comforting you ; and fo
does he with his wreftling remnant, who are now redacted to
that noble non-plus (O choice neceffity !) that they have no
thing but himfelf to expect any encouragement from. He
hath feparated you from your land and your brethren, and
hath honoured you to contend for him in a ftrange land ; fo
htth he feparated his people from thefe who had been called
their brethren, but now arc difeovered by their unfaithful
nefs, helping them to keep up a teftimony againft thefe un
faithful dealers. Your acquaintances have lifted up their
heels againft you, fo hath tbe Lord's work been fpurned at
by thefe who once pretended friendship thereunto ; yea, eve ry

The Teftimony of Mr JaMes ReNWICK. - 585
ty hand hath been againft you ; and why ? but becaufe the
Lord's hand hath been with you. O noble hand ! Orhiglity
hand ! fufficiently able to Strengthen againft all hands ! Hi
therto he hath not failed yon ; yob have riot wanted where
with to ftop *he mouths of your adverfaries. And as many-
other things have returned upon you, fo I doubt not but this
great and exceeding weighty affair will return principally u-
pon you> whdm the Lord hath made ufe of, as a great "mean
to open a door for the miniftry, when the pleafent remnant
could fee none, and ftere ready to faint and Succumb : So, I
fay, that the "contending. remnant in fweet^Scotland, and that
you, fo much concerned in this affair, &nd your Worthy bro
ther Earlftone, may he cleared in what ye have.dPne therein
for poor, Weak, empty, unworthy me, upon the account of
fhe Lord's caufe, Which I defire with my whole foul Singly
to oWn and maintain- againft all its enemies, I find myfelf ne-
ceffarily called, before I enter oh that great work of the mi
niftry, to leave here with you, written and fubferibed with
mine own hand, my hearty teftimony to the Lord's truths
and caufe, as it hath been, and this day is Slated againft all
its enetnles and backfliders ; that this my teftimony may be
a Superadded obligation upon me, and a clearing of the caufe
of yOu, and of all therein concerned, and may be alfo a tef-
titriony againft myfelf, if I Shall flip from any of thefe truths
and duties upon the greatest of hazards; for I know that of
myfelf I cannot Stand, but my fufficiency is of God, from
whom muft corrie my help. And indeed 1 have great reafon
to believe in him that he will help me. I have his Word for
it, who is a King that cannot nor will not lie. I have fweet
'experience for it; bnt here I do hot make experience the
ground of faith, but only a good and fpeciSl motive to be
lieve. I fay, I have fweet experience for it, for 1 have been
caft upon his care from the womb even until now. I had
few to care for me, neither could I care for myfelf; but he
cared for me, and hath brought me through many difficulties
and damping difeouragements, and hath plucked my feet ont
of many nets that have -been laid for me ; yea, when as for a
long time I fled and ran aWay from him, yet he ftill purfued
and gaVe not pver until that he overtook me, and made me
(O eXaWed be bis holy name for ever !) turn my face toward
himfelf. When as 1 was undoing tny felf, and alfo mifled*hy
thefe fitters-at-eafe in this day of Zion's trouble, tbat back-
fliding company of ministers and profeffprs in the church of
Scotland, who firft and laft have deftroyed the Lord's $ne-,!
yard, he gave me no reft until that he got me out from a-
mongft them. He rook me by the hand and tenderly led me,
he himfelf only being my teacher ; for be took fuch a way in
it, that I co-.ild fee no one's hand in it but his own ; for frr.ay
E e e e Ly»

S 8 6 The Teftimony of i^/JAMEs RE&wic^.
fay, I got neither, one nor other of the pleafant remnant,
whom the Lord bad cleared his truths unto, (for my help) to
converfe with, until that he had brought me to great clear-
nefs in all the heads of our church's fufferings : And I defire
to fpeak this to the praife of him who is given a leader and
commander to his people ; and to encourage all to feek unto
him, and wait on him for teaching, for I can affure, them, he
will not fuffer thefe to be kept in the dark, wbofn he hath
ordained light unto, even though many outward and ordi
nary means cannot be had : We have a fure word of prophe
cy, let us take heed thereunto as unto^a light Shining in a
dark place. And as'to, the time of his feeking and finding
me out, and helping unworthy me to join, though in great
weaknefs, with the remnant of his heritage, with that plea
fant handful, that perfecuted party, whom only he was ho
nouring tp keep up a. teftimony for himfelf; it was when
they were in a moft fad, depreffed and difcouraging condi
tion, after the death of that valiant chaript-man of Ifrael,
Mr Donald Cargil,. who was honoured to feal his Mailer's
truths with his blood ; and when, the pleafant remnant (as-
they have been fince and are at this day) had none to carry
the Standard of the Lord, none to declare his counfel to
them, none to fet the trumpet to their mouths, All minif
ters and teachers belonging to that church, bpth in the land*
and forth thereof, having fled from the Lord's camp,, and
thereby involved in a courfe of rebellion againft the Lord of
hofts, there was no outward encouragement for me: 1 f ay
this, not that ever I fought after any, but to let the Lord's
hand be the more Seen in it, to the praife of his free grace ;
for ( I deiire to blefs his holy name for it) I may fay that I
had never eitbir my thought or my eye upon outward encou
ragement, and yet I got ftill, in a wonderful manner, enpugh
thereof. _And I can affure all men, the lefs they have their
eyes upon it, tbe more of it they will be ready to meet with.
O what fhall I fay ! This is the way, this is jhe way, and I can
fay fo much for it from experience, that I no fooner laid falva
tion (in any meafure) to heart, but the Lord drew me Sjrbrn
that backflidden mixed multitude ; and, I no fooner began to
leave them, but the Lord and his falvation began to be pre
cious in mine eyes: But, O! when I look back upon the
length of time that I was, little concerned with the glory of
God, arid with the precious immortal foul,, that word founds
in mine years, What profit had ye then in thefe. things whereof
yi*ire now afhamed, for the end of thefe things is death? Rom,
vi. 21. And alfo when I reflect .upon the length of time that
I was mifled with that churcb-deftroying party, I am made
to fay, Wo is me that-. I fijourned fo long in Mefech^. and dwelt
fo long m the tents of Kedar, Pfal. cxx. 5, But 'by the Lord's

The Teftimony of Mr James Ren wick. 587
grace now I am what I am. O for the tongue and pen of
the learned, that I might fpeak and write his praife ! His
love to me is and hath been wonderful, and his tender mer
cies have been far extended ; but wo is me, I have been a fin
ful, froward, unthankful, and felf-deftroying creature, yet
the Lord hath many times taught me to go, taking me by the
arms, when I knew not that he healed me. O I who is like
unto him ! If any have reafon to proclaim him a merciful
and gracious Ood, furely I have reafon to do it. And now
he is calling me (O free, free grace, and 0 great honour!)
to carry his name and to go and cry out, that he is wronged,
that he is wrOnged, and againft a God-diSbonouring, Chrift-
dethroning, and heaven-contemning generation. I fay, that
he is calling me by his fpeaking difpenfations, and by his
word, wherewith, powerfully, he hath Stopped both the mouth
and the heart from objecting any thing againft the fame ; for
not only before this, he gave me his call to that work, but
even when the heart was objecting many things againft the
fetting about it at this time, from the fenfe of felf-emptinefs
and weaknefs, he powerfully told me, that he had laid help u-
pon one that is mighty, Pfal. Ixxxix 19. what then need 1 fear ?
My fufficiency- is of himfelf. And (O ! praife to his holy
name) I find him well pleafed with me, that in fuch a weak
cafe I Should even have offered myfelf to that great work,
and accepted his call thereunto. Icdeed when he gives a fpe
cial call, he gives ay the heart to embrace the fame. I Say,
I find him well pleafed therewith, and taking it even as a
fmall token of my Smoking love to himfelf, and to his caufe,
when now it is fo cried out againft. But, O.bleffed be his
holy name, I love- him becaufe he firfl loved me, 1 John iv. i(x.
and when Iaflt, why is it, that at fuch a time, when I am
fo weak, fo unfit, fo empty of human learning, he calls me
forth? He anfwers me, That .the excellency '-of the power
may be feen to be of himfelf, and not of me, 2 Cor. iv. 7 I
cannot fay but I fee much of his love in the time and manner
of it; for now I am put to have nothing but himfelf to look
unto. He will have me to receive all ay from his own hand,
and to have nothing in me, or without himfelf, whereunto I
may truft ; for it will not be by might, nor by power, but by my
fpirit, faith the Lord, Zech. iv. 6, .0, his Spirit, bis Spirit!
where that is, there will be nothing wanting.
But to come to the matter purpofed, and, as I was faying
before, that the Lord's people, and you, much honoured fir,
whom the Lord hath made fo concerned with poor, weak,
unworthy me in this great affair, may be cleared and exoner-
edr whatever be the end ; and alfo that my Sincere and inge
nuous defires, for the advancement of the Lord's caufe, in
fweet covenanted Scotland, may be tbe mors clearly made
E e e e 2 kuuwii,

5^8 Thf Tefifimony of Mr James Renwick.
known, I here leave in your handg nty teftimony, Signifying
my fixed and deliberate judgment, the Lord having, in fome
meafure, given me light and clearnefs, anent both the fins and
duties of our day ; the latter pf which I really and Sincerely
refolve, in the Lord's ftrength, plainly to adhere unto, and
diligently to proppgate ; and the former, to witpefs, teftify,
and cry out againft, particularly and zealoufly, upon aU,haz-
ards, as tbe Lord Shall affiSt in the ftation that be puts me
into. And, 1. 1 add my teftimony and feal to the feriptures of
truth contained in the Old and New- Teftaments, in the di
vine authority thereof, 2 Pet. i. 19, 20, 21.3 Tim- iii- 16, 17.}
in the fulnefs thereof, being a full and the only rule of faith
and manners, Ifa. viii. 20. Gal. vi. 16. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.; fa
that nothing ought to be added thereto, and nothing taken
therefrom ; and nothing brought into tbe houfe of God, ei-N
ther in doctrine, worfhip, difeipline, or government, with
out or contrary to his royal will therein contained, Deut. iv.
.2.; and in the holinefs or fpirituality thereof, Rom. vii. 12.;
and particularly to thefe great truths, 0 great truths ! as, 1.
That there is a God, and that that God is three in one and
one in three, 1 }ohn v. 7. 2. That he is, merciful yet juft,
juft yet merciful, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. 3. That he is only mer
ciful in his Son Jefus Chrift, with whom (O glory to God
and good-will towards meji) that covenant of redemption was
made, Pfalm xl. 6, 7, 8. Matth. iii. 17. 4. That in and thro-'
which covenant of redemption only, he entered into the co
venant of grace with his elect, Eph. i. 3,  J. 5. That in
the covenant of grace be hath promifed ro help us to perform
the conditions required on opr parts,Jer. xxxi. 3 j. Ifa. lix. 21.
So that it is the only perfect and complete righteoufnefs of
his Sod, which muft make us free before God ; yet in order
to the making of his righteoufnefs to be ours, it muft be im
puted by his Spirit, and received by faith, producing fanctifi
cation as the fruit thereof, 1 John iii. 23. Therefore they
that think their life to be in God, they muft alfo know that
life to them muft come from him.
2. I add my teftimony and feal to our confeffion of faith,
larger and Shorter catechifms, firft agreed upon by the affem*
b!y of divines at WeSlminfter, and approved by the general
affembly of fhe church of Scotland, to our covenants nation
al and folemq league, to the doctrine, worfhip, difeipline,
jnd government of the church of Scotland, according there
unto, and to our acknowledgement of fins and engagement
to duties
3. I add rr.y teftimony and feal to our noble declarations,
viz. Thofe published at Rutherglen, Sanquhar and Lanerk,
whereby tbat widened tyrant, Charles Stuart, was faithfully j-eiected

The Teftimony of Mr James, Renwick. 589
rejected and freely caft off: Aod particularly I add my feal
to tbat conclufion ofthe Ssmquhar declaration, whereby open
war is proclaimed agaiqft that tyrant, and that malignant par-,.
ty, dcfiring in nyy place and ftation to keep up the fame -a-'
gaipft them, thefe Amalekites, with whom the Lord will have
war for ever. I add alfo my feal to that folemn bond com
monly called the Queepsferry papers, in all the articles there
of, according to the true and corrected copy.
4. 1 add my teftimony and feal to all the faithful teftimo
nies given to the truth by our noble and worthy martyrs, par
ticularly thefe that have been given upon that head, viz. the
declining altogether pf that man, Charles Stuart. But I hope
none will underftand me to include here that teftimpny given
out in the names pf thefe three well-meaning men, William
Gogar, Christopher Millar, and Robert Sangfter, which was
penned by that blafphemous man John Gib.
5. I add my teftimony and feal to all the faithful wreftlings
of the Lord's people belonging to the church of Scotland, ei
ther in the land or forth thereof, particularly that noble bat
tle fought in Holland againft Mr M'  , for his counfelling
(yea fo peremptorily) to join with that church-rending man,
Mr F  , in his miniftry at Rotterdam, who had So be
trayed the Lord's caufe, and condemned the faithful wreft
lings and cleanly fufferings ,pf the church of Scotland, and
came over thither by virtue of that tyrant, Charles Stuart,
his commiffion.
6. 1 add my teftimony and feal to all the appearances of the
Lord's pepple for truth in Scotland, ever fince the beginning
of our reforniation ; but particularly in our latter times, ac
Pentland, TJrumclog, Bothwel-bridge apd Airds-mofs, where
our valiant worthies fell And, O what Shall I more fay !
but I defire with my whole foul to add my teftimony and feal
to every thing that hath been done for truth, either, by word,
write or action.
As on the one hand I defire to declare plainly for truth,
yea all truth 5 fo on the other hand I likewife defire to de:
dare freely againft Sin, yea all fin, testifying and bearing wit
nefs againft all the wrongs done to the holy Lord God, ever
fince the reformation began in our land, againft popery, pre
lacy (that is, church-government by arch-bifhops, bifbops,
their chancellors and commiffaries, deans, deans and chapr
ters, arch-deacons, and the other ecclefiaftical officers de-*
pending on that hierarchy) eraftianifm, quakerifm, fuperfti-
rion, herefy, fchifrn, profanenefs, and whatfoever is contra-,
ry to found doctrine and the power of godlinefs ; againft all
the caufes of the Lord's wrath with our land, aqd againft all
the fteps of our defection. And particularly,

59© The Teftimony of Mr James Renwick.
(i.) I teftify and bear witnefs againft the condemning, hin
dering and neglecting the purging of the judicatories and ar
mies of the kingdom in the year 1649. and afterwards, from
feandaious and difaffected perfons to the Lord's caiife, that
the fame might be made up of chriftian zealous men, of
known integrity and affection thereunto, as the Lord in his
word hath commanded, Exod. xviii. 21. Deut. i. 15, 16, 17.
2 Chron. xix. 6, 7. Deut. xxiii. 9, 14.
(2.) I teftify and bear witnefs againft thefe public refolu
tions of church and ftate, for bringing in the malignant par
ty, firft to the army, then to the judicatories, which includ
ed thefe heinous iniquities : 1. A joining with the enemies pf
God and his caufe, clearly contrary to the feriptures, 2 Chron.
xis. 1, 2. Ifa xxx. 1, 2, 3. 2. A manifeft receding from the
public acknowledgement of fins and engagement to dutie9j
Jer. ii. 35, 36, 37. 3 A turning the. ftate of our caufe up-
fide down, and alfo a weakning and ftumbling of the godly
inthe land, Jer. xxiii. 14. Ezek. xiii. 2/:.
(3.) I bear wjtnefs and teftify againft the authorizing of
commiffioners to clofe a treaty with this now-rejected tyrant,
for the clothing him with power upon his fubferibing fuch
demands as were lent, unto him, after he had given many clear
evidences of his enmity tp the work and people of God, and
was ftill continuing in the fame ; and then admitting him to
the crown, notwithftanding of new difcoveries of his malice
and dilaffection towards the Lord's work ; all which was done
contrary to the word of God, Exod. xviii. 21. 2 Sam. xxiii.
3, 4. 2 Chron. xix. 6, 7, 8. ; and contrary to the declaration
ofthe general affembly of the church of Scotland, July 27.
1649. whereby it is declared, that magiftrates and their power
are ordained of God ; fo they are not to walk in their power
according to their own will, but according to the law of equi
ty and righteoufnefs itc. Moreover, I teftify arid bear wit
nefs againft the keeping him in power and owning him any
ways as king, fince he fo wickedly broke the covenant and
his coronation oath, which he did fwear with his hand lifted
up to the moft high God. But more»efpecially, I teftify and
bear witnefs againft all who have any manner of way owned
and acknowledged him, and who have not been -pofitive and
free in declining of him fince he was freely and formally caft
off by our noble declaration publiflied at Sanquhar, which
formal rejecting of him was both lawful and neceffary.
As to the firft, viz. the lawfulness thereof, that is clear
from Exod. xviii 2 \ . For if they be men of truth, fearing
God and hating covetoufnels, who are to be Set over a Chrif
tian people, fo conlequently they muft be fuch who'are to be
continued over ihem ; but it is well known that he neither
ftars God nor regards man, being an avowed enemy to all
godlinefs

The Teftimony of Mr James Renwick. 591
gpdlinefs and a prpfeffed^ friend tp all impiety : And if it be
fin to put a wicked man in power, the continuance of him
therein muft be a greater fin^ becaufe there may be a miftake
in the one which cannot be in the other, though many were
not miftaken. in him And 2 That it was the land's great
fin, adding that tp all their pther fins, their lulling after that
Charles Stuart, our worthy protefting party acknowledges In
the caufes ofthe Lord's wrath, and alfo fad experience hath
made us fee the Lord's difpleafure greatly manifefted againft
us for the fame, and heavily felt by that man's being made a
rod over the heads and upon the backs of the Lord's people,
ever fince his getting the crown. Therefore their fin muft be
greater, who will yet, notwithftanding thereof, adhere to and
acknowledge him. Let us look to the practice of Libnak in
the feripture, and the practice of our own and other nations
in hiftory, and we will fee what they have done. And we
dare adventure to fay it, that none of them had fo great rea
fon as we, for what we have done. Was there ever a caSe
like unto ours ? Where do we read of any who ever fo wick
edly did cut the neck of fuch a noble constitution of church
and ftate, as he did with one blow ; efpecially who was fo
ftraitly and often fworn to the Lord in defence and preferva
tion of the fame, and admitted by the people only upon that
condition, to be owned no longer than he Stood to the per
formance thereof; according both to the law of God, which
allows only kings conditional explicitely, and alfo according
to the eigbth act ofthe parliament of K. James VI. enacting
that all bearing rule at any time over the realm, Should at
the time of their coronation, make their faithful promife by
path unto God, that they Shall maintain and cfefend the true
religion of Jefus Chrift, and gainftand all things contrary to
the fame, <bc. which thing he did. But from what was known
before, and hath been felt fince, it may be clearly feen, that
he never intended performance. Therefore, he having bro
ken all ties that could bind man, the people are no more tied
to him, nor can be, unlefs they tie themfelves to a yoke o£
tranfgreffion and rebellion againft God
And if it Should be objected, that the third article of our
folemn league and covenant binds us to defend his perfon and
authority  We anfwer, That article is only conditional,
binding us no otherwife to him than in the defence ofthe
true religion and liberties of the kingdom, as it is there in
exprels terms. But now, he having broken that ; condition,
arid inftead of defending and maintaining true religion and
civil liberties, he hath broken down and destroyed, both ; fo
that in nowife can that be fuftained which our backfliders,
void both of the fpirit of zeal and knowledge, have fo fre
quently in their mouths, viz. though be hath broken to us,
yet

$92 The Teflhnohy of Mr James RESt-Wick..
4
yetilet us keep to him; for by fo faying, they hiake that
condition in the fore-mentioned article, and alfo often rei
terated in the coronatipn oatb, tb be nothing but a mocking'
of God and a cheating of men. For the htore clear uptak-
ing Whereof I oppone the Sixth article of that fame folemn
league, which is mprallyahd continually binding, wherein we
are fworn that We Shall never fuffer Ourfelves, directly nor
indirectly, by whatfoever combination, &c. to be divided from
this bieffed unidn^ <bc. together With the Secbrtd article,
wherein We fwear to endeavour the extirpation of pppery, pre
lacy, isc. without refpect of perfons: Charles himfelf is not
there exempted.
I Shall hot take uip time to (peak againft the foolifh aha*
needlefs pretences pf thefe who fay, that the primores regin
(or chief men of the kingdom, as they call them) behoved t6
concur with the rejection pf that tyrant ere it could be legally
done; for I altogether dehy that, becaufe it is manifeft, that,
the poWer of government is naturally and radically in the
¦people, unitely in the people, and Singularly in every one ;
fo that any rank, or any company thereof, may, from the
privilege Which God and the law of nature bath allowed them,
caft off a tyrannous yoke, and ought of neceffity to do if in
fuch a cafe as ours is this day, when that tyranny is not only
a yoke Of oppreffion upon our jaws, but of trahfgreflion u-
pon our heads; for it is a duty incumbent on all ranks of
perfons, and the pmiSEon thereof will be charged on every
degree, Without refpect tp the high or to the low, Jer. xxii.
2, 3. compared with xxxvii. 2 : And by that fa'mfe power they
may fet up governors over themfelves, men fearing God,
who may rule them according to the royal will of the fupreme '
Lawgiver, Whenever they ate in cafe to do it. I grant, in
deed, it were defirable to fee the primores regni men fearing
God, and zealous for his cahfe ; yet when they are the prin
cipal men in all wickednefs, making themfelves flaves to all
manner of fin, and fervants to Satan, as at this day they do
in Scotland, being the tyrant's own creatures, the want of
them can neither cxeem the people from their duty, nor de
prive them of their privileges. Hence from all this, and
much more that might be faid, I conclude the lawfulnefs of
rejecting that wretched tyrant ; yea, not only fo, but alfo the
neceffity thereof. Yet, that I may fpeak a word more parti
cularly to the neceffity of it,
Let us look back upon what he did, when firft he was ad
mitted to the crown, notwithftanding (as hath been insinuat
ed before) of his often fwearing to the contrary with his hand
lifted up to the moft high God ; how that, I fay, he, avow
edly breaking all thefe ties both to God and man, cut the
neck of our noble conftitution of church and ftate govern ment,

The Teftimmy of Mr James Ren-wick. 593'
ment, arrogating to himfelf a blafphemous fupremacy in mat
ters ecelefiaftic, altbgether inconfiftent with the kingly office
of our bieffed Lord Jefus Chrift, and an arbitrary power in
matters civil, by virtue of the lame fupremacy, altogether de
structive of tbe liberties ofthe kingdom, contrary to the ve
ry law of nature, making his fupremacy in the one and the
other fo collateral and co-equal, that by him it is made ef-
fential to the crown by the act explanatory ofthe fupremacy,
declaring the fame to be inherent to the crown to him and his
fucceffors ; fo that he cannot be owned nor acknowledged as
king, nor any fuceeeding upon that foundation, be who they
will, without denying of Jefus Chriit, and being guilty of tefe*
majefty againft the King of kings, who will not give his glo
ry to another, Ifaiah xiii. 8. Therefore tie rejecting of that
wretched tyrant, and all depending on him, is not only law
ful, but alfo neceffary, to all thofe who defire to be fubjects
to Jefus Chrift. And none can pretend any distinction, un
lefs they would cheat themfelves out of the truthj and be
come guilty of his blafphemous robbery of the Son of God ;
for he hath no civil power diftinct from his fupremacy ; that,
I fay, his fupremacy is the foundation of all power he pleads
for, and takes all acknowledgement of him as an acknow
ledgement thereof. And why may we not ? feeing it is made
effential to the crown. And moreover, doth not that gene
ral act refeiffory, by virtue of that fupremacy (whereby he
refeinded whatever our parliaments had done in favour of
the reformed religion) introduce another kind of civil go
vernment which fo much troubles mens tongues and wearies
our ears, but a constitution of pure tyranny, a fabric of re
bellion againft God, upheld hy the pillar of perjury, and ce
mented with the blood of the faints.
Moreover, I cannot here pafs by the vanity of thefe who-,
blindfolding themfelves, ufe fo to diftinguifh, viz. they can
not own or acknowledge fome of his civil acts, fuch as, im
prisoning, Stigmatizing, and tnurdering the Lord's people',
yet they muft hold by that which they call his power; but O
what blindnefs does that bewray ! for there can nothing in
him be considered, but that which they call his power in the
eftablifhment and exercife thereof. Now, the establishment
is clear to be upon the ruins of the work of God, and our
engagements to him ; the foundation thereof being that blaf-
phemoufly arrogated fupremacy, wkh the act explanatory
thereof, whereby facrilege and monftrous tyranny are esta
blished by a law decree, and exercifed by that general act re
feiffory, declaration againft our covenants, murdering of the
Lord's people, bearing dawn of his work, <bc. So then let
them fpeak their minds, and Say, Whether they think the e-
Ffff itablilb-

594 The Teftimony of Mr James Renwick'.
ftablifhment of that power, or the exercife thereof, is "to be
owned. If they own and acknowledge the one, the acknow
ledgment of the other will neceffarily follow upon it Is not
the one the root, and the other the branches ? the one the
fpring, and the other the ftreams ? O poor, poor Scotland !
thou art how become a home-born Slave, becaufe thou waft
not valiant in contending for the truth. The Lord hath, in
his juft judgment, corrected thee for breaking his command
ments, by joining with the people of thefe abominations, and
defiring a king, whom he hath 'given thee in his wrath, and
will take him away in his difpleafure. But bieffed be the
name of the Lord, who hath Stirred up a pleafant party of
valiant and noble heroes, whom he hath honoured to pull
the crown off that tyrant's head, in order to the crowning of
our Lord Jefus Chrift again in Scotland, and helped fome of
them to feal the feme with their precious blood ; to whofe
Sufferings, even upon that head, I defire with my whole heart
and foul to add my teftimony and Seal, certifying it to all men,
that if ever I had the Lord's countenance and peace in any
duty, it was in rejecting of that poor wretched tyrant. O
remember what the Lord is calling for at your hands in thefe
loud crying commands, Ifa. viii. ii, 12. 2 Cor- vi. 17. Rev.
xviii. 4, 5, 6.
(4.) As I teftify and bear witnefs againft all that own that
rejected tyrant, or any of his acts and laws, (abufively fo cal
led) in their profeffion ; fo alfo I bear witnefs and teftify a-
gainft all that own him any way in their practice, by fubjec-
ling themfelves to him and his demands, and particularly a-
gainft the paying of that dreadful cefs, whereby they bear
dawn the work and people of God ; that finful locality
whereby they decline the Lord's caufe, and Strengthen wick
ed men in their wickednefs, efpecially againft the paying of
that which they call their town locality, viz. money to thefe
ruffian bloody foldiers for their beds ; becaufe it is the thing
that fome men, more out of felf-love than love to God, plead
for; but let them pretend what they will therein, they do e-
vil that good may come of it, and their condemnation is juft:
AgainSl the paying of that annuity, whereby they pay tithes
to Baal's priefts -, againft the paying of feu-duty, and every
thing that contributes to the upholding of that throne of ini
quity. — In the paying of any of which things, they deftroy
the Lord's caufe, and walk contrary to his word, ISa- viii, it.
13, <bc. Jer xxiii. 14. Alfo I teftify and bear witnefs againft
ihe furniihing of any of thefe bloody foldiers with meat and
ii rink to themfelves, or prpvifion to their horfes, a practice
destructive to the caufe and contrary to the will of the Lord,
Ifa. lxv. 1 1, 12, 13. I do not mean here what they violently rob

The Teftimony of Mr James Renwick. 59;,'
rob, but what is given and furniflied unto them. Moreover,
I teftify and bear witnefs againft the compearing before thefe
enemies courts, thereby ftrengthning them in their wicked
nefs, and homologating their robbery of God; againft all
bonding, tampering, or complying with them, directly or
indirectly : I fey, indirectly, becaufe fome men cheat them
felves out of the truth by conniving at the compliance and
bargaining of others wiih the enemies on their account : A
practice which condemns the Lord's caufe, and is difapproven
of himfelf, Jer. ii. 35, 36, 37. and xxiii. 14. Pfelm 1. 18.
(5.) I teftify and bear witnefs againft the bargaining and
entering into tacks of houfes or lands with, or paying of
rent to thefe public graffators, who for their being Signal
enemies to the work of God, have got from that tyrant a
gift, as they term it, of thofe mens efcheits, who have beenj
at any public appearance for the Lord's caufe, fuch as Pent-
land or Bothwel-bridge ; by which means they clearly con
demn the .faithful wrestlings of the church, fealed with fo
much precious blood, and confent to the violent forfeiture
of their former mailers for their faithfulnefs to the Lord.
Alfo I teftify and bear witnefs againft the entering into tacks
or bargains of houfes or lands with, or paying of rent to thefe
church-deftroying men, who have been at Pentland, B'oth-
wel-bridge, or any other appearances for the Lord's caufe,
and have been fosfeired upon that account, yet have redeem
ed their forfeiture by condemning the Lord's caufe and the
noble teftimonies given, thereunto, fealed with fo much pre
cious blood, and making themfelves tranfgreffors by justify
ing the enemies in ail that they have done ; for ip that cafe
to bargain with them, enter into tack, or pay them rent, is
an homologation of that new holding which they have ot"
their lands, by burying, robbing, and denying the" Lord's
caufe. (6.) I teftify and bear witnefs againft all that may join in
arms or confederacies with the indulged, with duke Hamil
ton's party, the parliamePt of England, thefe ministers, or
any that have kept up correfpondence with them, it being fo
contrary to the word of God, 2 Chron. xix. 1,2. Ifaiah xxx,
i> 2, 3.
As I teftify and bear witnefs againft the wrongs done 10 the
holy Lord by all ranks, the tyrant and his accomplices nnd
all who ftrengthen that throne of iniquity, fo aifo I tefiify
and bear witnefs againft that church-dellroying • pirty, t',i<;
minifters of Scotland, for the great and many' wrongs that
they have done to the Lord's caufe, both firft and laft. And
particularly, Ffffa . tft,I

SS>6 ' The Teftimony of Mr James Renwick.
ift, I teftify and bear witnefs againft their finfnl and Shame
ful furrendring up of the privileges of the Lord's houfe into
the hands of men, by leaving their flocks, as hirelings, when
they faw the wolf coming, Ifa. x. i 2. ; whereby they did vir
tually nop-miniftrate themfelves, by their becoming fervants
of men, not remcmbring that they were ambaffadors for
Chrift, 2 Cor. v. 20. nor minding the practice of the holy
apoftles. A&s iv. 19, 20, 29.
2dly, I teftify and bear witnefs againft them for their hand
ling the word deceitfplly, for their ambiguous Way of dOc-
trine, and not being particular in their applications, Unlefs it
bad been againft thefe whom the Lord railed up to be zealous
and faithful, and by this means called duty Sin, and fin duty,
m.iking light to become darknefs, fo that many poor things
;did Stumble and fall. O fad, fad, to think on the blood of
fouls which is In the Skirts of thefe men.
'idly, I teftify and bear witnefs againft that church-deStroy-
ing indulgence, firft and laft, whereby that idol was worship
ped in his blafphemous fupremacy, and which hath wrought
to the hands, and accomplished the defigns of the malignant
adverfary all alongft. I bear witnefs and teftify againft the
compliance therewith, and connivance thereat, both of mi
nisters and people; againft filence thereat, and unfaithfulnefs
jn not witneffing faithfully againft the fame ; yea, and againft
all the fins of the time, as the Lord hath commanded, Ifaiah
Iviii. 1 . 1 ' ¦
iftbly, As I teftify and bear witnefs againft thefe minister^
for their unfaithfulnefs all alpngft ; fo alfo I teftify and bear
witnefs againft their malice at thefe whom the Lord Stirred up
to be faithful in their places and Stations, particularly their
cenfuring of worthy Meffrs Wei wood, Kid, and Cameron,
for faithfulnefs to their Lord and Mafter ; Mr Cameron be-
. ing cenfured merely for preaching againft that Sinful indul
gence. Alfo I teftify and bear witnefs againft them for their
raife calumnies and reproaches caft upon the way and people
of God, particularly on thofe fore-named worthies, and Mr
Cargill, all faithful meffengers of Jefos Chrift; and on ths
much honoured Robert Hamilton, that valiant contender,
both at home and abroad, for his Matter's truths, againft
whom their hands have been in a Signal manner, becaufe he
hath been honoured of the Lord to have his hand againft
their treachery. O Scotland, Scotland! many paftors have
deftroyed the Lord's vineyard in thee, O Scotland, Jer. xii.
id. Thy prophets, O Scotland, are like the foxes in the
dtTarts, they have not gone up into the gaps, neither made
up the hedge, for the houfe of Ifrael to ftand in the battle, in
the day of the Lord. Thty have feducgd the people, faying, Peace,

The Teftimony of Mr James Renwick. 597
Peace, peace, when there was no peace. One built up a
wall, and, lo, others daubed it With untempered mortar,
Ezek. xxxiii. 4, 5, 10.; but bieffed be the Lord's moft holy
name, who hath delivered his people Out of their hands, and
performed his promife, Ezek xxxiii 23.
Stbly, I teftify and bear witnefs againft people's joining in
any part of their miniftry with any of thefe Scottish minifters
this day in Scotland, or forth thereof, becaufe they have all
betrayed the. Lord's caufe and fled from his camps 5 and,
whatever difegreement may be amongft themfelves, yet they,
like Pilate and HerOd, become good friends by their joining
in one body in condemning and reproaching the pleafant
witneffing remnant, off whofe hands the Lord hath taken
many noble teftimonies, fealed with much precious blood.
And particularly, I teftify and bear wirnefs againft people's
joining in any part of their miniftry with thefe men, viz.
Men's W  K  , J  R  , T  H  elder
in Scotland, J  H  in England, T  H 
younger at Utrecht, G  B  at Botterdam, and
that bitter and bafe reproacher J  W  . Not
that I think thefe men worfe than the reft, hut becaufe fome
plead fo much for them that they are better; but to me they
are all in one category, and they ought to be fo unto all
men. For,
1. They join hand and iffue with the reft, in pleading for
defection, in reproaching and condemning our caufe, our
worthy contenders, and their faithful testimonies fealed with
much precious blood.
2. They Stand op the other Side, and in the crofs way to
cut off thefe that do efcape of Jacob, Obad. 11, 12, 13, 14.
therefore Shame Shall cover them, and they Shall be cut off
for ever, verfe to
3. They handle the Lord's word deceitfully, making it like
a nofe of wax to ferve their turns, mifapplying it againft
thofe who have it on their fide.
4; Never one of them profeffes to be faithful, yet they
are, Reuben-like, unliable as water, profeffing one thing at
one time, and another thing at another, one thing to one
perfon, and another thing to another. But O praife to the
Lord who hath helped fome to obey his command, Prov, xix.
27. xxiv. 21.2 Theff iii. 6, 14.
6thly, I teftify and bear witnefs againft Mr T  ¦
D — r  for the offence he gave to that fociety he was
in at Utrecht, in firft agreeing fo positively and peremptorily
with that found conclufion, viz. that it was unlawful to hear
that ebsreh-betraying man, Mr F  at Rotterdam,
preach, aud then going immediately and hearing him ; and
I teftify

598 The Teftimony of Mf James Renwick.'
I teftify and bear witnefs againft all joining with the faid Mr
T  — D  -in his ministry, while that he Stands to
the defence of, and will not acknowledge the Same, and un
til that amendment be feen of his other grofs practices.
Ithly, I teftify and bear witnefs againft joining in his mi
niftry with that man Mr P  .
I. For his refufing to come out to the work of the Lord,
and being ufeful to his people in this fad day, when they had
none to take them by the hand, and none to exhort to duty
and dehort from fin-
2 , Becaufe he is not clear as to what is people's duty, and '
unwilling that they Should obey the Lord's command, Rom,
xvi 17 and avoid fuch as caule divifions and offences, con
trary to the doctrine which they had learned.
ithly, Notwithstanding of his being hitherto helped to con
tend in many things valiantly againft the adverfaries, yet I
teftify and bear witnefs againft that man J  R  '¦ — :
1 For his unluitable withdrawing from thefe who were
both Straight and zealous, and joining in with a company of
perions who are a. fcandal to the way of God, and a reproach
to truth ; fome of them deferring death by the law of God
and man, and others of them a high degree of church-cen-
fure. 2. For his mifreprefehting us and our doings, and writing
many grofs untruths of us which is known by all thofe who
are members of our general meetings.
gthly, Being in a fpecial way fent to this land by the faith
ful, wreftling true preSbyterian party of .the pprely reformed
church of Scotland, I defire, where-ever I am, or may be,
to contend for that caufe againft all error, and every thing
inconsistent with the doctrine of truth Therefore I reitify
and bear witnefs againft the va'fl and finful toleration of all
error and Sectaries in the Belgian church, particularly their
gv'ng places of power and truft to that erroneous church-
deft, eying party of Cocceian principles ; alfo againft their fin
ful formalities, fuch as they ufe in the adminiftration of the
Sacraments, and Such as their formal prayers, which their
prt feirors and doctors ufe iu their public and private colleg
es ; and alfo againft all their fuperftitious cuftoms, fuch. as,
their obferving of holy feafl days, as they call them, the or
gans in their churches, and the like ; all which theyhave as
the reliquts'of idolatry ; and againft every other thing a-
monglt them contrary to Sound doctrine and the -power of
godlinefs. And as, on the one hand, I teftify and bear witnefs againft
all thefe luperftitions, fo, on the other hand, I add-my testi
mony and leal to any faithful contending that hath been in
this

The Teftimony of Mr JAmes Renw icK. 599
this land againft the fame, by ftrangerj or by the natives
thereof, fuch as, Mr Coolman, his contending againft the
forefaid fins, as alfo Mr Brakell, his teftimony given at Lee-
warden, afferting the rights and privileges of Jefus Chriit in
his own houfe, and freely declining any magistrates ufurpmg
thereof. i
Now, much honoured Sir, I have here, with all brevity
poffible, left my mind, my fixed and deliberated judgment
of all matters in our day, having ftudied to be plain and par-.
ticular in every thing, for it is that which the Lord is calling
for at the hands of all who defire to be contenders for his
precious truths. Oh ! we ought not fo to fpeak in his mat
ters, as that equivocation or ambiguity may lurk in our
words, fo that they are ftill needing a commentary; and I
am fure, they who know what peace as to duty is, will be
made to find no fmall peace in plain-dealing for their Lord
and Mafter, in all things' feeking his honour, and not the
credit of any man, the great failing in which hath broken
the church of Scotland. Therefore, through his grace and
ftrength, I firmly refolve to be plain, free, and faithful for
him, in the ftation which he is now calling me unto : But
his way of dealing hath been fo with me this long time, and
efpecially of late, that Ithink he is training me up for ano
ther work, which alfo he may Shortly put in my hand, viz.
the fealing of all thefe precious truths with my blood, as well
as the fubferibing them with my hand. And O, how ho
nourable ! how glorious and how acceptable a work would
that be, if he give ftrength and frame Sufficient, for which I
defire to rely and depend upon him. Yet if his helineSs Shall
not call me thereunto, I uiPft reverence hi? gracious way of
dealing with me, feeking me thereby to be the more fit for
this work ; for, at this day, none fliould fet about it, but
fuch whom he makes denied to their life, and to all things
in the prefent world. O that he would make poor me fo to
be in the day, when the manifestation thereof is called for at
my hand ; but be before me what fo may, O ! I am many
ways obliged to run for him any of his errands upon all haz
ards ; for in a fpecial manner I hold my life of him, having
wonderfully got a new tack of -it from himfelf, when men
thought to have taken it from me. O what fliall I fay of
him : He is God, he is God, and a wonderful, kind, and
merciful condescending God unto me. Now, O Zion's
friend, covenanted Scotland's friend, and my dear friend,
let us join hand in hand, in order to the advancement of the
kingdom of our Lord, in the flations he puts us into, and
fet ourfelves againft all men who are profeffing or practising againtt

poo The Teftimony tf Mr J ames Renwick.
Sgainft the feme. And my foul defires to blefs that' holy
<2od, who hath made you hitherto a brazen wall and an iron
pillar againft them, feeking only his honour and gjory, and
pot the friendship and favour of men. O go on valiantly in
his way ! Ye have many fweet (O fweet) experiences of his
helping you, and when manieft hands were againft you, his
band, O praife to his holy name, hath been moftly with you,
yea, and becaufe of his hand's being with you, the hands of
men have been againft you : Becaufe he was a friend, and
was honouring you, they became ypur enemies. O rejoice,
and again, I fay, rejoice, becaufe be hath thought ypu war*
thy to fuffer Straits, diftreffes, and fweet reproaches, for bi»
name's fake- O thefe noble badges of honour that thefe re
proaches are, efpecially thefe caft upon you by that backslid
ing and church-deftroying company of minifters in Scptlandj
and forth therecf, belonging to that nation ; and do not
rnink that they will let you alone yet, for they fet themfelves
againft all that are zealous for God and his covenant, but in
a fpecial manner againft you, for which my foul defires to
honour you, craving, from my real affection to yourfelf, and
as an honour put uppn me, that there may be kept up be
twixt us a mutual ccrrefponder.ee and heart fympathy one
with another, defiring to believe that the Lord will help and
honour us to keep his way. So leaving you, and the Lord's
caufe, covenanted fweet Scotland's caul'e (which only is our
concernment) upon his own hand, w^o can wifely, O wifeiyi
manage his own affairs :
Having written and fubferihed this teftimony with mine
pwn hand at -Groningen, the fourteenth day of April, one
thoufand Six hundred and eighty-three years, I defire to re
main, a friend to Zion's friends; and an enemy to her ene
mies, and (much honoured fir) your affured friend and fer
vant in the Lord,
JAMES RENWICK.

F I N I S.

THE
SUBSCRIBERS

FOR

Mr. REN WICK's SERMONS.

Subfcribers given in by John Howie,
Farmer in Lochgoin.
JAMES MUIR School -mailer at
Water-houfe, 2 dozen
Thomas Brown of Burnfide, 9 dozen
Elias Richmond taylor, 6 dozen
William Howie fervant in Soedonhall
Margaret Jamiefon fervant there
John Lambie merchant in Kilmarnock
1 dozen copies
Andrew Jamiefon taylor I dozen
Michael Young in Blackwood
In tbe Pariflh of Steivarton.
David Wyllie portionerin Robertland
Andrew Pickend porqoner there
James Muir weaver there
David Brown farmer in Coldhome
Jean Steel in Bloa-k
William Fergufon faltman there
Jean Love there
John Glen in Caven miln
Robert Nairn firmer in Highcrofs
John Deans portioner in Peacockbank
i.Jizebeth Deans t-here
James Kirkland Smifh there
Matthew Wyllie portionerin Bridgend
Wil. Logan portioner of Templehoufe
John CsSliie portioner in Crol'<ihill
James Pickend potlioner there
David Rawlide farmer in Caufeyhead
Thomas-Ramlay in Burnhoufe
Rob. Wilton portioner of Cankertoun
William Kerr wright in Crivouch
John Crawford taylor in Cankertoun
John Gray portioner of Mofshead
John Patrick in Brayhill
John Wilfon portioner of Spot
James Anderfon taylor in Bloak
John Muir firmer there
John Anderfon taylor there
Martha Crawford there
Junes Montgomery farmer in Kilbride

John Wyllte farmer thsre
James Stewart fervant there
Andrew Howie latoiirer there
John Smith in Ridghead
Robert Fergufon in Halllochrid^e
John Carfwel! in Lowkirkmdor
J.mes Miller portioner in ChapletOurt
James Wilfon portioner there,
James Carr miller in Fulfhaw ftliln
John Muir fS-ix-drefTer there
Robert Carfwell farmer in Robert! }~ J
James Wilfon farmer in Williamfha.w
Alexander Wyllie farmer in Crofthill
William Brown in Bottoms
John Brown portiutierih BlaeklaW
Robert Fergufon portioner in Over
Auchintiher
James Wyllie Slocking- maker in lit
tle Mo/lide
William B.eid portioner of Staikfawhill
John Watts portioner Moorhead
Robert Anderfon in Parkboufe
David Logan portioner of Crofshill
Andrew Calderwood in Templehoufe
Robert Crawford day labourer thcrs
William Gourlie farmer in Ridghead
Alex. Watts farmer in Chaple'.oun
William Alexander in Gill miln
Hugh Steven Servant there
Matthew Smith in Kirkhill
James Miller of Ga!low3yford
John Nairn day labourer in Highcr&fs
Robert Nairn farmer in Irvinehil!
Matthew Gray in Gatefide
Wil. Cameron farmer in Lapedfiuid
Town tf Stewart on.
John Calderwood weaver
Andrew Calderwood carrier
John Mitcbel fil/C weaver
Robert Mew art waver
John Har'vie flax d eff r
Daw-l Stewl t car :«
A V,M

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.

William Gray weaver
Andrew Barr merchant
John Skeough Smith
John Wyllie taylor
Robert Kerr rnafon
John Brown wright
Alexander Fergufon (hoe- maker
James Jamiefon weaver
Thomas Brown Merchant
James Howie innkeeper
James Montgomery merchant
Robert Gardner merchant
John Lyle taylor
William Montgomery flax-drefTer
Andrew Wilfon bonnet maker
William Gordon wright
Hugh Montgomery daylabourer
John Montgomery flaxdieffer
William Scot taylor
David Wyllie taylor
James Boyd (hoe maker
William Wallace weaver
James Ogilvie wright
William Currie bonnet- maker
Thomae Currie ditto
James Picken ditto
James Wyllie ditto
Andrew Picken ditto.
James Reyburn ditto-
Alexander Dimlop ditto
Thomas Langhland ditto^
John Harper ditto
Robert Reyburn ditto
John Montgomery tuafon
£)avid Picken yarn merchant
John Dunlop wright
Francis Smith flax dreffer
David Calderwood (hoe maker
David Rankin dyer, 4 copies.
David Blackwood weaver
William Cunningham weaves
Robert Alexander taylor
Kirkford of Stewart oft.
Alexander Picken portioner
Alexandei Reyburn bonnet maker
James Harper ditto
John Bicket ditto
Robert Kuox ditto
Matthew Bertie there

Tbe Parifh of Draghorn.
Alexander Lohgrmiir portior.er in
Lambroughtoun
James Gait fmith there
John Smith farmer there
Gabriel Armour farmer there
James Holburn daylabourer in Tit»
wood
John Gemmil farmer in Alton
James BioWn farmer in RamSlone
John Smith in Newton
Andrew Muir farmer In Mt,ddletofl
Hugh Thomfon in Warwickfhill
William Todd fervant there ~
Jean Fulton there
John Armour farmer in Wbiterigg
Robert Cuniming farmer in Overtown
Jo^n Laught there, 3 copies
John Allan wright in Walk miln
John Gibfon coil carrier in Byres
Jotin Porter in Longfide
John- Brown miller in Piercetown miln
The Parifh of Kilmars.
James Miller portioner
William Andrew portioner
John Brown portioner
John Templeton labourer
John Stevenfon fmith
VVilliam Steel maltman
James Gemmil farmer in Hill
Margaret Boyd in Kirktoun
John Lowdon younger in Tower
John Lnmbroughtown fervant in
Woodhill The Parifh of Dunlop.
James Anderfon portianer NetherrjiU
Andrew Robert loo farmer there
John Gemmil Templehoufe
James Steel in Merrymouth
Divid Cunningham of RavenSliw
Wil. Gemmil portioner ofWateifido
Wil. Parkhillquarrier in Gamesliili
John Robertfon weaver in Blirts
John Gemmil portioner of Layhead
John Dunlop portiouer of Aiket
James Dunlop portioner of Mains of
Aket
James Craig portioner Bordlandhills
John Barr portioner of Okftiall Fran-

SUBSCRIBERS NAM' ES. 5
Francis Logan wright in Netherhoufes Euphen Wilfon in Gildrum moor
John Brown day labourer in Hill Robert RuSTel in Shaws
Patrick Gemmil of Templehoufe John Stevenfon in Dareclubboch
John Dunlop of Low. Bordland Thomas Burns weaver in Kiln
Robert Neilfon of High Bordland Alexr. Mitchel por. of Demholling
James Anderfon fchoolmafter John Hamilton th're
James Muir (hoe maker Struthermoor James Howie farmer in Creginduntan
Thomas King niiller in Hapland miln Peter Gemmil portioner of Rathnioor
John Howie in Kirktoun Given in by John Glen, Merchant
The Parifh of Kilwinning Port-Glafgow.
Alexr. M-ntgomcry por. Auchintiber Jn ff/e pari^ 0r port.Clafgow,
Robert Kerr portioner there _, n . /, „ . •¦ . i e mr„_
James Anderfon portioner there The. Rrtevd" Mf- A"h*M SmfoB
Dsvid Ramlay farmer in Red Walls _ minifter of the gofpel
JohnBcket portionerin Mtgs Walls J°hn S,nif'n m^a,nt
James Robertfon there A exan-ler Barnh.II brewer
Robert Love farme. in Auchinmade Alemndw Holm brewer
James Howie Shoemaker Dyknock Job" Andrew labourer
Hugh Sneddon in High Fergufonhill Arch.bald Gordon miner
William Tweed farmer there Jolin Manlon merchant
James M'Kechme meichant
Tbe Parifh of Dairy. Walter M'Kchoie carpenter
,,,,,. . . , r. i i j tm • J^nies Aiken merchant
W. Boyd I wright at Bankhead of Blair Alexai)der Laird merchant
Andrew Boyd farmer there Robert Cummin merchant
Robert Boyd ftriner there W)],,am Ferrier merc!,aru
Janet Dickie Servant there Jobo uird f
W. urn Orr younger in jametloun Andrew D,ck f/rvant.
William Aiken fervant there Mary Bjrf)ey
_, n ., - n .,, William Scott hbourer
The Parijh of Be.th. John Donaid Kingj boatmaa
John Mnir portioner in Lugtonridge Niel Campbell boitmin
Alexr. Barr portioner of Burnhoufe Adam Johuftou tide waiter
Robert Craig portioner of GifRn Andrew Lyon walch maker
James King portionerin Lowgree John Jamiefon cooper, 2 copies
M.atthew Gilmour portioner there Archibald Brown taylor
Thomas Stirling fervant there John Barr Shoemaker
John Gilmour portioner of Brownhills Robert Jam:efon cooper
Thomas Wilfon weflver in Old miln Robert Adam mafon
John" Muir portioner of Gitehead Archibald Barps wig maker.
Robert Bigg.ut farmer in Drumboy William M'Gown taylor
Robert JarniefoD (ilk weaver in Beith Samuel Robertfon ditto
Robert Smith (ilk weaver there Alexander M'Gurdie ditto
Robert Denifton cooper
The Parifh of Fenwick, David Lang wright
John Adams portioner in Skirniland David Auld mafon
Alexr Brown farmer in High Arnefs Wil.iam Clark wright ,
Margaret Calderwood in Blackbyre David Laird ditto
lean Paterfon fervant there John. Rofe excife officer
Anne Lepat in townhead ofTurufkan Margaret Rodger vmtner
Thomas Pickend fervant in Gree Edward Kerr mariner
*. A3 Aram-

SUBSCRIBERS N A5 M E S.

Arch'tbaW Denifton farmer in Divyel
Samuel Adam weaver
DanielM'Pherfon taylor
Jerries U'ilfon carpenter
Angus Currie wright, i copies
Andrew. dimming wright
jTulay M Naughton merchant
Andrew Minzies (hoemaker
A'exr. M'Millan wright
John Gibfon ditto •
James Lang d:tto
RoSe t M«Farj.*fiedittq
William Kerr ditto-
William H'ouflon fawer
T„m35 Fleming ditto
Robert Cumming wright
Thomas Cumming ditto
John Kelly grocer
Robert Fletcher Baker
George C lei land mafon
V/iUiam 'Wyllie tide-waiter
Richard Kirkland watch-maker
John Barr clock maker
S>uncan M^Callurn labourer
Mary M'Dougal
John- Young maforj
John Reid carpenter
James Ramfay merchant
Archibald M'Neron weigher
John M'Afh porter
>yidow Camerpn
George Broucks carpenter
Andrew Simpfon wright
Mr. James Thomfon grammar fchool
mJcr
, John Wilfon mafon
Alexander Poiterfield (hip mailer
Jamps Morris ditto
]..ihn Fullerton ditto
johp Hartwell ditto
] hn Smellie merchant
'] jmes Reid fmith
\yilljim Smith flioe make?
%Viliiam M Rab ditto
John Ritchie Smith
ijtnfy* Watlbn Slater
Jfl.o Alexander porter
Jioher! Brown mafon
luyid Brown, gardner
j.ric{ Smith
('^"'"•H H°u(tbn fmith

James Laflg' copper
John'M'Grrigor pitch boiler
In Greenock:
Rev. Dr. John Adam minifter ofthe'
gofpel
Rev. Mr. Colin Gillies minifter ot?
the gofpel'
Rev. Mr. John Buift minifter ofthe >•
gofpel
Patrick Morris wright
Robert Paterf'on ditto
Andrew Duncan hatter
John Carmichael watch maker
John M'Parlane merchant
Benjamin Mbrilos jeweller
Alexr' and Wil. Rodgers fmitln
Colin Campbell fmith
Thomas M'Alpin grocer
Daniel M gowan merchant
Margaret Rue fervant
William Turner fmitb
John Fleming ditto
Archibald Mafon faddler
Archibald Scot (hoemaker
Alexander Brown ditto
Robert King ditto
John Binnatyne fore-man of the Shoe
faflory
Gavin Lindfay wright
Daniel Fleeming ditto
Patrick Cowan Skinner
Jofeph Orr wright
William Barr labourer
Archd. M'Callum clerk
James Moreland candle ma^cer
Alexander Ralfton weaver
Robert M'Fie merchant
Mary Threlkeld glover
Alexander Allan merchant
Robert Lang cooper
John Bowman cqnfeftioner-
William Kay taylor
Gilbert Baxter Shoe maker
Patrick Hatrick labourer
Alexander Brown
John Rodger gardner
David Fife weaver
John Cumming Shoe maker
William Shaw ditto
Patrick Cochran ditto
Robert Yuill book- binder
Crm?

SU B' S C R t Bi E R a N A M- E S*

Crawford* Dyke.
Alexander Wardrobe dyer
Jobn Lang junior dyer
Dougal Gray clerk to Mr Halinay
James Crawford wright at Crawford
houfe Cardrofs Parifh
Walter Glen miller
Patrick Houftoun farmer in A'uchenfail
Walter Menzies at Ardardan
james Davie laiourer
Alexr. M'Aulay farmer in Kilmalieu
John Paul weaver
Chriftian Davie in Milldovan
Grizell johnfton in Carmarm
Dougal Stewart linnen printer at Cor
date
Robert Mickey ditto there
Charles Murray ditto there
Alexander Sinclair ditto there
james Hamilton ditto there
Robe-t Watfon ditto there
Walter Craig ditto there
Daniel M'Kay clerk there
john Bain dyer there
jamts M'Kechnie bleacher there
Daniel Taylor weaver there
Archibald Paterfon workman there
David Miller linnen printer at Dal
qwhirn
Andrew Paterfon ditto there
Matthew Maitland ditto there
john Gilmour ditto there
Peter Henry ditto there
john Smith ditto there
james Hill ditto there
john M'Corkle ditto there
Randel M'Innes ditto there
Alexander Young there
William imjn there
Andrew Aiken miln wright there
William Yuillcopperman therer
james Lindfay workman there
john Miller ditto there
Robert Hutchifon ditto there
Andrew Shearer ditto there
Ann Barr fervant there
jean Bunten ditto there
john Finlay workman there
j ames Guthrie flajc drefTer
Archibald Glen maker

john1 Davie firmer Drumfadock
George Kinnear plowman Gielfton
john Hamilton gardner there
Robert Hunter fervant Lylefton
john M'Kinlay farmer in Ballimenoch
john Will fervant at Ardmore
Margaret Mitphel fervant there
j ames Gay weaver at Hill
William M'Intyre farmer
Robert Baine ditto
Thomas Will ditto
Robert Rodger ditto
john Hunter ditto
Archibald Hunter ditto
William Craig ditto
William M'Farlane Shoe maker
Robert Taylor fervant
George Minzies ditto
Erfkine Parifh
Rev. Mr. Walter Young minifter of
the gofpel
William Glen of Bsrganan
George Dempfter feffion clerk
j ames Dickfon gardner
William M'Grigor ferryer
John Millar Morifon wright
james Cowan ditto
William Whitehill fmith
Hugh Gardner  ditto
William Clark wright
William Henderfon weaver
J ames Rodger farmer in Longhaugh
Walter Yaks ditto there
Patrick Yaits ditto there
Matthew P^rk ditto in White.tiofs •
i ames Couper diftiller in Formaken,
Bonhilt Parifh^
Thomas M'Kean merchant
William Ewing cooper
james M'Alafter junior wright
"\JjHliam M'Kinlay- ditto
john M'Alafter  'ditto
Mungo Lindfay linnen printer at Ls«
ven print field
john Buchanan ditto there
james M'Alafter ditto there
William M'Kinlay ditto there
John M'Kinlay- — -ditto there
Donald Smith fhoe maker
john w\%e<az\e farmer Bxrtha-

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES

Bartholomew Walker fl.x-dreffer
William Hardie laylor
Dumbarton Parifh.
Wtlikm M'Alafter wright
Adam W^ker Jlioe maker
Waker j>rdan ditto
William G en boatman
Arthur m Kinzie
Kilmalcolm Parifh
Alexander Logan (hie maker
Wiiliam M'tizies (locking maker
John Wbitehil! of Witeryates
William Ritloch fervant
James Blair farmer Sclates
John Leith ditto Newtonshill
William Reid ditto Aucheuleck
John Galbraith horner Peniterfell
Thomas Inglih farmer Prieftfide
john Menzies ftocklngmaker
john Parkjunioi wright
Jfahel M'Intyre i'> the pariSh nf Lufs
Robert Wright merchant Pa.Sley
Andrew Shields tavlo- Gblgow
Robert Williamfon fta\rmker there
Archd. Bowie brulhmaker there
Given in by William Orr merchant
ill Kilbarchan
In the parifh of Kilbarchan.
ATch. Caldwell tenant in Aikends
John Caldwell t1 ere
John Armo.ir in Clohodrick
John Wilfon workman in Windmill
James Steven wright in Kilbarchan
jManhrw Paterfon diftiller there
William Climie weaver there
Robert Speirs Shoemaker there
Alexander Buchanan bleacher there
J.ihn M'Crae workman there
Wdliam Miller in Braes
George Barr in Coalbog
Robert Climie of Colocliant
John Ei Heine in Faulds
John Stevcnfou in B.mbeth '
William Stuart B.kcr in. Kilbarchan
John Hair innkeeper therms-. .
William Aiken workman there
Alexander Wylie Smith there
John Coclir.ui milter at Gkntun mil.i

James Gavin weaver Kilbarchan
Daniel M Milan workman there
Annabella Campbel there"
Alex. Stevenfon weaver there
In the phrifh ofLochwinoch.
Adam Boyd junr. wright at Caftle-
Semple
John Jamefon in Eafter Gaven
William Caldwell in Wefter Gaven
John Orr of Midhoufe
John Robertfon of Overtrees
In the parifh of Kilalan.
James Anderfon in Knous
William Barr in Gryfcaftle
Patrick Bar in Law
David Orr there
John Shearer weaver in Kirktoun
John Arthur hi Boghall
Andrew Arthur Weaver in Gofshill
John Gib SJax-dreSTer at Burrochan
Andrew Arthur in Boghall
In the parifh of Kilmarnock.
Alex. Morris weaver in Kilmarnock
Andrew M'Lain weaver in Crocked-
holm
George M'Nair dyer there .
Archibald Campbel Smith there
Jn the parifh of Kilmalcolm.
James White Workman in Bardrainie
James Blair iri Auchenfoil
John Brod'e.in Auchenteeber
John Cuthbert there
William Cuthbert there
Alex. Gardner flax-dreffer Milton
James Gardner miller there
Alex. Gardner lint knocker there
Alex. Lockhart in Dennifton
James Cr Idwell in Smiddihills
Thomas M'lllan taylor in Kilmalcolm
James Stevenfon merchant there
John I^aird S'lormaker there
Will. Holm in Cr^igends Dennifton
John Lang in Plaintrceyet
David Lang in Oldlull
Margaret Fleming in Dennifton
John Orr in Lugtonrig Htil. parifh
William Wilfon j'inr. in Back-of hill
Eifkneparifn- Wal-

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.

Walter Park cooper in Greenock
Thomas Mitchel gardner at Greenock
houfe
Arch. M'Farlane in Houfton town
John Miller in Waterlie Houfton pa
rifh
Thomas Marlhal merchant in Paifley
William Cochran weaver there
JohnCrafourd merchant there
Alex. Lang in Bothrickfield parifh of
Houfton
William King there
John Barr in Knockhills there
Matthew Millar miliar at Barfcub
miln ErSkine pariSh
James Mitchel merchant in GUfgow
Thomas Buchanan merchant there
James Blair merchant there
Rob. M'Lintoek jun. merchant there
Given in by John Niven travelling
chapman
John Gardner fewer Kilbarchan
James Crafourd weaver there
James Stevenfon weaver there
Peer Barr weaver there
Quintin M'Adam farmer in Straton
John Duncan ftudent of divinity there
Jean Eaglelholm there
John Jinkin there
John M'Lure there
John M Lure in the pariSh of Daly
John M'Murfrie in the parifh of Barr
Thomas Cunningham there
John M'Toir there
James Grange there
James M'Connel there
William Haftings farmer there
Gilbert J^ckfijn farmer there
William Murray there
Robert Allan (hoemaker there
J >hn Allan Shoemaker there
Robert Eaglelholm weaver there
John M' Harg in the parifh of Carcoan
Anthony M'Braid Shoemaker in Col
munell
William Affleck Smith there
John M'Wnerter Shepherd there
Benjamin Jackfon farmer there
John Donk there
William M'Hurchon there
JohnGray there

David CarSTan there
John Blair there
William Gatt dyer there
Patrick M'Gill there
William M'Harg there
William MCreath miller theirs
David Logan there
Robert M'Kenna there
Thomas M'Niking there
William Dinning fervant thera
Gilbert M'Elwrick there
John M'William fmith there
John MFedder fervant the-r*
Jean M'Goun fervant there
Andrew Cflnning.li am there
William Gordon there
Patrick M'Hanpel there
Alexander Eccles there
William Clark weaver there
James M'Quaker there
Sarah M'Goun there
William M'Cree there
James Kennedy there
William M'Whirter there
William M'Quaker there
Hugh Aitken weaver there
Gilbert Millwrath there
William M'Micking there
Robert Holmes weaver there
Andrew Dividfon fervant thei®
Rofanna Gall fervant there
John Earl there
Robert Kennedy fervant tk.-e
James M'Kennedy there
Hugh Thomfon farmer there
David ICennedy there
John Muir farmer there
John M'Connel fchoalmafter pariSh or
Inch *\
John M'KifTock in BaJJantre* parifh
Rob. M'Ldtchie in parifh of Sure
Gavin Campbel in Old Cumnock
William Hofs there
Will. Hamilton taylor New Cumnock
John Haibert firmer there
Michael Marfhal merchant there
Hugh M Kcii.ia there
Hugh Pueribn farmer in Delmeling-
ton parifh.
Andrew M'Connel there
Thomas M'Gill (hoemaker there '
Gilbert M'Whirter mafon there Thomas

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.

Thomas Gemmell ditcher there
John Symerton herd there
John Key farmer there
Will. Stoddart ftockmgmaker there
Tohn M'Kay taylor there
John Herron (hoemaker there
tames Hutchifon there
Tanet M' Naught there
Elizabeth Affleck there
Tohn Watt jun. there
John Reid Weaver there
Will. Clark in Carfphairn parifh
Robert Stevenfon in Beith parifh ,
Margaret Robertfon there
Margaret Andrew there
Tanet Fulton there
"John Caldwell in Lochwtnnoch parifh
Tames Donaldfon dyer in Boydfton
William Morifon parfley
James Boyd
Matthew Gib
John M'Nair
Robert Cameron
Arthur Renfrew
Robert Stevenfon in Beith pariln
William Brown merchant in Sorn
Thomas Walker taylor theie
Alex. M'Michael in Dalmelington
David M' Queen taylor there
David Smith farmer there
Given in by John Selkirk weaver Cal-
toun. .„
James Walker in Reidburn in panlli
ofTorphichen, lacopi"
Arch. Downs in Moffathtll parifli of
Sll0tS ..,. L
Arch. Lang in Lochill there
Tohn Hill miller inCaldercroocks pa-
rifh of New Monkland
Andrew Fife weaver Caltoun
Archibald jamefcm weaver there
John Weir weaver there
Tames Fergufon weaver there
Tames Arneil weaver there
William M'llquham weaver there
Robert Muckle weaver there
Samuel Holmes weaver there
Tohn Blair weaver there
£rew Millar flax-drelTer there
David Bamurman farmer there

James Leek weaver in Meikle Govah
John Hunter weaver there
John M'Ghie tennant in Berryknow
Govan pari-lh
Mr Jimes-Dounie fchoolmafter Ardrie
John Lang portioner there
David Ingles merchant there
Robert Bailey portioner there
Peter M'Alafter clothlapper Gl*fg°w
James Lang farmer in Barblieus Shots
parifh
John Millar farmer in Caldercroocks
Eaft Monkland
Jean Mair in Airdrie
Andrew Mitchel fchoolmafter there
Margaret Millar Shopkeeper there
William Hog chapman there
William Smith portioner there
Gavin Waddel workman there
Robert Gardner Farmer in Corfehill
parifh of Shots
James RulTel farmer in Dundaivan
Weft Monkland
Andrew Thomfon workman there
Jofeph Ralton flax dreSTer in Bothwel
pariSh
J«hn Mafon miller in Carnbrue there
James Walker farmer in Ridburn
Torphichen parifh
Robert Mack farmer Weft Monkland
John Steel baker in Airdrie
Mr James RufTel furgeon there
Jphn Tfiomfon portioner there
Robert M'Culloch portioner there
Janet Logan in Eaft Monkland
john Anderfon weaver there
Thomas Wilfon ftockingmaker there
Robert Cherrie weaver Caltoun
William Imrie
Gilbert Cowan weaver in Caltoun
Walter Mafon weaver there
David jack weaver there
Walter Young weaver there
Donald M'Donald weaver there
JLodovick Turnbull weaver there
janet Steel there
David Ralton farmer in Sandiford pa
rifh of Shots
james Euing weaver Caltoun
William Euing weaver Paifley
james Murray taylor Caltoun Given

SUB S.CR'IBERS NAMES. 9
Given in by William Gardner taylor john Cuthbertfon brewer in Caltoun
in Fergiifton paiifhof New Kilpa- john Cuthel weaver there
trick. . John Gilfillan weaver there
In the parifh of New Kitbatrick. David Smith farmer in Incbinnan
, „ , »,,-., William Hall farmer there
John Barton cordener Molshead ick Barf the,.e
ft ,mM V? lv ^ if 1 t'V Jot" Pa-erfon there
^"M'J^el cooper New K patr.ck ' wGomt {q{ tbere
Will Wat Ion we:. ver eafter K, pat.. ck Robm Ha„ (here
Hugh Bool in New K.lpatnck M.dtthew White farmer there
Robert Peter m Mdngavie W.lliam Blackwood there
Rob, M' Arthur in New Kilpatnck
Hugh M'Gfegor carter Cbber jn ^ „ , Buc1)(inMt
JOhn Bryfon cordener Molshead r i . „ . i*
Will. Pender weaver in CanieSburn Thomas Buchanan farmer, in Bachanaif
Daniel M'Rchnic fervant Buclair J-hn M'Aulay in Boloimcha
john Caffs fervant in Milichin Andrew M'Farlane in Cafh-11
David Horn fchoolmafter "Milngavie Andrew Y-.ol in Tyomoch
David Moor fervant in Balvie JJmes M'Alpine m Aixhengyle
Alex. Blair fmith in Summerstoun U lll,am M'Alp-ne in Arechyle
Walter Galloway in Tombuiy J°>™ Yool weaver in Burhanan
Will. Weir mafon Auchenhouie Andrew m nach farmer there
Alex, 'Knox melon Miin*mill R bert Gardner there
john Peter miller in Milngavie Geo,rge M'Aulay fchoolmafter there '
Rob. Muir wright in Clober - William M'Kechnie there
james Angus f.irme. in Garconald Malcolm m Farlane thfre
John M'Farlane officer of excife io The Rev. Mr D.vid m 'Gibbon mi-
Milngivie n,aer of the 8°rPe! therfl
William Weir fervant in Scotfloun Jolin M'Keoun there
Archibald Nimmo at Mr M'Claud's lf^f, Buchanan farmer there
in Gorbals W,ll,am Le?k,e '" Mams
John Leckie brewer in Glafgow Mary M'farlane there
J john Walker farmer at Buchanan
' john M'Goune of Gartochorran
Given in by Mary Campbel. A|cll M.N;co! rmkh at Buchanan
John Robertfon farmer Eafter Garden Daniel Walker farmer Baiconoiihy
Robert M'Luckie farmer there Alex Strang iu paiifti of Drymen
William M'Alpin in Cnokenftiaoch Humphry Logan in Blarnw; :d there! ¦
parifh of Kippen john Monach in Eafter BaiUt there
The Rev. Mr john French minifter james R.Sk weaver in BuchJyvie
of the gofpel at Buchlyvie Andrew Carrick Shoemaker there
Duncan Wright farmer there john Ure in Mains of Buchfyvie
john Gilfillan jun. taylor Balfron j ,mes Mackie farmer Hamilton parifli
jean Hay at miln of Culcreuch john Wilfon there
Andrew Kidfton fchoolmafter Fintry james Laurie farmer there
William Gilfillan merchant there Robert Scot there
james Anderfon farmer Cambullang john Scot there
john More in Newton james Brown there
james Cochran weaver in Bogend Gavin Burns of Litiletnelen
james Bowman farmer in Halfide john Alfton in barony ot Hamilton
james Cooper farmer in Blantyre Will. Petiigrew weaver m Inbeugh
john Laurie fmith in Hamilton parifh james Pumphry weaver there
john Campbel weaver james Burns weaver there
1 B In

SO

SUBS 'CRIffERS. NAMES.

In the parifh of Stonehoufi.
Thomas Allen of Coldllream
james Millar of High-houSe
Robert Wilfon
John, Cochran in Little Kyp
james Hamilton in Langrig
William Miljer
Hugh Wilfon of Stonhpufe
Elizabeth Hamilton in Stonehoufe
¦ Thomas Barr there
Andrew Hamilton there
John, Corr there
john Millar weaver there
Robert Millar weaver there
W.lliam jackfon weaver there
George Hamilton weaver there
Elizabeth Muter in Mains
Thomas Harvie fmith in Blackwood
Robert Hamilton at Spittle
Thomas Muter farmer parifh of Dal"
ferf In the parifh of Lifmahago.
yohn Semple farmer
james Weir in RodgerbiH
John joes {here
Thomas Morton tfcere .
Robert Walker in Blackwood pleas
james Fajrferyice there
John BrUnton
Davj^ Aitken in Lefrnahago
james Waddcl tenant in Birkwood
john Smith there
William Donald in Blackwood yeat
William Barr fmttb in Lifmahago
james Meikle wright there
William Hart merchant there
john Wbflrrie there
George Allaa there
William Sr/el of Netherhoufe
james Stoddart iri Garfwod
Alex, m Ghiein Lochenbank
Robert Hamilton Draffan
john Hamilton there
Thomas Shirrallaw
j ohn Watfon there
Andrew Hamilton of Garngour
j ohn Rankin farmer Kilfyth
juargiret Adam there
j?-ne>'Shaw weaver Kilfyth
William Shaw Weaver there

Robert Shaw there
Robert Stevenfon weaver there
John Marlhal wright there
Alex. Baird weaver there
james Millar farmer at Guinzie miln
james Baxter in Dalferf
Ales. Yates fmith in Bothwel parifh
In the parifh of Old Kilfatrkk.
Robert Nielfon in Miltoun of Coihoun
Robert Connel^thcre
John Smith wright in Faiflay
Robert Gardner flax dreffer at Eden-
barnet
Given in by David Millar in Torrcnce
pariSh of Campfie
Robert Aitken fervant in Tower
james Logan in Balyrochan
William Boyle portioner there
Walter Rankin weaver in Boghe
james Ferrieof Balyrochan miln
William Hendrie of Borrowfton
David Angus wright in Sandyhole
Thomas Reid portioner in Carlfton
j ames Hunter portioner in Hayftori
George Brown farmer in wuckroft
Thomas M'Gilchrift tennant in sal-
grochan
William Young at Calder kirk
Edward Wynne at searyards
Alex. Bankier in Crocketridge
j ames Lockhart at Bridgend Calder
Rob. M'Lintoek merchant Glafgow
William Buchanan innkeeper there
Alex. Buchanan innkeeper there
Peter M'Aulay (hoemaker in Barrend
J ohn Stuart cooper Kirkintilloch
Alex. Hay in Aberdour parifli
Robert Turner of Temple
james Kincaid fmith in Torrence
Thomas Reid in Eafter Balyrochan
Jofeph Gibb in Craighead
Francis Paterfon weaver in Fintry
Thomas Winning workman in sal-
more
Alex, Crighton workman there
Rob. Young (hoemaker in Kippen
janet Himilton innkeeper there
John Fairlie boatman in Frew
Daniel M'Gregor fmith in sroch Andrew

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.

It

Andrew Squire taylor in Arnprire
john RiSk cooper there
j obn Craig taylor there
j ohn Shir ra farmer in Knowhead
Andrew Weir taylor in Kippen
Andrew Neilfon farmer in Buchlyvie
Tho. BriSbain maltman in Arnmore
Thomas Neilfon in Arnprire
George M'Laas miller there
John Graham farmer there
John Harvie farmer in Buchlyvie
John Buchanan in slargare
John Forfyth farmer in weft Thrid
j ohn Lockhart farmer in Burnfoot
Alex. M'Lachlan taylor in Broch
Henry Millar miller in Newmiln
Robert M'Gregor tenant in Arnprire
Daniel Wright vintner in Kilfyth
William Fifher there
3 ean Fergus there
William Dounie taylor there
John K:ng nailer there
james Renhie farmer there
John Anderfon (hoemaker there
VValfer Morifon fmith there
Robert Stirling there
Alex. Fergus in Cumbernauld
Will. Tang, farmer in Auchinfjerry
Andrew Provan fiaxdrcffer Kilfyth
John Shearer there
Peter Shearer there
Rob. Buchanan weaver Campfie
james Aitken quarrier in Bidemock
Robert Graharii weaver there
John Craig, taylor there
James Dun weaver there
John King limeman there
Robert "Bowie portioner there
John Bralh taylor there
Given in by AjexanderGemmel
James Gemmel merchant in Mauchlin
Andrew Gemmel weaver in.Paifley
Janet Gemmel ip Mauchlin
In the parifh of Mauchlin.
John F'fher in Mountgarfwood '
Eliz M'Kergow chambermaid Bars-
kiming
George Mitchel fervant there
William M'oull fervant there
Sober t -Black fervant there

James Taylor fervant to Lord juftice
clerk there
Alexander Kay gardner there
William M'gain fmith in Courthill
John Millar farmer in Newton
William Ronald taylor in Mauchlin
James Smith farmer in Auchmillin
James Paton in Newton
William Marr in Call therm
Margaret Find lay
William Weir taylor there
George Lambie farmer in Dixton its
pariSh of Auchinleck
Andrew Fifher in AuchmOnouch in
parifh of Sorn
James IVPMath in Hill there
John Sloan fervant in parifli of Stair
Given in by John Garffhore in Wood-
head parifh of Ne* Monkland
In the parifh of New Monkland.
John Thomfbti at Roughfolloch
John Zuill tenant in Raebog
William Thorn coalhewer there
Robert Wood tenant in Shank
James Shaw tennant iii Nettleholes
John Burnfide fmith in Ridden
John Waddel tenant there
Robert G art fhore of Mi rrybroug'h
Alex. Whitlaw tenant in Pinwindie.'.
George Young coalhewer iti Stand
Jatries Gillefpie workman
John liendrie.Coalhewer
Given in by James Brouiling mafoa in
Darvei
Daniel Anderfon feuar in. Darve!
K'obel Anderfon there
M-irion Biouning there
Matthew Brouninp feuar there
Sutherland Brodie fhx drefltr there
Robert Borland farmer there
Agnes Campbel there
Margaret Campbel there
Mr James Findlay there ,
Alexander Gebbie dyer tht?re
John Gebbie merchant iheie
John Morton portioner Darvei miln
Hugh Gilchrift Gatelide
Hugh Morton wright Darvei
Thomas Morton mafon there
B .2 Jamei

12

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.

10

James Paterfon portionerin Slacks
Will. Richmond Shoemaker Darvei
Jofeph Montgomery feuar there
James Richmond fhxdreSfer there
Uugb Stirling weaver there
Elizabeth Wallace grocer there
Hagh Young cooper there
James Blackwood fhxdrifTer GalHori William Angus /n Kings, inch
parifh
James Steel farmer Lochfield in Lou
don parifh
Mary Huichon in Mauchlin pariSh

Given in by James Euing taylo
Renfrew
Wiiliam Cochran weaver Maxwelton
Henry Douns gardner DinSiJe
Daniel Swan farmer in Renfrew
James Adam miller there
William Young there

John Caruth farmer Weftfhields parifh
ofGovan
John Campbel weaver in Renfrew
John Blair Gallowhi-ll
Peter Paterfon in Renfrew
Given in by George Broun merchant peter Millar wright there
Perth James Somerville weaver there
The Rev. Mr Alex. Blyth minifter of

the gofpel KincUven
Thomas Gregory in Perth
Alex. Galloway there
Lauchlin M'lntofh there
Andrew S"uart there
Charles Millar there , ¦>
David Fe me there
Alex. Smith there
Alex. Kiliar there
Jahn Alexader there
Thomas Paterfon there
Peter Blair there
Will. Chalmers fchoolmafter there
John Fyfe there
Alex. Stuart there ¦
John Cunningham there
Given in by Andrew Mitchel fchool
mafter in A'rdrie
George Waddel portioner in Ardrie
Robert Termant workman there
David Morifon gardner there
John Shaw of Brownyfide
Will, Buchanan portioner Ardrie
Robert Craig taylor there
John Bulloch portioner ihere
John Blair coalhewer at Coats '
Thomas Chapman fmith in Airdrie
James Gray coalhewer there
Mary Armour there
Agnes Steel there
Eliaibeth Sym there
Jean M"K.erofi in Dalkeith

Given in by John Jack in Garnqueen
Calder par.fh
John Waddel miller Garnqueen pa^
rifh of Older
John Donaldfon mafon in Bars there
John Anderfon farmer in Dromcavel
there
John Colquhoun farmer in Garfcolfi
there
Robert johnflon portioner in parifh of
Old Monkland
John Paterfon workman in Garnqueen
in Calder parifri
Rob. Hervey mafon in Calder parifh
James Angus weaver in Slackawoods
there
James Mackie farmer in Shankremoor
there
James Tennant of Bred4enhill in Eaft
Monkland
Ann Walker in Ridding there
William Mackie fawner in Garnqueen
parifh of Calder
Given in by Jkn Small.
James Hewetfon in Auchenbainzie
John Smith* younger of Glenjun
Samuel Gries in Miniebive
Robert M'MMan in the parifh of Kk-
connel
William Harknefs there
James Davidfon merchant Dunfernv
line9 36 copies

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.'

*3

Given in>y William Waddel in New
Monkland.
james Rodger weaver Newmonkland
jobc Shaw portioner there
j ohn Martin junior portioner there
William Moderwall in Cothill there
john Wilfon tenent there
j ames Wilfon in Newhoufe there
William Paul of Winrige there
William Wilfon of Milcroft there
George Andrew fmith in Calder parifli
William Waddel of Bridgend there
Robert Waddel in Lonhead there
John Cleland in Sandy knows
Archd. Wotberfpoon old Monkland
James White Burnlip there
John Pettigrew baker there
James Waddel farmer there
Hugh Thom weaver there
James Thorn farmer there
Wil> Millar Lowfoot new Monkland
Andrew Thom there
Matthew Millar there
James Thorn fervant there
John Valance fervant there
John Jack taylor in Garnqueen
Matth. Waddel farmer in Drumcavel
Thomas Colhoun portioner Calder
James Brown baker in Caltoun
Given io by Patrick Wbyte Tanner
in Perth
James Carrick tanner in Perth
Alexander Miller ditto there
James Davidfon ditto there
Andrew Ifies ditto there
Samuel Peddie ditto there
James Allan ditto there
Matthew Cook currier there
James Duncan ditto tbace
Robert M'Gregor workmaB there
Alexander Rutherford ditto there
David Wi^hton ditto there
James Arclie Skinner there
Given in by James Fifher merchant in
M'nyhive. In the Parifh of Cleticairn,
James Maxwell

William Maxwell
James Mnirhead
Robert Muirhead
John Wallace
James M Queen
Thomas Drummond
Robert Hogg
Nathaniel Davidfon
Alexander Fergufon
William Cotts
William Bonitin
Given in by John Irvine weaver in
Caltoun.
James Weir of Br i, n ,
James Mafon f.ii Milngavie
William Graham .te.
Walter Graham there
John M'Indbe Imith there
Margaret Watfon New Kilpatrick
John Whitelock bleacher at Crofs miln
Peter Nicol linnen printer there
Humphry Walker ditto there
James Peter ditto'there
William Chiming ditto there
Jofeph Buchanan ditto there
Thomas Yool carter there'
James Sym dyer there
Gavin Peacke Callender man there
James/Galloway bleacher there
Gideon Scott ditto there
James Boyd (hoemaker in the Suther
land
Hugh Millar weaver at the Stepends
Given in hy William Gibfon workman
in Craigend Old Monkland.
William Cullen old Monkland
Alexander Colhoun there
John Corbet there
William Cullen Wefterhoufe theie
William Forgy weaver there
Ninian Wallace there
Robert Donaldfon there
Alexander Findlay there
Robert Crawford there
William Reid there
John Burn fide there
Robert Waidel farmer there

M

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES

Given in by James M'Farlane Sudent
in Port. In the Parifh of Port.
Henry Miln farmer in Cardrofs
William Ure farmer there
Peter M' Nee Shoemaker
John M Gibbon farmer there
Andrew Ore farmer there
Rohert Ure farmer there
William M'Gibbon farmer there
John M'Gibbon farmer there
Archibald Smith plowman there
Dmc3n M AHan weaver in Inchie
>J<imes M'AUan ditto- there
Rohert Allan weaver in Ardrie, eaft
Monkland, 18 copies
James M'Ewen Maryfton old Monk-
'."*' land
Alexander Bell in Kncckerfs Barony
parifh
David Maitland weaver tift Monk-
land
Robert Neilfon weaver there
John Allan <Utto there
Alexander PeBjder ditto there
John Bulloch ditto there
Robert Wadded {hoemaker there
John Malcolm weaver there
W.-lter Paterfon ditto there
James Neilfon ditto there
Jarfet Lindfay there
John Neilfon cooper there
Chriftian P ttigrew there
William M'Farland cooper Glafgow
James Crooklrunks weaver there
Jofeph Lockhart merchant there
J.ance Watt weaver there
James M'Nair brick layer there
Margaret Lang $herc
Alexander Rober|fon porter there
JVlrs. Marfhall there
John Dunn weaver Caltoun
Alexander Wdddel Shoemaker there
fames Renwick brewer there
f rancis Roe there
Alexander Granger Weaver there
.Andrew Nairn ditto there
William Rae ditto there
Margaret Young Pollockffnws
Jofeph Stewart weaver Camlsjillang
Duncan CryM labourer .gstclide

Peter Dougal. merchant "Port -GUT.
John Jack bookfelier Bo-nefsj i dozen
James Bell plowman Bediary
William Watfoti fervant there
Ro'b. Thomfon farmer Malenhillhead
Wil. Waddel carrier new Monkland
William Menzies farmer in Calder
John Angus weaver there
James H milton DrUmduff
Given in by John Glen Merchant in
Port Glafgow.
in the Parifh ofErfkine,
John Paton Shoemaker Kirktoun
Duncan M'Keich flax dreSTer there
Robert GUfsfdrd wright there
William Gibfon wright there
Robert Rodger inn-keeper there
John AHifon weaver there
John Morifon labourer there
Alexr. Craig feryant to Mary Young
Mary M^Arthur fewfter there
Bazil Jacklon -prentice gardner to
Lord Blantyre
James Cowie gardner there
Daniel Livefton gardner there
John Monro gardner there
Alexander Jack grieve there
Robert Boaz labourer there
Robert AHifon junior there
John Wilfon there •
William Hamilton there
William Cavifon there
Matthew Reid there
Robet Walker fowler there
John Stewart -cook there
William Douart Drumcrofs
James Ghfsford north Porton
John Millar fervant there
Thomas Zuif fouth Porton
Alexander Shaw farmer there
William King weft Porton
Margaret Wilfon there
Jean Laird there
Thomas Morifon (hoemaker
Ifobel Clark Richfton
John Hamilton fervent there
John Blair fervant laigh Longhatigfa
William Rtidger Cookhill
Andrew Paton Dibe Smiling
Thomas Stewart laigh Hauion
Robert Cunningham Newton Junes

SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.

tS

James AHifon merchant
William Neilfon Glenchinoch
John Walker there
John M'Kindlay Mains of Dargivle
William Lang Einglefton
Archibald Neilfon fmith at Crofgate
William King Wright at Ford
Matthew Hamilton weaver at RoSland
John Hamilton weaver there
David Gordon weaver there
James Orr weaver there
John Jamiefon labourer there
John M'Niel taylor there
William Gray horner
Robert Caldwall Hillhead
Margaret Millar Drumbieaft
james Alexander Burdock
Matthew Glafsford wright
Robt. M'CaSlan fervant at Longhangh
John Lindfay Hardoch
James AHifon Sclateford
John Stewart high Hatton
Wil, Blair fmith at, CroSihiU

James Broun fervant there

Inchinnan Parifh.
John Whitehill Rafhlee
Matthew Dougal there
John Stewart there
John Waterfton there
William Cumming fervant to Lord
Semple
William M'Keoun Servant there
William Hutcfeifon Old<Barr
James Ritchie Toll Barr
William Barr turner hillhead of Law
New Kilpatrick,
William Whitehill weaver Renfrew
Robert Park weaver
Thomas Davie Sintrains
Alexander Paton
William Crawford
James Rodger Wright
John Clark wright
John Selkirk 1 2 copies
John Davie Kilmarnock (2 copies

GhASCOWs April*. 1774.
PROP O S A L S
For PRINTING by SUBSCRIPTION,
A N
HISTORICAL RELATION
OFTHE
State and Acftings ofthe Suffering
Remnant in Scotland.
Who were embodied in felect Societies and general
Correfpondencies from the Year 1681. to the Year
1690. — -Together with an Account of the particular
-Circumftances of the- Land in general, and of the So-
cieties in particular, in the intervals betwixt every one
of their general Meetings ; arid alfo pertinent and pi-
ous Obfervations thereupon, with many Letters to
'.'¦',' and from the general Correfpondencies, <&c. &c.
Now firft offered to the Public from the original Ma-
nufcripts of Mr MICHAEL SHIELDS, Clerk,
to the Societies during the fore-mentioned Period.
N. B. This Manufcript now offered to -the public .may be
depended upon as genuine. It feems to have been designed
for the Prefs by the Author, and is now published at the ear-
jieft DeSire ofthe Owners of that Caufe, for which the Socie
ties connected with the Author earneftly contended.
CONDITIONS.
I. The Book will be printed on the fame Paper and Type with Mr
Renwiek's Sermons and Lectures ; and, if fuitable Encouragement
is given , at the fame Price.
It. Thofe who fubfcribe for 12 Copies Shall have one gratis. r
\\l. Such a» defire the, Public<cion of this ufeful Work, will fend in
their Names ro Jo>hn Bryce the Publisher without Lofs of Time,
for fo fowl as a competent Number of Subscriptions is obtained, to
defray one half of the Estpence, the Book will be put to the Prefs
and carried on with all Expedition.
SUBSCRIPTIONS ai-e taken in by John Bryce, the ;
Printer and Publisher, in Glafgow; J Howie at Loch-
goin;. W. M'Arthur Bookfeller Paifley ; J Glen at
Port-Glafgow ; D Millar at.Caropfie ; J. Jack at Bor-
Towftonhefs ;*R.i^aurie weavef- iMauldflie ; J. Brotjn-
jng Mafon at DerVal ; J. Selkirk weaver in Caltoun of
Clafgow ; and \j$l others iutf lifted with Propofals.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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