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and when the open enemies of the covenanted reformation are not only admitted into places civil and military, but raken into the bofom of the church, and vefted with the facred rights. and privileges thereof? There is a great pother and noise when one difaffected to the civil government begins to mingle in with our civil elections of magiftrates; and there is good reason to exclude them: but fome men who make a mighty noise about this, make little or no account of admitting this fet of people, difaffected to the government of King Jefus, to mingle in themselves, in electing the rulers and governors of the house of God. Which, to me, makes it plain, that the government of an earthly prince is dearer to them, than the vernment of the "Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of kings, and Lord of lords."

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4. Perfecution and bloodshed was one of the fins of Israel, whereby they provoked the Angel of the covenant to anger. They could not endure the faithful meffengers and fervants of God, who told them of their backflidings. We read, that in the days of Manaffeh the perfecution was carried that length against God's people, who adhered to the true worship of God, in oppofition to the idolatry that was fettled under that reign, that the very streets of Jerufalem were made to run with blood; and this was one of the fins that provoked God to bring them unto utter defolation, as you read, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15-17. &c. And Christ, in the days of his flesh, he puts them in mind of it, Matth. xxiii. at the close, "O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killeft the prophets, and stonest them which are fent unto thee," &c. And has not the Angel of the covenant been provoked after the same manner in this land? How was this land defiled with the blood of the faithful minifters and martyrs of Chrift, under fome late reigns before the revolution? What heading, hanging, and quartering? what fining, confining, and banishments, was carried on by a malignant party, who were then in power and authority against all that owned a covenanted work of reformation, or adventured to worship God after the manner which they called herefy, infomuch that fields and scaffolds were made to reek with the blood of the dear faints of God? And it is to be feared that the cry of that blood is going up from under the altar to this day against this whole land. There has been no due

methods taken fince the revolution, either by civil or ecclefiaftic authority, to purge the land of that innocent blood: the caufe for which the faints and fervants of God fuffered in thefe days has not been fairly efpoufed; yea, men whose hands were dipt in the defections, bloodthed, and perfecution, of these days, taken into judicatories both civil and ecclefiaftic,

which appeared rather to be a tacit approbation of their fin, than a condemning of it. And while I am upon this fubject, I judge it not amifs to put you in this city in remembrance of the barbarous and inhuman treatment that that worthy fervant of Chrift, Mr James Guthrie, once a fhining light from this pulpit, met with from fome barbarians in it. I wish that no drops of his blood be yet flicking to any families or corporations in the place.

5. Idolatry and fuperftition was another of the fins of Ifrael, whereby the Angel of the covenant was provoked to anger; they forfook the true worship of God appointed in the law of Mofes, and fell in with the idols of the nations round about them, worshipping the hoft of heaven, ftocks and stones, the calves of Dan and Bethel, for which God reproved them by one prophet after another, until (for their following the idols. of the Heathens) God was provoked to fend them unto bondage in the land of the Heathens for the space of seventy years. We in these lands are folemnly engaged by covenant and folemn league, to cleave to the true worship of God appointed in his word, in oppofition to all Popifh idolatry and fuperfti tion and yet how much is the idolatrous mafs connived at both in England and Scotland? Popish miffionaries and Jesuits, we hear, are fwarming, and making profelytes to their idolatrous worship, without any check from those who have the execution of the laws against popery in their hand; which gives ground to fear, that fome general maffacre of Proteflants, like that in Ireland, may be on foot. We had need to be upon our guard against men, whofe avowed principle is, That there is no faith to be kept with Proteftants. And as for fuperftitious worship, or ceremonies of men's invention in the worship of God, it is well known how, contrary to folemn covenants, it is practifed under the protection of law, and the fucceffors to the crown obliged by law to follow and practise it, and this law homologate by all forts of perfons almoft, and that with the folemnity of the oath of God. How unlike these things look to our reformation laws and covenant, is eafy to judge. It is much to be feared the Angel of the covenant is faying at this day, "How fhail I pardon you for thefe things?"

6. Ifrael provoked the Angel of the covenant by luxury and intemperance, which was followed with revellings and whoredoms. We are told that they did "eat and drink, and rofe up to play; and they were like fed horfes, every one neighing after his neighbour's wife. Jefhurun," when God fed him with the fineft of the wheat, he "waxed fat, and kicked; and forgot God that made him, and lightly efteemed the Rock

of his faivation." Sirs, God has for many years together opened his granary, and given us plenty of bread, made the heavens to hear the earth, the earth to hear the corn, wine, and oil; but how are these mercies of God abused by many? especially by thefe that have them in the greatest plenty? Are they not used to serve and fatisfy mens lufts, and as weapons whereby they fight against God, instead of binding and engaging them to his fervice? Witnefs the public balls and effeminate affemblies that are fo frequent, where there is nothing but eating and drinking, dancing and revelling, which are commonly attended with whoredom of all forts. By fuch exceffive ufe of the good creatures of God, men act rather as beasts than reasonable creatures; and therefore no wonder God give them over unto all manner of beaftly lufts, and then do with them as men do with beafts, feed them in a large place, until the day of flaughter. And indeed it looks as if the day of flaughter were fait approaching, when men, through intempe rate drinking and night-revelling, are beginning to sheath their fwords in one another's bowels. A melancholy and recent inftance of which we have had this week bygone, upon the occafion of the folemnity. I fhall not take upon me to fpeak of the parties that have got up among us, nor determine who were in the right or wrong in that night's fquabble; only I may fay thus far, unfeasonable and exceffive drinking and caballing, and night revellings, has been the occasion of it. Had folk gone home feasonably to worship God in their families, and parted decently in due time, the confusion that has been in the city had been happily prevented. What a fore matter is it, that Stirling, through their unnatural heats and contentions, is become the obloquy and reproach of the whole nation? men come that length in their debates and contentions, as to embrue their hands in one another's blood, yea, neareft relations thirsting after one another's blood. "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Afkelon," that fuch things are done in the midst of us. I conclude this head by reading you two fcriptures; the firft of them has been fulfilled this laft week, and the other I fear fhall be accomplished, if men hold on the course they are in. The firft fcripture, which I fay has been fulfilled literally, is that, Prov. xxiii. 29. 30. "Who hath wo? who hath forrow? who hath contentions? who hath babling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath rednefs of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to feek mixt wine." And therefore take the caveat and advice that follows in the two next verfes, ver. 31. 32. "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red," &c. Another fcripture, which is yet to be accomplished as to the minaVOL.IL U u

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tory part of it, you have, If. xxii. 12-14. And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with fackcloth: and behold, joy and gladnefs, flaying oxen, and killing fheep, eating flefh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we fhall die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hofts, Surely this iniquity fhall not be purged from you, till ye die, faith the Lord God of hofts." I with the guilty may take warning in time, leaft another fort of alarm be found ed.

7. Swearing, or a horrid profanation of the name of God, was one of the fins of Ifrael: "Because of swearing, the land mourneth," fays the prophet, Hof. iv. And have not we in this land provoked him, and are daily provoking him by the fame iniquity? What a needless multiplicity of oaths is there both in the affairs of government and trade? What unlaw ful, dubious, and contradictory oaths have been impofed and fworn? How are the confciences of many debauched by a continual fwearing of cuftom-houfe oaths? And how is the holy name of God profaned by a cuftomary fwearing by the name of the great God, or by their faith, confcience, and Christianity? And how little regard is fhewed to folemn oaths by fome fort of men, who, to get themselves into places of truft and preferment, will abiure a Popish Pretender, with a defign to advance his intereft? How many are there that come under perfonal vows, congregational vows, city vows, and yet act the very reverse of what they have vowed and fworn by the name of the great God? Let fuch remember that awful word, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." I fear it may be faid of us at this day, as of Ifrael," Because of swearing the land mourneth.”

8. Ifrael provoked God by murmuring and repining againft the conduct of divine providence. Whenever things were carried crofs to their inclination, or when reduced unto any pinch and want, prefently they flew in the face of Heaven, and charged God foolithly. Can God do this or that? "Can he cover a table in the wilderness?" And fo they provoked the Lord to anger, and kindled the fire of his jealoufy against them. And is not this alfo our fin in this land? God has for a long time blafted the public enterprises of the nation; he has blafted the trade, and written difappointment on many of our undertakings; he has been making various rods to pafs through among us, whereby particular perfons and families have been touched to the quick. And what murmuring is there rainst the hand of God in these things? How little fruit is

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there of rods, whether public or perfonal? So that God may fay of us, as he did of Ifrael, “I have ftricken them, but they have not grieved; I have confumed them, but they have refufed to receive correction: they have made their face's harder than a rock, and have refused to return."

9. Ifrael provoked the Lord by grofs hypocrify and diffimulation. "When be flew them, then they fought him: they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they lied unto him with their lips," &c. And has not this been our way with God? How often have we profeffed to faft and mourn, to reform and amend, the evil of our ways, and yet all our pretended goodness has been "like the morning cloud, and early dew, which foon passes away?" Have we not quickly, after profeflions of humiliation, "returned with the dog to the vomit, and the fow that feemed to be washed, to wallow in the mire ?" He that is filthy remains filthy ftill; the drunkard ftill follows his cups, the fwearer his oaths, the treacherous dealer fill continues to deal treacherously.

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Queft. 1. What is the extent of that awful certification in the text, "He will not pardon your tranfgreffions?"

Anfw. 1. He will not pardon the finally unbelieving and impenitent; he will purfue an eternal controverfy with them in hell.

2. He will pardon no man without a fatisfaction to his juftice, by no means clear the guilty," unlefs his guilt be washed away in the blood of the Surety.

3. He will not pardon the fins of his own children without chaftening them for their iniquities; he will indeed pardon their iniquities, but he will "take vengeance on their inventions. You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I punith you for all your iniquities," Pfal. lxxxix. 31. 32. Stc.

4. When a profeffing people, who have fitten long under the drop of the gofpel, having finned away the day of grace, he will not pardon their tranfgreflions, though Noah, Daniel, and Job ftood before him; they may indeed fave their own fouls, but yet God's heart cannot be towards that people.

Queft. 2. When is it that it is come to this pass with a land or church, that the Angel of the covenant will not pardon them, but is faying, as he did to Ifrael, Jer. v. 29, "Shall I not vifit for these things? faith the Lord: fhall not my foul be avenged on fuch a nation as this?" I fhall not pretend to give politive marks; but I will tell you fome things that look very like it, and you will find them in the chapter last cited, Jer. v.

1. When

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