Reader, PREFACE. THE following fermon having made a great noife through this and feveral other corners of the land; left any fhould think the author is afhamed of his doctrine he there delivered, he allows it to come abroad to the world with the last fermon in the preceding volume. He had begun to preach from that text, If. ix. 6. in November 30. 1731; and having spoke to the two first clauses, he took occafion, June 4. 1732, viz. Sabbath-evening, after the celebration of the facrament at Stirling, to infift upon the claufe immediately following, The government shall be upon his shoulder, as he has been infifting upon the following part of the verse ever-fince. · · Some were of opinion, that the fubject was unfuitable to the occafion, after people had been at a communion-table, But it would appear, that such as think fo, do not confider, that Christ did wade to the throne and government of his mediatory kingdom through blood. For my part, I do not know how one can be better entertained, either at, or immediately after he has been at the Lord's table, fhewing forth his death, than by letting him know, that he who was dead is now alive, and lives for evermore, having the keys of hell and death in his hand. What more comfortable to a believer, than to hear that the Lamb flain is now in the midst of the throne, with the reins of government in his hand, especially in a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity from the Lord God of hofts in the valley of vifion? Others judged it amifs on fuch an occafion, to touch upon the act of affembly anent the settlement of vacant congregations, which had been paffed a few days before. All that is needful (iv) needful to be faid in answer to which is, that the public wound given by that act was fresh, and the hearts of the poor people of God bleeding, to fee themselves spoiled by those who should have been the guardians of their fpiritual rights and privileges; and what could be more proper than to panfe the green wound, and pour in fome of the healing balfam of gospel-confolation, arifing from the government of their great King, who rules in the midst of his enemies? The author never pretended to deliver every particular word or fentence contained in his notes, which to him would be the greatest slavery and confinement. But as the fermon stood in his notes, fo it comes abroad; and he supposes that there will be but very inconfiderable variation. Only, the preamble, when he entered upon the text, is added, without which it would have looked fomewhat abrupt; befides fomething he had not time that evening to overtake, at the end of the difcourse. He preached two other fermons on the fame clause of the verfe, the Sabbath following, which there was no time to tranfcribe for the prefs, otherwife the difcourfe might have been more perfect, and the omiffions quarrelled by fome been fupplied." THE 1. THE government upon Christ's shoulder. ISA. ix. 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given, and the government shall be upon his Shoulder and his name fhall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlafting Father, II. A treasure of gofpel-grace digged out of Mount Sinai, EXOD. XX. 2. 3.-I am the Lord thy God.-Thou shalt III. The standard of Heaven lifted up against the powers of hell, and their auxiliaries. IV. The believer's journey from the wilderness of this CANT. viii. 5.—Who is this that cometh up from the wil- dernefs, leaning upon her Beloved. ISA. vi. 3.-So the holy feed fhall be the fubftance thereof. 182 VI. The first promise accomplished. 1 JOHN iii. 8.-For this purpofe the Son of God was ma- nifefted, that he might deftroy the works of the devil. PSAL. xxiii. 4.-Yea, though I walk through the valley of the fhadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. IX. The wrath of man bounded by the power of God. X. The name of God glorified in Christ. XI. The tabernacle of David ruined by man, and reared AMOS ix. 11. In that day will I raise up the tabernacle XII. The annals of redeeming love, with the Redeemer's and the of my year XIII. The fovereignty of Zion's King. PSAL. ii. 6.-Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill Page 281 293 386 426 515 XIV. Chrift the refurrection and the life. JOHN xi. 25.-Jefus faid unto her, I am the refurrection, and the life. 563 |