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king of Israel, when upbraided for rejoicing publicly before the ark, I will be yet more vile than this. What? shall men be eager about their own little temporal affairs, and so cool and negligent about the great things of God? Do they well to be angry, and angry sometimes even unto death, when they meet with personal injuries and affronts ? and have they no resentment nor grief to spare, when the MOST HIGH is insulted, and the steps of his ANOINTED reproached? Shall the LORD'S enemies be all diligence and activity, and his helpers remiss and slack? Shall some venture to break down and undo the carved work of Zion with axes and hammers, while the professed friends of that work will scarce move a finger, or lift up a tool for repairing the sanctuary? Or while the former roar and rage like bears, shall the latter only tremble and mourn sore like doves?

Sixthly, It is necessary for such as come forth on the Lord's side against the mighty to have an undaunted christian resolution, and a holy, not presumptuous, boldness. They who engage in warlike enterprises, must not shrink from difficulties, nor tremble at dangers. The faithful witnesses of Jesus engage in a most arduous and perilous conflict. They must resolve to run all hazards in adhering to the cause of their LORD; they must be willing, as good soldiers of JESUS CHRIST, to endure hardship, to suffer the loss of all things; not fainting under their daily cross, nor scrupling even resistance unto blood, striving against sin; being ready, not only to be bound, but to die, for the name of the Lord Jesus; not counting even life dear, that they may finish their course with joy. If they have an impudent and hardened generation of men to deal with, inflexibly defending their heinous errors and backslidings, and obstinately resisting the truth; they must not be afraid of their faces, but make their foreheads hard against their foreheads; standing as an iron pillar and a brazen wall against them; opposing their groundless presumption with well founded confidence; their ferocity with true christian courage, tempered with meekness; their obstinacy in evil with a wise and enlightened zeal and an unshaken adherence to a good cause; their insolent threatening with a holy and silent contempt; and their carnal boasting with the heroic triumphs of faith.

Seventhly, Fidelity, constancy, and persevering patience are required of such as have appeared on the Lord's side in an evil time. Many give striking evidences of cold indifference to the cause of God and truth, for which they once contended with much ardour. There are few, very few, whose last works are found to exceed their first. But he who endureth to the end shall be saved. Our LORD has therefore repeated that charge to each of the churches, Be thou faithful unto death; and nothing is more frequently enjoined in scripture, than to stand fast and hold fast. Those, who have opened their mouth to the Lord, cannot, must not go back. They who enlist under his banner must never desire a discharge in that war. The term of their engage. ment is till death. Though those who seem to be pillars should reel and shake; though stars of the first magnitude should fall; though standard-bearers should faint; though ministers or saints of the greatest usefulness and eminence should drop one after another; though ever so many draw back, they must not reckon themselves at liberty to do so. No occurrences in providence; no examples; no prevailing

power of temptation; no degree of suffering, can at any time excuse a shameful defection from or indifference in his cause.

All this is come upon us, said the faithful of old, yet have we not forgotten thee, nor have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way, though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, Psal. xliv. 17, 18, 19, 22.

Some have opened their mouths, and subscribed with their hands to the LORD, in a manner the most express and solemn. They have called heaven and earth to record, that "they shall not give up them"selves to a detestable indifferency and neutrality in the cause of "GOD; but denying themselves and their own things, they shall "above all things seek the honour of God, and the good of his cause "and people." And has the GOD of hosts heard these vows, and will he not enquire after the performance or the breach of them? Shall men break their covenant with God, and escape ?

Eighthly, Such as have associated together to promote the cause of God, are strictly bound to maintain unity and harmony among themselves, and to guard carefully against all unseemly contentions and pernicious divisions. Amidst all our regard and zeal, we must not forget what is due to peace. The wisdom that is from above is peaceable as well as pure. The followers of Christ are enjoined, so far as in them lies, to live peaceably with all men; and they are especially under the strictest obligations to cultivate peace among themselves. Behold how good, and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Animosities and divisions dishearten the friends even of a good cause, damping, if not extinguishing the fervour of public spirit. What advantages, what matter of triumph, have the contentions of the Lord's witnesses among themselves afforded to their adversaries! These contentions also furnish the neutral and indifferent with a plausible, though in itself indeed a very weak, plea for not appearing on the side of (what they cannot deny to be) the LORD'S cause, that its professed adherents are not agreed or at one among themselves. These contentions prove offensive and an occasion of stumbling to the weak. Many sigh and go backward; while others are put to a painful silence, and have their minds filled with discouraging reflections. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Not as if all strivings, or even separations, were unwarrantable or prejudicial to the LORD'S cause: In many cases, they may be necessary means for its maintenance; nor as if any sinful compliances were ever allowable to prevent disturbances; or any bonds between men or christians so sacred, as not to yield to the superior force of truth and duty. But the unity of the Spirit ought to be kept in the bond of peace. Nothing is more contrary to the gospel, than implacable animosities, personal quarrels and resentments, a schismatical spirit, and causeless divisions; such as too often abound even under the specious pretence of conscience and singular faithfulness. The apostle enjoins us to mark those who cause divisions, and avoid them. All who truly wish well to Jerusalem should ever earnestly pray for, and assiduously promote peace within her walls; and, in so doing, they seek her felicity.

Finally, It is especially the duty of such as are maintaining the distinguishing profession of a zealous adherence to the cause of truth and reformation, to adorn the doctrine of GOD their Saviour, and that holy profession by a suitable life and conversation. No system of truth however pure, no belief however orthodox, no pretensions to zeal and public spirit, can ever compensate for the want of the fruits of holiness, so glorifying to God, and so profitable to men. A man's faith must be shewn and justified by his works, and by works must faith be made perfect. There is no method so effectual to justify a good profession before the world, as that of a good life. Mankind are ever readier to form their opinion of any profession by the lives and actions of those who adhere to it, than by examining the truth or falsehood of its principles. It is indeed naturally and reasonably expected, that they who profess more than others, should also do more than others. This being the case, professors should be more on their guard, and should endeavour, by well doing, to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. True Patriotism, pages 151-180.

FINIS.

INDEX.

A

Abjuration Oath, a national sin, pages 237, 238,

Apostle's Creed, no example of what is termed catholic communion, p. 86; consent to all
the doctrines and commands delivered in their inspired writings, the term of sacramental
communion in the primitive church, p. 87, 88.

Associate Presbytery, formation of, p. 194, 258; their cause in opposition to the defec
tions of the established church exhibited gradually, p. 214, 215.

Augsburgh Confession, as to the artide concerning Christ's presence in the sacrament,
p. 196, 197.

B

Mr. Baxter, anecdote concerning him, p. 161; his Neonomian scheme, p. 273, 288.
Belgic Confession, its account of a true church considered, p. 116-119.

Some Burgess Oaths, a decision of the Associate Synod concerning a religious clause in
them, p. 366; the justice of that decision, p. 366–368; breach in the Synod occasion.
ed by the question, whether that decision should be a term of communion or not,
p. 371-375.

C

Mr. Calvin, his scheme for promoting a union among the churches, considered, p. 130.
Mr. Archibald Campbell, professor of Ecclesiastical History, his errors, p. 247—250;
the procedure of the General Assembly in his case, p. 255–257.

Catholic or Latitudinarian communion, the nature and tendency of it, p. 80, 81; instan.
ces alleged to be examples of it shewn to be impertinent, p. 57–62.

Charles the second, in what respect disowned by the martyrs, p. 356, 357,

Church communion, distinguishable from the communion of saints, p. 152, 153; not war.
rantable in some eases with those with whom Christ has communion, p. 45-47; nor

in some cases with those who belong to the catholic church, p. 50-55; but with those
who call on the Lord Jesus in the scriptural import of that character, p. 41.
Common benefits, as such, not purchased by Christ, p. 305–307.

Communion of the visible church stated, p. 4-6.

Common expressions concerning it, which may be used either in a true or false sense,
p. 164, 165.

Confessions of Faith, shewn to be warrantable terms of communion, p. 25-31.

Confessions of the Reformed Churches, the design of them, p. 119, 120; their harmony
as to religious rites, p. 123-124; and as to church government, p. 124, 125.
Councils, their authority in the ancient church, p. 89, 90.

Covenant, the Solemn League, the import of that engagement, p. 145—147, 357.

Covenanting, Public, warrantable, p. 312-315; useful, p. 321, 322; seasonable at pre,
sent, p. 332, 333; the evangelical manner of covenanting, p. 335-337.
Covenant engagements binding on posterity, p. 314-319.

D

Declinature of the Associate Presbytery, p. 204.

Mr. Dickson, a passage in a letter written by him, p. 232.

Discipline of the church inconsistent with what is termed eatholic communion, p. 31-36;
persons excluded for their errors from sacramental communion by the discipline of the
ancient church, p. 88, 89.

Divisions in the church, the evil of, p. 1; false methods of hearing, p. 4.

Donatists, their opinions and practice, p. 97-104.

E

Elders, ruling, the key of doctrine not committed to them as distinct from teaching elders,
p. 376, 377

Erroneous teachers, the lawfulness of refusing to attend on the public administrations of
those who are justly accounted such, p. 71-73.

Ebenezer Erskine, passages of his sermons, p. 216, 233.

Ethiopian Eunuch, his admission to baptism, no example of latitudinarian communion,
p. 152.

Excommunication, the proper objects of it, p. 380, 381.

F

Faith, an appropriation of Christ, in the nature of, p. 279–284.

False doctrine propagated in the communion of the General Assembly without judicial
censure, p. 393-399.

Forsaking of sin, not attainable before our coming to Christ, p. 272, 273.

France, the reformed church of, proposals concerning union with the protestant churches,
p. 134-136.

G

Gospel shewn to be the free grant of a Saviour, p. 275-278.

Gospel, as such, shewn to be the ground of justifying faith, p. 301, 302; distinction be-
tween the gospel taken strictly and properly and taken largely, p. 286.

Government of the church, opinions of the fathers concerning it, no proof of their practis-
ing latitudinarian communion, p. 106, 107.

H

Hall, on church communion, strictures on, p. 380.

Holiness, or good works, not a federal condition of justification and salvation, p. 285–290.
Holland, the communion of the church there, no example of latitudinarian communion,
p. 137-139.

Hymns of human composure, used in the public praises of the church, a corruption,
p. 400-404.

I

Indulgences, the acceptance of, justly condemned, p. 225-227.

Ireneus' Creed, no proof that the sacramental communion in the primitive church was
latitudinarian, p. 85.

The Judicial Testimony of the Associate Presbytery, its publication, p. 194; Mr. Willi-
son's opinion of it, p. 221; a passage of it considered concerning James the second's
toleration, p. 227, 228; an expression of it concerning the prevalence of error justified,
p. 257.

K

Kissing the Gospels, a superstitious form of swearing, p. 241.

L

Laws, the distinction between the law of works and law of Christ scriptural, p. 299, 300;
the freedom of believers from the former, both in its commanding and condemning
power, vindicated, p. 291-296; the judicial law not binding on nations under the New
Testament as their municipal law, p. 850, 351.

Mr. Logan, a letter written by him before his death, p. 296.

Lots, the use of them without necessity or in trivial matters sinful, p. 266, 267.

Christian Love, the pretence of promoting it by means of fatitudinarian communion,
vain, p. 74, 75.

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