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but we seek one to come," Heb. xiii. 13, 14. Christ hath forewarned us of reproaches for his name;" Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you," John xv. 20. Upon these considerations, we should bear reproach for Christ when called thereto.

QUEST. What help, in order to bear reproach for Christ, will you offer us?

ANSW. A man that would bear reproach for Christ, must be a Christian indeed, a believer indeed: otherwise he will never bear his reproach aright. It is he and the children whom the Lord hath given him, that are signs and wonders: if you be not amongst his children, you cannot be a zealous sufferer for him.-Yea, a man that would bear reproach for Christ, needs to be, not only a believer, but a strong believer, having much Christian courage, that he may bear an hiss, as well as a hymn ; I mean, a hiss of reproach and disdain, as well as a hymn of applause and commendation: to bear this requires the armour of patience and spiritual courage, for marching through the world's contempt and hazard, being looked upon as a monster, and made the scorn of fools: and all this requires the strength of faith; "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith: who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right-hand of the throne of God." Heb. xii. 2. And, in the following words, we are called to consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest we be wearied and faint in our minds; for we have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.-It requires much zeal for God and love to him. Alas! who can say, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up ?"-It requires a good cause, and a good conscience; if a man be firmly persuaded of the goodness of the cause, it will help him to bear reproach; while he doth not suffer as an evil doer, though he be reproached as such; and a good conscience is an encouraging thing in this warfare; also, having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse

your good conversation in Christ, 1 Pet. iii, 16. iv. 15. In a word, it requires constant dependance upon the Captain of salvation, who was made perfect through sufferings.

FINALLY, Let us all consider and remember, that the cause of Christ will be a prevailing cause in the issue, however it be reproached in the world. There is a schism, a rent, and division in the world, sirs, ever since the fall of Adam; a battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent; between Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his angels: but Michael and his angels, Christ and his children will carry the day; and contradicted truths will be effectually cleared and vindicated; if never fully here, yet the day of the Lord will be the valley of decision, when the great cause of true religion will be decided, and the serpent's head broken so, as he shall never hiss nor spit venom any more.

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It is now a day of reproach, a day to be lamented, for the bitter calumny that takes place therein: yea, I may call heaven and earth to witness, whether ever gospel preachers and professors suffered a hotter persecution of the tongue, than in this apostate age, wherein, if some ministers fall foul upon the sins and errors of the times, the very naming thereof is enough to offend, though yet the nation be sinking under the weight thereof. Never was a gospel ministry more contemptible than in our day: Satan bath used many instruments, and most of them have had their effect, to bring the dispensers of gospel-ordinances into contempt; and it is still more lamentable, that many have had a sinful hand in bringing their own ministry under a reproach, and laying stumbling-blocks in the way of the success of the gospel, and marring the edification of souls, by sad compliances with the public defections of the day, and errors of the age.

It is a day wherein the gospel of Christ is contemned. The time has been, when some have thought it worth crossing the seas to enjoy the everlasting gospe!: but now, that it is become so plenty and cheap, many are loth to cross the streets to hear it upon a week-day, unless they have some other errand, perhaps to compliment a neighbour with their presence, at a baptism or a mar

riage. How much are we souring upon the gospel, and loathing the honey-comb!

It is also a day wherein some of the friends of Christ are openly bantered, and lampooned, and gazed upon as signs and wonders; and wherein many sacred truths are publiciy defamed and ridiculed; and heart-enemies to revealed religion, and to the gospel in its purity, in the mean time, taking occasion utterly to run down the gospel. What am I saying! In the name of the great God, I defy all the powers of earth and hell to run it down they may sooner run down the flowing tide, or the sun rising in his strength, than run down the least of the dictates of eternal truth; "Not one jot or title thereof shall fall to the ground." Dagon shall fall before the ark; and the rod of Aaron shall swallow up the rods of the magicians.

It is likewise a day wherein providence is shaking both church and state; and particularly the ark must needs shake, when they who carry it are stricken at with axes and hammers, and many are knocking at all the four corners of it at once, namely, the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, to get it broken to pieces, while open enemies, (viz. cursed Popery and abjured Prelacy) are making inroads upon all corners of the land, in the public view of the church: she, in the mean time, unthoughtful of her danger, seems to be doing nothing, but, by intestine broils, cutting off her right-hand with her left.

In a word, it is a day wherein that word seems to be made out, that there shall be scoffers, walking after their own lusts: drunkards, whoremongers, athiests, blasphemers, debauchees, and profane scoffers of the age, now have their day: it is now their hour, and the power of darkness. This is matter of lamentation, and deep lamentation. But, however, God will have his day ere long; and it will be a glorious day when Christ will appear, in all the glory and grandeur of the upper world, to the everlasting terror and confusion of all his adversaries, and to the eternal joy and honour of all his friends, who, though now they are for signs and wonders, by way of reproach, will then be for signs and wonders, by

way of renown; when Christ will present them blameless unto his Father, saying, "Behold, I and the chil"dren whom thou hast given me, who, as they have "suffered with me in my reproach in time, must now reign with me in my glory through eternity."

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O sirs, let us seek, above all things, to be on Christ's side, on the side of truth now, and on the right-hand road to heaven, whatever rubs we may meet with by the way, so as we may come to be on the right-hand of the throne, in the day of the manifestation of the sons of God.

May the Lord bless what hath been said; and to his name be praise.

SERMON VII*.

The VANITY of EARTHLY THINGS and WORLDLY ENJOYMENTS.

ECCLES. i. 2.- Vanity of Vanities, saith the Preacher; Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity.

THE

HE words of a king are commonly reckoned very witty : the words of a wise king, speaking by experience, deserves special consideration; and much more the words of a wise king, speaking by divine inspiration, deserve the greatest regard, attention, and credit: all these do here concur. The words of our text are the words of Solomon, king of Israel; the words of the wisest of mere men; the words of one who spoke from his own experience; and, inoreover, who spoke by the inspiration of God.

The sum of the discourse stands in these two particu'lars. 1. That the chief good and chief happiness of the sons of men, is not to be had in the creature, or in any * This Sermon was preached at Broomhall, January 1723.

worldly thing. And, 2. That it is only to be found in God in Christ, and in the true knowledge of him, and gospel-conformity of heart and life unto him; which he expresseth by fearing God and keeping his commandments; which presupposes a gospel-state of union to Christ by faith, and communion with him in his merit, for the justification of our persons; and of his spirit, for the sanctification of our hearts and lives.

The first verse gives us an account of the penman of this book. Where we have a three-fold description of him from his present office, his pedigree, and his royal dignity.

1. He is called the Preacher and commentators observe, that it comes from a word that signifies to gather;' intimating, that now he was a penitent soul, gathered in from his wanderings, gathered home to his duty, and come at length to himself; and that now he was a preaching soul, gathering in straying souls to God: seeing he himself was reduced, here was his penitential sermon, his recantation sermon; wherein, from the bottom of his soul, he sadly laments his own folly, in promising himself satisfaction, in the things of this world, and in the forbidden pleasures of sense: which now he finds more bitter than death. And hence two things should be learned.

(1.) We should be persuaded here of Solomon's repentance after his fall. Those who think he fell totally and finally, are not only refuted by this, but by all the arguments which prove the perseverance of the saints, which are many and impregnable and also by other arguments, which concern Solomon himself, viz. the name that he gets, Jedidiah, 2 Sam. xii. 25. which signifies, "Beloved of the Lord." Now, whom God loves, he loves to the end. And more especially the testimony of Christ, that all the prophets are in heaven, Luke xiii. 28. Now, Solomon was a prophet, seeing the whole scriptures were penned by no others than prophets and apostles, 2. Pet. i. 19, 20. Eph. ii. 20.

(2.) We should hence learn to accept of this book with the greater regard. The sun never shines more gloriously, than when it breaks out of some dark cloud

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