SERMON to offer up to God. Behold Ten Tribes out

IV.

of Twelve apoftatizing from his Worship to Idolatry, and the few that were found faithful among them forced to hide themfelves in Dens and Caves of the Earth. And has it fared better with the Chriftian Church! Did not the Dragon do his utmost to strangle the Child in its Infancy? Was not this holy Nation put to a severe Proof of her Conftancy in her early Days by ten sharp Perfecutions? And how many Thoufands have fealed their Teftimony with their Blood by the Murders and Maffacres of After-times, finding as little Mercy from profeffing Chriftians of different Denominations as their Fore-fathers had done from Heathenifh Idolaters. Add to this the many open Attacks which Chriftianity has fuftained from the Armies of Infidelity, the Dangers it has been in from Herefy, Superftition and the Inventions of Men, and, what is no less prejudicial to the Success of the Gospel, the great Scandal and Offence given to those that are without by the Immorality or mere Formality of many Profeffors, Men hating the Truth as it is in Chrift Jefus as much as they difgrace it by their unholy Lives and vain Conversation.

But

IV.

If we take into the Account all thefe Dif- SERMON ficulties and Difcouragements, this Oppofition and Enmity which the pure and holy Christian Faith has all along met with, and must still expect to meet with from a vain, infidel and wicked World, we muft own, that the Church of Chrift, as confifting of fpiritual, heavenly-minded Chriftians, too justly resembles a Ship in Diftrefs in the midst of the Sea, toffed with the Waves, and the Wind contrary. the fame Lord who faved Noah and his Family in the Ark from perifhing by the Waters; who preferved the Ifraelites a diftinct People Four Hundred Years in Ægypt; and in the most corrupt Times of Jewish Apoftacy left Himself Seven Thoufand Souls that had not bowed the Knee to Baal; that fame Lord hath in thefe degenerate Times a few, I truft that I may fay many Names, even in this our Sardis, who have not defiled their Garments, but have kept the Faith, bear their Testimony to the Truth as it is in Chrift Jefus, and walk worthy of that holy Vocation wherewith they are called; for however this or that outward national Church, whilst it retains the Form, may fall away by a ge

H

neral

IV.

SERMON neral Apoftacy from the Life, Spirit and Power of Godliness, yet in the most corrupt Ages and Nations Chrift has a Faithful Remnant of fecret ones which constitute that holy invifible Church which He has founded upon a Rock, and on which He will fulfil his Promife, that neither the Wind nor the Waves, nor the Gates of Hell fhall prevail against it.

Having now confidered the Text both in its History and Myftery, I proceed to make a fpiritual Application of it to Two Sorts of Perfons: And first to such as truft in themfelves that they are righteous, and take not the Lord Jefus for their Saviour.

And here, what will you do, O ye foolish ones! in the Day of your Calamity, when God fhall come to prove what is in your Hearts, fhall bring you into Peril of Death, and erect his Throne of Judgment in your Confciences! For know of a Truth, that a Storm is appointed for your Tryal also. Behold, then the Tempeft is begun, and thou art in the midst of the Sea, toffed with the Waves and the Wind against thee. What now is thy Strength and wherein is thy Confidence? Canft thou ftill the raging of the Sea? Canft thou withstand

IV.

the Breath of God's Difpleafure when He SERMON arifeth terribly to shake the Earth? Thou fayft that thou haft established thine own Righteoufnefs upon the ftrong Mountains that cannot be fhaken; but behold, the unftable Water is thy Foundation! Befides, thy Veffel is frail and leaky, thy Sails rent and torn, the Anchor of thy Hope no better than a bended Reed, and the Cable wherein thou trufteft but as a Green With which breaketh as a Thread of Tow is broken when it toucheth the Fire. But hark! the mighty God hath a Controversy with thee:

He fpeaketh out of the Whirlwind and biddeth thee prepare for thy Defence; for lo! a dreadful Accufation is brought against thee. Thou art charged with the Guilt of High Treason against the Sovereign Majefty of Heaven; with having defaced the Divine Image in thy Soul, broken God's Laws, defpifed his Goodness, defied his Power, and rebelled against his Government. What now is thy Plea? and wherewith wilt thou come before the most High? Wilt thou gird up thy Loins like a Man and anfwer for thyfelf? Bring forth then thy ftrong Reasons and proceed to thy Defence but confider well how thou maintaineft

H 2

SERMON taineft thy Caufe! And what thou haft to
IV. offer in Arrest of Judgment; for God is

Judge Himfelf, and He trieth the very Se-
crets of the Heart. Wilt thou plead thine-
Innocence and Purity before thy Judge?
Alas, fond Man! forbear this Plea, or
thou shalt be found a Lyar before God, for
thou art corrupt in the very Effence and
first Forms of thy Nature, waft conceived in
Sin, and shapen in Iniquity, and confequent-
ly born a Child of Wrath; and therefore
except thou be fpiritually born again, and
fo brought into the true Filiation by Adop-
tion and Grace, thou canst not inherit the
Kingdom of Heaven. Urge not, then, fallen
Man! thy native Innocence before a God
of infinite Purity and Holiness, for in this
refpect thall no Man living be juftified, nor
any one that is born of a Woman. be aç-
counted clean before Him; yea,
"the
"Stars are not clean in his Sight; how
"much lefs Man that is Corruption, and
"the Son of Man that is but a Worm."

But perhaps thou chufeft to ftand upon thy Obedience, and therefore appealeft to the Law and the Teftimony for thy Juftification: To the Law and the Testimony then thou shalt go, and they shall be