The *Day of a. Sinners telieving in Chrift a moft remarkable *Day. SERMON PREACHED In the New Church of berths imme* diately before the Adminiftratioit of the Sacrament of the Lord's Sup- per there, Sept. 20. 1741* from Song iii, 11. Go forth, O ye Daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with tht Crown wherewith his Mother crowned hint in the Day of his Efpoufals^ and in the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. To which are annexed four Difcourfes > the f irft on the Evening of the Faft-Day, the Second on the Preparation-Day, the Third at the Service of the firft Table, and the Fourth on the Monday. By the late reverend and learned Mr. William Wilfoii Miniftfcr of the Gofpel at Perth. N. B. ThisSeryw was taken from the Author's Mouth in the Delivery , and f nee carefully revifed. EDINBURGH, Printed for, and fold by David Duncan at hlsFtotffd in xhe Grafs-Market, oppofiu: to the Corn- Market 3 fecond Door up the Timber-raverd Fore-Stair, / MDCCXLII. C 3 ] Song iii. n. Go forth* ye 'Daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him in the Day of his E- fpoiifalsy and in the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. MY Friends, in this excellent Book, the Communion that is between Chrift, who is reprefented under the Notion and Charafiter of a Bridegroom, and the Church, who is reprefented under the Chara&er of a Bride ; I fay, the out- ward Communion, that takes Place between thefe two Parties, is reprefented in a hea- venly, fpiritualand excellent Dialogue. The principal Parties in the Dialogue are the Lord Jefus Chrift, the blrtTed Bridegroom, on the one Hand, and on the other, the Bride ; the Daughters of Zion bear a Part fometimes in the Dialogue. By the Daugh- ters of Jerufalem, or the Daughters oi Zion. I underftand Church-Members, the ordi-^ nary common Members oi the vifiblc Church. The C 4 1 * The Words that I have juft now read, are the Words of the Spoufc and Bride of Chrift, where (he commends the excellent and glorious Bridegroom, and where (he ex- cites and ilirs up the Daughters pf Jerufa- lent to come and behold him in his match- - ]efs Beauty and Glory. *,Go forth, O y* Daughters of Zion, and behold King Solonjon, &c: And here you may notice the following Things, i . The bleffed Objeft who is poin- ted out, King Solomon. By King Solomon we are to underftand the Lord Jefus Chritft himfelf, the King of Saints, that Name thac is called Wonderful, that King who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, greater than the Kings of lfrael and Judah. Thefc Things then, that are fpoken of King Solo- mon in this Book, cannot be applied to any other Perfon than the eternal Son of God, the Lord Jefus Chrift ; Behold King Solo- mon. The Daughters of ^erujalem are ex- cited, invited, and called to go forth, to be- hold him in his unfpeakable Glory and Ex- cellency. And indeed he is an excellent and glorious Object,- he is a matchlefs Qbjed, gloncus in all Refpe&s; glorious in his Perfon,- glorious in himfelf,- glorious in what he has done, does and will do; yea, glorious in all his Works. Who is like to him ? Who can be compared unto him ? But [ n But you may notice, 2. the gldnous Statc- Hncfs and Ex9ellency of King Solomon, Our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Object here pointed out, that we are called to go forth and be- hold. He is rcprefented under the Chara&er ot a King, nay, of a crowned King; Be^ hold King Solomon, with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned hint. Kings appear ge- nerally, upon folemn Occasions, adorned with rheir Crowns upon their Heads, parti- cularly on their Coronation- Day, The Lord Jefus Chrift is fpoken of as a crowned King, intimating his Grandeur, his Majefty and glorious Excellency, Pfal. xcvi. <5. Paraphrafc in Metre. Great Honour is before his Face y and Majefly divine; Strength is within his holy Place, and there doth Beauty Jbine. ' He is that King that has many Crowns on his Head, Rev. xix. 1 2. He wears many Crowns upon his Head. (1.) He wears tfatf Crown oi ejjential Glory ; he is co-equal and co-ejfential with the Father; lie is God over all bleflfed forever; the very fame God with the Father. But then, (2.) he wears the Crown of his mediatorial Glory, that Glory he bath as God- Man Mediator; 'tis a Glo- ry that he is defigned and appointed unto particularly, in the Council of Peace, from Eternity ; he is appointed unto his King- dom ; he is the ftcmd Adatn 7 who is crown- ed C 6 ] ed with Glory and Honour, Pfal. till f, compared with Heb. ii. 9. but then, again, (3.) there is a Crown that particularly be- longs to him, in the Execution of his -me- diatorial Office; that Crown is juft the Manijeftatton of his mediatorial Glory : When he manitefts his mediatorial Glory, he is re- prefented as having a Crown upon his Head> tping forth conquer thgy and to conquer. Rev. vi. 2. I take the Crown here mentioned e- fpecially and particularly to point at the Manifeftation of his mediatorial Glory. This Crown is faid to be the Crown wherewith bis Mother crowned him in the Day of his £- fpoufals, and in the Day of fheGladnefs of his Heart. In this Part of the Verfe you may ckicfly notice, 1. By whom he is crowned; 'tis by his Mother. By his Mother we may either un- derftand, in the firft Place, the Church vi- sible, particularly the new Teftament- Church, the Golpel-Church, Jerufalem that is above , which is called the Mother of us all, the Mother of Chrift myftical. Or by Mother we may underftand, 2. every par- ticular Believer, that hath Chrift formed in his Heart; Chrift is formed in the Heart of every one that believes ; as is clear from what our Lord himfelf fays in Matth. xii. ult. IVhofoever jhall do the Will of my Fatfjer which ii in Heaven, the fame is my Buther) and Sifter > and Mother. Thus Be- lievers C 7 ] lievers arc called Chrift's Motfier; Behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him; that is, every particu- lar Believer, in the Day of believing, is juft faid to fet the Crown upon Chrift's Head. Therefore, 2. You may notice, when it is that a particular Believer does fet the Crown on Chrift's Head, or when it is that Chrift is crowned: 'Tis in the Day of his Efpoufals. The Union that is be- tween Chrift and the Believer* is frequent*- ly held forth in Scripture under the Noti- on of a Marriage-Union. In believing on the Lord Jefus Chrift, Chrift is efpoufed unto the Sinner, and the Sinner is efpoufed unto Chrift. The Day of his Efpoufals, that is, the Day of the cflfe&ual Vocation of a Sinner to the Lord Jefus ; the Day of the Converfion of a Sinner unto glorious Chrift, that is rhe Day of his Efpoufals, that is the Day wherein, fo to fpeak, a Knot between Chrift and the Soul is cafl that (hall never be untied ; the Day where- in the Match is made up ; the Day where-* in Chrift is married to the Sinner, and the Sinner is married unto the Lord Jefus Chrift ; 'tis the Day of his Efpoufals- In the laft Place, you have the Character of this Day ; 'tis called the Day of the Glad- nefs of his Heart ; the Day of the Gladncfs of this bleffed and glorious Bridegroom's Heart. He is aoc only grilling to be e- fpoufed C s ] fpoufed to the Sinner, but efpbnfes tfte Sin* tier to himfelf : y Tis Matter of Gladnefs to the blefled Bridegroom ; he does rejoice in it; 'tis the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. I cannot dwell further upon the Explication of the Words ; I flull therefore make this one dodtrinal Obfervation upon them, and enlarge on it as the Lord fhafl enable, namely^ DoGt. 'That a Day of believing in the Lw& yefm Cbrift) is a very remarkable Day. What I intend to fpeafc to, are the three Things contained in the Verfe that make this Day a very remarkable Day. 'Tis a very remarkable Day upon a threes fold Account. L 5 Tis the Day of Chrift's Efpoufals un* to the Sinner. II. 'Tis Chrift's Coronation-Day. And* III. 'Tis the Day of^ the Gladnefs of Chrift's Heart : I fay, 'tis remarkable up- on chefe Accounts. I. A Day of believing on the Lord Jefus Chrift is a very remarkable Day ,• why, 'tis the Day of the Efpoufals of Chrift unto the Sinner ; and indeed this makes it a remarkable Day. And upon this Head I (hall only take Notice of three or four Things that make a Day of believing a kemark- t * 1 remarkable Day, as 'tis reprefenfcd under the Notion of a Day of Efpoufals. i. Then* this Day of Efpoufals is a very remarkable Day, if you confider, ( i. ) the Parties e* fpoufed. ( i. ) If you -take a View of the Spring of the Marriage. ( 3. ) Of the Pre* paration made for it. And, (4.) of the Means by which the Efpoufals are brought about. A fborc Word to each of thefe. (1.) The Day of the Efpoufals of Chrift unto the Sinner is a very remarkable Day* if you confider the Parties that are efpouf- ed. Who arc the Parties efpoufed ? *TU King Solomon, Chrift, the Prince of the Kingi cf the Earth ; he who is the Brightness of hit Father's Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon. O! who can tell his Name! O what can declare the Glory of this glori- ous and renowned Perfon, that hath conde- fcended and ftoop'd to chufe a Bride out $f Adams Family unto himfelf : Therefore this glorious Perfon is the one Party e- fpoufed. The other Party efjpoufed is Sinners d£ Adams Family. Who is the Bride? In- deed by Nature what is flie ? With re- fped unto her Nativity and her Birth, what is it ? Her Father is an Amorite, and her Mother a Hittite. What is the Bride ? She is caft out into the open Freld to the Loath* ing of her Perfon ; a poor Outcaft 1 a filthy Outcaft; a vile Outcaft; a Child of Wrath B by C «o ] by Nature:; flie is a Child of the Devil | fte is filled with the Poifon of Hell. What is the Bride then ? Oh ! in herfelf, by Na* ture, fhe is altogether a black and vile Sin- ner of Adams Family. This bleffed Bride* groom hath juft looked upon thefe; he hath vifited thefe. O, what Manner of Love is here ! The eternal Son of God is the Bridegroom ; he is the Bridegroom } fo to fpeak, he juft fet his Love upon wretch- ed forelorn, hopelefs, helplefs and dtRi* tute Sinners ; His Love hath vifited them, when lying in all the Circumftances of Blacknefs and Deformity. If we take a ' t View of the Parties efpoufed, O how may it fill uis with Wondec and Amaze- ment ! 'Tis the Will of this glorious Per- fon towards unlovely, wretched, miferable and Hell-deferving Creatures. (2.) The Day of Efpoufals is a very re- markable Day, if you take a View of the Spring of thefe Efpoufals. What gave Rife to them ? Nothing but the fovereign Lcvc of God, the free Love of God; the wonderful Love of God. The Love Qt God towards Man appeared in it. If you take a Vkw of the Bride, fure there can be nothing to move the Bridegroom to love her. 'Tis juft his good Will and Plea- sure : This alone moved him to fet his Love upon any of the apoftate Race of -4- 4am. He loved them, becaufe Jic loved them, [ « ] them. What is the End of it ? That he might fhew the exceeding Riches of his Grace through Chnft Jefus, that the Rich- es of his Grace, the exceeding Riches of his Grace, may be known,. Epb. ii. 7. Again, 00 the Efpoufals are remark-able, if you take a View of the Preparation that is made for them : And what is the Pre- paration that is made ? The Bridegroom takes the Nature of the black Bride upon him; he was found in the Likenefs of Jinful Flejb: He took our very Nature upon him : And indeed, Sirs, he could never have been efpoufed to us, unlefs he had taken our Nature into a perfonal Union with his divine. O wonderful is his Af- fumption of our Nature into his divine, whereby the divine and human Natures become one in him. Great is the Myftery of Godlinefs, God was manijefied in the Flejh. He did efpoufe a perfonal Union with us, that he might be efpoufed to us, and that we might be efpoufed to him : Thus great is the Preparation that is made for the E- fpoufals. Not only was he efpoufed tmto us, but he was fubftitute in our Room and Place]: He flood in the Law-Room and Place of his Bride. O this is wonderful ! the Son of God became Man, and not on- ly became Man, and took the Law-Place of a Company of Adams bankrupt Family, but he took thek Debt upon him : He bore [ " ] bore the Burden and Weight of that Wrath that their Sins deferred, and thereby be brought in an everlafling Rigbteoufnefs ; he magnified the Law and made it honourable, hy the perfeEl Obedience he gave unto it ; he redeemed us from the Curfe of the Law> being wade a Curfe for m us ; the eternal Son of God, the bleffed Bridegroom, came under his own Law for us ; he came under the Curfe of the Law for us. O wonderful! and indeed it was wonderful j for he and us dould never have been efpoufed together, unlefs it had been fo. Again, ( 4. ) thefe Efpoufals are re-* markable, i( you take a View of the Means whereby thefe Efpoufals were carried on. 1. The great outward Mean is the Preaching of the everlafting Gofpel, and in the Preaching thereof the Bridegroom is proclaimed in the Lovelinefs and E?cel* kney of his Perfon. What is the Preaching of the Gofpel ? 'Tis juft a Pleaching of Chrift ; a Declaration of the Glory, Love- linefs and Excellency of the great and glo- rious Bridegroom ; a Declaration of whae he is in his Perfon, of what he is in his Offices, and of what he hath done in the Behalf of perifhing, loft and undone Sin- ners. z. The great Mean whereby the Efpou- fals are brought about, is a Donation, a Gift and Grant, and a iree and gracious Pio- [ n 3 Promife of this glorious and matchlefs Bridegroom unto Sinners of Adams Fami- ly, that he may be cfpoufed to them, that he may be married unco them in the Go- fpel. Sirs, Chrift gives himfelf as a Huf- band unto you. He fays, Iwill betroth thee unto me jor ever> yea, I will betroth thee unto me in Rfghteoufnefs, and in Judgment, and in loving Kindnefsy and in Mercies ; 1 will even betroth thee unto me in Faithfulnefs, faith the Lord. Hof. ii. 19, 20. / will betroth thee ; I give my felf for a Husband unto you; I give myfelf wholly unto you. In the Go- fpel there is a Donation, a Gift and Grant unto Sinners of Adams Race of this blef- fed Bridegroom to be their Husband, that they may be efpoufed to him in the Go- fpel : That is the great outwatd Mean by which the Efpoufals are carried on. But, 3. The Efpoufals are carried on by the peculiar Agency and Help of the Holy Spirit. 'Tis the Spirit of the Bridegroom, the Spirit of Chrift tefiifies concerning Chrift ; the Spirit of Chrift Jhews the Things of Chrift unto Sinners ; 'tis by the teftifying Work of the Holy Spirit, that the Bride- groom is feen in the Lovelinefs, Glory and Excellency of his Pcrfon. O Sirs, 'tis ju'ft the Work of the Spirit of Chrift to difcover the Glory of Chrift ; and when the Spirit ol Chrift does draw by the Vail, when C *4 1 f . when he reveals Chrift within the Heart of the Sinner, then it is that the Heart is won and gained to Chrift; then it is that the Soul is made to cry out Ifii, my Hus*- band. Then, 4. Tis by the Means of Faith that the Efpoufals are carried on. We are efpoufed unto the Lord Chrift by the Means of Faith ; the hearing in Faith is juft the Sig- ners being efpoufed unto Chrift ; Hearken, O Daughter, and confider, Pfal. xlv. 10* Faith is indeed the Soul 'faying to him, Ijhi, my Husband ; in believing the Soul juft gives its Confent unto the Lord Chrift ; in believing the Sinner juft figns, as it were, the Marriage-Contract ; believing is juft the Amen of the Heart in the Revelation and Promife the Lord Jefus gives of him- lelf ; / will betroth thee unto me forever in Righteoufiiefs, loving Kindnefs and tender Mercies, faith the Lord. In believing the Soul fays Amen to the Word of Promife, fo be it, O Lord ; fo it is, and fo it fhall be ; O Lord, I am thine. O Sirs, thefc Efpoufals are juft brought about by the Means of Faith on the Part of the Sinner; the Bride, as it were, juft goes by Faith into the Arms of the blefled Bridegroom, fay- ing, I am thine. O, the Bride fays, I am thine, be it to me according to thy Word j content. Lord, content. II. I C ** 3 It I obferved, that a Day of believing is a remarkable Day, not only in regard of the Day of Efpoufals to a Sinner, but in regard 'tis Chrift's Coronation-Day. Be- hold King Solomon with the Crown where- with his Mother crowned him y &c. 'Tis Chrift's Coronation-Day, that is, 'tis a Day wherein the Soul gives Glory to the Lord Chrift. To crown Chrift, is to give Glory to him in a Day of believing in particular. We can add norhing to his cffential Glory, but we are called to de- clare his Glory ; and his Glory in a parti- cular Manner is declared for a Sinner's be- lieving in him: In believing there is, as it were, a crowning of Chrift : The Heart is the Throne, and the Soul in believing juft fets Chrift upon his Throne, and fets the Crown juft upon Chrift's Head. The Be- liever crowns Chrift, ( i.) By an high Eftimation of him ; he acknowledges Chrift to be what he real- ly is ; he efteems the Lord Chrift : And how does he eftcem him ? He efteems him to be altogether lovely, infinitely excellent, and infinitely glorious. O, Faith cries out, who may compare himfelf unto thee ? O, Faith juft cries, there is none like unto Chrift jefus, there is none like unto him; he is infinitely lovely and matchleii in his Per- fon y infinitely lovely and excellent in all that he is, in all the Chata&ers he bears, and and in all the Offices he executes ,• Faith crowns him by a high Eftimation of him; the Language of Faith is. What Things were Gain to me, thofe I counted Lofs for Chrifiy yea doubtlefs, and I count all Things but Lofs for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chrifl jfefus my Lord, and do oount them but Dung, that I may win Chrifl, and be found in him^ clothed with his Righteouf- m(s 9 and freed from Guilt, &c. Again, ( 2.) in believing the Soul crowns Chrift, as it were; the Soul puts theCrown upon Chrift *s Head, by fubjefting itfelf unto him. In believing there is fufta cor- dial Subjection to Chrift, a cordial Safari mifllon to Chrift, every Perfon when he be* lieves in Chrift, he calls him Ijhi> my Hus- band ; he acknowledges him as Chrift and Lord; as Chrift the Anointed and Senr of God, for lVifdom> Rigbteoufnefs, SauEhfkfr tion, and Redemption. And not only as Chrift, but as Lord. The Believer juft fub* mits to the Rule of Chrift, to the Govern- ment of Chrift, and to the Latfr in the Hand of Chrift, as a Rule of Life and O- bedience. All that believe will readily juft devote themfelves unto an univerfal Soul- Subjection unto the Lord Jefus Chrift ; there is no acceptable Covenanting, or ac- ceptable Engagement unto Duty, but that Engagement that is a Fruit #f Faith $ that Engagement that accompanies it is a Fruit g Fruit of believing. Well, the Soul inb«2 lieving gives Chrift his Name, and, accord- ing to the Gofpel- Revelation of him, fay$* the Lord is my RiglTteoufncfs ; arid the Soul will utter that Saying, In the Lord have I kighteoufnefs and Strength ; O my Soul, thou haft faid unto the Lord, thou tin my Lord. The Soul will juft readily bow unto Chrift as the Lord* and wiH be con- tent through his Grace and his Strength to be for him, and not for another. Thus the Believer crowns Chrift in believing, by an high Eftimatioti of him, by a cordial Submiffion and Subje&ion unto the Lord Jefus Chrift ; but in & fpetiii Mariner he crowns Chrift in ■ believing, by fctting td his Seal ante tlue Gofpel-Reveiation, that God is true. In believing he gives Glory unto Gbd, Glory unto the Truth of God* unto the Faithfulnefs of God, unto the Grace and unto the Love of God niani-* fcfted in the Difpenfation of the GofpeL III. Thirdly, I obferved, that a Day o£ believing is a remarkable Day, in regard 'tis the Day ot the Gladnefs of ChrifFs Heart; Behold King Solomon, with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him in the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. And here, my Friends, you may notice there are three remarkable Days, every one of which are* called the Day of Gladftefs x o£ Ghrift's Heart. C 18 ] ( i.) There was the Day of contrived Redemption in the Council of Peace from Eternity ,- that was a Day of the Gladnefs of ImmanueH Heart, Prov. viii. 30. / was daily his Delight^ rejoicing always before him. 31. Rejoicing in the habitable Parts of bis Earth y and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. Nofooner, fo to (peak, was the Overture made about the Redemption of Sinners by his Father, but the eternal Son of God rejoiced at the Overture; his Delights were with the Sons of Men ; his rejoicing was in the habitable Parts of the Earth. Again, (2.) There is another Day that was likeways the Day of Gladnefs ot Chrift's Heart ; the Day of purchafed Redempti- on ; that was the Day of the Gladnefs of Chrift's Heart. Luke xii. 50. / have a Baptifm to be baptised with, and how am I fainedy would he fay, 9 till it be accomplish- ed ; and fo the Word fignifies, he longed for the Accomplishment of it; therefore by his Spirit in the Prophet he fays, I delight to do thy IVilh my God; yea, thy Law is •within my Heart, Pfal. xl. 8. He delights to fulfil the Law, to fulfil a Courfc of Obe- dience to it. He delights to make an Atone- ment to it ; he delights to give himfelf an Offering and a Sacrifice to the Juftice of God ; he delighted to do his Father's Will, I delight to do thy fVM, O my God. But, (3) The [ 19 ] fj.) The Day of applied Redemption is likeways the Day of the Gladnefs of Chrift's Heart; when the Work of Redemption is applied, when 'tis brought Home unto Sinners, when the Lord Chrift is efpoufed unto them ; this is the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart ; he rejoices and is glad in this Day ; 'tis the Day wherein the Power of the Lord Jefus is exerted and put forth in the Heart of the Sinner. Thy People Jh all be willing in the Day of thy Power, Pfal. ex. 3. 'Tis the Day of the Lord's Light ; the Day wherein he fhines into the Heart of the Sinner, wherein he reveals himfelf with- in the Sinner, wherein the Love of Chrift juft conftrains the Sinner. I have loved thee with an everlafting Love, faith the Lord, there- fore ivitb loving Kindnefs will 1 draw thee. 'Tis a Day of Liberty ; a Day wherein the Sinner's Bonds are loofed ; 'tis a Day wherein the Fetters of Unbelief are bro- ken off j 'tis a Day wherein he brings the Sinner into a State of pleafant and glo- rious Freedom, fo that he is in Bondage and under Captivity to none. 'Tis a Day wherein he fees of the Travail of his Soul, wherein he fees his Seed, and the Plea- fure of the Lord profpers in his Hand, as a Fulfilment of that fweet Prediction in Ifa. liii. 10. He /hall fee his Seed, and the Pleafure of the Lord/hall proffer in his Hand. 11. He /ball fee of the Travail of his Soul, and C *o ] and be fatisfied. -Tis therefore the Day flf the Gladnefs of his Heart. Why, Sirs, it is a Day wherein our glorious Lord and Saviour fees the Fruit of his fore Travail, the bleffed EffeAs of that pain- ful and coftly Work of Redemption which he performed j 'tis the Day, fo to fpeak, wherein Sinners are gathered together unto him, to be a Seed unto him, and do Ser«? vice unto him ; wherein, to add no more cm this Head, Sinners that were given un- to him by the Father from Eternity are inflated in all the purchafed and promis- ed Bleflings of the new Covenant, are ef- fectually called, have the Righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed *nta them, in order to their Juftification, and whereon to found their Title unto eternal Life, have a Name in God's Family, better than that of Sons and Daughters, and an unalienable Right unto all the Immunities and Privileges of God's Houfe, and wherein, in fliort, they rtceive the Spirit of Promife as the SanSi- fierand Comforter, who never will leave them till they arrive in Glory ; and there- fore this Day cannot fail to be the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart, Thus, my Friends, a Day of helieving is a remarkable Day upon thefe three Ac- counts, namely, 'tis the Day wherein Chrift is efpoufed unto the Sinner, $nd the Sin- ner unt9 him ; the Day wherein the Crown is is fct upon his Head, and wherein his Heart is glad and rejoices. I fhould now come to make fome practi- cal Ufe and Improvement of this Subjcft ; and may the Lord htmfelf bring it Home by his own Spirit unto us. I Hull not in- fill long on this Subject, only let me drop a Word, and, O that the Spirit of God may take it into his own Hand, and caufe it produce powerful Effe&s on you ande- very one of you, that this Day may be a joyful Day, wherein the Heart, of Chrift will rejoice. i. If it be fo, that a Day of believing is the Day of Chrift's Efpoufals, then, O Sirs, wonder, wonder at the Love the matchlefs and unparallelled Love, of the e- ternal Son of God, that he coadefcended to be efpoufed to any of the black Race of fallen Adam. What! hath he takenaSpoufe unto himfelt out of the Race of Adam, and not out of the angelick Tribe? He took not on him the Nature of Angels, but tke Seed of Abraham. O let it fill our Hearts with Wonder. It ought to accent our Song, particularly when we are about to comme- morate the Death of our Lord Jefus. Come, come, Sirs, and behold Chrift, that hath chofen a Bride out among you ; he hath pafled by the fallen Angeis, and he hath looked on you; O wonderful Love ! O amaz- C » ] amazing Condefcendence ! 'tis juft like God himfelf; he hath done fo becaufe it pleafed him fo to do. O the Greatnefs, the Freedom and Sovereignty of his Love. What! rotakea Match out of Adam's Fa- mily ? Yes, he hath feen meet to do fo. Glory, Glory to the Lord, that he hatb ta- ken to himfelf a Bride out of Adams Fa- mily, that were juft going down to the bottomlefsPir. O, his Love followed them juft to Hell itfelf, as it were ; his Love took them from the Depths ofeverlafting Ruin and Deftru&ion. The Love of Chrift married them, and the Love ot Chrift is beftowed upon them. Then, again, (2.) is it fo, that a Day of believing is the Day of Chrift's Efpoufals ; then, my dear Friends, are you efpoufed unto Chrift, yea or not ? Who haveChrift's Warrant to come to a Commun ion-Table ? None but the Bride of Chrift. Arc you efpoufed unto the Lord Chrift ? What think ye of Chrift ? Hath he got the Throne of your Heart ? Whether have you crowned him or not? What are your Thoughts of Chrift ? Do you efteem Chrift as he really is ? Is he all Detfres to you ? Is he altogether lovely to you ? O, do ye account all Things but Lofs for the Excellency of the Know- ledge of Chrift Jefus, and defire to be found in him, not having your own Righteouf- nefs, C SJ 3 nefs, but that you may be clothed upoa with that Righteoufnefs which is ot God by Faith. My dear Friends^ What think ye of Chrift? You are called this Day to behold King So- lomon, with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him in the Day of his Efpoufals, and in the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. O, what think ye of the Perfon of this King? What think ye of what he hath done? What are your Thoughts of his Incarnati- on* Obedience a&ive and paflive, of his Death, Burial, Refurrc&ion, triumphant Afcenfion to Glory, and his fitting at the right Hand of the Majefty on high, to in- terceed for his black Bride ? If ye are match- ed and efpoufed unto the King of Glory, furely he will get the higheft Room, the chief and uppermost Place in your Hearts and AfFe&ions. If you are efpoufed unto this glorious King Solomon, you will readi- ly exprefs yourfelves with Afapb, in Pfal. lxxiii. 25. faying, Whom have I in Heaven, „ but thee ? And there is none upon Earth that J defire befides thee. O, fie upon ijs, that Chrift isfo little efteemed among us, that he has fo little Room in our Hearts 1 (3.) Is a believing Day, a Day of E- fpoufals? is it Chrift's Coronation-Day ? is it the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart ? then I come to you upon a Communion- Day, upon a high Sabbath-Day, juft, if I could C »4 3 could, to proclaim the Love and Grace of Chrift among you : The Bridegroom, the Lord Chrift hath come to this Houfe ; he comes and feeks a Spoufe to himfelf ; he comes in the Word that is preached unto you, and fceks a Spoufe unto himfelf. Be- hold the Bridegroom is cpme, all Things are ready, come unto the Marriage. The Prepa- ration the Son of God hath made is rea- dy, as you heard yefterday in the Prepara- tion-Sermon ; Chrift is ready, Chrift is made ef God unto us IVifdom, Righteoufnefs y Sane* tification, and Redemption. O Sirs, are you Fools, ignorant Fools, befotted with Stu- pidity ; behold Wifddrti is ready for you ? God hath made him- Wifdom ,• there is Light in him, the Light of Knowledge is in him ; he is juft the Light of the World, and he is juft that Light given for Light and Sight to the blinded Gentiles. O Sirs, come and behold him. What ! are you guil- ty? Righteoufnefs is ready for you: Chrift is made of God unco us Righteoufnefs: He hath brought in an cverlafting Rights oufnefs, and this being imputed unto you, put on your Score and reckoned on your Account, will free you from Condemnation and Guilt, and lay a Foundation of an un- defeaftble Title unto eternal Life and Happinefs. Is Chrift made of God unto us Righteoufnefs, then, to be fure, there is a fufficient Righteoufnefs in him for you lhat t *5 ] that are guilty, for you that are Hell-de- ferving. Arc. you deftitute %i the Image of God } Arc you all unholy and pol- luted? Arc you juft carried down the Stream by the Power and Prevalency of Sin? Are you led Captive by your Lufts ? Chrift is made or God unto us San&ification. O, Saodification is ready for you ? Chrift is made Ssn&ificatidft. O Sirs, come and behold him. Are you in Bonds and Fetters ? And indeed many of you are in Bonds, the Bonds of Unbelief the Bonds and Fetters of fpiritual Death and Carnality. Chrift is made of God uhti us Redemption; Redemption from every fpi- ritual Evil and Plague we are under. And* indeed, what are you by Nature? A Mafs of Sin and Guilt* If you have feen ybiu> felves, you have been ready to fay, 1 have a Heart as black as Hell ,• but let your Hearts be never fo black* there is juft Rfe* lief in the Lord Jefus Chrift for yenu Wett then, know that the Bridegroom is cbme to this Houfe, and he feeks a Bride fot himfelf, and fays, O Sinner, Wilt thou gci With me ? Whoever thou art, Wilt thoti be efpoufed ? Wilt thou be betrdthed ufi- to the Son of God, the King of Glofy ? Wilt thou fay, Ifii, niy Husband ? Thoii haft beeii playing the Harlot all thy Days, goirig a whoring all thy Da^S t6 this and the other Lover : He is conje aa4 faith, 1 will betrcth thee unto me in Righte* vujnefiy in loving Kindnejs and in tender Mer* ties. O, will you anfwer to the Call, and fay, I(hi x my Husband, my Lord? 0,will not Zions renowned King and Lord himfelf get a Bride among you ? And, O, will not Chrift get a Bride among fome of you that have been ftanding out againft him ? Will you not give him your Content, calling him IJhi, my Husband ? I intreat you, for the Lord's Sake, fay to the matchlefs Bride- groom, IJbi % my Husband, my Lord, I am content with the Bargain; The Bridegroom gives himfelf to you in all that he is, and in all that he hath ; I fay, he jufl gives him- felf unto you. O, fay to him, my Husband, my Husband ! Sirs, do you doubt of his Willingnefs to, efpoufe you ? Does he not fay in this Word that is revtaled, that the Day of Efpoufals is the Day of the Glad- nefs of his Heart? Is his Heart glad to be efpoufed to Sinners, then to be lure he is not unwilling to receive you? If you will not come, ye fadden his Heart; if ye come, ye make his Heart glad and joyful, as it were. To be fure, then, he is not unwilling to be efpoufed unto you, O, will not the bleffed and glorious Bridegroom haye a Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart among you ? In believing oft the Lord Jefus Chrift f and irt doming to him, ye fet the Crowri on C 17'] on the Lord Chrift's Head on his Coro- nation-Day. O, if it is his Coronation- Day, will you give him that Glory that is due to his Name. O, fay yon, I want a Heart to come to him ; O, I have a dead Hearr. Mint ac faying in Faith, Jjhi, my Husband ; Mint at calling him mine: One Jhatt fay, I am the Lord's. Look to him, that Power may come from the Lord himfelf, juft to enable you with a full Bent of the Soul to cry out, I am the Lord's. (4.) Is a Day of believing Chrift's Co- ronation-Day ? is it the Day of his Efpou- fals? Then, O look to him that yoa may be helped, in the Way of his Grace, to give Glory to him in a Way of believ- ing, to acknowledge what the Lord Chrift is. What is Faith, Sirs ? 'Tis juft giving Chrift his own Name ; and Chrift's Name is y 'this is the Name wherewith he [hall be called, The Lord our Righteousness, Jer. xxiii. 6. A>nd Faith fays, this is his Name, the Lord my Righteoufncfs. I fay, give Chrift his own Name, acknowledge him juft in what he hath faid and declar- ed ; he is the Lord your Righteoufnefs. O give Glory to him! If you do not give Glory to him, in calling him by his owa Name, ye mifcal him ; and 'tis, I aflure you, a dreadful Thing to deny Chrift his Name, and Hiifcal him. Every Unbeliev- er et denies Chrift, and mifcals him ; therefore I fay, tall Chrift by his own Name, and call yourfelycs by your own Names. Your Name is, Guilty, but Chrift's Nameis,The Lord our Righteoufnefs; your Name is, Weaknefs, but Chrift's Name is, The Lor4 our Strength ; your Name is, Darknefs, but Chrift's Nam* i$, The Lord our Lighc. Your Name is, Deadnefs, buc Chrift's Name is, "The RefurreElion and the Life; Therefore, O give Chrift his own Name, and call yourfelves by your own Names, Sirs, come, come unto him, for he calleth for you and every one of you^ come, 1 fay, and juft fee that All is in him ; roll yourfelves wholly upon him, for all that Furniture of Grace you want ^nd ftand in Need of; for it is only to be got from him. Chrift is willing to give the Com- munications of his Gsace and Strength unto the Poor and Needy. *Tis the Day of the Gladneft of his Heart. And if it be fa, then be not afraid to come to him, be not fhy to come to him, juft put yourfelves into his Hand, that you may partake of his Goodnefs, fliare in his Grace and Spi- rit, and be fafely carried thro'j honeftly born up in the dark and winnowing Day wherein we live. / jhaU not proceed any further^ the Lord blefs his Word. Unit [ *9 3 fynto the foregoing Sermon the feveral Dif* courfesy which Mr. Wilfon delivered on oc- cajion of the forementioned Communion- So* iemnity> are here annexed. DISCOURSE I. On the Evening of the Faft~T).ay y Sept. 17. 1741. MY dear Friends, Is the Lord giving us the near Profpeft of a Communi- on-Sabbath, after all the dark and gloomy Providences that have been thefe feveral Years bypaft, and notwithstanding of the heinous Guilt and Sin of Perth? Yes, the Lord is yet gracioufly giving us the Pro- fped ofaCommuuion-Sabbath. The Work is thus far advanced ; 'tis begun this Day with three fuitable and fcafonable Words of Grace. You juft now heard, that God's gracious Call is dire&ed to every one of you to come to Chrift, as the only Reft, the true Reft: Tis direfted to thefe that la- bour and are heavy laden. Who among you are under a Load of Guilt, under the heavy Load and Guilt of the Curfe of a broken Law? Who among you by Nature are un- der the Wrath of God ? Every one of you by Nature are Children of Wrath, and on every unbelieving Soul among you the Wrath of God abides. Are you not labouring in vain, feeking Reft in the Creature, in the World, C ?o 3 World, in the Vanities of your own dc* vifing ? Ye are feeding on Vanities ; feed- ing yourfdves with the Eaft-Wiud; ye are filling your Bellies with Husks. Well, tho* this be your fad Cafe and Condition, yet the Lord Jefus is purfuing you with an Of- fer of Love ; he is faying to you, If you ask where the Weary find Reft, I am the only Reft for your Confeiences; I am the only Reft for your Souls in Time, in a dy- ing Hour, and when you go out of Time into endlefs Eternity. O comejCome unto me. He that believeth jhall enter into Reft. To be fure, my Friends, the Lord Jefus is in ear- ned in purfuing you with the kind Offer of Grace. There is not a Soul among you, whatever your Defignation may be, but he fays unto you, O come, Come unto me> aS ye that labour and are heavy laden % and 1 will give you Reft. O come, come unto me, and you {hall not find Reft but in me; you ftiall not find Reft but in the Way of coming unto me : He that believeth enters into Reft. Yon that are defigned Communicants, and have not come to him, O come unto him; your coming to a Communion-Table will be «f little Ufe or Advantage, if you come not unto him. O young Perfons, come un- to him; wherefore do you fpend your Mo- ney for that which is not Bread, and your Labour for that which fatisfieth not ? Wherefore do you fpend the Beginning of your C 3* ] * Vour Time on Things that will not profit? Wherefore do you give the Prime, Flowet and Strength of your Time to Sin, Satan and the World? O, what Profit will yc have in this miferable Labour ? O come* come to jefus : He fays* I will give you re- al Reft, Soul-fatisfying and Heart-eftablifla- ing Reft. He that believeth enters into Reft. The Reft of Faith is a furc and infallible 1? refage of the everlaftingReft in Glory here- after. O Sirs, you have a good Bargain fee before you, Jefus Chrift for a Reft. O, I would defire you all, and iti his Name call you to come to Chrift. He is in earneft ;. he fets himfelf before you as the Reft of your Souls,- and to the End he may allure you to come unto him this Day, he fays, Fury is not in me. IVbo would fet the Briers and Thorns againft me in Battle ? I would g* thro them* I would burn them together. Or let him take Hold of my Strength, that he may make. Peace with me y and he JhaB make Peace with me, Ifa. xxvii. 4, 5. Fury is mt in me, that i$j I; am a God reconciled ; I am a God in Chrift ; Juftice is fatisfied, my Wrath is appeafed. Why does he fay, Fury is not in me? 'Tis becaufe Chrift hath fatisfied, he hath taken Hold of the Arm of Juftice, and hath made Peace. The whole Creatioa could not make Peace ; but the eternal Son ef God took Hold of the Arm of Juftice,and fuffered Wrath ; the weighty Blow of the Juftice C 3» 3 . Juftice of God came upon hifti, it lighted upon his very Heart ; I fay, he bore the weighty Blow of avenging Juftice* and by this Means hath made Peace; he hath made Atonement; God is well pleafed in him. Therefore I proclaim to you in his Name, Fury is hot in him ? he is the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long- fuffering and abundant in Goodnefs and Truth. To whom? To you, and to eve- ry one of you, to whom this Word of Grace is preached, Fury is not in him. O, will not the Love of God, the Grace of God, put you to a holy Blufii? You have Ground to be grieved fot your own Ways. What have they been but perverfe and finful? What is thy Name ? A Tranfgreflbr from the Womb ; miferable and wretched by Sin art thou. What fays the Lord? I am well pleafed with tohat my Son hath done; 1 am a God pardoning Iniquity and Sin. O Sirs, you will never have a kindly Sorrow for Sin, un- lets you apprehend the Mercy, the Grace, and Love of God inChrift: And, O, when God's Love, Mercy and Grace are fet be- fore us, fhould it not fill us with Blufhing, to remember our perverfe and wicked Ways? The Love of God in Chrift hath been fet before you, that you may take a View of, and behold it; and that from the View thereof your hard and obdurate Hearts may be foftened. And indeed, Sirs, the hard Hears [ 33 ] Heart wiH nerer be foftened, until it hi thawed and foftencd with the warm Love and Grace of a God in Chrift. Behold, be* hold God is pacified ; his Anger is turned away ; his pardoning Grace is proclaimed thro' an Atonement ; that wonderful, that glorious Satisfa&ion given to the Juftiee of God. O look unto and behold him; O look, upon him whom ye have pierced, and mouhi. I prefent him to you in the Word of the glorious Gofpel, and in this Word that hath this Day been preached urito you j that you may look unto him and be faved ; that you may look unto him and be healed 5 that you may look unto him and be enlight- ned ; that you may look unto him and be comforted; that you may look unto him and be ftrengthncd ,• that you ipay look unto him and be fupported; that you may look unco him and may have all from him ; foe all the Fulnefs of Grace and of the Spirit is in him. O, is all brought to your Door* and will you hot take this all Fulnefs out o£ his Hand ? My dear Friends, the Work of the Bay is loft for the moft Part, as to you, if yout Hearts arc not gained and engaged utitof him. O Man, Woman, Chrift is come near unto you in the Word of Grace that is preached unto you. O, have you higher and more honourable Thoughts of Chrift that! before? Are your Dcfires more ardent and E a&ive C 34 ] a&ive after him? Is there any openingof yoM Hearts unto precious Chrift, who is faying unto you, Behold, 1 ft and at the Dor and knock, Sec. O, is hefa>ing, Come, come un- to me, and is there no Motion made by you towards him ? Hear, and your SoulJhaU live j and I will make an everlafling Covenant with you, even the jure Mercies of David. I bequeath myfelf, my Purchafe, and all my Bkflings unto you. To whom does the Lord Jefus bequeath all ? 'Tis to the Poor and Needy, the Wretched and Miferable. Chrift is juft a Saviour to poor Sinners, and to none elfe ; he is a Phyfician to the Sick and Difeafed; he feeks no Money or Price in your Hand. Come, as poor unto him ; come, as wretch- ed and miferable unto him. There are Mul- titudes here that have a Warrant to come to Chrift ; and, I dare fay, there is not a Soul among you but has Chri(l f s Call to qome unto him; I do not fay, to a Com- munion-Table, but unto Chrift himfelf. O let your Souls fay, Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God : Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for jrom the Hills, and from the Multitude of Mountains : Truly in the Lord cur God is the Salvation of Ifrael. la vain is Help expe&ed from this Airth, and the other Airth; in vain it is looked for from the Creature ; in vain it is looked for from the Pleafures and Comforts of Sin, in the Path and Way of Wkkednef*; In the Lotd C SS ] Lord alone is Reft, true and fubftantial Reft. dme unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will $ive you Reft, fays Chrtjt. O, my dear Friends, is there not a Coming to the Lord Jefus Chrift among you ? Oh J that there were a Moving unto him among you. If this were the Cafe, wc might reafonably hope tor a hcartfom Com- munion. O that there were a Sight of your Unbelief, faying, I cannot come, draw me. Chrift fays, When I am lifted nf> from the Earth, IwiUdraw all Men unto mc. There is Virtue and Efficacy in our Lord Jefus tp draw you unto him. You heard another Word of Grace k> the Morning, that the Seate and Condition of all by Nature is a languifhing Condition. This is the deplorable State and Condition of the Lord's People at this Day. Oh! what Deadnefs and Languifhing is there a- mong us! O employ the Phyfician, Sirs: The Phyfician is Chrift himfelf * and 'tis his Work only to revive the languifhing Soul. Our Lord Jefus is the Refurredion and the Life; and by the Breath of his Mouth he can make the dead and dry Bones come to- gether, and make Skin and Flefh enter upon them, and the Spirit of God enter int<* them, fo that they fliall live and ftand up an exceeding great Army, Verily Dead*- nefs is the mournful Cafe of all the Chur- ches of Chrift at this Day. Wc are dead, we we are wither d, we are langui£bing ; there is little of the Lite of God among Believ- ers ; the Life of Faith is low ; the Life Salification is low; the Life of Holineft is low ; the Life of Tendernefs is very low ; the Life of a Concern for the Glory of God and the Kingdom of Chrifl is very low. O Sirs, Profeflbrs, and even the Lord's own People in our Day, have juft loft Sight of the Lord Jcfus, for the moft Parr ; he is gone out of our Sight. But where is the Help? juft in himfelf. Hence the Church, jn a languifliing and withered Conditipn, fpreads out her Cafe before the Lord, Wilt thou nc( revive us again, that thy People may rejoice in thee ? A dead and withered Church,, and her withered Members, may look unco him in Hop? of a Revival, Why, Sirs, his Name is, The Refurreftion and the Life. The Spirit of Life is promifed, If a. xxvi. 19. unto the Church, "Thy dead Men Jhcvll live, together -with my dead Body JhaU they arife. Awake and fing, ye that dwell in the Dxft, for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs, and the Earth JhaU cafl am the Dead. I take the Import of that Promife to be, the Re- furre&ion of the Spirit with refpeft to the Life of Grace here, as well as the Life of Glory hereafter. Chrift is the Fountain of Life. Were you ever fo languifhing, yea, tho* you be dead in Sins and in Trefpafles; thp' you were twice dead, yet there is Life in C 57 1 in him fotryou. O look in Faith, look ia Hope, i or him, in Hope of a Revival. O ie d pray for a Revival to his Work in Scotland, to his languifhmg Remnant ia Scotland. The Lord in his Providence is fending us another Communion ; O Sirs, invite his Prefencc. I befeech you to pray for his Coming among us ; for a Revival to his Work among us; for a Revival to the Remnant in this Congregation ; a Revival to chofe in other Congregations that may join with us; a Revival to Minifters that affift us. Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy People may rejoice in thee ? Oh ! Chrift's Prefence among a People makes a joyful and heartfom Feaft. Indeed, when he is a- way, his Abfence makes a very fad Feaft. Pray, pray, I fay, that he may come to the Congregation ot Perth. Thofe that are m Sincerity Joiners in the Work, may -the Lord give them a Revival; thofe that do not join with us,but homologate what hath been clone againft his Caufe and Work in Perth, may the Lord forgive them, and let them fee their Sin. For my Part, as I have faid for- merly, I have no Freedom to give them a Token, fo long as they are continuing in this Courfe. How plaufible foever the Cafe of others may be, the People of Perth are inexcufable, if they do not take up his ftan- dard and Teftimony j the Guilt muft ly at their t 38 3 their own Door. I puy them, I pray the Lord may forgive them. Sirs, we are, in fome refpe&s, a witneffing Congregation, and foare thofc that join with us ; yet I am jealous over you with a god- ly Jealoufy ; I am afraid ot many of you. Look that you be in Chrift, that you be rooted and built up in Chrift. Making fome Profeffion of Chrift will fignify no- thing, unleis ye be in Chiift: For this End, look that this Night be a Time of fel^fearching, and a trying Time, a Night of felf-trying : Let a Man examine himjelf, and fo let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup. My dear Friends, look into your Hearts j look to the Lord himfdf, that he may fcarch you, thai he may try you. O be concerned to qome to the Lord Jefus, to follow him with the Exhortation given, Be ajhamed and confounded, and never open thy Mouth any more, becaufe of thy Shame f when I am pacified towards thee, jor all that thou haft done, faith the Lord God. Be a- flhamed and confounded with the Exhorta* tion of a God ot Grace. O, fliall not his Love allure you ? Shall not his Grace al- lute you to come unto him with your Bur-? dens, perfonal Burdens, Family Burdens; whatever your Burdens are, come to him; Come to him all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and he will give you Reft. Reft with *fpe& to all your Burdens, whether out- ward [ 3? H ward ; 'tis a declin- ing Day, a Day ot Backfliding from the Lard : 'Tis a Day wherein many of the Lord's People, that have the Root of the Matter in them, are Idling their Way, and miffing their Path ; 'tis a Day wherein the Lord threatens to come out of his Place, to punift' thcChurches of Britain and Ireland. O, look to him, call upon him importu- nately, that he may leave a Blefling behind him. O, my Friends^ he is a God with- in a Cry ; he is a God that is near ; he is the Hearer of Prayer ; we have a high Prieft over the Houle of God, in and thro* whom we are warranted to draw near in full Affurance of Faith. Out Prayers have no more Sincerity in them, but as they have Faith in him ; fo far in Truth as mix'd in Faith. We call upon him in Truth, when we call upon him in the Faith of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as held forth in the Word of Promifc, the Word of a pro- r 4t i £romifing God in Chrift J ejus; and we have Ground for allured Faith in the Pro- mire. O how great, how extenfive and how unfpeakable is that Fulnefs that is in Chrift, as you heard ! He is a Saviour of God's making, a complete Saviour, he is of God made unto us Wtfdoni^ Rightboufnefs SanElificatiorii and Redemption. You have heard much of Chrift; but, my Friends, you have heard but very little of him in Com- parifon of what he is. O, he is a wonder- ful Saviour ; he is a Saviour of God's mak- ing, the manifold Wifdom of God. Wheii the Heavens and the Earth were made* 'tis faid, in JVifdom haft thou made thetii ally Pfal. civ. 14. But when the holy Ghoft fpeaks of our Salvation, the manifold lVif~ dom of God is made Mention of. O what Wifdom is there in this Work, innumerable Plies of Wifdom and Contrivance ( fo to fpeak ) are opened up in this wonderful Wovk of God. Chrift is a Saviour of God's inaking ; of his matchlefs, infinite and in* comparable Love. God fo loved the Worlds that he gave his only begotten Son y thai who- foever believeth in him y fhould not perijh, but have everlafting Life. When the Spirit of God fpeaks of this Love, as venting itfelf in the Ordination and Making of Chrift the Saviour* there is a Height and Depths a Breadth, and Length, in Scripture, afcrib- fed to it, This Love hath a Height, and F Depth C 4» 3 Depth that cannot be fathomed, and i x Breadth and Length that cannot be meat*- fured. That we may know the Breadth and Length j the Height and Depth of the Love of Chrift that paffeth Knowledge. Chrifi is 3 wonderful Saviour, a glorious Saviour j and he is juft made for Sinners* and he is every Way meet for Sinners. We arc not bid go help ourfelvcs, but God makes ufe'ofa Saviour that is ready to our Hand ; he is fpread before us in the Gofpel-Difpenfat*- on for Salvation to Men, for Salvation to Jews and Gentiles, for Salvation to Britain and Ireland^ for Salvation to bond and free,, for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth, for Salvation to you. To you is a Savi- our fent ; to you is the Word of this Sal* vation feat,- unto you Chrifi is given in the Word of Revelation ; to you Chrift is given in the Gofpel Offer and Promife; to you Chrift is juft a Saviour appointed of God to favc you. Chrift puts none of you away ; he makes open Doors that you may come in unto him, and be faved. You have a Profpeft of coming to the Lord's Table ; O, before you come to a Commu-* nion-Table, come firft to Chrift, and then come to the Lord's Table. His Name is Jefusa Safiour. T>u have deft royed your fe/ves> but in him is your Help to be found. Tho' ye have lien among the Pets, yet Jhallye be as the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver, and her Feathers I Feathers with yellow Gold. O Sirs, the Love of God, the Grace of God in Chrift y how rich is it; he does not objeft your Guiltinefs, your Filthinefs ; he does not objeft your Folly, your Ignorance; he does not object your Impotency and Weaknefs* Nay, Are you Fools ? Chrift is made of God unto you Wifdom ? Are you guilty ? Here is a Righteoufncfs to make you appear with Hope and Confidence before God. Are you filthy ? Chrift is made San&ifica- tion to you. Are you in Bondage to Sin ? in Bondage to the Lufts and. Plagues of your own Heart ? God is made unto you Redemption. O, you have all in him. Do you want Faith ? 'tis in him. If the Dark-* nefs and Blindnefs of thy Mind, if the Ob-? duration and Hardnefs of thy Heart, is thy Plague ; Redemption from them is in him. Chrift is made all. Glory to God that all our Help is in Chrift. Is Chrift made of God all unto you? and will you flight and reject him ? will you difpifc his Love and contemn his Grace ? My dear Friends, ought not this Night to be a Night of the Ufe-makingof Chrift by you, and improving him, as he is the Sent of God, the Ordinance of God, for Wifdom, Righteoufnefs, Salification and Redemp- tion. What fay you ? I cannot make Ufe him ; I cannot improve him. O Sirs, be gives Pezver to the fVeak, and to them that. have t 44 J jj#vt no Might he increafeth Strength. Dq you want Faith ? He has the Spirit of faith to give ; and betides, 'the Promife of Faith is given. O, put your unbeliev- ing Hearts, your filthy Hearts, your pla- guy and difeafed Hearts into his Hand, Chrifi is made of God a Phyfician to you; Chrifi is made All for you and to ypu. PISCOURSE III. At the Service qf the frji "Taple. MY dear Friends, we have now con- fecrated the Bread ancl Wine, and em apart to be the Memorials of the Death of the Lord Jefus Chrift ; the Sign and Symbol of his broken Body and fhed Blood. Ye that have come unto, and are now fet down at the Lord's Table, O, are ye efpoufed unto Chrifi? Chrifi makes his Bride and Spoufe very welcome. He fays, Eat, Friends ; drink, yea, drink abundant- ly, Beloved. There is enough in me. In me there is all Wifdom, all Kighteouf- nefs, all Redemption. O come, come; tht Meek {hall eat, and fhall be Satisfied. Eat, Sirs, eat, and be fatisfied, and let your Souls de- light themfelves in Fatnefs. In that fame Night, &c. My dear Friends, Chrifi fays, This is my Body which is broken for you. You have C 4f ] fcave a broken Chrift among your Hands; he gives hiiwfclf as broken unto you. He was broken thac he might be Foo4 for you ; he is a rare Husband ; he gave his Flefh and his Blood as Food for his Spoufe. In like Manner alfo after Supper he took the Cup % &c. My dear Friends, Communicants, a whole Chrift was prefented unto you in the Word, particularly yefterday, as the Ordinance of God, for Wifdom, Righteoufncfs, San&i- fication and Redemption. Now, a whole Chrift is prefented unto you in the Sacra- ment of the Supper; Chrift for Wifdom, for Righteoufnefs, &c, O Sirs, I fay, Chrift is prefented unto you ; he gives himfelf unto you, and he bids you take the Seal of it. Are your Souls faying, IJhi, my Husband ? Qne Jb all fay, 1 am the Lord's. O, are your $ouls faying, I am the Lord's ? What are you doing, Communicants ? O, fubferibe with rhe Hand of Faith unto the Lord. A Day of believing is the Day ot Chrift's E- fpoufals unto the Sinner ; 'tis the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. O welcome t?hen to come to him ; Q come, come. Oh ! that your Souls may fay, A Bargain be it; I am thine, O Lord, and thou art mine. Is thy Soul faying fo? 'When Chrift fays, I am thy Salvation, I am thy God ; let thy Soul fay, The Lord is my God. Say Amen to the Revelation of the Word of Ptomife that t 4* ] that is given unt?o you. My dear Frieads,' Chrift^a. iuWChrifty and all the Fulnefs that is in him, is fee before you : O, believe on him, and fo make his Fulnefs all your own ; O, make it all your own this Day in the Way of believing. Spread out your Cafe, whatever it is, before him ; and if you do fo in the Way of a firm Faith in him, I can affure you he will re&ify all that is amifs in it, and anfwer it to your Joy and Comfort. Put your Hearts into the Lord's Hand. What hinders you to do it ? Want you Faith ? The Spirit of Faith is with him, and is fent by him into the Hearts of thofe that he makes the Objedts of his fpecial Love and Pity. Well then, look to him for it ; he is the Author and Finiflier of Faith ; and he is the Giver of Faith. O then put all in his Hand : Put the ill Heart in his Hand : Put the wavering and unfixed Heart in his Hand, to hold: Put the polluted and filthy Heart in his Hand, that he may wafli and cleanfe it : Put the Heart that is at Enmity with God in his Hand, that he may fill it with the con- trary Principle of Love and Affe&ion: Put the earthly and carnal AfFe&ions, that, in- stead of mounting up to Heaven, are flaked down to and are brooding on the Earth and fenfual Gratifications, in his Hand, that he may fpiritualize them, and refine them : In fliorr, Sirs, whatever is your Cafe, put it J 47 3 - , it into the Lord s Hand in the Way of Faith: For this is the faireft and readieft way to be delivered from all Evil, and to obtain all Good. Nay, it is the only Way ,• and if you feek to mend your Cafe any other Way, you'll but mar it, and render it ftill worfe. O, my dear Friends, put up a Pray- er for a Revival to your own Souls, to the Churches, to the Lord's fcattered and oppreffed Heritage thro* the Land ; to the Lbrd's Witneffes, rhat would defire thro' Grace to teftify for him and his Truths, in this Day of Perplexity and treading down. And O, Sirs, pray for us in this Place and Congregation, that we may get a Reviv- ing, and may be helped to Singlenefs, and Steadinefs,and Humility, in cleaving to the Lord, amidft all the Oppofition we have met with. O, cry to the Lord, for a Re- vival to decayed Godlinefs and Religi- on, that it may yet fhine forth in the Lives and Conversations of Chriftians. My dear Friends, Communicants, you have been now at the Lord's Table; when you go from it, you have Need to go from it watching and praying that you enter not into Temptation. You have many Temptati- ons to encounter, many Enemies to grapple with, and your Strength is fmall ; but, O look to Chrift, Sirs; there is Strength and Ability enough in him for you, whatever your Difficulties may be. Go to Jefus, de- pend pend on him, living by the Faith of hiim Wutchy I pray, thai yon enter not into Temp- tation. Now, Communicants, go from the Lord's Table, leaning and depending on the Lord Jcfus Chrift, and may his Grace and Spirit be with you. DISCOURSE IV. At the Conchtfton of the Solemn Work on the Thankfi giving-Tlay* Sept* 21* 1741* MY dear Friends, I fhall not detain you long* but only give me Leave to drop a few Things to you. I cannot but reflect upon it with Thank- fulnefs, (and O that in Sincerity I could do it) that we have had another Communion in this Place, feeing it is long fince we had one before. *Tis the Lord that hath given us this folemn Occafion ; and it deferves to be the more noticed, that it hath been given in the Midft of great Provocation on the Part of this Place. It is but a few Weeks fince a Scene of Wickednefs was in the Place, diflionouring the declarative Glory of God. Every one of u$, whether we were aftively concerned or not j have Need to mourn on the Account of it ; yea, both you and I have great Reafon to be mourn- ing, that we have not mourned as we ihould/ fot [ 49 1 for the Sin of the Place. God hath rf* tainly. a Controverfy againft it; our Ini- quities certify againft us. Confufions have been in the Place, and that not without much Guilt. The Lord hath been greatly difhonoured by the open and daring Vio- lence done againft the Teftimony lifted u£> for his Caufe and Truth, by the rival Ru- lers and Magifirates of this Place ; and tht greateft Part of the Inhabitants have mate- rially and pra&ically homologated- and jus- tified the fame, by their daily Conjunction with the otfrer Congregation,, arid by the linful Contempt and Difregard they havfe fhewn unto the folemn Work that has been gone about among us, and fo encreafe the Provocation. When we refled upon our fe* vera! Iniquities, we may wonder that the Lord does not confume us, and pour out unmixedjudgments upon us. Our Iniquities teftify againft us ; and we are fo far con- cerned in them, in as far as every one of us are not mourning before the Lotd, for the Diftionours and Indignities done unto hint. Profeffors for their Levity and Lightnefs of Spirit ; Profeffors for their untender and un- suitable Walking, &c. A View of thefe Things, and many others that might be named, made me tremble to look towards the folemn Work ,• but my Encouragement was, to look to the old Plea, and which will be a new Pica until the End of Time. G O [ 5o ] Lore, though our Iniquities teftify againfi us, de thou it for thy Names fake, Jer. xiv. 7. Some View of his doing for his Name's fake made me look towards the Work ; and I hope thje Lord hath done for his Name's fake; he hath prevented for his Name's fake; he hath carried on the Work, and hath this Day remarkably concluded it for his Name's fake. My Friends, upon this Occafion the Lord Jefus hath been reprcfentcd to you in his moft beautiful and illuftrious Chara&ers. He was reprefented on the Faft-Day, as the Refurrection and the Life, from thefe Words in Pfal. lxxxv. d. Wilt thou not revive us a- gain, that thy People may rejoice in thee? I hope the Lord hath given a Reviving to his People. We were next direded, 'from that Text in Ez,ek. xvi. 63. That thou may- efi remember and be confounded, and never open thy Mouth any more, becaufe of thy Shame, when 1 am pacified towards thee jor all that thou haft done, faith the Lord God. The Lord Chrift was reprefented as the Reft of the weary and heavy laden, from thefe Words, Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Reft. Souls find Reft in him ; he is the only reft- jng Place. Chrift is the only Reft for the Souls of weary and heavy laden Sinners. We have all weaned ourfelves in the Greatnefs of our Way; we have fpent our Labour for that c fc "j . . that which doth not profit. What is the Reft ? 'Tis Chrifl himklf. They char turn unto him (hall find Reft and Refrefhment, Soul-Quiet and Soul-batisfaftion in him, true and real Peace in him. The Lord Chrift hath been reprefen- ted as coming nigh unto us in the Com- munications of his Spirit and Grace, &c. from thefe Words, The Lord is nigh unto aU them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in Truth, Pfal.'cxlir. 18. He hath been reprcfente'd as nigh to them ; nigh, nigh by the Gomunications of his Grace and Spirit, nigh by his gracious Pre- fence. Prayer in Faith hath been point- ed out to us as the Mean for obtaining the gracious Prefence of God, and the fpecial Communications of his Grace. Again CtJri/l hath been reprefented unto us, as All for the poor, needy and wretched Sinner; All for Wifdom, Righteoufnefs, San&ification and Redemption unto us, from thefe Words, But of him aye ye in "Chrifi Jefus, who of God is made unto us Wifdom, Righteoufnefs y SanElification> and Redemption, i Cor. i. 30. And indeed in him only we have all; in him we are complete. He hath been repre- fented unto us under the Character of z Bridegroom, and likeways under the Charac- ter ot a Phyfician, for healing fick and dif- eafed Men and Women. We are all dif- $afcd in our Apoftacy, and this whole Earth, Earth, Sirs, is a fickly Hofpital of fickly dying Men and Women. We are under a very defperate and dangerous Difeafe, but it is notliopelefs. Ic verily would have been hopelefs, if the Son of God had not come tiigh unto us under the Character of a Phy- iician, and in the Difpenfation of the Word he comes under this Character amongfl us. The Lord Chrift hath heen likeways fet before you, as the Father $ beloved One, in whom Ijie is well-pleafed. And the Work hath been concluded- by Cbrifi's being re- prefenteji to us, as the great I AM, the glorious. I AM. And this Name and Title that doth appertain unto him, bears a Re- lation to every State and Condition that we jpay poflibly be in. O what Condition are you in, Sirs? I AM is Light to the Dark,- I AM is Life to the Dead ; I AM is Sight foe the Blind ; I AM is Righteoufnefs for the guilty ; I AM is Wifdom for the Foolifti and Simple,- I AM is Redemption for them that are in Mifery and Captivity : O whQ ican tell what is in this wonderful I AM I He is juft All and in all 1 All for all pur Miferies; All for all our Wants j All for all our Necefluies; and it mud be fo; He is his Father's well-beloved Son, in whom he is well pleafed. My dear Fiends, yefterday you were invited tobeefpoufed.unto the Lord Chrift : JSfow, when we are about to depart, may I ask [ 53 ] J ask you, have you taken this blefled an As the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the I Bride, fo (hall thy God rejoice over thee, Ifa. fxii. 5. Rejoice in him. Why? He is the wonderful I AM. Rejoice in whar he hath done : Cleave to your matchlefs Bride- groom. The Glory of your Strength is in him, unfearc/iable Riches are in him ; you may make Ufe of them, and make them all your own. You ought to be liv- ing on him for all, as to the Supplying youc t 16 ] your Wants of whatever Kind they are. Be ehafte and faithful to your unparallel-* led Bridegroom. Be concerned for his de- clarative Glory. Be tender of wounding your Bridegroom ; be tender as to any Thing that concerns him. Alas ! in this Day wherein we live there is little of tender Ex* ercife ; little of a tender Confcience; little of a tender Concern for his Glory and Ho- nour. Chrift harh been wounded in his Truths, wounded in his Offices of Prophet, Prieft and King : His Authority hath been trampled under Foot as King of Zion, even by thofe that have many Times profefled a mighty Regard to his kingly Office. O, is the Lord Chrift wounded ? Would ye be faithful to the Bridegroom ? then you will be concerned for the Wounds and Diflio- noars given hitn : He is the great King Solomon*, he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And let Men think of it what they will, Chrift is jealous of the Royalties of his own Houfe, the Order and Govern- ment of his own Houfe. This is not a light andfmall Matter; 'tis not a Matter where* in Men may come and go upon, and cut and carve as they pleafe, ( as we tife to fay. ) The Father hath appointed him King over Zion, the Hill of his Holinefs : ^He is crowned by his Father in his eternal De- Agnation j he is crowned by his Mother alio, by confeffing Chrifi by what he is, both C 57 ] .. both in his Pcrfon and Offices. O, mf Friends, will ye put the Crown on Chrift's Head before you go. The Man that be- lieves, he gives Glory to God ; he puts the Crown on Chrift's Head by believing, and (o glorifies God that appointed his eternal Son to be the Redeemer, in whorti his Wifdom, Love and Grace are gloria oufly manifested. Believing is a giving Cre^ dit to the Faithfulnefs of God revealed iti the Word of Promife, and plighted unto Us therein. O give Glory to the Wifdoiit of God in him ; to the Love of God in hini { to the Faithfulnefs of God in him. Put the Crown on Cbrift's Head, by a cordial Subjection unto him. O Sirs, fubmit your* fclves urtto him. O kifs the Son (as yoii were exhorted already this Dav) left hi h angry, and ye perifb from the Way : Wheti. his Wrath is kindled but a little, bleffed are all they that put their Trufi in him. O that this whole Congregation may kifs the Soft* O that thefe Lands of Britain and Ireland may kifs the Son. There hath been a Kif* fing of the Son in Scotland, vtrhen they lift-* cd up their Hands to fwcar Allegiance td him as King of £ion; when they fwore i<$ maintain the Doftrinej Worfhip, Govern* taent and Dfcipline of his Houfe. But a- tes ! Sirs, Scotland hath played the Harlot* As covenanting Days ^ere Days vvhereirt Ferfens ol all Sorts thro* the Land profef* fed outward vifible Subje&ion unto th« Lord Cbrift, fo they were Days whereirt the Lord Chrift was crowned. But Scot* land hath played the Harlot ,• (he hath de-» parted from God. But verily, my dear Friends, Providence feems to be big with fome ftrange and remarkable Things, A- ny that are elofe Obfervers of Providence, may fee many ftrange Events carting up* What the Birth may be the Lord only knows : But furely this will be the IiTue, it will be for building up Zion. Providence fhall iffue in the Accomplifhrtient of the Promife, and the Promife ftands in him, 'The Crown fhall flourijh upon his Head, as you were linging. Men Jhall be blejjed in. him, and all Nations Jhqll call him blejfed* His Enemies, faith the Lord, will I clothe with Shame, but upon him Jhall his Crown flourijh. In the mean Time, Sirs, under all the ftrange Providences that are in our Day, let us look to our Duty. Our Du- ty is to keep by the Lamb, and to pitch our Tents where he fets up his Standard. Cleave to him, the Day is dark and clou- dy ; but, in the mean Time, I do not think the Day is fo dark as we make it. The . Lord hath been riding Marches 5 (I do not know if there be any of the Proteflbrs of this Town here that do not ordinarily hear us ) I fay, the Lord hath been riding Marches between us and them, and thro the • r ** ] the Land. The Lord hath been taking ftrange and furprifing Sreps from the Year 1733. to this Day. The Lord thereby is awakening and rotizing us up, more than we are thinking of. God's Way is like him- felf. O let us look to the Lord Jefus our Leader ; let us fet up our Standards where his Standard ftanefc. And indeed,my Friends, 'tis no Difficulty to know where Cbrift's Standard ftands. We are not for any new Confeffion or Standard, but Scotland^ cove- nanted Standard ; and where you fee the covenanted Order of the Kirk of Scotland, I am not afraid to fay, there you may fee Chrift's Standard. Therefore take Heed you do not turn your Back upon it. I do not fay, you muft approve of every Step we we take,- no, but cleave to the covenanted Order and Government of the covenanted' Kirk of Scotland, in Oppofition unto a Courfe of Defe&ion from the fame. This is no new Standard, but the covenanted Stan- dard our worthy Reformers in this Land have fet before us, to follow. I$ut, O my Friends, keep Chrifl in your Eye ,• look to him as your Leader. Be concerned for the Injuries, Indignities and Diflionours done unto him ; and wherein any of your Chri- flian Friends and Acquaintances have loft their Way, be not bitter againft them, but pray for them, and ftudy Meeknefs. If you follow Jefus; remember he hath faid, / am meek f 60 3 a if W?k and lowly. Q, if you and I could adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, in all Things, by pur holy Profeffion. O Sirs, what an excellent M after is C/;r//?, and what ill Servants are we, that he bears with the bad Tempers and Humours of (lis People, that when they would fain mint at ferving him, do but diflionour him. But whatever the Faults and Failings of Pro- feflbrs may be, Chrift is ftill the fame ; the Way to him is ftill the fame ; his Caufe is JHll the fame ; his Work is ftill th$ fame, his Love is always the fame ,• his dace is always the fame. I am the Lord, I change not, there/ere ye the Sons oj Jap ob are not con- fumed. He refts in his Lo;ve. O Sirs, give Glory to him by cleaving unto him. All and every one of us, who have been at a Communion- Table, have exprefly faid, in his Name, that we would cleave unto !>im. Therefore, O be concerned to glori- fy God in the whole Tenor of your Walk and Converfation : Adorn the Do&rine of God our Saviour in all Things. O let our Converfation be in Heaven, and only fuch as beepmeth the Gofpel. Walk watch- fully, tenderly and ctnumfpeEily^ not as Fools, hut as wife, redeeming the "Time becaufe the Days weevil. And feeing, my Friends, you live in very perillpus and ill Days, you have great Need to liften to this Exhortation, Walk cirQumjpettlyt not as f'ools > &c. O, be C ?' 3 £c concerned to glorify our Lord in every Step ot your Converfation. Remember yc arc proielfing Witnefles for Chrift; and if ye defirc not to be fingle Witnefles for him, } wi£hye had pot come to his Table in this Houfe. But may I hope, that ye defire to witnefs for him fingly, honeftly, and conftantly ; and that yc defire to be rooted, and have your Standing in him, Un* til ye be rooted in Chrift, ye will never be fingle Witnefles for him. As ye have therefore receiv- ed the Lord Jefus Chrift (outwardly) fo walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, andjlablijb- ed in the Faith. Live upon the Lord Jefus, our blefled Bridegroom, in whom ye are complete ; in whom ye have All, and want Nothing. O live above the World, Love not the World im- moderately ; for if any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in Urn* Live above the World, and keep but a loofe Grip of it. For if the Lord let loofe a French and Sfanijb Sword among us, the World and you may be loon part* ed; and remember, that tho' this fhould not be, yet Death will part you and it from one another* it was a prevailing Evil in the Apoftle PauPs Days, and is in our own, that all Menfeek their own Things, and not the Things ofGbrifi. O Sirs, feek the Advancement of the Honour and Glory of Chrift ; O feek to have Grace in your Hearts, that you may do every Thing to his Honour. Again, my dear Friends, let it be your Con* ccrn, that h« may be crowned in poor Scotland ; and that he may be crowned in this City, that we may fee his tower and his Glory, as they have Uenfeen mhis SanSuary. O cry to him for a Reviving. I defire to blefs the Lord, for any Pity he hath {hewn at this Timet 'Tis our Plea, that r ci i that he would do for his Name 1 s fake. do for thy Name's fake. You that are young Communicants, and never were at a Communion-Table betore, O, my dear young Ones j be concerned to cleave unto and abide by Chrift. It was with Fear I gave fome of you Tokens ; but I would defire to rejoice to fee you coming unto Chrift. O, have you given your Hearts Confent unto the Offers ot Chrift i Would ye defire that he fliould give you the Spirit of Faith to enable you to believe ? If foj *tis an Evidence that tht Spirit of Chrift hath been at Work with your Hearts, and he will not leave you ; for he that hath begun the good Work of Grace in you, will perfect it unto the Day of Jeius. O be on jour Quard. Watch and fray that ye enter nqt into Temptation* Be concerned to have the Spirit ot Chrift in your Hearts. You have now given up your Names unto Chrift by Profcffion, and faid, I am thine, and thou art mine. That was the Language of your Profeffion at the Lord's Table* Say this Day, and every Day, Thou art mine. One (ball fay, I am the hordes. What is Faith i 'Tis a poor Soul's faying, I am the Lord?si 'tis fubferibing with the Heart and Hand to the Lord. O Sirs, where will you do better i You will make a poor Bargain of it, if you do not make him your Hufr band. Will vou go away from this Communis on without him? Then it will be the Day of the Sadneft of his Heart. As a Day of believing is the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart, when he is neglefted ind defpifed, 'tis the Day of the Sad- ueis of his Heart. O, will you make his Heart glad and joyful, by accepting him and refting upon him for Salvation, as he is offered in the Go/pelt r <*? 3 (Sofpel. Tboujbalt call me, my Father, an djbalt not turn away from me. Sirs we muft part; our Communion rauft hare an End ; but in a little Time all the Lord* s People will be gathered together to a Commu- nion that will never have an End. We cannot tell if ever we ("hall fee another Communion ; but our Lord Jefus Chrift Will come again; we have got the Seal and Pledge of it, that when he comes again, we fhall have a joyful Meetings and he has told us, that he will fee us again, and then our Hearts fhall rejoice, and our Joy fhall no Man take from us. My dear Friends, haften to the Coming of the Lord Jefus. The Sprit and the Bride fay, Come ; and let him that hearethfay, Come ; and let him that is athirft come* And rvhofoever mil, let him take the Water of Life freely. Chrift fays. Behold, I come quickly. And let our Souls fay* Amen, Amen ; even to, come, Lord Jefus. In the mean Time, O wait upon him, and follow him clofely. May the Lord keep up for ever upon the I* magination of the Thoughts of your Hearts, what you have been doing, what you have been hear* ing, and what you have been feeing. Thofe that are in Darknefs, may the Lord himfelf fhine upon them ; may the Lord ftreng- then the weak Hands, and confirm tft£ feeble Knees ; may the Lord blefs the Communicants of Perth; may the Lord keep them frr