GOD in CHRIST, a Wall of Fire round 
 about the Church, and the Glory in the 
 midft of her. 
 
 BEING A 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 Preached at Milnathort before the AiTociate Prefbytery 
 of Kirkcaldie ^. January 8. 1774. 
 
 B FN N E T, 
 
 1 
 
 % THOMAS 
 
 lUinifter of the Golpel t<- - he Aflbciate Congregation at Ceres. 
 tu 
 
 ZEPH. ill: l6, 17. 
 
 In that day itjball be [aid to Jerufalem, Fear thou not: And to Zion, Let not 
 thine hands be /lack. The Lord thy God in the midft of thee is 7rjghty ; 
 he -will fave> he will rejoice over ibet with joy : He will reft in^/s 
 love, he will joy over thee with ftnging, x 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 Printed in the Year 1777. 
 

 6 
 
 ■e i*-£.J 
 
Zech. fi. 5. 
 
 For I, faith the Lord, ivlll be unto her a wall of fire round 
 about, and will be the glory in the mid/} of her. 
 
 THE Prophet Zechariah, prophefied at the fame time 
 with Haggai. They both began their public mini* 
 ftrations much about eighteen years after the return of the 
 Church from her captivity in Babylon ; when the build- 
 ing of Jerufalem and the Temple, was both greatly re- 
 tarded by its enemies, and neglected by its friends. 
 
 The main fcope of the Prophet in this prophecy, is 
 to excite and forward the Jews to the building up 
 of Jerufalem ; and, being encouraged by gracious virions 
 and revelations, refpecting the fuccefs and profperity of 
 the work : He animated the hearts, and ftrengthened the 
 hands of the builders, by laying before them the fame 
 grounds of confolation, whereby he was comforted : And, 
 under the good hand of God, the Work was carried for- 
 ward, and that, over the belly of all oppofition made 
 thereto, from whatever quarter it did arife. 
 
 In the preceding chapter, the Prophet has two fpecial 
 and comforting viiions : The one, of a man among the 
 myrtle-trees, which were in the bottom, that is, of Chrift 
 in his defpifed Church. The other, of four horns, (by 
 which we are to underftand the enemies of the Church); 
 and of as many carpenters, by whom thefe horns were 
 to be cut off. 
 
 In this chapter, he has another pleafant difcovery. He 
 fees a man with a meafuring line in his hand, whereby he 
 is given to know, that Jerufalem lhould be built ; and 
 the Temple reared up. And, as the oppofition made 
 to the work was to be managed both with open 
 violence, and a load of the mod contemptuous reproach. 
 In the words of the text, the Lord engages himfelf by 
 pi omife, to defend them from both thefe kinds of perfe- 
 cution : From open violence, by being a wall of fire 
 
 about 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 about Jerufalem ; and from reproach, by being the glory 
 in the midft of her. For " I, faith the Lord, will be 
 " unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the 
 u glory in the midft of her." Glorious things indeed, 
 are here fpoken of the city of our God : And were faith 
 in exercife, with what pleafure and delight, would we 
 both fpeak and hear of them ? This prornife, is a moft 
 enriching, and comforting legacy left to the Church ; the 
 believing improvement of which, will not fail to afford 
 her the fweetefl confolation in the very worft of times. 
 In the words we may obferve, i. The Author of the 
 prornife pointed out in the pronoun L /, faith the Lord ; 
 /, who am Jerufalem's God in covenant, her Saviour and 
 Redeemer ; the Mighty One of Jacob her King. 7, who 
 am both able and ready, to do all for her, which her con- 
 dition at any time, can poflibly call for at my hand. 
 
 2. We may obferve the objeft of the prornife, Jerufa- 
 lem, that is the Church of God, the fpiritual Jerufalem, 
 called Mount Zion, and the city of the living God, 
 Heb, xii. 22. For, though the prornife fpeaks primarily 
 and immediately concerning the fafety and glory of the 
 earthly Jerufalem, in which did dwell the worldly fan&u- 
 ary : It is intended, ultimately and chiefly, to let furth 
 the fafety and glory of the heavenly Jerufalem, or the 
 gofpel Church ; as is abundantly obvious from the fcope 
 and defign of this whole prophefy. 
 
 3. We may obferve the prornife itfelf, confifting of two 
 branches. 
 
 The fir ft fetting forth, that prefervation which the Lord 
 vouchlafes to his Church and people, from that kind of 
 perfecution which is often carried on againft them with 
 open violence and rage. " I, faith the Lord, will be unto 
 " her a wall of fire round about Jerufalem :" As if the Lord 
 had faid, tho' at prefent in a very defencelefs ftate, and 
 as yet without a material wall ; fhe need not be afraid, 
 for I will be unto her a wall, and that of the moft im- 
 pregnable nature ; a wall of fire. A wall in which there 
 ihall not be the fmalleft breach. It ihall be round about 
 her : So that from whatfoever quarter the enemy may 
 attempt to affault her, he Ihall not prevail againft her. 
 
 In 
 
in this branch of the promife, there may be an allufion 
 to the cuftom of travellers in the eaftern countries, who* 
 when they pitched their tents, kindled fires round about 
 them, to deter lions, or other wild beads, from falling 
 upon them, or difturbing their repofe. Or to that afto- 
 niihingly glorious fymbol of the divine prefence, the 
 pillar of cloud and fire, which accompanied Ifrael from 
 Egypt into the promifed land : And by which, they were 
 not only led and directed in their feveral journies, but 
 alfo protected from the fury of their raging adverfaries. 
 To this the Prophet Ifaiah evidently refers, in a promife 
 mod fimilar to this, chap. iv. 5. " And the Lord will 
 l< create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and 
 €< upon her affemblies, a cloud and fmoke by day, and 
 u the lhining of a flaming fire by night : For upon all 
 " the glory ihall be a defence." 
 
 The fecond branch of the promife, prefents us with 
 the Church's defence from the fcourge of the tongue ; 
 u And will be the glory in the midft of her." God 
 has taken up his reft in fpiritual Jerufalem, he is known 
 in her palaces for a refuge ; and from thence, he Ihines 
 forth as her glory. He is often faid to be in the midft 
 of the Church, Ifa. xii. 6. and to walk in the midft of the 
 Church, Rev. i. 13. And when he faith, / will be the 
 glory tn the midft of her, refpecT: may be had to the por- 
 tion of the Ark in the congregation of Ifrael, while they 
 journeyed unto the typical reft. It was fituate in the 
 midft of the congregation ; and being eminently typical 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift, is therefore called the glory of 
 Ifrael, 1 Sam. iv. 21. 
 
 4. Lafily, We may obferve the certainty of the pro- 
 "mife, as to its accompliihment. " I, faith the Lord, will 
 " be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the 
 " glory in the midft of her." The Lord hath faid it, and 
 therefore, let Jerufalem believe it for her comfort ; and 
 her enemies to their confufion. God hath fpoken in his 
 holinefs, let us take pleafure in it ; and firmly truft his 
 faithful word : For he is not a man, that he ihould lie: Nor 
 the fon of man, that he ihould repent. 
 
 Doct. 
 
DocT. It is fufficient matter and ground of comfort to 
 the Church in the very worft of times, that a God in 
 Chrift, has engaged himfelf by promife, to be a wall of 
 fire round about her, and the glory in the midft of her. 
 u I, faith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round 
 " about, and will be the glory in the midft of her." 
 
 The doctrine being evident from the text, in difcourfmg 
 from it, through grace, I ihall endeavour to obferve the 
 following method. 
 
 I. I would mention fome things implied in the promife 
 contained in the text. 
 
 II. Speak of the Lord as a wall of fire round about his 
 Church and people. 
 
 III. Enquire in what refpe&s he may be faid to be the 
 glory in the midft of the Church. 
 
 IV. Offer fome reafons, why the Lord has engaged 
 himfelf by promife, to be a wall of fire round about the 
 Church, and the glory in the midft of her. 
 
 V. Apply. 
 
 The firft thing, is to mention fome things implied in the 
 promife. And, 
 
 i/?, The promife implies that the Church hath many 
 enemies. That ihe needs a wall, a wall round about her; 
 and fuch a wall as the text informs us of, plainly demon* 
 ftrates, that Ihe has her enemies round about her alfo. 
 The Church is often fet upon by perfecution and open 
 violence ; fhe is frequently infefted with hereticks and falfe 
 teachers, 2 Pet. ii. 1. " But there were falfe prophets 
 li alfo among the people, even as there ihall be falfe 
 " teachers among yop, who ihall bring in privily damnable 
 « herefies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and 
 " bring upon themfelves fwift deftruction." Zion is oft 
 in danger, even from the fons fhe has brought up. Hence, 
 the Apoftle Paul tells the elders of the Church of Ephe- 
 fus, that even of their ownfelves, men fhould arife fpeak- 
 ing perverfe things, to draw away difciples after them, 
 Acts xx. 30. And as we have heard from the Holy Ghoft, 
 fpeaking in his word ; fo have we feen it, in the city of 
 
 x our 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 our God. There have been from the beginning, and to the 
 end there will be, fome to oppofe the purity of gofpel 
 doctrine in the Church ; fome to oppofe her government 
 and difcipline, and others to endeavour to caft the veil of 
 fuperftition and will-worihip over the purity and fimplicity 
 of her divinely inftituted acts of worlhip and homage. 
 The Church and people of God, are an eye-fore to Satan 
 and a prophane world ; and therefore they are continually 
 plotting mifchief againft them. Hence is that exhortation, 
 i Pet. v. 8. " Be fober, be vigilant, for your -adverfary 
 u the devil, as a roring lion, walketh about feeking whom 
 " he may devour." Our Lord warns his difciples, and 
 in them all his followers, to the end, that what they have 
 to expect from the «world, is tribulation, John xiii. 33. 
 In the world ye" *Jh all have tribulation. 
 
 2. The promife implies, that the Church in herfelf con- 
 fidered, is no equal match for her enemies. She, compa- 
 ratively confidered, is but a fmall city, and her inhabitants 
 few and weak. The Church is but a little flock. The 
 iheep of Chrift's pafture are but as a few lambs in the 
 mid ft of many ravening wolves. The Church and people 
 of God have found caufe, in all ages, to adopt the language 
 of Jehoihaphat, 2 Chron. xx. 12. " We have no might 
 " againft this great company that cometh againft us ;" 
 and, to join with the Pfalmift, fpeaking in the name of the 
 Church, Pfal. cxxiv. 2, 3, 4. u If it had not been the 
 " Lord who was on our fide, when men rofe up againft 
 " us ; then they had fwallowed us up quick, when their 
 " wrath was kindled againft us : Then the waters had 
 ic overwhelmed us, the ftream had gone over our foul." 
 
 3. The promife implies, that however weak the Church 
 is, in herfelf confidered, lhe has a fufficiency of ftrength 
 in her glorious Head, to overmatch the power and policy 
 of her moft potent and fubtile adverfaries, " I, faith the 
 <( Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and 
 66 will be the glory in the midft of her." The Lord of 
 Hofts is ever upon her fide, and the God of Jacob is her 
 refuge, Pfal. xlvi. 7. However many and ftrong her ene- 
 mies be, her King partes on before her, and Jehovah is on. 
 fcer head 3 and all her enemies muft be found liars, 
 
 Micah 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 Micah ii. 13. " The breaker is come up before them • 
 €€ They have broken up, and have parted through the 
 " gate, and are gone out by it; their King fhall pafs be- 
 " fore them, and the Lord on the head of them," Deut. 
 xxxiii. 29. " Happy art thou, O Ifrael : who is like unto 
 t€ thee, O people faved by the Lord ; the fhield of thy 
 <c help, and who is the fword of thy excellency ! and thine 
 " enemies fhall be found liars unto thee, and thou ihalt 
 €i tread upon their high places." 
 
 4. The promife implies admirable condefcenfion in God, 
 he condefcends to our fimilitudes, and fo to adapt himfelf 
 to our weak capacities, as to fet himfelf in every light 
 that may tend moft for the comfort of his people in the 
 day of trial. Are they at any time expofed to open vio- 
 lence ? Then, he tells them, He will be a wall of fire 
 round about them. Are they at any time expofed to re- 
 proach ? And, (tho' the excellent ones of the earth) 
 counted as the off-fcouring of all things ? Then, he af- 
 fures them, he will be the glory in the midfl of them. 
 However low therefore, they may at any time be brought 
 by their enemies ; they have always caufe to triumph in 
 him, faying with the Prophet in name of the Church, 
 " Rejoice not againft me, O mine enemies : When I fall, 
 €€ I fhall arife ; when I fit in darknefs, the Lord fhall be 
 €c a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the 
 m Lord, becaufe I have finned againft him, until he plead 
 " my caufe, and execute judgment for me: He will bring 
 cc me forth to the light, and I fhall behold his righteouf- 
 " nefs. Then the that is mine enemy fhall fee it, and 
 €C fhame fhall cover her who faid unto me. Where is the 
 " Lord thy God \ Mine eyes fhall behold her : Now 
 " fhall ihe be troden down as the mire of the ftreets." 
 
 5. The promife implies, that the fafety, beauty, and 
 glory of die Church ftand and fall together. In the cafe 
 of any particular Church, the Lord is no longer a wall of 
 fire round about her, than he is the glory in the midfl 
 of her. When any Church lets go her glory ; the glory 
 of purity in her dodtrine ; the glory of a faithful and im- 
 partial exercife of the fword of difcipline ; the glorious 
 order and government her Head has appointed in her ; 
 
 with 
 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 With the purity and fpirituality of her worfhip : How- 
 ever happy me may look on herfelf to be, from fome ex- 
 ternal confiderations, fuch as the favour and protection of 
 the potentates of the earth ; yet her defence is in reality 
 departed from her. We fee in the cafe of God's profef- 
 ling people of old, when once the glory of the God of 
 Ifrael was gone up from the Cherub, whereupon it was, 
 to the threihold of the houfe ; they foon found themfelves 
 deprived of their fafe -guard and defence, Ezek. ix. i, — 5. 
 How far the glory in the above refpects, is departed from 
 the Churches of Britain and Ireland, and in a particular 
 manner from the Church of Scotland, is no lefs vifible 
 than lamentable, to every fpiritual obferver. And it is no 
 lefs to be lamented, that zeal for the declarative glory of 
 God, and a concern for the maintenance of purity, in doc- 
 trine, difcipline, worfhip, and government, is greatly upon 
 the decline, even among thofe who have been led out to 
 efpoufe a teftimony for the fame. Iniquity is abounding, 
 and, alas ! our love is waxing cold. We may, with too 
 much propriety, adopt the Apoftle's complaint, Phil. ii. ii. 
 u All feek their own, not the things which are Jefus 
 " Chrift's." 
 
 6. The promife implies, that as the Church and people 
 of God, have in reality nothing to fear in the way of their 
 walking with God, and worthy of him : So, he would 
 not have them to give way to defpondency ; whatever 
 oppofition they may meet with from hell and earth in 
 the way of duty. There were many to oppofe the 
 building of Jerusalem, and the inftruments to be employ- 
 ed in the work, but comparatively few in number, and 
 their ftrength fmall : Yet, the Lord would have them 
 take courage, and not be afraid ; feeing, he would be a 
 wall of fire round about them, and the glory in the midft 
 of them. And to the fame purpofe is that promife, Ifa. 
 xliii. 2. " When thou pafTeft through the waters,! will be 
 u with thee ; and through the rivers, they ihall not over- 
 " flow thee : When thou walkeft through the fire, thou 
 €i fhalt not be burnt ; neither fhall the flame kindle upon 
 " thee." 
 
 B 7. Uftly, 
 
( io ) 
 
 y. Laftly, The promife implies, that the believing coiv 
 fideration of what the Lord has from the beginning done 
 for the Church, and what he has promifed he will conti- 
 nue to do to, and for her, unto the end, is more than 
 fufficient to fnpport her under the foreft prefTures and ca- 
 lamities, ihe may at any time be trifled with. When 
 the Church in general, or the particular believer begins to 
 give way to defponding fears, it is not on account of 
 the number and ftrength of the enemy, but the want of 
 faith in a promifing God. It was net the number and 
 ftrength of the inhabitants of Canaan, that made the men 
 Mofes lent to fpy the land, defpair of getting the victory 
 over them ; Num. xiii. 25. But their want of faith in 
 the promife ; Pfal. cv. 11. " Unto thee will I give the 
 " land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance. " 
 
 II. The fee ond head in the method, was to fpeak of the 
 Lord as a wall of fire about his Church and people. 
 Where, 
 
 Fit ft i We may take a view of the wall itfelf. Secondly, 
 Of the nature and quality of it, as fet fufth in the text, 
 a wall of fire. 
 
 Then, as to the wall, It is God himfelf. u I, faith the 
 €i Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about. " 
 As " the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the 
 iC Lord is round about his people, from henceforth," 
 Pfal. exxv. 2. All the perfections and attributes of the 
 divine nature, as difplayed and manifefted in the perfon of 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift, harmonioufly confpire in making up 
 this wall. His omniprefence, his omnifcience, wifdom, power, 
 immutability, mercy, love, and faithfulnefs. And to thefe, 
 we may add, the hedge of his fpecial providence, which, 
 Satan, the head of all that opposition which is at any time 
 made againft the Church, found to be a wall of fire, 
 through which, he was by no means able to penetrate ; 
 hence faith he, " Haft thou not made a hedge about him, 
 " (to wit, Job,) and about his houfe, and about all that 
 " he hath on every fide ? Thou haft bleffed the work of 
 u his hands, and his fubfhnce is increafed." 
 
 id, As to the nature of thfs wall, we are told, that it 
 is of fire. And we think, the expreffion is intended. 
 
 % T. 
 
( n ) 
 
 i/?, To fet furth the terrible Majefty, in which the 
 Lord is fometimes pleafed to appear in behalf of his Church 
 and People, and againft their enemies. A wall of fire 
 muft be very terrible ; and with God is terrible majefty. 
 Accordingly, we find, that when he was executing his 
 awful, though juft judgments upon the Canaanites, he is 
 laid to have gone before his People as flaming fire ; Deut. 
 ix. 3. u Underftand therefore, this day," faith Mofes to 
 Ifrael, " that the Lord thy God is he that goeth over be- 
 " fore thee, as a confuming fire." The Lord is fometimes 
 pleafed to anlwer the prayers of his opprefled heritage, 
 in t;he way of inflicting moft affecting judgments upon 
 their enemies, Pfal. lxv. 5. 2 Chron. xxxii. 20, 21. And 
 the tremenduous appearance our Lord Jefus is to make to 
 all his enemies at the laft day, we are told, is to be in 
 flaming fire ; 2 Thef. i. 7. 8. " The Lord Jefus fhall be 
 <( revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flam- 
 " ing fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, 
 " and obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift." 
 
 2. The manner of expreflion intimates, that the pro- 
 tection the Lord vcuchfafes to grant to his Church and 
 people, is fometimes no lefs manifeft and vifible, than ter- 
 rible and affecting to their enemies. Many viiible proofs 
 and evidences, has the Lord condefcended to give of his 
 regard for his Church, and of his difpleafure with his and 
 her enemies. So obiervable were his judgments upon 
 Egypt, that even the minifters of Satan, behoved to ac- 
 knowledge, that the finger of God was in them : Exod. 
 viii. 19, " Then the magicians faid unto Pharaoh, This 
 *' is the finger of God." And fo manrfeft was the Lord's 
 hand in the deliverance of the Church from her thraldom 
 and bondage in Babylon, That me did not only fee it her- 
 felf, but even the heathen were obliged to acknowledge 
 his might, Pfal. cxxvi. 2. " Then faid they among the 
 " heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them." 
 Moft iignal have the appearances been which the Lord 
 has been pleafed to make in behalf of his Church in 
 thefe lands ; particularly, at our Reformation from pope- 
 ry, and at the memorable Revolution, when he cut the 
 cords of an ungodly crew, when uiing all their power 
 
 and 
 
C ** ) 
 
 and policy to wreath the yoke of Popery again about our 
 necks. And we have reafon to acknowledge to his praife, 
 that, fince that time, he has been pleafed, once and again 
 to blaft ,the defigns of the emiflaries of the man of fin, 
 when intending to deprive us of our moft precious liber- 
 ties, both civil and religious. 
 
 3. The expreflion intimates, that God is an acYive defence 
 to his people. A wall of fire, rauft not only defend and 
 bear off an enemy ; but it muft exceedingly offend and 
 diftrefs thofe againft whom it flames. Though God is 
 often pleafed, for wife and holy ends and purpofes, to 
 bear long with his, and his peoples enemies ; yet, when 
 his patience and long-fuffering is abufed by them, inftead 
 of their being thereby led to repentance, he will whet his 
 glittering fword, and his hand will take hold of judgment, 
 and then fhall he render a recompence to his' enemies ; 
 yea, " the Lord fhall f wallow them up in his wrath, and 
 " the fire mall devour them, Pfal. xxi. 9." Sentence 
 not being always fpeedily executed againft an evil work, 
 the worker is ready to conclude, That God is like himfelf, 
 and that he approves of his fin, Pfal. 1. 21. But let poor 
 deluded adversaries to God, and his Church and people, 
 confider, that if they finally perfift in their enmity to the 
 Lord, and his hidden ones ; their violent dealing will in- 
 evitably fall upon their own guilty heads; Pfal. lxviii. 21. 
 u God fhall wound the head of his enemies ; and the haiiy 
 4i fcalp of fuch a one as goeth on frill in his trefpafles." 
 
 4. When the Lord faith, he will be unto the Church 
 a wall of fire round about ; as' much is intimated, as that 
 he is an impregnable defence unto her. There is no 
 breaking in upon a wall of fire. It is true indeed, the 
 Lord is fometimes pleafed, for wife and holy purpofes, to 
 fufFer his Church in general, and the believer in particular, 
 to be brought very low by their enemies, before he inter- 
 pofe for their deliverance. This has moft frequently been 
 the cafe, and will continue to be the cafe with the Church 
 while in her militant ftate : But fuch difpenfations of pro- 
 vidence, have been, and ftill fhall be fo over-ruled and 
 managed by infinite wifdom, love, and grace, as that they 
 tend in the event to promote and advance her real good 
 
 and 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 and fpiritual welfare : For he abideth faithful, who hath 
 faid, " Upon this rock I will build my Church ; and the 
 " gates of hell mall not prevail againft her,"Matth.xvi. 1 8. 
 And, fays the Apoftle, Rom. viii. 28. " We know that 
 " all things work together for good to them who love 
 ff God, to them who are the called according to his pur- 
 " pole." 
 
 5. Laftly, The manner of exprefficn intimates, that all 
 who fight againft mount Zion, they rum upon devouring 
 fire. All the enemies of God and his Church, are but as 
 briers and thorns before the fiery flame ; through which 
 her God can moil eafily break, and burn them up together ; 
 Ifa. xxvii. 4. " Who would fet the briers and thorns 
 u againft me in battle ? I would go through them, I 
 il would burn them up together." And of God's faithful 
 w itneffes, we are told, that fire proceedeth out of their 
 mouth, whereby their enemies are devoured ; Rev. xi. 5. 
 " And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of 
 tc their mouth, and devoureth their adverfaries : And if 
 * any man will hurt them, he muft in this manner be 
 " killed." 
 
 III. The third head in the method, was to enquire in 
 what refpects the Lord may be faid to be the glory in the 
 midft of the Church. And, 
 
 1. It has been the privilege of the Church, to have her 
 God in the midfl of her, in refpect of his prefence with 
 her in human nature. Her God in the perfon of the Son, 
 was pleafed to become a partaker of fleih and blood ; and 
 for a feafon, was pleafed to fojourn with her upon the 
 earth ; John i. 14. " The Word was made flefli, and 
 u dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as 
 " of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and 
 " truth." In this refpect he called himfelf the light and 
 glory of the world, in a moft fingular manner ; John ix. £* 
 " As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the 
 il world." But, as it was not expedient he ihould con- 
 tinue with the Church on earth, in refpecl of bodily pre- 
 sence, after he had glorified God here, and finifhed the 
 work given him to do : His prefence with the Church in 
 
 this 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 this, refpect, is no more to be expected : The heavens ha- 
 ving long fince received him, and that until the reftitution 
 of all things, 
 
 2. He is the glory in the midft of the Church, in re- 
 fpecl of his real gracious and fpiritual prefence. Hence 
 faith he to his difciples, a little before his departure from 
 them, as to his bodily prefence ; iC Yet a little while, and 
 " the world feeth me no more ; but ye fee me ; Becaufe 
 €i I live, ye ihall live alfo/' John. xiv. 19. At his afcen- 
 fion, the laft words, it is probable, which the difciples 
 heard him exprefs, contained that mod gracious and com- 
 forting promife, we have ; Math, xxviii. 19, 20. That 
 he would be prefent with his Church, in and by his fpirit, 
 until the myftery of God ihall be finifhed. And after his 
 reception into glory, the beloved difciple had, in vifion, 
 a moft comfortable view of him as in the midft of the 
 Church, Rev. i. 13. And I faw, " In the midft of the fe- 
 46 ven candle flicks, one like unto the Son of man, clothed 
 u with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the 
 *' paps with a golden girdle." Yea, the very name of 
 the gofpel Jerufalem, is, The Lord is there ; Ezek. xlviii. 
 35. u It was round about eighteen thoufand meafures : 
 g* And the name of the city from that day Ihall be, The 
 §' Lord is there. " 
 
 3. He is the glory in the midft of the Church in refpect 
 of his ordinances, which are the fymbols of his prefence. 
 There is a real beauty and glory in divine ordinances ; and 
 that, both in themfelves confidered, and in the eye of all 
 fpiritual difcerners ; however mean and contemptible they 
 may appear in the light of a carnal world. They are all 
 marked with the beautifying ftamp of his authority, and 
 in and by them, he is pleafed to manifeft the glory of his 
 power, love, grace, and wifdom. His people fee his 
 power and glory in his holy place ; Pfal. lxiii. 2. The 
 ordinances of God, have in them more glory and beauty 
 to the believing foul, than tongue can fully exprefs. Hence 
 they are difpofed to cry out with wonder, " How amiable 
 " are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hofts !" Pfal. lxxxiv. 1. 
 And with what efieem and regard, do we find the fpoufe 
 fpeaking of divine ordinances? Cant. i. 16. " Our bed is 
 
 " green 
 
* ( green, (fays flie) the beams of uuv houfe are cedar, 
 " and our rafters of fir.* 
 
 4. He is the glory in the midft of the Church in refpecfc 
 of faithful gofpel Minifters, who are his gift to the 
 Church; Eph. iv. n, 12. Faithful minifters, are the am- 
 bafladors of the Prince of Peace ; Eph. iv. 20. Hence 
 faith the Apoftle, 2 Cor. v. 20. " Now we are ambaffadors 
 " for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us ; we 
 u pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled unto God.'* 
 And as they are the ambafladors of Chrift, he may be faid 
 in refpeft of them, to be representatively prefent with the 
 Church, in and by their miniftry. Hence they are called 
 the glory of Chrift, 2 Cor. viii. 13. And they are fo, 
 only in fo far as he is pleafed to manifeft his glory in and 
 by them, unto the Church. 
 
 5. Laftly, He is the glory in the midft of the Church, 
 in regard, that all the beauty and glory of the Church, is 
 from him, and all centers in him. All that glorious grace 
 any of the fons of men are made partakers of, is from 
 him. True Church-members, are glorious within ; and 
 their cloathing is of wrought gold, Pfal. xlv. 13. But all 
 this beauty and glory, in which the faints do ihine in the 
 kingdom of grace here, and mall ihine as the brightnefs of 
 the firmament in the kingdom of glory, is only through 
 his comelinefs put upon them : And the glory of all they 
 are, and of all that, by his grace, they are made to en- 
 joy, will forever center in him, in their harmonioufly 
 ^united expreffions of eternal praife and thankfgiving in 
 
 the Jerufalem above : According to the Apoftle's earneft 
 wiih, Eph. iii. 21. " Unto him be glory in the Church 
 " by Chrift Jefus, throughout all ages, world without 
 " end. Amen." 
 
 IV. The fourth head in the method, was to enquire, 
 wherefore the Lord has engaged himfelf by promife, to 
 be a wall of fire about the church, and the glory in the 
 midft of her ? And iy?, This muft be refolved in fovereign- 
 ty. All the promifes, and this among the reft, take their 
 rife from free, rich, and fovereign love and grace ; and 
 not from any good qualifications, real or fuppdfed, in the 
 objects they refpect : Hence the promifes are faid to be 
 
 given. 
 
 
( ** ) 
 
 fivcn us in a teftamentary way; 2 Pet. i. 4. And the 
 •ord gives the prophet Ezekel commandment, to fay un- 
 to the houfe of Ifrael, u Thus faith the Lord God, I do 
 " not this for your fakes, O houfe of Ifrael, but for mine 
 u holy name's fake." Chap, xxxvi. 22. 
 
 2. He has done fo, becaufe of his great love to the 
 Church: He loved her from evtrlafting ; Jer. xxxi. 3. 
 When the fulnefs of the time was come, he gave himfelf 
 for her, in the perfon of his Son ; Eph. v. 2. 1 John Hi. 
 16. He purchafed her with his own blood ; Afts, xx. 28. 
 And fuch is his love to her, that ihe is as a feal upon his 
 very heart ; Cant. viii. 6. And her walls are continually 
 before him; Ifa. xlix. 16. Yea, fo dear are his people 
 unto him, that whoioever toucheth them to their hurt ; 
 they touch the apple of his eye ; Zech. ii. 8. " He that 
 w toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye*" 
 
 3* He has promifed to be a wall of fire about the 
 Church, and the glory in the midft of her, becaufe of her 
 natural weaknefs. The Church is weak in herfelf consi- 
 dered, and fhe has many enemies to contend with. Ma- 
 ny and great are the trials which the Lord in holy provi- 
 dence, fees meet to permit his Church and people to fall 
 under ; and for their encouragement amidft them all, and 
 led they fhould fink and faint; under them, he has given 
 them 1110ft gracious aflurances, that he will not fail to be 
 their help in the day of trouble : But will moft effectually 
 fuccour and fupport them againit every affault of their ad- 
 verfaries, whether from without, or from within. The 
 Church may now know in her experience, " That her 
 " enemies have often come in upon her like a flood ;" and 
 fhe may be affured, they will continue to do fo ; but, for 
 her comfort, ihe has the faithful promife of him, with 
 whom it is impoflible to lie; " That the fpirit of the 
 (( Lord mall lift up the ftandard againft them," Ifa. lix. 
 19. And therefore, ihe may adopt the words of the 
 Pfalmift, even in troublous times; Pfal. xxxii. 7. " Thou 
 " art my hiding place, thou ihalt preferve me from 
 " trouble ; thou ihalt compafs me about with fongs of 
 f< deliverance. Selah." 
 
 4. The 
 
C 17 ) 
 
 4. The Church is his dwelling-place, the tabernacle of 
 the mod High, the houfe wherein he hath chofen to reft; 
 Pfal. cxxxii. 13. " The Lord hath chofen Zion : He hath 
 " defired it for his habitation. This is my reft for ever : 
 " Here will I dwell, for I have defired it." Jerufalem 
 is the city of the mighty King, Pfal. xlviii. 2. and there- 
 fore he will eftabliih her for ever, Pfal. lxxxvii. 5. fhe 
 is the houfe of his glory, and therefore, the houfe that 
 he will glorify with his prefence. 
 
 5. The fafety, well-fare, and profperity of the Church, 
 tends to the advancement and manifeftation of the decla- 
 rative glory of God in the world ; and therefore he will 
 be her fafe -guard, and her glory. His wifdom, power, 
 love, and faithfulnefs, are illuftrioufly difplayed in his care 
 of, and conduct about the Church ; Pfal. cii. 16. " When 
 " the Lord fliall build up Zion, he ihall appear in his 
 " glory." 
 
 6. Lafily y The Church is his own, his treafure, his 
 peculiar treafure ; his bride and fpoufe. True Church- 
 members, are his dear children, the travel of his foul, 
 Ifa. liii. 11. Now, every one naturally cares for his own. 
 The loving hufband will not fee the wife of his boforn fuf- 
 fer wrong, while it is in his power to afford her help : 
 Nor the affectionate father the children he dearly loves ; 
 And are we once to fuppofe, that the Father of mercies, 
 in whom companions flow, will not vindicate and defend 
 thofe from all real hurt and injury, upon whom he has 
 fixed his everlafting love ? 
 
 V. The fifth thing in the method, was to make fome 
 improvement of the fubjedt. And, 
 
 The firft ufe may be of information. 
 
 I. From what has been faid, we may fee, that the 
 Church of God is a ftrong city, and cannot be removed ; 
 but muft abide for ever. Her God is her wall of defence, 
 and that round about : And in the midft of her, he is, 
 and ever will be the glory. " As the mountains arc 
 u round about Jerufalem, fo the Lord is round about his 
 u people, from hencefurth ever for ever," Pfal. cxxv. 2. 
 With what fweet deliclation, may all the genuine children 
 of Zion fmg that fong ! Ifa. xxvi. 1. " We have a ftrong 
 C « city; 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 u city ; falvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. !* 
 Seeing God hath made Jerufalem's walls falvation, her 
 citizens fhould make her gates praife. 
 
 2. We may fee, whence it is, that the Church is faid 
 to be beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerufalem, and ter- 
 rible as an army with banners. Why, her Gad is a wall 
 of fire round about her, and the glory in the midft of her. 
 This fufficiently accounts, not only for her beauty, but al- 
 fo for the terror and amazement, into which her mod 
 potent adverfaries have been fometimes caft, upon the ve- 
 ry fight of her ; Pfal. xlviii. 4, ^, 6. " For lo, the kings 
 f 1 were alfembled, they paffed by together. They faw 
 ic it, and fo they marvelled ; they were troubled, and 
 M hafted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, 
 u as of a woman in travail. " \ 
 
 3. We may fee, that the Church is not only a ftrong ci- 
 ty, and terrible to her enemies ; but fhe is likewife a city 
 compactly built together. She hath her wall round about 
 her. <c Jerufalem is builded as a city that is compact toge- 
 €i ther," Pfal. cxxii. 3. The whole city is joined and compac- 
 ted together with her wall of fire. All the true citizens, 
 are, by a real and vital union, joined to him, who is the 
 glory in the midft of them. And, being unite unto him, 
 and confequently to one another in him, they have all com- 
 munion with him, and with one another in him, fuitable to 
 the nature of that union. He is round about the city, not 
 only as a wall of defence, but alfo as a wall of conjunction. 
 He is the head, Col. ii. 19. i€ From which all the body, 
 u by joints and bands, having nourilhment miniftred, and 
 u knit together, increafeth with the increafe of God." 
 
 4. We may fee, that the Church is a very honourable 
 fociety. She is a fociety, feparated from, and exalted 
 above the world. She dwells alone, incircled with her 
 wall of fire ; and is not reckoned among the nations. As 
 her God is unto her a wall of conjunction, he is likewife 
 her wall of feparation from the world lying in wicked- 
 nefs. And, as it is the indifpenfible duty of her fpiritual 
 guides, fo to keep up the hedge of her difciplinc, as to 
 the utmoft of their power, they may feparate between 
 the ptecious and the vile : That this is fo little the con- 
 cern 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 cern of many who go under the character of minifters in 
 our day, is one of the many fins and provocations for 
 which a holy God may juftly vifit us in a way of righte- 
 ous judgment. Our Lord Jefus, as for other ends and 
 purpofes, has appointed the feals of the New Covenant, 
 to be a badge of diftinction between fuch as vifibly bear 
 his image, and thofe, who by unfoundnefs in the faith, 
 and immorality in practice, vifibly declare themfelves to 
 be Satan's (laves and vaiTals : But, alas ! how little regard 
 is paid to this delign of their inftitution, by many who 
 count themfelves, fte wards of the grace of God ? 
 
 5. We may fee, that every attempt to raze Zion to 
 the foundation, is not only beyond expreifion wicked, but 
 alfo moft vain and fooliih, and muft, in the iffue, prove 
 abortive. The kings of the earth may fet themfelves, 
 and the rulers may take counfel together, again -t the 
 Lord, and againft his anointed : But he who litteth in 
 heaven, ihall laugh, and he who is the glory in the rnidfl 
 of the Church, fhall hold them in derifion, PfaL ii. 2, 3, 4. 
 The word is gone out of his mouth, with whom it is im- 
 poflible to lie, That no weapon formed againft Zion ihall 
 profper ; and that every tongue that Ihall rife againlr her 
 in judgment, ihe fhall condemn, Ifa. liv. 17. 
 
 6. We may fee, that the Church and people of God, 
 have no reafon to envy the men of the world of their 
 glory ; what they look upon to be their glory. They 
 confider the riches, honours, profits and pleafures of a 
 Vain world, to be their glory. The fons of Laoan, cal- 
 led their cattle their glory, Gen. xxxi. 1. But the Church 
 has her God for her glory. The Almighty is her goldj 
 and ihe hath plenty of {liver. " I will be the glory in 
 " the midft of her faith the Lord." And to the fame 
 effect is that promife we have, Ifa. Ix. 19. " The Lord 
 " fhall be unto thee an everlaflmg light, and thy God thy 
 " glory." The glory of the Church and people of God 
 ihall continue with them, when all earthly pomp and fplen- 
 dor, ihall be put under an everlafting vail. 
 
 7. We may fee, how much we ihould make it our ftudy 
 and endeavour, to hold fait by a God in Chrift, conflict- 
 ing him by the prayer of faith to abide with us. His 
 
 ^ prefence 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 prefence with us, is both our fafety and our glory. How 
 careful ihould we be, in our feveral ftations, as minifters 
 and people, not only to receive, but alfo to obferve and 
 keep pure and intire, all fuch religious worJhip and ordi- 
 nances, as he hath appointed in his word ? It is in the 
 way of our teaching ; teaching our people carefully to 
 obferve all things whatfoever he hath appointed and com- 
 manded us, (though not for our fo doing) that we can ex- 
 pect him to be round about us as our defence ; as in the 
 midft: of us, as our glory. 
 
 8. We may fee, how little fuch as would defire to be 
 faithful to Chrift, and feek the good of fpiritual Jerufa^ 
 lem, in a backfliding day, need to regard the reproach and 
 contempt that is poured upon them by an apoftatifing ge- 
 neration. When reproached for lifting up a tefhmony 
 for the covenanted principles of the Church of Scotland, 
 and endeavouring in our places and ftations, to profecute* 
 the ends thereof, in oppofttion to the awful fpeat of 
 apofiafy both in principle and practice, which is prevailing 
 in our day : Let us, inftead-of being aihamed on that ac- 
 count, rather join with fuch as have fhared the fame lot 
 before us ; in rejoicing that we are counted worthy ta 
 fufFer ihame for his name, Acts v. 41. He is with fuch, 
 as through grace, endeavour to act faithfully for him, and 
 that both as their defence and glory. And wherein is 
 the reproach of the world to be accounted of? 
 
 9. Is the Lord the glory in the midft of the Church ? 
 Then his Church and people ihould glory in him. This 
 is the indifpenfible duty of all the children of Zion, Pfal. 
 cxlix. 2. " Let Ifrael rejoice in him that made him : Let 
 " the children of Zion be joyful in their King.", Let 
 them rejoice and be very glad, in what he is, in and to 
 Jerufalem. In what he has done for her already, and in 
 what he is telling us he will (till continue to do for her ; 
 while he faith, " I will be unto her a wall of fire round 
 " about, and the glory in the midft of her." 
 
 10. Laftly y We may fee matter of comfort to fuch as 
 are caft down on account of the low ftate of matters in 
 the Church at this day. It is true, indeed, there are 
 many ready to fay, that matters are very comfortable at 
 
 prefent 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 prefent, with refpect to the Church : Say. they, the Church 
 enjoys the countenance of the civil magi fixate ; we have 
 external peace, and we enjoy freedom of fentiment ; and 
 there are no outward lets or impediments laid in the way 
 of the progrefs and advancement of religion. But how- 
 ever defirable thefe things may be in themfelves, matters 
 are neverthelefs low in the Church in our day. Furity in 
 doctrine is greatly on the decline in this land, and has 
 been fo now for a long time pad : The heritage of the 
 Lord is oppreiTed by violent intruhons, whereby trie 
 pulpits in Scotland are daily filled with a time-ferving mi- 
 niftry, who, in a great meafure, content themfelves with 
 the fleece, without evidencing much regard for the flock. 
 The fword of difcipline is feldom drawn, except it be a- 
 gainft fuch as offer any mite of teftimony againil the pre- 
 vailing apoftaly of the age. And a fcheme is of late fet 
 up amongft us under the fpecious and plauiible pretext of 
 Catholic Love, for uniting Eraftians, Independents, er. 
 with Presbyterians, in minifterial and chriflian communion; 
 whereby an unthinking generation is tempted to believe, 
 either, that the glorious Head of the Church has appoint- 
 ed no certain form of government to be obferved there- 
 in ; or elfe, that it is not worth the contending for. And 
 though the Lord, in his adurable providence, has, in his 
 kindnels to the generation, brought a teftimony to the 
 field, againil the prefent courfe of backfliding from at- 
 tained-unto reformation ; it is to be lamented, that faid 
 teftimony, in place of having the d iired effect, is, by the 
 bulk of the generation, either treated as the object of 
 their rage, fcorn and contempt ; or elfe. in a carelefs and 
 indifferent manner, totally neglect t*d ; while few, compa- 
 ratively confidered, are diipofed to take part with it, and 
 endeavour, through grace, to profecute the ends of it. 
 
 But however low matters are with us, and though the 
 night fhould yet be darker ; yet, none who defire to fa- 
 vour the dull of Zion, need defpair of a reviving time ; 
 but let them look to the promife in the text, and the ma- 
 ny like words, the Lord has put upon record for the com- 
 fort of the mourners in Zion. And let them remember, 
 he is faithful who hath promife d ) let them plead the pro- 
 mife 
 
( « ) 
 
 mife in faith, and wait for au anfwer in the Lord's own 
 time ; for he will arife and have mercy upon Zion yet, 
 and the time to favour her ihall come, the time that he 
 hath fet. And when he appears in his glory to build up 
 Zion, he will regard the prayer of the deftitute, and not 
 defpife their prayer, Pfal. cii. 17. 
 
 The lafl ufe of the doctrine, may be in a few exhorta- 
 tions. And, 
 
 1 . Let us who are called to aft in the capacity of Mini- 
 fters of the Gofpel, be exhorted to blefs the Lord for all 
 the kindnefs he has fhewed to his Church and people here- 
 tofore ; that he has hitherto been a wall of fire round about 
 her, and the glory in the midft of her. Let us blefs his holy 
 name, for all the glorious things, and good and comfort- 
 able words he has fpoken concerning Zion, refpeffing the 
 time to come ; and particularly for this promift ; that he 
 will ever be u a wall of fire round about her, and the 
 u glory in the midft. of her.*' 
 
 Le t us be concerned to walk about Zion, and go round 
 about her, telling her towers, marking her bulwarks, and 
 and confidering her palaces : That we may tell the children 
 of Zion for their comfort, did thofe who are yet aliens 
 to the common-wealth of Ifrael, for their encouragement 
 to caft in their lot with them : That this God is our God 
 for ever and ever ; and that he will be our guide even 
 unto death, Pfal.xlviii. 12, 13, 14. 
 
 Let us be exhorted, not to fall under unbelieving dis- 
 couragements about the Lord's work in the Church; how- 
 ever low it is at prefent; or however much lower it may 
 yet come to be. Tho' there are but few appearing to 
 embrace a teftimony for the purity of dectn-ne, the juft and 
 impartial exercife of difcipline, and forjprefbyterial Church- 
 government, in oppofition to Eraftianifm on the one hand, 
 and Independency upon the other, with the latitudinarian 
 tenets, which are propogated amongft us : However thjp 
 may afford us matter of lamentation, it is no juft caufe, 
 why we fhould give way to unbelieving difcouragements. 
 For it is not by might, nor by power of human kind, that 
 the Lord ordinarily carries on his work; but by his fpirit: 
 And how few, and weaklbever the inftruments are, he is 
 
 pleafed 
 
( n ) 
 
 pleated to make ufe of in his work, they arfe fufficient in 
 his hand to carry it forward : Let us then ftudy daily to 
 comfort ourfelves, and one another with thefe wards, 
 and that amidft all that is difcouraging . " I, faith the 
 " Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and 
 " will be the glory in the midft of her." 
 
 2. Let me exhort you who are the people of God, the 
 true and genuine children of fpiritual Jerufalerrif planted 
 in the houfe of our God, not merely in refpecl of exter- 
 nal privilege, but by his grace. 
 
 Let me exhort you, * 
 
 i. To blefs the Lord for bringing you (who were by 
 nature aliens to the common-wealth of Ifrael, and ftran- 
 gers to the covenant of promife) to be fellow citizens 
 with the faints, and of the houfehold of faith. Great is 
 the reafon you have to blefs the Lord on this account : 
 For now, God is your God, your glory, and the uplifter 
 of your heads. You are in a ftate of fafety, let the worft 
 come to the worft. No real evil can poffibly befal you, 
 nor plague come near your dwelling. God, as your God 
 in covenant, is, and for ever will be, a wall of fire round 
 about you ; and he will alfo be your glory. 
 
 2. Give all diligence to walk worthy of the vocation 
 wherewith you are called, ftudying in all things to pleafe 
 God, approving yourfelves unto him in all things; and 
 leaving it for your unfeigned defire to be approven of by 
 him. Let your light fo ihine before thofe among whom 
 you live, in a holy life, and favoury converfation, as that 
 they, beholding your works, may glorify your Father who 
 is in heaven ; and that ftrangers to Chrift may be excited 
 and ftirred up by your example, to come into the fame 
 happy condition with yourfelves. 
 
 3. We exhort you, not to be afliamed of our Lord Je- 
 fus, of his truths, words, and ways, before a perverfe 
 generation. But, remember, that the clofeft attachment 
 to all his truths, ordinances, and inftitutions, is your ho- 
 nour and crown. Be concerned always to bear in mind, 
 that whatever you may at any time fuffer for cleaving to 
 Chrift with purpofe of heart, you have this for your en- 
 couragement under it, That he hath faid to Jerufalem and 
 
 all 
 
ft' 
 
 ( 24 j 
 
 all her genome children, That he will be untcTthem a wall 
 of fire round about, and the glory in the midft of tttem. 
 
 BafrTy, As to you who are only inhabitants of fpiritual 
 Jerusalem in name and profeflion, but not in reality. We 
 exhort you to confider, that a name to live among men, 
 will not avail you in the day of trial, and particularly in 
 the daygrf death, if you continue dead in trefpafTesiand 
 fins. Awever long you may hide your hypocfify under 
 the vail of a plaufible profeflion, yet, remember, the day 
 is hading on, when the (inner s in Zion floall be afraid \ and 
 fearfulnefs will furp rife the hypocrite. Be exhorted, then, 
 to unite with the Lord Jefus by faith, and you ihall hence- 
 forth, be in a fafe and moft honourable and happy condi- 
 tion, having a three-one God in Chrift, a wall of fire 
 round about you, and being pofleffed of him, as your 
 everlafting glory. " For I, faith the Lord, will be unto 
 " her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in 
 " the midft of her." 
 
 The End. 
 
ft/ 
 
 / "ajtfcfiflnftfs imtp D*th flfc the fervicdlom^ 
 CHRIST, gratfe*ufly\e\vdMecr Al" 
 a Crown of Life, fi 
 
 S i t 1 i i i M 
 
 LS E R M O N, 
 
 V 
 
 *. Pi^aehed at the opening" of the Associate Synod, at. ^ 
 Edinburgh, September 3^1776. %} "' * 
 
 Gal. vi. 9. 
 
 Jnd let ttknot be weary in well- doing ; For in due feafon ws 
 fh all reap, if we faint not. 
 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 Printed in the Year 1777- 
 
ibcdefgJt: 
 JKLmndPw 
 
 * 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 t-7 
 
 
 
— 
 
 Rev. ii. 10. laft claufe. 
 
 Be t^ou faithful unto death , and I 'will give thee a crcv)n % tif 
 
 ,life. * 
 
 THese words are a part of that fwcet and comfort- 
 able epiftle, which John, the Difciple whom Jefus 
 loved, wrote by Divine direction, unto the Angel of the 
 Church in Smyrna, in Afia the lefler. In which, as the 
 cafe of this Church did greatly differ from the condition 
 of fome of the reft to whom he alfo wrote, and that, both 
 in refpedi of fuffering and integrity : The menage fent 
 to her, is like wife very diffimilar to thofe directed to 
 them.' 1 "fciere is no charge exhibited againft this Church; 
 but all that is fpoken to her, runs in the amiable ftile of 
 commendation and approbation. Not, tbg^t we are once ^ 
 to fuppofe. that either minifters or people were altogether * 
 without failings and ihort-comings in the way of duty ; 
 but they were free from grofs heriiies and fcandals, fin- 
 cerely aiming at their duty in their places and flations ; 
 and all this, amidft the perplexing diiadvantages of po- 
 verty and persecution : And therefore her kind and iym- 
 pathizing Head, was gracioufly pleafed to pafs over her 
 infirmities. 
 
 In the preface to this Epiftle, ©or Lord Jefus takes 
 fuch names and defig-nations to himfelf, as tended bed to 
 fuit the cafe and circumftances of thofe to whom it was 
 direcled. Thefe things, faith the firft and the laft, who 
 was dead, and is alive. He wjio was dead, that he might 
 procure the Crown of Life for you, and is alive again, to 
 fet it upon your heads when once your courfe is rimmed. 
 
 In the body of the epiftle, our Lord declares, that he 
 was not only moft intimately acquainted with the prefent 
 condition of this Church, but he likewife informs her, 
 that her future trials were already prefent to his all-fee- 
 ing eye. " I know thy works, and tribulations, and po- 
 D 2 " verty ; 
 
C 28 ) 
 
 u verty ; but thou art rich," rich in faith and good 
 works, though outwardly poor, poor in reality, and poor 
 in the world's efteem. He comforts her under prefent 
 trials, and encourages her in the profpect of future tribu- 
 lations. / know thy works, that is, I approve of thy works : 
 And fuch a declaration was truly comforting for the pre- 
 fent. And as to what fhe had yet to fufFer, he faith, 
 Fear none of thefe things • Which words, taken in their 
 connection, are not merely to be taken as an exhortation 
 to duty, but as alfo containing a promife of all needful 
 comfort and fupport under whatever fufferings were yet 
 before her hand. And in the faith's perfuafion of this 
 being her privilege, fhe is exhorted to perfevere in the 
 way of duty to the end ; knowing, her labour ihould not 
 be in vain in the Lord : u Be thou faithful unto death, 
 " and I will give thee a crown of life." In which words, 
 
 i/?, We have a moft pathetic exhortation tendered, Be 
 thou, faithful unto death. 
 
 2cHy y A moft fweet and encouraging motive to enforce 
 the exhortation. I will give thee a crown of life. 
 
 In the exhortation we may notice, 
 
 1 . To whom it is directed ; and that is to the angel, 
 miniftry, or office-bearers in the Church of Smyrna, as is 
 obvious from the direction of the epiftle, ver. 8. Yet, 
 the exhortation is not fo to them as to exclude the peo- 
 ple under their charge ; being equally bound, in their 
 places and ftations, to the performance of the duty en- 
 joined, with thofe who were over them in the Lord ; 
 and {landing in as much need of direction, in the way of 
 duty, and encouragement in order to their perfevering 
 therein to the end, as they did. 
 
 2. We have fhe exhortation itfelf, Be thou faithful. 
 As if our Lord had fairf, ftedfaftly maintain your faith in, 
 faithfulnefs to, and dependence upon me in the feveral 
 ftations wherein I have called you to act. 
 
 3. We may obferve the period fet to the duty of faith- 
 fulnefs in the fervice of Chrift ; namely, the moment of 
 our departure out of this world. " Be thou faithful 
 " unto death." There may be fome of you, as if our 
 Lord had faid, who may have to refift unto blood in the 
 
 way 
 
( 2 9 ) 
 
 Way of faithfulnefs tome, And, if it fhould be fo, faith- 
 fulnefs is (till your indifpenfible duty ; and what the Spirit 
 laid to this Church, he is ftill faying to all the churches 
 of the faints. He is in the fame manner befpeaking every 
 one of us, Be thou faithful unto death ; faithful unto the 
 laft, whatever your fo being hath, or may yet coft you. 
 In the motive to enforce the exhortation, notice, 
 i. A gracious reward annexed to faithfulnefs. A 
 crown. I will give thee a crown. This promifed 
 crown, is expreflive of all that glory and felicity, the faintg 
 are eternally to poflefs in the world to come. 
 
 2. We may obferve the nature and quality of this 
 crown ; and it is, without controverfy, of all crowns the 
 mod to be defired ; a Crown of life. Eternal glory is 
 here defigned a crown of life, as oppofed to the prefent 
 condition of this Church, and to what fome in it were 
 likely to lofe for Chrift, viz. a natural life. Our Lord 
 promifes, that though they fhould lay down a temporal 
 life in his fervice, they ihould mod certainly be crown- 
 ed with all the felicity and glory of an eternal one. 
 
 3. We may obferve how this crown is to be conferred, 
 and that is in the way of free gift. Our Lord does not 
 fay, be faithful unto death, and fo merit a crown of life 
 unto yourfelves. No, but be thou faithful unto death, 
 and I will moft freely and gratuitoufly give you the 
 crown. Though this inriching and dignifying jcrown is 
 only to be expected in the way of our being faithful in 
 the fervice of Chrift, yet, it is by no means to be beftow- 
 ed upon us on the account of our faithfulnefs. 
 
 4. We may obferve from whom this crown is to be 
 expected, and that is our Lord Jefus Chrift. He who is 
 the firft and the laft ; and who was dead, and is alive 
 again. He who was gracioufly pieafed to wear the crown 
 of thorns and the purple robe, that we might wear the 
 crown of life, and the garments of falvation. He who 
 once had the burden of purchafing the crown of life, and 
 now enjoys the honour actually to bellow it upon all the 
 heirs of promife. 
 
 5. Lajlly, We may obferve the certainty of the pro- 
 mile ; /, fays ChrlUfWill give thee a crown of life. I pro- 
 
 mife 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 mife it to you, I who am the Amen, the faithful and true 
 Wltnefs, and fo cannot deceive you. Be thou faithful, 
 and I will not fail to give thee the crown. He may juftly 
 command what he will, who can both proniife and alfci 
 perform whatever he pleafes. 
 
 From this view of the words, we obferve the following 
 doctrine. 
 
 DocT. As our Lord Jefiis requires, that all who*ferve 
 him, do it faithfully, whatever their doing fo may cofl 
 them : So he has, for their encouragement, gracioufly 
 engaged himfelf, by promife, in due time, to crown them 
 with eternal life. 
 
 In fpeaking to this doctrine, as the Lord may be pleaf- 
 ed to enable, The method I lhall obferve, is, 
 
 I. To fpeak of the duty enjoined, he thou faithful unU 
 death. 
 
 II. Offer fome thoughts concerning the gracious reward^ 
 
 the crown of life. 
 
 III. Enquire a little into the connection there is be- 
 twixt faithfulnefs unto death in the fervice of Chrift, and 
 the enjoyment of the crown of life. 
 
 IV. Make fome improvement of the whole. 
 
 The firft thing is, to fpeak of the duty enjoined, " Be 
 €€ thou faithful unto death." And we ihall, on this occa* 
 fion, chiefly coniider it as refpecting the minifters of 
 Chrift, except in fo far as it may fall under conlideration 
 in the improvement of the fubject, as refpecting all who 
 ferve our Lord Jefus, in whatever ftation. J he duty of 
 minifterial faithfulnefs then, may be viewed, as refpecting 
 a three-fold object : i/?, Jefus Chrift their great Lord 
 and Maft r. 2dly, Themfelves. %dly, The people com- 
 mitted to their charge. 
 
 1/?, The minifters of Chrift are to be faithful to him : 
 T( be fo is their indifpenfible duty, their greateft ho- 
 nour ; and, through grace/ it will be their higheft ambi- 
 tion. 
 
 :• . 
 
C 31 ) 
 
 tion. Now, for minifters of the gofpel to be faithful to 
 Chrift, will be found to include the following things : 
 
 1 Their having his call to aft in that high and honou- 
 rable fhtion. None can act faithfully f « r Chrift, who 
 runs unfent. Our Lord himfelf, took not upon him the 
 honour of the Mediatorial office without his Father's call 
 and appointment; Heb. v.«4, 5. " And no man taketh 
 (i this honour unto himfelf, but he who is called of God, 
 << as was Aaron : So alfo Chrift glorified not himfelf to be 
 " made an High Prieft ; but he who faid unto him, Thou 
 11 art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee/' Faithful 
 Prophets were fent, and Apoftles and Evangelifts had 
 their commiffion from Chrift ; and though extraordinary 
 gifts and office-bearers, are now ceafed, and an immediate 
 call to the miniflry, no more to be expected : Yet, the 
 Lord ftill continues to call men to the work of the gofpel, 
 in an ordinary and mediate way ; and that by inclining 
 their hearts to ferve him in the gofpel of his Son, furnifh- 
 ing them with a competent meafure of gifts and prudence ; 
 and opening a door in his providence, by which they 
 may enter into his fervice, in an orderly and regular 
 manner. 
 
 2. Faith in Chrift. Faithfulnefs to him, fprings from 
 faith in him. To be faithful to Chrift, is to pleafe God ; 
 but without faith, it is impoffible to pleafe him ; Heb xi. 6. 
 David faith, " I have believed, therefore have I fpoken." 
 
 ■ And to the fame purpofe fpeaks the Apoftle Paul, 2 Cor, 
 iv. 13. " We having the fame fpirit of faith, according as 
 " it is written, I believed, and therefore have I fpoken : 
 " We alfo believe, and therefore fpeak." 
 
 3. Some tolerable meafure of know-ledge and acquain- 
 tance with the feveral parts of the work and fervice he 
 calls for at their hands. All faithful fervice performed to 
 Chrift, is founded in the knowledge of his will, as mani- 
 fested in his word : And all who are in reality his faithful 
 fervants, have not only a fpeculative knowledge of his will 
 as externally revealed ; but alfo fome meafure of faving 
 and internal acquaintance therewith. All who have ever 
 been brought to believe in Chrift, and to act faithfully for 
 him, have heard and learned cf the Father; John vi. 45. 
 
 They 
 
t 3* ) 
 
 They haw that knowledge of divine things, that flefh 
 and blood cannot give, but our Father who is in heaven. 
 
 4. A cordial and hearty acquiefcing in, and compliance 
 with their Matter's will, fo far as they difcern and take it 
 up, without confulting with flefh and blood, or fetting up 
 felf-will, wifdom, or carnal eafe, in competition therewith. 
 The Apoftle Paul, that moft*eminent1y faithful fervant of 
 Jefus Chrift, tells us, that when it pleafed God to reveal 
 his Son in him, that he ihould preach him among the hea- 
 then, he did not confer with fleih and blood, Gal. i. 16. 
 
 5. A real and hearty concern for the advancement of 
 his honour and declarative glory, in every part of the 
 work he employs them in where faithfulnefs to Chrift real- 
 ly obtains among the minifters of the gofpel. In preach- 
 ing the word, there will be a fingle eye to his glory, in 
 the falvation of their fouls among whom they labour. 
 They will not preach themfelves ; feek their own hofiour, 
 nor hunt after the applaufe of men ; but will, through 
 grace, fincerely endeavour that God in all things may be 
 glorified, 2 Cor. iv. 5. " We preach not ourfelves, but 
 u Chrift Jefus the Lord ; and ourfelves your fervants for 
 u Jefus fake." In their judicative capacities, the^ 
 will faithfully endeavour to judge for the Lord, who, in 
 their fo doing ; is with t= em in the judgment. They will 
 be confcientioufly careful to decide controverftes, and ap- 
 ply the cenfures of the Church without knowing faces, 
 or afting partially : Well knowing, that the foul of 
 the peafant is as precious in the fight of their great Lord, 
 as that of the prince. The fpirit of God calls minifters to 
 be faithful in this matter, in the moft prefling and folemn 
 manner, 1 Tim. v. 20, 21. * Them who fin rebuke be- 
 <( fore all, that others alfo may fear. I charge thee be- 
 €i fore God and the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect An- 
 il gels, that thou obferve thefe things, without prefer- 
 " ring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." 
 
 In fo far as they are inftrumental in putting men into 
 the miniftry, they will be careful to commit the word of 
 reconciliation into the hands of faithful men ; at leaft faith- 
 ful as they fuppofe ; 2 Tim. ii. 2. " And the things 
 " which thou haft heard of me among many witneffes, the 
 
 " fame 
 
C 33 ) 
 
 fame commit thou to faithful men, iC who fnall be able 
 ** to teach others alfo $* and to the fame purpofe is 
 that we have, i Tim. v. 22. " Lay hands fuddenly on 
 <l no man, neither be partaker of other mens fins ; keep 
 u thyfelf pure." It is mod finful for thofe who are 
 naughty to prefs themfelves into the miniftry ; and in fb 
 far as any are inftrumental in giving encouragement to 
 fuch, they are partakers with them in their fin. 
 
 6. Faithfulnefs to Chrift has in it an earned and hearty 
 concern for the maintenance of the truth, and the prefer-" 
 vation of the purity of all his ordinances. Faithful mini- 
 fters are fet for the defence of the gofpel of Chrift, and 
 difpofed through grace, to keep by the word of his pati- 
 ence, Rev. iii. 10. Which may be underftood of any of the 
 truths of Chrift, which comes more immediately to be con- 
 troverted and oppofed by men of corrupt minds. 
 
 7. Laftly, To be faithful unto Chrift in the work of 
 the miniftry, has in it, not only a real delire to ferve 
 their own generation, according to the will of God, but 
 alfo, the uting of their beft endeavours to hand down \ 
 teftimony for the purity of gofpel dodrine, difcipline and 
 worlhip to the generations yet to come. As alfo ? for 
 form of government the Lord Jefus has appointed to be 
 obferved in the church ; which form of government is 
 neither Eraftian on the one hand, nor Independent on the 
 other; but Prefbyterial. Confiftingin the due fubordina- 
 tion of one judicatory to another. As is clear from 
 Math, xviii. 15, — 19. chap. xvi. 19. Acts xiii. 1, — 4. 
 1 Tim. iv. 14. Acts xv. with many other texts which 
 might be adduced. That Prefbytery is the only form of 
 government the Lord Jefus has appointed to be obferv- 
 ed in the Church, is made evident to every unprejudifed 
 mind, in the proportions concerning Church-government, 
 bound in with our excellent Confeflion of Faith ; together 
 with feveral other learned tradts, which have been wrote 
 on that fubjeft by divines, eminent both for learning and 
 piety ; and thefe not only in this, but alfo in our neigh, 
 bouring kingdoms, in their contending for Prefbytery 
 againft Eraftians on the one fide, and thofe of the Inde- 
 pendent perfuaflon on the other. A teftimony for thefe 
 
 E * things, 
 
f 34 ) 
 
 things, fucli as would defire mercy of the Lord to be 
 faithful, will be concerned to tranfmit to pofterity. This 
 we are, by the Spirit of God, mod earneftly called to do, 
 Pfal. lxxviii. 5, 6, 7. " He eftablifhed a teftimony in Ja- •■■ 
 €C cob, and appointed a law in Ifrael, which he command - 
 " ed our fathers, that they fhould make them known to 
 " their children : That the generation to come might 
 " know them, even the children which lhould be born ; 
 " who mould arife and declare them to their children : 
 " That they might fet their hope in God, and not forget 
 " the works of God, but keep his commandments. " The 
 fame duty is enjoined us, Pfal. xlviii. 12, 13, 14. 
 " Walk about Zion, and go round about her : Tell the 
 " towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, coniider 
 " her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the generations fol- 
 " lowing. For this God is our God for ever and ever ; 
 " he will be our guide even unto death. " 
 
 idly } Minifters of the gofpel are to be faithful to them- 
 felves ; and if they would be fo indeed, they will find it 
 absolutely needful to be unite to the perfon of Chrift by 
 faith, as their Saviour and Redeemer : That their hearts 
 be right with God, and found in his ftatutes. They will 
 find themfelves under an indifpenlible neceffity to make a 
 home and particular application of the truths they deliver 
 Unto others, to their own fouls. If they would be found 
 faithful to themfelves, they will endeavour in the ftrength 
 of grace, to put the duties in practice themfelves which 
 they recommend to their hearers. While they keep the 
 vineyard of the church, they will carefully watch over 
 their own. They will not fail to endeavour to fet the 
 duties of religion before their people, not only in the pul- 
 pit, but alio by a tender and circumfpeft walk and con- 
 verfation. If thefe and fuch like things are not to be 
 found in the character of the gofpel minifters, afrer they 
 have preached Chrift to others, they may themfelves be 
 caft-away, and in the end be led furth with the workers 
 of iniquity, 1 Cor. ix. 26, 27. " I therefore fo run, net 
 u as uncertainly; {o fight 1, not as one that beateth the 
 " air : But I keep under my body, and bring it into fub- 
 <£ jection : Left that by any means, when I have preached 
 u to Gth*£s, I myfelf ihould be a caft-away," 
 
 <$dly 7 Minifierial 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 ylly, Minifterial faithfulnefs has a refpect to thofe of 
 whole fouls miniflers of the gofpel under Chrifl have the 
 charge. And for miniflers to be faithful to thofe they 
 are over in the Lord, carries in it : 
 
 j . Their preaching found doctrine, free from and un- 
 mixed with t^e leaven of error and herefy. Concerning 
 this, the apoftle Paul gives Titus a charge, and in him all 
 the minillers of Chrift to the end of time, chap. ii. i. 
 " But fpeak thou the things which become found doc- 
 " trine." And he adds, ver. 7, 8. " In doclrine Jhewing 
 " uncorruptnefs, found fpeech that cannot be condemned." 
 And Timothy is exhorted to hold faft the form of found 
 words, 2 Tim. i. 13. Thefe and the many like directions 
 tendered in the word of God, miniflers of the gofpel muft 
 carefully attend unto, as they would be found faithful te 
 thofe committed to their charge ; and for that end, mould 
 be much in the ftudy of the fcriptures, joined with fer- 
 vent prayer, that the Spirit of God may guide them into 
 all the truth, according to our Lord's moil gracious pro- 
 mife, John xvi. 12, 13. They fhould moreover, give 
 themfelves to the reading of approven fyftems of divinity, 
 among which our excellent Standards juftly claim the pre- 
 cedency, and, comparing fcripture with fcripture, they 
 ought to give the moft heedful attention to the analogy of 
 faith. 
 
 2. A real endeavour, according to their capacity and 
 meafure of knowledge, to keep back nothing from their 
 hearers, that they judge, as in the light of God, may 
 tend to the edification of their fouls. This is what the 
 apottle Paul calls the not fiunning to declare the whole counfet 
 of God, Acts xx. 27. And while nothing is to be kept 
 back, faithful minilters will not fail to infill moft upon 
 thefe truths which are of oreateft moment and weight. 
 Such as the depravity of man's nature, his mifery of con- 
 fequence, with his utter inability to do any thing for his 
 own recovery out of the fnare of the devil. The way of 
 his recovery by virtue of the undertaking, incarnation, 
 life, death, refurreSion and interceffion of the Son of God. 
 The truths refpe.dting the perfon of Chrift, his fulnefs of 
 faving offices, and jullifying and fanctifying grace. With 
 
 the 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 the way in which finful men come really to have an inte- 
 refl in him, with all his riches of grace and glory; which 
 is only by union to his perfon, through the faith of his 
 fpirit's opperation ; Eph. ii. 8. " By grace are ye faved, 
 " through faith ; and that not of yourfelves: It is the 
 " gift of God." 
 
 3. Minifters who would be found faithful to thofe un- 
 der their charge, will find it highly needful to take heed, 
 how, as well as what they preach. 
 
 They will find caufe to do it plainly, in imitation of 
 him whofe alone province it is to declare the whole 
 counfel of God. He preached moft plainly. When he 
 •was pleafed to ufe fimilitudes, tho' he could have fetched 
 them from the heights above, or from the deeps beneath ; 
 yet, he was pleafed to take them from thefe objects and 
 cuftoms with which his hearers were moft intimately ac- 
 quaint. Yea, fo very condefcending was he in his manner 
 of teaching, that he fometimes fpeaks as if he had been at 
 a lofs to know how he might beft adapt his difcourfe to 
 the capacities of his hearers ; Mark xiv. 30. " Where- 
 f* unto (faith he,) fhall we liken the kingdom of God, or 
 " with what comparifon fhall we compare it?" 
 
 They will find it highly expedient, to fet the truths of 
 the gofpel before their people,, in a clear, diftincr, concife 
 and connected manner ; fo as that the connection with, 
 and dependence of one truth upon another, may readily 
 appear to their understandings. Thofe truths they bring 
 forth unto their hearers, they are to feek out, and fet in 
 r order before hand, after the example of the Royal 
 Preacher in Ifrael, Eccl. xii. 9. Such as defire to be 
 faithful to the fouls of thofe for whom they watch, 
 will not put them off with that which coft them no- 
 thing. 
 
 Faithfulnefs, as to the manner of preaching the gofpeJ, 
 carries in it, the delivering of the truth with fuch a mea- 
 fure of boldnefs, gravity and earneftnefs, as may give the 
 hearers to know, they are really in earneft to have their 
 meffage received. Thus dealt the apoftle Paul with thofe 
 to whom he preached and wrote, Rom. xii. 1. " I be- 
 " feech you," fays he to the Romans, " Brethren, by 
 
 " the 
 
C 37 ) 
 
 " the mercies of God, that ye prefent your bodies a liv- 
 f* ing facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your 
 " reaibnable fervice." Moreover, they mnft lay before 
 their hearers, the greatnefs of their fin, with the danger 
 they will expofe themfelves unto, if they receive not the 
 truth in the love of it, that they may be faved. They 
 friuft be given to know, that fuch as believe not, mall be 
 damned, Mark xvi. 16. And that final neglectors of the 
 falvation exhibited in the gofpel, can by no means efcape 
 the punifliment of everlafting destruction from the prefence 
 of the Lord, when he {hall come to be glorified in his 
 faints, and admired in all thofe who do believe. 
 
 4. For minifters to be faithful to thofe under their 
 charge, includes their exciting and ftirring them up care- 
 fully to maintain good works, Tit. iii. 8. " This is a 
 u faithful faying, and thefe things I will that thou affirm 
 u conftantly, that they who have believed in God, might 
 cl be careful to maintain good works : Thefe things are good 
 " and profitable unto men." And while they thus call 
 them to performance of the duties of religion, they will 
 not fail at the fame time, to lay before them the true 
 fprings of gofpel holinefs. Namely, deliverance from the 
 law as a covenant of works, faith's union to the perfon of 
 Chrift, with conftant dependence upon the Spirit of God 
 in his grace and gracious influences, for afliftance in order 
 to the acceptable performance of every duty. Thefe 
 things we find our Lord infifted much upon to his dii- 
 ciples, John xv. 4. " Abide in me, and I in you. As 
 <• the branch can not bear fruit of itfelf, except it abide 
 u in the vine: No more can ye, except ye abide in me." 
 And verfe 8. he adds, " without me ye can do nothing." 
 
 And while they muft give men to know, that their 
 ftrength for the performance of duty is only in Chrift; they 
 are, with all poftible care, to guard them againft trufting 
 to their duties, and religious performances, as being a 
 foundation upon which they are either in whole, or ia 
 the fmalleft degree, to build their hope of eternal life. 
 " For by the works of the law ihall no flefh be juftified," 
 Gal. ii. 16. and, adds the fame Apoftle, v. 21. u I do 
 " not fruftrate the grace of God : For if righteoufnefs 
 
 «' come 
 
( 3» ) 
 
 " come by the law, then Chrift is dead in vain." Tho' the 
 end everlafting life, and the means leading thereunto, 
 mull not, and will not be put affunder by fuch as would 
 ^njoy the crown of life. Yet, it is not to be expect- 
 ed by any, becaufe they ufe thefe means, but only in the 
 way of the believing improvement of them. 
 
 5. If mimfters would be faithful to the flocks commit- 
 ted to their charge, they muft be willing to fpend, and 
 be (pent for their fouls good and edification, and^that tho' 
 it mould fome times fo fall out, that the more they evi- 
 dence their love to them in the faithful difcharge of their 
 duty, the lefs they be beloved of them. 1 hey muft 
 endeavour to ftrengthen the weak, comfort the down- 
 raft, fympathife with the tempted, warn the unrully, re- 
 book, reprove and exhort, with all long fuffering and 
 doctrine. All this is contained in what the Apoftle Paul 
 tells Us he aimed at in all his adminiftrations, Col. i. 28, 
 29. M We preach, warning every man, and teaching 
 u every man in all wiiclom ; that we may prefent every 
 u man perfect in Chrift Jefus : Whereunto I alfo labour 
 " driving according to his working, which worketh in me 
 " mightily." 
 
 We ihall only further add upon this head, that this 
 duty of faithfulness, as it refpects the above threefold ob- 
 ject ; is to be perfiftcd in unto the end. Be thou faith- 
 ful uhto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 
 Men are not crowned, except they ftri/e lawfully. Ap- 
 parent faithfulnefs for a while, will not be found a proper 
 compliance with this exhortation, Gal. iii. 4. Ministers 
 v/ho would be found faithful, muft count nothing dear, 
 no not life itfelf, if fo be they would fmifh their courfe 
 with joy, and the miniftry committed unto them, Acts xx. 
 24. All the oppofition they may meet with in the way of 
 duty, and all the fcandal that may be call upon the ways 
 of God by a profane world on the one hand, or by the 
 backfliding and apoftafy of profeffed friends upon the other, 
 muft not prevail with them to take their hand from the 
 plough : But they muft remember the words of the Lord 
 Jefus ; " Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
 u thee a crown of life." 
 
 II. The 
 
C 39 ) 
 
 II. The fecond head was to offer fome thoughts coo- 
 eerniug the gracious reward, prcmifed by Chrift to all 
 who ferve him faithfully in whatever ftation he is pleafed 
 in his providence to put them ; and it is here called a 
 crown of life. And as we are hereby to underftand all 
 that honour, felicity and glory, of which the faints are to 
 be poflefled in the heavenly reft. 
 
 Firft 9 We may confider the glory in referve for the 
 faints, as a crown. 
 
 Secondly, As a crown of life. 
 
 It was firft propofed to confider the glory in referve for 
 the faints as a crown. Wherefore is the glory to be re- 
 vealed, called a crown ? 
 
 i. It is lb called, to point furth the exceeding great- 
 iiefs of that honour and dignity to be conferred upon the 
 people of God in the heavenly reft A crown is an em- 
 blem of majefty, and denotes the kingly and imperial dig- 
 nity, wherewith they are to be inverted. They are the 
 children of the king, the King of kings. Yea, they are 
 themfelves kings and priefts unto God, Rev. i. 6. They 
 are in their regeneration, born heirs unto a kingdom 
 that cannot be moved, and which it is their Father's good 
 pleafure to give them, Luke xii. 32. And they muft 
 have a crown ; and for a throne, the Captain of Salvation 
 will give them to fit with him in his throne, Rev. iii. 21. 
 16 To him that overcometh, will I give to fit with me in 
 * c my throne, even as I alfo overcame, and am fet 
 u down with my Father in his throne." 
 
 2. Glory is called a crown, to fet furth the fulnefs and 
 perfection of the felicity of the faints. A crown is of that 
 figure and make, that it incircles the whole head ; and the 
 faints will be pofFeffed of glory, both objectively, in their 
 being admitted into the immediate vifion and fruition of 
 God, and fubje&ively, in their likenefs and conformity to 
 him. Hence faith the Apoftle John in his firft epiftle, 
 chap. iii. 2. " Beloved, now are we the fons of God, 
 m and it doth not yet appear what we lhall be ; but we 
 " know, that when he ihall appear, we lhall be like him : 
 " For we fhall fee him as he is." And to the fame pur- 
 pofe is that we have, PfaL xvii. 15. " I will behold 
 
 " thy 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 u thy face in righteoufnefs. I Ihall be fatisfied, when 1 
 a awake, with thy likenefs." 
 
 3. Glory is called a crown, to point furth. the period 
 at which the faints are to be admitted to the full enjoy- 
 ment thereof ; and that is not until they ihall be made 
 compleatly conquerors over all their fpiritual enemies, 
 through him who loved them. Our Lord feems here to 
 allude to fome of the cuftoms of running or wreftling, 
 which obtained much in the eaftern countries, where 
 thofe who proved victorious^ were crowned with fome 
 garland or crown, as an emblem of victory and conqueft, 
 1 Cor. ix. 24, 25. " Know ye not, (faith the Apoftle,) 
 " that they who run in a race, run all, but one receiveth 
 " the prize; fo run that ye may obtain. And every man 
 (i who ftriveth for the maftery, is temperate in all things : 
 <l Now, they do it to obtain a^ corruptible crown, but 
 " we an incorruptible. " 
 
 Secondly , It was propofed upon this head, to confider 
 the glory to be conferred upon the faints as a crown of 
 life. It is called a crown of rfghteoufnefs, 2 Tim. iv, 8. 
 Henceforth, fays the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, " There 
 ic is laid up for me a crow r n of righteoufnefs, which the 
 " Lord the righteous judge ihall give me at that day :" 
 And left any ihould be ready to think this crown is in re- 
 fcrve only for prophets, apoftles and other faithful mini- 
 fters, he adds, " And not to me only, but to all thern al- 
 tl fo who love his appearing." 
 
 It is called a crown of glory, 1 Pet. v. 4. where, after 
 exhorting gofpel minifies to faithfulnefs and diligence as 
 an encouragement thereto, he adds, " And when the 
 *' chief Shepherd ihall appear, ye ihall receive a crown of 
 u glory that fadeth not away." 
 
 In James i. 12. it is defigned, as in the text, a crown 
 of life. " Bleffed is the man who endureth temptation : 
 u For when he is tried, he ihall recieve the crown of life, 
 <c which the Lord hath promifed to them who love him." 
 Now, 
 
 1. Glory may be called a crown of life, to put us in 
 mind of what we loll by our fall and apoitafy in the firft 
 Adam- By our breach of covenant in him, we forfeited 
 
 our 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 our temporal life to the juftice of God, we loft a life of 
 fellowfhip with God on earth ; and gave up with all title 
 and claim to eternal life in heaven. Life, eternal life, is 
 the great bJefling men have loft by the breach of the firft 
 covenant; and it is the great and leading bleffing procured 
 for them by the fulfilment of the fecond ; Tit. i. 2. " In 
 u hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie, pro- 
 " mifed before the world began :" And, faith the Apoftle, 
 Rom. vi. 23* " The gift of God is eternal life, through 
 " Jefus Chrift our Lord." 
 
 2. Glory may be called a crown of life, to fet furth the 
 Jnyfterious nature thereof. Life has in it fome thing 
 which is full of myftery. And the Apoftle tells us, " Eye 
 " hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither have entered in- 
 * c to the heart of man, the things which God hath pre- 
 * c pared for them who love him," 1 Cor. ii. 9. And the 
 fame Apoflle, when fpeaking elfewhere of the glory to be 
 revealed, 2 Gor. iv. 17, 18. He calls it a weight; a 
 great weight; an exceeding great w eight ; and an eter- 
 nal weight of glory. All which exprefiions, do, in the 
 moft ample manner, fet before us the inconceivable and 
 myfterious nature of the heavenly inheritance. 
 .3* It may be called life, becaufe life is of all things the 
 mod fvveet and defirable. Satan, for once fpoke the truth, 
 tho> of bad defign, when he faid, " All that a man hath 
 " will he give for his life," Job ii. 4. And if a temporal 
 life, imbittered with fo many trials, as are become una- 
 voidable by reafon of fin, be fo very defirable, what mud 
 an eternal one, crowned with all poflible felicity, really 
 prove to be ? 
 
 4. Glory may be called life, to fet forth the activity 
 of the faints in glory. Where there is life, there is ac- 
 tion. Heaven will not only be found to be a place of re- 
 treat from toil, labour and forrow ; but alio a place of 
 moft active fervice. There the inhabitants reft not day 
 nor night, nor yet fay they are weary, Rev. iv. 8. What 
 their employment is, either as to matter or manner, the 
 day will bell declare : Only we are.fure, the high praifes 
 of redeeming love, will forever fill the hearts and mouths 
 of the ranforaed of the Lord; Ifa. xxxy. jo. " And the 
 E " ranfomed 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 " ranfomed of the Lord fhall return, and come to Zioit 
 iC with fongs, and everlafting joy upon their heads: They 
 u fhall obtain joy and gladnefs, and forrow and fighing 
 " iliall flee away." And to this agree the words of the 
 Apoftle ; Rev. V. 9. " And they fung a new fong, fay- 
 <c ing, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open 
 " the feals thereof : For thou waft flain, and has re- 
 " deemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, 
 " and tongue, and people, and nation. " 
 
 5. Glory is here called a crown of lift as oppofed to 
 what fome in this Church were likely to lofe for Chrift. 
 They had fuch an intimation, as that fome of them at 
 leaft, might lay their account with lufFering marterdom in 
 their Mailer's caufe. And it is very ordinary in fcripture, 
 to meet with the heavenly glory fet furth by fuch expref- 
 fions as tend to oppofe it to the various calamities the 
 people of God are moft frequently trifled with in a prefent 
 world; fuch as treafure for the poor, reft for the weary, 
 and joy for the mourner. So here our Lord faith, be 
 not afraid to lay down a temporal life, if I fhall call for 
 it ; for when you have fo done, you fhall take up an 
 eternal one, attended with the moft confummate joy and 
 felicity. 
 
 6. Laftly, Glory is called a crown of life, to fet furth 
 the durable and lafting nature thereof. Heaven is an un- 
 defiled inheritance, and therefore, it fadeth not away. 
 This crown fhall not wither, nor will the head decay frotii 
 under it ; but to eternity it ftall flourifh, when temporal 
 kingdoms and crowns, pomp and fplendor fhall be no 
 more. For there the Lord commands the blefling, even 
 life for evermore. 
 
 III. The third thing in th/. method was, to touch a 
 little at the connexion betwixt faithfulnefs to the death 
 and the enjoyment of the crown 
 
 in the fervice of Chr; 
 of life. An 
 
 1 . Let it Ibe obfe: 
 ritorious conqe£ti<3p. 
 fly in the fa 
 the w^ole 
 
 I 
 
 $e of 
 Dnorr 
 
 ed, that there is tfo cafual or me- 
 No, to affirm th^re is, would be to 
 f defign of God iu 
 hich is to fhew the 
 exceeding 
 
 e leading and c 
 of/?ede/uption 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindnefs to us through 
 Chrift JeTus. Free and rich grace mines furth in the con- 
 trivance of redemption, Job xxxiii. 24. in the purchafe 
 cf it, 2 Cor. viii. 9. And it is no lefs confpicuous and 
 manifeft in the application thereof, Eph. ii. 8. And the 
 glory to be revealed, is called grace, 1 Pet. i. 13. And 
 the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift, Jude ver. 21. 
 
 2. There is neverthelefs a connection betwixt faithful- 
 ness to the death, and the crown. And that, 
 
 1. In the purpofe of God, thofe of whom he has been 
 pleafed to make choice to life everlafting, to them he pur- 
 pofed to give grace in time ; and perfeverance in it to the 
 end; and then to crown grace with glory ; Rom. viii. 30. 
 u Moreover, whom he did predeltinate, them he alio 
 u called : And whom he called, them he alfo juftified : 
 €i And whom he juftified, them he alfo glorified. " 
 
 2. In the promife of God, " Be thou faithful unto 
 " death, and I will give thee a crown of life." A gra- 
 cious God, tho' he cannot make himfelf our debtor, has 
 neverthelefs been pleafed to make himfelf debtor to his 
 own faithfulnefs pledged in the promife. Hence faith the 
 Apoftle, u God is not unrighteous," that is, he is not 
 unfaithful " to forget your work and labour of love, 
 " which ye have fhewed toward his name, in that ye have 
 " miniftered to the faints, and do minifter," Heb. vi. 10. 
 The crown then is to be expected in the way of being 
 faithful; but not on the account of our faithfulnefs, but 
 on account of the free and faithful promife €f God con- 
 firmed with the precious blood of Jefus. 
 
 3. Laftly , There is a connection betwixt faithfulnefs • 
 and the enjoyment of the crown of life, in refpect of evi- 
 dence. When any are brought by grace to act faithfully 
 for Chrift, and enabled to hold out faithfully to the end ; 
 it is a comfortable evidence to themfelves, that theirs is 
 the kingdom of God. It has alfo a tendency in fome 
 meafure, to evidence it toothers; Rev. xxii. 14. " Blef- 
 " fed are they who do his commandments, that they may 
 " have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in 
 u through the gates unto the city." As if our Lord had 
 faid, bleffed are they who keep the commandments of 
 God, and by their fo doing, having evidenced themfelves 
 
 to 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 to be my real difciples and faithful fervants ; mall have 
 authority and dignity vouchfafed to them by my free 
 grant, to enter upon the full pofleflion of all the blefled 
 fruits which fpring from me the tree of life. But it is now 
 time we make fome improvement of the fubjecl, which 
 was the laft thing propofed in the method. And, 
 Theory? ufe of the doctrine may be of information : 
 i. Ihen, Is a call from Chrift to the work of the mi- 
 niftry neceffary in order to faithfulnefs to him in that work ? 
 Then we may fee what to think of fuch as rufh into the 
 minifterial function, without any proper call thereto. 
 There are many in our day, who aflume the character of 
 minifters unto themfelves, without any call whatfoever, 
 except it be fome enthufiaftical impulfe within themfelves. 
 And befides thefe, there are many who climb up into the 
 pulpit by the way of a prefentation, from one who, per- 
 % haps, is no friend either to Church or State ; and inftead 
 of waiting the call of thofe among whom they propofe to' 
 labour, How many intrude themfelves, or are intruded 
 upon the heritage of God, over the belly of all the oppo- 
 fition they have it in their power to make ? And with ma- 
 ny of them, the event in the cafe of the flock is, as our 
 Lord tells us it would prove, John x. 5. " A ftranger 
 ii will they not follow, but will flee from him : For they 
 <c know not the voice of ftrangers." Such as run unfent, 
 and they who hear them, would need ferioufly to confider 
 what the Spirit of God affirms concerning both, Jer. xxiii. 
 21. 32. " I have not fent thefe Prophets, yet they ran ; 
 V I have not fpoken to them, yet they prophefied. — Yet I 
 < ( fent them not, nor commanded them ; therefore they 
 € f fhall not profit this people at all, faith the Lord." 
 From the above texts, and many others which might be 
 mentioned; it is evident, that whatever the Lord may do 
 in fovereignty by the miniftry of fuch as have not his call ; 
 they who hear them, have no fcriptural ground upon 
 which they can expect to be profited by them : Nor can 
 they with confidence, pray for a, blefling upon their ad- 
 min iftrations. 
 
 2. We may fee that minifters who are carelefs about 
 the condition of their own fouls, can never be faithful to 
 
 our 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift. Tho' fuch may have gifts, and 
 not be altogether without fuccefs ; yet, they cannot be 
 faithful, nor have the eye fingle for the glory of God in 
 the duties they perform ; however good thofe may be as 
 to the matter of them. How can they, who are unten- 
 der of their own fouls, be really concerned for the wel- 
 fare of the fouls of others? How can fuch as neglect the 
 worfhip of God in their families, at lead in the morning, 
 recommend it to their hearers to offer unto God the morn- 
 ing and evening facrifke ? How can thofe, who can with 
 freedom go into, and join with the -company of promifcu- 
 ous dancers, recommend fobriety, chaftity and gravity to 
 their hearers ? And yet many fuch there are at this day, 
 who call themfelves the mimfters of Jefus. 
 
 3. We may fee what to think of fuch miniders as are 
 n&t concerned, to the utmoft of their power, to make 
 known the whole myftery of the gofpel, the whole coun- 
 fel of God to their hearers ; but keep upon general topics 
 of difcourfe, without entering into cafes of confcience, or 
 applying their doctrine againft the prevailing errors and 
 finful practices of the times ; and all this partly owing 
 to a carelefs difpofition, or fear of offending the gay and 
 faihionable part of their audience. While fuch lay out 
 themfelves thus to pleafe men, other than to their edifi- 
 cation ; they need to confider, that in fo far as this pre- 
 vails with them, they are ferving men, and not our Lord 
 Jefus, Gal. i. 10. " If I yet pleafed men, I ihould not 
 c< be the fervant' of Chrifr." 
 
 4. We may fee how culpable thofe minifters are, who 
 do not make it their itudy and endeavour, 10 lay the truths 
 of the gofpel plainly before their hearers ; but either . 
 through inattention, or a worfe principle ;" wrap up the 
 truths of the gofpel in obfcure and ambiguous phrafes, 
 and modes of expreffion, by which means, many who hear 
 them cannot be profited. This, with an affected nicenefs 
 in the manner of delivery, is what the Aponle Paul calls 
 preaching with the enticing words of man's wifdom, 1 Cor. 
 ii. 4. But what have the wifdom of words, and the en- 
 ticing words of man's wifdom to do in the matter of 
 preaching a crucified Chrift ? Seeing, there is no defign 
 
 "of 
 
( 4« ) 
 
 of God more obvious in the whole oeconomy of redempti- 
 on, than to confound carnal wifdoin. I fhall only obferve 
 here, that tho' an affected way of preaching the gofpel, 
 and the pains taken, by fome, to embellifh it with the 
 flowers of human rhetoric, may pleafe fome and offend 
 others, it can profit none ; being fuch a manner of 
 preaching Chrift, as is exprefsly difallowed by the Holy 
 Ghoft. 
 
 5. Does it belong to the character of faithful minifters 
 of Chrift, to bear teftimony to all his truths, ordinances 
 and inftitutions, and efpecially to fuch of them as are 
 cither oppofed or flighted in their day ? Then we may 
 fee what to think of fome who have of late got up amongft 
 us, who, tho> they profefs to oppofe themfelves to fome 
 of the finful meafures carried on by the judicatories of 
 our national Church, yet, quite overlook any particular 
 teftimony for the purity of dochrines, and are fo far from 
 bearing any teftimony for that form of government the 
 Lord Jefus appointed to be obferved in the Church, that 
 they are not aihamed to hold themfelves forth to the 
 world, as ready to hold minifterial and chriftian commu- 
 nion with Epifcopalians, Independents, or any elfe, whom 
 their charity may incline them to judge belong to the 
 houfehold of faith, as occafion may ferve, whatever 
 their principles be. Is this faithfully to ferve our Lord 
 Jefus ? Or yet to evidence that much boafted of charity 
 and Catholic love, either to the prefent or riung genera- 
 tion ? Or is it not to fay, either Chrift has not appointed 
 any certain form of Church-government ; or if he has, is 
 it not to fay, it is not worth the contending for, or taking 
 any particular notice of? But thole men may be ready to 
 fay, ar$. their not among the various denominations of 
 Chriftiaris, fuch as have communion with the Head ? 
 And if fo, we cannot refufe to receive them in 
 Church- communion alfo. We ihall only obferve as to 
 this, we are far from denying but there are among Epif- 
 copalians and Independents, fuch as really belong to the 
 houfehold of faith : And we as readily grant, that there 
 is an invifible union to, and communion with Chrift, which 
 are the privileges of all true believers ; and in virtue of 
 
 which, 
 
f 
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 -which, they are all unite to, and have communion with 
 one another in him. But this communion being altoge- 
 ther mvifible, fuch as the union is, it is very different 
 from that open and vifible communion men have toge- 
 ther in the facrament of the fupper ; which is not fo di- 
 reftly founded in real vital union to Chrift (which is the 
 privilege of true believers only,) as in a profeffed union 
 to him, and to one another in the truth ; being profefled- 
 ly a-oreed in and about the fame principles : So that it is 
 not only warrantable, but in a variety of cafes necefTary, 
 to refufe to hold facramental communion, even with fuch 
 as we may judge in charity do really belong to the Head. 
 And fo much the more we are perfuaded this is the cafe 
 with them, fo much the more are we bound in duty to 
 teftify againft w 7 hat is amifs, either in their principles or 
 practice, Gal. ii. 11. 12. and to withdraw from brethren 
 walking diforderly, whether in refpecT; of principle or 
 practice, is far from being inconfiftent with due refpecl 
 to .their perfons, or that charity the word of God calls 
 us to have for them ; which is, to wiih them as will in 
 foul, body, and eftate as ourfelves, and to be in readinefs 
 as occafion ferves, to aft toward them in a loving and 
 beneficent manner. 
 
 It may here further be obferved, that while thofe men 
 have given themfelves out to the world, as if they meant 
 in fome fort, to oppofe the progrefs of defection in our 
 mother church ; they have at the fame time, adopted fuch 
 terms of minifterial and chriftian communion as ihe would 
 yet be afhamed of. For tho' it may be perhaps alledged, 
 ihe refufes few, if any, into her communion who apply foh 
 admiflion : yet, ihe has not as yet gone all the length, in ■ 
 any judicative capacity, to invite Epifcopalians and Inde- 
 pendents to communion with her, in her fealing-ordinances. 
 6. We may fee the need minifters of the gofpel have 
 to exercife a needy dependence upon the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, and in the prayer of faith, to be much at the 
 throne of his grace, as ever they would be found faith- 
 ful. Their work is great, and who is fufficient for it ? 
 How great a matter is it for them to be faithful ? Faith- 
 ful to Chrift, to themfelves, and to the fouls of thofe 
 committed m their charge ? 
 
 7. iafibi 
 

 { 4S 
 
 7. bqftly, We may fee, that tho> the glory of God, 
 is that which we are firft and principally to have in our 
 eye, in , the whole of our conduct; yet, the profpecl of 
 the crown of life, is to be im proven in a believing man- 
 ner, as a fweet and powerful motive to excite us to the 
 duty of faithfulnefs in our feveral ftations. The lively 
 hope of falvation, is an able helmet- to the head in the 
 day of trial. " Be thou faithful unta deaths and I will 
 "'give, thee a crown of life. " 
 
 The fecond ufe may be of exhortation. And, 
 Ik ^ ir ft> ke. r us; who are in the ftation of minifters of the 
 gofpel, fuffer the word of exhortation. Be thou faithful 
 unto 4£ath ; and in order hereunto, 
 
 Let us, being fenfible of our own infufticiency for the 
 faithful difchai^re^ of our duty- to Chrift, ourfelves, the 
 Church in general, or* the particular flocks we ftand more 
 immediately connected with. I fay, let us be concerned 
 to maintain faith's dependence upon our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, for all that furniture and thcpugh-bearing we 
 neQJ in his work. Whatever we need is in him, and we 
 have his moft gracious promife to rely upon, that it mall 
 .be communicate according to our necessities, John. xiv. 
 13. " Whatfoever ye fliall aflc. the Father in my name, 
 u that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the 
 ." Son." 
 
 Let us ftudy to be more and more acquainted with the * 
 duties incumbent upon us in the difficult fphere in which 
 we are called to move, and for this end, let us be much 
 in the ftudy of the word of God, joined with fervent 
 -prayer. 
 
 Let us make Chrift crucified, the Alpha and Omega of 
 our preaching. Let it be our real and hearty concern, 
 to fet him before our hearers, as tha|»ood all T the promifes 
 contain, as the fulfilment of all the prophefies, and as* the 
 fubftance of all the types. Let us not be negligent iii 
 fliewing unto men^ their abfolute need of an intereft in 
 him, their hearty welcome to receive him with all his ful- 
 nefs, as the free gift of God to them. Let us alfo (hew 
 •them the way in which they can only come to be really 
 andiavingly interested in him, namely > their being brought 
 
 2ii: 
 
1 
 
 *r+W