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pared to the different shades of light in the colors of the rainbow that run into one another. "Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others." Sins derive their aggravation from the person offending. Unfaithfulness to God and his truth is no less offensive in a saint than in a sinner. Aaron's sin in making the golden calf was no less offensive that he was "the saint of God."

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On page 105, when speaking of the Act passed 1791, concerning public covenanting, it should have been noticed, that while that act was under consideration as an overture, the Presbytery, June 2d, 1786, agreed upon the following "Brief Vindication of the Duty and Seasonableness of Public Covenanting."

"They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten." (Jeremiah 1. 5.)

1. THE Church of Christ has, in all ages, and in all places of the earth, been the object of Satan's malice. Many cruel, and many subtle devices have, through his instigation, been devised against it. It is but a little flock; and its enemies are a whole world lying in wickedness. It is in perils, through infidels denying the Christian faith; in perils, through heretics perverting the gospel of Christ; in perils, through false brethren betraying the cause to which they profess themselves friends; in perils, through the lukewarmness or the cowardice of its own members, who often refuse to stand up, as they ought, in its own defence; and in perils, through that fire which is of men's own spirits, breaking forth in envy, strife, railings, and evil surmisings, frequently about questions which are of no moment, and which have no foundation in the scriptures. But the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. A troop may seem to overcome it; but it shall overcome at last. It is like the bush in which the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses; burning, yet not consumed.

2. Christ's little flock is, at this time, grievously scattered. It wanders through the mountains, as having no shepherd; and is become a prey to all the beasts of the field. But he has not lost sight of it. "Behold, I, saith he, I will both search my sheep and find them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep, that are scattered so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." He, who, in the day of his holy indignation at the treachery and

* See Mr. Anderson's Sermon on Prov, xiv. 27.

wickedness of those who professed to be his people, hath scattered Israel, will, in loving kindness and in mercy, gather him and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. Come, then, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain, upon the earth.

3. The Lord is saying, Go through, go through the gates, prepare ye the way of the people. Cast up, cast up, the high way, gather out the stones, lift up a standard for the people. In much weakness, and in the midst of many temptations, this Presbytery have endeavored to do as he hath commanded. We have, according to the measure of understanding and judgment given to us, pointed out the way, in which we, as a church, ought to renew our solemn covenant engagements to the Lord; and we entreat all who desire to be found faithful witnesses for Him, to the present and to succeeding generations, that they would lay this matter to heart.

4. We are not devising any new path. The way, in which we desire to go, is that in which the Lord led his people who have gone before us. If, through weakness, we walk slowly, and are often like to halt; it is our consolation, that the Lord Jesus has a tender regard to the weak, and has promised, that they who wait on him shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

5. To deter people from giving attention to any thing said by us, they are told, that we are very few in number, only two or three ministers belonging to this Presbytery. As to this, it may be replied, that seeing the greater part of the generation are either like the Samaritans, who opposed the building of the walls of Jerusalem, or like the nobles of Tekon, who put not their necks to the work of their Lord; it is no just cause of reproach to us; that we are few in number. It is better to stand fast in the profession of our faith, though we should, for this, be gazed at, and counted fools, than to follow a multitude in a gradual apostacy from it. The promise of Christ has the same gracious aspect towards a few, as towards a greater number: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

6. The duty we recommend, as particularly seasonable at this time, has been much opposed: and there is not less hatred towards it in the present age, than in these which are past. We may lay our account that enemies will stand in our way, as we set forward to it. But can we expect, that any thing in which the glory of God, and the prosperity of his church is concerned, will pass unopposed in this evil world? Certainly not; or the enmity of the serpent must cease; his agents must lay down the weapons wherewith they fight against God; and the corruption of the saints must be so entirely destroyed, that no one of them shall speak, as Peter once did, favoring rather the things which are of men, than the things which are of God.

7. Through the mercy of the Lord, a very small remnant may yet be found asking the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward. Such we would intreat to consider, whence the objections to public covenanting have formerly and of late proceeded. The first opposers of it were men who had set their faces toward Rome: The next, such as had

turned aside from the faith and order of the most purely reformed. churches, and knew not where to fix; but passed from sect to sect, and added error to error. And, at all times, but especially of late, this duty hath been spoken against by men of Gallio's disposition, who have lightly esteemed the truths and ordinances of Christ, have boasted of their neu trality in the great controversy between God and Bual; and have preferred their worldly interest, and the praise of men, to the cross and reproach of Christ. Such have the leaders been, in the opposition of which we now speak. That some others of a better character have been found in their company, we will not deny; but, as they have been drawn by the enemies of Christ to a joining with them in opposing one part of their duty, there is reason to fear lest they be more and more ensnared. One wrong step makes way for another; those, who once depart from the straight path, know not how far they may wander from it. Where the beginning of apostacy seems small, the end is often fearful. Of this, ancient and modern times afford many remarkable instances.

8. The tendency of the objections made against a public vowing to the Lord ought to be considered. The enemy is drawing the simple into a dreadful gulf; but lest the sight of it should affright them, he is studious to keep them from looking forward to it. By the same arguments that public vows and covenants are opposed, confessions of faith are removed out of the way all distinction between the friends and enemies of Christ is destroyed; and a foundation, not of God, is laid for uniting in one church all who bear the Christian name. Those who preach another gospel, a counterfeit of that which we have received, and those whose principles are a very compound of ancient and modern heresies, not excepted.

9. Ever since the design of drawing the Reformed churches back into the kingdom of the Romish Antichrist was so blasted, as to leave the enemy little or no hope from that quarter, strong and subtile efforts have been made to remove them from the foundation on which they stand to another side. Once reverence for antiquity was used as a pretence to recommend superstition, and to enforce submission to prelates acting as lords over God's heritage. To the confusion of Rome and its allies, it has been made manifest that we follow the true antiquity, building on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, of which Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner. Now, regard to the scripture, and the advantage of judging freely for ourselves, is used as a pretence to turn us aside from the footsteps of them who have, in faith and patience, followed Christ through tribulation, and are at rest with him in glory. It is our own fault, and must be very hurtful to us, if we are ignorant of Satan's devices, how he would carry us to the right and to the left hand of the Lord's way, solicitous only to keep us out of it. The Judge of all will determine, whether those who keep the old path in which our reforming ancestors walked, or those who have chosen new ways for themselves, pay most regard to the scripture; and Christians may, upon a fair examination, easily discern, in whose writings and sermons there is most of the style and spirit of the scripture.

10. It has been often said, and it will perhaps at this time be repeated, "That there were great confusions and tumults among our ancestors in times of covenanting; that many of them acted deceitfully; and that they are no friends either to the church or the state, who attempt to revive what has been, as many think so happily buried." We an

swer, That confusions and tumults will ever arise from the malice of Satan, and the corruption of men, fighting against the kingdom of Christ. He has forewarned us of these. I am come, says he, to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled? Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, nay, but rather division. The preaching of the gospel among the Gentiles occasioned great confusions and tumults in places where all was in peace before. Were the apostles of Christ, therefore, the authors of these disturbances? Verily, no. But Satan stirred up earth and hell against them, as he has done ever since, against those who have succeeded them in the work of the gospel, especially against those who were most faithful, active and resolute in the cause of God. When the walls of Jerusalem are building, will the enemies of Judah be quiet? We may challenge our adversaries to show us what good and useful work ever the Lord's servants were engaged in, and were not at the same time constrained to act like Nehemiah's builders, holding a weapon for defence in the one hand, and working with the other. Christ is not less precious to them who believe, that one of his disciples betrayed him; that another denied him; and that a tumultuous assembly cried, Away with him, crucify him. Nor is the rash zeal which oftener than once appeared in some of his disciples, any discredit to the cause they were engaged in. Some marks of imperfection will adhere to the actings of the most wise and upright men on earth; and as Christ was opposed, in the same manner will his servants be; they must suffer with him. And, as the weakness and mistakes of those who followed him, and the treachery of some who once professed to follow him, did not excuse an opposition to him, while he was on earth; so, neither will any thing of that kind excuse an opposition to his cause at this time. Many of the Israelites kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; but who will affirm, that this was a sufficient reason for others to contemn the oath they were under to the Lord God of their fathers, and to deny that public covenanting was a duty?

11. We have heard, say some, more of the making than of the keeping of such covenants as these you plead for. So it may be. The history of the Jewish church may satisfy one in speaking thus of the covenants entered into by it. What then? We have heard more about the preaching of the gospel, than about profiting by it. Shall we, therefore, thrust it out of doors? Nay, but as many have revolted from their professed subjection to the Lord, and made light of the offers of his mercy, let us take heed, lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

12. As for what is alleged, that, in acknowledging and renewing our covenant engagements to the Lord, we manifest ourselves to be no friends to the peace of civil society. It is an old calumny cast upon the prophets and apostles: the former were represented as the troublers of Israel; the latter, as men who turned the world upside down. Our Lord Jesus himself did not escape it; his enemies cried out, saying to Pilate, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Cæsar. In almost every age and nation, Christians have suffered under it; we may, therefore, patiently bear it. Only, we may observe, that they are not always the most peaceable and orderly themselves, who make this complaint. It was a seditious rabble who, in Thessalonica, and in other places, were the first to accuse the apostles of sedition. The kingdom of Christ is

not of this world; and no carnal weapons belong to it. The powers of the earth can suffer no injury from it, except in so far as they may dash themselves in pieces in attempting to destroy it. In that day, saith the Lord, I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people. All that burden themselves with it, shall be cut to pieces; though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. When the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed; they are warned, that he who sitteth in the heaven shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then shall he speak to them in wrath, and vex them in his hot displeasure. If they set themselves to oppose the claim our Lord Jesus has to the heathen, who were given him for an inheritance, and to the uttermost parts of the earth, which are, by the same eternal charter, his possession; he will break them with a rod of iron; he will dash them in pieces, like a potter's vessel.

13. It is urged against us, that many wise and pious men are very opposite to us in their views, particularly about public covenanting. Be it so; our faith does not stand in the supposed wisdom or piety of men. The more rational and moderate sort of Papists readily allow, that the Pope of Rome may err; but allege, that a general council of such as they esteem wise and pious men, is infallible. How nearly is the doctrine, now current among many Protestants, allied to this? The general consent of such as they esteem good men, must give a sanction to truth and duty; and so far as this extends, according to them, we may contend for the one, and practice the other; but no farther. This principle leads away from the word of God; and makes it our guide, only so far as men of some character in the church, agree concerning the mind of the Holy Spirit in it. It is a principle which must proceed either from a sinful fear, lest we offend men, or from an ambitious desire to gain their esteem. It could never have prevailed so much as it has done, if professors of Christianity had not, in a great measure, lost a sense of their duty to the Lord Jesus, the King and Head of the church, and of the inestimable value of all these things contained in that testament confirmed by his death; every article of which (the least not ex. cepted) is worth more than we can possibly lose in contending for it. An heathen could observe, that his friends were dear to him; the truth still dearer; and his observation, which has been often repeated, as a just maxim worthy to be adopted by every man, carries in it a reproof to those who do not pay so much regard to what concerns the Doctrine and Order of the Church of Christ, as he did to some philosophical speculations.

14. But, after all that the adversaries of public covenanting have to say about good men who are on their side, they can not reasonably ask us, To which of the saints will ye turn? A great cloud of witnesses will be found, bearing testimony to that despised cause for which we now plead, and resisting unto blood, rather than they would consent to the least step of defection from it. Let their holiness of life, their acquaintance with the mystery of godliness, and their faithfulness in the service of Christ, be examined as narrowly as may be, from the most credible accounts of the times in which they lived. To Christians not carried away by prejudice, it will appear, that, in the present generation, there is a great falling off; so that we may cry, Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men; and the testimony of such as, through ignorance, or through the

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