not only David's Son, but David's Lord and God; and as the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, not the God of the Dead, but of the Living; would you perfift in thefe Atheistical Tenets, concerning the Refurrection of the Body, the Being of Souls? No, no. The Question then is applicable to all that Sort of People: Ye that are Atheists, Deifts, and damnably erroneous Free-thinkers, O what think ye of Christ? No Doubt, with Herod and his Men of War, you fet him at nought: But O, will you think again and recal your Thoughts? let them fix upon Chrift a while, and you fhall find all the Truths of the Bible cleared and vindicated, by him who is the Truth itself; and that this eternal Son of God is fent from the Father, of Purpose to confirm them by his Doctrine, Life, Death and Refurrection. Again, (4.) View the Queftion, with Refpect to its general Defign, which is (together with all other Scriptures) the Profit of allto whom it comes, for their Reproof, Correction, or Inftruction in Righteoufnefs, 2 Tim. iii. 16. and for convincing of Sinners, or confirming of Saints: And fo it comes to all and every one of us, Minifters or People, High and Low, Rich and Poor, what think ye of Chrift? And here I have Occafion to look round about me, and afk the Queftion at all and every one that hears me; and indeed we may begin first at ourfelves. O we that are Minifters, what think we of Chrift? Is he the Son and Lord of David, the eternal Son of God? Surely we cannot think, or speak, or preach too much of Chrift. It is our Honour, if we can fay, We preach not ourselves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord; and that to us, who are the least of all Saints (may fome of us fay) fhould this grace be given, to preach among the Gentiles the Unfearchable Riches of Chrift: But, while we fpeak of Chrift to others, what do we think of Chrift ourselves? To be fure, if we do not think of Chrift as we ought, we will not fpeak of Chrift as we ought. Chrift in the Heart, and Chrift in the Mouth, make right Preaching. If any preach Chrift out of Envy, as the Apoftle fays, it is G

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well that Chrift is preached; but as it must be but heartless bungling Work to fuch, fo they would do well to confider, that the Queftion is not, What preach ye of Chrift? but, What think ye of Chrift? Again, Oye that are the People, What think ye of Chrift? whatever be your State or Condition, Sex or Quality,the Question comes to you; and let none of you dare to neglect the pondering on it, when Chrift himself is pofing you with it, what think ye of Chrift? Ye that are Magiftrates, or in Places of Power, Truft and Authority, what think ye of Chrift? Are you employing your Power for Chrift, and his Cause and Intereft? Ye that are Mafters, or Miftreffes of Families, what think ye of Chrift? Is it the Language of your Soul, As for me and my Houfe we will ferve the Lord? Are you defiring with Abraham to command your Children, and your Houfhold after you, to keep the Ways of the Lord, and praying for them, and inftructing them in the Knowledge of Christ ? Again, Ye that are Children under your Parents, O what think ye of Chrift? Whofe Son is he? Do you know him to be the Son of David, and the Son of GOD too? And would it not be your great Happiness, to be the Sons and Children of God in him? Your Father and Mother may die, and leave you, therefore it is your best to seek an Interest in him to be your everlafting Father.

Ye that are Servants, what think ye of Chrift? Would you have him for your Mafter and Lord? Is it not the greatest Honour to be his Servants, who is David's Lord? He that was David's Son, was David's Mafter; and as David in Spirit called him Lord, fo, fhould not all that is within you call him Lord? Serve your Mafters honeftly, but let him who is the Lord of Lords be a Mafter above all Mafters to you. Ye that are Tradefmen, what think ye of Chrift? Have you no Trading with Heaven? Does your Civil Trade in a World take up all your Thoughts? Surely it is either an unlawful Trade, or unlawfully ufed, that cannot confift with this Christian Trade of giving the Chief of your Thoughts to him, that is the Chief among

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Ten thousand. Ye that are Hufbandmen, what think ye of Chrift? Do you think more of your Ploughs and Oxen, or Corn and Cattle, and Barns and Goods,than of glorious Chrift? Do you not know, whether you be Tenants, Feuars or Freeholders, that you are Tenants to him, and hold your All of him? Are you more taken up in thinking of a great Crop, or a good Harveft, than of him who is the Lord of the Harveft, both in a natural and spiritual Sense, and Lord of all that you have? Ye that are mean Cotters, what think ye of Chrift? Wo's me, does your Cotehoufe, and your Cow, and your Kail-yard, ly nearer your Heart than precious Chrift? O! if you were acquainted with Communion with him, you would find a mean Cottage with Chrift better than a princely Palace without him. Ye that are poor Beggars, what think ye of Chrift? To the Poor the Gospel is preached; to you is Chrift and his unfearchable Riches offered; but I fear there are fome of you think more of a Half-penny than you think of Chrift: Everlafting Poverty and Mifery will be your Portion, if your Thoughts be not changed and renewed. You come to Communion-Occafions only to beg Alms, not knowing that then you are at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, where you might get an Alms that would enrich you for ever. You have the Art of begging from Men, and from Door to Door, but perhaps you never think of begging at Chrift's Door: O will you begin to think, and to think of Christ, before the Door of Mercy be shut! Again, ye that are rich, and wealthy in the World, What think ye of Chrift? Hath he given you Riches, think you, to fteal away your Hearts from him, or rather to improve them for, and confecrate them to his Honour, and for the Good of others, especially of the Houfhold of Faith? Men may court your Favour, but you are to be pitied, as a poor miferable Wretch, if you have your Portion only in this Life; tho' you had all the Gold of Ophir, without Chrift you have nothing but a Shadow, you are deftitute of the true Substance. You that

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that are wife, mighty or noble, what think ye of Chrift? May it not startle you a little, that he hath faid, Not many wife Men after the Flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chofen the foolish, weak, bafe and defpicable Things of the World: You have no Reason to defpair, for he hath not faid not any of them; but yet you have Reason to think where you are, for he hath faid not many of them: And indeed, as an Evidence of this, look to the great Men of our Day, you'll fee, that the Generality of the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland and England, they think very little of Christ. You that are Scholars and Students, what think ye of Chrift? what will all the Wisdom and Literature, liberal Arts and Sciences, and beft Accomplishments in the World avail you, without Chrift? They will qualify you to be more eminent Servants to the Devil, and his Intereft, if you learn not Chrift together with them. You may be Students of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, Students of Philofophy, Aftronomy, Aftrology, Geography, and Mathematicks, yea, and Students of Divinity too; and yet lofe all your Pains, if you do not ftudy Chrift. Ye that are ignorant and illiterate Perfons, what think ye of Chrift? It may be ye cannot read the Bible; you was never at a School: your Parents died when you were young,or elfe were poor, and could not,or gracelefs, and would not set you to the School; or if you can read, that is all: You know not fo much as the first Principles of the Doctrine of Chrift, and can hardly tell whofe Son he is. If you could be brought this Day to think highly of Chrift, then fhould you know, and follow on to know the Lord. O neglect not henceforth the Means of the Knowledge of Chrift; if you learn of him, he will make you wifer than the reft of the World, for as far behind as you are, even wife unto Salvation. Ye that are old Men and Women, what think ye of Chrift? How many Thousands and Millions of Thoughts have you beftowed upon the Devil, the World and your Lufts, and Idols in your Time, which would have been better bestowed upon Chrift,

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and the Concerns of your eternal Salvation? And now, that Death, Judgment and Eternity are hard at Hand, O, how can you think of going down to the Grave, and in to an everlafting State, without being in Cafe to answer this Question to Purpose, What think ye of Chrift? Ye-that are young Men and Women, what think ye of Chrift? Ye are now in the Flower of your Age; O, fhall not Chrift have the Flower of your Thoughts, that according to the Father's Promife to him, he may have the Dew of his Youth, by your Dedicating to him the Dew of your Youth,and fleeing all youthful Lufts? Ye that are Bairns and Little-ones, Lads and Laffes, Boys and Girls, capable to think, O what think ye of Chrift? Alas, Bairns (to fay a Word to you) you may fee what ill Hets you have, that make you think more of little Plays and Trifles, Nignays, and Butterflies, than you think of Chrift: You mind any Thing fooner than your Creator or Redeemer, whom God calls you to remember in the Days of your Youth. Therefore, after this, when you are playing, will you think more of praying? for God fays, I love them that love me, and they thatJeek me early fhall find me: And think more of reading the Bible, like young Timothy, who, from a Child, knew the holy Scriptures. In a Word, if there be any Body here that thinks I have mift them, know that the Queftion is to all and every one of you, What think ye of Chrifl? O graceless World! How unworthily do you think of Chrift? The covetous Man thinks more of a groat than of Chrift, like Demas. Ambitious Men think more of a Hát than of Chrift; like Haman, or as Saul, who faid to Samuel, Honour me before the People. The voluptuous Man thinks more of a bafe Luft, than of Chrift. Drunkard thinks more of a hearty Cup, than of Chrift. The glutton thinks more of a hearty Meal, than of Christ. The proud Man thinks more of himself, than of Chrift. Pride of Righteoufnefs thinks. more of Prayers, and Attendance on Ordinances, than of Chrift. Pride of Grace thinks more of a good Frame

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