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and particularly when they profane the table of the Lord, by unworthy communicating: "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not difcerning the Lord's body: for this cause many are weak and fickly among you, and many fleep," 1 Cor. xi. 30. Many are punished with fudden death for their finful way of fhewing forth the Lord's death, yet all in mercy to his own; for, though he pardon their fin, he takes vengeance on their inventions.

IV. The fourth thing we propofed was, To give the reasons why he faves and fhews mercy in fuch terrible and wrathful ways.

1. It is out of a gracious defign; particularly to caufe them to feek his face: "In their affli&tion they fhall feek me early," Hofea v. 15. God's own people are fometimes ready to carry ftrangely towards him and he faith of them, Jer. xii. 9. "Mine heritage is unto me as a fpeckled bird: the birds round about are against her. Come up, affemble all the beafts of the field: come to devour." He bringeth them into captivity. But notice how he speaks of them elsewhere, Song ii. 4. "O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the fecret places of the ftairs: let me fee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for fweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely." He makes his fpeckled bird fly to the clefts of the rock.

2. It is to inftruct them, that they may have experimental knowledge, what it is to want him, and what it is to enjoy him: "Then mine anger fhall be kindled against them in that day; and I will forfake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they fhall be devoured, and many evils and troubles fhall befal them, fo that they will fay in that day, Are not thefe evils come upon us, becaufe our God is not among us," Deut. xxxi. 17. It is faid, Hof viii. 2. "Ifrael fhall fay unto me, My God, we know thee," namely, experimentally know. It is to inftruct them of the evil of fin, fo as to be purged from it; "By this fhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away fin," Ifa. xxvii. 9.

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3. That

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3. That his people may understand more fully the love of our Lord Jefus Chrift toward them; and that they may know or guefs at the greatness of the affliction and trouble that the Lord Jefus underwent; who fuffered the wrath of God for our fake, and in our room: "He was wounded for our tranfgreffions; he was bruifed for our iniquities; the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with his ftripes we are healed."

4. That all may know that God will not spare sin, even in his own: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore will I punifh you for your iniquities," Amos iii. 7. And this he doth in a conformity to his promise, Pfal. Ixxxix. 30,-34. "If his children forfake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my ftatutes and keep not my commandments; then will I vifit their tranfgreffions with the rod, and their iniquities with ftripes: nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness to fail; my covenant will I not break, nor alter the word that is gone out of my lips." See Deut. xxviii. 58, 59.

5. He faves and fhews mercy in ways terrible and wrathful, that his mercy towards them may be wonderful and astonishing. When they are brought to the mouth of the pit, to the brink of deftruction, to the midst of the furnace of wrath, and then plucked as brands out of the burning, how wonderful and aftonishing is his mercy! And how do they ftand amazed, crying, "Is this the manner of man!" Then he gives them beauty for afhes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garments of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs."

6. He fhews mercy in ways terrible, that his mercy may appear the more amiable. Mercy at any rate is defirable and lovely; but mercy in the midft of wrath and terrible tempefts, O how sweet is it! Light is precious when it fhines out of darknefs; fo is mercy when it arifes out of wrath.

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V. The fifth thing propofed was, the application of this point; which we fhall effay in a few inferences.

1. Hence fee with what awful reverence we ought to compass the altar of God, and to approach to a com

munion-table; our God is a confuming fire; a God of terrible majefty, as well as of tender mercy, "Let a man examine himself," and prepare himself, that he provoke not God, by unworthy communicating, to dif play his wrath inftead of mercy.

2. Let all the children of God be cautious and circumfpect though the Lord will fave them; yet he hath terrible ways of doing it. of doing it. If they provoke their Father to anger, he may write bitter things against them, run upon them like a lion, and break them with breach upon breach: "You only have I known of all the families. of the earth; therefore will I punish you for your iniquities," Amos iii. 7. You walk upon pinnacles; none in all the world have more need to walk exactly.-You are expofed to dangerous temptations, both from yourfelves and from the devil: in yourfelves, from the corruption and pride of your nature: and the lion of hell will be upon you with his utmost violence; for he conftantly goes about feeking whom he may devour.

3. Let the wicked tremble to meet with the great and terrible God. If he be fo terrible to his own, what may they expect who are his enemies! "If the righteous fhall fcarcely be faved, where fhall the wicked and ungodly appear?" When God comes even in mercy to his people, they have not been able to bear it, Exod. xx. 19. Thus Mofes faid, "I exceedingly fear and quake," Heb. xii. 21.—John fell down dead, Rev. i. 17. When God appears in mercy to his people, if there be but one bright beam of his majefly fhining forth, it cannot be borne, it is fo terrible; if that bright beam of his majelly make them tremble, what will become of you when he appears in his wrath, when the terrible stream of fire and brimftone fhall iffue from his awful throne! It is faid of him, even when he fits as a refiner and purifier, 'Who shall abide the day of his coming!' Mal.iii. 2. How will he then burn up the chaff! O but finners in Zion fhall be afraid, fearfulness fhall furprise the hypocrites, Ifaiah xxxiii. 14. If the faints may have the fentence of death in themselves, 2 Cor. i. 8. and if this be terrible, how will the execution of the fentence of

death

death everlasting, terribly torment the wicked for e

ver!

4. Since the door of hope is yet open, hence let not terrible times, and terrible difpenfations, create defperate thoughts; fince God faves in terrible ways, look to mercy in the midft of wrath: for, "He multiplies to pardon, and keeps mercy for thousands."

SERMON

SERMON

CXLVIII.

WISDOM'S WAYS PLEASANTNESS, and HER

PATHS PEACE.*

PROV. iii. 17.

Wifdom's ways are ways of pleafantnefs, and all ber paths are peace.

S

As the way of religion is a fafe and fure way,

AS

Prov. x. 9. fo here it is defcribed to be a sweet and pleasant way. Several other characters are given of Wisdom's ways, in the preceding verses, which are as fo many arguments to feek after true wifdom, and after Chrifl, the effential wifdom of the Father. The happiness of these who find wifdom, is tranfcendent happinefs; far exceeding all that can be found in this world, ver. 14, 15. It is true happinefs, including all thofe things which are fuppofed to make man happy, ver. 16, 17. Wisdom is here reprefented as a bright and beautiful queen, diftributing gifts to her loving fubjects; fuch as length of days, even everlasting life; riches and honours. Here are true riches, the unfearchable riches of Chrift; true honours, "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour;" yea, tho' they were in this world buried in obfcurity, they will in the next, fhine forth as the fun. Here is true pleafure; Her ways are ways of pleasantness.

*This fubject was profecuted in five difcourfes: It was begun in the Author's own church, at Dunfermline, on Thurfday the 24th of Sept. 1730. and afterwards enlarged on, we are told, and finished at a facramental occafion, a little before his death.

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