A Goodly Heritage

Now, for the condition of the Church, know sin to be the great obstruct or of its peace, making Him to withdraw His hand, and hide His face, and to turn away His ear from our prayers, and loath our fasts: as Isa. i. 15, and Her. xiv. 12. The quarrel stands; sin not repented of and removed. The wall is still standing; oaths, and Sabbath-breaking, and pride, and oppression, and heart-burnings still remaining. Oh, what a noise of religion and reformation! All sides are for the name of it, and how little of the thing! The Gospel itself is despised, grown stale, as trivial doctrine. Oh, my beloved, if I could speak many hours without intermission, all my cry would be, Repent and pray. Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord our God. Oh, what walls of every one's sin are set to it! Dig diligently to bring down thine own; and for those huge walls of public national guiltinesses, if thou canst do nothing to them more, compass them about as Jericho, and look up to Heaven for ...

In a short time there will (we have reason to fear) remain but two kinds of persons among us, either those who think not at all, or those whose imaginations are active indeed, but continually evil. Of these latter it may be said, "Their foolish heart was darkened." Of the principles, I do not say of the detail, of political science, a sound theology is the only sure and steady basis. Now we trace the operations by which a destruction so extended in its consequences has been effected. The master-spring of every principle which can permanently secure the stability of a people is the fear and knowledge of Almighty God. The first operation of a principle of atheism, and perhaps one of the most formidable in its consequences, is that which leads political men to conceive of Christianity as a mere auxiliary to the State. Religion was not instituted (in the Divine council I mean) for the purpose of society and government, but society and government for the purposes of religion. As a...

people: It is not unfit that you should hear of ministers work, and duty, and difficulties. You see that all is of your concealment. All things are for your sakes, as the apostle saith in another case. Then only I entreat you, 1. Pity us. We are not angels, but men of like passions with yourselves. Be fuller of charity than of censure. We have all that you have to do about •the saving of our own souls; and a great work besides about 'the saving of yours. We have all your difficulties as Christians; and some that you are not acquainted with, that are "Only ministers' temptations and trials. • . 2. Help us in our work. If you can do any thing, help us in the wok of winning souls. What can we do, say you? O! a great deal. Be won to Christ, and we are made. Make haste to heaven, that you and we may meet joyfully before the throne of God and the Lamb. Robert Traill

You that are ministers, suffer a word of exhortation. Men, brethren,, and.fathers, you are called.to.an h;gh and holy calling. Your work is full of danger, full of duty, and full of mercy. You are called to the winning of souls; an employment near a-kin unto our Lord's work, the saving of souls; and the nearer your spirits be in conformity to his holy temper and frame, the fitter you are for, and the more fruitful you shall be in your work. None of you are ignorant of the begun departure of our glory, and the daily advance of its departure, and the sad appearances of the Lord's being about to leave us utterly. Should not these signs of the times rouse up ministers unto greater seriousness? What can be the reason of this sad observation, That when formerly a few lights raised up in the nation, did shine so as to scatter and dispel the darkness of popery in a little time; yet now when there are more, and more learned men amongst us, the darkness comes on apace? Is It not because...

A doctor of divinity, of singular learning and piety, sent his maid to the market, to..get provision for the following week: But all the money he and his wife could make, was but five shillings ; his wife fell a weeping, and told her husband, that there was likelihood they could live.together, and that therefore she would take one or two of her children with her, and live among her friends, if he Could provide for himself and the rest of his children? Nay, dear wife, said he, we have lived thus long together, let not us now part, let us rely on God's providence: She in her grief and haste answered, Well, send providence to market, and see what it will bring home. It was so that day, a nobleman, who knew this doctor very well, dining with divers gentlemen at an inn, looking out of the window, saw the doctor's maid, whom being an ancient servant, he knew, and sent for her up, asking her how her master did; she answered, very well, and fell a weeping; he enquiring the cause, she t...

THE LOW AND AFFLICTED STATE OF THE CHURCH. 1. She is deeply distressed; and the language of Divine compassion towards her is, "Oh thou afflicted!" Piety exempts from future wrath, but not from present trouble. Saints have their afflictions in common with others. 2. The Church of God is also described as being "tossed with tempests," like a ship driven from her anchors, carried to and fro by the boisterous waves, and ready every moment to be swallowed up. A storm at sea also well represents the terrors of an awakened conscience, and the agonies of a mind in deep distress; when awful providences are joined with inward darkness, so that one trouble excites and sharpens another. 3. The Church is afflicted, "and not comforted." Sometimes light arises out of darkness, and God comforts His people in all their tribulations: but here every species of relief is withheld. II. THE COMPASSION OF GOD TOWARDS HIS AFFLICTED PEOPLE, AND THE PROMISE MADE FOR THEIR RELIEF...