help in time of trouble, and to give present comfort in time of discouragement: he is not far off, he dwells in Mount Zion. 66 $6 66 66 Remark 6. "That it is matter of wonder and lamentation, to all the children of God, both ministers " and people, that the power of religion, and true piety, "should be such a rarity, and exposed to such contempt in a sinful world, and especially in Israel; and "yet so it is, Isa. lxvi. 5. "Hear the word of the Lord, 66 ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, let "the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." Where we see it is no new thing, for the godly to be persecuted for Christ's name, even in Israel, by men that pretend conscience, and a zeal for the honour and glory of God, and the good and welfare of the church; and who prosecute their hatred and despite with all the formality of devotion: Christ doth explain this, John xvi. 2. "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service."--So much shall suffice for the remarks I premise for the explication of the text. I come now, II. To adduce some scripture passages for the confirmation of the doctrine, namely, That as it hath been, so it is still the lot of Christ and his friends, whether ministers; or people, who bear his image, to be held as monsters; hated, condemned, reproached, and wondered at. You may see both Old and New-Testament instances of it. In the Old-Testament, see an instance of it in David, Psal. lxxi. 7. "I am as a wonder unto many."-See an instance of it in the Old-Testament believers and church, mentioned Psal. cxxiii. 3, 4. " Have mercy upon us, O Lord; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt; our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.”—See an instance of it in Joshua and his fellows, Zech. iii. 8, Hear now, O Joshua, the high-priest, thou and thy fellows, that sit before thee; for they are men wondered at."-You may turn over to the New-Testament, and see an instance of it in the believing Hebrews, Heb. x. 33. "We were made a gazing-stock both by reproach and affliction."-We see an instance of it in all the primitive Christians, Acts xxviii. 22. "For as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against."-And we see an instance of it in the flower of the flock, CHRIST himself, the Captain of the host, Luke ii. 34. "Behold this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against." Christ is the rejected stone, Psal. cxviii. 22. Enduring the contradiction of sinners against himself," Hebrews xii. 3. 66 I might here demonstrate the truth of the doctrine, by an induction of particulars, shewing how Christ and his Father, his spirit and his word, his servants and people, and his religion itself, hath been signs and wonders for reproach. 1. CHRIST himself hath been spoken against and reproached.They spake against his person, as base and contemptible. "Having no form or comeliness," Isa. liii. 22.-They spake against his preaching, as false, factious, senseless, and seditious, John vii. 12. Luke xxii. 2. and xvi. 14.—They reproached and spoke against his miracles, as done in confederacy with Beelzebub the prince of devils, Matth. xii. 24.-They spoke against his morals, charging him with blasphemy against God, profanation of the Sabbath, as a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.-They spoke against his followers, as a company of ignorant despicable people, John vii. 48, 49.-They reproached him in his offices; in his teaching office, when they challenged him to prophecy who smote him; in his saving office, when they challenged him to save himself, as he had saved others: in his ruling office, when they challenged him to prove himself the king of the Jews, by coming down from the cross. It is long since the world thus spake against him, and reproached him and that he was held for a sign and a wonder in Israel, and was spoken against even in Israel. But are there none that speak against and reproach him to this day, even when he is exalted to the place of glory and power? Yea, How do the Jews speak against him still, in all these, and many other respects?-How Do the Mahometans speak against him, while they prefer their base impostor into his room?-Again, how are Arians and Socinians daily speaking against Christ, as if he was a mere man, though he thought it no robbery to be equal with God?-How do Quakers and enthusiasts speak against him, as if he was a mere nothing, an empty name, setting up, we know not what sort of a Christ with them, instead of that Jesus that was crucified at Jerusalem ?-How do Atheists and Deists speak against him, as if he was a mere cheat; accounting the religion he hath established, a great imposture; and his gospel a jest?-How do profane and ignorant persons speak against him, as if our Beloved was no more than another beloved? saying, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved?"How do Latitudinarians speak reproachfully against him, as if he was a minister of sin? How do Legalists speak against him, as if he alone was not the Lord our righteousness?-How do Papists speak against him, and reproach him? They make him but a false Christ by their doctrine. They' spoil him of his true manhood; holding that Christ's body is not only in heaven, but really and substantially in all places wherever the sacrifice of the mass is offered: thus they make it omnipresent; and take away the very nature of a body. They reproach him in, and rob him of, his offices. They degrade him from his prophetical office; making the Pope the infallible judge of all controversies. They degrade him from his priestly office, which consists in satisfaction and intercession: they nullify his satisfaction, by joining therewith the satisfaction of man's works, as if his were imperfect without that and they rob him of his intercession, communi- . cating, the same to saints; yea, they exalt the Virgin Mary far above Christ, in this work; for they pray her to ask the Father, to command Christ her Son, by the authority of a mother, to do thus and thus for them. So much is evident from the genuine popish tenets, out of the Rhemish Testament*. Yea, they also degrade him from his kingly office, by placing the Pope in his room and stead, as his deputy, in his presence; while : * A Popish translation of the Bible. they give power to the Pope, to rule the Catholic church, to pardon sins, and make laws to bind men's consciences; which are things proper to Christ alone; whereby they take the crown off Christ's head, and set it on the Pope's: for, to claim regency, in the presence of the lawful prince, is to proclaim rebellion against the prince; because commission of vice-regency ceases in the presence of him that appoints it: now, Christ is always present with his church, Matth. xxvii. 20. And, therefore, the Pope, by his claim, must needs thrust Christ out of his offices. And, alas! what a lamentable thing is it, by the bye, that this damnable doctrine spreads so much even in this island; particularly in the north of Scotland, where, we understand, the popish mass is as solemnly celebrate, as we attend upon these divine ordinances? And as Episcopacy was the very ground-work, and foundationstone, upon which popery was at first erected; so, what matter of lamentation is it, that popish ceremonies, maintained in the Episcopal church, are so much affected; whereby such indignity is offered to the appointments of our Lord Jesus Christ, as if his institutions were imperfect, defective, and faulty, without their additional inventions? I do not think it worth my while, here to meddle with particular persons, and their principles, which some nay think I have fair before me: we should pity and pray for them who despitefully use us, or our glorious Lord and his ordinances: and especially we should pity and lament over an ignorant generation, that are so infatuated, as to desire nothing more, than to have these realms entirely subject to a popish government, and Antichristian yoke; which neither we nor our forefathers were able to bear: surely, such do not know and consider, how much Popery speaks to the reproach of Christ and true. Christianity. These are hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, Jude ver. 15. which is the sign to be spoken against. 2. As Christ himself, so his FATHER is spoken against and reproached. Some denying his being, though his existence be so necessary, that, if he be not, it is impossible any thing else should be; yet many fools say in - their heart, what they dare not speak out, viz. "That there is no God," Psal. xiv. 1. And he that saith there is none, would wish there were none: and if he could help it there should be none.-Some blasphemously charging the all-seeing eye with blindness, saying, “The Lord shall not see," Psal. cxiv. 7. Charging the eternal mind with forgetfulness, saying, "God hath forgotten," Psal. x. 11. Charging the omnipotent arm with weakness, saying, "Can God give bread in the wilderness ?" Psal xxviii. 19, 20. Charging his rectoral equity with injustice, saying, "Though we sin, we shall not surely die."-Some speak against and reproach his providence, by quarrelling, murmuring, and complaining, and finding fault with the disposals of it. Some profane his name, making it a by-word, by which they give vent to their exorbitant passions, and fill up the vacancy of other idle words. Not only is the name of God thus abused by those who belch out their bloody oaths, which would make the ears of every good man to tingle; but also, by those who mention the name of God slightly, or irreverently, in their ordinary conversation ; he is near to their mouth, but far from their heart. To use these forms of speech, which properly signify an acknowledgment of God's being; as, O God! O Lord! or the like; or an appeal to his omniscience, as God knoweth, the Lord knoweth or an invocation of his favour as God bless me! Lord be merciful to me! 1 say, to use these, or the like expressions, impertinently, and intending thereby only to express our wonder and surprise, or our passionate resentment, or any thing beside that which is their proper and awful signification, is an evidence of a vain mind, that wants a due regard to that glorious and fearful name: yet, thus is the mouth of the ungodly set against heaven, Psal. lxxxviii. 9. Jude 16. May the Lord, that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke them! Zech. iii. 2. 3. As Christ himself and his Father, so his SPIRIT is reproached. Many indeed are grossly ignorant of the Holy Ghost, like those, Acts xix. 2., "We have not so much as heard, whether there be any Holy Ghost." Others that hear of the Holy Ghost, they blaspheme the |