O we that are MINISTERS, what think we of Christ? Is he the Son and Lord of David, the eternal Son of God? Surely we cannot think, or fpeak, 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, leaft of ali faints (may some of us fay) fhould this grace be given, to preach among the Gentiles the unfearchable riches of Chrift. But, while we speak of Chrift to others, what do we think of Christ ourselves? To be fure, if we do not think of Christ as we ought, we will not speak of Christ as we fhould. Chrift in the heart, and Chrift in the mouth, make right preaching. If any preach Chrift out of envy, as the apostle fays, it is well that Chrift is preached: but as it must be but 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, O ye that are the PEOPLE, What think ye of Chrift? Whatever be your state or condition, fex or quality, the queftion comes to you; and let none of you dare to neglect the pondering on it, when Chrift himself is posing you with it, What think ye of Chrift?-Ye that are MAGISTRATES, or in places of power, truft, and authority, What think ye of Chrift? Are you employing your power for Chrift, and his caufe and intereft?-Ye that are MASTERS, OF MISTRESSES of families, What think ye of Chrift? Is it the language of your foul, "As for me and my house, 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 Chrift?-Again, Ye that are CHILDREN under your parents, O! What think ye of Chrift? Whofe fon is be? Do you know him to be the fon of David, and the Son of God too? And would it not be your great happiness, to be the fons and children of God in him? Your father and mother may die, and leave you, therefore it is your beft to feek an intereft in him to be your everlasting Father.-Ye that are SERVANTS, What think ye of Chrift? Would you have him for your Master and Lord? Is it not your greatest honour to be his fervants, who 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 masters honeftly; but let him who is the Lord of lords be a Mafter above all mafters to you. Ye that are TRADESMEN, 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 used, that cannot confist with this Chriftian trade of giving the chief of your thoughts to him, that is the Chief among · ten thousand, Song v. ro.-Ye that are HUSBANDMEN, 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 harvest, both in a natural and fpiritual fenfe, and Lord of all that you have?-Ye that are mean COTTERS, What think ye of Chrift? Woes me, does your cote-house, and your cow, and your fmall yard, ly nearer your heart than precious Chrift? Oh! 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 who think more of a halfpenny, than you think of Chrift: everlasting 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 might 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: Oh! will you begin to think, and to think of Chrift, before the door of mercy be fhut-Again, ye that are rich and wealthy in the world, What think ye of Chrift? Hath ་ 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 poor miferable wretches, if you have, your portion only in this life though you had all the gold of Ophir, without Chrift you have nothing but a fhadow; you are deftitute of the true fubftance.--You 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 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 reafon 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 will fee, that the generality of the nobility and gentry of Scotland and England, they think very little of Chrift.-You that are scholars and students, What think ye of Chrift? What will all the wisdom and literature, liberal arts and sciences, and best accomplishments in the world avail you, without Chrift? They will qualify you to be more eminent fervants to the devil, and his intereft, if you learn not Chriit together with them. You may be students of Latin and Greek, and Hebrew: ftudents of philofophy, aftronomy, aftrology, geography, and mathematics; yea, and ftudents 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, you 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 fet you to the fchool; 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 fon 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. Oh! neglect not henceforth the means of the knowledge of Chrift! if you learn of him, he will make you you wifer than the reft of the world, for as far behind as you are; even wife unto falvation.-Ye that are old men and women, What think ye of Chrift? How many thousands and millions of thoughts have you bestowed upon the devil, the world, your lufts, and idols in your time, which would have been better beftowed upon Chrift, and the concerns of your eternal falvation? And now, that death, judgment, and eternity, are hard at hand; Ah! how can you think of going down to the grave, and into an everlafting ftate, without being in cafe to anfwer 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; Oh! 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 children and little-ones, lads and laffes, boys and girls, capable to think, O! What think ye of Chrift? Alas! my dear children, (to fay a word to you) you may fee what ill hearts 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 thofe that feek me early fhall find me:" And think more of reading the Bible, like young Timothy, who, from a child, knew the holy fcriptures. In a word, if there be any perfons here, who think I have not touched at their cafe, let them know, that the question is to all and every one of you, What think ye of Chrift? Oh gracelefs world! How unworthily do you think of Chrift? The covetous man thinks more of a fmall piece of money than of Chrift, like Demas. Ambitious men think more of a hat 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. The drunkard thinks more of a hearty cup, than of Chrift. The glutton thinks more more of a hearty meal, than of Chrift. thinks more of himself, than of Christ. teousness thinks more of prayers, ordinances, than of Christ. The proud man Pride of righand attendance on Pride of grace thinks more of a good frame, than of Chrift: Pride of wisdom thinks more of a witticism, or of a fine discourse, than of Chrift. Pride of beauty thinks more of a fkin-deep complexion, than of Chrift. Pride of bravery thinks more of a fine fuit of clothes, than of Chrift, though the filly fheep wore it on its back before them. Behold how Chrift is vilified and undervalued in the world! But, O BELIEVER! What think ye of Cbrift? Surely, if you be a gracious perfon, Chrift will be to you a precious perfon; and you will wonder at the folly and madness of the world, that fets every thing above Christ, in their thoughts and efteem. Why, they are ignorant of Chrift, and ignorant of themselves: if they were convinced of their fin and mifery, they would think much of a Saviour and Redeemer; if they knew their disease, they would think much of fuch a Physician to heal them; if they knew their nakednefs, they would think much of fuch a garment to clothe them; if they knew their pollution, they would think much of fuch a fountain to wash them; if they knew their deep arrears to divine justice, and bankrupt state, they would think much of fuch a Surety to pay their debt. Surely, if they knew, they would not thus defpife the Lord of glory. However, be it known to all and every one of you, that this question is put to you; and you ought to put it to yourfelves, before God, by discovering what you are, and where you stand.-And now, having opened the import of the queftion, in the feveral branches of it, I proceed next to, III. The Third general Head propofed, namely, to offer fome reafons of the doctrine, why this is the great leading queftion to the Chriftian catechifm, by which people are to try themfelves; or why this question is put as a touchstone, for difcovering what metal we are of, What think ye of Chrift? Why, 1. This question, What think ye of Chrift? is put, because |