2. Such a carnal frame of spirit mightily unfits for a time of trial, Luke xxi. 34. Take heed to yourselves, left at any time your hearts be overcharged with furfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and fo that day come upon you unawares. Jonah's being exceeding glad of the gourd, made the withering of it intolerable to him. It makes one like a filly dove, without heart, when courage and refolution to set out against the fury of the ftorm is most neceffary.

3. Great things in an evil day expofe men to greateft troubles: fo that many times they are like great weights of gold on a drowning man, that make him but fink the fafter, Eccl. v. 13. There is a fore evil which I have feen under the fun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. And this may be one reafon, why judgement ordinarily begins at the houfe of God, the Lord thereby making way for the main fhocks becoming eafy to them; as in the cafe of Lot. A ftormy wind will rend up oaks by the roots, while shrubs are toffed only from fide to fide, 2 Kings xxv. 7. 12. When one is breaking down a house, it is the highest stones that get the forest fall.

4. Great things in an evil day are great temptations. It is not easy to lose a little for Chrift and a good confcience: the bond is the ftronger to draw people out of the road, where they have great things in hazard. The Lord best knows our temper, and what is best for our safety in an evil day.

5. A low and afflicted lot in fuch a day fits people for fympathizing with others, 2 Cor. i. 6. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your confolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the fame fufferings, which we also fuffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your confolation and falvation. It is a felfifh, hard-hearted world: and it is hard for them that are themselves at eafe in Zion, to be grieved for the affliction of Jofeph. Therefore, while the Lord is

diftributing

diftributing forrows, let each welcome his own part, as neceffary for that end.

Laftly, Though great things are moft eafy for the outward man, a low and afflicted lot is moft for the thriving of the inward, Zeph. iii. 12. I will leave in the midst of thee, an afflicted and poor people, and they fball truft in the name of the Lord. It has readily more Chriftian experiences, than the full, easy, profperous life has. And then though one may live more commodiously in the latter, yet it is more easy in the former cafe to die.

I fhall conclude with a very few words on the second doctrine.

DOCT. II. It should move men under fuch an appearance, that a time may come, that they shall think they win well away that win away with their life.

A fweeping ftroke of mortality, whereof we have had an awful fwatch, a ftroke of peftilence, famine, or the fword of a foreign enemy, would foon make us forget all other things, fo that life might be fafe. We have been threatened with all thefe, and it is very like that fome of them will be the lot of this generation, Num. xxiv. 23. Alas! who fhall live when God doth this! They bid fair to get their life for a prey in fuch a cafe, that are fuiting their spirits to their lot, and to the difpenfations of providence, not feeking great things for themselves, though they figh while others fing. Therefore fecure an interest in Chrift, and in the covenant that stands fast in him, and live by faith, and fo it may be ye fhall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

Mercy

Mercy often interpofes to prevent the Execution of Judgements.

A

SERMON

Preached at ETTRICK, November 26. 1729; being a Day of Thanksgiving appointed by the Prefbytery of Selkirk, for the plentiful Harveft.

HOSEA xi. 8.

How fball I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Ifrael? how shall I make thee as Admah? how Jhall I fet thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

TH

THIS is the very language of God's difpenfations to us at this day, whereby it is come to pass that we are allowed an occafion of thanksgiving, after very threatening appearances of providence.

We have here reprefented to us a ftruggle betwixt the divine attributes, as to the proceeding with Ephraim or Ifrael, one crying, Strike; another, Hold thy hand. It is spoken of God after the manner of men; not as if there were any real contrariety of motions and affections in God, who is always of one mind : but, in refpect of the varioufnefs of the events of providence towards a finful people, he is reprefented as a kind, but provoked Father, in whom there is a ftruggle of affections towards his rebellious fon. And here there is,

1. A demand and motion of justice against Ifrae

call

called Ephraim, for that was the chief tribe of them. And it is fuppofed. The demand of justice is, Ephraim is bent to backfliding; let him be given up, as an incorrigible fon, an incurable patient. Ifrael called to the Most High is deaf to the call; let him be delivered into the hand of the enemy, as a lamb to the lion to be rent in pieces. They have carried themselves like the neighbours of Sodom and Gomorrah, rather than those of Judah; let them be made like them, like Admah and Zeboim; Gen. xix. 24. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom, and upon Gomorrah, brimftone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. Let the threatening be executed, Deut. xxix. 23. The whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not fown, nor beareth, nor any grafs groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger and in his wrath.

2. An interpofing of mercy in their favour, expreffed. Mercy fays, How ball I give thee up? How can I find in my heart to do it! Thou art my fon, though a very untoward one; my people, though a very rebellious people. I find the bowels of a Father ftirring towards thee: it is hard for me to make thee like thofe mine enemies that never ftood in fuch a relation to me.

3. The workings of mercy to ftop the execution of the demands of juftice. My heart inflamed with anger against them, is turned within me into kindness and compaffion. Every time I begin to ftrike, my heart mifgives me, that I muft draw back my ftill I relent for him or repent, and these relenting or repenting bowels within me glow towards him, caufing to pity and spare.

The doctrine obfervable from the words is,

hand;

DocT. Our gracious God being loth to go to an extremity with a people in special relation to him, mer

cy

ey often interpofeth for their relief, when they are on the brink of ruin.

In handling this doctrine, I shall,

I. Take notice of fome things fuppofed in this. II. How mercy interpofeth for the relief of fuch a people, when on the brink of ruin.

III. Give reasons why mercy thus interpofeth in fuch a cafe.

IV. Apply.

I. I fhall take notice of fome things fuppofed in this. It fuppofes,

1. That a people in special relation to God, as his church, his covenanted people, may fo far forget their duty, and give themselves the loofe in finful courses, that they justly deferve to be abandoned, given up, and caft off by him. The visible church fometimes behaves itself in most of its members, as if they were the fynagogue of Satan. This is clear from the text, and confirmed by our cafe at this day.

2. God is impartial in his judgements; and if God's covenant-people carry themselves like strangers, they may expect at length to fare like them. Juftice has a demand on the finners in Zion, as well as on the finners in Babylon, If. xlii. 24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Ifrael to the robbers? did not the Lord, be against whom we have finned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. And the ftrokes of God on those of his own houfe, when they do come on in earnest, are readily very fore, Amos iii. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punifh you for all your iniquities. Their peculiar relation to him puts a peculiar edge on them.

3. Matters may be going faft to an extremity with fuch a people, and they yet continuing their course, and remaining impenitent. So was it here; there was nothing in their carriage to alter the course of

providence