the truth. (2.) There is a connection of promife, as well as of purpose. Ye have them linked together in this promise in the text, and every where almost through the fcriptures of truth; ye have a cluster of these promises in the second and third of the Revelation, To him that overcometh (which is the fame thing with keeping the garments clean (will Igive to eat of the hidden manna; and this link is so strong, that it can never be broken; for it is one of these immutable things, wherein it is impoffible for God to lye. (3.) There is a connection of meetness or congruity. It is fuitable, that those who are holy Thould be happy; that they who have white garments here, fhould be clothed with white hereafter: It is fuitable unto the nature of God, for he cannot bebold iniquity, neither can evil dwell with him; none but holy ones fhall enjoy a holy God: It is fuitable unto the work of heaven, for no unclean thing can enter the gates of the new Jerufalem: To this purpofe is the laft clause of our text, they fhall walk with me in white, for they are worthy, or meet, as the word may be rendered, Col. i. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light. (4.) There is a connection of evidence: Holiness or clean garments is an evidence of the foul's title or claim to glory. Who is the man that shall afcend into the bill of God? or who shall stand in his holy place? The anfwer is, He that bath clean hands and a pure beart, Pfal. xxiv. 3. (5.) There is a connection of legacy: Chrift, by his latter will, has enfured the kingdom to his little remnant that keep their garments clean, Luke xxii. 28, 29. Ye are they which bave continued with me in my temptations, and I ap

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point unto you a kingdom, as my Father bath appointea

unto me.

The Sixth thing is the application. And the first ufe fhall be of information, in these particulars 3 (1.) See hence, holiness is to be ftudied and purfued, however it may be ridiculed, and mocked at by a profane world: For it is they that do not defile their garments fhall walk with Chrift in white. The blind world is ready to imagine that the way to heaven is not fo ftrait and narrow as minifters call it; that there needs not be fo much ado, and all is but a piece of needlefs nicety, precifeness, and the like: But remember, firs, that ftrict holiness will carry the day at the long run; and ye that are for a lax religion, and a broad way to heaven, will at length land in hell, unless mercy and repentance prevent: Walk circumfpectly therefore, not as fools, but as wife, &c. (2.) See, from this doctrine, that they labour under a damnable mistake, who think or fay, that it is a vain or unprofitable thing to ferve the Lord, and to keep his way; for they that walk with Chrift here, fhall partake of his glory hereafter: Godliness, faith the apostle, is great gain, having the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Religion carries a reward in its bosom, beside the reward that is prepared for the faints in the life to come. In keeping of thy commandments, fays David, there is great reward; O how great is the goodness thou haft laid up for them that fear thee! &c. Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. ii. 9. (3.) We may fee, that gofpel-purity and holiness is not fuch a common thing as the world apprehend; for there are but a few names, few perfons that are helped to keep their

garments clean. My friends, beware of taking every thing for holiness, that has the fhadow and appearance of it: Some are ready to think, that their garments are clean enough, if they keep free of grofs fcandalous outbreakings, fuch as lying, fwearing, stealing, uncleannefs, and the like; but the proud Pharifee came this length, who faid, God, I thank thee, I am not as other men; I am no extortioner, adulterer, or injurious perfon, &c. Some think their garments clean if they be moral in their walk, juft in their dealings between man and man; I wish indeed there were more morality among these that profefs the name of Chrift: But, O firs, mere morality, in the highest degree now attainable, comes infinitely short of the nature of true holiness, it is quite another thing; and to put morality in the room of gospel-holiness, is in effect to renounce. Chrift and the covenant of grace, and to run back to Adam's covenant for life and falvation. Some think their garments clean enough, because of fome perfonal reformation that they have made in their outward walk, they have left off lying, fwearing,` drunkenness, uncleanness, and the like: But this will not amount to true holiness; Herod, he reformed his life, and did many things through the miniftry of fohn the Baptift, and yet beheaded him at laft. Some reckon upon their diligence in the outward duties of religion; they read, hear, pray, communicate, and run the round of outward performances, and thereupon conclude, that they are holy perfons: but who more diligent in the externals of religion than the Pharifees, who fafted twice a week, and gave tythes of all that they possessed? And yet Chrift tells us, except our righteousness exceed the righteoufness of the Scribes and Pharifees, we cannot

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enter into the kingdom of heaven; fo that I fay, gofpel-holiness is no common thing. (4.) See hence, that the divifion of mankind, and particularly of these that live in the vifible church, between Chrift and the Devil, is very unequal as to the number; for the greateft part, even of the vifible church, go to the Devil's fhare, for there are but a few in Sardis, that do not defile their garments; Chrift's flock is a little flock, I'll take them, one of a city, and two of a family or tribe, and bring them to Zion. It is true, they will be a great company, and make a goodly appearance, when they fhall be gathered by the angels from the four winds of heaven; but yet they are only like the gleanings after the vintage, in comparison of the vast multitudes of mankind, that run in the broad way to deftruction. (5.) See hence, what it is that sweetens the pale countenance of the king of terrors to believers; it is this, they fee, that after death they will be admitted to walk with Chrift in white. This made the apoftle to long fo vehemently for his diffolution, faying, I have a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift: Faith's views and profpect of this makes the believer to triumph over death as a vanquished and flain enemy, faying, O death! where is thy fting? O grave! where is thy victory? (6.) See hence what they may expect after death, who habitually wallow in the puddle of fin. It is only they that have clean garments, that fhall walk with Christ in glory; and therefore it inevitably follows, that the gates of glory will be fshut upon you, Rev. xxi. laft. There fhall in no wife enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lye; and v. 8. of the fame chapter, the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and

for

forcerers, and idolaters, and all lyars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. O firs! ye that live and die in this condition, with the guilt and filth of fin lying on your confciences, ye will find a fting in death which will stick in your fouls through eternity; for it is only God's little remnant, whofe garments are washed and made white in the blood of the lamb, that shall triumph with him in glory; while ye that wallow in fin now, shall be found weltring in the flames of Tophet. (7.) See hence, that honefty is the best policy in a declining time, for it is only the honeft-hearted remnant that fhall walk with Chrift above. Keep God's ways, firs, whatever come, and beware of finful fhifts to fhun the cross: They that walk uprightly shall walk Jurely; whereas they who think to fhun danger by fhifting duty, they really run themselves into greater danger and inconveniencies than these which they imagined to avoid.

USE 2d, may be of lamentation, That there are fo many foul garments among us at this day. Alas, firs, may we not say, that there are but a few names in Scotland, that have not defiled their garments with the corruptions and pollutions of the time? All ranks have corrupted their ways, magistrates, minifters and people. May not the character which God gave of Ifrael of old, be too juftly applied to us, Ifai. i. 4. That we are a finful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a feed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters, who have provoked the holy One of Ifrael to anger, and are gone away backward? I cannot now ftand to fhew wherein we have defiled our garments: has not the land been defiled with the blood of many of the faints of God under the late reigns, from which it is not as yet purged? Is not the whole

land