land defiled with breach of folemn national engagements, while thefe folemn covenants have been fcandalously burnt in the capital city of the nation, and that by the countenance and command of authority? And are there not many at this day amongst us, who profess to be of the communion of the church of Scotland, that do renounce and disown the obligation of these folemn ties? Are not many defiling their garments with Arminian and Socinian herefies; others with a fuperftitious worship, which, to the reproach of our holy religion, is tolerated among us by law? Have not many defiled their garments in our land, with a customary fwearing by the name of God; others by juggling with God in the matter of folemn oaths, abjuring a popish pretender, with a defign to put themselves in a better capacity to do him fervice, and promote his intereft? Others have, even in this province, lately defiled their garments, by putting their hands to fcandalous libels, by way of addrefs to the fovereign, wherein they represent minifters as rebels against authority, for appointing fafts, and preaching against the fins of the time; and for giving warning to people of the tokens of God's anger that are vifible among us: And, alas! may we not all lament that we have defiled our garments, by the breach of facramental and fick-bed vows? But I must not ftand on these things.

USE 3d, is of trial and examination. Try, firs, whether you be among God's little remnant, that are keeping their garments clean, when all round about you are defiling themselves; and, for your trial, I offer you the few following marks of God's remnant. (1.) God's remnant are a people unto whom Christ is exceeding precious; his very name.

is unto them as ointment poured forth; they love to hear of him, they love to fpeak of him, and their meditations of him are sweet; the defire of their foul is unto him, and the remembrance of his name; and they are ready to fay with David, whom have I in heaven but thee? &c. or, with Paul, I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord. (2.) God's remnant are a people that do not reckon themselves at home while they are here on earth: This is not their proper country, but they look for a better country, that is, an heavenly, Heb. xi. They look for a city that has foundations, whofe builder and maker is God. See this to be the character of God's remnant, Heb. xi. 13. The Apostle tells us of these worthies, That they confeffed they were ftrangers and pilgrims on the earth: This confeffion David makes, Pfal. cxix. 19. I am a stranger in the earth, hide not thy commandments from me. So then, firs, if your home be here, ye are none of God's remnant, if your thoughts and affections be confined within the narrow limits of time. God's remnant are a people that are coming up from the wilderness; they are always afcending and mounting heavenward, in their affections and defires: They look not at the things that are seen, but the things that are not feen. (3.) God's remnant are a people that speak and think much on God; fee this to be their character, Mal. iii. 16. Then they that feared the Lord fpake often one to another; and a book of remembrance was written for them that feared the Lord, and thought on his name. Try your felves by this: It is the character of the wicked, that God is not in all their thoughts; and he is as feldom in their mouths, except in a way of prophanation: But God's remnant, I fay, they

they think much on God; and the thoughts of God, O how precious are they unto their fouls! Pfal. cxxxix. and out of the abundance of their hearts their mouths fpeak honourably and reverently of him. They will speak to one another of his word, of his works, of his providences, and of his ordinances; their lips are like lillies dropping fweet Smelling myrrhe. (4.) God's remnant are a praying people. Pfal. xxiv. This is the generation that feek thy face, O Jacob; or, O God of Jacob; whereas it is given as the character of the wicked, Pfal. xiv. That they call not upon God; they either live in the total neglect of this duty, or, if they do it at all, it is in a hypocritical, formal and overly manner: But God's remnant, they seek the face of God, they feek him with fervency, with truth in the inward parts; they seek him believingly, they feek him conftantly and perfeveringly, which the hypocrite will not do, fob xxvii. 10. Will be delight himself in the Almighty? Will be always call upon God? (5.) God's remnant are a mourning people: They mourn over their own fins in the first place, Ezek. vii. 16. The remnant of Jacob that efcape, they shall be on the mountains like doves of the vallies, every one mourning for their iniquity. They mourn over the errors of their hearts, and the iniquity of their lives, and are ready to cry out, innumerable evils have compaffed me about, mine iniquities have taken bold on me, &c. and then they mourn, not only for their own perfonal fins, but for publick fins; the fins of others, whereby the land is defiled: Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law; I beheld tranfgreffors, and was grieved. That this is the character of God's remnant, ye may fee from Ezek. ix. 4. Go through the city, and fet a mark on

the

the fore-beads of the men that figh, and that cry for all the abominations done in the midst of it. And then they mourn for the calamities and defolations of Zion, when they fee the bear out of the wood, wafting her, and the wild beasts out of the foreft devouring ber. Pfal. cxxxvii. 1. By the rivers of Babylon we fat down and wept when we remembred Zion. And then they mourn, when they fee ordinances corrupted, or God's candlestick in any meafure removed, the Lord's people deprived of their wonted freedom and liberty in waiting upon him in these galleries, Zeph. iii. 18. I will gather them that are forrowful for the folemn assembly, unto whom the reproach of it was a burden. (6.) God's remnant are a people that will rather venture upon fuffering than finning; they rather venture to run the rifque of difpleafing kings and queens, potentates and parliament, than venture upon the difpleafing of God; they can rather venture on the rack of outward torments, than upon the rack of an accufing confcience. See this to be the character of God's remnant in the three children, Dan. iii. &c. and Mofes, Heb. xi. 27. forfook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King. Many other marks of God's remnant might be infifted upon; they are a people that cannot live without Chrift, and fellowship and communion with him, Cant. iii. 1. fob xxiii. 3. 0 that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his feat! They are people that will not rest in their attainments, but prefs towards the uttermoft of grace and holiness, Phil. iii. 12. They prefs after more nearness unto Chrift, Cant. viii. 1. They love holiness for itself, Pfal. cxix. 140. Chrift for himself; yea, they love heaven for Chrift and holinefs: In a word, they love holiness, be the event what will.

USE

USE 4th, is of exhortation. Is it fo, that God's remnant, who are privileged to walk with Chrift in white, are fuch as keep their garments clean ? O then! let me exhort all hearing me, particularly you who have been profeffing yourselves among the number of God's remnant by drawing near to him in the holy ordinance of his fupper: Let me, I fay, exhort you to keep your garments clean; be exhorted to the study of true gofpel-holiness, both in heart and life. And by way of motive, I would have you to confider these following things.

MOTIVE Ift, Confider, that ye are in continual hazard of defiling your garments. Ye are in danger from every quarter; as, Firft, Ye are in danger from the world, there are many things in the world that are of a very defiling and polluting nature; there are many polluting opinions broached in the world, which go very glib away with nature, and which nature is very ready to catch at and embrace; as, that God is altogether made up of mercy, and will never damn any of his creatures; that Chrift died for all; that morality runs parallel with grace; that an empty profeffion is enough to fave people; that it is better to keep the body whole, than the confcience pure; that to be zealous for religion, is to be righteous over much. Thefe and many other opinions are of a polluting nature; and we are in danger of defiling ourfelves with them. And then the examples of the world are very infectious, the examples of magi ftrates and minifters, as ye fee from Hof. v. 1. Hear ye this, O priefs; give ear, O houfe of the king, becaufe ye have been a fnare in Mifpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. Tabor. And then ye are in danger from the example of profeffors, who perhaps have a great name for religion in the church of God; O! will

ye