the manfions of glory, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

The second use of the doctrine may be of reproof unto two forts of perfons.

1. It reproves those who are at home, while in this tabernacle. Their great concern is about this clay-tabernacle, how to gratify it, how to beautify and adorn it. Their language is, Who will fhew us any good? What shall we eat? What shall we drink? Wherewith fhall we be clothed? But they have no thought or concern about the immortal foul which inhabits the tabernacle, which must be happy or miferable for ever. O firs! remember, that whatever care ye take about this clay-tabernacle, it will drop down to duft ere long, and the noisome grave will be its habitation, where worms and corruption will prey upon the fairest face and pureft complexion. Where will be your beauty, ftrength, or fine attire, when the curtains of the grave are drawn about you?

2. This doctrine ferves to reprove those who add to the burdens and groans of the Lord's people, as if they were not burdened enough already. Remember, that it is a dreadful thing to vex or occafion the grief of these whom the Lord has wounded. They that do fo, counteract the commiffion of Chrift from the Father, who was fent to comfort them that mourn in Zion, to give them the oil of joy for mourning, the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness. But, on the contrary, they study to give a heavy spirit, and to ftrip and rob them of their garments of praife. Remember that Christ is very tender of his burdened faints; and if any offer to lay a load above their burden, by grieving or offending them, the Lord Jefus will not pass it

without

without a severe refentment; and it were better for fuch, that a milftone were hanged about their neck, and they caft into the midst of the fea.

A third use, shall be of lamentation and humiliation. Let us lament, that the Lord's faints and people should have fo much matter of groaning at this day and time wherein we live. And here I will tell you of feveral things that are a burden unto the fpirits of the Lord's people, and help on their groaning, and make them fad hearts.

1. The abounding profanity and immorality of all forts that are to be found among us: O how rampant is atheism and profanity and impiety, like an impetuous torrent, carrying all before it! It is become fashionable among fome to be impious and profane. Religion, which is the ornament of a nation, is fac'd down by bold and petulant wits: It is reckoned, by fome, a genteel accomplishment, to break a jeft upon the bible, and to play upon things religious and facred. O what curfing and fwearing! O what lying and cheating! What abominable drunkennefs, murders and uncleannefs! What perjury and blafphemy is the land defiled with: We may apply that word, Hof. iv. 2. For thefe things the land mourns. The land groans at this day, under thefe and the like abominations: And therefore, no wonder that the hearts of those that regard the glory of God do groan under them alfo, and cry with the prophet, Jer. ix. 1, 2. O that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountains of tears, that I might weep day and night for the Alain of the daughter of my people! Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might go far from them! For they be all adulterers, an affembly of treacherous men. H

VOL. II.

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2. The univerfal barrennefs that is to be found among us at this day, is matter of groaning unto the Lord's people. God has been at great pains with us, both by ordinances and providences; he has planted us in a fruitful foil; he has given us a ftanding under the means of grace; he has given us line upon line, precept upon precept; and yet, alas, may not the Lord fay of us, as he faid of his vineyard, Ifa. v. 4. I looked that they should bring forth grapes, and behold, they have brought forth wild grapes. And, as for the fruit of providences, alas! where is it? Mercies are loft on us: For when God feeds us to the full, when he gives peace and plenty, then, Jefurun like, we wax fat, and kick against him, Deut. xxxii. 15. And as mercies, fo rods and afflictions are loft upon us likewife. God has ftricken us, but we have not grieved; he has confumed us, but we have refused to receive correction, Jer. v. 3.

3. The lamentable divifions that are in our Reuben occafion great thoughts of heart, and heaviness to the Lord's people at this day. Court and country, church and ftate are divided; minifters divided from their people, and people from their minifters; and both minifters and people divided among themselves; and every party and faction turning over the blame from themselves; than which there cannot be a greater evidence of God's anger, or of approaching ruin and defolation: For a city or kingdom divided against itself cannot ftand, Mat. xii. 25.

4. The innumerable defections and backflidings of our day are a great burden to the Lord's people, and make their hearts to groan within them. The charge which the Lord advanceth against the

church

church of Ephefus, may too juftly be laid to our door, that we are fallen from our firft love. There is but little love to God or his people, little zeal for his way and work to be found among us; the power of godlinefs, and life of religion, is dwindled away unto an empty form with the most part.

I might here take occafion to tell you of many publick defections and backflidings, that we stand guilty of before the Lord; particularly, of the breach of our folemn national engagement. It was once the glory of our land to be married unto the Lord, by folemn covenant in a national capacity; but, to our eternal infamy and reproach, it has been both broken and burnt by publick authority in this very city. Perhaps, indeed, fome may ridicule me for making mention of the breach of our folemn engagements; but I must blow the trumpet, as God's herald, whether ye will hear, or forbear: And he who ridicules these things now, will perhaps laugh at leifure, if God fhall fend a bloody fword, or raging peftilence, to avenge the quarrel

of his covenant.

But fome may fay, Ye talk of breach of folemn national engagements; but wherein does the truth of fuch a charge appear?

For answer, I fhall inftance a few particulars : It is fit, that we not only know, wherein our fathers have broken this covenant; but wherein ourfelves, this prefent generation, ftands guilty.

1. Then in our national covenant, we fwear, that we will endeavour to be humbled for our own fins, and for the fins of the kingdom; but, alas, publick days of fafting and humiliation for the fins of the land are but rare, and thin fown at this day! Where are the mourners of Qur Zion? How

H:2

few

few are they whofe hearts are bleeding for the abounding wickedness of the day! If God fhall give a commiffion to the men with the flaughter-weapons to go through Scotland, and flay utterly old and young, only come not near any that figh and cry; O what a depopulate country would it be! how few inhabitants would be left in the land!

2. In that covenant we are bound to go before one another in the example of a real reformation; but, alas, who makes confcience of this part of the oath of God? how little perfonal reformation is there! how little care to have the heart purified from lufts and uncleannefs! So that the Lord may well fay unto us, as he faid to Jerufalem, O JeruSalem, wash thine heart from wickedness; bow long Shall vain thoughts lodge within thee! How little reformation of life! what a fcandalous latitude do many profeffors of religion take to themselves, in curfing, fwearing, lying, drinking, cheating, and over-reaching others in their dealings, whereby the way of religion comes to be evil spoken of!

3. By the the covenant we engage, not only to reform ourselves, but our families: But, alas, how little of this is to be found? Little care is taken by many parents and masters to have their children and fervants (after the example of Abraham) inftructed in the good ways of the Lord! Every head of a family fhould be a prieft in his family, for maintaining the worship of God in it; but, alas, how many are there that either fcroof over the duty in a fuperficial manner, or elfe live in the total neglect of it! Go through many noblemen and gentlemens families in the kingdom, and ye fhall find as little of the worship of God in them, as if they were turks and pagans; and, perhaps lefs: Yea atheism is become so rife among people