at home, weigh not their fpirits in the balance of the fanctuary; but their fpirit of self-love makes all of high importance, and to appear well, which is their own. There is a fixfold spirit that is our plague this day.---There is, [1] A carnal worldly fpirit: Phil. iii. 19. "They mind earthly things." Our spirits are funk in the thick clay of a prefent world, and have got into an earthly conftitution, as if, with our bodies, they were only fprung of earth. From communion and converse with God, our fpirits are greatly estranged, but the world gets our first, middle, and last thoughts; so that there feems need of fome terrible alarm to make us lift up our heads off that pillow.--There is, [2.] A private narrow spirit: Phil. ii. 21." For all feek their own, not the things which are Jefus Christ's." O what a rare thing is a public fpirit among us this day, a kindly concern for the kingdom and intereft of Christ in the world, men naturally caring for these things as their Father's cocerns. Sies, our wide mouths will not abfolve us from the crime of a narrow spirit in God's matters, more than Jehu's bravado, "Come fee my zeal" Prov. xxvi. 23. "Burning lips and a wicked heart, are like a potfherd covered with filver. drofs." The Proteftant religion is in hazard abroad and at home; is there any thing of the care. of the churches lying upon you? This church is in hazard of falling into the enemy's hands are your hearts, like good old Eli's, "trembling for the ark ?" 1 Sam. iv. 13. Nay, do not many look upon our prefent privileges with fuch a defpifing eye, that it is all one to them whether they fink or fwim. Have the attempts of our enemies ever made you go alone to wrestle with God against them? You profefs you would have mini s; fters : fters to keep honeft; but are we obliged to your wrestlings with God for us on that account? Have we any larger fhare in your prayers than we were wont to have? Will the lofs of our honefty be to you the lofs of many prayers for us in a difficult time? Pfal. cxxxii. 9." Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy faints fhout aloud for joy." It is a time of much finning; are you fighing and crying for all the abominations that are in the midft of the land? Ezek. ix. 4 Are you putting to your hand, as you have accefs, to stop the ftream of abounding fin ?-There is, [3.] A ftout, sturdy, fearlefs fpirit. I fear, if God look to none but to thofe who are poor, of a contrite spirit, and who tremble at his word, If. Ixvi. 2. there will be few amongst us that will get a look of him. How little are we affected with the word, the difpenfations of the day, and the figns of the times! Is not the word like a ball thrown against a wall? The custom of hearing it has leffened the value of it. Who is hearkening for the time to come? Does that question lie near your heart, How fhall I be carried through in the evil day? Are you putting matters in order between God and you, and preparing an ark for your fafety?—There is, [4] A proud fiery fpirit, while the humble, meek, and lowly spirit does rarely appear. People are fo puffed up with conceit of themselves, there is no dealing with them. If they make themselves vile, they will rather be more vile than submit to admonition or reproof. And if they be in the leaft ruffled, they are ready to caft all ordinances behind their backs. If the whole be not exactly according to their mind, they will contemptuously reject all. Witness the contempt poured by fome upon the laft fast. Humiliation of heart, and felf-denial would cure us of this irreligious heart, which is the bane and ruin of religion among us, and would kindle in us a more kindly warmth of heart towards God and the things that bear his ftamp.-There is, [5] A formal spirit: 2 Tim. iii. 5. "Having a form of godlinefs, but denying the power thereof." The bodily exercife of religion is much amongst many of us, but for exercife unto godlinefs among us, it appears to be very rare, 1 Tim. iv. 7. 8. And many proclaim themfelves utter ftrangers to it. In the eyes of any difcerning Christian, they have fo little fenfe of the vitals of practical godlinefs, that these things are an abfolute mystery to them. It would fare the better with many of us, that we would begin again and lay the foundation of our religion, and follow it out in the great myfteries of the Chriftian life, mortification of heart-corruptions, the life of faith, and communion with God.There is, [6.] A profane fpirit, where the works of the flesh are manifeft. There is a lying fpirit, which fo poffeffeth many, that they make no confcience of speaking truth, but lend their tongues for lies. There is a bitter fpirit of curfing and fwearing, railing and reproaching, amongst us, fo that fober perfons may say, as in Pfal. lvii. 4. "My foul is among lions; and I lie even among them that are fet on fire, even the fons of men, whose teeth are fpears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.” See alfo Pfal. Ixiv. 3.-7. A base, sneaking, difhoneft fpirit, lodges in the breast of many, whose covetous, unrighteous ways, in undermining, deceiving, and wronging their neighbours, will bring a vengeance from heaven on their heads. (2.) The cafe of our day requires another spirit than we have. God feems to be speaking to the VOL. II. carnal L carnal worldly generation this day, as in Haggai, i. 4. Jer. xlv. 4. 5. To the formal and profane, as in Matth. iii. 10. To the private-spirited, as in Amos, vi. I. And to all, as in Amos, iv. 12. But Q how unsuitable are our fpirits to the cafe of the day! How unmeet are our spirits to act for God! They are too mean to do any thing great and honourable for God and his glory. And doubtlefs, if we get not another spirit, we will never be honoured of God to perform any thing that is great for him. Our work as Chriftians is at all times difficult, but we are likely to have a special difficulty in our time. Is the mean and bafe fpirit wherewith we are plagued, meet to fet us to oppose the stream and tide of fin, that is going through the generation? Is our careless carnal spirit meet to wrestle with God, to keep him still in our land? -Again, How unmeet are our fpirits for fuffering? The foft and carnal spirit which prevails, fuits. very ill with a time in which the Lord feems to be about to pluck up and destroy. That spirit of formality and profanity answers very ill with a time in which people's religion may be put to the utmoft trial: Ifa. xxx. 14. “The finners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites." Verily, if we get not another spirit, 2 time of trial will make a dreadful discovery among the professed followers of the Lord. - (3.) Does not our own particular cafe, with refpect to eternity, require another spirit? Eternity is no dream, the wrath to come is no scare-crow; these are the greatest of realities, and certainly require our utmost efforts. Does the prevailing temper of our fpirits look like the eternal weight of glory that is abiding those who strive, run, wrestle, and fight the good fight of faith? Alas! our fpirits are as unlike the attaining it, as the fluggard, fluggard, who will not plow his field, is like to attain a good crop. They who look for a treasure, dig for it; and they who wifh for the prize, run for it; but it is a loitering, not a labouring spirit, with which most of us are poffeffed, who have fmall probability of seeing heaven, unless it will drop down into our mouths.-Again, Does our fpirit look like flying from the wrath to come, that infinite load of wrath which is abiding a perishing generation? We seem to be creeping from it, rather than fleeing; and therefore it is ready to overtake us. O how would our fpirits ftir within us, if we were duly affected with eternity, and the danger that our fouls are in of the wrath to come! -But farther, How unlike is our spirit to the subduing of ftrong corruptions within our own breafts! 'How foft are our fpirits against these our deadliest enemics! We must have another fpirit, or our fpirits will foon be devoured by them.--Laftly, There is no following of the Lord fully, and fo no heaven, without another fpirit; and therefore, as ever we would be found Christians indeed, and fafe through eternity, let us labour for that other fpirit: "Create in us, O Lord, a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us."-I fhall now very briefly attend to DOCT. III. That thofe who, by following the Lord fully in the time of general declining, distinguish themselves, God will distinguish them from others, by special marks of favour in the time of general calamity.--The fcriptures afford many inftances in proof of this, as Noah, Lot, Jeremiah, and many others. FOR illuftrating this doctrine, we shall, I. Shew how those must distinguish themselves L 2 from |