No 1. APPENDIX. 419 tain them ; the brutifh ignorance of many,' evenof fofne who pretend to be high-flown profeffors, [fee inflances'above, p. 224. c 226.] the contentious fpirit of thofe who live like fire=brands in the place. Let none fuch 'prefume to approach the Lord's table in that their wickednefs. 5. Weep over the woful divifions among us, that have pre- vailed.to the breaking of us fo far, that we are among the moil broken and ¡battered congregations in the country. Weep over that rent that was fo early made amongft us, in which Satan hotly purfued me, ere I knew well where I was. Ye are but too little affeéted with it. It has beenan engine of Satan againft the kingdóm of Chrift in people's hearts, under a pretence of zeal for his kingdom in the land and a notable hinderance of the fuccefs of the gofpel among us. For, 1. Some are thereby turned afide from the ordinary means of grace and knowledge, that know not the right hand by the left in religion, being fpecially ignorant of God in Chrift. 2. Many that remain are thereby made to hear with prejudices; and are fo fickle and loofedat the root, that they cannot take on growthby the preach- ed word. And I know not what influence it may have on the fighting of the ordinance before us ; I am apprehenfive it has had Tome influence. If it have, I defire to lament the cafe of fuch ; and for the confirmationof you that are to join, I promife you, in my Mafter's name, that if you honeftly content to the marriage-covenant, and come with longing defires after him, he will not refufe to keep communion with you, Rev. iii. 20. Your own defeaions lie nearer you than the defeólions of the land do ; but if ye be mourning over them, they ¡hall not mar your communion with him. I think they may look with bath- fill faces before the Lord, that are fo feared at their mother's deformities, that they will not come into her houfe, when yet her Hufband isthere feeding his children whom the has brought forth tó him. 6. Lafily, Forget not when ye are going, to weep over the frequentfln of uncleannefs that has fallen out among us within theft fewyears. If ever the devil raged in a parifh at the com- ing of the gofpel among them, he has done it here one way and another. What with fornications, what with adulteries, the place of repentance has been feldom empty fince the plant- ing of this parifh. I may fay to you as the apottle did to the church of Corinth, °` I fpeak'not this to fhame you.." But well may I fay with him, In have reafon to bewail thofe who have finned already, and have not repented of the uncleannefs, and fornication, and lafcivioufnefs which they have committed, 2 Cor. xii. 21.1eeing we fo much refemble that church in her three grand evils, felf-conceit, a divifive temper, and fins of uncleannefs.' The author had alto, in a fermon from 2 Cor. vi. 1. preach- ed at Etterick, on the national faft-day, March 29. in the fame
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