tradicts the report of unbelief, and therefore should bring us back to God's door; even as when a beggar, having called at a door for his alms, was coming away without it, and should meet with another that had been plentifully served there, who would say to him, That is a good house, and though one may stand long at the door ere they be served, yet they give ay a liberal alms at length; would not that bring the beggar back again? So should the consideration of God's presence with his people in former days bring us to him for the same entertainment. For this there are the best reasons; such as,

(1.) Because the experiences of the Lord's people in former days were given, and put on record, for that very end. All the experiences of God's presence with his people in former days, are as so many signs of peace on earth, and good-will towards men. They, as it were, stand at God's door, to invite and encourage those of succeeding generations to come in there for the same or like entertainment; and his people do but answer the design of them, when they come and inquire, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?"-Eph. xii. 7, "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus."-Rom. xv. 4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope."

(2.) Because these experiences say there is enough to be had in God for the seeking, if we seek in his own way: Psalm xxii. 4, "Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried to thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded." The saints that have gone before us have spread a good report of God's house, that others after them might come to the same door. They have had the experience of the Lord's help in all the cases that we can be in; and whatever be the difficult steps we have to go, if we mark narrowly, we will see the footsteps of the flock before us in these steps through which their God has graciously handed them: Psalm xxxiv. 6, 8, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.-O taste, and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him." And their experiences are their testimony to the truth of his promises: Psalm xii. 6, "The words of the Lord are pure as silver tried."

(3.) Because we have the same advantages that they had, yea, and more than some of them, that lived in darker days than we do. How many have groped the way to the throne of grace, when they had not such light shining around them as we have to shew the way; but, however we make the comparison, we have the same God to go

to that they had, who has as much to give, and is as gracious as ever: Jam. i. 17, "Every good gift, and every precious gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" the same High Priest over the house of God, that is as well heard by the Father now as ever, Heb. xiii. 8, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever;" the same covenant, for it is everlasting; the same promises, whose truth and mercy endure for ever.

(4.) Because all that ever the best of the saints got was in the way of free grace. It was not only undeserved, but given over the belly of ill-deserving: and if it be free grace that opens the door, what needy sinner is there but may come forward for a share? All the love that was ever bestowed on any of them, was free love, without the least deserving; if ye think there is any exception, look through them all, from Adam downwards, and name the man if you can. Paul challenges the world to do it, Rom. xi. 35, "Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?"

IV. I am now to make some practical improvement.

And this, I. In an use of reproof. This reaches a reproof to several sorts of persons; as,

(1.) To our modern blasphemers, who reckon the saints' experiences of the workings of the Lord's Spirit on their spirits nothing but the effects of imagination, heat of fancy, or somewhat else. So true is it, 1 Cor. ii. 14, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But when we consider the sanctifying effects of these operations felt on their spirits, how by these their hearts are loosed from the lusts to which they were formerly glued, inflamed with love to God and his holy law, and thus to despise the world, rejoice in tribulation, joyfully to suffer for Christ, and deny themselves to all that is dear to them in the world for his cause, we must conclude, that these men do but new-model the doctrine of those that taught long ago that Christ cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils; and that, as their working is formal, suited to the spirit of the natural man; so their spirit is profane.

(2.) Those that slight the experiences of the people of God, and appearances to and for them, as not worth their notice, far less of their pains, to get the same entertainment; and yet they did more service to the cause of God, by their godly simplicity, than we are. like to do by our refined prudentials; and no wonder, for if a man will be truly wise, 1 Cor. iii. 18, "Let him become a fool, that he may be wise." A little faith and dependence on the Lord for light

and strength, will go farther than much carnal foresight. But they had the spirit of preaching, praying, and other things belonging to the service of God; and we have the bare act of it. The good Lord send back the Spirit, come of the act what will !

(3.) To those who are ready to talk big of the experiences of God's people, and of God's appearances for them in former days. With a whole heart, their consciences bearing them witness, they are not concerned to wrestle with God for themselves or others now, or to put to their hand, in their several capacities, to the revival of practical godliness in the generation; but, on the other hand, do improve it to the hardening of their own hearts, and to the contempt of ordinances and ministers. These are the genuine offspring of those who built the tombs of the prophets, and garnished their sepulchres, yet are filling up the measure of their fathers' iniquities, Matth. xxiii. 29.—Whence I may observe, (1.) That dead prophets are better liked by a formal generation, than living ones, for they get less trouble of the dead than of the living. (2.) Such would make a brave use of the means of grace that were in former days, which they are sure they cannot get, while they have no power to improve the means that are among their hands. (3.) These will condemn their fathers' misusing of the prophets that are gone, who yet will trample on their successors that are remaining.

(4.) To those who improve the experience of the Lord's people in former days against themselves, to the deadening their own spirits, instead of quickening them, when they look upon them. By the subtlety of Satan, they are thereby discouraged and broken instead of being animated, as they ought, to seek the same entertainment. It is the remains of a legal disposition in any of the children of God, that is the source of discouragements arising from this airth. They look more to the goodness that was in the saints, and the ill that is in themselves, than to the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, through which alone the divine goodness did flow to them, and through which it may flow as freely to themselves.

Lastly, To those whose hard thoughts of God the experience of all the saints from Adam cannot remove. So vile are they, they conclude, that God's heart cannot be towards them, though they have all the experiences of former saints, as so many depositions to confirm the welcome of all that come to him through Christ, whatever they have been. O lay by these hard thoughts of God, so destructive to yourselves, and so dishonourable to God. Look among all that ever came to God, if ye can find one that died at his door; if that be your lot, you will be the first; but God's word says you shall not: John vi. 37, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in nowise

cast out." Beware of hard thoughts of God whatever your disappointments be; if the devil can get that point wrought up in you, he has you fair before the wind for hell, where the fearful and unbelieving land: and there is not a readier way on earth than that, to create a hell within a man, a hell, I say, where sin and sorrow for sin are both at a height. But here some may propose this

OBJECT. No other person's case is like mine. ANSW. And there is none good as the Lord; he is goodness itself, infinite goodness, and infinitely good to sinners in Christ; and that is sufficient to swallow up your matchless evil. What think ye of Paul, Manasseh, Adam? But though ye cannot see a case like yours among all the elect of God, you cannot thence conclude your case is marrowless, more than if ye were in a wilderness where ye could see no marks of a person's foot, ye might conclude never one was there before you. But suppose the saints' experiences leave you, yet the word will reach you: Rev. xxii. 17, " And the Spirit and the Bride say, come; and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely." And if your case be quite new, God will do a new thing according to his word. Some person must go foremost in every case; venture you, then, on Christ with that case of yours, that others that may be in it after may follow, and ye shall find a matchless physician for a matchless malady.—I shall only add,

2. An use of exhortation. Let me exhort all, especially communicants, to seek the Lord's presence and glorious appearances as in former days; and make this your great business, never ceasing till he make himself known, as in the days of old.

(1.) Seek his glorious presence to the spirits of his people, as in former days. The Lord's work here is at a sad stand; cry," Revive thy work in the midst of the years," Hab. iii. 2. Their bones are in that respect lying dry about the grave's mouth. O cry for the Spirit of life to enter into them! Even the trees of God's planting are become mighty sapless; God's wheat is mighty withered at the root; cry for a shower of influences, that the work within, that is at such a stand, may go on yet, and soul-exercises may be set on foot again. (2.) Seek his powerful manifestation of himself, to purge the generation's wickedness, and to make holiness more common and shining in our day. There is a deluge of profanity overflowing the land: "Where is the Lord God of Elijah ?" Cry for his appearance, to turn the stream, to make iniquity hide its head, and holiness to settle in its room. There is a glorious promise to the gospelchurch, in Zech. xiv. 20, “In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar;" cry for the accomplishment of it, to him with whom is the residue of the Spirit.

(3.) Seek his glorious appearance in ordinances, as in former days, that he would beautify the place of his glory by his presence. Do your utmost to get him into your mother's house, for it is a heartless house when he is away. We have been in pain, we have, as it were, brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth: "Where is the Lord God of Elijah ?"

(4.) Seek his glorious appearance for his churches, now when they are so low, and the hand of the Antichristian faction is so high: Jer. li. 50, "Remember the Lord afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind;" for your mother-church in particular, against which many are gathered, saying, Let Zion be defiled. Behold how . pin after pin in her tabernacle is loosed, that it must quickly lie along upon the ground, if the Lord himself do not appear to hold it up. Seek for the revival and preservation of the covenanted work of reformation, that sacred pledge transmitted to us at the expense of the precious blood of many of the saints, the bearing down and destroying of which is like to make these nations yet swim with blood. Our rowers have rowed as into deep waters, where they have sunk our nation, and solemnly buried our covenants in the ruins of it: "Where is the Lord God of Elijah ?"

Cry for their resurrection; and if ye can do no more ye may do as Martha and Mary, that owned their relation to their brother while in the grave; and say as Mary, and these with her, John xii. 34, when Christ asked, "Where have ye laid him?" "Lord!" say they, "come and see."-For motive,

1. Consider that the Lord's appearances and manifestations of himself as to his people in former days, would make a pleasant change on the face of affairs this day, it would be as life from the dead: Isa. xxxv. 12, "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God." It would renew the earth's withered and decayed face. If, therefore, you have any respect for the thriving of your own souls, any pity on the perishing souls of a graceless multitude, any regard to God's honour and ordinances, any concern for his ark and work, seek his glorious appearance for his church.

2. Consider that matters are come to such a pass with us now, that nothing less than God's gracious appearance for us, and presence with us, as in former days, can prevent our ruin; we have all grounds to fear an arousing stroke from the hand of the Lord, by