holiness, and led, though out of their way, by the tenderness of their consciences, which, when God hath better enlightened, will bring them as fast back to their brethren as now it carrieth them from them. And truly, I think it might give a great lift to the making them think of a return, if they would but in their sad and serious thoughts consider how far many of those who went out from us with them are gone ; even to mock at the holiness of those from whom once they parted, because they were not holy enough for their company, God, the searcher of hearts, knows I speak this with a sad heart ; so that were they to come and'join with us again in some ordinances, such scandal hath been given by them, that they who durst not join with us, ought not, as they are, to be admitted by us. How many of those have you heard of, that began with a separation from our assemblies, who mock at sabbaths, cast off family dvities, indeed all prayer in secret by themselves, yea, drink in those cursed opinions, that make them speak scornfully of Clu-ist the Son of God himself, and the great truths of the gospel, which are the foundation of all true holiness ; so that now, none are so great an object of their scorn, as those who walk most closely by the holy rule of the gospel ! Well, of what sort soever you are, whether atheistical mockers at holiness, or such as mock true holiness in the disguise of a false one, take heed what you do — it is as much as your life is worth : ' Be not deceived, God will not be mocked,' nor suffer his grace to be mocked in his saints. You know how dearly that scoli' did cost them, though but childi*en, that spake it to the prophet, ' Go up, thou bald-head, go up, thou bald-head,' 2 Kings ii. 23 ; where they did not only revile him with that nick-name of bald- head, but made a mock and jeer of Elijah's raptiu-e into heaven, as if they had said. You would make us believe your master is gone up to heaven ; why do not you go up after him, tliat we may be rid of both your companies at once? And we need not wonder tiiat these children should rise to such a height of wicked- ness so soon, if you observe the place where they lived at. Bethel, which was most infamous for idolatry, and one of the two cities where Jeroboam did set up his calves, 1 Kings xii. 28 ; so that this seems but the natural language which they learnt, no doubt, from their idolatrous parents. God met with Michal also for despising her husband, merely upon a religious account, because he shewed a holy zeal for God, which her proud spirit (as many others since have done) thought it too mean and base for a king to do. Well, what is her punishment? ' Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.' The service of God was too low for a king, in her thoughts ; therefore shall none come out of her womb to sit on the throne, or wear a crown. It is great wicked- ness to mock at the calamity of another. ' He that mocketh the poor reproach- eth his Maker,' Prov. xvii. 5 ; yea, to laugh at and triumph over a saint's trans- gression is a heavy sin ; so did some sons of Belial, when David fell into that sad temptation of adultery and murder ; and they are indicted for blaspheming God upon that account. What then is it to mock one for his holiness ? Sin cai-ries some cause of shame, and gives naughty hearts an occasion to reproach him they see besmeared with that which is so inglorious and unbecoming, especially in a saint. But holiness is honourable, and stamps dignity on the person that hath it. It is not only the nobility of the creature, but the honour of the most high God himself; so rims his title of honour, ' Who is like thee, glorious in holiness?' Exod. XV. 11 ; so that none can mock that, but upon the same account he must mock God infinitely more, because there is infinitely more of that holiness, whicli he jeers at in the creature, to be found in God, than all the creatures, men and angels, iii both worlds, have among them. If you would contrive a way how to cast the greatest dishonour upon God possible, you could not hit on the like to this. The Romans, when they would put contempt upon any, and degrade them of their nobility, they commanded that those their statues and portraitures, which were set \ip in the city or temples to their memory, should all be broken down. Every saint is a lively image of God ; and the more holy, the more like God . when thou, therefore, puttest scorn on them, and that for their Ivoliness, now thou touchest God's honour nearly indeed. Will nothing less content thee, but thou must deface that image of his, which he hatli erected with so much cost in his saints, on purpose that they might be a praise to him in the earth ? Was it such horrible wickedness in those heathens ' to cast fire into the sanctu.ar}', and to break down the carved work thereof with axes and hammers?'
z 2
OAQ AND HAVING ON