God of Jacob!" whereas it is given as the character of the wicked, Psal. xiv. 4, that they call not upon God. They either live in the total neglect of this duty; or, if they do it at all, it is in a hypocritical, formal, and overly manner. But God's remnant seek the face of God; they seek him with fervency, with truth in the inward parts; they seek him believingly; they seek him constantly and perseveringly, which the hypocrite will not do: Job xxvii. 10: "Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?"

5. God's remnant are a mourning people. They mourn over their own sins, in the first place: Ezek. vii. 16. The remnant of Jacob "that escape, they shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, every one mourning for their iniquity." They mourn over the errors of their hearts, and the iniquity of their lives, and are ready to cry out, “Innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold on me," &c. And then they mourn, not only for their own personal sins, but for public sins; the sins of others, by which the land is defiled: "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law; I beheld transgressors, and was grieved." That this is the character of God's remnant, you may see from Ezek. ix. 4: "Go through the city, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and cry for all the abominations done in the midst thereof." And then they mourn for the calamities and desolations of Zion, when they see "the boar out of the wood wasting her, and the wild beasts out of the forest devouring her:" Psal. cxxxvii. 1: "By the rivers of Babylon we sat down, and wept when we remembered Zion." And then they mourn when they see ordinances corrupted, or God's candlestick in any measure removed, the Lord's people deprived of their wonted freedom and liberty in waiting upon him in these galleries: Zeph. iii. 18: "I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, to whom the reproach of it was a burden."

6. God's remnant are a people that will rather venture upon suffering than sinning. They rather venture to run the risk of displeasing kings and queens, potentates and parliaments, than venture upon the displeasing of God: they can rather venture on the rack of outward torments, than upon the rack of an accusing conscience. See this to be the character of God's remnant in the three children, Dan. iii. &c.; and Moses, (Heb. xi. 27,) "who forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king." Many other marks of God's remnant might be insisted upon. They are a people that cannot live without Christ, and fellowship and communion with him, Cant. iii. 1; Job xxiii. 3: "O that I knew where I might find him!

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that I might come even to his seat!" They are a people that will not rest in their attainments, but press towards the uttermost of grace and holiness, Phil. iii. 12. They press after more nearness to Christ, Cant. viii. 1. They love holiness for itself, Psal. cxix. 140. Christ for himself; yea, they love heaven for Christ and holiness. In a word, they love holiness, be the event what it will.

USE 4, is of exhortation. Is it so, that God's remnant, who are privileged to walk with Christ in white, are such as keep their garments clean? O then! let me exhort all hearing me, particularly you who have been professing yourselves among the number of God's remnant, by drawing near to him in the holy ordinance of his supper; let me, I say, exhort you to keep your garments clean; be exhorted to the study of true gospel-holiness, both in heart and life. And, by way of motive, I would have you to consider these things following.

MOTIVE 1. Consider, that you are in continual hazard of defiling your garments. You are in danger from every quarter: As, Ist, You are in danger from the world. There are many things in the world that are of a very defiling and polluting nature. There are many polluting opinions broached in the world, which go very glib away with nature, and which nature is very ready to catch at and embrace; as, That God is altogether made up of mercy, and will never damn any of his creatures: That Christ died for all: That morality runs parallel with grace: That an empty profession is enough to save folk: That it is better to keep the body whole than the conscience pure: That to be zealous for religion is to be "righteous overmuch." These, and many other such opinions, are of a polluting nature; and we are in danger of defiling ourselves with them. And then, the examples of the world are very infectious; the examples of magistrates and ministers, as you see from Hos. v. 1: Hear ye this, O priests; give ye ear, O house of the king; because ye have been a snare on Mizpeh, and a net spread upon Tabor." And then you are in danger from the example of professors, who, perhaps, have a great name for religion in the church of God. O! will you say, such a man doth so and so, and why may not I do it also? also? But remember, sirs, that there are many hypocrites in the church of God, that go under a mask of re ligion. And supposing them to have the reality of grace, yet they may be under a spiritual decay; they may be sadly deserted of God: And do you think, that in this case they are to be imitated? And besides, suppose them to be ever such eminent persons, yet, according to the apostle's direction, we are to be followers of them no farther than they are followers of Christ. And besides, we are in

danger from the frowns and flatteries of the world. If the world cannot get us allured into sin by its enticing promises, it will study to drive us into a compliance, by threats of trouble and persecution. Thus, I say, we are in imminent danger from the world. The apostle James exhorts us to "keep ourselves unspotted from the world," chap. i. 27. 2dly, You are in danger from Satan, that subtle and malicious enemy, who "goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." He waits for your halting, and is always ready to trip up your heels. And I assure you, sirs, if you have got any love-token from the Lord at this occasion, this enemy will do his best, or worst rather, to you and it. It was but a little after Peter had been feasting with Christ, at this holy ordinance of the supper, that Christ told him, (Luke xxii. 31,) "Simon, Simon, Satan hath sought to winnow thee as wheat." And therefore you had need to be on your guard as to this enemy, and labour "not to be ignorant of his devices." 3dly, You are in danger of defiling your garments from your own hearts. My friends, would not that city be exposed to great danger, which is not only besieged with an army from without, but has a strong and powerful party within, that keeps a correspondence with the enemy without, and is ready to comply with all his demands? Just so is it with us: we are not only besieged with the world, and with Satan, who are our enemies without; but there is a strong party of indwelling sin and corruption within us, that is ready, upon all occasions, to betray us into our enemies' hands. This made David cry out, "Who can understand his errors?" and Paul, "Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death!" So much for the first motive.

MOT. 2. By keeping your garments clean, you comply and fall in with God's great design in all his dispensations towards you, whether more immediate or mediate. God's great end in all is to bring his people to the study of gospel-purity and holiness. This is the design of his electing some of the posterity of Adam from all eternity: Eph. i. 4: "He hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love." It is a very foolish way of arguing that some people have: If I be elected, I shall be saved, let me live as I list; for God, like all other wise agents, not only decrees the end, but the means leading to that end. Now, holiness is the King's high-way, in which he has ordained and decreed to bring the elect to glory: 2 Thes. ii. 13: "God hath chosen us from the beginning to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." This is the design of redemption. Christ did not die, sirs, to purchase a latitude for us to sin: No, no: Tit. ii. 14:

"He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." This is the design of our creation. Why did you get a being, but that you might glorify and serve God? "This people have I formed for myself, that they may show forth my praise." And this is not only the design of our first, but of our second creation; "for he hath created us in Christ unto good works." This is the design of our effectual calling; "for God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness:" no; "he hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling." This is the design of the whole word of God. Why has God privileged us with his statutes and testimonies, but that they may be "a light to our feet, and a lamp to our path," to keep us out of the polluting ways of sin? Psal. cxix. 9. "Whereby shall a young man cleanse his way, but by taking heed thereto, according to thy word?" This is the design of the promises of the word. However carnal persons may make the promises a pillow of security, yet God's design in giving them, is to excite his people to keep clean garments: 2 Cor. vii. 1: "Dearly beloved, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness, in the fear of God." This is the design of the threatenings of the word, that so men, knowing the terror of God, may be persuaded to keep at a distance from sin, the abominable thing that his soul hates, and may not defile their garments therewith. This is the design of all providences by which God exercises his people. Why doth God cast thee into the furnace? O man! his design is to purge away thy dross: Is. xxvii. 9: "By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin." The Lord chastens us, that we may be "partakers of his holiness," Heb. xii. 10. This is the design, not only of cross, but of favourable providences. "The goodness of God" should "lead us to repentance," and lays a deep obligation on us to stand off from sin, which is offensive to our gracious Benefactor. This is the design, not only of all providences, but of all ordinances, and of the whole dispensation of the grace of God in the gospel: Tit. ii. 11, 12: "For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." This is the design, not only of the preaching of the word, but of the administration of the sacraments. In baptism, we are solemnly devoted to the service of God, and are engaged to walk as those that are called by "the name of Christ," who are bound "to depart from iniquity." And in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, we solemnly renew,

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fore God, angels, and men, our baptismal engagements, and swear to keep our garments clean from the pollution of sin; and that by laying our hands on the body and blood of the Lord Jesus. This is the design of every frown, and of every smile. Doth God at any time fill thee with "joy and peace in believing?" lifts he up the light of his countenance upon thee? The language of this is, O do not defile thy garments! "God will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints; but let them not return again to folly." And why doth God at any time hide his face, and leave thee in the dark, but to engage you to more tenderness in time to come, in keeping at a distance from these pollutions, by which he has been provoked to forsake thee? Thus, I say, if you do not keep your garments clean, you counteract the great design of God in all his dispensations towards you. How dangerous is it to be found fighting against God!

MOT. 3. Consider the dismal effects that will follow upon your defiling your garments. 1st, You will ruin your reputation, and render your names unsavoury in the world. And this is no small loss; for "a good name," says Solomon, "is as precious ointment," and renders a man capable to do service to God in his day and generation. In Prov. vi. 33, it is said of the adulterer, "A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away." When professors of religion, or ministers, defile their garments by sin, especially sins of a public nature, they wound their reputation, bring a reproach upon themselves that is not easily wiped away; and not only so, but make the word of the Lord, in their mouths, to be contemned and despised. You may read a scripture for this, Mal. ii. 8, 9: It is spoken of the priests of that day, "Ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law." 2dly, You will stain and pollute your souls, which you ought to keep pure as a holy temple unto God. And how dangerous a thing this is, you may see from 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." My friends, you have been solemnly consecrating your souls and bodies unto God, as his temple; and if any of you shall after this return with the dog to his vomit, and with the sow, that seemed to be washed, to wallow again in the puddle of sin, you run a very dreadful risk. Utter "destruction from the Lord, and from the glory of his power," is abiding all those that are hypocrites in heart.