fishes whatsoever the rivers and seas do produce. But no likeness of these is to be made for religious service.

But why so particular? This is deservedly inquired, when the first command, and most of the rest, are in so very few words. Ans. 1. Because the worship of God

commanded here is not so much natural as in the first command, but instituted; and so nature's light can be of less service than in the first: for though the light of nature teacheth that God is to be worshipped, it cannot tell us how he will be worshipped, or in what particular way.

2. Because there is a special proneness in the nature of man to corrupt the worship and ordinances of God. Of old the worship of God was corrupted with vile idolatries and superstitions all the world over, but among the Jews, and frequently among them too. Ye will often read of the Jews falling in with the worship of the nations; but of any nation falling in with theirs, never, Jer. ii. 11. And so is it at this day among the Papists, yea, and other churches, as the church of England, and the Greek churches; and there are few Protestant churches, where these ordinances are not changed in greater or lesser measure.

3. There is a peculiar bias in corrupt nature to idolatry. It is natural for men to desire to see what they worship, Rom. i. 23. Exod. xxxii. 1. and to have a pompous worship. There is a natural weakness in the corrupt minds of men, whereby they are easily impressed by idols and images for religious service, ready to fancy something of divinity in them.

4. There is a peculiar hellish zeal that accompanies idolatry, to multiply gods, and to be most keen in the worship of them; like as it is seen in corporal adultery in those who have once prostituted their honour, Jer. 1. 38. If you ask, what can put Papists, being men and not devils, on those horrid practices, of which we spake on the fast-day*?

*This part of the fubject was delivered Feb. 21. and the difcourfe here referred to was preached on occafion of a congregation faft, on the 17th, 1714, being the last year of Queen Anne's reign. It is well known that plots were then carrying on by Papifts, Jacobites, and malignants, not without countenance from the then Tory miniftry, to bring a Popish Pretender to the throne, on the demife of that much-abufed Princess, in place of the late King George I. upon whom the crown had been entailed by Act of Parliament, as the nearest Proteftant heir; that great

I answer, Their idolatrous religion inspires them with that hellish fury, 1 Kings xviii. 28. Psal. cvi. 36, 37, 38. So does it on multiplying of them; for this particularity shews that almost from every part of the universe the heathens fetched their idols. And as the heathens had, so the Papists have, their idols and images of things in heaven, of God, angels, saints; and want not their queen of heaven, as well as the Pagans had. The earth furnishes them with an image of the cross, and with reliques and images of the dead. Remarkable is that which the author of the apocryphal book of Wisdom, which to the Papists is canonical scripture, chap. xiv. 15. gives as the original of idolatry, to wit, That a father, in bitterness for his son's death, made an image of his

numbers of trafficking priefts and Jesuits flocked into this kingdom; that Popish meetings were held more openly than formerly; that Prefbyterian minifters were infulted in feveral places, and threatenings of vengeance uttered to be inflicted on firm and flaunch Proteftants. At this dangerous season, Mr BOSTON, with that freedom and boldnefs that became a true patriot and an ambassador of the King of kings, was not filent, but faithfully teftified against the abominations and cruelties of Papifts, and the madness and extravagance of Jacobites and malignants, in the afore-mentioned difcourfe; and others preached in thofe perilous times.

As the difcourfe referred to was feasonable at that time, fo it appears to be equally fo at this day, when Popery is evidently on the increase in many places of this kingdom, Edinburgh not excepted, wherein there are faid to be three numerous Popish meetings, and endeavours are used, by writings and fpeeches, to reprefent Popery in a light quite different from what it really is, thereby to beguile unwary and unftable fouls; and not only Papifts, but many infatuated and pretended Proteftants, not Epifcopalians only, but fome who pretend to be Prefbyterians, are as hearty and warm in the caufe of a Popish pretender, as they were in any former period, and who, if their power were equal to their wishes and defigns, would foon involve the nation in blood, and all the horrors of a civil war. Thefe confiderations have determined the preparer of this work for the Prefs to give the discourse entire, as it may be useful, through the divine bleffing, for preferving people from the abominations of Popery, and the fnares of Jacobites and malignants, thofe declared enemies to the religion and laws of their country, who, alas! are ftill very numerous among us, notwithftanding the Lord has fignally teftified his displeasure of their unhappy caufe, on two former occafions, which will be ever remembered with gratitude by all true Proteftants, and hearty friends to the illuftrious house of Hanover, which God, in mercy to thefe kingdoms, has raised and maintained on the throne, and made the guardians of our religion, laws, and liberties. And it will be the hearty prayer of all who fear God, and have a juft fense of the invaluable liberties we enjoy under our happy conftitution, O deliver not the foul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the

dead son, and first honoured him as a dead man, at length as a god, &c. And as the Pagans had their gods to be applied to by persons of several callings, countries, diseases, &c. so

wicked, particularly the Antichriftian beast, and his tool, a Popish Pretend. er and his abettors.

THE CHURCH'S PRAYER AGAINST THE ANTICHRISTIAN BEAST, AND HER OTHER ENEMIES, EXPLAINED AND ENFORCED.

[A fermon preached on a congregation faft-day at Ettrick, February 17, 1714.]

PSAL. lxxiv. 19.-O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked.

THE

HIS text represents to us the cafe of Britain and Ireland at this day (which like Rebekah have two parties ftruggling within them,) and thereupon an application made to the Lord about it. In the words confider,

1. The ftruggling parties: thefe are Zion and Babylon; which never could, and never will agree. The Chaldean Babylon and the Jewish Zion are the parties here immediately pointed at: for it is plain, that this pfalm was compofed on the lamentable occafion of the Babylonians over-running Judea, and deftroying Jerufalem and the temple. The Chriftian Zion and the Antichriftian Babylon are the parties now on the field, the former being both gone; and fo the text may be, without ftretching, applied to them. The one party is,

(1.) The turtle; i. e. the church. She is compared to the turtle-dove for her fidelity to God. The turtle is a creature of admired chastity, has but one mate, and cleaves clofely to that, and will take no other. So the true church of God preferves her chastity, worshipping none but the true God. But it is a bird that often becomes a prey, as being harmless and weak. Only it is pleaded on her behalf, that fhe is God's turtle. On the other hand is,

(2.) The multitude. This is the Babylonians, ver. 7. An idolatrous cruel people, who of old were fo heavy on the church of God. But among the multitude were others, nearer neighbours to the Jews, par ticularly the Edomites, who, joining with the Babylonian army, were like firebrands among them, to fpur them on to do mifchief, Obed. 11. Píal. cxxxvii. 7. This is the cafe of this church with Papifts, the brats of Babylon, with whom join our malignants; not confidering, that after they have helped Babylon to deftroy us, they will fall on them next: as Edom

the Papists are well nigh even with them in that. The Pagans had their gods for the seamen, shepherds, husbandmen, &c; so the Papists have St. Nicholas for the seamen, St Wendolin for the shepherd, St John Baptist for the husband

was deftroyed by Nebuchadnezzar some time after the deftruction of Jeru falem.

'The word rendered multitude, in Hebrew fignifies the wild beast, that' lives upon other beafts; fuch as lions, wolves, &c; and fo it may be read. And so it points at two qualities of Babylonian enemies. (1.) Their idolatry, being defigned a wild beaft, in oppofition to the chafte turtle. Such are our new, as the old Babylonians were. They are no more the spouse of Chrift, but the great whore, that is mad on idols, and multitudes of them; and cannot be at ease with those that will not drink of the wine of their fornication. (2) Their horrid cruelty; for having divested God of his divine glory, and given it to others, they are divefted themselves of humanity, and rage like wild beafts, when they can get their

ing their fellow-creatures.

prey, devour. 2. The party holding the balance betwixt the ftruggling parties; that is, God himself, to whom application is here made, Babylon has not all at will; Zion's God has the balance of power in his own hand, and can caft the fcales what way he pleaseth, and give up or preferve the turtle as he fees meet.

3. The address made to the great Arbitrator on the turtle's behalf, which is our work this day, O deliver not the foul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beaft. Do not give up the turtle; fhe will find no mercy from the multitude, the wild beaft. They are not content with the mifchief they have done to the turtle; nothing lefs will fatisfy them than her life, her foul. The wild beaft is gaping for her, not to pluck off her feathers, and fend her away wounded, but to fwallow her up quite, to destroy her root and branch; for behold the plot, ver. 8, Let us deftroy them together. But, Lord, do not give her up to them. It is a moft fervent addrefs, intimated by two words in one in Hebrew. We may take up the import of the words in four points.

I. The church may be in hazard of falling a prey to her enemies, as a poor turtle to be swallowed up by a devouring beaft. The church's lot has been in all ages like Paul's, to "fight with wild beasts;" and she may well fay, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our fide; if it had not been the Lord who was on our fide, when men rose up against us: then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us,' Pfal. cxxiv. 1, 2, 3. God's enemies, feeing they are not good men, the fcripture accounts them beafts. Chrift was attacked by bulls and lions, Pfal. xxii, 12, 13; for when men turn perfecutors, they set up themselves against the Deity, and withal lay afide all humanity. There are five beafts which God's turtle has been specially in hazard to be fwallowed up by.

This

1. The Egyptian beaft, the great dragon,' Ezek. xxix. 3. was a cruel beaft, that made the Lord's people groan long under the greatest bondage. A bloody beaft; fee the bloody edict, Exod. i. 16. When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women,' faid VOL. II.

3 E

man, St Magdalene for the whore, as the Pagans had Flora. The family and country gods are a prodigious number, St Andrew for Scotland, St George for England, St Patrick for Ireland, St Denys for France, St James for Spain, &c. And

Pharaoh to the midwifes, and fet them upon the ftools; if it be a fon then ye fhall kill him.' It had near fwallowed them up, Exod. xv. 9. The enemy faid, I will purfue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my luft shall be fatisfied upon them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.' See how the turtle groans to the Lord against this beaft, Pfal. Ixviii. 30. Rebuke the company of fpearmen,' Heb. the beaft of the reeds.' And the people of God comfort themselves under their danger in the text, by the end of the Egyptian beaft, Pfal. lxxiv, 13, 14.Thou didst divide the fea by thy ftrength: thou brakeit the heads of the dragon in the waters. Thou brakeft the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gaveft him to be meet to the people inhabiting the wilder nefs.'

2. The Babylonian beaft, the lion, Dan. vii. 4. Jer. xlix. 19. Dreadful was the havock this beaft made on them; it burut the temple and the fynagogues, filled the land with blood, fpared neither men, women, nor children. See the whole book of Lamentations. And the text lets you fee how they were well nigh being fwallowed up by him. Yet God broke out the teeth of that fierce lion.

3. The Perfian beaft, the bear, a bloody beaft, Dan. vii. 5. This, though it lay quiet for a while, yet hindered the building of the temple and the city a long time, and kept the church fore at under. But under this beaft a bloody maffacre was fet on foot, Efth. iii.

The confpirators have their frequent meetings, ver. vii. the court is friendly to them, and the bloody day is fet, ver. 12, 13. and all because Mordecai would not bow to Haman an Amalekite, one of those against whom the Lord had fworn he would have war for ever. How near was the church then to be swallowed up? but God broke the plot, and ruined that beast too.

4 The Grecian beaft, the leopard, Dan. vii. 6. This beaft had almost swallowed up the church under Antiochus Epiphanes, who raised a moft dreadful perfecution against the Jews, polluted the temple, forbade the public worship of God, and fet up in the temple the image of the hea then Jupiter, and cruelly murdered many that would not comply with idolatry, Dan. xi. 31.-34. Yet they furvived that beaft.

5. The Roman beast, which is nameless, Dan. vii. 7. The scripture fpeaks of two Roman beafts, that were both heavy to the church.

1, The great red dragon, Rev. xii. 9, that is, the Roman empire, headed by the Pagan emperors, whom the devil ftirred up to persecute the church for the first three hundred years. Horrible was the havock of Chriftians made under ten perfecuting Pagan emperors. So that it is reckoned there were as many Chriftians flain under them, as that, if ye would fuppofe them at this butchering work for one year, there would be five thousand martyrs for every day of that year.

2dly, The beast with the name of blafphemy, Rev. xiii, 1; that is, the Roman Chriftian, or rather Antichriftian Empire, headed by the Pope, the