receiving circumcision in the flesh, which we have preached down. Ver. 14. But far be it from me to glory in any thing but the sufferings of Christ, by which I am so mortified, that I care no more for the world's good opinion, or any thing in it, than men use to care for or value a crucified person, who is pronounced to be cursed; and, on the other hand, the world cares as little for me, even upon the very account of Christ's cross, which I preach, and put my whole confidence in. Ver. 15. I glory only in the cross of Christ; for I take it for an infallible rule, That in the kingdom of Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is ought worth; but that the new creation, or regeneration, is the great business requisite to evidence our interest in Christ. Ver. 16. And as for those that turn the edge of their endeavours this way, living according to this rule, I, as an apostle of Christ, bless them from the Lord, (though false teachers should curse them): Peace of all kinds be on them, and the mercy of God be their sure refuge; and let these be on all the spiritual Israelites, true believers, which God will account his Israel, though they be not circumcised.

"17 From henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

"18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

Ver. 17. From henceforth let no man trouble me, quarrelling my call, or my doctrine, particularly alleging that I myself teach the necessity of circumcision: for in my body I bear such scars, received from persecutors, as are marks of my being a servant of Christ, even as servants bear their master's mark: and these received by me for preaching Christ sincerely, shew, that I have not pleased the Jews in preaching circumcision. Ver. 18. Brethren, all the saving benefits purchased by Christ be with your souls. Amen.

PRACTICAL DISCOURSES.

GOSPEL-COMPULSION.*

A Sermon preached immediately before the celebration of the Lord's Supper, at Ettrick.

Luke xiv. 23.

Compel them to come in.

And why will not ye come in Many have come in, but " yet And we are sent to "compel charge in our text.

AND are they not happy that are in? Is your rock as their rock, O sinners, yourselves being judges? too? Christ's house is not yet filled. there is room" for more, ver. 22. you to come in." So we have it in The scope of this parable (which, upon the matter, is the same with that of the marriage-feast, Matt. xxii.) is to shew the rejection of the Jews for their rejecting of Christ, and the calling of the Gentiles into their room. The supper to which they are bidden here, is Jesus Christ, with all his saving benefits: he is the maker, and the matter of this supper also. In the morning of time, in the patriarchal ages, en were invited to this feast; for even then there were not wanting preachers of righteousness, 2 Peter ii. 5. In the mid-day, under the law, they were invited to it, by prophets, priests, and Levites. And here in the evening, in the last times, the times of the gospel, they are called to it as a supper; the dispensation of the gospel being the last dispensation of grace to the world. The Jews were they that got the first offer, but they would not come; they made their excuses, as ye may read vers. 17, 18, 19,

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This Sermon, originally intended to have been inserted in the author's book, entitled, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State," &c. at the close of the discourses on 'the state of grace, or begun recovery," to which it plainly refers, and prepared for the press with that view, is here inserted, as a very proper introduction to the many excellent discourses in this volume.

20. of this chapter. The Gentiles get the next offer; the servant is sent out to the streets and lanes: the ministers of Christ preach the gospel to the poor Gentiles, and they receive it. But all come not in at once therefore the servant is sent out into "the highways and hedges," where the most miserable sort of people are to be found; and even these must be compelled to come in. Possibly, this double sending forth of the servant, may point at the Lord's way in the dispensation of the gospel to the Gentile world: the gospel being first preached to those of them who had renounced the idolatry of their country, and worshiped the true God; and sometimes assembled with the Jews in their synagogues to learn of them the knowledge of God, though they did not embrace the ceremonial part of their religion: these might well be represented by the "poor, maimed, and blind," sitting in the streets and lanes of the city. But afterwards it was carried to the most dark corners of the earth, where there was no respect either to the Jewish or Christian religgion, but all were sunk together in most gross ignorance and idolatry; which might fitly be represented by "the highways and hedges." See Acts x.; and xiii. 42, 46, 49.

In the text we have three things. (1.) The great design ministers should have before their eyes in preaching the gospel; and that is, to bring sinners in to Christ. It must not be to draw them to a party, but to draw them to Christ. It is not to make them only change their work, they continuing still without, by preaching mere morality to them; but it is to make them change their master too, to get them into Christ by faith. (2.) Consider whom they are to deal with in order to bring them in; even those that are sitting in the highways and hedges, like beggars in rags and sores, the most unworthy and vile sinners. (3.) The method they must use to get them in; "Compel them" to come in, not by using bodily violence towards them. Christ put the sword of the Spirit in the hands of his ministers, but not the temporal sword. Dragooning, torturing, murdering, may be fit means to bring in men to Antichrist, but not to bring them in to Christ. The compulsion in the text is a moral compulsion, such as those use who invite men to feasts, who are not wont to cudgel them in, but seriously and earnestly to deal with them until they consent. So should ministers compel sinners to come in to Christ, dealing with them seriously and affectionately, so as sinners may see they are in good earnest upon their Master's errand. We must give them the charming invitations and offers of the gospel upon the one hand, and lay before them the "terror of the Lord," on the other hand, that if men will go to hell, they may go with a witness. Withal, here is intimated that efficacy of the

Spirit, which goes along with the word, to the conversion of the elect; which does not force, but sweetly necessitates them to come in.

DOCTRINE. It is the great work of ministers to compel sinners, in a gospel-way, to come in to Christ.

The best way that I can handle this text, is to aim at that which is given in charge in it. And in order to this, consider with me the import of it.

I. Sinners naturally are out. Were it not so, they needed not be compelled to come in. Hear all ye this day that are out of Christ, what ye are out of, and where ye are.

First, Sinners, do ye know what ye are out of? (1.) All ye that are out of Christ, are out of God's family, Eph. ii. 18, 19, God's household is the household of faith, ye are none of it. His house may be an empty house for you. Adam ran out of the house, and all his posterity with him; and ye are still there, where Adam left you. And is not that a sad case, to be out of God's family? Though ye are in our mother's house, ye cannot call him Father, seeing ye are not in Christ his Son: ye can have no claim to the portion and inheritance of the children, Gal. iv. 30. (2.) Ye are out of God's covenant of peace, and so without hope of salvation, while in that state, Eph. ii. 12. Ye read of a glorious chariot, Cant. iii. 9, 10. It is the covenant of grace, the covenant of peace, as it is held forth in the everlasting gospel; for that is "the word of truth, meekness, and righteousness," upon which Christ rides and prospereth. The first chariot, wherein Adam and his children should have been carried to heaven, was the covenant of works: Adam had the guiding of it; but it did not drive far till it was broken to pieces. Now, there is a new one made in which Christ is carrying all his people to glory; but ye are out of it. King Solomon, the Mediator Christ, made it; it could not be made without him. He made it for himself, to manifest his own glory, and the exceeding riches of his grace by it; and "for the daughters of Jerusalem," to carry his bride home to his Father's house, in it. It was made of the durable "wood of Lebanon;" for he will have it to be an everlasting covenant, that shall never be broken. It has "pillars of silver," those excellent promises that are peculiar to the covenant of grace, as the promises of pardon, perseverance, &c., for it is "established upon better promises." And because there is no small weight in this chariot when a sinner is in it, he hath made the "bottom thereof of gold," solid and strong, so that none that are in it (though heavier than mountains of brass) shall fall through