To the Honourable,

Sir JAMES ELPHINSTON of LOGIE, Baronet;

SIR;

I

Am not afbamed to prefix your Name before thefe Sermons, and to acknowledge to the World how much I am obliged to `your Kindness, in the Words of the wife King, A Friend loveth at all Times, and a Brother is born for Adverfity, Prov. 17. 17.

However the Holy Catholick Church, without which there is no Salvation, Acts 2. be one and the fame in all Ages, as profeffing One Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm, which initiates and configns us into that bleffed Society; Yet to use the Words of the weeping Prophet, (Jer. 2. 28.) According to the Number of thy Cities, O Scotland, fo are thy Churches and different Communions. was Jeroboam's Sin, that be caft out the Priests of the LORD, and the Festivals of the Church, and ordained other Feasts to be kept, which he devised of his own Heart, 1 Kings 12.

There is a great Difference betwixt Religion and Superflation; the one fills the Mind with Knowledge, Love and Tranquility, the other is full of Fears and Distractions. Superftitio Error infanis, (Jays Seneca) amandos timet, quos colit violat; as Cicero obferved of the Heathen Worship, Tota res inventa eft Falaciis ad Quæftum, aut ad Superftitionem, aut ad Terrorem.

Our ancharitable Divifions and Zeal, without Knowledge or Confideration, make many, like Gallio, careless of all Religion, as Optatus argued against the Donatifts, Vos dicitis licet, nos. non licet, interlicet veftrum, & non licet noftrum, nutant & remigant animi Populorum. If fome be mad upon their Images, others at 15 mad upon their Imaginations, and run from Superftition to Sacrilege, Rom. 2. I wish we had not Occafion to fay of fome as Tacitus fays of the Jews, Apud ipfos Fides obftinata, Mife

cordia in promptu erga fuos, fed adverfus omnes alios hoftile Odium.

Cruelty and Perfecution are not proper. Means to propagate the Gospel, Luke 9, 57. her which teaches us Meeknefs and long-fuffering Patience, and to be ready alwife to give Answer to every Man that asketh you a Reafon of the Hope that is in us with Meekness and Reverence, 1 Pet. 3.1. as an Ancient answered when he was asked of his Religion, Chriftian, fays he, is my Name, and Catholick is my Sirname. We fee many stiff in their Opinions, and boast much of their Profeffion, as their Humour, or temporal Interest leads them; Feeding upon Wind and Husks, as its faid of Ephraim and the Prodigal, yet very remifs and careless in Chriftian Charity and good Works, having a Form of Godliness, as the Apoft le speaks, <but denying the Power thereof.

But if we would not backbite and devour one another about different Opinions, which destroy not the Chriftian Faith, nor disturb the publick Peace, but may confift with one Communion, as well as different Afpects and Humours may dwell together under one Roof • without Breach of Affection, if we would pray heartily unto GOD to teach us and make Confcience of our Ways according to our Knowledge, Pfal. 25.9, 10. John 7. 17. If we would try the fpirits, 1 John 4. 1. according to the Scriptures, Ifa, 8, 20. Luke 16, 29. and Catholick Traditions, 2 Theff. 2. 15.

In ipfa autem Ecclefia magnopere curandum eft,ut id tenemus quod ubique, quod femper,quod ab omnibus creditum eft,hoc eft & enim vere proprieque Catholicum, fays Vincentius Lyrinenfis; The good GOD would fuffer no Man that feeks him fincerely to fall into any damnable Error. What Man is he that feareth the LORD, him fhall he teach in the way that he fhall choofes Pfal. 25. 12. As alfo faith our bleffed Saviour, If any Man will do his Will, he fhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of GOD, or whether I fpeak of my felf, John 7.17.

I wish you may live long and happy upon Earth, to do good in your Generation, that your Reward may be great in Heaven. I am,

SIR,

Your Affectionate Brother and Servant,

ALEXANDER LUNAN.

TO. THE

READER.

T

HESE Sermons, which were formerly preached on our Holy Festivals, are now published and enlarged in a plain and eafie Method for Reading and Meditation; there is nothing of Controverfie in them which may difpleafe Chriftians of different Denominations, but all edifying and comfortable Doctrines, which may be Ufefal, even to thofe who defpife our Holy Days: If they would confider that all Days are GOD's Days, and thofe, more than others, which are fet apart in a special Manner, and spent in his Service, He that regardeth a Day, regardeth it unto the Lord, and giveth God Thanks, fays the Apoftle.

We obferve thofe Solemnities in the Exercife of Worship and Devotion with more than ordinary Joy and Gladness of Heart: Sending Portions to the Poor, and carreffing one another with the Entertainments of Hofpitality and Friendship; if any go further to Excefs and Intemperance, we condemn fuch Abufes and Extravagancies, as the Dregs of Superftition, the Excref cencies of unbridled Appetites, and a Stain to our most Holy Religion.

We teach all Men every where to live decently as in the Day, not in Rioting and Drunkennefs, not in Chambering and Wantonnefs, not in Strife and Envying, but to put on the Lord Jefus Chrift, to imitate him in his Life and Manners, and to make no Provifion for the Flefh, to fulfil the Lufts thereof. So careful has the People of GOD been in all Ages to perpetuate the Memory

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Memory of GOD's Mercies, both to the World in general, and to themselves in particular, that upon every new Occafioni of this Nature, they would fix new Defignations upon fome certain Times and Places.

As every wife and good Man hath his Calendar, and particular Days in the Week, of Humiliation and Thanksgiving for fome private Sins, or fpecial Mercies, fo fhould we Remark these Signa memoralia, every Sign and every Circumftance of the Divine Mercies, publick or private, Ne volumine temporum ingrata fubrepat Oblivio, (fays the Father) that the wonderful Works of GOD may not be forgotten, but had in everlasting Remembrance.

Whofo is Wife, and will obferve these things, even they shall understand the loving Kindness of the LORD, fays the Pfalmift.

Of this Discrimination of Days, why one comes to be holier than another, the Author of Ecclefiafticus, Chap. 33. gives us an Account by comparing the Times with the Perfons of Men. Why doth one Day excel another, when as all the Light of every Day in the Year is of the Sun? By the Knowledge of the LORD they were diftinguifhed, and he altered Seafons and Feafts; fome of them hath he made high Days, and hallowed them, and fome of them hath he made ordinary Days: And all Men are from the Ground, and Adam was created of Earth in much Knowledge, the LORD hath divided them, and made their Ways divers. Some of them hath he bleffed and exalted, and fome of them hath he fanctified and fet near himself; but fome of them hath he curfed and brought low and turned out of their Places. Therefore the Jews were commanded to oblerve the fourteenth Day of the Month Abib for a Memorial of their Egyptian Exodus; and Judas Maccabeus, with the Congregation of the Jews, appointed the Anniverfary Feaft of the Dedication, to Worship GOD in the Purity of his Ordinances, who had delivered them from all their Enemies: Thus Mordecai and Efther ordained the Feast of Purim, (fo called from Pur or cafting of Lots to destroy the Jews) in Remembrance of their

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