6. What has been faid, fhou'd teach us to love and bonour the Saints; who have the Image of GOD upon them, and a Propriety in Him as their GOD: And this Reflection fpeaks Encouragement to fuch as are careful in all proper Ways to fhew their Refpect to the Godly Man, and put Honour upon the Faithful in the Land: But it may well ftrike Terror on fuch as envy, hate, injure, or flight them. The Righteous are a People near and dear to GOD, and He hears the Reproach of Moab and the Revilings of the Children of Ammon, while in their Pride they magnify themselves against the People of the LORD of Hofts, and the LORD will be terrible to them: howbeit, our GOD will turn the Curfe into a Bleffing, and He will blefs them that blefs his People. The Time is coming, when He will gloriously plead the Cause of his People, and when He will make his Saints an eternal Excellency, when they fhall be as the Stones of a Crown, lifted up as an Enfign upon his Land, and the Sinners in the Earth fhall take hold of the Skirt of him that is a Jew, faying, We will go with You, for we have beard that GOD is with You.

7. Here's a powerful Argument, which fhou'd perfuade us all to be concern'd, that we may get into the Number of the Saints, and be able to claim a Propriety in GOD, as our GOD. We fhould examine what Evidences we have of a Covenant-Interest in GOD, and vital Relation to Him as our GoD in Chrift. O let us all look to it, that we do not fail of the Grace of GOD; that we do not fail of fecuring this great and most momentous Concern: for if the LORD be not our GOD, in the Senfe of the Gofpel-Covenant, He will be a Confuming Fire to us. That's the Doom he has pafs'd on a hypocritical Nation, (Hof. 1. 9.) Ye are not my People, and I will not be your GOD. However falfe Profeffors may boaft in the LORD, and fay, He is our GOD; yet they fhall find at laft, that He

will

will reject their Confidences, and will be a God to them in no other than a dreadful vindictive Senfe,a God that judgeth Sinners: Verily their GOD will come with Vengeance, to punish them with everlasting Deftruction, who have not known Him, nor obey'd his Gofpel.

Finally, in a Word, let fuch as have fincerely avouched the LORD for their GOD, fee to it, that they walk worthy of the LORD unto all Pleafing, that they adorn their high Profeffion by a good Converfation in Chrift, and continually be in Care to live and act up to their fpiritual Dignity, Privileges and Hopes; making it appear to the World, that the LORD is indeed their GOD, by exhibiting the Image of GOD upon them, a vifible Refemblance of his moral Perfections. Let your Light fo fhine before Men, that they feeing your good Works, may glorify GOD in You: and thus Thall Chrift be magnify'd in your Body, whether it be by Life or Death, and in nothing fhall you be afhamed, but you fhall have Hope in Death, and Boldnefs in the Day of Judgment, that great Day of our GOD, when He fhall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.

I proceed now to the other and laft Distinction I had in View.

[3.] Confider Elijah as a faithful Prophet and eminent Minister of Religion, fo the LORD was his GOD in a ftill more emphatic Senfe. Being brought very nigh to GOD, feparated to fpecial Service in the Kingdom of GoD by a peculiar Covenant (like that we read of, Mal. 2. 8. the Covenant of Levi) being endowed with Minifterial Gifts and Graces in a remarkable Eminency, as alfo admitted to a diftinguishing Intimacy of Friendship and Communion with the GOD of Heaven, and at the fame time there being fo few other faithful Prophets in the Land, that Elijah, even he only had feem'd to remain a Prophet of the Lord,

(at

at leaft in Compare with Baal's Prophets, which appear'd in mighty Crowds at the famous Conteft he had with them before Abab and all the People) upon these Confiderations Elijab might well have this fingular Honour put upon him, to have the LORD called his GOD, the Lord God of Elijah.

However, the Scriptures put the fame Distinction on many others. Thus we hear Him call'd the Lord God of Shem, the God of Aaron, the God of Daniel, and other Prophets. And this Honour is extended to the faithful Prophets in general, Rev. 22. 6. The LORD GOD of the holy Prophets.

Now this, I think, is fafely applicable (tho' in lower Refpects) concerning ordinary, as well as extraordinary Prophets. The faithful Minifters of Chrift (tho' not furnish'd with miraculous Gifts and Powers) may be call'd holy Prophets: and it's no Prefumption to claim Elijah's GOD for the LORD their GOD. It is obfervable, John Baptift, tho' he did not the Miracles which Elijah is famous for, yet Chrift pronounces him more than a Prophet, greater even than Elias, who was but a Type & Figure of John: yet at the fame time he adds, Notwithstanding, be that is leaft in the Kingdom of Heaven, is greater than be; which Paffage (tho' judiciously thought by fome to have a confin'd Respect, as fpoken by Chrift of himself) is apply'd by many Expofitors as fpoken of the leaft Saint or the leaft Minifter under the Chriftian Difpenfation; and fo apply'd, it is true, of the faithful Minifter efpecially, in fome Regards. However, Gofpel-Minifters in common being Divinely intitled Prophets, we need make no Scruple of applying to the Cafe of faithful Paftors and Teachers, that remarkable Scripture, The Lord God of the holy Prophets.

Here I may fay diftinctly, tho' very briefly, 1. The LORD may be call'd the GOD of Minifters in general, as they are by their fpecial Character and Calling Men of God; in an eminent Manner feparated from

from the World, and placed as Pillars in the Houfe of the living GOD; dedicated to a peculiar Miniftry for the Intereft and Honour of GOD in his Church; commiffioned in the Word of GOD, and call'd in the Providence of GOD, and by the Spirit of GOD furnifh'd and spirited to their facred Employment; which is to manage (in GoD's Name) a Treaty of Peace with Rebel-Mankind, fhewing Sinners the Way of Salvation, and praying them in CHRIST's Stead (as tho' God did befeech 'em by us) that they would be reconcil'd to GOD; to inftruct in the Truths of GOD, and inculcate the Precepts of GOD; to warn, reprove, exhort, and comfort the People of GoD, according to their refpective Cafes, and according to the Tenour of the Gofpel of GOD; to adminifter the holy Seals of GOD's Covenant; to lead in the publick Devotions to GOD; to go before his People in an Example of all holy Converfation, and a lively Walk with GOD. And thus being by their Character and Office, eminent Profeffors of Religion, and peculiarly the Servants of GOD, He may very properly be call'd the LORD GOD of Evangelical Minifters in general now, in fome fort as He was of Elijah and the ancient Prophets. Indeed worldly and carnally-minded vicious Minifters, it's confefs'd, are fome of the worft of Mortals; and as having corrupted the Covenant, of Levi, deserve to be abandon'd of GOD and Man: Yet while Minifters are in Behaviour as becometh Godliness, however their Hearts mayn't be right with God, they are ftill to be held in Reputation by us as being by their Station and Character Men of God, and vifibly related to GOD as in a high Senfe their GOD.

2. He is the LORD GOD of his holy and faithful Minifters in a particular Manner and in a very fupe'rior Senfe.

For (in the first place) Such do very eminently acknowledge and glorify GOD as the LORD their GOD.

They

They are true and upright Witneffes for GOD, in the midit of a crooked and perverfe Generation, as Elijah, who was very jealous for the LORD God of Ifrael, and boldly ftood up for Him against the Prophets of Baal an apoftate People, and an ungodly Court.

So they are much with GOD, giving themselves to Pray er, as well as to the Miniftry of the Word, and having their Converfation in Heaven. They carry about with them much of the Image of GOD, and make it the Bufinefs of their Life to bring peculiar Revenues of Glory to His Name, by paying Him their own active Homages, and by perfuading all about them into due Acknowledgements of Him. And in

Proportion to the Vigour and Activity of Grace in them and the Supply of the Spirit of Chrift, they are in Fact Special Inftruments of promoting the Kingdom and Honour of God. In thefe Regards every faithful Minifter may be faluted with the fame exalted Title, as the Apoftle gave to his own Son in the Faith (1 Tim. 6. 11.) O MAN of GOD! And indeed the fame Apoftle feems to apply this as the genuine Character of good Minifters in Common (2 Tim. 3. 17;) That the MAN of GOD may be perfect. Surely this is fufficient to juftify the Application of that other Text as concerning them, The LORD GOD of the holy Prophets.

But further (in the fecond place) Such are in very fignal Ways ownd and honour'd of Gop, as thofe that are his peculiar Servants, and efpecially related to Him as the LORD their GOD. As He has call'd them to fpecial Work, and claims a fpecial Propriety in them: So He extends, a peculiar Favour to them, and bestows peculiar Honours upon them, expreffing Himself their GOD in an emphatical Senfe many Ways. He appear'd the LORD GOD of Elijab and the infpir'd Prophets by Inftances of Favour and Honour done them, which were as extraordinary as their Commiffion and

their