For rebellion is as

to bearken than the fat of rams. the fin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, be bath aljo rejected thee from being king. 1 Sam. xv.23. After this, all Samuel's affections and mournings to God for him were of no avail; nor did God ever after hear or anfwer his own prayer, either by dream, vifion, or prophet; but an evil spirit from the Lord was foon fent upon him, which influenced him with a murdering difpofition, till he killed all the Lord's priefs at Noph, and fought the life of David, and went from bad to worfe; first to inquire of the witch of Endor, and from that to fuicide; and next to the devil; for no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 1 John iii. 15. Thus doth God blot the ditobedient out from under heaven by death, and out of the holy fcriptures, and from any part in that which is written therein, when he makes them manifeft, and out of the hearts and affections of his children, however beloved by them. Nor have I a single doubt upon my mind but that this whole epiftle, out of which my text is taken, fpeaks to us; and I believe in my confcience that God hath given me the true fenfe of the Holy Spirit in what I have written upon the fubject; and that the whole is applicable to those whom God hath discovered, and to whom the Lord himself applies it.

But this fhall never be the cafe of God's elect, of the few facred names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments: no; thefe fhall walk with Chrift in

white; and I will not, faith the Lord, blot their names out of the book of life. No; not out of the book of God's decree to life, for they are ordained to eternal life; nor out of the fcriptures of truth, for they have a good report of the truth itself, therefore their feed and their name fhall remain there; nor out of the book of God's remembrance; for the righteous fhall be had in everlasting remembrance; nor out of the hearts of the faints, for they are in one bond of love; nor out of the confcience of finners, for God makes them manifeft there, as may be seen by the foolish virgins applying to them for oil when their own lamps went out; and in their confciences they shall abide as a witness against them for their enmity, and that even in hell itfelf. I will not blot his name out of the book of life,

But I will confefs his name before my Father, and before bis angels. This is oppofed to difowning, dif approving, and denying, a finner at the last day; which lies in these words, Depart from me, I know you not. This fhall not be the cafe with the few names in Sardis: no; I will confefs them before my Father; I will own them, and acknowledge them; I will accept them, and embrace them; I will арplaud them for their faithful adherence to me and my truth; and I will prefent them to my Father with a 'Behold me, and the children which thou haft given me.' Yea, I will fhew you plainly of the Father, and he will accept and bless you, and glorify you in me, and with me, and you shall be made per

fect

fect in one. And I will confefs you before the angels of heaven as my faithful followers and fervants, who have fuffered much difhonour, difgrace, and reproach, for my fake, and who have come through great tribulation; and they fhall own and honour you as the heirs of glory, and as my spouse and bride, and fhout and rejoice when you shall enter the royal palace. Thus will the Lord confefs his faithful followers. And what he says is affectionate and fervent, in truth and fincerity, and may be fafely depended upon and expected when a few more days are rolled over our heads.

The Lord bless what hath been spoken. I add

no more.

POSTSCRIPT.

POSTSCRIPT.

THAT I may fhew my reader what I now fee, and what is going on in the world, as far as relates to the church of God, I will offer him my thoughts in a small compass, that he may take them in one view, and be upon his guard.

We have an account in Daniel of a fourth beaft, a moft terrible creature, with ten horns on its head. Dan. vii. 7. This is the laft kingdom that is to be on the earth, or the last great empire. Dan. vii. 23. This is the Roman empire, divided into ten kingdoms; and the little horn among them is the pope, who rose up among the ten kings, and at the fame time. Dan. vii. 20. Before this little horn three fell, Dan. vii. 8; which three little powers were fubdued by Pepin and Charlemagne, kings of France, and given to the pope; which gift furnished his head with the triple crown. This little horn is to be known,

1. By his exalting himself above all emperors, kings, or rulers, which the scriptures ftile gods. He fhall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god. Dan. xi. 36.

2. By forbidding to marry. He fhall not regard the defire of women. Mr. Mead fays it is wiving.

3. He is to be fingled out by fighting against the people of God. I beheld, and the fame horn made war with the faints, and prevailed against them. Dan. vii. 21.

From the time of this horn's fpeaking great things, and warring with the faints, to his final destruction, is what Daniel wanted to know: How long fhall it be to the end of these wonders? The answer given follows: And the man clothed in linen lift up his right band and left hand to heaven, and fware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. Dan. xii. 7.

Before the expiration of this mysterious term there is to be a time of trouble, fuch as never was fince there was a nation to that fame time. Dan. xii. 1. In the beginning of this time of trouble he shall scatter the power of the holy people. Dan. xii. 7. When this power is scattered, no arm shall withstand; neither shall the chofen people withstand; neither shall there be any Strength to withstand. Dan. xi. 15. But what appears the most astonishing is, that fome fimple fouls, real partakers of grace, fhall be fo far influenced and blinded, by the univerfal apoftafy of profeffing hypocrites, that even they fhall contribute not a little towards this time of Jacob's trouble. This is confirmed both by the Old Teftament and the New: He shall have upright ones with him; a little daughter of Zion fhall be corrupted, of which an ancient princefs was a type; but she fhall not ftand long on his fide, neither be for him, Dan. xi. 17; for her everlasting Father