1 10 7 https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/dcf233037728291f04dd07ce45977b8e.jpg e032cd5f215a3c5868cd9af5be706f64 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 23: Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and lace collar https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/52b2c2fd983f5a48d3333959f46694f8.pdf 80d09d1efcf76d928d3a64cfe5800caa PDF Text Text �f 1 w* B« <i|i *f§ i t ;. me ; • • • i * * t ; vj \ �SINS AND SORROWS SPREAD BEFORE GOD. JOB xxiii. 3, 4. Oh that I knew where I might find him! that 1 might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. T H E R E is such a thing as converse with God in prayer, and it is the life and pleasure of a pious soul; without it we are no Christians; and he that practises it most, is the best follower of Christ, for our Lord spent much time in converse with his heavenly Father. This is the balm that eases the most raging pains of the mind, when the wounded conscience comes to the mercy-seat, and finds pardon and peace there. This is the cordial that revives and exalts our natures, when the spirit, broken with sorrows and almost fainting with death, draws near to the almighty Physician, and is healed and refreshed. TH® mercy-seat in heaven is our surest and sweetest refuge in ever hour of distress and darkness oi\ earth; this is our daily support and relief while �4 we are passing through a world of temptations and hardships in the way to the promised land. " It is good for us to draw near to God." Psal. Lxxiii. 28. And yet so much is human nature sunk down and fallen from God, that even his own children are ready to indulge a neglect of converse with him, if their souls are not always upon the watch But let it be remembered here, that so much as we abate of this divine entertainment among the vanities or amusements of the world, the businesses or burdens of life; so much we lose of the glory and joy of religion, and deprive our souls of the comfort that God invites us to receive. Job was encompassed with sorrows all around, and his friends had censured him as a vile hypocrite, and a great sinner, because he was so terribly afflicted by the hand of G o d : whither should he run now but to his heavenly Father, and tell him of all his sufferings ? From the practice of this holy man, I thought we might have sufficient warrant to draw this inference, viz. that when a saint gets near to God in prayer, he tells him all his circumstances, and pleads for help. And this is the doctrine which 1 am endeavouring now to improve. O if I could but come near him; I would spread all my concerns before his eye, and I would plead with him for relief; I would fill my mouth with arguments. �5 Four things I proposed in the prosecution of this doctrine. I. T o consider what it is for a soul to get near to God in prayer. I I . What particular subjects doth a soul, thus brought near to the mercy-seat, converse with God about. I I I . Why he cnuses to tell ail his circumstances and his sorrows to God, when he is thus near him. I V . How he pleads for relief. I. We have already considered what it is for a soul to get near to the seat of God, and what are the usual attendants of such a privilege. At such a season the holy soul will have an awful and adoring sense of the majesty of God, a becoming fear of his terrors, and some sweeter taste of his love. There will be a divine hatred of every sin, and a sensible virtue and influence proceeding from a present God, to resist every temptation ; there will be a spiritual and heavenly temper diffusing itself through the whole soul, and ail the powers of i t ; a fixedness of heart without wTandering; and a liveliness without tiring ; no weariness is felt in the spirit at such a season, even though the flesh may be ready to faint under the overpowering sweetness; then the soul with freedom opens itself before the eye of God, and melts and flow in divine language, �6 whether it complain or rejoice. But I have finished this head, and repeat no more. I I . What are some of the particular circumitances or subjects of complaint, that a saint brings to God when he comes near to him. In general, a saint, when he is near to God, has all the fulness of his heart breaking out into holy language; he pours out his whole self before his God and his Father; all the infinite affairs that relate to the flesh and spirit, to this life and that which is to come; all things in heaven, and all things on earth, created or uncreated, may, at one time or other, be the subjects of converse between God and a holy soul. When the question is asked by a carnal man, " What can a Christian talk with God so long and so often about ?" The Christian, in a divine frame, answers, " He that hath matter enough for converse with God, to wear out time, and to fill up e t e r n i t y I t may as well be asked on the other side, What has he not to say ? What is there that relates to God, or to himself, to the upper, or the lower world, that he may not at some time say to his God? But I must confine myself from wandering in so large a field, that I may comport with the design of my text. Though a good man, in devout prayer often spreads his hopes and his joys before the Lord as well as his sorrows, fear, and dis- �7 tresses; yet I shall at present endeavour to set forth only the mournful and complaining representations of his circumstances that he makes before the throne of God. 1. If I could but come near the mercy-seat, I would confess how great my sins are, and I would pray for pardoning grace. I would say, " How vile I am by n a t u r e I would count my original descent from Adam the great transgressor, and humble myself at the foot of a holy God, because I am the descent of such a sinner. I would tell him how much viler I have made myself by practice: " I have been an enemy in my mind by nature, and guilty of many wicked works, whereby I have farther estranged myself from him." I would tell my God how multiplied rny transgressions have been before 1 knew him, and how aggravated they have been since I have been acquainted with him. I would acquaint him with the frequency of my returning guilt, how I have sinned against mercies, against reproofs, against warnings received often from his word, and often from his providence. I may appeal to the souls of many present, whether they have not had the greatest freedom of confession of their sins when they have been nearest to God, even though he be a God of holiness. At other times they have not only been averse to confess to any friend, but eren �8 unwilling to talk over to themselves the aggravation of their iniquities, or to mention them in prayer; but when they are brought thus near the throne of God, they unbosom themselves befor© him, they pour out their sins and their tears together, with a sweet and mournful satisfaction. " I behold (says the saint) the great atonement, the blood of Jesus, and therefore I may venture to confess my great iniquities, for the satisfaction is equal to them all. VVLen I behold God upon his seat, I behold the Lamb in the midst of the throne as it had been slain, and he is my Peace-maker. I see his all-sufficient sacrifice, his atoning blood, his perfect, his justifying righteousness." The soul then answers the call of God with great readiness, when God says in Isaiah i, 18. " Come let us reason together; though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be as wool." " I am ready (says the soul) to enter into such reasonings ; I am ready to confess before thee, that my sins are ail crimson and scarlet, but there is cleansing blood with thy Son. Blood that has washed the garments of a thousand sinners, and made them as white as snow; and it has the same virtue still to wash mine too;. I trust in it, and rejoice when I behold that blood sprinkled upon the mercy-seat, and therefore I grow confident in hope, and draw yet nearer to God, a reconciled God, since his throne �has the memorials of a (needing sacrifice upon it." 2. If I could get nearer the seat of God 1 would tell him how many my enemies are, and how strong; how malicious, and how full of rage. And I would beg strength against them, and victory over them. I would say as David, 44 Many there be that hate me, many there be that rise up against me, and many there be that say of my soul, There is no help for him -n God ; but thou, 0 God, art my glory, my shield, and the lifter up of my head," Psal. iii. Then, says the soul, 1 would complain to God of all my indwelling corruptions, of the body of death that dwells in me, or in which I dwell; and say; " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me!" I would tell him then of the secret working of pride in my heart, though I long to be humble; of the rising of ambition in my soul, though I would willingly maintain .a middle state amongst men, and not aim and aspire to be great. I would acquaint him of the vanity of my own mind, though 1 am perpetually endeavouring to subdue it. I would tell him, with tears, of my sinful passions, of my anger and impatience, and the workings of envy and revenge in me; of the perpetual stirrings of disorderly appetites, whereby I am led away from my G o d ; I would tell him of the hardness of my heart, and the obstinacy of my temper, I would �10 open before his eyes all the vices of my constitution ; all those sacred seeds of iniquity that are ever budding and blossoming to bring forth fruit to death. These things are fit to mourn before the Lord, when the soul is come near to his seat. I would complain of this sore enemy, the world, that is perpetually besetting me, that strikes upon all my senses, that by the ears, and the eyes, and all the outward faculties, draws my heart away from God my best friend. I would tell him of the rage of Satan, that watchful and malicious adversary; that I cannot engage in any duty of worship but he is ready to throw in some foolish or vain suggestion to divert me; and 1 would look forward, and point to my last enemy, death, and beg the presence of my God with me, when I walk through the dark valley; " Lord, when I enter into that conflict, assist me, that I may fear no evil, but be made more than a conqueror through him that has loved me." 3. I would tell him what darkness I labour under, either in respect of faith or practice. If I am perplexed in my mind, and entangled about any of the doctrines of the gospel, I would tell them my God what my entanglements are, where the difficulty lies; and I would beg, that by his Spirit and his word, he would solve the controversy, and set his own truth before me in his own divine light. And then in point of practice, �11 what darkness lies upon the spirit at such a time, is revealed before G o d : u My way is hedged up, I know not what path to chuse; it is very hard for me to find out duty; show me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk, and mark out my path plain for me. 4. I would mourn, and tell him how little converse I have with himself, how much he is hidden from me; I would complain to him, how far off I am from him the most part of my life, how few are tne hours of my communion with him, how short is the visit, how much his face is concealed from me, and how far my heart i3 divided from him. A soul then says, " Surely there is too great a distance between me and my God, my heavenly Father;" and cries out with bitterness, " Why is God so far from me, and why is my heart so far from God ? How often do I wait upon him in his own sanctuary, and among his saints, but I am not favoured with a sight of his power and glory there! And how often do I seek him in my secret retirements, but I find him not I I would tell him how often I read his promises in the gospel, and taste no sweetness; I go frequently to those wells of consolation and they seem to be dry ; then I turn my face, and go away ashamed." 5. I would tell him too of my temporal troubles, if I get near to God, because they unfit me �12 for Lis service, ihey make me uncapable of honouring him in the world, and render me unfit for enjoying him in his ordinances; I would tell him how they damp my zeal, how they bow my spirit down, and make me go mourning all the day long5 to the dishonour of Christianity, which is a dispensation of grace and joy. Thus I might complain before God of pains, of weakness, of sickness, of the disorders of my flesh ; I might complain there too of the weakness of all my powers, the want of memory, the scatterings and confusions that are upon my thoughts, the wanderings of my fancy, and the unhappy influence that a feeble and diseased body has upon the mind : " O my God, how am I divided from thee by dwelling in such a tabernacle ! Still patching up a tottering cottage, and wasting my best hours in a painful attendance on the infirmities of the flesh!" I might then take the liberty of spreading before my God all the sorrows and vexations of life, that unhinge my soul from its centre, that throw it off from my guard, and hurry and expose me to daily temptations. I might cornplain of my reproaches from friends and ene* mies; because these, many times, wear out the spirit and unfit it for acts of lively worship. These are my weekly sorrows and groans, these are my daily fears and troubles; and these shall �13 be spread before the eyes of my God, in the happy hour when I get near him. Lastly, I would not go away without a word of pity and complaint concerning my relations, my friends and acquaintance, that are afar off from God. I would put in one word of petition for them that are careless unconcerned for themselves; I WDuld weep a little at the seat of God for them: I would leave a tear or two at the throne of rnercy, for my dearest relatives in the flesh, for children, brothers or sisters, that they may be brought near to God, in the bonds of the Spirit. Then would I remember my friends in Christ, my brethren and kindred in the gospel; such as labour under heavy burdens, languish under various infirmities of life, or groan under the power of strong temptations. When God indulges me the favour of his ear, I would spread their wants and sorrows before him, together with my own, and make supplication for all the saints. I would leave a petition at the mercyseat for my native country, that knowledge and holiness may overspread the nation ; that our king may be a nursing-father to the church, and our princes may be blessings to the land. And while I send up my request for the British Islands, I would breathe out many a sigh for Zion, that she may be the joy of the whole earth.—I proceed now to. �14 III. The third head of inquiry, which is this: Why does a saint, when he gets near to God delight to tell hiir all his circumstances, and all his sorrows ? In general I might say this, because it is so seldom, at least in our day, that a saint gets very near to God; therefore when he finds that happy minute, he says to his God all he wants to say; he tells him all his heart; he pours out all his wants before him ; because these seasons are very few. It is but here and there an extraordinary Christian, who maintains constant nearness to God; the best complain of too much distance and estrangement. But to descend to particulars. 1. He is our chief friend, and it is an ease to the soul to vent itself in the bosom of a friend, when we are in his company. More especially as it was in the ease of Job, when other friends failed him when he began to tell them some of his sorrows, and withal maintained his own integrity ; they w7ould not believe him, but became his troublers instead of his comforters; My friends, scorn me," saith Job, ch. xvi. 20, but mine eye pours out tears to God. I go to my best friend, my friend in heaven, when my friends here on earth neglect me. Man is a sociable creature, and our joys and our sorrows are made to be communicated,, that �15 hereby we may double the one and alleviate the other. There is scarce any piece of human nature, be it ever so stupid, but feels some satisfaction in the pleasure of a friend, in communicating the troubles and the pleasures that it feels; but those that have God for their highest and best friend, they love to be often exercising such acts of friendship with him, and rather with him than with any friend besides, rather with him than all besides him. This is the noblest and highest friendship; all condescension and compassion on the one side, and all infirmity and dependance on the other! and yet both joined is mutual satisfaction. Amazing grace of God to man ! The Christian rejoices in this admirable divine indulgence, and delights in all opportunities to employ and improve it. Besides, this is the way to maintain the vigour of piety, and keep all the springs of divine love ever open and flowing in his own heart; therefore he makes many a visit to the mercy-seat, and takes occasion from every troublesome occurence in life, to betake himself to his knees, and improves every sorrow he meets on earth, to increase his acquaintance with heaven. He delights to talk all his grievances over with his God. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, is a blessed example of this practice, 1 Sam. i. 10. When she was in bitterness of soul, by reason of �16 a sore atfliction, and the teazing humour of hei rival, she prayed to the Lord, and wept sore J and when she had left her sorrows at the mercyseat, she went away, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad, ver. 18. So saith the Christian, " I commit my sorrows to my God, he is my best friend, and I go away, and am no more sad f I have poured out my cares into his ear, and cast my burdens upon him, and I leave them there in peace " 2. The saint knows God will understand him right, and will judge right concerning his case and his meaning. Though the expression (it may be) are very imperfect, below the common language of men, and propriety of speech, yet God knows the meaning of the soul, and he knows the mind of hi5 Spirit, Rom. viii. The friends of Job perverted his sense; therefore he turns aside to God, for he knows God would understand him. It is a very great advantage, when we spread our concerns before another person, to be well assured that person will take us right, will take in our meaning fully, and judge aright concerning our cause. Now we may be assured of this when we speak to our God; he knows our thoughts afar, off, and all our circumstances, better infinitely than we can tell him. These our poor imperfect expressions of our wants, shall be no hinderance to his full sup- �17 plies, nor any bar to his exercise of friendship toward us. 3. A saint pours out his soul before God, because he is sure of secrecy there. How many things are there transacted between God and a holy soul, that he could never publish to the world ! and many things also that concern his conduct in life, his embarassment of spirit, his difficulties,, his follies, or the obstinacy, guilt, or follies of his friends or relatives, which prudence or shame forbid him to tell his fellow creatures: and yet he wants to spread them all before God his best friend, God his dearest relative, the friend nearest to his heart. There may be many circumstances and cases in life, especially in the spiritual life, which one Christian could hardly communicate to another, though under the strictest bonds and ties of natural, and civil, and sacred relation ; though we may communicate these very affairs, these secret concerns, with our God, and unburden our souls of every care, without the least public notice. We cannot be perfect secure of this with regard to any creature; for when we have experienced the faithfulness of a friend many years, he may possibly be at last unfaithful: unfaithfulness is mingled with our nature since the fall, and it ii impossible any person can be infallibly secure from it. Psal. lxii. 9# Meu of low degree are vanity, �18 and great men are a lie; but we may leave our case with our God, as secure as though we had communicated it to none: nay, we may be easily secure and free in speaking, because God knows all before-hand. Our complaint adds nothing to his knowledge, although it eases our souls, and gives us sweet satisfaction in having such a friend to speak to. 4. A saint believes the equity, faithfulness, and the love of God; therefore he spreads his case before him. His equity, that the judge of all the earth will do right; the righteous may plead with him. His faithfulness, that he will fulfil all his promises; and his love, that he will take compassion on those who are afflicted; he will be tender to those who are miserable. David takes occasion from this to address God under his sufferings and sorrows: Psal. lxii. 1, 2. 66 He is my rock, and my salvation, and my defence; I shall not be moved; therefore my soul waits upon God; my refuge is in him; he is a God that hears prayer, therefore unto him shall all flesh come," Psal. lxv. 1. God will not account our complaints troublesome, though they be never so often repeated; whereas men are quickly wearied with the importunities of those who are poor and needy. Great men are ready to shut their doors against those who come too often for relief; but God delights to hear often from his people, and �19 to have them ask continually at his door for mercy. Though he has almighty power with him, saith Job, yet he will not plead against me with his great power; no, but he would put strength in me; he would teach me how I should answer him; how I should answer his justice, by appeals to his mercy; and how I should speak prevailingly before him. 5. Lastly, A saint tells God all his circumstances and sorrows at such a season, because he hopes for relief from him, and from him only; for it is impossible creatures can give relief under any trouble, unless God make them instruments of relief. And there are some troubles in which creatures cannot be our helpers, but our help must come only from God, and that in a more immediate way. Whatsoever be our distress, whether it arise from past guilt and the torments of an anxious and troubled conscience, or whether it arise from the working of indwelling sin, the strength of temptation, or the violence of temporal afflictions, still God is able and willing to give relief. " Call upon me (saith the Lord) in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me;" Psal. 1. 12* And he hath never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain, Isa. xlv. 19. IV. The fourth general head of discourse �20 which I proposed, is to shew how a saint, near the mercyseat, pleads with God for relief. Holy Job tells us in this text, that if he was got near to the seat of God, he would fill his mouth with arguments. Not as though he would"inform God of the necessity, or the justice of his cause, beyond what he knew before; no, this is impossible; he that teacheth man all things, shall he not know? Psal. xciv. 9, 10. He who orders all the circumstances of our lives, and every stroke of his own rod, can he be unacquainted with any thing that relates to our sorrows ? Nor can we use arguments with God to awaken his ear, or move his compassion, as though he had neglected us or forgotten our distress; for all things are for ever naked and open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do. The shepherd of Israel cannot slumber ; nor does his mercy want our awakenings. But in this sort of expressions, the great God condescends to talk, and to transact affairs with us, and permits us to treat with him in a way suited to our weakness; he would have us plead and argue with him, that we may show how deep a sense we have of our own wants, and how entirely we depend on his mercy. Since we cannot converse wkh him in a way equal to his own majesty and Godhead he stoops to talk with us �21 in such a way as is most agreeable to our state, and most easy to our apprehension, he speaks such language as we can understand, and invites us to humble conference with him in the same way. Come, says God to his people, by Isaiah his prophet, Come now, and let us reason together, Isa. i. 18. And he often in holy scripture, represents himself as moved and influenced by the prayers and pleadings of his afflicted saints; and he has ordained before hand, that the day when he prepares their hearts to pray, shall be the day when his ear shall hear the desire of the humble, and shall be the season of their deliverence, Psal. x. 17. If you inquire, how a Christian pleads with his God, and whence does he borrow his arguments ; I answer, that according to the various sorrows and difficulties which attend him, so various may his pleadings be for the removal of them. There is not a circumstance which belongs to his affliction, but he may draw some argument from it to plead for mercy ; there is not one attribute of the divine nature, but he may use it with holy skill, and thereby plead for grace; there is not one relation in which God stands to his people, nor one promise of his covenant, but may at some time or other afford an argument in prayer. But the strongest and iweetest argument that, a Christian knows, b the �22 name and mediation of Jesus Christ his Lord. It is for the sake of Christ, who has purchased all the blessings of the covenant, that a saint hopes to receive them; and for the sake of Christ, he pleads that God would bestow them. But having treated largely oil this subject, it remains that I make a few useful reflections on the whole foregoing discourse. R E F L E C T I O N I. a dull and uncomfortable thing is religion without drawing near to God 1 for this is the very business for which religion is designed ; the end and aim of religion is getting nigh to God ; if it attain not this end it is nothing. O the madness of hypocrites, who satisfy them selves to toil in long forms of worship, and appear perpetually in the shapes of religion, but unconcerned whether they ever get near to God by it or no! They lose the end and design for which religion was made. What if we know all the doctrines of the gospel; what if we can talk rationally about natural religion; what if we can deduce one truth from another, so as to spread a whole scheme of godliness before the eyes or ears of those we converse with; what if we can prove all the points of Christianity, and give uncontestable arguments for the belief of them; yet we have 110 religion if our souls never get near to God by them. A saint thinks it a very melanWHAT �23 choly thing when he is at a distance from God, and cannot tell God his wants and sorrows. Though he be never so much studied in divinity, and the deep things of God, yet if God be not with him, if he does not come near to his mercyseat, so as to converse with him as his friend, the soul is concerned and grieved, and never rests till this distance be removed. It is to little purpose all these forms are maintained, if we have not the substance and the powrer of godliness; if our God be not near us, if we never get near to God. R E F L E C T I O N II. How happy are we under the gospel, above aL ages and nations besides us, and before us! For we have advantages of getting near to God, beyond what any other religion has ; above what the heathen world ever enjoyed; for their light of nature could never show them the throne of grace; above what the ancient petriarchs had, though God same down in visible shapes, and revealed and discovered himself to them as a man or an angel; above what the Jews had, though God dwelt among them in visible glory in the holy of holies. The people were kept at a distance, and the high-priest was to come thither but once a-year; and their veil, and smokes, and shadows, did, as it were, conceal God from them, although they were types of a future Messiah; and «yen their Shekinah itself, or cloud of glory, �21 gave them no spiritual idea or notion of Godhead, though it was a shining emblem of God dwelling among them. R E F L E C T I O N III. Lastly, That future state of glory must be blessed indeed where we shall be ever near to God, even to his seat, and have no sorrows to tell him of. If it be so delightful a thing to come near the seat of God here upon earth, to mourn before him, and to tell him all our circumstances, and all our sorrows, how pleasurable a blessedness must that of heaven be, where we shall be ever rejoicing before him, as Christ Jesus was before the world was made, rejoicing daily before him; and our delight shall be with that God who created the sons of men; where we shall be for ever telling him of our joys, and our pleasures, with humble adoration of his grace, and everlasting gratitude. O that I could raise your souls, and mine, to blessed breathings after this felicity, by such representations ! But how infinitely short must the brightest descriptions fall of this state and place ! May you and I, who speak and hear this, may every soul of us be made thus happy one day, and learn the extent and glory of this blessedness, by sweet and everlasting experience. Amen. FINIS. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sins and Sorrows spread before God: a sermon, by the Rev. Isaac Watts. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages 16 cm Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9935661163505154">s0587b42</a> Description An account of the resource 99 printed at the foot of the title page Woodcut #23: Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and lace collar Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In the public domain; For high quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1840-1850 per National Library of Scotland Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario Subject The topic of the resource Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Religion and Morals Type The nature or genre of the resource sermon Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Watts, Isaac, 1674-1748 # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Chapbook Date: 1841-1850 Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Genre: sermon Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Fashion (Clothing): religious Gender: man/men occupation: clergy Portrait: Isaac Watts https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/aaf07b3ccb960334c9b24566cc23a47b.jpg 3d36ceabd990e04e93ef0ce2e72828c4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut on title-page portraying an old man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and collar https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/d09bb33c4c6eca8df230078ab3a141b8.pdf 7882f8e9f4e9c795de5a643e490b3668 PDF Text Text THE PLANT OF RENOWN: TWO SERMONS, PREACIIED BY TIIB EEV. EBENEZER ERSKINE, LATE MINISTER OF TIIE GOSPEL IN STIRLING. GLASGOW: �f' - '.mfOVMA aiiT *0 i / AJ I r r ( , . a « O F : : 18' 0 7 M t 7 a a • ini . a m l h a a & a a s a 7 a *i a . v a *i ?.» &vi?.<)\> am r.naiziM MW 1 t w <1. fell rffonp/AJ^ Il a5I?IJT38HO0f{ aitT AOS (IT! ,'IH'I Ml m U |1 �T H E PLANT OF RENOWN. SERMON I. EZEKIEL, xxxiv. 29. And I will raise tip for them a Plant of Renown. I we cast our eyes back upon tlie foregoing part F of this chapter, we shall find a very melancholy scene casting up; we shall find the flock and heritage of God scattered, robbed and peeled by tho civil and ecclesiastical rulers that were in being in that day ; a day much like to the day wherein we live: the ruin of the church of Christ in all ages and periods of the world, has been owing to combinations betwixt corrupt churchmen, and corrupt statesmen ; and so you will find it In the preceding part of this chapter there is a high charge brought in against the Shepherds of Israel, and ft terrible and awful threatening denounced by tho great and chief shepherd against them, for the bad treatment that the flock of Christ had met with in their hands : However the sheep of Christ may be fleeced, and scattered, and spoiled, yet the Lord looks on them ; and many great and precious promises are made for their encouragement in that evil day ; you may read them at your own leisure, for I must not stay upon them just now, But �4 among all the rest of the promises that are made, Christ is the chief; Christ is the To-look of the church, whatever trouble she be in. In the 7th chapter of Isaiah, the church had a trembling heart, God's Israel was shaken as ever you saw the leaves of the wood shaken by the wind, by reason of two Kings combining against them: Well, the Lord tells them, " A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son* and call his name IMMANUEL." But, might not tbs Church say, what is that to us ? What encouragement doth this afford in the present distress ? hy, the Messiah is to come of the tribe of Judah and the family of David ; and therefore that tribe and family must be preserved, in order to the accomplishment of that promise. Whatever distance of time, suppose hundreds or thousands of years, may intervene before the actual coming of the Messiah ; yet the promise of his coming, as it is the ground of your faith for eternal salvation, so it is a security for the present, that the enemy shall not prevail, to the total ruin of Judah and the royal family of David. In all the distresses of the church, Christ is always presented to her, in the promise, as the object of her faith, and the ground of her consolation ; and accordingly," They looked to him," in the promise, and were lightened ; and their faces were not ashamed." He is here promised under the notion of God's Servant; audi in the words of the text, he is promised as a Renowned Plant, that was to rise in the fulness of time. And, blessed be God, he has sprung up, and is in heaven already, and has overtopt all his ernemies, and all his enemies shall be his foot-stool. jFirst, Here then, you have a comfortable promise of the Messiah ; where, again, you may notice the prom iser; /, / will raise up, <&c. It is a great �indeed; it is JEHOVAH, in the person of the F a t h e r : It was he that in a peculiar manner, sent him ; " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever belie ve'th in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.— In the fulness of time he sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons." God promised to send him, and accordingly he has actually fulfilled his promise. Again, Secondly, We may notice the blessing promised, and that is, a Plant of Renown.—Christ gets a great many metaphorical names and descriptions in Scripture :—Sometimes he is called a Rose, sometimes he is called a Sun, and sometimes he is called a Door ; sometimes he is called the Tree of Life ; sometimes he is called one thing, and sometimes another ; And he is content to be called any thing, to make himself known to us; and here he is called a Plant, and a Renowned Plant; but more of this afterwards. But then. Thirdly, We have the production of this Plant, I will raise him up. Hell will endeavour to keep him down ; the Devil and his Angels will endeavour to smother him, when he sets his head above ground : So we find Satan sends Herod, and Herod sends the Bloody Dragoons to murder him, when he came into tlie world• But let hell do its utmost, as it hath done in all ages, and is doing this day, to smother that plant, up it will be ; I ivill raise him up, and therefore he shall prosper. But then again, Fourthly, We may notice here, for whom, or for what end, for whose use and benefit it is: I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown. Who �tliese are, you will sco by casting your eye on the former part of this chapter; it is for the Lord's flock, his oppressed heritage, that are borne down by wicked rulers, civil and ecclesiastic : I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown, and ho will be their deliverer. The doctrine that naturally arises from this first clause of the verse, is in short this, That Christ is a Plant of Renown, of God's raising up, for the benefit and advantage of his people, or for their comfort and relief in all their distresses; he is a Renowned Plant of God's raising up." Now, in discoursing this doctrine, if time and strength would allow, I might, First, Premise a few things concerning this blessed Plant. Secondly, I might enquire, why ho is called a Plant of Renown ? Thirdly, Speak a little to the raising up of this Plant. Fourthly, For whom he is raised up. Fifthly, For what end. And then, Lastly, Apply. As to the first of these, namely, First, To premise a few things concerning this blessed Plant. First, I would haye you to know what is here attributed and ascribed to Christ: It is not to be understood absolutely of him as God, but officially as he is Mediator and Redeemer. Considering him absolutely as God, this cannot be properly said of him, that he was raised up: for he is God co-equal and co-essential with the Father; But viewing him as Mediator, he is a Plant, as it wero of God's training. You will see from the context, all that is said of Christ has a respect to him as a 44 �7 Mediator, that ho was to bo God's Servant to do his work: In that consideration he is here called a Plant, and, a Plant of Benown. Hence, Zacharias, when speaking of him, has a phrase much to the same purpose ; " He hath raised up a Horn of Salvation for us in the house of his servant David* Again, Secondly, Another thing I would have you to remark, is, That this Plant is but small and little in the eyes of a blind world. He was little looked upon when he sprung up in his Incarnation ; and when he was here in a state of humiliation, men looked upon him " as a Root sprung up out of a dry ground; they saw no comeliness in him why he should be desired." And to this day, though he be in a state of exaltation at the right hand of God, yet he is little thought of, and looked upon, by the generality of mankind, and the hearers of the gospel; He is despised and rejected of men. But then, Thirdly, Another thing I would have y<ra to remark, is, That however contemptible this Plant of Renown is in the eyes of a blind world, yet he is the tallest Plant in all God's Lebanon, there is not the like of him in it, " He is fairer than the children of men and, " He is as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood,' If ever you saw him, you will be ready to say so too, and with David* " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides thee." Again, Fourthly, Another thing I remark, is, That this blessed Plant of Renown, he was cut down in his death, and sprung up gloriously in his resurrection ; the sword of divine justice hewed down this Plant upon Mount Calvary, but within three days he 1 �8 sprung up again more glorious and more beautiful and amiable than ever ; arid He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to tho Spirit of holiness, b j his resurrection from the dead." Lastly, I would have you to remark, that all the little plants in the garden are ingrafted in this Plant of Renown: " I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: For without me ye can do nothing—I am a green fir tree, from me is thy fruit found." If you be not ingrafted firs, in this Plant, you will never grow; and all the trees that are not planted in him, they are all but weeds. There is a time coming when all the weeds will be plucked up, and therefore take heed that you be ingrafted in him by a faith of God's operation. So much for the first thing I proposed. The second thing was to shew, that he is a Renowned Plant. He is renowned in heaven, and he is renowned on earth, and will be so, For his name shall endure for ever, Psal. lxxii. 17. 0 he is renowned! For what, say you, is he renowned ? I might here enter upon a very large field ; I shall only tell you, 1. That he is renowned in his Person, There was never the like of him ! The two natures, God and Man, are joined together in one, in him : Did you ever see that ? If you have not seen that, you have not seen the Mystery of Godliness : lie is the most renowned person in heaven ; but he is I M God manifested in the flesh.—Then he is, 2. Renowned for his Pedigree: Who can declare his Generation ? Considering him as God, his eternal generation from the Father cannot be 44 MANUEL, �9 told. We can tell you he is the only begotten of the Father, but we cannot tell you the manner o his generation ; it is a secret that God has drawn a vail upon, and it is dangerous to venture into a search of it; and they that have attempted it, have commonly been boged into Arian, Arminian, and Sabellian errors. Considering him as man, he is sprung of a race of ancient Kings, a famous catalogue of them you read of in first of Matthew.—And who can declare his generation even as man ? For he was born of a Virgin, and conceived by the overshadowing power of the Highest. Then, 3. He is renowned for his name.— He hath a Name above every name that can be named, whether in this world or that which is to come." 4. He is renowned for his Wisdom.—For, All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in him." 5. He is renowned for his Power.—For he is not only the Wisdom of God, but the Poicer of God« He is the Man of God's right hand, even the Son of Man, whom he hath made strong for himself." 6. He is renowned for his Veracity and Fidelity. For, Faithfulness is the girdle of his loins." Have you got a word from him ? Depend upon it, it is a sicker word, it does not fail: The word of the Lord endures for ever, when heaven and earth shall pass away 7. He is renowned for his Righteousness. For, He hath brought in an everlasting Righteousness, whereby the Law is magnified and made honourable ;" and by the imputation of which, the guilty transgressors are acquitted : He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be 4 44 44 44 44 44 44 �10 made the Righteousness of God in h i m T h a t is liis Name, The Lord our Righteousness. 8 He is renowned for his fulness.—For, " All the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in him He is full of grace and truth ; full of all created and uncreated excellencies. 9. He is renowned for his Love.—What but love brought him out of the bosom of the Father to this lower world ? What but love made him lay down his life for his people ? 10. He is renowned for his Liberality. He has a full hand and a free heart, as we use to say ; he gives without money, and he invites all to come &nd share of his fulness. 11. He is renowned for his Constancy. He is Jesus Christ, the same to-day, yesterday and for ever." The best of men, will fail us when we trust them ; they will run like splinters into our hands, when we lean upon them: But, sirs, you will find Christ always the same, to-day, yesterday and for ever. And then, 12. He is renowned for nis Authority and Dominion. It is great, and extends far and wide, whether in heaven above, or in the earth beneath: And his dominion reaches "from sea to sea, and* from the river unto the ends of the e a r t h A n d all the kings of the earth are but his vassals Thus, I say, Christ in every respect is renowned. But here, to keep by the phraseology of the text, He is a renowned Plant: Wherein is he renowned ? First, I say he is renowned for his Antiquity: I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was," &c. All the plants in the higher and lower gardens of God, they are but just upstarts in comparison of him: Angels a&d Arch-angels, and the greatest Seraphims are �11 but of yesterday, in comparison of this Plant. He is renowned for his Antiquity, for he is, " The Ancient of days, and the Eyerlasting Father," Isaiah, 9th chapter. N.B.—Here he was desired to conclude his Discourse, in respect the Work in the Church was over, and that he might give way to another Minister that was to preach the Evening Sermon, SERMON II. xxxiv. 29. And I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown. I had occasion, upon a solemnity of this nature, not long ago, to enter upon these words, but had not time to go far into the import of them. After I had traced the connection of the words a little, I took them up in the few following particulars. 1. We have here a great blessing promised unto the church ; and that is none other than Christ, under the notion of a Prince, and A Plant of Renown. 2. We have the Party by whom this promise is made, in the pronoun /,—I JEHOVAH, the Eternal GOD, I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown. EZEKIEL, �12 3. We have tlie way how this Plant of Renown is raised ; And I will raise him up. I that am the great Husbandman of the vineyard, I ivill raise up for them, &c. Then, • 4. I noticed the persons to whom the promise is made, I will raise up for them ; that is, for his Church, for his people that are brought into a very low condition ; as you will see by reading the preceding part of the chapter. The flock of Christ were scattered by the shepherds of Israel; they were torn, they were devoured, and under manifold trials ; Well, what will the Lord do for his flock in that condition ? He says, I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown, and they shall hunger no more. The observation is much the same with the words themselves, namely, " that our Lord Jesus Christ is a Plant of Renown of his Father's upbringing I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown. In prosecution of this doctrine, I proposed to observe the order and method following. First, To premise a few things concerning this blessed Plant. Secondly, To shew that indeed he is a Plant of Renown. And then, Thirdly, To speak a little concerning the raising up of this Plant. Fourthly, For whom he is raised up. Fifthly, For what good, or for what benefit and advantage he is raised up. And, Lastly, To apply the whole. As to the first, I spoke to it, and premised a few things concerning this blessed Plant; therefore I shall not stay to resume what was said on that Head. I likewise entered upon the second, and shewed that Christ is A Plant of Renown in several respects: I mentioned eleven or twelve particulars �13 wherein Christ is renowned, but I shall not resume these neither: I shall only tell you a few things wherein this blessed Plant is renowned. 1. In the first place, this blessed Plant, he is renowned for his antiquity. There are many other plants in God's garden, as angels, seraphims, cherubims, saints militant and triumphant, they are all but upstarts in comparison of him ; for he was set up before ever the earth was. You will see that one name of this Plant of Renown is, The Everlasting Father, or, " The Father of Eternity," as it may be rendered. 2. As he is renowned for his antiquity, so for his Beauty: he is the most beautiful Plant in all the garden of God ; " I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the valleys.—He is the apple-tree among the trees of the wood." He is renowned I say, for his beauty and his glory ; for the glory of a God is in him. Is there any glory in his eternal Father ? Why, that glory shines in our in the very brightness of it, Heb. i. 3. " He is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person." Now, sirs, if ever your eyes were opened by the Spirit of God, to take up the glory of this Plant, his glory has just dazzled your very eyes ! You that never saw any glory in him, you never saw him to this very day: Pray that the light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, may yet shine into your hearts. It would make a heartsome Sacrament, if this Plant were displayed in his glory among us. Sirs, have you come to see him in his glory ? O give God no rest till he make a discovery of himself to your souls. Then, 3. He is renowned for his verdure, for his perpetual greenness. Other plants are fading; you IMMANUEL, �14 and 1 are fading plants ; " All flesh is grass, and all the jjoodliness thereof is as the flower of the f i e l d H e is a Tree ever green, he never fades, summer nor winter, and shall be ever a green Plant to the Saints as it were to eternity ! When millions of ages, yea, myriads of ages are past in heaven, he will be as fresh and green to the believer, as when he first saw him, or the first moment the saint entered glory : therefore it is, that the songs of the redeemed in glory are always new ; and throughout eternity, will be new, because they will constantly see matter of a new song ; and the more they see, they will wonder the more at him throughout eternity! Again, 4. This Plant is renowned not only for his verdure, but for his virtue. We read, Rev. xxii, " That the leaves of the Tree of Life were for the healing of the nations." That Tree of Life is the very same with this Plant of Renown; the leaves of this Plant are for the healing of the nations ; and we that are ministers are come this day to scatter the leaves of this Tree of Life, of this Plant of Renown ; try if you can get a leaf of it applied and set home upon your souls. Depend upon it, there is virtue in every word of his. Sirs, mingle faith with a word, and you will find that it will jiave the same efficacy with you as it had with the poor woman with the bloody issue, that was healed with a touch of the hern of his garment, who had spent all her living on doctors. 0 see if you can find him! I assure you he is here ; he is behind the door of every man's heart: Behold I stand (says lie,) at the door and knock! If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and' sup with him, and he with mo." And 0 let him in! there is virtue in him 44 �15 for curing you all, though there were ten thousand millions of you more than there are ; there is virtue in him for healing every one of you. But then, 5. This blessed Plant is not only renowned for his virtue, but likewise for his fertility. He is not a barren Plant; he would not be renowned if he were barren: He brings forth all manner of fruit every month; yea, I may add, every day, every moment. You read in Rev. xxii. of the Tree of Life that brings forth twelve manner of fruits every month ; that is to say, he brings forth all fruit that is necessary for a poor soul: whatever thy soul stands in need of, is to be found in him ; see then and gather, see if you can gather some of it. There is the fruit of his incarnation ; there is the fruit of his death ; there is the fruit of his resurrection ; there is the fruit of his ascension ; there is the fruit of his intercession, and sitting at the right hand of God ; there is the fruit of his prophetic office ; there is the fruit of his priestly office; there is the fruit of his kingly office ; there is the fruit of his appearing within the vail ; there is the fruit of what he did without the vail, and without the camp. 0 what fruit is here! Here is wisdom for fools; here is justification for the condemned soul; here is sanctification for the polluted soul, and clothing for the naked; riches for the poor, bread for the hungry, drink for the thirsty. All manner of fruit is here, and we are trying, sirs, to shake the Tree of Life among you ; and blessed be God, they may be gathered : O sirs ! they are dropping among you ; 0 gather, gather, for salvation is in every word that drop3 from him ; for his words are the words of eternal life. But, in the �16 C. Place, this blessed Plant is renowned for his scent and pleasant savour. O sirs! there is such a blessed savour in this Plant of Renown, as has cast a perfume through all the Paradise above ! He has cast a perfume through the church militant, which in Isaiah v. is called God's vineyard. 0 sirs! do you find any thing of the scent of this Plant ? 1 can tell you, if ever you, have been mado to know him, it will bo so : "because of the savour of thy good ointment, thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the Virgins love thee." The believer he finds a scent about him, he draws a savour from him. What is the deisgn of us ministers, but to cast abroad his scent, and it is by this we win souls ; and they that cast out and drop the Plant of Renown out of their sermons, no wonder their sermons stink, and they shall stink to eternity, that throw Christ out of their sermons. The great business of ministers is to cast forth the scent of Christ to the people. I shall read you a word to this purpose, in 2 Cor. ii. 14,—16, " Now, thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ." The apostle triumphs in him, and all other honest ministers will triumph in him too; and all christians that know him, triumph in him. And maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour in Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savour of death unto death ; and to the other, the savour of life unto life ; and who is sufficient for these things ?" Who is able to tell the sweet savour that is in him ? Again, 7. This blessed plant in my text, is not only renowned for his savour, but likewise for his shadow. Song, i. 3. " I sat down under his shadow with great 44 �17 delightthe shadow of the Plant of Renown, You are all sitting there or standing, but are you sitting under the Plant of Renown ? Jonah s gourd did him service against the scorching heat of the sun, that was like to take away his life ; but alas! that soon failed him, for God sent a worm and smote it that it withered ; and the worm of death will soon smite and wither you and me : 0 get in under the shadow of this Plant of Renown, and ye are secured against death and vindictive wrath for ever. Get in under his shadow ; the shadow of his intercession,—the shadow of his power,—the shadow of his providence,—the shadow of his faithfulness: 0 sit under his shadow, and you will find shelter there against all deadly ; whatever blasts come, you will find safety there. Would you be shadowed from the king of terrors ? Death is a terror to many, 0 if you be shadowed against the awful terrors of death and God's vengeance, get in under this shadow, and you are safe. 8. This Plant is renowned for his stature. He is a high Plant, he is a tall Plant: you see the heavens above you, but they are but creeping things in comparison of him ; for this glorious Plant is, The high and lofty One that inhabits eternity., You can never see his height; your eye will look high, and your thought will reach higher, but neither your eye nor thought will reach unto him; he is taller than all the cedars in the Lebanon of God: " Eye hath not seen, nor hath ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man," to think ol the height and glory of this Plant of Renown! And Lastly, This Plant is renowned not only for his stature, but for his extent also : he is a broad Plant, he was planted in the first promise in Par- �18 adise; he spread through the old testament church j he came the length of filling the land of Judea ; and, at length, this Plant has spread itself among us: And 0 that I could open the leaves of this f*lant to take you in ; he is a broad Plant, he will serve you all. We read of the Tree of Life being on every side of the river : there is a great river betwixt us and heaven, and that is death ; and we are all running into this river of death. As one well observes on the place, this Tree is in the middle of the river ; he is on this side of time, and he is on that side of time. Now, this Plant is on both sides of the river ; though you were going to the wastes of America, you will find him there as well as here, if you have but the art of improving him. And this Plant will spread himself through all kingdoms, " The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, just as the witters cover the sea." He will not only fill the earth, but the whole heavens throughout eternity ! 0 but he is a. broad Plant, that will extend himself both to heaven and earth! And this shall serve for the second thing proposed, namely, To show that this Plant is indeed a most Renowned Plant. The third thing I proposed in the prosecution of this doctrine, was, concerning the raising or upbringing of this Plant. You see it is no other than the Great G D that raised up this Plant. O, find the Great glorying in his skill and wisdom in the raising up of this Plant for the use of the church. In Psalm lxxxix. 19. says the Lord, I have laid help upon one that is mighty ; I have exalted one chosen out of the people ; I have raised up David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him." Here he glories in it, that he had raised up this glorious Plant of Renown. I JEHOVAH 44 �19 I will tell you a few tilings with reference to the raising up of this blessed Plant. 1. He was raised up in the counsel of God's peace from eternity. The Ti'inity sat in council anent the upbringing of him; " The counsel of peace was between them both/' Zech. vi. 13. The Father and the Son agreed upon it, that in the fulness of time the Son should come into the world, 2. He was raised up in the first promise to Adam and Eve. Till this Plant was discovered to them, they were like to run distracted: Aftd indeed, sirs, if Christless sinners saw where they were, and the wrath of God that is hanging over their heads, they would be ready to run distracted, till a revelation of Christ was made to them,' All the promises, all the prophecies, all the types, and all the doctrines of the old testament, they were the gradual springings of this Plant: but it was under ground until, 3. His actual manifestation in the flesh, when, in the fulness of time he appeared: " In the fulness of time, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, &c." 4. This Plant was raised up even in his death and resurrection, by which he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by the spirit of holiness. And, Lastly, This Plant of Renown will be raised up in the songs of the redeemed thro ugh endless eternity. Thus you see, Christ is a Plant of Renown, and what way ho is raised up. The next thing I proposed was, for whom is it that this Plant is raised up ? 01 may some poor thing say, Was he ever raised up for me? I tell you, sirs, he was never raised up for the fallen angels; " For he took not on him the nature of �20 angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham." Our nature was highly honoured at first, but it soon sunk below the beast that perisheth ; but the second Adam took our nature upon him, and raised it to a higher dignity than the very angels ; for to which of the angels did this honour appertain, to be united to the eternal Son of God ? So that, I say, this Plant of Renown is raised up for mankindsinners, not for angel-kind sinners ; and every mankind-sinner that hears tell of him, they should lay claim to him, as in Isaiah, ix. 6., "To us a Son is given, to us this Child is born ; and the government shall be upon his shoulder : And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." To us he is given, unto us he is born. I thought to have gone through what I designed on this subject, but time will not allow. The Lord bless his word. A DYING CHRISTIAN'S PRAYER. " Receive my spirit," was tne prayer of Stephen to Jesus Christ, to receive his departing soul; and, brethren, I think you will feel in a dying hour, that your departing soul needs a Divine Saviour. You have one in Jesus Christ. You may call upon liim then, even as now. Ilis ear will not be heavy, though yours may, when death is sealing up your faculties. Ilis eye will not have lost its power of gazing affectionately on you, when yours is becoming dim and closed. His hand will not be shortened, in the hour when yours will have become �21 tremulous and feeble. But lift up the hand, tho heart, the eye, the soul, in prayer to him then, and you will find him a very near and present help in that your time of trouble. Brethren, a Christian should die praying. Other men die in different ways, according to their character and temper. Julius Cesar died adjusting his robes, that he might fall gracefully. Voltaire, with mingled imprecations and supplications; Paine, with shrieks of agonizing remorse. Multitudes die with sullenness, some with blasphemies faltering on their tongue. But, brethren, the humble Christian would die praying. Well says the poet: " Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air; His watch-word at the gates of death, He enters heaven with prayer I" But, observe for what Stepnen prayed. Lord Jesus receive my spirit!" This is the prayer of faith, commending the immortal spirit to the covenant care of Jesus. The spirit does not die with the body. None but God, who gave, can take away the soul's existence, and he has declared that he never will. Would that bad men would think on that! You cannot get rid of your soul's existence : you cannot cease to be : you may wish it; though the wish is monstrous and unnatural. But there is no annihilation for any soul of man. Oh, come to our Saviour! give him your guilty soul, to be justified through his atonement, washed in his blood, regenerated by his Spirit. Make to him now that surrender of your soul, for which he calls. Renew this happy self-dedication every day, very especially every Sabbath, and most solemnly, from time to time at the Lord's Supper. And then, when you come to die, it will only be, 44 �22 to do once more, wliat you have so often done in former days,—again to commend your soul very humbly, believingly, and affectionately, under the faithful care of Jesus Christ. THE HOUSE OF GOD, T E church was pleasantly situated 01 a rising H 1 bank, at the foot of a considerable hill. It was surrounded by trees, and had a rural retired appearance. In every direction the roads that led to this house of God, possessed distinct but interesting features. One of them ascended between several rural cottages from the sea-shore, which adjoined the lower part of the village-street. Another winded round the curved sides of the adjacent hill, and was adorned, both above and below, with numerous sheep feeding on the herbage of the down. A third road led to the church by a gently rising approach, between high banks, covered with young trees, bushes, ivy, hedge-plants, and wild flowers*—From a point of land, which commanded a view of all these several avenues, I used sometimes, for a while, to watch my congregation gradually assembling together at the hour of Sabbath worship. They were in some directions visible for a considerable distance. Gratifying associations of thought would form in my mind, as I contemplated their approach and successive arrival within the precincts of the house of prayer.—One day as I was thus occupied, during a short interval previous to the hour of divine service, I reflected on the joy, which David experienced at the time he exclaimed, " I was glad when they said unto �23 me, Let us go into the house of the Our feet shall stand within thy gates, 0 Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together ; whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord." I was led to reflect upon the various blessings, connected with the establishment of public worship. " How many immortal souls are now gathering together to perform the all-important work of prayer and praiseto hear the word of God—to feed upon the bread of life ! They are leaving their respective dwellings, and will soon be united together in the house of prayer," How beautifully does this represent the effect produced by the voice of the " Good Shepherd," calling his sheep from every part of the wilderness into his fold! As those fields, hills, and lanes, are now covered with men, women, and children, in various directions, drawing nearer to each other, and to the object of their journey's end ; even so, «many shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.' Who can rightly appreciate the value of such hours as these ?—hours spent in learning the way of holy pleasantness, and the paths of heavenly peacehours devoted to the service of God, and of souls ; in warning the sinner to flee from wrath to come ; in teaching the ignorant how to live and die; in preaching the gospel to the poor; in healing the broken-hearted ; in declaring " deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind." " Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.' ? �2i This train of reflection, at intervals, occurred powerfully to my feelings, as I viewed that very congre gation assembled together in the house of God, whose steps, in their approach to it, I had watchei with prayerful emotions.— Here the rich and poor met together," in mutual acknowledgement that the Lord is the maker of them all," and that all are alike dependent creatures, looking up to one common Father to supply their wants, both temporal and spiritual.—Again, likewise, shall they meet together in the grave, that undistinguishing receptacle of the opulent and the needy,—And once more, at the judgment-seat of Christ, shall the rich and poor meet together, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." How closely connected in the history of man, ait these three periods of a general meeting together The house of prayer—the house appointed for all living—and the house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.—May we never separate these ideas from each other, but retain them in a sacred and profitable union! So shall our worshipping assemblies on earth be representative of the general assembly and chuicb of the first-born, which are written in heaven. 44 44 44 v FINIS, � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The plant of renown: being two sermons, preached by the Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, late minister of the gospel in Stirling. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages 16 cm Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9934228253505154">s0585b28</a> Description An account of the resource 135 printed at the foot of title page Woodcut #23: Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and lace collar. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In the public domain; For high quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1840-1850 per National Library of Scotland Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario Subject The topic of the resource Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Religion and Morals Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Erskine, Ebenezer, 1680-1754 Type The nature or genre of the resource sermon religion # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Chapbook Date: 1841-1850 Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Genre: sermon Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Fashion (Clothing): religious Gender: man/men occupation: clergy Portrait: Ebenezer Erskine https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/250c0b69c09901314bc8f3f0be8f0760.pdf d04577bf8f71ad696190983edc3096a8 PDF Text Text A WEDDING-RING, FIT FOR THE FINGER: LAID OPEN IN A SERMON, PREACHED AT A WEDDING IN ST. EDMOND'S, By W I L L I A M SECKER, LATE PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL. GENESIS ii. 1 8 . And the LORD GOD said. It is not good that the man should be alone ; I will make him an help meetforhim. GLASGOW PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS, 63 ��k WEDDING-RING, FIT FOR THE FINGER. A SERMON ON GENESIS i i . 1 8 . And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone : I will make him a help-meet for him. HUMAN misery is to divine mercy, as a black soil to a sparkling diamond ; or as a sable cloud to the sun-beams, Psalm viii. 4.—Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him ? Man is, in his creation, angelical; in hiscorruption,diabolical; in his translation, majestical. There were four silver channels in which the chrystal streams of God's affection ran to man in hs creation. 1- In his preparation. 2. In his Assimilation, 3 - In his coronation. 4. In his Association. 1- In his preparation. Other creatures received tne character of their beings by a simple fiat; but There was a consultation at his forming ; not for the difficulty, but for the dignity of the work. �4 The painter is most studious about that which he intends to make his master-piece. The four the perfection of man's complexion : the fire was purified, the earth was refined. When man was moulded, heaven and earth was married ; a body from the one was espoused to a soul from the other. 2. In his assimilation. Other creatures were made like themselves, but man was made like God, as the wax hath the impression of the seal upon it. It is admirable to behold so fair a picture in such coarse canvas, and so bright a character in so brown paper. 3. In his coronation. He that made man, and all the rest, made man over all the rest; lie was a little lord of a great lordship : this king was crowned in his craddle. 4. In his association. Society is the solace of humanity ; the world would be a desert, without a comfort. Most of man's parts are made in pairs; now lie that was double in his perfection, must not be single in his condition. And the Lord said, These words are like the iron gate that opened to Peter of its own accord, dividing themselves into three parts : — 1. A n Introduction : And the Lord God said2. A n Assertion : It is not good that man should he alone. 3. A Determination: I will make an J« help-meet for him. ' In the first there is a majesty proposed. In the second there is a malady presented. In the third there is a remedy provided. Once more let me put these grapes into the press. 1. The sovereignness of the expression: And the Lord God said. 2. The solitariness of trie elements �condition: It is not good, 3. The suitableness of the provision ; I will make, &c In the first there is the worth of veracity. In the second, there is the want of society. In the third, there is the work of divinity. Of these in their order. And first of the first. 1. The sovereignness of the expression: And the Lord God said, Luke i. 70* " A s he spoke by the mouths of his prophets." In other scriptures he used their mouths, but in this instance he makes use of his own ; they were the organs, and he the breath ; they the streams, and he the fountain. How he spake, it is hard to determine: whether eternally, internally, or externally. We are not to inquire into the manner of speaking, but into the matter that is spoken; which leads me, like a directing star, from the suburbs to the city, from the porch to the palace, from the founder of the mine, to the treasure that is in it: It is not good, <fac. In which we have two things:— 1. The Subject. 2. The Predicate. The subject, Man alone. The predicate, It is not good, &c. 1. The subject, Man alone. Take this in two branches. 1. As it is limited to one man. 2. As it is lengthened to all men. FIRST, A s i t is l i m i t e d t o o n e m a n : A n d so it is taken particularly: Man, for the first man. When all other creatures had their mates, Adam wanted his ; though he was the emperor of the earth, and the admiral of the seas, yet in Paradise without a companion; though he was truly happy, yet he was not fully happy; though he had enough for his board, yet he had not enough for his bed ; though he had many creatures to serve him, yet �6 he wanted a creature to solace him ; when he was compounded in creation, he must be completed by conjunction ; when he had no sin to hurt him, then he must have a wife to help h i m : It is not good that man should be alone. SECONDLY, A S it is lengthened to all men: And so it is taken universally, Heb. xiii. 4. Marriage is honourable unto all. It is not only warrantable, but honourable. The whole trinity hath conspired together to set a crown of glory upon the head of matrimony. 1. God the Father. Marriage was a tree planted within the walls of Paradise ; the flower first grew in God's garden. 2. The Son. Marriage is a crystal glass, wherein Christ and the saints do see each other's faces. 3. The Holy Ghost, by his overshadowing of the blessed virgin. Well might the world when it saw her pregnancy, suspect her virginity ; but hermatrem without this, her innocency had not prevented her infamy; she needed a shield to defend that chastity abroad which was kept inviolable at home. Too many that have not worth enough to their unchastity; turning the medicine of frailty into the mantle of filthiness. Certainly she is mad that cuts off her leg to get her a crutch; or that venoms her face to wear a mask. Paul makes it one of the characters of those that should cherish the faith, 1 Tim. iv. 3. not to forbear marriage; which is not only lawful but also honourable ; to forbid which, is damnally sinful, and only taught by the influence of devils. One of the Popes of Rome sprinkles this unholy and impure drop upon it, Carnis pollutionem et immundiliem. preserve �7 * ft It is strange that should be a pollution which was instituted before corruption ; or that impurity which was ordained in the state of innocency; or that they should make that to be a sin, which they make to be a sacrament; strange stupidity ! — But a bastard may be laid at the door of chastity, and a leaden crown set upon a golden head. Bellararine (that mighty atlas of the Papal p blows his stinking breath upon i t : "Better were it for a priest to defile himself with many harlots, than to be married to one wife/'—These children of the purple whore prefer monasteries before marriages, a concubine before a compa too many women for their lusts, to choose any for their love.—Their tables are so largely spread that they cannot feed upon one dish. As for their exalting of a virgin-state, it is knows not, that virginity is a pearl of a sparkling lustre ? but the one cannot be set up, without the other be thrown down : No oblation will pacify the former, but the demolishing of the latter. Though find many enemies to the choice of marriage, it it is rare to find any enemies to the use of marriage. They would pick the lock that wants the key, and pluck the fruit that do not plant the tree. The Hebrews have a saying, " that he is not a man that hath not a wife." Though they too high a bough, yet it is to be feared that suchfleshis full of imperfection, that is, not tending to propogation : though man alone m a y b e good, yet, It is not good that man should be alone. Which leads me from the subject to the predicate, It is not good. J Now, it is not good that man should be in a single condition on a threefold consideration. �1 In prevented: Marriage is like water, to quench the sparks of lust's fire, 1 Cor. vii. 2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, Man needed no such physic when he was in perfect health. Temptations may break nature's best sense, and lay its Paradise waste ; but a single life is a prison of unruly desires, which is daily attempted to be broken open. Some, indeed force themselves to a single life, merely to avoid the charges of a married state ; they choose rather to live in their own sensuality, than to extinguish those flames with an allowed remedy : It is better to marry than to burn :—to be lawfully coupled, than to be lustfully scorched. It is best to feed these flames with ordinate fuel, 2 It is not good in respect of mankind, which then would not be propagated. The Roman historian, relat excused them thus, 4 Without them mankind would fall from the earth, and perish.' Marriages do turn mutability into the image of eternity: springs up new buds when the old are withered. It is a great honour for a man to be the father of one son, than to be the master of many servants. Without a wife, children cannot be had lawfully-' without a good wife, children cannot be had comfortably. being grafted in marriage, are trees bearing fruit to the world. Augustine says, 4 They are the first link* of human society, to which all the rest are joined. Mankind had long ago decayed, and been like a taper fallen into the socket, if those breaches which f are made by mortality were not repaired by matrimony. 3. I t is not good in regard of the church, which �could not then have been expatiated. Where there is no generation, there can be no regeneration. Nature makes us creatures before grace makes us christians. If the loins of men had been less fruitful, the death of Christ would have been less successful. It was a witty question that one put to him that said,« 4 Marriage fills the earth, but virginity fills the h e a v e n s H o w can the h if the earth be empty ? Had Adam lived in innocency without matrimony, there would no servants of God in the church militant, nor no saints with God in the church triumphant. But I will not sink this vessel by the over-burthen of it, nor press this truth to death by laying too great a load upon its shoulders. There is one knot which I must untie, before I make a farther progress, viz. 1 Cor. vii. 1. It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Do all the scriptures proceed out of the same mouth ; and do they not all speak the same truth ? The God of unity will not indite discord ; and the God of verity cannot assert falsehood. If good and evil be contraries, how contrary then are these two scriptures ? Either Moses mistakes God, orpaulmistakes Moses, about the point of marriage. There is a public and a private good. In Aspect of one man, it may be good not to touch a woman ; but in respect of all men, It is not good thatmanshould be alone. 2 Moses speaks of the state of man created ; Paul of the state of man corrupted : Now, that wich by institution was a mercy, by corruption may become a misery ; as pure water is tainted by running through a miry channel, or as the sunbeams coloured glass. There is no print of evil in the To receive a tincture by shining �10 world, but sin was the stamp that made it, They that seek nothing but weal in its commission, will find nothing but woe in the conclusion. Which leads me from the solitariness of the condition, Man alone, to the suitableness of the provision, I will make an help-meet for him. In which we have two parts, 1. The Agent, I will make. 2. The Object, An help. 1. The Agent, I will make. W e cannot build a house without tools, but the Trinity is at liberty. T o God's omniscience there is nothing impossible. W e work by hands, without; but he works without makes a meet-help for man. Marriages are consented Though man wants supply, yet man cannot supply his wants, James i. 17. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, A wife, though she be not a perfect gift, yet she is a good gift. These beams are darted from the Son of Righteousness. Hast thou a soft heart ? It is of God's breaking. Hast thou a sweet wife ? She is of God's making. Let me draw up this with double application. 1. When thou layest out for such a good on earth, look up to the God of heaven ; let him make thy choice for thee, who made his choice of thee. Look above you, before you, about you ; nothing makes up the happiness of a married condition, like the holiness of a mortified disposition : account not those the most worthy, that are the most wealthy. Art thou matched to the Lord ? Match in the Lord. How happy are such marriages where Christ is at the wedding! Let none but those who have found favour in God's eyes, find favour in yours. .11 2. Give God the tribute of your gratulation for �11 your good companions. Take head of paying you* rent to a wrong landlord: when you taste of the stream, reflect upon the spring that feeds it. NOT* thou hast four eyes for thy speculation, four hands for thy operation, four feet for thy abulation, and four shoulders for thy sustentation. What the sin against the Holy Ghost is, in point of divinity, that is unthankfulness, in point of morality, an offence unpardonable. Pity it is, but that moon should be ever in an eclipse, that will not acknowledge that praises not the giver, prizes not the gift. And so I pass from the Agent to the Object, A help. She must be so much, and no less ; and so much, and no more. Our ribs were not ordained to be our rulers. They are not made of the head, to claim superiority; but out of the side, to be content nature, who invert the order of nature. The woman was made for the man's comfort, but the man was not made for the woman's command. Those Shoulders aspire too high, that content not themselves with a room below their heads. It is between a man and his wife in the house, as it is between the sun and the moon in the heavens, when the greater light goes down the lesser light gets up ; when the one ends in setting, the other begins in shining. The wife may be a sovereign in her husband's absence, but she must be subject in her husband's presence. As Pharaoh said to Joseph, so should the husband say to his wife, u thou shalt be over my house, and according t 0 thy word shall all my people be ruled, only on the throne will I be greater than thou," Gen. xli, 40. The body of that household can never make any good motion, whose bones are out of place her beams to be borrowed fro with equality. The �12 The woman must he a help to the man in these four things :—1. To his piety. 2. To his society. 3. To his progeny. 4. To his prosperity. To his piety, by the ferventness of her excitation. To his society, by the fragrantness of her conversation. To his progeny, by the fruitfulness of her education, To his prosperity, by her faithful preservation. 1. To his piety, by the ferventness of her excitatio as the two milch-kine, which were coupled together to carry the ark of God ; or as the two cherubims, that looked one upon another, and both upon the mercy-seat; or as the two tables of stone, on each of which were engraven the laws of God. In some families married persons are like Jeremiah's two basket of figs, the one very good, the other very evil; or like fire and water, whilst the one is flaming in devotion, the other is freezing in corruption. 1. On the right side. 2. On the left. On the right side ; when the wife would run in God's way, the husband will not let her go ; when the forehorse in a team will not draw, he wrongs all the rest; when the general of an army forbids a march, all the soldiers stand still. Sometimes on the left: How did Solomon's idolatrous wife draw away his heart from heaven ? A sinning wife was Satan's first ladder, by which he scaled the wall of Paradise, from him. Thus she, that should have been the help of his flesh, was the hurt of his faith ; his nature's under-proper, became his grace's underminer head, is a cross on the shoulders. The wife is often to the husband as the ivy is to the oak, which draws away his sop from him. �13 2. A help to his society, by the fragrantness of her conversation. Man is an affectionate creature ; now the woman's behaviour should be such towards the man, as to requite his affection by increasing his delectation; that the new-born love may not be ruined before it be rooted. A spouse should carry herself so to her husband, as not to disturb his love by her contention, nor to destroy his love by her alineation. Husband and wife should be like two candles burning together, which makes the house more lightsome ; or like two fragrant flowers bound up in one nosegay, that augments its sweetness : or like two well-tuned instruments, which sounding together, make the more melodious music. Husband and wife, what are they but as two springs meeting, and so joining their streams, that they make but one current? It is an unpleasing conjunction. 3. To his progeny, by the fruitfulness of her education ; that so her children in the flesh may be God's children in the spirit, 1 Sam. i. 11. Hannah she vows, if the Lord will give her a son, she would give him to the Lord, to serve him. A spouse should be more careful of her children's breeding, than she should be fearful of her children's in the devil's garden.—Though you bring them out in corruption, yet do not bring them up to damnation whilst they should be teaching their children the way to heaven with their lips, are leading them the way to hell with their lives. Good education is the best livery you can give them living; and it is the best legacy you can leave them dying. You let out your cares to make them great, 0 lift up spectacle to view any contentio bearing. Take heed, lest these !—Those are not mothers but m �14 your prayers to make them good, that before you die from them, you may see Christ live in them. Whilst these twigs are green and tender, they should be bowed towards God. Children and servants are in a family, as passengers in a boat; husband and wife, they are as a pair of oars, to row them to their desired haven. Let these small pieces of timber be hewed and squared for the celestial building. By putting a sceptre of grace into their hands, you will set a crown of glory upon their heads. 4. A help to his prosperity, by her faithfulpreserv at home. One of the ancients speaks excellently : She must not be a field-wife, like Dinah ; nor a street wife, like Tbamar ; nor a window-wife, like Jezabel. Phildeas, when he drew a woman, painted her under a snail-shell; that she might imitate that little creature, that goes no further than it can carry its house upon its head. How many women are there, that are not labouring bees, but idle drones ; that take up a room in the hive, but bring no honey to i t ; that are moths to their husbands' estates, spending when they should be 'sparing. As the man's part is, to provide industriously, so the woman's is, to preserve discreetly ; the one must not be carelessly wanting, the other must not be causelessly wanting ; the man must be seeking with diligence, the woman must be saving with prudence. The cock and hen both scrape together in the dust-heap, to pick up something for the little chickens. To wind up this on a short bottom, 1. If the woman be a not the man cast dirt on Secundus being asked said, Viri naufraghm, help to the man, then let the woman. his opinion of a woman, domus tempestas, quietus �15 impedirhentum„ &c. But surely he was a monster and not a man ; fitter for a tomb to bury him, than a womb to bear him. Some have styled them to be like clouds in the sky ; like motes in the sun ; like snuffs in the candle; like weeds in the garden. But it is not good to play the butcher with that naked sex, that hath no arms but for embraces, A preacher should not be silent for those who are silent from preaching : because they are the weaker vessels, shall they be broken all to pieces ? Thou that sayest women are evil, it may be thy expression flows from thy experience ; but I shall never take that mariner for my pilot, that hath no better knowledge than the splitting of his own ship. Wilt thou condemn the frame of all, for the fault of one ? As if it were true logic, hath ill eyes that disdains all objects. To blast thy helper is to blame thy Maker. In a word, we took our rise from their bowels, and may take our rest in their bosoms. because some are evil therefo 2. Is the woman to be a help to the man ? Then let the man be a help to the woman. What makes some debtors to be such ill pay-masters, but because they look at what is owing to them, but not at what is owing by them. If thou wouldst have thy wife's reverence, let her have thy respect. To force a tear from this relation, is that which neither benefits the husband's authority to enjoin, nor the wif not be sharply driven, but sweetly drawn. Compassion may bend her, but compulsion her. Husband and wife should act towards each other with consent, not by constraint. There are four things wherein the husband is a meet-help to the wife. �16 1. In his protection of her from injuries. It is well observed by one, that the rib of which woman was made, was taken from under his arm : As the use of the arm is to keep off blows from the body, so the office of the husband is to ward off blows from the wife. The wife is the husband's treasury, and the husband the wife's armoury. In darkness he should be her sun, for direction ; in danger he should be her shield for protection. 2. In his providing for her necessities. The husband must communicate maintenance to the wife, as the head conveys influence to the members; thou must not be a drone, and she a drudge. A man in a married estate, is like a chamberlain in an inn, there is knocking for him in every room. Many persons in that condition, waste that estate in luxury, which should supply their wife's necessity; They have neither the faith of a Christian, nor the love of a husband! It is a sad spectacle to see a virgin sold with her own money unto slavery, when services are better than marriages ; the one 3. In his covering of her infirmities. Who would trample upon a jewel, because it is fallen in the dirt, or throw away a heap of wheat for a little chaff, or despise a golden wedge, because it retains some dross ? These roses have some prickles. Now husbands should spread a mantle of charity over their wives' infirmities. They be ill birds that defile their own nests. It is a great deal better you should fast than feast yourselves upon their failings. Some husbands are never well longer than they are holding their fingers in their wife's sores. Such are like crows, that fasten only upon carrion. Do not put out the candle because of the snuff. Husbands and wives should provoke one receives �17 another to love ; and they should love one-another notwithstanding of provocation. Take heed of poisoning those springs from whence the streams of your pleasure flow. 4. By his delighting in her society : a wife takes sanctuary not only in her husband's house, but in his heart. The tree of love should grow up in the family, as the tree of life grew up in the garden of Eden. They that choose their love, should love their choice. They that marry where they affect not, will affect where they marry not. Two joined together without love, are but tied together to make one another miserable. And so I pass to the last stage of the text, A help-meet. 'A help,' there is her fallness ; 4 A meet-help/ there is her fitness. The angels were too much above him ; the inferior creatures too much below him ; he could not step up to the former, nor could he stoop down to the latter; the one was out of his reach, the other was out of his race ; but the woman is a parallel line drawn equal with him. Meet she must be in three things. 1. In the harmony of her disposition. Husband and wife should be like the image in a looking, glass, that answers in all properties to the face that stands before i t ; or like an echo, that returneth the voice it receiveth. Many marriages are like putting new wine into old bottles. An old man is not a meet-help for a young woman : He that sets a grey head upon green shoulders, hath one foot in the grave and another in the cradle : Yet, how many times do you see the spring of youth wedded to the winter of old age ?—A young man is not a meet-help for an old woman ; raw flesh is but an ill plaister for rotten bones. He that in his non-age marries another in her dotage, his lust hath one wife �18 in possession, but his love another in reversion. 2. In heraldry of her condition. Some of our European nations are so strict in their junctions, that it is against their laws for the commonality to couple with the gentry. It was well said by one, <4 If the wife be too much above her husband, she j either ruins him by her vast expenses, or reviles him with her base reproaches; if she be too much below her husband, either her former condition makes her too generous, or her present mutation makes her too imperious.''—Marriages are styled matches, yet amongst those many that are married, how few are there that are matched ! Husbands and wives are like locks and keys, that rather break than open, except the wards be answerable. 3. In the holiness of her religion. If adultery may seperate a marriage contracted, idolatry may hinder a marriage not perfected. Cattle of divers kinds were not to ingender, 2 Cor. vi. 14. Be not unequally yoked, <&c. It is dangerous taking her for a wife, who will not take God for a husband. It is not meet that one flesh should be of two spirits. Is there never a tree thou likest in the garden but that which bears forbidden fruit ? There are but two channels in which the remaining streams shall run :—1. To those men that want wives, how to choose them. 2. To those women who have husbands, how to use them. Marriage is the tying of such a knot, that nothing but death can unloose. Common reason suggests so much, that we should be long a-doing that which can but once be done. Where one design hath been graveled in the sands of delay, thous precipitance. Rash adventures yield gain. Opportunities are not li �19 another returns; but yet take heed of flying without your wings ; you may breed such agues in your bones, that may shake you to your graves. 1. Let me preserve you from a bad choice. 2. Present you with a good one. To preserve you from a bad choice, take that in three things: Choose not for beauty. 2. Choose not for dowry. 3. Choose not for dignity. He that loves to beauty, buys a picture ; he that loves for dowry, makes a purchase ; he that leaps for dignity, matches with a multitude at once. The first of these is too blind to be directed ; the second too base to be accepted ; the third too bold to be respected. 1. Choose not by your eyes. 2. Choose not by your hands. 3. Choose not by your ears. 1. Choose not by your eyes, looking at the beauty of the person. Not but this is lovely in a woman ; but that this is not all for which a woman should be beloved. He that had the choice of many faces stamps this character upon them all, favour is deceitful arid beauty is vain. The sun is more bright in a clear sky, than when the horizon is clouded; but if a woman's flesh hath more of beauty than her spirit hath of Christianity, it is like poison in sweet-meats, most dangerous : 4 4 The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair," Gen. vi. 2. One would have thought that they should rather have looked for grace in the heart, than for beauty in the face : take care of running at the fairest signs ; the swan hath black flesh under her white feathers. 2. Choose not by your hands, for the bounty of the portion. When Cato's daughter was asked why she did not marry ? she thus replied, she could not find the man that loved her person above her portion. Men love curious pictures, but they �20 would have them set in golden frames. Some are so degenerate as to think any good enough, who have but goods enough. Take heed, for sometimes the bag and baggage go together. The person should be a figure, and the portion a cypher, which added to her, advances the sum, but alone signifies nothing. When Themistocles was to marry his daughter, two suitors courted her together, the one rich and a fool, the other wise but poor ; and being asked which of the two he had rather his daughter should have ? he answered Mallem virum fine vecuni : ' I had rather she should have a man without money, than money without a m a n / 2. Choose not by your ears, for the dignity of her parentage. A good old stock may nourish a fruitless branch. There are many children who are not the blessings, but the blemishes of their parents ; they are nobly descended, but ignobly minded : Such was Aurelius Antonious, of whom it was said, that he injured his country of nothing, but being the father of such a child. There are many low in their descents, that are high in their deserts ; such as the cobler's son, who became a famous captain ; when a great person upbraided the meanness of his original, " My nobility, said he, began with me, but thy nobility ends with thee." Piety is a greater honour than parentage. She is the best gentlewoman that is heir of her own deserts, and not the degenerate offspring of another's virtue. To present you with a good choice in three things. 1. Choose such a one as will be a subject to your dominion. Take heed of yoking yourselves with untamed heifers. 2. Choose such a one as may sympathize with you in your affliction. Marriage is just like a sea �21 voyage, he that enters into this ship, must look to meet with storms and tempests, 1 Cor. vii. 20. They that marry shall have trouble in the flesh flesh and trouble are married together, whether we marry or no ; now a bitter cup is too much to be drunk by one mouth. A heavy burthen is easily carried by assistance of other shoulders. Husband and wife should neither be proud flesh, nor dead flesh. You are fellow-members, therefore you should have a fellow-feeling. While one stands safe on the shore, pity should be shown to him that is toast on the sea. Sympathy in suffering is like a dry house in a wet day. 3. Choose such a one as may be serviceable to your salvation. A man may think he hath a saint, when he hath a devil; but take heed of a harlot, that is false to thy bed ; and of a hypocrite, that is false to thy God. 2. To those women who have husbands, how to use them. In two things. 1. Carry yourselves towards them with obedience. Let their power command you, that their praise may commend you. Though you may have your husband's heart, yet you should love his will Till the husband leaves commanding, the wife must never leave obeying. As his injunctions must be lawful, so her subjection must be loyal. 2. With faithfulness. In creation, God made not woman for many men, or many women for one man. Every wife should be to her husband as Eve was to Adam, a whole world of women ; and every husband should be to his wife as Adam was to Eve, a whole world of men. When a river is To conclude, Good servants are a great blessing ; good children a greater blessing ; but a good wife divided into many ch �22 is the greatest blessing : And such a help let him seek for her that wants one, let him sigh for her that hath lost one, let him take pleasure in her that enjoys one. Where there is nothing but a picture of virtue, or a few shadowy qualities that may subsist without any real excellency, death will hide them for ever in the night of despair. The blackness of darkness will close upon the naked and wandering ghost; whilst its loathsome remains are consigned to oblivion and putrefaction in the prison of the grave, with the prospect of a worse doom hereafter. But where there is a living image of true goodness begun in this state, death will deliver it with safety into the finishing hand of eternity, to be produced with every mark of honour in the open view of heaven ; where its now mortal partner, rescued from the dishonours of the dust, and brightened into the graces of eternal youth, shall rejoin it in triumph, to suffer the pangs of separation no more. EVERLASTING JEHOVAH ! what a crown of joy will it confer on the preacher in that day, if this little service shall be rewarded with the reflection of having contributed to the salvation or improvement addresses ! If ever thine ear was open to my cry, hear me* O Lord! hear me in their behalf. What cannot thy spirit perform, perform by the weakest hand ? May that spirit seal them to the day of redemption. At that glorious period, may I meet you all amongst the redeemed of the Lord, happy to see you shining with immortal splendour in the general assembly and church of the first born, transported to think that I shall live with you for ever, and joining in the granulations of your fellow �23 in the sight of all, clothe you with the garment of salvation, and cover you with the robe of righteousness, and as a bride is adorned with her Jewels. Amen LADY as a bridegroom is decked FRETFUL, A SKETCH FROM REAL LIFE. HER general style of conversation runs on the inconveniences to be expected from this or that circumstance, and no one is so ingenious in extracting unsuspected evil from plans of the fai promise. Is the weather fine, and a walk mentioned—It is hot—it is dusty—the wind east—there was rain in the morning—it will be dirty—or it will rain before we reach home. Is she to go out in the carriage ; one road is too long the horses—another is unpleasant—another unsafe—and, in short, none are exactly right. yet she goes on these proposed expeditions, after all possibility of pleasure has been reasoned and anticipated away. If she is going out to dinner, is sure the company will be unpleasant—the servants will get drunk—she shall be robbed, or overturned in coming home. If she is to have a at home, she knows every thing will go nobody will be amusing—the time will heavy—the people will go away, execrating t employed he stupidity of the visit. If she sees any lady about a piece of work, she prognosticates �24 it will be unfashionable before it is finished. I she sees any one reading, she never new any good come of reading, but to make young people unfit for conversation. If her husband is going a goes for a ride, she is surprised he can take pleasure in sitting on his horse for hours together. If he is in his library, she never saw such a book-worm. If he sits in the parlour, she hates men always at their wive's apron strings. Thus does she sour every common occurance of life by the most in genious optical delusion, looking at every thing in the worst point of view. hun What absurdity to imbitter one's alloted portion of happiness by so obstinately persisting toanti think fair appearances promise fair conclusions ? Why, if the sun shines in the morning, be unwilling to enjoy it then ? And, if it rains, why not be always inclined to hope the weather will brighten ? � https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/5a5e05ef37ff972c650d66538ff44477.jpg 9cf91e947214d011b0436cc9970a7137 Omeka Image File The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files. Bit Depth 8 Channels 3 Height 3492 Width 2008 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut on title-page portraying an old man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and collar Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Wedding-Ring, fit for the finger: Laid open in a sermon, Preached at a Wedding in St. Edmond's. By William Secker, Late preacher of the gospel. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9953133963505154">s0098b48</a> Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chapbook #25 and #28 in a bound collection of 34 chapbooks Description An account of the resource 63 printed at bottom of title-page Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages Subject The topic of the resource Courtship and Marriage Religion and Morals Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Abstract A summary of the resource. A sermon on Genesis ii. 18: And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him a help-meet for him. The preacher breaks up the passage into smaller phrases and deals with them individually, extolling the many virtues of marriage and its rightness in the eyes of God. The proper roles and behaviors for both husband and wife are discussed at length, as well as the dangers of improper behavior, such as adultery. The sermon also includes some invectives against the Roman Catholic Church and their policy on clerical marriage. The sermon is followed by a short passage entitled, “Lady Fretful: A Sketch from Real Life,” which describes a pessimistic woman who complains and sees the worst in everything. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource n.d. Is Referenced By A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource. University of Glasgow Union Catalogue of Scottish Chapbooks <a href="%20University%20of%20Glasgow%20Union%20Catalogue%20of%20Scottish%20Chapbooks%20%20http%3A//special.lib.gla.ac.uk/chapbooks/search/">http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/chapbooks/search/</a> Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In the public domain; For higher quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca 519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Secker, William -1681? Type The nature or genre of the resource sermon religion # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Chapbook Date: 1841-1850 Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Genre: sermon Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Fashion (Clothing): religious Gender: man/men occupation: clergy Portrait: William Secker https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/8ccbd6352df8c384f6dde09f23ae774a.pdf d598c92e74ceae2a575652030ca2eee7 https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/358b973335ca6c6ff0e8e039984e8484.jpg 0327dfb5ca931e67fb76476c43bb9309 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Life and Wonderful Prophecies of Donald Cargill who was executed at the cross of Edinburgh, on the 26th July, 1680 for his adherence to the Covenant, and work of Reformation. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9953133963505154">s0098b48</a> <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9953133913505154">s0221b12</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1840-1850? per University of Glasgow Union Catalogue of Scottish Chapbooks Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chapbook #2 in a bound collection of 34 chapbooks (s0098b48) Chapbook #9 in a bound collection of 22 chapbooks (s0221b12) Description An account of the resource 123 printed at the bottom of title-page Woodcut #23: Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and lace collar. Subject The topic of the resource Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Religion and Morals Covenanters Cargill, Donald, 1619 – 27 July 1681 Abstract A summary of the resource. A brief biography of the famous Covenanter, <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Cargill,_Donald_(DNB00)">Donald Cargill</a>, including references to events in his life, his rebellion against Charles II, his ministries as an outlawed preacher, and his capture, conviction, and execution. Excerpts from his sermons and his final speech before death are also included. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In the public domain; For higher quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca 519-519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario Type The nature or genre of the resource biography religion # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Biography: Donald Cargill Chapbook Date: 1841-1850 Chapbook Genre: biography Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Fashion (Clothing): religious Gender: man/men occupation: clergy Portrait: Donald Cargill https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/c1d6c675945c33318832b2d4b36164d9.pdf 41215324120a038e85c62f73ecf135a8 https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/5f0654c58d5a54a65e4663989ea999f5.jpg 7daf81b7068907a252c66b3d37154d6a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Choice Drop of Honey, from The Rock of Christ, or A Short Word of Advice to Saints and Sinners, by Thomas Wilcocks Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1840-1850 ? per National Library of Scotland Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages 16 cm Description An account of the resource 96 printed at bottom of title-page Abstract A summary of the resource. An appeal to the readers to seek a more deeply religious life with Christ at the center of it. The author argues that simply fulfilling the duties of a religious life is not enough, because sin can reside beneath an exterior of proper duty and practice. Instead, Christ is seen as the foundation for a properly religious life and necessary for the soul’s salvation. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <p><a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9923284813505154">s0006Cb10</a></p> Subject The topic of the resource Religion and Morals Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Is Referenced By A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource. Scottish Chapbook Catalogue, University of Glasgow<br /><a href="http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/chapbooks/search/">http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/chapbooks/search/</a> <div>&nbsp;</div> Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. A Short Word of Advice to Saints and Sinners Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In the public domain; For higher quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca 519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1622-1687 Type The nature or genre of the resource sermon religion # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Chapbook Date: 1841-1850 Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Genre: sermon Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Fashion (Clothing): religious Gender: man/men occupation: clergy Portrait: Thomas Wilcocks https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/a17e6be0b4726e185a9585fce9eed038.jpg 1d6e1672421ba7cd3fd3f21e85aa1867 Omeka Image File The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files. Bit Depth 8 Channels 3 Height 3544 Width 2009 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut on title-page portraying an old man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and collar https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/23b78fdbc73842bb8ed1ebccf25b7599.pdf 8f7acbff9a022b64d45b9b89da114b05 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The history of Mahomet, the great imposter. Containing his birth and parentage - His wives - His journey into heaven, and the extraordinary things which he saw - His Alcoran and war, and his death and burial at Medina. Subject The topic of the resource Religion and Morals Islam War Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Courtship and Marriage Description An account of the resource '126' is printed at the foot of the title page Woodcut #23: Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and lace collar. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1840-1860 per University of Glasgow Union Catalogue of Scottish Chapbooks Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9953133913505154">s0221b12</a> Abstract A summary of the resource. A short history of Mohammed and the rise of Islam. Mohammed is portrayed throughout as a devious, crafty, and manipulative man who purposefully feigned visions and twisted Scripture in order to enhance his own status. These descriptions are then contrasted in the end by a short tract on the redemption of mankind through the Jesus’ and the Angel’s intercession. This chapbook is one of a series of histories and biographies of notable historical and religious figures which have been bound together in this collection. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chapbook #10 in a bound collection of 22 chapbooks (s0221b12) Is Referenced By A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource. University of Glasgow Union Catalogue of Scottish Chapbooks <a href="University%20of%20Glasgow%20Union%20Catalogue%20of%20Scottish%20Chapbooks%20%20http%3A//special.lib.gla.ac.uk/chapbooks/search/">http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/chapbooks/search/</a> Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In public domain; For higher quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca 519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario Type The nature or genre of the resource biography religion # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Biography: Muhammad Chapbook Date: 1851-1860 Chapbook Genre: biography Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Gender: man/men Occupation: prophet Portrait: Muhammad Prophet Religious Figures: Muhammad https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/d0d296fa24f6efd66d9e2c82a117bd73.jpg f09831bd5ddc20c92265caf3f5bbdc48 Omeka Image File The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files. Bit Depth 8 Channels 3 Height 3375 Width 2022 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar https://scottishchapbooks.lib.uoguelph.ca/files/original/d2598d23669ac7f0e4bbeb7f8b20a273.pdf 7cc455b4a4066e12924cf0ca035bfec1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Woodcut 023: Title-page illustration in triple ruled border of a portrait of a man in a wig and dressed in a coat with a lace collar. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The history of the life and sufferings of Rev. John Welch, sometime minister of the gospel at Ayr. Subject The topic of the resource Chapbooks - Scotland - Glasgow Religion and Morals Supernatural Covenanters Welsh, John, c. 1570–1622 Description An account of the resource '64' is printed at the foot of the title page Woodcut #23: Portrait on title-page of a man wearing a wig and dressed in a coat and lace collar. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1840-1850 per National Library of Scotland Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://ocul-gue.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_GUE/mrqn4e/alma9953133913505154">s0221b12</a> Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chapbook #8 in a bound collection of 22 chapbooks Abstract A summary of the resource. A short history and biography of the life and death John Welch, a Presbyterian minister in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The chapbook focuses especially on his reputed powers of divination and other supernatural demonstrations, including the resurrection of at least one person. His devotion, humility, and eloquence are highlighted in particular, as well as his persecution under James VI and I. This chapbook is one of a series of histories and biographies of notable Scottish figures which have been bound together in this collection. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 24 pages Is Referenced By A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource. National Library of Scotland <a>http://www.nls.uk/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource biography religion Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEGs and PDF derived from master file, which was scanned from the original book in 24-bit color at 600 dpi in TIFF format using an Epson Expression 10000XL scanner. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In public domain; For higher quality reproductions, contact Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. libaspc@uoguelph.ca 519-824-4120, Ext. 53413 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario # of Woodcuts: 1 Bib Context: title-page Chapbook Date: 1841-1850 Chapbook Genre: biography Chapbook Genre: religion & morals Chapbook Publisher - Glasgow: Printed for the Booksellers Fashion (Clothing): religious Gender: man/men occupation: clergy Portrait: Rev. John Welch