Religion & morality > Last publick sermon, being a faithful and free one, preached by Mr. Hugh Mackaile ... upon the Sabbath immediately preceeding that 8th of September 1662, the day affixed for the removing of the ministers of Edinburgh from their kirks

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How fad a Matter is it, that, when Chrilhans meet toge¬
ther, there ftiould be a Meeting of Corruptions not of Gra¬
ces, a Meeting of Reafbn not of Religion ? Should a wife
Man utter vain Knowledge, and fill his Belly with the Eaft
Wind-, fhould he reafon with unprofitable Talk, or with Speech¬
es wherewith he can do no good ? Beloved, the great Defign
of the Devil is to undo you eternally ; if thou be among
thele impenitent Companions that turn afide from Chrift,
he firives to keep thee there ^ if thou haft engaged thy
Soul to the Love of Chrift, he labours either to abolifl)
thy Grace, or elfe to weaken it, not only by the evil
Example of the openly Profane, but alfo by the Unwatch-
fulnefs of true Believers : Therefore ought every one to fet
aWatch over his own Converfation, both when theWicked
are before him, that nothing efcape thee which may occa-
fion Reproach to Religion, and alio before other Believers,
that nothing efcape thee that may tempt them to turn afide
unto that fame Unwatehfulnefs. The Confideration of the
Unprofitablenefs of our ordinary Converfation might
tempt a tender Heart to an utter Abhorrence of all Society,
to chufe rather to be among the dumb Beafts of the Wil-
dernefs, than among Men, under whofeTongues are Vanity,
to put to their Selah to that Wilh of David, P/al. Iv. 6.
0 that 1 had Wings like a Dove, then would I fly away and
he at Reft -, lo, I would wander afar off, and remain in the
Wildernefs, Selah.
o,d!y, Falfe Teachers are Companions that cannot be
followed, without turning afide : Wherefore fuch as fay
and do not, or fuch as, either for Fear or Hope, fupprefs a
neceflary Truth, or broach a damnable Error, a fpurious
Brood of fuch hath ever been the Bane of the Church of
God in all Ages : Some build with one Hand and call down
with the other; lome pull down with both Hands ; many
ramverfe that Command, Prov. xxiii. 23. Buy the Truth
and fell it not; they fell the Truth and buy it not : How
great