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

dt/pifed Reproof, and have not obeyed the Voice of my Tea-
chers, nor inclinedmineEar to them that inftrutted me l When
a Man, through Heat of Perlecution, is engaged to turn
afide from God, he runs out of a Sparkle into a Flame ;
God becomes thy Enemy, and at length thou wilt become
an Enemy to thyielf.
4th/y, There is the Hopes of eternal Reft ; Heb. iv. 9.
There remaineth therefore a Ref to the People of God. The
fare Hopes of this Reft will not only render all Tribula¬
tion tolerable, but even defirable ; they are but light and
momentary, but work for us a far more exceeding and eter¬
nal Weight of Glory. The Good and Evil of the World
evanilh both out of the Sight of that Soul that hath its
Eye fixed upon the Recompence of Reward. The Sound
of that Salutation, This Night jhalt thou be with me in Pa-
radife, made the Crofs of the penitent Thief preferable to
all the Crowns of the World. And as the Hopes of this
Reft is a Helmet of Salvation, keeping the Head from be¬
ing wounded, the Enjoyment of it puts a Believer beyond
the Reach of all Tribulation. Heaven is fitly relembled
by the Court of Ahafuerus; none' may come in there
clothed with Sackcloth. The Church is here beneath the
Sun, and fo obnoxious to fcorching ; there Ihe is above
the Sun, the Sun lights not on her, nor any Heat : And
this is the Motive from which the Lord himfelf preftTeth
Stedfaftnefs, Rev. ii. 10. Be thou faithful unto Death, and
1 will give thee a Crown of Life.
Sixthly This may keep the People of Cod from turning
afide in the hotteft Tribulation, that the Door is ftill open
for their Approach to God. This Liberty you (ee referved
to the Church, even at a Noon-tide of it ; Ihe may fay.
Tell me, &c. Enemies cannot obftruct thefe Lines of
Communication that are betwixt God and his People. Yea
1 there is one Fold of the Door more opened in
a 1 ime of Adverfity, than in a Tims of Profperity ; there
is