already come in, and yet there is room. There is room for all the innumerable number mentioned, Rev. vii. 9. out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. O that finners would come in! Let there be no empty corner, no empty feat, no empty chamber, no empty ftory of his houfe; for he would have all filled.

4thly, Why, or for what reafon muft his houfe be filled? I offer only these two reafons.

1. The more full his houfe is, the more advantageous to the guests. Happy they that throng in to him, and fill his houfe.-The more full it is, the more ufeful and helpful they are to one-another: When they are converted, they ftrengthen their brethren.-The more full it is, the more pleasant and heartfome it is, while joining together in prayer and praise: they are also the more encouraging to one-another, as iron fharpeneth iron; and the more encouraging, even to these that are without, to come in; for then they are ready to say, "We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you."-The more full, the more fafe, and free from hurt; for an empty houfe goes to ruin. It is the greatest curse, when it is faid, " Behold your house is left unto you defolate and empty;" but it is a great bleffing when the houfe is full; full of guests, and full of provifion for them and truly in his house there is bread enough and to spare.

2. The more full the house is, the more glory redounds to the mafter of the house. The more God's houfe is filled, the more and the greater revenues of praife will be paid to him by the inhabitants of it; for, "Bleffed are they that dwell in his houfe, they will be ftill praifing him," Pfalm lxxxiv. 4. He will then have his house filled, that he may have many to fing forth the' praise of his grace and mercy, power and pity, to all eternity. So much for the third general head, viz. the reason affigned for the work, That his houfe may be filled.

IV. We come now to the fourth thing propofed, viz. To offer fome Inferences for the application. Is it fo, that the minifters of Chrift have a power and warrant to compel finners to come in to him, that his house may be filled? Hence fee then,

1. That the minifters of Chrift, who are fent of him, are clothed with authority: they are, as it were, the mouth of Chrifl, 2 Thef. ii. 8. They are the stars in his right-hand, and co-workers with him. They are Chrift's ambaffadors; and as God fends Chrift, fo Chrift fends them. They have the keys of the kingdom of heaven put into their hands. And the greatnefs of their minifterial power is evident from the great charge given to them, Jer. i. 17, 18. " Gird up thy loins, and arife and fpeak unto them all that I command thee. Be not difmayed at their faces, left I confound thee before them: for behold I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah," &c. The power and authority committed to them is, that of the Lord Jefus Chrift, 1 Cor. v. 4.The greatnefs of their power is evident from the great challenge they get for not executing their office, and ufing their authority again!l feducers and erroneous teachers, Rev. ii. 14. 20. It is evident alfo from the great glory they are to have from God, who faithfully execute the minifterial truft; "They fhall receive a crown of righteousness, which fadeth not away," 1 Pet. v. 2, 3, 4. People ought therefore to regard their authority; for Chrift hath faid, "He that defpifeth you, defpifeth me."

2. Hence fee the due limits and boundaries of churchpower and authority. It is to be used for the good and edification of the body of Chrift, and for compelling finners to come in. Church-power is unlawfully ufed, when it compels men to go out, and not to come in. It is the greatest rebellion against a king, when his arms. and artillery are employed against himself and his family; fo it is the greateft rebellion against the King of Zion, when a church makes use of the power and authority he hath given her, even against himself, and his children, his caufe and intereft. Minifters and judicatories have no power to do any thing against the truth, or against the edification of God's children. See 2 Cor. x. 8. where it is faid, "Our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your deftruction." See alfo chap. xiii. 8. 15. The church-power that is exercifed against the truth, and for the deftruction of

the

the people of God, or the ruin of their fouls and fpiritual privileges, is to be declared void and null, and by no means to be acknowledged.

3. Hence fee the efficacy of the word and ordinances of God, when duly adminiftred in his name; Mat. xviii. 18. "Whatfoever ye fhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatfoever ye fhall loofe on earth, fhall beloofed in heaven." Notice the power and efficacy thereof from Mat. xxviii. 18, 19, 20. Great is the power of the word of God, and of a gofpel-miniftry in the hand of the Spirit. It hath a power of illumination and direction, a power of conviction and converfion, a power of humiliation and confolation; "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the foul; the teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the fimple; the ftatutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes," Pfal. xix. 7, 8. It is dangerous to defpife the word; for, it is the power of God unto falvation.

If

4. Hence fee the enmity of the world against Christ, that they must be compelled to come in to him; and confequently what hard work that of a gospel-minifter is. he be faithful to his truft, he cannot but meet with oppofition from earth and hell. Minifters muft lay their account with the contradiction of finners against themselves, and of being every where oppofed, every where spoken againft. If they be faithful, they must be reckoned men of contention to the whole earth; troublers of Ifrael; and fuch as turn the world upfide down. If their teftimony be faithful and honeft, it must torment them that dwell upon the earth; and the earth will feek to torment them again, and to kill the witneffes: but they must feek the ruin of Satan's kingdom, and the repairing of Zion's defolations; and the maintaining and defending the truth, however men and devils rage.

5. Hence we may learn, how culpable they are that

Alluding to the oppofition made to a Teftimony for truth, and the incroachments made upon the rights of the Lord's people, to chuse their own.paftors, formerly laid open, Vol. V. p. 298. 309, 310, 311. 351. 389. 396. 419.

ftraiten

ftraiten the door, and hamper the call of the gofpel, inftead of compelling finners to come in. The erroneous and legal teachers drive men in to themfelves, inftead of bringing them in to Chrift. They fay, in effect, there is no room for fuch and fuch finners in Chrift's houfe; no room for you that are not humble and penitent, and fo and fo qualified: no room for the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind, the vagrant finner. How contrary is that ftrain of preaching to the defign of the gofpel, which is to compel thofe very finners to come in, whom the legal ftrain of doctrine would keep out and exclude?

6. Hence fee the nature of faith; it is a coming in as we are; poor, maimed, halt, blind and naked as we are, without tarrying and waiting for better qualifications, which we fhall never have till we come in to Chrift for them. Faith is expreffed in fcripture according to our natural fituation; because we are naturally high in our own efteem, therefore it is expreffed by a coming down; "Come down, and fit in the duft, Ifa. xlvii. 1. Come down, Zaccheus; falvation is come to thy house." Because we are naturally low, and earthly in our affections; therefore it is fometimes expreffed by a coming up; "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning on her Beloved?"-Because we are naturally far from God; therefore it is fometimes expreffed by a coming nigh; " He will be fanctified in them that come nigh to him."-Because we are naturally engaged in departing and backfliding from God; therefore it is called a coming back and returning; "Return ye backfliding children."-Because we are within, as to fellowship with the world; therefore it is called a coming out; "Come out from among them, and be ye feparate."-And because we are without, as to fellowship with God in Chrift; therefore it is called a coming in; Compel them to come in. Again,

7. Hence fee that the church is Chrift's houfe; That my boufe may be filled. My HOUSE; he is the Lord of the houfe. The law of the house is Chrift's law; and therefore muft not be violated. The ordinances of the house are Christ's ordinances; and therefore must not

be

1

be abufed. The fervants of the houfe are Chrift's fervants; and therefore muft not become the fervants of men, or men-pleafers, in any way that is difpleafing to Chrift. They are not the fervants of Chrift, when they become the fervants of kings, to read and proclaim their acts and laws, that difagree with the acts and laws of heaven: they are not the fervants of Chrift, if they become the fervants of patrons and great men, to the oppreffing of Chrift's little ones in his house and family. The fervants of the houfe must be Chrift's fervants; the children of the house are Chrift's children: and therefore must not be robbed of their fpiritual privileges. The courts of the houfe are Chrift's courts; and therefore must not be employed against him, fo as to eltablifh iniquity by a law, otherwife they can have no fellowship with him; nor ought we to have fellow fhip with them. The government of the houfe is Chrift's appointment, as Lord of the houfe; and therefore must not be invaded or inverted, defpifed or difparaged. Some cry up the doctrine, and cry down the government of Chrift's houfe; but there is a doctrine of the word concerning the government of the church: and therefore, if they had a due refpect unto the whole doctrine of Chrift's houfe, they would fhew refpect to the government of his houfe alfo. Prefbyterial church government, as founded on the word of God, is a part of Scotland's covenanted Reformation: and, unless thefe that have profeffed themselves to be Prefbyterians, can now` prove, that Prefbytery is finful and unlawful, and difagreeable to the word of God, they must acknowledge that our National Covenants are binding in this matter, as well as in other doctrines: and, indeed, if a covenant with God, in things lawful, be not binding, then

no covenant ever was.

No

8. Hence fee what a heavy and lamentable matter it is, when Chrift's houfe is empty. What a pity is it, that his houfe fhould be empty, who is fuch a kind and liberal Lord, that he loves not to have an empty houfe? thing is more difpleafing and difhonouring to him, than to fee his houfe empty of incomers, and few thronging * Alluding to the affair of Captain John Porteous, formerly laid Vol. VI. p. 444.

open,