Page:Cry from the dead, or, The ghost of the famous Mr James Guthrie appearing.pdf/5

Rh Stirling for the ſpace of twelve years. And although a good many miniſters, both of the preſbyterian and epiſcopal perſuaſion had poſſeſſed the manſe of Stirling ſince the death of Mr Guthrie; yet none of them are directed to diſcover his farewel ſermon in Stirling, untill the ſame hand is employed, which was honoured to take down his head, and to give it a decent and honourable burial.

I make no doubt, let the above remark will appear whimſical and contemptible, as well as the ſermon itſelf in the eyes of a generation of men in our day, who are wiſe in their own eyes:' but whatever may be the ſentiments of men, whoſe minds the god of this world hath blinded: yet the work of the Lord is honourable and glorious, and will 'be fought out of all them that have pleaſure therein. Whoſe is wiſe, and obſerveth theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſs of the Lord.' But how awful is the certification to thoſe, who ſhut their eyes and ears againſt the appearances of God in his providential diſpenditions? Pſalm xxviii. 5. 'Becauſe they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operations of his hand, he ſhall deſtroy them, and not build them up.'

As ſome have been longing and crying for the publication of this ſermon; ſo I am apt to believe, ſome others will wiſh, that it had been buried in ſilence for ever. Neither needs this appear ſtrange. His teſtimony when alive, tormented the men who then dwelt upon earth to that degree, as to ſtone this great ſeer in Iſrael, and afterwards to imbrue their hands in his blood: and therefore, it cannot be very eaſy or pleaſant to thoſe who are treading in the ſame ſteps, by attempting the burial of that cauſe and work of reformation for which he ſuffered martyrdom, to bear his voice crying from under