Page: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.pdf/15

( 15 ) what is Daniel's Obſervation, Dan ix. 12. Under the whole Heaven it hath not been done, as hath been done in JERUSALEM. Neither is it any Wonder it ſhould be ſo; the Children of this world have many Refuges to fly to in a Time of Tri- bulation, but the Children of the Kingdom have only one ; and though it be truly far the fasest, yet it expoſes them to the World's Evil ſo much the more. Pſal. xiv. 6. The Council of the Poor is, even upon that Account, put to ſhame, becauſe the Lord is his Refuge. If there be among Enemies ſo much as a Deſire to be reputed religious, they will account it a Diſgrace, that any ſhould pretend to more Tenderneſs than they. Sometimes the Fountain whence Affliction flows, is great Power, which the Church of God cither cannot or may not reach, Eccl. iv. 1. I be- held the Tears of the Oppreſſed, and they had no Comforter ; on the side of their oppreſſors there was Power, but they had no Comforter. And the Scripture doth abundantly e- vidence, that the People of God have been perſecute, ſome- time by Pharaoh upon the Throne, ſometime by a Ha- man in the State, ſometime by a Judas in the Church ;. their Yokes have been ſo heavy, that it were as eaſy to remove the Sun out of the Firmament, as to remove it from the Neck of God's People, and it may be the Lord uncovereth his people, and gives looſe Reins to Adverſa- ries to run upon them at a full Career, that they think it below them if they do not the Church great Injury. Eſther iii. 3. Haman thought ſcorn to lay Hands upon Mordecai alone, but he thought to ſay all the People of the Jews. There is no Cloud of Protection upon God's People, to keep off the Malignancy of their Influences ; there is a Cloud of Calamities, which renders their Miſery ſo much the more miſerable, while they are made, in the Opinion of the World, to ſuffer as evil Doers. Reproach hath broken my Heart, faith David. No wonder than the B 2 People