Page:Letter to the Reverend Mr. Michael Potter, minister of the gospel at Kippen, as an answer of his letter to the Reverend Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.pdf/8

 reproach of the Devil and wicked men's contriving to put a ſtop to the ſucceſs of the goſpel in their hands, and mar their deſigns for carrying on a work of reformation in poor harlot Scotland, who hath wickedly departed from GOD and that glorious work of reformation that our worthy anceſtors brought about in this land under the conduct of our glorious king of Zion.

You ſay again in your letter, that his letter is not good grammar. It is much to be lamented that there is ſo much ſtudying of learning at this day, and ſo little ſtudying the doctrine of a crucified CHRIST: Alas! for it is much to be lamented that the great part of our preachers of the goſpel are more buſied in ſtudying a nice and well connected ſermon, to ſet forth the brightneſs of their parts in a fine ſtile and dialect to rickle the cars of their hearers, then they are to awaken the conſciences of carnal ſecure ſleepy ſinners: The doctrine of a crucified CHRIST ſeems as if it were an offence to many at this day; a ſermon of heathen morality ſeems to take much better with many, than a ſermon of repentance towards GOD, and faith towards our Lord JESUS CHRIST; not that I am to condemn morality, for ſure it is that none can pretend to be true followers of the lamb that do not obſerve all the precepts of the moral law, as well as the precepts of the goſpel; but as ſure it is, that where the doctrine of morality hath converted its thouſands, the doctrine of a crucified CHRIST hath converted its ten thouſands: Acts ii. 37. when Peter was preaching a ſermon of a crucified CHRIST, it is ſaid, when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts, and said to