of Schifm makes becoming One with you exceedingly Sinful.

49. Tis yet more unreasonable to expect that the Epifcopal Clergy fhou'd, as Laicks, hold Communion with you. All true Church Principles feem Indifpenfibly to bind them, in their prefent Circumftances, with the greateft Chriftian Courage, to Claim the Honour due to the Lawfully Sent Ambassadours of our Bleffed Lord; and to oblige them not tamely to allow their Sacred Character to be trodden under foot, efpecially by thofe who by true Church Principles have either no Sacred Character at all, or, at beft, but a very Difputable One. This, Sir, is an Hour of Temptation, a Time of Tryal to the Epifcopal Clergy: And the Great Ecclefiaftical Confideration on which they meet with fo much Hardship, is that they adhere to their Spiritual Fathers the Bishops, from whom, under Christ, they had their Millions, and to whom they Owe all Dutiful Subjection and Obedience. 'Tis a Time therefore, in which they ought, if ever, to Magnify their Office. They ought Refolutely to fay, Let a Man fo account of us as of the Minifters of Chrift, and Stewards of the Myteries of God. They ought to fay to you, Are you the Minifters of Chrift? We are much more; they ought to give you place by Subjeition no not for an Hour. Now the Epifcopal Clergy are in Statu Confeffionis, and fo they have a Special Call to be on their Guard, that they do not Dishonour their Lord and Master; that they do not throw up their Adherence

and

and their Duty to their Bishops, who are their Superiors by Apoftolical Institution, That they do not Prostitute their own Dignity and Charaer, That they do not Difcourage nor lay a Stumbling Block in the way of those who have hitherto retain'd Orthodox Principles, That they do not Encourage you to think your Selves Secure and Safe in your Ecclefi astical Rebellions, and Unaccountable Schifm and that they do not part with their fu Right to be Regarded as becomes thofe who are Duly Sent to A in Chrift's Name. To conclude, Sir,

50. I think I may now confidently fay, that, if ever People in the World had, thofe of the Epifcopal Perfwafion have Reason to diffent from the prefent Ecclefiaftical Eftablish ment in this Nation: If ever People in the World cou'd, they can juftly pretend Tenderness of Confcience for their Refufing to hold Communion with you: By a Confequence therefore which you your Self dare not refufe to be Good; if ever it was Reasonable to Grant a Toleration to any Diffenters, it must be Highly fo, to Grant One to Them. Never Men had more to plead for themfelves on an Ecclefiaftical Foot; no Man can prove them to be either Hereticks or Schifmaticks; they do not Diffent on the Account of Metaphyfical Niceties or Tefternights Dreams, or any Newly Minted Notions. The great Reafon of their Diffent is, that they find themfelves in Confcience obliged clofely to adhere to the Faith and Form of Government of the R 3 Cathe

Catholick Church in her Earliest and Pureft 4 ges: All Ancient Catholick Church Principles ftand for them, not fo much as One is againft them; Why then fhou'd fuch a small Favour as a Simple Toleration be Refus'd them? With what Reafon cou'd you Preach and Addrefs, nay and (for any thing I know) Pray too, againft it, as you did? To whom can it be Reafonable to grant a Simple Toleration (and that was all that was defired) if it is not to be Granted to thofe who wou'd not Need it, if they durft think themselves at Liberty to forfake those which they think themfelver able to demonftrate to have been the Antient and True Principles of the Catholick Church?

May the God of Peace, for the Sake of his Deareft Son the Prince of Peace, Reftore us all to True Catholick Chriftian Peace and Unity. May the Peace of God Rule in our Hearts, to which we are called in One Body. Amen.

Your Sincere Well-wisher, and One who Unfeignedly defires to be at Peace You, and All Men, efpecially All Chriftians, on True ChriAian Principles.

Feb. 12. 1704.

A

SERMON

Preach'd in the New Church of

EDINBURGH,

On SABBATH, May 16. 1703.

Before His Grace JAMES Duke of QUEENSBERRY, Her Majefties High COMMISSIONER; And many of the NOBILITY, Barons and Burrows, Members of the High Court of PARLIAMENT, and the Magiftrates of the City of Edinburgh.

On Pfalm 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Ferufdem; They foil profper that love the.

By Mr. George Meldrum, Minifter of the Gospel there.

HIS Pfalm is entituled (a Pfalm of deTH grees) as fourteen others are, and among the Reafons given by Commentators of this Title, I fhall mention but this one; they may be well called fo, becaufe of the Excellency of the Matter in few words. The PenMan you fee was, the Royal Pfalmift David.

T is generally agreed by Interpreters, that I this Pfalm was written, when the Ark of the Covenant was carried up by David to Je

R 4

rufalem,

rufalem, 2 Sam. ch. 6. to be fung publickly at that Meeting, and other folemn Feafts, when the People of Ifrael went up to Jerufalem to worship, to excite and exprefs their Joy and Praife, that now the Ark, that vifible Teftimony of God's prefence, had a fettled Place for it, and for the Worship of God, and that the Kingdom was now fettled in the House of David, that by the Confideration of thefe Divine Bleffings, they might be stirred up to Prayer and Praife.

In this Pfalm there are three principal Parts, 1. David profeffeth his Joy at the peoples joynt Solemn Worshipping of GOD, and their hearty Encouraging one another thereto, and in the happy State of the Church. Ver. 1. 2. Religion and the happy State of the Church fhould be much upon the Hearts of all the people of God, efpecially of Kings and Rulers, and it fhould be their Joy to behold it, and to fee the people unanimous and forward in it; but it is grievous to fee them divided in Worship.

2. He defcribeth the happy State of Ferufalem, and commendeth it. 1. From its Beauty and its being Compact together. Ver. 3. which is not to be understood chiefly of its Buildings and outward Situation, but principally of its Government and Religion, and Concord and Unity in Worship. This is a great Ornament, and for the ftrength and fafety of any City or People, when there is Unity and Harmony among them, and Concord and Confent in Worship.

2. He