the cause and honour
of Christ! How cold and lukewarm are we, of whatever sect or
denomination! How willing were they to part with all for him! And what
honour did many of them count it, to suffer for his name! How unwilling
are we to part with any thing for him, much less to suffer such
hardships for his sake! Of that we are ashamed, which they counted their
ornament; accounting that our glory which they looked on as a disgrace!
How easy was it for them to choose the greatest suffering rather than
the least sin! How hard is it for us to refuse the greatest sin before
the least suffering! How active were they for the glory of God and the
good of souls, and diligent to have their own evidences clear for
heaven! But how little concern have we for the cause of Christ, his work
and interest, and how dark are the most part with respect to their
spiritual state and duty! They were sympathizing christians; but, alas!
how little fellow-feeling is to be found among us: it is rather _Stand
by, for I am holier than thou._ Oh! that their christian virtues,
constant fidelity, unfeigned love and unbiassed loyalty to Zion's King
and Lord, could awaken us from our neutrality and supine security,
wherein instead of imitating the goodness and virtuous dispositions of
these our ancestors, we have by our defections and vicious courses
invited neglect and contempt on ourselves, being (as a philosopher once
observed of passionate people) like men standing on their heads who see
all things the wrong way; giving up with the greater part of these our
most valuable rights and liberties, all which were most esteemed by our
RENOWNED PROGENITORS.--_The treacherous dealers have dealt very
treacherously._

And if we shall add unto all these, in our progressive and increasing
apostacy, our other heinous land-crying sins and enormities, which
prevail and increase among all ranks and denominations of men (few
mourning over the low state of our Zion, and the daily decay of the
interest of Christ and religion). Then we not only may say as the poet
once said of the men of Athens, Thebes and Oedipus, "That we live only
in fable, and nothing remains of ancient Scotland but the name;" but
also take up this bitter complaint and lamentation.

"Ah Scotland, Scotland! _How is the gold become dim, how is the most
fine gold changed!_ Ah! Where is the God of Elijah, and where is his
glory! Where is that Scottish zeal that once flamed in the breasts of
thy nobility