XXII. Of the promise of the Spirit, and of the glory XXIII. Of forms set up and imposing thereof XXIV. Of persecution, and testimonies against it 58 XXV.-Patience under persecution. XXVI. Of a holy life, that it is our duty and our interest, and is a life of great enjoyment XXVII. Of Meditation and Spiritual Prayer. XXVIII. Further of Worship, and of many comforts .. XXX.-Of Joel's Prophecy, and of the pouring forth of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters. XXXI-Preaching, as moved by the Spirit, not acquired by carnal men and carnal means XXXIII.-The Lamb in the Passover a figure, and by the offering of Christ the use thereof became XXXIV-The eating of Spiritual meat, strengthens the Spiritual man in the holy warfare. XXXV.-Concerning an established state, and the glorious promises pertaining thereto.. XXXVII. Of the union of the soul with God XXXVIII-Those who have not hereunto attained are recommended to watch to the Light.. .. XXXIX. They who experience this inward work aforesaid, discern between the Christian indeed and XL.-Whose charity is generally scanty and bounded XLI.-Whom they are apt to suppose are the elect, SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF HENRY SCOUGAL. HENRY SCOUGAL, second son of Patrick Scougal, Bishop of Aberdeen, was born at Sutton, in East Lothian, June, 1650. His father, designing him for the service of God in the ministry, took the greatest care of him from his infancy, and had the pleasure to observe such a happy inclination in him to piety and virtue, even in his tender years, as answered his expectations. He very soon put away childish things, and by shunning the company of those of his own age, shewed very little fondness for childish amusements. He now began to look into the bible, and took a peculiar pleasure in reading the histo rical parts of it, curiously inquiring into the nature of the Mosaic economy, and wanted to be satisfied why the Jewish sacrifices and other ceremonies were now abolished. This inquiry set him upon prying into the grounds of the Christian religion, and afforded him infinite delight. As soon as he was able to read Latin authors, he was charmed with the speeches and debates of the Roman senate, and was wont to retire with some of the most ingenious of his fellows, to make little orations, debate on several points, and personate the senators. Not only did he love sermons, but took a pleasure in writing down such passages as affected him most. At the age of fifteen, he entered the university, where he behaved with great modesty, sobriety and application. He disliked the philosophy then taught, and endeavoured after a thorough knowledge of natural philosophy; that philosophy, which has now happily got such a footing in the world, and tends to enlarge the faculties. In vi. SKETCH OF THE LIFE consequence of this, we may here observe, that when he was yet about eighteen years of age, he wrote the Reflections and short Essays now published; which, though a juvenile performance, not designed for the press, and some of them left unfinished, yet they breathe forth so much devotion, and such an exalted soul, as must convince us his conversation was in heaven. No sooner had he finished his courses, than he was promoted to the Regency; where he made conscience of his duty, in training up the youth under his care, in the principles of learning and virtue. When any divisions and animosities happened in the society, he was very instrumental in reconciling, and bringing them to a good understanding. He maintained his authority among the students in such a way as to keep them in awe, and at the same time to gain their love and esteem. Sunday evenings were spent with his scholars, in discoursing against vice and impiety of all kinds, and encouraging religion in principle and practice. He allotted a considerable part of his yearly income for the poor; many indigent families, of whatever persuasion, were relieved in their straits by his bounty; though so secretly that they knew not whence their supply came. and Having been a Regent for four years, he was at the age of twenty-three ordained into the ministry, and settled at Auchterless, a small village about twenty miles from Aberdeen. Here his zeal and fitness for his great Master's service, were eminently displayed. He catechised with great plainness and affection, and used the most endearing methods to recommend religion to his bearers. He endeavoured to bring them to close attendance on public worship, and joined with them himself at the beginning of it. In the twenty-fifth year of his age, he was admitted Professor of Divinity in the King's College, Aberdeen; and though they were unanimous in their choice, yet he much declined a station of such importance, from a modest sense of his unfitness for it. And as he had been an ornament to his other stations in life, so in a OF HENRY SCOUGAL. vii. particular manner he applied himself to the exercise of this office. After he had guarded his students against the common artifices of the Romish Missionaries in making proselytes, he proposed subjects for public exercise; the one, of the pastoral care; the other, of casuistical divinity; but there were no debates he was more cautious to meddle with, than the decrees of God: secret things belong to God, and things revealed, to us and our children. The inward dispositions of this excellent man, are best seen in his writings; and the whole of his outward behaviour and conversation was the constant practice of what he preached: the concurring testimony of several persons who knew him, and are yet alive in Aberdeen, assures us of it. He was a person of a most amiable character, adorned by the most exalted piety; and such was his humility that all knew his worth but himself. His Life of God in the Soul of Man, with his Nine Sermons, are the most elegant compositions written in Scotland during the last century; and his piety shines so conspicuously in every page, that as a divine he is admired by Protestants of every denomination. And now, we have only to add, that his health began to be impaired by incessant study, and about the twentyseventh year of his age, he fell into a consumption, which wasted him by slow degrees. But during the whole time of his sickness, he behaved with the utmost resignation; nor did he ever show the least impatience. When his friends came to visit him, he would say, "he had reason to bless God it was not worse with him than it was.' "And," says he, 'when you have the charity to remember me in your prayers, do not think me a better man than I am; but look on me, as indeed I am, a miserable sinner." Upon the twentieth day of June, 1678, he died, in the greatest calmness, in the twenty-eighth year of his age, and was buried in the King's College Church, Old Aberdeen. INTRODUCTION, SHEWING SOMEWHAT OF THE OCCASION AND NATURE Ir is true enough, that this age abounds with controversy about religion, yet a great part thereof is about opinion or ceremony, or some external matters: and too few there are that enquire after true religion as to the life of it, or vital principle from whence it doth proceed, and the fewer the instances, the more valuable are they to a mind that can savour the excellency of it, and say, it is sweeter than honey and the honey comb. Among the Sermons and other books about religion, it is not a few that have been searched by me, to find any hints of this precious odour, this nard, or any savour of it, or direction where to get this valuable pearl of great price; yet such a pearl there is, although it is hidden from the eyes of many pretenders to religion. One of the nearest approaches to it, among the many writers I have of late met with, is a small Treatise, entitled, "THE LIFE OF GOD IN THE SOUL OF MAN," published some years ago, and recommended in a preface by Gilbert Burnet, late Bishop of Salisbury, in a fourth edition; with a little Tract at the end of it, called, "An Account of the Beginnings and Advances of a Spiritual Life," both of which I |