and human inventions.  If we still hold fast our abominations, and will not, by repentance and reformation, return and give glory to the Lord our God before he cause darkness, then, when he returns for the salvation of Zion, “He will come treading down the people in his anger, and making them drunk in his fury, and bringing down their strength to the earth;” Isa. lxiii, 6.  “But is there no hope in Israel concerning this thing?  Is there no balm in Gilead?  Is there not a physician there?” Is there not virtue in Christ’s blood for the most desperate cases, that churches, as well as particular persons, can be in?  Is there not ground to hope, that the Lord will not altogether forsake these sinful lands, which were given to him of old for an inheritance, and wherein he has so long maintained his possession, but that he will yet build up our Zion, and appear in his glory therein, will plead his own cause, revive his own work, a covenanted work of reformation, and remove all the contempt and ignominy which it presently lies under?  Sure the continuance of his gracious calls and invitations to return to him, gives ground to hope, that our “Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of Hosts, though their land was filled with sin against the holy One of Israel;” Jer. li, 5.  And though, while so much of error, prejudice and carnal interest, lie as impassable mountains in the way, there is little appearance of the nations taking this course yet the Lord seems still to bespeak us in that endearing language, Jer. iii, 12, “Go and proclaim these words towards the north, and say, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.”  Though we have nationally torn our marriage contract with heaven, and taken away our names, yet the Lord has not. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you. Let all, then, repent, and turn themselves from all their transgressions, so iniquity shall not be their ruin; but if not, then let all the impenitent despisers of the repeated calls of mercy know, that abused patience will at length turn into fury, and the Lord Jehovah, who has already furbished his sword, and prepared the instruments of death, will speedily give that dreadful commission to the executioners of his wrath:  “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get you down, for the press is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great:”  Joel iii, 13.  “But because God will do this to Israel, let us prepare to meet our God.”  Further, the Presbytery invite and entreat all who tender the glory of God, the removal of the causes of his wrath and indignation, and who desire the continuance of his tabernacle and gracious presence among us, to come and join in a harmonious, zealous and faithful testimony for the precious truths and interest of Zion’s