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voured, that they and their houses should serve the Lord! How few have set up religious worship in their families! Have not many hundred houses in the city been without family prayer in them from one end of the week to the other? and is it strange that the Lord hath burned down those houses wherein the inhabitants would not vouchsafe to worship him? And where there hath been some prayer in many families, it was but once a day, and that so late at night, and when the body hath been so tired and sleepy, and the soul so dull and unfit for God's service, that the prayers have been no prayers, or lost prayers, such which, instead of pleasing him, have provoked him to anger? How few did labour to instruct their families, catechise their children and servants; to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Hath not God threatened to pour out his wrath upon irreligious families? Jer. x. 25.

(3.) Neglect of city reformation. Have not the magistrates of London been faulty here? Let them ask their own consciences, whether to the uttermost of their power, according to the trust and opportunity the Lord hath put into their hands, they have endeavoured the reformation of the city? Whether, as God's under-officers, they have improved their interest for the promotion of religion in the zealous exercise of it? yea, whether they have put the laws made in execution against sabbath-breakers, swearers, drunkards, endeavouring to find out and punish such offenders?

(1.) Neglect of church reformation. And is

there no blame to be laid upon church officers? Hath there been that zeal for, and faithful execution of church discipline, according to the rules of the word? Hath not the Lord Jesus Christ been affronted in his kingly office, by some who have imposed precepts of their own upon men's consciences, instead of vigorously endeavouring the execution of his; and taken the power of the keys out of the hands of those unto whom the Lord hath entrusted it, hereby rendering the execution of discipline impossible, according to the laws of Christ? Have not the

tender and most conscientious lain under the censures of some, rather than the openly profane, land scandalously wicked?

Neglect of reformation am I speaking of? Nay, have not many who call themselves minis'ters, endeavoured rather the overthrow than the promotion of it? Have they not had sneers in the pulpits at holiness and zealous profession, which they have seconded by a conversation of dissoluteness, malicious opposition, and persecution of those especially, who have been the most religious? Sad neglects there have been of reformation in London, and that when London lay tunder such obligations to reform; as Christians, they were obliged, by baptismal and renewed vows; as Protestants of the Reformed religion, they were obliged to endeavour a reformation; by mercies they were obliged; and have they been under no other obligations? And hath not the neglect of reformation, notwithstanding all obligations, rendered them guilty of disingenuity, infidelity, yea, of perjury itself? I verily

believe this is the great sin God is scourging London for; God is contending for a reformation, and if they do not endeavour it more vigorously, the sooner, I fear, he will bring desolation upon them.

7. A seventh sin of London, is fearful apostacy, and a spirit of compliance with the sins of the times. How many in London, who formerly were great professors, have discovered themselves to be rotten hypocrites; who, casting off the sheep's clothing, and laying aside all profession, have given themselves up to dissoluteness and licentious living. Formerly they have seemed true penitents, and to "be washed from their iniquities;" but they "have returned with the dog to the vomit, and with the sow that is washed, to the wallowing in the mire," 2 Pet. ii. ult. Formerly they have been swept a little within, and garnished outwardly with a fair profession; "but the unclean spirit hath returned," and without any great difficulty "hath entered with seven worse spirits, and defiled them more than before, and made their last state worse than their first," Matt. xii. 43, 44, 45. I speak not so much of those who worship God in this mode, or that mode, and of alterations herein; but of those. who sometimes professed religion, and now do not worship God in any mode at all; but wholly addict themselves to their lusts, and are ashamed to be called or thought to be religious.

They would not now look like a saint, or speak like a saint, much less live like a saint. Thus have many, in our days, cast off all fear of God, and devoted themselves, with the hell

hounds of the times, to the service of the devil, resolving to do what in them lies, to promote the interest of his kingdom. And if some are a little more awkward in his service, and not altogether so like him, and such apt scholars presently, as others whose education hath been in his school from their childhood, yet they learn very fast, and wonderful is their proficiency in a short time; and in regard of apostacy, they come nearer the image of the devil than those that have been always tutored by him.

Now, for any in London to forsake God, that they might serve the devil; to draw off from the ways of holiness, that they might walk in the ways of wickedness, doth cast a great slur upon God and his ways: they do, in effect, say, that the devil is a better master than God; and that the way of sin, that leadeth to hell, is more eligible than the way of holiness, which alone can bring to heaven. The Lord threateneth," that his soul shall have no pleasure in such" apostates, Heb. x. 38. It is a Meiosis, and we are to understand, that the Lord is highly displeased with such persons.

See how God pleads with apostatizing Israel, Jer. ii. 9, 10, &c. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord. Pass ye over to the isles of Chittim, and see, and send unto Kedar, and diligently consider if there be any such thing. Hath any nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit! Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be ye horribly afraid; be ye very desolate, saith

the Lord; for my people have committed two great evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewn out unto themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water." And hence follows, ver. 15, "The young lions roared and yelled upon him, and laid his land waste; his cities are burnt without inhabitant;" and ver. 17, "Thou hast procured these things unto thyself, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God:" and ver. 19. " Thy own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know, therefore, and see that it is an evil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts." And may not God thus plead with the apostates of London, and punish them as he did his people of Israel?

8. The eighth sin of London is deafening the ear against all God's calls. The Lord hath called upon London by his ministers, but they have been like the deaf adder, which will not hear ken to the voice of the charmer; they have stopped the ears, and turned away their shoulder, and made their heart like an adamant stone. God hath called by his mercies; but this voice hath been too low, and they have slept the more securely in sin. God, after other means, hath called, by afflictions, first lighter, then heavier; and yet how many in London have, and still do walk contrary unto God, and will not return to him that hath smitten them. They have been incorrigible under all God's correcting rods. When God spake by the plague, they were a little awakened, but quickly dropt asleep again;

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