Prophet speaks of fome in his Day, are all ignorant: but according to their own Maxim, that is speaking in their Phrafe, the next praise Characters fuit them beft, They are dumb dogs, (not Chrift's Sheep) Dogs that can fometimes fawn, and fometimes bite, but they give no Warning, for they cannot bark; and then, they are lazy, for they fleep, lie down, and love to flumber. What a Salvation is it, that we are not fubjected to these blind Guides! Here you may observe these three Things: I. By our many Provocations we have forfeited every Privilege. II. When God faves a Nation from Ruin, 'tis for his Intereft found therein. And III. He makes temporal Salvation fubfervient to that which is fpiritual. I. By our Abominations we deserve to lofe all our national Mercies. The Cause of the abounding Iniquity among us is denied. There is a great deal in Example; but human Nature is depraved in all it's Powers. Inftead of being humbled because of this, we fee folly fet in great DIGNITY. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts; and no Wonder, if out of the Mouth proceeds Swearing: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth Speaks. This common, but heinous Sin, every Body knows to be rampant. 'Tis among our 9 Ifaiah lvi. 10, r Matth. xv. 19. Nobility, Nobility, 'tis in the Camp, and in the Fleet, with high and low, rich and poor. But the Speech of every Swearer betrays him. He has learned the Language of Hell, before he goes there. While the Name of God is in his Mouth in a profane Way, the Devil is in his Heart. The horrid Oaths that are belched out are grating to the Ear of every modest Person: and that which is very abominable, is, That some have been admired for what they call, a genteel Way of Swearing. As to the Sabbaths of the Lord, they are wearifome Days with many People. They can't bear the Thoughts of being tied up from their Sports and Paftimes. They are looked on to be a political Invention, and therefore, they are far from being to THEM, what they are to GOD'S PEOPLE, The holy of the Lord and honourable1. Drunkenness is a notorious Crime. It unfits a Man for the Duties, both of this, and another World. He exposes himself in publick Company, opens out the Folly that is bound up in his Heart, and makes Promises which he afterwards repents of: and that which is the most awful, he exposes himself to the Torments of that State, where the wicked drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God, without any Mixture of Mercy. The Infidelity and Pride, the Luxury and Excels of Riot, the Treachery and Lying, with many more Abominations both of Flesh and Spirit, give a loud Call to Heaven for Vengeance. The Ifiah lviii. 13. The glorious Doctrines of the Gospel are treated with Sneer and Contempt: The whole Revelation is caft away by those that call themselves Free-Thinkers; as if none else must have Liberty to felves: It would be well, keep within the Bounds of they brake thro', 'and fhew themselves to be Free-Speakers. think for themif they were to their Title; but Now it is a Lamentation, and shall be for a Lamentation, that Iniquity in every Kind abounds. What! has God delivered our Land, that Men might work farther Abominations in his Sight? Are we faved and fpared to provoke his Jealousy ? Look alfo among the Profeffors of the Gospel, and you will find Sins among them against the Lord their God. Have you that attend the Means of Grace, had fuch a Reverence for the Name and Day of God, as you profefs to have? Do not worldly Things take up your Thoughts and Converfation too much? Have you been as fruitful under the Preaching of the Gospel, as might be expected? Let me tell you, your Sins are more provoking than the Sins of others. Are Are you Children of Light? why do you walk fo much in Darkness? What can we justly expect from the Hands of God, but his wrathful Anger? Our Cafe might have been as theirs we read of in Ifaiah, Who gave Jacob to the Spoil and Ifrael to the robbers? did not the Lord, He against whom we have finned? for "they would would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his law. Therefore he has poured upon them the fury of his anger, and the Strength of battle. God has difplayed fome of his Judgments before us already, not only in bringing War upon us, but, in fome Measure, defeating the Forces in which we trusted; but he has not stirred up all his wrath. His Holy Spirit is greatly withdrawn from the Solemnities of Zion, but he is not quite taken away from us; fo that we have Reason to fing of judgment and mercy too *. II. When God faves a profeffing Nation, 'tis for his Interest found therein. As for the Nations that forget God, they are fpared 'till the Measure of their Sins is filled up. God faid to Abraham, The Iniquity of the Ammorites is not yet full, and therefore they were not to be destroyed at that Time. The men of Sodom were finners before the Lord exceedingly. They were above Measure finful; and God determined to execute his Fury upon them, which he did by raining that out of Heaven, which represent the Torments of Hell, viz. Fire and Brimftone. Juft Lot was delivered. In Abraham's pleading for Sodom, God told him, that if there were but ten righteous men, he would not deftroy it for ten's fake. You that have found this a Word x Ibid. u Pfal. Ixxviii. 38. t Ifa. xlii. 24, 25. ci. 1. Word in Seafon, in these dark and gloomy Times, may look on it as a Symptom, that God will deliver our Land, where the many Thousands of Ifrael dwell, and that which is our greatest Hope, where the Name of God dwells, as 'tis faid, In Judah God is known; his Name is great in Ifrael: In Salem alfo is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion; and then it follows, there brake he the arrows of the bow, the Shield, the fword, and the battel. In the Place where he had a peculiar People, there he appeared for them against their rebellious Enemies. 'Tis true, God complains, that none stirred up himself to take bold of him, who was about to depart from them, and yet, fays that fame Prophet, Except the Lord of Hofts had left to us a very Small remnant, we should have been like to Sodom and to Gomorrah, which were Cities condemned with an entire Overthrow. There were a few compared with the openly wicked, and the Sinners in Zion, that, in those Times of Declenfion and Darknefs, enquired after God. So God has referved many thoufands in our Land, that have not bowed the Knee to Baal. These are gathering themselves together to pour out their Hearts, and humble themselves before God, for their own, and the Sins of others. Do you wrestle with him in fecret, when you have no Opportunity to do it in publick. There ought to be Times fet apart, Pfalm. lxxvi, 1, 2. C • Ifa. lxiv. 7. a Ib. i. 9. |