Servants wantonly toying dallying one with another fooâ—ishly sporting on beds before their eyes unreproved Iâ— Parents and Heads of Families countenance and wink at such things I know no reason they have to exercise charity towards them that they won't play the Whoâ—e and be grosly Unclean out of their sight they are to blame that know their Children make themselves vile and restrain them not 4. That the case of some is exceeding hazzardous and full of danger they have the astonishing guilt of these Sins of Uncleanness Murder upon their Souls they have not only committed thâ—â—â— evils but have not repented of them have the guilt of these sins still lying upon their Souls If the Consciences of theâ—e are aâ—lâ—ep and they under security yet they are in hazzard and great danger It may be they sâ—id when they were tempted to these sins they would yield to them it would be only repenâ—ing of them afterwards Oh they are but a few who addict themselves to such a way and course of Sin that unâ—eignedly repent and turn to God Prov. 2.19 These had need to flie for refuge to escape for their lives 5. It s a thing much to be lamented that any among us at this day should be left to such Sins It s sorrowful to hear that Pagans and Papists should be guilty in these respects much more lamentable when any among our selves especially at this day are walking on in these ways God hath been hedging up our wayes with thorns to stop us in ways of sin shall any in such a day when God is purging us be thus Unclean Shall any contemn the Justice of God and flight his anger Rivers of tears should run down our eyes We should behold these Transgressors and be grieved USE II. Of Awakening to all that are guilty of these Sins Know it that for these things cometh the Wrath of God upon the children of Disobedience There is reason that such Sinners should tremble at the Wrath of God hear what the Text and Doctrine saith to such as you I would fain have charity that there is but one in this Assembly that hath been guilty of Murder in the highest degree of it yet I fear there are several that have Murdered in their hearts and some who have been guilty of interpretative Murder for hiding and concealing the Uncleanness of which this poor Condemned One was guilty before she became guilty of Murder for which she is to dye I fear the guilt of Innocent Blood lies also upon some that through a greedy desire to get gain have made drunk the heathen to the occasioning quarrels to death among themselves and ploddings of death to others Oh consider of the words and truth of God to you this day and labour to get a pardon for your Blood-guiltiness Here also is certainly matter of Awakening to all unclean Sinners Adulterers or Fornicators It may be there are not many before God that have before man been convicted of Uncleanness not many who have in the sight of man had Bastards laid to their charge yet to be feared much Uncleanness to be charged on several who are Whoremongers in the sight of God and exposed to this Wrath that you hear determined from the Lord God of Hosts against the Unclean Hear tremble all you Unclean Ones elder younger who have not only been in heart but actually unclean before the eye of your Judge How can you escape the Wrath of God under the guilt of these This Sin of Uncleanness is one great cause why the Land mourns this day and is a sin for which many will despairngly mourn at last unless they speedily repent This evil is thought to be a prevailing growing evil I shall therefore more specially have a regard to the guilty of Uncleanness in what remains Awakening 1. To all those who can commit this Sin with greediness and without remorse these have got the mastery of their consciences who can commit this sin without terror the wounds that this sin makes are not felt time was when the accusations of conscience made them tremble fill'd them with inward horror time was when they could not yield to lesser acts of Uncleanness without much difficulty from the arguing of a conscience informed from the Word of God But now they are greedy after the pleasures of sin will and can argue for Uncleanness and promise themselves security So the whorish Woman spoken of in Prov. 7.15 She becomes an Orator for it useth all her Eloquence to inveigle a companion doth not barely hint a desire of the commission of that sin but useth much fair speaking Now they can watch for fit seasons and for suitable companions Eph. 4.17 18. Fear of Hell a Religious Education fear of shame and reproach will do nothing to prevent the commission oâ— this Sin 2. To all those who are guilty of this Sin just after Sabbaths soon after they are comâ— from hearing the Word of God Some therâ— are who before they sleep or give themselveâ— rest in their beds are Unclean It s much to bâ— feared there are those who on the evenings aâ—ter Sabbaths are wanton and unclean who 〈◊〉 as though God had been giving them a Dispensation to be vile rather than exhorting of them to Holiness of Life and conversation How many who do in this way as it were bid defiance to God and say they don't value his word or like them the word that hath been spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not do it but we will certainly do whatever goeth forth out of our own mouth such are surely impudent Prov. 7.14 15. 3. To all those who descend from Godly and Religious Parents who to the grief and against the Godly Warnings and admonitions of their pious Relations are Unclean 1 Sam. 27.25 Those may boast themselves of their priviledges and say they have Abraham to their Father but they are to God as Children of the Ethiopians hath not God in his Word said of such as you If they forsake me I will cast them off for ever Prov. 29.1 4. To all those who break their Covenant with God and man for the fruition of adulterous pleasure Mal. 2.14 Prov. 2.17 18. Fornication is not connived at by God but he is a swift witness against these Mal. 3.5 those who sin with so many aggravating and heightening circumstances as these can't be very long in filling up the measure of their Sin for a judicial process they have before witness on earth in the presence of God promised Chastity 5. To all those who condemn it in others and know that it hath brought down the Wrath of God upon them and yet live in it some that are guilty of this Sin cry out against others and speak as though the sorest punishment that could be thought of could not be too severe So did Judah when his daughter-in-law was guilty of Whoredom yet himself as deeply guilty Gen. 38.24 Surely these are inexcusably
any company or society when but a little of their sin is made known or but a few of their ungodly pranks brought to light but now all shall be made manifest to their everlasting disgrace 6. God won't design any good to you in any in all those sorrows and torments that you shall indure Here when God chastens he aims at profit he puts into the Furnace to puriâ—y but then his wrath will be a confirming fire Reprobate silver shall they be called God who was so long abused slighted and disregarded will not have one thought or intention to do you any good or to prepare you by these miseries for his favour He sentenceth to everlasting fire prepared for Devils You will be separated from all those that God designs good to the Judgments of God will be to make you miserable Oh! Consider of these things you that forget God least he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you It s an ease to the Spirits of many a man and woman under afflictions to have comfortable hopes and perswasions that God is carrying on a design of Love Grace to their Souls by such Dispensations that by these he is preventing worse Judgments 1 Cor. 11.32 but no ease can come to the Damned from any such consideration God never designs to bring them out of torment but the Smoke of their torment will ascend for ever and ever USE III. Of Warning To Warn all to take heed of those sin and to warn them that are guilty of them speedily to repent and fly to Christ for pardon and forgiveness 1. To warn every one of you to take heed of these sins 1. Or God may justly suffer you to be punished in the same way that you abuse others Job 30.10 God permits this many times by way of retaliation 2 Sam. 12.11 Hos. 4.12.15 they themselves had been unclean You would be far from taking pleasure in having these sins paid back into your own botomes to have Husbands or Wives to have Children Sons or Daughters left of God to Uncleanness but it would be a righteous thing with God to permit you to be exercised after such a sort 2. Or you will take a course to bring an unremoveable reproach blemish and spot on your selves Prov. 6.33 If you get a pardon as to everlasting punishment yet a spot will remain 1 King 15.5 Solomon tells you a Good Name is better than precious Oyntment I am sure they justly forfeit the reputation of wisdom that will part with a good name for the pleasures that are to be enjoyed in this way 3. Or the best that can be expected is sorrow unspeakably greater than any pleasure you can reap in this way of sinning Sorrow from the Judgments of God and that will be sure to overtake you in this life and rottenness of bones being brought to a morsel of bread How many heart distressing troubles was David followed with after he fell into these sins how was he punished in and from his own Children and how by his Subjects revolting Sorrows from the Influences of Gods Spirit in bringing to a sound repentance He tells of broken bones his moisture turned into the drought of Summer he lost the joy of Gods salvation Oh how will Conscience accuse and perplex who would undergo the horrors of Conscience that will fill the Soul of such to the causing of them to have a dreadful sound in their ears for all the delight that is this way to be enjoyed the Psalmist Psal 51. acquaints us how such pleasures bite at the last Cain says his punishment is greater then he can bear his guilty conscience makes him fear that every one that meets him is Gods Executioner 4. Or it 's to be feared that if once you yield that you will hold on in such wayes till Death overtake you Sinners are stupified that are left to these wayes of Sin You have heard that few are recovered by unfeigned repentance Stollen waters are so sweet and pleasant to ignorant carnal men who know not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of hell that they oftimes go on till a dart strike thro' their liver Prov. 7.23 the young man had so much conscience left him that he would not yield till with much fair speaking he was sollicited and then he goes on till death these are oftimes so far besotted by their lusts that reproofs will be slighted by them Hos. 4.4 5. They are Sins that bring great wrath upon a Land Hos. 4.23 when the Sons of Eli had given themselves to these sins God was wrath and Thirty four thousand men fell in the Battle and the Ark of God was taken The wrath of God distresseth a Land where such Iniquities abound Wars Impoverishing Dispensations to many Families and Towns are the effects of Gods Anger stirred up 〈◊〉 kindled by such provocations Why should you rebel thus against the Lord and so provoke God to be wroth with the whole Congregation 6. Or you may fear that God will destroy you for defiling his Temple 1 Cor. 13.17 Direction 1. Don't disobey Gods Counsels and walk contrary to them in refusing Christ Psal. 81.11 12. they take a direct course to fall into these abominations to their everlasting contempt that cast contempt upon the Word of God and on his Son A Christless Soul can have no assurance that he shall not be left finally to the worst abominations Prov. 2 10.16â— Prov. 5.12 13. 2. Don't rely on your own wisdom to be security to you from these abominations but endeavour to have your ways such as may please God Eccl. 7.22 Some are ready to say as Hazael are we Doggs that we should do such things and yet both do them and have pleasure in them that do them Yea though they know the Judgments of God against them who do such things Solomons Wisdom was no preventive grace it self is no preservative from foul acts of sin where persons are carnally confident of their own strength Peter after his boasts is so scared by a sorry damsâ—l that he denies Christ and Curses and Swears See that your wayes are well pleasing to God that you may be kept by the mighty power of God through faith to Salvation 3. Abstain from all appearance and leading causes to such sins don't come â—igh the door of her house don't be out in evenings among foolish vain jolly company when you should be in your Closets and on your knees before God Prov. 5.8 9. Prov. 4.14 1â— the young man spoken of Prov. 7.1 was going the way to her house in the black and dark night he is insnared Prov. 17.18 19 21. beware and take heed of Idleness as that which will occasion your sinning after this sort Usually Unclean persons are idle persons there was abundance of Uncleanness in Sodom and that because there was abundance of Idleness Ezek. 16.49 beware of drinking away your precious time Drunkenness ushers in Murder and
You know that such and such courses that you allow you selves in are sins and so your sins are not from weakness but wilfulness You know that Whoredom is a sin that prophaning Gods Sabbaths is a sin that Unbelief is a sin You can't plead ignorance here 3. God hath declared that your ignorance weakness shall be no expiation of his wrath Isa. 27.11 Hos. 4.6 6. You say you don't make such a profession of Godliness as some others do if you made a very great profession and did such things you are ready to think God would be very angry you do therefore condemn lesser evils in Church members and admire how they can be so insensible 1. Sin will damn them that don't make a profession as well as others God will damn Heathen for their Impenitency as well as Professors 2. You do so far make a profession that your sin will be aggravated You pray in your Families come and joyn in prayer and hearing the Word of God You do many things tho' not all commanded Duties you profess so high that your sin will cast you down as low as Hell if you repent not 3. By these things you incapacitate your selves from making a suitable profession Will saying that you lived in sins and wickedness that rendered you unfit for respecting all Gods Commandments prevent your being beaten with many stripes Luk. 12.47 7. Some will say that it s not in their power to change their own hearts and withstand temptation If they had sinned after such a sort had a power to have resisted temptations they think God would have been very severe but they can't change their own hearts 1. Because you can't do that which is not your work and what you can't won't you do what is your duty and what you can though you can't change your hearts you can reform your life Many that have no principle of grace reform their lives 2. 'T is in your power not to run your selves into temptations as you often do you may as well on an evening go into your Closet and confess your sin as go into bad company and bad places 3. 'T is your sin and madness then to provoke God not to help you Can't you repent of your selves and will you run away from God who only can Will you sin away his help from you He bids you turn and he will pour out his Spirit if you turn from him and will not cherish the motions of his Spirit you take a course to dye in your sins 8. 'T is your grief and sorrow that you do sin If you were not affected and sinned without remorse you conclude God would say shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Sinner But you are sorry you confess your sins with tears you can say you are grieved at heart for your sins you hope God will not be so exact with you 1. Some are grieved and sorrowful but 't is for the shame and punishment of their sins they acted as though they had no shame in them when their sins were hid from man but when men know of them they grieve and are sorrowful Shame and fear of punishment not the Violation of Gods law is the moving cause of some men and womens grief and sorrow 2. Your grief and sorrow won't quench hell fire nor wash away the stain of sin If you cry night and day and weep never so much yea you cover the Altar in this sense with tears God won't regard these are not the blood of Christ which only cleanseth from iniquity 3. Your sorrow and grief are but flattery dissimulation so long as you take no heed to reform You read of the Pharisees that they appeared to men to be sorrowful yea of those whose Fasts God abhorred though they made a very plausible show of sorrow because they did not reform sayes God Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord Isa. 58.3 8. 9. You say you were sollicited drawn in and over perswaded by others to these sins if you had enticed others you had been very much to blame but for your part you had no intention not a thought in your heart to do such wickedness but others would give you no quiet till you make one with them and so you impute it to your being good natured and willing to gratifie others rather than to the enmity of your heart against God 1. Could they that enticed you do as much for you or against you as God could Surely if you use this reasoning to be looked upon to be good natured persons you lay your selves open to a just Censure for folly Who that is wise will despise God to please man 2. If you are so good natured why don't you yield to God in his beseechings and entreaties you are stubborn wilful and stout enough here How earnestly hath God invited you to come to him he hath not failed in giving you suitable and proper encouragements God hath stood long entreating many years called with alâ—earnestness sent by many to perswade you 3. Others could not make you yield if Sin within did not entice you to a giving a consent Jam. 1.14 the Devil himself han't a power to make you yield it may be you say the Scripture seems to carry it in the favour of the young man spoken of in Prov. 7.21 that she forced him To that I say you would do well to consider that the Scripture relates it as preparing him for such wickedness and how fully he yielded 't is said he was one void of understanding one that had refused Christ as his Prophet that would not come to him for Eye salve and that he was out of his place and idling away his time seeking occasions of Sin he was passing through the Street near her corner and he went the way to her house and then that he goes after her straightway or suddenly as it may be rendred she did not pull and drag him along not forcibly drive him but he comes after not make a stand a stop or turn back but goes after her straightway and perseveres in the Sin 4. That God doth strike dead even such as these Prov. 7.23 God don't only take Vengeance on them that entice but on them that are enticed God gives you no reason by his dealings with such to hope that you may escape unpunished 10. You say the days are such days of Apostacy and the times so degenerate that you should be a meer laughing stock if you did not sin you are ready to say that you have found that the end of such mirth is heaviness Conscience hath galled accused condemned you for them but if you did decline wanton expressions and gestures you should make your selves a prey others would censure you as silly creatures not fit for Society if others would reform you would be glad to reform but as things are circumstanced you are afraid to reform 1. Better Sinners laugh at you here