which the other have not 2. Men that are born and brought up under Gospel light have some common resentments of the excellency of the Christian Religion It is true the natural man hath no spiritual discerning of the glorious things of God revealed in the Gospel 1 Cor. 2. 14. However there is so much of Conviction in the rational discoveries of the truths of the true Religion accompanied with a common work of the Spirit on the Consciences of men as worketh with some force upon their Affections so as to raise in them an esteem for these truths as we find in the stony ground hearers Mat. 13. 20. he heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it Besides the force of a good and pious Education together with the common Credit and Commendation which the Christian Religion hath obtained among men that have taken up a profession of it makes men to stickle for it upon carnal principles and hereupon it cometh to pass that though they do not love the life of it yet they are pleased with a form of it and drawn to engage in the taking of it up and making a shew of it They covet to be accounted Christians by those that they live among though they do not care to be Christians indeed 3. There is a natural enmity in the hearts of Unregenerate men that makes them not to receive the truth in the love of it They can easily enough receive it in the form of it upon sinister ends and because by their so doing they have advantage to nourish their carnal lusts and many times promote their fleshly designs screw themselves into credit and applause and because they count gain to be Godliness when the shew of it will gain them any thing in the world it contents them But all this while there is a direct contrariety between the lusts of the flesh which rule in Sinners and the rules of strict Godliness so that they cannot yield themselves to be subject unto them for Rom. 8. 7. the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be True Godliness will not suffer lust to reign in the man but will mortifie it the man that will be Godly must mortifie himself renounce his darling sins cut off his right hand pluck out his right eye he must be sober righteous godly and that in this present world and this he can in no way comport withal whiles sin bears rule in him This is the Offence of the Cross and till he have a new principle put into him it will remain and keep him off from real piety 4. This natural enmity whiles it is accompanied with the force of a natural enlightened Conscience makes men to profess in Hypocrisy When the Spirit of God makes forcible impressions upon the Consciences of men they dare not but to do something which may quiet and ease them because they would otherwise lead them an intollerable life Herod though an ill man yet could not but do many things because of the force that Johns Ministry had upon him Mark 6. 20. But still the malignity of the heart remains and that accompanied with Atheism which is lodged in the heart of the natural man Psal 14. 1. makes men take up with a form a shew a pretence and they hope to put God off wiâ—h it as easily as to deceive men and bribe their own defiled Consciences and this is that which makes men Hypocrites in Religion they dare not but to do something to prevent inward disturbance and yet do it not in love and liking but on constraint 5. And God doth often Judicially leave them to a false heart It is certain that it God leave men to themselves they will Apostatize and it is awfully observable that when men live under the Gospel and enjoy the clear and convincing Dispensations of it and are not thereby wrought to a sincere embracing of Christ and his ways but content themselves with a form God in righteous judgment punisheth them with such a desertion If they only make a profession of the truth and do not love it they are sometimes left to believe a lye which the Apostle informs us was leading to the Great Apostasy 2 Thes 2. 9 10. and now every deceiver imposeth on them If they make a Profession and mean while some lust or other keeps them off from an utter renouncing of sin and entirely giving themselves up to Christ he righteously delivers them over into the hands of their lusts and they follow them to a notorious denying of the Power of Godliness awful is that remark of the Psalmist concerning Israel in Psal 81. 11 12. Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts 6. And the natural tendency of all this is to a growing Apostasy When men are once left of God and begin to deny the power of Godliness who can tell whither it will grow at length one thing will fall to decay after another They may begin at things more tollerable and less scandalous but that will make the way to introduce far greater abominations and when men take one step in this way there will be no limits short of that which God restrains them from If they let go their hold they are in hazard of falling to the bottom and if it proceed from denying the power to the casting off of the form too it is not to be wondred at for evil men if left of God will grow worse and worse and such a declining is very infectious and will not only hazard to take effectually with those who have no saving principle of piety in them and whose carnal reasonings which led them to an outside profession not only fail them but are now every whit as câ—gent on the other hand and stimulate them to run with a multitude to do evil but will also be too influential on Godly men themselves to damp their vigoâ—r yea possibly to draw them to carnal compliances whereby they will be led to a neglect or perfunctory performance of many duties if not to the doing of many things derogatory to their profession PROPOSITION II. That these times are very dangerous When this grows to be a prevailing distemper among a professing people it is sadly symptomatical How and wherein it cometh to be so will be evident by the following Conclusions 1. That it is a great priviledge for men to enjoy the Gospel in which the Christian Religion is revealed to them Fallen man had lost the way to life and happiness and was gotten into the path of misery and destruction nor could he ever have recovered himself again or so much as have known how it might have been brought about if God had not revealed it All the wisdom of the Worlds wise men hath proved it self to be very foolishness on this account and all the contrivances which they have layed out with greatest curiosity for their compassing of happiness have in the issue but entangled them the
a reasonable Impediment To practise the profoundest meekness and humility To watch against Censuring others To accustom themselves to holy thoughts in all places To shun all foreseen occasions of evil To think often of the different Estates of the Glorified and the Damned in the Unchangeable Eternity to which we are hastening To examine themselves every night what good or evil they have done in the day past To keep a private Fast once a month especially near their approach to the Lords Table if at their own Disposal To shun Spiritual Pride and the effects of it as Railing Anger Peevishness and Impatience of Contradiction To pray for the whole Society in their private Prayers To read pious Books often for their Edification but especially the Holy Bible These mentioned are some of the particulars agreed unto by the Religious Societies now in London with several other Articles in which the Spirit of Godliness does appear but for brevities sake I omit them I have here recited not only the things but the very words expressed by the aforesaid Mr. Woodward whose Piety notwithstauding his Conformity has rendred him Lovely and Honourable in my Esteem and I give him great Thanks for his Narrative wherein the things above mentioned are contained The last Article these Societies consent unto is That every Member of this Society shall after mature deliberation and due Trial subscribe his Name to these Orders to express his Approbation of them and his Resolution and Endeavour to Live up to them in order to which he shall constantly keep a Copy of them by him Now wherein does that Account of the work of Grace usually observed in the Churches of New England at the Admission of Members into their Communion or our Church Covenant yea our Renewed Covenants exceed what is beginning to be practised among the Godly Conformists in the Communion of the Church of England These things are so affecting and encouraging as that I could not but take this Opportunity to publish them And although it is a sad and mournful thought that Godliness in the Power of it is languishing in New England it is a joyful Meditation that it seems to be reviving in England which brings to mind the Poetical shall I say or Prophetical Rapture of pious Mr. Herbert many years since who conjectured that notwithstanding Religion was then going into America it would like the Sun return from the West to the East again Concerning the Reverend Author of these Sermons it is needless to say any thing Many of those Discourses which he has formerly written discover him to be one of rare Accomplishments in respect of the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit of Christ richly adorning him The Subject here treated on is of the greatest Importance It is the Present Truth nor can any thing be more seasonable and proper to be insisted on considering that not only the Power of Godliness but something of the Form too is in danger to be lost among us The manner of delivering the Truth is with such clearness and plainness as that ordinary Capacities may understand and be edified by what is here presented to them The good Lord grant that it may prove effectual for the Awakening of these Churches To Remember whence they are fallen and to Repent and do their first works lest the Lord Jesus come quickly and Remove the Candlestick out of his Place Increase Mather Boston New England November 1699. THE Peril of the Times Displayed 2 Tim. 4. 5. Having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof WE need not to look farback for the Analysis of our Text. Paul in the beginning of this Chapter gives warning to Timothy of a great Apostasy that should come in the latter days in which there should be a general desection of Professors By the Last Days is in the Gospel intended or in them is comprized the whole time between Christ's Ascension and the Great Day of Judgment However there are some earlier and some later periods pointed to in this Aera This Prediction may comprize generally the whole time and this signifying That the times of clear Gospel light shall not be free from men of perverse minds notwithstanding their making a profession of Christ There may also be aimed in these words the giving us a Description of the Apostasy of Antichrist of which there are warnings not a few offered in the New Testament and indeed the Spirit of Antichristianism is here abundantly deciphered But it is applicable to all times of defection among Professors of Christianity and may have respect to the last and worst times preceding the great Reformation which is expected of which our Saviour Luk. 18. 8. When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth The word Perilous signifyeth hard difficult molestful and such times do expose men to danger and are therefore Perilous It intends that it will be hard for a man to live like a true Christian because he will expose himself thereby Now the Apostle doth not only give warning in general of such times but he proceeds to characterize them by the genius and carriage of men in them for they are the evil hearts and carriages of men that make the times evil There are a great many notes which the Apostle here layeth down which I shall not particularly enquire into but the words of our Text contain in them one of these and the last mentioned but not the least to all of which he subjoyns in the latter end of this verse a direction to Christians how to carry it to such men viz. to withdraw from their Communion All the former that are mentioned were open and flagicious Crimes that men fall into but this directs us to a more covered wickedness hiding it self under a pretence of Piety of which sort of men there is the greatest peril of all In the words then we have the description of a Church Hypocrite or of one that pretends to be Religious but is indeed impious If we take all these particular notes to go into the making up of the character of one Apostate we have a monster indeed but we may look upon them as distributive and to be found some in one some in another and all together making up of a general Apostasy In the words then we may observe these persons described in two parts and these do contradict each the other for it is of the nature of Hypocrisy to pretend to one thing and intend another to have the face one way and the heart quite contrary 1. We have their pretention and outward carriage Having a form of Godliness What is intended by this will be afterward considered Only observe that Critickt tell us that the word Form here used doth not signifie the essential but accidental form of a thing and hence some translate it a Species or Shew 2. We have the reality of what they are and may be discovered to be but denying the power of it The word
deny properly signifyeth that which is verbal but it is sometimes used for practising against a thing and so it is here to be understood and we are to observe that the form and the power are here opposed they have the one and are without the other The words may also be considered as meerly negative viz. a form without the power and both of these respects will after be considered Hence DOCTRINE The Times are very dangerous when Professors generally take up with a Form of Godliness and deny the Power of it There are two Propositions contained in the Doctrine viz. 1. That sometimes the Professors of Religion do generally take up with a Form of Godliness and deny the Power of it 2. That these times are very dangerous These may be distinctly laid open PROPOSITION I. That sometimes the Professors of Religion do generally take up with a Form of Godliness and deny the Power of it Our Apostle not only presumes that there may be such times but giveth warning about it and saith that such times shall come under the Gospel Dispensation There are two things that may be here enquired viz. 1. When men may be charged with thus doing 2. Whence it is that a people in general do come to do so 1. When men may be charged with thus doing A. That we may rightly take this up we must ask 1. What it is to have a Form of Godliness 2. What it is to deny the power of it 1. What it is to have a Form of Godliness A. The word Godliness here used signifieth Right Worship and is in the strict sense restrained to the Duties of the First Table which refer to the Worship of God both Natural and Instituted both the manner and special times of it But it is frequently used Synechdochrically for all Religion and comprizeth under it all the Duties required in the Gospel both towards God and towards man considered as done in Obedience to the Command or revealed Will of God and we may here take it in the most comprehensive sense And we before observed that the word Form intends not that which is Essential but Accidental and indeed where there is the Essential Form it includes the power in it for the essential form of it is the Sanctification of the Spirit whereby the Law of God is written in our hearts and this will appear in our lives for the operations of things are according to their essential forms But there are two other senses of the word as it is used in the Greek Language which may both come under our present consideration as being separable from the Power 1. The word is sometimes used for the Rule which a man professeth himself to be under the obligation of and pretends to follow in his actions Hence we read of a form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. and that is as much as a sound Creed We read of the Doctrines according to Godliness Now there a form or a scheam of sound words 2 Tim. 1. 13. and when men do understand the System of the Christian Religion and openly profess that they do believe those Articles and resolve to stand up in the defence of them these may be said to have a form of Godliness i. e. they have it in their heads and in their mouths and possibly they make no little noise in standing up in defence of them against such as do professedly set themselves to withstand and undermine them Now this form of Godliness is not in it self contrary to the power but a thing necessary for all those who desire rightly to exert it in their Conversation Godliness is a Reasonable Service which we owe to God as we are Creatures endowed with the faculties of understanding and will Rom. 12. 1. How can we lead godly lives unless we are acquainted with the Rule pointing of us thereunto and the Gospel teacheth us that Rule for this is that Grace of God of which we are told that it teacheth us to deny ungodliness c. Tit. 2. 11 12. However this may be where the other is not men may know and yet not do they may make an Orthodox profession and yet lead an irregular Conversation we are told of such Tit. 1. ult They profess that they know God but in works they deny him 2. Sometimes the word is used for an outward shew or pretence for a mask or a vizard or an outward appearance When a man pretends to be what he is not and endeavours by his carriages before others to make a specious shew as if he were such an one he is said to take such a form upon him Thus when a man would fain perswade others that he is a Godly man and useth such words and actions as may serve to impose upon their credit and in the mean while he hath not the root of piety in him but is in the gall of bitterness he may then be said to have a form of Godliness and such an one was Jehu 2 Kings 10. 16. 2. What it is to deny the Power of Godliness A. To make this clear let us observe 1. That the power of Godliness comprehends two things in it The word power used in our Text signifieth the vertue efficacy and force of a thing and also the faculty or principle from which it proceeds Hence in the power of Godliness there is contained 1â— The inward principle of Sanctifying Grace which is the root of Godliness in a Christian The power of a thing consists in the internal vertue that it hath in it Now Grace is the very life of Godliness nor is any a Godly man who hath not this Grace in him God always regards the heart and he knows it and he will acknowledge no man to be Godly but him whose heart is right That therefore was it which spoiled all their fair pretences Psal 78. 37. their heart was not right with him An Unregenerate man cannot be a Godly man because he hath no principle of Godliness in him He that is Godly loves God fears God delights in his Law hates sin mourns for it and restlesly seeks a deliverance from it This is the very disposition of that Grace which he receives from God Tit. 2. 11 12. 2. The Efficacy of this principle is in the exercise of a Godly life This is Metonymically called Power because it is an effect flowing from it and so is a discovery of it for by the actions the habits are to be discerned and judged of Hence according to the life of a Professor accordingly is this power evidenced And hence we read of weak Grace and strong Grace When a Christian liveth so in the work of his Generation as to Glorify God in a zealous resolute pursuance of Holiness and withstanding of Sin in opposition to all that would withstand or hinder him or discourage his pursuit of it he shews this Power and this power is opposed to weakness or infirmity Peter had faith but he did not discover power in
those prayers and so of the rest of Duties of Worship and that may be charged on them Isa 29. 13. with their lips do they honour me but have removed their hearts far from me 3. When all their zeal spends it self in matters of Worship and they are careless in duties of Righteousness The whole revealed will of God is the Rule of Godliness and for men to divide and take but a part of it and neglect the rest is to prove that they are Hypocrites and as there are some who think it enough to follow their Callings and to do no man any wrong and to â—e strict in the Duties of the Second Table which things they ought to do but these alone will not declare them to be Christians so there are others who suppose that if they be but careful and constant in doing the Duties of Natural and Instituted Worship they are truly Godly if they read the Word pray in their Families attend on the Dispensation of the Ordinances of Gods House and do shew life and forwardness in these things they may bolster themselves on this and in the mean while neglect the business of their Calling Iv steal oppress use deceit in their Dealings carry it very loosely in all matters of Sobriety and Righteousness these are not Godly but by thus doing they deny it and say that their Worship is Hypocrisy that is a standing truth 1 Joh. 4. 20. If a man say he loveth God and hateth his brother he is a lyar 4. When they use the pretensions of Godliness for a Cloak to cover their iniquity though they talk of Godliness yet they have perverse designs to hide under it This was a thing which our Saviour charged heavily on the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 14. they devour Widows houses and for a pretence make long Prayers When Jezebel had a design to perpetrate an horrible Murther she directs to the calling of a Fast for an introduction to it 1 Kings 21. 9. and how many are there who can pray and confess their sins and then sin upon a new score and it may be then to their confessions and prayers again and so in a round What pretences had that Harlot for her insinuations into the Simple Young man Prov. 7. 14. I have peace offerings with me this day I have payed my vows and herein the Ungodliness of those Jews is deciphered by the Prophet Jer. 7. 9 10. Steal Murder c. and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations What is this but to make Godliness a shelter for impiety than which what greater contradiction can there be 5. When they abuse their Christian liberty to defend and encourage the abuse of the things of this life It is a precious truth that Christ hath purchased a right for his people to these things which no Unregenerate man can claim they are all theirs for their use and to Serve God withal but as there is an use so there is an abuse of these things and that not only when the heart is set upon them and they reckon them to be their happiness but also when they allow to themselves an incordinate use of them When they transcend the bounds of that moderation which Christ hath limited the use of them unto and thereby transgress the Rules of Sobriety When meats drinks apparrel recreations are made use of to excess and to the just scandal of serious Christians When men insist upon lawfulness and never consider what is expedient Hence there are cautions given in the Gospel about these things 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. Rom. 13 13. 1 Pet. 3 3. all of which are to put a restraint upon mens taking their liberty too far Such licentiousness is a denying of Godliness in the power of it 6. When they can accommodate themselves to men in all their humours There is a pretence of love and charity and condescendency which men make and plead Religion for it and when it is rightly limited it is good but how many are there who abuse that of Paul 1 Cor. 9. 23. I am made all things to all men They are like the Planet Mercury good with good and bad with bad When they are among serious Christians who more religious and demure in their words and carriages than they are but when they get among loose company and carnal men they can presently turn the Tables and are like pictures that have the Devil on one side and a Saint on the other They can pray and hear and receive the Sacrament with the people of God and they can Drink and Swear and Game and Health and what not with Iewd men and are good Companions for all sorts of Company and is not this to deny the power of Godliness 7. When they are easily allured or discouraged from the strict Serving of God They set out bravely in a Profession but a little thing stops them and makes them either to drive heavily or to stand still for when they go quite off they then lay aside the form too If a temptation of profit or credit among men offereth it self they are ready to follow it and their zeal is damped or when difficulty or disgrace present themselves before them they are ready to flinch and turn aside This is an argument at least that the power is decayed if not that there never was any and to this head do those also belong who in times of Apostasy let the vigour of their profession fall lose some things altogether which belong to the practice of Religion and others are ready to dy as they are charged Rev. 3. begin In all these respects men may be said to deny the power of Godliness 2. Whence is it that a people in general come to do so A. This will be discovered by the following conclusions 1. Man is naturally a stranger to the power of Godliness He is so far from the vigorous activity of it in him that he hath not so much as the principle of it The state of nature since the Apostasy is a state of alienation from God Grace which is the root of true Piety is not redscated in the nature of sallen man but it is a supernatural gift of the Spirit of God bestowed on us in our Regeneration till which we are full of all the principles of Impiety we have a full description of a natural man given us in Rom. 3. 10 to 20. and there is nothing in all of it but what is directly contrary to Godliness and yet thus it is with every Child of Adam by reason of that woful fall of his and the Children of Godly men have it in them as well as others Jew and Gentile share alike in this Rom. 3. 9. they are all under sin The difference between the one and the other is only in this that the one have the means and advantages to seek and obtain a deliverance from it
degenerate Generation When God leaves men up to a spirit of giddiness and heedlessness and licentiousness to grow loose in their principles and inconsiderate in their practices he therein plagues them terriblyâ— and this is an usual fruit and recompence of Hypocrisy and Atheistical contenting themselves and hoping to put God off with an outside how awful is that prediction 2 Thes 2. 9 10. because they received not the love of the trnth for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a ly and we have such an account given of them Psal 81. 11 12. Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts God withdraws his spirit from such a people which before enlightened and re strained them and abandons them to their own follies and now iniquity breaketh in as a torrent and bears all down before it now men grow weary of Gods ways and follow their own now the word hardneth instead of softning now wholesome Doctrines are despised and close application is provoking to men they cannot bear to have their sores rubbed and must have none but smooth things preached to them now a spirit of slumber invades them and they are become insensible of their decays though never so great and this is a tremendous condition 2. In Temporal Judgments The truth is this very frame among a people is that which opens the gap to let in all those provocations which will pull down heavens vengeance upon them As long as the power of Godliness was preserved among them such sins were kept out at least from bringing of Publick guilt along with them because there was a suitable care taken to prevent their breaking out and due testimony was born against them if at any time they looked abroad and endeavours were attended to suppress them but now they abound and become daring and when it is so God can no longer withhold God tells them that all the Judgments threatned were for the avenging of the quarrel of his Covenant Lev. 26 25. and though many particular immoralities usually forerun such Calamities yet they flow from hence and the foundation of them is laid here God therefore threatens Laodicea for her Lukewarmness to soue her out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16 and Ephesus for the loosing of her first love to remove the Candlestick Chap 2. 4 5. and if we will make a through Enquiry we shall find that this is it which hath laid waste populous places and blown up sometimes famous Churches and made them a desolation Surely then such are Perilous Times USE I. For Information in a few things 1. We may hence learn That the best judgment that we can make of Professors is but of Charity There is a judgment which one Christian lawfully may and sometimes ought to pass concerning another and it is our duty whenever we so do to judge righteous judgment and that is such which answers the Rule which God hath given us in his Word to direct us in the censure that we pass one upon another Now God hath seen it meet to reserve the knowledge of mens hearts immediately to himself our judgment can reach no farther than to the outward appearance such is the difference expressed 1 Sam. 16. 7. man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart and this is very uncertain I cannot certainly know anothers state to be good but by Revelation though I may know the state of some to be bad by observation as he Psa 36 1. The transgression of the wicked saith within mine heart there is no fear of God before his eyes The bond therefore of Christian Communion is Charity which ought to think and hope the best of another allowing for humane infirmities and judging well of his honest and religious actions and putting the best and most fair interpretation upon his dubious carriages and there is a double charity here to be observed sometimes that which is only Negative is the farthest that we can safely proceed unâ—o viz. we are not to conclude men to be in a state of sin for such Spots as Gods Children may catch and yet we cannot be without some fears or jealousies about them when we see little or nothing positively to encourage us however we suspend our determinate judgments sometimes we have room for an Affirmative Charity when we see that proceed from them which bespeaks them in our hearts to be Godly and zealous Christians because of their good and excellent Conversation Now when our judgment proceeds upon these grounds it is a regular and therefore a righteous judgment and this may be right when we are mistaken about men A man may be in a state of nature and yet I should sin if I judged him to be so and he may be in a state of Grace and yet it may be my duty to be suspicious about him and the ground or reason of this lieth before us plain in our Doctrine viz. because a man may have the highest and most commendable form of Godliness and yet be utterly a stranger to the power of it now the former of these is open and manifest it is exposed to publick view and every one may see it whereas the latter is secret and hidden from men and known only to God and the mans own Conscience David had an excellent esteem for Achitophel before he discovered himself Psal 55. 13. 14. mine equal my guide and mine acquaintance we took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company and he did not amiss so to think of him The Disciples were more ready to suspect each one himself than Judas when Christ told them that one of them should betray him and they were not to be blamed for it Paul was mâ—ch endeared to Demas and made use of him in his Travels and Ministry and it was right for him so to do and yet all these were ungodly men and their hearts were unsound all this while A man may carry it among men with greatest forwardness and constancy in outward performances follow all the means of grace in season and out of season and carry it very reverendly at them discourse very knowingly and loftily about the mysteries of the Gospel pray like an Angel highly commend the ways of God be very circumspect in his words and actions exceeding charitable and honest in his Dealings with men diligent in the Calling that God hath set him in and yet his heart all this while not righs with God but he may pursue it for by and sinister ends and upon pittifully mean motives and yet make no discoveries of this falseness to us or of any thing that so contradicts his profession as should undermine our Charity how then should we look on him as any other than a Saint when yet he may be a Devil or a Wolf in sheeps cloathing a meer Hypocrite Hence no wonder if good and wise men are sometimes forced to change their
of God and to neglect no known duty at any time we owe our whole life to his Glory and in this respect all times are alike to us but still as the times change the special and more peculiar deportments required of Christians do change with them and hence there is one thing which is the work of one Generation and something else the work of another It is obsâ—rvable that God commends Noah with this remark Gen 7. 1 thee have I seen righteous before me in this Generation Which in part at least intends that he had Served him according to the present condition of the Generation he lived in Hence it is said of David Acts 13. 36. that he Served his own Generation by the will of God and it is certain that there was one work for David to do in his time and another for Solomon to do in his 2. It is every ones duty in his place to thrust into the gap that he may keep off the evil threatned When there are fad Prognosticks of the times when the Clouds begin to gather apace and mischief apparently impends over a professing people when Gods anger is inkindled against them and sin hath opened a wide gap for it to come in and evil begins to croud in at it all that fear God should endeavour to please God to pacifie his anger and prevent the mischief hence that Admonition given upon a threatning Amos 4. 12. shus will I do unto thee Oh Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God Oh Israel There is a way to hold Gods hands and turn away his displeasure we read that Moses did so Psal 106. 23. and we find that God complains that when he looked for such an one there was none and he gives that as the reason why the torrent of his fierce Indignation brake in upon that unhappy people Ezek. 22. 30 31. I sought for a man c. therefore have I poured mine indignation upon them It is true every one is not in an equal capacity to this work or of doing alike publick Service for the putting away of that sin which is the provocation there is a work lying upon persons in Publick Place such as Moses and Phineas were who may if they are faithful do a great deal upon this account However there is no Christian but if he be upright and will be industrious in the station wherein God hath set him may do something with God which may contribute not a little to the publick good for God hath assured us that he hath a respect for such as these Isa 66. 2. to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word 3. They are the sins of the times that make them peculiarly perilous The great danger that a people are exposed to is from the anger of God which is kindled upon them if he be pleased with them they are safe nor need they to be afraid of the threatning of the world they have the name of God to run into and that is a strong tower Prov. 18. 10. But if God be displeased at them and his wrath begins to wax hot they now ly open to every mischief their defence forsakes them and every evil will make a prey of them Now if God be displeased at a people Sin always is the procuring cause of it he taketh pleasure in them whiles they do faithfully Serve him his delight is in those that fear him but sin is the thing that he cannot endure and when he hath so warned them against it as Jer. 44. 4. Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate and yet they will indulge themselves in it he is now grievously provoked and such a people ly open to his Judgments his Holiness Justice and Truth do oblige him to punish them for he hath said that he will do it except they repent and if he engage in this work it will be terrible 4. Hence they that would prevent the danger must do what in them lieth to put away the sins that have exposed their people thereunto They that would keep off threatned Judgments must thrust out the sin that hath exposed them thereto the cause must be removed if the effect be either prevented or made to cease all the other courses that men can take let them seem to be never so probable will never avail whiles this is neglected Sin will blow up the strongest Fortifications and turn the edge of the best tempered weapons take away the vigour of the most couragious spirits and turn the most mature counsels into foolishness Jehu spake the truth to him who demanded is it peace â— King 9. 22. What peace so long as the Whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her Witchcrafts are so many we are told in Prov. 21. 30. there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. Now all these counsels are against him by which men devise to fortifie against the threatnings of God and resolve still to retain these sins for which he brings his Judgments upon a revolting people God himself therefore makes suâ—â— a demand of them Jer. 5. 7. how shall I pardon thee for this c. and this is the direction which he giveth them as that which is alone like to succeed viz to put away their sins and return to their God again this is the best prudence because there is a promise of good made unto it whereas all other courses are threatned whiles this is neglected Jer. 7. 3 5. Amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place c. Hence there aâ—e none that can do any kindness to such a people but those who thus do hereupon God so upbraids those Pastors Jer. 23. 22. if they had stood in my counsel and had caused my people to have heard my words then they should have turned them from their evil ways 5. And there are usually some peculiar sins which God bringeth his Judgments for and hath a special aim at True when God draws up an Indictment against a people he puts a great many articles into it as in Ezek. 22. but yet there is something particular that he bears upon as that which is leading to the other and so carries a more aggravated provocation in it There are the causes and the beginnings of an Apostasy which are not only sins themselves but are chargeable as leading the way to all the rest When God cometh to root a people up for their sins they are grown to the height of provocation as 2 Chron 36. 14 15. he used means to reclaim them till there was no remedy but other Judgments of his do often come upon places when iniquity is not arrived to such a prodigious height and sometimes God chargeth one and sometimes another as the leading evil thus Isa 57. 17. for the iniquity of his Covetcousness I waâ— wroth with him and in 2 Sam.
21. begin the Famine is said to be for Sauls slaying the Gibeonites 6. Hence without observation men cannot do their duty in this regard Unless we know what is the provocation we shall not understand what is the instant duty that God requires of us the sins must be found out before they can be particularly provided against and be suitably repented of and turned from and so the proper means be used for the putting of them away and how shall this be but upon observation and search and that by taking notice what are the commands of God and the Rules of his word and viewing the frame and practice of men generally compaâ—ing them herewithal and hereupon want of consideration is a thing which God looks upon as a great aggravation of their sins and chargeth them with stupidity on the account of it Isa 1. 3. my people doth not consider Jer. 8. 6. no man repented of his wickedness saying what have I done and when God hath a controversy with them he invites them to consideration Hag. 1. 5. now therefore thus saith the Lord consider your ways 7. Formality attended with denying the power of Godliness is the first bad Symptom in a professing people we have observed that Apostasy from a fair profession is not wont to be all at once but it hath its gradual steps and may have many removes before it comes to the height But all Apostasy beginneth with the defect of the power and vigour of Grace in men So that whatsoever will be an argument to discover mens declining from what they sometimes maintained will also give evidence to their denying of the power it being of it self a practical contradiction of that piâ—ty which men would have the world to believe that they do sincerely profess Here then let us take a brief prospect of the frame and genius of this people on this account and for our help in this necessary duty let me offer at the following remarks 1. That there is a Form of Godliness a mong us is manifest Let us take the notion of a form in either of the senses before observed in the explication of the Doctrine and it will appear to be so If we look upon it as intending an outward species shew or pretence whether the thing it self be sincere or only in pretence it is certain that the generality of this people do give it out that they are the people of God that they acknowledge him to be their Soveraign that they are engaged in his Service and that they do stand up for the Gospel Ordinances and Order Or if we take it for the Rule that men declare themselves to be under the obligation of we have a sound confession of the Faith which we declare that we adhâ—re unto and are not a little zealous for the upholding of those Ordinances which Christ hath Instituted in his Gospel these things are evident and possibly there may be more of this among us than in most other places 2. But the great enquiry is whether there be not too much of a general denying of the power of it God forbid that any discouragement should be offered to those who are serious and waâ—châ—ul Christians whose hearts are truly set for the Glory of God and the promoting of his interest and let it be the encouragement of all such that if there be but a few names in a degenerate Sardis God doth not overlook them nor will he forget them See how comfortably he speaks to such Rev. 3. 4. thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy But if the other frame be grown too general and prevailing the Symptoms are bad and let us remember that there are many discoveries which may be made of such a spirit which though they are not all found in every one yet if they are found distributively and spread generally it will amount to the thing that we are enquiring after When God chargeth a people in this regard he doth not always say you are all thus so but such are found in thee see Ezek. 22. 7 c. and is it not too much thus with us Whence else is it that there are such things as these that follow to be observed 1. That there is such a prevalency of so many immoralities among Professors I confess that it must be granted that in the best times and in places where the power of Godliness is most flourishing there have been and will be those that have not the fear of God before their eyes there were so in the times of the greatest Reformation that we read of in the Book of God In this world we must expect that Wicked men will be mixed with the Godly and such as will dare to shew their wickedness in their Lives and not be afraid to Transgress in a Land of Uprightness But when such are not countenanced but due testimony is born against them when they are contemned in the places where they live and a note of infamy and scandal is put upon them this will not be charged on such a people for Apostasy But when such sins grow frequent and those that have taken on themselves a name of being Religious begin to indulge themselves herein and men that allow themselves in such things are not Reproached for it but are in as good Credit as the best it then becomes a bad symptom and saith that the times are declining and perilous Much more when such as these will undertake to justify and patronize such things and are there not sad complaints made on this account I shall here instance only in some that are more notorious Are not Gods Sabbaths wofully neglected How little care is there used in making of due preparation for them How wofully can such as would be esteemed Godly encroach upon holy time and be engaged either in secular business or in vain Company and possibly in publick houses when they should be at home in their Closets or with their Families Sanctifying of Gods day and shewing of the Honourable esteem they have for it And I am well satisfyed that where the strict Observation of Gods Sabbath is lost there the Power of Godliness is gone How much complaint is there made of woful Dishonesty in their dealings practised by such as can talk high of their Religion How many fallacious tricks they can use in their Commerce How deceitful in their Labour How false to their words and promises as if dissembling and lying were no reproach to the name of Christians How many Intemperate Church Members are there reported to be who spend their precious time in frequenting Publick Houses and keeping of loose and lewd Company who can come to the Lords Table on the Sabbath and wrong themselves by excessive Drinking on the week days How much Animosity Contention and implacable bitterness of Spirit breaking forth in indecent words and carriages between