Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

the Hazard of being, Themselves, caft into the fire that shall never be quenched. This Remarkable Caution against Unbelief, given by the Apostle, * deferves to be well and often weighed by all Those, who Reject and Difdain the Great Truths of the Gofpel, and by all the Favourers of that Contemptuous Oppofition, which is made to Them; Beware, left that come upon you, which is spoken of in the Prophets, Behold, ye Defpifers, and Wonder and Perish.

3dly, All Kinds of Profanation, obfervable in the World, are Proper Objects of our Deteftation and Sorrow. The Profanation of God's Holy Name is charged, as a Crying Sin, against God's People, and in it are included, Perjury, Common Oaths, Execrations, and every Expreffion which derogates from the Majefty of this Great and Glorious Name, THE LORD THY GOD.

The Profanation of Places Confecrated to God is an Offence, which He hath distinguished, in these Words, by the

* Acts xiii. 40, 41.

Prophet

Prophet*; *; As I live, faith the Lord God, Surely, becaufe thou haft defiled my San-· Etuary with all thy deteftable things, and with all thy Abominations; therefore will I alfo diminish thee-A third part of thee fhall die with the Peftilence.

The Profanation alfo of Times Dedicated to God, does incur his Difpleasure, and bring Punishments upon a People. To which Purpose, we are thus taught our Duty, and our Danger, relating to the Sabbath, the Violations whereof are Sinful, under the Chriftian, as well as the Mofaical Difpenfation +; I contended with the Nobles of Judah, and faid unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and Profane the Sabbath day? Did not your Fathers thus, and did not our God. bring all this evil upon us, and upon this City? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Ifrael, by profaning the Sabbath. These words fhould be Maturely confidered, by all Perfons, who are addicted to Profaning the Lord's Day, and especially by Thofe, who run even into the Neglect of the

* Ezek. v. 11, 12, † Nehem. xiii. 17, 18.

Publick

Publick Worship; whether they run intő it, out of a Pretence, that they do not Want Inftruction, nor Expect Improvement, by the Publick Miniftry of the Word, as if it were no Offence, to Neglect and Despise those Miniftrations which God hath appointed, or, as if Their Skill in the Rules of Duty could excufe Them from the Performance of it, or, their mighty Knowledge of the Word could Cancel Those Obligations to the Publick Worship of God, which are Equally Incumbent upon the Learned, and Unlearned, High and Low, Rich and Poor, equally Incumbent upon all the Servants of God, who are Particularly caution'd against the Sin of forfaking the Affembling themfelves together, as the manner of fome is; or, whether they run into it, out of Sloth and Idleness, or, on account of engaging themselves in Temporal Affairs and Employments, or, for the Sake of Indulging Themselves in Luxury: For All fuch Perfons, whatsoever Fanciful Opinions they may mufter up in their own Favour, are Highly Criminal, and do Increase the Guilt, and the Dangers of the Nation, And,

[ocr errors]

And, not to urge any more Particu lars, All Things whatsoever, which are Dedicated to God's Honour and Service, have a Divine Character ftamp'd upon Them, and whofoever Defaceth that Character, making no Diftinction betwixt Them and Common Things, and, much more, whofoever does Brand Them with Peculiar Ignominy, and makes the Dif dain and Contempt of Them, the Only Mark of Diftinction betwixt Them and Common Things, falls under this heavy Charge of Profanation; * Thou haft deSpifed mine Holy Things- They have put no Difference between the Holy and Profane, and I am profaned among them. And this Abomination is One Great Reafon of what follows, in the Close of the Chapter, Therefore have I poured out mine Indignation upon them, I have confumed them with the fire of my wrath. How great reason then hath a Nation, to be Earneft in the Deprecation of Impending Judgments, when 'tis Miferably Infefted with Profane, Open Affaults upon Sacred

* Ezek. xxii.

Things,

Things, with Writers, who Boldly Difclaim and Condemn, Defpife and Ridicule the Pofitive Ordinances and Inftitutions of God. A Kingdom must be Infatuated, if fuch Appearances in it as Thefe, Wandring Stars fcattering their Baneful Influence upon it, fhould raise in it no Fears, Jealoufies, or Sufpicions, that the Defolation thereof is nigh.

What hath been hitherto obferved, relates to the Divine Law, and Divine Authority; But indeed the Neglect of putting Humane Laws in Execution, or, of exercifing Humane Authority, for Suppreffing of Vice and the Encouragement of Virtue, wherefoever fuch Neglect be Plainly Obfervable in any, even the Loweft Magiftrates, or in Perfons dignified with any, even the Loweft degrees of fuch Authority, is exceedingly Sinful, and the

4th, and Laft Thing which I shall mention as worthy of our Sorrow and Abborrence, and our Deprecations of the Publick Sufferings, which may be its Juft Recompence and Reward. And fuch a Concern for their Iniquity is fo far from

« AnteriorContinuar »