reached AtigUR 17. 1 catn. 1. 'its. There is no way to avoid a national defolationbut by a natio- nal reformation. Laftly, learn what caufe you of this Congregation and Para, what caufe you have to expe& that God (hould bring you into great ftraits, becaufe of your great unthankfulnefs and unfruitfulneffe under the means ofGrace, you that have fa long enjoyed the Gof; pei; you have had the Gofpel in this place in great abundance ; Do&or Taylor he ferved an Apprentice-lip in this place: Do&or Stoughton terved another Apprenticefhip, and I, through Divine Mercy, have ferved three Apprenticelhips, and half another almaft, among you ; you have had the Spirit of God (even and thirtyyears in the faithful Miniftry of the Word, knocking at the door ofyour hearts, but many of you have heardened your hearts. Are there not fome ofyou, I onely put the queftion, that begin to loath the Manna of your fouls, and to look back towards Egypt again ? Are there not fome of youhave itching ears, and would fain have P-rea- chers that would feed you' with dainty phrafes, and begin not to care for a Minifter that unrips your Confciences, fpeaks to your hearts and fouls, and would forceyou intoheaVen by fright- ing you out ofyour fins ? Are there not fomeofyou, that by often hearing Sermons,are become Sermon proof, that know how to fleep and fcoff away Sermons ? I would be glad to fay there are but few fuch 5 but theLord knoweth there are too too many that by long preaching get little good bypreaching, infomuch that ! have often faid it, and fay it now again, there is hardly any way to iaife the price of the Gofpel-Miniftry, but by the want of it : And that I may not flatter you, you have not profited under the means you have enjoyed; therefore you may juffly expe&God may bring you into a than; and take away the Gofrel from you : God may juftly take away your Minifters by death or other wayes. Have you not wit your firft Love ? Why did God take away the Gofpel from the Church of Egefus, but becaufe they loft their firft Love ? Are you not like the Church ofLaodicea,that are neither hot nor cold ? there- fore God may juftly fpewyou out .of his mouth : what God will do with you, I know not ; a few weeks will determine : God can make a great change in a little time ; we leave all toGad : but in the mean time let me commend one Text of Scripture toyou, Jer. 13. id. Give Glory to the Lordyour God, before he caufedarkqers, and beforeyourfeet (fumble upon the darkMountains, and whileye lookfor light, be turn it into the fhaddow ofdeath, and make it grojs darknefs, Verfe 17. Ellt.ifyou will not hear it, my foulfbaliwel infecret places for your pride, andmine eyesPall weepfore, andrundown with tears,becdu e C2 t
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