Preached August 17. 1662. 155 Congregation, yet they are but a handful in comparifonof what are drinking in Ale-houles, and whoring, and walking in the fields, that onecan hardly get home to their houfe for the crowd of peo- ple that are going thither. For (Lame let not this be told in Gath, nor publifhed in Askelon. What we Rand up for the holnefs of !!aces, and yet oppole the holinefs of the Lords day, which God hath enjoyned and inflituted ? Oh ! that the Magijirates of London ; Ohl that Englands King ; Oh ! that Englands Parliament would do fomething for the reformation ofthis,to oppoCe wickednefs and pro- phanenefs, which will otherwife bring upon us the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah, and make us guilty and worthy of a thou- fand puni(hments. And labour by prayer in your families toover- come that flood of prophanenefs , which you cannot by your firength prevent. And then for the Sacraments of thrift, Eaptifnt and the Lords Supper, thefe are Ordinances of Gods appointment, they are holy, and therefore fhould not be given to thofe that are unholy; and yet thofe who are fo much for the holinefs of places, donot care whocome to the Sacrament ; if they likve but a nofe on their face, they (hall come and partake of the Ordinances, let them be what they will ; this is to prefer mans inftitution before Gods inftitution. And then for the Lords Meffige and Word, that Is a holy thing, and therefore love his Meffengers : the Meflengers of God delivering his Mefrage with fear and reverence, you are to hear themwith the fame fear reverence and refolution to be holy, as if Chrift w ere prefent.- And for the Word of God, it is not enough for you to have a choice Sentence written upon the walls of your Churches, but let Gods Law be written inyour hearts and consciences, and praEtifed in your lives, that all the World may fee you live as men dedicated to the true God, in all the duties of his wayes and obedience. Many of thefe things might have been enlarged. What I have given you with the right hand, I prayyou, Chriftians, do not take with the left, for if you do, you will make your felves guiltyof a double fin. a. Becaufe you donot obey the truth you hear. And z, For putting a wrong conftruEtion upon it. But I have better hopes of you, my belovedHearers, and hope that the Lord will be better untoyour Souls then his Mini/fens, then his Word, or any thing elk can be. God blefs you and his Ordi- nances, and diCcover his mind and will at this time to you. Mr.
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