15o Security Surpri eed, ór, pie at that time : but the neerer they.came co thefuinefs,and ffint,and limitation that God intended to be the immediate fore-runner of the judgment,the falter Judgment hafinech upon them. So for particular perfons, there isa certain Hint limited ( Let e- very man look toit.) The adding of one fin more, mayby thy uctermotf (lint, that (hill bring the lafi ftroke ofjudgment, and deflru&ionupon thee. Now (1 fay) this carnal fecurity isthat, that increafethfinupon a man. We know how the fecurity of che Tfr4elftes increafed their lin upon them. And the fecurity ofSodona, theirpride, and idlenefs, increafed the tell of their fins,andconfequendy haftned on their judg- ment. InRom,3. when there wru nofear ofGod before their eyes; when there was a negleét of thar,there wasabundance of wickednefs a nong(f them ; andwhat follows ? Then therewas nothing but dellru&lion,and calamity in all their ways. I could give you fundry infiances of this in the word of God. But I ha lien. You fee the reafon. Let us now come to make fouieufe of i , that yie may not be, prevented. We have told you, that it is true ofStates and Kingdoms, of particular perfons, of everyman,that when in a courfeof fin,and impenitency,they cry peace to themfelves, then judgment anddelirution is coming upon them. It fervech therefore to inform us, what to thinkof our felves, of the efface of this Land whereinwe live; of chefe times wherein we are fallen. What can we expeót, when we confider to what a height of fin we are come ; how impenitent menare: Howobffinate and hard-hearted,and (}id-neckedagainfi the voyage of God in the Gofpel, and the means of Grace; but dellrullion to come upon us? If we lookupon the finsof men,we may perceive even a general ripenefs for judg- ment. When the fins of theAmoritès were full, Judgment came upon them. How near the fins of this Land are come to that fulnefs,we knownor,we have caufe to fear. We fee in other Countries the (flaking of the Sword uponus: it path not yet awaken- ed us to fear God, At home, we have had thevoyce ofthe Prophets, the Minifters crying unto us front day today, to return, left defiru&ion comeupon us: it hash not brought us to return from our fins. We have teen the merciesof God upon particular perlons,and families : it hath not awakened men to walk confcionably in their pla- ces. We fee no Reformation,there is rather an increafeof fin. Andwhaccan weex- pelt their wants ? But one fin, and when that iscorne, fuddendellruEtioncometh. What is that ? Security. And have we not caufe to bewail the general fecurity that is amongllus?. May not the Angel of the Lord return that anfwer, as he did in the firft of Zephany ; Alltheworld isat riff ? Go into the fireets, the houfes,the fhopsof men,evcry man. is ac yell : No man is troubled about his efface, nor afieeted with Gods difpleafure, eitheragain(i himfelf,orthe Land we live in. See, is not the Landas fecure as they of Loifh,or worfe ? They were fecure, becaufe they did not hereof the danger; of the purpofe of the Danites againft them : Therefore their fecurity was not altogether fo culpable and blame- worthy. But I will tell you what fecurity ours is ; nay, the Holy Ghoft bath told us to our hands, Prof*23. 34. That judgment there, that is chreatned againli a man that goeth on in fin, feems to bea judgment executed upon us at this time; ThouJJraIt 6e at aman that lies domain the middo/I of the Sea, or as he that lies upon theisp afa Mall. They haveJIriken me, (halt thoufay, and Iwas notlick: They have beaten me,and Ifelt it not,when! awake,! willPeek rt yet agar«, Our fecurity, I fay, is like that of a man in themiddefl of the Sea, andyet asleep : As a man upon thetop of a Mafl,and yet asleep. Nay, mennotonly in danger, but fuch as have the fIroke upon them ; They have firm-kenme,and IVORY notfick; they have wounded me, and I felt it net. Is it not thus with us, in theft dead and fecure times that we live in ? And (hall we fay that we are not asleep? Hath not the Lord lent the dellroying Angel amongft us, that bath fmirten thoufands in our fireets? And vet we have not felt ic. Shall we fay we are not iffdanger ? we areas a man that sleepeth an the top of a ..5sß at Sea: Nay, as a man in the middeft of the waves, in a dead sleep, like fuch as are drunk, and yet we feel no- thing. Truly we have little taufe to be fecure, we have littlecaufe mincer our felveg .Note. tee 1. For Examina- tion.
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