Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

Sin is a reproach to any People. Mark that, any People. Let a People be never so low, abject, contemptible, Sin will make them lower yet. And let a people be never so great, famous and renowned, Sin will be a blot in their Escutcheon. It is a reproach to an Heathen People, to Turks, Pagans Indians, but much more so to a Christian People, to a people that profess themselves Protestants and reformed, that call themselves the People of God. O England! what ⟨p. 343⟩cause then hast thou to blush? How great is thy shame, O London! who hast had so many of Christs Ambassadors sent unto thee with the Counsels of his Will, so many bright Stars of the first magnitude shining in thine Orb, such Plenty and abundance of means and spiritual Mercies afforded to thee, as no Nation hath had more, if any so much? Thou hast been exalted indeed, and lifted up to Heaven (like Capernaum) by these precious and inestimable enjoyments, and yet, I fear it may be said, no place hath acted at an higher rate of contrariety and desperate Opposition to the Gospel, no place hath expressed a greater Enmity to Reformation and the Power of Godliness, no place hath so superabounded with profaneness; in no place hath profaneness been more impudent and daring than in thee. Thy lewdness is in thy Skirts. Oh how great is thy reproach! Now it is unquestionably the Duty of all among us to endeavour the Honour of the Nation, and to roll away this it's reproach. And if there be any Magistrates, higher or lower, that will not heartily set both their hands to that work, let them know and think of it again and again, that; that very thing will be to their reproach. Yea, fall out as much to their reproach, as it was to the Honour of the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, to have such a Testimony given of him by the faithful and true Witness who holdeth the seven Stars in his Right hand, Rev. 2.2. That he could not bear them that were evil, i. e. Not with any Patience, but reproved them, and did what belonged to his Office, either reducing them from their extravagances, and bringing them to Repentance and amendment of Life, or otherwise if incurable cutting them off from the Body, and casting them out of Communion.

Sin is a reproach to any People. Mark that, any People. Let a People be never so low, abject, contemptible, Sin will make them lower yet. And let a people be never so great, famous and renowned, Sin will be a blot in their Escutcheon. It is a reproach to an Heathen People, to Turks, Pagans Indians, but much more so to a Christian People, to a people that profess themselves Protestants and reformed, that call themselves the People of God. O England! what