First, In reference to the many sins that are in the Nation: Let me tell you, There is not one sin for which God hath taken away the ark from any people, but that sin may be found among us: Did the Church of Ephesus lose the Candlestick because she left her first love? and have not we done so? Did the Church of Laodicea lose the Candlestick? You know the gospel is called the Candlestick; and was not the gospel removed from them because of their lukewarmness? And are not we guilty of lukewarmness? Did the people of Israel here lose the Ark because they abhorred the offering of God? and do not we do so? are not the sins of the people of Israel among us? Nay, are not the sins of Germany and all other Nations among us? and can any man that is here before God this day, that considers the unthankfulness, the great profaneness that there is in the Nation, but must confess, Surely the ark is in danger, and God may justly take it away. I will not make a catalogue of our sins, for that is not my purpose; I might tell you of our Commonwealth sins, drunkenness, uncleanness, bribery and oppression; I might tell of our Sanctuary sins, the profaning of Sabbaths, and so of all our other sins, of unthankfulness, unfruitfulness; you of this place, sirs, God may well take the ark from you; and indeed, it was the great respect I had to you of this Parish, whom I shall ever own, and praise God for, as long as I h•ve breath in me; it was my respect I bear to you, would not let me send you home this morning without a Sermon. Is there any of you of t•is Parish or Congregation, that can say, God ⟨p. 12⟩may not justly unchurch you, and take away his Gospel from you? You have had it now in three famous successions, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Stoughton, and my pains in three or four and twenty years among you: Do not your consciences tell you now, that God may justly unchurch you, and take away the power of the Ministry? for I count that an unchurching, when we want the power of the Ministry, a soul-searching Ministry, when we want a faithful Minister to go before us; and that's one reason why we may safely say the Ark of God is in great danger of being lost.
First, In reference to the many sins that are in the Nation: Let me tell you, There is not one sin for which God hath taken away the ark from any people, but that sin may be found among us: Did the Church of Ephesus lose the Candlestick because she left her first love? and have not we done so? Did the Church of Laodicea lose the Candlestick? You know the gospel is called the Candl•stick; and was not the gospel removed from them because of their lukewarmness? And are not we guilty of lukewarmness? Did the people of Israel here lose the Ark because they abhorred the offering of God? and do not we do so? are not the sins of the people of Israel among us? Nay, are not the sins of Germany and all other Nations among us? and can any man that is here before God this day, that considers the unthankfulness, the great prophaneness that there is in the Nation, but must confess, Surely the ark is in danger, and God may justly take it away. I will not make a catalogue of our sins, for that is not my purpose; I might tell you of our Commonwealth sins, drunkenness, uncl•anness, bribery and oppression; I might tell of our Sanctuary sins, the prophaneing of Sabbaths, and so of all our other sins, of unthankfulness, unfrui•fulness; you of this place, sirs, God may well take the ark from you; and indeed, it was the great respect I had to you of this Parish, whom I shall ever own, and praise God for, as long as I h•ve breath in me; it was my respect I bear to you, would not let me send you home this morning without a Sermon. Is there any of you of t•is Parish or Congregation, that can say, God ⟨p. 12⟩may not justly unchurch you, and take away his Gospel from you? You have had it now in three famous successions, Dr. T•ylor, Dr. Stoughton, and my pains in three or four and twenty years among you: Do not your consciences tell you now, that God may justly unchurch you, and take away the power of the Ministry? for I count that an unchurching, when we want the power of the Ministry, a soul-searching Ministry, when we want a faithful Minister to go before us; and that's one reason why we may safely say the Ark of God is in great danger of being lost.
