The peril of the times displayed. Or The danger of mens taking up with…

who can come to the Lords Table on the Sabbath, and wrong themselves by excessive Drinking on the week days? How much Animosity, Contention, and implacable bitterness of Spirit, breaking forth in indecent words and carriages, between such as are bound in the strongest Evangelical ties to Love one another, and meekly to bear with each others infirmities? How much raising, spreading, and receiving of Sla• ders and Defamations one of another; contrary to that Charity which ought to Cover a Multitude of sins? These, and a great many more of like nature, which might have been added, so far as they spread and prevail, and begin to grow common, are an ill Omen; for, they are indisputable denials of the power of Godliness, at least in the vigour of it, in those who are Guilty of them, for that teacheth men to Live Soberly, Righteously and Godly.

2. That there is so little Success of the Gospel, notwithstanding the clear dispensations of it that are enjoyed among us. The Gospel is the Great instrument which God hath seen meet to make use of, both for the sowing of the seeds of Godliness in the hearts of men, in the great work of Conversion, and for the strengthening & establishing of it where it is already sown: & this efficacy it will have when it becomes the power of God to Salvation in men, as we are told it is, in all that believe, Rom 1.16. True Godliness discovereth it self in a Cordial compliance with the Gospel in its designs, which are these: and when these fail, and the work of Conversion and edification are at a stay, it is a sign that Piety is gone to decay: and the more plenty God affords to a People of these means; and •he more of light and life they are dispensed withal, the more notorious is this symptom. What there hath been enjoyed among us upon this account, God knows, and this people also shall be made to know that there have been Prophets among them. How few through Conversions are to be ⟨p. 95⟩observed? How scarce and seldom? Men go from Ordinance to Ordinance, and that from year to year, and it may be they are sometimes a little touched, awakened, affected, and make some stir for a while; but how few are there who are effectually and throughly turned from sin to God? It is to be hoped that there are more than we know of; this work of God is Secret, and in some it is wrought without a noise: however, this is a certain observation which may safely be made, that where there is no outward Conversion, Charity hath no ground to proceed upon, to believe that there is an inward one; for, were the heart savingly changed, that would influence and alter the life. Yea, were men but pricked at their hearts under the Ordinances that they frequent, they would cry out for help and direction, and we should hear of them: So that if mn take a great deal of delight in the means of Grace, and yet can be content without settling a saving interest in Christ, who is presented and offered to them therein, it aith that they are settled on a form without the power; it is a sad