The defects of preachers reproved in a sermon preached at Northampton, May 19th. 1723

7. If men preach for such Liberties as God doth not allow, that is no good Preaching. There are many licentious Liberties that are taken by Men, in their Apparel, in their Drinking, in their Dancing and other Recreations, and in their Discourses upon the Sabbath, and in their Dealings with one another; and if Ministers either vindicate or connive at them, they don't Preach as they ought to do. Some men are but lax Casuists, and they take too great a Liberty themselves, & so do their Wives & Children, and they are afraid to anger men by Reproving some particular Evils that men are addicted to, that do prevail in the Land: The Pharisees were such Casuists; Mat. 5.43. Ye have heard it hath been said of old, thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. Men should be solemnly Warned against all evil Carriages; and if this be omitted, it gives ⟨p. 21⟩great increase to Sin in the Land. God complains of ill against Teachers for not Reproving Sinners; Isa. 56.10. They are ignorant & blind, dumb dogs that cannot bark. If men were duly Reproved for their Extravagances, that would be a means to Reclaim them: Jer. 23.22. If they had stood in my counsel I had caused my people to hear my words; then they should have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings. Faithful Preaching would be beneficial two ways; one way as it would cut off occasions of anger, and prevent those sins that bring down the Wrath of God on the Land; we should enjoy much more Public Prosperity: The other is, that it would deliver men from those Vicious Practises that are a great hindrance to Conversion. As long as men live in ways of Intemperance, Injustice, and unsuitable Carriages on the Sabbath, it will be a great impediment to a thorough work of Conversion. There may be Conversion tho' men are not broken off from sins of Ignorance, but as long as they tolerate themselves in Immoralities, that will be a mighty Bar in the way of their Conversion.

7. If men preach for such Liberties as God doth not allow, that is no good Preaching. There are many licentious Liberties that are taken by Men, in their Apparel, in their Drinking, in their Dancing and other Recreations, and in their Discourses upon the Sabbath, and in their Dealings with one another; and if Ministers either vindicate or connive at them, they don't Preach as they ought to do. Some men are but lax Casuists, and they take too great a Liberty themselves, & so do their Wives & Children, and they are afraid to anger men by Reproving some particular Evils that men are addicted to, that do prevail in the Land: The Pharisees were such Casuists;