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

USE, II. See the Reason why there is so little Effect of Preaching. There is much good Preaching, and yet there is want of good Preaching. There is very good Preaching in Old England, yet there is great want of good Preaching, especially among the Conformists: And there is very good Preaching in New-England, and yet there is some want of good Preaching; especially in some places: And this is one Reason that there is no more good done. There is a great fault in Hearers, they are not studious of the mind of God; they are Enemies to the gospel: And when Christ Himself Preached among them, many did not Profit by it. Yet some Preachers are much to blame, and tho' they do Preach profitably many times, yet they have great cause to be Humbled for their Defects.

1. For hence it is that there is so little Conversion. There is great Complaint in one Country and in another, that there be few Converted; it is apparent by mens Unsanctified Lives & their unsavoury Discourses. This is one Reason, there is a great deal of Preaching that doth not much Promote it, but ⟨p. 26⟩is an hindrance to it. To tell men that they may be Converted tho' they don't know the time: To teach that there is no need of a work of Humiliation to prepare them for Christ; and that Faith is nothing else but a Persuasion that the Gospel is true, is the very way to make many Carnal men hope that they are Converted. It makes other Preaching very ineffectual: It makes them think that it is needless to strive for Conversion. Such Preaching hardens men in their Sins: The want of dealing plainly with men is the reason, why there is seldom a noise among the Dry Bones. In some Towns there is no such thing to be Observed for Twenty Years together. And men continue in a senseless condition, come to Meeting & hear Preaching, but are never the better for it. In some Towns godly men are very thin sown. Most of the People are in as bad a condition as if they had never heard the Gospel: Go on in a still way, following their worldly Designs, carry on somewhat of the Form of godliness, but mind little but the World & the Pleasures of this Life. The Scribes did not Preach with Authority,