PERILOUS TIMES. 331
As to our duty in such a perilous season, let me leave three cau- tions with you, and the Lord fix them upon your hearts : —
(I.) The profession of religion, and the performance of duties, under a world-like conversation, are nothing but a sophistical means to lead men blindfold into hell. We must not speak little things in such a great cause.
(2.) If you will be like the world, you must take the world's lot. It will go with you as it goes with the world. Inquire and see, in the whole book of God, how it will go with the world, — what God's thoughts are of the world, — whether it saith not, "If it lies in wicked- ness, it shall come to judgment/' and that " the curse of God is upon it." If, therefore, you will be like the world, you must have the world's lot; God will not separate.
(3.) Lastly, consider we have by this means lost the most glorious cause of truth that ever was in the world. We do not know that there hath been a more glorious cause of truth since the apostles' days, than what God hath committed to his church and people in this nation, for the purity of the doctrine of the truth and ordinances ; but we have lost all the beauty and glory of it by this mixture in the world. I verily think it is high time that the congregations in this city, by their elders and messengers, should consult together how to put a stop to this evil, that hath lost all the glory of our profession. It is a perilous time, when professors mix themselves so with the world.
There are other perilous seasons that I thought to have insisted on ; but I "will but name them.
IV. When there is great attendance on outward duties, but in- ward, spiritual deca}^. Now herein, my brethren, (most of this con- gregation are so in a peculiar manner, I hope, through the goodness ■ of God, — in sincerity, though in much weakness, " Liberavi animam meam,") you know how long I have been treating of the causes and reasons of inward decays, and the means to be used for our recovery ; I shall not, therefore, again insist upon them.
V. Times of persecution are also times of peril.
Now, I need not tell you whether these seasons are upon us or not; it is your duty to inquire into that. Whether there be not an outward retaining of the truth under a visible prevalency of abomi- nable lusts in the world ; whether there be not a proneness to forsake the truth, and seducers at work to draw men off; whether there be not a mingling ourselves with the world, and therein learning their manners; whether there be not inward decays, under the outward performance of duties; and whether many are not suffering under persecution and trouble, judge ye, and act accordingly.
One word of use, and I have done.
332 PERILOUS TIMES.
Use 1. Let us all be exhorted to endeavour to get our hearts af- fected with the perils of the day wherein we live. You have heard a poor, weak discourse concerning it, and perhaps it will be quickly forgotten. O that God would be pleased to give us this grace, — that we may find it our duty to endeavour to have our hearts affected with the perils of these seasons ! It is not time to be asleep upon the top of a mast in a rough sea, when there are so many devouring dangers round about us. And the better to effect this, —
(1.) Consider the present things, and bring them to rule, and see what God's word says of them. We hear this and that story of hor- rible, prodigious wickedness ; and bring it in the next opportunity of talk, and there slightly pass it over. We hear of the judgments of God abroad in the world ; and bring them to the same standard of our own imaginations, and there is an end. And so we do with the distresses of others; we talk of them, and there is an end. But, brethren, when you observe any of these things, how it is with the world, if you would have your hearts affected, bring it to the word, and see what God saith of it : speak with God about it ; ask and in- quire at the mouth of God what God saith unto these prodigious wickednesses and judgments,- — this coldness that is upon professors, and their mixtures with, and learning the manners of the world. You will never have your hearts affected with it, till you come and speak with God about it ; and then you will find them represented in a glass that will make your hearts ache and tremble. And then, —
(2.) If you would be sensible of present perilous times, take heed of centring in self. While your greatest concern is self, or the world, all the angels in heaven cannot make you sensible of the peril of the days wherein you live. Whether you pursue riches or honours, while you centre there, nothing can make you sensible of the perils of the day. Therefore do not centre in self.