IV. 1. Surely ye are _without excuse_, all who do not yet know the day of your visitation! The day, wherein the great God, who hath been forgotten among us, days without number, is arising at once to be avenged of his adversaries, and to visit and redeem his people. Are not his judgments and mercies both abroad? And still, will ye not learn righteousness? Is not _the_ Lord _passing by_? Doth not _a great and strong wind_ already begin _to rend the mountains_, and to _break in pieces the rocks before the Lord_? Is not the _earthquake_ also felt already? And _a fire_ hath begun to burn in his anger. Who knoweth what will be the end thereof? But at the same time, he is speaking to many in _a still, small voice_. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear, lest he be suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy!
2. What _excuse_ can possibly be made for those, who are _regardless_ of such a season as this? Who are at such a crisis, stupid, senseless, unapprehensive; caring for none of these things? Who do not give themselves the _pains_ to _think_ about them, but are still _easy_ and _unconcerned_? What! can there ever be a point, on which it more behoves you to _think_? And that with the coolest and deepest _attention_? As long as the heaven and the earth remain, can there be any thing of so vast importance, as God’s last call to a guilty land, just perishing in its iniquity!
You, with those round about you, deserved long ago to have _drank the dregs of the cup of trembling_: yea, to have been _punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power_. But he hath not dealt with you according to your sins, neither rewarded you after your iniquities. And once more he is mixing mercy with judgment. Once more he is crying aloud, _Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of_ Israel; and will you not deign to give him the hearing? If you are not careful to answer him in this matter. Do you still shut your eyes, and stop your ears, and harden your stubborn heart?――――Oh beware, lest God laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh!
3. Will you plead, that you have other concerns to mind? That other business engages your thoughts? It does so indeed; but this is your foolishness; this is the very thing that leaves you without excuse.――For what business can be of equal moment? The mariner may have many concerns to mind, and many businesses to engage his thoughts: but not when the ship is sinking. In such a circumstance (it is your own) you have but one thing to think of. Save the ship and your own life together! And the higher post you are in, the more deeply intent should you be on this one point. Is this a time for diversion? For eating and drinking, and rising up to play? Keep the ship above water. Let all else go and mind _this one thing_!
4. Perhaps you will say, “So I do. I do mind this one thing, how to save the sinking nation. And therefore now I must think of _arms_ and _provisions_. I have no time now to think of _religion_.” This is exactly as if the mariner should say, “Now I must think of my _guns_ and _stores_. I have no time now to think of the _hold_.” Why man, you must think of this, or perish. It is _there_ the leak is sprung. Stop that, or you and all your _stores_ will go together to the bottom of the sea.
Is not this your very case? Then, whatever you do, _stop the leak_: else you go to the bottom! I do not speak against your _stores_. They are good in their kind; and it may be well they are laid in.――――But all your _stores_ will not save the sinking ship, unless you can stop the _leak_. Unless you can some way keep out these _floods of ungodliness_, that are still continually pouring in, you must soon be swallowed up in the great deep, in the abyss of God’s judgments. This, this is the destruction of the _English_ nation. It is _vice_, bursting in on every side, that is just ready to sink us into slavery first, and then into the nethermost hell.――――_Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you?_ Let him think of this. Think of this, all that love your country, or that care for your own souls. If now especially you do not think of _this one thing_, you have no _excuse_ before God or man.