from time to time, what fitter Example he can make, is hard to fay. Perfons however will flatter themselves, that these, at the worst, are Dangers of very diftant Times. And every fingle Sinner in the World flatters himself in just the fame Manner. Yet the Confequences of their Sins do overtake Men, and may overtake Nations too, with furprizing Suddennefs. And the Sentence, recorded in Scripture, is perfectly just : They of the Houfe of Ifrael fay, The Vifion that he feeth is for many Days to come; and he prophefieth of Times that are far off. Therefore Shall none of my Words be prolonged any more: but the Word which I have spoken fhall be done, faith the Lord God*. And they fhall know, that I am the Lord; and have not faid in vain, that I would do this Evil unto them †. Other Perfons there are, who acknowledge the Prospect to be bad, and Evil perhaps impending: But the only wife Part in their Opinion is, to let Matters go as they will, and enjoy themselves as long as they can: Why fhould they be uneafy before the Time comes? Now if it were certain, that nothing * Ezek. xii. 27, 28. C 3 + Ezek. vi. 10. could could do good, this might be reasonable in a worldly View of Things: but where every one may contribute, both by amending himself and awakening others, to prevent Ruin; there to be indolent, is as contrary to Humanity, as it is to Religion. And therefore the Word of God hath taken fevere notice of it, as a great Crime. Ye have feen the Breaches of the City of David, that they are many :—And in that Day did the Lord God of Hofis call to Weeping, and to Mourning, and to girding with Sack-cloth and behold foy and Gladness, eating Flesh and drinking Wine: Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. And it was revealed in mine Ears by the Lord of Hofts: Surely this Iniquity shall not be purged from you, till ye die, faith the Lord God of Hofts *. But even they, who are concerned for the Public, may yet exprefs that Concern in a very faulty Way. Many feem to think they have fully done their Duty, as foon as they have been angry at thofe, whom they apprehend to have any way occafioned what is amiss; angry, perhaps at the wrong Perfons, perhaps in * Ifa. xxii. 9, 12, 13, 14. a wrong a wrong Manner: fuch as only tends to increase Guilt, and haften Mischief. The first Complaint, generally speaking, is of those in Authority. And undoubtedly the People have a Right to complain, whenever the common Concern is adminiftred ill. But then it should be confidered, that we may, through Ignorance or Prejudice, expect from Authority, either what it cannot do, or what is not fit to be done: we may expect more than is reasonable to expect from Men like ourselves, though it be fit; and even fuppofing them very. much to blame, we may conduct ourselves upon it fo as to be equally or yet more to blame. Want of Reverence to Laws and Superiors is one of our great Evils: and all Oppofition to whatever is thought wrong, should be accompanied with the ftrictest Care not to augment this Evil. But our Duty requires us peculiarly to beware of raifing Domeftic, Uneafineffes too high, when a foreign Eenmy may take Advantage of them and at all Times it requires us, to preferve moft religiously the Loyalty and Honour due to the fupreme Power: efpecially now, when our prefent Establishment is our only human Hope of C 4 having having all that is valuable to us fecured to ourfelves, and tranfmitted to our Pofterity. Next to the Rulers of a Nation, its Inftructors are usually the great Object of Cenfure: and we acknowledge there is Cause. We have not been so serious and religious, so zealous and diligent, fo difinterested and humble, so mild and charitable, as we ought. The Public must have suffered by this: we have suffered by it ourselves: and, unless we repent, we have ground to expect a yet fuller Execution, than we have experienced already, of what Heaven inflicted on our Predeceffors in the Jewish Nation: Therefore have I also made you contemptible and bafe before all the People, according as ye have not kept my Ways*. Yet we cannot but hope, that a very confiderable Part of the Accufations brought against us, would appear, upon Enquiry, to be without Foundation. But however that be, we must remind you, that Our Faults will be no Excufe for Your Tranfgreffions and we earnestly beg, that they who complain we do not the Good we ought, would at least not hinder, but give us Opportunity, and affist us rather, to do both Others and Themselves the Good we would. *Mal. ii. 9. But But even they, who proceed from Complaints to Endeavours of amending Things, will fail unhappily of their End, if they truft to worldly Methods alone, and leave Religion and Virtue, the great Support and Cement of human Society, out of their Schemes. This will be merely palliating for a little while: and doing what the Scripture, in perfect Conformity with plain Reason, hath long ago condemned, as doing nothing. Because they have feduced my People, faying, Peace, and there was no Peace; and one built up a Wall, and others daubed it with untempered morter: Therefore, thus faith the Lord God, I will rend it with a formy Wind, and bring it down to the Ground, fo that the Foundations thereof shall be difcovered: and it fhall fall, and ye shall be confumed in the midft thereof, and ye shall know that I am the Lord*. Indeed every Page of the prophetical Writings recommends itself greatly to thinking Persons, by the most forcible and convincing Expresfions of the utter Inefficacy of every Expedient for public Good, that is not accompanied with true Virtue and true Piety. "Thefe, therefore, it is our most important Intereft to restore and promote: to represent * Ezek. xiii. 10-14. |