Page:Duty of redeeming the time in evil days, illustrated and enforced.pdf/15

Rh only foundation of divine faith. Try what ye hear by it, as the noble Bercans did, for which they are highly commended.

(8.) Lastly, Be tender and holy in your walk. “ If any man will do his will," says our Lord, John vii 17. " he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Where men are conscientious to practise known truth, there is hope of being led into all truth; while otherwise the Spirit of the Lord being grieved departs.

Secondly, Our days are evil days, in respect of abounding sin. The generation whereis we live hath signalized itself for looseness and he tiousness, and our iniquity is gone up into the heavens, and the measure of it is fast, very fist filling up Our land we may say) is filled with sin against the holy One of Israel," Jer. li. 5. The aboundin of sin in our day appears in that,

1. Sins of all sorts are to be found amongst us, whether against the first or second table. The truth is, contempt of God ind of religion hath made most fearful advances: the gospel is despised, the holy laws of God are violated, his bands are broken and his cords cast away. The land is defiled with idolatry superstition, sinful swearing, Sabbath-breaking, unfaithfulness in all relations, murders uncleanness, dishonesty, and fraud, lying, and covetousness. And what can be found among a people professing the name of Christ to bring wrath on then, that is not to be found in Scotland at this day? Particularly, there are two signs of a generation posting to ruin, that have appeared of late more than for many years before.

(1.) Horrid blasphemies, shewing what height the generation is come to in contempt of God. Not only is there a fearful outbreaking of blasphemous principles, overturning the foundation of Christianity ; but many fearful blasphemies and blasphemous practices have been occasionally vented and set up of late, to fill up the measure of the iniquity of the land.

(2.) Rampant oppression, to shew, what a low pass humanity is a: in these dregs of time. I doubt it there be any alive that ever saw as much oppression in this land, when it was neither a time of war, nor of persecution, as