Page:Duty of redeeming the time in evil days, illustrated and enforced.pdf/16

16 we have neither of them at this day. When was that so much verified as at this day, "The people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.” Isa. iii. 5. These things can hardly miss to fill our cup to the brim.

2. Corruption of manners has overspread all ranks in church and state; and it is come to that, Genesis vi 12. "God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth," Not only religion, but sobriety is almost gone out of fashion with those of the greater sort, so that they have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bones; and the meaner sort follow the example, alas! too much ; and there is a visible growing untenderness among those whose character and office in the church obliges them to give a holy example to both. So that lock after religion where you will, it will be found at a very low pass in the practice of it.

3 Religion is so much on the declining hand, that there is not so much as a standing still and not mending, but a growing worse and worse still. The generation is still growing forward in apostasy from God, and not going, but running further and further wrong. New causes of wrath are still produced in the progress of time, and Satan's kingdom is visibly increasing. The evil is growing worse and worse, and many sometime hopeful have taken off the mask, and appear in their native colours.

4. The sins of sons and daughters are more and greater than ordinary. They are so mixed with the men of the world, that they have learned much of their way, and have left their first love, Rev. ii. 4. There is a cloud even upon them, so that they have not that life, spirit, and tenderness that sometimes they had And they that depart from evil make themselves a prey.

And what makes these days of abounding sin worse, is, 1st, That they are come in over the belly of much light.

Our days have been days of much gospel-light, but the truth has been held in unrighteousness, and men have rebelled against the light: so the light is grown weaker, and the works of darkness have got the upper hand,