Page:Duty of redeeming the time in evil days, illustrated and enforced.pdf/17

Rh 2dly, Our national hazards and deliverances have been many and signal; and behold the fruit of them, as if we had been delivered to do all these abominations. If either threatened judgments or merciful deliverances could have cured us, we had been in another case at this day : but all these things seem to have been blasted.

3dly, There are few, very few to stand in the gap, Ezek. xxii. 30. Few that have either heart or hand to oppose themselves to the torrent of wickedness: few mourners over the abominations done in the midst of us. I doubt not but there are some who truly sigh and cry for the abounding sin of our day. But I doubt if our Zion these many years has afforded fewer of that sort. These our provocations have been of so long continuance, that though at their first appearance they were moving, yet the horror of them seems to be abated by custom ; besides that many of the sometimes mourners in Zion are themselves deeply involved in the backsliding courses of the day.

These things make our days evil days : for,

(1.) The dishonour done to God, and the provocation thereby given to the eyes of his glory, is great beyond expression : " The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you," says Paul to the Romans, chap. ii. 24. Our land has been singularly privileged, being married to the Lord in solemn covenant, and her renown has sometimes gone through many nations : But, ah! how is God dishonoured, and religion exposed, by such fearful departures from the Lord !

(2.) They are ensnaring days. O how hard is it for people to keep their feet in such a day, and not to be carried away with the stream? Rev. iii. 5. How hard is it to keep up a due horror of sin, while on every hand of us it is so lightly looked upon ? Temptation is strong in such a day.

(3.) They are days that while they last, little good and great can well be expected in them. Hence said the Lord by the man of God unto Eli, " Then that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed," I Sam. ii. 30. A generation so much dishonouring God, it can be little expected that God will