SERMON VI.

Preached April 10, 1681.

TITUS 1. 16.

They profess that they know GOD; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and difobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

N our former difcourfe we proposed to inquire, what fort of perfons they are, who

I

may be faid to overthrow their profeffion;、 and to make it a mere nullity, or of no fignificance. Namely,

I. SUCH as profefs the true religion, but fo falfified and corrupted, as that the very object of their profeffion is ftrangely altered from it self. They profess what, originally, was the true reli gion; but, as they profess it, it is not true. These we have already confidered.

II. I PROCEED now to confider the fecond fort of men, that were fpoken of: Namely, fuch as profefs that which is moft true, to wit the Christian religion in its purity; but do it most untruly, and are altogether infincere in that profeffion.

AND,

AND, in order to this, I fhall confine my felfS ER M.. to these two heads that lie in the text, which I VI. have doctrinally opened in a former difcourfe. That is, as I have already fhewn, they may very truly be faid to deny Him in works, whom they profefs to know and acknowledge as the true. GOD: who have, in the firft place, an habitual propension to abominable wickedness; or, in the next place, an habitual averfion to whatfoever is good.

1. THEY may be truly faid to deny Gop in their works, though they profefs to know Him, who have an habitual propenfion to habitual wickedness. There are indeed two expreffions of the Apostle, that are here alluded to; namely, abominable and difobedient: The former of which, as we have shewn before*, speaks the wickedness to which fuch are propense; and the latter, the obftinacy of that propenfion. Which is plainly fignified by the word rendered difabedient; which we may render more emphatically untractableness, fuch as by no perfuafions can be withdrawn from a wicked course.

I DOUBT not but there are many fuch perfons, who because they are not of that fort which we have spoken of in the preceeding difcourfe, but account themselves very good Proteftants; and are refolved, for aught they know, to continue fuch as long as they live, therefore conclude they are on very good terms with GOD. Whether F 2

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there

VOL, there are not many who go under this honourable II.. agrees, name, unto whom this character too much of being obftinate in a courfe of wickedness, you your felves, with too much clearness may judge. However I hope, that your acquaintance does not lie with fuch perfons, fo as to have much occafion to obferve their way and courfe; I hope, I fay, it is not generally fo with you. But who is there, whom common fame and common cry can fuffer to be ignorant of the wickedness that lurks, yea that rages, under the very name of Proteftantifm? Unless a man would fhut himself up in a den or a cell, he cannot help knowing that there is a great deal of wickedness amongst Us, which ought to go under the title of abominable: Wickednefs! which even Proteftants obftinately perfift in. The horrid oaths, execrations, and blafphemies, which the taverns refound with, and of which the streets are not, innocent; the debaucheries of all forts; who can keep himself from knowing there are fuch things done and practifed among thofe, who are concerned to maintain the name and reputation of being Proteftants, and value themselves upon it?

AND yet it must be faid, that though fuch wickedness be abominable, yet it is too little abominated. Those who are not themselves it may be guilty of fuch vices, are drawn into a participation of the guilt of others, in fome measure, by not resenting, by not taking to heart, and by not mourning over the wickedness of the times in which they live. A way of partaking with other

- men's

men's fins that is but too real, and too little SER M VI. thought of!

AND it is well, if fome do not partake of the guilt of others farther than this, that would not be thought to countenance or approve their wicked practices; who yet, when they are in company with them, bear a part therein. Particularly to mention one inftance, in drinking confufion to fuch or fuch a party, and the like; as ifit were the pouring in of liquor, and not the pouring out of prayer, that is the way to ingage the Almighty GoD to be on their fide. And whither does all this tend? What feems to be the meaning and import of it but this? that men do, as it were, fet themfelves to tempt or defy the juftice and vengeance of heaven! To try whether GOD can yet find a way to turn our houfes into flaming beacons, and lay this city again in a ruinous wafte! Or to try what further stores there are yet in the armoury of God; what furniture in his quiver, and whether he hath any more arrows to spend upon us or no! For, to go no further than this city, I would very fain know, who that has had the opportunity to observe and take notice, can fay that LONDON is fo much better now, than it was before the fire, that we have no reason to fear a repetition of any fuch judgement as that, or the peftilence which immediately preceded it? Unless we will think that all things fall out by chance, or cafually, or by the designs of men; or that a juft and holy GoD has no hand in the government of the world,

VO L. and the ordering and disposing of events, which

II.

fall out in it. That calamity which brought this glorious city into duft, did not spring out of it; neither does affliction come from thence, though it may bring us thither.

AND will men think, that the name of Proteftant will be a protection from fuch feverities, and awful judgements hereafter? Why then was it not fo before? Do we imagine that Almighty GOD is fo taken with names; or that they are a matter of fo high account with him? Can we fuppofe that he will lefs refent, or be more patient of, affronts and contempt from a Proteftant; than from a Papift, or a Pagan? Will not wickednefs be the fame thing in both?

BUT perhaps fome may be ready to fay; "All this is very right; but we have more than "the name of being Proteftants: We perform ་ many duties that do belong to that religion." And perhaps one fort of Proteftants may glory and make their boaft, that for their parts, they are diligent in their attendance on publick worship and devout in bearing a part in the foJemnity thereof, but efpecially in the prayers of the Church they are very punctual in the observances of it; miffing in no point of ceremony; keep exactly to all the modifh and fashionable rites; have their refponfes at their fingers ends, and the like. Another fort, it may be, boast otherwise and on different grounds; who, thinking that this is not fo fure a way, chuse rather another kind of worship, which they fancy to be

purer: