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THE DANGER Of Not Reforming Known Evils OR, The Inexcusableness of a Knowing People Refusing to be Reformed.
As it was set forth on a Day of Publick FASTING, April 16. 1707. at Hatfield.
By William Williams, Pastor of the CHURCH there.
BOSTON: Printed by B. Green. 1707.
GOD's own visible People are not exempt from Judgments; yea those among them who are truly godly and dear to God, if by their sinful carriages they cast disho|nour upon God, and upon Religion; do expose themselves to many humbling and afflictive rebukes from God in this World. Tho' their Sin be pardoned, and shall not condemn them in the other World: yet God sees it necessary for the vindication of His own Name, and the promoting of their good, to give some publick testimony of His displeasure against Sin. Not only such as are of a profane and vicious Spirit, whose carriages are an open defiance to Heaven; but many times the Sins of those who are upright and sincere, do help to bring publick rebukes and judgments upon themselves & others. God was so displeased with the Impatience and Diffidence of Moses and Aaron, that he excluded them out of Canaan, Deut. 32.51.52.
God was so offended with David in the matter of Ʋriah, that He brought a great deal of sorrow upon his Family and Kingdom: So provoked with Solomon for his Connivance at, and Encouragement of the Idolatry of his Wives, as to rend away ten parts of the Kingdom of Israel out of the hand of his Son. And in the Context God denounces an awful threatening against the House of Eli for his undue toleration and connivance at the wickedness of his Sons. Such examples should in|struct us, not to be high minded but fear: Not to think our selves secure because of any visible relation to God; but to carry a holy awe and trembling up|on our hearts, of his Holiness and Jealousy, who is of purer Eyes than to look upon sin.
DOCT. It is Highly Offensive to God, and shews Men to be very faulty; when they will not Reform what they Know to be amiss.
This Aggravated Eli's Sin, that he knew his Sons to be vile, and did not do what he might and ought to have done to restrain them. Sometimes a People, and so particular Persons Sin through Ignorance, they are under disadvantages to know the mind of God in particular cases; or else the matter is disputable, it's a question to them whether the thing be a Sin: now tho' this don't wholly excuse Sin, yet it lessens it; it is not so heinous nor so aggravated. But when men have so much light held forth, that Sin is particularly discovered, and God is plainly testifying against it, and they are often confessing it, yet do not set themselves to reform it, but persist in it still; this makes them very guilty before God, and shews their offence to be very great. Hence it is God threatens in a peculiar manner to punish His Own People, Amos 3:2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities. Why is this? Not because God loves them less than He doth other People; but because His Name and Honour suffers more by their Sins, and they being committed against more light than the Sins of others, are the more inexcusable. Job. 15 22. So James 4 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not, to him it is Sin. (i. e.) It is so with peculiar aggravations.
Application:
USE I. This shews us that a People under the prevailing of an Ʋnreformed Spirit, are many times more Culpable in the sight of God, than they are aware. Not only the Evils that prevail among them, are in themselves, and in their own nature, very offensive to God: but their not improving the light held forth to them, for their Conviction and Reformation; renders their Sin very culpable, and highly aggravated in the sight of God. It is to be blamed, when a People corrupt themselves, and grow degenerate; but it is worse, when they continue so, and will not be re|claimed: They are to blame upon a double account.
1. With respect to their Ʋnthankfulness for the Light that is held forth to them Their not improving of it, and submitting to it, shews their low esteem of it; that they don't as they ought, acknowledge the Mercy of God in it. It is a great frown of God upon a Peo|ple, when he lets them alone in their Sins, without using the means that are proper to convince, reform, and convert them, and bring them back to their duty: When He suffers them to walk in their own ways, as he did the Gentile World, Acts 14 6 When He lets them alone, as Hos. 4 17. When He leaves them to blindness, and darkness; and will not vouchsafe to use those means with them, that he is wont to do with his People: dont discover their Sin or danger to them, nor call them to Repentance: It is a sign God hath mark'd them out for his vengeance and dis|pleasure. But it is on the other hand a great mercy and blessing when God takes pains with men to bring them to a sight of Sin, and a conviction of their duty; reveals his will to them, shows them how they should govern themselves, and order their conversations; testifies against their Evils; warns them of the danger of Sin, and encourages them to obedience by promises of Mercy: these are sit means to work upon a heart, and gain men to their duty. God reckons it a great indulgence to Israel, Psal. 147.19. He gave his Statutes to Jacob, and his Judgments to Israel, &c. And justly takes it ill, when it is not duly received: Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a strange thing. Or a foreign thing, as a thing they had no concern|ment in; not belonging to them; nor did desire to be governed by. Whatever pretences men make of thankfulness for the word of God, and speak of it as a privilege, that they have light, and means of Grace; yet if they don't yield Obedience to the light, and conform themselves to the Commands of it; they are Practically Unthankful; and do in effect, cast it behind their backs, as Neh. 9.26.
2. In that an Ʋnwillingness to be Reformed argues much of an Incorrigible Spirit. It shows their hearts are set upon their Evil ways: Hos. 11.7. My People are bent to backsliding from me: tho' they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him: it shews the Inveterateness of a disease when it resists, and overcomes healing Medicines. So when suitable means are used to bring a People to Repentance; and all prove frustrate and ineffectual; when nothing will do, it shews much Incorrigibleness and of Irreclaimableness. When they say; either in Words or Practices, as they, in Jer. 44.16. As for the Word thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. And 2 Chron. 36 15, 16. When this comes to the height, Judgments come on irremedilesly, and there is no resisting or escaping. Ordinarily, this spirit doth not come to the height at once, but grows upon a People gradually. Now this is a great degree of it, when they withstand means of Conviction, don't hearken to the voice of God's Warnings or Judgments; when they Plead for Sin, and are unwilling to Repent, Reform and Turn to God unfeignedly. To be of such a spirit, as to slight Reproofs, and contemn Reprovers, is a very bad Estate. Its bad enough when the hearts of a People are gone off from God, and set upon their Lusts: but it is worse, when they will Not return; but persevere in their evil ways.
USE. II. May be to Warn you that you don't resist the Light, that should discover your Sin, and bring you to your Duty. It is a dangerous thing to neglect to Reform what you Know to be amiss: there's a great deal of Sin in it, and it exposes those who are guilty of it, to many Judgments. Eli had been before now warned of the wickedness of his Sons; but his Sinful Indulgence towards them blinded him: and here God tells him, He will Judge his house for ever. So the Prophet declares against Amaziah, 2 Chron 25 16 I know God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel. Not|withstanding evident testimonies from God, men do sometimes harden their hearts: and by persisting in Sin, expose themselves to Spiritual, Temporal, and Eternal Judgments. I will mind you of some of the ways whereby Persons do sometimes do it; that you may be cautioned against them.
Reform such things as are plainly Witnessed against from the Word of God. You all confess the Word of God to be the Rule according to which our Lives and Actions should be ordered: that it is to be our Guide, as to matters of Institution, and as to moral duties; Truth, Justice, Temperance, Charity, Modesty, and the like. When ever therefore your Duty laid down in it, is cleared up from it in the Ministry so plainly that your Consciences cant gain-say it; be careful that you don't withstand any such Counsel, or Message from God to you. David saith, Psal. 119 161. — My heart standeth in awe of thy word. God looks with a gracious respect to those that tremble at his Word, Isa. 66 2. When any Duty is enforced by it, or Sin condemned, we should submit to it with reverence, and thankfulness. It is not matter of Liberty, whether you will receive, or reject the Commands of God; but what God requires, Must be cheerfully submitted to. In|deed, where matters are disputable or dark to them, there it is mens duty to enquire to labour to have their doubts resolved: but where matters are plain, and un|questionable; as in duties of Love to God, and Men, especially in Moral Precepts & such things as all agree to be duties; and a mans own Conscience cant gain-say it: if in such cases men don't hearken to the voice of God, He will surely require it of them. To inforce this Exhortation, I shall add these following Considerations:
1. The neglecting to Reform what you Know to be Amiss, will argue you to be guilty of great Hypocrisy in your so|lemn transactions with God on such days as these. Tis a thing confessed, that days of Humiliation without Re|formation, are not acceptable to God; but rather days of Provocation, Isai. 58.5, 6, 7. There is not that Humiliation, Repentance, brokenness of Heart for Sin, humble waiting upon God for Mercy, as ought to be: but men put off God with empty shows, and external devotions, which rather heighten, than moderate his anger. If there were a serious desire, and engagedness of Heart to be reconciled to God; they would be willing to remove what lies as a bar in the way to it; did men count Sin to be so bad, as they profess it to be; certainly they would be willing to let it go. To pretend to desire Peace, and Atonement with God, and to neglect the Terms upon which He offers it: what is this but to act hypocritically? To cry for favour & pardoning Mercy; and perpetuate the grounds of Gods controversy: what is this but to mock God, to flatter Him with your lips, while your hearts are far from Him? it evidently shows the carnality, and selfishness of mens hearts, in such Prayers: Hos 7.14. They assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
2. Consider what losers you have been, and are still like to be, by not Reforming the Evils God hath witnessed against. It is confessed, that the Sins of Gods professing People, are the Provoking Causes of their calamities: Micah 1 5. For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sin of the house of Israel. Idolatry, Oppression, and neglect of Gods Worship prevaild; and that brought on abundance of Misery. It is the abounding of Iniquities among us, that hath made way for the many Rebukes of Heaven, that we have been under: and neglecting to be reformed, hath continued them; our own experience may convince us, what losers we have been hereby: we have forsaken God to our Loss.
How reasonable are Gods demands! When he calls men to deny Ungodliness, and Worldly Lusts; to live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present World; to love God, and love one another; and especially, to love your own Souls, by being throughly careful to Redeem time, and improve all helps, to secure the happiness of them in Christ, while the day of Salvation is continued; to turn to Him by a thorough Repentance, and
acknowledgement of our offences, and a humble application to the blood of the Covenant, that God would Pardon our Sins, and heal our Land. God requires no compensation for the wrongs we have done Him; no requitals for his injured Name and Glory, which hath suffered so much by us. But if you will return to Him with all your hearts, accept His Redeeming Grace, and resign your selves to His Service in Sincerity, He will be gracious and prevent us with blessings of goodness: Zech. 1.3. — Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. And can any be unwilling to this? Many are ready to say, They would be willing to part with many Pounds of their Estates; yea to venture their Lives, that they might enjoy peaceable dayes again: And will you not part with your Lusts for it? Abridge your selves of Unlawful Liberties, be humble and holy that you may obtain it! Psal. 50. ult. — To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the Salvation of GOD.
FINIS.
Full Text: Item Information | The danger of not reforming known evils or, The inexcusableness of a knowing people refusing to be reformed. As it was set forth on a day of publick fasting, April 16. 1707. At Hatfield. / By William Williams, Pastor of the church there. ; [Four lines from Isaiah] | Evans Early American Imprint Collection | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections
