Perilous Times
2 Timothy 3:1
John Owen
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times
shall come."
2 Timothy 3:1
The words contain a warning of imminent dangers. And there are
four things in them: First, the manner of the warning: "This know also," Secondly, the evil itself that they
are warned of: "Perilous times." Thirdly, the way of their introduction: "They shall come." Fourthly,
the time and season of it: "They shall come in the last days."
First. The manner of the warning: "This know also" -
"Thou Timothy, unto the other instructions which I have given thee how to behave thyself in the house of God, whereby thou mayest
be set forth as a pattern unto all gospel ministers in future ages, I must also add this, 'This
know also.' It belongs to thy
duty and office to know and consider the impending judgments that are coming
upon churches." And so, as a justification of my present design, if God enable me unto it, I shall here
premise that it is the duty of
the ministers of the gospel to foresee and take notice of the dangers which the
churches are falling into. And the Lord help us, and all other ministers, to be awakened unto this part of
our duty! You know how God sets it forth (Ezekiel 33) in the parable of the watchman, to warn men of
approaching dangers. And
truly God hath given us this law: If we warn the churches of their approaching
dangers, we discharge
our duty; if we do not, their blood will be required at our hands. The Spirit of
God forsaw negligence apt
to grow upon us in this matter; and therefore the Scripture only proposeth duty
on the one hand and on
the other requires the people's blood at the hands of the watchmen, if they
perform not their duty. So
speaks the prophet Isaiah, chap. 21, vs. 8, "He cried, A lion: My lord, I
stand continually upon the
watch-tower." A lion is an emblem of approaching judgment. "The lion
hath roared; who can but
tremble?" saith the prophet Amos. It is the duty of ministers of the gospel
to give warning of impending
dangers.
Again: the apostle, in speaking unto Timothy, speaks unto us
also, to us all, "This know ye also." It is the
great concern of all Christian professors and believers, of all churches, to
have their hearts very much
fixed upon present and approaching dangers. We have inquired so long about
signs, tokens, and
evidences of deliverance, and I know not what, that we have almost lost the
benefit of all our trials,
afflictions, and persecutions. The duty of all believers is, to be intent upon
present and imminent dangers.
"O Lord," say the disciples, Matt. 24, "what shall be the sign of
thy coming?" They were fixed upon His
coming. Our Savior answers, "I will tell you:
1. There shall be an abounding of errors and false teachers:
many shall say, 'Lo here is Christ,'
and, 'Lo, there is Christ.'
2. There shall be an apostasy from holiness: 'iniquity shall
abound, and the love of many shall wax
cold.'
3. There shall be great distress of nations: 'Nation shall rise
against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom.'
4. There shall be great persecutions: 'And they shall persecute
you, and bring you before rulers;
and you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.'
5. There shall be great tokens of God's wrath from heaven:
'Signs in the heavens, the sun, moon,
and stars."'
The Lord Christ would acquaint believers how they should look
for His coming; He tells them of all the
dangers. Be intent upon these things. I know you are apt to overlook them; but
these are the things that
you are to be intent upon.
Not to be sensible of a present perilous season, is that
security which the Scripture so condemns; and I will leave it with you, in short, under these three things:
1. It is that frame of heart which, of all others, God doth most
detest and abhor. Nothing is more hateful to God than a secure frame in perilous days.
2. I will not fear to say this, and go with it, as to my sense,
to the day of judgment: A secure
person, in perilous seasons, is assuredly under the power of some predominant
lust, whether it
appears or not.
3. This secure, senseless frame is the certain pressage of
approaching ruin. This know, brethren,
pray know this, I beg of you, for yours and my own soul, that you will be
sensible of, and
affected with, the perils of the season whereinto we are cast. What they are, if
God help me, and
give me a little strength, I shall show you by-and-by.
Secondly. There is the evil and danger itself thus forewarned
of, and that is hard times, perilous times,
times of great difficulty, like those of public plagues, when death lies at
every door; times that I am sure we shall not all escape, let it fall where it will. I will say no more of it
now, because it is that which I
shall principally speak to afterward.
Thirdly. The manner of their introduction, "shall
come." We have no word in our language that will
express the force of the original. The Latins express it by "immineno,
incido," - the coming down of a
fowl unto his prey. Now, our translators have given it the greatest force they
could. They do not say,
"Perilous times will come," as though they prognosticated future
events; but, "Perilous times shall come."
Here is a hand of God in this business; they shall so come, be so instant in
their coming, that nothing
shall keep them out; they shall instantly press themselves in, and prevail. Our
great wisdom, then, will be
to eye the displeasure of God in perilous seasons; since there is a judicial
hand of God in them, and we
see in ourselves reason enough why they should come. But when shall they come?
Fourthly. They "shall come in the last days." The
words "latter" or "last days" are taken three ways in
Scripture: sometimes for the times of the gospel, in opposition to the Judaical
church-state; as in Heb. 1:2, "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son"; and
elsewhere it may be taken (though I
remember not the place) for days towards the consummation of all things and the
end of the world; and
it is taken often for the latter days of churches; I Tim. 4:1, "The Spirit
of vile lusts, and the practice of
horrible sins." This rendered the seasons perilous. Whether this be such a
season or not, do you judge. And I must say, by the way, we may and ought to witness against it, and mourn
for the public sins of
the days wherein we live. It is as glorious a thing to be a martyr for bearing
testimony against the public
sins of an age, as in bearing testimony unto any truth of the gospel whatsoever.
Now, where these things are, a season is perilous:
1. Because of the infection. Churches and professors are apt to
be infected with it. The historians
tell us of a plague at Athens, in the second and third years of the
Peloponnesian war, whereof
multitudes died; and of those that lived, few escaped but they lost a limb, or
part of a limb - some
an eye, others an arm, and others a finger - the infection was so great and
terrible. And truly,
brethren, where this plague comes - of the visible practice of unclean lusts
under an outward
profession - though men do not die, yet one loses an arm, another an eye,
another a leg by it: the
infection diffuses itself to the best of professors, more or less. This makes it
a dangerous and
perilous time.
2. It is dangerous, because of the effects; for when predominant
lusts have broken all bounds of
divine light and rule, how long do you think that human rules will keep them in
order? They break
through all in such a season as the apostle describes. And if they come to break
through all human
restraints as they have broken through divine, they will fill all things with
ruin and confusion.
3. They are perilous in the consequence: which is, the judgments
of God. When men do not
receive the truth in the love of it, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, God
will send them strong
delusion, to believe a he. So II Thess. 2:10-11 is a description how the Papacy
came upon the
world. Men professed the truth of religion, but did not love it they loved
unrighteousness and
ungodliness; and God sent them Popery. That is the interpretation of the place,
according to the
best divines. Will you profess the truth, and at the same time love
unrighteousness? The
consequence is, security under superstition and ungodliness. This is the end of
such a perilous
season; and the like may be said as to temporal judgments, which I need not
mention.
Let us now consider what is our duty in such a perilous season:
1. We ought greatly to mourn for the public abominations of the
world, and of the land of our
nativity wherein we live. I would only observe that place in Ezekiel 9, God
sends out His
judgments, and destroys the city; but before, He sets a mark upon the foreheads
of the men that
sigh for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. You will find
this passage referred
in your books to Revelation 7:3, "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor
the trees, till we have
sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." I would only observe
this, that such only are
the servants of God, let men profess what they will, "who mourn for the
abominations that are
done in the land." The mourners in the one place are the servants of God in
the other. And truly,
brethren, we are certainly to blame in this matter. We have been almost well
contented that men
should be as wicked as they would themselves, and we sit still and see what
would come of it.
Christ hath been dishonored, the Spirit of God blasphemed, and God provoked
against the land of
our nativity; and yet we have not been affected with these things. I can truly
say in sincerity, I
bless God, I have sometimes labored with my own heart about it. But I am afraid
we, all of us,
come exceedingly short of our duty in this matter. "Rivers of waters,"
saith the Psalmist, "run
down mine eyes, because men keep not thy law." Horrible profanation of the
name of God,
horrible abominations, which our eyes have seen, and our ears heard, and yet our
hearts been
unaffected with them! Do you think this is a frame of heart God requireth of us
in such a season -
to be regardless of all, and not to mourn for the public abominations of the
land? The servants of
God will mourn. I could speak, but am not free to speak, to those prejudices
which keep us from
mourning for public abominations; but they may be easily suggested unto all your
thoughts, and
particularly what they are that have kept us from attending more unto this duty
of mourning for
public abominations. And give me leave to say, that, according to the Scripture
rule, there is no
one of us can have any evidence that we shall escape outward judgments that God
will bring for
these abominations, if we have not been mourners for them; but that as smart a
revenge, as to
outward dispensations, may fall upon us as upon those that are most guilty of
them, no Scripture
evidence have we to the contrary. How God may deal with us, I know not.
This, then, is one part of the duty of this day - that we should
humble our souls for all the abominations that are committed in the land of our nativity; and, in particular,
that we have no
more mourned under them.
2. Our second duty, in reference to this perilous season is, to
take care that we be not infected
with the evils and sins of it. A man would think it were quite contrary; but
really, to the best of
my observation, this is, and hath been, the frame of things, unless upon some
extraordinary
dispensation of God's Spirit: as some men's sins grow very high, other men's
graces grow very
low. Our Saviour hath told us, Matthew 24:12, "Because iniquity shall
abound, the love of many
shall wax cold." A man would think the abounding of iniquity in the world
should give great
provocation to love one another. "No," saith our Saviour, "the
contrary will be found true: as some
men's sins grow high, other men's graces will grow low."
And there are these reasons for it:
(a) In such a season, we are apt to have light thoughts of great
sins. The prophet looked
upon it as a dreadful thing, that upon Jehoiakin's throwing the roll of
Jeremiah's prophecy
into the fire, till it was consumed, yet they were not afraid, nor rent their
garments, neither
the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words," Jer.36:24.
They were grown
senseless, both of sin and judgment. And where men (be they in other respects
ever so
wise) can grow sense less of sin, they will quickly grow senseless of judgment
too. And I
am afraid the great reason why many of us have no impression upon our spirits of
danger
and perils in the days wherein we live, is because we are not sensible of sin.
(b) Men are apt to countenance themselves in lesser evils,
having their eyes fixed upon
greater abominations of other men, that they behold every day; there are those
who pay
their tribute to the devil - walk in such and such abominations, and so
countenance
themselves in lesser evils. This is part of the public infection, that they
"do not run out into
the same excess of riot that others do," though they live in the omission
of duty,
conformity to the world, and in many foolish, hurtful, and noisome lusts. They
countenance themselves with this, that others are guilty of greater
abominations.
(c) Pray let such remember this, who have occasion for it (you
may know it better than I,
but yet I know it by rule, as much as you do by practice), that general converse
in the
world, in such a season, is full of danger and peril. Most professors are grown
of the color
and complexion of those with whom they converse.
This is the first thing that makes a season perilous. I know not
whether these things may be of concern
and use unto you; they seem so to me, and I cannot but acquaint you with them.
II. A second perilous season, and that we shall hardly come off
in, is when men are prone to forsake the
truth, and seducers abound to gather them up that are so; and you will have
always these things go
together. Do you see seducers abound? You may be sure there is a proneness in
the minds of men to
forsake the truth; and when there is such a proneness, they will never want
seducers - those that will
lead off the minds of men from the truth; for there is both the hand of God and
Satan in this business.
God judicially leaves men, when He sees them grow weary of the truth, and prone
to leave it; and Satan
strikes in with the occasion, and stirs up seducers. This makes a season
perilous. The apostle describes
it, I Tim. 4: 1, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times" (these perilous days) "some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils." And so Peter warns
them to whom he writes, II Peter 2:1, 2, that "there shall come false
teachers among them, who privily
shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and
bring upon themselves
swift destruction; and many shall follow their pernicious ways." There
shall come times full of peril,
which shall draw men from the truth into destruction.
If it be asked, how may we know whether there be a proneness in
the minds of men in any season to
depart from the truth? There are three ways whereby we may judge it:
1. The first is that mentioned, 11 Tim. 4:3, "The time will
come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears."
When men grow weary of sound doctrine - when it is too plain, too heavy, too
dull, too common,
too high, too mysterious, one thing or other that displeases them, and they
would hear something
new, something that may please - it is a sign that there are in such an age many
who are prone to
forsake sound doctrine: and many such we know.
2. When men have lost the power of truth in their conversation,
and are as prone and ready to
part with the profession of it in their minds. Do you see a man retaining the
profession of the truth
under a worldly conversation? He wants but baits from temptation, or a seducer,
to take away his
faith from him. An inclination to hearken after novelties, and loss of the power
of truth in the
conversation, is a sign of proneness unto this declension from the truth. Such a
season, you see,
is perilous. And why is it perilous? Because the souls of many are destroyed in
it. The apostle tells
us directly, II Peter 2:1, of "false prophets among the people, who privily
bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destructions."
Will it abide there? No: "And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by
reason of whom the way
of truth shall be evil spoken of." Brethren, while it is well with us,
through the grace of God, and
our own houses are not inflames, pray do not let use think the times are not
perilous, when so
many turn into pernicious errors, and fall into swift destruction. Will you say
the time of the
public plague was not perilous, because you were alive? No. Was the fire not
dreadful, because
your houses were not burned? No; you will, notwithstanding, say it was a
dreadful plague, and a
dreadful fire. And pray consider, is not this a perilous season, when multitudes
have an inclination
to depart from the truth, and God, in just judgment, hath permitted Satan to
stir up seducers to
draw them into pernicious ways, and their poor souls perish forever?
Besides, there is a great aptness in such a season to work
indifference in the minds of those who
do not intend utterly to forsake the truth. Little did I think I should ever
have lived in this world to
find the minds of professors grown altogether indifferent as to the doctrines of
God's eternal
election, the sovereign efficacy of grace in the conversion of sinners,
justification by the
imputation of the righteousness of Christ; but many are, as to all these things,
grown to an indifferency; they know not whether they are so or not. I bless God I know
something of the
former generation, when professors would not hear of these things without the
highest
detestation; and now high professors begin to be leaders in it: and it is too
much among the best
of us. We are not so much concerned for the truth as our forefathers; I wish 1
could say we
were as holy.
3. This proneness to depart from the truth is a perilous season,
because it is the greatest evidence
of the withdrawing of the Spirit of God from His church: for the Spirit of God
is promised to this
end, "to lead us into all truth"; and when the efficacy of truth
begins to decay, it is the greatest
evidence of the departing and withdrawing of the Spirit of God. And I think that
this is a
dangerous thing; for if the Spirit of God departs, then our glory and our life
depart.
What, now, is our duty in reference to this perilous season?
Forewarnings of perils are given us to
instruct us in our duty.
1. The first, is, not to be content with what you judge a
sincere profession of truth; but to labor to
be found in the exercise of all those graces which peculiarly respect the truth.
There are graces
that peculiarly respect the truth that we are to exercise; and if these are not
found in our hearts, all
our profession will issue in nothing.
And these are:
(a) Love: "Because they loved not the truth." They
made profession of the gospel; but they
received not the truth in the love of it. There was want of love of the truth.
Truth will do
no man good where there is not the love of it. "Speaking the truth in
love," is the substance
of our Christian profession. Pray, brethren, let us labor to love the truth; and
to take off all
prejudices from our minds, that we may do so.
(b) It is the great and only rule to preserve us in perilous
times, to labor to have the
experience of the power of every truth in our hearts. If so be ye have learned
the Lord
Jesus. How? So as to "put off the old man, which is corrupt according to
the deceitful
lusts"; and to "put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true
holiness," Eph. 4: 22-24. This is to learn the truth. The great grace that
is to be exercised
with reference to truth in such a season as this, is to exemplify it in our
hearts in the power
of it. Labor for the experience of the power of every truth in your own hearts
and lives.
(c) Zeal for the truth. Truth is the most proper object for
zeal. We ought to "contend
earnestly for the truth once delivered to the saints"; to be willing, as
God shall help us, to
part with name and reputation, and to undergo scorn and contempt, all that this
world can
cast upon us, in giving testimony unto the truth. Everything that this world
counts dear and
valuable is to be forsaken, rather than the truth. This was the great end for
which Christ
came into the world.
2. Cleave unto the means that God hath appointed and ordained
for your preservation in the truth.
I see some are ready to go to sleep, and think themselves not concerned in these
things: the Lord
awaken their hearts! keep to the means of preservation in the truth - the
present ministry. Bless
God for the remainder of a ministry valuing the truth, knowing the truth, sound
in the faith -
cleave unto them. There is little influence upon the minds of men from this
ordinance and
institution of God, in the great business of the ministry. But know there is
something more in it
than that they seem to have better abilities to dispute than you: more
knowledge, more light, better
understandings than you. If you know no more in the ministry than this, you will
never have
benefit by it. They are God's ordinance; the name of God is upon them God will
be sanctified in
them. They are God's ordinance for the preservation of the truth.
3. Let us carefully remember the faith of them who went before
us in the profession of the last
age. I am apt to think there was not a more glorious profession for a thousand
years upon the
face of the earth, than was among the professors of the last age. And pray, what
faith were they
of.? Were they half Armenian and half Socinian; half Papist and half I know not
what? Remember
how zealous they were for the truth how little their holy souls would have borne
with those public
defections from the doctrine of truth which we see, and do not mourn over, but
make nothing of,
in the days wherein we live. God was with them; and they lived to His glory, and
died in peace:
"whose faith follow," and example pursue. And remember the faith they
lived and died in: look
round about, and see whether any of the new creeds have produced a new holiness
to exceed
theirs.
III. A third thing that makes a perilous season is, professors
mixing themselves with the world, and
learning their manners. And if the other perilous seasons are come upon us, this
is come upon us also.
This was the foundation and spring of the first perilous season that was in the
world, that first brought in
a deluge of sin and then a deluge of misery. It was the beginning of the first
public apostasy of the
church, which issued in the severest mark of God's displeasure. Gen. 6:2,
"The sons of God saw the
daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they
chose." This is but one
instance of the church of God, the sons of God, professors, mixing themselves
with the world. This was
not all, that they took to themselves wives; but this was an instance the Holy
Ghost gives that the church
in those days did degenerate, and mix itself with the world. What is the end of
mixing themselves in this
manner with the world? Ps. 106:35, "They mingled themselves with the
nations." And what then: "And
learned their manners." If anything under heaven will make a season
perilous, this will do it - when we
mingle with the world and learn their manners.
There are two things I shall speak of on this head: 1. Wherein
professors do mingle themselves with the
world. 2. The danger of it.
1. Professors mingle themselves with the world in that wherein
it is the world, which is proper to
the world. That which is more eminently and visibly of the devil, professors do
not so soon
mingle themselves withal; but in that wherein it is the world, in its own colors
- as in corrupt
communication, which is the spirit of the world, the extract and fruit of vanity
of mind - that
wherewith the world is corrupted, and doth corrupt. An evil, rotten kind of
communication,
whereby the manners of the world are corrupted - this comes from the spirit of
the world. The
devil hath his hand in all these things; but it is the world and the spirit of
the world that is in
corrupt communication. And how hath this spread itself among professors! Light,
vain, foolish
communication!-to spend a man's whole life therein; not upon this or that
occasion, but almost
always, and upon all occasions everywhere Vain habits and attire of the world is
an other
instance. The habits and attire of the world are the things wherein the world
doth design to show
itself what it is. Men may read what the world is by evident characters, in the
habits and attire that
it wears. They are blind that cannot read vanity, folly, uncleanness, luxury, in
the attire the world
putteth upon itself. The declension of professors in imitating the ways of the
world in their habits
and garb, makes a season perilous; it is a mixture wherein we learn their
manners; and the
judgments of God will ensue upon it. In this, likewise, we are grown like the
world, that upon all
occasions we are as regardless of the sins of the world, and as little troubled
with them, as others
are. Lot lived in Sodom, but "his righteous soul was vexed with their
ungodly deeds and
speeches." Live we where we will, when are our souls vexed, (so) that we do
not pass through
the things of the world, the greatest abominations, with the frame of spirit
that the world itself
doth? Not to speak of voluptuousness of living, and other things that attend
this woeful mixture
with the world that professors have made in the days wherein we live - corrupt
communication,
gaiety of attire, senselessness of the sins and abominations of the world round
about us, are
almost as much upon professors as upon the world. We have mixed ourselves with
the people,
and have learned their manners. But -
2. Such a season is dangerous, because the sins of professors in
it he directly contrary to the
whole design the mediation of Christ in this world. Christ gave Himself for us,
that He might
purge us from dead works, and purify us unto Himself a peculiar people (Titus
2:14). "Ye are a
royal nation, a peculiar people." Christ hath brought the hatred of the
devil and all the world upon
Him and against Him, for taking a people out of the world, and making them a
peculiar people to
Himself; and their throwing themselves upon the world again is the greatest
contempt that can be
put upon Jesus Christ. He gave His life and shed His blood to recover us from
the world, and we
throw ourselves in again. How easy were it to show that this is an inlet to all
other sins and
abominations, and that for which I verily think the indignation and displeasure
of God will soonest
discover itself against professors and churches in this day! If we will not be
differenced from the
world in our ways, we shall not long be differenced from them in our privileges.
If we are the
same in our walkings, we shall be so in our worship, or have none at all.
As to our duty in such a perilous season, let me leave three
cautions with you, and the Lord fix them
upon your hearts:
1. The profession of religion, and the performance of duties,
under a world-like conversation, are
nothing but a sophistical means to lead men blindfold into hell. We must not
speak little things in
such a great cause.
2. If you will be like the world, you must take the world's lot.
It will go with you as it goes with
the world. Inquire and see, in the whole book of God, how it will go with the
world, what God's
thoughts are of the world, whether it saith not, "If it lies in wickedness,
it shall come to
judgment," and that "the curse of God is upon it." If, therefore,
you will be like the world, you
must have the world's lot; God will not separate.
3. Lastly, consider we have by this means lost the most glorious
cause of truth that ever was in
the world. We do not know that there hath been a more glorious cause of truth
since the apostles'
days, than what God hath committed to his church and people in this nation, for
the purity of the
doctrine of the truth and ordinances; but we have lost all the beauty and glory
of it by this mixture
in the world. I verily think it is high time that the congregations in this
city, by their elders and
messengers, should consult together how to stop this evil, that hath lost all
the glory of our
profession. It is a perilous time, when professors mix themselves so with the
world.
There are other perilous seasons that I thought to have insisted
on, but I will but name them.
IV. When there is great attendance on outward duties, but
inward, spiritual decays. Now herein, my
brethren, you know how long I have been treating of the causes and reasons of
inward decays, and the
means to be used for our recovery; I shall not, therefore, again insist upon
them.
V. Times of persecution are also times of peril.
Now, I need not tell you whether these seasons are upon us or
not; it is your duty to inquire into that.
Whether there be not an outward retaining of the truth under a visible
prevalency of abominable lusts in
the world; whether there be not a proneness to forsake the truth, and seducers
at work to draw men off,
whether there be not a mingling ourselves with the world, and therein learning
their manners; whether
there be not inward decays, under the outward performance of duties; and whether
many are not
suffering under persecution and trouble, judge ye, and act accordingly.
One word of use, and I have done.
Use 1. Let us all be exhorted to endeavour to get our hearts
affected with the perils of the day
wherein we live. You have heard a poor, weak discourse concerning it, and
perhaps it will be
quickly forgotten. Oh, that God would be pleased to give us this grace - that we
may find it our
duty to endeavour to have our hearts affected with the perils of these seasons!
It is not time to be
asleep upon the top of a mast in a rough sea, when there are so many devouring
dangers round
about us. And the better to effect this . -
(a ) Consider the present things, and bring them to rule, and
see what God's word says of
them. We hear this and that story of horrible, prodigious wickedness; and bring
it in the
next opportunity of talk, and there slightly pass it over. We hear of the
judgments of God
abroad in the world; and bring them to the same standard of our own
imaginations, and
there is an end. But, brethren, when you observe any of these things, how it is
with the
world, if you would have your hearts affected, bring it to the word, and see
what God
saith of it: speak with God about it; ask and inquire at the mouth of God what
God saith
unto these prodigious wickednesses and judgments - this coldness that is upon
professors,
and there mixtures with, and learning the manners of the world. You will never
have your
hearts affected with it, till you come and spear: with God about it; and then
you will find
them represented in a glass that will make your hearts ache and tremble. And
then, -
(b) If you would be sensible of present perilous times, take
heed of centring in self. While
your greatest concern is self, or the world, all the angels in heaven cannot
make you
sensible of the peril of the days wherein you live. Whether you pursue riches or
honours,
while you centre there, nothing can make you sensible of the perils of the day.
Therefore
do not centre in self.
(c) Pray that God would give us grace to be sensible of the
perils of the day wherein we
live. It may be we have had confidence, that though thousands fall at our right
hand and at
our left, yet we shall be able to carry it through. Believe me, it is great
grace. Point your
private, closet prayers, and your family prayers this way; and the Lord help us
to point our
public prayers to this thing, that God would make our hearts sensible of the
perils of the
time whereinto we are fallen in these last days!
Use 2. The next thing is this, that there are two things in a
perilous season,-the sin of it, and the
misery of it. Labour to be sensible of the former, or you will never be sensible
of the latter.
Though judgments lie at the door, - though the heavens be dark over us, and the
earth shake
under us at this day, and no wise man can see where he can build himself an
abiding habitation -
we can talk of these things; and hear of other nations soaking in blood; and
have tokens of God's
displeasure, - warnings from heaven above and the earth beneath; and no man
sensible of them!
Why? Because they are not sensible of sin; nor ever will be, unless God make
them so.
I shall range the sins that we should be sensible of under three
heads: - the sins of the poor,
wretched, perishing world, in the first place; the sins of professors in
general, in the second place;
and our own particular sins and decays, in the third place. And let us labour to
have our hearts
affected with these. It is to no purpose to tell you this and that judgment is
approaching; - for
your leaders, and those that are upon the watch-tower, to cry, "A lion; my
lord' we see a lion."
Unless God make our hearts sensible of sin, we shall not be sensible of
judgments.
Use 3. Remember there is a special frame of spirit required in
us all in such perilous seasons as
these are. And what is that? It is a mourning frame of spirit. 0 that frame,
that jolly frame of spirit
that is upon us! The Lord forgive it, the Lord pardon it unto us; and keep us in
a humble, broken,
mournful frame of spirit; for it is a peculiar grace God looks for at such a
time as this is. When
He will pour out His Spirit, there will be great mourning, together and apart;
but now we may say
there is no mourning. The Lord help us, we have hard hearts and dry eyes under
the consideration
of all these perils that he before us.
Use 4. Keep up church watch with diligence, and by the rule.
When I say rule, I mean the life of
it. I have no greater jealousy upon my heart, than that God should withdraw
himself from his own
institutions because of the sins of the people, and leave us only the carcase of
outward rule and
order. What doth God give them for? for their own sakes? No; but that they may
be clothing for
faith and love, meekness of spirit and bowels of compassion, watchfulness and
diligence. Take
away these, and farewell to all outward rule and order, whatever they are. Keep
up a spirit that
may live affected with it: get a spirit of church watch; which is not to lie at
catch for faults, but
diligently, out of pure love and compassion to the souls of men, to watch over
them, - to wait to
do them good, all we can. As it was with a poor man, who took a dead body and
set it up, and it
fell; and he set it up again, and it fell; upon which he cried out, "There
wants something within,"
to enliven and quicken it; - so is it with church order and rule; set them up as
often as you will,
they will all fall, if there be not a love to one another, a delighting in the
good of one another,
"exhorting one another while it is called today, lest any be hardened
through the deceitfulness of
sin."
Use 5. Reckon upon it, that in such times as these are, all of
us will not go free. You find no
mention of a perilous season in Scripture, but it follows some shall have their
faith overthrown,
others shall follow pernicious ways, and others shall turn aside. Brethren and
sisters, how do you
know but you or I may fall? Let us double our watch, every one; for the season
is come upon us
wherein some of us may fall, and fall so as to smart for it. I do not say we
shall perish eternally; -
God deliver us from going into the pit! but some of us may so fall as to lose a
limb, some member
or other; and our works will be committed to the fire that shall burn them all.
God hath kindled a
fire in Zion that will try all our works; and we shall see in a short time what
will become of us.
Use 6. Lastly, take that great rule which the apostle gives in
such times as those wherewith we
are concerned, "Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure," - 0
blessed be God for it! -
"God knows who are his."
What, then, is required on our part? "Let him that nameth
the name of Christ depart from evil." Your
profession, your privileges, your light, will not secure you; you are gone,
unless every one that nameth
the name of Christ departs from all iniquity. What multitudes perish under a
profession every day! Oh,
that our hearts could bleed to see poor souls in danger of perishing under the
greatest profession!
Will you hear the sum of all? Perilous times and seasons are
come upon us; many are wounded already;
many have failed. The Lord help us! the crown is fallen from our head,-the glory
of our profession is
gone, the time is short, - the Judge stands before the door. Take but this one
word of counsel, my
brethren: "Watch, therefore, that none of these things may come upon you,
but that you may escape, and
be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of God." Amen.
