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wickedness. Men will carry themselves agreeable to their state of regeneracy or irregeneracy; and to find unregenerate men lying in this and the other wickedness, is no more strange than to find fish swimming in the water, and birds flying in the air; it is their element.

1. Accordingly some lie in open wickedness, declaring their sin as Sodom, Isa. liii. 9. For where men cannot restrain them, they are at liberty, because they have no fear of God before their eyes. Their lust is their law in these things, and they go so far in the road as their feet will carry them, doing evil as they may or can.

2. Some lie in some secret wickedness, which they get kept secret from the open view of the world, and for the eye of a jealous God that mars them not, Ezek. viii. 12. "Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not, the Lord hath forsaken the earth." This evil world has a loathsome aspect as it is, for all the covering of abominations in it; but were the secret abominations in it brought out to men's knowledge, the secret frauds and cheats, whoredoms, adulteries, and lasciviousness, murders, thefts, &c. set in the light, how much more loathsome would the world appear? Eph. v. 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. things are certain,

But two

(1.) Where the fountain of sin is not stopt by regenerating grace, it must needs have its main stream running in the practice of some one wickedness or other, Rom. vi. 12. An unregenerate man's predominant sin may indeed be changed; but he shall sooner cease to breathe, than to have some one running issue or other. And that will always be his neckbreak here, that will part betwixt Christ and him, Mark x. 21, 22; and that will be the most terrible gnawing worm in the conscience hereafter.

(2.) Whether it be an open or secret wickedness, it will be called at length before a tribunal, where there will be no shifting of compearance, defeating of probation, nor stopping execution, Acts xvii. 31. "He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained." Rom. xiv. 10. "We shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ." There the most secret pieces of wickedness shall be discovered before all the world, Eccl. xii. ult. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Prov. xxvi. 26, "Whose hatred is covered with deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation." And the most daring transgressor shall be made to stand trembling, Eccl. xi. 9. "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and

let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."

Fourthly, The world must be an infectious society; it must be a pestilential air that is breathed in it, and wickedness in it must be of a growing and spreading nature. For the whole world lieth in wickedness. Hence,

1. Unregenerate men, if they get not a cast of saving grace to change their nature, will undoubtedly grow worse and worse, 2 Tim. iii. 13. As that which lies in the dunghill, rots the more the longer it lies; so men lying in irregeneracy, in wickedness, the longer they live their case is the more hopeless. How evidently is this seen, in there being some hope of some while they are yet young, yet not being converted then, they grow at length to a pitch that there is no dealing with them?

2. Unregenerate men are snares and neckbreaks one to another, serving to advance the growth of wickedness in one another, Matth. xviii. 7. As in a dunghill one part serves to rot another, so is it in the world lying in wickedness. The ill example of some encourages others, and so the elder corrupt the younger, especially when they go about to train them up in the ways of wickedness.

3. They are snares even to the godly. It is hard to come near a mire or dunghill and not be defiled. There was a suffocating vapour arose from the high priest's hall, that made Peter fall a denying his Master. This made the Psalmist say, "Wo is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar," Psal. cxx. 5. Hence we may learn,

(1.) They have a hard task in hand, whose business it is to deal with the world lying in wickedness, in order to their reformation; for the longer they lie in their wickedness they are the more strengthened in it, their hearts are the more hardened, their consciences more seared, and the bands of wickedness grow stronger. And then one helps another in an ill course, they unite and combine to strengthen one another in wickedness. So that it is a heavy task.

(2.) The danger of ill company, 1 Cor. xv. 32. " Evil communications corrupt good manners." The wicked world is a dangerous society, and has been ruining to many. How many have been ruined, by their being educated and living amongst those of the world lying in wickedness, never having an opportunity of good company, where they might see or get good? How many have been ruined by their falling into ill company, after hopeful beginnings? The stream of our nature runs the wrong way, so the world lying in wickedness

rows with the stream, and so is successful in working sinners' ruin, Prov. xiii. 20. "He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

Fifthly, This accounts for the uneasy life that the serious-godly have in the world. The whole world lieth in wickedness. Our Lord Jesus had an uneasy life in it, and so will all his followers have to the end. The church in the world is like a lily among thorns; however the world may caress its own, the serious-godly will not get leave to forget that they are from home while in it; strangers and pilgrims; that they are in a wilderness. How can their life in it miss to be uneasy? For unto them,

1. It is a loathsome world, where their eyes must behold abominations that they cannot help, Hab. i. 3. "Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me; and there are that raise up strife and contention." However the swine of this world may delight to wallow in their own mire, and to lie in their own dunghill; yet to heaven-born souls, the stench arising from that dunghill must needs be noisesome. Hence says the prophet, Jer. ix. 2. "Oh, that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of way-faring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them; for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men."

2. It is a vexatious world; the temper of the parties is so different, so opposite, that they can never hit it, but must needs be heavy one to another. As the way of the godly is uneasy to the world, so the way of the world is uneasy to them, makes them many a sorrowful day and heavy heart, and draws many a sigh and groan from them, as in Lot's case, 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8. And the uneasiness arising from that quarter makes heaven more desirable, as to burdened men groaning.

3. It is an ensnaring world, wherein snares of all sorts are going, and they are many times catched in the trap ere they are aware, 2 Tim. iii. 1, 2. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, &c. The world lying in wickedness lays snares for them, that by drawing them into their courses, they may make them like themselves. And at all times they are in hazard by them, either by omission of necessary duty, or commission of sin.

4. It is a world wherein wickedness thrives apace as in its native soil, but any good has much ado to get up its head, Jer. iv. 22. "For my people is foolish, they have not known me, they are sottish children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to

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do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." The ground being cursed, thistles and thorns grow up of their own accord; but after much labour for the seed-corn, the husbandman has but a sorry increase. So the work of wickedness goes on with speed; but O how hard is it to make a good work take! The most prudent management can hardly carry a good work, but one sinner destroyeth much good, Eccl. ix. ult.

Sixthly, This accounts for the frightful end this make, by the general conflagration, 2 Pet. iii. 10.

visible world will

There is a curse

on it, for the wickedness in it, that once deluged it, it will in the end burn it up. It has been a stage of wickedness, and will be pulled down; a sink of abominations, and will be overthrown. The creatures groan in it, under the abuse of them to the serving of the lusts of men; they must be delivered.

Lastly, This shews the dangerous state of the unregenerate world; they lie in wickedness. Therefore,

1. They now lie under wrath, hanging in the threatening and curse which is over their heads, Eph. ii. 8. Being in the region of wickedness, it is the region of wrath, John iii. ult. They are in a state of wrath, it is on them and theirs.

2. They will perish under that wrath, whoever continue and come not out from among them. For the world now lying in wickedness, will sink down into the pit, and lie eternally under their guilt and filth, Matth. xxv. ult. Rev. xx. 14, 15.

USE II. Of exhortation.

1. To all I would say, Search and try what society ye belong to, whether ye are still of, or separated from, the world lying in wickedness. It is certain, we are all naturally of the world; there is no coming out of it, but by regenerating grace; and being come, ye will have taken another route. What has been already said, particularly on the first clause of the verse, touching the marks and characters of those that are of God, and so separated from the world, may serve to discover your state in this point.

2. To saints separated from the world, I would say,

(1.) Do not much wonder at the harsh entertainment ye meet with in it. Value not the frowns of the world lying in wickedness ; and think not strange of frowns of providence on you while ye are in it. For it will never be quite well with the family of God, while they are here in the same place with the world.

(2.) Watch against it while ye are in it, as being in hazard of sins and snares in a world lying in wickedness. Be not secure; knowing that your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. v. 8.

(3.) Look homeward, and long to be with Christ; where you shall be for ever out of the reach of all evil, and enjoy such peace and freedom as your enemies can disturb no more.

3. Lastly, To sinners of the world lying in wickedness, I would say, Come out from among them, and be separated, as ye would not be ruined with them, and perish eternally in their destruction. But of this in the next discourse.

THE DIVINE CALL TO SINNERS TO COME OUT FROM AMONG THE WORLD LYING IN WICKEDNESS, EXPLAINED AND URGED. Several Sermons preached at Ettrick, in 1729.

1 JOHN V. 19.

The whole world lieth in wickedness.

2 Cor. vi. 17.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

ness.

YE have had a frightful description of the world lying in wickedWe come now to press the exhortation to come out of it, in the words of this compared text. In which we have, 1. The gospel-call to sinners, Come out from among them. For whereas the words are taken out of Isa. lii. 11. it is plain the prophet there speaks of the days and preaching of the gospel, though with an eye to the deliverance from Babylon, ver. 7-10. In it we have,

(1.) The substance of the duty that sinners are called to, Come out from among them, viz. the world lying in wickedness, whereof Babylon was an emblem, as the Jews were of the elect. Babylon was the mother of abominations, and devoted to destruction; so the world lying in wickedness is. To come out from among them, is to come out of your natural state, unto Christ by faith; that is the only way to come out from among them. And that the text aims at no less, is evident, that adoption into God's family is thereupon promised.

(2.) The touchstone of sincerity in it. Be ye separate. Right coming out from among the world lying in wickedness, is a coming out from among them freely and for altogether. A withdrawing for a time, the relation standing will not do; nor a halting between two;

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