TO THE READER.
Reader;
If ever there was a time when God solemnly calls his servants to cry aloud and not to spare, but show his people their transgressions, it is now, when iniquity so abounds and love waxes so cold. And as the philosopher once said, that evil manners occasion the making of good laws; so the horrid wickedness of some notorious sinners, gives occasion for the preaching of sermons more peculiarly serviceable for the rousing and awakening of secure ones, and loudly calling them to repentance; when God touches the hearts of his ministers, with a feeling sense of the danger of, and tender compassion towards those that are going without regard in the path of destruction. That which gave birth to the ensuing sermons, was the prodigious example of a forlorn young creature, that had defiled herself with whoredoms, and been the unhappy mother of two illegitimate children successively, and became the barbarous murderer of the latter of them; for which crime, she there stood under a sentence of death, upon due conviction, and that before she had seen full nineteen years in the world: and for the which she has been since righteously executed. My soul was the more deeply affected with her condition, partly, because she belonged to my flock, and had received the seal of the covenant from my hands, and was under my charge; in which I could not but feel a heart-thrilling rebuke in the holy providence of God: partly because of the most amazing, and scarce paralleled induration of heart, and tremendous wickedness which she discovered in and under her imprisonment, to the deep consternation of all serious ones that were acquainted therewith. Which will, I hope, plead sufficiently for the suitableness of the subjects treated of, and the severity of the words used in the prosecution of them. But she is now gone, and has given up her account to the Judge of all. Yet her example remains, and stands for the warning of others. And doubtless God expects that the living should lay it to heart, and learn lessons of caution thereby. I have therefore endeavoured, according to the grace given me, to level these discourses for the admonition of others, lest they also provoke a sin-hating God, to give them up to be more astonishing monuments of his righteous severity. And there are, I fear, more abominations as great as these, which have not yet seen the light; and may her example, and these warnings drawn forth by it, drive such to a timely repentance, and making of their peace with God. Let young ones more especially learn by her, to remember their Creator early, and beware of such sins as were leading to the bringing of her to a fearful end; in particular let all children, and such as are under the command of parents and family government, beware of disobedience to their parents, and those that have the authority over them; let them be warned to take heed to themselves of being linked in vain company, and take the wise man's counsel (Proverbs 1:10), "My son, if sinners entice you consent you not." Let them beware of profaning God's holy Sabbaths: of unnecessary absenting themselves from the worship of God in his house, or neglecting of any opportunities of attending on his holy ordinances; and let them be advised to keep their feet when they come to the house of God, and not suffer their hearts to wander into the corners of the earth, when they should be learning what God the Lord has to say to them. Let them be warned against the neglect of secret prayer, and meditation, and be afraid of living content in an unregenerate state, trifling away a day of grace, and putting off calls, and counsels, and the strivings of the Spirit of God with them, as things that may be thought of soon enough, when they have taken their fill of their mad mirth, and glutted themselves with sensual pleasures; all of which sins that poor creature acknowledged herself to have been eminently guilty of: lest, if you be not admonished by her example, a holy God should be provoked to leave you up to your own hearts' lusts. Be sure therefore to read in her a confirmation of that truth, that for these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. Let parents be roused up by this to take more care, and use more prudence in maintaining that authority over their children, which God has vested them withal, and beware of an over-fond indulgence, in giving them an unrestrained liberty: let it awaken them to lay themselves out with more industry, and constancy, in training them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; in instructing them about the great things of their souls and eternity; let it make them more affectionate and importunate in praying with them, and for them; and put them upon the more watchful care over themselves in their whole conversation, that they set no evil examples before them, but write them a copy in their lives of all the counsels and admonitions which they offer to them: fearing lest, if they by their neglect bring guilt on themselves, their children should be forsaken of God, and prove a heaviness to their parents, as this foolish child did. May all that fear God, and peculiarly his ministers, whom the Lord Jesus Christ has given a special charge to, to feed his lambs, be excited hereby to more anxious solicitude, and industrious endeavours for the souls of all whom they are concerned withal, and more especially for the rising generation, that they may not become a stubborn and a rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit is not steadfast with God: and may the following sermons be made any way serviceable to these good ends and purposes, God shall have the glory; to whose gracious blessing I commend it, with my most hearty prayers, who am,
Less than the least of all saints. Samuel Willard.
