Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A29070
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Sermon preach't before the societies for reformation in Dublin, Jan. 6, 1697/8 by J. Boyse.
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Boyse, J. (Joseph), 1660-1728.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing B4076; ESTC R35337
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23,149
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33
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Informers do encrease the Iess hope of Impunity can such Offenders entertain and the happier prospect we shall have of that desired success which will both answer the End of these Laws and therein the Wishes and Hopes of all Good Men. Let none of us then think our selves excus'd from any Service we are capable of in so just and so glorious a Cause Let it be rather our laudable Ambition to have some hand according to the advantages our several Stations give us in carrying on so Great and so Good a Work IV. We may from this passage farther Observe Tho' those that are engag'd in this excellent Design of Publick Reformation may be but few and may have great Opposition to encounter yet this shou'd not deter 'em from the vigorous prosecution of it We may evidently infer this from the Circumstances that Nehemiah was here involv'd in and from his own Resolute Practice under ' em If he had only consider'd the Obstacles he was like to meet with he had never begun an attempt that promis't so little success The instance of Profaneness which he set himself against was universally spread he had all those Forreigners upon his hands whose Trade and Gain he entrench't upon He had the profane Humour of the People fortify'd by their wordly Interest to bear down Nay which was more formidable he had the Nobles themselves to contend with and was necessitated to carry this Point over their warm Opposition And yet you see all these Difficulties did rather whet and inflame than abate and cool his Pious Zeal He expostulates with the Nobles he opposes his Authority to popular Discontent and threatens the Forreigners that occasion'd this Profaneness by their avarice with just Severity He applies himself with undaunted Resolution and unwearied Diligence to remove every Rub out of the way and to encounter and master every Difficulty that he met with He thought the Glory of God the Honour of his Law and the Publick Good too deeply concern'd to be so easily affrighted or disheartned from his Duty Let me then propose this admirable Example of his to your Imitation who are engag'd in the like Religious Vndertaking I need not tell you That tho' we have so excellent Laws enacted for the suppression of Profaneness and Vice how few there are that appear zealous and active for the Execution of ' em The Numbers of those that are engag'd in the prosecution of this Glorious Design do as yet bear but little proportion to the Number of Offenders and to the due extent of the Work it self Nor need I tell you what Discouragements you lye under and what a Train of terrifying Difficulties you have yet to encounter Difficulties so Great especially in reference to other parts of the Kingdom that some who have been urg'd to make such attempts in the Country have insisted on this as their chief Objection That they had no prospect of succeeding in ' em The Number of Offenders being so great and so few others having either any Inclination or Courage to convict ' em And even in this City when we consider how few of those that are most capable do encourage the Design How great the Malignity and Rage of convicted Offenders is and what hazard all that are active in this Cause run of exposing themselves to their ill-will and revenge we must confess the Work is attended with extraordinary and formidable Hardships But yet after all None of these Difficulties shou'd Discourage us from our Duty Nay they shou'd rather reinforce than extinguish our Holy Zeal in the Discharge of it We shou'd be so far from being tempted thereby to desert so Glorious a Cause that we shou'd be rather excited to greater activity for the advancement of it As will appear if we consider the following particulars 1. Great Difficulties must be expected in prosecution of so Pious a Design We must look for it That those that carry on so Dangerous an Attempt to subvert the Devil's Interest will meet with warm and fierce Opposition All the Militia and Posse of that Infernal Kingdom will be Rais'd against ' em Satan will inspire all his Instruments and Agents those Sons of Belial to unite their Policy and Power that they may withstand and frustrate so bold an Attempt that so directly threatens Ruin to his Usurped Empire and Throne As no sooner did Lot offer a gentle Reproof to the impure Inhabitants of Sodom but they presently fly in his Face with Reviling Scorn and furious Threatnings 19 Gen. 9. vers We shou'd therefore be fore-arm'd with the consideration hereof and enter on this great Work as expecting the utmost resistance in it 2. The Prospect of Difficulties will not exempt us from our Obligation to so plain a Duty I say To so plain a Duty For I take it to be as certainly our Duty to endeavour the suppression of heinous Profaneness and Immorality according to the advantages and opportunities that our several Stations give us as it is to advance the Kingdom of God and to promote the Honour and Observance of his Laws I do not see how any can be excus'd from this necessary Work that are capable of being regularly serviceable in it For here is now in this our Age and Day a manifest Conflict between the Kingdom of God and that of Satan between the interest of Piety and Vertue and that of Profaneness and Vice And can we think it consistent with our Duty even with our Baptismal Obligations themselves to stand Neuter in so important a Cause or to suffer the Interest of God and Holiness to Sink and that of Irreligion and Immorality to Prevail thro' our wretched Lukewarmness and Indifferency Is this reconcileable with that ardent Affection to that blessed Majesty and that entire devotedness to his Honour and Service that we pretend unto Is this consistent with the sincerity of those publick Prayers for Reformation which we have so often offer'd up to use no Endeavours to promote it when so fair an advantage is put into our Hands May we not justly apply those remarkable Words of our blessed Saviour to this particular Case which he speaks in reference to the general opposition of the Devil's Interest to his He that is not for me is against me 12 Matth. 30. vers Even as in case of a Forreign Invasion That Subject that is not for his Rightful Sovereign is by just interpretation against him So in this Case he that does not cordially and openly espouse the Cause of God shall be regarded and treated as a secret Enemy to it Now If this be so evident and important a Duty no Difficulties will warrant our willful neglect of it For when we oblige our selves to the Duties of Christianity we are allow'd no Reserves of only performing 'em so far as is consistent with our Safety and Ease Our Profession in such cases requires the Exercise of Fortitude and Courage of Patience and Self-denial It obliges us to Sacrifice our Temporal