Penalty of the Law suitable to their Crimes On which account They have had great Countenance from several Courts of Judicature and great Encouragement from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen who have Honourably contributed towards the necessary Expences of so great an Undertaking And so far are the Persons concern'd in this Great Work from having any prospect of Gain by it That he tells us One of these Societies has in three years past expended above 700 l. in it Thus far Mr. Woodward in reference to the Societies at London For those Societies that have combin'd here for the same excellent purposes They are too well known to your selves to need my giving any particular account of ' em Nor is it I suppose either agreeable to your own desires or proper for the Design you are engag'd in to descend to any particular account of your Rules and the methods of your managing this great Affair I shall therefore content my self with this general Remark That I think you have in a short time gone a great way towards copying the excellent Pattern that London has set a due allowance being made for your great disadvantages But I must not forget to pay that just Honour that is due to those of you that belong to the Establish't Church That 't is you both in London and here that began this Pious Design of putting the Laws against Vice in Execution And indeed you had on many accounts far greater advantages to begin it and particularly this considerable one That your known Zeal for and adherence to the Establish't Church cut off from the Profane and Licentious part of the Age all pretence of running down this excellent Work as if it were only the factious Design of a Party But since you have led the way I hope Protestant Dissenters will not fail to tread in your Glorious Steps but will joyn both their Hearts and their Hands with you in thus advancing the Interest of uncontested Piety and Virtue on the Ruins of Irreligion and Vice Nay I hope that our thus Vniting in this eminent Service to the Cause of our Common Lord and Master will lay some Foundation of a happy Vnion of our Affections I hope we shall hereby be more fully convinc't how much more great and valuable those things are wherein we are happily agreed then those wherein we yet differ And that the few differences in Opinion or Practice which yet remain shou'd no way obstruct that mutual unfeigned Love which we shou'd always bear to all those that Love our Lord Jesus in sincerity We are Blessed be God happily united in the main Interest of Practical Holiness and need little more towards perfecting our Concord then the making the great things of Christianity which we all own the only Terms of our mutual Communion But to return from this Digression I shall now add That considering your Circumstances and Numbers I think that the great God has as remarkably own'd and succeeded your diligent attempts for Reformation here as he has those of our Brethren in London For besides the considerable progress you have made towards suppressing Lewdness and restraining the open Profanation of the Lords-Day I am well assur'd that there have been near 3000 Convictions of such as have been Guilty of Cursing and Swearing since the Enacting the late Law against these detestable Vices And indeed the success of your Endeavours is so remarkable in reference to this last particular that I think 't is with great Satisfaction observ'd and acknowledg'd by all good Men. For that vile Language of Ashdod or rather that abominable Dialect of Hell that us'd so constantly to grate our Ears whenever we walk't the Streets is now comparatively but seldom heard That horrid Impiety that was before so loud and insolent has now in a great measure stopt it's mouth So that the Number of offenders which seem'd at first so discouraging begins very sensibly to decrease upon our hands And I doubt not you will find that manyof those difficulties which at first view seem'd insuperable will be conquer'd by a steddy Resolution And truly what we have already gain'd is a considerable step We may hope that the Habits of Vice will be gradually broke when the ordinary Practice of it is so much refrain'd And we may hope that it's cursed Contagion will be in a great measure stopt when the instances of it are comparatively rare seldom appearing in Publick View and not without great hazard of Discovery and Punishment So that the Licentious Sinners of the Age will be no longer hardned by the Commonness and the Impunity of their Crimes Be not then afraid my Brethren of encountring all the Opposition of a Profane and Lewd Generation For let me tell you That Vice after all it 's empty Noise is but a Sneaking and Cowardly Thing It 's Votaries themselves are generally asham'd to own so vile a Cause Whereas the Cause of Piety and Vertue which we espouse shou'd inspire all it's Friends and Abettors with a Courage answerable to the Justice and Excellency of it What is said of the Devil himself may be applied in some measure to his Ignoble Vassals Resist him and he will flee from you 4 James 7. And I hope you have too great Zeal and Resolution for the Cause of God to be affrighted from it by a few threatning Words or daunted with every appearance of Danger Nay I doubt not the Offenders themselves if they wou'd speak the truth do in their Consciences believe that you are acted herein with a sincere Zeal for the Glory of God and the Interest of Religion since you can have no prospect of Worldly gain by it but have a certain prospect of great Hazard and Toyl And whatever language their present passion may suggest if they are ever truly reclaim'd they will applaud your Zeal and thank you for your Fidelity Go on then boldly to attack these Goliahs these insolent Vices of the Age that have so long desy'd the God of Israel and affronted his Sacred Authority and Laws 'T is his blessed Cause you plead and 't is his Protection and Assistance you may expect He can Honour the most despised Instruments to effect the most Glorious Purposes of his Grace and make even Mountains of Difficulties a Plain before Zorobabel Let me then bespeak both Magistrates and Ministers and Private Christians in the Words of God by the Prophet Haggai to those employed in rebuilding the Temple Yet now be strong O Zorobabel saith the Lord and be strong O Josedec the Son of Joshua the High-Priest and be strong all ye People of the Land and Work for I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts 2 Hag. 4. vers And may your Language in compliance with this encouraging Exhortation be like that of the People to Nehemiah when he told 'em of the good Hand of God upon him and of the King's Words which he had spoken to him They said Let us Rise up and Build and
A SERMON Preach't before the SOCIETIES For Reformation in DUBLIN Jan. 6. 1697 8. By J. Boyse DVBLIN Printed by J. B. and S. P. at the back of Dick's Coffee-House in Skinner-Row for Matthew Gunne at the Bible and Crown near Essex-Gate 1698. To the Societies for Reformation in Dublin AS this Sermon was Preach't at your Request so since you have thought the Publication of it might be useful to promote the success of that Excellent Work you are Engaged in I have herein also comply'd with your desire For tho' I am very sensible how far so mean a discourse falls beneath the Dignity and Importance of so great a Subject and how little Credit or Advantage your Pious Undertaking can derive from the recommendation of so inconsiderable a Name yet I have too hearty an Affection to this blessed Cause to be backward in contributing my utmost tho' but a small Mite towards the Advancement of it But I greatly rejoyce that there are some do espouse it the Eminency of whose Character and Station renders 'em capable of giving greater Reputation and Encouragement to it As to this Discourse I have upon the Review of it observ'd That something might have been added to Vindicate the present Method of Connecting one sort of Offenders from the Censures 't is too commonly loaded with But having more fully offer'd something to that purpose in another Discourse viz Concerning Profane Swearing and Cursing then the limits of my time wou'd allow in this Sermon I must referr the Reader thither For your selves 't is matter of great satisfaction and Joy to all that wish well to your worthy Design to find the Regularity of your Methods in Executing it so answerable to the real Excellency of it For I have as yet heard of no well-grounded Complaints of any illegal stops you have taken or of any that can justly pretend to have suffer'd by any false Informations I doubt not you will continue the same exactness and Care in all your future proceedings and give none the least ground to charge you with going beyond the bounds of the Laws of Man in your zeal to suppress the Violation of the Laws of God And since your Enterprize is so truly Religious and your Management of it so unexceptionably fair I am not without hope that this Discourse may convince some that have hitherto contented themselves with only wishing well to it of their indispensable Obligation to join with you and become more active in it according to their capacity and opportunities of being serviceable to it And there is the greater need of a considerable Addition to your Numbers because your Zeal must not be confin'd to this City while this necessary Work is so wofully and generally neglected in other parts of the Kingdom For it will require your utmost united interest and application to engage so many in this Design as may be capable of setting it on foot in most of our populous Towns And yet till that be done you cannot expect the Reformation will be General and truly National So that without this there will be great danger lest those Vices that seem now like a routed and flying Enemy should again rally their forces and at last defeat all your hopeful attempts for the crushing of ' em Let then the present satisfaction of your being so highly serviceable to the undoubted interest of your Blessed Lord Let the view of his own bright Example of whom it was so justly said That the Zeal of God's House had eaten him up Let the certain prospect of a future and glorious Recompense Nay let the consideration of that gracious providence of God that has hitherto smil'd upon your Endeavours and given you the comfort of beholding already so happy Effects of 'em reconcile you to all the continued hardship and self-denial the difficulties and toil of so great an Vndertaking Be not weary of well-doing but prosecute this glorious Work with an unshaken Resolution and persevering Constancy till your great End be attain'd till the Interest of Religion and Vertue triumph over that of Irreligion and Vice and these publick Sins become as unfashionable and rare as they are detestable and pernicious And that the Great God whose Cause you so strenuously continue to maintain may unite your Hearts in the firmest bonds of mutual Love That he may prosper your pious Endeavours with more remarkable success here and crown 'em hereafter with his Heavenly Reward is the hearty prayer of Your unfeigned Well wisher J. B. A SERMON PREACH'T Before the Societies for Reformation Jan 6. 1697 8. Nehemiah 13. Ver. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. VERS 15. In those Days saw I in Judah some treading Wine Presses on the Sabbath and bringing in Sheaves and lading Asses as also Wines Grapes and Figs and all manner of Burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath Day and I testify'd against them in the Day wherein they sold Victuals 16. There dwelt Men of Tyre also therein which brought Fish and all manner of Ware and sold on the Sabbath to the Children of Judah and in Jerusalem 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah and said unto 'em What Evil Thing is this that ye do and Profane the Sabbath Day 18. Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring this Evil upon us and upon this City Yet ye bring more Wrath upon Israel by Profaning the Sabbath 19. And it came to pass when the Gates of Jerusalem began to be Dark before the Sabbath I commanded that the Gates shou'd be shut and charged that they shou'd not be opened till after the Sabbath And some of my Servants set I at the Gates that there shou'd be no Burden brought in on the Sabbath Day 20. So the Merchants and Sellers of all kind of Ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice 21. Then I testify'd against 'em and said unto 'em Why lodge ye about the Walls If ye do so again I will lay Hands on you From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath 22. And I commanded the Levites that they shou'd cleanse themselves and that they shou'd come and keep the Gates to Sanctify the Sabbath Day Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the Greatness of thy Mercy SInce 't is the design of this Discourse to recommend to you that Noble Work of Reforming a Licentious Age and to Encourage and Direct your resolute endeavours in it I have fixt my Thoughts on this remarkable Passage which sets before you so illustrious a Pattern as that of Pious Nehemiah A Pattern on several Accounts most worthy of your Notice and Imitation Partly in respect of his eminent Quality and Station For not only the Title of Tirshatha or Governor so often given him * 2 Ezra 63 v. 7 Neh. 65. x. 1. but the whole History of his Transactions plainly shews he had a considerable Authority among these restored Captives whom by a
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
Interest and Reputation to the Superior Interest of the Glory of God and allows us not to baulk any eminent Service to him because we cannot perform it without considerable Toyl and Hazard No we shou'd look on such Obstacles and Difficulties in our way as rather design'd to try the sincerity and fervour of our Zeal the strength and constancy of our Resolutions And therefore the prospect of 'em shou'd rather inspire us with new force and vigour For as the pretence of a Lyon in the Street is but the Sluggard's Excuse so to be affrighted by every appearance of Danger from our undoubted Duty is but a suspicious Character For among those that are said to have their Portion in the Infernal Lake the Fearful and Vnbelieving the timorous Cowards in the Cause of God are plac't in the very Front of ' em 21. Rev. 8. vers 3. Shou'd we fail of success in this great Design yet we have deliver'd our own Souls The Guilt of publick Profaneness and Wickedness will not lye at our door when we have done our utmost for the restraint of it Nor shall our Fidelity tho it may want success with Men want acceptance with God and a liberal Reward from him 4. We have no reason to be discourag'd by the great difficulties in our way from all hope of success For our success depends on his concurrence and blessing to whose Power no Obstacles we can meet with are insuperable But this leads me to the next Observation V. We may from the happy issue of Nehemiah's undertaking Observe That the Great God is often pleas'd to Crown the seemingly weak attempts of his Faithful Servants for his Cause and Interest with unexpected and wonderful Success Of this My Text gives us a lively Instance For tho' Nehemiah's single Zeal seems to have been the only Spring of this Attempt to recover the Religious Observation of the Sabbath and tho' he had so general and strong Opposition to contend against yet you see by his Vigour and Resolution he carried the point and brought about the Reformation he intended That blessed God who had inspired his Heart with so excellent a Design strengthning his Hands in the Execution of it and bending the hearts of others to a complyance with his just Authority and Religious Undertaking And no doubt it did much facilitate the success of his Endeavours that the Law of God did so evidently condemn the practice he Oppos'd So that those who had Inclination enough to so ill a Cause as that of Profaneness yet were almost asham'd to appear for it And those who might have had an ill Eye upon his good Design yet had scarce the Confidence to oppose it their own Consciences being convinc't of the Reasonableness and Equity of it Let us then draw abundant Encouragement to these our Religious Endeavours from the consideration of our being engag'd in the Cause of God and from the prospect of his powerful Assistance and Blessing Let us fortify our own Resolutions with the Argument that pious Nehemiah elsewhere uses The God of Heaven he will Prosper us therefore we his Servants will Arise and Build 2 Neh. 10. His mighty Power can make the weakest Instruments successful to pull down these Strong-holds of Sin and can make use of Babes to quell his most formidable Enemies And truly we have already had that Experience of the favourable Providence of God shining upon our Religious Undertakings of this kind that wou'd render us inexcusable shou'd we distrust his future Aids And to convince you hereof I need only set before you the following brief account of the Societies for Reformation both in London and in this City And because the account of 'em is intermixt with that of the Religious Societies of young Persons I must touch a little on both For the Religious Societies of young Persons in London belonging to the Establish't Church that Pious conformable Divine Mr. Woodward tells us The first Rise of 'em was about twenty Years ago About that time several young Persons being touch't with a tender sense of their Souls applied themselves to Religious Thoughts And as they often accidentally met at the Houses of their Ministers they were by some of them advised to meet once a week and to apply themselves to good Discourse And for the better Regulation of their Meetings several Orders and Rules were given ' em In pursuance whereof they continued their Religious Meetings till K. James's Reign And tho' the Aspect of publick Affairs did then discourage some yet others of them continued their pious Resolutions and Practices tho' they took the most prudent course for concealing their Meetings In the beginning of this Reign they were accus'd to the Bishop of London as tending to Schism Upon which they presented their Apology which being confirmed by the Testimony of their Ministers gave full Satisfaction And having then greater encouragement they quickly encreas't to 25 Societies within the compass of the Bills of Mortality besides those since form'd at Shadwell and Greenwich And what Sense our late excellent Queen had of these Societies the Bishop of Salisbury acquaints us in his Memoirs of her She hearkned saith he carefully after every thing that seem'd to give us some hope that the next Generation wou'd be better then the present with a particular Attention She heard of a Spirit of Devotion and Piety that was spreading it self among the Youth of this great City with a true Satisfaction She enquir'd often and much about it and was glad to hear it went on and prevailed which was her hearty Wish and daily Prayer Now out of these Religious Societies at London there have been two associated Bodies form'd who have made it their Endeavour to inform against Profaneness and Vice meeting weekly to carry it on according to the legal and prudential Rules which some Lawyers drew up for ' em In which work besides time labour and reproach some of 'em have run considerable hazard of their Lives He tells us also There is another eminent Society in London consisting of many considerable Gentlemen and chief Citizens who frequently meet to super-intend direct and pursue this glorious work of Reformation consulting the best methods to carry it on and promoting it by large and honourable Contributions By which means several thousands of Drunkards Swearers and Profaners of the Lords-day have been brought to just Punishment Besides this Society many Justices of the Peace meet weekly on this Design There is also saith he an active Society for Reformation consisting of about Sixty Persons most House-keepers in and about the Tower-Hamlets to whom several Persons of the City are joyn'd with several Church-Wardens Constables and other Officers All these tho' of different Persuasions joyn against Profaneness and Debauchery And these have put down several Markets kept on the Lords-Day and supprest some hundreds of Houses of ill Fame And by the industry of this Society alone about two Thousand lewd Persons have suffer'd the