enters into the Ears of the Almighty Lord how long wilt thou look on How long Lord forever Arise O God in thy Righteousness and make bare thy Arm to Judgment Behold the Children of Men are all Backsliders They encourage themselves in their own Wickedness and say Tush God shall not see But arise O Lord in thy Fury and scatter them in thine indignation for there is none that dealeth righteously and Loveth Judgment No there is not one Godly Man left This is the Cry of a publick National Guilt that is of unpunish'd spreading and triumphing Vice and Atheism The Justice of God requires that the community should suffer and the Punishment become as general as the Offence His Wisdom Equity and Providence are then at stake and must be made good by a Visible and Publick Execution of Justice which comes down upon a Nation in Famines or Pestilences in the Sword in Earth-quakes and in other great desolations which are the usual Judgments of Heaven and Terrible Vials of God's Wrath pour'd out upon a Sinful Land and polluted People And let us not deceive our selves there are Family Sins as well as National and the same Rule holds with proportion in every private Houshold and lesser Company of Evil-Doers but the more populous the Society is the greater is the danger in permitting the Trangressions of the People to be seen in the Gates of the City and to walk our streets publickly for there is as certain a Contagion in some sorts of Sins which Men catch by looking on as there is in some diseases These therefore are to be suppress'd if they cannot be wholly extinguish'd that they may be like those subterranean Fires which burn slow and prey only upon their own Fewel whilest pent within the Bowels of the Earth but when they once take air break out into a Flame laying all things before them in Ruine And there is no great difficulty if we knew but our own strength to keep any Sin thus far at least under our Feet for there is a Natural shame which attends every dishonest Action Vice is conscious of its own deformity and loathsomness and by instinct requires darkness and a Vizor but it may be flatter'd by great Examples into a good Opinion of its own Excellencies it may be Cherish'd by Complaisance and and harden'd by Familarity into such an Impudence as to appear before the Sun and without its Mask However since God and Nature have stamp'd shame upon every Vice Let us know our own Right and Dominion over it and keep it within its Natural bounds of shame Let every honest and Vertuous Man set his Face directly and boldly against Atheism Prophaneness and Immorality assuring himself that there is no Sin so daring and hardy which a Man resolutely-good and pious may not dash out of Countenance and strike into Confusion I need not tell you Brethren that it is Lawful for you to do this and that it is Just to use all the power which the Laws have vested in you to restrain all such Immoralities for I hope I have prov'd it to be your Duty and believe me it behooves us all to consider seriously the several opportunities and advantages God hath put into our hands to discourage and prohibit Atheism Prophaneness and Debauchery and faithfully to discharge our Duty herein for this likewise is one way of making other Men's Vices our own when they thrive and propagate by our connivence for be we well assur'd that whosoever hath it in his Power to forbid and hinder a Sin and doth not when he can he invites and commands it And thus I have shew'd you how Powerful and Influential example is in most things we do how effectually that teaches and how addicted we are to learn and that therefore it doth concern us all very much to set forth ourselves Examples of Vertue and Holyness and that of consequence it is our Duty to restrain all Examples of Vice and Wickedness in other Men to the utmost of our Power When you shall do this Brethren ye are then what our Blessed Saviour requires his Disciples to be the Light of the World which Shines before Men and the Salt of the Earth which hath not lost its Savour I will conclude with some serious Considerations upon the whole 1. We must not expect from what hath been said that the ill Example of other Men should excuse the Followers though it will most certainly condemn the Authors of it The truth is we readily catch at the least Shadow of excuse for Sinning and so lay hold upon this Pretence The Woman says Adam whom thou gavest me gave one of the Tree and I did Eat But yet neither the Woman's Temptation exempted Adam from the Punishment nor the Serpent's Temptation the Woman And as long as we have a Judgment rightly inform'd to discern between Good and Evil and are constantly instructed from the Word of God what are the Bounds of the one and of the other what we are to do and what to avoid other Men's deviations can be no real excuse for our Transgressing When the Precepts of the Gospel have chalk'd me out the Paths of Vertue and Holyness which I am to walk in it is my own fault and the proneness of my own Vicious Inclinations if I follow him that shews me other ways By this God hath given me sufficient Light to secure me against errour and if I am mislead I seduce my self All Men would commiserate the sad fate of a Blind-Man to be led by others unknowingly to the edge of a Precipice and to break himself in pieces by his fall from thence but they will condemn it for Self-Murder in one that is not Blind Remember therefore young Men that whosoever hath Eyes leads himself to his own Ruine even when he follows another that tempts him to it 2. If we are convinc'd of the certainty of a future State and of the Rewards and Punishments after Death no Argument can be more forcible against our Tempting others to Wickedness than this Consideration that by the same act we encrease our own Guilt and mightily further our Brothers Damnation knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit these things are worthy of Death and yet not only do the same but have Pleasure in them that do them Those indeed who have gone so far beyond the Bounds of Shame know no measure 't is the less wonder therefore that their own and other mens Sins become their triumph and sport that they magnify themselves upon their Victories in the lists of some beastly Vice and make it their mirth to have been successful in tempting others in having compass'd Sea and Land to gain one Proselyte whom they make many-fold more the Child of Hell than themselves But the commonness of this Sin cannot excâ—se it When seriously consider'd it is but a melancholy subject for Mirth and a most shameful one to boast of For it is not the part of an honest Man
vents himself in these Blasphemies of Hell but how strange would this Language appear to sober Men and Serious Christians if Custom had not made it too Familiar to our Ears In like manner may be shown the Dominion of Example over Men's Minds and Actions and our slavish imitation in many Sins of another Nature for there is nothing so Absurd or Wicked to which we may not be led by it Indeed it chiefly takes the Rule when our Reason sits the loosest and therefore governs us more especially in our follies and irregularities but if we consider well we shall find that it is not without Power of giving Laws to the serious and better part of our Life in which therefore the Prevalency of a good Example may be of an inestimable Benefit But yet such is our Natural Propensity to Sin and so much more of Evil than of Good doth this mirror represent unto us in this World that I much fear the disadvantages of a bad Example must be allowed to weigh down the Scale God hath been pleas'd indeed in all Ages of his Church to raise up Persons of an excellent Spirit in times of the most general Corruption Men who not being carried away with the stream of popular Vices make the right use of the Faculties they are indu'd with by Heaven in thinking reasoning and acting for themselves in Justice and Integrity not guided by the Influence of other Men's Example but by the Dictates of Reason and Precepts of Religion Such Persons will always distinguish themselves from a crowd of ill-doers and may by the Blessing of God become the good Genius of the Age they live in But alass in proportion to the great Hâ—â—â— these leaders in Vertue are but very few and genenerally speaking the Chains of this servile Folly of Imitation in ill things Fetter down the most of Mankind to Corrupt Manners and an Irreligious Life II. And now if the Example of others be thus prevailing it concerns all Christians to be careful that their Light shine before Men and that they set forth themselves Examples of Good both in their publick and in their private Capacities Which is my second particular The Example of a Good Life is so far influential as it can be seen known or read of for so Light directs the Eye as far as ever the Eye possibly can follow it And the Lives of the Apostles and other Holy Men cease not at this day to call upon us to imitate them And herein the Duty of ev'ry Christian may be considered two fold 1. A general Duty to lead a good Life to the End that all Men may be benefited and no one scandaliz'd by the Example an obligation to walk with Sincerity and Uprightness in the view of all Men alike for being our Saviour hath Commanded his Disciples to be the Light of the World the whole World hath an undoubted claim to the benefit of their Light 2. A Particular Duty to which ev'ry Christian is bound from the several Relations he bears to others in this Life either in his private Capacity or from any publick Character that is in any station whatever wherein he is immediately appointed by Almighty God to be exemplary to those under his care or where of themselves any shall be prone to Copy after his Actions Thus whosoever shall commit any Wickedness whereby others are in danger of being corrupted Transgresseth this general Duty but with regard to such who stand more nearly related to him he violates his particular Duty For as a Parent the Authority of his vicious Example is more immediately destructive to his Tender Children as a Master of a Family it easily Commands the obsequious Servants If he shall be the Supreme Magistrate his Example is in the highest degree fatal to his Subjects If a Minister of the Gospel sets himself an Example in any Sin He is no long the Shepherd of his Flock but the Pest and Rotteness of it This shews the Reason of our Obligation to both the parts of this Duty and why we are to set forth ourselves Examples for Good in our private capacities and most retir'd conversation as well as in publick view As Christians we are to enlighten all Mankind but these and several other whether Domestick or Publick Characters do much enhaunce the obligation in respect of those to whom we stand thus related for consider'd only as Christians this Duty lies upon us in Common with all our Fellow-Christians but now from these Relations added to that Consideration a good Example is ev'ry particular Man's particular Duty and the performance of it belongs to no one but himself alone No one in the World bears properly a share with the Parent in the Duty and obligations of a Parent no Man can supply the Example of the Magistrate but the Magistrate nor any the care of the Master of the Family but the Master himself And under some one or other of these like Considerations there is no Person but must acknowledge it his Duty to be pious vertuous and exemplary in his Life for his Condition can never be so obscure nor his Conversation private but that He may be a shining Light in it nor can his Example ever become so profligate and contemptible but that there will be those who may be led astray by it If his Character is not large enough to fill a Country or to be look'd upon by the whole City yet to that House he lives in he may give a good and wholesome Example where-ever the pious Christian converses he is in a capacity of enlightning by his Reproofs and Advice and his Children Servants and Companions will by the Grace of God become the better for those Lessons in Vertue and Patterns of Goodness which he shall set them So on the contrary though thy vicious Habits shall have made thee the Scorn of Mankind in so much that the shame which encircles thee keeps all Wise Men at a distance yet Children and Fools are in danger and thy constant Companions in Sin will still be deprav'd and every day grow worse by thy Vices In short it is hardly possible but that the Example of an holy Life however private and mean it be must do some Good and I 'm sure it is utterly impossible but that a vicious Example though it be to the last Degree contemptible must do hurt to Mankind But then the more eminent the station is the farther will the Example be seen and the wider will its Influence spread if Good so much the more Good it does if Evil so much the more Hurt for the City that is set on an Hill cannot be hid And such have you made yourselves Bretheren by placing yourselves in this Station of overlooking other Man's Lives and of reforming their Manners Here indeed is the proper Sphere for Vertue Piety and Goodness to shine brightly in but on the other hand there is no soil more Fruitful for Sin for that seed falls into good
Ground which brings forth Fruit some an hundred some sixty and some thirty fold and such may the Produce of Vice be calculated from any one of your Examples it hardens those you would reform and betrays the innocent who think themselves secure by treading in your steps Such is the return of Vice from a Parent 's or a Master of a Family's Example it springs up with this entrease in his Children and Servants and like some Hereditary or Pestilential Distemper runs in the Blood and through the Family Such is its multiplication whenever it is sown in the Supreme Magistrate or in any Person in an high-place from whence the Great-Man showers down his Vices upon all that are around him the Nation is overspread with his Prophaneness and his Uncleanness as with Waters and his Sin runs down like a mighty Stream It is no longer a single Vice when it is in possession of these strong holds the name of it is Legion for they are many even as many as it hath propagated in many others and each of them goes still on to multiply in their Followers 't is as many as its Imitations are And if there are degrees of Torments in another World proportionable to the Aggravations of Guilt a Sin thus complicated will meet with as great a Punishment and we shall suffer under the Torments of those Men's Damnation which by our Example we have farthered as well as under the weight of our own The reason therefore is twofold for our Obligation to this duty of setting forth ourselves a good Example First because we are answerable for all the pernicious consequences of our Vices Corrupting other Men. And secondly because our good Example may by the Blessing of God become an inducement to others to walk in the Paths of Vertue and Holiness who by seeing our Good Works may Glorify our Father which is in Heaven by transcribing after these Actions of Vertue Piety and Goodness wherein God is chiefly Glorifyed by his Creatures But we must take great heed Brethren that it is not the effect of a Pharisaical Righteousness or of Pride and Ostentation which raises this Spirit in us but a Principle of true Piety and an humble Desire of doing real Good For the one of these is the Religion of the Hypocrite and aims at nothing more than to be seen but the other is the Piety of the hearty Christian and the only end is to serve God and benefit Mankind The one indeed may possibly break out frequently into sudden gusts and flashes and into violent and uneven heats of Holyness but it will end like the crackling of Thornes under the Pot consuming it self in a blaze and noise the sure signs of the weakness and short continuance of the flame But your duty Brethren is to shew forth a Prudent and Uniform Zeal and a well-weigh'd Resolution in the ways of Vertue and Piety 't is to be an eveness of Temper and sedateness of Mind arising from firmness and constancy in the Soul This will make your Light Shine always before Men Burning constantly but never Blazing and will be the Lamp which shall never want its Oyl III. It is likewise every Christians Duty to restrain all Vicious and bad Examples in other Men as far as he can We cannot hope wholly to extirpate Sin in ourselves and much less can we propose to root out all Vice and Prophaneness from the Land But yet we may endeavour to break their Force and by the Blessing of God hinder their Increase and if we unite ourselves strongly to keep them under and resolutely engage ourselves never to suffer them to appear but in their own proper colours of Shame and Confusion we shall in time tread upon their Necks And this is our Duty under all the same Obligations and in all the same Stations of Life both private and publick from the self same Considerations and fully in every circumstance our Duty as much as my last particular was The end of that was to shew forth the Example of a Blameless and Vertuous Conversation for the publick Benefit of Mankind and for the private Good of our Friends and such is the tendency of this Duty that was for the maintenance and improvement of Holyness and for the Honour and Glory of God and this is for the rescuing of oppress'd Vertue and for the discouragement of Prophaneness and Atheism And though we cannot expect as I have said to make all Men sincere Believers and true converts to Vertue for neither had the Holy Example the Divine Precepts nor the Severe Rebukes of our Blessed Saviour such an Effect nevertheless we may endeavour and I trust with some good success to brow-beat the Vicious and Prophane that by our over-civil and servile Compliance with them in their Impieties they may not bear themselves as Conquerours over Religion and Vertue we may blast the Reputation which Vice would get by a Good-Man's smiling upon it and we may do our parts in hindring its spreading into a Fashion under our Protection and Connivence And since we have the Laws of God and Man on our side in fighting in this Cause of true Vertue and Piety it is necessary that we should exert this Power and make the right use of our several Talents that Drunkenness Prophaneness and Uncleanness and all the bold Off-spring of open Wickedness may be kept under this Curb at least of being discountenanc'd and punish'd as far as Authority shall be put into our hands to that purpose We may lawfully joyn our endeavours to confine these Works of Iniquity to their Native Darkness and not suffer them to become Companions of Noon-day For why should it be permitted in a Christian Community to Wicked-Men to appear bare-fac'd and braving in their Shame Daring in their defyance of God Recounting their Victories and boasting of their Trophies in all manner of Vice Any Sin that shall get the ascendant thus far in a Nation becomes a Triumph of the People and is a sure sign that the majority or governing part are themselves deeply touch'd with the same Disease whether it be Prophaneness that they are Prophane or Uncleanness that they are Unclean or Corruption that they are Corrupt as surely as if Men should walk the Streets with their Plague-sores fresh upon them no one would doubt but that the Infection was general and that the Sick of that place out-number'd the Sound And it concerns us not only as Christians but as Lovers of our Country and as Friends to Ourselves and Posterity to be Hearty and Zealous in these Endeavours for we may assure ourselves that every Sin becomes a National Crime whenever it shall be accompanied with these Aggravations the Guilt is only private when it is committed in a Corner and secretly but the publick is to be accountable unto God when by their Impunity and Encouragement they shall make the Sin their own For then it begins to call loudly to Heaven for Punishment and the Cry