gradually abate and at length expire and the whole Design prove abortive to the disappointment of our Prayers and Hopes and 〈…〉 Sons of Belial and Powers of Darkness But if the holy Spirit breath upon your Endeavours the Work will go on prosperously and prevail mightily till Satan fall like Lightning from Heaven before you and his Kingdom be visibly shaken Obj. But are not the communications of the holy Spirit arbitrary like the Rain that comes down from Heaven which waits not for Men and tarries not for the sons of Men Do's not that sacred Wind blow where it lists What then can we contribute towards obtaining those Heavenly Gales that flow from Soveraign Grace Answ There are Means appointed in the due use of which this Blessing may be obtained That merciful God who is the best of Beings denies not his gracious Assistances when we are not wanting to our selves in seeking them And I cannot offer any thing more serviceable to your Design than by pointing out the way how you may obtain those helps upon which the success of all depends And therefore First Implore the effusions and assistances of the holy Spirit by humble importunate prayer This is a way wherein every one of you may be useful and 't is a way you are directed to by God himself in Ezek. 26 27 verse you find this mercy promised I will says God put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and keep my Judgments and do them But then this promise is not fulfilled while we cast off the use of means and therefore God adds in 37 verse I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them To excite you so to do Consider First This is a Mercy promised and therefore we have ground and warrant for our Faith and Hope in Prayer Yea the promises of it are referred for their fullest accomplishment to the latter days Thus Acts 2.16 17 verses This is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh c. There was a communication of the Spirit under the Old Testament but it was more sparingly like the watering of a Garden by a single hand but he is dispensed more liberally and universally under the New like the Clouds pouring down Rain upon the Earth Upon all flesh without distinction of Jew and Gentile I am sensible that the Apostle applies that Promise more eminently to extraordinary Gifts but I see no reason to confine it so as to exclude ordinary ones especially since the former were in order to the greater success of the latter I acknowledge also that the Apostle speaks of that Promise as fulfilled in the Primitive times But Judicious Expositors have well observed That such Promises as concern necessary Mercies have not their full accomplishment at once they are fulfilled agen and agen in every Age as the necessities of the Church to which in common they belong do roquire The last Days are the whole time of the Gospel ◠Cor. 3.9 and therefore the Apostle speaks of the Gospel State in general as becoming Glorious by its being the ministration of the Spirit tho' there may be some particular seasons that do more exceed in glory This then is a promised Mercy so that when we plead with God in Prayer for it we may hold up his own Word as our Warrant and bottom our hope of success on his Faithfulness as well as Mercy Secondly This is a necessary Mercy And as the former Considerration should raise our hope so this bespeaks our Importunity The growth of Irreligion and the decays of the power of Godliness are such among us that without it we shall not be healed We may try many remedies 't is our duty to do so and they may have an hopeful and promising appearance but alas all will be a dead Image if the Spirit of life breath not in it The Stream of corrupt nature will overbear and baffle all our feeble opposition if omnipotent Grace do not interpose and help Let us then lay open our Wounds before the great Physitian let us spread our necessities before the Father of Mercies who has directed us to argue from our own bowels and to expect much more from his Luke 11.13 If says our Saviour ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him Let us then both in our Joint Addresses and Secret Retirements send up the earnest importunate Cries of Perishing Creatures Let our hearts cry as loudly as our wants do that God would pour down his Spirit upon this declining Generation Oh what an happy Change wou'd it make and how soon would the face of our Earth be renewed again Secondly Wait for this Mercy in a diligent attendance on your duty We must set upon Action when God calls and trust him for strength as well as success The assistance of the holy Spirit is not designed to indulge our sloth or to do the work without us but to animate our Industry and help us in it Apply your selves to this present Service therefore with all your might Vp and be doing and the Lord will be with you and let your frame and actings be such as may be likely to be thus owned from Heaven In order whereunto I shall take the liberty to offer two Directions First Labour to act from those principles in this matter that are agreeable to the word of God and may render your endeavours pleasing to him A bad End may vitiate a good Action and blast its usefulness to men as well as hinder its acceptance with God Beware that you do not cover any Lust with the Disguise of Zeal for God Let not Passion Malice or Revenge Influence you to any of your Informations or Prosecutions But let Zeal for the Honour of God Compassion to the Souls of men and generous aims at the publick good be the great Springs of your Actings First Zeal for God and the Honour of Religion All Sin has a manifest tendency to dishonour the blessed God 'T is a Reflection on his infinite Wisdom and Goodness as tho' he had burthened our Nature with an heavy Yoke an unsuitable unequal Law 'T is a Denial of his Authority as tho' he had no just right to Govern his own Creature It would cast down the glorious Jehovah from his Throne of Supremacy over the Children of Men and surely the attempt is horrible tho' it wants success and the affront is more hanious when Sin is open and notorious so that others see our contemptuous disregards of that Supream being Let your Hearts be deeply affected with this malignity of Sin in all your endeavous to suppress it and labour to revive the Power and Practice of serious Religion with this end in your eye that your
A SERMON Before the SOCIETIES FOR Reformation of Manners IN DUBLIN Preached in NEW-ROW April the 26th 1698. By NATH WELD Published at the desire of the said SOCIETIES DVBLIN Printed by Andrew Crook for Eliphal Dobson Bookseller at the Stationers Arms in Castle-street MDCXCVIII To the SOCIETIES FOR Reformation WHEN I was called to this Service I considered that you had several excellent Sermons already in your Hands in which I found those Prudent Directions and Perswasive Arguments for promoting your Pious Design that seemed to me to supersede the necessity of adding more in particular or of saying again what was much better said before I thought therefore I could not be more Serviceable to this Good Work than by Directing you to that Sacred Fountain from whence all your Supplies and Successes flow This I have Attempted in the following Sermon And though I am sensible the Performance is very mean yet since you Judge its Publication may be of some Use I chuse thus to Expose my Weaknesses to Publick Uiew rather than decline any Testimony of my Zeal for this Excellent Undertaking And that it may prosper in your Hands I stall not cease to Pray that you may have fresh Effusions of the Holy Spirit upon you to preserve your Zeal from Decays and to carry you on with yet greater Alacrity So that it may be evident 't is not only the Novelty of the Attempt that Charms you into some Fondness for it at the present but that you are Acted by Nobler and more Steady Principles in this matter I do also hope you will be so far under the Conduct of the Spirit of Wisdom from above that your mutual Love and Correspondence will not be Abated or Interrupted by any unkind Insinuations nor you be Diverted from your present Work to an unseasonable Enquiry how the Flame was first kindled when our utmost United Indeavours are necessary to Quench it The Suppressing Prophaness is visibly our common Interest and we may make this Advantage of our unhappy separate Communions to provoke one another to an Holy Emulation Let us only contend who shall be most Zealous and Exemplary in serious Piety and abound most in the Exercise of that diffusive Charity that confines not its self within the narrow bounds of a party but Embraces all without Distinction that appear to have the Character and Impress of Real Holiness And if we be thus affected towards one another the mischievous Effects of our different Apprehensions and Practices in lesser Matters will be in a great measure prevented That this may be the amiable Temper of Protestants towards each other and particularly yours and that in Acting Conformably to it your Pious Endeavous to Reform a Licentious Age may be Crowned with Visible and Glorious Success shall be the Prayer of Your Servant in the Gospel N. W. Isaiah XXXII 14. Verses Because the Palaces shall be forsaken the multitude of the City left c. Isaiah XXXII 15. Verses Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high and the Wilderness be a fruitful Field and the fruitful Field be counted for a Forrest Isaiah XXXII 16. Verses Then Judgment shall dwell in the Wilderness and Righteousness remain in the fruitful Field Isaiah XXXII 17. Verses And the work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness Quietness and assurance for ever Isaiah XXXII 18. Verses And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places THE Degenerate Condition of Human Nature is obvious to every Eye and administers just occasion of wonder and lamentation to all that have any free and raised thoughts about their own Being and End That Nature which originally was a bright resemblance of the Divine Purity like Eden the Garden of the Lord is in its fal'n State a confused deformed Masse a barren Wilderness It is despoil'd of those Moral Excellencies that were the Glories of our Innocent State It is perverted to that degree that reasonable creatures are under the power of disaffection to their true happiness And being maim'd in that principal point a deluge of all kinds of disorders and miseries is broke in upon it How is it oppressed by malicious Devils invaded by loathsom Vices under the government of those defiling dividing Lusts that make men even cruel to themselves and enemies to one another Who that has any bowels of love to that Nature whereof he is a part can behold it labouring under these dismal ruins and hastening to greater with an insensible frame or refuse to contribute his utmost towards its relief This Generous Motive has I hope had its influence on you my Brethren who are ingaged in this Pious Design of promoting a Practical Reformation A Work beyond exception excellent at all times and so highly necessary at this that without some considerable Advances in it we may yet entertain the most dismal apprehensions of our own Estate and expect to be abandoned to all the Calamities an Incorrigible People can deserve And yet this necessary Work is attended with such formidable difficulties as would utterly discourage our attempts and make us conclude our Wound incurable if we had no reason to expect the concurrence and assistance of a Power above our own To this Glorious Spring of our help my Text directs you wherein an happy reformed state of things is described and amplified by the cause from which it flows and the happy Fruit it bears First A Reformed State of things is described in part of the 15 and 16 v. In it persons whose hearts and lives were like a barren Wilderness became Fruitful in universal Holiness and that to such a degree that they who before were accounted Fruitful comparatively with them are but as the Forrest Among them Judgment and Righteousness abound Terms comprehensive of the Duties of Piety towards God and Justice and Charity towards Men When a people are throughly Reformed these excellent Virtues will flow down our streets like a stream Secondly You have here the Cause that produces such an happy Change viz. The pouring the Spirit from on high This is as necessary in order to it as the warm Beams of the Sun and gentle fruitful Showers are that the face of our Earth may be renewed agen Thirdly You have the comfortable effects of this Reformed State in abundance of temporal prosperity and peace and the secure stable continuance thereof even to succeeding Generations 17 and 18 verses I am not concerned to enquire what particular time these Words refer unto Expositors generally agree that they had a partial accomplishment upon the return of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity And a fuller one in a Spiritual sense at the coming of the Messiah tho' some expect to see them literally fulfilled in a Glorious state of things yet to commence But my design from the Words engages me not to determine in this matter for I shall only improve the connexion which the Prophet here observes between
is to such an eminent Dispensation that my Text refers and from thence the Prophet dates the beginnings of happy Times How far we may think our selves concerned in this matter I shall inquire in the Application I proceed therefore to the Second General Secondly What Influence has this Effusion of the Holy Spirit upon an effectual thorough Reformation You may take some account thereof in Two particulars First 'T is by an Effusion of the Holy Spirit that those Instruments whom God is pleased to employ in this Work are prepared for it and ingaged in it This great Event is not brought about by an immediate display of absolute power but the Wisdom of God is pleas'd to use sutable and congruous means and he finds 'em not fitted to his hand but by pouring out his Spirit upon them he makes them so The Concurrence of the Civil Magistrate is ordinarily necessary for producing a general Reformation If they be unqualifyed for their place and negligent in their work if they Incourage prophaness by their practice such neglects and dangerous Examples are likely to have a fatal influence upon their people Experience has taught us how from such a poluted Fountain Irreligion and Vice will soon spread through a Land As often as there were Idolatrous Kings in Judah the people generally complied with their Apostacy and how rarely are great men truly good 'T is but seldom that serious Piety is the ornament of the purple Robe tho' it shines with a most amiable lustre when it is found there When therefore a people are blessed with Wise and Religious Magistrates When that exalted Clay is moulded into the Divine Image we may well account them the productions of Divine Power and Grace They are anointed with the holy Spirit 'T is he alone that can speak effectually to the Hearts of Princes and make them zealous in the matters of their God 'T is by Wisdom from above that they come to discern it their true Interest to promote practical Godliness that the Throne may be established in Righteousness rather than to study their security by methods of carnal policy as tho' they hop'd to gain the worse which is commonly the greatest part by an unrestrained Indulgence of their Lusts 'T is he alone that can influence Subordinate Magistrates so as to possess them with a sense of their Duty and dispose them to a zealous attendance on it that they may attain the end for which they bear the Sword of Civil Magistracy in becoming a terror to evil doers Again the Concurrence of the Ministry is ordinarily requisite in order to a National Reformation 'T is they that are to lift up their voice like a Trumpet and shew the House of Judah and Israel their Sins If they know not the Lord and stand not in his Counsel If they be remise in their work or under the Influence of carnal sensual affections in their lives they will disserve Religion more by their Practice than they can promote it by their Doctrine under such unhappy circumstances from the Prophet and Priest prophaness goes out thro' the Land They must be burning and shining Lights themselves who wou'd be instrumental to kindle the flames of Piety and Zeal in others Now it must be by the effusion of the holy Spirit that the sons of Levi are purified 'T is he that cloths his Priests with Righteousness 'T is a plentiful Anointing they receive from him that makes their faces shine that puts a lustre on their Ministrations that gives them an Authority in the Consciences of their People and so qualifies them for success in their Work I might add that persons of some Eminency and Interest among the People must ordinarily help in this Work to be exemplary to others to call for Justice and to strengthen the hands of Magistrates and Ministers So that 't is manifest so many persons of different Characters Interests and Stations must be imploy'd in this Work that it requires more than Human Wisdom and Power to engage and unite them in it 'T is therefore the Work of that Powerful Spirit who has immediate access to the heart and an omnipotent dominion over it who can form the same inclinations in a multitude at once and cause a Nation to be born in a day and when he is pleased to give forth his Effectual Command his word goeth very swiftly Secondly 'T is by the effusion of the holy Spirit that the Endeavours which these prepared Instruments use do become most effectual I acknowledge That by the vigorous execution of Wholsom Laws and the concurrent influence of a Faithful Minestry open and scandalous Profaness may be in a good measure suppressed and even this is an invaluable Mercy worth all our care and pains and it must be ascrib'd to the holy Spirit as appears by the former Head But the Work will not be carried far nor last long without som◠internal operations o◠the 〈…〉 outward means can have but little success The dispensation of the Word will be but a Dead Letter if it be not the ministration of the Spirit Human Laws and Penalties may put men upon seeking greater seeresy as a shelter for their sins but it is the holy Spirit awakening mens consciences and sanctifying their hearts that must effectually Reform them Other Remedies do but cover the Disease this cures it External applications do but set up a Dique against the Stream the Sanctifying operations of the Spirit dry up the Fountain and tho' there are but few truly sanctified yet many may be so convinced and see such an awful efficacy in the Considerations which an enlightned conscience represents as may be more effectual restraints than external severities For eternal Rewards and Punishments are confessedly of the highest and most awful importance to those that indeed believe them and therefore our hopes and fears that are conversant about them are the most powerful springs of action I say not this to discourage your Pious attempts of exposing Scandalous Sinners to the punishment the Law assigns For this is highly our duty and indeed necessary to the most of such offenders who are so hardened and stupified by their lusts that they scarce resent any punishment but what they feel Yet we should not satisfy our selves with this but raise our thoughts and desires higher even to those victorious operations of the Blessed Spirit by which Sin may be mortified as well as restrained I proceed now to the application of this Truth to the present occasion And there are some things I wou'd deduce from hence both for your Direction about your work and for your Incouragement in it First By way of Direction Wou'd you manage your laudable Attempts against Prophaness with happy success Contribute thou your utmost towards obtaining this Invaluable Blessing even a fresh effusion of the holy Spirit If he withold or withdraw his help the Work will lie languishing on your hands and even your own Zeal that at present seems inflam'd will
Heavenly Father may be glorified for he is glorified by our bringing forth much Fruit John 15.8 The Holiness of the Members makes an honourable representation to the world of their glorious head It shews forth the efficacy of the Mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of his Grace when our barren Nature is recovered to Fruitfulness This would be the great honour of the Christian Religion It wou'd represent it amiable and recommend it to the acceptance of a blind prejudiced World Who could doubt of its divine Original when they saw its divine Effects in transforming the Hearts of men Purifying their Lives and making them Fruitful in all instances of Virtue and Piety Secondly Compassion to the Souls of Men even theirs whom your duty obliges you to expose to shame and punishment Let Love to their Persons be flaming in your Breasts while you express a just detestation of their Sins Believe you do 'em a friendly Office while they mistake you for their Enemies look upon your Informations against them under the notion of a Remedy rather than a Penalty and beg of God that it may be effectual This may be the first step towards saving a Soul from Death for they that are not capable of other Arguments may begin to learn by suffering some part of the evil of Sin To excite your Compassions consider the extream danger of precious Souls What a fatal precipice is before ' em Into what a dreadful amazing Gulf are they hasty to plunge themselves even a State of Everlasting wo May not the thoughts of it make our Flesh to tremble and over whelm our minds if we do seriously believe it And are these things indeed so Is this terrible Hell more than a painted Fire Is it a certain reality near at hand Are multitudes of our fellow Creatures going down into it before our eyes How should this consideration raise our deepest Compassion and as the Prophet speaks make our very Bowels to sound as an Harp My Brethren if we have any Principles of Tenderness and Pity in our Constitution let us express them by our utmost endeavours to prevent this dreadful ruine to Souls Act from this Principle in your present work Thirdly Generous aims at the publick good We cannot more effectually consult the welfare of our Lands than by methods of Reforming them for Sin brings ruine upon Collective Bodies in this World as well as upon particular Persons in the next But Righteousness exalts a Nation Prov. 14.24 it ingages the Indulgent favourable Providence of God on their side his Protection will be a Wall of defence unto them his favour will make them great So that they shall be the Head and not the Tail chief among the Nations and Princess among the Provinces Where Justice Temperance Charity and Piety abound they put a lustre upon such a People in the Eyes of others How effectually was this Exemplify'd in the Kingdom of Judah when they were zealous for the Law of their God they were the Glory of all Lands the Wonder and Envy of other Nations their Enemies submitted themselves on every side Peace and abundant Prosperity were the Blessings of their happy Times So that zeal for Practical Religion is the best Expedient for the welfare of our Lands whose good we are bound to seek under all manner of Obligations If such motives as these have the governing Influence over you in your present work you may comfortably expect that God will be with you in it A Second Direction is carefully avoid every thing that may provoke the Holy Spirit to deny or withdraw his Influence and Help and among other evils that have such a fatal Tendency Let me use the freedom and faithfulness to caution you against these four First Cold Neutrality Too many are ready to say This is a matter that doth not concern me am I my Brothers keeper Yes you are the Authority of God has made you so and you must be responsable to him for your neglect 'T is the voice of God to us all at this day and the voice of the Civil Magistrate Who is on my side who and here is no room for Neuters If you are not with us you are in the righteous construction of God against us Mat. 12.30 It has been already proved abundantly by abler hands who have appeared for the Encouragement and Defence of this Cause that private Persons are obliged to promote Reforming work as far as regularly they can the most excellent Laws avail but little without a vigorous Execution Now the Law cannot be Executed unless the Transgressor be Convicted and you know this Conviction is devolved upon the hand of private Persons So that the Interests of Practical Religion need your help and you cannot refuse it without incurring the heavy displeasure of God and exposing your selves to the Curse that was denounced against those who wou'd not go forth to the help of the Lord against the might Yea by your neglects you become accessaries to all the Sins you might â—revent and so are chargeable with other mens Guilt as well as laden with your own Oh then let not Sloth or a base regard to your carnal Interests or indifferency in the matters of God or fear of offending man tempt you to a neglect of this Duty If we will not do as much as this when the honour of God the good of Souls and the publick Interest require it we seem to be a reproach to the rational nature of man and much more unworthy of the dignifying name of Christian Secondly Neglects of personal Reformation to appear zealous against the Lusts of others and Indulge our own would be such a piece of vile hypocrisy as wou'd justly expose us to the Scorn of men as well as the wrath of God Your undertaking obliges you to the utmost care to keep your Garments undefiled and to be exemplary in universal Holiness This will give you boldness before the Faces of men and some Authority and respect in their Consciences Oh then begin impartially to practice Reforming work at home and go not about to pull a Mote out of your Brothers Eye with a Beam in your own Thirdly Pride and swelling Self-conceit as thô we were the men and Wisdom and Holiness should dye with us As thô we expected to be distinguished from others and preferred before them as the zealous Reformers of the Age. This is a Snare that younger persons are in most danger to be taken in but whoever are infected with it it is hateful to God who abhors the Proud Isa 57.15 'T is humble Souls that are the Temple the Throne of the holy Spirit he dwells with them deligts in them Oh then watch against Self-exalting thoughts and if God honour you to be of any Use give him all the Praise and learn to say humbly with the Apostle Paul By the Grace of God I am what I am 1 Cor. 15.10 Remember you are chargable with omissions