in great Variety of Passions it appear'd in his Hatred his Joy and in his Grief In his Hatred Psal. 26.5 I have Hated the Congregation of the Wicked and will not sit among the Ungodly In his Joy Psal. 122.1 I was glad says he when they said unto me we will go into the House of the LORD He was glad to see Piety prevailing among others and that the Motion of going to the House of the LORD shou'd come from any besides himself But the greatness of his Zeal chiefly shew'd it self in his Grief a truly Zealous Man meeting with many more occasions of Sorrow than Joy from others And therefore the Psalmists Language is sometimes very Mournful Psal. 119.136 Rivers of Waters run down mine Eyes because they keep not thy Law And again vers 158. I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word 1 King 18. How Zealous was Elijah against Idolatry He boldly Reprov'd the King of Israel and destroy'd the Priests of Baal tho he was no Stranger to Jezabels Revengeful Spirit Nay he appeal'd to GOD himself that he had been very Zealous for the LORD GOD of Hosts Neh. 13.15.21 Nehemiah is a Noble Example of Zeal and Courage fit for all Christians but chiefly Magistrates to follow He Contended with the Great Men of Judah for Prophaning the Sabbath He did not modestly pass by their Faults out of respect to their Quality nor gently touch as if afraid to hurt them but oppos'd all abuses of the Sabbath with great Zeal and Resolution and at last effectually suppress'd them tho very general and prevailing The Time wou'd fail me to mention all the Prophets Apostles the Primitive Saints Confessors and Martyrs who have been Eminent Examples of a fervent Zeal who valu'd not Ease nor Fame nor Life so they might propagate the True Religion and effectually discourage Impiety and Vice A Zeal which Conquer'd the World and all the Powers of Darkness to which nothing was too difficult to be done nor too grievous to be suffer'd in so Glorious a Cause If we observe but the single instance of St. Paul we cannot without amazement Reflect upon the many Persecutions Calamities and Afflictions the many Perils by Land and Sea from his own Country-Men and Strangers from open Enemies pretended Friends and false Brethren which his Zeal embold'd him to meet and enabl'd him to bear But behold we have a greater Example of Holy Zeal than he and that is the Son of GOD and Saviour of the World It was Zeal for the Reformation and Happiness of the World brought him down from Heaven and expos'd him to Poverty and Misery and Disgrace here below The same Holy Zeal made him boldly Reprove the Greatest among Men whilst he famiâ—iarly Convers'd with the Meanest made him Toil and Labour and go about doing Good even to those who made him the returns of Hatred for his Good-Will Out of Zeal for the True Religion he Unmask'd the Pharisees and laid open their Hypocrisie and brought upon himself the Hatred and Revenge of that Malicious Dissembling Sect. Nay his Zeal made him once lay aside the Lamb and with the Resentment as well as Authority of an Offended Judge Vindicate the Honour of GOD by Scourging the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple So that with great Justice does the Evangelist apply that Expression of the Psalmist to our LORD the Zeal of thy House Jo. 2.15.17 hath Eaten me up But the most Stupendous Instance of Divine Zeal is the Blessed Jesus Dying to promote the Glory of GOD and happiness of Mankind We Honour the Zeal of those who are willing to undergo Trouble and run a few Hazards for Religion What then shall we say of the Zeal of our Blessed Saviour Zeal which Nail'd him to the Cross and Shed his Blood and made him yield up the Ghost Zeal which made his Soul all Gloominess and Horror depriv'd him of the usual Manifestations of his Fathers Love forc'd him to cry out that his GOD had forsaken him and in the bitterest Agonies of Soul and Body to expire This was wonderful Zeal indeed nay Zeal that wants a Name being beyond our Expressions and even too narrow Thoughts Yet such as shou'd strongly engage us to the exactest Imitation we are capable of and turn our whole Soul into Flames of Zeal and Love for him to whom we owe whatever we enjoy or hope for who even lay'd down his Life for us to Rescue us from Misery and Intitle us to Eternal Glory Such Examples of Zeal does the Word of GOD set before us the best greatest we can have even Patriarchs Kings Prophets and Apostles and above all the Great Captain of our Salvation the Holy Jesus And while we have these in view can any of us be cold and indifferent in that Service which is most acceptable to GOD the Promotion of Religion and Reformation of Manners In otheâ— Cases Examples raise a Generous Emulation they give us Courage to attempt the most difficult Undertakings and Constancy to endure the greatest Tryals And shall this be the single Instance in which we are not asham'd to be out-done by all Let us then blush and hang down our Heads when we compare our own Slothfulness with the unweary'd Labours of others and find our selves backward to meet with Difficulties and Dangers in a Service wherein so many have chearfully Sacrific'd their Lives But to these Primitive Examples give me leave to add one of this present Age of a Person Eminent for the Greatness of her Station much more for Piety and Goodness whose Memory we all Honour and whose Untimely Death we yet bewail I mean our late Excellent QUEEN whose Zeal for Piety and Religion seem'd to our-shine Her other Excellent Qualities She was not Diverted by the Solicitudes of a Crown from neglecting any Religious Duty Her self Her Example Recommended Piety to the World with all its Native Charms And in Her appear'd all the Majesty of a Queen with the Unaffected Humility of the Devoutest Christian. Nothing went nearer Her Heart than that Immorality and Prophaness She perceiv'd every where prevailing and nothing with so much Joy did She Encourage as what had a tendency towards Reformation of Manners Of which I need give but one Instance the Countenance She gave the Societies for Reformation in England For as we learn from a very Pious and Useful Book Intitled Pag. 8.9 An Account of the Societies for Reformation of Manners c. having this Affair laid before her in the absence of the King by a Prelate of Great Learning and Fame the late Lord Bishop of Worcester she had just Sentiments of it and therefore thought it became her to give it Countenance She Graciously condescended to Thank those who were concern'd in it and readily promised them her Assistance and afterwards upon Application made to her Majesty she was pleased to send her Letter to the Justices of Middlesex
appointed for the punishment of Evil Doers and the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2.14 From all which it appears what sort of Persons Magistrates shou'd be to evil works they shou'd be still a Terror and the Sword of Justice they shou'd never bear in vain Upon them that do Evil 't is their Duty to execute Wrath but good Works they are to Encourage good Men they are to Support and Praise 'T is for this end that they have Power given them over others by him from whom they originally derive their Commissions all Power being Ordained by him for by him Kings Reign and Princes decree Justice and therefore his Service they shou'd constantly perform and study the Vindication and Promotion of his Honour Besides the Suppression of Wickedness and Vice is one great End of all Magistracy and Government because thereby that which is its sole end the publick Peace and Safety is effectually attain'd and secur'd For it is inconsistent with the Publick Safety to suffer Wickedness to go on unrestrained Wickedness I say which has a natural tendency to Confusion and Disorder endangers the Peace and destroys the happiness of Society For the Natural Consequence of this must be the entire Ruine of Religion and when that is gone and Men are under no Tyes of Conscience have no regard for GOD believe not his Providence and are under no apprehensions of his just Indignation what Villanies then must be every where committed What Feuds must continually arise betwixt Governours and Subjects the one being Tyrannical and the other Rebellious What security can Men have for their Lives or Fortunes when Perjury shall be no longer dreaded as a Crime What an Emblem of Hell must this World become Criminals being too numerous too big to be Corrected when those who by their office are supposs'd to be Guardians of Virtue by their Practice will appear Patrons of Impiety Nay the resemblance will hold not only in the Worlds Wickedness and Confusion but Misery too since Vice Countenanc'd by the neglect of Magistrates must needs exasperate the Wrath of Heaven and bring down heavy Judgments on those Nations where it is allow'd to thrive where warm'd and nourish'd by Connivence But surely Magistrates cannot neglect the Execution of the Laws against Immorality and Prophaness upon such easie Terms as some of them if we may judge by their Practice imagine since when they enter upon their Office they are Sworn to Execute and Maintain those Laws after their Wit and Power with equal respect to Poor and Rich and therefore every wilful Omission of their Duty is a Violation of a Solemn Oath and adds a new Perjury to all their other Crimes And what a sad account shall such Men have to make at the Day of Judgment Must they not be rank'd with Judas and such other Wretches having betray'd that Religion they were oblig'd to defend and protected those Vices they were commanded they were sworn to Suppress And how happy wou'd it be both for them and us did all our Magistrates consider and act agreeably to the great Trust repos'd in them Did they with united Counsels and Endeavours put a stop to Vice and not commit those Crimes themselves they were commanded to punish in others How wou'd all the Blessings of Heaven and Earth flow down upon us And what a happy change wou'd their Zeal and Courage soon produce Vice wou'd sneak and not dare to shew its Deform'd Face Men wou'd be asham'd of their Wickedness and tremble for fear of a Discovery but never dare to Glory in it and all their deeds of Darkness wou'd retire and shun the Light And certainly a Faithful Magistrate is a Publick Blessing He 's the most useful Member of the Common-Wealth the best Patriot of his Country and to his Prince a most Valuable Subject He deserves all the Honour the present Age can give and while the Name of some shall Rot Generations to come shall call him Blessed And Praised be GOD's Holy Name such Magistrates are not wholly wanting among us there are some even in this City who upon all proper Occasions express a generous Zeal against Lewdness Immorality and Prophaness and have been glorious Instruments in restraining those Crimes which were usually committed with a daring Impudence Magistrates who are Zealous for their Masters Honour and protect and encourage those who are active and forward in his Service whose actions are agreeable to the end for which they were appointed the Punishment of Evil-doers and Praise of them that do well The Merit of such Excellent Men challenges the most publick and grateful acknowledgments which the Friends of Piety can pay and next to the great GOD of Heaven we shou'd be loudest in the Praises of these Ornaments of Magistracy Supports of Virtue and Zealous Promoters of Reformation And I 'm very confident they shall never want a more valuable benefit than Commendations the sincere and constant Prayers of all good Men for their temporal and eteranal Happiness And I trust that the same GOD who has begun a good work in them will continue will improve and bring it to perfection That he will so animate and assist them that they shall never grow weary in well-doing nor think any thing a trouble wherein GOD and Religion are concern'd And others will I hope be influenc'd by these Examples to walk in their Steps and immitate their Zeal That so all our Magistrates may enjoy the invaluable satisfaction which doing good to the World does here afford all may be intitl'd to a Glorious Reward in Heaven Whatever particular Obligations lye upon Magistrates to be Zealously Affected against Prophaness and Vice do likewise respect the Nobility and Gentry 'T is true they are not all Sworn to Execute the Laws yet Honours and Estates are conferr'd upon them by the Sovereign Proprietor of all things that they may be qualifi'd thereby to be the more serviceable to the interests of Piety and Religion These Gifts of Heaven are Talents for which they must render an account to the Great Donor of them And if they improve them to his Glory and the good of Mankind If they will not decline expence nor trouble to destroy Vice and make Religion prosper then they answer the intention of Providence and shall be able to give an account of their Stewardship with Joy They shall entail lasting Blessings upon their Families and secure endless Glory to themselves Nay they will silence the Clamours of Malice and Envy since few won't rejoice at the greatness of those who make all their privileges subservient to Piety and Virtue A Third sort of Persons who are concern'd to be Zealously Affected against those dangerous Sins are Penitents Those who having heretofore been engag'd in sinful Courses are by the Grace of GOD delivered from their Bondage and restor'd to a better Mind 'T is a common observation that Penitents are more Zealous than any others against Sin And indeed ther 's a Natural
do generally improve and nourish Virtue and will it not be base and dishonourable shou'd we hereafter fall short of what is publish'd to the World concerning us Are our Magistrates and Clergy Commended for discharging their Duty with so much Zeal And shou'd not those among us Blush who are conscious to themselves that they are Intitled to none of these Praises Let us then resolve not to lose the Reputation we have already gain'd least it be hereafter as publickly declar'd of us that for a while indeed we seem'd warm and in earnest against Vice but that our First Fervours are gone and we are unhappily reconcil'd to our Old Sins and are lyable to the Character of the Foolish Builders who began a good Work indeed but cou'd not bring it to an end 'T is true we ought no more to do a Good Action to be Prais'd of Men than we shou'd do an Evil one to avoid their Censures And I trust in GOD that your Zeal will never be Infected with the least mixture of Vain Glory Yet just Praises are the Rewards of Virtue and shou'd be so esteem'd And it is our Duty not only to be sincerely Religious but open Advocates for Piety to stir up others by our Zeal and so to let our Light shine before Men that they may see our good Works and Glorifie our Father which is in Heaven I might mention as another Motive to excite and confirm your Zeal against Prophaness and Vice the necessity of it to avert the just Wrath and heavy Judgments of GOD and the reason we have to expect and dread them if Iniquity still prevail And that we can hope to escape them on no other Terms than our Endeavouring with great Industry and Sincerity to suppress all kinds of Wickedness The truth of this might be easily demonstrated from the Word of GOD and from the End and Reason of this Judgments this is most apparent from his Method of dealing with other Nations of this we may be convinc'd from his dealings with our selves But this has been so fully insisted on and largely prov'd by others that I shall do no more than name it And pass on to a Fifth Motive to excite and confirm our Zeal for Reformation of Manners and against all Prophane and Immoral Practices namely that we have reason to hope that it may prove hereafter an excellent means of Uniting the Establish'd Church and the Dissenters and of Propagating the Reform'd Religion among those who are Strangers to it and prejudic'd against it It will not be here needful to inquire into the Immediate Causes of our unhappy Divisions nor shall I take up your time in Lamenting the Miseries which have been and still are the consequences of them It concerns us much more to learn how our Breaches may be Heal'd and those Wounds Cur'd which have often reduc'd our Religion to a very Languishing Condition And they who have most seriously considered this matter have with great reason observ'd that nothing will more allay our Heats and Animosities nothing lay a better Foundation for a firm and lasting Union among Protestants than our becoming Zealous and Active against Vice and Prophaness For First our jointly endeavouring to beat down Publick Wickedness must needs Unite the Affections of all those who are concern'd in that Excellent Undertaking We cannot but Love and Value all who have an Active Zeal for GOD and Religion tho in some things their Judgments may be different from ours There are Charms in Piety which none can resist and if we Love GOD our selves we must Love those also who serve him in Humility and Sincerity of Heart tho we may judge them mistaken in things of lesser Moment But now Unity of Affection is a necessary Preparative for Unity of Judgment and true Holy Zeal Unites the Minds as well as Hearts of all those in whom it dwells And if we go on to assist one another in Suppressing Lewdness Immorality and Prophaness we will soon be convinc'd that differences of Opinion about the circumstances of Religion when we agree in all the Essentials of it shou'd never make us Hate and Calumniate one another But that whatever our Sentiments as to some particulars may be we are Brethren and Fellow Christians Servants of the same Lord Partakers of the same Blessed Hope and Heirs of the same Eternal Kingdom That tho we differ in a little in the Roads we take yet we both direct our Course towards the same Heaven whither they who are truly Pious Humble and Sincere of both Parties may hope to arrive at last and where without Controversie or Dispute they shall for ever dwell together in the profoundest Peace and most charitable Agreement But as our being truly Zealous against Prophaness and Vice has a natural tendency to Unite our Affections so in the Second place it will convince us of the necessity of Uniting together in Worship and Sacraments and every other way For the more Zealous we are against Vice the more clearly will we see the great Mischiefs which are caus'd by our Divisions the more fully will we be convinc'd that they are the great Hindrances of a General Reformation of Manners that the most prevailing Vices and Impieties are owing to them and that till they be remov'd Reformation may be wish'd for but can never be happily Effected For this is the great Popular Objection against our Religion insisted on so much by the Enemies of Piety that there are so many Parties among us that they know not whom to close with and therefore will treat them all with equal Neglect and Scorn This is what some pretend to justifie their Impiety and is the real cause why others are Prophane and cannot be but a Stumbling Block to many weak Minds Besides Dissentions in Religion destroy Ecclesiastical Discipline and deprive Church Censures of their Force They enfeeble the Civil Power and compell Magistrates to Wink at great Irregularities They distract Private Families and separate the nearest Relations Where they prevail the State is seldom free from Tumultuous Disorders not the Church from numerous Heresies and Schisms without end And in short they naturally lead to the Subversion of all sober Religion all Peace and Order Nay our Divisions not only cause most of our Distempers but hinder our Cure they weaken the Hands and obstruct the Endeavours of those who are Zealous for Suppressing Publick Vices For he must be a Stranger to Humane Nature who does not know that so long as there are separate Parties there will be separate Interests and that many will Prosecute their particular Designs to the prejudice of the common cause of Religion One Party will be sometimes for Acting alone and that will raise Jealousies in the other at least there 's cause to fear that they will not always Act with that Confidence in each other upon which in a great measure their Success depends These things I confess ought not to be so and all that can be said