find Grace and Favour with the Lord to the preventing or removing of judgments and for the continuing and further conferring of His mercies That as it is Jer. 31.23 The Lord bless thee O Habitation of Justice and Mountain of Holiness the Blessing of the Lord should be on such a People 1. To begin with the first of these That 't is Gods express charge and command that we hate evil Quest 1. What kind of evil are we to understand here Answ Not meer Natural or Penal evil but Moral or culpable evil We must kiss the Rod accept of the Punishment of our Iniquity Lev. 26.41 but hate those ill manners that are displeasing to the Lord and are wont or likely to bring us under the Rod. Hate Sin which is the evil of evils the greatest evil Quest 2. How are we to hate it Answ There is a twofold hatred 1. An hatred of Aversation Thus we must hate sin as having an Antipathy unto it Hate it so as to shun and avoid it all we can 2. An hatred of Opposition From an enmity to sin not barely shunning it but striving earnestly against it Setting our selves against Sin as real enemies to it both in our selves and in others And surely they that are reconciled to God and at peace with Him they that are Friends to Christ cannot but be Enemies to Sin Now this and the two following Duties are included in the very Law of Nature These are common Principles of Natural Religion But we who have Gods will more clearly revealed to us in his written word shall be left more inexcusable if we conform not to his will herein What can be more plain than that Psal 97.10 Ye that Love the Lord Hate Evil So then none should have a face to say They love God who do not hate Sin in their Hearts And how plain is that Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil Where the word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical Abhor it even a Hell it self And great reason for this strict Injunction 1. Forasmuch as God hates Sin 'T is the abominable thing which he hates Nothing in the world so odious to him as Sin May it not be said that Sin in some respects is more odious than the very Devils These as they are Gods Creatures have some Natural good in them whereas there is nothing but evil in Sin And propter quod unum quodque tale est illud est magis tale It is only for Sin that the Devils are such odious Creatures in His pure Eyes Now as God hates Sin ought not we herein to be Followers of God 2. We cannot love the Lord in sincerity if we do not hate Sin Now this is the First and Great Commandment Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart Which is a thing impossible without an hatred of Sin Ye that Love the Lord Hate Evil. Sin is such an Enemy to God so contrary to His most Pure and Holy Nature and to His most Righteous will so opposite to his Interest to his Honour and Glory that if we have the love of God in us we must necessarily hate and abhor Sin for its contrariety to God 3. And certainly 't is a great Duty also incumbent on us to Fear the Lord Thou shalt Fear the Lord thy God and Serve him Fear ye not me saith the Lord If I be a Master where is my Fear But there is no true fear of God without an hatred of Sin Prov. 8.13 The Fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no fear of God before their Eyes 4. And 't is as certain that without an hatred of Sin we shall do no execution on it Now Sin is such a deadly Enemy that here we must Kill or be Kill'd Oh it warreth against our Souls And till we hate it we shall at most but Fence or Skirmish with it not Fight in good earnest against it What is it only to scratch its face to raise its skin This will not indanger its Life at all The surface of a meer outward Reformation is far short of the work of Mortification There is no wounding Sin to the Heart till we hate it Indeed the love of Sin is the very life of it But hatred seeks the destruction of its Enemy And without hating Sin we shall not be for mortifying it And if we are for sparing the Life of Sin our Lives must go for its Life 5. We cannot have the Complacential love of God till we hate Sin There is at least a Secret League with Sin till we come to hate it Never till then that our league with sin is broken And 't is certain that till our League with Sin is broken God and our Souls are not agreed While in League with Sin there 's no Reconciliation no Peace with God See Isa 1.16 18. and ch 59.2 6. Upon the whole this is a Discriminating Note and Mark necessary to distinguish true Converts such as indeed turn from Sin unto God to difference them from the wicked from Hypocrites These may abstain from many Sins but not from a right principle A wicked Man may refrain from the outward act of many Sins either upon some pang and horror of Conscience or upon some Worldly account when he is far from loathing and hating them He has a love to them still But fear of wrath to come or fear of loss shame or other punishment in this world lays a restraint upon him 'T is part of the Description and Character of a wicked Man Psal 36.4 He abhorreth not evil And 't is enough to prove one wicked still A bare abstinence from Sin will not prove one a true Convert but there must also be a real abhorrence of it Use I. That the Lord hath given such express charge to hate evil then is it not manifest that they are here condemned who indeed are direct Antipodes to this Divine Command who stand in Diametrical opposition to it I mean such as hate the good instead of hating evil Alas how many hate the Light because their deeds are evil How many that hate him that rebuketh in the Gate and abhor him that speaketh uprightly As here v. 10. How many that hate Instruction and that hate Reformation even hate both the Name and Thing How many that hate Holiness and hate Gods Saints and Servants for that for which the Holy Psalmist professeth his great delight was in them Psal 16.3 their excelling in Virtue Bear witness Sirs bear witness Are not such notorious Despisers of Gods Command Yea do not such shew themselves haters of God Oh what height of Impiety is this Use II. This should put us upon serious Self-Examination and on a strict Enquiry into our Hearts whether we indeed hate evil And great need of an impartial search here that we be not deceived and mistaken Then 1. Have we an hatred of sin as sin As 't is an
A SERMON Preach'd to the SOCIETY FOR Reformation of Manners IN Nottingham Novemb. 24. 1698. By JOHN BARRET Minister of the GOSPEL Published at the desire of the said Society LONDON Printed by Tho. Snowden and sold by Iohn Richards Bookseller in Nottingham 1699. A SERMON FOR THE Reformation of Manners AMOS v. xv Hate the Evil and love the Good and Establish Judgment in the Gate It may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be Gracious unto the Remnant of Joseph THough the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was very bitter and set Mans Teeth on Edge yet the right Knowledge of Good and Evil is good and necessary without which we cannot hate the Evil and love the Good The Nature and Difference of Moral Good and Evil is invariable For any to conceit Virtue and Vice of an indifferent Nature in themselves that the former is only good because commanded and the latter only evil as forbidden is certainly a most wild and very false conceit Or to imagine that the Holy God of His absolute Soveraignty might have commanded us to despise His infinitely Glorious Majesty to blaspheme His most Sacred and Reverend Name and to be unjust intemperate to run into all excess of Riot to make Beasts of our selves to be Lewd and Debauch'd to work all uncleanness with greediness Or to imagine that he might have prohibited our living Soberly Righteously and Godly in the World surely such thoughts would be horribly injurious to the Holy one of Israel most impious and blasphemous thoughts They that could entertain such thoughts of God would shew themselves no Christians while thus they would subvert all Religion Such would not shew themselves Men but rather to have put off all Reason and Humanity Such would shew themselves Enemies to Mankind who cared not to turn the World upside down cared not to turn Human Societies into Herds of brute Beasts Yea such would interpretatively and by consequence deny that there is a God that Ruleth and Judgeth in the Earth As such Laws would be most contradictory to the Infinite Goodness and Holiness of God And if He were not infinitely Good and Holy he should not be God Deny His perfect Holiness and you deny Him to be God Yet note by the way that besides those things which are intrinsically good or evil there are other things indifferent in themselves which passing under the stamp of Divine Authority the Lord requiring them they thus become unquestionable Duties or forbidding other of them they are Sins till such injunction or prohibition be taken off And it must needs be thus upon that Fundamental undeniable Principle That God our Maker Owner and Supreme Ruler and Governour hath a Sovereign Right of commanding and that Man is under an indisputable Obligation to obey Him in all his Commands That 't is unquestionably good to yield obedience even to such positive Commands But evil to transgress and violate them As God made Man a Reasonable Creature and Upright after his own Image while Man kept his integrity there was a right understanding and good accord betwixt God and Man Mans will being fully conform to the will of his Maker Thus at first Mans Nature was fram'd to love the good and to hate evil And nothing more congruous to right Reason than that it should be so And therefore wicked Men in Scripture are commonly called Fools a proper Name for them as wanting the right use of Reason As loving that which in all reason they should hate and abominate and hating that which they ought to love Which shews the horrible depravation of Mans Nature by and since the Fall Oh the monstrous deformity of sinful Souls what lamentable horrible disorders are here As Sinners love simplicity and hate knowledge Prov. 1.22 Love Darkness and hate the Light as chap. 3. of the Evangelist St. John ver 19 20. Love their base Lusts and hate Holiness Unto such a foolish cross-grain'd froward and perverse People was the Prophet Amos here sent The Children of Israel the House of Joseph for whom together with their Brethren the Children of Judah the Lord had done more than for all the Families of the Earth besides When yet they requited Him evil for good they went on provoking Him with their manifold Transgressions and their mighty Sins as here ver 12. For which they are severely threatned Yet here behold and wonder Oh should we not wonder at the goodness and mercy of God shewn towards such provoking Creatures as Sinners are The Lord with His sharpest reproofs and severest threatnings is pleas'd to intermix most gracious Calls and Counsels to repent and turn that so he might repent of the evil threatned and turn from His fierce Anger yea that he might be gracious unto the Remnant of Joseph According to that Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the wicked but c What various methods doth he take to bring sinners to a better pass that iniquity may not be their ruine His patience and goodness is to lead them to Repentance His inflicting lesser judgments as warning-pieces is that if they take warning and turn unto the Lord that smiteth them greater evils may be prevented severer strokes may be kept off more wasting Calamities Land-desolating Judgments may be turned away And still he follows them with gracious earnest Calls and and with sweet encouraging Promises if any means might work on them As here v. 4 5 6. Seek ye me and ye shall live But seek not Bethel Seek the Lord and ye shall live And v. 14 15. Seek good and not evil that ye may live and so the Lord the God of Hosts shall be with you Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgment in the Gate c. Here is a Sovereign Remedy prescrib'd to and for a People in a most dangerous Case When judgment was towards them the Decree ready to bring forth Sentence ready to be executed And 't is the Lords own prescription who is called their Physitian Exod. 15.26 Here 's a threefold Duty requir'd 1. Hate the Evil. 2. Love the good 3. Establish Judgment in the Gate And Gods mercy held forth or promis'd thereupon It may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious unto the Remnant of Joseph Which tho spoken of with a may be yet all the doubt was whether they would Repent and Reform not whether God would be gracious to them if they did so See Jer. 18.7 8. What needeth explanation I may take notice of as I go on These four Axioms or Propositions I take to lie plain in the Text that he that runneth may observe and take notice of I. 'T is Gods express Charge Will and Command that Men hate Evil. II. So likewise That they love that which is good III. And that according to their power and capacity they establish Judgment in the Gate IV. And this way a People may hope to
than any Foreign Enemy could be For our manifold Sins and Provocations without a more General Reformation than is yet to be seen amongst us the Lord the Lord God of Hosts may be provok'd to become our Enemy And where are we then What will become of us if we have him our Enemy As it follows Amos 9.5 The Lord God of Hosts is he that toucheth the Land and it shall melt and all that dwell therein shall mourn c. See Nehem. 1.5 6. I must tell you if you do not hate Sin if you are not Enemies to Sin you can be no true Friends to England But I may dwell no longer on this and must hast over the second Proposition which follows II. We are as expresly charg'd and commanded to love that which is good As 't is not enough to leave off and shun evil practices but we must hate the Evil So 't is not enough to do good actions but we must love the Good Quest 1. What are we to understand by Good here Answ Not any false or Phantastick Good Not what is only good in shew and appearance or in a Sinners deluded fancy Not the Covetous Worldlings good Not the Sensualists good No need of a Command to love Earthly Riches or Carnal Pleasures which Carnal Hearts are too much in love with But need enough of a Caution or Prohibition against setting our Hearts on these Which indeed we meet with again and again in Gods Holy Word But the Good we are required to love stands in opposition to the Evil we must hate Therefore look as whatsoever the Law forbids we are to hate as Evil So whatsoever He requires we are to love as Good Whatsoever is right and good in Gods Eyes should be so in ours He that is Wisdom it self and Goodness it self cannot deceive or misinform us concerning what is Good Indeed he is the prime good to be first and principally loved For that he is Summe Bonus summum Bonum superlatively most transcendently good the chiefest good He is Essentially Originally Infinitely Immutably Good He is Goodness it self And here is the Root of the Matter To lay a right Foundation we must see that we begin at the love of God begin at the love of God in Christ in whom he hath discover'd and made himself known as infinitely amiable And then we must love other things according as they are conform to his perfect Holy Nature and so far as is agreeable to his Good and Righteous will Quest 2. What is it to love the Good Answ In short loving the Good is the complacency of the Soul in that which is good whereby the Soul embraceth and cleaves to that which is good is knit to it as one with it and would by no means be parted from it but still follows that which is good and has a care to hold it fast Here you have a brief Account of the Affection together with its proper Effects Now what could be more reasonable and equitable than this Precept Love the good 1. Great reason for it from the very Nature of the thing Indeed these Precepts in the Text are such common Principles as all who would not out-face the very light of Nature must necessarily yield their Assent unto All that would shew themselves Men must grant that there is no place at all for Hatred if it should not be turn'd against that which is evil so no place to be found for love if not to be set on that which is good As indeed contrariorum contraria est ratio There is as good reason for our loving the one as for our hating the other Nothing more congruous to Reason than to love that which is good Omnis Appetitus fertur in Bonum And tho' the Sensitive Appetite looks at a lower kind of good yet surely the Will the Rational Appetite should look higher Does not every Man's reason tell him that of two sorts of good the better should be prefer'd the greater good should be chosen And certainly where the sensitive Appetite that should be under the Conduct and Regimen of Reason beareth sway will not be rul'd it shews such Men so far brutified and without the right use of Reason And if that which is truly really good should attract our Wills and Affections before a meer seeming good then should not naked Vertue be preferr'd and chosen before Vice in its richest Robes Tho' Vertue had no dowry here yet were she not to be embraced rather than any vicious course notwithstanding it promised one Kingdoms upon Earth with the glory of them Surely Goodness is the proper Object of Love the formal Reason of it the Loadstone of it And they that love not Goodness shew themselves monstrously deprav'd 2. Without loving that which is good 't is certain we cannot be good We may do things good in themselves but if not from a love to Goodness but only for some by ends out of Sinister Respects our Hearts may be stark nought They that are truly good have a sincere love to Goodness They love it propter se for its goodness sake That which is good is very grateful pleasing and suitable to a good Heart 3. There is no good we do that 's pleasing unto God if it be not from a love to that which is good Without this we act not from a right Principle nor to a right end Which things the Lord looks chiefly at more than at the bare outward Action 4. Without a love to that which is good we cannot follow that which is good as we ought to do 3 Epistle of the Apostle John v. 11. neither are we like to cleave to that which is good a Duty requir'd Rom. 12.9 nor shall we hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 without cleaving to it in Affection we are not like to keep close to it in our Practice Satan that grand Adversary with wicked Men his Agents will do all they can to discourage and draw us off from that which is good and to allure and draw us on to that which is evil 'T is the property of wicked Men that they would have all as had as themselves and the property of Satan that he would have all as miserable as himself and being void of all Goodness but as full of Wickedness as he can hold hence he envies us having not any spark of goodness or any inclination towards it 5. It is unquestionably our Duty to hate evil as we heard before And it is by the Love of Goodness that we come to hate evil When we hate evil we hate it as being opposite and contrary to the good which the Lord hath requir'd taught us to love hath inclin'd our Hearts to Love Now what Use are we to make of this Tho' I must be very brief Use I. Hence we may infer That there is a special Love due to those that are good A special love due to them even for the good that is in them and the
good such do in the World Such are indeed Benefactors to the World tho' lightly esteem'd But 't is the Duty not only of a Bishop as 't is one Qualification set down Tit. 1.8 but of every Christian as well to be a Lover of good Men. True we ought to love all Men for so much good as is in them and with a Love of Benevolence Bear no Malice to any Man Christ has taught us to love our Enemies And we must love the Persons of the Wicked tho' we are to hate their wicked Practices But we are not to love all Men alike There is a special Love of Complacence owing to good Men. Our delight must be in those that excel in Vertue I question whether Satan was ever at any time more busie than in this Age of ours to divide the Hearts of such But blessed be God his Name be praised that we can see the Enemy's Design cross'd any where That in some places the Primitive Spirit of True Christian Love seems to be reviving Use II. A word of Exhortation O Love-the Good O how ought we to love God who is Goodness it self Love him above all Love him for himself Love other Things and Persons only in God and for him And thus all our love should center and terminate in him Remember the first and great Commandment Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind And all is too little God being infinitely Good and Amiable surely he deserves more Love than our Hearts can hold than all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls ever can express And how ought we to love a good and gracious Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ He is altogether lovely Full of Grace and Truth How can we think of his own Loveliness as being the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 and how can we think of his wonderful unparallel'd Love to us and not have our Hearts enamour'd of him enflam'd with Love to him again Oh! what wicked Hearts have they that are in love with their vain and sinful Pleasures or are doting on the Worlds Riches or Honours but have not the Love of God in them nor do they love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity in comparison of whom nothing in the World is to be lov'd But is it not good to love God and Jesus Christ And should we not love to love the highest the most perfect Objects of Love to whom our most ardent love were it raised to the highest degree possible were still far from being adaequate And then should we not love the good word of God What servent love doth the Holy Psalmist express to the Word Psa 119. Yea says he v. 140. Thy word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it We should be at a sad loss to know what is good were it not for the Word But there the Lord sheweth us what is good Mic. 6.8 Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil Isa 5.20 And such woful Mistakes are Men like to fall into that either have not God's Word or regard it not take not good heed to the word But if God's Testimonies are our Meditation our Delight and the Men of our Counsel if we be not unskilful in the word of Righteousness but have our Senses exercised therein we may thereby discern both good and evil And observe it according to our Love to God's word such will be our hatred of evil and our love to that which is good Psa 119.113 163. Again the Lord's Day that 's a good Day A day which God hath set apart for his special Service and which he is wont to bless above other days unto those that have a care to keep it Holy Oh! love and prize the Christian Sabbath count it a delight Love God's Publick Worship How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts Think how we are priviledg'd above our Brethren in France c. How happy would they think themselves might they enjoy the like Liberty of attending on God's Ordinances and if there were none to interrupt them or to make them afraid And love Family-Worship Keep that up daily Morning and Night Let your Houses be little Churches And if you count God's Service perfect Freedom sure you will also delight in secret Duties where you may have greater Liberty in Prayer Love Holiness and the power of Godliness Alas how many take up with a meer Form of Godliness but do you take heed of resting there Love a Religious Strictness and Exactness in your ordinary Conversation Walk by Rule A Course that Men generally yea too many Professors I fear are very tardy in Love Righteousness Hate all unrighteous Dealing Such as love Violence or Injustice the Lord hateth Psa 11.5 Love the Truth and Peace as Zach. 8.19 Diligite veritatem pacisicam pacem veram quae ad normam verbi divini quod est veritas congruit Tarnovius Indeed Peace without Truth should not be taking with us But so far as will stand with the Interest of Truth we should all be followers of Peace Love Mercy Mic. 6.8 Delight in doing what good you can Be beneficial to as many as you can as you have opportunity Ubicunq homo est ibi beneficio locus est I say no more here but as the Apostle Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good Report if there be any Vertue if there be any Praise think on these things Apply your Minds to them set your Hearts on them Which if you do then know for your Encouragement 1. In loving the good you shall be Followers of God which as it is your Duty so it will be your Honour Is it not an honour to be Followers of God 2. 'T is very pleasing to God This is the good and acceptable Will of God And if you love God certainly it is your unfeigned desire to please him whether others be pleased or displeased You will think your selves happy if you can but please him 3. This will prove you truly good Here 's a comfortable evidence of your being in a good Estate if indeed you love the Good 4. And thus you may be assured that the Lord will be good to you He is good and does good to such That your Souls shall lodge in Goodness And how great is his Goodness that he hath laid up for such This is with Mary to chuse the good part 5. And if you love and embrace Goodness who but such as are of a Diabolical Spirit would seek to harm you But suppose any should seek you hurt for loving and following that which is good yet you may be of good Courage The Lord will turn it to good Bonis omnia in bonum 6. And if you are Lovers of that which is good you are in
the most hopeful way to procure and promote others Weal You are most likely to help to make bad Men good to make evil Times better to procure much good to the Societies which you are Members of and to keep off Publick Evils But I beseech you see that you be true lovers of Goodness even eo nomine as goodness and so lovers of all that is truly good As we must hate all evil hate every false way so must we love all that is good love every good path Partiality would bewray Hypocrisie When the Heart is indeed gain'd to the love of that which is good it is for the whole of real goodness not barely for the Lists or for a few Shreads of it Thus are Secret Duties good what the Lord requires Then before these as well as for other Duties wherein others joyn with you And thus you must be for costly Duties that require more self denyal than ordinary And let me mind you of one thing more scil That Love is a leading Affection and an active Principle As I remember one calls it The great Wheel of the Soul that sets all agoing Love will carry out the Soul to the thing loved Thus if you love that which is good you will be followers of that which is good you will cleave to that which is good you will be promoters of that which is good And so they that hate the evil and love the good these are the Men who will be for establishing Judgment in the Gate The Gate of the City was the noted place where the Judges used to sit As Lyra says Sicut praecipitur Deut. 16. v. 18. ad hoc ut quilibet tam peregrinus quam civis possit statim Judicis invenire That as well strangers as Citizens might know whither readily to go for Justice To establish Judgment in the Gate is to see the due administration of Justice that Justice be not neglected nor perverted but rightly and duly executed So I come to a Third Proposition III. Gods will is that Justice and Judgment have place and a due course amongst Men. And tho' this looks and points more directly and especially towards Rulers Judges Civil Magistrates yet others are not to look on themselves as wholly unconcerned in this matter Even private persons upon many Accounts are obliged to do what in them lieth that Judgment may be established in the Gate Without Question this is a thing that all ought to pray for All should be sending up their Votes their Prayers to Heaven for Rulers Magistrates that they may keep judgment and do justice that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty Again many private persons may have a stroke in establishing judgment amongst us may contribute something towards it by giving their Votes for persons rightly qualified when our Representatives are to be chosen or any are to be Elected into Offices wherein they shall have any share in the Government and by their place be concerned more or less with the distribution of Justice And let them look to it how they will Answer it to God and their own Consciences who regard not how they cast away their Votes in such cases on persons not fit to be trusted so that they can but serve their own turns But further private persons ought as occasion is offered to encourage and be assistant unto Magistrates in the due execution of Justice in the right discharge of their Office And this way may they promote the work of establishing Judgment in the Gate 'T is a Duty incumbent upon all to seek Righteousness Zep. 2.3 To seek Judgment Isa 1.17 And 't is an heavy charge brought in against the Jews Isa 59.4 None calleth for Justiee And the People are not excus'd as to the Priests Male-administration Jer. 5.31 The Prophets prophesie falsly the Priests bear rule by their means and my People love to have it so And we see in the Text that the Lord is so for Justice and Judgment having a due course that without better care about it he would not have them think or hope that he would be gracious unto them Now it cannot seem strange that he is so concerned for Justice and Judgment taking place if we consider these two or three things following 1. His Honour as he is the Supream Ruler of the World is here concerned As when Judges Magistrates on the contrary wrest and pervert judgment bearing down truth and right as far as they can countenancing or connivingar impiety and profaneness which they ought to punish and suppress and oppressing or discountenancing true goodness and piety which they ought to protect and promote these things are a great reproach and dishonour unto God whose Ministers Officers and Deputies they are 'T is as if they would have the World believe that God is altogether such a one as they are 2. His love to Justice Righteousness and Equity with his abhorrence of the contrary He loveth Righteousness and Judgment Psa 33.5 and 37.28 Isa 61.8 I the Lord love Judgment With which compare Isa 59.14 15. Judgment is turn'd away backward and Justice standeth afar off And the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no Judgment Pro. 17.15 He that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just even they both are abomination to the Lord. So woe to such Isa 5.23 3. His Love to Mankind and Care of Humane Societies How ill can these subsist without Judgment Therefore he would have Judgment established in the Gate because Judgment establisheth the Land Prov. 29.4 The King by Judgment establisheth the Land Whenas the perverting of Judgment tends to the overthrow of a Land both efficiently and meritoriously God hath in favour towards Mankind for the Preservation and well-being of humane Societies ordained the Office of Civil Rulers for administring Justice to keep Men in order or to punish Disorders What were an Army without Officers but a Rout So what were a Nation or City without Rulers but a Mob or confused Tumult And tho' such were not assaulted with a Foreign Enemy yet how likely soon to come to ruine by intestine Discords What lamentable Broils and Tumults would arise without any way or means to appease them Yea such is the Degeneracy and Corruption of Mankind that without Rulers and Civil Government better order might be expected amongst brute Beasts than among Men. Thus Men would come to be oppress'd every one by another and every one by his Neighbour Yea thus the Estates and Lives of the Honestest and Best would lie continually at the Mercy of the Vilest and Worst of Men. But I must think of the special occasion of our Assembling at this time I am forc'd to to be too short on the former Propositions and prevented going further tho' there is a 4th Proposition in the Text before us which I can only speak to by the by Only there is one thing which you should all take notice of
May you not here see the inexcusable Folly and great Ingratitude of Rebellious Sinners of a Wicked World that will not be govern'd by God's Laws Laws so good in themselves so good for Men so beneficial to Humane Societies were they generally observ'd Surely this would be the Wisdom of a Nation to observe God's Righteous Judgments Deut. 4.6 Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom So it should be well with them But what Miseries and Calamities doth the World groan under as partly produc'd and partly procur'd by the Contempt and Violation of the same Use Now what remains is for Exhortation And that specially directed unto you The Society for Reformation of Manners in this Town and Corporation tho' I would not that others should think themselves unconcern'd here Hate the evil and love the good and do what in you lieth to establish Judgment in our Gates Gentlemen Friends Brethren I can truly say that as my Heart is towards you who have offer'd your selves willingly to this highly necessary Service and my poor yet hearty Prayers have been for you from your first undertaking it so it would rejoyce my Heart if now the Lord would so favour assist and succeed me that I might help a little to strengthen your Hands yea that I might strengthen your Hands in God as we have the expression 1 Sam. 23.16 Well Sirs take God along with you look to him and his holy Word for Counsel and aim principally at his Glory and act from a principle of Love to God and True Goodness with an hatred of evil As tho' you may not hate any Man's Person how wicked soever yet the wicked Practices and Enormities of such you must hate and oppose And where milder and more gentle means are not likely to take effect shew your hatred thereof in exposing the guilty to shame and such other Penalties as may be legally inflicted on them And go on Sirs with your worthy Design so agreeable to the Law of God and to the Laws of the Land Deal couragiously and the Lord will be with the good 2 Chro. 19.11 Thus you will be doing your part to establish Judgment in the Gate And as your worthy example hath influenced some already it may excite and provoke more to their Duty to help forward this good work of Reformation Let me lay a few things before you to engage and encourage you to hold on 1. Think of the hainousness and odiousness of those sins which you have a prospect you may give some considerable check unto having your Magistrates concurrence As profane Swearing and Cursing call'd those detestable sins in the late Act of Parl. They are a most manifest Breach of the 3d Commandment in an Heaven-daring manner A taking God's Name in vain with a most heavy Accent Tho' the Lord hath threatned That he will not hold those guiltless but without Repentance will surely punish them that take his Name in vain And the sins of Drunkenness and Uncleanness how odious and abominable are they Each of them a Reproach to Human Nature They that serve such filthy brutish Lusts may seem to have put off Humanity to have degenerated into Beasts tho' in humane Shape which is the more monstrous Such Practices are vile in Heathenish Countries how much more abominable and intollerable in a Christian Kingdom And what is the open Prophanation of the Lord's Day less I say what is it less than Mens publishing their Impiety an open proclaiming of their Irreligion I suppose none of you could have been satisfied to inform against those Religious Meetings where nothing was taught contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and where other parts of Worship were the same for substance with the Worship us'd in the Church of England only differing as to some accidental Modes Whereas in the late Times Informations were frequently given in against such Religious Meetings while prophane Persons might even on the Lord's Day have frequented Taverns Ale-houses c. Without any fear of being disturb'd But I question not you can readily distinguish betwixt that case and the present case that lieth before you And you find Nehemiah contended with the Nobles for prophaning the Sabbath-day when they suffer'd others to prophane it chap. 13.17 What evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath-day He declares against it as very ill done of them that they would connive at or suffer such prophanation of the Sabbath And then as to disorderly Houses how mischievous what infectious Places are they Seminaries of Sin and Wickedness Nets of unclean Birds Is it not a good work to help to pull down those Nests I mean to put down such Houses Places of Infection Yea were it not less dangerous to go into a common Pest-house than to haunt such Houses 'T is a worse plague that many catch in such Houses to their Souls everlasting ruine Indeed you must hate all evil but then should you not manifest an abhorrence of so great Evils and that when you are in a good Capacity to check and curb them 2. Think of the necessity of your Assisting your Magistrates if you would have the Laws against Prophaneness vigorously executed and would have Justice take place against such notorious Offences and Offenders Certainly good Laws if not put in Execution would signifie nothing would be as a Bell without a Clapper And Magistrates of themselves tho' never so desirous to be faithful in their Office and true to their Oath in punishing Offenders yet can do little or nothing without others giving proof of Offences and Crimes committed Without making use of others Eyes and Ears their Hands could seldom or never strike Therefore as there 's Honour due to them in regard of their Place and Office so likewise that help and assistance must needs be due without which they should but bear the Sword in vain And so I make no doubt but fully conclude that others are as well bound as you are to inform Magistrates of notorious Offenders known to them even as all ought in their Places to promote the due Execution of Justice but you have a great advantage of other single Persons as being associated and having got into so good a method That any single Person may say here What am I able to do in comparison of you tho' others are not hereby excused who will do nothing Now you doing your part offering or giving evidence against such Offenders if a Magistrate shall neglect or refuse to punish them the sin will lie at his door not at yours But blessed be God you have Magistrates who have countenanc'd and encourag'd you in this necessary work from your very first undertaking it 3. Consider are you not under the Obligation of Divine Precept to discover such Sin and Wickedness and expose it to due Punishment As an eminently Learned Man observes The charge of punishing great Offenders is given to the Community Thou every individual Exod. 22.18 Thou shalt
offence against God a transgression of the holy Law of God our Creator and Redeemer As right sorrow for Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God 2 Cor. 7.9 So the true hatred of Sin is with respect unto God To have an Aversation from some sinful practices not as forbidden in Gods word but upon other Foreign Accounts v. 9. As such practices would cross our worldly designs and interfere with our carnal interests this will not prove that we hate Sin but only that we love our Credit and Reputation our worldly profit and the like Again some that have no detestation of Sin yet dare not take that liberty in sinning as formerly being checked with a fearful apprehension and expectation of the Punishment threatned and due to Sin 'T is one thing to hate Sin and another to dread the sad and bitter consequents thereof The Conscience of a Natural Man is sometimes startled and awakened while his will is not renew'd his heart not changed 2. Have we an hatred of all and every known Sin A quatenus ad omne If we hate Sin as Sin then it will follow that we hate all Sin known to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hatred is against the whole kind One that hates a Toad as venemous cannot but hate other Creatures that he knows to be likewise venemous Here is one difference betwixt a Natural and a Regenerate Man viz. A Natural Man may abstain from some Sins though he does not truly hate any Sin which is evident in that he freely alloweth of other Sins he knows are no less forbidden yea he will not part with them But a Regenerate Man though he cannot live here free from Sin yet he does not live in any known Sin for that Sin is the evil he hates and that he would gladly get rid of 3. A real hatred of Sin is abiding and constant This is one difference betwixt Hatred and Anger If one is only angry at another the angry fit may be over in a little time As two Friends may fall out sometimes and yet soon be very good Friends again But where hatred is that admits not of reconciliation And if I be not mistaken Dr. Preston hath this expression 'T is an ill Sign to fall out with Sin and grow Friends again Some indeed under present gripes and pangs of Conscience seem to be for putting away their Lusts But that sick shaking fit is no sooner over than they return to 'em again as the Dog to his vomit 4. Hatred is implacable and deadly It seeks the destruction of that we hate So if we hate Sin indeed we are for pursuing it to the Death We cannot rest while it has a being in us We set our selves against it to mortifie it more and more 5. If we hate Sin indeed we cannot but be moved when we see it breaking forth in others As Lot we shall vex our Souls at the sight and at the thoughts of that abounding wickedness in the World in this our Land And as we have occasion and opportunity we shall reprove Sinners and indeavour to give check to Sin what in us lieth as Psal 75.4 5. I said unto the Fools deal not foolishly and to the wicked lift not up the Horn. How can we say we hate Sin if we care not tho' sinners go on in their Evil ways if we will not endeavour to put a stop to them when we might Use III. This Use with the next Proposition though prepar'd I did but glanse at in the Sermon Preach'd to the Society Be we exhorted to hate Sin And if we do hate it labour after a more intense degree of hatred to have our Hearts more set against Sin O Christians as you love the Lord and as you love your selves and as you love England hate evil 1. If you love the Lord how can you but hate Sin If we have the love of God shall we not then fear to offend him And shall we not hate that which we know to be an Offence to him And shall we not be grieved to see others dishonour and provoke him And shall not our Hearts rise at any indignities offer'd to him As it was with the Prophet Isa 7.13 Will ye weary my God also And if we love him then shall we not hate Sin as that which formerly separated betwixt God and our Souls And as that which would obstruct or interrupt our Communion with him and may provoke him to withdraw may deprive us of his most comforting presence And are we not like to lose the sense of his love if we are abating and more remisse in our hatred of Sin And if we love him then shall we not count his Enemies our Enemies And be heartily displeas'd at the wrongs done to him as at any injuries done to us 2. If you love your own Souls must you not then hate Sin Why you have no such Enemy in all the World again We suffer more by Sin than by all other Enemies Men or Devils All that they can do would but Exercise us not really hurt and endamage our Souls so long as we are not instigated or drawn to Sin by them But this is most certain till we hate Sin we are Enemies to our own Souls We are in league with our Souls utter Enemy And without turning from our Sins we shall die in our Sins Now there is no real turning from Sin without having our Hearts turn'd against it without hating it While the heart goes out secretly after any Lust in Gods sight and account we live in that Sin tho' our outward carriage may be such that Men may not have the least suspicion of our being guilty of it And then except we hate Sin our iniquity surely will be found to be hateful When the Lord shall at last reckon with us reprove us and set our Sins in order before our Eyes Oh! then we shall see how we did but flatter our selves and see how wofully Sin deceived us see how hateful and odious a thing Sin is notwithstanding we were very fond of it or though we thought there was no great harm in it 3. If you love the Land and Nation if you wish well to England hate Evil. Alas do not our great culpable Evils our high provocations threaten to return upon our Heads and fall upon the Land in sad penal evils in sore and heavy Judgments 'T is a notable passage that Bishop Hall relates of a noble Captain who was earnestly sollicited to take on him the Defence of a strong City stored with Plenty of Ammunition and fortified with impregnable Walls Yea but says he have you any covering betwit it and Heaven Have you any defence against the Vengeance of that God whom your Sins have provoked The Application of the story is this In vain shall we think to secure our Selves and our State from Earth if we irritate Heaven And let me tell you Englands Sins are more dangerous and likely to be more mischievous