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
enough to make you Arraign your selves as unprofitable Servants and the defects of your best works are such as need Pardoning mercy and the attoning Blood of Christ Fourthly Uncharitable breaches and distances in affection from one another 'T is a remarkable connexion you have in Ephes 4.30 31. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God c. and then it follows Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be you kind to one another The holy Spirit is a Spirit of Unity peace and love Dividing Spirits banish him I am afraid we have been faulty on all sides in censures envy variance wrath c. May such unhappy Flames expire and never be kindled more For my Brethren Are we not one Body as to Principles of Truth and the great Interests of Practical Godliness Yea Are we not of one Communion as to the Essentials of Worship And tho' there is some Variety in the External Forms of Administration and in Government yet why shou'd the lesser things wherein we differ be more effectual to divide out hearts than the greater wherein we agree are to unite us Oh let us shew that we have received Anointings from the Spirit of love by our cordial undissembled affection to one another Let us banish envy and narrow Designs for the Interests of a Party to the prejudice of the Common Good Let us cherish noble generous Principles of Mutual Forbearance and Condescension Let us cover any untender less obliging Passages that may occur with the Mantle of Love and silently offer up little provocations to new Heats as a Sacrifice to Peace as considering our own Infirmities and accounting it the Glory of the Christian Religion That it can unite our hearts tho' our minds be not of the same size And if we thus live in Love we may hope that the God of Love and Peace will be with us And now let me inforce these Directions upon you by putting you in mind of that complication of Circumstances that make it both an inviting and a pressing opportunity for Reforming Work And First The great Mercies we have received oblige us to prepare a Thank-Offering for our God The Light of Nature sufficiently dictates this Duty and will leave us unexcusable if we neglect â—t How do Benefits when they are great and many and all from â—n unobliged hand Engage and even command our hearts Who can forbear to love and honour a great and generous Benefactor For such a good Man that lives for the good of others â—hat is a common Blessing some would even dare to dye Rom. â— 7 And is â—â—y so much our Benefactor as the blessed God Is not his daiâ—â— Providence an unexhausted spring of inumerable Favours â—as he not made us Wonders of Mercy in our own eyes and to â—e astonishment of Europe of late Years And surely the Beâ—â—â—â— are not the less because the Giver of them is the 〈…〉 Should not undeserved Blessings from the hand of God make at least as deep an impression upon our hearts as they would do from our Fellow-creatures They owe us some service God none We can make some compensation unto them none unto God But surely all the Laws of Gratitude bind us to express as far as we are able a thankful temper towards him Now would you prepare him an Offering You cannot find any more acceptable than this When the Psalmist's ingenuous heart was inquisitive Psal 116 12.14 What shall I render to the Lord This is one great Instance he fixes on I will pay thee all my vows i. e. The Vows I made about Reformation and better Obedience Not that God is a gainer by our services or as tho' our righteousness did profit him but his Infinite Goodness is such that he has made our Duty and Interest one and is best pleased with us when we are kindest to our selves Secondly We have now leisure for Reforming Work while our Lands have rest from War Has God restored Peace that we should indulge our selves in sloth God forbid that we should so abuse his Signal Favours Should we not rather Argue that now we are in safety from our Enemies we will more Resolvedly pursue his even our own and other Mens Sins David was not permitted to build the House of God because he had many Wars That Honour was reserved to crown the Peace of Solomon's Reign Thus National Reformation is a Signal Duty when we are in publick danger and under the Sword oâ— War but it is a great difficulty to attend that service amids the Distractions and Confusions of that Estate But we shall be left without all excuse if when God gives us leisure from other Work we shou'd neglect his Thirdly Our Lands are now brought under a new state oâ— Probation and Trial before the Lord. The devouring Sworâ— is sheath'd that Controversy seems at present ended Not that we deserved it but because an Indulgent God will not alway contend But now we are constituted in critical circumstances we are now on our Good behaviour If therefore we carâ—â— well under our present Mercies we may hope they are but thâ— Introduction to greater and that God will treat us as the Fâ—vourites of his Providence But if under the Shades of Peace we indulge our selves Pride Luxury Lust Irreligion and so repeat our former provocations what may we yet expect but that he will plead against us with Fury poured out And his Armory is not yet empty The Instruments of Death are still within our sight and how easily can a provoked God take them into his hand again and make us sick yea utterly destroy us in smiting us Let such Considerations excite your utmost diligence to procure the pouring forth of the Spirit no other Expedient will be long effectual for our help But I proceed Secondly To add some things for your Encouragement in this Work And the great Encouragement I would offer is this That there are hopeful Indications that we are under the beginnings of such a blessed Dispensation that God is pouring forth the Spirit from on high upon us May we not hope that some of this Sacred Oyl is poured on our Soveraigu's Head the fruit whereof appears in his Zealous Resolves effectually to discourage Prophaness and Immorality and in his late Excellent Proclamation to that purpose With what Transports of Joy should we hear such a Reviving Voice from the Throne And may we not expect that the Work will not stop here but that our King in his Wisdom will scatter the Wicked and bring the Wheel over them Prov. 20.26 That his Reign shall become yet more Glorious by a Triumph over the Vices of our Degenerate Lands and those Infernal Powers that propagate and uphold them May we not hope that it is the word of the Lord to our Royal Zorobabel That as his hand has laid the foundation of our Deliverance so his hand shall lay on this
compleating Head stone also That we may with Shoutings cry Grace Grace unto it Zech 4.7.9 And shou'd it not raise our hopes higher to behold a portion of the same Spirit resting upon our Publick Councils Are not those Excellent Laws against some instances of Vice that have been lately Enacted both in England and this Kingdom And that Pious Zealous Address of those Noble Senators in England the fruit thereof Surely 't is matter of great Incouragement and ground of hope that our Legislative Powers have thus own'd and succoured the languishing Cause of Religion Yea several of those that are in Subordinate Authority seem anointed with the same Spirit Among whom the Magistraâ—â— of this City and some persons of Worth in the Commission for the Peace near it deserve a most Honourable Remembrance both for their active Zeal in punishing Offenders and their prudent care to cover Informers from Violence and Rage And is not this Sacred Anointing upon the head of our Body Politick descended to the Skirts of our Garments even to many Private persons whose Spirits God has stirred up to put their hand to this Work with Zeal Alacrity Courage and Self-denial It looks as tho' God had some Merciful Design on foot when he has done such a new thing in the Earth that private persons have formed themselves into distinct Societies that their Endeavours may be both more Regular and Successful in executing our Wholsom Laws And the Design seems so much the more to be of God that there is such a sweet harmony and accord among persons of different Perswasions in promoting the common Interest of Religion And that I may mention no more It looks like a Token for Good That so many of the Rising Generation seem to have in their hearts some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel That the Lord is pleased to rejoyce in our Young Men that his Providence has so wonderfully secured any of them from the infection of evil Examples and preserved them from the Vanities and Vices to which that Age is commonly addicted So that instead of Sensual Intertainments they associate for the Exercises of Religious Worship and to provoke one another to Love and to Good Works Oh my Brethren what an happy change may we see in the Face of our Affairs What a turn has God given to the Spirits and Inclinations of many It would be a denying to give unto God the Glory due to his Name to ascribe so great an Effect to a lower Cause I conclude therefore that there are some Effusions of the Spirit from on high among us And Oh what encouragement shou'd you derive from hence to go on with undaunted Fortitude and Zeal May I not apply to you the words of the Prophet Haggai 2.4 Yet now be strong oh Zerubbabel c. Be strong all ye people of the Land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts This Consideration should be your great Relief against the difficulty of the Work you find it proposed for this end by the Holy Ghost Zech. 4.6 Not by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord and then it follows Who art thou O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a Plain Assistances from the Holy Spirit should raise our Hearts and Hopes above all discouragement It must be confest there are Mountainous Difficulties in the Way but what are they before the Spirit of God How soon can Omnipotency smooth and level them Our Disease is indeed so inveterate it has spread so far and prevailed so long that our Case would be desparate in any other Hand But if that great Physitian undertake the Cure of our sick Souls and State the work will prosper in his Hand This Consideration should also help you against the paucity of the Numbers that are yet Ingaged in this Work it is yet but in its Infancy and Beginning If we do not sin away our own Mercies this heavenly Dew will descend more plenteously and difuse its self more generally so that this small Cloud shall cover the whole Heavens The work is in his Hand who can of Stones raise up Children unto Abraham Let us not therefore despise the day of small things but persist in this way of known duty and refer the Issue to the Soveraign will of God Tho' the Body of the People should not yet be Reformed yet a small number of Zealous Pious Persons may be set in the Balance against all the rest and may prevail to obtain a longer space of Repentance for them and in order thereto your Example may provoke others to an Holy Emulation yea it has done so already The happy Design was at first but in a few hands all of them Members of the Establisht Church This Honour God has put upon them and it should be far from being matter of Envy to Protestant Dissenters who I hope will bless God for it and be ready to acknowledge it to their just praise upon all occasions But is not Jacob's Staff already become Two Bands in this City And does not the same design happily succeed in some other parts of this Kingdom and we hope will in a little time prevail in many more May we not see God going forth with us and shall our Successes dishearten us Shall we faint with grounds of hope about us on every side Oh remember you serve a good Master you are Engaged in a most Honourable Work You have promises concerning effectual help and if a Season for an eminent effusion of the Holy Spirit be at hand Mercy will further shew its pleasing Face to us on every Hand Glory will adorn our Lands and great will be the day of Jezreel But whatever be the Issue tho' Israel should not now be gathered tho' these attempts for Reformation should be fruitless which God forbid yet if your Hearts be sincere in this Work the Lord will not be Unrighteous to forget your Zeal and that Labour of Love which you have shewn and shall further shew to his Name in this matter FINIS