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
pouring out the Spirit from on high and such a plentiful Increase of Judgement and Righteousness And this shall be the Subject of what I shall offer to you from these words Doct. That the effusion of the holy Spirit is necessary in order to an effectual and thorough Reformation Now the consideration of this Truth leads me First To Enquire what we are to understand by this pouring forth the Spirit from on high Secondly To shew what Influence this effusion of the Holy Spirit has upon an effectual and thorough Reformation And when I have made some brief Reflections on each of these I shall chiefly insist on the Application of this truth to the present Occasion First Let us consider what is to be understood by pouring the Spirit from on high and all that I shall observe to you under this head shall be in these Three Propositions First That there are real communications of the Spirit of God to Men That Divine Spirit that garnished the Heavens and moved upon the Face of the Waters in the old Creation has he no share of efficiency in the new This is most Incredible and so much the rather because the work of Application in this Oeconomy pecularly terminates in him Indeed by what display of his Divine Power he works upon the Souls of men is not easie to be expressed or conceived Doubtless 't is in a manner that is accommodated to our rational Faculties and fully consistent with that Liberty that is Essential to a free Creature But thô the nature of these Operations be secret like the Original of the Wind yet the Effects thereof are as sensible as its sound and force to which they are compared by our Saviour John 3.8 And why should it be thought Unreasonable that this Blessed Spirit should have access to ours when Wicked Spirits may and can fill the heart and do work effectually in the children of Disobedience Acts 5.3 Eph. 2.2 And even the Heathen world was wont to ascribe any extraordinary appearances in men to their having the Spirit of God as Pharaoh concerning Joseph can we find such a man as this Gen. 41.38 Dan. 5.14 one in whom the Spirit of God is And Belshazzar says to Daniel I have heard of thee that the Spirit of the Gods is in thee Let not such a Truth be doubted among Christians that extorted an acknowledgement of it self by its own Evidence from a Pagan World Secondly These communications of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 are of several kinds for there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit he is the Sacred Fountain both of common Gifts and special Grace and may be said to be poured out upon men with respect to both First In the dispensation of common Gifts In this sense many are anointed who are not truly Sanctified they have a manifestation of the Spirit given them to profit withal they are qualified for some particular service to which they were appointed 〈◊〉 45. ◠4 as Cyrus is called God's anointed thô he knew not God Thus eminent Qualifications for the Civil Magistracy such as Wisdom Integrity Justice Fortitude c. are a communication from the Spirit In this sense the Spirit of the Lord is said to come upon Saul when the Cruelty of Nahash rais'd his Courage 1 Sam. 11.6 to deliver the men of Jabesh Gilead Thus also Ministerial Gifts are a Dispensation of the Spirit in 1 Cor. 12.9 and 10 verses the Apostle enumerates several of them both ordinary and extraordinary and concludes verse 12. All these worketh one and the same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Under this head we may also consider those common Operations of the Holy Spirit by which he enlightens the Minds and awakens the Consciences of many who are not truly sanctified On this account they are said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6.4 By those rational convictions which he suggests to their Minds Gen. 6.3 the Spirit of God strives with the Spirits of Men 1 Thes 5.19 Isa 63.10 and when sinners do desparately outrage their own light and Rebel against it they are said to quench and vex the Holy Spirit So that this is a way of expression familiar and frequent in the Scriptures and we may well be allowed to conform our selves thereto thô some prophane Wits have attempted to expose such kind of Language as Cant Enthusiasm or Mystical Nonsense to the great reproach of the Holy Scriptures and dishonour of the Holy Spirit who Inspired them Secondly In the communication of special Grace Thus God promises Zech. 12.10 And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications c. The Holy Spirit is poured out as a Spirit of Grace both when he Implants Grace and when he Excites it First When he Implants Grace for he it is that forms those inward dispositions that are the Seeds and Principles of Holiness and in this way of Operation he introduces a marvelous Change he disingages men from a wild purfuit of deluding happiness in sensible good and causes them to become rightly affected to God in a Redeemer as their rightful Lord and Soveraign satisfying good Herein lyes much of the Nature of true Conversion which in the Scripture dialect is to be born again and born of the Spirit See John 3.3 and 6. Secondly He is poured out as a Spirit of Grace when he excites it Holy Souls do experimentally know that there are such things as Divine Influences by which gracious affections are inlarged and their Souls do follow hard after God Psal 63.8 And why should it be thought strange that the blessed Spirit should move upon his own work and raise and strengthen those Holy dispositions which himself has formed Psal 63.12 Does not David pray that God would uphold him with his free Spirit and under Spiritual Decays and Indisposedness for intercourse with God How many vehement desires does his holy Soul breath forth for quickening Influences in that 119 Psalm I come to the Third Proposition Thirdly There are Seasons wherein these communications of the Spirit are more plenteous and abundant than at other times Sometimes they may in a great measure be suspended our sloth and misimprovement may forfeit them and then the interests of practical Godliness will lye in a languishing state and the good things that are in us be ready to dye In this frame we shall have little delight in Converses with God or Zeal for his Glory our hearts will be unready for self-denying instances of Obedience and generous designs of usefulness to others will be swallowed up by some poor low Interests which the Flesh calls our own But there are happy Seasons wherein the Spirit of Life is poured forth again and these Spiritual ruines are repaired thereby and when this Blessing becomes General the effects of it will soon be visible in the World 'T
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
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
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
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