An Assize Sermon, Title page – Dedication
AN ASSIZE-SERMON Preach'd before Judge Twiſſelton and Serj. Bernard AT CARLISLE September the 10th Ann. 1660.
AND Now Publiſh'd and Recommended to the Magiſtrates of the Nation, as a Means by God's Bleſſing to quicken them to a ſerious Purſuit of the Honourable and truly Religious Deſign, for the Reformation of Manners, which is now on foot, and Countenanced by the Nobility, Biſhop's, and Judges, in the late Account of the Societies for the Reformation of Manner's, and applauded by the Serious and Religious Men of all Perſwaſions.
By R. GILPIN, Now Miniſter of the GOSPEL in NEWCASTLE upon TYNE.
LONDON: Printed for Tho Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns near Mercers-Chapple; and Sarah Burton, Bookſeller at Newcaſtle. 1700.
TO THE Right Worſhipful, and WORSHIPFUL
Sir WILLIAM BLACKETT Baronet, Mayor.
Sir ROBERT SHAFTOE Recorder.
ALDERMEN of the Town and County of NEWCASTLE.
Sir RALPH CARR Kt.
TIMOTHY ROBSON Eſq;
NICHOLAS FENWICK Eſq;
WILLIAM AUBONY Eſq;
WILLIAM CARR Eſq;
MATTHEW WHITE Eſq;
THOMAS WASS Eſq;
JOSEPH ATKINSON Eſq;
GEORGE WHINFIELD Eſq;
ROBERT EDEN Eſq;
EDWARD HARRISON Eſq; Sheriff.
Gentlemen,
THE Printing of the following Sermon, now almoſt Forty Years after it was Preached, needs a longer Apology, than at preſent either my Leiſure will allow, or others perhaps will have Patience to read: To ſave therefore my ſelf and others from a needleſs Trouble, I ſhall only tell you, That theſe Notes were bury'd among my Papers, and out of Mind, but upon a particular Occaſion they came to Hand. Ʋpon a ſhort view of them, I conceiv'd they might be of ſome uſe to quicken Magiſtrates in that Noble and Important Duty, of the Reformation of Manners, which of late hath been publickly countenanced and own'd by many perſons of great Name, Noblemen, Biſhop's, and Judges.
The Author of the Account of the Societies for Reformation, hath with a commendable Zeal, and many unanſwerable Arguments, urg'd this Religious Deſign upon all ſorts of Men; and there ſeems not to be any neceſſity to add any thing to that which is ſo excellently done already; yet ſuch is the weakneſs of Human Ʋnderſtanding, that even where the Conviction of Reaſon is ſo clear and full, as makes new Arguments uſeleſs, yet through the Weakneſs either of Memory, or want of due Impreſſion, we are apt to let them ſlip. In this Caſe where Arguments are uſeleſs, a Remembrancer may be neceſſary.
This Sermon was Preach'd at a Critical Time, as appears by its date; to ſpeak Boldly upon ſuch a Subject at that time, ſeem'd ſo hazardous, that thoſe that heard it, expected that I ſhould meet with ſome Effects of the Judges angry Reſentments; but ſuch was their Conſcientious regard to the Matter that was ſpoken, and ſuch were their Convictions of the Truth and Weight of it, that contrary to all expectation, they publickly recommended the Sermon to the Conſideration of the Grand-Jury, and in private alſo gave me their Hearty thanks.
The main Drift and Deſign of the Sermon is, to Excite Magiſtrates to countenance the Practice of our Holy Religion, and to puniſh Vice and Decauchery: Seeing then this is the thing that is now expected from Magiſtrates, as their Duty which they owe to God, and to the Safety and well government of the Country; why may not this be uſeful to them by putting them in remembrance.
Many of the Reverend Pious Clergy of both Denominations, have preach'd and printed Sermons for the promoting of a Reformation; this though preached long before, yet is not printed ſo much out of due Time, but that it may come in the Rear.
This Diſcourſe I humbly offer to the ſerious Conſideration of the Magiſtrates of the Nation, and more particularly to you, whoſe Names are prefix'd to theſe Papers (as the preſent Magiſtrates of the Famous Town and County of Newcaſtle upon Tyne, where I have lived many Years,) partly as a Teſtimony of my Reſpect to your ſelves, which I am oblig'd to, for your civil Reſpects to me, and partly as a Teſtimony of my beſt Wiſhes to the whole Corporation, for their Spiritual and Temporal Proſperity, but chiefly to give you my Thanks publickly for what you have already done, in prohibiting Tipling in Publick-houſes on the Lord's-day: 'Tis a good Beginning, and you have honour'd your ſelves ſo much by it, that Judge Powell in his Charge at your laſt Aſſize, thought fit to take Notice of it.
Honour'd Gentlemen! Give me leave to tell you, that a Reformation of Manners, is a truly Religious and Noble Ʋndertaking, you will hereby ſhew that you take God's part, and fight againſt the Devil's Kingdom: You may expect that the Prince of Darkneſs will ſtir up his Inſtruments againſt you, but the Battle is the Lord's, and if you faithfully plead his Cauſe, and put due ſhame and diſgrace impartially upon Debauchery and Vice, he will ſtand by you, and own you, and your Names will be Honourable among all good Men.
Be ſtrong therefore, and quit your ſelves like Men and good Chriſtians, you have many conſiderable Advantages on your ſide, beſides the Divine aſſiſtance and protection which is the Chief; you have not only the Advantage of Law, but the Example and Encouragement of the moſt conſiderable Perſons of the Nation; you may promiſe your ſelves the hearty Concurrence of all the Serious Religious Clergy, whoſe Office it is by all means to Promote the Honour of God, to whoſe Service they have devoted themſelves, and you may expect to ſee the Bleſſed Effects of your Religious Endeavours, to your great Comfort and Satisfaction.
I ſhall only add this, The hearty Agreement and Concurrence of Men of different Perſwaſions in other Points relating to Religion, in promoting of the Practice of ſerious Piety, and in putting a Diſgrace upon Vice, is the beſt Means that was ever yet offer'd for the Agreement of all our Differences in other Matters; this is what all good Men would be glad to ſee: But as the Caſe ſtands, there is little Ground to hope or expect it, and the great Thing that ſtands in the way, is the Perjudice which is deeply radicated in the Minds of the contending Parties, occaſion'd by mutual Reproaches, Revitings, and Paſſion, that our angry Contentions have produc'd againſt one another: This Prejudice is now become ſo invincible, that except this holy Oil of Brotherly Concord in this Matter do ſoften it, and beget a love in Men ſeriouſly Religious, the Fire will not be extinguiſhed: We are already agreed in the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England, and if we were as heartily agreed too in the End of all True Religion, as in the Principles, a farther Progreſs would be more feaſible: This might be ſufficient to beget a brotherly Love to one another, and then we would more calmly hear, and more clearly underſtand our mutual Reaſonings about the remaining Differences, which would either incline us to Condeſcenſion for Peace ſake, or enable us to bear with one another, ſo that all might keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace. That ſuch Effects may be produc'd ſhall be the Prayer of
Your Humble Servant R. GILPIN.