Sermon 16 February 1698, Sermon

Sermon 16 February 1698 · Sermon

p. 7A SERMON Preached to the Society for Reformation of Manners in Nottingham.

EXOD. 32. 26.

Then Moſes ſtood in the Gate of the Camp, and ſaid, Who is on the Lord's ſide? Let him come unto me. And all the Sons of Levi gathered themſelves together unto him.

THE Words in this Verſe that I intend to ſpeak to, are theſe, Who is on the Lord's ſide? Let him come unto me.

The occaſion of theſe Words was this: Moſes, who had the Charge and Conduct of the People of Iſrael in their way from Egypt to Canaan, was with God in Mount Sinai; and ſtaying there forty Days to underſtand the Mind of God, and make it known unto them; they in this time of his Abſence from them, revolt unto Idolatry, turning from God unto Idols, making themſelves Golden Calves, and worſhipping them, as you may ſee, ver. 1-6. Hereupon Moſes, the Man of God (as he is called by the p. 8Holy Ghoſt, Deut. 33. 1.) coming down from the Mount, and ſeeing what was done, was filled with a Holy Zeal for God, and Indignation againſt this their horrid Sin againſt him, and Provocation of him; and that he might, as became his Place, puniſh it, and thereby for the future deter others from ſo horrible an Impiety, he utters theſe Words.

I have not time to be particular in taking notice of the Context, only let me mind you of this, that there is ſomething in theſe Words extraordinary, and ſo not imitable: but there is enough that is ordinary, and ſo imitable by us, and ſo come directly to the Words. In which you have theſe two Doctrinal Truths.

1. That in a Day of publick Defection from God, it is the Magiſtrates Duty, eſpecially the Supream, to appear openly for God, and to ingage their People on God's ſide againſt the Wickedneſs of the Day, calling upon them, and uſing all Methods in order thereunto. This was the caſe here with the People of Iſrael, there was a publick and (in a manner almoſt) an univerſal Apoſtacy from God to Idols. And Moſes the Supream Magiſtrate of this People (for he was King in Jeſhurun, Deut. 33. 5.) was, becauſe of this, filled with Zeal for the Honour of God, and Indignation againſt this abominable Wickedneſs they were guilty of, and with ſuch an holy Temper (as has been now named) appears as in the Text openly for God: uttering theſe Words, declaring his doing ſo, and calling upon others to do ſo too in their Places as he did in his. But this p. 9brings me to the Second (for the Firſt I wave.)

2. That in the Day of publick Defection from God, when Magiſtrates call upon a People to appear for God: It is then the Duty of all Perſons (upon the Call of their Magiſtrates) to be on God's ſide, to come over to him: Who is on the Lord's ſide? Let him come unto me. Moſes as ſupream Magiſtrate of this People calls upon them all that were unconcerned in the Impiety, or not ſo deeply concerned as the reſt, to appear for God againſt thoſe Rebels that were deepeſt in the Guilt; and thereupon we ſee the Levites did ſo, who were either (many of them) not at all concerned in this Sin, or however leſs concerned; and for their anſwering this Call in the Text, they are commended, Deut. 33. 9. ſpeaking of Levi, i. e. his Poſterity, ver. 8. he ſays of them, ver. 9. Who ſaid unto his Father, and to his Mother, I have not ſeen him, neither did he acknowledg his Brethren, nor knew his own Children: for they have obſerved thy Word, and kept thy Covenant.

So that this is the Truth I intend to ſpeak unto: That in a Day of publick Departure from God, when Magiſtrates call upon a People to appear for God, and be on his ſide: It is then their Duty to be ſo. This is plain: If God have a Voice to ſpeak, we ſhould have an Ear to hear, an Heart to conſider, a Will to comply with and obey what is ſo ſpoken, by whomſoever ſpoken; to be ſure then when ſpoken by Magiſtrates, ſupream Magiſtrates, our ſupream Magiſtrates, whom God hath in Mercy ſet over p. 10us: and who evidence it by their Solicitude for our higheſt, greateſt Welfare, in calling us from Sin to be on God's ſide, by Magiſtrates who are the Miniſters of God for Good, Rom. 13. 4. By Magiſtrates that God has put his own Name, and Authority, and Luſtre upon, calling them Gods; Pſal. 82. 6. I have ſaid ye are Gods. Then when theſe earthly Gods in their Places act ſo much like God, and for God, as to imitate the illuſtrious Example in the Text, ſaying, Who is on the Lord's ſide? Let him come unto me. Surely we ſhould perſonally and ſocially, every one for himſelf, and all of us together, imitating the pious Forwardneſs of the Holy Levites (And all the Sons of Levi gathered themſelves together) Eccho back again, with all Readineſs and Chearfulneſs; Lord, I am on thy ſide, and will be; Lord, we are all on thy ſide, and will be. O that there were ſuch an Heart in us.

In ſpeaking to this Truth I ſhall proceed in the following Method.

I. I will ſhew you what this being on God's ſide imports.

II. Set before you the foreign, that it is ſo i. e. our Duty to be ſo.

III. The foreign, the Reaſons of it, why it is ſo.

IV. Make Application.

I. What is it to be on God's ſide: For I think I need not tell you, that the Day in which we live, is a Day in which Iniquity hath diſmally abounded, and ſtill does; nor that we are p. 11called upon by our Supream Magiſtrate, to appear for God againſt the extream Impiety of the Day: Thoſe that have ſeen His Majeſty's Proclamation of the 24th of February laſt, for preventing and puniſhing Immorality and Profaneneſs; and the Addreſs of the laſt Parliament that occaſioned it, know that theſe things are thus. Therefore I ſtay not on them; but come to the firſt general thing propounded, and will ſhew you (God willing) that being on God's ſide, imports,

1. Being in Covenant with God.

2. A publick owning and Profeſſion of God.

3. A deep Senſe of the Diſhonour of God, by the prevailing Sin of the Day.

4. Keeping our ſelves faithful to God, and our Covenant-Ingagements unto him, by keeping our ſelves pure from the Sins of the Day.

5. A bearing our Teſtimony for God, againſt the Sins of the Day.

6. Doing all that ever we can in our ſeveral Places and Capacities, againſt the Sins of the Day.

1. There is in it a being in Covenant with God. We come to be firſt on God's ſide by entring into Covenant with him: Before we do thus, we are among the number of his Enemies, ye are his Enemies; and there is no way of being any other than ſuch but this. Without this we ſhall periſh in our Enmity againſt God. But that we may not, God makes to all Men where the Goſpel comes, a free, gracious, and univerſal Tender of his Covenant, and therein and thereby Overtures of p. 12Peace, Reconciliation and Friendſhip with himſelf, calling upon them to accept of his Mercy, and his Chriſt, held forth in his Covenant for their Converſion and Salvation. Thus God does, Iſa. 55. 1, 2, 3. calling Men to an Acceptance of Chriſt, and all the Bleſſings of Life and Salvation, meant by Waters, Wine, Milk, Bread, the Subſtantials and Delightfuls of natural Life: and calling to them to do ſo when they are eagerly panting after Happineſs in things below, for that's the Meaning of Thirſt, ver. 1. as appears by the Expoſtulation, ver. 2. and then upon their acceptance of all this rich Treaſure of Salvation, freely provided, freely tendered, and therefore that by Faith muſt be received, the Covenant between God and them is made, ver. 3. Incline your Ear, and come unto me: Hear and your Soul ſhall live: i. e. by ſound Faith accept of the bleſſed Tenders I have made, ver. 1. Have done with ſeeking, expecting Happineſs, any where elſe but in theſe things, that are that to your Souls, that Bread, Fatneſs are to the Body. Ver. 2. And then I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you: Even the ſure Mercies of David: i. e. I will make and eſtabliſh the Covenant of Grace with you, by which I will beſtow upon you, and continue everlaſtingly with you the ſure Mercies of David: i. e. all the Bleſſings of Chriſt's Mediation. Thus you ſee God tenders his Covenant to the Sons of Men: Now when Men ſee their Sins, ſee their Enmity againſt God, and the Wrath of God hanging over them, becauſe of their Sins, and that there is no way of Eſcape, continuing in their Enmity againſt p. 13God: When they ſee theſe things ſo as according to the Tender on God's part, they lay hold of it on their part, Iſa. 56. 6. i. e. So lay hold of the tendered Mercies of God in the Covenant; ſo lay hold of the offered Mediator, Redeemer and Saviour, held forth unto them in the Covenant; ſo lay hold of the Promiſes of Grace holding forth theſe in the Covenant, ſo as to turn from Sin to God, accepting of God in Chriſt to be their God, and give up themſelves unto him: When Men do thus, they become God's, are on God's ſide: I entered into Covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine, Ezek. 16. 8. There is a perſonal Covenanting with God, and a ſocial Covenanting with God. A perſonal Covenanting with God brings a Perſon on God's ſide: God is his God by Covenant, and he is God's. A ſocial Covenanting with God makes a People to be God's People, God's Church: Perſonal Covenanting is meant Iſa. 53. 3. and ſocial, Ezek. 16. 8.

2. It contains a publick owning or profeſſion of God. When we are become God's, and on his ſide in our Hearts, by covenanting with him, (as in the former Particular) then according to our Covenant-Ingagements we muſt own God to be God, and our God, and we do ſo by worſhipping and obeying him: We muſt give him all that inward and outward Worſhip that is due unto him, and that he moſt juſtly calls for and challenges from us: And if the former thing be, i. e. a Covenanting with God, this in a profeſſion of God will certainly follow. And this owning of God muſt be publick, open, and p. 14conſtant, at one time as well as another: In a time of Danger as well as in a time of Peace and Safety. Hereby we own God to be God, and our God, in oppoſition to all falſe Gods, and the Worſhip he has appointed, in oppoſition to all falſe un-inſtituted Worſhip. Hereby we own our ſelves to be the Servants of the Great God. This is included in being on God's ſide, and is in its place neceſſary to our Salvation: It is required of every one in the firſt Commandment, Exod. 20. 3. Thou ſhalt have no other Gods before me. Therefore our bleſſed Lord ſays, Luke 9. 26. Whoſoever ſhall be aſhamed of me, and of my Words, of him ſhall the Son of Man be aſhamed, when he ſhall come in his own Glory, and in his Father's, and of his Holy Angels. And agreeably hereunto the Apoſtle Paul ſays; Rom. 10. 10. As with the Heart Man believeth (as in the firſt Particular) unto Righteouſneſs (i e. unto Juſtification by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt) ſo with the Mouth Confeſſion is made unto Salvation. If we are on God's ſide, according to the firſt Particular, we muſt own we are ſo according to this. This is in it.

3. Being on God's ſide carries this in it. That ſuch as are in Covenant with God, and own God as God, and their God, be filled with a very deep Senſe of his Diſhonour by the Sins of the Day. If we are God's, we are as reconciled to him, ſo renewed by his Spirit, according to his Image, and ſo are like him in the communicable Perfections of his Nature; 2 Pet. 1. 4. foreign. Then we muſt have the ſame Intereſt with God, the ſame Friends, and the ſame p. 15Enemies. Now Sin, all Sin, being contrary to him, being againſt his Honour, as being againſt his Nature and Attributes, as being againſt his Laws, Government, and Revealed Will; eſpecially when Sin (that is ſo) in a day of publick Defection grows high, and becomes impudent and audacious, having no Bounds, knowing no Limits, but overſpreading all like an Inundation, like a Deluge: In this caſe, I ſay, there are none on God's ſide, but from the Fear they have of him, and the Love they bear in their Hearts to his Bleſſed Name, they muſt, they cannot but be deeply, ſenſibly filled, and affected with a Senſe of God's Diſhonour. As ingenious Children muſt needs be grieved, when their Parents are reproached, and dutiful Subjects when their Governours, whom they know to be juſt and good, are ſo. Thus the Good have been always affected in their ſeveral Generations: Pſal. 119. 136. Rivers of Waters, i. e. Tears in great abundance, (it is an hyperbolical Expreſſion) run down mine Eyes: Why what was the Matter? Was he under ſome great Affliction, ſome great Misfortune, as the World calls it? Nay the Reaſon follows, Becauſe they keep not thy Law: That was the Cauſe of all his Tears, and of all that inward Sorrow, that was the Spring that fed them. Thus Jeremiah, ch. 9. 1. is another Inſtance of this; O that my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep Day and Night for the Slain of the Daughter of my People: That it was their Sin that moſt of all affected him. See ver. 2, 3, &c. And the Godly in that doleful Day, I mean that Day of Sin, p. 16ended in ſacking Hieruſalem by the Caldeans, burning the Temple, Deſolation of the Land, and 70 Years Captivity in Babylon, mourned and ſighed for the Abominations that were the Cauſe of all theſe Miſeries; Ezek. 9. 4.

Theſe Inſtances are a few of thoſe many the Book of God abounds with of this Nature.

4. Keeping our ſelves faithful to God and our Covenant-Engagements to him, and particularly faithful to him by keeping our ſelves pure and at a diſtance from the Sins of the Day: As from all Sin as much as may be, walking before God in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, without Fear, i. e. ſervile Fear, in all the Duties required both in the firſt and ſecond Table: in Holineſs reſpecting the firſt, in Righteouſneſs reſpecting the ſecond; Luke 1. 74, 75. Allowing our ſelves in no known Sin, nor in the neglect of any known Duty; deſiring to know every Sin, as Men that go to Sea deſire to know Rocks and Sands, that they may ſtear wide of them: and deſiring to know every Duty, to comply with the Mind of God therein: approving our ſelves to the Searcher of Hearts, in abſtaining from the one, and a hearty Diſcharge of the other, and keeping our ſelves with a great deal of Care, Vigilance and Circumſpection, (for we can't be too careful herein) from the Sins of the Day wherein we live, by which God is moſt diſhonoured, and by reaſon of the univerſal Spreading and Contagion of which, we our ſelves are moſt indangered. This is to be on God's ſide in an evil Day. How elſe are we, can we be on God's ſide, except we ſave our ſelves from the p. 17Sins of the untoward Generation wherein we live? Acts 2. 40. So the Apoſtle Peter exhorted his Hearers then to be on God's ſide. So Noah in his Day was on God's ſide, Gen. 6. 9. & 7. 1.—Thee have I ſeen righteous before me, in this Generation, i. e. ſuch as was ſo dreadfully wicked, that they were all (except Noah and his Family) deſtroyed by a Deluge ſent from God on purpoſe for that very end.

5. We are on God's ſide when we bear our Teſtimony againſt the Sins of the Day; for God, I ſay, for God, not only by owning him and his Worſhip, and his revealed Will in the Holy Scriptures, the only Rule of Faith, Worſhip and Practice, in which all thoſe Sins are forbidden, condemned and threatned, and their contrary Graces, Vertues and Duties, commanded and recommended with illuſtrious ſhining Examples of them, and advantaged by great and glorious Promiſes made to the Subjects and ſincere Obſervers of them: But further, upon all occaſions where the Laws of God are violated, yea condemned, and Men are ſo horribly impudent as to juſtify their Evils, pleading for Profaneneſs and Immoralities, and running down Piety and Goodneſs, as a weak fooliſh thing, when it is thus, not to keep ſilent, but to open the Mouth for God, and plead for him and his Laws and Government, and Ways, and the Neceſſity and Excellency of Godlineſs and Goodneſs. Tho it is true ſometimes to do ſo (tho it be done with never ſo much Unpaſſionateneſs and Prudence) may make ſome Men rage the more, to ſuch a formidable height is Wickedneſs gotten. Now if a Man were ſure of this, I think one ſhould leave ſuch Company rather than occaſion ſuch p. 18Wickedneſs: but it is certain, that oftentimes, yea I think always, where there is a Probability that any Good may be done, there it's the Duty of all that are God's, to ſpeak for God, and againſt ſuch Wickedneſs, whereby Religion is indeavour'd to be hooted out of the World, as unworthy of reaſonable Creatures, whereas indeed its the greateſt Ornament and Perfection of humane Nature: And if ſuch as are God's do not ſpeak in this caſe, they are guilty of Cowardlineſs and Treachery, and do not behave themſelves as thoſe that are God's, but as though they were on the other ſide. I am ſure, to have nothing to ſay in this caſe, is not in this thing to be on God's ſide, nay in this thing it is to be againſt hm, and this is dreadful: It is to ſtrengthen Evil-doers in their evil Ways; for when they ſee Perſons that profeſs God preſent, and obſerve they ſay nothing, may they not however, will they not conclude, ſuch ſaid nothing for God, for Godlineſs, becauſe they could not? And thus they will triumph and glory over you, and God, and his Ways. And thus God is diſmally diſhonoured: And if there be any in ſuch Company not altogether ſo confident and raging, but that are too far pleaſed with ſuch Diſcourſes, and are in danger of being as ill as the others, may not their Souls be highly indangered by ſuch baſe perfidious Silence: Beſides, when we ſpeak judiciouſly, gravely, ſeriouſly, may not ſome be recovered out of the Snare of the Devil, and then God will be greatly honoured, and you will find it in your Accounts both now, and at the Day of the Lord. Yea, we muſt in this caſe ſpeak freely. How can we approve our ſelves to God, if we dare not bear p. 19our Teſtimony againſt ſuch Wickedneſs? What do we fear, or whom do we fear? If in this caſe we fear'd God as we ſhould, we ſhould not fear Man, not any Man, not all the Men in the World. Shall vile Wretches dare to blaſpheme the God of Heaven and his Holy Laws, and belch forth their black-mouth'd Impieties againſt all that is ſacred, and ſhall not we dare to oppoſe them in doing ſo? Surely it becomes us neither to be afraid, nor aſhamed of doing thus, but with all Courage and Faithfulneſs to uſe the beſt Arguments we have for God: And not only in the former caſe, when Men are ſo impudent as to talk againſt Religion, but in caſe there be any Evil ſpoken or done in our Company, to do ſo, it's part of the lovely Pourtraiture of a truly good Man, i. e. one that loves God and Man: His Mouth ſpeaketh of Wiſdom, and his Tongue talketh of Judgment, 1 Pet. 37. 30. i. e. He does not make common unprofitable things, leſt of all ſinful things, but things good in the ſight of God, and things uſeful to Men (being ſome way or other inſtructive and edifying) the Subjects of his Diſcourſe. Now there is never more occaſion to do ſo, than when Men in our Company and Hearing are ſo wicked, as to caſt Dirt and Filth upon all that is moſt excellent and venerable. This is one way by which we ſhould hold forth the Word of Life, Phil 2. 16. Is it our Duty to open our Mouths for the Dumb in the Cauſe of all ſuch as are appointed to Deſtruction? i. e. for thoſe that can't ſpeak through Fear, or want of Ability through Ignorance (for I think that's the meaning of Dumb here) Prov. 31. 8. And is it not more, much more our Duty, moſt of all our Duty, to open our p. 20Mouths in bearing a Teſtimony for God againſt Sin?

6. and Laſtly, This being on God's ſide, comprizes in it, a doing all we can in our Places for God, againſt the Wickedneſs of the Day, to prevent it by all the Methods mentioned before, under the ſeveral foregoing Particulars; and not only ſo, but by all others; uſing our Intereſt, Gifts, Graces, and Authority, if we have it, for this end; and where it cannot be prevented, to do all we can to ſhame Men, and to bring the incorrigible Tranſgreſſors of God's Laws and the Land's, to ſuch Puniſhments as are by our Laws in that caſe moſt juſtly provided. Thus when Magiſtrates in their places bear not the Sword in vain, but draw it out for the Puniſhment and Terror of Evil-doers, and for the warning and deterring others: And Miniſters in their Station, do all that becomes them, by Preaching, Living, Watching, and all the Duties their Office calls for. When Heads of Families do all that in them lies in their Families; and all and every one, in their ſeveral Capacities, do all that's poſſible to reſtrain and prevent it. This is to be on God's ſide.

Thus much for the firſt thing.

II. To prove, That it is the Duty of all upon the Call of the Magiſtrate in a Day of publick Defection, to be on God's ſide.

This is ſo exceeding clear and plain, that very little needs to be ſaid about it; who can deny it? Who dare do ſo? What an horrible Wickedneſs would it be for any Man to do ſo. And indeed as no Man can deny it, ſo no Man of p. 21Reaſon can ſo much as queſtion it. A Man that owns the Being of God and Providence, cannot do it: tho very few (for all this) do ſeriouſly conſider it, i. e. ſo as to be brought under the powerful influencing and predominant Senſe of it. That it is ſo, ſhines in its own Light, and cannot but approve it ſelf to the Underſtanding, Reaſon and Conſcience of every Man that hath not abandoned himſelf, and of a Man is become a mere Brute. I will not therefore ſpend time in inſiſting upon this. If we conſider God, Sin, and the Nature of the thing ſpoken of, it will appear moſt abundantly evident. If we conſider God, (whoſe ſide Men are called to be of) his glorious Majeſty, tranſcendent Excellency, ſupereminent Authority, and wonderful Attributes, and his Relations unto us, that he is our Maker, Proprietor and Owner, Benefactor, Saviour, Judge. Alſo if we conſider Sin; by Love to which, and living in, and adherence to which, we are Enemies to God. I ſay, if we conſider the horrid Evil, Malignity, Abominableneſs, and (becauſe if all the Words in the World, the moſt expreſſive and ſignificant of what is vile, were heap'd up, it can't be ſtiled by any thing worſe, nor indeed ſo ill as it ſelf, therefore ſaid to be foreign, exceeding ſinful, as we render it, Rom. 7. 13. I ſay, if we conſider the) Sinfulneſs of it, and that to be concerned in it is to ſide with Satan, God's and our moſt avowed Enemy, and the Tendency of this Then certainly it's clear, that we ſhould have done with it, and be on God's ſide, and ſo ingaged againſt it. And, Laſtly, if we do but reflect upon the Nature of the thing ſpoken of, it is a Covenanting with p. 22God, a laying hold of God's Covenant, and thereby of God's Grace, and God's Chriſt, for our Salvation; and then an owning that we have done ſo, &c. according to the former things: and who can have any thing to ſay againſt ſuch things as theſe? Therefore,

III. I proceed to the Reaſons.

1ſt Reaſon. We have all the greateſt, higheſt, and moſt binding Ingagements unto it that can be, if there be any thing in this World that can be an Ingagement upon any one to any thing, there is that to be urg'd and alledged as a Reaſon for this, yea and much more. Whatſoever Obligations we are under to others, ſtill we are under greater, higher to God, to this bleſſed God, who calls us thus mercifully and kindly to be on his ſide; for whatſoever it is that we are bound moſt ſtrongly and firmly by unto others, ſtill that is ſtronger and firmer here; for no Obligation that we can be in unto others, can riſe higher, no nor ſo high, it's not poſſible for all the Force, all the Efficacy that is or can be in any Obligations we are in unto others, they have all theſe from thoſe Obligations that firſt of all we and all Creatures are under to the glorious God.

Our Ingagements are the greateſt if we conſider,

1. Who it is that calls us hereunto.

2. What we are called unto.

3. What we are called from.

p. 231. Who it is that calls us: Not a Man, not an Angel, not a Creature, tho of the higheſt Rank: altho in that caſe it would be our Wiſdom as well as our Duty, to hearken to whatſoever this ſhould call us unto, according to the Mind of God, and to give it its utmoſt Conſideration: But it is God, the great and bleſſed God, who has all Perfection in him, who is all Perfection: The great Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, the ſupreme, Univerſal Ruler of the World. Who,

1. Made us and all Creatures: Who made us what we are, Creatures, yea when it was in his Power not to have made us at all: yea, when it was in his Power, if he would make us and put us into being, to have made us any other Creatures than what we are; yet their he made us reaſonable Creatures; ſo that all we are, we are from him, and all we have we have from him. Is it not the moſt reaſonable thing in the World, that the God that made us ſhould be own'd of us, ſerved by us? Does it not ſhine in its own Light, and carry Conviction in it to the Conſideration of all Men, that we ſhould be for that God, on the ſide of that God that we derive all from? Should we not be againſt his Enemies, and uſe our Reaſon, Parts, Abilities, Endowments and Gifts of whatſoever kind, (which we have all from his Bounty and Goodneſs) againſt his Enemies, and for his Glory and Honour? Certainly it is the moſt equitable thing in the World, they ſhould be uſed for him: and a moſt dreadful Wickedneſs to uſe them againſt him; Dan. 5. 23.

p. 242. Preſerve us. He calls us who hath preſerved us all our days, who hath wrought for us innumerable, ſeen and unſeen Deliverances, though he could have deſtroyed us when he would, and we by our continually ſinning againſt him, have provoked him ſo to do: Who hath provided for us all along, and does ſo ſtill; ſo that as we have lived upon his Bounty, we do ſo ſtill, we have been all our days, and are ſtill maintain'd at his Expence; our Lives and Breath, and all things are in his hands, he hath lengthened them out hitherto, when the Lives of many others, have been cut ſhort. It is this God that calls us: and are not theſe Ingagements to be on his ſide? Dare we act againſt this God? Dare we herd our ſelves amongſt his Enemies?

3. Are we his Covenant ones? Then he hath redeemed us, then he ſent his Son Jeſus Chriſt to aſſume our Nature, on purpoſe to ſave us by redeeming us, Soul and Body, to himſelf, by ſhedding his precious, attoning, meritorious Blood for us: and in purſuance of this redeeming Love, has laid hold of us by his bleſſed Spirit, and called us into a Covenant-Relation unto himſelf, and given us not only Pardon and Salvation upon our Faith and Repentance, but Chriſt, and Faith, and Repentance themſelves, that we might be pardoned and ſaved, and be brought into a Covenant-Nearneſs unto, and Oneneſs with himſelf, and ſo be on his ſide. Should not a Senſe of his amazing Love, and aſtoniſhing Grace in theſe things, conſtantly ingage us to himſelf againſt Sin, againſt what is offenſive and diſhonourable to him? Should not p. 25this Love conſtrain us ſweetly, delightfully to act for him againſt all Evil?

4. It is God that calls us, who is our rightful Owner, Lord and Judge, who has the higheſt Authority over us, and the moſt unqueſtionable Titles to us, all manner of ways: and he hath interpoſed his Authority, and hath commanded us this thing, made it our Duty by his holy Law, and he is the great Judge of the Living and Dead, and he will call us to an account one day, and enter into Judgment with us: and if we be found then among his Enemies, Woe, thouſands and eternal Woes unto us.

5. The God we have given up our ſelves unto, have devoted our ſelves unto: we were devoted unto him in our Baptiſm, and ſince we have devoted our ſelves unto him at our Converſion, when we laid hold on the Covenant, and entred into Covenant with him at firſt, and we have renewed our Engagements unto him ſo often as we have been at the Table of the Lord: Which Ordinance is a ſolemn Faedoral Rite and Tranſaction of God's own Appointment, wherein he ſeals his Promiſes and Engagements thereby, through Chriſt the Mediator, to be our God, the God of our Salvation, and wherein we ſeal our Engagements unto God; and accepting afreſh God to be our God, we make a Surrender and Deed of Gift of our ſelves, Soul and Body, to be the Lord's. And are not the Vows of God upon us? and are not theſe moſt ſolemn and awful things? and do we not engage thereby to be on God's ſide? to have the ſame Intereſt with God, that his Honour ſhould be only that we p. 26aim at, that his Friends ſhould be ours, his Enemies ours, his Law our Rule to walk by, in and through a Mediator.

2. Our Engagements will appear to be the greateſt if we conſider what it is we are called unto, as well as who calls. It is to be on God's ſide, it is that which our Hearts with the greateſt Readineſs and Alacrity ſhould engage in, and comply with. A Duty, the higheſt, greateſt Duty; and what a bleſſed thing is Duty to be found ſincere and hearty in it. I am ſure it is a very bleſſed thing to them whoſe Hearts are right with God, and ſtedfaſt in his Covenant. I am ſure ſuch would be found in the Duties of the Covenant; and they would improve the Grace, the Mediator, and the Promiſes of the Covenant for this very end, that their Hearts may be more ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, and abundant in the Work of the Lord, in the Duties of the Covenant. I ſay it's a Duty that is as much, yea more a Privilege than a Duty; in which our Intereſt, all our Intereſts, are as much concerned, as the Honour of God; a great Duty that contains all Duties in it, without which we can perform no Duty; and which if we are faithful in, we perform all, i. e. ſo as graciouſly to be owned of God. This will appear if we go over the things that have been mentioned, i. e. Covenanting with God, owning of God as God and our God, being touched, yea filled with a deep Senſe of the Diſhonour of God, by the Prophaneſs and Sins of the day, and keeping our ſelves faithful to our Covenant-Engagements to God, by keeping our ſelves pure from the Sins of the p. 27day, and bearing our Teſtimony for God againſt the Sins of the day, and doing all we can againſt them. This is a Duty that contains all this.

But more particularly:

1. It is the moſt reaſonable thing in the whole World; there is all the Reaſon in the World for it, and none, not the leaſt, not the leaſt colour or ſhadow of any, againſt it. Are we Men reaſonable Creatures? why then let our Hearts eccho back again to this Call of God.

2. It is neceſſary: Moſt highly neceſſAry; if the Honour of God be ſo, if it be neceſſary for us in our Stations in the World to honour God; nay without this we muſt neceſſarily diſhonour God. If the Intereſt of our Souls be neceſſary, this is ſo; for without this we are in a ſtate of Sin and Condemnation: and by being on God's ſide we get into a ſtate of Salvation, and ſo ſecure their Spiritual and Eternal Intereſts; and by carrying our ſelves on God's ſide as becomes us, we walk continually in the way to Glory and Bleſſedneſs, and that will be the happy End of ſuch a Walk. This is neceſſary if the Good and Welfare of our Native Country be ſo; for by the abounding of Sin, if there be no care taken to reſtrain it, or prevent it, Wrath will break out among us, and fall down upon us. This is neceſſary, if the Good of others be neceſſary; the Good of their Souls, of their Bodies, of their Families: for all theſe are expos'd, indanger'd, and ruin'd by Profaneneſs and Immoralities. And ſhould we not do what is thus neceſſary? Nothing is neceſſary as this is.

p. 283. Juſt and righteous. The moſt righteous God would never elſe call us to it. The Word of Righteouſneſs (as God's ſacred Word is called) would never elſe put us upon it. Is it not moſt righteous that we do what we can (and Lord how little is that) for the great God, to maintain the Honour of his Laws and Government, and to bring thoſe to publick Puniſhment that milder Methods will not prevail with; there is not the leaſt appearance of Unrighteouſneſs in it, neither as to God nor Man; but it is altogether juſt: nay the contrary is unjuſt, highly unjuſt.

4. Moſt honourable. It is honourable to ſerve Princes and great Men; certainly its more honourable to ſerve the great and bleſſed God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth; and this is to ſerve him.

5. Moſt ſafe; And all would be on the ſafe ſide, and all ſhould in this matter, which is not only ſafe, but reaſonable, and neceſſary, and juſt, and righteous, and honourable too. But theſe things I am forc'd to leave with you to inlarge upon in your own Thoughts.

3. If we conſider what we are called from, it will appear we are under the ſtrongeſt Ingagements to it, if we conſider the Greatneſs of the Sin of not being on God's ſide. This appears from the Greatneſs of the Duty; if the Duty be ſo great as you have heard, being not any one ſingle Duty, but containing all Duties in it, without which no Duty can be performed, and which if faithfully performed, all Duties are Evangelically ſincerely performed, how great muſt p. 29the Sin be that is a Neglect of it, that is contrary to it: It muſt be not only a very great Sin, but all Sin, that which contains the Poyſon, Venom, and Sinfulneſs of all Sin in it; for if the Duty be the moſt reaſonable, neceſſary, righteous, honourable, ſafe thing in the World, what muſt this Sin be, but the moſt unreaſonable, unneceſſary, unrighteous, diſhonourable, vile, dangerous thing in the whole World? It is indeed to deny God that made us, to diſown our Dependance on him, our Engagements to him. It is to own God's Enemies, to be engaged actually in Rebellion againſt him. It is Crimen loeſa Majeſtatis Divina, High-Treaſon againſt the Crown and Dignity of the King, eternal, immortal, inviſible, the only wiſe God; to whom Honour and Glory from all Creatures for ever and ever is due; and it will be found to be ſo one day, when God will deal with all them that were not on his ſide, in a way of Judgment. It is true, it is not uſual for Enemies to deal with one another in a judicial way, but God will deal with his Enemies ſo, becauſe they are rightfully his Subjects; for he is our Maker, Lawgiver and King, and ſuch have made a moſt unneceſſary, unreaſonable, wicked Defection from him, having gone over to his Enemies; and therefore God will judge and condemn ſuch, as Traitors and Rebels; as Princes do ſuch Subjects that owed Allegiance to them, and rebelled againſt them. This is that you are called from; that Sin, that Hell, you are called from, with what ſpeed ſhould you fly from it? except you would be on God's Enemies ſide at Death, at the Day of the Lord, the everlaſting Judgment.

p. 30This is the firſt Reaſon.

2. The next Reaſon is this: If we are not on God's ſide, as the Guilt of all our own Sins will be charged upon us, ſo the Guilt of other Mens Sins will be ſo too, and their Ruine alſo will lie at our door. If we are not on God's ſide, we are on Satan's ſide, on the Wicked's ſide; and all the Evil we do that others are acquainted with, ſtrengthens them in their Wickedneſs; and all the Sin that is committed by others, through our Example, Perſuaſions, Inſtigations, or Encouragements any ways, either by Word or Actions, will lie upon us. Yea, if we do not prevent all the Sin we can, the Guilt of all thoſe Sins committed that we might have prevented, will lie upon us, will be imputed to us; and have not poor Sinners Guilt enough, and much too much of their own, but they muſt be concerned in other Mens Guilt too? Will it not be ſad enough at the Day of the Lord, for Men to have their own unrepented of, unpardoned Sins to anſwer for; but they muſt have the Sins of others, of many, very many, even ſo many as they have encouraged to Sin, hardned in Sin, and ſo help'd to damn for Sin, to anſwer for too. O the Wrath ſuch will lie under for ever.

3. The third and laſt Reaſon is this: This is the greateſt Good, the beſt Service we are capable of, and therefore ſurely it concerns us to be on God's ſide. We ſhould not only be good, but do Good, and not only do Good, but do all the Good we can; ſetting our ſelves no Bounds, no Limits at all therein. We ſhould endeavour as much as is poſſible to be every one of us a publick p. 31Good; not only to be and do Good in our Families, in our more private Stations and Capacities, but in all Capacities; in the Churches whereof we are Members, in the Neighbourhoods and Towns where we live, yea in the Nation in which we were born, and where we enjoy ſo many of Heaven's Bleſſings; yea in the World, which we are Inhabitants and Citizens of. This is the greateſt Service we can do God, our ſelves, and others. The greateſt Service we can do God, unto whom we are under innumerable of the vaſteſt and infinite Engagements. It is the greateſt Service we can do our ſelves; for it ſecures and fixes all our true valuable Intereſt, all our Intereſts in time, all our vaſter ſpiritual and everlaſting Intereſts; it neglects none, takes care of all of them; for Godlineſs, i. e. being on God's ſide, is profitable for all things, having the Promiſe of this Life, and that which is to come. It is the greateſt Service we can do others; and this we ſhould be extreamly ſolicitous for, for others, for our King, and dear Native Country. Bad Men, eſpecially the worſt of them, ſuch as niether regard God nor Man; ſuch as break God's Laws and the King's, without any Modeſty, are a publick Peſt and Plague. Should we not in oppoſition to them be publick Bleſſings and Benefits? and how can we be ſo better or worſe, than by this; nay how can we be ſo at all but by being on God's ſide? nay we muſt be the contrary if not on God's ſide; and the more active we are on God's ſide, the greater publick Benefits we ſhall be.

p. 324. Application. Information.

1. Learn hence who are on God's ſide, and who not. It is but going over the Particulars under the firſt General, and you may know this; but you may do this, I muſt not ſtay to do it.

2. How dreadful an Evil it is not to be on God's ſide? 1. How ſinful, how unmeaſurably, unconceivably ſinful? 2. How deſperately hazardous and dangerous?

3. How eaſy it is to judge and determine what ſide every Man ſhould be on, in this caſe.

Examination. I might apply it this way too, if I had time; but I beſeech you do it, for I muſt do but very little this way.

All the Men and Women in the World, all the Individuals of Mankind, are on the one ſide, or other, in this matter; on God's ſide, or the Devil's; on Chriſt's the great Saviour of Souls, or on Satan's the great Apollyon, the Deſtroyer of Souls. Theſe two divide the whole World, all fight under the Banner, and are in the Service of the great Captain of our Salvation; or elſe under the Banner, and in the Service of the Prince of the Power of the Air. There are no Neuters at all in this War. May be thou never conſidered it yet Soul, what ſide thou art on, only haſt perhaps taken it for granted thou art on God's ſide, although thou never made thy Peace with God, nor turned from Sin to God; if ſo, thou may'ſt reckon on it, thou art for all thy Confidence on the wrong ſide.

You may examine what ſide you are on by the Particulars under the firſt General in the Doctrinal part.

p. 33Did you ever ſee the Evil of Sin, ſee your Enmity and Contriety againſt God, and your dreadful, ſinful, miſerable, loſt, undone Condition thereby; ſeeing your ſelves guilty of, and condemned by the holy Law of God, the Covenant of Works? If thou never did, thou art certainly yet in thy Sins, and on Satan's ſide. Well, if you have ſeen and felt, and been affected with Sin and Wrath, what have you done, what way, what courſe have you taken? Have you gone to the Law, to your own Righteouſneſs, Repentance, Duties, expecting Pardon and Salvation for theſe? Why then thou art ſtill in thy Sins, under the Curſe, Gal. 3. 10. or have you from a ſight, a ſpiritual Conviction of the Evil of Sin, Dreadfulneſs of Wrath, Inſufficiency of thy own Righteouſneſs, and Impoſſibility of the Laws ſaving thee? ſeen thy Help, all thy help in the Grace of God, in the Mercies, tender Mercies, Multitudes of the tender Mercies of God, in the Chriſt of God, in his Righteouſneſs, his Sacrifice, his purchaſed procured Salvation? Haſt thou ſeen theſe held forth in the Covenant ſo as thou haſt fled for Refuge here? So as thou haſt found Peace, Safety, Strength againſt Sin? and all, in theſe, ſo as thou hateſt Sin, and loveſt God, and makeſt it thy buſineſs to adore Free Grace, live upon and improve a full Chriſt, ſo as thou owneſt God; this God, this gracious reconciled God in Chriſt to be thy God, and worſhippeſt him accordingly; and ſo of the reſt of the ſix things mentioned? If thou haſt experienced theſe things, and doſt endeavour in the Strength of Chriſt to approve thy ſelf to God in all theſe things; I dare ſay, thou art on God's p. 34ſide. But you muſt put things cloſe and home to your Conſciences, and have a care of deceiving your ſelves in Matters of ſuch vaſt Importance. But I muſt proceed to

3d and laſt Uſe. Exhortation 1. To thoſe that are not on God's ſide. 2. To thoſe that are on God's ſide.

1. To thoſe that are not on God's ſide.

1ſt. To thoſe openly profane.

2dly. To thoſe that are not on God's ſide though not openly profane.

3dly. To all not on God's ſide.

1ſt. To thoſe openly profane and wicked; ſuch as live continually in the open Violation of God's Laws, and the Laws of the Land; that fear neither God nor Man, but in ſpite of, and oppoſition to both, profane God's holy Name, by dreadful helliſh Oaths and Curſes; that belch forth their Enmity againſt their great Maker, and their fellow Creatures too, by theſe: whoſe Hearts are full of a curſed Contrariety to God and Man, as appears by theſe dreadful fruits of both: whoſe Mouths are full of Curſing and Bitterneſs, becauſe there is no Fear of God before their Eyes; who profanely neglect God's holy Worſhip, attending the publick Service of God no where at all, on God's Holy Day; neither in the Aſſemblies of one ſort or another, that call upon God's Name; but make God's Bleſſed Day a Day of Reſt indeed, but not of holy Reſt; but of ſinful, ſenſual, ſlothful Reſt; or rather a Day in which more eſpecially they devote themſelves p. 35to the Service of Ceres, Bacchus, Venus, and the Devil; doing the Drudgery that he, through their own Luſt, imploys them in: that inſtead of aſſembling themſelves with the People of God, to worſhip him in pouring out their Hearts unto him in Prayers, in praiſing him with raiſed Hearts as well as Voices, in hearing his Word; aſſemble themſelves on this Day with the Workers of Iniquity, and the Congregation of Evil-doers, that are openly the Enemies of God and Goodneſs; ſuch as walk in the Counſel of the Ʋngodly, ſtand in the way of Sinners, and ſit in the Scorners Seat; revelling it on God's Day, and abuſing themſelves more horribly on that day, than any other, by exceſſive Drinking: Such as drink away their Senſes, their Reaſon, their Eſtate, their Labour of all the paſt Week on this Day; their Bread, the Bread of their Families, of their Wives and Children; their Time, their Health, drinking their Bodies firſt into Diſtempers, and then before half their days be run out, into the Grave; and, which is worſe ſtill, that drink away Heaven, and drink their Souls into Hell: Such as aſſemble themſelves by troops in Harlots Houſes; that indulge themſelves in all Senſualities, and neigh after their Neighbours Wives, Jer. 5. 7, 8. Perhaps there may be ſome ſuch here, led by Curioſity, or which is worſe, a deſign to ſcoff; if there be, I pray God they may conſider things, and whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, I muſt deliver the Mind of God unto them in theſe four things.

1. Conſider all of you, for the Lord's ſake, what ſide you are on. You are not on God's: O p. 36no! it may be indeed you ſay, you defy the Devil and all his Works; you may ſo, and think ſo too as much as you will; but your Lives, your Speeches, your Actions, loudly proclaim you to be Rebels againſt God. Conſider,

1. With and amongſt whom you are ingaged: Verily with Satan and his black infernal Crew; he is your Lord and Maſter, your Prince and God; he is the God of this World; and all the evil Angels are under him, and all the Ungodly in this World are under them, eſpecially ſuch as you, moſt viſibly. They are the Rulers of the Darkneſs of this World: Theſe, theſe are the wretched vile Creatures, that you are amongſt, and numbred with. You are of the Society of Hell; for if thoſe on God's ſide by Faith, and being in Covenant with God, are come to Mount Zion, unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Hieruſalem, the innumerable Company of Angels, Heb. 12. 22. Then ſurely ſuch as I am ſpeaking to are come to Tophet, to the Lake of Fire and Brimſtone, to that dreadful Place and State reſerved for the Devil and his Angels. You are of the number of theſe dreadful Enemies of God engaged with the vileſt of Creatures, the horrideſt Wretches on Earth, and the Inhabitants of Hell.

2. What you are engaged in, as well as with and amongſt whom; what Work you are doing. You think indeed of pleaſing your ſelves, by gratifying your Appetites, and ſo promoting your Happineſs; but indeed you are ſinning againſt God, rebelling againſt your Maker, violating his holy Laws, doing the filthieſt vileſt p. 37Drudgery in the World, ſuch is Sin: The Slaves in Fez, in Sally, are Freemen, are Princes compared to you. You are doing the Devil's Work; what he delights in, and what he has engaged you in, by means of your own evil Hearts, and outward Objects, and Temptations, which he takes care to ply you with. You are ruining your Bodies, you are defiling your Souls, you are putting far from you your Salvation, you are making ſure of, and haſtning your Damnation, and deſperately increaſing your Guilt now, and Torments and Miſeries hereafter. You are undoing (as much as in you lies) your Families, your Wives, and Children, whom you ſhould love and tender. You are bringing the Wrath of God upon the Land of your Nativity: You do what is in you to ruin all. Theſe things verily you are doing, whether you believe it or no. O that good Men were but as induſtrious in Well-doing, (as ſuch as I am now ſpeaking to are in Evil-doing) to prevent publick Judgments, as theſe are to procure them! You profane ones, you are running to Hell with all the ſpeed that the rapid Current of time, and the Impetus of your own Luſts, and Satan's Malice, can carry you. So I come to the 2d Exhortation.

2. Conſider what will be the end of all this of your being on the Devil's ſide, of your being engaged in his Work. What can it be without Repentance? Except ye repent ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, Luke 13. 3, 5. Truly if Chriſt be to be believed, who is the faithful and true Witneſs of God, nothing, nothing can come of this courſe of yours, but your eternal Ruine without Repentance: p. 38and this is true of thoſe that ſin not to the height of your Wickedneſs, to be ſure then it muſt be true of you. Satan indeed tells you fine Stories of this and that Evil you will avoid, and this and that Good you will have by your ſinning; but do you not know that he is a Liar, and the Father of Lies? Do you not know he is the great Deceiver, and thereby the great Deſtroyer of Souls? Will you believe God or him? God who tells you of your Sins and Danger, to prevent your Ruine; or Satan who keeps you in the dark, and makes it his buſineſs very ſubtlely and induſtriouſly to miſrepreſent things to you on purpoſe, to bring you into that Ruine which he himſelf is involved in? Your Luſts too they tell you this and that, and the other, what they will do for you; what merry, pleaſant, jovial Days you ſhall have, and Lives you ſhall lead: But do you conſider what will be the end of theſe at Death, Judgment, and Hell for ever? which you are in greateſt danger of every moment. You are like a Company of mad, diſtracted Criminals going indeed to Execution, but not knowing it, roaring and ſwaggering all the way they go; ſo it is with you: and as it would be in that caſe a great Surprize to them all of a ſudden unexpectedly to ſee the Gibbet and Halter, and Executioner, and ſuffer by them; ſo what an unſpeakably worſe Surprize will it be for you, after you have gone on a little ſecurely, to fall into Hell? Lord, how great is your Danger! Conſider this.

3. If the Laws of the Land do take hold of you for your own impudent Violation of them, and p. 39God's too, do not rage, do not ſtorm againſt thoſe that might inform, nor againſt Magiſtrates, nor againſt Laws; but thank your ſelves, and lay all the blame upon your own Folly and Wickedneſs; for there is no body to blame but your ſelves, but your own Luſts. If you meet with Shame, Reproach, and ſmart by publick Cenſures, lay the load of all upon your own Sins and ſelves, for they are the alone culpable Cauſe; for the Laws are good, and Magiſtrates are in their Duty when they execute them; and thoſe that were Witneſſes of your affronting Laws, they could not be clear of Guilt, nor the Nation of Wrath if they had not informed; nor is it any Uncharitableneſs in them, no, but true Charity if they are ſincere in what they do; nor is it any Unkindneſs to you: for if milder Methods would have done, you had not been treated thus, but that milder would not do is only your own fault: Who is to blame but your ſelves, and your own unreaſonable, brutiſh, ungovernable Luſts? Beſides, this may be a Kindneſs to you, and that is deſigned; and if it be not, it will be wholly your own fault, for hereby you have a very fair opportunity given you to conſider things, thus. True, I am expoſed to the Magiſtrates Puniſhment for what I have done; but what is this to Hell? I have a greater Magiſtrate to do with, than any I have been puniſhed by, the Supream Magiſtrate of the World, the Judge of the Living and Dead, and his Laws are ſeverer Laws, and his Puniſhments ſorer Puniſhments; how ſhall I do when he enters into Judgment with me? I can't avoid his Judgment▪ p. 40I can't ſtand in Judgment. Then what muſt I do? Theſe things might be of rich uſe to you, to ſtop you in your curreer of Sin, yea turn you from it, if follow'd cloſe; ſo that a ſlight outward Puniſhment may be the means of ſaving your Soul, and will be ſo, except it be your own fault: ſo that there is no Injury done you; for you ſuffer juſtly, and you may get Good by it. If I ſaw a Man ride full ſpeed to a Precipice before him, where he muſt needs periſh; I think I ſhould not injure that Man if I ſtop him, though he rage and ſtorm never ſo much, and abuſe me never ſo ill. That is the caſe here, the Application is very eaſy.

4. Conſider, though your Caſe be very dangerous, yet it's not deſparate, except you reſolve to make it ſo: As bad as you are, as much Enmity as you have ſhewed againſt the bleſſed God, as much as you have diſhonoured and provoked his ſacred Name; yet he is ſhewing you your Sin, your Danger; and he is doing ſo to awaken you, and convince you, that you may inquire, Is there no Help? Is there no Remedy for me? Muſt I, becauſe of my Sins, unavoidably periſh? In this caſe he tells you; There is a Remedy, a glorious all-ſufficient Remedy, provided for the worſt, the greateſt of Sinners, the Sacrifice of Chriſt his own bleſſed Son; and that he is willing to be reconciled to you, and be at Peace with you; for he tells you he ſent his Son to ſave Sinners, and that abandoning your Sins, through Faith in his attoning Blood, you ſhall be received into his Favour, and be ſaved. Hear then the bleſſed God calling thee, from the ſide thou art on, to his p. 41ſide: Sinner I am willing to be reconciled to thee, though I have been long and wretchedly neglected, ſlighted, provoked, diſhonoured by thee; and though I could cruſh thee, damn thee in a moment, yet be thou reconciled. Here is my Son, have recourſe to him, accept of him to ſave thee in thy Sins from thy Sins; and I will be thy Father, thy Friend, thy God, thy Portion, thy Heaven, thy All. Then profane Sinner, hear this Calling God, and fly into the Embraces of tendered Mercy, into the Arms of a Redeemer's Love, that thou may'ſt be deliver'd from Sin, Satan, the World, Law, Hell, that thou may'ſt be no longer on this dreadful ſide, but on God's; that God may be for you, and you for God for ever.

2dly. To thoſe that are not on God's ſide, though not ſuch as the former, openly profane, but are ſober and civil, and it may be Profeſſors of Godlineſs, and externally and to appearance religious, yet unregenerate, in their Impenitency and Unbelief.

You are on God's ſide I confeſs in a ſenſe, for you are not ſo on the Devil's ſide as thoſe I ſpoke unto in the former Branch of this Uſe: But in truth you are on the Devil's ſide; you are only on God's in Hypocriſy, and on the Devil's in Reality; for your Hearts are not right with God, nothing but Union with Chriſt, and Regenerating Grace, makes it ſo. You are in the Gall of Bitterneſs, and Bond of Iniquity: So all the unconverted are, Profeſſors as well as thoſe that are not ſo. Then, I ſay, ſee your Sin, your Danger, before it be too late. Do not caſt p. 42off Civility, Sobriety, Profeſſion; but add Piety to your Civility; and Sobriety and Sincerity to your Profeſſion: Lay hold on God's Covenant, ſo as to turn to God, and give him your Hearts, and then own him, and abound in all the Duties a Profeſſion of God requires. See the Covenant be ſavingly eſtabliſhed between God and you, that God may be on your ſide, and you on God's. What will it avail you to be on God's ſide by Profeſſion only, and have your Hearts under the Power of Sin, and earthly carnal Inclinations and Affections? What will it ſignify, ſeeing you have to do with that God, who is the Searcher of Hearts, and Tryer of Reins? You may deceive your ſelves and others for a little time; but at laſt dying thus, you muſt periſh for ever; and how ſad will that be? You are not profane, you do not ſwear with the Swearer, you are not drunk with the Drunkard, you do not pollute God's Holy Day as ſome do; but yet you are not on God's ſide ſavingly. See you be: See you have all the things this imports in it.

3dly. To ſuch as are not on God's ſide, whether of the one ſort or other, or whatever they are, if not on God's ſide ſavingly.

To all ſuch I would ſay, Come from the Tents of thoſe wicked ones, you are at preſent engaged with, and on the ſide of. Come off from Satan, the Profane, and the Unregenerate, be on God's ſide. What Moſes ſaid to Iſrael with a reſpect to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, I ſay unto all of you; Depart, I pray you, from the Tents of theſe wicked Men, and touch nothing of theirs, leſt ye be conſumed in all their Sins, Num. 16. 26. Hear God p. 43calling you to accept of Chriſt, that you may forgo your Sins: Hear the Magiſtrate calling you, Who is on God's ſide, let him come to me? Hear your own Conſciences calling you, to go over to God, the Neceſſities and Intereſts of your own bleeding, precious, never dying Souls calling you. The Souls of others, though not their Luſts, yet their Wants and Neceſſities, and Intereſts, calling you: the Souls of the Good to help with them, the Souls of the Bad to have compaſſion on them, and do what you can for them. Hear the Nation calling you to be on her ſide againſt the Profane, her Enemies; and the Society for Reformation of Manners here, as all the reſt elſewhere, call upon you to be on God's ſide: and I am come to call upon you to the ſame thing; my Text calls upon you all to do ſo: All theſe Calls you have to be on God's ſide, and give up your ſelves to, and lay out your ſelves for God.

2. To all thoſe that are on God's ſide, I would exhort them to,

1ſt. Bleſs God. Bleſs him with all your Souls, and all their Powers, that you are on his ſide. The time was when you were on Satan's ſide, the time was when your Hearts were againſt God, when you were filled with a diſmal Contrariety and Oppoſition to God: When you were as others now are, that are in their Sins, how came you to be brought off from the other ſide? how came you to be on God's? Was it not Electing Love, Redeeming Blood, Calling Grace? Was it not the Almighty Power of God that was exerted by the Grace of God, that laid hold of you p. 44by Conviction and Converſion, to bring you over to God's ſide? O bleſs God with your whole Souls; and if you had a thouſand Souls, and they had a thouſand more Faculties and Powers than your Souls have, all were little enough, and much too little, to adore God for electing, redeeming, calling, converting Grace: Had it not been for this flowing down to you in the precious Blood of the Covenant, you had remained yet on the ſide of God's Enemies, and would have periſhed everlaſtingly. with them. Antidate Heavens, holy, happy Employment, living in the raiſed, thankful, affectionate, humble Praiſes of Free Grace.

2dly. Be faithful to the ſide you are on, to the Intereſts you are in. Do as much againſt the other ſide, Sin and Satan, and their Intereſts, as you can, the more the better; and do all you can for the ſide you are on; you cannot do too much, you cannot do enough. Be moſt faithful to, and active for God. Be ſure you be ſo in all the Particulars that have been named: Go over them particularly in your own Thoughts, and let the Reaſons ſerve for Motives. I cannot inlarge, But I would more particularly addreſs my ſelf,

Firſt, To you of the Society.

Secondly, To all others on God's ſide, tho not of the Society.

Firſt, To you of the Society in three Particulars.

1ſt. Be all of you on God's ſide: Be ſure you be ſo. I know all of you are ſo by Profeſſion, p. 45by agreeing and combining together to appear for God, againſt the horrid Profaneneſs of the Day. Let all and every one of you then (and I ſpeak nothing to you but what I would ſpeak to my own Soul) ſee that you be indeed ſavingly, internally, vitally on God's ſide; that you indeed fear God, and love God; that you do indeed hate Evil and love Good, as you have been not long ſince exhorted to do. Let what you do in this matter be in the Sincerity of your Souls, and out of Love to your King, Country, and the Good of others. See God have your Hearts, that there be a thorow regenerating Change there; or elſe I muſt tell you, it is not being on God's ſide by appearing outwardly againſt Profaneneſs, that will do; no, tho you be never ſo induſtrious and active, and run never ſo many Riſques and Hazards, all theſe will not do if the Heart be not with God, and for God: God will have the Heart or nothing. The Heart muſt be God's, or all will be accounted nothing at all of by God. Make ſure then of this, that you have ſavingly laid hold of God's Covenant, and ſo be ingaged in this matter.

2dly. Being thus, continue all of you on God's ſide: Being ſavingly on it, keep on it. Keep on it perſonally conſidered, every one of you, and ſocially conſidered, as you are united together againſt the Sins of the Day. So go on, and purſue heartily the Ends for which you did coaleſce and combine. I ſay, Go on proſperouſly: Go on Couragiouſly: Go on Reſolvedly: Go on Unweariedly: Go on Patiently: Go on Invincibly: Go on conſtantly, Perſeveringly. Let p. 46nothing diſcourage you, much leſs turn you out of the way you are in, or make you faint or ſuccumb under the Burden of this great Undertaking. Let not the Threatnings, Huffs, Scoffs, or Reproaches of the Ungodly, at all weaken your hands. You expected theſe things, before you ingaged in this Work; now then you mee… with them, be not at all concerned at them, ſo as to ſlackea your Diligence, or go on fearfully or heavily. There is no Reaſon you ſhould be diſcouraged, but you ſhould go on as I have exhorted you to do: For,

1. You have a good Cauſe, the beſt Cauſe: 1ſt. It is the Cauſe of God. Profaneneſs and Immorality are contrary to God, what he cannot away with, the abominable things that he hates, as he ſpeaks of Idolatry. You are ingaged then in this Matter, againſt nothing but what God himſelf is ingaged againſt; you are ingaged againſt none but only his Enemies, that are mad of their Luſts, and that ſhew their ſelves to be ſo by being ſo deſperate and obſtinate, that they cannot be dealt with by hands; but Men that deal with them muſt be fenced with Iron, and the Staff of a Spear; I mean the Magiſtrate's Sword and Power. You are ingaged againſt nothing but what is offenſive and diſhonourable to God, and for nothing in this Affair but what is pleaſing to, and honourable in the Sight of God. Then go on, it is the Cauſe of God: God calls to you to be on his ſide, as in the Text, againſt the Profaneneſs of the Day; by which he is ſo ſadly diſhonoured, and you in ſome meaſure have anſwered his Call; go on to do ſo more and p. 47more. God calls to you too, as Pſal. 94. 6. Who will riſe up for me againſt the Evil-doers? who will ſtand up for me againſt the Workers of Iniquity? Do you ſtill do ſo? 2d. It is the Cauſe of the King. It is his Mind and Will, that Men ſhould reverence the Name of God their great Maker, and aſſemble themſelves for the Worſhip of God, and abſtain from Profaneneſs and Immoralities, as you may ſee by his excellent Proclamation. In truth theſe Sins do the King his Intereſt, and Government, a great deal of hurt; they indanger him and them. Profane Perſons are the King's worſt Subjects. It is the King's Intereſt that Men avoid theſe things, becauſe they often bring down the Wrath of God upon Governors and Governments, eſpecially when they are not check'd by Law, and the Execution of it. Then go on to plead this Cauſe of the King. 3d. It is the Cauſe of your Country, your dear Native Country, that you are bound by ſo many Ingagements to, and that you injoy ſo much Good in. They are England's greateſt Enemies that dare provoke God, that dare ſin againſt him, and bring down his Wrath upon it. And they are England's beſt Friends that do what they can to reform England's Inhabitants, and to reſtrain Sin, and purge it out of the Nation.

2. You have a good Call, therefore go on, and a good Cauſe; and a good Call may very well be a great Incouragement to you. You have a good Call, you have the Call of God, as in the Text, and in Pſ. 94 16. as before. You have the Call of the King, and the Call of the Parliament, the Magiſtrates Call. The Words are the Words p. 48of Moſes, Iſrael's Supream Magiſtrate. You have the Call of all the Godly in the Land, their hearty Approbation, and beſt Prayers and Wiſhes. God calls you by his Word, by the Precepts of his Word, Promiſes of his Word, Threatnings of his Word; and by his Providence giving you a fair Opportunity, very inviting and incouraging Advantages, which ſhould they be neglected, not improved, who can tell whether you ſhall live to ſee ſuch another? and you have the Call of the incouraging, ſucceſsful Example of the City of London, which has gone before you herein. I am ſure of this, every Man that hath a Heart to appear for God, and Ability, has a good Call; and no Man can queſtion his Call that has a Heart, Ability, and Opportunity for ſuch Services as this.

3. As you have a good Cauſe, a good Call, ſo you have a good Patron, a great one, the Bleſſed Jehovah, the Almighty God: He ſtands by you, and will defend you, and protect you; and believe me, Brethren, one God, this one God, I ſay, is enough againſt all the poſſe Inferni, all the Devils in Hell, and their Agents on Earth. Well, God is on your ſide, then go on. You may ſay as he, Pſal. 118. 6. The Lord is on my ſide, I will not fear what can Man do unto me?

4. As you have a good Cauſe, a good Call, a good Patron, you ſhall have a good, a great Reward, a glorious maſſy Reward; if your Hearts are right with God, you ſhall not loſe your Reward. God does not need you, but he takes it kindly from you that you are on his ſide, and he will once teſtify this, and you ſhall find it placed p. 49to your account in the Day of the Lord, if not before. If a Cup of cold Water given to a Diſciple of Chriſt ſhall not loſe its reward, Mat. 10. 42. to be ſure this Service for his Name, ſhall not. Therefore go on:

5. For your Incouragement ſtill you have good Company; all the Great that are good, on your ſide, and all the Good too. You have God, as was mentioned juſt now; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, the Uncreated Great on your ſide; and you have the Created Great, the great and glorious Angels, aſſiſting of you in your ſincere Indeavours, and doing you many great, tho unſeen, good Offices of defending of you, under God, in all your Difficulties and Dangers, and approving of you, and pleaſed with you in all your Deſigns and Labours; and you have the Spirits of the Juſt made perfect, all the holy, happy, heavenly Society are on your ſide; all theſe are great and good above: and you have all the Great and Good below too on your ſide. You have the King and Parliament, your Governors, on your ſide; and you have all the Good of all Denominations; all that know, and love, and fear God, on your ſide; you have their Approbation, Judgment, Prayers, and hearty Wiſhes: and for the Bad, and the Great that are bad, they are not ſo conſiderable in this matter, being againſt God, as either to be regarded or feared. Then by Faith behold the bleſſed God, and his holy Angels, and all the heavenly Company, from the Battlements of Glory, looking on, and applauding your Indeavours; and let this incourage you, notwithſtanding p. 50Difficulties, and hereupon be you filled with the utmoſt Vigour in all your Enterprizes and Attempts. Thus you ſee what abundant Incouragement you have; for you have a good Cauſe, the beſt Cauſe, the Cauſe of your God, your King, your Country; you have a good Call, as well as a good Cauſe; and you have a great Almighty Patron, as well as a good Cauſe and good Call; and you have as a good Cauſe, Call, Patron, you have good Company, all the great that are good, and all the Good; and as you have a good Cauſe, Call, Patron, Company, you ſhall have a good, a great, a vaſt Reward, an exceeding eternal Weight of Glory. Then ſurely you may well go on as you have been exhorted to do.

3dly. And laſtly, to you of the Society: Carry in all things towards God and Man, as becomes thoſe that are ingaged in ſuch a Deſign, and united in a Society for ſuch an End. Carry ſo as all that ſee you and know you, may have reaſon to believe you are filled with the Fear of God; with an awful Reverence of his Name, and glorious Perfections, and bleſſed Word, and Laws, and Government. Be filled with a deep ſenſe of his Diſhonour, by the abounding Sins of the day, keep your ſelves very faithful to God, in being pure from the Sins of the day wherein you live; not only from the Sins of the Profane, but the Profeſſors of the day, many of whom, God knows, take a ſtrange liberty in many things, very unbecoming their Profeſſion, and very diſhonourable to it; but do not you do ſo, be neither afraid nor aſhamed to bear your Teſtimony for God, p. 51where you have a Call to it; and do all that ever in you lies ſingly, ſocially, againſt the Sins of the day, to ſtem, and if it might be, to turn the Torrent of Profaneneſs into that of Holineſs: and carry ſo towards all Men as becomes you, being altogether juſt and true in your Dealings, in your Words and Works: further, let your Carriage towards all Men be filled with all that Love Goodneſs, Tenderneſs, Humility, Meekneſs, that Readineſs to do them all good Offices, and In-offenſiveneſs in Words and Actions that becomes ſuch as profeſs to do nothing to others, but only what is for their Good. Be ſure you carry thus to Men. I am afraid it may not be poſſible for you to carry ſo, conſidering your Circumſtances, as to avoid Reproach and Cenſure; for Men value their Luſts above their Souls, (nay, they do not value them) above their very Lives, and therefore they will rage at that and them, that ſtand between them and their beloved Sins; but however be you blameleſs and harmleſs, the Sons of God, without rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Nation, among whom ſhine ye as lights in the World, Phil. 2. 15. That all Men may have Reaſon however to believe, that you have no deſign but their Good, in your Indeavours that the Laws may be executed upon flagitious incorrigible Tranſgreſſors; yea ſo as that themſelves, whoſe lot it may be to be puniſhed by them, may have no cauſe to believe any other but their Good, not Hurt is purſued therein; for thoſe that indeavour the Reformation of others ſhould themſelves be great Inſtances of Reformation and Purity. I am ſure they ſhould be p. 52ſo. See you be ſo, as ever you would be any ways at all uſeful in what you have undertaken; as you would do any Good, as you would not do Hurt. I muſt tell you, with all Faithfulneſs and Freedom, it is a ſhameful, vile, accurſed thing, (I would uſe harder words if I had them, for the thing will bear it) for thoſe that take upon them to be Reformers of others, to be unreformed themſelves. If any of the Society for Reforming others, be as ill as thoſe they pretend to reform, what a Shame, Reproach, and Miſchief will it be unto you, and how prejudicial to your Deſign? If any are of a Society for Reformation of others, and are unreformed themſelves, can they with any Modeſty indeavour the Reformation of others, that are guilty themſelves? Can thoſe indeavour a Drunkard's Reformation, by his Puniſhment according to Law, that are drunk ſometimes themſelves? Can thoſe be concerned in executing the Laws upon profane Swearers, that ſwear profanely themſelves, and curſe and rail? How can any ſee that others be puniſhed for profaning the Lord's Day, when themſelves make no Conſcience of it? See then to your Hearts, to your Lives, to your Words, to your Actions, to your Families, that there be all Purity and Reformation within you, without you, and round about you. See you be altogether ſuch, as that you according to Reaſon, and the Word of God, may very well be concerned in ſuch an Undertaking as the indeavouring to reform others; ſo that if Men ſpeak Evil of you, it may be falſly. You and I had a thouſand times better that twenty evil things ſhould be ſpoken falſly of us, p. 53than that one, the leaſt, of them ſhould be true. Look to your Motives, Ends and Aims in this matter, that what you do be out of ſincere Regards to the Honour of God, out of Love to Him and Goodneſs, out of a tender Regard to the Good of others, and out of a hearty Reſpect to the Welfare of the Land, and Place where you live. Let the Love of Chriſt conſtrain you, the Honour of God move you always. Have a care that you cover not Prejudice, and Ill-will, againſt any, by pretending theſe things; for if you do, tho Men know it not, the God that knows all things ſees, and will be diſpleaſed with, and puniſh ſuch Wickedneſs.

I would have given you ſome Directions, but muſt but name a very few.

Direct. 1. Would you carry in this Matter as you ſhould improve the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: If you are on God's ſide ſavingly, you are in him; then your buſineſs is to live upon him; and as for the Whole of the Life of God, ſo for the Acceptance of your Perſons and Services in this thing; and for the Pardon of all your Sins accompanying theſe your Indeavours, and for your Aſiſtance. Verily you need all theſe in this matter, and you need Jeſus Chriſt for all theſe in this matter. Rely then on his Righteouſneſs and Blood for acceptance, and upon that Treaſure, that Fulneſs of Strength that is in him for Ability, to go through all your Difficulties, and Protection in all your Dangers. There is all in Chriſt by Faith, have recourſe to him, and draw it out of him into your Hearts.

p. 54Direct. 2. Be filled with the Spirit of God, if you are Chriſt's you have the Spirit of God; Rom. 8. 9. be filled with his Light, that Uuction from the holy One that teaches all things, 1 John 2. 20. you can ſee nothing without his Light. See you have his bleſſed Preſence with you, and Influences abiding on your Souls, that you may be filled with the Fruits of the Spirit, particularly Love to God and Man, Zeal for the Honour of God, and a holy delightful Activity in Welldoing; and if you would be filled with the Spirit, live by Faith on Chriſt, who purchaſed him, is poſſeſſed of him, and gives him out in his Gifts, Graces, Comforts, to all his; and grieve not the Spirit, by indulging any Sin, for he is a Spirit of Purity; and ſow to the Spirit, I ſay, be filled more and more with the Spirit of God, and then you will be taught and help'd of God to carry as becomes you.

Direct. 3. Pray, mightily, conſtantly, abundantly. Be very prayerful, for your ſelves, for others, for your Society, all the Societies every where, where they are, for the Deſign you are concerned in. Pray for the Spirit of God, that he would afford you Light, and Strength, and Ability: for Succeſs in your Indeavours; that he would ſhine upon them, and make them effectual for the Reſtraint of Sin, yea Converſion from Sin; that he would make Puniſhments effectual for theſe Ends; for he can do it.

Secondly, To all others on God's ſide, tho not of the Society, that yet with them are on his ſide, that are ſo by Profeſſion; for the Lord's ſake ſee p. 55you be all of you ſo ſavingly: as I ſaid before to the Society, ſo I would ſay to you all. Be on God's ſide in all the Particulars that have been ſet before you as contained therein, or elſe to what purpoſe, but diſmal, will it be to be on God's ſide by Profeſſion now, and to be indeed againſt God's on Satan's, and to be found on his ſide at the Eternal Judgment?

1. Then act vigorouſly on God's ſide, againſt your Sins, (thoſe Enemies of yours, your Luſts that war againſt your Souls) againſt Satan, and this preſent evil World. Fight conſtantly, faithfully ſucceſsfully, againſt all remaining Corruption and Pravity in you. Have and keep on, and manage very skilfully the whole Armour of God, the Helmet of Salvation, Breaſt-plate of Righteouſneſs, Shield of Faith, and Guide of Truth, Sword of the Spirit. Thus armed with Armour of Light, of Proof, keep and gain ground againſt all your ſpiritual Enemies, that ye may be able to ſtand againſt the Wiles of the Devil: Remembring you have need to do thus, all is little enough if you conſider with whom you contend, and for what? both which you have Eph. 6. 12. With whom? Not Fleſh and Blood, i. e. not only; but with Principalities, and Powers, the Rulers of the Darkneſs of this World, againſt wicked Spirits. Theſe are Enemies not to be contemned, I'll aſſure you, but vigorouſly oppoſed; for they are vaſtly numerous, malicious, ſubtle, indefatigable, inviſible, and therefore the more dangerous, becauſe they are with you ſome or other of them where-ever you are, what ever you are about, waiting, watching for Advantages againſt you; and ſuch they p. 56are as will be ſure to improve them to your utmoſt Prejudice: And for what? for the ſupercoeleſtial things, vaſteſt, greateſt Glories. This is expreſt in theſe words, foreign, which we render in high places; but many Expoſitors, both antient and modern, make the words ſignificant of what we contend for; and the words favour this Senſe, and I take it to be the Mind of the Holy Ghoſt. The words of Oecumenius, one of the Antients upon theſe words▪ are, foreign; our Combate with theſe Enemies is not about inconſiderable things, but for heavenly things, all the Glories of the State above. Let theſe things, the Enemies you contend with, and the heavenly Glory you contend for, not at all diſcourage, only animate you, and make you ſtrong in the Lord, and the Power of his Might: for you have a bleſſed glorious Head, that has overcome all theſe Enemies for you. They are conquered ones, and he has purchaſed this Glory for you, and keeps it for you, being poſſeſſed of it as your Head, and he ſtands by you, to incourage, aſſiſt, ſupply you, in your Combate; and verily this is glorious Incouragement, for greater is he that is in you, than be that is in the World, 1 John 4. 4. Behold, your glorious Head by Faith, the Captain of your Salvation, who is the way of your Duty, (not neglect of it) will make you more than Conquerors, and renew and maintain your ſpiritual Warfare with the utmoſt Activity.

2. Do all you can, that ever you can, to help the Society, and promote, and further the Ends p. 57of it; all cannot be of it, but be you all Friends to it; you may all be ſo, be you ſo, helpful to it all that in you lies.

1ſt. Let Magiſtrates do all they can in their place, by a ready, chearful, faithful Execution of the Laws, drawing forth the Sword againſt ſtubborn Breakers of them. God expects this from you, in your place. The Truſt repoſed in you, and the Nation's Intereſt, and the Duty of your Office, calls for this from you; and bleſſed be God, whereas we have ſeen the days wherein ſome Magiſtrates were the moſt active of all others in Violence, againſt thoſe that were peaceable in the Land, and did only deſire and indeavour to worſhip God according to his Word, that we now ſee the Times ſo far changed as this Violence is wholly laid aſide, and we have free liberty by Law of worſhipping God according to his Mind, and have Magiſtrates that are willing and ready to turn the edge of their Sword againſt the Profaneneſs of the day.

2dly. Let Miniſters do their part to further the Ends of the Society, by their faithful, painful, conſtant Preaching, denouncing God's Wrath againſt incorrigible Sinners, ſhewing them the Evil and Danger of their Sins, preaching the Law for Goſpel-Ends, and ſhewing them the way of Salvation by Jeſus Chriſt, that there is Hope and Help in him for the worſt of Sinners; and by living what they preach, and by watching over Souls as thoſe that muſt give an account; and ſuch an one as may be with Joy, and not with Grief, Heb. 13. 17. and by doing all that belongs to their ſacred Office in their Day and Generation.

p. 583dly. Let Heads, Maſters, and Miſtreſſes of Families, do theirs by not ſuffering Sin in their Children or Servants; but by ſhewing them the Evil of it, and reſtraining it in them, and by indeavouring their Converſion, and ſo their Salvation; being Inſtances of Holineſs themſelves, walking in their Houſes with a perfect Heart, wiſely in a perfect way, Pſal. 101. 2. keeping up the Worſhip of God in their Families, Morning and Evening, by ſerious fervent Prayer, and reading the Scriptures; by Catechizing theirs, and taking great care of the Lord's-day both as to themſelves, and all about them, that it be kept holy to the Lord. The neglect of Family-Religion has filled the Nation dreadfully with Ignorance and Wickedneſs; for when Heads of Families take no care to bring up thoſe about them in the Knowledg and Fear of God, thoſe young ones when they go out into the World, they are wicked, and they learn others; and when they come to marry, and have Families, they are ſuch as they were brought up, ignorant and godleſs, and ſo their Children and Servants are, and ſo there is no end of Wickedneſs. See then in your places you promote Reformation, by promoting Godlineſs.

4thly. Let all, not only Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Governors of Families, but theſe and all others in their places too do ſo; for there is not one, the meaneſt Perſon, not a Servant, not a Child, but may be helpful in this matter, and greatly further it. They may do ſo, and ſee you all do ſo, by

p. 591. Perſonal Reformation, and promoting it by their holy Examples: Keeping pure from all Sin, by their burning and ſhining Converſations; thus all ſhould condemn Wickedneſs, and contend with the Wicked, Prov. 28. 4. And further, let all help the Society, and further Reformation by uſing their Intereſt in others, to prevail with them to be reconciled to God, and turn to God, beſeeching and intreating them to look to theſe things. Let them do what they can by their Counſels and Diſcourſes with others that will hear them, that there may be a Reformation the effect of Converſion.

2. By informing the Magiſtrate when you hear and ſee the Laws tranſgreſſed by impudent Sinners, againſt ſuch as will do ſo. Only this I would ſay, where Attempts for Reformation are not yet begun, as ſoon as they are brought into any place, I would not have a Perſon that is not an impudent cuſtomary Tranſgreſſor, made firſt of all an Inſtance of Puniſhment; nay further in this caſe, I would have thoſe concerned in ſuch Attempts, in a friendly, loving manner tell their Relations, (if they are ſo unhappy as to have any ſuch) or their Neighbours, that they know to live cuſtomarily and impudently in violating the Laws, that ſuch a thing is to be, or is ſet on foot in their Town, and that they are to be concerned in it; and that if they will not reform their Manners, they are bound in Conſcience to do what they can that the Laws be executed upon them. This I take to be altogether a fair unexceptionable way, and what carries Sincerity, Love and Goodneſs in p. 60it, and is as likely to win upon ſuch as any whatſoever; however, it will leave ſuch inexcuſable wholly ſo, and thoſe concerned in executing the Laws, will be (by this means) lifted up above all juſt Reproach and Blame, even by Malice it ſelf. But where it is ſettled, there Men have had warning enough if any thing would prevail, and therefore I would exhort you all to inform againſt ſuch as will be drunk, and will ſwear raſhly, profanely, and will break the Lord's-Day. I would have you all Informers in this caſe; it is the Duty of all, not only Men but Women, and young People, Servants, and all capable of giving in a Teſtimony and Oath. Turn Informers for your God, your King, your Country, to prevent Wrath and Ruine: Otherwiſe, I pray you, how ſhould Sin be ever reſtrained, and Wrath and the Ruine of the Nation thereby prevented? This is the caſe. The Supream Magiſtrates have done their Duty, in making Good Laws againſt Profaneneſs and Immoralities. So the King and Parliament have done. It is the Duty and Office of inferiour Magiſtrates to execute theſe Laws upon the Tranſgreſſors of them; but inferiour Magiſtrates cannot do ſo but upon Information of others, or their own perſonal Obſervation: As to this latter, little can be done this way, for they have no more Eyes, no more Ears than other Men; beſides few Men, if any, will break the Laws before Magiſtrates, that they know will puniſh them; ſo that upon the matter, all that can be done muſt be done by the Information of others: and if Men will not inform, how is it poſſible that the Laws ſhould p. 61ever be executed? And where then muſt the Guilt lie? not on the Supream Magiſtrates, who have done their part in making Laws, not on the Inferiour Magiſtrates, that are ready to do their part if informed. Then for the Lord's ſake conſider, the Guilt muſt lie at their door that ought to have informed, and would not; at your door, and my door, if we can inform, and refuſe it. Verily as we would not have others Guilt, and the Nation's Wrath and Ruine lie at our door, we muſt do ſo.

Object. But what a ſtrange thing is this? Muſt we all turn Informers againſt our Neighbours, and Acquaintance?

Anſw. This is not to be Informers in the Senſe of the Word under the two laſt Reigns, but to be Informers in the Senſe I have exhorted, is a Duty, a great Duty; every one's Duty, if to love God, his King, Country, be a Duty? But this Objection that has made ſo much noiſe in City and Country, has been anſwered ſo often, and ſo well by many worthy Men, (with whom I am not worthy to be named) both of the Conforming and Non-conforming Perſwaſion, that have pleaded this Cauſe of God againſt the Profaneneſs and profane Ones of the day; that for my part I will ſpend none either of your time or mine own, in anſwering it. Nor is there any Injury (by informing) done to the guilty Party; but as there is in it a Service done God, the King, Country, and Place where we live; ſo the Perſon himſelf receives Good thereby, or may do p. 62ſo; if he do not, it is his own fault, as you heard under the 3d Exhortation to the Profane. What Injury is it to a Man in a raging Feaver, for thoſe that love him, to uſe ſome rough but proper Methods for his Cure? or what Injury for a Man to be forc't (by thoſe that may lawfully do it) to do that, or ſuffer that, which if he did not do, or ſuffer, would be his Ruine; and his doing or ſuffering it, at leaſt may be a means to ſave him?

Then inform, only let me leave this Caution with you. Be ſure when you do ſo, you do it uprightly, for God's Honour, and doing Good, and not to vent your Ill-will againſt the Party; for as I ſaid before to the Society, if you do ſo, God ſees it, and he will deal with you for it.

3. Laſtly, by Prayer. All of you pray for the Society's and their Indeavours, that the Bleſſing and Preſence of God may be upon them, and with them, and make them effectual for the perſonal Good of many, and publick Good of all. That this Cloud may ſpread, may over-ſpread all our Britiſh Hemiſphere, and increaſe until it fall down in Showers of Bleſſings upon us, and our Poſterity after us. Strive with God, wreſtle with God in Prayer, for all the Societies; that where they are begun, they may be a great Bleſſing, in being effectual for the Reſtraint of Sin, and Converſion of Sinners: and that in Country Towns where they are not begun, they may, and be effectual there too, as was mentioned juſt now. Pray for the pouring down of the Spirit, from on high, on all ſorts of People, that there may be in many, very many a Reformation, the effect of Converſion, that we may live to ſee that joyful p. 63Day when Profaneneſs, Irreligion, and Immorality, ſhall be baniſhed out of the Land; and Godlineſs, Religion, and Goodneſs, ſhall be in a flouriſhing, ſpreading, prevailing, and proſpering Condition every where. Pray for the King, for the Parliament, that God would inſpire them, with Zeal in this Cauſe, that Laws may be yet made that may facilitate Reformation, and may more effectually diſcourage Sin, and ſuppreſs Wickedneſs; That all may iſſue in ſubſtantial, univerſal Goodneſs, the Love of God and Man, the alone true, ſaving Morality, and Reformation of Manners.

FINIS.

BOOKS Printed for Thomas Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide, near Mercers-Chapel.

FOrty Nine Sermons on the whole Epiſtle of the Apoſtle Paul to the Coloſſians, by Monſieur Daille, Miniſter of the Reformed Church in Paris. Folio.

Sermons and Diſcourſes on ſeveral Divine Subjects; by the late Reverend and Learned David Clarkſon, B. D. and ſometime Fellow of Clare-Hall, Cambridge. Folio.

A Body of Practical Divinity, conſiſting of above One hundred ſeventy ſix Sermons on the Leſſer Catechiſm of the Aſſembly of Divines at Weſtminſter; by Tho. Watſon, formerly Miniſter of Stephen Walbrook. Folio.

The Support of the Faithful in Times of Perſecution; or a Sermon preach'd in the Wilderneſs to the poor Proteſtants in France. By M. Brouſſon, an Eminent Miniſter, who was broke upon the Wheel at Montpelier, Novem. 6. 1698. Quarto.

The Fountain of Life opened, or a Diſplay of Chriſt in his Eſſential and Mediatoral Glory; containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts. Wherein the Impetration of our Redemption by Jeſus Chriſt is orderly unfolded, as it was begun, carried on, and finiſhed by his Covenant Tranſaction, myſterious Incarnation, ſolemn Call and Dedication, bleſſed Offices, deep Abaſement and ſupereminent Advancement. By J. Flavel.

End of the text · John Ryther, Sermon 16 February 1698 (1699)