Sermon 16 May 1698, Part 2
Some CAUTIONS.
I shall give a few Cautions.
1. WITH respect to the Preliminaries to, and the first Words of my Text.
STATE not Christ's Designs which you propose to serve by your hasty Fancy, but his own plain adjustment of them; you are not for Christ by espousing an Error; you act not with, or for him in opposing what he forbids not, or violently contending for what is indifferent, trivial, or doubtful; his Kingdoms Concernment lies in what is commanded, plain, and momentous.
AND therefore let your Endeavours be laid out in proportion to the evidence his Word gives concerning things, and tho it be too unusual, yet be you as earnest for what is important, and plainly commanded, and against what is flagitious and plainly Prohibited, as others are apt to be for trifles of their own inventing, or against Sins of their own making.
AND withal, be afraid, without highest Scripture Evidence well applied, to judge any Men, or Party of Protestants, to be for or against Christ, in contradistinction from others: It would make a Tender Heart to bleed to hear two Extremes apply that one Text against Men of a duer Temper, How long halt ye between two Opinions? If God be God follow him, but if Baal, follow him, 1 King. 18. 22. when more Charity would better evidence either side to be the Followers of Christ.
2. TO you the Members of the Societies, with respect to your Undertaking.
THINK not lightly as to your selves of such Sins as fall not under the edge of the Magistrate's Sword: For tho they are not so hurtful to Humane Societies, and therefore not so provided against by the Law of Man, yet they are as contrary to Christianity, and inconsistent with it, as others be. Brutal Sins are chiefly those you have the Law on your side to punish: But be you alike watchful against Devilish Sins, such as Malice, Envy, Pride, Rancour, Lying, &c. Guard also against Infidelity, Hypocrisie, Carnal-Selfishness, and all Impurity of Heart; which with the like Sins God reserves for Punishment in endless Flames.
WATCH strictly that no Scandalous Practices of your own, blemish, or obstruct your Undertaking; for you will be more observed than others, and your Faults will induce a Charge of Hypocrisie upon all active Instruments, tho never so sincere.
LET not your Endeavours be blasted by any appearance of Pragmaticalness, Ostentation, Folly, Rage, Vanity, making a Sport of Sin, Revenge, or Partiality:—But contrive things so, that the Punished may be forced to confess, It's Zeal for God, and Love to them which entirely govern you in this Attempt.
TAKE care that your Ends, and the Principle you act from, be approved by the Heart-searching God; that so you may not loose your Reward, nor forfeit his Defence: And know, it's possible for Carnal-Selfishness to be the Spring of Actions advanced to the height of these, tho so very excellent.
Go not out of your own Station, neither use any unjustifiable means, least you prove Snares to others, or your selves, instead of Reformers.
BE tender of your Neighbour's Reputation, and therefore publish no Man's Faults, unless it be before the Magistrate in order to Civil Punishments; or before Persons authorized to inflict Church Censures: Reproachful Railing was never ordained by God, or Man, to be a Reforming Means: And he who chargeth you to speak not evil of one another, Jam. 4. 11. Yea, of no Man, Tit. 3. 2. will require at your Hands all that obstructed Service, and all afflictive Dammage occasioned by your Reproachful Language.
ATTEMPT to Convict no Man of Punishable Crimes, where your Proof is not full and evident; for thereby you'll discover your own Folly, and Uncharitableness, baffle your great Design, expose your Neighbour to Suspicion, and your selves to Danger.
BEGIN not with Severest Methods, where you hope milder will prevail; for it's not Cruelty, but Reformation is your Honest Aim; and the last is best attained, when the least of the first is needful.
ADMIT nothing to excuse your Vigorous Care to restrain Sin, which will not bear your Dying Thought, in a view of God's Tribunal.
LET nothing below or besides Reformation, be your Design, and yet be not satisfied with the meer Honesty of your Intention, but use the best and justest ways which a well informed Mind directs, as likeliest to reach that End.
TRUST not in your own Heart, nor reckon Success to be at your own Beck, but depend on, and Pray much to God for his Conduct, Defence, and Blessing.
LIMIT not your Resolution to persist in this Blessed Attempt by the continued Assistance of others; for many now Vigorous, may cool in time, but your Obligation will not cease by their Backslidings.
REPENT not of beginning this Attempt, if you should meet with less Success, and more Trouble than you at first expected: For it was not well considered, if you did not count your Costs; and your Undertaking may be well managed on your part, tho great Success be wanting. But however, unexpected Trouble will not lessen Duty, nor Disappointment as to expected Success, hinder your Reward; nor will other Men's Faultiness be charged on you.
ALLOW not your Spirits to grow Luke-warm and remiss in this Work; when you have for some time applied your selves to it, and attained some degree of Reformation thereby. There is need of this Caution, on these several Accounts. Your Endeavours will be faint, proportionably to the Remissness of your Spirit: Time is apt to allay that Fervour, which in the beginning of an Enterprize is more common and Natural; the need of Reforming Methods will continue, tho you should find some Reformation as to open Impieties, for many Defilements will abide uncleansed; Corrupt Nature will soon discover it self, when Restraint diminishes, and the more violently, because a while kept in.
SET no bounds to the Reformation you propose, short of what the Laws of the Land do countenance.
WHATEVER Evils they remark, do not you connive at, tho they appear not so gross as those you at first encounter. It's Wisdom in a very Degenerate Nation, to begin with the greatest Crimes:—But it will be Unfaithfulness, when these are somewhat amended, to overlook the Lesser; for they are Evils, and will, if indulged, dispose Men to return to such as are more Atrccious.
WISELY prevent all Divisions, Quarrels, and Sinister Dealings in your own Societies. Should you be uneasie to each other, your Strength is broken, and the least injustice will sully your Reputation, which is so absolutely necessary to your Usefulness. The Reason why I caution you against Divisions, is this: It too often happens, that forwardness in such Attempts proceeds from a Natural Fervour, as well as a pure Heavenly Zeal; and as far as this Natural Fire is active, Provoking Insolence, and Indiscretion, are hardly with the greatest Care prevented, and what tendency the discovery of these have to Quarrels and Disgusts, is too obvious to insist on.
HAPPILY would this Work be carried on, if a Divine Zeal in Sedate Tempers directs it, and every one shall bear as much with each other's Weakness, as he would in a Profitable Concern of his own. As to that part of the Caution which relates to Sinister Dealings, I have no ground to suggest it, but that the Holiest Society here, may have a Judas, and whilst our Nature is not wholly healed, we should be warned against Satan's Devices.
Lastly, TAKE heed that your Societies Degenerate not, nor be made to serve lower, or other Purposes, than this of the Reformation of Manners. Earthly Minds may debase their use, and Designing Men endeavour to pervert them. They now are duly managed to Ends for which they deserve this Glorious Name: Oh let that Name ever govern all your Discourses, Designs, and Methods. He too little knows Mankind, and the History of former Times, that thinks this very Caution needless.
THE Lord impress these Warnings which Faithfulness to Christ, and a great Esteem of your Undertaking, compelled me to deliver.
I shall conclude the whole by calling you to Lament with me; that the City and Nation so hate to be Reformed, that they who seriously attempt it, must bear the Scoffs of most; and to be an Informer against the obstinately Vicious, is with them a reproachful Title, tho God records it for a Commendation to Men of highest rank, v. 9 12.
LET's Bewail; That after all God's long use of all Reforming Methods, we should still have so much need to be Reformed. That Text, Ezek. 22. 24. is applicable to us; Say unto her, Thou art the Land that is not cleansed. And when we consider that the Pestilence, the Burning this City, the Sword, loss of Trade, growing Poverty, and above all, the Gospel Means of Grace have been all so notoriously uneffectual to Reclaim us, have we not great cause to pray that God pass not that Sentence against us, which you find uttered by this same Prophet? Cap. 24. 13. In thy Filthiness is Lewdness, because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged; thou shalt not be purged from thy Filthiness any more, till I have caused my Fury to rest upon thee.
FINIS.
Books Printed for John Laurence at the Angel in the Poultry.
A Sermon Preach'd to the Societies for the Reformation of Manners, in the Cities of London and Westminster, Novemb. 15. 1697. By John Shower, Octavo.
The Saints Convoy to Heaven, an Occasional Discourse. By Thomas Doolittle, M. A. Octavo.
The Saints Mansions in Heaven: A Discourse occasioned by, and Preached upon the Death and Funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Brooks (late VVife to Mr. Samuel Brooks, Minister in Darking in Surrey) who Deceased, March 13th, 1697. By Mr. Tho. Doolittle, Octavo.
Mr. Woodhouse's Reformation Sermon, May 31th. 1697, Octavo.
End of the text · Daniel Williams, Sermon 16 May 1698 (1698)