A sermon preach'd to the Societies for Reformation of Manners, at Salters-Hall, on Monday June 29, 1719

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SERMON

Preachd to the

SOCIETIES

FOR

Reformation of Manners.

A T

SJLTERS-HALL;

On Monday June 2g7 1719.

By Samuel Rosewell;M.A.

Published at their REQUEST.

LONDON:

Printed for E m. Matthews at the Bible in
Pater-nc (let- Row> and R. Ford at the Angel
in the Poultry. 1719.

■UJ»,UUJ*.J»J»" *^ *'«" %i*

■!

To the Right Worshipful

Sir JOHN FRYER, Sax*.

Alderman of the City of LONDON.

Honoured Sir*

I! HO' I knew not that you were a
Hearer of the following Sermon^ 'till
after it was preached ; yet when I
fuggefled in it the Obligations the
Societies for Reformation are un-
der to fome of the chief Magiftrates of the City ;
and the jufl and feafonable Encouragement they re~*
ceive from them : I acknowledge that I had a more
fpecial Regard to yourfelf; and to aytother * excellent
Perfon in the fame eminent Station, who has pafs'd
thro3 all the fuperior Offices of the City, with di~
flinguijh'd Reputation and Honour.

I HA V E heretofore had occ a/ion to addrefs my-
felf in fuch a Manner ar this, to that Worthy and
Religious Gentleman ; whofe condefcending Friendjhip
to mey exerting itfelf on fpecial Occafionsy has laid
me under fuch Obligations to him as I Jhall never for-

* SIB, THOMAS ABNEY,

get:

Dedication.

get : And what is much mere, whofe generous and
prudent Conduci in the Government of the City, has
obliged the Community in fuch a Manner as will
not be forgotten.

NOR are you, Siry lefs careful to adorn your
Honourable Station with the mofl ufeful Services.
It is well known with what Equity, Refolution and
Prudence, you, as a Magifiratey affifl the Societies
in their unwearied Endeavours to ferve GOD and
the Nation. 'This makes the Joy confpicuous with
which many of the Friends of Both are expecting
the approaching Seafon of your Advancement to the
Chair : In which they doubt not but you will, with
equal Refolution and Vigour, efpoufe the Cauje of
Religion and Virtue ,• and oppofe the daring Efforts of
open Profanenefs and Vice.

TO UR piom Zeal for GOD and his Caufe; the
ardent AffeElion you bear to our Rightful Sovereign
King GEORGE, and to your Country; your invio-
lable Regards to the jufi Liberties of Mankind, with
refpeEi to their Minds as well as their Bodies, and
in which you have atled all along with an irreproach-
able Self-confiftency, have recommended you to Many
who are fpeaking your Praifes upon thefe Accounts ; but
to none more than to,

S I R,

Your very humble

and

moft obedient Servant,
Hackney, „

June 30, 1719. Samuel Rojewett.

SERMON

PreachM to the

SociETiEsjfcr Rfformation0&cc.

Nehemiah xi. 2.
The People hlejfed all the Men
that willingly offered them-
f elves to dwell at Jerufalem.

Remember that feveral Years
ago you were pleafed to in-
vite me to the Service that
I am now engaging in ; and I
have the more readily com-
plied with this fecond Call to
it, that I might make it
appear, that it was not out
of any Difrefped to thefe
Worthy Societies, nor from the leaft Diflike of your
Noble Enterprise, that I declined it for a Seafon only.
The Ends you have in View, and for the
obtaining which you have wifely untied your
B Strength

C.*J

Strength in a blejfed Confederacy are fo generous
and Godlike ; and the Meafures, by which you
purfue them are fo honourable, prudent, and
chriftian; and the Succefs with which GOD has
blefs'd your Endeavour has been fo considerable,
and of fuch Importance to Religion and to the
Nation ; that fince I have had any Knowledge
of thefe things, I could not but blefs the Men
[the Heroic Chriftians] who have willingly offered
them/elves to this Service. And I chearfully
afcribe Thankfgivings and Praifes, on your be-
half, to that GOD, whofe Bleffings I have been
wont 'to implore on your felves and on this glori-
ous Catife.

I am fatisfied that all truly Religious Perfons,
who are rightly informed of your brave Defign
to ftem the impetuous Tide of Wickednefs, and
of your very commendable Conduct and Manage-
ment in the Profecution of it, will be thus affeaed
towards you, and difpofed to acl in like manner.
They will be ready to fay, The Blejfing of the
Lord be upon you ; we blefs you in the Name of the
LORD ! May your Bow abide in Strength, and the
Arms of your Hands be made firong by the Hands of
the mighty GOD 0/ Jacob ! Eflablijh thou, O LORD,
the Work of their Hands upon them ; yea, the Work
of their Hands eflablijh thou it !

Such Thoughts and Apprehenfions. as thefe
occurring to my Mind, when reflecting on the
Work you .are fo laudably engaged in, have oc-
cafion'd my chufmg the Words of this Text for
the Subje<S of my Difcourfe to you : From
which I would attempt to perfuade your Perfe-
verance, to quicken your Induftry, and to invi-
gorate your Zeal, in what is fo truly honourable,
and fo greatly and extenfively ufeful. The
Words, I hope, will appear pertinent to this

Defign,

(3)

Defign, when we have taken Notice of the /fe-
cial Occajion of them, which was thus.

NehemiahfNho was a JevjyWTxd whofe chap, ii, 3.
Anceftors had formerly been Citizens
of Jerufalem, being, notwithftanding this, Cup-
bearer to Artaxerxesy a Place of great Honour
and Advantage in the Perfian Court, fucceeded
Ezra in the Government of Judab and Jerufa-
lem> by Virtue of that King's Commiffion *,
wherein full Power, Licenfe and Authority, were
given him to repair the Walls, and fet up the
Gates of Jerufalemy and to fortify it again in the
fame Manner as it was before the Babylonians
had difmkntled and deftroy'd it. Purfuant to
this Commiffion he goes from the Perfian Court
to Jerufulent) where he immediately engages in
the Work for which he came 5 and accomplices
it in a fhort time, in fpite of all the Oppofition
that was made againft him, both from the falfe
Prophets and other treacherous Perfons within,
and from Sanballat, "Tobias and Others, without.
After which he deputed Governours of the City ;
and, according to the King's Appointment f,
returned to Court. Where he obtain'd a New
Commiffion for proceeding in what was further
needful for the Safety of Jerufalem, and for the
Welfare of the Province ; and then comes back
again to his Government, and vigorously engages
in that great Work of Reformation^ in Church
and State, which Ezra his Predeceflbr had hap-
pily begun fome time before. One of the firft
things he now attempts is the Re-
peopling the City, which was large Chap.vii.4.
and great j but the People were few there-
in; and therefore an Encreafe of their Numbers

* Fide Prideaux'* Hiftory, Vol I f. &<> 1 Ibid, p, #7,

B 2 was

(O

was neceflary, that the Buildings might be com-
pleated, that the Honour and Safety of it might
be provided for, and that the Ordinances of GOD
at the Temple might be the better obferv'd.

Matters being thus; at the Inftigation of
TSIehemiah, or of their own Accord, the Rulers
and Great Men of the Nation, the Members of
the Sanhedrim, and other Magiftrates, agree to
fettle themfeives at cJerufalem ; that their Exam-
ple might invite and encourage others to fix
their Dwellings there : And tho* many followed
them thither, yet it was neceffary a large Addi-
tion fhould be made to them ; and therefore
the moft unexceptionable Way of Obliging a
competent Number to refort thither was thought
of, and agreed to ; whieh was that the People

fhould cafl Lofts to bring one of ten to
Vcrfe i. dwell in Jerufalem, the holy City ; and

nine Parts to dwell in other Cities. And
the Lot falling, by GOD's Difpofal, upon fuch
and fuch particular Perfons, it is to be fuppos'd
that they removed the more readily, when they
found that HE did thus appoint the Bounds of
their Habitations : But while feme were compelled,
by this Means, to that which they would not
have chofenj there were others of a more publick
Spirit, and more generoufly difpofed-; of whom
the Text intorms us, that the People bleffed them,
lecaufe they willingly offered themfeives to dwell at
Jerufalem. In fpeaking to which Wcrds I fhall
take Notice

'The Perfons who were thus honourably

diftinguifh'd by the Bleffing of the

People.

Of \ The People who thus diftinguifh'd and

blefs'd them.

J The Importance of that Bleffvg ; or,

V. What is included in it. I.

(5)

I. The Perfons who were fo honourably
diftinguifhM by the Bleffing of the People are
thus defcribed ; The Men 'who willingly offer d
themfelves to dwell at Jerufalem : Which leads us
into the Reafons why they were fo diftinguiftv'd.

Their Dwelling at Jerufalem was dejignd to
promote the Glory of G O D, and to be fubfervient
to the publick Interefl.

Some of them, no doubt, offered themfelves to
dwell there, that they might the more frequently
attend the Worfhip and Service of G O D in the
Temple ; and that they might glorify him, by a
greater Care about his facred Inftitutions there.
And their Endeavours to defend the Holy City,
where GOD had fo fpecial a Concern, and to pre-
ferveit from the malicious Defigns and the outra-
giouslnfults of their Heathen Neighbours, would
redound to the Honour of Jerufale/ns GOD.
They fought the Good thereof becaufe of the Houfe of
the LORD their GOD. And it appears that
they confulted the Publick Welfare, wrhile they
went thither for the Defence of the City, which
would redound to the Advantage of the whole
Province. And we find the Governours of
Judah looked upon them, as their
Strength in the LORD of Hofts, their ZacLxiii.^.
GOD; and valued them according-
ly. And, indeed, they deferved that Honour,
that is due, by common Confent, to Men who
feek the Good of their Country.

Which, at the fame time, they promoted in a
felf-denying Wayy and prefer/ d to their private In-
terefts and Eafe.

I t would have been more for their wrorldIy
Advantage to have continued where they were :
For at prefent it was rather Expenflve than Pro-
fitable

CO

fitable to live at Jerufalem; whereas the Country
did more eafiiy afford them Supplies, and an
Opportunity of encreafing their Eftates by gain-
ful Commerce. Jerufakm, tho' the Metropolis,
was no Trading City : There was no Opportu-
nity for Merchandizing, as there was eifewhere;
at leaft in Corn and Cattle. That thefe Men
did not contract themfeives within their own
perfonal Interefts ; but bravely poftpon'd thefe
to their Care for the Publick. Nay,

By this voluntary Removal they did not
barely deny themfeives, but were expofed to Circum-
fiances of apparent Difficulty and Hazard.

The Ammonite Syths Moabites,the Samaritansyand
other neighbouring Nations round, were implaca-
ble Enemies to the Jews; not only becaufe of
their different Religion and 'Manners, but more
efpecially at this time *, becaufe of their Lands,
which, during the Jews Captivity, thefe Nations
had feized, and were forced to reftore to them
on their Return. They were therefore waiting
for an Opportunity, fbmetime or other, of re-
fuming the Prey they had loft : And, in the
mean time, were fo enraged to fee the Walls of
the City built, were fo jealous of its Greatnefs,
and fo refolute in their Defigns to prevent its
arifing to its ancient Splendour, that they wrere
continually plotting fome Mifchief againft it, by
which they greatly difquieted and endangered
the Inhabitants. They hated this capital Gity
the moft ; and could they once deftroy that, the
reft of the Country would be a more eafy Prey.
Thefe things made Jerufalem the Poft of Danger,
as the Poft of Honour is w7ont to be. And thefe
things might cccaiion fome Apprehenfions that

* Prideaux, tiH. I £ 365.

(7)

'ere long the City might be fuffering by a Siege,
and its Inhabitants expofed to all thofe diftreffing
Evils, thofe dire Calamities that neceflarily at-
tend it. Such Hardfliips and Dangers as thefe
they would be liable to at Jerufalem. And yet

Thither they went with great Readinefs, and
with full Confetti of their own Wills ; while others
ignobly and meanly declined to do the like.

They were not prefs'd into this Service ; nor
determined to it by the Fall of the Lot ; but, they
willingly offer dthemfehes: And by doing fo,exprefs'd
a greater Regard to G O D and his Honour ; a
warmer Affe&ion to their Country ; and a more
ardent Defire for its Welfare : A more generous
Difpofition of Mind, and greater Degrees of
true Courage, than they could pretend to, who
declined dwelling there; either becaufe a greater
Stridnefs of Converfation, and feme more fpecial
Acts of Piety might be expelled from the Inha-
bitants of the Holy City, which they were not
willing to come up to ; or becaufe they preferred
their own Pleafure,Eafe and Secular Interefts,to all
other Conliderations, and fo w ere tempted by the
Delights and other Advantages of the Country to
continue there ; or from a pufillanimous Fear of
the Outrages and Infults of Enemies, and of
fome threatning Dangers by their Means. Up-
pon fuch Accounts thefe pious and heroic Men
were diftinguifh'd with fo much Honour.

II. By whofe Benedi&on they were thus di-
ftinguifh'd, is what I proposed to confider in the
next Place. Now the People who blefs'd them,
cenfifed (as we may fuppofe) of thofe who camey
and of thofe who declined coming to jferufalem.

Thh who came bleffed one another. Thofe
who removed firft were defervedly citeemed, and,

no

(8)

no doubt, applauded by them who prefently fol-
lowed their Example : And, they whofe Example
they followed, could not but be pleafed with and
recommend them who came to ftrengthen their
Hands, and to purfue the fame worthy and ge-
nerous Defigns with themfelves. It cannot but
be very comfortable and encouraging to fuch as
are engaged in great and good, but difficult
Work, to find other well difpofed Perfons coming
in to their Help ; and upon apprehending how
needful it is, affording their Concurrence in eve-
ry proper Way : And the Bleffing of thofe to
whole Help they come, will be lure to attend
them. And,

I t is not improbable but that thofe who
declin'd coming to jferufalemy would joyn in re-
commending the Men, who willingly offered them-
felves to dwell there. For the whole Province was
like to fare the better for what they did : And
they who thro' Selfifhnefs, Cowardice, or fome-
thing elfe as mean and faulty, would not ad: as
they did, yet could not but approve that Con-
duce of theirs, by which their own Interefts were
like to be tne better fecur'd and eftabliftvU ;
and thereupon it is likely they wifh'd them Suc-
cefs, and fpake well of them.

The Confciences of Men do frequently ap-
plaud thofe good Actions, in which they finfully
and meanly refufe or neglect to bear a Part :
And many of thofe who have no Heart to do
the Publick any further Service, will do fo much
as is confident with being excufed from helping
with their Hands, their Prefence or their Purfe ;
that is, thofe who fo help fhall have their good
Word, their good Wiflies, and perhaps their
Prayers too ; and, in this they do better than
if they fpake Evil of them, and (as fome have

done,)

(9)

done) curfed their Perfons and their Defign i
But fare they do not enough to anfwer the Ex-
pectations of GOD and Good Men, from thofe
who have fuch Apprehenfions and Convi&ions
about thefe Affairs as they feem to have.

It remains that I enquire in the Third Place^

III. Into the Importance of this filefling j
or, What is included in it. Now Men cannot
be faid to blefs one another in the fame Senfe
in which GOD does blefs them : His Bleffing
confifts in making them bleffed ; or, in imparting
to, and beftowing real Bleflednefs upon them.
This is the Divine Prerogative, and is not in the
Power of Creatures : But they are faid to blefs3
when they fpeak weU of and commend any, for
what they obferve to be truly excellent and
worthy of Praife in them ; and when they pray
to GOD that He would fucceed, profper and
blefs them.

Accordingly, "the People bleffed thefe Men
by freaking well of them. They might recom-
mend them in fuch a Manner as this : cc What
€C excellent Perfons are thefe ! What pious, gene-
" rous Souls, who difcover fuch a Concern for the
" Glory of GOD, and for the Welfare of their Peo-
" pie ! Who drop the Confederation of their own
" private Advantage, while that ftattds in com-
cc petition with thefe ! And chufe to deny thent-
u felvesy that they may fubferve and promote
<c what they know deferves their firft and chief
* Regards ! Nay, who bfaVely Venture on fo
u many Difficulties? and are riot difcourag'd bjf
" thofe threatning Dangers to which they ar$
" exposed at Jerusalem ! How worthily have they
u diftinguifh'd themfelves from thofe amongit
" m (may fome be fiippos'd to add) who front £
C u Lcv$

(IO)

cc Love of inglorious Eafe, or from a fordid In-
cc difference about the VVorfhip of GOD and
" the Fate of the Jewijb Nation, or from
" foire other mean and mercenary Views, have
u declined to aft as they have done ! Yea, how
cc worthily have they diftinguiflVd themfelves
cc from'thofe alfo, who by the Fall of the Lot
c< have been compelled to dwell there !

They blejjed them farther, by fraying to GOD
that be would, juceeed and pre/per them. This is
the moft fignificant Way in which one Man can
blefs another. Many of them, no doubt, would
intercede for them with GOD in fuch a Man-
ner as this : " O LORD, as thou haft graci-
" oufly infpir'd thefe Men with a becoming
f* Concern for the Honour of thy Name, the
" Worfhip of thine Houfe, and for the Welfare
" of Ifrael ; and in purfuance of this haft put it
cc into their Hearts to go to Jerufalem : So we
<c humbly befeech thee to preferve them there
c< by thy good Providence ,• and to defend them
" from all their Enemies : To own and accept
cc them in all the Service they fhall perform to
cc thee ; and to fucceed and profper them in all
u their Defigns againft the Enemies of thy Peo-
<c pie,- and in all their Endeavours to ferve their
<c Nation, to eftablifli Jerufalem, and to make*
<c her a Praife in the Earth. And as thou art
cc wont more fignally to favour and to blefs thofe,
<c who, with ciiftinguiflv'd Goodnefs and Zeal,
" efpoufe thine Interefls, and feek the Welfare
<c of Ifrael-, {o we befeech thee to honour and
cc to reward thefe Men in fome more eminent
" and bountiful Manner. "

And with fuch Petitions as thefe they would
intermix their Thankfgivings and Praifes to
GOD, for difpofing them to aft io generous a

Part,

( l.« )

Part, and for the Mercies they hoped to receive
by their Means.

Thus much I have thought neceflfary for
opening and iiluftrating the Text : From what
has been faid, you'll readily gather this Truth,
viz,.

The bejl Afftflance they can afford, and the moft
proper Returns they are capable of making, are due
from all the People of the Land to thofe good and ge-
nerous Souls, who in a felf denying Way encounter
fome Difficulties, and willingly expofe themj elves to a
malicious Oppojition, for the Sake of promoting the
Glory of GOD and a Publick Good.

I n fpeaking to this Obfervation I muft con-
fine my felf to the prefent Occafion ; and ac-
cordingly,

I. Shall fliew how much the fpecial Bufe-
nefs of thefe worthy Societies for Reformation of
Manners is fitted to promote the Glory of GOD,
and a publick Good.

II. Fl l confider the Perfons who form them
as acting much Sejf-denial, willingly encountring
Difficulties, and expofing rhemfelves to a mali-
cious Oppofitibn in the Profecution of their noble
Enterprise.

III. Ft l fhew what Afllftance may and ought
to be afforded, and what returns made, by the
other Inhabitants of the Land to Perfons thus
bravely employed.

IV. I Shall then clofe with a fhort Ad-
dref$ to the Societies ; and to others, in their Fa-
vour

I. I am to fliew how much the fpecial Bu-
finefs oi thefe worthy Societies for Reformat1
Manners is fitted to promote I { of GOD,

and a publick Good.

C 2 I

( «)

T h « Glory of GOD is the ultimate End that

every Chriftian fhould have in his Eye ; and that

he fhould endeavour to fubferve in all the Actions

of his Life, according to that of the
jCor. x. 31. ApoftlC) whether _ ye e„t cr drinJh Qr

wkatjoever ye do, do all to the Glory of GOD.

Now there is all the Reafon in the
World to conclude that thefe Societies are very
much influenced from a Convi&ion of this Truth ;
and that they proceed with a diredt Regard to
it. I know not what fhould occafion any un-
charitable Suggeftions to the contrary, except it
be Ignorance of their Defigns, and of the prudent
and chriftian Methods by which they purfue
them ; or a ftrange and unaccountable Enmity
to ail Attempts ol this Nature, how regular and
cautious foever.

Nothing is more evident than the Ten-
dency there is in fuch an Undertaking as this to
glorify GOD. For if he be difhonour'd by
open Profanenefs, by the outragious Impudence
of Sin, and the audacious and avow'd Practice
of it, (and how can Men be more guilty of
difhonouring their Maker?) then your wife and
chriftian Endeavours, Honoured Sirs, to difcoun-
tenance Men of diflblute and debauched Lives,
to put a Stop to the {preading Infe&ion of Vice,
to promote moral and regular Living ; Obe-
dience to G O D's Commands, and real Reli-
gion and Piety, muft redound to the Glory of
that GOD whofe you are, and whom you
thus ferve. And we glorify GOD while we
are Followers [Imitators] of him as dear Children;
copying after that grand Exemplar that we have
in himfelf. But we never ad more like to
GOD, than when we are doing Good, and
are as extenfively Beneficent as we are capable of

Being;

t*0

being ; ferving the Intereft of publick Commu-
nities, yea, and of the whole World of Men, at
leaft in our Wifhes, Eflays and Endeavours that
Way. You therefore glorify GOD while you
are intending and promoting the publick Good.
And how much your Bufinefs, as fuch Societies,
is fitted for fuch a Purpofe as this, I proceed to
fhew in the following Particulars, viz,.

It has a direct Tendency to avert, and to
keep off the Anger and the Judgments ot God
from the Nation ; and to afcertain his Favour
and Blefling to it.

I t is dire&ed and fitted for preventing the
frefent DeftruBion and Ruin of great Numbers of
particular Perfons and Families. And

You are herein aiming at, and are purfuing
fuch Methods, as, thro' Divine Grace, may be
eftettual to the Eternal Salvation of many Souls.

Laftly-> You hold forth a glorious Example to
the World about you, which has been followed
by many already, and it is to be hoped may yet
have a proper Influence on more.

Firfty I fay, The Work you are engaged jt
in has a direB Tendency to divert , and keep
off, the Anger and Judgments of GO D from the
Nation ; and to afcertain his Favour and Blefling
to it.

Nations are guilty before GOD, when
there is a General Diflbluteneis of Manners to
be found amongft the Inhabitants of them ; when
Wickednefs becomes publick and infolent, and
the Practice of it is open and avow'd ,• not dif-
countenanc'd, not reftrain'd, nor punifVd as it
ought to be. And fuch National Guilt provokes
the Anger of GOD, and is wont to draw down
his judicial and vindictive Rebukes upon the
Lands that are fo defiled; according to thofe

awful

C i+ )

awful Notices contained in the Sacred Writings ;
The Nation and Kingdom that will not
ferve thee, flail ferijh ; yea thofe Nations

Jhall be utterly deflroy'd. A fruitful Land be

turneth into Barrennefs for the Wicked-
nefs of them that dwell therein.
And thus it has been in Fact ; particularly
with G O D's once peculiar People the Jews ;
of whom their own * Jofepbus obferves, that
" As he thought no other People had fufter'd
<c fuch things ,• fo no Nation had ever ar-
<c rived to a greater Degree of Wickednefs
<c than they. " "The Scriptures furnifh us with
fever al other In fiances to the frefent Purjpofe, which
I need not flay to take notice of; and other Hi-
fiories inform us at large, how much the De-
ftru&ion of the Babylonian, the Perjian, the Gre-
cian, the Roman Monarchies, and many others
of lefs Name than they, have been owing to the
Growrth of Luxury, and the fpreading of Vict
amongft the feveral Degrees of Men who liv^d
under them. And the more enormous and cry-
ing the Sins of any People have been, the more
fore and dreadful Judgments have fallen to their
Share. An horrid Inundation of uncontrord
Wickednefs, has generally been followed by an
overflowing Deluge of Divine Wrath, and of the
moft calamitous Evils. The Judgments of GOD
bearing fome proportion to the greater Number of
Sinners, and to the more aggravated Degree of
their Provocations : According to that Ooferva-
tion of Mcfes, — An Ezcreafe of Jinful
Num.xxxu. j\£en tQ aUgment yet the fierce Anger of

the LORD towards IfraeJL Which

* De Bello Judaico Lib. VI Ca$. n.

Words

m )

Words I once intended fhould have been the
Subject of my Difcourfe to you.

But then as National Guilt provokes the In-
dignation of GOD, and extorts his righteous
Revenge ; fo a Publick Reformation of Manners
conciliates the Divine Favour, and fecures the
beft of Bleffings to the Reformed Land : For
GOD has declared this to be a part of his
Conduct in his Governing of the World, that
If a Nation againfl whom he has pro-
nounced, turn from their Evil, he will
repent of the Evil that he thought to do unto them.
And, If they throughly amend their Ways
and their Doings ', and obey his Voice, he JeI^^11#
will be their GOD, and they Jh all be his
People. If they walk in all the Ways that he ha?
commanded them, it jhall be well unto them. And
with refpeft to Jerufalem in particular he fays,
Run to and fro thvo her Streets, if ye can
find a Man ; if there be any that exe- J
cuteth Judgment^ and feeketh the Truth, I will par-
don it.

Now the Defign of your Societies is to reform
the Nation, by giving an effeftual Check to
ipreaaing Debaucheries, and by oppofing your-
felves to thofe Enemies of Religion and Virtue,
who dare openly to rebel againft GOD, and to
caft Contempt on his Sovereign Authority, and
on his Righteous Laws. Your Deiign is to pre-
vail with them (if poffible) to amend their Ways
and their Doings ; or, at leaft, to prevent their
Guilt from being charged on the Nation; that
fo the Anger of GOD may be turn'd away,
and that he may become propitious and favoura-
ble to our Land. And we have reafon to be-
lieve, that many a defolating Evil has been di-
verted, and many a ii^nai Bleffing fecur'd to the

Corn-

( iO

Community, as a gracious Requital from a mer-
ciful GOD, for what you have done in this
Way. And on this Account the Nation is inf-
menfely indebted to your Societies. We know-
how kindly difpofed GOD was towards Zoar
for Lot's Sake : And how well it would have
been for Sodom itfelf, had there been but ten
Righteom Souls, who, to the beft of their Power,
would have been Reformers there.

Secondly \ Your Defigns are directed
and fitted for preventing the prefent De-
ftruSiion and Ruin of* great Numbers of particular
Perfons and Families.

B y the Infliftion of a more gentle Penalty,
you hope to difcourage Offenders from perfifting
in their Sins, that might at length end in thofe
greater Enormities, that would expofe them to
forer and to capital Punifhments.

Some Vices are deftrudive to Men's Confti-
tutions ; they enervate their Bodies, and effemi-
nate their Minds ; and have both a Natural and
a Moral Influence that Way : They frequently
reduce them to the utmoft Poverty, and to the
moft loathfome and painful Difeafes. What
Numbers of miferable Debauchees have been
fo many living (and fome of them dying,) Proofs
of this melancholy Truth ? Multitudes have
brought themfelves into fad and deplorable Cir-
cumftances thro' the Remainder of their Lives ;
and fhortned their Days, by Intemperance, and
a brutifh Indulging their Lufts: For which Rea-
fon the Ancient Romans were wont to have their
Funerals at the Gates of the Temple of Ventu.

And how many Families have grievoufly fuf-
fer'd by means of the diffolute Lives of fome
who belonged to them ? How many comfortable
Eftates, that would have ^fforded a goodly Supply

la

( '?)

to the numerous Branches of fome Houfes, have
been entirely drained in the Gratification of one
Man's vile and extravagant Lulls ? How many
fpend that precious Time in the Nurferies of
Vice ; and amongft the moft effe&ual Incentives
to Sin, that fhould be improved in making an
honeft Provifion for an indigent Family ? And
hew frequently is the whole Produce of Labour
and Pains, that fhould be expended that lVay7
made the Price of a Debauch ,• or thrown away
in Gaming, and in licentious Living ? How
many Parents and Mafters have been horridly
abus'd and injured by their Children and Servants;
their Subftance indifcernably wafted, and them-
felves plunged into Difficulties before they were
aware ; while their Stock has been long confu-
ming, in defraying the Charges of the very ex-
pensive Lufts of fuch fraudulent Villains ?

Now by the Checks and Discouragements
you throw in the Way of thefe Sinners, you are
attempting to recover them out of the Snare of the
Devils and fo to prevent that further Mifchief
and Diftrefs to themfelves, and to others, that
might be confequent on their perfifting in fuch
lewd and abominable Practices. And by making
Examples of fome of thefe, you deiign to itrike
Terror in others, and to deter them from Sinning
in like Manner ; "That they may hear and fear , and
forbear to do fo prefumptuoufly . Smite a
Scorner (fays the Wifeman), and the Prov.xix.15
Simple will beware. And, When the
Scorner is puni/b'd, the Simple is made ~ — *xxi. n#
wife. Such as were in danger of be-
ing drawn into Sin, by the malignant Influence
of bad Examples, may, by this Means, be brought
to confider, and to lay Matters to Heart ; and
poffibly, To watch and to pray that they enter not

D into

(i8)

into Temptation. And, how much Sin ; and how
many Sufferings may this prevent ? And what
Reafons may fuch Perfons have to blefs GOD
for your Ways of Proceeding, and for the Effects
they had upon them ? And how much Good may
they become the Inftruments of in particular
Families, and in the World ?

Thirdly, TO U are aiming at the Eternal
HI- Salvation of Immortal Souls : And are pur-
fuing fuch Meajuresy as mayy thro Divine
Grace, promote and Jecure it.

The Word of G O D does exprefly exclude
Drunkardsy unclean Perfonsy and fuch other Sinners
as you have to do with, from the Kingdom of
GOD; and appoints them their Portion in the
Lake that burns with Fire and Brimflone : Aflfuring
us, that becaufe of thefe things cometh the Wrath of
GOD upon the Children of Dif obedience. That if
they continue impenitent and unreformM, they
muft perifh and be loft for ever. But you there-
fore defire their Reformation, and their Return
to G O D and to their Duty, that they may
fly from the Wrath to come : And that their Souls

may befaved in the Day of the LORD.
i Cor.x. 33. Toufeek not your own Profit y (no, nor their

Punifhment, as your ultimate End)
but the Profit of many that they may befaved.

I n Imitation of GOD himfelf you defign
that lighter Afflictions, tho* for the prefent grie-
vow, fhould prevent their being adjudged to thofe
Miferies ana Terrors cf the Infernal Prifony which
are inconceivably great, and will be everlaftingly
durable. And, I queftion not, but you make
Confcience of joyning your Prayers with thefe
other Means, that GOD, by fanftifying them,
would render them effectual to fo great and de-
Arable an End. You would fain awaken Sinners

out

( 19)

out of their lethargick Sleep, and make them
apprehenfive of their Danger, that they may
efcape the Damnation of Hell, and lay hold on eter-
nal Life: And the Means you ufe have an
evident Tendency to promote their Repentance,
and their everlafting Salvation. For as AfR-<5tions
are often defign'd and fent by G O D to reform
Men, and in their own Nature appear to be pro-
per for fuch a Purpofe ; fo the legal Correction of
Offenders is to be confider'd as a feafonable Af-
fliction, which, thro* the gracious Influences of
the Divine Spirit, may produce that defirabl©
Effect. When the Prodigal was redu-
ced to the Want of Husks, he came to Lukexv-itf*
himfelf. When Manaffeh was taken a-
mong the 'Thorns, and bound ivith Fetters, zChr.xxxiii.
he be/ought the LORD, and humbled «»•:**«
himfelf greatly. And Solomon tells us,
the Rod and Reproof give Wifdom. }£j XX1X,§
When you are hedging up the Sinners
Way with Thorns, you may bring him to confider
what need there is, that he fhould amend his
Ways and his Doings ; And this may be followed
with his ferious Enquiry, how he may do it.
And who knows how far the good Spirit of
GOD may concur, while the foftned Delinquent
is refle&ing on the Penalties and the Difgrace
that his Crimes have made his Due, and that he
is now differing under ?

I would hope that many an, once, profligate
Wretch, has become a real Convert, while he
was under the Sentence of Condemnation ; and
that when he was cut off by the Sword of Juftice,
he has gone from the Place of Execution to be
With Chrift in the Heavenly Paradice. And I
cannot doubt, but you have fucceeded to the
Converting many Sinners from the Error of their
. D % 'Ways,

( 20 )

Ways, and to the faving their Souls from Death,
when I receive that joyful Information, " That
<c many have been recover'd from Courfes of
cc Wickednefs by the Societies Endeavours : And
1C feme have joyn'd with them, like the Apoftle
iC Paul, in fupporting a Defign, which once they
u deftroyM. They owe their Recovery to the
u Reforming Societies, and pay their Acknow-
" ledgments in chearful Services towards the
€C Recovery of others *. " Thefe you havefaved
with Fear, pulling them out of the Fire.

Fourthly, 7 O U hold forth a gloricm
, IV, Example to the World about you, which has
been followed by many already ; and it is
to be hoped may yet have a proper Influence en more.
And upon this Account you are defervedly
efteemud amongft the greateft Benefa&ors to
Mankind. Several Parts of the Kingdom are
reaping immenfe Advantages from what many
Communities have nobly enterpriVd, in Imitation
of your Example ; being excited by your lauda-
ble and fuccefsful Zeal, and directed by your
wife and chriftian Meafures. Hence glorious
Things have been accomplifbud, not only in ma-
ny Cities, Corporations and Towns of this united
Kingdom ; but in other Nations, and in diftant
Climes. So far and wide has the beneficial In-
fluence of your inftrudtive Conduct fpread itfelf,
I need not remind you what has been done, on
this Foot, in Ireland, Flanders, Switzerland, Den-
mark, Sweden, in feme Parts of Germany, in our
Plantations in America, and in feveral other
Places. Some f Excellent Perfons have recorded

* Otcafional Taper, Vol. 3. Numb. 12.

t Vide Account of the Societies. Prefent Bifhoj) of Peterborough'*
Sirmon to the Societies. Pr. Woodward'* Account of ihz Rife and
Fvgrefs of the Societies, &C.

very

(ai )

very entertaining Accounts of this : And I hope
by your becoming chriftian Perfeverance, and
your continued prudent Zeal in fo righteous and
religious an Undertaking, you will iiilh offer a
worthy Example, that may yet be follow'd by
others.

Thus I have fhewn how great and good
the Work is in which you are engag'd ; and
how well it is fitted to fubferve the Glory of
GOD, and the Interefts of the Publick. But
Work fo good as this, will be attended with
many Difcouragements and with Difficulties of
feveral fcrts ; and through the Malice of Men,
and Devils will meet with great Oppofition in
the Worid.

I therefore proceed,

II. T o confider the Perfons who form thefe
Societies as afting much felf-denial, willingly en-
countring fome Difficulties and expofing them-
felves to a malicious Oppofition in the Profecu-
tion of their noble Enterprize. Acting in this
refped: like thofe generous Souls, who willingly
offered themfelves to dwell at Jerufalem.

I wrould obferve,

Fir ft) That many of you are at confider- U
able Charges in carrying on this great Affair*
The World has lately been reminded, that cc your
<c Defign has been rendered very coftly by Suits
" and incidental Charges, as well as by a ne-
€C ceflary ftated Expence; and yet upon the Con-
cc vi&ion of Offenders, that half which the Law
" allows to the Informer, you conftantly remit
" to the Poor of the Parifh, to prevent any Um-
" brage of felfifh and mercenary Views*." and

* Isajl Occajional Ta]>cr9 p. 2,5.

certain

(22)

certain it is, that a Bufinefs of this Nature can-
not be concluded and managed as it ought to
be, without great Expence. That the Defign
muft be dropt, if liberal Contributions were not
made for upholding it. And while GOD has
blefs'd many of you with plentiful Fortunes, he
has alfo done more for you than that, in infpiring
you with Principles of true Generofity, and dif-
pofing you to honour the Lord with your Subflance.
It is the Duty of All to do this. And nothing
is more reafonable than that we fhould improve
for the Glcry of G O D, what we have received
from his bountiful Goodnefs. But while there are
Multitudes who prefer their Gold to their GOD;
and from whom it is one of the moft difficult
Things imaginable to extort any Thing for his
Sake, and for ferving his Caufe and Intereft in-
the World ; it cannot but be the more wor-
thy of Praife in thofe amoKg/l you> who though
they decline not other Parts of Service ; yet do
liberally contribute towards the defraying your
Charges : Not but there is ftill great need cf fur-
ther Help this Way ,• and more Good may be
done, in proportion to whatever Affiftance you
fhall receive of this Sort. Of which prefently.

Secondly, SEVERAL of you (I apprehend)
are willing as the Necefftties of fo important a
Service may require to make your worldly Affairs
give Way to it. You are free to redeem Time from
thefe, that you may attend to this Work of God.
If one may fuppofe that the lefler Concerns of
the Family, of the Shop, or of your particular
Callings, do fometimes interfere with thefe, fe-
veral of you, I am fatisfied, prefer that which is
more important : And will rather fuffer fome
Difadvantages, then withhold your Prefence, your
Countenance, or, your Advice, upon any fpecial

Occalions

(*3)

Occafions that may render them peculiarly need*
ful. And then to be fure no trifling Pretences,
no unfeafonable Recreations will be enough to
fatisfy you in abfenting your felves from the
Places and Company, where the Exigences of
this Service oblige you to be.

Thirdly, TO U are to expe£l7 and you have 3.
been inured to, the malicious Defamations and
the Revilings of wicked Men ; and the hard and un-
charitable Cenfures of others.

Wicked Men who do Evil themfelves, do
fpeak of you as Evil-doers. They defire that the
World fhould think better of themfelves than is
confident with Truth ; and for that Reafon
would have them conceive fuch an Opinion of
you, and of your Defign, as is dire&ly contrary to
what both deferve. I wonder not that you have
been the Song of the Drunkard, and the Sport of
lewd Buffoons; that prophane Huffs and Bul-
lies have reprefented you as deferving all thofe
dreadful Execrations and Curfes, that their im-
pure Lips have vented againft you. I do not
fuppofe it has greatly moved you to find your-
felves defamed by the Obloquy and Clamours of
thefe ; and that they reprefent you as Troublefome
Bufy-Bodies, as Mifchievous Informers, as Artful
Hypocrites, and the like : For from your firfl: fet-
ting out you could not but exped fuch Treat-
ment as this from Men of their Character. Some
of them have charged you with extorting Money
from furprized Offenders, as the Price of their
Impunity, and an effe&ual Bribe to prevent ex-
emplary Punifhment: But you have difcharged it
in fuch a Manner, as cannot but fix an indelible
Brand on all thofe who invented, or wrho fpread
the Scandal. I fay, I think it not ftrange
that fuch Reproaches as thefe fhould proceed

from

(H)

from the prpphane Mouths of that exafperated
Crew, the Sons of Belial> the Generation of Scorn-
ners, againfi whom you are rifen up in Vindica-
tion of the Laws and the Honour of GOD ; and
at his Call. No wonder that thefe turbulent
Wafps do attempt to do you all the Mifchief
they can, while you are difturbing their Nefts,

and driving them out of their filthy Recefles.

But ftrange it is! and I cannot forbear to
wonder a little at this, that you fhould be revilM
from the Pufyity and from thence expos'd to the
Odium of Worfhipping Affemblies : That thofe
w ho fhould be the Miniflers of Righteoufnefs and
Peace fhculd allow themfelves to calumniate, I
will not fay your righteous Caufe, but the Caufe cf
Righteoufnefs itfelf, which you have efpoufed ;
and to proclaim War againft you from that facred
Place, where they fhould be promoting the fame

Defigns as you have in View. But then

I ceafe to wonder3 when I confider who are the
Men who have done this, and what is their
Communication ;and in how many Refpefts they
are unlike to thofe great, and good, and learned
Men of the Clergy, who have rejoyced to come
in to your Help.

Such unreasonable Treatment as this, the
beft Men have been wont to meet with, when
they have engaged in the moft ufeful Defigns,
for the fake of G O D and the Publick. Yea,
this was the Cafe of our great Lord himfelf,
when he came into the World to reform and to
fave Sinners, and went about doing Good. And
indeed Reproaches from fuch Mouths add to the
Reputation of your Caufe : For it is only of
what is really good, and ought to be commended,
that wicked Men are wont to fpeak ill : and the
mere excellent it is, the more they reproach it.

But

(*5)

But befides this,
Fourthly, M A N T of you expofe your* $
felves to dangerous Infults from irritated and
enraged Men, in the Profecution of your Righteoui
Dejigns. While you fet yourfelves to confront
and oppofe the hardned Sinners in their fcandalous
Enormities ; they will rife up in defence of their
darling Lufts. This occafions many a hazardous
Struggle ; and fome brave Encounters [on your
Part,J with defperate Villains* and incenfed Bra*-.
<voes. You frequently hear them threaten you
with the moft formidable Inftances of Revenge 5
and they have, fometimes, put them in Execution
too. It will be no Difcouragement to Men of
true Chriftian Courage to remind you of thofe
Heroes in this Caufe, who have fallen in the
Field of Battle ; and diedy indeed, in the Bed of
Honour : I mean Mr. Cooper the Conftable, who
was barbaroufly murder'd at May-Fair ; and af*
ter him Mr. Dent, another Martyr in the fame
Caufe : Whofe Names fhould be mentioned (as
f their Funeral Rites were obfervM) with peculiar
Honour. " Thefe are the * only Inftances* I
" think, of your fuffering unto Bloody in your
" Strife againft Sin ; I mean, unto Death : For
cc feveral of you have been wounded and loft
" your Blood, upon this Occafion, by a fort of
" Living Martyrdom." Tho' it is very re-
markable, and muft be afcribed to GOD's fpe-
cial Concern and Care for you, that there have

f Vide Pf. Woodward'* Funeral Sermon fit if r. Copper, preach' d
At St. James' * Church y May zi. ijol. And Dr. Bray's Funeral Serm&te
for Mr. Dent, preached at <fr. Clements Danes, . Weftmi niter, in
March 14, 17C8-9. And the Account of his Funefal in the F re face.

* J have fince been informed that one Mr. Hobbs, *

worthy Ferfon, died of the Kurt he r'eceivd in an Encounter1 in thf
Societies Service. He teas the Father of my worthy Friend, who died
fome few Tears ago in the good Tow,i of Bedford 5 and whofe Death V3&
greatly lamenUd by the Inhabitants of that Flace,

E Ueen

(26)

been no more Inftances of this Sort, thro5 the
Space ot fo many Years ; wherein a great many
Thcufands of lewd and defperate Perfons have
been provoked to the higheft Degree, and in the
Heat of their Lulls, and have been duly con-
victed and brought to condign Punifhment, by
your Means. And yet by how much the greater
the Dangers are, to which the good Soldiers of Je-
fus Cbrift expofe themfelves for his Sake ; by fo
much the more Honour redounds to them whom
they threaten ; and by fo much the greater is
their Reward like to be : Their LORD having
affur'd them, that if they are reviled
Matt. v. ii. and ferfecuted for bis Sake 7 their Reward
Jlali be great in Heaven.
Having thus far conflder'd the Nature of
your Work, and the Excellency of it; the Diffi-
culties you encounter, and the Dangers you are
expcs'd to in the Profecution of it ; methinks
the reft of this Aftembly, like the Jewijh People
in the Text, fhculd now be difpos'd to blefs you ;
ar.d being fo, fhculd defire to know what they can
do in your Favour, and what Part they may aft in
fo glorious a Cauie : Which leads me to fhew,

III. What Affiftance may, and ought to be
afforded ; and what .Returns made, by the other
Inhabitants of the Land, to Perfons thus bravely
em i lo} 'a.

3 y.b re ought to be no Neuters in an Affair
of: fuca Confcquence as this ; and in which the
G:o:y cr GOD, our hcly Religion, the Intereft
or cur Couna;-,and o. our Pofierity, are fo greatly
ccncern'd. And, indeed, there can be no Neu-
ters htrz , for he wbi is not, ere ty ay or another,
iLith Cbrifi, up n fuch an Occafion, is again]}
him. And the' All are not capable of ferving

fuch

(*7)

fiich a Djefign in every Way that is needful, yet
each individual Chriflian, of whatever Rank or
Degree, of what Sex and in what Circumftances
ibever, may contribute his Help, by Blejfing the
People who willingly offer themfelves to this Service,
i. e. By fpeaking well of the Work in whicn they
are engaged, and by recommending "Them and
That to the Bleffing of G O D in their Prayerr.
And tho* thus much will be accepted by G O D
at the Hands of thofe who have nothing more
to offer ,• yet he demands, and does expect, more
from thofe whom he has favour'd with other Ad-
vantages and Opportunities. And I know not
how they will anfwer it to him, ii they decline
their Concurrence, in their refpective Stations,
and according to the Opportunities they have,
for promoting a National Reformation of Man-
ners. But,

Firft, WHAT Help and Afliftance, our
Recommendation, or our good Wordy will af-
ford themy is their due.

If any amongft us continue to this Day igno-
rant of the Nature of this glorious Undertaking;
or, of the Rules that the Societies have formed
for themfelves, and the Meafures that they pur-
fue ; they may eafily acquaint themfelves with
thefe Things. And when this is done, it cannot
be fuppos'd that any ferious and well-difpos'd
Man can have any thing to fay againft the Work
itfelf, or the Methods proposed for carrying it
on. If thofe who are unacquainted with thefe
Things, and might be better informed, will,
notwithftanding, allow themfelves, to fpeak Evil
of you, and of your truly-Chriftian Employment;
they muft be look'd upon as Enemies (fo far, at
ieaft) not only to yourfelves, but tp GOD, tp
Rejigip'n, and to the Nation.

E 2 We

(28)

We fhouM not give into any Mifreprefentations
and Slanuerb that Prejudice or Malice may fpread;
nor unwarily cry down a Defign which muft
aj. prove itfeil to all impartial Enquirers as wor-
thy of Praife. Now thofe Recommendations,
that are due to thefe Societies, may, upon feme
accafions,be very ferviceable to their Caufe: While
the unjuft Reproaches of Enemies, taken up and
reported by Men of a better Character, may be
mere prejudicial and hurtful to it than they are
aware. It will not be ftrange if in a Work of
fo much Difficulty, and in which fo many Per-
fons are employed, (we hope all of honeft Minds,
but of fuch different Capacities) there fhould
be fome letter Miftakes ,• and now and then fome
Imprudtrcies in Conduct : But wife and good
Men know, that even themfelves are fubjed
to fuch tilings as thefe; and are difpofed to
make thofe candid Allowances for humane Frail-
ties, that will fecure this Caufe from fullering
with them, or by their Means, upon that Ac-
count.

Secondly, EVERT ferious Chriflian
may and ought to afford to themy the Help
of his Prayers.

'THE effectual, fervent Prayer of
James v.i*. a jijg{jte0m Man availeth much. And

then of what Service may the Prayers of Multi-
tudes of fuch be, in behalf of an Intereft fo dear
to G O D, as this is ?

We fhould pray that he would appear to-
own it. That he would ftrengthen the Hands,

and encourage the Hearts of thofe who are enga-
ged in iu That he would infpire them with

all thofe Virtues and Graces that may render
them every Way equal to the Work. - — That
he would fucceed them in all their regular En-
deavours

(29)

deavours to advance his own Glory, to Reform
the Age, and to do good to the World. —
That he would make them his Inftruments for
bringing the Wtckednefs of the wicked to an End ;
caufing it to rail before them.-—* Thar he would
prcferve their Perfons, and proted them from the
oucragious Infults of violent Men. — — That he
wouid gracioufly reward them for their Labour of
Love 'y beftowing on them and theirs the beft of
Btefllngs at prefent -> and Life for evermore. — —
And tnat^he would render their Good Example^
effectual tor exciting others to rife up for him
againfi the Evil-D ers, as they have done.

Thirdly, THOSE whom GOD has ft
bleffed with Ability for it^ may greatly affift
by Pecuniary Contributions towards the fupporting and
carrying on this good Work.

I t has already been hinted, that it is a very
expenfive Service : And great Sums of Money
(which, you have heretofore been told, is no
lefs the Sinews of this, than it is of other Wars)
muft be yearly laid out in purfuing it. We have
lately been informed of * the chargeable Profe-
a cations of the mod fcandalous Wickednefs,
cc where there is Money to delay the Tryal, and
cc Cunning to evade the Laws. That the Con-
" tenders for Virtue are often obliged to defend
u themfelves, at confiderabie Coil, from malici-
ic ous Suits ; and that they are at a large Ex-
" pence to fpread ufeful Books, and publick
ic Accounts of their Proceedings,^.—— Andean
cc you think it reafonable (adds that Author,)
" that fo great a Burden Ihould always lye on
cc the Generous Few, who firft lifted themfelves in
u this difficult Service ? * It cannot be reafon-

* Jj9$ Oicafiojjal ¥aj>er9 p, j,

able

(3°)

able it fhoulcL Nor can it be fuppos'd that fo
much Good can be done, as if there was a greater
Fund for defraying Charges. And therefore
thofe whom GOD has blefs'd with Eftates
fhould be ready to diflribute, willing to communicate
in Favour of fo Great and Godlike a Defign.
You are but Stewards under GOD, Ye rich
Men, in thofe Eftates which you enjoy ; and you
ought to disburfe your LORD's Money, as
he directs ; and to return to him bis own, at his
Call. And that he calls for a juft Proportion on
fuch an Occalicn as this, appears from fuch Places

of Scripture as thefe. Honour the
Prov. iii. 9. LORD with thy Sub/lance, and with

the firft Fruits of all thine Encreafe. —

Charge them who ure Rich in this World
* j™' vu that they do Goody that they be rich in Good

Works, ready to diftribute, willing to com-

... municate. —But to do good and to commu-

U. ' *U" nicate, forget not : For with fuch facri fees

GOD is well f leafed.
How can we employ our Eflates in a more
proper Way of doing Good, or in a Way that
conduces more to the Honour of GOD, than
this ? And how much are we obliged in Point of
Gratitude, fo to employ what we have received
from diftinguifhing Goodnefs, and from his libe-
ral Hand?

And, tho* Rich Men ought not to defer their
Contributions of this fort to the Time of their
Death ; and only to refer to their laft Wills for
what they will do this Way, (for nothing is more
plain than that it is their Duty to be doing
Good, while they have it in the Power of their
Hands) yet I cannot but think, that befides theijr
prefent Contributions, Legacies beftow'd on fuch
a pious Undertaking as this for Reformation ~of
. > "' 'Manner S;

(3* )

Manners, muft be as well dire&ed, and as ac-
ceptable to GOD, as thofe that are appointed
for other Charities ; in favour of which Great
Things have been done, in this Way, bleffed be
G O D for it !

And now I would befpeak you in the Words
of David, when he was exciting the People to
contribute towards building a Houfe
for GOD. Who then is willing to £^£°"
confecrate his Service this Day unto the
LORD? Or, as it is in the Hebrew, Who is
willing to fill his Hand this Day unto the LORD?
i. e. to beftow fome generous Gifts towards fo
Great and Good a Work ?

Fourthly, THESE excellent Per Jons 4.
• may, and ought to have Afftjlance from 0-
thers, uniting with their Societies; and affording their
Prejence, and Jome Portion of their Time in carrying
on the Defigns of them.

Some of you may be capable of helping by
your Advice. You may ftrengthen their Hands
by attending their Meetings, defigncd for mu-
tual Inftrudtion, Quickning, and Encouragement.
It may be of vaft Importance to this Bleffed
Cauje for a Number of Gentlemen to concur
with thofe already engaged, in fuch a Manner
as this ; fupplying the Places of thofe whom
Death has removed, or who are otherwife ta-
ken off from the Work : For, hereby you may
prevent fome fatal Difcouragements to their
Confutations and Meetings, which otherwife
may be totally dropt : And then I fee not
but the Great Defign which has made its Way
through fo many Difficulties, and ior fo many
Years, muft inevitably fail ; and the Day be
yielded to vi&orious and triumphant Vice :
And the Confequences of that would be, be-

ycnd

( 32 )

yond Exprefllon, dreadful, both to ourfelves and
to Pofterity.

Others may be very honourably ufeful by
contributing towards the feiz,ing and the convitiing
Offenders. So much has been faid for the Vin-
dicating fuch an Office as this; and in An-
swer to all the Objections that can be ftarted
againft it. The Neceflity and Ufefulnefs of it
has fo fully been made to appear ; and fo many
Arguments us'd to excite Perfons to undertake it
in Subferviency to the Societies, and under their
Direction, that there is not room to add any
thing upon that Head.

I am far from encouraging any to a faulty
Negled: of the Bufinefs of their Callings : It is
certainly their Duty to be diligent in that Sort
of Bufinefs; and it is highly commendable to
fee them fo. But as fome have a great deal more
leifurc than their Neighbours ; fo others who are
inclind to ferve GOD tnis Way, will find it
eafy enough to make it confident with their
Other Affairs. And if upon fome more than
ordinary Emergencies it rfiouid fo happen that
"worldly Buiinefs muft be poftpon'd, or the Work
of G O D neglected, I leave you to juage wiiich
of thefe ought to be done. Bat it has been
truly obferv'd, that for Things of this Nature,
Want of Lei jure is but a mere Pretence when want
ot Inclination is the real Caufe. Tho', blefled be
GOD, it is not fo with all : And I would fain
hope, that I may now prevail with fome, wiBing-
l) to ,fftr themfelves to this Service, Who is on the
LOR D's Sice 1 Who ? Let him come into thefe
Societies.

Fifthly, WERE I to [peak to Magi-

ftrates, *ubo have their Cornmijjions for exe~

mting the Laws upon Offenders ; / would Prefu?ne to

(33)

fuggefl what fpecial Affiftance they fhould a ford to
Perfons thus emphfd. The Wifdom of our Legifla-
ture has fupply'd us with excellent Laws againft
Immorality and Profanenefs. But what are thefe
without Execution ? They are but a dead Letter
'till that infpirts them with Life and Vigour.
The Deiign of tnefe Societies is to animate and
render efteftual fome of the beft Laws of the Land.
That they are really come in to the Affiftance of
the Magiflrate, who is the Guardian of thefe ; and
whofe Commiffion from GOD obliges him not to
bear the Sword in vain ; fir he is the Mi-
nifter of GOD ; a Revenger to execute Rom.xiiU;
Wrath upon him that doth Evil. To
which he is further obliged by thofe good and whole-
fome Statutes of our Country, that have their Foun-
dation in the Laws of Nature and of Scripture.

Now while thefe worthy Societies endeavour to
fubferve the Magiftrate in the Difcharge of his
Duty ; it is but reafonable that he fhould give
the utmoft Encouragement to them, and make
their Work as eafy as may be. He fhould coun-
tenance thofe who appear on the Side cf GOD
and the Law^ and turn his Frowns on them who
dare to rife up in Oppofition to both. He fhould
not be remifs and negligent in that which is his
Part : But fhould endeavour as much as he can
to he in the Way^ that they who are Peking for
Juftice may know where to have it ; and that thofe
manifold Mifchiefs may be prevented, which are
frequently occalion'd by delaying it. Certainly
they who receive fuch an important Truft, and who
accept of the Honour attending the Title of Magi-
ftrates, and of GOD's Minijiers^ fhould
continually attend upon this very thing. It Rom.xiii.£,
is too well known (I fpeak to thofe
who know it too well) that fcandalcm Criminals

F grovf

( 34- )

grow more audacious and infolent ; and that thofe
who have feizM them, meet with many peculiar
Difcouragements, when, after hurrying from one
Place to another, with much Expence of Time
and Pains, they cannot meet with one proper
Magiftrate to apply themfelves to. Would to
GOD that amongft all thofe worthy Perfons who
are in Commiffion in this Great City, fome more
of them would ferioufly confider this Matter, and
lay it to heart! It is with great Reafon that the
Eftablifh'd Church directs its Members to pray,
u That all who are put in Authority may truly
" and indifferently minifler Juftice, to the Punifh-
cc ment of Wickednefs and Vice, and to the
ic Maintenance of GOD's true Religion andVir-
cc tue. " Bleffed be GOD there are fome excel-
lent Magiftrates, who are eminently ufeful this Way.
The Beft of the People do blefs them, and their
o\\ n Works praife them : But we cannot but wifli
and pray that the Number of fuch may encreafe,
to the greater Difcouragement of Vice and Pro-
fanenefs, to the Advancement and fpreading of
Virtue and true Religion, and to the Encourage-
ment and Joy of your Societies, and of all Good
Men.

IV. I would now clofe all with a fhort
Addrefs to your/elves ; and afterwards to others, in
your Favour.

Firfl, To the Members of thefe Societies. And
let me entreat you, Worthy Sirs, to be frequently
reflecting on the Nature of the Work in which you
are engaged, and as often reviewing the ferjwajive
Motives that prevailed with you to be fo far con-
cerned in it. And then confider whether it be
not the fame excellent Work ftill ; and whether there
are not as flnnutm Reafons for ferfevering in it, as

there

(35)

there were for entring on it at firft. I know you
meet with many Discouragements ; but I cannot
apprehend them to be more, or greater, than what
you had in view when you firft fet out. Watch
therefore over your own Spirits, that you grow
not remifs and indolent ; and that your Concern
and Endeavours for Reformation of Manners become
not faint and languid. Remember thofe awful
Words of your Great LORD, that no
Man having put his Hand to the Plough, Lukeix. 6zl
and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom
of GOD. A Retreat from this Service mull be
no lefs dangerous, than it is inglorious.

YOU know your Calling, Brethren ; and who are
the Enemies you are to continue to oppofe. You
have been frequently reminded of various Inftan-
ces of rampant Vice, and of feveral Sorts of the
Devil's Agents^ to whom your Animadverlions
are due ,• and who require your Notice. I fhall
only fuggeft, that I apprehend greater Care is
neceffary with refpect to thofe diminutive Under-
factors for Hell, who are fo induflrious to debauch
the meaner and more neglefted Youth, by their
impudent and obfcene Songs. And I wifli fome
Way could be found for preventing thofe impure
Suggeftions that are chalk' d out in the Plages of
Publick Concourfe ; and that defecrate the very
Walls and Doors of our Churches. If there be
no Way to prevent this, would it be amifs if fome
of your Officers were employed, at proper Seafons,
to expunge, or ftrike off the loathfome Filth,
which muft raife a reproachful Wonder in the .
Breads of fober Strangers who vifit our City ;
which cannot but be oflfenfive to pure Minds ;
and to others is like the Spark to the Tinder,
which prefently kindles into a Burning ? But
this by the Way. To ret&rn,

F 2 I

(30

I must further remind you, that if you will
perfevere in this glorious Defign, you muft be
confcientioufly careful about the Means that are
neceflarily fubfervient to it. Oblige yourfelves to
attend as much as you can thofe ftated Meetings
for mutual Advice and Encouragement, which it
was your Wifdcm to appoint; and without which
(as I hinted before) your whole Undertaking muft
drop 'ere long. Is it poffible you fhould fpend
your Time to better Purpofes ; or that you fhould
be employed about more important Bufinefs when
the Return of thefe Meetings call for your Pre-
fence at them ? Are you reaping fuch Advantages
elfewhere, as you can think fufficient to counter-
vail the Damage, if your faulty Neglects fhould
at laft undo the great Defign of Reforming a
vicious Age ? And pray, my Brethren, how Will
you anfwer it to GOD; how will you fatisfy
your own Confciences, if Matters fhould come to
this ? But I hope better things ofyou> tho Ithmfpeak:
And that every one will ftir up himfelf to greater
Diligence in this Refpeft. Let no Man fay there
will be enough prefent, tho5 I am not there : For
this may become the Language of fo many, 'till
at length there be none to meet : And What will
remain then but to take up that fad and mournful

Complaint; Help, LORD, for the godly
Pfalm xii. i. Man ceafeth ; for the Faithful fail from

among ft the Children of Men ?
GOD has eminently profper'd and blefled
many of you, fince you firft engaged in this pious
Employ ; and I hope fuch cf you will look upon
Vcuifelves under Jpeciai Engagements to ferve your
bountiful Benefadidr in this part of his Intereft,
to the utmoft of your Power, and in every Way
in which he has made ^ou able to do it.

By

(37)

B y way of Encouragement, let me put you on
reflecting, that tho' the vileft and worfi of Men fpeak
evil of you, the beft and thegreateft have been wont to
blefs you,and continue to do fo. Princes and Nobles,
Clergy and Judges; and in a word,Good Men of all
Orders and Degrees, have greatly applauded this
Enterprize, and your regular Conduit in the Ma-
nagement of it. They have recommended it to
the World many Ways : And to the Care and
Bleffing of Heaven, in their Prayers. You have
GOD and the Government on your Side : And
no Enemies need be formidable, while you
have fuch mighty Allies as thefe ; no, not all the
united Forces of the Devil, the World, and the
Flefh in Array againft you.

How well difpofed the beft of Princes, our
rightful Sovereign King GEORGE mull be
to the Caufe in which you appear, you may rea-
fonably gather from what he very lately faid in his
gracious Letter to the General AJfembly in the Church of
Scotland^ viz. " you may moft firmly aflure your-
<c felves of our fteady and chearful Concurrence
" in whatever Methods fliall be taken for pro-
a moting true Religion and Piety; the difcoura-
iC ging Profanenefs and Immorality ; and for the
<c preventing the Growth of Popery. ,J And we
cannot but fuppofe, that a Defign calculated for
the Happinefs of Mankind muft be very agreeable
to the moft Renowned Hero of the Age, who diftin-
guifhes himfelf by unwearied Endeavours for the
Good of the World.

Besides all this, you have heard how many
Great and Iliuftrious Communities have praSli-
catty recommended your brave Defign, by follow-
ing your Example, and copying after you. And
add to this, That the Confciencesof thofe Sinners
with which you contend, cannot but often ap-
prove

(3»)

prove of your Conclude and fome of them, reco-
vered by your Means, have blejfed you. And the
Time is coming when all of them fhall do fo :
When the Righteous Man fhall ft and in
Sgrnnms/ &reat Boldnefs^ before the Face offucb as
have affiiEied him, and made no account
cf his Labours and they /hall fay within them-
felves, "This was he whom we had fome time in Deri-
jion-y and a Proverb of Reproach. We Fools accounted
his Life Madnefs, and his End to be without Honour.
How is he numbred amongft the Children ofGOD;
and his Lot is amongft the Saints ?

Having fuch Encouragements as thefe, go
on, ye heroic Friends of G O D and Mankind ;
go on, with new Refolution and Vigour, in your
noble Encounters, and your pious Efforts for the
legal Suppreflion of fcandalous Wickednefs, and
for approving yourfelves Benefactors to the YVorld.
Having (aid thus much to yourfelves ; I
would now,

Secondly, Address myfelf to others, in your Fa-
vour : Who being already informed of the Nature
of your Work, and having been pointed to the .
particular Ways in which they ought to affift and
help you, I fhall now only hint at a few things
that may farther excite them to blefs the Men who
are thus engaged, and to contribute towards
their Succefs, as much as they can. Coniider
that this is the Caufe of GOD, and that thefe
Worthy Perfons concern themfelves in it for his
Sake. They exert themfelves againft that wrhich
is difhonourable and oftenfive to him ; and they
purfue that which pleafes him, and redounds
to the Glory of his Name. They a£t in Imi-
tation cf him, in what they do : For GOD
himfelf is endeavouring to prevail with wicked
Men to forfake their Ways$ and to return to him.

His

(39)

His eternal Son was manifefled to deftroy the Works of
the Devil; and endured the Contraditiion of Sinners
againfl himfelf while he was purfuing this as the
Bufinels ot his Life; and for the Sake of effe&ing
it, became obedient unto Death. The Bleffed Spi-
rit of G O D is fent . from Heaven to convince
Men of Siny of Right "eoufnefs, and of Judgment ; to
affift them in amending their Ways, reforming
their Lives, and returning to GOD. And while
thefe blejfed Societies have the fame great Defigns
in View, they are alfo purfuing them with much
Wifdom and Care. They delire to have their
Inftrudions from GOD; and therefore betake
themfelves to his Word, and to Prayer. This
they do, in a fpecial Manner, on the Returns of
fuch Seafons as thefe. They acquaint themfelves
alfo with thofe Laws of their Country, with which
they are more particularly concerned ; and endea-
vour to proceed in an exad Conformity to them*
Persons of different Perfwajions about the
Extraeffentials of Religion do chearfully unite m
profecuting this Work, in wrhich Vital Religion
is interefted fo much. They therefore agree
in what is of greater Importance than any thing
about which they differ. And that they dif-
fer in fome things, will not feem ftrange to fuch
as conhder, that it has pleas'd GOD to deliver
fome Truths of the Gofpel in fuch a Manner,
as does admit of a Variety of Sentiments con-
cerning them : And that the Minds of Men are
fo varieuflyform'd, and their Light fo various, that
an Unifrmity of Opinions would be a much more
wonderful thing than fuch Difference : Not-
withstanding which they have formed themfelves
into a noble Army of Chriftians, to oppofe with
joint Forces the common Enemies of GOD, and
of all that is Good ,• who have fometimes afloci-

ated

( 4° )

ated themfelves to make Head againfl them. I
would in the Lafl Place,

Remind you how willingly thefe well dif-
pofed Chriftians have offered themfelves upon this
Occafion. It is what ALL are coiiged to in
their refpetitive Stations, and according to their
feveral Opportunities : But while the many neg-
lect their Duty ; and even the greater Part of
good Men themfelves think it enough, if they can
maintain their own Character, without attempt-
ing to give a Check to publick V/ickednefs, or
troubling themfelves to be their Brothers Keepers ;
Thefe excellent Perfons have freely come in to the
Help of GOD and the Nation. And while
this entitles Them to the Bleffing of all good
Men ; If You will now be prevailed with to join
iffue with them, and wiSingh to offer yourfelves
in like Manner, you will certainly lhare in the
Bleffings of the Wife and Good ,• and in thofe
greater Rewards which GOD will beftow on
thofe who employ themfelves in his Service ;
and to w7hom he will fay, at length, IVell done.
Good and Faithful Servants, enter ye into the Joy of
your LORD.

F I N I S.