Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 53 - The Reformation of Manners - Sermons on Several Occasions

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53 - The Reformation of Manners - Sermons on Several Occasions · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Who will rise up with me against the wicked Psalm
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Speaker 1: ninety four sixteen. In all ages, men who neither feared
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Speaker 1: God nor regarded men have combined together and formed confederacies
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Speaker 1: to carry on the works of darkness. And herein they
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Speaker 1: have shown themselves wise in their generation, For by this
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Speaker 1: means they more effectually promoted the kingdom of their father,
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Speaker 1: the Devil, than otherwise they could I have done. On
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Speaker 1: the other hand, men who did fear God and desire
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Speaker 1: the happiness of their fellow creatures have in every age
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Speaker 1: found it needful to join together in order to oppose
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Speaker 1: the works of darkness, to spread the knowledge of God,
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Speaker 1: their savior, and to promote His kingdom upon earth. Indeed,
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Speaker 1: He himself has instructed them so to do. From the
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Speaker 1: time that men were upon the earth. He hath taught
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Speaker 1: them to join together in his service, and has united
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Speaker 1: them in one body, by one spirit. And for this
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Speaker 1: very end He has joined them together that He might
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Speaker 1: destroy the works of the devil, first in them that
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Speaker 1: are all ready united, and by them in all that
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Speaker 1: care round about them. This is the original design of
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Speaker 1: the Church of Christ. It is a body of men
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Speaker 1: compacted together in order first to save each his own soul,
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Speaker 1: then to assist each other in working out their salvation,
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Speaker 1: and afterwards, as far as in them lies, to save
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Speaker 1: all men from present and future misery, to overturn the
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Speaker 1: Kingdom of Satan and set up the Kingdom of Christ.
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Speaker 1: And this ought to be the continued care and endeavor
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Speaker 1: of every member of his church. Otherwise he is not
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Speaker 1: worthy to be called a member thereof, as he is
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Speaker 1: not a living member of Christ. Accordingly, this ought to
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Speaker 1: be the constant karen endeavor of all those who are
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Speaker 1: united together in these kingdoms, and are commonly called the
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Speaker 1: Church of England. They are united together for this very end,
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Speaker 1: to oppose the devil and all his works, and to
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Speaker 1: wage war against the world and the flesh his constant
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Speaker 1: and faithful allies. But do they in fact answer the
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Speaker 1: end of their union, All who style themselves members of
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Speaker 1: the Church of England heartily engaged in opposing the works
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Speaker 1: of the Devil and fighting against the world and the flesh.
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Speaker 1: Alas we cannot say this, so far from it that
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Speaker 1: a great part I fear, the greater part of them
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Speaker 1: are themselves the world. The people that know not God
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Speaker 1: to any saving purpose, are indulging day by day, instead
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Speaker 1: of mortifying the flesh with its affections and desires, and
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Speaker 1: doing themselves those works of the devil which they are
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Speaker 1: peculiarly engaged to destroy. There is therefore still need even
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Speaker 1: in this Christian country, as we courteously style Great Britain. Yea,
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Speaker 1: in this Christian Church, if we may give that title
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Speaker 1: to the bulk of our nation, of some to rise
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Speaker 1: up against the wicked and join together against the evildoers. Nay,
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Speaker 1: there was never more need than there is at this
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Speaker 1: day for them that fear the Lord to speak often
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Speaker 1: together on this very head, how they may lift up
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Speaker 1: a standard against the iniquity which overflows the land. There
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Speaker 1: is abundant cause for all the servants of God to
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Speaker 1: join together against the works of the devil, with united
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Speaker 1: hearts and counsels and endeavors, to make a stand for God,
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Speaker 1: and to repress as much as in them lies these
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Speaker 1: floods of ungodliness. For this end, a few persons in London,
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Speaker 1: toward the close of the last century united together, and
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Speaker 1: after a while were termed the Society for Reformation of Manners,
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Speaker 1: and incredible good was done by them for near forty years.
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Speaker 1: But then most of the original members being gone to
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Speaker 1: their reward, those who succeeded them grew faint in their
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Speaker 1: mind and departed from the work, so that a few
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Speaker 1: years ago the society ceased, nor did any of the
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Speaker 1: kind remain in the kingdom. It is a society of
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Speaker 1: the same nature which has been lately formed. I purposed
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Speaker 1: to show first the nature of their design and the
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Speaker 1: steps they have hitherto taken. Secondly the excellency of it,
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Speaker 1: with the various objections which have been raised against it. Thirdly,
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Speaker 1: what manner of men they ought to be who engage
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Speaker 1: in such a design. And fourthly, with what spirit and
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Speaker 1: in what manner they should proceed in the prosecution of it.
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Speaker 1: I shall conclude with an application both to them and
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Speaker 1: to all that fear God. I am first to show
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Speaker 1: the nature of their design and the steps they have
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Speaker 1: hitherto taken. It was on a Lord's Day in August
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Speaker 1: seventeen fifty seven, that, in a small company who were
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Speaker 1: met for prayer and religious conversation, mention was made of
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Speaker 1: the gross and open profanation of that sacred day by
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Speaker 1: persons buying and selling, keeping open shop, tippling in ale houses,
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Speaker 1: and standing or sitting in the streets, roads or fields,
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Speaker 1: vending their wares as on common days, especially in moor Fields,
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Speaker 1: which was then full of them every Sunday from one
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Speaker 1: end to the other. It was considered what method could
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Speaker 1: be taken to redress these grievances, and it was agreed
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Speaker 1: that six of them should, in the morning wait upon
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Speaker 1: Sir John Fielding for instruction. They did so, He approved
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Speaker 1: of the design and directed them how to carry it
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Speaker 1: into execution. They first delivered petitions to the Right Honorable
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Speaker 1: the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen, to the
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Speaker 1: justices sitting at hicks Hall and those in Westminster, and
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Speaker 1: they received from all these honorable benches much encouragement to proceed.
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Speaker 1: It was next Judge Proper to signify their design to
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Speaker 1: many persons of eminent rank, and to the body of
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Speaker 1: the clergy, as well as the ministers of other denominations
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Speaker 1: belonging to the several churches and meetings in and about
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Speaker 1: the cities of London and Westminster. And they had the
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Speaker 1: satisfaction to meet with a hearty consent and universal approbation
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Speaker 1: from them. They then printed and dispersed, at their own expense,
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Speaker 1: several thousand books of instruction to constables and other parish officers,
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Speaker 1: explaining and enforcing their several duties, and to prevent, as
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Speaker 1: far as possible, the necessity of proceeding to an actual
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Speaker 1: execution of the laws, They likewise printed and dispersed in
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Speaker 1: all parts of the town, dissuasives from Sabbath breaking, extract
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Speaker 1: from acts of Parliament against it, and notices to the offenders.
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Speaker 1: The way being paved by these precautions, it was in
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Speaker 1: the beginning of the year seventeen fifty eight that, after
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Speaker 1: notices delivered again and again, which were, as often said,
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Speaker 1: at naught, actual informations were made to magistrates against persons
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Speaker 1: profaning the Lord's day. By this means, they first cleared
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Speaker 1: the streets and fields of those notorious offenders, who, without
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Speaker 1: any regard either to God or the King, were selling
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Speaker 1: their wares from morning to night. They proceeded to a
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Speaker 1: more difficult attempt, the preventing tippling on the Lord's Day,
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Speaker 1: spending the time in ale houses which ought to be
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Speaker 1: spent in the more immediate worship of God. Herein they
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Speaker 1: were exposed to abundance of reproach, to insult an abuse
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Speaker 1: of every kind, having not only the tiplers and those
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Speaker 1: who entertained them. The ale house keepers to contend with,
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Speaker 1: but rich and honorable men, partly the landlords of those
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Speaker 1: ale house keepers, partly those who furnished them with drink,
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Speaker 1: and in general all who gained by their sins. Some
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Speaker 1: of these were not only men of substance, but men
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Speaker 1: in authority. They in more instances than one, they were
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Speaker 1: the very persons before whom the delinquents were brought, and
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Speaker 1: the treatment they gave those who laid the informations naturally
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Speaker 1: encouraged the beasts of the people to follow their example
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Speaker 1: and to use them as fellows not fit to live
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Speaker 1: upon the earth. Hence they made no scruple not only
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Speaker 1: to treat them with the basest language, not only to
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Speaker 1: throw at them mud or stones or whatever came to hand,
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Speaker 1: but many times to beat them without mercy, and to
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Speaker 1: drag them over the stones or through the kennels. And
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Speaker 1: that they did not murder them was not for want
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Speaker 1: of will, but the bridle was in their teeth. Having
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Speaker 1: therefore received help from God, they went on to restrain
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Speaker 1: bakers likewise from spending so great a part of the
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Speaker 1: Lord's day in exercising the work of their calling. But
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Speaker 1: many of these were more noble than the victuallers. They
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Speaker 1: were so far from resenting this or looking upon it
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Speaker 1: as an affront, that several who had been hurried down
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Speaker 1: the stream of custom to act contrary to their own conscience,
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Speaker 1: sincerely thanked them for their labor and acknowledged it as
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Speaker 1: real kindness. In clearing the streets, fields and ale houses
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Speaker 1: of sabbath breakers, they fell upon another sort of offenders,
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Speaker 1: as mischievous to society as any, namely gamesters of various kinds.
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Speaker 1: Some of these were of the lowest and biolist class,
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Speaker 1: commonly called gamblers, who make a trade of seizing on
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Speaker 1: young and unexperienced men and tricking them out of all
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Speaker 1: their money. And after they have beggared them, they frequently
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Speaker 1: teach them the same mystery of iniquity. Several nests of
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Speaker 1: these they have rooted out and constrained not a few
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Speaker 1: of them honestly to earn their bread by the sweat
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Speaker 1: of their brow and the labor of their hands. Increasing
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Speaker 1: in number and strength, they extended their views and began
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Speaker 1: not only to repress profane swearing, but to remove out
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Speaker 1: of our streets another public nuisance and scandal of the
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Speaker 1: Christian name common prostitutes. Many of these were stopped in
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Speaker 1: their mid career of audacious wickedness, and in order to
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Speaker 1: go to the root of the disease, many of the
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Speaker 1: houses that entertained them have been detected, prosecuted according to law,
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Speaker 1: and totally suppressed. And some of the poor, desolate women themselves,
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Speaker 1: though fallen to the lowest line of human infamy, have
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Speaker 1: acknowledged the gracious providence of God and broke off their
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Speaker 1: sins by lasting repentance. Several of these have been placed
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Speaker 1: out and several received into the Magdalene Hospital. If a
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Speaker 1: little digression may be allowed, who can sufficiently admire the
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Speaker 1: wisdom of divine providence in the disposal of the times
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Speaker 1: and seasons so as to suit one occurrence to another.
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Speaker 1: For instance, just at a time when many of these
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Speaker 1: poor creatures, being stopped in their course of sin, found
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Speaker 1: a desire of leading a better life, as it were,
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Speaker 1: in answer to that sad question, but if I quit
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Speaker 1: the way I now am in, what can I do
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Speaker 1: to live? For I am not mistress of any trade,
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Speaker 1: and I have no friends that will receive me. I say,
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Speaker 1: just at this time God has prepared the Magdalene Hospital. Here,
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Speaker 1: those who have no trade nor any friends to receive
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Speaker 1: them are received with all tenderness they may live, and
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Speaker 1: that with comfort being provided with all things that are
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Speaker 1: needful for life and godliness. But to return. The number
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Speaker 1: of persons brought to justice from August seventeen fifty seven
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Speaker 1: to August seventeen sixty two is nine thousand, five hundred
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Speaker 1: ninety six from thence to the present time for unlawful
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Speaker 1: gaming and profane swearing, forty for sabbath breaking, four hundred
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Speaker 1: lude women and keepers of ill houses, five hundred fifty
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Speaker 1: for offering to sail obscene Prince two in all, ten thousand,
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Speaker 1: five hundred eighty eight. In the admission of members into
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Speaker 1: the Society, no regard has had to any particular sect
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Speaker 1: or party. Whoever is found upon inquiry to be a
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Speaker 1: good man, is readily admitted, and none who has selfish
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Speaker 1: or pecuniary views will long continue therein, not only because
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Speaker 1: he can gain nothing thereby, but because he would quickly
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Speaker 1: be a loser, inasmuch as he must commence subscriber as
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Speaker 1: soon as he is a member. Indeed, the vulgar cry
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Speaker 1: is these are all Whitefield Heights, but it is a
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Speaker 1: great mistake. About twenty of the constantly subscribing members are
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Speaker 1: all that are in connection with mister Whitefield, about fifty
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Speaker 1: are in connection with mister Wesley, about twenty who are
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Speaker 1: of the established Church have no connection with either, and
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Speaker 1: about seventy are dissenters, who make in all one hundred
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Speaker 1: and sixty. There are indeed many more who assist in
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Speaker 1: the work by occasional subscriptions. These are the steps which
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Speaker 1: have been hitherto taken in prosecution of this design. I am,
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Speaker 1: in the second place to show the excellent thereof, notwithstanding
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Speaker 1: the objections which have been raised against it. Now this
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Speaker 1: may appear from several considerations, And first from hence that
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Speaker 1: the making and open stand against all the ungodliness and
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Speaker 1: unrighteousness which overspread our land as a flood. Is one
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Speaker 1: of the noblest ways of confessing Christ in the face
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Speaker 1: of his enemies. It is giving glory to God and
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Speaker 1: showing mankind that even in these dregs of time, there
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Speaker 1: are who faith prefers for, though few, and piety to God.
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Speaker 1: And what more excellent than to render to God the
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Speaker 1: honor do unto His name, To declare by a stronger
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Speaker 1: proof than words, even by suffering and running all hazards.
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Speaker 1: Verily there is a reward for the righteous. Doubtless there
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Speaker 1: is a God that judgeth the earth. How excellent is
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Speaker 1: the design to prevent in any degree the dishonor done
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Speaker 1: to His glorious name, the contempt which is poured on
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Speaker 1: His authority, and the scandal brought upon our holy religion
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Speaker 1: by the gross, flagrant wickedness of those who are still
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Speaker 1: called by the name of Christ, to stem in any
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Speaker 1: degree the torrent of vice, to repress the floods of ungodliness,
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Speaker 1: to remove in a leisure those occasions of blaspheming the
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Speaker 1: worthy name hereby we are called, is one of the
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Speaker 1: noblest designs that can possibly enter into the heart of
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Speaker 1: man to conceive. And as this design thus evidently tends
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Speaker 1: to bring glory to God in the highest, so it
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Speaker 1: no less manifestly conduces to the establishing peace upon earth.
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Speaker 1: For as all sin directly tends both to destroy our
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Speaker 1: peace with God by setting him at open defiance, to
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Speaker 1: banish peace from our own breasts, and to set every
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Speaker 1: man's sword against his neighbor, so whatever prevents or remove
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Speaker 1: sin does in the same degree promote peace, both peace
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Speaker 1: and our own soul. Peace with God and peace with
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Speaker 1: one another. Such are the genuine fruits of this design,
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Speaker 1: even in the present world. But why should we confine
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Speaker 1: our views to the narrow bounds of time and space,
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Speaker 1: rather pass over these into eternity? And what fruit of
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Speaker 1: it shall we find there? Let the apostle speak, Brethren,
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Speaker 1: if one of you err from the truth, and one
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Speaker 1: convert him not to this or that opinion, but to God,
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Speaker 1: let him know that he who converteth a sinner from
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Speaker 1: the error of his way shall save a soul from
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Speaker 1: death and hide a multitude of sins James five, nineteen twenty.
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Speaker 1: Nor is it to individuals only, whether those who betray
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Speaker 1: other into sin, or those that are liable to be
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Speaker 1: betrayed and destroyed by them, that the benefit of this
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Speaker 1: design redounds, But to the whole community, whereof we are members.
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Speaker 1: For is it not a sure observation righteousness exalteth a nation?
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Speaker 1: And is it not as sure, on the other hand,
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Speaker 1: that sin is a reproach to any people, yea, and
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Speaker 1: bring us down the curse of God upon them. So
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Speaker 1: far therefore, as righteousness in any branch is promoted, so
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Speaker 1: far as the national interest advanced. So far as sin,
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Speaker 1: especially open sin, is restrained, the curse and reproach are
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Speaker 1: removed from us. Whoever therefore they are that labor herein
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Speaker 1: they are general benefactors. They are the truest friends of
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Speaker 1: their king and country. And in the same proportion as
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Speaker 1: their design takes place, there can be no doubt but
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Speaker 1: God will give national prosperity in accomplishment of His faithful word.
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Speaker 1: Them that honor me, I will honor. But it is objected,
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Speaker 1: however excellent a design this is. It does not concern you.
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Speaker 1: For are there not persons to whom they're pressing these
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Speaker 1: effect and punishing the offenders properly belong? Are there not
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Speaker 1: constables and other parish officers who are bound by oath
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Speaker 1: to this very thing. There are constables and church wardens,
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Speaker 1: in particular, are engaged by solemn oaths to give due
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Speaker 1: information against profaners of the Lord's day and all other
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Speaker 1: scandalous sinners. But if they leave it undone, if notwithstanding
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Speaker 1: their oaths, they trouble not themselves about the matter, it
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Speaker 1: concerns all that fear God, that love mankind, and that
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Speaker 1: wish well to their king and country to pursue this
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Speaker 1: design with the very same vigor, as if there were
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Speaker 1: no such officers existing, it being just the same thing
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Speaker 1: if they are of no use, as if they had
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Speaker 1: no being. But this is only a pretense. Their real
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Speaker 1: design is to get money by giving informations. So it
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Speaker 1: has frequently and roundly been affirmed, but without the least
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Speaker 1: shadow of truth. The contrary may be proved by a
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Speaker 1: thousand instances. No member of the society takes any part
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Speaker 1: of the money which is by the law allotted to
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Speaker 1: the informer did from the beginning, nor does any of
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Speaker 1: them ever receive anything to suppress or withdraw their information.
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Speaker 1: This is another mistake, if not wilful slander, for which
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Speaker 1: there is not the least foundation. But the design is impracticable.
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Speaker 1: Vice has risen to such an head that it is
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Speaker 1: impossible to suppress it, especially by such means. For what
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Speaker 1: can a handful of poor people do in opposition to
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Speaker 1: all the world? With men, this is impossible, But not
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Speaker 1: with God. And they trust not in themselves but Him
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Speaker 1: be then the patrons of vice ever so strong, to him,
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Speaker 1: they are no more than grasshoppers, And all means are
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Speaker 1: alike to him. It is the same thing with God,
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Speaker 1: to deliver by many or by few. The small number
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Speaker 1: therefore of those who are on the Lord's side is nothing,
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Speaker 1: neither the great number of those that are against him.
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Speaker 1: Still he doth whatever pleaseth him, And there is no
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Speaker 1: counsel or strength against the Lord. But if the end
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Speaker 1: you aim at be really to reform sinners, you choose
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Speaker 1: the wrong means. It is the way the Word of
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Speaker 1: God must affect this, and not human laws. And it
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Speaker 1: is the work of ministers, not of magistrates. Therefore the
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Speaker 1: applying of these can only produce an outward reformation. It
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Speaker 1: makes no change in the heart. It is true the
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Speaker 1: word of God is the chief ordinary means, whereby he
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Speaker 1: changes both the hearts and lives of sinners, and he
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Speaker 1: does this chiefly by the ministers of the Gospel. But
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Speaker 1: it is likewise true that the magistrate is the minister
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Speaker 1: of God, and that he is designed of God to
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Speaker 1: be a terror to evil doers by executing human laws
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Speaker 1: upon them. If this does not change the heart, yet
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Speaker 1: to prevent outward sin. As one valuable point gained, there
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Speaker 1: is so much the less dishonor done to god less
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Speaker 1: scandal brought on our Holy religion, less curse and reproach
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Speaker 1: upon our nation, less temptation laid in the way of others,
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Speaker 1: yeah and less wrath heaped up by the sinners themselves
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Speaker 1: against the day of wrath. Nay, rather more, for it
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Speaker 1: makes many of them hypocrites, pretending to be what they
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Speaker 1: are not. Others, by exposing them to shame and putting
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Speaker 1: them to expense, are made impudent and desperate in wickedness,
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Speaker 1: so that in reality none of them are any better.
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Speaker 1: If they are not worse than they were before. This
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Speaker 1: is a mistake all over. For one, where are these hypocrites?
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Speaker 1: We know none who have pretended to be what they
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Speaker 1: were not. Two The exposing obstinate offenders to shame and
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Speaker 1: putting them to expense does not make them desperate in offending,
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Speaker 1: but afraid to offend. Three. Some of them, far from
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Speaker 1: being worse, are substantially better, the whole tenor of their
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Speaker 1: lives being changed. YEA. Four. Some are inwardly changed, even
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Speaker 1: from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan
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Speaker 1: unto God. But many are not convinced that buying or
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Speaker 1: selling of the Lord's day is a sin. If they
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Speaker 1: are not convinced they ought to be. It is high
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Speaker 1: time they should. The case is as plain as plain
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Speaker 1: can be. For if an open, wilful breach both of
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Speaker 1: the law of God and the law of the land
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Speaker 1: is not sin, pray what is? And of such a breach,
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Speaker 1: both of divine and human laws, is not to be
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Speaker 1: punished because a man is not convinced it is a sin.
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Speaker 1: There is an end of all execution of justice, and
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Speaker 1: all men may live as a list. But mild methods
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Speaker 1: ought to be tried. First, they ought, and so they are.
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Speaker 1: A mild admonition is given to every offender before the
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Speaker 1: law is put an execution against him. Nor is any
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Speaker 1: man prosecuted till he has expressed notice that this will
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Speaker 1: be the case, unless he will prevent that prosecution by
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Speaker 1: removing the cause of it. In every case the mildest
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Speaker 1: method is used, which the nature of the case will bear.
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Speaker 1: Nor are severer means ever applied, but when they are
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Speaker 1: absolutely necessary to the end. Well. But after all this
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Speaker 1: stir about reformation, what real good has been done, unspeakable good,
19:49
Speaker 1: and abundantly more than any one could have expected in
19:51
Speaker 1: so short a time, considering the small number of the
19:53
Speaker 1: instruments and the difficulties they had to encounter. Much evil
19:57
Speaker 1: has been already prevented, and much has been removed. Many
20:01
Speaker 1: sinners have been outwardly reformed, some have been inwardly changed.
20:05
Speaker 1: The honour of Him whose name we bear so openly
20:07
Speaker 1: affronted has been openly defended. And it is not easy
20:10
Speaker 1: to determine how many and how great blessings even this
20:13
Speaker 1: little stand made for God and his cause against his
20:16
Speaker 1: daring enemies may already have derived upon our whole nation.
20:21
Speaker 1: On the whole, then, after all the objections that can
20:24
Speaker 1: be made reasonable, men may still conclude a more excellent
20:27
Speaker 1: design could scarce ever enter into the heart of man.
20:31
Speaker 1: But what manner of men ought they to be who
20:33
Speaker 1: engage in such a design? Some may imagine any that
20:37
Speaker 1: are willing to assist therein ought readily to be admitted,
20:40
Speaker 1: and that the greater the number of members, the greater
20:42
Speaker 1: will be their influence. But this is by no means true.
20:46
Speaker 1: Matter of fact undeniably proves the contrary. While the former
20:51
Speaker 1: Society for Reformation of Manners consisted of chosen members only,
20:55
Speaker 1: though neither many, rich nor powerful, they broke through all
20:59
Speaker 1: oppositions and were eminently successful in every branch of their undertaking.
21:03
Speaker 1: But when a number of men less carefully chosen were
21:06
Speaker 1: received into that society, they grew less and less useful,
21:10
Speaker 1: till by insensible degrees they dwindled into nothing. The number
21:15
Speaker 1: therefore of the members is no more to be attended
21:18
Speaker 1: to than the riches or eminence. This is a work
21:20
Speaker 1: of God. It is undertaken in the name of God,
21:23
Speaker 1: and for his sake. It follows that men who neither
21:26
Speaker 1: love nor fear God have no part or lot in
21:28
Speaker 1: this matter. Why takest thou my covenant in thy mouth?
21:32
Speaker 1: May God say to any of these, whereas thou thyself
21:36
Speaker 1: hatest to be reformed, and have cast my words behind
21:39
Speaker 1: thee whoever therefore lives in any known sin is not
21:42
Speaker 1: fit to engage in reforming sinners, more especially if he
21:46
Speaker 1: is guilty in any instance, or in the least degree
21:49
Speaker 1: of profaning the name of God, of buying, selling, or
21:52
Speaker 1: doing any unnecessary work on the Lord's day, or offending
21:55
Speaker 1: in any other of those instances which this society is
21:58
Speaker 1: peculiarly designed to reform. No let none who stands himself
22:03
Speaker 1: in need of this reformation presume to meddle with such
22:05
Speaker 1: an undertaking. First, let him pull the beam out of
22:09
Speaker 1: his own eye. Let him be himself unblameable in all things.
22:14
Speaker 1: Not that this will suffice. Every one engaging herein should
22:18
Speaker 1: be more than a harmless man. He should be a
22:20
Speaker 1: man of faith, having at least such a degree of
22:23
Speaker 1: that evidence of things not seen, as to aim not
22:26
Speaker 1: at the things that are seen, which are temporal, but
22:28
Speaker 1: at those that are not seen, which are eternal. Such
22:33
Speaker 1: a faith as produces a steady fear of God, with
22:35
Speaker 1: a lasting resolution by his grace to abstain from all
22:39
Speaker 1: that He has forbidden, and to do all that he
22:42
Speaker 1: has commanded, He will more especially need that particular branch
22:46
Speaker 1: of faith confidence in God. It is this faith which
22:50
Speaker 1: removes mountains, which quenches the violence of fire, which breaks
22:54
Speaker 1: through all opposition, and enables one to stand against and
22:57
Speaker 1: chase a thousand, knowing in whom his strength lies, And
23:02
Speaker 1: even when he has the sentence of death, and himself
23:05
Speaker 1: trusting in Him who raiseth the dead, he that has
23:09
Speaker 1: faith and confidence in God will of consequence be a
23:13
Speaker 1: man of courage. And such it is highly needful every
23:16
Speaker 1: man should be who engages in this undertaking, for many
23:19
Speaker 1: things will occur in the prosecution thereof which are terrible
23:22
Speaker 1: to nature, indeed so terrible that all who confer with
23:26
Speaker 1: flesh and blood will be afraid to encounter them. Here. Therefore,
23:30
Speaker 1: true courage has its proper place and is necessary in
23:34
Speaker 1: the highest degree. And this faith only can supply A
23:39
Speaker 1: believer can say, I fear no denial, no danger, I
23:43
Speaker 1: fear no start from the trial. For Jesus is near
23:48
Speaker 1: to courage. Patience is nearly allied, though one regarding future
23:52
Speaker 1: the other present evils. And whoever joins in carrying on
23:55
Speaker 1: a design of this nature will have great ocasion for this,
23:58
Speaker 1: for notwithstanding all his unblameableness, he will find himself just
24:02
Speaker 1: in Ishmael's situation, his hand against every man, and every
24:06
Speaker 1: man's hand against him. And no wonder if it be
24:09
Speaker 1: true that all who will live godly shall suffer persecution,
24:13
Speaker 1: how eminently must this be fulfilled in them who, not
24:16
Speaker 1: content to live godly themselves, compel the ungodly to do
24:20
Speaker 1: so too, or at least to refrain from notorious ungodliness.
24:23
Speaker 1: Is not this declaring war against all the world, setting
24:27
Speaker 1: all the children of the devil at defiance, and will
24:30
Speaker 1: not satan himself The prince of this world, the ruler
24:34
Speaker 1: of the darkness thereof exert all his subtlety and all
24:38
Speaker 1: his force in support of his tottering kingdom. Who can
24:42
Speaker 1: expect the roaring lion will tamely submit to have the
24:45
Speaker 1: prey plucked out of his teeth. Ye have therefore need
24:49
Speaker 1: of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God,
24:53
Speaker 1: ye may receive the promise. And ye have need of steadiness,
24:57
Speaker 1: that ye may hold fast this profession of your faith
25:00
Speaker 1: without wavering. This also should be found in all that
25:03
Speaker 1: unite in this society, which is not a task for
25:06
Speaker 1: a double minded man, for one that is unstable in
25:09
Speaker 1: his ways, He that is as a reed shaken with
25:13
Speaker 1: the wind, is not fit for this warfare, which demands
25:16
Speaker 1: a firm purpose of soul, a constant, determined resolution. One
25:21
Speaker 1: that is wanting in this may set his hand to
25:23
Speaker 1: the plow, but how soon will he look back? He
25:27
Speaker 1: may indeed endure for a time, But when persecution or tribulation,
25:31
Speaker 1: public or private troubles arise because of the work, immediately
25:35
Speaker 1: he is offended. Indeed, it is hard for any to
25:39
Speaker 1: persevere in so unpleasing a work unless love overpowers both
25:42
Speaker 1: pain and fear, And therefore it is highly expedient that
25:46
Speaker 1: all engage therein have the love of God shed abroad
25:49
Speaker 1: in their hearts, that they should be able to declare,
25:52
Speaker 1: we love him because He first loved us. The presence
25:57
Speaker 1: of Him whom their soul loveth will then make their
25:59
Speaker 1: labor light. They can then say, not from the wildness
26:03
Speaker 1: of an heated imagination, but with the utmost truth and soberness,
26:07
Speaker 1: with thee conversing, I forget all time and toil and care.
26:11
Speaker 1: Labor is rest, and pain is sweet, while Thou, my God,
26:15
Speaker 1: art here. What adds a still greater sweetness even to
26:19
Speaker 1: labor and pain is the Christian love of our neighbor.
26:23
Speaker 1: When they love their neighbor, that is, every soul of man,
26:26
Speaker 1: as themselves as their own souls, When the love of
26:29
Speaker 1: Christ constrains them to love one another even as He
26:32
Speaker 1: loved us, When has He tasted death for every man,
26:36
Speaker 1: so they are ready to lay down their life for
26:38
Speaker 1: their brethren, including in that number every man, every soul
26:41
Speaker 1: for which Christ died. What prospect of danger will then
26:45
Speaker 1: be able to frighten them from their labor of love?
26:48
Speaker 1: What suffering will they not be ready to undergo? To
26:51
Speaker 1: save one soul from everlasting burnings. What continuance of labor, disappointment,
26:56
Speaker 1: pain will vanquish their fixed resolution? Will they not be
27:01
Speaker 1: against all repulses, stealed, nor ever tired with toilsome day
27:05
Speaker 1: or ill succeeding night. So love both hopeth and endureth
27:10
Speaker 1: all things. So charity never faileth. Love is necessary for
27:15
Speaker 1: all the members of such a society. On another account, likewise,
27:19
Speaker 1: even because it is not puffed up, it produces not
27:22
Speaker 1: only courage and patience, but humility. And oh how needful
27:26
Speaker 1: is this for all who are so employed? What can
27:30
Speaker 1: be of more importance than that they should be little
27:32
Speaker 1: and mean, and base and vile in their own eyes?
27:35
Speaker 1: For otherwise should they think themselves anything, should they impute
27:39
Speaker 1: anything to themselves, should they admit anything of a faarisaic spirit,
27:43
Speaker 1: trusting in themselves that they were righteous and despising others?
27:47
Speaker 1: Nothing could more directly tend to overthrow the whole design,
27:51
Speaker 1: For then they would not only have all the world,
27:54
Speaker 1: but also God himself to contend with, seeing He resisteth
27:58
Speaker 1: the proud, and giveth grace only to the humble. Deeply conscious. Therefore,
28:03
Speaker 1: should every member of this society be of his own foolishness, weakness, helplessness,
28:09
Speaker 1: continually hanging with his whole soul upon him who alone
28:12
Speaker 1: hath wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction, that the
28:16
Speaker 1: help which is done upon earth, God doth it himself,
28:19
Speaker 1: and that it is He alone who worketh in us,
28:22
Speaker 1: both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
28:26
Speaker 1: One point more, whoever engages in this design should have
28:29
Speaker 1: deeply impressed on his heart, namely, that the wrath of
28:32
Speaker 1: man worketh not the righteousness of God. Let him therefore,
28:37
Speaker 1: learn of him who is meek as well as lowly,
28:40
Speaker 1: and let him abide in meekness as well as humility,
28:43
Speaker 1: with all lowliness and meekness. Let him walk worthy of
28:45
Speaker 1: the vocation wherewith he is called. Let them be gentle
28:49
Speaker 1: toward all men, good or bad, for his own sake,
28:52
Speaker 1: for their sake, for Christ's sake. Are any ignorant and
28:56
Speaker 1: out of the way, let him have compassion upon them.
29:00
Speaker 1: Do they even oppose the word in the work of God,
29:03
Speaker 1: ye set themselves in battle array against it. So much
29:07
Speaker 1: the more hath he need in meekness to instruct those
29:10
Speaker 1: who thus oppose themselves. If haply they may escape out
29:13
Speaker 1: of the snare of the devil, and no more be
29:15
Speaker 1: taken captive at his will. From the qualifications of those
29:19
Speaker 1: who are proper to engage in such an undertaking as this,
29:22
Speaker 1: I proceed to show, fourthly, with what spirit and in
29:25
Speaker 1: what manner it ought to be pursued. First with what spirit?
29:30
Speaker 1: Now this first regards the motives which is to be
29:32
Speaker 1: preserved in every step that is taken. For if at
29:35
Speaker 1: any time the light which is in thee be darkness,
29:38
Speaker 1: how great is that darkness. But if thine eye be single,
29:42
Speaker 1: thy whole body shall be full of light. This is
29:45
Speaker 1: therefore continually to be remembered and carried into every word
29:49
Speaker 1: in action. Nothing is to be spoke or done, either
29:52
Speaker 1: great or small, with a view to any temporal advantage,
29:55
Speaker 1: Nothing with a view to the favor or esteem, the
29:58
Speaker 1: love or the praise of men. But the intention. The
30:02
Speaker 1: eye of the mind is always to be fixed on
30:05
Speaker 1: the glory of God and good of man. But the
30:08
Speaker 1: spirit with which everything is to be done regards the
30:11
Speaker 1: temper as well as the motive. And this is no
30:13
Speaker 1: other than that which has been described above. For the
30:16
Speaker 1: same courage, patience, steadiness, which qualify a man, for the
30:20
Speaker 1: work are to be exercised therein. Above all, let him
30:24
Speaker 1: take the shield of faith. This will quench a thousand
30:27
Speaker 1: fiery darts. Let him exert all the faith which God
30:30
Speaker 1: has given him in every trying hour, and let all
30:34
Speaker 1: his doings be done in love. Never let this be
30:37
Speaker 1: rested from him. Neither must many waters quench this love,
30:40
Speaker 1: nor the floods of ingratitude drown it. Let likewise that
30:44
Speaker 1: lowly mind be in him, which was also in Christ
30:46
Speaker 1: Jesus yea. And let him be closed with humility, filling
30:50
Speaker 1: his heart and adorning his whole behavior. At the same time,
30:55
Speaker 1: let him put on bowels of mercies, gentleness, long suffering,
30:59
Speaker 1: avoiding the least appearance of malice, bitterness, anger, or resentment,
31:04
Speaker 1: knowing it is our calling not to be overcome of evil,
31:07
Speaker 1: but to overcome evil with good. In order to preserve
31:11
Speaker 1: this humble, gentle love, it is needful to do all
31:13
Speaker 1: things with recollection of spirit, watching against all hurry or
31:17
Speaker 1: dissipation of thought, as well as against pride, wrath or surliness.
31:22
Speaker 1: But this can be no otherwise preserved than by continuing
31:26
Speaker 1: instant and prayer, both before and after he comes into
31:28
Speaker 1: the field, and during the whole action, and by doing
31:31
Speaker 1: all in the spirit of sacrifice, offering all to God
31:35
Speaker 1: through the son of His Love. As to the outward
31:39
Speaker 1: manner of acting, a general rule is, let it be
31:41
Speaker 1: expressive of these inward tempers. But to be more particular,
31:46
Speaker 1: let every man beware not to do evil that good
31:48
Speaker 1: may come, therefore putting away all lying. Let every man
31:53
Speaker 1: speak the truth to his neighbor. Use no fraud or guile,
31:56
Speaker 1: either in order to detect or to punish any man.
31:59
Speaker 1: But by simplicity and godly sincerity, commend yourself to men's
32:03
Speaker 1: consciences in the sight of God. It is probable that
32:07
Speaker 1: by your adhering to these rules, fewer offenders will be convicted,
32:11
Speaker 1: But so much the more will the blessing of God
32:13
Speaker 1: accompany the whole undertaking. But let innocence be joined with prudence,
32:18
Speaker 1: properly so called, not that offspring of hell, which the
32:21
Speaker 1: world calls prudence, which is mere craft, cunning, and dissimulation,
32:26
Speaker 1: but with that wisdom from above, which our Lord peculiarly
32:29
Speaker 1: recommends to all who would promote His kingdom upon earth.
32:33
Speaker 1: Be Ye therefore wise as serpents, while ye are harmless
32:37
Speaker 1: as doves. This wisdom will instruct you how to suit
32:40
Speaker 1: your words and whole behavior to the persons with whom
32:43
Speaker 1: you have to do, to the time, place, and all
32:47
Speaker 1: other circumstances. It will teach you to cut off occasion
32:50
Speaker 1: of offense, even from those who seek occasion, and to
32:53
Speaker 1: do things of the most offensive nature in the least
32:55
Speaker 1: offensive manner that is possible. Your manner of speaking, particularly
33:01
Speaker 1: to offenders, should be at all times deeply serious, lest
33:04
Speaker 1: it appear like consulting a triumphing over them, rather inclining
33:08
Speaker 1: to sad showing that you pity them for what they
33:11
Speaker 1: do and sympathize with them in what they suffer. Let
33:14
Speaker 1: your air and tone of voice, as well as words,
33:17
Speaker 1: be dispassionate, calm, mild, yea were it would not appear
33:22
Speaker 1: like dissimulation, even kind and friendly. In some cases where
33:27
Speaker 1: it will probably be received as it is meant, you
33:29
Speaker 1: may profess the good will you bear them, But at
33:31
Speaker 1: the same time that it may not be thought to
33:34
Speaker 1: proceed from fear or any wrong inclination, professing your intrepidity
33:39
Speaker 1: and an inflexible resolution to oppose and punish vice to
33:42
Speaker 1: the uttermost. It remains only to make some application of
33:46
Speaker 1: what has been said, partly to you who are already
33:49
Speaker 1: engaged in this work, partly to all that fear God,
33:52
Speaker 1: and more especially to them that love as well as
33:54
Speaker 1: fear Him. With regard to you who are already engaged
33:57
Speaker 1: in this work, the first advice I would give you,
34:00
Speaker 1: who is calmly and deeply to consider the nature of
34:02
Speaker 1: your undertaking. Know what you are about, Be thoroughly acquainted
34:07
Speaker 1: with what you have in hand, Consider the objections which
34:10
Speaker 1: are made to the whole of your undertaking, and before
34:13
Speaker 1: you proceed, be satisfied that those objections have no real weight.
34:17
Speaker 1: Then may every man act as he is fully persuaded
34:20
Speaker 1: in his own mind. I advise you secondly, be not
34:25
Speaker 1: in haste to increase your number, and in adding there too,
34:28
Speaker 1: regard not wealth, rank, or any outward circumstance. Only regard
34:33
Speaker 1: the qualifications above described. Inquire diligently whether the person proposed
34:38
Speaker 1: to be of an unblameable carriage, and whether he be
34:41
Speaker 1: a man of faith, courage, patience, steadiness, whether he be
34:45
Speaker 1: a lover of God and man. If so, he will
34:48
Speaker 1: add to your strength as well as number. If not,
34:51
Speaker 1: you will lose by him more than you gain, for
34:53
Speaker 1: you will displease God, and be not afraid to purge
34:57
Speaker 1: out from among you any who do not answer the
34:59
Speaker 1: preceding character. By thus lessening your number, you will increase
35:03
Speaker 1: your strength. You will be vessels meet for your master's use.
35:09
Speaker 1: I would thirdly advise you narrowly to observe from what
35:12
Speaker 1: motive you at any time actor speak. Beware that your
35:15
Speaker 1: intention be not stained with any regard either to profit
35:18
Speaker 1: or praise. Whatever you do, do it to the Lord,
35:22
Speaker 1: as the servants of Christ. Do not aim at pleasing
35:25
Speaker 1: yourself in any point, but pleasing Him whose you are
35:28
Speaker 1: and whom you serve. Let your eye be single from
35:31
Speaker 1: first to last I God alone in every word and work.
35:37
Speaker 1: I advise you in the fourth place, see that you
35:39
Speaker 1: do everything in a right temper, with lowliness and meekness,
35:42
Speaker 1: with patience and gentleness worthy the Gospel of Christ. Take
35:47
Speaker 1: every step trusting in God and in the most tender,
35:50
Speaker 1: loving spirit you are able. Meantime, watch always against all
35:55
Speaker 1: hurry and dissipation of spirit, and pray always with all
35:58
Speaker 1: earnestness and perseverance, that your faith fail not, and let
36:03
Speaker 1: nothing interrupt that spirit of sacrifice which you make of
36:06
Speaker 1: all you have and are of all you suffer, and
36:09
Speaker 1: do that it may be an offering of a sweet
36:11
Speaker 1: smelling savor to God through Jesus Christ. As to the
36:16
Speaker 1: manner of acting and speaking, I advise you to do
36:18
Speaker 1: it with all innocence and simplicity, prudence and seriousness. Add
36:23
Speaker 1: to these all possible calmness and mildness, nay, all the
36:27
Speaker 1: tenderness which the case will bear. You are not to
36:30
Speaker 1: behave as butchers or hangmen, but as surgeons rather, who
36:34
Speaker 1: put the patient to no more pain than is necessary
36:37
Speaker 1: in order to the cure. For this purpose, each of
36:40
Speaker 1: you likewise has need of a lady's hand with a
36:43
Speaker 1: lion's heart, So shall many, even of them you are
36:46
Speaker 1: constrained to punish glorify God in the day of visitation.
36:51
Speaker 1: I exhort all of you who fear God, as ever
36:54
Speaker 1: you hope to find mercy at His hands, as you
36:56
Speaker 1: dread being found, though you knew it, not even to
36:59
Speaker 1: fight against God. Do not, on any account reason or
37:02
Speaker 1: pretense whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, a pose or hinder
37:07
Speaker 1: so merciful a design, and one so conducive to his glory.
37:12
Speaker 1: But this is not all. If you are lovers of mankind.
37:16
Speaker 1: If you long to lessen the sins and miseries of
37:18
Speaker 1: your fellow creatures, can you satisfy yourselves? Can you be
37:23
Speaker 1: clear before God by barely not opposing it? Are not
37:27
Speaker 1: you also bound by the most sacred ties? As you
37:29
Speaker 1: have opportunity to do good to all men, and is
37:32
Speaker 1: not here an opportunity of doing good to many, even
37:35
Speaker 1: good of the highest kind, in the name of God,
37:39
Speaker 1: Then embrace the opportunity. Assist in doing this good, if
37:42
Speaker 1: no otherwise, yet, by your earnest prayers for them who
37:45
Speaker 1: are immediately employed therein, assist them according to your ability
37:50
Speaker 1: to defray the expense which necessarily attends it, and which
37:53
Speaker 1: without the assistance of charitable persons, would be a burden
37:56
Speaker 1: they could not bear. Assist them. If you can, without
38:00
Speaker 1: inconvenience by quarterly or yearly subscriptions, at least assist them.
38:05
Speaker 1: Now use the present hour doing what God puts into
38:08
Speaker 1: your heart. Let it not be said that you saw
38:11
Speaker 1: your brethren laboring for God and would not help them
38:14
Speaker 1: with one of your fingers. In this way, however, come
38:17
Speaker 1: to the help of the Lord. To the help of
38:19
Speaker 1: the Lord against the Mighty I have a higher demand
38:23
Speaker 1: upon you, who love as well as fear God. He
38:27
Speaker 1: whom you fear, whom you love, has qualified you for
38:30
Speaker 1: promoting His work in a more excellent way. Because you
38:34
Speaker 1: love God, you love your brother. Also, you love not
38:37
Speaker 1: only your friends, but your enemies. Not only the friends,
38:41
Speaker 1: but even the enemies of God. You have put on
38:45
Speaker 1: as the elect of God. Lowliness, gentleness, long suffering. You
38:50
Speaker 1: have faith in God and in Jesus Christ, whom he
38:53
Speaker 1: hath sent, faith which overcometh the world. And hereby you
38:57
Speaker 1: conquer both evil, shame and that fear of man which
39:00
Speaker 1: bringeth a snare, so that you can stand with boldness
39:03
Speaker 1: before them that despise you, and make no account of
39:05
Speaker 1: your labors. Qualified, then as you are and armed for
39:09
Speaker 1: the fight, will you be like the children of Iphra
39:12
Speaker 1: I am, who, being harnessed and carrying bows, turned back
39:15
Speaker 1: in the day of battle. Will you leave a few
39:17
Speaker 1: of your brethren to stand alone against all the hosts
39:20
Speaker 1: of the aliens? Oh, say not, this is too heavy
39:23
Speaker 1: a cross. I have not strength or courage to bear it. True,
39:28
Speaker 1: not of yourself, but you that believe can do all things,
39:31
Speaker 1: who Christ strengthening you. If thou canst believe all things
39:34
Speaker 1: are possible to him that believeth no cross is too
39:37
Speaker 1: heavy for him to bear, knowing that they that suffer
39:40
Speaker 1: with him shall reign with him. Say not, nay, but
39:45
Speaker 1: I cannot bear to be singular. Then you cannot enter
39:49
Speaker 1: into the Kingdom of heaven. No one enters there but
39:51
Speaker 1: through the narrow way, and all that walk in this
39:54
Speaker 1: are singular. Say not, but I cannot endure the reproach
39:59
Speaker 1: the odious of an informer. And did any man ever
40:03
Speaker 1: save his soul that was not a byword and a
40:05
Speaker 1: proverb of reproach. Neither canst thou ever save thine unless
40:08
Speaker 1: thou art willing that men should say all manner of
40:10
Speaker 1: evil of thee. Say not, but if I am active
40:14
Speaker 1: in this work, I shall lose not only my reputation,
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Speaker 1: but my friends, my customers, my business, my livelihood, so
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Speaker 1: that I shall be brought to poverty. Thou shalt not.
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Speaker 1: Thou canst not. It is absolutely impossible unless God himself
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Speaker 1: chooseth it for his kingdom ruleth overall. And the very
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Speaker 1: hairs of thy head are not all numbered. But if
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Speaker 1: the wise, the gracious God choose it for THEE, wilt
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Speaker 1: thou murmur or complain? Wiltou not rather? Say? The cup
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Speaker 1: which my father hath given me? Shall I not drink it?
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Speaker 1: If you suffer for Christ? Happy are you? This spirit
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Speaker 1: of glory and of God shall rest upon you? Say not,
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Speaker 1: I would suffer all things, but my wife will not
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Speaker 1: consent to it. And certainly a man ought to leave
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Speaker 1: father and mother and all in cl leave to his wife, true,
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Speaker 1: all but God, all but Christ. But he ought not
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Speaker 1: to leave him for his wife. He is not to
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Speaker 1: leave any duty undone for the dearest relative. Our Lord
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Speaker 1: himself has said in this very sense, if any man
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Speaker 1: loveth father, or mother, or wife or children more than me,
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Speaker 1: he is not worthy of me. Say not, well, I
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Speaker 1: would forsake all for Christ. But one duty must not
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Speaker 1: hinder another. And this would frequently hinder my attending public worship.
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Speaker 1: Sometimes it probably would go then and learn what that
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Speaker 1: meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice. And whatever
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Speaker 1: is lost by showing this mercy, God will repay sevenfold
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Speaker 1: into thy bosom. Say not, but I shall hurt my
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Speaker 1: own soul. I am a young man, and by taking
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Speaker 1: up loose women I should expose myself to temptation. Yes,
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Speaker 1: if you did this in your own strength or for
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Speaker 1: your own pleasure. But that is not the case. You
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Speaker 1: trust in God, and you aim at pleasing Him only.
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Speaker 1: And if He should call you even into the midst
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Speaker 1: of it burning fiery furnace, though thou walkest through the fire,
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Speaker 1: thou shalt not be burned, and neither shall the flames
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Speaker 1: kindle upon THEE. True if he called me into the furnace,
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Speaker 1: but I do not see that I am called to this.
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Speaker 1: Perhaps thou art not willing to see it. However, if
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Speaker 1: thou wast not called before, I call THEE now in
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Speaker 1: the name of Christ, take up thy cross and follow him.
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Speaker 1: Reason no more with flesh and blood, but now resolve
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Speaker 1: to cast in thy lot with the most despised, the
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Speaker 1: most infamous of his followers, the filth and off scouring
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Speaker 1: of the world. I call THEE in particular, who didst
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Speaker 1: one strengthen their hands, But since are drawn back, take courage,
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Speaker 1: be strong, fulfill their joy by returning with heart and hand.
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Speaker 1: Let it appear thou he partest for a season, that
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Speaker 1: they might receive THEE again forever. Oh, be not disobedient
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Speaker 1: to the heavenly calling. And as for all of you
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Speaker 1: who know whereunto ye are called county all things loss.
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Speaker 1: So you may save one's soul for which Christ died,
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Speaker 1: and therein take no fought for the morrow. But cast
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Speaker 1: all your care on him that careth, For you commit
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Speaker 1: your souls, bodies, substance all to Him, as unto a
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Speaker 1: merciful and faithful creator. After this society had subsisted several
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Speaker 1: years and done unspeakable good, it was wholly destroyed by
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Speaker 1: a verdict given against it in the King's bench, with
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Speaker 1: three hundred pounds damages. I doubt a severe account remains
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Speaker 1: for the witnesses, the jury, and all who are concerned
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Speaker 1: in that dreadful affair. End of Section fifty three.