To stir you up all to be earnest with God in prayer for the success of all pious designs, to suppress profaneness and debauchery, consider,

(1.) How much depends upon the carrying on of this good work. If there were a general reformation of manners in our land, what a happy turn would it give to all our affairs! what a blessed change would it produce! what a beauty would it put upon the nation, upon this city, and render them amiable in the eyes of God and all good men! What a security would it be against the judgments that threaten | us, and what a preparative for the blessings we wait for! How would the Lord then delight to do us good, and to dwell among us!

Nay, though the desired reformation should not be effected, yet while it is endeavoured, it turns to us for a testimony, and helps to save the guilt of the sin of sinners from being national. The reigns of the reforming kings of Judah were blessed of God though none of them made a complete reformation.

But if the work should now be let fall, if the forces that have for many years past been drawn into the field, and have acted successfully against vice and profaneness, should now be withdrawn, you not only lose all the points you have gained, but, it is to be feared, all iniquity will take encouragement to be so much the more daring; as when the dam which stopped the current for a while is broken through, the stream runs so much more violently. We are therefore concerned to pray the more earnestly, that the wheels of this good work may be kept a-going, and that though it should not get ground, it may not lose ground. A good man said long since, "He feared the sins of the land more than the French." If iniquity were subdued, how soon would all our other enemies be subdued! Would you therefore help to save a sinful nation from ruin, be intercessors for it now, that the unclean spirit that has met with a rebuke for some time may not recover possession; for if he do, it is to be feared it will be with seven other more wicked than himself, then will our last state be worse than the first.

(2.) Consider, what difficulties yet lie in the way of this good work, which nothing less than the power of almighty grace can help us over, and that grace must be obtained by prayer. I doubt you find the work goes on heavily, and meets with many rubs, many things retard it, and clog its wheels; and perhaps the reason is, because it wants praying hands to help it forward. Our complaint is the same with Hezekiah's, This day is a day of rebuke

|

and there is not strength to bring forth; we must therefore take the course he then took, lift up our prayers for the remnant that is left, the little remnant.TM We may plead, as Jehoshaphat did, Lord, we have no might against this great company that fights against us, these troops, these legions of iniquities that invade our land, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are up unto thee," and on thee do we depend.

When you meet with any difficulties in this work, follow the example of Nehemiah, that great reformer, who did such eminent service to the church of God in his day, and was famous for this, that upon every occasion he had recourse to God by prayer, made himself easy, and carried his point by lifting up an ejaculation to heaven. When he was waiting at table, afraid to ask what he hoped to have, and the king bid him speak his mind, he prayed to the God of heaven," spoke to God in the silent language of the heart before he ventured to speak to the king. When the enemies of the work he was about, ridiculed it, as a foolish attempt, and made a jest of these feeble Jews, he appealed to God, went and told him of the contempt put upon them: Hear, O our God, for we are despised. When he set a watch against them, he first made his prayer to God, and then set a watch. When, to drive him off from his undertaking, it was suggested to him, that the government would take umbrage at it, and he would be taken up as a disaffected person, that thereby his hands might be weakened, he addressed himself to prayer immediately, Now therefore O God, strengthen my hands. And if we thus, like Nehemiab, look up to God by prayer for strength and grace to do our work, we may, in faith, like him, look up to God for his gracious acceptance of us in it; Remember me, O my God, for good: for what is done by divine assistance, will be owned and favoured; what comes from God will come to him.

Let me now briefly tell you what further we must do in our prayers for reformation.

[1.] We must sadly lament the wickedness of the wicked, which we pray for the removal of; we must complain of it to God, as those who do indeed lay it to heart, and look upon it with inward trouble. Can we each of us say, as David, I beheld the transgressors and was grieved? Do as Joseph did then, concerning his brethren, bring to your father, your heavenly Father, their evil report. It will better become us to weep in secret for the sins of sinners, than openly to exclaim against them. The character of those who are marked for preservation, and whom the destroying angel must not touch, is, that they sigh and cry for the abominations that are found among us,' that is the spirit of a Christian; not

that they are satirical in their them, so far a Pharisee may go. pray against sin when we truly bewail it.

[2.] We must bless God for what is done towards the bringing of the wickedness of the wicked to an end in our land. We have reason to be thankful to God for the national testimonies that are borne against vice and profaneness, that it does not go without a check; that good and wholesome laws are made against drunkenness, swearing, and sabbath-breaking; that the Queen's proclamation against immorality is read in all our courts of justice; that here, in this great city, and in some other places, societies are formed, and yet kept up, for the assistance of the magistrates in turning the edge of the sword of justice against the most notorious delinquents. This standard the spirit of the Lord has lifted up against the enemy who was coming in upon us like a flood," this banner God has given to them that fear him, to be displayed because of the truth; a banner for them to triumph in, and list themselves under.

[3.] We must in these prayers for grace to reform our land, act faith upon the mediation of Christ, and the promise of God, and make them our plea. Let us take our encouragement in these prayers from this, that Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for the same thing; that he came into the world to destroy the works of the devil;" was manifested to take away sin: and we are sure that he will gain his point, and that him the Father heareth always. And through him we have precious promises to plead, on which we are caused to hope, that God will remove the iniquity of the land in one day; that the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and shall sit as a refiner. So that we shall not pray in vain, for faithful is he that has promised, who also will do it.

2. Let us follow our prayers with our serious and sincere endeavours; and let us act as those who are in good earnest, when we pray that God would bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end, and establish the just. When I press you thus to pray for it, it is not as if I thought there were nothing else to be done, and that prayers and tears were all the weapons that the cause of reformation would admit of, as if no means were to be used, but we must sit down, and leave it to God to do all; or as if I thought the case so deplorable, that it were to no purpose to attempt any thing for the relief of it; I do not come upon this errand to you to-day, as Luther's friend did to him, with his Abi in cellam, et dic, Miserere mei Domine-Away to thy closet, and say, Lord, have mercy on me; bidding him content himself with praying for reformation, for it

u Isa. lix. 19. - Ps 1x. 4. w 1 John iii. 8. x Zech. iii. 9.

vours.

(1.) You, especially, who are engaged in these societies for reformation, now you have this day set me upon your watch-tower, you must give me leave to be your monitor in God's name, as one who desires to be found faithful, and that you be found so too. Be mindful of the obligations you laid upon yourselves when you entered into these societies, in a sense of your duty to God, as well as in love to your country, to do all you could in your places for the suppression of vice and profaneness. You have not discharged yourselves from these obligations, make conscience, therefore, of fulfilling them; you have opened your mouth unto the Lord, and you cannot go back; go forward, then; go on, and prosper. Though the endeavours of your societies should prove unsuccessful, yet let not the title of them be insignificant, and an empty name. You are called "Societies for Reformation of Manners," and therefore are concerned to inquire, what you are doing towards it? Your warfare, I am sure, is not accomplished, for the Canaanites are yet in our land, and are as snares to us, and as thorns in our eyes. The exorbitant power of vice and profaneness is not reduced. The house of Saul, though we hope it grows weaker and weaker, yet is still in being, and its forces thereatening; and therefore you must resolve, with meekness and fear, vigorously to carry on this holy war, and to act offensively, not for the destruction, but for the salvation, and spiritual benefit, of those you appear against.

I understand you have societies of two sorts, that have different provinces assigned them. Some made up of persons of a lower rank, who are as the hands and feet of this body; others of a higher rank, who are to them (as Moses said to Jethro) instead of eyes; and both these have need of, and are serviceable to one another. Shall I speak particularly to each?

[1] You who have engaged yourselves in the more active part of this undertaking, be active in it; not as lords over your brethren, but as servants to God and the government, in a good work. Let those of you who grow remiss, and indifferent, be excited by the good example of those who yet retain their zeal; and let their care and courage in this matter flourish again; and return with a double vigour to the relief of those who have long borne

[2.] You who have undertaken the directive part, I beseech you do your part. What you also contribute toward the necessary charges of this work, continue to do it, increase it if there be occasion, do it liberally, do it cheerfully and without grudging ; how can you bestow what you have better, than in thus honouring God with it? And what a pity it is that such a good cause as this should be starved! | And there is another thing which may be justly expected from you, gentlemen, and that is, that you be forward to appear in person, when there is occasion, for the keeping up of the reputation of this pious undertaking. The figure you make in the world, gives you an opportunity to do it, your education and conversation enable you to do it with a good grace; and these are talents which put you into a capacity of serving God and your generation, and which must be accounted for. A frown from you may daunt a daring transgressor, and put him out of countenance, more than a reproof or an information from an inferior person. A smile from you may hearten an honest reprover, and keep him in countenance when he is insulted, as Lot was, with Who made thee a judge? It will be your honour, gentlemen, to patronize those who are busy in this service, and to stand by them, while there are those who censure them, and run them down as over-busy. Be ready to give your advice before-hand to the most regular, prudent, and inoffensive methods for carrying on this work; and what is done conscientiously and zealously, appear in the defence of it, and think not to excuse yourselves, by saying it might have been done with more caution and discretion in some little circumstance or other, which it is an easy thing for those who seek an excuse, and have a mind to be critical, to spy out; but that will no more justify you in an inglorious retreat from them, than it would justify David in the orders he gave to desert Uriah the Hittite, to say, Why went

(2.) We are all obliged in our places to do our utmost for the carrying on of this work, something more than by our prayers.

[1.] Let us do what we can to bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end. Let our conversation in every thing be such as becomes the gospel of Christ, strict, and universally conscientious, that they who will not be won either by the word of the ministers, or the rod of the magistrates, may be won by that. We must study to be not only blameless and harmless, and without rebuke, but exemplary in every thing that is virtuous and praise-worthy. Let our light shine before men, that they may be brought to glorify that name of God, which they have reproached and dishonoured. Let those who are masters of families keep up religion there, and put away iniquity far from their tabernacles. In all our conversation, let us witness against sin, and drive it away (if we cannot use any other means) by an angry countenance. It is our duty to tell our neighbours of their faults, between us and them alone, in any wise to rebuke them, and not to suffer sin upon them, lest we bear sin for them, and make ourselves sharers in their guilt. Let us do what we can to make sinners ashamed of their sin; were they brought to that, it would be an ingenuous and prevailing principle of their reformation. Let us have no fellowship with the works of darkness, but reprove them. Let us have as little fellowship as possible with the workers of those works, and so reprove them.

[2.] Let us do what we can to establish the just, to confirm those who are good in their goodness. Let those who fear the Lord speak often one to another for their mutual instruction, quickening, and encouragement; for the sharpening of one another's countenance, and the strengthening of one another's hands. Those who are not themselves engaged with

d 1 Pet. iii. I

ISAIAH li. 23.

-Which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over.

THE haughtiness and insolence of the proud oppressors of God's church and people, are here described, as the ground of the controversy God had with them, and of the kind designs he had concerning his oppressed people. Jerusalem was afflicted, her sons fainted; go, says God to the prophet, and encourage them, lay up cordials in store for them, against this time of need; tell them the Lord Jehovah, the God of all power and grace, is their Lord and their God; tell them he owns them for his people still, and will undoubtedly plead their cause; tell them he will take, nay, he has taken, the cup of trembling, that bitter cup, out of their hands, which during their captivity they have been daily drinking of, and they shall no more drink it again, shall know no more of the hardships and terrors they have so long suffered; nay, tell them withal, that though they must forgive their enemies and oppressors, and not meditate revenge, yet God will reckon with them; tell them that the cup of trembling shall be put into the hands of them who have afflicted them, who have trampled upon them, and tyrannized over them, who said to their souls, Bow down, that we may go over so the text comes in. The Babylonians, their cruel task-masters in their captivity, shall be called to an account for the violence done to Sion; and Babylon's destruction by the Persians, shall be more terrible than Jerusalem's was by the Babylonians.

Now observe here for encouragement,

1. That there is a people in the world who are God's own people. Such there have been, are, and

will be to the end of time; they are his by choice, his by covenant, called out of the world, and distinguished from it, such as approve themselves obedient subjects, and faithful friends and well-wishers to his kingdom among men. To them he still says, as here to Israel, (let them take the comfort of it,) I am thy Lord, the LORD, and thy God. They have taken the Lord for their Lord, to rule and govern them, and he will be their God, to make them happy. All that he is in himself, and in his promises, is made over to them, and settled on them. God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Let this people then be our people, and this God our God.

2. There is a cause depending between the people of God and their enemies, and has been so ever since the enmity was put between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent." The children of God, who are born after the spirit, have been hated, and envied, and persecuted by the children of this world, the children of the wicked one, who are born after the flesh. And we are not to think it strange; the servant is not better than his Lord, nor can expect better treatment.

3. While this cause is depending, the people of God may have a cup of trembling put into their hands; may be in great frights and confusions, and ready to give up all for gone; fearing continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy; as it is described herebefore in this chapter. Providence gives them some cause to fear, and then their fears prevail more than there is cause for, so far as to bear down their faith and hope in God; and it is "their infirmity," perhaps too much the infirmity of some at this day. When Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, my God has forgotten me ;* My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God,' she drank