TO understand this Text in its aptness to excite your promo­ting a Reformation of Man­ners; we must consider the occasion of these Words, which you'll find in the foregoing Verses, v. 22. Christ healed a Man possessed with a Devil, who had deprived him of both Sight and Speech. The Hand of that Enemy is sometimes great in Bodily Diseases, and when they come by his immediate Agency upon any Person delivered up by God to en­dure statedly such Effects of his Power; so far, and so long, that Person is said to be possessed with the Devil, who is Commissioned thus to vex and hurt him. In this Condition the Man was [Page 2] brought to Christ, who not only remo­ved the Diseases, by restoring his Sight and Speech, which was a Cure; but therein he overcame the resisting Power of the Devil, and expell'd him; so that he could no longer have access to the Person as his own priviledged Place, to make him Blind and Dumb: which con­notes the Devil's Agency in this Disease, and Christ's Conquest over him in his healing the Diseased Person. V. 23. And all the People were amazed, and said, Is not this the Son of David? This Miracle filling them with amazement, induceth them to receive Christ as the promised Messias: q. d. Who should he be, but that Rod out of the Stem of Jesse? Pro­phesied of Isa. 11. 1. 10. Matth. 21. 6. Could any below him perform what we have seen and heard? What more Mira­culous can the Messias do? The Power of God would never work such a Mira­cle to favour an Impostor; and no Power below what's Divine, could pos­sibly effect it: And seeing his Doctrine agrees with the Old Testament; and these his Works are so plain a Testimony of the Spirit to his being sent of God, [Page 3] he must be what he declares himself, viz. The promised Christ.

THE Pharisees not able to deny the Fact, attempt to enervate the Inference the People made therefrom. V. 24. But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, this Fellow doth not cast out Devils, but by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils: q. d. We grant there is a power more than Humane, in what this Man hath perfor­med before you, but it's a Diabolical Power this Work is owing to; and it's to serve the Purposes of the Devils, and under the Conduct of their Prince, that this Contemptible Man, unworthy of any Name, is employed even in what you are so amazed at. Therefore instead of thinking him to be the Messias, you ought to conclude him a grand Impo­stor, and reject him as such, and the more for these Infernal Assistances you see afforded to him.

THIS was a Conclusion too malici­ous for an Apology from meer Igno­rance, which with what our Lord ap­plieth to these Men, V. 31. 32. gives a probable Reason to conclude, That the Sin against the Holy Ghost is a wilful [Page 4] ascribing to the power of the Devil, those evident Miracles wrought by the Holy Ghost in Testimony to Jesus being the Messias, that so it might be concluded, Jesus was not the Christ, but an Im­postor.

IT'S no wonder, that it's impossible to bring such as commit this Sin to Repen­tance, and consequently to obtain Par­don, because they hereby deprive them­selves of the advantage of Miracles to subdue their Unbelief; yea, they em­ploy them to harden themselves in Infi­delity against him, who is exalted to give Repentance, and deliver the Will of God to Mankind.

OUR Lord Jesus answers this wretch­ed Assertion, by detecting its Weakness, Falshood, and Impossibility▪ and there­by justisies the Peoples Conclusion from v. 25. to 29. Not to mention his Rea­soning, v. 27. from their Childrens Pra­ctice, the principal Argument is thus drawn ab impossibili.

SATAN must be a designingly wilful Destroyer of his own Kingdom, if Christ did cast out Devils under his Conduct, and by his Virtue, which was [Page 5] a thing of which Satan who was such a Self-lover, and had so great a Reach, could not possibly be guilty. No, the Devil is too wise not to understand his Interest better than thus, especially in a Case so obvious, and so nearly con­cerning himself.

OUR Saviour to clear the force of this Argument, declareth,

1. THAT God and the Devil have two very distinct Kingdoms, which are Constituted, Ruled, Supported, and Propagated by Ways, and in a manner extremely different, V. 26. If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then can his Kingdom stand? Here is one Kingdom, viz. the Devils, v. 28. But if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come among you: This is the other Kingdom, viz. God's Kingdom.

2. THERE is in this World so fixed a War between these two Kingdoms, that the one grows upon the others Ruines.

3. THE way of Christ, and the Fen­dency of his Doctrine, and scope of all his Attempts, were utterly to overthrow Satan's Kingdom, and advance the King­dom of God.

[Page 6] 4. SATAN's Kingdom was effectually weakned, and the Kingdom of God ad­vanced, and enlarged by all that power which Christ had put forth in this and all other Miracles.

5. WHATEVER Christ did contri­bute by his exerted Power to the De­struction of Satan's Kingdom, was in a way of force and violence upon Satan, and not with his Consent.

ALL these things are implied in v. 26. 28. and most expresly v. 29. Or else how can one enter into a strong Man's House, and spoil his Goods, except he first bind the strong Man, and then he will spoil his House. The Sum of Christ's Plea is this, it's impossible the Devil who is a Being so sagacious and experienc'd, should wit­tingly help me to offer violence to him­self, and thereby enable me to force him out of his Throne, rescue the Prey out of his Jaws, pluck down what he hath so studiously erected, defeat his chief design, and advance God's Throne and Interest, upon the obstructing whereof Satan is constantly and maliciously in­tent. These are things so inconsistent, that without inveterate Malice they can­not [Page 7] be surmized. Nay, I am so far from working Miracles by the power of Beel­zebub, that it must be evident to every unprejudic'd Person, they are wrought by the Power of God, in whose interest I am so entirely engaged, and which I hereby subserve.

HAVING given you this account of the Matter our Blessed Saviour is treating of, I shall consider the Text; He that is not with me, is against me, and he that ga­thereth not with me, scattereth abroad. Herein several things seem designed.

1. AN inforcement of the forecited Argument. q. d. Satan is so far from concurring with me in my design, or yielding me assistance by his Power, that he would employ his Skill to support what I am casting down, he would neg­lect no Method to pull down what I am building up: And instead of favouring my Attempt, his Power would be enga­ged against it; the utmost Strength pos­sessed by him, he would be sure to ex­ert, to obstruct Mens Faith in me, and not to induce them to believe; he would prove me an Impostor, instead of at­testing my Commission. Who then can [Page 8] surmize that my Miracles are wrought by any virtue derived from him? Seeing he must be against me, if he be not for me.

2. ANOTHER thing designed is to assert, That the Lord Jesus is the Head of God's Kingdom in its present Oeco­nomy.

THIS is evidenced by the alteration of the Terms; for in a strict connexion with the foregoing Passages, the Words would run thus; He that is not with God's Kingdom, is against God's King­dom. But instead thereof, they are, He that is not with me, (the Christ) is against me; to denote, that the Administration of God's Kingdom is committed to Christ God-Man the Mediator. q. d. Legislation, Dominion, Judgment, the Care and Disposal of all Persons and Things which appertain to the Divine Kingdom in this World, I am entrusted with; to me they belong: The Govern­ment is upon my Shoulders, Isa. 9. 6. I am the King, Zech. 9. 9. and the Interest of the Deity among Mankind, is lodg­ed in my Hands; and therefore Mens adherence to God's Kingdom, is de­termined by their adherence to me, [Page 9] to whom the Authority therein is de­legated.

CHRIST considered abstractedly as God, is of the same Essence with the Fa­ther, and so originally possessed the Kingdom of God as Creator, in the same very respects as the Father did; he had the same absolute Royal Dominion, and Rectoral Authority was essential to him without a Delegation.

BUT to Christ as Mediator, this King­dom which refers especially to the Re­covery of Fallen Men, and the Govern­ment of them as redeemed, is given as a Reward: Joh. 13. 3. Jesus knowing that the Father had put all things into his Hands. Joh. 5. 22. 27. For the Father judgeth no Man, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son: And hath given him Authority also to execute Judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Matth. 28. 18. All power is given me in Heaven and Earth.

THIS is that Kingdom which was e­rected to reduce Apostates to a subjecti­on to God, against whom they had re­belled; this as Wisely, Justly, Faith­fully, and Perfectly administred by Christ, shall be delivered up after all [Page 10] Men have been Tryed at this Redeemer's Bar, and the Equity of his Procedure is solemnly vindicated, 1 Cor. 15. 24. 2 Thess. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10.

A due Consideration of this King­dom, as in Christ's Hands, and as it is his Kingdom, would evince his Divi­nity, as well as his Mediatorial Admini­stration: For were not he truly God, he could not know, and influence so many Minds; Direct, Inspire, Uphold, De­fend, Restrain, Succeed and Accommo­date such a Multitude of Persons, in such variety of Exigencies, at the same time, in different Places, and judge the Secrets of all Men at last.

IT would also force Mens acknow­ledgment of a Gospel Law, without which the Notion of a Gospel Kingdom would be in many respects incongru­ous; and a judicial proceeding upon Sinners, as Believers, or Unbelievers, Penitent, or Impenitent, were impossi­ble: For by the Law of Innocency, the Penitent believing Sinner would be as infallibly condemned, as he who is a believing Penitent.

[Page 11] NEITHER would it be such a diffi­culty to comprehend how an Obedience short of legal Perfection, is acceptable at a Redeemer's Bar, as a Condition of a Sinner's possessing the Effects of that Re­deemer's Righteousness; for his Righ­teousness being the sole meriting cause of those beneficial Effects, the Impetration of them is confined to his Obedience, which was more than adaequate to the Law of Innocency; and so there is no room left for our meriting by our Obe­dience to the Gospel, which is the Rule by which Christ only applieth the Bles­sings purchased by himself: But yet if that Gospel do not entitle us to those Blessings upon our compliance with the Conditions whereupon it offered them to all Sinners, and exclude not them who refuse to comply; then Christ's Gospel Kingdom is a meer Physical Kingdom, wherein Benefits are no Motives to Du­ty, nor Danger a Disuasive from Sin. Gospel Pleadings, Perswasions, and Au­thority, have no more place with, and are as improper to them, as to the raging Sea, or hardest Stones; the influence of Consideration is totally excluded, and [Page 12] some are haled to Heaven by meer exter­nal Power, without any regard to their voluntary subjection to the Gospel; and others thrust into Hell, without any re­spect to their wilful refusing of the Re­medy, and self-hardening against re­peated Calls, and the Grace offered by the Redeemer. Such thoughts could scarce be conceived possible to one who ever read the Holy Scriptures, unless an oc­casional obscure Passage must govern a­gainst the whole and plain scope of the Bible; where a Rectoral Administration towards fallen Man in order to his Re­covery, is so constantly expressed, and our Saviour is found designedly to call this so very often by the Name King­dom.

SHOULD any Sinner object, If I should be cast into Hell from under the Gospel, I shall be so dealt with because the Curse of the Law of Innocency lies against me only as a Fallen Sinner. I an­swer, That Sentence took hold of you as Fallen Sinners; but with that, there shall be a sorer Destruction for refusing Christ, and rejecting the Mercy of God, which offered you a Freedom from that [Page 13] first Condemnation: And that very offer of Deliverance upon Gospel Terms, the earnest Pleadings of Christ with you to accept it, his Complaints of your refu­sal, his Threatnings of sorer Punishments to excite your Minds, his laying your continued and aggravated Ruine upon your wilful Disobedience, and for that as Judge Condemning you at last as un­relieved, do fully demonstrate, that Christ's Gospel Kingdom is a Rectoral Constitution adapted to Subjects capable of Moral Government, notwithstand­ing your Apostacy; and that by these Methods joyned with his assisting Grace, he was treating with you as such, in or­der to your Salvation.

3. A third thing designed by the Text, is a distribution of all Persons into A­bettors of, and Contenders for Christ's Kingdom on the one side, or the Devil's Kingdom on the other. q. d. All are with me, or against me, as the Head of the Gospel Kingdom; and he that is not for me, is against me, and for my Com­petitors: They who gather not with me, i. e. they who do not under my Conduct assist and propagate the Divine [Page 14] Interest, which I am managing, such scatter abroad, i. e. they oppose the In­terest of God, and in conjunction with Satan they exalt his Dominion and Pur­pose. None are Neutrals, each is enga­ged and suitably employed.

FROM the Text in connexion with the foregoing Verses; we have ground for these following Observations.

1 Observ. THERE are two Kingdoms, with their several Interests, in opposition and contest against each other in this lower World.

THE one is a Kingdom of Light, the other of Darkness; the one of Truth, the other of Error; the one administred by Holy Laws, the other by Diabolical and Carnal Maxims:—The one a King­dom of Love and Peace, the other of Enmity, Cruelty, and Discord. The En­couragements in the one are Rational, Spiritual, and Heavenly; in the other, they are Vain, Sensual, and Earthly. As the one prevaileth, Men become Just, Kind, Temperate, Humble, Pious, Hea­venly-minded, and adorned with every Grace; as the other obtaineth, Men be­come Unjust, Malignant, Intemperate, [Page 15] Proud, Impious, Earthly-minded, void of every Grace, and Universally vitious. The voluntary Subjects of the one King­dom, are Men Sober, Regular, Useful, Good, and truly Religious; the Sub­jects of the other are all either Wild, Ir­regular, Mischievous, as well as Unuse­ful, Bad, Idolatrous, Profane, or Irreli­gious: These Kingdoms, so extremely opposite, are in perpetual War, one grow­ing upon the others decay, as the one prevaileth, the other loseth ground; Peace is impossible between them, yea, a Truce or Cessation cannot be admitted for a moment, tho the Struggles some­times, and in some Places, are more vi­sible than in other.

2 Observ. THE Rulers of these Con­tending Kingdoms and Interests, are Christ God-Man our Mediator on the one part, and the Devil consider'd Collect­ively as the Head of the Apostacy on the other part. The Lord Jesus in the Hu­mane Nature opposeth Satan, and In­vades the Territories he long possessed, and erects his Throne where his Seat had been.

[Page 16] THE Devils severally under whatever Conduct the Superiority in Order, Power, or Office among them doth ad­just, do oppose Christ's Attempts, se­cure their own Conquests, defend the Degeneracy introduced by them, pro­mote Man's Hostility against Heaven, closely guard their Prisoners, and reco­ver whatever of their Image or Domi­nion Christ at any time impaireth. Sa­tan is the Ruler, with whom Christ stands Competitor in every Age.

3 Observ. ALL Men are divided into two Parties by their adherence to these two opposite Rulers, in their respective In­terests and Designs.

THE one Party is for Christ, and the Purposes he pursues; in this are included all Good Men, and whatever good they do, especially of a Publick Nature: These under the Conduct of Christ, ad­vance what he is building up, and extir­pate what he came to destroy; they Im­bark with him, and fight under his Ban­ner, from an Approbation of his Design as very agreeable to their own renewed Temper.

[Page 17] THE other Party includes all such who yield up themselves to Satan's Con­duct, these have an Aversion to Christ and his Interest, from their own corrupt Nature, and no less a Fondness for those things he attempteth to destroy. By this their vile Disposition the Devil easily actuates their Faculties, and employs their Powers, and so they become his ready In­struments, tho they see not that its he em­ployeth them.

4 Observ. ANY Man's Neutrality be­tween these engaged Parties, and oppo­site Rulers and Designs, is altogether impossible.

EVERY Person is in the one King­dom, or the other. By Nature all Men are in Satan's Interests, and under his Power, Eph. 2. 2, He ruleth in the Chil­dren of Disobedience: By Grace we are delivered from Satan's Power, and tran­slated into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, Col. 1. 13. Christ by the Gospel invi­teth and presseth all to side with him; but until they obey his Call, they re­main in Satan's Kingdom, they conti­nue on his side in this War, and hin­der what they can the success of Christ's [Page 18] Attempts, against the Devil's Usurpa­tion.

SOME please themselves with a Con­ceit, that they are not of a Party with the Devil against Christ, tho they are conscious they are not engaged on Christ's side.—But the Vanity of it is apparent from this, that their very sur­mized Neutrality is really their being a Party with Satan; for they were origi­nally bound to be God's Subjects, because they were his Rational Creatures, and tho by their Rebellion they forfeited the Immunities of his Kingdom, yet an ob­ligation to continue his Subjects, ceased not thereby.

NAY further, Christ by his Merits having procured a Restoral of their forfeited Priviledges, if they will re­turn; and offering his Assistance to en­able them to return, he now claimeth their Allegiance, both as God's Crea­tures, and as his own Redeemed.

IF therefore after this Claim, Men shall refuse to joyn actually with Christ, and to give up themselves to him, must not every Man confess they continue in actual Rebellion? Keep they not [Page 19] still in the Enemies Camp, whilst they List not themselves in Christ's Army?—Are they not there? How­ever they lag or hide, 'till they come over to our Lord, whom God hath sent to bring them back to him?

ALL of you therefore have reason to assure your selves, if you are not actually and explicitly for the Lord Jesus, you are against him; yea, the Devil is your Leader, you and he have the same com­mon Interest, and drive on the same De­sign. These words, He that is not with me, is against me, prove what I say, and should awaken us to deep thoughts when we neglect an explicite Dedication of our selves to Christ; and also whenever he hath any Momentous Concern in agi­tation in our Day.

5 Observ. IT'S in vain for any Man to profess to be on Christ's side, or harm­less to his Concernments, if he do not in his place contribute his utmost to serve Christ in promoting his Interest, and pursuing the Designs he is carrying on against Satan's Kingdom in this World.

[Page 20] HE that gathereth not with Christ, scat­tereth abroad, and is not with him, but against him: By these words he determin­eth that they who are indeed with him, must be active in his Cause, for he will use their Service, tho he do not need it: They must gather with him, or he deems them to be his Enemies, and adjudgeth them Obstructors of his Work, if they statedly neglect to contribute to it, ac­cording to their Power.

NAY, in his account, if his Interest grows not by their Labour, they are Ac­cessory to its Detriment; and they sub­serve the Devil's Purposes, tho they own it not.

SOMEWHAT all Men are doing and pursuing as the scope of their Lives, which fails not to be pernicious, if it be not profitable.

IT is our Redeemer's Demand, that Men be entirely and heartily devoted to his Cause, which will not fail to command their Time, and employ their Talents in his Service. Idle Intenti­ons and unactive Wishes, are not suf­ficient Testimonies against Hypocrisie in their professed Regards for him, [Page 21] nor fit Evidences that they are Sin­cere.

AND as vainly do Men hope to escape the Odium of being of a Party with the Devil, because they do not professedly abet his Cause, or to be unhurtful to Christ's Designs, if they make no direct and deliberate opposition thereto.

ALAS, you'll find your State will be determined by more close and substantial Indications. Our Lord who requir'd Peter to evidence the Truth of his Love to him by feeding his Sheep, Joh. 21. 16. expects our Discipleship shall be instan­ced in a vigorous advancement of his Conquests.

WE must not only cease to provoke him by our own Enormities, but we must help on the Reformation of others, we must increase his Kingdom, by lessening the number of Rebels; and vindicate it, by restraining Mens profligate Disobedi­ence, as far as we are able.

THIS is gathering with Christ, which if we omit, we do one way or other promote Mens Rebellious Disobedience, which is scattering abroad; whereby we make Christ's Building more difficult, [Page 22] and less probable, we make havock in his Heritage, pull down what he is so studious to erect; and disperse into the open Wastes (where Satan presides) those whom Christ is bringing into his own Enclosures.

THE Subject would require my En­largement on each of these Observations—But one Discourse will not admit a prose­cution even of this last to its full extent. Therefore I shall satisfie my self to have laid a Foundation for what may be most properly directed to your assistance; as Societies attempting the Reformation of Manners, by putting the Laws in Execution against sundry open Immoralities.

WHAT can engage you to, or encou­rage you in this Undertaking; yea, or oblige you to Diligence and accurate Circumspection in the prosecution there­of, like this? In this your Attempt you have Christ for your Head, and his King­dom and designs to promote, and this in opposition to Satan and his Kingdom: Also, that to neglect it, would state you on Satan's side, and for his Interests, in opposition to Christ, and his Kingdom.

[Page 23] HOW forcible is any one of these Considerations? How much more all of them conjoyned? As indeed they be in favour of your Blessed Enterprize: And this I hope to evidence in the following Propositions, which are founded on what I have already spoken to, and will lead me to reassume, and improve those Ob­servations I more hastily passed over.

1 Prop. THE Reformation of the Man­ners of Mankind, is a considerable part of the design of Christ, as Head of the Divine Kingdom in this World.

BY Reformation of Manners, consider­ed as the adaequate design of Christ; I mean the turning of Men from Sin to Holiness. This, I confess, is beyond a Restraint to such flagitious open Enor­mities which limiteth your Undertak­ing.

AND therefore I shall say little of Reformation, but under a respect to such open Evils. Our Lord finds the World grosly depraved —Serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, Tit. 3. 3. The gratificati­on and fulfilling of Carnal and Spiritual Lusts, make up the Sordid Employment of Apostate Sinners, and this oft in [Page 24] open defiance of God's Authority. Some are Mad upon their Idols, Jer. 50. 38. Some are Blaspheming the Sacred Name of God, from their Contempt of, and Enmity against him. Some profaning his Sabbath and Worship: Others destroy­ing the Harmony of this Lower State, by violating the Laws of those several Rela­tions Men stand in to each other; some guilty of Blood, others of Filthy Forni­cation, and Adulteries, or defrauding their Neighbours, or Lying, Slandering, and the like.

The prevalency of such Crimes argueth the Devil's Empire, and as far as they obtain he Reigneth in any place, Rev. 2. 13. But when these be Reformed, his Seat so far is overthrown, and the Kingdom of Christ gets ground.

To reform a World so corrupt, was very becoming a Holy Jesus, but possible only to an Almighty Saviour, when all that was in it is Lust, 1 Joh. 2. 16. and the whole of it is so easily, agreeably, and deeply fixed in Wickedness; yea, in that wicked one, who introduced, excites, and maintains this Corruption, [...], 1 Joh. 5. 19.

[Page 25] AMONG other designs for the Glory of God, and the Benefit of the Creation, Jesus Christ resolveth the Reforming of Menkind; He came to bless us, in turn­ing every one of us from his Iniquity, Act. 3. 26. For, well knowing Impunity would make no Man happy, whilest his Temper and Course of Life is wicked, he will Bless us by Reforming us; and to effect this, was a considerable part of his Errand; the same is attested 1 Joh. 3. 8. For this Purpose the Son of God was ma­nifested, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil, i. e. Unrighteous Wicked Works; these Devilish Bands wherein Satan held Men, Christ came to un­loose.

The Methods Christ took to reform the World, are greatly adapted to this end, as well as expressive of his concern­edness to accomplish it; consider his GOSPEL, That teacheth us to deny Un­godliness and Worldly Lusts, and to live Soberly, Righteously and Godly in this present World, Tit. 2. 11, 12. And if you will examine this as the Standard, it will be found, that the highest professi­on of Religion with a bad Life, and the [Page 26] greatest Pretences to Grace, where Vices are indulged; make up no more than a dead Image, and will prove no other than Damning Hypocrisie.

THE same Gospel-light will convince you, that the Doctrinal Opinions which tend not at all to promote Practical Godliness, are but vain Notions; the most plausible Speculations which obstruct it, are destructive Errors; yea, the most Orthodox Conceptions which influence not to a Sober Behaviour, will eventu­ally increase Mens Condemnation. Nor can any Man wisely examine whether his Knowledge, Faith, or Love, be saving, or not saving, unless he try them by the Efficacy they have upon the scope of his Practice; for they will never prove Sa­ving in that Man whom they fail to Re­form.

OUR Blessed Lord did not only a­dapt his Doctrine to our Reformation, but he also suffered Death to remove the Obstacles to it, and to procure the Spi­rits Operations for restoring the Divine Image, and turning Men from their wicked Course.

[Page 27] HE spoiled the Devil of his Power to that Degree, that he cannot compel Men to Transgress, as otherwise he had been able.

WICKEDNESS he put to the Blush by his own Holy Example; and provid­ed a Barier against it, by the Authority enstamped on both Magistracy and Mi­nistry.

NEED I add, his continuing (if not a new implanting) such Notices and In­stincts in Fallen Men, as render them Shy, Asham'd, and Afraid of gross wick­edness, till they be hardned by Custom; and even by this scarce ever brought so far, as not secretly to disallow their own Vitious Courses, and approve the con­trary.

NOT to mention his Providential Re­straints, and sensible Rebukes to flagiti­ous Evils, nor his clear Explication of God's Laws; let us note how full and plain an Account he hath given us of Heaven and Hell, whereby Sin and Holiness must be far enough from be­ing Indifferent Matters to Immortal Souls; for as either of them do Go­vern, we shall be Eternally lodged in [Page 28] the one or other of those two places, Rom. 2. v. 7, 8, 9, 10.

AND for what is this, and the rest which our Lord hath done? But that Profaneness and Immorality may be Ex­pelled, and true Religion, Justice, Truth, Love, Purity, and Temperance might again prevail, with an Acknowledgement of himself as the great Means of all. How happy will this Earth-be, when his Kingdom overcomes? That is, when this designed Reformation Universally prevaileth—The Natural, as well as the Moral Effect of it will be a stop to the Miseries, and the Improvement of the truest Welfare of Mankind.

2 Prop. ALL they who promote the Reformation of the Manners of Mankind; are so far with Christ and his Kingdom, and against the Devil and his King­dom.

THIS determineth whom they follow as their Leader, and what End they live to. Whenever you put a stop to Sin by Advice, Reproof, or Restraints, you are opposing what Christ came to de­stroy; and when you contribute to the Advancement of Piety and Virtue, you [Page 29] concur with Christ in what his Heart is set on. You may say, We are Workers together with Christ, 2 Cor. 6. 1. and this in what he will own at last. Nor need you fear opposition therein from any besides the Devil, and such as he can in­fluence: You fight under Christ's Con­duct, and this is the truest Indication that you are his Subjects and Followers; yea, if you do it heartily, and for right Ends, it's an Infallible Evidence you are his Disciples in Sincerity. To Proselyte Men to a Party among Christians, will be found no such Testimony of your being for Christ, as this Faithful Endea­vour to Reform Mens Ways.

3 Prop. Every Man in his proper Sta­tion ought to be for Christ, in promo­ting the Reformation of others. To take the Sense of this, you may observe the extent of the Obligation; it's all Men, each should do somewhat; the Measure and Limitation of Men's Attempts, that's to be according to their proper Station; the kind and degrees of Service in this Work, must be accommodated to your Abili­ties and Opportunities. Any Neglect is culpable, utmost Endeavours will be [Page 30] accepted, and Order must be maintain­ed.

THIS is part of the Charge that ac­companies every Office of Divine Ap­pointment. Magistrates have their Power and Honour, with this affixed thereto, That they be a Terrour to Evil Doers, and a Praise to them that do well, Rom. 13. 3, 4. The Supreme Magistrates should enact Laws against Immoralities and Pro­faness; and all in Power must execute the established Penalties impartially, and conscientiously.

MINISTERS are appointed by Re­proof, Threatnings, Instructions, and Censures to disswade from all Iniquities, and prevent them what they can; and a Woe is denounced expresly against such as omit this, Ezek. 33. 6. It were easie to prove that Masters are to restrain Im­piety and Vice in their Servants, and that it's incumbent on Parents to use all dili­gence to subdue Transgressions, and en­courage Vertue in their Children.

THIS Charge is so evident, that one would think a claim to Honour and Duty as by Divine Appointment, were disingenious in any in these Superiour [Page 31] Relations, who disregard that Reform­ing Work, for which God appointed the said Honour and Authority—Nor is it any Wonder that Providence oft permits the Inferiour Correlates to de­spise and disobey them who are over them, when Superiors suffer Vice in them to go unrestrained.

BUT the Obligation of such Superi­ors to Reforming Work, is too obvious to insist on; the Scruple may appear greater among Equals, and such may be ready to excuse themselves by saying, I am a Private Man, without Power over my Neighbour, and therefore free from all Obligations to endeavour their Reformati­on. To such I answer, Either Reforming others is not Christ's Interest, or thou according to thy Station, art obliged to do it; and thou mayest innocently ob­struct the Amendment of others, or it's thy Duty to promote their Amendment: For the Text is thus extended, Whoever is not for me, is against me, and who ga­thers not with me, scatters abroad.

TRUE, The Magistrate's Sword is not thine to do execution thy self, but Christ by the Magistrate calls to thee, [Page 32] as Exod. 32. 20. Who is on the Lord's side, let him come unto me. It is the re­corded Fault of the Common People, as well as of others, None calleth for Ju­stice against Atrocious Criminals, Isa. 59. 4. and you may as well say, None except the Magistrate, should help to ap­prehend the flying Murtherer; as that no other should assist to Convict the Drunkard, Fornicator, Sabbath-profa­ner, and Blasphemer. If there were no Laws to punish these Offenders; thy pri­vate seasonable Reproof, and forbearing their Company, would be thy last Re­lief.

BUT when there be Laws against such; nay, when the Laws expresly en­courage Private Mens Prosecution of such, what can be pretended to exempt you from doing so small a thing as in­forming against Transgressors, that they may be reclaimed, and the Land acquit­ted by their Punishment?

THE same Providence that led thee to behold that Offence, (if private Re­proof recover not the Delinquent) di­ctates to thee, thou art that Person de­signed to embitter his Sin to him by [Page 17] Publick Punishment, and so prevent the Contagion by his indulged Exam­ple.

The Ends of good Laws are frustrated, if private Men must not Convict Offen­ders; for what great use are our Laws against Vitious Practices and Profane­ness, if Multitudes may offend, and none be Punished, unless that they per­petrate their Villanies in the sight of some Zealous Magistrates, which are not many? Moreover, the Obligation of Private Persons to restrain Sin as they are able, doth result from that Duty of Love you all owe to your Neighbours, Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart; thou shalt in any wise re­buke thy Neighbour, and not suffer Sin up­on him. Thy Neighbours Amendment is the End, rebuking him is the Means:—But what is meant by this Rebuk­ing? No less than that just Severity which is sufficient to reclaim him be used, when gentle Reproof hath been tried in vain:—For you may as well say, to reprove him by Word is no Duty, if you may stop at that, when you can lawfully bring him under Methods more severe. [Page 18] For to rebuke him includes the last as well as the former:—Nor is it less hatred to deny him the help of Legal Punishments, to affright him from 'em, than to grudge him the assistance of a few words of thine own.

BUT to issue this Point. I put it to your Consciences, is not every Private Person obliged to do all which he hath both Right and Ability to do, for the de­throning of Satan, advancing of Christ, serving his Country, and saving his Neighbour? Will any Man deny this?—Now Reforming others by judici­ally prosecuting the Flagitious, tend to these good Ends, and that the meanest among you have a Right and Ability to Convict such Criminals, which is a fit means to the Reformation, you cannot pretend: What Pretence than will the obscurity of your Condition yield a­gainst the convicting them, being your Duty, as well as others, especially when any Man's giving Testimony for Convi­ction, is but as a Private Man, and the Law authorizes you therein, as much as if you were a Magistrate; therefore you are as much obliged to Witness, as any [Page 19] Magistrate: And you have no Plea a­gainst engaging herein, but what might command a Blush; for he that pondereth the Heart sees, and will force your selves to own, that you omit it, because you secretly favour Satan's Empire against Christ, you make a light account of the evil and danger of these Sins, you are under a Cursed Indifferency for Christ's Interest, and prefer your Gain, Ease, and Safety above them: Nay, you hate your Brother, and are well content, that Satan's depraving and destructive ways should abide and prevail.

THEREFORE lay by your Excuses, and say no more, Am I my Brother's Keeper? Why should I intermeddle?

4 Prop. EVERY Faithful Christian, and Follower of Christ, must and will subserve Christ in the Work of Reformation.

MY Text will bear this Connexion, He that is for me, will gather with me: If any Man be truly devoted to me as his Head and Leader, he will concur with me in promoting Religion, Truth, Righ­teousness, Temperance, and Purity, up­on the Ruines of Irreligion, Profane­ness, Falshood, Injustice, Drunkenness, [Page 20] and Debaucheries. And, my Friends, this is so far from Contingency, that there is a necessity, and a certain futu­rity of it from the very Constitution and Essentials of a true Christian, even such, that he cannot be a Christian indeed, who statedly, and altogether omits it.

For, 1. IT is implied in our Dedi­cation to Christ. We become Christians by our Dedication to the Lord Jesus, and that Dedication can amount to no less than that we do renounce the World, Flesh and Devil, and will fight under Christ's Banner, and stand by his Cause and Interests against Satan and his Usur­pations, which interpretatively is not only, that the Devil and the Flesh shall not govern me in particular, but that as far as I am able, they shall govern no other Person; they shall have no place whence I can expel them, I'll adhere to Christ, and vigorously follow him in all just Attempts for their Restraint and Extir­pation.

YOU wear a Christian Name, and you own that you yeilded up your selves un­to the Lord Christ by Covenant-engage­ment: How then is it possible, if your [Page 21] Hearts were right, to hear his Name Blasphemed, see his Day Unhallowed, his Laws trampled on, and what he came to destroy, maintained with defiance, and you connive at Mens doing it with­out controul, when you have the happy advantage of good Laws to put a stop thereto.

TO reconcile this to Christianity, you must reckon that Profaness and Sacri­ledge are part of your Christian Vow; or that Hypocrisie in vowing is allowable, or else that in giving up your selves to Christ, you truly intended no more than what may be thus expressed. Oh thou my Saviour! To thee I yield up my self, that by thee I may get Safety, and Life Eternal; but I am not so much as to of­fend a wicked Neighbour, or at all to expose my self in resisting thy Enemies, avouching thy Interests, or pleading thy Cause: I must be exempted from all La­bour, Expence, and Hazard, in follow­ing thee as my Leader; I will be Neutral in thy Undertaking to reform the World, and excepted from pursuing that Design. With these Limitations, I'm content to give up my self to thee, this is all I [Page 22] mean by my Christian Dedication, and if therein thou insistest upon more Service on my part, I disavow and renounce that Dedication, and shall shew that I do so by my indifferency and neglect, when­ever thou puttest me on helping forwards the Work of Reformation.

WHATEVER you may farcy, thus must your Foederal Transactings with Christ be interpreted, if you esteem your selves unobliged to restrain other Mens Oaths and Enormities.

BUT how are you imposed on by Sa­tan and your own Carnal Minds, if you can imagine that this is to be Baptized in (or into) the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Matth. 28. 19. or that a good Conscience answers to no other De­mands in that Baptism which saveth, 1 Pet. 3. 21. Read the Gospel again, and you'll soon find it Condemneth such a heartless and deceitful sense of de­votedness to Christ, a sense which every Gracious Soul must abhor; yea, com­mon Ingenuity will detest, as Ungrate­ful and Base, and too mean for a Christian to offer, or a Blessed Redeemer to ac­cept. Every real Saint will reckon him­self [Page 23] separated to Christ, and that Christ hath thereupon an absolute Propriety in him, and that it's by the utmost Services this Propriety is to be acknowledg'd; his Language is the God whose I am, and whom I serve, Act. 27. 23. To me to live is Christ, Phil. 1. 21.

2. A Regenerate Nature impels a Chri­stian to further the Work of Reforma­tion.

EVERY true Christian is partaker of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. by this he is denominated the Regenerate Seed of Christ, because he is in a degree tru­ly conformed to Christ in his Temper and Inclinations, and thence he loveth and abhorreth things correspondently to what Christ doth: Upon which very account the reforming designs of Christ are lovely to the Genuine Christian, and all daring wickedness is detested by him; yea, a Zeal for the restraint of Sin, and for promoting Holiness, is become his Natural Instinct; and therefore he suf­fers in the Criminal Exorbitancies he be­holds, and must offer a violence to him­self when he testifieth not his dislike a­gainst open Wickedness, as well as his [Page 24] approbation of what's virtuous and be­coming.

HOW impossible then must it be to such a Man to have a prospect of Re­forming the flagitious and a certainty of restraining their open and daring Vil­lanies, and yet neglect the means which are in his Hand to effect these things?

YOU must suppose the Judgment, Conscience, Will and Affections of this Man altogether unactive; nay, himself to move statedly against his strongest biass, and Divine Influences to yield, nor excite any Holy Propensions, if Sloath, or Carnality can reconcile him to indulge what he so abominates, and to neglect what his Heart is so intensly bent for.

MOREOVER, you must conclude this Man to pray in a deceitful manner, and to counter-act his own Petitions, for he daily prayeth, Thy Name be Sanctified, and yet suffers it to be Blas­phemed; Thy Kingdom come, and yet countenanceth Rebellion: Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven, and yet conniveth at the daring violation of God's plain Commandments, and is con­tent [Page 25] the Earth shall be an Emblem of Hell for Villany, Matth. 6. 10.

A good Man from the instinct of a Holy Nature saith, Rivers of Water run down mine Eyes, because they keep not thy Laws, Ps. 119. 136. And is it possible he should refuse Labour and Expence to ease himself of what he thus heartily complains. What costs him Floods of Tears when he cannot prevent it, must force his utmost endeavours to subdue it.

WHENEVER you determine that a Regenerate Person may neglect to help forwards the Work of Reformation, you must account him to frustrate his greatest hopes, which are, That there shall be a new Heaven, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 13. He must be reckon'd free from the impress that every Nature is under the power of, viz. an abhorrence against what is destructive to it, and an aptness to propagate it self.

3. THE Reforming of the World is one great design of Christ's Discipling and ga­thering Men into his Kingdom.

[Page 26] THIS is the Charge they receive, this is a great part of their Trust, and they must be treacherous to him, and unfaith­ful to that Trust, if they omit to enligh­ten, cleanse, and reform the World to the utmost of their Capacity. Christ as the Head of the Humane Nature, is en­gaged in a War against the Devil, to res­cue Sinners out of his Power, to divide the Spoil, Isa. 53. 12.

HE might have employed Angels a­lone in this Contest; but he will put an Honour upon sinful Men also in the Af­fair. He could have furnished all the Men he employ'd, with the Dignity, Force, and Authority of Princes; but for the generality he makes use of a few mean ordinary Persons, that Satan's De­feat, tho assisted with the Scepters of most Kings, might be more tormenting to the Devil, and more Honourable to Christ. Of this number assisting Christ in this War is every real Christian reck­oned, and upon his efficacious Call, he enrolls them his Subjects, and by making them Christians, he lists them Soldiers; not only to fight their own way to Hea­ven, but to assist Christ's Cause, and ex­tend [Page 27] his Conquests as far as they are a­ble, 2 Tim. 2. 4.

VERY often they bear their Testimo­ny for Christ, by enduring only a Fight of Afflictions, Heb. 10. 32. and thus over­come by Dying, Rev. 12. 11. The more qualified among them defend the Faith by Arguments as well as by Sufferings, 1 Tim. 6. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 7. But the sum­mary Trust of each Christian, and at all times, and by all due ways, is no less than this, viz. That in defence of the Laws of Christ, they strive against Sin, Heb. 12. 4. (which must oft be other Mens Sins, or their Blood had not been in apparent danger to be shed for striv­ing against them.) And that with the Doctrine of Christ, they promote Piety, and Virtue, which that Doctrine fails not to produce, where-ever it is sincere­ly received.

AT some Seasons Christ gives an ad­vantage to his Followers, by wholsome Laws, and Godly Magistrates—And when it's so, can you think their own safety suspends their Trust? Or that he who was to die a Martyr, for testifying against Sin, must not oppose Sin by en­deavouring [Page 28] to put those Laws in execu­tion which are enacted against it, such a supposition argues their Quiet is dange­rous to the Church in a worse sense than it hath been as yet accounted, viz. that it relaxeth all Obligations on private Christians to endeavour faithfully the Worlds Amendment.

THEY that govern themselves by this Notion, would scarce have been Martyrs for any concern of Christ in a Day of Suffering; for if Idleness, or a Scoff be enough to deter from resisting Sin, surely a Flame, a Gibbet, or loss of Estate would prove sufficient to make them commit those Sins, and Condemn all Holiness.

HAD former Martyrs lived in our Days, that Zeal which governed them to die for Christ's Truths, and Laws, must have compelled them now to act vigo­rously for his Laws, and never cease to adore that Grace which afforded them the Protection and Assistance of Magi­strates in so acting for Christ against Sin and Satan.

PUT these three Heads together, and judge whether he deserves a Christian [Page 29] Name, who will not engage on Christ's side to reform the Nation, and whether there be any danger that a true Israelite can refuse it, unless his Dedication prove a nullity, his Regenerate Principle loose its power, and the design of his Christi­an Calling be disappointed?