CHAP II
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
CHAP.
II.
Producing one dictate, or rule of right reason, respectingmora lity, allowed by mankind; and paffing current through the world, without one negative voice, except onlyfromthosemen, whoſe reasons are utterly captivatedby their lusts.
§1 . SUCH is the degeneracy and deep corruptionof fome men's natures, by ill education, baſe company, and longcuſtom in fin; that abandoning andcastingaway thebonds and restraints of right reason, as well as religion, theygivethe full ſcope and libertyto their lufts and paſſions, reckoning their chief happineſs to confiſt inthe gratification and fatisfaction of their ſenſitive appetites.
They affect a ſoft, delicate, ſenſepleaſing life; reckoning it the only real heaventobe defired and fought by them ; and any other heaven beſide that tobe merely notional and fantaſtic.
This is the element they defire to live and ſport in, fitly deſcribed, Tit. iii. 3. by ferving divers lufts andpleasures. Hence itcomes to paſs, that theirbo dies ſerve only to be ſtrainers for meats and drinks, and channels for filthy luſts to ſtream through. In this ſtream, their mafculine agility melts away, and all publichopes and expectations from them, are totallydefeatedanddisappointed. Appetite is the maſter, and reaſon the ſlave.
Theſe men (if it be fit to callthemmen) havebid defiance to their own reaſon, and denounced a war against their own faculties; as if reaſon had licensed and privileged (which it neverdid, nor can do) their worse than brutiſh luſts, to act to the uttermostoftheir abilities, without anymanner of restraint overthem.
§ 2. But notwithstanding the preſent captivityof reaſon, underuſurpinganddomineering luſts, ſo long as it hath apermanentand fixed root and principle in their nature, it is poſſible itmay recoverits throneand empire overthem again; as many a imprisoned king hathdone, and probablywoulddo in a very thort ſpace, if thoſe prejudices they have conceived againſt its government, were but once fairly confuted and removed; which certainly is not hard to do.
They are of opinion, that the lawsof reaſon are too ſevere, Arict , and rigorous; that they too much abridge them of their pleaſures and delights ; and that the government of fenſuality beingmore eaſy, favourable and indulgent, is for that reaſon, muchmore eligible and defirable.
Whereas right reaſon deſigns not the abandoning ofall plea
The reasonableness of Perfonal Redemption.
fores,but only the exchange of them, and that exchange every way toour great advantage.
The only hurt or lofs, (if this mustbeaccounted fo) anyman can ſuſtainbythe exchange of لا pleaſures made by reaſon and religion is this ; that they deſign foryou the rational, ordinate, and congruous delights, both of aman, and of a Chriſtian ; in lieu of the lower, baſer, and filthy pleaſures of a beaſt or a devil .
Theypropoſe toyou rules about pleaſures, farmore ſafe and grateful, without any culpable ſeverity, or auſterity inthem.
Reaſon would only regulate and legitimate your delights, and
religion ſanctify them ; that you might much more purely and ſweetlyenjoy them, without either ſhame arising from their turpitude, or fear from their guilt. The rules of both are large and indulgent enough; and, keeping within their lines and limits, men ſhall find fuch generous, manly, and agreeabledelights, as are nowhere tobe enjoyed withoutthem.
§3. To make this evident, I ſhall poftulate and prefume but one thing, and that a thing ſo immediately true and ſelfevident, that in the firſt naked propoſal of it, it naturally and eaſilylets itſelf into everyman's underſtanding, andnofooner asks, but gains the approbation of right reaſon. And that ſelf-evident principle, which I take for granted, no man of found intellectuals will quarrel or difpute, is this :
That good which comprisethand involveth the true honour, profit, andpleasure of the wholeman, which is more congruous to human nature, and preservative of it, is to be preferred in our estimation and choice, to that which only yields a lowerdegree ofpleasure, without profit or bonour, to the basest part of man : andthat lowand tranfient pleasure it dothyield, attended and followed withmany present andfuture miſeries, destructive to the wholeman.
The ſeveral parts of this complex propoſition, caſt ſuch a light and glory roundabout them, that I cannot imagine, but as foonas it ſhallbe propounded to the judgment and cenſure of found reaſon, it must immediatelygainboth its approbation and applause.
Butbecauſe reaſon in manymen is ſo beclouded and diſturbedby lufts andpaſſions, that it can neither receive things orderly, nor judge of them truly and impartially ;
I conceive it needful, to demand the cenfure and judgment of their reaſon, upon the particulars compriſed in this general complex propofition; that ſoweighing and examiningthem one by one, we may try, whether found reaſonhath any valuable exception againstany part, or member thereof.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
§ 4. And, first, I take it for granted, that no man's reaſon will deny, or demur to this propoſition ; thatgood is tobe choJen, and evilto be avoided : for the will is naturally carried to that which is good, as to its proper object, andshuns thatwhich is evil. And that is naturally good, which is convenient and agreeable to nature; and that naturally evil, which is diſconvenient and hurtful to nature. Sothat the choice of good ratherthanevil is the natural choice of the will ; and this choice of thewill is founded upon the law of felf-preſervation, withoutwhich the creation would quicklydisband, and no particularbeing couldbe long preſerved.
And not only the will of rational creatures chuſeth the good, andrefuſeth the evil ; but every ſenſitive creature is endowed with a natural faculty, to difcern the onefrom the other, in order to the preſervation of their beings. You find it in the ſmallest and moſt defpicable animals , and therefore cannot denyitunto man, the nobleſt and most excellentbeing on earth; exceptonly in his non-age, before he hath lived to the years of difcretion .
Children, indeed, in their infancy, have no knowledge todifcern betweengood and evil; Deut. i. 39. But men, notdifcerning good from evil, or chuſingevil rather thangood, aremanydegrees beneathbabes.
Secondly, Nor will reaſon hefitate at allupon this particular, That there are degrees of goodness found among pleasures and delights ; fome are better than others. Every life is not alike pleaſant and happy. To deny this, is to make the moſt defpicable worm, or fly, equally happy with the moſt excellent creature upon earth. And beſide, for the conviction of ſuch debauched perſons as I am here arguingwith, it will follow clearly from the denial of thattruth, that they reallygain nothing to themselves, by all their extravagant and licentious courfes ; there being altogether as much pleaſure and felicity, ina temperate, chaſte, and fober life, as there is in thatbeaſtly life they live; and their very departure from the way of fobriety, to embrace the ways of debauchery, moſt clearly evinceth tothe world, that they do notthink all pleaſures equal; butthat theydo confidently expect to find more pleaſure and fatisfaction inthe way that they chuſe, than theydid in the way of fobriety, which they have left and abandoned.
Thirdly, I cannotbe ſo uncharitable to think, but the relicts of reaſon in the moſt profligate perſon. will readily admit and grant, That wherever the good of pleasure, profit, and honour, meet together, andjointly conspire to make the life of a man more comfortable, and more durable upon earth ; that is much
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
rather to be chosen, than a mere transient touch offenfitivepleafure, accompanied with preſent regret, andfollowedwith the ruin of estate, name, honour, foul, and body.
He that thinks otherwise, is more fit for a bedlam, than a rational and fober confutation.
Theſe things therefore I take for granted, they being innate and ſelf-evident notions and principles in allmen.
§ 5. The wisdom and goodness ofGod are clearly difcernible, in leaving ſuch principlesof reaſon, and common notices of confcienceinmen afterthe fall, as promptthemnaturallyunL to juſtice, chaſtity, temperance, andfobriety ; and do ſtruggle within them, to reſtrain them from, or recover them out of their immoralities ; from which many advantages do reſult.
For herebyGod is acknowledged all the world over ; men every where ſhewing by theſe things the workofthe lawwritten intheir hearts ; Rom. ii. 15 .
Hereby kingdoms and commonwealths are preferved ; this being the commonbridle, which restrains the outrageous lufts of millions of men, which elſe would turn the world into confufion ; though here and there ſome have fliptbridle, and run into all exceſs of riot.
We juſtly admire the providence of God, in butting, bounding, and reſtraining the boisterous ocean, bymountains, rocks, and ſands : and as much is he to be admired, in curbing the inſatiable lufts ofmen, by theſe innate principles of reaſon and confcience.
Herebythe way to fin is inſomemeaſure barred and ſhut up; and the further progreſs of finners, already entered into it, ſtopped and denied.
For actions done with regret, cannot be ſuppoſed tobedone ſo frequentlyand furiouſly, as if theywere done without any regret ; or that the way to fin was ſmoothed to them, with a fullconfent and approbation of their whole ſelf.
For moſt ſinners find in themſelves what Medea did, Video meliora, proboque, Deteriorafequor Theyboth fee and approve that which is better,though they
• follow that which is worſe.'
In aword, theſe relicts of reaſon and confcience in men, are fithandles to catch hold on, for the turning them about from Satan untoGod. When Paul reaſoned with Felix, about temperance, righteouſneſs, and judgment to come, his words laid hold upon theſe handles, and gave him ſuch a ſhake, that the text faith, Felix trembled. And, O! that this might take hold ofthe reaſon and confcience ofevery profane reader, and produce ſome more excellent andlaſting effect uponhis foul.
§ 6. Thefe notices and dictates of reaſon and confcience in
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. men,being ſo neceffary, and manyways beneficialto themſelves, as well as tothe whole community; it must therefore be a horrid villainy to war against them ; and, by violence, to fupprefs and enflave them to their own lufts .
This is, as if acompany of deſperate ruffians, mould affault innocentandnoble travellers upon the lawful road, bind and gag their guides, whilst they rob and proſtitute them.
Thus deal brutith lusts, (headedby the devil) with the affections of men, travelling along the lawful roadof duty, under the conduct of reaſon and confcience. For this villainy it was, that theapoſtle tells us, " The wrath of God was revealed from " heaven against the Heathens, whoheldthetruth in unrighte- " ouſneſs," Rom. i. 18.
They had the light of natural reafon and confcience in them, the inbred notions of good and evil ; which raiſed theirhopes or fears, according tothe nature and quality of their actions.
* Confcia mens ut cuiquefua eft, ita concipit intra Pectorapro facto ſpemque metumquefuo.
Ovid.
But their headstrongboisterous luſts, rudely andviolentlybrake inupon reaſon andconfcience,imprisoned andbound them ; as Zedekiah did the faithful prophetJeremiah, for the diſcharge of his dutyto him.
For this, " the wrath ofGodwas revealed " from heaven against them." And indeed, wecannotwonder it ſhould be incenſed against them, as it will against all that act like them.
For into ſuch a ſin as this, manydireful aggravations fall in together, to make ita monſtrous and prodigious fin.
Here we find an high andcauſeleſs abuſe of thenobleft natural faculties and powers of a man's own soul. What harm have thy reaſon and confcience done thee, by ſtimulating and perfuading thee to temperance, chaſtity, and fobriety ; or by ſtruggling and Ariving with thee, to prevent both thy prefent andfuture ruin ? Do they lay their faithfuland loving hands of reſtraint upon thee, whenthey ſee thee running headlong into deſtruction ? Anddo theydeserve for this, andnoworse than this, to be thus trampled under foot, and abuſed ?
Ask thyſelf, man, Whether thou thinkeſt thyverydog deſerves tobe hanged, for opening at midnight, andtaking that thief by the throat, who came to cut thine ? Anddarest thou use thoſe noble powers within thee, worſethan thou wouldst uſeadog?
Humanity would blush at ſuch an action.
Theſe vile abuſes of thy reaſon andconfcience carryalſo in them anhorrid contemptofGod; whoſe patent, officers, and * As each man's foul of good or ill is confcious,
So hope for good he feels, but fears for vice.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
delegates, thy reaſon and confcience are. Thoſe certainly fin with anhigh hand against the Lord,who make nothing to controul, kick, and lay in irons, his commiſſion-officers,appointed for no other end, but their preſent and future felicity.
Nay, Suchmen as theſe are found in a plain confederacywiththe devil, and that in a moſtunnatural and horrid plot againsttheir own fouls andbodies. Their light and their lufts are ſtrugglingtogether.
Sin and confcience are combating one with another ; theone to deftrey, theother to fave the man. Dareft thoujoinwiththy luſts againstthy light, andthink not to be broughtin as a party andconfederate with the devil ? The ſtoppingofthe mouth ofthy confcience,fullyproves both thy confent and concealment : and if proved conſentand concealment make thee nota party and acceffary, it will be very ſtrange.
Plutarch, inhis bookdeAmicitia, relates a ſtory of aPerfian, who ſcuffling inthe darkwith amagician, againstwhomhehad agrudge; and notbeing able to conquer him himself, called uponhis friend who stoodby him with anaked ſword ready to ſtrike, but durſt not, for fear of killing his friend: thePerfian cries out,
Strike, strike, however thy ſtroke fall : thruft • at an adventure.
I care not, ſo thou kill the magician, • though thoukillhim through mine own body.'
Much ſo ſtands the cafe here, with alittle variation. Thou art furioufly ſet upon the enjoyment of thy lufts ; nothing will quiet thee, but their fatisfaction. Thy reaſon and conſcience will oppoſe it, and ſtruggle hard with thee, to withhold thee from them. But thou careſt not, inthe rage of thineinſatiable appetite, tho' thy reaſonand confcienceboth fall in the combat, rather than thy lufts ſhould notbe ſatisfied.
Oh, what brutes ! yea,what monsters,canfinturn men into!
§ 7. Ifmen have notquite extinguiſhed both reaſon and confciencebydebauchery, and divefted themſelves ofhumanity; onewould think, no motion or addreſs can poſſibly be . made to them more fair, rational, and inoffenſive,thanthis, that they would be pleaſed but to confult themſelves, and hearken to the native and unconſtrained voice of their own reaſon and confcience, beforethey engage themſelves in matters of great concernment,uponwhich both their preſent and eternalwelfaredo depend; or, if they are already engaged, yet atleast to lend an ear to what they have to offer for their recovery, before it be too late.
Youare not here urged and preſſed, to hearken to the voices of your enemies that hate you, or to the counſel and ad-
VOL . VIII.
Y y
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. viceof mere ſtrangers, who know not your affairs ; but to hearken to yourſelves, tobe your own arbitrators andjudges, to draw up the award with your own hand.
It is a strange and an hard caſe indeed, and ſcarce to be ſuppoſed, that men hould fall out with themselves at ſuch a rate, that they had rather hear the voice of their mortal enemy the devil,and liften to his advice and counſel,than to the voice of their own reafon and confcience .
We all account it madneſs inBalaam, tobeat his innocent afs, and threaten to kill her for thunning the ſword ofthe angel, that oppoſed his paſſage in a finful anddangerous expedition; but how manyuſe both their reaſon and confcience worſe than affes, becauſe they dare not go forward, and defperately carry them intothe very midst of dangers and miſeries, which they plainly foreſee, andwarnthem of?
What injuries have thy reaſon or confcience done thee, man ? What affronts have they given thee ; that thou wilt not ſuffer them to ſpeak, or offer one word, though never fo pertinent, feafonable and neceffary ? There is a civility due from us to mere ſtrangers ; yea, to ſtrangers of an inferior rank and quality.
The leaſt we can do, is to give them a patient hearing ; and not interrupt them, whilft they ſpeak nothing but what is rational, pertinent, and neceſſary, eſpecially if it be to their own good and advantage.
It is ſtrange, men ſhould not think themſelves as much obliged topay civility and reſpect to their own reaſons and confciences, as they daily pay tomere ſtrangers and inferiors. Givethem but apatient hearL ing, and they will both tell thee ; We are thine appointed guardians, and have our com- •miffion from God, to adviſe, direct, and counſel. We are thy faithful and inwardfriends ; yea, we are thine ownſelf, and the beſt and nobleſt part of thyſelf too. Atour hands
•Godwill requirethy blood, ſhouldſtthou periſh by our filence ⚫or treachery. We cannotbe both filent and innocent, both
• are in ſuch hazard. Do not abuſe us, and ſtop our mouths ⚫for crying out, ſtop, ſtop; when we fee thee departing from ⚫the paths of honesty, honour, and fafety, and taking the • direct road to that gulph of miſery, in which few (if any) footſteps are found of fuch as return again, that are far en- ⚫gaged therein.
• Suffer us but fairly and friendly to expoftulate the matter with thee. What defign can we have against thy true in- ' tereft; whilst thine, and ours, cannot poſſiblybe oppofite;
• or disjunct, butone andthe fame intereſt?"
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
Well then, that which thy reaſon and confcience offers, being ſo weighty, fair, andjuſt, and what thine own intereſt plainly lies in ; I will not be ſo uncharitable, as to ſuppoſe thou wilt either refuſeto hear, or reject what they have to ſay, in the following cafes and debates.
CHAP.
III .
Wherein the true cenfure andjudgment of right reason and conScience, are given upon profane ſwearing, and blafpheming then me ofGod: As alſo their replies to feveralpleas offered in defence or excuse thereof.
G §1 .
OD bestowed on man the noble faculty ofſpeech, (a peculiar favour and privilege) for two ends and uſes.
(1.) That by the uſe of his tongue, he mayglorify his Maker, and found forth the praiſes of his Redeemer.
(2.) That we might thereby be able to communicate our minds one to another, in all our neceffary and convenient intereſts and concernments,whether civil or religious.
This member, (the tongue) tho' ſmall in quantity, is found to be mighty in efficacy; and whilſt it iskept under the rule and government ofgrace, the words that drop from it, are as apples of gold in pictures of filver.
Gracious words are bread to feed, andwater to refresh the fouls ofothers. A fanctified tongue is as a tree of life.
Converſion, edification,and confolation, are the delicious fruits of the lips.
Butthe tongues ofſomemenbreak looſe from under all the laws and rulesboth of reaſon and religion, and ferve only to ventthe froth and filth, which abound in theheart, as in a fountainof pollution: For out of the abundance of the heart, themouth Speaketh.
The tongue moves lightly, butfalls heavily; it strikes ſoft, but woundsdeep.
It would not ſpare men of the highest rank and eminence, did not the fear ofcapital punishments teach them ſo much wit, to keep their tongues in prifon, thatthey may keep their bodies out of prifon. And though, for this reaſon, they are afraid of making too bold withthe names ofmen ; yethaving no fear ofGodat all, they fall upon his great anddreadful name, toffing it to and fro, without any reſpect or reverence.
Auguſtus prohibited the common uſe of his name, leſt it ſhould grow too cheap and vile, by the common and needleſs uſing of it.
The name of Mercurius Triſmegiſtus was very fparingly uſed, becauſe of thegreat reverence the people had
Yy2
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. for him.
The very Heathens were afraid to pronounce the name oftheir greatGod, Demogorgon, as fearing the earth wouldtremble, when his name was mentioned. How doth the reverence ofHeathens to their falſe gods, expoſe and ag. gravate the impudenceof profefſed Chriſtians, intheir vile in. dignities and abuſes ofthe great and terrible nameof the true
God! Yea, they not onlytake uphis name vainly and raſhly into their lips, but audaciously inſert itby a profaneoath into theircommon talk, as that which gives the grace, lepor, and ornament totheirdifcourſes. Some havenotbeen ashamed to ſay, whatpity isit, thatfwearing ſhouldbe a fin ;which gives ſogreat a grace and ornament to language ?
§ 2. Swearing bythe name of Godin a righteous cauſe, when calledthereto by due authority, is not only a lawful, but a religious act, founded upon, and directedto thehonour of God's omniſcience ; whereunto there is a folemn appeal made, inevery affertory and promiffſory oath, and a religious acknowledgmentmade him, ofhis infallibleknowledge of the truth or falſehood ofour hearts, and allthe ſecrets ofthem,be theynever ſo involved andinward things.
The lawful uſe andend ofſwearing, is to put an end to all ſtrife, andto maintainboth equity and charity among men; the twobonds and ligaments ofhuman ſociety. Now, it being the ſovereign right and property of God alone, infallibly to fearchand try the hearts and reins ofmen, hethereby becomes the infallible witneſs to the truth or falsehood of whatthey ſpeak ; ſo that in every ſuch lawful oath, there isnot only afolemn appeal, and in that appeal, an aſcription of glory to his ſovereign omniſcience; but therein (implicitly at least) they put themselves under his wrath and curſe, in caſethey ſwear falſely, which makes this action moſt ſacred andfolemn,
Thedeep corruption of human nature by the fall, makes theſe appeals to God under a curſe neceſſary.
For it is ſuppoſed, though men be falſe and deceitful, yet there is fome reverence of a Deity, and fear of his wrath and curſe, left unextinguiſhed in their fallen nature.
So that men will rather ſpeak thetruth (though to their own shame and lofs) thanby invocating ſoglorious aname in vain, put both foul andbody under his wrath and curſe.
By which it appears what an aw fuland folemn thing an oath is; and that every good man, notonly takes a lawful oath with holy fear andtrembling, becauſeofthe folemnity ofthe action ; but rather ought to chuſe death, thanto ſwearprofanely, becauſe ofthe horrid maliguis tyof the action,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
§3. Thecontumely and malignityfoundin profaneoaths, appears in that terrible threatening, " The Lord will nothold
" him guiltleſs that taketh his name invain:" A threatening, altogether as juſt and righteous, as it is ſevere and terrible.
This fin admits ofdegrees of guilt. Itis highly finful to ſwearby thename ofGod lightly and vainly in our common diſcourſes, though the oath beclipped, and halffuppreſſed, or diſguiſed inthe pronunciation of it; which argues fome remains of fear and ſhame in the finner.
• It is yet worſe (and indeed notajotbelow blafphemy) to ſwear by any othername, than the name ofGod: For info doing, they attribute to a creature the fovereign and incommunicable property of God, ſet that creature in the very throne ofGod, and inveſt itwith the regalities ofhis omniſcience, to knowour hearts, andalmighty power, to avenge the wrong upon us, done tohimself, as well as to men, by falfe-fwearing.
But to break in rudely and blafphemouſly upon the ſacred andtremendous name of God, with bold and full-mouthed oaths, ſtriking through his facred name with direct contumelious blafphemies ; this argues an heart, from which all fear ofGod is utterly expelled and banished.
Yetſomethere are, grown up to that prodigious height of impiety, that they dare afſfaultthe veryheavens, and diſcharge whole vollies ofblafphemies against the gloriousMajestywhich dwells there. They are not afraid to biddefiance to him, and challengetheGod thatmadethem, todo his worſt. Theydeck andadorn (as theyaccount it) their common difcourſes with. bloodyoaths, and horrid imprecations ; not reckoning them genteel and modiſh without them.
It conſiſts notwith the greatneſs oftheir ſpirits, to be wickedat the common rate.
'They are willing to let the world know, thatthey are none of thoſepuny, filly fellows, thatare afraid ofinviſiblepowers, or ſo much cowards, as to clip a full-mouthed oath, by fuppreffing, or whisperingthe emphatical founding fyllable; but think anhorrid blafphemy makes the moſt ſweet and graceful cadency in their helliſh rhetoric.
They glory, that theyhave fully conquered all thoſe troubleſomenotions ofgood andevil, virtue andvice, heaven and hell, tothatdegree, that they cannow affront the divineMa jesty to his very face, and not fear the worst he threatens in hisword against their wickedness.
Iftherebe aGod, (which they ſcarce believe) theyare reſolved, audaciously to provokehim to givethem aconvincing evidenceofhisbeing. Andif he be (as they are toldhe is)
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. rich inpatienceand forbearance, they are reſolved to try how far his patience will extend, and whatload ofwickedneſs it is capable to bear.
Iftheir damnationbe notyet ſure enough, they will do their utmoſt to make it fure, by breaking down the only bridge wherebytheycaneſcapedamnation: Imean,bytramplingunder their feet the precious blood and wounds of the Son of God, and imprecating the damnation ofhellupon their own fouls, as if it ſlumberedtoo long, andweretoo flow-paced in its motionstowards them. Iam ofopinion,there arefew Chriſtians to be found on earth, crying ſo often, Lord, pardon ;
Lord, fave me ; as ſome wretches among us cry, (Itremble to Speakit!) Goddamn me ; the devil take me.
Hereinthey feem toenvythe happiness of the devils, and damned wretches in hell, and endeavour (as one ſpeaks) to fnatchdamnation out of God's hands before the time; as if theycouldnotbe ſoon enough among their roaring and howling companions, in the midst of the everlasting burnings.
Eut, why ſuch haſte to be perfectly miferable ? The very devils themſelves deprecate torments before their time, though you imprecatethem. Yourmiserymakes haſte enough towards you; you neednotquicken it, orthus run to meet it.
I am perfuaded, that if the bars ofthe bottomleſs pit were broken up, and devils ſhould ascendinhuman ſhapes, none among themwould be found haftening uponthemſelves the fulneſs and completeness oftheir misery, as you do.
It is a truth, though a ſtrange one, that it is much easier to find, thanimaginemenupon earth profeffing Chriſtian religion, yet in ſome reſpect funkbelow thewickedness ofthe diabolical nature, by making damnation boththeſubject of their drollery, and the object oftheir very wishes and defires. Some greater mafters of our language, may more lively andemphaticallyexpreſs the horrid nature ofthis fin ; but excuſe me, reader, ifI believe, no words or thoughts can meaſure the height or depth ofthis monftrous abomination...
§ 4. Such contumelious language as this (eſpecially when grown modiſh or common) cannot but be a most high and dreadfulprovocation ofGod, and ſuch an one as will certainly bringdown hisdeſolating vengeance, not onlyupon the heads ofblafphemers themſelves, butupon the ſtates and kingdoms that connive at, or tolerate them.
We read, Zech. v. 2, 3, 4. ofa flying roll, full ofcurſes, the length thereof twenty cubits, and the breadth thereoften cubits ; which ſhall enter into thehouſe ofthe ſwearer, remaininthe midst ofhis houſe,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
andconfume itwith the timber and stones thereof. Blafphemy andprofane ſwearing, are like barrels ofgunpowder laid underthe foundation of manygreat and noble familes, many of which are already blown up, and laid in ruins by this fin, and many more ready to follow, as foon as the juſtice ofGod ſhall give fire to it.
And (comparativelyſpeaking) itwere happy ifthe miſchief endedhere ; but, alas ! it cauſes God to commence a quarrel with the whole land ; Hof. iv. 2, 3. "And becauſe of oaths,
"the land mourneth."
You find in Ifa. xxxviii. what it was that brought that unparalleled deſolation upon that famous and flourishing city of Jerufalem, and the whole land of Judah; " forJerufalem is ruined, andJudah isfallen ; becauſe
" their tongues and their doings are against the Lord, to pro- " voke the eyes of his glory."
But, alas ! fcripture-threatnings fignify ſcarce ſo much with theſe men, as the predictions of the weather in an almanack ; and, which is ſtrange to confider, the very execution of ſcripture-threatnings before their eyes, will not terrify them from thisinhuman wickedness ; even theſe alſo are laughed to ſcorn, or eaſily forgotten.
Oh! thatGod wouldfet ithomewith power,upon the fpirits of all that are in power, to takeſome ſpeedy and effectual courſe, to removethis accurſedthing, this iniquity tobe puniſhed by thejudge ; one (and a chief one too) ofthoſe direful provocations ofheaven, to which we owe a ſpecial part of our national infelicity at this day. We all acknowledge, that all profperity and fucceſs depends upon God; if fo, reaſon will readily own, that itmust be therefore the intereſt of kingdoms and commonwealths, to prevent and restrain thoſe impieties, which ſo audaciouſlyprovoke and incenſehis wrath . As much is this their duty and intereſt, as it is the intereſt of a courtier to avoid offences ofhis royal maſter, the king, upon whoſe favour his honour andprefermentdepends : Oras it istheduty of the owner, to keep in that ox which is used to goring ; or cover that pit into which ſome have, and others of his family are like to fall : orcarefully andſpeedily to remove that gunpowder, which his enemies have placed underthe foundation ofhis houſe, to blow it up.
Both reaſon and experience will informthe rulers ofthis world, that profefſed rebels to theGod of heaven, are never like to make usefulſubjects in the kingdoms of men .
§ 5. Until public justice lay hold upon fuch offenders, Iet us trywhat cloſereaſoningmay effect, for their reformation.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
It ishard to imagine that men ofſenſe ſhouldſogenerally, and ſo far engage themſelves inthis courſe of profane ſwearing, and have nothingat alltoſayfor themſelves.
Ifthey have no reaſon at all, to offer injuſtification orexcuſe of what they do, they act the brutes, not the men, and are ſelf-condemned already.
It is a queſtion with me, whether the foul ofman, on this ſide hell, canfink ſo deep into the nature of a devil, as to fin becauſe hewill fin ; or to engage himself in a courſe offin, without any reſpect at all to ſome carnal intereſt, either ofprofit, pleaſure, or honour ?
The thiefhath a viſible temptationofgaintoallure him, or pinching neceffity, toinduce him. The liar is drawn in, to committhat ſecond ſin, tocover the ſhame and turpitude ofa former.
The adulterer promiſeth himſelfpleaſure in the fatisfaction ofhis lusts. Andthough men generally ſtand amazed to think, what that temptation ſhould be, which prevails upon the ſwearer ; yet doubtleſs, ſomething there is he hathto plead in excuſe andextenuationofhis fault. Whatſoever itbe, let it be produced, and weighed inthe balance ofright reaſon ;
Valeatquantum valerepoteft, Let it have its duevalue and confideration. And could I imagine any thing more likely to be theirinducements, than what I ſhallhere mention, Iwouldnot conceal them .
There are only four things, thatcanfallwithinthe compaſs ofmy imagination, pleadable by them, when ferioufly charged with the evil of the fact.
1. Some ofthem willhaply tell us, that they would not ſwear as theydo, if they couldgain credit towhat they ſay without it , but the incredulity of others, provokes them to add ſomanyoaths to their fingle affirmations.
2. Others ofthem will tell us, theyonly ſwear intheir paffion, when provokedby injuries received from others ; and ifmendid not wrong them, they would not wrongGod as theydo.
3. Somewillplead, that ſwearing is become modiſh, the badge and character ofa gentleman ; that it gives them reputationamongmen oftheir own rank and quality; and that they ſhall be looked upon as ſneaking fools, unfit forthe company ofgentlemen, ifthey could notdiſcourſewiththem in this dialect.
4. Andfomewillconfeſs thepractice is evil ; but that they have gotten ſuch an ill habit, and the ſin is become ſo cuftomary with them, that many times they know not whether they ſwear or no.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
I cannot imagine, nor (I think) they themſelves, whatelſe ispleadable in excuſe, or extenuation of this horrid fin : Let theſe that are produced, have a fair trial at the bar of reafon; and carryyourſelves towards this fin for ever hereafter, according to thatrighteous verdict yourſelves ſhallbe forcedto paſsuponit.
§6. To beginwith the firſt plea. You ſay, you would not ſwear as youdo, could you gain credit to your words without it. Weigh this question in the upright balance of thine ownreaſon, whether anywifeor fober man inthe world, will findhimself ever the more obliged to believe what you ſay, by the addition of blafphemous oaths and imprecations, to your plain and ſimple affirmations or negations.
I cannot think, that you yourſelves would give the more credit toany man, that ſhould profeſs his fincerity to you, by findinghim, inthat his very profeſſion, falſe and treacherous to his God.
Say, reaſon, doſt notthou take this for aſure truth ; thathe whomakes no confcience of being trite to God, will never makemuch confcience of being falſe to men ? For what is thatwhichgivesany man's words reputation amongwife and fober men, but the ſuppoſition of his integrity, and conſcientious fear of his deceit and guile ? Take away that, and with it you take awaythe credibility of allhis reports andaffirmations.
IfI lookupon the perfon thatſpeaks, asa man ofintegrity andconfcientious tenderneſs, I have a fufficientordinary fecufityof the truth of what he faith. But ifI lookupon him as a manof aproſtituteand feared confcience, that dares venture upon any fin ; a man, inwhom there is no awe of God, to produce veracity in his words ; thenmy reafonpreſentlyconcludes, that where there is no truth, there ought to be no truft: For truth is the very ground-work and foundation of truſt. Now, whattruth canwe ſuppoſe tobe left inthatman that ſticks not, upon any trivial occafion, tobreak afunder all theobligations ofa creature to his Creator; together with all thebonds ofkindneſs,his great and beſt benefactor hathbound himwithal ; and without any the leaſt injuryhe canpretend his Godhath done him, to fly in his very face with the most contumelious language ? Can we ſuppoſe any truth tobe in, or any truſt to be due to ſuch a man as this ?
Goodmen andbadare thus contradiſtinguiſhed,Eccl. ix. 2.
Him that ſweareth, and he that feareth an oath." A confeentious man is ſo afraid of an oath, that he would rathet
VOL . VIII,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. chuſetodie, than ſwear ſome kind ofoaths : And though he be fatisfied ofthe lawfulness ofanoath ingeneral, and of the matter of thatoath he ſweareth inparticular ; yet anholy awe and fear ofGodfills his heart, whenhe ſwears lawfully and neceffarily, left he ſhould fail in the manner of it, by notgiving that due reverence to the name of God, which ſo ſacred and folemn an action requires.
But from profane ſwearing, andblafpheming the name of God, everyman'sreaſon mayjuſtlyandplainly infer this conclufion; that the fear ofGod, isnotinthat man's heart. And where there is no fear ofGod, what truth can be fuppofed in him; or what truſtcan be due to his words or oaths ? But the more he ſwears, ftill the leſs reaſon all wife men have to believehim.
And Iam fure, the credulity offools adds little reputation to him.
This plea therefore, forprofane ſwearing, is altogether ſhamed, baffled, and cashiered, by the common reaſon of mankind, § 7. Call therefore tothe bar of reaſon theſecondplea, or apology, for profane fwearing.
Yousay, you fwear not, unless provokedby injuries men have doneyou.
This is ſo weak a plea for fo great a fin, that I wondermen are not ashamed to bring it into the court ofreaſon.
This is thetrueſenſe, and ſtrength of it : Myenemy hathabuſedme; therefore I will avenge the wrong my enemy hath done me, uponmybest friend and benefactor.
I challenge you to give but the colour, or shadow of found reaſon, why, upon any abuſe youhave received frommen, you should fallſo injuriouslyuponthe name ofGod, who neverabuſed or injured you, fince he gave you abeing, but hath always done you good.
Tell me, man, (ifthou have the reaſon of a manin thee) whatwronghathGoddone thee ? Wherein hath he injuredthee, that thou thus wreakest thy revenge upon him ? If an enemy have affronted you, reaſon would tell you, you oughtnotto take revenge for it, upon your friend, and beft benefactor.
Have you nonebut God to abuſe, whenmen abufeand injure you ? Can your reaſon comprobate and allow ſuch an action as this ? Satan inſtigates the corruptions ofmen to injure you ; and you fly in the face ofGod for it, whoſe laws feverely prohibit ſuch actions, and will avenge the injuries doneuntohim.
Speak no more therefore for ever, inthe wayofexcuſing the horrid finfulneſs of this fact againstGod, upon the accountof injuriesdone thee bythy fellow-creature
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation.
Thecafe isplainlydetermined, and caſt overthe bar of reafonwith contempt and abhorrence.
§ 8. Come we next to your third excuſe, or plea ; That fwearingisbecome modifb, andgivesyouagreat reputation among men of your ownrank and quality ; and that youshall be looked uponasſneakingfellows, unfitfor the fociety of gentlemen, if you did not discourse with them in their own dialect.
This apology for fin is ofno late date : Salvian mentions it as farback ashis owntime: Profane perſons then * thus pleadedforthemſelves, thattheywere compelled to be evil, leſt they ſhouldbe accounted vile.
Whetherthere beany weight in this apologyfor ſwearing, will quickly appear, now itis tobe laidin the balance oftrue reafon.
1. And first of all, letus confiderwhat makesatrue gentleman ; and whether profane ſwearing have any place in his true character and deſcription. † A gentleman, is one that ſprings fromfamous and renowned ancestors, and degenerates not from their probity and honour.
This is the man, whom the Latins call generofus, andwe, agentleman : Becauſe we ſuppoſeaman of fuch an extraction and education, more gentle, affable, and condeſcending to inferiors, andto keep a ſtricter government over his tongue and paffions, than rude plebians are wont to do. Upon this account, thepoet rightly obſerves, Quomajor est quisquis, magis eft placabilis ira,
Etfacilis motus mens generofa capit.
Men ofgenteel extractionand education, are perſons, whoſe paffions are ſuppoſed to move more gently than other mens:
And if at any time they be moved diſorderly, yet are they more placable, andfooner reduced, than thoſe of fordid and baſer ſpirits are.
It is virtue which raiſes and ennobles families at first ; for omnisfanguis concolor, all human blood is derived from, and equallytaintedbyAdam.
Nobler, and baſerblood, is an after-difference, made by virtue and vice among men. And as virtue firſt ennobled, and raiſed ſome families above others, ſo itwill still continue the line ofhonour in their pofterity :
And as their virtues ſhall increaſe, ſo will their honour proportionablydo.
Zz2 * Mali effe coguntur, neviles habeantur.
+ Generofus, nobilis, ex praeclaro genere ortus, qui a genere non deflectit.
The reasonableness ofPersonal Reformation.
Thecafe trulyandplainly ſtanding thus; it ismorally im: poffible, to make debauchery the proper badge and character ofgentility. Formenofeminency (abovethevulgar) are more obliged than they, to ſhun all baſe and fordidactions : And astheir honour increaſeth, ſodo their obligations to temperanceand fobrietyincreaſe, andfſtrengthen uponthem proporționably.
Itwasthereforea rightand rationalobſervationofHierome; Ifee nothing desirable in nobility, (faithhe) but this ; that fuck men are bound by a certain kind of neceffity, not to degenerate from, orstain the glory and honour of their renownedancestors. And the reason is strong andevident: For virtuebeing thatwhich firſt differenced theirblood from others, theyare obliged, by all the value theyhave for the honourof theirblood and families, to ſhun thoſe vices which ſtain that honour anddignity. And whatvicecandiſhonour and debafe themmore, than profane ſwearing ? For ifthe arms ofmany noblefamilieshave been reverſed, for treaſon againsttheking it is irrational to imagine, that treafon against the King of kings, ſhouldadd a new mark ofhonour: Andwhat isblaft phemy, but treaſon againstGod ? It is plain then, from the trueriſeandcharacter of agentleman, profane ſwearing neither firſt raiſed, nor canpreſerve andcontinue, but ratherblots andexpoſes their reputation and honour.
2. Though I am mostwilling topayabecoming deferenceto allperſons ofnoble and genteel extraction, yet, in faithfulneſs to their truehonour, I am here obliged to ſay, (and in faying it, I can offend no man that hath atrue ſenſe ofhonour) that their natural defcent can never givethem ſo much honour, as the vices I am here cenfuring will reflect ignominy and dishonour upon them. To be a flave of Satan, and your own lufts, is ſucha mark ofinfamy, as allthehonourableand illuftrious titles in the worldcan never cover. It isbetter to rife byvirtue tohonour, from contemptible parents,than by vice andprofaneneſs, togrowcontemptible fromhonourable parents.
It is your honourtohave many fervants at your command, obfequiouſlyattending a nod ofyour head, or a beck of your finger: But aſk your own reaſon, gentlemen, whether it be not a greaterdiſhonour, for you to attendas obſequiouſlyyourſelves upon every beck andnod of Satan, and your own lufts ?
Were your natural birth once ennobled bythe newbirth, you wouldbemorethanthrice honourable, gracewouldmake you more illustrious, than your natural extraction doth, or
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
cando. Or ifmorality(which isfar inferior to thathonour, andforwhichHeathens themselveshavebeen renowned in the Paganworld)didbut adornand beautify your converſations; though it cannot entitleyou to heaven, or ſecure toyou the gloryoftheworld tocome; yet it would make you ſhine in the eyes ofmen in this world, andtaking its advantage from yourhonourable extraction, make you differ fromperſons of aninferior rank, as ſtars of agreater magnitude and lustre.
I hope,gentlemenvaluing themſelves upon their honour, will notbeoffended ata ſharper invective than this, against thoſe vices thatdarkenand eclipſe theirhonour,bothin the eyes of God, as well as inthejudgmentofallwife andgood men.
3. Suppoſe what you ſay to be true, that fome profane gentlemenſhouldſcoffandderideyou, foryour fobercarriage, and decorus language, (things which ought tobe inſeparable from true gentility) Iwould in this caſe appeal to your own reaſon, why you ſhouldnot enjoyyour ownpleaſure in as full latitude and liberty, as they do theirs ? Theydelight in the dialect of devils; you, in pure and inoffenfive language.
If theywilldrink the puddled waters, andyou refuſethem for the pure chrystal ſtreams ; you have, tobe ſure, as much reafon(andathousandtimes more) to affertyour liberty to be virtuous, thantheyhave (orcan pretendtohave)a privilege to bevicious.
Andiftheywillbe offended withyou forthis,their offence isgroundleſsin themselves, andwillbe greatly advantageous toyou.
Foryou neednot doubt but you may findbetter companythantheirs any whereon this ſide hell. I remember that rational and excellent apology, which Tertullian made forthe
Chriſtians in his time against the Gentiles :
Wherein (faith. he) dowe offendyou, if we will notpartake with you in your delights ? Ifwe ſuſtain anydamage by ſuch our refuſal,
⚫the injurycan beonly our own : We reject your pleaſures, < andyou are not delighted with ours.'
Youwill ſhew yourſelves true andworthy gentlemen, in abandoning andrejecting (upon fo noble an account as this)all further unneceſſaryſociety with fuch gentile-men ; for ſo they deferve to be called, ratherthan gentlemen.
They boaft, indeedthehonour oftheir blood, whilst they trample the precious and invaluable blood of Chriſt, under their feet : They boaſt their eminency above the vulgar,whilftmean timethey labour vilely todebaſehimthat ſet them there.
Iam furethere is not adevilin hell, but isbynatureof a more honourableand illustrious houſe, than the proudeſt of
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. blafphemers.
Theyareangelsbynature, thoughdevilsbypractice.
They have little reaſon to boast of their original excel. lency, whichnow aggravates their misery.
Sindarknedtheir luftre, degraded them from their natural dignity; and ſo it willdotheirs alſo, that imitate devils intheir blafphemy and malignity againstGod.
4. Itmay as easily be proved as aſſerted, that tomake curfing, ſwearing,andblafpheming, the badgesand characteriſtical marks of a true gentleman, is the fouleſt blot and mark ofinfamy, which the malice oftheir enemies candeviſe toput into their eſcutcheons ; andſuch an affront, as ought tobe highly reſentedby alltrue gentlemen.
Should the moſt malicious enemy you have inthe world, fe an herald to deviſe a markof infamy for your coats ofarms, to make you ridiculous, and a by-word among the people ; he couldnever diſhonouryou at that rate,you thisway diſhonour yourſelves.
For ifdebauchery be both afferted and allowed to be the truebadge of gentility, then your own reaſon will infer, that all theancientepithets of gentility ought thereupon to bealtered. Andwouldthoſe gentlemen, thinkyou, take it well, tohavethe titles, and epithets of ingenious,worthy, honourable, and noble, changed into curfing, ſwearing, damning, blafpheming gentlemen ? You cannotbut fee the inconfiftency ofboth.
If, therefore, youwill adopt and wear the latter, you muſt either cashier and renounce the former, or tryto make the former conſiſtent with the latter, which Iam surethe moſt ingenious among you will findan hard taſk todo.
5. Ihumblybeg leave to propound one plain blunt queſtiontoyou, gentlemen. The matter of it istoo rational to be rejected, and letthat make atonement forthe bluntmanner of its propoſal.
And the question is this :
Queſt. Whether your reajon andconfcience befullyfatisfied, that whenyou die (as you know youshortly must), youshallthen appear before thejudgment-feat ofGod, in the quality andcharacter ofgentlemen ? Doyou verily thinkyoushallfindthe more favour there, for thefake ofyour noble descent, andbonourable extraction, or that yourgentilityshallmake an atonementforall your impiety ?
I anı perfuaded, gentlemen, you do not; you cannot think ſo.
You knowyou must appear before thatGod, with whom there is no reſpect ofperſons ; a God that will certainly damn the impenitent blafphemer.
The man muſt aſſuredlygo to
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
hell, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. And ifthe manbe damned, certainly thegentleman is in a badcafe.
6. In a word, I am paſt alldoubt, and fo mayyou too, that this genteelmode of ſwearing,drinking, andwhoring,which hathſpread fo far in this preſent infamous age, into Proteftant ſtates and kingdoms, is the very ſpirit and ſtrength of a Popiſh plot, fubtlely projected, and induſtriouſly managed, for their effectual reduction to Popery.
For nothing in the world can reconcilemento Popery ; yea, and even endear them to it, like debauchery. Under Popery,gentlemenmay come up tothe rates of coſtly pardons and indulgences,for theirgreateſt ſins. Theymaygive themfelves liberty to wallow in profaneneſs all the days of their life.
They may give theirlufts the utmoſt ſcope and liberty, and yet have a plenary pardonwhen theydie. So that they need not abridge themſelves of any finful liberty,or boggle at the loudest blafphemy, whilst they have that intheir pocket to ſtill and quiet ſomething that grumbles in their boſom.
Do you not fee, gentlemen,the natural tendencies of theſe things ? Does not debauchery look like a ſhoeing-horn toPopery.
Beſides, gentlemen,thedevil andthePope areconfederates ina farther deſign upon you ; and if their deſign hit,they hope to win by power, what they may miſs by policy ; and thatby the very fame method of corrupting and debauching perſons of eminent rankandquality, in Proteftant kingdoms andcommonwealths. For (as a * learnedman inqueenElizabeth's days rightly obſerved) theſe are the men eſpecially intereſted in the public affairs of kingdoms.
Theſe reprefent thepeople in parliaments.
Theſe make their laws, adminifter the government in peace and war.
To their hands arecommittedthe great concerns ofnations.
These are they that fill the feats ofpublicjudicature.
* Who manages the reins ofgovernment, who is preſent at, and preſides over, both private and public matters, but perſons of eminent rank and quality ? Who moderates in the Senate, preſides in courts, commands at home and abroad ? Chiefmen and nobles ſurely.
Who commands and countermands, acts and overacts, manages and canvaſſes all affairs, who makes lawsandreſcindsthem, whogoverns the ſtate in time of peace, andcommands the forces in time ofwar ; but great men and nobles ? No wonder thatthemanagement of public affairsbe committed to him, who by perſonal merit and renown of hisancestors hath recommendedhimself to the good report and eſteem ofmankind. Humphred onnobility.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
If gentlemen, therefore, bythis means be generally cor ruptedand infected by debauchery, their influence and example is likely to infect the greatest part of the body politic; and eithermake the people easily pliable tothe charms and courtſhips of Popery, for the reafon before-mentioned ; or ſobeſot their excellent parts, and enervate their mafculine courage, that they ſhall fall an eaſy preytotheir (otherwise) weakand defpicable enemies.
And certainly, gentlemen, we have all cauſe to reckon this plotvery far advanced, when we ſhall ſee debauchery every where made the badge of gentility; and chastity,temperance, and fobriety, become the marks and notes of infamy. When civility itſelf ſhall be hiſſed with deriſion outof ſomegentlemens company ; and the more temperate and ſober any marni is,by ſo much the leſs fit to be agentleman's companion.
Bythis time Ihope you are convinced, that true gentility is no enemy to fobriety, nor debauchery the character of gentility; and will at laſt pardon, ifnot thank me, for endeavouring this way to ſecure the true honour of ſome, whilst I rationally argue down the vices and follies of others.
This plea fordebauchery,you fee,haththefamefatethe formerhad, anddeſerves never to be mentionedmore.
§ 9. There is but oneplea more ; andthat as fillyand irrational asanyofthe former and that is, The custom andhabit ofswearing, whichyousay ishard tobe broken.
This fin is becomeso customary to you, that now you Scarce noteor obſerve it in yourselves.
That there may be truth inthe matter of thisplea, I neitherdeny nordoubt; but that it is a rational and allowable plea,will never be grantedby your own reason.
The thing you ſay maybe true; for we ſometimes find,that when you are taxed for ſwearing, you will preſently ſwear that you did not fwear; and curſe him tohis face, that accuſes you for curfing.
Butpray, gentlemen, make yourown reafonjudge,whether cuſtombe a valid and allowed plea for profane ſwearing and curfing.
Say, reaſon, wilt thou allow thatone of the highest aggravations of fin, ispleadable inthy court for the excuſe and extenuationofit ? Wilt thou give it underthy hand, thatthe man, is the leſs gilty,becauſethe more wicked ? Darestthou to warrant it that God will take the leſs noticeofthe wrongs men dohim, becauſethey are uſed and accustomedſo to wrong and abuſe him everyhour intheday? If your reaſon canallow
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation.
andwarrantthis, I muſt ſay it is different,yea,and oppoſite to the common reason of mankind.
Say not, Imake myown reaſon the rule and ſtandard of yours, or other mens.
For I argue here (as I have done all along before) upon the common topics and maxims of reaſon, generally allowed all the world overbymankind. If a practice be evil, the oftener it is repeated,the more ſtill itis aggravatéd.
Tobe plain and faithful with you, gentlemen, if itbe your cuſtomtoblafpheme, itisGod's custom to damn blafphemers .
Ifyou use to be drunk and unclean,God uſes to punish drunkards and adulterers (if impenitent and unreformed) with his everlastingwrath.
Andwhen you are cited (as ſhortlyyou mustbe) before the awful tribunal of the great, thejuſt, and the terrible God, afk but yourſelves,whether fuch a plea as this, be like to excufe
you inwhole, or in part, andtake off the heinouſneſs oftheſe horrid impieties ? Willyour profane oaths, and direful execrationsand imprecations, be excuſed in the leastdegree, by tellinghim, Lord, I was ſo accustomed to blafpheme thy name ; curfing, fovearing, and damning, were fo familiar language in my lips from day to day, that I had quite loft the fenfe of the action, as well as of the evil thereof; and therefore, Lord, pity, ſpare and have mercy on me: O damn not my foul to thine everlasting wrath.
Forthough I have imprecated ituponmyſelf, yetfrequent cuſtom at length extinguiſhed all my ſenſe and confcience ofthe evil thereof, till at length I could playwith a direful imprecation as an harmleſs thing ; nay, thought it an ornament andgrace to my ſpeech, a gallantexpreffion, alamode the times and places I lived in.
Is not this as good a plea, and not ajot better than that of amalefactor uponhis trial for life anddeath, when theft or robbery havebeen evidently and ſubſtantiallyprovedupon him, and the judge demandeth, What he hath to fay for himself, whyfentence ofdeath ſhouldnot paſs upon him ? Mercy, my
Lord, mercy cries he ! for I have been ſo uſed and accuſtomed to filching andthieving from my youth up, that for fome years before I was apprehended, every one's goods and cattle ſeemed to me to look like my own ; ſo that I ſcarce knew when
I ſtole, and when Idid not.
Andthus, gentlemen, you have heard a fair trial ofthe fin of profane ſwearing, and imprecations of damnation ; and you have heardthe verdict ofyour own reaſon and confcience
VOL . VIII.
Aaa
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. upon the cafe.
The Lord help you to break off and reform that fin, for which there is not one word of apology or excufe now left in your mouths.
Letme cloſe all I have to ſay upon this head, with oneplain queſtion : Do you think you must die, or live here for ever, as you nowdo ? If you are convinced (as all the living are ſuppoſed to be) that you must die, do you defire an eaſy and comfortable, or a painful and terrible death ? I preſume there is no manliving, that is convincedhe must die, but defires naturally and rationally an 'Ευθανασίαν, as eaſy and comfortable a diffolution asmaybe.
Ifſo, I appeal to your reaſon, whether profane ſwearing and blafpheming the name of God, be a proper rational way to obtain peace and comfort atdeath ? With what hope or encouragement can thoſe tongues of yours cry at death, Lord, have mercy upon me, which have profaned thatname, andimprecated damnation from him, till you came into your laſt extremities, which convinced you, you could live no longer.
It is a ferious queſtion, and well worth a cool and folemn debate inyour own reaſons and confciences. Some of you are more immediately expoſed to the dangers ofdeath than others, readily to be diſbanded by a bullet.
If you fall, you muſt either fall confiderately, or inconfiderately.
Ifinconfiderately, and without any ſenſe or confcience of this horrid guilt, you die impenitently, and confequentlydefperately and miferably.
If confiderately,andwith awakened confciences, Idemand, whether ſuch guilt as this will not roar louder than the peals and vollies of thoſe great and ſmall guns do which breathe deſtruction upon you, and round about you ? Ihave done my meſſage plainly and faithfully to the very face or your reafon and confcience; and if for my faithfulneſs and zeal, both for God's honour andyours, Iam rewardedwithyour curſes ; yet, ifyou wouldforbear to blafpheme andrendinpieces the name of God, I shall not much regardthe obloquy and reproach my name ſhall undergo and fuffer uponthat ac count : But Iexpect from you better fruit thanthis.
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation.
CHAP.
IV.
Wherein reason and confcience are again confulted about the practice of drunkenness ; and their righteous and impartial cenfuregiven upon that cafe.
§ 1. THOUH our fouls andbodies be of vaſtly different natures and originals, yet they do claſp and embrace each other with most dear and tender affection.
It is marvellous tobehold fuch afpiritual and heavenly creature as the foul in all men, fervently loving, and in moſtmen fondly doting upon a lump ofclay, a clod of earth : it ſympathizeth tenderly with it.
Ifthe meaneſt member ofthe body be in pain, the foul is preſently concerned for it, and evidences itſelf tobe fo, by commanding the eyes both towatch andweep, the tongue to complain andmoan, thehandsto bind upitswounds with all imaginable tenderneſs, and carefully defend it from the leaſt injurious touch. But ifthewhole be in danger, how do its nobler faculties of underſtanding, memory, and invention, awaken and beftirthemſelves to the uttermost for its deliveranceand ſafety.
Whilst the foul lives inunion with the body, itis filledwith aſſiduous (and too often with exorbitant anddiſtracting) cares, for its neceſſaryſupport and comfort. And whenit must be ſeparated from it by death, what ſtrong averſations todeath doth it ordinarily diſcover ? The ſtrong ties and bonds betwixt it and the body, cannotbe loofed without much conflict and ſtruggling, evidencedby theſe emphatical groans it fends forth : groans which other men understand not, nor can be ſuppoſed to understand, till they themſelves come to feel the partingpull.
The reason of all which lies in the intimate relation which is betwixt theſe different natures, which God hath married together in the womb, from which time they have been companions and partners inall the comforts and troubles oflife.
The body is the foul's houſe inwhich itdwells, and ſtill ſhall dwell, till death diſſolve it. It is the foul's garment,thatclothes and covers it.
It hath worn this garment of flesh from the beginning, and is towear it still,till fickneſs hath broughtit to sags, and death ſtript it fromthe foul.
Itisthe tool andinstrumentbywhich it doth all its works, Aaa2
The reasonableness ofPersonal Reformation. whilſt it is in this ſtate ofcompoſition ; and therefore the foul cannotbut love it fervently. No man everyet hated his own fleſh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it.
§ 2. The caſe ſo ſtanding betwixt the foul andbody, the wisdom or follyofthe foul is plainly discovered in its way and manner ofgoverning the body, as the love and prudence ofan husband is in the government of his wife, or the maſter in ordering the affairs of his houſe; or the neat breeding of a man, in the comely wearing ofhis garments ; or the ſkill and careofan artificer, in the brightneſs,keeneſs, and ſharpness of his tools.
Some husbands give evidence to the world oftheirgoverning prudence and ability, in ſuch an allowance of liberty to theirwives, as the laws of conjugallove require, andtheireftates and incomes will conveniently bear, and no more ; and in reſtraining theirextravagancies, as well as by encouraging their virtuous courſes, in keeping back nodue encouragement to virtue, nor givingthe least encouragementunto vice.
Awell-bred man, that carries with him abecomingſenſeof his quality, and the decorum he ought accordingly to obſerve, willwearhis garments decently, andbecoming his rank ; they ſhall be fure to be neat and clean, and fit fit and comely upon his body.
He abhors to wear a garment tumbled in themire, and go like a beast, without regard to his reputation.
No prudent owner and governor ofanhouſe, will letthe rain dropthrough the roof, nor choak up the paffage to his door with anafty dunghill.
His houſe within ſhall be neat, and not naſty : the rooms clean and comely: and yet abhors to fuffer fuperfluous ornaments, and coſtly vanities, to fwallow up his eftate that ſhould maintain it, and bring bailiffs (more odious than adunghill) to his verydoors .
The curious artificer, neithergrinds away the ſubſtance of his inſtruments to makethem bright and glittering, and ſet an hedge too fine to hold one minute's uſe; nor yet fuffers them
i tobe thrown aſide in ſome neglected corner, where ruftand flaws ſhall render them utterly uſeleſs, or make him blush at thebotches ſuch inſtruments will cauſe in his work.
The prudent husbandman will neither break the heart of hisground for want of reft and compoft, nor yet overload it withdreſſings which brings forth nothing but rank_and uſelefsweeds; he will in a fit ſeaſon turn in a ſtream ofwater to his meadows, like a cordial-draught to fainting ſpirits ; but will notdrown it, and rotthe veryroots ofhis graſs, byletting in too much, or by fuffering it to lie under water toolong.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
Hewillfeedhis horſehigh enough toperform hisjourney, and carryhim through the mire; butwill not feed him tofuch a height, that the rider ſhall neither be ableto fit, nor command him.
Iu all theſecaſes, the commonprudence of every man directs him tothatjuſt mediocrity, wherein both his honour and profit do apparently lie. Andwhat we ſay in ſuch common caſes and concerns as theſe, is as true, and much more excellent in the foul's prudent governmentof its own body, unto which it was eſpouſed in thewomb, and is its dearand conſtantpartner, both in the preſent and future good or evil.
It is the garment it wears, the inſtrument it uſeth, and the field it cultivates.
It must neither deny the body thoſe neceſſary ſupports and comforts which God and nature allow it, nor yet ſurfeit and overcharge it with morethan it is ableto bear.
In either of theſe extremes, the extreme folly ofthe foul isdiſcovered.
§ 3. Now the dethroning of reaſon, and frequent opprefſions ofnature, by the practice ofdrunkenneſs, is the highest, exaltation offolly inthe foul ofman ; plainly manifeſting its ignorance and inability toorder and govern thebody, to which it is marriedby a vital union.
Here is a foolish foul by miſgovernment, diſhonouring and destroying its vigorous and comely body, under a pretence of love and kindness to it. We account it one of the greatest outward infelicities in this world, incident to a difcreet and virtuous woman, to be headed and governed by a fottish fool, neither able to govern himself, or her, nor give a reaſon ofhis own actions or commands. A man whoſe folly ſhall make, her blush in all fober companies he comes into, and forces her. upon fuch a courſe of life as the perfectly abhors, and will bring ſpeedy ruin upon her ; all men pity ſuch a caſe as. this. Andthis is the very caſe of many a comely, vigorous. body.
Only fuch a woman hath two reliefs under her bondage, whichthebody ofadrunkard wants .
She can fometimes withdraw and retire from his company, andenjoy the relief ofher.. folitude, which the wretched body of a drunkard cannot do tilldeath ; but is tied day and night to the company of its foolish foul, which is frequently abuſing it, and impofing upon it.
Befides, fuch a woman may haply overlive her vicious abufive husband, and ſpend many a comfortable year inthe world with amore diſcreet, ſober and religious partner of her life, whoſe ſobriety, difcretion, piety, and love, ſhall make
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. full compenfation for allthoſe years ofmiſery and flavery ſhe endured before.
But the cafe before us admits no ſuch relief: foraslongas everthebody lives andbreathes, the foul is, andmust be with it, and in it. Andthough death will for a time ſeparate and divorce them, yet the body's fecond marriage at the refurrection, canbe with no other but the ſame foul which oppreffed and ruined it inthis world. And this ſecondmarriage will be far worsethan the first ; for though it were the ſottiſh ſoul's ſlave and drudge in this world, and fufferedmany a fickness, ſhame, and loſs by its folly; yet in the world tocome, it must be its partner and companion inhelltorments for evermore, inasmuch as it was the inſtrument the foul uſed inmost ofthoſe ſins committedby it in this world.
And this is the caseof allbodies married to, and governed by fouls thathave neither reaſon nor religion enough prudently and ſoberly to order and govern theirown bodies.
§ 4.
Sad and doleful, therefore, are the lamentations and complaints of the bodies ofdrunkards, against the folly and tyrannyof their fouls ; and asjust as fad. Let me here therefore act the part of an advocate for your bodies, which is a partof yourſelves, and to which, by the law of nature, you owe love, care, and honour; or, ratherby a prosopopoeia, let me bring in the body fighing out its own complaints in the ears of its own soul, andthus bemoaning itſelfto it.
Oh, my foul! I have cauſe to lamentthe day that ever I was married to fuch aſottiſh fool as thou art, who are deſtituteboth ofwisdom and love to rule and govern me.
I mayjuſtly refumeJob's lamentation upon thy account, and faywith him : " Let the day perith wherein I was born, and the night whereinitwas ſaid, there is a man-child coneeived.
Why died I not from thewomb ? Why did I not give up the ghostwhen I came out of the belly
For now ſhould • I have lien ſtill, and been quiet, I ſhould have ſlept ; then had I been at reft ."
' Ihave been a perfect ſlave anddrudge tothy unreaſonable luſts and impofitions. I was once an active, vigorous, come- • ly body, and hadſt thoubeen wife and ſober, I hadbeen happy. But thou hast been a cruel tyrant to me, oppreffing and ⚫loadingmewith morethan I was able to ſtand under. Thou
• haſt plunged memany times into thoſe puddles of exceſs, • wherein thouhast drowned thy own reaſon, and myhealth.
• My well-mixedbeauty is nowturned into the colourofflam- * ing fire ; my hands and legs ſhake, my tongue falters, my
•natural crafis and temperament is destroyed.
Thou haft
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation.
• made me miferable in this world, and intendeſt to makeme more wretched in the world to come.
•Sober nature gave me my ſtint andmeaſure. I knewwhen itwas enough, andgave thee ſufficient items and intimations
• (amidst thy foolish frolics), that I could neither with honour orſafety bear oneglaſs more. But thou waſt deaf to all my moans, and ſhewedſt more mercy to thy horſe than me.
• Sick or well, able or unable, live or die, I must take in the • full number ofcups and bottles thou enjoinedeſt me to take.
Like another Pharoah, thou hast requiredof methe full tale, • whether I had strength to perform it or no. Yea, like ano- ' ther devil, thou hast ſometimes caſt me into fiery fevers,
• andwatery dropſies ; and will next caftme, ifthou continue this courſe, into hell-fire itſelf.
• Other fouls have ſet thee a better pattern in their more • ſober and prudent government oftheir bodies.
They give ⚫their bodies the true pleaſure of the creature, by keeping ⚫them to that happy mediocrity in which it confifts.
They • devote their bodies to the ſervice of God; thou hast devoted • meto the immediate ſervice ofthe devil. A majestic beau- ⚫ty ſits upon their faces; ſottiſhneſs and folly uponmine.
• Their knees are daily bowed in prayer to God; mine ſhake ⚫and tremble in the ſerviceofthedevil, They enjoypure and • ſanctified pleaſures every day; but I am denied the ſober
• pleaſures of a beast. Their bodies willbe happy with their • ſouls in the world to come; but I muſt ſuffer eternally with ⚫thee, and for thee. Thou hastboth confumedme, andthy
• eftate given to ſupportme ; and now Iam like to fuffer as • muchby want, as I have done by exceſs ; and all this thro
⚫thy miſgovernment.
Theſe feet (if thou hadſt pleaſed to • command them) would as readily have carried thee tothy cloſet, or the aſſemblies ofGod's people, as to an ale-houſe ortavern. Theſe fingers would have ſerved to open and turn
• thebleſſed pages, which contain the oracles of God, as to 6 cog a dye, or have ſhuffledand dealt a pack of cards.
This ⚫tonguemight have been melodiouſly employed in finging • the praiſes ofGod amonghis people, as well as in ſwearing,
• roaring, and finging amongdrunken fots and fools, ifthou • hadſt been endued with governing wisdom.
•Thou knoweſt I could do nothing without thee.
Thou •haſt a deſpotical powerover all my members.
They are at ⚫thy beck, and thou at the devil's. Better had it been for me, • had I beenthe body of a contemptible worm or fly, than a • body animated and governedbyſuch aſottiſh ſoul as thouart,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
•And now, my foul, whathaft thou to fay for thyſelf?
• What tolerable account canst thou give toGod or me, of ⚫theſe thy vile abuſes of both ?'
§ 5. Now let us hear what the foul of thedrunkardhath to plead, in its own excuſe and defence, for all his wrongs ågainftGod, miſchief to itſelf, ruinto his health, name, and eftate.
They have various excuſes, though not one found or rationalone among them all.
Such as they are, let them be triedbythe rule of reafon, ifany reaſon be yet left in them, who daily dethrone itby this worſe thanbrutiſh practice.
Thatwhich they ſay for themselves, is this :
1. That their bodies are ſtrongly conftituted, more capacious to receive, andable tobear greater quantities ofwine and ſtrong-drink, thanothers are; and therefore,why ſhould they notdrink down, and glory overthoſe that viewith them ?
2. Others ſay, they would not take the courſe they do, but thatwhen they are fober and folitary, they are fo prefied with thethoughts oftheirdebts and incumbrances intheworld, that they are upon a perfect rack, andthey find nothing like good-fellowship in atavern orale-houſe, ſo effectually relieving againft the cares and anxieties of their minds .
3. Somewilltellus, they are drawn into itby the ſnare of pleaſure; nothing being ſo grateful to their palate, as their full loadofgenerouswine, or ſtrongdrink. And feeing it is fopleaſant and delightſome to them, why shouldtheydeny and abridge themselves oftheir pleaſures?
4. Others will profeſs, they had never taken this courſe, which they find upon many accounts pernicious to them ; but that they are notable in civilitytodeny their intimate friends andcompanions, eſpecially ſuch with whom they have concerns in trade andbuſineſs; and they mustdrink as they do, or fuffer loſs intheir trade; and beſide that, be ſtigmatized for fanatics .
5. They will alſo ſay, theyare obliged inpointofloyalty, topledgehin that confecrates (as they catechreftically call it) the firstglaſs to the king, orperſons ofquality and honour.
6. And, faſtly, Somewilltellus, theyhave plentiful eſtates, thatwillbearfuch expences ; and fince their pockets are full, why should nottheirheads and ſtomachs be ſo too ?
Beſides theſe fix apologies for drunkenneſs, nothing falls intomy imagination, pleadable for this fin. We will weigh theſe thatare pleaded, in the common balance of the reafon ofmankind, andtrythe validityofthem oneby one. Andfor
Excufe I. And, fifft, To what you ſay ofthe capacities of
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
yourbodies, ſtrength and ability ofyour conftitutions, to receiveandbear greaterquantitiesofwineandstrong drink,than others can; and therefore, why should you not give proofof it, when challenged, and get reputation to yourſelves, by drinkingdown, andglorying over ſuchas vie withyou ?
To this I replythree things,which must be laidinthe counter-balance ; and letthe balancebeheld inthe upright hand of yourown reafon.
1. Astrong and vigorous conftitutionwill be readily acknowledged to be ſo great an external bleſſing andmercy, that nomanoffound intellectuals ought todoanythingtodeftroy it; but is obliged to uſe all proper methods for the prefervation ofit. Iftherefore temperance ſhall be found to preſerve it, and exceſs to impair anddestroy it ; letyour own reaſon judge, which ofthese two courſes you are obliged to take.
Confulteitherthe beſtphyſicians, or yourown and othermens / experience ; and theywill tellyou, That apoplexies, palfies, gout,andinnumerable otherdiſeaſes are bredbyfuch exceffes, in the foundeſt and strongest conſtitutions, and death itſelf haftened by ſuch intemperate courſes ; whereas temperance and fobriety might have madeyour lives more comfortable anddurable.
As ſtrong as you are, frequentdrunkenneſs will bringCain's curſeupon your vigorous bodies, andmake you go fhaking andtrembling (as hedid) abouttheworld.
2. Let it be demanded of yourown reaſon, whether itdo reallyjudge thatGod bestowed more ſtrengthandvigour uponyourbodies, than he hath upon others, to arm a ſtronger enemy, thanothers are; to fight more vigorouflyagainst him, thanothers do, or can do ? Or, whether it were notdeſigned byhim for greater uſe and ſervice to his glory inthe world, thanothersof his people (how willing ſoever they be) cando, for want of that ſtrength you have? I am confident, noman of found intellectuals will dare to affert the former, or deny the latter.
3. And, laftiy, For your glorying in drinking down, and conquering others ; you will certainly put yourown reafon toabluſh, byoffering ſuchaplea asthis toit. You are not yetarrivedto impudence enough, todenydrunkenneſs tobe a fin; andyour reaſon isyetfoundenough, eaſily and naturallyto infer, that by how much the more anyman exceeds and goes beyond others in fin, byſomuchthe greater finner that manis.
And as for thehonour and glory you talk of, in exceeding
VOL. VIII.
Bbb
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation. others in your abilities to drink; your reaſon will quickly make you ashamed ofthat glory ; and prove, as well as affert ittobe amark of baſeſt infamy.
Do you think, that Lombard was really honoured, or ſtigmatized, whom Tiberius Caefar dubbed a knight, for drinking off three gallons of wine at one draught, and firnamed himTricongius, that is to ſay, the three gallon knight, which ſtory * Pliny, in his Natural Hiſtory, relates to the perpetual infamy ofthemboth ? Or think you, it addedtothe glory ofTiberius himself, who knighted this threegallon(not thrice gallant) knight, to have his name changed among the people, from Tiberius into Biberius ; as afterward they did the name of that monsterNero, into Mero ?
Gentlemen, I appeal to your own reaſon, ifthevaft continent you have within you for wine and ſtrong drink, be really your honour ; whether the butt or hogſhead, whence you have it, be not, for the fame reaſon, much more honourable than you ? Your reaſonwill plainlygive the conclufion.
But, oh ! confider not only what reaſon faith, but what God, the fountain ofthat reaſon, faith in Iſa. v. 22. " Wo to " them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of ſtrength to " mingle ſtrong drink."
Methinks it ſhould makeyou fit in as little eaſeuponthe tavern, or ale-houſe bench, as that courtparafite fat at a rich banquet furnished with variety of dainties, and all forts ofgenerous wine ; over whoſe head,Dionyfius cauſed an heavy ſword to be hanged, withthepointdownward, by a ſingle hair everymoment ready to drop perpendicularlyupon it.
Excufe II. As for thoſe that throw themſelves into theſe exceffes, on purpoſe to delude thoſe anxious cares and thoughts, which cruciateandoppreſs them, wheneverthey are ſoberand folitary : I ſhall only propound three plain queſtions to the ſmall remainders of reaſon in them, which yet I preſume ſufficient to determine rightly upon them.
Quest. 1. Whether theythink thatwhich greatly increaſeth want and poverty, be a rational cure and proper remedyof it ?
Andwhether a jar ofoil be not as fit to quench a flame, as tavern and ale-houſe ſcores and reckonings are to buoy up a finking trade, andkeep bailiffs from mens doors ? Certainly none butafottishfool canthink ittobe otherwise. Yourownimprovidence, or God's afflictive providence, have brought you into other mens books ; and certainlyyou cannot think, if you be
* Plin, Nat. Hist, I. 14. c. 22.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
in your wits, that chamberlains bills for ſo many bottles of wine, and flaggons ofbeer, will be acceptedby your creditors for good bills, to quit your ſcores with them.
Wereyou ſober, frugal, and induſtrious, you would put yourſelves thereby into a better way to obtain a bleſſing from God, and re- -ſpects and forbearance frommen, than in the courſe younow take.
Quest. 2. Nor can you, without manifeſt impudence, propoundſuch a queſtion as this to your own reaſon, whether the addition of injustice to profaneneſs, be a rational plea or excuſe for it ? And is not that the very caſe here ? Whoſe money is that you ſo lavishly and prodigally waſte, out ofyour confuming eſtates ? It is either your creditors, or the ſmall remains of your own. Whether the one or the other, methinks that wine and drink ſhould not godown verypleafantly,which mustbe mingled with manifeſt injustice, or with the tears, and (in aſenſe) thebloodofyour wives and children.
Ifyour reaſons can allow theſe things for lawful excuſes, then you are excuſed, elſe ſelf-condemned.
Quest. 3. I shall trouble yourreaſonwith thedeciſion but of onequeſtion more, and it is briefly and plainlythis :
Whether the addition of far greater troubles, or caufes of troubles tothe innerman, be a proper expedient to alleviate and eaſethe loads and burdensof your outward troubles alreadygrown almoſt too heavy foryou to bear.
Idare venture allthat Iam worth, upon found reaſon's fide, that itwillnever allow, or comprobate ſuch an abſurdity, as the affirmative part of this queſtion draws along with it.
Believe it, firs, alltheoutward neceſſities, cares and fears, which now oppreſs you upon the ſcore of worldly affairs,
(which frame not to your minds) are much more tolerable, and comparatively light andeaſy, to the ſtings, wounds, and lathes of a guilty confcience : Butwhen alltheſe inward troubles ſhall be fuperadded to youroutward troubles, they will, in conjunction, make aburden too heavy for man to bear.
Whatever cares or troubles providence involves anygood man in, inthe honest and painful pursuit of his civil calling, hemay in agreat meaſure relieve his burdened ſpirit under them, by the comfortable teftimony of his own confcience, and his free addreſſes toGod in prayer.
Theſe will ſweetly ſupport him under his other entanglements and perplexities inthe world.
But the courſe you,take, does not only ſtrike awaytheſe props from under your minds ; but doubles and
Bbb2
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. trebles theburdenupon them. Were men but once acquaint edwith that relief and chearineſs of ſpirit,which a good con ſcience, anda fpiritual addreſs to Godinprayer, afford in the midſt of troubles, they would runto their cloſets, rather thanto taverns and ale-houſes, todivertand cure their troubles.
I leave it therefore before your own reaſon to confider, what weight or validity there isinthis ſecond excuſe for drunken. neſs.
Excufe III. Others plead they aredrawn into this on by pleaſure anddelight, whoſe charms are too ftrong for them to refift.
Inthis, as in all the former, I refolve to make you your ownjudges. Give me leave but to ſtate the questions right, and let yourown reaſon freely determine them. And what fairerdealing can menthat exerciſe reaſon expect ? And let the firſtqueſtion be this :
Quest. 1. Whether the pleaſures oftemperancedo not far excelthoſe ofintemperance ? Ifthey do, then this your plea is vain and irrational : For you foolishly chuſe a leffer pleafure, and refufeagreater and ſweeterone. And that youdo ſo inthis cafe, no wiſeman can deny or doubt.
For temperate drinking refreſhes the body, and no way burdens it, as exceſſive drinking doth: And that which burdens nature, can neverbe equally pleasant with that, which yields nothing but due refreshment.
Temperance doth not vitiate, but raiſeththe pure and ordinate appetite ofnature to its just pitch and height; in which temper, andat which height, it is most capable ofthe ſweetestpleaſure fromthecreature.
As the ſtrings ofa lute give us the ſweetest and moft delicious notes, whenthey are not letdown too low, but are all fixed at theirdue height.
Temperance gives us the moſtpleaſing enjoyment ofthe good things of this life, ſtill leavingthe mind free, and fit for themore ſpiritualand ſweet enjoyments of abetter and more excellent life ; which exceſs never did nor can do.
Moreover, temperance maintains the manly grace and majeſtyofthecountenance,but exceſs totallydiſguiſesit. Itdraws the lines ofdrunkards faces into a form much like thoſe ridiculousDutch pictures, which ſome ſetupon their chimneypieces, tomovelaughter inthoſe that behold thein.
Now, bythevote ofuniverſal reaſon, that pleaſure which refresheth the body, but nowayburdens it, which raiſes the ordinateand unvitiated appetites of nature, to its juſt pitch and due height, whichgives nature the ſweetest refreshment,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
leaving italways fitterand freerfor higher andbetterpleaſures, which maintains the manlygraceand majesty ofthe counte nance, and makes not a wife man look like a fool or anantic, must needs be better than the lower and flatter pleaſures of burdened body, and vitiated palate, whichdraw after them fo great a train of preſent miſchiefs (which temperance avoids), beſides farheavier, andmoredurable ones inthe life tocome.
Quest. 2. But if the preſentpleaſures oftemperance were in ſome reſpect inferior to thoſe ofexcefs, (which I have proved they neither are, nor can be); Idemand, inthe ſecond place, whetherthe loss of your honour and health, your time andeſtate, your preſent peace and futurehopes, do notmake fuch ſenſitive pleaſures bafe andinferior,compared with thoſe of temperance and fobriety ? Doyou, in good earneſt, think aglaſs or two above what ſatisfies and refreſhes nature, can recompence for allthat ſhame, fickness, poverty, and guilt that follows it ? Ifyou think fo, fin hathturned you intobrutes, andmade you utterly uncapable of all arguments andmanly confiderations, toreduce and recover you.
Excufe IV. You say, you would nothaunttaverns and alehouſes as youdo, but that you are drawn in by company and buſineſs, which youcannotwell reſiſt or avoid,and ſhould you do ſo, itit would be to your loss ; and beſides that, youshould bebranded for fanatics.
Idenynot, but there is aſnare invain company; yetgive meleave topropounda few plain and eaſy queſtions to your reafon.
Quest. 1. Why muſt the importunity ofgoodfellows (as youcallthem)be an irreſiſtibletemptation toyou, and deprive you ofall power todenythem, whilst you difcern the ſuares and miſchiefs they draw you into? This ſeems to be a thing unaccountable to reaſon.
Suppoſe you were allowed to ſpend the longeſt ſummer's day in the highest gratifications of all your ſenſes together, or fucceffively one after another, upon condition that youwould endure thetorments ofthe rack till that day twelvemonth came about again; do you think the importunityofallyour intimates in the world, wouldprevail with you to accept the pleaſures of a day under fuch a condition as this ? Andyet what are the torments ofa year upon the rack, to the torments ofhell for ever and ever ? Or to come lower : Suppoſe one ofthoſe lewdcompanions notworth agroat, ifeverymanhad his own, ſhould requestyou to lend himanhundred poundupon hisown ſecurity, couldyou find
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. nopower (thinkyou) to deny him, eſpecially ifthe lofs ofthat hundredpound would certainly ruin you ? Ifyou woulddeny him (as I doubt notbutinſuch a caſeyou would) tell me then, whyyou shouldnot findpowertodeny him, when he aſks a fargreater matterthan an hundred pound, even the peace, purity, and fafety ofyour fouls, as well as the health of your bodies,andhonour ofyour names ? Why then ſhould you be fo eaſy and flexible when they ask the latter, and ſo ſtiff and unperfuadable to the former ?
Quest. 2. You ſay,you have buſineſs, andconcerns in trade, todiſpatch in ſuch places andcompanies, and this draws you into the ſnares ofexceſs. Iwillnotdeny butmenmay lawfullytranfact their buſineſs in ſuch places, and there may be a conveniency, andſometimes aneceffity for it: But that is not the cafe.
The queſtion referred to the determination ofyour reaſon, is this, Whydrunkenneſs muſt accompany buſineſs ?
Andwhether amanbe not more fit to tranſact his buſineſs, and drive bargains ofthe greatest value, whilst his body, and mindare cool, fober, and temperate, than when his reaſon is beclouded anddepoſedbydrunkenneſs ? How manymenhave undone themſelves, their wives and children, by drunken bargains ?
Beſides, I must tell you, thatin all ſuchdrunken meetings, thedevil comes todrive hisbargain with you, as well as your other customers. He bids foryour fouls, and offers you ſuch pleaſures asyou there find in exchange for them, and is content to makeyour dying daythe time ofyour delivering them into his poffeffion. How do you like ſuch trading as this, gentlemen?
Quest. 3. You say, ſhouldyou refuſe toaccompany them, anddo as they do, you should be branded for fanatics.
I would fainknow, whether fuch a plea for drunkenneſs as this, doth notjuſtly caſt the greatest reproach offanaticiſm upon yourſelves, and ſet a mark of true honour uponthoſe men whom the world unjustly ſtigmatizes with thattitle ? Gentlemen, I do affureyou, the fanatics (as you callthem)have reaſon tothank you forthe honour andjuſtice you have done them, in acknowledging them tobe noneof the members ofyour helliſh ſociety, but perſons ofa more fober and honourable character.
And I appeal to your reaſon,whether itwouldnot be more foryourhonour, to wear the unjust title ofa fanatic, than thejuſt cenfure of adrunken fot.
ExcufeV. You ſay, you are obliged in point of loyalty
The reasonableness ofPerfonal Reformation.
topledge him that confecrates the firſt glaſs to thehealth of the king, or any perſon of eminency.
I leave it ſtillto your reaſon to bejudge, 1. Whether the king have cauſe to accountthe manifeſt breach ofthelaws by which he governs, to be a ſignal expreffion ofhis ſubjects loyalty tohim ? Is not his royal authority, his honour and ſafety in his laws? And is he not finelyhonoured, think you, by ſuch drunken loyalty as this ? Gentlemen, you have a king over you of founder intellectuals, and more exemplary temperance and fobriety than to be thus impoſed upon.
2. Canyou think he reckons his health inthe leaft degree advancedor fecuredby the ruin and fubverſion ofhis ſubjects health ? No, no ; did the genteeleſt drunkards inEngland enquire, they would quickly find, itwouldmore pleaſe him if theywould confult their own health better, and pray for his more fincerely and ferventlythan they do.
Excufe VI. Your laſt excuſe is,that you have plentiful eftates thatwillbear it; and fince your pockets are full, why ſhouldyourheads or ſtomachs be empty.
Quest. The only queſtion I would here ſtate, and leave yourown reaſon to determine, is this, whether you think the experienceofthe redundancy and over-plus of your estates in exceſs and drunkenneſs, be the very end and deſign God aimed at, in bestowing thoſe things with ſuch a bountifulhand uponyou ? And whether the expence of it in this way, willpleaſe him as well, as ifyoucloathed the naked, and fed the hungry with it, and brought thebleſſings ofthem that are ready to perish, upon you andyour families ? Ah, gentlemen, you must come to a day ofreckoning. Your reaſons and confciences can never tellyou, youcan make up as comfortablean accountwith God,by ſettingdown ſomany hundred pounds in wine and strong drink, morethanwas neceffary or beneficial : Item, So manythouſand pounds loſt in play: So much upon whores; as ifyou ſetdown ſo much to feed and cloath the naked and hungry. So that all your excuſes for this fin are baffledby your own reaſon ; and it was eaſy to conclude, that ſuch a traitor to reaſon as drunkenneſs is, which hath ſo often dethroned it, could not poſſibly receive a more favourablejudgment and ſentence than this now given upon it.
Let alldrunkards henceforthconfider,what a voluntarymadneſs the fin ofdrunkenneſs is, how it unmans them, and ſets
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. them below the very brutes. A grave * father calls rightly, "Adiſtemper ofthe head, a fubverſion ofthe ſenſes, a tem
"peſtin thetongue, the stormofthe body, the ſhipwreck of "virtue, the lofs oftime, a wilful madneſs, apleaſant evil, a "fugared poiſon, a ſweet ſin, which hethat hath, hath not "himself; andhethatcommits it, dothnotonly commit fin,
" but himself is altogether fin."
It isa fin at which the moſt fober Heathens blushed.
The policy of the Spartans was more commendable than theit piety inmaking mendrunk, that their children mightgaze upon them as a monster, andbe scared for ever from fuch an horrid practice. He that is mastered bydrunkenneſs, can never be maſter of his own counſels. Both reaſon and religion condemn this courſe. Make a pauſe therefore where you are, and rather throw thatwine or beeruponthe ground, which elfe will cast thy bodyupon the ground, and thy foul and body into hell.
CHAP.
Containing the refult andiſſue ofthe third confultationwith reaJon,upon the case of uncleanness ; andthe true report ofthe determination of every man's reason, with respect there. unto .
T §1.
HE bountiful and indulgentGod hath made more abundant proviſion for the pleaſure and delight ofrational, than ofbrutal beings : Andhis wife andrighteous. laws order and limit their pleaſures to theirgreat advantage; his allowance under thoſe reſtrictions being large and full enough.
Both reaſon and experience affure us, that the trueſt pleaſures aremoſt freely and honourably tobe enjoyed within thepale andboundary ofhis laws ; and that there are none fit for the enjoyment of aman or Chriſtian,tobe foundwithout, or beyond them .
That prudent owner providesbeſt for his cattle, who puts * Turbatio capitis,fubverfiofenfus, tempestas linguæ, procella corporis, naufragium virtutis, amiffio temporis, infania voluntaria, blandedaemon, dulce venenum,fuave peccatum, quamqui habet,
Seipfamnon habet, quam quifacit,peccatumnon tantumfacit,fed ipfe totus eftpeccatum,
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation.
them into incloſed fragrant fields, where theyhaveplentyof proper and pleasant food, ſweet and pure ſprings ofwater, the pleaſant covert of ſhady trees, and allthat is either neceffary or convenient for them ; altho' thoſe fields be ſo incloſed within pales or walls, that they cannot ſtray without thoſe boundaries, into other mens grounds, to be bythem impounded, and brought back lank tired, and dirty, to their owner ; or by ſtraying into waſtes and wilderneſſes, fall a prey (as ſtragglers uſe todo) to wolves and lions.
God enviesnot any true, rational, and proper pleaſure to menorwomen ; whenhe bounds them in by his command, withinthe allowance whereof, ſufficient proviſion is made for the benefit and delight ofpropagation. Andthough it be all men's duty to tremble at the awful folemnity, yet itwouldbe anyman's fin torepine andmurmur at the ſtrictneſs and ſeverity of his command, delivered with thunder and lightning from mount Sinai, Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Man's honourable liberty, andGod's wife and just restraint and limitation thereof, are both ſet together before our eyes, in that one fcripture, Heb. xiii. 4. " Marriage is honourable in all,
" and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers " Godwilljudge." Here is a liberal allowance granted, and a ſevere punishment threatned for the inordinacies and exorbitancies ofboundless and ungovernable lufts. Godwill judge with temporal judgments in this world; and upon impenitent perfſiſtents, with eternal judgments in the world to come.
§ 2. Such is the corruption of man's nature by the fall, that it hates incloſures, restraints, and limitations.
Theſe things which were intended to regulate, ſerve only to ſharpen and enrage their ſenſual appetite. No fruit ſo ſweet to corrupt nature, as forbidden fruit. Nitimur in vetitum femper, cupimusque negata.
The very reſtraint of evil, makes it look like apleasant anddefirable good.
Sons of Belial can endureno yoke of restraint.
There is a great truth in that obſervation of the divine Herbert, That if God had laid all common, man himself would have been the inclofer.
For his reaſon and experience would have plainly informed him of the great and manifold advantages of distinction and propriety. How many quarrels and barbarous murders have been occafioned by whores!whichby keeping withinGod's bounds and rules, had been both honeſtly and honourably prevented.
Weremen left to that libertybrutes are, to ſcatter their lufts promifcuoufly, fathers would notknow their own children,
VOL . VIII.
Ccc F
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
: nor children their fathers; wherebyboth their duties and comforts would be prescinded together.
Such mischiefs as theſe, would make men glad of that inclosure, which the laws of God have made for them.
But behold with admiration the perverſe wickedness ofcorrupt nature,manifested in this, that becauſe God hath incloſed and ſecured their relations to them byhis laws, (which incloſure is every way to their advantage) ; yetthis makes their lufts the more head-ftrong and outrageous, and they cannot take that comfort intheir own, becauſe
'theirown, thattheythinkto findinanother's,becauſe another's.
Remarkable to this purpoſe is that * relation ofMr. Firmin's, which he received from his near relation, who was minifter to the company of Engliſh merchants in Pruffia. The conful, or governor of thatcompany, being a married man, and that to a very proper and comely woman, was yet enſlaved toothers, not to be compared with his own wife for comeliness.
This *minifter dealtwith him aboutit. One argumenthe urged, was this : Thatofall menhe had theleast temptation,havingawife focomely, that few women were like her. He anſwered, yea,
*werethenotmywife,I could loveher. Hadſhebeenhiswhore, he could have loved her; he thought none like her ; but becauſe fhe was his wife, hedged inbyGod, he cared not for her. Owhat hearts have men, that they fhould ever think that tobe beſt forthemwhich is most croſs to God ! Why ſhould ſtolen waters be ſweeter than thoſe of our own fountains ?
§3 . God's choice must needs be far better for us, than our own.
Ordinate and lawful pleafures and enjoyments, are far better and ſweeter, than exorbitant and forbidden ones.
Andthe reason is evident and undeniable : Foramongſt all the operations ofthemind, its reflex acts are the acts that beſt reliſh pleaſure. And indeed, without felf-reflection, a man cannot tellwhether he delights or no. All fenfe ofpleafure implies fome reflection ofthe mind : And thoſe pleaſures of a manmuft needs be the ſweetest, which afford the ſweeteft reflections upon them afterward; and thoſe the baſeſt pleaſures, which are accompanied and followed with prefent regret, or the ftinging and cutting reflections ofthe confcience uponthem afterwards .
1. Lawful and ordinateenjoyments, are as honey without thefting.
Forbiddenpleaſures,are embittered and extinguiſhed by theſe regrets and reflections of the confcience.
They are like thoſe pleasant fruits,which the Spainards found in * Real Chriſtian, p. 60.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
the Indies, which were ſweet to the taste, but ſo environed, and armed on every fide with dangerous briars and thorns, that they tore not only their cloaths off their backs, but the رف ſkin off their fleſh, to come atthem ; and therefore they calledthem comfits in hell. And fuch are all forbidden, and unlawful pleaſures.
Amerchant (faith the fore-named author †) dining with, the friars at Dantzick, his entertainmentwas very noble. Afterhehaddined, and ſeenall, the merchant fell to commendingtheir pleaſant life.
Yea, ſaid one of the friars to him, we ⚫livegallantly indeed, ifwehad any body to go to hell for us
'when we die.'
You ſee what mingles with mens ſenſual and finful lufts .
2. Your honour is ſecured, by keeping within God's bounds and limits : Marriage is honourable in all. Here guilt can neither wrong your confciences, nor infamy your reputations.
Fornicators and adulterers go up and down the world, as men
burnt in thehand : Their confcience laſhes them within ; and men point at them abroad.
They are a terror to themſelves, and a fcorn to men .
3. The health of thebody is fecuredby chaſte and regular enjoyments, but expoſed to deftruction the other way. God hath plagued the inordinacy of mens lufts, with moſt ſtrange andhorriddiſeaſes.
ThatMorbus Gallicus,SudorAnglicus, andPlica Polonica, werejudgments fent immediatelybyGod's ownhand, as the witneſſes of his high difpleaſure, against the bold anddaring contemners ofhis facred and awful command.
Thus, as Prov. v. II . " They mourn at last, whentheir fleſh " andbody are confumed."
Other fins are committed in the body ; but this againſt it, as well as in it.
4. The blast and waste of our eſtates (which is the uſual conſequence of uncleanneſs) is prevented and avoided, by keeping within God's rules. The truth ofwhat the ſcripture tells us, Prov. x. 5. is often exemplified beforeour eyes ; that,
" by reaſon of a whoriſh woman, a man is brought to a mor- " ſel ofbread." Adultery gives aman rags for his livery ; it lodgeth his ſubſtance in the houſe of ſtrangers, and entails wants and curſes on him and his .
5. Ina word, continence, or lawful marriage, expoſes not the foul to the eternal wrath of God, as uncleanneſs doth ;
Cor. vi. 9, 10. This fin does not only ſhut a man out ofhis } + Real Chriflian p. 63.
Ccc2
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. ownhouſe,and the hearts ofgoodmen, but outofheaven itſelf, without thorough repentance and reformation.
§ 4. The cafe ftanding thus ; it is matter ofjuſt admiration, howthe fin ofuncleanneſs ſhould grow ſo epidemical and common as itdoth, feeing fuch as live in this filthy courſe, must needs counter-act and oppoſe their own reaſon and intereft together.
For they forſake God's way, which gives them as much liberty as canbe reaſonably defired; and caft themſelves into a courfe of life, clogged with allmanner of temporal and eternal miferies, offouland body, honourand eftate.
The plain rule anddictate of common reason, which I laid downbefore, being applied to this particular cafe, manifeftly condemns it. For feeing honesty and chastity comprize the truepleaſure, profit, and honour ofthe whole man ; are more congruous tohuman nature, andpreſervative of it ; it ought, therefore, to be preferred in the eſtimation and choice of all men, to unlawful adulterous pleaſures, which (for the reaſons above) are inferior in themſelves to chafte, conjugal enjoy. ments ; and beſides that, are attended and followed with ſuch atrain of preſent and future miſeries, deſtructive to the whole man.
Andyet for all this, to the amazement of all ſerious obſervers, neverwas any age more infamous for this fin, than the preſent age is ; and that under the clear ſhining light of the gofpel.
What the ſpecial cauſes and inducements, tothe overflowing and abounding ofthis fin, are in the preſent age, will be well worth the enquiring and fifting at this time,
§ 5. Inducement 1 .
It is highly probable, the influencing examples of great men, have had no ſmallhand in the ſpreading ofthis abominable and crying fin, amongst all inferior ranks and orders of men.
Great mens ill examples, like abag ofpoiſon in the fountain, corruptand infect multitudes. The vulgar think they are privileged, or, at the least, very much excuſed, whentheydo butfollow the precedents and examples ofgreat and eminent perfons.
Butthis willbe found a weak andfooliſh plea, for uncleanneſs, which will neverbe able to endure the test of your own reaſon: For the inbred notions of aGod, and ofa future life ofretribution, being fo firmly ſealed and engraven upon human nature, theycan neverbe utterly eradicated; your own
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation .
reaſonwill argue from thoſe inbred notions in this manner, andhow youwill be able to refel the argument, and eſcape conviction andſelf-condemnation, quiteſurmounts myimagination, whatever itdoyours. And thus it willdifpute, and dilemmayou, dowhatyou can.
That God, before whom greater and leffer,honourable and baſer ſinners ſhall appear injudgment, willbe either partialor impartial, inhis judgments upon them.
There is, orthere is not refpect of persons with him. If therebe, (which both his nature andwordutterlydeny;) thenthoſe great and honourable adulterers, or fornicators, whoſe examples you follow, may haply be excused for their eminency and honour's fake, but you, that have no fuch eminency and honour in the world, as theyhave, must be condemned, though you thought to efcape as well as they.
Butifthere benopartiality, or reſpect ofperſonswithGod, (as moſt aſſuredlythere is none), thenboth greater andleffer, honourable and baſer, adulterers, must be condemned together, to the fame commonand intolerable mifery.
So that to take any (though the leaſt) encouragement to fin, from the precedents and examples of great ones, is a moſt ſenſeleſs and irrational thing, utterlyunworthyof onethatbelieves there isajuſt and impartial God ; andhe is worse than adevil, that believes it not: Forthe devils themselves believe andtremble.
§ 6. Inducement 2.
But others would perfuade us, theyaredrawn into this fir by akind of inevitable neceffity; theybeing neither able to contain, nor marry.
Theyare not yet arrivedto an eſtate ſufficient tomaintain a family with reputation: Butwhen they have gotten enoughby trade, orby the fall of their paternal eſtates, to live in equal reputationwith their neighbours; then they deſign to alter their courſeoflife, and abandon theſe follies.
But, reader, ifthis be thy plea for uncleanneſs, thou shalt have as fair atrial, for a foul fact, as thine own heart can defire : be ſtillthine own judge ; and let thine own reaſon give a fair anſwer to theſe three pertinent queſtions.
Quest. 1. Whether whoredom be as likely and promiſinga way to engage God's bleſſing upon your trades and employ餐 ments, as continence or conjugal chastity are ? That is to fay plainly, Whether obedience and diſobedience tothe law ofGod, be all one, and pleaſe him alike ? You know, your ſucceſs in buſineſs it is not in your own hand ; it is God
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. that giveththee power to getwealth: His bleſſing maketh rich.
And is fin as likely awayto engage his bleſſing, as duty and obedience is ? I am confident, your own reaſon will never give it.
Object. Ifyoufay,fuchperfons profperin the worldas well as others,for ought you fee.
Sol. The contrary is evident in the common obſervation of mankind : By reaſon ofwhoredom, multitudes are broughtto apieceofbread.
AndthoughGodſuffer ſome unclean perſons toprofper in the world ; yet chastitywith poverty, is infinitely. preferable to fuch accurſed profperity.
Quest. 2. Whether the course of fin you are now driving and accuſtoming yourſelves to, will not, in all probability, ſo infatuate and bewitchyou, that when you come into a married eftate, you ſhall ſtill be under the power ofthis fin ; and, ſo ruintheperfonyou marry, as well as yourself? Ifthe word ofGod fignify any thing with you, it ſignifieth this ; That there is a witchcraft inwhoredom ; and, comparatively ſpeaking, " None that go to her return again, neither take they
"hold ofthe paths of life ;" Prov. ii. 18, 19 .
Object. Ifto invalidate this testimony, you shallsaythat he thatspake this, did himselfgo afterstrange womem.
Sol. It is true, he didfo.
But then withal, you must remember, that he hath warnedyou by his own ſad experience, that you never follow him in thoſe his footsteps : Ecclef. vii.
26. " I find (faithhe)morebitterthandeath, thewoman whoſe heart is ſnares and nets, and her hands as bands.
Whofo " pleaſeth God, ſhall eſcape fromher; butthe finner ſhall be " takenby her."
: Quest. 3. And, lastly, Idemand ofyour reaſon, whether it can;orwill, allow any place to this plea of neceſſity ; before you have tried and uſed all God's appointed remedies, which are ſufficient to prevent that neceffity you plead ?
There are lawful remedies enough, fufficient, withGod'sbleffing, to keep you from fuch a neceſſity to fin ; fuch as temperance, andmoreabſtemiouſneſs in meats anddrinks; avoiding lafcivious books, play-houſes, and filthy company ; laborious diligence in your lawful callings, and fervent prayer, for mortifying and preventing grace: Andif temptations ſhall ſtir amidst all theſe preventives ; then cafting yourſelves upon the directions and ſupply ofprovidence, in the honourable eſtate of marriage.
Never plead neceffity, whilst all theſe preventives might, but have not beenuſed.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
§ 7. Inducement 3 .
Others plead the abſence oftheir lawful remedies, andprefenceof tempting objects. This is the case of our foldiers
* and feamen.
But though this be the most colourable pretenceofall the reſt, yet your own reaſon and confcience will, eveninthis caſe, ſodilemma and non-plus you, that ifyou will adventure upon the fin, you ſhall never have their leave and conſent with you : Forthey have a fpecial and peculiar confideration ofyou,as perſons more eminently and immediately expoſed tothe dangers ofdeath than other men. And thus
(would you but give them a fair hearing) they will expoſtulateand reaſon out the matter with you.
• Either thou ſhalteſcape, or not eſcape, the hazard ofthis voyage, or battle.
Ifthou fall (as to beſure many will) will this be an honourable, ſafe, andcomfortable cloſe, and wind-
ing up ofthy life ? What, from awhore to thy grave ! God ⚫forbid.
Fromburning luſts,to everlasting burnings ! Better thou hadſt never been born.'
Or ifthou do eſcape, and return again to thy family ; how ⚫canſtthou look her inthe face, with whom thou hast ſo baſely broken thy marriage-vow and covenant ? Whatever elſethou bring home with thee, tobe ſure thou shalt bring home guilt with thee, ablot never to be wiped away.
Object. Ifyou fay, you are notfuch fools to publish your ownshame ; you willfollow Caesar's advice to theyoung adulterer, Si non cafte, tamen caute, If Iact not chaſtly, Iwill act cautiously.
Sol. Your reaſon and confcience will both deride the weakneſs and folly ofthis pretence : Forthey both very well know, no man ſins ſo ſecretly, but he fins before two infalliblewitneſſes, viz. God, and his own confcience ; and thatthe laft, and least oftheſe, is more than a thouſand witneſſes.
That *Goduſually detects it in this world, carry itas cloſely as you will; but to be ſure, it ſhall be publiſhed as upon the houſetop, before men and angels in thegreat day.
§ 8. Inducement 4.
Another inducementto this fin, (andthe laſt I ſhall mention), isthe commonneſs of it, which abates the ſhame of it.
What needthey trouble thenſelves ſo much, or be ſo ſhy of thatwhich is practiſed by thousands, which is fo frequently acted in every place, and little made ofit ?
But if either your reaſon or confcience will admit thisplea •for goodand lawful, the devil hath utterly blinded or infatua- *tedthe one or other ; as will evidently appearby the following reafons.
For,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
Reason 1. Ifthething be evil, (as you cannotdenybut it is) then, byhowmuch the commoner, by ſomuch the worſe it must needs be.
Indeed, if a thingbe good, byhow much the commoner, ſo much the better: but to attribute this effential property ofgood unto evil, istoconfound and destroy thedifferencebetweenthem, and makegoodand evil both alike.
Reafon 2. Ifthe commonneſs ofuncleanneſs willexcuſe you, itwill more excuſe all others that ſhall committhis ſin after you and ſtill by how much more the numbers of adulterers and fornicators are increaſed, ſtill the leſs ſcruple men need make to commit it; and ſo the whole community ſhall in a little timebe ſo infected and defiled, that chriſtian kingdoms ſhall quicklybecome like Sodom, and God provoked to deal with them, as he did bythat wretchedcity.
Reason 3. Ifthe commonneſs ofthe finbe an excuſe and plea for it; ſuppoſe the roads ſhould be more infeſted than they are with highwaymen, ſo that every month you ſhould ſeewhole cart-loads ofthem drawn to Tyburn ; would your reaſon infer from thence, that becauſehanging is grown fo common, you need not ſcruple ſo much as you were wontto do, totake a purſe, or piſtol anhonest innocent traveller upon the road?
Object. Ifyou shallfay, uncleanness isnotso costly a fin as robbery is : there is a great deal ofdifference between Tyburn, andawhore-houfepunishment.
Sol. There is a great difference indeed, even asmuch as is betwixt Tyburn and hell, oraſmall mulet inthe courts ofmen, andthe eternal wrath ofa fin-revengingGod: fogreatwill the difference betwixtthe punishments of allfinsbyGod, andby men, be found.
Thus you fee, gentlemen, the commonpleas for uncleanneſs over-ruledby your own reaſon and confciences.
We live in a plentiful land,abounding with all thecomforts ofthis life, and with thousands of full-fed wantons ; ofwhom the Lord complains this day, as hedid ofthe Jews, whom that flowing land vomited out, Jer. v. 7. " When I had fed them
" to the full, theycommitted adultery, and aſſembledthem- " ſelves by troops in theharlots houſes. They were as fed
" horses in the morning ; every one neighed after his neigh- " bour's wife." How many ſuch ſtallions are thus neighing inthefat paftures ofthis good land !
Nordo I wonder atall to ſeethe growth of Atheism, in a landſwarmed and over-run with ſo many thousands ofblafphemers, drunkards, and adulterers.
Itwasagraveobſervati-
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
IfEpicurus (faith he) onofthatgallant moraliſt, Plutarch:
•ſhouldbutgrantaGodin his fullperfections,he mustchange •his life preſently, he must be a ſwine no longer.'
The Lordpurge outthis crying abomination alſo, withAtheiſm anddrunkenneſs,the inletsofit,whichdarken ourglory, and threatentomake usdefolate.
CHAP.
VI.
Whereinreason and confcienceare once more confulted, about that bitterand implacable enmity foundin thousands this day against allferious piety, and thestrict profeffors thereof, wha differ from them insome external modes, and rites of worSoip; and their determinations, upon that cafe, impartiallyreported.
§1 .MAN is naturally afociable creature, delighting incompany and converſe. Hethat affects to live by, and tohimself, muſt be (faith the philoſopher) η θηρίον, η θεος ; either aGod that is felf fufficient, and ſtands in need of none ; or awild beaſt, ſo ſavage and fierce, that it can endurenothing but itſelf.
This natural quality of ſociableneſs is diverfly improved, Sometimes finfully, inwicked combinations todo miſchief; like the herding together ofwolves and tygers: fuchwas the confederationofSimeon and Levi,brethrenin iniquity ; Gen. xlix. 56. Sometimes itis improved civilly, forthemoreorderly andproſperousmanagement ofhuman affairs. Thus all civilized countries have improved it, for the common ſecurity andbenefit. And fometimes religiouſly, for the betterpromotingof each other's ſpiritual and eternal good.
Now themore firmly any civil or religious ſocieties are knit togetherby love, andcoalefce in unity, by ſo much the better they are ſecured against their commonenemies and dangers, andbecome ſtill the more profperous and flourishingwithin andamong themselves. Forwhen every man finds his particular intereſt involved in the public ſafety and ſecurity, (as everyprivatecabbin and paffenger is inthe lafetyofthe ſhip), every particular perſon willthenſtand ready to contribute his uttermoſt aſſiſtance, forthepublic intereſt, both in peace and war.
Unitedforce, we all know, is morethan fingle; and,
VOL . VIII.
Ddd
The reasonableness of Perfonat Reformation. in thisſenſe, weſay, Unus homo, nullushomo ; oneman, isno mån, that is, confidered disjunctively, and alone ; when yet that fingle perſon, ſtanding in a proper place of ſervice in the body, may, by his prudence and courage, fignify verymuch to the public weal of his country ; as Fabius did to the Roman ftate, ofwhom the poet truly obſerved,
Unis homo nobis cunctando reftituit rem ; That one man, byhis prudentdelayand conduct, hath ſaved the whole commonwealth.
§ 2. It is therefore the undoubted intereſtof Chriſtian ſtates and churches, to make every individual perſon as useful as maybe to thewhole, and to enjoy the ſervices ofalltheir fubjects and members, one way or other, according to their different capacities ; that it maybe faidof them, (as the hiftorian fpeaks of the land of Canaan) that there was in it, Nibilinfructuofum, nibil sterile ; nota ſhrabbut bare ſome fruit.
No prudent kingdom, or church, will deprive themſelves of the benefits they mayenjoy bythe ſervices ofany confiderable number of men, (eſpecially if they be able and good men) withoutaplain, inevitable neceſſity. No man, without ſuch a neceffity, willpart with the uſe and ſerviceofthe leaſt finger or toe, much leſs with a leg or arm : but would reckon himſelf half undone, ifa paralyticdiſeate ſhould ſtrike one halfof thebody, and render it utterly uſeleſs to defend and fuccour theother part in time ofdanger.
§3 . Muchſoſtands the cafe with churches and kingdoms, whenthe cauſelefs and sruck enmityofonepart prevails ſo far against the other, as todeprive that ſtate, or church, ofthe uſe and ferviceof multitudes of good and faithfulmembers.
It is folly, in its highest exaltation, for one part ofa nation, out of bitter enmity to the other, notonly to feek all ways andmeans to ſuppreſs and ruin it, whilst a common danger hangs over the whole; but to rejoice in the miſeries of their brethren, as the principalthing which they fancy wouldeontribute to the great advantage of their cauſe. What but ageneral punishment, (ifthat will do it) can work mens hearts into amore general compaſſion ?
The hiſtories ofthoſe times fufficiently inform us, that the great feuds and factions in the western church, not only immediately preceded, butopened the way to the terrible inundations ofthe Goths and Vandals.
Whilst the fuffering part cries out, cruelty, cruelty; thoſe that inflict it, cry as loud, justice, justice. Whatever rational apologies, or methods of peace, come from the oppreffed party, are cenſuredby the o
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
ther as murmur andmutiny.
All men commend unity, and affert it tobe the intereſt of kingdoms and churches.
They wish all men were of one mind ; butwhat mind must thatbe?
To be fure, none buttheir own .
The more cool, prudent, and moderate ſpirits of each party, may ſtrive to the uttermoft, to allaytheſe unnatural feuds and animoſities.
The wiſdown of the governing part, may take the inſtruments of cruelty out of their hand ; but it is
God alone, that can pluck up the roots of enmity out of their hearts.
And what is the matter, when all is fifted and examined ?
Why the matter is this : ſome will be more ferious, ſtrict, and confcientious, than others think fit or neceſſary for them tobe.
Theydare not curſe, ſwear, whore, andbe drunk, as others do.
They fcruple to comply with what God hath not commanded, andthe very impofers confeſs tobe indifferent, antecedently totheir command. They reverently mention the name of God, without an oath, and the folemn matters of religion, without ajeſt in their company. They will affume as much liberty to reprove fin, as others do to commit it.
They take more pleaſure in heavenly duties, and holy conferences, than inranting androaring in taverns and ale-houſes.
That is, in aword, they live up to the principles ofreligion, which all pretend to; and this is their unpardonable crime, a fault never tobe expiated by any leſs punishment than their deſtruction .
And are not people(think you) come to a fine paſs ; when the ſtricteſt obedience tothe laws of God, ſhall be accounted more criminal, than the moſt open and profane violation of them ? Nay, thoughtheyreprovethe other party's ſin noother way, butby their moſt ſerious and religious lives; yet this alone ſhall be fufficient to make them culpable and obnoxious .
§ 4. Ifthe party thus generally hated and maligned, be (for the generality ofthem) ferious and godly Chriſtians ; or if the strictneſs and holiness of their lives, and tenderness of their confciences, be the true ground and reafen ofour hatred of them; fuch an hatred, when itbecomes general, is a direful preſage of fome common calamity and miſery haftening upon fuch a people : Hof. ix. 7. " The days of viſitation arecome ;
" thedays of recompence are come; Ifrael ſhall know it. The " prophet is a fool; the ſpiritual man is mad ; for the mul- " titudeof thineiniquity, andthe great hatred."
•And our own reaſon will give us this conclufion, aswellas Ddd 2
The reasonableness of Perfonal Reformation. ſcripture : for whatsoever brings fin to its fullmaturity, muſt needs haftenjudgments. Andwhat canheighten and accent the ſins ofa people, more than ſuch a cruel hatredof good men, upon theſcore and account beforegiven ? All hatred of godlineſs hath atang ofdeviliſhneſs. It is adeſperate flying in theveryface ofGod,whoſe image holineſs is.
Sincan ſcarce begraduated apeg higher.
Reaſon tells the husbandman, it istime to mow and reap hiscorn, whenit is full ripe. And itmayconvince you, that God'stime ofreapingdown a finful people isnear, when their fins are grown to ſuch full maturity as this: " Put ye inthe
" fickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get ye down, forthe " preſs is full, the fats overflow, fortheirwickedness is great,"
Joel iii. 13.
§ 5. The true cauſe and riſeofthis great and fixed hatred amongſt profeſſed Chriftians, (whatever may be pretendedto falve reputation) is the contrariety and repugnancyofthe natures, and principles, by whichthegodlyandungodly are governed. There is an enmity betwixt the two feeds, Gen. iii.
25. Andthis enmityrunsdown in ablood, more or leſs, in all ages, and places; Gal. iv. 29. "As then, he that was
" born after the fleſh, perſecuted him that was born after the " Spirit ; even ſo it is now." So it was, and ſo it is, and ſo it willbe, tillconverſion changeth the heart and principle. This enmity cannot die, whilft Satan lives, and rules in the hearts ofchildren of disobedience.
Andthe enmity is mutual : "An unjustman is an abomina- " tion to thejuſt ; and he that is upright in the way, is an a- " bominationto the wicked," Prov. xxix. 27. Onlywith this difference ; the good manhates, non virum, fed vitium ; not the perſon, but his fin. The wicked man hates both the perfon ofthe godly, andhis godlineſs too; yea, the perfon for his godlineſs ſake.
This hatred ofthe godly, ſecretly and habitually lurks inthe nature of a wicked man ; as rapaciouſneſs doth in a young wolf, thatnever ſaw a lamb. It extends itſelfuniverſally tothe whole kind, and reaches thoſe, whoſe lives are moſtobligingly ſweet: yea, thoſe that arebound to them in the stricteft bonds of nature : as we may fee, in that moſt unnatural inſtance ofCain's murdering his own brotherAbel. It diſcovers itſelf, in ſeeking the destruction ofthem they hate upon a religious account, and in rejoicing at any evil that befals them.
Nothing is more grateful tothem, than any occafion to difgrace, and expoſe them with contempttotheworld.
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
§6. But though the ſtrictneſs and holiness of good men, caufing the conſciences ofwicked,men privately tocondemn, andinwardly to gauland grate them for their looſeneſs, and profaneneſs, be the true and real ground and cauſe of the grudge and hatred; yet they think it fit, for reputation-fake, thatthis bewholly ſuppreſſed and filenced, and ſomething elſe pretended forthe cauſe and reaſon ofit, elſe it would look too likethedevilhimself. Andtherefore, amongst other plausible pretenfions, fortheir malignityto thoſe that are better than themſelves, theſethree are principally inſiſtedon, andpleaded
1. That it is not their piety,buttheir hypocrify, which they hate: notbecauſe they have indeed more piety than others, butbecauſe they make more vain ſhew and oftentation of it than themſelves do ; who, ſetting afide their ridiculous grimaces, and affected fantaſtic words and actions, are every whit as good as themſelves.
2. Becauſe, under a pretence ofgreater ſtrictneſs inreligi on,theydobuthatch and carry onſedition and rebellion ; and that the world will neverbe quiet,whilſt ſuch vipers are fuffered in the bowels of it.
3. Thatboth theformerhavebeenmade ſufficiently evident andapparent, in ſeveral former, and more recent inſtances, of thehypocrifyandſeditious deſigns ofashigh pretenders to religionand reformation, as thoſe are, whom they trulyhate, and wouldnot fufferthemto live, iftheir power were anſwerable to theirhatred.
Astothis firſt plea, viz. theirhypocriſy; it will quicklybe found tobe toothin and weak to endure the teit of your own reaſonandconfciences.
For how will you anſwer them, whenthey ſhallthus argue and expoftulate the matter with you?
You that thus cenſure, and thoſe that are cenfured for hypocrify by you,doboth profeſs one and the fame religion.
• Your profane lives are notorioufly contrary to all the prin- ' ciples ofthis religion. Youſwear, drink, whore, revile, and ⚫perfecute the others, only becauſe you fancy their tones, geſtures, &c. to be ſome way or other indecent.
You cannot deny, but they live ſoberly and godly : they attendupon • all the duties ofreligion ſtrictly and confcientiouſly.
Your ' malice against them can find nothing to carp at, but fome ' little trifles, with which the eſſence of religion is not con- ' cerned.
Didthey runinto theſame exceſs of riot with you, ' greater matters than theſe would be overlooked, yea, and ⚫applauded too.'
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
Now let reaſon and confcience ſay,Who is most likelyto be the hypocrite ; the man that calls himself a Chriftian, and under that profeſſion wallows in all profaneneſs, not once cenſuring himſelf for it; or he that lives ſoberly and godly, againstwhom malice itſelfcan produce nothingbut ſuch inconfiderable trifles as theſe ? Is not this the very cafe, which Chrifthath determined toourhands, andmade ſuch cenfurers,the hypocrites ? Matth.vii. 3. "Andwhy beholdest thou the mote
"that is in thybrother's eye, but confidereſtnot thebeam that " is inthineown eye ?" Is was butone blemish, andthata very ſmall onetoo, but a mote; howeverthis youcan quickly fpy, and as rafhly cenfure. But mean while there is a beam, an horrid flagitious wickednets in yourſelves ; but it is too near yourown eyes, to bediſcerned by you.
Which oftheſe two (think you) isthe hypocrite ?
2. But what if this mote thatyou difcern, be but a fancy, amere imagination of your own; how will that aggravate your fin, and evinceboth yourmalice and hypocrifytogether?
You ſay, their tones and geſtures in religious duties, are ridiculous, and ſcenical.
This you take up lightly against fomefew ofthem, andas unjustly apply unto the afperfing of the whole party ; which yourown reaſon must, and will immediately condemn.
For there are multitudes ofthat party, whoſe countenances,tones and geſtures, are as decorous, grave, and becoming the presence ofthatGod withwhom they have to do, as any men intheworld.
4. Andas for thoſe fewwhom youthus blemish for their indecenttones and geſtures; what ifthoſetones you ſpeak of, amount tono more but natural defects, and unavoidable infirmities, which theywould, but cannot help ? Do they for this,and noworse than this, deſerve to be cenſured, and con. demned for hypocrites ? Or, what iftheybe inſenſible actions, occafioned by the greater intention oftheir ſpirits inthe fervice ofGod ? May not theſe very things, which you profanely flout, cenfure, and ſcoff at, either not at all be noted as blemishes to their devotion by the eye of God, or noted with approbation and delight, as the effects ofſpiritual fervency in his ſervice ? Certainly, gentlemen, you are no good marken, that neither draw the right arrow, nor level atthe true mark .
4. andwerenot this avain and empty pretence, tocover your own malice against godliness ; how comes it to paſs, hat more ſcenical habits, words, and gestures, ſhouldpaſs as ornaments in others,whom you affect ? Whether this be not
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
partialityunworthy ofaman, let reaſon and conſcience freely judge.
In a word; What commiffion or authority canyouproduce, thus to afcend the throne ofGod, and draw your bittereſt cenſures through the very hearts ofGod's people, for fuch pitiful trifles as theſe ; first condemningthem as hypocrites, which is a moſt unwarrantable preſumption ; and then perfecute them as far as you can, for theirprefumed hypocrify ? Have a care what you do ; be not mockers, leftyourbands bemade ſtrong.
This is a fin which haſtens national desolation ; 2 Chron. xxxvi . 16, 17. " They mocked the meſſengers of God, and " deſpiſed his word,and miſuſed his prophets ; untilthewrath
" of the Lord aroſe againsthis people,till there wasno remedy.
" Therefore he brought upon them the king ofthe Chaldees, " who flew theiryoung men with the fword," &c.
Plea 2. You say, It is not godlineſs you hate, and would perfecute ; but they are a fort ofperſons, who under a pretence ofzeal for religion and reformation,defign nothing else but fedition and rebellion, that the nation will never be quiet, whilſt ſuch vipers are fuffered to live in it: And to fortifythis
: plea, you add, that both their hypocrify and fedition havebeen. made ſufficiently evidentto the world inmanyinſtances.
Zeal for the laws, andſecurity ofthe government, ifrightlytempered and qualified, is higly commendable ; and wherever fincerity animates, and prudence governs it, it ought byno means to be diſcouraged. But there are too many grounds and cauſes of fufpicion, thatboth theſe will be found wholly wanting, or extremely defective, in inanyhigh pretenders to
it, when it comes to be fifted to its bottom principles, and weighed in the juſt balance offound reaſon.
For ifyou be inflamed with a pure zeal for the laws and governmentyou live under; then you will find yourſelves obliged, for your own vindication,tofatisfythejuſt expectation ofyour own, and other mens reaſons and confciences, inthe following particulars :
Expectation 1. First, Reaſon and confcience, in yourſelves andothers, will expect it from you, thatyou, of all men living, ſhould be moſt preciſely and punctually obedient to allthoſe juſt and good laws you live under; fince your zeal burns fo hot against thoſe that complynot punctually with them.
For thoſe thatmake ſo much confcience (as you ſeem to do, of other mens offences against the laws, must be prefumed (if your profeffionbe fincere) tomake at least as much confcience of breaking any of them in your own perſons ; elfe neither
The reasonableness ofPersonal Reformation. reaſon nor confcience will ever admitthisplea of yours for found and good.
Now the laws fometimes appoint punishments for nonconformity to the rites and ceremonies, affixed to the public national worship ; andſo they do always for convicted ſwearing, drunkenneſs, and adultery. All theſe laws have the very fame fanction, bythe authoritywe live under.
They forbid, and punith, the one as well as the other. And if there be any difference, itlies inthis, that theſe latter are exprefly for. bidden and threatnedbyGod, antecedentlytothe magiftrate's prohibition ofthem, which hath no ſmall weight in the matterunder confideration.
Now, if any man ſhall pretend zeal andconfcience, againft diffent injudgment or practice, from thechurch,butmakes no confcience at all to curſeand ſwear, be drunk or unclean ; he will find it a difficult task toperfuadehis own, or other mens reafons or confciences, that this his zeal,forthe laws andgovernment, is fincere and pure.
For were it ſo,it couldnever allow him to live in the notoriousviolationofthelaws himself, whichhe is fo fierce and bitter against others for.
Expectation 2. Secondly, Ifyour zeal be fincere, itwill con . tain itſelf within thebounds and limits of the offence, and not layhold upon the innocent, as well as uponthe guilty ; andmakeyou hate andperſecutethem thatwerenever turbulent andfeditious,equallywith the greatest criminals.
Ifyou willhug this principleas things ſtandnow,reaſonwilltellyou, it is as juſt at all othertimes, as it is atthis.
Would you not think itan unreasonable and moſt injuriousthing, tobe plucked out of your ſhops, or houſes, and -hurriedaway tothegoal; becauſetwo orthree diſſolutefellows inthe cityor town whereyou live, have beenriotous or feditious, though you poffibly know notthe men, nor can be fo much as juftly ſuſpectedof anyconfederacywith them ? True zeal for the laws and government, is contentto wait, and fufpend its revenge, till a fair conviction have paffed uponthe guilty. And when it falls upon them, it is careful that it touch nonebefides them: but fuffers a man to retain, inthe very height of it, due love and honour for all that are innocent.
IfChriſtians be firſt denominatedbygeneral titles and terms ofdiftinction,which theycannothelp,and thenthe crimesof any particular perſon,thatthe world pleaſes to denominateas one ofthe fame party, must be charged and imputed tothe whole ; what must the conſequence of this be, but that the
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
wholecommunity become obnoxious to punishment, andthe verygovernment itſelf thereuponbe diſſolved?
For I take it to be paſt denial ordoubt, that ſome ofeach denominationhave been, are, or may be guilty of feditious practices.
Some hypocrites willlurkamongthoſe vaftbodies ofpeople, under the moſt ſtrict and watchful government ; butGod forbid their guilt ſhould affect, the whole body, under whoſe names they ſhelter themſelves. God, reaſon, and confcience, do all command the hotteſt zeal, to make its pauſeandjuſtdiſtinction here.
Letthe guiltybe brought to condign punishment, upon fair trial and conviction .
This diſcourſe deſigns no favour for ſuch. Butlet not thoſewho abhor their wickedneſs, and are as pure from their crimes as yourſelves, fuffer with them, or for them: For then your reafon will tell you, yourſelves are as liable to fufferings as they ; and that your zeal is notkindledbylovetojuſtice,but thehatredofaparty.
Itisnot in thebody politic,asin thebodynatural: Ifthe hand ſteal, the feet are justly laid in irons, and the neck put intoan halter; becauſe allthe members ofthe body natural are animated, and governed butby one foul. But in the body politic, every individual hath a diſtinct foul of his own ; and therefore that member only that offends ought to be punished, and allthe reſtto enjoytheir full liberty andhonour asbefore.
Away therefore forever with this church and ſtate destroying ſynechdoche.
Expectation 3. Thirdly, If there be a changemade upon the laws, and they ſhall at any time tolerate and protect that partyand practice which once they made criminal; thenyour reaſon, and every man's elſe, will expect from you (if your zeal for the laws and government be fincere and unfeigned) thatyour countenance and carriage to thatpeople be changed and altered, according to the different aſpect of the laws and government upon them: That your envy and hatred ceafe with the offence; and thatyou be as readyto affiſt andencourage them, when they act according to law, as you formerly were to inflict andprofecute them for acting contrary to law:
Elſe, pretendwhat you will, it is plain enough, that itwasnot zeal for the laws and government, but fomewhat elſe, (which every body may gueſs at) that inflamed your rage againft them.
Forwhenſoever the wisdom of the government finds it neceffary, by toleration, to take awaythe crime and offence, it
VOL . VIII.
Eee
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. muſt neceffarily take away this very plea forhatred andperfecution with it: Otherwise itwould be all one, to act for law, andagainſt law; to punish them that are offenders, and them that offend no more thanyourſelves ; to turn the edge of your rage and fury, against thoſe that underminethe government, andthoſe that are as zealous as yourſelves, to ſupport and defend it, by their perſons and puries.
Expectation 4. Fourthly, Your reaſon will justly expect it from you, that when, or whereſoever you ſhall ſeeeminent pietymeetingwithpunctual conformity in one man, thatman ſhall be your verydarling; andthat both theſe qualifications ſhould recommend him to your dearest affection, the more ſtrictly godly he is, the more conformablehe is to the laws of God; as well as byhis punctal compliance withenjoined rules and rites of worſhip,tothe laws of men.
Ifhe be a man of catholiccharity to all of every perfuafion,whom he judges to fear God, and be truly confcientious; ifhe boldly and impartially reproves fin, wherever he finds it, though it be in his ownpatron, or men ofhis ownprofeffion; you will still love him the more for that. For if fincerity and conformity (as you pretend) be the very things which you make fuch a noife and buftle for in the world, here you havethem both in conjunction.
This is the man you feem to feek (by theſe pleas of yours) for a pattern and ſtandard to reduce other mento.
Andis it reallyſo, gentlemen, with you ? Do you heartily affect and prize a ſtrict and ferious conformist, that fears notto expoſe the odious ſhamefulneſs and wickedneſs of profane ſwearing, curfing, drunkenneſs and uncleanneſs, without reſpect of perfons, both in his pulpit and private converſes ? Do you lovehim the better,for his plain dealing with your confciences, in detecting the grandcheat offormality in religion ; forhis cloſe cutting convictions of the infufficiency ofmere civility to your ſalvation, and the indifpenfible neceffity of regeneration ? Do you heartily love and honour him, for thundering you out of ale-houſes and taverns, unto your familyand cloſet-duties ?
For tellingyou plainly, your • lovemust not be confinedtoyour own party, but extended
⚫to all that fearGod,however they be externally diftinguiſh- 'edamongmen? Nay,for convincing you plainly,thatreligi- • on lies not inexternal modes and rites, in ſtanding, kneeling, or refponfes ? That the name and cry of the church, the church, will as little avail to your falvation, as the cry of the •fuperftitious and profane Jews, The temple of the Lord,
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation.
" the temple of the Lord are theſe ? That true religion is an • inward, ſerious, ſpiritual thing, conſiſting in an evidencing
• itſelfby the mortification of your fins, and real devotedneſs ⚫ofyour hearts to the Lord ?'
* If ſuch aman as this will pleaſe, and delight your very hearts; then my reaſon is bound to conclude, there maybe reality in what you pretend.
But if you shall hate and loath ſuchaman as this equally with a profeſſed diffenter ; you must excuſeme, and all the rational world with me, ifwe shall conclude, that it is nottrue zeal for the laws, for the church, or for the fincerityand peaceable lives of its profeffors ; but an inward rootedenmityat religion itſelf, thatſets you on work, under the feigned pretences of other things.
Expectation 5. Fifthly, Your reaſon will expect, and exact itfrom you, that whenſoever you shall be convinced, that all theſe ſtirs and buſtles that have been inthe world, all this fining, imprifoning, and impoverishing your Proteftant brethren and neighbours for their confcience fake, hathdone the church no good, but given a great and real advantage to our common enemy, to ruin us together ; that we may diſtinguiſh ourſelves how we pleaſe in our folly, butthey will neverdiſtinguiſh us in their fury ; for we are all knownto them, by one common name of Heretics .
In this cafe, yourreaſon exacts itfrom you, andſodoth the common reaſon ofmankind, that a ſenſe ofcommon intereſt, andcommon danger, now quietthoſe feuds, and extinguiſh thoſe fires, which our own lufts firſt kindled, and the devil andourcommon enemies have incenſed, to the great damage and hazard ofthe whole Proteftant caufe.
Such a ſeaſonable and becoming ſenſe as this, were in itſelf fufficient to cool a wife man's heats, ifpenal laws were left ſtanding in their full force and vigour: Butwhen the wisdom andreaſon ofthe ſtate ſhall plainly difcern both the usefulness and neceffity of liberty, andthereupontake away (as theyhave now moſt prudently and ſeaſonably done) the further occafions ofmischiefs to the whole, by relaxing the yoke that bound fome (andthoſe a very great body oftruly loyal and useful fubjects) leaving the rest in the quiet poffeffion oftheirown liberties and properties ; what ſhall we call that fire, which ſtill continues burning and increaſing, not only after, but by all this, but anunquenchable hell-fire.
Ifchimera's, and felf-createdjealoufies, are indulged, that fome carnal intereſts ofours are not fo well fecured to us unEee 2
The reasonableness of Personal Reformation. der liberty, as theywereunderperfecutionand tyranny ; this willbe the rightwayto perpetuatediſſentions andperſecutions tothe end ofthe world.
And now, gentlemen, I hope I may ſay, without being vain or opinionative, our reaſon hath fairly difarmed you of theſe pleas and excuſes, by which you have hitherto defendedyourſelves in your moſt ſinfulpractices of profane curfingand ſwearing, drunkenneſs, uncleanneſs, andbitter enmityagainst your Proteftant brethren, for things that touch not the effence of Chriſtianity.
Andbelieve it, firs, itis trulygenteelandglorious,to ſuffer yourſelves to be fubduedand conqueredbythe plain convictions ofyourownreaſonandconfcience. Itistenthousandtimes more honourable and glorious to lay down your arms at the feetof theſe, than to laydownboth reaſon and confcience at the feet of Satan and your lufts, andcontinue fighting obſtinately against God, your own fouls, bodies, estates, reputations ; yea, your very reaſons and confciences, your innocent brethren, and the peace of church and ſtate, under Satan's banner.
In all this diſcourſe, Ihave not deſigned to exafperate, but afſuage and reſtrainyour lufts and paſſions, by laying the loving and gentle hands ofyourown reaſons and confciencesupon them.
I havenot giventhe leaſt injurious touch to your honour, but all alongpleaded for the recovery, or fecurity of it.
I have expoſed no man by anyparticular mark, orindignation.
Butnow I havedone with you ; if your own confciences ſhallbegintomake a rounder and more particular application of theſe general reaſonings andarguments, andſay toyou, as Nathan toDavid, thouartthe man ; Iam notaccountable to God for that.
But be confident ofit, you are accountableto God for all thoſe plain convictions, and faithful endeavours ufedwithyou, andtrieduponyou, toſaveyou from allthoſe miſeries your head-strong lufts, with furious precipitation, are manifeſtlyrunning you into.
Ifyou can ſubſtantially and folidly refel thoſe arguments againft, and vindicate thoſepleas for fin,whichreaſon andconſcience have urged and cenſured above; and can produce ſtrongerand clearerarguments, todefend andjustifythecourfes here cenſured and condemned; or ifyou can obtainawrit oferror, to remove theſe cauſestoanother lawful court ofjudicature, whereyou ſhall obtain amore favourable verdict, your complaintoffeveredealing withyouhere, willnotwantfome