A SERMON ON The Restoring of the COIN, With reference to the State of the Nation, and of the Church therein.  
By a Minister of the Church of England.  Isa. 1.25. 
I will turn my hand upon Thee, and purely purge away thy Dross, and take away all thy Tin.  
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns, the lower End of Cheapside, near Mercer's Chapel, 1697.   

To the Right Worshipful Sir Henry Ashurst, Baronet.  
Honoured Sir,  
IT is no small inconvenience of the late deficiency of the Coin, that it hath occasioned so much unprofitable Discourse; that in all Companies, almost nothing is talked of but Money: There is a Divine Chemistry, and Holy Art of Extracting out of any Common Subject, some Heavenly and Spiritual Matter: It were well if we could take occasion from the multitude of words about the late debased, and now regulated Coin, to affect our own and others Hearts with the depravity of our natures, and the necessity of their recovery by Grace; with the Corruption of the Land, and what hope of Reformation; whatever private Persons may do towards it, at least by earnest Prayer, and by beginning at home: Church-Reformation is much promoted by Family-Religion, and that must begin with personal Dedication. It is a true saying, Corruptio optimi est pessima, next to the Corruption of the Ministry, that of the Gentry is most to be bewailed: How sad is it when they who should help forward the Reformation, do themselves most need it! But as when the Coin was most corrupted, there was always some good, so hath the Lord yet a Remnant in this Land, and the Lord add unto them (how many soever they be) an hundred fold: When I have heard of your Zeal for God and his Interest in public and private Stations, I could not but say, I have known few amongst the great Ones like minded: It is upon this account that I have made bold to set your Name before this Sermon, that whereas I have not the vanity to think that it should come into the hands of many (if any) of those Noble Patriots to whom I have addressed myself in the Body of it; the substance of that part of it may be communicated to them of your acquaintance in your Familiar converse with them, but in your own more efficacious words, and with greater enlargements than the necessity of my keeping within the narrow bounds of a Metaphor would admit of in this Discourse: And yet I have said so much to those whom I so much reverence, that a modest shame obligeth me to withdraw my Name, lest it should be known to come from so mean a Person; and I shall seek other ways to make it known, how much I am,  
Your most Humble, And most obliged Servant.   
JEREMIAH 6.30. 
Reprobate Silver shall Men call them, because the Lord hath Rejected them.  
WHether this Censure of the People of Israel be a continuance of God's words to the Prophet, begun, ver. 27. or whether they be the Prophet's Words in answer to the charge there given him, I have set thee for a Tower— that thou mayest know and try their way; Evident it is, that thereby is represented to us the great Corruption of the Church and State of Israel at that time, under the similitude of Debased and Corrupted Coin. Ver. 28. They are grievous Revolters— they are Brass and Iron, they are all Corrupters. Which is further amplified, 1. By the Pains that had been taken, and Means used to remedy this Corruption. Ver. 29. The Bellows are burnt, the Lead is consumed of the Fire, the Founder melts in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 2. By the Rejecting and Casting them off, thereupon Reprobate Silver, Refuse Coin shall Men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.  
Doct. The State of a Church, with respect to the degeneracy of the People, is like that of a Land, with respect to the debasing of the Coin; they are like Reprobate, Refuse, and Rejected Money.  
The same similitude is used by the other Prophets, Isa. 1.22. Thy Silver is become Dross. Ezek. 22.18. The house of Israel is to me become Dross, all they are Brass, and Tin, and Iron, and Led in the midst of the Furnace. Which is not spoken as to those Metals in themselves, but as used to Corrupt the Silver, and Debase the Coin, which Metaphor is largely pursued in the following verses, to note how they were like Money, that was first Corrupted, then Reprobated and Refused, which the Government would Reject, and forbidden to be owned, or to pass Currant any more; Reprobate Silver shall Men call them, etc. What the Case of this Land hath been, with respect to the debasing of the Coin, almost every one is sensible of, and hath felt more or less; Had it not been timely restored, it might have proved ruin to the Nation: Now this similitude doth so suit the Condition of this poor Church and Nation, with respect to our great degeneracy, that unless something be done for a more effectual remedy, our Case must needs be sad indeed. The considering of the Parallels in the Doctrinal Part, may help to prepare us for the Application.  
1. Heretofore there was good Coin, of the right Stamp, of the full Weight; Currant Money of the Merchant. The conveniency and usefulness of which for Trade and Commerce no one doubts of: Now this doth aptly set forth the happy condition of a Nation where Religion flourisheth; and Holiness and Righteousness are, as it were, the currant Coin of it. That place in Isaiah 1.22. that speaks of the debasing the Silver, hath reference to what goes before, ver. 21. It was a faithful City, it was full of Judgement, Righteousness lodged in it: It was pure Coin, though now Adulterated. Indeed if we were to seek for a time when there was no corrupt Money in the Land, we must run it up to Ages long since past; So if we seek for perfect Purity, we must look as far, as to the state before the Fall, when God made Man upright, and instamped upon him his own image, and there was no disagreement from the Standard and Rule of his Holy Law: Yet there have been days since that, when there hath been a greater comparative Purity, as in the primitive times of Christianity, and next to them in the year after the Reformation; so that it might be said of the Churches that they were like pure Silver Coin in the same respect, as it was said of Jerusalem, in that forecited place, in the days of Asa and Jehosaphat: And though it cannot be denied that there may be a great fault in saying, The former times were better than these, Eccles. 7.10. Yet that is to forbid a murmuring at the Judgements in our days, and not to prevent our Humiliation for the sins of them; though there hath been all along some bad Money, yet we can all remember the time when it was much better than of late: here were Faults and Corruptions in the days of our Fathers, but it is yet within the memory of some alive, when there was not such a flood of Debauchery as hath broken in since; and many that are no ways factiously inclined, have given a true Report, of that Zeal for God that was amongst the Professors of Religion heretofore, that seriousness in their Families, circumspection in their lives; of that encouragement that the power of godliness met with, from Persons of Great Name and Note, in the Counties and Places where they dwelled  
2. There hath been of late a great debasing of the Coin. Part of it embezzled, and the weight Diminished; part of it Adulterated, the Stamp Changed; some plain Brass to every eye, the rest more cunningly Counterfeited, but presently discovered by a more discerning sight. The dangerous condition in which the Land was a while ago on this account, doth represent to us our danger still with respect to higher Corruptions; where it is to be hoped that there may be the True Stamp still; Yet is our Spiritual state like that of the Coin, Impaired; the Ancient Seriousness, Piety and Charity, much clipped off; the Letters missing by which it was wont to be known; by this shall all men know that you are my Disciples, if you love one another; Our divisions have been to us what the Shears and such like Instruments, have been to the Money. With others it hath been yet far worse; there is nothing of the Royal Coin left; they have another Stamp upon Brass and Iron washed over, Ezek. 22.18. What a mixture of false Doctrines and Blasphemies (witness the late spreading of Socinianism and Deism) of Debauchery, and wicked Practices, Drunkenness, Uncleanness and Profanation of the Lord's Name and Day, hath there been with the poor remainder of a Christian Profession! The Brass is apparent, By their Works you shall know them: Though others have cunningly disguised their Wickedness, who yet lie open to the All-discerning Eye of him, who tries the Hearts and the Reins. It is true, the Corruption of the Coin was not all at once, but in a few Month's space, it grew worse at last than in many years before. The sinful Corruption of this Nation hath been a gradual thing, and whither will it proceed if it be not yet at the height, and if some stop be not put to the daily increase? Already is the Land reduced to as miserable a Case, as ever the Coin was. For, (1.) Sin has obscured the glory of it: There was always some good pieces where the Coin were at worst, and usually some Silver in the most debased Piece, but the lustre of the Coin was lost It is (2.) rendered Deceitful and Hypocritical, as Israel was called, Isa. 10.6. The Counterfeit Coin was perpetually cheating, and deceiving those that had to do with it. And thereby (3.) It is become worthless and contemptible, nigh unto cursing, ready to be rejected, like Coin that could not be used, it was so Adulterated, or as the Prophet useth another similitude, Jer. 24.8. Like figs that could not be eaten, they were so evil.  
3. Many attempts were made to prevent the mischief, but all proved ineffectual, so long as the corrupted Coin was suffered to pass currant. Indeed the more ignorant sort saw not the cause of the Mischief, nor the need of a remedy: They thought and said, That if their Money might but pass according to its denomination, tho' it was made of Leather, it was all one to them. Others that understood better did dread the consequences, and did something to prevent them; private Persons in their places, and the Governors in theirs; many of the counterfeit Pieces were stopped, and broken, that they might cheat no more; many of the Debasers and Coiners were taken and suffered the due reward of their deeds; but all this was insufficient to put a stop to the Corruption, on the contrary, it grew worse and worse. This is set down in the verse before the Text, v. 29. The Bellows aeburnt, the Lead is consumed of the fire, the Founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. Which may in the general Note, that the Land in respect of Moral Corruption, was not only like debased Coin, but worse; because it was more easy to redress the State of the Coin than of the Land: But indeed this verse hath some difficulty as to the Application of the Metaphor, for the fire is wont to be the last remedy, and to prove effectual to the designed end, and so we find it used in the Parallel places, Isa. 1.25, 26. Ezek 22.22. I conceive therefore that the simililtude must signify something else here, and something less than it doth in the other places, viz. The Preparatory and Precious Methods that were used (before the Rejection spoken of in the Text) which all miscarried: Here were Bellows provided, and Led (used then instead of Quicksilver) to have facilitated the melting; here was the Founder ready, but all in vain, Why? because the wicked was not plucked away. The debased Coin was still Currant; the Founder melts his Lead, and consumes it for nothing. Hath it not been thus in our Land? It is a strange stupidity of some, that they are against all attempts of a Reformation; they would have all things go as they do; Heresies, and Debaucheries let alone: But yet attempts have been made, some private stop put to the Corruption in some places; Public Proclamations against Debaucheries, Orders against Heresies, Commissions and Consultations about Church Reformation. Nay, here hath been something of the Fire kindled, the Bellows and Led prepared. Noting either the preaching of the Word, or the preparatory Judgements of Plague, Fire, Wars, and such like Calamities, all which are ineffectual because the wicked are not plucked away. It still grew worse while the debased Coin past currant.  
4. At last the Government resolved to make a thorough work; they wholly rejected the debased Coin, that it should no more pass by the Name it did (Reprobate, or Refuse, Silver shall Men call it.) They ordered all the corrupted Money to be brought to the fire, that nothing should go but according to Weight and Standard, and that the whole at last should be made New, more excellent for beauty, safety and usefulness than ever before. The Lord hath rejected it, saith the Text; But, alas! who shall live when God will do this? When (1) God shall pour contempt upon the profane in the eyes of the World, and shall separate the precious from the vile; So that they shall not pass currant as Men in fashion that blaspheme the Name of God with their horrid Oaths, and ridicule Religion as a Cheat and Priestcraft; when they shall not call the proud happy, but, Reprobate Silver shall Men call them. When (2.) all things shall go by weight and measure, as reduced to the standard of the Word; when things shall not go by mere name, as we have called that a Shilling which was not half weight, nor a quarter worth but as weighed in the Balance of the Sanctuary. When (3.) upon bringing the rejected and refuse Silver to the flame, all things shall become new, and the Church restored to its Beauty and Excellency as the Coin is. This is admirably represented, in Ezek. 22.19,— 22. and in other places. Now whatsoever way the Lord will work this, whether by Magistrates whom he will spirit and stir up for it; or by Afflictions, sometimes called a Furnace; or by greater Effusions of his Spirit in the preaching of the Word; or whether by all these together, sure we are, that he will be like a refiners fire, Mal. 3.2. And there will be these two things in it.  
1. Great Wrath upon such as shall be found debased and corrupted, and so refused and rejected, Psalm 119.119. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the Earth like dross; They despised God, his Ways and his People, they counted them as the Off-scouring of the World, and they themselves shall be lightly esteemed, Ezek. 22.20, 21. As they gather Silver, and Brass, and Iron, and Led, and Tin, into the midst of the Furnace to blow the fire upon it, so will I gather you in mine anger and my fury— and I will blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, etc. The Judgements of God are very searching and desolating upon the wicked many times in this World, as we have instances in Church-History all along, even so as to be an Emblem of the great Judgement to come, and to express, Rev. 3. 3— I will come upon thee, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  
2. Great Mercy to the Church afterwards, for upon the rejecting the wicked, the Church is restored, Prov. 25.4. Take away the Dross from the Silver, and there shall come forth a Vessel for the Finer; which is applied in the next Words to the taking away the wicked— verse 5. Divers of the Prophets spoke of this Mal. 3.3. He shall sit as a Refiner, and Purifier of Silver: and he shall purify the Sons of Levi, and purge them as Gold and Silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in Righteousness. He may possibly begin with them in Judgement for their Corruptions, and in Mercy for their Recovery, that they may be instruments in restoring others. Of whom another Prophet speaks in the same manner, Zech. 13.9. And it shall come to pass, that in all the Land saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein; and I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as Silver is refined, and will try them as Gold is tried: they shall call upon my Name, and I will hear them, etc. Here is a remnant reserved and restored, made bright and Illustrious, like New and Beautiful Coin. The like we may see in Isa. 1.25. and 4.3, 4. Of which, further Use may be made in the Application, to which we shall now proceed.  
Use 1. This may be used for a serious Exhortation, that you be not found amongst the Corrupters, and Corrupted Ones, whom the Lord will reject. The old debased Coin past a great while; it went currant, partly through faultiness, and partly through ignorance; The wicked have not been plucked away; some have continued in the Church through neglect of Discipline, and others by reason of their Washeses and cunning Artifices have not been discovered to be what they are: What will you do when you can pass currant to longer? there is a day that will manifest every man's work, for the fire will declare it. If thou continuest a profane Enemy of God and Godliness, a malignant Hater of seriousness and strictness in Religion; if under the wash of an outward Profession, thou wilt still cherish Malice, Uncleanness, Worldliness, or such like Lusts in thy Heart, thou wilt be rejected, refuse Coin, reprobated, and cast off by the Lord Harken therefore in time to the Word of the Lord, that God may hearken unto you.  
1. See that you have the image of God instamped and renewed upon your Souls: When the Coin was debased, they melted down the Money that had the right stamp they corrupted it with the base Metals of Brass and Iron, and placed a counterfeit Stamp upon it; this was our ruin at first: By the Fall the Image of God was lost, and defaced, and a contrary image stamped on the Soul: There must be a restoring the King's Image again, the debased Coin must be broken with the Hammer, melted with the fire, and made susceptible of a new stamp; How admirably doth this set forth the work of Grace upon the Heart! Jer. 23.29. Is not my word like a Fire, saith the Lord? and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces? Thou must be broken by the Hammer of the Law, and melted down by the Gospel, and the Lord's Image must be renewed upon thy Soul, Col. 3.10. And have put on the new Man which is renewed in Knowledge, after the Image of him that Created him. And in the other Epistle, Eph. 4.24. it is said to be after God, that is, after his Image, which we are told there, doth consist in Righteousness and true Holiness. So that the great Question, which you must put to your Souls, is, Whose is this Image and Superscription? Is it after Christ, after his likeness? have you received Grace for Grace? Is there Grace in you, answering to the great Patterns and Exemplar in him, as in the Coin face answers to face, and one part and feature to another? It will come to that at last, that no Coin will go currant, but what is new. All old things must pass away, and all things become new, 2 Cor. 5.17. The Apostles words respect another similitude, but may be applied to this, 1 Cor. 5.7. That you must be a new lump, or Mass, on which a new Image must be stamped. There must be a new Heart and a new Spirit, Ezek. 36.26. From whence proceeds newness of Life and Obedience: And as the old Coin is still wearing away, and the new Money increasing; so must the old Man be decaying, as crucified with Christ, Rom 6.6. put to a linger death, till at last there be no more of it; and the new man must increase, till Grace comes to be perfected in Glory.  
2 See that in your whole life and course you be according to the Standard, and full Weight. It was the charge upon that Remiss Church of Sardis, in which we are nearly concerned, that the Lord had not found her works perfect before God, Rev. 3 2. not filled up; but like Coin impaird and embezzled, that would not hold weight. The Gospel requires good Works, as well as the Law, though not for the same ends: and the one is a Standard as well as the other, if he weighs us in the Balance of his Law, and Covenant of Works there is no Righteousness, but that of Christ's, which will hold weight: But sincerity is a kind of Evangelical perfection, and so owned in the Covenant of Grace; and sad is our case, if God should write upon us, TEKEL, thou art weighed in the Balances, and art found wanting, Dan. 5.27. There are many frothy vain Persons of empty light Spirits that have no solidity; Examine yourselves, saith the Apostle, prove your own selves, 2 Cor. 13.5. Where he useth a word, that is also made use of for the Trial of Metals of which Money is made.  
Use 2. This may further be improved by way of caution, that you take heed of murmuring and fretting about the difficulties occasioned by the Coin at this day, when you have more reason to lie low before God in sorrow, and humiliation. Murmuring hath been one of the prevailing sins of England of late, as it was of the Children of Israel when they came out of Egypt; there are many circumstances that are much alike in both Nothing hath more exercised the Tongues, and filled the Hearts of many this last year, than the difficulties about the Money: No Man smites upon his thigh and cries, what have I done? Each one murmuring at others, the wisest Counsellor and Counsels cannot escape them; they fret themselves against God and the King, and look up. Sometimes they murmur at the inconveniencies occasioned by the Calling in of the Coin, the stoppage of their Trade and Commerce, the hindrance of the War, and of the Peace, and Deliverance hoped for by it; at other times at the difficulties in amending the Coin, the delay of it, and the frustrating some attempts that have been made to restore it.  
Now not to argue against this murmuring from the General Heads of the Sin and danger of it; I desire only that they who murmur in this Case, would reflect upon themselves, and inquire whether they have not more cause to mourn, than to fret upon this account. Let it be considered:  
1. Whether you are not the Persons that have caused this Calamity, this Debasing of the Coin; I do not mean, whether your sins as well as others, have caused it meretoriously, as sin brings down all Judgements, but whether you have not been instrumental in procuring these inconveniencies, which have lain heavy on yourselves and others. They that suffered justly for their Treason, and a kind of Robbery of the whole Nation, in Clipping and Coining, were not the only guilty Persons; it must needs be that they have other Confederates, Accessaries to their Treason and Theft, who helped them to all that broad Money which they clipped and melted down; which Confederacy is doubtless an Iniquity, that aught to be punished by the Judges; but I hope this guilt lies (comparitively) but among a few. There is yet a more general Sin to be bewailed, which was always accounted a heinous piece of injustice, till the temptation grew too strong for many; the putting off false and counterfeit Money in their deal one with another. How many made no conscience of putting off Brass and Iron for Silver, because, say they, we took it for good ourselves; which is but in other words, to cheat others, because they themselves were imposed upon! It was this common practice that encouraged the pouring in such vast quantities of debased Money upon us: I doubt not, now the Temptation is over, the Conviction will be more easy, that it is the same sin to put off counterfeit Money knowingly, as to put off counterfeit Goods: A sin so general, aught to be publicly acknowledged, and bewailed by the Land; and shall the guilty persons murmur at that which they caused; at an Evil which they have encouraged and procured!  
2. Whether you yourselves are not like this debased Coin, this reprobate Silver, this refuse Money, which is now rejected? How little good, and how much bad would there be found, if now you are brought to the Balance? Let me only put the Question to your Hearts in reference to the pretences of your present Murmuring.  
1. You murmur, that the badness and deficiency of the Coin hath hindered your Trade, and stopped the success of the War; upon this some fly out into extravagant expressions, which I list not to repeat. Now I beseech you consider whether the greater corruption of your lives hath not more hindered the progress of the Gospel, and the desired deliverance. Is not the Gospel of more concern than your Trade, and the interest of Christ in the Land than your private interest? and yet this is that which you have hindered. You are degenerated and debased, become, as the Prophet saith, Brass, Tin, Iron and Lead; Brass for Impudence in Sin, Tin for Hypocrisy, Iron for inflexibleness, Led for stupidity; and hath not this more hindered the work of God in the Land, than the bad Money hath hindered your work? You yourselves have been the Achans that have troubled our Israel: It was not the want or the badness of the Coin that hindered the success against the Enemy, so much as the abounding of sin in the Land. Oh that my People had harkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their Enemies, and turned my hand against their Adversaries, Psal. 81.13, 14.  
Or, 2. You murmur that there are delays in amending and restoring the Coin, that some attempts have failed, and many disappointments are met with that were not expected: But ought you not to consider, how many more apparent miscarriages there have been of the attempts to reform you? Here have been delays as to the Coin, but you see something is done; a great deal of new Money is come abroad, but what hath yet been done amongst you? though some attempts as to the Money, have miscarried, yet others do succeed; but all the several methods to reform you have in great part failed. Such exceeding difficulties do they meet with, who have attempted a greater purity in Church and State, that they are ready to give it over, as a hopeless undertaking. So refractory have Sinners proved, and averse to Reformation, that there is need of all fitting Arguments to persuade those, whose work it is, to overcome the discouragements they have met with, and to set about it, in good earnest; which brings us to another Use.  
Use 3. By way of Address and humble Application to them who have been the Restorers of our Coin, that they may become healers of our breaches, and restorers of paths to dwell in. I doubt not when the heat of men's passions is a little over, the whole Nation will thankfully acknowledge your Wisdom and Care in the late Regulation of the Money; and the more serious part of it will especially take notice of your delivering us from so great a Snare, as was the customary putting off bad Money to one another, almost at last without Reluctancy. Now it hath been proved that our Land is become by sin, like corrupted and debased Coin, and that the Reformation of it is God's Work, who useth what instruments he pleaseth; And Oh that it might please him to put it into your hearts to do as much for the interest of his Church, as you have done for the interest of the Nation! that you may resolve to sit the die in Diem, as one grand Committee for Religion, till all things are brought to the Balance, and reduced to the great Standard of the Word. You have been sensible how much the honour of the King is concerned, that the Coin should be such as he should own; and is not the Lord as jealous of his Ministry and Ordinances, on which he hath set his Stamp? I will only set before you, your own example, Do as you have done for us, and the Lord shall be with you. You have delivered us from the corrupted Coin, you have refused and rejected it; deliver us also effectually from Debaucheries and Profaneness; put a greater restraint upon the boldness of Heretics, that deny the Lord that bought them; what you find amiss in the Church, redress it; and begin, as God himself doth, with the Sons of Levi. His Majesty's Commission to the late Convocation, 1689. will inform you of the particular grievances, and you do not want eminent Lights set up in the highest places of the Church, to assist you in the redressing of them. You have encouraged the good Money to come abroad freely, which heretofore was hoarded up; and can it be for the glory of God, that so many Persons should be hoarded up, and confined to private & separate Assemblies, whose Labours are much wanted in the Church, had the comprehension gone along with the Toleration seven years ago, it had doubtless been more for the interest of Religion in general, as well as for the Church of England in particular. You have taken care, that the old Money, not yet spoiled, should be Recalled and Recoined: It hath been formerly unquestionably currant, the Nation hath flourished in the use thereof, yet when you saw that the Hammered Coin was liable to be abused still, and like to breed quarrels amongst the People, in Wisdom you thought fit to remove it, and to exchange it for that which is more bright, and safe, and useful: Let it please you to consider, whether there be not some Rites and Usages, though not debased by superstition, yet unnecessary and subject to abuses, which have bred quarrels in the Church for above a hundred years together, and whether they may not be changed for such as are more unquestionably useful: especially when this difference is observed, that the old Money which you call in, hath had on it the Royal Stamp, whereas these Usages pretend only to a bare allowance to pass for a time, and are more like to the small Money, which I remember many years ago was stamped by private Shop keepers, which by the leave of the Government, went currant for some years, within the narrow Bounds assigned them: But it hath since been found much better, that even Farthings should have the King's Stamp, and nothing suffered but what may pass currant through the Land.  
I doubt not but in the setting about so great a work as is the Reforming a corrupted Land, you will meet with many difficulties, and you will not want those who will on purpose lay rubs in your way; but give me leave to say, they can propose no Objections, but what you have answered yourselves, nor are there any Obstructions but what you have already broke through in the like case.  
Should it be objected that we have a good establishment already, that there are many good Law's against corruptions in the Land, many good Constitutions in the Church, and actual endeavours already made for a Reformation of what is amiss; was it not also so as to the Coin? was there not a good establishment of it formerly, good Laws about the taking and refusing it, and care taken for the preventing and redressing of the abuses of it? yet you saw cause to do something more, and more effectually than ever had been done before in our days.  
It will be objected, That alterations are dangerous; there will be those that will cry out, as if the Church were in danger, if you remove but a Ceremony, but you have got over this stumbling Block too; for there have not wanted those that would have amused you and the Nation, with fears and jealousies, as if you were ruining the Land, when you were restoring the Coin. You easily perceived that these outcries came from a selfish private interest, and unconcernedness for the public good.  
It may possibly be further said, that should you do all that is desired, there would be still faults and corruptions, still quarrels and factions, that some Men will never be satisfied, whatever is done in, and for the Church; and is not the same thing said as to the Coin, that there will be Counterfeits of the New Money too; quarrels amongst the people about it, and some dissatisfied as well as others pleased? Let not Objections, already baffled, and answered, by yourselves have any force to hinder you in so great a work. And yet there is need of one Use of the Doctrine more.  
Use 4. To stir us up to a solemn Supplication unto, and entire dependence upon the Lord to perform his own Work, in his own way. The Church needs and calls for the prayers of all the Members of it; and the promises of God are the ground of our Faith, and encouragement of our prayers, Isa. 1.25, 26. I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all they Tin; And I will restore thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counselors as at the beginning; afterwards thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness, the faithful City. Indeed if we consider Gods rejecting the wicked as Reprobate Silver, abstractedly and by itself, it seems rather matter of trembling, than of desire: When the Psalmist had said, Psa. 119.119. Thou puttest away all the Wicked of the Earth as dross-he adds v. 120. My flesh trembles for fear of thee. But when we consider it, in reference to his design, the purifying and beautifying his Church, the preserving and defending it from all that would mischief it How could all they who make mention of the Lord not keep silence, but pray more earnestly, and give him no rest till he hath made Jerusalem a praise in the Earth; till the name and image of our King be again visible on all his Coin; as he hath said, I will write on it the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, Rev. 3.13. till that, which is the inscription on the Coin, shall be written round the Church, Decus & Tutamen, Glory and Defence: Which is directly according to his promise, for having spoken of Purging of his Church, Isa. 4.4. With the Spirit of Judgement, and the Spirit of Burning; according to the allusion of the Refiners Fire: He adds, v. 5. That upon all the glory there shall be a defence. Which two things are again prophesied of, Zech. 2.5. I will be unto her a Wall of fire, and the glory in the midst of her. What Glory, Lustre and Beauty will the Church then have, when the Lord shall turn to the people a pure Language, and they shall call on him, and serve him with one consent? Zeph. 3.9. And for Defence; He shall fill Zion with Judgement, and Righteousness, and Knowledge shall be the stability of our times, Isa. 33.6. Then shalt thou no more be termed Desolate, nor thy Land Forsaken, Isa. 62.4. As now men call it reprobate Silver, rejected and refuse, but thou shalt be called, Hephzibah, and thy Land, Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy Land shall be married— As the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bried, so shall they God rejoice over thee.  
FINIS.