A SERMON Preached to the SOCIETY FOR Reformation of Manners, AT NOTTINGHAM. On the 25th of August, 1698.  
By JOHN WHITLOCK, Minister of the Gospel there.  
LONDON: Printed for John Richards, Bookseller, in Nottingham, 1699.   

TO THE WORTHY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE Reformation of Manners, IN The Town and County of the Town of Nottingham.  
Gentlemen,  
SEeing it is upon your Desire, that I first preached and now publish this Sermon, I shall not make any Apology for appearing in Print on this Occasion; tho' there are so many excellent Sermons by my Reverend Brethren, both Conformists and Nonconformists already published, for the encouraging and exciting both Societies and Persons to, and directing them in that great and good Work you and many others are engaged in for the Reformation of Manners. I am sensible I can add little, if any thing, to what hath already been preached and published upon this Subject; yet was not unwilling to gratify you in your Desire, seeing hereby I have an Opportunity to give my Testimony to this Work of the Lord, and express my hearty rejoicing in it, and desire of the Advance and Prosperity of it. I shall pray, that God would eminently bless what hath been preached and published concerning this Matter, to all, and especially to you, to encourage your Hearts and strengthen your Hands. You have great Encouragement to go on from the Nature of the Work, which is much for God's Glory; and therefore very pleasing to him, if done sincerely, from right Principles to right Ends, and in a right Manner: And it may be a means to do good to Souls, in preventing further Sin and Gild, yea, it may through God's Blessing, bring Persons not only to outward Reformation, but to sound Conversion; and you may hereby be blessed, not only to prevent a Multitude of Sins, but also to save Souls from Death: And if it should be but one single Soul, that you should thus win, it would be well worth all the Pains you take, and the Difficulties, you are called to encounter with.  
And this would be a means to prevent, or remove, public Judgements, and further the continuing of present, and obtaining of more public Mercies.  
And you and others engaged, have also great Encouragement, and great Matter for thankful Acknowledgements to God, on account of his inclining the Hearts of many Magistrates with a Pious, Christian Zeal, to promote this good Work, and also on account of the Success, you as well as others, have been blessed with by God, very discernably, in the considerable Restraint of many Sins.  
And further, to excite you to a well-tempered Zeal, and vigorous going on in the Work you have engaged in. Consider, you know not how little a while you have to work in for God, and your own and others Souls, and for the public good. God's late Providence should be laid to Heart, and greatly improved by you; that very awful and cutting Stroke, I mean, the Death of that eminent Christian, and eminent Member of your Society, who was so very active for God in his whole Course, and in this Work in particular; Mr. Joseph Barrett, Grocer, (Son of Mr. John Barrett, my dear Fellow-Labourer, and one of your aged Ministers) a great Loss to the Church, and a more particular Loss to your Society. I do not know of any private Christian that laid out himself more in promoting this Work, both by his Pen and Purse. How many Letters hath he written to Ministers and others in York, Hull, Lincoln, Leicester, Coventry, Chesterfield, and several other Places, to excite them to the setting on foot this highly necessary Work; and God hath succeeded his Endeavours already, in several of those Places: But God hath taken him away in the prime of his Time and usefulness, in his Entrance upon the 34th Year of his Age. I mention this to excite you to the greater Zeal and Activity, that you may stand in the wide Gap, and make up the great Breach his Death hath made; and also, That whenever your Lord cometh, he may find you so doing, intent upon the Work he has set you to, as he did this precious Servant of his.  
I shall add no more, but earnest Prayers for you, and all others engaged in this Work of Reformation of Manners; that God would still more and more spirit, conduct, strengthen and succeed you, which would much rejoice the Heart of,  
Your Obliged, Affectionate, Faithful Friend, and Servant, J. W. Nott. Oct. 17, 98.   
HOSEA 2.15. 
And I will give her her Vineyards from thence, and the Valley of Anchor for a Door of Hope.  
THESE Words have a necessary Dependence upon the Verse foregoing, as appears from those Words in the Text, from thence; that is, from the Wilderness, which God had said he would bring her into, and there speak to her heart, that is, speak to her effectually, in order to her Conversion to God, and thorough Reformation after her horrible Apostasy from God; and in the issue, speak comfortably to her upon her return to God by Repentance and Reformation. In the first Chapter of this Prophecy, and in the former part of this, God had been severely threatening the People of the Jews, denouncing Judgements against them for their Idolatry, and other crying Abominations; yet intermixes Exhortations to Repentance, and prophecies and promises of giving them Grace to return to him, and of his returning to them in Grace and Mercy, and bestowing upon them many both Temporal and Spiritual Mercies upon their return to him their only rightful Owner, their first Husband. In the second Verse he calls upon the Members of this Church of the Jews, to plead with their Mother. Particular Members of a Church and private Persons may and aught, to the utmost of their Power, and in their places (having begun at home, and first reform themselves and Families) set upon and further public Reformation: And as God calls on the Members of the Church to plead with their Mother, so he himself calls on her to put away her Whoredoms and Adulteries, threatening her if she did not, ver. 3.6, 9, to the 13th, and adds Promises too of reclaiming her by Afflictions: For tho' the Expressions here used, look like a Threatening, and are in part so, yet they are more a Promise than a Threatening, in regard of the gracious Issue and Effect of it; he says he will hedge up her way with Thorns, yet promiseth this shall be the Fruit of it, That she shall say, I will go and return to my first Husband, etc. and in the 14th Verse he says, he will bring her into the Wilderness, but it was to speak to her Heart effectually, both in way of quickening and Comfort. When in the Wilderness she had brought herself into by her Sins, and God had brought her into by his righteous Judgements; God promises, That he would then bring her to Repentance and Reformation; and thereupon, would restore to her the Mercies she had forfeited by her Sins, and give her the Valley of Anchor for a Door of Hope. A Valley of sore trouble, as this Valley of Anchor was to Israel at their first Entrance into Canaan; yet if they did reform, if they did restrain and punish Sin and Sinners, as Israel then did, and in that Course found, even this Valley to be a Door of Hope to them; so it should be with the People of the Jews now, if they returned to God.  
In these Words there is a plain Reference to that History, which we have in the 7th of Joshua; where you have the Relation of Israel's being worsted by the Men of Ai, upon Achan's Sin there recorded; for which, he and his whole Family were, in this Valley, put to Death, which had this Name, The Valley of Anchor, given to it; partly from Israel's Trouble on the forementioned Account, and partly from Achan's Punishment there inflicted on him.  
It was a very fruitful Valley between Jericho and Ai; their entering into which, and partaking of the Fruits of it, was a Door of Hope to them, a Pledge and Earnest, that God would give them full Possession of the Land of Canaan: But that Door of Hope was shut against them for Achan's Sin, till Judgement was executed upon him for it; but upon that being done, this Door of Hope was opened to them again, they succeeded against Ai, and had that given them as a renewed Earnest of their enjoying Canaan.  
So God promised here in the Text, in the time of Hosea's prophesying, That tho' the People of Israel and Judah, had by their Apostasy, Idolatry, and many other Sins, brought themselves into a Wilderness, a Valley of Anchor, a very troublous State, and dashed their Hopes of Mercy; yet if they would (as Israel did in the Days of Joshua) reform and return to God, restrain and punish Sin, that should be to them a Door of Hope, that God would return to them in Mercy, and afford them an abundant Affluence of all Mercies temporal and spiritual. So that this Text, and what may be gathered from it, affords great Encouragement to all Societies and Persons, as do engage to promote Reformation of Manners; by bringing to due legal Punishment Sin and Profaneness, Swearing, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Sabbath-Profanation, and those things and Practices that are the Causes and Occasions of, and Provocations to these and the like Enormities. The Doctrine I shall raise from these Words, and by God's Assistance speak to, as the time will permit, is this:  
(Doctrine.) When a People have, by their Sins, brought themselves into a Wilderness-Condition, and into a Valley of Anchor, into great Troubles and Distresses; yet if they be brought to Repentance and Reformation, and that Work be effectually set about and carried on, it will be a Door of Hope of God's continuing or restoring his gracious Presence among them, and bestowing upon them both spiritual and temporal Blessings. This Doctrine, both what is implied, and what is expressed in it, doth clearly arise from the Text compared with the Context.  
I. One Proposition implied in the Text and Doctrine is, That the Sins of a People, yea of a professing People, may and often do, bring them into a Wilderness-State, a Valley of Anchor, into great Troubles and Distresses; the Sins of a People provoke God to bring heavy Judgements upon them, which, tho' to the true People of God, they are intended in Mercy and Issue so; God using their Troubles and Distresses as sanctified means, to bring them to Humiliation and Reformation, yet they are sharp Chastening, and are for the present, and to Sense, a Valley of Anchor, not joyous, but grievous, Heb. 12.11. This is clear, both from the History to which this Expression of the Valley of Anchor relates, Josh. 7. and from the present State of the Church of the Jews, in the time when Hosea prophesied. In the History Josh. 7. we read, That upon Achan's taking the accursed thing, a Babylonish Garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, this brought Judgements upon Israel; so that they could not stand before the Men of Ai: Yea, God expressy threatens, That he would not be with them any more, unless the accursed were destroyed, and Judgement executed upon Achan for his Sin, so to prevent the like Sin in others for the time to come. And the thing is likewise clear, from the Case of the Children of Israel, in the time of this Prophecy: In this Chapter, ver. 2-14, and cap. 4. v. 1, 2, 3. when there is no Truth, nor Mercy, nor Knowledge of God, but swearing, lying, committing Adultery, Sabbath-Profanation, and the like break forth, God hath a Controversy with such a Land, and it shall be a Valley of Anchor, it shall mourn.  
II. Another Proposition which may be gathered, both from the History Josh. 7. and the State of Israel, at the time of the delivering this Prophecy, is, That when God hath begun to show Mercy to a People, hath brought them out of great Distresses, out of an Egypt, and a Wilderness, into a Canaan; a pleasant Land, and fruitful Valleys, such as this Valley of Anchor was: Yet if a People then fall into provoking Sins, and do not humble themselves, and reform their evil ways; yea, if every one in their several Places, do not endeavour to bring Sin and Sinners to Punishment, and restrain Sin and Profaneness in others what they can; it provokes God to turn a fruitful Land into a barren Wilderness, a pleasant Valley into a Valley of Anchor. Thus it was with Israel in the time of Joshua: God had delivered them out of Egypt, carried them through the Red-Sea, and Wilderness, and out of it through Jordan, as on dry Land; delivered Jericho into their Hands, given them Possession, Livery and Seism of a fruitful Valley, as a pledge of the full Possession of the whole. These were wonderful Appearances of God for them; yet for the Sin of Achan, till by their punishing him for it, they had cleared themselves from the Gild of it, God turned this pleasant Land and this fruitful Valley, into a Valley of Anchor, a Valley of great Trouble, and threatens to make it still more and longer so, if they did not take away from the midst of them the accursed thing. And this Proposition is also proved from the Case of Israel, in the time of this Prophet Hosea, who prophesied in the Days of Jeroboam, the Son of Joash, King of Israel, cap. 1. v. 1. There was a Door of Hope opened to them in a Valley of Anchor, in a time of great Trouble to the ten Tribes, as you may see, 2 King. 14.25. to the end; the Affliction of Israel was very bitter, there was not any shut up or left, nor any Helper for Israel; then God saved them by the hand of this Jeroboam the second, he restored the Coast of Israel, as God had foretold by the Prophet Jonah; yet by the Sins of Israel, this Door was soon shut, and they brought into a Valley of Anchor again.  
III. Another Proposition, which is that I shall most insist on, is, That when a People have sinned themselves into a Valley of Anchor, in regard of Trouble, yet if it prove to them as the Valley of Anchor did to Israel, a means to bring them to Repentance and Reformation of Manners, yea, both of Heart and Life, and that Work be throughly and effectually carried on, it is, and will be to them a Door of Hope, of the restoring of God's gracious Presence, and his bestowing temporal and spiritual, yea, and Eternal Blessings upon them.  
Now in handling this Proposition, I shall speak somewhat, God assisting, to these particulars. (I.) Briefly show what kind of Reformation of Manners that is, which will render a Valley of Anchor a Door of Hope, and which all must endeavour to set on foot, and carry on to the uttermost, as they would have well-grounded Hopes that it will be so. (II.) Prove from Scripture, That the right endeavouring, and much more the effecting such a Reformation, will open a Door of Hope. (III.) Give the Reasons of it. (IV.) Show what it will be a Door of Hope of, and (V) Apply it.  
(I.) What kind of Reformation it is, and what Attempts and Endeavours towards it, are those, that will prove a Door of Hope of God's gracious Presence with, and Blessing upon a People.  
(1.) The Attempts and Endeavours after Reformation of Manners, that will be a Door of Hope to those that engage in such a Work, whether Magistrates, Ministers, or private Christians; and whether in Societies, or single Persons, they must be vigorous, unwearied and persevering, not giving over upon any Discouragements they meet with. All that engage in such a Work as the Reformation of the lose, profane Manners of a degenerate, debauched Age, had need be furnished with holy Courage and Resolution to go on against all Discouragements: Weak and faint Endeavours will never prevail against strong and rampant Sins, and raging Corruptions. Satan will rage's and raise Opposition, when he sees his Kingdom struck at and shaken; and wicked Men will struggle hard, e'er they will part with their beloved, reigning, pleasing, profitable Sins that they have been long accustomed to, and see them dethroned and restrained, 2 Sam. 23.6, 7. The Men of Belial are such as cannot be taken with Hands, or gentle dealing, but he that toucheth them must be fenced with Iron, and the Staff of a Spear. See therefore, all you that engage in this Work, that you, and your Endeavours for Reformation of Manners be, and pray that they may be, vigorous and unwearied.  
(2.) The Reformation that will be a Door of Hope, and which you must endeavour to promote, must be thorough, both in Heart and Life; not a Reformation by halves, not only reforming the gross, outward Acts of more than ordinary heinous, scandalous Sins, such as Swearing, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, open Sabbath-Profanation, and the like; but even those that are lesser Sins, in the Esteem of Men, such as unruly Passions, Covetousness, Pride of Heart and Life, etc. These we must pray and endeavour to our utmost the Reformation of, first of all in ourselves, and then in others, as ever we would open a Door of Hope for thorough Mercies, especially spiritual and eternal ones: There must be Endeavours to promote a Reformation in ourselves and others, of Sins of Omission as well as of Commission: To bring ourselves and press others, to the conscientious Performance of Family-Worship, of constant daily reading the Word and Prayer, Morning and Evening; frequent instructing and catechising Children and Servants; strict Sabbath-Sanctification as well as reforming gross Sabbath-Profanation; and the Performance of secret Duties. It is true, we cannot reform others secret and Heart-Sins, the Laws of Men do not reach these; but we must earnestly pray for, and press this Reformation. Nor can we compel Men, by the Laws of Men, to Family and secret Duties, but we must exhort to these Duties. Those Governors of Families that are known to live in the Neglect of these Duties, may as justly be kept from Sacraments, as Persons guilty of outward Acts of Sin, till they give Evidence of their Repentance and Reformation. I grant that even upon the Reformation of Manners, as to outward Acts of gross and scandalous Sins, God may suspend the Execution of temporal Judgements for a time, and may vouchsafe some temporal Mercies, as we see exemplified in Ahab's Humiliation, and Ninevehs Repentance and present Reformation; but these were but Reprieves, both in the Case of Ahab, who afterwards was cut off by an untimely and violent Death, 1 King. 22.34, 35, and so it proved with Nineveh, as the Prophecy of Nahum doth emphatically show. It is only thorough Reformation that can open a Door of Hope, to obtain thorough Mercies, especially spiritual ones; this therefore you should be sure to labour after yourselves, and pray for, press, and endeavour to promote in others, yea, carry on outward Reformation in order to promoting this.  
(3.) That Reformation of Manners, which will be an effectual Door of Hope, of obtaining thorough Mercies, especially spiritual ones, must be a sincere, unfeigned Reformation, such an one as hath the Heart engaged in it, so as that Sin is not only left but loathed, Duties not only performed but loved and delighted in; Sin forsaken and Duty performed from Principles of Faith and Love. When Judah returned not with her whole Heart, but feignedly, Jer. 3.10. out of Compliance with, or Fear of the Laws of Men, Judgement was suspended for a time, during the Life of a good Josiah, but was executed upon Judah after his Death: Therefore if any of you be reform from gross Sins, see it be not only from Fear of Men, or their Laws, or to procure their Favour, but that your Reformation be sincere and unfeigned, as ever you would have it to be a Door of Hope, of obtaining spiritual Mercies, or lasting temporal Mercies.  
(4.) That Reformation that will be a Door of Hope of obtaining God's gracious Presence, and spiritual Mercies, yea, temporal Mercies in Mercy must proceed from and be accompanied with Faith in Christ. Men must not only come off from the allowed Practice of Sin, to the Performance of formerly neglected Duties, but they must come thoroughly home to Christ; so as not to trust in their Reformation, as their justifying Righteousness, but trust in Christ and his Righteousness alone for their Justification; trust in him, and him alone, as the Lord their only Righteousness and their only Strength, Isai. 45 24. so as by Faith to fetch Strength from Christ, to forsake Sin, do Duty, and exercise Grace, and be able to say, as 2 Cor. 6.13. I have believed and therefore have I spoken, I have forsaken such Sins, done such Duties, not only for Fear of Punishment by the Laws of Men, or to please Friends, gain Credit among Christians, or stop the Mouth of Conscience; but because I believed the Precepts, Threaten and Promises in the Word, yea, do believe in and rest upon Christ for my Justification, Sanctification and Salvation; and rely upon him for Strength against Sin, and unto Duty and the Exercise of Grace. It's true, such a Reformation we cannot produce in others, no, nor in ourselves neither; for Faith is the Gift of God, but this you may, and should pray for, both for yourselves and others, and this you should press: And Ministers should in all their Exhortations of People to Reformation, press them not to rest in any thing short of Christ, Faith in him, Union to him, and Communion with him, as our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption; and let us all see, that we take up in no Reformation short of this.  
A Reformation in ourselves and others, thus qualified, will be a great and effectual Door opened to you, of Hope of obtaining spiritual and eternal Mercies, yea, and temporal too, so far as shall be for God's Glory, and your real good.  
II. The second General Head is, to prove the Point, That the setting upon, and vigorously and effectually carrying on a Work of Reformation, opens a Door of Hope of God's Presence in and with, and Blessing upon a Place or People. It is abundantly proved out of this Chapter, from many other Texts of Scripture; but the Scripture-Proof, I shall refer to three Heads.  
(1.) It appears, That when a People are in a Wilderness-Condition, in a Valley of Anchor, and brought into such a State by their Sins; a right and thorough Reformation is the way to make the Valley of Anchor a Door of Hope, in that God doth in such Cases, require it as a Duty, and direct to it as a Means to open to a People a Door of Hope, of God's removing Judgements from, and bestowing Mercies upon a People: Thus, in the second Verse of this Chapter, he calls upon the Children to plead with their Mother (even private Christians are, in their place, to promote Church-Reformation) and directs what should be done by Churches and particular Members, to prevent or remove Judgements, and obtain Mercies; let her put away her Whoredoms out of her Sight, as the way to prevent the Judgement mentioned in the following Verses.  
(2.) It appears, That setting upon, and carrying on thorough Reformation in the Hearts and Lives of Men, is the way to make a Valley of Anchor a Door of Hope, in that God promises to send Afflictions on his People, and vouchsafe a sanctified Use of them for this end: Thus the 6th and 7th Verses of this Chapter look like, and are delivered in the Form of a Threatening for the most part of them; but they close with a precious Promise, That her having her way hedged up with Thorns, shall have this gracious Issue and Effect, that she shall say, I will go and return to my first Husband, etc. and this was to give her a Door of Hope; so God promiseth, Ps. 89.30.— 36. He will not take away his Lovingkindness, but bring Meat out of the Eater.  
(3.) It appears, That God will make a Valley of Anchor a Door of Hope, when by their Afflictions they are brought to Reformation, in that God hath made many gracious Promises, That when a People return to him by thorough Reformation, he will return to them in Mercy. You have many such Promises in this Chapter, and many other Scriptures; thus in the Text, when the Names of Baalim were taken out of her Mouth, than God would give her her Vineyards, she should sing in the Valley of Anchor, where before she was troubled and mourned; and in the 18th Verse, how many Blessings are promised God would betrothe her to him in Righteousness, and Judgements in Lovingkindness, and Mercies and Faithfulness; and in the end of the Chapter, adds temporal Mercies too, and closeth with the best at last. So 2 Chr. 7.13, 14. Isai. 1.16,— 20, and 25, 26. Jer. 3.12, 13, 14, 15, and 22. Mal. 3.10, 11, 12. All these Promises, and many more such, hath God made to a People's thorough Reformation and Return to God.  
(4.) The Truth of the Doctrine appears from the Instances of God's dealing with his People, and the Experiences of God's People to this purpose recorded in the Scripture: What they by their Sins, had made to themselves a Valley of Anchor, God, when he hath brought them to Repentance and Reformation, hath made a Door of Hope to them; this is clearly proved from that  7th of Joshua, when Achan had sinned in the accursed thing that Valley, which was a Door of Hope of their full possessing the Land of Canaan, was turned into a Valley of Anchor; but when Israel reform and executed Justice upon Achan, the Valley of Anchor became again a Door of Hope to them. Another Instance of this you have in Judges the 10th; Israel by their Sins, had brought themselves into a Valley of Anchor, into great Distresses, ver. 6,— 10. and yet more, when notwithstanding their Confession, they received that cutting Answer from the Lord, ver. 10,— 15. yet when they not only confessed and prayed, but hearty reform, and put away the strange Gods from among them, and served the Lord, than there was a Door of Hope opened to them, and God's Soul was grieved for the Misery of Israel, for 16. But so much for the Scripture-Proof of the Doctrine.  
(III.) The Third Head propounded to be spoken to, in the handling of the Doctrine, was the Reasons of it.  
(1.) One Reason why, when a People that by their Sins have brought themselves, and God for their Sins, hath brought them into a Wilderness, and a Valley of Anchor, into great trouble; yet when Repentance and Reformation are set upon, and vigorously and effectually carried on, there is a Door of Hope opened them, is, because by true Repentance, and right and thorough Reformation, the deserving, procuring, Cause of God's Judgements and a People's Troubles, are removed out of the way. Now the Cause being removed, the Effect ceases; Sins unrepented of and unreformed, are the Causes of God's Judgements on a People, and the great hindrances of God's Mercies to them; these are they that bring them into a Valley of Anchor, and keep them there, that shut the Door of Hope, and keep it shut against them, till they are removed by Faith, Repentance and Reformation. They are the Sins of a People that separate between them and their God, Isai. 59.2. and cause him to hid his Face from them that he will not hear; therefore Israel could not stand before their Enemies, Josh. 7.12. Jer. 5.24, 25, 26. Hos. 4.1, 2, 3. it is for unreformed Sins the Land mourns, and God hath a Controversy with them; these shut the Door of Hope, but when these are removed by a right Reformation, the Door is opened again.  
(2.) Another Reason of the Doctrine, is drawn from the Free Grace of God, the Satisfaction and Merit of Christ, and the free and gracious Promises of the Gospel; these are the only moving Causes, the chief ground and reason, why a People's Reformation opens a Door of Hope to them. God's free Grace in making Promises to Repentance and Reformation, and his Truth and Faithfulness in fulfilling them, is the only moving Cause, and Christ's Satisfaction the only meritorious purchasing Cause of a People's Reformation, being a Door of Hope to them; it is not from any Worth or Merit in a returning, reforming People, as tho' they deserved Mercy at God's Hand, or as if their Reformation was any part of their justifying Righteousness; no, that belongs only to the Righteousness of Christ. Sin indeed, is the true and proper, deserving, and meritorious Cause of God's Judgements on People and Persons; and while the allowed Practice of them is continued, shuts the Door of Hope against them, but our Repentance and Reformation is no meriting Cause of God's Mercy, or of opening a Door of Hope to us; this is reserved as the Prerogative of the Satisfaction, Merit, and Righteousness of the dear Lord Jesus. Repentance and Reformation, Faith and Holiness, God doth absolutely and peremptorily require, and certainly work in all that he pardons and saves, or in special Mercy vouchsafes even temporal Deliverance to, and suspends the actual conferring of Saving-Mercy, till these are at least seminally wrought in Men in Regeneration and effectual Calling, to render them willing to accept of Christ, and of Mercy from God through Christ, to make Christ, and the Mercy of God through him precious, and to fit them rightly, to improve Mercy when they receive it: But he never intended these for justifying Righteousness; therefore, in pressing Reformation on ourselves or others, we must be very careful not to trust in it as our justifying Righteousness, or the Cause of God's Mercy, but to ascribe the opening of a Door of Hope to us, only to the free Grace of God, the Merit of Christ, and the Faithfulness of God in making good his free and gracious Promises, which he hath made to Faith, Repentance, and Reformation.  
(IV.) A Fourth general Head to be spoken to in handling the Doctrine, is, what a right Reformation vigorously carried on, opens a Door of Hope to a People of obtaining: What such People or Persons may hope to receive from God, of his free Grace and Mercy; which Particulars may, by way of Anticipation, serve as Motives to every of us in our places to set upon, and to our utmost, forward a thorough Reformation in our own and others Hearts and Lives.  
(1.) When a People do sincerely and vigorously endeavour their own and others Reformation, and God blesses these Endeavours, so that they take effect, there is a Door of Hope set open, that God will remove and turn away his Judgements, which by their Sins they have brought upon themselves. Repentance and Reformation is a Door of Hope, as it is a Means of God's prescribing, to prevent Judgements feared and threatened, and to remove such as are actually inflicted on, and felt by a People; thus in the often forequoted 7th of Joshua, when Israel took away the accursed thing, than God removed the Judgement that was upon them, and now the Men of Ai fall before them; whom, till then, they could not stand before.  
(2.) Sincere Attempts and vigorous Endeavours for thorough Reformation, open a Door of Hope of God's vouchsafing his gracious Presence with a People, even after he was departed from them for their Sins, and his returning to them in Mercy, and that both in Spirituals and Temporals.  
(1.) In succeeding their Attempts against God's and their Enemies, either preventing them, or turning their Hearts, making them to be at Peace with them, or giving them Success against them, delivering them out of the Hands of their Enemies; yea, delivering their Enemies into their hands, Prov. 16.17. Josh. 7.12, and 8.1, 2. tho' God said, I will not be with you any more, unless the accursed thing be taken away; yet when that was done, God saith to Joshua, Fear not, I have given Ai into thy hand.  
(2.) When a People are rightly and thoroughly reform, it opens a Door of Hope of God's Presence with them, in blessing them with able, wise, and faithful Counselors, Rulers and Governors, and blessing their Counsels and Government, both for the temporal and spiritual good of such a People, Isai. 1.16,— 20, and ver. 25, 26. And this is a great Mercy.  
(3.) This Reformation opens a Door of Hope to a People, that God will bless them with Peace, Plenty, and Success in their Undertake, so far as shall be for God's Glory and their good: This second of Hosea proves this, ver. 17, 18, 21, 22. When God takes away the Name of Baalim out of her Mouth, he makes a Covenant for them with the whole Creation, so Job 5.19,— to the end.  
(4.) It opens a Door of Hope, that God will continue the Gospel, and Gospel Ordinances among them in Power, Purity and Liberty, and his Blessing upon them; for they are the Sins of a People that provoke God to remove the Candlestick, Rev. 2.5. I will remove it, saith God, there, except thou repent; which implies, That if they did repent, God would graciously continue it, Isai. 55.7, and 10 to the end.  
(5.) True Repentance and Reformation opens a Door of Hope, and is an Evidence, that God is, and will be the God of such a People: Thus Hos. 2. v. 16. Thou shalt call me Ishi, my Husband, and v. 19, 20. God would bettoth them to him in Lovingkindness and Faithfulness: Their Maker will be their Husband, Isai. 54.5. and in the last Verse of this second of Hosea, I will say to them, Thou art my People, and they shall say, Thou art my God, and you have heard very well; on a like occasion to this, that happy is the People whose God is the Lord, such have a Door of Hope opened to them large enough, as wide a Door and effectual, as they need or can desire. I now come to the 5th and last thing proposed, viz. the Application.  
And the only use I shall make of this Doctrine, shall be of Exhortation: To all that bear the Name of Christians. Seeing when a People have brought themselves into a Valley of Anchor by their Sins, a thorough Reformation is a Door of Hope, for obtaining God's gracious Presence, and Blessing both in temporals and spirituals. Be ye all prevailed with, to set upon and promote this Work of Reformation, both in your own Hearts and Lives, and to the utmost of your power, in the Lives, yea, in the Hearts of others; every one of you in your places, all joining Hearts and Hands in it.  
(1.) Magistrates must be exhorted in their places duly, impartially, and vigorously, to put in Execution the Laws against Sin; yea, and to give all due Encouragement to all such as regularly endeavour to stem the strong Tide of Irreligion and Profaneness, by bringing to Conviction and legal Punishments, such as are guilty of Tippling, Drunkenness, Swearing, Uncleanness, Sabbath-Profanation, and those things, Persons, and Places, that are Occasions of, and Provocations to such Sins. If God stir up, and spirit Magistrates to do their Duty in this Matter, it will be a Door of Hope, of God's continuing and further vouchsafing Mercy to us, and our Land, Jer. 5.1. If you can find a Man that executes Judgement, I will pardon; a Man, i. e. a Magistrate, or great Man, as ver. 5. Blessed be God, we are not altogether without this Door of Hope, God having stirred up our late Parliament to address to His Majesty, our Rightful, Gracious, King William, to issue out his Gracious, Religious Proclamation, for restraining and punishing Looseness and Profaneness; and blessed be God, that hath inclined our Gracious Sovereign to issue out such a Proclamation: But the Execution of such Laws, for restraining and punishing lose and profane Persons and Practices, lies in the Hands, and at the Doors of Inferior Magistrates, such as are Justices and Magistrates in Corporations. And blessed be God, we are not without such in many places; and in this place in particular; and so not without this Door of Hope. Magistrates therefore must be exhorted, prevailed with, and encouraged to go on vigorously, impartially, and unweariedly in this Work.  
(2.) And as Magistrates, so Ministers are hence to be exhorted, to promote Repentance and Reformation in People, both by their Doctrine, Instructions, Reproofs, yea, Discipline, keeping Persons guilty of any Imunfalities from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, till they profess, and give Evidence of their sincere Repentance and Reformation. And this the very Rubric of the Liturgy gives them power to do, at least for a time, and in order to further Prosecution: And they must especially, be sure to forward this good Work of Reformation, by their burning and shining Examples, the peculiar Unblameableness, Convincingness, Holiness, and Spirituality of their Conversations; and Ministers should encourage and strengthen the Hands of their People in vigorous attempting the Reformation of others, as by the ways just now mentioned; so by inciting them to tell the Church, yea, and the Magistrate too, in case of Obstinacy, and this for the good of Offenders, both of their Souls and Bodies; and for the turning away of Judgements, and obtaining Mercies upon the public.  
(3.) Private Persons are to be exhorted in their several Scations and Capacities to their utmost, to promote the Reformation of evil Manners, and to restrain and bring to legal Punishment lose and profane Persons, in order to their Reformation and the public good. They must promote this good Work by their Prayers, Tears, Counsels, Reproofs and Examples, and when the Offence is gross, and of public Scandal, by telling the Church as a spiritual Means to bring them to Repentance; and by applying themselves also to the Magistrate for the executing the Laws upon them, in order to the reclaiming the Parties offending, the warning of others, and preventing God's Judgement on the Land and Places where such Sins are committed. Dread not being reproached as Informers: It is one thing to be Informers for filthy Lucre, and against Persons for their Conscientiousness, and in Matters of Religion, where the difference is not in Fundamental and necessary Doctrines, or in Matters of Practice and Worship, wherein good Men may differ; there is a great deal of difference between malicious and vexatious Informations and Convictions of that nature; and endeavouring to put good Laws in Execution against Profaneness and Blasphemy, and such things as are undeniably sinful, and provoking, and angering the Sinners themselves and many others. As the Curse caufless shall not come, so you need not fear (and must not be frighted from plain Duty, by) groundless Slanders and Reproaches. It is no Matter of Reproach, but on the contrary, of inward Satisfaction, and outward Reputation, with all serious, yea, sober Persons, to be instrumental in restraining and punishing the Impieties of the Age, in order to the reclaiming, yea, possibly eternally saving the Offenders, honouring and pleasing God, and securing his Blessing upon the public, which should be your ends in all you do in this way. But I shall not further insist on this, nor at all mention several things which might have been instanced in, because it is so well and fully done in those many excellent Sermons preached by several, both Conformists and Nonconformists to the Societies for Reformation in London; and also in that Sermon, which you of this Place lately heard, and have also now in Print to recur to. All I shall therefore further do, is to back this Duty with some Motives, and guide it by some Directions, for your so ordering the Matter, as to open a Door of Hope to yourselves and the Nation.  
They shall be fetched from the Text and Context, and the Particulars laid down in the handling of the Doctrine.  
(I.) For Motives.  
(1.) Consider (as hath been shown in the Doctrinal part) that they are the unreformed Sins of a People that provoke God, and bring down Judgements; these bring into a Valley of Anchor, of great Distress, and shut the Door of Hope of God's gracious Presence with a People; as therefore you would prevent or remove the Judgements of God, and Tokens of his Displeasure feared or felt, Magistrates, Ministers or People should set themselves every one in their Places rigorously, to stem the Torrent of Looseness and Profaneness, and promote the Reformation of the Manners of Men, by furthering the Execution of good Laws for the Restraint and Punishment of Sin.  
(2.) Consider, the more to stir you up to the Duty before you, that the unreformed Sins of a People provoke God, even after he hath begun to show Mercy to them, and opened a Door of Hope; yet to shut that Door again, and being them into a Valley of Anchor, as hath been proved under the second Proposition in the Doctrinal part; and may be further proved from Ps. 107.33, 34. and Judas v. 5. O therefore, as you would not have God thus to deal with us, do what you can to further the Work of Reformation. God hath opened to us a Door of Hope many times formerly, but our Sins have shut it again; and God hath lately, in a very gracious and peculiarly remarkable manner, opened a Door of Hope again to us, even in a Valley of Anchor, in bringing, in preserving, directing and succeeding our Gracious Rightful Sovereign King William. Was it not a Valley of Anchor with us, when we were so fast going back to the Egypt of Popery and Slavery; but God opened a Door of Hope, delivering us from that Egypt, and those Iron-Yokes; but if we remain an unreformed People, God can soon shut this Door again, and bring us back into a Wilderness: Therefore, as you would not have God, after he hath begun to do us good, turn his Hand against us, and lead us back into deep Distresses. Let every one of us set our Hands and Hearts to promote this Work of Reformation of Manners God hath so graciously begun amongst us, in the great City, and many other places, and to our Comfort, in this place also.  
(3.) Consider, (what was also told you in the clearing of the Doctrine) that this Reformation if right and thorough, will open a Door of Hope of God's Continuance of his gracious Presence with us, yea, of his restoring of it; when, for a People's Sins, he had withdrawn it. Would you have God's Presence with us in our Land, and the place we live in; O promote this, return to God, this reforming Work, both in yourselves and others.  
(1.) This is the way to have God's Presence so far with a People, as to blast the Attempts of God's and their Enemies against them, and bless them in their Attempts against such. We are, praised be God, at present at Peace, but Enemies both at home and abroad, question-less, are and will be at work, and our Peace is like to be but short-lived, if God do not keep up in and amongst us a War against our Sins, our worst Enemies. As ever you would have your Peace continued, the Designs and Attempts of Enemies defeated and broken, and our Attempts against God's and our enemies succeeded, carry on begun Reformation to further Degrees to higher pitches.  
(2.) Would you have God's Presence amongst us, to bless us with able, faithful Counselors, and bless their Counsels? Would you have God's Blessing upon public and Parliamentary Counsels, that under God, the Welfare of the Nation, and the Security of Religion, Laws and Liberties do so much depend upon? Would you have it with us as God promiseth, Isai. 1.25, 26, that he will give Judges as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning; then do as they are exhorted to do in the 16th and 17th Verses of that Chapter, Wash you, make you clean, put away the Evil of your do from before his Eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, carry on Reformation thoroughly.  
(3.) This is the way to procure Plenty; it is for the Sins of a People that God sends Scarcity and Cleanness of Teeth, viz. for the Abuse of Plenty by Gluttony, Drunkenness, and feeding Men's Lusts. We have had some Scarcity, and if God with hold a Season for the remaining Harvest, we may yet feel more of that sore Judgement. O prevent it by doing your utmost, to reform the gross Abuse of God's Mercies, and all other Sins amongst us.  
(4.) As you would have God's Presence continued in the Enjoyment of the Gospel, and Gospel Ordinances, vigorously prosecute this Work of Reformation; for they are the unreformed Sins of a People, that provoke God to send the worst sort of Famine (a far worse than that which the last Head mentioned) a Famine of the Word of the Lord, Amos 8.3, 9, 10, 11, 12. All this is threatened for the Sin of Sabbath-Profanation, ver. 5, 6.  
(5.) Would you have God to be our God, our Husband; our Land married to him, and us to be his People, his peculiar Treasure further this Work of Reformation, do as Israel is directed, Hos. 2.2. and as it is promised she should do, ver. 7. Put away our Sins, and our Iniquities far from us, and return we to our first Husband, and use all the Advantages and Means you have for forwarding others doing so.  
(II.) I now come very briefly to speak by way of Direction, to all those that are engaged in, or wish well to the carrying on this Work of Reformation, and show what it is, that the Attempts for Reformation of Manners, give Hopes of in themselves, and others, which if they do produce, will open a Door of Hope of God's Presence amongst, and Blessing with us.  
(1.) These Attempts for Reformation give Hope, That they who attempt the reforming of others, and restraining and punishing the lose and wicked Practices of others, their Drunkenness, Swearing, Uncleanness, Sabbath-Profanation, etc.— will be very careful to keep themselves from the Gild and Practice of these Sins, yea, to keep very far from an evil Matter, from all Appearances, and Occasions of these Sins, vain Words, tippling, sitting with any lose Companions, and the like. As you would have your Attempts for Reformation be a Door of Hope, look very carefully to your own Conversations. If Magistrates, that should punish these Sins, be guilty of them themselves, how should it be expected that they should punish others, or that what they do in it, should reform others, while they by their evil Example, harden them in the very Sins they punish them for. If Ministers preach against these Sins, and yet allowedly commit them, they are more like to draw Men into Sin by such their wretched Practice, than to reform and turn Men from Sin by their Doctrine: And so private Persons, if they prosecute others, and are guilty of the same Sins themselves, how can they hope to be instrumental in reforming others.— Then will Endeavours for Reformation be a Door of Hope, when they begin in those Persons themselves that promote it in others.  
(2.) Attempts to reform the evil Manners of others, do give Hopes that all engaged in this Work, will endeavour not only to keep from these gross Sins, punishable by the Laws of Men, but even from all Sin whatsoever; from every thing that may give just Offence and Scandal, and cause Men to reproach Religion and the Professors of it; such as are Pride, indulging unruly Passions, Injustice, deceiving, overreaching in our Deal, making no Conscience of men's Words in buying and selling, in making good our Promises, and paying of just Debts as far as able; yea, Hardness and Uncharitableness in their Deal: These things Men do oft charge Professors with; see that you give not any, no not the least just ground for such Charges: But be very just in your Deal, true to your Word and Promises, yea, merciful and compassionate, as you would have your Endeavours for reforming the gross Sins of others effectual, and to open a Door of Hope to our Land.  
(3.) men's Attempts to reform the Manners of others, give ground of Hope, that they will vigorously endeavour to reform in themselves even Heart-sins, and the inward as well as outward Acts of Sin. I am sure it should engage you to this, and to set upon the conscientious, religious Performance of Duties; of Family duties daily, Morning and Evening-Prayer, and Praises, and reading the Scriptures in your Families, and frequent instructing and catechising those under your Charge, and to see to secret Duties, and to Sabbath-sanctification, in Attendance on public Ordinances and in Family and Closet-duties of divine Institution, and Acts of Worship, as well as abstaining from positive Subbath profanation, by Thoughts, Words or Actions about worldly Employments or Recreations. Yea, we justly hope, and expect from you, that you will endeavour after Heart-holiness, after true Grace and growth in, and Exercise of it, as well as keeping up the Form of Godliness, and the outward part of Religion, in your Conversation before Men. As ever you desire your Attempts for the Reformation of others, may open a Door of Hope of God's Mercy to the Land, see that you set upon this thorow-heart and Life-Reformation in yourselves.  
(4.) The attempting, and especially the effecting the Reformation of the lose and profane Manners of Men, giveth hopes in relation to those whose Reformation you seek, that it may, through God's gracious Blessing upon, and setting in with it, bring them to sound Conversion to Faith in Christ, and a reform and change of the Heart; this you should aim at, pray for, and press, that outward Reformation may be a step in them to this thorough and inward Work, and to the setting upon the Duties of Religion, and getting rid of that Hardness of Heart, which their profane Practices had so deeply riveted. Tho' outward Reformation may remove at present, some outward Judgements, or at least, reprieve from the present full Execution of them, yet nothing can secure God's gracious, saving Presence, but Faith in Christ accompanied with, and evidenced by Conscience of Duties of our general and particular Calling, Exercise of Grace and Holiness of Heart. In all your Attempts to amend the Manners of others, endeavour to promote this thorough Heart-deep Reformation, pray for this, press to it. And you that are reform from, or have not been guilty of, those gross Sins of Swearing, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Sabbath-profanation, and other such like enormous Crimes, but are brought to Civility, and moral Honeity, yet see that you rest not in this, no, nor in any thing short of Christ, an Interest in him by a true living Faith, and a thorough Work of Grace, and the Practice of Holiness in Heart and Life: For tho' outward Reformation, a civil sober Conversation, and moral Honesty be commendable, and your indispensible Duty, without which, you can have no Evidence of the Truth of Grace, whatever your Profession and Performances may be; yet if you go no further, such a partial Reformation will never prove saving to your own Souls; nay, mere Civility, Morality, yea, Gifts and external Performances rested in, are like to prove hindrances of sound Conversion: Hence Christ tells the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 21.31. That Publicans and Harlots repenting and believing, went into the Kingdom of God before them who stayed and trusted in their Pharisaical Righteousness. Promote therefore outward Reformation, but also to your utmost, press and forward thorough conversion in others. Let Ministers press this on People, and let private Christians press this too in their places; and you who are more particularly engaged in this good reforming Work, do you press on those Sinners you have to do with, to this thorough Reformation, to Faith in Christ, the Practice of Religion, and the Power of Godliness. This is the way to make Reformation a Door of Hope of God's Saving-mercy to your Souls, and of his gracious Presence with the Land, and the Churches of Christ in it.  
(5.) Endeavours for Reformation of Manners, are a Door of Hope, as the joining together of serious, sober, and religious Persons (tho' differing in their Persuasions in some lesser Matters) in this Work, gives hopes of uniting them in Love and Affection one to another, and so far as they have attained walking by the same Rule, and minding the same thing, Phil. 3.16. and bearing with each other where there may be some difference in Judgement and Practice, while they agree in the main, in all necessary things in Doctrine and Worship, and the Practice of Holiness. When Divisions are healed, Animosities, Censoriousness and Uncharit ableness laid aside, there will be a Door of Hope opened, that we shall enjoy the gracious Presence of God and his Blessing upon us, in our personal and more private, and in our National and Church-Capacity: Now joining together in promoting Reformation, is a likely Means to this  Christian-Union of Affections; for one great Cause of differences is the Prejudices in men's minds against one another, occasioned by Strangeness, and not conversing together; but when sober Religious Persons join in promoting Reformation, and see that they drive on the same good and holy ends, it breeds better Thoughts of one another. Therefore labour to set open, and keep open this Door of Hope, viz. Union in the main, among all that fear God, tho' differing in some lesser Matters; for truly there is nothing that shuts the Door of Hope against us more, than the Divisions, Heart-burnings, and Animosities, among those that agree in the Essentials and Fundamentals of Doctrine, Worship, and Christian Practice: Oh then, as you would have the Reformation that is set on foot, be a Door of Hope, pray for and promote the healing of the Divisions among Persons, professing the same Truth and Godliness; endeavour to preserve the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, speaking the Truth in Love, Eph. 4.3, 15. Speak the Truth, and contend earnestly for the Faith (Judas v. 3.) yet speak it in Love. Put not the worst Construction on men's Words and Actions; but put the best Interpretation upon doubtful Expressions, and Actions, that they will admit of, especially when in other places and at other times, they explain what was possibly at first delivered, so as to be somewhat liable to Exception. Fasten not upon Men Consequences of Doctrine, which they never intended, nor ever saw in them: Men may show the true Consequences of Doctrines, but should not charge the Persons with intending and embracing those Consequences, which they renounce: Thus hearty desire and endeavour to reform and heal the lamentable, sinful, mischievous, and very threatening Divisions among Professors of the same Religion, and serious in their Profession of Godliness.— This would be a Door of Hope indeed.  
(6.) And lastly, Endeavours for Reformation of Manners, will be a Door of Hope when they do (as to be sure they should) excite all those that are God's People to be more eminent in the Profession of Religion and Godliness, more lively in every Grace, more ready to and in ever good Work, when by seeing Sinners reform from Acts of Profaneness, true Saints are excited to more eminent. Degrees of Holiness, to greater Exemplariness of Conversation, to repair their Decays in Grace, to reform their Pride, and their too great Conformity to the Spirit of the World, than (to allude to that passage, 1 Cor. 16 9) a great Door and effectual of Hope will be opened upon us, as to the Continuance of God's gracious Presence with us: And this should be a sour to Saints to great Circumspection in their walk, and greater Fruitfulness in every good Word and Work; for truly the Unreformedness of Professors, their Pride, Formality, Decays in Grace, conformity to the world; their covetous, selfish frame of Spirit, their losing their Zeal, and leaving much of their first Love, doth as much shut the Door of Hope, as any other sins, even the sins of profane Persons, Rev. 2.5. Therefore all you that are Professors of more than ordinary Strictness in Religion, while you would reform the Drunkenness, Swearing, Filthiness, and Sabbath-profanation of gross Sinners, and see them in some degree reform: For shame, do you reform your Pride of Heart and Life, your Conformity to the Customs, the garish Fashions and Dresses of the world; that Pride that testifies to the Face of many Professors both Men and Women; women's high Heads, and men's flaunting Perukes, that hid their Faces, as if they were ashamed, (as well indeed they may in such effeminate Dresses) to show them, and make them look as out of a Prison-grate; so likewise, the Worldliness and Selfishness of Professors, is much to be bewailed, and should be with the greatest Vigour reform. If you would do as the Church of Ephesus is by Christ directed to do, Rev. 2.5. remember from whence you are fallen, and repent, and do your first Works, it would be a Door of Hope. If while you desire and attempt to break the Knots of Swearing, Tippling, revelling Companions, you would also improve your Meetings together, and your friendly Visits, to spiritual Purposes, to the sharpening and advancing Grace mutually, to the provoking one another to love and good Works, Heb. 10.24. to the exhorting one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin, Heb. 3.13. to the lifting up of weak Hands and feeble Knees, Heb. 12.12. to the building up one another in our most holy Faith; this would open a Door of Hope indeed. Be prevailed with therefore all of you, especially such as profess strictness, and such as engage in this good and necessary Work of Reformation of Manners, labour to follow these Directions; and than though your and others Sins may have brought us and the Nation, in some respects, into a Valley of Anchor, on account of Afflictions and Distresses; yet if it thus prove a Valley of Anchor, in regard of Humiliation, and thorough effectual Reformation above described and pressed, it will be a comfortable blessed Door of Hope to us, that God will yet dwell among us, and be our God, and that we shall be his People.  
FINIS.