A SERMON Preached at SALTERS-HALL, TO THE SOCIETIES FOR Reformation of Manners, MAY 31. 1697.  
By JOHN WOODHOUSE.  
LONDON: Printed for John Laurence, at the Angel in the Poultry, over-against the Compter. 1697.   

TO THE Worthy MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETIES FOR THE Reformation of Manners, In the CITIES of London and Westminster.  
GENTLEMEN,  
SHould I tell you. with what Difficulty I was prevailed upon to Preach the ensuing Sermon before you; and with what greater to Print it, tho' at your Desire; I should take up the trite Apology commonly used in this Case; and cannot reasonably hope to make it pass for better.  
The Aversions I overcame, in coming to this Town, to Settle here, cross to all the pleasing Designs I had form of a more agreeable Serviceableness in a lower Sphere were not much greater▪ than those I ha● justly conceived against appearing before you, on so Particular and so Public a● Occasion. This Sermon was One of the Thre● I Preached in less than Thirty Hours, On● of the Seven hard Services put upon me, i● Eight Days, in a Time when the Public, and mine own Private Affairs, allowed me not One whole uninterrupted Day for all of them. And by this time you wi● cease to wonder, why your Desires, and others, to Print it, were so grievous to me did so break my Sleep, and disorder the in● firm State of my Body and Mind. I thank fully own, the great Humanity of some o● you; who, when you heard the true Stat● of my Case, that I neither writ, nor us● any Notes in Preaching, nor have done fo● many Years, and having my Thoughts so many Days after, taken up with fresh and various Discourses. on Subjects I had never (to my knowledge) Preached on before; and had not been Master of any time considerable, to write, or reflect upon, and refresh my Memory (not the most faithful) were pleased to interpose for my Excuse.  
But when I was told, several Copies were transcribed, by Persons that wrote after me; and that if I would not, others would Print, whose Copies I could not procure so much as a Sight of, nor had Hopes of, otherwise than Sheet by Sheet, as Printed off, and past Alteration; my most Intelligent Friends told me, I must submit to do it, as one imperfect Copy would enable me, notwithstanding my (long indulged) Aversion to be seen in Print.  
Had those of you that know me, known me, as well as I know myself, you would have had less Reason to solicit this Trouble to me, yourselves, and others; but since you say you differ from me, I have at last submitted to you. And, no● to mention the Deference I have to those of you, that are of my own Persuasion; ● must add, that the Veneration I have for such valuable and useful Members of the Church of England (as others of you are known to be), is so agreeable to the Temper and Affection, I have long had towards the Reverend and Pious Clergy o● that Communion (with whom I have al● along held some Communion, and Brotherly Conversation) that it would have bee● some force upon myself, to deny you any thing I could do, toward the Encouragement of others, to aid you in so good ● Work, as that wherein you are so happily united.  
In a word, it is not without great Satisfaction that I find (since I was before you) that the many Officers, who joyne● together, to inspect the Markets, to find out Drunkards, Swearers, and Cursers, tha● formerly swarmed there, returned without the Discovery of any Criminal of thos● kinds.  
And I am well pleased with the Hopes I have, of seeing in Public, a short Scheme of those excellent Models; of the Laws you execute, of the Rules that direct and govern yourselves, and Officers, in this successful Undertaking; which may be of greatest Use, to direct and animate those in Places distant from you; to attempt there, what you have more than begun here.  
May our Love, and Union, grow up the better, by that of GOD, and true Good-ness, we see in one another! And may your Converse together (though under different Persuasions in lesser Matters) tell you, you are none of you, the Men, which some of both sides have represented you. May the Exemplary Piety of your Families, tell the World, that Divine Service is not confined to Consecrated Places!  
That GOD would further unite you, keep your Hand to the Plough, and enable you to perfect, what you have begun, is, and shall be the Hearty Prayer of,  
gentlemans, Your true Honourer, and Faithful Servant, J. WOODHOUSE.   
HAGGAI two. 4. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, Son of Josedech, the Highpriest; and be strong all ye People of the Land, saith the Lord, and work: For I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts. 
THE Business of this Day, is not only to afflict our Souls for our Sins, and the crying Sins of our Land, and to stand in the Gap to appease an angry GOD, that seems upon his Way to ruin us; but, if it may be, to stir up a Spirit for Reformation of th● Lives and Manners of the Generation wherein we live; without which we ca● have small Expectation, either of the removal of the Judgements we feel, or th● preventing those which we foresee, an● fear may be coming upon us. In order to the more effectual furtherance of so excellent, so useful, so beneficial a Work, let your Thoughts be attentive to th● Counsels in the Text, Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel, etc.  
That you may see the tendency th● Words have, to promote the Work o● the Day, look a little back upon the former part of this Prophecy, and the History of the Times immediately foregoing. You will find in short, when Go● had delivered his People out of their long and doleful Captivity, and stirred up th● King, under whom they were Captive● to give them leave to build their Temple and to set up his Worship there; to purge out Corruptions, and make a General Reformation; this Blessed Work, so needful and excellent in itself, and so muc● to be desired by all; yet met with many Checks, and Stops.  
It was encouraged, at first, by the famed Cyrus; but afterwards obstructed by Cambyses, whilst Viceroy to his Father, and whilst King himself; and neglected near two Years, in the time of Darius Hystaspes: As may be learned from the Sacred Chronology of Ezra, and Nehemiah, and others; (which I cannot now turn you to.) But at the time of this Prophet's appearing, it was again revived, and a fresh encouraged; Leave was granted to set about it, and excellent Men Authorized to Conduct it: And yet it met with great Opposition from the Cowardice of many, and the Coldness, and Covetousness of others; who were more bend upon their own private Affairs, their Pomp and Luxury, than what concerned the Public Weal; who would do their own Business first, and God's afterwards: As appears from Chapter the First, Verse the Second: This People say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's House should be built: We must wait for a more favourable Juncture; the Minds of Men are not disposed to it. Whereupon the Prophet reasons the Case with them, Verse the Fourth, Is it tim● for you to dwell in your Cieled Houses, (say he) and this House lie waste? qu●d By the Lord you have been preserved in, an● brought out of Babylon: You think it a good time to Build; nay, to C●el (i. e. to Arch, with costly Wainscot, curiously carved, richly adorned, and fairly beautified) your own Houses; (perhaps more than one a piece, a City-House, and a Countryhouse) for your Pleasure and Diversion (for the Word is plural); you lavish out your Treasure, in Pomp, and Sensuality; (for no doubt their Ways o● Living were answerable to their costly Ceilings) and yet can spare nothing towards my House, that lies waste: You can live without a Temple, an Altar, a Sacrifice, so you may but enjoy your Worldly Ease and Grandeur, your Animal, Sensual Satisfactions: What do you own so much to yourselves, and so little to your God, who hath but now delivered you? What, lavish out so much upon your Bodies, and spare nothing fo● your own, and others Souls? Must my Worship be neglected, and Men left un reform, whilst Wickedness is connived at, and  perpetrated?  
What shall be done in such a Juncture? The wise God, under this discouraging State of Things, raises up, and sends out, two Prophets, in the same Year, upon much the same Errand, to stir up, and invigorate the Hearts of these Men in this Affair, that they, and their Brethren, had so little Heart to: They were Haggai, and Zechariah. And what does Haggai do, but address to all Sorts, in a very particular, and pungent Manner, to stir them up to this needful, but neglected Work.  
And how vigorously he addressed himself to this Undertaking, let the Text tell.  
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, etc.  
The Words are a vehement Excitation, with particular Application to the Governors, Civil, and Ecclesiastical, and all the People of the Land. How forcible, and pungent, are such Personal Addresses? The good Prophet speaks like one in Earnest; that he might (as he did) engage them to be so too. May I be able to do likewise.  
Not to trouble you with any Logical Analysis of the Words, which would (in this Case) only furnish you with Terms harder than the Text; I shall endeavour plainly to Paraphrase them to you; propose their Sense to a clear View; observe some Things from them; and make some Improvement thereof, in favour of the Work of the Day; and do what I can towards the furtherance of so desirable a Work, as is the Reformation of the Lives and Manners, of the dissolute Age we live in.  
Let us take the Words as they lie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: And now; nevertheless, now yet now; i. e. under, and against all these discouraging Difficulties, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be strong; be stout: As Mal. 2. 13. So as to prevail. Non tantum fortis sed prevaluit▪ The Septuagint renders it by Words of like Importance, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both Hebrew, and Greek, import the putting out the Vigour we have, and the Corroboration of that Strength; yea to wax strong, and prevail in our Under taking: It denotes that true Fortitude by which we pursue, without dastardly Fear, what is most difficult to obtain, maugre all the Opposition to the contrary; according to that, Be strong, and of good Courage, fear not, nor be afraid, Deut. 31. 6, 7.  
If you ask, Who he addressed thus to? the Text tells you, to Zerubbabel first; he was their Governor; not Supreme, but Subordinate: For what he did, was under the Authority and Licence of the King, which renders our Text less Foreign to the Occasion. I need not tell you, my Errand is to Magistrates, not Supreme, but Subordinate; so was our Prophets also. It was, Secondly, to Joshua, the LORD ' s Highpriest: A good Man, no doubt; for Satan was got to his Right-hand, [his Working-hand] to resist him, Zech. 3. 1. The Governors in Civil Matters, the Governors in Sacred Matters, they must both be strong, get and stir up such a Spirit, as will encounter and bear down all Difficulties.  
Thirdly, His Errand was to the People: What to some of the People? Yea, to all of them. Reformation-Work, is a Work that needs many Hands; therefore, says he, All ye People of the Land be strong He does not so much as distinguish between the Sexes, or Sects among them; all yo● People of the Land, whatever else they differed in, whether in Opinions, or Practices, or Religious Rites, they must all unite in this, all join in this. His Excitation you see was to Courage and Fortitude, and the Application was to Civil and Ecclesiastical Administrators, and to all the People of the Land; What was all this for? The Words in the Text are, And work.  
I confess, it startled me at first, and made me think of changing my Text; because it seems, at first view, to refer to Bodily Labour, such as is mentioned, ch. 1. 8. Go up to the Mountains, and bring Wood▪ i. e. hue, and build the House: But turning to the Hebrew, I found the Word used of such a 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies primarily, Fecit, effecit, perfecit, absolvit, ad certum usum aptavit, disposuit: As Philologers say.  Nature, as that it no way limits it to Bodily Labour, the Work of the Hand; and much less when by a familiar Hypozeugma, it is to be applied to Zerubbabel, the Governor, and to Joshua, the Lord's Highpriest: Who cannot be thought to be excited to any Action in this Case, but what became ●hem as Governors, Civil, and Sacred; and then the import of the Word is plainly this: Let every one in his Place, and Station, set to the Business in hand, Governors as Governors, and all the People of the Land, in what Capacity soever they be, to further the Work; let Heads, Hearts, and Hands, be all employed, let every one readily embrace, and throughly improve such Opportunities as offer themselves; nay, seek out Seasons for this Service.  
The Text, indeed, seems to lead primarily to the Work of the Temple, which was their first Work: For it was to no purpose to talk of Religion, and Worship, in the Temple, till there was a Temple to worship in; and to talk of the Reformation of the Lives and Manners of the People, till there was an Establishment of Religion, to regulate them by: Therefore I turned my Thoughts to the other Prophet Zachary; who was raised up in the same Year, and within two Months of Haggai: View but the first Verse o● each Prophecy, and you'll soon see, whe● there there was not more intended in thei● Commission, than their Care of Building the Temple: For I soon found, that th● they were both engaged in the Building of the Temple, yet they had more i● their Commission; (if we may judge o● their Commission, by the unrebuked Exe●cution thereof;) for in Zech. 1. 3. h● calls them to turn: Turn ye unto me, sait● the Lord of Hosts. And in the Forth Verse, Turn ye now from your evil Ways and from your evil Do. There wa● Reformation of Life, and Manners: Ye● because nothing is said of that in the Text, look Zech. 5. 3, 4. where the Immorality of men's Lives, in the Instanced of Stealing, and Swearing, are struck a● by this Prophet; who, doubtless, acted not beyond his Commission. And w● must have great Charity, if we can believe, that these were all the Immoralities amongst these People, tho' no more are mentioned in express Terms in that place▪ because you read of many more that needed Reforming, Chap. 7. 9, 10, 11 Verses After all this, what does the Prophet do, but add Enforcement to this Encouragement he had given, and that by telling them, The Lord was with them: and giving them God's Word for it. I am with you, saith the Lord; and I am with you as the Lord of Hosts; as a God All-sufficient to direct you, to support you in your Work, under all the Difficulties you have to encounter, and to reward you for your Work, whatever the Success be: Duty is yours, Success is mine; but your Reward shall be sure, whatsoever the Issue may be: Do your part, trust my part to me, and expect your Recompense from me; Your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.  
The Words thus Explained, will, without any violence, furnish us with these Observables, that are not unsuitable to the Business we are Convened about.  
I. First Doctrine, from the Hebrew Particle, the first Word in the Text, which we translate, Yet now; or, Nevertheless, is plainly this:  
That Works of Reformation (tho' but of God's House, of the Lives and Manners of Men, Thiefs, Swearers, etc.) do, and may meet with very great Opposition: What need was there else of such a stirring up to be strong, vigorous, and valiant, if there were not Difficulties to encounter?  
II. Second Doctrine. That when Reformers of the Lives and Manners of Men, do meet with great Opposition, are beset with great Difficulties, and Danger, their Souls are apt to be dismayed, they are apt to sink down under their Burden, and to give out, and say, To what purpose should we labour, harrass, and hazard ourselves any further; Wickedness is got above our control?  
III. Third Doctrine. When Men concerned in Reformation, do meet with Difficulties, and Opposition, enough to discourage, and sink their Spirits, they should be stirred up by others, and they should stir up themselves; that they might be able to prosecute their Work with good effect. Be strong, O Zerubbabel, etc. It notes both his stirring up himself, and his being willing to be stirred up by others.  
IU. Fourth Doctrine. 'Tis plain, that the Work of Reformation, that is accompanied with so many Difficulties, as it is apt to be, hath need of all Hands to help it on; it is not a Work of Magistrates, or Officers only (tho' they are obliged to be stricter than other Men): But 'tis a Work in which all the People of the Land should engage, as one Man. Don't shut yourself out from the Work, when God gives you an Opportunity to engage in it.  
V Fifth Doctrine. That 'tis a Matter of great Encouragement to encounter courageously all the Difficulties we meet with, in so good a Work, that God will be with us; and one God is enough for us, since he is All-sufficient.  
I may not pretend to handle all, or many of these Doctrines, in the Minutes your Patience doth allow me: Yet the Occasion cannot well spare any one of them. Let me fix your Thoughts upon the Third, which takes in the main Design of the Text; and I will endeavour to throw the other Four into some part, or other, of the Prosecution of that.  
Doct. That when Men concerned in Reformation Work, do meet with Difficulties and Opposition, enough to discourage and sink their Spirits, they should stir up themselves, and should be stirred up, spirited, and invigorated by others, that they may be able to encounter all the Difficulties they may meet with in the Prosecution of their excellent Designs.  
In the handling of this Point, I will Briefly hint at some Topics, from whence I might evidence, 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That it is so. 2. Argue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Why, or whence it is so: Because my main Design is at the Application; in which I would not prevent myself, nor weary you. For the First, take a Text, or two, Josh. 1. 6, 7, 9 Moses being dead, and there being need of a Man to conduct God's Israel, to uphold, and to reform their Religion, Lives, and Manners, the Lord spoke unto Joshua, Josh. 1. 6. and says, Be strong, and of a good Courage. Here is another Word, viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, added to that which is in our Text, and is well enough translated, Be of good Courage. In another Verse, Only be thou strong and courageous: Only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: as if he had nothing else to do. And here▪ another Word is added to both the former Words, and hath a vehement Emphasis attending it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Multum, abundanter, copiose, valde, majorem in modum. It signifies Might, Vehemency, and Diligence, all one can do, one's utmost Efforts. Verse the Ninth, Be strong, and of good Courage, as before; but adds, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Be not afraid, nor dismayed; have a Courage that despiseth Fear, that gives not back, be the Difficulties what they will; Being nothing terrified by your Adversaries: As Paul words it, Phil. 1. 28. agreeably to both the Hebrew Words. God was pleased to use in this Excitation of Joshua: He was a Man of an excellent Spirit; yet see how he was treated. May be, it may tempt some Men to think meanly of him, because of the Treatment he had; but if the best of Men had not need of help to support and invigorate their Spirits, under such Designs as this, the Spirit of God would never have bestowed so much Chafing, and Excitation, on such a Man as Joshua. Again, Haggai 1. 14, 15. 'tis said, The Lord stirred up the Spirit of Zerubbabel and of Joshua, and of the People. As if that was not enough, God sends again in the Seventh Month, Chap. 2. 1. on the same Errand as the Text hath told you: For the Word of the Lord came to Haggai, speak now to Zerubbabel, be strong, etc. Here let me obviate an Objection, that I thought more solemnly to have considered.  
May be, some that are ill Interpreters of well-meaning Minds, may think, that that such a Call as this, to Courage and Fortitude, and an Heroic Magnanimity▪ doth insinuate, as if the Gentlemen engaged in our Reformation, were Men of mean Spirits, and wanted Courage; Why else make I so much ado about it?  
But as I have no such Thought in my Heart, and nothing but my Weakness can betray me to be suspected of a Design to insinuate any such thing; so both the Text, and the Evidence that other Scriptures have given to the Truth of the Doctrine, will take away that suspicion: For if such a Man as Joshua, as Zerubbabel, as the High▪ Priest, needed it so often, it will be no diminution to those that have undertaken this Great Work, to treat them as others such great, and such excellent Men have been treated, in Cases not unlike.  
The two first Doctrines shall be the two first Reasons for the Proof and Confirmation of this Doctrine. Why, or whence it is, that when Persons concerned in Reformation do meet with Difficulties, and Oppositions, enough to discourage and daunt their Spirits in their Undertake, they should then stir up themselves, and be stirred up by others, to prosecute the Work with all vigour, wax stronger and stronger, till they prevail over all that is in the Way.  
1. Because there usually (why might I not say always) ariseth such Dangers and Difficulties, as cannot be otherwise overcome. To this the Context speaks fully, as I have showed you, when I raised this as a Doctrine from it: But let Experience speak, Did you ever read of a Reformation, which was not thus embarrassed, and encumbered? What Work did Noah find, in his Endeavours to reform the Old World? Was it easier with Lot, in Sodom? If Josias will reform his People, what Opposition doth he meet with; What a Force must he exert to cause them to do it? [2 Chron. 34.] If Nehemiah will put forward the Temple, reform the Sabbath, Tobias, and Sanballat, will turn every Stone, to dismay him in it? Did our Saviour attempt the Redemption and Reformation of Men? With what Fury did the Devil attack him? What Affronts do his Emissaries put upon him? What Snares do his Relations, and Peter himself, lay for him? Master, save thyself. No doubt but our Reformers have had large Experience of this kind, from fair Friends, and quiet Neighbours, as well as boisterous Criminals. In this Case, what can be done without Courage? Nay, what can ordinary Courage do? It is not for timorous, and faint-hearted Men, to engage in such Erterprises; the Spirit must be stirred up, surmount the Difficulties, or the Work will not be done.  
2. You must be stirred up, and invigorated, because the Nature of Man needs it: The Imbecility of the Soul of Man renders him liable to sink under Discouragements. Our Fear is mightily advanced in our fallen State, and our Courage ●s much diminished. What a brave, knowing, fearless Man was Adam, before his Fall! He could, upon Sight of the Creatures, give them Names, answering ●heir Natures, and was as fearless as knowing: But let him break off his Dependence from God, and you shall presently find him playing the Fool, so as none but a Man almost bereft of Thoughts, could do: You will find him struck with Fear, which Sin had let in upon him, hiding himself in the Thickets (a likely Shelter) from the Presence of God. And as he lost his Knowledge, he lost his Courage; and we feel with what feeble Attacks we can resist the Difficulties we meet withal; we are apt to be afraid, and dismayed, and therefore our Courage must be excited, the Imbecility of our fallen Nature makes ●t necessary.  
3. The Third Reason may be argued from the Capacity of the Soul; our Soul ●s capable of being excited: We have Faculties, and Powers, that may be excited, and influenced by such Objects, and More▪ tives, as may be laid before us; we f● others may hearten us; we can che● ourselves under, and against Discouragements, that are not insuperable; else th● Method of God by his Prophet, to s●● up Zerubbabel, etc. had been a fruitless Attempt. Take Heart, my Friends; Sha● the crowing, fight Cock, clap h● Wings, to stir up his Spirits and Vigour and will not you? So that you see, with out more Enlargement, you have need t● stir up yourselves, and suffer others t● stir you up in these Matters, if you consy der, 1. The Difficulties that attend them 2. The Imbecility of your Nature und● them. 3. The Capacity of your Soul● to be by these Methods fortified against them.  
What Use may this Doctrine be of t● us, in such a Case as this? Is it so, th● Men concerned in Reformation do me● with Difficulties, and Opposition, enough to discourage, and sink their Spirits, th● they should be stirred up by others, an● they should stir up themselves, that the● may be able to prosecute this Work wit● good effect.  
I. Then, First, it is of Reprehension ●o several sorts of Persons amongst us.  
1. To those, to all those, that I may ●tile Neuters in these Matters; on neither ●ide, neither Criminals, nor yet Reformers, Men of Gallio's Temper, That care for none of these things, Acts 18. 17. Let ●he Name of God be blasphemed by Cur●ing, and Swearing; let the Sabbath be profaned by Trading, by Fuddling; let Adultery, and Whoredom, have their Course: What is that to them, they have other Business to mind, they will not be Busybodies in other men's Matters? Why should they involve themselves? Are they their Brother's Keepers? Hear what God says, and tremble under thy daring Folly, thy base Neutrality: Thou shalt not ●ate thy Brother, in thine Heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour, and not suffer Sin upon him, Leu. 19 17. Is it a light Matter with thee, to neglect to rebuke thy Brother, thy Neighbour, when, in God's Account, it is hating him in thy Heart? which God hath let thee know is Murder, 1 John 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his Brother, is a Murderer. Say not, I put thee upon more than rebuking, even correcting and punishing of him: For the Word which we translate in this plac● Rebuke, signifies to rebuke by Deeds, as well as Words, set as Judge, chastise and correct; as Psal. 38. 1. Nay, the Word is doubled; in rebuking, thou shalt rebuke; in correcting, thou shalt correct to add the greater Emphasis to enforce the Duty: Moreover, the Words which we translate, Thou shalt not suffer Sin upon him; may be read, That thou bear no● Sin for him; or, Take his Sin upon thee. It seems, the neglect of our Duty to him▪ in rebuking, correcting him, and reclaiming him from his Sins, makes us Partakers with him, both in his Sin and Punishment. And hast not thou Sin enough of thine own, to answer for, that tho● darest involve thyself in other Men● Gild? Awake, awake, shake off thy loathsome Neutrality; considering,  
1st. It puts thee under the Dislike of God. 2dly, The Dislike of good Men● And, 3dly, The Contempt even of ba● Men.  
1. It puts thee under the Dislike of God; who cannot but take it ill at thy Hand: He hath not played the Neuter with thee. Hath he not given thee a Being? and put thee into good Circumstances? and made thee capable of his Service? Doth he not show thee, that all thou art, and hast, is his, by more Titles than one? And doth not Providence notify to thee, The Lord hath now need of thee; to help to stem this Tide of Wickedness, that bears so hard upon us, in this Adulterous Generation? Hath he not enabled thee by good Laws, and excellent Magistrates, to do something for him? And wilt thou still excuse thyself? Oh! thou art loath to meddle, notwithstanding thy Capacity, Ability, Opportunity to help the Lord against his daring Adversaries! Well, if I must leave thee, (be thou one in the Magistracy, or Ministry, or one of the People;) if I must leave thee, as like the crafty Gallio, as I found thee, let me leave this with thee; That if thou wilt not come out to the help of the LORD, tho' it be against the Mighty, that support Debauchery, the LORD is like to overtake thee, Judges 5. 23.  
Art thou afraid of the Ill-will, and fiery Fury of thy lustful and angry Neighbour, and art thou not afraid of an angry God? What a Wretch art thou! Dost thou know, darest thou think, what this means, and yet hold on in thy Neutral Temper▪ Read Zech. 1. 4, 5, 6. and do it at thy peril.  
2. Thou art under the Dislike of good Men, that are active for God in Reformation-Work; they are troubled at it, and grieved for it, to see God dishonoured, Debauchery perpetrated, and such a Person as thou, (who hast so many Advantages in thy Hand) stand by unconcerned: Have God, and good Men, been every way s● kind to thee, done so much for thee, and do they expect this from thee? And will thou do nothing? What▪ not this little thing for them? Oh! where is thy Gratitude 〈◊〉 What a vile Wretch art thou, that has● none?  
3. Whatever Favour and Value tho● hopest to conciliate to thyself, with ba● Men, (that are impatient of the Reformation of their Lives and Manners;) they will but contemn and despise thee, for thy base Neutrality; they cannot love thee, because thou art not one of them; and they will despise thee, because thou darest not appear against that in them, which they, and thou know, is bad in them. They have some confessed, awful Reverence, to Men of Piety and Virtue▪ that dare to be good, and stand to it, and face all Oppositions and Reproaches, that appear against it: They dare not to be wicked under a Cato's Eye, in view of such a Man as he; But how mean a thing art thou, in the Eyes of these vile Persons, who darest do nothing against the Immoralities thou darest not act. Well, Sirs, what will you now do upon the whole Matter? Have you had not Concern, for the rebuking, correcting, and reforming of Drunkenness, Swearing, Cursing, Whoring, Sabbath-breaking, Stealing, and such like Wickednesses, which the Laws of the Land enable you to, and the good and excellent Magistrates of this Renowned City, encourage you in? And will you have none after all God, and Man, have said to you, and expect from you? Quit for shame, your sluggish Post; out, up, and be doing, and be at some more Cost and Pains; (it may put you to both) because of the little you have yet done.  
2. It reproves those that are Loiterers in this painful Work. 'Tis a Work which, you hear, requires Strength and Vigour; a stirring up of Strength, such as will prevail: Yet now be strong, & ●▪ Sinner, I must deal plainly with thee, 〈◊〉 thou lay not out thyself to some purpose, to good purpose, to make somewhat of it, thy idling Temper will entitle thee to an, Oh thou slothful, and wicke● Servant: Wicked, because slothful, Ma●● 25. 26. And thy Reward shall be according to thy Work. Read Verse 3● For the Curse of the Lord cannot b● take hold of thee, if thou do his Work deceitfully: i. e. negligently, Jer. 48. 1ST God, and thy Redeemer, have not brought about the Work of thy Redemption, 〈◊〉 such a negligent, loitering Way of Wor●ing. Is this the best thou canst, thou w● do for him, and at such a needful Juncture as this? We account an Eye-servant amongst bad Servants; and well we may; they will not work longer than their Master looks on. I wish I knew how to persuade thee to be an Eye-Servant, to work diligently, tho' but whilst thy Master looks on, and expects it from thee: For his Eye is always on thee, he sees when thou shutest thine Eyes upon the Wickedness thou shouldest punish; and takest thine Ease, when Matters call thee to be up and doing: Remember thy Judge maintains a Spy in thy own Bosom, that will tell of all thy Sloth, Coldness, and Loitering in his Work, and Service.  
3. It reproves those that will not stir up themselves, with all their Might and Vigour, when the Difficulties they labour under, are ready to dispirit them. What not use and improve the Capacities you have? What sit down before you have turned every Stone? Bear your Reproof, and chide your dastardly Spirits: stir up yourselves at such a rate, as you may not need the help of others, who will be backward enough to do it.  
4. It reproves those that will not endeavour to stir up, and invigorate others to the Work, when they need it; whe● their Courage fails for want of it. Th● is one of the Works of our Sacred Function, Isa. 58. 1. But it is not confine● to us. Our excellent Judges, Justice's o● the Peace, Stewards of Courts-Leet, c▪ they bear a Testimony, they promote this Matter, as well as we.  
V And Lastly, It reproves those that take it ill, that will not bear to be excited: It's a thing which Men do worse bear, when they most need it. But 'tis not reasonable to presume, I am speaking to many such: What should they do here on this Occasion? And therefore let us endeavour to improve it by way of Excitation, to such a Work, at such a Season as this.  
You see, by the Warrant of my Text, I have a justifying Occasion to apply myself,  
1. To those who are Civil, [if] Subordinate, Rulers, and Governors.  
2. To those that are Sacred, and Ecclesiastical Governors, under the King; 〈◊〉 well as,  
3. To all the People of the Land, of the City, and of the Country, into whose Hands, God, by his Providence, puts any Opportunity to execute good Laws, for the restraining Debaucheries of every kind: To thee, O Zerubbabel; to thee, O Joshua; to you, O People of the Land, the Errand of my Text, and Doctrine comes: And O that I knew how to give it its Force: O that the good Spirit of God would give it its Authority and Power over all your Consciences, that it might have an Effect upon all of us, as it had in Israel's Day, on all of them.  
1. To those of you that are in any Offices, appointed to execute these good Laws: Much I could say, to excite you to a zealous, prudent, impartial, diligent Application to your Work: There are Topics for Arguments peculiar to your Cases, your Commissions, your Oaths, the Trust you have taken upon you, the Confidence our dread Sovereign, and his People, have in you, and the Expectations all have from you. There are Counsels proper and necessary to be taken, about dealing first with your own Hearts, Houses, and Conversations, in order to your more effectual Management of what you endeavour for others: And had I not been credibly informed, (by those that dare not impose upon me) of the Conscientious Care that most of you have taken in these Things, I should have presumed to address you with the Plainness that is natural to me, and as necessary on this Occasion: But it is Matter of my Joy▪ that your Conduct, in these Things, hath so far superseded my Applications to you Go on, good Gentlemen, to signalise yourselves to the End, as you have done in the Beginning; that the uprising Generation may call you Blessed, and bless God for you, as we do.  
2. To those of, you my Brethren, that are as the Sons of the Prophets, that like Haggai the Prophet, and Joshua the Priest of the Lord, are, by the Sacred Tie o● your Honourable Function, under Obligation to cry aloud, to lift up your Voices like Trumpets, Isa. 38. 1. To excite all to every great, and good Work; especially one that is so excellent in itself, so beneficial to the World. Topics are not to seek, to stir you up to the Duty of your Place, in such a Juncture as this: Did it not better become me, to learn of you, than presume to prescribe to you.  
3. But to you, O People of the Land, let me say, Up, and be doing; every Soul to its Post; this Work cannot be done without you. If no Criminal had been punished in Israel, but those Moses found in the Fact, how few had they been? Reformation calls for many; nay, I had almost said, all Hands: I need call no other Vouchers than my Text and Doctrine.  
And tho' I wave the Motives peculiar to Officers, Civil, and Sacred, on the Grounds I hinted; yet give me leave to offer some Enforcements, that may (if God please to give them their Weight with you) have a tendency to influence all the sorts of Persons, my Text, and the Occasion warrant me to address, by way of Excitation.  
1. Consider how much of this good Work is already done, maugre all the Difficulties under which it at first laboured.  
2. Consider how much is yet to be done, which cannot be done without more Hands.  
3. How much Encouragement there lies in the Text, for every one to do his part, when God will be with him, and his Reward is sure to him.  
First consider for your Encouragement, what hath been done. Blessed be God, there is any thing done: You may see reason to join in this Thanksgiving, and take Heart to quit yourselves like Men, in what remains to be done; if you please but to look back with me, upon some of the many Discouragements, and Obstructions, under which it at first laboured.  
1. It was done against all the Wickedness, and Corruption, that is in the degenerate Natures of wicked Men; nay, of Corruption excited by the Devil, rooted and strengthened into Habit; which is more than mere Nature; a second Nature, worse (if possible) than the first. The Lusts, and Passions, of every debauched, wicked Man, in Court, and City, are against the Work, and the Doers of it; and spirit them, in some Fits, to design and endeavour those desperate Things, which may be Exercise to the greatest Courage: Nay, 'tis a Wonder to me, no more violent Effects have been produced, from such boisterous Causes; to make those that hear, to fear, and meddle no more. Much of which is due to your prudent Conduct, in concealing the Names of those that gave in the Informations.  
2. There was another Difficulty, and that about the forming of these excellent Societies, out of Men of different Persuasions about Matters in Religion, and different Opinions about some Rites and Circumstances of their Religion. Differences of smaller moment, have, by the Skill of Rome, and Hell, been so managed, as to divide and embitter the Hearts of good Men, both Ministers, and People, and render many of them uncapable of that Love and Union, which might subserve many a Common Good; as yours hath, and doth, and is like (through Divine Goodness) further to do. We must own it to our Reproach,▪ that we ought to have set you a Copy of this kind; and by our bearing with, and forbearing of one another, in our lesser Differences, have hearty joined in those Methods, that might promote the common Interest, of our common Lord: How much more had this been to our Honour, than to revile-and reproach one another, on Account of these supposed little Differences.  
But in this I must rebuke myself, because I have reason to hope, we, and our Brethren, that have a deep Sense of the ill Influences these Things have upon the Inwards, the Spirits, and Power of Religion, are coming to a better Temper towards one another: May we write after your Copy, and laying aside all Resentments, and carnal Contentions, join in that, in which we are so well agreed, to promote the Interest of our great Master; verifying the old Irenick Saying▪ Opinionum varietas & Opinantium unitas non sunt, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Oh! for a fuller Measure of that Spirit of Christ, of pure Christianity, which would facilitate that to us, it hath already done to you.  
3. Another great Impediment arose from the Iniquity of the late Reigns. It's not unknown to many of you, that have read the Secret Histories of those Reigns, or the more Authentic Memoirs, and Collections thereof; that the daring Designs of the Gunpowder-Traitors, Anno 1605, had such an Influence upon that fearful Prince, King James the First, that few, if any, true Steps, towards Reformation, were ever since advanced by him, or his. If this were a place for it, I could easily tell you, that favour to Popery and Profaneness, became Governing Principles in our British Politics: Witness the trinkling, mean Condescension of that Prince to Papists; nay, to the Pope himself, under the abusive Treaty for the Infanta of Spain, and the Proclamation for Lose and Licentious Sports, on the Lords-days; (that Reproach of his, and his Son's Reigns): And, if some guess right, the Foundation of the Ruin of that unhappy Prince. And when he turned off from tantalising of Spain, he applied to a Daughter of France: Such a Biggot was she to the Romish Religion, and such an Ascendant had she over his Son, her Husband, Charles the First, that all Things ran in the like Channel, for Popery, and Profaneness, and with a greater Torrent; witness repeated Proclamations, in favour of both: And tho' God gave signal Notices of his Displeasure against that Family, in Ways I need not name; yet the Return of Charles the Second, after all the shame Pretences to the contrary, issued in favour of Popery, and greater Profaneness, and Debauchery. I have been assured, a Clergyman of that Communion, did in a Frolic freely say, That it was agreed by their Politicians, that they had no hope to introduce their Religion here, but by Atheism, Irreligion, and Debauchery of the Gentry, and Clergy; which, by a variety of Means, they brought about so effectually, that all sorts of Wickednesses were now barefaced, daring the Sun▪ in the last Reigns, to the great Grief of many of the Reverend true Sons of the Church: Now Swearing, Cursing, Damning, Whoring, Sabbath-breaking, hating, reviling, and persecuting of all serious Godliness, were grown very modish, and very fashionable Things, road in Triumph, above the Control of those that should have attested them.  
4. Another great Impediment, was, that when this Revolution came upon us, over all the Mountains of Difficulty, and Discouragement, in ways we looked not for, so little was at first done to reform the Court, City, Country, Army, Navy, Magistracy, and Ministry: 'Tis true, we made a glorious Step about our Judges, (the Honour of the Courts they sit in;) But did we not stick there? I am told, that the Politics that stopped us there, and kept us from a further, and fuller Reformation, were such as these. This was to begin at the wrong End, which the Nation would not yet bear: We must first settle the Throne, establish the Government, and then reform what was amiss in Religion, and the Morals of Men. And I have been told, that these Politics were carried over into a Neighbour Nation, for a Measure of their Proceed; and were proposed, and were too like to take there also; but that a Great Man stood up, and signalised himself, by saying, Let us do God's Work first, and trust him with ours; let us reform, and God will settle us. And what hath since befallen them, and us, under our different Methods, may tell us who were in the right: For I will confess, that when God did not go out with us, as before: When Success was withdrawn from us, I had many searching Thoughts about the Cause of it; and found Reason to acquiesce in the Discovery God made by our Prophet Haggai, in a Case not unlike ours, Hag. 1. ver. 4, 6, 10, 11. But this may seem above my Sphere, and therefore I will not presume so much, as to open the Words; much less apply them to my Superiors, who may have other Thoughts of these Things, if they do not consider this Text, in the Sense I have done.  
5. Another Impediment was, the Reproach the worst of Men cast upon these Honourable Societies; branding them for Informers, a Name a late Reign had justly rendered most odious: For when their Diana, Popery, and Profaneness, had a hopeful Prospect; they found there was a sort of Persons, (the Remains of the old Puritans) who were not fully of the Way of the Established Church (which they thought wanted a fuller Reformation); who by their Preaching, and Living, gave great Rebuke to what was doing; Ways were found to discourage these Men, Laws procured, Informers encouraged, and many Persons, and Families, ruined.  
And as the Men called by that Name, and animated to that Work, were of the Firstborn of the Devil, the vilest of bad Men; so their Business had justly rendered them the Contempt of all that were not in a great measure like themselves; and the Name Informer, brought no Idea to men's Minds, but what was horrid and abominable: These Societies advancing to their excellent Undertaking, in this Juncture of Affairs, were instantly stigmatised with that Name: As if the Mobb itself could not distinguish between an Informer engaged to ruin good Men for Godliness▪ sake; and an Informer (for so he must be called) engaged to detect, convict, correct, and reform the vicious Lives and Manners of Men: And had not these Men been of a more excellent Spirit, advanced above the Reproaches of Men, this Project could not but have perished here: I will confess for myself, that the Notice of it, caused me to abandon further Hopes of them, and it; but am glad I am so happily deceived.  
6. And Lastly, When the first Season, at the beginning of this happy Revolution, was so far slipped, and so little done towards the reforming a vicious Army, Navy, Court, City, and Country; there were vigorous Overtures made, by our excellent King, and Nonsuch Queen, to retrieve this false Step: I need not recite their vigorous Application, to Officers Sacred, and Civil; but how their, and our reasonable Hopes, were totally baffled, I need not say. Whether, as some say, the Reformation was put into Hands that needed it, and were hearty against it; or whether they looked upon Wickedness as got above their Control, I am loath to say; but this I must say, that in all my Sphere, (which was not the narrowest) I knew no Instances of any Attempts, made by these Men, towards it. However, my Design is not to reflect upon any Ecclesiastical, or Civil Administrators, in whose Hands the Work succeeded not: May God cause them to reflect, to see whether they did their utmost in it; for when such Overtures fail of their desired End, they render what was but difficult before, next to impossible afterwards; and so our Reformers found it: And no Courage, and Greatness of Mind, but what was like theirs, could have (humanly speaking) brought it to a better issue. But is any thing done, so much done, in despite of all these Difficulties, and Discouragements? why should you not take Heart? You may remember, that the Success the Great Alexander had against the Great (I had almost said Greater) Darius, flushed him with fresh Vigour, to pursue his Victories over unknown Countries. Did not Caesar's Successes fortify his stout Mind, under, and against succeeding Difficulties? the Fear and Danger of the proud Waves, were not to terrify, where Caesar, and his Fortunes, were to be conserved: And tho' I have little of the Deference to those Great Men, which I had when a Schoolboy, employed in the Encomiums their Admirers gave of them; because I now easily see the Lust, the Cruelty, the Arbitrary Invasion of other men's Rights, and Properties, by which they were notoriously acted: Yet I would learn from them (as bad as they were) to take reasonable Encouragement from former Successes, to future Erterprises; especially where they are good like yours.  
2. A Second Motive to stir up all, both Magistrates, Ministers, and People, to join Heart and Hand herein, is to consider how much is yet to do, and of what kind it is: For there is an Enforcement in it both ways considered; tho' Wickedness be (Praise to God, and Thanks to our Reformers) put under great Rebuke, forced to seek its Corners, shelter itself in lurking Holes; yet we have reason to think that many act cautiously, which do not live virtuously▪ the Rule of the Cautious is, Si non castè tamen cautè: Now if it be connived at there, it will soon (like Vermin) creep abroad again: And if you do not drive it out of its dark Corners, into which you have helped to drive it, what can we hope for? And pray observe, that this kind of Work calls for more inquisitive Search, and private Application than was needful, when Immorality walked barefaced, was seen in every open Place, might be found without looking for: And more Hands are, on that Account, yet necessary; the Lord awaken us to use them, and to help you with them.  
III. Thirdly, Consider by way of Enforcement, to a vigorous Activity herein; the great Benefit, and Advantage, that hath, and may accrue, from what is, and may yet be done in this Matter; if you respect.  
1. The Interest, and Honour of God; which is so daringly run upon, by the Wickednesses you are endeavouring to reform: When these Vices bid Defiance to God, affront, and pour Contempt upon his Laws, and Government; they make the Great GOD seem mean, and look contemptible; as the last of the Prophets hath abundantly shown. Now hath this Father any Child here, that is unconcerned for his Honour, and Interest? It may be a Bastard, it cannot be a Legitimate Son: If therefore you have any Deference for God, any hearty Concern for his neglected Interest, and Honour, any  to his Name, that is blasphemed; his Sabbaths, which are profaned; his other Laws, that are openly, and contemptuously violated: Sure you will up and be doing. Is not this God your Owner, your daily Benefactor? Are not you his Stewards, his accountable Stewards? And will you not stir at such a time, in such a Case as this, that so nearly concerns your God, and Father? Will you pretend Reverence to your Father, and yet suffer his Honour to be thus trodden in the Dirt?  
2. If you respect the Good of so great a part of Mankind, now sunk into Brutish Sensuality: Who knows, but it may be a Means to recover them out of this Snare of the Devil, who are taken Captive (or taken alive, as in the Margin) by him, at his Will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. The Word we translate Recover, signifying, to recover from Madness▪ 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Shame, may bring him to a right Mind▪ and to awake out of a drunken Sleep 〈◊〉 They are dosed, stupefied; Shame, and Punishment may rouse them; of which we have frequent Examples, if this were a place for them: However, we may reasonably expect, a Threefold Advantage to our debauched Neighbours from hence: It may prevent.  

1. The present Ruin of his Body.  
2. The necessary Ruin of his Estate.  
3. The aggravated Ruin of his Soul, (at least).   
Need I tell them, or you, that Drunkenness, Whoredom, and suchlike Immoralities, have a Natural Tendency, as well as a Moral procuring Efficacy, to ruin both Body, Soul, and Estate: How oft have the Diseases of a macerated Body, and the small Remains of a wasted Estate, told the World, what these Sins bring to? The Marks of the Sin, are legible in the Punishment: And is it nothing to save him from ruining Poverty, and Rottenness in his Bones? and that increase of Torment, which multiplied Sin would lay him under? Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend? to thy Neighbour? His Case, the Case of his Family, calls for Help and Pity; And hast thou no Bowels?  
3. If you respect the Good and Welfare of the Nation, and of this great City, of which you are Members. If you had never seen your Bibles, had read only the Roman Histories, you might see to what a glorious Height, severe Virtue advanced them; and how soon their Prowess, Courage, Success, and Grandeur, sunk to nothing, when they let lose to the Debaucheries, so long countenanced, and practised amongst us. By Virtue they advanced, till they were the Envy of the World; by Vice they sunk, till they became the Contempt of all. And this was in the Nature of the Thing, as well as from a Judicial Act of God: Vice did it, as well as provoked God to do it.  
Our Bibles, that teach us better Things than their Twelve Tables, are not sparing in this Discovery: Is the Old World, is Sodom, are the Canaanites ruined? Is Samaria, Judah, Jerusalem, to name no more, weakened, impoverished, and brought low? You are Strangers to your Bibles, if you know not, that Sin was the Cause. Si● is the Shame, and Reproach, of any Nation; it bringeth it into Reproach, and into a State fit to be despised: When as Righteousness, greatens, heightens, and exalteth a Nation, Prov. 14. 34. God will not long honour them, with happy and felicitating Circumstances, that pour Contempt, and Dishonour, upon him and his righteous Laws.  
This Prophet furnisheth us with a Passage, highly adapted to our present Case, Hag. 1. 2. The People had discharged themselves from the Lord's Work; The time is not yet: This is not a favourable Juncture for Reforming Attempts; they will suffer Irreligion, and Immorality, to take their Swinge, (not but that they intent better Things, in better Times).  
This was their Course towards God, provoking enough: What was God's towards them? How prospered they in their Trade and Commerce? Were they in a thriving way, whilst unreformed, and void of Care about it? Hear the Prophet, Ver. 6. Now therefore consider your ways, (or set your Heart on your Ways, as the Hebrew hath it;) q. d. (and it was from the Lord he said it), you take yourselves for wise, and great Politicians; no doubt you think yourselves altogether in the right, against me, after all my Prophets can say, to bring you to a better Course; such a one as that wherein you might prosper: But pray observe what you see and feel, without seeing the Cause: Ye have sou n much, and bring in little; ye eat, but you have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with Drink; ye cloth you, but there's none warm; and he that earneth Wages, earneth Wages to put it into a Bag, with Holes. (Or as the Hebrew piersed through), Ver. 9 Ye looked for much, and lo it came to little, when you brought it home, I did blow upon it: (Or as it may be read) I blowed it away; it came to nothing, it did you no good.  
I may not stay to Paraphrase these, and and several other Verses of the same import, scattered here and there in this Prophecy, chap. 1. and chap. 2. ver. 10, 11. But they plainly notify, the unprosperous and calamitous State they were in, under that Curse of God, which their neglect of Reformation had brought them under: As he plainly tells them, (chap. 2. v. 16, 17.) And the way to have it better, 18, 19 And bids them consider it, again and again; that tho' his Hand had been upon them, and they had felt it every way so heavy, yet they had not so much as thought of that Sin, which procured it upon them. Things went ill, but Sin was not the Cause; Things happen by Chance, ill Conduct; And how can we help it? past Cure, past Care; yet Sin, the procuring, and God, the efficient Cause of their bad Case, were overlooked. However, if now, after all, they will set about God's Work, he will prosper them, he will not be behind hand with the●; no, not a Day, Chap. 2. 18. From this Day will I bless you, Chap. 2. 19  
I am with more Regret taken off from a due Enlargement on this, because I verily fear it is too much our Case: May God put it into the Heads, and Hearts of Governors, Supreme, as well as Subordinate, that we might (tho' it be late) begin at the right end; recover those faulty Steps we have taken to bring us into this State of Things, both at Home and Abroad. Does not every one feel, and as feelingly complain of the Judgements we have, and yet do labour under? Our unparallelled Calamity, in, and about our Coin; our Loss of Trade by Land, our Losses by Sea; our Expense in the War; the Treachery of some entrusted: Nay, where do Complaints end? And notwithstanding that so good a King, (I think it no Flattery to say, the best I hear of now in the whole World) and some excellent Men, that are nearest to him, can do to ease us, we are but where we feel ourselves? What Fatigues do they endure? What Hazards doth he run? And how little comes in by all? It's blown upon, it's blown away: One inveighs against one Instrument, another against a second; but who looks into our unreformed State, as the truest Cause of all this? Or who endeavours a National Reformation; from which we might date our wished Retrieve: The Retrieve of our Trade at Home, and Abroad; of our abated Successes by Sea, and Land: Nay, how many Hands are yet unemployed in this narrower Reformation, you have so happily set a going? Let me speak freely, that as the Sins of some Kings have had a ruining Influence upon their People; so the Sins of many a wicked People, have had a hand to weaken, disappoint (if not ruin) good Kings; Kings better than their People: So that if you would show yourselves Friends to Caesar, Friends to so good a King, this is one of the best ways you can take, truly to serve him. Is it not pity so Heroic a Prince, one on whose Life so much depends, should do so much, hazard himself so often by Sea, in the Camp, and in the High-places of the Field; put himself so frequently amongst the hottest Firings, to secure our Properties and Liberties, our Religion and Lives; and have it all blown upon, and blasted for our Sakes, for our Sins? If you will not up to your Work, for God's sake, for your Neighbour's sake, for your Nation's sake, for Posterity sake, do it for the King's sake: For if we still do wickedly, Both we, and our King shall perish. However, let me leave this with you, as the most hopeful way to prevent his, and our bodeing Ruin; and to render us yet again a flourishing and happy Nation; such as a holy God may with Honour own, and stand by, and save; though in a way of Prerogative: For I know not any other way, in which 'tis to be done. I am loath to leave you almost persuaded, and yet my prescribed Minutes forbidden me to add much more. However, let me try the Motive in the Text, the last in our proposed Order.  
Lastly, Consider God will be with you: So indeed the Prophet said to Zerubbabel, and his Helpers: And it was, no doubt, their great Encouragement; and would be yours, if I could make out your Title to his Presence, as he did theirs. In this you will reckon, I must make great Abatement: And I, at first, thought I must have made greater, than now I see I need to make: For tho' I am neither Prophet, nor Prophet's Son▪ pretend to no immediate Commission from Heaven; yet I find to your Encouragement, and mine, that tho' this looks like a peculiar personal Promise, not to be extended to any other Persons, in any other (though like) Cases; yet, I think, it will not be found so: For I find this very Promise made to Joshua, by Moses, Deut. 31. 23. And I will be with thee; meaning God, not Moses. And v. 6. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And, Josh. 1. 5. God himself repeats it to Joshua, I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And if this be Exegetical of the former, we find this particular Promise extended to all that are good Men, Heb. 13. 5. It's used as an Argument for Content, to all that need it: For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper: A Helper to every one in particular, as well as to all in general. Mark the turn, the change of the Number, We say, my Helper.  
Now if God be with good Men, with every good Man, in every good Work (and here's no restriction): I may say, after all this struggle, as the Prophet, The Lord will be with you: nay, is with you in your Work; for it's his. Having cleared up your Title to the Promise, let us see what is in it; what the better you shall be for it. It hath all in it, that is possible to be in a Promise; to have a God with us, that is All-sufficient, it is enough: What would you wish for more? I who am wise enough to counsel thee, able enough to afford thee inward Support, and outward Assistance, and an abundant Recompense: I will be with you, engaged for you; nay, for myself, it's my Work as well as yours; it's only yours, because it's mine. I hope you have, and will look to your own Hearts, that they be right with God; to see you be of upright Hearts, as well as blameless Conversation; do more at Home, than you can hope to do Abroad: And if so, this great God will be with thee, to every gracious Purpose: And one encouraging Word I have for you, when disappointed of the Success you aimed at, your Reward shall not be lost, tho' your Work succeed not, to your desired End: Suppose, after all thy Endeavours, thy hardened Neighbours should remain as wicked as thou foundest them: No Shame, no Pain, no Punishment will reclaim them; and leave thee Reason only to lament, that all, as to God, to Them, to the King, and Kingdom, is lost, and in vain; yet, I tell you, to you it shall not be in vain. As it is with us, in our discouraging Function, so I find it was with good Josias, that Reforming Prince: And so I verily reckon you will find it, tho' I want time to open the Grounds on which you may hope for it; only read for us, Isai. 49. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.  
For Josias, read 2 Kings 22. 19, 20.  
And consider with yourselves, tho' Duty be yours, Success is his; and your Reward will be according to your Work, not according to his.  
Christians, may I reckon of you as Persons honestly devoted to do the Will of God, to work Righteousness, to have Respect to all the Commands of God: (I have not given you your right Character, if I may not). Now how can you maintain this Character towards God, the World▪ or your own prying Conscience, (that Spy that dog's you, and of whom you will certainly hear one of these Days); if you dare statedly continue in the daily neglect of so plain a Duty, and of such momentous Concernment to God, and the World: Is not this the best Characteristick thou hast to try thy Sincerity by? And darest thou leave thyself to the Assaults that Satan; nay, thy own Conscience may truly attack thee with in a dying Bed? What partial in the Law, and yet sincere? Thou Hypocrite, may they say, how can this be? And what wilt thou answer? Do not (for any Reasonings I have not time to obviate) arm the Devil, and thine own Conscience, with such an Evidence of thy Hypocrisy; for God is greater than thy Conscience.  
Well, Sirs, we must part: I should be glad to bring to you some issue: What will you now do? (Now, I say, without delay?) I was not without Fear, before I appeared before you; lest I should not be able to prevail with you, to engage in a Work so unacceptable to Flesh and Blood: And are there no Causes for such Fears yet to be found amongst this great Assembly? Let me freely tell you, that these Fears drew Tears from mine Eyes more than once, before I came hither; if I should manage this Matter so, as to leave my Hearers as I found them; What shall I say either for mine own mean Performance, or their Refusal? How loath shall I be, to bring in Evidence against any one of you, when this Sermon must be heard again, and reckoned for! I ought not, I think, to let thee know this, but in hopes to prevent that. Well, once for all, Up, and be doing; embrace, nay, seek out Opportunities, to rebuke, and reclaim remaining Debauchery: And if this be thy plain Duty, capable of being so powerfully impressed upon thee; if God, and Conscience, have let thee know, what he expects from thee, have a Reverence for both, tho' thou art excited to it, by no better a Hand than this. Awake, Rouse up: Be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, Son of Josedech, the Highpriest; and be strong all ye People of the Land, saith the Lord, and work: For I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.  
FINIS.   

ERRATA.  
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