Reformation and Union RECOMMENDED, as the Present DUTY and INTEREST OF THE NATION: IN A SERMON PREACHED at the ASSIZES HELD AT HERTFORD, August the 1st, 1698.  
By RI. SKINGLE, Vicar of ROYDON in ESSEX.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year MDCXCVIII.   

To the Worshipful JOHN BILLERS Esq; High Sheriff Of the COUNTY of HERTFORD  
Honoured Sir,  
THE Censures and Aspersions cast upon what you lately heard from me in the Pulpit, have obliged me to present you with the same from the Press, which I have here done without any omission or alteration. When you first engaged me in that Honourable Service, of Preaching before the Judges, and many other Persons in public Stations, I thought I had a fit opportunity given me, to recount the great Blessings of late bestowed on the Nation, and to press Reformation and Union, as the suitable return to God, and the seasonable and proper Method, for the continuing our Enjoyments to us: And, I hope, what I then delivered, will, upon serious perusal, find a kind reception by all that wish well to the Nation, and desire to see Religion in the Life and Power of it. Indeed, I cannot but think, we neglect both Duty and Interest, while these Things are not seriously and in earnest undertaken; what's fit to be done, as also the way and means to effect the same, must be left to Authority, but attempts of this Nature I hope to see; and would willingly persuade myself, that we are not so far left of God, but that such a blessed Work, so begun, and followed, will be surely accompanied with a good event. I shall add no more, but the acknowledgement of your favours to me, and my Prayer to God to bless you and yours, especially with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, and this is, and shall be hearty done, by  
Your Humble and Obliged Servant R. Skingle.   

A SERMON PREACHED at the ASSIZES HELD AT HERTFORD August the First, 1698.  Psalm 126.3. 
The Lord hath done great things for us.  
WHEN the Grecians were set free by Flaminius the Roman General, 'tis said, their Joy was too big for their Hearts; they scarce believed their own Ears, when the Crier proclaimed their Liberty, but bade him say over that sweet Word Liberty again, and looked upon one another with wonderment, Velut somnii vanam speciem: Somewhat like hereunto was the case of the Jews, upon the deliverance acknowledged in this Psalm, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream: So great was the Salvation brought unto them, that they could hardly believe it; but when they saw 'twas a real thing, than (say they) our M●●th● were ●●ll'd with laughter, and our Tongue with singing; yea, than they own their Deliverance to the Honour of God, and say, The Lord hath done great things for us.  
Hence than we are to make this Observation, that God is pleased to work in a very eminent manner for the welfare of his People; and when he doth so, it's their duty to take notice of it. So great was this deliverance, that even their very Enemies could not but acknowledge it; then they among the Heathen said, The Lord hath done great things for them. Yea, so wonderfully hath God appeared for his People, that their Enemies have seemingly come over to them; we read in the Book of Esther, that God so disppointed their designs, that many of them became Jews. And so mightily did God show himself for David, that even Saul could think fit to speak him fair; yea, God so settled him in the Government, and so prospered him, That a People whom he had not known, offered him service, and strangers submitted themselves unto him, Ps. 18.44. Indeed, prosperity-Proselites are not to be presently trusted, for fear the sting should still be in then, and that safety and opportunity might encourage them to thrust it out; but yet, however, such forced (tho' feigned) submissions, show the greatness of a Deliverance, and how wonderfully God is pleased to own his Servants. But we need not go further for the proof of this, than our own late Experience will carry us: What a dismal condition was the Nation in, when it was a dangerous thing to be truly Religious; nay, indeed, truly Moral, when he that parted from iniquity, made himself a prey thereby? When all the desires and attempts by just and due methods to make us happy, were frustrated, and the struggle of honest Men were but like those of Slaves, which ended in a more cruel Bondage; in short, tho' we had then to do with those, who went under the Name of Protestants, yet were our Lives and Liberties in the Hands of violence and oppression. And to help forward the glotious design of Popery and Slavery, we were desired to believe, that all must be submitted to the discretion of the Prince, and so even life itself (which is not in our own Power to dispose of) must be tamely given up to the barbarous Will of another. And according to this preparatory Work, our most Holy Religion, was soon after, ready to be overwhelmed with Popish Superstition and Idolatry; our Nation swarmed with Priests and Jesuits, and Irish Cutthroats; and why should we think they would have slipped such a merritorious act, and lost such an excellent preservation against the pains of Purgatory, as the murdering multitudes of us, if God had not most miraculously put a stop to their fury? Surely if the Lord himself had not been on our side when they risen up against us, they had swallowed us up; the proud Waters had gone over our Soul: But blessed be the Lord, he hath not given us as a Prey unto their Teeth; our Soul is escaped, as a Bird out of the Snare of the Foulers; the Snare is broken, and we are delivered. Deliver, did I say? Yea, not only so, but we have now a Prince set over us, who designs good unto us, even the glorious Instrument of our mighty Deliverance; A Prince, who is alone in qualifications, for such an Heroic undertaking: A Prince endued with great Wisdom, and undoubted Courage, and whom all Men justly admire in the Exercise of both; and unto whom all Europe stand ready to pay their respects and duty: A Prince, by whose Hand, God hath not only led us out of Egypt, and given us a sight of Canaan, but whom God hath enabled also to conduct us into the Land of Rest. And who (maugre the greatest efforts to the contrary) is the Instrument of an honourable Peace; a thing which our Enemies laughed at our expectation of, and when actually concluded, yet did think incredible. These are proofs sufficient, that God is pleased to appear in a very eminent manner, for the welfare of his People. The other branch of the Doctrine. That it is their Duty to take notice thereof, is also so plainly in the Text, and doth so naturally result from the former, that I need not enlarge in the confirmation of it; he must be strangely lost to every thing that is manly, and not have one rational thought about him, that will not argue from Mercy to Duty, from Deliverance to Obedience: Yea surely, if God hath delivered us out of the Hands of our Enemies, 'tis highly reasonable that we should serve him without fear of them, in holiness and righteousness all the Days of our lives.  
And so much for the Doctrinal part of this Discourse, I shall now pass on to that which is plainly Consequential of what hath been said; And, 

First, Are these our Mercies, and this our Duty; Then, according to our Duty, let us ascribe our Mercies to him, from whom they came: Let us own God the Author, of every wise Resolution taken for us, of every proper Method used for our God, and of all the Advantages that have accrued to us. 'Tis true, we are bound to love, and honour also, the blessed Instrument of our Enjoyments; and to hate that unworthy Carriage, to think of dealing with him, as the Traveller doth with the refreshing Fountain, who knelt down to it when he is thirsty, and in Want, and turns his back upon it when his Turn is served. This, in our Case, is a very base Temper, to be abhorred by all: But yet we must remember that no Man hath an Heart, or an Hand, Skill, Will, or Ability to do us good, but from God.  
2. Hath God done Great Things for us? Then let us take heed of Uneasiness under his Grocious Dispensations towards us; an unworthy Temper, very incident to our fickle and unconstant Natures. The Israelites were a very strange Example herein; they repent them of their Complying with their Deliverance, and had a Regret that they were brought out of 
* Charnock, on the Aarie butes of God.  Egypt; they were angry that they were Freemen: Nay, such a Distraction had seized them, that they spoke of taking Moses from the Place where God, by an extraordinary Providence, had set him for their Benefit, and of returning to their Egyptian Tyrants. Now this is a very stupid, ungrateful Demeanour, which we are to avoid. And on the contrary, and in the  
3d Place, If God hath done Great Things for us, let us be truly thankful to him. Blessed be God, if he hath not assuaged the Malice, yet that he hath abated the Pride, and confounded the Devices of our Enemies. Indeed, God suffered them to have a Day, and we beheld the Wicked in great Prosperity; but, blessed be God, Light hath sprung out of Darkness, and we have now, a very Comfortable Day shining upon us. Indeed, Taxes have been, and are, great; but, truly, after all, an easy Composition for the Security of the whole, even all that is dear unto us. Blessed be God that our Liberties were not Finally Subverted, nor we Deprived of our most Holy Religion. We know not what Dragooning is, any further than by Report: We quietly profess God's Sacred Truth, and possess the Rights and Inheritances of our Fathers. And, blessed be God, we have also a King, of whom it may be said, he came to seek the Welfare of us all: A King, that sets up no Interest, separate from that of his People's; and of whose Actions, not a single Instance can be given, that looks not like his designing Good to the Nation, the making of us truly happy, and the securing of it to our Posterity. And, Oh! what Praise is also due unto God, as for the Giving of him to us, so for the Merciful Preservation of him! How eminently hath God appeared herein? Indeed, he suffered the Sons of Belial to contrive his Destruction; but even that barbarous Design itself, was not only most graciously defeated, but also so overruled for our Good, that it (perhaps) proved the Means of saving the Nation. How seasonably did it awaken us, and give us to consider anew, how much our Interest lies, in the Preservation of the King? What a fresh and most convincing Argument also had the King immediately, of the Nation's good Affection to him? And how opportunely did it show the World, the Parliament and People's due Zeal for his Person and Government? And put the Parliament upon making such Laws for our Security, as, perhaps, would not else have been thought of; and without which, it may be we might have been undone. Thus hath our gracious God, even turned our Enemy's Swords into their own Bowels, and their Artillery on their own Breasts: Let us then be thankful unto him.  
4. If God hath done Great Things for us, Then let this induce us to a firm Reliance on him; yet so, as not to neglect the Means for our Security. Jehoshaphats Eyes were towards God, and he excited his Subjects to Confidence in the Almighty; yet he did not neglect the Security of Outward Means. To rely on God, and to cast off Humane Help, is, to trust his Power, against his Command; and to pretend to glorify his Strength, against his Sovereignty. God's usual Way is, to exercise his Power in giving Life and Success to Second Causes, and Prudent Endeavours: And in this Way it is, that we are to depend upon him.  
5. If God hath done Great Things for us, Then let us remember the Churches abroad, who are persecuted for Righteousness sake; the Thoughts whereof should strike deep into our Hearts, and our Bowels ought to be towards them: And while they writ Lamentations to us, we should send up Lamentations to God for them. We find it thus charged as a very great Fault, in Amos 6.7. They drink Wine in Bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief Ointment, but they are not grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph. Let us seriously think hereof, and know that we are bound to do what we can for them; and that the least we can do, is, to cry mightily unto God, that he would graciously vouchsafe unto them the like Mercies and Deliverances to what we do enjoy.  
6thly, and Lastly, If God hath done Great Things for us, Then what do we do for God, and for the Continuation of what he hath done for us? And here I crave Leave to suggest two Things, which I humbly conceive are very proper herein: The First is, A Through Reformation: And the Second, That some effectual Course be taken for the Uniting of us. Indeed, these are Things that tend much to the helping forward one another, Reformation-Union, and Union-Reformation; and both of them very much our Duty, and as much the Nations Interest. I begin with the    
First, A Through Reformation. Of this, in Church Matters, I shall only at present say, Oh that God would purge all his Churches from their Dregs; and I easily persuade myself, that every good Man will readily join with me herein: When, O Lord, when shall it once be? Oh that it might be! But that which I shall urge and press here, shall be the Reformation of Men's Lives and Conversations: I mean, That some speedy Course be used, for the Suppressing that Drunenness, and Uncleanness, Swearing, Perjury, Profanation of the Lord's Day, and the like, which hath overspread the Nation; and for encouraging of Piety, and Holy Living. Something of this nature, I hear, is done in some places, as also by some in this County, to their great Honour: And God's Blessing upon their Hearts for it. Such are the Men that are likely to serve their Country; and such are Persons that we are to have a Value for. But, alas! What hath yet been done, is by so few, that still the Practical Language of the greater Number among us, is like that of Pharaoh, Who is the Lord, that we should obey him? Many live as if they questioned his Being, and more his Authority: Such Provocations are common with us, as even dare God to his Face; as if Men took Encouragement from the Influences of his Goodness, to mount to a greater Degree of Sin; after a fair Sunshine of Mercy, to entertain more unbridled Resolutions; and to pass forward with more Licentiousness, to bind themselves stronger to their Iniquity, by that which should bind them faster to their Duty. Now, When will all our Magistrates be pleased to take notice of this; and to the utmost Extent of their Power and Influence, (as they are in Duty bound,) put a Stop to it? I know they will assuredly say unto us that Proverb, Physicians heal yourselves, and first do your Parts herein. And I most readily own, that to be Ensamples to our People, is very much our Duty; and to let them know that Sin is the Ruin, as well as the Reproach, of any Nation; and that for these Things, the Wrath of God cometh, on the Children of Disobedience: Nay, to bring off our Hearers, from all such Doctrines as but tend to the upholding them in their Evil Ways; to deliver a wary and sober Sense of the Efficacy and Benefit of the Sacraments; to warn them against taking up with Church-Privileges, like those who cried, The Temple of the Lord, and blessed themselves in their being Abraham's Children, tho' they minded nothing less than the treading in the Steps of Abraham's Faith and Obedience; of satisfying themselves with being within the Pale of the Church, and a bare Performance of the outward Duties; of thinking their Attendance on the Lord's Day, a Licence to live loosely all the Week after, and a quitting Scores with God for what was passed. In short, That he that will acquit himself like a Christian, must give himself to the Lord, 1 Cor. 2.8, 5. That is, (as our Church expresseth it most excellently,) 
* See the Communion-Office.  He must offer and present himself, his Soul and Body, to be a Reasonable, Holy and Lively Sacrifice to God; 
† The General Thanksgiving.  giving up himself to his Service, and walking before him in Holiness and Righteousness all his Days. All this, with all the Encouragement we are able to give to Pious and Godly Living, I acknowledge to be incumbent upon us. But then there is also much lying before Magistrates, in this good Work; and this (with Submission) I take to be their proper Business, who are to be a Terror to Evil-Works, Rom. 13.3. And were but one half of that Vigour exerted, for the Suppression of Profaneness and Immorality, which was formerly expressed by some others, for the punishing of Men in the Matters of their God, we should soon see a blessed Alteration. Shall I then speak freely of two or three of the forementioned Evils? (tho' not of them with Desire to exclude or abate your Zeal against any of the rest, of the same kind.) There is Cursing, and Profane Swearing; 'tis very sad that it should be so found among us, and Parish-Officers not most strictly required to take notice of it: And whoever observes how carelessly and impudently Oaths are taken, (especially if to serve a Turn,) and what is frequently given in Evidence at such a time as this; and what Oaths to discharge Offices are often swallowed, and how little, if at all, regarded; will soon be convinced how needful it is to observe very strictly when any come within the Verge of Perjury, and to punish it according to its due Merit. And then, for the Profanation of the Lord's Day; 'tis plain that it is not only the thing that be-dwarves Men's Religion, by cramping the Advantages to be gotten by the public Ministry, but is a great Cause why the Attendance on it is so much neglected.  
And now, Right Honourable, and much Honoured; the King tells us once and again, that he doth most earnestly desire, and shall endeavour a general Reformation in the Lives and Manners of all his Subjects; 'tis obvious then where it must stick, if it be not effected. Be up then, be up and a doing in this good Work, (I most humbly, but earnestly beseech you,) and the Lord be with you.  
And here will the Learned and Reverend Judges of the Nation, allow me one Word to them in particular? Why, then, it is this; That they would be pleased to remember, that there is much expected from them in this Matter, not only from their High and Honourable Stations, (for they are always the same,) but from those high Thoughts the Nation hath of them, and the mighty Veneration that is justly entertained for them. There is no Man but will own, that God exceedingly blessed the Nation, in directing the King to such an excellent, and very extraordinary Choice of Persons, when he filled those great Places. Now, as Nehemiah argued, from his Place of great Trust, and from the Graces and Gifts of the Spirit of God in him, saying, Shall such a Man as I flee? Thus we are all ready to say, Such Judges as the Nation is now favoured with, will go a great way in this Work. Yea, let every one do his part herein, there is none so mean, but may set an Helping Hand to this; if not otherwise, yet by Family or Personal Reformation: Every one is a King, a Priest, and a Prophet in his own Family; and the Neglect of Parents and Masters, (especially of such as have any way the Addition of Outward Greatness,) in setting good Examples, and commanding their Children and Household to keep the Way of the Lord, is the Rise and Continuance of all Profaneness. What a brave Change is it then, in the power of such, to make in the World? And as for Personal Reformation, every one, in this Case, hath a Corporation within himself, and hath Authoriry to arraign and execute every Rebel against God, and the Peace of his Soul. And if he wants Help against his Traitorous Lusts, he may call in the Divine Aid; and if he will but be directed by it, he will not fail to cut off the Heads of those Uncircumcised, and to lay all those Sons of Anake flat. Stir up yourselves then, stir up yourselves in this manner, against Sin. Yea, let those that profess above the common Rate, see what is amiss: see their Coldness and Formality in Religion, their Compliances with the sinful Humours of the Age; their making themselves free to all Companies and Customs, their Looseness, their Earthliness, the Decays and sad Declinings in Religion that are to be found in them; truly reform these things, and be always upon their Guard for the future, even till they see every Egyptian dead upon the Shoar. This is that which God expects from us; and this is the way to have him go on to do us good.  
And so I pass to the other Thing which I proposed, when I began this use, which is, That some offectual Course be taken for the uniting of us; and the more to dispose unto this heavenly Work, I beg that these following particulars be considered.  

I. That Infallibility is not lodged with any Men; we all know but in part; and to bring it home to what I am speaking to, let me use the Language of a Reverend Person before the King; speaking of Dissenters, 
Dr. Wake in a Sermon at Hampton-Court, in 1689 p. 21.  We (saith he) suppose them to be mistaken in the Things wherein they differ from us, and perhaps they are so; but yet we must consider, that we ourselves also are but Men, and therefore may err; and they as verily think us in the wrong, as we do them: and for aught I know, we must leave it to the Day of Judgement to decide the Controversy, which of us is in the right. Amen, good Lord, Amen.  
II. Consider the temper of the Gospel, requiring Meakness and forbearing one another in Love; when the Disciples were so fierce, as to suspend one who was working a Miracle in Christ's Name, only because he did not follow them, our Lord immediately ordered a relaxation. And for our Apostle, we find the same mind was in him that was also in Christ, Rom. 14. which whole Chapter, if it were well considered, would be of great use in this business; and here let me give you the thoughts of a Right Reverend Divine of ours; There is scarce (saith he) a more unaccountable thing to be imagined, 
The Bishop of Sarum, in his Preface to that excellent Book called, The Life of God, in the Soul of Man.  then to see a company of Men professing that Religion, a great and main Precept whereof is mutual Love, Forbearance, Gentleness of Spirit, and compassion to all sorts of Persons, and agreeing in all the Essential parts of that Doctrine, differing only in some less material and more disputable things, yet maintaining those differences with a Zeal so disproportioned to the value of them, prosecuting all that disagree from them with all possible violence; and if they want means to use outward Force, with all bitterness of Spirit. This (saith he) must needs astonish every Impartial Beholder. But,  
III. If we are indeed what we esteem ourselves to be, the strong in the Faith; then let it be remembered, that it is to such as we are that St. Paul addresseth himself, Rom. 15.1. requiring us not to please ourselves; and in the seventh Verse of the same Chapter, to receive one another, as Christ also receiveth us to the Glory of God. And in the third of Phil. seems to intimate, that wherein any differed from them, to leave them to God; and as far as they were agreed, to walk by the same rule, and to mind the same things. ver. 15, 16.  
iv Consider the Mischiefs the want hereof brings; the public is deprived of the Labours of many Learned and Godly Men; and upon this account also is it, that instead of Loving one another, as our Lord hath given us Commandment, the one side cries out, Persecutors, and Men of cruel and bitter Spirits; the other Schismatics, and as if Men of another Religion; and no sooner is either side heated with this Coal, but like a burning Candle, whose Tallow is mixed with Brine, spit up and down the Room. And what advantages hath the common Enmity got by these Feuds? And where are they so like to have an aftergame, as from our Divisions?  
V And Lastly, let the Things which are and have been the matter in Difference be well considered, are they Things of absolute necessity to Salvation? 
Dr. Wake in the formenticned Sermon.  Is Heaven at stake? Indeed, we must not destroy the Principles of Christianity, out of Zeal to enlarge the Communion of Christians; but it is always owned, that these are Things that do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship. Let's all then, in what's proper for our places, show a public Spirit, and contribute towards an Union, yea, he that can do no more, yet by his Prayers for it. And, O Lord God, help, and give Men Underderstanding to consider the necessity of it; I confess, prudence must accompany our Zeal herein, otherwise, like ill ordered Physic, it may exasperate the Disease, rather than remove it; but while we pretend Prudence, let us take heed of Lukewarmness, and indifferency herein: There is too much Neutrality amongst us, directly opposite to the temper of our Lord, whose Zeal for Godliness and Purity of Worship, even eat him up. O that this were well considered by us! And that we might also see men's Zeal for Religion, overpoise Ambition, Secular Designs, and Worldly Grandeur, then would Christianity soon be reduced to this its Primitive temper. And then the envy of Ephraim shall departed, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, nor Judah yex Ephraim; but they shall flee upon the Shoulders of the Philistines towards the West, and spoil them of the East together; they shall lay their Hand upon Edom and Moab, and the Children of Ammon shall obey them; and the Lord shall utterly destroy the Tongue of the Egyptian-Sea; and then Glory shall dwell in our Land, all Hearts, Heads, and Hands shall be at Work, to promote the welfare of the Nation, utterly to root out Popery and Profaneness, and to countenance real Piety and Good Living. Yea, the Kingdom to the dear Son, O Lord, will then come, and all his Enemies be made his Footstool; Come then, thus, O Blessed Jesus come quickly.   
FINIS.