V rt LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Case, xZ!X -- ^.C^I-...P.!y. ision ... ■ sheif, J I Q IV: Booh, A DONATION $L<& a< tft*fa*jc&.m Received /^fr, /S/f. > u The Necejfary and Immutable Difference between Moral Goob and Evil, ajjerted and explained, I N A SERMON Preached to the SOCIETIES FOR Reformation of Manners, A T SALTERS HALL, September the 25th. 1738. By SAMUEL CHANDLER. Publifoed at the Request of the Societies Communis intelligentia nobis notas Res efficic, eafque in animis noftris inchoavir, uc honcfl Virture ponantur, in vitiis turpi.:. Wxz autecn in Opinione exiftimare, non in Natura pofita, dementis eft. Cicer. de Ug. I. 1. c. ^- ■ . „ . . ... L N D Printed for John Oswald, at the Rofe arid Crown in tbc Poultry. M.DCC.XXXVlH, [Pria Six P«icc) ISAIAH v. 20. Wo unto them that call Evil Good^ and Good Evil ; that put Dark?iefs for Light , and Light for Darknefs ; that put Bitter for Sweety and Sweet for Bitter. J H E R E can be no ftronger A rgumenr, or furer Evidence of an universal and intire Corruption of Mankind, than their confounding the Natures of mo- ral Good and Evil, and paying no Re- gard to the eternal and immutable Diftindion be- tween Virtue and Vice. This mud proceed not from any natural Incapacity to difcern the effential Difference between thefe Things, but either from a fhamelefs Obftinacy and Impudence in Vice, or elfe from a Mind and Confcience abfolutely per- verted and blinded by criminal Indulgences and fin- ful Pafiions. God's ancient People, the Jeivs, had the fame common Light of Nature and Reafon to guide them, which all other Nations had ; and befides this, were favoured with a Syftem of excellent Laws given them by Mofes their Lawgiver, under A 2 the 4 ^Sermon preached to the Societies the Direction of Jehovah himfelf, who formed them inco a Republick: Laws which fuppofed, and were generally founded upon this eternal and immutable Difference. Under fuch Advantages, one would not eafily imagine, that they fhould de- generate into fuch Stupidity and Wickednefs, as to ]ofe all Senfe of what their own Reafon, and the Law of God fo plainly and ftrongly dictated to them. But *tis the too common and fatal Effect of Obftinacy in Vice, that it not only captivates and enflaves Men, but darkens their Underftand- ings, hardens their Confcienccs, and corrupts their Judgments ; even fo far, as that it oftentimes al- moft extinguiihes their natural Senfe of Things, and renders them incapable of clearly difcerning the Evidence and Certainty of the molt obvious and important Truths. This was the Cafe of many amongft the Jews. They had fallen into the moft criminal Excefles, and abandoned themfelves to the worfl of Sins, till by degrees they grew fo intirely corrupted, as either to lofe all manner of Apprehenfion of the Difference between Moral Good and Evil, or at leaft to endeavour to defend themfelves and others in their Impieties and Vices, by pretending to reafon and argue that there was none. This is what God threatens them for with the fevereft Pu- nifhment, in the Words of my Text : Wo unto them that call Evil Good, and Good Evil \ that 'put Darknefs for Light, and Light for Darknefs ; that put Bitter for Sweet, and Sweet for Bitter. Thefe Things, though of different Natures, are here joined together, to denote, that the Difference of Nature and Confe- quenoes between Moral Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, is as certain and real, as that between any natural and fenfible Objects whatfoever ; and that it may be as eafily difcerned by the Minds of Men as the Diftin&ion between Light and Darknefs 2 is for Reformation of Manners. J is by the bodily Eye ; and that ic argues as great Perverfenefs todifpute or deny it, as it would be to difpute or deny the Difference between Bitter and Sweet, or between the moft contrary and oppofite Relifhes of the Palate whatfoever : So that thefe Words inform us, I. That the Difference between moral Good and Evil, is certain, neceflary, and immutable. II. That this Difference is as eafily and clearly to be difcerned, as the Difference between any natural and fenfible Objefts whatfo- ever. III. That the confounding or habitually difre- garding this effential and immutable Diffe- rence will be attended with the moft perni- cious and deftru&ive Confequences. I. Thefe Words inform us, that there is as cer- tain and immutable a Difference between moral Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, as there is be- tween Darknefs and Light, and Bitter a>nd S:. a Difference not accidental to, but founded in the Nature of the Things themfelves-, not merely the Refult of the Determination and arbitrary Will of another, but which the very Ideas of the Things themfelves do really and necefiaril y include. That a Circle is not a Square, nor a Square a Triangle -, but that they are effentially different Fi- gures, and have diftinft Affections and Properties, and that they do not convey the fame or fimilar Ideas, is obvious to every Man who hath Eyes to behold them, and an Underitanding todifcernthe Attributes that are peculiar to them. In like Manner, Piety to God, (Gratitude for Benefits re- ceived, Juftice and v, Temperance and Chaftity, and the like Virtues, arc as effentially di- ftindt from, and do convey as oppofite and different Ideas 6 ^Sermon preach 9 d to the Societies Ideas to Impiety, Ingratitude, Injuflice, Uncha- ritablenefs, Intemperance, Lull, and the like Vices ; fo that it is abfolutely impoflible they can form the fame Ideas, or raife the fame Sentiments or Apprehenfions in our Breads : And though Men may difregard thefe intrinfick and neceffary Differences in their Practices, through the Warmth of Pafiion, or the powerful Influence of corrupt Habits •, yet they can no more deftroy them, nor atftually reconcile, and make the Ideas of them to coincide, and become indivifibly the fame, than they can unite the two Extremes of Heaven, or make the two oppofite Senfations of Light and Dark- nefs, Sweet and Bitter , Cold and Heat, to become abfolutely the fame. Hence it follows, That if moral Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, are naturally and effentially dif- ferent, arid do convey abfolutely diftind and even oppofite Ideas ; this Difference is ftridtly and pro- perly eternal, i. e. Ic was as true, from all Eternity, that Light could not be the fame Thing as Dark- nefs, nor Darknefs as Light ; that Virtue could not be the fame Thing as Vice, nor Vice as Vir- tue \ or that thefe Things could not convey one and the fame Idea, as it can be true that they do not now. And fuppofing the eternal and immutable Exiftence of God, the Ideas of thefe Things, muft have been the fame in his all per- fect Mind from Eternity, as they now are, and have appeared to his Underftanding with the fame Oppofuion and Contrariety of Nature to each other as they do now. This is evident from the very Notion of the divine Knowledge ; which confifts, not in having an infinite Number ofcon- fufed, diforder'd, and unconnected Ideas, but in difcerning the very Nature of Things, feeing them as they really and truly are, and in perceiving their refpedtivc Relations and Connections, their necef- fary for Reformation of Manners- 7 fary and unalterable Oppofnions and Repugnan- cies, together with all the Confequences that may poffibly or certainly flow from thefe their Habi- tudes to each other. To conceive Things other- wife than they really are, is not Knowledge, but the want of ir. *Tis Ignorance and Error ; and therefore God cannot conceive moral or natural Good to be moral or natural Evil ; becaufe this would be to conceive Things otherwife than they really %re; and of confequence the Diftinftion between moral Good and Evil is as eternal as the Knowledge of God himfelf, i. e. ftri&ly and abfo- lutely eternal. Hence it farther follows, that this Difference between moral Good and Evil, is abfolutely im- mutable^ and incapable of any poflible Alteration. Whilft the Nature of thefe Things remains what it is, they muft ever be the fame in the Perceptions of the divine Mind •, and as the Difference be- tween them is effential, neceffary, and ftriftly eternal, that Difference muft remain neceflarily and eternally, i. e. immutably the fame ; and therefore the Mind or Will of God cannot be fup- pofed capable of altering their Natures ; becaufe it implies an abfolute Impoflibility, and becaufe Im- poflibilities are no Objefts of Power : And there- fore if God could be fuppofed capable of willing fuch an Alteration, it muft be a Will without In- fluence or Efficacy. God may indeed bring into actual Exi/lence a great Variety of Creatures, with very different Powers^ Faculties, and Relations ro each others ; and who, in Confequence hereof, may be under Obligations to difcharge Duties of very different Kinds and Natures : Or God may atter the Nature of the very Beings themfelves, which now exift. He may lower Angels to the State of Man ; he may exalt Men into the Condition of Angels, or S ^Sermon preach' d to the Societies degrade them into BriKes or Stones ; or raife up out cf Stones Children for himfelf. In all thefe Cafes, as the Nature and Circumftances of external Be- ings, affually exifting, may vary, fo muft their Re- lations too •, and ot confequence the Duties refult- irig from thefe different States, Charadters, and Relations, will vary as the Nature and Relations of the Beings themfelves do. But the Nature of moral Good and Evil, in their whole Extenr, and in their Relation to every Clafs of reafonable Being£, doth not in the leaft depend upon their aftual Exiftence. Before ever any created Being received its Ex- iftence, God had, within himfelf, the Ideas of all pofllble Futurities, of the Nature of all Be* ings that fhould afterwards have Life, of their feveral Relations to himfelf, and one ano- ther; and faw what Fitneffes, Obligations and Duties would and muft refult from, and belong to Creatures thus formed and conftituted. With- out this he could never have createcj them at all. He faw it abfolutely and effentially fit, that all Beings, created with reafonable Powers, fhould own and acknowledge their Dependance on, and Obligations to himfelf, their great Former and Father ; confult the Prcfervation and Welfare of their own Natures, and according to their refpe- ftive Abilities and Opportunities, promote each others Happinefs, and govern all their Adtions fo as fhould mod effeftually conduce to thefe excel- lent Purpofes. God faw thefe Fitneffes as cer- tainly and as clearly, when as yet his Creatures had no Being, as he could do after their adtual Exiftence : And therefore, as the Ideas of fuch Beings and fuch Relations do neceffarily infer thefe confequent Fitneffes arifing out of, and not any ways accidental to the Things themfelves, even antecedent to the adlual Exiftence of fuch Beings, the Fitneffes refulting from fuch Relati- ons for Reformation of Manners. 9 ons, when actually taking Place, muft beabfolute- ly unalterable. Nor is it in any Manner derogating from the Power of God to affirm, That he himfelf is not capable of altering or confounding the Nature of thefe Things. No Perfon of Reflection and Can- dor would fcruple to affirm, That God cannot make the Dotftrine of Tranfubftantiation to be true, i. e. that God cannot make a Wafer of Bread, to be God jpimfelfi whilft it retains the Accidents and Properties of a Wafer •, nor the one fingle ;;, vidual Body of Chrift, to be really and actually prefent in ten thoufand Places at once ; nor his Bo- dy to be whole, unbroken, and uneaten at the fame Time that it is eaten, chew'd, broken and devour'd. Every one that can fee at all, may fee the infinite Abfurdity, and the abfolu:e Im- poflibility of fuch Affertions, and immediately difcern the mod palpable and irreconcilable Con- tradictions. If therefore God cannot make thele Things to be true, becaufe they imply a necefTary Contradidtion to all Truth ; by a Parity of Rea- fon, he cannot do any other Thing which implies as certain and irreconcilable a Contradiction to Truth ; confequently he cannot alter the Nature of moral Good and Evil ; his Will can never make the one to be the other, becaufe the very Ideas of them imply an eilential Oppofuion to each o- ther, or the Negation or Abfence of each other •, and therefore, the uniting, reconciling, and ma- king them to be one and the fame Thing, involves in it an Impofiibility and Abfurdity. Hence we may lee the true Sen.i and Meaning of the Expreffion, which hath been often made Ufe of on this Subject, viz. That the Difference be- tween Moral Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, is fo eflential and neccflary, as to be xntirely im pendent on the Will oj God. Pofiibly the Phrafe may B leem io ^Sermon preach* d to the Societies feem a little harjh, at firft View, to Perfons not ao cuftomed to reafon on this Subjedt. But, as I ap- prehend it juft, fo I hope you will be fully recon- ciled to it, when explained with proper Care and Caution. When therefore 'tis afferted, That the Difference between moral Good and Evil, is inde- pendent on the Will of God •, the Meaning is nor, that the Mind of God had not, from all Eternity, a full Difcernment of this Diftin&ion, or that there ever was any Period of Duration, when the idea of this Difference was not prefent to his all per- fect Mind ; or that God ever did not, or could not, will that his reafonable Creatures, when exifting, fhould guide their A&ions according to it ; or that the Will of God, injoyning moral Virtue, and for- bidding moral Evil, doth not carry in it a very ftrong and powerful Obligation upon them to pra- clife the one, or forbear the other ; or, that God could not have formed Beings with different Pow- ers and Relations, if he had fo willed, and by confequence under very different Obligations from what they now are •, or, that the Exiftenco of the Creatures that now are, and their refpedtive Ob- ligations aftually taking place, is not to be refolved into the Will and Pleafure of God. No ; none of thefe Things are implied in this Aflertion. The true and only Meaning of it is, That the Distin- ction between moral Good and Evil doth fo arife out of the Nature of the Things themfelves, as not to be originally and properly the mere Effect of the divine Order and Will, fo as that it never would have been, had not God willed and com- manded it to be , but that this Difference did origi- nally and eternally fubfift in the Mind of God, as certainly as the Difference between Light and Darknefs, and was, in Idea, ever prefent with him, before ever it became the Law of his Crea- tures, and appeared to them as the Matter of his 2 Com' for Reformation of Manners. 1 1 Command and Will ; and is it felf that neceffary, invariable, and eternal Rule by which God him- felf regulates and determines his own Will and Condud: to his Creatures ; and which therefore, as a Rule of Adlion to himfelf, muft be fup- pofed to be independent of, and prior to, not the Exiftence of God, which is absolutely Eternal, but to the Will of the eternal God, and to be in- deed the great Reafon and Meafure of all his Adtions towards his Creature?. And indeed, no- thing appears to me with greater Evidence, Cer- tainty and Clearnefs, than chat, if the Ideas of all Truth fubfifted eternally in the Mind of God, Truth in its Original and Nature, can, in no Senfe, be the Creature of Power, or the mere Effe£t of arbitrary Pleafure •, but ftridlly coetcr- nal with God himfelf; and thus far, as intirely independent of his Order or Will, as his own Being, Perfection and Happinefs. And, I apprehend, that chis Difference of Things, arifing out of their very Natures, is not only true, but a Truth of the utmoft Importance, for fettling and afcertaining the proper Foundation of moral Good and Evil ; yea, of fuch Importance, chat we cannot even form any true Conceptions of the Perfections and Attributes of God without r. For Inftance ; when we fay that God doth necef- farily exiji ; doth not this fuppofe a natural and fi ed Difference between necejfary and -precarious I. ijlence, eternal as the Being of God, and abfolutely independent on his Will ; becaufe, was the Fx- iftence of God dependent on his Will, it would diredtly deftroy the Notion of its being neceffary ? In like Manner, when we fay, that God is Eternal, Immenfe, Intelligent, All-powerful, and the like, we mean, that God is not a temporary, limited, unconfcious, impotent Being \ and by confequence do fuppofe, that the Diitinctions between Eternity and Time, Im- B 2 mcnfity 12 ^Sermon preach" d to the Societies roenfity and Limitednefs, Intelligence and Uncon- fcioufhefs, Power and Weaknefs, are not arbitrary, and owing merely to the Will of God, but as neceffary and eternal as the Being of God him- felf ; becaufe, without the Perfe&ions I have men- tioned, we can have no poflible Conceptions of God, nor any poflible Conception of thefe Per- fections, without including in it an abfolute Nega- tion of their Contraries and Oppofites. In like Manner, with refpedt to God's moral Perfections, when we fay, That God is Wife y and Ju/iy and Good, and eternally and unalterably fo, we mean, at lead, that God is not a foolijh> un- rigbteousj evil and cruel Being ; and therefore muft fuppofe, that the Difference between Wifdom and Folly, Juftice and Injuftice, Evil and Good, Cruelty and Mercy, is abfolutely eternal and un- alterable as God himfelf, of whom we affirm the one, and deny the other, and therefore h not owing to his willing that it fhould be fo, nor al- terable at his Plealure, nor dependent on him for its continuance. For if the Diftin&ion between thefe moral Entities, or Objedts, was merely ar- bitrary, and originally the Refulttftffy of the Will of God, it can never be affirmed of him, that he is eternally and immutably the one, and not the other : For upon this Suppofition he was not Wije % or Juft, or Good, till be willed to be fo *, and might have been foolifh, unjuft, and evil, by a like Determination of his Will, if there be no effential, immutable Difference in the Things themfelves : Nor can there be any poflible Cer- tainty of God's continuing, for the Future, to be Wife, and Jull, and Good, and not the contrary. For if there be no other Difference between the one and the other, but what the Will of God hath conftU tuttd, that Will ceafing, or altering, thefe Diftindti- ens, in confequence, muft ceafe or alter, and God may for Reformation of Manners. 13 may be evil inftead of good, or rather good and evil at the fame Time, which is an evident Ab- furdity and Contradi&ion. So that I apprehend it plainly appears, that the very Notion of God implies the Neceffary, EfTen- tial, Eternal, Immutable, and Independent Diffe- rence between Moral Good and Evil : And indeed without this Suppofition we could have no fure and fixed Rule of A&ion our felves as rea- fonable Creatures. For if Piety, Juftice, Chari- ty, and the like Virtues, are the Creatures of mere Power, and the precarious Effedts of abfo- lute Will and Pleafure ; a Power and Will may im- mediately alter them, cancel Mens Obligations to regard them, and fubftitute in the Room of them Impiety, Injuftice f and Cruelty, as the great Obli- gations and Duties of human Nature. Nor can there be, upon this Suppofition, any one fubftan- tial Reafon alledged, why fuch a Change fhould not take place. For if there be no eflential and immutable Diftinftion between thefe Things, ari- fing out of their very Natures ; if fome of them are not originally and unalterably Good, and others not originally and unalterably Evil -, abfolute Pow- er and Will can have no certain and fixed Rule and Reafon to pafs any Determination concerning them, but muft aft upon the molt lawlefs, unlia- ble, and capricious Foundation poffible. To urge here that the Will of God u ly and immutably rightly determined, and that the: fore we may be fure he will alwa hat which is fit and good, is to fay ; either that God makes tic intrinfick Difference of Things the Rule of his Determination?, and the Meafure of his Will ; which is to affirm, that this Difference is in the Things themfclves, and therefore antecedent to, and independent of his Will, which is what I am * m. Ciccr. de legib. 1. 1. c. 16. 14 ^Sermon preach' d to the Societies arguing for : Or elfe, that God will immutably determine that whicb is Juft and Good, though Juftice and Goodnefs have no certain and neceffary Foundation in Nature, and therefore have no ne- ceffary Excellency and Perfection in them •, but are mere indifferent, arbitrary Things, fet up by Power, and to be deftroyed by Power at pleafure ; reafonable and fit only during the Pleafure of him that conftitutes them fo, and unreafonable and un- fit upon the Change of his Will, and the contrary Determination of ir. The Gonfequence of which is, that there can be no poffible Certainty that God (hall always will that which is now Good, in oppofition to what is now called Evil, but the one or the other, as Caprice or Humour fliall diredt him ; which immediately becomes either Good or Evil, and on the contrary Evil or Good, for no other Reafon, but becaufe he without Reafon wills them to be fo. According to which Scheme the Foundations of Religion and Moral Virtue muft be as precarious as thac Will, which hath no effential Difference of Things, nor any fixed Rule of Truth and Reafon to influence and determine it. Having thus eftablifhed, and I think demonftra- ted the neceffary and unalterable Difference be- tween Moral Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, I proceed farther to obferve : That there are certain original and unalterable Fitnejfes and Unfitnejjes which do arife from thefe eternal and immutable Diftindti- ons, as neceffary and unchangeable as the Diftin- ftions themfelves *, which Ficneffes or Unfitneffes were eternally prefent to the all-comprehenfive Mind of God, and as clearly difcerned by him as the natural Differences of the Things themfelves from whence they flow, i. e. in other Words : Sup- pofing the Exigence of reafonable Beings, it is immutably reafonable and fit that they fhould re- gard and pra&ife that Syftem of Moral Virtue, which for Reformation of Manners. i£ which belongs to their Natures and refpedtive Cha- racters, and abftain from the contrary Moral Evil. Moral Good and Evil are, I think, a kind of re- lative Terms, i. e. they do fuppofe either in Idea or a£lual Exijlence certain reafonabic Beings, and cer- tain Relations in which they Hand to each other. Before ever the Creation was formed, God was in and from himfelf poffefied of infinite Perfection, of all chat Power and Wifdom, which could not but exert themfelves in all Adts of Juftice and Goodnefs to his Creatures, after their being brought into aftual Exiftence ; the original Fitnefs o\ which Condudt towards them was clearly difcerned by God, whilft they were yet only prefent in Idea to his Mind, and arofe from thofe apprehended Rela- tions which were actually in Time to fubfift be- tween God and them. And as God had nothing to determine him in the Formation of the World, but the Diredtion of his own infinite Underftanding and Wifdom, he was undoubtedly at liberty to form what Syftems of Beings he thought proper. He might have formed other Creatures than what he hath, or produced fome or all of thofe which now exift, in a different Manner from what he actu- ally hath done. He might, for Inftance, have flocked our Earth with Inhabitants at once, and formed them in the fame Manner as he did our tirft Parents. And of Gonfequence, as the Frame of Things is owing to the W the good Pleafure and Will of God, fo the Fitneiles of Things which now actually take { nd that particular Svftem of Moral Virtue which Mankind are obliged to regard and corhorm ilicmfclvcs to, muft, as far as 'tis a Coj 1 < ly exijiivg, be refolved into the fame good PJeafure and Will of God ; becaufe thole Relations of Man- kind to each other, from whence their pecu moral Obligations flow, are folely of h^ ment and Forming. 16 A Sermon f reaclo d to the Societies When indeed God had adlually given Being to reafonable Creatures, offuch particular Capacities and Circumftances, their Relations to each other, and the Fitneffes and Obligations refulting from them became certain and neceffary. When he de- termined that the Race of Mankind fhould be pro- pagated in the Manner it now is, he determined that the Relations of Parents and Children fhould adtually take place, and that therefore thofe parti- cular Fitneffes and Obligations, that Parents fhould take care of their Children, and that Children fhould be dutiful and grateful to their Parents, fhould be the certain and immutable Law of their Nature and Condition ; and when thefe Relations once actually fubfifted, the Fitneffes of thofe Du- ties neceffarily refulted from them, and were no longer dependent on the Will of God, whether they fhould carry in them any reafonable Obliga- tion or not ; and when they become the Matter of an immediate divine Command, they were not therefore reafonable only becaufe commanded, but commanded becaufe naturally, and antecedently reafonable. But if God had pleafed to form the whole Race of Mankind at once, as there would not then have aftually exifted amongft them the Relations of Parents and Children, parental Ten- dernefs and filial Gratitude would not have been Things fitting in fuch a State, could not have been the Matter of a divine Command to them*, and there- fore could have laid them under no Obligation, either in Reafon or from Authority. So that as the prefent Frame of the World, and the Relations that actually fubfift amongft Mankind, are owe- ing to the fovereign Wifdom and Pleafure of the great Creator, though it was eternally and immu- tably true, that fuch Relations when ever exifting, would certainly infer fuch Fitneffes and Obligations in Reafon, yet that the prefent Syftem of Morali- ty for Reformation of Manners. 17 ty doth now adually take Place amongft us, is in- tirely owing to the fameWifdom and Pleafure of God ; but is not alterable by the Will of God, whilft the prefent Frame of Things, and the Rela- tions that now fubfift amongft Mankind, continue to remain what they now are. And the Reafon of rhis is evident, becaufe the Fitnefs and Unfitnefs of Moral Good and Evil are as neceflary and certain, as the natural and original Difference between them. For Inftance, Moral Virtue confifts, either in the right Difpofition of a reafonable Being's Mind, or in bis right Behaviour towards other Beings, to whom he bears fuch pe- culiar Relations. The Fitnefs therefore of Moral Virtue arifes from the certain Connexion there is between a Being [0 circumftanced, and fuch a particu- lar Difpofition as is corrcfpondent to his Nature and Circumstances •, and between the dijlinguifhing Re- lations hefuftains to other Beings, and fuch a Beha- viour as is anfwerable to thofe Relations. If 1 have Powers and Faculties which render me capable of Confideration and Reflection, it is an Inftance or Duty of Moral Virtue, that I fhould employ my Powers and Faculties for this End and Purpofe ; and the Fitnefs of this Inftance of Moral Virtue confifts in this, viz* in the certain and evident Re- lation that the having reafonable Powers bears to the regular and proper Ufe of them. If I am a Creature derived and dependent, Graritude, and Love, and Praile to the great Author of my B ing, are alio Inftances of like Moral Virtue ; and the Fitnefs and Reafonablenefs of theie Moral Duties arife from the neceflary Relations of Creator and Creature, the Connexion between Benefics con- ferred, and Benefits received, the Reception of Benefits, and the proper Acknowledgment ot them by thofe who have them. If there be any Perfon whom God hath appointed as the Saviour ot Man- C kind 18 JSermon preach' d to the Societies kind from Ignorance, Vice, and Mifery ; to in- ftrudt, reform, and govern them, and bring them to a State of Perfedtion and Happinefs •, and if this Perfon hath by his Example* Do6trines, Suf- ferings, Death, and Refurre<5tion, done every Thing that is necefiary and fit to anfwer thefe Pur- pofes of the Wifdom and Mercy of God \ the necef- fary Confequence is, that Submiflion to him in all his Characters, and a thankful Acknowledgment of his Benefits, are alfo Things efientially fit in themfelves, and necefiary Inftances of Moral Vir- tue ; Things as eternally and immutably fit, as any other Branches of Moral Virtue that can be named, becaufe there is an original, necefiary, unalterable Relation between fuch Characters and Benefits con- ferred, and fuch a Submiflion to and Acknowledg- ment of him. And as there is no one Duty rela- ting to our bleffed Saviour, which the Gofpel Re- velation injoins us, but what necefiarily refults from fome Chara&er or Relation, that he bears to us ; thofe Duties will appear to be, in the ftridteft Senfe, of Moral Obligation, and amongft the eter- nal and unalterable Fitneffes of Things. The fame might be demonftrated of all other Inftances of Virtue that are properly moral, that there is a real Proportion and immutable Fitnefs and Correfpon- dence between them and the Relations and Chara- cters to which they belong ; the unavoidable Con- fequence of which is, that Moral Evil or Vice mull be naturally, abfolutely, in it felf, and therefore always unreafonable and unfit ; becaufe there is no Relation and natural Connexion, but an original and immutable Difproportion, Oppofition and Contradiction between the Difpofition and Behavi- our that Vice implies, and the acknowledged Re- lations and Charadters of Mankind. The having reafjnable Powers can have no pofiible Relation to, or natural Connexion with the Neglect or the 2 " Abufe for Reformation of Manners. 19 Abufe of them \ nor an Oppofnion to the Govern- mem of God and proving ungrateful to him, ever be (hewn to be the proper Reiult or reafonable Ccn- fequence of having received Being, and the Sup- ports of it from his Goodnefs •, but on the contrary appear at firft View to imply an Abfurdity and Contradiction. As therefore the Difference between Moral Good and Evil, and the FitneflTes and Unfitneffes which refult from them, is certain in it felf, and immu- table in its Nature, I would farther obferve, that this is the fupream^ and original, and univerfal Rule cf ARion to all reafonable Beings whatfoever. It is the one certain and unerring Rule of God himfelf, who as he hath no Superior, can receive Laws from none, nor have any ex r ernal Power to oblige and conftrain him. Bur that he hath a Reafon and Rule of Aftion within himfelf, is as evident as that he ever afts at all, and as certain, as that he will always aft wifely and well. Now this Rule of Aftion to the divine Being, I think we can con- ceive to be nothing elfe but his all comprehenfive Knowledge, or his perfect Conception of the Na- tures of all Things, the Relations which the leve- ral Beings he hath formed fUnd in to himfelf, and to one another, the Fitneffes and Unfitneffes which belong to them, the Meafure and Degree of their Powers and Faculties, and all the feveral Circum- ftances of their Beings. Having this full Percep- tion of all Things he can never be at a Lois how to aft, nor poffibly do amifs through Error and M (lake ; being poffeffed of infinite Power he can ne- ver aft wrong, through Impotence and Weaknt. having no Being fupcrior to himfelf, he can never receive Law from another, nor aft contrary to the moral Fitnefs of Things through Force and Con- straint-, having no irregular Pailions, Aticftions, and Inclinations, he can never be perverted, and C 2 20 A S e r m o n preached to the Societies biajfed from within himfelf, to an unreafonable and unbecoming Conduct. In a Word, being abfo- luteiy free from every external Conftrainr, and in- ternal Defeft, his Power can have no other Guide, nor his Will have any Thing elfe to determine it, but his own infinite Underftanding and Wifdom. And as he difcerns all Things as they really are, his Will muft ever be determined rightly, accord- ing to the immutable Natures and eternal Differen- ces of Things themfelves, and the refpedtive Na- tures, Conditions and Circumftances of the feveral Creatures which he hath formed. The Confequence of which is, that what is the invariable and eternal Rule of the divine Conduft, mull be the fupream^ and moft perfect Rule of Acti- on to all reafonable Beings whatfoever ; becaufe it is impoffible that there can be any Rule of Action more excellent in it felf, or more worthy the Regard of reafonable Beings, than that which the Uncrea- ted and All-perfect God makes the Meafure and Standard of his own Conduft $ I mean the immuta- ble Differences of Things, and the FitnefTes and Unfimefles which neceflarily refult from them. Such is the Perfection of the divine Nature, that as God can have no other Rule of Adlion but this, fo he needs none 5 and as to all created Beings, the more invariably they aft by it, fo much the more perfeft and compleat is their Virtue and Goodnefs. As they are indeed the Workmanfhip of the firffc Caufe, as their particular Powers, Perfections and Relations, are the Effects of his Power and Confti- rution, ail thofe FitnefTes and Duties which flow from them are to be looked on and regarded as inforced and injoined by his Authority and Will ; it being as evidently the Will of the great Creator that we fhould perform all thofe Duties of Moral Virtue which are the Refutt of, and neceflarily connected with our Nature and Relations, as it was for Reformation of Manners. 21 was that we fhould be the particular Kind of Creatures that we are. And therefore the Will of God is a real and immutable Obligation upon us, to which we fhould always pay the higheft De- ference and Submiffion. But even this comes un- der the general Notion of the original Fitnefiesof Things, and is not an Obligation of a diftincc Nature and Kind from them ; becaufe, if any one was to be afked, Why the Will .of God fhould be obeyed ? he could give, I apprehend, no othei rational Anfwer, but that it is eternally and im- mutably fir, that all Creatures fhould obey the Will of their Creator and God. Not that mere Tower carries in it, of it [elf any proper, rcafon- able Obligation •, or, that the arbitrary IV'dl of another is, without other Confederations ', a Reafon for fubmitting to it. No ; 'Tis abfolutely fit that God's Will fhould be obey'd ; becaufe he hath a fovereign and unalienable Right in his Creatures, and will not command any Thing that is unreafonable and unfit for them to do. And therefore, though the Will of God be a Reafon and certain Rule of Aftion to all his Creatures yet is it not any Thing diftin' r ning, plainly fhew which is moft reafonable and tit in it felf, and beft worthy their Approbation and Choice; Confequences that affedt particular Perfons in all the moft valuable Concerns of their Being, and are not lefs vifible in the greater and lefler Societies of Men themfelves. So that as Virtue is, in the Con- fideration and Idea of it, much more lovely and commendable than Vice, fo all external Appearan- ces are intirely in favour of it, and powerfully Men to the Love and Practice of it. And it would be thus were there no Laws at all actually injoining the Pradice of Virtue. Mere Authority and Command add no imrinfick I lency to the Things commanded, make them nei- ther better nor worfe than they were before, infer no Obligation in Reafon to obey them, nor carry with them any Convidtion to any reafonable whatfoever. The Nature of Things is ftubborn and obftinate, and will not bend to Power and Law, nor vary in the leaft in Obedience to the mere tisnsof Will and Pleafure. Snould all the Powers en Earth confpire together to enadt, That Dark- nefs fhould be Light, Pain Pleafure, Sicknefs Health, and Life Death, the Attempt would be as ridiculous as vain. Or fhould they ordain by 1 aw, that Wickednefs and Im; Intemperance uchery, Covetoufnefs and Rapine, Lu( Cruelty, Malice and Envy, ihuu! i.ible and praife-worthy in every Man's Conscience Judgment, fhould conduce to the fort, the Prelervation, Health, Ulefulnefs and Happincis of human Life, or tend to I i Or- der, Strength, 1 [onour, and Welfare ot Societies, in oppofit:on to Juftice and Equity, Charity and Benev^ence, Temperance and Chaftity j < 2 one 30 -^Sermon preach' d to the Societies one immediately fees that fuch a Law would be abfurd and unnatural, could not accomplifh the in- tended EfFedl, and therefore could not poffibly carry in it any Manner of reafonable Obligation and Weight ; and that therefore the making ufe of Power and Violence to enforce fuch a Law muft be tyrannical and wicked. So that 'tis obvious to the common Senfe of Mankind, that all unreafonable Laws are in themfelves null and void, for this plain Reafon, becaufe they are unreafonable ; and there- fore it muft be as evident to them, that the Reafon of Things, or the Goodnefs and Fitnefs of what is commanded by Law, is the Ground and Foundati- on of every Law that Reafon and Confcience can oblige us to obey ; and of Confequence, that there are lbme Things good and fie in themfelves, and univerfally difcerned and acknowledged to be fuch, and therefore proper to be made the Subjefts of Law, and enforced by Authority, becaufe reafon- able and fit, antecedent to it. 'Tis really thus even with refpeft to the Laws of God himfelf. That we Ihould love him, and offer our grateful Acknowledgments to him, as the Au- thor of our Beings, the Giver of all our Mercies, and the only Object of our Happinefs, was evident- ly reafonable and fit in its own Nature, antecedent to any dire6t Law of God injoining it ; and is there- fore made the Matter of a divine Law, becaufe it was originally, and in it felf proper and fit for God to command. In like manner Juftice and Charity, and all the private and focial Virtues, have evident- ly a natural Reafonablenefs in them, and do in theirPraftice neceffarily and immutably tend to pri- vate and publick Happinefs ; and therefore they are intrinfically and unalterably Good, and have in fadl been known to be fo by the Reafon and Expe- rience of all Men in all Ages and Nations, and are iherefere originally fit to be inforced by the Autho- rity for Reformation of Manners. 31 rity and Law of God. And with refpeft to ail other Things whatfoever that have the Sanftion of a divine Command, they havefome real antecedent Fitnefs either of Means or End^ that is the true Rea- fon of their Injunction by God. So that the Reafon of every good and wife Law is antecedent to the Law it (elf; and as this Reafon is only the real in- trinfick Excellency, Suitablenefsand Fitnefs of the Thing commanded, this Excellency and Fitnefs muft be generally plain and obvious, co thofe who are to be governed by Law, is antecedent even to the Laws of God, independent, in this Refpcdt, on his Will, and the eternal and invariable Rule and Meafure of all its Determinations. And as this is plain from Reafon, fo it is fuppo- fed, and plainly alTerted in divine Revelation. In- deed unlefs this were the Cafe, Mankind wouid be no proper Judges of the Truth and Excellency of any real Revelation, nor of the Falfhood and Impofture of a pretended and fpurious one. i lefs the Difference between Good and Evil is real and immutable, and the Diicernment of ic plain and eafy, they v/ould have no certain and fixed Rule what to receive and what to rejedt, but might as well fubmit to and embrace the word Religion in the World, that had but a Pretence of Revela- tion, as the Bed. But as no kind of external I dence, and wonderful Appearance of Things can prove any Religion to be from God, that contains in it either Abfurdities or Fallhoods, that gives really difhonourable and unworthy R ;ns of the Perfections and Waysol God, t at prefcribes fuperftitious and impious Methods of worfbippil him, or that teaches and countei Immorality and Vice : Ic follows from hence, that it is by Marks ( Kind of Religion that pretends to Inlpirauon and divine Authority. But if there be either no Diffe- rence 32 ^Sermon preach' d to the Societies rence in the Nature of Things themfelves, or if this Difference is fo fmail and uncertain, as that Man- kind are not capable of difcerning and underftand- ing ir, then they have no certain Rules by which to judge of the Nature and Defign, the Truth or Falfhood of Revelation real or pretended, and therefore can be under no Obligations to give them- felves any Thought or Trouble whatfoever about it. But as this is not true in fatt, fo all the Revelations we have from God do fuppofe the contrary. Even Mofes could appeal to the People : What Nation is there fo great that hath Statutes and Judgments fo righ- teous , as all this Law which Ifel before you this Day a ? And St. Paul tells us of the Gentiles themfelves, that though they had no Law^ no Law by external Revelation from God, yet they were a Law to them- felves\ viz: by the plain Di&ates of their natural Reafon and Confciences; and that they /hewed that the Work of the Law was written in their Re arts ^ as their Confciences bare them witnefs, and their Thoughts accufed or excujed one another ; it being evidently the Work and Bjfinefs of a Law, to do what the Confciences of the Heathens a&ually did, viz. to point our the Difference between Good and Evil, and to cenfure or juftify Men according as they do either the one or the other. And with refpedt to Chriftianity, that Rule of the Apoftle holds uni- verfally good c : Prove all Things , hold fajl that which is good -, A Precept that can have no other Reafbn and Fitnefs but this ; that Good and Evil are effentially different, and that Mankind arc abundantly capable of difcerning, and making the proper Choice between them. And that they fhould do fo will fully appear from, III. The third and laft General, which is to fhew you, that the confounding, and habitually difc a Deut. iv\ 8. b Rom. ii. 14. c 1 Thef. v. 21. for Reformation of Manners. 33 difregarding this eflential and immutable Difference of Things will be attended with the mod pernici- ous and deftrucftive Confequences. Wo unto them that call Evil Good, and Good Evil. This Wo is pronounced upon the corrupt and profligate Jews by the Prophet in the Name of God, and the Pu- nifhment contain'd in it is immediately after parti- cularly defcribed : d As the Ftre devoureth the Stubble* and the Flame confumetb the Chaff* fofhall their Root be as Rottenness* and their Bloffom Jball go up as Duff. Therefore is the Anger of the Lord kindled againfi bis People* and he hath fit -etched forth his Hand againjt them s and hath [mitten them, and the Hills did tremble* and their Carcafes were tore in the Midjl of the Streets* And be will lift up an Enfign to the Nations from afar* they Jhall lay bold of the Prey* and Jhall carry it aivax* and none Jh all deliver it* i.e. befidesali the Judgments I have inflidleJ on them already, I will deliver them over into the Hands of their Enemies, and they lhall carry them away with all their Treafures into a long and miferable Captivity. If indeed we confider only the natural Confequen- ces that do, rr.ore or lefs, neceffarily and infeparably flow from an habitual Difregard to, and Concempt of the eflential Differences between Moral Good and Evil, we fhall find an immediate Punifhmenc conne&ed by the Conftitution and Providence of God, with almoft every kind of Immorality and Vice ; and that with refpedt to particular Pcrlons and Societies in general. As to Individuals, not to mention thofe n Uneafinefles and Fears of Mind, thoffe inward Terrors and Reproaches of Conkicnce which are oftentimes the fad Effects of Sin * there E are 4 Ver. 24, 25 26, 29. h At vcro fcelcrum in homines atq; impietatum nulla expiario eft. Itaque poenas luunt, non tarn judicium qua? quondam nuf. quam erant, hodie multifariam nulla lunt, ut fini tamen, pcrfa- pe felfa funt, fed angore confcicnti»> fraudifque cruciatu. Cicer. de leg. 1. x. c 14. 34 ^Sermo k preach' d to the Societies are many other Inconveniencies flowing from it, which are evident Arguments of the divine Difap- probation, and certainly demonftrate the Folly and Mifchief of Vice, and that to depart from Evil is the truefi Underjlanding. Every one knows, for there are ten Thoufand Inftances in almoft every Age and Nation to prove it, that all Indulgences, con- trary to the Rules and Obligations of Moral Vir- tue, have a natural and diredt Tendency todeftroy the Vigor of Mens reafonable Powers, to diflipate and wade their worldly Subftance, and to reduce them to Poverty and Diftrefs. They leffen Mens Reputation and good Chara&er in the World, and by rendering them contemptible, and often infa- mous, deprive them of many valuable Opportuni- ties of Succefs, and greatly contract their Abilities for Ufefulnefs. They weaken and diforder their Conftitutions, prepare their Bodies for the moft violent Diftempers, fubjedt them to the moft grievous Pains, and often end in Bixternefs and Death. Nor are thefe bad Confequences lefs vifible in So- cieties themfelves, than in private Perfons. When the Diftin&ions between Good and Evil are gene- rally difregarded, and the Manners of a Nation be- come almoft univerfally profligate; the Honour and Credit of a People muft fink in proportion, their Reputation, Weight and Influence abroad muft leffen, their Trade and Commerce muft de- cay, the publick Streng r h be enervated, the Force and Authority of Law and Government become weak and impotent, Diforder and Confufion fpfing up in the Room of them, Liberty, that greateft of all earthly Bleflings, grow more and more pre- carious, Perfons of all Ranks and Degrees become venal and fervile, and prepare the Way for utter Ruin and Diflblution. To thefe Things have been owing the Fall of the greateft Empires and King- 2 doms, for Reformation ^Manners. ~- doms, that have been the mod powerful and fa- mous in the World, as hath been frequently obfer- ved with great Juftice and Truth by thofe who have tranfmitted the Hiftories of them down to us. Whereas whilft Nations have continued virtuous, they have generally continued powerful and ftrong ; whilft they have had no internal Symptoms of Weaknefs and Diffolution, they have had lefs to fear from any external Violence, and been capa- ble of exerting themfelves with that Refolution and Vigor, which hath been neceflary to their Security and Prefervation •, fo that was nothing elfe to be regarded but the natural Tendencies of Things, we might well pronounce a Wo to that People, who put Good for Evil \ and Evil for Good. But befides this, furely there is a God that go- verns the World, and whofe Providence is not wholly inattentive to and regardlefs of the Moral State and Character of Nations : A God to whom, from the incorruptible Redtitude and Purity of his Nature, a general Corruption of Manners muft be highly difpleafing, and who can never be fuppofed to look with a very favourable Regard upon a People, who have loft all Senfe of Moral Good a Evil, and are become univerfally Degenerate from all the ordinal Principles and plaineft Rules < t Moral Virtue. As he hath all the Powers of Na- ture ablolutely under his Controul, and can make the elementary World fubfervient to the Purpofes of his Providence, I fee no Abfurdity in fuppofing, what Revelation feems very plainly to point out, that he may, and will, when the Sins of any People make it necefiary, ' l Cur/e them in the City I . Field, in their Baftet and in their Store \ in the Fruit of their Body and the Fruit of their Land, the I . of their Kine, and the Flocks of their Sheep ; make the Pefiilence cleave to them till it hath confumed them ; E 2 * Deut. xxviii. i6, 17, 18, 11. 36 ^Sermon preach' d to the Societies m the Heavens over them to become as Brafs, and the Earth under them to be as Iron ; caufe them to be /mitten before their Enemies, n and Strangers to get above them very high, fo that they ftiall not be the Head but the Tail of the Nations •, or fend amongft them ° a new King who fhall not know Jofeph, and who fhall fet over the People cruel Tafk-Maflers> to affiifit them with their Burthens. Thefe and the like Calamities have befallen Nations as the Punifh- ments of an univerfal Degeneracy and Corruption of Manners, and I think thefe are the Evils they have in fuch Circumftances a great deal of Reafon always to fear, if there be a Providence that real- ly regards the Affairs of Mankind, and is con- cerned to maintain the Intereft of Religion and Virtue in the World. And thus have I largely fpoken to the feveral Things contained in this Paf- fage of the infpired Prophet : I fhall now conclude all with fome fuitable Inferences. 1. We may fee the great Wifdom of God, and his Goodnefs to Mankind, in making thofe Things, which are of the greateft Importance to them, and in which their Duty and Happinefs is mod dire&ly and effentially concerned, to be fo exceeding evident and plain to them, as that if they will but ufe their Underftandings, they may as plainly diftinguifh and difcern them, as they can any fenfible Objedts with their Eyes, or fuch Things as are pleafant and wholefome by their Tafte and Palate. 2. We may infer from what hath been faid, how ftrong and unchangeable all Mens Obligati- ons are to the Pra&ice of Religion and Virtue ; as unchangeable as the very Nature and Reafon of Things, and as their Inclinations are to purfue Plea- m Deut. xxviii. 23, 25.' n Ver. 43, 44, • Exod. i. 8, 1 1 . for Reformation of Manners, 37 Pleafure before Pain, and to embrace Happinefs in preference to Mifery. 3. We may infer the great Folly and Abfurdi- ty of Mens giving favourable Names to Vice, and endeavouring to fcreen the Malignity and De- formity of it by the honourable Appellations of Virtue. Vice is fo very fhameful and odious a Thing, as that, one would hope, there are but comparatively few arrived to that Pitch of Infen- fibility and Impudence, as openly to glory in the Thing it felf, and chufe to be accounted remark- able for Impiety and Wickednefs. And becauie oftentimes Mens natural Consciences would cenlure and render them extremely uneafy, if they allow- ed themfelves in the habitual Practice of Crimes that would admit of no poffible Excufe ; they en- deavour to palliate their Faults, and bring them, as near as they can, to real Virtues. Thus fome Men, who are fordidly penurious and covetous, would fain have it all pafs for Frugality and the commendable Care of their Families and Friends. Revelling and Drunkennefs is changed into good Na- ture and Fellowjhip. Leudnefs wears the genteel Name of Gallantry and Politenefs. Ambition and Envy cover their Deformity, and become repu- table and popular, by putting on the Garb of Merit and Patriotijm. Cenjure and Reproach, Re- viling and Scandal, put oft their Fury Drefs, and make their Appearance in the iacred Habit of Sanftity and Zeal. Thus changed, not in Nature, but Appearance and Name, Vice feems to them a lefs formidable and odious Thing, and is fore- times embraced and harboured as an heavenly Vir- tue. But is not fuch a Conduct an Argument of the extremeft Folly ? Can any imagine, that this thin and fhamelefs Cover can conceal r true Character from the all-knowing God ? Or, that by mifcalling Vice, they can tranform it a 38 ^Sermon preach" d to the Societies a real Perfe&ion,* and thus confound the unalter- able Nature and Differences of Things? Should Satan drefs himfelf like an Angel of Light, he would be Satan (till ; his Nature would continue the fame, though his Appearance was altered -, and his Qualities be truly devilifh under the moft ra- diant Drefs of celeftial Glory. In like Manner, Vice can never lofe its Nature or Qualities, it will ftill be Vice, a Contrariety to God and his Laws, to the Truth, and Reafon, and immutable Na- ture of Things, and to the true Honour and Hap- pinefs of Men, palliate it as much as you pleafe, and call it by whatever favourable Names you will. Harbour it in your Breafts and it will defile you. Indulge it in your Lives and it will fink you un- der fubftantial Guilt. Compare it with the Rule of Reafon, and the Law of God, and it will im- mediately appear in its true Deformity. Think of it in its Confequences, and the dreadful Scene that will immediately prefent it felf, will be Horror and Defpair. Let us therefore return to the ori- ginal Truth and Simplicity of Things ; nor de- ceive our felves by mifreprefenting or overlook- ing our Vices and Follies. Let Covetoufnefs be, in every Shape, looked on as a fordid Meannefs, un- worthy a Man. Let Revelling and Drunkennefs no longer appear in the innocent Garb of good Na- ture. They are a Shame and Reproach to human Nature, and degrade Men fometimes into fome- thing meaner than Brutes, and fometimes transform them into Furies and Devils. Let Leudnefs and Debauchery ever be accounted, what they really are in the Sight of God, and all reafonable Men, as lawlefs and cruel Triumphs over ruin'd Mode- fty, injur'd Virtue, and proftituted Honour and Innocence. Let rank Ambition no longer conceal its Deformity under the facred Cover of Patriotifm and publick Spirit ; but ever be detefted as an uneafy, for Reformation of Manners. 39 uneafy, reftlefs, treacherous, faithlefs, impatient, unfatiable, fervile, mercenary, fawning, imperi- ous Monfter. Lee Scandal, Reproach, Cenfori- oufnefs, and rafh Judgment ever be abhorred, as certain Proofs of a diftemper'd, envious, and bU gotted Mind, and as fure Marks, not of a religi- ous, but of anenthufiaftick and fuperftitious Zeal ; that hath neither Knowledge to enliven ir, nor Reafon, Humanity, or Confcience to dire he wroughc many Miracles, to awaken the Attention of Men to the Things he taught •, the Doctrines he deli- vered were either obvious Truths, which carried their own Convi&ion to all reafonable Min. or thofe which were in their Nature perfectly con- fident with fuch Truths, and had the moik fub- ftantial Evidence that was neceiTary to confir them ; the Motives and Arguments with which he enforced them, were all derived from the Re lities of a Future State, from the Certainty and Awfulnefsof a Judgment to con.e, and the immu- table Confequences of that Judgment, in the Re- wards and Puniihments that are rcfpeclively to a- wait the Actions of Men in the prelent Lite, ac- cording as they have been, either Good or Evil. This was truly laying the Ax to the Root, ftrik^ng at the very Foundations of Vice, % opening the V Mind 4- A S 6 R m o n preactid to the Societies Mind it felf for the Entrance of Religion in all its genuine Principles, and teaching Men the Pra- ctice of real Virtue, upon the fure Foundations of Reafon and Confcience. And after the perfonal Miniftry of our blefled Lord was at an End, he fent out his Apoftles into the World to carry on the fame excellent and ne- ceffary Work, the Reformation and Amendment of Mankind. They were inverted with the honour- able Character of the Meffengers and Ambaffadors of God, and gave the proper Credentials of their heavenly Miffion: And the End of their Embaf- fy was, not to enrich and aggrandize themfelves, and carry on the low Views of fecular Power and Wealth ; but to befeecb and perfuade Men to become reconciled to God, by denying all Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts, and living foberly, rigbteoujly and godly in the prefent evil World, upon the fame Mo- rives, and by the fame Kind of Arguments, that 'were made Ufe of by our Lord himfelf ; in whofe Name, and by whofe Authority, they preached to Mankind. So that 'tis your Honour, Gentle- men, who have engaged in the good Work of "reforming others, to have, in fome Refpeft, the Almighty God himfelf as the Head of your Socie- ties, the Son of God as your proper Patron and Advocate, and the holy Prophets and Apoftles as your Examples and Companions in this neceflary and ufeful Service, Nor can I imagine that there caij be any other •valuable End of a (landing Miniftry in the Chri- ftian Church, than to carry on the fame Defign, nor that it can be worth any Nation's while, to iupport and maintain it with any other View what- loever. A vicious Miniftry is certainly a very great Reproach, Misfortune, and Burden to a Nation. Their Examples cannot fail of fpreading & very deep'acd wide Corruption, and preventing - < i ~ the for Reformation of Manners. 43 the Influence "of their brft Inftruftions, as well as hindring the Success of the wifeft and mod vigo- rous Endeavours in others to difcountenance and check ihe Progrefs of Immorality and Vice. The Nature of their Office requires them to be P terns of Religion and univerfal Virtue -, and they then become the true Succeffors of the Apoitles, when they^r Thing, that the Minijlry approve v. Ml . ;, by Knowledge, by Long- fu faring, . Kindn § t by Love unfjgned, by the Wi 9/ Tr\ i by the Armour of Rxghteouj,. Hand and on the left a . And when to this id unblap icter, they add Diligence and I in cn-ir Office, and endea- vour, in publick and private Life, by proper Exhortations, Adironiuons ar.d I ns, to fpread Knowledge, Righteouii.efs, Peace and Cha- ncy, to reclaim the Vicious, to confirm the Un- refolved, and cftal net! and well difpofed Minds in their regard to Religion and Virtue; then they are truly Fellow-labourers with Gud and Chrift, in that moft excellent and neceflary Woik of reforming and faving Mankind. They then become the greateft Bleflings to civil Society, and deferve to be v~ry big:. But how neceflary and ufcful foever a prudent, religious, and virtuous Miniitry may, in fume Relpetts be, to carry on this Deflgn not to be expected, that R ., ill ever gain any" great Ground againft Ir religion and V r ice, without other Method* co-operating 10 fame Purpofe •, and particularly unlefs a due 1 gard be ffiewn to thele Things by private i 5 . fons, and a proper Care be taken by Parents and Mafias of Families, in the Education and In- F 2 U&iQa ; % Cor. 44 -^Sermon preached to the Societies ftru&ion of thofe who are under their Care. Aa Societies for Reformation of Manners, Attiom only* and not Principles^ come under your Cognizance and Obfervation. But how can you exptdt that the Anions of Men ihould be regulated by the Rules of Virtue, unlefs the neceffary Foundation be laid in^proper Principles of Truth and Righte- pufnefs? And towards this you may very much Contribute thefe two Ways ; by diftributing a* mongft the lower and poorer Part of the refpe- ftive Parifhes and Wards where you live, little and plain Books, containing the uncontroverted Principles of Chriftianity, Accounts of, and Ex- hortations to Moral Virtue, and DifTuafives and Motives from the Practice of every Vice. This I find hath been the commendable Practice of your Societies •, which have given away at their own Charge, Four hundred and forty four c Tboufand 9 feven hundred and fifty Treatifes of this Kind ; which, *tis reafonable to hope, may do fome good, even fometimcs where perfonal Correction alone, and Pu- nifhment by the Laws would prove altogether infuf- ficient. The other Way of promoting the Intereft of Virtue and Religion, and of carrying on that Re- formation of Manners you aim at, and which in- deed is effentially Neceflary to it, is by afting a Faithful and Chriftian Part in your own Condudi and Families. Should any of you, who ad: as the Re- formers of others, be guilty of thofe Immoralities you endeavour to pumfh in them, how indecent, how inconfiftent would it appear ? Or fhould you be negligent of the Morals of your own Houfholds and Families, whilft you feek to punifh Vice and Wickednefs abroad in thofe of others, would you not be liable to deierved Cenfure and Reproach? Giv^ me leave to remind you, that the Members of your refpeftive Houfes, both Children and Ser- vants., for Reformatio?! of Manners. 45 vants, are committed by the Providence of God to your Infpeftion and Care, and that wharever Evil they learn or praftife whilft under your Roof, through any criminal Negleft of Duty in you, or through the Influence of your Example leading them to the Commiffionof it, you are fo far Sna- rers in, and chargeable with their Guilt. As Heads of Families, you fhould be Examples of a fincere and unaffefted Piety, and Patterns of every Thing that is Virtuous and Praiie-worthy ; and when 'tis confidered chat fecial Virtue it fclf can't long fubfift, where Piety to God is habitual- ly neglefted, you will not, I hope, take it amifs, or think it foreign to the Purpole of your pre- fent Meeting, if I earneftly befeech you, by your Regards for the Welfare of your own Families, and the Succefs of your Endeavours for the Re- formation of others ; that you lead your Houfe- holds into that Fear of God, which is the furelt Prefervative from the Corruptions of a wicked World, by a ferious Regard to, and Practice of all thofe Duties of Religion, which, as the Go- vernors of Families, are incumbent on you : I mean by having your proper Times for calling them to the Devotion of Prayer, and your Sealons for inftrufting them your felves, or by the A Hi- fiance of proper Books, in the Principles and Du- ties of the Chriftian Life. I am perfwaded you your felves muft think thofe Methods are likely to be attended with many valuable Eft efts, upon the Minds and Condi of thofe under your Care. And what is there that fhould hinder your discharging a good Con- ference in this refpeft ? Can it be imagined that your Servants will ever prove faithful to you, and induftrious in their Stations, that have never been taught to aft from Principles of Reverence to, and Faith and Hope in God ? Will the Seeds of 46 ^Sermon preach' d to the Societies of Religion and Virtue ever thrive and grow in the Minds of your Children, if not cultivated by your Care? Can you expect your Families fhould become well regulated and orderly Societies, if you abfent your felves from the Government of them * if every Evening of your Lives is to be fpent abroad in publick Houf-s, in the Amufe- ments of Cards, of Wine, and Company ; and if you retire almoft every Sunday in the Year into the Country, negligent of, and feparated from thofe, who ought always to be under your Infpeftion, and who are liable to be corrupted and ruined the Moment they are left free from Controul, and given up to their own Managemenr, Appetites and Paffions ? Forgive me, if I exprefs the greater Concern on this Head, upon account of the many Methods that are daily taking to debauch the Principles, and corrupt the Manners of our Youth, to inipire them with a Love of Diverfion and Pleafure, to lead them into excefftve Expences, and coftly Luxuries, and, in a Word, to prejudice them, not only againft the Principles of Religion, bur the plain Duties and Virtues of focial Life. As if the Entertainments of the Theatre were not fre- quent, expenfive and near enough to us, and fuffi- cient Recreations from the Toil of Bufinefs ; as if thefe were not enough to kill the Time, to infpire Emulation of Drefs, to teach us how to negleft the Affairs of Trade and Commerce, and to ex- pend the Overplus of our Fortunes, that fhould be laid out in Works of Charity and Goodnefs •, we have introduced other Diversions, and the Even- ings of our Winter Seafon is almoft one continu- ed Scene of Rejoicing and Mirth ; where every Heart feels the Charms of Mufick, and every Care of Life, and Thought of Bufinefs, is hufhed, beguiled, and ravifhed away by the tranfporting Sounds for Reformation of Manners. 47 Sounds of Harmony ; like Ijrael of old, when his Vices had almoft brought him to his final Ruin : s The Harp, and the Piol r the Tabret and Pipe, and ■ Wine, are in their Feajis : But they regard not the Work of the Lord, neither confider the Operation of his Hands. And whilft the City abounds with thefe polite Diverfions, the Country round us grows Brilliant and Gay, and fmiles with crowded Af- femblies 5 where fajhionable Games become the general Diverfion, and where no Expences are fpared to brighten up and perfedl the Entertain- ment. Yea, chat nothing may be wanting for our Gratification, for we are become a Nation of Pleafure, and that our Families and Houfes may infpire us with an early Love of gay Amufements, and what is the Confequence of it, an Averfion to fo unpolite a Thing as Bufinefs ; the Cards are become the general Amufement after the Repaft of Dinner, and are grown into fo very ferious and important a Concern as to (hut out almoll all other Affairs, and as often to become our Em- ployment and Study, even until the Midnight Watches overtake us. I am afraid I fhall betray my own Want of Tafte and Policenefs, by mentioning thefe Pati- culars, as tending to corrupt the Manners, and de- ltroy the Diligence, Integrity, and Virtue of the Nation. But I am not lblicitous on this Account, nor am I afraid to affirm, that the general Love and Purfuic ot Diverficn% is inconfiltent with the Profperity or Trade ana Commer, chat a Trading City hath fcarce any Thing to fear fo much, or that can prove more prejudicial to her Honour ana Profperity, than a prevailing Luxu- ry, and growing Inclination to, and fafte of Pleafure. It enervates the Mind, it is the Bane of Induitry, it is the Mother of Expence and Pro* • Ifa. v. 12. 48 ^Sermon preach 'd to the Societies Profufenefs, and the principal Source of thofe Failures in Bufinefs, that oftentimes involve many j -.nilies in Deftrudlion t. And therefore, though rhefe and the- like Entertainments may not be n 'i£t]y criminal in themfelves, nor do I reproach n as fuch, yet when they grow into Habits, in conftant Ufe, and become the Bufinefs in- td of the feldom Amufements of Life, as they ought to be; they then become of very dange- rous Confequence, and can't be too carefully provoided againft by thofe who are hearty Friends to the Liberty, Virtue, and Profperity of the Nation. The Guarding the Minds of our Children by early Inflruftion, againft all Allurements to fuch a fenfual Kind of Life, and the Leading them in- to tKe Love and Practice of Temperance, Fruga- lity, Induflry, and the like Virtues, by our own Behaviour, and if it could be, even upon Prin- ciples of Piety towards God, is, I think, our Duty and our Intereft ; and unlefs a more general Care be taken by Parents and Matters in this refpeft of their Families, your Societies can be of compara- tively little Service. For though you may bring particular Offenders to tome corporal Punifhments, this will not always reform them, much lefs pre- vent the Infection of Vice in others. However, 'tis good- to keep Vice and Immora- lity always under Terror ; otherwife they would exceed all Bounds, and foon fpread an univerfai Confufion and Deftruftion. This is one great End of the Formation of civil Society, viz. to lay a Reftraint upon the Pafiions and Appetites of x Archytas, nullam capitaliorem peftem, quam corporis vo* luptatem hominibus dicebat, a natura datam. Cumque homini five natura, five quis Deus nihil mente pr^eftabilius dediffet, huic divino muneri ac dono nihil effe tarn inimicum, quam vo- luptatem ; fi quidem ea, cum major eflet atque longior, omne animi lumen extingueret. Cicer. de Seneft. c. 12. for Reformation of Manners. 49 of bad Men, and chac others may live in Peace and Safety under the Security of the common Prote- ction. All the wifeft and beft Laws of Society, fuppofe the eflential Difference between Moral Good and Evil, and the Nee e git y of an externally virtuous Behaviour to the general Safety and Hap- pinefs ; invariably rendring Vice penal, and being in their Nature calculated for the Encouragement and Security of the Righteous and Good. And if thefe Laws, inflicting proper Punifhmcnts upon fuch Immoralities as are Breaches of the pubhek Peace, be equitable and jqft, fureiy the Execu- tion of them muft be prudent and neceffary ; and your Societies, as far as prudemly managed, be of real Ufe and Benefit to the Nation -, becaufe they are in aid of the Laws themfelves, and fcr- viceable to promote the Ends of civil Govern- ment. If the fcandalous Vices of profligate Men oughr, in reafon, to go unpunifhed, to what End are the national Laws, and the Proclamations of cur beft Princes, againft them ? If they ought not to go without Cenfure, becaulV the permitting them uld be inconfiftent with the publick Peace, our Laws ought to have their Authority n :d, and the Vigour of them kept v\-). And therefore Ihfn ainft notorious ( comes the xi Citiz (up- ton 1 faithful >■ Tne Support of publick Virtue (hoi . re COOO very Mai tho> whofe Aim iull, and legal, and h. Is, to main it. The Wdftre of our Country at nor. Influence and Honour of it abroad, the Succ< of Trade, and our Security in pofYefling what we have, the Dignity of Magiftracy, and the Peace of Government. mforc of our Family, I G ife- 5Q ^Sermon preach* d to the Societies Safety of our Children, and the Fidelity of our Servants ; all depend, in a great Meafure, upon keeping up the Influence, and maintaining the Credit of our Laws. Thefe, as far as they are founded in Equity, are to be the Joules of all your Proceedings, Informations, and Profecutions ; and whilft you keep within thefe Bounds, act upon Principles of publick Good, and are impartial, ac- cording to your Power and Opportunities, in dif- countenancing and fuppreffing thofe Enormities that are a Scandal to the Nation, and which, if fuffered to go with Impunity, rnuft be attended with the moit mifchievous Confequences ; you de- ferve well of the Society you are Members of^ and merit the general Prote&ion and Encourage- ment. You muft indeed expedt manifold Reproaches on this Account. Vice is, in its Nature, foul mouth'd, and impatient of Reftraint •, and cannot but hate thofe that would fet Bounds to its info- lent, and injurious Practices. But all Cenfures from this Quarter may be the more eafily born by Men, who have the Teftimony of a good Con- fcience, that they have no private Views of Advan- tage, no Party Defigns of intereft and Power to car- ry on ; but the Honour and Intereft of the Nation in general ; and, if it may be, the bringing Of- fenders themfelves to a better Temper and Beha- viour. Punifhmenr, indeed, is an ungrateful Thing, where it can be well avoided ; and a ge- nerous Mind would not chufe to bring others un- der the publick Cenfure of the Laws. But if the Peace of Societies, the maintaining our Liberties, and the Safety and Honour of our Families can- not be fecured without it ; deferved Punifhments, in fuch Cafe, are Inftances of Mercy and Juftice to others, however grievous they may be to Of- fenders themfelves. Let them forbear their Inju- ries for Reformation of Manners. $j ries to civil Government and Society, your Pro- secutions will be immediately at an End. Till then, Sociecy owes them no Protection, and they ought not to enjoy the common Privileges of it, who endeavour to difturb its Peace, and weaken its Security. Go on rhen, by all wife and juftifi- able Methods, to render Vice infamous and uneafy to them, who will no otherwise be kept within the Bounds of Moderation \ keep it, it poflible, out of your own Families, and let no deferved Blemifh lie upon your own Characters and Conduct. Thus will you, both in publick and private Life, act a friendly and ufeful Pare to Society, be happy in the Security and Peace of your own Minds, and deferve, what I fincerely wifh you, the Efteem of all good Men ; and what is of much greater Confequence and Value, the Approbation of God hitnfclti To whom be Dominion, Praiie ant) Glory, by Chrift Jefus, World without End, Amen. JF I n I & 5 > w ■;.• Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 1 1012 01011 5089