3. Among other parts of godliness, it seemeth to be most necessary now to press the duties of relations. I say, to press Christians to carry themselves holily in their civil relations. Xo way provideth for the discharge of the duties of relations so much as Christianity or re- ligion ; and none have failed in them so much as religious persons of late, so that a great deal of dishonour hath come to God, and a great deal of prejudice to religion, by our unworthy walking in our civil re- lations. The gospel or law of Christ requireth that these civil respects which we owe to men should be discharged as in and to the Lord, and that we should turn duties of the second table into duties of the first ; that is, perform civil respects upon a religious ground, so that it hath been the glory and honour of religion heretofore to yield the best children, the best subjects, the best kings, the best husbands and wives in the world. Therefore Augustine maketli a challenge to all the world, dent exercihtm talem qucdem docirina Christi niilites esse jussit,^ — let all the world, saith he. yield such children, such subjects, such soldiers, such servants, such an army, such provincials, judges, kings; such faith- ful ones, when they have been intrusted with the public monies. But alas ! the case is quite otherwise. Of late, none worse than they, none more apt to dishonour God in relations, to disturb civil peace, to resist magistracy upon every dissatisfaction, and to make every dis- content the ground of commotion and disobedience. Therefore to teach men to improve their relations for the glory of God and good of religion must needs be seasonable, that, if it be possible, we may repair that incomparable loss which religion hath sustained this way.
4. Learn that holy art of compounding peace with purity, that neither may lose its due respect, that we may neither hazard religion by silence nor eager contention. Holiness and peace are daughters of the same Spirit, and may be reconciled. You find them often coupled in scripture: James iii. 17, 'The wisdom that is from above is first pure, and then j^eaceable.' Purity must have the precedence in your endeavours, but peaceableness must not altogether be shut out. So
^ ' Dent exercitum talem qualem doctrina Christi milites esse jussit, tales provinciales, tales parentes, tales domiuos, tales filios, tales seiTos, tales reges, tales judices, tales denique debitorum redditores, et exactores ipsius fisci,' &c. — Aug. ad Marcel, cp. 5.
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Mark ix. 30, ' Have salt in yourselves and peace one with another.' Salt and peace ; he savoury, hut not too tart and austere. I will not direct my hrethren, I do only suggest it.
Thirdly, One word now to the magistrate, and I have done. Oh ! consider, this matter appertaineth to you, ' to strengthen things that are ready to die,' to repair decayed godliness ; this challengeth a chief care; yea, the first place in your dehates, as in the commandments spiritual duties have the precedency of moral. In the name of Christ, then, let me heseech you : —
1. To be holy and godly in your own persons. Oh ! how sad will it be for your souls in the day of the Lord, if you should be employed in the reformation of others, and not be reformed yourselves ; that you should be like Noah's shipwrights, that frame an ark for others, and perish in the waters yourselves ; or like the Jews, that directed the wise men to Bethlehem, but went not themselves thither to worship Christ. Oh ! consider, you ai-e the first sheets of the kingdom ; others are printed after your copy. If the first sheet be well set, a thousand more are stamped with ease. See then that the power of religion prevail over j'our own souls, that, after you have done good to others, 3'ou may not be cast away. How can men think that you are sincere in establisliing of religion, if it hatli made no impression on your own hearts? Scandalous ministers and wicked magistrates do but pull down with one hand what they set up with the other.
2. If you would repair religion, and promote godliness, give encourage- ment to a godly ministry. You see, when Christ writeth to the church to repair godliness, he directeth it to the angel. Oh ! let there be an angel in every church. Christ's strength lieth in his mouth, Isa. xlix. 2 ; that is the sword by which he overcometh the world. It is the weapon he useth against Antichrist, the spirit of his mouth, 2 Thes. ii. 11. As Gideon overcame the Midianites by lamps and pitchers, so doth Christ by lamps and pitchers ; and therefore the apostle calleth it light, or treasure, in an earthen vessel. Oh ! then maintain the lamps, that they may be a means in the hand of God of maintaining godliness in the kingdom. Let there be, as I said, an angel in every church, a light in every socket, a star in every orb. If you look abroad you will find many continued through favour and mediation of friends, qid nihil hahent in vita angelicum, aut in doctrina evan- gelicum,^ that have nothing angelical in their life, or evangelical in their doctrine.