To find out the cause hereof, I shall briefly consider all sorts of per- Kons who are concerned to plant this heahng tree, whose root is re- pentance, and whose fruit is reformation of life. And they are of three sorts: — 1. Magistrates; 2. Ministers; 3. The people them- selves.
Unless there be a concurrence of the endeavours of them all, in their several places and duties, there will l)e no such public work of repentance and reformation -wrought as is suited unto the turning away of public calamities. But yet, though it be the express duty of them all, though it be their interest, though it cannot be omitted but
THE DESIGN OF IMPENDENT JUDGMENTS. 631
at their utmost peril, as unto temporal and eternal events, yet it is a marvellous hard and difficult work to prevail with any of them to engage vigorously in it. Some do not think it necessary; — some, after conviction of its necessity, either know not how to go about it, or linger in its undertaking, or are quickly wearied ; — some wish it were done, so as that they may not be at the trouble of it.
Let us consider them distinctly, —
First. As unto magistrates. When Jehoshaphat set himself to reform the church, or his kingdom, to escape the judgment that was denounced against them, he appointed for magistrates and judges men fearing God and hating covetousness. And his charge unto them
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was, " Let the fear of the Lord be upon you ; take heed and do it. Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LoRD, faithfully, and with a per- fect heart," 2 Chron. xix. 7, 9. Without this there will be no public reformation ; and therefore the first difficulty of it ariseth from this sort of persons, and that upon two accounts : —
1. That magistrates themselves do live in sin, and love it, and hate to be personally reformed ; yea, take delight in them that openly live in sin also, — which is the height of wickedness, "Rom. L 32. When magistrates are profane swearers, or scotfers at the power of religion, or drunkards, or unclean persons, or covetous oppressors, a great ob- struction must needs be laid in the way of public repentance and reformation ; neither doth this difficulty at present arise merely from their personal sins and miscarriages, but also from the want of con- viction, and a sense of their duty in their places, with the account which they must give thereof For, —
2. They seem not to believe that the attempting of this work is any part of their duty, or that they are concerned therein. Let it, therefore, be never so reasonable, so equal, so important, so necessary unto the deliverance and salvation of any people, if those who should further it in the first place do obstruct and hinder it, it will be at- tended with difficulties. Ill examples and negligence have ruined this nation.
Wherefore, we may lay it down as an assured truth, which the text will confirm, —
That unless magistrates, who have the visible conduct of the people, are convinced that it is their duty to promote the work of repentance and reformation at this time, by then own example, and in the dis- charge of their offices, the case of this nation is deplorable, and not to be relieved but by sovereign grace and mercy. For what shall the people do, when they see their guides, unto whose pattern they con- form themselves, utterly regardless of any such thing? This is one means of the difficulty which is found among us, of affecting the minds of men with this equal constitution.
Go2 THE DESIGN OF IMPENDENT JUDGMENTS.
Secondly. Those Avho are principally concerned herein arc minis- ters, or those who have the administration of the word and ordinances of the gospel committed unto them. Unto these is this Avork given in charge in an especial manner. They have the principal means of repentance and reformation committed to their management. From them is the beginning and carrying on of this work expected and required. Hereof, as unto their sincerity and diligence, tliey must give an account at the last day. And if this spring be stopped, whence should the refresliing waters of repentance and reformation arise ? But yet herein the principal difficulty of the whole work doth con- sist. For, —
1. Some there are, pretending unto this office, in whom lies no small part of the evil that is to be reformed ; — persons who labour among the most forward to fill up the measure of the iniquities of this nation ; such as whose ignorance, negligence, profaneness, and debauchery, are, in all their effects, transfused and comnmnicated unto all that are about them. Shall we expect that such persons will be instru- mental in the reforming of others, who hate to be reformed them- selves? Jer. xxiii. 15. It was so of old. But, — ■-
2. There are very few of this sort of persons who will be at the charge of carrying on this ivork. They may quickly find what it will cost them ; for unless they are exemplary in it themselves, it is in vain once to attempt the pressing of it upon others. They cannot go about it without great retrenchings of that which they have es- teemed their liberty in the course of their conversations. All com- 2:»liance with unrefoniied persons, for secular ends; all conformity unto the course of the world, in jollities and pride of life; all ostenta- tion of riches, wealth, and power; all self-seeking and self- pleasing; all lightness and carnal confidences, — must utterly be cast away. And not only so, but unless, by incessant prayers and supplications, Avith earnestness and perseverance, they labour for fresh anointings with the Spirit of grace in their OAvn souls, that faith, and love, and zeal for God, and compassion for the souls of men, and readiness for the cross, may revive and flourish in them, — they will not be usefid, nor instrumental in this work. And is it any wonder that the most of them think it better to suffer things to go on at the present rate, than to venture at that which will cost them so dear in its pui'suit? The truth is, I know very few, if any, who are meet and fit to engage in this work in a visible eminent manner; — those who have the best, almost the only, opportunities for it, seem to be asleep.