3. Besides the charge they must be at themselves, they perceive the opposition they shall meet withal from others. They find that they shall not only disoblige and provoke all sorts of persons, and lose many of their useful friends, but also cxi)ose themselves unto
THE DESIGN OF IMPENDENT JUDGMENTS. 633
obloquy, scorn, contempt, and reproacli of all sorts. He is a lost niau in this world, who, without respect of persons, will engage seriously in this work ; every day he shall find one or other displeased, if not pro- voked. This neither they nor their families can well bear withal. Indeed, the hardest and most difficult sei-vice that ever God called any of his ministers unto, excepting only Jesus Christ and his apostles, hath been in the endeavouring the reformation of backsliding or spi- ritually-decayed churches. These are the two witnesses which, in all ages, have prophesied in sackcloth. Such was the ministry of Elijah, which brought him unto that conclusion, and an earnest longing to be delivered by death from his work and ministry, 1 Kings xix. 4. So was that of Jeremiah, in the like season, whereof he so complains, chap. XV. 10. John the Baptist, in the same work, lost first his liberty, then his life. And, in after ages, Chrysostom, for the same cause, was hated by the clergy, persecuted by the court, and at length driven into banishment, where he died. Most men care not how little a share they have in such a work as this, whose reward will reach them according to the proportion of their engagement in it. All churches, all persons almost, would willingly be let alone in the condition wherein they are; — they that would press them unto due reformation, ever were, and ever will be, looked on as their trouhlers.
Hence, then, it is that our wound is incurable : — Few of this sort are convinced of the present necessity of this duty ; they hope things are indifferently well with them and then flocks, — that they may en- dure their time well enough. Few are willing to undergo the charge and trouble of it, — to put all their present circumstances into disorder. Few have received an anointing for the work ; many are able to dis- pute against any attempts of it ; and not a few have expectations of strange deliverances without it, What is left us in this case shall afterward be declared.
Thirdly. It is difficult also on the account of the i^&ople that are to be reformed. It is hard to convince them of its necessity, — hard to persuade them to endeavour it, — hard to get them to persevere in attempts for it.
Some of the reasons hereof we may briefly consider; as, —
1. That self-justification and approbation of themselves which all sorts of persons, both by nature and by incurable prejudices, are in- clined unto, lie at the bottom of this fatal negligence. When they see all things amiss, they will grant that there is some reformation necessary ; but that it is so for others, and not for them. Those that are worse than they (as there are but few who do not thmk, on one pretence or other, that there are many worse than themselves), they suppose this duty is necessary unto, — but not unto them. And if there are none visibly so, yet they will make them, and judge them
634 THE DESIGN OF IMPENDENT JUDGMENTS.
SO to be. But whilst men have a fomi of godliness, though they deny the power thereof, they will justify themselves from all need of refor- mation. Churches will do so, and all sorts of professors of religion will do so, — especially if they have any peculiar notion or practice which they value themselves upon. So was it with the Jews of old, Jer. vii. 9, 10; and with the Pharisees in the days of our Saviour, John ix. 40. It is so at this day ; and it is a rare thing to meet with any who will own themselves to stand in need of real laborious refor- mation.
Hence it is that no churches would ever reform themselves ; which hath been the cause of all division and separation, whereby some have been saved from a general apostasy. They all approve themselves in their state and condition ; which is come to that height in the papal church that they boast themselves infallible, and not capable of reformation in any thing. I j^ray God secure others from the like presumptions ! It will be their ruin by whom they are entertained. Yet so it is at this day. Most churches think they need more revenues, more honour, more freedom from ojyposition, more submission of all men unto them ; but they almost abhor the thought that they stand in need of any reformatiort.
2. The nature of the work itself renders it difficult ; for it requires a general change of the course wherein men have been engaged; — a thing as difficult as to cause the streams of a mighty river to change their course and run backward. Vicious habits must be subdued, — inclinations rivetted in the mind by long practice and custom be east out, — ways of conversation promoted and strengthened b}^ all sorts of circumstances changed ; — which render the work unto some men im- possible. So the prophet declares it, Jer. xiii. 23, " Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Men cannot easily unlearn what they have been so taught or accustomed unto. The mighty poAver of God on the souls of men, both as unto individual persons and whole societies, is required unto this change. So it may be \\T.'ought, and not otherwise, Isa. xi. 6-9.