2. The _number_ therefore of the members is no more to be attended to, than the riches or eminence. This is a work of God. It is undertaken in the name of God, and for his sake. It follows, that men who neither love nor fear God, have no part or lot in this matter, _Why takest thou my covenant in thy mouth_, may God say to any of these, _whereas thou_ thyself _hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behind thee_? Whoever therefore lives in any known sin, is not fit to engage in reforming sinners. More especially if he is guilty in any instance, or in the least degree, of profaning the name of God, or buying, selling or doing any unnecessary work on the Lord’s day, or offending in any other of those instances, which this society is peculiarly designed to reform. No: let none who stands himself in need of this reformation, presume to meddle with such an undertaking. First, let him _pull the beam out of his own eye_. Let him be himself _unblamable_ in all things.
3. Not that this will suffice. Every one engaging herein, should be more than a harmless man. He should be a man of _faith_: having at least such a degree of that _evidence of things not seen_, as to _aim not at the things that are seen, which are temporal, but at those that are not seen, which are eternal_: such a faith, as produces a steady _fear of God_, with a lasting resolution, by his grace to abstain from all that he has forbidden, and to do all that he has commanded. He will more especially need, that particular branch of faith, _confidence in God_. It is this faith which _removes mountains_, which _quenches the violence of fire_, which breaks thro’ all opposition, and enables one to stand against and _chase a thousand_, knowing in whom his strength lies, and even when he has _the sentence of death in himself, trusting in him who raiseth the dead_.
4. He that has faith and confidence in God, will of consequence be a man of _courage_. And such it is highly needful every man should be, who engages in this undertaking. For many things will occur in the prosecution thereof, which are terrible to nature: indeed so terrible, that all who _confer with flesh and blood_ will be afraid to incounter them. Here therefore true courage has its proper place, and is necessary in the highest degree. And this, faith only can supply. A believer can say,
I fear no denial; No danger I fear: Nor start from the trial; For Jesus is near.
5. To _courage, patience_ is nearly allied: the one regarding future, the other present evils. And whoever joins in carrying on a design of this nature, will have great occasion for this. For notwithstanding all his unblamableness, he will find himself just in _Ishmael_’s situation, _his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him_. And no wonder. If it be true, that _all who will live godly, shall suffer persecution_, how eminently must this be fulfilled in them, who not content to live godly themselves, compel the ungodly to do so too, or at least to refrain from notorious ungodliness? Is not this, declaring war against all the world? Setting all the children of the devil at defiance? And will not Satan himself, _the prince of this world, the ruler of the darkness_ thereof, exert all his subtlety and all his force, in support of his tottering kingdom? Who can expect, the _roaring lion_ will tamely submit to have the prey plucked out of his teeth? _Ye have_ therefore _need of patience_, that _when ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise_.
6. And ye have need of _steddiness_, that ye may _hold fast_ this _profession of your faith without wavering_. This also should be found in all that unite in this society; which is not a task for a _double-minded man_, for one that is _unstable in his ways_. He that is as a reed shaken with the wind, is not fit for this warfare, which demands a firm purpose of soul, a constant, determined resolution. One that is wanting in this, may _set his hand to the plow_: but how soon will he _look back_? He may indeed _endure for a time. But when persecution or tribulation_, public or private troubles, _arise because of the_ work, _immediately he is offended_.
7. Indeed it is hard for any to persevere in so unpleasing a work, unless _love_ overpowers both pain and fear. And therefore it is highly expedient that all engaged therein, have _the love of God shed abroad in their hearts_: that they should all be able to declare, _we love him, because he first loved us_. The presence of him whom their soul loveth, will then make their labour light. They can then say, not from the wildness of an heated imagination, but with the utmost truth, ♦and soberness.
♦ duplicate ‘and’ removed
With thee conversing, I forget All time, and toil, and care: Labour is rest, and pain is sweet, While thou, my God, art here.