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A31547
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A sermon preached at the Church of St. Mary in Nottingham to the Society for the Reformation of Manners, on July the 6th, being the usual lecture day ...
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Chadwick, Daniel.; Societies for the Reformation of Manners.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing C1788B; ESTC R32608
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15,347
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65
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Solomon are better than one and a three-fold Cord is not easily broken Eccl. 4.12 This Trade is not to be driven on but by a Joint-Stock 'T is not a Work for a few single Persons no nor for some particular Party to Undertake since 't is both weighty and difficult and therefore all whose GOD is the LORD should join their Hands Heads and Hearts together in this matter And tho we may disagree in some smaller things as to matters of Discipline or Modes of Worship yet is there no reason why in this we should not be unanimous VIS unita fortior Even weak things joined together become strong and strong things without Union become weak Satan's Kingdom is not divided The Devil and his Agents stick together Psalm 83.3 c. Those several Nations and different Inteterests lay aside their private Quarrels and Animosities and Confederate against GOD and his People and so they do at this day And is it not high time for us to consult how we may withstand them as they did on the like occasion Mal. 3.16 AT this Back-Door of our Un-natural Divisions have all these Mischiefs of Atheism Blasphemies Looseness and all sorts of Baseness broken in upon us and if these Devils be Cast out it must be by an United Force Come therefore and in pursuance of our Baptismal Covenant let us as Christians join together and instead of fighting one against another let us fight against these Common Enemies of GOD and his Church The World the Flesh and the Devil IT was a rare Example which the Poets tell us of concerning Castor and Pollux These Two being Twins as they feigned and the one Born Mortal and the other Immortal Pollux to shew his love to his Brother yielded so far as to take to himself a part of his Brother's Mortality and to impart to him as much of his own Immortality being better satisfied to enjoy one half Immortality with the good of his Brother than a whole one by himself And was there but somewhat more of this Brotherly Affection Self-Denial and Christian Condescension how would this Work of Reformation prosper 3. RESOLVTION Such as once put their hands to this Plough must not think of looking back Let us remember the Work is GOD'S and let us therefore be neither afraid nor ashamed Let us as we may be concerned mind our Business and conclude with Esther chap. 4. ver 16. If we perish we perish Since as Luther said when engaged about the like Work of Reformation 'T is better to fall with Christ than to stand with Caesar And for your encouragement Ponder what GOD himself saith Isai 51.12 I even I am he saith the LORD that comforteth you who art thou that thou should be afraid of a Man that shall die and of the Son of Man which shall be made as Grass AS also what he said to Ezekiel chap. 2.6 Son of Man be not afraid of them neither be afraid of their Words though Briars and Thorns be with thee and thou dwell among Scorpions be not afraid of their Words neither be dismayed at their Looks though they be a rebellious People And therefore 4. THERE must be due Consideration as to this Matter and according to our Saviours Advice Luke 14.28 Let us sit down and think before-hand what this Undertaking will cost and let us accordingly lay-in an extraordinary Measure of Faith Patience of Meekness and Self-denial since this very probably may be a Time of great layings out Such must expect with the blessed Apostles to go through good Report and bad Report 2 Cor. 6.8 Frowns Threats Brow-beatings Scourges of the Tongue if they escape those of the Hands yea whole Loads of Calumnies and Vollies of hard Names as Hypocrites Proud Rude Factious Singular and what not shall certainly attend them 5. SINCERITY Be not only Hearty and Resolute but Upright in your Ends as to what you thus do let the Glory of GOD the publick Welfare and the Salvation of Souls be in your Eye As we must not do the Work of the LORD negligently so nor foolishly Let there be no mixture of Pride Passion Hatred Malice Faction or Partiality The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of GOD James 1.20 Nor our own Comfort But Sincerity whatever befalls us will keep up our Heads and Hearts from sinking and will readily answer for us before GOD and all the World 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of GOD we have had our Conversation in the World 6. DISCRETION The Wisdom of the Serpent must accompany the Innocency of the Dove As we must not under-do so nor over-do our Christian Work Solomons Caution is not unseasonable Eccles 7.16 Be not Righteous over-much neither be thou over-wise not too severe inquisitive or rigid in Censuring or punishing beyond Rules of Equity without due allowances of humane Frailty Temptations or other Circumstances as to Mens Persons as to the Places you inspect c. considering that MEN especially in Matters of Religion are very apt to run into extreams and as some are too Cold so others are too Hot Some drive on heavily others furiously Nor is there any thing saith one more natural than for extreams in Religion to beget one another like the Vibrations of a Pendulum which the more violently you swing it one way the farther will it return to the other Oh let Zeal and Discretion go together 7. PRAYER and Supplication unto GOD that great Wheel which sets all the rest going In whose Hand are the Tongues Hands and Hearts of all Men from the highest to the lowest together with the Issues of all our Undertakings And three Things should we especially crave on this Account 1. THAT He will vouchsafe more of these stout Champions to assert the Truth and to maintain the Principles of our Religion against all who assault or undermine it Hornock 'T is to be acknowledged saith one as an especial Act of GODS Providence and Goodness towards his Church that in all Ages as Weeds have sprung up some Worthies have been raised who have not slept but have observed and choked them opposing the spreading Infection by the speedy Application of suitable and proper Antidotes AND the same GOD his Name be praised hath not left himself without a Witness in our Days And therefore let us Pray That GOD will send forth more of these vigilant Labourers into his Vineyard more burning and shining Lights to dispel those Fogs and Clouds of Darkness 2. THAT He will stir up the King his Councellors our Senators and all in Authority under him together with all others as they may be concerned to exert their Power in Order to the restraining of these threatning Disorders in Church and State all dangerous Opinions destructive to true Piety and Vertue and all Immoral and Scandalous Practices utterly unbecoming Men and much more Christians As the Apostle directs 1 Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort that first of all Prayers and Supplications and giving of thanks be made for all Men For Kings more particularly together with all in Authority that we may lead peaceable and quiet Lives in all Godliness and Honesty 3. THAT GOD will vouchsafe an extraordinary measure of his Holy Spirit and Presence to direct assist and prosper you in this weighty and worthy Undertaking What Luthers Friend advised him at the Time of his engaging in that dangerous and difficult Work of Reformation I say in the Name of GOD to you of this Society Abi in Cellam dic miserere mei Implore GODS especial Mercy and Blessing upon your Persons Consultations and Endeavours I shall conclude with those encouraging Words of David to Solomon 1 Chron. 22.16 Arise therefore and be doing and the LORD be with you Amen Amen So be it O LORD FINIS Books Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel THe Fountain of Life open'd or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty Two Sermons on various Texts A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original excellent and immortal Nature of the Soul are opened its Love and Inclination to the Body with the necessity of its Separation from it consider'd and improved The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contrived by the Father and accomplished by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto Gods Elect being the second Part of Gospel-Redemption The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Providence its Being and Efficacy asserted and vindicated All the Methods of Providence in our Course of Life open'd with Directions how to apply and improve them Navigation spiritualiz'd or a new Compass for Seamen consisting of Thirty Two Points of pleasant Observations profitable Applications serious Reflections all concluded with so many spiritual Poems c. Two Treatises the first of Fear the second the Righteous Mans Refuge in the evil Day A Saint indeed the great Work of a Christian A Touchstone of Sincerity or Signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie being the second Part of the Saint indeed A Token for Mourners or boundaries for Sorrow for the Death of Friends Husbandry spiritualiz'd Or the Heavenly use of Earthly Things All these Ten by Mr. John Flavel
A SERMON Preached at the CHURCH OF St. Mary in Nottingham TO THE SOCIETY FOR Reformation of Manners On July the 6th being the usual Lecture-Day By DANIEL CHADWICK Vicar of Arnhall and one of the Lecturers there Malachy 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another London Printed for John Richards Bookseller in Nottingham 1698. To all that were Auditors But more especially to the Gentlemen of the Society for Reformation of Manners in the Town and County of Nottingham THOVGH I must and I Hope ever shall readily own my Self an Encourager of this Happy Work of Reformation yet durst I never think my Self Worthy to be a Leader as to this weighty Affair in this Place BVT as GOD hath been pleased to Honour You by Calling You forth to Engage in and Manage this generous and difficult Vndertaking so 't is You who under GOD called Me forth though very unworthy to this more than ordinary Imployment And I acknowledge my Self much bound to GOD and You all for doing Me this Honour as also for Your kind Acceptance of this Mean Service AND as it was at Your Request that I Preached so that I now Publish this Discourse not that I think my Self able to add any Thing to the Labours of those Worthies who have gone before Me in this Way but to satisfie You and to let them and the World know That there are others as well as themselves though an Hundred Miles distant from them who are hearty Well-wishers to that Blessed Design which they of that Renowned City have set on Foot and even to Admiration succesfully managed and promoted I say promoted SINCE it must be thankfully acknowledged That it was some Sparks from their Holy-Fire which have warmed and inflamed us in this colder Climate AND if this Mite may signifie any Thing as to this Sacred Treasury I humbly and thankfully offer it and the Lord Almighty accept and prosper it NOW Sirs That GOD would stand by and strengthen your Hands and Hearts may encrease Your number may stir up all Sorts and Orders of Men to help at this dead-lift May all Prejudices be laid aside our Differences Composed our Hearts Heads and Hands Vnited against this common and dangerous Enemy to GOD and His Church viz. Looseness and Prophaneness may Holiness Righteousness and Sobriety be Encouraged and Practiced by us all is the Earnest Request of SIRS Your affectionate Friend and faithful Servant Daniel Chadwick A SERMON FOR Reformation of Manners c. PSALM 144. Latter Part of the Last Verse Yea Happy is the People whose GOD is the Lord. DAVID in the beginning of this Psalm having praised GOD for the many Favours vouchsafed to his Person doth in this Latter Part Pray for further Favours not towards Himself only but His People also Ver. 11 c. And having enumerated divers Temporal Blessings contributing thereunto He in this last Verse concludes by way of Epiphonema or Acclamation Happy is the People that is in such a Case AND the Truth is That tho' the Blessings forementioned are not necessary to render a Person Happy yet are they requisite to make a People Happy since 't is apparent That a Person if truly Holy may be truly Happy although he be Poor afflicted and despised but so cannot a People be said to be unless they be flourishing and prosperous and blest with Peace and Plenty with Grandure and Renown BUT yet that David might not seem altogether to forget GOD and Himself in this Matter He tells us further That though this be a great yet not the greatest no nor the only Happiness and though a People enjoy these good Things yet are they not to acquiesce here but should look further and higher and that is to have GOD to be their LORD Yea saith He Happy is the People whose GOD is the LORD WHICH Words are spoken by way of Correction or Revocation yet not absolutely as flatly denying any Happiness in those forementioned Temporals But rather Comparatively that is That there is somewhat before them not unlike that Expression of our Saviour in the Gospel Luke 11.28 Yea rather blessed are all they who hear the Word of GOD and keep it Whence this Conclusion offers it self THAT the Enjoyment of GOD as our GOD is that and that only which renders a People truly and compleatly Happy Temporals conduce much towards a Peoples Felicity and ought therefore thankfully to be acknowledged yet Temporals without Spirituals cannot Effect it but where Temporals and especially Spirituals meet together that Nation is blest indeed as Moses tells us Deut. 4.7 8. For what Nation is there so great who hath GOD so nigh unto them as the LORD our GOD is in all Things that we call upon Him for And what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so Righteous as all this Law which I set before you this Day And David also Psal 33.12 Blessed is the Nation whose GOD is the LORD and the People whom He hath chosen for His own Inheritance BY Way of Explication we shall briefly Enquire 1. WHAT this true and compleat Happiness is Ans 'T is an Aggregation of all good Things It consists not in any nor in many nor in any sort of Good but in an Affluence of all and every good Thing so far as the Nature or State of a Person doth require 2. WHAT is it to enjoy GOD or to have GOD to be our LORD Ans He is in a Sense the LORD of all Men and Creatures in general Acts 10.36 But of some in Particular and more especially of those in Covenant with Him whom Moses calls a separated People Exoch 33.16 And a People nigh unto Him and to whom GOD is said to be nigh As Deut. 7.4 The one by those Signs of His Presence His Holy Word and Ordinances and the other by a suitable and becoming Conversation 3. WHAT is that Happiness which is thus Transcendent Or wherein doth it exceed all other Happiness Ans This is that Happiness which reacheth the Church as well as State nay this is the Defence of the one and the other the Palladium of a Kingdom The very Heathens judged themselves safe whilest they kept their Tutelar Gods among them and what need that People fear who can engage the LORD to be their GOD Consult at your leasure Isa 33.16 Ezek. 35.10 Psalm 46.5 6 7. Zech. 2.5 for this Purpose Yea THIS doth extend to Mens Souls as well as Bodies A Nation or Person may have Peace and Plenty and yet if not Peace with GOD and Peace in their own Souls they are far from this Happiness nay THIS will fetch in all other Blessings so far as shall be convenient for that People Godliness is profitable to all Things having the Promises of this Life and of a better 1 Tim. 4.8 And our Saviour gives us his Word That if we seek the Kingdom of GOD and His Righteousness in the first Place all other Things shall be