344 A SERMON OS' REPENTANCE. of your peace, and as against a fire in your houses, or a plague that were broken out upon the city where you are ! O, then,.how zealously would you all concur promote the interest of holiness in the land, and studiously encourage the servants of the Lord! How severely would you deal with those that, by making amock of godliness, do hinder the salvation of the people's souls 1 'How carefully would youhelp the laborers that are sent to guide men in the holy path! and yourselves would go before the nation as an example of penitent self-loathing for your sins; and hearty conver- sion to the Lord.! Is this your duty now? or it not? If you cannot deny it, I warn you from the Lord, do not neglect it ; and do not, by your disobedience to a convinced conscience, prepare for a tormenting conscience. If you know your Master's will, and do it not, you shall be beaten with many stripes. And your public capacity and work , doth makeyour repentance and holiness needful to others as well as to yourselves. Had we none to govern us, but such as entirely subject themselves to the government of Christ; and none to make us laws, but such as have his law transcribed' upon their hearts, O, what a happy people should we be! Men are unlikely to make strict laws against the vices which they love and live in ; or if they make them, they are more unlikely to execute them. We can expect no great help against drunkenness, swearing, gaming, filthiness, and profaneness, from men that love these abominations so well, as that they will rather part with God and their salvation than theywill let themgo. All men are born with a serpentine malice and enmity against the seed of Christ, which is rooted in their very natures. Custom in sin increaseth this to malignity ; and it is only renewed grace that doth overcome it. If, therefore, there should be any among our rulers that are not cured of this mortal malady, what, friendship can 'be expected from them to the cause and servants of the Lord? If you are all the children of God yourselves, and heaven be your end, and holiness your delight and business, it will then be your principal care to encourage it, and help the people to the happi- ness that you have found yourselves. But if in any the original (increased) enmity to God and godliness prevail, we can expect no better (ordinarily) froni such, than that theyoppose the holiness which they hate, and do their worst to make us miserable., But woe to him that striveth against his ,Maker. Shall the thorns and briers be set in battleagainst' theconsuming fire and prevail ? Isaiah xxvii. 4. 0, therefore, for the nation's sake, begin at home and cast away the sins which you would have the nation cast away ! All men can say, that ministers must teach by their lives, as well as'by their doctrines ; (and woe to them that do not!) and must not magistrates as well govern by their lives, as by their laws? Will you make laws which you would not have men obey ? Or would
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