A REFORMATION SERMON. 531 days of popery are mentioned with everlasting honour and why should a refermer of lives and manners bé reckoned a scandalous title? But let us examine these scandals a little more particularly, that by discovering the injustice, the impudence and falsehood that is mingled. with them, you may learn to despise them all. 1. They say, " Ye are busy bodies, it is the magis- trate's place, to punish vice ; it is his work to put the laws in execution, and not yours." Answer them, that ye are but assistants to the magistrate in that work ; and all her majesty's subjects are required to assist persons in authority in the discharge of their office. How could a magistrate punish sin, or execute the penalties of the law, if no criminals were found out, and seized and brought before him ? It becomes therefore every good subject ofthe queen, every lover ofhis country, and every servant of the living God, to lend his hand to this work : You are not called to the uncharitable and anti-Christian task of afflicting tender consciences for different senti- ments in religion. Prince and people are well agreed that violence is not the true method of promoting the gospel of peace. Conscience is not so rhuch as' pre- tended by the sinners which you prosecute, they are common nuisances, and the reformation of them is a public benefit to mankind. 2. They cry out upon you as severe and cruel, and uncompassionate; that you deal hardlywith your neigh- bours, by bringing them to public justice. Here I 'am bold to answer for you, that it is uneasy and self- denying work, and that you had rather be employed in propagat- ing virtue by milder methods, if they might but obtain success. Here I must also ask liberty to say för myself, that it is an unpleasing task to me to excite you to accuse even your vicious neighbours, and awaken the rod of the magistrate to punish them : But I am convinced of the necessity of carrying on this sort of war against sinners, lest the whole nation become a field of wickedness. I had rather, much rather preach the gospel of the grace of God, and that large forgiveness of his which hides a mhl= titude of sins : I had rather be relating to you divine histories, how the - accuser of the brethren has been over- come by the blood of the Lamb. But when the drag, and his ange's raise a 4rar in a Christian kingdom, «ßt2._.
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