SERMON LIV. 161 ptoaches of Christ to you, as your ornament and glory. Go on dauntless against such oppositions. if you knowhow to encoun- ter these I have mentioned with courage you may contemn all the rest. Adore that God, that has kept the honour of your societies hitherto : and so supported their credit, that the spite of all the powers of darkness, and the smoke of hell bath not been able to sully your reputation, or sink your esteem amongst the men of wisdom and virtue. , II. Another discouragement you meet with proceeds from the magistrates. Some of the inferior rank refuse to assist you in seizing the criminals whom you have discovered : And some inhigher stations that should punish thevicious, rather brow-beat and discountenance the reformers. pot our God be praised that thereare some of higher and.lower rank thatjoin their hearts and their hands with yours. Their zeal and power are engaged in . the wars of the Lord against sin : May their names be honoured upon earth, and their reward be great in heaven ! But let such as appear on the side of sia blush and be ashamed that they should use the authority which they receive from God, to countenance or favour the enemies of his holiness : Let them know that there is " a higher than the highest on earth, that beholds the perverting of justice and judgment in a province ;" Fie. v. 8. Let them be put in mind of that awful judgment- seat, before which all mankind must stand upon a level ; where their commissions cease for ever, and their distinguish- ing ranks of place and power are known no more. Though it hath been said, " ye are Gods, yet ye shall clip as men ;" Ps. lxxxii. 6. Remember therefore the tribunal to which you most give up an account of your magistracy. What will you say to the Judge, " whose eyes are a flame of fire," when he shall de- mand of you, did " ye 'indeed speak righteousness on earth ? Diet yejudge uprightly, O ye sots of men ;" Ps. lviii. 1. Have ye stood, "for the praise of them that do well," and been "a terror to evil-doers," or have you " bore the sword in vain ?" Wherein have ye appeared the " miuisterssof God," if ye have never " executed wrath upon him that doth evil ?" Ro:n. xiii. 3, 4. Then shall the sentence of the Lord go forth against those that have justified the wicked for cowardice or for covetousness. For to "justify the wicked is an equal abomination in the sight of God as to condemn therighteous;" Prov. xvii. 15. II.I. The loss of time and the expellee of money in the prosecution of vice through the courts of justice, is more than your private circumstances will bear. This I confess is a discouragement to some, but we may find some relieffor it. It is true you are not to neglect the neceesaeyduties that you owe to VOL. ni. L
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