8. “But if the end you aim at, be really to reform sinners, you chuse the wrong means. It is the word of God must effect this, and not human laws. And it is the work of ministers, not of magistrates. Therefore the applying to these, can only produce an outward reformation. It makes no change in the heart.”
It is true the word of God is the chief, ordinary means, whereby he changes both the hearts and lives of sinners: and he does this chiefly by the ministers of the gospel. But it is likewise true, that the magistrate is the minister of God: and that he is designed of God to be a terror to evil doers, by executing human laws upon them. If this does not change the heart, yet to prevent outward sin, is one valuable point gain’d. There is so much the less dishonour done to God, less scandal brought on our holy religion, less curse and reproach upon our nation, less temptation laid in the way of others. Yea, and less wrath heaped up by the sinners themselves against the day of wrath.
9. “Nay, rather more: for it makes many of them hypocrites, pretending to be what they are not. Others, by exposing them to shame, and putting them to expence, are made impudent and desperate in wickedness: so that in reality none of them are any better, if they are not worse than they were before.”
This is a mistake all over. For 1. Where are these hypocrites? We know none who have pretended to be what they were not. 2. The exposing obstinate offenders to shame, and putting them to expence, does not make them desperate in offending, but afraid to offend. 3. Some of them, far from being worse, are substantially better, the whole tenor of their lives being changed. Yea 4. Some are inwardly changed, even from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.
10. “But many are not convinced, that buying or selling on the Lord’s day is a sin.”
If they are not convinced, they ought to be: it is high time they should. The case is as plain as plain can be. For if an open, wilful breach both of the law of God and the law of the land, is not sin, pray what is? And if such a breach both of divine and human laws is not to be punished, because a man is not convinced it is a sin, there is an end of all execution of justice, and all men may live as they list.
11. “But mild methods ought to be tried first.” They ought. And so they are. A mild admonition is given to every offender, before the law is put in execution against him: nor is any man prosecuted, till he has express notice, that this will be the case, unless he will prevent that prosecution, by removing the cause of it. In every case the mildest method is used, which the nature of the case will bear: nor are severer means ever applied, but when they are absolutely necessary to the end.
12. “Well, but after all this stir about reformation, what real good has been done?” Unspeakable good; and abundantly more, than any one could have expected, in so short a time, considering the small number of the instruments, and the difficulties they had to encounter. Much evil has been already prevented, and much has been removed. Many sinners have been outwardly reformed; some have been inwardly changed. The honour of him whose name we bear, so openly affronted, has been openly defended. And it is not easy to determine, how many and how great blessings, even this little stand, made for God and his cause, against his daring enemies, may already have derived upon our whole nation. On the whole then, after all the objections that can be made, reasonable men may still conclude, a more excellent design could scarce ever enter into the heart of man.
III. 1. But what manner of men ought they to be, who engage in such a design? Some may imagine, any that are willing to assist therein, ought readily to be admitted; and that the greater the number of members, the greater will be their influence. But this is by no means true: matter of fact undeniably proves the contrary. While the former society for reformation of manners, consisted of chosen members only, tho’ neither many, rich, nor powerful, they broke thro’ all opposition, and were eminently successful in every branch of their undertaking. But when a number of men, less carefully chosen, were received into that society, they grew less and less useful, till by insensible degrees, they dwindled into nothing.
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.