Now it being the Glory of the King's Throne, to fupport and be fupported by the Liberties of a brave People, all who have an Affection for either, fhould look upon immoral and vicious Perfons, as Confederates with the Pretender against the Crown and Government of our gracious King, and all the valuable Liberties of our dear Country. There is yet greater Reason why fuch Perfons fhould be reckoned Enemies of all Religion, and of the Proteftant Reformation in particular; and how easy it is to ftep from thence to an Enmity to the Proteftant Succeffion, every one may fee. The Proteftant Doctrine makes real Reformation effential to true Religion, and that in Life and Manners, as well as Faith and Worship. Now this creates unconquerable Averfion to it in the Libertine; and why fhould fuch, how can they indeed be zealous to fupport a Government, for the fake of preserving a Religion, to them the moft grievous and infupportable of any? Befides, Popery has long used the accurfed Policy of accomodating it felf, as to fome Mens Ambition, fo to all Mens Vices. How well does it fuit a Libertine to hear of a religious Project that offers an Expedient to reconcile a lewd and vicious Life with the Hopes of Eternal Happiness? To hear they may escape the Sentence and Condemnation of God's Law, by the fame Method of Intereft or Money, in which, it is to be feared, they have often eluded the Laws of their Country? And though from their own Actions they have reason to fear all the Judg ments ments threatned by God's Law, they may yet have what Stock of Merit they please in the Pope's general Bank, and fully fecure their laft Chance, by Pardons, Indulgences, Abfolutions, and Extreme Unctions. What Rake, or what Strumpet would not join in the Cry for High-Church, Popery, and the Pretender, when they bring with them the admirable Secret of affigning to the Rake the Devotion of an Anchorete, and to the lewd Woman the Chastity of a Nun? No wonder fuch Perfons fill the Cry of, No Hanoverians, No Low-Church. They would be as ready to cry, No Herefy, no Proteftant; for there is no greater Herely to them, than a Doctrine which requires Purity of Manners, and virtuous Actions. Have you any Concern then, Gentlemen, for the Security of a Government, that is the Security of your Religion and Liberties? you fee how much it fhould be your Concern, how much 'tis your Duty and Intereft, to reform the Manners of the People; to countenance and help forward all honourable Endeavours of the Societies towards it. Open Vice, Immorality, and Prophanefs countenanced or unreftrained, are the most dangerous Enemies to our prefent Establishment; great Originals of the many Tumults and Riots that have been committed against us, and that great Fondness for the popish Religion, and a popish Pretender, which hath been fo openly declared of late. You cannot but fee this, if you will open your Eyes; and how can you answer it to your King, D A the your your Country, your Pofterity, to give the leaft Difcouragement to those who generously labour to reform the Age; nay not to give the utmoft Encouragement to them, and make their Work as eafy as you can ? Muft they give over the Attempt because you have not Leifure, that is, not Inclination to lend them any Help? And what will be the Confequence? Not only great Part of the Kingdom, but many other Nations, kindled by the Zeal of our Societies, and formed upon their Model, have gone on fo vigorously as to be Examples to their Originals. Can we, who had the Honour to bring them into the Field, defert them in the noble Warfare, but to our eternal Confufion and Disgrace? And can Magiftrates, who have any Regard. for Virtue, or Senfe of Religion, from mere Indolence and Love to Eafe, lend an hand to. bring us under this Reproach? Think, Gentlemen, what will become of us, if you fuffer these Societies to be broken or born down. For if while they oppose their whole Force, backed with your Authority, it is as much as they can do to make an honourable Stand: If the Wretches that debauch our Children and Servants, and train up for the Gallows, can find Money, Friends and Advocates to entangle the Profecutions, and by increafing the Difficulty and Charge, make the Law a Terror to them that do well: If thofe Laws that fence about your Property, and guard your Peace, are fo often violated now: If Religion is not only neglected but insulted, the Sabbath profaned and God blafphemed phemed; If Diffolutenefs and Debauchery now face the Sun, and often outbrave both Heaven and you at once; Good God! what would it be if there were none to call for Juftice? If there were none to make the Laws heard and felt, or Sinners afraid, by the due Execution of them, which is their only Significancy; the Devil would return upon us with feven Spirits worse than the former. All future Attempts for a reforming Society would be laught out of Countenance; and a Flood of Iniquity, that has been long fwelling on its Dam, would at length bear down all be fore it. Sin would be triumphant: The very Laws against Immorality would become obfolete, or voted a Publick Nuisance, and Abridgment of the Peoples Liberty. Can you call your felves Chriftians? Can you have any love to Virtue or good Manners, and not dread Things coming to this pass, or not exert your felves to prevent it? Let me urge this one Confideration farther upon you, that as the forming these Societies was one of the happiest Omens to the Nation; fo their Disbanding, or giving over their Endeavours for want of due Encouragement from you, would be the most threatning Prefage of God's giving us up as a People that hate to be reform'd: over whom he might pronounce, He that is filthy let him be filthy ftill: or what was formerly the Sentence of an abandon'd People, The Bellows are burnt; the Lead is confumed in the Fire; the Founder melteth in vain, for the Wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate Silver fhall Men count them, because the Lord |