God in the Gamp

GOD in the Camp: OR, The Only Way for a People to Engage the Presence of GOD with their ARMIES.

IN these Words, (1.) Something is supposed, Namely an HOST of the People of God going forth to War against their Enemies. As a consequent of Mans Apostasy and defection from God, there are Wars , and rumors of Wars: From the enmity that is between the Seed of the Woman , and the Seed of the Serpent , the People of God are often, not only under a necessity to raise Forces for their own defense; but also to go forth in Battle array against their Enemies. That which is supposed in the Text, is, That the People of God in a righteous Cause, and from a Call of God, are going forth in an Offensive War, against God's, and their Enemies.

(2.) The bounden Duty of God's People: When the HOST goeth forth to War; then keep thee from every wicked thing : Words denoting the highest care, and endeavor to approve themselves an Holy People to the Lord: [ Then ] in a peculiar and special manner; not to be understood, as though at other times, they might make bold with any Sin; but that in their preparations for War, their special and peculiar concernment, and care should be to Engage a Holy God on their side, and with their Forces, which cannot be done whilst they take a liberty to indulge themselves in Sin. [ Thee ] comprehensive of Soldiers, Marching out; and the Body of the People, tarrying by the Stuff; neither Soldiers nor People might be careless of his duty.

Keep thee from every wicked thing ] i. e. A Watchful care to avoid all manner of Sin: beware that you dont bring yourselves under the guilt of any Sin. Not only a Watching against Some Sins, but All. A care to keep themselves in their desires and actions from every Sin. True Holiness requires not only avoiding some of the grossest Sins, or many Sins, but every Sin. So that the duty is a careful Watching against all God-Provoking Evils.

DOCTRINE.

That People, that would have the Gracious Presence of GOD with their Armies, must carefully Watch against all God-Provoking Evils.

When a People send forth their Soldiers on any Expedition, they are concerned to have Men of Courage and Activity employed, and these to be well accoutred, and every way prepared for Service. They wish them good Success, yea undoubtedly make many Prayers for their Safety and Success; all these things are very desirable, and commendable: but to the Soldiers prospering and succeeding abroad, its needful that they themselves, and such as stay at home, take heed that they dont provoke the Lord of Hosts and God of Armies to absent Himself from the Camp , or turn an Enemy to their Forces.

In the Prosecution of this Truth consider these particulars.

I. That the Gracious Presence of God with the Armies of His People, is a great Mercy, and absolutely needful for their Prosperity. Its only through God that they can do Valiantly: Therefore that of the holy Psalmist, Psal. 60.9, 10, 11, 12. Who will bring me into the strong City? Who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou O God, which didst not go out with our Armies? Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our Enemies. Zech. 12.5. And the Governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. If an Army want this, what ever preparations are made of choicest Soldiers, and those Equipt after the best sort, they shall either return with shameful disappointment, as to any annoyance to their adversaries, or fall as a prey to the rage and fury of their Enemies; yea the most valiant will easily be swept away: Without this it shall be said, as Jer. 46.15. Why are thy valiant men swept away; they stood not, because the Lord did drive them. Consider here,

1. Wisdom and Counsel for War are from the Lord . Among the Praise worthy Characters of Soldiers the holy Scriptures make mention of this as none of the least, that they are Expert , and Skilful in War , 1 Chron. 12.33, 35, 36. Of Zebulun such as went forth to Battle, expert in war with all instruments of war, fifty thousand which could keep rank , &c. You read in the Scriptures of Counsel and Strength for War , Isa. 36.5. I say, (sayest thou) (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war ▪ Wisdom and Counsel are very needful in all War: There are many War-like Stratagems and devices that require counsel, & sound judgment; when, where, and how to attaque an Enemy, are weighty considerations that require Wisdom and Counsel for War: Preparations for our own defense and safety; Marchings, Encampings, Entrenching, Figures of Battle; Ordering and placing the Soldiery to advantage; Scaling of Walls, do all require Military Wisdom. But Counsel and Wisdom in all is from God: The holy Psalmist acknowledges all his skill to be given to him from God: He says, God taught him , Psal. 144.1. Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to War, and my fingers to Fight.

2. Strength and Courage are from the Lord. 'It is God that girdeth them with Strength. Courage is the gift of God. Though some Persons are naturally of a more robust and courageous Spirit, and temper, than many others; yet it must be acknowledged, that it is God, which maketh them to differ; Yea Men of Courage , are not at all times equally courageous: Experience shows us also, that Persons of a timorous constitution, have at times acted with the highest courage, and bravest resolution: From whence tis evident that valor is given, or taken away as pleaseth God. Strength and courage are very desirable qualifications for Soldiers, to their enduring & going through the Fatigues of a War, and their disputing with the Enemy in the gate, or their encountering the Adversary in the High places of the Field . They must be valiant, that would successfully fight the Battels of the Lord. Therefore that Commendation, 1 Chron. 12.8. And of the Gadites these separated themselves unto David unto the hold of the Wilderness, men of might, & men of War, fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, & were as swift as the roes upon the mountains. Strength and Courage as well as Wisdom & Counsel are from the Lord: It is God that takes away courage from the Adversary, and makes them dismayed: 'Twas He that sent faitness of heart among the Canaanites of old, Josh. 2.9, 10, 11. And she said to the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red-sea for you, when you came out of Egypt, and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites that were on the other side Jordan , &c. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain anymore courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, He is God in Heaven Above, and in earth beneath. It is God that threatens as a punishment of a Peoples Sins to take away courage, Lev. 26.36, 37. I will send a faitness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, and the sound of a shaking leaf shall chase them, and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword: and they shall fall when none pursueth. And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. Amos 2.14, 15. It is God, that gives Spirit and Courage, Zech. 10.5. And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their Enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle, and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them. — It is God that hath said, Jer. 51.30, 31, 32. The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight: they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed, they became as women: they have burnt their dwelling places: her bars are broken. One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another; to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end, And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burnt with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.

3. The Success of the battle is from the Lord. It is He that crowns with the Victory: He gives Success to which party He will; yea tis alone with Him to save by many or by few; yea many times the fewest & weakest have the Victory: Raw & inexperienced Soldiers, carry the Field, when old experienced and well disciplined Soldiers flee away. Its therefore said, 2 Chron. 20.15. Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great Multitude for the battle is not yours, but God's. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you. God can make the Stars in their courses to fight against his Peoples Enemies. That good reforming King Hezekiah speaks comfortably to his Soldiery, when proud insulting enemies were invading, 2 Chron. 32.7, 8. Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be moe with us, then with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battles. See also, Neh. 4.20. Josh. 23.9, 10. For the Lord hath driven out from before you great Nations and strong; but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. Psal. 33.16, 17. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall be deliver any by his great strength. Tho' the horse be prepared for the day of battle, safety is of the Lord: Its therefore said, Eccl. 9.11. Nor the battle to the strong. If valiant, stout-hearted enemies come against God's People, they cant prevail, when God's gracious presence is with them: Psal. 76.3, 4, 5, 6. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah▪ Thou art more glorious and excellent then the mountains of prey. The stout-hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot, and the horse are cast into a dead sleep.

II. P. That People who have the Gracious Presence of God with their Armies, must carefully watch against all God-Provoking Evils.

The Reasons are,

1. Because God is a Holy God , and cannot with any approbation behold iniquity, Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. From the Holiness of God we may argue his Righteousness in frowning upon the Armies of a Sinful People, and refusing to go forth with them: from the Holiness of God we may argue, that it is inconsistent with the Honor of God, to give uninterrupted Success to the Armies of a degenerate Covenant People. When a People wont approve themselves a holy People, God says, That the staff in the hand of their Enemies, is His indignation, Isa. 10.3, 4, 5, 6. And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a chance to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. The Unholiness of a People leaves them naked, and takes away their defense; which made Joshua and Caleb to say, Numb. 14.9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the Land, for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them , — Its therefore said that Aaron had made the People naked, when he complied with their motion in making them a calf, Exod. 32.25. And when Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame amongst their enemies.) It is God that is the defense of his People: It is he that appoints Salvation for Walls & Bulwarks, and always seasonably defends; as Birds flying he defends, but tis where He is the glory in the midst of them, Zech. 9.15. and 12.8. Isa. 4.5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud, and a smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense. When God would encourage his People, in the days of Joshua, to expect his fighting for them and with them, He bids them be holy and obedient, Joshua 1.7, 8, 9. Only be thou strong, and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand, or to the left: that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest , &c.

2 Reas. Because they are the Sins of God's Covenant People , that bring upon them the heavy distressing Calamites of War. Judge. 2 14, 15. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, & he delivered them into the hands of spoilers, that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. Judge. 5 8. They chose new gods; then was war in the gates. How then can God's People hope to speed, and get free from Judgments, that take no heed to Reform and put away the procuring Causes of War? See Josh. 7.11, 12, 13. Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the cursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even amongst their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from amongst you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. See again, Josh. 24.19▪ 20. — Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God: he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

3. Reas. Because God gives them no ground of encouragement to expect His Gracious, Succeeding, Prospering Presence , without taking heed to put away what is an Offence to Him. As is enough evident from the fore-mentioned Scriptures, and multitudes of other places of Scripture. God gives his People sufficient encouragement in a way of holy Obedience and thorough Reformation, to expect his gracious Presence with them in all respects; but on no other account: As Psal. 89.30, 31, 32. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes.

USE I. To convince that People of their Sin and Folly, who boast of the Numbers, and Courage of their Soldiers sent forth on Service, but dont take care to put away, or keep themselves from Sin. The Sins of a People at home do ofttimes more against the Soldiery abroad, than the Sword of the Adversary: Isai. 3.25, 26. Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate, shall sit upon the ground. Its sure, nothing more animates, emboldens and encourages Adversaries, then the Sins of them they fight against: Jer. 50.7. All that found them, have devoured them, and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the Habitation of Justice, even the Lord, the Hope of their Fathers. The Sins of a People in Covenant with God do strengthen the hopes of them that make War against them: Isa. 36.10. And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. When a People walk holily, God is an Enemy to their Enemies: Jer. 2.3. Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him, shall offend, evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. The folly of a Covenant People in this regard is very great, because they know what God saith in this Word of avenging the quarrel of his Covenant, and bringing Enemies against them, and giving them Success; yea they know from the way of God's former Providences towards His own Professing People; how ineffectual a degenerate Peoples Forces have been to resist the anger of God; how He diminished the Armies of backsliding Israel of old, and poured contempt upon them. Their folly is very great because the most essential means of safety and success are neglected, and God's counsel rejected. Again, God does not give them encouragement to rely on Him for success in a way of Apostasy, but rejects their confidences. We can never find Armies courageous, and numerous enough to resist God: Nor can we make Forts so high, and thick, but God can easily throw them down, and make them ineffectual and unserviceable: their Sin and Folly therefore is witnessed against, that repaired their Forts, but disregarded God, Isa. 22.8. &c. And thou didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest. II.V. But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long aloe. See also 15. & 20.

USE. II. This should put us upon enquiring, Whether the fault of the unsuccesfulness of our Soldiery, be not in those of us that stay by the stuff. Are we, have we been keeping ourselves from every Wicked thing? We have reason to take notice of the frowns of God upon us, and be humbled under them, in that God does not go forth with our Armies; or do any great matter by them against our Adversaries: a great deal expended in raising Armies, Wearisome & toilsome Marches by the Soldiery, & very little effected: for God does not go forth with our Forces: How often has our Soldiery been unsuccessful, and Armies returned without any considerable annoyance of our Enemies: how often has God in this way put our Military Troops to shame? Surely such disappointments should put us upon enquiries, Why God thus frowns? What means the heat of his displeasure? God expects to hear all saying, What have I done? There are many complaints on this account. Sometimes, some are ready to murmur against Rulers, (an evil that Israel of old were guilty of when under frowns, they would be complaining and murmuring against their Rulers, and an evil too too prevailing among God's People in every age) as though' the fault was in them, and they the blameable causes of their disasters. Some complain against the Commanders of the Forces employed, & sent forth, as though' they wanted courage, and were faint hearted, or were not Persons of any conduct. Sirs, let me tell you, the fault is very often in them that tarry by the Stuff, they are all the while taking a course to provoke the Lord of Hosts, & God of Armies to be an Enemy to their Soldiers: Far from being affected for the Soldiers abroad, as Uriah was, 2 Sam. 11.11. Sirs, let me ask you who are censuring others for their cowardice, and imputing the want of Success in our War, to those that are employed in sending Forces abroad, or to those that are sent forth, Whither you hant reason to be turning some complaints against yourselves, viz. in taking courses to make God angry with the Land? Who? where is the man of you all? that can stand before our God, who is a consuming fire to the workers of iniquity, when he clothes himself with vengeance, and comes forth in Battle array to punish & humble a Sinful, backsliding People: If God arms Flies, Frogs &c. to come in battle array upon Pharaoh, & the Egyyptians, they cant withstand. If Enemies be in themselves despicable, yet if sent by God and commissioned by him to punish a sinful People, they shall be made very formidable. Verily Sirs, when God so often seems in his Providences to fight against our Armies, it gives us reason in good earnest to inquire whether God be not saying, Neither will I be with you anymore, except you put away the accursed thing .

USE. III. Of Reproof.

1. To reprove Soldiers, and such as go forth to War, that take no heed to keep themselves from every wicked thing. Its great folly and wickedness in you to remain Un-reformed, and to be going on still in your iniquities. One would think that Frontiers & Soldiers should be engaged with all seriousness, and thorowness to be holy, and thoroughly to amend their ways and their doings, they are so often as it were in the jaws of Death, and at the mouth of the Grave: and yet how often cause to fear, whether borders be not borders of Wickedness, & continuing to provoke God to say, as Mal. 1.4.— And they shall call them the border of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation forever. Surely the desolations in so many of our borders should at least occasion all our borders to be solemnly thinking upon that Scripture, Jer. 15.13, 14. Thy substance & thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, & that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you. If in all our borders we approve ourselves holy to the Lord, and keep ourselves from every wicked thing, doubtless God will say as Zeph. 2.8, 9, 10, 11. I have heard the reproach of Moab, & the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, & magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, & the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, & salt pits, & a perpetual desolation, the residue of my people shall spoil them, & the remnant of my people shall possess them. This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached, & magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts. The Lord will be terrible unto them: Surely the frequent disappointments of Soldiers give occasion to ask whether the Holy God , the Lord of hosts , & God of Armies , dont see what is displeasing to the Pure eyes of his glory among them. Surely Soldiers are very much to blame, if by their own Sins, they turn back the weapons of their own Warfare, & prove traitors to themselves. Is there not ground to fear whether the Sins of Soldiers, not only before but in their Service do not provoke God at least to say, That He wont honor them to do any great Service for Him, or His People . The insatiable Tiplings of Soldiers at Ordinaries, their delighful Debauching of themselves with Strong Drink, when ever they can come at it, to ingratiate themselves with one another; are not the way to ingratiate themselves with God; if they by wickedness debase themselves, they take a course either to return with shame under such humbling considerations that God was not with them, and that they have not performed any heroical Actions; or to fall down among the slain in the day of God's anger. Soldiers must not be Enemies to God themselves , by their Sins, if they would be thought to do God Service in fighting against his Enemies . Our Armies should be HOLY to the Lord: Its through God alone you can do valiantly: what a madness then to Sin away the gracious presence of God from you? and to provoke him to say, I will not be with you .

2. To reprove all such who tarry at home, (when the Host goes forth to War) and take no care to keep themselves from every wicked thing. How very faulty and blame worthy are all those that indulge themselves in God-provoking Evils to a making the Land guilty before God? Its Sin at any time, but this gives a farther accent to the Sin of a People, and is a real aggravation of their Sinfulness, that they refuse to amend their ways and their doings, when their Armies are in the Field.

1. You act as though' you had no Bowels of Charity to your Friends, Relations & Neighbors, and are doing of them the greatest injury. You cry out against the Enemy for Murdering so many. Sirs, your ways and your doings procure these things: I may say, our Apostasies from God and Holiness, kill our Friends, & open the Grave for many of our acquaintance. You cant express your charity and love to your Neighbors and Friends who jeopard their Lives in the high places of the Field, whilst by your Sins you are separating between them & their God. The Sins of a Covenant People do more against their Armies & Frontiers, and slay more of their Friends than their Enemies can do.

2. You are hereby an occasion of a great deal of dishonor to the Holy God , and the holy Religion you profess. By your means the Adversaries reproach the true Religion as though' God disowned it, because he frowns upon the Armies of them that profess it; the Enemies reproach & defy the Armies of the Living God . Our Armies would be a terror to our Adversaries, and would have been very Victorious, were it not for our Apostasy. You blame them that do defy our Armies; but much blame belongs to you that occasion their being reproached. You are dreadfully in love with your Lusts, or you would not be thus gratifying of them, to the prejudice of Religion, to the endangering the Land, to the reproach of the Armies of the God of Israel. Your hearts are removed far from God, who cannot at such a day and under such circumstances, be prevailed with to be a holy people to the Lord: may we not say you are the Troublers of God's Israel ▪

3. You are dreadfully stupid under, & unaffected with the Wrath of God that burns so against us this day. Isa. 42.24, 25. God has brought such desolations that have made the Ears of them that hear of them to tingle: yea to give an occasion to say as to some of our own Plantations, Go to my house at Shiloah, & see what I have done ; and yet how many so unawakened under so many Sins and Judgments past, that they are at present running upon the thick bosses of God's buckler, who are Sinning to the procuring guilt to their own Souls, and the Land, without fear.

4. You are very Presumptuous whilst you look for great Success to your Forces in such a way of unreformedness. Your Prayers, so long as such idols are set up in your hearts, are not like to be prevailing, are like to be as unserviceable to your Hosts abroad, as they to you; yea you may expect that God will answer by Terrible Things , and yet in Righteousness , when you wont hearken to the voice of God to amend your ways and your doings: Ezek 14 8. &c. Many Prayers, Days of Prayer & Fasting, without Reformation, are not likely to be acceptable Prayers to God: They are not such Fasts as he has chosen.

Last VSE. Of Exhortation, to Exhort you to labor to be a Holy People ▪ and to be keeping from every Wicked thing . All those that stay at home may do a great deal to further, or hinder the Success of our Armies. Your Prayers of Faith, your holy Examples, your painful Endeavors to promote Holiness, & effect a Reformation of Provoking Evils, may do a great deal of Service.

1. God stands as it may be said with his Drawn Sword in his hand to awaken you to a necessary Reformation. He dont only threaten▪ but gives you to hear what Armies He has in a readiness, either to drive you to your Duty, or punish you for your refusals of Obedience. God has already mixed many a bitter cup for us to drink, to put us upon considering, & says to this day, That his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still: You cannot resist God & Prosper. When the Trumpet is blown and such Alarming providence, to warn, how▪ sad if by our security & bold impenitency we provoke God to sheathe his Sword in our bowels, & cause the slain of the Lord to be many.

2. If you go on in your Unreformedness, you will be an occasion of our Hosts going out to meet the Enemy with the guilt of a backsliding People upon them. No Army your Forces can meet with can be so formidable, as the Guilt of a People Apostatizing from God, and holy Obedience. The Sword of our Soldiery would not return empty, our Hosts would perform praise worthy Actions, our Warriours would do valiantly if our iniquities dont dishearten & disappoint them. Oh! make hast, to get Guilt removed, endeavor that the controversy between God & the Land may be removed, that our Peace may be made with God; & then he will be as the Lord of our Hosts.

3. Your being holy & keeping from Sin, will be every way beneficial to yourselves. God will do you no harm if you repent & turn to him; He will crown your Forces with Success▪ as birds flying he will defend your Plantations: It will be beneficial to you as to your Worldly Interests; a great deal of your Substance that is spent on your Lusts, will be preserved; & those heavy Charges under which you groan, will be prevented. Such breaches, and bereavements in Relations, Towns, Families & Neighbourhoods, causing such distressing, amazing Sorrows & Griefs, will be prevented; such strifes & unhappy Contentions that take away our comfort, and are so ominous, will be a • at end; terrors & accusation of your own Consciences, informed from the word of God, prevented, & your Souls will be filled with God's love & grace in every respect for Soul & Body; it will be a Gain and Benefit to you to be Holy.

4 You will by Unreformedness augment the fierce anger of God▪ & bring a farther decay upon Religion. If instead of reforming Sins warned of, and witness'd against; we grow angry with them that warn us, & wont be reformed; we shall procure great guilt to ourselves: Ier. 26 18, 19. If we cant bear to have our Sins Witnessed against to put us upon reforming & amending, we must yet prepare to bear the indignation of the Lord, and must feel the effects of God's Wrath. Is the iniquity of P •• r too little from which we are not purged to this day? hant we guilt enough to make us miserable enough? Is not Religion dying and languishing? are not the things that remain, ready to die?

Let us then labor to get a right knowledge what the God-provoking Evils are that are among us, and carefully set ourselves against them. Are they not Contempt of Christ, Gospel Grace, & Gospel institutions, making way for the manifest works of the Flesh, in Wantonness, Drunkenness, Idleness & Pride? Are there not unhappy Contentions, Murmurings, reproachful Censuring of one another, & Covetousness, with a Luke-warmness of Soul in our Profession?

Let everyone carefully in their place set themselves to Reform, and amend: Those that are in Civil Authority should not hold the Sword in vain. All that God has commissioned to Preach in his Name, should in Life & Doctrine endeavor a Reformation, & improve their interest & power for the Suppressing of Sin. All heads of Families should engage in a speedy & thorough care that we may be a People Saved from our Degeneracy, and become a holy People to the Lord; and then God will say with respect to our Forces, as Josh. 5.13, 14. And Joshua went unto him & said unto him, Art thou for us or for our Adversaries? And he said nay but as a Captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come.