I2 1 Chri,fit comingU At our midnight, did they ever thirike that Chrift would havecome upon them at filch a midnight ? Here is a great deliverance and victory that is now beforeye : If relations (peak true, two thoufand and five hundred, putting to flight eight thouland of the enemy, fifteene hundred Elaine, three thoufand taken pri- loners, and the reit fcattered : But all I poor deceived people who made this in furredion ? did they ever thinke that Chrift would have come fo fuddenly, in fuch a time, at midnight upon them ? Confider all your warres , andhath not Chrift come at midnight all along ? Chrift is in the way tohis King- dome , and every flep he takes (hall bemidnight ; both unto tholehe comes for, and thofe that he comes againft; but woe to them whomhe doth come againft, it is adreadfull thing to be cutt off fuddenly,and furprized in our fins, This is a judg- ment threatned on the latter day , Chrift will come quickly, be quicklwithmen in a way of judgment: as a thief in the night will he come, when poor foolifh virgins (hall be faft afleep. I would here therfore exhort and befeechye in the Lord,to confider the grounds ye (land upon , the principlesye worke. by, the caufe ye mannage ; and I appeale to you, whether doye not thinke that God is in all thefe warres , that the e- vent of battels is only in the hand of God ? Some of you, no friends to Parliament , nor the caufe of God in their hands , have tryed many wayes ( as once Balaana,) to curfe grad; fometimes ye have got upon one hill , and thereye have built an altar, thinking from thence to curfe Gods people ; when that would not do , thenye got upon a fecond ; when ye could not do it from thence , then ye got to a third moun- tame: one while ye thought to have done it by the ftrength of your old skilful! foldiery ; when that would not do , then ye 'came home, and fought to make divifions among us, and to rade 3 ealoufies betweenbrethren; feeing that would not do it futficiently,you have now gotten to a third mountain, labour- ing to fir up the Countreys tomake infurreclion , and yet youcannot curfe themfrom thence. Wherefore now after all, do ye not thinke that God is againft you? can ye beleeve that God is with you , after all thele fucceflive victories that have fallen
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