ecember18. x6d2. 37 Wing heart for fear of the Ark then this is a certain fign thereare but tew thatare the children of God in truth. 0where is the man, and where isthe woinan, that like old Ely, fits watching and trem- Wing for fear of the Ark I I fuppofe you all believe, and have caufe to believe, that mycoming here this Morningwas not by way of de- fign, but tee meer Providence of God, and therefore what I fay , - Mouldbe premeditated ; but this I may fay, and it mutt not be de- nied, but teat the Ark of God is in danger of being loll; and that will appear by thefe Reafons. First, In reference to themany fins in this Nation ;, for let me tell you, there is not one finfor which God ever took away the Ark, from any people, but it is to be found in England : Did the Church of Ephefm lofe the Candleitickebecaufe they had loft their first love? And have not we loft our first love to the Gofpel , and to the Ordi- nances ? And did the Church of Laodicea lofe the Candleffck, be= caufe of hike warmneffe ? and are not we lukewarm ? Did the peo- ple of ffrae/, as here in the Text, lofe the Ark, Lecaufe they abhor- red the offerings of God ? and do not youdo fo ? are not the lire; of frael amongst: us.? the fins of Germany, and the fins of all other Na- tions about us ? And can any man here before God this day, in this Congregation, that confiders the gl eatninthani.fulnefsof this Nation, and the great prophanenefs and wickedneffe of this Nation, but t .ey may conclude.the Ark is in danger, and Godinay juftly take the Ark from us? I might tell you of the drunkennefs, adultery, covetoufnefs, injft- ftice, and.uncharitablenefs, 6-c. that (loth abound arnonqft us ; and I might tellyouofSanetuary fin,, propl-anation of Sabbaths and Se-- crainents. uurunthardcfulnefs and unfruitfulnefs,and unworn y. walk- ing under* the G.ofpel .; and yOu of this place, God may very c, eil take the Ark even from you ; and indeed it was tie great intereft I had in you, the which while I live I fhail ever own ; and that great, affection and refpeet I had toyou, that I Would-not fend you home this day without: Sermon, and let you go without a bleifing. Now , c In any ofyou: in thisParilh, and this Congregation ; ezn any ofyou fay, God may not juftly take the Gofpel from you ? You have had. MO' famous Succeffors, Do for Tay/or for fever,- years, and Donor Stoughton for fe-ven years, andmy Self, I l'ave been with youalmoft four and twenty years, andmay 'not God now UnChurch you by ftiffeeing you to want a faithful Knifter to ri-o in ; - b and out before you ? This is one reafon, up,on which acc,oent I May fafely fay the ArkofGod is in danger and,"//derm,miorymay truly fear the1of of the Ark. fondly,
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