li !!! 37 2 A Sermon Preachedat Aldermani;uryChurch, Secondly, Another Reafon- is, 'the abundance ot Priefts andlefu- its that are in the midit ofus, and the preaching ofPoperyamongst us, and the pronenefs ofpeople to run headlong to the Garlick and Onyonsof Egypt agahl. This is argument fufficient to make us be- lieve the Ark of God is in danger. And fliall I adde, the -difcontents and c';vilions in the Nation, as Chrift faith, A Natim.diVided 1'41'11 it felf cannot (land ; but I leave thek things to your confiderations - I do believe there is none here but will confefs the Ark ofGod is in danger to be loft. Bat nowwhere are our old Eiy's,to fit watching and trembling for fear of the Ark ? Where is Phinehat his Wife, that would not be comforted, becaufe the Ark ofGod was taken ? Where are our Mofet's-s? Our Elijah's ? our titiah's ? Where are they that lay to heart the dangers of the Ark ? You complain ofTaxes, and decay of Trading, of this civil burden, and that civil burden ; but where is the man or the woman that complains of this mifery, the lots of the Ark ? Molt of you are like GAG, he cared not for t lefe things, if it had Leen a civil matter, thenhe would have medled ith it ; but for Religion, he careth not for-that : every man is troubled about 12 cum and totum, about civil concernments ; but who lays to Heart ? who regards what Mall become of Religion ?. There is a itrange kindof indifferency and lukewarmnefs upon molt peoples fpi- rits fo theymay havetheir Trading goon, and their civil burdens removed, they care not what becomes oftheArk. There is a Text of Scripture, I shall not fpend much time in opening it, but I would have you well confider it , Hof 7. 9. Strangers have divoured her flrength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there up- pon him, yet he knowethnot. Shall I fay grayhairsare upon-the Cof- pel ? I come not hither to prophecy ? I fay not the Gofp:1 is dyin,, but I fay it bath grayhairs ; for you have had the Gofpel a hundred years and above, and therefore it is in its old age ; and I dare dial- lenge any Schollar to chewme an example ofany nation that bath en- loyed the Gofpel for a hundred years together. Now that ggray hairs is to a, hundred years, is no wonder : Well, grayhairs are ti ere and there, and yet no man layette it to heart.: Now I (hall fpend time to (hew 'you what a great'fin it not to -be affected with the danger that the Ark ofGodis in ; confider but 'earee particulars. It, is a fign you do not love the Gofpel ; ifyou hidany loVe to it, you 'Would be troubled More fOr.thedangeidftheArk', than for any outward dangeWhatfoever. - I read that among the ROmant, when any manwas accufed for his life, all his relationsput on mourning Apparel, and they followed him
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