[ontemplationr. fh.orten the meanes, that he may hav~ the full meafurc of the glory. And if he A. will not allow lawfull meancs to fiand m the hght ofhis honour,how wil he indure it to be croifed fo much as indireaiy : It is le!fc danger to fie ale any thing from God, than his glory. As a Prince, which if we fieale, or clip his coyne, may pardon it ; but if wee goe about ro rob him of his Crowne, ~~ill not be appcafed. Thereis nothing that we cangtvc to God, ofwhom we rece1ve all thmgs ; that wluch he is content to part with, he gives us; but he will not abide wee fhould take ought from him which he woufd refcrve for bimfelfe. It is allone with him to favc with many as with few; but he rather chufcs to fave by fe1v,.chat all the victory may red01~nd to himlclfe. 0 God, what art thou the better for praifes, to whom, bccaufe thou art infinite, nothing can be added I It is for our good thatthouwouldell be magni- B fi ed ofus; Oh teacli. u's to receive the benefit of rhey mercifull favours, and to returnc thee the thatiks. Gideons Army mull be leifened. Who arc fo fit to becafhieredas the fcarefulll God.bids him therefore ptoclaimc licence for all faint hearts to leave the field. An ill inllrument may fhamc a goodwork:God will not glorifie himfelfe bycowards. As the timcrous tball be without the gates ofheaven, fo fhall they be without the !i(ls ofGods field. Al\hough it was not their. courage that fhould fave Ifrael, yet Without thetrcourage God would not ferve himfelfofthern.Chrifiianity requires men; for ifour fpintuall difficulties meet not with high fpirits,in fiead ofwhetting our fortitude, they quaile it. Davids royall Ba11d ofWorthies, was the type ofthe 'forces.ofthc Chur-ch, all valiant men, and ab!~ to inc?uoter with thoufands. C Neither mull we be firong only, but acquamtedwtth our owne refolutions not out ofanycarnal! prefumpuon, but out ofa faithful! reliane< upon the firen~h of God, in whom when we are weake, thenwe are llrong. Ohthou white-Jiver r doth but a foulc wordor a frowne fcare thee from Chrill I Doth the loifeofa little Jand or filver difquiet thee? Dorh but the fight of the Midianites inthe valley llrik; thee?Home then,home ro theworld;thou art not then for the conquering Band 0 Chrill: Ifthou canfi not refolve to follow him through infamy, prifons, racltes jybbets, flames, depart to thine houfe,and fave thy life to thy loife. ' Me thinks now,lfrael fhould have complained of indignity, and have faid, Why fhouJJll thou think,O Gtdeon,rhat there can be a co;vardly Ifraelite I And ifthe experienceofthe power and mercy ofGod,bc not enough tomake us featlelfe:yetthe D fen le offervitude mull needs have made us refolute; for who bad not rather robe buried dead,than quick?Are we notfaine to hide our heads in the caves ofthceanh aud to make our graves our houfes?Not fo much as the very Jigbrthat 1ve can froe~ ly injoy; the tyranny ofdeath is but lbort and ea.fie,ro this of Midian:and yet1vhat danger can there!reofthat,fith thou hall focenamlyaifured us ofGods promifeof victory, and his miraculous confirmation I No, G<deon, thofe hearts that have brought us hitherafrcr thy colours,can as well keep us from retiriftg. Bur now,who can but bleife himfelfe,to find oft1vo andchitty tboufand Ifraelites, two and twenty thoufand cowards ? Yet all thefe in G_ideons march, made as fa ire a flourifh ofcourage as the boldefi. Who can trull the faces ofmen, that fees in the Armyof Ifrael above two for one timerous? Howmanymake a glorious fhe1v in E the warfaring Church,which,when they fhall fee danger ofperfecution,fhal fhrink from the Standard ofGodlhope offafety,examples ofneighbours,defireofpraife, fearc ofccofures, coaction of laws,fellowfhipoffriends, drawmany into the field; whieh fo foone as everrhey fee the Adverfary, repent of their conditions: and if they may cleanly efcape, will be gone early from Mount Gilead. Can any man be offended at the num!Jcrofthefe fhrinkers, when he fees but ten thoufand Ifraelites left of two and thirty thoufand in a morning? · Thefementbat wouldha'e beenafhameCI togoe away by day, now drop away hy night :and ifGideon fhouldhavccalled any ooe .of them back, and_faid, VVilt thou Hie?would havemade an excufc;The darkneife IS a fit vatle for thetr paleoeffe, or
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