A REFORMATION SERMON. '519 Ministers and counsellors are the supports on each side to exhort to the work, and advise the best methods of performance. All persons and societies that are con- triving means of reformation, fall under the character of Hur ; such are those gentlemen who have formed a scheme for carrying on war with sin and sinners, and brought their methods to a regularity and consistence ; they have made the execution of them practicable, and much easier than at first. Our praises are due to the God of wisdom that such men are found in the nation : that the prudent man is not cut off, nor the counsellor perished from amongst us : O may their pious consul- tations be continued in their stated seasons ! May they be executed with daily vigour, and attended with grow- ing success ! Joshua is the chief person concerned in the execution of these orders of battle against Amalek ; he ventures into the field, and fights the enemy. The inferior magi- strates of every kind and degree bear a resemblance to his office,.and should wear the image of his Spirit; courage and resolution becomes each of you that act according to the several ranks of your authority ; fear not the rage nor the threats of Amalek, of the most profligate and haughty sinners ; remember you have the warrant of Moses for what you do : The supreme magistrate ceases not to lift up the rod. The chosen men of Israel are the last characters I take notice of here ; they assist Joshua in the performance of his divine orders ; such are those brave and generous spi- rits, whether of larger or meaner outward circumstances, who pursue sin and sinners with the peril of their lives, and lead them captive to courts of justice that they may be punished. In vain had Joshua received his com- mands for battle, if no man of Israel had ventured into the field to assist him ; had he went alone, perhaps he might have slain a few enemies, and then perished him- self ; in vain would a magistrate attempt to suppress a nation of sinners if he had none to aid him but few, very few can come under the notice of his own eyes, and by the fear of numbers he might well be discouraged from punishing those few. If there were none to discover the enemies, or to guard himself, he could scarce fulfil the sentence of the law against them; but when Moses, L4
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