2-o A REFORMATION SERMON. Aaron andBur, Joshua and the chosen men, all stand firm and:maintain their posts, thenAmalek.isdiscomfited, and'a nationof sinners rooted out. There was a time indeed: when Moses upon the banks .of :the :Red-sea said to_the people, " Stand still and see ;the salvation of the Lord ;" &r.xiv. 13. And they stood still and the salvation appeared : But GodBoth not . always work miracles of deliverance without the use of instruments: Here Joshuaand. Israel are required to take :up arms for their own defence : And if the captains of the soldiers had fled from the battle, Amalek had pre- vailed as well as if Moses* had ceased to lift up his hand. I may venture then to lay down this great truth as the foundation of my. following discourse : " When a war with sin is begun in a nation, it must 'be carried on without ceasing, or iniquity will prevail." -Every one must stand to his post and fulfil his charge, -lest the troops of the reformation be routed, and sin with all its legions overspread the country. To render this proposition more evident to the mind, and more powerful over the will, I shall take this me- .thod. I. Prove that sin will prevail, if the war be neglected 'Which you have happily begun, and carried on thus far. II. :Set before you some of the dreadful consequents of prevailing iniquity. III. Remove the discouragements that may be ready to make your hands hangdown in this work. IV. By a few encouraging hints, endeavour to raise any that are sinking, and to strengthen all your resolu- tions in this glorious service to God and to your country. '.First, We may prove that iniquity will prevail if the war be neglected by these -three considerations : I. Consider that the nature of fallen man is turned aside from God, averse to all that is holy, and prone to wickedness: And if divine grace doth not renew 'the heart, the life will grow old in transgression, and abound in guilt. Where the root is bitterness, and the tree vice, every branch that is not cut off will increase and multiply in fruits ofpoison and death; for a corrupt tree 'can- not bring forth good fruit," if we believe the words of our Saviour ; Luke vi. 43. And St. Paul affirms; that evil menwax worse and worse ;'' 2 Tim. iii. 13. " Con-
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