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A
REFORMATION
SERMON.
ri.ls
you
run.
here
.
are :almost infinitely
less
than
those
which
attend
the
wars
of
nations,
where the cause
is
not
half
so
divine.
The
fields
of
battle
in Flanders,
and
almost
all
over Europe,
have
drunk
up the blood
of
mil-
lions, and
have furnished graves for large armies
;
but
it
can hardly
be said
that
you have
hitherto
resisted
unto
blood
striving
against
sin
;"
Heb.
xii. 4.
In
a
war
of
more than
twelve years continuance
there
has
but
one
man
fallen. The
providence
of God
has
put
helmets
of
salvation upon your
heads. Some
of
you can
relate
wonders
of
deliverance and
safety,
when you have been
beset
by
numbers,
and their
rage
has
kindled into reso-
lutions
of
revenge
:
the
Lord
has
taken
away
their
cou-
rage
in
a
moment, the
"
men
of
might have
not
found
their
hands
;
thus
he
has caused even the wrath
of
man
to praise
him,
and the
remainder of
wrath
he
bath
re-
strained
:"
Ps.
lxxvi. 5,
10.
Read
over
this psalm,
and
with divine
valour pursue
the
fight.
But
if
your
-life
should
he
lost_
in such
a
cause as this,
it
will be
esteemed
martyrdom
in
the sight
of
God, and
shall
be
thus written
down in the book
of the
wars
of
the Lord.
Believe
me,
.these
red
lines
will
look
well in
the
records
of
heaven,
when
the
judgment
shall be
set,
and
the books opened
in
the
face.of
men and
angels.
The
FOURTH
head
of
my
discourse
shall
address you
with some hints
of encouragement,
and I
shall
not much
-
enlarge upon
them,
since a review
of
the excellent
ser-
mons
that have
been published
on this occasion
may
.administer
to you
more spirits and vigour
to
promote this
,reforming
work,
this
war
with
national
iniquities. Con
-
sider,
First,
What abundant
success
you have
already
had
in
these pious
labours
;
you have seen
part
of your
hopes
already accomplished.
Wickedness
is
put
out
of
coun-
tenance
:
Impiety
is
not
so
public
as
once
it
was,
nor
religion
so
much affronted
:
We
may now walk
the
whole length
of
the
city,
and our ears not
be afflicted
with one
oath
or
blasphemy.
There
are
not
so
many
violations
of
decency
in the
streets, nor inroads upon
modesty and
hónour.
Virtue
is
not
so
much ashamed
..to
appear ás
once
it
was,
nor afraid
to wear
its own
co-
lours.
The
.remainder
of your
work
is
attended
with
greater
ease.: You, have been
successful
in
the first on-
set,
proceed then
with
pleasure, and
finish
the
glorious