547 / 652
A
REFORMATION
SERMON.
war. Let others
be
encouraged
to
list
themselves
in
this service, which is now
grown more
tolerable
since
the
forerunners
have
broke
down
the strongest bars
of
diffi-
culty, have made
rough ways'plain for those
that
follow,
and
have
born
the burden and
heat of
the
day. Consi=
sider again,
Secondly,
What
an influence
you
have had
to save
the
nation
from overflowing iniquities,
and perhaps
also
from
overflowing scourges. Surely you have been some
of
those
that
have
mourned
in
secret for
all the
abominations
that
were
done
in
former years
in the
midst
of
the land,
and
no
doubt
there
is
a divine
mark set upon your fore-
heads, which the
destroying angel
shall
read,
if
ever
he be
sent
"
through the
midst of
the
city to slay
utterly the
old
and
the young
;"
Ezek.
ix. 4.
But ye
have been some
of
those
that
hitherto
have
stood in the breach,
as
Phinehas
did, when the anger
of
the
Lord
has
been
breaking in
upon
the camp
of
our Israel.
"
Ye
have been
zealous
for
his
name
sake:
Ye
have
executed judgment, and
turned
away
the wrath
of
the Lord
;"
bursa.
xxv. 11.
And
as
we
have
reason to
believe
your interest
in
the
court of
heaven
has
been considerable
on
the peace
of
the
nation
:
so
it
is
unknown what valuable
service
ye
have
clone
for
particular
souls.
Perhaps, there
are some
that
bless
God at
this
day
for
the
first
inward convictions
.
of
sin
they received
by
your providential
discovery
of
their
vices.
Perhaps, there
are
some now in
heaven,
whose
stupid
consciences you
first
awakened,
and made
them
more
susceptible
of
the impressions of the gospel.
Go
on
then
according
to
the advice
of
Solomon
;
Prov.
xxii,
13, 14.
"
Withhold not correction
from the child,
for
if
thou
beatest
him with
the rod,
he shall
not
die.
Thou shalt
heat
him with the rod,
and
shalt deliver his
soul from
hell.
Go
on
with
this design to
convert the
sinner from the
error of
his way.
Thus
shall ye save
his
soul from
death, and
by
the
discovery
of a
few,
ye shall
hide
a
multitude
of
sins
;"
James
v.
20.
Consider,
Thirdly,
That
you-
are
engaged'
on the side
of
God,
you
are
fighting his
battles, and the inscription
of
your
banner
is .Iehovala îrissi.
Think
on
the
high
honour
that
he
bath bestowed
'upon
you
by
translating
you
out
of
the
kingdom
of
darkness into the kingdom
of
his
dear
Son,
and employing
you in this service.
Remember
that
you were once
on
the side
of
sin,
and rebels against
hea-