An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

saith Joab there, Deliver us Sheba the son Bichri and we will depart from the City and go every one unto his tent. If amongst us Delinquents were punished as they ought, if the hearts of people were prepared to have the remainders of superstition and Idolatry cast out, if they were willing to receive Jesus Christ as King among them, the sound of retreat would soon be heard, the controversy would soon be at an end; and except this be the foundation of our peace, either there will be no peace at all, or it will not hold long. In our raising of forces therefore to help our selves and our brethren (seeing we pretend we will do more than before, and it is time we should if we be not a people destinated to destruction and ruin) be sure we begin here, let us do more than ever we did before to make up this controversy with God. It is reported of Achior one of Holofernes his Captains that he counselled Holofernes to enquire first whether the Jews had offended their God before he attempted to make war against them, for if they had, he then assured him that that would be their ruin and he might go up and overcome them, but if he could not hear that they had sinned against their God it was in vain for him to strive against them. Truly it concerns us nearly to make up our peace with God that when our adversaries come out against us they may not indeed be made use of to avenge Gods quarrel upon us, for then they will easily improve all their advantages this way, and say indeed that they are not ⟨p. 19⟩come out against us without the Lord; Every victory they now get they are ready to please themselves in this and say that God fighteth against us, and God approveth them, they tell us the reason they prevail is because God is against us, and so we know Rabshekah did though a foul railer, yet saith he, Are we come up without the Lord? And the enemies of David Psalm, 71.12. Mine enemies have said, God hath forsaken him, now persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him: Thus they will be ready to say upon any occasion, now the Lord hath left them, now let us take them: And certainly if the Lord should suffer them to prevail many of them would think they do God good service to slay and to root out that generation of Gods people that is here in England, and they would be confident that it is the mind of God that they should be rooted out.

saith Joab there, Deliver us Sheba the son Bichri and we will depart from the Citie and go every one unto his tent. If amongst us Delinquents were punished as they ought, if the hearts of people were prepared to have the remainders of superstition and Idolatry cast out, if they were willing to receive Jesus Christ as King among them, the sound of retreat would soon be heard, the controversie would soon be at an end; and except this be the foundation of our peace, either there will be no peace at all, or it will not hold long. In our raising of forces therefore to help our selves and our brethren (seing we pretend we will do more than before, and it is time we should if we be not a people destinated to destruction and ruine) be sure we begin here, let us do more than ever we did before to make up this controversie with God. It is reported of Achior one of Holopherness his Captains that he counselled Holopherness to enquire first whether the Jews had offended their God before he attempted to make war against them, for if they had, he then assured him that that would be their ruine and he might go up and overcome them, but if he could not hear that they had sinned against their God it was in vain for him to strive against them. Truly it concerns us neerly to make up our peace with God that when our adversaries come out against us they may not indeed be made use of to avenge Gods quarrel upon us, for then they will easily improve all their advantages this way, and say indeed that they are not