Part III. Showing, In Many Instances, Wherein The Subjects,
Or ...
THIS work, which has lately been carried on in the land, is the work
of God, and not the work of man. Its beginning has not been of man's power
or device, and its being carried on depends no on our strength or wisdom;
but yet God expects of all, that they should use their utmost endeavours
to promote it, and that the hearts of all should be greatly engaged in
this affair. We should improve our utmost strength in it, however vain
human strength is without the power of god; and so he no less requires
that we should improve our utmost care, wisdom, and prudence, though human
wisdom, of itself, be as vain as human strength. Though God is wont to
carry on such a work, in such a manner as many ways to show the weakness
and vanity of means and human endeavours in themselves; yet, at the same
time, he carries it on in such a manner as to encourage diligence and
vigilance in the use of proper means and endeavours, and to punish the
neglect of them. Therefore, in our endeavours to promote this great work,
we ought to use the utmost caution, vigilance, and skill, in the measures
we take in order to it. A great affair should be managed with great prudence.
This is the most important affair that ever New England was called to
be concerned in. When a people are engaged in war with a powerful and
crafty nation, it concerns them to manage an affair of such consequence
with the utmost discretion. Of what vast importance then must it be, that
we should be vigilant and prudent in the management of this great war
with so great a host of subtle and cruel enemies. We must either conquer
or be conquered; and the consequence of the victory, on one side, will
be our eternal destruction in both soul and body in hell, and on the other
side, our obtaining the kingdom of heaven, and reigning in it in eternal
glory! We had need always to stand on our watch, and to be well versed
in the art of war, and not be ignorant of the devices of our enemies,
and to take heed lest by any means we be beguiled through their subtlety.
Though the devil be strong, yet, in such a war as this, he depends more
on his craft than his strength. The course he has chiefly taken, from
time to time, to clog, hinder, and overthrow revivals of religion in the
church of God, has been by his subtle, deceitful management, to beguile
and mislead those that have been engaged therein; and in such a course
God has been pleased, in his holy and sovereign providence, to suffer
him to succeed, oftentimes, in a great measure, to overthrow that which
in its beginning appeared most hopeful and glorious. The work now begun,
as I have shown, is eminently glorious, and, if it should go on and prevail,
it would make New England a kind of heaven upon earth. Is it not therefore
a thousand pities that it should be overthrown, through wrong and improper
management, which we are led into by our subtle adversary, in our endeavours
to promote it?--My present design is to take notice of some things at
which offence has been taken beyond just bounds. |