And all thy fortresses shall he spoiled

And all your fortresses shall he spoiled.

What are strong holds for the safeguard of a people when the strong God is against them? You have made lines, and fortifications, Oh! but the strong God is against you. In Nahum 3:12, All your strong holds shall be like fig trees, with the first ripe figs, if they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

And now my brethren, blessed be God we know this Scripture to be true in a way of mercy, God has made our enemies so to us, and not in a way of judgment: God might have made our strong holds so to them, this Scripture might have been fulfilled thus, All your fortresses shall be spoiled, that is, though we have made fortresses we might have heard, first, of this strong hold spoiled, and the other strong hold in such a place spoiled, this castle taken, and the other castle taken, and we might have been amazed with the news, and have said, How does God fight against [illegible], that though we had such strong holds, and men enough to man them, yet for all that they might have been but as the first ripe figs that being shaken fall into the mouth of the eater? How were our hearts dejected when we heard but of one strong hold being taken from us, (Bristol) But I say through God's mercy this summer the Lord has made this text good to us, all your strong holds, not all ours, but all the enemies: How have they been spoiled generally? Oh! the Lord has appeared glorious this way, and has made this last summer to be a continual miracle of mercy to us in this very thing, All your fortresses shall be spoiled. It follows.