our Cause from which wee had then no dissenterâ— but Malignants was to bring Delinquents to condigne punishment who had abused this State by the Royall Consent and Authoritie and to oppose the tyranny of the King and flattery of the Courtiers A principle large enough to worke on and to take in by consequences of affaires the utmost improvement upon this ground all the Parliamentary party acted together not being able to see or hope for any thing more then a reformation and that of the grossenesse of actings and so firme were wee in this that wee never changed our thoughts untill the delayes in warre and the influences of the Court together with wearied and neutrall friends and the thoughts of places and preferments made men to study new wayes of compliances and to leave the first principle for the present enjoyments But God who overruleth the counsells of men and had a further designe will not suffer so good a beginning to make a fatall end And according to his usuall way from small beginnings brings forth his greatest glory acting things beyond our first thoughts or designes The King was first opposed universally in his personall capacity and reserv'd in his publique in these who fought against him this went downe currant and without any demurre among us and upon this wee waged warre but God who still meant to carry on a higher designe keepes us equall and faire for a long while together now giving the advantage to us now to him still making drawne battailes while there was a lesser piece of royalty opposing a greater owning the Cause so farre as not to discountenance that side he meant to honour at the last but no effectuall worke was done but honourable retreats and dayes of thanksgiving for non-routing and security rather then for any victory wee ever had over the Kings party except especially that of Marston-Moore wherein the chiefe instruments of the new modell were agents which was soone recruited and ballanst by our own parties negligence in the South and their diligence over their affaires God kept all this while a kinde of equalitie persons were engaged of different tempers not of different principles and it had been well for all our reports then at London that wee kept our ground into such straits wee were thâ—n brought though wee seemed to have a great and potent Army that nothing could serve in the view of the whole Parliament but a wise disbanding that Army and framing a new Modell which was a cause of strange necessitie at that time and a hopefull way of our ruine by many even in Parliament who gave their votes for it out of another end who are since discovered but it hath since proved the ordinance of God This is the poore Army that the great repinings and discontents are made from This Army which hath been preserved by Gods right hand who have done that work which is wonderfull to relate against this Army all the arrowes of malice and designe are shot to wound either their persons or names It 's sad to think that our eyes should be evill because Gods is good that wee should repine at instruments when God doth the work let us as men that would faine see into Gods wayes consider what hath been done since that change what a continued continuation of providences I might say miracles if they had not some meanes to produce them have wee had since that despised modell The thoughts of these things are only repeated for our conviction There are two things very remarkable in these affaires since our first engaging against the late King each of which shall have their due consideration First That all our affairs were hardly kept in aequilibriâ— in a faire and right correspondency untill this new Modell but that the King goâ— more ground by his influence then we by our Armies the Armie under the Lord of Essex being a petty Royall Armie made up of all sorts of humours and Confederates of either side rather kept the Parliaments credite then gave them any use for theâ—r money and we never had a battle fought by him but we came off and that barely and with losse as well as the King 2. That never since this poore at first despised though now envied Army was modell'd we never either received a considerable losse or check in our proceedings though the action of this Army hath been in three Nations and accompanyed with miserable discouragements from all parties and difficulties that other Nations would have thought insuperable and so acted that nothing but God hath visibly appeared It cannot it must not be forgotten it will be written in marble if not in our hearts and the place it selfe will be made immortall to all posterity the first testimony of God to the first action of this Army at Naseby when all Politicians were securing of themselves and our wisest friends fearing what the issue would be and the royall power at the greatest height and going on in the fullest carrero what a glorious turne was there given to the designes of the Enemie and reviving to the hopes of this Nation God never before so peculiarly and in our low condition owning his poor people and ever since God set up his Standard there he hath made bare his arme and never suffered one eminent nay hardly any defeat to be given to this Army making that the earnest of the Conquest of Gods Enâ—mies in these three Nations whereas in all our former Battails we could never say we had a victory except some speciall formerly named which had their recruits very soone from this time I say as if God had the idea of this Armie in his eye and had with his owne hands framed the modell of it and culling out the Army he meant to blesse hee hath ever uninterruptedly afforded his presence though the difficultyes and multitude of Enemies have been more then could be expected or then ever Armie under-went who served a State in such transactions What eye cannot see the plots and contrivances both of the common and secret Enemies how many wayes have been used to overthrow this Parliament and Army and what humours have been predominant among themselves to ruine that body yet how strangly and beyond all mens thoughts have they been carryed through if we were delighted in viewing divine actings or had a designe to make a History to astonish all the world Let us follow the Army from Naseby up and down England at home from thence after two Warres the second more dangerous then the first being upon more cunning pretences and made out of our divisions among our selves and especially levelled against the Parliament and Armie a war that divided the Armie as well as the first confiding instruments yet with what wonder of glory did God break forth their deliverance for after God had helped them to drive the K. into the Scots Armie a presage of his sons reserve new Insurrections are in the most speciall Counties round about the
be observed by us what do these choise unparalleld workings of him against the Powers of this world who stand in his way to the advancement of his Sons Throne God writes his mind somtimes in his Works as well as in his Word and there are many overtures in Civil affairs which the Word doth not so positively direct but providence and the necessity of affairs must be the rule in and how ever the providences of God are not demonstrations a priori as they say yet they may very well be a posteriori though they do not state things yet they do distinguish them and as God will rather have heaven and earth to pass away then one iota or tittle of his Word to fail so he will have all men to give him the glory of his Works else he will destroy all the civil Heavens and earths which men sets up and God blames his people as often for not observing his Works as for disobeying his Statuces If the permissive acts of Gods justice in the world ought to make all men fear and tremble how much more there positive and effectual assistances of Instruments in executing his righteous judgements the children of Israel were blamed for nothing more than that they forgat the wonders of God at the red Sea and in the Wilderness But that we may not look on these things at large let us view what have been accompanying all our transactions in these last yeers which make them more than events to convince our spirits First all that God hath yet acted for us hath been from the smallest and contemtiblest beginnings that even wise men have been afraid of their own Acts and our enemies have laughed in secret at us seeing our ruine in our first foundation and so weak we were that we were rather objects of the piâ—y of our friends and scorn of the contrary party who would ever have imagined that such a new Model should have thriven better than so great and well accomplish'd Army which preceded or what could wise men either fore-ice or Christians believe concerning any great matters to be accomplished by such Pigmiâ—s Secondly As God took the lowest condition to begin this work so he ever brought our estates unto the greatest straits ere he appeared to point out to all men that he would be alone seen in the prosecution of this cause and that he would have the glory of making this Nation a Common-wealth In England remember especially Naseby when the King was the highest that ever he was since the war began where was the first experiment of Gods engaging with them at Kent Essex Wales especially at Preston when the Nation was most divided and incensed against these proceedings and our Army scarce a third part In Ireland when an was lost but two Towns Dublin and Derry But above all in Scotland when we fed on our Vital Spirits more than Bread and lived by our courage and Gods support more than food how hath God helped I have often looked on it as an absolute and general observation in Gods actings that he never brings his enemies into straits to help them but it is his usual way where he means to make his providence glorious and his people most praising to let them be past saving in their own sense and their enemies hopes and truly our Victories were seldom given until not only our means but almost our faith failed us Thirdly these successes have been uniform and universal in every part and against every party which have upon any pretence whatever banded themselves against this State and their transactions yea so eavenly hath God gone forth and so impartially that how ever we may at first question the principles we cannot deny the acts but to be from God Yea not only height of Royalty and the grosness of Malignancy but the flourishes of the best pretenses have been blasted and overthrown by these manifestations the Church as well as the World have been under a Divine censure for opposing themselves and complying with the first or new modell'd enemy against this State which may make all godly hearts serious and wary if not to tremble at their fire and heat in their reflections on these things If these things be not timely considered but our obstinacy grows with Gods admonitions the next work will be Excommunication Fourthly all these works we now see have been begotten and brought forth in the midst of the plots of open and secret enemies plots laid so secret and sure that nothing but he that discovers the hidden things of darkness could discern or prevent and so hath God ordered and casted the season of our deliverances that they have been beyond the enemies designes and perfectest perswasioâ—s and our expectations of the most â—bservant spectators that God might have all the glory Who could imagine what hath been working in hell and the corners of darknessing â—â—â—st this work of God now in part broughforth and yet all disappointed and frustrated with condignet punishment on the heads of principal Authors It will be endless to run over the variety of these discoveries and other circumstances which if well considered are as much as the mercies themselves amount unto The last great demonstration of Gods presence with this Army in Scotland may serve instar omnium to Uniting our confidences if all the rest be of no value which was Gods determination of the iustness of our Cause after solemn appeal to God on both sides especially on ours this being the publique expression of our Army in that candid Remonstrance ere they entred Scotland that they did appeal to God the righteous Judge of quick and dead if their hearts were not sincere in what they remonstrated and in their affections to that Nation and did moreover put it only on God if ever they came to engagement pardoning human infirmities to deal with them according to the justness of their Cause and the truth of their hearts I quote this especially because as it was the most solemn appeal to Divine Justice so what God did in this was the confirmation of all the rest of his publique actings by them and the Umpire only left to God to own them or destroy them as his wisdom and justice saw their hearts and cause how was Gods arm made bare for them at last though he carried himself a long while as if he meant to make good the reproches of their enemies against them It must be confest Appeals are of a very high and dangerous nature if not done with the greatest seriosity and upon the surest grounds and they do either argue abundance of carnal confidence or integrity and pureness of spirit that they ought not to be frequent and common but where no other way is or can be found out of deciding controversies of a high and controvertible nature where confidence on both sides are equally positive and immoveable by mediate arguments yea It is without question trivial and common affaires cannot be grounds of
Parliament which first began more remote in Wales that they might more insensibly supply the whole and the designe might be thought more barbarous and lesse considerable while stronger and more effectuall influence were operating nigher hand yet this poor Army must through all the Generall in Kent and Essex the Lieut. Generall in Wales and Major-Generall Lambert in the North having all their hands full and the Scots under Hamilton when the conjunction of Langdale and the old Malignants making up the harmony of malignancy though in a discord No sooner had our now worthy Generall ordered the affairs of Wales but new work was provided for him In the North Major General Lambert had long expected him and though he had by his wisdome and valour kept his own ground yet the Enemie who grew like a snow-ball by going got mighty advantages and taking their way through Lancashire a place they thought good Quarters for their Army as to find capable and zealous Subjects for their design but God who ever appears in the best opportunity to shew forth his continuall displeasure against any conjunction with the royall party upon what pretence sover brought up then Lieut. Generall Cromwell to joyne with the Major Generall who both with all their Forces could not make a third part of the Army they were to encounter withall but God so appeared that they routed that vast Army which carryed with them the highest designe and had more advantages of power and plea then any Army of such a mould that ever came into England What can be more immediatly from God then such overtures will God justifie the wicked so poâ—itively and perpetually against the godly and that by his owne power not only by permission Is there nothing in these affairs can take our hearts Doth God doe strange and unexpected things for to be dis-respected Let any Nation shew a parallell and not draw such conclusions as we now draw It 's true and it must be one cause of our daily humiliation that we have not answered God in our duties sutable to those manifestations but yet the neglect on our parts should not annihilate or darken the glory of God in his owne actings but rather shame us and heighten Gods goodnesse unto us who is so in love with Englands liberties that our unworthinesse unsutablenesse cannot stop him in his course of grace and mercy Let us if wee must needs take our prejudices and satisfie them as to all Gods actings in England yet when we look on Ireland and it 's sad condition before and how and when restored and by what instruments and then let malice act to the utmost if there be but a spark of honesty or any glance of a spirituall eye left and we must needs stand amazed though discontented at Gods goings with these whom we despise How have we cryed out against these bloudy rebells as wee had just cause for how many yeares were monethly publique fasts throughout the Nation kept for poore Ireland besides all the private unknowne bleeding of the soules of many Saints in corners and yet no fruit considerable that wee could call an Answer untill God appâ—ared by himselfe when this Army was on the Sea-side in readinesse to be transported and in what a manner and method of miracles God hath appeared there is not to be exprest at a distance God gave in the first wonder at Dublyn by that ever to be honoured Coll. Jones ere the Army came over that they might not have their flesh and bloud too much discouraged both at home and abroad and yet would have them ready ere he began that they might improve and finish it What of designe had the Parliament in this Expedition to divide their Army which was so small at home among so many enemies or what hopes could that part of the Army have to encourage them to leave their owne Nations without God had moved them when they lay at the water side ready for a winde to saile from their owne Nation where God had made them so prosperous against the common enemy and to leave all their friends and to arrive at a Nation wholly engaged and enraged against them and but two Townes Dublyn and Derry that were left as receptacles of them on earnests of hopes and these both besieged by farre more then the full Number of this Army could Muster and yet how willingly did they goe and how gloriously did God appeare making a whole Nation both of bloudy rebells and royall Malignants to be overthrowne by them not suffering them to give them one defeate though they had multitudes of advantages and in one yeare almost to reduce that Nation to a new obedience and were that History of Ireland well printed how farre would it exceed all the Relations of its first Conquest by this Nation when little else save ambition of domination and of enlarging our power not to execute Gods righteous judgements against bloud-thirsty men did put them upon endeavouring the Conquest of that Nation What of flesh and bloud can be demonstrated to be predominant in these transactions but love and zeale in the instruments to free the Protestant party from further cruell miseries by the Popish and royall party there who became soone one power from God to back these undertakings Are wee sorry because God imployes not these instruments that suite with our particular humors and stated interests is the worke of God the lesse to be eyed because he useth despicable and poore instruments or moves beyond our Modell the generations to come will remember these things and take them in though we thorough the clouds made by the vapours of our owne engagements and factions see little in them Irelands Protestants will doubtlesse keepe a Chronicle of these acts and blesse God for the instruments when they are entombed in the bloud of the enemies of the Gospel and who knowes but Ireland who hath never yet solid the Gospel but have been under the sad persecutions for the little light they had in it and have not yet extracted factions and divisions out of Gods mercies to advantage the common and watchfull enemy If Irelands wonders will not make you in love with Gods actings which was nothing else but the prosecution of the same cause beyond the Sea yet let the harmony and continuance of Gods appearances to owne this cause and thâ—s Parliament in the three Nations the motions in each deserve a particular History let the universall proportion of divine actings for I dare not call them otherwise pardoning mens infirmities be a confirmation of each other for what ever the pretences and pleas have been either civill or sacred in England Ireland or Scotland yet God hath drawne one line of providence thorough all and given an equall and astonishing successe against every party in each which have but appeared against them If wee passe by all the rest and come into Scotland a priviledged place and one would thinke holy ground yet when once