that God hath chosen such wisps and clots to scoure us with Secondly God suffers this because his people are not humbled throughly The want of through humiliation before God cost the lives of forty thousand men Iudges 20. although in that battel they had a good cause A good cause is not enough for safety in time of battel there must be humiliation before this great God Thirdly the adversary may prevaile because the Saints doe not awaken the Lord of Hosts by Prayer Psal 59. 9. Thou therefore O Lord God of Hosts the God of Israel awake to visit all the heathen be not mercifull to wicked transgressors Esay 51. 9. Awake awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes as in the generations of old Art not thou he that hast cut Rahab and wounded the dragon We have here in one verse three times crying to God to awake God hath strength enough to help his people There is an Arme of the Lord but yet this Arme of the Lord may be for a time as it were asleep therefore the Church cryes Awake O Arme of the Lord And that shee may be sure the Lord should heare she cries again and again Awake awake O arme of the Lord put on strength We are now to look back to former times to see how God hath manifested himself The Lord of Hosts and to cry to him that now in our dayes hee would shew forth the glory of this glorious title of his as he hath done in the generations of old Lastly God hath many secret passages of his providence to be brought about which in after times we come to see clearely but for a time are hidden and therefore the adversary is suffered to prevaile The 46. Psalme speakes much about the fury of the adversary and of this Title of the Lord and the Title of that Psalme is A song upon Alamoth which word signifies secrets because of the hidden counsailes of God in wars Thus you have had the doctrinall part of one branch of this glorious title of the Lord presented to you The application neerely concernes us in these times First it beseemes then those who are in Armies to be godly because their great Generall is The Lord of Hosts and this Lord of Hosts is likewise The holy one of Israel Even in this verse holinesse is joyned to his warlike greatnesse And Exod. 15. he is magnified as a man of war overthrowing the enemy and ver 11. hee is said to bee glorious in holinesse and Esay 6. 3. where the Cherubims and Seraphims are magnifying his glory they cry out Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts It is very observable that Gods holinesse is joyned with this title of his The Lord of Hosts surely then holinesse and valour in us are not onely consistent one with another but subservient one to another It it is an abominable maxime of Machiavil that Religion makes men cowards the most valorous souldiers in the world have beene the most eminent in Religion Souldiers use to endeavour to be like their Generall in any thing yea in their naevis Alexanders Souldiers accounted it a gracefull posture to hold their heads aside because Alexander their Generall did so surely then to be like the Lord of Hosts in that which is his excellencie and glory must needs put a lustre upon those who are his souldiers Plutarch reports of a Theban Band of souldiers which they called the Holy band in which there was more considence put then in any because they prospered above others The Lord of Hosts who is holy will delight to be amongst them that are godly to blesse them in their way Deut. 23. 9. When the Host goeth forth against the enemy then keep thee from every wicked thing yea they must keep from outward bodily uncleannesse they must carry a paddle with them to cover it ver 14. the reason is there given For the Lord thy God walketh in the middest of thy Campe therefore shall thy Campe be holy that he see no uncleane thing in thee and turne away from thee It is true God lookes more at the cause then at the instrument yet he rejoyceth most to use instruments that are fitted to give him the praise of his worke One day the Lord will convince the world that the strength of Nations and Kingdomes consist in the interest that the godly have in this Lord of Hosts Zach. 12. 5. And the Governours of Judah shall say in their hearts Our strength is in the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Lord of Hosts their God Oh that this prophesie were fulfilled it begins to be more now then ever in our dayes or our forefathers Even those who have beene accounted hypocrites factious heretofore yet now even the Governours of Judah begin to see their strength is in them Who hath the burden of the great worke in this State layne upon but the Religious party hath it not beene published in your City by chiefe men in the Army that the great things in the Army were done by those that are called Round-heads We hope our Governours will every day be more and more convinced that their strength is in these Revel 17. 14. Hee is the Lord of Hosts the King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull and therefore it is said the Lamb shall overcome They are not such as are called faithfull but such as are called and faithfull There was one in our Army whose name was Faithfull that turned head against us but these that are with the Lamb are called and faithfull It is a blessed thing for a Kingdome when their Army may be said to be as it was said of that Army Luke 2. 13. a heavenly Host This great Lord of Hosts who is the God of Heaven will certainly doe great things by such an Host Secondly If God be the Lord of Hosts if this be one of Gods glorious titles then the worke of a souldier is an honourable imployment As the estate of marriage is much honoured in that Christ is pleased to expresse the great mystery of the Gospel the blessed union betweene him and his Church by it which is a great engagement to those in such a condition that they walke so as their lives may put in minde of the excellencie of Christs Communion with his Church So the calling of a Souldier is much honoured in this that God himselfe will set forth his glory by this title The Lord of Hosts or The Lord of Armies Psalm 24. 10. The Lord of Hosts is the King of glory surely some beame of this glory must needes shine upon souldiers that serve under him The Romans honoured a Souldier much The Latine expresses a souldier and a Knight by the same word Miles The serving under this or that Captaine they expressed by this phrase Mereri sub hoc vel illo duce Hence miles emeritus for an old souldier that was to take his ease In any
they shall doe will be nothing yea they themselves wil be nothing No marvail therefore although they and the Kingdome with them stand for that But what is that It is that the defence of the King Kingdome and Parliament from the danger of the plots attempts of Papists and all Malignants may be put into the hands of those that they may confide in To what purpose are good Laws made To what purpose is a Parl fitting if Papists Prelats Popish and Prelatical men Atheists Delinquents so infinitely discontent whom we had cause enough to fear that they would endeavour to get power that they might disanul all and according to those fears wee see what is come to passe if wee may not have the Militia of the Kingdome that is the onely positive Legall way next to that we have from the Law of Nature to resist such power as would endeavour to undoe all If a man should be bound to pay me such a debt and withall to joyn with me to provide safe means of conveying both my self and money to such a place if this man at the day appointed should pay the debt duly to a farthing but when I tell him of great danger by the way many lye in wait to surprise me and my money and I require of him to joyne with me to afford me such aid as I may goe safely for go I must if he refuseth and will onely consent to such aid as I not without good grounds have cause to suspect to be as dangerous even as those that lie in wait for me yea it may be I can prove that even some principal ones of those he would have for my aid safety are confederate and of the same company with those that lye in wait for me Now I demand what advantage is it to me that the debt is paid me supposing I must go have no other way to help my self but that which he denies to me is it not all one to me as if he had refused to pay the debt Doe you think that good words would be enough to you in such a case if hee should say I le warrant you you may be safe when I know certainly these men are of the company with those who lie in wait for me I have other men by whom I know will be faithfull and can be no prejudice to the other party and I desire him that hee would suffer those to goe along with me for my safety and he refuseth it But howsoever were it not better to harken to peace if possibly there may be wayes of Accommodation Peace is indeed a most lovely and desirable thing we desire with our soules to live in peace God himselfe knows there is nothing that would be more acceptable to us then to serve God the King in waies of peace God forbid but that we should in all our waies shew our selves the children of peace We could make large orations in commendation of peace as well as others yea in the midst of all the clatterings of our Arms and sounds of war-like instruments yet peace is in our eyes and hearts As faithfull Ministers in all the terrible threats they denounce in the name of God against impenitent sinners seeke the true peace of their souls so the true souldier who is faithfull to God and his Countrey although he hath the sword in one hand and fire in the other yet it is with this Motto Sic quaerimus pacem For a full Answer to this Objection I shal first answer meerly as a Divine out of the Scripture and then we may consider what may be said in true wisdome of Politic. For the first The Scripture tels us James 3. 17. The wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable Such an expression did it not come from an Apostle would be scorned by many profane Atheisticall spirits amongst us yea they would accuse James himselfe if they dared for a Puritan for speaking thus The Scripture frequently joynes Peace and truth peace and holinesse peace and righteousnesse grace and peace together We must be sure so to seek peace as we must seek the God of peace the Gospel of peace That were a fearfull peace that should make war between the God of peace and us or deprive us of the Gospel of peace Let us not dis-joyn or disorder the Angels Doxologie Glory be to God on high peace on earth good will towards men So peace on earth as glory may be to God on high and the good will the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this our God towards us Placet ista distributio sayes Bernard this distribution pleaseth me wel that God should have glory we have peace Oh that this Angelical distribution of glory peace might please us all The truth is peace is sweet and those which are thought enemies to it pray a hundred times more to the God of peace for peace then those who plead so much for it Peace is to be purchased at any rate but with the losse of Truth if this be the price of it we buy it too deare We use to say We may buy gold too deare It would be a hard bargaine if the glory of God if the liberty of his Ordinances that now we have an opportunity to enjoy if the most religious party in the Kingdome should be now sacrificed for a supposed peace which upon such terms certainly will not hold long This would make God our enemie not only because his glory truth Saints are dear unto him but because those who are most religious have stuck most to the Parliament they have ventured their estates their lives their children their servants for the safety of King Kingdome and Parl. Never was Parl. so engaged to any party in England as they are engaged to these now Therefore it were the most horrible injustice that ever was in the world if the Parl. should leave them yea sacrifice them to their adversaries only to provide for a false uncertain dishonourable peace for themselves and others It cannot be imagined that such a thought could enter into them God would never suffer such injustice as this to passe this world without the expressions of his high indignation against it And in way of true wisdome of civill polity these foure things must be considered of 1. How far treaties may be advantagious to the adversaries We read Dan. 8. 25. that through peace many should be destroyed Under the name of peace there may be fomented the most bloody cruell war that ever England hath knowne Many people when they hear of the word Peace they are so pleased that they run away with that not knowing what bloody cruel designes may lye under it and be promoted by it and they think that if some follow not the treaty presently though upon never so great disadvantage it is because they are bloody and love war whereas in truth it is that they might prevent
Lord Ye shall not goe up to fight against your brethren returne every man to his house The Text sayes They hearkned to the word of the Lord and returned to depart according to the word of the Lord. What a mighty work of God was this what power hath God over the spirits of men yea of the greatest who think it an unsufferable dishonor to be controlled in any thing they have set their hearts upon Rehoboam a wicked man in the heighth of his pride and wrath thus strong apprehending himselfe exceedingly wronged so much of his Kingdome rent from him and there comes onely a poore Prophet and speakes to him in the name of This Lord of Hosts that hee should not fight against his brethren and all is stayed he returnes back again and sits down quiet Oh that now some Prophet of the Lord might have accesse to His Majesty and tell him that hee must not goe this way he doth that he is drawn aside by evill men about him that there is a misunderstanding betweene him and his people that nothing is done by us but according to the minde of God that we doe not endeavour to deprive him of any lawfull power he hath given him by God or man but onely to preserve our lawfull liberties as truly ours as he is born unto the Crown and that we might with peace enjoy the Gospell and serve the Lord and His Majesty in our own Land 11. The providence of God in war is great in removing it from one place to another The Lord of Hosts gives the sword commission to ride circuite from one Land to another Countrey and from one part of a Kingdome unto another Ezech. 14. 17. Or if I bring a sword upon that Land and say Sword goe through the Land so that I cut off man and beast in it The sword hath beene in many parts of our Land already even in the utmost parts Northumberland and Cornwall the two extremities of the Land as Dan and Bersheba in the Land of Canaan Just were it with God to give it commission to goe up and downe in the midst of it yea in great part hee hath done it already and how is it devouring even almost round about us the guilt of the misery our brethren have suffered the guilt of their blood is upon the whole Kingdome in as much as the whole Kingdome hath not risen even as one man to prevent it but wee suffer our brethren in severall places to bee devoured one after another one countrey hopes it will not come there and another countrey hopes it shall escape and in the meane time wee suffer our brethren to bee spoyled Jer. 12. 12. The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse They are come from the Countrey to the City the Countrey is to them but as a wildernesse in comparison of the City For the Sword shall devoure from the one end of the Land to the other no flesh shall have peace Jer. 25. 15. The Lord bade the Prophet take the cup of the wine of his fury and cause all the Nations to whom I send thee to drink it God hath given other Nations this cup of his fury France Holland Germany have beene drinking these 24. yeeres Spain Italy have had it a little of the top of it Scotland had we were afraid of it then here and they and we cryed to God If it be possible let this cup of blood passe from us and God in his great mercie caused it to passe from us but it went to our brethren in Ireland they have drunke deepe of it and still are drinking and whether God intends that wee shall drinke the dregs of it we know not wee had neede doe as Christ did in his Agonie Luk. 22. 44. yet pray more earnestly the second and third time If it be possible let this cup of bloud passe from us If an Agony cause Christs spirit to rise in Prayer it should then do ours it is a sad thing to have our spirits heavy dull and strait in such a time as this 12. The work of this Lord of Hosts in Warre is to give wisdome and counsell for the managing of the affaires of it and hee takes away wisdome and counsell when he pleaseth 2 Sam. 22. 35. Thou teachest my hands to war and my fingers to fight The same wee have Psal 144. 1. Other Generals have their Councell of War to help them that they may not miscarry in it but this Lord of Hosts gives all the counsell and wisdome from himselfe to all under him And in this there is much of Gods glory Esay 28. 24 25 26 27. The Lord accounts it his glory that hee teacheth the Plowman to plow his ground to sow his seede to thresh his corne his God doth instruct him to discretion the Text sayes much more then is the glory of God in giving wisdome to order and to leade Armies And when the Lord pleaseth he takes away counsail he besots men in their counsails mingles a perverse spirit amongst them befools them he turns their counsails upside downward and insnares them in the work of their own hands This made David pray against the counsaile of Achitophel 2 Sam. 15. 31. O Lord turne the counsail of Achitophel into foolishnesse what counsail that was you may finde 2 Sam. 17. 2. Fall upon him while he is weary and weake This war was raised up against David for his sin and yet God heares Davids prayer against Achitophel The same counsell was given against our Army of late by a great Achitophel when the question was whether they should come to the City or fall upon the Army the counsail cast it upon the Army because they were weary and weake not being together and how hath God turned that counsail into folly it hath bin our safety and preservation but their shame There God wrought for David in that Achitophels counsail was not followed although it was a more politique counsail it had more warlike wisdome in it then Hushaies had but for us God wrought in that Achitophels counsail was followed Thus Isai 19. 11. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fooles the counsails of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh are become brutish where are they where are the wise men and again The Princes of Zoan are become fooles Why are the Princes of Zoan so much mentioned there Because Zoan was the Metropolis of Egypt where the great counsail of Egypt was and verse 14. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof and they have caused Egypt to erre in every worke thereof as a drunkenman staggereth in his vomit Jerom upon the place adds this to expresse the meaning Non solum ebrii sed vomentes furorē draconū furorē aspidum insanabilem not onely drunken but vomiting the fury of Dragons the incurable fury of Aspes And is not this the vomit of our adversaries at this day who are drunke with
wisely who have bin the cause of this disturbance Puritanicall Preachers are cryed out of So Elijah was said to be the troubler of Israel Amos was said to speak such words as the Land could not bear Paul was accounted a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition They cryed out of the Apostles that they turned the world upside down Luther in his time was called Tuba Rebellionis the very trumpet of rebellion But if men wil not shut their eyes and stop their ears they cannot but know the cause of our disturbance hath been the pride and cruelty of Prelates forcing illegall things both upon our brethren in Scotland and upon us Is it not as clear as the Sun that the disturbance began with their imposition of their own Service-book upon them Have not they their Preachers sought to infuse such principles into Kings that all is theirs to dispose on as they please That they are bound to no Laws A doctrine condemned by the Heathens We reade of Trajan the Emperour when he ordained any Pretor giving him the sword he would bid him use the sword against his enemies in just causes and if he himselfe did otherwise then Justice to use then his power against him also And as Ministers so people that have been most conscientious they have been cryed out of as disturbers Thus it was in the Primitive times if there were any evils upon the Countries where the Christians dwelt they cryed out of them as the cause of all the voice presently was Christianos ad Leones bring forth the Christians to the Lyons so now the Round-heads the cause of all Men that will examine things and are not mad with malice wonder how such an apprehension can arise They suffer the wrong and yet they are accused for the trouble of the Kingdom by reason of their sufferings they are more in the view of people then other men and therefore when men are in a rage they fall upon them that are next hand They indeed will not yeeld to such illegall things as others will they think themselves bound what lies in them to keep the Kingdome and their posterities from slavery and for this good service although it cost them deare they must be accounted the cause of all the evill in the Kingdome Did they ever plot any Treason as Papists have done from time to time Did they even in times of Popery ever seek to blow up Parliament houses as Papists have done There is a great deale of stir about these men but what have they done the very foundations of this our Land are out of course but what have the righteous done So far as they can they yeeld active obedience to what Law requires of them in what they cannot yeeld active they yeeld passive and what can man require more of them Onely they wil not yeeld to mens wils and lusts beyond that authority they have over them and who wil that hath the spirit of a man in him But these are not friends to the King Surely those who obey so far cannot without extreme malice be accounted enemies to the King They pray more for the King then any people doe yea they do more for him and his in a right way then any people doe Who have ventured so much of their estates to reduce Ireland to the obedience of the King as those that are thus called Round-heads Will it not be found that some few of these in the City of London have disbursed more of their estates for the Kings service in this thing to keepe this his lawfull inheritance in his possession and for his posterity then all those thousands that are now with the King in his Army And heretofore who were the men that were most free with their estates to assist the Parl and to have recovered the Palatinate but these kinde of men Howsoever now God sees and the world sees they are ill requited at this day No no God and we hope in time Man also will find our other troublers of the Kingdom rather then these The Lord judge between us and our adversaries in this thing As for the great cost charge the Kingdom is at 1. We must know those who have done least in this kind complaine most those upon whom the weight and burden of the work hath layn you heare not to make such complaints of the charge 2. Better venture halfe then lose all In this thing that saying is true Dimidium plus toto If we be too sparing now it is the onely way to lose all it is better to have but a piece sure then by venturing to keep all to lose all If we will keep all we may soon lose all as many have done they have kept their estates for the spoilers Yea we were better to have lesse as our own with freedom then more with bondage at the wils of others Times of extreme danger are no times of complaining of charges If a mans house be on fire were it not absurd for him to cry out against breaking of the tiles because it wil put him to charges There is a story of a man who in discontent hanged himself his servant comming into the room at that instant seeing his master hanging he presently cuts down the rope so saves his life afterward this man being extreamly covetous wrangles with his servant because he would rather cut the rope then untye it so put him to more charges Doth not all lie at the stake is not the very life of the Kingdom in danger is it not time for us now to have our hearts raised above these things Let us take heed our covetousnesse be not our undoing and if our enemies find treasure with us then how justly may they mock and jeere us When Constantinople was taken in the yeer 1453. it appears by the Turkish History that it was lost through the Citizens covetousnesse The Citizens were full of gold and silver when it was taken but would not pay the souldiers that should have defended them and so their enemies made merry with their riches The like is reported of Heydelburgh taken by their enemies not many yeers since upon the like ground God hath been beforehand with us in many mercies and he hath yet more rich and glorious mercies for us that surely will pay for all at last over and over again We are unworthy of our liberties unworthy of the Gospell if we prize them at so low a rate as if they were not transcendently above all the costs we have been at or are like to be at We think these charges much but there is not one yeare wherein our neighbours in the Low Countries are not at far more charge then we have been at this chargeable yeare all our extraordinary charges are below their ordinary But although there is nothing can be said but God allows of these wars yet were it not better in prudence that I be not seen in them for if I be
unto them They in their pride lift up themselves and magnifie themselves against the Saints as if they were a company of silly weak men they doe not know that they are the people of the Lord of Hosts therefore God threatens there that he will be terrible unto them And thus you have the Relation of the Church to God revealing himselfe in this name The Lord of Hosts yet marke further the Relation that God hath to them in this his name As 1. The Lord of Hosts is the portion of his Church Jer. 10. 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them hee is the former of all things The Lord of Hosts is his name Wherefore if there be any thing in The Lord of Hosts that can doe them good they may challenge it for God The Lord of Hosts is their portion they may make use of all that is in him for their good 2. Hs is their Redeemer That you have in the Text Our Redeemer The Lord of Hosts is his name The Lord undertakes the redeeming of his people under this title of his on purpose that the multitude the greatnesse the fury of their enemies might not daunt them Your Redeemer is not one that cannot save he is The Lord of Hosts and one you may certainly confide in for he is The holy One of Israel 3. He is the pleader yea the through pleader of the cause of his people Jer. 50. 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name he shall throughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon God hath begun to plead the cause of his people already and hee hath shewne himselfe The Lord of Hosts in it but hee hath not yet throughly pleaded their cause as he meanes to doe when he shall doe that he will then give rest to the Land and disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon This work will cost the inhabitants of Babylon deare they were never so disquieted amongst us as they are at this day They have troubled the Saints and God now troubles them but will yet disquiet them more although they thinke to defend themselves by gathering Armies yet the Lord of Hosts shall disquiet them and give rest to his people There remaines yet a rest for the people of God even in this world 4. The Lord of Hosts is the Husband of his Church and this is the most neare and sweet relation of all Esa 54. 4 5 6. Feare not c. For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name The Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken grieved in spirit when thou wast refused saith thy God Alas saith the Church I am a poore desolate widow a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit every one neglects me I am rejected of all Well sayes God I took thee when thou wert thus forsaken to be my Spouse I have marryed thee to my selfe therefore now feare not I am the Lord of Hosts the God of the whole earth Surely a Generall if he hath the heart of a man in him he will fight for his Spouse he will not suffer his Spouse to be ravished before his eyes What sayes Ahasuerus concerning Haman Will he force the Queen before my face Vile men are risen up and they seeke to ravish the Church the Spouse of the Lord of Hosts and do you think he will suffer this before his face Shall not all the Armies in heaven and earth rather come together and fight for her deliverance Now then if all these things be thus we have cause then to quiet our hearts in the midst of all our fears and distractions to stand still and see the salvation of God the salvation that this Lord of Hosts is working for us This is the businesse that I have been endeavouring to enlarge before you the object of your faith and to lessen the object of your feare Surely if the Lord of Hosts hath such a relation to his Church and the Church such a relation to him he cannot but be exceedingly provoked against any that shall meddle with his Church to doe it hurt I will give you one notable expression of his anger against such Esa 3. 15. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poore saith the Lord of Hosts God here speaks angerly What am I the Lord of Hosts and will you offer this What mean you As when we flie upon a man in anger whom we see doth things to our prejudice or the prejudice of any neer to us in an absurd maner we say What doe you mean to do thus what are you mad Doe you know what you doe Doe you know who they are you thus abuse From all these gracious expressions of this Lord of Hosts to the comfort and encouragement of his people the result is that in the 8. of Esay 12 13. Say not A confederacy to them that say A confederacy oh many of their forces are joyned together feare not their feare but sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himselfe and let him be your feare and let him be your dread The Name of God is a strong Antidote to drive feare out of the hearts of the weakest Upon what we have seene in this title of God we may well say to the fearful in heart be strong feare not as we have it Isa 35. 4. Let women and all such as are naturally feareful take heed of sinfull feare The fearfulnesse of women hanging about their Husbands and children and friends crying out when they should goe forth in this service and going up and down wringing their hands and making dolefull outcries may do abundance of hurt exceedingly hinder the work that the Lord hath now in hand Let women take heed they be not hindrances but let them learne to exercise faith and take spirit to themselves that they may further their Husbands children and friends in this work of the Lord of Hosts Marke that Scripture 1 Pet. 3. 6. Yee are the daughters of Sarah so long as you do well and be not afraid with any amazement Yee would all willingly be accounted the daughters of Sarah Observe how the holy Ghost puts it upon this that you be not afraid with any amazement it may be nature may cause some feare but grace must keepe it that it be not with any amazement Why is it thus put upon this As Abraham is most commended for his faith and so by beleeving wee are the children of Abraham so it seemes Sarah his wife in those difficulties that Abrabam went through she was no hinderance but a furtherance to him she did not cry out to him Why will you leave your fathers house and all your kindred and go up and downe in a strange country in the middest of dangers and many straits no but shee rather was a helpe to him and an encourager of him so saies Peter who speaking to Christians who lived in troublesome and dangerous
he had rather live in the Countrey bring up his cattell and be quiet though he payes great taxes and be brought to be very servile yet that he may not be troubled his spirit can beare that servility let who will minde great things he loves to be quiet This was a low poore spirit and his posterity were for the generall very unworthy and vile For you shall finde in the division of the Land of Canaan that Issachars lot fell in Galile Josh 19. from the 18. ver to the 23. The description of their lot there from the cities as Jesreel the first and the out-goings of their border were at Jordan shews Galile was their place Now you know what was said of that place Doth any good come out of Galile usually it is so the posterity of men of servile spirits are vile and lewd 5. Difficulties are so far from disheartning men of courage that they raise their spirits They love a busines the better when they hear some difficulty is to bee passed through as Alexander said when he met with a great danger here is periculum par animo Alexandri Here is a danger fit for the spirit of an Alexander The example of David in this case is very remarkable in 1 Sam. 18. When Sauls servants told David that he might be the Kings sonne in law David was troubled at it and did not seeme to entertain the motion ver 22 23. but when they after told him of the termes upon which he should have this honour put upon him that it was to bring an hundred of the foreskins of the Philistims ver 25. which was a work of difficulty and hazard for on Sauls part it was propounded on purpose to be a snare to him for so sayes the Text Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistims now marke ver 26. when Sauls servants told David these things it pleased David well to be the Kings sonne in law that which he seemed to be troubled at when it was propounded absolutely that he is well pleased with when it is propounded with such a condition as had some difficulty in it wherby he had an opportunity to shew forth the excellencie of his spirit A base low spirit would have beene better pleased with it to have had such a thing without any such condition It is reported of the Lyon that such is his spirit as if he meetes with a prey that another hath killed before he will not meddle with it but he will seeke for one to kil himselfe if it be done to his hand as wee say he cares not for it but he will have one that shall be his own that he must doe something himselfe for it or else it pleaseth him not 6. A spirit of courage and true valour is not onely able to suffer willing to suffer raised by sufferings but can rejoyce triumph glory in sufferings account sufferings in a good cause great riches When we sit at home by our fire sides and have our tables furnished with varietie of dishes and goe to our soft beds and have the curtains drawne close we pitty poore souldiers that now lye abroad in the stormes upon cold earth who drinke water and often want bread yea many that might have fulnesse enough at home but that warlike spirit of theirs is above these things they can rejoyce in their hardships as much as you in all your abundance They think their lives more comfortable then yours because they are in service for the publique they have opportunity to doe worthily in their generations and you what do you doe you sit at home and have your ease and pamper your selves and doe nothing they would not by any meanes live your lives A true souldier like spirit is in his true element when he is in the midst of all the hardships of warres he loves to live and dye in such a condition Thus the Apostle a true souldier of Christ Rom. 5. 2. We glory in tribulations Moses accounted the reproach of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11. 27. Ignatius hath this expression He had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch When he heard his bones crash between the wilde beasts teeth Now sayes he I begin to be a Christian Cruaelitas vestra est gloria nostra sayes Tertullian to the persecutors Your cruelty is our glory Many of the Martyrs prepared themselves for their sufferings as Brides use to prepare themselves for their Bridegroomes with joy and gladnesse of heart The wounds they receive in the cause of Christ have more glory issue forth from them then blood they are an ornament to them they put a beauty upon them They account it far better to lose for God then to enjoy for themselves that part of their estates they part with in a good cause they account the best part of their estates they account themselves more rich in that then in what they still retaine Heb. 10. 34. They take joyfully the spoiling of their goods The reason of all is because their spirits are raised above creature-comforts their happinesse consists not in them they are not beholding to them for their peace and joy they can finde matter of joy in the parting with them as well as in the having them through that divine principle of holinesse that God hath put into them 8. A spirit of true courage hath all its fears swallowed up in the fear of God it hath learned to feare nothing but God and in order to God it sets the fear of God against all other fears One man fears poverty but I fear the God of heaven another fears reproach but I fear the God of heaven another imprisonment but I fear the God of heaven another death but I the God of heaven It sanctifies this Lord of Hosts and makes him to be the fear and the dread of it onely Cornelius the Souldier the Centurion of the Italian band is commended for his feare of God Act. 10. 2. a strange commendation of a souldier to be commended for feare yes for the feare of God This drives out all base fears by this he comes to fear nothing else but to be feared by his enemies 9. He reserves all his valour for this Lord of Hosts he hath no valour at all for sin there he is very fearfull his heart shakes at the very temptation to it and at the first risings of it there he seems to a worldling to be a very coward Other men have spirit valour enough for sin if we may call it valour but none for God This mans valour is all for God in his owne cause he is very flexible he manifests little spirit but when the cause is Gods then his heart rises there you may try him many people have passionate gunpowder spirits soon on fire in their own cause If they be crossed in their wils oh how resolute are they They will and they will they care not they care not what
If it were lawfull to resist power abused it would open a way to people to overthrew powers duely administred 1. We do not say that power abused should be resisted but Will where there is no Power may be resisted 2. True there is danger in the peoples abusing their liberties and danger in Magistrates abusing their power He sayes he intends not to lay the least blemish upon the Parliament Yet in the Page before he sayes The Temper of the Parliament is dissolved and upon that saies the distractions in the Common-wealth shew the distempers and the danger of dissolution and what is the cause of it It would fill much paper to gather together the blemishes that this man casts upon the Parliament especially in his last page But that is not my work I would gladly have consciences resolved He proceeds to shew the difference between the Low-Countreys and us which no question is something but not so as can make what they have done lawfull and yet the Doctors tents right nor what we have done unlawfull He farther enlarges himself in discourse about the evils that accompany resisting of power Still we say power should not be resisted and where it is resisted sinfully yea where men in power are resisted any way there are like to follow sad consequences of affliction But what is all this for the satisfaction to conscience about the Lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of resisting men that have power in any case Then be comes to the oath of Supremacy and the Protestation The Answer to this depends upon what hath been said we swear onely to the Legall power we protest no further then the maintenance of that He saies conscience will look at that power he hath as the ordinance of God True what power he hath that is what the Laws give him we say is an ordinance of God But his abuse of power is a iudgement of God that we must cry to God against and a true informed conscience in that case will rather suffer then resist He still takes abuse of his power to be the doing whatsoever he please we denie that to be abuse of his power We say in that he doth not exercise his authorative power at all therefore he doth not abuse it If indeed some uniust Law should give him any power to do wrong the execution of this would be the abuse of his power and therein it is granted a true informed conscience would rather suffer then resist But in the other case when he doth what Law inables not to do all the arguments of the Doctor cannot so inform our consciences as to beleeve the State must rather suffer then resist Now the Doctor casts up his reckoning and thinks he finds it comes to thus much that he hath found Scripture and reason speak plainly against resisting He cries victorie to himself he tels himself what the issue of his own thoughts come to but he reckons without his Host his conquest is too hastie we are not of his mind I will onely observe one thing more in the conclusion of his Section If any shall be carried away with the name of a Parliament as Papists are with the name of the Church c. If the Church could do as much in matters of Religion as the Parliament can do in matters of the State the Papists were not so much to be blamed for being taken so much with the name of the Church as we are not for being taken so much with the name of the Parliament For 1. The Church cannot make new Articles of Faith or nullifie the old but the Parliament can make new Maximes to be accounted Law that were not before and undo what were before 2. The Church hath not a iudiciall power of interpreting the Law of God but the Parliament hath a iudiciall power of interpreting the Law of the State so as that is to be accounted Law which they interpret to be so I do not say that we are bound to beleeve that whatsoever interpretation they make was the scope and intention of that Law when it was first made But this I say that their interpretation must be accounted as much binding to us for obedience as the scope and intention of that Parliament that first made that Law Thus I have done with his Scriptures and the rationall part of his Book and I hope others will have done with it too If mens consciences be satisfied in the lawfulnesse of the thing it self Subiects taking up Arms against the will of the King His other part every one who understands how things are with us that is willing to be satisfied will be soon able to satisfie himself The substance of all that follows is suppose that Subiects may take up Arms yet whether there be sufficient cause for us to do it Toward the conclusion of the book the Dr. begins to be hot and somewhat bitter but I shall not here follow him in particulars but in the generall thus What the condition of our Kingdom is whether in danger or not What the condition of our Houses of Parliament whether they be safe or not whether their priviledges be broke or not Iudge you whether Doctor Ferne or all the Remonstrances and Declarations we have had from both Houses be able best to certifie us we have received information enough and seen and felt enough to make us beleeve that our Kingdom is in great danger but it may be the Doctor sits in his study like another Archimedis drawing his lines and the Swords must be about his eares before he will see or beleeve any danger to wards us The Doctor puts the case thus whether the conscience can be so perswaded that the King is such and so minded as that there may be sufficient cause to take up Arms against him in this he is as miserably mistaken as in all his other grounds from Scripture and his reasons if he thinks this be the controversie For 1. we take up no Arms against the King 2. Whatsoever the Kings mind be there is sufficient cause to take up Arms to defend our selves against others that seek our ruins We know of the plots of bringing the Armies in the North upon Parliament and City We know of the great preparations of Arms in forreign parts to send over hither and time hath discovered their further attempts although it hath indeed withall discovered they could not bring their attempts to their desired issue We know of many Delinquents that are fled from the Iustice of the Parliament which cannot be attached without force and if they may so scape as they do to what purpose doth a Parliament sit it will soon be made ridiculous in the eyes of the world We know what is done in the execution of the Commission of Array and that by force of Arms and all these things by those who are under the authority of the Houses of Parliament wherefore if they cannot prevent these