The three Kingdomes Case OR Their sad Calamities together with Their CAVSES and CVRE Laid down in a SERMON PREACHED AT A Publique Fast at Kingston upon Hull With some very remarkable Passages of Providence worthy of generall Observation By JOHN SHAWE M. A. sometimes of Christs Colledge in Cambridge and now Lecturer at Hull aforesaid JER 12. 10 11 12. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wildernesse being desolate it mourneth unto me the whole land is made desolate because no man layeth it to heart the spoylers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse for the sword of the Lord shall devoure from one end of the land even to the other c. no flesh shall have peace Nullus ferè credit quod propter peccata nostra variis modus Deus animadvertat in homines hujus secule maior pars securè praeterit quaecunque profert Deus irae suae iudicia alii fortunae tribuunt quae videntur in orbe conversiones ac mutationes in summâ pauci sunt vel propemodum nulli qui manifesta dei iudicia expendant Aug. Plectimur à Deo nec flectimur tamen corripimur sed non corrigimur Salv. London Printed by T. B. for John Bartlet and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the gilt Cup under Saint Austins Gate 1646. To the Christian and wel-affected READER especially to my worthy and loving friends both the Inhabitants within the Town and Country of Kingston upon Hull and also the Parishoners of Bradfield in the West-riding of Yorkshire Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied Christian Readers and friends I Have looked with Elijah's servant more then seven times to see what would be the issue of these troubles 1 Kin. 18. 43. and I long since espied a great cloud bigger then his ver 44. yea like that ver 45 and trembled because of this matter and for the great 〈◊〉 Ez. 10. 9. my self have felt neither few nor small drops of these troubles as you know and truly stil if I did not see that the great and wise God had a speciall hand in carrying on and ordering al these wars and combustions I yet see so much malice private spleen even in those who return home and sit still such factions scisms and upon any occasion apostacies in a word so much of that many-headed Monster Selfe yet in the Kingdomes that I could hardly expect fair quiet sun-shine dayes of long but that the Lord raigneth and therefore may the earth rejoyce and this poor Island be glad thereof Psal 97. 1. I have in the ensuing lines opened and applied as I could what the word and sword my Text and times hold out unto you My Text tels of war plunderings spoilings which a In locum Hierom refers to the overthrow of Jerusalem after Christ by Titus because the Jewes rejected Christ the Son of God and salvation by him ostendens ferociam Romanorum saith he in populum Judaeorum qui idcirco punitus est quia Dei filium non recepit Piscator refers to the troubles of the Jewes by Zenacherib and the Assyrians Calvin to the plague famine wars and all such miseries laid on them by the Lord at severall times others to Nebuchadnezzars desolating wars and the Jewes seventy yeers captivity Musculus to the war and misery which Israel endured by the Philistines Idumaeans Amorites Moabites Syrians Assyrians c. notwithstanding all which troubles Israel could not be perswaded that sin was the cause but either chance or because they wanted their number of men and were not strong enough but the Prophet prophesieth sin to be the true cause and confesseth that he living among them had contracted sinne and guilt so as that he had a hand in bringing downe these Judgements we have sinned yet presently in the same verse changeth the person his sin not being so wilfull contemptuous and perserved in as theirs ver 24. they would not walk yet in these sad wars and combustions of ours in England like those in the Text I see some grounds of hope as first a budding generation comming up hungring and gasping after Christ and the means of grace a good signe that God is not leaving our land but that the time of the promise drawes nigh Acts 7. 17. Isa 49. 20 21. Secondly many active and eminent spirits raised up like Moses Aaron Phineas like Zerubbabel and Joshua for the work of the Lord in Church and State with boldnesse Hag. 1. 12 14. Jer. 50. 2. Micah 5. 5. Thirdly cleerer light shines in the Kingdom even by contentions which satan stirs up to overthrow the truth and in many dark corners Dan. 12 4. adde to these that the iron and clay break asunder daily Dan. 2. 41 42. and the stone cut out without hands growes more and more Dan. 2. 43 44 45. and I see all this carried on above and contrary to the power and policy of the subtillest heads by the mervailous hand of God Zach. 4. 6. let me to the only praise of the wonder-working God and the better to perpetuate the memories of his miracles of mercies to this Town of Kingston upon Hull which place if ever any is most infinitely indebted to God who hath shewed mercies indeed to other places but to this town miracles let me I say instance in some particular mercies which God hath afforded to this town wherein it appears that God himself hath bared his arme and saved it beyond and contrary to the wit and will of the subtillest enemies and seeming friends and made the very enemies to help on your safety and their owne ruine as appears first in that a little before these wars began your Castle and block-houses were out of repair and too much through long peace and dis-use unfit for service upon which pretence some of the Kings Coachmen begged them of the King and sued you for them whereupon you presently repaired them which Forts thus on this occasion repaired helped now to keep out the Kings party Secondly whereas formerly you had no draw-bridges to keep out an enemy Captain W. Legge and others of that party caused draw-bridges to be made about the Town on purpose to keep out our Brethren of Scotland when first they came into this land for our assistance but these bridges kept out Captain Leg and that party Thirdly Arms were also sent hither for above 20000. men under the managing of the said Cap. Leg after that a Garrisonof 1000. should here planted having not bin any here for many yeers before under the command of Sir Tho. Glenham by the direction advice of the Earl of Strafford for the same purpose aforesaid and yet all this turned to keep out that very party Fourthly in the dawning of these troubles Captain Leg being setled in this Town and having this strength and power aforesaid and the Earl of Newcastle being also sent hither by the King with his Commission to be Governour here
who came into the Town by the name of Sir John Savage but the town demurred upon their answer to him till they heard from the Parliament both these persons viz. Earl and Captain thus in the town upon a bare summons from Parliament left the Town and posted to Westminster a thing which I beleeve both of them have forethought an hundred times since Fifthly the day before the King came first to Hull to demand or command entrance Sir John Hotham being then Governour here the King sent the Duke of York the Prince Elector the Earl of Newport the Lord Willoughby Sir Thomas Glenham and others into Hull which caused some jealousies in the Governour and Towns-men whereas if the King had come suddenly to the gates without any warning when the Duke and the rest came I am confident none had then suspected his comming nor would any souldier have hindred his entry at the gates such a work was then rare Sixthly the next day after viz. about Apâ—â—â— 25. 1642. being saturday the King with some hundreds of attendants came to enter the Town of Hull the Governour being busied in entertaining the Duke of York the Prince Elector and their Company and had the King still come without any further warning suddenly to the gates I am confident no souldier would have hindred him but the King sent Sir Lewes Dives two hours before him to tell the Governour that the King was within four or five miles off and would dine with him and this time and warning had Sir John Hotham to advise and hearten himself and his souldiers to keep out that company that came with the King and to draw up their bridges c. Seventhly adde this for a wonder that Sir John Hotham should then so resolutely keep these persons out having such a numerous party of the contrary mind most active that day both within and without against him a work at that time not for every mans spirit himself as since it appears proving so unfaithfull of whom and which work I may this say that when he could have ruined the Town and endangered the Kingdom thereby he would not and after when he would have done it he could not Eighthly when the Kings Army came first against this Towne they thinking thereby to have compelled you to yeeld burnt your Mils but this did wonderfully set the hearts of all both rich and poor against them their food being endangered whereas some of them before were not so fully affected to the Parliament and that cause Ninthly the Earl of Newcastle after this having over-mastred all the North save Hull and Wresle Castle and having got so great and formidable an Army with which he might in probability have gone through most parts of England then and have ruined or endangered many a City Town and County yet were his old wisest and subtillest souldiers so far befooled that they perswaded him to bring this Army against Hull in August 1643. and lay a second siege here but partly by the shot and sallies out of the Town partly by lying in wet trenches the Country round about being drowned at spring-tides their whole Army was brought almost to nothing and those that were left of them now no way formidabe after six weeks and odde dayes siege went away with infinite shame and losse October 11. 1643. for which mercy you still keep on that day an aniversary thankfull commemoration Tenthly In all these six weeks siege though the enemy shot many fiery hot bullets into the Town night and day yet very few of you were hurt sometimes many wel-affected persons were met in a chamber to repeat sermons and pray as soon as ever they were departed and gone down the stairs and not till then came a red hot bullet through the place where they met so in another chamber where children went to school came another of those fiery messengers as soon as ever the children were gone from that place and none hurt Eleventhly on Thursday June 29. 1643. when Sir John Hotham was conceived trecherous he being alwayes very active and vigilant and especially then yet were the Magazine the severall guards and forts of the garrison seized on by the Towns-men and others no experienced souldiers within the compasse of lesse then an hour and that before Sir John Hotham was aware without the losse of any blood which great and hazardous attempt one would have thought and it was feared would have cost many a mans life Twelfthly that on the very day after this viz. Friday June 30. 1643. the right Honourable and Noble Lord General Fairfax had that great losse at Atherton More and when he was retired from the field into Leeds and was in danger yet more sad and troubled as his Lordship said for the losse of his men and the danger of the Country and not well knowing which way or what course to take the next day a Boy came just in that nick b Like the case of Mordecai or the Shunamite Est 5. 14. with 6. 1 4 6 10. 2 King 8. 5. of time with a Letter from the Major and Aldermen of Hull acquaitnting his Honour that Hull was open for him if he would come thither and that the town and ammunition were seized upon as aforesaid Sir Iohn Horham fled and in his flight apprehended in Beverley a joyfull message at that time though till then neither had his honour heard thereof nor the town when they sent of Lordships losse 13. Though it was generally said and thought that if the wars should continue and Armies should lye in Yorkshire but one yeer there could not possibly be any provision or food left yet have Armies been here almost six yeers already in Yorkshire sometimes six Generals and their Armies at once often above 20000d. souldiers abominable firing spoiling plundering c. yet seldom have we seen meat drink more cheap or plentifull here then still it is blessed be God This is the Lords own doing thus have you Seamen seen Gods wonders as much by Land c Psa 107. 23 24. as by Sea and this Town sometimes a poor Hamlet called Wyke after in Edward the second his time called the Kings Towne upon the River Hull which is a greater honour then if by the cowardize or trechery of any it had been turned to be in that sense that some badly mean it the Queens Town may now justly be called Gods Town because of the miracles God hath wrought for it Oh that it appeared to be so by our holy practice answerable Psal 116 12 13. to such mervailous mercies To conclude let me for the same end acquaint you the Inhabitants of Bradfield with another instance though of a lower ranke viz. the mervailous delivery of a Minister of Christs Gospel born in your Parish wherein you may still see Gods hand learn to trust and praise him more 't is this When the Earl of Newcastle besieged Rotherham in May 1643. at last the Towne wanting powder
professe they had rather the Turk or Devil prevailed then the Round-heads secondly in former times of calamity as in Queen Maries dayes there was an Ireland to fly to not now then sixty or seventy suffered now so many thousands then lands descended to the Martyrs heirs but if this Parliament be by force brought down you may write upon the doors of your Liberties and estates Lord have mercy upon us Aâ—â—â—e 3ly the consequents of war I will clean but a few as first plague secondly famine h Ier. 14 3 4 â— 52. 6. Lam 4. 7 10. 2. 20. 2 King 6. 26 30. 2 Sam. 24. 13 15. read Jeremy and Josephus for both these on Jerusalem once and again thirdly firing Jer. 52. â—3 Judg. 1. 8. 20. 48. c. fourthly plundering i Where is strife there is every evil work Iames 3. 16. Isa 13. 16. many godly men left thouslesse without Harbour victuals goods money in an hour by one party nor by another what the palmer-worm leaves the locust ranker worm or caterpillar eats Joel 1. 4. we whose goods escape the sword of Hazael yet plundered by Jebues c. Sabenns Chaldeans c. fifthly want of means of grace k Amos 8. 11 12. neglect of studies Pastors dare not come at their Flock but hide themselves Jor. 36. 26. nor Flocks at the Congregation the wayes to Sion mourn Lam. 1. 4. Psal 74. 7. sixthly want of execution of good l Iudg. 5. 11. 17. 6. Lam. 2. 9. Inter Arma silent leges laws where all things are lawfull nothing is right seventhly want of christian society of Saints who are scatteved perhaps never meet together again husband and wife parents and children in this world Acts 8. 1. Math. 2. 14. eighthly want of treding none dare passe the high-wayes Judg. 5. 6. Levit. 26. 22. Lam. 4. 18. Isa 33. 8. 2 Chron. 15. 5. ninthly many like Mephibosheth lamed wounded want arms legs c. tenthly many whose blood is precious in Gods sight are slain and their blood run down the street part from their friends and never returne againe Acts 12. 2. 2 Chron. 35. 23 24. Judg. 20. Isa 3. 5. Lam. 4. 5. 5. 8. 21 25 35 c. and many of the beggarly and baser sort rifle houses and domineer over the persons of such worthies whom they durst heretofore scarce look at But I have much work yet to do and little time I adjourn the reasons the truth of the point is apparent and I accoast upon an Use or two Vse 1. Ad Magistratum all you that be in places of authority and power use all lawfull means doe what in you lyes for the sheathing up of the sword the preventing plunderings spoilings c. and removing these sad calamities c. Secondly Ad Clerum as we use the phrase pray we and preach and use our best endeavours for the composing of these differences preventing these spoilings and robbings to our griefe we see it the Papists take away the second Commandement the Courtiers did take away the fourth Commadement Plunderers the eighth and the abuse of these wars in many places the praâ—â—ice of all Thirdly Ad Populum and that in divers things and first be we all affected with mourning spirits for these sad judgments war and the fruits of it as were Vriah Nehemiab Jeremiah c. Jer. 4. 19. Ezek. 21. 9 10. My bowels my bowels c. Should we now make mirth c. take we up the lamentation Lam. 3. 48 49. 51. Look away from me I will weep bitterly c. Isa 22. 4. considering first what a land we lately had like the Garden of God before these wars Joel 2. 3. secondly how wofully now spoil'd especially in many places like a desolate Wildernesse ibid. 2 Chron. 15. 5. no peace to him that goes out or comes in Thirdly by whom all this is viz. one neighbour against another yea and by Papists and their confederates who in quieter times burnt living men women and children and digged others out of the grave to burn their dead bodies what would they now doe Fourthly how long it may yet last m The first Carthaginian war lasted 23 yeers that betwixt the Hollanders and Spain about 70 yeers we see the differences are greatned miseries hightned and gape widened every day divisions in Church grow greater and divisions in the State not lesser see also how long the calamities were upon Israel in Aegipt upon the Jews in Babylon upon Germany of late yeers c. Secondly pray hard for those of our Brethren that be in and under the sury of battle and the cruelty of the enemies and that first they may not sin that they may keep a good conscience alas this is their hour of temptation and sore triall Satan is winnowing them pray their faith may not fail Revel 3. 10. Luke 22. 31 32. see our case Ezek. 22. 26 31. Isa 62. 6 7. pray God to keep them from sinning Psal 74. 20 21. Jer. 14. 19 21. Secondly pray God to sanctifie these troubles to them to take away the scum Ezek. 24. 6. to fan away the chaffe purge away the drosse Isa 27. 9. Mal. 3. 2 3. Thirdly in due and the fittest time to deliver them from their troubles and recompence the enemy Psal 79. 11 12. Thirdly endeavour in thy place and calling to stench these wars this bleeding wound by first repenting towards God secondly not willingly assisting the Enemies of the Common-wealth so as to hinder Delinquents from justice or in what we are able any other just way Fourthly Prepare for the worst who knowes what sad dayes we may yet see Jer. 25. 15 16. especially if we seriously look at first our sins and abuse of great mercies secondly what far better men then we have suffered before us thirdly how many clouds and mountains seem yet to be betwixt us and a quiet end fourthly how sins in every part of the Land yet encrease fifthly how all Treaties and probable means of reconciliation still knap asunder we thought if ever the Armies met one battle would do it but c. sixthly what selfishnesse and ends are yet in men what envy and emulation that sometimes we cannot agree to follow the probablest means close Therefore prepare I say for the worst that can come and trust not first to policy how little hath been done in these warres by the deepest dungeon politicians those who were thought the wits and Achitophels of our time even as much as Balaam and Achitophel did God hath befooled men I Cor. 1. 19. secondly nor to riches oft-times they make men fare the worst as at Jerusalem o 2 King 25. 9 12. and massacre at Paris thirdly nor to strong wals works as was said to Phocas Nahum 3. 12. fourthly nor to multitude of souldiers strength of men and horse But first turn to him that smiteth speedily cordially throughly Isa 9. 12 14. Hosea 6. 1. Secondly
c. God cals to this office sometimes men of greater birth and estates as this Isaiah sonne of Amoz sometimes poorer as Amos a poore Neat-heard of Tekoah Amos 1. 1. which two names a Robustus fortis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onustus durus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hie◠in Isa 1. differ much both in the Hebrew writing and signification Isaiah prophesied above sixty yeers to a stubborne people of the Jewes that profited little so did Hosea to Israel above seventy yeers yet would not leave off his Ministry to leave off ones Ministry because he cannot see it doe that good which he wisheth saith old Latimer is a naughty a very naughty deed After all his toile and paines he was sawne asunder by his neere Kinsman let us learne to be content though ill rewarded by men seeing this Evangelicall and noble Prophet was so used after so long and great paines for their soules good The summe of the Prophesie is a discovery of the abominations of the Jewes and of Gods judgements against the impenitent for those finnes together with a promise to the Elect and prophesie of the Lord Jesus Christ his birth life death resurrection ascension and intercession In this chapter the Lord holds out Christ full of beauty and bounty goodnesse and pitty ver 1. 10. exhorteth the Jewes to prize and praise him ver 10. 13. but foreseeing their contempt and rejecting of such an invaluable mercy he denounceth heavy judgements against them ver 13. to the end whereof my Text is part In which consider first the punisher the Lord secondly the punishment battell war with the fruits of it robbing firing spoyling c. And thirdly the punished not Heathens but the Members of Gods visible Church Jacob Israel fourthly the meritorious cause of this punishment sinne and disobedience neglecting Gods wayes fifthly the Peoples incorrigiblenesse and unprofitablenesse under all this they consider not nor lay it to heart I will graspe as much together as I can and collect some observations as suitable to the Text occasion and time as with conveniency I may And first this Observ 1. That warre with the fruits thereof robbing firing spoyling are very sad and heavy calamities yet such as may befall a Nation professing the true Religion Observ 2. That when such warres befall such a Nation it 's God that sends them and gives up a people to them Who gave Israel to the robbers did not the Lord Observ 3. When ever God sends such warres and calamities on such a Nation their sinnes and iniquities were the procuring and meritorious cause Observ 4. That when a people have such judgements poured upon them by God and yet doe not consider rightly thereof and lay it to heart it much provokes and angers God For the first that the strength of battell robbing firing and spoyling are sad calamities it needs no further proofe it 's too apparent already I may say of this as our Saviour Luke 4. 21. this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares yet that this point may prove more usefull to us let me a little cut it up and shew you the miseries of warre first by the precedents or occasions of it secondly the nature of it thirdly the consequents especially of a civill warre such as ours now is And first for the occasions of warre I will name some as it 's a sad thing when King a and people fall out and clash one with another till one weaken another and endanger the ruine of both thus Abimilech and the men of Sechem the Lord sent an evill spirit of dissention betwixt them Judg. 9. 22 23. after Abimilech had raigned a while ere long both parties took up armes so as no man could safely travaile on the high-way because of the Souldiers ver 25. the event of this warre was this first the people were ruined ver 44. the City destroyed and sowne with salt ver 45. the Tower a strong hold of Sechem burnt and a thousand men and women in it ver 49. and ere long the King was ruined and that dishonourably ver 53 54. a sad and heavy case to see a body tearing out its owne bowels to see a Kingdome like Judas or Achitophel making it selfe away when the Lord sends a spirit of perversities amongst a people Isa 19. 14. the Lord hath mingled a spirit of perversities c. Secondly it 's a sad thing when Courtiers and favourites of a King who much mind not any Religion yet come to Church and perhaps take a Protestation the better to please men and keep their places a while but as soon as they espie their time take advantage upon a King and labour to seduce draw his heart from God and his truth to idolatry and to raise up armes and make warre upon his Subjects and this hath been done see 2 Chron. 23. 16. in Jehojada's dayes the Courtiers and people entred into Covenant to be the Lords people and opposed idolatry ver 17. but assoon as Jehojada was dead 2 Chro. 24. 15. the flattering CGurtiers with their congies obeysance and cringes vowing they would serve King Joash for ever ver 17. and espying their advantage with the King wrought upon his nature and drew him away with them from the pure worship of God ver 18. but see what warres followed and what became of those Courtiers ver 23. Yea sometimes a Queen the wife of his bosome may draw a King away as Jezabel to Ahab that was an high addition to all his other sinnes that he took Jezabel to wife 1 King 16. 31. and there was none like him whom his wife Jezabel stirred up b 1 Kin. 21. 25 so Solomon's wives 1 King 11. 3 7 8. and rending his Kingdome followed upon it ver 11 13 14 c. so Ezra 9. 2. 14. thus the Sonne of godly Jehosaphat did evill because led away by a bad wife 2 Chron. 21. 6. we read 2 Chron. 22. 1. that the c So the people met to make Rehoboam King 1 King 12. 1. See Deut. 17. 14 15 c. people made Ahaziah King called Jehoahaz 2 Chron. 21. 17 and Azariah 2 Chron. 22. 6. but two things drew him away a bad mother and her bad kinred and Counsellours 2 Chron. 22. 3 4. if not a third 2 Kings 8. 27. and these cause warres and divisions Thirdly it 's a sad thing when some young flattering Courtiers be neer about the King that perswade him to stand upon his points and prerogative and not to condiscend to his Subjects petitions at all but either to rule by his own will an arbitrary government or else venture his Kingdom and all thus did Rehoboam's young Counsellours 1 King 12. Solomon was the wisest of meer mortals he had a thousand Wives and Concubines 1 King 11. 3. and yet had but one sonne and he foolish when his Subjects came humbly petitioning his Majestly Rehoboam takes the advice of Malignant young Counsellours who tell him would I have my neck