that shew that Princes may make use of other help So there is for Subjects to make use of other helps against the oppression of their Princes many Scriptures have been mentioned formerly and cleered Further besides this we answer that the power of all Kings is not alike it is no argument because one King hath such and such power therefore all must needs have The power of Kings is limited or enlarged by the severall Laws of severall Countries Let us see what the third Scripture sayes for yet our consciences are not scrupled it is Numb 10. That the people might not go to war but by order from him that had the power of the Trumpet Because there was a positive order there that Moses must make trumpets and thus use them Doth it follow that this must be so every where you may by as true a consequence urge the necessity of silver trumpets and that the Priests should blow them as well as the former The consequence would be full as good No King can use Trumpets in war but by the blowing of the Priests for it is commanded there as that no people can go to war till the Magistrates use the Trumpets because it is so ordered there we know the Law is judiciall and for those judiciall Laws the equity binds no further then according to rules of prudence and justice every countrey shall see behoofefull for their conditions Besides if this did binde then it were a sinne for an Act to passe to put the Militia for any time into any other hands for certainly it might not then be done no not with Moses and Aarons consent The next Scripture is 1 Sam. 26. 9. who can stretch out his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltlesse Why doth the D. speake of stretching forth the hand against the Lords Anointed who endeavours it doth not the Parliament professe the defence of the Kings Persons 2. Doctor willet upon this place gives you this Answer That indeed it is not lawfull for a private man to lay hands no not upon a tyrant for it is not lawfull for a private man to kill a thiefe of a murderer much lesse a Magistrate a Prince But secondly he tels us of some that have laid hands upon a King and yet have been guiltlesse as Ehud upon Eglon King of Moab therefore from that Scripture there cannot be a generall Proposition drawn that no man in any case may stretch forth his hand against a King Yea Doctor willet answers in the third place that yet Tyrants and wicked Governours may be removed by the whole State He indeed limits this and sayes it must be understood of such Kingdomes as goe by election as in Polonia and gives this reason From whom Kings receive their authority by them may they be constrained to keep within bounds This it seems was good Divinity in those dayes This distinction he used to deliver the opinion from opposition in England but if the distinction be examined there will appeare little strength in it We doe not find that D. willet was ever reproved or his writings censured for this thing Concerning that restriction of his to Kingdomes by election we shall when wee come to shew from whence all Kings have their power see that if it proves true of them it will prove true of others for the foundation of all power that such and such men have over others will be found either from election or covenant which will come to all one D. Ferne proceeds thus If the King had come into the battel his person might have been hurt as well as any This had been but accidentally If a father should voluntarily goe into the Army of the common enemy against whom the childe is in service and the child in discharging upon the enemy should slay his father being there especially he being desired beseeched by any meanes not to be there but to withdraw himselfe doth the child contract guilt in such a case His next Argument from Scripture is That the Prophet reprechending the Kings of Israel and Judah for Idolatry and oppression none ever called upon the people for this duty of resistance First There is much difference betweene Kings now and those Kings The people then did neither give them their power nor limit their power They doe both now when first they are set up Secondly if this be a good argument that because when Kings oppressed the prophet did not cal upon people for resistance therefore all resistance in any case is unlawful then if when people have resisted cast oft the Government of their King the Prophets have not reproved them for it then it is lawfull for people in some case to resist He that will harken to his own reason must acknowledge there is par ratio If the Prophets exhorted not to resistance then there may be no resistance sayes the Doctor Then if when there is resistance the Prophets rebuke not that resistance then there may with as good reason be resistance say I. When the ten Tribes cast off the Government of Rehoboam for his oppression and hearkning to his young Cavalliers about him rather then to his ancient grave counsel the Prophets did not rebuke the ten Tribes for what they did but rather seemed to take their parts 1 Kings 12. 24. â—eturn every man to his house for this thing is from mee Now the D. comes to his great place again Rom. 13. which he sayes be will free from all exceptions Nay bare me an Ace of that The truth is he vever so much as mentions nor thinks of the great exception which duly considered will clear the Text to be nothing to his purpose First he supposes that the King is the supream as Peter calls him or the higher power as here 1. It is true Peter cals the King Supreame but in the same place he is made an ordinance of man and therefore to be limited by man He may be the chiefe man in authority and yet limited in that authority he is supreame but not absolute We grant that the Houses of Parliament and we all are his Subjects but not Subjects to his will but to that power of his that Law gives him 2. He takes for granted the King is the higher power Here observe his mistake Let it be granted that the King hath the highest power yet what propriety of speech is it to say that he is the highest power It is proper to God to say that he is Power in the abstract Well The King hath the highest power and we must be subject to this power of his and not resist it Who denies all this When all this is granted the D. hath got nothing at all for if we resist not that power which Law hath given him we do not resist the higher power although we do not do nor suffer what hee would have us to do or suffer Then he reasons from the person whosoever
malice and rage against us yea against Christ himselfe and his Saints 13. The spirit of valour and courage is also from this Lord of Hosts When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Sampson Gideon and others of the Worthies of the Lord what great things did they Heb. 11. 33 34. Who through faith subdued Kingdomes stopped the mouthes of Lyons out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in sight turned to slight the Armies of the Aliens It was through faith they were enabled to doe all this faith fetcht valour and courage from this Lord of Hosts Hag. 1. 14. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and the spirit of Joshua and the spirit of all the Remnant of the people and they came and did worke in the house of the Lord of Hosts their God It was a warlike spirit to resist their enemies to encounter with dangers God hath stirred up a spirit in many of our Nobles in our Worthies of Parliament in some of our people if a spirit were now stirred up in the remnant of our people our worke would soone bee at an end It were the unworthiest yea the most horrible thing that ever was in this world that now people should forsake Nobility those they have chosen in Parliament and Ministers who have had a spirit to stand up for God and their liberties Oh that a spirit of indignation would arise in the whole Kingdome that they may not suffer themselves to be baffled out of their Religion their Liberties their estates by a generation of vile men that are risen up amongst us Zac. 10. 3 5. The Lord of Hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battel They shall be as mighty men which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battel It seems they presumed to come into their towns and Cities therefore sayes the Text They shall tread them down us mire in the streets They are vile and therefore to be trodden down as mire in the streets The spirits of those that seem to be the greatest terror amongst us are mean and base What worthy thing have they ever done have they ever stood before those that opposed them All their valour is in going up and down to Countrey houses in a poore unworthy manner pillaging and pilfring A spirit in people raised by God would scorne to be brought under by men of such spirits as these Further as God gives a spirit of courage so he takes it away when he pleases Is 19. 16. And in that day shall Egypt be like unto women and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts which he shaketh over it and the land of Judah shal be a terror unto Egypt every one that maketh mention thereof shal be afraid in himself because of the counsell of the Lord of Hosts It may be they will not confesse that they are afraid but may make their boast as if they had got the better but marke the words every one shall be afraid in himself If we could look into their bosoms we should see blacknes tremblings the terror of the Lord upon them Ps 76. 5 The stout hearted are spoiled they have slept their sleep none of the men of might have found their hands at thy rebuke O Lord the horse chariot are cast into a dead sleep and v. 12. He shal cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth he shall wipe them off as a man will doe a flower between his fingers or as easily as a bunch of grapes is cut off from the vine 14. The Lord of Hosts hath the absolute power over all weapons in battel to let them prosper or not prosper as he pleaseth This is beyond all the Generals in the world Isay 54. 17. No weapons formed against thee shall prosper If any shal say This is a speciall promise to them at that time mark what follows This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord This that is this promise of the Lord is the inheritance of his servants Now we of late have had the benefit of this our inheritance the last Lords day fortnight we did inherit this promise when there were 17. Canons discharged from the Adversary and not one man slain by them How was this made good that no weapon formed against thee shall prosper The adversary was enraged at this they said they thought the devil was in the powder No it was God that was there fulfilling this promise of his to his servants 15. All the successe in battels is from the Lord of Hosts It is not in men nor ammunition nor in advantages Eccles 9. 11. The battel is not to the strong A horse is but a vaine thing for safety Psal 33. 17. Behold is it not of the Lord of Hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity Hab. 2. 13. Yea lastly the whole battel is the Lords when it is a just cause 1 Sam. 17. 47. The battel is the Lords Now you see what the Scripture saith about Gods providence in battel You have the summe presented here together in which is a full and strong encouragement to those who fight the battels of the Lord. Now if the Question be asked Why doth the Lord thus work in Armies The Answer is 1. Because the lives of men are precious to him In them multitudes of creatures are cast for their eternall estates If not a sparrow not a haire from the head falls to the ground without providence much lesse the life of a creature appointed for eternity 2. Because of the great things of consequence that depend upon War the mighty turnes of Nations and changes of Kingdoms depend upon them But how comes it to passe seeing God is thus The Lord of Hosts that yet the adversaries of Gods people doe often prevaile in battel 1. It is for the chastisement of his people Ashur is made sometimes the rod of Gods anger Jer. 12. 7. I have given the dearly beloved of my soule into the hands of her enemies She is the dearly beloved of Gods soule yet she is given into the hands of her enemies We must not judge by the present prevailing that God loves those who have the day and hath rejected those who seeme to have the worst God sometimes for chastisement brings the worst of men upon them Ezek. 7. 24. I will bring the worst of the heathen and they shall possesse their houses The Lord hath raised up against us many that are the worst the vilest upon the face of the earth and they have possessed the houses of many of his Saints the dearly beloved of Gods soule We use to take the vilest the worst of men to be Hangmen the worst rags and clouts to scoure withall It is an argument that we are very foule
and faction but who is the Schismatike who are the factious men now Now although there be Ordinances from the highest Court of Judicature in a Kingdom these men forget what arguments they were wont to use to poore Country men in their Courts to be obedient to Authority and and what are you wiser then the Governours of the Church who presume to shew themselves wiser then their Governours now If any shall say howsoever those who yeeld not to ordinances of Parl. cannot be accounted Schismatiques because that is a rending from the Church The House of Parl. may as truly have the denomination of the Church as the Prelats their Chancellors Commissaries Officials will they not acknowledge the House of parl to have as much power to govern the Church as they have surely they dare not speak out Yea the Houses of Parl. are as truly Gods Clergie although there be never a Prelat there as the Bishops or Ministers are it is a proud arrogation of theirs to make themselves Gods Clergie that is Gods lot or Heritage thereby distinguishing themselves from the people when as the Scripture makes the people Gods Clergie by way of distinction from the Ministers but never the Ministers Gods Clergie by way of distinction from the people as 1. Pet. 5. 3. Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage hee speakes to Ministers that they may not Lord over the Clergie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the words are let any shew me now where Ministers in distinction from people are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence their word Clergie comes but thus in matters of Church government as well as in Civill have people been deluded But are not many if not most of the House of Commons men of meane quality in comparison and what must the great affaires of King and Kingdome be ordered by them 1. Would you know why so many of the Gentry in most Counties throughout the Kingdome are so malignant surely it lies in great part in this objection they look with an envious eye at the Parliament because they think themselves as good men yea and far better then many of them there and why should not they have been chosen in as well as those that are this pride and envie of theirs makes them swel at every thing the House of Cōmons doth it makes them forget that the liberties of themselves and posterities together with the whole Commons of the Kingdom are maintained in such a way of choise of the Members of that House howsoever for the present it hath not falne upon themselves besides many of thē had rather inslave themselves their posterities to those above them then not to have their wils upon those that are under them they would faine bring it to be with us as it is in France that the Gentry should be under the Nobility and Courtiers and all the country people the pesants bee under them as slaves they live in miserable bondage under the Gentrey there who generally are Cavalliers There is no Countrey in the world where countrey men such as we call the yeomandry yea and their Farmers and workmen under them doe live in that fashion and freedome as they doe in England in all other places they are slaves in comparison their lives are so miserable as they are not worth the enjoying they have no influence at all into the government they are under nothing to doe in the making of Laws or any way consenting to them but must receive them from others according to their pleasure but in England every Free-holder hath an influence into the making and consenting every Law he is under and enjoyes his owne with as true a title as the Nobleman enjoyes whatsoever is his This freedome many of the proud Gentry are vexed at and hence it is their hearts rise so against those that are chosen by them and against their Ordinances But the Commons begin to discerne this more then they have done and to be so wise as to hold their own faster then formerly they have 2. Whatsoever quality any man is of before he be invested with power should be no prejudice to his power when once he is invested with it If a Prince should be chosen out of a meane condition as many have been must not he be obeyed as a Prince notwithstanding that as Saul Agathocles and others would it not be accounted an high offence yea Treason for any to refuse obedience to a Prince upon this ground that when he and that Family was chosen perhaps neither he nor his family was the fittest and ablest that might have been had No we are to rest in the choice being made Is not the reason the same in this although the degree inferiour The one is the supreme man in authority the other a Member of the supreme Court of Judicature and regulating all authority 3. Yet further the honour of the Members of the House of Commons consists much in this although personally some of them are not of very high quality yet they are representative of whole Shires Counties Cities whereas the Noble-men themselves are not thus representative every one is there for himself and for the good of the Kingdom because in regard of his estate and honour that he is born to hee hath a deeper share then other men in the good of the kingdome 4. Such is the constitution of the Government of this Kingdom that the Commons of the Land choosing so many to represent them have that power that they may so moderate the Government by Nobility Monarchie that neither of them may grow into a Tyrannie but govern by Statute Law made by the three Estates and the Common Law judged by Courts of Judicature that Law hath enabled thereunto And this power seeing they have it by the constitution of the Government of this kingdome that sutable to the very law of Nature both His Majesty and the Nobles do beleeve so far as the Law of God and Nature will give leave they will maintain with all their might But what would the Lords or Commons have hath not the King graciously yeelded to them almost in all things they can desire why doe they now stand out so as they doe True we acknowledge with all humble thankfulnesse to God and his Majestie for what he hath done what is for the good of the Kingdom surely is for the good of his Majestie too and if it be so worthy an Act of the King to yeeld his royall assent to those things that are so beneficiall for his Majesty and the kingdome then surely the Act of Commons Lords must have their due praise in preparing such good things first in voting them and presenting them to his Majesty for his Royall assent to them But then you say What would they have more what doe they stand for more They desire that and stand for that now without which all is done is nothing all that
see them to bee of the same mould wee are of God hath not revealed from heaven by his Prophets that this or that family must be so much above others rather then other families That then that now makes the difference between man and man is from men setting up this family rather then another or this person rather then another but is it possible to conceive that any Common-wealth should set up any to their owne ruine Were it that men kept in due order or that when the most abominable injustice and violence that is offered men did not presume so audaciously to make use of the name of the King these reasonings would never bee occasioned in mens hearts woe therefore to them by whom such dangerous offences come The Lord deliver us and the Lord deliver His Majesty from these men and such fearefull scandals as they cast upon him How dangerous a temptation is this to Princes to have such an apprehension infused into them whatsoever they doe whatsoever spoile of Kingdomes they make and violence they offer they shall still enjoy what they had and be acknowledged as they were That Land is in a sad condition where these thoughts are applyable to the Prince thereof and lie boiling in the hearts of the people For our parts we desire as long as ever we are able to charge onelie even in our very hearts the actors of all the violence and spoile amongst us and our brethren in Ireland as the Authors of it and therefore we judge it is the best service we can doe for the King to deliver him from these mischievous men that his throne being established in righteousnesse his Crown may slourish upon him and his posterity These things I have spoken out of conscience of my duty to God and to the Kingdome knowing that if some do not open these things as they are able to satisfie the ignorant and doubting and erroneous consciences of many they will he found guilty of betraying themselves their brethren their posterities their religion and liberties Now having endeavoured to cleare that what wee doe we doe by commission from the Lord of Hosts the way is cleare to fetch soul-staying supporting satisfying comfort from this glorious Name of God It is not more glorious then comfortable to the Church of God Surely we need not feare wars strength of enemies roaring of Canons clattering of weapons beating of drums neighing of horses so long as God our God is the Lord of Hosts Now I come to what I promised to shew you this name of God written upon the Mercy-seat Xerxes used to pitch his tent on high and stand looking upon his Army when they were in fight to encourage them This our great Generall stands on high looking upon his people in their battels let them looke up to him and there is encouragement enough to fill any heart in the world This Title is an exceeding vast treasurie of comfort and encouragement Deut. 30. 3 4. Heare O Israel you approach this day to battell against your enemies let not your hearts faint feare not do not tremble neither be terrified Observe the variety of expressions Faint not Feare not Tremble not Be not terrified Why For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you If so much encouragement meerly from Gods going with us to fight for us what is there from all those severall workings of God in battels which this Lord of Hosts is pleased to declare himselfe in Psal 46. 7. The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge and ver 10. Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted and again I will be exalted Quiet your hearts in this If any distracting sinking discouraging thoughts arise in your hearts still them all with this And therefore ver 11. in the next words he repeats that againe The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Luther was wont in sad tumultuous times to say to those about him Come let us sing the 46. Psal It is a Psalm most sutable for these times to be sung often Isa 51. 12. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man Surely thou doest not know what thy priviledge is thou knowest not what interest thou hast in the Lord of Hosts that thou art afraid of a man that must die wherefore it follows v. 15. I am the Lord thy God that divided the sea The Lord of Hosts is his Name But you will say Ah! if we knew indeed that the Lord of Hosts were ours that he were with us then we might well comfort our selves in these times of wars but that is all the question to us for want of the assurance of that our hearts are troubled First Though you doe not know certainly that you have any speciall interest in him yet it is a great comfort to know that all things in wars are carryed on by him yea though he were a meere stranger to you and you to him as suppose you were sure there should be nothing done in all these stirs about wars but by the will of the most wise the most holy and most mercifull man in the world that hath all the holinesse all the wisdome all the mercy that all the men in the world ever had although this man were a stranger to you you never saw his face in your life yet would it not be a stay and comfort to your hearts to heare that all things were committed to the dispose of this man and not a stroke struck nor any hurt should come to any but as this man gave out his commissions certainly it would quiet our hearts much but that all is at the dispose of this Lord of Hosts is far better whose holinesse wisdome and justice is infinite although yet we do not know any further of him wee cannot say we have any speciall interest in him Secondly Although you doe not know your interest in this Lord of Hosts yet your hearts may be stayed yea comforted in this that the cause hath a deep interest in the very heart of this Lord of Hosts and therefore that shall prosper howsoever The satisfafaction the soul takes in this is a speciall argument of interest in this God Thirdly Yet further I will tell you how you shall know whether you have any speciall interest in this Lord of Hosts or not from that Scripture Psal 84. 3. O Lord of Hosts my King and my God Here are these two Lord of Hosts and my God Now all the question is about the Copula that which joynes these two together there you have it my King that is set betweene them if then you can say O Lord of Hosts my King you neede not staie there but may confidentlie goe further to the other my God If you can out of the uprightnesse of your hearts say O Lord thou knowest the desires of our Soules are that thou mayest rule over us O when shall
times You shall shew your selves the daughters of Sarah if you have such a spirit as Sarah had not to be afraid with any amazement not through your inordinate feare either hinder your selves your husbands or any other in the service of the Lord. If God call you or them to suffer you must not through feare pull backe but go on with courage undauntedly then you are indeed the daughters of Sarah And that a spirit may be put even into women in these times that call for all to be above sinfull feares let them consider these three things First The first time that ever any speaking to God called him by this name the Lord of Hosts it was a woman and that was Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 11. Shee vowed a vow and said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt indeed looke on the affliction of thine handmaid c. Secondly One of the principallest Psalms wherin this title of the Lord of Hosts is most magnified is a Psalme tuned to that Musical instrument that virgins and women use to play on from whence the Psalme hath its title A Song upon Alamoth Ps 46. Which is as much as A song upon the Virginals for the Hebrew word comes of a root that signifies to hide and so we formerly made use of it but from thence because Virgins used to be covered and hidden hence Gnalamoth signifies Virgins and here used for the musical instrument of Virgins Virgins and Women it seems had wont to sing this Psal and play to it upon the instrument Now it is supposed that their hearts should be some way sutable to what they sung played here they rejoycingly sing The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge ver 7 And again The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge ver 11. besides other passages yea almost all the same tending this way 3. The most brave expression of a strong valiant spirit triumphing over enemies in time of battel is from a woman Jud. 5. 21. it is the speech of Deborah O my soul thou hast trodden down strength As if she should have said They come with a great deale of strength that they think to prevail with but to me all their strength is but as the dirt in the streets my soul is above it though my body be weak yet O my soul thou hast troden down strength Where have we a braver expression of a more raised spirit either in Scripture amongst any of the Lords valiant ones or in humane story amongst any of the great Captaines and Conquerours that ever were I cannot but repeat it again O my soule thou hast trodden down strength Let not women then so complain of their weaknes as thereby to think to excuse their sinfull feares I will give you a notable speech comming neer this from another woman that Ecclesiasticall story records of one Julitta there are many famous things recorded of her but this speech of hers to other women of her acquaintance is most remarkable Cease to accuse sayes she the fragility of the Foeminine sexe What are not we made of the same matter that men are Yea after Gods Image are we made as wel as they God did not use flesh to make women of in token of infirmity We are bone of his bone in token we must be strong in the living God If the spirit of The Lord of Hosts were with you even you may daunt your enemies You may make such preparations for your own defence as not to let your lives go at a cheap rate but that the losse of every one of yours may cost the life of one of them at least Even you may cast shame upon them If there were such a spirit in you they would fly before women for their spirits are base and vile If God be the Lord of Hosts if he hath such wonderfull workings of his providence in wars and battels hence in all war and battels there is some speciall thing of God to be looked at Surely this great Lord of Hosts doth not use to raise War to go into the field for nothing there is some great thing aimed at especially where he appears in more then an ordinary way as certainly he doth in these wars of ours We should not hearken after or speake of Warres onely as matter of news but observe what the way of God is in them what his aim looks to in ordering of them what his intentions work at how he brings his own ends to passe furthers his glory by them Whosoever lives to see the issue of these great stirs and warlike commotions amongst us shall see that God had a hand in them to bring great things to passe that the mercy he intended for us was worth all the trouble these have brought upon us yea all the bloud the most precious bloud that hath been shed amongst us God hath many promises to his Churches to accomplish many Prophecies to fulfil many glorious things to declare many mercies for his Saints to bestow these stirs amongst us wil make way for all We have had much mercy from God on free-cost that mercie that is to come it may be is of an higher nature therefore God intends it shall be more costly to us it may cost many of our lives but we or our posteritie shall see that when it comes it wil pay for all That this Lord of Hosts had great thoughts of heart for the good of England when he raised these Civil wars amongst us though it be the sorest judgement yet it may make way to the greatest mercy It is our duty diligently to observe how God works in his Providence to the attaining such ends of his 6. God is The Lord of Hosts Hence know from whence it is that we have enjoyed so much peace as we have with the comfortable fruits of it it is from The Lord of Hosts who hath all power in his hands to keep off or bring war as he pleaseth It it is he alone that hath kept off from us those hideous things others have suffered it is from him that we have not all this while wallowed not sweltred in our bloud that our garments have not been rowled in bloud as our brethrens have but we have enjoyed our houses beds tables wives children we have had all comforts for soule and body about us Micah 4. 4. They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid From whence is this The words following wil tell you The mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it The Vines and Fig-trees we have sate under have not beene empty Vines nor barren Fig-trees to us we have not onely had refreshment from the shadow of them but much comfort from the fruit of them It was this Lord that promised to Israel that he would cause their enemies not to desire their land when they went up to Jerusalem to worship What a
becomes of them as if there were no such men and women of resolution like them but in Gods cause they have no such spirit they are far enough from resolutenesse and courage there they are not valiant for the truth as Jer. speaks Chap. 9. 3. But it is our wisdome if we have any metall in us any spirit of courage not to lavish it out in mean and unworthy things in our own causes but to reserve it for God God may call us to such things as we may find need of all the metal and courage we have in our hearts though it were much more then it is When soldiers have but a little powder and feare an enemie they will not spend that they have vainly but keep it till they have use of it they know not what they may need Be not you so presently on fire if you be crossed keep the activity the vigour of your spirits for God for the maintenance of his truth and cause Lastly hee had rather dye honourable then live basely Viri fortis est aut pulchrè vivere aut fortiter mori It is the part of a valiant man either to live honourably or to dye valiantly It was a speech of Cyrus and it was a true one One of the two he will have the world cannot hinder him And as things are now if we venture our estates and lives to preserve Religion Liberties to our selves and our posterity God may and we hope he will give us our lives Religion and Liberties and so we may enjoy them with comfort and honour Of if our estates and lives should be lost suppose the worst they wil be lost honourably The losse of them wil be better then that enjoyment we shall have of them if I may at all call it an enjoyment that wee are like to have of them if nothing now be ventured What will our estates or lives be worth if our Religion be gone faithful Ministers be gone the Saints be fled imprisoned or massacred When our Liberties are gone our Lives then wil hardly be worth the account of the lives of Men much lesse of Christians He must needs be very greedy of a life that desires it upon such terms Wee reade of Anchises Aeneas his father when Aeneas would have saved his life in such a way as he judged not to be honourable he makes this answer to him Absit ut excisa possim supervivere Troja God forbid that I should out-live Troy If it be spoiled what is my life worth Wil our lives be worth the taking up in the streets if we out-live our Religion and Liberties Put all these together and here is a spirit indeed beseeming our relation to this Lord of Hosts Had wee such spirits how comfortably may we passe this our pilgrimage we might goe through all difficulties and oppositions conquering and to conquer The world and devil would have little heart to meddle with us we should free our selves from many temptations we should honour our profession we should do God abundance of service at last have an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ An Army of such soldiers would be the most glorioos sight in the world We reade of the Suns standing stil once and it was to behold the prowesse of Joshua that brave soldier and to enlighten his conquests If ever it stand stil againe it is like it wil be to admire such a glorious sight Let the cosideration of the glory of our God in this his Name teach us to give glory to him for all the good we enjoy by Armies it is all from him He hath of late been exceeding gracious to our Army he shewed himselfe indeed The Lord of Hosts in that batel at Keynton This was the acknowledgment both of General Captains and Souldiers Never lesse of man in such a businesse never more of God The Lord was seen in the Mount He shewed us that it should not be by a multitude that hee would helpe us it was by his spirit comming mightily upon a handful that were left in comparison of the adversaries When the adversary thought yea cryed out the day was theirs God turned it suddenly by a mighty hand O how free is the grace of the Lord to us in this That Scripture Jer. 51. 5. is fully made good to us Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of Hosts though their land was filled with sin against the Holy one of Israel The fulnesse of sin in us hath not abated the fulnesse of grace in God towards us The Lord is God the Lord is God he is the Lord of Hosts holy and reverent is his Nause There have been times wherein the Lord hath dealt in another manner even with his own people that I may set forth unto you the fulnesse and freenesse of Gods goodnesse to us in our preservation from being delivered up to the rage of vile men I will shew you what the severity of God in this kinde hath been towards his own people who were as worthy of mercy as we We must not think that every particular is to be applyable to us onely in the generall thus far the consideration of the grievous afflictions of the Church formerly sets out Gods goodnes to us in preventing such evils amongst us So that it cannot be said it is with us as it was with them Not long after God had delivered his people out of their Captivity therein fulfilling many gracious promises to them and they being returned built the Temple and the wals of Jerusalem there was a glorious reformation the work of the Lord went on prosperously through many and great difficulties Yet after a little time when Antiochus rose up against them God suffered him to prevaile exceedingly in all his Warlike affaires against them Dan. 8. 9. There came a little horn which waxed exceeding great not onely towards the South and towards the East but towards the pleasant Land that is towards the Land of Judea for indeede it was a pleasant Land The word signifies Decus gloria ornamentum towards the glory and ornament of the whole world So was that Countrey especially in regard the worship of God had beene newly set up againe in that Countrey Yet Antiochus comes against it and waxeth great for a while although at first he was but a little horne for he was a younger brother and had beene a prisoner not long before in Rome but now having got liberty and some command he rageth especially against the people of God ver 10. He waxed great even to the Host of heaven Here the Church is called The Host of heaven howsoever despised by the world yet this Lord of Hosts accounts his Church The Host of heaven and yet Antiochus waxeth great against this We have many through Gods mercy in our Host godly and faithfull but we presume not to give it this title that God gives his people The
without them and can doe infinitely more by his word alone in an instant then they can doe as long as the world stands Oh how great is this God this Lord of Hosts To apply it in a few words 1. Who would not feare this God then Job 13. 11. Shall not his excellencie make you afraid Behold here a great part of the excellencie of his name let it strike a reverentiall feare into our hearts Psal 76. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent then the mountains of prey The stout-hearted are spoiled At thy rebuke O God of Jacob the chariot and the horse are cast into a dead sleep Then the inference ver 7. Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry 2. Surely then it is good being on Gods side to be of his party this is the strongest side this certainly will have the victory It is safest to joyn with the Lord and it is most honourable You know what Christ said to his Disciples to strengthen them against feare I could pray to my Father and he would send me twelve Legions of Angels David Psal 27. though alone yet he thinks himselfe safe enough with the Lord of Hosts ver 3. Though an Host shall encampe against me my heart should not feare Though Warre should rise against me in this will I be confident In what ver 1. That the Lord is his light his salvation and the strength of his life If we be with the Lord we may be sure that we shall ever have with us more then against us 2 Chron. 32. 7 8. Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be moe with us then with him With him is an arme of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels And the people sayes the Text rested upon the words of Hezekiah Here is a full object for our faith to rest upon If we look upon God onely in this latter consideration of him as The Lord of Hosts we need never feare want of Souldiers seeing all creatures in heaven and earth are his armed trained Souldiers and he himselfe is infinite in himself Oh how happy should we be if we could in all our straits exercise faith in this Lord of Hosts looking upon him in this consideration You will say It is true this Lord of Hosts is indeed a full object of faith were it not that we have sorely provoked him to come out against us yea we are afraid he is now appearing in wrath against us I will give you one Text of Scripture in such a case as this is when your provocations of him lye heavy upon you and it is as sweet and full and encouraging a Scripture as any I know Zach. 1. 17. The Lord had professed in the beginning of the Chapter that he had been sore displeased with their Fathers ver 2. yea and it appeares by the 3. and 4. ver that they were no better then their Fathers and ver 12. it is said The Lord of Hosts had had indignation against Jerusalem these threescore and ten yeeres so that even at that present when the Prophet spake to them it seemes God was in such a way towards them as his indignation appeared against them but that their hearts might break and their faith be raised marke what a gracious promise comes in to them even now in this 17. ver Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts My cities through prosperity or through good so the word is in the Hebrew shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Sion and shall yet choose Jerusalem Mark here are foure yets in this ver and they are very gracious ones Cry yet shall yet be spread shall yet comfort and shall yet choose Jerusalem and all these from the Lord of Hosts yea and from the Lord of Hosts sorely dispeased yea although he was provoked to indignation We have sinned cry yet We have provoked wrath shall yet be spread We are miserable wretched creatures shall yet comfort We are unworthy shall yet choose O the free grace of our God to his people Thou troubled distressed soule look up to him as making himselfe knowne by this glorious name cry to him by this name Lord thou commandest Angels heavens earth seas now let thy power worke for the good of my soule give commandement from heaven to this distemperd heart of mine to yeeld to submit to thee to these lusts that rise against thee that they may be subdued yea destroyed Lord in any difficulties we finde our selves brought into let us not be discouraged We cannot see how Antichrist should be brought downe But Revel 18. 8. Her plagues shall come in one day he shall utterly be burnt with sire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her And further it is most honourable to joyne with to be under this Generall Souldiers boast much of the power greatnesse magnificence of their Generall they account themselves honoured by it The people of God have infinite cause to make their boast of this Lord of Hosts under whose banners they fight he is their praise and their glory Psal 148. God is gloriously set forth with his Hosts about him The conclusion ver 14. is this He is the praise of all his Saints Not onely Objectively because the Saints are exercised in his praises but Relatively he is a praise and honour to his Saints his Saints glory in this that they serve under such a Commander There are two Captains in the world under whose command all the world serve this Lord of hosts and the Devil for he also hath his Armies fighting for him the Dragon and his Angels all wicked men are under him and fight for him his great Lieutenant is Antichrist It is no dishonour to run from these Commanders to get under the Banners of the Lord of Hosts 3. Let us honour this Lord of hosts by being willing to be put into what rank he shall please to be ordered in what place he shall appoint and there to keep out ranks If God wil put us in the fore-front where there is hottest service let us not murmur the hotter the service is the greater will the reward be We must not choose our own places All other creatures except the Angels are onely passive to the work of their Lord in ordering them We should be active in yeelding our selves freely to his ordering and be well pleased with it and keep our ranks It is an easie matter to keep rank whilst we march along but when we come to fight we shall not find it so Lastly how dreadfull must this glorious name of God needs be to all ungodly ones who walk on in wayes of enmity against such a God Esay 45. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his Maker let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the
who knowes what he would have done but we are sure as it is it is defensive and that is all it is to prove that Subjects may take up Arms â—o defend themselves against the injustice of their Kings For that example of David at Keilah all the answer to that is that it is an uncertain supposition But examine the place you shall finde it as certain as a supposition can be It appeares plainly that David had some expectation that the men of Keilah would have stood to him and kept oft Saul comming against him and if they would it is apparent by the Text that David would have stood to it though Saul had come against him In the Text it is as plain as this Suppose the King were neere Hull going a-against Sir J. Hotham and Sir J. Hotham should seek to make sure of the men of Hul and enquire whether they would deliver him or not if the King came and he should come to know that certainly they would and upon that very ground slies away is this now an uncertaine supposition that Sir John Hotham would willingly have the Town stand to him and if they would stand to him he would stay there and defend himselfe against the Kings forces Hi last answer to Davids example is that his example was extraordinary because he was anointed to be King after Saul But yet for the present he was a private man although God had bestowed somthing extraordinary upon him more then upon other men but it follows not therefore that in this case he had an extraordinary power to resist the Prince Prince Charls hath no more power to resist his Father then the Parliament hath For the example of Elisha using the Kings messenger rough'y that came to take away his head he sayes it sayes little to the question in hand Yet he grants as much as it is brought for that defence is lawful against sudden and illegall assaults of Messengers sent by the King if against sudden why not against deliberate and plotted for they are worse This is one end of the raising of the Army to prevent such assaults If it be lawful to be done by violence by 2. or 3. when the messenger is but one then it may be done by 2. or 3000. when the messengers are 1000. For the example of the Priests thrusting out the leprous King That which this is brought to prove is thus much That there may be such uncleannesse in a King that may cause Subjects lawfully to resist him when he would doe a wicked act The Doctor sayes First Gods hand was upon him So when God shall leave a King to some horrible way of evil certainly Gods hand is upon him then He answers But he hasted to goe out himselfe But the Scripture tels us the Priests likewise thrust him out they would not suffer him to be in the Temple The next thing in the Sect. is a similitude from the naturall body Though a member may defend it selfe against outward violence yet no member must be set against the head for that tends to the dissolution of the whole If the similitude may be followed we say that some members are as necessary to the life of the head as the head is necessary to the life of those members 2. A Kingdome may sometimes have one head sometimes another but so cannot a naturall body Further he grants Personall defence doth not strike at the order and power that is over us but generall resistance by Arms he saith doth No it may maintain and regulate order and there may be as little injustice on the one side as the other But the case is not as Elishaes for the King professeth he will use no violence and we cannot know his heart But that example of Elisha is brought to prove the lawfulnes of using force against Kings in using violence and what violence hath been already used the world knows Page 10. He comes to Scriptures denying resistance let us see what full Scriptures these are The first is Num. 16. 1. c. The conspiracie of Corah and his company against Moses and Aaron It is strange that this example must be paralleld with our Parl. taking up Arms Was it not a most unjust and vile conspiracie meerly out of the pride of malicious spirits Can the D. or any man think that in justifying Arms in some case we justifie all villanous conspiracies and out-rages Besides this place condemns rising up against the Priest as well as the King Yea certainly if they had risen against the meanest officer that God had appointed in Church or Common-wealth as here they did against Moses Aaron it would have bin a very hainous offence Yea if Moses himself should have thus risen against any Officer appointed by God it had bin a vile sin in him therefore this proves no more against subjects resisting Princes then Princes resisting subjects or one subject resisting another Further we do not rise against His Majesty as they rose up against Moses Aaron we desire not that he should have lesse power then God the Laws have given him but we would preserve this in him and keep off the stroke of any further power so that we need not for this thing so much as examine the cause upon which they rose whether it were supposed or not for the case is far differing in the end of the rising But Corah and his company supposed the cause sufficient Supposed causes for any thing is not enough now we are not examining the truth of the cause of taking up Arms but whether they may not be taken up by the Subject against the mind of the King for any cause Wel our consciences need not be much scrupled from this Scripture Let us examine the rest he brings The second is 1 Sam. 8. 11 18. where the oppression of the King is mentioned and no means of help mentioned but crying to the Lord. Is the bare relation of the oppression of a King without mention in that place of any means of help but crying to God a sufficient proof that though Kings oppresse never so much yet there is no help Suppose I bring a place of Scripture where there is a relation of Subjects rising up in a wicked way against their Prince in that place there is no other help mentioned but only the Prince committed this to God God revenged it can there be drawn from thence an argument that when Subjects rise against Princes that they have no other help against them but committing the cause to God We need not go far for a Scripture in this kind the very place the D. brought before wil do it Num. 15. when Corah and his company rose against Moses we there read of no other help that Moses used but he committed the thing to God God revenged it But you wil say yet there are other places