more ingredients or simples there are in any composition or distillation the more rare and excellent men doe account it and the more of the Artist there is therein To give instance in some of the heapes of victories which you are to consider of this day What thinke wee of Gods justice His Iustice hath not that shewed it selfe eminently in hardning the hearts of the enemies in their two strongest holds of Bridgwater and Sherborne to over-stand honourable proffers that so they might bring themselves to the worst and lowest conditions of all others Whereas other men that defended sleighter places went off with better tearmes Well knew the Lord that you could not so safely let goe the enemies that were in Bridgwater and Sherborne being beasts of longer teeth and more deeply dyed in bloud as those in Bath which were lesse hurtfull adversaries therefore the Lord in a speciall manner did so work it that those fiercer wild beasts must bring themselves to be muzzled fettered and caged up that they might not doe further mischiefe abroad and if any must march away to let goe those whom we need not much to fear Thus the Lord did sometimes harden the heart of Pharaoh that he should not be content to come off from Israel upon honourable and safe tearmes as he might have done at any time on this side the red sea but he shall follow the Lords people into the sea Exod. 15.5 that so he may at last sink like a stone in the migtie waters And what think you of the power of God in these late deliverances His power Was there not much of that attribute seen in helping our Armies to take-in such extraordinarily fortified and resolved strong holds by meere strength force and utmost extremities by assault batterie fire and sword Surely to take a strong place by strength and storme doth argue that there is extrordinary much of God in it especially when such a storme is effected with so little losse I might adde much more concerning the Lords wisdome mercy and other attributes that appeared even in the victories of this day but I shall open these cabinets anon Thus where you see much of Gods attributes laid out ingaged When victories do come in the channell of the promises and as it were concentred in a victory you may conclude that there is much of God in that deliverance Secondly when deliverances do flow in upon us in the channell of the promises then you may be sure they are mercifull mercies and that they have in them much of God For the promises they are the buckets belonging to these wels and fountaines of salvation Isai 12.3 Therefore with joy shall they draw water out of the wels of salvation These wels doe seeme to be opposed to those cisternes which are mentioned by another Prophet They have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters Jerem. 2.18 and hewen them out cisternes broken cisternes that can hold no water The creatures are cisternes the Lord alone he is the fountaine and out of this fountaine or wel-head we must draw all our salvations spirituall temporall publike personall by the buckets of the promises and then they will prove blessed blessings unto us Quest. But you will say what promises can we find in all the word that are made to the Parliament or Armies of England Or what are those Scripture-buckets to our nation or condition Can there any victories come to us in these channels Answ 1 Yes there are Scripture-promises to Englands Parliaments and Armies in this present cause Consider the great promise to Joshua Iosh 1.5 there you shall see a title to the promises given even to us I will never leave thee nor forsake thee saith the Lord to Joshua And this may be drawne down to all Joshua's or saviours of the Lords people to the end of the world as appeareth by comparing that text of Joshua Heb. 13.5 with another in the new Testament Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never faile thee nor forsake thee Whence we learne First that the promises made to Joshua or any other holy man in Scripture for provisions and protections in the Lords worke and cause may very well be applied to us and all others in like works and causes Secondly that a generall promise of the Lords presence and assistance for us in his service is as sufficient for all particulars whereof we stand in need as if they were expressed Verse 6. So that we may boldly say with dividuall the Lord is our helper Thus there are Scripdividuall the Lord is our helper Thus there are Scripture promises even to our English Parliaments and Armies in the present cause and worke Secondly I conceive yet more fully that the victories for which wee blesse God this day are come unto us in the channell of some particular promises Q. This is comfort indeed you will say if you can make it out unto us A. I will but point at two sorts of promises Two proper promises applicable to this daies mercies which seeme especially to sweeten this dayes mercies The one hath reference to that Armie which was the instrument of these victories The other to our selves for whom these instruments have done that worke First with reference to the instruments themselves You know what an Armie they were esteemed and what low thoughts were taken up concerning them then turne to that promise Because the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men 1 Cor. 1.25 26 27 23 25. and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men For you see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh nor many mightie nor many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mightie And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That no flesh should glory in his presence Let this text be the Motto of this new Modell This day if ever is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares for now if ever hath the Lord done great things by such meanes yea he hath confounded carnall wisedome by folly strength by weakenesse and pride by humilitie Certainly such effects such deliverances as these doe come down in the channell of this promise That is one Let me give you another promise with reference to your selves and us the rest for whom these deliverances were wrought by those instruments You know the generall frame of mens spirits when the Lord began this turne of things I hope wee were pretty well weaned from creature-confidence and as low as ever in our owne eyes Then turne to that other promise Deut. 32.36 37 38 39. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent
as verse 2. The Lord hath made knowne his salvation The salvation is his it was knowne to bee his yea men were forced or made to know it nay the very Infidels could not choose but see and say it His righteousnesse hath he openly shewed in the fight of the heathen Verse 3. All the ends of the earth have seene the salvation of our God And what of all this Why therefore we ought especially to be glad and rejoyce in such a worke Verse 4. Make a joyfull noise unto the Lord all the earth make a loud noise and rejoyce and sing praise Verse 5. Sing unto the Lord with the harpe Verse 6. With trumpet and sound of cornet with instruments used both in warre and worship Verse 7. Let the sea roare and the world and they that dwell therein Quest. But why such mostnesse of joy for those victories in which there appeareth most of God Answ Vpon these two grounds or reasons Grounds 2. 1. Ground First because the more of God in a worke c. the more of perfection and excellency and by consequence then the more of lovelinesse Psal 111.3 His worke is honourable and glorious The Originall readeth it in the abstract his worke that is every worke of his is glory and honour And that onely because it is his worke For such as the Parent is such will be the child such as is the work-man such must be his work And in another song He is the rock Deut. 32.4 his work is perfect The Greek reads it plurally his * Septuagins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works implying saith one both his work of Creation and his worke of Redemption and therefore in that Psalme intituled a Psalme or Song for the Sabbath day in which day both those volumes of Creation Psal 92.1 2 3 4 5. and Redemption or of the Word and Works are to be studied in that song wee find this sequell and inference most clearly and fully laid downe namely that we ought to rejoyce most in the salvations that are most divine because they are most glorious and perfect Take but a taste in two verses Verse 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy workes I will triumph in the workes of thine hands And why in his workes especially O Lord how great are thy workes Verse 5. And thy thoughts are very deep Ground 2 Secondly because the more of God there is in a work of deliverance and salvation to a people the more may that people hope and conclude ordinarily the Lords neerenesse to them and ingagement for them which is the greatest nationall cause of rejoycing in the world It is very much to have the Lord once to appeare and shew himselfe openly in a cause for a people or person for he will not nay let me speak it with reverence hee cannot then easily and slightly retreat and goe back againe but his very honour is ingaged to proceed Hence it is that the Saints in their greatest difficulties and distresses have taken the advantage of this argument even the Lords appearing for them and have pressed him with it to spare and deliver them Thus Moses at Horeb when Israel by making a calfe had so provoked the Lord Exod. 32.20 c. that he said Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them At this sad pinch Moses betakes himselfe to this great argument of the Lords ingagement Verse 11. Why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mightie hand Verse 13. Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say c. Remember Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. And by this argument he bringeth the Lord to a kind of repentance saith the Text O high expression Verse 14. And the Lord repented of the evill which he thought to doe unto his people The like practise we find in Joshua Moses his Pupill and Successor Jo◠7.9 it seemes he learn'd it of his Tutor And what wilt thou doe to thy great name Yea a whole cloud of other witnesses might be brought to the same purpose But that which hath been said doth suffice to evince both that and why we ought especially to be glad and rejoyce in those salvations which have in them most of God Next let us draw downe to Application Vse 1 First here in the entrance let me speak Reproofe to all such brutish Carnalists Reprehension as both in their prayers for victories and salvations and in their rejoycings in them doe look altogether at least principally at that which is carnall temporall and outward but observe not how much or how little of God is to be seen there That you may understand this Vse aright you are to know that there are two sides as I may call them or two parts or to speak plainly two sorts of benefits observable in every victorie First there is an out-side of mercy that is there are benefits externall and there is an in-side that is all such internall benefits and commodities as are gotten thereby The out-side or externalls are all the temporall civill benefits and gaines by with and in a victory as the great number of prisoners with horse and armes that are taken the great quantity of ammunition provisions treasures c. All these and the like are but the out-side of a victory that is the carnall temporall benefits that do come thereby Secondly in a victory there is an in-side or there are benefits internall that is of an inward and divine nature such are all soule-mercies and Church-mercies and all other spirituall profits and advantages that may bee laid up in the heart that may be laid out in the life for God or that may be laid up in heaven for our selves These treasures are the in-side of a victory the former are but as the husks the shells the bones these are the kernells the fruits the marrow within and there is as much difference between them as betwixt the blessings of Jacob and Esau Gen. 27.37 Yet alas alas how do the greater part of the world terminate both their desires and joyes in those carnall and huskie parts of deliverance How doe they preferre them both in their prayers and praises In their prayers they doe deprecate evils of punishment Exod. 8.8 saying as Pharaoh Take away or keepe away the frogs and in their petitions they houle upon their beds for the corne Hos 7.14 the wine the oyle that may come by such a successe These men doe measure victories altogether by the greatnesse of externall temporall Two differences betwixt the spirituall and temporall benefits by victory 1. In peculiarity carnall emoluments and commodities But that I may discover their errour before I enter upon my great Vse let me tell them there is a vast difference between the spiritualls and the temporalls of a victory
a Thanksgiving Sermon to quicken him Hereupon see how Asa expresseth his thankfulnesse principally by these two sorts of duties First by the destruction of Idols and Idolatrie Vers 8. 16. not sparing the royall Priapus it selfe and by the setting up of pure worship Next by a holy strict willing nationall Covenant Vers 12 13 14 15. O! that it might it please the father of spirits to bring up your hearts to this Asa-like frame this day both those works are now seasonable and necessary First the throwing downe of Idols and Idolatrie there is to much of the old leaven still remaining if it were narrowly sought after I beseech you let the remnants of Baal and the Chemarims feele the marks and dint of our praises and thanksgivings this day and let them beare those marks to posteritie Let us set up monuments of our praise in the destruction of some more remnants of Idolatrie There is a paire of Idols of lealousie yet standing The one of them I thinke too neere the eyes of your Senate the other I am sure is too neere to my charge and hath leavened those parts too much already The other expression of Asa's thankfulnesse was the renewing of their Covenant A Covenant is already made by us but how much the renewing of it and the looking after it is wanting you heard partly this morning I hope wee are not wearie of our Covenant Wee doe not begin to repent that ever we entred into that League with God Sure I am wee have little cause so to doe if we observe the successe of things ever since our Covenanting and if we suffer some miscarriages and disapointments it is because there have been miscarriages in our Covenants But if we do not repent of this holy League why do so many deny it Why do so many others refuse and despise it O may it please you Asa-like to doe some memerable thing for God this day Two Requests for the West And here besides what hath been pressed upon you for the Lords sake already I have two humble suits to present unto you with reference to the Westerne occasions of this dayes praises One is that especiall care may be taken to put in able spirituall garisons into those three Western Towns now rednced every one of them being doubly considerable partly for their long time of slavery under the enemie in which they could not but contract deepe ignorance prophanenesse and malignitie and partly for their situation strength and greatnesse they being some of the most eminent places in all those parts Such spirituall garisons even in prudence are well nigh as necessarie as your Military ones Mine other humble suite is concerning the Covenant that the poor souls in those lately reduced Countries may not have it abruptly forced upon them without due preparation and humiliation not as the Spaniards baptized the American Indians by droves and heaps but rather that the businesse may be ordered as Hezekiah did order his people for the Passever 2 Chron. 30. with all due warning instruction and consideration I beseech you give them time and meanes first to disgorge and cleanse themselves thorowly of the many direfull anti-Covenant perjurious combinations that many poor wretches in those parts have swallowed since they were under the power of the enemie Let them first shave their heads and pare their nailes as the * Deut. 21.12 13. strange virgin of old was commanded to doe and so let them enter into that sacred and dreadfull Covenant Thus labour to set up some expressions of reall thankfulnesse this day to the Lord for when there are such improvements of graces by our deliverances they have in them much of God But now on the contrary side if our deliverances and victories instead of improving our graces should improve our corruptions which God forbid and instead of laying us lower in our owne eyes should lift up our hearts in a wrong way you may guesse at the sad consequence from Vzziah 2 Chron. 26. This King had gotten many victories and his heart was lifted up by them but it was in pride not in thankefulnesse for he usurped the power of sacrificing What was the issue It ended in leprosie and so God did thrust him out of his house and did set him aside from the government of the Kingdome Nay 2 Chron. 16. good Asa himself when he had gotten these great victories hee turned aside to unteachablenesse and carnall compliance with Benhadad the King of Aram and when there came a Prophet and told him of his fault hee was angrie with the Prophet and persecuted him yea and he oppressed some of the people at the same time But what was the end of this too All Asa's glory acts and victories went out in a snuffe He was sick in his feete and he turned aside to the Phifitians and died The Text layes a blot upon his name at last he died as a pettish man not thorowly perfect in the way of the Lord. It is pittie that faire weather should do any harme that so sweet a root should bring forth such deadly fruits as these Therefore I conclude with that of Ezra Ezra 9.13 14 When we have received such deliverances as these should we again break the Lords commandements Would he not be angrie with us till he had consumed us that there should be no remnant nor escaping Quest. But you will say wherein should our victories improve us In what graces In what particulars Answ You have had many good hints and helps to day already Victories should improve us in Take these five more in so many words First such salvations should improve us in our dependance upon a tryed God Dependance If hereafter the tyde of victorie shall turn again and you shall be brought back somewhat neer your old low condition yet I beseech you remember this very day in which you are to give thanks for five victories at once Remember when you are in that low estate that there was a day when God served you in with five pheasants in a dish 1 Sâ—m 17.37 2 Cor. 1.10 with a feast of fat things He is still the same and his yeares doe not faile Secondly let these victories and salvations improve us in love and prayer Love and Prayer Psal 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and supplications I will call upon him so long as I live Thirdly let them improve holinesse in our conversations Holinesse Psal 50. ult to offer thanks and praise and to order our conversations aright they may not be seperated because God hath joyned them together Obad. 17. Vpon mount Sion there shall be deliverances and there shall be holinesse or they shall escape and they shall be holy Fourthly Self-denyall in humilitie and selfe denyall Thus did mercy worke with Jacob I am lesse saith â—ee Gen. 32.9 10 when hee was greatest in estate then the least of