The glorious Name of God The Lord of Hosts Opened in two SERMONS At MICHAELS Cornhill LONDON Vindicating the Commission from this Lord of Hosts to Subjects in some case to take up Arms. WITH A POST-SCRIPT Briefly Answering A LATE TREATISE BY HENRY FERNE D. D. BY JER BURROUGHES PSAL. 48. 8. As we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts LONDON Printed for R. Dawlman 1643. To his Excellencie ROBERT Earle of Essex Viscount Hereford Baron Ferrars of Chartley Lord Bourchier and Lovaine one of His Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsel and General of the Army raised by the Parliament in defence of the true Protestant Religion His Majesties Person the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and the priviledges of Parliament THere is no man this day upon the face of the earth whom it more concernes to have this name of God The Lord of Hosts presented to him in the due lustre glory of it then your Excellencie whom the Lord hath not onely honoured to stand up even in the fore front to maintain his cause and the cause of his people but he hath even put upon you this his owne name he hath made you the Lord of his Hosts It is that which every Souldier may justly glory in that God himselfe seems to affect the glory of Arms when he causeth himselfe to be as it were sir-named THE LORD OF HOSTS The beams of this glorious name puts some lustre upon the meanest in an Army What a lustre then doth it put upon your Excellencie who stand so neare it Happy the time that ever you were borne to be made use of by God and his people in so noble and honourable a service as this We reade ZECH. 3. 3. of Joshua that great instrument of Reformation in the returne of JUDAH from her Captivity that he stood in filthy garments but the Angel spake to those who stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I wil cloathe thee with change of rayment Those who stand up most eminent and forward in the cause of God and his people shal ever have some who wil seek to stain their glory by slanders and reproachfull names to put them into vile garments what viler garment can there be then the garment of Treason and Rebellion But the Angel stands by to take off these vile garments and to clense his servants even from this nominall iniquity he will put change of rayment upon them he will one day make it appeare that there were none so faithfull to God their King and Countrey as they The Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem saith the Text ver 2. wil rebuke them who thus stand up against his servants The Lord who hath set his heart to bring mercie to Jerusalem to his Church will certainly rebuke such as stand to resist the great instruments thereof Wherefore that which the Angel of the Lord protested to JOSHUA v. 6. I may in the name of the Lord with a little change protest unto your Excellencie Thus saith the Lord of Hosts if you will walke in my wayes and if you will keepe my charge then you shall have an eminencie in my house and I will give you places among these that stand by That is among the blessed Angels in the heavens If a cup of cold water shall not go without a reward surely then the venturing estate liberty limbes honour bloud life for the cause of Christ shall not goe without its reward Wherefore most noble Lord of our Hosts yea of the Hosts of God Goe on with true Heroicke magnanimity and prosper in the name of this glorious Lord of hosts The prayers of the Churches are for you the blessings of the Saints are upon you I beleeve never any Generall upon the earth hath been mentioned more in heaven then your Excellencie hath been and yet is in this cause That which is storyed of the Crosse appearing to CONSTANTINE with these words HOC VINCES I may with far more confidence apply to this name of God The Lord of hosts This I present unto your Excellence with this Motto Hoc vinces The name is in it selfe a box of sweet ointment give me leave to open it before your Excellencie that it may be fragrant indeed and adde quickning and strength To that true noble heroick spirit fit for great actions that God hath honoured you withall I here humbly present it opened and poured forth The blessing of it be upon you and those great things undertaken by you which is and shal be the prayer of Your Excellencies in all humble service and duty Jer. Burroughes To the Reader THe necessity of the time put me to preach upon this subject the City being in great feare of a great Army comming against it in the name of the King and the necessity of the subject for this time made me not unwilling to yeeld to the making my meditations upon this subject yet more publike Something I have enlarged especially in the argument of justifying the present taking up armes so much cryed down as if it were against the King to be by commission from the Lord of Hosts which is discussed page 27. and so on the satisfation of the consciences of men in this thing is of so great consequence in this time that every man is bound to afford what help hereunto he is able I should have had guilt lye grating upon mine own conscience if I had stifled what I might afford to the helping towards the satisfaction of others although therefore I am not ignorant but sensible enough that it is an argument wherein a man runs hazard enough yet whatsoever I suffer in it may I be usefull I have enough This I can say if I ever did or am like to publish any thing in the uprightnes of my heart aiming at the glory of God and thy good I blesse God I have comfort in this and in this whatsoever the issue be I shal rejoyce Certainly things had never come to that passe they are at if mens consciences had bin rightly informed in the liberties God hath given them The infusing contrary principles and making men beleeve that the subject must and would suffer any thing rather then rise up to maintaine his own right hath beene the cause of the bold adventures of many amongst us What I have said is breife comming to you as a Sermon it could not admit of larger discourse but if there be need it would not be very difficult to enlarge these things in another way Read for thy profit and I have my end Yours to serve for Christ Jer Burroughes IT is ordered this first day of December 1642. by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing That this Book entituled The glorious Name of God The Lord of Hosts be printed by Robert Dawlman appointed thereunto by M. Ieremy Burroughes the
Author thereof John White The glorious Name of God The Lord of Hosts ESAY 47. 4. The Lord of Hosts is his Name IN this Chapter wee have Gods mercie to his Church threatning the destruction of Babylon When Babylon is used as Gods rod it is then cast into the fire If Israel when God was about to deliver from Babylonish Captivity should aske the Question that Moses thought would be asked upon his sending to be their Deliverer from the Egyptian bondage What is his Name Exod. 13. 3. The Prophet answers here The Lord of Hosts is his Name There his Name was I am Here it is The Lord of Hosts And if they should say But how can this deliverance be here Can Babylon bee destroyed Babylon is strong who shall bring downe her power Yes there is one can doe it The Lord our Redeemer The Lord of Hosts is his Name Here then we have this glorious title of the Lord for the comfort of his people in their distresse and the terrour of their enemies in their pride The Lord of Hosts The Lord of Armies The English word Hosts is from the Latine Hostis because an Army is either for defence or offence against enemies The Redeemer of Gods people is the Lord of Hosts The work then I have to do in this Sermon is to teach you how to sanctifie the Name of the Lord in this his glorious title The Lord of Hosts It is the duty of the Saints to observe what the way of God is in the times of their generation To see what name of God is most conspicuous in his administration accordingly to sanctifie that Name of his We may say of this Name of God The Lord of Hosts as God himselfe sayes of his Name Jehovah Exod. 6. 3. By my Name Jehovah was I not known to them So by this name The Lord of Hosts God hath scarce been known to us here in England but now he appears to us by this name in a glorious way And we shall not know how to sanctifie it except wee search into it to see how much of Gods glory there is in it which we shall find much more then at first view seems to be then most of us have ever thought All Gods titles are full of excellencie The excellencie of this I shall open unto you that this Name of God may not be taken in vain by you but be sanctified as it is worthy It is a title that God hath heretofore delighted much yea gloryed much in we find it not lesse then two hundred times in the Old Testament and most frequently in the Prophecie of Zechariah Chap. 1. ver 3. we have it three times in one verse and in one short Chapter Zech. 8. we have it there eighteene times But why is it used so frequently in that Prophecie more then others Because the scope of that Prophecie was to encourage the people of God in building up Ierusalem and the Temple in which work they had many enemies and therefore they had need of a spirit of magnanimity and fortitude in it Hence it was the Lord revealed himselfe to them so much by the name of The Lord of Hosts Times of Reformation Temple-work usually meets with much with strong opposition We had need therefore to have this name of God in our eye and sanctifie it in our hearts in such times while such work is on foot It is true God did this work without bloud-shed it was done not by power or by might but by the Spirit of the Lord as we have it Zech. 4. 6. but because the work was such as in regard of second causes needed an Army to effect it although God did it himselfe yet his Name was to be sanctified in it as the Lord of Hosts In the New Testament we seldome find this title it is but twice that I remember in all the New Testament and in one of those two places it is quoted out of the Old Testament Rom. 9. 29. There the Hebrew word is retained The Lord of Sabbaoth not of Sabbath as many take it There is a great difference between these two The Lord of Sabbath and The Lord of Sabbaoth The one is the Lord of rest the other is the Lord of Hosts those words come from a different root in the Hebrew The second place is James 5. 4. and there you have not the English word Hosts but the Hebrew word Sabbaoth likewise In the New Testament we have Gods Titles fuller of sweetnesse and grace as The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ The God of all consolation The Father of mercies The God of peace c. The more cause have we to be humbled who live in the times of the Gospel and yet are come to such times wherein God hath changed as it were his name and even in the times of the Gospel appears to us in this dreadfull name of his The Lord of Hosts This Title is in it selfe a very fearfull one and yet before we have done with it we shall find it like that name of Christ Cant. 1. 3. Thy name is as an ointment poured forth a sweet refreshing pleasant ointment In the 2. of Sam. Chap. 6. ver 2. the Lord speaks of this name of his set between the Cherubims Whose name is called by the name of the Lord of Hosts that dwelleth between the Cherubims Now you know the Mercy-seat was between the Cherubims and that which I shall endeavour this day is To shew you this name of the Lord of Hosts written upon the mercy-seat between the Cherubims Although it be dreadfull in it selfe yet all Gods Saints shall have it this day presented to them from the mercie-seat A name as full of goodnesse and mercy as our hearts can desire We have already seen in this Kingdom the Lord of Hosts upon his Mercy-seat making this his dreadfull title to be amiable and lovely to us from thence dispensing grace and abundance of mercy in the manifestation of this his glorious title It is comfortable to behold the Lord of Hosts sitting upon his Mercy-seat and thus am I to present him this day unto you Now God is called The Lord of Hosts in two respects First because all creatures in heaven and in earth are his armies He is the absolute great Lord over them all The Angels Sunne Moon Stars the Dragons the Deeps the Fire Haile Snow Wind the Mountains Trees Cedars the Beasts and all creeping things the flying Fowles the Kings of the earth and all people are the Hosts of the Lord. Psal 148. ver 2. c. Secondly in regard of that speciall providence of God in the great affaires of wars and battels in the world It is true the providence of God is over the least things in the world but God challengeth a more speciall and peculiar ackowledgment of his work of Providence about War-like affaires in regard whereof he takes this title to himselfe The Lord of Hosts If I should
speak of the first the time would soon be gone for there is much in it it is more generall therefore I will confine my selfe to the second the more speciall and now most seasonable God is the God of Armies That he might expresse himselfe the more clearly and fully interested in War-like affaires Exod. 15. 3. he styles himselfe A man of War God seemes to glory much in his workings about War-like affaires Hence Psal 24. 8. Who is the King of glory The Lord strong mighty the Lord mighty in battell The Providence of God is great in all wars but especially in those wars that concerne his people whether in a way of chastising them or defensive to save them or offensive in avenging himselfe upon their enemies I doe not know any one thing wherein the Providence of God is more fully set out in Scripture then in the workings of it about Wars as in these many particulars will be fully presented to you First God works in the raising of Warres when and how he pleaseth He is the great Generall and all battels are appointed by him He calls for them before they come and when he calls they certainly come upon a people Jer. 25. 29. Behold I begin to bring evill upon the City which is called by my name c. for I will call for a sword God doth not onely call for a sword upon the heathen but upon the Cities called by his name Certainly there is as much of God in this City as in any City this day in the World yet God may call for a sword upon you be not you secure Yea doe you not heare God now calling for it upon you Esay 5. 26. God will hisse for the Nations from the ends of the earth and behold they shall come with speede swiftly And Esay 7. 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the Fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt and for the Bee that is in the Land of Assyria and they shall come Let God but give a hisse the least intimation of his mind and they shall come It was a proud speech of Pompey when one of his Officers told him they wanted men Let me sayes he but stampe with my foote upon the ground of Italy and I shall have men enough Footmen and Horsemen come from every corner Although it was a proud speech in him and when it came to he was disappointed yet it is alwayes true of this Lord of Hosts let him but speak the least word doe the least thing to gather Armies they presently come together to fight his battels when he pleaseth he can stir up the hearts of the Kings of the earth to hate the whore to make war with her Rev. 17. 16. The ten Kings shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked they shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire It is a wonder that they stay all this while that they rise not with a spirit of indignation against her considering what base bondage they are in under her It is such a bondage wherein both soule and body and estate is in such a servile subjection to her as one would think the spirit of a man could not beare it much lesse the spirit of a King But when Gods time is come the spirits of the Kings of the earth shall be suddenly raised to war against her It is an observation of Abulensis upon 1 Chro. 14. 8. that Gods providence was very observable towards David that he should have no wars raised against him by the Philistims those seven yeers he was in Hebron which time he was but weak being King onely over the house of Judah but when all Israel came to him and he was established King over them all then came the Philistims against him So doe wee not see the mighty providence of God towards us that he did not call for the sword against us all this time till now untill we had a Parliament and that made indissoluble but by their owne consent untill our Militia in the Kingdome was well-nigh setled until we had an Army to resist If God had called for the sword before these things what had become of us Oh the mercifull providence of God towards England in this thing God is much seen in the provocations to wars consultations about them enclining mens hearts to them taking them off from peace c. It was from the Lord that Pharaohs heart was so hardned against the people of Israel to goe forth to battel against them because God had a purpose to destroy him It was of God that Rehoboam was so set to hearken to the counsel of young Cavalliers and to harden his heart against his wise Counsellors that God might rend ten Tribes from him It was of God that Ahab should be so set to goe to war against Ramoth Gilead that he might be destroyed Secondly the Lord sets up his Standard in Warre Thus he expresseth himselfe Esay 5. 26. He will lift up an Ensigne to the Nations Whosoever is the Standard-bearer it is God himselfe that sets up the Standard Thirdly it is God that musters up the Army Esay 13. 4. The Lord of Hosts mustereth the Host of the battel The Lord of Hosts is himselfe the Muster-master in Armies He thus condescends in his expressions that he might the more particularly and so the more fully shew the workings of his Providence in Military affaires Fourthly the Lord brings forth weapons out of his Armory Jer. 50. 25. The Lord hath opened his Armory and brought forth the weapons of his indignation for this is the work of the Lord of Hosts God hath his Magazine his Armory that he opens in times of Warre From whencesoever Armes come from beyond Sea or else where not one Peece can come but out of Gods Magazine If God did not open his Armory neither we nor our enemies could have Arms. There was a time when God shut up his Armory from Israel and then there was neither sword nor speare found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan onely with Saul and Jonathan there was found 1 Sam. 13. 22. Fiftly It is the Lord that gives his people their Banners to display Psal 60. 4. Thou hast given a Banner to them that fear thee that it may be displayed because of the truth There are a generation of men that fight against the truth they would take away the Gospel from them and because of this thou hast given them Banners that they may be dispayed because of this truth God would have us contend for the truth Jude 1. 3. Yea earnestly contend fight for it if that comes in question if we be in danger to lose that God gives us our Banners not to be folden up but to be displayed because of the truth Sixtly God himselfe comes into the field with his people he tels them often that he
is with them there Deut. 20. 4. The Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight When God sayes I am with you you may write down what you will to make up this promise a compleat one for your safety and comfort As thus I am with you to assist you I am with you to direct you I am with you to encourage you to blesse to save you to comfort you to reward you c. I am with you saies God This is as it were a piece of a line that our faith must make up If we once have this promise got into our hearts whatsoever we want we may adde to it and then our peace and joy may be full We reade Judges 4. 8. Barak would not goe into the field except Deborah would goe with him It is ill going into the field except God goe with you but if you have this promise in your hearts you cannot but have strength in your hands Zac. 10. 5. They shall be as mighty men which tread downe their enemies as mire in the streets in the battell and they shall fight because the Lord is with them and the riders on horses shall be confounded 7. God is not onely with his people in their fight but he goes before them as their Captain to lead them That one place will suffice for all Josh 5. 13. Joshua saw a man with his sword drawn in his hand and Joshua went to him and said Art thou for us or for our adversaries And he said Nay but a Captaine of the host of the Lord am I now come It is apparent this was Christ for Joshua fell on his face and worshipped and said What saith my Lord unto his servant And the Captaine of the Lords Host said unto Joshua Loose thy shoes from off thy feet for the place where thou standest is holy 8. God condescends lower even to be the Trumpeter in the wars of his people It is accounted too mean a work for a Generall to blow the Trumpet to his Armie but this great Generall The Lord of Hosts that he might encourage his people the more in his battels he blows the Trumpet himselfe to them Zach. 9. 14. And the Lord shall blow the trumpet and shall goe with the whirle-winds of the South Why of the South Those winds are hottest and therefore swiftest If ye see the South-wind ye say it will be hot sayes Christ and so it commeth to passe Luk. 12. 54 55. If we think our General follows too slowly this great General The Lord of Hosts follows swiftly enough In the words before The arrowes of the Lord are said to goe forth like lightning Swiftnesse in an Army is of great consequence it hath been a special advantage to our adversaries We doe little except in this we equall them 9. God is the Rereward of his people in times of Battail Isa 52. 12. Ye shall not go out with haste nor by slight for the Lord will goe before you and the God of Israel will be your Rereward Not the Reward but Rereward the guard defence behind When an Army is strong in the Rereward as wel as in the Front it is safe God is both before and behind in the Armies of his people 10. Gods providence in Wars works in the continuance of them How long they shall abide in a Land and when they shall cease is wholly from the appointment of the Lord of Hosts He workes in the upholding parties bringing in supplyes breaking asunder treaties c. We are ready presently to cry out How long shall the sword devour but when God gives Commission to the sword it must stay it must goe on devouring till the Commission be out Jer. 47. 6 7. Oh thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy self into the scabbard rest and be still The answer is there How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon against the sea shore there hath he appointed it Hos 11. 6. The sword shall abide on his cities and consume his branches and shall devour them because of their own counsels We are troubled at the sword comming neare our Cities but how sore would the misery be if it should come into our Cities but if abide in our Cities what miserable spoile and ruine would there be If wee would be delivered from so great an evill let us take heed of our own counsels If God leaves Parliament or City to their own counsels the sword will abide amongst us longer time then we for the present imagine even until it hath devoured God usually is a long time before he draws his sword he is whetting preparing delaying it but when it is once drawn he many times will not put it up again untill it bee bathed filled fatted satiated drunke with blood All these expressions we finde in Scripture Esay 34. 5 6. My sword shall be bathed in heaven it shall come downe upon Idumea upon the people of my curse When Gods sword hath to deale with the people of his curse then it shall be bathed indeede And surely God hath a people of his curse amongst us this day who they are is easie to know You may know them to bee cursed of God by the horrid blasphemies and hideous unheard-of curses that come out of their mouthes The earth was never stained with such dreadfull execrations and blasphemies since man lived upon the face of it as now it is by these men Surely the brand of Gods curse is upon them feare them not Ver. 6. it is said The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatnesse and Jer. 46. 10. The sword shall devoure it shall be satiate and drunke with their blood And when God is pleased to give the word hee makes wars to cease Psal 49. 9. He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth he breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare in sunder he burneth the chariot in fire Of Gods worke in stilling wars we have a most admirable example 1 Kings 12. 21. we have not the like in all the Booke of God neither was there ever the like before or since in the world King Rehoboam was incensed against the ten Tribes falling off from him he was in as great a heat and rage against them as we can imagine a man could be put into This fire of his rage was blowne up to the height by those young daring Cavaliers that were about him he had got an Army together strong enough an hundred and fourescore thousand men a mighty force and it was but to bring the Kingdome to the house of David Well their power was great their rage was fierce their cause they questioned not they were going forth with a high hand with cruel and bloody intentions How was all stilled now You shall find that The word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the Prophet saying Speak to Rehoboam Thus saith the
we heare that blessed voice The Kingdomes of the earth are the Lords his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore O that thy Kingdome might come more powerfully in our hearts and that it might be more conspicuous in Church and State The speciall reason thou knowest why we are willing to venture our selves as we do to endure any hardship to part with our estates is that Antichrist may never rule amongst us againe but that we and our posterity may be under the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Surelie this is the voice of those who have the Lord of Hosts to be their God That is an everlasting rule If he be thy King he is thy God Now then for the full comfort and encouragement the Church of God may take from this glorious name Consider the Relation that the Church hath to this Lord of Hosts and the Relation this Lord of Hosts hath to the Church For the first 1. The Church is the City of the Lord of Hosts it is not onelie Gods Citie but his Citie under this Title Psal 48. 8. As we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts Wee may comfortablie say This Citie of London is the City of the Lord of Hosts God hath precious Saints here abundance of them and it hath done worthilie for the honour of the Lord of Hosts of late and therefore surely the Lord of Hosts will defend it If there bee any Citie under heaven that may be called The Citie of the Lord of Hosts then I am confident the Citie of London may But we are to take here the City in a spirituall sense for the Church of God as it is usuall in Scripture Now we know when an Army hath to do with a City that is in the inheritance of the Generall then if there be any power in Generall or Army it will bee all put forth to the utmost either for the defence or gaining that City As the City of Breda in the Low-Countries when that was besieged it was soon won by the Army of the Prince of Orange because that City was the Princes own City his proper inheritance he had a speciall eye and care over that City Surely the eye and care of this Lord of Hosts though it be over Towns and Countries and walled Cities yet it is most over his Church if he hath any power in all the Armies in heaven and earth it shal be put forth for the defence of and supplying good unto this City Hence that passage in the prayer of Solomon 1 King 8 44. If thy people go to battell and shall pray to the Lord toward the City which thou hast chosen then heare in heaven Jerusalem was the City God then chose which was but a type of every Church in the time of the Gospel 2. The Church is the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts Esay 5. 7. For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel Certainly God will not suffer the wild beasts and boares of the field to devoure and lay waste his Vineyard A Generall will be very carefull in keeping enemies out of fruitfull Countries but especially our of his own Vineyard We reade 1 Kin. 21. 2 3. how loth Naboth was to part with his Vineyard though King Ahab was sick for it yet God forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee Gods Vineyard is beloved of him and deer to him Esa 27. 3. I the Lord keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day 3. It is the Mountain of the Lord of Hosts Zac. 8. 3. in which regard God professeth himself very jealous for it Thus saith the Lord of Hosts I was jealous for Sion with great jealousie I was jealous for her with great fury He gives the reason in the latter end of the 3. ver Jerusalem shall be called the City of truth and the Mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy Mountain As if the Lord should say What are they come to hurt my Mountaine my holy Mountaine my Church Fury riseth up in the face of God presently Yea Esa 31. 4. When the Lord comes to fight for mount Sion he comes forth as the young Lion roaring on his prey so shall the Lord of Hosts come downe to fight for Mount Sion God will leave heaven to fight for his Church will not you leave your shops and your houses 4 The Church is the house of the Lord of Hosts Hag. 1. 14. The Text sayes They did worke in the house of the Lord of Hosts which typified Gods Church A Generall will fight to maintain his own house it were a signe the enemy had prevailed indeed if hee should come and plunder the Generals own house In regard of this that is said of the Church to bee Gods House vve have that expression Psal 24. 9 10. Lift up your heads O ye Gates even lift them up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Who is the King of glory The Lord of Hosts he is the King of glory You know when a Prince comes to his own house the great gates are set open when other men come thither they come in at the wicket at some lesse doore but when he comes himselfe then all is set wide open 5. The Church is the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts Isay 18. 7. To the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts Mount Sion now Gods name is deare and precious to him It is a great priviledge God grants to his Church that it is the place he chooseth to set his name there Exod. 20. 24. Nehem. 1. 9. As God would have us highly to esteem that place to seeke after that place as Deut. 12. 5. Unto the place where God shall choose to put his name there shall ye seeke and thither shalt thou come thither shall you bring your burnt Offerings and Sacrifices c. So surely God himself puts a high price upon that place and he will preserve it 6. The Church is the place of the glorious reign of the Lord of Hosts Isa 24. 23. The Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shal reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem before his Elders gloriously God hath yet a further and more glorious Kingdome to be set up in his Church then ever hath been at which all the glory of the world shall be darkned by reason of the brightnesse of this glory it is the Lord of Hosts that shall thus reigne Surely then all the Hosts shall have their strength put forth in defence of and providing for this place of this glorious reigne of their great Generall 7. The Church is the people of the Lord of Hosts Zep. 2. 10 11. This shall they have for their pride because they have reproached magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of Hosts The Lord will be terrible
out time as much as he could There is a famous story of Pompilius being sent by the Senate of Rome to this Antiochus to declare to him the pleasure of the Senate that he must not goe to Egypt Antiochus now requires time to deliberate but Pompilius makes a circle about him with the staffe he had in his hand and told him he must not goe out of that circle til he had given his absolute answer I or No But Antiochus would faine have put him off with a complement but Pompilius rejects his complement and bids him answer speedily otherwise he knew what to doe These speedy resolutions are of mighty advantage in many of the great affaires of the world esecially when we have to deale with cunning adversaries who lye to catch advantages The Text farther sayes He shall destroy wonderfully he shall make such spoile of faire plentifull countries make such waste where he comes leave all so poore and miserable as will be a wonder for any to see it who knew the Countrey in the plenty and riches of it but a few weeks before he came into it Yea he shall destroy the mighty and the holy people men of brave spirits even gracious godly men and stout valiant men yet they shall fall before him And ver 25. Through his policie also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand If there be any devices shifts cunning underminings any false wayes in the world he will make use of them and he shall get advantage by them and he shall magnifie himselfe in his heart When he hath got an advantage any way by falsifying promises protestations or by what means soever it shall please him at the heart he shall magnifie himself in his very heart and others about him shall puffe him up and seek to magnifie him and by peace he shall destroy many That is 1. By promising peace by treatles of peace they shall think all is well now there will be peace and so being secure he shall come upon them unawares and destroy many Or 2. by peace that is by his prosperity that he shal enjoy all shal account him happy thereby be ready to joyn with him they shal promise to themselves to be delivered from many troubles by comming in to him Surely he will have the better of it it is best for our safety if we would hold our lands and estates to come in joyne with him and thus by his peace he shall destroy many Or 3. In pace in peace Calvin interprets thus In a silent quiet way he shall withdraw himselfe and his Forces there shall not be much noise of him but hee shall weary the Forces of the other and their party and gaine time and advantages of them When he seems to be quiet and comes not against them in a hostile way even then shall he destroy many yea hee shall stand up against the Prince of Princes He shall not acknowledge the Majesty the power of God he shal set himself against those waies of Providence that are apparently against him howsoever he will not see it but then sayes the Text he shall be broken without hand God himself in some wonderfull way that you know not of shall break him when all means faile and all people shall be afraid that all will come to ruine and misery then shall he be broken without hand VVe complaine much of sad things that we suffer but we suffer not such things as the people of God so deare unto him suffered in those times Our sins cry as loud as theirs for the like miseries but God is free in his grace It is from the Lord of Hosts that we are preserved from such fearful evils as these It may be some may say Why are we in any danger of such miseries as the Jews suffered under Antiochus If bloody Papists and cursing and blaspheming Cavaliers might have their wils on us our miseries would soon parallel theirs if not rise above them seeing so many of them are got together and they are growne to such a height in their rage it is onely from this great Lord of Hosts that they break not in upon us as a deluge of the most hideous woes and dreadful miseries that ever befel any Christian Nation upon the face of the earth but blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth Let the Crown of all our mercies and more especially of that great mercy in the late battel be set upon the head of this glorious Lord of Hosts We reade 2 Sam. 12. 27 28. when Joab fought against Rabbah when the work was almost done he sent to David to come and take the City that he might have the glory of it that the Kings Crowne which was of gold and precious stones might be set upon Davids head Although God hath made use of instruments in this great work and due honour is to be given to them yet let the crown of the work be set upon the head of the Lord of Hosts I find in a Treatise of Plutarchs about the evill of taking honour to ones selfe a notable relation of one Pytho who having slaine a great enemie of the countrey whose name was Cotys whilst the officers of the people were striving who should doe him most honour he speaks thus unto them These things some of the gods have done as for us we have but lent our hands to this work It is true the General and many of our Captains and Souldiers have done worthily but it is as true that they have onely lent their hands to this work The Lord of hosts hath done this great thing both for them and us If we would expresse our respects to the General and honour him as he hath deserved in this thing especially we should doe it to speake well of him before this Lord of Hosts and to pray much for him It was a custome among the Romans when a victory was got to use solemne Processions for many dayes together offering Prayers and Sacrifices to their gods in behalfe of their Generall The manner was after the victory to send to the Senate Letters dight with Laurel wherein was required that they would decernere Supplicationes appoint such solemne Supplications for the Generall The conclusion of all is the glory of this great work must stick no where but passe through all to this our strong redeemer the Lord of hosts Let that Doxologie of the Angels Esay 6. 3. be ours this day Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts The whole earth is full of thy glory Let our streets our congregations our families our hearts be now full of the glory of this Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts And thus you have had one part of the glory of this great name of God opened and applyed If you will give me but a little time more I will give you some little glimpse of the other part of this glorious name and wind up all suddenly
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
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
unto them They in their pride lift up themselves and magnifie themselves against the Saints as if they were a company of silly weak men they doe not know that they are the people of the Lord of Hosts therefore God threatens there that he will be terrible unto them And thus you have the Relation of the Church to God revealing himselfe in this name The Lord of Hosts yet marke further the Relation that God hath to them in this his name As 1. The Lord of Hosts is the portion of his Church Jer. 10. 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them hee is the former of all things The Lord of Hosts is his name Wherefore if there be any thing in The Lord of Hosts that can doe them good they may challenge it for God The Lord of Hosts is their portion they may make use of all that is in him for their good 2. Hs is their Redeemer That you have in the Text Our Redeemer The Lord of Hosts is his name The Lord undertakes the redeeming of his people under this title of his on purpose that the multitude the greatnesse the fury of their enemies might not daunt them Your Redeemer is not one that cannot save he is The Lord of Hosts and one you may certainly confide in for he is The holy One of Israel 3. He is the pleader yea the through pleader of the cause of his people Jer. 50. 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name he shall throughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon God hath begun to plead the cause of his people already and hee hath shewne himselfe The Lord of Hosts in it but hee hath not yet throughly pleaded their cause as he meanes to doe when he shall doe that he will then give rest to the Land and disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon This work will cost the inhabitants of Babylon deare they were never so disquieted amongst us as they are at this day They have troubled the Saints and God now troubles them but will yet disquiet them more although they thinke to defend themselves by gathering Armies yet the Lord of Hosts shall disquiet them and give rest to his people There remaines yet a rest for the people of God even in this world 4. The Lord of Hosts is the Husband of his Church and this is the most neare and sweet relation of all Esa 54. 4 5 6. Feare not c. For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name The Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken grieved in spirit when thou wast refused saith thy God Alas saith the Church I am a poore desolate widow a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit every one neglects me I am rejected of all Well sayes God I took thee when thou wert thus forsaken to be my Spouse I have marryed thee to my selfe therefore now feare not I am the Lord of Hosts the God of the whole earth Surely a Generall if he hath the heart of a man in him he will fight for his Spouse he will not suffer his Spouse to be ravished before his eyes What sayes Ahasuerus concerning Haman Will he force the Queen before my face Vile men are risen up and they seeke to ravish the Church the Spouse of the Lord of Hosts and do you think he will suffer this before his face Shall not all the Armies in heaven and earth rather come together and fight for her deliverance Now then if all these things be thus we have cause then to quiet our hearts in the midst of all our fears and distractions to stand still and see the salvation of God the salvation that this Lord of Hosts is working for us This is the businesse that I have been endeavouring to enlarge before you the object of your faith and to lessen the object of your feare Surely if the Lord of Hosts hath such a relation to his Church and the Church such a relation to him he cannot but be exceedingly provoked against any that shall meddle with his Church to doe it hurt I will give you one notable expression of his anger against such Esa 3. 15. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poore saith the Lord of Hosts God here speaks angerly What am I the Lord of Hosts and will you offer this What mean you As when we flie upon a man in anger whom we see doth things to our prejudice or the prejudice of any neer to us in an absurd maner we say What doe you mean to do thus what are you mad Doe you know what you doe Doe you know who they are you thus abuse From all these gracious expressions of this Lord of Hosts to the comfort and encouragement of his people the result is that in the 8. of Esay 12 13. Say not A confederacy to them that say A confederacy oh many of their forces are joyned together feare not their feare but sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himselfe and let him be your feare and let him be your dread The Name of God is a strong Antidote to drive feare out of the hearts of the weakest Upon what we have seene in this title of God we may well say to the fearful in heart be strong feare not as we have it Isa 35. 4. Let women and all such as are naturally feareful take heed of sinfull feare The fearfulnesse of women hanging about their Husbands and children and friends crying out when they should goe forth in this service and going up and down wringing their hands and making dolefull outcries may do abundance of hurt exceedingly hinder the work that the Lord hath now in hand Let women take heed they be not hindrances but let them learne to exercise faith and take spirit to themselves that they may further their Husbands children and friends in this work of the Lord of Hosts Marke that Scripture 1 Pet. 3. 6. Yee are the daughters of Sarah so long as you do well and be not afraid with any amazement Yee would all willingly be accounted the daughters of Sarah Observe how the holy Ghost puts it upon this that you be not afraid with any amazement it may be nature may cause some feare but grace must keepe it that it be not with any amazement Why is it thus put upon this As Abraham is most commended for his faith and so by beleeving wee are the children of Abraham so it seemes Sarah his wife in those difficulties that Abrabam went through she was no hinderance but a furtherance to him she did not cry out to him Why will you leave your fathers house and all your kindred and go up and downe in a strange country in the middest of dangers and many straits no but shee rather was a helpe to him and an encourager of him so saies Peter who speaking to Christians who lived in troublesome and dangerous
God is the Lord of Hosts in respect of that absolute command he hath over all creatures he hath all creatures in heaven and earth under him as a Generall hath his Souldiers The Angels they are his Hosts Psal 68. 17. The Charyots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels The Lord is among them as in Sinai In the Hebrew the word is in the singular number the Charet to note the joynt-service of all the Angels they are but as one Charet although they be many thousands yea Myriads of thousands as we have it here there never is any mutiny amongst these Souldiers their harmony is most blessed their union firm indissoluble That which your English turns Twenty thousand even thousands is Myriades thousands and the word translated Angels is not elsewhere found in Scripture in that signification it comes of Shanah to second as being second or next to God the chiefe Princes the Nobles of Gods Court as Dan. 10. 13. Michael one of the chiefe Princes The Seventy translates the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chearfull ones who serve this Lord of Hosts readily and freely and joyfully in his wars they derive it from the Hebrew Shaan which signifies to bee in tranquility and joy as in Sinai that is as God was in Sinai with ten thousand of his holy ones when hee gave the Law Deut. 33. 2. so he is in Sion likewise the Angels Gods Hosts makes Sion as dreadfull to all her enemies as those Angels as appeared to God on Mount Sinai made it dreadfull to the people Thus Dan. 10. 20. The Angel tels Daniel That he was to returne to fight with the King of Persia God hath his Angels to stand out against the great Princes of the earth they go forth to fight with them they often meete with terrible strokes from Angels when they little thinke of them The stars in Heaven they are the Hosts of God Judges 5. 20. They sought from heaven the stars in their courses fought against Sisera The waters are Gods Host they drowned Pharoah in the red sea and here ver 21. The River Kishon swept away the mighty Host of Sisera The windes are the Hosts of God Psal 148. together with the haile and snow there reckoned up with many others fire and vapour beasts and creeping things Livy reports of the windes in Cannensi pugna raising dust in the eyes of the Romans while they went in fight that they could not see The locusts are Gods Hosts Joel 2. 25. What an Host did God muster up against Pharaoh frogs and flies lice and caterpillers They were all the Armies of God against him God gave commission to the fire and it burnt up Sodome he gave commission to the earth and it swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram But the chiefe thing I intend in this is to shew you the glory of God in this title of his from this consideration 1. God is glorious in this that he hath an exceeding great Army The greatnesse of an Army is the glory of a Generall now Gods Army onely of his Angels that are about him is very great Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him His Army of Locusts is called a great Army Joel 2. 25. this then of the Angels is much more to be esteemed a great Army 2. His Army is exceeding strong and powerfull and in this likewise the glory of a General consists much God did but send one of his Captains he hath with him in heaven and in one night he slew one hundred fourscore and foure thousand of the Host of Senacherib 2 Kings 19. 35. 3. He hath multitudes of Armies it is the glory of a great Prince to have many Armies in the field at once one in one place another in another place and so compassing round about his adversaries with his Armies The Lord of Hosts hath Armies in the heavens Armies in the aire armies in the seas Armies on the earth dispersed in every Countrey all the whole world is filled with the multitudes of the Armies of the Lord. 4. All these Armies of the Lord are always in a readinesse they are prepared Armies it is but giving out the word and they fall on they are in battel array evermore ready armed to doe the pleasure of their Generall No Prince no Commander hath thus his Armies always in readinesse many times when they have use of them much time is lost in getting Companies together and in getting their Arms. 5. Gods Armies alwaies accomplish what God intends by them they alwayes prosper in their fight they are never conquered but effect what God sends them for Psal 140. 8. Fire haile snow vapour stormy wind fulfilling his word Many of you Mariners wil not fulfil Gods word but God when he hath you at Sea he sends stormie winds and they fulfill Gods word upon you Psal 103. 21. Blesse ye the Lord yee his Angels that excell in strength that doe his Commandements hearkning unto the voice of his word How many men who think themselves great demeane themselves as if they thought themselves above Gods Commandments but the Angels that excel in strength they doe his Commandments they hearken to the voice of his word They stand listening to heare what it is that God hath to command them and are ready to obey And that which is said of the Angels is true of all Gods Hosts for so it followes ver 21. Blesse ye the Lord all ye his Hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure Blesse ye the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion God sayes to one Doe this and hee doth it to another Come and he commeth yea Gods Armies are ready to destroy themselves in the service of their Lord. The command of a Generall in an Armie is powerfull he may keep his Armie from spoile if he please Plutarch in the life of Pompey tels of him that hearing of his soldiers offering violence in an unjust way he caused all their swords to be sealed up so as no man dared break open the seale without leave He did more then bid them yea more then command them that they should not spoile 6. Yea God forceth his enemies to fight for him and can turn their weapons against themselves which is a high power beyond all other Captains and Generals in the world Sozomen and Nicephorus tell us of a great work of God in the defence of that good Emperour Theodosius by a mighty wind the arrows of his enemies were turned upon them which Claudian likewise mentions Oh thou beloved so exceeding much of God for whom the skies and the wind fight c. There are no other creatures but devils and men but doe readily and faithfully fight for God and even these God forces to fight for him whether they will or no even then when they seeme to fight most against him As many men who say they defie the devil yet
even then are the slaves of the devil and doe his will so many whose hearts and wayes are opposite to God yet even then God useth them to fight for him and to accomplish his own purposes 7. The glory of Gods infinite wisdom appeares in all his Armies in putting of them into most comely order guiding keeping them constantly in their severall ranks which order and shining wisdom in it were we able to see it would amaze us with the lustre of it Joel 2. 7. it is said of the Locusts They shall march every one in his wayes and they shall not breake their ranks neither shall one thrust another they shall walk every one in his path To order and guide in ranks such infinite multitudes of Armies is infinitely beyond the skil of any Commander upon the earth When David Psal 104. was meditating upon the glory of God in his works ver 24. In the midst of his meditation he could not hold but breakes forth with admiring expressions at Gods wisdome in them all O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches Let our hearts be raised in our meditations of the riches of Gods wisdome appearing in marshalling all his Armies Certainly if wee did look into this and cause our thoughts to dwel upon it it would cure us of our Atheistical thoughts How is it possible but a God must needs be acknowledged where such admirable art and skil appeares even in the works of nature which they know nothing of themselves Is it possible for any man that should see a mighty Army marching along all in comely order and yet think that all these men fell into this order meerly by accident as they came running together must he not needs be convinced that here surely hath been the military art of some skilfull Commanders working The same conviction of a God of his wisdome must there needs be if we saw in what order all creatures are put 8. All these Armies God maintains every day at his own charge and so hath done since the beginning of the world They live wholly upon him and yet are not at all burdensome unto him He is yet as rich as ever he was as able to maintain them all as ever yea and many thousands more if he pleased This surely is a great God 9. God is able to put as much power as he pleaseth into the least creature to raise it above the nature of it so as though it be never so poore and weak in it selfe he can make it irresistible Hence it is that God by contemptible means hath so often brought down the power the rage the pride of the great ones of the earth how terrible was he to Pharaoh in the very flyes that is observable whereas upon the judgement of the Haile he did but promise that he would let Israel goe Exod. 9. 28. but upon Gods Army of flies he bids them goe Chap. 10. 8. But that place Joel 2. is most remarkable for this observe what high expressions God hath of a mighty Army of his and the truth is it was but an Army of Locusts and Caterpillers Ver. 2. he calls the day of their comming A day of darknesse of gloominesse a day of thick darknesse hee cals them a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like ver 3. A fire devovreth before them and behind them a flame burneth the Land is as the garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wildernesse yea and nothing can escape them And ver 4. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen so shall they run Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leape like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble as a strong people set in battel array I know some interpret it of the Babylonians thus described but if the Text be looked into wee shall cleerely see it meant of the Locusts and Caterpillars therefore the expressions are metaphorical all along As horses as a strong people in battel array And ver 6. Before their face the people shall be much pained all faces shall gather blacknesse even those who had impudent brazen foreheads in wayes of wickednesse would not feare the mighty God even these stout hearts shall tremble before the Locusts God will put so much terror into these poore creatures that all faces shall gather blacknesse they shall look swarte for feare of them Ver. 7. They shall run like mighty men they shall climbe the wall like men of war And ver 8. When they shall fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded They shall run to and fro in the City they shall climb up upon the houses and enter in at the windows Ver. 10. The earth shall quake before them the heavens shall tremble the sun and the moone shall be darke and the stars shall withdraw their shining They shall bring so much terror with them as even to affect the very heavens it shall be like as if the sun and moone had lost all their light as if there were earth-quakes in every place where they come Ver. 11. And the Lord shall utter his voice before his Armie As Commanders speak with a voice of majestie before their Armies so the Lord shall utter his voice before this his Army he shall even glory to be the Leader of such an Armie as this for saith the Text His camp is very great and strong that executeth his word the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it All this still is the army of Locusts and Worms for so it is ver 25. I will restore to you the years that the Locusts have eaten the canker-worm and the cater-piller and the palmer-worm my great Army which I sent among you Now if God can raise to this height Locusts and Worms to be such a dreadful Army how dreadfull then is the Lord able to make all his other great Hosts Surely a glorious Lord of Hosts is this God 10. This great Generall is himselfe the strength of all his Armies and he hath infinite strength in himselfe alone beyond what all his Armies in heaven and earth have the power of his Hosts is but a little of his power given to them amongst men it is otherwise the strength of a Captain a Generall is in the strength of the Soldiers of the Army not the strength of the Army in their Captain or Generall their wisdome and courage indeede helpes much but their strength lyes in the Army if the Souldiers leave them if they faile what can the General doe but it is otherwise here God gives all the strength he supports it he draws stout he blesseth it it is onely in the power of his might that any of them is able to doe any thing and if all their force were united in one God hath infinitely more in himselfe
evils imminent nor rectifie these disorders extant but by power added to their authoritie although there be no such horrible things as the Doctor speaks of namely the Kings intentions to subvert Religion and our Laws and liberties if the King do but denie to assist in the delivering us from those dangers not upon groundlesse jealousies feared but upon certain proofs we know we are in and in the delivering up of such delinquents as justice must not our safety cannot suffer to escape there is cause enough to satisfie our consciences in the lawfulnesse of our taking up Arms. Yea our protestation and duty though we had never so protested binds us to maintain by all our strength the Parliament in this and in maintaining them we do not at all prejudice the King in any lawfull power of his This generall is enough to satisfie in what is said in the two last Sections As for particulars mentioned there many of them are answered alreadie in the former discourse others being matters of fact it is more easie for any one to answer that hath a mind to examine what passages have falne out To go through them particularly I shall leave to some who have more time to spare then I they are far more easie to answer then what was before but not so profitable and yet the answer would exasperate more they are Subjects more suteable for Lawyers and Statists to treat about then for Divines Wherefore where as in the conclusion of all the Doctor defires those who will run the Hazard of this resistance first to set their consciences before the tribunall of God and confider whether they will excuse them there when they have shed blood to say we supposed our Prince would change Religion overthrow liberties No Doctor We can comfortably and will freely and really set our conscience before Gods tribunall in this case but we will not make that our plea but we will stand thus before the Lord. Lord thou who art the searcher of our hearts and our Iudge thou knowest we aimed at no hurt to our King we desired to live in peace we according to our solemne vow and Protestation have only endeavoured to deliver our Kingdom Parliament from the rage of ungodly and violent bloody men to bring forth the wicked unto justice to preserve what thy Maiestie what the law of nature and the Law of the Land hath made our own If thou wilt please to call us to suffer for thy Name we hope we shall be readie but because thou tellest us that it is not the part of a Christian but of an Infidell not to provide for his family therefore we have not submitted our selves wives and children to the rage of these bloody men for the substance of what we have done it hath been in thy Name that we may be faithfull to the King Kingdom Parliament and to posteritie What failings thou hast seen in the managing of it Lord pardon to us for Christ his sake Thus we are willing to meet the Doctor at Gods Tribunall but he shall not lay our plea for us we fear he will have enough to do to answer for himself yea to answer for that Book he hath put forth in such a time as this For a Conclusion of all LEt none think that though we thus iustifie taking up Arms that therfore we are of those that delight in War God forbid Our souls desire after peace we pray for peace we would gladly lay down our lives if we know our own hearts for peace Lately my name was injuriously added to a printed paper wherein there was a Petition against Accommodations It sayes I went along with it whereas I knew nothing at all of it untill neere a week after it was delivered to the House Thus are we at the mercy of every malignant spirit if he can get a Printer to assist him to be rendred to the world as odious as he pleaseth As great an injury I suffered before though in another nature when a few pieces of a Sermon I preached to young men were gathered together and patched up with a deale of non-sense and additions of their owne as they pleased and then put out as mine Although we live amongst men set on fire yet God forbid but we should follow peace but it must be the peace of Jerusalem not the peace of Babylon And the truth is had the people knowne their liberties before it is very probable these warres would have been prevented This I am confident hath been the great encouraging fomenting argument for these warres If we goe in the name of the King none will dare to stir against us What will they take up Arms to resist their King Had they seen the weaknesse of this their Argument as it is applyed to this businesse in hand that bloud that hath been shed would have been prevented And if the people of the Land knew the Liberty that God and Nature and Law gives them there would soone be an end of these Warres but a few such Doctors as this is may helpe to prolong them by dividing the people and putting them into a maze comming in so plausible a way to informe Conscience whereas in truth he gives no bottome for Conscience to rest on but rather puts it to a stand or rather into a labyrinth There is a necessitie that in these times peoples Consciences should be further satisfied in their liberties in this case then formerly because the time is we hope at hand for the pulling down of Antichrist and we find by Scripture this work at first will be by the people Revel 18. 2. The Angel came down from heaven and cried mightily with a strong voice Babylon the great is falne is falne And vers 4. I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people ver 6. Reward you her as she hath rewarded you and so to the 9. ver her destruction is threatned Now ver 9. the Text sayes The Kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewaile her and lament for her saying Alas alas Ver. 11. And the Merchants of those things which were made rich by her shall stand weeping and wailing ver 15. All her Proctors and Commissaries and Chancellors that grew rich by her they shall lament No marvaile then though so many Proctors get together to seek for peace upon any terms Here you see Babylon must down and yet the Kings lament her fall Who then must pull her down but the people Not that the people can raise a War meerly for Religion but God will so order things that the Papists shall by their malice be put upon such plots and enterprises that they shall make themselves lyable to the justice of the Law so that Kings shall have no legall power to rescue them from it but inferiour Magistrates assisted by the people shall in a just way fall upon them even then when the Kings of the earth and their
Merchants shall lament them Hence Revel 19. 6. the Hallelujah that is begun upon the Lord God omnipotents raigning is begun by the people I heard the voice as of many waters saying Hallelujah Now the Scripture frequently sets forth the people by waters as Revel 17. 15. The waters which thou sawest were peoples We reade Cant. 5. 11. where the glory of Christ is set forth it begins at the head but Cant. 7. 1. where the glory of the Church is set forth it begins at the feet How beautifull are thy feet Surely the right knowledge of these liberties God hath given people will much help forward the great things God hath to doe in this latter age This makes me willing to publish what help I can in this thing although I know full well I run the hazard of suffering much in it Let Babylon fall let the Church prosper it is enough our lives are not much worth And now I have shewne the Commission of the Lord of Hosts for warres I shall not yet cease to pray for peace such a peace as may have as good a Commission from the Prince of Peace as the present wars of the Kingdom have from the Lord of Hosts That which I have done is but as the taking of my pen to write a Letter to a friend but a little strength is enough to oppose a little strength FINIS Doct. Quest Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quievit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exeâ—citus Militia Why God is called The Lord of Hosts Gods Providence in the workings of Warre Plutarch vita ejus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God stilleth wars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest Ans Hieron in Isa 19. 14. Vindimiabit Quest Answ Why the Lord doth work in Armies Ob. Answ Why the adversary often prevailes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abscondit An honourable imployment to bee a Souldier Cowardise branded with infamie Use 3. Ob. Answ 1 Sam. 23. 13. Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ob. Answ Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ob. Ans 1 Pet 2. 13 All civill Government even that of Kings is called a humane creation for so the words are in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ob. Answ Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ob. Ob. Ans Can. Excom caus 23. qu. 6. cited by K. James in his Answer to Perror Ob. Answ Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ob. Ans Ans Ob. Answ Ob. Ans Ob. Answ Ob. Ans Ob. Answ Isay 38. 9. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 1. 7. Ob. Ans Plutarch in the life of Pyrrus Ob. Ans Plutarch vita Lysandri 1 Reg. 18. 17. Amos 7. 10 Act. 24. 5. Act. 17. 6. Object Answ Use 4. Use 6. Totum se contulit Preces nostrae bombardae nostra Use 5. In pacedecus in bello praesidium Quest Ans Act. 21. 13 Use ult Calvin upon the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O nimium dilecte Deo cui fâ—ndit ab anti is Aeolus armatas acies cui militat aether Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti 2 Kings 6. 17 19. Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans 1 Sam. 14. Ans 1 Sam. 26. Ans 1 Sam. 23. 12. Ans Ans Ans 1 Chro. 26 Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans Ans