EMANUEL OR GOD WITH US Wherein is set forth Englands late great Victory over the Scots Armie in a Battle at Dunbar Septemb. 3. 1650. And by many Particulars of Gods Acting and Appearing then for us it is certaine and so much is cleâ—rly proved that our Armies marching into Scotland and the Wars undertaken and prosecuted against that Nation to be upon Grounds of Justice and Necessity as the PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND hath declared Also here is shewed how grosly the Covenant is abus'd and what an Idoll it is now made With the fraud and falshood of the Scots and their Kings hypocrisie and dissimulation Moreover such Objections are answered as seeme to have any thing in them against the point here Asserted By JOHN CANNE The First Part published by Authority Psal 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine Enemie doth not triumph over me Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see London printed by Matthew Simmons next doore to the Goden Lyon in Aldersgate street 1650. To the Right Honourable the Supreame Authority of this Nation the Parliament of ENGLAND SIRS MANY men have written well and effectually in the defenc of your Cause and have sufficiently proved it to be a righteous and glorious Cause Nevertheles as the Philistims stop'd the Wels which Abraham had dig'd and filled them with earth so it hath been the constant endeavour of some men by fraud and falshood to darken the cleare and evident truth which hath been opened to the end people might not have the benefit of such wholsome and sweet water But the Lord of Hosts whose Cause yours is hath like Isaac digged again the wels of water what was stop'd by others he hath opened He I say now is a Writer for you so that were there no Bookes extent pleading your Cause Gods owne hand were enough the late booke written as it were with pen and inke of divine providence were sufficient As the unbeleeving Jewes could not keep Christ in the grave though they rol'd a great stone before the doore of the Sepulcre but hee gloriously ascended so this righteous Cause which God hath put into your hands shall rise and shine as the Sun far and neere amongst the Nations of the earth In spight of enemies let them use all the the wiles wit and wayes they can to keep it under Aristotle saith omne inconsuetum est obscurum I confesse the way which I here take to justifie your Cause against all Adversaries of what name or title soever may at first seeme obscure being hitherto by few walked in Scire per causam is the common rode but when it shall be considered what light I have â—â—nd whose hand as a Guide I here follow I question not but it will be acknowledged that a more certain way cannot be chosen to give a clear and full satisfaction to all men desirous to know on whose side the Truth and Right is between you and your Enemies I doe observe that there are two sorts of men unfruitfull Beholders of Gods marvellous and great works 1. The bruitish man as David calls him he never considers of them nor sees any thing of providence therein As Nicomacus in Plutarch fitly answered an Ideâ—t that could see no beauty in the famous Helena painted by Zeuxis take my eyes quoth he and you shall think her to be a Goddesse Even so had these men other mens eyes any spirituall discerning they would see in Gods dispensations so much of his power goodnesse justice c. as they would say Jehovah there is none like unto thee who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy name Another sort there are who will speak of divine providence and confesse that all things are govâ—rned by Gods counsell and nothing comes to passe but according to his will and pleasure notwithstanding they will not see his hand when it is lifted up nor make any profitable and good use thereof As the Papist though in words they acknowledge the Scriptures yet by their corrupt interpretation in a manner deny them So these men though they confesse a providence yet by their unsound application thereof doe in effect deny it destroying with one hand what they build with the other And with this later sort I specially here deale I shall not trouble your Honours with a large Epistle Only thus as God by his Acting for you hath made it evident and you many times in your Declarations humbly confesse it that he is on your side takes your part justifies and ownes your Cause so let it appeare â—o the world by your Actings that you are not for your Selves and your own Interests but for God as owning his Cause which is Truth Righteousness Now the Lord who alone hath power to make you able to Act Appeare for him and his Cause as he hath Acted and Appeared for you and your Cause give you both hearts and hands so to doe And thus shall hee ever pray who is Yours most humble and faithful Servant JOHN CANNE EMANVEL OR GOD WITH US Wherein is set forth Englands late great Victory over the SCOTS Armie in a Battle at Dunbarre the third of September 1650. AS The Sun would shine in it's own brightnesse and glory though all the world were blind or did wilfully shut their eyes against it So will the Lord gloriously appeare in his mighty and wondrous works howsoever man shuts his eyes and a Isa 26.10 11. will not behold the majestie of the Lord nor see wâ—â—n his hand is lifted up I make no question had the Scots obâ—ained the Victory though not cloathed with halfe so many remarkable circumstances of Gods presence they would have said and their friends here likewise in the words of the Prophet b Psal 9.4 Thou hast maintained my right and my cause Thou satest in the throne judging right And as Protogenes said of the Painters line c Non enim cadere in alium tam absolutum opus Plin. na hist l. 35. cap. 9. none but Apelles could draw it So would they peremptorily have concluded had our Army been overthrown a speciall hand of God remonstrating a justifying of them their Cause their King and Kirk I hope without offence what they would have done had our Cause been theirs we may take the like liberty and with reverence to the place say d Psal 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Yea and make it appeare in the eyes of all impartiall and dis-ingaged men that the Lord was so with us and for us in this great Victory as doth strongly prove make good our Armies marching into Scotland and the Wars undertaken and prosecuted against that Nation to be as the e Decl. of the Parl. of England upon the marching of the Army into Scotland Parliament hath declared upon Grounds of Justice and Necessity 1. It is a sign that the Lord maintains the
them which formerly they had they may thanke themseÌ„lves this is of their ingratitude murmuring against God Moses changed their Opinion nothing now but bare events successe proves nothing all things come alike c. Howsoever the Victories and deliverances which they so cried up as to have on them the visible stamp and Character of Gods owning the Cause were not by many degrees in severall particulars so eminent and remarkable as these are of whom we speake Now who can but pitty the people thus deluded and abused by these men And what hath been the * Hos 15.1 Snare on Mizpah and the Net spread upon Tabor the ‖ Zech. 13.4 rough Garment whereby they have deceived the simple but chiefly their long Prayers frequent Fastings for the prosperity of the Scots Army bitter exclamations and invectives against the present Government Those who hawk for Birds make a stale of the Owle and so the silly Birds whilst they are staring about her are taken For what serves some mens sowre faces bowing downe the head as a Bulrush covering the Altar with tears with weeping and with cryings throwing all the curses of the Law at Magistrates but as a bait to catch silly Birds simple people for whilst they stand gazing on these men as at some strange Creature a wonder to see so much rebellion malice hypocrisie covered under the cloak of a holy Covenant the cause of God extirpation of Heresie Schisme prophanenesse they fall into the Net of destroying and undoing themselves x Isa 58.34 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Why have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no notice Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse y Isa 59.1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot heare but your iniquities have seperated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not heare 10. How exceedingly the Lord at this time appeared for us and gave witnesse to the Justice of our Cause will be the more perspicuous and cleare if former Victories and deliverances be duely considered that is what God hath done for us in England and Ireland and how he hath all along gone forth with this Army since it was first raised still upholding the same cause which by the Scots to their shame and losse is now opposed It is true the cause of God this publick righteous Cause which is now held forth by the Parliament of England hath found Enemies of severall kinds of all sorts and sice As the Trent Fathers howsoever among themselves they could not agree yet to oppose and persecute Luther therein unanimously accorded together So the Enemies of this Commonwealth although there be among them some difference and that not a little as being some Papisticall others prelaticall some Presbyteriall yet here they all center and are one in malice and revenge in their designe and plot all one as seeking every one of them the overthrow of this present Government A Painter being Commanded by the Turk to paint every Nation in his habite Painted the Germain naked and being asked the Cause Answered he could not prescribe him a particular kind of habit he was so delighted with Novelties If it were my task to set out here to the life what the designe and plot is of the Enemy I mean wherein they agree altogether against us I could not doe better to have it truely understood then to compare it to the naked Germain for one while it hath upon it Scarlet or Royall a Rev. 12.3 Red other while an Irish b Pro. 7.9 black sometimes a Scotch c Ezek. 23.56 Blew thus there is a changing and shifting of Colours from Red to Black from Black to Blew as they see occasion of advantage yet so as but one body the plot and designe still the same In this combination sayth the Parliament the Popish * An Act of Thanksgiving for setting a part Tuesday Octob. 8. 1650. Prelaticall Prophane and Malignant Parties stand behind the Curtaine and seemed for a season to be quite laid aside that the cause of God the Covenant and work of Reformation might beare the name It is true they did so here now was laid aside in Appearance Red and Black and the naked Germain comes forth all in Blew having on his forehead RELIGION and under the name of Religion the extirpation of our Religion Laws and Liberty is intended But the Lord of Host who had before delivered our Army and us with it out of the Paw of the Lion and the Beare Royalists and Irish the same God by weake means delivered us from that insulting Enemie who had defied the Army of the living God If we heare one Cock Crow and no more there is some hope and probability the day is breaking but if all it is taken for certaine and out of doubt In many Victories which the Lord hath given us so much hath appeared being lookt on single and a part as we might hopefully say Englands great day of deliverance from the Tyranny of Kings and Priests is at hand But when we consider successes and victories every where in England in Ireland in Scotland so seasonable and wonderfull as no other Nation almost hath ever heard or been made partaker of we should not glorifie God in those great things which he doth for us unlesse beleiving his works we did say The Lord is creating England a rejoycing and her people a joy d Judg. 13.23 If the Lord meant to â—ill us he would not have shewed us all these things That e Deut. 23.14 Jehovah walks in the midst of our Câ—mp to deliver them and to give up the Enemies before them makes one Army a blessing in the Earth no Weapon that is formed against it doth prosper And for the Machavilion Councells traiterous devises and all endeavours of the Enemy here and every where whither Popish prelaticall Irish Scotish we see still like Arrows they fall on their owne heads are not these things sufficient evidences and demonstrations that the Lord takes our part is Emanuel God with us and with our cause Surely let the Enemy like another Pharaoh harden himselfe and in the time of his distresse trespasse yet more against the Lord as Ahaz did Yet we for our parts shall not be unbeleiving but beleive yea and further be assured from these present actings and appearances of God for us that he will mainetaine this Cause of ours against all Enemies in spight of all their falshoods lies Hypocrisies never so artificially and deceitfully cloaked and covered over with the cause of God the Covenant Reformation Praying Fasting When Balak and Balaam King and Prophet had done what they could turned every stone and tryed every way from place to place what they could doe against Israel by their Sorceries and Enchantments and perceiving all
the works of God and his Administrations sought out of all that have pleasure therein to be of no effect and to teach men so to doe when and as they please I have read of Antonius when he angled some dived under water put fishes upon his hook the which he cast up at his pleasure one after another hee that would learn to wrest the Scripture needs not seeke any further Counsel then here for if he cast in his hooke where these Divers are hee may be sure they will fit him with fish to the purpose a subtle device and trick whereby to mock God and destroy his owne soule 5. Sometime the event or successe of a thing is so far from being Null or standing as as a Cipher as the equity and truth of the Cause is thereby confirmed and no other way Put a staffe in the water and it will seeme crooked not that it is so but we cannot see it right for the water Even so a Cause howsoever right and just yet through the cunning of men by the water of their calumniation and slander it may seem otherwise and by many otherwise believed As on the contrary a filthy dunghill may be covered with snow a viper hid under a rose an a 2 Sam. 15.8.11 an unrighteous Cause so coloured and cloak'd with such titles of Truth piety Religion Gods worship c. as some deceiv'd thereby may think the same to be just and good When Jannes and Jambres two Aegyptian Sorcerers withstood Moses and five hundred false Prophets of Baal contended with Elias Here was Cause against Cause Plea against Plea as it is now between us and the Scots But how was the truth here discovered and made to appeare and those satisfied or convinced which were concern'd therein Truly by the Event or Sucâ—â—sse that is he Lord making them Conquerours and giving them the victory who had the just and rightfull Cause That â—aul by his calumniations lyes flatteries and other deceitfull practises had so clouded David's Cause as many thought that his carriage dealing toward his Father in law was not good and that Saul had some reason and ground for what he did so much is very cleare by many passages and expressions of David in the Psalms But the Successe and Event cleared David and justified his Cause as how to wit by the many wonderfull and seasonable deliverances which David had by the Lords mighty appearing and working salvation for him with an high hand On the contrary is not destruction to the wicked Job 31.3 and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity that Divine Justice that followed Saul all along in life and death was such an Event as did prove with a witnesse what for a man he was and how unâ—â— righteously he had dealt with David It is true and I know it to be so that the Parliament of Englands Cause in reference to the publique Enemies of this Common-wealth by what name or title soever hath beene proved sufficiently to be a Just Cause even thâ— Cause of GOD both by the law of God of Nature and Nations As for instance * See a booke Intituled the golden Rule or Justice advanced The putting to death the late KING the laying aside the House of LORDS the Constitution of England a COMMON-WEALTH the present Parliament a true REPRESENTATIVE and Supreame Authority of the Nation The marching of our Army into Scotland upon grounds of Justice and Necessity All these things have been proved over and over neverthelesse some envying the good we have because it came not to us by them Others perceiving that their private profits and interests must goe downe and lye in the dust if publique Good be set up and prosper hereupon they consult together and are Confederates and what can be done by fraud or falshood or any way they seeke to attempt Yea such are the depths of Satan and mystery of iniquity now working to deceive every where and every one as that the just and righteous Cause of the Parliament is questioned by some denyed by others and all this through the deceit and craft of such men who either are discontented because others under God did the good work and not they or who finde themselves now shut out from the * Act 10.25 〈…〉 know thâ—â— by this 〈◊〉 we have 〈◊〉 wealth A 〈◊〉 reasoÌ„â—â—â—â—eâ—ore 〈◊〉 should 〈…〉 â—ccupation gâ—infull trade formerly they had and unwarranble ways to deceive and 〈◊〉 the people in soule purse and person But the Lord whose wayes and judgements are all â—â—â—â—teous he I say who justifies the righteous and condemns 〈◊〉 wicked seeing them to cast such a cloud over his Cause and to make it contemptible before men by aspeâ—â—ng 〈◊〉 with Treason Vsurpation Oppression Fraud c. comes forth in behalfe of it and as hee did for Moses against the Magicians for Elias against Baals Prophets and for David against Saul so doth hee for us or rather for his great name gives such such glorious Successes and most remarkable Events to this Cause every where that unlesse men did wilfully shut their eyes or made themselves blind through malice pride covetousnesse c. they might see * Quid faciun video nec me ignorantia veri deâ—ipiet sed amor as clearly as they doe the sunne shining at noone day to be a RIGHTEOUS AND GOOD CAUSE the which the Lord hath doth and will still defend Object 2. The Israelites in two Battles were overcome by the Benjamites but they had a good Cause the which the others had not Therefore Successes or Events in Warre prove nothing in respect of the Cause whether it be just or unjust Answ 1. Some mens tongues are like a mill that is loose hung keepes a mighty crackling but grinds no corne This example of the Benjamites I heare is much talked of and as David said of Goliah's sword there is none like that So some say there is none to this it cannot be answered But how farre this is from that rule simpliciter ad simpliciter inconsistent to the matter they bring it for and to what they apply it will appeare by putting it into forme for thus it must be if it be any thing If GOD sometimes for reasons known to himselfe suffer wicked men to prosper in a bad Cause as to have a Victory once or twice being fewer in number then their Enemies It will necessarily follow that what soever assistance he gives a people in Battle what Victory and Deliverance soever they have in what manner or way soever he appeares for them and against their Enemies Nothing by the Successe or Event can be gathered concerning the justice of the Cause on whose side it is A simple Reader without helpe of Schoole-learning may easily see the vanity and absurdity of such reasoning Suppose I would argue thus there is not any light that shewes a distinction or difference betweene day and night and to prove this assertion I
Cause of a people when he seasonably delivers them from an insoleÌ„t proud Enemy from f Psal 75.4 vain-glorious fools Holelim Mad-boasting fools vainly promising themselves Victory breaâ—hing out threatnings Thus the Aegyptians triumph g Exod. 15.9 The enemy said I will pursue I will over come I will divide the spoile my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword mine hand shall destrâ—y them Behold how they flattered them selves in their own eyes h Hab. 3.14 rejoycing to devour the poore in secret But whilst they were imagining a victory and dividing the prey i Judg. 5.30 the Lord stirred up himselfe and awaked to Israels judgment even unto his Cause and therein not only got himself a great name but it is recorded as one k Neh. 9.10 of his signes and wonders shewed upon Pharaoh a special deliverance and that which carries the stamp and character of a divine providence and mercy towards his Church and People No lesse insulted Benhadad he will not be satisfied with l 1 King 20.5 Ahabs silver and his gold and his wives and his children m Vers 6. But he will send his servants and they shall search his house the houses of his servants and it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in his eyes they shall take it away Besides he takes his gods to witnesse n Vers 10. If the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow him Here I may say with the Prophet o Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in mischiefe O thou mighty man How God destroyed the Army of that blood-boasting Tyrant and cloath'd him with shame the History shews and with all in that the Lord did so it did evidâ—â—â—ly appeare that Israel had the better Cause Other instances of the like kind might be produced but we come now to the application Touching the insolency of the Scots how proud and puft up they were with an imaginary victory it is almost incredible They reproached us with that condition the Parliaments Army was in when it made its hard conditions with the King in Cornwall this jestingly they calâ—d Essex his Pound demanded of our men to yeeld up our Train Carriages and Fire-arms They had disposed of us and of their businesse in sufficient wrath and revenge towards our persons and had swallowedâ—p the poore Interest of England believing that our Army lay at their mercy and that they would suddenly with their new King at the head of their Army march up to London without any opposition or interruption David Lesley then Generall in the field boasted he would have our whole Armie dead or alive by seveâ— a clock the next morning Neither were the Ministers lesse insolent and presumptuous then the rest for as Pharaoh said of the children of Israel they are intangled in the land the wildernesse hath shut them in so these conceiving us to be in a trap * Tantaene aenimis caelestibus irae Virg. Eneid l. 1. perswaded their Commanders to draw up their Army between us and home that none might escape or drive us into the Sea and so drown us It seems the Scots would have been like the Fig-tree to which Christ went for fruit and found none no Quarter no Mercy no Deliverance to be expected from them It was the honour of the Nâ—monâ—ines that they would make peace with Mancius a Roman Captain when they might have had the killing of the whole Army to a man But the Scots although not Conquerours but in conceit will swallow up our whole Army not spare a man neither is there any one to deliver them out of their hands But p Exo. 18.11 in the thing wherin they dealt proudly the Lord was above them So that what David prayed for when his ememies insulted was a mercy here bestowed upon our Army q Psal 35.26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoyce at my hurt let them be cloathed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves against me And in this the Lord hath not left himself without witnesse in reference to the Justice of our Cause by giving us so wonderful a victory and deliverance I shall conclude with this admonition to the Scots and their Adherents r Psal 75. l 5. I said to the vain-glorious fools be not vain-gloriously foolish and to the wicked lift not up the horn Lift not up your horn on high speak not with a stiffe neck 2. It argues Gods owning a people and their Cause when he Å¿ Psal 136.23 remembers them in a low estate appâ—ars for them when humane helps and hopes in a manner faile and gives them victory over an Enemy strong t Judg. 3.29 lasty and men of valour In the Book of Judges Samuel Kings Chronicles the people of God sometimes have been so low as they have not u 2 Chron. 20.12 known what to doe x Deut. 32.36 their power gone their Generall y 2 Sam. 21.15 fainted a 1 Sam. 30.10 half of their Army so feeble sore broken as not able to march In a word they have been reduced to such streights as if they had the sentence of death in themselves Now Gods appearing for them at such a time and giving them the victory in such a case not only shewed that it was the work of his own hands but as if upon the Actings and Appearances of the Lord it had been written in broad and viâ—ble Characters THIS IS GODS CAUSE How weake and low the condition of our Army was thus it is related We being thus humbled by the hand of God and the menaces of mercilesse men Our Forces lessened our bodies enfeebled with fluxes our strength wasted with watchings want of drinke wet and cold being our continuall companions much impaired our strength and courage and made above 2000. men altogether uselesse which were sent away at severall times to Berwick His Excellency and his Officers finding their unfitnesse for further delay and being in and under such streights and distresses resolved by day breake to breake through this Israelitish condition Mans extreamity is Gods opportunity when we are b Psal 107.28 29. at our wits end then maketh he the storm a calm and bringeth us to our desired haven And it is an usual thing with God thus to manifest his power in our weaknesse and by unworthy and unlikely instruments contemptible in the eyes of men to bring great things to passe to confound the things which are great and mighty that it may appear c Eccl. 9.11 The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong and therefore d Jer. 9.23 the mighty man should not glory in his might but his glorying should be in the holy one of Israel Again the Lord very often puts off the time of our deliverance till we are at a lost and in the lowest and weakest condition that
Squint-eyes if you set a booke direct before them they cannot read a word nor see a letter though it be a large and faire print but hold the booke side-way then they can read very well and see even the least and smallest point Such mercies and deliverances as are before their eyes and wherein the power goodnesse justice and faithfulnesse of God most shine forth and which look most fully and directly at his glory those their squint-eyes cannot see * Quid non mortalia pectoracoges Auri sacra famâ—s Virg. Eneid 3. But for others which come in side-way that is advance their Interest help to hold up their unsanctified places and standings their pomp pride Lordlinesse bring them in Corn and Wine c. These side-way blessings whether Victories or what else they can see and will read them and in their Churches too and keep dayes of publique Thanksgiving in remembrance of them If the State command it l Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy towards thy people yea the fire of thine enemies shall devoure them 6. Not onely hath the Lord given us this great Victory but with it hath happily brought to light many remarkable things whereby is discovered the grosse hypocrisie falsehood and dissimulation of the Scots especially some of their Church men and that great Proselyte their King which is another weighty Argument to prove Gods taking our part and Cause against them 1. Since the Victory some of their Officers and Souldiers have declared that the hand of God was certainly against them because their King was constrained to take the Covenant to own their Declaration altogether against his conscience For howsoever they well knew that whatsoever he did in this particular would be contrary to his mind Neverthelesse willing or not willing do it he * As puppets are moved wholly at his direction and bent that exteÌ„ds or slacks the strings whereon they dance And the blind Bayard rusheth into the Battle which way he should goe he sees not save only his rider spurreth him so is this mans case must and shall howsoever as was said they knew that therein he would dissemble and play the hypocrite and themselves also It may seeme strange to all sincere and conscientious people that men speaking so much of religion of the great Cause of God of advancing the glorious name of Jesus c. should act so corruptly before God and men Touching the hypocrisie and deep dissimulation both of King people the * The Answer of the Parliament of England to a paper entituled a Declaration of the Kings Majestie c. page 17.19 same in the Parliaments Answer excellently is observed In the space almost of 24. hours to grow up in the full perswasion of the Justice and Equity of all the Heads and Articles contained in the Covenant and to be able to declare that he hath not sworn nor subscribed them upon any sinister intention and crooked design for attaining his own ends and fixed a resolution to persist therein really constantly and sincerely all the dayes of his life Againe He that can on the 15. of August hug all his Malignants and Popish party in his bosome and lodge them in the secret Reserves of his favour and love as his best friends can now on the 16. the day following from the fulnesse of perswasion of the Justice and Equity of all the Heads and Articles of the Covenant renounce and discard them in the sight of God and the world and vow never to have any more to doe with them There needs nothing to be added for the matter it selfe is like a filthy carkasse which will rot and consume away though it be never toucht Among the Myconians it was no unseemely thing to be bald because the people were naturally so if their young King among other nations had thus dissembled it would have been judged a thing unseemly most unchristian but it seems among Scots falshood and hypocrisie is no deformity no blemish or fault in nature they being naturally so I speak not of all but of the most part lyars and a seede of falshood Physitians in some unseemly convulsions wish their Patients should looke on themselves in a glasse which will cause them to strive the more when they shall see their owne deformity If the Scots would but looke here upon themselves and behold this deformity I should thinke they would strive the more against it howsoever God sees their halting and double-dealing and hath already shewed his great indignation against them for it Some of them say * In a letter to his Excellency God hath hid his face for a while from the sons of Jacob but by your leave Jacob's sonnes are m Isa 63.8 children that will not lye they will not n Isa 28.15 make lies their refuge and under falshood hide themselves they will not o 1 Tim. 4.2 speak lies in hypocrisie but p Zech. 8.16 every man the truth to his neighbour q Zech. 8.3 and Jerusalem shall be called the City of truth If men trust in vanity and speak lies conceive mischiefe and bring forth iniquity if there be transgression and lying against the Lord and a departing away from our God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falshood If judgement be turned away backward and justice standeth afarre of If truth be fallen in the street and equity cannot enter God indeed wil then r Isa 59.2 hide his face from such a people as the Prophet hath it yea though they boast of a Covenant and a Temple title themselves the Sonnes of Jacob and say Å¿ Isa 65.5 stand by thy selfe come not neer to me for I am more holie than thou 2. Their dissimulation each with other doth further appeare and Gods judgment upon them likewise for it No sooner did the Scots King heare of the losse of their Army bu he protested he was glad of it and * This was affirmed consideÌ„tly to the Lord Gen. by Major Gen. Straughams Trumpet falling down on his knees gave great thankes in the presence of all about him that they were so destroyed * Stat. Hist l. 8. c. 25. Plyny writes of a people called Tentarites when they have taken a Crocodile they will so fright him with their words and threats as he is forct to cast up and vomit out the prey which before he had swallowed downe If it should be granted the Scots by their thundring threats of rejection deposition Sale Excommunication c. had so terrified the young Crocodile I speake * It is usuall in Scripture to resemble Tyrants to Serpents Dragons Leviathan Psal 74.13 14. Ezek. 29.3 Isa 27.3 in Scripture language having gotten him amongst them as he was forced to vomit up his owne sins and his Fathers and Mothers sins all the idolatries adulteries
to be in vaine it is said f Numb 24.25 Balaam rose up and went and returned to his place and Balak also went his way doubtless as convinc'd that the Lord was so with Israel as they should not prosper in that way and course which they had taken up against him Will the Enemies of this Common-wealth be worse and more blind then they What blinder then Balak and Balaam It seems they are for howsoever they have gone as far in essayes and trialls and found no better successe yet have they not the understanding the others had that is to give over and cease as they did and goe every one to his owne home Balak brought Balaam up to the high places of Baal so hath the Enemies designe been * Namely by the late King and his wife who made it their Master-piece and ground-worke to have in the first place the Priests of Rome and England for their asistants Of her it may be said as Livia gravis in Remp. mater Tac. An. l. 1. brought unto the House of Baal The Priests of Roome have built Altars offered Sacrifices ‖ In the Popish Synagogues beyond Sea the late King was every where prayed for that he might prevaile against the Parliament and called upon their Gods their He Saints and She Saints for aid and assistance and the Parliament of England by them hath beene cursed with Bell Booke and Candle But there was no voyce nor any that answered The Lord who g Psal 20.2 sendeth his people help not from the high places of Baal but from his Sanctuary and supporteth them out of Sion turned that curse into a blessing unto us Besides whatsoever the Baalimites could otherwise doe as the Pope Cardinals Jesuites Monks Fryars with the English Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Cannons the rest of that Viperous brood either by their counsells Policies * There have bin many great Collections among the Papists as voluntary gifts in all Popish Countreys for to furnish the late King with monies in his war against the Parliament besides the great sums he had from them other wayes Purses or what way else they have contributed from time to time all the furtherance and help they could But as a wet Sack wherewith a naked man is covered is so far from arming him against the cold that it doth increase his shivering So this Enemies Designe hereby was so far from being holpen or effected as this prov'd a means the Lords good hand so ordering it of its greater fall and ruine Truly in vaine is Salvation hoped for from the Hills and from the multitude of Mountaines truely in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel Isa 3.23 2. As Balak brought Balaam h Num. 32.14 into the Field of Zophim that is of the * So is the word by the Learned Interpreted Spies or Scowt-watches So the Enemies great cause or designe hath been here likewise witnesse the Popish prelatical and Malignant party who have watcht all opportunities to raise Hurliburleys and Commotion both in England and Ireland and where ever they have spied any advantage or imagined the least help of successe multitudes have made themselves ready to engage against the Parliament What i Isa 29.20 watching there hath beene for iniquity k Psal 37.32 to slay the righteous pretended to be for the Protestant Religion Priviledges of Parliament and the liberty of the Subjects now for the Covenant and reformation it is well knowne by what the blood-thirsty Irish and desperate English Cavaleers have often attempted but he that sits in Heaven laughed them to scorne so as their taking Counsells together their Associations conspiracies and insurrections in City and Countrey was to them no otherwise then a Quagmire or Irish-bog the more they stir'd the deeper they sanke and faster they were l Isa 47.11 Mischiefe did fall upon them and they were not able to put it off and suddain desolation which they did not know Our Army m Psal 18.42 Beating them small as the dust before the wind casting them out as the dirt in the street 3. As Balak when he saw he could not attaine his end by carrying Balaam unto the two former places he brings him then n Num. 23.28 unto the top of Peor to o Deut. 3 2◠Beth-Peor the House or Temple of his God the Kirk in which his Idoll was the enemies designe their great cause after they have p Ezek. 9.5 wearied themselves to commit iniquity and with their lyes at length is brought to the holy place where under colour of Religion and reformation it may be the more strengthened and better carried forth But as Solomon sayth q Ezek. 24 1◠The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind As the Lord here saw * Si mulata aequitasnon est aequitas sed ini qua duplex quia iniquitas est simulatio Aug. Super. Ps 63. more dissimulation Hypocrisie falshood then on the high places of Baal or Field of Zaphim so doth the power of his anger the more appeare here the Lord will shew himselfe that he hath not pleasure in wickednesse is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity And howsoever perhaps they might flatter themselves and think He would hide his face and never see it or say How doth he know Can he judge through the dark Clouds Neverthelesse he did see their falshood and jugling how cunningly soever covered and hath left them as Lots Wife to be a Pillar of Salt a memorable example unto posterity not to provoke the Almighty and terrible God in such sort for as Eliphaz sayth in Job The Congregations of Hypocrites shall be desolate My flesh trembleth for feare of thee ‖ Job 15.43 and r Pro. 21.27 I am afraid of thy Judgements Two things I find more acted at Beth-Peor First Balaams wicked Doctrine who Counnselled Balak to lay a Stumbling-block before the Children of Israel whereby they might be occasioned to rebell against the Lord and so destroyed 2 Balaks putting off his Prophet without any reward when he saw he had received no profit by him and that all his juggling and Hocus-Pocus helpt him not O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome thou hast made them all What was that Declaration which the Scots lately counselled their King to set forth but * It carries the look face of their Kirk Balaams Doctrine a stumbling block a snare a pit For what was the maine drift and scope thereof but rebellion against God and man namely to have the English rise up in Armes against the Magistrate that so they might be cut off I say themselves their Families Wives and Children utterly undone and then the Scots to come in for our Gued or Goods As for the other particular their King perceiving now that he cannot carry on his designe by their Wiles wherewith they thought to have beguiled
England No more then Balaam helped Balak by his Enchantments and Sorceries he is so far from having any thoughts to reward them as that he is upon the point to cast them off and to cloth the naked Germaine againe with Red and Black as making use no more of the Blew for he sees the Covenant so ominous and unhappy as no designe or plot ever prospers that goes forth under the name of it As if God had spoken of it Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed shalt thou be in the Field cursed shalt thou be when thou commest in and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out And thus much of Balak and Balaam or the pararell between them and the Enemies of this Common-wealth ‖ Isa 44.11 in acting their Designes or cause alike Let them all be gathered together let them stand up yet they shall feare and be ashamed together I should now speake something in Answer to such objections as might be made against the thing here stood for something I shall write although a larger discourse the Reader shall have in the Second part Object 1. Solomon sayth a Eccl. 9.1 2 Judicium carnis de administratione dei erga personas ipsas Junius in Loc. Est autem hic descripâ—io elegantissima totius judicj carnalis ibid. Sententia carnis de administratione dej in mundo Gartw in Loc. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him All things come alike to all there is one event to the wicked and to the righteous Hence it follows that nothing can be concluded from Successes Victories or outward deliverances as if thereby it might be proved that God should owne and justifie one mans cause more then another Answ 1. It is a great Question whither these are the words of Solomon some say not but the Atheist or carnall reason is here brought in denying Gods providence and framing an Objection thus If things here below were ordered and administred by a just and wise God some distinction then would be seene between men and men in order to their condition and events of things but wicked men and such whose cause is sinfull and unjust prosper and have as great successe as the righteous and those whose cause is right and good Ergo. An Argument like Catos after Pompey was beaten by Caesar and the same in effect which the Scots and English Presbyters now maintaine to darken the glory of God shining forth in his works But 2. Admit another interpretation neverthelesse by these words All things come alike to all c. It cannot be meant as if nothing could be gathered from Gods dispensations in the World or that Events and successes prove nothing for such a sence is a plaine contradiction unto other Scriptures b Psal 34.15.16 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous his face is against them that doe evill to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth When he saved Noah and his Family from drowning and left the rest to perish in the great waters delivered Lot out of Sodome and gave up the Sodomites to be burnt with fire and brimstone brought Israel safe through the red Sea and left the Aegyptians there to be overwhelmed and destroyed Here all things are not alike neither is there one event to the wicked and to the righteous Besides by the deliverance and good successe which the Lord gave Noah Lot and the Israelites it did appeare and had there been nothing else that same thing was enough to prove their way and cause to be better then the others It is therefore most true as one saith * Jermin upon Eccles 9.3 p. 312. As God beholdeth men who are not alike so he beholdeth them in a manner not alike And much to the same purpose are Salvians words ‖ Intelligis generalem quidem esse in omnes domini visâ—onem sed meritorum fieri disparilitate diâ—â— versum boni quippe aspiâ—iun tur ut conserventur mali ut disperdantur Salvian de Gub dej l. 2. Thou understandest the sight of God to be generall upon all but to be made different by diversity of their deserts for the good are beheld that they may be preserved the wicked that they may be destroyed so he 3. Should the place be understood that nothing can be proved by Events and Successes there would then little use many times be made of Gods pow er justice goodnesse or any cause to ascribe glory and praise unto him for his great and marvelous works for suppose he have saved a people by a speciall and mighty hand and destroyed their enemies in an unwonted and extraordinary sort and all this after both have solemnly and often appealed unto Heaven that the Lord would judge the cause betwixt them yet must not any man beholding these things say that God in all this either gave any signe or token to the Conquerors of approving their Action or that they subdued had not a just and righteous cause Now what place is there here if such Events and successes speake nothing to sing the Song of Moses Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints As for the grounds of the War between them it is possible many may be ignorant thereof therefore if they may neither say nor think of the cause by the events be they whatsoever here then they must either hold their peace or offer the Sacrifice of fools It is a rule in Aristotle Ex vero semper sequitur verum but this Doctrine that Events prove nothing cannot be Sound because such an absurdity and untruth follows thereupon 4. Had these men been living who teach that nothing can be concluded from successe or event when the ‖ †There is aâ— much now in a solemn appealing unto God as there was in casting a Lot so that if men being at difference doe appeale and that before the World unto God that he should judge the cause between them No question but the Lord now upon this appealing to him will doe as formerly he did in the Lot give a most righteous sentence by his ordering hand of providence And therefore it seems to me that had a Scot and others of his mind bin found out by a Lot as Achan was they would not have allow'd it or stood to it but have said One event to all Lot fell to Achan Jonathan Jonas and others they could easily have evaded it had it been their case as for example they would have pleaded all things come alike to all there is one event to the wicked and to the righteous And therefore whatsoever the successe or event be of the lot nothing thence can be inferred as to prove a man guilty or that any distinction or difference should be put betweene person and person Cause and Cause But what cannot men doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by wit and art as to make