one haire of the three Children Ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloath you but there is no warmth and he that earneth wages puts it into a bag with holes a bottomelesse purse Haggai 1. 6. Thus Seed Meat Drink Cloathes Money Armes all Creatures have so much power and no more then God infuseth into them What 's the reason of all this â— Reade the ninth Verse I did blow upon it It it more easie for God to empty and exinanite all the Creatures in the World of power then for a Man to blow away a Feather Besides Bread there is the nurritive faculty of Bread which the Scripture calls the staffe of Bread without which our Bread is like a lame Creeple without his staffe who cannot move himselfe Psal. 33. 15 A King is not saved by the Multitude of a Host neither is a mighty Man a Giant deliveâ—ed by much strength a Horse is but a vaine thing to save a Man He doth not say a King cannot protect others but lesse He is not saved himselfe There is no Creature more conducible to safety then an Horse either for Victory or Flight in utrumque paratus yet without Gods concurrence an Horse is but a vaine thing or mendacium est equus An Horse is but a Lie as Saint Paul saith an Idoll is nothing an Idoll is something either Gold or Silver or Brasse or Wood or Stone So an Horse also hath a true subsistence of flesh and blood and bone But an Idoll is nothing in efficacy it is nothing in respect of that which the Idolater doth imagine So an Horse if God withdraw his power is a Lie without efficacy not answerable to the confidence and expectation of his Rider What Marveile when One can chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight that want this influence Deut. 32. 30. So without Gods blessing an horse is a Lie an Army is a Lie a walled City is a Lie The Walls of Ecbatane were thirty Foot thick and seventy Foot high The Walls of Babilon were 50 foot thick and an 100. high Ierusalem had a triple Wall about it yet all these were ovethrowne and if the Devotion of Pilgrims had not kept a little Life in Jerusalem they had all become long since deserts for Owles to scriech in and Satyrs to dance in The like Fortune did Tyre run that was deemed invincible The Walls of Jerischo fell down with the sound of Trumpets And Capernaum which touched the Clouds with its lofty Turrets was cast down to Hell When Nicephourus Phocas was building a strong Wall about his Pallace he heard a voice in the night O King though thou build thy Wall as high as Heaven yet the sinne that is within will easily destroy it The confusion of Babell may teach us what is the united strengths and attempts of a World of Men without the Lord Obad. 4. Though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and set thy nest among the Starres thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord Then let not the Bow-man trust in his Bow nor the Swordman in his Sword Where Presumption leads the Van Destruction commonly followes in the Reere Where Pride is on Horsebacke Shame alwayes sits upon the Crooper Qui de se presumit ante prosternitur quam pugnat said Saint Austine He that trusts in himself is fallen already before he fight Goliath threatned David to give his flesh to the Fowles of the Ayre and the Beasts of the Field but a little stone taught him what it was to reckon without his Host. Neb â—chadnezzar vaunted of his Power Is not this great Babilon which I have builded hy my might for the Honour of my Majesty But a voice from Heaven whispered in his eare Thy Kingdome is departed from thee thou must dwell among the Beasts Julian the Apostate threatned after his return from the Persian War to root out the Sect of the Galileans but a dâ—rt God knows from what hand whether from Heaven or from Man learned him another lesson Vicisti Galilaee vicisti Thou hast overcome thou Jesus of Galilee thou hast overcome Feed this man with bread of affliction and water of affliction said Achab of Micheah vntill I returne again in Peace Good what was the end of this presumption Notwithstanding all his disguising himselfe in the day of Battell the Arrow found him out and the Joynts of his harnesse There is no Wisedome nor Vnderstanding nor Counsell against the Lord Prov. 21. 30. It is better therefore to trust in the Lord then to put any confidence in Man That leades me to my fowerth Observation But it is thou that savest us from our Enemies Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower tâ—e Righteous runneth unto it and is safe And Prov. 21. 31. The Horse is prepared against the day ef Battell but safety or Victory is of the Lord Paul may Plant and Apollo may Water â—ut it is thou that givest the increase Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain It was a brave answer of David to Goliah Thou commest to me with a Sword and with a Speare and with a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts 1 Sam. 17. 45. When an Army of Syrians had begirt Elysha's City round his servant cryed out Alas my Master what shall we doe Feare not said Elisha there are more with us then with them And praying God to open the young mans eyes he see all the Mountains full of Horses and Charrets of fire round about Elisha 2. King 6. 17. So the Angells pitch their Tents about Gods Children The godly never want heavenly succourâ— though they cannot be discerned with bodily eyes The Lord himself is a wall of fire about them 2 Zechar. 5. What virtue was there in Moses his Rod to break the hard Rocks to divide the red Sea to change whole Rivers into blood Or in Shamgars Good an Instrument not made for War to slay 600 Or in Sampsons Jâ—w boâ—e of an Asse to mâ—ke such heapes upon heapes of caikasses Or in Elisha's Salt to sweeten the bitter waters Or iâ— Clâ—y and Spittle to open the eyes of the blind Or in Peters shaddow to drive away diseases But it was Thou It was God that used these contempâ—ible means for the manifestation of his own power It was God that added weight to Davids little stone to make it pierce into the Forehead of Goliah It was God that added strength to a weak womans arme to destroy Ahimelech It was God that cast Siserah into such a profound sleep to give Jahell opportunity for her Hammer and her Naile But it is Thou It was God that made Jeremiah a defenced City an Iron Pillar a wall of Brasse agaiâ—st the whole Land Jer. 1. 18. It is all one with him to save by many or by few Though ye had
A SERMON Preached in the Cathedrall Church of YORK Before hiâ—Excellence the Earle of NEWCASTLE AND Many of the Prime Nobility and Gentry of the Northerne COVNTIES At the Publique Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the late great Victory upon Fryday Iune 30. 1643 And the Reducement of the West Parts of Yorkeshire to Obedience Printed at York by Stephen Bulkley 1643. By speciall Command To His Excellence WILLIAM Earle of NEWCASTLE Viscount Mansfield Lord Ogle Baron of Bolsover Bothall and Hepple Governour of the Towne and County of Newcastle Generall of all His Majesties Forces in the North Parts of this Kingdome and in the Counties of Nottingham Lincoln Rutland Derby Stafford Leicester Warwick Northampton Huntington Cambridge Norfolke Suffolke Essex and Hertford One of His Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell Sir THis Sermon is Yours in right of the Author being first Preached then Published by Your speciall Command Therefore it flyes thither most justly for Protection from whence it had a being But You have yet a nearer Interest in it from the Subject a great Victory gotten with as great hazard of Your own Person We are not so Sacrilegious to robbe God of His Glory Neither are we so stupid or fanaticall as to separate the Sword of the Lord and Gideon So long as an English Chronicle shall be extant this Northerne Good Fryday will be remembred to the perpetuall Honour of Your Noble Family In managing Your great trust conformably to Your Soverai ne You have rather expressed His temper who would suffer no Man to depart away from him discontented then the disposition of Vitellius who thought no Smell in the World so Sweet 〈◊〉 â—â—at of a slain Enemy God grant that 〈◊〉 to the bad may not prove accidentally cruelty to the good Nor Christian pitty to spare effusion of blood give the ulcer space to turne to a Gangrene so to make the Cure both more costly and more dangerous to the body Politiqâ—e He is blinde that doth not see how God hath blessed His Majesties Armies beyond probability and how all His Forces have almost ever proved Victorious in the Field Witnesse for this County Seecroft Tankersley Yarum Atherton c. Those losses which we have susteined have been upon surprises and especially by the negligence of Scouts The cold of the Feet strikes quickly up to the Head And the carelessenesse of the meanest Officer may indanger the Life of the Greatest But it is as superfluous as uncomely for me like another Phormio to discourse to Your Excellence of these things which are out of mine Element Accept I beseech you this Mite as a poore expression of my obedience and gratitude two forgotten virtues in this Age for Your singular favours to my selfe And to the Churches of this Province which owe to your Protection their present Liberty to serve God according to their Duty and the Laws and rites establâ—shed and to these Northerne Counties which by Your endeavours are totallâ— in a manner freed from the fury of Sedition which lies now gasping within the Walls of Hull God Almighty prosper Your Excellencies Arms for the happy reducement of the rest of your great charge to Obedience and Peace To the glory of God the Service of His Majesty Your own lasting Honour the tranquility of this distracted Kingdom and the unmas king of all Politicall and Ecclesiasticall juglers which is the constant expectation and shall be the dayly Prayer of Yarl Iuly 18. 1643. Your Excellencies Most Assured And Obliged Servant JOH DERENSIS Psal. 44. Ver. 7. and 8. 7. For I will not Trust in my Bow it is not my Sword that shall Help me 8. But it is Thou that Savest us from our Enemies and puttest them to confusion that hate us WE are not met together here to scanne curious Questions but to Sacrifice unto God with the Voice of Thanksgiving Therefore I passe by those doubts in silence which concerne either the Author of this Psalme or the occasion whereupon it was Indited Saint Paul applying the 22 verse For Thy sake are we killed all the Day long and accounted ss Sheep for the slaughter to the sufferings of the Primitive Christians is an authenticke Witnesse that it may be aptly used by us in the like cases We have heard with our Eares O God our Fathers have told us Fathers are Domesticall Preachers to their Families How thou hast driven out the Heathen with thy head how Thou hast destroyed the Nations and cast them out God will have nothing stable in this World but himselfe The highest Floods have the lowest Ebbes All Nations have their Suns and their Nights Kingdoms and Cities have their diseases and deaths as well as Men When God is angry Momento sit cinis diu silva A Wood that hath been many ages in growing is turned to Ashes in an instant For they got not the Land in possession through their own Sword neither was it their own Arme that helped them but Thy right hand and thine Arme and the light of thy countenance Thy Power and thy Wisedome and thy goodnesse Hath not the Potter power over his Clay Or the Mint-master over his Bullion They that have great Orchards doe cut up some Trees and plant and transplant oâ—â—ers and all for order and profit Shall noâ— God have the same power in the spacious field of this World Then if Goâ— be the Soveraigne Monarch and disposer of Kingdoms to whom shall we repaire but to Him in all our extremities Thou art my King O God send help unto Iâ—cob Thou art my King That Jehovâ—h is the great King both of Heaven and Earth doth no more prejudice the rights of Earthly Princes then it derogates from the Power of a naturall Parent that his Child should prâ—v Our Father which art in Heaven Mitte salutes or Manda salutes Send help or command help dictum factum saying and doing with God is all one help and health and victory are His Embassages Then followes Through Thee will we overthrowe our Enemies and in Thy name will we tread them down that rise up agaiâ—st us Through Thee I can doe all things saith Saint Paul through Christ that strengtheneth me But without Him we can doe nothing especially nothing that is good No man can say That Jesus is the Christ but by the Holy Ghost In him we live we move and have our being Will we overthrow we will push them down or we will tosse them to and fro it is a Metaphor taken from horned Beasts Every defeat is not an overthrow but we will turne them upside down yea and trample them under our feet so as they shall not be able to rise again And tread them down It implies an utter overthrow as Elisha said to King Joash Thou shouldest have sâ—itteâ— them five or six times till thou hadst consumed Syrâ—a And tread them downe that rise up against us as dreggs are elevated out of the boâ—â—â—one of a Vessell a proper Phrase for
defence What King saith our Saviour going to make warre against another King sitteth not downe and cousulteth whether he he abâ—e with ten thousand to meet him that commeth against him with twenâ—y thousand Observe first that he saith what King and against another King Without the consent or at least the implâ—cir approbation of the Sover igne Magistrate no Man can justly take up publicke Arms Our Saviour charged Peter to put â—o his sword for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword Why put up his sword because he was a private Man and They that take the sword that is without the Auâ—ority of the supreame Magistrate shall perish by the sword for He beareth not the sword in vaine But if pâ—ivate Persons have power to raise Arms he beareth the Sword altogether invain Those places in holy Scripâ—ure which prohibit Christians to resist evill or to render evill for evill are by all Interpreters restreiâ—ed to private Persons Why did David inquire so often what reward should be given to him that killed the Philistine yet after his Victory never made Demand of it But only by this meanes to gaine a Commission from Saul This was the cause why Caesar before his march to Rome did rejoyce so much when Anthony and some of the Tribunes of the People came into his Army that being no Monarchy but a Popular State By all which we may easily judge what is the condition of our present Rebells Secondly we may observe from these words of our Saviour that even they who have the Power of Arms invested in them ought carefully to proportion their prepâ—rations to their necessary occasions Saint Paul did thankeâ—ully accept of 200 Souldiers 200 Spearemen and 70 Horse to convoy him to Caesarea safe from the insurrection of the Jewes When a Trojan Priest offered to Alexander to shew him Paris his Harpe he desired him rather to shew him Achilles his Speare the more honorable Iustrument The Phâ—nicians pictured their Gods like Merchants with great bags and purses to represent the power of mony But the Graecians like Souldiers compleatly armed to shew that all things are obedient to Arms The Romans had the Temple of Ianuâ— for their publicke Armory and all provident States ever had their Arcenalls or Store-houses of Ammunition A Travailers Sword though he be a Coward yet it is a discouragement to a Theese He that is best provided for defence shall be sure to be least assaulted by his Enemies It was an impertinent question of Socrates when he see the strong Gates and Bulwarkes of Corinth whether they were all Women that inhabited there So soone as the Israelites were come into the Land of Canaan Manna ceased they were then to till the ground for their lively hood It is no better then a plaine tempting of God to depend upon Divine assistence and neglect ordinary meanes It was the error of those frantick Anabaptists who instead of sighting were gaping up towards Heaven for a Miracle to fall into their mouths and thought themselves able to catch all the bullets into their Coatelaps Indeed the King is forbidden to multiply Horses to himselfe Deut. 17. 16 yet we know that King David provided speares and shields and Solomon his Sonne provided not only Arms but Ships and Chariots and Horsemen without reproofe The Text saith that he had a thousand and four hundred Chariots and twelve thousand Horsemen which he disposed among the Cities of â—udâ—ah 1 King 10. 26. The religious King Asa in a time of Peace builded fencâ—d Cities with walls Towers Gates Barres and God prospered him in it He provided shields and Bowes and Targets and Speares for 580000. men and accordingly God blessed him against the Aethiopian his huge Host of a thousand thousand 2 Chron. 14. 8. It iâ— not then sâ—â—ply a sinne in a King to multiply his Warlike preparations but accidentally to place his chiefe confidence in them or by reason of them to lift up his heart above his Brethren He that provideth not for his own and especially for those of his own House he hath deayed the Faith and is worse then an Infidell I Tâ—â—â— 5. 8. The Commonwealth is the Kings Family He is the Father of it Christian Religion is so farre from disobliging him that it binds him under the pain of grtevous Sinne and the high displeasure of his maker to provide not only for the sustentation but also for the protection of his Subjects Indeed the Scripâ—ure saith she weapons of our warefare are spirituall that is our Christian Warefare with Sinne and Sathan but we have another capacity as we are men and a Politicall Warfare also which requires corporeall Weapons And Saint Paul saith We wrestle not with Elesh and Blood That is not only not principally with Flesh and Blood we have greater Adversaries to cope withall even Sinne and Sathan Courage then a Bible and a Bow are â—ot opposite a man may be a good Swordman and yet a good Christian How often doth the Scripture call them the Warres of the Lord the Battells of the Lord How often doth it prescribe Military Rules and Precepts God stiles himselfe the Captaine of the Lords Hoast having his drawn sword in his hand Iosh. 5. 14. Thou teachest my hands to warre and my fingers to fight said David I hope the Lord takes no Apprentisâ—s to teach them a wicked Trade There is a time for Warre and a time for Peace Saith Solomon but there is no time for that which is in it selfe unlawfull Iohn Baptist bids the Souldiers do violence to no man accuse no man falsely be content with their wages he doth not bid them give over their Profession Christ commends the Centurion that He had not found so great Faith in Israel Saint Peter saith of Cornelius a Ciptein that his Prayers and Almes were had in remembrance in the sight of God And by Faith the Saints subdued Kingdoms waxed valiant in Fight and turned to flight the Armies of the Alients Heb. 11. 33. Religion doth not make a Coward Warre is the Exercise Victory the Reward of Faith To conclude this point a Man may with a good Conscience meet his God with his Arms in his hand â—nd safely lay down his Life in a just Warre To dye for a Mans Religion for his King for his Country is a degree of Martyrdome Dulce decorum est prâ— Patria 〈◊〉 Only there are some Rocks to be avoided whereof this is one of the most principall That a Christian Souldier doe not place his confidence in his Arms which brings me to my third Observation For I will not trust in my Bow it is not my Sword that shall help me The Creatures are Gods Souldiers and cannot move till he give them the Word Let him but suspend his influence and the most powerfull Creatures in the World become weak The Lyons are not able to open their mouthes against Daniel nor the fire to sindge